Guru Purnima in Prasanthi Nilayam

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Guru Purnima in Prasanthi Nilayam

 

 

 

Guru Purnima

LIGHTING THE LAMP OF WISDOM WITHIN…

 

Sathya Sai Baba’s mission is holy in essence and holistic in approach and this

mission has ever been focussed in promoting individual as well as societal

transformation. What could be aptly described as a spiritual and cultural

renaissance was the most happening thing under His Divine Mission and every

festivity and event in Prasanthi Nilayam consciously or subconsciously is aimed

at attaining this end result. With primitive age old customs and traditions no

longer getting due attention and are engaged in a hard-fought battle for

survival, Prasanthi Nilayam very often witnesses festivities celebrated in the

very presence of the Promoter of Cultural and Spiritual Renaissance of the

modern age, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and there unfolds the most subtle

significance of each and every festivity.

 

The Sanskrit meaning of the term Guru is a person having great knowledge, wisdom

and authority in a given area and used the same to guide others. ‘Gu’ is

darkness and ‘Ru’ is light and thus the term gets the finer meaning as the

one who dispels darkness. Where else one could turn his attention to remove the

veil of ignorance, darkness than the preceptor of all preceptors, Sathya Sai

Baba? Guru Purnima has always been a festival with foremost reckoning in

Prasanthi Nilayam.

 

Who is a Guru? He is the Divine dispeller of the darkness within you. The Divine

Trinity have been described as Guru. This implies that the Divine should be

regarded as the supreme preceptor who can destroy the darkness of ignorance.

Forgetting this basic truth, people run after men wearing ochre robe who profess

to impart a mantra and stretch their palm for money. This is not what is meant

by Guru. Install God in your heart. The vibrations that emanate from the heart

will elevate you spiritually and confer Divine Wisdom. – Bhagawan Sri Sathya

Sai

 

Moon connotes the mind and on a perfect moon day mind is believed to be regaling

in cool and calm composure. When the moon’s perfection coincides with the

Sun’s transition heralding the advent of the month of Ashada based on the

vernacular calendar, it marks the arrival of Guru Purnima, with a silent

reminder to man of the salient need to pay respect and obeisance to Teacher or

Guru.

 

18th July 2008, Prasanthi Nilayam was filled to capacity and bore a festive

look. Gliding past from the Ashadi backdrop that has been there for the past

four days, Prasanthi got into a higher gear with the festival with a greater

significance arrived and with it a bout of attached events. On the serene and

beautiful morning that was supposedly spotless with sun shining bright, it was

He, The Sun of all the suns came out emerging from His Divine Abode in sparkling

yellow robe, dot at 8:50 a.m. Regaled entire Prasanthi and the thousands

thronged to have a glimpse of the Lord when the Lord made His way through to the

thousands with a beaming smile on His beautiful face completing a full round

before coming on to the dais after cutting the cake specially made for the

occasion.

 

The morning proceedings began with an introductory speech by Prof. Anil Kumar

who thanked Bhagawan for His greater magnanimity conferring the chosen blessings

on multitudes. Referring to the lakhs and lakhs of devotees around the world who

could not make it to Prasanthi Nilayam, he hoped that Bhagawan’s blessings

would be there for the entire world. The Chief Guest for the morning session was

Hon’ble Home Minister of India, Sri Shivaraj Patil who was seated next to

Bhagawan on the dais. Inviting Sri Shivaraj Patil to address the gathering, he

mentioned about Mr. Patil’s book on Bhagavad Gita that was just released by

Bhagawan, that Sri Shivaraj Patil has extensively studied the Gita to write his

own book on the celestial song and the book was already written in various other

languages.

 

Offering pranams at His Divine Lotus Feet and to the devotees assembled the

minister said: Bhagawan inspires, guides, encourages and blesses all of us, and

whatever is done or achieved is done only with His inspiration, encouragement

and blessings, making an indirect reference to his composition on Bhagavad Gita.

He does it at times covertly and otherwise overtly. He said: Bhagavad Gita would

not have seen the light without His inspiration. Talking about Bhagavad Gita’s

significance, He said, Bhagavad Gita teaches one to live in the world

righteously, fighting the battle to realize the purpose of life. Touching the

point to reach out the masses affectively the minister highlighted the

importance of such works to be written and translated into various languages.

With a prayer on his lips to bless the entire humanity and the cosmos in

entirety, the minister concluded his inspiration speech.

 

BHAGAVAD GITA IS THE VERY BREATH OF GOD

 

The whole universe emerges out of the principle of Truth and merges back into

Truth. Upon investigation one cannot find a single space without Truth. Truth is

omnipresent and for all actions Truth is the primal cause, said Bhagawan

commencing His Divine Discourse.

 

Switching over to Shivaraj Patil’s latest composition on Bhagavad Gita, He

said, the composition is especially significant as the minister would show the

script to Bhagawan for His Divine guidance and guidelines. The book is Bhagavad

Gita in essence; the essence of Bhagavad Gita imprinted in his heart was

translated and passed into paper.

 

Gurupurnima is not as one thinks an occasion to show adoration and veneration to

the elders, preceptors and celibates. Reciting the famous Guru Manthra, Gurur

Brahma…Gurur Visnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwara…Bhagawan said, Brahma, Vishnu and

Maheshwara are the real gurus and as such God is the Guru and remembering God

with adoration, veneration with a spotless mind signifies the real meaning of

Guru Purnima. Bhagawan went in detail into Ekalavya’s story narrating the

Preceptor – Disciple relationship. In spite of knowing that he would not be

able to use all the skills that he has learnt at the feet of his master, through

his dedication, concentration reverence and love for his guru Dronacharya, when

it came to offering Guru Dakshina, he never ever hesitated even a bit, to offer

his thumb, without which his skills would be of any use. The feeling of “Iâ€

and “Mine†are to be cut to know the essence of Bhagavad Gita. Any

investigation would be

futile without removing the feeling of “I†and “Mine†and one would not

be successful in knowing the Atma Tathwa without achieving the same. He referred

to the holy cross as the finest example as a most useful weapon to reach out

Jesus, the Godhood. Bhagavad Gita has three important messages, namely, Self

Confidence, Self Sacrifice and Self Realisation. Bhagavad Gita is the very

breath of God. The celestial song may not have subtle explanations, but, one is

sure to find many answers to his various questions.

 

Referring to the last sloka in Bhagavad Gita, Yatra yogeshwara Krishno yatra

Partho dhanur dharaha. Tatra shreer vijayo bhutir dhruvo nithir mathir mamaha,

Bhagawan said, the essence of Gita lies in same.

 

One may be reading so many books, but it comes to no use until and unless one

tries to put the same into practical life. Students and teachers should not only

read and recapitulate, but, also should practise and share the knowledge with

others. Students in Prasanthi are good and have sacred hearts. Sacred Hearts

would lead to Secret Place that is Destiny, added Bhagawan. He called out a

faculty from the Department of Physics who have been invited by the Govt. of

Hungary for a presentation and said other students also should emulate such fine

examples and achieve distinction. Whatever one has learnt as a student in the

portals of Sathya Sai University and at the Feet of Bhagawan should be shared

with students from other universities.

 

Yes, full moon is spotless, said Bhagawan and commencing the Divine Discourse He

said, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara are to be revered and worshipped. Worship God

with a spotless mind was essence of the message of Bhagawan on Guru Purnima Day.

 

Way back in 1964, during the Guru Purnima Divine Discourse, Bhagawan said:

 

Being Guru Pournima Day, I am reminded of a lady at Shirdi, an old devotee

called Radhabai Desh¬mukh, who was worshipping Me in My previous Sariram. She

wanted initiation into a Mantra and fasted for three full days, in order to

persuade Me to do it. Shyama came running and announced she was very

exhaus¬ted. She was brought to Dwarakamayi. Baba asked her what she wanted and

wanted her to explain what she meant by Guru. She repeated the sloka, “Gurur

Brahma Gurur Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwarah, Gurusaakshaath Parabrahma Thasmai

Sree Gurave Namah " . Then, Baba asked her, " If the Guru is all that, what other

Mantra do you expect him to give? Why should He give you the name of any other

Form of God? Then He told her,†This is the Gurusthanam as well as Devasthanam

for you. My Name is enough for you. Go. " Some people may ask: “If we are

immersed in Namasmarana, what is to happen to our lives and to those who are

dependent on us? " But I tell them,

“They are not dependent on you; when you depend on the Lord, they too are His

responsibility. Why should you carry your luggage on your head, once you have

boarded the train? Sit down in comfort. The train will take you, along with the

luggage. " If you get immersed in Namasmarana, the Lord will provide not Annam,

but Amritam.

 

You too have secured the Presence not merely of the Guru but of God. You are in

Bhagavatsannidh¬ yam, (in the immediate Divine Presence) not just satsangam.

How lucky you are! Make the best use of this golden chance. "

 

Does it not sound significant to all of us who are hearing the Divine in

physical? We need to dig out, we need to introspect, meditate to know the Truth,

to realise the Truth.

 

Let’s sing in chorus…

 

The light of wisdom within me shines brighter today because of you.

The knowledge of the first light has been fanned by you

I have within me all the Truth that is, and is to be

I am unaware of all that is

With You, O Great One, I shall realize the Truth;

With gratitude, I honour Your Name, which is many;

 

With humility, I bow to Thy Form, which is changing;

With trust, I merge my mind with Thine, to become the One Mind;

With Thee as my Guide, Teacher, Guru, I know

I will come to know my true self, the One Self of all

Your name is Sathya, You are Truth

The Truth that I am…

 

(to be continued... ..)