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Swami teaches... Vedhapursha Jnaana Yajna leads to Sadguru

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Sai Ram

 

Light and Love

 

Swami teaches.... (11 - 12 May 2005)

Vedhapursha Jnaana Yajna Leads to Sadguru

Human being is now able to soar into outer space and reach up to the Moon;

Earth and sky are hisplaygrounds. But, though he is intelligent enough to sail

through space and under the sea andshoot bombs across continents, he is not

moral enough to live at peace with his neighbour. Human being slaughters own

brethren and sisters, steals, plots full conspiracies, revels in lies and

breaks the law,and destroys peace in own heart and in society. Everywhere there

is the dark cloud of anxiety, fear, discontent and agony, disturbing the rich as

well as the poor nations of the world.

In this condition, typical to Kali Yuga, we have Dharma, in plenty, in books

and perhaps, even in the words we speak. But, without the strength derived from

dedication and faith, and from purity of character and conduct, Dharma is

powerless to earn the Grace of God. That is the situation in which we are

today.But, there is no reason to lose heart. When the ignorance that has

enveloped it is removed, Dharma willagain shine forth and sustain the world.

The Vedhapurusha Jnaana Yajna is one of the means to make Dharma shine. (About

Vedhapurusha Jnaana Yajna was also briefly mentioned in previous serials 'Swami

teaches...'). The Vedhapursha Jnaana Yajna is the sum and substance of all

five types of Yajnas, and elaborate paraphrase of the rite.

The sages of India laid down that all activity has to be done as a

yajna, as offerings for the glory of God, in an atmosphere of thankfulness and

awe, of humility and holiness. The goal of all activity was idealised as the

happiness and peace of all living beings. The foundation for real peace is,

according to the Vedhas, the quality of Maithree, which means amicability,

friendship, compassion, kindness. It can also be taken to mean, "my three,"

that is to say, my word, deed and thought shall be in accordance with thy word,

thought and deed. That is to say, we shall speak, think and act together,

without friction or faction, in the atmosphere of love and understanding.

By Vedhas immortality is achieved not by adventurous deeds, not by brilliant

progeny, not by vast treasures, but, only by the practice of renunciation and

sharing. Below is a brief description five types of Yajnas that have been

prescribed for human being, to make an aspirant approximate to God. For these,

there is no need to have intermediary priests, or costly materials, or elaborate

ceremonies. Every householder can perform these and achieve the fruits. 1.

Dheva Yajna (Yajna for the Gods). This means that one dedicates all thoughts,

words and deeds for the glorification of God. 2. Pithru Yajna (Yajna for the

manes) : The offering of food or consecrated water in the name ofthe deceased

father, grandfather, great grandfather, and of the mother, grandmother and

greatgrandmother. There are those who laugh, ridiculing this rite, saying that

such offerings cannotreach them. But, the manthras uttered during the offerings

reveal that these deceased ancestorsare addressed as identifiable with Gods and

the rite is highly sublimated. This is the way to express gratitude to the

persons who brought us into this world. 3. Brahma Yajna (Yajan for the sages

and spiritual lore): This is to be performed by the study ofthe scriptures, the

Shaasthras or other sacred texts, which arouse tile craving for liberation.

4. Manushya Yajna (Yajna for mankind): This is done by means of hospitality to

guests, therelief of sickness, pain and poverty. 5. Bhuutha Yajna (Yajna for

living beings): This entails kindness to animals, especiallydomestic animals

that yield milk and slave for us in the field as draught animals. It includes

pets,cats and dogs, sheep and all things that creep and crawl, including even

ants. The heaping ofgrains over anthills in order to feed them is done as an

expiation for the destruction of such antsas might have taken shelter in the

fuel that we burn.

 

The Rig Vedha is the Vedha full of prayers to God for the realisation of

the aims of life; the Yajur Vedha describes the ceremonial and ritual aspects

of worship; the Sama Vedha extols the Gods through song and poetry; the Atharva

Vedha gives the secret formulae for preserving health and security of body and

community.

Each individual is born with the question "Koham" on its lips. "Who am I" is

the question which presses on every breast. And the answer is given by every

breath - Soham (He am I), the inhalation whispering 'So' and the exhalation,

'Ham'. But, the question is brushed aside by the mind, impatient to dabble in

the toyland it pictures the world to be; the answer is denied admission into

the understanding, by the ego, which derives temporary pleasure thereby.

Realise that your breath is answering the question correctly and live in the

consciousness that you are a wave of the He, that is, the Infinite (Cosmic)

Consciousness, that is God.

The five-element human's body equipped with five senses has as its

life-breath the five-letteredformula, enshrined in the Namaka section of the

Yajur Veda "Namah Si-vaa-ya". It is a basicmantra which means "that which can

save, when meditated upon." Every mantra has a seedsound(bijaakshara) which

precedes it and provides it with additional potency. Sound emanatedfirst

through the will of God. So the bijaakshara is fundamental for the mantra and

its efficacy.The bijaakshara for the fivelettered Namah Sivaya is the Vedic

sound, 'Om'.

'Sivaaya' in the mantra means 'to Siva'. Siva is the five-element-lord and

so He has all the power and wealth the five can yield to human who is too a

composite of the five. This mantra confers good fortune, wealth, prosperity

and happiness. Pandits have commented on this formula and explained it in

various ways. But, the formula contains a more universal and abstract concept.

It has to be pronounced always with 'Om'. There are potent mantras that

can transform personality and bring Grace to the aspirant. 'Om' (AUM, the

Pranava) is one such. Raama is another mantra, having the same numerological

vibrations: A equalling 0, U equalling 2 and M equalling 5, so that AUM is 7,

whereas R is 2, A is 0 and M is 5, so that Raama too is 7, a very seminal

number, with the important spiritual tonalities.

Human has the potency to elevate him/herself to Ananda. Only one has to get

rid of the obstacles that deny this experience. The I-sense, the ego,

constructs the world it is after. It shatters the One into many and takes pride

in deceiving itself. When 'I' is eliminated, Ananda is experienced fully. One

becomes truly and genuinely One's Self when this 'I' does not intrude. 'I' sets

one apart and establishes Dwaita (Duality). No 'I' brings together and

establishes Unity, One-without-a-second, A-dwaitha (Non-dualism). 'I' sense

arises, persists and disappears. The One-without-a-second is A-Kshara, it is

symbolised by 'Om', the Pranava, the ever-alive. The Guru who is ever in this

consciousness is the embodiment of Brahma-Bliss, since he is merged in the

Ananda which Brahman is. It is not imported or acquired or attained. It is

inherent in every heart. The world, the cosmos, every particle, is Ananda

itself but being ever in it, with it, of it and forit, human is unable to be

It, on account of the darkness that misleads and deludes.

The Guru grants the highest joy. What exactly constitutes this joy? Is it

physical well-being? Mental poise? Intellectual alertness? Sharpness of the

senses? No. The rishis declare that words return crestfallen after attempting

to describe that state. Even the mind with its fast-moving wings of imagination

cannot reach that state. The highest joy has its source and spring in the Atma,

the spark of the Cosmic Splendour, Awareness. The person who is ever aware of

the Atma within and in all is therefore the Sadguru.

Below are several essential qualities, attributes and expressions concern to

Sadguru.

1. Embodiment of Wisdom - Jnaana Murthim: What is meant by Jnaana? "Advaitha

Darsanam Jnanam": the awareness of the One, without a second, is Jnanam (the

supreme wisdom). And the Sadguru is the embodiment of that wisdom, having

unbroken experience of the One. Those who are commonly known as gurus are

signposts. But the Jnaanamurthi is with you right through, beside you and

before you, smoothing the path until the journey ends in him. 2.

Dvandvaathitham: The Sadguru is unaffected by the inevitable dualities of life:

joy and grief,profit and loss, ridicule and respect. 3. Gaganasadrsam:

Untouched by happenings and incidents but forming the perennial base, likethe

sky enveloping the nature. 4. Thath-thwam-asyaadi-Lakshyam: The living

exponent and experiencer of the four crucialaxioms of the Vedic

thought--That-thwam-asi (That Thou Art), Ayam Atma Brahma (The Self isverily

Brahman), Aham Brahmaasmi (I am Brahman) and Prajnaanam Brahma (Consciousnessis

Brahman). 5. Ekam: The One; though apparently passing through varied

experiences and even no experiencewhile awake or dreaming and in deep sleep,

The One is unaffected and remains as One - the guruis firmly established in the

One. 6. Nithyam: Eternal, untouched by time, the Sadguru is eternally pure,

aware, serene. 7. Vimalam: Faultless, nothing can tarnish its purity. The

Guru has no desire or sense of want. Heis perfect. 8. The Eternal Witness,

Achalam: The Sadguru, which is another name meant for God, knows no change in

his primal perfection, whatever form he may assume. The Achalam is the unmoving

screen. 9. Sarvadhee: All-pervasive, all-activating intelligence. 10.

Saakshi Bhutham: That which has become the witness of everything, everywhere,

like the sunwhich activates but is only witness of the activity. 12.

Bhaavaatheetham: He is beyond all urges, emotions, feelings and thoughts.

13. Trigunarahitham: Not bound by the three modes of qualities that divide

living beings intocategories - the serene mode, the active mode and the dull.

When bound, you are human, whenyou are free from entanglements and limiting

characterisations, you are divine. 14. Sadgurum: The worthy Guru. 15.

Tham: To Him 16. Namaami: I offer my reverential homage.

Beyond all limitations of time and place the Guru is pure chaithanya,

Is-ness; his consciousness is all pervasive. Who is a genuine Guru? The Guru

who deserves homage must possess these attributes. This is only another way of

saying that God alone can be the guide, the path and the goal. The genuine Guru

must have overcome Maya and the ego; he must be free from desire and need. The

verse which speaks of Guru as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara is quoted often.

But, the One has not broken into three, one part in charge of creation, another

who fosters and maintains and the third who dissolves and destroys. The Pranava

mantra 'Om' (AUM) is symbol of the One. Brahma is A, Vishnu is U and Shiva is M

and all three are indivisibly united in 'Om'. The problem this verse poses is

whether Guru is God or God is Guru. The answer is - God is Guru, the

ever-present, ever compassionate, the Witness who resides in the heart.

Human is consumed by time; God is the master of time. So, take refuge in

God. Let God be yourGuru, your path, your Lord. Adore Him, obey His commands,

offer Him your grateful homage, hold Him fast in your memory. This is the

easiest way to realise Him as your own reality. This is the one and only

way.God alone is the Sadguru.

You may say that you will not believe in God unless you have clear

experience personally about Him. You take many things on trust; it is

impossible to insist on personal experience for everything which we have to

believe, if life has to run smooth. Take this also on trust for, many sages,

saints, scientists, have accepted it and experienced it. (Reet's compilation

from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 10. "Light, love, joy," Chapter 22 and "My

three," Chapter 29; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol.18. "God is the only Sadguru,"

Chapter 14 and "Significance of Ganesa worship," Chapter 21).

Namaste - Reet

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