Guru - Odiya

na guroradhikam tattvam na guroradhikam tapah tattvajna

The word Guru is made up of ‘Gu’ meaning darkness and ‘Ru’ meaning he who dispels. So Guru means ‘the dispeller or remover of darkness’. In the Indian scriptures, throughout history, the Guru has been regarded as the essential spiritual guide, a living example of the teachings he advocates, one who walks the talk, one who lives by what he preaches. The Guru is not just a person, a body, it is the divine light that resides within the body; the Guru is love. The journey from darkness to light, from the unknown to the known, from a trapped existence to inner freedom, from the world around us to the world within can happen with a Guru only. A true Guru brings knowledge, movement, achievement and freedom into your life.

nat param nasti tasmai sri gurave namah. – Guru Gita This verse from the Guru Gita sums up the essence of the Guru when it says there is no truth higher than the Guru, no penance higher than serving the Guru. There is nothing higher than the realization of the knowledge of the truth imparted by the Guru. My salutations to such a Guru! On his deathbed, Guru Gobind Singh declared that the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, will be the next Guru. He meant that Knowledge is also a Guru. There is no difference between Knowledge and Guru. Granth means Knowledge. When Knowledge becomes a part of your life totally, then that is Guru. If

Knowledge is not lived, then how can you be a Guru? There is no difference between Knowledge and Guru. All of us have so many unanswered questions which only a Guru can answer. In the book ‘Guru’, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar dispels the doubts of those who are new on the path and offers fresh insights to the experienced seekers. For the devotees who simply want to rejoice in his presence, this book is a sheer joy. Also enjoy ‘Avataar’, a CD in which Gurudev talks about Adi Shankaracharya and his efforts at reviving ancient knowledge.