In honor of our Gurus, the devotees of the Devi Mandir would like to share this lovely poem, which describes the difference between a Guru and a Teacher. This serves as a reminder of how lucky we are – we don’t have just one Guru, but two!
Thank you Shree Maa and Swamiji for all that You do!
A Guru makes you responsible for your growth
A teacher gives you things you do not have and require
A Guru takes away things you have and do not require
A teacher answers your questions
A Guru questions your answers
A teacher helps you get out of the maze
A Guru destroys the maze
A teacher requires obedience and discipline from the pupil
A Guru requires trust and humility from the pupil
A teacher clothes you and prepares you for the outer journey
A Guru strips you naked and prepares you for the inner journey
A teacher is a guide on the path
A Guru is a pointer to the way
A teacher sends you on the road to success
A Guru sends you on the road to freedom
A teacher explains the world and its nature to you
A Guru explains yourself and your nature to you
A teacher makes you understand how to move about in the world
A Guru shows you where you stand in relation to the world
A teacher gives you knowledge and boosts your ego
A Guru takes away your knowledge and punctures your ego
A teacher instructs you
A Guru constructs you
A teacher explains the world and its nature to you
A Guru explains yourself and your nature to you
A teacher sharpens your mind
A Guru opens your mind
A teacher shows you the way to prosperity
A Guru shows the way to serenity
A teacher reaches your mind
A Guru touches your soul
A teacher gives you knowledge
A Guru makes you wise
A teacher gives you maturity
A Guru returns you to innocence
A teacher instructs you on how to solve problems
A Guru shows you how to resolve issues
A teacher is a systematic thinker
A Guru is a lateral thinker
A teacher will punish you with a stick
A Guru will punish you with compassion
A teacher is to pupil what a father is to son
A Guru is to pupil what mother is to her child
One can always find a teacher
But a Guru has to find and accept you
A teacher leads you by the hand
A Guru leads you by example
When a teacher finishes with you, you graduate
When a Guru finishes with you, you celebrate