Westlife - You Light Up My Life (Official Audio)

गुरुः (guru)


Today we would be dissecting the word Guru which most of us would already know what it means.
A Guru is described as someone who teaches us by dispelling the darkness of ignorance.
The most common meaning used is this;

गुशब्दस्त्वन्धकारः स्यात्‌ रुशब्दस्तन्निरोधकः।
अन्धकारनिरोधित्वात्‌ गुरुरित्यभिधीयते॥ १६॥
The syllable gu means darkness, the syllable ru, he who dispels them,
Because of the power to dispel darkness, the guru is thus named.

— Advayataraka Upanishad, Verse 16^[

Now, one may ask why does gu mean darkness and why does ru mean to dispel.

Ok, this is where we need to start dissecting the root words.

gu meaning darkness stems from the root word गुह् (guh) which means covering and concealing hence a cave is called गुहा(guhA) because it conceals, covers and its engulfed in darkness.

The word गुहा(guhA) which means cave is a feminine word and I will explain more in detail below.

But just take note that its a feminine word.

Next is the word ru which is taken to indicate dispelling darkness in the Advayataraka Upanishad.
Again, take out your scalpels and cut again piece by piece into the root word.

The word ru stems from the root word रुच्(ruc) which means splendor, illumination.

Let's combine the root words now.

गुह् (guh) + रुच् (ruc) 

गु(gu) + रु(ru)  =  गुरु(guru)

Now since we have arrived at the word, so what does it actually imply?
gu is covering/concealing
ru is splendor/illumination.

So one who is able to illuminate the covering (of darkness) is a   गुरु(guru).
Next is what are the prerequisites to be a   गुरु(guru).
Here is where we have to look at the literal meaning of the word   गुरु(guru).

The literal meaning is Heavy.
So only one who is heavy in knowledge can illuminate the covering (of darkness).

Earlier I had pointed out that the root word गुहा(guhA) which means cave is a feminine word and it indicates concealing and darkness too.

We need to remember that the feminine word माया(mAyA) which means "that which is not" also implies covering/concealing/darkness and is the root cause for all the illusion we experience in existence.
माया(mAyA) also functions like a गुहा(guhA) veiling us from illumination as to keep us in darkness.

Therefore the spiritual definition of the word गुरु(guru) is "One who is weighty in knowledge and illuminates our intellect to dispel the veil of concealment"

So this word गुरु(guru) should not be used indiscriminately.

It has a very specific meaning only reserved for the one who can light up our lives.