Guest guest Posted April 18, 2002 Report Share Posted April 18, 2002 Poojaniya ompremji, sadar pranaams! On this beautiful Thursday , a dayn dedicated to Guru, you have some raised some very pertinent questions... 1) what is guru bhakti 2) what is guru seva 3) what constitutes true guru -dakshina? here i would like to quote a verse from sikshavalli in taiitriya upanishads.. THE Guru bids his disciple farewell and delivers his last upadesh: (SERMON) "Satyam vada, dharmam cara SVadhyayan ma pramadah, Acaryaya priyam dhanam ahrtya." Speak the truth; Practise virtue. Let there be no neglect of your daily reading. Give unto the teacher what is pleasing to him." SO, HOW CAN YOU GIVE TO THE GURU WHAT IS PLEASING TO HIM? There are two ways of doing it... one is to give something 'tangible' what is called guru dakshina. in the olden days, as you have rightly mentioned this involved living in the gurukula system where the disciple lived with the guru , ate with him , helped the guru in all daily activities and in return the guru imparted valuable teachings. this was called guru seva! but, over a period of time , a system of guru-dakshina evolved where the disciple made concrete offerings in terms of cash, clothing or anything tangible. this guru-dakshina was simply symbolic - expressing gratitude and appreciation for the teaching the disciple received from his/her guru. but seriously, what is the guru dakshina most pleasing to the guru? ompremji , i am sure, you can do more justice to this topic than ui can... well, the most pleasing (everlasting) gift a guru receives from his disciple is when the student practices the teachings of his guru with sincerity and earnestness- in fact, THE STUDENT IS THE LIVING EMBODIMENT OF THE GURU- you identify a flower by its fragrance... you recognize the greatness of a guru by his disciple... an ideal student is one who leads by example and everyone wants to follow him/her- such a disciple follows all the instructions of the guru to a letter 't' whom we are descendants—that would be the dakshina desired by the guru. this is the best guru seva or guru dakshina - i would like to conclude with a verse from guruashtakam composed by adi shankara... shhaDaN^gaadivedo mukhe shastravidyaa kavitvaadi gadyaM supadyaM karoti . manashchenna lagnaM guroraN^ghripadme tataH kiM tataH kiM tataH kiM tataH kim.h ..3.. The Vedas with their six limbs and the knowledge of all sciences may be on one's lips; one may possess the poetic gift and may compose fine prose and poetry; but if one's mind be not centred upon the lotus feet of the Guru, what then, what then, what then? shri gurubyo namaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2002 Report Share Posted April 18, 2002 Great! BOLO SRI GURU KI! JAI!!! JAI MA KALI!!!JAI BAJRANG BALI!!! JAI PHIL COLLINS!!! Phil Das Bhakta , "adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16> wrote: > Poojaniya ompremji, sadar pranaams! > > On this beautiful Thursday , a dayn dedicated to Guru, you have some > raised some very pertinent questions... > > 1) what is guru bhakti > > 2) what is guru seva > > 3) what constitutes true guru -dakshina? > > here i would like to quote a verse from sikshavalli in taiitriya > upanishads.. > > THE Guru bids his disciple farewell and delivers his last upadesh: > (SERMON) > > "Satyam vada, dharmam cara > SVadhyayan ma pramadah, > Acaryaya priyam dhanam ahrtya." > > Speak the truth; Practise virtue. Let there be no neglect of your > daily reading. Give unto the teacher what is pleasing to him." > > SO, HOW CAN YOU GIVE TO THE GURU WHAT IS PLEASING TO HIM? > > There are two ways of doing it... > > one is to give something 'tangible' what is called guru dakshina. > in the olden days, as you have rightly mentioned this involved living > in the gurukula system where the disciple lived with the guru , ate > with him , helped the guru in all daily activities and in return the > guru imparted valuable teachings. this was called guru seva! > > but, over a period of time , a system of guru-dakshina evolved where > the disciple made concrete offerings in terms of cash, clothing or > anything tangible. > > this guru-dakshina was simply symbolic - expressing gratitude and > appreciation for the teaching the disciple received from his/her > guru. > > but seriously, what is the guru dakshina most pleasing to the guru? > ompremji , i am sure, you can do more justice to this topic than ui > can... > > well, the most pleasing (everlasting) gift a guru receives