Meaning: Guru is Brahma, Vishnu and the lord Maheshwara. Guru is the embodiment of the philosophy of life. Therefore seek refuge in Him. (Gurucharitra by Shri SRS Mohana).

All our actions are the embodiments of Guru's wishes. Nothing happens without His wish. Those of us who have sought refuge in guru, know for sure that - Guru, is lord Narayana incarnate, all the actions in tHis world are ordained by Him and we are mere instruments carrying out His wishes accordingly. Initially because of our spiritual immaturity, it seems difficult for us to comprehend the Mystique of Guru's work. But as we keep holding on to the sacred feet of guru, the realisation dawns upon us by itself, without us making any effort. Shirdi Sai BABA has promised to tHis effect in Chapter 16/17 of Satcharita written by Shri A.S.Dabokar alias Hemadpanth. In Gurucharitra it is given that Brahma has defined guru to Kaaliyuga - "the 'Ga' sound in the name guru gives siddhi (ultimate victory over the self). And the 'Ra' sound annihilates all sins. The 'U' sound depicts the unmanifested form of Vishnu". Such is the importance of Guru. To show gratitude to Guru, Vyasa poornima falling in the month of Aashada, is celebrated as Gurupoornima. Vyasa was the author of Mahabharata which describes victory of good over evil. In the same way sadguru helps us gain victory in controlling evil actions by good deeds and thoughts.

In Gurucharitra by ShriSRS Mohana, Siddha explained in detail the dynasty of gurus to which Sri Guru was ordained. He said, "THis seat of great gurus was first started by Lord Shiva. Maha Vishnu was the next guru. Then came Brahma. These three form the fundamental seat of the dynasty. Next in the order was VasHishta, and other gurus. Sri Guru was successor of Sri Krishna Saraswathi. The duty of the gurus was protecting the ways of good, the pious and the noble".

One desiring to acquire spiritual knowledge must have a guide, who would show us the correct path, Guru - the true embodiment of the Lord, is the only one who can give us such knowledge. Our Vedas and puranas also stressed the importance of a guru, even "the Lord of the three worlds, Rama had Vasishtha as His guru and in His life as Krishna he learnt under Sandeepani. When lord takes the birth as a human being, he is bound to act in the same way as His peers" (gurucharita- chapter 12).

Hemadpanth in Chapter 10 of Satcharitra writes "Guru is the only God. If we believe in Sad-guru's holy feet, he can change our fortune for the better. If we serve Him nicely, we get rid of our Samsar. We need not study any philosophy like the Nyaya and the Mimansa. If we make Him our Helmsman, we can easily cross over the sea of all our pains and sorrows. As we trust the helmsman in crossing rivers and seas, so we have to trust our Sadguru in getting over the ocean of worldly existence. The Sadguru looks to the intense feeling and devotion of His devotees, endows them with knowledge and eternal bliss. "

On gurpoornima day the disciples offer their love and gratitude to guru, by sarvasva sharanagathi - complete surrender of mind, body and soul at the holy feet of the Sadguru. One often wonders as to what can be offered to guru who has imparted such invaluable knowledge to us. In Satcharitra chapter 26 Hemadpanth has given us a novel form of worship. "Let us, he says, use hot water in the form of tears of joy to wash the Sad-guru's feet, let us besmear His body with sandle-paste of pure love, let us cover His body with the cloth of true faith, let us offer eight lotuses in the form of our eight Sattwik emotions and fruit in the form of our concentrated mind; let us apply to His head bukka (black-powder) in the form of devotion and tie the waistband of Bhakti and place our head on His toes.

After decorating the Sad-guru with all jewelry in tHis way, let us offer our all to Him and wave chamar of devotion to ward off heat. After such blissful worship, let us pray thus:- "Introvert our mind, turn it inward, give us discrimination between the Unreal and the Real and non-attachment for all worldly things and thus enable us to get Self-realisation. We surrender ourselves, body and soul (body-consciousness and ego). Make our eyes Yours, so that we should never feel pleasure and pain. Control our body and mind as You will and wish. Let our mind get rest in Your Feet".

It is very simple for us to please our guru, we need not practice rituals and subject our body to austerity for earning the grace of our guru. Let us on tHis occasion of Gurupoornima, hold on to the holy feet of our guru, and invoke His grace by remembering and chanting His name constantly, for even a leaf does not move without His bidding. Only when guru wishes, we can show our gratitude to Him by assimilating His teachings and following the same. Let us give our two pice of dakshina namely 'Shraddha and Saburi' to Him, as mentioned by BABA in Satcharitra chapter 18/19. Guru will take us the rest of the way towards our goal.

Glory Be To The Lord and Master Shri Shirdi Sainath Maharaj.