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Guru is someone who helps you be aware of that which you yourself

decided to become unaware of in the past.

 

That awareness has to come from within you.

 

Vinaire

 

 

Ramakrishna , c s shah <drcssha@b...> wrote:

> GURU

>

> Guru is not outside. He is Antaryami -present within the heart. Guru

> enters our hearts at the time of initiation as Mantra. Since then

he is

> always present in the heart looking, observing every good or bad,

> physical or mental activity we perform. He is constantly awake and

> trying from within to transform us. If we remember that he is

constantly

> watching us from within, our whole life will be transformed. Let us

> cooperate with the Guru in this spiritual transformation.

> *

> This is the message I received in response to my query about the

> importance of Guru.

> *

> c s s

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  • 1 year later...

Dear Sanjay:

 

It appears the various answers to your question have brought you peace and

resolve - I am happy for you. However, if your " impurities " are anything

like mine - someday your patience will run out as you continue to wonder,

" Where is my Guru? Am I still not worthy? " Surely, I would fall down on my

knees and wash his or her feet with my tears if I was ever so fortunate as

to be blessed with a Guru (as defined by c. s. shah). However, instead of

waiting for " flesh and blood, " I have found great comfort in satisfying

this desire - (oh, oh, I've re-surfaced that topic again! Methinks it is an

unavoidable topic for the spiritual traveler.) - for a Guru by seeking the

" inner " Guru through meditation (aka, the Holy Spirit for Christians on this

List). Let me quote from page 98 of The Gospel, " . . . one must live in holy

company, pray to God, weeping for His grace, and now and then go into

solitude. . . Anyone and everyone cannot be a guru. A huge timber floats on

the water and can carry animals as well. But a piece of worthless wood

sinks, if a man sits on it, and drowns him. Therefore, in every age God

incarnates Himself as the guru, to teach humanity. Satchidananda alone is

the guru. "

 

Therefore, both Christ and Ramakrishna teach me that meditation and holy

fellowship (such as this List) are more important than waiting for a

" Totapuri " who may never come.

 

God Bless Us All,

Brad

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Dear Brad,

Whatever you say is so very reassuring. This is the process and everyone

would find the Guru. In spirituality patience and perseverance are based

on the concept of time that is always a moment, and never unending!

In a flash, in a moment, Truth shine forth. Then the Guru appears and

merges into one's Ishta; and then the Freedom! This is the destiny of

each soul, time is immaterial.

 

c s shah

*

Ramakrishna wrote:

> Sat, 3 Nov 2001 08:01:00 -0600

> " Brad Stephan " <brad

> Re: Guru

>

> Dear Sanjay:

>

> It appears the various answers to your question have brought you peace and...

 

*

http://www.geocities.com/neovedanta

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  • 8 months later...
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Namaste,

 

The word 'Guru' appears as far back as in Rig-Veda. It occurs

in the oldest Upanishads also, Chandogya and Mundaka.

 

Guru Granth Sahib, the scripture of the Sikhs, has been known

since 15th century.

 

In popular literature, or rather 'pop=culture', it took its

hold after 1950's.

 

It is hard to find the word in any book of Quotations!

 

Here are some other bits of info:

 

 

guru

Encyclopædia Britannica Article

 

(Sanskrit: " venerable " ), in Hinduism, a personal spiritual teacher

or guide who has himself attained spiritual insight. From at least

the time of the Upanisads (ancient commentaries on the sacred

scriptures), India has stressed the importance of the tutorial method

in religious instruction. In the educational system of ancient India,

knowledge of the Vedas (sacred scriptures) …

 

 

=====================================================================

 

The Columbia World of Quotations. 1996.

 

NUMBER: 21988

QUOTATION: One does not become a guru by accident.

ATTRIBUTION: James Fenton (b. 1949), British poet, critic. Times

(London, Aug. 9, 1984).

 

Referring to playwright Samuel Beckett.

 

=====================================================================

 

 

http://www.takeourword.com/Issue017.html

 

From ------- :

 

Supposedly, Aristotle referred to things as having a property of

lightness, like smoke, which he called levity, and a property of

heaviness, like an anchor, which he called gravity. How true is

this? I know that perhaps there are Ancient Greek equivalents that

Ol' Aristotle used. I hope you can help me.

 

Well, we only etymologize English words here, so we'll start with

English and go backwards and see if we find any Greek out there

anywhere. Additionally, due to time restraints, we'll look only at

gravity.

