The role of a guru is the highest in the world, as he is the one who takes a devotee by hand and leads him to God. Kanchi Maha Periyava was among the greatest gurus to have lived in the Kali Yuga and lakhs of devotees have been fortunate to have known him and be guided by him in their lifetime, said Damal Perundevi. He was of such a high principled and humble saint who was hailed as Jagathguru, but he always demurred saying, “I am not the guru, the world is my guru, I am still learning so much from this earth and all the creatures that live on it.”
Everyone wants to rise above earthly attachments (at some point of time in each one’s life). Kapila Vasudeva discoursed to his mother Devahuti on the importance of devotion (bhakti) which leads to true liberation. He also says that to attain bhakti, one should seek the feet of an acharya, who alone can help a person develop (and grow) bhakti in one’s mind and heart. The sight of a lotus blooming under the morning sun in a pond is fascinating to look at, due to the sheer lustre and freshness it emits. The same lotus, when plucked and thrown outside the pond, loses its sheen, lustre and beauty even though the sun is still beaming down upon it. Why does this happen? For the lotus, the pond is like an acharya: if one leaves the feet of a guru, the jivatma too will wilt.
The stature of a guru is exalted. Lord Krishna performed so many miraculous deeds in His soujourn on earth, but He was happiest when performing the role of a jagathguru. He donned the role of a guru to Arjuna and delivered the Bhagavad Gita to the Pandava prince as a discourse on the battlefield. Likewise, Krishna discoursed to Uddhava who was inconsolable upon learning that he would be parting from Krishna. The ever merciful Lord gifted His paduka to Uddhava as an assurance that there is no parting for those who surrender to His feet.
