"Therefore guru's business is... Every human being is suffering in this material world. Nobody can say that 'I am not suffering.' It is not possible. There must be suffering. There are three kinds of sufferings. (But) That out of ignorance also, a rascal is suffering, he's saying that 'I am very happy.' That is also another ignorance. There are three kinds of sufferings in this material world: adhyatmic, adhibautic, adhidaivic. Suffering on account of my own body and mind -- this suffering is not imposed by anyone else. I do it. The same thing, that I cannot digest but I eat more, so there must be dysentery. You must suffer. This is due to my body and mind. That is another one kind of suffering. Another suffering is imposed by other living entities. Just like your enemy or an animal -- or there are ants, mosquitos, flies, they are all causing suffering. You are killing them, and they are trying to give you suffering. This is called struggle. This is called adhibautic, suffering given by other living entities. Suffering caused by myself, this is called adhyatmic. And suffering caused by other living... And there are other sufferings, caused by the nature, superior power, adhidaivic. All of a sudden, there is no rain, no rainfall, and now for want of rainfall, there is no food grain. Excessive heat, excessive chilly cold; earthquake, famine... So many, by natures, imposed by the natures. Flood. So there are three kinds of sufferings in the material world, and everyone is suffering either by one, two or three or..., but nobody can say that 'I am completely free from suffering.' That is not possible. And why this suffering? Due to ignorance. I do not know. I am committing sinful life, I am committing mistakes; therefore I am suffering. Therefore guru's business is first to rescue his disciple from ignorance, ignorance. Ajnana-timirandhasya. Everyone is suffering out of ignorance; therefore guru's business is to... Just like we go to a school. We go to a school, we send our children to a school. Why? To save him from suffering; to get education. 'If my son does not get education, he'll suffer in the future.' The same process: to get him out of ignorance, to get him relieved from the suffering. Therefore, guru's business is ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya. So sufferings is due to ignorance. Ignorance is compared with darkness. So in the darkness how you can save one? By some light. So guru's business is to take the torchlight of knowledge and present before the ignorant or the disciple in darkness and that gives him, relieves him from the sufferings of darkness or ignorance. This is guru's business."
(Srila Prabhupada lecture, London, August 22, 1973)
.
.
