The Root Cause of the Sufferings of Mankind and the emergence of Trinity

Gurucharanam Saranam

The Root Cause of the Sufferings of Mankind and the emergence of Trinity

(By M. Chidambaran, Dy. Director of Education- Retd., Haripad)

The first Guru of human race is the sage Manu and his lineage is Manu lineage (Manuparamapara). According to revelation received in Santhigiri, in the 3^rd Manvantara, a major error occurred in the Guru tradition. The error was the belief of an Acharya in the Manu lineage called Satyatrana, that ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, I am the Brahman. This egotism brought the Manu lineage to the curse of Brahman. As a result the karma, dharma and even memory of Manu lineage vanished from the succeeding generations of human race. Brahman itself initiated a corrective in the seventh Chaturyuga and Trimurty system was created. Trimurtis were entitled to make creation, existence and destruction. Trimurtis have no authority to give mukti. The authority to give mukti is only Brahman. Trimurtis are not Brahman. There after, astral matters related to mukti were revealed to sages and got codified as Vedas, Sastras and Upanishads. Since the sages who received the astral matters could not see and go beyond the Trimurty stage, they wrongly interpreted these visions using their intellect and the wrong belief of considering Trimurty as Brahman developed among people. Another sage under the Trimurty system recharted the time order of the Manu lineage subservient to Brahma, the deva of creation in the Trimurty system.

Thus they created the false belief among people that Trimurty system existed from the beginning and it is the supreme. Epics, mythological treatise and legends had been written and the false belief that Trimurtis are Brahman got established. Hence spiritual uplift has been limited to a stage below Trinity stage.  The supremacy of the worshiping class prevented Sudra from the learning of even Vedas and Upanishads. The evil spirits such as maadan, maruta and mantra murty became the deities of Sudra. The way of worship contrary to yuga dharma or the ethic code of yuga, continued in Kali also. Mankind has thus been kept away from the path of mukti. The Trimurtis and devi devas lulled by rituals and oblations and the super evil spirits in the subtle stage known as jinnis, devils, Satan and Gandharva have been obstructing the spiritual uplift of a soul beyond them. Thus, the trinity system that was created to correct the mistake of forgetting Brahman led mankind to that mistake itself. A solution to this can be found only through the path of Guru.

The Tragic Experiences of the past Preceptors

Sri Krishna who took birth at the close of the Dwapara Yuga and gave up life in the beginning of Kaliyuga of this Chaturyuga was a spiritually enlightened Guru by birth. Sri Krsihna was the first Guru of this Kali. He was followed by 2444 acharyas in the form of Gurus, preceptors and prophets such as the Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Nabi, Vardamana Mahavira, Sankaracharya, Tiruvalluvar, Narayana  Guru and Chattambi Swamikal to fulfill the mission of redeeming human race. But these great men who pointed out the lapses in worship and tried to guide mankind to the path of truth were not accepted by their contemporary society. Only persecutions and sufferings were given to them by the society. They had to leave this world unable to complete their mission. Their end also was tragic. Sri Krishna met his end with an arrow from a hunter. The Buddha died of food poison from the alms received. Jesus was crucified. Nabi was forced to run away from his native land Mecca to Madina as the opposition of liars became unbearable.  How Sankarachyara met his end is still unknown. Dayananda Saraswati was given poison. These great men had these bitter experiences due to the opposition in subtle and through it in gross. Unable to endure the persecution, in the end Jesus had to cry ‘Oh, Father, have you forsaken me? Nabi had to utter in disappointment, the world is ruled by Jinnis (devils) (To be continued).

