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    guru kripA vilAsam (On the Greatness of the Guru)

    Disclaimer for my Translated Materials

    These selective English translations done by me from the Tamil book Sri GurukrupA VilAsam (3 volumes), published by the Devotees of Shringeri Sri ShAradA PITham are posted here with the sole intention of carrying the divine messages of the AchAryALs of the Sankara MaThams established by Sri Adi Sankara BhagavadpAda, so that we the members of this Forum can understand and practice the directions contained in the messages.

    As a translator, I have no commercial interests or financial considerations in spreading the messages of our Gurus, and have no claims of copyright for the translations.

    I have duly quoted the source of these translations, and I hereby acknowledge the credits to the publications, authors, devotees and any other people concerned.

    If anyone involved with these publications has any reservations on the implicit consents and permissions assumed in these translations for the spiritual benefit of mankind, the same may be brought to the notice of the Forum Administrator, for necessary changes or removal of the material presented.

    'saidevo', as translator of the materials presented.

    *** *** ***

    From the Publisher's Preface

    This book is about the greatness of our AchAryAL Sri Chandrasekhara BharatI MahAsvAmigaL who as the 34th Jagadguru of DakShiNAmya Shringagiri Sri ShAradA PITham, held the post of the adhipati of the first MaTham established by Sri Sankara, with prasiddhi (great success and attainment) and was adored and respected by everyone as a sarvajna (all-knowing) and a jnAni who had reached the stage of a jIvan mukta (liberated while living).

    The speciality of the essays in this book is that some of them contain the saMbhAShaNas (conversations) done by Sri AchAryAL in vistAram (elaboration) with some pandits who were faithful to the ShAstras. In a few others are described in great svArasyam (interest), the saMsargas (association) that happened with Sri AchAryAL in svAdhInam (with freedom) to Sri AbhinavavidyAtIrtha, who as a BrahmachAri by name SrinivAsan was doing gurukulavAsam (residential studentship), and whom Sri AchAryAL chose as his pratama shiShya (primary disciple) and later as the successor to the PiTham. The medhAvilAsam (shine of intelligence) of the ShiShya who remained the bAlasUrya (young sun), and the kRupA vilAsam (shine of compassion) of the GurunAthar who was a karuNAmUrti (embodiment of compassion), are clearly understood by us when we read these essays. We also get the Anandam (happiness) of having been there in that GururAjA's sannidhi (presence) when we read them now.

    The lekhaka (writer, scribe) of these essays was Sri SachchidAnanda TIrtha, who was respectfully known as Sri BhAShya SvAmigaL. His name in his pUrva, brahmacharya Ashram was Sri VaidhyanAtha SAstri. When Sri Chandrasekhara BharatI MahAsvAmigaL was PIThAdhipati, Sri VaidhyanAtha SAstri worked as the adhyApaka (teacher) of the MaTham's 'Sri SatvidyA SanjIvinI' pAThashAlA (school). By his lofty traits, AchAram, niyamam, jnAbaka shakti (religious rigour, discipline, memory power), the sAmarthyam (capability) of composing SamskRuta verses, and connoisseurship he endeared himself to Sri AchAryAL and was blessed with the bhAygam (fortune) of always staying near the guru. In addition, he was the teacher who taught the kAvyas (epics), and was a caretaker during the time of pUrvAshrama vidyAbhyAsam (earlier stage education) of Sri AbhinavavidyAtIrtha who dazzled in mahonnatam (very high) as the thirty-fifth Jagadguru, soon after he was admitted as a young vidyArthi (student) under his earlier name SrinivAsan. For the writer too, direct sannyAsam (stage of being an ascetic) from brahmachAryam (stage of bachelorhood) became prAptam (possible). Later the writer travelled to places like MahAdAnapuram and KAshi kShetram and attained siddhi (liberation) with brahma sAkShAtkAram (Self-Realization).

    The epic titled 'Sri Jagadguru CharitAmRutam' written by him has been published in four volumes. People who have those volumes today are bhAgyashAlIs. He has also composed several stotras (hymns) and individual shlokas (verses).

    *** *** ***

    1
    pages 1-6

    (The 'Writer' starts the first chapter with some verses of his own; the first verse is presented here--sd).

    चमत्कृतसुचीचेताः चन्द्रचूडालसद्गुरुः ।
    सच्चिदानन्दतीर्थेऽस्मिन् समुदञ्चयतां धृशौ ॥

    chamatkRutasuchIchetAshchandrachUDAlasadguruH |
    sachchidAnandatIrthe&smin samuda~jchayatAM dhRushau ||


    "Sri Chandrasekhara BharatI Sadguru who attracts the minds of buddhimAns (the intelligentsia) may direct his glances towards this SachchidAnanda TIrtha."

    All the jIvanmukta lakShaNas that were with Sri SadAsiva Brahmam were also with this GurumUrti, right from his bAlyam (boyhood)--this lekaka (writer) had gone into paravasham (self-obliterating happiness) during his stay in Shringeri, listening to the narrative descriptions of the elders of those days about those traits.

    When he was a boy, Sri AchAryAL one day went to the Shringeri bazaar to buy something, reciting the MUkaPanchasati shlokas which was his habit, and totally forgot the kAryam (task) he came there for in the first place, and went a long way past the town. An elderly gentleman who passed by saw the boy and asked, "Why did you come this far, past the town?". The boy replied, "I have now come to MUkaPanchasati's 50th shloka." The older man laughed and took the boy home after buying the required article. Not one or two are the stories when he remained in complete absence of deha-smaraNa (body sense). All the lIlAs until his jalasamAdhi would thus remain as the life story of a JaTabharata. Such mahAns, like Sri SadAsiva Brahmam would appear only rarely. These mUrtis would seem mad and dumb to prAkRuta janas (ordinary people). This is what BrahmendrAL describes as the jIvan mukta lIlA in his AtmavidyAvilAsam:

    तिष्ठन् परतरधाम्नि स्वीयसुखास्वादपरवशः कश्चित् ।
    क्वापि ध्यायति कुहचिद्गायति कुत्रापि नृत्यति स्वैरम् ॥

    tiShThan parataradhAmni svIyasukhAsvAdaparavashaH kashchit |
    kvApi dhyAyati kuhachidgAyati kutrApi nRutyati svairam ||


    "A person in the state of being in brahmam and experiencing AtmAnandam, meditates in one place, sings in another place, and dances in a third."

    Everything about the book AtmavidyAvilAsam that BrahmendrAL experienced and recorded is mukhastam (known by heart) to our GurucharaNAL. Whenever he was in ekAntam (solitude) he would only be doing gAnam (singing) of this book. In Shringeri on the other bank of the Tungabhadra river inside the Narasimha Vanam if one climbs up the hill, the KAla Bhairava temple could be seen at the summit. It is the custom of our GurucharaNAL during the times of sAyaMkAlam (evening) to go there for vishrAnti (rest) daily, walking pAdachAri (on foot). While waking in this manner, he would take with him on some days, a few mukhya yatIshvaras (accomplished ascetic) and only the virakta shiShyas (dispassionate disciples) who were antarangam (in proximity) to him and walk along, reciting antAdi shlokas. We, his disciples too were in the habit of reciting some antAdi shlokas for him. At those times if some vairAgyapara shlokas (verses highlighting dispassion) are recited, he would be in paramAnandam. Among the reasons for his becoming compassionate towards this lekaka, this habit of (the lekaka's) recital of the antAdi shlokas was the chief one. When vairAgyapara shlokas were recited from the works chittAnushAsanam, shAntitarangiNI, vairAgyatarangiNI which were composed by him, and from the works vairAgyashatakam, and shAntivilAsam, he would do abhinandanam (applaud) with paramasantoSham (supreme happiness) and kindle the utsAham (effort) of the reciter. After the antAdi was over, he would sit inside the Alayam, have the disciples seated too and would ask them to individually recite the whole of AtmavidyAvilAsam and listen to it. In the same way he would also ask for and listen to the lalitakara (charming), AchArya-prakaraNa (sages-created) grantha-shlokas such as the svAtma-nirUpaNam. One should have done koTi puNyaM (one crore meritorious things) to witness him seated as the jnAnachchuDar (flame of knowledge) forgetting his physical self with AnandabAShpam (tears of joy) flowing, doing anusaMdhAnam (inquiry, investigation) into the meanings of those shlokas. This wouldn't be had by everyone. Apart from the viraktas and sannyAsis like us, for others at that time prevesham (entry) was not allowed. Thus, if we say that like the GopAlas mingled with KrishNaParamAtma and felt happy, we his antaranga shiShyas in those days floated in the flood of happiness, it would not be an adhishayokti (techinique of exaggeration). te hi no divasA gatAH | Those days are gone, never to come back.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: guru kripA vilAsam (On the Greatness of the Guru)

