How You Lose Bhagya and Punya (Good Fortune and Luck)

So far Dharma has been defined through the perspective of moral and religious duties. But dharma has a spiritual definition different from that. Dharma is also about the right mode of God worship. Man attains bhagya (good fortune) and Punya through the worship of God and observance of Dharma. When man deviates from the right mode of worship as willed by God, it becomes Adharma and it leads to Aradhana Dosham – the ill effects due to degrading God worship. Aradhana Dosham means debasing spiritual practices with their consequences such as moral faults, corruption, mental and physical debilities or deformities, loss of good fortune, etc.

Aradhana Dosham also affects the mobility of souls through higher spiritual domains (Avasthas or Lokas) of varying evolutionary nature with its peculiar color, potencies, and hierarchies. These are spiritual planes above the earth plane. After the Manushya Loka (human world), there are the Bhutaloka (the Spirit world), Pitruloka (the world of ancestral souls), Devaloka (the world of devatas), Rishiloka, Janarloka, etc. up to Parabrahmaloka. Although texts like Bhagavata Purana mentioned it, the concept of Lokas and their relation with evolution is an area that has not been explored properly. It forms part of the discourse on Aradhana Dosham or spiritual degradation or stagnation. Aradhana Dosham directly or indirectly affects the measure of virtue (Punya) and the evolutionary track of the soul. Spiritual pollution means stagnation of souls in lower spiritual domains with its adverse effects on health, progeny and the prosperity of the family.

The tranquility of soul is experienced in higher spiritual domains (Avasthas) above the hierarchies of spirits, celestials, angels, and devatas including their mediums. Those who worship low spirits, their souls, after death, go to Bhutaloka. Those who worship Pitrus, go to Pitruloka and those who worship devatas go to Devaloka or Swargaloka if they have lived a virtuous life. Swarga is a plane of the highest degree of pleasure. The worshippers of devatas will remain in Swarga Loka till the exhaustion of their Punya that they have earned in Marthyaloka. Once the Punya is exhausted they fall back to the earth plane to undergo the misery of pain and pleasure again and again. The Upanishads state this. This has also been mentioned by Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita. This is a vicious circle. Adi Sankaracharya mentions this misery in his famous verse ‘Punarapi Jananam, Punarapi Maranam, Punarapi Janani Jatare Shayanam’ (You fall back again and again in the womb of the mother).

(The Abode of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru at Santhigiri Ashram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India)

The spiritual domains up to heaven are related to virtue and vice, praise and punishment, pleasure and pain, name and form. In other words, it is the abode of Ashta Raga - the eight-fold bindings of the soul. By the worship of lower spiritual entities, the souls get linked to those astral planes which produce only dual experiences of pain and pleasure, sorrow and happiness, births and rebirths. There is no scope of Mukthi for the souls in this domain. So long as the soul is subject to Ashta Ragas, there will be no Mukthi by way of spiritual evolution. In the present age, mankind is mostly confined to these lower spiritual planes, hence there is a lack of peace, love, and harmony, good health, etc. and experiences contrary to expectations.

Although the Abrahamic religions speak of One God, their ultimate aim is also heaven, the same Swarga which Hindus speak about. They too remain in the category of heaven-mongers. Hence, the quarrels, corruption, violence, and bigotry in those creeds. It is well known that the holy Koran which speaks of One God, was revealed by an angel. In the Old Testament, it is said that angels corrupted men and misled them. Revelations from the Supreme Light alone leads to true enlightenment and peace.

The last one such revelation was from Sri Krishna who advocated the worship of Paramatma, the One God. Krishna came from a higher Source above Devatas and Trimurti. He exhorted the people to abandon the old rituals and accept Him alone as the embodiment of God. But the teachings of Sri Krishna got distorted and his mission defeated. Moreover, the spiritual tenure of Sri Krishna had ended with Dwapara Yuga. However, he left with an assurance that he will manifest again in Kali Yuga when dharma is in peril.

Enduring health is the result of tranquility arising out of soul’s composure in higher spiritual planes where all dualities disappear and the soul remains in its true state of undivided bliss. It is the plane where Oneness of God and Oneness of Humanity become an actual experience. This spiritual transition is essential for a healthy society and for achieving lasting peace, enduring health and progress. Mankind, therefore, requires the guidance of such a Spiritual Authority in this Kali age - a Trikala Jnani Guru who has ascended the spiritual ladders up to Paramatma.

The supra-mental evolution mentioned by Sri Aravind Ghosh is related to this spiritual transition in Kali Yuga. Before embarking on this path of spiritual evolution, one has to get rid of Karma Dosha, Pitrudosha and Aradhana Dosha and establish oneself in the path of such a spiritual Authority under Sanatana Dharma. The dialogue on human health and progress can become meaningful only when these subjective and astral aspects are given due attention and thought, mentions Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, the supremely ascended Master, whom Sri Krishna brought to the earth plane to resurrect Sanatana Dharma.

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What is Ailing Hinduism?

Much before the advent of Christianity and Islam, India gave the world the monotheistic view of God and theories related to the creation, the evolution of life, time concept, karma, reincarnation, etc. Although the Vedas venerate gods that are organic to the cosmic apparatus, they go beyond and present us the concept of formless and manifest facets of God. The formless God is called Brahman, who with a desire to create the universe manifested Himself as the Cosmic Purusha. So Purusha is the First Born of God, the kinetic form of the unborn, unknowable God. Vedas and Upanishads clearly say the formless Brahman made Him known by appearing in the form of a Cosmic Person. Borrowing this Vedic idea Bible writers say that God created man in His own image.

According to the theory of creation in Hindu scriptures, Purusha remained in the fluid of the universal egg for a long time and finding Him alone, He split himself into two, as a man and a woman with a desire to create. (His first creations were sages or rishis, it is said). The name of the Purusha is Manu and the woman Satarupa. It is mentioned further that from this pair the human race originated; hence Manu is considered the progenitor of mankind. These ideas of creation traveled worldwide and took regional forms. The Purusha began to be worshipped in various forms and names in subsequent ages. The Hindus equated Him with the trinity gods Siva, Vishnu, Brahma and so on. In the prophetical religions, Purusha is worshipped as the Father in Heaven, Allah, etc. The Manu became the myth of Adam in Christianity and Islam.

Manu in Indian spirituality is the Creator himself, not just the human ancestor. Manu is God in creative mode. For this reason, the world-time is named Manvantara after Manu’s name by the primordial rishis. Therefore, Indian spirituality is monotheistic in essence although not in practice currently. The concept of a monotheistic God originated in India. However, during the course of time, certain socio-spiritual distortions occurred in India. The Vedic scribes re-wrote Purana Samhita (mythological treatise which was one in the beginning) and portrayed Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva as the authorities of creation probably to bring these pre-Vedic traditions together. They altered the Manvantara time calculation subservient to trinity god Brahma instead of Manu, according to the revelations received through Sri Karunakara Guru. Manu lost all significance. During the long ages of editions and re-editions of Vedic texts in the hands of Vaidikas, the history of Manu was lost except his name. The Vedic priests not only made trinity gods equal to Brahman but made the community of priests too equal to a god. They instituted a hierarchical caste system that gave no spiritual rights to others. The other communities were prohibited from learning Vedas and rituals and were left to worship evil spirits and tribal gods.

According to Manu Parampara or Sanatana Dharma, only Trikala jnani (all-knowing) gurus are the spiritual authorities in every yuga. Sri Ram was the Guru of Treta yuga and Sri Krishna of Dwapara Yuga. The object of Worship in Sanatana Dharma is Brahman alone, the formless Supreme Light, through the medium of an epochal Guru, who appears in every age. From the beginning of this new age Kali Yuga (which began approx. 5200 years ago), God sent great souls like Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak, Kabir Das, and others. However, the Vaidikas brought these great souls under the Trimurti system through interpolated Puranas which portrayed them as avatars of one or the other gods. For example, is the myth of Sri Krishna and Sri Buddha who are mentioned as avatars of Vishnu in the Puranas. The great Mahatmas and their words were not recognized in order to promote the monopoly of Vaidikas.

Further, Vedanta philosophy brought great spiritual distortion in the minds of people as its real essence was misunderstood. The people became full of ‘ahamkara’ or ego-ness as they were taught to think they are Brahman (Aham Brahmasmi). Any sinful person and even an evil spirit can become equal to God in this way. A person can attain Brahman only after cleansing all karma doshas and pitru doshas (karmic and genetic imprints and debilities) through many reincarnations and after crossing many spiritual stages. A fully realized Guru who knows the past, present, and future and who is the spiritual authority of age is necessary for such spiritual cleansing and a spiritual voyage through the cosmic egg.

Thus the Sanatana spiritual order was distorted. God sent other messengers like Moses, Jesus and Prophet Mohammad outside India and tried to re-establish Sanatana Dharma world-view. Since the origin of Sanatana Dharma is in India, the prophets of Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) did not get revealed the full idea of the secret of creation and related knowledge with regard to the evolution of life, the theory of karma, reincarnation, etc. So Christianity and Islam present only a dogmatic half-baked view of God and creation. Only Sanatana Dharma presents an all-encompassing inclusive world view. Sanatana Dharma is time tested, eternal and the divine plan for spiritual evolution.

God sends an epochal Guru, a Kalanthara Guru in every age. Accordingly, He sent another great reformer, a divine messenger to India as the spiritual authority of this new age - Kali Yuga. The name of that great Soul is Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru (1927-1999), whose abode is in Thiruvananthapuram, at the southern tip of India, in Kerala. The great Guru’s spiritual intercession cleanses the individual and family from all karmic and genetic sins and leads one to peace and divine joy. The Guru has led thousands of families to the new order - Guru Margam getting rid of all caste, gender, and religious segregations. In the new order, the venerable is only Brahman, the One God. Mediators are not priests, but the all-knowing Guru and his lineage of realized spiritual masters.

Sri Guru Gita – A Conversation between Siva and Parvati on Guru Tatva - 11

 Gurucharanam Saranam

Yadamghri-kamala-dwandwam Dwandwa-taapa-nivaarakam

Taarakam Bhava-sindhoscha Tam Gurum Pranamaamyaham

Siva said:

(I salute that Guru, the pair of whose lotus feet remove the suffering owing to the consciousness of opposites and take us across the ocean of worldly life.)

Suffering is the mental agony and agitation arising out of dualities in life such as pleasure and pain, success and failure, opulence and poverty or other experiences contrary to our expectations. Just like night follows the day, pleasure too ends in sorrow. All religions in general and Indian spirituality in particular sought to address the question of human suffering. Lord Buddha specifically identified suffering, its cause and its removal, as the basis of his teaching.  Unless we are able to transcend the domain of pleasure and pain we will not be able to experience peace of mind. And the way of peace is to fix our mind on that imperishable eternal truth called God and His glory.

The other day a retired person from Kolkata came to the Ashram. He said he wanted to have peace of mind now since he has fulfilled all his duties as a householder. How can a person hope for peace after retirement if has not thought about it and striven for it until this moment?  Just like we spend our energies for fulfilling other responsibilities in life, one should start the enquiry to find peace early in life. Otherwise it will be difficult because our body and mind get conditioned by the retirement age and you may not have the necessary energy also for such a mission.   

Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru reminds us that every soul is born subject to the universal rules of karma and spiritual evolution. Guru, who knows the disciple’s soul, cuts the karma with the sword of his grace and lifts the disciple to transcendental bliss. Through the service at the feet of the Guru, the soul gets gradually purified of all sins and bad karma. Only then the disciple can hope to reach the realm of God realisation.  So it is important that we connect our children with a realised Guru early in life. The Ashram is a place where an Atma Jnani Guru, a soul knowing Guru lives. Family life is supposed to be linked to the Ashram of such a Guru. In ancient India, children were educated in an Ashram under the guidance of a realised Guru.  This was known as Gurukula system of education. The children were taught not only spiritual science but all other material sciences such as astronomy, architecture, archery, medicine, metallurgy and so on. The Gurukula system was wiped out by the British during the colonial rule.

Worldly life is compared to an ocean because of the hidden dangers in its unfathomable belly and endless expanse.  Our little boat of life may get overturned by the hissing waves and swirling currents.  It is difficult for a truth seeker to swim over to the other end of this perilous ocean all alone. But with the help of Guru, one can cross over this ocean easily and find peace and tranquillity.   

Sri Guru Gita- A Conversation between Siva and Parvati on Guru Tatva -6

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Mama Ruupaasi Devi Twam Twad-bhaktyartham Vadaamyaham
Lokopakaarakah Prasno Na Kenaapi Kritah Puraa

(O' Divine One! You are my own Being. Owing to your devotion, I am revealing it to you. This question, which is beneficial to the world, has not been asked by anyone before).

Lord Siva is pleased with the unblemished devotion of Parvati. There is a revelation in the Upanishads that in the beginning of creation God divided Himself into a pair, a man and woman. The name of male is Manu and female Satarupa from whom the human race originated. When God thus paired himself in the beginning, everything in nature got paired as male and female. Those who say God has no form are forgetting this creative aspect of God. (Those Hindus who criticise Semitic religions are also forgetting the very Semitic nature of Indian spirituality which extols the One God and His messengers, the Guru medium).

Reminding this truth of creation, Siva equals Parvati to his own Self. Kalidasa mentions in Raghuvamsham that Siva and Parvati are inseparable like ‘word’ and its’ ‘meaning’. The life of Siva and Parvati is also a saga of guru and disciple! The grace of Guru flows down like a downpour that drenches the dry parched earth. Guru with endless patience waits for the arrival of such a disciple and the disciple for such a Guru. There are many a people who go to a Guru, but more often than not, they do it for problem solving or for fulfilment of some wishes. And there is nothing wrong with it because Guru is verily Kamadhenu, the heavenly cow that fulfils wishes!

People talk endlessly about God, about the soul and the universe, all big questions well beyond the grasp of ordinary human intelligence. However, the Guru concept is rarely discussed. There are reasons. First of all, a Guru, when embodied, is seen with the frailties of human nature. Therefore, both the pundit and the ignoramus take the human guru as any other human who cannot be equalled to God. (It is another fact that these people have never seen the God of their imagination and it is impossible also to see any such God).

These people are unable to perceive either the role or transcendent nature of Guru, the Divine in human form as Sri Krishna said in Bhagavat Gita:

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 9.11).

They cannot be blamed because the Guru concept is a riddle and a true Guru or Poorna Guru, a rare occurrence. From a school master to those who perform mantra, tantra, sacrifices etc. are also called gurus. There are deva rishis and brahma rishis, there are also Vedantins, Yogis, Philosophers and miracle workers under the category of gurus. So there is scope for thorough confusion with regard to gurus. Guru Gita discusses these categories of gurus as well.

There should be adequate punya (soul-virtue) to find a true Guru in life. A person can earn such punya even by offering a glass of water to a mahatma in this birth or previous ones, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru said. That small gesture of love itself makes him qualified to get a true guru. The rich have become rich through their spiritual merit which includes service to a Guru. Bhagavat Gita affirms this fact. Sri Krishna assures that those devotees of God who had fallen from the path will be reborn in rich families or as famous men.

It is not dry intellectual discussions or blind faith that leads us to spiritual realisation but the grace of God flowing through the medium of Guru. Well, from perennial time humanity has not well pondered over this question as affirmed by Lord Siva here that this question goddess Parvati asked about Guru had not been asked by anyone before.

(Her Holiness Sishya Poojitha - One more jewel of India after the era of goddess Parvati, Gargi, Maitreyi and Meera)

After the era of Siva and Parvati, Gargi, Maitreyi and Meera, there is another example in our times, of Her Holiness Sishya Poojita Janani Amrita Jnana Tapaswini, the disciple of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru and the present spiritual head of Santhigiri Ashram whose devotion to Guru is matchless. Born as Radha to (late) Sri Chellappan Pillai and Smt. Ratnamma in Idukki Kallar in Kerala she as a child gets the vision of the Guru even before she met Him in person, runs to prostrate at His feet when the Guru once happened to visit Kallar when she was nine years old surprising everyone, goes with Him compelling the parents, ignoring even the warning of the Guru that ashram-life is too harsh for a child of her age, the parents come back to take her home, she refuses saying ‘I have no life without Guru’, the parents go to Court accusing that their daughter is illegally detained by the Ashram, the male ascetics in the Ashram get angered by the accusations and wanted to throw her out along with all other female disciples, then the Guru said to them, ‘you are all free to leave the Ashram if you so wish, but I cannot forsake women, they are to be given spiritual light if the home as well as the society is to be improved’, Radha stands firm like a mountain in her resolve, wins the battle, her devotion to the Guru deepens, receives transcendental visions and revelations through Guru’s grace, her blameless life and self-sacrifice make her eligible to be Sishya Poojitha, the most venerable among the disciples and finally occupies the chair of Guru Apparent after Guru’s physical departure. Thus the mission of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru to liberate women and the downtrodden spiritually and socially breaking the barriers of religion, caste, class and gender remains fructified.

Sri Guru Gita - A Conversation between Siva and Parvati on Guru Tatva - 5

Aum Namo Devadevesa Paraatpara Jagat Guro
Sadaasiva Mahaadeva Gurudeekshaam Prayaccha Me
Bhagavan Sarva Dharmajna! Vrataanaam Vratanaayakam
Bruuhi me Kripayaa Sambho, Guru-maahaatmya-muthamam
Kena Maargena Bho Swaamin! Dehii Brahma Mayo Bhavet
Tat Kripaam Kuru Me Swaamin! Namaami Charanau Tava||

(O Lord of all celestial beings! O Transcendental One! O World Teacher, the ever blissful one, Mahadeva! May it please you to clear my doubt as a Guru would attend to his disciple! O Lord! Knower of all Dharma! O Sambho! Kindly disclose to me the greatness of Guru, which is supreme and (the devotion to which) is the foremost vrata (vows) of all vratas. ¡O Lord! Kindly tell me about that path by which soul attains union with God. O Lord! I bow at your feet).

Here we find Parvati surrendering at the feet of Siva, her Guru in all earnestness beseeching him to guide her in the science of the soul. How to merge oneself with Brahman, the Supreme Light of God and find eternal peace? Parvati, who is ripe with penance and purity is the symbol of a truth seeker who has reached the summit of self-realization. Even such noble souls need guidance while ascending higher and higher. One does not know how many births, how many lives of internal transformation the soul might have undergone before reaching this threshold of enlightenment and to ask, ‘How do I merge with the Lord and find eternal peace?’

What helps here is not tradition or culture, religiosity or philosophies, rituals or riches, name or fame but only the Guru. Therefore, one should set out in search of a Guru to find peace neutralizing the bubbling desires within and deluding attachments arising from dual consciousness, which is the cause for all sorrows.

‘Arise! Awake! Approach the feet of the Master and know That’, says Katha Upanishad (1.ii.8). ‘The Guru disciple bond is the most sublime subject’, Navajyoti Sri Karuakara Guru said. ‘It is said that Guru is Sakala Dharmatma, (the embodiment of all dharma). We realize ourselves the vice and virtue (paapa and punya) in the soul accrued through many births and deaths and submit everything at the feet of Guru. Guru by imparting spiritual experience breaks the karmic entanglements…’, mentions Guru.

Here, the Guru becomes the liberator. Bhakta (devotee) is given the opportunity to unburden and sublimate all karmas, good and bad, at the feet of the Guru. And Guru assures him liberation, the bliss of enlightenment through spiritual experiences in order to dispel all doubts and purify the person of all bad karma. The Guru-Sishya concept goes beyond the popular one about Guru. Chindu Ratna, a Research Associate in Santhigiri Social Research Institute defined the role of Guru in a sociological perspective. Guru has the role of the Originator, Sustainer and Annihilator (Srishti, Stiti and Samhara), he explains.

In Santhigiri the Guru plays the role of shaping a healthy and virtuous human race. Today, one of the major challenges in front of man is a society free from diseases, disabilities and moral downfall. There should be spiritual guidance with regard to marriage and married life in order to prevent the birth of a meritless generation. Therefore, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru gave utmost importance to the generative aspect, which is Srishti or creation. The system of marriage and childbirth the great Guru initiated will ensure the birth of supramental souls and a supramental age, which Aravind Ghosh had envisioned.

Today, life poses a major challenge before man. He has to be productive to sustain himself and others around him. Consumerism has unsettled the holistic perspective of life. Entrepreneurs vie with each other to offer more and more products and services that change the way man wants to live. Profit motive makes entrepreneurs less responsible to man’s concerns about health and environment as well as exploitation of natural resources. The Guru showed an alternative way of self-reliant commune life. Only the products that are essentially required by the community is produced without harming Nature. There are educational institutions, hospitals, manufacture of Ayurveda and Siddha medicines and other small-scale enterprises in Santhigiri that meet the demands of the community. Here, life becomes a collective effort which eases the burden of a life individually lived. This is Sthiti or sustenance.

Another area of worry in man’s life is the thought about his karma and its consequences here and hereafter. He is worried about diseases and death. Man is in need of a sound doctrine that can alleviate the worry about death and suffering. Here, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru presents a concept that is founded on Sanatana Dharma. The soul is caught in an evolutionary journey wherein life does not end with the present. Each birth is an opportunity to evolve higher and higher until it merges with Brahman, the Supreme Truth. Our actions and our view of life determine the sorrow as well as happiness in life. When a person blindly follows ritualistic tradition, soul’s progressive evolution gets arrested. Thus, the Guru’s ideology helps the followers transcend the fear of death. This is Samhara, the annihilation of the fear of death.

The Spiritual Significance of Kumbha Mela

The Spiritual Significance of Kumbha Mela Being Celebrated tomorrow (20 September, 2018) in Santhigiri Ashram:

The human race is facing a great crisis today. Great preceptors like Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha, Mahavir, Moses, Zarathustra, Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammad and Guru Nanak appeared for the spiritual renewal of humanity during historic intervals. However, their mission remains incomplete necessitating another epoch of spiritual renewal by a world teacher.

The spiritual vision of the great Indian rishis reveals how a soul can achieve absolute freedom from all imperfections and attain perfect peace.

There is only one Almighty God, Parabrahman. His light pervades in everything and everyone.

From that indescribable light of God emerges Manu, the nucleus of creation. He is the first born of God, the Adam of human race.

A solar system is the creation of Manu in association with saptarshis, the seven planetary spirits.

The Indian rishis calculated the age of the universe in terms of Manvantaras after the name of Manu.

Through the concept of Manu and Manu cycles India gives the world a perfect idea about creation and evolution of souls through the guidance of great mahatmas.

This is the basic concept of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal spiritual culture. Sanatana dharma is the culture of great mahatmas.

In the present cycle of Vaivaswata Manu an error occurred in the Sanatana Dharma.

A preceptor mistook himself as Brahman at the summit of God realization.

He pronounced ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, i.e. I am God.

A curse fell upon the human race as a result of this utterance against God.

After this curse, four chaturyugas went in darkness.
For a long age, the human race lost track of the true path and fell into degrading practices like sorcery, spirit worship, atheism, and so on.

God sent 2444 mahatmas from the beginning of this kali yuga, to guide the human race towards the path of true dharma.

However, the fallen souls known as Yoga bhrashtas, Satan and Jinnis opposed these mahatmas and persecuted them defeating their mission.

Several mahatmas and sages prayed to God Almighty so that the human race, which has lost track, may be guided to the right path.

Many great souls and prophets like Moses, Sri Buddha, Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed prophesied that the world will be guided to the true path through a great Soul.

Before the passing away of the Buddha, Ananda the principal disciple of the Buddha, asked the blessed one suppressing his tears,

“Who will teach us when you are gone?”

The blessed one replied,

“I am not the first Buddha who came upon the Earth, nor shall I be the last. In due time, another Buddha will arise in the World, a holy one, a supremely enlightened one, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the Universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of angels and mortals.

“He will reveal to you the same Eternal Truth which I have taught you. He will preach his religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at the climax and glorious at the goal in the spirit and in the letter.

“He will proclaim a religious life wholly perfect and pure, such as I now proclaim.” Then Ananda said “How shall we know him?” The blessed one said “He will be known as Mettayya (Maitreya), which means, he whose name is Karunakara, i.e. kindness. “

In the Bible’s book of John, Jesus promises to send a Comforter:

‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever; But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you’.

That great Soul in these prophecies is Navajyotisree Karunakara Guru.

It has been recorded by Maharshi Aurobindo Ghosh that he saw a Supramental Light, descending to the earth in the year 1926, accompanied by Sri Krishna.

Navajyotisree Karunakara Guru was born in the year 1927, after ten months of this incident.

Guru’s mother saw that several devi-devas, sages and prophets and their followers are offering obeisance to the divine child in her womb.

Navajyotisree Karunakara Guru was born on 1st Sept. 1927 in Chandiroor in Alapuzha district, as the son of Smt. Karthyani and Sri Govindan, who were ordinary peasants.

Guru’s life, full of sacrifices, began at the age of fourteen, from the ashram of Sri Narayana Guru, who fought against social inequalities and superstitions.

There was nobody to guide Guru in His quest for spiritual realization.

Guru felt that His spiritual path was blocked.

Once, Guru was living at the Aruvipuram branch ashram of Sivagiri Mutt as its in-charge.

One day, He decided to observe 41 days’ meditation climbing the top of Koditooki hill, nearby.

The meditation started and on the 40th day, a figure appeared before Him in an aura of light. It was Rishi Sai Baba.

This vision gave hope to Guru.

Within the next few days, Guru found his spiritual guide – a Sufi saint by the name Qureshia Fakir, who was popular as Pattani Swami.

The saint was living at Beema Masjid near the city of Thiruvananthapuram.

After the spiritual wanderings with Qureshia Fakir, Guru came to a deserted place at Pothencode in the year 1964 and set up Santhigiri Ashram.

Intimations from the Light of God began to be received about the great mission of Guru.

A revelation was received from the Divine Light, thus:

‘What I wished for ages has been fulfilled now’.

The Akhanta Na

ma or the Guru Mantra was received from the Supreme Light as the mantra of liberation, for this age.

The great Guru mantra led the devotees to peace and all types of goodness and welfare and a self-reliant community life.

A revelation followed after Guru’s spiritual fulfillment that Kumbhamela should be celebrated every year commemorating this occasion.

On this day, thousands of devotees with 11 days’ vritam (vows) take Kumbham (earthen pot filled with sacred concoctions) and circle the Ashram in a colorful procession with the accompaniment of percussion, panchavadyam, etc. chanting the Akhanta Nama.

It has been revealed that the Kumbha Mela of Santhigiri Guru Parampara will become a great festival in the world.

