GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA: THE ETERNAL BOND- A GLIMPSE FROM THE PAST
GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA Probably, after the parental bonding, a child’s first friend in the Universe is his/her teacher. It is this teacher, under whose shadow, the child finds shelter.
Though this journey starts with the aim of learning from the book, apparently, this learning extends beyond the boundaries of the book. If watched closely, the most influential teachers have always influenced their pupils with their connections that go beyond the book.
We ponder, how, we as pupils, get attracted to the teacher, knowingly or unknowingly. It showcases our quest for knowledge, the desire to understand the functioning of this world, and the ability to connect and if possible contribute towards it.
All this happens at the subconscious level, without a need for our authentication or stamping. The Guru-Shishya relationship has evolved from our Upanishad times. If we etymologically deconstruct the word Upanishad, we get to the root of this relationship.
Upa – means (near), ni – means (down), sad – means (to sit). It so means, “sitting down near” a spiritual teacher to receive instruction. Here, the dimension of spirituality came because, in ancient times, the teacher not only taught regular subjects but also gave spiritual and religious instructions, character development and knowledge of martial arts.
In the contemporary world, this dimension of interconnectedness between the teacher and the disciple is missing. This could be a result of our Secular fabric. The absence of this interconnectedness has in many ways led to interpretational flaws in spiritual and religious preaching.
The erstwhile Gurukul system was largely successful in addressing this issue. In this system, the teacher and the pupil used to co-habit in the same premises. As a result of this, the teacher had complete control over the personality development of the disciple beyond the classroom walls.
We have seen how this system was successful in making the best archers, best warriors, best horsemen, best teachers, best followers, persons with high moral ground and also the best disciples.
The present education system is just designed to make literates, who are fit to work in a 9-5 work environment without any connectedness with the institute they work. This is a direct result of the gap in their personality development.
The bigger question is who is to be blamed for this. Is it the institution or the parents of the child? Probably, it is the society that needs a larger correction.
The quest for finding a job at the end of graduation drives the parents thought process. Even the society evaluates the success of a student based on his/her first salary. The components like ethical values, adherence to the value system, display of courage, and helping nature, the requirement of all these traits in a person evaporate in thin air.
It is high time, that children during their adolescent age must be exposed to this co-habitation that will help in moulding their personality that can bring necessary correction as needed.
Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Para Brahma, Tasmai Shree Guruve Namaha.
Guru is Brahma, who is the Lord of Creation, also called as Generator, Guru Vishnu means Guru is Vishnu (Vishnu is the Lord who is called organizer), Guru Devo Maheshwarah means Guru is the Maheshwara (Shiva or the destroyer), Guru Sakshat Parabrahma means Parbrahma viz. the supreme god or almighty.
Since Guru leads to a path of light, Guru is that Para Brahma. Tasmai Shree Guruve Namah means we bow to that Guru the guru referred to earlier.
More than anything else, the Shishya carries the burden of upholding the value systems even after the completion of his/her education. This creates an atmosphere of control over the disciple even after the completion of education. This creates an eternal bonding, that keeps the disciple united with the guru forever.
Even in testing times in life in future, the Sishya can always fall back to the guru to find solutions to the problems he/she is facing.
Hence, an eternal bond is created in this cosmic world.