from his > disciple is when the student practices the teachings of his guru with > sincerity and earnestness- in fact, THE STUDENT IS THE LIVING > EMBODIMENT OF THE GURU- > > you identify a flower by its fragrance... > > you recognize the greatness of a guru by his disciple... > > an ideal student is one who leads by example and everyone wants to > follow him/her- > > such a disciple follows all the instructions of the guru to a > letter 't' > > whom we are descendants—that would be the dakshina desired by the > guru. > > this is the best guru seva or guru dakshina - > > i would like to conclude with a verse from guruashtakam composed by > adi shankara... > > shhaDaN^gaadivedo mukhe shastravidyaa > kavitvaadi gadyaM supadyaM karoti . > manashchenna lagnaM guroraN^ghripadme > tataH kiM tataH kiM tataH kiM tataH kim.h ..3.. > > The Vedas with their six limbs and the knowledge of all sciences may > be > on one's lips; one may possess the poetic gift and may compose fine > prose > and poetry; but if one's mind be not centred upon the lotus feet of > the > Guru, what then, what then, what then? > > shri gurubyo namaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2002 Report Share Posted April 19, 2002 namaste jaiphilcollins! where have you been? i was just thinking of you the other day. with hanuman jayantti just around the corner (april 26th) . i was wondering where you were- a great devotee of sri hanuman who was a perfect devotee of shri rama just like you are a devotee of your guru phil collins. smiles... Yes, even the great archer Ekalavya practiced the art of archery before the idol of his guru Dronacharya and became an expert in that art. so much so, Dronacharya asked Eklaya to donate his right thumb as a 'guru dakshina' - of course, this demand for guru dakshina was motivated by two factors... one-Drona was testing Eklavya's real devotion to the guru and second, drona did not want any other person to gain supremacy in the art of archery over his favorite disciple arjuna... and sure enough, Eklavya, the great sisya that he was, slashed his right thumb with a knife and donated to his guru Dronacharya. but, believe me eklavya again practiced the art with the help of his left hand and left thumb and gained mastery and during the mahabharata war was approached by shri krishna to concede the victory to arjuna by stepping down in the battlefield... such guru hakti is rare in this kali yuga with few exceptions!!! smiles!! please read on... There is no one greater in the three worlds than the guru. It is he who grants divine knowledge and should be worshiped with supreme devotion. Atharva Veda ********************************************************************** It is laid down by the Lord that there can be no moksha (liberation) without diksha (initiation); And initiation cannot be there without a teacher. Kularnava Tantra ********************************************************************** Though himself unattached, the guru, after testing him for some time, on command of the Lord, Shall deliver the Truth to his disciple in order to vest him with authority. Of him who is so invested with authority, there is verily union with the Supreme Siva. At the termination of the bodily life, his is the eternal liberation — this is declared by the Lord. Therefore, one should seek with all effort to have a guru of the unbroken tradition, born of Supreme Siva himself. Kularnava Tantra ********************************************************************** Without a teacher, all philosophy, traditional knowledge and mantras are fruitless. Him alone the Gods laud who is the guru, keeping active what is handed down by tradition. Kularnava Tantra ********************************************************************** I adore the lotus feet of the teachers who have shown to us the source of the eternal ocean of bliss, born of the Self within, Who have given us the remedy for the hala-hala poison of samsara. ********************************************************************** but do not despair, if you do not have a physical guru! until the "human guru " manifests, worship the divine mother sree lalita parameshwari or durga mata as your divine guru!!! for sree lalita is om daksina-murti-rupinyai namaha... salutations to her who has taken the form of dakshinamurti, the guru of all gurus... dakshinamurti is the incarnation of lord siva. he is used to sit under a banyan tree with a handful of disciples. he was a mouna guru (silent) and in his very