A guru is not just a teacher or a leader. A guru is one who has completed the spiritual journey and found union with the Infinite. Further he must have qualities such as patience, kindness, love and also have the ability to teach and guide students on the spiritual path, according to each one's individual needs.
False! <LI type=a>A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters. A trusted counselor and adviser; a mentor. A recognized leader in a field: the guru of high finance. An acknowledged and influential advocate, as of a movement or idea: “In a culture that worships slimness, he was the Guru of Lean” (Erica Abeel). http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=guru
guru is a sanskrit word... I wonder just how proficient dictionary.com is at that language. I can give you a detailed etymological discussion of the word and its meanings in that language, I wont because you wont understand it, ignorant as you are of the language. It has been adapted to all those meanings you mention in the english language, but that is not the sense in which it is used in the context of this forum.
My My My! you are presumptuous aren't you? And self-righteous to boot! I've been to swami's ashram 5 times over 9 years and attended the 75th birthday world chairpersons conference. I've been blessed three times on my visits. However I accept the Hindu/sanskrit meaning as described without the westernized convoluted ego-infaltion that drives your self-adulation. bolo bhagavan sri sathy sai! Jiki - Jai! Om bhur bhuva swahat tat savitur varenyam, bhargo dheevasya dheemahi diyo-yo na prachodayat
It is wonderful that you have spent so much quality time with Baba, he is a wonderful teacher. Too bad you failed to learn humility, not to mention reading skills. I am not western, I have lived all 22 years of my life in India, I grew up in an ashram among sadhus. Was I presumptuous? I presumed you don't know sanskrit, which seems valid, considering you quote dictionary.com as your source for sanskrit word meanings. It is not self adulation that drove what I said. I first explained the concept as it is udnerstood in Hinduism and buddhism. Your response was "FALSE!!...*dictionary.com quote*" which was not the most intelligent response and if I came of as a little irritated by it, I am not surprised. You say I suffer from an inflated ego? You're the one who seems have the need to flaunt your passing relationship with Swami in order to show some kind of spiritual superiority.
And by the way it is bhur bhuva suvaha... Of course since you're such a scholar, you already knew that... not to mention the meaning of the Gayatri mantra.
No, he is a user of the christian right. He saw how easily led and homogenous they can be, and chose to champion issues that would mobilize them. If he were more guru-like he would actually try to address some of their issues AFTER the election.
