Dangerous doubt

September 21, 2009

sri mathrea namaha dear sir for your easy understanding i am typing in telugu as it is and in the book the author who is the srividyopasaka who's name is thummalapalli ramalingeswara rao and he is also a devotee of sringeri peetadhipathi. and he stated in book which is comentary on "soudaryalahari" in page no 189 that as fallows:" gurushishya sambandhyotakamuluga-- sishyudu guruvulaku padabhivandanamu cheuta, padamulanu pattukonuta-- guruvu thana hastamucheta sishyuni sirassunu sprusinchutau modalagu angakalapumulu unnappudea sishyatwam apadinchuta jarugunu kanee, avi yeavi lekundagane keevalam vakyanagrandhamunu pareseelinchuvaru vakyanamu rachinchina vaaniki sishyuletlagudurani sanka--- sandehamu ravachu -- daniki samadanamu yamanaga ---- vakyana grandhamu pariseelana valanane ee shodasikala vishayamunu grahinchuvarunu thappaka sishyulae agudurani, edi satyame ani. e grandhamunu chuchi itara guruvula dvara sodasikala svarupamunu telusukonnavaru maku sishyulu kakapovuduru gaaka. evvaru gurumukamga kuda telisukonakakunda nunnaro atti variki upadesamu sambavyame kadu. ithe guruvika parathantramagu e manthra vishayamuna ' maku avvaru guruvulu?' ani evarevarriki jignasa udayinchuchunnado atti jignasuvulaku ( varu e varthamana kalamuna varthichuvaru kani) meame guruvulamani varandariyandu meamu anugrahimchuchunnamu" this is what it has written in this book. i want know that what he is giving message to the people who are reading this book and i am also telling that it is my dought only and not telling that i will do sodasi manthra japa or do sri vidyo pasana from tomorrow, but i want to understand what is his message only because he is such renouned srividyo pasana that he is the close devotee or bhakt of sringeri peetadhipathi and he wrote this book by referencing some more than 100 books which are from veda,puranas and upanishads. i am only asking dought and i don't to misintepret the statement given by the devi bakth and if i misinterpret, i think it is a great sin.yoursraghu from vijayawada

Dear Raghu Garu,

Im really busy these days but your interesting e-mail caught my eyes and am replying now at this odd hour at night before shut my lappie down.I would not be able to answer any further queries from anyone as absolutely am tied up for the next few weeks and except for a small posting,I would not be able to answer any major queries.

"Printed word is God" they say!

When you give an instruction to someone perusation experts say:

Give it by way of a printed statement or official looking embelishments.

This gives credibility to the words than mere saying it by way of oral instruction.

Let us examine His statements first thread-bare:

He starts by saying that traditionally a s'ishyA is one who is touched by His GurudevA and does sevA,pAdhAbhivandanA,etc.

Then He says thus:

"vakyana grandhamu pariseelana valanane ee shodasikala vishayamunu grahinchuvarunu thappaka sishyulae agudurani"

One who sudies with care a vyAkyAna s'rividhyA granthA and understands s'Odas'I kalA vis'ayA will certainly become s'is'yAs.

Understanding to be derived from His statement: One must understand s'Odas'I kalA to become a disciple to a person who writes the granthA.

Then He goes on to say:

"e grandhamunu chuchi itara guruvula dvara sodasikala svarupamunu telusukonnavaru maku sishyulu kakapovuduru gaaka.

evvaru gurumukamga kuda telisukonakakunda nunnaro atti variki upadesamu sambavyame kadu.

ithe guruvika parathantramagu e manthra vishayamuna ' maku avvaru guruvulu?' ani evarevarriki jignasa udayinchuchunnado atti jignasuvulaku ( varu e varthamana kalamuna varthichuvaru kani) meame guruvulamani varandariyandu meamu anugrahimchuchunnamu"

Seeing this granthA if someone goes to other gurus and gets s'Odas'I kalA gnAnA are not my disciples.

One who does not know this through a Guru(gurumukhA) for that person upades'A(and the phAlithA from it) is not possible.

If one does not have any Guru and mulls over the question "Who is my Guru?" --To such people who are filled with jignAsA --Im Guru and Im giving the anugrahA(Blessings).

First, just because a person is an advanced upAsakA does not mean, He or She would never commit mistakes.One needs always the As'rayA of a sad-guru to be safe and not eneter into the sloppy waters of ego just because one sees some visions or talks to de'vI.

Second, even going by his statement--One must understand s'OdasI kalA to become his disciple! Which means the person must already be initiated into it to 'understand' in a real sense.Books can only reveal so much beautifully word-smithed about de'vI.de'vI is an aparOkshAnubhUthI(that which is beyond senses)

Third, there seems to be both subtle confusion and persuation by the author (with due respects to him) to both confuse readers and to create a wrong impression to the reader that one can very well do the s'Odas'I vidhyA by merely reading his books.

Fourth, we should not care for his credentials,mostly put by himself in the book(as a preamble or as a back cover blurb).He might be even very close to AdishankarA but if he does a mistake,it is going to rebound back to him after doing damage to the people who follow his instruction.

