The Way of Direct Knowing

GurucharanamSaranam

The Way of DirectKnowing

(The Sacred Words of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru)

Thesolar system, as we know, consists of nine planets like the earth, each havingits own dimension. We reach the ‘generative character’ of the moon aftercrossing the earthly plane and four or five more celestial orbits. The journeyto the sun is only after reaching there. The course of an ordinary soul is insuch a way that it never become capable of reaching the sun.

Wehave among us many who had been worshippers of the sun. The world is sustainedby the sun, so we have a notion that by worshipping the sun we might gain greatmystical powers. But there are certain layers (spiritual dimensions) to reachthe sun. There is no possibility of reaching there, except through (these)layers. Only after reaching ‘Isvara Sannidhaanam’ (spiritual sky beyond theabode of celestial gods) one would be able to go there.

Thereare the spiritual skies (sannidhaanams), namely - Iswara, Daiva, Brahm and Parabhram. It is not easy for a soul to cross thesespiritual skies; it can dangle only under it. Our ancestors weren’t able to crossthese spiritual skies, and therefore, the course of their souls is obstructed.It is after seeing this spectacle (of obstruction) Prophet Mohammed said, ‘O’Almighty! I, who believed that nothing exists except You, what is being shownto me now?’

Whatis this force (of obstruction)? Many souls (of those) who followed the path ofyoga exist in the atmosphere as ‘yogabhrashtas’ (souls fallen from the path ofyoga). They subscribe to the doctrine of ‘soul truth’. These souls stand there blockingthe progress of other souls. We should understand this and have a wish for theemancipation for these souls who are stranded thus unable to cross this (hindrance).We can give them liberation. You must understand this and convince yourchildren too about this. Otherwise they will fall into a very ordinary life. Ifthese souls are liberated, our ancestral lineage who worshipped the pantheon(devi-devas) will get rebirth, otherwise bereft of birth and death, these soulswill get stagnated there. You who live as a family – father, mother andchildren should become virtuous by (your) life. Only then the virtue of your ‘formertradition’ will be gainful to you. You have no knowledge about the struggle of earningthe honor of the family through (your) life. Each one of your life style islike a craving for something or other.

Ifyou continue in this state, you will not set right anything. What can the parents do if the children inthe family do not reach a dignified status through their life? When he or she(son or daughter) goes to make a family, what virtue can be brought in thatfamily? They can only eat the pain.

Iknow souls who had been struggling hard through many generations and births forthe sake of attaining some virtue. After being born among us, they go backlosing everything; such a karma (path of life) remains with us. If we want toearn this virtue, we should make available the beneficence the souls of ourancestors require, as (our) dharma - duty. Only if we could liberate them, canwe pass through ‘this ‘mandala’ (sphere of blockade). Thus we must strive (hardenough) in order to pass through at least ‘isvara sannidhanam’ - thesuper-celestial abode.

Ifwe are unable to gain achieve this, there is no use of accepting sanyasa(renunciation) going in the path of devotion (bhakti). To receive the goodnessthrough our children for our family and society we should get this kind of knowledge.You – father, mother and children should live in one faith, a single faith tillyour last. This life is not only for earning money. It is not enough that we earnmoney, competence and wealth. When ignorant of you get money and competence,pride, arrogance and insolence will possess you and you will jump into thekarma (course of action) that displays any type of insanity.

WhatI was trying to tell you is this: salvation should be given not only to ourmanes but to the spiritual beings worshipped by us previously, whoever be it, adeity, a rishi (seer) or sanyasi (sage). Our children should realize this muchand they should be made to perform it. Having no means for livelihood in ourplace, people here migrate to other places, work hard and earn some money. Ifthey live showing off this earning, they will become like an empty shell; thiswill be the fate at the end.

Thefather wants to show the children that he is the ‘father’ (authority of thefamily); the mother wants to show them that it (the status of life) is not dueto fathers’ ability. Then the children have their own rivalries. Our way ofliving creates such axes of ruin. We must put an end to this way. For thateither a big government system should come enforcing the method to teach thechildren. Punishment should be meted out to people who do not teach in that method.

Anotherpoint is that most of the people teach and bring up children for a job. No onethinks that for how many people jobs can be given, say after fifteen years. Couldany government, howsoever big it might be, give employment to all those who geteducated in the country? If we look at the state of affairs in the country, bythe education being given here, the children would become like dried ginger, dryingraw. There will be nothing here even to eat and drink. Only when such a crisisoccurs, would all people learn just to look back. Then they will think: forwhat do we teach (the children) spending so much money. This attitude will comesoon. This situation will arise within thirty years. By the time today’schildren turn forty, the administrators will not be able to control the people.In the meanwhile if there is a war, calamity or plunder, some devastation willtake place or a stage will come when none will be able to do anything. Why am Isaying this? All people should have a long view of the future.

Weconduct Gurupooja (cleansing of harmful spiritual and ancestral influences) here.With that there will be a little beneficence. But if you do not nurture thatbenediction perfectly, you too will be there with those who are thus destinedto be ruined. If you are unable to do anything, when you get an opportunity toshare our love, respect and competence, the beneficence earned will all belost. Gurupooja is the earning the right to share this beneficence with ourchildren. Therefore, no error should happen in the tasks undertaken. Those who acceptand keep this virtue with love and reverence do see the Guru in vision at thetime of death. There have been several incidents here, wherein people wait forGuru (at their death bed) to die until Guru comes before them and they wash Guru’sfeet and drink that water.

Allgurus do not come like that. Then what comes (at the time of death) may be theevil spirits in the place of guru. If (the power) what comes is a yogi or karmi(who followed the path of action), they too would be standing in place of theseevil powers. These yogis and karmis are not entitled for mukti - liberation.But they will be witnessing the ritual of the washing of Guru’s feet by thedying person. With that, these forces, that have been restless for ages, willget the right to be born in this Guru lineage. Whether they take birth or die,by the end of this yuga, it is certain that they will become the authorities ofsatya yuga.

Thosewho have performed Gurupooja will understand this easily. For they have had theexperience of having seen the visions of such yogis, karmis, jnaanis (seers)and bhaktaas (devotees). Those who had seen thus also have the knowledge aboutthe potentials and limitations of such powers. It is only after seeing thus theybegin to believe that this Guru is truth. They have the visionary experienceand knowledge about the minutest sands of this knowledge. Liberated of birth inthe ‘characteristics of colors’ and established in ‘pure intelligence’, in thatstate of transformation, they can reach up to the awareness of the Conscious Principle(chit). This is darsanam (mystical vision) in its fullness. 7444 suchrealizations constitute one ‘stage’ (avastha). When that state is reached, the Guruwill try to bring us up in the aspect of a ‘far sighted seer’ (deerghadarshi).After that, the effort of evaluating the profundity of this vision, one by one,is extremely strenuous. This evaluation commences on the basis of (our) karma(actions) in the matters known, seen and heard by us and also according to the ideologicalstate of our mind.

Thus:

‘Theman, who abounds filling the firmaments of the three worlds, ascending it, hasnothing else to perform. But, the Light that shines after the disappearance ofthe ‘three-fold cosmic perceptions’ will not yield to false seers’ (SriNarayana Guru).

Itis this aspect we have to take care.

Thewhole characteristics of our mind from its origin have already been ingrainedin us. Now we have to be shown of the things to come. We can evolve only as perthe evolvement (qualification) of the person showing it. That is why it hasbeen ordered that (one) should not go without a guru.

Inorder to envision the Truth that lies beyond the fourth spiritual stage, onehas to reach the position of the Trimurti (trinity gods). After seeing thataspect, one has to reach what is called ‘the light abode’ (vettaveli). When onereaches there, Guru is indispensible for guidance from there. If Guru is notthere, (he) will try to define the ages and maintain it standing from whateverposition reached. The ages are four, isn’t it? Therefore, if there is no Guruto divulge the true time length of the chaturyugas (four yugas–satya, treta,dwapara and kali), in the authoritative aspect, we would become nothing.

Thekarma (work) of evaluating the significance of a chaturyuga is beyondintelligence. It is standing from the Trimurty stage one has to see this aspectof ‘light abode that abounds and fills the borders of the three worlds’. Fromthere when one moves still ahead and looks ascending above, there lie stilllarger ‘realms’! Along with that, we could also see the paths we havetraversed. We can see the paths we have covered in any ages. But for evaluatingthat age, the person who has seen this should have transcended the realm of theTrimurty.

TheTrimurty are the Gurus of the ages which belonged to them. They are standing inthe subtle. Guru is the one who cuts this subtle binding. The subtle is therefrom a dust of sand to the ‘Immutable Absolute Realm’ (akhandam). We have to thinkwhether this Absolute is related only to the world or does it exist beyond thattoo. There are various ‘Immutable Absolute Realms’. What is the way to go intothese Absolutes? Guru is that way. Otherwise, one can only stand stunnedreaching one such Absolute. The importance of Guru lies here. This Guru shouldbe the one who has transcended all these Absolutes. It is not enough that heexperienced and understood that ‘endless infinity’ but should be the ‘authority’of a course of action of accomplishing and understanding it.

Disciple:It is only a ‘perfected life’ that is brought as a Guru – isn’t it?

Guru:Yes.

Disciple:If so, why is it necessary for this Soul to start all over again repeatingeverything remaining in the human body?

Guru:A soul might take birth as a blade of grass; it evolves and evolves and growsto become all the trees in a big forest. In the character of trees it becomes abanyan tree, mango tree, akil, sandal tree, etc. and it is from there it isevolved to a different womb. Each blade of grass and each tree when it evolvesthrough its time, that soul, standing in the atmosphere, comes back in adifferent form. Just like a mango sapling grows and spreads it branches, humanbeings also sprout, grow and spread out. We see this expansive evolutionary actionin its subtle and gross effects.

Disciple:The human being comes after birds and animals, isn’t it? Or was everythingcreated at the same time?

Guru:At first the bird, then animal, after everything the human being.

Disciple:These creations happened at the same time?

Guru: Thehistory of a same age is shown in different periods. Everything would not beshown at the same time. Error will result if it is shown in that manner.

Disciple:Is Darwin’s theory of evolution authentic?

Guru: Itis authentic. But those disputing the theory of rebirth will find it difficultto agree with.

Disciple:But Darwin does not say that the soul transmigrates; he says the living beingsevolved from one to yet another.

Guru: Ofcourse, that indeed is correct. It is our duty to explain it further. Whenepochal changes occur, the characteristics of mist, rain, sun and darkness allwill change. Only if the characteristics of these changes are considered, onecould conclusively talk about what is beyond. It is to make it understandablethe ‘colors’ (aura) are being determined. Confined to that color, get the explanation.

Disciple:Is color not external?

Guru: Whatis in the external is present in the subtle too. Don’t we speak about thesubtle body? That subtle body exists in the subtle plane. It should be seen assumingwhat color it exists. Thus seven colors should be seen. Then the karma (theway) that combines the seven colors should be seen. There is a specific way to bifurcatethese seven colors from the white. (Thus) by the grace of God, the course ofthat Soul (the life of such a Soul who has become the authority of colors) isbeing given to us. Such a Soul - where, in what and when all has worked, thatis another course. The ‘Streamof Light’ that ascends in this way is called ‘the Light that shines upon the disappearanceof three-fold cosmic dimensions’.

Disciple:Will a soul who comes perfected in this life itself see this completely?

Guru: Itwill see. It has to end thus seeing, even though it might have seen this in allbirths, since this soul has got a new cage.

Disciple:Is it that sitting in this cage, all the old will be repeated? In case an errorhappens (sitting) in this cage, would it not whatever was correct earlier becomedeviated?

Guru: Itmight get deviated. That is why it is said that even if (one soul might have) reachedthe abode of Brahma, it might fall down.

Disciple:Does it mean that the Guru, even after coming as the perfect One, when residesin this cage, the suffering He undergoes is the same as that of ordinarypeople?

Disciple:He has to suffer even more.

Disciple:Was there any period in Guru’s life when there were no sufferings?

Guru: Howmany years have you been with me? Have you ever seen any comfort in my life sofar? What I am trying to say is this. Would you understand when I say that youought to do this or oughtn’t to do this? Your consciousness (jeeva) has notgrown to that extent; therefore, (you) are getting confounded remaining there. Arational thought will come there then. This is how you perish getting bedeviled.As a result, there will be untimely demise to the great work. It is a verydifficult subject. A zero watt bulb will not give light in the day time, isn’tit? The light will be on, but practically it is of no use. What is the use ofsaying everything is our ‘handiwork’? Reaching whatever level we work, only tothat extent our knowledge will reach. It is here I said that mistake hashappened.

Shouldn’twe get out of this? As for you, you have ‘bhagavan’ (god/s) and ‘bhagavati’(goddess). And why didn’t you reach the perfection of knowledge and luck? Isthere any family or a person who has thus reached it? Is there any karma (a wayof action) which will help you to reach at least up to the abode of Iswara?Whatever level the medium of your worship has reached and exists, you cannot gobeyond it. At the most, you can reach up to that.

(Janmadinaspecial issue 2002, pp 29-32)

How Can We Deny the Truths of Nature!

Gurucharanam Saranam

            

 How Can We Deny the Truths of Nature!

(Guruvani- The Sacred Words of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru)

         

We have behind us the experience of many Ages of worship, knowledge and teachings. This process has been going on thus over the long passage of time. At one point it is written (in the scriptures) that somebody lived for 10,000 years, doing penance. Can it happen in a human life? What is meant by this is the ‘karmagati’ (the karmic propensity) of the soul earned through several lives of penance. Now, someone has left this world earning the quality of evil in the soul. Thus, how many billions do you think exist till date in the unfathomable account of the Hindus, who speak of 330 million deities?  Like this, how many myriads of epochs and their karmas have we passed to reach here? 

A Yuga or Chaturyuga speaks of a big time calculation. Seventy one such chaturyugas constitute a Manvantara.  After the passage of six such manvantaras, this is the 7^th manvantara. The karmic residue of those bygone manvantaras, resulting from what was learnt and heard, and from the actions performed knowingly or unknowingly, is absorbed into this Nature. Do you belive it? It is true. Nature has photographed this discussion of ours seated here today. Is it so or not? How should you view this? You should not say that it is not there. It is there. A non-existent thing has no name. Something is being discovered by somebody all the time. What is discovered is given a name and such identification has been going on. In that case we have behind us the karma denoted by the name we lived with, grew and decayed. Do you believe it to be so?

There are our ancestors who evolved a worship system based on a name and made us worship that identity. The question is whether you have to be aware of the fact that these ancestors and what they worshiped are behind us. It is a fact that these ancestors would have carried into their birth the propensities from previous lives which had gone into their blood and marrow through their thoughts, potential and actions. A part of that ancestral karma gets transmitted to our souls as well. I ask whether you have any doubt about this. Then how do we get rid of it? There are many things that your parents, ancestors or elders have learnt, professed or taught you logically. But this is nothing. There is the karma (of worship) of those who invoked and made us invoke (a deity) knowingly or unknowingly. Where could it go?

The rationalist has gone one way and the liberationist the other way.  Let them go. There are many of us between them. What is the way out for those? There is this area where you, others and I have worked. I am asking whether we have the right to say that this area does not exist. Doesn’t this natural reality of the particles of karma that went before us and will lead to other karmas after us exist? This is my question. It is indeed there in Nature. If it is so, should we not think like that? It is to transfer my experience to you. These are not empty words. It can be seen. That is what is called experience. 

I am giving the example of your own children as proof of this experience. I have not brought them from my house. Aren’t they staying here now? This is a confirmation after you have received the experience (spiritual vision) that what I say is based on what is revealed. The reason behind a disease is seen, and what is seen is communicated. In other words, our ancestors and we ourselves pursued different ways of worship and did good and bad. Our body is the natural result of the experiences and actions of these souls. How can one nullify this? Our first question is whether it is understood or not?

 Disciple: Yes, it is true.

Guru: Then how should we know that? I am explaining this in a way that you may understand. This is to give you my experience. For example, take Narayana Guru, Sri Sankara, Chatambi Swami, all of whom took birth in Kerala. There are some people who have faith in them, with or without awareness. The faith and the karma that attracted that faith and the teaching behind that faith also exist. Is it not? Shouldn’t we know this, or not? Thus, for observing such a truth in the world, we need someone to give this knowledge to us. What kind of a person should that be? 

Disciple: It should be a Guru. 

Guru: Yes, it should be Guru. It is Guru behind all this creation. All this is Guru indeed. Guru is there in everything.

Disciple: Yes, the Guru of spiritual realization.

Guru: When you say spiritual knowledge, mostly it is, as l mentioned earlier, a spirituality practised by tradition. The person who could judge on this is the one who has known all principles in detail, and realizing the harm and damage, wishes to enlighten us. Only such a person could enlighten us. Would it be alright to practice gender discrimination, keeping away women and making it a men’s privilege? That means we have not even thought about what rights women have. Somebody please tell me if you believe that all mothers - women who have lived as mother, wife, daughter or sister - have suffered. Only if you ask me could I explain and help you realize. But if you say, ‘No, I am a rationalist and nobody could enter my house’, I have nothing to say. 

This is elucidated by the Guru who gives the knowledge of the realms in this solar system as well as the complexities of all spiritual planes including those relating to the human and celestial worlds and that of the Supreme Being. Did you understand? If not, I shall tell you. That is why I am asking. You should understand this clearly. You are youngsters. What shall I do if you go somewhere and return as owners of karma causing regret - having spent your time in ignorance?

Are we not earning hapless karma that leads to self-delusion? How do we change this? If what has been so far transmitted is found in them despite our agreeing or otherwise what are they to do? You should certainly understand this. I am not referring to things which do not exist, but only about those that exist. That too only what I have seen. You need not doubt this at all. This conviction should come to you. Otherwise it would not be proper to say anything. Suppose you take it to be a tall story - my words will be lost on you entirely. Only if you believe could I tell you something about it. You have faith, I hope. To talk to you, I am putting in an effort as I am not keeping well. Why am I, in this state, talking to you about this? Grasp you must - that is why.

There is a reality in this nature that could show you the spiritual planes beginning from the plane of the evil spirits to the plane called ‘Vetala Nagaram’. This plane makes you realize the nature of ‘Vetala’. And then, there is ascension to the celestial, deva plane. From there you go to the Rishis. From there you ascend to the plane of formless form - and you are shown how it is and how it is not. What does it matter if you, somebody else or I accept or reject it? When we stand behind its existence, shouldn’t be there a medium to show you its primordial form, the reason behind its decadence, the ways in which the decadence set in, as well as the existence in time and space of that ‘karmagati’. Then do we have to believe it? We will experience the truth of it only when we act with the conviction that there is truth in what we believe.

Now, what am I telling you this for? I am telling you this for a purpose. Foreseeing the mistakes that we are likely to make unless we pursue that path of truth, we need to take the correct step. Otherwise we would pass away from this world in ignorance, transferring the mistakes to the children we see growing up in front of us. In this nature the souls of the dead start taking birth after a gap of one or two generations. Thus the deviant souls are born again. If you say it is not so, there is no use of my speaking. We take birth here and live and ultimately leave. How we were in our childhood, how we are now and how we change with the passage of time! We are the witness through these changes. Is there then an entity present through the cycles of innumerable births and deaths? If it is there, what is it? Isn’t this your question?

The consciousness by which you are able to see - in jagrat, swapna, sushupti (awake, dream and deep sleep states) - where did the knowledge come from, that makes you aware that you slept well during deep sleep and in dreams? The joy in our body and the peace in the soul that we got become the source of that knowledge. Isn’t it? Even in sleep, consciousness convinces us. What can one say if someone argues, ‘how could you say this, you who were sleeping last night?’ is this something of our making? 

This is not rationalism, but the ‘ism’ of what is. We should at least accept the ‘ism’ of what really exists. Then we might turn to the ‘ism’ of what is not. Am I right or wrong? Therefore let us understand what is real. Later you can try to learn what is unreal. We can learn about what does not exist. We should learn all aspects from that source of knowledge that shows all that exists. Through whom shall we learn this? 

I do not say that all of you know about it. But all people can hear about it. Some people realize it in their soul. It is there and it is true. Beyond this also there is something else. I could tell you only if you believe in this manner. I need to go into this further only if you believe in whatever has been said so far. We have in us the knowledge and ignorance inherited through the actions and inactions of our ancestors. Isn’t it? We are attempting to realize the truth and falsehood with these inherent limitations.

