A Diaologue between Lord Siva and Parvati on Guru Tatva.

Gurugita-14

Yasmaad-anugraham Labdhwaa Mahad-ajnaanam-utsrujet
Tasmai Srii-desikendraaya Namascha-abhiishta-siddhaye
Yadanugraha Maatrena, Shoka Mohau Vinashyatah
Tasmai Srii Desikendraaya, Namostu Paramaatmane

Meaning:
(Salutations to that Lord among Teachers, on receiving whose blessing, great ignorance is dispelled and also wishes fulfilled. Salutations to that Lord among teachers, that Supreme Self whose blessing ends all sorrows and delusions the moment it is received).

Explanation:
What does our soul desire? Lasting peace. There cannot be peace when we are in the middle of problems. There are wants, desires, and duties to be fulfilled. Every man has to pass through this because our soul is in an elemental state. We are born with a passion to enjoy life on the earth plane. So long as the soul is attached to the elemental world, to the senses and egoistic existence, it has to be born again and again to enrich itself and evolve to its full potential. That is why the sages called the earth karma bhumi – the place of actions. The seeds of karma in us make us what we are. You reap what you sow. What we are today is the result of what we were yesterday. We are evolving through this process.
Evolution is related to the upward journey of consciousness from gross planes of existence to the fort of purity and tranquillity experienced in the subtler state of consciousness. That is called Chidananda, the bliss of pure consciousness. Reaching that state, Adi Sankaracharya uttered the words, ‘Chidoham’, Chidoham’, i.e. I am bliss, I am bliss. There are no fights, no fear, no struggles, no grievances, no wants and desires there. It is an endless ocean of pure bliss and love. To reach that state of stillness the soul has to evolve achieving victory over the ever miserable ego, whose ignorance is so difficult to transcend. So long as the veil of ego exists, there is no possibility of experiencing the bliss of God.

The serpents of base instincts, shameful actions, and cruel deeds crawl in the ego-pit of ignorant souls. However, there is hope for those who have a Guru of supreme realization. They can surrender all their bad karmas at the lotus feet of Guru and remain relaxed forever. ‘My devotees never perish’, that seems to be the assurance from the great Guru, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru. All sins get washed away by the purifying light of Guru. Those who live according to the dictates of dharma, who are able to control and discipline their thoughts and actions evolve, become upwardly oriented. They get disgusted by the pendulum of pain and pleasure and its ceaseless repetition. They desire to ascend the peak of spiritual tranquillity, freed from the dark valley of ignorance below. The Merciful Guru is ever eager to reach out to such blessed souls.

The Concept of Evolution in Hinduism

The Concept of Evolution in Hinduism

Swami Navananma Jnana Tapaswi

The riddle behind the origin of universe, its sustenance and transformation has always vexed human intelligence and imagination. Nevertheless, the vigor of man’s search to discover the unknown has never weakened. That there is an Invisible Idea behind Creation is fundamental in spirituality. This fundamental plan or idea is behind the origin of life-energy (soul or jeeva), its manifestation and transformation through a physical medium. Indian spiritual thought is related to this perception regarding the successive evolvement of soul and body.

The soul in its infinitesimal form should evolve to its Absolute nature, which necessitates an evolutionary scheme.  Nature has an inherent character to evolve the jeeva to its Absolute status through a series of evolutionary incarnations. There is the process of molding the physical setting according to the nature and quality of evolution presupposing an inter-relationship between spirit’s evolutionary status and physical attributes. There exists, also a divine intervention that creates or directs this rhythmic evolution.

The uniqueness of Indian spirituality is this idea of a divine Intervention in the form of a spiritual embodiment, i.e. Guru Incarnation in the evolutionary process of soul and body. In the practical plane, this concept existed in India in the form of Guru-Disciple spirituality in the scheme of Sanatana Dharma. Since the evolutionary process is successive, the manifestation of Guru is also successive in terms of humanity’s spiritual progression. This process has been ordained in a manner of karma and dharma according to the age, which is termed as Yuga Dharma.

Yuga Dharma is the dharmic orientation of life in accordance with the evolving cycles of time for the soul and body to evolve from its imperfect state to its Absolute status or from the state of nescience to absolute enlightenment. Indian spirituality considers the relationship between an enlightened Guru - who is the embodiment of absolute realization- and the souls who are struggling to attain freedom from the chains of imperfection as the fundamental dharma for the evolvement and fulfillment of all living beings.

There is a revelatory knowledge, which gives the information about such Guru Incarnations who help the imperfect souls to reach the path of perfection. We were not able to comprehend the history of revelations about such great souls and about the prophesies made by them about the incarnations that are to come in succession. We should realize that beyond the miraculous feats and occult performances, there is this path of spiritual evolvement for the soul and body in accordance with a perennial law in nature. There should be a correction to our ignorance on this subject, as it is not good to wait yet.

There is a spiritual order in the universe, which is uniform and binding to all peoples in the world. The seers had discovered this truth, but the institutions built up in their names have been spiritually incapable to perceive this universal truth, dogma and superstitions blocking their real progress. For the devotees of God, a rational understanding of spirituality is essential for evolving higher.