 

English gravity comes from Latin gravis " heavy, serious " via

gravitas. It is first recorded in English in the 16th century with

that same meaning, and it was not until the 17th century that the

scientific use of the word came about. Gravis goes back to the Indo-

European root *gru-, from which came Greek barus " heavy " (English got

baritone, barium, and barometer from the Greek), Sanskrit guru

" heavy, dignified " (which gave us English guru), and Latin brutus

" heavy " or " cumbersome " (English brute arose from this Latin word).

Some other English cognates are grave, gravid, gravitate, grief, and

grudge.

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

 

Ramakrishna, " revenk " <revenk> wrote:

> Dear all,

> Whence did the appellation, Guru " , first take its rise?

> Kind regards,

>

> R.Venkatesan

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Hello Sunder,

 

According to Radhakrishna, the word " Guru " indicates anyone who gives.

" Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu ..... " . The Gods were Guru, once Parents and once

Teacher are all considered Guru. I am not sure how he comes to this

conclusion.

 

regards,

--Sunil

 

 

> " sunderh " <sunderh

>Ramakrishna

>Ramakrishna

>[sri Ramakrishna] Re: Guru

>Wed, 10 Jul 2002 13:14:27 -0000

>

>Namaste,

>

> The word 'Guru' appears as far back as in Rig-Veda. It occurs

>in the oldest Upanishads also, Chandogya and Mundaka.

>

> Guru Granth Sahib, the scripture of the Sikhs, has been known

>since 15th century.

>

> In popular literature, or rather 'pop=culture', it took its

>hold after 1950's.

>

> It is hard to find the word in any book of Quotations!

>

> Here are some other bits of info:

>

>

>guru

> Encyclopædia Britannica Article

>

>(Sanskrit: " venerable " ), in Hinduism, a personal spiritual teacher

>or guide who has himself attained spiritual insight. From at least

>the time of the Upanisads (ancient commentaries on the sacred

>scriptures), India has stressed the importance of the tutorial method

>in religious instruction. In the educational system of ancient India,

>knowledge of the Vedas (sacred scriptures) …

>

>

>=====================================================================

>

>The Columbia World of Quotations. 1996.

>

>NUMBER: 21988

>QUOTATION: One does not become a guru by accident.

>ATTRIBUTION: James Fenton (b. 1949), British poet, critic. Times

>(London, Aug. 9, 1984).

>

>Referring to playwright Samuel Beckett.

>

>=====================================================================

>

>

>http://www.takeourword.com/Issue017.html

>

>From ------- :

>

>Supposedly, Aristotle referred to things as having a property of

>lightness, like smoke, which he called levity, and a property of

>heaviness, like an anchor, which he called gravity. How true is

>this? I know that perhaps there are Ancient Greek equivalents that

>Ol' Aristotle used. I hope you can help me.

>

>Well, we only etymologize English words here, so we'll start with

>English and go backwards and see if we find any Greek out there

>anywhere. Additionally, due to time restraints, we'll look only at

>gravity.

>

>English gravity comes from Latin gravis " heavy, serious " via

>gravitas. It is first recorded in English in the 16th century with

>that same meaning, and it was not until the 17th century that the

>scientific use of the word came about. Gravis goes back to the Indo-

>European root *gru-, from which came Greek barus " heavy " (English got

>baritone, barium, and barometer from the Greek), Sanskrit guru

> " heavy, dignified " (which gave us English guru), and Latin brutus

> " heavy " or " cumbersome " (English brute arose from this Latin word).

>Some other English cognates are grave, gravid, gravitate, grief, and

>grudge.

>

>

>Regards,

>

>Sunder

>

>

>

>

>Ramakrishna, " revenk " <revenk> wrote:

> > Dear all,

> > Whence did the appellation, Guru " , first take its rise?

> > Kind regards,

> >

> > R.Venkatesan

>

>

 

 

 

 

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Namaste,

 

It would help to know the exact reference and context in

which Radhakrishnan said this.

 

Monier-Williams dictionary gives many different meanings as follows:

 

guru

 

Meaning [i have deleted many other alternate meanings].

 

mf(%{vI})n. (cf. %{giri4} ; comp. %{ga4rIyas} , once %{-yas-tara} , %

{guru-tara} , superl. %{gariSTha} , %{gurutama} see ss. vv.) heavy ,

weighty (opposed to %{laghu4}) RV. i , 39 , 3 and iv , 5 , 6 AV. & c.

