GURU-SHISYA PARAMPARA
The tradition of bonding between teacher and student.
Om gurur brahmā gurur viṣṇur gurur devo maheśvaraḥ, guruḥ sākṣāt paraṁ brahma tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ.
I bow before the guru who is the personification of the trinity ( Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesvara)
From ancient times, in our India, a guru that is, a teacher is placed at a great respectable height in a disciple’s heart.
The bonding between a teacher and a student is a divine, eternal link of great beauty, which is noted and experienced even in our ancient scriptures, as Guru- Shishya Parampara.
Saying in my words,
The concept of Guru- Shishya Parampara is not just a system of transfer of knowledge, but it is also the bonding of love and respect between a teacher and a disciple.
The practice of Guru-shishya Parampara finds its beginning around 5000 BCE.
The origin of Natyam itself started with practice of this great Parampara.
As the history says, Natyashastra was first taught to the hundred sons of Bharatha Muni and the twenty-four apsaras created by lord Brahma. They practiced the shastra with complete devotion and great discipline under the guidance of Bharatha Muni.
All our great epics highlights the importance of this tradition for the enrichment of life, as the Guru is the one who establishes the foundation of knowledge and wisdom for a student, without which a child being the student of life would fail to find a purpose in life.
In Ancient India Guru was given complete authority over the student and how to teach them.
One of the major reasons behind this authority is, it is believed that nobody other than the Guru will be able to understand the shishya with as much poise and goodwill. The only interest that the Guru has is the betterment of the shishya as the word ‘Guru’ signifies. Gu -meaning darkness Ru- meaning brightness or light. Guru is therefore the one who guides the shishya to brightness or knowledge from darkness.
The importance of THE GURU-SHISHYA PARAMPARA is evident in history.
One can never find an end to the ways in which Guru is important to a student, as in India, from time immemorable, a Guru is considered Greater than GOD, since the Guru is the one who taught us who is GOD.
The purity and the righteousness of this Parampara is so immeasurable.
The requirement of a Guru and the impact of the Guru on the student is expressed in the following shloka, which has flawlessly described the necessity of this bond and why it is a tradition.
The shloka is:
Ajnana TimirAndhasya JnanaAnjanaShalaakaaya
Chakshurunmilitam Yena Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha
Meaning in English
He who removes darkness of ignorance of the blinded (un-enlightened) by applying the ointment(medicine) of knowledge, who opens the eyes, my salutations unto that Guru.
Guru-Shishya Parampara has been followed since ages and still continues to live.
There are many people whose example can be taken to show the impact of the Parampara. One of Guru-Shishya pairs are:
Mrinalini Vikram Sarabhai who was an Indian classical dancer and a guru. She was the Founder of a training institute. She trained eighteen thousand students in both Kathakali and Bharatnatyam. However, Mrinalini’s most commendable shishya is her daughter Mallika Sarabhai. Due the beautiful bonding between them their lives impacted each other positively.
Mallika’s most honorable act as the shishya of Mrinalini is by carrying her teacher’s legacy of raising awareness on dowry deaths.
Another well-known example is the divine relationship between Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda.
Initially Vivekananda couldn’t accept to be his student, but the growing bond with the teacher made his learning journey unique and enlightening. As all of us know, he then followed the values and lessons thought by his teacher and so was able to accomplish his endeavors.
One could argue that this tradition has died down and doesn’t own the value it once had.
But the truth is, we all still see this beautiful tradition expressed in its own unique ways.
“The Guru-Shishya Parampara is the heart and soul of India’s artistic and cultural legacy.
It is the foundation of our nation’s rich heritage.
It serves as the bridge connecting our past, present, and future.
A tradition that embodies the essence of our values”, said Mrs. Nita Ambani while addressing the audience at Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre.
Guru shishya Parampara has got its way of existing in each of our day to day lives, as we are what we are, because of the knowledge that we received and are receiving daily from our great Gurus.
Here are the words of one of my friends, Sanika Beeranaur, who completed RajyaPuraskar certification along with me. She spoke about the role of a teacher in her development and how a student should carry out the Parampara.
“My guide captain is my inspiration. She is the most talented person I have ever met. She taught me how to be firm, strong yet simple and sweet. Our teachers have always guided us to the right path, and they don’t expect anything from us, they say things for our betterment, student’s role is to respect and love them, it’s the most precious gift you can give them.”
The first adventure of all our lives is going to a school, where we have a teacher who teaches us different things each day.
Each one of us has a unique bonding with our teachers and it is a based on pure love, respect and devotion.
Learning Bharatnatyam, a mesmerizing art form, has only become more beautiful by the unique bonding with my guru.
My guru, who at many instances in the journey of learning Bharatanatyam has not only taught me to perform dance but also to express my emotions and thoughts that may have been held in and under in my mind.
I see in her a deity, who I deliberately wait to meet, a feeling of excitement and a new light every time my guru express knowledge and transfers it into me.
Learning Bharatnatyam was and is my most greatest dream!! and being able to render my devotion and love on to my guru, as it is for all students, is a blessing, as that’s what makes the connection mutual.
As a conclusion, I feel the bond between a teacher and a student is an enchanting bond decorated with the fruit of content.
This bonding should be kept alive in the coming generations, in whatever way possible to keep the light of energy, love for learning and living, glowing in our hearts.
References
Kafqa Academy. (n.d.). The Importance of Guru Shishya Parampara in Indian Classical Dance and Music. [online] Available at: https://kafqa.com/blog/the-importance-of-guru-shishya-parampara-in-indian-classical-dance-and-music
Mehrotra, R. (2021). Know Everything About Guru Shishya Parampara in Classical Dance |. [online] Podium School. Available at: https://learn.podium.school/classical-dance/guru-shishya-parampara/?amp=1