The Importance of Spirituality for Success in Life

Gurucharanam Saranam

The Life Mission of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru

By M. Chidambaran, Dy. Director of Education- Retd., Haripad)

The Importance of Spirituality for Success in Life

Man is a being made up of a material body and a spirit called Soul. So, for success in this worldly life, happiness, peace and mukti (liberation of soul), materialism and spirituality are two complimentary and supplementary indivisible factors. Each and every day of ours passes by with complicated problems, experiences and sufferings in life. The majority of us are devoid of mental peace, experiencing turmoil and sorrow due to sufferings and failure in life and actions contrary to our expectations and beyond our control and sufferings from diseases, the reason of which is not known. Degradation of ethical values in life has been devouring mankind in a more deadly fashion than cancer. Neither Science nor Materialism can save mankind from this moral degradation and great fall. Only spiritual leaders can save mankind. Many an Acharya or Guru or Preceptor has taken birth so far to fulfill this mission. But instead of getting any relief or redemption, disquiet, sorrow, sufferings from diseases and degeneration of moral values have been increasing day by day. Why? What is the reason? Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, the founder of Santhigiri Ashram at Pothencode, Thiruvananthapruam, Kerala reveals to mankind the reason for this.

The importance of Kaliyuga

According to the Guru, we are living in the Kaliyuga, the last epoch of the 28^th Chaturyuga (age quartet) of the 7^th Manvantara, the period of the seventh Manu. (One chaturyuga = the combination of 4 ages - krita, treta, dwapara and kali = 12000 divine years = 43, 80, 000 human years; 71 chaturyugas = 1 Manvantara and 14 Manvantaras = 1 Kalpa) It is said by preceptors that Kali is the age of liberation of even sudras, the people at the lowest rung of human society. All the mistakes and evil effects of individuals in the previous ages can be corrected and solution found in Kaliyuga through a few births and become eligible for ultimate deliverance. But even in this Kaliyuga, we are following the way of worship contrary to yuga dharma. If we continue in this Kali the way of worship of gods and goddesses followed in Treta and Dwapara yugas, which cannot make us eligible for mukti or redemption, how can we attain deliverance? Temporary gains may be attained through the worship of evil forces and gods. Is it the way to attain everlasting peace, happiness and deliverance? Don’t we fail to seek and find out the real preceptor?  The soul of the people who worship evil forces such as maatan or mantra moorthi (some low spirits worshipped by Hindus in South) will remain only under such evil forces and those who worship devi devas (gods and goddesses) will go under them. If you worship Brahman (the Supreme Radiance of God) alone your soul will reach and remain under Brahman. Realize the truth that neither Trimurties (trinity gods) nor devi devas are Brahman. Only Brahman or Almighty has the right and power to give liberation. Then where will the worship of multiple gods take us to? How many of us really know that only belief in one God and the way of worship in that line is the only way to redeem mankind and enable it to attain liberation

.

Guru makes us aware of the ignorance developed in mankind about Kaliyuga, about the Dharmic code of Kaliyuga and how it can be implemented and solutions for our problems found:

‘We are made to believe that Manu is the son of Brahma, one of the trinity and the god of creation. This is not correct. It is said in Bhaagavata too, the epic of Hindus that there are 14 Manus starting from Swayambhu Manu. After making people believe so, Vedanta has been explicated by scholars and commentators giving meaning to vowels, consonants and words. They have tried to make others believe that only scholars can perceive all these ideas and convey them to others. Thus they studied 18 epics, 4 Vedas and 6 sciences. When they reached up to Vedanta, they became unaware of the sky about which the calculation of various lights is related to'.

After speaking specifically about the numbers of bhoomikas (astral planes) they speak of the details of bhoomikas and enter into Vedanta. This can take one only up to the end of Veda and cut away the Light. What is the benefit of it? Some people have a misconception that the consummate result of worship will be achieved through the performance of ‘homa’ in the fire generated by churning arani. If such a misconceived mind can be satisfied so, any one can do any thing here. This is not better than trying to straighten a ripe and hard snake guard. You can understand this if you will read this keenly. Our drawbacks are: (1) the ignorance of not knowing Time. (2) The ignorance inherent in the knowledge conveyed by the pundits. If we speak more clearly our measuring stick so far was mantra, tantra and yantra. We are ignorant about the time span in which ishta devata mantra (the chanting of mantra of chosen deity) is effective. We are unable to ascertain the age up to which our quantum of knowledge leading up to the worship of chosen deity through mantras has prominence. (to be continued).

The Great Spiritual Trunk Road of Guru Centric Spirituality

Gurucharanam Saranam

The Great Spiritual Trunk Road of Guru Centric Spirituality

Mukundan P.R.

Spiritual renaissance in this era involves an evaluation and rectification of errors that had occurred in the actions (karma) and spiritual practices (dharma) of our forefathers in the bygone time, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru had said it.  A tree gets its nourishment from its root in the soil, through the sun, water or other sources. Likewise, our family tree gets nourishment from its spiritual roots and the virtue of forefathers. If the forefathers have lived sinfully, if the ancestral souls continue to dwell in the dark cells of spiritual contamination, one can expect a fall in the life-fortunes of the offspring too.  Even if we have the best car in the world, we cannot cruise ahead even a little if there is a traffic jam. Similar is the case of a person, a family or society as there are our predecessors on the same road which we travel. We cannot progress in our path when they are stuck before us on the same road. Only a Soul- Knowing Guru can regulate the traffic on this spiritual trunk road of ancestral souls.

We have before us the examples of many families, which once had seen good times, fall in the pit of penury and oblivion. Most of the families which had temples and deities installed in them are known to suffer subsequently, because after the time of their forefathers, who established such practices at home, their descendents neglected those rituals, as they were either not spiritually inclined or lacked the time and knowledge for those rituals.  As a result, the spiritual fabric of the family gets weakened, whatever is the merit or demerit of those practices, and it becomes the cause of ruin of many families. Pitru dharma in Indian religion relates to this question of uplifting the ancestral souls and the astral status of a family. 

Can we strengthen the spiritual veins of our family by resorting to the ancient practices of our forefathers? Would the deities and ancestral souls get appeased by the renewal of rituals and renovation of temples, which the astrologers invariably suggest for a cure from pitrudosha, the ancestral curses?  Experiences of several people prove otherwise. The ancestral problems do not get cured completely or get cured only partially, that too for a limited period of time, even if the suggested rituals are performed by the best masters and tantrics in the field. I would like to quote one experience which proves that such problems could be cured by sages in the Jnana tradition, not wedded to the ritualistic tradition.

Sri Chidambaran is a retired Deputy Director of Education in Kerala and lives in Harippad near Kollam. When faced with diminishing luck and unexpected calamities in the once well to do family, astrologers were consulted. They revealed that there was pitru dosha in the family. As a remedy, the astrologers suggested renewal of family temple, reinstallation of deities, performance of homa etc. that would have cost lakhs of rupees. Sri Chidambaran kept quiet as the expense was unaffordable. One day, Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru happened to visit his place along with his disciples. The grace of Guru fell upon him and his family. Guru told him that the problem in his family could be resolved without the rituals advised by the astrologers. It was as an experiment he agreed to the suggestion. After all it involved no rituals and expenditure, he thought.

Guru asked Sri Chidambaran to call a good astrologer to see the astral chart of the family. The astrologer revealed the problem of pitru dosha and advised the same remedy - renovation of temple and reinstallation of deities etc. When the astrologer heard that the deities and ancestral souls could be removed just with ‘sankalpam’ (mental resolve) of Guru without any rituals, he said, ‘We are viewing this scientifically. No individual, let him be any great saint, through his divine power and meditation, the purifying ritual cannot be performed.  If the deities observed in the chart were seen relocated by ‘sankalpam’ then only it can be believed’, he added.

 On the appointed day, Guru reached the house.  There was along with Guru, a little girl, now a sanyasini in the Ashram. A big crowd had assembled there as spectators including the family members. The astrologer also arrived in time. Guru along with the little child sat in the front hall. The astrologer also sat on one side. Guru asked the astrologer to see what all were there in the family. After calculations, the astrologer said that it was a very old family and had an age and tradition of approximately 800 years. It was known from the chart that there were such and such disturbed deities - Brahma Rakshas, Serpent (Naga) etc. in the spiritual background of the family. The astrologer also disclosed that the remedial measure was to build a temple and install them there.

Guru called the little girl to his side and said something. After prostrating before Guru, that girl sat in meditation for sometime.  ‘Now you see whether these have moved from here or not,’ Guru asked the astrologer.  The astrologer made his chart again and looked bewildered for a moment, for, he saw that the disturbed deities and powers have been vacated. Guru asked him to do the chart once again to prove it beyond doubt. He did as advised and was astonished to find that pitrus and deities have been vacated with the sankalpam of Guru. Guru explained the spiritual background of the family as seen in vision during the performance: When all the disturbed spirits were asked to move after bringing them in the radiance of Guru, all except one were ready to move. That one was a Sanyasi, a member of the family. It was standing there as the family head in the ancestral zodiac. Although it was desirous of salvation, it was unwilling to move without someone taking its position. The tears of this Sanyasi were causing the family to deteriorate. Only after Guru promised to take that position in the family, the Sanyasi became ready to move. Guru told that it was a soul which had immense love toward the family.

Sri Chidambaran demolished the old family temple and built a prayer hall for Guru in the house. It was the beginning of his journey on the great spiritual trunk road of Guru centric spirituality. It reveals another dimension of Sanatana Dharma, which is based on the ancient Indian rishi tradition (Jnana marga) different from the brahmanical temple tradition suffering from the ills of caste system.

The Spiritual Significance of Full Moon Days

Gurucharanam Saranam

The Spiritual Significance of Full Moon Days

Mukundan P.R.

Pournami, the full moon day, how serene and blissful is that day! God has created this day for spiritual enrichment. The brilliant rays of the moon and the sun saturate the creation on full moon days helping the spiritual efflorescence of all souls. The harmful influences that trouble and hinder the spirit become subdued during pournami. The spiritual significance of ‘sadhana’ on pournami is quite an old tradition. The Hindus, Buddhists and Jains undertake vows, rites and rituals on full moon days for spiritual enlightenment as well as the appeasement of ancestral spirits. It is well known that the great Buddha got enlightenment on a full moon day. The ancient sage Vyasa, who compiled the Vedas, was born on a full moon day. This day is celebrated as Guru Purnima throughout India.

The concept of the sun and moon has great significance in Indian spirituality. According to the Rigveda, life originates from the copulation of luminous lunar light molecules (mentioned as soma) and the vaporous dust on the earth in a unique blending of cosmic rays from the sun, planets and stars. The Big Bang Theory is based on the theory of Relativity, the gravitational pulls between atomic particles, the simulations and permutations that create certain fundamental matter-molecules and gaseous energies; all these lead us to the theory that the origin of life is from the interplay of cosmic substances and energies diversely inherent in the astral world – the sun, moon, earth, stars and constellations. The soul of man pulsates in synchronization with the cosmic rays percolating down the solar system, 27 stars (nakshatram) and 12 zodiacs. The moon represents the creative energy in living beings.

Pournami prayers help to cleanse the soul. In Santhigiri Ashram, devotees observe three days ‘vritam’ (vow of abstinence) and perform round the clock prayers on full moon days to get rid of their karmic and ancestral ills. In the night of pournami, the devotees, clad in white and chanting the Guru Mantra, carry lamps and ‘kumbhams’ and circle round the Ashram in a bright procession. It is repeated in the evening, at midnight and at the following dawn of the full moon day. Married couples are advised to undertake special prayers on full moon days for begetting good progeny. When vows and prayers are observed as instructed by the Guru, noble souls could take birth through their sacred bonding on the day of pournami.

Spiritual elevation is possible only when we get rid of the spiritual blocks as well as karmic and ancestral debts. Pournami prayers observed under the enlightened Guru helps the soul in the curing of these spiritual ills. Ignorant of the spiritual ill effects of black moon days, the downtrodden communities do ancestral rites mostly on dark moon days dictated by tradition. An example is the ‘pitru bali’ performed in Kerala on dark moon day in the month of karkidaka (July-August). Auspicious will be the results if a person does the ancestral rites on full moon day, not otherwise.

