Sishyapoojita – The Most Revered Among Disciples

Gurucharanam Saranam

Sishyapoojita – The Most Revered Among Disciples

Mukundan P.R.

The concept of ‘Sishyapoojita’ is an original contribution of Santhigiri Guruparampara to the spiritual fraternity. Sishyapoojita, meaning the worshipful among disciples is the highest accolade bestowed by Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, the founder Guru of Santhigiri Ashram to the chain of spiritual authorities in Santhigiri Guruparamapara, Sishyapoojita Amrita Jnana Tapaswini being the foremost after the physical departure of the Founder Guru.

Sishyapoojitha Amritha Jnana Thapaswini wrote about her early days in the Ashram and the plethora of spiritual experiences and vision she experienced:

“I was able to meet Guru for the first time when I was nine years old. I was much inclined towards the worship of God right from childhood. I had a secular outlook and used to go to mosques, churches, temples and ashrams to pray. At the very first meeting with the Guru, my mind was brimful with reverence. "A tranquility not born out of any emotion" may be the right thing to say. I could even think of Guru at par with God. This Divine Form, clad in immaculate white, appeared in all mortal and immortal dimensions, affluent with great kindness and compassion. This form filled my mind always, never fading away.

Guru guided and rectified my spiritual experiences. But both physically and mentally, I was unable to bear the strain or the after-effects of these visions. This made me to think about living in the presence of Guru in the Ashram, because I knew that through His Prakasham - Spiritual Light - the adverse after-effects of the visions could be annihilated. Thus my life as an inmate of Santhigiri Ashram commenced in 1972. Those were the days when the Ashram was a bee hive of activities like the reception of asareeri (Divine Revelations); prayers extending to weeks non-stop in accordance with revelations; culmination of tasks of divine dicta as per Divine Will, known as Poortheekaranam, always marked by non-stop chanting of prayers for days, etc.

Once, a declaration came forth from the Absolute that all were to bathe and pray and the manifestations would be at 5 p.m. The Supreme Power, with all compassion, came and declared that the thing of its aspiration for so many Yugas had fructified. Also that Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru’s Parampara would be perennial. The Guru was endorsed to be the Soul that has accomplished every known task for Yugas and is saturated with the essence of all types of karmas. This lineage had been favoured with the right to ask and understand anything from the Almighty, unlike the others. So saying it, all were blessed…..”

In the history of avatars and prophets nowhere one could find the continuity of the stream of clairvoyance, leadership and guidance among the disciples after the lifetime of the masters. Secondly, a woman has never been able to climb the heights of spiritual hierarchies as in the case of Sishyapoojita Amrita Jnana Tapaswini, beyond certain celestial stages in conventional religious traditions, for example the trinity tradition. This twin contribution of Santhigiri to the ancient Indian Guru-Disciple order is one of the uniqueness of Santhigiri’s spiritual movement.

Santhigiri Ashram will be celebrating Poojitha Peedom Samarpanam-10 from 13^th February to 22^nd February, 2011 in commemoration of the great spiritual elevation of Her Holiness Sishyapoojita Amrita Jnana Tapaswini, the present spiritual head of Santhigiri Ashram.

Spiritual Cleansing of Indian Society

Gurucharanam Saranam

Spiritual Cleansing of Indian Society

Mukundan P.R.

It would be outrageous if it is stated that the problem of poverty in India is due to her spiritual background. Indian people are known for their great spirituality, but spirituality when practiced not in agreement with Yugadharma or as per the evolutionary character of the ages (Manvantara order), it becomes counterproductive, like the usage of expired medicine. The problem of poverty, in its social and individualized nature, has a spiritual aspect because poverty is the expression of the subjective deficiency in a person or society. The gross world of our experience springs from or is a reflection of the subtle dimension of our thoughts, beliefs and actions. In other words it is the status of the soul or the subjective dimension which determines the quality of our life and environment.

We cannot change the scenario of poverty without a qualitative change in the soul status. For example, many homeless people in Kerala were given homes free of cost by a government scheme. Age-old miseries and spiritual ignorance had made quite few of them pathetic drunkards. Within a short period, they sold their houses and became homeless again. A house under the canopy of the Creator is a divine blessing. We can help a homeless person. But the most enduring help would be elevating persons and societies subjectively so that the blessings of life never depart from them.

If religious beliefs lead to fundamentalism and extremism, if it causes fissures in the society, if it produces poverty and moral depravity, if it does not uplift human spirit to the vitality of truth, then it means that a spiritual distortion has taken place, calling for a positive social intervention. It necessitates a new method, to revitalize and rehabilitate the human spirit. We have found from our experience that what is needed is not the revitalization of old doctrines, but a spirituality that could practically uplift us to a new height of social and spiritual transformation in accordance with the evolutionary character of this age, Kaliyuga.

Whenever, whenever societies have come under the weight of regressive traditions and belief systems, they have suffered socially, politically and economically. We all know that the pagan ancient religions of Rome, Greece and Egypt were replaced with new monotheistic doctrines and belief systems, bringing about great social change. It was after this cultural and spiritual renaissance, the western societies evolved to play a leadership role in the world. Almost the entire world has now come under the influence of western culture. In the medieval period, the Arab and Persian civilizations became formidable when Islam crushed the pagan tradition and began to follow monotheistic religion. Similarly, no one can deny the strong influence of Buddhism in the rise of Japan, China and other countries in the Far East.

The relation between spiritual movements and economic and socio-political development is very obvious one. The common thread in all the above examples is a departure from the old customs and beliefs and courting of a more egalitarian spiritual path based on the belief in a monotheistic vision of God. All these are historical examples for the upgradation of the subjective status of societies through spiritual intervention. However, India remained isolated from this spiritual emergence after the time of Buddha. India remained locked in an island of cultural and spiritual malignancy. The history of her cultural and political enslavement and the depressed state of the majority of her people continues to this day. The economic and social deprivation of the underprivileged should be studied in this historical context of cultural and spiritual isolation.

India is the ancient land of the wisdom of sages, whose spirits enliven the spiritual sky of the world. Her development and progress is aligned to the egalitarian path of the Rishis. The spiritual heart of India needs regeneration. Her people should be liberated from the negative spiritual and cultural influences of the past, competing sects and castes. The befuddling ideology of unity in diversity is a meek expression of the helplessness of Hindus in particular and of others in general. India continues to remain in the secondary school of primitive (pagan) worship. India should graduate to a strictly monotheistic tradition under a strong spiritual leadership. It can help India emerge as a global spiritual power. But it is quite understandable that the question of spiritual leadership is not a simple one.

The Indian culture is based on the spiritual regime of the Rishis. India venerated Sri Ram in the Treta Yuga and Sri Krishna in Dwapara Yuga as they were the spiritual authorities of those ages. But when it came to Kaliyuga, India lost its spiritual track. It wallows still under the serfdom of devas unable to understand the true message of Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha and other sages regarding the worship pattern of Kaliyuga. Puranas state that in Kaliyuga 'naama samkirtanam' or chanting of God's name is the way. But whose name? One has no proper information on this. One view is that the name of the Supreme Guru of this Kali age should be chanted. But that Guru should have crossed all spiritual planes and realized the truth of Brahman. That Guru should at least have fulfilled and crossed the trimurty stage (deva stage) in spirituality and should function as per the Will of Brahman .He should function with the knowledge of three fold cosmic time and also should be receiving 'darshan' or spiritual vision from the Light of Brahman to guide mankind in all matters. After Sri Krishna in Dwapara Yuga, we do not know which spiritual master and his lineage has been born in this Kaliyuga fulfilling these conditions.

When India falters, the whole world gets spiritually lost. If it is stated that all the problems of the world today have originated from the spiritual error of India, it would be too difficult for us to comprehend. But believe beyond doubt that India is the spiritual center of the universe. It is God’s Will. Let us not forget that the world is established on spiritual truths of cosmic dimension. and India alone is the custodian of that spiritual wisdom. This Kaliyuga has brought India good tides of luck through the birth and life mission of Navajyoti Sri Karunakra for the spiritual cleansing of Indian society, to evolve it into its true pristine spiritual status.

A New Powerful Age of Spirituality

Gurucharanam Saranam

A New Powerful Age of Spirituality

Mukundan P.R.

How beautiful is the idea of the Upanishadic rishis who declared that ‘by knowing which everything becomes known, know that as the Truth’. How scientific is this declaration, which sounds like the computer terminology in the modern age. The rishis could understand the true nature of human problems of diversity, contradictions and conflicts in life through such abstraction. The myriad confusing experiences and pictures of life could be condensed to a few fundamental truths and traits of human beings. When we casually glance through the data, sounds and pictures that are being incessantly thrown up through all types of media around us, we become acutely aware of the tremendous diversities of human mind and pursuits. The cyber world has become a virtual waste basket in which everyone can litter one’s thoughts and mind bits. When we flick through this vast junk of bottomless thoughts, the truth becomes clear that humanity is far distanced from the abstract thinking mode of the rishis.

Those few who do think are still in the thinking mode of a distant past. Those who do not think are blissfully enslaved in the cage of a sensual world. The thinkers and philosophers have no new coats to wear. The prime movers of the society are not the market forces - industries, business houses, politicians and so on. They are only vendors and collaborators of consumerism. The march of mankind depends on radical ideas and philosophy of life. Human civilizations indeed are hinged on the spiritual discoveries of mankind. But what is the state of spirituality today? The present day spirituality is like a stagnated pool on the surface of which are the morass of past ages and the stink of an unworkable spirituality. Unworkable because it cannot lift the colossal weight of the ignorance of the present day human society to a new uplifting spirituality and social transformation because it is either time barred or emasculated of all spiritual strength.

There is an epochal change which beckons a new powerful age of spirituality. The rishis called it as yugadharma, aeonic spiritual change as per the whirling wheel of time. And this spiritual transition is gleaming increasingly like the faint rumble of lightning in the distant horizon. Hearken! The tongues of fire emerging from thither are the words of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru. The time of divine downpour is coming! Be ready, O’ men! The freshness and fragrance of Guru’s teachings emit a new ray of hope, full of beauty and spiritual joy. It can bind humanity together, in a single thread, like the idea of the Upanishadic rishis that seeks abstraction in the idea of the Divine.

Impending Spiritual Transition of Humanity

Gurucharanam Saranam

Impending Spiritual Transition of Humanity

Mukundan P.R.

True globalization can happen only on the foundation of a global spiritual vision, a spiritual vision that does not balkanize spirituality. What we require today is a path of spiritual discovery that helps our transition into a higher plane of consciousness. Only standing upon the plateau of such a higher spiritual consciousness, the modalities for peace, value and progress could be evolved for a just global order. This age demands such a spiritual transition. The present day conflicts, disparities and disquiet are not indicative of a hopeless future, but are the signs of an impending spiritual change as per a perfect cosmic plan governing the universe. We only have to open our eyes to discover its presence, coming out of our spiritual ghettos. Perhaps, the present day talk of globalization, though on a wrong footing, may be a prelude to that change.

Well known Theosophist Helena Petrovna Blavatsky wrote that human civilization originated from what she called as ‘Root Races’. According to her, there are seven root races in a cycle of creation. The present one is the fifth Root Race progenerated from Vaivasata Manu. She further explained that each Root Race has its distinct characteristics according to a pre-destined plan in the evolution of human civilization. Blavatsky was only affirming the Manvantara order mentioned by the ancient Indian Rishis. However, the Manvantara order as per the Indian spiritual schools differs slightly from Blavatsky. While Blavatsky described that the present Root Race of Vaivaswata Manu is the fifth root race, according to Indian schools of thought, it is the 7^th Root Race.

It is mentioned to drive home the fact that human race has a common origin from a common progenitor and therefore, the oneness of humanity is an inherent truth in nature. The racial and geographical fragmentation of humanity occurred because of an ideological slip in the Root Race many aeons ago. The consequent ideological spilling caused identical balkanization in customs, habits and culture of man. Human movements across land and sea further developed into different racial and ethnic communities. It is ideology that separated humans at the root level which manifests in all levels of human civilization beginning from an individual to a family, society and to nations in the world.

