Jai Guru Dev

Swami Brahmananda Saraswati,
Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath
Known by His disciples simply as Guru Dev

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Preface

The following talks are from a number of sources, most notably, Paul Mason's web site dedicated to Guru Dev and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, at http://www.paulmason.info. I have taken the liberty of doing some minor editing and arranging the passages by subject matter. - Bart Walton

The Self-luminous Nature of Self

The dawn comes to dispel the darkness of night, by the light of the sun, which is self-luminous. Likewise, spiritual teachings come to destroy ignorance. But they cannot throw light on the Self. The Self is Light.

The Impermanence of the World and the Importance of Harmonious Action

The one who has come has to go. Nobody can stay here. Every moment keep your luggage packed. Nobody knows when death will call. The warrant of death is like the arrest warrant. One cannot think of appealing against it. No matter what is happening, we have to quickly leave off and go. So, if you are ready before hand, there will not be much difficulty in leaving. The one who is always ready to leave will never be able to sin. Only by forgetting the impermanence of the life in this world, one becomes immoral and licentious. If a man remembers at every moment that one day or the other he will have to leave this world, then he will never be able to bring falsehood or inappropriate conduct into his life.

Think of when our own father, grandfather and great-grandfather had to leave. Then how can we be able to stay? Since going is certain, keep ready from the beginning so that the travel will be comfortable. If you are not ready, then you will face difficulties. Be careful not to act in a way that you will regret later, when it is time to leave.

If you are not cautious, you cannot escape from falling. It is the nature of samsara (endless cycle of action and reaction) to always pull you downwards. Involvement with the senses, divides a man's mind. Being of divided mind and involved with the vasanas (tendencies from the past), it is very difficult to have discernment. So it is essential to always be cautious.

Whatever a man does while living, be it good or bad, it comes to be remembered at the moment of death. Remembering ones evil actions and the dreadful results, the soul starts repenting and becomes very sad. Therefore one should always be cautious so that no sin happens, so that one has no regrets at the time of death.

On Finding God and the Value of Worship

The heart went to find God and was caught…caught for sure. As you send a doll made of salt into the ocean, and say to the doll, 'Go and measure! How deep is the ocean? What is the depth?' Just so, the salt doll can easily go in, but it will not be able to come back. There is no difficulty to go but there is difficulty to come back. As it goes into the ocean it dissolves. So, who will come back when the seeker experiences Paramatman (God)? How is it possible for the soul to listen or speak of Paramatman, if Paramatman has not been seen?

Worshipping Paramatman is highly profitable. Any amount of time spent on it will come back to you with multifold interest. One should be fortunate enough to do profitable business. The unfortunate will always involve himself in such business where loss is inevitable. It is surprising that people make a huge effort to gain wealth and materials of comfort. But no effort is put forth in activities that gain Paramatman, which is a natural activity and can be done with ease. What an indiscretion! The still more astonishing thing is that people are not putting their attention to Paramatman, who is the very source of peace and happiness.

People struggle hard to gain valueless baubles of daily living, day in and day out. It is said: 'Gain one thing to gain everything - try to gain everything and you will gain nothing.' By gaining Paramatman, everything will be gained automatically. If you leave Paramatman and try to gain everything else, you will never be able to gain anything. Whatever is gained, will seem so small, that you will not feel happy.

If you want to catch the shadow, catch the real thing and automatically the shadow will be in your hands. Leaving the real, if you run after the shadow, the faster you run, the faster it will run away from you. That is why to run after shadowy wealth and fame is foolhardy. Catch hold of the Real - Paramatman - and all else will be under your command. Remember that keeping attention to Paramatman is always highly profitable. Whatever time you put on this, you will get back with multifold interest.

It is a waste to make much of your activity, so try to live quietly as long as you have to live in the world. Even emperors like Chakravarti Dasaratha could not get all that they desired. That is why it is a great mistake to involve oneself day and night in trying to satisfy desires.

One should not forget, one day it is certain that we have to move out of here! Whatever the project we may be engaged, whatever condition and wherever it might be, we will have to leave it as it is and go. Everyone has to travel alone. So do not be sad about things that we have no choice but to leave.

As long as one has to live, live peacefully. It is certain that work here can never be completed. So do not make much out of doing work in the world. Work, as an end in itself, is a waste. Lead this life with a peaceful mind, doing your duty and always remembering Paramatman.

The Creator is Vishvambhara. He shoulders the duty to sustain and protect us. And so, he will make arrangements. Without having faith in His support, if you depend on your intellect and cleverness, deceit and craftiness, you will lead a life of turbulence and the future path will also be darkened. So, lead life in such a way that you will be peaceful while living and making your future path bright as well.

On Supply

God's devotee can never stay dejected. While staying in the forests, we were always under the all-powerful nature of Paramatman. There in the dense forests, where no facilities for living are easily available, all the needs of the devotee were met by Paramatman.

How can a prince experience any need in his own Kingdom? The devotee of the all-powerful Lord, wherever in any of the three worlds he might be, he is the prince and so he will live in bliss. How can the all-powerful Lord tolerate the suffering of his devotee? Through one's faith, devotion and trust in Paramatman alone and none else, it is certain to get the Lord's attention. From then onwards Paramatman himself will look after the well being of the devotee. There will be no need to pray for one's welfare.

When the son gets sick, does he request the father have him treated and then the father acts? Is it so? The father will not be able to see his son suffer. Even without asking he will do his best to get his son cured. Thus, whosoever becomes Paramatman's, whosoever wrests Paramatman's love for himself, Paramatman, without even a request, will do what is needed. It is an experienced fact that Paramatman's devotee can never be unhappy.

On Devotion and Proper use of the Mind

Having become a devotee of God one can never remain unhappy. This is our experience. The Jiva (ego) is going on doing its work from several births. Its tendency to work exists from time immemorial. Therefore, if the work is started with just a little co-operation from the mind, it will continue to go on. Just like the train car, way in the back of the line, if it is just pushed and jerked a little by the engine.

It is necessary to bifurcate the work into primary and secondary. Thinking of Paramatman should be considered as primary and giving a little attention to worldly activity is secondary. Apply your body mainly and your mind secondarily to your worldly activity. When your mind is mainly engaged in God you shall receive his grace. God is all-powerful. Even a little of His grace is capable of bestowing on the Jiva all that is good in its entirety. The declaration of the Lord that is proved by the scriptures is this; ‘Whosoever thinks of Me with one-pointed devotion, I shall conduct his necessary work also". The experience of the bhaktas also goes to prove this declaration of the Lord.

Accumulate worldly wealth, but in such a way that is not against transcendental wealth. That which hinders transcendental wealth results in accumulation in sin and is not wealth but a burden and a debt.

As is the cloth, so is the price. For carrying on the short-lived work of your worldly activity, employ your short-lived body and worldly wealth. Mind is permanent and remains with you always. Even after you leave this world, it remains with you. Therefore, connect your mind with a permanent thing. God, being the eternal existence in animate and inanimate things, is the only permanent thing of the highest order. Therefore connect your mind with Him.

If the mind could be satisfied with wealth, wife or children, why does it go elsewhere? Because it cannot stick with anything in the world. From this it is clear that it cannot be satisfied with anything of this world. It runs after things in the world, taking them to be good and desirable. But after a short while it leaves them.

Nobody wants your mind in this world. And the mind is not satisfied with anything of this world. So, it is certain that mind is not fit for the world, nor the world for the mind. When the mind realizes God, it is permanently established there and does not desire other things. From this we can understand that God alone is fit for the mind and nothing else.

Remember this; that your mind, which is not useful for anything in this world, is very useful to take you near God. Therefore, in this marketplace of the world, carry on work with your body and your wealth, and allow your mind to go towards God. Then your work in this world will get on well, and the path to transcendental wealth will also be clear. 

