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Premika Bhavanam
10th September, 2001 Devi Kãlotram - Day 11 Page 1 Page 2
Sri Sri Swamiji has been rendering 'Upanyãs' (discourses) in Tamizh. This is being brought to you here. There may appear to be variations in the 'tense' of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the 'Upanyãs'. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated 'words' of Sri Sri Swamiji.
"Rãmakrishna Paramahamsa predicted that the world would see innumerable fake gurus who would claim to be Bhagavat Avatãra. Vivekãnanda also predicted the same. Following such gurus would bring about our downfall." -- Sri Sri Swamiji Sri Sri Swamiji,
'Shruti, Smriti, Purãnãnãm, Ãlayam Karunãlayam
"HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE
"
'Ulvellimel keezh nadu dikk orsirudum inriye
How is this Ãtma swaroopa? The other day while speaking on Ãtma swaroopa we spoke on the 'lakshanas' (qualities) of a Jnãni. It is the state of a 'stithaprajna'. He may do any kind of and amount of work, yet he remains a non-doer. Thus speak the Vedãnta Grantas. A Jnãni might trade or be a king or a householder. He may do any work but nothing affects him. One who goes about publicizing himself as a Jnãni would do all kind of work and then say, "Since I am a Jnãni I have done this." One who has not attained Jnãna but calls himself a Jnãni would involve himself in all worldly affairs and when questioned, "Why do you involve yourself in all these matters?" would reply, "As I am a Jnãni these do not affect me!" Just as we have already explained, 'Ramana Maharishi, Rãmakrishna Paramahamsa, Yogirãmsuratkumãr were all afflicted with cancer; but, this does not mean that all those who suffer from cancer are Jnãnis!' It is not right for the ignorant to commit all blunders and then cover it up with the claim, 'As I am a Jnãni, these do not affect me!' Mahãns do not have any external indication and their behavior is incomprehensible. This is a mark of the Mahãns. This should not embolden the ignorant to use it as a shield for their misbehavior. Mahãns' words may be contradictory. This is another sign of Jnãnis. But, there is 'stiratanmai' (steadiness) in their Jnãna. The other day we spoke of a wicked man committing murder and dacoity to usurp wealth and later speaking on dharma. Similarly, in spiritual world, too, there are persons (ignorant) who cheat people claiming that they have various kinds of supernatural faculties. Later, such people speak Vedãnta! While in trouble we go to another man for solace. What does he say? 'Do not worry. I will take care!" When you approach a Mahãn at such times, He may utter such consoling words or may not. How would a fool feel? He feels happy when another man gives him an assurance that he would take care. If the other man has such a power then it is indeed a matter to be pleased with. Otherwise, they are mere empty words. This is sheer logic. Suppose the one whom we approach assures us that he would take away all our 'pãpas' (sins) and bestow us with his 'punyas' (merits), we proclaim him to be very good. But, he should possess the power to take away our 'pãpas' and the smartness to bestow his 'punyas' on us. Should he not? Thus, all these are deceptions found in the world. They are sheer trickery. Without possessing any such power, some people go about publicizing falsely about their 'powers'. They have a group of people around them who speak on the 'powers' of their 'Guru'. Some even write books that contain all spun up stories about the 'powers' of their 'Guru' like, 'I sat doing dhyãna in a room. I was meditating on my 'Guru' and suddenly the door opened and my 'Guru' stood there!' The book would contain such innumerable incidents. The names and addresses of persons who have 'experienced' these will also be mentioned. If you contact them they would say, "Yes! This is indeed the experience that I had!" Many people who read such 'books' then go to this 'Guru' and get cheated. Some new comers also claim to undergo such experiences to get into the circle! These are brought out as books on their 'Guru'. This is a way of marketing their 'Guru'. It becomes a commercial proposition. Only if we have 'mumukshutva' (aspiration to attain Bhagavãn or the Self) and real knowledge we will not be deceived. This knowledge is certainly necessary for us to know what is Jnãna (True Knowledge), Satya (Truth), Viveka (discrimination). Without it we would get caught up in mass mesmerism or mass hypnotism where people are trapped in some kind of an illusion. We become useless for 'para loka' (higher world) as also this 'loka' (world). Our janma gets wasted. We should, therefore, avoid such places. Thus, while doing dhyãna or japa or yoga we should do it with the knowledge of their 'tattva' (philosophy). In the world, it is seen that people are not drawn to true Jnãnis. So, generally Jnãnis do not seem to have a big crowd around them. The world will not be able to comprehend them. Everything in the world has good and bad in it. If you question, "Why do people label themselves as 'Jnãnis' and cheat people?" the answer is a simple, "This the nature of the world." In the world you find the virtuous and the wicked. One man is dhãrmic while another is not. One person robs others whereas another man earns his living in an honest way. Such divergent matters are seen in every sphere in this world. Similarly, it is found in spiritual line, too. An ordinary man may question, "Why is this so? Why do these people cheat others? What is Bhagavãn doing? Can He not check them?" One cannot raise such a question. Bhagavãn remains only as a witness ('sãkshi') to all the happenings of the world. If your bhakti is true and you really desire Moksha, your 'manas' will not feel attracted to such wrong places. It will take you on the right path. We end up in such wrong place only when we do not truly desire Moksha and do not possess real bhakti. When real yearning is absent there are lots of chances for getting caught in a wrong place. The fake swamijis and their supporters spread out a net for such people. A real Jnãni does not have much crowd around him. Rãmakrishna Paramahamsa did not have a big crowd around him. In his last days he did not have money even for the treatment of cancer with which he was afflicted. His householder devotees sold their wives' jewels and used it for Parmahamsa's medical treatment. Even in the best of times, there were only some hundred people around him. The world does not comprehend and rush to even such great Avatãr of Bhagavãn as was Rãmakrishna Paramahamsa. Similarly, Maha Periyava did not have much crowd around him (not referring to his days of wandering about the country as a 'Peetãdhipati'). During his last days, not much crowd was seen around him. On a holiday or on the day of 'pradosham', there might have been some 300 people around. On ordinary days, there were few people around only to attend Chandramouleeswara pooja as there would be 'bhikshãvandanam' and people would come to have Periyava's darshan. Otherwise, only a floating crowd of some 50 people were to be found. They would also speak of their family problems to Periyava or come with a marriage invitation. In spite of Periyava Himself being a great Mahãtma, occupying the 'Peeta' of the most revered Mutt, there was not much crowd there. Regular visitors were only a handful. Others would visit not so frequently. On Maha Periyava's Jayanti day not many people would be around. Some 30 or 40 people would come to offer their respects to him. This was in spite of Maha Periyava being very popular in the country. Moreover, Kancheepuram is not a remote, inaccessible place. It is well connected by rail and road. As I have stated earlier, how many sat in front of Lord Dakshinamurti? Only four! Therefore, a big crowd following a person 'madly' indicates only mass mesmerism. It does not indicate the authenticity or the greatness of the person calling himself a 'Mahãn'. Books written by such 'Mahãn's devotees will not have any genuine works with references from Bhãgavatam, Ramayana, Mahãbhãrata or the Shãstras. In the present day atmosphere, if one does not have Jnãna and 'mumukshutva' while following any 'tattva', he will end up only in such dangerous place. ' Ull' (inside) 'veli' (outside) 'mel' (up) 'keezh' (down) 'nadu' (center) 'dhikku' (direction) 'or sirudum inriye' (not even a little of these)' - Can a 'stãna' (place) be pin pointed for the Ãtma swaroopa? It cannot be said to be in a particular place inside the body or said to be an activating force from without. It cannot be ascribed to be up; or at the center; or in this or that direction - 'dhikku or sirudum inriye'
'Ulla uru ellãmãi
If the Ãtma swaroopa could be fixed to a particular place, it would become a limited 'vastu'. It would become 'parichinnam' (limited) and not 'aparichinnam' (limitless). A 'stãna' can be pointed out only when there is birth ('urpathhi'). Thus, if a 'stãna' be fixed for Ãtma swaroopa, the doubt would arise if this refers to the place of birth; is there 'laya' for it. But, Ãtma swaroopa pervades everything. What does Ramana say? He says, "IT is 'hrudayam'. It is explained that in 'samãdhi' the head bends down. In sleep the head stoops down. If the 'Ãtma stãna' were in 'sahasrãra' then the head should not stoop down in samãdhi or in sleep. This is the argument provided in support of this point. Secondly, he takes up Kamãl's charitra. Kamãl, Kabir's son, used to get into the state of samãdhi even as a child. The next-door boy and he play a game of marble and get into a fight over it. Kamãl's friend who owes some marbles to him passes away that night. The next morning, when Kamãl goes to call him for a game of marble, he finds his friend's relatives weeping around the boy who is lying down. They explain that his friend has died. But, Kamãl says, "Even I