| A Guru, is a teacher in Hinduism,
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| | qualities of scriptures and realization",
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| Buddhism, and Sikhism, as well as in many
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| | "heavy with a wealth of knowledge".
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| New religious movements. Based on a long
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| | A notable esoteric etymology or
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| traditional line of philosophical
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| | interpretation of the term "guru" is
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| understanding as to the importance of
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| | based on a metaphorical interplay between
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| knowledge, the guru is seen in these
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| | darkness and light, in which the Guru is
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| religions as a sacred conduit, or a way
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| | seen as the dispeller of darkness . In
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| to self-realization. The importance of
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| | some texts it is described that the
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| finding a true guru is described in the
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| | syllables gu and ru stand for darkness
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| scriptures and teachings of religions in
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| | and light, respectively.
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| which a guru plays a role.
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| | The syllable gu means shadows
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| "Guru" also refers in Sanskrit to
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| | The syllable ru, he who disperses them,
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| Brihaspati, a Hindu figure analogous to
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| | Because of the power to disperse darkness
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| the Roman planet/god Jupiter. In Vedic
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| astrology, Guru or Brihaspati is believed
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| | the guru is thus named.
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| to exert teaching influences. Indeed, in
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| | Advayataraka Upanishad 14-18, verse 5)
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| many Indian languages such as Hindi, the
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| | A similar interpretation describes the
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| occidental Thursday is called either
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| | guru as the one that "removes the
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| Brihaspativaar or Guruvaar (vaar meaning
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| | darkness of ignorance" is based on the
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| day of the week).
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| | Guru Gita (literally "song of the
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| In contemporary India, "guru" is widely
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| | spiritual teacher"), a spiritual text
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| used within the general meaning of
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| | describing a dialogue between Shiva and
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| "teacher". In Western usage, the original
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| | his consort Parvati on the nature of the
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| meaning of guru has been extended to
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| | guru and the guru/disciple relationship.
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| cover anyone who acquires followers,
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| | Reender Kranenborg a Dutch religious
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| though not necessarily in an established
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| | scholar, dismisses the etymology based on
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| school of philosophy or religion. In a
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| | the Upanishads, the Guru Gita, the Sikh
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| further metaphorical extension, guru is
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| | scriptures, the writings of Krishnamurti,
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| used to refer to a person who has
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| | and other scholar's opinions such as
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| authority because of his or her perceived
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| | those of John Grimes, Thomas Murray, and
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| knowledge or skills in a domain of
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| | others, by stating that the etymology of
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| expertise.
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| | darkness and light has nothing to do with
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| The word guru means "teacher" in
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| | word guru and describes it is as
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| Sanskrit, as well as in other languages
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| | "people's etymology".
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| derived from Sanskrit, such as Hindi,
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| | In the Western Esotericism and the
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| Marathi, Bengali and Gujarati. The word
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| | Science of Religion, Pierre Riffard, the
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| is attested from the Rigveda as an
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| | author, makes a distinction between
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| adjective meaning "heavy", its opposite
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| | "esoteric etymologies" and "scientific
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| being laghu "light". It derives from PIE
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| | etymologies" presenting as an example the
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| *gwrus, cognate to Greek barus, Latin
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| | etymology of "guru", in which the former
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| gravis, both likewise meaning "heavy".
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| | is presented as ru ("to push away") and
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| The word holds a special place in
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| | gu ("darkness"), and the latter as "guru"
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| Hinduism, signifying both the sacred
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| | as "heavy".
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| place of knowledge (jnana) and the
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| | Another etymology of the word "guru"
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| imparter of knowledge. The adjective
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| | found in the Guru Gita, includes gu as
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| meaning "heavy, weighty" is used in the
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| | "beyond the qualities" and ru as "devoid
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| sense of "heavy with knowledge" , "heavy
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| | of form", stating that "He who bestows
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| with spiritual wisdom", "heavy with
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| | that nature which trascend the qualities
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| spiritual weight", "heavy with the good
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| | is said to be guru.
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