Virtue and Vanity

July 12, 2009

Dear S,

Yes, Im aware of what some people say behind my back.Yes, I have bene liberal to encourage one and all without caste distinctions,religion,orientation,nationality,etc into this path.

I find nothing wrong in this perse.

Anakapalli Guruvugaaru(Swaprakashananda Garu ) who is my Datta-Guru and my Srividya Guru Rajagopala Garu both do not see any distinctions with the later even encouraging a muslim devotee who used to frequent Amba's temple in Burkha!

Swaprakashananda Garu when confronted with such a concern, opined thus: " These days those who take interest in such paths,texts,Divine Mother,Dattatreya are fast declining.People are fast seeping into materiality.These sacred paths might be destroyed.Our nation has suffered great losses by way of some elite sect of people alone possessing knowledge in the name of secrecy(Gopyatha).However, I prescribe some niyamas and yamas to be followed.(Vegetarianism,abstention from alcohol,narcotic substances of any sort(Cigarrette,tobacco,opium,etc),sexual purity,etc) and those who follow these are deemed to be brahmins in my eyes and those who follow my instructions in sadhana, will succeed.When a farmer sows many seeds onto the soil, only a few sprout, so will he then say, "Oh only a few have sprouted and thus I will not sow the seeds"?? It is something like that, I try to initiate anyone who comes to me and give them according to

their need and checking their past births and auras.To some I have given a few mantras, to some many many mantras, to few all what I have sans the smashana sadhana and other advanced kriyas.The consciousness of the people is more important.Gone are the days of pure orthodoxy, these days everyone freely mingle with everyone."

My Srividya Guru said to me thus:"I give initiation to all,seeing their past births,present birth purity and future capacity.I give some niyamas to be followed like Vegetarianism,non-alocoholism and sexual purity.I have given mantras to Malaysians,African Americans,Caucasians,Islamic people too!"

This was the opinion of my Gurus.Do you think I will have a deviant and parochial view on this?

I might come from an orthodox Brahmin family and practice spiritual tenets like Sandhyavandana,nithya puja,etc but however Im not parochial or orthodox or castiest(if this the word you want from my mouth).

Divine Mother is for everyone.All are Her children.Not only humans but also plants,animals,etc.She is much beyond the confines of caste or religion.It is narrowminded people like us who try to put her into cozy clubs for our convienience,insecurities and conditionings.

Few pointers here for pondering further:

I sincerely entreat all to think over carefully whether one is really speaking from one's heart or from one's birth into a higher caste alone?

There is no doubt some effect of spiritual DNAs,upbringing and some communities providing more access to spirituality than the others.But unless one makes use of it, one is not a spiritual person.No use being born into a highcaste Brahmin or Chaudary or Reddy or Kapu family and then behaving like a worst criminal.Then the birth has no meaning.

Virtue is onething but vanity is something different.Let me elucidiate by way of a popular story in Naishadhiga Saraamsam.

A holyman was meditating beneath a tree and one youngman approached him frantically and said,"Oh Holy one! I have to hide here from my tormentors.I have been wrongly accused of stealing and they will chop me.Please allow me to hide behind this tree.If they come, please tell them that I have gone the other way."

The 'Holyman' with his meditative powers saw that the man was telling the truth.So allowed him to hide behind the tree.

In a few minutes his tormentors came and asked the 'sage' about the whereabouts of the lad.The 'Holyman' had taken a vow to speak the truth always and so pointed his finger to the back of the tree where the lad was hiding.The lad was dragged out and instantly his hands were chopped off.The lad fainted and shortly died out of shock.

The 'Holyman' too died in due course of time.At the time of reckoning when his athma was leaving the body, the hellplane attendents came and said, "Holyman, we have to take you to a hellplane for your sin"

The Holyman was shocked and said, "All my life, I never hurt anyone even by word.I have always adhered to the path of truth and yet you take me to hellplane?..."

But the Dhoothas condemned him for his behaviour in regard to the unfortunate youngman.

"But", he protested, "I had made a holy vow to speak only the truth.I was bound to act as I did."

"On that day", came the reply, "You loved vanity more than virtue.It was not for virtue's sake that you delivered the innocent man over to his persecutors, but to preserve a vain image of yourself as a virtuous person."

The limited human wisdom that guides our concept of virtue often becomes ur compelling force for evil.Our false concept of virtue often is nothing but vanity and an attempt to gain praise or to be self-righteous about how "virtuous" we are, so we feel superior to others.So many times, because this false virtue is accompanied by a dose of human ignorance,virtue becomes an effective weapon in making humanity a victim.

And when it comes to victimization of humanity under the banner of "virtue" there are no divisions of East or West,past or present.

The people and the person whom you refer who quote Shastras and Shastra pramana and derides me and my Gurunatha is under this umbrella of "All Vanity and no Virtue".No harm in their allegations from their point of view.They are correct as far as they are concerned and I have no arguments with them and wish them well in their paths.

Virtue, is not something which you wear outside in public display but what you possess inside.Virtue is a delivate substance.No one can judge or measure your virtue, not even yourself.When you are truly aligned with virtue, there is no sense of arrogance,righteousness,or superiority.When you are truly aligned with virtue, a harmony pervades.

This does not mean, I would lax with all rules concerning the sadhanas.It is only because I care for you and everyone who approaches me for mantras or mantra sadhana that I emphaisize the need for initiation,Guru,Gurubhakthi,etc.This is the other end of the spectrum.

The more Im attacked, stronger my resolution would become to help all.Please do not bother for these pussilanimous pinpricks.Im emotional for Ma; but not for these word-spears at me!

Athmollaasinyai Namaha:

Shreeram Balijepalli

Hreem Rajarajeshwari Paradevatha!

Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam...