Humble Submission (Reflections on the Guru Paduka Stotram of Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha)

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Foreword Life is a rare gift. We must make the best use of this life by transforming it into a meaningful life through proper education and training. Developing the skills necessary for becoming better people is possible through a good education, which includes moral and spiritual training. Ancient India, a place of excellence in material and spiritual development, emphasized education for all, integrating secular and spiritual training to augment all-round development in individuals, and ultimately in society.

Teachers play an important role in shaping the lives of individuals, whether in school or university. In modern times, secular education has taken a prominent position, while spiritual training has been ignored. However, without spiritual development, mental balance, inner peace, and the manifestation of human values, love, and kindness is limited. As a result, in modern times selfishness, ego, and the play for power and possessions have proliferated. Because people in the modern world do not learn the art of self-discipline and control over the mind and senses, an upsurge in the crime rate, discrimination, violence, intolerance, hatred, and indulgence have ensued.

What is the solution? It is to bring back the old system of spiritual training with a modern orientation and application suitable to the change in times. Spiritual practices are timeless treasures. They have endured with glory and glamor over the passage of time. The gift of spirituality has been preserved by great masters and guru-preceptors and handed down to able and qualified disciples.

Just as a tree is known by its fruits, in the same way, masters are recognized by others through the lives and actions of their disciples. The tradition of the guru and the disciple is like the banks of the river that contain a flow of knowledge and love Both complement each other without a master, there is no disciple and vice versa. Each beautifies the other. Each serves and nourishes the other.

Introduction "Guru Paduka Stotram" is a beautiful hymn for a seeker to chant daily. It will help a seeker understand spirituality and the role of the guru-preceptor in daily life. The "Guru Paduka Stotram" was written by a great saint of modern India, the Shankaracharya of Dwaraka Pitha in western India, and later of Govardhana Pitha of Puri, in eastern India, Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha. He was unique in many ways. He was an erudite scholar, a master of many languages, a lover of humanity, and the only Shankaracharya to travel to the West, breaking all orthodox traditions. He authored many books and was a modern exponent of Vedic mathematics, a wonder to the modern world.

It is a great delight to mention that he loved not only Kriya Yoga, but also deeply appreciated our beloved Shri Gurudev. He went abroad in 1958 to the USA at the request of the Self- Realization Fellowship and the Vedanta Society of California. He was very close to Shri Gurudev, and Shri Gurudev studied Sanskrit and many scriptures with him.

Before his demise, he made a list of a few people who could succeed him as the Shankaracharya of Puri. He named Shri Gurudev as his choice, but Shri Gurudev humbly declined. He told Bharati Krishna Tirtha, with due respect and humility, that it was not for him. The position of Shankaracharya is a very prestigious position in Hinduism; it is similar to the pope in the Catholic religion.

Bharati Krishna Tirtha was a great scholar. He was a friend of Sri Aurobindo; they worked together at Baroda College where Bharati Krishna Tirtha taught. He had a big challenge in an ongoing court case with the British government. Bharati Krishna Tirtha stood in the court himself to justify his position. He is one of the few sadhus (monks) imprisoned by the British government for encouraging people during India's Freedom Movement. He was a patriot, a lover of human beings, a lover of humanity. Although he was the head of the Hindu religion, he also joined the large Khilafat movement. He said he joined this movement because every religion has dignity, and Islam should not be discredited by a political authority taking over the administration of their holy mosques. He was one of the few monks who came forward to object.

Many people do not know that Bharati Krishna Tirtha authored this stotram or hymn. Before we go into this text, let us reflect a little about guru and guru paduka. Who is a guru? The term "guru" is used even in the modern English language. For example, in the daily newspapers in the West, terms such as "computer guru" and "political guru" are used. Many of the English dictionaries have included the word "guru" as well as "yoga."

Guru is as old as this world itself, the human creation. It is said a child without a guru is an orphan. A child's first guru is its mother. The second guru is the father, and so on. Who is the guru? Guru is a preceptor; guru is a teacher; guru is a guide, guru is an ideal; guru is a role model; guru is a source of inspiration, and guru is a source of love, kindness, and knowledge manifested through practice. We all have a mother, without a mother we have no existence. Mother is the first guru. If we think of the role of a mother, to a great extent we will understand the role of the guru.

**Contents and Sample Pages**