āśraya kariyā vando̐ śrī-guru-caraṇa
By Śrī Sanātana Dāsa
Guru
viṣṇor nāmaiva puṁsāḥ śamalam apaharat puṇyam utpādayac ca
viṣṇor nāmaiva puṁsāḥ śamalam apaharat puṇyam utpādayac ca
brahmādi-sthāna-bhogād viratim atha guroḥ śrī-pada-dvandva-bhaktim |
tattva-jñānaṁ ca viṣṇor iha mṛti-janana-bhrānti-bījaṁ ca dagdhvā
saṁpūrṇānanda-bodhe mahati ca puruṣaṁ sthāpayitvā nivṛttam ||
(Vyāsapāda; cited in Padyāvalī: 24)
“Only Viṣṇu’s name removes impurity and produces meritorious action, detachment from enjoyment of the positions of Brahmā and so forth, bhakti to the two beautiful feet of guru, and knowledge of the nature of Viṣṇu; [only Viṣṇu’s name] burns away the seed [i.e., cause] of revolving in birth and death here [in this world], establishes a person in deep awareness of complete bliss [in the service of Śrī Viṣṇu], and [finally, seeing its work complete,] retires [i.e., manifests in the form of its bearer, Viṣṇu].”
upādhyāyān daśācārya ācāryāṇāṁ śataṁ pitā
upādhyāyān daśācārya ācāryāṇāṁ śataṁ pitā |
sahasraṁ tu pitṝn mātā gauraveṇātiricyate ||
(Manu Smṛti: 2.145)
“A teacher of conduct surpasses ten teachers of recitation. A father surpasses one hundred teachers of conduct, and a mother surpasses even one thousand fathers in respectability.”
nāsti vedāt paraṁ śāstraṁ nāsti mātuḥ paro guruḥ
nāsti vedāt paraṁ śāstraṁ nāsti mātuḥ paro guruḥ |
nāsti dānāt paraṁ mitram iha loke paratra ca ||
(Unknown Source)
“There is no greater śāstra than the Veda, no greater guru than one’s mother, and no greater giving than friendship here in this world and the next.”
gurūṇāṁ caiva sarveṣāṁ mātā paramako guruḥ
gurūṇāṁ caiva sarveṣāṁ mātā paramako guruḥ |
(Mahābhārata: Ādi-parva, 211.16)
[Yudhiṣṭhira to Kuntī:] “And of all gurus, the mother is certainly the foremost guru.”
nāsti vedāt paraṁ śāstraṁ nāsti mātuḥ samo guruḥ
nāsti vedāt paraṁ śāstraṁ nāsti mātuḥ samo guruḥ ||
(Atri Smṛti: 5.148)
“There is no śāstra greater than the Veda, and no guru like one’s mother.”
deva-drohād guru-drohaḥ koṭi-koṭi-guṇādhikaḥ
deva-drohād guru-drohaḥ koṭi-koṭi-guṇādhikaḥ |
jñānāpavādo nāstikyaṁ tasmād koṭi-guṇādhikam ||
(Kūrma Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.751; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265)
“Offence to guru is tens of millions of times worse than offence to the Deity. But denial of knowledge and disbelief are ten millions times worse than that [i.e., than offence to guru].”
jano janasyādiśate’satīṁ gatiṁ
jano janasyādiśate’satīṁ gatiṁ
yayā prapadyeta duratyayaṁ tamaḥ |
tvaṁ tv avyayaṁ jñānam amogham añjasā
prapadyate yena jano nijaṁ padam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.24.51)
[Satyavrata Rāja to Matsya Avatāra:] “A person [i.e., a worldly guru] teaches the unrighteous path [i.e., the pursuit of artha, kāma, and so on] whereby a person shall attain to unsurmountable darkness [i.e., saṁsāra], but you [appear in the form of the guru and] teach imperishable and unerring knowledge whereby a person quickly attains your own abode [alt., your own feet].”
sa guruḥ paramo vairī yo dadāti hy asan-matim
sa guruḥ paramo vairī yo dadāti hy asan-matim |
taṁ namaskṛtya sat-śiṣyaḥ prayāti jñānadaṁ gurum ||
(Nārada Pañcarātra: 1.10.21)
“A guru who propagates misconception is the greatest enemy. A sincere disciple should offer obeisance to him and [after abandoning him] go to a guru who gives [proper] knowledge.”
guror apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ
guror apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ |
utpatha-pratipannasya parityāgo vidhīyate ||
(Nārada Pañcarātra: 1.10.20; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 238)
“Rejection is enjoined for even a guru who is arrogant, unaware of what is to be done and not to be done, and set out on a wrongful path.”