Guru Gita Discourse Seven

Gurucharanam Saranam

Durlabham Trishu-lokeshu Tacchrunushwa Vadaamyaham
Gurum Brahma Vinaa Naanyat Satyam Satyam Varaanane

O beautiful one! I will tell you that which is very rare in the three worlds. Please listen. Guru is none other than the Absolute Brahman – God Himself. This verily is the truth.

Comments:

The lore of Siva and Parvati belonged to a time segment when the tradition of Trimurthi worship (worship of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva) was in vogue. The concept of Guru-disciple though existed and Gurus were treated in high esteem, they were however not given a status above the gods by Vaidikas (the Vedic ritualists). Worship of gods was promoted and given prominence by the Vedic priests.


There is the story of Atri Maharshi in the scriptures. Once Indra, the king of gods was cursed by Rishi Gautama, as Indra had spoiled the chastity of Gautama’s wife. (Just think how noble indeed the deeds of gods whom we offer worship!) Due to the curse, the body of Indra became disfigured with suppurating wounds. He approached the trinity gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara and requested them to save him from the curse. But the gods informed him about their inability to save him from the curse of a sage. At this juncture, Narada, advised Indra to go to Atri Maharshi, whose ashram was situated in the vicinity of Mount Mainakam (now believed to have been submerged under the sea near Kanyakumari).


Indra in desperation came down to the ashram of Atri and begged him to cure him of the dreaded curse. The kind hearted Atri asked his wife to help Indra. She brought the ‘paada teertham’ (water made holy by washing the feet of her husband, sage Atri) and sprinkled on Indra. Lo, the king of gods, Indra was free of the disease and thus got a fresh whiff of life. This place is known as ‘Sucheendram’ even today. Sucheendram means the place where Indra got purified of his sins. So who is great and noble in this story? The gods or Atri Maharshi? You may decide yourself.


But the erstwhile religious depredators had decided that they would not grant a sage a position above the gods. So what happened at Sucheendram? Atri Maharshi was buried deep under the sands of Sucheendram only to be remembered in a long forgotten dream. Today Brahma and Indra are worshipped in Sucheendram temple, not Atri, which is supposedly the place of Samadhi of Atri Maharshi. (Similarly is the case of Sri Krishna and Buddha, who were great souls of spiritual transcendence. However, in the subsequent ages, an attempt was made to equate them with the celestial gods by weaving mythical stories).


This is that secret of Guru, which Siva is explaining to Parvati for her proper understanding. The Guru Lord Siva is mentioning about is such a sage, who has transcended the celestial planes of ghosts, goblins, angels, gods and whatever other spirits and beings inhabit there and who going beyond the dualities of heaven and hell, name and form has merged with the Supreme Light to be its reflection, to be its medium. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru said that in front of such a sage, the gods are insignificant and of no consequence.



Mukundan