Dattatreya's 24 Gurus- Lesson 3-Agni Acharya

November 13, 2005

Posting of Shreeram Balijepalli in Smarthrugaami-Dattavibhavam

Click on link below to join

Dear Datta Putras and Putris,

(Dattatreya Avadhuta Samrat idol under Oudumbara Tree)

Continuing my thread on the lessons which we can learn from Dattatreya's 24 Gurus and how we can apply to our life situations in this Kaliyuga...I deal with the third Guru of Dattaraya

It is Fire.....

All the Gurus were revealed by Dattatreya to a king in his ashram. As before I repeat that all the 24 Gurus of Datta are symbolic and this does not betray the concept of Eka-Guru-Eka-Shakthi.Dattatreya Paramapurushawath had an Eka-Guru.

King: Your third guru?

Dattatreya's beatific lips answer: Fire is my third Guru. It burns everything, transforming it into flame. By consuming dead logs, it produces warmth and light. Thus, I learnt how to absorb everything that life brings and how to turn it into flame. This flame enlightens my life and in that light, others can walk safely.

What more can a small fry(read as 'fire') like Shreeram Balijepalli say on this matter? My parents named me Shreeram Dattatreya when I was born but just the name Dattatreya in my name won't make me a Datta! The wisdom inherent in an Avadhuta makes for a Datta. Datta was the 'given child' of God but He is also a great giver 'Daatha'.Maybe he should have been named Daathaatreya! For he was the giving son of Atri Maharishi!

To such a spirit of Avadhuta does this Shreeram Balijepalli alone bow and not even to the Parabrahmam which does not don a robe or form and come except in a 'Vimala' Avadhutha form.

To this fire do I bow again repeatedly for this fire scorches my Papa(sins) and also Punya(merits). For even punyas give a human a subtle ego that he/she is doing something great.

Fire scorches all. Spares none!

Parabrahmam scorches all. Spares none!

Karma scorches all. Spares none!

The list can go on....the common thread is God in all this 'scorching' and 'sparing none'.

Fire thus is representative of all that is pure.

Of all the Panchabhutas Fire is the held the most sacred and most powerful in Kaliyuga to remove sins. It is the only element in the panachabhuta-pentology to go upward naturally.

It is thus used in Homas,Havans,Yaagas and Yagnaas. Symbolic of an offering to the Gods up. Symbolic of the fire in our bodies which tend to go up. Symbolic of all the kundalini shakthi which rises up to the Sahasrara and beyond.

To describe about Fire will be a laborious job and even if I write a thousand pages I still would have scratched the surface.

There is an Agni suktha in all the vedas,There is Agniupasana, Agnihotra, AgniTarpana(A rare form of Tarpana where Agni is used),Agnideva Ahuti,Agni Homa.Agnipurana, etc.The list then becomes endless. So I will broach upon the point which Lord Atri-putra Dattatreya was trying to make to the king in the pretext of telling him his Guru but subtly revealing some Avadhutic lessons.

In this context I would like to broach upon one Dasamaha devi aspect of Tara, the Tibetan goddess Agni Tara embodies the transformative element of Fire in all its forms, which the ancients perceived as being of a single nature: fire, lightning, and chi or qi* were considered to be variations of the same cosmic force. In other words She is the spark, the energizing force in the Cosmos, the universal Shakti. As the sacred fire, Her role is that of a messanger between man (or woman) and Eternal Source.Agni Tara is the patron goddess of warriors, yogis and shamans, tantrikas, lovers and healers, blacksmiths and firemen. In the modern world She is the Protectress from toxic pollution, radiation, or nuclear fallout, as well as the effects of chemical and biological weapons. (The last of those responsibilities She shares with Sri Devi Palden Lhamo.) Because mastery of fire and kundalini promote health and