have had such an experience. Let me show you all." He stretches himself on the floor next to his friend and becomes unconscious to the world. He could get into the state of samãdhi easily even as a child. Later, in the charitra we find that his father cuts off Kamãl's head to avoid being caught by the king's men for committing robbery. (Kamãl and his father Kabir rob a house to celebrate Sri Ram Navami Utsav). The King's men hang down the headless body from a tree and when Kabir passes that way performing Nãma Kirtan, the headless body of Kamãl claps its hands to the tune of Nãma Kirtan! If the 'Ãtma stãna' were in the head, this response would not have been found in this headless body. Ramana takes up this incident to prove that 'hrudayam' is the 'Ãtma stãna'. After saying that there is no 'stãna' at all for 'Ãtma swaroopa', how can one say that 'hrudayam' is the 'Ãtma stãna'? The 'Chaitanya' does not activate a dead body but this body (that is still alive). Where is the origin for this activating force? 'Chaitanya' no doubt pervades all over. There is no place that is not filled with 'Chaitanya'. When the breeze blows there is a point where all the dust and leaves are pulled or pushed. But, air is found everywhere. Thus, there is an activating point in it. It is found to be spiral in the case of a Jnãni. It just rises up in a spiral line and one knows not where and how it mingles. If you attain 'yoga drishti', you will be able to see this. When you look at a Jnãni, who is a Jivan Mukta, you will be able to find a line rising from this 'hrudaya' stãna. This line is golden. How does this line move? It moves in a spiral fashion and rises up and its place of mingling cannot be discerned. You may able to see it rising up but cannot discern the actual point of birth. One who is in this state is a Jnãni. Only Mahãns can understand this. Only Mahãns have the power to see this. This is the reason that in the Samãdhi of Periyava (and all other Mahãns like Ãtma Bodendra, Bodendra) one finds 'sãnnidhya'. The 'Chaitanya' is active in those places though 'Chaitanya' pervades all places. One claims Advaita to be right; another claims Visishtãdwaita to be right while the third man claims Dwaita to be right. In 'Ulladu Nãrpadu', Ramana says, "Find the one who claims this or that to be right. Then you will know who is right!" You are not catching the one who is claiming this or that to be right. Once you do that you will not speak anymore, as it becomes verily the experience. Ramana has thus spoken very rationally on Vedãnta without any 'yukti vãda' (tricky argument). When there is no 'stãna' (inside/outside/up/down/here/there) for 'Atma swaroopa', how can one point out a 'stãna' here? Here, it only refers to the activating force. There is a central point for the wind. But, will you say that air is found only at this central point? Air fills space. But, at the central point its activating force is deep. In the same manner, this central point is found in each one's body. It is this, that activates the body. If it were not there, the body would not act. Once this physical body falls down and the subtle body rises up, this spiral activating force keeps going along with the subtle body. Till the attainment of Jnãna, whatever form is taken, physical or otherwise, it keeps moving about in this manner. The action comes to an end only on attaining Jivan Mukti state. Just as it activates this physical body it continues to do so in the subtle body. If a 'deva sariira' is taken up, it activates that 'sariira' (body). It pervades all forms that you see in this world - 'ulla uru ellamãi'. 'sarvam Brahma mayam re! re!' - everything is verily Brahman. 'Or urvum illãdai' - Well! Does it have any form of its own? No, it has no form of its own. 'Thãn thanakke vethhiyamãi' - Here, 'Vethhiyamãi' means the one to be known. It cannot be known by another. It comprehends itself. 'Thãne ilangidumãi' - it is self-luminous. 'Poonramãi onru punnar' - 'poonramãi' means complete ('poornãmãna') Attain that 'poorna vastu' (complete being). In the last verse, it was said that one should not let the manas move outward to external matters. If you do, the manas will be in 'chanchalam' (waver about - thinking this or that). As a result it gets bound. Turn your manas inward. If you turn the manas inward you will not experience any sorrow. All advaita grantas advise that 'Ãtma swaroopa' is within you. We find many other religions also speaking thus. Beginning with Ãdi Sankara, Mahãtmas of our religion have taken only the Vedas for establishing their faith - be it Rãmãnuja or Madhwãchãrya. The 'Ãtma swaroopa' is neither inside nor outside; neither up nor down; nor at the centre; neither it is here nor there. It is verily all the forms seen in the world. It has no form of its own. How is one to know the 'Ãtma swaroopa' that pervades everything? It comprehends itself. It is self-luminous. We are now holding the thought