Gurucharanam Saranam
Astral Pollution of Atmosphere
(Sacred words of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru)
Translated from the original Malayalam
Whatever our ancestors have established, let it be truth or untruth, is the ethics. How did we conduct ourselves in it? Kali is the fourth era. When we say Kali we are made to believe that it is the age of ignorance or the age of ignorant people. But this concept is absolutely incorrect.
There are four Vedas which have been divided for the four yugas. This division has been made by a person called Vyasa or Krishnadwaipayana. However that may be, this Knowledge has astonished us. How can we now observe the Dharma of Kali?
By telling that ‘Kali is with Sudra’, the Sudratwa (the quality of being Sudra) has been irrevocably established. When it was pronounced that Kali is with Sudras, some people felt superior and some others felt inferior. Some thought that they were a group of the downtrodden.
What is the Dharma of Kali? The other three yugas have been actualized. If any shortcomings have occurred in that actualization, the Kali Yuga and its heir the Sudra are there for its correction. For that, the Sudra has to acquire knowledge. Thus the Sudra who acquires the knowledge is also becoming the authority of the Satya Yuga. No one becomes an authority just like that. For that one has to acquire wisdom, ability and efficiency. It should be based on knowledge given by divine dispensation. Ignorance about this divine dispensation has resulted in branding Kali as bad. The whole world has been functioning on this wrong assumption. This malfunctioning has come through the course of many ages; to be exact it is as old as twenty five chaturyugas. Therefore, it is not possible to grasp it by calculating. It is not possible to measure it even by going to the moon and studying. The length of a chaturyuga is 12000 divine years. One divine year is 365 human years. How could one comprehend it by calculating?
After living in this world we will go, leaving the body here itself. We are learning things till that time. Each day, small and great things will be learnt. It is a great act in the Ashram culture, wherein we first, praying a bit, respecting a bit, accept each other and regard the teachers, parents and preceptors. With such action, we ourselves can accomplish many things. The remaining is a great wisdom that is learned from the institutions of family, society and the nation when we grow up. That is the knowledge which we should cultivate materially and spiritually. But be careful in the exhibition of deception and pretentious frenzy in the name of that knowledge. Those who have stayed in the Ashram even for a day observing all this will realize that it (pretentious display) is not good. If those who are experienced in ashram-life were to join with them in the frenzy, they will become worse than the latter, because they will do all undesired things to outsmart them and thus become unbefitting to the country.
In the Ashram and through learning in the Ashram, we, with our wisdom, sacrifice, suffering and actions are compensating and fulfilling whatever lapses (are there) in our house and the country. This is the spiritual knowledge which we get from the Ashram. This is not sanyasa. It is not for adopting sanyasa one is coming to the Ashram, having faith or staying (in the Ashram); but it is for learning with their lives. That was what ancient kings had done. Even Lord Krishna studied in an Ashram. An Ashram is such a great institution where (great souls like) Krishna learnt.
‘Aa’ (‘Aa’ means that), ‘Shram’ (‘Shram’ is effort) – Ashram. The core aspect of every Ashram is to work transmitting love, respect and humility for the good of the world. This is the education which is gained from the Ashram. Instead, there is no meaning in saying that ‘I had been to the Ashram for the sake of it and learnt Vedas, Vedanta, music and dance’. All these can be got from anywhere.
There is a relief from all sorts of problems after the present prayer (Akhandanama) was started without interruption in the Ashram. When the Trimurthi system was relied on, there were results in the early stages. Gradually, there began occurrences of failures; nothing worked including the curing of diseases. The present prayer was received by two persons as oracle. It was received at Varkala itself. But since my name appears in it, I did not permit to do it. But a message (oracle) was received that it should be chanted and strengthened. I referred this to Pattani Swami (the spiritual guide of Guru). Then he said: ‘At present, you will not know who you are. For that, a time will come. Only after your time, it will be understood sufficiently. It is for the whole universe’.
It was in 1973 it was realised that the Akhandanamam is the most appropriate thing. The conviction is that Nature had been preparing for this for a long time in advance. There are people here who have been praying this daily from the very beginning. But most of them have not understood what it is being done for. There are many reasons for it. Most people have come to think (of prayers) that if the blessing of a god or goddess is received, everything is attained.
Another type of awareness is the practice of satiating (the deity) with one-day ‘ahuti pooja’ or ‘adakki pooja’ (certain prayer offerings to the deity) accompanied by vows and offerings. There are many temples in Travancore and Malabar which conduct this type of one-day ‘adakki pooja’ as the most important ritual. There are such temples in Thiruvananthapuram, Vaikkam, Ettumanur in Travancore and from Kodungallur to Kasargode in Malabar. These include the temples of Parasurama. Neither we nor the people with higher wisdom than us know why these have been built as such big temples with outer and inner courtyards filled with ornamentation works. Our forefathers, or let us so consider that Kshatriyas, have done it with a mind to show off their power.
An attempt has been made here to unite us by the Vaishnava, Saiva and Saktheya cults. But people will not get united in that manner because these three cults have come with three different characters. What is required for unification is certain wisdom. What knowledge can we get from these (traditions) which have been led into decay with embellishments, music, dance and din? Let us take Kathakali itself. It has been acclaimed as Kerala’s own original (art form). Absorbing the consciousness of coining names for each sect and sub-sect, categorizing them into many folk arts like Theyyam, which even the government promotes - in such a situation, how much have we progressed, how much have we taken, how much could we understand? Do we have time even to think about this? Even if we have thought about it, it is as if a cruel fate of time that never allows us to unite has entangled all people, leading to the path of annihilation.
All of us know about the Dharma called Sanatana. But what is Sanatana, what is Haindva - we are in a quandary unable to know it with discernment. Sanatana means to function with the knowledge of the Ages. But we do not know what these Ages are. We do not know how to adapt to these Ages. The Satya Yuga has gone with its innate goodness. From the Treta Yuga, we have lived according to the dictates of the karmic propensities.
We have come to this world after many generations. We have very little time in this life. What can we learn during this short span of time? Can the wealth of knowledge left behind by the ages be learnt to exhaustion? Therefore, the subject we should learn is the Dharma of Kali. The Dharma of Kali is not based on caste or religion. It is a benevolent aspect that should come about in the dharma of mankind all over world. Though attempts are made to suppress it to the extent possible in the name of freedom or whatever else, one should realise the changes that have occurred during the past fifty years.
Especially, when we evaluate the intelligence of the children born during the past twenty years, be it good or bad, we will find that they are more intelligent than us. This can be observed visibly in the children of the age of two to three years. Even though all these changes have occurred empirically, we have been informed that Kali is bad and ruinous. And this misconception has been ‘served’ all over the world. How can we change this concept? Many people are convinced that we cannot change this. But, we can change it. It is for that purpose, we have to work hard. If we are unable to change it, what is the benefit to the next generation? In the past twenty five chaturyugas itself, how many great men have come; they themselves could not change according to the Dharma of Kali or change others. Then what is the fate of ordinary people?
There are millions and millions of souls, of those who have died after worshiping in a wrong manner either evil or benign powers, existing like a scourge in the atmosphere. They exist as atmospheric pollution (or astral pollution). The scourge of this atmospheric pollution indeed affects all of us equally. It is said here about the whole human world. I do not know how many of us are aware of this aspect of truth. I am saying that this can indeed be changed even when the atmosphere exists in this manner. Of course, this is a big issue.
When we talk about the knowledge of our ancestors, whether they have the karmic attainments in the measure of ten, five or ten thousand years? How can we tell them about how the karmic propensity of a yuga is interlinked with dharma. That which is described as the ‘karmic propensity of a yuga’ exists as long as the soul exists. In what way can we transform it?
We should transfer this knowledge to our children. The children growing in front of you should not be thrown to the ‘knowledge’ evolved in the past. Children below the age of twenty to twenty five years, irrespective of gender, caste or creed should be enabled to effect a transformation which will lead all people to a benevolent destination. Within a period of a hundred years, how many millions of souls who have come and lived in this world and gone back with ‘karmadosha’ (karmic error) exist as atmospheric pollution! It is not the pollution of a thousand or ten thousand years. The pollution of indeed twenty five chaturyugas is here. Though we might have to face a lot of difficulties and hardships, this pollution can be removed. For that there is a God-given benevolence here.
It is not for a (particular) caste, religion or doctrine. If one doctrine is concentrated upon, what shall we do with the others? Kali Yuga is the most appropriate time for actualizing this. I have realized this truth, perceiving and experiencing with my life. God has permitted to accept this Kali-Dharma in all its certitude. In order to take it up in its absoluteness through the children growing up in front of you, and in order to beget the ability in each one for actualizing it, you accept this. Melt in sorrow to whatever extent though you may, this characteristic of accumulated pollution cannot be removed by you from them. It is a great fortune if you can take it up as a great Dharma.
What we have so far seen and heard are all a series of miraculous acts inspired by a whole range of subtle beings from demon to deity. The frenzy trance which is a ‘test’ (pariksha) of the presence of the deity worshipped is one such phenomenon. All that was said and done to myself by those who were possessed by deities while at Santhigiri Varkala comes to my mind. A girl had come there who was possessed by an evil spirit (which she said, was) ‘Madhura Meenakshi.’ Another person was possessed by an evil spirit called Kalliyankattu Neeli, as advanced and powerful as the first. In Southern Kerala this spirit is known as Yakshi. There are numerous similar spirits based on tombs and mausoleums.
If you concentrate upon them, then these evil forces will appear in front of you. They would utter certain words of greetings outwardly and inwardly, and making certain odd sounds, tell us about matters which we have never thought of or heard of. They would speak of things we have done in the distant past and forgotten; and of the deeds done by our forefathers. They would express an exact knowledge about our objects of worship as well. If the soul is that of a person who belonged to a prophetic religion, it would quote a few words from the prophet and continue on its own illustrating the points.
All this is the perversion of an evil spirit who does not have any knowledge or attainment in that path (that prophet´s path). If it happens to have some knowledge, the performance would be more convincing. If this is the case with a lower spirit, how much more impressive would be the words of spirits which have attained the stages of a deva (deity) or a rishi (sage). It may be difficult for us even to understand. The reason for this is the ignorance of the essence of the four enunciations that came through a preceptor in the line of the Manu: ‘Aham Brahmasmi,’ ‘Ayameva Brahma,’ ‘Ayamatma Brahma,’ ‘Tat Twam Asi.’
Those who think on how these four enunciations got formed or how they were spread could be very few. What can we do then with the knowledge produced by a kind of scholars who do not have any knowledge? In this way, rights and wrongs have got mixed up through the ages. It is impossible to tell how many souls are there who have evolved into the stages of deva, devi and rishi following countless paths of yoga and jnana, against this background.
It is not humanly possible to tell one from the other and act accordingly. During Sri Rama’s time, it was a Brahmarakshas (a powerful being in the subtle plane) who came to block the fire sacrifice of sage Viswamitra. This has been included in the myriads of miracles of Hanuman in the Ramayana; this is an example. There is an account of an incident in which Hanuman carried and brought a hill of medicinal herbs (Marundu vazhum mala – Maruthua mala) and so souls like this will appear in front of a man of deep devotion and say that a particular thing will happen in a particular way; it will exactly happen as predicted. Would it be surprising then if the devotee develops a pride about himself when four or five such incidents have happened exactly as predicted? The reality which the devotee has experienced would eventually lead to dosha (bad effects).
Souls like these present in this atmosphere are not two or four thousand but millions and millions. We should understand that they are capable of misleading growing children in any way (they like). The phenomena of becoming a medium of Hanuman or of various male and female deities and the paths of miracle working of rishis (ascetics) are all marks of being led astray thus.
Any man who follows these paths will be led astray. The realities submerged here and there in the story of Sri Rama are indicative of such straying. Rama Teertha and Shirdi Sai – are they lesser people? There is a story among Christians, a handful of water was taken from a pool of water and a cavity formed up to the extent of the water taken.
The human mind can magnify small matters and store them within. If such matters as quoted above enter into the mind, what would happen, can be (easily) guessed. Such matters of jnana and siddhi (miracles, predictions, etc.) happen in abundance not only in India but the world over. What is more, all these are matters that occur amongst people always. Whether people believe in them or not, they give great importance to this. Agnikkavati, Garudakkavati, Manushya Kkavati etc. are rituals celebrated widely among Hindus. There are people, possessed by deities, who can dance wearing a chain of red hot iron around their body and work miracles. How could one not be wonder-struck when all this is practiced on an ordinary human body? This is considered highly divine; this is our knowledge.
Walking over water and walking through fire are similar practices. How is the rationalist to know the inner impulse of this? A. T. Kovoor lived in Ceylon amongst those happenings; why did he not put an end to those miracles there? Would it not have been better to bring about changes in these practices there than coming to India and giving lectures? What to say except that all this is worse than bursting fire crackers in the presence of deaf people. The witnessing of one such ‘achievement’ is in my memory. It was an occasion when some pooja was going on in my family shrine. The man who conducted the worship (shanti) was an oracle (velichappad) who came from a distance of a kilometer. After blessing (the crowd), he hacked his face with a ceremonial sword in his hand and the flesh was hanging from that cut. People wanted to take him for getting some medical treatment but he would not agree. When he came out of the temple, his face was intact. Who would not be wonder-struck by seeing this?
A big spear will be taken and a thread will be run through it first; this will be pierced through the cheeks of the devotee. This will be handed over to the next devotee. He would pierce through a lemon and then he would pierce his cheeks also and hand it over to the next one. I have seen three or four persons pierced through with one spear like this. This happens mostly in Subrahmanya temples. This is the way we make projections as the divine. How many illusions could a mere magician create before us! Who does not know there is no good, either big or small, coming from miraculous feats? (The so called) manifestation of God has been happening in the midst of us in this manner. What should we do? How should we go forward? The man who gets into the frenzy this way turns into an evil spirit after death, an extremely evil spirit. Staying in a variety of places of prayer, they would act in many ways. Their acts would appear to be real also.
If you go to Nagore, Beema Mosque and the resting place of Peerukkannu Sahib in Takkala, you can see continuous frenzy trances in dance from 6 in the evening to 3 after midnight. It would stop after 3. In case it continues, it would be a consciously created movement of the body, an act merely put on. If philosophers and scholars engage in scholarly elaborations, ignoring all this (reality), do you think it would disappear? This matter cannot be wished away by saying that it does not exist. Asserting the reality, without doing anything about it, cannot make anyone a jnani – a man of true knowledge- either. For, it has particular characteristics filling the atmosphere as astral pollution. It would not be removed by giving lectures, only in front of a jnani does it – the spirit possessing a person- get subdued completely.
The jnani would not exhibit frenzy trances or any tactic. In his presence the evil vanishes. This would happen in slow course without doing anything in particular. The power of the evil decreases in time and would depart. However, if the members of the person´s family do not recognize and value the grace received, the evil could return. Or another being of the same nature could take charge of the person.
Millions and millions of evil spirits are present in the atmosphere as astral pollution. This is what the condition of the world is. If a person gets possessed intensely for a few days continuously, he would behave like a madman who has lost his senses. When it becomes severe after several attacks, the person could bite his own tongue and lips or grind his teeth and can even pass away. Is it possible for any rationalist, scholar or philosopher to say that such severe convulsions do not happen? Would it be possible for the doctors who look after the sick to say that? It is such a negative force that had inspired the killing of Sri Krishna.
It is this force that caused the Prophet Mohamed to regret: ‘Oh the world is ruled by jinns!’ Thereafter the Prophet resorted to austerities for three months and left his body. That is the only course he could possibly take. Is it not known to the religious scholars and theoreticians? It has no benefit for us to either prove or disprove the reality through argument. We should have at least the knowledge to say that such influences cannot be removed.
Status epilepticus which creates convulsions as in tetanus is a result of severe epilepsy. This is one among the many afflictions caused by the influence of evil (spirits). This sort of disease is seen in most upper class families. Some children influenced by spirits go blind or deaf; some others – both male and female- turn mad and have to live with the symptoms of madness till the end because of this spirit influence. Many instances of these maladies can be seen among the children of the present generation. What do we gain from Yuktivada –rationalism - and Muktivada – liberation theory - in such a situation?
More people affected by the diseases from spirit influence are found in countries outside India. Who knows where the souls of all these people go after death. I wish the arguments for and against the existence of spirit influence is dropped, knowing the kind of diseases it causes stationed as it is in the atmosphere. People have a habit of dismissing the symptoms of spirit possessions as madness or lunacy. There are retarded children in the families of many doctors. Treatment for their abnormal behaviour and enlargement of head is not effective even when they are in their childhood. If at all it is effective, it could only be described as God´s Grace. In other cases, they have no way but to live with their condition.
What do the patriarchs, rationalists and scholars have to say about this. This is characteristic of the diseases affecting the children of the wealthy. It would be better to take care not to transfer this ‘wealth’ to the coming generations and destroy them. Think if you happen to read this note of objection, being written to bring to light the ignorance of generations. The children might be playing the roles of father, uncle, husband or wife. Will there be any change if you call them scoundrel, mean minded or in a literary way Bhadrakali. These mean souls adapt to fashionable ways and the foolish call this sophistication. Such people are groomed as tigers and lions by the ignorant knowledge mongers of despicable character, who have learned to oppose everything. Each of us needs to think about the title that should be given to this (kind of) human being.
As a solution there is only one thing we need to acquire through the Grace of God. Without any denial, by arguing that it is true or untrue, try to assimilate the truth that exists. When you perceive any such feature, obey the Great Soul who has informed this to us. In order that the mistake exemplified through the lives of Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Rama Teertha, Jesus, Prophet Mohamed and others be cleared from our midst there is only one way. That has been already mentioned. In order to wash away the atmospheric pollution, maintain a Guru-Disciple relationship with the Great Soul who has come as your contemporary. There are a lot of things that can be understood through such a Guru-Disciple relationship.
(Courtesy: Janmadina Padippu, Santhigiri Publications)
A View of Santhigiri Ashram
Lotus Parnasala and Sahakarana Mandiram , Santhigiri Ashram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Showing posts with label Astral Pollution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Astral Pollution. Show all posts
Friday, August 27, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
A LETTER TO INDIA TOWARDS WORLD PEACE
Gurucharanam Saranam
A LETTER TO INDIA TOWARDS WORLD PEACE
(This letter sent in two parts by Navajyoti Sree Karunakara Guru to the then Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, on September 11, 1984 marks the beginning of an effort to evolve a model for living: taking into account the continuity of the present, past and future; taking into account the need not only of the Indians but also of others in the world. In other words, it is an attempt to take a primal step from where life could start afresh...)
My Dear Mother,
To deserve to be addressed thus, anyone’s action has to attain a state of purity. This is addressed to you in the desire of evolving a new model for living for India and for the world; may it be an inexhaustible treasure for the country; may it be a source of fulfilment to us and to you who is with us, and to the world in general.
In the Hindu tradition, the genesis of Man is said to be through a series of ‘Manus’. Later incorporated into the Hindu worship has been the Trinity – the Trimurthi of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. The world at the moment appears to be on an eager course to reach something. This searching is evident if one were to observe keenly the entire animal world. The intent is linked with a movement towards the better. The totality of this intent has been brought to light by Manu and his Parampara - in the Indian context – through the dynamic of total renunciation sanyasa.
This is obvious without anyone having to tell us about it. It is evident in the fact that India had universities (Nalanda, Takshashila) that excelled any other in the world. It is evidenced in our professed pride till today in our ancient traditions. How much of it is related now to our direct experience? And how much of it is romanticised by our imagination? This is to prepare for a collective inquiry into this important question. Behind these humble words is the urge to inspire the younger generation in love and respect to take the initiative for further action by giving them a perspective on the present situation on the basis of an evaluation of our successes and failures.
For the forming of this necessary perspective for future generations, what is necessary is that we take a course of action which is in keeping with the times. This awareness is contained within us and is a message meant for the faithful the world over. ‘In keeping with the times’ is to be elaborated upon.
There is a general belief that this is the Kali Yuga. There is also a belief prevalent among people that in Kali the world’s dissolution will take place, a view which has the concurrence of other scriptural traditions as well. Our scriptures reckon that this is the seventh manvantara after the genesis of the world and there are seven manvantaras more to pass.
The present manvantara is ‘Vaivasvata’ Manvantara; its 28th Chaturyuga (Quartet of Ages), of which the fourth quarter, the Kali Yuga, is running. In this Kali Yuga all varnas – Sudra, Kshatriya, Vaisya and the Brahmin - should work together towards unity in terms of faith, of love and of creed. Our living has now to be modelled in terms of the coming Satya Yuga on the awareness that our actions have already been touched by the future prophets; the perfect sanyasis, in whom will be combined the wisdom of the sages (rishis) and the excellence of action characteristic of the celestial beings (devas). Living seeds are to be established, oriented towards the coming Satya Yuga, involving them in such action as would inspire such orientation even in others. The governance also should aim to towards such orientation. We may also function with the conviction that the power of the state, to a certain extent, can contribute towards an evolved pattern of living.
How does the state perceive what it should do in accordance with the times? This has to be an inference from the successes and failures of the bygone yugadharmas. If action is not based on such awareness, there is a saying of the wise men of old: ‘If it comes along well and good; if not one loses just a string.’ It is a success if one could pull a huge boulder with a string. If it does not move, what one loses is merely the lasso and a little time. If the action is in harmony with time no pulling needs to be done. A mere touch and it will move in the steam. The string that is karma (action) would guide the movement of the boulder.
Yes, the stream is in full flow: all that is left for us to do is to swim across with our sights set on the goal. We are indeed lucky that this grace is now upon us, that we have an opportunity to be totally successful in this swimming across i.e. in our karma, our action.
It is the Mother’s good fortune, or ours, that you are the mainstay of the State that is meant for action, mindful of the Supreme Truth – God, Brahman or Parabrahman: which is symbolised by various names in various religions.
In silent salutations to the Grace that is upon us which enables us to celebrate it in work.
In salutations to you, Mother, who could initiate that first step towards attaining the courage for higher and foresightful action.
Karunakara Guru
Part-II
My Dear Mother,
It is hoped that the intent and the aim are both clear from the foregoing. The aim, as also the action and redress as would widen the aim, have been obscured by flaws and weaknesses that occurred. Countless proofs are available and not a single one has so far been fundamentally examined and redress sought. Suggestions towards the medium for this action have been indicated by several great men. Some have even initiated such action; among them those alone have succeeded who acted in accordance with their times. Of these the foremost are Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, and their followers
Krishna clarified our path here, much before these great men. Krishna’s life is a proof of the fact that he had to incarnate himself to rectify some flaws that occurred in the great men before him. These flaws have been responsible for some of the crises not only in India but the world over. There is no room for doubt that Lord Krishna elucidated this with foresight for us all. The Will of the Brahman, the Cosmic Will, is expressed thus through many. In this process some have wasted their karma when they faltered in the impulses that guide us towards that Will: by karma hereis meant the energy that is invested in the human body at birth – the vehicle of action. That the Brahmic decree was clear beforehand is evident in the royal status the Yadavas had attained.
Legend has pictured Kamsa as a tyrant. May be he wasn’t one really. The incidents of Krishna’s infancy brought out the entire gamut of Kamsa’s violent traits. Krishna with his Karma destroyed these traits, and in their place suggested what excellence in action should be, ennobled by reason and by means of action. He explained it in the 18 cantos of action and war in the Bhagavad Gita. It is also marvellously suggested that we follow Krishna by the annihilation of the 18 akshouhini army which included all the elders and acharyas like Bhishma and Shalya who so far had been beacons of light to all.
The path Krishna showed could not be attained by us. We have, besides, sullied and destroyed that example. That the Kohinoor, which belonged to the royalty here is now on the British crown symbolically indicated that we did not or could not follow Krishna or that path was not made clear to us. Much before this other invaders took away a precious Sivalinga, one of the foremost objects of our veneration, which is now used as a stepping stone to their place of worship.
If we are believers, on the one hand somewhere something went wrong with our ancestors; our tradition of worship was upset. On the other hand the processes of the State were warped.
And those who were brought up in the cold clime became ready for any battle for survival, and with their industry became capable of effecting fundamental changes in the world. AS a result of this development, we have become brown sahibs mimicking them. However, we could learn some aspects of contemporary knowledge only through their language. This we should not forget.
It is amply clear that whatever traditions had prevailed earlier no longer find a reflection is areas of religion, governance or societal norms. There has been no progress. There is no doubt that this country will move towards a grave danger if we fail to change or initiate a change in the current degeneration the world is facing.
Like Krishna and Mohammed there have been the twelve legendary sons of the low caste woman – their works proclaiming that the deva’s attainments are child’s play. This by no means suggests that there is no deva, devi or other deities in the tradition of the Trimurti worship.
The prescription for the Kali Yuga i that the deva should incarnate himself as a human being and do works that would benefit the states of the deva (the deity), rishi (sage) and sanyasin (renunciate). Values emerging out of these works are to be handed down to common men through preceptors (gurparampara) or prophets pravachakaparampara). For this purpose the State and the believers in the Vedic system – the Vaidiks, the Pandits and the action-oriented – should come together to seek the direction that is in keeping with the present day. Guidance should be sought from a jnani (seer) on whatever issues necessary.
We are in possession of a medium today of knowing past, future and present in the actual experience of life by revelation. A path in keeping with this gift will enable us to achieve enlightenment: this knowledge is akin to how Krishna revealed himself to Arjuna or like the path Mohammed has mentioned (“I received through Word, Light and Form,” is the statement). What he said then, on the basis of this kind of knowledge, has come true now: “The deserts will become cities; endless treasures can be dug out of this sandy earth.” It is high time for us to realise that it is only through such knowledge and through men of such knowledge, that the country or State can flourish.
Towards this end an opportunity needs to be created for the devout and the renunciate to work together. An attempt to unify the followers of different religions should be made. For this approach those who know the past, present and future, and can evolve a path in keeping with the sequence of time and events should be listened to. In this context the only word that can be relied upon is the jnani’s.
There is no room for doubt that a corrective for the world can be effected through the help of such jnanis if the State and the learned willingly believe in the word of such a jnani and act from that belief. There has been an Annunciation that this can be achieved through us, as a parampara. We are glad to tell you what has been thus told to us.
The Annunciation received in 1973 according to the asariri (the Word from Light):
“What I have been desirous of through ages has now been realised.”
From that point onwards till now we have received revelations. All such revelations have proved to us that the destiny of the world can be known by us. We would like to be the subject of experiment and observation whereby you could investigate and find the truth of our claim.
This is written with the prayer that your resources, ours and the knowledge of scholars may come together to evolve a model that would be beneficial to the world at large. We are communicating these words to you in the hope that you, mother, and other heads of state, philanthropists and scientists may come together to ward off the crisis that the world is facing.
Today the world is divided into two categories: those who believe and those who do not. Be that as it may, we all know that human life is the same beneath the differences in the externals. No difference seems to be discernible except that each country conducts its life according to its geographical, environmental and intellectual conditions. In this context India has been enjoying an image of a peace symbol. This image is the result of the skill in action that our ancestors had been able to achieve. This ability has been perfected through a parampara of preceptors and intellectuals. This tradition has evolved certain excellent ideas and tenets; but all that could be concluded is that an error that happened somewhere along the line has soured this tradition, rendering it unfunctional and alienating it from society.
If you seek, there is an answer; we are in possession of the knowledge. The State could involve itself completely in communicating this knowledge into the lives of young boys and girls. It could make parents aware of the need to evolve a life-value based on a blending of education and culture. For this it could entrust some capable public servants with a plan which will reach out to families individually, irrespective of caste or creed.
The children who grow up in this new tradition will revere their parents. They will not break and destroy universities. They will not find it in them to quarrel among themselves over religion, caste or ethnic differences.
The true path towards this change would be to follow the advice of jnanis and work out a plan which will reconcile the values of religion and the goals of politics. Merely quoting puranas and epics will not help. A jnani who knows the present and future alone can handle the situation effectively. The State should, to start with, have faith in people and be able to create such faith in them.
We have received the Grace for taking a step like this: the time is ripe for the Sate to bring activists together.
In the desire of persuading your attention and the attention of other activists in this matter,
Karunakara Guru
(Courtesy: Santhigiri Monthly, Santhigiri Publications)
A LETTER TO INDIA TOWARDS WORLD PEACE
(This letter sent in two parts by Navajyoti Sree Karunakara Guru to the then Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, on September 11, 1984 marks the beginning of an effort to evolve a model for living: taking into account the continuity of the present, past and future; taking into account the need not only of the Indians but also of others in the world. In other words, it is an attempt to take a primal step from where life could start afresh...)
My Dear Mother,
To deserve to be addressed thus, anyone’s action has to attain a state of purity. This is addressed to you in the desire of evolving a new model for living for India and for the world; may it be an inexhaustible treasure for the country; may it be a source of fulfilment to us and to you who is with us, and to the world in general.
In the Hindu tradition, the genesis of Man is said to be through a series of ‘Manus’. Later incorporated into the Hindu worship has been the Trinity – the Trimurthi of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. The world at the moment appears to be on an eager course to reach something. This searching is evident if one were to observe keenly the entire animal world. The intent is linked with a movement towards the better. The totality of this intent has been brought to light by Manu and his Parampara - in the Indian context – through the dynamic of total renunciation sanyasa.
This is obvious without anyone having to tell us about it. It is evident in the fact that India had universities (Nalanda, Takshashila) that excelled any other in the world. It is evidenced in our professed pride till today in our ancient traditions. How much of it is related now to our direct experience? And how much of it is romanticised by our imagination? This is to prepare for a collective inquiry into this important question. Behind these humble words is the urge to inspire the younger generation in love and respect to take the initiative for further action by giving them a perspective on the present situation on the basis of an evaluation of our successes and failures.
For the forming of this necessary perspective for future generations, what is necessary is that we take a course of action which is in keeping with the times. This awareness is contained within us and is a message meant for the faithful the world over. ‘In keeping with the times’ is to be elaborated upon.
There is a general belief that this is the Kali Yuga. There is also a belief prevalent among people that in Kali the world’s dissolution will take place, a view which has the concurrence of other scriptural traditions as well. Our scriptures reckon that this is the seventh manvantara after the genesis of the world and there are seven manvantaras more to pass.
The present manvantara is ‘Vaivasvata’ Manvantara; its 28th Chaturyuga (Quartet of Ages), of which the fourth quarter, the Kali Yuga, is running. In this Kali Yuga all varnas – Sudra, Kshatriya, Vaisya and the Brahmin - should work together towards unity in terms of faith, of love and of creed. Our living has now to be modelled in terms of the coming Satya Yuga on the awareness that our actions have already been touched by the future prophets; the perfect sanyasis, in whom will be combined the wisdom of the sages (rishis) and the excellence of action characteristic of the celestial beings (devas). Living seeds are to be established, oriented towards the coming Satya Yuga, involving them in such action as would inspire such orientation even in others. The governance also should aim to towards such orientation. We may also function with the conviction that the power of the state, to a certain extent, can contribute towards an evolved pattern of living.
How does the state perceive what it should do in accordance with the times? This has to be an inference from the successes and failures of the bygone yugadharmas. If action is not based on such awareness, there is a saying of the wise men of old: ‘If it comes along well and good; if not one loses just a string.’ It is a success if one could pull a huge boulder with a string. If it does not move, what one loses is merely the lasso and a little time. If the action is in harmony with time no pulling needs to be done. A mere touch and it will move in the steam. The string that is karma (action) would guide the movement of the boulder.
Yes, the stream is in full flow: all that is left for us to do is to swim across with our sights set on the goal. We are indeed lucky that this grace is now upon us, that we have an opportunity to be totally successful in this swimming across i.e. in our karma, our action.
It is the Mother’s good fortune, or ours, that you are the mainstay of the State that is meant for action, mindful of the Supreme Truth – God, Brahman or Parabrahman: which is symbolised by various names in various religions.
In silent salutations to the Grace that is upon us which enables us to celebrate it in work.
In salutations to you, Mother, who could initiate that first step towards attaining the courage for higher and foresightful action.
Karunakara Guru
Part-II
My Dear Mother,
It is hoped that the intent and the aim are both clear from the foregoing. The aim, as also the action and redress as would widen the aim, have been obscured by flaws and weaknesses that occurred. Countless proofs are available and not a single one has so far been fundamentally examined and redress sought. Suggestions towards the medium for this action have been indicated by several great men. Some have even initiated such action; among them those alone have succeeded who acted in accordance with their times. Of these the foremost are Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, and their followers
Krishna clarified our path here, much before these great men. Krishna’s life is a proof of the fact that he had to incarnate himself to rectify some flaws that occurred in the great men before him. These flaws have been responsible for some of the crises not only in India but the world over. There is no room for doubt that Lord Krishna elucidated this with foresight for us all. The Will of the Brahman, the Cosmic Will, is expressed thus through many. In this process some have wasted their karma when they faltered in the impulses that guide us towards that Will: by karma hereis meant the energy that is invested in the human body at birth – the vehicle of action. That the Brahmic decree was clear beforehand is evident in the royal status the Yadavas had attained.
Legend has pictured Kamsa as a tyrant. May be he wasn’t one really. The incidents of Krishna’s infancy brought out the entire gamut of Kamsa’s violent traits. Krishna with his Karma destroyed these traits, and in their place suggested what excellence in action should be, ennobled by reason and by means of action. He explained it in the 18 cantos of action and war in the Bhagavad Gita. It is also marvellously suggested that we follow Krishna by the annihilation of the 18 akshouhini army which included all the elders and acharyas like Bhishma and Shalya who so far had been beacons of light to all.
The path Krishna showed could not be attained by us. We have, besides, sullied and destroyed that example. That the Kohinoor, which belonged to the royalty here is now on the British crown symbolically indicated that we did not or could not follow Krishna or that path was not made clear to us. Much before this other invaders took away a precious Sivalinga, one of the foremost objects of our veneration, which is now used as a stepping stone to their place of worship.
If we are believers, on the one hand somewhere something went wrong with our ancestors; our tradition of worship was upset. On the other hand the processes of the State were warped.
And those who were brought up in the cold clime became ready for any battle for survival, and with their industry became capable of effecting fundamental changes in the world. AS a result of this development, we have become brown sahibs mimicking them. However, we could learn some aspects of contemporary knowledge only through their language. This we should not forget.
It is amply clear that whatever traditions had prevailed earlier no longer find a reflection is areas of religion, governance or societal norms. There has been no progress. There is no doubt that this country will move towards a grave danger if we fail to change or initiate a change in the current degeneration the world is facing.
Like Krishna and Mohammed there have been the twelve legendary sons of the low caste woman – their works proclaiming that the deva’s attainments are child’s play. This by no means suggests that there is no deva, devi or other deities in the tradition of the Trimurti worship.
The prescription for the Kali Yuga i that the deva should incarnate himself as a human being and do works that would benefit the states of the deva (the deity), rishi (sage) and sanyasin (renunciate). Values emerging out of these works are to be handed down to common men through preceptors (gurparampara) or prophets pravachakaparampara). For this purpose the State and the believers in the Vedic system – the Vaidiks, the Pandits and the action-oriented – should come together to seek the direction that is in keeping with the present day. Guidance should be sought from a jnani (seer) on whatever issues necessary.
We are in possession of a medium today of knowing past, future and present in the actual experience of life by revelation. A path in keeping with this gift will enable us to achieve enlightenment: this knowledge is akin to how Krishna revealed himself to Arjuna or like the path Mohammed has mentioned (“I received through Word, Light and Form,” is the statement). What he said then, on the basis of this kind of knowledge, has come true now: “The deserts will become cities; endless treasures can be dug out of this sandy earth.” It is high time for us to realise that it is only through such knowledge and through men of such knowledge, that the country or State can flourish.
Towards this end an opportunity needs to be created for the devout and the renunciate to work together. An attempt to unify the followers of different religions should be made. For this approach those who know the past, present and future, and can evolve a path in keeping with the sequence of time and events should be listened to. In this context the only word that can be relied upon is the jnani’s.
There is no room for doubt that a corrective for the world can be effected through the help of such jnanis if the State and the learned willingly believe in the word of such a jnani and act from that belief. There has been an Annunciation that this can be achieved through us, as a parampara. We are glad to tell you what has been thus told to us.
The Annunciation received in 1973 according to the asariri (the Word from Light):
“What I have been desirous of through ages has now been realised.”
From that point onwards till now we have received revelations. All such revelations have proved to us that the destiny of the world can be known by us. We would like to be the subject of experiment and observation whereby you could investigate and find the truth of our claim.
This is written with the prayer that your resources, ours and the knowledge of scholars may come together to evolve a model that would be beneficial to the world at large. We are communicating these words to you in the hope that you, mother, and other heads of state, philanthropists and scientists may come together to ward off the crisis that the world is facing.
Today the world is divided into two categories: those who believe and those who do not. Be that as it may, we all know that human life is the same beneath the differences in the externals. No difference seems to be discernible except that each country conducts its life according to its geographical, environmental and intellectual conditions. In this context India has been enjoying an image of a peace symbol. This image is the result of the skill in action that our ancestors had been able to achieve. This ability has been perfected through a parampara of preceptors and intellectuals. This tradition has evolved certain excellent ideas and tenets; but all that could be concluded is that an error that happened somewhere along the line has soured this tradition, rendering it unfunctional and alienating it from society.
If you seek, there is an answer; we are in possession of the knowledge. The State could involve itself completely in communicating this knowledge into the lives of young boys and girls. It could make parents aware of the need to evolve a life-value based on a blending of education and culture. For this it could entrust some capable public servants with a plan which will reach out to families individually, irrespective of caste or creed.
The children who grow up in this new tradition will revere their parents. They will not break and destroy universities. They will not find it in them to quarrel among themselves over religion, caste or ethnic differences.
The true path towards this change would be to follow the advice of jnanis and work out a plan which will reconcile the values of religion and the goals of politics. Merely quoting puranas and epics will not help. A jnani who knows the present and future alone can handle the situation effectively. The State should, to start with, have faith in people and be able to create such faith in them.
We have received the Grace for taking a step like this: the time is ripe for the Sate to bring activists together.
In the desire of persuading your attention and the attention of other activists in this matter,
Karunakara Guru
(Courtesy: Santhigiri Monthly, Santhigiri Publications)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Dynamics of Spiritual Practices
Gurucharanam Saranam
The Dynamics of Spiritual Practices
Mukundan P.R.
There are spiritual hierarchies – animals, humans, spiritual planes of ancestors, celestials, rishis and sages which all exist in this universal egg as expressions of the Supreme Consciousness. The Hindus knew it more than any others. But it is the Hindus who are blind to this truth than any others in the world. The deities, gods and goddesses, angels, jinnis and so on exist in a spiritual plane much below in spiritual evolution.
Like in the human world, there is ignorance and sensual indulgence, competition and jealousy in the world of the celestials too, though in a different ethereal dimension. If a human being worships such deities and angels, by oneself or under the guidance of a guru, what the soul begets are the same qualities and level of spiritual growth the deity or angel has perfected in their embodiment. It is this truth, generally people forget while following such worship tradition.
There are thousands of Gurus who propitiate spirits and deities and attain certain spiritual powers, and exhibit it in front of the ignorant believers, who mistake it as the proof of divinity and get misguided in the path of spirituality. We objectify our faith in God by attaching ourselves to one or the other gods or gurus who follow the deity tradition. We have tribal gods; gods and gurus who are fenced into thousands of castes and sub castes. And we have Christian God, Muslim God. Do we require any further proof to understand our pathetic fall and the ridiculous ideologies we follow without ever bothering to think?
Worshippers of deities, angels and gods can never attain tranquility and spiritual fullness due to their bonding with the sensual, imperfect world of the spirits and deities. Initially, a man who worships the deities might gain worldly – wealth and enjoyment in life. In fact it would be the result of one’s own earnings in the soul, which they would have enjoyed otherwise too with the sole strength of their ‘punya’ - the soul-virtue. The virtue in the soul is the positivity, the radiance or the health of the soul, arising from right conduct and virtuous actions in life, which gets embedded in the soul and from which arises good luck in life in proportion. This earning of the soul is being ignorantly pawned with the deities by the unsuspecting devotee as a guarantee for continued joy in this life and life hereafter.
