Talk:Saguṇa Brahman as Vibhūti-s:Guru, Parents and Atithis as Vibhūtis

By Sri Vishal Agarwal

Śāstras repeatedly ask us to serve, worship, and nourish our Guru-s, our parents, and visiting and unexpected guests, learned scholars or needy people — and even stray animals — with love on a daily basis. This is a natural extension of the concept of the entire creation being a Vibhūti of Brahman, in particular our Guru-s who enlighten us, our parents who give birth to us, provide for us, and so on.

To take the example of the Guru, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says to Uddhava in His last sermon:

"Know the Ācārya as my own self. Never insult him in any way. Do not regard him as an ordinary mortal, because the Ācārya contains all Devatā-s." ''Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.17.27

"The Guru must be regarded as the Divine Devatā Himself because he imparts the lamp of liberating knowledge to his students. The learning of he who regards his Guru as an ordinary being all goes waste and does not bear any fruit." ''Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.20.17

Likewise, Śāstras e.g., ''Taittirīya Upaniṣad 1.11 exhort graduating students to treat their mother, father, teacher, and their guests as Divine, and serve them to the best of their ability, with respect, humility, and so on.