pUrNamadah pUrNamidam... Four types of Fishes!

[Guest guest]

-Thank you Balaji for the following story ....

 

" This reminds me of a story from the Narada Bhakti Sutra book, that

my grandpa read out to me. There was a rishi performing severe tapas

and was meditating. Narada passed by. The rishi asked: "Oh sage of

the worlds, when would I be liberated?" Narada replied: "It will

take you three more births." at which the rishi was very depressed.

When a passerby met Narada, he asked him: "Oh sage of the worlds,

when would I be liberated?" and Narada pointed to a tree over there

and said: "As many lives as there are leaves in that tree, will pass

before you are liberated.". This said, Narada was rather surprised

to find the passerby extremely happy that he would be liberated

so 'soon'. He said: "Thankyou for pointing out that I would be

liberated so soon." At this Narada said: "There are no more lives

for you to live. You shall soon be liberated."

 

Well, balaji, good story.

 

i would also like to share with members here about the 'desire for

liberation' - or mumukshu!

 

THERE ARE four types of fish in a river in which a fisherman casts

his net.

 

The first type is called The "Nitya SUri-s" they are like the fish

which do not Get caught in the net - i.e., they do not fall for

the bait, and remain safely outside.

 

The "Mukta Jiva"-s are those who get caught in the net, but with

their best effort, succeed in getting out.

 

The "Mumukshu-s" are like the fish which keep trying to get out, even

though they have not succeeded in escaping.

 

the "Baddha jiva"-s are like the fish who enjoy the bait the

fisherman has provided, and remain happily in the net and become the

food for the fisherman.

 

the spiritual aspirants are like these four types of fish.

 

(WEANED FROM A WEB SOURCE)

 

IN ORDER to realize God , one must have the 'longing' and 'yearning'

 

one of the names of Bhagwan Vishnu as per Sri Vishnu Sahasaranama is

 

agraNIh

One who leads forward.

 

Om agraNye namah.(220)

 

agre nayati iti agraNIh - One who leads forward is agraNIh. SrI

Sankara and SrI Bhattar interpret the 'leading forward' as referring

to bhagavAn's guNa of leading His devotees to moksha.

 

home.comcast.net/~chinnamma/sahasra/sloka24.html - 20k - Cached

 

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i would now also like to narrate another story from the Godspel OF

shri Ramakrishna how a Guru can lead a disciple forward in the

disciple's desire for liberation...

 

Shri Ramakrishna says ...

 

"One day as I was passing the Panchavati on my way to the pine-grove,

I heard a bullfrog croaking. I thought it must have been seized by a

snake. After some time, as I was coming back, I could still hear its

terrified croaking. I looked to see what was the matter, and found

that a water-snake had seized it. The snake could neither swallow it

nor give it up. So there was no end to the frog's suffering. I

thought that had it been seized by a cobra it would have been

silenced after three croaks at the most. As it was only a water-

snake, both of them had to go through this agony. A man's ego is

destroyed after three croaks, as it were, if he gets into the

clutches of a 'real teacher.' But if the teacher is an 'unripe' one,

then both the teacher and the disciple undergo endless suffering. The

disciple cannot get rid either of his ego or of the shackles of the

world. If a disciple falls into the clutches of an incompetent

teacher, he doesn't attain liberation."

 

What are the true qualities of such a guru?

 

Brahmaanandham Parama Sukhadam

Kevalam Jnaana Murthim

Dhvandhvaa Theetham Gagana Sadhrisham

Tathvam Asyaadi Lakshyam

Ekam Nithyam Vimalam Achalam

Sarvadhee Saakshi Bhutham

Bhavaatheetham Thriguna Rahitham

Sadhgurum Tham Namaami.

 

This sloka tries to describe the qualities of a true Guru. A real

Guru has the following qualities. He experiences the supreme Bliss of

Brahmaananda (transcedental divine bliss). He enjoys and confers

changeless supreme happiness. He is beyond space and time (there is

nothing higher than him). He is the embodiment of wisdom which is the

basis for all types of knowledge. He transcends the pair of opposites

(such as happiness and sorrow, gain and loss). He is more Omnipresent

than space itself. He is the very embodiment of the Divine principle,

which is the inner meaning of the four great pronouncements

Prajnaanam Brahma, Aham Brahmasmi, Tat Thvam Asi and Ayam Aathma

Brahma. He is One without a second (ekam). He never changes under any

circumstances (nithyam). He is without any type of impurity

(vimalam). He is steady and motionless(achalam). He is the witness of

everything. He transcends mental comprehension and verbal

explanation. He is beyond the three gunas (sathva, rajas and tamas).

I offer my humble salutations to such a Guru who possesses all these

qualities.

 

 

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ON THIS BEAUTIFUL WEDNESDAY DEDICATED TO THE WORSHIP OF VISHNU, JOIN

ME IN singing this sloka

 

gopiima.nDalagoshhThibhedaM bhedaavasthamabhedaabham.h |

shashvad.hgokhuranirghuutoddhatadhuulIdhuusarasaubhaagyam.h |

shraddhAbhaktigR^ihiitaana.ndamachintyaM chi.ntitasadbhaavam.h |

chi.ntaamaNimahimaanaM praNamata govi.ndaM paramaana.ndam.h || 5||

 

Worship Govinda who is supreme bliss, who was present in each of the

different groups of gopis, who appears in different forms, who is one

and nondual, whose beautiful form was covered by the dust raised

always by the hooves of the cows, whose blissful nature is realized

by "sraddhá and bhakti" , who is unimaginable, whose existence is

knownto the wise, and whose greatness is like that of the gem

cintámaïi.(5)

 

Govindashtakam- shankara bhagvadapada

 

FOLKS, THE OPERATIVE WORDS ARE "SHRADDHA AND BHAKTHI" - SHRADDHA IN

THE GURU'S 'WORD' AND BHAKTHI IN ONE'S CHOSEN GOD/ESS (ISHTA-NISHTA)

 

 

Jaya Jaya Shankara!

 

Hara Hara Shankara!

 

Harihi Aum!