ಗುರುಪದ

“ಕೇವಲ ಆಚಮನಾದಿಗಳು ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರವಲ್ಲ. ಅವು ದಾರಿ ಮಾತ್ರ. ಕಾಲಕಾಲಕ್ಕೆ ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರ ಎ೦ದರೆ ಪರಿಷ್ಕಾರ ಬೇಕು. ಇದು ಗರ್ಭದಿ೦ದಲೇ ಪ್ರಾರ೦ಭವಾಗಬೇಕು. ಉತ್ತಮ ಪ್ರಜಾಸ೦ಪತ್ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ತಿಯೇ ಮನುಷ್ಯಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರದ ಉದ್ದೇಶ. ಉತ್ತಮ ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರದಿ೦ದ ಜೀವಭಾವವಳಿದು ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಭಾವ ಪಡೆಯಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಿದೆ. ದೋಷನಿವೃತ್ತಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಗುಣವೃದ್ಧಿಯೇ ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರದ ಉದ್ದೇಶ.”

ಗುರುಪದ

“ನಮ್ಮ ನಿತ್ಯಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆಯಿಡುವಾಗ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊ೦ದು ಕ್ರಿಯೆಯೂ ಧರ್ಮ ಅಥವಾ ಅಧರ್ಮದಿ೦ದ ಕೂಡಿರುತ್ತದೆ. ಜೀವನವೆ೦ಬುದು ಧರ್ಮಾಧರ್ಮಗಳ ಸ೦ಘರ್ಷವಾಗಿದೆ. ಮಹರ್ಷಿಗಳು ಧರ್ಮದ ಮರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಕ೦ಡು, ಅನುಸರಿಸಿ ಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾರಿದ ಜಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಗಿ ಬ೦ದ ನಾವು ಧರ್ಮಕ್ಕೇ ಅ೦ಟಿಕೊ೦ಡು ಬದುಕಬೇಕು. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನೆಮ್ಮದಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಉತ್ಕರ್ಷ ಎರಡೂ ಇದೆ. ಧರ್ಮಾಧರ್ಮಗಳ ಸ೦ಘರ್ಷದಲ್ಲಿ ಅ೦ತಿಮವಾಗಿ ಧರ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಜಯ ಎ೦ಬುದು ನಿರ್ವಿವಾದ ಸತ್ಯ.”

This story occurs in the final chapter of the Mahabharatha.
After Shree Krishna gave up His mortal coil, the Pandavas
did not desire to live any longer and undertook Mahaprasthana
or the final journey. They tread the strenuous path of yoga
and dhyana and sought mukthi.

The Pandavas began to walk towards the Himalayas.
Dharmaraja was followed by Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula,
Sahadeva, and Draupadi. A dog also followed them. As they
were walking, first Draupadi fell down due to exhaustion.
Bheema was disturbed. He asked Dharmaraja why Draupadi
fell down and could not reach the heaven.
Dharmaraja answered:

“It was Draupadi’s duty to love all her husbands equally; but
she loved Arjuna more than others; so she failed to reach her
goal.”

Later on, one by one, Sahadeva, Nakula and Arjuna fell down.
Dharmaraja explained the reasons for their fall:

“Sahadeva was proud of his scholarship; Nakula was proud
of his handsome looks; Arjuna, the achiever, was arrogant;
so they all failed to reach the heaven.”

As he was speaking, Bheema too fell down. Dharmaraja
explained Bheema’s failure to reach the goal:
“Bheema, you ate too much. It is a sin to eat more than
necessary and deprive another living being of its food. You
were also proud of your strength.”

Leaving behind his fallen brothers and wife, Dharmaraja
continued his journey towards the heaven. Now, only the
dog followed him.

Indra, the king of Gods was waiting with the Pushpaka Vimana
to take Dharmaraja to the heaven. Dharmaraja asked Indra:
“Can I bring this dog along with me? He has followed me
faithfully till the end of this difficult journey.”
Indra replied, “Sorry, there is no place for dogs in the land of
Gods.”

Dharmaraja responded:

“If I have to leave this dog behind, I wish to stay on the
earth itself. I do not want to gain mukthi by betraying this
animal, which has accompanied me till the end.”
Both Indra and Yama, who was in the guise of the dog, were
pleased with Dharmaraja’s sense of righteousness and blessed
him.

Bheema was world renowned for his strength, Arjuna was
known for his valour, Draupadi and Nakula were endowed
with exquisite beauty, Sahadeva was a scholar of repute.
Dharmaraja did not possess any of these qualities. Only dharma
was his constant companion.

While knowledge, valour and beauty made his brothers and
wife remain on this earth, dharma secured a place in heaven
for Dharmaraja.

Shall we too make dharma our life companion?

ಗುರುಪದ

“ಸ್ತೀ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಸ್ವರೂಪಿಣಿ. ಮೂಲಸ್ವರೂಪದ ವಿಕಾಸವೇ ಸ್ತ್ರೀ. ಅವಳು ಗೌರೀ, ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ ಸ್ವರೂಪಳು. ಜೀವವೆ೦ಬ ಬಿ೦ದುವನ್ನು ವಿಸ್ತರಿಸಿ ಈ ಜಗತ್ತಿಗೆ ತರುವವಳು ಸ್ತ್ರೀ. ಆಗ ಅವಳು ಜನಯಿತ್ರೀ. ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಹಧರ್ಮಣಿಯಾಗಿ ಗ೦ಡನಿಗೆ ಮರುಜನ್ಮ ನೀಡುವ ಮಹಿಳೆ, ನಮ್ಮ ಸ೦ಸ್ಕೃತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಆದಿಶಕ್ತಿಸ್ವರೂಪಿಣಿಯಾಗಿ ವಿರಾಜಮಾನಳಾಗಿದ್ದಾಳೆ. ಈ ಮಹಿಳೆ ಪುರುಷನ ಮತ್ತೋ೦ದು ರೂಪವೆ೦ಬ ವಿವೇಕ ಹೊ೦ದುವುದೇ ಮೂಲಜ್ಞಾನವಾಗಿದೆ.”

A saint lived in a town. One day while meditating, God
appeared in a vision and warned him about a disaster which
was to befall the town. God said:

“After seven days from today, there will be a heavy rainfall.
All the tanks, lakes and wells of the town will be filled with
water. No one should drink it. Those who do so will turn
mad.”

The saint was worried and wanted to help the people. He
went around the town informing them about the impending
danger. He advised them to leave the town and seek shelter
elsewhere. No one paid attention to his words.

The day before the rainfall, the saint left the town and sought
refuge in a cave located in a forest. Next day, it began to rain
very heavily. All the tanks, lakes and wells in the town were
brimful with water. The people had no other water to drink.
They drank the rain water and as predicted, became mad.

The saint who was safe in the cave was haunted by the memory
of his people. He returned to the town and was pained to see
that the place was filled with lunatics. In the eyes of the mad
people, the saint appeared mad and they began to throw stones
at him.

The saint returned to his cave with a heavy heart. After some
time he visited the town again. The people drove him away.
This experience got repeated again and again. Finally, unable
to bear loneliness any longer, the saint came back to the town,
drank the water and became mad.

We may wonder why the saint drank the rain water?

He did so because the path of truth is lonely and difficult.
Only a few can hold on to it till the end.

A saint appears mad to ordinary people because he renounces
the visible world of pleasures for the sake of the invisible
God. On the other hand, those who run behind worldly
pleasures, forgetting paramathma sukha appear mad to the jnânis.
Only a Sadhguru continues to walk the lonely path of
truth while others join the crowd of worldly lunatics.

God. On the other hand, those who run behind worldly
pleasures, forgetting paramathma sukha appear mad to the jnânis.
Only a Sadhguru continues to walk the lonely path of
truth while others join the crowd of worldly lunatics.

ಗುರುಪದ

“ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ದೋಶವಾದರೂ ವಸ್ತು ವಿಕಾರವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಮಣ್ಣು ಮತ್ತು ಸುಣ್ಣವನ್ನು ಸೇರಿಸಿ ಗಾಜನ್ನು ತಯಾರಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಇದನ್ನು ಸೇರಿಸುವ ಪ್ರಮಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ಯತ್ಯಾಸವಾದರೆ ನಿಮ್ನಮಸೂರದ ಬದಲು ಪೀನ ಮಸೂರವಾಗಬಹುದು. ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರದ ಉದ್ದೇಶ ಸ೦ಕಲ್ಪಕ್ಕೆ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಕ್ರಿಯೆಯೂ ದೋಷವಿಲ್ಲದೇ ಜರುಗಿದರೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರವು ಉತ್ತಮ ಫಲ ನೀಡಬಹುದು. ವಿಪರೀತವಾದರೆ ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರವೇ ವಿಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾರಣವಾಗಬಹುದು.”

ಗುರುಪದ

“ಪಕ್ಷಿಗೆ ದ್ವಿಜ ಎ೦ದು ಹೆಸರು. ತಾಯಿಯಿ೦ದ ಮೊದಲು ಮೊಟ್ಟೆಯಾಗಿ ಹೊರಬರುವುದು ಮೊದಲನೆ ಜನ್ಮ. ಶಾಖ-ತಾಪದಿ೦ದ ಮೊಟ್ಟೆಯೊಡೆದು ರೆಕ್ಕೆ ಬಲಿತು ಹೊರಬರುವುದು ಎರಡನೆಯ ಜನ್ಮ ಎನಿಸುವುದು. ಅ೦ತೇಯೇ ನಾವೆಲ್ಲ ದ್ವಿಜರು. ತಾಯಿಗರ್ಭದಿ೦ದ ಬರುವುದು ಮೊದಲನೆಯ ಜನ್ಮ. ನ೦ತರದ ಗುರೂಪದೇಶದ ಜ್ಞಾನಕೋಶದಿ೦ದ ಹೊರಬರುವುದು ಎರಡನೆಯ ಜನ್ಮ.”

All actions of our daily life are based either on dharma or
adharma. Life itself is a conflict between the forces of right
and wrong. The maharishis explained the mysteries of dharma,
and paved the way to self knowledge and happiness. We should
firmly hold on to this path in our lives. There is both peace
and excellence in this.

In the conflict between dharma and adharma, dharma always
wins. On the eve of the war at Kurukshethra, Duryodhana
sought the blessings of his mother, Gandhari. She replied:

“Yatho dharmaha:thatha Krishna; Yatho Krishnaha thatho Jaya:”
“Krishna is with dharma; wherever Krishna is there is victory.”

Gandhari knew the greatness of dharma. She had blindfolded
only her external eyes, her inner eyes were open to the truth
of dharma. She knew that when Panduranga was on the side
of the Pandavas, victory was assured to them.

If we analyse the actions of Lord Krishna who protected the
Pandavas and destroyed the Kauravas, we realize the truth
of the statement, “Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshithaha”. It means
that dharma protects the person who protects it.

Just as an armour protects a warrior from injuries in a
battlefield, dharma protects us in the battle of life. In our
journey towards self realization we need to wear this armour
and shield ourselves from adharma. If we neglect dharma, it
will depart from our homes and hearts.

“ಒ೦ದು ತ೦ಬೂರಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಕೈಯ್ಯಾಡಿಸಿದರೆ ಅದು ಶ್ರುತಿಯಾಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ತ೦ಬೂರಿಯ ತ೦ತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಹದವಾಗಿ ಎಳೆದು ಬಿಗಿಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಹೋದ೦ತೆ ಶ್ರುತಿಯ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ತವಾಗುವುದು. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರುತಿಯ ಜ್ಞಾನವಿರಬೇಕು. ಹಾಗೂ ಅದನ್ನು ಸಿದ್ಧಗೊಳಿಸಬೇಕಾದ ಕರ್ಮಜ್ಞಾನವೂ ಇರಬೇಕು. ಆಗ ಶ್ರುತಿ ಸಿದ್ಧವಾಗುವುದು. ಇದು ತ೦ಬೂರಿಯ ಶ್ರುತಿಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರವಾಗಿದೆ. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಜೀವನನ್ನು ಸ೦ಸ್ಕರಿಸಿ ಜೀವನಶ್ರುತಿಗಾಗಿ ಅನುಗೊಳಿಸಬೇಕು. ಜ್ಞಾನಪ್ರಾಪ್ತಿಗಾಗಿ ಕಾರ್ಯೋನ್ಮುಖನಾಗಲು ಸ೦ಸ್ಕಾರ ಬೇಕು.”