the sacredness of one place can be
appropriated by another. This is a way to
claim some of the splendor of Kashi as a
sacred site and to attribute power to a
much smaller and more remote site.
Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty
(7th–11th c.) Northern Indian dynasty
that filled the political void created by
the collapse of the Pushyabhuti dynasty
late in the seventh century. Like the
Pushyabhutis, the Gurjara-Pratiharas
initially had their capital at the city of
Kanyakubja, on the Ganges River in
eastern part of the state of Uttar
Pradesh. At its peak early in the eighth
century, the Gurjara-Pratiharas con-
trolled most of the Indian subcontinent
north of the Vindhya Mountains, and
the Ganges basin well into West Bengal.
The dynasty was weakened when the
kingdom split in two in the mid-eighth
century, with the Gurjaras reigning over
the kingdom’s western part from their
capital at Ujjain and the Pratiharas
remaining in Kanyakubja. Both king-
doms were engaged in constant warfare
with the Rashtrakuta dynasty, which
controlled central India south of the
Vindhya Mountains; they were also
harassed by Muslim raiders from mod-
ern day Afghanistan. The Gurjara king-
dom was conquered by the Chandella
dynastyin 1019 and became restricted
to the lower Ganges basin. It finally dis-
appeared about 1050 C.E.
Guru
(“heavy”) In its most commonly accepted
meaning, a guru is a spiritual teacher or
religious mentor; in an extended sense
the word can refer to any teacher. The
term is often used in the arts, where the
relationship between master and disci-
ple is still a vital part of learning. The
relationship between guru and disciple
(shishya) is one of the most fundamen-
tal and enduring facets of Hinduism and
is the accepted model for the transmis-
sion of religious teaching, tradition, and
authority. Aside from transmitting
knowledge, the guru-disciple connec-
tion also assumes a close and trusting
relationship. The guru takes responsibil-
ity for the disciple’s development, based
on an assessment of the disciple’s
strengths, inclinations, and capacities,
while the disciple faithfully follows the
guru’s direction. The literal meaning of
the word guru is “heavy,” indicating the
impression they have on the lives of
their students—weighty and marked. As
a guiding presence, a guru is considered
indispensable for true spiritual attain-
ment. This is particularly true of secret
traditions such as tantra, in which the
guru’s transmission of authority gives
the disciple the necessary adhikaraor
“qualifications” for practice.Guru
(2) Sanskritterm for the planet Jupiter.
It is called Guru (“heavy”) because it is
considered the heaviest and most
important planet in one’s horoscope.Guru Maharaj Ji
(b. 1957) Modern religious teacher and
founder of the Divine Light Mission. In
the early 1970s, Guru Maharaj Ji enjoyed
phenomenal but fleeting success during
a tour of the United States. Maharaj was
the fourth sonof Hans Ji Maharaj, a
respected religious figure who founded
the Prem Nagar Ashramin Haridwar, a
sacred city on the GangesRiver in the
state of Uttar Pradesh. Maharaj’s father
died when he was eight, after which his
mother announced that Maharaj had
inherited his father’s mantle. As with
many modern Hindu missionary fig-
ures, Maharaj’s religious message
stressed the need for devotion to an
enlightened master, which he claimed
to be. At fourteen, he came to the United
States to considerable success. It quickly
dissipated when he and his mother dis-
agreed over his lifestyle and his marriage
to an American woman. He later recon-
ciled with his family, but not before his
mother had named his eldest brother
Satpal as successor to the family line.Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty