Saint-Part 1

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The Saint

 

 

 

Between detachment and surrender to God, there is need of an entity, without

whom the Supreme goal cannot be

attained. That entity is a Saint. For surrender to God, it is the Saint who

decides which path is the best for each devotee,

and it is he who removes all doubts faced by the aspirant

on the path. To attain realization of God, mere detachment

is not enough.

 

 

 

acaryavan puruso hi veda.

(Veda)

 

 

 

pariksya lokan karmacitan

brahmano nirvedamayan nastyakrtah krtena

tadvijnanartham sa gurumevabhigacchet

 

samitpanith srotriyam brahmanistham,

 

(Mundaka Upanisad)

 

 

 

“Learned men have performed rituals and arrived at the conclusion that mere

rituals cannot destroy the bondage of

action. On the contrary, they serve only to increase the

bondage. Hence, there is need of a Saint who has known

and experienced God." The Gita declares­ -

 

 

 

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya

upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattvadarsinah

(Gita)

 

 

 

 

"One who desires to know God, will have to surrender

to a realized Saint and seek the Supreme knowledge with

a spirit of service and submission." Veda Vyasa too declares ­-

 

 

 

tasmadgurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam

sabde pare ca nisnatam brahmanyupasamasrayam

 

(Bhagavatam)

 

 

 

"To realize God, surrender to a genuine Saint is absolutely necessary. " The

Ramayana states­ -

 

 

 

guru binu bhava nidhi tarai na koi

 

guru binu hoi ki jnana

(Ramayana)

 

 

 

The unanimous view of all the scriptures is that it is

impossible to know the unknowable entity God, without a

Master or" Guru. Hence, reflection upon the subject of a Saint

is the next step.

 

A Saint must be one who is not only a scholar of

the Vedas and scriptures, but at the same time, he" should

also have practical experience. The scriptures emphasize that

both these conditions are to be fulfilled. But of the two,

practical experience is more important. One who has attained realization of God,

automatically attains all knowledge. But

it is extremely difficult to know whether an individual soul

has realized God or not. It is only one who has attained

the state of a Saint that can recognise another. Just as God

is beyond the grasp of the material senses, mind and intellect,

the Saint too is beyond the grasp of our material senses.

However, we have to make "an attempt to recognize a Saint

through perceptual, inferential, and scriptural evidence;

otherwise no one will ever be able to attain God-realization.

 

 

Therefore, although recognizing a Saint may require time and effort, it has to

be done, as there is no other alternative.

If this problem of recognizing a Saint is given thought, then

it will be evident that any effort of a new aspirant in this

direction, is as ridiculous as the effort of a child studying

A, B, C’s attempting to estimate the knowledge of a university

professor. Yet innumerable disciples have recognized their

Master, surrendered to him, followed the spiritual discipline

specified by him, and through his guidance, have eventually

attained God-realization. In order to reach that same end

without losing hope, we too have to follow the same rules

and the same path. When any task can be achieved by one

person, it automatically implies that others can also do it.

 

 

 

To begin with, there are two. categories of Saints and

two categories of impostors. It is only when all the four

are clearly understood, that it will be possible to solve the

problem of recognizing a true Saint.

 

 

 

The first category of Saints are those who are Saintly

both within and without. It is extremely easy to recognize

such a Saint because he does not resort to any external

pretence. However, history bears witness to the fact that very

few Saints belonged to this category.

 

 

 

The second category of Saints are those who are Saintly

inwardly, but appear to be worldly in their outward behaviour.

As we normally judge a person by his external behaviour,

it becomes extremely difficult to recognize such a Saint. Most

Saints belong to this category, because it is the nature of

Saints to conceal themselves from the world.

 

 

 

gopaniyam gopaniyam gopaniyam prayatnatah

 

The reason behind this could possibly be that, if a Saint

were to openly declare his identity" people would never

approach him as it is a common notion that a great man

will not admit his own greatness. Whatever the reason,

historical evidence confirms the fact that most Saints were

outwardly worldly, and inwardly Divine.

 

 

 

The first category of impostors consists of material men,

who are both inwardly and outwardly worldly. Such people

do not pretend to be Saintly, hence there is no problem

in recognizing them.

 

 

 

The second category of impostors are those who are

inwardly materialistic, but outwardly act in a Saintly manner.