It has also been revealed that by taking Kumbhams for 12 years successively a devotee will be saved from all types of karma dosha and pitru dosha along with all related ailments both of the mind and body.

After laying down the foundation for a new spiritual order the great Guru left His physical body on 6th May, 1999.

His physical departure is referred as ‘Adi Sankalpam’.

Guru instilled spiritual wisdom and the knowledge of right karma and dharma and unified the people going beyond the barriers of race, religion, caste and class discrimination.

Guru had prophesied that at all times an enlightened spiritual master would lead the Guru Parampara.

This prophecy has been fulfilled through Her Holiness Sishya Poojita Amrita Jnana Tapaswini, the present spiritual Head of Santhigiri Guru Parampara.

Chronic diseases, unexpected calamities, problems of marriage, mental and physical deformities, suicide, drug addiction etc. are some of the problems that haunt man in the present.

Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru initiated two basic rituals for a solution to these problems. They are the Guru Pooja and the system of marriage in Santhigiri.

The families in the Guru Parampara are released from the karmic and ancestral curses through Guru Pooja or Pitru Suddhi.

A new generation of children with good fortune as well as the awareness of dharma is being born, through the marriages between the families that are thus freed from karma dosha and ancestral curses.

By participating in the prayers and rituals in the Ashram like kumbha mela, pournami vritam etc., the individuals and families are able to fulfill their wishes.

The spirituality of Santhigiri focuses on the family. Guru mentioned that a mother is the first teacher. The mother should be a spiritually knowledgeable soul. If a woman is thus spiritually enlightened, a family would become good. Only through such noble family life, the society can be transformed.

For this, the family life should be spiritually aligned with the Guru and the Ashram way of life.

Welcome to Santhigiri Ashram, the Abode of Peace!

The Theory of Evolution Basic to Indian Thought

The riddle behind the origin of universe, its sustenance and transformation has always vexed human intelligence and imagination. Nevertheless, the vigour 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 through the conduit of time (in the form of Yugas and Manvantaras). A person who tries to know Indian philosophy in depth could discern this fact. In that way, we can see this nature as a perfect setting inherent with different shades of life-potencies for evolvement of individual life forms.

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 moulding 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 that exists as the ‘witnessing authority of all actions and knowledge (Karma-Dharma-Saakshi, 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 ‘Karma-Dharma- Saakshi’ (the Guru Incarnation) 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 referred 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 fulfilment 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 wondrous 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.

(From the Introduction to the book ‘The Riddle of Manu, Manvantara Avatars and World Teacher Prophecies’ published by Santhigiri Ashram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala)

Sanatana Dharma Will Rule the World

“Islam and Christianity are prophetic religions which do not have a long history. Besides, there is a deviation from the time of Moses. Also these two religions have more or less performed their functions, in their respective paths. The changes brought about by the Christian and Islamic presence in India were considerable. The Christian British bettered the lot of the lower castes and educated them. They started getting sufficient to improve their physique. Some from among these sections identified themselves with the occupying suzerain and became part of the new religious and educational institutions. They soon participated in the governance and outstripped the Brahmins in cleverness. Those who embraced Islam practiced it as a rigorous discipline. They relied on physical aggression at times and expanded the areas of their influence. Still, the majority of them are disadvantaged as they came from these Hindu communities which were uncultivated in the finer graces of religious culture. However elevated these religious groups might have become through education and affluence and however long they might have stayed close to political power, there is something lacking. The refinement of Sanatana Dharma is that it comes with a virtuous way of life combining cleanliness, tidiness and humility envisaged in the Hindu way of life.
 
The Sanatana law has come to mean a mixing of myths and legends of the ancient past and more recent stories up to the propounder of the Gita. All these are put together with an eagerness to establish Advaita. Those who spout this Advaita, non-duality, are often unsympathetic to neighbors and even to their own brothers and sisters. We are talking all the time. Vedanta degenerates into pedantry. That is why a correction is difficult in this path. As far as Islam and Christianity are concerned conflicts and consequent divisions occurred within them even as they were coming up. This divisive tendency had led to disasters. It is not yet time for another coming (of a prophet or great soul), bringing peace and rejuvenating these faiths. Besides, other paramparas have not been able to go deep into spirituality as the Sanatana or perennial law of the Manvantara system. It is a matter of divine intervention. Such depth of spirituality as this is difficult to find elsewhere. And so is such extensive history and religious culture. Still more significantly, the responsibility of working for the remaining time period of this Manuparampara is vested in the Dharma of the Hindus.
The Manuparampara is the means to impart the Law of the Supreme to the world. Therefore the essence of all religions inheres in this system. An alternative to this way cannot evolve easily in the world.

India is a land of great wisdoms and great civilizations grown over vast periods of time. It should, therefore, strive to establish the perfect culture willed by the Almighty. Not only Christians or Muslims alone, all religions ought to heed this. Though each world religion is essentially part of a totality, each has been separately ennobled by many great men from time to time with their self-sacrifice and effort which have given rise to different customs and traditions. Many such traditions are visible in Hinduism itself. It is doubtful if any other religion is enriched to this extent. In order to mold life in keeping with this Age -the Kali, theologians and all believers of various religions should assess this Kali and its composite culture – the samkara mentioned in the Gita. This is a process to be achieved by the present and future generations…

A reorganization of our society, of our country, is required. All of us, believers, should free ourselves from the destructive effects of the caste system. We should overcome ethnic and religious differences. All children of this land should come together in humility and in devotion to God. That is the way to reorganize. This will give us the strength of mind, and power. The community that could contribute greatly towards this reorganization is the Brahmin community. In them intelligence, skill, ability and shrewdness blend as it were. They should give up their varnasrama caste trappings completely and lay the foundation of a composite—samkara—culture, the culture that is meant for Kali, indicated by the author of the Bhagavad Gita. They should unite with others to build a complete society, totally free from caste or class. They should not be distracted by the differences seen today. The pattern of having one mode of worship for themselves and other modes for the rest should change first. Instead of securing tantric rites people should be firm in the experiential worship of the Divine. Those who strive wholeheartedly for this should lead others who lack awareness. If we do not do this, the births of great souls would be diverted elsewhere away from our ethnic stream. The focus of redemption will move away and we will be left in a complex of Karma…” (Quoted from the book ‘A Dialogue on Human Prospects’ by Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, published by Santhigiri Ashram) 

Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru (1927-1999) is the Founder Guru of Santhigiri Ashram at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

The Riddle Called Guru

Unshakeable Devotion and Love of Disciple that leads to the Riddle called Guru.
(By Her Holiness Sishyapoojita Amrita Jnana Tapaswini)

O’ Guru, innumerable are the shades of emotion that I saw in the glimmer of your graceful look. I am merging in you, the immense and eternal figure of cosmic manifestations, melting unaware even to a speck of life. O’ Guru, You exist in the border-less cosmic expanse of love, as the Truth that could be experienced by anyone. Brightly present in me are the hymns of your praise and its sweet reminiscences.

