The Cosmogony of a Universal Religion

The avatars and messiahs of God appear when there is utter emotional unrest or social dissatisfaction in the society. At the summit of such social and spiritual turmoil, a messiah appears as the guide of man, who inspires the hope of his betterment and salvation. God, that Master Craftsman who conceived and projected this universe, presides over human evolution through the medium of such spiritual masters. We know that all religions in the world have originated from such messianic movements. However, the truth is that despite the work of any number of such gurus and prophets, humanity is still groping in the dark unable to get on to the path of universal peace and spiritual fulfilment. Today people are getting more and more convinced about the desirability of evolving a universal spiritual culture and harmony.

There is an underlying unity among religious doctrines although the rituals and attires differ, said Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru. The evolution of a universal spiritual culture depends upon the discovery of such a unifying belief system, which can bind the humanity in a common bond. The life mission of Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru was the rediscovery, reinterpretation and revitalization of this unifying spiritual concept that would constitute the basis of a universal religion. In the Indian spiritual tradition, this concept had already existed, which the sages called as Sanatana Dharma, i.e. the eternal religion. However, this differs in a major way from the concepts of popular Hinduism.  

A universal spiritual culture can evolve only on the premises of universal spiritual truths that can stand the test of time and science. The disagreement between different religions and schools of thought on the basic concepts about God, the origin of creation, its purpose and the scheme of divine dispensation in the human world have led to the present conflicts. The sages of India had brought to light convincing ideas about the origin of the universe and about the existence and evolution of man through many cosmic ages. The avatar theory in the Hindu scriptures points to the gradual evolution of man. In the long course of a cosmic age, there are many cosmic dawns and dusks corresponding to the origin and dissolution of different human civilizations. The rishis in India had known about these cosmic ages and the process of human evolution occurring through the unending play of cosmic energy. No other religions have revealed so much about the cosmic age calculations and the scheme of evolution as the rishis in ancient India did. 

According to creation myths in various cultures, when the creation of human universe started, God first conceived himself in the form of a human. However, this does not happen in an earthly level. It is an astral process. Then God halved himself as a man and woman. In the mystical language, this archetypal human is known as Manu from whom proceeded the subsequent creation. (The concept of Adam has some resemblance with this idea of an archetypal human). However, this does not happen on the earthly level. First, it happened in the astral level, equivalent to the Sankhya concept of purusha and prakriti and its subsequent cosmic processes resulting in the evolution of the physical universe. The concept of Manu, the archetypal human ancestor and his pairing as a man and woman mentioned differently in the creation myths of various cultures is related to this initial cosmic process. It is this astral pairing that has caused the pairing of all living beings in the form of male and female in the world.

The age of the universe is equivalent to the age of fourteen archetypal Manus, from whose conception emerges human civilizations during successive cosmic ages. Hence, in the Indian tradition, the age of the universe is calculated in terms of Manvantara after the name of Manu. The human universe evolved from the conception (sankalpam) of Manu in association with the seven primal rishis. These primal rishis could be the planetary spirits constituting the architecture of the solar system. The planets are the primary nodes with specific qualities and cosmic functions in the ordering of the solar system and life in it. Life manifests and evolves with the help of life-giving cosmic rays from the sun, moon and the surrounding planets and stars.

The rishis had discovered through their inner vision that God is achintya and avyakta, i.e. God is the unintelligible and indefinable Principle, which they named as Brahman. The understanding of the rishis is proving to be scientific verities. Now science has discovered that there exists a God Particle, an ‘invisible field’ from which the universe has sprung up. The good part of such scientific advancement is that it would lead to the convergence of science and spirituality compelling man to cast away all atheist and rationalistic pretensions and accept a universal theory about life and creation. It would also dismantle the dogmatic beliefs of those who try to appropriate God within the rigid walls of their religions. 

For the bodily manifestation of life on the earth, there should be the five gross physical elements (fire, air, water, earth and sky - the panchabhutas). There are a few more collateral elements like mind (manas), time (kaala) and the four directions (dik) etc. required for the soul’s existence and mobility. The soul further gets enclosed in five wrappings known as panchakoshas. These five sheaths are the food sheath, energy sheath, mind sheath, intelligence sheath and the bliss or consciousness sheath. Enclosed inside these physical as well as metaphysical enclosures, the soul has now a form and starts experiencing pain and pleasure through the medium of five sensory perceptions (sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell – panchendriyas) in accordance with the threefold qualities or gunas (satva, rajo and tama). The evolution of the soul means going back to its source breaking the conditioning associated with each astral stage. The soul gets awakened to its pure nature only after innumerable births and deaths expanding its horizon of consciousness. This is in short the architecture and the life science of our soul or atma. 

Like the sunrays that help to evolve a flower from a bud, an external agency is required to evolve a soul from its unconscious state to more evolved states. GURU is that external agency, which illumines or evolves the souls, as the sun does to a budding flower. These earthly gurus preside over the transformation of individuals and society during the successive cosmic ages. This is the basic framework of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal universal religion, in which there is a place for the chronology of all gurus and prophets. The religious tolerance of India is rooted in this concept of spirituality. Conflicts arise when the different messiahs and their followers refuse to accept the truth of this ever-evolving divine dispensation, which is not static or limited to the work of earlier messengers, who had appeared at historic intervals for specific spiritual missions. 

Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru exhorted us to move on to the path of rishis or gurus coming under the cosmogony of Manu. Guru said that the spiritual power of devas was relevant in the yugas of Treta and Dwapara, while the way of the rishi or guru belonged in particular to the Kaliyuga as this is the order according to the path established by Manu and the Gurus in his line.  The eternal divine dispensation of Manu is extinct now because of the dominance of the Trimurti tradition in India, which has placed Manu below the Trimurti gods, through the mythology in the puranas, tantras etc. The monotheistic teachings in the Upanishads, Bhagavat Gita, Guru Gita and philosophical systems such as Sankhya are inseparably mixed with the puranic teachings that complement the Trimurti tradition, which makes it impossible for the development and independent existence of monotheistic jnana tradition. The glorious spirituality of India is stuck here.

While almost all major religious movements in the world since the dawn of Kaliyuga have already done away with the dependence on gods and goddesses for salvation, the Hindu tradition is limiting itself to the Trimurti tradition. Because of the trilateral split in its cosmology, it is impossible to find spiritual unity among the followers of the Trimurti tradition. For a society to progress and retain its culture, spiritual unity is the foremost requirement. Although there is a deceptive sense of spiritual unity among Hindus, the Trimurti tradition undermines the spiritual unity of people at a subtle level, when it comes to the question of basic beliefs. One of the major challenges before India towards the goal of social integration and harmony is this spiritual disunity, which is further worsened by the worn-out caste order devised by the unscrupulous vaidikas thousands of years ago.

Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru’s mission is related to this ideological deviation and the consequent degradation in the practice of spirituality. Although this spiritual perversion pervades the whole republic of religions in different forms, the work of spiritual reorientation should begin first from India, where the spiritual distortion is stronger. In order to initiate the intended spiritual reorientation and social reformation, it is imperative that India becomes acutely aware about these spiritual distortions. It is imperative that all people, irrespective of their religious affiliations, accept the secular cosmogony of the soul and the universe for the transition to a universal spirituality.

 Mukundan P.R.

What Makes This Guruparampara Different?

What makes Navajyotisree Karunakara Guru and Santhigiri Ashram different from other gurus and ashrams is a question often asked. While talking about the tenets of Gurumargam, Navajyotisree Karunakara Guru once mentioned that His path is the Vimochana Matam, i.e. the Liberating Dharma. Gurumargam is the way of devotion to the Guru who has been commissioned by God for the spiritual transformation and deliverance of humanity independent of all religious dogma. Guru is God’s medium to actualize the Will of God. As one scholar put it, at one level, God is the Guru; at another, Guru is the divinely commissioned Guru. The human Guru is equal to God but has in him an element of divinity due to his commission. This office is passed on to his successors who remain one with him. Guruship does not end with the physical departure of the founder Guru. The office is one and continuous. What the successors say and do is legitimized by virtue of their office. 

A few aspects that make Santhigiri Guruparampara different from other sage traditions may be surmised thus:

For the Guru, God is Parabrahman, the Supreme Truthful Light. There is no second God. His light pervades in everything and everyone. God is known only through his Creation. One should live in accordance with the divine order accepting the Will of God. Guidance comes from God through the medium of Guru, and liberation comes through Guru’s grace. For the Guru parampara the words of Guru or Guruvani are sacred.  It serves as the sole Holy Scripture for the followers. The word of Guru is equated with Truth, Truth with Guru and Guru with God.

A seeker cannot evolve spiritually without a Guru. Self-effort in the form of yoga, meditation, visit to temples and other holy places does not elevate the soul spiritually if one is without Guru. Guru, however, accepted the existence of all spiritual entities including ghosts, goblins, evil spirits, ancestral spirits, devi-devas, angels etc. which inhabit the subtle universe. However, they are not to be worshipped as they themselves seek birth and liberation in Kaliyuga through the medium of Guru. Only through a human embodiment and karma dharma, the souls can evolve to higher spiritual realms. Therefore, Guru rejects the worship of traditional deities and religious lore promoting such sectarian concepts of God. Neither did Guru favor the concept of maya or illusion and rejected the equation of individual soul with Brahman, the main feature of Vedanta.

Guru shed light on the secret of Creation by reiterating that the solar system including the human world was created by the sankalpam of Manu, who is the Primordial Purusha or the First Born of God. (This Manu, however, is different from the author of Manusmriti with the same name). Guru, therefore, rejected the puranic myth that Brahma is the Creator. For Guru, the trimurti gods were gurus of bygone cosmic ages who came for the spiritual correction of humanity. However, their spiritual incumbency in this age is disowned. Today the world is a theatre of pathetic religious discord. Every sect claims that theirs is the only way to God or the true path, which produces discord and violent conflicts among the religious followers. Guru says that behind these apparent contradictions, there is a thread of spiritual unity. 

Numerous gurus, seers and prophets of different caliber come for different duration such as 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 or 5000 years according to the spiritual condition of the age. Great souls like Ram, Krishna, Buddha, Mahavir, Moses, Zarathustra, Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammad, Guru Nanak and others were preceptors who appeared for the spiritual renewal of humanity during historical intervals. This process of spiritual renovation goes on until the end of a cosmic age. In the light of this, no prophet or guru can claim to be the final messenger of God or the only way to God. It is this spiritual culture or character of Sanatana dharma which makes it eternally relevant, vibrant and tolerant to other religions. Although not subscribing to the tenets of established religions, Guru’s Liberating Dharma teaches a follower to respect all world teachers and their sacrifices in a deserving manner since they belong to the brotherhood of mahatmas who came for the spiritual reformation of humanity at various historical intervals. However, their mission remains incomplete necessitating another epoch of spiritual renewal by a world teacher. 

Guru disapproved the hierarchical caste system and opened the path of spiritual redemption for all people, especially the downtrodden and women. The followers of Guru belonged to all castes and occupations. The majority came from the backward castes, scheduled castes along with Brahmin, Nair, Christian and even Muslim communities. While repudiating caste system, Guru, however, said that varna concept is the classification of human instincts based on the quality of thoughts and actions. Varna of a person cannot be determined based on birth in a particular family or community. Sometime, in the same family itself one can find all varna types. 

There are no formal rituals for initiation into the faith of Guru. Anyone with faith in Guru, irrespective of religious and caste status, can join the faith. The only ritual formula for all spiritual performances and lifecycle ceremonies is the chanting of the divine name of the Guru revealed and potentiated by God. Verses and mantras from texts like Guru Gita extolling the glory of Guru is also recited for the purpose of worship. All Vedic rituals superintend by Brahmins and tantra and mantra and worship of devi-devas are rejected in favour of direct guidance from Guru or through the anointed preceptors in the Guru parampara after the founder Guru’s physical departure.

Remembrance of God through the guidance of embodied Guru, chanting His name and leading ethical life as householders helping each other is the path of karma and dharma suggested for the householders. Guru established a self-reliant model of commune life, where all believers lived under one roof engaged in different occupations so that it reduced the burden and tensions of life by way of cooperative living. The sanyasis are required to live in accordance with God’s will as socially responsible persons, not as recluses who live detached from the community life. The Ashram of Guru is regarded as the sacred place of pilgrimage. To live in accordance with the guidance of Guru is more important. To make willing sacrifice for the protection and perpetuation of Guru paramapara is an essential ingredient of the faith. 

Guru wanted that the society, the politics and government of the country be guided through the wisdom of an all-knowing Sage who functions by the sole of Will of God. Guru was concerned about the wrong direction of the society, of the painful conflicts, social disintegration and deprivation. Guru believed that only through the spiritual upliftment of householders, especially women, the desired spiritual renaissance can take place in the world. Guru gave much importance to bhakti and self-surrender for the divine cause in order to change both the quality and structure of social life. The basis for social regeneration advocated by Guru is essentially spiritual, ethical and family oriented. Guru personally guided all householders in every area of life including marriage, education, occupation, birth and death.