The deity sucks the virtue of the devotee and leaves him bankrupt of soul-virtue. It happens because the deity is unable to enhance the soul-virtue of the devotee due to its own spiritual confinement in a lower spiritual plane. However, initially, the deity may be able to bestow some small favors on the devotees, which is intended to cement the devotees’ faith. The devotees get misguided going by the small experiences and in return pawn their soul to such powers by way of prayers, vows and worship. This bonding with the spirits becomes a spiritual liability not only for the worshipers' soul but its grip goes deeper into the family lineage. When a person dies after worshiping such spirits his or her soul becomes extremely uncomfortable in the astral plane unable to get further spiritual elevation.
To get spiritual elevation, the souls in the astral plane should be able to take birth in the homes of parents who live a spiritually elevated life. Unfortunately, the progeny of the ancestral soul would be blindly following the worship tradition in the family, whatever the ancestors followed. So the way of escape becomes impossible for the ancestral souls. The tragedy gets accumulated and it works like a curse on the family concerned due to the desperation of the ancestral souls. The aforesaid disquiet of the ancestral souls affects the family genetically in various ways – poverty, disasters, family imbroglios, misfortunes, physical and mental debilities and unhappiness. The family slowly disintegrates losing all luck and prosperity. These ancestral souls are also born sometime with mental and physical debilities due to the blemishes accumulated in the soul through wrong worship, karma and dharma. In astrology, it is termed as ‘Pitru Dosha’ or ancestral demerits.
The life and work of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru was to rescue the families from this predicament of ancestral curses and to give them a way of worship that will nourish their soul, not nullify its virtue. The performance of Guru Pooja in Santhigiri is for this spiritual cleansing and reorientation.
Our mistake is in the selection of medium towards God. We mistake the medium of spirits, gods and goddesses as the Almighty God. Our mistake is our ignorance in understanding the concept of Guru, the medium between God and man. Generally in India, people accept a Guru in their life. But the mistake lies not as much in the acceptance of Guru, but in the selection of Gurus. If you accept a Guru who is devoted to a god or goddess of aforesaid nature, that Guru can take you only to that level of spiritual truth. Most of the Gurus including the ones belonging to the monotheism of Sankara are deity worshipers, though they theorize about the formless Truth, the Brahman. The ashrams belonging to Sankara tradition do not entertain non-Brahmins in their ashrams, much less offer food to them. It is due to this lack of love, people do not give any heed or respect to such sanyasis and ashrams.
It is very disheartening to see that there are hundreds of ashrams and sanyasis today, who bother about caste and religion. This is equally true of other religions as well. A real sanyasi is beyond all sorts of human discriminations. In the ascetic tradition of India, one should not ask a Sanyasis about his previous stage in life - his name, family, caste, educational details etc. Because the sanyasi is one who has identified the oneness of his soul with the souls of all other living beings. There is only one vibration in the heart of a sanyasi - that is of joy and unconditional love. This unconditional love and joy can flow only when the heart is connected to the supreme source of that love - the Light of God. It cannot be gained from the lower planes of tamasic and rajasic spiritual powers, angels, deities and gods or from the gurus whose spirituality is based on deity worship or spirit worship not only of Hindu tradition but of any other religious traditions.
The first point in the checklist before accepting a Guru is this – whether the Guru is attached to a deity. Go ahead if he is not, and find out next whether he is experientially connected to the Supreme Light of God. If he is connected to the Supreme Light, he will be the one who receives words and visions from the Light. Go ahead still further and find out whether you are able to yourself experience the Divine through him, find out whether he is able to know your soul, its trajectory and make you aware of yourself. A supreme guru is like a mirror in which you see your own reflection; it reflects your own truth. These are the basic checklists one should follow while selecting a Guru. And Guru you must select in order to elevate yourself in the spiritual ladder. The difference between spirituality (of Guru-disciple order or Gurumargam) and religion lies in this experiential aspect.
The Dynamics of Spiritual Practices
Mukundan P.R.
There are spiritual hierarchies – animals, humans, spiritual planes of ancestors, celestials, rishis and sages which all exist in this universal egg as expressions of the Supreme Consciousness. The Hindus knew it more than any others. But it is the Hindus who are blind to this truth than any others in the world. The deities, gods and goddesses, angels, jinnis and so on exist in a spiritual plane much below in spiritual evolution.
Like in the human world, there is ignorance and sensual indulgence, competition and jealousy in the world of the celestials too, though in a different ethereal dimension. If a human being worships such deities and angels, by oneself or under the guidance of a guru, what the soul begets are the same qualities and level of spiritual growth the deity or angel has perfected in their embodiment. It is this truth, generally people forget while following such worship tradition.
There are thousands of Gurus who propitiate spirits and deities and attain certain spiritual powers, and exhibit it in front of the ignorant believers, who mistake it as the proof of divinity and get misguided in the path of spirituality. We objectify our faith in God by attaching ourselves to one or the other gods or gurus who follow the deity tradition. We have tribal gods; gods and gurus who are fenced into thousands of castes and sub castes. And we have Christian God, Muslim God. Do we require any further proof to understand our pathetic fall and the ridiculous ideologies we follow without ever bothering to think?
Worshippers of deities, angels and gods can never attain tranquility and spiritual fullness due to their bonding with the sensual, imperfect world of the spirits and deities. Initially, a man who worships the deities might gain worldly – wealth and enjoyment in life. In fact it would be the result of one’s own earnings in the soul, which they would have enjoyed otherwise too with the sole strength of their ‘punya’ - the soul-virtue. The virtue in the soul is the positivity, the radiance or the health of the soul, arising from right conduct and virtuous actions in life, which gets embedded in the soul and from which arises good luck in life in proportion. This earning of the soul is being ignorantly pawned with the deities by the unsuspecting devotee as a guarantee for continued joy in this life and life hereafter.
The deity sucks the virtue of the devotee and leaves him bankrupt of soul-virtue. It happens because the deity is unable to enhance the soul-virtue of the devotee due to its own spiritual confinement in a lower spiritual plane. However, initially, the deity may be able to bestow some small favors on the devotees, which is intended to cement the devotees’ faith. The devotees get misguided going by the small experiences and in return pawn their soul to such powers by way of prayers, vows and worship. This bonding with the spirits becomes a spiritual liability not only for the worshipers' soul but its grip goes deeper into the family lineage. When a person dies after worshiping such spirits his or her soul becomes extremely uncomfortable in the astral plane unable to get further spiritual elevation.
To get spiritual elevation, the souls in the astral plane should be able to take birth in the homes of parents who live a spiritually elevated life. Unfortunately, the progeny of the ancestral soul would be blindly following the worship tradition in the family, whatever the ancestors followed. So the way of escape becomes impossible for the ancestral souls. The tragedy gets accumulated and it works like a curse on the family concerned due to the desperation of the ancestral souls. The aforesaid disquiet of the ancestral souls affects the family genetically in various ways – poverty, disasters, family imbroglios, misfortunes, physical and mental debilities and unhappiness. The family slowly disintegrates losing all luck and prosperity. These ancestral souls are also born sometime with mental and physical debilities due to the blemishes accumulated in the soul through wrong worship, karma and dharma. In astrology, it is termed as ‘Pitru Dosha’ or ancestral demerits.
The life and work of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru was to rescue the families from this predicament of ancestral curses and to give them a way of worship that will nourish their soul, not nullify its virtue. The performance of Guru Pooja in Santhigiri is for this spiritual cleansing and reorientation.
Our mistake is in the selection of medium towards God. We mistake the medium of spirits, gods and goddesses as the Almighty God. Our mistake is our ignorance in understanding the concept of Guru, the medium between God and man. Generally in India, people accept a Guru in their life. But the mistake lies not as much in the acceptance of Guru, but in the selection of Gurus. If you accept a Guru who is devoted to a god or goddess of aforesaid nature, that Guru can take you only to that level of spiritual truth. Most of the Gurus including the ones belonging to the monotheism of Sankara are deity worshipers, though they theorize about the formless Truth, the Brahman. The ashrams belonging to Sankara tradition do not entertain non-Brahmins in their ashrams, much less offer food to them. It is due to this lack of love, people do not give any heed or respect to such sanyasis and ashrams.
It is very disheartening to see that there are hundreds of ashrams and sanyasis today, who bother about caste and religion. This is equally true of other religions as well. A real sanyasi is beyond all sorts of human discriminations. In the ascetic tradition of India, one should not ask a Sanyasis about his previous stage in life - his name, family, caste, educational details etc. Because the sanyasi is one who has identified the oneness of his soul with the souls of all other living beings. There is only one vibration in the heart of a sanyasi - that is of joy and unconditional love. This unconditional love and joy can flow only when the heart is connected to the supreme source of that love - the Light of God. It cannot be gained from the lower planes of tamasic and rajasic spiritual powers, angels, deities and gods or from the gurus whose spirituality is based on deity worship or spirit worship not only of Hindu tradition but of any other religious traditions.
The first point in the checklist before accepting a Guru is this – whether the Guru is attached to a deity. Go ahead if he is not, and find out next whether he is experientially connected to the Supreme Light of God. If he is connected to the Supreme Light, he will be the one who receives words and visions from the Light. Go ahead still further and find out whether you are able to yourself experience the Divine through him, find out whether he is able to know your soul, its trajectory and make you aware of yourself. A supreme guru is like a mirror in which you see your own reflection; it reflects your own truth. These are the basic checklists one should follow while selecting a Guru. And Guru you must select in order to elevate yourself in the spiritual ladder. The difference between spirituality (of Guru-disciple order or Gurumargam) and religion lies in this experiential aspect.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Spiritual Cleansing - Gurupooja at Santhigiri
Gurucharanam Saranam
Spiritual Cleansing - Gurupooja at Santhigiri
(Sacred words of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru)
Translated from the original Malayalam
We fought one another remaining in a system which laid down that we should not touch, step into, accept or perceive the sanctified aspect within all performances. In that fight, varnashrama dharma was lost and the caste system arose. The castes were also not to touch one another. All the karmas were hit by this system. We (at Santhigiri) are taking back that bruised karma, which many had tried in vain earlier. Santhigiri’s karma is directed at reverting to the caste-less state and not at devoleping a sanyasa cult. Nor is it aimed at tracing the root of the Indian civilization with a view to retrieve it. It is not necessary to lift it up. Because this is Kali: The dharma of Kali is not to step on the shoulder of the errors that have arisen in the whole world and then revive it. Our karma as well as the dharma of Kali is to wipe out the aspect of error.
In this karma, both the genders of householders should earn a great level. The householder-life (grihasthashram) is a great concept wherein a householder elevates himself (in such a manner) that through his offspring and lineage, he acquires the intelligence to rule the world; the karma (way of action) to impart goodness to the world or even become capable of assuming the role of the protectors of the world or its motherhood. Without knowing this, you live and perish as opportunists.
You don’t know what God-worship is. You do not know even to act distinguishing what is the Householder, Sanyasi, Yogi and Karmi. None of these karmas is now with us. Our success in life lies in retrieving them. This is the first effort in the world (in this direction). No where else has this effort taken place. Let it come if it is going to come elsewhere. We have reached the stage of the humbleness of the performance of God’s creative contemplation.
When I first reached this place for the actualization of this performance, I was told not to stay where I could be seen by two persons together. Many sort of things happened here at that period. The people of this place also know some of it, but their knowing was of no avail. When I first made a hut here, I handed over its care to some local residents here. And you came in (here) witnessing their fall. What is that fall like? These people had come and witnessed the happenings here. Despite many events which took place in front of them, being caught by cognitive lacking, they were distanced (from here) forever in a manner that it is impossible for them to come back or take it back. Some of them repent today saying that it was (their) flawed action. However, there is no use of their saying so.
The karma now being performed here today is aimed at moulding such offspring who can give birth to the array of deva (god), devi (goddess), rishi (seer), sanyasi (renunciate) and jnanis (the wise) who were worshipped by our forefathers with love and reverence. Nobody who came until now has done this performance, for God has not ordained them for it. But God has granted us that karma. You should realize that, but you fail to understand it in whatever way it is said. In this institution, where more than 15,000 families performed Gurupooja, there are no people even countable by fingers who live knowing it in that greatness. How will you then discern this karma? Many children of this place who were once associated with this have forgotten this. I have not told them anything. Whenever they come to me, sometimes I try to prick them saying it like a story, but they have no pain. Why so? Because all of us are the progeny of people who have read the ancient tales and epics like a story and, turning that story into play, made it into recklessness.
When it is mentioned that our subject is to correct this ignorance - what becomes necessary is your children. But they are not able to be brought forward because the dharma by which we worshipped, and were made to worship with the offerings of love and wealth, is entangled with our soul. (Such being the truth), when a girl is born, she is led away from her virtues in such a manner that her goodness is unable to be known. When a male-child is born, he is transformed into a drunkard in such a manner that he is unable to know what duty he has towards the world. There is a great effort in changing these vices. This effort in one way is good. For, at least, for that sake, you would get in contact (with Guru) and act.
There’s a saying among us that the husband is God! Is the meaning of this saying then a fool, who fulfilled (his life) with theft and one who has never shown justice to anything? Does it mean an unchaste person who has not learned to live in righteousness, living without humility and virtue, pulling down the undergarment of women? It is all this we are creating and letting out. How can they manage this country? What all this depravity (depredators) cannot perform?
The ‘Gurupooja’ here is the foremost karma which I am doing for this for you. (I am) not talking about its greatness. I don’t understand such greatness. I am not leaned, great by virtue of wealth, capability or education. God has not led me into any such things. But there is one thing. God has granted you a suitable setting where irrespective of your status, you can assemble. And through this, together through you and your offspring, children are taking birth from whom will be born several great souls who are capable to do whatever (good) for the country and indeed the whole world. We don’t know how it is made to happen.
But we do it in the Sankalpa (conception) called ‘Sankalpamathrena Parameswarah’, whereby, after envisioning everything that has come until now in the law of Devi-Devas - giving whatever they require (they are not abandoned) - a way is found by the path shown by God to give them an opportunity to take birth or make them entitled for liberation. We are handling this exactly the way the revelation is received from God to perform this. It’s not performed, as someone might think, attracting some evil spirits by sitting and chanting. Nor is it performed bringing a ‘root’ from the places where I spent life. I have not taken any ‘root’ of others. I have not found a suitable scenario also wherein I could take this ‘root’. There are no suitable ‘roots’ either. In fact, it is being nurtured by scraping off all these ‘bottoms’, then burning them with fire, scooping good mud and then planting the sapling there. What is required for it is, suitable children. You do not know how I perform it. That is my sadness.
What I am making you do is a performance, which, by correcting the flaws in the traditions that have come from the beginning until now in the deva and rishi lineages (trimurty and seer traditions), without exterminating the essence of these lineages, will transform them into a great status. Then how great should be your eminence? It is a performance in humility to bring within you the privilege of not only ancestral souls, gods, goddesses and rishis but even some genderless ghosts also to be born of you (for release). Retaining the truth in that path, transform yourself as the sanctified work emerging from that truth. This is the goal. I have no other rationale or doctrine. I have done this for 15,000 families in this manner, but they are unable to take it. Not merely that but building up contrary attributes in their actions, make it the cause for its destruction. There are about fifteen households who have perished like this in this locality despite performing it with genuine sacrifice, prayers and contemplations; rest of the families (perished) leaving this place.
The ancestors did have (their share of) good and bad (in them). The difficulty was great when these (the deeds of ancestors) were tried to be eliminated. You will understand it when you reflect on the great souls of the past, in order to realize that. But the biographies made up on them are unsuitable for such evaluation.
For instance take ‘Geeta Govindam’. What is the purpose of making children enact Krishnaleela? You are inflating the sensuality already present in them, by adorning and bringing up children in this manner and spoiling them - adding to the fulfilment of such action and taking it up. This is what the Saktheya, Saiva and Vaishnava have done here. You cannot change it at all. This is the fact behind the coming of so many great souls. We don’t have the aptitude to remove it through (our) lifetime. But we have the luck.
