How to be Happy

When we ask ourselves what we want in life – the answer always is: I want to be happy. Every single person wants to be happy. We have reasonable comforts in life – a home, family, relationships, a job, our daily food and other facilities. Yet we find ourselves being mostly unhappy. We get irritated fast. We shout. We don’t have patience.  We compare ourselves with others and always find ourselves wanting. These are not signs of happy people.

Happiness is an elusive thing. Our happiness seems to depend on everything from the weather to how well our clothes are ironed. When we look around we see that money is not the key to happiness, or good health or a bigger home or faster car or the latest ipod. There are some people who have everything and are never happy. And there are some who have lesser of material blessings and are still happy. The difference is the attitude of the persons.

Let us make our lives simpler. Each week spend two hours in one area of your home and remove the clutter. Donate what you don’t need to charity. A tidy home makes for a smiling face and better japa and meditation.  Do not take on more load of work that is possible for you at home or work. Learn to say no.

Maintain your health. Eat healthy food. Go for a brisk walk daily. Sleep sufficient number of hours. This takes care of your physical well being.

Do not nag. Do not shout and criticise at all time. Present your opinion or suggestion in simple way which is not judgemental.  Have softness and sweetness in speech and respect for all at home.  We must give respect first to get respect. Even when we are not in a good mood, we must not blast off our moods on others.  If you consciously force yourself to be calm and smiling, you will soon find yourself that way. This will help you have good relationship at home and with friends and at place of work.

Do not focus on bad news or bad television all the time. Switch off the television and read a good book or inspiring article. Have a hobby which gives you pleasure.

Most important change we must make in ourselves is to learn to appreciate what we have and be content with our lot in life. This does not mean we do not work hard. We must work hard and accept the results of our efforts as blessings from God.  Appreciation and contentment of what we are given will make our lives happy. We don’t have to seek or achieve or get more in order to be happy. We can be happy now. Gratitude for what we have and contentment gives great peace.  We will have a heightened sense of well being. 

See the life of the farmer’s wife in this story:

A farmer lived in a small village with his wife and three children. His house was small and comfortable and he had sufficient land and produce to make a good living. Due to a sudden problem, his aged parents had to move in with him. The furniture, people and space at home had to be shifted and re-arranged to make place for the parents.   This left the wife fuming and unhappy. After some time she went to the wise man of the village and sought counsel. He heard her out and said: the answer to your problem is very simple. Please keep  a dozen hens in your living room for a week.

The woman was surprised but followed the orders. The hens clucked all the time. They dropped feathers and shit in the living room. Their food and water was strewn everywhere. After a week, the woman was fed up and went to the wise man. He told her: the solution is not complete. You must bring in six goats into your living room. After you do so, please let me know how it goes.

The constant bleating and butting of the goats, the smells of their bodies, food and refuse drove everyone crazy. And the hens had made the living room their roost. Again after a week the woman went to the wise man and complained. The wise man said: just do one more thing and the process is complete. And after that you will be very happy. Bring three cows into the living room. And the woman did so.

The living room was in an uproar. The cows, the goats and the hens seemed to be everywhere. The noise and smells of the animals were intolerable. With a week the woman was fed up. She made up her mind to seek out the wise man and give him a piece of her mind and get rid of all the clutter and animals from her living room. She went to the wise man and raised her voice: what kind of advice do you give? My life is hell now. I am getting rid of all animals. I want my living room back clean and uncluttered. The wise man said: yes please do that. That would complete the process.

The woman went back and cleared out all the hens, goats and cows from her living room. She threw out some old rubbish too. She scrubbed and cleaned and made her living room fine. She also cleaned up the other rooms.  The house was clean and fresh and she was very happy. She went to the wise man and said: your remedy worked. My house is spacious and fine and I am happy.

The wise man smiled: he said your house did not change. It is same. You have learnt to appreciate what you have. That makes you happy and content. Appreciation of what we have is the key.

Finally we must take care of our soul. Know that you are not the body but the soul. It is the nature of the soul to be in bliss. You can uncover this bliss by regular meditation and SitaRam mantra japa and following other spiritual teachings of the ParamGuru. 

Aruni and the Flooded Fields

In the olden days, the disciples of the Guru lived with the Guru in his ashram. They studied there and also performed other chores given to them by the Guru. Most ashrams were self sufficient units. They had cows for milk, gardens for vegetables, fruits and flowers, forests for collection of wood for fire and fields for growing cereals and pulses. The disciples did a variety of jobs and  kept the ashram running smoothly. The physical work and responsibility given to them made the disciples physically strong and hardy and also mentally mature and able to cope up with work given to them in a dependable manner. There was no distinction made between the students for the work allotted. They could come from any rank in life. All were treated equally.

Besides the visible growth and progress in the disciples there is another development which takes place but which is not normally apparent. This gets highlighted when certain unusual happenings take place. A disciple who is loyal, loving and follows the Guru’s dictates to the letter, develops at subtle levels. The physical body blossoms with fresh air, good food and hard physical labour; the mental body develops with the acquisition of knowledge at the ashram and the subtle body develops when the disciple works with great love for the Guru and is implicitly obedient and loyal.  This development over a period of time prepares the subtle body of the disciple so that when the Guru commands or blesses, there is a sudden metamorphosis and the student stands completely transformed. Consider this case:

Rishi Aayod Dhaumya lived in his ashram with cows, gardens and fields. He was famous as he was pious and powerful and took care of his disciples like a mother cares for her children. He had a number of disciples in the ashram under his care. One of these was a disciple named Aruni. Aruni was very humble and loved his Guru greatly. He was hardworking and performed the chores given to him as Guru Seva. He unquestioningly followed the orders of his Guru with a smiling face.

Once the Guru sent Aruni to take care of the fields. As Aruni reached the fields the skies opened up and the rains poured. The fields filled up quickly with water. Now there were mud walls on sides of the fields to hold the water in and prevent the outflow of water and soil loss. As Aruni was checking he saw that the force of the water had increased and there was a breakage in one of the mud walls. Water and soil were flowing out  of the fields with great force. Aruni feared that the loss due to soil erosion would be terrible. He tried his best to stop the flow of water. He put mud and stones in the hole to stop the water flow. But it was of no use.  Aruni recalled the Guru’s instructions – to take care of the fields. So he placed himself as a stopper in the hole and prevented the water from flowing out. He remained cold and stiff all night in that place but he protected the fields of the Guru.

In the morning when all the disciples gathered for the morning prayers, Aruni was not present. The Guru and some of the disciples rushed in the direction of the fields calling out to Aruni. Aruni heard his Guru calling him and stood up shivering with cold. Touching his Guru’s feet he asked – Gurudev, what are your instructions for me?

The Guru looked around and understood what Aruni had done to save the fields. His heart was filled with love and compassion. Love and Grace started flowing from the Guru to the disciple and Aruni was transformed. He got the knowledge of all scriptures automatically.  The Guru gave him a new name Uddhalak Aruni.

Aruni became a great learned sage. He worked for welfare of society. He organised innumerable community feeding programs. He systematized Vedic and Upanishadic thoughts. All this was due to the blessings of his Guru.

The Kitchen Help who became a Guru

The Guru loves and guides all disciples equally. But all disciples are not equally receptive. Only those disciples who have great love, loyalty and obedience towards the Guru are receptive to the Grace of the Guru. Just studying scriptures and doing prayers does not make a good disciple.  Absolute faith and discipline defines the worthiness of a disciple.

In the lineage of Guru Nanak- the Sikh Guru- was Guru Ram Dass. He was the fourth Sikh Guru. He had many disciples who could be considered as good and worthy. All the disciples went about doing their daily work and attending the discourses of the Guru. His youngest son Arjan Dev was also a disciple. Guru Ram Dass had given him the task of working in the kitchen and cleaning the utensils.  Arjan Dev performed his Guru Seva with utmost dedication.  He never questioned why he was asked to do this lowly task. The kitchen of the Guru was always open and anyone who came in at any time was given a hot meal. Arjan Dev was always busy scrubbing vessels.

The other disciples thought lowly of Arjan Dev. They teased him. They said: Arjan, stop scrubbing vessels and come and attend the discourses.  You cannot please the Guru with your current behaviour. Come and do other Guru Seva. Then you can please the Guru!   Arjan Dev replied: My duty is to obey the Guru. I do not aim to please him by doing other things.

The other disciples gave up on Arjan Dev and left him alone. The Guru had great Love for Arjan Dev due to his love, loyalty and obedience. Time passed by. The Guru and other disciples were busy in discourses, religious congregations and other work.  Then there was need to send a disciple to Lahore for doing the Guru’s work. The other disciples urged the Guru to send Arjan Dev. They wanted Arjan Dev out of the way and each one wished to be the next successor of the Guru. Arjan Dev quietly accepted the Guru’s dictum and went to Lahore.  He missed his Guru very much and wrote two letters to the Guru. The others in the Ashram hid the letters. When the third letter came in the Guru saw it. He understood that Arjan Dev had written to him before and that others plotted to have him removed. Seeing Arjan Dev’s love and loyalty he had him recalled from Lahore and declared him as his successor.

