Now, let us get deeper, line by line.
First line of the first verse.
“Teaching through Silence the highest
knowledge of the Supreme Reality, the young Guru is surrounded by
Rishi-disciples and Vedic scholars, themselves established in the Truth.”
Meditation on the line
The one who is
surrounded
Surrounded by whom? Surrounded by the group of
four rishis.
What kind of rishis?
Who is living with guru, meaning the students.
In ancient time, students always lived with teacher in the ashram. These rishis
were elderly. They, because of Dakshinamurti’s teaching, became established in
the knowledge of Brahman. Dakshinamurti himself was young.
How did
Dakshinamurti teach to these four rishis? How did rishis become established in
Brahman? How did they become enlightened?
The ultimate reality (the truth of GOD) is
revealed through a silent exposition. This is symbolic. What could silent
teaching mean?
Is it possible to express the reality of Brahman in one or two sentences? Is it
possible to express the reality of Brahman
in one or two books?
Any extent of teachings is not adequate to
define what is Parabrahman. No number
of words could ever define the reality.
We truly must admit that the reality that is Parabrahman is beyond words.
There is a famous quotation from “Taittiriya
Upanishad”.
“The reality we seek is
that from which words fall back, failing to grasp that reality.”
This is very profound Vedantic teaching. Does
that mean words are useless? No. Words help to remove the misunderstanding. The
words of Vedanta (the teachings) can not reveal Brahman.
Ultimately, they don’t need to reveal Brahman. However, the words are useful
to remove the ignorance.
An exposition of silence is a poetic way of
saying that the TRUTH being conveyed is beyond words, beyond the reach of
language.
It would be known to sincere seekers that
whatever glimpse of that divine SELF which they have experienced for few
seconds, could be possible only when they have gone into absolute silence,
silence of the mind, silence of the body and silence in terms of speech.
So, the Guru of Gurus, Sadhguru Dakshinamurty
chose to impart the Brahma Vidya
directly to the disciples in the depth of silence.
This was possible then, this was possible even
in few cases like few disciples who realized SELF, seated at the feet of their
Guru Ramana, in absolute silence.
But in the present day world, with materialism
at its peak, it would be very difficult or rather impossible for disciple to
observe his master’s silence and get absorbed in silence, as the restless mind
would wander here and there within seconds.
So, the masters have to impart knowledge
initially through spoken discourses till the time they know that their disciple
has reached a ripe state in sadhana
where nothing more needs to be taught through words.
In the contemporary world, when it comes to
teaching the disciples through silence, it is impossible not to think of, not
to meditate on Sri Ramana, who taught and even graced liberation to few, though
His silence.
Maharishi’s disciple, Sri Muruganar, who
attained liberation under his Master, writes,
“He is the teacher of the eternal law through whose glance the truth unfolded, filling my heart with the dazzling radiance of blissful consummate grace, so that the body, ego and intellect were all no more. I became merged in the divine silence, which is abiding knowledge of Lord Siva.
Love.