    pages 6-8

    Thus, making a trip to the KAla Bhairava temple in Shringeri and on that occasion the shiShyas chanting antAdi together with the AchAryAL was a custom that was already there. This custom existed during the time of our ParamagurunAthAL Sri SachchidAnanda ShivAbhinava Narasimha BhArathI MahAsvamigaL too. One day, only the three people--Narasimha ShAstri introduced earlier (this was the pUrvAshrama name of Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekhara BharatI MahAsvAmigaL), and the MahArAshtrians MarkaNdeya BrahmachAri, and Keshavabhattaji--had gone to the temple with him (ParamagurunAthAL). Among them, Keshavabhattaji was the pUrvAshrama name of this lekaka's ashrama guru Sri SivAnanda TIrthAL. At the end of the antAdi shloka recital, asking these three people to sit down and looking at Keshavabhattaji the guru said: "Hey! Bhattaji, take down on a piece of paper what I am going to tell now." Forthwith, he recited and ordered the man to jot down some shlokas as anyopadesham (indirect counsel) in a manner that their kUTArtham (ambiguity of meaning) was intelligible only to Narasimha ShAstri and not to the others. To the man who wrote them, nothing was intelligible. All of it seemed like a puzzle. Still, since it came gurumukham (from guru's mouth) all he thought about it was to preserve it and so he kept it safely. He did not speak to anyone else about this. MarkaNdeya BrahmachAri too left for his desham (province). So this rahasyam (secret) was only known to Narasimha ShAstri and Keshavabhattaji. Since ParamagurunAthAL had ordered this Narasimha ShAstri to go to Bangalore for prauDavidyAbhyAsa (higher studies), he was staying with parents in Bangalore. With what purpose did SriSannidhAnam sent him to Bangalore is devarahasyam.

    During this time, our ParamagurunAthAL suddenly attained videha mukti (gave up bodily existence). After he attained siddhi, when the prashna (question) of who to appoint as the next PIThAdhipati came up, many people pleaded that only a man belonging to the pUrvAshrama vaMsha of UgraNarasimha BharatI SvAmigaL should be appointed for the post; they also demanded that it was within their pAtyam (rights). Although ParamagurunAthAL had already told SriKanTa ShAstrigaL in secrecy that only Narasimha ShAstri should be appointed for the post, since SannidhAnam did not express his abhiprAyam (opinion) in bahirangam (public), confusion arose. And though SriKanTa ShAstrigaL spoke to them about MahASannidhAnam's abhiprAyam, those people were not prepared to believe it. They argued that since there was no written pramANam (proof) or sAkShitA (legal witness, evidence, testimony) it was all SriKanTa's kalpana (imagined opinion). So without heeding to the words of SriKanTa ShAstrigaL and because of their saMbandham (relationship) with the pUrvAshramam of UgraNarasimha BharatI SvAmigaL who was guru even to our ParamAchAryAL, they demanded visheSha pAtyam for the post. Many people feared that things might go according to the wishes of that kakShiyAr (group). But then since that ParamagurunAthAL had expressed his abhiprAyam to the Mysore MahArAjA who visited long back, and also due to the shlokas taken down by Keshavabhattaji, everyone's abhilASha (desire, wish) was fulfilled. At that time, only after Keshavabhattaji (who later took up turIyAshramam and got the yogapaTTam--title SivAnanda TIrtha) came forth, explained the details of the incident that took place in the KAla Bhairava temple on that day and made public the shlokas Sri SannidhAnam had asked him to write down, ParamagurunAthAL's abhiprAyam came to be known to the world in spaShTam (clear perception). To that Keshavabhattaji too, the puzzle which was till then unintelligible was understood. Although Sri Narasimha ShAstri attached to the Bangalore Sankara MaTham knew about everything at that time, he kept quiet. Since this lekaka came to know about these details through his Ashrama guru Sri SivAnandar, there is no scope for any doubt in the matter.

