Namasthe- Guru 16

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Dear all,

 

Sixteenth Guru is fish.

 

There is a saying: Jitam sarvam jite rase " All the senses are controlled if the tongue is controlled " . Quoting this, Swami Chidananda says that moderation is the keynote, indulging heavily is of thaamasic nature and can significantly interfere with our health as well as spiritual growth. Malayalam proverb says: " adhikamaayal amrithum visham " meaning anything in excess, even nectar or amrithu can cause you discomfort and it can turn into poison. Putting some restrictions on the intake of food by one self and following it strictly is very important for a spiritual aspirant. Swami Chidananda says about a small incident. Somebody asked Ramana Maharshi: What is Bhagavan's advice about diet? He answered in three words: Hita -mita- Bhuktha. Be a wise person who eats in moderation, who eats only that which is good for one's health and agrees with your body.

 

Now we will come to Dattathreya's Guru, the fish. To catch fish, usually baits are hung on the hook and when the greedy fish swallows it, it gets caught on the hook. Whether the fish is hungry or not, the smell and appearance of the food, arouses the desire and it becomes a victim of his own greed. Fish does not have the power of discrimination and a pathetic scene of another fish getting caught, does not give the wisdom for them to avoid such a mistake. But human beings are blessed with the power of discrimination and so applying the experience of the fish and so many examples we see around us along with the knowledge acquired from Scriptures, we have a choice of not making the same mistake.

 

Dattathreya says to King Yadu:

 

Oh King! fish teaches me this important lesson concerning my sense of taste. A spiritual aspirant should be able to control all senses, especially the sense of taste. Subduing all other senses with out controlling the sense of taste will not help. A wise man seeking spiritual advancement should take only enough food to sustain his life comfortably. Consuming what ever tastes good, whenever available, in excess will interfere with one's concentration and diseases of the body and mind will prevent him to realize his goal.

 

(It is said that when you go to Kaashi and finish Darshan of Mahadeva, one should take a vow to sacrifice one of the foods he/she likes best. For example, if coffee is the one item that one likes most, when he/she takes a vow of never drinking the coffee again, it is a sacrifice and to keep that vow one should have " samyamanam " or strict control of the sense of taste. So starting " samyamanam " with small things like coffee eventually will help us to sacrifice the never ending taste for material pleasures and happiness. Also this may be the reason to introduce vrathaas and fasting during auspicious days like Ekaadashi, Krishnaashtami etc. These vrathaas provide training at the lower level and helps the aspirant to achieve more and more self control.)

 

 

Let Guruvayurappan bless us with discrimination to give up things that do not contribute to our physical as well as spiritual health.

 

Regards and prayers

 

Savitri