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GURU AND RISHIS
In Hindu religion and culture, every science or art or craft has to be learnt directly
from a competent teacher in that field. Anyone who dispenses the need for a
teacher is simply acting without proper understanding.
Guru means ‘one who is praised [due to his great qualities]’1. The guru imparts
spiritual knowledge by initiating a disciple into spiritual life and takes the
responsibilities of the disciple.
Since learning is considered as a tapas (austerity, discipline), the teacher has to be
looked upon with great respect and reverence. However, the Hindu scriptures also
warn the people against false gurus.
Qualifications of a Guru
To know whether a guru is competent and genuine, some basic guidelines are
given. A guru must possess the following qualifications:
•
A guru must know the spirit of the scriptures2
The teacher who deals too much in words and allows the mind to be carried
away by the force of words loses the spirit. It is the knowledge of the spirit of
the scriptures alone that constitutes the true religious teacher.
"The various methods of joining words, the various methods of speaking in
beautiful language, the various methods of explaining the diction of the
scriptures are only for the disputations and enjoyment of the learned, they do
not conduce to the development of spiritual perception."
Those who employ such methods to impart religion to others are only desirous
to show off their learning, so that the world may praise them as great scholars.
•
Sinlessness
The sine qua non of acquiring spiritual truth for one's self or for imparting it to
others is the purity of heart and soul. A vision of God or a glimpse of the beyond
never comes until the soul is pure. Hence with the teacher of religion we must
see first what he is, and then what he says. He must be perfectly pure, and then
alone comes the value of his words, because he is only then the true
"transmitter".
What can he transmit if he has not spiritual power in himself? There must be the
worthy vibration of spirituality in the mind of the teacher, so that it may be
sympathetically conveyed to the mind of the taught. The function of the teacher
is indeed an affair of the transference of something, and not one of mere
stimulation of the existing intellectual or other faculties in the taught. Something
1
2
A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, 669, Vol.1
Bhakti Yoga of Swami Vivekananda
real and appreciable as an influence comes from the teacher and goes to the
taught. Therefore the teacher must be pure.
•
Without any motive
The teacher must not teach with any ulterior selfish motive — for money, name,
or fame; his work must be simply out of love, out of pure love for mankind at
large. The only medium through which spiritual force can be transmitted is love.
Any selfish motive, such as the desire for gain or for name, will immediately
destroy this conveying median. God is love, and only he who has known God as
love can be a teacher of godliness and God to man.
For more reading:
The Need of Guru
http://www.advaitaashrama.org/cw/content.php
A Rishi is a person of spiritual wisdom, who has transcended Samsara or
transmigratory existence. Being a man of perfect chastity, with tremendous selfcontrol, and deeply devoted to truth, he is also capable of blessing the good and
cursing the wicked.
Rishis could have been born in all castes and classes, because they attained that
state by their own self-effort.
There are several classifications or group of rishis:
• Devarshi – a sage honoured by the gods (Devas)
• Brahmarshi – one who has realized the Brahman or is an expert in the Vedas
• Rajarshi – a Raja or king who has attained high spiritual state
• Maharshi – one who is considered as very great
• Paramarshi – one who has realized the Paramatman (God)
• Kandarshi – a sage to whom a section of the Veda has been revealed.
• Viswamitra, Jamadagni, Bharadvaja, Gautama, Atri, Vasistha and Kasyapa are
the famous Saptarshis.
Some of the rishis are: Narada, Kanya, Garga, Bhrgu, Valmiki, Suka, Agastya,
Vamadeva, Astavakra, Vyasa, Lomasa, Durvasas, Dhaumya, Sanaka, Markandeya,
and Maudgalya.
Women Rishis are known as Rishika. There are 27 Rishikas mentioned in the
Rgveda.
For more reading:
The Sages of India
http://www.advaitaashrama.org/cw/content.php
KAPILA
• He was a celebrated sage, considered as the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.3 He
was the brother of Arundhati and the only son of Kardama and Devahuti.
•
He taught spiritual wisdom to his mother Devahuti. This is known as Kapilagita.
This teaching contains the Sankhya philosophy, Astangayoga and Bhaktiyoga.
•
• He was against the sacrifice of a cow in the Vedic yaga called Gosava.4
The Bhagavadgita extols his greatness that Krishna is Kapila among the siddhas or
perfected sages.5
VYASA
• Also known as Badarayana Vyasa, Veda-Vyasa and Krishna Dvaipayana. He was
the son of the sage Parasara and Satyavati.
•
It was he who gathered all the mantras of the Veda availabke during his time
and edited them, dividing them into four parts now well-known as Rgveda,
Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. Because of this great work he got the
appellation ‘Vedavyasa’ (‘one who divided the Vedas’).
•
He is the celebrated author of the Mahabharata, the eighteen Mahapuranas,
Brahmasutras and the Vedanta school of philosophy.
•
His son Suka, is also another great sage.
3
Bhagavata 1.3; 3.24
Mahabharata, Santiparva 273
5
Bhagavadgita 10.26
4
NARADA
•
Narada, who is well-known as the divine
sage, is a very attractive individual who
is well-reputed in our religious literature.
This great personage reached the most
exalted station in life from the lowest, by
self-effort as well as the grace of God
and attained the position of devarsi.
Veda-mantras found expression through
his pure mind. A great ascetic, he led his
life according to the principles that he
preached. He moved among the three
worlds in order to propagate the Lord’s
name and preach devotion to God.
Hundreds of people who came in touch
with him changed their course to the
path of religion and devotion.
•
The following are the works thought to
be authored by Narada: Narada Bhakti
Sutras, Narada Smrti, Naradiya Siksa,
Narada Parivrajakopanishad, Naradiya
Purana and Narada Pancaratra.
•
According to Narada, the easiest and the best instrument to have Godrealization is devotion. This devotion is superior to jnana (knowledge), yoga
(meditation), karma (rituals) and such other spiritual practices.
Narada Bhakti Sutras
http://www.advaitaashrama.org/cw/content.php
SANKARA (A.D.788-820)
Acharya Sankara was born at a critical
period of the Vedic religion. Before his
advent, the Sanatana Dharma was facing
stiff opposition from several quarters.
Several anti-Vedic systems like Buddhism,
Jainism, and Carvaka, the Kapalika and the
Vamacara cults which propagated unethical
and abominable practices in the name of
religion – were all trying to shake the
foundation of Hinduism.
At such juncture, Sankara was born. He reestablished the Vedic religion by his written
works,
vigorous
propaganda
of
its
principles and leaving behind him a band of
disciples and monasteries.
Though he only lived for 32 years, his life
and works are still remembered. According
to tradition, such feats accomplished by
Sankara can only be done by an Avatara,
or Incarnation of God. Therefore, he is
revered as an Avatara of Lord Siva.
The Story of Shankara by Swami Tyagananda
http://advaitaashrama.org/Content/Download/Audio/Lectures/The%20Story%20of
%20Shankara.mp3
RAMANUJACHARYA (A.D.1017-1137)
When
Sankara’s
Advaita
Vedanta
Darsana was being misinterpreted and
misused, there was a great need to
restore the balance between true Jnana
(spiritual wisdom) and genuine Bhakti
(devotion to God). It was during this
critical period that Ramanuja’s advent
took place.
His greatest contribution was to preach
and establish a religio-philosophical
system that gave equal important to
Jnana and Bhakti. He wrote (in Sanskrit)
eight works in all, of which the Sri
Bhasya was the magnum opus. He also
wrote commentaries on Tiruvaymoli of
Nammalvar.
He brought together the Vedic ideology
and methodology rooted in the Sanskrit
scriptural texts and the purely devotional
heritage of the Alvars, thus creating
what is now called as the ‘UbhayaVedanta’. Ramanuja’s Vedanta system is
known as the Visistadvaita Darsana.
MADHVACHARYA (A.D. 1238-1317)
•
According to the Dwaita tradition,
Madhvacharya was an incarnation
of
Mukhyaprana,
who
had
incarnated earlier as Hanuman
and Bhima (one of the Pandava
brothers).
•
He was born at the village of
Pajakakshetra, in Karnataka. He is
reputed for discovering the image
of Sri Krishna and installing it in
the temple at Udupi. During the
installation
ceremony,
he
composed the famous Dvadasa
Stotra (twelve stanzas on Lord Sri
Krishna). Later, he established
eight mathas (monasteries) to
manage the Udupi temple.
