गुरूर्ब्रह्मा गुरूर्विष्णुः गुरूर्देवो महेश्वरः । गुरूर्साक्षात परब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ।।
We have been extremely fortunate to be on a trip where each event and experience gave a run to each other. And without a doubt, our meeting with Swami Paramarthananda was the pinnacle (at least for me). As the advise goes in one of the lectures by one swami-ji, "Hang on tight to your Guru - they are your key to moksha".
It's not an exaggeration to say that right from day 1, we were counting towards this moment. On the day, from the morning, every one of our plans revolved around making it to "Sriram Apartments" with at least 20 minutes to spare. By the grace of God, we did make it on time and rang the bell promptly at 5 sharp. The ever radiannt Swami-ji opened the door for us and we introduced ourselves with the Gita-Satsang as the unifying factor and who we are and what we are now reading. He in his inimitable style would say, "yes, yes, very happy to hear that". All of us were spell-bound that for the first two minutes, we couldn't muster any question - so Swamiji broke the ice and said, "Now, please tell me, do you have any questions to ask me?". Thus began one of the most splendid hour of our lives. Here is a short recollection from our informal jot down notes and discussions amongst all of us.
Theme: Guru-Sishya
Questions along the lines of : On how do you find a guru? How about finding the right guru? Should the guru be self-realized? What do we do to have you as our guru?
A: All you have to do is make a sincere prayer that you want a Guru. Bhagavan will take care of the rest. When you ask for a Guru, bhagavan is now in a contract that he has to fulfill. The guru will find you. You will be attracted to satsang and like-minded people. One thing will lead to another and you will find the Guru.
In a lecture, Swamiji quotes this example: "You just have to develop yourself as a Flower. The flower doesn't have to go to the bee. It is Nature's Law that the Bee has to find the flower. Likewise, if you sincerely seek a guru and evolve yourself, you will blossom and the Guru will find you".
I sometimes playfully call this as "Guru dating". If you seek, you will find many and the ones that can help you the most, you will automatically be attracted to them. You can figure out what you need to work on. If it is the right advaita vedantic method, you will find that all of the paths will converge.
In Bhagavad Gita and in Mahabharata, Krishna and Arjuna were friends for long time and as said in chapter 11, they have played, eaten together and slept and Arjuna had playfully called Krishna by many names. And up till Chapter 2, shloka 6, Krishna is a mere "Saarathy". It's only when in Shloka 7, Arjuna says, "Te Sishyaha Aham", that Krishna gets elevated from being Partha-saarathy to Jagad-Guru.
All along, Krishna cannot say anything because he was never asked for it with the sishya bhavana. Though Lord Krishna knows everything, he was helpless because no one asked him!
As I have said before, I am a Guru only because of the grace of you sishyas. If there are no sishyas, there is no Guru.
My lessons and teachings are the same, will remain the same. But more than me saying I am a guru, it is your sishya bhavana that is more important. If you now listen to the same teaching as coming from your Guru, then you will receive it better, follow it better. And that is more important.
The very fact that you are all here is by the Grace of God. You can call it Deivam, you can call it Karma, you can call it Prarabdha. But never discount all the good things that happen to you. You deserve this and if you do good karma, you will only deserve more good towards moksha.
There are three types of Guru with respect to advaita-vedanta and for realizing moksha.
The best kind: One who is a Shrothirya Brahma Nishta.
Shrothriya - one who has learned and knows the formal methodology to teach others.
Brahma Nishta - one who is established in Brahman. A self-realized person.
Now the best kind of Guru is a self-realized person and also knows how to formally and methodically teach others.
The medium kind of person is just a Shrothriya. He has learned scriptures. But due to some prarabhda or lack of Sadhana-chathustaya, is not yet self-realized. This is also fine to some extent. It might even be possible that the Sishya can learn from such a teacher and if they work at it, they can realize "aham brahma asmi".
The lowest kind is who is only a Brahma Nishta. This person has realized the truth. No doubt. They may even have powers. It is okay to worship them and revere them and use them as our inspiration. But if they do not know the formal method to teach, then what they say will not be clearly understandable or followable by the sishyas. These are who we call "Mystics".
So ideally, you want to find a Shrothriya Brahma Nishta the best form of Guru.
Theme: Time to Moksha
Question: Is self-realization possible in this janma?
Yes, of course, it is possible in this very janma.
One of us said, "Swamiji we are in our early 50s". Swamiji instantly said, "you can be in 60s or even in 80s". What matter is how sincere is your desire and how much sincere effort you put towards attaining moksha.
Similar question was "what about paapams in past janma?" or "why is there suffering in this janma?".
Swamiji's answer: We should not worry about past janma. Everyone of us have a huge reservoir of Sanchita-karma. But it is up to us to keep doing Karma-yoga and do the best activity to attain chitta-shuddhi. This will automatically clear past karma. If we are suffering, it is because we are clearing up the old pent up karma. Even then our attitude should only be to pray the lord and indulge in satvic activities and thoughts - which will help us attain moksha.
Theme : Moksha / Desire
Swamiji quoted his Guru Swami Dayananda : A value is a value only when the value of the value is valued by you.
So right now, attaining moksha might not be in the list for many. Then thye will get the desire, but in the long list of desires, it will be way down in the list.
But as you develop yourself, the "Mumukshuthvam" will keep climbing higher and higher up the list.
At some point, it will become No. 1 in the list.
