From the sacred Vedas to the revered Ramayana, all scriptures unequivocally declare that no entity is greater than a true Guru. A genuine Guru, having realized God, dispels ignorance, liberates souls from suffering, and bestows eternal bliss by uniting them with God.
This leads to an intriguing question: if nothing surpasses the Guru, how did the term Jagadguru come into being? The word Jagadguru originates from the scriptures and is reserved for the Divine, as encapsulated in the verse: Krishnam vande Jagadgurum — "I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the universe."
Shankaracharya, The Adi Jagadguru
The revered tradition of Jagadgurus began with Adi Shankaracharya. At the time, society was engulfed by misconceptions and fallacies, creating widespread confusion about the scriptures and Vedas. Recognizing this spiritual crisis, the era's preeminent scholars resolved to designate a divine personality — someone who had mastered all the scriptures and Vedic knowledge — as Jagadguru. This individual would guide humanity out of doubt and lead them steadfastly on the path to God.