What if a student surpasses the teacher?

“Guru Govind Dohu Kade Kaake Laagu Pai,

Balihari Guru Aapne, Govind Diyo Bataai”

This is one of the inspiring dohas of Kabirdas which we would have learned during our school days. The essence of this doha is that it is Guru who emphasizes the importance of God in our lives and we should not hesitate to give our Guru the due respect.

Who is a true teacher? Is he/’she the one who simply gives lectures in the class and doesn’t wish for the development of his/her students? Is teaching only for the sake of it, in the theoretical sense?  When the teacher gets joy when his/her student surpasses him/her, that is the real gift to the teacher. The teacher lays the foundation for the student and passes on his/her knowledge to the latter. When the teaching is with good intention and that with genuine feeling for the student to  progress, there will be no need for the teacher to become upset when the student goes a step beyond him/her. Sometimes there won’t be any necessity for the teacher too; the student would have attained the level of the teacher.

When a teacher says to the student, “ you are intelligent and smart than me, just that I have 30 years experience more than you”, there lies the real strength of the teacher who gives the due credit to his/student. And yes, it’s a sign of success for the real teacher. The real teacher will also not provide his student with so much help that they don’t think for themselves.

The Guru can be any person in our lives. Generally we are used to consider our school teachers, college professors and other teachers as teachers. That’s fine. They inculcate not only academic education but also instill moral values in us. We can always take the good traits from our friends. When there is mutual respect and care between friends, they may inculcate the values of each other.

It would be appreciated if you share your comments regarding this topic. What should be the real gift to the Guru? Isn’t it just the student passing the exams/coming out in flying colors or is it something beyond that wherein the student surpasses the teacher? Isn’t that the real point of teaching?