Advance by Doing Good Work

Advance by Doing Good Work
 Guruvani - The Sacred Words of Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru

  (Translated from the original Malayalam)

The religion I believe is of friendship, fraternity and truth. Neither my aim nor my desire (is) to blindly believe and proceed to the path of self-destruction, remaining divided. There are rays of love in all people; I wish that all people live in happiness. I do my individual work with that aim. I wish to bring you to my path, which has been the outcome of my austerities. I consider it as one of my aims.

Now let me clarify what are my ways. Today, our society is completely polluted. Divided it stands and it is advancing towards the depth of total destruction every moment. Nobody has an idea where to go or in which direction. The scenario of all people confusedly looking at each other is usually seen. What is the solution for this? That is what is to be found out. Numerous people are being ruined facing many sorts of difficulties; they go about without hope suffering from chronic diseases that are incurable; financial instability stares at many people. Thus, I see around me a huge crowd of disturbed human society. They do not have any idea about what to do. Sisters and Brothers! You who consider human birth as a curse, I have only one thing to say: I am ready to give you my strength.

What is the strength in me? I know many among you will ask this question. I will tell you in detail. My strength has been earned from never-ending self-denial. I performed austerities for that for several years. I underwent sacrifices for that. Those sacrifices made me what I am; made me different. You might have the desire to know from where and what it is. That is only natural. Before clarifying that, I wish to take you to our tradition, to the core of Indian spirituality.

When we just peep into the spiritual excellence of India, we see that a small group of great sages had worked for the goodness of humanity. They highlighted our Hindu culture from time to time through their austere life. Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and others were the brightest rays of that tradition. The majority of the people had not been able to follow their path. Let us leave it at that and come to our state, Kerala.

Here, three eminent sages were born. In that, first comes Sankaracharya, running down to our memory. The other two are Sri Narayana Guru and Chattambi Swamikal. Their blessings have always been benedictory to our little Kerala. We are seeing its stirrings. However, as ages pass by, many changes are taking place in the minds of the people. A situation has been created that makes it difficult to pass through the ages, keeping unshakable faith in the teachings. There is no use blaming anybody for it. It happens and it can happen.

Today the necessity of providing guidance to the people at particular time periods is much more. That only can give them peace. There had been such guidance behind the existence of Christianity, Islam and all. Several people define it in numerous ways and patterns and describe it in different aspects. Today people have become unable to hang on to old dictums. The revival of different sects is a consequence of this.

It does not end there. It will exist as an unending process, as long as men are on the face of this earth. There are modifications of different types in every religion. However, it is not that change would occur in their fundamental teachings. Nevertheless, what I point out is that it would be modified according to the times.

In this background, I invite your attention to the problems of Hinduism. Hindu religion exists as a great tree. It has many branches; there are branches in those branches too. Thus, all those exist there infirmly and without a coherent relationship. A lot of things have to be said about the problems of Hinduism. I believe that what has been formed in me today is the result of years of thinking on this. I could see and experience many things.   

 All those are incidents of long suffering that melt the heart. My conscience was hurt thinking about the decadence of our society. Through that pain, through that sorrow, I could develop a unique inspiration. When I was only a small child, I was struck down by its impact. I stepped into many places for a clarification. I understood many things. At the end of it, I began the journey towards my goal. The sacrifices that I underwent to achieve that goal are what made me what I am today.

It was a time when caste divisions were dominating. That period is not imagined, but was being experienced directly. When I saw that, a fire was raging in my mind. There were many occasions when I thought that I would be burnt in that fire like dying ashes. There I found a person. I became his disciple. I could learn many things from that Guru. You should not misunderstand when I say that I could learn only because of my power of endurance. I had to endure a lot; had had to wander about. There I had not at all the thought whether I would succeed or not. There was only one aim; the effort was for that. In the end, I found that.

Didn’t I tell you about the polluted customs of the society?  There I have some more things to say. That is about the Aryans who came here. They were giving commandments. According to those commandments, ‘those poor people’ fought; they were made to believe that they were powerful. These poor people were enthralled by it. The remaining communities were seen as unworthy beings and if they were seen (in front of them) instructions were given to crush them. These people continued to do those ‘valiant actions’. As a result, all the other communities were suffering it. What could be done?

Under this circumstance, it was not possible for those depressed classes to organise themselves. Those people who were living suppressing their pain were cursing. Do you know whom that curse hit? Those who imposed those wicked actions and those who carried them out! With that, our communities began to be degenerated. When several groups in Hinduism fought with one another, all communities were getting ruined. These poor people had not known this. We see that process in the political field also; power is gained after making people clash with each other and destroying them. Like that, it was there in our Hindu community also. As a consequence there is a big group of people here who have slipped down to ruination.

Those people who got the curse upon them, and another group who were termed as backward and thus marginalised! I see these two groups here around me. Both these are getting convinced that what they have done was wrong. Now what they want is progress; an ascension from the lower steps. What is necessary for that?

It is here I assertively say that a path should be cleared for them. If you go by that path only, you can get freedom from this sin of yours. I know any number of families who are plunged in suffering; I am ready to give them my strength. Several people have approached me till now. I have only one advice for all of them: advance with your good work, seek remedy for sins. Seek the advice of Gurus for that.

When I say about the matter of Gurus, I have another thing to remind you. Today, Marvaris, Gujaratis and Sikhs are leading a good life in North India. Several among them are industrialists; they are leading a wealthy life. There are Gurus who guide them, and they move the pawns of life according to the guidance of their Gurus. There is big success in their life because of it. This you know without my telling.

In that way, in the Hindu community also, Gurus are ready to give guidance. However, our people should be prepared to know and respect them. My belief is that we can attain a good future in that case.

Love in the Guru-Disciple relationship

Gurucharanam Saranam

Love in the Guru-Disciple relationship

((The Divine Words of Navajyotisri Karunakara Guru translated from original Malayalam)

In the beginning, during the ignorant ages, people lived like animals or evil spirits. Evolving from that state, today we have reached to the status of ‘Self Manifest Dharma’. (the spiritual status wherein one is able to perceive the self-evident cosmic Truth). What is the ‘radiant substance’ in that conceptual pursuit, how should I place myself in that – this is the present state of thinking in this Kaliyuga. This state is full of all qualities. Churning good and bad alike and absorbing its’ essence, the world is moving on in its track.

Imbibing in ourselves this efficiency of living and imparting it to our children, our effort is to foster it through the generation. Almighty God has shown to us to do it in the best way. For instance, different images surface in our mind without our being aware of it. When we say Bhakti, Yoga, Karma or Jnana, there arise in our mind different reflections on each of this. When small kids see their father, they have one image, while the grown ups have a different one. It is the same when we see the mother. Thus, when we come across with every person, different people will have different thoughts. Likewise, a painter or singer has different mental pictures.

How did this image come into the mind of man? That is because of the inner fragrance of each person. We develop this little by little. This is a secret within us even without our knowledge about it. Like this, several images develop in us, one toward God too. About God, we have a mixed image arising out of our different thoughts, which are then blended with beauty, humility, truth, fortune and self-esteem. That arises on its own from us. This is mind’s association in the nature of its evolution. It has to be experienced and cannot be communicated by words.

Bhakti (divine love or devotion) is like a great mountain of love. That is a path of love. That love is the feeling of blessedness towards everything, the feeling of sacredness, which comes in us spontaneously. For children, the love would be for toys or tasty things. With the progression of age, that will transform in two ways. One will be in performing work with all sincerity, while the other is of sensuality. This we know from experience, but cannot explain how.

Transforming thus ourselves, when we reach a Mahatma who embodies this truth and who acts with humbleness, truth and self-sacrifice, or to a concept similar to this, we become aware of its profundity. It is such a great blessedness. We are living in its companionship (i.e. Guru). What we, who live like this, should think is that ‘I should absorb this in my soul and develop it inch by inch and work for the benefit of my contemporaries, home, society and nation’.

Some may see and understand this and go. Some others are not like this. They would undergo whatsoever sacrifice for the sake of others and strive very hard. Although all are human beings, for some people, seeing this type of work itself will cause annoyance. For some others, (it will be) some selfishness in the nature of love; or, whatever others might do, there will be the ignorance to give value or respect and understand it. Thus, we have shortcomings in all aspects. We will have (good) culture only when we become prepared to change it. For that, (one has to) come to some public area of work and after understanding the vice and virtue in that, we should again come to the path that demands sacrifice. Like that, we have to elevate ourselves and proceed to take up the sacrifice of imparting the virtuousness of this blessed path to all individuals among us. It is through such doers of sacrifice, today we have got accustomed (to this path) this much.

How shall we take up this work? Through whom shall we take it? All of us have knowledge. There is also the interest to take up all this. But when the occasion comes, it will not be possible to do it; or if it is done, it will not be beneficial to each other. There will be many obstacles owing to which we will not be able to fulfill our actions. We should march ahead removing these obstacles. After thinking and deciding well what should be done for this, we should go in that direction.