Evolution of Spirit

Gurucharanam Saranam

Evolution of Spirit

Swami Navananma Jnana Tapaswi
Santhigiri Ashram, Thiruvananthapuram

Indian spirituality explains that everything in the world has its own qualitative status. The evolutionary process of sentient and insentient beings is due to the movement of time and the interaction of nature. This also is the basis of ‘form’ (unique shape) and ‘quality’ in nature; to put in other words, how every living being differs from one another. The differences in the ‘form’ and ‘jeeva’ are due to variations in the quality and vice versa. This in-depth spiritual view of India considers that everything is in the track of evolution at its various levels.

As everything in the universe is the expression of spiritual evolution, it is concomitant with time too. This is a relative status of the ‘jeeva’ (spirit/self) concerned with ‘action’ (karma) and innate tendencies (vasana). The evolution of the ‘spirit’ from its lowest level to its perfect status is also a process correlated with time which means that the aspect of time extends from the minutest micro to the universal macro level. Indian spirituality explains the yuga cycles (kaala chakra) in between these two extremes.

Indian spirituality is a perfect universal science in which the concepts of creation (srishti), stasis (stithi), dissolution (samhaara) and merging with the Ultimate (ultimate release) are clearly defined. These are the four terms clearly defined by the sages in Indian spiritual tradition. This is not mere philosophy, but is the science of transformation of the body and spirit, starting from the very micro level to the omnipotent status.

This science of evolution and its practical hierarchy is explained in Sanatana Dharma, the very basic Indian philosophy through Upanishadic principle (i.e. guru-disciple dialogue). Guru-disciple spirituality is a life style. There is the famous aphorism ‘maata, pita, guru, daivam’, which means that the evolution of the spirit of a kid begins from (or through) the mother, the father and then the guru, who ultimately guides it to God.

There is an oft-repeated prayer in Indian tradition: ‘lokaah samasthaa sukhino bhavanthu’ – ‘may everything in the universe become peaceful’. The very basic concept of this philosophy was out of a noble thought and practice for providing freedom and guidance to each and every spirit in the universe so that it can attain its innate growth and fulfillment. The growth and development ends when it attains a level of perfection. The attainment of ultimate perfection through the relative truth (of time, form, and quality) is a divine pattern for the ultimate level of perfection. The words ‘dharma’ and ‘karma’ relate to this divine pattern. These two aspects are considered the basic concept behind form and quality or individuality. Thus the spiritual aim of every spirit is to attain the ultimate status of perfection transcending quality and form as implied in the prayer, ‘achintya avyakta ruupaaya, nirgunaaya gunaatmane, samastha jagataadhaara muurthaye Brahmane namah’- ‘salutations to Brahman, the formless, indefinable, and unthinkable…’! This is the perfect vision of Indian spirituality.

The way of ‘dvaita’ (the guru disciple duality) to attain the ‘advaita’ (the merger of disciple in guru-hood) was considered the way to ‘moksha’ (liberation). (Contrary to its popular meaning, the word ‘Dvaita’ is taken here as the ‘guru disciple duality’, to mean the imperfect mind of the seeker and the ‘Advaita’ to mean the perfect state of truth which Guru represents). This way of life is operated by a ‘brahma jnaani’ (the knower of Brahman, the Supreme Truth) who is the authoritative embodiment of Brahman for guiding the evolution of all spirits and their different levels of growth through the evolutionary cycles of yugas.

The Secret of Guru-Disciple Spirituality

Gurucharanam Saranam

The Secret of Guru–Disciple Spirituality

By Swami Navananma Jnana Tapaswi, Santhigiri Ashram

Guru-Disciple Spirituality is a discipline to be learned by individuals in their life. It is not a matter of rituals; it is a way of life through practice. Therefore, there should be an authority to learn from. Spirituality is not a philosophy to be learned from books. Instead of books, the spiritual philosophy is decoded through the way of action (karma) and the status embedded in the spirit is known.

As the law of science defines – ‘for every action, there is a reaction’, the bodily action is considered as a reaction of the energy status of the spirit and vice versa. As the law of nature presents, every thing is part and parcel of the canvas of the nature and is the exhibition of different spiritual statuses in different forms. That is why in the world everything exhibits its own quality being the nature incorporated in the concerned bodies or materials. Whatever the energy status manifested through different bodies, it has a basic instinct which is subject to changes. This Will of the Ultimate is applicable for human spirits also. That is why Indian spirituality says that human beings are animals having ‘ashta raagas’ (eight-fold cravings) and the capacity to do ‘mananam’ (capacity to think). That means the capacity to think about time. To think about time means, think about the past, present and future. Therefore, the evolution of the spirit from the level of human happens through the development of knowledge or ‘jnaanam’ (ultimate spiritual realization).

But each and every individual with a spirit lives on this earth through the evolutionary track of the spirit which is embedded with a quality accumulated till now. Spiritual status of the individual is determined according to the karmic instincts in the spirit earned through different incarnations. Spirituality has to free the individual from these basic instincts and limitations. This is possible only when an individual is capable to do action (karma) with an appropriate knowledge so as to nullify the bad effects carried by the spirit. This appropriate knowledge is considered as dharma and this is to be learned from the embodiment of dharma – a Seer.

The very traditional concept of Upanishad was this learning process. It means, sit beside the Guru and learn the secrets of life from the mouth of the Guru. This is the very live practice of sharing the good and bad or the pleasure and pain with a person who is an authority of the spirit, i.e. an Aatmajnaani. Aatmajnaani, being an evolved spirit, by perfecting all karma and dharma and hence freed from them, is considered as the very incipient status of a Guru. In the above said state, the spirit attains ‘ashta aishwaryaas’ – the eight-fold fortunes. This is the level which transcends the status of devi-devaas (celestial gods) when the spirit attains the planes of rishis (the abode of seers), sanyaasis (the abode of ascetics), jnaani (the abode of perfected seers) and the state of bhakta (the abode of ardent lovers of God) reaching where the spirit becomes eligible for mukti – liberation. Such a spirit which has attained liberation is considered as the ultimate Guru.

In Sanatana Dharma, the Guru is considered as the embodiment of Brahman, the Almighty and termed as Brahma Jnaani (knower of Brahman). And the Brahma Jnaani being a trikaala jnaani (perceiver of three-fold time), is the authority to guide one towards mukti (liberation) from the spiritual stages beginning from man, deva, rishi, sanyaasi, jnaani, and bhakta. Whenever a person gets such a Supreme Guru for God realization, it is the way of dvaita to attain advaita, i.e., to attain the formless attribute-less state through the medium with attributes. This is the noble concept and true practice of Guru-Disciple order, which bestows God realization. When a disciple is lucky enough to lead life with such a Guru and do his duty combining bhakti (devotion) and the power of vigilant concentration (yogabala) that becomes the natural way of spirituality. Hence this Guru-disciple relationship is the very natural, true way of life by blending karma, yoga, jnaana and bhakti and which flows uninterruptedly through the advancement of disciples and their spiritual perfection. This is the very secret of Guru–Disciple spirituality.

The True Light of God

Gurucharanam Saranam

Mukundan P.R.

The man with the power of clairvoyance slowly opened his eyes and said: ‘When I observe your life, I see a bright light, which is very rare. It is the true light of God. I am able to see the essence of all souls who come to me. But I have never seen such a Blessed Light with any other people’. Shaji and his wife looked at each other in amazement when the clairvoyant said this.

The clairvoyant’s wife also was sitting with him in the small room with portraits of gods and goddesses. The couple had gained the power of clairvoyance after returning from a long pilgrimage to the famous Palani Hills, the temple town connected with Lord Subramanya. Apparently, during their long spiritual wanderings, the husband and wife had met some spiritual masters or had become possessed by spiritual entities who gave them the power of reading the minds of other people and their soul imprints. They performed their meditations and conveyed the extra sensory perceptions to the occasional visitors who came to them seeking special information or guidance for resolving perplexing problems. The middle-aged couple belonged to a farmer community and led a rustic life in a village near Kottayam in Kerala.

Shaji and his wife had made a few visits to this clairvoyant couple with the puzzling questions of their life. The couple would sit in the small prayer room and reveal everything about a family, its problems, the past and present and suggest suitable remedies and rituals. Shaji was a devotee of Subramanya, known also as Karthikeya, the son of Lord Siva. A chemical engineer, Shaji lived in Kottayam with his wife and small daughter. His brush with spirituality came when he was in service at Kozhikode.