The utter loyalty and obedience which Arjan Dev had for his Guru made the Guru choose him as his successor over many others who were physically closer to the Guru and perhaps more well versed in scriptures.  Guru Arjan Dev became a great Guru.  He was the embodiment of Godly devotion, Selfless Service and Universal Love.  He contributed to the welfare of society .He was responsible for  the construction of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He collated and compiled the teachings of the previous Gurus and called it the Gurubani. He installed the Gurubani in the Golden Temple. He stood steadfast for the principles he believed in and in the end he sacrificed his life and attained a unique martyrdom in this history of mankind. 

When the kitchen help received the blessings of his Guru, he was transformed into one of the Greatest Gurus of the Lineage.  

Why We Search for Happiness

 From the time we are born we seek happiness. We seek it through food, drink, peaceful sleep, good clothes, good home with facilities and other comforts. Our entire existence is geared towards fulfilment of desires and being happy. Happiness is our goal in life. 

Happiness is an elusive goal. We seek it; we work for it and achieve the object of our desire. We are happy for some time. Then the happiness fades away and again we seek it by fulfilling another desire. We can see this behaviour even in a very small child who has no knowledge of what is desire or fulfilment or happiness. From where does the child learn to search for happiness? What is it that forces us to yearn for and work for happiness all our lives?

All religions of the world declare that we are not the body. We are the Immortal Soul. The nature of the Soul is Bliss. The Super Soul or God is in Eternal Bliss. We are part of that Super Soul and Eternal Bliss. We are now in the human body and living on Earth. But the soul within knows its origin and seeks to go back. It yearns for bliss – the Eternal Bliss of God. We do not know how to go back to Godhead and be established in that peace and bliss.  So we seek happiness by fulfilment of material desires.   Such happiness is only a shadow of the Eternal Bliss.

The Supreme Power, the individual soul and illusion – Maya – are the three permanent components of the eternal Universal Drama of Life. God governs the individual soul and Maya (the illusion of duality, that we are different from God). In order to overcome this illusion that we are different from God and from each other we need the help of God. God does not help us directly. He comes in the form of ParamGuru who is a realised master and shows us how to overcome Maya and become one with Him. Follow the ParamGuru and reach God and be always in a state of happiness and bliss.

The great masters or ParamGurus teach us the way back to Godhead. They have knowledge and inner experience of the path and know how to reach that Supreme State. When we follow their teachings we reach that State of Bliss. Mantra Japa of SitaRam, Kundalini Maha Yoga Systems, meditation  and following the teachings of the Param Guru in a systematic and disciplined manner help us to reach the state of bliss. Live in bhakti  and surrender to God and ParamGuru and be in bliss. Once we reach this state, though we live in this world we will not rush madly after material desires.

Remember always, you are not the body. You are the Immortal Soul – the Child of God. The Bliss is within you. There is no satisfaction in temporary happiness of the material world. Find your roots and realise that you are Divine and full of Bliss. Today, on the birthday of this body, blessings to all that you receive Wisdom and Abundance from Goddess Saraswati and are always happy.

Basant Panchami- Festival of Goddess Saraswati

The Hindu Lunar Month of Magh in India is spring and Basant Panchami is a celebration of the freshness and beauty of spring. Spring is the time of renewal of life, of new relationships, hope and renewed chances for improvement and success. The spiritual aspect of Basant Panchami is also very important. It is the Saraswati Puja.  The regeneration of nature, the spectacular dance of new growth, beauty and life around us is the form, grace and beauty of Goddess Saraswati – the Goddess of Learning.  She is the Cosmic Intelligence and Divine Storehouse and Expression of Knowledge. The festival and puja are celebrated on the fifth day of lunar fortnight. It usually falls in between the second half of January and the first half of February.

This year Basant Panchami falls on January 28. The festival also indicates that the winter is over and the spring has started. The short days and long cold nights are over and its warmer and the breeze is fresh. Nature is in full blossom. Flowers, fruits and leaves fill the world around us with vibrant colors and fragrances. Spring represents romance and love. Thousands of marriages are celebrated on the day of Basant Panchami as this is a very auspicious day on which marriages and other good work can be performed without checking the Hindu Calendar for suitable time.

As Basant Panchami is a very auspicious day, other important things are also done on this day. The children are taught to write the alphabets and first words. The Brahmins are called home and fed and given donations. Pitr – tarpan or offering of rice with black sesame seeds and water are given to the ancestors as rites of worship. Yellow colour plays an important part in this festival as it represents auspiciousness.  It is also the colour of the ripened maize in the fields. It is harvest time and people are happy. They wear yellow garments. Yellow sweets are prepared and eaten. Goddess Saraswati is draped with yellow garments and worshipped. The children fly kites. Kite flying festival is organised in many states in India. This festival is enjoyed with great fervour and enthusiasm by all. 

Goddess Saraswati is a part of the trinity of MahaKali, MahaLaxmi, MahaSaraswati. She is the fount head of knowledge and wisdom.  She is Goddess of music, all stringed instruments and speech. She personifies all arts, science, music, crafts and other skills. She is called by many names –Shree, Sharada, Vakdevi, Veenavadani etc. She is white complexioned and wears white garments. She sits in the Padmasana posture on a white lotus. She represents purity and excellence. She is peaceful, serene and majestic. She has four hands which represent human personality in learning – mind, intellect, alertness and ego. In one hand she holds a lotus which is symbol of true knowledge and in the other hand she has the sacred scriptures. She holds the Veena with two hands and plays the melodies of Cosmic Love and Wisdom.  Her vehicle is the white Swan. The Swan is famed for its capacity to separate milk from mixture of water and milk. We must learn to separate the fact from fiction in life. Her other vehicle is the Peacock which represents the ego. She reminds us that wisdom overcomes ego.

The Saraswati Puja is performed in all homes of India. All educational institutions, students, teachers and academicians worship Her. Singers and musicians also worship Her. Books and musical instruments are placed next to Her Image or Picture during worship and Her blessings are sought for knowledge, wisdom and fine arts.

On this holy day of Basant Pachami, worship Goddess Saraswati in your homes and in your heart. Seek Her blessings to grant  you knowledge, wisdom and the Supreme Truth. We need Her Grace every minute of our lives. We cannot function without knowledge and wisdom. When we respect and revere knowledge, we receive the blessings of Goddess Saraswati and are able to make the right use of the knowledge.

Guru Seva - Deepak

The Guru showers love equally on all of his disciples. But the disciples should have the capacity to receive and hold his love.  There is no favoritism or discrimination on part of the Guru when he showers his love and blessings on all. The Guru is like the Sun. The Sun shines equally on all. But if someone insists on sitting in a room with all doors and windows closed, he will not receive the sunlight. The Sun cannot be blamed for this. When a disciple has great love for his Guru, is loyal to him and does Guru Seva in the right spirit, he becomes a worthy vessel for holding the Guru’s love and blessings. This is one such story – the Story of Deepak and his Guru Veddharma.

Guru Veddharma lived in his Ashram on the banks of the Godavari River in North India. He had many disciples and loved all of them equally. Once he wanted to test and see which of his disciples loved him truly. He called all of them and announced: in my last life, I committed a big sin. In this life due to my tapas and other spiritual practices, I have burnt off some of the bad karma. I have to undergo the balance soon. It will affect me in the form of a disease which will cripple me. It will stay with me for two years after which I will be normal. I intend to be in Kashi during this period. Which of you will come with me and serve me during this period?

None of the disciples volunteered except Deepak. Deepak was a loyal disciple of the Guru. He loved his Guru very much and saw God in the Guru.  He told Guru Veddharma: I will come with you and serve you these two years in Kashi. The Guru said: think before you offer. I will be very sick and bedridden. It will not be easy to take care of me. I will be blind and lame for two years. Deepak replied: I am not afraid. But can I go to Kashi for two years, take your sickness and suffer instead of you?  The Guru was very pleased to hear this offer from Deepak. But he refused it. He said: Each of us have to suffer the consequences of his karma. I alone will suffer for my karma. But you can come and serve me.

In a short time they left for Kashi. And within a few days of reaching Kashi, Guru Veddharma’s body developed boils and he became lame and blind. Deepak went to the nearby homes and asked for alms to take care of both of them.  The Guru was in great pain and very irritable. He would get angry and shout at Deepak for no reason. But Deepak was patient and smiling. He put up with all the tantrums of the Guru and served him  with loyalty and love. 

Seeing Deepak’s Guru bhakti and Guru Seva, Indra, the Lord of Gods appeared. He offered a place in Heaven to Deepak. Deepak replied that the highest paradise was at the feet of the Guru and doing seva to the Guru and he sent Indra away. After some time, pleased with Deepak’s Guru Seva, Lord Shiva appeared. He asked Deepak to seek a boon of his choice. Deepak said: let me consult my Guru.  Deepak asked his Guru if he could ask Lord Shiva to cure him. The Guru  refused and it was not acceptable. So Deepak sent Lord Shiva away.

After some days Lord Vishnu appeared. He was pleased by the fact that Deepak saw God in his Guru and served the Guru.  When he blessed Deepak with a boon, Deepak asked for the boon of Guru Bhakti. The Lord duly blessed him and said: You have raised importance of both God and Guru with your bhakti and seva.

Deepak continued serving his Guru. His Guru was aware of all the Divine Beings who had come there and Deepak’s responses to all of them. Deepak had passed the Guru’s test. Guru Veddharma blessed him with knowledge, name, fame and long life. 

When a disciple is given a task or seva by the Guru, he should focus on it wholly and complete it. Whatever be the temptation which comes in the way as reward or appreciation, he should not abandon the Guru Seva. Guru Seva done without ego and for  love for Guru gives the highest blessings.

Blessings of Guru Seva- Kalyan

The Supreme Power of God upholds the Universe and Creation. It is not possible for mere mortals to understand what or who God is, what are His rules, how He operates, what are His qualities and why He does certain actions which are beyond our comprehension. Only God can teach us about Him. So God manifests in the form of Guru to teach mankind about Him. God is Guru. And Guru is God. A Guru who has overcome his ego and merged himself with God is God Himself. Doing service to such a Guru is service to God. And the blessings and rewards of such seva are astounding. See the story of Samarth Ramdas and Kalyan:

Samarth Ramdas was a powerful and well known Guru.  He lived in Sajjangad which was on top of a hill. There was no source of water in the fort. The daily requirements of water for the Guru and his disciples had to be carried from the village at the bottom of the hill. This work of carrying and filling water for the requirements of all persons  in the fort was done by a disciple named Kalyan. Kalyan had great love for his Guru and did the task of carrying and filling the water as Guru Seva. All other disciples sat at the feet of the Guru and acquired knowledge from holy books and through question and answer sessions. Kalyan rarely sat at the Guru’s feet to study. He was busy from dawn to dusk carrying and filling the water at the fort. He was the Guru’s favourite and all the students were jealous and envious of Kalyan. They felt that since they sat at the Guru’s feet and studied hard and had more knowledge than Kalyan, the Guru should hold them in high regard.

Samarth Ramdas was aware of the feelings of the other students towards Kalyan. He waited for the right opportunity to show them the value of Kalyan.  One day during a study session, the Guru asked a tricky question to the students. None of them were able to give the answer. At that time Kalyan was passing by carrying buckets of water. The Guru called out to him and asked him the same question. Kalyan gave the correct answer effortlessly. 

The other students were astounded. They asked the Guru: how is it that Kalyan knows the answer to this question? We sit with you day and night and study and learn. We were not able to answer the question. Kalyan never sits with us and studies. Yet he gave the right answer! Samarth Ramdas replied:  Kalyan does Guru Seva with the right understanding and approach. For him, service to the Guru and taking care of needs for water for the persons here in the fort is doing service to God. He does this work cheerfully and willingly. He does not hold a grudge that he carries water all day long and that you sit here comfortably and study. You know only theory of spirituality. For you  the dictum ‘serve all like you serve God’ and 'Guru is God' are only words. Kalyan has realized the truth of these dictum by practice. He is doing the service with the right attitude and understanding. The blessings of God and Guru pour over him.  Therefore he has all knowledge! Samarth Ramdas later on made Kalyan his  official writer for noting down all his songs and teachings. Samarth Ramdas authored many books like the Dasbodh  and Shri Manache Shlok which are read and revered even today. Kalyan was his pen.

Listening to lectures and reading books by saints and others gives us only book knowledge. Theoretical knowledge is of no use. It is like knowing the recipe of making a tasty dish. We may know the ingredients, the method and have a description of taste of the final dish. But just knowing this will not assuage our hunger. We need to eat the actual dish and relish the taste and food to fulfil our hunger. 

Do daily japa of the SitaRam Mantra and meditation. Follow the teachings of the Guru.  It does not matter if you are physically near the Guru or live far away.  Be mentally close to the Guru by thinking of him.  Do your work and follow the practices given to you. This is the best Guru Seva you can do and you will reap the blessings. Whatever is lacking in your life will be granted and you will have contentment. Guru seva is like the Kamadhenu – the Holy Cow which grants all the wishes. Do the Seva of Guru for sake of doing Seva. Do the seva for love of the Guru. This is the highest level of Seva possible.

Guru Seva

Guru Seva is service to the Guru. When a disciple loves his Guru he does service or seva to the Guru. The Guru Seva which is common to all disciples is following the teachings of the Guru and practising the spiritual techniques regularly and in a disciplined manner. All disciples do not have physical or geographical proximity to the Guru. Hence they cannot perform personal seva to the Guru. So wherever the disciple may live, in whichever station of life he maybe, whatever be his job or livelihood, a disciple can serve his Guru by following the instructions and teachings of the Guru.

True Guru Bhakti or love for Guru is implicitly following the teachings of the Guru.  A disciple who practises the teachings of the Guru will rise above the inner shortcomings of lust, anger, pride, attachment and vengefulness. He is an example to others about the blessings which flow from the Guru. He blossoms spiritually and his  fragrance of love and service identifies and glorifies His Guru. 

There are some disciples who have proximity or contact with Guru. The Guru may ask them to do some work for him. This is also Guru Seva. It can be any work. It could be sweeping the Ashram, washing clothes, watering the plants, buying groceries, cooking food, massaging the Guru’s feet or receiving the visitors. The disciple should do the task he is asked to with sincerity and dedication. He should not look at the task given to another and seek to do it. There should be no feelings of inferiority of self or favoritism on part of Guru or any other negative feelings in the mind of the disciple. Any task given by the Guru is sacred and must be performed to the best of one’s ability. Every disciple is given a task or seva which is decided by the Guru as per the karmic needs and also personal abilities of the disciple. No disciple should feel jealous or want to do the work  given to another. Doing what  work is allotted by the Guru to us with love and loyalty are the best seva we can do.

The blessings from Guru Seva complete and fill up the areas which are lacking in the life of the disciple. Guru Seva brings upon the disciples blessings in form of health, good life partner, progeny, work, wealth, knowledge, intelligence, superhuman abilities, blessings of Gods and merger with Absolute. 

Rama did Guru Seva to Vasistha Rishi and pleased him.  His Guru taught him about mantras to be used for specific purposes  in battles. He also rewarded Rama with knowledge of chakras, nadis and Kundalini Shakti.  He gave Shaktipata to Rama and later on Rama passed on this knowledge of Shaktipata  to Laxman and Hanuman. Hanuman is Chiranjeevi. It means he has eternal life.  Hanuman waits even now to give this knowledge to the worthy for the benefit of mankind. It is believed that Dhyanyogi Parmeshwardasji who is Guru of my Guru is the form of Hanuman who has passed on the knowledge of Kundalini Maha Yoga for the evolution of mankind.

Krishna also performed Guru Seva at the Ashram of his Guru Sandipani. He cleaned and swept the floors, gathered water and firewood and articles for pooja. Though he was an Avatar of Lord Vishnu , he was meek, humble and obedient. He performed all the work given by His Guru like any other ordinary student.  As a result he was able to master sixty four arts in sixty four days. This is blessings for the Guru Seva performed with the right attitude.

Those who do Guru Seva must do the service with the right spirit, willingness and obedience and without feelings of jealousy towards others who are in constant contact with Guru. Those who are far away and do not have direct contact with the Guru must do their mantra japa and dhyana regularly and follow other rules of spiritual practices taught to them. Guru Seva bestows the highest possible rewards. 

Guru Seva is a reward in itself. Always do seva to the Guru with body, mind and soul.

Guru's Blessings Brings Fulfillment in Life

We all have love for God. There is no doubt about that. But we love our bodies, our looks and the material world far more than we love God.  When we call upon God, it is a half hearted call or less. In life, nothing is gained if it is done with half hearted focus or heart. If we want God to be our best friend and guide us in life, we must call upon God with all our might and love. Then only He will also answer us with His Presence and Love.

