Paramparā

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Paramparā (Skt., ‘succession’). A lineage of spiritual teachers (guru/acārya) in Hinduism. The paramparā is thought to be the means of channelling spiritual power through time, passed on from one guru to his successor. The guru's teaching is thus authenticated by the lineage (hence the frequent form, guruparamparā). Each paramparā has a founder (ādiguru) who is often thought to have received teachings directly from a divine source.

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