Guru Krupa (the grace of the Master)

Sri Swamiji,

“ Bhagavat krupa, Sadhu krupa, Guru krupa are inexplicable. Guru krupa is beyond verbal expression ('anirvachaneeyam'). One cannot understand it unless one experiences it. One may say that by Guru's Grace one gets Moksha or that everything good happens in life. But, all these are nothing - nothing at all - for, Guru krupa is 'anirvachaneeyam'. Just as it is difficult to describe Brahman, so is Guru krupa!

How does one earn Guru krupa, Bhagavata krupa or Sadhu krupa? All Mahans say that it is only due to merits accrued in many births that one attains to Guru/Bhagavat krupa. It is only due to Guru krupa that one yearns bhakti. Bhakti is born in one's heart only due to Guru krupa. But, how is this Guru krupa earned? Only through merits earned in innumerable births.

Due to Bhagavat krupa one attains to a Sadguru and he begins to utter Bhagavan Nãma (Divine Name of the Lord) with 'prema' (love)!

Sankara says that Guru krupa is much more than a 'sparsa vedi'. A 'sparsa vedi' turns iron into gold. But, this iron that has turned into gold does not have the ability to transform another piece of iron into gold. Only the 'sparsa vedi' has to be used again to turn another piece of iron into gold. However, Guru krupa is such that once this has touched a 'sishya' he (the 'sishya'-disciple) goes around changing peoples' lives. The Guru himself is not required to do this work. The disciple earns the ability to bless and change peoples' lives. So, Guru krupa is 'anirvachaneeyam' (beyond verbal expression). One has to experience it to comprehend it.

Krishna das was the disciple of Sri Vallaba the great Bhakta who desired to offer the best of everything to his Lord Dwarakãdeesa. Sri Vallaba taught his disciple Krishna das that the Lord deserved only the best of everything. There could never be any compromise in this matter. And anything of the best quality was meant only for the Lord.

One day as Krishna das was walking down the street he heard a very melodious voice singing Krishna 'gitam'. Drawn by it he went into the house wherefrom the music came floating and found an extremely beautiful maiden dancing exquisitely to her own melodious music sung in the most melodious voice. He was wonder struck. There were hundreds of men watching this dance. It was a dancer's court. He thought, 'my Master has said that the best should always be offered to the Lord. This then should be offered to the Lord.' So, he addressed the dancer, 'Oh! Maiden! Your beauty, the exquisite dance, your melodious voice and the unique Krishna 'gitam' are not meant for such ordinary mortals. Henceforth stop dancing for them. It is meant only for my Prabhu (Lord)!' The dancing maiden said, 'this is my living. I earn only through singing and dancing to these men.' Krishna das said, 'your beauty, this graceful dance and your melodious voice are meant only for my Prabhu. It should be offered only to Him. Come with me.'
The dancing maiden refused, 'I do not go out of this home of mine. Bring your Prabhu here.'
Krishna das said, 'No! My Prabhu will not come here. You have to come to Him.'
The dancing maiden asked, 'is he rich? Is he handsome? Is he young? And does he know to enjoy (rasika) what I have to offer?'
Krishna das said, 'Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, holds His feet. He is the most handsome putting Manmatha (Cupid) to shame. He is ever youthful and He is 'rasika sikhamani' (the best enjoyer).' The dancing maiden agreed to come to his Prabhu.

Krishna das took her along with him to the temple of Dwaraka. The curtain of the 'sannidhi' (sanctum sanctorum) was drawn at the time they reached the temple. As soon as it opened, Krishna das pointed to the Lord and said to the dancing maiden, "Here is my Prabhu. Sing and dance for Him." The dancing maiden did not see just an idol there but saw verily the Lord. She was struck with the beauty of the Lord. She said with deep pain, 'how did I not know the existence of such handsome person as your Prabhu till date?'
She added, 'I offer all of mine to you, oh! Prabhu!'
And she sang a song on Krishna that she had never ever sung. She gave the best of her performance and at the end of it mingled with the Lord in the form of a 'jyoti' (flame)!

Do you now understand Guru krupa? Sadhu krupa?
Here, Sri Vallaba did not come into the scene at all. It was only Krishna das who brought the dancing maiden to the Lord. A disciple of a Sadhu could verily transform a dancing maiden who earned her living through singing and dancing to hundreds of men into a pure being that she at once attained the Lotus Feet of the Lord.

When a strong wind blows it lifts a leaf and carries it high and deposits it at the top of a mountain. The leaf which was lying somewhere down in the plains could never have reached the top of a mountain. But, the strong current of the wind lifts it and carries it to the top of the mountain. In the same manner, Guru krupa lifts even the worst creature and places him/her at the Lotus Feet of the Lord.

GOPIKA JEEVANASMARANAM! GOVINDA! GOVINDA!”

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.

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