that we are bound. All we have to do is to give up this thought. But, it is difficult to give up this thought. The 'buddhi' may understand it, but it is difficult to bring it into experience. For example, we may read a saying, 'life is full of trials and tribulations'. On reading this we feel, 'Yes! Life is after all a combination of everything.' But, when we meet with any sorrow, will this saying be remembered? No! Why? Experience is a different matter altogether! It is nice to read while in comfort. But, when besought with grief all these proverbs fly away! Is this not true? Comprehension by 'buddhi' is one thing; the manas gets into cyclonic storm when faced with this sort of a situation. Vedãnta says, 'you are not bound. There is only a thought that you are bound. If you just remove this thought of bondage, you are verily a Mukta (Liberated).' 'It is not Bhagavãn who has bound you but you have kept yourself bound. Since it is your doing you have to exert effort to come out. Think of yourself as a 'Mukta' (Liberated) and not as bound.' But, it is not easy to bring this into one's experience just as it is difficult to bring into experience what one reads in a book (the example cited above). Sãdhana is only to bring it into experience. What is sãdhana? Erasing the thought that we are bound is verily sãdhana. There is a big room and a person walks into it. There are walls around and he is gripped with fear. He moves about the room in fear. He feels, "I am caught here." He weeps even as he runs here and there in panic. A man who comes there asks him the reason for his panic. He says, "I am caught in this place." The other man tells him, "Look behind you." He turns and finds that it is open. There is no wall there. Heaving a sigh of relief he runs out to 'escape'. Was he really caught up in this room? No! It was always open on this side. There was no wall there. The earlier thought, 'I am caught in here' and the thought 'of escape' are both sheer imagination. Neither was he caught in the room nor was there any escape. There were walls only on three sides. But, he had not noticed the side where there was no wall. Even after being pointed out he did not realize that it was all a mistaken notion but just ran to the open side with the thought of 'escaping'. Similarly, bondage is an imagination and liberation from this bondage is also an imagination. However, this 'kalpana' (imagination)/'brãnti' (illusion) does exist! Death of this 'brãnti' is Jnãna. Therefore, when we do Vedãnta vichãra or Nãma japa, we will certainly receive the related 'phala'. But, they should be performed in the right manner. It is quite difficult and this is the reason that many people do not meet with the desired result. Having done playfully, one cannot question, "I chanted much Nãma but have not met with any positive result." If you do it with 'ekãgrah chitta' (one pointed mind) it will definitely bring the desired result. What you do now will not go waste. But, the desired highest-level result can be achieved only with one-pointed sãdhana. There is no doubt that sins would have been wiped out to the extent of your chanting the Nãma or doing Vichãra. But, your expectation of Bhagavat darshan, divine visions, attainment of Moksha, Krishna darshan for the Nãma japa done will not come to pass. For all these, you have to exert much effort and do your sãdhana. This is spiritual matter ('adhyãtmika vishaya'). Let us say that a man writes a book in which he explains how he had worked day and night to attain the high status that he enjoys in his business. A great scientist writes about the effort that he had to take to attain his present state. A successful sportsman recalls his days of hard work to attain his status. These give inspiration to the readers. Readers may not attain the same status but they do reach some higher state as per the effort taken. One may become a district-level player or a state-level player or a national level player. He may even be more successful than the one whose words worked as a motivating force. Similarly, Mahãns' charitras give us lot of inspirations. We cannot complain that in spite of doing Nãma japa or dhyãna or vichãra, we have not been successful. We see from the Mahãns' charitras that they have indeed succeeded. It is not as if such Mahãns existed only in days past. We find that such Mahãns existed in recent past also. We find them even today. So, one cannot push it aside as mere imagination of the mind. One cannot speak in this manner of a defeatist attitude. Only those who refuse to believe these things, those who are unwilling to take up such sãdhanas, those who are unable to do these in spite of the desire to practice such sãdhanas, those who try to stop others (out of jealousy) from doing these sãdhanas speak thus. One has to take the prescribed medicine sticking to the restrictions placed by the doctor. In any school of medicine - allopathy, homeopathy or