One of the most distinctive features of a language is its ability to express the most complex things in the most lucid forms. Whenever we see a particular object, or have an ephemeral thought in our mind, it’s a language that gives us the ability and, mind it, the liberty to express it. A language abstaining from such characteristic is like a beautiful beggar. Though she’s beautiful, but she can’t express her beauty for the lack of means. Thus a rich language will always be able to magnet the educated class.
Recently we celebrated Guru Purnima, which is supposed to be an occasion of paying respect to our gurus. Suddenly something flabbergasted me, what is the English translation of the word Guru. English dictionary describes Guru as, any person who counsels or advises or a mentor. I am pretty sure, that’s what it does not mean, since mentor is a trusted guide or an advisor. A guru is not only for advice, but majorly for inner peace.
A guru cannot be a teacher since a teacher does it by profession, while a Guru follows the path by choice. Guru cannot be described as a guide since a guide only shows us the way. The art of a Guru is not only to show us the way, but to make us capable of walking alone. It would be foolish to perceive Guru as an advisor. An advisor does it for money.
Guru can neither be defined as a Father since the father son relationship grows to be a symbiotic one. Guru is not even a mother since he would, unlike her; constantly make the child aware of wrong doings.
But then how can we define Guru. Which word would suffice the vast sphere of a Guru’s nature? Which word has the honour of describing a Guru? For me, there’s just one word. Guru means LIGHT.
