Guru Gita - 19

Gurucharanam Saranam

Yat-paadarenurvai Nityam Kopi Samsaara-vaaridhau

Setu-bandhaayate Naatha-desikam Tamupaasmahe

We ever worship that Master of all Masters, the dust from whose feet deposited daily in the sea of our worldly existence becomes a bridge that helps us to cross (that ocean).

Our life is like an ocean with its terrible depth and frightful expanse which is impossible for a human to swim across. The treachery and hatred, the heart burning alienation, crumbling hopes and values, the endless enslavement to the charms of senses, the dark plagues of our mind, the shameless stooping and lashes of our conscience and the self deluding journey of our soul possessed by egoistic afflictions and thirsts – this is the world in which we have imprisoned ourselves. It is a suffocating world, on whose dissipating fares no wise person would tether his faith. It is a treacherous world where one is led from darkness to darkness, if not wise and vigilant. Can fire arise from a dark dead piece of cold charcoal? Never, so long some bright ball of fire scourges it. The dust of Guru’s feet is like balls of spiritual radiance that gives life, light and nourishment to the soul. It burns the impurities of the soul and acting like a bridge, helps it sail across the frightful ocean of life. What else but endless prostrations alone could one offer to Guru, the savior of soul to eternal light and freedom!

Guru Gita Discourse 18

Gurucharanam Saranam

Guru Gita -18

Swadesikasyaiva Cha Naamakiirtanam, Bhavet Anantasya Sivasya Kiirtanam
Swadesikasyaiva Cha Naama Chintanam, Bhavet Anantasya Sivasya Chintanam

Taking Guru’s name to praise him becomes the praise of the Infinite and Auspicious One. Meditating on Guru’s name becomes the meditation on the Infinite and Auspicious One.

Comments:

The seekers of Truth may sometime be confronted with doubts on the nature of God and Guru. What exactly is God, His form and nature? Can Guru take the place of God? Can the chanting of Guru’s name, meditation on Guru or worshipping of Guru become Gods’ worship? Is Guru God?

The Guru about whom Guru Gita discourses here is the Parama Guru – the Supreme Guru who has transcended all astral planes and entities, who is worshipped even by the great god Siva himself and other celestials. The worship of such a Guru by the seeker is equal to the worship of the Infinite God. In this respect, Guru Gita has clearly categorized the types of Gurus according to their spiritual levels and exhorts seekers to worship always the Parama Guru.

Guru is the objectification of Divine Will distinctly different from the mythical gods of an indistinct era, whose veneration is now a static tradition disconnected from the changing social and spiritual needs of the present time. It is only through great preceptors like Krishna, Buddha, Christ or Prophet Mohamed, to mention a few, the Supreme imparted spiritual knowledge and guided humanity to bring about appropriate changes in their perception, belief and customs. Refer the words of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru on this:

‘Guru is a ‘deerghadarshi’ (far-sighted seer) who perceives and ordains what is needed and what is not needed for a yuga. Guru acts for the transformation of society at a particular point of time’.

Guru Gita, therefore, assures the seekers that the worship of Guru, the Parama Guru, the embodiment of the Supreme Light, whose incarnation helps mankind in spiritual evolution, based on a just social order (true dharma), indeed is and ever will be the worship of the Supreme God.

Guru Gita Discourse

Sri Guru Gita Discourse- 17

Guru-paadodakam Paanam Gurorucchishta-bhojanam
Gurumoortheh Sadaa Dhyaanam Guror-naama Sadaa Japah

Drink the pada teertham of Guru, eat the food left over by Guru, always meditate on the form of Guru, and constantly repeat the name of Guru.

We have said that Guru is the self-same Abstraction or Reflection of the Supreme Light, God. Everything in the universe exists only in Consciousness. Nothing can exist without Consciousness – the Cosmic Screen on which we perceive this wonderful universe, the life we live, the people and dreams we see, the experiences we undergo – all these are different permutations of the One Indivisible Consciousness, happening in it and by itself. Famous physicists now say that what really exists is the idea, the blue print or blocks of consciousness, not the physical appearance. Verily, the eternal Consciousness and nectarine spiritual bliss get solidified in the form of Guru for the comprehension of the Incomprehensible Principle.

The pada teertham of Guru, the left over food of Guru (Pankh), the physical form of Guru and the name of Guru are concomitant with the Eternal Consciousness in which one should submerge, bathe and breathe. Be assured that these are sacred astral substances and practices which undoubtedly nourish and sustain our soul with the effulgence of Guru, which is a veritable truth in Santhigiri Ashram. No sooner you take to the path of Guru, start chanting the mantra of Guru and partake the holy teertham, vibhuti and pankh of Guru than you become radiant with the brilliance of Guru. Therefore, hasten and chant the name of Guru, assimilate the principle of Guru and lift yourself up to the bright world of Light.