We must yearn for God intensely. The yearning for love of God must be focussed. It must be as powerful as the burning need for water of a thirsty traveller who is lost in the desert for several days. When the mind and heart are restless and keep on longing for God, the Guru appears. And the Guru shows the way to reach God. The Guru knows the potentials of the disciple and helps him to achieve them. The Guru is aware of the shortcomings and needs of the disciple and he fulfils them by his blessings.  His blessings fill up all the gaps in the disciple's luck and karma. Where there is a lack in disciple's life, the Guru completes and fulfils it. This makes the life of the disciple accomplished and full of contentment. The disciple is able to fulfil his life potentials and ambitions and also focus on service to God, Guru and Mankind. The Life of a disciple who is blessed in this way is rewarding and fulfilled in all ways. Take the case of the great Shivaji Maharaj and his powerful Guru Samarth Ramdas:

Samarth Ramdas was a powerful and well known Guru of Maharashtra. Shivaji Maharaj was eager to meet him after hearing about his fame. He went to Kondhaval Chasm where the Guru was camped and waited for him all day. But the Guru was not there and Shivaji had to return without the eagerly awaited meeting. That night and the following days and nights, Shivaji’s mind was thinking of Samarth Ramdas at all times.  As the time passed, his yearning to meet the Guru increased. He went to the temple of Bhavani Devi and sat in prayer. He was not aware when he fell asleep there. In his dream, Samarth Ramdas appeared wearing a saffron robe, padukas (wooden slippers), a rosary and a crutch under his arm. Seeing his radiant form, Shivaji fell at his feet and sought blessings. Samarth Ramdas touched his head and blessed him. When he woke up in the morning, he was holding a coconut. In India, a coconut is touched and given by Guru to disciple as a blessing.

From that moment onwards, Shivaji regarded Samarth Ramdas as his Guru. The Guru came later on to visit him at Shinganwadi. Shivaji performed ritualistic pooja of washing the feet  of the Guru and offering  him flowers and fruits The Guru blessed him and gave him a coconut. He also gave him a fistful of mud, pebbles and some horse dung as blessings. He said to him: you are born to rule and serve the people. My blessings and guidance are always with you. Whenever you think of me I am with you. Rule wisely.

The Guru was aware of the requirements and needs of Shivaji for ruling his kingdom well. The handful of things that he gave to Shivaji represented the needs of Shivaji and the Guru’s blessings for their fulfilment.  The fistful of mud represented the earth or kingdom, the pebbles were hill forts which were needed for security and fighting with the enemies, the horse dung represented horses which were used for fighting, transport and escape from enemies and the coconut was for the welfare of Shivaji  so that he did well in his personal life and as Maharaja of the Maratha Kingdom. The blessings of the Guru ensured that Shivaji never had a shortage of anything in his life.

Intense yearning for Guru and his blessings  pulled Samarth Ramdas to Shivaji. His blessings made Shivaji a wise and competent ruler who re-established Hindu Swarajya in Maharashtra.  In the rule of Shivaji, the foreign invaders were overcome, respect and position of women in society was restablished, slavery was abolished and society flourished. This was due to the blessings and guidance of the powerful Samarth Ramdas. That is why a Guru is needed!

Need for a Guru - Surdas

When the student is ready the Guru comes! The student  does not go in search of the Guru. The Cosmic Principle sends the Guru to the student. When Guru and student meet, the Guru is aware of the strong points and drawbacks of the student. Where there is a need for overcoming some shortcomings, the Guru helps the student, and makes him ready for receiving the knowledge and spiritual practices. The student will not be aware of the actions of the Guru and why he is being asked to do some things. When the student obeys the Guru implicitly, he is guided and trained to receive the highest of knowledge as now he is fully ready in all ways.  This is the story of Surdas and his Guru.

Surdas, a young seeker yearned intensely for God. A Guru appeared in his life and promised to guide him and show the way to God. The Guru was aware that Surdas had a major imperfection in him. Surdas used to get angry very quickly and for small things too. The Guru was aware that the anger of Surdas would cause inner disturbances because of which Surdas would not feel close to God. He wished to help Surdas overcome the defect of anger and make him ready to receive the spiritual practices. He told Surdas:  for a month chant the name of God day and night during all your work and activities.  On the day the new month starts, take bath early morning and come to me. I will initiate you into path of God.

Surdas followed the instructions of the Guru. He chanted the name of God day and night and during all  his activities. On the first day of the new month, he rushed to the river at dawn, took a bath, wore fresh clothes and set off for the Guru’s Ashram. As he neared the Ashram, a sweeper who was sweeping the pathway brushed dirt over his clothes by mistake and they were muddied. Surdas was outraged and screamed at the sweeper: You stupid careless fool! Because of you I will have to go back and take bath again!

The Guru was watching the incident from the Ashram. When Surdas came to him, he said: Dear Surdas, you are still not ready. Please follow the same instructions for a month and come back to me.  Surdas accepted the Guru’s dictum and left. He spent another month chanting the name of God at all times of day and night. On the first day of the new month, he went to the river, took bath and wore fresh clothes and set off for the Ashram. The sweeper was working outside the Ashram. He was sweeping the pathways and by mistake he brushed his broom on the clothes of Surdas. The fury of Surdas knew no bounds! He shouted at the sweeper. And the Guru sent him back again to do japa for another month.

At the end of the period of time, Surdas again took bath and went to the Ashram of Guru. This time something unusual happened. The sweeper saw Surdas come towards him. He recalled being shouted at for no reason. Rage filled him. He picked up the dustbin full of dirt and emptied it deliberately over Surdas! And this time, the reaction of Surdas was very different. He folded his hands and said to the sweeper: You are my teacher. You taught me to overcome anger. I am thankful to you!

The Guru rushed out of the Ashram and gave Surdas a warm welcome. He said: you are now finally ready to receive the spiritual lessons and practices!

The sweeper who brushed dirt over Surdas did so by mistake. His error was not intentional. Yet Surdas was angry with him. By continuously chanting the name of God day and night for three months through all his work and activities, Surdas could overcome his anger. This was due to the blessings of the Guru and his orders that Surdas should chant the name of God. Surdas obeyed his Guru and reaped the rewards. His Guru was instrumental in helping Surdas overcome his negativity. Negativities like anger, lust, greed, attachment, pride, vengefulness create distance between our soul and God and we will not be able to feel the presence of God or enjoy the sweetness of Love of God within us. A Guru's guidance and blessings are essential.That is why a Guru is needed!

Need for a Guru - Namadeva

“Dhyana Moolam Guru Murti, Puja Moolam Gurur Padam,

Mantra Moolam Gurur Vakyam, Moksha Moolam Guru Kripa” – Guru Gita

Do meditation by observing the Master’s form. Learn worship by surrendering at the lotus feet of the Guru. Every word spoken by the Guru is a mantra and enlightenment is but the ultimate grace of the Guru‘

These lines from the Guru Gita are an all out proclamation of love and praise for the Guru. The Guru  teaches the disciple about the Supreme and helps him to realise the Supreme within himself and in all creation.  The story of Namadeva, a saint from Maharashtra illustrates the importance of Guru.

Namadeva had unusual grace in his life. Lord Vitthala (Krishna) of Pandharpur used to appear in physical form before Namadeva  to eat the food served by him. Namadeva spoke to the Lord like we speak to each other. The Lord would dance to the songs sung by him. He was considered as a great saint of his time. Once there was a meeting at the home of Gora – the potter saint. All the famous saints of that time were present – Jnaneshwar, Nivritti, Sopan, Muktabai and many others. Jnaneshwar asked Gora the potter to check if all the pots were baked well. Gora understood and took his stick and hit on the head of all the saints sitting there in the same manner that he did when he checked to see if the clay of the pot was baked. No one said a word. But Namadeva protested with angry words. He did not like being hit on the head with a stick. Muktabai remarked: this pot is not baked!  Namadeva was angry and left the group in a huff and went straight to the temple of Vitthala. When he called out, the Lord appeared and he complained to the Lord. Instead of comforting him the Lord said: He who has not bowed to a Guru and not learnt from the Guru is incomplete. As Rama, I bowed to Sage Vashista and received from him spiritual knowledge. As Krishna, I went to ashram of Sage Sandipani and learnt from him. Go to Guru Visoba. You will find him in the Shiva temple of Mallikarjuna. Please him and learn from him. This will make you complete. There is no other way to be complete other than seeking refuge at the feet of the Guru!

Since he had no choice, Namadeva went to Mallikarjuna temple and located the Guru. Visoba was sleeping with his feet on the Shivalinga. Namadeva was shocked and said: I heard you are a great saint and you behave in this way? Visoba replied: I am an old man. I don’t have the energy to move my feet from the Shivalinga. Please place it elsewhere and get the reward for performing a good deed!  Namadeva dragged the feet of Visoba and placed them in another spot. And suddenly a Shivalinga sprung from underground and supported the old man’s feet. Angry and frightened, Namadeva lifted the feet of the old saint and kept them in other places. And in each place a Shivalinga sprung up to support the feet of Visoba. Namadeva realised that Visoba was a great Guru and fell at his feet and sought to be his disciple. He understood that the miracle of the Shivalinga took place as Visoba had become one with Shiva and where Visoba was present – Shiva was present.

Namadeva stayed with Visoba and learnt spiritual practices from the Guru. He realised the Truth within him and around him. He saw himself as Vitthala and the world around him as the same Lord. When he went back to Pandharpur, there was a feast going on. Namadeva also sat down to eat. Bhakri – a bread made out of jowar cereal was served along with some ghee which was kept in a cup made of leaves. A dog came and grabbed the bhakri from Namadeva's leaf plate and ran. Namadeva grabbed the cup of ghee and ran after the dog. He cried out: O Vitthala, don’t eat the bhakri just like that. It is far too tough and dry. Let me soak it in ghee and give you. Then it will taste better!

Namadeva had realised the truth that all creation was the form of his Lord Vitthala. So he ran after the dog as he saw his Lord in him to feed him  bhakri soaked in ghee. Later on when he met Lord Vitthala and embraced him, the Lord complained: after getting your Guru, you don’t have time for me! Namadeva replied: I have overcome the sense of duality and I don’t see you different from the Guru! You are both One. And Lord Vitthala remarked: the pot is now baked!

Though Namadeva spoke to the Lord and even fed him with his own hands, his realisation was incomplete as he did not have a Guru to teach him how to overcome the duality and see all Creation as One. That is why a Guru is needed!

Need for a Guru

‘The Guru is within. Why search for a Guru outside?' This is a common statement found nowadays all over the internet, printed media and other forms of media. Those who make these statements want their statements to be accepted implicitly by all people.  They also want to be accepted as the Guru by their students. But they teach that the Guru is within!

The statement ‘Guru is within' is indeed true. Certainly the Guru is within! After a certain stage, the internal Guru guides the student. But to reach this internal Guru, we need the external Guru’s guidance and help. Else it proves to be very difficult to reach the internal Guru. God is the Primordial Guru. Only God knows God. Hence God assumes the form of Guru and is born amongst men to teach and guide them about The Supreme Power.

God is within. We  have read this and  have been told about it.  Why is it that we are not able to realise the God who is within us? This is because hearing or reading about a truth is rather different from realizing the truth within us. When we realise the truth that God is within and experience it in ways which are totally convincing to us, then we will be able to feel the presence of God within us and around us. Consider this example:

A man needed butter desperately. He asked his neighbours to give him some. No one gave him any butter. Then someone told him: you have a cow in your home. Why don’t you make your own butter? I will show you how to do it. The man did not know that butter came from the milk of the cow. He learnt from the other person, the process of  how to make butter from milk and got the required amount of butter!

We are like the man in the above example. He had a cow, he had milk. But he did not know how to separate the cream from the milk and churn it. He had to learn the technique from a person who knew it. We need to get the knowledge of how to separate the reality from lies. We need to learn the Truth from the Guru. We need the Guru’s touch and knowledge to go within us and still the mind. We need to learn and practise the spiritual techniques from the Guru to churn ourselves from within and get the butter in form of self realisation. We all carry the butter   - the presence of God /Guru within us but don’t know how to churn and get the butter i.e. manifest the presence of God/Guru from within us. Hence we need the external Guru to show us the Internal Guru.

With time and effort any type of knowledge can be acquired. It can be worldly knowledge or spiritual. But it takes a lot of time and effort to do so by ourselves. We have to try many techniques and methods before we learn to do things in the right way. It is far easier to learn from a teacher who has the knowledge and experience. The teacher has learnt from his teacher and this knowledge,  handed  through the ages, has been time tested to give similar and correct results. By learning from a competent teacher, we get sufficient knowledge and learn the right techniques in a short time.  Learning by self takes far too long and by the time we have tried and tested different techniques, especially in path of spirituality and found a method which gives us satisfactory results, we  would have lost a huge amount of time and energy and will find it difficult to reach our goals before the end of our time.

Even Avatars like Rama and Krishna and great saints had gurus. Rama gave credit for all his knowledge and spiritual goodness to his Gurus. Being an Avatar he could have come in this world with all knowledge or learnt by himself. But he went to Guru Vashista to show the world the need and importance of Guru. Later on he acquired knowledge from Guru Vishwamitra and Sage Agastya.  Krishna went to Guru Sandipani and acquired knowledge. The role of a Guru and his greatness are explained in the Guru Gita. The Guru Gita is a dialogue between Lord Shiva and his Shakti - Parvati Devi. In this the Lord explains the need of Guru, his powers and how to follow the Guru. 

Very few people have the ability to tap into the Guru within by themselves. The Guru within remains a mystery until the intuitive eye is opened. We need a Guru to help us open our intuitive eye. Choose a Guru with great care. Then follow his teachings unconditionally.  Your life will be transformed and you will live in this world with peace and joy and finally merge with the Supreme Bliss.  

Fog of Ignorance and Right Vision of Life

We live in the fog of ignorance regarding the truth of life and Supreme Reality. This layer of ignorance insulates us against the Supreme Truth and Reality of Universe.   We live covered by this ignorance all our lives. Our parents and our grandparents have also lived in such ignorance. Hence we have no knowledge of the Supreme Truth and Godhead. We are like persons who have permanent blurred vision and have no knowledge or awareness that there is 20:20 clear sight. We exist in a dim haze of incomplete information and view our lives out of focus vision. This out of focus vision of life is our vision and goal of life for which we work so hard and slave for day and night.

When the ParamGuru comes in our lives, he gives us knowledge and teaches us the right path of life.  Our vision of life changes as we assimilate the knowledge from the ParamGuru.  The knowledge and spiritual practices given by the ParamGuru prepares us for receiving the right vision of life. Consider this:

Arjun – the master archer of the Pandavas knew that Krishna was the supreme Godhead.  Krishna was the support and help of the Pandavas through their many years of  trials and tribulations.  Arjun had seen the miraculous powers of Krishna and his ability to do the impossible. But he had not realised and experienced from within that Krishna was the Supreme Power. 

In the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjun the master archer and warrior was ready for the Mother of All  Battles. Krishna was his charioteer. Arjun asked Krishna to take the chariot to a point in between both the armies for him to see and assess the strengths and weakness of both armies from point of view of strategic planning.  As he was viewing the defence positions, he was talking to Krishna and addressed him as Yadava and Sakha -  Yadava as Krishna belonged to the Yadav tribe and Sakha – meaning friend as Arjun and Krishna were of same age and Arjun considered Krishna as his best friend.

In the course of their conversation, Arjun decided not to fight and presented his arguments as to why he did not wish to fight. And Krishna explained to him his duties in the form of discourse or song of  Bhagwad Geeta.  He gave him an experience of the Supreme Truth of Godhead.  Krishna enabled the divine vision in Arjun and Arjun was able to see and experience from within  that  Krishna was the Supreme Godhead in whom the entire Universe was formed, nurtured and destroyed. After this vision, Arjun addressed Krishna as ‘Yogi of Yogis’ and ‘Jagat Guru’.   It is the right vision and knowledge which made Arjun change the mode of address of Krishna from Yadava and Sakha to Yogi of Yogis and Jagat Guru.

Arjun was a master warrior and his eyesight was perfect. But his knowledge of reality was imperfect. He did not know his role in life and in the battle in Mahabharata. He had knowledge that Krishna was God but had not experienced this truth from within.  Krishna granted him the vision of Supreme Godhead and Arjun was able to experience the Supreme Power of God. After that Arjun was able to understand his duties and responsibilities and he played his role as warrior fighting for dharma perfectly in the battle of Mahabharata. He also realised and appreciated that God Himself was his guide and charioteer.

When the ParamGuru comes in our lives, he gives us knowledge and spiritual practices.  He is like Krishna and we are like Arjun. We are ignorant and do not know our roles in life.  The ParamGuru prepares us for the day when we get divine vision and are able to experience the Supreme Reality within us. As we gain more experiences from our daily practices we are able to understand our roles and responsibilities in life. Our third eye or intuitive vision opens up and our understanding of life changes. Our relish of life and approach to work is altered and becomes more enjoyable. Finally when we are able to understand who we are and that we are one with the Supreme Godhead. Until this truth is realised we live in a fog of ignorance chasing material comforts which are necessary for a comfortable life, but can never give us ultimate satisfaction.

Roles played by ParamGuru

ParamGuru is a Param Yogi who has united his soul with the Universal Power and has become one with it. Just as God assumes various forms and plays different roles for the sake of the devotee, the ParamGuru also assumes various roles and forms for his disciples and for the progress of the society. The Param Yogi is everything for the disciple. He assumes various roles to fulfil the requirements of the moment. He plays the roles of the all the four varnas/castes – the Brahmin (teacher), the Kshatriya (protector), the Vaishya (farmer and merchant)  and the Shudra(cleaner and labourer)  for the sake of the disciple and the society. These roles were originally determined by the work done or the inclination of a person and not by his birth.

As a Brahmin, ParamGuru gives knowledge and teachings to his disciples and the world. The knowledge given by the ParamGuru is authentic as it is based on inner experience and handed over from Guru to Disciple over many thousands of years.  As a Kshatriya, the ParamGuru is the protector of his disciples and also the society. In the past, the ParamGurus taught practical martial arts and usage of weapons and mantras which makes the wielding  of weapons extremely effective.  Guru Vashista taught Rama the secrets of mantra and spells used in archery. He also was an effective protector of his ashram. As a Vaishya the ParamGuru accumulates sufficient funds for the growth of the ashram and its dependents.  As a Shudra, he cleanses the toxins, dirt and negativities of the disciples who are sincere and regular in their sadhana. The knowledge and energy of the ParamGuru flushes out the dirt from the psyche of the disciple and make him fit to receive higher learning and knowledge.

SriKrishna was a ParamYogi and ParamGuru. When he taught the tenets of Bhagwad Gita to Arjun on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Sri Krishna was a Brahmin giving out knowledge. The Bhagwad Gita teaches the various paths by which one reaches God and different ways in which one lives a good and successful life.  As a Kshatriya, Sri Krishna lifted the Sudharshan Chakra to protect Arjun’s life in the battlefield.  He was a great warrior and archer who had mastered many mantras and spells.  He fought many battles with demons like Jarasand and others to protect the innocent subjects of Mathura, Brindavan and Ujjain. As a Vaishya, he ensured that there were sufficient funds in the treasury of Dwarka to fulfil the needs of the subjects and run the kingdom successfully.  He performed many cleaning tasks at the Ashram of his Guru and enacted the role of a Shudra.

Originally the varna system was defined by the affinity to the role played by the person based on his personal qualities.   Later on it changed into caste system in which roles were defined by birth. The ParamGuru belongs to no caste. He plays all roles that are required of him.  The ParamGuru works for the betterment of his disciples and mankind at large.

Selfless Devotion vs Anger

Bhakti or Devotion to God and Guru brings sweetness in the character of a person. God is love. When we love God with all our might and being, His love fills us. The sweetness of the love of God and Guru is very alluring and addictive. Those who have tasted that love will never let go of it. Those who don’t know the sweetness of Love of God will search for that love in human relationships. Love in human relationships is a reflection of Divine Love but shaded with imperfections of expectations. Love for God or bhakti gives strength to us and protects us. The immeasurable strength of the Universe backs us when our bhakti is selfless. We must be thankful to God for His blessings and gifts given to us.  We must love God for the sake of God and not for the gifts He showers on us.

Anger comes from Ego. When expectations are not fulfilled and when importance is not given to a person, he becomes angry. When a person enjoys blowing up all incidents in life to larger than life proportions, he wants to portray self as great. He makes small incidents larger than life and becomes angry and puffed up with egoism and unwarranted self importance. He feels slighted and insulted for no reason and his anger becomes boundless. This ultimately harms him only. Consider this story from the Bhagavata  Purana:

King Ambarisha belonged to the lineage of Sri Rama. He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He was truthful and a good king. He performed a yagna and  pleased Lord Vishnu with his worship.  The Lord blessed him with the protection of His Sudarshan Chakra ( a weapon of matchless accuracy and power in form of a disc with saw teeth).  Sudarshan means good sight or right vision. The blessings of Sudarshan or good vision blessed the kingdom of Ambarisha with peace, prosperity and security.

King Ambarisha undertook the Dvadashi  Vratta or fast. This vratta required that the King fast on the day of ekdashi or 11th day of moon and break the fast on dvadashi or 12th day and feed all the people.  As the time for breaking the fast approached, Durvasa  Muni (Sage) arrived and was given a royal welcome with all honours due to him. The King asked him to be his royal guest after the breaking of the fast. Durvasa Muni agreed and asked the King to wait till he had his bath and returned.  The auspicious time for breaking of fast arrived but Durvasa Muni had not returned.  The King could not eat or drink without offering food to his honoured guest.  Sage Vashishta who was the royal Sage in the court suggested that the King could break his fast by taking  a tulsi leaf and spoonful of water which had been offered in worship to Lord Vishnu. The King broke his fast in this way at the right time and waited for his guest to arrive and serve him food.

Durvasa Muni  was famed for his ill temper and anger. He arrived when  King Ambarisha had just broken his fast and  he was very angry. He felt insulted that the King did not wait for him to come. He felt that the tulsi leaf and water taken by the King was equal to eating food.  The King was not supposed to eat anything before offering food to the guest. How dare the King insult a Great Sage like him?The King’s explanations fell on deaf years. In rage,  Durvasa Muni pulled out a strand of hair and created a demon from it. He ordered the demon to kill the King.  The King simply folded his hands and sat in surrender in front of the idol of Lord Vishnu in the temple. The Sudarshan Chakra swirled out from the idol and attacked the demon and killed him. Then the Chakra began chasing Durvasa Muni to kill him.  He ran and tried to hide but the Chakra chased him relentlessly. He has nowhere to go. So he ran to Brahma Lok and sought protection from Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma refused to protect him.  He said that the Muni had angered Lord Vishnu and he could not save him. The Chakra continued chasing the Muni and he ran to Shiva Lok and fell at the feet of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva also refused to help him citing the same reasons.  Finally tired and worn out and having no place to run and hide, Durvasa Muni rushed to Vaikunta and  fell at the feet of Lord Vishnu and sought protection. The Lord said he could not call back Sudarshan Chakra as the Muni had wronged Ambarisha who had selfless love for Him. The Lord advised him to seek forgiveness and protection from Ambarisha.   Durvasa Muni had no choice but fall at the feet of the King  to protect himself from certain death by the Sudarshan Chakra.  King Ambarisha held no anger or grudge against Durvasa. He was filled with compassion at seeing such a great Muni running for his life. He prayed to Lord Vishnu to recall the Sudarshan Chakra and saved the life of the Muni.

Selfless love or Bhakti for God grants us the highest level of protection in the Universe. When the Grace of the Supreme blesses us we get the Sudarshan or good vision. Then anger, insults, slights and misbehaviour of others have no place in our lives. We are loving and compassionate towards all. We are guided to right action and right speech. We have abundance in our lives and Grace of the Supreme.

How to overcome Anger

Anger comes when our expectations in life are not fulfilled. We seethe with anger when we feel we are wronged by another person; when we feel injustice is done to us. We do work with expectations and seek reward by way of appreciation. When we don’t get it we are angry. Our weakness makes us angry. Others take advantage of our weakness and we are not able to protect ourselves. Anger boils in us and we either  hold it within us or we hit out at a person who is weaker than us. We use anger to justify the wrongs we have done or the addictions that enslave us. Most of the time, anger and bluster are cover ups for weaknesses.  When we lack understanding and we misunderstand people or circumstances, we cause ourselves anger and grief. Genuine anger at the pain of others is a great strength which makes an ordinary Mohandas into Mahatma- the Father of the Nation. But such anger is rare. We wallow in the little pool of resentments and irritations most of our lives and make ourselves miserable and the lives of others around us wretched.

We all know that anger is not good and we should not get angry. Anger damages our body and mind. It colours our thinking and speech. We lose rationality, logic and sense of justice when we are angry. There is no balance of greys. Everything appears black and white in our vision. This is dangerous as life is shades of grey- some whiter than others. We hurl words that we should not speak and hurt others. In anger, we take actions which we should not. We do immeasurable damage to ourselves and others. Later on we repent but by then it is too late. Wounds caused by words don’t heal well. They fester for years within us. Such festering sores provoke further actions of anger and revenge. And the cycle never ends.

How can we control anger? Understand the causes of your anger. Take a positive stand against your anger. Offer the fruits of your work to God and Guru and accept rewards which come your way as divine blessings. Live without expectations. Do not let your ego manufacture mountains of out molehills.  Understand that Earth does not revolve around you but around the Sun. Know that you are a part of the Cosmic Drama and you are here to be loving, compassionate and helpful to all. You are a divine being on an earthly sojourn and not a being who wastes his life wallowing in anger and miseries. 

