THE MASTERS & THEIR WAYS

When we are troubled, the astrologer tells us to please the planets for we are told that they have a strong hold on us. These could be in the way of temple visits and offerings, doing charity, or wearing gems and amulets etc. 

Mukunda before he came to be known as Paramahansa Yogananda was told by his guru to wear a silver and lead astrological armlet at one time. When he replied that he did not believe in astrology, Sri Yukteswar explains the greatness of astrology and why Yogananda needed protection.

The stars are about to take an unfriendly interest in you, Mukunda. Fear not; you shall be protected. In about a month your liver will cause you much trouble. The illness is scheduled to last for six months, but your use of an astrological armlet will shorten the period to twenty-four days.

Sri Yukteswar asks us to take advantage of the many sciences available to find the shortest way to achieve the results of one's attempts towards reaching divinity.

It is only when a traveler has reached his goal that he is justified in discarding his maps. During the journey, he takes advantage of any convenient short cut. The ancient rishis discovered many ways to curtail the period of man’s exile in delusion. There are certain mechanical features in the law of karma which can be skillfully adjusted by the fingers of wisdom.

(Source: http://www.crystalclarity.com/yogananda/chapter-16/)

For those who have a guru, he helps alleviate the disciples pain. For instance many a times I have brought to Tavayogi's attention the need for surgery or treatment for illness of family members that arised unexpectedly. He prayed for us to alleviate the pain. We were then able to bear the suffering and pain. When my back pain recurred, Agathiyar told me the subtle reason behind the obvious physical pain and recommended some herbal medicine and ointments. The most compassionate father, acknowledging that I could not bear even the slightest pain, said that he gave me this alternative and safe means to fast recovery, without the need to endure further pain and worry.

My guru Supramania Swami, an astrologer too, told me to wear the nine gem studded ring or Navaratnam on my finger. Later when I met Tavayogi he enquired about the ring and told me "We do not need it, son." I was forced to remove it some days later as I realized a gem stone had fallen.

I put to practice a complete set of asanas and pranayama that Tavayogi showed and taught me in 2007. Later Agathiyar told me in the Nadi that what he gave me was a precious gift. In 2011 when I pulled my sciatic nerve when I forcefully coughed out sputum, Agathiyar asked me to immediately stop all my yogic practices.

This is the advantage in having a guru for he knows when we need to start something and when to end it and advises accordingly. A guru closely monitors his disciples progress.

The master at times takes on the pain of the disciple too, hence relieving the student of his pain and suffering, as did Babaji take on Yogi Ramaiah's. Yogi Ramaiah contracted bone tuberculosis which stopped him from traveling to the USA to continue his studies. He was immobilized for 6 years! His wife and servants cared for him at San Thome in Madras during that time. Bedridden, Ramaiah used his time effectively reading up on all the Indian spiritual literature. During these years, Prasanananda Guru aided him in meditation while Omkara Swami shared his knowledge of yoga. Ramaiah also published his first book based on Omkara Swami’s life, "A Blissful Saint". In 1952, he had a visit from Mauna Swami too, a disciple of Shirdi Sai Baba. Shortly afterwards, Ramaiah had a vision of Shirdi Sai Baba. He asked if Baba was his Guru. Baba replied, "No, but I will reveal to you who your guru is", and Ramaiah was shown his guru Babaji. 

One day Ramaiah succumbed to the pain and misery that he was undergoing and decided to end his life by holding his breath. Suddenly he heard Babaji's voice telling him, "Do not take your life! Give it to me!" Surprised at the divine intervention Ramaiah surrendered to Babaji.

After surrendering to Babaji, Ramaiah felt that he was healed. Summoning the doctors, and to everyone's astonishment the doctor certified that Ramaiah was indeed healed completely. Soon Ramaiah regained the use of his legs. Later in a vision Ramaiah saw Babaji limping and questioned him. To his surprise, Babaji replied he was taking on Ramaiah's illness (bone tuberculosis)!

Tavayogi who suffered massive losses in his business, was forced to the streets with the family. He went blind for a year too. Giving up hope of recovery he too decided to take his life like Ramaiah. Contemplating to jump onto the railway tracks, he suddenly heard a voice telling him the same, "Do not take your life! Give it to me!" It was Agathiyar. He stopped in his tracks and gave his life to Agathiyar. He soon got back his vision. He started the business again. At 50 as promised to Agathiyar he voluntarily left his family and business to become a turavi.

The caretaker of the Samadhi Mandir of Bhagawan Nithyananda in Ganeshpuri told Srinath Raghavan, "From now on, you are His responsibility! He has called you here and He shall take you where ever He deems fit. Your job is to simply follow Him faithfully". Srinath faithfully held on to these words from the stranger, "I nodded my head in consent; and from then on, I am following where ever He leads me - Up the hills and down the valleys, without ever questioning his credibility.... that one spurt of despondent adventure, led me to my Master unknowingly, who still walks with me in blood, bones and spirit."

Removing the veil, the master then begins to work on the soul of his student. The master helps to remove the students karma or helps the student work on his karma. Agathiyar through the Nadi that carried his words, which to me appears as a divine song, revealed about my past karma, that was written in these age old palm leaves. He revealed remedies too, to offset or payback in other ways, or to replace with other acts that brought good merits, to lessen or remove entirely the baggage of karma I brought with me. 

Besides the remedies that involves worship at specific temples, giving charity, feeding the poor, and feeding animals, that works towards removing the veil of karma that covers the soul, mantras are given too to recite and chant for specific periods of time, to bring into effect its potential. Some are given yantras to keep with them and amulets to wear on them. The mantra connects the spirit in us with its source, the spirit of Erai. There then appears a breakthrough, where we are connected to the spirit.

As Sam Cook list out the reasons for a slow internet connectivity: "Having too many devices on your network, using old hardware, or have interference from other wireless signals, are a number of reasons why your internet may be far slower than it should be", similarly with a large debt and baggage of karma hoarded in the Akashic records, that takes us down, slowing our otherwise rapid progress to reach divinity; old thoughts that hold back or delays progress; not being focused on the dream, seeking and being diverted by others opinions and advice, all can contribute in delaying the connectivity with the Divine.

If we have had the grace of a guru from a past live, be assured that his grace continues in the present. The guru shall help speed up and boost the connectivity with Erai. He brings us to the Divine through the fast lane or green lane speedily. The Divine through the guru touches us, awakening the dormant buddha nature to do wonders. Our soul becomes divine. The spirit is energized further. The physical body takes on a glow.

Richard Schiffman in his "Ramakrishna - A Prophet for the New Age", wrote that a song, a word, or a touch from Ramakrishna could awaken the dormant spiritual consciousness of his devotees. In those who were poised to receive it even a casual glance from the master during one of his ecstasies might release a veritable flood tide of bliss."

How beautiful. Arousal of the divine consciousness with a touch or look. These elevated masters were live wires to the consciousness, establishing instantaneous ties with the divine. These live wires work on the aspiring candidates, sowing the seed, nurturing it and being a pole for the vine to climb to brighter regions and greater heights.

Schiffman writes,

Ramakrishna stimulated the aspiring souls that had gathered around him to growth. Ramakrishna exerted a tremendous sway on those who came within his orbit.

How wonderful. Just being in the master's presence charges the thoughts and minds of seekers to emulate him. The master's presence moves the very inner core of the soul, silencing it, and opens it up to a new wave of thoughts, perception and a new dawn.

Schiffman writes that to see Ramakrishna was to be drawn to him; drawn to him the seekers wanted to emulate him. His divinity had such a strong hold on others. "Just to be in Ramakrishna's presence was to find one's whole being turning toward the ideal of God dedication which Ramakrishna so radiantly personified", a classic example of a Mouna guru who speaks without speaking, and teaches without teaching. He writes that it was this impact that brought rise to 16 young aspirants holding on to Ramakrishna's feet and later "wandered the length and breadth of India as the first renunciates of the Ramakrishna Order of Monks." 

He says Ramakrishna was different from other masters because he taught by example. He did not regard himself as either a teacher or a role model. He was the teaching itself. He was proof that higher states were real and attainable to all, writes Schiffman.

How inspiring! The master is willing to give. Is the student willing to receive? Tavayogi told me that one has to wait for 12 long years to be tested before the master would share the nectar of bliss. The guru disciple relationship is a very unique bond. The disciple has to have a clear understanding of his standing. What is told for him might not apply for another. Similarly he should not expect the guru to adhere to whatever rule laid or given to him.

The guru although does wonders, would at times watch the disciple grow without interfering. If and when the guru desires to step in and take hold of his life, the planets then switch their roles to become guru to the disciple too as revealed by Lord Muruga, working in his favour. Lord Murugan says that if he wills the planets will switch their roles, becoming Gurus and more benign to us. 

The young Sambandar gently rebukes and consoles his older contemporary Navukkarasar through singing the "Kolaru Thirupathigam", when the senior saint had doubts and feared if the time was not right for them to begin a journey together to meet the queen who had summoned them to combat the influence of another faith on the Pandya King and his subjects. The Nayanmars were then in Thirumaraikkadu (Vedaranyam) when Navukkarasar had certain apprehensions about the day and time of starting the journey to the king's kingdom, when the young Sambandar sang the Pathigam, which speaks of the ineffectiveness of ill effects of planets, evil mantras, wild animals and everything else that was harmful, the moment one holds tight to the feet of Lord Shiva. The stars and planets then do no harm.

How far can love and devotion towards the master in physical form go? The disciple might wait on the master and look to his daily needs serving him. Others might write or preach about their masters. This the disciple seeks to carry out as a show of gratefulness to his guru.

How far can love and devotion towards the master in the light or subtle form go then? Besides worshiping the guru and holding on to his thoughts and memories forever, reminiscing the wonderful moments shared together, speaking constantly of his grace and divinity is the greatest Dharma says Agathiyar.

For those who have yet to arrive at the doorstep of a master's abode, there is always the Divine waiting to grant his grace and darshan through a stone or bronze, or a picture or photo. Tradition teaches us to seek the divine at these places of worship.

How far can love and devotion towards the master go? We have a devotee in our midst who like many others in the AVM family has started to talk to Agathiyar, sitting at his altar in his presence, daily opening up to him on all issues of life and seeking guidance and most of all a miracle. Then she did the thing that many of us would not have imagined or even figured to do. She started a Whatsapp group to speak to Agathiyar privately!

To start a group you need to add someone first. So she added her fiance. Once the group was created she removed her fiance. Now it was she alone. She began messaging to Agathiyar! She showed me her messages. I told her that one day Agathiyar is going to reply to her through this media and she us going to faint in seeing his reply.

Jnana Jhotiamma who used to Skype with me for hours on end from the USA once stopped talking suddenly on the other end, without excusing herself or putting me on hold. Neither was the call terminated nor had it ended. After a few minutes she came back telling me that Agathiyar had come in between us while we were online and stole the conversation, speaking to her using this media. Amazing.

Supramania Swami who had gone into Samadhi, used the telephone as a media to convince me of his presence in my home via the aroma of fresh tobacco in the air. 

The masters lila's are many and amazing. These miracles are a tonic that keeps us going faithfully on the path even after the demise of our physical gurus.