Fifth, the book needs some sales! And thus some user-friendly language is used by the author.This person is well-known among erudite s'rIvidhyA circles for misrepresenting s'rividhyA texts (in s'ringe'ri circles).You may contact Harsha Ramamurthy about this person to know more.(His email as far as I know is: ramamurthyharsha If he has not changed it yet)

Sixth, the author might have also meant something different in asmuchas referring to that particular stanza of sAundharya lahari or absolutely something really wayward.So, some small benefit of doubt can be given.However, still a false impression is created

{like in mahAbhArathA when drOnAchAryA was fooled by dharmarAjA into believing that his son as'vatHAmA was killed,when in reality an elephant who was named as'vatHAmA was killed and dharmarAjA's words alone whom drOnAchArya believed shouted "as'vatHAmA hatha kunjarahA". kunjara means an elephant and this word was spoken in a low-tone and Bhe'rI nAdhA(drums with trumpets) came forth giving a verbal impression on the hearer(drOnAchAryA)--as'vatHAmA hatha...hA"(as'vatHAmA was killed)}

Does that mean,we should never read any s'rI vidhyA texts or we should never increase our knowledge?

Most undoubtedly,an emphatic NO!

We should read texts but with the following caveats:

1. The guidance of Our s'rIvidhya guru to select texts to read.

2. Our paramparA(and not every other sundry text available for sale in the market or our hands can lay upon)

3. Proper understanding and clarification of doubts from one's gurunAthA

4. Keeping an eye on the mistakes by the author.(Critical intelligence is best put to use here)

5. The granthA should add value to your spiritual practice in relation to your s'rIvidhyA way of worship and understanding of paramparic concepts and not further confuse you.Sometimes, one's guru asks a disciple to read just a few chapters from a granthA and leave the rest.So,here it is real test for the disciple where it is jignAsA of the right kind or that of an unhindered and uncontrolled orgy of curious fire to read the whole book(or as directed by the gurunAthA).

jignAsA must be there but must be tempered and moulded in the right direction.

Im the most fantastic example of what happens when one plays with fire.(I played with an internal fire by name kundalinI reading such books by abominal authors and suffered more than 2 years as a zombie!).This group has been started to warn people of such dangers.What I have experienced should not be experienced even by my worst enemy(if I have any).

biyyamu kundApAthramulO vesi vandithe' annamu agunu, ekamgA nippulO vesthe' kAli budidha agunu! jignAsa undhi kadhA ani chadhive' prathi-granthamulanniviyu manchidhani,dAni rAsevAru; vAri prelApanalanulu kUdA lessA! ani palakadam mUDathwAniki sAnke'thamU.

(We cook rice in an earthern pot(or whatever vessel one prefers) over the fire,but if we throw the same uncooked rice into fire,then it becomes black and charred(ashlike).Just because we have spiritual curiosity(jignAsA) we should not consider each and every book read by us as 'set-in-stone' and the one who writes it as the purveyor of truth.)

idhi kali-prabhAvam ani nA vinayAbhiprAyamu.peddhalu cheppina paddhadhini vidichi kondharu ilA thane' gOppA ani BhAvamutho rAyaTam kali-sahajam,andhuke' mana jAgarthalO manam undAli.thelusukOvadamlo thappuledhu kAni upAsinchadam annadhi peddha vAkyamU,sumA!

peddhalandhu bhakthi,muddhu gulku mukthi!(oka prAsavAkya!)

(IMHO,this is kali-prabhAvA at the max. If we adhere to what great upAsakAs and elders have adviced then we are safe.People write to impress,to make money,etc and claim multifarous credentials to create a psychological persuasive stance in the mind of readers.There is nothing wrong in knowing certain things but when it comes to matters of practice or upAsanA,then thats a big word!)

s'rividhyA is a guru-baddha mArgA and thus one needs initiation and direction of one's guru.This is not a mArgA wherein you chant some manthrAs and go to sleep.s'rIvidhyA is a way of life not mere manthrA mumbling.

Getting initiated properly {meaning from an avicChinna sAmpradhAyA(not apasAmpradhAyA who claim association by names-dropping) in a properly approved manner as dictated by that tradition) connects one to the gurumandalA(wherein past upAsakAs and the guru-lineage exists) to augur and augment the upAsakA's spiritual journey.

The more I see advertising,the more it puts me off.Its good for entertainment but not for serious spiritual aspirants.If you follow his advice and start doing the s'rividhya-manthrAs, only you would be the loser(not to mention him, for incurring bad karma by that book's wrong information).

It pains me to note that such people who despite knowing these subtle truths confuse the readers for fame or money(or both).

inka e' chinnavAducheppadAniki emi migili unnadhi?

(What can a tyro like me say?)

nA bhAramu anthA nA gurupAdhamulu vaddha unchi,

nenu edhAina thappu cheppi-unte' A paradevathane' kshamApana vedkoni selavu thIsukuntanu mari.

(I pray Lordess ambikA to forgive any excess talk by a dull-witted person like me)

de'vi de'vi rammu

kAvumamma mammu!

(inko' prAsa vAkya!)

Yours yogically,

Shreeram Balijepalli

«·´`·.(*·.¸(`·.¸ ¸.·´)¸.·*).·´`·» «....Hreem Rajarajeshwari!....» «·´`·.(¸.·*(¸.·´ `·.¸)*·.¸).·´`·»