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Re: A matter of synonyms?

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Ramanbil • August 8, 1999 


Dear Sri Sudarsan

So far as my knowledge goes -
The word "Guru" is made up of "Gu" + '"Ru" "Gu" means 'darkness'  "Ru" means 
destruction. The one who dispels the darkness of ignorance is a "Guru".

"Aacharya" is one who not only does this by precept but sets an example by 
practice.  He is the one who practices what he preaches and preaches what he 
practices like the shining example of our Srimad Vedanta Desikar. 

The word is derived from "AacharaNa" which means 'Conduct", "Practice", 
"Behavior" etc. Another derivative is "AachAra' which also refers to 
"blemishless conduct"

We need both people who can dispel our ignorance and those who could show us 
the way to right conduct by their own personal example.

The presumption is that one who professes to preaches may also be expected to 
set an example by personally following what he preaches. Hence, in normal 
parlance, the two terms are used as synonyms.

In this sense, we are fortunate to have in our midst such illustrious 
Acharyas like our Prakritam Azhagiyasinghar and Prakritam Srimad Andavan of 
Poundarikapuram Ashramam, to mention a few.

Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy