Shree
Narayana Gurudevan’s
philosophy is embedded in the Spirituality of BhAratham; braHMavidya
(The Science of The Absolute). HIS brief comments, announcements, discussions,
and conversations; HIS written words of divine inscriptions and HIS deeds, even
His silence; all are the highest spiritual excellence. They all are conduits
and communications of the resplendent comprehension of braHMavidya. They
all demonstrate the approach to tranquility and affluence to the entire living
world, provided we voyage on it.
Every individual has four personalities. They are Physical, Mental, Intellectual and Spiritual. All the four have to be integrated and refined. Even if one is out of synchronization with the rest, there will be an effect of a split in personality. This will lead to a kind of misplacement of that person and she/he and the rest; all will suffer because of it.
In the case of the body, everyone has to maintain it healthy. Body is the abode of the jeevAthman and as such it must be kept healthy. But most of the time we; the people, get too attached to the body and spent enormous time, energy and wealth on maintaining the body. Due to the over enthusiasm, materialistic ambitions and sensory perception; in actuality we end up in making the body very unhealthy by practice. We forget that the body is secondary, and is only the abode of the primary, the jeevAtHman, which is more important than the body.
Intuition and ‘Presence of mind’ are very essential part of human life. It can make us act the right way at any given situation so as to always uphold the greatness of human dignity. To uphold these qualities, our mind has to be free from agitation. Also, mere quiet mind is not enough. A quiet but idiotic mind is not good enough. Quiet, but enlightened mind is what is necessary. We need a mind that is free from obsession with the ‘dead past’ and/or the ‘unborn imaginary future’. The mind must concentrate on the present. For this we must have unflinching devotion for paramAtHman. This true devotion can only materialize through the learning of braHMavidya, and upholding of DhaRmam Will follow.
Spiritual personality is not just the ability to do observances, pray and meditate. It is not the ability to do yogahAsanas, which is being propagated as yogaH (also spelled Yoga). It clearly is the ability of understanding and realizing that we are not different from paramAtHman. This understanding is the base for all the other personalities and it permeates. All Great JnAnis are at a higher point range of this plane than ordinary people. They are very clear about their place and that of the paramAtHman. They are clear about the reality of the vyavahAra (transactions) of the life so that they could interact with the world in the correct way. ‘SaRvam kalu idam BrahMam’ is the truth. But that does not mean that we merely ignore the transactional reality of the world and the relations and the interactions with all. We cannot say that there is no difference between our father and ourselves. We must accept those differences and comprehend them and the ‘oneness’ also.
People of high spiritual level are often known as servants of the Ultimate Reality. A servant is the one who does not act on his own will, but follows the will of his Master, in this case the paramAtHman. They do what is right as per the Master. In fact, the Master acts through them. This attitude of complete surrender of our durabhimAnam or ahamkAra (which some call ego) to the Master is the real bhakthi (devotion). The unconditional surrender of that durabhimAnam is not easy to be accomplished. We need real preparation for that. And that is where the Spiritual life begins.
The problem is that we always procrastinate and hope that we will start the Spiritual life of devotion tomorrow. We say that now things are tight in the office and therefore we will start working on our Spiritual life tomorrow. This tomorrow never comes. When it comes to sensory pleasures like movies, music, TV, food, (over) sleep and other forms of materialistic ingredients of life we put off the Spiritual life. It is very difficult to compromise on these and go for that practice of braHMavidya, which is very essential for life and which shall make the life very easy and the path to that Ultimate reality little smooth and more rewarding.
At this stage, we are entrenched in ‘deha buddhi’ or the total identification with body. This deha buddhi is what is called abhimAnam more specifically DurabhimAnam (which some refer to as ego). Mired in this DurabhimAnam or ahamkAra, we expect some savior to come and save us. We wait and hope for that day. The problem is that, that day never comes.
Almost everything in our life revolves around the notion of deha buddhi. If our body is tall and beautiful, we are happy. If our body is strong, we are happy. If we are wealthy to maintain these, we are happy. This identification with the body is dAsatva (slavery) of our Spiritual life to the body and wealth, which are in fact the materialistic pleasure.
