Guru Purnima Tuesday, 24 July, 2021

Guru Purnima is traditionally celebrated on full moon day in the month of Ashadh (July-August) of the Hindu calendar. Guru Purnima (which falls this year on Saturday, July 24th) is the day on which the Guru is revered by devotees. Sri Dakshinamurti is an aspect of Lord Siva as the primordial master, the personification of ultimate awareness, understanding and knowledge.

At Arunachala the manifestation of Lord Siva as Dakshinamurti is celebrated as the ‘silent Guru’. This day also celebrates the birth of the great author Veda Vyasa who wrote the epic Mahabharata.

Guru Purnima Timing 2021

Tithi starts at 10:43 AM on July 23, Friday
Tithi ends at 8.06 AM on July 24, Saturday

Lord Siva and His Worship

During the absence of Devi, when Lord Siva was alone, the sons of Brahma, (sages: Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara) went to have Darshan of Lord Siva. They prostrated before Him and entreated the Lord to teach them how to remove avidya and attain salvation. They admitted that in spite of their vast study of scriptures they had no internal peace and needed to learn the inner secrets—by knowing which they could attain salvation.

"Lord Siva, hearing this appeal made by the sages, assumed the form of Dakshinamurti and remaining as the Guru Supreme, began to teach them the inner secrets by keeping Mouna and showing the “chinmudra” by His hand. The sages began to meditate on the lines shown by the Lord and attained the state of inexpressible and illimitable joy. Thus Lord Siva came to be known as Dakshinamurti".

[By Swami Sivananada]

Sri Ramana Maharshi on Dakshinamurti

Ramana Maharshi: Lectures may entertain individuals for a few hours without improving them. Silence on the other hand is permanent and benefits the whole of humanity.

Devotee: But silence is not understood.

Ramana Maharshi: It does not matter. By silence, eloquence is meant. Oral lectures are not so eloquent as silence. Silence is unceasing eloquence. The Primal Master, Dakshinamurti, is the ideal. He taught his Rishi disciples by silence.

Devotee: But then there were disciples for Him. It was all right. Now it is different. They must be sought after and helped.

Ramana Maharshi: That is a sign of ignorance. The power which created you has created the world. If it can take care of you, it can similarly take care of the world also.

[Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi]

Shiva: The Adiyogi

The sacred day of Guru Poornima marks the first transmission of the yogic sciences from Shiva—the Adiyogi or First Yogi—to the Saptarishis, the seven celebrated sages on the banks of Lake Kantisarovar (near Kedarnath Temple in the Himalayas). Thus, the Adiyogi became the Adi Guru or the First Guru on this day. The Saptarishis carried this knowing offered by Adiyogi throughout the world. Even today, every spiritual process on the planet draws from the "knowing" created by Adiyogi.

The story goes that over 15,000 years ago, a yogi appeared in the upper regions of the Himalayas. Nobody knew what his origins were but his presence was extraordinary. He exhibited no signs of life, but for occasional tears of ecstasy that rolled down his face. After the crowds of onlookers dispersed, seven men remained. When the yogi opened his eyes, they pleaded that he share his experience with them. He ignored them, but as they persevered the yogi gave them a simple preparatory step and closed his eyes again.

Days rolled into weeks, weeks into months, months into years, but the yogi’s attention did not fall upon them again. After 84 years of sadhana, on the summer solstice that marks the advent of Dakshinayana (the earth’s southern run), the yogi looked at them again. They had become shining souls that could be no longer ignored. On the next full moon day, the yogi turned south and sat as guru to these seven men. Shiva thus became Adi Guru and expounded spiritual truths to the seven disciples. The seven were to be known as Saptarishis, who took their knowledge around the world.

Guru Purnima is held sacred in the yogic tradition because the Adiyogi opened up the possibility for a human being to evolve consciously. The seven different aspects of yoga that were put in these seven individuals became the foundation for the seven basic forms of yoga, something that has still endured.

In honour of this divine personage, spiritual aspirants and devotees either perform Vyasa Puja on this day, or worship their own spiritual preceptor. Saints, monks and men of God are honoured and entertained with acts of charity by householders with faith and sincerity. The period Chaturmas (the "four months") begins from this day; Sannyasins stay at one place during the ensuing four rainy months, engaging in the study of the Brahma Sutras and the practice of meditation.

The day of Guru Poornima is supposed to herald the settling in of the rains and is thus a time that aspirants commence or resolve to intensify their spiritual disciplines. The Srutis say: "To that high-souled aspirant, whose devotion to the Lord is great and whose devotion to his Guru is as great as that to the Lord, the secrets explained herein become illuminated".

Spiritual Teachings of the Sadguru

The upa-agama, Devilottara is the essence of all Agama Sastra and explains the supreme wisdom to be attained by mature souls and their mode of life, expounded by the Lord Siva to Devi.

This dialogue conveys the highest spiritual teachings between the Sadguru Lord Siva and His most surrendered devotee the Goddess Parvati.

To read these teachings go to this link here

Walk on Samudram Lake with Bhagavan

Regular readers of Arunachala Grace will have noticed how often I write about the Samudram Eri, which is located almost directly south of the reclining aspect of Arunachala. For me this is one of the most beautiful and inspirational places at Arunachala. Below is an evocative narrative of a Ramana devotee describing his visit to the flooded Samudram Eri with Sri Ramana and teachings that were given by the Sage at that time. 

"The Samudram Lake at the foot of Arunachalam and near Sri Ramanasramam is a very extensive one, the summer rains nor the winter monsoon in Tiruvannamalai rarely fill up this tank except once in a way when it overflows. 

Thus it overflowed once long ago. The sight of it was very grand and the overflow at the outlet was as wide as a river. The tank really seemed a sea (Samudram). Bhagavan told us that it was called “Samudram” because a certain local ruler had this tank constructed as a miniature sea to give an idea to his Queen of what a sea would look like; for she had never seen one and she a carrying queen now desired to. 

The overflow of the Samudram Tank in Tiruvannamalai is such a rare event and people thronged to see the sight. Afterwards they came to Bhagavan and talked about it. 

One morning after breakfast the devotees in the hall expressed to Bhagavan a desire to visit the Samudram. Bhagavan was human enough to accept the suggestion and all of us went for a stroll to see it. The tank bund is over two miles long and we walked from the Asramam to the tank about a mile and then the whole distance of the bund. The presence of Bhagavan and his words were more interesting to us than the brimming tank and the grand view of the lake at the foot of the holy Arunachalam. Bhagavan talked of many things, of which I remember, at this distance of time, only two topics of interest. 

Photograph taken about 10 years ago of flooded Samudram Eri

At one place, Bhagavan pointed out a palmyra tree which had decayed at the grip and embrace of a parasite banyan tree. Some bird had dropped the seed of the banyan into the palmyra and as the banyan began its growth the palmyra got stuck, and cloven and stunted in its growth. Drawing our attention to this phenomenon, Bhagavan remarked that is just the effect of the look of Grace of the Jnani. One look into a soul and the whole tree of vasanas gathered through cycles of births is burnt down and decays. 

Then the reality of the Atman is experienced. In the analogy, the tree of vasanas is the palmyra and the look of the Guru, (the seed of Grace) is the banyan. Thus Bhagavan explained to us the effect of contact with a Mahapurusha. The Supreme Jnana that is obtained by the touch of the Satpurusha, can never be obtained by the study of any number of scriptures or by any store of punya karma (virtuous deeds) or by other sadhanas. Then when we were actually at the outlet of the overflow at the end of the lake, we all marvelled at the width of it which was as wide as a river. We stayed there for sometime and then returned. 

On the return walk, we happened to pass the sluice, at the middle of the bund. Pointing to it Bhagavan remarked, “look at this small outlet as opposed to the big one at the end. But for this small hole through which trickle the stream of water, the huge contents of the lake would not be helpful to the vegetation. If the bund breaks it would be a regular deluge and the entire crops would be destroyed. Only if served, properly regulated through this sluice, are the plants helped to growth. So too, is the Brahmic Consciousness. Unless the Bliss of this consciousness is gifted through the grace of the Guru, in seasoned outlets, the soul cannot be helped to vasanakshaya (the destruction of the tendencies of the mental mode); for in this process, the Atman abiding as such in its oneness with the Brahman, is established in the Astipada (the state of being) of the Guru. Holding on to its aspect of sat-chit the work of vasanakshaya proceeds as and when the thought forms arise to propel the mind into action i.e. in its rajasic nature. This work of vasanakshaya becomes possible only in the proximity of the Guru.

Samudram Eri (bund on right) during Sri Ramana's time

Hence the Guru himself is like the sluice and irrigates the souls with the grace out of His kripasamudram needed for the abidance as the Atman and doing the vasanakshaya. Whereas, if the bund is broken the full force of the whole lake rushes through sweeping everything before it. This resembles a sadhaka receiving the full force of Brahmic Consciousness without the intervening and mitigating grace of the Guru’s sluice and so physically dies without the benefit of effecting the destruction of the vasanas."

[T.K. Sundaresa Iyer--Call Divine April 1, 1958] 

Spiritual Questions

Twelve questions were asked of sixteen different Indian spiritual teachers (the majority of whom are still alive) that cover the main issues that arise on a spiritual seeker’s journey to awakening. A sample of videos of the questions and answers of these teachers are available at this link here.

Many of the spiritual teachers come from the tradition of Vedanta, a metaphysical Indian philosophy derived from the Upanishads, and from Advaita Vedanta, a non-dual school of Vedanta philosophy, whose chief spokesman was Adi Shankara, teaching the Oneness of God, soul and the universe.

Most of the teachers are connected with Arunachala, either spending time here or in fact having Ashrams as this place; and the dialogues are based on the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi.

To sample one of these taped dialogues watch the now deceased Sri Satchiananda respond to the question:

“It has been suggested that the mind must be destroyed for liberation to occur. Do you have a mind? How to destroy the mind?” go to this link here.

In 1985 I was fortunate enough to be able to spend two months at Anandashram, Kanhangad, Kerala. Many devotees of Arunachala know of this beautiful ashram and of its long, loving links with the Hill. During my stay there I spent time with Mother Krishnabai and Swami Satchidananda and thereafter over the years occasionally wrote to Swamiji with spiritual questions. Even though he probably didn’t remember me, he always wrote lovingly and at length in response to my queries. Because of the link with Anandashram and Swami Ramdas, it was Swami Satchidananda who inaugurated the ashram of Yogi Ramsuratkumar at Tiruvannamalai.

To read an earlier posting about Swami Satchidananda go to my earlier posting at this link here.

Interview with V. Ganesan

We have been supplied with the following information, which we are sharing with readers of Arunachala Grace.

V. Ganesan, will be sharing stories about the life and teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi with an interviewer this Tuesday, the 15th July at 11 a.m. (USA Eastern Time Zone = GMT -5) on WCOM 103.5 FM Carrboro (North Carolina, U.S).

Or live world wide streaming webcast at:

http://www.communityradio.coop/Programs/touchstones.html

Archives @:

http://www.wordtrade.com/essays/touchstones/touchstonesA.htm

V.Ganesan

V. Ganesan grew up till the age of fourteen in the presence of his great uncle, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. After the mahanirvana of Bhagavan in 1950, Ganesan went on to get a Master’s Degree in Philosophy. After to return to Arunachala, where he was able to absorb reminiscences of Bhagavan that had never been recorded before. In addition to this, his close contacts with saints, sages and seers like Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Nisargadatta Maharaj and J. Krishnamurti, helped him to deepen and widen his understanding of the essence of Bhagavan’s Teachings.

V. Ganesan is a wonderful story teller with a great memory and a very clear insight into the teachings of Bhagavan. So to those not familiar with V. Ganesan, the interview will be fascinating and highly recommended.

Explore Vodpod

You may enjoy looking at the new 'Vodpod' at the bottom left margin of this site. The Pod, which is entitled 'Explore' invites you to explore both the inner and outer Universe. To begin with there is a very nice Shiva (who is representative of consciousness) montage. Which is rather appropriate as Mahashivaratri, the major Shiva festival celebrated both at Arunachala and throughout India, occurs (this year) at the beginning of March. The second video is a short compilation of Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings with photographs of the sage and Arunachala. In the third video, Robert Anton Wilson, the brilliant and witty scientist, talks about perception. He explains how perception is a gamble and how we believe what we see and our interpretation of it without even realising that most of the time, we have even made an interpretation. And finally the fourth video of the 'Vodpod' is of ten extraordinary photographs of the Universe taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.