 Make a strong intent never to hurt anyone by words. There is great power in prayers. Pray to God and Guru that you should be sweet and truthful in speech and that your words should console and comfort others and not hurt anyone.  Do the Sita Ram Japa daily. As you do regular sadhana with the mantra you will find a transformation taking place in you. There is a gap of few moments in between the time your anger manifests and the time you react.  In this gap, the sane voice of conscience will speak out and ask you to calm down. The vibrations from Sita Ram are so strong and powerful that they empower this voice to blare out aloud and force you to hear it. SitaRam Mantra gives you strength to overcome anger and let it go. The SitaRam will not permit the anger vibrations to rise up towards the brain and hit the brain and damage the brain and the entire system. Instead the vibrations of anger are transformed by SitaRam. The anger vibrations become one with the SitaRam and they flow downwards in all parts of the body healing the body and making it wholesome. The force and energy of anger  are transformed by the vibrations of SitaRam Mantra  and this new energy will improve your health, give you energy and direction for work and revolutionize your life!

Nothing is as effective in controlling anger as the vibrations of SitaRam Mantra. Never miss out japa even once. Make opportunities for doing more japa of SitaRam Mantra daily. A time comes when your anger lasts for split seconds and then you are sane and balanced. Then the  full power of the SitaRam Mantra will directly get used  for your health, welfare and transformation  instead of being used for overcome your anger issues.

Makar Sankranti

Today is the festival of Makar Sankranti.  This festival depends on the position of the Sun and not the Moon. Generally all festivals in India are based on the lunar calendar. On this day the Sun enters the Makar Rashi or Capricorn as it travels its celestial path in the heavens. It is a religious festival and a harvest festival.  It also has material and spiritual significance.

This day signifies the end of Dakshinayana – the period of six months which is the night of Gods. During this time it is considered inauspicious to die. On the day of Makar Sankranti, the Uttarayan starts – the period of six months which is the day of Gods. In the Epic of Mahabharat, Bhisma PitaMaha lay on bed of arrows waiting for the period of Dakshinayana to get over and Uttarayana to begin, so that he could leave his body. Today is also the day when Mother Ganges followed King Bhagirath and entered into the ocean and her purifying waters gave salvation to the thousand sons of King Sagara. On this day thousands of people take bath in GangaSagar for sanctification of self. On this day, Sankranti – a Deity killed a demon called Sankarasur.

Makar Sankranti  is also a harvest festival in most parts of India. Newly harvested rice is cooked in fresh sugarcane juice and offered to the Sun and cows in South India. This dish is called Pongal. In North India, the freshly harvested rice and pulses are made into a spicy salty dish called Kichidi. In Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh people exchange sweets made of sesame seeds and gur and request each other to have sweet speech. In Gujarat, people fly kites from dawn to dusk and nowadays also at night time. Punjabis call this festival Lohri and they make bonfires and throw rice and sugarcane into it. They also dance the famous dance of Bhangra and eat sumptuous food prepared for this occasion. Most of the states of India celebrate this festival in their special ways, customs and traditions. There is gaiety and festive atmosphere everywhere.

Capricorn is the sign of Saturn. On this day the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn - the sign of Saturn. As per Indian legends, Saturn is the son of Sun. The father goes to meet his son in his home. Both these planets are mighty and powerful. Their blessings are very auspicious. We gain both material and spiritual success with the blessings of Sun and Saturn. On this day Sun and Saturn are worshipped.

On this day from dawn to dusk, the atmosphere is flooded with Divine Consciousnesses or Chaitanaya. These higher vibrations boost spiritual practices. When we do our routine japa and dhyana on this day and also extra practices, we are blessed with greater results.

Having a holy dip in the sacred waters of Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri at the revered places situated on the banks of these rivers is considered auspicious and of high spiritual merit. People also offer donations and perform meritorious deeds on this day as it is considered fruitful.

The festivals of India and also the festivals over the world have originated from the position of stars and planets in their heavenly routes. When there is a change in the levels of vibrations due to  changes of planets and stars in heavens, festivals are celebrated. Along with celebrations of food, clothes and gaiety, people are encouraged to pray, meditate, visit holy spots and donate to needy. In India, festivals are a regular and integral part of daily lives of the people. The festivals weave colourful strands of celebration along with golden strands of grace and worship in our lives. Let us celebrate the festivals with a spirit of thanksgiving.

Blessings of Sweetness of Speech

Satyam Vada- Madhuram Vada – these are the dictums of Vedas. Speak the truth but speak sweet. When you speak, let there be politeness and respect in your speech. We can speak the truth without hurting another. Nowadays we use speech as a weapon to hurt others. We speak words which will tear up the other person. Then we blame the dictum which says speaks the truth and  that God is Truth. We are in the wrong as it our intention to hurt the other.  The intention behind the speech is not to disclose the truth but to hurt the other. The bitterest of truths can be spoken with respect and sweetness and it will not hurt the other. Such speech will help the other to understand his mistakes and make change in his behavior. Such words have value since they help a person to see the light and transform himself.

When one speaks the truth with sweetness and respect for the other- the body becomes a temple and God resides in that temple. Those who follow this dictum have a peculiar strength and attraction - a charisma which pulls others to them. That is the power of the truth and sweetness. God who is the form of Love and Truth resides within them. And the Light of God shines on their faces and through them.

I recount an incident which happened in my life which reflects this truth. After Dhyanyogi Madhusudandasji came back to India from USA, he did not live in his Ashram. He chose to live in a small room of ten feet by ten feet at the residence of a disciple and his family. After he selected and made me his Gadipati at a grand public function at the Ashram, I took my residence at the Ashram. I invited Dhyanyogi Madhusudandasji to come and stay at the Ashram. He refused my offer. He replied that he enjoyed staying with that family in a small room and in a small flat because of the behaviour of the family. They were wholly united with each other and spoke with love and respect with each other. There was no rough speech or shouting or arguments in the family. Love, respect and sweetness permeated the family atmosphere. They served their Guru with the same love and respect. The entire family took care of him with veneration and reverence. He said that it was heaven on earth and he did not wish to leave that temple of love. So he stayed in that flat and in that room till the end of his life.

Guru and God will reside in a home where the members have love and respect for each other and show it in their speech and behaviour. That home becomes a physical temple of residence of God. When we transform our body into a temple of sweetness and truth, Guru and God will also reside in our hearts. The manifestation of the Supreme Power in our heart will reflect in our lives and will be apparent to all around us.  It is in our hands to change and transform our very being into a holy sanctum sanctorum fit for God and Guru to reside!

Truth always IS

God is Truth and Truth is God. This has been declared by all religions of the world. Truth stands by itself and it shines bright. However hard anyone may try to obscure it or hide it, Truth always reveals itself in the end. Truth always wins 

Throughout ages Great Gurus, Sages and Avatars have taken birth to give knowledge and teach the Truth. Throughout the ages they have been persecuted. Always there will be groups of people who want to obscure knowledge and hide the truth. Christ was  great teacher & guru and he gave knowledge to the people and proclaimed the truth about God. For doing so, he was nailed to the Cross. The ignorant and evil people of those days wanted to see if he was really Son of God and if he would die when he was nailed to the cross. Christ resurrected himself and showed the world that he was indeed Son of God and  that he and his Father were one.

Unless man gets the ultimate knowledge & learns about the Supreme Truth and realises it, the purpose of his life is incomplete.  Throughout ages God has sent his own spark in the form of Gurus to teach man about the Supreme Truth.  The Guru has realized  and experienced the Supreme Truth about God and he teaches this truth and gives this knowledge to mankind.  Spiritual Practices are taught and the students follow them in order to reach the goal. Only disciplined and regular practice of the techniques and traditions taught by the Guru will help the student to reach the goal of Ultimate Truth and Knowledge. 

Man works and earns wealth, power, position, influence. He collects possessions and things. He has family and friends. Yet he is always unhappy and feels that something is lacking in life.  He keeps searching for happiness in form of more possessions, wealth and power. Until he knows and realises the Supreme Truth he will always be unhappy and incomplete.

Following the ParamGuru

Mother’s Love is the most supreme love on Earth. She nurtures and nourishes the baby within her body for 9 plus months and then gives birth to him. She feeds the baby with her milk and takes utmost care of him. The love and sacrifice of the mother for child starts when the mother holds the baby within her body and continues till she gives up her body.  The mother will easily give up her life in order to save her child from any danger – perceived or real. The mother is revered as Divine, as she gives birth and nurtures and protects her baby like God gives birth to and nurtures the Universe. The mother fights tooth and nail to take care of the child and protects him as long as she lives. Despite her tremendous love for the child, there is no guarantee that she would be his mother again.  After the death of the mother, the laws of Karma can take the mother away from the child and place her anywhere in the Universe.

The ParamGuru is like the mother. He nurtures and takes care of the disciple.  The ParamGuru differs from the mother in a very important way. When a disciple is guru bhakta and loves his guru, the ParamGuru takes care of his disciple in this life and all other lives too. The ParamGuru is not a body. He is a principle of Supreme Godhead which manifests itself at any time through the five elements or its combinations. The ParamGuru is with the disciple throughout the life of the disciple in his present body and after death in forthcoming bodies and guides him to the Supreme. The disciple should be full of love for the ParamGuru and live in manner which helps the ParamGuru to help him.