success, Agni Tara is also a wealth and long-life goddess.Agni Tara was originally worshipped in Northern & Central Asia, especially by the Tocharians, the Scythians, Yuezhi, Wusun and (possibly) the Sarmatians, She was considered to be consort of the sky god, a form of the Great Mother goddess. The predominant spiritual tradition of this region in ancient times was a tantric shamanism having some elements in common with the cult of Shiva/Shakti. Traditionally Agni Tara is golden yellow, Her canonical ritual being the fire-offering or homa. She may also be depicted with eight arms. Her seed syllable is 'TAM'. Sometimes Agni Tara is shown with two arms and mounted on a goat, as the goddess of fire in a group of four or five peaceful element-goddesses. This form of Homa Drolma is red in color, symbolizing the cardinal direction West; She holds an akshamala (rosary) and the kalasa (wish-fulfilling treasure vase of amrita, the elixir of immortality). As the elemental Fire goddess, Her seed syllable is 'SAM'.

Dattatreya is an Avadhuta Saamrat. So He will play some games like this. His Apara-Avadhuta Leelas will not make sense to some,might make some sense to some and might make perfect sense to very few. I do not know exactly where I fit. So if I make any mistakes they solely belong to me and any credits go the Blue Lotus Feet of my Gurunatha Shree Rajagopala Anandanatha.

Fire as a concept in Christianity too exists. But I would like to clarify certain things here.

Fire causes burning; during the burning process, something is destroyed. Fire is used in the natural realm as well as in the spiritual. Fire is destructive; it can destroy or consume useful things, but also evil things. When fire is used correctly, it is a blessing; if used incorrectly, it causes great harm. In Exodus 3 we read about an unusual fire which did not consume the bush it was burning. We hear a lot about hell, the lake of fire, and hellfire. However, we hear little about the purpose of hell or the lake of fire. The general public's idea of what these things mean are the same as those of the church system's. The word "hellfire" is not used in the scriptures.

The King James translation gives us an entirely wrong concept of hell by mistranslating the Greek. Historically, Gehenna is a valley outside Jerusalem where the garbage and the bones of animals which had been sacrificed and were not to be used on the altar of offering, were dumped. The translators have taken the word "Gehenna" and translated it as "hell". Then they added "fire" to it and translated it as "hellfire". This is how the word "hellfire" became the "lake of fire", because "hell" and "fire" were joined. So it has been assumed that hellfire is a literal lake of fire into which people will be cast and burned with sulfur, etc. But the words "hell" and "fire" are never joined in the scriptures. The word "hell" or "Hades" means "unperceived" or "unseen"; it is something that is not seen by natural man. For example, let's say someone is cast into hell. He is put into a place where he cannot see anything of the Spirit. He is in

unperception and in darkness; he has not been illuminated. That is why the day of the Lord comes to burn away the areas of darkness people are in.

The word FIRE is often used in the scriptures in connection with God. He is a consuming fire. (Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:29) We may find it difficult to equate a God who is love with one who is a consuming fire. Can He be both? He is God, and both are virtues or characteristics that tell us who He is. It is impossible to describe God with one word, one title or one name. We don't even know what the word "God" actually means.

Fire or Agni is the fourth element of Indian Panchabhuta. Again it has eternal and perishable elements as we have seen above. The essential character of Fire is to generate heat.According to Hindu Mythology, Agni is one of the Eight guardians who guards our universe and is known as Asta- dik-palakas (Asta-eight, dik--Zone,Palaka-Guardian). The Fire is posited in the South East of the Universe.

However, in Indian mythology there are mentions of various types of fires. The four important ones are fire of the earth, fire of the sky, fire of the stomach (can mean hunger and digestive power as well) and the fire we commonly use.

Agni is one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire, the messenger of the gods, the acceptor of sacrifice. Agni is in everyone's hearth; he is the vital spark of life, and so a part of him is in all living things; he is the fire which consumes food in peoples' stomachs, as well as the fire which consumes the offerings to the gods. He is the fire of the sun, in the lightening bolt, and in the smoke column which holds up the heavens. The stars are sparks from his flame. He was so important to the ancient Indians that 200 hymns in the Rig Veda are addressed to him, and eight of its ten books begin with praises dedicated to him.

Agni is closely associated with Indra, and is sometimes said to be his twin brother. Thus Dyaus Pita and Prthivi are named as two of his parents. But he has many more. Sometimes Kasyapa and Aditi are his parents; another time he is the son of a queen who keeps his birth secret from her king. He was

born, like Indra, in full power and vigor. Agni is also said to be the son of ten mothers who are all sisters; these are the ten fingers of man. Another story tells that he consumed his parents when he was born, as they could not provide for him; this is symbolic of the fire born when two sticks are rubbed together which quickly are burned up by it. Dawn and Night are his sisters, his wives are Svaha and Swadha, and he is the father of Karthikeya according one tradition(apart from Shiva).

When Agni is described in anthropomorphic form, he sometimes has two faces which are smeared with butter. He has seven fiery tongues and sharpened, golden teeth. He is red in color, with black eyes and wild, black hair. He has seven arms and three legs, and seven rays of light emanate from his body. He either rides on a ram, or on a chariot, pulled by goats or sometimes parrots.

Agni loves all his worshipers equally, and so is loved in turn by all of them. He visits everyone's hearth, no matter if they are rich or poor. He is the mediator between the gods and mankind. He is a great consumer of Soma. When people use fire, they must face it toward the proper direction for different uses. When facing East, the fire should be used for sacrifices to the gods; when facing South, the fire should be used for sacrifices to the Manes or spirits of the dead; a cooking fire should always face toward the West. The proper offering to Agni, and hence all the gods, is ghee, which is clarified butter. Agni also had the power to impart immortality on mortals, as well as remove all sins at the time of one's death.

In later times, Agni's worship fell off dramatically. He became an incarnation of either Shiva or Brahma. Eventually he has come only to be called on by lovers, and by men who wish to increase their virility.

But it is not this Agnideva that Dattareya considers as a guru. Agni deva respects Dattatreya and considers Him as his Guru then how come Agni becomes Datta's Guru? Thus this is to be understood symbolically only. Hope I have been validated of my earlier stance! Dattatreya loves to give lessons indirectly and thus fire was the chosen medium of instruction too.

Fire in the form of serpent fire has troubled me a lot because of my asinine ventures into kundalini without any initiation or Guru. That is why I urge all to keep a real physical Guru and not symbolic ones and then march on.I suffered a lot with "hell fires" so to speak with "kundalini".

The significance of the element of fire in the cultivation and evolution of spiritual consciousness has impressed itself upon many students and practitioners of Eastern and Western mystical or spiritual paths. In the phenomenon known as Kundalini awakening, or "serpent fire", an individual who frequently engages in an intensive spiritual practice may quite suddenly - or even over a period of weeks, months or years - experience instances of explosive expansion of consciousness. The following are examples of spiritual exercises which, when practiced with consistent frequency, are associated with awakening the serpent fire: meditation, yogic breathing, yoga, ritual dancing, chanting, asceticism, ritual (Tantric) sexuality, or any combination of the above. The typically dramatic increase in spiritual awareness attained through Kundalini awakening is quite often accompanied by physical sensations of heat or electricity

rising in a serpentine fashion from the base of the spine toward the top of the head. Hence the name "serpent fire."

The rising of serpent fire can carry mixed blessings. It often leads to an increase in intuitive or psychic abilities. Persons who report Kundalini awakening also frequently acknowledge a deeper, more intense connection to the earth itself, an acute awareness of consciousness associated with the entire planet. However, when these experiences occur suddenly and without adequate preparation or warning, they may also be associated with unprecedented levels of psychological chaos and disruption of personal life. Unleashed, Kundalini energy may be anything but subtle, often ruthlessly burning away psychological blocks, insecurities, and barriers to insight. Kundalini could even conceivably precipitate a psychotic experience in the unwary or unprepared. However, when Kundalini awakening is carefully and intentionally cultivated, it is often described as an experience

of the next level of evolution of human consciousness, and it may be likened to the experience of healing balms which soothe as they produce mild burning sensations. Kundalini Yoga is an example of a discipline which has as its aim preparation for and safe elicitation of a Kundalini awakening. It is performed under the guidance of a teacher or guru over a period of years.

Gopi Krishna

Gopi Krishna, a middle-class government official in India, detailed a complex account of his own Kundalini awakening as a consequence of 17 years of practice of meditation and yoga. He describes the general experience in the following way:

"A new center presently dormant in the average man or woman has to be activated and a more powerful stream of psychic energy must rise into the head from the base of the spine to enable human consciousness to transcend the normal limits. This is the final phase of the present evolutionary impulse in man...Here reason yields to intuition and revelation appears to guide the steps of humankind...This mechanism, known as Kundalini, is the real cause of all genuine spiritual...phenomena, the biological basis of evolution and development of personality, the secret origin of all esoteric and occult doctrines, the master key to the unsolved mystery of creation... " (Krishna, 1971, p. 243)

Despite his longtime practice of meditation, GopiKrishna was stunned by the unexpectedness and ferocious vitality of the experience, which for him lasted well over a decade before it subsided. During this time period, he struggled in silence with bizarre sensory hallucinations, strange illnesses, and extreme nausea and indigestion where specific types of foods were concerned. When these "psychotic" symptoms disappeared, he reported dramatically improved memory, concentration, and control over his autonomic nervous system. He also experienced paranormal abilities such as precognition and the ability to write and understand foreign languages to which he had never been exposed.

Once the serpent fire is awakened, it is frequently experienced as moving up one or more energy channels of the spine, where it is thought to encounter and open up approximately seven energy centers known as chakras, ascending until ultimately reaching the top of the head. At this point the individual usually experiences a supreme awareness of the Divine, a connection to all, a sense of completeness or wholeness which is often referred to as "samadhi" in several traditions. In Sanskrit, "chakras" means "wheels", referring to their depiction as radiant wheels of energy located at various heights of the body . The existence and exact number of these energy centers has been debated, though most practitioners on spiritual paths associated with Kundalini awakening accept the reality of these energy centers and number them at seven .

Interestingly, Western alchemical drawings have been found which illustrate seven energy centers of the body corresponding quite closely to chakras identified in Eastern practices. The Sufi tradition refers to seven energy centers known as "latifas" or "subtle ones". Chakras are roughly thought to be located in the perineum, the genital area, the solar plexus, the heart region, the throat region, the forehead just above and between the eyes, and on top of (or even just over) the head.

Here it will not be out of place to mention about the power of violet fire.

Many religious traditions give great importance to spiritual fire. It appears in Christianity as the baptism by fire, in the Merkabah visions of Jewish mysticism and in the temple fires of Zoroastrianism or the Hindus with HomaAgni

Spiritual fire is not just symbolic. It is a reality that you can experience in your own life. One way to do this is by drawing down the Violet fire through spoken prayer. As you focus the light into a specific problem, it acts as a flame. You can compare this process to sunlight passing through a magnifying glass causing a piece of paper beneath it to burst into flame.

Iam a being of Violet fire

Iam the purity God desires!

The beauty of the violet flame is that it has the power to transmute the negative energy that is responsible for the outer manifestation of disease and other physical, mental or spiritual imbalances. This is the only way that true healing can take place.

St Germain who brought the Violet fire and it's more powerful counterpart Silver Violet fire to the Western world from India.

You can imagine negative karma as filling the spaces between the electrons in your body, hard like concrete or sticky like molasses. Because the violet flame can easily penetrate matter, it is the perfect remedy to clean up the karma that has accumulated at the cellular level.

There can also be karma between groups of people. This often manifests as hatred, prejudice and power struggles. The violet flame can help transmute the karma that could otherwise lead to violence or war.

