Today is Guru purnima and lets pay our respects to Guru, the remover of ignorance and darkness. Am listening to Totakashtakam, an octet composed by one of the disciples of Sankaracharya. It is extremely pleasing, has some profound words and made famous by the Sacred Chants series. In the context, there is a kriti by Purandaradasa, Guruvina gulamanaguva wherein he says that mukti is not achieved without surrendering to a Guru. The meaning of the rest of the song I suppose is that all the knowledge gained from the scriptures is of no use. And he continues what is use of wearing garlands, having japa mala, smearing ash over the body or refusing the company of women or penalising one’s body. Gurubhyo Namaha!
