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Tag: Guru

  • Guru, Acharya,Upaadhyaayar-Kanchi Periyavar.

    Guru, Acharya,Upaadhyaayar-Kanchi Periyavar.

    In India, especially in Tamil Nadu , we use the term Guru,Acharyar and Upaadhyaaar very loosely, often interchanging  one for another.

    Vedas are Sruthi, that is,  it is not written or composed.

    They are the Fundamental Truths and sounds that are captured from Aakaasa or loosely translated as Ether, by the Rishis or Seers for the Welfare of mankind.

    They are Eternal.

    They are the Usvaasa and Visvaasa of Brahman, that is the inhalation and exhalation .

    God is not present where Veda is not recited and Veda loses its potency without God.

    That is the reason Temples with Samprokshanam done  as laid in the Agamas have special vibration and you can feel it.

    The temple should have been built out of Bhakti and humility.

    As an example I can cite the Brahadeeswarar Temple in Tanjore .

    When I visit this Temple  I feel a sense of awe and grandeur but not peace and Tranquility of the Mind.

    Whereas when I visit Thirumeeyachchyur,Sri Rangam,TiruvidaiMarudhur Thirukkadavoor and other temples which are reportedly built by Bhaktas or with a sense of dedication., I am at peace with myself and as Abirami Bhattar in Abiraami Andhaadhi puts it

    ‘விரும்பித் தொழும் அடியார் விழிநீர் மல்கி, மெய் புளகம்
    அரும்பித் ததும்பிய ஆனந்தம் ஆகி, அறிவு இழந்து
    கரும்பின் களித்து, மொழி தடுமாறி, முன் சொன்ன எல்லாம்
    தரும் பித்தர் ஆவர் என்றால் அபிராமி சமயம் நன்றே.-Abirami Andhaadhi 94.’

    Reason, Tanjore Temple makes me feel the Arrogance and the Desire of Raja Raja Chola to create some thing very big which would speak of his name forever more than Bhakti and surrender to God.

    Legend has it that he had been directed to Poosalaar Naayanarby Lord Siva himself stating that He (The Lord )could not attend his Samprokshana at the Muhurtham set by him as he had to be in the temple built by Poosalaar.

    When Raja Raja Chola went in search of Poosallar he found that Poosalaar was a poor man who said that he was building a Temple in his mind for the Lord in his mind and fixed the Samprokshanm in the Same Muhurhtam!

    I am straying from the subject.

    Vedas have Chapters.

    One who teaches these parts is called Upaadhyayaa.

    He takes compensation for this service.

    ‘एकदेसम तु  वेदस्य वेदान्गान्यबी  वा पुन:: यूअध्यापथि वृथ्यर्थं  उपाध्याय: स  उच्च्यथे I’-Manu Smriti.

    Whereas one who does Brahmopadesam at the time of Upanayana and follows up with Teaching of the vedas is Called Acharya.

    Guru is one who seeks you out, if your yearning is sincere.

    He knows your yearnings ,assesses your capacity and initiates you in the process that suits you, for individuals are unique ,so are the paths to Realization.

    Guru is the Mentor while others are facilitators to study Veda.

    Two Great Gurus are Lord Dakshinamurthy, who teaches you by Silence and Lord Sri Krishna who guides you by dialogue by replying to all your questions however impertinent or silly they might be.

    Even Lord Krishna declares’ In Languages I am Silence’-Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

    Source.

    Sruthi.

    Manu Smriti.

    Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

    Sri Dakshinamoorthy Asthakam

    Abrami Andadhadi

    Kanchi Periyavar-Sri Chandrasekarendra Sarawathi

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  • Corporate Spiritual Gurus INC.

    It is sickening to find many self-styled Gurus who offer you right from Health,Wealth,Self Realization,Yoga Mukti,Solution for World

    Problems.These gentlemen offer all this, with a fee ,of course.An International Company is coming ONLINE with Spiritual Solutions!
    Some of them say they Teach Art of Living as if the Vedas teach the Science of Death.Hobnobbing with industrial bigwigs, politicians,addressing international forums who probably may not know what it is all about.They comment on Politics , international relations!
    The concept of Guru is very high and very noble and He/She is held in high esteem.

    Ramana Maharishi
    Ramana Maharishi

    There are various levels.
    Upadhyayay is one who teaches the scriptures and performs regular rituals.
    Acharya is one who initiates you in a particular Chapter,Shaka of Vedas.
    Guru is one who knows your spiritual needs and guides you through out.
    A Guru never advertises for Shisyas(Disciples/followers)
    They get attracted to him.If a seeker wants a Guru desperately, he will find him.Similarly a Guru shall find a disciple.
    Guru does not charge.Vidya/Knowledge must not be sold , according to Scriptures .( so are Medicine, Food and Water).
    He shall gladly accept what disciple offers him as a token of love as it were from his son.Even in cases where the Guru asked for Dakshina or fees, it is to demonstrate to the world the Greatness of his disciple.
    Do the present Gurus hold a candle to this definition?
    Ramana Maharishi, A realized Soul , when asked to initiate a disciple, replied”I can not eat for you;if you want to realize, you have to strive for it”
    Bhagwan Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita ‘You( Atman) is your only fiend and He is your only enemy’
    Realization must be attained by individual effort, not by book knowledge or by paying Gurus.It calls for Practice(Sadhana) and

    Vairagya(determination)- Bhagavad Gita

    .
    Guru is essential to your Spiritual need, but not these type of peddlers(imagine if Vedas and Yoga were to have been patented these guys would have been paupers long ago!).Vedas declare ‘If you sincerely seek a Guru, He shall come to you”
    An example is Sir Arthur Osborne,who revered Ramana Maharishi as his Guru( though Ramana did not say so)
    after desperate search for Guru in India.He even contacted Paramacharya of Kanchi.He told him” I am not your Guru;your Guru is Ramana,you will see him now, but you will not approve of him and go back; you shall return and accept him as your GURU’.It was so.
    Where are these Great Souls and where are these jet setting charlatans?

     

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