It is a sort of karmic eraser which rubs your karmic black board clean of the black and bad karmas you have done or which you hold you back from enjoying your life or success.

One can imagine Violet fire in the heart doing any Datta-Mantra

Om Draam Dattatreyaaya Swaha.

or some other powerful mantra obtained blissfully from a Datta-Yogi.

This practice will accelerate the progress of meditation and will burn many bad karmas from our 4-body system.

I myself have seen violet fire and have had personal experiences with the Holy fire. It is not a christian concept but verily a spiritual concept. Many falsely think it is Christian concept. Even if it is what is wrong in adopting it in our meditation for Dattatreya? When Dattatreya Bhagavan is crying hoarse that we should adopt even the concept from inanimate things then why not from our Christian brothers?

The heart has been regarded as a source of tremendous energy and power by many of the world's religions. Mystics refer to the heart as the place where God resides in man, the point of Spirit that is the source of inspiration and self-transcendence. Some feel the fire of God's love burning in their heart as a physical sensation.

You can go within your heart to connect with your Higher Self. The hidden wisdom of the heart contains the solutions to your most challenging problems. By practicing heart centering and visualizing violet fire in your heart, you can learn to contact this remarkable wellspring of light and life within you.

Fire teaches us five empowering lessons

Lesson 1:Never differentiate between good or bad.

Fire burns both the beautiful building and the ugly one if it catches it! Differentiation lies only in our differentiated minds!

To differentiate between good and bad is the first step toward Maya! Now, we have been taught from our childhood to know the difference between good and bad and adopt what is good for us. But what do we know what is good or bad? Is there anything good or bad at all in this mayavic world. The only ultimate good is merging with the Parabrahmic consciousness. Then what is the way? The path lies at the Feet of the Master.

Differentiation comes from a judgemental mind.

It comes from perverted self-righteousness.

It comes verily from Maya.

It does not mean when something bad comes adopt it and follow it. It just means do not get attached to Good too! This is a very difficult concept to follow and thus fire which the most powerful Guru was selected by Dattaguru in that Parabrahmic instant!

I bow down to that Parabrahmic instant...that holy instant which gave me an insight..deep inside!

Lesson 2: Fire always naturally moves upward.

This seems contrary to the first lesson if followed very keenly. Keeness of perception seems to be good but still it is a perception. It is how you perceive things. Perception occurs with eyes and if your eyes are clouded then how can you 'see' and perceive?

The first lesson tells do not differentiate between good and bad. So an association with bad elements or bad philosophies will lead you to a path down.So what is the point in moving up?

Is god only up? Is he not down? Is he not everywhere?

This question is very tough to understand,leave alone answer it.

Once when I was a child I met a spiritual man,my father's Guru who was a great Dattaavadhuta by name Swaprakashananda. I was studying then fourth standard and he called me and said "Rama nenu neeku oka datta mantramunu oka mahamrityunjaya mantramunu isthaanu ....chesthaava?"(I will give a Datta mantra and a Mahamrityunjaya mantra will do it?)

I said, "Sare'"(ok)

He said "Nuvvu nee burra meedha dhyaanam cheyyavayya"(Concentrate on the area above your head with the mantras)

I asked him back" Endhuku akkada?.... cheppandi?"

(Pray tell me why there?)

He said" Devudu akkada unnadu kanukaa"(Because God is there)

I shot back innocently," Mari meeru devudu annichotaluunnaru ani chepparu kadhaa?...marendhuku burra meedha dhyaanam cheyyali?...Naa kallu kinda kooda cheyyachu kadhaa?"(But you said that God is in all places..dint you?...then why should we meditate on the region above my head?...I can meditate below the feet too Can't I?)

He had a surprised look in his face and then laughed out aloud at the audacity of a 'Chotta'(small kid) like me! He then said " Champessavaiyya!...Neekendhukkayya? Devudu ekkada unnaaru annadhi?....nuvve kadhaa chinnapudu nundi paiki choosi lekkalu vesaavaadivi?!"(You have killed me!(I will be damned)...Why do you want to know where God is? You were counting upward dint you when you were even smaller?"

