Sunday 21 December 2014

Not Above The Mentor

Oh the devotees and the sons of Nectar who are present here yearning after drinking the pollen of the lotus like Divine Foot of the Lord.

In all our scriptural Text books, human life is termed as a rere life. All through out various universal changes of time and age, we have been coming and going back from this world. Thus passing through the cycle of birth and death for long 84 lakhs of times is different forms like beasts, birds and other creatures, we have finally got this human form. For example, suppose a piece of wood has been floating on river water without any stop. As soon as it will touch the bank of the river, its journey will come to an end. It is no more needed to float. Similarly the jeevas are floating in the eternal ocean of time - has it no end? The Scriptures say, "Yes, it has an end." But how? "Yada hi Mahaporosha Prasanga." It means that whenever the devotees will get the noble blessings of their mentor, they would become free from the cycle of birth and death for eternal period of time, In simple languages, the jeevas will not then be required to come back to this world after death. Getting shelter at the lotus foot of the Guru, they will then enjoy a majestic status in the abode of the Absolute like the daughter of the blind beggar described in a story that runs like this.

Once a king went out to a forest for hunting a deer. At that time a blind beggar came to him along with his daughter for begging. Being charmed by the beauty of the beggar's daughter, the king soon married that girl. Now her status was raised to that of a queen. But actually she was the daughter of a beggar. How did she gain the status of a queen? Was it because of her beauty? No, not that, there had been many other beautiful girls to marry the king. So beauty had no role in this matter. This was practically a whim of the king. The king had developed a liking for the girl and as such he married her. After the marriage, by virtue of the wedding of the beggar's daughter with the king, she could get the status of a queen. For so many years she had been begging with her father and no body knows how many years more she would have been required to beg had she not come to the notice of the king. Here the position of the jeeva is as same as that of the beggar's daughter. For unaccountable period of time the jeevas (individual souls) have been subjected to the cycle of birth and death. It is after 84 lakhs of birth in different forms. it has got the present human form. In this flow of birth and death, the jeevas have had been floating for eternal period of time. Should it be required to float eternally? The scriptures say, "No. As soon as it gets shelter under the Guru, it gets the shore of the ocean of time, it is no more required to float. It has now been endowed with the status of the queen of the story in reference, "Yada hi Mahaporosha Porosha Prasnga."

In Srimad Vagabata Vgaban Sri Krishna has thus told Uddhavji,

"Nridehamadyang sulavang sudurlovang
Plabang Sukalpang Guru karn-adharam
Moyanukulleyna nacasvateritang
Puman Vabaddhving no taret sha Atmaha. "

It means that the person who fails to cross this ocean like material world by this boat of flesh and blood i,e., human body with the Guru as the helmsman and accompanied by favourable and blissful wind from the Parosha who is at the root of all causes and results who is scarcely found but yet easily available because of his own power of Divinity and who is very dexterous in effecting the desired interest, is an Atmaha (Self Killer).

However, it is for our need to cross the ocean of life that we require the acceptance of a Guru in this regard. We should always remember that God Himself has come to us in the form of Sri Guru to rescue us (the jeevas) from the frets and worries of this material world. For this He has been standing by the side of the afficted Jeevas on the same base. In this regard Sir Vagaban told Uddharvadasji,

"Acharjyang Mang Vijaniyannaba manneyta kahichit
No Martyabudhyasuet sarva DevamayaGuru."
(srimad vagabat).

Here sri Vagaban is telling "Know me as the Acharaya. I am Achariya. I am Guru. Never neglect the Acharya who is none but sri Guru himself. Taking him as an ordinary man of the world, never bear any grudge(ashuya) against him since he remains the representative of the Lord every where.

Sri Guru and vagaban are one and undivided. All our scriptures are also communicating the same idea in this regard, "jeaver nistar lagi Nanda suta Hari vubane prakash han Guru rup dhari".

It means that for the deliverance of the individual souls Nanda's son Hari gets himself manifested in the world as Guru." What a beautiful expression.

"Guruke Kariya Krishna,
Karaha Vajan,
Tabaje Paibe Vrajer nandan
Guru Krishnarupa han Sashtrer pramane
Guru rupe Krishna Kripa Karen Vakta gane."

Here the poet is advising us to adore and worship the Guru in the form of Krishna for getting access to vraja Nandan (Krishna). In the scriptures it has been proved that Guru is none but Krishna Himself, Krishna (the lord) Blesses the devotees in the form of Sri Guru.

In our pralyers also we sing the following hymn.
"Guru Brahma Guru Bishnu
Guru sakshat parang Brahma
Toshmoi Sri Gurube Bamah".

Here the poet wants to say in brief that Guru is the focus of the Holy Trio, Viz, Brahman, Bishnu and Maheshvara and hence we sholuld pay our obeisance to Sri guru.

The 54th Acharaya of Nimabarka sampradaya Sri Swami Ramadas Kathia Maharaj has also said, "Jai jai Sri Guru,Prema Kalpataru, Advut Jahaka Prakash."

By this couplet he wants us to acclaim doubly the triumph of Sri guru to the Vaktas he is but the wish Yielding tree. His revelation before us in this world is a matter of great wonder.

We (the jeevas) are Practically wrapped in the gloom of ignorance and as such hypothicated to this material world. Our position has been depicted by the great souls in this way;

"Du Kar Judiya Kamer Makar,
Krodhke dhareche buke;
Kover pichame chhutichha sadai Mohate matichha Sukhe."

The essence of the poem is that with folded palms we are running after material passions like the makar (Capricorn), we are nourishing anger in our heart and allowing olurselves to be dragged by greed; we have lost our identity in the sea of transitory happiness. We the jeevas being blinded by ill illusion and obssession do not know-

"Je deha Apon jnane
Jatna karo ratri dine,
Basanbhusan kato besh.
paramatma Vagaban
Jabe haben anatrdhuan
Vashma KeetKrimi abosesh "

The poet here likes to spell a word of caution to us by stating that considering this human body as our own, we take care of it round the clock and dress it with so many attires and ornaments. But as soon as the paramatma (super soul) Vagaban disappears from it, it becomes the residence of a charred maggat.

In the context of the discussions held above, we can now conclude that in human life neither the possession of material wealths like money and honour ctc., nor the show of power and public support etc are any matter of credit to us. These are not capable to resist the flow of life and death. On the otherhand, worshipping of a preceptor is the only worthy object of honour for us ( the jeevas) in this world. It is only the grace of Sri Guru That can make the jeevas able to cross this ocean like world and get their salvation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death; hence they may achieve eternal and rapturous delight through the help and blessing of Sri Guru. Let your life be worth of it by having access to the "Sad Guru". With this prayer for you all to Sri Vagaban. I do stop my speech here. 
Swami Rash Behari Das Kathia Babaji
Saint and Abbot of Nimbarka Monastry
Collected from a speech delivered in Dharmasava

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