Sri Guru Datta. The devotee should be able to do his Sadhana/spiritual practice without getting deterred by difficulties. A lot of people give up their Sadhana when they run into difficulties. Saying, “I have been going to the temple, that is why I have these difficulties”, they stop going to the temple. “I have been serving the Guru, I should just stop going to the Guru”. We discussed earlier what those people say about the kind of difficulty that comes with praying to each deity. Vayu/Air is one of the Gods. You are breathing that Vayu, so you may now have difficulties or diseases. Immediately stop breathing, that’ll make you feel better. You are living in light. That light belongs to God. Because you are moving around in God’s light, you may have difficulties. Sun is God, he will burn you. Therefore, die immediately. Does this kind of thinking work? Hence, the disciple must be able to do his Sadhana without getting deterred. He must not think that any Sadhana he is doing is bringing difficulties. It is enough for the Guru to have the faith that the disciple will work hard and do the Sadhana he recommends. There is no limit to how hard the Guru will work for such a disciple’s sake. In reality, it is not the disciple who is working hard, it is the Guru. It is not the disciple doing Seva/service, it is the Guru who is doing the service. He is always watching over you. “How is he doing? What is he up to? What is his difficulty? What is his worry/desire? He’s always on the road”. Like this, strangely, the Guru is always thinking about us. While we believe we are doing service to the Guru, here’s it is topsy turvy. It feels like the Guru is the one doing service to us. If the disciple can make all the effort the Guru asks him to and can gain the great fruit of spiritual success, that is enough. The Guru is very happy. The student learned so much. The Guru considers that (learning) as his Guru Dakshina (repaying one’s teacher or Guru after completion of education) and is very pleased, “Even after going through so many difficulties, he is still gaining his education from me. He is learning the Guru Principle. Despite all his worries and anxieties, he is still taking refuge in me”. Once he (the disciple) understands the Guru Principle, the Guru is very happy. This is the characteristic of a spiritual Guru. Pleasing the Guru in this manner is the characteristic of a good disciple. To understand this clearly, there is a small story. In Sri Rama’s lineage, there used to be an emperor called Raghu many generations before Sri Rama. He was very brave. In his journey of victory, he won over all of earth and amassed boundless wealth. He earned so much, he accumulated so much wealth, it was boundless wealth. Immediately, he started a great Yagna called Viswajit. This Yagna was such that at the conclusion of this Yagna, the doer of the Yagna had to donate everything he had. That is why kings never do this Yagna, because they would have to give away in charity, everything they have. Raghu concluded the Yagna and gave away all the wealth he had earned with so much effort. He would cook and eat in earthenware utensils. He demonstrated to the world that everything one earns is only to donate to those in need. When one has so much wealth, what quality should one have? Charity. Only when there is charity does wealth have meaning. Even the Gods were amazed at his magnanimity and charity. While this was the case, in the forests that were under his rule, there was a small school run by a great sage called Paratantu. A young boy called Kautsa completed learning all fourteen kinds of knowledge under his tutelage. He went to the Guru and prayed, “Gurudeva, I learned all knowledge from you. I wish to you give you some Guru Dakshina. Please tell me how much you’d like. Even if I have to toil hard, I will earn it and offer to you”. The Guru said, “I do not need anything. You can go your way”. A lot of people keep asking their Guru, “Tell me what you like, I will bring it for you”. If you ask me I will of course ask for something you cannot get. Okay, let’s talk about that later. Jaya Guru Datta. Sri Guru Datta.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 15:22:33 +0000