Glory of SadGuru - By Sri Muralidhara Swamiji - Part -2

Radhe Krishna To all,

Glory of Sadguru By Sri Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji- Part-2

Jagadguru Adi Sankara, the teacher of Advaita philosophy, has sung on the Glory of the Guru, “One may possess a beautiful, healthy body; a charming wife; wealth as huge as a meru mountain and enjoy fame throughout the world but of what use are these if his mind is not set on the Lotus Feet of the Guru?
All great Mahatmas have sung on the glory of the Guru.
“Kutramutrum aruthennai gunamai pannithal Guru uruvãiolir, Arunachala!”,
sings Ramana Maharishi, calling upon Arunachala to be the Guru in annihilating his mind and taking him unto His fold!
“Guruvai varuvai arulvai Guhane!” sings Saint Arunagirinathar calling upon Lord Muruga to be his Guru! And what does the great Kabir say while speaking on his Guru Ramanand? “If God and Guru appear before me I will ignore God and prostrate to my Guru!” and what does Ekanath sing of his Guru Sri Janardhana Swami?
“Guru Mata! Guru Pita! Guru amuchi kuladevata!” - The Guru is my mother, Guru my father and Guru is my family Deity!
A Sadguru is like the mother and God like the father of a child. It is the mother who takes care of the child from its birth upto the time he is able to take care of himself. In babyhood and childhood she handles the child with care and affection. When the baby dirties the bed it is she who cleans up the mess even as she speaks loving words to the baby. She sits with the child day and night when he is sick and attends to his personal needs without a frown. Whereas, the father takes pride in the son only when he stands on his two feet and makes a name for himself in the world.
Likewise, God is accessible only to the pure heart but the Guru takes on the ‘jiva’ ONLY TO CLEANSE HIM OF HIS DIRTS (‘vasanas’) and liberates him. The Sadguru’s Grace is beyond the description of words! A man with his inherent nature of successfully completing a task taken up may perform japa or meditation with obstinacy. But what happens to such a one who takes to intense spiritual practice without the guidance of a Guru? The net of Maya only tightens its hold by bestowing him with supernatural faculties. He is able to learn the happenings that are beyond the reach of our mental faculties. He may be able to cure diseases. The world, too, holds and looks upon him as verily Bhagavãn.
But the truth is that he has not attained liberation but has been pulled deeper into the pit of Maya (of ego)! He himself is aware of this. By his own effort a ‘jiva’ cannot disentangle himself from the chains of Maya. It is only a Guru who can annihilate a person’s Ego, which is the only block in knowing/being his true Self.
A classic example of this is Sarngdev who had a huge following of wealthy powerful men. He was a Siddha Purusha who could even revive the dead. Thus, he was sought after by one and all and there was always a long line of the dead and their relatives at his doorstep! Once Mukta Bai, the little sister of Saint Jnanadev, enquired about this long line of dead. On learning the reason the little one said to the relatives of the dead, “I can also revive them to life!” and chanted the Nama ‘Vittala’! ‘Vittala’! in each one’s ear and the dead jumped back on ‘its’ feet and danced away singing the Nama ‘Vittala’! ‘Vittala’!
The belittled Sarngdev rode on a lion to accost Jnanadev whom he looked upon as his archenemy. Jnanadev who was poor and lived in a hut was repairing the broken wall of his hut. He saw Sarngdev ride arrogantly on a lion and only to teach him that ‘Siddhis’ were silly matters, sat on the wall and tapped it; and it moved up to Sarngdev! The astounded Sarngdev fell at the feet of Jnanadev as he realized his own folly and the emptiness of all around him. He sought knowledge from Jnanadev who blessed him with the Nama ‘Vittala’! Sarngdev gave up his wealth, relatives and followers immediately and took to incessant chanting of the Name of Vittala into which Jnanadev had initiated him. Very soon his nescience was wiped out and he became a Jnani! !!!

Glory of SadGuru - By Sri Muralidhara Swamiji - Part -1

Radhe Krishna To all,

Glory of Sadguru By Sri Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji- Part-1

“To acquire knowledge of even worldly affairs from making a pot to scientific matter one needs a Teacher. If matters such as these that are within the purview of the working of our limited brain needs a teacher then what to speak of high spiritual knowledge which is beyond the realm of the mind? The mind that had been involved in innumerable births to look externally in seeking happiness does not so easily turn inward.

It is the Guru - the friend, philosopher and guide in the true sense - who helps us first learn the purpose of life, shows the way to the goal, holds and leads us all through the way and finally sets us in our true nature. A poverty stricken man is sitting on a cot crying and a Siddha Purusha who passes by enquires the reason for his grief. The poor man says, “I am drowned in poverty. This is the reason for my sorrow”. The Siddha Purusha points out to him, “Do not cry. Dig the ground below the cot on which you are sitting and you will find a pot filled with treasure!”
Our situation is akin to this poor ignorant man. Not knowing that happiness is our very nature we are drowned in sorrow trying to seek it elsewhere. It is the Guru who points out to us our very nature that is Bliss. Just as a child who has no parents is called an orphan a spiritual aspirant who has no Guru to guide is also an orphan. Even Bhagavan in both His Avatars as Krishna and Rama sought a Guru. Krishna’s Guru was Sandeepani and Rama’s Guru was Vasishta.
What does Krishna tell his visiting friend Kuchela? “Kuchela! None in the world enjoys peace - neither the rich nor the poor. Each envies the other imagining that the other is happy! However, you who are the personification of poverty and I who am Dwarakadeesa (the ruler of the wealthy Kingdom of Dwaraka) and Lakshmipati (Consort of Goddess of wealth Lakshmi) both enjoy peace. You do not suffer from the sorrows attached to poverty and I from those attached to wealth. Do you know why it is so? Since we enjoy the Grace of a Guru - our Guru Sandeepani!”

“GUROHO ANUGRAHENAIVA PUMAN PURNAH PRASHANTHAYE”--- One on whom guru ‘kataksha’(blessings) has fallen suffers no grief, be he wealthy or poor.
(In the case of Rama, his Guru Vasishta gives upadesa to the aggrieved Rama on the true nature of the Self and shows his true nature.)