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Guru

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A spiritual teacher or guide in Hinduism, essential for transmitting wisdom and leading disciples toward liberation.

Detailed Definition
The guru is revered as the embodiment of divine grace—“Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara.” In poetry, the guru appears as light in darkness, the voice that awakens the sleeping soul. Bhakti and tantric traditions emphasize total surrender to the guru’s guidance. Poets describe the guru-disciple relationship as the heart of spiritual life—where knowledge becomes lived experience. The guru symbolizes compassion, authority, and the living link between human effort and divine revelation.
Example
Example in poetry:
In a Sikh poem, the guru is “not master, but mirror”; A modern verse: “One who dispels darkness—not by giving light, but by showing you have it”; A minimalist reflection: “Heavy with grace”; A diasporic line: “My first guru was my grandmother’s silence.”
Additional Notes
The guru is indispensable in Hinduism—“dispeller of darkness”—guiding disciples through personalized instruction (upadesha). The guru-shishya relationship, often lifelong, transmits not just knowledge but grace (shaktipata). In bhakti, the guru may be seen as God incarnate. Poets like Kabir critique false gurus while exalting true ones. For literary analysis, guru figures drive initiation narratives—heroes seek them for wisdom, mirroring the reader’s quest. Modern discourse debates guru authority, making this term vital for studies of charisma, pedagogy, and spiritual authenticity.
Also Known As
Teacher Master Spiritual Guide
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