Narayanasramam

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Gururna sa syaat-svajano na sa syaat-pitaa

Na sa syaajjananee na saa syaat |

Daivam na tatsyaan-na patischa sa syaan-na

Mochayedyah samupeta-mrityum ||

Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.18

 

Translation:

That Guru is not a Guru, that relative is not a relative, a father is not a

father, a mother is not a mother, that deity is not a deity and the husband is

not a husband, if he cannot liberate one from impending death.

 

Points for Introspection:

The real purpose of this life is to attain liberation by realizing one's real

identity – the Self. When one experiences the birthless and deathless nature of

the Self, he understands that the body with mind and intelligence alone perishes

with death, but the soul is imperishable and immortal.

 

Every human being's aim in life should be to strive to realize one's real Self –

the immortal Soul. However, mostly man, out of ignorance, identifies the Self or

Soul with his body-mindintelligence and considers himself mortal, changeful and

perishable. With the suffering of the body etc. he too suffers because of the

mistaken identity. When one realizes that `I am the Self – the real,

imperishable, immortal', then one enjoys the supreme, unbroken, bliss. One who

does not strive to realize the Self or liberation from the mistaken identify,

that person is committing one's own death (suicide) by holding onto objects

which are perishable and

unreal instead of trying to realize that which is Imperishable and Real.

(Vivekachoodamani.4) This shloka says that only those who help a man to go

beyond death by helping him in the process of realizing the Self are a true

friend and relative.

 

The shloka goes to the extent of saying that a Guru cannot be called a Guru,

only because he has given `deeksha', (initiation) or has taught the scriptures.

Unless the Guru guides the disciple at every step and makes all effort to enable

the disciple to realize his

deathlessness/immortality, he is truly not a Guru.

 

In a similar manner, the relatives are not true relatives in spite of their good

and helpful behaviour, unless they help one in attaining liberation. The father,

even though he gives birth and takes care, is no father at all; the mother, even

if she carries the child in the womb and brings him up, is not a mother, if she

does not help the child in gaining the spiritual goal. A deity is no deity at

all, if having been worshipped by man, the deity does not help the devotee

to get liberated. A deity is not only to be worshipped. The result of the

worship should be an intense yearning for Self-realization. A husband is not a

husband, even if he takes a vow of looking after the wife till life ends, but

does not help her to get liberation.

 

Chanting of this powerful shloka generates in the mind intense yearning for

liberation. It also gives clarity to the mind that the relationships in life

which help in the path to liberation are

the true relationships. The futility of other relationships and hindrance

created by them are clearly understood.