The world today appears steeped in so much diversity. To harmonize humanity into the concept of Oneness, one has to begin from the ideological aspect. Man has to retrace his steps from the ideological diversities to the original source where harmonizing of diverse ideologies take place. Even a single global language could be a reality if man retraces his steps to the source of oneness. Only such an ideological base can unite mankind. Of course, humanity has to travel a long distance before reaching that shore of ideological oneness. Therefore true globalization can take place only when this ideological integration is reached. The present economic globalization is perhaps the forerunner of such an integration. One cannot also deny that the present changes brought about by economic globalization, however unpleasant that may be, is helping humanity to evolve from the local versions of human exploitation and retrogressive ideologies.

Human civilization is in the threshold of change. A great evolution in the spiritual thinking of man is taking place. Sri Aravind Ghosh referred this as the Supramental transformation of human race. Mankind has to lift itself gradually from the lower spiritual levels in which they are currently locked in to higher spiritual embankments. The cosmic time order is propelling humanity to such a spiritual transition. It is a journey to Root Consciousness through multi-layered chests of consciousness. The present spiritual and ideological perplexity and the consequent disquiet in the world are due to mankind’s dislocation from that basic source. The ideology of Navajyoti Sri Karunkara Guru is to rouse humanity to that impending spiritual transition for a global world order based on true dharma peculiar to this age.

India Wronged Spiritually?

Gurucharanam Saranam

India Wronged Spiritually?

Mukundan P.R.

Warning: Do not discard your allegiance to the gods unless you are fully acculturated in the path of the Rishis or Gurumargam, it can be dangerous.

Very few people might be aware or might have thought that India’s problems of poverty, corruption and social distortions are due to her wronged spirituality. Wronged spirituality, not lack of spirituality! Whenever and wherever dharma is wronged that society suffers and it is true in India’s case. But this truth is covered up by the learned pundits as well as the pauperized ignorant people of India. India’s rise is prevented by the weight of an outdated version of spirituality, polluted and fragmented internally and degrading socially. This wronged version of Hinduism is popularized through a temple culture, the distinct features of which are an iniquitous caste system and worship of gods and demigods. The price India and the people of India have paid during the last thousand years and are still paying for this great spiritual aberration is very high. India should return to the source of its spiritual wisdom, the Rishi tradition, which venerates the Absolute Truth of Brahman than the blind supplication to thirty three billion gods and an ugly forced veneration of caste hierarchy.

‘Apoojya-poojane chaiva poojyaanaam-apyapoojane, Narah patanam-aapnoti mahadwai naatra samshayah’, says Kurma Purana. By not revering those who are to be revered and revering those who are not to be revered, that society goes to utter ruin. And India has been utterly ruined by the veneration of venerable gods and demigods in contravention of yugadharma. India forgot the Supreme Brahman and the venerable Rishis in the lineage of Manu. Don’t the Hindus know the spiritual status of demigods and devas? Don’t the Hindus know that the abode of sages and rishis are higher than the gods and devas? They know and the devas too know it. The gods always revered the rishis. The puranas are full of such knowledge. Otherwise how can Brigu Maharshi kick Maha Vishnu on his chest with his feet! How can the king of gods Indra beg pardon from Atri Maharshi for the escape from a curse? The great Vishwamitra Maharshi, challenged Brahma, the creator and proceeded to create an alternative universe itself! He was stopped doing so by the request of gods. Then whom should we follow, the great rishis or the gods? We should follow the rishis. The Buddhists, the Sikhs, the Jains, the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims understood it. They followed Gurumargam, the path of the Buddha, Guru Nanak, Mahavir, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed and they prospered and were blessed to that extent.

Why and when did the gods and devas begin to be extolled here sidelining the great rishis, the repositories of highest spiritual wisdom and God realization and through whom alone mankind can hope for spiritual uplift? Was it for the sake of the Vedic priests, because their livelihood depended on temples? At least now they can change, as very few of them depend on temple craft now. O’ priests! At least now you can release India from these spiritual wrongs, which your innocent ancestors inflicted upon the great Indian civilization. And you smug Media and the sleepy Intelligentsia, wake up! You heed not the sages of this country and their spiritual mission, with full of ignorance, arrogance and ridicule inside you. But their message cannot be trifled down and trampled upon. India will rise again and so too the Rishi tradition. It is the requirement of this age, the yuga dharma.