For Hindus, first there is the ‘Bhajana Mattam’ (i.e. venue for devotional singing). Then there is the temple. After that is the ashram. Similarly, for Christians, there is the ‘Vanakkamaasapura’ (a dwelling for prayer), then the church, after that the Metrapolita. For Muslims, it is ‘Taikkav, Mosque and Mecca. It is in this order, the wise has been doing it. Each type of knowledge has been familiarized to us in this way. That knowledge has been enjoined in all religions. What is the meaning of this enjoinment? Combining spiritual and worldly matters through life, it has been brought up linked with each other like a chain. Otherwise, people will leave it off.

The Guru-Disciple relationship is not like that. Surrendering all protection as well as punishment at one place (at the feet of Guru), everything is gained from there and brought back (into our life). This is the love in the Guru-Disciple relationship. My savior as well as chastiser is only You! In a way, it is like the rule of a king. But it is not the relationship between the king and populace. It is the learning through life. Making him do something in every birth, with his life and devotion, love and respect, gathering all that he does with its purity, washing it with humility, indefinable love is being given by providence. There is no word for this except divine magnanimity. We should do every action absorbing this magnanimity.

There will be Father, Mother, Brother or Sister only when we give regard to it. The status that we give to God also is similar. Before we commence drinking water or eat something, we close our eyes for a second. We used to do that when we begin to break up earth with a shovel or take up tools or pen. It is a general belief that drivers, boatmen and mahouts do not respect anything. But the driver while holding the steering and the mahout while taking up the hook will for a moment remain there closing the eyes. The mahout is praying that when the elephant sees the hook, it should behave. It might trample him to death or pierce him down. Similar is the case with boatman. It is enough he observes a shred of raincloud, great would be the upheaval inside him.

Those who fly in the sky with great celebration, we might think that they are free like birds, but once he enters into it, his attention would be riveted to it until he touches down his destination. So, where all should be our attention? The duty of Guru is to keep us in such concentration(s) first.

Now, we are living in a small path of knowledge. Not only that, we have commenced the acting of a part. Then first it should be learnt how love in the innate human nature should be nourished. We have a habit of sharing love with and without bias. We should also learn how this love should be at every position. Let us be learned, ignorant or whatever, only by sharing this love, we can advance in this world. We are beginning to learn the greatness of love knowing it intimately in everything.

Devotion (Bhakti) is the fullness of love. In whatever way there would be other thoughts (knowledge or pursuits in life), it would not be possible for it to go above true devotion. The nature of devotion is to see one’s deity or Guru as God. A person, who desires God’s love, might experience limitless sorrows. That time, one should console himself that it is for removing the filth of his sins and strongly establish himself in love again and again. Since he would be able to undergo all sorrows filled with love and ambrosia, when his sacrifice is seen, it would not be understood as sacrifice. Sorrow should come essentially. Although he is convinced that whatever he does is good, if his contemporaries accept it, he will not know what sorrow is. Without experiencing lot of sorrows, it will not be known what sacrifice is. Let it be that sorrow is not experienced. Is it possible for him then to understand another’s sorrow? In that case, he will neither know it from self-experience nor able to know the sorrow of others.

The love that he will have for other living beings depends upon his surrender to God. His eminence will be in keeping the purity of his character by hating nothing and seeing everything with love. Knowing all sorrows, with loving behavior and knowing it experientially, become identical with it. Then the seat of sorrows as well as the seat of happiness is oneself. He can see the earth as a flowerbed and see the forests with full of stones and thorns as a garden. When he reaches at such places, through the bliss he experiences, he can enjoy the essence of all beauty in the world. He might see the vision of God through it. He will have an overflowing mind, which can see God in everything. This is what is said as ‘inner intelligence’ (mati buddhi). The devotion, which is unlike this, is for gratification of desires. That type of devotion will in the end, cause frustration.

When the pile of desires becomes broken, there will be sorrow. Even If the devotion is lenient, there will be sorrow. Let a person be a true devotee or otherwise, there will be many tearful surges of weeping. In fact, he sees with great delight the form of his personal deity in every sentient and insentient nature. Then he weeps unknowingly with the love that made him witness the glory of the Supreme. Thus, a devotee who has experienced God in different ways would shed tears out of divine love. Despite all this, those who have no knowledge to see and understand love, when he is tormented with tales about him about which he is not aware, he would weep thinking that these people torment me without knowing the truth and whether God does see this or not.

(75^th Janmadina Poojita Samarpana Souvenir)

The Difference between Guru and Deities

Gurucharanm Saranam

The Difference between Guru and Deities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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