•
His
contribution
to
Hindu
philosophy and to the cult of
Bhakti is remarkable. He is
advocate of the Dwaita Vedanta
Darsana. His famous compositions
are
the
commentaries
on
Brahmasutras,
Bhagavadgita,
Rigveda and others.
•
Madhva’s sharp logic cuts to pieces the snobbish attitude of some thinkers who
consider devotion as secondary to knowledge, and restores it to its rightful
place. For him to love is to know and to know is to love.
•
Madhva has also successfully established the harmony of the Upanishadic
thoughts with those of the Itihasas (epics) and the Puranas (mythology).
•
An earnest study of his Dwaita system can certainly enrish our knowledge and
increase our devotion to God thus making our spiritual evolution much easier.
SRI KRISHNA CHAITANYA (A.D.14861533)
•
•
Chaitanya who hailed from Bengal, is
another
bright
jewel
shining
brilliantly among the leaders of
Vaisnavism.
•
Group singing of Kirtans (devotional
songs) on Sri Krishna and dancing in
His
name
are
his
special
contribution.
•
He propagated a philosophy known
as Acintyabhedabheda and tried to
wipe off caste distinctions in the
name of Sri Krishna.
•
Though a great scholar, Chaitanya
never left any writings of his own,
except two exquisitely beautiful
hymns – the Chaitanya Sikshashtaka
and the Jagannatha Stotra.
Chaitanya is considered as a combined incarnation of Srimati Radha and Sri
Krishna. Though he exhibited in his life the intense love and passion of Radha
for Krishna, he led a very strict life as an ordained monk. There was absolutely
no trace of lust in his philosophy of devotion to Krishna.
APPAR
• Tirunavukkarasar was called as Appar (father) byTirujnana Sambandhar. Appar
lived probably during the period of A.D. 600-655. After the passing away of his
parents, he was brought up by his elder sister, Tilakavatiyar. Early in life, he
became a Jain. However, after a serious crisis of health which was dispelled by
the grace of Lord Siva, the family deity, he returned to the Hindu faith.
•
A simple man of ardent faith and intense love of God, he is said to have
composed in Tamil many hymns, of which only 311 are available. These hymns
give the essence of the ancient scriptures in a simple but poetic language.
ARUNAGIRINATHAR
• He is the author of Tiruppugal, Tamil hymns on Lord Muruga. He lived in the 15th
century in Tamil Nadu.
•
It is said that he had an infamous birth and led an undisciplined life in his youth.
A simple remark from his sister caused such an intense remorse that he tried to
commit suicide by jumping from the high tower of the temple. However, God
saved him in a miraculous way. This became a turning point in his life. He
dedicated the rest of his life for God. Sublime poetry welled forth from his heart
as a result of divine grace.
TIRUJNANASAMBANDHAR
•
Nayanmars are the great Saiva saints of Tamil Nadu who revived Saivism when
Jainism was having its heydays. Perhaps, the most well known among the
Nayanmars was Thirujnanasambandhar or Sambandhar.
•
It is said that when he was a mere baby, the Divine Mother Parvati herself
breast-fed him. Since then, he developed the power of composing devotional
poems of exquisite literary grace on Lord Siva.
•
Sambandhar travelled extensively all over the land of Tamil Nadu, often with
other saints like Nilakanthayal Panar and Appar.
•
He his credited to converting the king of Madurai to Saivism by exhibiting divine
miracles and also curing the king of a fell disease. He also converted many Jains
and Buddhists back to Saivism.
•
He has composed 4168 songs, all set to various tunes of music.
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA (1863 – 1902)
‘Swami Vivekananda saved Hinduism and
saved India. But for him, we would have lost
our religion and would not have gained our
freedom. We therefore owe everything to
Swami Vivekananda,’ said C.Rajagopalachari.
Born on 12 January 1863 in Kolkata, India,
Swami Vivekananda was educated in the
western philosophy. However, his inert search
for truth, brought him to the unlettered priest
of the Dakshineswar temple, Sri Ramakrishna.
Swami Vivekananda represented Hinduism in
the first World’s Parliament of Religions in
1893 in Chicago.
