Namasthe- Guru 15

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Dear all,

 

Fifteenth Guru of Dattathreya is deer.

 

The three basic energies of the universe are light, sound and heat. According to the vedas, shabda or sound has tremendous effect on the universe. It is said that Manthras are specific configuration of syllables that can produce specific energy currents and vibrate specific petals of our nerve centers ( the petals of all the six chakras). Spiritual songs or bhajans produce positive vibrations of tolerance and universal love where as music with wild, violent lyrics produce vibrations that cause restlessness and unreasonable ecstasy. Many scientific experiments prove the effect of sound and these theories reinforce what is said in the Vedas by our ancient seers.

 

How the behaviour of a deer made Dattathreya realize the truth of sound effect and accept deer as one of his 24 gurus? A deer is used to the natural sound vibrations present in the forest and with that in the back ground, they graze happily. But when a hunter plays a music, sweet, loud or violent, these unnatural ( different from nature's music) vibrations of music destroys the calmness of their mind and they become excited and confused. It may have aroused fear also. They panic and run and falls in the net of the hunter.

 

Listening to music filled with intense emotions of love and attachment can take the calmness away from one's mind and it can promote material entanglement. Just like a deer can get bewildered by the sweet music of the hunter, a spiritual aspirant may lose his spiritual progress he achieved and succumb to the transient pleasures of the material world by listening to passionate music with tempting lyrics..

 

In our puraanaas we have seen that apsara kanyakaas like Urvashi and Menaka were sent to break the tapas of sanyaasins like Rishyashringa and Viswamithra. Apsara ladies sang and danced in front of them and even the so called " controlled minds " were disturbed by the vibrations of sensual music and dance. Sravana or hearing is said to be subtler than darshana or seeing. Universe began with Shabda (Aum) and hence Brahmam is often mentioned as Shabdabrahmam.

 

Dattathreya learned the following lessons from the deer

 

1. Sound vibrations have tremendous effect on our mind and spiritual aspirants should never listen to sound vibrations that can arouse material desires. Instead, they should listen to bhajans, discourses by great teachers and recitation of vedas, puraanaas and ithihasaas by scholarly devotees. These will produce positive vibrations and help the wise person to advance in his spiritual journey.

 

2. Since sound has a tremendous effect, a wise man should utter only saatwic words of positive vibrations that will contribute to the welfare of the whole universe.

 

Regards and prayers

 

savitri