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OM SRI SAI RAM
Om Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha
Om Sri Gurudeva Dattatreyaya Namaha
Om Sri Sripada Sri Vallabhaya Namaha
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Translated by: Shri Poojya Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja
Shree Guru Charitra
Introduction
My contact with the spiritual tradition of Lord Dattatreya was quite fortuitous, a discovery by chance. When I was collecting material for the comprehensive account of Sai Baba of Shirdi, I came across the experience of one Kusa Bhav...
Shri Sai Baba insisted that unless Kusa Bhav chose to give up his weird practices and leave off the power at the holy river Godavari, he would not allow the latter to come to him.... Kusa Bhav vacillated for some time and, after much inner struggle, had to give in.... Henceforth, Sai Baba allowed him to visit him at the mosque and instructed him to study Sree Guru Charitra 108 times and visit holy Gangapur now and then....
This incident drew my attention to Sree Guru Charitra as a potent means of winning the grace of a Perfect Master. Soon I discovered that the marathi texts which devotees study at Shirdi are those of this holy work. But none of the devotees knew English and I had no occasion to learn its contents for quite some time....
Again, in the course of my study of the life of Sree Sai Baba, I came across incidents, which demonstrate the spiritual identity of the great fakir with his equally great contemporary saint, Sree Swami Samarth, more popularly known as Sree Akkalkot Maharaj (1856-1878). Naturally, I was drawn to learn more about the latter and then I came to know that his life was a continuation of that of Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi, the second Avatar of Lord Dattatreya in this age, celebrated in Sree Guru Charitra.
I stumbled upon the subtleties of the Dattatreya Tradition no less fortuitously. Ever since I visited Shirdi (1963) and studied the marvelous life of Sree Sai Baba, I traveled extensively in search of such a SadGuru so that I could dedicate my whole life to his service….
After a few months, I visited Shirdi on a proposed stay of seven days. I wished to obtain Sai Baba’s guidance and clarification in this matter. On the second day, I was very strongly impelled to visit my old student who was working in Pune....
My friend was away at the office. So I left my bag in his house and went out, wishing to spend the time in going round the city till my friend’s return. Quite accidentally, I enquired at a wayside flower shop whether there was any great saint worth visiting in Pune. The shop keeper directed me to see later Sree Gulavani Maharaja, direct disciple of Sree Vasudevananda Saraswathi.
As soon as I entered the mutt, aged saint greeted me saying, "Oh, the child of Sai Baba has come!" I at once realized that I could get a reliable clarification for my problem from him. He heard my question and said, "What that learned speaker said is true of only those who attained Enlightenment through their effort. But Sai Baba of Shirdi is not such a one. He is the Avatar of Lord Dattatreya. He manifests himself to his worthy devotees even today in his physical form and guides them. You are on the right track. Go ahead " When I took leave of him, I asked Sree Gulavani Maharaj to give me any books that might help me in my quest.
At his call, a devotee gave me a sanskrit translation of Sree Guru Charitra and a book of Sanskrit verses in praise of Lord Dattatreya. "These are the only copies left with us. You are fortunate in getting them", said the devotee. At once I realized that Sai Baba had blessed me with three things; the solution of my doubt, a version of Sree Guru Charitra which I could read and for which I was longing; and the darshan and blessings of an eminent saint of the Datta tradition.
I was all happier to learn later that Sree Vasudevananda Saraswathi used to read Sree Guru Charitra every day and that this, along with his other devotional practices, had won for him the darshan of Lord Dattatreya in a vision and His direct initiation with a mantra. The present work is a free English rendering of this work. I was more fully impressed by the value of the book when I learned that a large number of devotees were divinely directed to resort Sree Akkalkot Maharaj as their Guru as a result of their devout study of Sree Guru Charitra.
Contd....
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SHREE GURU CHARITRA
About the Work:
Sree Guru Charitra was first written by Sree Gangadhara Saraswathi in Marathi Language. The eminent Marathi scholar L.R. Pangarkar says that the first two incarnations of Lord Dattareya, Sree Sreepada Sreevallabha and Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi the two protagonists of the immortal work, had flourished in the 14th and the 15th centuries A.D. The original text recounts, in 53 chapters, the life and the teachings of the two incarnations in about 7000 verses. In the late nineteenth century, Vasudevananda Saraswathi, a famous saint of the Dattatreya Tradition, translated the work in sanskrit of equal numbers.
Later, he was told in a vision by Lord Dattatreya that details pertaining to matters of Hindu religious ritual, have infringed on the proper theme of the work, and was directed to abridge it into 2000 verses. The present translator and the Sanskrit pundit who had assisted in him in the reading the Sanskrit text were blessed with darshan and blessings of several great saints during and after the study and the translation of this Sanskrit work. This is quite in keeping with the subtleties of the Dattatreya tradition. The present English translator is still working hard to gather material about the historical background of the first two Avatars of Lord Dattatreya. He hopes to furnish the same in a more complete form in the subsequent editions of the work.
Contd....
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SHREE GURU CHARITRA
The Purpose of Translation:
The present rendering into English is intended to serve a six-fold purpose.
Firstly, its study is a very effective means of contacting the deeper perennial springs of spiritual wisdom of all religions through proper attunement of our psyche…..
Secondly, in the form of Nrisimha Saraswathi, Lord Dattatreya has vowed to manifest himself amidst us in response to our loving call. In the modern age of cultural chaos and confusion of values, it will be of immense help to mankind, if a large number of noble aspirants for spiritual perfection, their own and that of their fellows come together in Spirit in a process self-attunement to the Eternal Spirit of Lord Datta through a widespread study of the work and, together all of them call upon the Spirit of the perennial Guru to manifest himself amongst us and guide us along the noble path.
Thirdly, as the life of Sai Baba of Shirdi, the latest, and the most complete manifestation of Lord Dattatreya, is the One Spirit that manifests Itself through all the Enlightened Spiritual teachers of today that belong to various nations and religions.
Fourthly, a diligent study of these works would educate the masses of devout souls to transcend the vicious, narrow barriers of religion and race and pray with the Vedic seers, "Let uplifting thoughts come to us from all directions."
Fifthly, these devotees would be sufficiently informed mic aspects are called Prakriti. The whole nature around us, from the distant nebulae and galaxies to the smallest "particles" and "fields" of modern Physics, constitutes Prakriti and its play.
At the end of active phase comes a state of total dissolution of all material existence and two states are figuratively described as the "sleep" and wakefulness" of Brahman, the Creator. In these are involved many sub-phases or cycles of time, called ‘Kalpas’, each bearing its own name.
The whole process of creation, of which man is a part, was presented as a spontaneous, joyful, creative process of self-fulfilling activity with no other aim or goal. Man can live in harmony with the rest of creation and with his own self (which is basically a manifestation of the cosmic or universal process). To the extent that he grows in this realization and he can thus transcend all those narrow, selfish concerns which shut out such understanding and which are, in their turn are products of lack of such an understanding.
Contd....
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OM SRI SAI RAM
Continuation...
Guru and Disciple
As such man, with the help of this understanding has to inform and mould his every thought, word and deed with the urge to realize this wisdom. That is, understanding moulds thought, word and deed. Cultured thoughts, word and deeds actualize understanding and thereby perfect it. Thus,…..
…….In the form of a chain reaction man enters the real relentless stream of divine creation towards self-harmonization and perfection, freeing himself from the cocoon of petty selfish drives or needs that are projected as natural and legitimate by his limited, clouded view of creation……
………It is on this basis that Sree Guru Charitra, maybe termed the glorification of the Guru, who is the Truth, the Way and the Life, and is worthy of being loved with all the strength of one’s soul and heart, as the Christ puts it. The proper conduct of a true disciple to the Guru, as depicted in the stories in Sree Guru Charitra would seem childish forms of self-enslavement, if this truth is not understood.
The details of a disciple’s conduct are not something that can be formally implemented, but they constitute the spontaneous experience of love. The joy of such love consists in acting it out, leaving it out. It is not the veneration of an individual called the Guru; it is the spontaneous realization of the essence of the Guru; it is wisdom-in-action that is the ultimate object of one’s own life’s struggle. In short, only such a one is a disciple and, to him, the Guru is all the Gods, all the holy places and the rest….
…….. We can see the parallelism between the ways of lives enjoined on a disciple and on an ideal wife (Pativrata) briefly in Sree Guru Charitra, and more elaborately in the Puranas and Smriti texts………
OM SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
Continuation...
The assurance of Sree Guru that he would forever abide at Gangapur and go around the village for bhiksha at noon is literally true even today. It is customary for devotees visiting the holy place to go for bhiksha too. On my second visit to the place in 1975, while partaking of it under a tree, I remarked to a South Indian Sadhu who sat by me, that Sree Guru’s eternal presence there might be well-meant fabrication. At first, he seemed to doubt whether it would be worth the while to try to enlighten me.
Later, his attitude changed. He said, "Listen, I have been visiting this place for a few decades. Once, as I was devoutly reading Sree Guru Charitra at the Sangama, I suddenly felt that I should try or recognize him some day when he comes for bhiksha and seek his personal blessing. Accordingly, I studied the holy book with ever-greater zeal. At the same time, I began to observe every devotee that arrived there on days and visitors were the fewest, so that I can identify any other form in which Sree Guru might turn up for bhiksha. Day by day, my expectation grew to a high pitch, when at last it was like an ecstasy that gripped my being throughout the day. One night Sree Guru appeared in my dream as a pious brahmin and said in a stern voice, "Fellow, Don’t try to catch me amidst crowd of devotees. It is my secret and it does not behoove you to probe it." The next minute, I woke up and reflected on the dream. I could vividly remember that despite his form and appearance, I was sure that he was Sree Guru. Evidently, my zealous prayer and trail have evoked a response from him. Having come thus far in my effort, should I relent? I decide to press on till I achieved my object. Strangely enough from that day onwards, I never again experienced that sense of his presence, which swayed my whole being earlier. I was only quietly happy and assured that I was in sight of my success.
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
One day, the devotees at Gangapur were unusually fewer, and it was my best opportunity to observe and note them individually. At about 7.30 am, the moment I finished my dip in the river and came on the bank, I had a severe headache and high fever. I was feeling giddy and extremely weak. At once, I laid down under a tree and fell asleep. When I woke up at about 3.00 pm, I was quite well and very hungry. It was long past the hour of bhiksha.
Yet, as it was mine vow to live only on bhiksha I at once proceeded to a few houses and called out for the same. At all the places, I was told that there was nothing left to give me. At one house, when I doggedly pleaded, the master of the house was furious and said: "You seem to have come here only to fill your belly, you are a worthless Sadhu! When you came for the noon-bhiksha, I gave you a roti!".
I professed that I did not come for bhiksha that day at all. But a few passers by confirmed the man’s accusations. I had to give in and quietly walk away, crest-fallen and weak. I knew that something had happened that I should face such a ridiculous situation. That evening, I felt weak and lost all my appetite and slept very early. Again, the same brahmin appeared in my dream: Amidst laughter, he was telling his companions, how he had fooled me. At last, he said to me, ‘Yesterday, as you were asleep, I went in your form for bhiksha!’. Henceforth, I gave up my foolish attempt. Now I know that Sree Guru is hear and is quite responsive".
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
The Sadhu met me the next day and incidentally told me that a few decades ago, the priests at the Mutt on the eve of an important festival were cleaning the padukas of Sree Guru with water and coconut fiber. The later contained a small piece of coconut- shell. When the priest rubbed a little harder, there was a scratch on one of the padukas and blood oozed out of it. The priest were all scared and tried to stop it, but in vain. They panicked and sent word to His Holiness, Sree Vasudevananda Saraswathi who was then camping nearby. The holy one rushed to the Mutt and, when he chanted a few verses glorifying Sree Guru, the bleeding stopped.
"Would the padukas bleed again, if….", I asked. "Perhaps they would if the Lord chooses to bless you with such an experience!", the Sadhu replied. Indeed, experiences are personal and cannot be thus argued about. If we have such an experience, would it suffice another? Should we not put our hand to the plough and never turn back?
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
TO SPIRITUAL ASPIRANTS
Identifying and contacting a SadGuru, a Perfect Master, is a crux of the problem of spiritual evolution of man, both collective and individual especially in the present times, when the mass media and fanfare have made it more of a craze than a serious pursuit. Yet, fortunately for the serious-minded, there is hope and a clear way: the devout study of Sree Guru Charitra.
The phenomenon is analogous to that of remote control initially, leading to immediate personal contact: the gadget must be capable of receiving the remote commands; the seeker too has to evolve in himself, some potential which can respond positively to the subtle, all pervasive spiritual field of the Master. The study of Sree Guru Charitra does just this for us.
The Perennial Wisdom, as Aldows Huxley puts it, has affirmed with one voice, that Man is potentially the Spirit- ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is within’. And it can be developed ad infinitum.
The study of Sree Guru Charitra focuses our inherently extrovert awareness on that spiritual potential in us, of which Sree Guru is an objective manifestation, and Archetype, a sort of reflector of our awareness on its original self. As we persevere diligently, our awareness gets oriented to his presence every moment of our life. At one stage, the message is strong and unmistakable: the goal, the Perfect Master is sighted. In its perpetual immediate presence, our potential matures and the seeker and the Sought, become One. Till then, Sree Guru Charitra is the Master, this end of this innate tie. And such a One never proclaims himself to the world. For him there is no world apart from his master, no seeking for disciples, and no need of constant reassurance of his credentials to anyone. The path may seem too long for some. But if one is genuinely interested in it, the pleasure of it is the journey; only such a one which is the goal. For it is not an outward journey spatial and temporal implication, but is an invert ripening. The fruit ripens through contact with the tree.
SAI RAM
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
The proper method of studying the text is to begin it on Thursday and to conduct it as below:
1) Keep a beautiful picture of Sree Dattatreya and/or of Sree Guru. Offer a light or a candle, joysticks, flowers and sandal paste.
2) Invoke His presence by chanting the verse in praise of the Guru, i.e. "Gurur Brahmaa…" meaning, "Guru is the creator (Brahma), the preserver (Vishnu) and the annihilator (Maheshwara): Guru is the Absolute Himself. Adoration’s to such a Guru".
3) Then offer a few pieces of candy to him, then read the book as follows:
4) The first day 7 chapters; second and third days, 4 chapters each. There after 2 chapters per day.
5) On the concluding day, feed three or at least one pious brahmin, Sadhu or a poor man.
6) We must look upon him as the form of Sree Guru. We keep reading like this over and over again.
7) One may read it once in three days or even a day, ardently seeking His guidance.
om sri sai ram
Dear Sai Bandhus,
The leela of Shree Guru has started in posting this it self
Without planning it self, we are going to start the actual text from tomorrow that is on Thursday. Let Shree Guru bless all us of always.
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OM SRI SAI RAM
Om Shree Maha Ganapathaye Namaha
Shree Guru Charitra
Chapter 1
As long as we do not realize, the Supreme Self the universe looks frightening as a snake that is illusory projected onto a rope in darkness. The moment the self is realized, the illusory nature of phenomenon universe is experienced. Let us bow to the Guru who is the Reality, of the nature of Reality- Awareness-Bliss. The non-dual reality which manifests itself as the many to erring intellect, but which is realized to be One is indeed, the parabrahman and Lord Datta is it-the One who in His mercy, manifested Himself as Lord Datta, the son of sage Atri and Anasuya, to enable His devotees, Kartaveeryarjuna and King Yadhu, to realize the Self.
He again manifested Himself, as Sreepada SreeVallabha, and Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi to uplift His devotees. Even now, he responds to the calls of his loving mortals at the confluence of rivers, Krishna and Bheema has been perpetuating His mission. The One Self who manifested Himself as the multiple universe and entered its form is Lord Datta Himself. He can be realized through Gnana or knowledge. Those who transcend the duality of likes and dislikes born of sensory experiences of objects, through the power of discrimination get liberated from the strangle hold of ignorance. To such a one, only the Supreme Lord is the object of love. It is for the sake of such discriminating ones, that the Lord assumes the sporting form of human being. In every age, He thus manifests Himself and restores righteousness through the adherence to His own duties enjoined by the scriptures and then shuffles off His form.
In the cosmic cycle of the Day of Brahma, twenty-eight cycles of four Yugas (cosmic epochs) had passed in the Swetavarahakalpa. Having known that the cosmic deities become unresponsive in the wicked age of Kali, He again manifested Himself. He exists in the subtle form of a renunciate sage, manifesting His miraculous and divine sport at the confluence of the rivers Krishna and Amaraja. The glory of the manifestation of the divine is indescribable.
