questions to ask ourselves

[Guest guest]

How long has it been since you've last read Swamiji's biography (if ever)? 

There is even an audio mp3 version available (for you telugu people)... and

perhaps soon an english version will be available... Perhaps its time to dust

off the book and look at it again, with fresh eyes, ears, nose, and such.  How

long since you last listened with rapt attention to Guru Gita?  Where indeed is

your attention at this moment?  We understand that everyone today is a " manager "

or a (wo)man of " service " ... but its also important to spend some time

understanding the underlying tattvam and message of Swamiji's teachings... to

re-read and re-read His life story... the trials, tribulations, the challenges,

His methods, His tattvam, His beliefs, His way, His Will...

 

When will we lose our presumptuousness and realize that Swamiji does

everything?  We have what we have today because of His will.  Be Thankful.  Be

seriously and truly Thankful.  Before you eat every meal, be Thankful.  Before

you pay your rent, be Thankful.  The very least we can be, is Thankful.  To one

who is not Thankful - where is the question of spirituality?  Too many people

assume that because Swamiji is silent, he's doing nothing, or he's ignoring us,

or some other nonsense.  Silence does not equal laziness or stupidity or

impotence or incapacity or inability to hear or lack of awareness.  Silence is

energy.  Silence is patience.  Silence is training.  Behind all your actions, do

you not see that there is a silent force that both witnesses and guides?  Is it

by your conscious effort that your heart is beating?  You should seriously

pray/hope not.  Is the entire universe a result of chance?  If you add,

subtract, multiply,

divide in creative ways, will the numbers suddenly become conscious and say

" I'm bored of this nonsense... " ?  Where indeed are the parts?  What indeed is

the Whole?  Is there even a linear/simple relationship?  Though the signs are

all around us, we fail to see that there is a silent operator that gives life to

life.  We are not patient, nor have we the inclination to meditate and remain

silent.  We are all guilty, each and every one.

 

What is the meaning of Gurave Buddhi Saakshine?  Who wrote this? Were they

idiots?  ...why indeed are we so arrogant?  If you are going to be egotistical,

be so egotistical that your ego will break - don' be a half and half

closet-hiding weak person.  If you have real questions, there should be a fire

in your belly to have them answered.  Timidity is dishonesty.  Such a person can

never get answers.  This does not mean you barrage Swamiji with silly questions

- think for yourself and develop the capacity to analyse and discern.  What is

Narayana known for? His discernment and discrimination... His sense of

judgement... His sense of how to solve any problem... His supreme independence

from anyone and anything...

 

Shiva's consort is Parvathi... why? What is Shiva's tattvam?

 

Narayana's consort is Lakshmi... why?  What is Narayana's tattvam?

 

Brahma's consort is Vagdevi... why?  What is Brahma's tattvam?

 

....have you sat down and seriously considered any of these?  You chant

endlessly, and never once give thought to why? What am I chanting? To Whom am I

chanting?  ...then we make the mistake of separation... " Oh if I pray to Shiva,

I will become an ascetic, whereas if I pray to Venkateshwara / Vadikasuda, I

will earn lots of money... if I pray to Hanuman... I will be a perpetual

bachelor... etc. "   (Does any of this make any sense?)  When do we realize that

they are One and the same?  He who distinguishes between Hari and Hara knows

NEITHER.

 

Spirituality is not for the timid, the shy, the useless, or the lame.  Just

because sadhus run around in saffron robes and beg for their food - you assume

that they are powerless or lack courage of character.  What is more difficult

than to give up everything for a belief?  Yet, if you truly believe, then what

is easier?  What is more frightening?  We cannot do this.  On the outside we

treat sadhus with respect (out of fear that something may happen if we do not,

or because we were told to, or because we want  " something " and we see this as

the means, or because we are worried " what if... " ... but truly, we do not know

with certainty...), but inside, we are full of arrogance that we are the

providers, we are the doers, ...that without us, the world would not run... that

it is because of us that the politics are being prevented... that because of us

that Swamiji knows what's going on at our center... it is because of our efforts

that Swamiji knows

how good this person is, and how bad this other person is... " Oh look at their

devotion... " (Who are we to comment on other's devotions?)  " Oh look at their

method... we are capable of doing it better... " (So, who is stopping you? Go

somewhere else and do it better...)  This is Swamiji's organization, not our

personal organization, so we either accept that Swamiji is doing everything,

that He knows everything, or get out and look for something that is more

suitable to our advanced spirituality...  What is the use of repeating " He is my

SatGuru " when we don't understand what SatGuru means?  He is not only our

SatGuru when he visits us in our home towns, he is our SatGuru, long before we

were born, and long after we are dead and moved on... What is a SatGuru?  I

don't want stupid answers, I want serious serious discrimination and

understanding... people will say " this question will take a lifetime to

answer... " (but then in the next breath, they will

say " I will find out later... " )... it takes a lifetime to answer, assuming that

you take action as if you want an answer *today*, not assuming " I will find out

at the end of life... " ... because for such a person there is no hunger.  Sadhana

is most serious and most required to find answers, not laziness.  People mistake

laziness for effort.  Yes it is His will, but where is *my* hunger?  Once the

Hunger is there, the actions will take care of themselves.  You will undoubtedly

eat, whatever it may be, ladoos or buffaloes.

 

Time and time again, people arranging Swamiji's programs thinking that " we are

doing this, we are doing that... " ... in words " Swamiji is doing everything... "

.... in thought " I must do... " " I am doing this... " " I need to do... " in deed " If

it wasn't for me... "

 

When will these vasanas come to an end? When will we recognize our foolishness?

When will this foolishness come to an end?  Don't say " when Swamiji's grace is

with me, I can achieve anything... " (It is a lie to act so holy).  Swamiji's

grace is *ever* present, the fault is in the receiver alone (who is throwing

away this Grace).  This is not the chicken and the egg - god Created a chicken

already, the egg comes naturally.  If you had Swamiji's grace, you could be much

more spiritual, if you were much more spiritual you could have Swamiji's grace -

He has already put an end to this circle - He has already provided and continues

to provide Grace - but where are you to receive it? ( " I have no time... " " I have

no inclination... " )  One does not have to give up one's duties to remain in

communion with Him.  Each moment is an opportunity for initiation and

receivership, if only we recognized it.

 

Gurorangri Padme Manas Chena Lagnam.  Tha Tha Kim. Tha Tha Kim. Tha Tha Kim. Tha

Tha Kim.

If our mind is not wedded to the Holy feet of SatGuru, What is the use? What is

the use? What is the use? What is the use?

 

Those who refuse to remain in constant communion with Swamiji, will never know. 

For such people who are ignorant of the Guru principle (Guru tattvam), japa,

tapas, prayers, pujas, and everything else are useless.  They waste their

lives.   Think about the day of your death, then your life will take on new

meaning.  This is not " morose " thinking - it is realism.  Spirituality is not

about idealism, nor imagination, it is for the True Realist.  Only sadhus

realize that one day we die - the rest of us live as if tomorrow will always

come.  So there may be reincarnation - but reincarnating as a buffalo is of no

use - we are human today - that is guaranteed today only - no guarantees for

tomorrow - so, make use of today - this moment.  Life and death are separated by

a hearbeat and a breath.  See your body laying on its deathbed - and ask

yourself " what's important to me? "   This isn't for weak people.  Weak people

cannot achieve anything, by

definition.  Those who are serious must start now and practice mounam in all

situations - tapatriyam ( " fidgety-ness " or " fickleness " or " worrying/doubting

nature " ) is the opposite of mounam (inner silence).  He is there to take care of

everything.  Even your breathing.  It is not a joke or wishful thinking, this is

the Truth.  Shivasanaha. Shivasanaha. Shivasanaha. Shivasanaha.

 

Never in all of history have the vedas/shastras/puranas been so readily

accessible and yet so easily ignored/forgotten, misinterpreted, or misused. 

What an unfortunate joke.

 

Jaya Guru Datta!

 ---

Gurorangripadme ManaScenna Lagnam tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim!?