Well, it was my turn to be stunned as even when I was in my kindergarden days I used to count upwards to the sky as to see how many steps there were to God who lived above. No one taught me that and I just imagined God to be above and started counting up the imaginary steps. The journey thus began even when I was toddler.The journey really beings for many even in the mother's womb. It really is a never ending journey and this was known to my father's Guru even though he had never seen me in my place. He thus knew all.He was referring to the natural parabrahmic instinct.In the moment of "Avadhutic-stun'' I understood and raised my head above.

God is everywhere but the natural instinct of Humans is to see upward in search of divine. To move forward.This then is a an experiential thing not a thing to understand by mind. Matters of heart and experience cannot be explained by the brain. Matters of brain are not understood by the heart.Even if one carefully watches the photo of Mahavatar Babaji one will notice that he keeps his eyes above.This is a mudra and he locks it into this into an eternal search for truth. His soul-fire is turned upward.

(Mahavtar Babaji)

Thus the holy aspiration is to be upward. This is what Fire teaches us subtly.This is what Datta also wants us to imbibe.

I had been to the Aurobindo Ashram of Pondicherry there I had bought a book upon the instructions of a particular voice I heard when I placed my head on the samadhi of Mother Mira. The book's name was "Aspiration" It showed on the front cover a fire as s ymbol of holy aspiration. It was a small booklet but the picture inspired me to read and peruse it's contents in depth.I had some pleaseant experiences while I was returning back with my sister in the car.I did not reveal it to anyone. But the message came in the form of fire in the dreams.

I bow to your blissful feet Oh Mother!

Aurobindo was an internal worshipper of fire. This was revealed to me in meditation. He was a great yogi in his past birth. I bow before his altar-fire of wisdom too.

Lesson 3.Be bright and in search for the truth.

Fire always is bright. Even a small candle in a room brightens the room.One of my friends were saying that " Dattu you are wasting your time online trying to light up people's lives online.You are a candle when compared to big teachers who are like big suns". I replied back " Even a candle has it's use when the sun cannot do justice during night. I do not mind being a small candle and burn myself out for people and lighten up people's lives than be an unlight torch like you.The more I give the I more I get."

Fire is forever bright. Have you ever seen a dark fire anywhere? It always seems as if the fire is searching something,going somewhere. I used to sit silently with a fire near a small hill near my place in Chennai. Each time I observed the fire it seemed to talk to me and searching something. In that instant I understood many things...in silence....in that small bonfire.

Lesson 4:Try to give warmth and love.

Fire is a symbol of love and purity .It gives warmth and thus forms a place in human's hearth and in a yogi's heart-hearth! Have you ever seen a fire which gives coldness?

However there should be spaces between love too. Too much closeness will burn loves(fingers in the case of physical fire). There should be spaces in our closeness too for any relationship to survive.

Chanukya says that one should be very careful when being a friend of Fire,yogi,king,etc...because they can behave unreasonably when angry!

Lesson 5: Give life to the dead.

Fire gives life to the dead. No fire...No food.No fire...No life. If you are cold...try to aspire...even the thought will not come.This lesson has been directly taken from Dattatreya Himself.

Give life to dead people who walk around you. So many people are dead around you. They just exist they do not live. Give a spiritual life to them through your heart fire.This will in turn save you. Anything you do to others will be done unto others. This is a variation of the Golden rule.

Following these simple 5 lessons will change your life especially if taken in the name of Dattatreya.

I rise like a fire from the mortal's earthInto a griefless skyAnd drop in the suffering soil of his birthFire-seeds of ecstasy.

--"The Blue Bird"--Aurobindo Ghosh

Yours yogically,

Shreeram Balijepalli

(Head raised up still...from my baby days not just fourth Standard days!)