What does the Vedantin say? This does not exist, this is passing; everything is therefore subject to destruction, and all this is illusion - maya - caused by God. Could he chop his body and discard it? If the body does not exist, why does he carry this stinking body, bathing, clothing and covering? Even so, he goes about saying that he has nothing to do. Isn’t it? May I ask you where this pundit and this illiterate, who dissect words and interpret, uttering ‘soham’, would reach?

What is the use of my speaking something if you do not realize this?  You at least think that is a man you have faith in. you can give him whatever name you wish to. We should get the virtue of this soul - the fulfilment of experience expressed through the medium of his body and soul. No matter whatever way it is - through learning or otherwise, knowingly or unknowingly - he has attained this. I do not say that I could show this to all of you. The reason is the ancestral karmic background about which I mentioned. We are the continuation of that karma accumulated through many births and deaths. We should exercise our will and get what virtue we need to earn in the soul and should remove its haplessness.

The Difference between Guru and Deities

Gurucharanm Saranam

The Difference between Guru and Deities

(Guruvani - The Sacred Words Spoken by Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru)

What is the range of the term ‘Guru?’ From someone who does a job to a person engaged in the virtuous work of (imparting) self-realization comes under the definition of Guru. Leaving the field of occupation, when one reaches the spheres of pranamayam (energy sheath), jnanamayam or vijnanamayam (knowledge and wisdom sheaths), mere bookish knowledge becomes inadequate as instructions are to be sought here. 

The lack of punyam (virtue) in the soul gets expressed as various diseases in the body. This has to be cured by employing different methods. Textual knowledge does not help in this. Where textual knowledge does not help, that path of dharma, which enables one to seek merit (punyam) through action (karma), helps. Such dharma has influence on the soul as well.

The dynamic of action being such, action without dharma hinders the soul and the body in course of time. A person follows his basic instincts and propensities (vasanas) accrued from past births. 

Some may do more good deeds and some tend to do bad deeds more. Sometimes, the individual is not in a position to distinguish between good and bad. Therefore when he does a bad deed, taking it to be a good one, his entire activity turns bad. 

Unless one confesses to Guru about one’s negative karma, no solutions can be found and one comes to a dead end. In an excess of devotion (bhakti) some resort to strange deeds and invite people’s displeasure. Yet others imagine themselves to be persons of still higher attainment and would act and even move like a yogi or mystic.     

In course of time, the activity of such persons loses clarity. It becomes incomprehensible (even) to themselves. They will not be able to assess for themselves whether the path of initiation (upadesa margam) or the path of concentrating on a favourite deity (ishta devata sampradayam) is suitable for them. Beings in the subtle plane start manifesting before a person who follows either of these paths for some time. 

 Such manifestations would be according to the evolution of the soul of the devotee. If there is a manifestation, the devotee will be full of zeal in his pursuit. His devotion (bhakti) would also increase. He would start getting visions in the waking state of consciousness (jagrat), dream state (swapnam), profound sleep (sushupti), the higher fourth state (turiyam) and a still higher state (turiyatitam). 

The inner visions start with the elementals, go on to lower beings such as matan, maruta and mantramoorti, and to apparitions of mystics such as yogi, jnani, karmi and so on. Demonic beings capable of creating powerful movements in the five elements are among them. 

These are the ‘lords’ in some households and ‘gods’ in some others. The devotee who has visions of them might even get the feeling that these ‘lords’ and ‘gods’ are pleased in his presence. He would then feel proud that he has attained certain heights. He might get visionary experience in dream as well as in the waking state. He would become respected in the locality. In terms of the soul’s growth, some of these persons get stuck at this stage.

If there is no Guru to guide, at this stage a situation may arise which invites the displeasure of family and neighbourhood. They could say bad things about him and he may even be physically beaten up. Since the devotee has extrasensory experiences, he would still cling on to his object of worship. He would carry on as if his experience is spiritual. He would indeed have many matters to present as authentic! As indicated above, there would also be deeds to his credit that ought to make those around him believe (in him).

Those who follow the path of worshipping a favourite deity like matan, maruta or mantramoorti would sprinkle holy ashes, engage in tantric rites and initiation rituals, in order to earn people’s respect. These are minor tricks inspired by the deity itself. The devotee and those who believe in him get caught and even incarnations could be wasted this way. This could have happened in past births also (to the devotee). 

The practitioners of such devotion might take to wandering, and their end might come on the roadside somewhere. Yet others would practice yoga, initiation through mantras and worship of favourite deities and just pass away (without much progress). 

Some work towards altered states of consciousness like pratyaharam and dharana related to the samadhi state. Striving thus, they earn certain spiritual experiences as well as perceptions of life. As they are meticulous about their personal cleanliness and bodily purity, they will be held in high esteem at home and outside. 

As they go forward, the lack of merit (punya) in the soul as well as the needs of the body will block their progress. Here things get mixed up. Correction and direction can be received at this stage only from a Guru; Guru becomes inevitable here. That is the depth of the riddle that is Guru.

When visions, as indicated above, are received, and 7444 of them realized, an aspirant attains one ‘stage’. If an individual with a healthy body and punya in the soul strives relentlessly and consistently, it would take 18 ½  years to complete this one stage. 

Even such completion would take an aspirant (if he is a beginner in spiritual life) only to ‘Vetalanagaram’ – the realm of powerful but dark (tamasic) beings. If a mistake is made at this level, one would stagnate at the same level through many births and deaths without progress. The line from the Gurugita, “aneka janma samprapta karma bandha vidahine” (the one who burns up the bonds of action of several births), could be reflecting this cycle of birth and death. 

An aspirant could fall into such error whichever path he takes – be it jnana, karma or bhakti. Some who have come up in the jnana path also have written about this.

Sri Narayana Guru’s Daivachintanam refers to the same experience. It is from his spiritual knowledge that he draws and speaks. To get out of the negative, one must pursue the positive, he says. But he does not make it clear as to how to go about it. 

It is one among millions and millions of tyagis (seekers who lead a life of self-sacrifice) who becomes capable of getting such a perspective. Many souls incarnate and depart in a variety of ways. In all this there would be truth also. The truth, in words of dharma, is in the correction by discriminating between right and wrong.

A person who completes 70748 visions of this kind will evolve to a high plane (daivasannidhanam) moving closer to the Supreme. Until and unless the human race realizes the value of this great and inexplicable astral process, no one can even guess what the plight would be. Even the rationalists turn out to be exponents of futile efforts in this field.

More dangerous than these aspirants and rationalists who create perverse karmic streams are those poets and thinkers who present a world vision based on intellect, without an inkling of the gross-subtle-cause-effect(sthoolam-sooksmam-karanam-karyam) relationships. The above mentioned rationalism (yuktivada) and liberationism (muktivada) have led to the philosophy of people like Charvaka. These people have a handicap. They don’t have the maturity of awareness that can lead them to their own liberation. But we keep in mind that they have the skill to open up the storehouse of knowledge of the entire world.

The effort in this area is of two types of devotion -- without using intelligence (mooda bhakti) and devotion born of knowledge (jnana bhakti). Of these, the second group pursues the path of jnana bhakti and will not have any touch with real spiritual experience. 

