Guru Purnima 2018

Early this morning the aadheenam celebrated Guru Purnima with an early morning parade and puja honoring Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. Following the chariot parade down San Marga, our monks and devotees sat down for a pada puja as Satguru entered deep meditation. After the puja, satguru gave blessings to all present.

Kularnava Tantra:
GURU devotion

Lord Siva: "There is One Real. Call it Siva. This Parabrahman is formless, stainless, one without a second, changeless, beyond the highest. This Mahesvara is all-knowing, all-doing, sovereign of all, self-luminous, without beginning or end. All embodied souls, jivas, all the born creatures, are portions of Me, like sparks of the fire. But human birth is the most important, for it is then that one becomes awake, aware of his state of bondage and the necessity of release. It is then that one is in a position to take steps for his liberation from bondage's hold.

"Humans have a self-will and are not totally subject to the impulses and drives of nature as are other creatures. It is only on this earth--and that too in a human body endowed with a soul--that one can choose one's path for spiritual progress. But not all are aware of the precious opportunity afforded by human birth, which is truly the ladder to Liberation. The Self is to be realized only here in this life. If here you do not find it and work out the means for your Liberation, where else is it possible? It is possible nowhere else. It has to be worked out by yourself from within yourself.

"The world you reach after the physical body is shed is determined by the level of consciousness reached while in the body. So, as long as the body lasts, exert yourself towards the goal of Liberation.

"Remember, the physical body does not last forever. Age prowls like a leopard; diseases attack like an enemy. Death waits not to see what is done or not done. Before the limbs lose their vitality, before adversities crowd in upon you, take to the auspicious path.
Therefore, choose, then worship a Satguru. Worship his feet. Cherish the very sandals (paduka) which hold his feet. All knowledge is founded on those paduka. Remember and cherish those paduka, which yield infinitely more merit than any number of observances, gifts, sacrifices, pilgrimages, mantra-japa and rituals of worship."

It is these feet, when remembered, that protect in times of distress, danger or calamity. Study, remembrance, knowledge, donations, sacrifices and worship are truly done by him who ever remembers the Satguru\

s feet. '

Look toward the direction in which the lotus feet of the Satguru lie and bow down to them every day with devotion

There is no mantram higher than that of his feet, no merit higher than his worship.

At the root of meditation is the form of the Satguru. At the root of puja are the feet of the Satguru. At the root of mantra is the word of the Satguru.

At the root of Liberation is the grace of the Satguru. In this world all holy actions are rooted in the Satguru. Therefore, the Satguru is to be constantly served with devotion for fulfillment.

All fear of distress, grief, avarice, delusion and bewilderment exist only as long as one does not take refuge in the Satguru.

All wanderings in the ocean of births, called samsara, fraught with grief and impurity, last as long as one has no devotion to a holy Sivaguru. As the boon-giving guru gives the mantra in contentment and beatitude, try to please him with devotion, wealth, your very life.

Indeed, it is only when the Satguru gives himself to the sishya that this sishya becomes liberated and free from birth.

Directed by the compassionate Satguru who is pleased with pure devotion, the sishya attains Liberation from karma and becomes eligible to both freedom and fulfillment.

Directed by the compassionate Satguru who is pleased with pure devotion, the sishya attains Liberation from karma and becomes eligible to both freedom and fulfillment.

Devotion to the Satguru is the one main prescription. Without this, all learning, all austerity, family status and observances are useless. They are only decorations, pleasing to the worldly eye.

The sishya who has complete devotion, steady and constant, what has he to worry about? Moksha is in the hollow of his palm.

For him who remembers, \"My Satguru is Siva Himself who grants Liberation,\" fulfillment is not far off. As the steady devotion for the Satguru grows, so grows one\

s knowledge.'

Neither yoga, nor tapas, nor ritual of worship are sufficient for spiritual attainment. Only gurubhakti excels.

Service to the guru performed with devotion, according to one\

s means, holds the same merit whether offered by the wealthy or the impoverished.'

