Guru Gobind Dou Khade...

So interestingly, this teacher's day coincides with The Janmashtami. And that means that the Supreme Teacher of the Godhead and the teachers in his day to day existential world are going to be remembered.

I don't remember a combination as this in last 31 days (calendar experts would be able to advise better). And that means today is ACTUALLY literally the day when the Guru and the Gobind are being celebrated together.

And.... what better day to remember Kabir's famous saying, than on a day when Janmashtami and Teacher's day fall together.

गुरु गोबिंद दोऊ खड़े, काके लागूं पाँय
बलिहारी गुरु आपने गोबिंद दियो बताय

In fact even God, the Guru of all Gurus goes and surrenders to a Guru Himself. He who gives Arjuna the Guhyatamam Gyanam or the most secret knowledge and then leaves it for the world to benefit from, for millennia, also learns.

The original post I had planned was way different than what's in my head right now. The original post was about how I feel about the teachers who retired from school in my early school years, teachers who retired around 5 years ago (my college years) and teachers of my generation. I was originally thinking a lot about the similarities as well as the differences among all of them.  However, right now, I'm thinking about how Gurudom is a facade. How Acharya TulsiDas is So SO SO true when He writes in his Ramcharitmanas :

" गुर सिष बधिर अंध का लेखा
एक न सुनहि, एक नहीं देखा ।"

And this has been proved not just once, but ample number of times. This has been proved in the cult religious movements; in the "cram and score marks" educational culture; in the "I'll charge X to teach Y". Not just educationally but even spiritually, today's world is full of fake bogus gurus and equally insincere bogus students.

 

I wonder what would happen if Lord Dattatreya was charged a tuition fee by his 24 Gurus?I wonder what would happen if Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Acharya Tulsi Das, Swami RamSukh Das Ji Maharaj would have sold their books rather than giving their teaching out of their nature and compassion? What would happen if Waahe Guru Ji or Kabir had charged for teahcings? I wonder what would folks like me do?

Here's the thing. This Teacher's / Janmashtami, I thank the ParamGuru (Lord Supreme) for blessing me with such awesome teachers who were also Gurus in their own rights.

And then, this teacher's day, I've also resolved for the following :

I will be more observant. Before seeking a Guru, I will first teach myself to be a good disciple. I have to train myself before another can train me or before I can surrender to another for training. 

This Janmashtami, may I be blessed to be a good disciple. This Janmashtami, may I be blessed to yearn for my Guru and somewhere in this whole universe, may a Guru be yearning for my surrender as a Disciple!

This teacher's day, what's your resolution, what's your prayer?

©Anupama Garg 2015 September