The subjects that their intellects absorb and the writings of those who are in tune with them are of intense value to themselves; everything else would be senseless to them. But legs tire equally for the person who is chased, and the person who chases. Both will fall pathetically in the end. Rationalism and liberationism have only this much of essence. 

But the real liberationist is not in these lists. The author of Gita has qualified him with great words: the one who combines intelligence with spiritual power – “budhya yukto yoga balena chaeva.”

Some of the scholars who enthrall people with their textual knowledge are projected as jnanis by some (other kind of) rationalists. There are also persons who are stuck in unthinking devotion (mooda bhakti) till the end. These are the type of people who were described earlier as scapegoats of the sorrow that is Vetalanagaram. People of textual knowledge, no matter how great they are, are slaves to this realm of the spiritual world.

The aspects of gross-subtle-cause-effect (sthoolam-sooksmam-karanam-karyam) are related to the soul’s karma and dharma. The Guru who lends gross-subtle-cause-effect to the soul’s karma and dharma should be a bold doer with direct spiritual knowledge and should respect and consider the five elements (panchabhoota), five senses (panchendriya), five sheaths around the soul (kosas), the individual soul (jivatma), the Absolute (Paramatma) and dharma.

Without Guru, the aspirant may reach the aberrant state of the liberationist/rationalist whose action does not bear any fruit.

Thiruvalluvar does not seem to have discussed dharma, artha, kama and moksha but he has made references based on them. It is not possible for an ordinary person to function without these.

As far as liberationism and rationalism are concerned, they do not rise up to any conceptual height. It does not help to forget the fact that at this point every one falls. Reason and liberation are two ideas which deserve special and serious consideration. Such consideration is a way to freedom.

The dharma of Guru is eternal and inscrutable. Guru is the giver of vision (knowledge) pertaining to the level of the atom, the indivisible totality (akhandata) and the object of one’s worship. 

He possesses the clarity of knowing the past, present and future. He can impart that proof to others as well; he causes recurrence of their life situations, to reach a corrective solution. 

The difference between Guru and deity is immense. A life without realizing this is fruitless. The deities worshipped – devas and devis - are nothing at all in comparison with the visionary disciple of such a Guru.

Prophesies About the Arrival of a Great Supremely Enlightened Guru

Gurucharanam Saranam

Prophesies About the Arrival of a Great Supremely Enlightened Guru

By M. Chidambaran, Dy. Director of Education- Retd., Haripad)

The Vedas, the Sastras, the Upanishads, the Puranas and the Epics have been written centuries ago. Scholars have interpreted and commented on them in accordance with their knowledge, wisdom, imagination and reasoning power so as to make those interpretations authoritative documents. Prophecies are not such authoritative interpretations. They are the knowledge attained by rishis and other divine men through revelations and enlightenment from the Eternal Light. The prophecies made by great acharyas after Sri Krishna such as the Buddha, Jesus, Mohamed, Aurobindo Maharshi, Nostradamus, Narayana Guru and Vivekananda are of this type. The great acharyas have predicted that a great Soul will incarnate to this world to fulfill the will of Brahman and lead mankind to the Eternal Truth. Let us look into some of those prophecies:

Sri Buddha

In ‘The Gospel of Buddha’ compiled by Paul Carus and published by the Publications Division, Govt. of India, it can be read that the Buddha had predicted that a great Guru by the name ‘Kindness’ or ‘Karuna’ will manifest in due time to reveal the Eternal Truth, establishing a pure and perfect lineage of human race to this world (page-210 Mettayya):

‘Before the passing away of the Buddha, Ananda the principal disciple of the Buddha asked the blessed one suppressing his tears, ‘who will teach us when you are gone? The blessed one replied. ‘I am not the first Buddha who came upon the earth, nor shall I be the last. In due time another Buddha will arise in the world, a holy one, a supremely enlightened One, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of angels and mortals. He will reveal to you the same eternal truth which I have taught you. He will preach his religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at the climax and glorious at the goal in the spirit and in the letter. He will proclaim a religious life wholly perfect and pure, such as I now proclaim. Then Ananda said, ‘How shall we know him? The blessed one said, ‘He will be known as Mettayya’, which means he whose name is Kindness or Karuna.

As predicted by the Buddha, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru cleanses the spirits of our ancestors (mortals) and angels (the deities they worshiped) by will or by His spiritual brilliance. These purified souls will be placed at appropriate places for rebirth to form a new pure lineage in the coming generation. No other acharya could ever do such cleansing of manes and deities for establishing a pure and virtuous lineage of human race with ability and fortune devoid of the evil effects of past karmas or actions, as done by Karunakara Guru. Guru reveals to his disciples through darsan and self experience the eternal truth which the Buddha had taught. We can see the incomparable leader of men and master of angels and mortals known by the name Kindness or Karuna or Karunakara in Santhigiri Ashram and know about him through self experience.

Jesus

The gospel according to Saint John in the Holy Bible predicts the coming of the Spirit of Truth as follows (Chapter 14- para 15-17, chapter 16-para 5-14).

‘If you love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever.  Even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knowth him, it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He comes He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment. I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. How be it where the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever He shall hear that shall He speak; and He will shew you things to come…..’

We can see the Spirit of Truth with the above mentioned qualities in Santhigiri Ashram. He spoke only that is heard from the voice of God and that is known through spiritual or divine wisdom. He reveals these things to His disciples and devotees through darsan or vision.  He didn’t speak anything about Himself. He informs us before hand what is going to happen and the reason for it and guides us to fullness of truth.

Aravinda Maharshi (Aurobindo Ghosh)

Maharshi Aurobindo had the darsan of the descent of Supramental Light to the earth, followed by Sri Krishna. He narrates it as follows: (The vision of Aurobindo by Dr. Velayudhan Nair, Page 58).

‘An extremely powerful oceanic flood of light rushed down from above. Sri Krishna is not the Supramental Light. Sri Krishna is the Over Mind Godhead that prepared the path for the descent of Supramental Light to the earth. This happened on 24^th November, 1926.

Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru was born on 1^st September 1927, after 282 days required for pregnancy and delivery since the descent of the oceanic flood of Supramental Light and Sri Krishna on 24^th Nov. 1926. During the time of completion of the stages of spiritual evolution of Guru who has manifested as per the will of God to free mankind in this Kaliyuga from the evil effects of past bad karmas or deeds, it is said that Sri Krishna came to the atmosphere of the precincts of the Ashram in a chariot and nullified the opposition of the forces in subtle state. This was witnessed by the disciples in the Ashram, who were having darsan. The Overmind Sri Krishna cleared the way for the descent of the super conscious Supreme Light to complete the karmas which could not be completed by the other acharyas born after Sri Krishna.

From the time when Guru could recall as a child, till his 9^th year, He saw a light and luminous figure within His chest. Guru could realize only later that the figure He had seen was that of Sri Krishna. He thought that everybody would be having such experience. Guru who was like a dumb in the early years could utter only those words heard from the face of the figure seen internally. This figure and light vanished slowly when He became 9 years old. He began to speak normally and started primary education only after that.

