JnaneswarTeaches...

[Guest guest]

Jnaneswar Teaches His Father Vithoba

The following is the first-person account of Manu Subedar's visit to

Sri Ramanasramam. It includes the text of a dialogue between

Jnaneswar and his father that Bhagavan graciously read out for the

benefit of Manu Subedar and all sadhakas. Bhagavan highly recommended

the study of this dialogue to his devotees.

In 2001, on the occasion of the 121st Jayanti of Bhagavan Ramana, Sri

Ramanasramam published this text in a pocket edition.

For over three years I resisted the invitation of my friend, Mr.

Shankerlal Banker, to go to Ramanasramam. I pleaded with him that I

was not ready, that "If I went into a very large shop, I would feel

ashamed to come out with my hands empty." At last I decided that I

would pay a visit and I prepared myself for about two months prior to

that visit by reading nothing else except those two very outstanding

books, viz., the Ashtavakra Gita and the Avadhuta Gita. After

finishing some work, which I had at Cochin, I set out for

Tiruvannamalai. I decided that I should ask a few questions in order

to solve some of my doubts and framed some questions.

I was alone in a railway car from Katpadi and wanted to go over my

questions and revise them, if necessary. As I formulated each

question, I found that I knew the answer! So when I went and had the

darshan of the Maharshi, I had really no questions to ask. I

permitted myself to observe others and to absorb the elevating

atmosphere of the Ashram.

I presented to the Maharshi a commentary on the Gita, a great Marathi

classic, by the sage Jnaneswar, which I had rendered in English after

eight years of effort. He was much pleased with it. I had with me

extra copies of the Avadhuta Gita and the Ashtavakra Gita published

by the Sastu Sahitya Mudranalaya Trust of Ahmedabad, of which I am

the chairman. I presented these also to the Maharshi. I mentioned

that I had been reading these books and I drew his attention to the

very first verse in the Avadhuta Gita, which is as follows:

"It is only through the grace of God that, in men with knowledge, is

born a desire to experience cosmic unity (Advaita), a desire which

protects them from the great dangers of samsara."

I further pointed out that most of the matter in these books was for

the advanced siddha, i.e., the adept. For new seekers, who were

attempting to learn, there was not much direct guidance.

With infinite compassion in his eyes, the Maharshi looked at me and

instructed one of his followers to bring a book. This was the Maha

Bhakta Vijayam of Nabhaji. Bhagavan opened the book and began to

read. (I noted with awe that the book opened exactly at the page

where he intended to read.)

This is a discourse between Jnaneswar Maharaj and his father, in which

the young son, who has achieved Realization, is discussing with his

father, who is still afraid, still seeking, and still groping. The

father had gone to the forest to practice asceticism.

Highly impressed with the brilliance of Jnaneswar and his siblings,

the king desired to meet Vithoba, their father. He therefore sent his

own messengers to bring Vithoba to the kingdom, but the latter refused

to come. Then the children went to visit their father and Jnaneswar

Maharaj, getting on the lap of his father, engaged him in

conversation, at the end of which he persuaded his father to come

back with him to the city.

The Maharshi seemed to relish reading the discourse. Those who were

present thoroughly enjoyed the reading and I discovered that I was

given exactly what I needed. I am forever grateful to the Sage for

what he taught me. The best teacher is he who takes you from where

you are to the next stage. It is not the totality of the teacher’s

knowledge that the pupil must consider, but the appropriateness of

that which is imparted at the proper moment.

Discourse between Jnaneswar and His Father. With respect and childlike

affection Jnaneswar climbed onto the lap of his father and requested

him to return to the capital and meet the king. The following

dialogue ensued.

Father: Does one taste again what has been vomited once, even if it is

some delicious dish? Should not the righteous ever stick to their

word? Having retired from the world, can I go back there, mix with

the undiscerning crowd and love them or adore the king? The forest

shall ever be my abode and the world, yours. So go back and live

happily in the world.

Jnaneswar: Why do you live in the forest?

Father: My son, what profit or pleasure is there hereafter for me to

obtain by going back to the world? Going back there, far from being

an aid, will only be a hindrance to salvation. This forest, free from

the society of all people, is alone fit for mouna nishta (silent

faith) and hence I live on these slopes.

Jnaneswar: The Brahmanishta (devotion to Self) that you are doing,

while still full of such distinctions as city and forest, is like one

trying to shut out a vision of the heavens by covering it with a

canvas instead of closing one’s eyes; like a small bird thinking to

bear the impact of thunder with its tiny feet; like one trying to

acquire virtue while engaging in acts of vice; like a hardhearted man

yearning for the sight of God, and like one achieving jnana nishta

(firm faith with knowledge) without getting rid of the ego sense. In

that nishta, which transcends all distinctions, can there be any idea

of duality?

 

Father: So long as the notion “mine” persists, the ego sense and

perception of duality as ‘this and that’ will not disappear. It is

nirvikalpa nishta (single devotion) that drives away all notions of

duality. Such nishta can be obtained only by freedom from all

sankalpas or desires and freedom from all society. So I am here

because the forest solitude is the proper place for mouna nishta.

Jnaneswar: Knowing one’s Self and being that Self alone is Brahmanishta, and not living in forests.

to be continued...

Attachment: (image/jpeg) gnaneswar.jpg [not stored]