A new guru parampara is born with a divinely commissioned Guru to guide its social and religious life. Guru’s message is not merely of liberation but also of social action. Although there is a group of sanyasis and brahmacharis belonging to both genders in the Ashram, He did not want that sanyasis wander aimlessly as mendicants. He was opposed to such meaningless renunciation. His ideal is self-reliance through community life. The sanyasis of Guru supervise the community life. The members of the commune engage in self-sustaining enterprises with a vision to help the community and the society with exemplary products and services. 

Guru initiated a unique spiritual performance known as Gurupooja or Pitrupooja by which the devotee is freed from all inauspicious karma, i.e. deeds and debts of past and present lives and also from the consequences of erroneous ways of God worship handed down by the ancestors. After a few generations, several mahatmas and other high souls waiting for rebirth in the kaliyuga shall be born in the families thus spiritually purified. With that, the spiritual renovation of humanity would be complete. These noble souls are unable to take birth now because of the spiritual decadence and unqualified parentage.

The organizational basis of the Guru Parampara has been provided by Guru Himself in the form of Annadanam, Aturasevanam and Atmabodhanam, i.e. providing food to the needy, caring for people’s health and their spiritual uplift. 

Mukundan P.R.

The Spirit World and Islamic Jihad

Gurucharanam Saranam

The extremely cruel and demonic rape and murder of a girl in Delhi, which hurt the conscience of the entire nation brings to fore the moral malignancy of our society. That the government laws and law enforcing agencies are unhelpful when such satanic forces pounce upon innocent victims is clear from such unending incidents taking place around us.  A lasting solution to such cruelties and depravation is the moral and spiritual invigoration of the society and the evacuation of evil tendencies from human minds.

 

The moral standard of a society is in par with its spiritual evolution, beliefs, customs and rituals and their unseen influences on human psyche. A low spiritual culture would produce moral corruption, discord, violence and murder, whereas, true religion leads us to peace and prosperity. Humans, when they are morally unclean become the channels through which the spirit-world expresses itself in its fiery character. When morally fallen characters come together, they hunger for forbidden acts because evil minds find pleasure only in evil thoughts and acts. Such people become the natural allies of demonic forces with which they are subtly connected through worship and rituals, that of their own or come down through their ancestral tradition.

A blood - thirsty deity may hunger for blood. Jataka tales mention that Angulimala wanted the head of holy Buddha for propitiating such a fierce deity. In the history of Sankaracharya also, there is such an incident. He was about to be sacrificed by the devotee of a terrific spirit. Is there any doubt that people who are devoted to such spirits would become bloodthirsty? 

 The culture of our society is deeply influenced by its mythology and spiritual practices. Many sectarian myths have engendered superstitions, contradictory beliefs, caste discrimination, atrocities on women, corruption etc. From where did men learn the practice of using women to corrupt or destroy the virtuous? An example is available in Indian mythology. Indra used celestial nymphs to destroy virtuous seers and their sacred deeds.

 It must be taking a cue from the gods men too began to use women for corrupt purposes. The sanctity of womanhood was violated and her sacred status, as the mother and goddess on earth from whose womb he takes birth, who is the spiritual lamp in his family, was forgotten. The priests kept women as Deva Dasis, the slaves of gods in temples. It is better to remember that the temple dance forms, which enthuse many people, are the remnants of that tradition.

 

One has to accept that there is the corrupt world of spirits behind the human universe. The heinous crimes and sinful actions of man form pools of karmic pollution behind the worldly screen, which becomes the sporting ground of evil spirits. Hundreds of human lives are slaughtered every day in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, Israel and other countries. A man guns down dozens of school kids in the United States without any sane reason. Thousands of people die every day in violence, accidents and other calamities all over the world. Does all this happen under the aegis of God or with the collusion of the spirit-world? Every religion has its population of spirits. If there is bloodshed in its background, that blood will want more blood. The bloodshed by Islamic Jihadists is only their ritual to propitiate the bloodthirsty spirits. 

Only by cleansing the spirit pollution, an individual, family or society can hope for lasting peace and prosperity. It is self-evident truth that old theologies and spiritual masters belonging to past centuries cannot cleanse the spirit world and reinvigorate humanity, spiritually and worldly.  People can kill each other in the name of religion, but it can only add to the enormous spiritual pollution in the subtle.

Humanity can get rid of this spiritual pollution only through prayers and sacred deeds performed under the guidance of an all-knowing spiritual Master belonging to this era. The path of Navajyotisri Karunakara Guru gives us hope in this direction.