Even if you give the whole of your wealth to the guru but without devotion, the fruit will not accrue to you, for indeed devotion is the only cause.

The sacred paduka of the guru are the ornament. Remembrance of his name is japa. Carrying out his command is duty. Service to him is worship.

When the entire universe is looked on as pervaded by the Sivaguru, what mantra can fail to achieve its purpose for the sishya?

When the Satguru is present, no tapas is necessary, neither by fasting nor observances, neither pilgrimage nor purificatory bath. What he speaks is as scripture.

Feel one with your guru and not separate from him, and do good to all as your own. Whatever is beneficial to yourself, term that beneficial to him.

Whether moving or standing, sleeping or waking, performing japa or making offerings, carry out only the injunctions of your guru with your inner being dwelling in him.

As in the vicinity of fire, butter gets melted, so in the proximity of the holy Sivaguru all bad karmas dissolve.

As lighted fire burns up all fuel, dry and moist, so the glance of the Sivaguru burns up in a moment the karmas of the sishya.

As the heap of cotton blown up by a great storm scatters in all the ten directions, so the heap of negative karmas is blown away by the compassion of the Sivaguru.

As darkness is destroyed at the very sight of the lamp, so is ignorance destroyed at the sight of the holy Sivaguru.

I tell you now that there can be no Liberation without diksha, initiation.

Nor can there be initiation without a preceptor.

Hence the dharma, the sakti and the tradition come down the line of masters, called parampara.

Without a Satguru all philosophy, knowledge and mantras are fruitless.

Him alone the Gods praise who is the Satguru, keeping active what is handed down to him by tradition.

Therefore, one should seek with all effort to obtain a preceptor of the unbroken tradition, born of Supreme Siva.

For the sishya who devotedly remembers, \"My guru is actually Siva Himself who grants Liberation,\" fulfillment is not far off.

Look upon your Satguru as mother, as father, as Siva. The Satguru, it is to be declared in unmistakable terms, is the very Lord Himself.

To approach the Satguru, to worship the Satguru, is to approach Siva, to worship Siva.

Why should I choose to manifest through the Satguru? Why should I not act directly?

I am really all-pervading, subtle, above the mind, with and without form, imperishable, of the form of ether, eternal and infinite.

How can such a One be worshiped?

That is why, out of compassion for My creations, I take the form of the Satguru, and when so worshiped in devotion grant Liberation and fulfillment.

Because I have no binding form that is perceived by the human eye, I protect the sishya, revealing the dharma in the form of the guru.

Therefore, the Satguru is none other than the Supreme Siva enclosed in a human skin.

Within Him I walk the earth concealed.

To the jivas, embodied souls laden with beclouding karmas, the Satguru appears to be merely human.

But to them whose karmas are auspicious, meritful, the Satguru appears as Lord Siva Himself.

The less fortunate do not recognize the Satguru as the embodiment of Supreme Truth even when face to face with him, like the blind before the arisen sun.

But verily, the Satguru is none other than Sadasiva. This is the truth.

I Myself am the Truth.

Otherwise, who is it who gives fulfillment and Liberation?

There is no difference between God Siva and Satsivaguru.

It is ignorance to make such a distinction.

There are many who, without instructions from a Satguru, but smitten by vanity, read the Vedas and other shastras;

but those who are possessed of a knowledge of scripture\

s true meaning are very rare.'

As a ladle does not know the taste of the liquid which it serves, and as the head carries flowers but their fragrance is smelled by the nose,

so while these people read the shastras, the Truth they reveal is known by good sadhakas only.

Many are the gurus who, like lamps, offer light in a house. But rare is the Satguru who illumines the village like the sun. Many are the gurus who are proficient to the utmost in the Vedas and shastras. But rare is the Satguru who has attained Parasivam.

Many are the gurus on earth who give what is other than the Self. But rare is the Satguru who brings the atma to light. Many are the gurus who rob sishyas of their wealth. But rare is the Satguru who removes the afflictions of the sishya.

He is the Satguru in whose very presence there flows the supreme bliss called ananda. The intelligent person will choose such a one as Satguru and none other.

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