On This Sacred Day of Guru Poornima ......

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I am posting this message at my mom's request.

 

May i please share with you a story from the upanishads on this

sacred Guru Purnima day dedicated to the Guru ?

 

King Janaka asks Sage Yajnavalkya "What light does a man require in

order to be able to live in this world ?"

 

Sage Yajnavalkya answers "Any child would know that answer. Man is

able to live and work because of the light of the sun "

 

Janaka then asks "What happens when the sun sets or when

there is no light emanating from the moon and stars?"

 

Yajnavalkya answers" Then one lives by the Atmajyoti (the

light of the Self )"

 

Janaka asks again "How to recognise that light ?"

 

Yajnavalkya answers " Every one walks on Mother Earth in which lie

buried precious gems, minerals, etc, only one who makes a study, (a

serious seeker), would be able to find them. Similarly, in order

to find the light of the Self one requires a Sadguru (a true Master.)

 

In this context, may i also share another story from the Parables of

Sri Ramakrishna ?

 

"One day as I was going through Panchavati I heard the fearful

croaking of some frog. I guessed one must have been caught by a

snake. When after a long time i was returning that way i heard the

same noise again . Peeping through the bushes I saw a water-snake

with a frog in its mouth. The water snake neither swallowed it nor

let the frog go, and there was no end to the agony of the frog. Then

I thought. "well if it had been the victim of a venemous snake, it

would have been silenced for ever after three croaks at the most.

Now the snake's suffering is almost equal to the frog's. "

 

so our beloved shri ramakrishna paramahamsa says ," if an

unenlightened man takes upon in his foolhardiness the responsibility

of saving another, there is no end to the misery of both. Neither is

the ego of the disciple nor his worldly ties will vanish. but, under

a competent guru, the 'egoism' perishes in three croaks."

 

Yes! please join me in meditating on such a sadguru

 

Dhyaana moolam guror murtih;

Pooja moolam guror padam;

Mantra moolam guror vakyam;

Moksha moolam guror kripa

 

"The Guru's form should be meditated upon; the feet of the Guru

should be worshipped; his words are to be treated as a sacred Mantra;

his Grace ensures final liberation".

 

Such a jagadguru is none other than Sri Sri ADI SHANKARA

BHAGVADAPADA !

 

Totakacharya , a disciple of Sri Adi shankara Bhagvadapada pays a

great tribute to his Sadguru with this invocatory verse in

Totakashtakam :

 

viditAkhilasAstrasudhAjaladhE

mahitOpanishatkathitArthanidhE |

hridayE kalayE vimalam charaNam

bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

 

Oh, Thou, the knower of the entire ocean of milk of scriptures, He

Who teaches the truths found in the great treasure chest of the

Upanishads ! I meditate on Thy faultless feet. Be Thou my refuge, Oh,

Master Sankara.

 

Please read the entire composition 'Totakashtakam' of eight verses at

 

http://www.svbf.org/sringeri/journal/vol1no1/totakashtakam.html

 

Jaya Jaya Shankara

 

Hara Hara Shankara

 

Aum sri Bhramanshaktaye Namo namaha!