In Sanskrit, one of the words for teacher is 'Guru' which means 'the one who eliminates the darkness'. Darkness means ignorance. So, Guru is someone who eliminates darkness of ignorance by illuminating the light of knowledge.
When a brilliant human being emerges from the corners of the world and sheds light on whole humanity, attention goes to that human being. But behind every such luminary, there is a person that remains in the background but relishes in kindling and stoking the fire that keeps the luminary shining. The person is the mentor or Guru. The role of the Guru is not to attain glory for one's own self but to nurture the skill, talent and capacity of the protege or the disciple so that the latter can flourish.
Obviously, for each plant to give great yield, the right seed has to be planted. The inherent capability and traits of the seed are the root of the yield and its quality. However, if only seeds were enough, no skillful farmer or gardener would be needed. But they are needed hard and are indispensable. The seed has to planted on the right patch of land in right season so that it can germinate. But the real story begins from there. The caring, nurturing and tending done by the farmer or gardener is the main factor in ensuring that the plant lives up to its potential and become productive to the highest possible degree.
If the plant is a protege, the Guru is the tender or farmer or gardener who nurtures the protege so that his or her natural talent is polished and propped so that he or she can become the maximum that she is capable of.
A guru is more than a person. It can just be a concept also. If Ekalavya of Mahabharat can become a dexterous archer by just practicing in front of the statue of Drona, the Guru, the guiding beacon of Guru can be impersonal as well. But the aura and the invisible energy that a concept of mentor or Guru provides a protege is of great value.
Words of encouragement, balanced criticism, pointing out of the strengths and weaknesses, tips to improve, external view of the achievements and failures, motivation to learn from mistakes and rise after a fall, best practices, learnings from experiences of others and many more can be imparted upon the mentee by the mentor. Like a skillful artisan, a Guru polished the stone of the protege to crate a jewel. The jewel element is already inside the disciple but it looks like any other ordinary stone until the mentor polishes, cuts and shapes it so that the final product is a great gem. Being a good Guru is hence a work of art. An art of making fantastic human beings, an art of creating a brilliant beacon of light, an art of lighting a candle or lamp that can shed light around it and can light a million more lamps like it.
Being Guru, as the Sanskrit root implies, is being able to create light and end the pervading darkness. Light of wisdom eliminating the darkness of ignorance.
May the Guru and the concept of Guru endure.
Thursday 25 April 2019 (12 Baishakh 2076)
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