Mukundan

Guru Gita Discourse- Sixteen

Ajnaana-moola-haranam Janma-karma-nivaarakam
Jnaana-vyraagya-sidhyartham Guru-paadodakam Pibet

For the attainment of knowledge and detachment, one should drink the ‘paada teertham’ of Guru which destroys the root of ignorance and annihilates the causation of rebirths.

Why our soul struggles in this finite world of fleeting joys and experiences? There are biological reasons, phycholocial reasons as well as spiritual reasons. Ultimately, everything comes down to the end-riddle, life itself and its purpose. Knowledge and detachment in spiritual terms denote finding the true dharmic meaning to life. In Hindu spiritual tradition, detachment denotes to a concept of self-abnegation or renunciation of worldly pleasures and attachment. Once the truth of Soul is perceived, the call of the inner Self becomes louder and louder. Such spiritually roused souls become detached and leave their homes, dear and near ones to seek the path of self realization.

But what happens to such spiritual aspirants; very few in the human society think about them. They - may not all of them - wander and wander inside the barbed compounds of the devas, yogis and sages whose lessons in self realization are said to be nowhere near completion. And who knows whether that upper region is segmented according to the caste and regional tags; down here they had such compartments. Therefore, we may have reasonable doubt about the souls of such spiritual aspirants. Those who have spiritual vision confirm the doubt for us that such souls are sadly not liberated from the root of ignorance; not attained freedom from births and deaths. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru cautions the spiritual seekers;

We have come to this world after many births. We have very little time in this world. What can we learn during this short span of time? The wealth of knowledge acquired through the ages is so voluminous that we are unable to understand even a fraction of it... Therefore, what we can learn is about Kali Yuga Dharma. Kali Yuga Dharma is not based on caste or religion. It is based on the innate goodness of humanity.

Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru guides the spiritual seekers of this age to the freshness of Truth and a new vision about the ashram concept, when He said;

While learning staying in the ashram, we, with our wisdom, sacrifice, sufferings and actions are compensating for the lapses in our homes and the society. This is the knowledge we gain from the Ashram. This is not Sanyasa (renunciation). Those who come to the Ashram and stay here do not adopt Sanyasa. They are coming here to learn with their lives. That was what ancient kings had done. Even Lord Krishna studied in an Ashram. Ashram is such a great institution. The basic duty of every Ashram is to give away love, respect and humility for the good of the world. This is the real education which we gain from the Ashram’.

One need not renounce the world and wander about aimlessly for god realization or to gain freedom from ignorance. Surrender at the lotus feet of the all knowing Supreme Guru and serve Him.

Guru Gita Discourse- Fifteen

Soshanam Paapa-pankasya Deepanam Jnaana-tejasah
Guroh Paadodakam Samyak Samsaaraarnava-taarakam

The water rendered holy by the contact with the feet of the Guru (paada teertham) eliminates the dirt of sin and kindles the light of knowing. It takes us across the ocean of worldly existence.

Our soul actually is in the nature of pure consciousness without any dirt and inalienably connected to the eternal source of creation - God. However, the pure nature of soul is realized only at the end of a long process of spiritual evolution. The journey of the soul from a microbial state to the highest spiritual expansion involves innumerable births and deaths through a variety of life forms including plant and animal life. Human birth is the coveted fulfillment in such a long chain of evolution. In this journey soul gets tainted succumbing to various temptations of the senses and ego. These karmic imprints, good and bad, thus drag the soul through endless misery in the world. The merciful Guru only is the savior here. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru while speaking about the greatness of the concept of Guru said the following.

“It is said that Guru is the personification of all Dharma -‘Guru Sakala Dharmatma’. Whichsoever births we have undergone, knowing the vices and virtues (acquired) in those incarnations, one should surrender all that in Guru. Guru gives ‘experience’ and crushes the karma in that experiential truth. Our soul has become dirtied in the passage of several births. Let us so consider that we are indeed good, virtuous. However, if you do not honor anyone, would you become virtuous? Entangled in one or other things, our mind gets stagnated in all that. How can you redeem such a muddled mind? We take birth, live and die like this ceaselessly. Only after millions of years, a soul gets guidance of a Guru. Man has a duty to evolve through the states of celestials (deva or devi), a rishi, sage, a seer and Muktha (liberated one). Guru is the guiding light, the witness of this (process). That is how Guru becomes ‘Sakala Dharmatma’- in whom exists all dharma. All celestials (gods & goddesses), Rishi and Sanyasi merge in the radiance of Guru”

Mukundan

Guru Gita Discourse Fourteen

Sarva-teerthaavagaahasya Sampraapnoti Phalam Narah
Guroh Paadodakam Peethvaa Sesham Sirasi Dhaarayan

The one who drinks the water with which the feet of the Guru is washed (thus made holy) and puts it on his head, earns the merit that accrues from the dip in all the holy waters.

