Little Introduction:
The entire edifice of Indian philosophical thought, known as ‘Sanathana Dharma’ is founded firmly on Vedas. It is the perennial wisdom of ages. Vedas are the original Scriptures of Hindu teachings, and contain spiritual knowledge encompassing all aspects of our life, also for the mankind in general. They can be really supposed to be the basic constitution of all religions. Humans did not compose it and hence it is known as ‘apourusheya’. They have stood the test of time. ‘Veda’ means wisdom, knowledge or vision. The laws of Vedas regulate the social, legal, domestic, and religious customs of the Hindus to the present day. All the obligatory duties of the Hindus at birth, marriage, death etc. owe their allegiance to the Vedas. The Vedas are mainly compiled by Vyasa Krishna Dwaipayana around the time of Lord Krishna.
Sanathana Dharma, embracing Vedas, draw forth the thought of successive generation of thinkers, and so from time to time according as the situation demands, essential things are added on to it, unnecessary things are made obsolete from it and requisite modifications suitable to the time are brought to it periodically to keep it always new, fresh and most useful to man, without even any damage to its pristine glory. It is handed down through generations by the word of mouth from time immemorial by ‘Mantradrashtas’ or Rishis of the yore, as ordained. It is very strong and everlasting. No one can destroy it. Since it is intended for the well being of all people on the mother Earth, hopefully one day the whole world will accept it, irrespective of caste, creed or color, as a panacea. If the world is to live in peace and prosperity, it is also absolutely essential to propagate and cherish Sanathana Dharma. I believe that as long as Sanathana Dharma is there, nothing will happen to Hinduism, whatever may be done against it by anyone, since they are one and the same. We need not worry much about that, provided we trust, imbibe and follow its doctrines strictly, and put it into practice truly, sincerely and with dedication.
Sanathana Dharma has numerous connotations. Literally Sanathana Dharma may mean eternal righteousness. It is really Vedic Dharma. Dharma denotes duty. Dharma also means virtues, righteousness, natural laws, giving alms, sa`th etc. There is also a famous axiom, ‘Dharmo rakshathi, rakshitha’, meaning, one who protects Dharma, is protected by Dharma. “Ahinmsā Paramo Dharma”, meaning, non-violence is the chief of all Dharmas. Any type of cruelty is also considered as Adharma. ‘Dharmam chara’ is used to mean Practice righteousness -- act according to your Dharma. Now, Dharma is a complex word with innumerable meanings.
Sanathana Dharma is a perennial philosophy. It is supposed to be the breath of Lord, and hence it is natural and ubiquitous and hence people who love Sanathana Dharma, love nature also. It extols love towards God and hence it is Supreme Dharma, by which the heart of man achieves his highest welfare. It is Eternal Faith. It embodies all ancient Hindu Scriptures, and it is Vaidika Dharma, embracing Vedic injunctions. Though it is very vast and exhaustive, at the core of Sanathana Dharma, we can find four fundamental doctrines to follow, namely:-
1. The entire phenomenal world –the perceptible universe – Drshya Prapancham, with all its diversities consisting of every animate and inanimate object of creation, is only the manifestation of ONE single Divine Ground, known as BRAHMAN, and apart from that they are all nonexistent.
2. Human beings can, not only acquire knowledge about this Divine Ground by study of Scriptures, observation, reasoning and inference, but can also realize its existence by a direct communion with it through contemplation and meditation.
3. Man possesses a double nature of which one is a phenomenal ego confined to the body, mind and intellect, and the other is higher Ego, which is the Eternal Self, surpassing the limitations of all earthly concepts of self-identification. It is possible for man through spiritual practice, and Divine Grace through Guru’s blessings, to realize his identity with the Supreme Eternal Self, the BRAHMAN.
4. Man’s life on earth has only one end and purpose; and that is to realize his identity with the Eternal self and thus attain the undivided, unitive knowledge of the Divine ground –BRAHMAN, and act accordingly.
