Contrary to the common belief that the guru uplifts the disciple, the guru-disciple relationship is a two-way process. Both parties gain from each other. Supramania Swami surprised me when he told me to light a lamp and sit in tavam so that he would be elevated. I had the rare privilege of helping him build his dream temple that fell short of building a kudil or home for him to stay in, thanks to the timely intervention of a stranger who questioned him on his desire and had him drop it even before his desire could spring shoots. In return, he left the merits of his 40-year tavam to me.
When Dhavantari came immediately after Tavayogis demise and spoke to us, he told us that Tavayogi had attained the state of Jothi thanks to us. When Tavayogi was unwell and we prayed for his recovery, hearing our prayers the Siddhas gathered to carry out a yagam that was a lifeline at least buying some time for him to hand over the running of his ashram to Mataji and gift her the knowledge of reading the Jeeva Nadi in their possession.
In the biographic movie "Green Book", African American pianist Don Shirley and Italian American bouncer Tony Vallelonga, who serves Shirley as driver and bodyguard, help each other grow on their long musical tour down south. So do we help each other and grow together in all facets of life.
The world we see around us is not the beginning and end of all things. It is only transit and life is a transition. We come with a certain number of breaths assigned to us and leave the moment it is used up, though Yoga can add to the number of years one lives. Then with death, we enter another door to another journey.
Man as a child is carefree and is awed and amazed by the world around him. At the peak of manhood, he is engrossed in the world and what it has to offer. Raising a family he is drawn deeper into relationships. One day it would dawn on him to question his purpose in coming and whether it ends with accumulating riches and properties, achieving status and position in his career and in society. When the need to know in him begins to burn intensely he looks towards someone spiritual to provide the answers. A new journey unfolds. From acquiring and caring for material things he begins to acquire spiritual knowledge and care for his mind and body knowing that this is the bridge to the Lord's kingdom. The guru draws the drawbridge down for him to pass the moat and enter the castle. Here now is the challenge. Just as Mara assumes many forms to entice Sidhartha and break his vow to upkeep austerities, the moat is full of gifts and presents that are for his to take. As the street brat Aladdin is told not to touch anything once inside the cave but the magic lamp by the sorcerer, the seeker too has to keep his hands to himself. Standing now at the door it opens wide for him to enter. Just as the soul is received by his ancestors after death, the whole lineage of gurus awaits his entry into their world. As Agathiyar told us that Tavayogi has been assigned work in their realm, his work now does not stop here but he is assigned a new job. He continues to uplift the souls just as Dhanvantri told us Tavayogi would continue to guide us in the form of light.
Just as we are told to let go of our hold on our relationships and material desires, stepping into a relationship with the guru, he teaches us to let go of our hold on many a thing considered spiritual. We learn to differentiate the truth from the false. We drop the false and hold on to the truth. Even what we assume or come to know from experience to be the truth is further shredded and torn apart. Eventually, nothing holds just like nature. Like the verse from the Diamond Sutra, one of the key teachings in Buddhism, “Develop a mind that clings to nothing” we become one with nature never clinging to anything solid or concrete. We only fill whatever vessel we run into. We only flow according to the terrain. We understand that live here is momentary and prepare ourselves for the next journey, accepting it when the time comes.