The Value of a Human Birth and the Importance of Right Action

Do good works without hesitation. The Jiva has been experiencing samsara for many, many births. It is only natural, therefore, that its tendencies have become worldly. To turn its tendencies toward Paramatman and away from samsara requires some effort. In reality, the aim of life is to stop the mind from involvement with this world. If one engages in spiritual practice and in thinking and speaking about God, the mind will start dwelling on Him and after some time it will withdraw from the world on its own.

In our daily affairs we should adopt a strategy of quickly attending to good works and things related to the Divine. Should any wrong thought arise, on the other hand, we should try to postpone it to another time by saying, "I'll do it tomorrow, or the day after next." In this way, wrong action can be continuously postponed.

To be born a human is more fortunate than to be born a deva (angel or Divine being). Taking birth as a deva is considered comparable to taking birth as any other life form. Birth as a deva is attained by those who perform certain sacrifices and karma, etc. associated with divinity, with the intention to enjoy divine pleasures. The minds of the devas wander incessantly because of the abundance of enjoyable things in the heavenly realms, and hence they cannot perform purushartha (Divine action - action in accord with the cosmic evolution and individual destiny). For this reason, the human birth is considered superior, because here, by doing as much purushartha as possible, one can eventually merge with God.

A human being is like a lump of pure gold, whereas devas are like pieces of fine jewelry. Having been perfected as jewelry, their progress is complete, and they cannot be further improved. On the other hand, gold which has not yet been crafted by the jeweler, has unlimited potential. Hence the birth of a human being is said to be the very best birth for action.

Having attained this birth, one should not act carelessly, but should conscientiously perform the best purushartha. Fulfilling one's own dharma while keeping faith in Paramatman is the greatest purushartha. Strive to become one with God in this lifetime. Have firm faith in the Vedas and Shastras (Vedic scripture) and keep the company of saints, mahatmas and wise people. Only then will the purpose of your life be fulfilled.

To get a human body is a rare thing—make full use of it. There are four million kinds of births which a soul can gather. After that one gets a human body. Therefore, one should not waste this opportunity. Every second in human life is very valuable. If you don’t value this, then you will have nothing in hand and you will weep in the end.

Because you’re human, God has given you power to think and decide what is good and bad. Therefore, you can do the best possible kind of action. You should never consider yourself weak or a fallen creature. Whatever may have happened up to now may be because you didn’t know. But now be careful. After gaining a human body, if you don’t reach God, then you have sold a diamond at the price of spinach.

On Mantra and Meditation

People are unhappy because they do not have an Ishta (chosen deity of worship). Without Ishta, people are like orphans. It is only the Ishta that saves one from anishta (untoward happenings).

See your Ishta as all pervading. That is one-pointed devotion. Of the five aspects of God, Shankara (Shiva), Vishnu (Ram, Krishna), Surya, Ganesh and Devi (Divine Mother), whosoever is more adorable to you, the mantra (name or sacred sound) of that Deity should be repeated by you every day.

You must get to know the mantra of your Ishta, and the correct method of meditation thereof, through an experienced Satguru ('Revealer of Truth' or spititual master) Somehow or other, devote some time every day in japa (verbal or mental repetition) of the Ishta mantra and in meditation. Through japa, Realization will result. There is no doubt about this. ‘Japat Siddhir, Japat Siddhair, Japat Siddhir Nasamsayam’.

See your Ishta everywhere. There should be no place where your Ishta is not seen. It is difficult to get the vision of your Ishta until and unless you have one-pointedness of devotion. To cure a disease, both medicine and dietary restriction are necessary. To cure the disease of a restless mind, spiritual practice is medicine and non-attachment is diet. To apply your mind to your Ishta is practice. To constantly think of Ishta, meditate on it, talk always about it, and think always about it. This is practice.

When the mind is engrossed in the Ishta, non-attachment automatically comes. Therefore, we say you need to become a ragi (person having attachment). That is to say, there is need for the mind to develop attachment to the Ishta. 

Story of the Cocaine Addict

'One day a man who was considered to be very wealthy came to Guru Dev and asked, "I have been so happy whenever I have come to you. Would you allow me to donate something for your ashram?"

"No", said Guru Dev, "I do not want your money but I want from you what is dearest to you!"

"Do you want my estates?"

"No, your estates do not belong to you, you have so many debts."

Now the man was deeply frightened! Guru Dev continued quietly: "You have a little box in your pocket, what is in it, that is what I want, for that is dearest to you! For that cocaine you have been spending all your money and have made your family unhappy. If you have to make an offering, offer not your money but your defects, so that you are redeemed and made whole."

Trembling the man took out of his pocket a little box and handed it to Guru Dev. He prostrated before the master for a long time and then thanked him from the deepest bottom of his heart for having been cured of his addiction.

Guru Dev said: "Now go and work and make your family happy!"'

Path of Devotion versus Path of Knowledge

People debate many concepts related to bhakti (devotion) and jnana (knowledge). Some argue that devotion is superior, and some that knowledge is. Only those who don't know the true meaning of bhakti and jnana feel this way, seeing devotion and knowledge to be opposed, and are willing to fight over it. It has been said that to know Paramatman is jnana. And having known Him, to worship Him is bhakti. If you don't know Him, then how can you worship Him? You see? It is very clear that without knowledge, bhakti is not possible. Neither those who are against jnana and in favour of the bhakti, nor those who favour jnana but oppose bhakti, are aware of their own spiritual blindness. How can one trust the testimony of the blind? We can only trust the words of someone who can see.

Manifest and Unmanifest

Some people fight over the distinction between the manifest and the unmanifest. If you believe that Paramatman is almighty, then how can you say, "He isn't manifest," or "He remains unmanifest." To believe that Paramatman is almighty, but to insist that He is unmanifest only, is a complete contradiction. When you say Paramatman is completely free and independent, then how could you believe it is not possible for Him to take any form, or to think He is not able to do something?

To explain how God exists both with qualities and without, I will give one example. Agni (fire and also the Divine aspect of God associated with fire) is everywhere. Agni is even in water. Agni is in every solid thing. There is no place where fire does not exist. We know without doubt that fire is all-pervasive. Like fire, Paramatman is all-pervasive.

Fire exists unmanifest even in a splinter of wood. If you put the splinter into the fireplace and pray for it to burn, it will not. Until fire takes form from formlessness, it can be of no use. Fire may exist without qualities, but [in this state] it will be useless for you. Similarly, the unqualified, unmanifest Parabrahman is all-pervasive in creation, and like the unmanifest fire, it is useless to you. If anything is to be accomplished in this world, it will only be done by the manifest Brahman (God in the relative). With the help of the guru, the disciple can light the splinter from within and make use of this manifest form as he sees fit. As long as God does not manifest Himself from the formless, He can do absolutely nothing for us. In the same context, the Bhagavad Gita says:-

yada yadah dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata |

abhyutthanamadharmasya tadatmanam srijamyaham ||

 'Atmanam srijami' means, "When I take form from formlessness." When? "When dharma is on the decline and adharma is on the rise." Why does the Lord have to take on a form from within the formless? It explains this by saying:-

paritranaya sadhunan vinashaya cha dushkritam |

dharma sansthapanarthaya sanbhavami yuge yuge ||

"For the benefit of the good and to destroy the evil, I manifest myself and I establish dharma."

Don't take the word sadhu here to mean those who wear ochre robes or sectarian marks on their foreheads or sacred rosaries.The meaning of the word sadhu is this - sadhus are good-natured people with good hearts, who respect the limits set by Vedas and Shastras and who have faith in their own enjoined duties and follow them. Bhagavan's avatars (Incarnations of God) are for the welfare of those people. If Bhagavan does not assume a manifest form, then the world cannot be orderly.

The nature of a thing determines its use. For example, if you bring a mircrophone and place it in front of me, but I sit silently, then it will serve no purpose. The unmanifest is like me sitting silent. If I always sit silent, what benefit can there be for you all? No profit can be derived from the unmanifest Bhagavan until He assumes a form. I am telling you the way it is.

I must explain these teachings strictly as they are told in the Vedas and Shastra, and not to expound my own thinking. My duty is to explain the teachings clearly. In this respect, I do not care whether the words are pleasing to one or irritating to another. I neither need to please nor to antagonize anybody. Still, I question those people who propound only the unmanifest. In fact, I also accept the unmanifest, but not the unmanifest alone. I ask those who propound only the formless: Can any profit be derived from the unmanifest fire which is hidden in a piece of wood? Please show me any bread cooked by an unmanifest fire.

The formless is only Being. I would like to ask those people who meditate only on the formless, how do you meditated on the unmanifest? The mind can only concentrate on an object of meditation, so how can one make the unmanifest an object of meditation? Concentration on the unmanifest is not possible. If someone says that he concentrates on the formless, it is like saying that he is going to attend the wedding of the son of a barren woman. Well, the son of a barren woman does not exist, so how can he marry? When there is no form or outline to the unmanifest, how can one make it an object of meditation? To collect the mental formations, some foundation is necessary. Whatever is taken as the mind's foundation, that becomes the form.

Formlessness is beyond all the trios, namely: meditation, meditator, and object of mediation; and knowledge, knower, and object that is known. Meditation on the formless is mere mockery. Only those who do not understand the principle of formlessness can talk about meditation [dhyana] on the formless. The principle of formlessness is merely for understanding; it is the principle of existence, but the world cannot derive any benefit from this principle. Can anybody derive any benefit from an unmanifest son? Can anybody go to an unmanifest school and study? Can any minister sit on an unmanifest chair? Can anyone cure a disease with an unmanifest medicine? Can anyone be pleased with unmanifest food? The unmanifest is a completely useless thing. It cannot be used for any purpose. That is why the argument about formlessness is thoroughly useless.

The unmanifest is like a seed kept locked in a box. What is the use of it? But if you sow it and do all the things required to grow it, then it will give flowers and fruits. Until then, what's the benefit of a seed?

The formless Paramatman is all-pervasive. For example, if a room is full of furniture, the unmanifest fire is within the furniture's wood. If the room becomes dark, that all-pervading unmanifest fire cannot remove it. If some of the furniture is ignited, the unmanifest fire can be made manifest, and the darkness of that room will be eliminated immediately. But as long as the fire is not manifest, it will not be useful in the daily affairs of this manifest world. Only when the formless manifests in some form will it be useful to the world.

If Paramatman should assume form, would He become your beast of burden, to do whatever you wish? He is extremely independent. Veda says, 'soksharah Parama svaratah' - This means, "He is the indivisible [One] which cannot be destroyed [Om]."

Paramatman is supremely independent. Those who think "He is the unmanifest and is not manifest," or "He is manifest, not unmanifest," have not understood the teaching about Paramatman's essence. Taking one side or the other, they start fighting. We should not become involved in the argument about manifest and unmanifest. The One who is manifest is also the unmanifest. The unmanifestness exists merely for the sake of understanding, but the manifest exists for the welfare of the world.

The manifestation of Paramatman is like the manifestation of fire, which is latent everywhere within the wood, but only appears as flame when we rub two sticks together. Only then do we realize that there was unmanifest fire in the wood. Similarly, when undifferentiated, unmanifest Paramatman manifests itself, all our doubts about it vanish. Only one who manifests fire by rubbing two sticks of wood together can say without doubt that fire resides in the wood. When fire manifests

as flames, one can be completely certain about the unmanifest fire in the wood. If it is not possible to produce a flame from wood, then we cannot speak about unmanifest fire in the wood with full conviction. Only when the Lord manifests himself can we say with full confidence that He must exist in unmanifest form. With the help of the manifest form, we have evidence of the unmanifest. Otherwise, how can anyone know the unmanifest?

As fire manifests from the invisible to the visible, so also Paramatman manifests itself from the invisible to the visible. It is completely invalid to say that the manifest (saguna) does not come from the unmanifest (nirguna). Due to the influence of the nirguna proponents, sin has increased significantly in society, because these people don't accept the manifest Bhagavan. Thinking that the unmanifest cannot hear or see anything, they act as they wish. They don't understand the meaning of sin and virtue.

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