In plain words
Merely by taking on the form we do not become human beings. We become human beings only when we attain humanness. In the world's eyes we are human beings. But the quality of humanness is not to be seen. Humanness began some lakhs of years ago. But humanness is still in its labour pains. It has not yet had its birth. Man is born, but humanness is not yet born. The day we can bring humanness to birth in us, that day you are a human being. That humanness is divinity. It is the embodiment of Satya. It is the embodiment of Dharma. It is the embodiment of Prema. It is the embodiment of Śānti. Only when we take on such a form do we have the right to call ourselves human, truly human. It is enough if we attain that humanness; that is divinity. That is what is sacred.
By guru is not meant this worldly guru; such a guru is no guru. Gurus are of eight kinds. The bodha guru, the veda guru, the niṣiddha guru, the kāmya guru, the sūcaka guru, the vācaka guru, the kāraṇa guru, the vihita guru. Among these eight kinds of guru, the vihita guru alone is the true one. Some may teach the śāstras. They may enquire into the principle. They may teach disciplines such as yama and niyama. They may tell us the principle of Saccidānanda. They may teach virtues such as śama and dama. They may perform pūjās for the wishes one cherishes. They may have vratas performed. But the one who roots out the doubts in man and lets him behold his own true form is the vihita guru alone. That vihita guru is none other than God alone. Today is Guru Pūrṇimā. Offering pūjās to gurus, presenting dakṣiṇā, giving gifts: these are not true worship of the guru.
The syllable gu means that darkness must be rooted out. Light must be kindled, blazing bright. The syllable gu means one must be beyond the guṇas. The syllable ru means one must become free of form. That is, the principle without form and name is God alone. A small example. Swami keeps giving ash, and many people wear it. What is its inner meaning? When an object that has form and name is burnt, it turns into ash. This ash becomes free of form and name. Such ash, free of form and name, is Advaita. So the ash is given to you to say: become Advaita. The ash is given to tell you to root out, at least to some extent, what is called form and name. Where did this ash come from? It is what is left when a thing that bore a form and name wastes away. It became ash only when we rooted out that form and name. That is, we must root out the Ahaṅkāra that lies in form and the sense of "mine" that lies in name.
Today we keep saying "Advaita, Advaita". All our life we live in duality.