Date Sent: December 15, 2013
QUOTES: All about Guru - on the occasion of Shri Datta Jayanti
Guru leads man to God. The Guru is the embodiment of the divine. Guru is God; God is Guru!
Here are the characteristics of a real Guru. If you find them in any man (or woman) accept him (or her) at once as your Guru. A real Guru is one who has full knowledge of the Self and the Vedas. He dispels the doubts of aspirants. He has equal vision and balanced mind. He is free from likes and dislikes, joy and sorrow, egoism, anger, lust, greed, pride, etc. He is boundless ocean of mercy. In his presence one gets peace and elevation of mind—all doubts are cleared. The Guru does not expect anything from anybody. He does not need anything from anybody because he owns God's kingdom. He has an exemplary character. He is full of joy and bliss. He is king of the Kings. He is in search of real aspirants.
The fact is Guru always finds the seeker. Seeker never finds a Guru. This is because no human being is capable of identifying a Guru. Only a Jivanmukta (liberated one) can recognize a Guru. Mudh (person with stupefied state of mind - essentially everyone) cannot find a Guru. So, never try to find a Guru. Never ever search for a Guru. He will find you out.
Guru is NOT a Teacher. Teacher Teaches, Guru Never Teaches. Seeker is supposed to learn from the Guru through observation and efforts. Not through his words but through his actions and wisdom. Never try to find a Guru. He (or she) will come after you when you are ready!
My Guru gave me Diksha 28 years back. I never asked him to give Deeksha, nor did he tell me he is giving Deeksha. He just did it! Even after 30 years of efforts I haven't been able to grasp 0.01% of what he gave me that day. There is no communication with God or Guru. It is not possible. It is only the experience. Words and description are worthless on the path of Divine.
God does not wait. Guru never waits. He will be there to guide you when you have raised your abilities to receive his grace and the divine wisdom.
Swami Sivananda says "Place your foot, step by step, very cautiously, on the different rungs of the ladder of Yoga. Ascend very gradually to the summit. Be earnest in your Sadhana (practice). Equip yourself with the necessary qualifications. Do not waste your time in search of a preceptor. When you are ready, you will enter the halls of wisdom. And there, waiting on the threshold, you will find your preceptor."
------------------------- START OF MESSAGE
Guru: Shri Datta Guru - Supreme Guru Principal, Lord of Yoga and Ashtanga YogaTomorrow is 16th, December 2013 is Datta Jayanti, also known as Dattatreya Jayanti, is a day, commemorating the birth day celebration of the Shri Dattatreya (Datta), a combined form of the divine trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Dattatreya is my Ishta Devata, meaning the divine form that I follow the teachings of. Shri Datta Guru is the Cause and the Goal of my website and spiritual efforts. (My Guru PP Shri Shrinivas Nakhate being the main inspiration behind my website).
Dattatreya is primal manifestation in the Guru tradition (Supreme Guru Principal). Dattatreya is considered to be the presiding deity (Ishta Devata) for the path of yoga – therefore called as "Lord of Yoga".
Shri Datta Guru 'the ascetic' helps the devotees in times of calamity and also leads them to Moksha (freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth) and hence is worshiped widely by the masses.
The Descent of Shri Datta Guru
It is believed that when the Lord made the Universe. He introduced himself into the creation as Dharma. The planes of existence were created, the beings related to every plane were created and the Dharmas were enunciated. The beings in various planes needed to be guided back unto their original state. The need was felt by the beings, to be guided in terms of their Dharma. For that reason, the seers worshiped the Lord and invoked him as the teacher (Guru).
Out of compassion, the Lord Absolute himself, came down as the teacher to be in the creation and to guide them. He has, thus, donated himself to the creation for a second time and therefore is called Datta (meaning given). Shri Datta Guru is a very kind, compassionate and easily pleased form of the Lord, and just as he has donated (Datta) himself to Atri Rishi, he showers & gives to all those who seek His shelter.
Guru Dattatreya gifted Ashtanga Yoga (eight fold path of Yoga) to the world thousands of years ago.
Ashtanga Yoga comprises of the following:
Yama (self-restraint) – Non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing and non-receiving.
Niyama (discipline) – cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study and self-surrender to God. Moral discipline
Asana – Posture
Pranayama (Yoga breathing) – ‘Prana’ (vital breath) is the life-force, ‘Yama’ is control. 'Pranayama' consists of breath control exercises.
Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) – Withdrawal of senses away from 5 sense organs (Panchendriya)
Dharana – Concentration of the mind combined with retention of breath
Dhyan – Meditation.
