Friday 26 September 2014

ADI SHAKTI : The dynamic aspect of the creator.

Association with Trimurti as their Power/Energy

In Devi Purana, It is written that when different sages were asking the great sage Suta, who have listened the Purana from Lord Krishna himself, that if all the puranas like Shiv Purana, Vishnu Puranas etc. claims that if Trimuti are eternal and nobody is superior to them in this Brahmanda (World) and also that trinity is oneness and oneness is trinity then Please tell us who is Adi Parashakti, whom you are talking about? How she took birth? When she was born. please tell us!
Suta Said There is no one who can answer you this. Since BrahmaNarada and other eternal sages are bewildered by these questions. Some people worship Lord Vishnu having all the powers and the one who is omnipresent. And some claiming Lord Shiva with half body of Parvati is supreme. In Vedas it is written that worship ofSun is the best. They name highest soul Surya as Paramatama. Others claiming that Lord Vishnu is actual expression of all the deities. The Great Brahmins provide three proves called perception, inference, and verbal testimony. But some other Brahmins added 4th proof to them that is resemblance. Another intelligent pandit added fifth proof called circumstances, presumption, implication at last two authors added two more proves called Sakshi and Aitijya. But Vedanta said that Supreme Being and main source of Universe can not be analyzed through these proves. One should have sure reason to claim. All are claiming and repeating one name directly or indirectly i.e. Shakti or Energy. Who is actually omnipresent in all beings. Shakti is there in Highest "Vishnu" to lowest "Insect". If Krishna or Shiva are sarva shaktimaan, then presence of Shakti is first that makes them sarva shaktimaan, hence both Shiva and Vishnu are not base. Shakti is actual Base. We Worship because of energy, we walk because of shakti, we do all the activities because of shakti. So How can "Creation/Preservation/Destruction" be done without shakti. Shakti is required to get a soul into a body, Shakti is required to sustain soul to live, Shakti is required to destroy/release from a Body. Even if Kundalini Shakti be deprived from Lord Shiva then He will be a Corpse.
Adi Parashakti's appearance is described in the Kalika Purana, the Lalita Sahasranama, and the Devi Bhagavata Purana. According to the Devi Bhagavata Purana, the Goddess once invited the Trimurti to her celestial abode. The Trimurti saw the goddess sitting on a jeweled seat in a chariot drawn by seven lions. Her face contained the radiance of millions of stars and her celestial beauty was so great that the Trimurti were not able to look at her. They then realized that she was the energy responsible for creating, preserving, and destroying the whole universe.

Adi-Parashakti forms

  1. Durga or ''Parvati, Sati is the original manifested form of Mother Adi-Parashakti. She is Adi- Parashakti herself. The Devi Gita declares her to be the greatest Goddess. Thus, She is considered the supreme Goddess and primary deity in Shaktism, occupying a place similar to Lord Krishna in Vaishnavism. Whatever deity one is worshiping, ultimately, they are worshiping her. She is every other goddess. She is Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati in her mild form; Goddess Kali and Goddess Chandi in her wrathful form.
  2. Mahasaraswati is the first partial expansion of Goddess Adi Parshakti. She represents the Sattva Guna and is the shakti(not consort) of Lord Brahma. She is the goddess of wisdom, creation, and learning. She is the source of all of the arts. It is she who slew Sumbha and Nisumbha, who are symbols of ignorance. She was created from the body of Mother Parvati and is the embodiment of her hard work, spirituality and devotion. She is also known as Ambika Devi as perDurga Saptashati. She wears yellow clothes when she takes form. When she is without form, she becomes the Primordial Sound.
  3. Mahalakshmi is the second partial expansion of Goddess Adi Parshakti. She is the goddess of the material world and its preservation. She also brings good fortune and spiritual satisfaction. She is the shakti(not consort) of Lord Narayana and is the bestower of all wealth and pleasure. She wears red Cloth. She was born from Goddess Parvati's mind and later took birth as Katyayani. She is also known as Chandi Devi as per Durga Saptashati. Mother Mahalakshmi is the primary deity of the Raja Guna. When she is formless, she becomes light.
  4. Mahakali is the third partial expansion of Goddess Adi Parshakti. She is the goddess of spiritual fulfillment as well as presiding over the destruction of the universe. She gives salvation to mankind. She is the shakti and consort of Lord Shiva. She helped Lord Mahavishnu slay the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. She was born from the eyes of Mahavishnu as YogMaya. Mahakali is same as Yogmaya also known as Tamsi Devi as per Durga Saptashati. Mother Mahakali wears blue and presides over the Tamas Guna. When she is formless, she becomes heat.                           source Wikipedia.

Wednesday 24 September 2014

NAVRATRI


What is the meaning of Navaratri?
Ratri, "ra" means giving solace. Solace from three types of problems, that is "tri" - physical, ethereal and causal. Ratri relieves you and puts you to sleep. No animal needs to worry at night. Whether happy or unhappy everybody goes to sleep. In Sanskrit, words are connected to the meaning.
Navaratri has two meanings - “New Night” and “Nine Nights”. It takes nine months for a child to be born. The child rests in the womb during this period. Similarly in Navaratri you get back to the Self. Dip into yourself and then you come out with more creativity and be victorious. Negative forces - craving and aversion - get relief from all these. Go to the source of energy.
The Divine Shakti is known to have vanquished many a demons or Asuras. Who are these asuras?
Craving and aversion are two asuras (demons) like "Madhu" and "Kaitabha". Then there is also "Raktabijasura", that which is in your genes. "Rakta" means blood, "bija" means seed. Raktabijasura is like gene in the blood. Sometimes your behaviour is not in your control - it's in your genes, Raktabijasura. Medication and meditation are required to tackle Raktabijasura. When such energy comes to you, transformation happens, the genes change.
Then there is "Mahishasura" - dullness. Dullness like a buffalo. You need "Shakti" (energy) to deal with this. When Shakti comes, inertia is lifted out. "Shumbha" and "Nishumbha" - doubting on everything. "Shumbha" means doubting oneself and "Nishumbha" means doubting others. Doubting at every step. These days people are so busy. Mind is so clogged, so occupied, no time to think of oneself. If someone insults you, don't think it as intentional.
"Chanda" and "Munda". Chanda means opposite head. Chanda will oppose anything you say. One who cannot agree with anything. "Munda" does not have a head at all. Whatever you tell them, it will all go in air. Then there is "Dhumralochana", "Dhumra" means smoke and "lochana" means eyes – smoky eyes. They see everything hazy.
All this is due to lack of Shakti. When you are full of energy and enthusiasm none of these rakshasas (demons) can come in you.
First 3 days of Navaratri - Tamas is very high ~ Shakti is worshipped as Ma Durga then..
next 3 days is totally Rajasic ~ Shakti is worshipped as Ma Laxmi then..
last 3 days are very Sattvik ~ Shakti is worshipped as Ma Saraswati then.
Deep Meditation and maintaining pure inner silence is extremely beneficial during these special days. It is a Golden opportunity for serious sadhaks to evolve higher and faster using the grace of Shakti.
Kundalini is the Shakti in everyone, only with this shakti becoming active can one get rid of all the Asuras in us as mentioned above.

Learn from everything Like lord Dattatreya.

Humanbeings love to teach even before they complete learning. The arrogance  keeps us away from the truth. That way teachers can be many, if one has a real thirst to learn. Like Lord Dattatreya kept learning from everything in nature. 
When a king asked Dattatreya, how he achieved this high spiritual level? he replied I learned from everything.

“The names of my twenty-four teachers are: 1. Earth, 2. Water, 3. Air, 4. Fire, 5. Sky, 6. Moon, 7. Sun, 8. Pigeon, 9. Python, 10. Ocean, 11. Moth, 12. Bee, 13. Honey-gatherer, 14. Elephant, 15. Deer, 16. Fish, 17. Dancing-girl Pingala, 18. Raven, 19. Child, 20. Maiden, 21. Serpent, 22. An arrow-maker, 23. Spider and 24. Beetle.”

1. I learnt patience and doing good to others from the EARTH, for it endures every injury man commits on its surface, and yet it does him good by producing crops, trees, etc.

2. From WATER I have learnt the quality of purity. Just as the pure water cleanses others, so also the sage, who is pure and free from selfishness, lust, egoism, anger, greed, etc., purifies all those who come in contact with him.

3. The AIR is always moving through various objects, but it never gets attached to anyone of them; so I have learnt from the air to be without attachment, though I move with many people in this world.

4. Just as FIRE burns bright, so also the sage should be glowing with the splendour of his knowledge and Tapas.

5. The air, the stars, the clouds, etc., are all contained in the SKY, but the sky does not come in contact with any of them. I have learnt from the sky that the Atman or the Soul is all-pervading, and yet it has no contact with any object.


6. The MOON is in itself always complete, but appears to decrease or increase on account of the varying shadow of the earth upon the moon. I have learnt from this that the Atman is always perfect and changeless, and that it is only the Upadhis or limiting adjuncts that cast shadows upon it.
and Bliss through His Grace. Om Santih Santih Santih!
7. Just as the SUN, reflected in various pots of water, appears as so many different reflections, so also Brahman appears different because of the Upadhis (bodies) caused by the reflection through the mind. This is the lesson I learnt from the sun.
8. I once saw a pair of PIGEONS with their young birds. A fowler spread a net and caught the young birds. The mother pigeon was very much attached to her children. She did not care to live, so she fell into the net and was caught. The male pigeon was attached to the female pigeon, so he also fell into the net and was caught. From this I learnt that attachment is the cause of bondage.
9. The PYTHON does not move about for its food. It remains contented with whatever it gets and lies in one place. From this I learnt to be unmindful of food and to be contented with whatever I get to eat (Ajagara Vritti).
10. Just as the OCEAN remains unmoved even though hundreds of rivers fall into it, so also the wise man should remain unmoved among all sorts of temptations, difficulties and troubles. This is the lesson I learnt from the ocean.
11. Just as the MOTH, being enamoured of the brilliance of the fire, falls into it and is burnt up, so also, a passionate man who falls in love with a beautiful girl comes to grief. To control the sense of sight and to fix the mind on the Self, is the lesson I learnt from the moth.
12. Just as the BLACK BEE sucks the honey from different flowers and does not suck it only from one flower, so also I take only a little food from one house and a little from another house and thus appease my hunger (Madhukari Bhiksha or Madhukari Vritti). I am not a burden on the householder.
13. Bees collect honey with great trouble, but a HONEY-GATHERER comes and takes the honey easily. Even so, people hoard up wealth and other things with great difficulty, but they have to leave them all at once and depart when the Lord of Death takes hold of them. From this I have learnt the lesson that it is useless to hoard things.
14. The male ELEPHANT, blinded by lust, falls into a pit covered over with grass, even at the sight of a paper-made female elephant. It gets caught, enchained and tortured by the goad. Even so, passionate men fall in the traps of women and come to grief. Therefore, one should destroy lust. This is the lesson I have learnt from the elephant.
15. The DEER is enticed and trapped by the hunter through its love of music. Even so, a man is attracted by the music of women of loose character and brought to destruction. One should never listen to lewd songs. This is the lesson I learnt from the deer.
16. Just as a FISH that is covetous of food falls an easy victim to the bait, so also, the man who is greedy of food, who allows his sense of taste to overpower him, loses his independence and easily gets ruined. The greed for food must therefore be destroyed. It is the lesson that I have learnt from the fish.
17. There was a DANCING GIRL named Pingala in the town of Videha. She was tired of looking for customers one night. She became hopeless. Then she was contented with what she had, and then had sound sleep. I have learnt from that fallen woman the lesson that the abandonment of hope leads to contentment.
18. A RAVEN picked up a piece of flesh. It was pursued and beaten by other birds. It dropped the piece of flesh and attained peace and rest. From this I have learnt the lesson that a man in the world undergoes all sorts of troubles and miseries when he runs after sensual pleasures, and that he becomes as happy as the bird when he abandons the sensual pleasures.
19. The CHILD who sucks milk is free from all cares, worries and anxieties, and is always cheerful. I have learnt the virtue of cheerfulness from the child.
20. The parents of a MAIDEN had gone in search of a proper bridegroom for her. The girl was alone in the house. During the absence of the parents, a party of people came to the house to see her on a similar object in reference to an offer of marriage. She received the party herself. She went inside to husk the paddy. While she was husking, the glass bangles on both hands made tremendous jingling noise. The wise girl reflected thus: “The party will detect, by the noise of the bangles, that I am husking the paddy myself, and that my family is too poor to engage others to get the work done. Let me break all my bangles except two on each hand”. Accordingly, she broke all the bangles except two on each hand. Even these two bangles created much noise. She broke one more bangle of each hand. There was no further noise though she continued husking. I have learnt from the girl’s experience the following: Living among many would create discord, disturbance, dispute and quarrel. Even among two, there might be unnecessary words or strife. The ascetic or the Sannyasin should remain alone in solitude.
21. A SERPENT does not build its hole. It dwells in the holes dug out by others. Even so, an ascetic or a Sannyasin should not build a home for himself. He should live in the caves and temples built by others. This is the lesson that I have learnt from the snake.
22. The mind of an ARROW MAKER was once wholly engrossed in sharpening and straightening an arrow. While he was thus engaged, a king passed before his shop with his whole retinue. After some time, a man came to the artisan and asked him whether the king passed by his shop. The artisan replied that he did not notice anything. The fact is that the artisan’s mind was solely absorbed in his work and he did not know what was passing before his shop. I have learnt from the artisan the quality of intense concentration of mind.
23. The SPIDER pours out of its mouth long threads and weaves them into cobwebs. It gets itself entangled in the net of its own making. Even so, man makes a net of his own ideas and gets entangled in it. The wise man should therefore abandon all worldly thoughts and think of Brahman only. This is the lesson I have learnt from the spider.
24. The Bhringi or the BEETLE catches hold of a worm, puts it in its nest, and gives it a sting, the poor worm, always fearing the return of the beetle and sting, and thinking constantly of the beetle, becomes a beetle itself. Whatever form a man constantly thinks of, he attains in course of time that form. As a man thinks, so he becomes. I have learnt from the beetle and the worm to turn myself into Atman by contemplating constantly on It and thus to give up all attachment to the body and attain Moksha or liberation.

Dattatreya was absolutely free from intolerance or prejudice of any kind. He learnt wisdom from whatever source it came. All seekers after Wisdom should follow the example of Dattatreya.

Tuesday 23 September 2014

The Guru is like a engine of the train.

The train has fixed destination. It never looses path neither the direction. The passenger sitting in the train is rest assured of him/her reaching the destination safely and surely. No one doubts the train, puts all the trust and faith in the train on securing the seat. But the train never has any other agenda, but to safely take the passengers to the destination
Guruji Naushir has always given this example. He says Guru is like the train, all his life leading people to divinity. Anyone can board the train who wishes to reach the final destination. Some get down before the time, some might join halfway, those who stay will surely reach the destination.

Baba Nityananda of ganeshpuri has quoted the same in his discourse, while guiding the disciples

He emphasised spiritual practices. But he also emphasised the importance of one’s worldly responsibilities, one’s dharma. He said that first we should pay attention to our duties and only when they are handled, dedicate ourselves to sadhana and spiritual practices.

Mainly, he spoke about guru’s grace and guru kripa. He said that surrender to the guru is ultimate on this path. Once the guru takes your hand, he will never let you down. The guru's concern for his disciples is comparable to that of a tortoise to its young ones. It is believed that although the tortoise floats in the deep sea, its attention is always on the eggs lying on the shore (Kurma Dristhi). Its intense concern and love for the young ones soon leads the eggs to hatch and guides the newborn safely to sea. Even if the tortoise is not there at that time.

He said, 'This One is the engine driver. Attach your bogie (wagon) to the train driven by this One and rest assured that you will be delivered'.
 'Do one’s duty first, with full trust and faith in one’s Guru and strive for excellence in whatever one attempts'. While at work, fix the mind at his feet just as a woman while going about her household chores, constantly thinks of her paramour. Chant the Gurumantra, worship one’s Gurudeva and meditate whenever one finds time.
 The world will not have any influence on such a person. One who pursues such a life shall receive all honour and fame without asking. While taking care to remain merged in namsankritan and continuing one’s sadhana, wait for the Guru’s infinite grace to dawn within the mind. This is what Guru Kripa is all about.
Once that happens, the Guru will guide the follower in his/her sadhana and shaktipat will happen automatically. Surrender to him like a child that trusts its parents. The Guru will ensure that sadhana goes on and the Kundalini shakti rises in all glory and the Self eventually becomes one with Shiva, the eternal principle.



Do not make fool of yourself, Beware of " Yogic Charlatans And Posing Gurus"


A young man with a little training in harmonium and a little power of speech ascends the platform, poses for an Acharya or a Guru in a couple of years, publishes a few rubbish pamphlets and songs and establishes a sect of his own. India still abounds in profound stupidity and any man can have his own following in a short time.
Another young man with some training in Asanas, Bandhas and Pranayama shuts himself up in an underground cell with some eatables that are secretly kept to last for forty days. He eats some roots that destroy hunger and thirst for some days. God only knows what he is doing in the cell! He sleeps in the cell. He then comes out with pretended Samadhi. This is a little practice of Titiksha only. His Samskaras and Vasanas are not at all destroyed. He is the same worldly man. He knocks about hither and thither to collect money and make disciples. He poses for a Yogi Guru. Ignorant, worldly people are easily deceived. The sad part of the tale is that people lose faith even in real Yogis who enter into real Samadhi, on account of the foolish actions of such posing young men who have no responsibility. These young men have not understood the gravity of Yoga and spiritual life. Samadhi is certainly not meant for demonstration on public roads. Samadhi is a sacred act. Samadhi is not jugglery or Indrajala. This practice has become contagious. Many young men have started this show or feat.
Beware of these Yogic charlatans, daylight dupes or posing Gurus, black sheep who are infectious parasites and burden on society, who are a menace to the country and who are vultures that prey upon the resources of the ignorant and the credulous!
Some make disciples to get services when they grow old. They do not care for the advancement of their disciples.

A Caution To Ladies

Ladies are very easily duped by the so-called Gurus and Acharyas. Ladies are very simple-minded and credulous. They are very easily attracted by sweet music and melody. They fall easy victims to melodious sounds. These Gurus try to hoodwink naive womenfolk. They easily influence them and trap them without any difficulty. They make them their tools or instruments. They exploit them and fill their stomachs and move about in silken clothes and pump shoes. 
O Devis! Wake up now! Open your eyes. You are all educated now. Use your reason. Do not be carried away by mere lectures and music. Beware of posing Gurus. Never get Diksha from him. You will weep in the end and reap a bad harvest if you do so. That man whom you select as your Guru  should be absolutely selfless and be free from lust and greed. He should be free from all sorts of worldly taints. He should have knowledge of the Vedas and scriptures. He must have inner spiritual strength, experience and Self-realisation to elevate you and lead you in the spiritual path.

Husbands should not allow their wives to take anyone as their Guru without proper scrutiny or thorough examination and understanding of the person whom they want to take as Guru. If they really feel so much for taking a Guru, they should select one after careful study and enquiry and after living with him for a some time. Husband and wife should not have different Gurus. Fighting comes in. They should have a common Guru.
Swami sivananda
The truth as it is. This will save innocent people from hurt, pain and trauma of broken faith. The responsibility is on the seeker, to be wise, watchful and careful. 

Art of becoming a student : pointers for spiritual aspirants

1.The student can imbibe or draw from his teacher in proportion to his degree of faith. When the Guru comes to the aspirant to give spiritual instructions, if the aspirant does not pay any attention, if he is self-sufficient and heedless, if he bolts the door of his heart, he is not benefited. The Satguru communicates the secret knowledge of the Upanishads to his trusted disciples only after repeated entreaty and severe testing.The Guru tests the students in various ways. Some students misunderstand him and lose their faith in him. Hence they are not benefited. faith in the Guru and devotion to God are necessary equipment with which the aspirant has to approach the Guru.

2.Obedience to Guru is better than reverence. Obedience is a precious virtue, because if you try to develop the virtue of obedience, the ego, the arch-enemy on the path of Self-realisation, slowly gets rooted out.

3.The Guru only knows the spiritual needs of his disciples. He will give Upadesa according to the disciple’s temperament and evolution. This Upadesa( should be kept a secret. Discussion among disciples will lead to criticism of Guru and slackness in Sadhana. There will be no spiritual progress. Follow the Guru’s Upadesa to the very letter. Remember it is meant for you only. The other disciples have received Guru-Upadesa, too. Let them follow it. Do not impose the Upadesa you have received on others.

4.Serve your Guru humbly, willingly, unquestioningly, unassumingly, ungrudgingly, untiringly and lovingly. The more you spend your energy in serving your Guru, the more divine energy will flow into you. He who serves the Guru serves the whole world. Serve the Guru without selfish ends. Scrutinise your inner motives while doing service to Guru. Service must be done to Guru without expectation of name, fame, power, wealth, etc.
Only the disciple who obeys his Guru can have command over his lower self. Obedience should be very practical, wholehearted and actively persevering. True obedience to Guru neither procrastinates nor questions. A hypocritical disciple obeys his Guru from fear. The true disciple obeys his Guru with pure love for love’s sake.
Taken from writings of Swami sivananda,

Word of caution; The faith and surrender will be fruitful only when offered to a genuine and self realized GURU. 

Sunday 21 September 2014

Grooming the heart.


Devotion is ingrained in every being. Even an atheist is devoted to his atheism. Love dwells in the heart of every creature. Without love, life itself cannot exist. Even the most cruel‑hearted men love something or other.

As everything else, this love also needs culturing. What is the difference between gardens and forests? In forests, too, there are flower beds, there are fruit‑bearing trees. Yet, man is afraid to enter the forest. The earth is strewn with thorns; there are ominous‑looking bushes here and there that hide wild animals. The trees also grow haphazardly and a violent storm produces a forest‑fire which destroys the entire forest.
 Not so is the case of a garden. The plants are beautifully and artistically laid out. There are order, harmony and pruning. The ground is swept clean and you take delight in walking over the lawns. All foul‑smelling things are removed from the garden and the sweet fragrance of the flowers wafts around.

Similar is the case with love. Love grows wildly in the ignorant man's heart. There is the luscious fruit of love in a corner of the heart; but the entire heart is strewn with thorns of hatred, jealousy and so many other vicious qualities that the charm of love is marred.
There are bushes of lust, anger and greed which hide within them the wildest animals. Love lies hidden far beneath and far beyond reach. It is as good as non‑existent. But, in the case of a true devotee of the Lord, this love has been cultured, and the garden of his heart is cleared of the thorns of vicious qualities, of the bushes of lust, anger and greed. Love of God which is the sweetest of fragrances wafts from such a heart.
Guru is the GARDENER, who will help you to cultivate the beautiful garden.Those who surrender to Guru, their hearts will start changing, with his touch of knowledge will clear the ground, with scissors of the sadhana given by him the unwanted is removed, with care and nourishment of his genuine love and own example, the plants of virtues and goodness will blossom. with his discipline the beauty will be maintained, when the garden is ready, only then the divinity can descend in your heart.

Saturday 20 September 2014

Grace and Self-Effort

Realisation cannot come to you as a miracle done by your Guru. Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus, Rama Tirtha have all done Sadhana. Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to develop Vairagya and Abhyasa. He did not say to him, “I will give you Mukti now.” Therefore, abandon the wrong notion that your Guru will give you Samadhi and Mukti. Strive, purify, meditate and realise.

Guru-Kripa, grace of the Guru, is very necessary. That does not mean that the disciple should sit idle. He must do rigid Purushartha, spiritual practices. The whole work must be done by the student. Nowadays, people want a drop of water from the Kamandalu of a Sannyasin and desire to enter into Samadhi immediately. They are not prepared to undergo any Sadhana for purification and Self-realisation. They want a magic pill to push them into Samadhi. If you have got such delusion, give it up immediately.
Guru and Sastras can show you the path and remove your doubts. Anubhava of Aparoksha kind or direct intuitive knowledge is left for your own experience. A hungry man will have to eat for himself. He who has a severe itching will have to scratch for himself.
No doubt, Guru’s blessings can do everything. How can one have his blessings? By pleasing the Guru. A Guru can be pleased with his disciple only if the latter carries out his spiritual instructions implicitly. Carefully follow, therefore, the instructions of the Guru. Act up to his instructions. Then only will you deserve his blessings, and then alone his blessings can do everything.
Swami Sivananda Saraswati

THE NEED FOR A GURU

For a beginner in the spiritual path, a Guru is necessary. To light a candle, you need a burning candled Even so, an illumined soul alone can enlighten another soul.

