The scriptures discuss three types of Gurus: Uttama,Madhayama and Kanishta.An uttama Guru is one who has studied the scriptures systematically from his Guru. He is called a srotriya meaning one who is well versed in the scriptures. He must have understood the teaching, assimilated the teaching and also enjoyed the benefits of the knowledge. He is a role model and a saddguru. He is a Brahma-nishta meaning one who abides in Brahman. Such a Guru is called srotriya Brahma-nishta. He is an example of Self-knowledge and his teaching gives ananda(fulfilment).

A Madhyama Guru is one who has studied the scriptures very well but due to some obstacle is not able to assimilate the teaching. He has the scholarship but is unable to enjoy the benefits of the knowledge. He is not a Brahma-nishta but kevala (mere) srotriya. Even though he has not assimilated the teaching, he will not misguide because he has learnt. He is like a professor of finance who explains and teaches very well but is unable to manage his own finances.

A kanishta Guru is one who has gained Self-Knowledge and abides in the Truth as an exceptional case without the help of Guru or the scriptures. Since he has not studied under a Guru, he does not have the methodology of teaching and since he has not studied the scriptures he is not srotriya. Such a Guru is called  kevala (mere) Brahma-nishta. He mind is an extraordinary mind. He is a spiritual genius. Such Gurus are mystic people. They have not traveled by the ordinary road. Such a Guru has the knowledge of the Truth but does not have the mode of communication because he cannot understand the ordinary mind. As a teacher, a Kanishta Guru will fail because he has not had the benefit of a Guru or the scriptures. We can approach such a Guru prostrate to him and seek his blessings but not ask for knowledge. To acquire spiritual knowledge we must go to a uttama Guru or a Madhyama Guru.

How can we identify a Uttama Guru? Only one strotriya Brahma-nishta can identify another strotriya Brahma-nishta. It takes one genius to appreciate another. Our search for a Uttama Guru will be an exercise in futility. We get a Guru purely by the grace of the Lord. When our thirst for spiritual knowledge becomes intense it will become the Lord's responsibility to provide us with a Guru.

A Guru does not have greatness of his own. A Guru is great only because of the shastra. The shastra has its own greatness. A Guru's greatness is conditional greatness. A shastra's greatness is unconditional greatness which the Guru is aware of. Initially the shishya approaches the Guru attracted by the Guru's personality. The teacher tells the student 'I am great only because of the shastra' and holds the mirror of the scriptures wherein the student sees his own self and his own glory. Thereafter the shishya holds the mirror. The Guru drops the mirror and leaves, meaning the student must hold on to the scriptures and not the Guru.

In advertising it is common to use models or celebrities to promote products. Sometimes we may find the model so attractive or the celebrity may be so well known that we remember the personality not the product. A model must be sufficiently attractive or a celebrity sufficiently well known to capture the attention of the audience but not overly attractive or too well known to divert their attention away from the product. A Guru is like a model or a celebrity promoting the product of Brahmavidya. A Guru who attracts students must ensure that their attention and focus is always on the teaching and not on the personality. If a Guru is revered more than the shastra, it becomes a cult. In a cult the person becomes superior to the teaching. In our tradition, a teaching is superior to the person. A Guru who has a created a cult has failed.

Human birth is rare. Desire for self-knowledge is rarer. Getting a Guru for self-knowledge is rarest. Such a Guru is worshipped on Guru purnima. On this day we do not worship our Guru alone but the entire Guru parampara, the emphasis is on the scriptures and the shastric tradition. We seek the grace of the Guru parampara so that we can learn the shastra. We look at ourselves in the mirror of the scriptures and learn to enjoy our own beauty.