Guru TattvaHis teaching on the Guru
A TALK TO SANNYASINS
Apatavairagyavato Mumukshun Bhavabdhiparam Pratiyatumudyatan; Asagraho Majjayatentarale Nigrihya Kanthe Vinivartya Vegat.
Those seekers after Liberation who are endowed with only an apparent dispassion and are endeavouring to cross the ocean of Samsara or conditioned existence are seized by the shark of hankering; and so seized by the neck and forcibly dragged into the middle, are drowned (Vivekachudamani).
Hari Om! Adorations to Brahman! Salutations to Sri Sankara, Maha Purushas and Sannyasins!
A Sannyasin is one who has renounced (nyasa) the Deha-Adhyasa (body-idea), selfishness, Vasanas, egoism, Abhimana. The four Kumaras of Brahma (Sri Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumara and Sanatsujata), Sri Dattatreya and Sri Sankara are the pioneers in this path of pure Nivritti-Marga. They are the fathers for this Order of Sannyasins.
TREND OF THE TIMES
The world wants economic, racial, social, political, psychological, industrial and also spiritual advancement. The spiritual side should never be ignored. That is the basis. That is the be-all and end-all. In these days, leaders in the Karma-Yogic field lay stress on action alone. They have totally ignored the spiritual side of life. Even Sannyasins of various institutions are doing social service only. Some Sannyasins have scholarly erudition only, and they command a little respect for sometime. They, too, have thrown aside the meditative side of life. They are not able to produce a real and lasting impression on the minds of the public, because they have not got the real spiritual stuff or inner Atmic strength at their back.
Spiritual men, Yogins, Jnanins and Sannyasins should appear on the platform like the comet or the second-day moon of the month of November (Karttika), like Lord Jesus for a short time, should pour forth their energy and turn out tremendous work and disappear from the field. The work of holding spiritual classes for longer time and starting Ashrams belongs to the junior Sannyasins. It will not suit the temperament of fiery spiritual giants. They will inundate the land with spiritual waters or the nectar of immortality (divine knowledge) in a short time, just as the Ganga does for four months in the year.
TEMPTATIONS OF COMFORTABLE LIVING
No Sannyasin or householder should start an Ashram for the sake of his comfortable living. Many Sannyasins are pure in the beginning when they start an Ashram, I mean when they are poor. When they become rich, when they have got enough admirers and Bhaktas, the spirit of selfless service dwindles away, giving place to selfish motives in their hearts. The object with which they started Ashrams gets frustrated. Then it becomes a money-making institution. People have no attraction. If the head of the institution leads a life of Vairagya and absolute renunciation, the Ashram stands as a centre or nucleus of perennial peace, bliss and joy. It attracts millions of people. The world is always in need of such Ashrams with such spiritual giants as their heads.
Some young Sannyasins take a course of nux vomica seed, swallow a hundred and twenty seeds in two years, study Laghu Siddhanta Kaumudi and Nyaya for three years, imagine they have become real Siddhas, and mix freely with worldly-minded persons. This is a very grave mistake. Nux vomica produces impotency. Impotency is not establishment in Brahmacharya. They will have soon a downfall. This goes without saying. Even perfect Jnanins and full-blown Yogins should be very careful. They should avoid indiscriminate, promiscuous mixing with worldly-minded persons. The sight of pairing of fish excited a developed Rishi. The jingling sounds of the bangles of a lady, the sight of even bordered or coloured clothes, causes severe excitement in the mind. They have got their own impure associations. Passion is very powerful. Mysterious is Maya. Beware, O aspirants!
It is the tongue and the palate that force the undisciplined young aspirants, Brahmacharins and Sannyasins, to come in close contact with householders under the garb of doing Satsanga. O aspirants! Is it for satisfying the tongue you have left your parents, and renounced position and property and embraced Sannyasa? Or, is it for attaining Self-realisation? If it is for the former, you would have done very well by earning money in the world. Do not bring disgrace to the order of Sannyasa. If the tongue is uncontrollable, remove the gerua garb and go back to the world, do some work and earn money. Evolve through Karma Yoga. No control of mind is possible without control of tongue.
IS THIS SATSANGA?
Satsanga has degenerated in these days. It has dwindled into some kind of mental recreation or amusement. Mere Vedantic gossiping for one hour in the evening between Sannyasins and householders with a mixture of some idle, worldly talk, some politics, some scandal-mongering and backbiting, some silly giggling, guffaw and namby-pamby sentimental outpourings in vague platitudes is labelled as Satsanga. The minds of the Sannyasin who does Satsanga and the hearers remain in the same state even after a course of Satsanga for several years. There is no elevation and spiritual progress.
When Sadhus and Sannyasins move in the world, they should show an exemplary life of Vairagya to the householders. They should get from the householders the bare necessaries of life only. They should not mix with them very freely. They should live in a solitary place outside the village or town. They should conduct spiritual classes in a serious manner. They should not talk on worldly matters in the interval. They should not bring in too many stories that excite laughter. They should not cut jokes. There must be solemn serenity. The whole audience must be spellbound. There must be pin-drop silence. Then only the householders will be influenced. They will feel they have got something from the Satsanga.
KHEER-PAROTTAH BIRDS
The moment a Sannyasin begins to ask from householders several things frequently, he loses his respect and influence. He is forced to leave the place immediately. Some shameless Sannyasins live as parasites amongst householders for months together. They are ‘Kheer-Parottah’ birds. They are not real Sannyasins. In the coming census report, the authorities should be very careful in forwarding their reports. These persons should not come under the category of Sadhus and Sannyasins. They are professional beggars in coloured garb, like the wolf in the skin of a lamb. There must be a genuine record of true Sannyasins. What is the use of swelling the number of Sadhus and showing a figure of 74 lakhs of Sadhus? You will not find more than 2,000 good, cultured Sannyasins who are useful to themselves and to the country at large. A real Sadhu or Sannyasin is like a glorious sun. He shines during day and night.
TRAINING OF ASPIRANTS
Rishikesh is the only best place for Sadhus and Sannyasins. Free food, free Kutirs and free cottages are available. There is a beautiful library. Medical help can be had. You can be as free as a bird. Why do you wander then here and there? If a Sadhu or Sannyasin or an aspirant really wants to attain spiritual progress and Self-realisation, he must stick to this place without stirring out even for a day, at least for a period of twelve years, and must do rigorous, constant Sadhana. Change of place is not necessary. The Ganga and the Himalayas are eternally inspiring, elevating and health-giving. A change to other places is the foolish imagination of weak-willed and deluded doctors and rich people.
A Sannyasin or Sadhu can do more solid and efficient work at the very threshold of his cottage than by moving about from place to place and delivering lectures on platforms. When the flower blossoms, it does not send any invitation to the bees. The bees come by themselves. Even so, real seekers after Truth will flock to the real Sannyasins at their very door. Sannyasins need not move about and advertise. In platform-lectures, there is only temporary stimulation for half an hour. There are some noise, fights, quarrels, claps, “hear, hear” sounds from some corners. Only real Adhikarins will go to meet Sannyasins at their cottages. The hearts of these aspirants can be really pierced by the instructions of Sannyasins. Training of aspirants is the highest service which a Sannyasin can do. Each aspirant will become a spiritual nucleus, or radiating or broadcasting centre of Joy, Peace and Knowledge. When a Sannyasin moves, his time is wasted. All sorts of people come to meet him out of curiosity. Nowadays, householders do not attend to their wants. They have become extremely selfish. They show some lip-sympathy by saying: “Swamiji Maharaj! Kuch Seva Bathlayiye Mere Layak” This is pure humbug, hypocrisy and cunning.
When one puts on the orange-coloured robe, he must remember that he has entered a noble order of life and that great responsibility rests on his shoulders and that he is going to become soon a religious and spiritual teacher for the world. He must try his level best to possess all the noble, divine virtues and to lead an ideal life of purity and Vairagya.
Real Sannyasins are the beacon-lights and torchbearers of the world. Just as the lighthouse sends its light to the distant steamers in the far-off sea, so also the Sannyasins radiate their divine light to people of far-off climes who are immersed in the mire of darkness and ignorance. They can move the whole world.
Glory to real Sannyasins who have renounced everything, who are treading the path of Truth! Hail, hail to Sannyasins who are resting in their own Svarupa, the Brahma-Nishthas! Glory, glory to Parivrajaka Acharyas, the Brahma-Vidya Gurus who are disseminating the Knowledge of the Self far and wide! May their blessings be upon us all!