Some do meditation for some years independently. Later on, they actually feel the necessity for a Guru. They come across some obstacles in the way. They do not know how to obviate these impediments or stumbling blocks. Then they begin to search for a Master.
Only the man who has already been to Badrinath will be able to tell you the road leading to it. In the case of the spiritual path, it is still more difficult to find your way. The mind will mislead you very often. The Guru will be able to remove pitfalls and obstacles, and lead you along the right path. He will tell you: “This road leads you to Moksha; this one leads to bondage.” Without this guidance, you might want to go to Badrinath, but find yourself in Delhi!
The scriptures are like a forest. There are ambiguous passages. There are passages that are apparently contradictory and others that have esoteric meanings, diverse significance and hidden explanations. There are cross references. You are in need of a Guru or Preceptor who will explain to you the right meaning, who will remove doubts and ambiguities, who will place before you the essence of the teachings.
A Guru is absolutely necessary for every aspirant in the spiritual path. It is only the Guru who will find out your defects. The nature of egoism is such that you will not be able to find out your own defects. Just as a man cannot see his back, so also he cannot see his own errors. He must live under a Guru for the eradication of his evil qualities and defects.
The aspirant who is under the guidance of a Master or Guru is safe from being led astray. Satsanga or association with the Guru is an armour and fortress to guard you against all temptations and unfavourable forces of the material world.
Cases of those who had attained perfection without study under any Guru should not be cited as authoritative against the necessity for a Guru; for, such great men are the anomalies of spiritual life, and not the common normality. They come into existence as spiritual masters as a result of the intense service, study and meditation practised in previous births. They had already studied under the Guru. The present birth is only its continuative spiritual effect. Hence, the importance of the Guru is not lessened thereby.
Some teachers mislead their aspirants. They say to all: “Think for yourself. Do not surrender yourself to any Guru.” When one says, “Do not follow any Gurus,” he intends to be the listeners’ Guru himself. Do not approach such pseudo-Gurus. Do not hear their lectures.
All great ones had their teachers. All the sages, saints, prophets, world teachers, incarnations, great men have had their own Gurus, however great they might have been. Svetaketu learnt the nature of Truth from Uddalaka, Maitreyi from Yajnavalkya, Bhrigu from Varuna, Narada from Sanatkumara, Nachiketas from Yama, Indra from Prajapati; and several others humbly went to wise ones, observed strict Brahmacharya, practised rigorous discipline, and learnt Brahma-Vidya from them.
Lord Krishna sat at the feet of His Guru Sandipani. Lord Rama had Guru Vasishtha who gave Him Upadesa. Lord Jesus sought John to be baptised by him on the banks of the river Jordan. Even Devas have Brihaspati as their Guru. Even the greatest among the divine beings sat at the feet of Guru Dakshinamurti.
A neophyte must have a personal Guru first. He cannot have God as Guru to begin with. He must have a pure mind. He must have ethical perfection. He must be intensely virtuous. He must be above body-consciousness. Then alone can he have God as Guru.

THE SATGURU

Mere study of books cannot make one a Guru. One who has studied the Vedas and who has direct knowledge of Atman through Anubhava can only be enrolled as a Guru. A Jivanmukta or a liberated sage is the real Guru or spiritual preceptor. He is the Satguru. He is identical with Brahman or the Supreme Self. He is a Knower of Brahman.

Possession of Siddhis is not the test to declare the greatness of a sage or to prove he has attained Self-realisation. Satgurus do not exhibit any miracles or Siddhis. Sometimes they may exhibit them in order to convince the aspirants of the existence of super physical things, give them encouragement, and instill faith in their hearts. A Satguru is endowed with countless Siddhis. He possesses all divine Aisvarya, all the wealth of the Lord.
The Satguru is Brahman Himself. He is an ocean of bliss, knowledge and mercy. He is the captain of your soul. He is the fountain of joy. He removes all your troubles, sorrows and obstacles. He shows you the right divine path. He tears your veil of ignorance. He makes you immortal and divine. He transmutes your lower, diabolical nature. He gives you the rope of knowledge and saves you when you are drowning in this ocean of Samsara. Do not consider him to be only a man. If you take him as a man, you are a beast. Worship your Guru and bow to him with reverence.
Guru is God. A word from him is a word from God. He need not teach anything. Even his presence or company is elevating, inspiring and stirring. The very company itself is self-illumination. Living in his company is spiritual education. Read ‘Sri Granth Sahib’. You will come to know the greatness of Guru.
Man can learn only from a man, and hence God teaches through a human body. In your Guru, you have your human ideal of perfection. He is the pattern from which you wish to mould yourself. Your mind will readily be convinced that such a great soul is fit to be worshipped and revered.
Guru is the Moksha-Dvara. He is the gateway to the transcendental Truth-Consciousness. But, it is the aspirant that has to enter through it. The Guru is a help, but the actual task of practical Sadhana falls on the aspirant himself.
Swami Sivananda Saraswati