Samadhi – The transcendental or super conscious state of being united with the God
"I bow to him (Sadguru) who is the embodiment of the bliss of Brahman, the bestower of Supreme happiness, the absolute, and the personification of pure knowledge, who is beyond duality (of you and me). He is all pervasive like the sky and who is the final goal of the Vedic mahavakya “Tat-vam-asi” (Thou art that!) He is the one eternal. Pure, steadfast and witness of all thoughts, abiding ever beyond all modifications of mind and body and attributes of the Trigunas – Sattva, Raja and Tama.”
3 Purna Avatars of Shri Datta Guru in Kali Yuga (Iron Age)
What is Purna Avatar?
The power that various Avatars have differs greatly. God sometimes incarnates with full powers and sometimes a smaller portion of his glory depending on the purpose (Visit Dashavatar). The Lord’s manifestation in His Avatars ranges from nine to sixteen digits or rays (called Kalas). The full or Purna Avatars are those in whom all sixteen rays are present. Purna means it is complete in all respects. From their birth till returning back to Vaikuntha. A Poorna Avatar is one where the avatar is fully conscious, simultaneously about his Jiva form, his God form and his Turiya (Brahm) form, even at the time of their birth.
Shripad Shri Vallabha - First Purna Avatar (1320 - 1352)
Shripad Shri Vallabha is the first Purna Avatar (incarnation) of the Shri Dattatreya in the Kali-Yuga (iron age or darkest age). Shripad Shri Vallabha was born in 1320 to Sri Appalaraja and Sumathi Sarma in Pitaapuram (Andhra Pradesh, India).
Story of the divine birth: Aappalaraja and Sumati Sarma were devotees of Shri Dattaatreya. Once they was preparing for the Shraaddha (a yearly ceremony to pay homage to the departed souls) and many Brahmins were invited as guests for the event. Around noon, a Bhikshuk came for Bhiksha. Though custom prevents it but Veda says the one who comes for food at any eating time is none other than Vishnu himself, before feeding the invited Brahmins, Sumati offered food to the Bhikshuk, considering him as Lord Vishnu to whom the whole annual ceremony was being offered. Her faith touched the Lord's heart and He at once granted her a vision of this true form. His glorious form had three heads, clad in a tiger's skin and his body besmeared with Vibhuti (sacred ash). The Lord said, "Mother, I am pleased with your devotion. Even before you fed the Brahmin guests, you have given me food with the full faith that this is the Lord in the guise. Now, ask me for anything you wish and it shall be granted".....
....Read more about Shripad Shri Vallabha
Shri Narasimha Saraswati - Second Purna Avatar: (1378 - 1458)
Shri Narasimha Saraswati is the 2nd Purna Avatar of Shri Dattatreya. He was born in 1378 in Karanjapur, Maharashtra. After he was born the first words he said were OM which is considered very holy. However, until he was 7 he did not utter any other word other than OM, so his parents were worried about his speech ability. However, he showed by hand gestures that after his Upanayana (Munja) he will be able to speak. In fact after his Munja was performed he was able to speak all the Vedas and even started delivering lectures on it.
Shri Narasimha Saraswati performed many miracles in his life. Shri GuruCharitra is a book which describe a life of Shri Narasimha Saraswati. The source of this script, Shri Guru Charitra, is still a mystery. One of the events in his life was the meeting with the Muslim king (Sultan) of Bedar who is possibly Allauddin-II of the Bahamani Sultanate who was ruling that area that time. Bedar visited Narasimha Saraswati because he was suffering from a blister which was not curing. No one was able to cure, so he was advised to visit Narasimha Saraswati, and after visiting him he was cured. After the meeting with the Muslim king, Narasimha Saraswati thought that his fame has gone to such an extent that now all types of people will start coming in, and will start troubling him and his disciples. Thus he decided to take Samadhi in 1458. He left for the Kardali-vana (jungle of Kardali tree).
Shri Swami Samarth - Third Purna Avatar: (1856 - 1878)
Shri Swami Samarth (also called Sri Akkalkot Swami Samarth) is thrid Avatar (incarnation) of Lord Dattatreya. It is mentioned in the holy book of Shri Gurucharitra that Shrimad Narasimha Saraswati (2nd Avatar of Lord Dattatreya) entered into mahasamadhi in Kardalivana in 1458. He stayed in Samadhi for over 350 years and emerged from samadhi because a woodcutter accidentally cut through a tree and hit Shrimad Narasimha Saraswati (or Sri Swami Samarth). This awakened Shrimad Narasimha Saraswati from the prolonged samadhi. That divine personality is now known as Shri Swami Samarth. After emerging from samadhi Shrimad Narasimha Saraswati (Shri Swami Samarth) traveled all over the country. He appeared at Akkalkot (Maharashtra State) in 1856 and stayed there for 22 years till 1878 where he took Mahasamadhi.
....Read more about Shri Swami Samarth |