A Guru is given the status of God, as he is the one who shows us the way to reach God through knowledge, conduct and Dharma. The priceless value of a Guru is proved by the Almighty himself when as Shri Ram, being the creator of the Universe becomes the humble student of a Guru to learn the same knowledge he created and offered to the world. With his noble behaviour, Shri Ram set a beautiful bond as to how a Guru and a Sishya can have in the process of acquiring knowledge.
Shri Ram shared a special bond with his preceptor Rishi Vashisth. While undergoing their education, Shri Ram and his brothers lead a simple life in the Gurukul ashram doing all the regular chores required for a human to lead his life. They treat themselves as equal to the other students and become one among them. Shri Ram learns his best virtue of humility from Rishi Vashisht and through that brings eternal fame to himself and also his guru by following it all life. By implementing the virtue taught by his guru, Shri Ram treated Rishi Vashisht as his mentor and never went against the command of his guru all his life, which bought him great fame as a humble and noble prince.
Shri Ram continued the same bond with his another preceptor Rishi Vishwamitr. The role of Rishi Vishwamitr was very special as he was the one through which the world knew their saviour had arrived. Rishi Vishwamitr on the pretext of taking Shri Ram and Lakshman with him bestows them great knowledge of Astras and Sastras which makes them powerful warriors. Apart from killing the demons, Shri Ram spends his time in Rishi Vishwamitr in a simple way gladly accepting the fruits and tubers given by the Rishis. He does not show any arrogance of his strength, but credits it to Rishi Vishwamitr for granting him great weaponry which could help him kill the demons.
On Rishi Vishwamitr’s command, both the brothers set out to Mithila. In Mithila, although all were enchanted by the beauty of Shri Ram and respects him for achieving huge tasks to salying the demons,, he portrays himself as the student of Rishi Viswamitr only, rather than a hero. In the Swayamvar, although Shri Ram had all the love for princess Sita, he always adhered to the respect of his guru and broke the Shiv Dhanush only after the order of Rishi Vishwamitr, even though he knew that Mata Sita was worried that when would he step ahead and win her. His respect for his guru is so great that even when Maharaj Dasarath reaches Mithila, Shri Ram goes to his father only after Rishi Vishwaitr takes him along, but not individually as a son.
The bond of a Guru and a Sishya is the only one which has no conditions, except sharing and spreading the knowledge of Dharma in all ways. When a student becomes successful in his life and sometimes greater than the Guru, the greatest happiness is that of the Guru who trained him to be so. Rishi Vashisht feels blessed that he got to be the Guru of Shri Ram, but as the most humble student, Shri Ram offers all his success at the feet and blessings of the Guru and shows that that is the greatest Gurudakshina one can offer to his Guru.