(g. %{zauNDA7di} Gan2ar. 101) ;

 

high in degree , vehement , violent , excessive , difficult , hard

RV. MBh. & c. ; grievous Megh. 80 ; important , serious , momentous

MBh. & c. ; valuable , highly prized Ya1jn5. ii , 30 (%{guru} = %

{garIyas}) & c. ;

haughty , proud (speech) Pan5cat. ;

venerable , respectable ;

m. any venerable or respectable person (father , mother , or any

relative older than one's self) Gobh. S3a1n3khGr2. Mn. & c. ;

a spiritual parent or preceptor (from whom a youth receives the

initiatory Mantra or prayer , who instructs him in the S3a1stras and

conducts the necessary ceremonies up to that of investiture which is

performed by the A1ca1rya Ya1jn5. i , 34) RPra1t. A1s3vGr2. Pa1rGr2.

Mn. & c. ;

 

" preceptor of the gods " ' , Br2ihaspati Mn. xi ;

 

(= %{dharma}) ` " venerable " ' , the 9th astrological mansion VarBr2S.

i , 16 ;

 

m. pl. parents and other venerable persons Mn. iv Vikr. v , 10

Katha1s. ;

a honorific appellation of a preceptor (whose N. is also put in the

pl.) , Jain Hit. ;

 

Guru has also been said to be derived from : gu = darkness of

ignorance; and ru = remover.

 

Guru happens to be the giver anyway [of knowledge, grace, etc.]

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

 

Ramakrishna, " Sunil V. Kuravinakoppa " <kuravinakop@h...>

wrote:

> Hello Sunder,

>

> According to Radhakrishna, the word " Guru " indicates anyone who

gives.

> " Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu ..... " . The Gods were Guru, once Parents

and once

> Teacher are all considered Guru. I am not sure how he comes to this

> conclusion.

>

> regards,

> --Sunil

>

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Namaste,

 

Some additional definitions of 'Guru':

 

 

http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_giitaa/gurugita.itx

 

 

gukaarashchaandhakaaro hi rukaarasteja uchyate |

aGYaanagraasakaM brahma gurureva na sa.nshayaH || 44||

 

" The letter 'gu' denotes darkness, the letter 'ru' denotes the

remover of darkness.

Brahman who is capable of swallowing up ignorance is certainly the

Guru. "

 

gukaaro bhavarogaH syaat.h rukaarastannirodhakR^it.h |

bhavarogaharatyaachcha gururityabhidhiiyate || 45||

 

'gukAra' means the disease of birth and death. 'rukAra' means the

destroyer of births and deaths.On account of the power of destroying

the disease of brth and death, the teacher is known by the

significant name 'Guru'. "

 

gukaarashcha guNaatiito ruupaatiito rukaarakaH |

guNaruupavihiinatvaat.h gururityabhidhiiyate || 46||

 

" The letter 'gu' denotes that he is above the three gunas; and 'ru'

denotes that he is beyond forms. Because he is free from gunas and

forms he is called Guru. "

 

gukaaraH prathamo varNo maayaadiguNabhaasakaH |

rukaaro.asti paraM brahma maayaabhraantivimochanam.h || 47||

 

" The first syllable 'gu' creates or makes manifest Maya and the

Gunas. 'ru' is Para Brahmanthat removes both Maya and delusion, viz.

I am the body, I am the Mind, etc. "

 

[From Guru Gita - tr. Sw. Narayanananda;Divine Life Society, 1972.

India Book House,pvt.ltd.,Bombay.]

from Sanat Kumara Samhita - Uttara Khanda, Skanda Purana.

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Ramakrishna, " sunderh " <sunderh@h...> wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> Some additional definitions of 'Guru':

>

>

namaste

 

Many thanks for the enlightenment Sunderji. I am delighted at the

information!

 

Regards

 

R.Venkatesan

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Dear friends,

 

Sunderji's postings on 'Guru' (# 8179, 8182) are illuminating. May I

also invite the attention of readers like Venkatesan to an article

on The Guru at the following webpage of mine?

 

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/guru.html

 

With my praNAms,

Yours, profvk

 

 

=====

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

My website on Science and Spirituality is http://www.geocities.com/profvk/

You can access my book on Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought Vision and

Practice, and my father R. Visvanatha Sastri's manuscripts from the site.

 

 

 

Autos - Get free new car price quotes

http://autos.

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  • 7 years later...

In the word Guru, 'Gu' indicates the darkness of the I-ness, (the separateness, the illusion of many on the basis of the one, of the snake over the rope or garland on the ground in the dusk). 'Ru,' the second syllable means the removal of the illusion, the illumination that reveals the Brahman (rope) which put on the snake-cloak and caused fear and anxiety. When the real Guru reveals, the many merge in the one; when there is but one, how can fear enter? What is there to desire and acquire? On this Guru-Pournami, reflect on these truths and decide to enter boldly into the realm of fearless inquiry.

 

- From Swami's Discourse on 8th July 1971.

 

Om Sai Ram

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