When we talk about the Guru, the image shapes up of those who taught us in schools and colleges. But here are the gurus of a different genre; the Gurus who were simple, ordinary persons but who helped fashion my life easy and comfortable. Sachchidananda Swami says: "Guru is not the body, not even the mind. The real Guru is "teaching". That guru will always be with you - he will never disappear from your life. So teacher is not the Guru, the teaching is the Guru". I am here talking about the "Real Gurus of Sachchidananda Swami.
My father was my first Guru. My mother passed away when he was just 35 and I barely 5 year old. He was a true karmayogi. There was no domestic chore, which he had not to perform to bring up his motherless family of four -- the youngest being a girl of barely two years. He carried out duties of both the parents to the perfection. Moreover, he was well versed in all aspects of agriculture and animal husbandry and worked in the field like a farmer.
My second Guru was Puniya Bai, a poor and illiterate young widow. She was excellent and innovative cook. From her, I learned the fineries of cooking. The skill stood me in good stead throughout my student life. Until married, I lived in a rented room cooking my own food. Garlic chatani and potato-onion curry was her specialty, which I still prepare with great festivity and fun.
Third Guru was my classmate Rammu. After fourth standard, Rammu went away to a school in Betul where English was also taught. After a month on his return to the village, he addressed me as "RP". Surprised, I asked, what is this "RP?" He bragged: "I named you in English". Seeing me, perplexed, he explained, "Your name is Ramesh Prasad, correct? In English 'R' stands for Ramesh and 'P' for Prasad" Impressed, I asked, "What will stand for Mishra?" "M" he shot back chest thrown forward. The incidence made me vow to go for learning English.
My fourth Guru was Ram Gopal Tiwari, my teacher at primary level classes. He was an accomplished player of volleyball and football. In his leadership, in 1950s, the dhoti-kurta clad team of a small, unknown village played All India Volleyball Finals twice and won the finals once. It was his guidance and training that enabled me to be the captain of Indian Games and represent volleyball and football in school as well as College As professor, I won Staff-Students' badminton title several times.
A young mentally retarded person who earned his living by playing flute was my next Guru. As a young boy of 16, I learned from him the intricacies of flutes and went on to perform in college-level programmes.
In 1970s, while working for PhD degree in Geology, I made several Gurus who inculcated in me various skills. The research required me to prepare micro-sections of about 300 rock-samples for microscopic examination. The job is extremely cumbersome, boring and time consuming and demanded lot of skill. Section-cutter Mohanlal, a fourth-class employee, taught me the skills of section cutting. He never hesitated to reprimand me if I erred.
Besides normal field-photographs, the research also required microphotography, where in the photographs of the micro-sections are taken through the microscope with specially designed micro-photographic camera. Professor J N Saxena was the only person in the university who knew the art. Through him I established the photographic laboratory and learned all aspects of photography and microphotography
Typing the thesis was another problem. Geology, being not a common subject that time, the typists were not familiar with the Geological terminology. Harbans Tiwari, the typist in my department acted as my typing teacher enabling me to type personally the entire thesis. The thesis earned me appreciation of the examiners for its mistake-free typing and delightful language.
By the time I retired in 1996, the computers had replaced the typewriters. While working with an NGO honorarily, I learned about computer software and my Gurus were the very tribal students supported by the NGO.
"As drops of water gradually fill up a pitcher; so do knowledge, virtue and wealth accumulate little by little" (Chanakya). Let He keep my pitcher always be a little empty so that I may continue to receive the drops of knowledge to the last moment of my life.
Dr RP Mishra
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