Even at the moment of his birth, He uttered the mystic syllable "Om" and by the mere touch of His hand he transmuted iron into gold. Even before he learnt alphabets, he taught the Vedas to his disciples and expounded the Vedanta to his parents in his childhood. Even at that young age, he visited the holy places of pilgrimage, practiced yoga and restored the tradition of renunciation to its pristine purity by his own practice. He cured the intestinal illness of his devotee by making him partake of the very food which is prohibited to such by medical science. He transformed a tongue-less man into elegant expounder of wisdom. He terminated the poverty of a Brahmin, by his mere blessing and he enabled him to visit three holy places in the wink of eye.
He revived the dead, made a barren cow yield milk. He conferred the vision of His cosmic form on his devotee, Trivikrama and humbled the pride of the learned. He made a devotee of low caste recite the Veda by his mere blessing. He terminated the widowhood of a lady and expounded the subtleties of karma yoga to a devotee. He made a withered twig grow into a tree and blessed a barren woman with offspring by his mere look. He cured one of leprosy.
He presented Himself in 8 forms simultaneously at the houses of His devotees on the holy day of Deepavali (the festival of lights). He transformed a farm that was prematurely harvested into one of plentiful yield. He performed and has been performing such miracles.
It may be possible to count the stars in the sky, the grains of sand on earth and the drops of water in the ocean, but not the infinite divine attributes of the Lord. Though He is a spirit without any form, he miraculously assumes a form and enters His devotee’s hearts through the gateway of his hearing and cleans his heart and liberates him in this very life from Ignorance.
Jai Sai Ram
Jai Gurudeva Datta
Contd....
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
Chapter I continuation....
The devotee who has transcended the dualism of joy and sorrow, whether he is free from his body or not, will surely attain perfection, the moment he works out the store of his karma called Prarabdha. This is a truth, which cannot be understood by those who do not bask in the association with the will, and who are thus blinded by the force of their infatuation and preoccupation with sensory pleasures.
Those who lead their lives according to the form of righteousness that is enjoined by scriptures; in accordance with their innate tendency; and those who have faith and devotion in the deities and saints; those who thus ever live in the light of their discrimination, are free from the false sense of agency in actions and free from craving for the fruits of their actions, are true renunciates who attain both divine security in life and liberation afterwards.
Having listened to such a noble and glorious account of the manifestations of Sree Guru, a brahmin by name Namadharaka Sharma who, disillusioned with the cravings of mundane existence, ever lived, devoting all his life to contemplation and glorification of the noble qualities of the Guru, arrived at the confluence of the rivers Beema and Amaraja, Thereby he realized the Lord. With the single object of directly contacting the Divine self of the Guru, he worshipped Lord Ganeswara in order to ward off impediments in his endeavor and Goddess Saraswathi, in order to obtain right knowledge. Then, he at last succeeded in achieving his object by glorifying the Guru who reached out to him in the form of the story of his Divine Sport, recounted by a living human form.
JAI SREE GURUDEVADATTA
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
Chapter I
Continuation....
Namadharaka glorified the divinity of Sree Guru thus:
"Oh, All-knowing one! Don’t you know me? Oh, witness of the whole universe, don’t you see me? Oh, all - pervading one, don’t you hear my cry? Or, even though you have heard me do you choose to ignore me? If you know what I am, why does my despair still persist? If you have listened to my cries, why does my misery persist? In case you ignore me, is it proper for you to ignore your devotees? It is not proper for you to mean that I should resort to some other deity; for you are the One Spirit and Lord of all deities. Moreover, you are our ancestral deity, how could I leave you and seek the protection of some other deity?
I know that you are my Lord. Or, you being the Supreme, do you ignore me, because I am one, but one among thee myriad creatures-just as a king is known to all his subjects, but he does not know everyone of them individually? This may be possible in the case of a little-knowing mortal of a king, but it cannot be so in your case. For oh!Lord, you are all knowing. If you say that you would grace me in return for my service or through offerings of charity, it is not proper. He who does well only in return for some service cannot be a true giver. Such a one is indeed a selfish giver. Just as the Sun affords light and the Lord of clouds showers rain without expecting any return, you have bestowed your grace on sage Dhruva and Vibheeshana and bestowed the highest spiritual state on them. In a similar fashion, may you bestow on me your blessed vision!
The nine types of treasures and the eight super natural powers are your servants. Can you need anything? What is it that I can offer you? You are ever full. What can I do for you? Even ordinary kings on earth ever protect their servants. Oh you, sustainer of the whole universe, you have already received my worship. Why do you ignore me? Oh, Lord of all deities, are you pained at some failing of mine, it is not proper for you who are the abode of grace, to be so. Even a human mother does not mind if a child kicks her with his feet. Always the one or the other of the human parents protects their parents. You are the Father and the Mother of the whole creation. If you, who are my Father and Mother, are not merciful to me, I am helpless.
It is not proper for you to say that you have withheld your mercy from me owing to my failings. For, all my actions are prompted by ignorance. Such is my innate nature. I am doomed to do all those things, which I condemn as bad. Do you say that I should undo them by contrary righteous action? If most of my actions are holy and only a few of them are unholy, it is not possible for me to rectify them through praayaschitta (penitentiary actions). Indeed, even such penitentiary actions are afraid of me. Even as a cow is afraid of a tiger, how is it possible to remove the blackness of blackgram? Even, so how can japa and Dhyana purify me who am the very form of sin?
Oh Lord, there is no sinner like me and there is no destroyer of Sin like you. Therefore, give up your indifference towards me. Oh Lord, and protect me who have no other refuge. Even flint seems to melt with kindness at my cry of despair. What happened then, to your mercy, Oh merciful Lord? Why don’t you protect me, who am a slave of death?"
He started fasting unto death. One day he wandered about and, finally fell asleep under a tree. He had a blissful dream in which he saw a great wandering yogi. He had matted hair and besmeared his body with holy ash. He wore a tiger skin and he wore rosaries of Rudraksha in his neck and on his arms. The very sight of the holy one had completely quenched the blazing fire and his longing to see Sree Guru. With tears of joy Namadharaka prostrated before the holy one and bathed his sacred feet in his tears of joy and wiped with his own long hair. The yogi raised him up, blessed him by keeping his hand on Namadharaka’s head and put holy ash on the latter’s forehead.
JAI SAI RAM
END OF I CHAPTER
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OM SRI SAI RAM
Shree Guru Charitra
Chapter 2
When Namadharaka woke up, his dream had infused in him a determination to contact that avadhuta on the physical plane. He wandered about, deeply meditating on the form he saw in his dream. At last, He saw a yogi who was merciful and who transcended the dualities like joy and sorrow. Indeed, he was the same yogi who appeared in his dream.
Namadharaka was thrilled to see him and the hair on his body stood up on end. With a quivering voice, he hailed the holy one thus: "Lord! You are my father, mother, protector, teacher, and dispelled of fear. Whither are you going? It is my good fortune that you have appeared to me now. Fellow human beings flock around one only in time of his prosperity and desert him in times of misery. Only the holy ones come, when he is in distress to his rescue. You are my all in all. And I am disillusioned with all worldly ties. I have realized the five miseries that afflict the mortals. I am one Namadharaka.
I am desperately in search of Sri Guru and I am determined even to lay down my life in the search. It is not possible for every one to dispel my deep despair. But at the very sight of you, my heart is filled with bliss. I therefore knew that only you could ward off my misery". The Siddha (the perfect one) replied " I am the disciple of Sree Guru whose devotees are ever assured of both physical sustenance during their life and spiritual liberation. He ever abides later on the bank of the river Bheema. He is beyond the reach of the three modes of existence (thrigunas) and his true nature can be perceived only by yogis in their meditation. I have attained realization by the grace of Sree Guru and wander about this earth for the welfare of all beings. I am known as Siddha, (the perfect)."
Namadharaka said, "Lord! Your teacher Sree Guru is indeed our ancestral deity. I have been serving him with faith and devotion. How is it that he has been throwing me in this ocean of misery?" Siddha replied, "My son, even when others are angry with us, the Guru ever protects us, His devotees. If, indeed as you say, He were ever to get angry with us, there is none who can protect us from his wrath. Even when an ordinary mortal of a Guru is angered, none can protect us. It looks as though you are estranged from the Guru for such a breach in your trust. He who is doubting and faithless is never accepted by anyone as a disciple. Then who can grace him who has no faith in Sree Guru himself and who is therefore ignored by Him".
JAI SAI RAM
Contd....
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OM SRI SAI RAM
Shree Guru Charitra
Chapter 2 Continuation....
Siddha replied at length, "Long long ago, the non-dual Supreme Self wished to manifest Himself as the many. That wish is the Lord’s Maya, the divine creative power. When he was in the sleep of yogic trance, the whole cosmos was created by the power of maya.
From the navel of Lord Vishnu emanated a divine lotus, from which sprang Brahma, the creator. Knowledge of vedas was bestowed on Him by Vishnu. In accordance with the vedic wisdom, Brahma projected the Universe. He also created the natural classification of the various codes of conduct for castes (varna) and the four stages (ashrama) of human life, to suit the human beings endowed with different propensities. He also created the cycle of the four yugas or universal epochs.
Of these Kritayuga is symbolized by the principles of truth, dispassion, wisdom and religious sacrifice. The intricacies and details of yagna or religious sacrifice characterize the Tretayuga (the third, when counted in the reverse order from the age of kali, and which is thrice as long as the age of kali). The Dwapara epoch is weapon-wielding. Kali age has its tongue and genitals prominently displayed signifying the preoccupations of the age. He is dirty as a ghoul.
The krita or Satya yuga is 17,28,000 years long.
The Treta is 12, 96,000 years.
The Dwapara is 8,64,000 years.
The Kali age is 4,32,000 years in extent.
So did the Lord ordain. Now listen to the story of the Guru, which was narrated by Brahma, the creator, to Kali, the spirit of dark age, on the eve of its advent on earth.
Kali said, "Lord! How can I ever hope to enter the earthly realm of existence which is inhabited by those who are righteous? My mind despairs even on hearing it. I am the breaker of the bridge of righteous. I am the inspirer of grief, dispute, hate and the fire of craving. Even my brother is ever allied to lust and anger and he is dear to me as my very life. The godless, the unrighteous and the non-observer for religious vows are my very life. All the righteous ones in the Indian peninsula are my enemies. My very life is threatened at the sight of those who serve the Guru, the deities, righteous brahmins and their own parents. Even the very sight of a yogi or a sage is as unbearable to me".
Brahma replied "You enter the mundane life of men through their instinctive propensities for sense-pleasures. The average life span of a human being in the Kali age is 100 years. Anyone can attain perfection at any time during his lifetime. So, don’t leave him. But your evil tendencies will not be able to touch those who are devoted to the Guru, God, deities and righteous Brahmins, and especially those who are devoted to the Guru, just as water cannot moisten a lotus leaf. Even the gods cannot harm one who is devoted to the Guru".
Jai Sai Ram
Contd....
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 2......
Even Kali asked him surprised, "Lord! Why is the Guru superior to the gods and why is the devotee of a Guru unconquerable even for the gods? Has this truth been ever demonstrated? If so, may you narrate the incident". Brahma said: "Oh Kali, it is impossible to acquire wisdom without a Guru. Even the gods achieve their objects through devotion to the Guru. Once upon a time, there lived a sage named Vedadharma, on the banks of river Godavari. He had numerous disciples. Once he wished to test their devotion and said, "My beloved disciples, I have burnt out a major portion of my previous sins through my austerity. Yet a little of it remains. And I have to patiently bear its consequence in the form of a disease and live at the holy city of Kasi. Who among you is willing to attend on me during that period? He who is willing has to wash body every day and ward off flies, as I will have to suffer from severe leprosy. All the disciples were afraid and kept silent. But one of them by name Deepaka, came forward and said, "Oh, my Guru! No impurity should be allowed to impede you from attaining liberation. I shall willingly undergo that suffering in your stead. May you permit me to do so." "No my son, I alone shall suffer for my sins. It cannot be taken over by my disciples. If you can, you serve me, said the Guru. Deepaka assented and accompanied his Guru Vedadharma to Kasi.
There the Guru was overtaken by leprosy and the disciple started serving him. The sores covered the whole of the Guru’s body and he became blind. Also, he lost all sense of propriety in his actions. Often he used to get angry with the disciple and beat him. He used to demand food and service at odd hours. and he used to trouble Deepaka if he failed to furnish the same. In his agony, the Guru often got wild and threw away the food , Deepaka got by begging, saying that it was bad and demanded good food. When the disciple set out for alms, the Master used to call him back saying, ‘My body is covered with filth and urine and flies will trouble me. Stupid, where do you want to go, leaving me like this?" When Deepaka got ready to wash his body, the Guru prevented him saying, ‘I am dying of hunger, you wicked fellow! Don’t you know that you have to feed me first?’ Sometimes, after partaking of the food brought by his disciple he would tenderly say, ‘Son, you are worn out in serving me; lie down and sleep for a while.’ But by the time Deepaka fell asleep, he would yell, ‘You rascal, get up! How dare you sleep peacefully when I am hungry? Go and get me food!’ In spite of such severe testing, the disciple served him; cheerfully for he believed that his Guru was the supreme Lord incarnate. He willingly sacrificed his sleep and food in serving his Master. He believed that the washings of the Guru’s feet were as holy as Ganges water and he never thought of anything else even for a moment.
Charmed by the devotion of Deepaka, Lord Vishvanadha (Shiva) of Kasi appeared before him and volunteered to offer a boon and commanded him to ask for anything he liked. Deepaka said, "Lord, What do I gain by seeking a boon for myself? I shall find out from my Guru whether he would be pleased to allow me to pray for his health", and promptly reported the matter to Vedadharma. The latter grew wild and said, "I shall work out my sins only through suffering and I do not need any other means. Have you adopted this strategy in order to spare yourself the trouble of serving me?"
Contd....
Jai Sai Ram
-
OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
Chapter 2....
The disciple returned to Lord Vishwanadha and said, "As my Guru is not willing, I do not want to ask for anything". Lord Visweswara went away feigning anger. He went to Vykuntha, the celestial abode of Lord Vishnu and told him, "There is a sage by name Vedadharma who is ill, living under a peepul tree at Kasi. He has a great disciple by name Deepaka. I lovingly went to him to grant a boon. He who is absorbed in serving his Guru refused to ask me for anything".
Lord Vishnu, longing to see him, at once appeared to Deepaka and offered to grant him a boon. When the Lord who cannot be persuaded to appear before the devotee even through the eight fold yoga, austerity, contemplation, religious vows and other religious practices, said to Deepaka, "Oh, pious one, in-spite of the severest trials, you are faithfully serving your Master and we are much pleased with it. You ask me for anything you want." Deepaka replied "Lord! The Guru indeed is the God of the Gods. Liberation is possible only through wisdom. Through wisdom one attains mastery over deities like you. What else do I need? If you are not pleased to go away like Lord Viswanadha, bless me that my faith in my Guru shall increase. As all other things are perishable, I shall not ask for any".
Lord Vishnu said, "You already have immense faith in your Guru. Therefore, I grant you the power to save those who yearn for faith and devotion through your fame. By glorifying the Guru with Vedic recitations and total surrender to Him, I am ever pleased. I shall bestow my presence only on such. Even the Lord of death cannot cause any fear to such a devotee. Why else need he fear? The eight supernatural powers serve him. There is nothing superior to it." When Lord Vishnu vanished, Deepaka reported this incident to his Guru. Vedadharma was much pleased and, placing his blessing hand on the head of his disciple made him a Master of all Spiritual Wisdom.
It is only to proclaim the sanctity of Kasi and to test the devotion of his disciple that Vedadharma who was skilled in spiritual wisdom and liberated while living, took on himself the ordeal of illness. A true sage has no more sins to suffer.
Oh spirit of Kali! There are several such stories that speak of the glory of the Guru. They are indeed such as would sanctify those who recount them and their listeners. You go to the earthly plane of existence. But never cast your eye on anyone who is devoted to his Guru!"
As per the command of Lord Brahma, the spirit entered the earthly plane and did as he was ordered. If even a mortal of a Guru is so great, what to speak of the glory of a perfect Sadguru? Whoever serves such, as a Guru with true faith and devotion, shall achieve the supreme object of life. The doubting, however, shall never achieve anything. Therefore, Oh Namadharaka, if you wish for the highest good for yourself, you seek refuge in Sree Guru who still exists in human form and serve him with unwavering faith. Then you shall cross the ocean of misery, viz., and this phenomenal existence."
Jai Sai Ram
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
HAPPY BABA'S DAY
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
CHAPTER - 3
"Now I wish to know why Sree Guru is parabrahman (the Absolute) has taken birth as human being on earth" said Namadharaka.
"Son, you are blessed indeed. God’s grace is on you. That is why you are so strongly impelled to know more about Him. This devotion shall eventually liberate you. Your faith does stir up my joy too. Earlier, I roamed the whole of this earth, but no one ever asked me to narrate the stories of Sree Guru. After so long only you have asked me about these. Just as the ocean swells at the sight of full moon, at the sight of an eager devotee like you, my urge to expound the same wells up within my heart.
Now listen attentively," said Siddha and went on: "Sree Guru is infinite and so is his divine sport. One does not know where to stop the narration of his divine acts. That is why, unless you question me specifically, it is not easy to commence the narration. However, it is never possible to express the full significance of his leelas in speech.
The Vedas describe the Supreme as the One, failing to reach whom our speech and mind turn back upon themselves. That is, his divine play can neither be comprehended fully by the intellect, nor its implication conveyed by language. Listening to or reading the stories of Sree Guru’s miracles is like a boat with which one can easily cross the ocean of misery ridden, phenomenal existence. During the age of Kali, men are irreligious. Such do not understand this truth and are therefore lost in this ocean. Incessant cravings for pleasure are the ceaseless waves in it; such passions as lust and greed are the frightening creatures that infest it; the inarticulate cries of pain and sorrow of creatures constitute the roar of the surf.
In order to take us safely across such unfathomable and boundless ocean, the Guru is helmsman. God’s i.e., the Guru’s grace is the favorable wind. Owing to your meritorious actions of your past life, you have got all the means necessary to cross it without much struggle. So make sure, you do so quickly. Now I shall recount the story of Sree Guru".
So saying, Siddha led Namadharaka to the confluence of rivers Bhima and Amaraja, and both of them sat under the peepal tree beneath which long ago, Sree Guru himself lived. As the boon-bestowing Sree Guru sat under it, the tree too acquired the blessed power and hence maybe considered as the veritable Kalpa Vriksha, the wish-fulfilling tree.
Jai Sai Ram
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
CHAPTER - 3
Continuation....
Then Siddha went on:
"My son Namadharaka, human beings are of three kinds: those given to sensual pleasures, the seekers after Enlightenment and the Enlightened (or the Liberated). The story of Sree Guru (Sree Guru Charitra) is a sole refuge of these. The seekers of worldly pleasures gain them either by studying or listening to it. For seeker after liberation, it is an excellent remedy to cure the illness of ignorance. The liberated one’s derive supreme bliss by listening to it. It is thus their very life. The full significance and efficacy of Sree Guru Charitra is something which transcends our limited powers of intellectual and verbal communication. However much we recount it, there remains much that is never revealed, unless one is spiritually awakened to it by Divine grace.
Once there was a terrible universal deluge and the whole world was submerged by a huge flood of water. Then Lord Narayana, lay floating on the coil of divine serpent, Adisesha (lit., what remains as essence when all forms are dissolved) and was in His yogic trance. Desirous of projecting the world again, he manifested (the creative grace) Maya and originated Brahma the creator from it. In order to promote the creative process, Brahma too, by an act of will created the seven great seers, Mareechi, Atri, Ribhu, Pulasthya, Pulaha, Angirasa, and Daksha. Of these sage Atri happen to be the one to whom Lord Datta was born.
Anusuya, the wife of the great sage Atri, became famous for her devotion to her husband paativratya. Such was her spiritual power that the hard uneven earth turned soft and smooth for her as she walked about. Even the scorching sun and the blazing fire turn cool in regard to her. The God of wind dared not blow as a pleasant breeze for her sake. The Gods presiding over nature’s forces were afraid that they would lose their dignity if they defied her greatness and so sought refuge from Lord Vishnu, the Sustainer of all existence.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 3
Continuation.....
Once Sage Narada who freely moved about the three worlds, visited the abodes of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva and proclaimed the spiritual eminence of Anusuya which was a result of her intense, unrivalled devotion to her husband and of her unfaltering vow of hospitality to visitors. Hearing this, the consorts of divine Trinity, i.e., Saraswati, Lakshmi ad Parvati felt jealous of her. When their husbands tried to console them, they felt that they should find an occasion to curse Anusuya Devi, or trap her in a moral dilemma and see that her greatness does not exceed their own. So the three God’s, went to the hermitage of sage Atri disguised as three random guests (Athitis), Anasuya welcomed the guests with due respect and seated them. As per her vow of dutifulness, she said, "Holy Sirs, you have sanctified our hermitage by your holy visit. I heartily welcome you. Please say what I could do for you. The Master of the hermitage, sage Atri, has gone to the forest to perform his austerity (tapa’s)”.
The guest told her that they were all very hungry and cannot wait till her husband returned home. They wanted to eat immediately. She went in and after making proper arrangements, invited them to lunch. Then the guests said, ‘Holy One! Unless you take off your clothes and serve us food in your nakedness, we shall not eat but go away hungry!’. On hearing their words, she smiled to herself and reflected thus: ‘I am totally purified by the long association with the Holy sage Atri, what harm can the God of lust ever do to me? So I need fear nothing. If I do not comply with their precondition they would go away after laying a curse on me for having failed in my duty and my promise to feed them. As they sought food from my hands, I look upon them as my own children and not as strangers and grown up men!’. Having decided thus, she said to them, Sirs I shall do as you wish. Come and have your lunch!’. Then she did accordingly. At once, by virtue of her superior spiritual power the three divine guests were transformed into infants!. At the sight of them, holy motherly love welled up in her heart so intensely that her bosom experienced lactation. She happily suckled them and the three infants were immensely satisfied. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, as though exhausted with their tasks of Creation, Sustaining and Distruction had all enjoyed perfect rest in her lap!.
Then Anusuya realized that they were the holy Trinity and was very happy. She put them in a cradle and rocked it, singing lullaby recounting the whole incident. Sage Atri was on his way home heard the song from a distance and he knew of what had transpired. On reaching the hermitage he glorified the Trinity thus: "Oh thou Supreme Spirit! You are the ultimate cause of creation, preservation and destruction. You are the witness of the whole Universe, the omnipresent, the all-pervading Essence of all existence. You are Lord Vishnu. You are indeed the Reality, but by your divine sport, you manifested yourself as the holy Trinity for your own play. Though the universe is a projection of Nescience of your real essence, it is not distinct from you. Only when perceived through the illusionary sense of ‘I and mine’, it looks distinct from you."
As he sang thus, even while the three infant forms were in front of him, they also appeared before him in their original forms and wanted him to seek a boon from them. He then looked meaningfully at his wife and said, ‘My dear, these holy ones cannot be reached even by the mind. They appeared here only by the power of your devotion. Tell them of your heart’s wish’. She replied, ‘My Lord, you were created by Brahma for the promotion of the phenomenon of creation. Therefore, I shall be pleased if you pray to the One Lord that has appeared as this Trinity to live here as our sons’. Sage Atri did so. And the One Spirit manifest as the trio set ‘Oh wise sage, I offer myself to you, henceforth as your adopted son. Hence I am Datta’.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 3
Continuation.....
Owing to the power of Anusuya’s devotion, the divine trinity continued to live at her hermitage as her children. At the same time, they also left for their celestial abodes in their subtle spiritual forms and by united with their consorts.
As Lord Vishnu gave himself up completely, the sage name Brahma was charming as Chandra, infant Shiva as Durvasa and Vishnu as Datta. The children of Atri are called Atreyas. Thus, in order to denote that Datta was his son, he came to called Dattatreya. He is indeed the Supreme Lord himself, the goal of the Vedas. He is the nature of Reality-Awareness-Bliss. He is the Master of Yoga and wisdom, the wish-fulfiller of his devotees and is ever ready to bless them at the mere thought of him. He wanders all over the creation. Durvasa was choleric in temperament. Still, he blesses others. Chandra sustains the worlds.
The Supreme Spirit, henceforth known as Dattatreya, is indeed unbound by phenomenal existence. Yet, in deference to a curse laid on him, once by Sage Durvasa, he ever abides on earth, assuming different human forms. This he does out of compassion for the creatures on earth and for the Gods. There were Avatars of the Lord earlier too. But all of them after completing their mission left of those forms and returned to their One Essence. In order to bless his devotees the Lord had incarnated as Lord Dattatreya. Yet he did not, like the other avatars to leave the earthly plane of existence after completing his divine mission.
I shall illustrate the difference: The incarnation of Sree Rama was intended for the destruction of demon king Ravana. The avatar of Sree Krishna was intended for the annihilation of king Duryodhana and his wicked train. So, after the completion of those missions, Sree Raman and Sree Krishna had cast off their physical bodies and left for their heavenly abode. But the Avatar of Dattatreya was intended for the welfare of all creatures. As this mission has to be carried out as long as creation exists, he does not lay down his body and leave for his heavenly realm and goes on wandering from place to place". Thus Dattatreya is the eternal Avatar of God’s Spirit of Self-dedication to the salvation of all creatures. He manifests himself perennially as the perfect Saints of all religions of the world.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 3
Continuation.....
As Siddha thus went on enumerating the unique features of the Avatar of Datta, Namadharaka expressed on of his doubts thus: "Sir, Durvasa, by laying a curse on Dattatreya has indeed done good to all creatures! If he was not cursed to wander about for the welfare of all Lord Datta, too would have laid down his physical body like the other Avatars, after the fulfillment of his limited missions. But tell me, why at all, Durvasa cursed him. Besides, how could the curse affect Him who is ever above all manifestation?"
Siddha replied, "Son, the Supreme Lord is indeed ever unmanifest, but when invoked by the power of devotion of the faithful ones, he manifested Himself on earth out of compassion for them. He is full of the Spirit of endurance. Durvasa once cursed King Ambarisha, who was a devotee of Vishnu. Then Dattatreya requested Durvasa to transfer the curse to him, as he was pledged to take over himself the sufferings of His devotees. Durvasa did so. And thereby curse accrued to Vishnu who manifested Himself as Dattatreya. I shall recount the details of the story.
Long ago, there was a King named Ambarisha who honored his guests as the veritable forms of Lord Vishnu. He scrupulously observed the vow of Ekaadasi (the eleventh lunar day from either full or new moon day). The vow consists on fasting on Ekaadasi and breaking the fast before noon on the next day of Dwadasi (lit., ‘the twelfth day’).
Once sage Durvasa wanted to test the righteousness of Ambarisha and arrived at his palace with a large retinue of disciples on the morning of Dwadasi and demanded food for all of them. Ambarisha happily invited them all for for lunch. Durvasa then went to the river for his ablutions and deliberately delayed his return to catch the king in the horns of a dilemma: If in order to fulfill his vow, he were to break his fast without waiting for his guest, it would amount to disrespecting the latter, according to the religious law. As a way out of the dilemma , Ambarisha sipped a little holy water (teertha). For, the act may be interpreted as breaking the fast without insulting the guest.
The next minute Durvasa arrived and was wild with rage. He said 'As per the letter of the holy law, you have taken the holy water as food, leaving us the holy guests'. and cursed Ambarisha thus, "May you in every one of your births, wander about without an abode! " .The co-relation between the curse and the error committed to deserve it is that Ambarisha, could not wait , in patience, the arrival of the guest and the curse ordains that it's victim should like wise be deprived of any stability and comfort in all his future births.
Ambarisha being an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, the latter appeared on the scene and said " Oh Durvasa, you being a great rishi, your curse cannot go in vain. But my devotee Ambarisha cannot stand it either. And it is my promise that I shall bear the burden of my faithful. You modify the curse so that I could suffer it in his stead. " Durvasa pondered for a while ; 'This lord Vishnu is not easily accessible to devotees on earth. Hence it is good for all if He, instead of Ambarisha, should wander about this earth.' So he modified his curse accordingly. It is for this reason that Lord Vishnu as Dattatreya has been wandering about in different forms all over this earth.
The same lord, as described in the Puranas, manifested Himself earlier as the Divine Fish, the Divine Tortoise and others. Even in this age of Kali, he manifested himself twice. Even though these two avatars cannot be seen by the naked eyes of ordinary mortals in this wicked age, they respond to the call of devotees even today.
In this age of Kali, even the good which is conceived of in the mind bears fruit within a limited time, whereas in the case of Sin only when it is acted upon, does it produce its fruit. It is only because in the age of Kali, this facility exists that the Lord did not prevent the Spirit of Kali from manifesting Himself on earth. How blessed are those, Oh Namadharaka, who lives in a virtuous manner without allowing even a single evil thought even in this, Kali age!".
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4
"Once King Yadu, the son of Yayaathi, saw in a forest, a recluse saint (Avadhuta) and addressed him thus: "Sir, every human being is impelled to strive and act by a longing for anyone or all of the goals of life - righteousness, wealth, fulfillment of desire and liberation from ignorance and misery. But your attitude is quite different. You do not strive or act at all. I dare not say that you abstain from all action owing to lack of ability, skill or understanding. You are indeed quite capable, energetic, and wise. Such as you are, why do you live in the forest, free from all desire? Even though you have neither kith and kin nor even a family, how could you be so blissful and self-contented?"
The Avadhuta replied, "My bliss and contentment are the fruits of Self-Realization. I have gained the necessary wisdom from the whole of creation, through 24 gurus. I shall elaborate the same for you:
All creatures in accordance with their previous store of karma, assume different physical forms and live on earth. People plough, dig and tread on earth. They light fires on it. Still, the earth does not swerve from its course even by a hair's breath. On the other hand, it feeds and houses all creatures. Seeing this, I learned that the wise one should never swerve from his vow of patience, love and righteousness under any circumstances. Besides, the many mountain peaks on earth are the abodes of holy shrines and of dense forests which usher timely rainfall for the well-being of all creatures. The many caves in them shelter different creatures. Several rivers, which are indispensable for human weal, have their rise in mountains. Stones and mud that are needed for building our houses, palaces and forts are afforded by mountains. Their peaks are most congenial for a life of contemplation and meditation, which alone can ensure fulfillment of human life. Thus, as it were, the mountain exists for the welfare of all, materially and spiritually. From this I learned that the wise One should dedicate his life for the welfare of all living beings. The earth with its mountains, was thus my first guru.
I observed that air is pure and odorless in itself. And it blows on both sweet and foul-smelling things without any discrimination or preference. Though it momentarily takes on the smell of its surroundings, in a short while, it reveals its pristine quality. From this I learned that the individual also should live in a like manner. That a spiritual aspirant should live in the world, unaffected by the dualities of life like joy and sorrow and by the objects of the senses. He should keep his heart's feeling and his speech unpolluted by vain objects. As the wind takes on only very few of the qualities of the object it contacts, a yogi should eat only what is just necessary to keep his body and soul together. Air blows for a short while and seems easily agitated, but soon regains its calm. So too, a yogi should ever strive to retain inner calm, though living in the thick of the battle of life.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4
Continuation....
I have noticed that sometimes the sky (or space) gets thickly overcast, or filled with dust or smoke. At sunrise and during night, it apparently takes on different colors. But in fact, it ever remains its colorless self, and it is never touched or stained by anything. From this I learned that a true sage should remain ever pure like the sky or space, untouched or unaffected by anything in the phenomenal universe in time, including his own physical processes. His inner being is totally free from emotional reaction to things and events, even like space. Though many things appear in the sky or space and seem to demarcate and divide it into zones, it indeed ever remains an indivisible continuum. The Real Self too is indeed such. Again, like the Self the sky or space is omnipresent. Thus I accepted the sky or space as my third teacher.
My fourth Teacher is the element of fire, Sometimes, it manifests itself as blazing flames; sometimes as smoldering embers, covered by ash. But it is always present in all objects as latent heat. In the latter form, it is omnipresent. When dry twigs are rubbed together for the fire-sacrifice, it manifests as ordinary fire, which is said to burn down the sins of those who offer oblations. The god of fire accepts the offerings of everyone, irrespective of his moral worth and burns down his sins; but it still remains the ever pure divinity as the fire- god: he is untainted by the sins of such devotees. So too, a sage of prefect Realization should accept food of everyone, burn down his sins and bless the giver.
Though fire has no specific form of its own, when it is associated with fuel that burns, it assumes such apparent forms. So too, the true Self, though formless in itself, appears in the forms of deities, human beings, animals, and trees when it is associated with the respective physical structures. The source of all forms in the universe, as also their end, remains ever mysterious. All the things are manifest only in between their origin and their end. Their source and end is the true Self, which is eternal, unchanging, unmanifest and omnipresent. The nature of the element of fire is such. By reflecting deeply on this truth, I have realized the Self. The manifest fire transforms the various things it consumes into the same ash. So too, the wisdom of Self-Realization rejects the manifest forms and properties of things as illusion and realizes their One original Essence as Itself. Thus the element of fire is my fourth guru.
JAI SAI RAM
contd....
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4
Continuation....
My fifth guru is the sun. Though the sun we see in our daily life is one, it appears as many when reflected by water in different vessels. Similarly, the One Real Self manifests itself as the many selves of living creatures when reflected by their physical structures. Again, in summer, the sun draws up the water on earth as vapor and again casts it down as rain in the proper season. So too, the sage gathers a lot of wisdom through his senses and imparts it to his worthy disciples at the proper time. Still, like the sun, he does not egotistically feel, 'I have gathered such wide knowledge and imparted it to so many!' Just as the sun illumines the many forms in nature to our vision, the sage too illumines the true nature of all the things to his true devotees. The self-same sun makes the lotuses bloom, but makes the water lilies close up. So too, human beings receive wisdom from a sage according to their receptivity but he blesses all creatures alike.
I have gained wisdom from a pigeon too. Once a pair of pigeons lived together on a tree. They bred their young and were bringing them up with deep affection and love. One day, a hunter caught the young fledglings in a snare. The lady-bird which returned from the forest with food for its young ones saw their plight and, unable to leave them, herself leapt in the snare to share their fate. Shortly after, the male pigeon turned up and, unable to bear the separation from its sweetheart, it too jumped in the snare and met its end. Reflecting on this, I realized how, even after being born as an intelligent human being, man is caught in the coils of possessiveness and brings about his own spiritual destruction. The Self which is originally free, when associated with the body, and the senses, gets identified with it, and thus gets caught in the endless cycle of birth, death and misery. Thus the pigeon was my sixth guru.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4
Continuation....
The python is a sluggard, unwilling to move out briskly for its prey. It lies in its lurch and devours whatever creature it comes across, be it sufficient or insufficient to appease its hunger. From this I learnt that the man in search of wisdom should refrain from running after pleasures and accept whatever he gets spontaneously with contentment. He should live, ever contemplating his true Self. Even he should trust God and fast. Like the python, he should shake off sleep and wakefulness and abide in a state of incessant meditation on the Self. Though endowed with a sturdy body, he should refrain from all actions, which are characterized by a sense of agency and by a desire for the results of action. He should withdraw the power of perception from all his senses and center it on the unmindful of both purity and important of both purity and impurity. Like it, he should keep off from human haunts and be ever immersed in the purity of inner contemplation. Thus the python was my seventh Teacher of wisdom.
Contemplating the marvelous nature of the ocean, I have gained much wisdom. Any number of overflowing rivers may join it, yet the sea maintains its level. Nor does its level fall even by a hair's breadth in summer, when all the rivers dry up. So too, the sage of wisdom does not get elated by the joys of life, nor does he get depressed by its sorrows. Just as the sea never crosses its threshold on the beach, the Wise One never transgresses the highest standards of morality under the pull of passions. Like the sea, he is unconquerable and cannot be troubled by anything. Like the unfathomable ocean, his true nature and the depths of his wisdom cannot be easily comprehended by anyone. The sea never casts out its pearls and it never allows any useless stuff to remain in it for long. So too, a sage never does surrender any of his natural virtues, nor does he allow even a single error to creep into his nature. The ocean, which has taught me thus, is my eighth Teacher.
I often observed that the moth (or, more precisely a grasshopper) is tempted by fire to jump in it and get burnt down. So too, the unthinking man is enticed by the illusory pleasures of the senses and thus get caught in the ceaseless cycles of birth and death. The power of his evil deeds draws him down to the bottom of the spiritual ladder. On the other hand, the wise One, when he catches even a glimpse of the fire of Wisdom, leaves everything aside, leaps in it and burns down the illusion of being a limited self. Thus the moth was my ninth Teacher.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4
Continuation....
The elephant was my next Teacher. The human beings raise a stuffed cow-elephant in the forest. The wild tusker mistakes it for a mate, approaches it and is then skillfully bound in fetters by cunning human beings. So too, the unregenerate man is tempted by the opposite sex and gets bound by the fetters of infatuation. Even when the bull-elephant succeeds in finding a mate, it is soon challenged by other male elephants in heat and it often gets killed in the fight. It was in this fashion that wicked kings like Ravana and Duryodhana were annihilated by their infatuation for the fair sex. The seeker after liberation should learn to be free from lust. The elephant was thus one of my Teachers.
The ant stores up lots of food materials which it neither eats nor gives away in charity to any other creature. In consequence, other more powerful creatures are tempted to plunder the ants. So too, the man who lays by treasures of merely material things becomes a victim of robbery and murder. But the ant has something positive to teach us, too. It is a tireless worker and is never discouraged by any number of obstacles and setbacks in its effort to gather its treasure. So too, a seeker after wisdom should be tireless in his efforts for Self-Realization. This noble truth has the little ant taught me.
The fish greedily swallows bait and is at once caught by the angle -hook. From this, I realized how man meets his destruction by his craving for delicious food. I learned that wise one should eat only wholesome food in order to sustain his life and health. It is truly said that when the palate is conquered, all else is conquered. Besides, there is a positive feature in the fish: It never leaves its home i.e., water. So too, man should never loose sight of his true Self, but should ever have his being in it.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
Chapter 4.
Continuation....
The thirteenth guru that has awakened my spirit is a prostitute named Pingala. One day, she eagerly awaited a particular client in the hope that he would pay her amply. She waited and waited till late in the night. When he did not turn up, she was at last disillusioned and reflected thus: "Alas! How stupid I am! Neglecting the divine Spirit within who is the nature of bliss eternal, I foolishly awaited a debauchee who inspires my lust and greed and who is most likely to inflict on me the most unbearable torments. Henceforth, I shall expend myself on the Self, unite with Him and win eternal joy. Through such repentance, she attained blessedness. Besides, reflecting on its obvious purport, I also realized that a spiritual aspirant should likewise reject the lure of lesser spiritual powers, which are mere by-products of Sadhana. I learned that desire on either of the planes, and the temptation to secure things from other's hands are the seeds of misery; that renunciation of these is the sole means of realizing infinite joy.
Jai Sai Ram
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
Chapter 4.
Continuation....
Once I observed an arrow-maker who was totally absorbed in molding a sharp arrow. He grew so oblivious of all else that he did not even notice a royal pageant that passed by. This sight awakened me to the truth that such single-minded, all-absorbing contemplation of the Self spontaneously eliminates all temptation for the trivial interests of the world. It is the sole secret of success in spiritual discipline. Thus the arrow-maker is my fourteenth guru.
Similarly, I noticed that little boys and girls are playful are and carefree. They know neither honor nor dishonor. They cannot nurse a grudge or a prejudice against anyone. They do not know what is their own, or what belongs to others. They do not need any external objects or conditions to be happy. Their happiness springs from their own selves, their innate creativity. I realized that the sage of perfect enlightenment is also such. A playful boy thus happened to be my fifteenth Teacher.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd....
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
Chapter 4.
Continuation....
Of all things in nature the moon is unique: It appears to wax and wane during the bright and dark fortnights. In fact, the lunar globe ever remains the same. While a man appears to pass through the stages of infancy, boyhood, youth, maturity and old age, his real self remains unchanged. All changes pertain only to the body and not to the self. Again, the moon reflects the light of the sun, but has no such of its own.
So too, the soul or mind of man is only a reflection of the light of awareness of the real Self. Having taught me this truth, the moon came to be my sixteenth guru. It bestows joy and cool to all the creatures. Similarly, the sage of perfect wisdom propagates the grace of God and thereby quenches the fire of misery. Yet, like the moon, he does not expect any reward or recognition.
Jai Sai Ram
Contd..
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURUCHARITRA
Chapter 4.
Continuation....
While wandering about in search of wisdom, I observed that the bee is lured by the sweet scent of the lotuses, at sunset. It sojourns in the lotus, as the later close up for the night, and thus gets imprisoned. So too, a wandering monk, if he is not wise and wary enough, is tempted by the same objects and dainty dishes offered by householder devotees as tokens of their regard for him. Such a one easily yields to their persuasion to linger and finally, stay on in their houses, and is enslaved by their luxuries. Therefore, a monk should be careful to accept of them only what is just necessary to keep his body and soul together, and should not bother the householder devotees much. He should make it a principle not to live with them.
Besides, the bee wanders from flower to flower and, without hurting them in the least, draws honey. So too, a spiritual seeker should study all the Holy Scriptures practice, and discard all claims to mere scholarship. The honeybee neither consumes its rich store of honey, nor does it give away to anyone. In consequence, it tempts the honey-vendor to rob it off its store. The instruction is clear: The wise one does not store food for the next meal or even for the morrow, but accepts only what his hands and stomach can hold for the moment. Such is the Teaching I imbibed from my seventeenth Teacher, the honeybee.
JAI SAI RAM
Contd...
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4.
Continuation...
It is said that deer are very fond of music and that poachers employ it to lure them before hunting them. From this I learned that a spiritual aspirant who has a weakness for merely secular music will soon get bogged down by passions and sensual desires, till he ultimately loses whatever spiritual progress he has achieved earlier. Such indeed, is the story of sage Rishyashringa. The deer that taught me this truth is my eighteenth guru.
A bird of prey is my nineteenth Teacher. One day, I saw one such carrying away a dead rat. Many other birds like crows and eagles attacked it, on its sides in their endeavor to knock off the prey. The poor bird was thus very much pestered. At last, it wisely let its prey fall and all the other birds rushed after it. Thus freeing itself from so much botheration, the first bird quietly perched on a treetop and sighed in relief. From this, I learned that a man who runs after worldly pleasures will soon come into clash with his fellow-beings who too run for the same, and has to face much strife and antagonism. If he learns to conquer his craving for worldly things, he can spare himself much unhappiness. I realized that this is the only way to peace in this world.
Once I observed a family visit a maiden's house, seeking her hand in marriage for their son. At that time, her mother was away from home. So the maiden herself had to entertain the guests with refreshments. So she at once, started pounding food grains with a pestle. The bangles on her hand started knocking against one another, producing sound. She was afraid that the guests might hear the sound and be unhappy for having caused her so much trouble. As a Hindu maiden, she is not expected to remove all the bangles on her hands at any time. So she kept two on each hand and removed all the rest. Even then they were knocking against each other and were making noise. So she kept only one bangle on each hand his time and she could finish her task in quiet.
Reflecting on this I realized that when a number of spiritual seekers live together, a lot of unwanted gossip ensues and no spiritual practice can be pursued with a single-minded effort. Even when two seekers stay together, it is no better. Only in solitude can he assiduously carry on his task. Knowing this, I henceforth resorted to solitude. Thus, a maiden happened to be my twentieth guru.
JAI SAI RAM
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4.
Continuation...
I observed that the serpent never builds a dwelling for itself. When white ants have raised an anthill for themselves, the serpent eventually comes to inhabit it. Similarly worldly people have to endure many hardships in raising houses for themselves, while a recluse monk does no such thing. On the other hand, he makes such muth his temporary abode. The monasteries are raised by worldly men and the monk lives in them; or, he lives in old dilapidated temples, or underneath shady trees. Thereby, he avoids the snares of possessiveness. Again, the serpent's way of living remain a mystery hidden from the practice and even his existence hidden from the curious gaze of worldly men. Only then can he carry on his yogic practices undisturbed. Yet again, the serpent molts, leaving off its old skin. So too, at the end of his life, the yogi leaves his body deliberately and in full awareness of his owns true Self and is not frightened by the phenomenon of death. On the other hand, he casts off his old body as happily as he does his worn out clothes and dons new ones. Thus has my twenty first guru taught me.
JAI SAI RAM
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4.
Continuation...
The spider is my next Teacher. It weaves its web from the thread, which it vomits in the form of a fluid. After sometime, it gathers up the web into itself. Such was the ancient belief. In a similar way, the Supreme projects the whole creation out of Itself and after sometime withdraws it into Itself at the tie of disillusion. The individual souls too, bears the senses and the mind within itself and, at its birth as a human being or any other living creature, it projects them out as the sense organs, organs of action and the while body. In accordance with its latent tendencies, the creature thus born gathers up all the means and objects needed for its living. At the end of its life's duration, the soul once again withdraws the senses, mind and acquired tendencies at the hour of death. Thus have I learned from the spider.
JAI SAI RAM
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 4.
Continuation...
The caterpillar is also one of my Teachers of wisdom. The wasp carries its caterpillar to a safe corner and closes it up in its nest and goes on buzzing about it. The young caterpillar is so frightened by the incessant buzzing, that it cannot think of anything else than the buzzing wasp. Through such, un-intermittent contemplation of its mother, the caterpillar too soon grows up into a wasp! In a like fashion, a true disciple is so charmed and over-awed by the spiritual eminence of his own guru that he cannot think of anything or anyone other than him. Through such contemplation he soon blossoms into a great spiritual Master himself. The caterpillar is thus my twenty third guru.
Water is my twenty fourth guru. I observed that it quenches the thirst of every creature, serves to wash it and affords it health and cool. It sustains innumerable trees and plants. While it thus serves all living beings, it is never proud of itself. On the other hand, it humbly seeks the lowliest of places. The sage too should likewise bestow health, peace and joy to every creature that resorts to him. Yet he should ever live as the humblest of God's creation.
With such humility and devotion, I looked upon the whole of God's creation as my teacher, gathered up wisdom and, through patient effort, I realized my goal of spiritual enlightenment".
JAI SAI RAM
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 5
Namadharaka Sarma asked Siddha, 'Oh great soul, you have said that the Lord incarnated twice during the age of Kali. I long to hear all about these avatars.' Siddha was very happy to notice the humility and faith of Namadharaka. He said, 'It is good you have asked me of these. For it purifies the one who recounts it as much as it does the listener. So listen attentively. The Lord ever incarnates on earth in order to check evil ways and strengthen the righteous forces in man. In this age of Kali, he first manifested himself as Sreepada Sreevallabha for the same end.
To the east of where we are, there is a village named Pithapuram (East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh). There lived a brahmin couple, Appala Raju Sharma and Sumathi, who were devotees of Lord Datta. They had many children, of whom only two survived. These too were sons, but as misfortune would have it, one was lame and the other was blind. Like orthodox Hindus, they believed that unless they had a son could efficiently discharge all the religious rites and duties, their souls had no hope of entering the portals of heaven. They worshipped Lord Datta for the fulfillment of their hearts' wish and never failed to offer food to mendicants and monks. They look upon all such as the very forms of Lord Datta. One day, they were performing the annual ceremony in their house and many brahmins were invited as guests for the feast. Tradition holds that none should eat on that day before these guests partake their food.
But Lord Datta appeared at their threshold in the form of a renunciate sadhu, bearing the staff and the water-vessel (kamandalu) and asked for food. The head of the family was not aware of it. The housewife, with immense faith that the visitor was none other the Lord to whom the whole annual ceremony was being offered, gave him food even before the brahmin guests were fed! Her faith touched the Lord's heart and He at once granted her a vision of his true form. The divine form, which Sumathi witnessed, was such that neither a thousand eyes can fully comprehend it, nor a thousand tongues describe it. In his six divine arms, he held the conch (Shankh), the disc (Chakra), the trident of Shiva (Trishula), the drum (Damaru), the water-vessel (Kamandalu) and the rosary (Japa mala). His glorious form had three heads. Clad in a tiger's skin and his body besmeared with sacred ash (Vibhuthi), he looked like a silver mountain in moonlight. His matted hair hung down like ropes as though, in order to help his devotees climb out of the mire of phenomenal existence.
Contd...
Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 5
Continuation.....
The blessed housewife drank the divine glory of the Lord's form and felt that the highest object of her was fulfilled. The Lord said, "Mother, I am pleased with your devotion. Even before you fed the brahmin guests, you have given me food with the full faith that this is the Lord in the guise of a holy sannyasi. Now, ask me for anything you wish and it shall be granted." The nectarine words of the Lord seemed to penetrate every cell in her being. Her eyes were sweet words. 'Lord', she said, 'You, whose vision is not attained even by great yogis, have blessed my sight with it spontaneously, out of sheer compassion for me! You have even accepted food from me, on this day. And thereby, the spirits of our ancestors, for whose welfare we are performing the annual ceremony, are all blessed. You are, indeed, the wish-fulfiller of your devotees. You have already addressed me as mother. So I have no need to ask of you anything further. Make me worthy of being addressed by you as such (i.e.), bless me with a child as divine as you are and keep your word!'
Contd...
Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 5
Continuation.....
Hearing her words, the Lord thought, 'She's asking me for the same favor as did Anasuya of yore'. Then he said, 'you shall have a son as great as I am, but then you must remember one thing: You will have to implicitly as do as he tells you. Do not forget this in your attachment to the idea that he is, after all, your son!' So saying, the Lord disappeared.
Still rapt in the spell of her divine experience, blessed Sumathi at once went to her husband and said, 'Sir, I have transgressed the divine law: the brahmin guests are not yet fed. Lord Dattatreya came to our house in the form of a sannyasi for offerings of food. Believing that he is the Lord of this annual ceremony and the Lord of all religious sacrifices, I gave him food'. Raju said, 'My virtuous one, we offer food to the brahmins on this occasion and consecrate the whole ceremony to the Lord Vishnu. If, then, that very Lord had personally received your offering, it is all the noble fruit of your deep faith in him.
This noble act of yours has blessed all of us. Lord Dattatreya, in order to bless his devotees and the righteous ones, wanders about in the guise of a random guest at the lunch hour. That's why it is said that a random guest has to be treated as the very embodiment of Lord Dattatreya. If, owing to our inadvertence, the guest goes away unappeased, it means that the Lord himself is displeased with us'.
Then Sumathi told him of the divine vision the Lord had bestowed on her and of his granting her wish for a divine son, along with the caution he gave. Raju Sharma was overjoyed to learn all that and congratulated her saying, 'You have indeed sought a blessing that would purify our very lineage and the whole world'. He then completed the ceremony scrupulously.
Not long after, Sumathi conceived and delivered a male child at the proper time. She gave birth to one who is indeed birth-less. Astrologers and priests had all prophesied that Lord Datta himself was born as her son and praised her fortune. Indeed, He kept word to Sumathi and, as he can have no equal, he had to take birth as her son. As the child had all the divine features besides celestial radiance, it was fittingly named as Sripada. This was the first incarnation of Lord Datta in the age of Kali.
As days and months passed, the child Sripada grew ever more glorious, like the waxing moon and attained the age of eight. As per the tradition, he was invested with the sacred thread ceremony a boy has to be trained by a guru for a 8 years before he can memorize the the Vedas completely. But this boy, Sripada, started imparting vedic knowledge to his pupils right from the moment of his upanayana (sacred thread ceremony). It was all a purely divine miracle. In him was demonstrated the truth of the dictum that all the knowledge acquired in one's previous lives springs up spontaneously in the present life, like things recollected.
Meanwhile, his father Raju Sharma wished to get his son married and even started looking for a suitable girl. When he heard of it, one day, Sripada said, 'Father, you need not search for a bride anew. The perfect and divine bride is awaiting me. She is the treasure of yoga. Hence, I shall renounce all. As I am Sripada Srivallabha (meaning the consort of Sri or goddess Lakshmi), I shall gain liberation even without the need of begetting a son'. The determined aim of his son to forego marriage pained the father. With tears in their eyes, the parents said to Sripada, 'If you were to leave us, as a wandering sannyasi, we shall be like fish out of water. Even though you are the Lord incarnate, you have taken birth as our son. Is it proper for you, then, to leave us to perish in the ocean of grief of separation? How can you, the protector of righteousness, not fulfill the duty enjoined upon every son?'
Then, pointing at their two sons, they said, 'Indeed, even by contemplating on you (i.e., when you leave us), one can cut asunder the self-perpetuating rounds of birth and death. But when we look at these blind and lame sons, our minds are again caught up in the whirl-pool of worldly concerns.'
His heart melting with compassion at the sight of tears in their eyes, Sripada touched his brothers and made them whole in a trice! What is impossible for the almighty and the Lord of the universe?
The miracle dispelled the veil of delusion that blinded their understanding. As the realization that He is all pervading had dispelled the illusory grief of being parted from him, it even seemed a sin to them to confine him at home and keep him off from all creatures who are, indeed his children. Then his mother said, 'Lord, your maya has deluded me into looking upon you as chiefly my son. In fact, the whole cosmic egg is within your being. That you are my son is but a convention. You should keep my understanding clear of this delusion.’
Contd...
Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 5
Continuation.....
Then the Lord granted her the vision of his real, divine, form. The handsome, tender lad at once appeared radiant like a million suns and pleasing as a myriad moon. His blissful nature seemed to enliven every atom of existence. 'Mother, you ever contemplate this form you now see. You shall soon transcend the ocean of this illusory, phenomenal existence and attain eternal unity with me. These two sons of yours shall live to their full span of life and serve you with devotion. They shall be learned and wealthy and you shall be blessed with grand children and great grand children. They too shall win fair renown', he said.
As the brothers praised his glory, Sripada said to them, 'Look upon your parents as the embodiments of the divine parents and serve them well. And I shall renounce all'. Then he circumambulated thrice around them in reverence. With their permission, he renounced all worldly ties and trekked to several holy places like Dwaraka, Brindavan, Mathura, and Badrinath. After wandering there for sometime, he marched down to the holy Gokarna in order to bless the spiritual seekers there. There, Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of the Mahabaleswara Linga, which was installed by Lord Ganesha. Hence the place came to be the spiritual resort of innumerable seekers after the Spirit, down the ages'.
Contd...
Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 6
Namadharaka asked, not surprised a little, “While Kasi, Badrinath, And Kedarnath have been esteemed since hoary times for their holiness, we can understand why Sreepada visited them. But what is great about Gokarna that he should go all the way to visit it? Please enlighten me on this point!”
Siddha replied, “Once the mother of Ravana, wished to attain Kailasa and with this object, she started worshipping an earthen Shiva Linga. Ravana who was proud of his might wished to remove the whole of Kailasa to his mother’s presence. Using all his might, he lifted up the whole mount of Kailasa on to his head. This caused a great commotion in all celestial realms of existence and the whole of our earth shook, as though the very end of creation was at hand.
Goddess Parvati prayed to Lord Shiva to duly protect the worlds from so untimely an end. Then the latter pressed down the mount Kailasa under his foot till the mighty Ravana was almost crushed beneath the pressure. In great fear of death, the demon king Ravana humbly prayed to the Lord in desperation. The Lord’s heart was at last touched with compassion and he uplifted Ravana. Lord Shiva was pleased with his song and offered to grant him a boon.
Ravana submitted, “My capital of Lanka is all built of gold and is beyond the reach of anyone. The Goddess of wealth is my maid servant. Brahma, the creator is my court astrologer. All the gods including, Lord of Death are my attendants. So there is nothing which I cannot secure. Now, my mother wished to live forever in Kailasa and serve you, and so I came to take it home. O Lord, if at all you wish to grant me a boon, grant me that I could take Kailasa along with you to my city of Lanka!” The Lord of Kailasa replied, “Ravana, what will you or your mother do with this mount Kailasa? I shall bestow on you my Atma Linga which is incomparably superior to Kailasa. By worshipping it, you will attain to my own state of being”. Ravana gratefully accepted the same and very happily returned to Lanka with it.
Contd...
JAI SAI RAM
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 6
Continuation...
Sage Narada, the messenger of the gods, witnessed the whole incident and reported the matter to them. In great anxiety Brahma, Vishnu and Narada approached Shiva and asked him why he granted such a potent Atma Linga to a demon king like Ravana. They said, ‘Is it proper that he who is a thorn in the flesh of all beings attain to your power and glory?’ ‘I was too captivated by his charming song to consider the unwisdom of my spontaneous gesture and so bestowed it on him without a second thought. By now he could not have reached Lanka yet and something can be done at once to retrieve it.’, said Shiva and prompted Narada and Ganesha to contrive a way to somehow deprive the demon King of the Linga.
Accordingly Narada at once approached Ravana with the speed of thought and addressed him, ‘Oh! Ravana, whence are you coming and withered are you bound?’ Ravana replied, ‘Having won the heart of Lord Shiva, I have gained this Atma Linga which I am taking to Lanka’ and showed it to him. Narada said, ‘Oh! Ravana, once a terrible beast started killing all the wild buffaloes near a forest. At last, the Holy Trinity hunted it down and made each one a Shiva Linga from its horns. They transformed them into their selves and henceforth treated them as their Atma Lingas. This is one of those three and can bestow the eternal proximity of Lord Shiva and hence immortality and infinite power. As he went on elaborating its glory, Ravana interrupted him and said, ‘Oh! Sage, I do not have time to hear its glory’. ‘But oh Ravana it is time for your evening prayer! How can you go away without attending to it?’ said Narada and sat there elated that he could find so potent a reason for delaying the demon king’s progress to his homeland.
Meanwhile, Lord Ganesha came there in the guise of a young celebate. Ravana accosted him in a stern voice, ‘who are you? Where are you going?’ the boy celebate replied, ‘I am the son of one Uma and Shankara, I am frightened by your demeanor, let go my hand!’ ‘Hold this Linga just for a short while. I shall show you my golden city Lanka and you can happily live there’, insisted Ravana. ‘I cannot hold this heavy Linga. Besides, I will not come to Lanka which is the city of terrible demons’ said the celebate.
However, Ravana pleaded with him again and again, thrust the Linga in the hands of Ganesha and made for the nearby sea to attend to his evening prayers. ‘O Ravana! When I can no longer hold this, I shall call out to you thrice and if, by that time, you do not turn up, I shall place the Linga down here itself!” said Ganesha. No sooner did Ravana leave the spot than Ganesha called out to him thrice and when he could not turn up, the celebate meditated on Lord Vishnu and kept the Shiva Linga on earth! The gods above witnessed the successful accomplishment of that plan. Later, Ravana returned and at the sight of the Linga kept on earth, was much depressed. He beat the young lad Ganesha and, with all his might, tried to lift up the Linga.
The whole earth shook under the force but the Linga came to be called ‘Mahabaleshwara Linga,’ i.e., the Linga of the Almighty Lord. As the Linga is in the shape of the ear of cow, the place of where it is located came to be known as the Holy Gokarna (Go meaning Cow). The place is as sacred as Kailasa. There Lord Shiva dwells with all his retinue of gods. Hence, the place came to be a resort of earnest seekers after Spiritual perfection. Gods, demons, mortals and even human beings have got their wishes fulfilled in this place by the grace of Lord Shankara. Thus it is one of the most sacred places. An ancient legend testifies to its great sanctity.
Contd...
JAI SAI RAM
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 6
Continuation...
A king by name Kalmashapada became a fierce demon through the curse of Sage Vasishta. Once the demon king killed and devoured a pious Brahmin. The Brahmin’s wife then cursed him thus: “even after you regain your earlier human form, on the expiry of the curse of Sage Vasishta, you shall perish the moment you unite with your wife; for you have cruelly deprived me of my life’s companion!’ In course of time, the curse of the sage expired and the king returned to his capital city.
When his queen received him with the utmost joy he recounted to her the curse the Brahmin’s wife! She was shocked beyond measure to know that the joy of their reunion after such a long separation was embittered by the curse. Both the king and queen went on pilgrimage in the hope of finding redemption from sin and the consequent curse. In the course of their wanderings, they met the sage Gouthama and confided to him their plight. The sage replied in compassion: ‘Do not fear, Oh King! When we have such holy and wish fulfilling places as Gokarna, what can sin of killing a Brahmin do to you? All the water in that place is as holy as Ganga and all the stones there are potent as Shiva Lingas. There is nothing which cannot be achieved in that place which is wholly filled with such holy water and innumerable Shiva Lingas. I shall recount an incident which I had witnessed there.
When a woman of Chandala clan died at Gokarna, the attendants of Shiva came to take her soul to Kailasa! When I asked them about it, they said: ’This woman was a Brahmin’s daughter in her previous life. When her husband died in her childhood, in that life, under the influence of lust, she lived as the concubine of a wealthy businessman. When her kinsfolk came to know it, they forsook her and performed the religious rites of retribution. Henceforth, she cast all sense of shame to the winds and started living a detestable life openly.
She got addicted to liquor. One day she was drunk she mistook the calf of a cow for a goat and ate its flesh, keeping its head for the next day. When her lover arrived the next morning, she saw the calf’s head and started bemoaning that a tiger had killed the calf. She committed several such sins and, in consequence, she suffered much in hell and was reborn as a woman of the Chandala clan in this life. She was born blind and suffered from leprosy. After sometime, her parents who cared for her had died, Having no one to care for her, she arrived at Gokarna. She starved for several days and begged for food, on a holy Shivaratri.
As it was customary for devotees to fast on that day, they had nothing to giver her except a handful of Bel leaves which were used for the worship of Lord Shiva. As they were not fit for eating, she dropped them down. One of them fell on a Shiva Linga. Thus, even without her knowing it, she happened to fast on the Shivaratri day and worship the Shiva Linga with a Bel leaf. Thereby, all the sins of her previous life were burnt out. And so we, the attendants of Shiva, have now come to take her soul to His abode in Heaven.’ So saying, they besprinkled her body with ambrosia (Amrutha) and took her to the higher world in divine vehicle.
If the righteous act which she had unknowingly performed was so efficacious, you can imagine how much more so could continuous worship be. So, Oh king, you proceed to Gokarna and serve the Lord there. You shall be free from the sin’. In accordance with the counsel of the sage Gouthama, the king and the queen went to that holy place and freed themselves from the curse through austerity. In such a holy place as this, Sreepada lived for three years. Having uplifted several seekers there Spiritually, the Lord went to Kuruvupura and disappeared there.”
Contd...
Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARTIRA
Chapter 7
Namadharaka Sharma asked Siddha, “Divine Master, please explain to me why the Lord who sported in a human form for the uplift of sadhus disappeared at Kuruvupura.”
Siddha replied, “The Guru wanted to assume another mortal form and hence had left the old one. Now listen to that story:
In a village on the banks of river Krishna, the wife of a Vedic Brahmin by name Ambika gave birth to a son. As ill-luck would have it, the boy happened to be a dullard and idiot. When he grew to the age of eight, his father performed his sacred thread ceremony and initiated him with the Gayathri mantra. As he was unable to utter the mantra properly, his father used to grow desperate and beat him. Then the Brahmin’s wife used to intercede on her son’s behalf, saying, ’Oh Sir! He is a congenital idiot. We have nothing to gain by punishing him except regrets. If you beat him again, I shall jump into a well and end my life’. The Brahmin realized his folly and kept quiet.
In course of time, he passed away, leaving his wife and son to live by begging. All the villagers used to heckle the son saying, ‘Oh, son of a learned man, you live in vain. You are not fit to live by sacred alms. It is better that you drown yourself in the river’. Unable to stand the ridicule any longer, one day, he made for the river to commit suicide. And his mother followed him with same intent. Then Lord Sreepada who was, at the moment, bathing in the river, stopped him saying, ‘Oh Brahmin, do not be hasty; otherwise you would incur the sin of committing suicide, as well as the sin of killing a Brahmin. No one can help you out of it. It is better for you to live on, facing any amount of suffering.’ The Brahmin lady then said, ‘Oh holy one, people are humiliating me for being cursed with the birth of a stupid son. They consider it a sin even to see my face. What could I gain by continuing to live?’
The Lord was moved by compassion at her words and said, ‘Mother, by committing suicide, you only add to your former sins and you will have to suffer more in the next life’. She said, ‘Sir, I shall do as you say. But tell me whether anyone has really benefited in the past by doing so’.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 7
Continuation...
Lord Sreepada said, ‘once a king by name Chandrasena ruled the country with Ujjain as his capital. His friend, one Manibhadra, obtained the Chintamani or the wish fulfilling gem by the grace of Lord Shiva. Knowing how invaluable the gem was, several kings planned to grab it and invaded the country. Then king Chandrasena and his friend Manibhadra meditated on Lord Shiva at the proper hour. Seeing their Saturday worship, several urchins of the village gathered in front of their housed and commenced worshipping the Shiva Lingas with Bel leaves and flowers that their mothers had to drag them into their houses for lunch.
One such cowherd boy opened his eyes in the middle of the worship of Lord Shiva was interrupted by his mother. In order to expiate the sin of it, he was ready to commit suicide! Then the all-seeing Lord Shiva appeared in front of him and offered to grant him a boon as a reward for his intense devotion. But all that the boy asked for was that he should be pardoned for his sin. The Lord said, ‘My child, owing to your devotion, you shall attain my eternal proximity. Your mother, out of ignorance, has committed the folly. Still, as she had witnessed my worship, she shall have the good fortune of giving birth to the avatar of Lord Vishnu in her next life’. So saying, Lord Shiva disappeared.
The Shiva Linga there was shining with a divine splendor. The kings who invaded the country saw that and realized what a pious soul the ruler of the country was. They realized how unholy it was to think of waging war against such a one. Completely converted, they paid a friendly visit to his palace and all of them together proceeded to have a look at that splendid Shiva Linga. They were happy at its sight and honored the cowherd boy with plenty of wealth. The mother of the cowherd boy was later reborn as Yeshoda of puranic fame came to be known as the mother of Lord Krishna, the avatar of Lord Vishnu. You too shall obtain like merit by worshipping Lord Shiva’.
Then she asked, ‘Lord! The fruits of worshipping Lord Shiva, you say, accrue to me in the next birth. But how shall I bear the remaining part of my present life? Oh merciful one, bless me to be a happy mother’. Melting with compassion at her petition, the Lord uttered the Pranava, ‘Om’, and placed his hand on the head of her son by way of blessing. Instantly, the boy became a wise one and an eloquent speaker. The Lord then commanded him to serve his mother and said to her, “Now, mother, you are free from care. Devote the rest of your life to the worship of Lord Shiva. In your next life, you shall have a son of my stature’. She happily returned to her village and dedicated her life to the worship of Lord Shiva.