You will not be able to find a similar thing (Gurupooja) elsewhere in the world. Nor has it ever happened in the world. In your epics mention is made about the ‘Bhageerata Prayatna’ (the effort of Bhageerata). Bhageerata was a king and he could do many things, but there too, not this. Here, you are endowed with awareness in a manner of witnessing it yourself and accepting with discrimination. God has ordained it for you. It is in the said awareness the deva, devi, rishi, monk, jnani (seer), the devout, the pitru [ancestral souls] are all guided and placed in auspicious constellations. Your children, after living truthfully, are entering into that constellation. Even if you are unable to become so, it should be made possible through your children. This is the great work that you do for the world. After performing this (Gurupooja) for you, I am guiding you how you should live till the birth of a progeny. (However), you do not understand that. Instead, making your children listen and obey, describing it as some other big thing, you are not allowing them to come in front, in (the matter of) dharma.
*****
Spiritual Cleansing - Gurupooja at Santhigiri
(Sacred words of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru)
Translated from the original Malayalam
We fought one another remaining in a system which laid down that we should not touch, step into, accept or perceive the sanctified aspect within all performances. In that fight, varnashrama dharma was lost and the caste system arose. The castes were also not to touch one another. All the karmas were hit by this system. We (at Santhigiri) are taking back that bruised karma, which many had tried in vain earlier. Santhigiri’s karma is directed at reverting to the caste-less state and not at devoleping a sanyasa cult. Nor is it aimed at tracing the root of the Indian civilization with a view to retrieve it. It is not necessary to lift it up. Because this is Kali: The dharma of Kali is not to step on the shoulder of the errors that have arisen in the whole world and then revive it. Our karma as well as the dharma of Kali is to wipe out the aspect of error.
In this karma, both the genders of householders should earn a great level. The householder-life (grihasthashram) is a great concept wherein a householder elevates himself (in such a manner) that through his offspring and lineage, he acquires the intelligence to rule the world; the karma (way of action) to impart goodness to the world or even become capable of assuming the role of the protectors of the world or its motherhood. Without knowing this, you live and perish as opportunists.
You don’t know what God-worship is. You do not know even to act distinguishing what is the Householder, Sanyasi, Yogi and Karmi. None of these karmas is now with us. Our success in life lies in retrieving them. This is the first effort in the world (in this direction). No where else has this effort taken place. Let it come if it is going to come elsewhere. We have reached the stage of the humbleness of the performance of God’s creative contemplation.
When I first reached this place for the actualization of this performance, I was told not to stay where I could be seen by two persons together. Many sort of things happened here at that period. The people of this place also know some of it, but their knowing was of no avail. When I first made a hut here, I handed over its care to some local residents here. And you came in (here) witnessing their fall. What is that fall like? These people had come and witnessed the happenings here. Despite many events which took place in front of them, being caught by cognitive lacking, they were distanced (from here) forever in a manner that it is impossible for them to come back or take it back. Some of them repent today saying that it was (their) flawed action. However, there is no use of their saying so.
The karma now being performed here today is aimed at moulding such offspring who can give birth to the array of deva (god), devi (goddess), rishi (seer), sanyasi (renunciate) and jnanis (the wise) who were worshipped by our forefathers with love and reverence. Nobody who came until now has done this performance, for God has not ordained them for it. But God has granted us that karma. You should realize that, but you fail to understand it in whatever way it is said. In this institution, where more than 15,000 families performed Gurupooja, there are no people even countable by fingers who live knowing it in that greatness. How will you then discern this karma? Many children of this place who were once associated with this have forgotten this. I have not told them anything. Whenever they come to me, sometimes I try to prick them saying it like a story, but they have no pain. Why so? Because all of us are the progeny of people who have read the ancient tales and epics like a story and, turning that story into play, made it into recklessness.
When it is mentioned that our subject is to correct this ignorance - what becomes necessary is your children. But they are not able to be brought forward because the dharma by which we worshipped, and were made to worship with the offerings of love and wealth, is entangled with our soul. (Such being the truth), when a girl is born, she is led away from her virtues in such a manner that her goodness is unable to be known. When a male-child is born, he is transformed into a drunkard in such a manner that he is unable to know what duty he has towards the world. There is a great effort in changing these vices. This effort in one way is good. For, at least, for that sake, you would get in contact (with Guru) and act.
There’s a saying among us that the husband is God! Is the meaning of this saying then a fool, who fulfilled (his life) with theft and one who has never shown justice to anything? Does it mean an unchaste person who has not learned to live in righteousness, living without humility and virtue, pulling down the undergarment of women? It is all this we are creating and letting out. How can they manage this country? What all this depravity (depredators) cannot perform?
The ‘Gurupooja’ here is the foremost karma which I am doing for this for you. (I am) not talking about its greatness. I don’t understand such greatness. I am not leaned, great by virtue of wealth, capability or education. God has not led me into any such things. But there is one thing. God has granted you a suitable setting where irrespective of your status, you can assemble. And through this, together through you and your offspring, children are taking birth from whom will be born several great souls who are capable to do whatever (good) for the country and indeed the whole world. We don’t know how it is made to happen.
But we do it in the Sankalpa (conception) called ‘Sankalpamathrena Parameswarah’, whereby, after envisioning everything that has come until now in the law of Devi-Devas - giving whatever they require (they are not abandoned) - a way is found by the path shown by God to give them an opportunity to take birth or make them entitled for liberation. We are handling this exactly the way the revelation is received from God to perform this. It’s not performed, as someone might think, attracting some evil spirits by sitting and chanting. Nor is it performed bringing a ‘root’ from the places where I spent life. I have not taken any ‘root’ of others. I have not found a suitable scenario also wherein I could take this ‘root’. There are no suitable ‘roots’ either. In fact, it is being nurtured by scraping off all these ‘bottoms’, then burning them with fire, scooping good mud and then planting the sapling there. What is required for it is, suitable children. You do not know how I perform it. That is my sadness.
What I am making you do is a performance, which, by correcting the flaws in the traditions that have come from the beginning until now in the deva and rishi lineages (trimurty and seer traditions), without exterminating the essence of these lineages, will transform them into a great status. Then how great should be your eminence? It is a performance in humility to bring within you the privilege of not only ancestral souls, gods, goddesses and rishis but even some genderless ghosts also to be born of you (for release). Retaining the truth in that path, transform yourself as the sanctified work emerging from that truth. This is the goal. I have no other rationale or doctrine. I have done this for 15,000 families in this manner, but they are unable to take it. Not merely that but building up contrary attributes in their actions, make it the cause for its destruction. There are about fifteen households who have perished like this in this locality despite performing it with genuine sacrifice, prayers and contemplations; rest of the families (perished) leaving this place.
The ancestors did have (their share of) good and bad (in them). The difficulty was great when these (the deeds of ancestors) were tried to be eliminated. You will understand it when you reflect on the great souls of the past, in order to realize that. But the biographies made up on them are unsuitable for such evaluation.
For instance take ‘Geeta Govindam’. What is the purpose of making children enact Krishnaleela? You are inflating the sensuality already present in them, by adorning and bringing up children in this manner and spoiling them - adding to the fulfilment of such action and taking it up. This is what the Saktheya, Saiva and Vaishnava have done here. You cannot change it at all. This is the fact behind the coming of so many great souls. We don’t have the aptitude to remove it through (our) lifetime. But we have the luck.
You will not be able to find a similar thing (Gurupooja) elsewhere in the world. Nor has it ever happened in the world. In your epics mention is made about the ‘Bhageerata Prayatna’ (the effort of Bhageerata). Bhageerata was a king and he could do many things, but there too, not this. Here, you are endowed with awareness in a manner of witnessing it yourself and accepting with discrimination. God has ordained it for you. It is in the said awareness the deva, devi, rishi, monk, jnani (seer), the devout, the pitru [ancestral souls] are all guided and placed in auspicious constellations. Your children, after living truthfully, are entering into that constellation. Even if you are unable to become so, it should be made possible through your children. This is the great work that you do for the world. After performing this (Gurupooja) for you, I am guiding you how you should live till the birth of a progeny. (However), you do not understand that. Instead, making your children listen and obey, describing it as some other big thing, you are not allowing them to come in front, in (the matter of) dharma.
*****
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