Sathya Sai Vahini - Post 41

God is the true Guru

 

Similarly, the famous sage Yajnavalkya, after deciding that he would join the monastic order, called his two wives (Katyayani and Maitreyi) and told them that he had partitioned his movable and immovable properties equally, for both of them. 

 

On hearing this, the elder wife, Maitreyi, who was endowed with a high level of intelligence and insight, protested and said, with a smile on her face, “Lord! Can these riches you are handing over to me save me from death and render me immortal? If you assure me that they will do so, certainly I shall accept them, with due reverence to you.”

 

Yajnavalkya explained. “Riches make life pleasant and delightful by the chances they give you to live happily. Do you say that you do not need such valuable riches?”

 

But Maitreyi persisted. “If what you say is true, you could have continued enjoying these riches and deriving happiness therefrom. Why have you decided to give them up and become a monk? No. It is not proper to cheat us weak-minded women, holding these delusive trinkets before us. 

 

How can the riches that you refuse to keep give us peace and happiness? They are temporary objects; they are liable to destruction; they entangle us still further in bondage; they foster the ignorance that we yearn to discard; they are the chief promoters of anxiety and worry. They are basically polluted, since they are not within the realm of the Atma.”

 

When Maitreyi placed before him this truth, Yajnavalkya was silenced, and, not knowing how to proceed, he stood with his head bent before her. Then, Maitreyi fell at the feet of her husband and said, “Lord! You are master of all mysteries. You must have called us and placed before us this proposal in order to test our intelligence. I have no desire for luxury or even comfort. I do not crave riches and possessions. Instruct me about the path that can confer eternal bliss.”

 

In fact, there is only ONE: the highest Brahman. The scriptures on non-duality proclaim that “Brahman alone is true; creation is a myth. The individual (jivi) is Brahman itself (Brahma sathyam, jagath Mithya; Jeevo Brahmaiva naaparam).” 

 

All that happens in the world is as unreal as the dream experience. Dreams disappear and appear again. The pleasures and joys experienced in life are like mirages appearing on the desert sands of hatred, envy, and selfish greed. 

 

Now, how can those people who believe that this mirage is real and run toward it become gurus? Will it be proper to address them as the wise (jnanis)? They are installed on high seats of illusory authority. They teach what they do not practise. 

 

They hold forth ideals that they themselves ignore. How can such people be examples to seekers who need spiritual progress? They are not genuine, for they have not even an iota of the guru principle in them.

 

The Lord alone (Sarveswara) is the genuine Guru. For all seekers, this is the path; let them hold fast to this faith.

 

Essence 

 

The dialogue between Maitryi and Yagnavalkya appears in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad . This brings about the core essence of Vedanta, the core essence of the “ONE” essence of “Brahman”. 

 

Yajnavalkya’s teaching to Maitreyi, knowing her sincere urge to know the TRUTH.

 

Yagnavalkya says,

 

 "My dear, you have been my beloved even before and now you have resolved to know what is after  my heart. If you wish, my dear, I shall explain it to you. As I explain it, meditate on what I say." 

 

Everything is the Self, O Maitreyi !

 

Yajnavalkya said:

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the husband, my dear,  is the husband loved, but he is loved for the sake of the self  which, in its true nature, is one with the Supreme Self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the wife, my dear, is the wife loved, but she is loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the sons, my dear, are the sons loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of wealth, my dear, is wealth loved, but it is loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the animals, my dear, are the animals loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the brahmin, my dear, is the brahmin loved, but he is loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the kshatriya, my dear, is the kshatriya loved, but he is loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the worlds, my dear, are the worlds loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the gods, my dear, are the gods loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the Vedas, my dear, are the Vedas loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the beings, my dear, are the beings loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, not for the sake of the All, my dear, is the All loved, but it is loved for the sake of the self. 

 

"Verily, my dear Maitreyi, it is the Self that should be realized—should be heard of, reflected on and meditated upon.  By the realisation of the Self, my dear, through hearing, reflection and meditation, all this is known. 

 

"The brahmin rejects one who knows him as different from the Self.

 

The kshatriya rejects one who knows him as different from the Self.

 

The worlds reject one who knows them as different from the Self.

 

The gods reject one who knows them as different from the Self.

 

The Vedas reject one who knows them as different from the Self.

 

The beings reject one who knows them as different from the Self.

 

The All rejects one who knows it as different from the Self.

 

This brahmin, this kshatriya, these worlds, these gods, these Vedas, these beings and this All—are  that Self.  

 

"As the various particular kinds of notes of a drum, when it is beaten, cannot be grasped by themselves, but are grasped only when the general note of the drum or the general sound produced by different kinds of strokes is grasped; 

 

"And as the various particular notes of a conch, when it is blown, cannot be grasped by themselves, but are grasped only when the general note of the conch or the general sound produced by different kinds of blowing is grasped; 

 

"And as the various particular notes of a vina, when it is  played, cannot be grasped by themselves, but are grasped only  when the general note of the vina or the general sound  produced by the different kinds of playing is grasped;  

 

 

Then Maitreyi said: "Just here you have completely bewildered me, venerable Sir. Indeed, I do not at all understand this."  He replied:

 

"Certainly I am not saying anything bewildering, my dear. Verily, this Self is immutable and indestructible. 

 

Through what should one know the knower?

 

"For when there is duality, as it were, then one sees another,  one smells another, one tastes another, one speaks to another,  one hears another, one thinks of another, one touches another,  one knows another. 

 

But when to the knower of Brahman everything has become the Self, then what should he see and through what, what should he smell and through what, what  should he taste and through what, what should he speak and  through what, what should he hear and through what, what  should he think and through what, what should he touch and  through what, what should he know and through what?  Through what should one know That Owing to which all this is known? 

 

"This Self is That which has been described as ‘Not this, not this.’ It is imperceptible, for It is never perceived; un-decaying,  for It never decays; unattached, for It never attaches Itself;  unfettered, for It never feels pain and never suffers injury. 

 

Through what, O Maitreyi, should one know the Knower?  "Thus you have the instruction given to you. This much, indeed, is the means to Immortality." 

 

Yagnavalkya thus teaches Maitreyi that “it is the ātman that is to be beheld; it is the ātman that is to be known; it is the ātman that is to be searched for; it is the ātman which is to be heard about; it is the ātman which is to be thought in the mind; it is the ātman which is to be meditated upon. There is nothing else worthwhile thinking, nothing else worthwhile possessing, because nothing worthwhile exists, other than This."

 

Love.

 

 

Sathya Sai Vahini - Post 40

The person (Srotriya Brahma nishta) has no doubts to pester them, no diversion to distract, for the person has won steady faith in Atma. The person is unconcerned with the material world and sees all worlds as Brahma, as the manifestation of the Brahma Principle. 

 

The phenomenon of death

 

The Yoga Vasishta says that Sri Ramachandra asked sage Vasishta the question, “Divine Master! Is there a way to avoid death?” 

 

The same problem drove Gautama Buddha along the path of renunciation and forced him to give up all traces of attachment; it showered on him eternal fame, as supreme among people. 

 

Prahlada, foremost among the devotees of the Lord, addressed his fellow pupils, even as a boy, “Friends! Haven’t you observed that some boys of our own age fall dead and get burned or buried?” Thus, he drew their attention to the event of death and invited them to draw lessons from that inevitable fact. He taught them the higher wisdom.

 

Those who have the inner urge to achieve the higher wisdom that confers liberation have, therefore, to reflect upon and investigate the phenomenon of death. Death should arouse no fear. It should not be regarded as inauspicious. You should not run away from the problem, imagining that death happens only to others and that it will not happen to you. 

Neither should you postpone reflections on death, judging that they are inappropriate now, and profitless, for inquiry into death is really inquiry into one’s own reality. This truth has to be recognized.

 

Discrimination (viveka), the special gift to humanity, has to be employed to unravel the reality of the visible universe, its nature and validity. The fact of death is the prime cause that originates the problem “Who am I?” That fact ought not to be ignored as unworthy of attention. You should not flee from it in fear. For if you behave so, you land yourself on the first step toward stupidity (a-jnana) and plant in your mind the seedling of the tree of foolishness. You prop up the pillars of delusion (maya).

 

Dialogue with God of Death

 

Every mystery latent in human existence is entwined with inquiry into death. The glory and majesty of the Divine are fully revealed only when death is investigated. 

 

According to the Katha Upanishad, among the three boons requested by Nachiketa from Yama, the God of Death, the chief was the one relating to death. “Do people exist after death? Some declare that they do; others, that they don’t. Each argues as their fancy leads. Which of these opinions is true? Solve this problem for me,” pleaded Nachiketa. He insisted on an answer.

 

Yama tried to avoid his pleading. He said, “Son! Nachiketa. This is an insoluble mystery. The sacred texts treat it as subtler than the subtlest. I find it impossible to make even the gods understand this phenomenon. Nevertheless, you crave this boon. Why should you be troubled by this problem? You are an innocent little boy. You deserve to live long, enjoying many a happy event. I shall grant you, as a boon, enormous riches; accept them and lead a life of unexcelled happiness. Ask for any quantity of material pleasure; they are yours. Come! Ask and reach the height of joy.”

 

But Nachiketa replied, “However vast the riches, however pleasant the experiences they confer, don’t they have to receive your impact without a murmur? Nothing in creation can escape you, can it? Everything is immersed in death. Why then should I aspire for items that give only temporary relief? Grant me the boon on which my heart is set.”

 

In the Mahabharatha, Dharmaraja is asked to name the greatest marvel in the world. He replies, “Though every day we see people dying, we do not think we ourselves will die. What can be a greater marvel than this?”

 

Introspection

 

Excerpts from an article by a monk on “Choosing our death”

 

Death is certain. We all know that. What we do not know is when we will die and how our end is to come. That is one big source of anxiety in our lives. 

 

We generally try to keep away from the thought of death (or, more accurately, we try to prevent it from sticking around too long in the mind) by busying ourselves with life and its concerns. 

 

Life is full of inconsistencies. It is not surprising that most of our plans fail, what is amazing is that a few do manage to succeed. 

 

Just as we cannot be too sure about the how and when of anything in life, we are also not sure about the how and when of death. So in what way is death less uncertain than other events in life? 

 

One big difference however is that, while some anticipated events may never take place, or if they do, not in the way we thought they would, death always takes place and every time in the same way, namely, by the stopping of the breath. 

 

What is within our control is how we encounter death whenever it chooses to come. Our mental preparation and attitude are the key factors that decide how we’ll face our death. 

 

The only way to neutralize the terror of death is to “die” before dying. 

 

A story from the Bhāgavata, which Sri Ramakrishna narrated often, helps us understand what it is that prevents us from “dying” before our death:

“In a certain place the fishermen were catching fish. A kite swooped down and snatched a fish. At the sight of the fish, about a thousand crows chased the kite and made a great noise with their cawing. Whichever way the kite flew with the fish, the crows followed it. 

 

“The kite flew to the south and the crows followed it there. The kite flew to the north and still the crows followed after it. The kite went east and west, but with the same result. As the kite began to fly about in confusion, lo, the fish dropped from its mouth. The crows at once left the kite alone and flew after the fish. Thus, relieved of its worries, the kite sat on the branch of a tree and thought: ‘That wretched fish was at the root of all my troubles. I have now got rid of it and therefore I am at peace.’” (The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, p. 314)

 

Sri Ramakrishna then explained the moral of the story:

 

“The Avadhuta learnt this lesson from the kite, that as long as a man has the fish, that is, worldly desires, he must perform actions and consequently suffer from worry, anxiety, and restlessness. No sooner does he renounce these desires than his activities fall away and he enjoys peace of soul.”

 

 

To be able to live in God, the non-monastic spiritual seeker must also “die,” but only internally. 

 

Outwardly, the non-monastic seeker continues to live like all others, interacting with the world to the extent it is unavoidable, carrying out all the duties and shouldering all the responsibilities without any self-interest, and inwardly remaining totally focused on God. 

 

Death by choice cannot be separated from life by choice. At present most of us are dead to God because we have chosen to be alive to the world. If we want to be true seekers of God, our choice must now be reversed. We must now choose to die to the world in order to begin living in God, and we must choose to live in God in order to die to the world. We cannot have the one without the other.

 

As the author often says ands teaches to aspirants, “Let the Avidya/Ignorance that you are this Jiva - let this ignorance die for the soul within you to awaken and realize that it was never born and hence, it has no death either!!”

 

Love.

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi

 

 

 

 

The Real is ever-present, like the screen on which the cinematographic pictures move. While the picture appears on it, the screen remains invisible. Stop the picture, and the screen will become clear. All thoughts and events are merely pictures moving on the screen of Pure Consciousness, which alone is real.

 

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi