Very lovely Gurudev Bhajan Hey Gurudev Pranam Hey Gurudev, I salute you at your feet

Guru—this word consists of just two letters, but its meaning is as vast as the infinite sky. 'Gu' means darkness, and 'Ru' means the light that dispels it. He who dispels the darkness of ignorance and bestows the light of knowledge is the Guru. The Guru is the foundational pillar of our lives, without whom the edifice of life can neither stand nor be beautiful. In Indian culture, the Guru is given a place higher than God—"Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Gurur Devo Maheshwarah." Meaning, the Guru is the embodiment of all three—creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the universe. The Guru is the boat that takes us across the ocean of life. The Guru is the tree that bears the heat itself and provides shade to the disciple. The Guru is the sky in which the disciple's life, like a bird, soars freely. Dedicated to this eternal feeling of devotion to the Guru, there is a very sweet, divine, and heart-touching hymn—"Hey Gurudev Pranam, Hey Gurudev Pranam at your feet." This hymn is not merely a song, but an echo of devotion, reverence, love, humility, gratitude, and self-surrender to the Guru. When a disciple bows down at the feet of his Guru and says, "O Gurudev, I bow at your feet," it is not merely a greeting, but a surrender of his entire being. This hymn gives voice to the feeling that silently resides in the depths of the heart. The very first line of the hymn reveals the disciple's humility, immense reverence for the Guru, and the Guru's supreme presence in his life. This hymn resonates with every person who has received the guidance of a Guru—whether a spiritual guru, a music guru, an education guru, or a life-guide. The essence of the hymn is that life is incomplete without a Guru; without a Guru, there is no direction; without a Guru, there is no knowledge; without a Guru, there is no self-realization; and without a Guru, there is no path to liberation. This hymn reveals the disciple's spiritual call, seeking not just knowledge from the Guru, but also grace, protection, guidance, love, and the complete light of life. The Essence of the Hymn 1. Pranam—The Gesture of Surrender The word "pranam" appears repeatedly in the hymn, because pranam is not merely an act of bowing the head, but a practice of subduing the ego. Pranam to the Guru means—it is not me, it is you. My knowledge is limited, your light is infinite. My existence is insignificant, your presence is vast. Pranam is a place of humility, and in humility, it is the door to attaining knowledge. 2. At the Feet—A Place of Surrender In the Indian tradition, touching the feet means receiving the touch of the Guru's energy, blessings, grace, and values. The Guru's feet are a pilgrimage place where the disciple's ego is dissolved and the soul is purified. When the disciple says, "At your feet," it means—I offer my body, mind, intellect, actions, and life—all at your feet. 3. Grace—An Element Higher than Knowledge The hymn primarily invokes the Guru's grace, because knowledge can be obtained from books, but grace can only be obtained from the Guru. Knowledge shows the path, grace empowers one to walk on it. Knowledge provides direction, grace provides protection. Knowledge provides reason, grace provides faith. Knowledge provides understanding, grace provides joy. 4. Crossing the Ocean of Life—The Guru is the Navigator The hymn describes the Guru as the one who ferries one across the ocean of life. This ocean of the world is filled with endless waves, illusions, vices, attachments, and sorrows. The Guru is the navigator who keeps the boat steady amidst these waves and leads the disciple safely to shore. 5. Light in Life—The Guru's Light The hymn describes the Guru as the source of light. The disciple believes that whatever light is within him is a result of the Guru's light. Just as the moon's light is borrowed from the sun, the disciple's knowledge is a reflection of the light received from the guru. Detailed Spiritual Meaning of the Hymn This hymn teaches us five key spiritual teachings: 1. The guru's place is supreme. The guru is the ladder to God. The guru is the path to the temple. The guru is the means to reach the mantra. The guru is the practice to reach the self. 2. The disciple's first virtue is humility. He who has learned to bow down has also learned to rise. He who has given up ego has attained knowledge. He who has attained knowledge has found bliss. 3. The guru's grace is the basic wealth of life. Without grace, even knowledge is a burden, and with grace, even silence is scripture. 4. Gratitude to the guru is the door to liberation. In gratitude, ego ends, and in the end of ego, the soul begins. 5. Serving the guru is the true path. Serving the guru is the wick; serving the guru is the disciple. There is love in service, surrender in love, peace in surrender, joy in peace, and liberation in joy. Expansion of the Bhajan's Emotional Experience When this bhajan is sung, it evokes certain specific feelings in the heart: