Guru Gita Discourse Twelve

Gurucharanam Saranam

Yadamghri-kamala-dwandwam Dwandwa-taapa-nivaarakam
Taarakam Bhava-sindhoscha Tam Gurum Pranamaamyaham

I salute that Guru, the pair of whose lotus feet remove the suffering owing to the consciousness of binaries and take us across the ocean of worldly life.

Suffering is the mental agony and agitation arising out of the dualities in life. Absence of food is the cause of suffering for a hungry man. When food is availed, the suffering ends but only to reappear. This is the truth of all sensory joys and pleasures. Like night follows day, sorrow follows all pleasures derived out of the mind body mechanism. So long as we are unable to transcend the contradictory experiences arising out from the interplay of sensory perceptions, human relations and aspirations in life, we would not savor peace of mind and experience tranquility of the Self. The way to tranquility is to fix our mind on the neutral point between sorrow and pleasure. What is that neutral point in us? It is the ever lasting consciousness in us concentrating on which one attains peace. Spirituality is this knowing of the self and nurturing it.

Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru affirmed that every soul is born subject to the cosmic rules and regulations. Life takes birth under 12 constellations, 27 stars and 9 planets in the solar system carrying unique spiritual rays that affect human life and character. This cosmic regulation is not a random arrangement but is decided by the karmic qualities and evolutionary status of the soul. Then there are the strong karmic, spiritual and ancestral bonds and debts the soul is tied with from previous lives. A Guru of transcendental experience knows the soul of the disciple. By the sword of his grace, he cuts these bonds and lifts the disciple to transcendental bliss. Through the service to Guru, the soul gets gradually purified of all impurities and inimical influences. Only then, the disciple can hope to reach the realm of spiritual experience. Therefore, in the three worlds, only the lotus feet of Guru, who is knowledge manifest, can remove the pangs of suffering and limitation of the soul.

Worldly life is compared to an ocean because of its impenetrable depth, unpredictable currents, and dangerous threats. It is perennial, riddle-some and difficult for one to swim over to the other end of this ocean called life. But the Guru of transcendental vision enables the inquisitive and enthusiastic disciple to cross over this difficult ocean. The peace and tranquility of the spirit definitely lies beyond the turbulent waters of life.

Guru Gita Discourse Eleven

Gurucharanam Saranam

Goodda-avidya Jagan-maayaa Dehamajnaana-sambhavam
Vijnaanam Yat Prasaadena Guru-sabdena Kathyate

Ignorance is not easily perceivable. The world is illusory. The physical body is caused to be born from this ignorance. That benevolence which results in knowledge (that cuts asunder this ignorance) is expressed by the word Guru.

Here ‘Avidya’ – the ignorance causing delusory perception of the material world is said to be a riddle. The argument is in line with Vedantic perception of God and the Universe. Vedanta advocates that only God exists in reality, the world phenomenon being a mirage, a delusory perception. It could be so for a realized soul. But for all other practical purposes and for unrealized souls the physical world is very much a reality and is the very medium by which the highest Truth is known. Though it has been mentioned that the world is ‘maaya’ – an illusion, it only means that it is a phenomenon to be transcended. However, one should not deny its existence as merely illusion. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru did not agree with the popular interpretation of ‘maaya’. The world phenomenon is for real and has a scientific basis of its own based on the karmic and evolutionary principles of the soul, the jeeva. Only on transcending the karmic bonds and evolutionary spiritual layers, by understanding and observing right dharma and karma according to the wheel of cosmic time, the individual soul would get rid of delusion and realize its imperishable nature.

To wish away the world of karma and evolution as maaya is a self deluding philosophical discourse. The soul is bound to the physical body so long as the karmic seed is present. The release from the physical limitations is possible only by transcending certain spiritual planes. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru speaks of ten such spiritual skies such as the plane of human beings, of Pitrus (ancestors), of Devas, of Rishis etc. From the third to sixth stages of soul transformation, it is the plane of celestial beings and Trimurthis, the trinity in Hinduism. It is said that there are billions of souls in these spiritual skies, several times more the population of the human world. Once the spiritual plane of Trimurthis (devi-devas), is transcended the soul assumes the form of light, losing its characteristics of name and form. This happens at the seventh stage of spiritual transformation.

According to Guru, after the seventh stage also, there are some more spiritual planes before the soul succeeds to merge with the Brahman, the Supreme Universal Support. No soul can transcend these spiritual planes without the help of a Guru, who has himself transcended these spiritual planes. And at every step of spiritual transformation, there are unimaginable impediments and resistance from the souls already inhabiting these spiritual skies. Only through the grace of Guru, this spiritual wisdom could be realized by an aspirant. This is the truth and significance of Guru.

Mukundan