further along with the guru and guru parampara, guru stuthi in order to attain the knowledge that we learn is as important as learning aspect. Guru is also often considered a vehicle or a media for our accomplishments.
there goes one of the guru stuthi shlokas:
ಗುರುಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಗುರುವಿಷ್ಣು: ಗುರು ದೇವೋ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರ: |
ಗುರುಸ್ಸಾಕ್ಷಾತ್ ಪರಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ತಸ್ಮೈ ಶ್ರೀ ಗುರುವೇ ನಮ: ||
english transliteration –
gurubrahma guru viShNuhu guru dEvO mahEshwaraha |
guru saakshaath para brahma thasmai shree guruvE namaha ||
ಶ್ರೀ ಗುರುಭ್ಯೋಂ ನಮಃ – sri Gurubhyom namaha
We often start any new learning through a Guru, a spiritual teacher or a coach. It is also believed that the best way to get attention of the master or the spiritual power – God is through a guru.
Achaarya mukhena kaarayishye… “… perform a pooja or yaaga through acharya / guru”
Sri gurbhyom namaha “ಶ್ರೀ ಗುರುಭ್ಯೋಂ ನಮಃ ” is the first phrase we recite at the mantra recitation.
wikipedia has beautifully explained the meaning of Guru and there are several references to the most powerful and popular gurus in spiritual mankind
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru
Gu “ಗು-ಕಾರ” denotes the spiritual ignorance that most of mankind is in.
Ru “ರು-ಕಾರ” represents the radiance of spiritual knowledge that dispels the spiritual ignorance.
“
ಅಸ್ಮತ್ ಗುರುಭ್ಯೋಂ ನಮ: asmath gurubhyom namaha
ಅಸ್ಮತ್ ಪರಮ ಗುರುಭ್ಯೋಂ ನಮ: asmath parama gurubhyom namaha
ಶ್ರೀ ಬಾದರಾಯನ ವೈಖಾನಸಾಯ ನಮ: sri bhaadaraayana vaikhaanasaya namaha
ಪರಾಶರಾಯ ನಮ: parasharaaya namaha
ಶಕ್ತಯೇ ನಮ: shakthaye namaha
ವಸಿಷ್ಟಾಯ ನಮ: vasishtaya namaha
ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣೇ ನಮ: brahmane namaha
ಶ್ರೀ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ ನಾರಾಯಣಾಯ ನಮ: sri lakshmi narayanaaya namaha
”
Guru and the Guru parampara all the way to the brahman (the supreme) is laid by a path through our respective Gurus and the entire path of gurus. For instance,
ಸದಾಶಿವ ಸಮಾರಂಭಮ್ ಶಂಕರಾಚಾರ್ಯ ಮಧ್ಯಮಮ್!
ಅಸ್ಮಧಾಚಾರ್ಯ ಪರ್ಯಂತಮ್ ವಂದೇ ಗುರು ಪರಂಪರಾ !!
sadAshiva samaaraMbham shankaracharya madhyamam !
asmadhaachaarya paryaMtham vaMde guru paraMpara !!
some interesting explanation here: http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/articles/id/spiritualresearch/spiritualscience/guru
vEdamantra 