यत्सेवयाग्नेरिव रुद्ररोदनं
पुमान्विजह्यान्मलमात्मनस्तमः ।
भजेत वर्णं निजमेष सोऽव्ययो
भूयात्स ईशः परमो गुरोर्गुरुः ॥
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 whose service a living being can give up the impurity of darkness [i.e., ignorance] within itself [i.e., within the mind] and become situated in its own form, just like gold [lit., ‘Rudra’s tears,’ can do so] on account of fire—may he, the imperishable Īśa, be our guru, as he is the superior of [even] the guru.”