Attachment to them shall block our advance to the Ultimate, The Absolute. It is surrender; surrender of the Self to the senses. This is not the surrender we need to attain the Spiritual personality. We have to surrender this deha buddhi or DurabhimAnam to the Ultimate. Even while we live in this body, we are nothing but the consciousness. The self-importance and the arrogance of the body and wealth are so strong that the dhARmic life is lost as it cannot be comprehended in a ‘state of surrender to the senses’, the deha buddhi. We are stuck with and jammed by the notions of the deha buddhi. So, it is very hard to comprehend the noble teachings. The only way to come out of this is to listen to the Shastras and learn it with Shraddha (utmost of dedication). Shasta says that: we are not the manass (mind), buddhi (intellect), chittam (memory), or ahamkAra (ego) – inner instrument or antahkaraNa. Neither is we the five senses nor the five elements. Then what are we? We are the chitAnanda rupaha – Shivoham, Shivoham, Shivoham – We are the limitless consciousness. We have to learn the ShastRam and turn our mind to that parbrHMam through our personal Devatha or direct. We have to let this body go and grow beyond and out of this body. With the ahamkAra (negative ego) and the identification with the body, we cannot have true devotion. We have to have knowledge the ShastRam to discard off the ego.
We are all the part or amSha of the parabrhMam. When we analyze this further we are the parabrhMam itself; so we are all the same. Consider water in different pockets – pond, lake, river and the ocean. Even though they are different bodies of water with different shapes and taste they are all still the same, water. All these are parts of the entire or total ‘body of water’. So we are all part of that Ultimate too, in the level of subtle body, and we are all that Absolute itself also. So surrender to IT. That is the way to go. Ultimately the message is to hang up the ahamkAra (negative ego), and rise above all the identifications and comprehend and understand “The Truth” about us, the Ultimate; the jeevAtHman and the paramAtHman. Don’t die every day in fear, but get ready to live even after the death of this body we assumed for a short time. Discard the ahamkAra, which takes us away from that Ultimate reality.
We want everything without sacrifice. We want to purchase the most precious, but avoid paying the prize. But that is impossible. Sacrifice is necessary. The loves for the body (and other pleasures) are a kind of disease. We like this body and we like everything attached to and identified with the body. Sacrifice is the first prize we have to pay. See the life of the RisHis. They all made sacrifice. So we must also make. Start with our ahamkAra, (the negative ego) DurabhimAnam. Let it go.
This is what Gurudevan showed us through His writings, specially, through DaivadeShakam & Jananeenavratnamanjari, specifically through BrhMavidypanchakam. In the last one, Gurudevan has condensed the whole Science of The Absolute into five slokas (manthRam) or (verses) in SamskRithum. Herein Gurudevan very clearly and cleverly shows us the essence of the Spirituality of BhAratham. Accept it. It will cure us of all the ills. It is better to start with DaivadeShakam and progress from there. It, DaivadeShakam, is a very good tool, an upaniShad; for anyone to be the “One without extraneous relational mental interests and keep remembering HIM day in and day out”. For “such people, who are unitively affiliated man of contemplation, HE is within easy reach of attainment”.
© Udayabhanu Panickar. If anyone needs reproduction in full or in part, please contact the writer.
Every individual has four personalities. They are Physical, Mental, Intellectual and Spiritual. All the four have to be integrated and refined. Even if one is out of synchronization with the rest, there will be an effect of a split in personality. This will lead to a kind of misplacement of that person and she/he and the rest; all will suffer because of it.
In the case of the body, everyone has to maintain it healthy. Body is the abode of the jeevAthman and as such it must be kept healthy. But most of the time we; the people, get too attached to the body and spent enormous time, energy and wealth on maintaining the body. Due to the over enthusiasm, materialistic ambitions and sensory perception; in actuality we end up in making the body very unhealthy by practice. We forget that the body is secondary, and is only the abode of the primary, the jeevAtHman, which is more important than the body.
Intuition and ‘Presence of mind’ are very essential part of human life. It can make us act the right way at any given situation so as to always uphold the greatness of human dignity. To uphold these qualities, our mind has to be free from agitation. Also, mere quiet mind is not enough. A quiet but idiotic mind is not good enough. Quiet, but enlightened mind is what is necessary. We need a mind that is free from obsession with the ‘dead past’ and/or the ‘unborn imaginary future’. The mind must concentrate on the present. For this we must have unflinching devotion for paramAtHman. This true devotion can only materialize through the learning of braHMavidya, and upholding of DhaRmam Will follow.
Spiritual personality is not just the ability to do observances, pray and meditate. It is not the ability to do yogahAsanas, which is being propagated as yogaH (also spelled Yoga). It clearly is the ability of understanding and realizing that we are not different from paramAtHman. This understanding is the base for all the other personalities and it permeates. All Great JnAnis are at a higher point range of this plane than ordinary people. They are very clear about their place and that of the paramAtHman. They are clear about the reality of the vyavahAra (transactions) of the life so that they could interact with the world in the correct way. ‘SaRvam kalu idam BrahMam’ is the truth. But that does not mean that we merely ignore the transactional reality of the world and the relations and the interactions with all. We cannot say that there is no difference between our father and ourselves. We must accept those differences and comprehend them and the ‘oneness’ also.