Then the Supreme Lord, Sreepada reflected thus: ‘I have assured her, by way of blessing, that she shall have a son of my spiritual stature. But there can be no one like me! Therefore I shall keep my word by taking birth as her son’. Thus the unbounded-one willed his own birth once again. Even then, as there was much left to be accomplished for human weal in his present manifestation, he has not left off his identity as Sreepada. Though unseen, he has been granting the wishes of those who serve him”.
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 7
Continuation...
Having heard all this, Namadharaka asked, “Holy Sir, why did Lord Sreepada choose to manifest himself again before the mission of his manifestation was accomplished? How could he fulfill the wishes of his devotees while being invisible? Please substantiate this”.
Siddha replied, “Oh Namadharaka, the Lord is eternal. As He is the seed of the whole universe, his activities are infinite. So his purposes are infinite. In fact, he is ever front of his devotees, granting their prayers. Yet he is invisible to all those who are blinded by the spirit of Kali age which can be described as scum to time. Now I shall illustrate how he has been granting the wishes of his devotees, though he is invisible to them:
There was a Brahmin who lived as a businessman. Being a devotee of Sreepada Swami, he vowed to his Lord that he would feed several Brahmins if he prospered by the grace of the Lord. Accordingly, he earned a fortune. Promptly, he started for Kuruvapura to fulfill his vow. On the way, at sunset, a band of robbers joined him in the guise of pilgrims and at, night, killed him in a solitary place. Lord Sreepada appeared there and killed the robbers with his trident. One of the band of robbers humbly submitted to him and said, ‘As for myself, Oh Lord, I have not joined the Brahmin with any evil intent. Please consider this and do unto me what I deserve’. The Lord told him to keep a watch on the Brahmin’s body, joined the severed head to the trunk and sprinkled it with holy ash and water.
Then the Brahmin revived, but by the time he sat up, like one awakened from deep sleep, the Lord disappeared! He was frightened at the sight of the dead bodies of the robbers and learned of all that happened from his lone companion. He was very sorry that he was not blessed with the sight of the Lord who saved his very life. “The Lord has taken so much trouble for my sake and granted his sight to the robbers, but not to me who has been serving him for long! How unlucky am I?’ However, he gathered his belongings, proceeded to Kuruvapura, fed 4000 Brahmins and profusely honored them with gifts of money. Lord Sreepada has performed many such divine acts in his subtle form. He can even be seen by those who are pure of heart. Even though he later manifested himself as Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi, he has been manifesting his divine powers in his subtle form at Kuruvapura too. That village has become so holy by his external presence that those who live there gain the merit of performing all holy rites like the recitation of Veda, religious sacrifice, spiritual discipline and charity. Even those who live elsewhere will win his grace by contemplating his divine name, “Digambara, digambara, Sreepada vallabha digambara, Digambara digambara, Avadhutachintana digambara”.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 8
Namadharaka eagerly asked Siddha to recount to him all about the next manifestation of the Lord Datta. Siddha replied, “Indeed, the divine acts of the second avatar cannot be completely comprehended even by great yogis. So, remember that however much I might narrate them, my account is bound to be fragmentary and incomplete.
I have told you that earlier, Sreepada Swami told a Brahmin lady to devote her life to the worship of Lord Shiva. She did accordingly and as a result of it, she was born in North India in a pious family and was named Amba. She grew up into a handsome, chaste girl and she was married to a pious young man by name Madhava Sharma. She was devoted, heart and soul to the service of her husband. His noble company added to the noble tendencies she developed as a result of her spiritual discipline in her previous life. She now became an ardent devotee of Shiva. In course of time, she gave birth to a son. The child did not cry, as is usual, at birth. On the other hand, the only sound he uttered was ‘OM’ and everyone there was amazed at it. Astrologers assured Madhava Sharma that their child indeed was an avatar of the Lord. They also prophesied that he would renounce all worldly tied and that he would uplift fallen souls. They said that Madhava Sharma was indeed blessed by the birth of such a child.
The news that this child uttered the sacred syllable immediately at birth spread to the neighboring cities and towns. Devout men and women came to see the child in great numbers. At the proper time, the child was named Narahari. The name signified that he was the dispeller of the sins and miseries of human beings.
Another miracle took place a little after his birth. At first, his mother did not have enough lactation. The parents were thinking of purchasing a she-goat, or arranging for a wet nurse, to feed the child. But this was not necessary. For, when the little hands of the child touched the mother’s breast, there was profuse lactation. The parents who were already worried that the extraordinary child might suffer from evil eye of the large number of visitors, decided to keep this miracle a secret.
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 8
Continuation...
The child Narahari grew up to be a handsome boy of five, but he could not speak and the parents were very much worried about it. One day, the boy conveyed to them through gestures that he wished to be invested with the sacred thread. Accordingly, Madhava Sharma performed the sacred thread ceremony of his son at that early age. Young Narahari learned the Gayathri Mantra, adopted the vows of a young celebate (Brahmacharya), accepted his first offering of food from his mother’s hands and at once recited the three Vedas. It was evident that he was indeed the Master of all sacred Wisdom. He then paced thrice round his parents with all the reverence due to them, as the physical representatives of the Fatherhood and Motherhood of God, the Creator and Sustainer; and as representatives of God, the Father, the Mother, and Teacher of all humanity said: “Owing to the profound realization that the human body is impermanent, dispassion has come over me. So please permit me to renounce all worldly ties and dedicate my entire life to the highest wisdom. As I am endowed with a keen understanding and steadfast discrimination, I am not in danger of swerving from my spiritual path. You need not worry about my life”.
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Chapter 8
Continuation....
The parents were shocked at his words and wept, saying, “You are our only child. If you desert us in this fashion, who is to take care of us in our old age, and of our welfare in the realms beyond death? You may as well renounce the world after leading the life of a house-holder for sometime, and, after begetting sons.” Narahari replied, ‘Mother, scriptures ordain that one should renounce the world only after living as house-holder for sometime. But this is imperative only in the case of those who cannot conquer their desires. But owing to my previous state of existence, I am endowed with innate dispassion even at my birth. So, I do not want to enjoy the objects of the senses which can only lead to misery. So, I shall pass on directly from the state of celibacy directly to the life of a sannyasi. Thereby, I shall only confirm my perfection. Indeed, there is no nobler course than this to one who is endowed with discrimination. In this age of Kali, the average span of life granted to a man is a mere hundred years. Half of it is spent in sleep. Part of the rest is spent away in the ignorance of boyhood and the waywardness of youth. Another large chunk of it is frittered away in the service of the family and kinsfolk. The senility of old age gobbles up another portion of what little is left to him. But, after all wealth, family ties and responsibilities are as unreal as a dream. Youth is a transcient as a flower which soon withers. Thus life is very short when viewed in the light of the only purpose of it, i.e., Self Realization. The wheel of time destroys all forms of life, including the gods, relentlessly. To be emotionally attached to anything in this phenomenal world amounts to mere self-betrayal and is self-defeating too. This body, with the skin as its surface layer, flesh, bones and the blood within, is as frail a structure as a water bubble. Excessive fondness for one’s wife and children is the root of all other devil tendencies. In itself, this body of ours is made of inanimate matter and is ever changing and perishable. Only the “SELF” within is eternal and is our only true being. Joys and sorrows of worldly life are merely relative, subjective and are therefore illusory experiences to the realized. Man can break the fetters of this illusion only through the grace of the guru. He who is born as a noble Brahmin and yet does not do anything to secure liberation from this illusion deceives himself. Therefore, oh mother, do not hinder me in my resolve. You shall be blessed with some more children. Go on meditating on me and thereby you shall cross the ocean of misery and ignorance too’. So saying, Narahari again blessed his mother with the vision of his divine form. She perceived it through the eye of wisdom and was at once reminded of her previous birth. So she said to the Lord:
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 8
Continuation....
Holy one, you are indeed Lord Sreepada, who in my previous life, saved me from my unwise resolve to commit suicide. I bow before you. Your glory cannot be comprehended in its fullness even by the four-faced Brahma. How then can I, a deluded mortal, know it? Even this little wisdom was bestowed on us by your grace and as a result of my good fortune. You are, indeed, the Unbounded One. All the universes have their being in your infinite expanse. To say that you are born to me as my son is but a fallacy; for you are eternal. But the whole of my ancestry and that of my husband are sanctified by your birth in our family. Yours is the omnipresent will. I shall not hinder your resolve to renounce the world for the welfare of all sentient beings. Bless me that this glorious vision of your divine form is forever impressed on my heart. You have assured me that I shall be blessed with a few more children. Pray, stay with us, at least till such time!’ Lord Narahari graciously acceded to her request and stayed away. The blessed couple used to worship the Lord every day with full awareness of his divinity. Many were the learned who flocked to him for the elucidation of intricate questions in scriptural knowledge. Many of them got their doubts clarified and attained Self-realization. This is no task to one who could uplift even the dull witted.
In course of time, Amba was blessed with the birth of twins. When they were three months old, Narahari said to his mother, ‘Mother, you are now blessed with these two children. You shall have two more sons and a daughter. Please permit me to renounce the world now’. She consented. He covered his head with a piece of cloth, put on wooden sandals, covered his body with the ochre robe and wore a codpiece. Taking a staff in his hand, he set out from his home in joy.
On his way to Badrinath, Narahari reached the holy Varanasi (Kasi) in the guise of a seeker after liberation. There, at a secluded spot, he sat in the yogic posture of Vajrasana and restrained his vital breath. He assumed the yogic gesture (mudra) of khecheri and meditated on the subtle internal sound of nada. The sages of that Holy place recognized him to be the Lord himself, prostrated to him and addressed him thus: ‘Holy one, you have assumed a human form in order to re-establish the pristine purity and dignity of the great institution of Sanyasa. It was formally established by Sree Sankaracharya of yore and is now in a fallen state, almost non-existent in its true form. May you propagate it again! The wicked who are deluded by the dark age of Kali, unable to recognize the bliss of Self-realization, have come to shun the blessed Sanyasa. Even though it is terrible to the faint-hearted, this age of Kali is capable of bestowing bliss much more easily than the other ages. Pray, secure for us this supreme path to Bliss!’
Granting their wish, Lord Narahari, in accordance with holy tradition, resorted to his Holiness Swami Krishna Saraswathi as his guru and from him took vow of Sanyasa. Henceforth, he came to be known as Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi. He relinquished the tuft of hair (sikha), the sacred thread and all. He formally took the vow of lifelong celibacy. Thus he became a full fledged sannyasi who was transcended the opposites of joy and sorrow and the limitations of a self centered will. This World teacher has laid down the tradition of Sanyasa for seekers after liberation and expounded the same to his disciples thus:
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SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 8
Continuation...
“Great good accrues through Sanyasa which consists of the following acts:
(1) Praayaschitta or holy rites of atonement for one’s sins of present and previous births, including the witlful acts and also those done unwittingly;
(2) Ashtasraadhas or the eight rites obsequies which are offered to all worldly relations including one’s previous self;
(3) Virajaahoma or the fire-oblation signifying the crossing of the river of death;
(4) Gayatripravesa or entering the spirit of Gayatrimantra;
(5) Yeeshanatraya tyaga or the relinquishment of concern for life, wife, children and wealth;
(6) Bhooradi Sanyasa or renunciation of desire for the joys and possessions in heaven and on earth;
(7) Sikhasuutra Sanyasa or relinquishing the tuft of hair and the sacred thread;
(8) Guruprapatti or resorting to a Guru who expounds to the seeker, meaning of the four cardinal tenets of Vedanta i.e., the Mahavaakyas, viz., ‘Pragnaanam Brahma” (pure awareness of Brahma); Aham Brahmaasmi (My real self is Brahma); Tatvamasi (Thou art indeed That); Ayam atma Brahma (This self is indeed Brahman). He also learns of: Panchiikarana (analysis of the phenomenon of the manifestation of the five basic elements of existence as this creation and the body); Yogapatta (or the title of a Monk); Paryankasowcha (vow of keeping one’s bed pure and giving up the use of any soft and comfortable beds other than one’s garment); Swadharma Vichaara (or understanding of the spirit of the traditional practices of the life of Sanyasa).
When someone who has renounced the world in the said manner, leaves his body, it has to be preserved in the earth, or left in water, but should not be cremated. One has to understand the implications of Sanyasa and adopt it only if he is competent and qualified to do so.”
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 8
Continuation...
Thus Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi expounded the nature of Sanyasa to some and the meaning of the Vedas which can secure the true objects of life (Purusharthas) to others. Then, he proceeded in his wanderings round the country in a clock wise direction, along with his disciples. He took holy dips in all the holy rivers along the way and reached the sacred place where the river Ganga joins the sea.
There he pursued the practice of yoga. Later, he again set out on his trek and arrived at holy Prayag, where he expounded the philosophy of Vedanta to a pious Brahmin named Madhava and initiated him into Sanyasa. Then he proceeded homewards to see his mother again.”
Having heard thus far attentively, Namadharaka asked, “Who is that Krishna Saraswathi who had the fortune of being the revered Guru of the Lord himself? Why did the Lord Himself need to be initiated by him into Sanyasa?” Siddha replied:
“Just as Sri Rama became the disciple of sage Vasishta, and Sri Krishna resorted to sage Sandipani, Sree Nrisimha too resorted to Krishna Saraswathi. For, once he assumed the human form, it behoves that he should respect the Holy Law of mortals which alone ensures their lasting good. Else, the Law will fall into a general neglect. Hence, the holy ones never ignore it. Even the Bhagavad-Gita says, ‘Whatever the best of mortals does, the world follows’. Now I shall tell you the spiritual lineage of Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi.
Shiva was the first Guru. Vishnu was first disciple. Brahma was the disciple of Vishnu and henceforth the lineage went on like this: Brahma, Vasishta, Shakthi, Paraasara, Vedavyasa, Shuka, Gaudapada, Govinda, Shankarabhagavatpaada, Viswarupa, Bodhjnaani, Simhagiri, Iswara, Nrisimha, Vidyateertha, Sivateertha, Bhageeradhi Teertha, Vidyaranya, Malayaananda, Devateertha, Yaadavendra Saraswathi, Krishnaananda Saraswathi, who initiated Lord Nrisimha of our story into Sanyasa. This Krishnaananda Saraswathi was ripe in age and wisdom. Hence Nrisimha resorted to him’.
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 9
Namadharaka asked Siddha, “Holy one! Sree Nrisimha, after having renounced all worldly ties, why did he again visit his mother again? Was it not a transgression of the vow of Sanyasa? Also tell me who his disciples were and what he did later”.
Siddha replied, “As per his religious vows, Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi went round our country and then returned home to see his mother. For, the mother is worthy of reverence even to a renunciate. Hence, he decided to pay his respects to her.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 9
Continuation...
Besides, he started on his wanderings from her presence and the ritual rounding of the travels has to end there. One has to return to his Source, after all! He has seven disciples and they were Baala, Krishna, Upendra, Janajyothi, Sadaananda, Madhava and Siddha (i.e., myself). All of us have the title ‘Saraswathi’ suffixed to our names. Besides these, a few other disciples of him accompanied him to his village. There he blessed his brothers, sister and parents and was duly honored by them all. Then his mother Amba, recalling her previous birth said to her husband, “Sir, when I had the good for nothing son and was about to commit suicide, in order to escape the misery, Lord Sreepada protected me and this Nrisimha is the reincarnation of the same Lord. He then assured me that in my next life, I would have a son of his own spiritual stature. As he has no equals, he now took birth as my son, out of compassion for me and his natural truthfulness.’
Then, addressing Sree Nrisimha she said: ‘Now that you are my son, as per the worldly point of view, it behooves you to uplift us from this ocean of misery, dispelling the divine power of illusion which now holds me down.’ Sree Guru replied, ‘That family into which a true sannyasi is born, along with their ancestors of twenty one generations earlier, will be uplifted spiritually and saved from the miserable round of births and deaths. Even those earlier ancestors who sank to worse states of existence in consequence of their sins will be saved. Now, mother, that I am born as your son, you need fear nothing. You shall attain liberation at Varanasi’. Hearing these words, his sister Ratna said, ‘Lord, what shall become of me hereafter? I am afraid of being left behind in this miserable cycle of births. As you are the Sadguru, please save me!’
Sree Nrisimha said, ‘My dear, to a lady, her husband is the sole refuge. You shall cross this ocean of misery through unswerving devotion to your husband. In your previous birth, you caused estrangement between a man and his wife and you even killed a cow. In consequence, your husband will become a sannyasi and you will suffer from leprosy.’ At these words, his sister broke down and wept. The Lord consoled her saying, ‘My dear, you will reap these consequences in your ripe old age. You shall be made pure again by meeting me’. Later, along with his disciples, he went away to the banks of the holy river Godavari. That river was brought from its heavenly abode to this earth by sage Gouthama of old, to atone for his sin of having a killed a cow.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 9
Continuation...
There was, in that village, a man suffering from chronic and excruciating pain in his abdomen. He tried to cure himself of it by several means but in vain. Unable to bear it any longer, one day, he resolved to commit suicide by drowning himself in the holy river. So, he tied a big boulder to his neck and was ready to jump into the river. Sree Guru saw him, called him near and asked him why he sought so desperate an end.
The man said, “Lord, I shall die of this abdominal pain any way. This ailment makes it impossible for me to eat my food. Food, indeed, is the origin, sustenance and annihilation, vital energy and the very life of creatures. Is not death better than intolerance of food? Probably, either in this life or in a previous one, I have not offered food in charity to any one; or I might stolen that which rightly belongs to either a Brahmin or a cow; or I might have insulted my parents; or I might I have abstained from the worship of the gods; or I might have driven away guests and Brahmins from my threshold; or perhaps, I had enjoyed the pleasures of life with my wife deserting my parents. I must have committed one of these sins and, perhaps, I have not done any meritorious deed to deserve proper food in this life. I now suffer for it. In consequence, I have not been able to extend a helping hand to anyone in my life. I am a mere burden to this earth.’ So saying, he lamented his fate.
Sree Guru, consoled him saying, ‘Oh Brahmin, do not fear! I shall administer you a medicine which will enable you to eat normally’. Just at that moment, a Brahmin by name Sayamdeva arrived and prostrated to the Guru. He hailed from the holy city of Kanchi in the south and belonged to the Koundinya Gotra. At that time, he was serving in the court of a muslim ruler.
Sree Guru addressed him thus, ‘Sayamdeva, this Brahmin, unable to bear his pain, wishes to die. I shall administer a divine remedy to him. At first, feed him scrupulously with a delicious meal’. Sayamdeva submitted, apprehensively, ‘Lord! Even if he takes food once a month or fortnight, he suffers a lot. If I feast such a one, am I not killing him?’ Sree Guru smiled and said, ‘Do not fear, Sayamdeva, no physician is abler than I. Without any hesitation give him a full feast. I shall take care of the rest of the matter’.
Sayamdeva agreed: ‘Lord, I shall do as you say. But, pray, may your holiness too come along, with your disciples, and accept my hospitality. I shall offer myself as your disciple. Graciously accept me and save me.’
The Guru agreed and, at the proper hour, went to Sayamdeva’s house along with his disciples. The latter received Sree Guru with due reverence and offered him proper worship, chanting Vedic mantras like Purusha Suktha and Rudra Suktha. He then partook of the holy washings of the guru’s feet (paadateertha) along with the members of his family, worshipped even the disciples of the master and served food to all the guests. The ailing Brahmin guest too ate to his fill in the company of the Lord, who is the guru of those gurus who can grant salvation to their devotees. At once he was free from his trouble! In the holy company of the master, dispassion dawned in his heart and he worshipped the Lord with profound faith.
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 9
Continuation...
Sayamdeva, while massaging the Lord’s Feet, submitted: ‘Swami, by serving your feet, all my holy acts and my very life are blessed. And so are my ancestors. I am really fortunate. They say that the Ganga washes off our sins, the moon dispels heat, and that the kalpavriksha ends all misery. But you uplift souls, even as the wind lifts up shreds of cotton. Even though you are originally unborn, in order to protect the righteous, you have taken birth. Bless me that I and the descendants of my family could serve you. Save me from the one thing that is troubling me. The Muslim ruler whom I serve is a destroyer of life. Every year he kills a Brahmin. Now he has sent for me, with the same intent, I fear’. Sree Guru said, ‘Do not fear, Sayamdeva! Go to that wicked ruler. You shall be honored by him and sent safely back. Do not worry.’ Indeed, when Sayamdeva visited the ruler, the latter honored him with gifts of jewels, ornaments and new clothes. The Muslim king was at first enraged at Sayamdeva’s delay in presenting himself at the palace. But he suddenly fell down unconscious and, when he regained senses, his attitude underwent a radical change with regard to that blessed visitor. So the devout Brahmin returned and prostrated to Sree Guru. Who can annoy the true devotee of the guru?
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SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chpater 9
Contd....
Sree Guru said to him, ‘You have totally surrendered yourself to me, body and soul. All your wishes shall be fulfilled. You will meet me again after sixteen years’. Thus blessing Sayamdeva, Sree Guru went to holy Vaidyanath and later his whereabouts were known. In order to strengthen the faith of the devotees, the Lord performed many such divine acts. For, the Lord wishes that his creatures should attain salvation by serving him with faith.
In order to inspire gratitude in their hearts, he blesses them with worldly good.
By gratefully serving him thereafter, they learn to aspire for liberation. Then they meditate on him with perfect dispassion to worldly things. Later, by the grace of the Lord, with the help of the four great teachings (Mahavaakyas) they attain union with the Supreme Self. Their ignorance thus destroyed, they attain eternal peace. That peace makes them compassionate, unbound, beyond the pairs of opposites. Enjoying the bliss of their Self thus, they wander about, unaware of a world apart from them, looking like specters. Through the touch, worship and sight of the Sadguru, great spiritual powers are gained quite spontaneously. He who centers his inner life on the Sadguru either through hate, fear or love is indeed blessed. He shall attain to the same state of being as the guru. The means of seeking God are indeed simple. He can only be inferred through the intellect. The Self and god are indeed one with the Self of the guru.”
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 9
Continuation....
Hearing the words of Siddha, Namadharaka asked him, “Why did Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi, ever gracious to His devotees, choose to live incognito? What happened to his disciples thereafter?” Siddha replied, “As the number of disciples swelled immensely, the Lord, wishing to live in solitude, said to his disciples: ‘One becomes the twice-born through the sacred thread – ceremony (upanayana). Henceforth, he wears the sacred thread, the loin band (mekhala) and the staff. Observing the vow of celibacy, he performs such rites as tending the sacrificial fire in the morning, noon and sunset. He lives by seeking offerings of food from noble house holders and studying the Vedas.
He has to abstain from sleep during the day. Whatever offerings of food he gets, should first be offered to his guru and he should accept what the guru is pleased to give him of it. Thus he studies for twelve years and at the end, makes an offering to the guru and should perform the fire-offering Samaavarthanahoma. Then, in accordance with the direction of his guru, he should marry and henceforth observe the vows and discipline enjoined on the householder by religious law. Well versed in the Vedas, Sastras, and Dharmas, he should perform religious sacrifices and maintain all those who are fit to be fed by him. After sometime, he should give away everything he has to his son and, along with his wife, retire to the forest. Henceforth, he should abstain from all concerns of social life, conquer his senses and live an austere life till he is wholly purified. Then, with the consent of his wife, he should take the vow of Sanyasa.
The vow involves attentive chanting of God’s name (japa), living by alms and continuous meditation. He should then abstain from even hearing stories regarding women. He should not use vehicles for travel, or a cot for sleeping. Such a monk should not sleep during the day, but be aware of the real Self. He should always use vessels made of bamboo, wood, earth or the shell of a gourd. He should ever carry the staff and eat only during the day. He should constantly visit holy places throughout the year, never resting in any place for more than three days. While he is ever on the move physically, his mind should be fixed on his one goal. If the state of his body does not permit him to wander, he should stay in a holy place, always meditating on Lord Vishnu.’
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 9
Continuaiton...
So saying, Sree Guru had sent away his house-hold disciples, and then addressed his renunciate disciples: ‘Varanasi, Prayag, Sreerangam, Purushottamam, Sreesailam, Naimisharanya, Kurukshethra, Badrinath, Gokarna, Kanchi, Ayodhya, Gokula, Mathura, Dwaraka, Maya, Avanti, Karvir, Gangapur, Devakanya, Guhashrama, Sethubandha are the important places of pilgrimage which you shall all visit. These besides such holy rivers as the Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswathi, Vipaat, Marudwitha, Vithastha, Chandrabhaaga, Reva, Godavari, Amaraja, Sarayu, Bhima, Krishna, Kaveri, Tunga, Kshipra, Tapivedika, Charmanvathi, and gandaki are all holy. These were all sanctified by the wanderings of Sree Guru. All these are therefore as holy as Ganga.
A monk should visit all these and all sacred tanks in the land and pay them his respect in accordance with the ritual observances proper for them. When new water flows in rivers during rainy season, the rivers are supposed to be in menses. Except those who dwell on their banks, no one should bathe in them till after about ten days. Similarly, for wells and tanks, the prohibited period is one day and for the less important rivers, it is three days. All of you visit the holy places as I have directed you, bathe in the rivers I have mentioned and join me at Sreesailam in the year of the Plentiful Harvest (Bahudhaanya).” Thus he had sent away all his disciples. I alone, among them, wished to stay on his service, ever meditating on his lotus feet. The same Guru, Lord Dattatreya, graciously expounded to me the same path to wisdom as he did to kings Yadu and Karthaveerya of yore. Of Namadharaka, I am pleased at your humility and discipline and so I shall teach you the same. Thereby, the Bliss of Self, the State of Vishnu, shall accrue to you”.
Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 10
Namadharaka wished to know what Sree Guru did after sending away his disciples on pilgrimage. So, Siddha went on: “Oh Namadharaka, Sree Guru stayed at Vaidyanath for one year. As I already told you, I stayed away with Him. One day, a Brahmin who was dull-witted came to him, prostrated in reverence and submitted thus: ‘I strove hard for spiritual perfection. But I could gain neither perfection nor even a capable guru. So I now take refuge in you. Please teach me the way to liberation.’ Hearing these words, Sree Guru said, ‘Son, first of all tell me, who had taught you the way to perfection? Else, how could you have ever tried for it?’ The Brahmin replied, ‘Swami, I first resorted to a guru. But he was very hard-hearted. He went on extracting my services and put me in much hardship. So I deserted him.’ Sree Guru was shocked at his words and berated him: ‘Alas, what have you done! It can never be for your good. It is a sin even to look at the face like you, who has deserted his guru. Get away! Indeed, one who is unwilling to bow before his guru in humility, serve him with love or wait on him for instruction with patience and implicit obedience will never win the grace of the guru.’ The visitor felt miserable and said, ‘Sir how am I to recognize a genuine guru? How to serve him? I betrayed my guru out of my ignorance. Please save me!’
Sree Guru was moved at his helpless petition and said, ‘The Guru is one with Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He is incomparable. His true nature cannot be realized by an ignorant one like you. Nor can those blinded by ignorance like you, ever know what it is to serve him. I shall recount an ancient legend which will enlighten you:
During the age of Dwapara, there was a sage by name Dhoumya. He had three disciples with him viz., Baida, Aruni and Upamanyu. In order to test their devotion, one day, Dhoumya said; “The rice crop in my farm is withering lack of water. One of you should go and water it”. At once Aruni rushed to the farm and dug a canal from a pool for the water to flow into the field, but the bund would not hold despite all his exertions. He did not despair. He then resolved to give up his life in his efforts and lay down in place of the bund and made the water flow into the field. After some time, Dhoumya arrived on the scene, saw his field watered and lovingly called out to his disciple. Aruni heard the call, but was unable to reply. So he made a mild noise. Following the sound, Dhoumya came to him, raised him up and was touched by his devotion. Through the power of his blessing, he made his disciple wise and enlightened like himself. He then declared the term of Aruni’s discipleship as completed and sent him home, where he became very famous as a man of wisdom.
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 10
Continuation...
Later, one day, Dhoumya said to Baida, “You watch over my field and when it is ripe, bring it home”. Baida agreed, watched over the field day and night, harvested it and piled the grain in a heap on the farm. He then went to his Guru and asked him for a cart to fetch the grain. Dhoumya gave him a bullock cart. When Baida was returning with the produce, the cart got stuck up in soft mud on the way. When the bullocks could not pull the cart out, he dragged it out with his own mighty effort. Suddenly, Dhoumya arrived there and, pleased with baida’s devotion, blessed him too with enlightenment.
Later, the sage ordered the third disciple, Upamanyu, to tend his cattle. Eating only a spare meal every day, Upamanyu tended the herd with the utmost care. Dhoumya who usually sent lunch to his disciple at noon suddenly stopped doing so. Upamanyu had nothing to eat and he was very hungry. Henceforth, he started begging his food. Dhoumya noticed this and asked: ‘How could you manage to be so strong and active?’ Upamanyu submitted that he was sustaining himself with the food he begged from the houses of Brahmins. Then Dhoumya demanded that the food thus obtained should be delivered to him. Henceforth, Upamanyu gave away what he obtained from his first round of begging to his guru and subsisted on what he got from a second round of begging. The guru learned of it and demanded that he be given that also. Upamanyu did so and quenched his hunger by drinking the milk that was left in the udders of cow after their calves had drunk their fill. Dhoumya learned of that and reprimanded him, saying, ‘If you do so you will become blind as stupid as any of those dumb creatures’.
The poor Upamanyu reflected that the latex of the calotropis plant is not the left over of any calf and hence a harmless substitute for milk. He did so and the poisonous oozing at once made him totally blind. Groping for his way home, the poor youth fell into a well on the wayside. The cattle returned home but without their herdsman. Dhoumya went out in search of his disciple and found him in the deep well. His heart was moved at Upamanyu’s ungrudging obedience and he told him to chant Vedic mantras in praise of the Aswini gods. Upamanyu did so and thereby regained his sight. The sage was pleased with him and blessed him with all knowledge. Thus Upamanyu realized his goal. Even the disciples of Upamanyu became as great as he.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 10
Continuation...
Udanka, one of the disciples of Upamanyu, once performed the holy sacrifice of Sarpayaga (the snake sacrifice) and thereby caused the destruction of countless serpents. He was able to summon even the great Indra, the king of the gods, at the behest of King Janamejaya, the master of the ritual. It was only by pleasing the guru thus that his grace could be won. Therefore, Oh Brahmin, serve your former guru himself with all your heart. Through his grace alone you will be able to attain peace and liberation’.
The Brahmin submitted, ‘Lord! It is possible to weld a broken metal vessel, but it is not possible to weld a broken heart. So too, it’s impossible for me to win back the heart of the former guru, once it has been broken by my stupid conduct. So I cannot hope to approach him again. I shall pay for my sin by giving up my life in your very presence!’ Seeing that he was really repentant, Sree Guru kept his boon-bestowing hand on the Brahmin’s head in a gesture of blessing and told him to think of his former guru. When the Brahmin did so, he at once realized that Sree Guru was not different from his former guru and fell at his feet. Sree Guru said, ‘Son, you shall work out the fruits of your previous actions and soon attain perfection. Incessantly meditate on my true form which I shall show you now and perform all your ordained acts, surrendering the fruits thereof to me’. So saying, the Lord blessed the Brahmin with the vision of his divine form. Later, Sree Guru went to the bank of the river Krishna. There he restored the tongue of a Brahmin who lost it.”
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 11
Namadharaka was eager to know the details of the miracle. So, Siddha resumed his account:
“Oh Namadharaka, in a town called Karvir, there lived a Brahmin couple. They had a son who was illiterate. People heckled saying, ‘You are indeed an animal without a tail and horns but endowed with only two legs. It is the good fortune of cattle that you do not feed on grass. Education is a treasure of which no one can be robbed. It grows by being given away to one’s disciples. It can make even the lowest of the lowly, a great man. Even a poor man can gain wealth through the power of education. Like a chaste wife, education affords pleasure and it protects us like a mother. It comes to one’s rescue in a crisis, like a friend. In doing good, it is like the father. It’s like the guru in enlightening us. You who are devoid of such precious education are indeed a beast’.
The boy felt humiliated. He at once retired to the forest, forswore food and sleep and meditated on the Divine Mother. As she did not grant him her vision, he cut off his tongue the next day. That night, the Divine Mother appeared in his dream and said, ‘There is a sannyasi on the other bank of the river Krishna. Seek refuge in him. It will do you good.’
Accordingly, the young man visited Sree Guru the next day and bowed to him in reverence. Sree Guru placed his hand on the young man’s head in blessing. At once the young man regained his tongue, and also attained mastery over all branches of learning in a trice. There is nothing strange in this. Such defects as dull-wittedness are destroyed in those who ever meditate on the sacred feet of Sree Guru, which have in them such mystic signs as Vajra. What to say then, when the Lord Himself personally blessed a man? The Brahmin youth returned to his native place, Mahurapura, and by leading a life of spiritual discipline, attained perfection.
