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 ||
As with ganapathi, there is also another shloka kids are usually thought before they start their studies is to pray goddess Maha Saraswathi for the successful education. Saraswathi is also considered a goddess of knowledge (vidya). wikipedia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswathi
and the shloka goes :
ಸರಸ್ವತೀ ನಮಸ್ತುಭ್ಯಂ ವರದೇ ಕಾಮರೂಪಿಣೀ |
ವಿದ್ಯಾರಂಭಂ ಕರಿಷ್ಯಾಮಿ ಸಿದ್ದಿರ್ಭವತು ಮೇ ಸದಾ ||
english transliteration:
saraswathi namastubhyaM varadE kaamaroopiNi
vidyaaraMbhaM kariShyaami siddir Bhavathu mE sadaa ||
vEdamantra 