Inquiry for the source of a sloka- GururBrahma - please reply

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We often hear the sloka:

Gurur Brahama, Gurur Vishnuhu, Gurur Devo Maheswarah,

Guru ssakshat Para Brahma, tasmai Sri Guravenamaha.

 

The meaning of this sloka as many keep saying is that Guru is Brhama,

Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Maheswara, Guru is saakshat Para Brahma and I

offer my Namaskarams to such a Guru.

 

According to this sloka Guru is the Srishti, Sthiti,Laya Karaka and

he is beyond this trio.

 

Has any one seen such a Guru? If there could be a three in one, the

trinity we worship is not required!

 

Is this an Utpreksha (Praising beyond reality)?

 

Often we here some one mentioning another human being who helped him

as " He is God " . This is because of his reverence to the service he

rendered to him. It is a heart felt appreciation though looks like

flattery.

 

Or can we interpret the sloka as Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara and

Prahrahma the God heads are my Gurus? Sanskrit provides for this

meaning as well since the order in which the words are used is

immaterial. Baalakaha Raamaha and Raamaha Baalakaha are equivalent

thouh the correctness of the meaning can be understood only from the

context.

 

 

This sloka is being used often in referring to a human teacher.

Except by reverence to his teacher a disciple may say that his

teacher is a God, he also knows that his teacher is as mortal as he

is.

Many of the slokas or sloka paadaas are quoted out of context

without knowing the correct meaning. If the context in which a sloka

is mentioned is known we can understand the situation and the

required meaning better.

 

i would be thankful to any one who can give the source and the

context of this often quoted Sloka.

 

nvkrao6