Why the feet of Guru are considered so holy? Feet are the support of a being. That which supports a being or thing, can be considered as feet, its support. The plants have roots as their feet. We are supported by our feet. But what do we have as support for our feet? It indeed is the earth. And what does earth has as its support? The earth is supported by waters of the ocean. What has water as its support? It is fire, for waters are produced by the warmth of the sun. And what is the support of fire? It is air, because without air, there can be no fire. And what is the support of air? It is space, because without space, air cannot have mobility. Then what has space as its support? It is self consciousness. Ego is a product of self consciousness. Only through self consciousness, the elemental world is perceived. This individualized consciousness is known as Jeeva, the soul. What has soul as its support? It is the gross consciousness, because a part cannot exist without a whole. Just like fire has its root in the sun, the individual consciousness has its root in the Supreme Consciousness. That Supreme Consciousness is Guru, the personalized self manifestation of Brahman, the attributeless God, without name and form. So now we know what the concept of Guru is and why his feet are our sacred support and the ‘paadateertham’ ambrosia for the soul.

However, the important question is how to recognize the Supreme Guru when he appears in human form. A Supreme Guru takes birth with the mission for an epochal change according to a scheme of cosmic evolution. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru revealed that only four such Gurus manifest in a yuga (aeon) consisting of lakhs of years. There will be a fifth Guru in between the end and beginning of a yuga. Sri Krishna was such a Guru, who came at the end of Dwapara Yuga and the beginning of Kaliyuga. We are living in Kaliyuga, which has duration of 4, 32,000 years. It is said that Kaliyuga commenced more than 5200 years back approx. after the death of Sri Krishna. Since the beginning of Kaliyuga, several sages and prophets have prophesied the birth of a Supreme Soul for the epochal change expected of Kaliyuga. We can see that the dharma and karma being observed today, particularly in reference to India, belongs to or is an appendage of an obsolete yuga, i.e. Dwapara Yuga and even dating back to Treta Yuga. When yuga dharma is not observed as willed by God, human civilization stagnates. Let humanity be led to the Supreme Guru, whose exposition of Yuga Dharma is exceedingly enlightening and a panacea for all the ills in the world.

Mukundan

Guru Gita Discourse Thirteen

Gurucharanam Saranam

Dehii Brahma Bhavet Yasmaat Tvat-kripaartham Vadaami Tat
Sarva-paapa-visudhaatma Srii-guroh Paada-sevanaat

I shall tell you for the sake of that kindness which makes a soul evolve into godhead. It is through service at the feet of the Guru that the soul frees itself from all sins and becomes purified.

The soul evolves into godhead. It is the fundamental scheme enshrined in the cosmic phenomenon. The soul exists, that we become aware of it through the consciousness of our own being, feelings, thoughts and actions. That the soul desires happiness and detests sorrow, we know. That the soul enjoys pleasures, yet it is dissatisfied, we know. Pleasure is the feelings derived through the five sense organs and ego while happiness is the state of enduring contentment emanating from the observance of dharma. And what is Dharma? Dharma is that very quality of our soul, which makes us aware of truth inherent in every substance, every being, every phenomenon and every situation. It is by this sense of dharma, we become aware of god, truth, love and kindness. It is again due to dharma we become aware of the need to evolve into highest perfection that is Godliness.

Now the question arises why some people become aware of dharma while some not. Here comes the boredom of sin and ignorance. Sin arises out of ignorance of dharma. Those who know dharma also commit sin sometime. That is due to another factor called vasana or the polluted karmic tendency (karmagati) in the soul. Those who have no bad karmagati may also commit sin due to the promptings of the ancestral souls through genetic or zodiacal channels or due to the spiritual debts and binding with the gods, spirits or masters they have worshipped. Therefore, we find that the problem of sin and ignorance is complex and cannot be resolved just by sermons. It cannot be rectified by erudition, knowledge or religious rituals either. The soul becomes conscious of dharma only through contact with the epitome of dharma, the Guru. Fire is born out of friction between two heat producing substance. Similarly when the aspiring soul of disciple comes into contact with Guru, the repository of dharma and spiritual realization, ignorance is dispelled and the flame of dharma and knowledge is kindled in the disciple. Therefore get in contact with Guru and serve him. This is the way of soul purification.

Mukundan