Later, Sree Guru set out in the southern direction. After visiting the holy place of the eight sacred rivers (ashtateertha), he proceeded to the place of confluence of rivers Krishna with five other sacred rivers. Then he reached western shore and stayed there for some time. In this place, rivers Saraswathi, Siva, Badra, Surabhi and Bhogavathi join the two rivers Krishna and Veni. Thus, it came to be known as the confluence of seven rivers. It is the most sacred of all places of confluence of rivers. This place has the township of Kurupura which is as holy as Kurukshethra, a confluence of rivers as holy as Prayag and a Yugaalaya (shrine of the Yuga) like Kasi. The fig tree (Udumbara) in this place is as great as Lord Vishwanadha of Kasi. Here abide the sixty four yoginis. By worshipping them, man can attain godhood. He who battles at this confluence of the rivers in the lunar month of Maagha is sure to attain heaven. Here are a crore holy spots. The place can bestow liberation on those who aspire for it, worldly comforts on others and is pleasing to the pious. The Lord made his abode under a fig tree.
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 11
Continuation...
In this village of Amarapura lived many learned Brahmins. One day, Sree Guru went to the house of a Brahmin and called out for alms. As there was no rice in the house, the housewife offered him a vegetable. The Lord was satisfied with this. But while leaving the house, he uprooted the creeper that afforded vegetable to that family and walked away to his hermitage. The housewife saw that and said to herself, ‘Alas, why did he uproot this plant? I hope I have not committed any folly to incur his displeasure’.
Her husband consoled her saying, ‘Oh pious one, do not weep. Joy or sorrow is the result of one’s own previous actions and are never caused by others. The whole creation is subservient to the Lord. One has got to experience pain or pleasure at the allotted time. No one can alter it. He, who gives us life, sustains us. The Lord who is the creator, preserver and destroyer of this universe looks equally on a beggar or a king, the intelligent and the unintelligent. Do not be sorry for the destruction of the plant. This act shall prove for our own good’. So saying, he tried to replant it and in the process, discovered a treasure pot underneath! At once he went along with his wife to Sree Guru and reported the matter.
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Oh blessed couple, this is a profound secret. If you proclaim it, the treasure will vanish. Enjoy this wealth and pleasure along with your children. Later you shall attain liberation. Go home for the present!’ Returning home, the couple devoted all their time to meditation on the Lord.”
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 11
Continuation.....
Namadharaka asked, “Oh! Holy one, why did the Lord live by alms? Besides, when the peepul tree is so sacred, why did he take shelter under a fig tree?”
Siddha replied, “Son, living by alms is the way of Lord Shiva. That is why Lord Datta manifested himself as a mendicant and accepted cooked food as alms in accordance with the scriptural injunctions. Now for your second question: Lord Vishnu, in his manifestation as Man-lion (Narasimhaavataara), tore the demon king Hiranyakasipu’s body to pieces and destroyed him. Afterwards, owing to the poisonous action of the demon-king’s blood the Lord’s claws pained very much. He was relieved of the pain only through the efficacy of the leaves of the fig tree. Henceforth, this tree has acquired the power to destroy the sins, agony and misery of the Lord’s devotees. Lord Vishnu proclaimed that he, along with his consort, goddess Lakshmi, would abide in the fig tree.
Wherever the Lord who is the Self of the whole Universe is, there abide the Vedas, all the holy places of pilgrimage, holy rivers and gods. Therefore, the fig tree has come to be a veritable Kalpavriksha on earth. Hence, in this place, the Lord, then manifest as Sree Guru, was being worshipped by the yoginis and fed by them everyday. Not knowing this, certain Brahmins of this place wished to observe how Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi lived without seeking alms from the village of Amarapura and hid themselves nearby.
One day at noon, seeing the manifestations of the yogic power of Sree Guru, they were scared and ran away in dismay. Then they employed one Ganganuja to keep watch over the Guru’s movements and ways. After witnessing several spontaneous manifestations of the master’s divine power, he was converted and became a staunch devotee. He used to visit the Master everyday and render homage to him.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 11
Continuation...
One day, Ganganuja came for the darshan of the Lord and witnessed a miracle. As the water in the river Krishna gave way, Sree Guru walked into it! The devotee also followed him in amazement and saw him enter a heavenly city on an island. Then Sree Guru sat on a high throne and was accepting the worship offered to him by the Yoginis. The Lord noticed Ganganuja and said, ‘Who are you? Why have you come here?’ The devotee replied, ‘Lord! My name is Ganganuja and I belong to this region. I came for your darshan. How deluded are mortals that take you for a man!’
The Lord blessed him and said, ‘My son, as long as I stay in this part of the country, do not divulge what you have seen to anyone’. The man agreed. Henceforth, he used to visit Sree Guru every day and pay his respects with greater faith. One day he asked the Lord, ‘Holy one, they say that a pilgrimage to Tristhali is very meritorious. Please enlighten me about it’. The Lord was pleased with his question and said:
The three holy places, Prayag, Varanasi (Kasi) and Gaya are collectively called Tristhali (the trio of holy places). So too, in this place, the confluence of the rivers, the Yugaalaya and Karvir together constitute the Tristhali. Then the Lord made the man wear his own wooden sandals and mysteriously transported him to both the Tristhalis, i.e., to the six holy places in all, which are hundreds of miles apart. When they were back again, as mysteriously, the Lord said, ‘I have shown you both of them; you recognize the similarity between them, follow the path of righteousness that befits you and attain liberation’. Accordingly, Ganganuja broke the shackles of ignorance through meditation on the guru and attained liberation in course of time.
Later, once the Lord reflected: ‘The glory of this place is spreading fast. Hence, many unrepentant sinners will flock to this place, along with the righteous. So, I will have to change my abode’. The Yoginis of the place knew of this and one day, they entreated him saying, ‘Lord, leaving us all, where do you intend to go?’ and they wept.
He consoled them and said, ‘Oh Yoginis! Indeed, I shall ever abide here, but to the eyes of the ignorant, I shall seem to have left this place. Lord Amareshwara, Goddess Annapurna, Lord Vighneswara and I shall ever be here, fulfilling the wishes of the devout. Henceforth, this holy place shall grow famous and become a populous town with many comforts. Such obstinate forms of illness as typhoid, diseases of the eye, leprosy, diabetes, tuberculosis, asthma, paralysis and chronic diseases of the digestive system shall be miraculously cured in this place. Barren women will be blessed with children. The poor shall be blessed with wealth and the devout shall be liberated. In short, every one shall be provided with the object of his desire. A sacred bath, taken at the confluence of the rivers on the days of sacred festivals, will bestow on devotees the merit of having given away a thousand cows as a gift. Even a little japa, homa (fire-oblation) and bestowing gifts on pious Brahmins will secure infinite religious merit to the performer. Every step which a devotee takes in circumambulating any holy object in this place will confer on him the merit of having performed the religious sacrifice called Aswamedha (the horse-sacrifice). Any ritual offering made shall elevate one’s ancestors to the divine realms’.
Having thus comforted the Yoginis, Sree Guru left his wooden sandals under the holy fig tree and blessed them saying, ‘Whoever takes a bath in the Ashtateertha and worships my padukas along with the Yoginis shall secure the fulfillment of their wishes’ and he left the place for the banks of the river Bheema”.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 12
As Siddha went on thus recounting the divine acts of Sree Guru, Namadharaka Sharma, who was listening attentively, asked: ‘Sir, you have said that Sree Guru left the banks of river Krishna for the banks of river Bheema. Yet you say that he abides on the banks of former river as invisible Spirit, answering the prayers of the devout! Has anyone experienced the truth of this claim? If so, I long to hear at least one instance of it’.
Siddha began: ‘Oh Namadharaka, the Supreme Spirit of Self does not have anything like movement from place to place, location or any particular state of existence. What seems so is but the divine play of the Lord. He will be experienced as per one’s own attitude to him. Now listen: In course of time, people came to know from Ganganuja how the Lord blessed the Yoginis and assured of his presence there in spirit. So they worshipped the padukas with due reverence. Indeed, all their wishes were fulfilled. I shall recount one incident.
There was a Brahmin lady living in that area. All her children died immediately after birth. In desperation, she revealed her plight to a pious and learned Brahmin priest. The latter was divinely inspired to tell her thus: ‘Madam, there can be several karmic causes, belonging to one’s previous lives, for the loss of one’s children in the present life. It can be the consequence of killing cows, Brahmins, dogs, snakes and children, or of stealing other’s wealth. In your previous life, you unfairly appropriated the wealth of a Brahmin of the Sounaka Gotra. He has become a vengeful spirit and has been killing all your children. One is obliged to reap the consequences of one’s misdeeds of a former life. There is no other way to workout one’s past karma. You too shall do so’.
The lady could not bear these words. She prostrated to his feet and begged him to teach her a way out of her pitiable plight. The latter replied, ‘Madam, perform the religious rites necessary for the elevation of the Brahmin’s soul to higher realms of existence, along with the special rites of absolution and repentance. Observe such religious vows for a full month. Then take a holy dip in the Ashtateertha and worship the sacred padukas and the fig tree. Then feed Brahmins and give away gifts of money plentifully to a pious Brahmin of Sounaka Gotra.’ The lady submitted, ‘I do not have a plentiful store of money. I shall certainly observe the monthly vows and worship the padukas’.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 12
Continuation....
Subsequently, the Brahmin lady started observing the vow along with her husband. On the third night, the spirit that was killing her offspring appeared in her dream. She immediately ran to Sree Guru who was seated under the fig tree and sought his refuge. Sree Guru consoled her and sternly reprimanded the spirit, ‘You mean spirit! How dare you threaten a helpless woman?’ The latter replied, ‘Lord it is not proper for you to be partial to her. She misappropriated my money in her previous life. In order to win it back by tormenting her, I have assumed this form’.
Sree Guru said, ‘By assuming this form and frightening her like this, you will not achieve your salvation. I shall teach you the means of attaining higher realms of being. Listen: it was in a previous life that she deprived you of your wealth. In this life she is poor and has no means of paying you back. I shall see that she scrupulously performs religious rites which will secure higher states of existence for you and I shall make her offer as much money as she can manage, to a man of your Gotra. Besides, I shall secure liberation for you. If this satisfies you, it is well. If it doesn’t, do what you can, but I shall certainly protect her!’
The spirit submitted, ‘Lord, at the very sight of you, I am freed from the thrall of my evil tendencies. You may do as you please and I shall be satisfied.’ Sree Guru turned to the lady and said, ‘My dear, did you hear what he said? You do accordingly that shall be liberated. Thereby, your offspring will prosper’. And the Lord disappeared.
The lady woke up and informed her husband about the dream and acted accordingly. Thereby, she was freed soon from the cursed torment and from the fruits of her former misdeed. Later, Sree Guru again appeared in her dream, gave her two fruits and said, ‘My dear, feed Brahmins and eat these fruits!’ When she woke up, she found the fruits by her side and did as she was told. Soon she conceived and, in course of time, she was blessed with handsome twins. The happy couple performed all the rites enjoined by the Sastras and brought up the children with love and tenderness. In their eight year, they made all the arrangements necessary to invest the first child with the sacred thread.
To their amazement, the boy was laid up for few days with typhoid and died. The mother could not withstand the calamity. She beat her breast and lamented loudly saying, ‘My son! Where have you gone? How long will you sleep? Wake up! It’s time for lunch. Take your food and play in the front yard. Your playmates are awaiting you. I cannot live without you. Of the five children born to me, you are my very life. At your birth, all the grief caused by the loss of earlier children was wiped clean from my heart. Leaving me in the ocean of grief, where did you go? It’s cruel on your part to do so. Who will support us in our old age?’
The people who gathered there tried to console her saying, ‘Lady, your lamentation will not revive the child. Do not weep. Death does not spare even god, seers and demons. Think upon this truth: Even avatars like Rama and Krishna had to pass away’. She was disconsolate and said, ‘The fruit that was given to me by the Lord and which has saved me from the wrath of the spirit has now proved fruitless. Henceforth, who can trust His promises? I shall take this news with me to the worlds beyond death!’
Then a sage emerged from the crowd, approached her and said, ‘My child, why do you lament the death of a son? It does not deserve to be lamented. Think: Is he the body, or the soul? If he is the body, even now he is before your very eyes with all his flesh, bones and skin, as before. If he is the soul, then he is ever birth less and immortal. Whom do you lament then? This world which has originated from Time, karma and the three modes of manifestation (Gunas) is like a magic show. How can it be trusted as real? All relationships like mother and son are self conceived and transcient. It is coincidental as the coming together of two logs of wood, drifting down a flowing river. Who was your husband in your previous birth and who was your son? Can you tell me? Birth and death are subject to time. Like day and night, both these are inevitable. Just as youth succeeds boy-hood, death also confronts the embodied soul. This delusion can be overcome only through the grace of the guru. One who is born is bound to die. So, do not weep. The dead cannot be brought back to life by grief, lamentation or by any other means.’
The lady interrupted him saying, ‘Sir, your metaphysical teaching does not appeal to me at the moment. How can I ever trust the Lord who has given the fruits, but failed to keep his promise?’
The sage replied, ‘Then my child, go to him from whom you have received the blessing.’
The lady took up the corpse and quickly reached the hermitage of Sree Guru. There she furiously knocked her head against the holy padukas. Even at sunset, she refused to give away the dead body for the performance of the last rites. All the people went away, leaving the poor couple. That night, Sree Guru appeared in her dream and said, ‘My child! How have I wronged you? I have even blessed you! The vital force had already left the body of your son, but I have brought it back’. So saying, the Guru disappeared. When she woke up, she could not contain her joy at the sight of her son who was alive. She showed him to her husband.
The blessed pair was immensely happy. With redoubled faith, they paced around the fig tree thrice and prostrated to the padukas. The Brahmins of the village cam to know of the miracle and glorified Sree Guru. The Brahmin pair had a dip at the confluence of the sacred rivers, worshipped Sree Guru, fed Brahmins and returned home. Their son grew up to be a youth of great learning and suave manners. He lived up to a ripe old age in wealth and prosperity. Similarly, many have achieved the objects of their wishes in that holy place. In this age of Kali, Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi is very much alive in spirit. He responds to every call of his devotees, ever ready to bless them. Whoever serves him with faith and devotion shall prosper, even like the Brahmin lady.”
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Jai Sai Ram
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[size=14t]OM SRI SAI RAM
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Chapter 13
Namadharaka asked Siddha, “Holy Sir, tell me what the Lord did after arriving on the banks of river Bheema.”
Siddha replied: “The Lord stayed for a long time at Gandharvapura (Gangapur). The confluence (Sangama) of rivers Bheema and Amaraja near the place is as holy as that of the Krishna with the five other sacred rivers. For some time, Sree Guru lived there incognito, sustaining himself by holy alms (bhiksha) with the intention of uplifting the devout who offered it to him. As he was accepting bhiksha from the poor, the well to do of the place spoke light of him. As the sun continues to shine bright and cause day-light even when hidden behind the clouds, and as musk continues to give out its perfume even when it is concealed in a box, it was impossible for the Lord’s divine attributes to be hidden from the folk for long.
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Jai Sai Ram
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OM SRI SAI RAM
SHREE GURU CHARITRA
Chapter 13
Continuation....
One day, the Lord went to the threshold of a poor Brahmin for alms. There he saw a very old barren she-buffalo and asked the lady of the house for its milk. The housewife said, ‘Sir, we have been using this buffalo to carry loads. For it’s barren and it does not yield milk.’ Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi laughed and said, ‘Mother, do not tell me lies!’ Finding no other way, she fetched a vessel and milked the buffalo, just to show the Master that her words were true. Lo, milk flowed plentifully from its udders! Amazed at the strange transformation in the creature, she boiled the milk and offered it to the Lord. The latter drank of it with gusto and left for his abode on the banks of the river. The Master of the house, having heard of the powers of the Lord’s words, at once proceeded to the Sangama along with his wife, worshipped him and received his blessings.
The servants in the Brahmin’s house came the next morning and were amazed to see the old barren buffalo yielding milk. The news flashed across the land and reached the ruler of that region. The latter ascertained it from the Brahmin and visited the hermitage of the Lord, along with his royal retinue. He then approached Sree Guru and prostrated to his feet. Even at the very sight of the Holy One’s divine form, the king’s heart was fired with devotion. As tears of joy and love trickled down his cheeks, he submitted in a quivering voice, ‘Sir, I am your humble slave. May you bless and protect me!’ The Lord said, “Oh Prince, I am a sannyasi; I live and move about in this wilderness and survive by begging food from others. Why have you, a wealthy and powerful Prince, come to me? What can I do for you?’
The chief said, ‘Sir, you are the Supreme Spirit, just sporting in a human form and not really a common mortal. I request you to grace my city and sanctify it’. Sree Guru acceded to the request, sat in the royal palanquin and set out. The chief personally served him, held the royal umbrella over Sree Guru’s head and fanned him, as the royal procession moved on. The royal attendants sounded drums and trumpets all along the way. The chief walked by the side of the palanquin as one among the royal attendants. Pious Brahmins chanted the Vedas, while the heralds loudly proclaimed the progress of the Lord of the Spiritual Wisdom to the town.
Contd...
Jai Sai Ram
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sai ram
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Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai