Every one of us has heard and recited this verse innumerous time. This verse is the most revered shalok used to glorify the embodiment of Guru Tattav. Our teachers, elders, friends and even our Gurus have quoted it many a times. I can say this is the most famous verse used in context of a Guru. Not only your Guru will help you in the spiritual journey but will also guide you in your household life — he will give you intuition powers to decide what is good and what is bad for your life, he will give you powers to decide what path to take which will benefit your soul and he will guide you which path to avoid One of the reasons for its rampant use is, this verse is quite self-explanatory and other is that it can be pronounced easily as compared to others Sanskrit verses. You may have heard or read meaning of this verse but this guru poornima we got to know the most accurate and precise meaning. Manmadhavachrya Sri Pundrik Goswami ji Maharaj who leaves his listeners spellbound with his divine explanations on glorious Hari Lila and is miraculous in rendering lengthy phrases flawlessly, expounded this verse in most unequivocal and definite way.
Guru Brahma – Brahma ji is associated with creation and he has four heads pointed to four cardinal directions. Guru takes responsibility of creating your spiritual world and just like Brahma ji Guru provides or creates four major things in one’s life – Mantra(prayer), Granth( scripture), Isht(Supreme personality of God head), Dham (place where Lord resides) .
Guru Vishnu – Vishnu ji protects and maintains the universe with his four hands similarly a true Guru maintains our spiritual world with four efforts – Ashirwaad (Blessings), Hari katha (Words of wisdom), Bhajan (way of showing gratitude towards supreme) and by imparting Prasad (love and happiness)
Guru Maheswra- Shiva ji is known to be the destroyer and when he assumes this form he has five heads. Guru also brings five destructions or changes to make our advancement in spiritual life- Vikaaro ka destruction (changes of our disorders), changes in our Aakar (mind set), annihilation of our bad character, changes in our behavior and extinction of our material responsibilities.
Guru Param Brahm – Guru is Param brahm as he is omnipresent though he may not be available physically but he is always there in prayers, scriptures, and blessings, in gratitude, in love, in changes and in the supreme personality of God.
The author is Spiritual guru from the Madhva-Gaudiya School