Vedas and Adi Sankara - Part 5 By Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji.

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Dear Members,

 

The aim of discourses is only to instill interest in

these spiritual matters. With the birth of interest in

these one enjoys it thoroughly. Thus, these are not

matters that can be forced on anyone. Such is our

religion. It has shown innumerable paths (‘mãrgãs’).

Following set religious practices (‘Karmanushtãnãs’)

are advised for one’s own benefit. Even if these are

done as habit (‘anushtãnams’) they bear fruit

(‘phalan’). Even if one’s mind is not in it one can do

them; one should do them. One cannot say that he did

not perform the rites for the dead parents

(‘Shraddha’) because he had no inclination to do

it.Even if done as a rule it is beneficial to the

extent of involvement.

 

Several Vedas, several smritis, several paths, several

kinds of worship (‘upãsanãs’) exist in our religion.

If we take up Devi ‘upãsana’ various types of worship

are found; it is the same with Vishnu upãsana, too.

Such is our religion with countless branches. How is

an Avatãra Purusha in such a religion? He seeks

(refuge in) a Guru! .Lord Rama sought Vasishta as his

Guru. Lord Krishna sought (‘ãshriyikaradu’) Sandeepani

as his Guru. What is the work of the Guru? Why do

people seek/follow a Guru? What does the Guru counsel?

He will advice, “Say Rama!” or “Say Krishna!” or “Do

Atma Vichãra”. Guru offers some advice. Won’t He? We

already know whatever the Guru advocates. The books

say that one should chant Rama or Krishna; if we read

Sri Ramana’s Books we learn how Atma Vichãra has to be

done. How to perform Nãma japa or dhyãna or Vedanta

vichãra or even how to do yoga, are all written in

books. Everything is written in the books. Some people

are intelligent enough to comprehend the writings in

the book and perform whatever has been advocated in

them – dhyãna or Nãma Japa. Some can do crores of Rama

Nãma japa or any other Name of the Lord. They possess

such competence. Anything can be practiced on their

own. Then what is the part of the Guru here? Well!

While speaking on ‘the part of the Guru’ - ‘You do

crores of Nãma japa, or do ‘ãsanas’, pranayama, or

with difficulty do vedant vichãra. You do some

sadhana,don’t you? What happens when you perform these

sadhanas without the guidance of a Guru? Due to

sadhana one gains a lot of supernatural

talents/faculties (‘siddhis’). Even Hiranyakashipu

performed tapas. We read both Hiranyakashipu and

Dhruva performing tapas. Both achieve the darshan of

the Lord they had prayed to. Hiranyakashipu receives

the darshan of Lord Brahma and Dhruva of Lord Vishnu.

 

Lord Brahma says, “I am happy with your tapas.” Both

of them perform tapas but the difference lies in the

fact that Hiranyakashipu had no Guru. Whereas, we find

in Dhruva’s charitra that Narada was his Guru. One

gains ‘tapas siddhis’ due to tapas. What happens when

you do intense tapas? You gain tapas siddhis! You will

able to produce any object. You gain far off vision

(‘doora drishti’). You can see, feel, hear and know

what is happening in far off places. What happens

then? When you start showing such miracles the world

believes your claim to be God! Why and how? Because

your supernatural faculties (‘prabhãva’) are such. You

possess the glory of seeing, hearing, learning

everything that occurs in a far off place, produce

articles, etc. You can claim to be God due to such

glory and even thousands or crores of people may

follow you and address you as God but you will never

attain ‘Jnãna’. You may possess supernatural faculties

(‘prabhãva’) but one does not attain jnãna through

‘prabhãva’. Anyone can attain ‘prabhãva’ through

tapas. One can tenaciously do tapas and attain such

‘prabhãvas’. Did not Hiranyakashipu perform such tapas

and attain ‘prabhãva’? One can do crores of

Japas,crores of ‘pranayama’. What happens to such

people? They earn wonderful ‘prabhãvas’! Because of

this people will believe anything and everything that

he says. He will claim, “I am the avatãr of Rama; I am

the avatãr of Krishna” and people will also believe

and follow him. They go behind him because he is of

some use! But does he possess Jnãna? His ego has not

been destroyed. The Maya has not spared him but bound

him tightly. This fellow knows this very well deep

within. He is fully aware that he has been caught in

the web of Maya. But if he had gone in this path with

the help of a Guru, the Guru would have destroyed his

ego. Whether he earns ‘prabhãva’ or not he will surely

attain Jnãna! Certainly! Thus having attained Jnãna he

will be in deep ‘Ãnanda’ seeing Bhagavãn/Atma inside

-‘sugak kadal ponga solunarvu adanga’ (Sri Ramana

Maharishi’s Aksharamanamãlai)- deep joy - bliss. Once

this has been earned nothing will matter to him;

whether anyone respects him or not in this world. A

Jnãni will have no such thought at all. If he did then

he is not a jnãni. After all when we do not like

coming out of ‘sushupti’ that our sleep state is then

how will the Jnãni feel like coming out of

Brahmãnanda? If someone tries to wake us up from our

sleep we wish to only get back to sleep. Then for one

who is in and enjoying Bhagavãn it is very difficult

to come to the physical plane of this world and

perform any work. It is an impossible task.One may

find the behaviour of a Mahan very contradictory. Why?

This is because for one who is ever in Brahmananda it

is impossible to do any work in the outer world. They

are in such a state (‘avasthai’). They experience a

sort of trance within.Bhagavan Ramana even in his

young age used to walk with the help of a walking

stick. His body would be shaking. When questioned

about this Bhagavãn explained, “It is akin to an

elephant having entered a hut!” The body is unable to

take the full strain of ‘Brahmãnubhava’. "

 

 

!!! Will Continue !!!

 

Regards

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

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