One day Mata Amritanandamayi came to the city. Shaji joined hundreds of other people who went to see her. She hugged the assembled people and he also got a hug from her. He felt the spiritual vibration of the hug. At that time, spiritual curiosity was only in a budding state in him. So he had not taken to spirituality as a passion in life. However, a change occurred when an acquaintance brought him a few publications of Santhigiri Ashram. Normally, he would have just stashed them up somewhere. But these books caught his mind. He felt attracted to them. He read them again and again and felt a wish to visit Santhigiri Ashram at Thiruvananthapuram.

It was the calling of his spirit. Soon the opportunity came and he went to Santhigiri Ashram. His wife along with their little daughter accompanied him. His wife had delivered the child with an agonizing medical problem. She had the problem of fibrosis. The delivery took place after a nine-month medical confinement with the fear of risk factors. Somehow, the delivery took place and the doctors categorically ruled out the possibility of another child and advised removal of the uterus. The visit to Santhigiri Ashram had coincided with this period of trauma. Though Shaji was very inclined to follow the rituals and prayers at the ashram, his wife stayed back from all this. She refused to enter the Prayer Hall and just stared at him while he did his prayers. She said that she was not willing to take a human being as God.

In the meantime, arrangements were being made for the hysterectomy (operation to remove the uterus). Just when the date for the operation was being confirmed, Shaji mulled over the possibility of an Ayurvedic cure for fibrosis. He had heard that Ayurveda was effective for curing some diseases. So he decided to stall the operation and seek an Ayurvedic remedy. The desire for sons and daughters is an incurable problem with worldly people. Marriage is not an arrangement for mutual convenience in life, as it has become in Western societies and lately among married couples in India. In the frenzy of making the insecure life secure, for most of the working couples, the birth of a child has become the last priority. However, the trend is slowly reversing. People have begun to realize that they want children to inherit their hard-earned wealth and possessions. This is only a material aspect. Very few are really aware of the spiritual aspects behind the necessity of having progeny. A child birth is some sort of a bridge between the living souls and the dead, in the sense that it is linked with the genetic chain and astral fields of the living in the fulfillment of the life mission and aspirations of the chain of souls in a genetic tree.

Shaji was not prepared for a never-again situation about childbirth and therefore did not want his wife to undergo the operation as advised by doctors. He thought of undertaking another visit to the
Ashram. As usual, his wife sat outside the Prayer Hall while he prayed. Her mind was in a dilemma. It is the duty of a wife to follow the ways of the husband. It is her dharma to be of support to the husband in all his auspicious endeavors! But how could she compromise on her faith and rational beliefs?

After a few months of their return from the Ashram, Shaji’s wife conceived again. This time, she did not experience the problems associated with fibrosis. She felt normal throughout the pregnancy and in due course delivered a boy child. It was a stunning experience for the couple in view of the prognosis of the doctors and the traumatic experiences during the previous pregnancy.

Now the family visited the Ashram with the newborn. Shaji’s wife for the first time entered the Prayer Hall and prayed with her husband. There was piousness and sincerity in her approach. She prayed in front of the Guru – in the main Prayer Hall, in the Parnasala of Guru and in front of the only portrait of Guru at Sahakarana Mandiram kept for public worship in the Ashram. She bowed reverently in front of the Sishyapoojitha, the Gurusthaneeya (Guru Apparent), and sought her blessings for the newborn.

Shaji noticed the change in his wife. He thought it was probably due to her happiness at the birth of a boy, that too without any traumatic troubles like the last time. However, the truth was not that simple, as disclosed by his wife later. During their visit to the Ashram just before she conceived for the second time, his wife had made a prayerful resolve sitting outside the Prayer Hall. She had taken an oath on that day that if she could get a second child, a son, she would accept Guru as God and worship Him as the Supreme. The Almighty Guru heard her prayers and granted her desire, not to reveal His power of miracle or divinity, but to save a family from spiritual waywardness and guide it to a new faith fragrant with love and spiritual experience.