Learning Straight from the Master

Saturday 6, Dec more than thousands of devotees were waiting for Guruji anxiously.

Guruji was supposed to land in Mumbai at 11:00 AM, but His flight got delayed and finally He landed around 3:00 PM and reached the venue (Panvel - Shanti Kunj Ashram) at around 5:00 PM for ‘Vishwas Shanti Yagya’.

No sooner He reached the venue the whole environment changed. Something happened. I could see there was chaos - people stood up, running to have His darshan. It seemed like some powerful magnet was pulling everyone towards Him. At the same time there was sense of peace and contentment all around; I remember Guruji saying in some talk (Astavakra Geeta) when Mahavir used to walk - 20 KM area around Him would get cleansed and violence ceased to exist.

I could sense hearts of all the devotees racing like a jet engine waiting to have a glimpse of Him, I myself haven't seen Him for so many months. He was escorted directly into the mandap in a Mercedes car with all the music and trumpets blowing around, it seemed as though a King was being welcomed, well no doubts :-)

All the devotees were standing to have His darshan. To my astonishment, as His car came I realized He was going to walk through our seating arrangements, well I never expected this was going to happen, a pleasant surprise though! As He was being escorted by Police up to the stage I had a chance to have His darshan. And there my mind went blank... Yes it's nothing new this happens with everyone and somehow He does this magic on everyone even if doesn't looks at them :-)

Finally after lots of hustle bustle - with devotees pushing around, shouts of 'Jai Gurudev!', 'Guruji Guruji!', police shoving the devotees aside helped Guruji reached the stage. A big moment; big relief for the organizers and security police.

Voila, Guruji stood on the stage in His white robes, with a radiant face, twinkling eyes, mischievous smile, long hairs flowing onto His shoulders and head covered as a mark of respect for the holy place looking fresh as ever. He asked everyone to settle down, which devotees were not in a mood to listen as usual. Then He started emotionally blackmailing His devotees saying, those who are sitting in last row are my only devotees, only they love me. Those who will be sitting in last row will get double blessing, people sitting in front will get less and people on the stage will get very very less! But I guess this didn't work either :-)

Finally everyone settled down. I was really amazed to realize how the masters’ life is an example for His devotees. All the while with so much of pushing and chaos going on, Guruji was still smiling and joyful looking at the devotees, not to forget He had been from long journey from Calcutta in plane that was almost 3 hours late then 2 hours drive to the venue. I have heard and read so much about acceptance but seeing Him doing that it really hits the target - no words required to explain acceptance.

Yesterday we were having a knowledge session with Balvinderji, he said earlier the only way of learning was observing the Master, living with the Master, no books were used, and even knowledge was transferred from Master to disciple through listening not in writings. He further said 'You can only teach who you are!'

And Guruji does it so simply, He just teaches us who He is and learn to live like Him! No doubt in His presence everything falls in place soo naturally.

As everyone settled down He realized there was a sofa arranged for Him, but the seating arrangement for the Heads of the organization who had arranged this 'Vishwa Shanti Yagya' were placed down in front of stage. He immediately asked those chairs to be kept on the stage. It was so amazing to see His presence of mind and humility that He made the all the chairs to be arranged such that even on the stage they were kept at same level that of the sofa!

As the chairs and sofa was being moved around, up and down, Guruji said looking at the movement 'Yehi jeevan ka sabhav hai, jo uppar hota hai woh niche ajaata hai, jo niche hota hai woh uppar chale jaata hai!' as He said this there was a big applause. Then He said I will tell you a story, that very moment everyone was all ears to Him, suddenly there was silence like never before, I started recording His voice on my phone.

Guruji continued, once there was a King, looking at the world that everything was happening on its own He got a question 'Then what is the work of God?’ He started asking all his ministers, friends, pandits but no one could satisfactorily answer his question. Finally he asked this to his vice minister and said 'If you cannot find the answer to this question by tomorrow morning, you will be sent to prison.' This minister ran around, went through books but could not find any answer. By the evening he started fearing for his life.

In the evening as the minister was moving back and forth in the garden worrying thinking about his faith, a little boy in torn clothes - the gardener asked him, why he was looking so tensed and troubled? At first minister ignored him, but with due pestering from this young one he gave up and told him the whole story about the King gone mad with this question. The little boy immediately said this is so simple I will answer this for you. At first minister said he didn't believe that such a young boy could answer this question as even all the pandits have failed to answer. But the boy pleaded and minister thought anyway he had no choice, he would be meeting his fate tomorrow and there was no harm in listening to this boy. At most they both will be thrown together into prison if something goes wrong :)

Next day they went to the King's palace at first the king got more angry with this and said, how can this little boy in torn clothes can answer my question? But the boy pleaded to just give him 5 minutes to answer his question; finally king agreed and asked him to answer. The young boy said this was not the right way to ask the question. A question should be asked with due respect. The boy said he should be made to sit on his throne first at a higher pedestal than him and he should be sitting down near his feet’s. (Remember Guruji said this is the way Astavakra gave knowledge to King Janaka in Astavakra Geeta).

As the young boy sat on the throne king waited for the boy to answer. But the boy would not speak anything. Five minutes gone, ten minutes gone, fifteen minutes gone and king ran out of patience and asked the young boy to answer him immediately. Finally the boy smiled and said ‘Meine to jawab kaab ka de diya! Aap ko samaja nahi? Yehi to bhagwan ka kaam hai, jo uppar hai usko niche leyata hai aur jo niche hai usko woh uppar uthata hai...jo vinamr hai usko uppar uthata hai...jo ahankari hai usko niche leyata hai...ye kaam bhagwan nirantar karta hi raheta hai!'

There was a big applause following this J

Guruji further said the knowledge that does not makes you humble is no knowledge at all; with this He stressed to be humble in life. But I felt words were not necessary at all as He had already taught us this by His own example practically then and there on the stage itself!

Have a wonderful day!

Love,
Satyajit

Guruji further talked about importance of mantra jaap and taking responsibility, becoming warrior of peace. He stressed everyone should read Bhagwat Geeta also Guru Granth Sahib, Sukhmini Sahib and Dyaneshwari. He also pointed out conversion happening in lots of places in india due to lack of knowledge and respect for our own culture.

Mysterious Ways of Master

Hope you had a great time last week; I enjoyed the Navratri Advanced Meditation Course with Rishi Nitya Pragya ji.

After doing few DSN courses with Him it was pleasure to do an Advanced Meditation course with Him. As usual He bound everyone in His spell of Knowledge, Satsang, Devotion and presence of mind. His in-depth knowledge and study of Mind, it's working and taming it was really amazing! Truly amazing teacher, we got to learn lots of things; He left everyone totally rejuvenated, inspired - hollow and empty!

Rishi ji is one of the senior teachers to be with Guruji from the very beginning, having learnt directly from the Master Himself. Like Rishi ji, one of the other senior teachers Swami Pragyapad ji once mentioned His learning with Guruji.

Here it goes ... Swami ji said during building of Vishalakshi Mantap (beautiful meditation hall in Bangalore ashram) and the Am-phi Theater (beautiful satang place in front of Vishalakshi Mandap) He was waiting for Guruji for some directions on how to go about some final finishing touches to be given. When Guruji returned from tour, Swami ji asked Guruji how He wanted it to be. First Guruji didn't show any interest, finally Guruji directed Swami ji how He wanted things to be. After the suggestions Guruji went away on tour. Few weeks later when Guruji returned, Swami ji showed Him how the things have come out to be.

Swami ji said looking at the work done, Guruji said it was looking so ugly and asked Swamji, who had asked Him to do it that way? Guruji was looking from all the angles and complaining that it was looking ugly. Swami ji said He was totally taken aback, but could not argue with Guruji. Guruji kept Him reminding of the ugly work for sometime!

After a day or two Guruji again looked at the work and started appreciating it, saying it was looking very good...very beautiful and was very happy with it. And left Swami ji totally confused once again!

Swami ji thought for few days on why Guruji would have acted this way; first disapproving His own directions, indirectly blaming Swami ji and then after some time praising it Himself. Swami ji said - in life if something goes wrong we immediately blame others or people blame us and we start arguing and complaining instead of taking responsibility. Here, He said there was no way I could have argued with Guruji. He had no choice but to take that in-stride instead of arguing and complaining.

A big lesson learnt. Guruji has given all the knowledge in courses, books and talks but He does conduct practicals now and then to solidify knowledge learnt whether He is physically present around you or not :-)

I remember in one of the Asta Vakra Geeta CD, He says situations have been created for you to live the knowledge ... practical!

In Tibet there is a saying 'Dus nikalte hain tab koi Ek paunchta hai...!' (When Ten people start on the path only ONE reaches...!). I guess out of the ten only ONE succeeds the practical exam of the divine, others have to give the same exams again and again...event after events, birth after births. There is a beautiful story attached with this saying, will blog it some other day. Have a great week ahead and happy Dassera!

Love,
Satyajit