Saturday 12 July 2014

Guru and Disciple

Photo: FB568 * Guru and Disciple * This is a conversation between Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati, guru and disciple. Speaking about the greatness of the guru as a guide in our life, this conversation is a part of the Skanda Purana penned by Maharshi Veda Vyasa. In the beautiful peaks of Mount Kailash, the most devoted disciple Parvati prostrates to her husband and guru, Lord Shiva, and asks him for his wisdom. “By which path, O Lord, does a being in this human body become one with the Brahman? I prostrate at your feet. Be pleased and impart this knowledge to me through your grace.” Lord Shiva says, “You are none other than my own form. I am only pleased to tell you as you have asked a question that benefits the whole world.” He says there is no reality without guru and this is very rare in all the three worlds of the waking, dream and deep sleep state. “This is the truth, this is the truth,” he repeats. Without knowing the reality of the Guru Tatwa, people swivel around in many streams of knowledge which include all the Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, Itihasas, Mantras, Yantras, Tantras, Smritis, different paths of worship, fire sacrifices, fasting and austerities, charity, chanting, visiting holy places. He writes off all these as means to confound the intellect. It must be the endeavour of humans to realise the presence of the guru in one’s own self and this is the truth twice over. The secret knowledge of the existence of Ajnana or primordial ignorance is represented by the letter ‘gu’ in guru. Lord Shiva promises to give that knowledge to Parvati of the service of the feet of the guru by which a being becomes pure of mind and merges to become one with the Brahman. The one who remembers the guru and sprinkles the holy water on his head gets the fruits of taking holy baths in all places of pilgrimage. The water that washes off the feet of the guru can dry up the moss of sins and light the lamp of wisdom in the heart. The water that has washed the feet of the guru, the food that has been offered to the guru, meditation on the form of the guru and contemplation and chanting of the name and words of the guru are all holy blessings for the seeker.

* Guru and Disciple *

This is a conversation between Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati, guru and disciple. Speaking about the greatness of the guru as a guide in our life, this conversation is a part of the Skanda Purana penned by Maharshi Veda Vyasa.

In the beautiful peaks of Mount Kailash, the most devoted disciple Parvati prostrates to her husband and guru, Lord Shiva, and asks him for his wisdom. “By which path, O Lord, does a being in this human body become one with the Brahman? I prostrate at your feet. Be pleased and impart this knowledge to me through your grace.”
Lord Shiva says, “You are none other than my own form. I am only pleased to tell you as you have asked a question that benefits the whole world.” He says there is no reality without guru and this is very rare in all the three worlds of the waking, dream and deep sleep state. “This is the truth, this is the truth,” he repeats.

Without knowing the reality of the Guru Tatwa, people swivel around in many streams of knowledge which include all the Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, Itihasas, Mantras, Yantras, Tantras, Smritis, different paths of worship, fire sacrifices, fasting and austerities, charity, chanting, visiting holy places. He writes off all these as means to confound the intellect.
It must be the endeavour of humans to realise the presence of the guru in one’s own self and this is the truth twice over. The secret knowledge of the existence of Ajnana or primordial ignorance is represented by the letter ‘gu’ in guru. Lord Shiva promises to give that knowledge to Parvati of the service of the feet of the guru by which a being becomes pure of mind and merges to become one with the Brahman. The one who remembers the guru and sprinkles the holy water on his head gets the fruits of taking holy baths in all places of pilgrimage.

The water that washes off the feet of the guru can dry up the moss of sins and light the lamp of wisdom in the heart. The water that has washed the feet of the guru, the food that has been offered to the guru, meditation on the form of the guru and contemplation and chanting of the name and words of the guru are all holy blessings for the seeker.
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