    Now the shlokas that ParamagurunAthAL asked to be taken down in the KAla Bhairava temple:

    संसारनामकसरिन्नाथोत्तरणे तवास्ति यदि वांछा ।
    बालक शृणु मद्वचनं शृतिमस्तकसंमितं शुभोदर्कम् ॥

    स्वीकृतपारमहंस्यः स्थिरतरसाधनचतुष्टयोपेतः ।
    श्रद्धाभक्तियुतात्मा प्रविचारय तत्वमात्मनः सुचिरम् ॥

    saMsAranAmakasarinnAthottaraNe tavAsti yadi vAMChA |
    bAlaka shRuNu madvachanaM shRutimastakasaMmitaM shubhodarkam ||


    svIkRutapArahaMsyaH sthiratarasAdhanachatuShTayopetaH |
    shraddhAbhaktiyutAtmA pravichAraya tatvamAtmanaH suchiram ||


    "Hey Lad, if you have the desire to cross the ocean of 'samsAram' (this worldly life), listen to my words that are in consensus with the Upanishads and would do good later on. Taking 'sannyAsrama svIkAram' (asceticism) and acquiring the four 'sAdhanas' with firmness of mind, do 'vichAraNa' (inquiry) of 'Atma tattvam' (Self) with 'shraddhAbhakti' (sincerity and devotion) for a long time."

    With ten shlokas that started with these verses, he had informed his opinion to Narasimha ShAstri and had blessed him.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: guru kripA vilAsam (On the Greatness of the Guru)

    pages 8-11

    In addition, from the 'AmbA Stotram' our ParamagurunAthAL
    blessed us with, his abhiprAyam is known in spaShTam. In it he has informed AmbAL that only to Narasimha ShAstri is the adhikAram (right, claim) for the next title.

    सर्वज्ञं श्रीनृसिंहं कुरु शिवदयिते सत्वरं मद्विनम्रम् ।

    sarvaj~jaM shrInRusiMhaM kuru shivadayite satvaraM madvinamram |

    By this he has prayed to AmbAL to make Narasimha ShAstri, who was to become his shiShya in succession to be a sarvajna (omniscient). This Lekaka has in the book 'Chandrasekhara BharatI Vijayam' too has elaborated on this.

    सर्वज्ञं श्रीनृसिंहं कुरु सततमिति प्रार्थयन् पूर्वमंबां
    ..स्वात्मनं श्रीनृसिंहं वटुमपि कलयामास तादात्म्यभावात् ।
    तत्तादृक्प्रार्थनातो नरहरिगुरुराडात्मना साकमादौ
    ..सर्वज्ञं यं वितेने स खलु यतिपतिश्चन्द्रचूडो गुरुर्नः ॥

    sarvaj~jaM shrInRusiMhaM kuru satatamiti prArthayan pUrvamaMbAM
    ..svAtmanaM shrInRusiMhaM vaTumapi kalayAmAsa tAdAtmyabhAvAt |
    tattAdRukprArthanAto naraharigururADAtmanA sAkamAdau
    ..sarvaj~jaM yaM vitene sa khalu yatipatishchandrachUDo gururnaH ||


    Looking at AmbAL, AchAryAL prays:

    "Hey AmbikE! Make Narasimhan a 'sarvajna'. Also bless me by making my 'shiShya' too a 'sarvajna mUrti'."

    That is, since the term 'Narasimhan' is in anvaya (association) with him in (his name) Narasimha BharatI as well as with his disciple in (his name) Narasimha ShAstri, it is understood that he has united him and his vaTu (boy, student) with the term 'Narasimhan' and prayed to AmbAL to make them both sarvajna mUrti (embodiments of omniscience). Would what that MahAn prayed for go waste? So it seems like himself he has made his disciple who is to succeed him in the PiTham an embodiment of omniscience by AmbAL's grace. What sukRutam (meritorious acts) did we do to get as our guru, Abhinava SadAshiva Brahmam who thus got sarvajna bhAvam through the anugraha visheSham of both AmbAL and his guru? We are certainly kRutArthas (successful). The artham (meaning) that just as our Adi AchAryAL did sarvajna pIThArohaNam by the combination of the padas (terms) sarvajnaM yaM vitena, our GurucharaNAL too adorned the ShAradA PITham which is like the Sarvajna PITham, is also dhvanita (echoed, implied) in this.

    सर्वज्ञो यः प्रसिद्धः श्रुतिषु जगति वा सोऽपि कैलासनाथः
    ज्ञानाख्यां चन्द्रलेखां शिरसि कलयते चन्द्रचूडोऽस्ति तस्मात् ॥
    तुल्यं शुंभोर्गुरोर्वा सहजमिह परब्रह्मविध्याधिपत्वं
    भेदं नो विद्महेऽस्मद् गुरुपरशिवयोः नामतोऽप्यर्थतो वा ॥

    sarvaj~jo yaH prasiddhaH shrutiShu jagati vA so&pi kailAsanAthaH
    j~jAnAkhyAM chandralekhAM shirasi kalayate chandrachUDo&sti tasmAt ||
    tulyaM shuMbhorgurorvA sahajamiha parabrahmavidhyAdhipatvaM
    bhedaM no vidmahe&smadguruparashivayoH nAmato&pyarthato vA ||