Ãyurveda - the doctor lays down certain restrictions to be adhered to viz. avoid salt, oil, dhal. The medicine takes effect only when consumed along this line. Thus, when you are advised to do pãrãyana of Bhãgavatam or Ramayana or do Nãma japa without giving in to anger, desire and fear, you should try to adhere to this advice. It may be difficult, yet one must try. Do not people taking up 'Iyyappa yãtra' follow 'vrata' for 48 days exercising control over their senses? They somehow manage it at least for 48 days. A sincere 'Iyyappa' bhakta maintains celibacy, abstains from non-vegetarian food, etc. Thus, what can be done for 48 days can gradually be extended to 50 days, then to 55, to 60, etc. If one can do it with the intensity to fulfill what has been taken up, he meets with the 'phala'. It is good even if it is done out of fear. The result is indeed met with. If we desire the highest 'anubhava' (experience), we have to work for it. Dhyãna or japa done with 'tamo guna' will not work. No faith, no Shãstra says that insincere dhyãna and japa will earn the highest experience. There is no place here for baseless arguments, needlessly pointing to Mãhans. We are doing things as per our own beliefs; today, we do not follow the Shãstras but act on our beliefs. It is then verily wrong to expect the Shãstras to support our wrong actions! If you desire to perform widow remarriage, carry it on! Do not try to seek the support of a Mahãn for this, which is uncalled for. Are you otherwise acting as per the Shãstras? Then, why call for support from the Shãstras or the Mahãns in such matters alone? Fear of society is greater than the fear of the Shãstras. Suppose a person thieves. The first fear is not of hell that one has to face after death but of the police who would push him behind bars! Hell is to be faced later on, of which we have no idea! What are seen here and now are the police and his 'lathi'! 'Loka sikshyai' (punishment of the world) comes first. What comes later is 'apoorvam' (unseen). In those days, any one who acted against the words of the Shãstras was cast out of the village/society. The whole family had to face the wrath of the society. Everyone feared this first. Fear of 'pãpa' and 'punya' came later! In those days it was felt that there would be order only if social law ran along the lines of eternal law. Can anyone live without air? Life will come to a standstill without it. In God's world, air is found everywhere. Have you ever heard of death occurring due to shortage of air? Water shortage due to failure of rains has been faced. It is Bhagavãn's lila to stop the rains and then pour down the rains. We are neither bound nor unbound. Bondage is sheer imagination. It is this imagination that has to be wiped out. What does the Bhakti Shãstra say? If you have 'drida vishwãs' (unstinted faith) on a single Nãma ('eka Nãma'), if you surrender to it, it will take you to Bhagavãn. You will have Bhagavat darshan. Why has it not occurred? Sãdhana is only to earn such faith. What is sãdhana? Puja, Namaskãra, japa are all only to attain this deep faith. By doing all these, the dirt of 'vãsana' is erased and faith sprouts in the heart. Here, what does Jnãna mean? I am not bound. I am a Mukta. If only you realize this, no sãdhana is required. But, you feel, 'I am not Mukta!' The thought that 'I am bound' still persists. This thought is verily the bondage! What is bondage? We have created it. Pattinathhãr sings, 'Agappaikull kai vitta kurangai pol agappattukkondeere, mãndare!' - Oh! Men! You have got caught like the monkey that puts its hand into the pot placed to trap it! 'Puttreesalgalai pol pillaigalai petredutheer kãpadarkkum vazhi areer! Kai viduvadarkkum manam vareer!' - you have begotten innumerable children like the countless white ants. Neither do you know the way to protect them nor are you able to ignore them. In the villages, to save the fields from the monkeys, the villagers place a pot with some groundnuts placed in it. Since monkeys are considered to be (Lord) Hanumãn, villagers will not hit or kill a monkey. If anyone hits the monkey, a child that resembles a monkey is born in that family. I have seen such a thing happening. A family in a village had placed groundnuts in a pot filled with boiling water. The monkey that put its hands into the pot died. Soon after, a child resembling the monkey was born in this family! A crow is also not hit as it is considered to be 'pitrus' (forefathers) coming in this form. Food should be offered to the crow before we consume as it is considered to be our 'pitrus'. One should not offer food to the crow after eating and one should not offer food to the dog before eating. Even today the sign of our 'pitrus' accepting our offering is the crow pecking at the food offered by us. If no crow pecks at it, it points to the dissatisfaction of our 'pitrus' in the 'karma' done. One should do 'pitru kãrya' as per prescribed norms. Only