What Maharshi Aurobindo had seen in his vision, the experiences of Guru from birth to the present time, and His messages throw light to the part played by Sri Krishna to liberate mankind and establish the ultimate Sanatana dhama as per the Will of Almighty, through Karunakara Guru. The completion of this dharma could be fulfilled only through a Supreme Guru who reached the highest state of spiritual evolution and got the authority to do so as per the will of God.

Nostradamus

The predictions of Nostradamus (Century-1, stanza 50,53, 71, 72, 73, 76)…. Summary

‘He who is born at a place where 3 seas meet together will treat Thursday as a Holy Day. He will conquer many things and will become famous throughout the world. He will act like a whirlwind and will take India (Orient) to the highest point. A person, not from a Semitic religion (not a Christian nor Islam), not from white race (not a European) and who considers Thursday as a Holyday will become conqueror of this world. That Messiah (Savior) will rise up during the fag end of 20^th century. He will be known by an ancient name. He will be more famous and enlightened than anyone else and will send true message to all’.

Where the three seas meet – at the southern most end of India in the southern part of Kerala, where the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal meet together, a Messiah has risen at the fag end of 20^th century (Guru lived between 1926 -1999), with an ancient name ‘Karunakaran’. He treats Thursday as a Holyday and conveys the real message from Almighty to the human race. You can see that Messiah in Santhigiri Ashram at Pothencode, Thiruvananthapuram Dist., Kerala. The message of that great Guru that shows the path for the liberation of mankind will spread throughout the world like a whirlwind and will take India to the zenith of eternal fame.

Guru predicts that the message of Guru and the pure lineage of Guru will spread throughout the world in 350 years and a pure world society that considers human race alike will be formed and will give guidance and leadership to the mankind.

Sri Narayana Guru

Compassion is a great divine quality that is essential for all to reach God. Narayana Guru had the darsan of the arrival of a great Guru who is the incarnation of compassion and love – Karunakara Guru. Narayana Guru narrates his wonderful darsan and divine experience in his verse ‘Anukamba Dasakam’ as follows. Narayana Guru sees the qualities of all known acharyas and divine things in the great Guru he had seen in darsan. He names and describes the peculiarities of each one of them and asks whether the Guru in darsan is that one.

‘O, Karunakara! Kindly let me always have your compassion and love that do not hurt even an ant and the thought about your divine figure. Let me always have the fortune to see your divine body. Is this compassionate figure that of Lord Sri Krishna who acted as the charioteer of Arjuna in Mahabharata war and revealed to him the ultimate truth? Are you Sibi who is an ocean of patience and love towards fellow beings? Or are you Sankaracharya who wrote simple and lucid explanation of Advaita Siddhanta or the principle of monotheism? Are you God himself who has taken human form as an embodiment of dharma? Are you Jesus Christ who is the Holy son of God? Are you the precious Jewel Mohammed Nabi who is the embodiment of compassion and kindness? Are you the divine spirit that cures diseases using vibhuti or divine ash and do things which cannot be done even with the power of all kinds of siddhis? Are you Kamadhenu, the heavenly cow that has taken human form full of compassion? Are you the divine Kalpa tree that gives gift to devotees as per their wishes and request? Are you Thirnavakarasu? Are you Thiruvalluvar? or the Rishi Agastya? Are you Nandanar, who reached the heaven with human body?’

 Those who have direct experience of Karunakara Guru will realize that all descriptions given by Sri Narayana Guru are suited to Navajyoti Sri Karuanakara Guru.

Vivekananda

In the Part IV of Vivekanda Sahitya Sarvasvam, Vivekananda tell us who a Guru is:

‘Guru is God, nothing less than that. Guru is the divine mask worn by God to come near us. When we continue looking, the mask dissolves and vanishes very slowly and God appears before us’

Vivekananda informs us that God comes near man and leads him to the path of truth in the form of a Guru. It is our duty to find out that Guru.

Conclusion

It is realized by direct experience that the Mettayya predicted by the Buddha, the Spirit of Truth predicted in the Holy Bible, the Supramental Light described by Maharshi Aurobindo, the Messiah who had risen up during the fag end of 20^th century in the Orient at a place where three seas meet and would conquer the whole world as predicted by Nostradamus and the Guru as described by Vivekananda is none other than Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru.

For the disciples as well as the faithful through the experience of darsan in jagrat, swapna, sushupti, turiyam and thuriyateetam the greatness of the Guru becomes perceptible. The distinctive characteristic of Santhigiri is nothing but the revelation through darshan. It is obvious to the disciples and the faithful that Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru holds the divine power and authority to correct and lead the great souls who have achieved the position of deva, sanyasin and rishi.

Significance of the Ancestral Cleansing

Gurucharanam Saranam

Significance of the Pitrusuddhi - Ancestral Cleansing at Santhigiri

By M. Chidambaran, Dy. Director of Education- Retd., Haripad)

This is not the usual pitrusuddhi (purification of the souls of our ancestors) carried out through sacrifices (homas) or oblations as practiced according to the Hindu tradition. Real pitrusuddhi does not happen through that ceremony. The sinful souls of the dead who are ineligible for liberation or mukti become instrumental in generating children in neecha rasi (evil position of stars) which in turn results in failures of actions (karma) and also misery. This can be overcome only through pitrusuddhi carried out through sankalpa or will which is the unique way of the Guru. He divines the conditions of all objects of our worship and those of our earlier generations (souls of the dead) and with His knowledge of Brahman He brings them to his own spiritual light making them eligible for liberation through His acquired goodness (virtues). This is what is known by the name Guru Pooja in Santhigiri.

Our duty is to bring forth our children to become parents to establish a new lineage (parampara) of the people arising from the purified souls. Such people will be the embodiment of goodness, fortune and power as well as purity of action. The realization of the ultimate truth experienced by the faithful and the disciples of the Guru is the distinctive characteristic of Santhigiri. Nowhere else can we find believers and disciples who have really experienced visions and revelations as in Santhigiri. The concept of God is realized through the Guru. People who follow different religions, faiths and practice different rituals can have their sins of the previous births removed by following the path of the Guru. He is the only person who can divine the actions of the previous births and foresee the future and its dharma and advise how to carry out our duties in relation to it. Offering correctives to the darsans the Guru alone can lead us to the path of liberation. Without a real Guru this becomes impossible. We can find out this Guru through His disciples who have actually experienced His grace.

The purpose of Guru’s birth is the creation of a casteless and classless society, the members of which will maintain purity in thought and action and also hold on to eternal moral values, fraternity and peace. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru fulfills this mission of establishing a new lineage of people with faith in One God following the genuine dharma and karma of Manu. Hence this is a liberating religion. Santhigiri will be known as the birthplace of anew concept of humanity. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru spoke on the relevance of Santhigiri Ashram to the present age thus:

‘The knowledge initiated for the dissemination of dharma which human race cannot attain through Manusmriti of Manu can be obtained through the message of Santhigiri. Of the four epochs known as chaturyuga, the last one is kaliyuga. It is brought out through our lineage what the objectives of life during Kaliyuga should be, and what the full realization of divinity is expected to be.  The corrections regarding the dharma to be followed in each epoch starting with Krita or Satya yuga as propounded by Sri Krishna through Bhagavat Gita becomes a reality through Santhigiri.