silent presence, disciples realized the supreme truth!!! our divine mother is such a guru!!! by just meditating on her various names and forms, she will be so pleased that she will be sending a 'guru' and many upagurus your way!!!! this has been my experience. love Guru Gita " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2002 Report Share Posted April 19, 2002 Namaste dear Adi! I am around! just been busy!!! Thanks for your lovely post! very inspirational! Yes, Hanuman Jayanti very soon! Take care! JAI BAJRANG BALI!!!JAI KALI MATA!!! JAI PHIL COLLINS!!! Phil Das Bhakta , "adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16> wrote: > namaste jaiphilcollins! where have you been? i was just thinking of > you the other day. with hanuman jayantti just around the corner > (april 26th) . i was wondering where you were- a great devotee of sri > hanuman who was a perfect devotee of shri rama just like you are a > devotee of your guru phil collins. smiles... > > Yes, even the great archer Ekalavya practiced the art of archery > before the idol of his guru Dronacharya and became an expert in that > art. so much so, Dronacharya asked Eklaya to donate his right thumb > as a 'guru dakshina' - of course, this demand for guru dakshina was > motivated by two factors... one-Drona was testing Eklavya's real > devotion to the guru and second, drona did not want any other person > to gain supremacy in the art of archery over his favorite disciple > arjuna... and sure enough, Eklavya, the great sisya that he was, > slashed his right thumb with a knife and donated to his guru > Dronacharya. but, believe me eklavya again practiced the art with the > help of his left hand and left thumb and gained mastery and during > the mahabharata war was approached by shri krishna to concede the > victory to arjuna by stepping down in the battlefield... such guru > hakti is rare in this kali yuga with few exceptions!!! smiles!! > > please read on... > > There is no one greater in the three worlds than the guru. > It is he who grants divine knowledge and should be worshiped with > supreme devotion. > > Atharva Veda > > ********************************************************************** > It is laid down by the Lord that there can be no moksha (liberation) > without diksha (initiation); > And initiation cannot be there without a teacher. > > Kularnava Tantra > ********************************************************************** > > Though himself unattached, the guru, after testing him for some time, > on command of the Lord, > Shall deliver the Truth to his disciple in order to vest him with > authority. > Of him who is so invested with authority, there is verily union with > the Supreme Siva. > At the termination of the bodily life, his is the eternal liberation — > this is declared by the Lord. > Therefore, one should seek with all effort to have a guru of the > unbroken tradition, born of Supreme Siva himself. > > Kularnava Tantra > ********************************************************************** > > Without a teacher, all philosophy, traditional knowledge and mantras > are fruitless. > Him alone the Gods laud who is the guru, keeping active what is > handed down by tradition. > > Kularnava Tantra > ********************************************************************** > > I adore the lotus feet of the teachers who have shown to us the > source of the eternal ocean of bliss, born of the Self within, > Who have given us the remedy for the hala-hala poison of samsara. > ********************************************************************** > > but do not despair, if you do not have a physical guru! until > the "human guru " manifests, worship the divine mother sree lalita > parameshwari or durga mata as your divine guru!!! > > for sree lalita is > om daksina-murti-rupinyai namaha... > > salutations to her who has taken the form of dakshinamurti, the guru > of all gurus... > > dakshinamurti is the incarnation of lord siva. he is used to sit > under a banyan tree with a handful of disciples. he was a mouna guru > (silent) and in his very silent presence, disciples realized the > supreme truth!!! > > our divine mother is such a guru!!! by just meditating on her > various names and forms, she will be so pleased that she will be > sending a 'guru' and many upagurus your way!!!! this has been my > experience. > > love > > > > > Guru Gita > > > " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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