Siksa-guru - the person from whom one receives instructions on how to progress on the path of bhajana is known as siksa-guru, or instructing spiritual master. After hearing instructions from the sravana-guru, the person from whom one hears about the fundamental truths of Bhagavan, a desire may arise to engage in bhajana. If such a desire arises, the person whom one approaches in order to learn how to perform bhajana is known as a siksa-guru.

The sravanaguru and siksa-guru are usually one and the same person as stated in the Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 206 - atha sravana-guru bhajanasiksa- gurvo prayakam-ekatam-iti tathaivaha.

(See also: Siksa-guru, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Visrambha-guru-seva - service to guru which is imbued with deep faith and intimacy (see visrambha). Service devoid of formality. Complete absence of any feeling of separateness from the guru. This type of service is possible only in an advanced stage.

(See also: Visrambha-guru-seva, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Amongst Guru-shishya relationships, there is a certain range of variation of the levels of authority that may be attributed to the guru. This level of authority ranges from the highest levels of authority as most often found in bhakti yoga, such as the Sathya Sai Baba movement, to the lowest levels, as found in the Pranayama forms of yoga such as in the Sankara Saranam movement. Between these two ends of the spectrum there are innumerable variations in degree and form of that author ...

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Guru-shishya tradition, Guru-shishya tradition - Common characteristics of the guru-shishya relationship, Guru-shishya tradition - Guru-shishya relationship types, Guru-shishya tradition - In bhakti yoga, Guru-shishya tradition - Other, Guru-shishya tradition - In Buddhism, Guru-shishya tradition - Psychological aspects

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Bhakti Yoga

Type of yoga or spiritual exercise involving devotion to a god or a guru.

(See also: Bhakti Yoga, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Siksa - instructions received from a teacher; as one of the limbs of bhakti, this specifically refers to instructions received from a guru about bhakti.

(See also: Siksa, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

padapuja: (Sanskrit) "Foot worship."

Ceremonial worship of the guru's sandals or holy feet, often through ablution with precious substances and offering of fruit and flowers. After the ceremony, the water of the bath, the fruit and other precious substances are partaken of as prasada by the devotees.

See: guru, guru bhakti, paduka, prasada, uc�hishta.

(See also: Padapuja, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

paduka: (Sanskrit) "Sandals."

Sri Paduka refers to the sandals of the preceptor, the traditional icon of the guru, representing his venerable feet and worshiped as the source of grace. Paduka also names one of Vira Saivism's eight aids (ashtavarana) to faith - the practice of drinking the water from the ceremonial washing of the Sivalinga or the guru's feet.

See: guru bhakti, padapuja, prasada, satguru, uc�hishta.

(See also: Paduka, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

bhakti: n (Sanskrit) "Devotion." Surrender to God, Gods or guru. Bhakti extends from the simplest expression of devotion to the ego-decimating principle of prapatti, which is total surrender. Bhakti is the foundation of all sects of Hinduism, as well as yoga schools throughout the world. See: bhakti yoga, darshana, prapatti, prasada, sacrifice, surrender, yajna.

(See also: Bhakti, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

devotee: A person strongly dedicated to something or someone, such as to a God or a guru. The term disciple implies an even deeper commitment. See: guru bhakti.

(See also: Devotee, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Panca-mahapapa - killing a brahmana, drinking intoxicating liquors, theft, committing adultary with the wife of sri-guru and associating with anyone guilty of these crimes.

(See also: Panca-mahapapa, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Krishna Chaitanya

The name received by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu from His sannyasa-guru, Sri Keshava Bharati. See Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

(See also: Krishna Chaitanya, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

gurukula

The guru’s family,” a teacher’s ashrama where traditional education is given.

(See also: gurukula, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Drona (-acharya)

A powerful brahmana who became expert in military arts. He was the military guru of both the Pandavas and the Kurus.

(See also: Drona, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Yamuna (-acharya)

A prominent teacher in the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya. He was the guru of the initiating guru of Ramanujacharya. Sri Yamunacharya composed important books explaining the philosophy of Vedanta in the light of pure devotion to the Supreme Lord.

(See also: Yamuna, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Upanayana - a ceremony in which a guru initiates a boy into one of the three twice-born classes by investing the boy with the sacred thread, and teaching him the Brahma-gayatri mantra, whereupon he becomes eligible to study the Vedas under his guru. This is one of the Vedic samskaras, or purificatory ceremonies.

(See also: Upanayana, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Bhakti:

Bhakti ("devotion/love"): the love of the bhakta toward the Divine or the guru as a manifestation of the Divine; also the love of the Divine toward the devotee

(See also: Bhakti, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Bhajana-kriya - taking up the practices of bhakti, such as hearing and chanting. There are sixty-four primary angas of bhakti, of which the first four are to take shelter of the lotus feet of sri-guru; to receive diksa and siksa; to serve one’s guru with great affection; and to follow the path of sadhus. Without adopting these practices, there is no question of making any advancement in bhajana. This is the second stage in the development of the creeper of bhakti which occurs by the influence of sadhu-sanga.

(See also: Bhajana-kriya, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Diksa-mantra - the mantras given by the guru at the time of initiation. These mantras include the maha-mantra, brahma-gayatri, gurumantra, guru-gayatri, gaura-mantra, gaura-gayatri, gopala-mantra, and kama-gayatri. The guru’s internal mood of service to Radha and Krsna is transmitted through the medium of these mantras.

This is indicated in the following sloka from Bhakti-sandarbha (Anuccheda 237): yo mantram sa gurum saksat yo guru sa hari svayam gurur yasya bhavet tustas tasya tusto harim svayam - "The mantra (which is given by the guru) is itself the guru, and the guru is directly the Supreme Lord Hari. He with whom the spiritual master is pleased also obtains the pleasure of Sri Hari Himself.” These mantras are invested with divya-jnana, or transcendental knowledge of Krsna’s form and one’s specific relationship with Him (see also diksa and mantra).

(See also: Diksa-mantra, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

bhakti: n (Sanskrit) "Devotion." Surrender to God, Gods or guru.

Bhakti extends from the simplest expression of devotion to the ego-decimating principle of prapatti, which is total surrender.

Bhakti is the foundation of all sects of Hinduism, as well as yoga schools throughout the world.

See: bhakti yoga, darshana, prapatti, prasada, sacrifice, surrender, yajna.

(See also: Bhakti, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

guru-shishya system: (Sanskrit) "Master-disciple" system. An important education system of Hinduism whereby the teacher conveys his knowledge and tradition to a student.

Such knowledge, whether it be Vedic- Agamic art, architecture or spirituality, is imparted through the developing relationship between guru and disciple.

The principle of this system is that knowledge, especially subtle or advanced knowledge, is best conveyed through a strong human relationship based on ideals of the student's respect, commitment, devotion and obedience, and on personal instruction by which the student eventually masters the knowledge the guru embodies.

See: guru, guru bhakti, satguru.

(See also: Guru-shishya system, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

rtvik

lit., “priest.” Name given to a fallacious doctrine which holds that Srila Prabhupada is the only initiating guru of ISKCON and that his followers may initiate new devotees only as officiating priests on his behalf.

(See also: rtvik, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Mamata - literally means ‘my-ness’; attachment or possessiveness. Mamata for material objects or persons is the cause of bondage, whereas mamata for guru, Vaisnavas, and spiritual objects is the cause of liberation; in the spiritual world mamata is one of the characteristics of prema.

(See also: Mamata, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)