Sri Krishna took his birth at the end of Dwapara Yuga. His life and message have not been properly understood by either scholars or unschooled people. This distressing fact cannot be forgotten. Sri Krishna’s birth and life based on dharma sastras and puranas was a great asset to humanity. Even that we have failed to follow. Countless scholars have explicated the idea contained in the Gita. However nobody belonging to the human kind right from the Brahmin to the chandala (the untouchable) has failed to comprehend the full significance of it.

The concept of form, name and quality, countless subtle states, cause and effect relationship, the knowledge about age, the stages of dharma in the order jagrat (wakefulness) dream, slumber, turiya and turiyateeta and the inner secrets of life are perceived through the faculty of darsan (vision) of disciples and believers. They are realized from time to time as the divine design. This is a phenomenon unique to Santhigiri. Some serious mistake had crept into this kind of knowledge at some point of time resulting in the non realization of the absolute truth, which is symbolically described as the loss of the fourth face of Brahma. Nevertheless, some great souls who came after Sri Krishna could perceive the truth….. Thanks to the serene and blameless divine darsan of exalted souls. Santhigiri by its precepts and practices embodies their great ideals. It has been fully proved here that the people belonging to all castes and creeds can realize the ultimate truth. It takes into account that has been emphasized in our ancient puranas and epics. It also focuses on the yuga dharma of Kaliyuga and it is revealed only through the special faculty of darsan.

India’s purnas, epics and Vedas prescribe a laborious method of long term practice for the attainment of spiritual realization. However, Santhigiri emphasizes spiritual realization through activities according to yuga dharma not hurting even an ant. This is nothing but what the Holy Bible said, ‘seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened’. It is the same as the ‘jyoti varna’ in the Holy Koran and ‘Satya Dharma’ described in Hinduism or the Sanatana Dahrma.  Therefore Santhigiri shows us the divine exhortation for all people to grow in every way’.(To be continued)

The way of worship to be followed in Kaliyuga

Gurucharanam Saranam

The Way of Worship to be Followed in Kaliyuga
(By M. Chidambaran, Dy. Director of Education- Retd., Haripad)

What Is the Dharma of Kaliyuga?

In Kaliyuga man can evolve spiritually higher than devas and can reach beyond that. We have not been properly guided in this line hence we are ignorant of the dharma of Kali. We have been taught and made to believe that Kali is the embodiment of evil and destruction. Hence the truth about Kali is concealed and mankind has become ignorant about it. To find out the truth, we have to read and understand at least Guru Gita. The veracity of Guru Gita can be tested in Kaliyuga. The dharma of Kali is to prove whether it is true or false. This can be achieved through Guru, through the relation between Guru and disciple by the self experience of disciple after passing the stages of all evil spirits and devi devas. This is the dharma of Kali. But some scholars for their existence may say that Guru Gita has been compiled from tidbits taken from elsewhere. Such a statement is nothing but the view of the so called scholars who argue that God is subject to man’s rationality. This becomes a stumbling block in the path of man’s realization of jeevan dharma. The rest of it can be experienced only through the Guru-Sishya relationship. This is a part of the ignorance that accumulated over the past 25 chatuyugas.

The way of worship to be followed in Kaliyuga – the Path of Guru

In conformity with the Yuga dharma, the way of worship to be followed in Kali is the path of Guru, based on the belief in One God. How many of us realize the truth that the liberation of mankind can be attained only through a Guru who has reached the summit of spiritual wisdom and is omniscient and all seeing. Such a Guru is spiritually evolved transcending the stages of cosmic gods and trinity through virtuous deeds in crores of births. That holy Guru is a realized soul, surpassing all planes of spiritual wisdom, the jeeva becoming free from all actions, attaining liberation while in physical body and delegated by Brahman to redeem human race. Such a holy Guru will be all seeing and all knowing. To get more information about such a Guru it is advised to go through Guru Gita in which Siva, one of the trinity who worships the Guru tells Parvati who Guru is.

Each one of us takes birth and lives in this world with a jeeva having sins and virtues and vicissitudes accrued as a result of our past karmas. Only by removing the bad effects of our karma in the past births and by doing virtuous deeds, our karmas would become fruitful leading us to mukti. A great and perfect Guru who takes birth in Kali can remove the bad effects of the karmas of our past births. Such bad effects of karmas which cannot be removed, the virtues and fortunes and eligibility for jeevan mukti that cannot be gained even with virtuous deeds in thousands of births can be gained in Kali. This is achieved through the karma and worship of One God, Brahman by completely offering and surrendering to Guru. It was predicted by the great personalities like Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Nostradamus, saint Aravind and Narayana Guru that a Yugacharya will take birth during this time.(Details  of this shall be given separately). Let us know the truth that the Yugacharya of their predictions is Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, the founder of Santhigiri Ashram. Enquire and find out.

For the human race which suffers on account of diseases and thwarted hopes and actions beyond its control, the Guru of Santhigiri shows the way for the permanent solution of these problems. Spiritually He helps us to attain the ultimate deliverance or jeevan mukti. Having reached the summit of spirituality, the Guru does not carry out this mission of Brahman through the performance of miracles. Miracles and the temporary physical gains accruing to believers are not the yard stick for measuring ones spiritual knowledge. It has to be accepted that handful of devotees of Trinity do manifest signs of divine vision and ability to perform miracles. But this should never be misconstrued as the attainment of the highest point in spirituality. How is it possible for us to identify the perfect Guru? The only way to do this is to get in touch with the disciples of the Guru who have had genuine experience of the greatness of the Guru through divine vision and revelation (darsan). (To be continued)

The Root Cause of the Sufferings of Mankind and the emergence of Trinity

Gurucharanam Saranam

The Root Cause of the Sufferings of Mankind and the emergence of Trinity

(By M. Chidambaran, Dy. Director of Education- Retd., Haripad)

The first Guru of human race is the sage Manu and his lineage is Manu lineage (Manuparamapara). According to revelation received in Santhigiri, in the 3^rd Manvantara, a major error occurred in the Guru tradition. The error was the belief of an Acharya in the Manu lineage called Satyatrana, that ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, I am the Brahman. This egotism brought the Manu lineage to the curse of Brahman. As a result the karma, dharma and even memory of Manu lineage vanished from the succeeding generations of human race. Brahman itself initiated a corrective in the seventh Chaturyuga and Trimurty system was created. Trimurtis were entitled to make creation, existence and destruction. Trimurtis have no authority to give mukti. The authority to give mukti is only Brahman. Trimurtis are not Brahman. There after, astral matters related to mukti were revealed to sages and got codified as Vedas, Sastras and Upanishads. Since the sages who received the astral matters could not see and go beyond the Trimurty stage, they wrongly interpreted these visions using their intellect and the wrong belief of considering Trimurty as Brahman developed among people. Another sage under the Trimurty system recharted the time order of the Manu lineage subservient to Brahma, the deva of creation in the Trimurty system.

