Glossary · Practice
Guru
गुरु
What does Guru mean?
Guru means 'heavy' or 'weighty' — one who carries the weight of wisdom. The tradition holds that spiritual knowledge cannot be gained from books alone; it must be received from one who lives it.
Verse 4.34 is the Gita's charter for discipleship: 'Know it by prostration, by inquiry, by service; the knowers of truth will impart knowledge to you.' Krishna himself is the archetypal guru, guiding Arjuna from confusion to clarity.