Consider this story. There were many fishes in a river. Some were small and some were large. They had different types, colors, characteristics and qualities. Amongst these fishes lived one large fish who always survived the onslaught of the fishermen who came to the river to fish and cast their nets. This fish was considered super hero amongst the fishes. Once a little fish asked him how he managed to survive so long. The super hero fish replied: you must be free from anger, greed and ignorance. Each time the fisherman comes in with a fishing line and a worm don’t let greed overcome you and rush to catch the worm and eat it. If you do so you will be caught in the hook. When the fisherman casts his net don’t think you are cleverer than him and that you can escape the net.  If you think so and are careless,   he will catch you. If you are very near his feet and keep yourself behind him, you will not be caught by the net or fishing line when he casts it. I have followed this rule and have escaped being caught by the fishermen till now.

We must be like the super hero fish. Let us let go of anger, lust, greed, pride, need for vengence and attachment. Let us always be near the feet of the ParamGuru. Let us walk behind him. Then the threats and dangers of the world will not entangle us. The lures of the material world, the desperate desires, attachments which can keep us entangled and caught in the cycle of births and deaths will not be able to entrap us if we are at the feet of the ParamGuru and following his teachings. Being at the feet of the Guru is not a physical act. It is a mental surrender to the Supreme Power within the Guru which guides us in the right manner towards the Supreme.

Surrender at the feet of the ParamGuru and follow him. You are protected from the lines of ensnarement of this world and the nets of cycle of births and death.

Rewards of Guru Bhakti

When a disciple obeys and serves his Guru with trust and faith, the blessings which flow as reward from the Guru are enormous and life transforming.  This incident is about a disciple of a very famous Guru who had great love for his master and served him implicitly. It is a perfect example of the transformation of a disciple through Grace of the Guru.

Adi Shankara is one of the greatest Gurus of India. He is regarded as a minor incarnation of Lord Shiva. Adi Shankara was born in order to revamp Hindu Philosophy and Religion. Shankara had four disciples - Sureswara Acharya, Padmapada, Hastamalaka and Trotakacharya. This is the story of Padmapada.

Padmapada’s original name was Sadananda. He was the first disciple of Shankara. He was a great Guru Bhatka. He was very loyal and faithful to the Guru and extremely obedient. He did all the chores given to him with a smiling face. As compared to the other disciples, he was rather intellectually dull. The other disciples made fun of him and sometimes made him do their share of work too. But he bore it all willingly and cheerfully. Shankara was aware of all the happenings and knew that the others teased and tormented Sadananda.  He waited for the right opportunity to teach others the true worth of his obedient student and blessings of willing Guru Seva (service to the Guru)

Once, Shankara and his group camped at the banks of the River Ganges. Sadananda as usual was doing chores. He had finished washing the clothes of the Guru on the other side of the river bank. He had put them out to dry and was waiting to gather the dry clothes and bring them back to the Guru. Suddenly there was a flood and the waters rose overflowing the banks of the river. Shankara was worried about Sadananda. He called out to him to come back at once. Immediately Sadananda picked up the dried clothes and ran on the waters of the river. He did not notice that the waters had risen in the river. When he ran over the waters of the Ganges at the command of his Guru, he did not think of anything but his Guru’s call.  As he took a step, a lotus rose from bottom of the waters to support his feet. His attention was so much focussed on his Guru that he did not feel the touch and support of the lotuses beneath his feet. He crossed the river safely and reached his Guru. All those who watched this rare feat of devotion and love to Guru were wonderstruck at the miracle which had just occurred.

When Sadananda offered pranams to his Guru and gave him the dried clothes, the Guru asked him how he crossed the flooded river. Sadananda did not even turn to look at the lotuses in the water. He replied that just taking the name of the Guru helped him to cross the ocean of samsara or material world. Crossing a mere river was easy!  Then Shankara showed him the lotuses which had sprung up to support his feet as he had walked on the waters. Shankara blessed him and renamed him Padmapada. (Padma means lotus, Pada means feet). The blessings of the Guru flooded Padmapada with divine knowledge and wisdom. The transformation in him was astounding. He became the cleverest disciple of Shankara. He wrote a great treatise called ‘Prajanam Brahma’ meaning Brahman is knowledge. He was appointed head of Govardhana Matha in East of India.

Implicit obedience to Guru and cheerfully doing seva or service to Guru brought blessings to the dull Sadananda and he became Padmapada. The ParamGuru is truly greater than the ParasMani or Philosopher’s stone. The Philosopher’s Stone turns iron and lead into gold. But its touch cannot create another Philosopher’s stone. The Guru is greater than the Philosopher’s Stone as he transfers his own powers and qualities to the disciple and creates a wise knowledgeable man.

ParamGuru and the Philosopher's Stone

Stories abound about ParamGurus who performed miracles in the lives of their disciples. We enjoy reading such stories and get inspiration from them. It is always good to hear or read about how an ignorant person  was suddenly transformed into a wise man.

ParamGuru is one who lifts the weight of ignorance and darkness from the life of disciple. The ParamGuru is full of knowledge, inner experience of truth and reality, overflowing with love and compassion. He is there to help the disciple and teach him how to live a complete life in the material world and also the spiritual world. He enables the disciple to realise the love and compassion of God and the Supreme Reality. He initiates the disciples into spiritual practices to help the disciple to purify himself and finally merge himself with the Supreme. We have seen and read about the grace of the Param Guru which transforms an uninformed man into an astute person who lives life with courage and love.

The ParamGuru is compared to the Philosopher’s Stone. The Philosopher’s Stone is a legendary stone which is supposed to turn base metals like lead into gold. It is also supposed to be an elixir or amrit which grants rejuvenation of body. It is also supposed to grant heavenly bliss and ultimately, immortality. Because of it powers, it is the central symbol of western alchemy.

When the Philosopher’s stone comes in contact with base metal like lead or iron, it turns them into gold. Gold is far more precious than lead or iron. Gold is also rare and not easily available.  It is highly prized and valued. Similarly, when an ignorant person comes in contact with the ParamGuru he turns into a wise person who knows how to live in the right way in this world. Such a person is an asset to society. He has been transformed, like iron into gold. Wise people are rare and valued in Society.

This comparison of the Philosopher’s Stone and the ParamGuru is incomplete and inaccurate.  When the Philosopher’s stone comes in contact with a base metal, it turns the base metal into gold. But it does not transform the base metal into a Philosopher’s Stone. It is not able to transmit its own properties to the base metal.  When a foolish person comes into contact with the ParamGuru, he becomes wise and knowledgeable. The ParamGuru transmits his own properties to the disciple and makes him like himself – makes the disciple into another Guru. This is possible as the ParamGuru teaches the path of self realisation. Therefore a ParamGuru is more precious than the Philosopher’s Stone. 

The ParamGuru creates many wise disciples. He also produces several Gurus like himself. These wise disciples and Gurus serve the society and mankind. These in turn produce others who continue the lineage and service to mankind. The ParamGuru is indeed more valuable   to society and sought after than the Philosopher’s Stone

Ignorance and Sanctification of Life

We are children of God. All of us accept that God is One and He is our father and mother. Yet we forget our Divine Origins and live in ignorance and pain. We are drowned in  sensual pleasures and our chase for little things in life.  Our entire life passes in struggle and we think of ourselves as the body and our Ego controls and directs us. Our Soul which is a spark of the Divinity is neglected and forgotten.

The ParamGuru comes into our lives to teach us to remember God and our Divine Nature and reach the final goal of self realisation. The ParamGuru’s words and his presence remind us of who we really are and what heights we can achieve.

O Divine Beings, you are not this body. Do not identify yourselves with this body and the clamour of the senses. Identify your body with Divinity and higher purpose at all times.  Be aware of the Grace of God in the sunlight and wind and each time the light touches your face or you take a breath, the presence of God will fill you. When you take a sip of water, be aware of its coolness and sweetness which is like the love of God and Guru. When you cook your food, sing SitaRam in your mind. The food tastes better. Offer the same food to God and Guru and then partake of it. It tastes even better. The entire cosmos is inside your body. Divine presences, God and Goddesses are present in the chakras of your body. The spark of God graces the temple of your heart. The prana shakti or cosmic energy is the fuel of the subtle functions of the body. The food which you eat is ultimately made from the solar energy and nourishes your body.  The miracle of our lives is dependent on cosmic grace.

Sanctify your life by constantly remembering the grace of God. Every breath you take, every sip of water you have, the food you eat, the energy which vibrates in and around  your body, the logic and intelligence which work in you are all divine gifts. Recall this every moment of your life and keep chanting the SitaRam Mantra. And you will rise above the mundane existence and sanctify your life, understand the cosmos and attain the ultimate goal of Self Realization .