BRAHMAN is the only one Scientific Supreme Truth and it forms the Akhanda (Infinite), Nithya, Sathya, Shudha, Budha, Mugdha Swaroopa or the Omniscient and Omnipotent.
The word ‘BRAHMA’ literally means ‘to grow’ or ‘to expand’ or ‘swell’. Adi Shankara puts it as the quintessence of his philosophy: “BRAHMA SATHYAM; JAGAT MITHYA, JIVO BRAHMAIVA NA APARAH”- Brahman (the Absolute) is alone real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the Individual soul, is non-different from Brahman. The forces opposed to Vedic Dharma were more numerous and powerful at the time of Adi Shankara than they are today. We owe him so much on that account, because without him Vedas would have remained inaccessible to us. BRAHMAN is not an object, it is the Subject- the only Subject and the Essence. It is constituted by Sat-Chit-Ananda; Sat, that which exists eternally; Chit, is the light of knowledge; and Ananda is bliss. This is precisely the true nature of our spirit.
The electro-magnetic waves of the Scriptures contained in Sanathana Dharma are helping all of us, in our day today life, knowingly or unknowingly to a great extent in making improvements in various fields of our lives individually, physically, mentally and spiritually. Sanathana Dharma is really meant for all and it is above religion; it envisages that every individual should attain the Self and thus bring about the welfare of humanity. It is beautifully depicted in Manusmrthy that we should handle Sanathana Dharma, little delicately aswell:
“satyam bruyat priyam bruyat na bruyat satyam apriyam
Priyam ca nanrutam bruyat esha dharmah sanatanah”, meaning:
All that you speak must be truth, but you do not have to say all that is true. Speak truth in such a way that it should be pleasing to others. Never speak truth, which is unpleasant to others. This is the path of eternal morality or Sanatana Dharma.
All Scriptures of other religions put together will come to only half of the Scriptures in Sanathana Dharma. Approximately 1280 foundation books are there, in hundreds of languages, with more than 10,000 commentaries, and more than one lakh of sub-commentaries. The Scriptures therein, reveal 330 million gods, hundreds of thousands of Rishis and a huge variety of ‘acharas’, rituals etc, among many other precious gems of axioms, aswell.
Jai Hind,
God Bless America.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Who is the Right Guru ?
Who is the right Guru? What is a Guru for? Is a Guru compulsory? When does one seek a Guru? How to get a Guru? How to identify the right Guru? What can we do until we get the right Guru?
At the outset, these questions baffled me very much and I think there would be many like me. By Guru, I mean ‘Atmeeya Guru’ or a Spiritual Master. In the present day world, we could see around us different types of people,: some of them handling politics without principles, some amassing wealth without work, some hunting after pleasures without conscience, some others earning knowledge without character, yet others engaged in commerce without morality, a few handling science without humanity, and a few others worshiping God without any sacrifice I think it is all mainly because of the absence of a right Guru for them for proper guidance. It is equally true that it is very hard to find the right Guru, because the fake Gurus are proliferating themselves almost every day. However, let us try to explore various avenues to find out the qualities of a Sat- Guru (The best Spiritual Master) and wait patiently to meet him, if it is so ordained.
Who is a Guru?
Guru is a Sanskrit word, literally meaning a teacher. Scholars say:
“Gukaraschandhakarasthu, rukarasthannirodhakrit;
Andhakaravinasitwad, gururithyabhidheeyate”… That is:
‘Gu’ means ‘andhakara’or darkness, symbolizing ignorance and ‘Ru’ means, ‘nirodha’ or destruction of that darkness; Guru removes the darkness of ignorance and hence he is called Guru. Guru is like a lamp burning in full effulgence.
A Guru is also supposed to be a great Aacharya. An Aaacharya is :
“aachinothihi: sastrani, aachare stapayityapi;
Swayamacharate tasmad, aacharyathyabhidheeyate”, means:
He who knows the meaning of Sastras or Science, establishes them with the help of rituals and he himself adapts them as such in his life, for the service of the entire humanity and to the inhabitants of the world, at large, is called an Aacharya.