This desire to attain Moksha is a powerful desire. It is like a cannibal. It will start eating other desires. The more other desires are cleared, the more stronger this will get. Until it remains the only one.
Life itself is basically the refinement of desires, till Moksha becomes so fat that it is the ONLY burning desire (jignasu to mumukshutvam transition).
Just make the sincere prayer and leave it up to Bhagavan!
Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi has a wonderful saying (not just this but applicable to general life):
Why do you worry about anything? The Great Lord who created it all, also knows how to take care of it. When you get in the train, you keep the luggage down and let the train carry it, isn't it?
If you continue to worry, that's like getting on the train and still carrying the luggage on your head.
Very powerful message!
सदाशिव समारम्भाम् शंकराचार्य मध्यमाम् अस्मद् आचार्य पर्यन्ताम् वंदे गुरु परम्पराम्
🙏🙏🙏
Theme: Uttama Sishya and Method for Sishya
One astute amongst us bowled a googly to swamiji in this question: Swamiji, if you were to look at your best disciples or the ones who have attained self-realization, what are their characteristics and methods? What can we copy from them?.
One not to fall for any question (for that matter), Swamiji hit a six with this answer: The answer is given the Vedas themselves. It all comes down to Sadhana Chathustaya. As long as you can keep developing that and keep purifying yourself, you will be prepared for Shravana, Manana, Nidhidhyasanam. You don't have to wait for one to complete fully to start another. It can be done in varying proportions. For e.g, while preparing with Sadhana-chathustaya, you can do shravanam. Thus Shravanam, reading the scriptures will deepen your vairagya and viveka and the more you deepen that, you will do more shravanam and mananam.
Swamiji quoted this example : You start a small business, you get some profit. You put the profit back in the business. Now your business grows even more and creates more profit. And you create a good cycle. The same applies to a Sishya to develop themselves.
Theme: Logical Vedanta, Why why why, Law of Conservation of Matter, Brahman & Maya
This is a complex topic that came about like this.
We say Vedanta is a very logical system and it has an answer to everything.
At the same time, if we ask why and keep asking why, we end up with at one level, why was there a big bang? or creation of life? and at another level, why did the ever pure brahman create the maya? Why is there ignorance to begin with?
The answer at this point seems to be : we don't worry about those because they are not real!
So in short, why can't we ask why?
Swamiji answered : Maya is anaadhi (without beginning) just as Brahman is anaadhi. Hence we cannot ask the question. Science faces the same problem. Even with Big Bang theory, all matter manifested from something. But Law of conservation of matter states that matter can neither be created nor be destroyed. This is like the circle - there is no beginning or end.
Swamiji interjected : I will answer your question and then you can ask more. If you don't get to this, don't worry, I will tell you what is the right question to ask and then I will answer that.
Can Maya then be attributed to Brahman?
NO! Brahman is without name, form or attributes.
Can Maya == Brahman? No again. Since that'll invalidate Brahman as unreal.
So how can they co-exist?
We are beyond our limits and meekly say, "Swamiji, what's the correct question to ask?".
Short digression: This is actually the biggest counterpoint that Swami Ramanujacharya puts against advaita! This is as explained by Swami Sarvapriyananda. Apparently in those days, even the debates were extremely civil and intelligent. So if you want to debate an existing philosophy, first you have to restate your understanding of your opponent's views satisfactorily to them. There is a book by John Grimes (Seven Untenables). There is a one-and-a-half page explanation of Advaita vedanta by Ramanujacharya. In fact, this explanation itself is so clear and well-laid out than even most advaita-vedantins can explain. But Ramanujacharya goes onto attack each and every point and come up with (according to him) more satisfactory explanation / theory which is Vishista-advaita.
Swamiji: The correct question to ask is : If there is Brahman, and there is Maya and Brahman != Maya, that means there is two - hence it is Dvaita not Advaita.
The answer is that's why we call Maya as Mithya. Which means it is an illusion. It is neither real, nor unreal. If you see a shadow, it appears, and has form ... etc but it cannot exist without a real person or object. But shadow does exist. Similarly Maya is like the shadow. Hence it is Mithya.
[I think in other lectures, the same is explained with the Rajju-sarpa vaadha - snake-rope example : snake did appear real but once you know, have the knowledge, rope is real, snake is gone].
I am not fully sure of this section and my head hurts even while typing this out if I really understand what I just typed of what I thought I heard. Please pardon!
And with that we hit the one hour mark. Swamiji once again gave his blessings and gave us a carte blanche that we can meet him anytime any of us are in town.
A happier set of mumukshus would be hard to find that instant. First of all, none of us realized an hour had passed. Second of all, most of us were so awestruck and with respect that we kept our hands folded towards Swamiji most of the time. It still feels surreal that we had this amazing conversation.
Now it gives us a new level of appreciation of the ancient guru-sishya way of learning in-person via Sabdha-pramaana. If one hour could give this much new meanings and inspiration, imagine what six to eight hours a day of many years with a Guru could do?
While we lack the living with the guru and learning, at least we can be thankful that such Shrothriya Brahma Nishta gurus are still amongst us, teaching us and guiding us. And we have access to their lectures and videos and still can learn via Sabdha-pramaana as well as other aids. Lastly, the ability to travel and meet them in person from time to time and form such Satsangs (such as this very group) and enrich and learn from each other. Hari Om!
Happy Shivaratri! May we all realize चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् !
🙏🙏🙏