then will it reach the 'pitrus'. There was once a great Shãstri who went to Gaya. He saw those who perform 'pitru karmas' there. They are called 'gayawãliis'. The term 'kayavãlli paya' in Tamizh Nadu has been born out of this term 'gayawãli'! Even today we find newspapers reporting fights, quarrels and murders in Bihar. The 'gayawãli' who performs the 'pitru karma' should say 'I am satisfied' while 'ãvãhana' of 'pitrus' is done. But, he will not! He would demand huge amount of money or something else. It is indeed very difficult to satisfy him. They also do not possess any 'ãchãra-anushtãna' (religious discipline). This Shãstri, whose family met with lot of problems one after another, learnt through 'prasnam' (a way of reading into the past and future) that this was due to the dissatisfaction of the 'pitrus'. He immediately went to Gaya, but was not happy with the state of the Brahmins there, as he was a very orthodox man. He selected Brahmins from the south, booked a compartment in the train and took them for the rituals to be performed in Gaya, Allahabad and Kãsi. He spent a lot of money in providing them with train fare, good food, 'dakshina', etc. On return he learnt through 'prasnam' that his 'pitrus' were still not satisfied because the rituals were not performed with the local brahmins! Rituals in these kshetras should be performed only with the local brahmins in spite of any 'dosha' (fault) in them. This is dharma. Therefore, dharma bestows 'phala' only if done as per the prescribed norms. Bondage is created by us only. A small hole is made in a wooden container to trap the monkey. The monkey that pushes its hand into the hole takes palm full of groundnuts placed inside; but finds that it is unable to pull the hand out. It does not realize that it should drop the groundnuts to pull its hand out! The villagers throw a sack on it and carry it far away and free it. Did anyone else bind the monkey? No! Its desire for the groundnuts bound it! If only it dropped the groundnuts it would be free. But, it does not drop the groundnuts! This is how man gets bound through desire. People ask repeatedly, "What is the block in the attainment of Moksha?" What does Ramana say? The doubt 'Will I attain?' is the greatest block. There is no 'stãna' for the Ãtma. It is all pervading. It has no particular form or Name - ' Or uru or nãmam illãdãi'. It has no 'roopa' (form), Nãma (Name) or 'ooru' (place). Not limited by Nãma or roopa shows that it has no 'stãna' (as well). 'Vishnu' means omnipresent ('sarva vyãpitvam'). Vishnu is verily 'virãt swaroopa' - 'Virãt swaroopa Vishwãtman'. 'Vishwãtman' means 'Virãt swaroopa'. The whole 'prapancha' is verily His 'roopa'! To see the whole 'prapancha' as verily the 'Virãt swaroopa' is Jnãna. 'Ulla uru ellãmãi' - as verily all forms. All forms are verily HIM! 'All' means that it is verily the 'Ãtma swaroopa' that pervades everything. 'Ãtma swaroopa' has no 'roopa'. It is known by Itself. I have already spoken in detail about this. There is no other to know the 'Ãtma swaroopa'. One who fails to understand this has not perceived Advaita. It is 'swayam prakãsam' (self luminous), 'swayam ãnandam' (Bliss), verily the Conscious. All else in the world is 'jada'.
''Thãn thanakke vethhiyamãi
'Evveden thittiyãl evvuyir cheiyun thozhilgal 'Evvuyir evveden thittiyãl' - 'jivas with some set goal' (perform a work). Many are to be found cheating others in the name of Jnãna. 'I have seen Bhagavãn; I am a Jnãni; I can take you to Moksha' - those who declare such statements are yet to see Bhagavãn/attain Ãtma swaroopa. Many are caught with such people and become useless both for this world and spiritual practice. Only if we are initiated into a path by an 'Uttama Guru' will our sãdhana be fruitful. There is a great part played by the Guru in one attaining 'sãkshãtkãra'. Then, should not the Guru be one who has the capacity to bestow it? So, if a person goes to an 'asat Guru' (fool) he will not attain 'sãkshãtkãra'. There are many who fool people. Rãmakrishna Paramahamsa predicted that the world would see innumerable fake gurus who would claim to be Bhagavat Avatãra. Vivekãnanda also predicted the same. Following such gurus would bring about our downfall. There are yet another kind of people who would have made some progress in their spiritual practice (japa siddhi/upãsana siddhi) and attained some 'alpa siddhi' (silly supernatural faculty). Such people also begin to call themselves as gurus. They call themselves as Jnãnis, while real Jnãnis remain with their siddhis hidden! When Sri Ekãmram (had been personal attendant to Maha Periyava for almost three decades) speaks on Maha Periyava, we learn lots of things that Maha Periyava had done but were never spoken of. These are not to be found in any of the books on Periyava. " Page 1 Page 2 NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.
Radhe Krishna |
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