yat-sevayāgner iva rudra-rodanaṁ
yat-sevayāgner iva rudra-rodanaṁ
pumān vijahyān malam ātmanas tamaḥ |
bhajeta varṇaṁ nijam eṣa so’vyayo
bhūyāt sa īśaḥ paramo guror guruḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.24.48)
[Satyavrata Rāja to Matsya Avatāra:] “He by means of whose service a person can relinquish the taint of darkness [i.e., ignorance] within themself [i.e., within the mind] and realize their own form [i.e., essential nature], just like gold [can do so] by means of fire—may he, the imperishable Īśa, be [our] guru, since he is the Supreme Guru [i.e., the greatest of all persons who perform the function of a teacher].”