The disciple who examines your whole birth cycles sees the great glory of Light. That is an experiential aspect, which remains as the greatly profound and greatly silent principle. Everyone can know that truth discreetly only through their self-experience. They are fortunate who are capable to take that type of discretion bowing down. They are people who have seen innumerable ‘visions’ before.

When seen about you, it could be seen that you go beyond kalpas and the plains of kalantara gurus. In those pathways, in the long and sweet memories, innumerable clusters of beautiful shapes are seen gathering in you. The magnitude of the sacrifices that remain powerfully in you is a riddle that is inexhaustibly uncountable and inexpressible. O Lord! Do the others know even a little about the greatness of the radiant stream of love that exists in you infinitely?

Once, your Guru locked you up inside an abattoir in its pools of blood. You had known for what it was. Those were the pages of life afire with sacrifice that had been arranged for passing the myriad ridges of mystic experiences related to spiritual planes. Who else can know about this type of punya? Only you could have gained it absorbing the complete character of numerous visionary aspects.

You were a disciple who became the synonym for patience, suffering whatever sacrifice. You had known that the disciple who absorbs this sacrifice crosses over big phases of life. You understood how a disciple should live honouring the wish of Guru and how to accept the decisions of Guru beyond any room for doubt. Through this, you taught the world that it is the unshakeable devotion and love of the disciple that leads to the riddle called Guru.

That saturating attainment is the absoluteness that cannot be shared or gained by anyone in the world now. It is the tatvamasi - the blissful union of soul that cannot be retrieved from anywhere. Praying that everyone should be able to be unified with your boundless, affectionate and ambrosial love!

(Translated from the original Malayalam by Mukundan P.R.)

The Subtle and Manifest Figure of Guru

Among a few who could realize the divine nature of Guru, Her Holiness Sishyapoojita is the foremost. I had tried to translate some of her sublime and profound words and visions although imperfectly. One such piece is here:

The Subtle and Manifest Figure of Guru
(Her Holiness Sishyapoojita Amrita Jnana Tapaswini)

I testify before the world my vision that Guru reveals indescribably, as the Guardian of the astral conception of God-ordained destiny, as the Indefinable Source of Radiance and the Conceptual Spectator, as the Ideological Thought in the primordial Vedas, as the Effulgent Sparks in the zodiacs and constellations reaching their depths, as the Minute in the Minutest, the Absolute in the Absolutes, as the Pure Resplendent Light behind all cause and effect, and as the Soul of Dharma of everything.

That Guru apportioned His life to lift up the disciple to His level is indeed great luck among luck and great virtue among virtues! However, I have witnessed every day and moment, the pain of Guru’s mind while sharing it, caused by the unbearable hurts, bitter than when the heart is dissected.
Unseen indeed is this universal God ordained Guru-Disciple bond, which becomes the loftiest example of guru-disciple relationship. Behind Guru’s sharing of His sacrificial virtue for curing the severe afflictions of the disciples is the mighty Will of God that human intelligence cannot perceive.

To mention an aptest comparison about this sharing between Guru and Disciple, it is most beautiful and delicate like the nest- building of a hornet. The wait of Guru for the sake of disciple is similar to the wait or self-denial of the hornet, which confines a worm inside a hole and waits until it comes out as a wasp. To share Guru, that would be according to the merit and right of the disciple. However, the wait of Brahman for the transformation of Guru to a state constituting the Original Will of Brahman lengthened to several ages.

Inanimate and animate beings, the oceans, waters, and all those varied manifestations are the radiating love and medium of Guru’s Will in the creation. Guru walks the disciple to the pathway of wisdom that exists as the under current in the Vedas, Upanishads, mythology, epics, Yoga Sutras etc. and to the endless plateaus of hidden spiritual secrets. Having come into that procession, I always see Guru in vision, and know Him as the one who sunders the subtle threads in the disciple’s karmic planes, as the astral substance for the building anew of panchendriyas, panchabhutas and panchakosas (five senses, five elements and five sheaths) becoming the witness of all and the fulfillments in wakeful and self-manifest states.

I have no words to describe Guru who exists as the imperishable form of human consciousness and as the everlasting expression of all that with and without form.
For many aeons, countless millions of ‘blessed abodes’ and ‘celestial soul embodiments’ were standing there claiming and beseeching (spiritual elevation). To give them what they deserved, Brahman had been keeping Guru dearly for several yugas to qualify Him for it. On its accomplishment, Word was received from Brahman that ‘what I desired for many ages has been fulfilled’. No other lineage in the world has received this luck. Ours is the first lineage, which has been blessed to receive that great luck.

Those joyful scenes savoring that luck, compassion and right are indeed astonishing. Still more astonishing are the innumerable perceptions and expressions of the tender love that Guru shares with the disciples and the beauty of the emotions of that ‘Willful (Astral) Figure’, the Witness of it. I see that ‘Willful Figure’ and ‘Wakeful Figure’ of Guru simultaneously in the physical and manifest state between the distance of a foot.

Guru stood manifesting in front of me in the astral form radiating extreme beauty and as the Supreme Radiance ablaze in glory in pure effulgent light. Forgetting myself and mustering courage, I began to think beholding that eternal form in humanly ways. ‘Now Guru cannot touch me physically’! After that, tears began to flow down from my eyes. Then Guru said:

‘You thought that you cannot touch me, didn’t you? You try and touch me!’ I not only touched but also prostrated before the physical form of Guru. And that Radiance embraced me strongly. Guru then asked:

‘Kid, what else do you want? Do you have any doubt about your divination? If you have, I would tell you’. That moment, I reached the acme of bliss. The utterly beautiful reflections of that experience existed gloriously in that atmosphere.

Beyond all the exalted verses, immersing strongly in that radiant Absoluteness, with glowing eyebrows, shapely ears, eyes closed in deep meditation, with muscles of perfect shape, with luminescent hands and feet, nails, hair and as the source of the spectrum of colors, I saw Guru glowing with extreme radiance. I also saw constellations, stars, and innumerable millions of solar systems in Him.

O’ God! You who have attired human form! Existing in your mirror image and by your Will, I adorn my soul collecting countless experiences. O’ Guru! You exist as the gracious, all-auspicious witness of ceaseless experiences, as the subtle flow of waves, as astounding joy, as the form of cause and effect and as the Supreme Radiance! You who are the all-witnessing dharma and God anointed, I pray with all my consciousness!