The Scriptures say that a man in whom we find manifestations of qualities, belonging to God, such as purity, sublimity, nobility, loftiness of conduct, character, nature, thought, feeling, and action, can be said to be a Guru in Vedic parlance. He is considered as ‘Prathyaksha Devata’ or visible God. God reveals Himself through Guru. He is a self-realized Soul. Saint Adi Sankara, Saint Ramanuja, Madhavacharya, Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sree Ramana Maharshi etc. are some typical examples.
What is a Guru for? Is a Guru Compulsory?
We need a teacher to learn something in a better and proper manner. For instance to learn mathematics well, we need a teacher. Why then we do not have a teacher for learning Yoga and Meditation, which help us develop mentally, physically and spiritually, aswell. Why do students go to Universities for specialized studies when they can study at home? It is to get expert teaching in proper perspective in those subjects. As every rule admits exceptions, a Guru need not be a high scholar for example, Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Sree Ramana Maharshi, became Mahatmas without passing through any academic courses.
When does one seek a Guru?
God is in every body, but to know his sublime presence within, we have to keep open our inner eyes. It is here that a Spiritual Guru is inevitable with his immeasurable help. A Guru really is the path to God. He encourages the seeker and inspires him. If you have supreme devotion to God, and the same kind of devotion to your Guru, then the essence and subtle truths of Scriptures are revealed to you in due course. When you become extremely advanced, you need no help from anybody else to realize the presence of God. The only thing is that the time taken for this may vary from person to person, depending on his persistence, perseverance, providence, and dedication to attain Guru kripa or mercy of his Guru.
Who is the right Guru?
The most important thing a Spiritual Master does for us is to make us consciously aware of something vast and infinite within ourselves, which is nothing other than God himself. Only a Sat-Guru can do this for us.
“na twaham kamaye rajyam, na swargam na punarbhavam;
Kamaye d:ukha taptanam, praninam aarti nasanam” means:
He doesn’t crave for kingdom, or heaven, or rebirth; all he craves for is only the removal of the sufferings of people. We will enjoy ‘Brhmanandam’, a kind of ecstasy of extreme bliss, when we remember the real Guru, for he is our ‘Atma Swaroopa’ or the same form as our soul, and ‘Jnana Moorthy’, or the embodiment of ultimate knowledge. Guru facilitates our inner spiritual urge and progress. He is our private tutor in Spiritual Life. He teaches us what we need to know and help our soul to evolve to the next level. He can inspire us and increase our aspirations so that we can begin to realize the highest and noble things of divine nature. We can attain God’s grace by efforts through a real Guru. He is invested in his Sishya or Student. Our visit to Guru brings transformation in us and unless and until you become a ‘Jnani’, or one with applied and ultimate knowledge, you cannot recognize a Jnani, in full. One devoid of ‘Jnana’, cannot possess divinity. The higher the soul evolves, the more spiritual the understanding becomes until perfect rapport with the Divine Spirit is attained. This is atonement, which makes a man perfect. The fact is that if you have true and full faith in your Sat-Guru, he can even change your fate.
How to get and recognize a Guru?
A real Guru may not be so smooth to you. At first you may feel disturbed in mind before him. But, something will attract you towards him and you will wish to be with him. Sometimes, he may not be so friendly to you in words and deeds. The practice is that you don’t look for a Guru. When you suffer from the pain of ignorance and when your mind earnestly and sincerely urges for a Spiritual Master, he will come to you, or you will be called to him. Some people believe that it is ‘poorva-janma punyas’ or good deeds transmitted from your past life that bring a Guru into your present life. Majority seems to support the former view. Sometimes you will try to move away from him, but you cannot. There will be something in you that will keep you closer to him like a magnet; the less ego, the more attraction. The dignity of the presence of a Guru, makes us to offer it to him freely and without any inhibition. A Sat-Guru’s life will be his message and he leads by example. He is often to us like a mother.
What can we do until we get the right Guru?
Here comes the Bhagavatha Dharma or the principles for doing the righteous things in our life, for our help.
Srimad Bhagavatam lays down:
“ Narayana, Akhila Guro Namasthe”, meaning,
Oh! Lord Narayana, you are the Akhila Guru or the Guru of all Gurus, and we bow to you.
All the other Gurus only come under you. But, we cannot see the Lord in person to ask a boon, or any blessings or guidance. But the Lord also protects Bhagavata Dharma, which shows the path to God, for even to the down-trodden and to all sinners of the world, aswell. Vaideeka Dharma (Rituals) is very strict in its discipline. It earmarks hell, as the punishment for people who do not follow the Scriptures in the way in which they are prescribed. . In Srimad Bhagavatham, the Lord says that it is only pardonable if mistakes creep in unknowingly while reading it. The Lord is so merciful. Srimad Bhagavatham itself is supposed to be the Lord. We can find there in, answers to almost all our questions relating to our day to day affairs of life, provided we dig some deep. So, we can unequivocally accept Srimad Bhagavatham as our ‘Akhila Guru’, until we get a Guru in person, and let us wait for it hopefully with unconditional love to God, Almighty, through dedicated ‘Narayana Seva.’
Jai Hind'
God Bless America.
At the outset, these questions baffled me very much and I think there would be many like me. By Guru, I mean ‘Atmeeya Guru’ or a Spiritual Master. In the present day world, we could see around us different types of people,: some of them handling politics without principles, some amassing wealth without work, some hunting after pleasures without conscience, some others earning knowledge without character, yet others engaged in commerce without morality, a few handling science without humanity, and a few others worshiping God without any sacrifice I think it is all mainly because of the absence of a right Guru for them for proper guidance. It is equally true that it is very hard to find the right Guru, because the fake Gurus are proliferating themselves almost every day. However, let us try to explore various avenues to find out the qualities of a Sat- Guru (The best Spiritual Master) and wait patiently to meet him, if it is so ordained.
Who is a Guru?
Guru is a Sanskrit word, literally meaning a teacher. Scholars say:
“Gukaraschandhakarasthu, rukarasthannirodhakrit;
Andhakaravinasitwad, gururithyabhidheeyate”… That is:
‘Gu’ means ‘andhakara’or darkness, symbolizing ignorance and ‘Ru’ means, ‘nirodha’ or destruction of that darkness; Guru removes the darkness of ignorance and hence he is called Guru. Guru is like a lamp burning in full effulgence.
A Guru is also supposed to be a great Aacharya. An Aaacharya is :
“aachinothihi: sastrani, aachare stapayityapi;
Swayamacharate tasmad, aacharyathyabhidheeyate”, means:
He who knows the meaning of Sastras or Science, establishes them with the help of rituals and he himself adapts them as such in his life, for the service of the entire humanity and to the inhabitants of the world, at large, is called an Aacharya.
The Scriptures say that a man in whom we find manifestations of qualities, belonging to God, such as purity, sublimity, nobility, loftiness of conduct, character, nature, thought, feeling, and action, can be said to be a Guru in Vedic parlance. He is considered as ‘Prathyaksha Devata’ or visible God. God reveals Himself through Guru. He is a self-realized Soul. Saint Adi Sankara, Saint Ramanuja, Madhavacharya, Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sree Ramana Maharshi etc. are some typical examples.
What is a Guru for? Is a Guru Compulsory?
We need a teacher to learn something in a better and proper manner. For instance to learn mathematics well, we need a teacher. Why then we do not have a teacher for learning Yoga and Meditation, which help us develop mentally, physically and spiritually, aswell. Why do students go to Universities for specialized studies when they can study at home? It is to get expert teaching in proper perspective in those subjects. As every rule admits exceptions, a Guru need not be a high scholar for example, Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Sree Ramana Maharshi, became Mahatmas without passing through any academic courses.
When does one seek a Guru?
God is in every body, but to know his sublime presence within, we have to keep open our inner eyes. It is here that a Spiritual Guru is inevitable with his immeasurable help. A Guru really is the path to God. He encourages the seeker and inspires him. If you have supreme devotion to God, and the same kind of devotion to your Guru, then the essence and subtle truths of Scriptures are revealed to you in due course. When you become extremely advanced, you need no help from anybody else to realize the presence of God. The only thing is that the time taken for this may vary from person to person, depending on his persistence, perseverance, providence, and dedication to attain Guru kripa or mercy of his Guru.
Who is the right Guru?
The most important thing a Spiritual Master does for us is to make us consciously aware of something vast and infinite within ourselves, which is nothing other than God himself. Only a Sat-Guru can do this for us.
“na twaham kamaye rajyam, na swargam na punarbhavam;
Kamaye d:ukha taptanam, praninam aarti nasanam” means:
He doesn’t crave for kingdom, or heaven, or rebirth; all he craves for is only the removal of the sufferings of people. We will enjoy ‘Brhmanandam’, a kind of ecstasy of extreme bliss, when we remember the real Guru, for he is our ‘Atma Swaroopa’ or the same form as our soul, and ‘Jnana Moorthy’, or the embodiment of ultimate knowledge. Guru facilitates our inner spiritual urge and progress. He is our private tutor in Spiritual Life. He teaches us what we need to know and help our soul to evolve to the next level. He can inspire us and increase our aspirations so that we can begin to realize the highest and noble things of divine nature. We can attain God’s grace by efforts through a real Guru. He is invested in his Sishya or Student. Our visit to Guru brings transformation in us and unless and until you become a ‘Jnani’, or one with applied and ultimate knowledge, you cannot recognize a Jnani, in full. One devoid of ‘Jnana’, cannot possess divinity. The higher the soul evolves, the more spiritual the understanding becomes until perfect rapport with the Divine Spirit is attained. This is atonement, which makes a man perfect. The fact is that if you have true and full faith in your Sat-Guru, he can even change your fate.
How to get and recognize a Guru?
A real Guru may not be so smooth to you. At first you may feel disturbed in mind before him. But, something will attract you towards him and you will wish to be with him. Sometimes, he may not be so friendly to you in words and deeds. The practice is that you don’t look for a Guru. When you suffer from the pain of ignorance and when your mind earnestly and sincerely urges for a Spiritual Master, he will come to you, or you will be called to him. Some people believe that it is ‘poorva-janma punyas’ or good deeds transmitted from your past life that bring a Guru into your present life. Majority seems to support the former view. Sometimes you will try to move away from him, but you cannot. There will be something in you that will keep you closer to him like a magnet; the less ego, the more attraction. The dignity of the presence of a Guru, makes us to offer it to him freely and without any inhibition. A Sat-Guru’s life will be his message and he leads by example. He is often to us like a mother.
What can we do until we get the right Guru?
Here comes the Bhagavatha Dharma or the principles for doing the righteous things in our life, for our help.
Srimad Bhagavatam lays down:
“ Narayana, Akhila Guro Namasthe”, meaning,
Oh! Lord Narayana, you are the Akhila Guru or the Guru of all Gurus, and we bow to you.
All the other Gurus only come under you. But, we cannot see the Lord in person to ask a boon, or any blessings or guidance. But the Lord also protects Bhagavata Dharma, which shows the path to God, for even to the down-trodden and to all sinners of the world, aswell. Vaideeka Dharma (Rituals) is very strict in its discipline. It earmarks hell, as the punishment for people who do not follow the Scriptures in the way in which they are prescribed. . In Srimad Bhagavatham, the Lord says that it is only pardonable if mistakes creep in unknowingly while reading it. The Lord is so merciful. Srimad Bhagavatham itself is supposed to be the Lord. We can find there in, answers to almost all our questions relating to our day to day affairs of life, provided we dig some deep. So, we can unequivocally accept Srimad Bhagavatham as our ‘Akhila Guru’, until we get a Guru in person, and let us wait for it hopefully with unconditional love to God, Almighty, through dedicated ‘Narayana Seva.’
Jai Hind'
God Bless America.
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