People of high spiritual level are often known as servants of the Ultimate Reality. A servant is the one who does not act on his own will, but follows the will of his Master, in this case the paramAtHman. They do what is right as per the Master. In fact, the Master acts through them. This attitude of complete surrender of our durabhimAnam or ahamkAra (which some call ego) to the Master is the real bhakthi (devotion). The unconditional surrender of that durabhimAnam is not easy to be accomplished. We need real preparation for that. And that is where the Spiritual life begins.
The problem is that we always procrastinate and hope that we will start the Spiritual life of devotion tomorrow. We say that now things are tight in the office and therefore we will start working on our Spiritual life tomorrow. This tomorrow never comes. When it comes to sensory pleasures like movies, music, TV, food, (over) sleep and other forms of materialistic ingredients of life we put off the Spiritual life. It is very difficult to compromise on these and go for that practice of braHMavidya, which is very essential for life and which shall make the life very easy and the path to that Ultimate reality little smooth and more rewarding.
At this stage, we are entrenched in ‘deha buddhi’ or the total identification with body. This deha buddhi is what is called abhimAnam more specifically DurabhimAnam (which some refer to as ego). Mired in this DurabhimAnam or ahamkAra, we expect some savior to come and save us. We wait and hope for that day. The problem is that, that day never comes.
Almost everything in our life revolves around the notion of deha buddhi. If our body is tall and beautiful, we are happy. If our body is strong, we are happy. If we are wealthy to maintain these, we are happy. This identification with the body is dAsatva (slavery) of our Spiritual life to the body and wealth, which are in fact the materialistic pleasure.
Attachment to them shall block our advance to the Ultimate, The Absolute. It is surrender; surrender of the Self to the senses. This is not the surrender we need to attain the Spiritual personality. We have to surrender this deha buddhi or DurabhimAnam to the Ultimate. Even while we live in this body, we are nothing but the consciousness. The self-importance and the arrogance of the body and wealth are so strong that the dhARmic life is lost as it cannot be comprehended in a ‘state of surrender to the senses’, the deha buddhi. We are stuck with and jammed by the notions of the deha buddhi. So, it is very hard to comprehend the noble teachings. The only way to come out of this is to listen to the Shastras and learn it with Shraddha (utmost of dedication). Shasta says that: we are not the manass (mind), buddhi (intellect), chittam (memory), or ahamkAra (ego) – inner instrument or antahkaraNa. Neither is we the five senses nor the five elements. Then what are we? We are the chitAnanda rupaha – Shivoham, Shivoham, Shivoham – We are the limitless consciousness. We have to learn the ShastRam and turn our mind to that parbrHMam through our personal Devatha or direct. We have to let this body go and grow beyond and out of this body. With the ahamkAra (negative ego) and the identification with the body, we cannot have true devotion. We have to have knowledge the ShastRam to discard off the ego.
We are all the part or amSha of the parabrhMam. When we analyze this further we are the parabrhMam itself; so we are all the same. Consider water in different pockets – pond, lake, river and the ocean. Even though they are different bodies of water with different shapes and taste they are all still the same, water. All these are parts of the entire or total ‘body of water’. So we are all part of that Ultimate too, in the level of subtle body, and we are all that Absolute itself also. So surrender to IT. That is the way to go. Ultimately the message is to hang up the ahamkAra (negative ego), and rise above all the identifications and comprehend and understand “The Truth” about us, the Ultimate; the jeevAtHman and the paramAtHman. Don’t die every day in fear, but get ready to live even after the death of this body we assumed for a short time. Discard the ahamkAra, which takes us away from that Ultimate reality.
We want everything without sacrifice. We want to purchase the most precious, but avoid paying the prize. But that is impossible. Sacrifice is necessary. The loves for the body (and other pleasures) are a kind of disease. We like this body and we like everything attached to and identified with the body. Sacrifice is the first prize we have to pay. See the life of the RisHis. They all made sacrifice. So we must also make. Start with our ahamkAra, (the negative ego) DurabhimAnam. Let it go.
This is what Gurudevan showed us through His writings, specially, through DaivadeShakam & Jananeenavratnamanjari, specifically through BrhMavidypanchakam. In the last one, Gurudevan has condensed the whole Science of The Absolute into five slokas (manthRam) or (verses) in SamskRithum. Herein Gurudevan very clearly and cleverly shows us the essence of the Spirituality of BhAratham. Accept it. It will cure us of all the ills. It is better to start with DaivadeShakam and progress from there. It, DaivadeShakam, is a very good tool, an upaniShad; for anyone to be the “One without extraneous relational mental interests and keep remembering HIM day in and day out”. For “such people, who are unitively affiliated man of contemplation, HE is within easy reach of attainment”.
© Udayabhanu Panickar. If anyone needs reproduction in full or in part, please contact the writer.
