"Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu

Guru Sakshat Param Brahma

Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah"

"Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Lord Maheshwara. Guru is verily the supreme reality. Sublime prostrations to Him."

Let me start off with a famous sloka from the Guru Gita. It is something we may all have heard somewhere. The simpleness of this Sanskrit sloka explains the work of a teacher so perfectly.

The Guru is Brahma, he creates the knowledge in students. He is Vishnu, a person who observes his students and continues their learning. He is also like Shiva, destroying the ignorance in the mind of his students.

This is the exact reason why gurus are held in a higher position than the gods and goddesses in Hindu mythology. As it goes "Matha, Pitha, Guru, Deivam". Without teachers, we could not even know of the existence of God.

Our teachers tell us everything about the world. We know that the Earth revolves around the Sun and the universe is endless because of them. Even on the weekends, they work hard to make sure our learning is enhanced, spending their free time studying their subjects to answer the neverending questions of a student's mind.

Teachers are a great gift to this world. Remember what teachers have done to help you. From correcting your mistakes to giving you the help you need, what all have teachers done to help all of us.

Certainly, the students will remember their influential teachers for life. My mother once told me about their Biology teacher, who was a strict man. When he entered the class, there was always pindrop silence. The fact stands that not a single student in his class failed for Biology.

Teachers do things for our good. Yes, they may scold us, and we may feel angry at them. But when our anger fades away, we realize they did it for a reason. For us.

Each teacher has their own method of teaching. One may joke around with students while still enforcing the lesson, while some may always add a bit of extra information at the end of their explanations. Others may focus on completing the lesson as quickly as possible but with the students understanding what was taught all the same. Each teacher is unique, but they are all teaching for a purpose - to educate the next generation. To send them into the world prepared and ready for whatever life will throw at them.

Let's take a moment this September 5 to honour all our teachers, the people who fill our minds and pass their knowledge to us.

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” – Albert Einstein