    In this world, the name sarvajna is asAdhAraNa (uncommon) only to Paramashiva. This is because as "kRushAnuretAH sarvaj~ja", the sarvajna padam in the nigaNTus (thesauruses) like AmarakoSham has been mentioned as only ShivaperumAn's paryAyapadam (method of proceeding). In the same way, Shruti vAkyas such as "IshAnaH sarvavidhyAnAm"* do ghoShaNam (proclamation) of only Paramashiva as the sarvajna mUrti. Since our GurucharaNAL is also a sarvajna mUrti as mentioned before, in the matter of sarvajnatvam we cannot find any difference between our Guru and Shiva.

    Again, Paramashiva is called Chandrasekhara; because he is wearing the chandra kalA (phased moon) on his shiras (head). Our GurucharaNAL is also wearing the chandra kalA of jnAnam on his head. So the name Chandrasekhara, as anvartha (obvious meaning) would apply to both. Paramashiva is embracing UmAdevi who is described as brahmavidyAsvarUpiNi in the Katopanishad. So he shines as the pati (husband) of BrahmavidyAmbikA. Our GurucharaNAL himself, because of the anugraha visheSham of Guru AmbAL attaining ParaBrahmam's [i]aparokSha sAkShAtkAram/i] (visible unity of Self-Realization) shines as the BrahmavidyApati. Thus in all the distinctions of 'sarvajnatvaM, chandrasekharatvam, brahmavidyApatitvaM' both remain the same, by shabdam (speech) or artham (meaning) no difference could be found among them! Therefore what saMdeham (dbout) could be there in saying that our GurucharaNAL is only a Paramashiva avatAram?

    Note:
    Pancha-Brahma Mantras

    The Pancha-Brahma mantras contained in the Taittiriya AraNyaka (X.17–21) of the KrishNa Yajurveda (where tenth chapter of the Tait­tiriya Aranyaka is also known as the MahAnArayaNa Upanishad), exalt Shiva through His five forms (faces)-–SadyojAta, VAmadeva, Aghora, TatpuruSha and IshAna. The five faces or forms of Shiva represent the five functions or acts (panchakrityas)-–creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealing grace and revealing grace, respectively. The five forms or faces of Shiva also correspond to the five syllables in the holy pentasyllabic mantra-–na-mah-shi-vA-ya. Note that the Tatpurusha mantra is but the Rudra Gayatri.

    (more details here: http://shivamahimna.com/2009/07/pancha-brahma-mantras/)
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: guru kripA vilAsam (On the Greatness of the Guru)

    pages 11-14

    The mahima (greatness) of such mahAns should be seen keeping his jIvanmukta lIlAs in mind. But then it has become a custom that some people who cannot understand such greatness ask that whoever has got whatever of their abhIShTa (wishes) fulfilled, through his tapas and mantra shakti. How much matihInam (stupid, senseless) to expect (fulfilment of) kShudra vishayas from the mahAns who have appeared to give upadesham of only jnAna mArgam (path of knowledge)! Such expectations are all stories of medhAvins (learned people) who went to King BhojarAjan--a king who could give sarva aishvaryas (all affluences)--, and asked for leather slippers and a needle (to stitch them). Since our GurucharaNAL was a PIThAdhipati of a SamasthAnam, in commensuration with that sthAnam (position) he had tapassiddhi, mantrasiddhi and yogasiddhi in pUrNam. Still, he only hated all those siddhis.

    As mentioned in the BhAgavatam:

    न योगसिद्धीरपुनर्भवं वा वाञ्छन्ति मत्पादयुगं प्रपन्नाः ।

    na yogasiddhIrapunarbhavaM vA vA~jChanti matpAdayugaM prapannAH |

    he used to consider all those siddhis as obstacles to his jnAna mArgam. In the same way, he considered the mantravAda vishayas as atituchCham (mere trifles). In udAharaNam (example), while taking the bhAShya pATham, he would know about the mantra shAstra pramam (mental preference to the power of mantras) of some shiShyas and would often explain the harm it could cause, so they would steer clear of it. He would explain with such vAkyas as

    उत्तमा तत्वचिन्ता स्यात् मध्यमं शास्त्रचिन्तनम् ।
    अधमा मन्त्रचिन्ता स्यात् तीर्थभ्रान्तिस्ततोऽधमा ॥

    uttamA tatvachintA syAt madhyamaM shAstrachintanam |
    adhamA mantrachintA syAt tIrthabhrAntistato&dhamA ||


    [--Maitreyi Upanishad,22
    "The wisest take to contemplation on the reality (of Brahman); the middling ones contemplate on the scripture; low people think of the mantras; the lowest are deluded by (the efficacy) of holy places."]

    He would explain:

    "tattva vichAram is important. Only that as my shiShyas you should undertake. If that is not possible, at least you can do Ananda kAlakShepam (spend time happily) doing shAstra vichAram. Only those who don't have the yogyatA (ability, fitness) for these two acts should go for mantra vichAram. Even if you enter the mantra shAstram in that manner, of what use to you would those mantra prayogas (mantra recital) be? Only others would get the fruits of your mantra prayogam. You already have the mantras such as gAyatrI, and panchAkSharam needed for your atmArtham. Doing purashcharaNam (making preparations to learn and use) of other mantras are anAvashyam (unnecessary) for jnAnAdhikaris (eligible seekers of jnAnam)."

    Saying and writing, "He gave some vibhUti, and the vyAdhi (ailment, disease) got svastam (cured), so he is a mahAn" won't show his greatness. We cannot consider it his honour to estimate one who is our jnAnaguru as a mantravAdi. Therefore, we leave out those things and only explain his jnAna mahima in this essay.

    All the jIvanmukta lakShaNas that were with Sri SadAshiva Brahmam also shone in their fullness in our GurucharaNAL, but this was realized by only a few people. They are explained very well in the guru stuti titled 'SadgurupAdukAstavarAjam' written by this Lekaka...

    Our GurucharaNAL would sometimes go antarmukham (completely inward in consciousness). It was his custom on those occasions to remain in ekAntam (solitude) in his room without venturing out. This Lekaka was blessed with the bhAgyam to often listen to the amrita vAkyas that used to gush out through his mukhAravindam (lotus face) at those times when he was doing ekAnta vAsam. He has also noted them down... One or two of those notes will be seen at the end of this essay.

    No one can remain without going into Ananda paravasham (self-obliterating happiness) if they listen to our GurucharaNAL in the avadhUta state in his ekAnta room singing in hAsyam (with laughter), as gAnam (song) and with clapping of hands. But then to the servants who wouldn't know the front and back of these words, their meaning and interest wouldn't be intelligible. If someone with the necessary buddhishakti to relate them listens to him attentively, all those words would seem as adbhuta jnAna vAkyas (extradionary lines of knowledge) that came out with brahmAtnubhavam (experience of the Self).

    At other times, if any SangIta VidvAns seek to sing in the Guru Sannidhi, he wouldn't consent to it and send them with the words, "Sing in the AmbAL Sannidhi." Because of this, there were some people who thought that he did not know anything about music. All those people would bring their finger to the tip of their nose if they listen to Sri SannidhAnam's ekAnta gAnas. This Lekaka has listened to them several times and found them to be so much susvara gAnam. At other times, since he has to follow the samasthAna niyamas and sannyAsa dharma, he won't be able to sing as he liked. Once he wears the appearance of a paittiyam (madman), there would be no bar to the lilAs such as hAsyam, gAnam, nartanam (laughing, singing, dancing), and handclapping without any restraints. Therefore, as explained in the AtmavidyAvilAsam,

    विहरति बालवदेको विमलसुखांभोनिधौ मग्नः ।
    अवधूतकर्मजालो जडबधिरान्धोपमः कोऽपि ॥

    viharati bAlavadeko vimalasukhAMbhonidhau magnaH |
    avadhUtakarmajAlo jaDabadhirAndhopamaH ko&pi ||


    "As one immersed in the ocean of bliss, he plays like a boy. He wanders like an insensate (jaDa), a deaf man or a blind man, shaking off all his karmas."

    our GurunAthar was doing lokAknugraham showing all his sAmarthya (ability) in acting like a child, a stupid man and a madman.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  5. #5
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    Re: guru kripA vilAsam (On the Greatness of the Guru)

    pages 15-18

    This Lekaka has heard it many times--some medhAvins who could not understand this tattvam, doing parihAsam (fun, laughing at) of him calling him a mere madman. But it was his custom to refrain from replying to their remarks of sneer. This is because the results of trying to explain them something they don't understand and in a language they wouldn't understand could only be kaNTha-shoShaNam (parching of the throat). Still, if someone prefers to know the answer it would be as follows:

    As mumukShu (desirious of liberation) we should all one day get into this stage of madness. Only after that stage happens to us would be the mokSha for us. Those who wish to have mokSha should look forward to even that stage of madness. Let it not be thought that this is the abhiprAyam (opinion) of this Lekaka. It is a stage accepted by prasiddha mahAns (acomplished sages). Are there mahAns greater than SadAshiva BrahmendrAL in this world? His guru Paramashivendrar should also be a mahAn. Only he has revealed this rahasyaM (secret). He was alleged to have lived for a long time in KAshi after giving sannyAsa dIkShA (initiation into asceticism) to SadAshivendrAL and sending him away. When people from the DakShiNa Desham went on yAtrA to KAshi, he inquired them about his shiShya's yogakShemam and they informed him with tears: "SvAmi! SadAshivendrar who is your shiShya wanders like a madman; behaves without any vyavasta (restraints); talks without any connection in his speech. O when will he be cured of this stage of madness we don't know!" His guru Paramashivendrar was also in tears. Seeing that they asked, "O Guru! even you are distressed?" He told them in reply: "Yes, I am distressed too. But then its reason is different. You are distressed that he is suffering from madness; I am distressed that such madness has not happened to me till now, and whatever time it would take for me to reach that stage." It is this personal history that our ParamagurunAthAL has mentioned in the 'SadAshivendra stuti' he wrote:

    उन्मत्तवत् संचरतीह शिष्यः तवेति लोकस्य वचांसि शृण्वन् ।
    खिद्यन्नुवाचास्य गुरुः पुरोहो! उन्मत्तता मे नहि तादृशीति ॥

    unmattavat saMcharatIha shiShyaH taveti lokasya vachAMsi shRuNvan |
    khidyannuvAchAsya guruH puroho! unmattatA me nahi tAdRushIti ||


    "Listening to the words of the people, 'Your disciple is wandering like a madman', his guru told them that such madness did not happen to him."

    Thus he narrates graphically the incidents that happened before.

    In this way our GurucharaNAL too has displayed his various jIvanmukta lIlAs. As stated above, in all these--that is, pAndityam, vairAgyam, jnAnam, tapas, jIvanmukta lakShaNas--in all these features there is no difference between the PUrva BrahmendrAL and this Abhinava BrahmendrAL. But then since the pratibandham (hindrance, constraint) of the JagadgurusthAnam was held by our GurucharaNAL, he couldn't wander out as he wished.

    As mentioned (in the shloka):

    संत्यज्य शास्त्रजालं संव्यवहारं च सर्वतस्त्यक्त्वा ।
    आश्रित्य पूर्णपदवीमास्ते निष्कम्पदीपवद्योगी ॥

    saMtyajya shAstrajAlaM saMvyavahAraM cha sarvatastyaktvA |
    Ashritya pUrNapadavImAste niShkampadIpavadyogI ||


    "Giving up the magical net of scriptural expositions and worldly affairs, the Yogi, united in the omnipresent Brahmam, stands like the motionless flame of a lamp."

    since he could not give up all the vyavahAras (affairs) it was not possible for him to do svechChA-vihAram (spend time as he wished) as 'paryaTati pATitAshaH, aTavIkANeShvaTannAste (wandering ascetic and teacher). When our bhAgyavisheSham is in balam (forceful) he cannot shun his PIThAdhikAram, isn't it? Therefore, in all other features both are identical. In the matter of samAdhi too it happened in that way. BrahmendrAL, playing with children and asking them to dig a deep pit on the ground in Nerur, climbed down the pit, asked them to close it and got into samAdhi. And our GurunAthAL got into the TungA river, sat in padmAsanam did prANasaMyamanaM (breath restraint) and got into jalasamAdhi. What if it is sthalasamAdhi or jalasamAdhi? Both the MahAns, giving up this shell they came to possess due to prArabdham (action of karmic balance), attained videhakaivalyam (bodiless, absolute unity) and got united with Parabrahmam. Both remain as an akaNTa vastu (limitless substance) that is omnipresent. And shine even today in the lotus of our heart.

    Of the upadesha vAkyas that came out of him when our GurucharaNAL was in ekAntam, only one or two or given below. One day when he was standing in his solitary room looking outside, as this Lekaka came under his glance, he called him with the words, "Hey ShAshtri!" and said the shloka:

    जगदंबापदस्मर्तुः नहि दुःखं कदाचन ।
    यदि जायेत नूनं तत् सुखोदर्काय केवलम् ॥

    jagadaMbApadasmartuH nahi duHkhaM kadAchana |
    yadi jAyeta nUnaM tat sukhodarkAya kevalam ||


    "For one who worships the lotus feet of AmbAL, misery will never happen. In case any misery crops up it will only be for a good ending, this is certain."

    and then spoke a few words about Mantresvara Sarma and roared as he finished his speech, "Write down, write down, go." This Lekaka couldn't understand anything of his words. While he was noting down the shloka immediately after he reached his place, a sudden opinion came up in the mind. Thinking that this could be an order to send the verse to Mantresvara Sarma, he wrote it and sent the note to the latter. But then it was not intelligible as to why the sage wanted the verse to be written down. When SannidhAnam became bahirmukham (conscious to the outside world) after two months, different people came to have his darshan. Mantresvara Sarma too came. When he was asked of the sequence of events relating to the verse mentioned above, he said with pravasham: "Had this shloka not come, whatever would have happened to me?" When he had lost his job and with his family expenses increasing, he was restless as to what to do further, since this had happened to him even with his doing puja unfailingly to the AmbAL mUrti divinely favoured to him by GurunAthAL, he was confused with adverse thoughts and was getting insincere about the AmbAL Puja, and it was at that time that he got GurunAthar's blessings, and he started worshipping his Devi with distinguished devotion and becaue of that he had then got a better job and so he had come to inform this to SannidhAnam,--both him and this Lekaka were sunk in surprise.

    *** *** ***
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: guru kripA vilAsam (On the Greatness of the Guru)

    pages 18-19

    Another incident is about this Lekaka. This Lekaka in his pUrvAshramam, under orders from his Guru, had gone to a village called PaLavADi. All of that village belonged to the Shringeri MaTham. The village was experiencing drought due to absence of rain for sometime. Since it was a bhUmi that looked up to the sky for sustenance, the irrigation of the corn fields was done from a lake. And the lake had gone dry. Since the village people supplicated, SannidhAnam had sent this Lekaka to do pArAyaNam of the VirAta Parva (of the MahAbhArata); and he had to follow his Guru's orders. When he reached the place he became apprehensive of the situation there. The wells were very deep and the lake was completely dry. If the lake was filled, they said, there would be no worry for three years. To fill it up, what shakti is there with us? Still as GurucharaNAL has that shakti, he has sent us. It is our duty to follow his orders, so this Lekaka did in kramam (order) the VirATaparva PArAyaNam, parjanya japam (litany to the rain god) and other related things in accordance with his Guru's orders, which had a timeframe of 12 days. But then since there was no sign of rain, to do it for an additional 12 days, this Lekaka extended his stay there. After 20 days, since he was afflicted with malaria fever, this Lekaka had to stop the PArAyaNam. Rains too hadn't come till then. His body became ashaktam (weak) and since it was only a kugrAmam (hamlet, petty village) no medical facilities were there. Somehow this Lekaka managed to be there for another two days with thoughts of his GurunAthAL, and then went to the town Sivamokka, took medical help there, and when he was a little better, returned to Shringeri.

    With the apprehension that his kAryam was not in pUrti (completion) so how could he have darshan of SannidhAnam, when he went to the MaTham, he got the news that GurunAthAL had gone into antarmukham. When he met SriKaNTha ShastrigaL who was having his office room adjacent to GurunAthAL's room, the man asked in anger, "Why should you agree to that kAryam if it was not possible for you to do it?" Forthwith, a roar was heard from the nearby room: "subhikSham, subhikSham, pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam" ("abundance, abundance, only wholeness there, wholeness here")! As GurunAthAL's shabda (loud words) came, ShAstrigaL send this Lekaka out. Nothing was intelligible then. On the evening of the next day, when the attendant came and said that SriKanTha ShAstrigaL was calling him, immediately this Lekaka went to his office room with some alarm. With mandahAsa (a gentle laugh) SriKanTha ShAstrigaL said, "O Shastri! All your pArAyaNa-kAryam has become saphalam (fruitful). Our manoratham (wishes) are pUrNam too; and the manobhIShTam (ardent wishes) of the people of the PaLavADi village too has become pUrNam (fulfilled). Look, we have received a telegram which says that half the lake is full and that it was still raining heavily." And he showed the telegram. Both of us understood what SannidhAnam said as pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam and subhikSham, subhikSham.

    Therefore, even when he was in antarmukham, our SannidhAnam never failed to do anugraham to his disciples.

    (end of chapter 1)
    *** *** ***
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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