Guru (गुरु) consists arises from the element/root (dhaatu) gr̩ (गृ).

The meaning of this element is:

to know;
to sound;
to speak;
to praise;

This signifies that guru is a person who knows and imparts knowledge.

Philosophically speaking, guru can be said to be formed from two syllables – gu & ru

gu can be interpreted as darkness and ru can b e interpreted as remover. So, guru is a person who knows the subject of knowledge and speaks to the student to remove the darkness that is veiling the knowledge from the mind of the student.

Gurus role in knowledge gathering cannot be overstated. It is extremely important to have a guru who is well qualified and knows the right knowledge. Guru must also have the capability to impart such knowledge to a willing student. Students come in varieties, and a guru with perfect qualities will find ease in handling the students such that they are steered towards realisation of Self. A guru serves as a guide, helping the seeker navigate the subtleties of non-dualistic philosophy and unravel the layers of ignorance that veils the truth. Through direct instruction, lived example, and tailored teachings, the guru imparts knowledge of the ultimate reality. They clarify intricate texts like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, ensuring that the seeker doesn’t misinterpret their profound meanings. Most importantly, the guru ignites and nurtures the seeker’s inner vision, cultivating a state where the individual can come to singularity.

With the above in mind, let us chant the following shloka:

नारायण समारम्भाम् व्यस शन्कर मध्यमाम् अस्मदाचार्यपर्यन्ताम् वन्दे गुरुपरम्पराम् ।

Narayana Samaarambhaam Vyasa Shankara Madyamaam Asmad Aachaarya Paryanthaam Vande Guruparamparaam.

Salutations to this lineage (paramparaa) that started with (Saguna Ishwara in the form of) Narayana. Then in-between came the rishi Vyasa and Shankara up until my guru.

Let us chant the following verses from Guru Stotram:

अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ १॥

akhaṇḍamaṇḍalākāraṃ vyāptaṃ yena carācaram
tatpadaṃ darśitaṃ yena tasmai śrigurave nama:

Salutations to my guru who taught me about ‘That’ which has the form of the entire cosmos, moving and non-moving things alike.

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अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया ।
चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ २॥

ajñānatimirāndhasya jñānāñjanaśalākayā
cakṣurunmilitaṃ yena tasmai śrigurave nama: 

Salutations to my guru who opened my eyes that was blinded (cataract) due to ignorance with a needle of knowledge.

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गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः ।
गुरुरेव परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ३॥

Gururbrahmā gurur viṣṇu gurur devo maheśvara:
gururevaparaṃ brahma tasmai śri gurave nama:

Salutations to my guru who is Brahma (knowledge creator), Vishnu (knowledge sustainer) and Shiva (ignorance destroyer), is indeed the supreme Brahman. 

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स्थावरं जङ्गमं व्याप्तं यत्किञ्चित्सचराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ४॥

Sthāvaraṃ jaṇgamaṃ vyāptaṃ yatkiñcitsacarācaram
tatpadaṃ darśitaṃ yena tasmai śri gurave nama: 

Salutations to my guru who showed me ‘That’ which pervades all moving, non-moving, sentient and insentient.

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चिन्मयं व्यापि यत्सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ५॥

cinmayaṃ vyāpi yatsarvaṃ trailokyaṃ sacarācaram
tatpadaṃ darśitaṃ yena tasmai śrigurave nama: 

Salutations to my guru who taught me ‘That’ which is ‘Pure Consciousness’ that pervades all three worlds (bhu, svarga, patala – representing all 14 bhuvanas), along with sentient and insentient. 

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सर्वश्रुतिशिरोरत्नविराजितपदाम्बुजः ।
वेदान्ताम्बुजसूर्यो यः तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ६॥

Sarvaśrutiśiroratnavirājitapadāmbuja
vedāntāmbujasuryo ya: tasmai śrigurave nama:

Salutations to my guru whose lotus feet are made illustrious by all the precious stone of the Shrutis (upanishads) and who is like sun to the Updanishad lotuses (I.e. Guru shines like Sun to make the upanishads reveal their glory in the minds of the students). 

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चैतन्यश्शाश्वतश्शान्तः व्योमातीतो निरञ्जनः ।
बिन्दुनादकलातीतः तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ७॥

caitanya śāśvata śānto vyomātito nirañjana:
bindunādakalātita: tasmai śrigurave nama: 

Salutations to my guru who is pure consciousness, eternal, peaceful, beyond space, name and forms (gross, subtle and causal).

ज्ञानशक्तिसमारूढः तत्त्वमालाविभूषितः ।
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदाता च तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ८॥

jñānaśaktisamāruḍha tattvamālāvibhuṣita:
bhuktimuktipradātā ca tasmai śrigurave nama:

Salutations to my guru who has the power of knowledge, wears a garland of spiritual truth, and bestower of material pleasure and liberation.

अनेकजन्मसम्प्राप्तकर्मबन्धविदाहिने ।
आत्मज्ञानप्रदानेन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ९॥

anekajanmasamprāptakarmabandhavidāhine
ātmajñānapradānena tasmai śrigurave nama:

Salutations to my guru who bestows knowledge of the Self, which destroys the binding due to karma accumulated from innumerable births.

शोषणं भवसिन्धोश्च ज्ञापनं सारसम्पदः ।
गुरोः पादोदकं सम्यक् तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ १०॥

śoṣaṇaṃ bhavasindhośca jñāpanaṃ sārasampada:
Guroh pādodakaṃ samyak tasmai śrigurave nama:

Salutations to my guru, whose water from feet (spiritual knowledge) can dry out the ocean of samsara and teaches the essence of all wealth (Truth)

न गुरोरधिकं तत्त्वं न गुरोरधिकं तपः ।
तत्त्वज्ञानात् परं नास्ति तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ११॥

na guroradhikaṃ tattvaṃ na guroradhikaṃ tapa:
tattvajñānāt paraṃ nāsti tasmai śrigurave nama:

Salutations to my guru, from whose teaching there is no greater Truth, there is no greater austerity, there is nothing superior to the guru’s teaching of ‘That’.

मन्नाथः श्रीजगन्नाथः मद्गुरुः श्रीजगद्गुरुः ।
मदात्मा सर्वभूतात्मा तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ १२॥

mannātha śrijagannātha: madguru: śri jagadguru:
madātmā sarvabhutātmā tasmai śrigurave nama:

Salutations to my guru who is the Supreme Lord, who is the also the teacher of the world, who taught me that my Self is the Self of all beings.

गुरुरादिरनादिश्च गुरुः परमदैवतम् ।
गुरोः परतरं नास्ति तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ १३॥

Gururādiranādiśca guru: paramadaivatam
guro: parataraṃ nāsti tasmai śrigurave nama:

Salutations to my guru who is the cause but is causeless, who is the Supreme Being, and to whom there is no superior being.

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव । त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव । त्वमेव सर्वं मम देवदेव ॥ १४॥

tvameva mātā ca pitā tvameva
tvameva bandhuśca sakhā tvameva
tvameva vidyā draviṇaṃ tvameva
tvameva sarvaṃ mama devadeva 

You are my mother, you are my father, you are my relative, you are my friend, you are my wealth, you are my everything, your are my God of all Gods.