The Best of Givers

To the world God speaks only through His enlightened devotees. Therefore, the wisest of all actions is to tune in with the will of the guru who is sent to you by the Lord as a response to your soul’s desire. He is not a guru who is self-proclaimed as such; he is a guru who is asked by God to bring others back to Him. When there is a little spiritual desire, the Lord sends books and teachers to further inspire you; and when your desire is stronger, he sends a real guru....

There are teachers who expect their followers to be always at their beck and call, ready to obey instantly; and if they don’t, the teacher becomes angry. But a spiritual teacher who knows God and is truly a guru never thinks of himself as a teacher at all. He beholds God’s presence in everyone, and feels no resentment if some students disregard his wishes. The Hindu scriptures say that those who tune in with the wisdom of a true guru make it possible for the guru to help them. “Comprehending that (the wisdom from a guru), thou, O Arjuna! wilt not again fall into delusion.”
Paramhansa Yogananda

Paramhansa Yogananda says




The guru-disciple relationship is the highest expression of friendship, for it is based on unconditional divine love and wisdom. It is the loftiest and most sacred of all relationships. Christ and his disciples were all one in spirit, as are my master [Swami Sri Yukteswar] and I and those who are in tune with me, because of the common bond of God’s divine love....One who partakes of this relationship is on the way to wisdom and freedom.
Paramhansa Yogananda
Cherish this beautiful relationship with your Guru.
त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव
त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविडम् त्वमेव
त्वमेव सर्वम् मम देव देव
See,feel, and discover all these relationships with your Guru. Guru is the only one who will love you without any agenda, selfishness. Only person who can give truly divine love.

Importance of Guru in Guru granth sahib

The enlightened ones have recognised the importance of the GURU.

I am egotistical and conceited, and my intellect is ignorant. Meeting the Guru, my selfishness and conceit have been abolished. The illness of egotism is gone, and I have found peace.

Let no man in the world live in delusion. Without a Guru none can cross over to the other shore.


Friday 19 September 2014

From Darkness to Light "The Guru Gita"

The Guru Gita is a part of a larger text, the Skanda Purana. It takes the form of a dialogue between Lord Siva, Lord of the Universe and His Royal Consort, the Goddess Parvati. It begins with Parvati observing Siva expounding the Supreme Truth to the sages. She is astonished when she sees that while the sages were bowing to her husband, He in turn was reverently bowing to someone else. 
    "O, My Lord, You are the teacher of the entire world, the one Supreme Being. You are fit above all to receive prostrations. To whom do You bow? I am amazed at this. Please, enlighten me!"
The great Lord’s response was simple, direct, and startling:
“It is to the Guru I bow.”
Hearing this, Parvati asked Siva to explain the nature of the guru, and for the sake of humanity, to reveal the path by which seekers can unite with the Absolute. In response to Her request, Lord Siva sang the Guru Gita.
An unshakable belief that ultimately this incarnation is to be used for your personal spiritual growth and the incumbent duties, responsibilities and enjoyment of the senses are merely a by-product of taking a human birth. Constant awareness of this truth will help the soul to make appropriate choices and practices for personal spiritual growth
Guruji Naushir
www.naushirengineer.blogspot.com

Thursday 18 September 2014

My GuruJi Naushir,  My Master

Spiritual Journey of a soul

The Journey continues
From books to experiences

From rituals to refinement
From many guides to one Guru
From forms to formless
Don't stop keep moving
Everyone sees the unseen in proportion to the clarity of his heart, and that depends upon how much he has polished it. Whoever has polished it more sees more - more unseen forms become manifest to him.

~ Rumi