Guru Gita –The Arcanum of Cosmic Law of Guru

Guru Gita is lesser known among the ancient sacred texts of India. It is an intriguing fact that an important scripture like Guru Gita had for a long time remained eclipsed. But the past decade has seen the growing popularity of Guru Gita. Most of our spiritual texts reflect a pantheistic view of religion. They have given rise to multifarious traditions of worship and led to the fragmentation of Indian society. Against these popular traditions, we can identify another stream of spiritual pursuit in India for the realization of transcendent truth. This is reflected in texts like the Upanishads, the Bhagavat Gita and Guru Gita. They show the path to god realization through Guru, the bearer of Truth and who connect the consciousness of man to a higher realm of spiritual experience. Their contents are eternally universal, i.e. Sanatana. The seekers of truth the world over from time immemorial have turned to these sources of wisdom for guidance.

Sanatana Dharma is the backbone of Indian culture evolved from the vigilant knowing of the Guru and disciple through their sacrifices for realizing the truth. Guru Gita, which reveals the secrets of this vital Guru Principle, is the quintessence of Sanatana Dharma, the Veda of the Age. Guru Gita is a text that should adorn every home like a shining priceless gem. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru has opened up an astounding vista of spiritual freedom through a newly found, vibrant Guru-Disciple mutuality. May the glory of Guru be celebrated again in this land of Rishis.

The grand narrations of ancient India are mostly found in Sanskrit verse, have a meandering form and are made up of numerous interconnected stories and advices. They often enshrine laws of life, great mystical truths and cosmic visions. Skanda Purana is one such grand narration depicting the ancient saga of Skanda, the mighty warrior who fought with skill to overcome the dark powers that troubled the world. Skanda, whose many other names include Kumara, Shanmukha, Subramanya, Karthikeya and Muruga is fabled in Indian mythology to be the son of a greater father, none other than the Siva, lord of dance, the conqueror of death and the powerful deity of dissolution and destruction.

Guru Gita occurs as part of the Uttarakanda of Skandapuranam. In spite of being only a part of a larger text, it is complete in itself. Further, it is an Arcanum containing the most vital law of life – the cosmic law of GURU – and is therefore perennially relevant to the world. It would not be wrong if we conclude that such visionary literature was made possible by a great tradition of spirituality that thrived in those times in the distant past as a result of austerities of a long line of rishis, who were seekers of Truth. Such is the uniqueness and grace of this treasure trove in world literature.

It is not the literary quality alone that makes this text outstanding, nor its sacredness. Guru Gita contains that sense of direction which is crucial to save planet earth itself from the man-made disasters it is riddled with. The human race has to return to the righteous path by restoring its connection with the Light of the one Universal God and through this finding, its proper relationship with Nature.  Needless to say that this involves the purification or cleansing of the human content.

Only when the human factor is correct can life be renewed with the infusion of compassion at all levels, ending violations of all kinds. All human affairs including politics, government and international relations need to be re-oriented on this basis. According to Navajyotisree Karunakara Guru, the powerful in the world is ‘conforming to the Vaisya’s way, a life-view clouded by ignorance and apathy’. The Vysya being the trader, who has created the market economy, considers only what is expedient. Expediency is the key word in today’s market culture. This can change only through individuals who change subject to spiritual intercession at the subtle planes and get oriented to basic values.

There is an interesting point to be noted here. Siva and Parvati are bonded in an ideal relationship. In sharing the secretes of god head Siva, the husband becomes Parvati’s guru. Parvathi, the wife is such an evolved disciple as to elicit those spiritual secrets from him. Conventionally Indians fancy that a wife should treat the husband as a deity. That the husband has to earn such a position is never highlighted. Guru Gita by the very form it is conceived implicitly conveys this idealistic message to householders.

Guru Gita is in the form of a dialogue between Siva and his consort Parvati – the parents of Skanda. Again, the dialogue is conceived as a retrieval from the past (possibly from what might be termed as ‘aakashic records’) by sage Suuta who is endowed with the faculty of transcendental vision of a higher order. Sage Suuta was a disciple of Vyasa and the son of sage Loma. He was approached by a group of rishis who were eager to go into the depths of the law of Guru. Suuta, then contacts through his visionary wisdom the knowledge that was given by Siva to Parvati on the mystery of GURU. And Suuta relates it to the eager rishis. This exchange between Suuta and the rishis, it is said, took place in Naimishaaranyam, a forest endowed with great natural beauty where a number of spiritually evolved sages lived and strived for perfection. (This area is supposed to be the present Nimasar in Sitapur district in Uttarpradesh).

The number of verses in Guru Gita appears to vary from version to version.  To wield a metallic stylus on palm leaves treated for the purpose of inscribing in order to make a copy of any book must have been a time consuming task before printing was invented. Patient and expert scholars only could have undertaken such a task. In the process of making such copies, omissions and additions could have naturally taken place. Among the disciples of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru there are many with awakened faculty of inner vision. The most evolved of them, Sishya Poojita Amrita Jnana Tapaswini is the present spiritual head of the parampara. A mantra was revealed to her from the Supreme Light:

‘ AUM Sri Karunakara Guru Ateeva Satyaprakashaya Namah’

This is being chanted by the Santhigiri parampara along with two earlier lines revealed around 1968-69.

‘ AUM Sree Karunakara Guru Parabrahmane Namah

AUM Sree Karunakara Guru Sathyapradaya Namah’

These three lines show GURU as:  1) the ocean of mercy, 2) the Absolute Brahman, 3) the giver of Truth (Jnana) and 4) the Light Supreme. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru represents the Light of God.

Guru

Guru – the two Sanskrit syllables ‘Gu’ and ‘Ru’ means the dispeller of darkness. That is a fully realized Guru is the Light of God. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru is such a fully realized Guru who brings the Light of God to our world. An experienced disciple Carloz Guzman who came to Guru, like the three Maji of the East went to infant Christ, without address or information, was led by this Light. Gifted by strong extra sensory vision Carloz vouches for the greatness of Guru’s Light. He speaks of the process of transformation individuals undergo in Guru’s presence thus:

‘By simply being near Guru his immense Prakasham – Light will immediately start purifying your soul in a very powerful way’. This experience of Carloz can be related to following verse from Guru Gita:

Abhyastai Kimu Deergha-kaala-vimalair-vyaadhi-pradair-dushkaraih

Praanaayaama-satair-aneka-karanaih Dukhaatmakai Durjayaih

Yasminnabhyudite Vinasyati Balii Vaayuh Swayam Tatkshanaat

Praaptam Tat Sahaja-swabhaavam-anisam Seve Tamekam Gurum

(What is the use with practices like Pranayama and several hundreds of other means that cleanse the soul prolonged, that produces affliction, that are strenuous, miserable and unattainable? On whose appearance (or presence), the uncontrollable life force (the Prana) becomes immediately subdued on its own, only that Guru, who has attained the ever abiding form, should be served always).

Guru is the Master of not only our soul but all the influences that affect it. He is the Master of our destiny, our ancestors and successors. Hear what Herman Nenning, another disciple of Guru has to say about it.

‘The complexities of the spirit world have direct influence on this life on the earth plane. Spirits of our ancestors (pitrus) and the deities they worshipped while they lived have astral links with us. From their various spheres, these entities could be good or evil. Guru severs their links with us, and they are helped at the astral level by Guru.  According to what they deserve, some of them are even liberated by Guru, some others are guided to be reborn. Those who are irretrievably evil could be even destroyed’.

Mr. Nenning had an issue to tackle:

‘My younger brother had taken to heavy drinking. He had closed up and after repeated efforts and much coaxing, he let his secret out. He was being haunted by evil apparitions. These entities even entered his body and tried to push him out of his body. No matter where he slept, these forces followed him. Every night he had these terrifying experiences. His way out was alcohol, even as a temporary solution, from this astral tyranny…’

Nenning had approached several adepts before for a solution to this problem. All of them had prescribed elaborate rituals in temples… Guru when informed of this responded differently. Your brother is attacked by spirits’, He said, ‘there is a solution here – Guru Pooja. But it is not easy. Means a lot of responsibility for you, you have to understand many things as well’.  In the Guru Pooja, there was no pooja, rites or ritual involved. The disciple ordained by Guru to do the ‘sankalpam’ to effect this spiritual intercession, did it at Guru’s behest. All Nenning did was to attend all the prayers in the Ashram prayer hall on the day this was done.Here is what Nenning had to say about the result.

 ‘After two weeks I reached Germany. My brother came to receive me. I asked him: ‘How are you?’ He answered, ‘I don’t know how, since two weeks I could sleep well and am completely free of the fear which troubled me’.

On hearing this Nenning introduced Guru to his brother for the first time. He was naturally astonished. Herman says that ‘Guru could, from such a distance and, without ever seeing effect a remedy to his problem was unbelievable!’

Later when Herman got closer to Guru he mustered the courage to ask Guru how many souls were freed from their stagnation through Guru Pooja.  ‘Between five to ten thousand’ was the answer. The Ashram does not have an exact account of families Guru has accorded this rarest of the rare act of grace. The number runs to several thousands. This act of grace had started in 1972.  This aspect of Guru can be related to:

Kulaanaam Kula-kotiinaam Taarakah Tatra Tatkshanaat

Atastam Sadgurum Jnaatwaa Trikaalam-abhivandayet

(It takes mere seconds for the Guru to save clans of men, millions of them. Therefore, knowing that perfect Guru, worship him during the three turns (sunrise, noon and sunset) of the day).

This work of unparalleled grace is going on ever after Guru left his physical form and merged in the Supreme Radiance of the Almighty. His Will works through Sishyapoojita Amrita Jnana Tapaswini, his closest disciple who is the present spiritual head of the parampara. Guru’s picture comes to our mind in the lines:

Hridambuje Karnika-madhya-samsthe Simhaasane Samsthita-  divya-moortim

Dhyaayet Gurum Chandra-kalaa-prakaasam Sachit-sukhaabheeshta-varam Dadhaanam

Swetaambaram Sweta-vilepa-pushpam Muktaa-vibhuusham Muditam Dwinetram

Vaamaanga-peetta-sthita-divya-saktim Mandasmitam Poorna-

kripaa-nidhaanam

(That divine form of Guru is to be meditated upon, who is in the throne, situated in the middle of the petals of the lotus-shaped heart, radiating like the luminous moon, and giving the coveted boon of transcendental joy. I ever salute that Guru robed in white, wearing white flowers and pearls, who is the basis of absolute compassion, who is with jubilant eyes, and ever abiding ‘divine power’ and pleasant smile).

He did not customarily wear white flowers and pearls but was always dressed in immaculate white. We get a clear picture of our Guru in:

Mohaadi-rahitah Saanto Nitya-tripto Niraasrayah

Trineekrita-Brahma-Vishnu-vaibhavah Paramo Guruh

(Free from all delusions and sorrows, calm and eternally satisfied, needing no support, and wielding incomparable power that makes naught the power of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara, is the Supreme Guru)

We have realized:

Na Guroradhikam Tatwam Na Guroradhikam Tapah

Na Guroradhikam Jnaanam Tasmai Sree Gurave Namah

(My salutations to that auspicious Guru, other than whom there is no greater truth, no greater penance and no greater knowledge).

As far as we, Guru’s disciples, are concerned there is no philosophy, no law that is above our Guru. Guru’s words are the mantras that rescue from life’s crises. Guru’s form is a reason for us to meditate. We spontaneously keep on remembering Him. His sacred lotus feet inspires all our worship.

Dhyaana-moolam Guror-muurthih Poojaa-moolam Guroh Padam

Mantra-moolam Guror-vaakyam Mukthi-moolam Guroh Kripaa

(The basis of meditation is the form of Guru. The basis of worship is the feet of Guru. Mantra results from the words of Guru. The basis of liberation is the compassion of Guru).

In short we are convinced that our Guru Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru is none other than God – the Absolute Brahman:    

Durlabham Trishu Lokeshu Tacchrunushwa Vadaamyaham

Gurum BrahmaVinaa Naanyat Satyam. Satyam Varaanane.

(Oh beautiful one! I will tell you that which is very rare in the three worlds. Please listen. Guru is none other than the Absolute Brahman – God Himself. This verily is the truth).

Our Guru is God, though he himself said:  “I am only a means......”

How else can we experience God except through the perfect, fully realized, true GURU. And a number of persons who came in contact with our Guru have realized that He is a perfect, fully realized Guru.

The spiritual head affirms this through her exalted vision. Other visionary renunciants affirm this. Several householder disciples affirm this. All have seen Guru being worshipped by countless devis, devas, angels, prophets – souls of great evolution. Rishi Ratna Jnana Tapaswini gives an account of her experiences thus:

‘Once during our school excursion it was planned that we would be visiting Dharmasthalam, which is famous for its ancient temples and other holy places. Along with my friends when I came in front of the sanctum where the idols were placed, I saw the deities in reality and they were standing with folded hands in the prostrating manner.  A question crept up in my confused mind why should these powerful deities offer namaskaram to me, when lacks of people all over the world came here to offer salutations to them. The teacher from back started to call us to come fast. When I turned back, it was then that the doubts in my small mind were cleared. Guru with his gentle and consoling smile was standing in a bright radiance greater than that of these deities just back of me. Then only I realized that these deities were actually prostrating to Guru. In a similar manner, I started to receive visions where I saw crores of Devi-Devas, rishis, sanyasins, and prophets of all religions with their entire parampara surrendering to my Guru. It was from then on I started to realize and recognize the greatness and the mission of my Guru”

By Smt. O.V. Usha (The author is a well known Poet, Writer and Social Activist)