Stories from Bhagavan- Silence is The True Upadesa

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Silence is The True Upadesa

 

 

 

 

Brahma asked Sanaka, Sanatkumara, Sanandana and Sanatsujata,

who are the creations of his mind, to assist him in the task of creation,

but they were not interested in that task and so declined to assist.

They were surrounded by the heavenly Gods, saints and other attendants,

and were staying in Nandana Vana and so they were considering who

would impart to them jnana, the supreme wisdom.

 

Narada appeared, and said: "Who can impart the Brahma Jnana, the

Supreme Wisdom, except Brahma himself? Come on, we shall go to him".

They all agreed and proceeded to Satya Loka, the abode of Brahma and

found Saraswathi playing the veena, with Brahma seated in front of her

nearby, enjoying the music and beating time to the tune. They all beheld

the scene and wondered how a person who is engrossed in the appeciation

of his wife's music could teach them adhyatma tattva (the essence of

spirituality).

 

Narada said to them:"Come! let us go to Vaikunta, the abode of Vishnu."

They all proceeded thither. The Lord was in the interior of his residence.

Narada is however a privileged person and so he rushed into the Lord's

abode, saying he would see and come back. Soon he came out and, when asked,

told them: "There Brahma was seated a little away from his wife who was playing

the veena for him. But here, the Goddess Lakshmi is seated on the God's bed

and is massaging his feet. This is much worse. How can this family man who is

bound by the intimate glance of his consort render us any help ( in learning

adhyatma vidya)? Look at the splendoour of this palace and this city!

This is enough. Let us seek the help of Lord Siva.

 

They all proceeded towards Himachala and seeing Mount Kailas, they ascended

it with great hopes. But there, in the midst of a vast gathering of his fellows, was

Siva performing his celestial dance with his wife sharing half of his body. Vishnu

was playing on the drum, and Brahma was keeping time with the bells as an

accompaniment for the dance. They who came eagerly seeking spiritual guidance

were aghast at the sight, and thought: "Oh! He too is after women! Brahma was no

doubt with his wife but was not in physical contact with her, while Vishnu was in mere

physical contact with his wife, but Shiva is actually keeping Parvathi as part of

Himself. This is much worse! Enough of this." And they all departed.

 

Siva understood and was sorry for them. He said: "What delusion on their part!

They regard the three Godheads as devoid of spiritual wisdom merely because

they were being served by their respective wives when the devotees saw them!

Who else can impart spiritual knowledge to these earnest seekers of Truth? "

thus thinking, Siva sent Parvathi away on the plea of himself doing tapas,

and the kind-hearted Lord seated Himself in the guise of a youth with Chinmudra,

as Dakshinamurthy, under a Banyan tree on the Northern side of lake Manasarovar,

just on the way by which these dissapointed devotees were returning to their

respective homes. He appeared before them sitting under the sacred

banyan tree. Being yogiraja should He practice yoga? He went into samadhi

as He sat; He was in Perfect Repose. Silence prevailed. They saw Him.

The effect was immediate. They fell into samadhi and their doubts were at end.

 

Silence is the true upadesa. It is the perfect upadesa. It is suited only for

the most advanced seeker. The others are unable to draw full inspiration from it.

Therefore they require words to explain the Truth. But Truth is beyond words.

It does not admit of explanation. All that is possible to do is only to indicate It.

How is that to be done?

 

 

 

 

STORIES FROM BHAGAVAN

A Centenary offering from Arunachala Ashrama,

U.S.A. & Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

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