Wednesday 23 July 2014

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GURU

Srinath Raghavan posted a beautiful passage appreciating the guru on fb some 2 hours ago.
"He sat there with vacant eyes and silent expressions,
Unmoving and unaffected by the trivialities of the world,
But He possessed a rare soul deep inside that danced in joy,
A child in a adult form was He, always moving around mischievously,
Never showing His true greatness to the world around,
But He was a silent Master of the Highest order you see,
Twisting all the elements of the Universe with His mere will,
Ah! What bliss it would have been for the ones who moved around Him,
For He was veritable divinity, moving in the garb of a human being,
My blessed Master is He, my blessed Master is He indeed..."
and he posted a beautiful and appropriate photo of Bhagawan Nithyananda.

Bhagawan Nithyananda
"Ah! What bliss it would have been for the ones who moved around Him, For He was veritable divinity, moving in the garb of a human being", such true words. Being in the very presence of a true guru itself is sufficient to end all thoughts, speech and action.

Gordon Matthews in his translation of Meykanda Devar’s SHIVAGNANA BOTHAM writes,
“When God comes as a Guru and teaches the soul, the soul is made to see that the world of experience, evolved from Maya, is non-real. It ceases then to identify itself with the non-real and to depend upon it; and in so doing it discovers its oneness with God.” 
A shift then takes place here, from the unreal to the real.
“By reason of the soul’s virtue in previous births, God, who has been immanent in the soul, making it know, now vouchsafing to take the form of a Guru, initiates the soul in the Saiva mysteries, saying, “O thou son of a king, fallen among savages, the senses, and brought up by them, thou hast been ignorant of thy true greatness and hast wandered in ignorance.”

“The primal one himself teaches these souls as a Guru: for in the form of consciousness he is in union (with him). When because of the soul’s meritorious practices the primal one enlightens the soul as a Guru…”
The Siddha Sugabramar in the GNANA SUTHIRAM, attests that with the arrival of the Paramaguru, the disciple shall be initiated into and embark on a spiritual journey that culminates in attaining of Jnanam.
When the Parama Guru arrives,
The path of Sariyai shall arise,
Slowly when the path of Sariyai is trod,
Kriyai path shall arise shortly,
Upon walking the path of Kriyai,
Son, the Yogam path will clearly arise,
Walking the path of Yogam,
The Jnanam path shall appear.
nallathoru paramaguru vanthathaale
nalamulla sariyai vazhi maarkan thonum
mellave sariyai vazhi nadanthai aanaal
vibaramathaai kiriyai vazhi viraivil thondrum
vallathoru kiriyai vazhi kanda pinbu
mainthane yoga vazhi thelivaai thondrum
sellathoru yoga vazhi nadanthaayaanaal
thiramaiyulla gnana vazhi theiriyum paare
நல்லதொரு பரமகுரு வந்த தாலே
நலமுள்ள சரியை வழி மார்க்கன் தோணும்
மெல்லவே சரியை வழி நடந்தயானால்
விபரமதாய்க் கிரியை வழி விரைவில் தோன்றும்
வல்லதொரு கிரியை வழி கண்ட பின்பு
மைந்தனே யோக வழி தெளிவாய்த் தோன்றும்
செல்லதொரு யோக வழி நடந்தாயானால்
திறமையுள ஞான வழி தெரியும் பாரே
Meykandar differentiates the state of these disciples according to the impurities in them, as Sakalar, Pralayakalar, and Vijnanakalar.

Gordon translates further,
“To Sakalar, souls immersed in all three impurities, God comes as a Guru of human form; he imparts it concealing himself as a Guru.”

“To Pralayakalar, souls affected only by Anava and Karma, he comes as a Guru in Shiva’s form; he himself standing before them as Guru imparts true knowledge.”

“To Vijnanakalar, souls involved only in Anava, he comes as the inner principle of the soul’s consciousness; he himself appears, as true knowledge.”
Veeraswamy Krishnaraj in his comprehension of Arulnandi Shivachariyar’s SHIVAGNANA SIDDHIYAR writes,
“Lord Shiva appears to Sakalar with Anava, Kanma and Mayai Malams in human as a Satguru.”

“To Pralayakalar with Anava and Kanma Malams, Lord Shiva appears as divine God.”
“Those souls that are rising, Vijnanakalar - the highest class of souls among the three mentioned in SHIVAGNANA SIDDHIYAR with only one impurity known as Anava Malam, do not need an external Guru to instruct them. Lord Shiva by remaining inside them as the inner guide rids them of the Anava Malam, bringing the merits and demerits to a resolution and conferring spiritual knowledge or divine grace known as Saktinipata, the descent of Sakti into the soul. Vijnanakalar receive Gnana from Lord Shiva himself as the incorporeal inner guide.”
Saint Nakirar in his VINAYAGAR THIRUAGAVAL, seeks and yearns for that intimate and prestigious space where both the guru and disciple share some sacred moments in understanding and comprehending the wisdom, experiencing and absorbing the bliss and eventually merging with the other.
mona gnana muluthumalitthu
sirparipoorana shivattai kaana
narshiva nitkala naattamum thanthu
guruvum seedanum koodi kalanthu
eruvarum oru tani edam thanil sernthu
thaananthamaagi tarpara veliyil
aanandha pootha arivai kalanthu
esan enaiyadi erutthi manathay
neeye naanaai naane neeyaai
gaayaa puriyai kanavena unarnthu
yellaam un seyalendray unara
nallaa un arul naatham tharuvaai
kaarana guruve karpaga kalire
vaarana mugatthu vallale potri
மோனா ஞான முழுதும் அளித்து
சிற்பரிப் பூரண சிவத்தைக் காண
நற்சிவ நிட்கள நாட்டமுந் தந்து
குருவுஞ் சீடனுங் கூடிக் கலந்து
இருவரும் ஒரு தனியிடந் தனிற் சேர்ந்து
தானந்தமாகித் தற்பர வெளியில்
ஆனந்த போத அறிவைக் கலந்து
ஈசனிைணயடியிருத்தி
மனத்தே நீயே நானாய்
நானே நீயாய்க்
காயா புரியைக் கனவெனவுணா்ந்து
எல்லாமுன் செயலென்ேற உணர
நல்லா உன்னருள் நாட்டந் தருவாய்
காரண குருவே கற்பகத் களிேற
வாரணமுகத்து வள்ளலே போற்றி
Ramalinga Adigal too yearned for that sacred moment, as seen in his THIRUARUTPA,
indru varumo naalaikke varumo
allathu matthendru varumo
ariyen yengkove
thundru mala vemmaayai atru
velikkul veli kadanthu
summa erukkum sugam
இன்று வருமோ நாளைக்கே வருமோ
அல்லது மற்றென்று வருமோ
அறியேன் எங்கோவே
துன்று மல வெம்மாயை அற்று
வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து
சும்மா இருக்கும் சுகம் 
That was the message to Arunagiri too by Lord Murugan, "Summa eru Sol Are."

Tayumanavar too was asked to remain such by his guru Mauna Guru, "Be silent. Rest in peace. Keep quiet (Summa Eru). Have faith. You will reach the supreme state of bliss".

True to the above verses, many a disciple have had tremendous spiritual advancement with the aid and guidance of their gurus that eventually leads to a state of total bliss and joy.

After having Gurunamashivayar with him for some time, his guru Guhainamashivayar drove his disciple away to Chidambaram. The junior Namashivayar could not comprehend his guru's action. But on the senior insisting that he leave immediately, Gurunamashivayar managed to get Guhainamashivayar to pledge that he (the guru) would be in Chidambaram the moment he arrives there. The disciple left for Chidambaram with a heavy heart only to rejoice on seeing his guru in the form of Lord Shiva at Chidambaram just as he had begged to see.

Gnana Jyothi Amma too was asked to return to the USA after her initiation by Agathiyar through Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal for reasons only known to them.

The faith of the disciple Gurunamashivayar towards his guru Guhainamashivayar was extolled by Supramania Swami of Thiruvannamalai during the blessed 5 hours I spent with him at his home at Nachaananthal. Swami narrated a story about this two souls. Once Guhainamashivayaar vomited. He called for his disciple to discard the vomit. He placed a condition too, that it should not be trod or stepped on. The disciple pondered for a moment and deciding that there was no safer place to discard it, swallowed his gurus vomit.

I can imagine the appreciation and love of the guru Ramalinga Adigal towards his disciple Kalpattu Aiya for Ramalinga Adigal came back for his disciple 28 years later in 1902 in a physical form, after merging with Arutperunjyothi Aandavar in 1874. This revelation was made by Gnanabharati in his book Tamil Mannin Thanthai. Kalpattu Aiya after seeing his guru went into samadhi immediately. Ramalinga Adigal did the last rites for Kalpattu Aiya before leaving.

I am equally blessed that Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal had prayed for us and to know that Agathiyar and Thirumular came to the aid of my child when she was hospitalized as a result of her platelet level falling to 28 due to Dengue fever. Agathiyar reveals this in the Jeeva Nadi reading by Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal for Surendaran Selvaratnam of Malaysia. Agathiyar informed that he had helped in raising the platelet count while at the hospital. 

Agathiyar came to my elder daughter's aid too when she broke her leg during an accident. He assured her that all shall be well and kept his word. She is back on her feet thanks to Tavayogi's prayers and the Siddhas blessings.

Agathiyar blessed us too by coming into our lives and our home too. He had made known his wish to go to the Sri Raghavendra Mritiga Brindavanam in Ipoh and had asked that I have his bronze statue or murthi made in Swamimalai under strict instructions. Agathiyar arrived in Malaysia on the eve of his Jayanthi on 3rd January 2010. Since then Agathiyar has not mentioned of his intention to move to the Brindavanam but instead had another devotee install his statue at the Brindavanam. Tavayogi told me that if Agathiyar was to move to Ipoh he would personally replace another murthi at Agathiyar Vanam but there was no necessity for it.  

Velayudham Karthikeyan related to me an amazing story of Muniandy Swamy yesterday. The story goes: 

Muniandy Swamy had to take birth again after a long lapse of 2,000 years. The reason? In his past birth that was 2,000 years ago he had failed to listen to his guru. He also failed to carry out his obligations to his guru. But the most compassionate guru waited patiently for his disciple to take rebirth after 2,000 years. Muniandy Swamy had to finish his obligations towards his guru and the guru too had an obligation towards his disciple. He had to save his disciple from this cycle of birth. Since both their karmas were interconnected the guru waited while his disciple came back after 2,000 years to join him. 
"முனியாண்டி சுவாமிகள் என்று ஒருவர் இங்கிருந்தார். அவருக்கு ஜென்மம் என்பது 2000 வருடங்களுக்குப் பின் அருளப்பட்டது. ஏன் தெரியுமா? 2000 வருடத்துக்கு முன் உள்ள ஜென்மத்தில், அவருக்கு குருவாக இருந்த ஒருவரின் பேச்சை மதிக்கவில்லை. கடமையை செய்யவில்லை. இதை அறிந்த குரு, அவருக்காக 2000 ஆண்டுகளாக காத்திருந்தார். முனியாண்டி சுவாமிகளுக்கு, கடமை செய்து முடிக்கவேண்டி இருந்தது. குருவுக்கு, தன சிஷ்யனை கரை ஏற்றுகிற வேலை மிச்சம் இருந்தது. அந்த இரண்டு பேரின் கர்மாவும் ஒன்றுள் ஒன்று பிணைத்திருந்ததால் ஒரு வர காத்திருந்தார், ஒருவர் 2000 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு பின் வந்து சேர்ந்தார்." 
Speaking further about Muniandy Swamy, Karthikeyan mentions that Muniandy Swami had taken  a divine birth. Nobody knows much about his origin. He had performed many miracles. He went into Jeeva samadhi at a very young age of 32 at Kallupatti near Madurai. He had only one disciple, Viswanathan with him till the end.
"அவர் கருவில் ஊறாமல் வந்தவர். அவர் பிறப்பை பற்றி ஒருவருக்கும் தெரியாது. 32 வயதில் ஜீவசமாதியில் அமர்ந்துவிட்டார். மதுரைக்கு பக்கத்தில், கல்லுப்பட்டி என்கிற இடத்தில் அவர் சமாதி உள்ளது. நிறைய ஆச்சரியமான விஷயங்களை செய்துள்ளார். விஸ்வநாதன் என்கிற ஒரே ஒருவரை மட்டும் தன சிஷ்யனாக வைத்துக் கொண்டார்."