Gurur Brahmaa – Related Discourses
Gurur Brahmaa Gurur Vishnu
Gurur Devo Maheshvarah
Guruh Saakshaat Para Brahma
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah
“Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Maheswara. Consider Guru as your everything.
All are embodiments of Divinity. In fact, all that you see is nothing but the Divine Cosmic Form
(Viswa Virat Swarupa)”
“The term ‘Guru’ means one who dispels the darkness of ignorance. ‘Gu’ means one who is beyond attributes (or gunas), ‘ru’ implies one who is beyond forms (rupa). This refers only to God. That is why the Guru is hailed as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (the holy trinity of Hindu belief). Only God is the true Guru. All others are merely teachers, like the teachers of different subjects in a college. ‘Guru’ is the one who reveals the guri (target) to the disciple. ‘Guru’ here refers to the Atmic Principle (the principle of the self)”. – [Sathya Sai Baba Discourse: 20th July, 1997]
“Guru is Brahman. He is the Creator; He Himself is the creation and He is the One that exists in the creation. The universe is filled with Brahman. It becomes clear that the One who Himself has become the universe is the Guru.
Guru is Vishnu. Who is Vishnu? Vishnu is one who has the quality of pervasiveness. He is the Doer and also what is done. The universe is the action, God is the Doer. God is the consciousness behind the cause and effect. The whole universe is the form of Vishnu. This Vishnu is the Guru.
Guru is Maheshvara. Who is Maheshvara? He is the one who rules all beings in the Universe. He commands and ordains everything in the universe in the right manner. Sun-rise and Sun-set go on according to His command. Seasons, rain, the day and night are His commands. Eeshvara is one that makes everything–follow its discipline without any lapse. Guru is not one who merely teaches.
A Guru is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, He is God himself. Gurupoornima means full moon without any defect or lacuna. Moon is nothing but mind. When the mind is completely perfect, it sheds light. Gurupoornima is not performed by circumambulation and offerings to the Guru. What is the real offering? It is the offering of one’s love. To know that God exists everywhere is circumambulation. If you understand these terms, everyday is Gurupurnima. There is only one Guru, that is God and there is no other Guru. Contemplate on that Guru.” – [Sathya Sai Baba – Divine Discourse: July 14, 1992]
The Gunas and the Trinity
Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara are not entities with forms. The Trinity represent the deified expression of three qualities. The Puranas have misrepresented Brahma as a four-headed deity engaged in cosmic creation. This is not correct. In fact, the Trinity represents the three gunas.
There are five elemental powers in Nature–Bhoomi, Aapa, Agni, Vayu and Akasha (earth, water, fire, air and space). If you want to understand the process of creation, the order of describing the elements has to be reversed. Starting from Akasha (space), we have in succession air, fire, water and earth. Nature has to be understood in two ways: one, in relation to the process of creation; the other, in relation to everyday experience. Likewise, when the order of Brahma, Vishnu and Easwara is viewed in relation to creation, it has to be reversed; we have Easwara, Vishnu and Brahma in that order.
To begin with, what does the principle of Easwara signify? The Gita declares:
“Easwarassarvabhootaanaam hriddese Arjuna thishtathi” (Easwara dwells, O Arjuna, in the heart region of all beings). Easwara, therefore means the Lord of the Heart. He illumines the heart of every being. This means that the Divine power of Easwara is present in every heart. The other name given to Easwara as Lord of the Heart is Atma.
It is from the heart that the mind has emerged. The mind corresponds to the Vishnu principle. Vishnu means one who is all-pervasive. The mind is equally all-pervasive. “Manomoolam idam jagath,” it is said. (The mind is the basis of the cosmos). The mind pervades the entire universe. Hence it signifies the Vishnu principle.
Brahma is traditionally described as arising from the navel of Vishnu. It is from the mind that Vaak (speech) has come. Vaak is the embodiment of Brahma. Hence Brahma has, among other names, “Sabda Brahmamayee” (Sound as Brahman). Thus Easwara, Vishnu and Brahma symbolise the heart, the mind and the faculty of speech. The combination of all these three represents the Atma. Hence each of the three should be revered as the one supreme guru in three forms.
The Supreme Guru
Gurur Brahmaa Gurur Vishnu
Gurur Devo Maheshvarah
Guruh Saakshaat Para Brahma
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah
This sloka, which has a profound and sacred inner significance, has been given a distorted meaning, elevating the role of the ordinary teacher, fragmenting the Divine and missing the basic truth of oneness expressed in it.
Gurur-Brahma: The Brahma referred to here is not the creator. It refers to Vaak.
Gurur-Vishnu: refers to the all pervasive mind, which is present in all beings. This is the Vishnu principle.
Gurur-devo Maheswarah: This refers to the seat of the heart.
Gurus-saakshaath Para Brahmah: This means that the unity of speech, mind and heart represents the Supreme Atma, which should be revered as Guru.
The Gunas and the Cosmos
What is the role of the Guru? It is the total removal of the darkness of ignorance. As long as there are the three gunas,there can be no freedom from darkness. It is only when one transcends the three gunas that one attains the state of the Guru. Alternatively, when one realises the unity of the three gunas, the message of the Guru is comprehended.The import of the unity of the three gunas is indicated in the Gita declaration: “Mamaatma Sarvabhootha Atma” (My Atma is the indwelling spirit in all beings). That which dwells in all beings is the One only. “Eko vasi Sarvabhootha antaratma” (The One that is the Inner Spirit in all beings). Forgetting this basic principle of Oneness and lost in the wilderness of multiplicity, men are having no peace.
It is on account of the varied functioning of the three gunas that the process of creation, growth and dissolution takes place. The three gunas are the primal source, the basis and the life-breath of the universe. They are responsible for the manifestations and transformations in Nature. The permutations and combinations of the three gunas in varying proportion account for the infinite diversity in the Cosmos.
The Trinity and their colours
Three colours have been ascribed to the three gunas.
It is commonly believed that Vishnu represents the Satwa Guna. It is not so. The Satwa Guna is really the attribute of Easwara. It is not subject to Maya. In the state of Yoga nidra (yogic sleep) it acquires the chith-shakthi (the power of Awareness) and appears as Suddha-Atma (the Pure Absolute). Hence Satwa represents the Easwara principle. Its colour is white.
The Rajo Guna manifests itself in likes and dislikes. It used to be associated with Brahma. But this is wrong. It is a quality associated with Vishnu. Vishnu has been depicted as a deity bearing a conch, the discus, the mace and the lotus. Vishnu has also been described as Alankaaraswarupa–one who is embellished by decorations. Vishnu also bears the name Viswambhara–one who protects and rules over the universe. As a Raja (ruler), he has the Rajo Guna. The colour of Rajo Guna is red.
Then, there is Brahma. The Rajo Guna has been attributed to Brahma. This is incorrect. Brahma represents Tamo Guna. Tamo Guna is associated with Murkhatvam (irrationality) and andhakaara (the darkness of ignorance). It is filled with Mamakaara (the sense of possessiveness) and Abhimana (attachment). These two impulses account for creation. If there were no sense of ‘I’ and “Mine,” the creative process would not go on. These two are the insignia of Tamo Guna, which is represented by black colour. White, red and black are the most important colours. All colours are merged in these three.
Likewise, there are in the world, people with Satwa Guna, Rajo Guna or Tamo Guna and are distinguished by one or other of the three colours.
[Source: Discourse in the Poornachandra Auditorium on Guru Pournima Day, 29 Jul 1988]