Swami Vivekananda’s Contribution to Hinduism:
•
Identity: It was Swami Vivekananda who gave to Hinduism as a whole a clearcut identity, a distinct profile. Before Swamiji came Hinduism was a loose
confederation of many different sects. Vivekananda was the first religious leader
to speak about the common bases of Hinduism and the common ground of all
sects. He was the first person, as guided by his Master Sri Ramakrishna, to
accept all Hindu doctrines and the views of all Hindu philosophers and sects as
different aspects of one total view of Reality and way of life known as Hinduism.
•
Unification: Before Vivekananda came, there was a lot of quarrel and
competition among the various sects of Hinduism. Similarly, the protagonists of
different systems and schools of philosophy were claiming their views to be the
only true and valid ones. By applying Sri Ramakrishna’s doctrine of Harmony
(Samanvaya) Vivekananda brought about an overall unification of Hinduism on
the basis of the principle of unity in diversity. This is generally called ‘NeoVedanta’. Speaking about Vivekananda’s role in this field K M Pannikar, the
eminent historian and diplomat, wrote: ‘This new Shankaracharya may well be
claimed to be a unifier of Hindu ideology.’
•
Defence: Another important service rendered by Vivekananda was to raise his
voice in defence of Hinduism. In fact, this was one of the main types of work he
did in the West. Christian missionary propaganda had given a wrong
understanding of Hinduism and India in Western minds. He had to face a lot of
opposition in his attempts to defend Hinduism.
•
Meeting the Challenges: At the end of the 19th century, India in general, and
Hinduism in particular, faced grave challenges from Western materialistic life,
the ideas of Western free society, and the proselytizing activities of Christians.
Vivekananda met these challenges by integrating the best elements of Western
culture in Hindu culture.
•
New Ideal of Monasticism: A major contribution of Vivekananda to Hinduism
is the rejuvenation and modernization of monasticism. In this new monastic
ideal, followed in the Ramakrishna Order, the ancient principles of renunciation
and God realization are combined with service to God in man (Shiva jnane jiva
seva). Vivekananda elevated social service to the status of divine service
•
Refurbishing of Hindu Philosophy and Religious Doctrines: Vivekananda
did not merely interpret ancient Hindu scriptures and philosophical ideas in
terms of modern thought. He also added several illuminating original concepts
based on his own transcendental experiences and vision of the future. This,
however, needs a detailed study of Hindu philosophy which cannot be attempted
here.
Vivekananda’s Original Contribution to Vedanta:
Though Vivekananda generally followed Sankara’s Advaita in his discourses, he has
made some original contributions too. The following points may specially be noted:\
•
The Vedas are not particular books but represent the eternal laws of the spiritual
world, even as science represents the scientific laws of the material world.
•
The three systems of Vedanta – Advaita, Visistadvaita and Dvaita – are not
mutually conflicting. They give out the same Truth from different (and
complementary) standpoints like the photographs of the same sun taken from
different distances and angles.
•
The Supreme Being is Personal-Impersonal. The latter is not a negation but a
fulfillment of the former.
•
Anthropomorphism cannot be avoided in any human conception of God.
•
He considers Maya as not a theory, but a statement of fact. What is important is
to transcend it and realize that which is beyond it.
•
Thus Vivekananda has made Vedanta practical, by stressing the Sadhana
aspects like non-attachment and yearning for the truth.
For more reading on Swami Vivekananda’s life and message:
http://belurmath.org/
http://www.vedantauk.com/Readings.aspx
A Short Life of Swami Vivekananda by Swami Tejasananda
http://advaitaashrama.org/Content/Download/FreeBooks/A%20Short%20Life%20o
f%20Swami%20Vivekananda.pdf
The Life and Teachings of Swami Vivekananda by Swami Atmapriyananda
http://advaitaashrama.org/Content/Download/Audio/Lectures/SV%20LnT%20%28
Atmapriyananda%29.mp3
The Life and Teachings of Swami Vivekananda by Swami Bhaskarananda
http://advaitaashrama.org/Content/Download/Audio/Lectures/SV%20LnT%20%28
Bhaskarananda%29.mp3
Swami Vivekananda’s Contribution to Religious Thought
http://advaitaashrama.org/Content/Download/Audio/Lectures/SV%27sContribution
ToReligiousThought_Tattwamayananda.mp3
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
http://www.advaitaashrama.org/cw/content.php