In the following passage some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives. The ______________ of gurudakshina is very ancient and it is ________________ to the Indian culture and tradition. If you are absolutely ______________ about India, then it is advisable that you first try to understand the meaning of a guru and the ________________ of his presence in the lives of those around him. This, in turn, will help you to understand what guru dakshina is. In ancient India, a teacher or a guru was a spiritually _____________ guide. Choose the correct word to fill the blank in the segment "the ________________ of his presence in the lives of those around him".

Introduction / Context:
This question is part of a passage-based cloze test that talks about the traditional Indian concept of gurudakshina and the role of a guru. The specific sentence you must complete is "the ________________ of his presence in the lives of those around him." The task is to choose the option that best expresses the idea of how important or meaningful the guru's presence is in people's lives. This tests your understanding of subtle differences in vocabulary and the ability to match words to context.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The passage discusses gurudakshina, Indian culture, and the idea of a guru as a spiritual guide.
• The incomplete phrase is "the ________________ of his presence in the lives of those around him".
• Options: connotation, implication, understanding, significance.
• We assume the writer wants to emphasise how important the guru's presence is.

Concept / Approach:
In this context, the passage is not asking about the hidden meaning of a word or a symbol, but about how meaningful or important the guru's presence is in people's lives. The most suitable word for this is "significance", which directly expresses importance or value. The other options look attractive but belong more to the field of meanings of words or logical consequences, not the value of someone's presence. The approach is to carefully match the nuance of each option to the idea of the influence or importance of a person's presence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the sentence: "… try to understand the meaning of a guru and the ________________ of his presence in the lives of those around him." Step 2: Notice that "meaning of a guru" is followed by a second phrase describing how important his presence is. Step 3: "Connotation" usually refers to the emotional or implied meaning of a word, not the importance of a person's presence. Step 4: "Implication" refers to something that is suggested or inferred, often in logic or argument, which does not fit well with presence. Step 5: "Understanding" suggests comprehension in the mind, but the sentence already speaks about "understand the meaning of a guru", so repeating the same idea sounds clumsy. Step 6: "Significance" clearly means the importance or meaningful impact of something, which matches "his presence in the lives of those around him". Step 7: Therefore, "significance" is the best and most natural choice.

Verification / Alternative check:
Re-read the full line with "significance": "… understand the meaning of a guru and the significance of his presence in the lives of those around him." This reads smoothly and logically: first we understand what a guru is, then we appreciate how significant his presence is. None of the other words can replace "significance" here without making the sentence awkward or slightly off in meaning.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• connotation: Refers to the associated meaning of a word or phrase, not to the real-life importance of a person's presence.
• implication: Suggests a consequence or inference, often in arguments; it does not naturally collocate with "presence in the lives of those around him".
• understanding: Would create repetition and does not express importance; it refers to mental comprehension already mentioned earlier.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates often confuse "connotation" and "implication" with any deeper meaning, but both are more technical and linked to language or logical consequences. In contrast, "significance" is the standard word used for importance or value of a person's role or presence. To avoid such mistakes, always read the entire sentence and see which word collocates naturally with the nouns around it—in this case, "presence in the lives of those around him".

Final Answer:
The blank should be filled with significance.