Thus they created the false belief among people that Trimurty system existed from the beginning and it is the supreme. Epics, mythological treatise and legends had been written and the false belief that Trimurtis are Brahman got established. Hence spiritual uplift has been limited to a stage below Trinity stage.  The supremacy of the worshiping class prevented Sudra from the learning of even Vedas and Upanishads. The evil spirits such as maadan, maruta and mantra murty became the deities of Sudra. The way of worship contrary to yuga dharma or the ethic code of yuga, continued in Kali also. Mankind has thus been kept away from the path of mukti. The Trimurtis and devi devas lulled by rituals and oblations and the super evil spirits in the subtle stage known as jinnis, devils, Satan and Gandharva have been obstructing the spiritual uplift of a soul beyond them. Thus, the trinity system that was created to correct the mistake of forgetting Brahman led mankind to that mistake itself. A solution to this can be found only through the path of Guru.

The Tragic Experiences of the past Preceptors

Sri Krishna who took birth at the close of the Dwapara Yuga and gave up life in the beginning of Kaliyuga of this Chaturyuga was a spiritually enlightened Guru by birth. Sri Krsihna was the first Guru of this Kali. He was followed by 2444 acharyas in the form of Gurus, preceptors and prophets such as the Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Nabi, Vardamana Mahavira, Sankaracharya, Tiruvalluvar, Narayana  Guru and Chattambi Swamikal to fulfill the mission of redeeming human race. But these great men who pointed out the lapses in worship and tried to guide mankind to the path of truth were not accepted by their contemporary society. Only persecutions and sufferings were given to them by the society. They had to leave this world unable to complete their mission. Their end also was tragic. Sri Krishna met his end with an arrow from a hunter. The Buddha died of food poison from the alms received. Jesus was crucified. Nabi was forced to run away from his native land Mecca to Madina as the opposition of liars became unbearable.  How Sankarachyara met his end is still unknown. Dayananda Saraswati was given poison. These great men had these bitter experiences due to the opposition in subtle and through it in gross. Unable to endure the persecution, in the end Jesus had to cry ‘Oh, Father, have you forsaken me? Nabi had to utter in disappointment, the world is ruled by Jinnis (devils) (To be continued).

The Importance of Spirituality for Success in Life

Gurucharanam Saranam

The Life Mission of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru

By M. Chidambaran, Dy. Director of Education- Retd., Haripad)

The Importance of Spirituality for Success in Life

Man is a being made up of a material body and a spirit called Soul. So, for success in this worldly life, happiness, peace and mukti (liberation of soul), materialism and spirituality are two complimentary and supplementary indivisible factors. Each and every day of ours passes by with complicated problems, experiences and sufferings in life. The majority of us are devoid of mental peace, experiencing turmoil and sorrow due to sufferings and failure in life and actions contrary to our expectations and beyond our control and sufferings from diseases, the reason of which is not known. Degradation of ethical values in life has been devouring mankind in a more deadly fashion than cancer. Neither Science nor Materialism can save mankind from this moral degradation and great fall. Only spiritual leaders can save mankind. Many an Acharya or Guru or Preceptor has taken birth so far to fulfill this mission. But instead of getting any relief or redemption, disquiet, sorrow, sufferings from diseases and degeneration of moral values have been increasing day by day. Why? What is the reason? Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, the founder of Santhigiri Ashram at Pothencode, Thiruvananthapruam, Kerala reveals to mankind the reason for this.

The importance of Kaliyuga

According to the Guru, we are living in the Kaliyuga, the last epoch of the 28^th Chaturyuga (age quartet) of the 7^th Manvantara, the period of the seventh Manu. (One chaturyuga = the combination of 4 ages - krita, treta, dwapara and kali = 12000 divine years = 43, 80, 000 human years; 71 chaturyugas = 1 Manvantara and 14 Manvantaras = 1 Kalpa) It is said by preceptors that Kali is the age of liberation of even sudras, the people at the lowest rung of human society. All the mistakes and evil effects of individuals in the previous ages can be corrected and solution found in Kaliyuga through a few births and become eligible for ultimate deliverance. But even in this Kaliyuga, we are following the way of worship contrary to yuga dharma. If we continue in this Kali the way of worship of gods and goddesses followed in Treta and Dwapara yugas, which cannot make us eligible for mukti or redemption, how can we attain deliverance? Temporary gains may be attained through the worship of evil forces and gods. Is it the way to attain everlasting peace, happiness and deliverance? Don’t we fail to seek and find out the real preceptor?  The soul of the people who worship evil forces such as maatan or mantra moorthi (some low spirits worshipped by Hindus in South) will remain only under such evil forces and those who worship devi devas (gods and goddesses) will go under them. If you worship Brahman (the Supreme Radiance of God) alone your soul will reach and remain under Brahman. Realize the truth that neither Trimurties (trinity gods) nor devi devas are Brahman. Only Brahman or Almighty has the right and power to give liberation. Then where will the worship of multiple gods take us to? How many of us really know that only belief in one God and the way of worship in that line is the only way to redeem mankind and enable it to attain liberation

.

Guru makes us aware of the ignorance developed in mankind about Kaliyuga, about the Dharmic code of Kaliyuga and how it can be implemented and solutions for our problems found:

‘We are made to believe that Manu is the son of Brahma, one of the trinity and the god of creation. This is not correct. It is said in Bhaagavata too, the epic of Hindus that there are 14 Manus starting from Swayambhu Manu. After making people believe so, Vedanta has been explicated by scholars and commentators giving meaning to vowels, consonants and words. They have tried to make others believe that only scholars can perceive all these ideas and convey them to others. Thus they studied 18 epics, 4 Vedas and 6 sciences. When they reached up to Vedanta, they became unaware of the sky about which the calculation of various lights is related to'.

After speaking specifically about the numbers of bhoomikas (astral planes) they speak of the details of bhoomikas and enter into Vedanta. This can take one only up to the end of Veda and cut away the Light. What is the benefit of it? Some people have a misconception that the consummate result of worship will be achieved through the performance of ‘homa’ in the fire generated by churning arani. If such a misconceived mind can be satisfied so, any one can do any thing here. This is not better than trying to straighten a ripe and hard snake guard. You can understand this if you will read this keenly. Our drawbacks are: (1) the ignorance of not knowing Time. (2) The ignorance inherent in the knowledge conveyed by the pundits. If we speak more clearly our measuring stick so far was mantra, tantra and yantra. We are ignorant about the time span in which ishta devata mantra (the chanting of mantra of chosen deity) is effective. We are unable to ascertain the age up to which our quantum of knowledge leading up to the worship of chosen deity through mantras has prominence. (to be continued).