Not only do they lecture about the scriptures, but many often

wear the ochre garb of sadhus (ascetics) and involve themselves

in disciplic initiation. It is extremely difficult to recognize such

impostors, because we normally judge a person according to

his or her external behaviour.

 

 

 

Both, the second category of Saints and the second

category of impostors, require deeper examination, that is,

those who are Saintly inwardly but externally behave like

ordinary worldly people, and those who are inwardly worldly,

but outwardly behave like Saints. How do we distinguish

between the two? This is one of the most difficult problems

to solve. Now, many may raise the objection that a true

Saint cannot possibly behave like a worldly man. Obviously

such people have never made a deep study of the history

of Saints. Hence, a brief survey will be enlightening at this

 

stage.

 

 

 

 

 

It is a well-known truth that from the moment a person

attains perfect knowledge of God, there can never be

ignorance again. Once perfect bliss is attained, the question

of experiencing any sorrow just does not arise.

 

 

 

soda pasyanti surayah tad visnoh paromom padam

(Veda)

 

 

 

A Saint always experiences Divine bliss. If that bliss or

knowledge were to be impermanent, then no one would bother

to make an effort to attain it.

 

 

 

manusyanam sahasresu kascidyatati siddhaye

 

yatatampai siddhanam kascinmam vetti tattvatah

 

(Gita)

 

 

 

The Gita states that it takes thousands of years to attain

perfection. Why bother to strive so hard to attain knowledge

or bliss that _s temporary? But it is not so. A seed of rice

or wheat, when roasted on fire appears to be the same,

but the germinating power of the seed has been destroyed

forever. No one can make that seed germinate, through

whatever means he adopts. In the same way, once a person

is liberated from material bondage through God-realization, the

disease of Maya can never dominate or govern that person

again. This is a unanimously accepted philosophy supported

by the scriptures. On the basis of this philosophy, we have

to understand how the Saints who were beyond Maya,

happened to act like worldly people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning from the top, the Ramayana declares that even personalities like

Brahma and Siva, the creator and destroyer

of the universe, were deluded by Maya.

 

 

 

narada bhava viranci sanakadi

je muni nayaka atama vadi

 

moha na andha kina kahu kehi

ko jaga kama nacava na jehi

(Ramayat)

 

 

 

"There is no one, not even Brahma and Siva who escaped

from being blinded by delusion."

 

 

 

At this stage it is relevant to know that there are two

kinds of Saints. The first kind are those who have eternally

been Saints, that is, they never have been under the control

of Maya. The second kind are those who were governed by

Maya one day, but having surrendered to a Guru and practising

the specified spiritual discipline, realized God and were

thereafter eternally liberated from material bondage. We shall

first refer to those Saints who were never governed by Maya.

How did these eternal Saints become deluded by Maya? What

was the reason for their delusion?

 

 

 

In Satyayuga, we have evidence that the 'four brothers,

Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara were deluded

even though they were eternally self-realized souls who

constantly experienced the bliss of union with Brahman. These

four brothers were on their way to Vaikuntha,, when Jaya

and Vijaya, two residents of Vaikulntha, stopped them from

entering the gates. The four brothers were furious, and in

that anger they cursed Jaya and Vijaya. Observe, the Vedas

declare that one who is absorbed in the bliss of Brahman,

neither sees, hears, smells, touches, tastes, thinks nor decides

anything apart from the self.

 

 

 

yatra hi dvaitamiva bhavati taditara itaram jighrati,

taditara itaram pasyati, taditara itaram srnoti,

taditara itaramabhivadati, taditara itaram manute,

taditara itaram uijanati, yatra va asya sarvam

atmaivabhut tat kena kam…… yenedam sarvam

 

vijanati tam kena vijaniyad, vijnataramare kena

vijaniyaditi

 

 

 

(Brhadaranyaka Upanisad)

 

 

 

When a self-realized soul experiences nothing apart from

the self, how did these brothers experience duality? How were

they so dominated by ignorance, as to go to the extent

of cursing?

 

 

 

Next, we have the astonishing example of Parvati’s

delusion. How was she, the Divine consort of Lord Siva, ruled

by ignorance? It is stated in the Ramayana that when Lord

Rama was totally lost in the grief of separation from His

wife Sita, Parvati happened to witness this scene, and

overcome by ignorance, she reflected­

 

 

 

kabahu yoga viyoga na jake

dekha pragata viraha dukha take

(Ramayana)

 

 

 

"God is defined as one who is eternally self-contented

and does not experience any feelings of union or separation.

How can Lord Rama be a descension of the Supreme

Personality when He appears to be so blinded by grief, merely

on separation from His wife? But then again, how is it that

my husband, the Supreme Lord Siva, paid obeisance to this

man? Surely, Lord Siva is all-knowing. How can he possibly

make a mistake? "

 

 

 

sankara jagata vandya jagadisa

sura nara muni saba navata sisa

tina nrpa sutahim kina paranama

 

(Ramayana)

 

 

 

Thus Parvati's mind kept fluctuating between doubt and belief.

 

 

 

brahma jo vyapaka viraja aja akala aniha abheda

so ki deha dhari hoya nara jahi na janata veda

(Ramayana)

 

 

 

How can the Supreme, All-pervading, Formless Absolute

take human form? Now isn't this doubt ridiculous? The soul

it self is formless, yet it takes on a body-form, and circulates

in the endless cycle of birth and death. Can the All-powerful,

Almighty, Supreme Personality, God who creates this entire

universe, not assume a form?

 

 

 

However, the Ramayana states that Parvati was overcome by doubt; firstly about

the Formless Absolute having a form, and secondly about His being overcome by

feelings of union and separation. Evidently Lord Rama could never be a

descension of God. But then why did the all-knowing Lord

Siva pay his obeisances to Him? Eventually Parvati decided

to test Lord Rama by assuming the form of . Sita. She sat

at a distance where Lord Rama was sure to notice her in

His frantic search for Sita. When Lord Rama saw her, He

immediately ceased His own acting and asked, "O Mother,

why are you sitting here alone? Where is My father, Lord

Siva ?"

 

 

 

The test was over. Parvati returned to Lord Siva, quite

ashamed of her behaviour. But when Lord Siva asked her

whether she had tested Lord Rama, she who accepted both

him and Lord Rama as all-knowing personalities, immediately

lied, saying she had not­ -

 

 

 

kachu na pariksa lina gusaim,

kina pranama tumharihim naim

(Ramayana)

 

 

 

Thus Parvati, the consort of Lord Siva, appears to have

been deluded.

 

 

 

Next Garuda, the eternal mount of God, and the supreme

among all devotees and men of wisdom is also said to have

been overcome by delusion. When he saw Lord Rama bound

by the serpent darts of the demon Indrajit, he wondered­

 

 

 

bhava bandhana te chutai nara japi jakara nama

kharva nisacara bandheu nagapasa soi rama

(Ramayana)

 

 

 

"How could the Supreme Almighty Lord, whose very

name has the power of destroying the bondage of all karma,

be bound by anyone? Surely, this cannot not be God in human

form?" To clear his doubts he went to Sage Narada and

Lord Siva. He was told that a great ignorance had overpowered

him, and this was nothing to be surprised about, because

even great personalities like Brahma, Siva, etc. had also fallen

prey to it from time to time.

 

There is nothing more astonishing than the account of

the great devotee Hanuman's first meeting with Lord Rama.

He, who is the greatest devotee of Lord Rama, failed to

recognize his own Master­ -

 

 

 

ki tuma tina deva maham kou,

nara narayana ki tuma dou

(Ramayana)

 

 

 

Assuming the form of a Brahmin, he went to Lord Rama

and asked, "Who are you? What are you doing in this forest?

Are you Brahma, Visnu, Siva, or both man and the Almighty

God Himself? I am unable to recognize you. Please reveal

your identity to me."

 

 

 

Lord Rama replied, "I am the son of King Dasaratha.

I have lost my wife, and 1 am searching for her. Now do

tell me who you are?"

 

 

 

It was then that Hanuman recognized Lord Rama and

expressed his amazement in the following words­ -

 

 

 

mora nyau maim pucha saim,

 

tuma kasa puchahu nara ki naim

tava mayavasa phiraum bhulana,

tate natha na maim pahicana

 

(Ramayana)

 

 

 

"O Lord!, being deluded by Maya, I failed to recognize

you. But how is it that You, who are the governor of Maya,

failed to recognize me?"