Verses for Introspection

Maa Gurupriya

Verse No. 100 (04 Sep 2014)

o¹]õÉxiÉÉä xÉè´É où¹]õ: ÊjɦÉÖ´ÉxÉVÉ`ö®äú ºÉnÂùMÉÖ®úÉäYÉÉÇxÉnùÉiÉÖ:

º{ɶÉǶSÉäiÉ iÉjÉ Eò±{ªÉ: ºÉ xɪÉÊiÉ ªÉnù½þÉä º´ÉhÉÇiÉɨɶ¨ÉºÉÉ®ú¨É *
xÉ º{ɶÉÇi´ÉÆ iÉlÉÉ%Ê{É Ê¸ÉiÉSÉ®úhɪÉÖMÉä ºÉnÂùMÉÖ¯û: º´ÉÒªÉʶɹªÉä
º´ÉÒªÉÆ ºÉɨªÉÆ Ê´ÉvÉkÉä ¦É´ÉÊiÉ Êxɯû{ɨÉ: iÉäxÉ ´ÉÉ%±ÉÉèÊEòEòÉä%Ê{É **
¶Éiɶ±ÉÉäEòÒ 1
d¤À¶¡nto naiva d¤À¶a: tribhuvanaja¶hare sadgurorjµ¡nad¡tu:
spar¿a¿cet tatra kalpya: sa nayati yadaho svar¸at¡ma¿mas¡ram
na spar¿atvaÆ tath¡’pi ¿ritacara¸ayuge sadguru: sv¢ya¿iÀye
sv¢yaÆ s¡myaÆ vidhatte bhavati nirupama: tena v¡’laukiko’pi
¿ata¿lok¢ 1

Meaning:

In all the three worlds one is not able to see anything that illustrates
the role of a Sadguru (a true spiritual preceptor), one who bestows
enlightenment to the disciple. The philosopher’s stone is considered
to have the wonderful property of converting iron that it touches into
gold, instantly. But the philosopher’s stone can at best convert iron
into gold, and not into another philosopher’s stone (that is itself). But
the Sadguru transforms the disciple, who surrenders at the Guru’s
holy feet, into one like Himself. Hence this is a transformation which
far excels the other one, and therefore it is not anything worldly. Thus
the Guru is incomparable in this regard. Truly, the spiritual role
which the Guru plays in the life of a seeker is indeed supra-worldly.

Points for Introspection:

When a seeker understands that this world in essence is transitory, he
develops an intense dispassion for the world and all the short lived
pleasures which the external objects of the world offer. He then

© Narayanashrama Tapovanam, 2014

 searches for “That” which is eternal and imperishable, realizing
which he would attain the supreme felicity in life. In search of this
supreme Reality, he seeks the close association of a Sadguru.

Who is a Sadguru? He is the one who has realized Brahman, the one
eternal, imperishable and changeless Soul, realizing which he
transcends all the pairs of opposites in this world and attains the state
of fearlessness and supreme bliss. A Sadguru, who has identified
himself with Brahman, is a boundless reservoir of compassion that
knows no motive or reason. He becomes the friend of all good people
who take shelter at his feet seeking liberation. With this natural
benevolent nature of his, he feels compassion for the plight of the
seekers. Knowing how to take them across the worldly ocean, a
Sadguru who has transcended the miseries of the world himself,
helps others to transcend the same by imparting to them the supreme
knowledge of Brahman.

When a seeker adorned with viveka (discrimination between the

eternal and the transitory) and vairaagya (dispassion towards the
world), approaches a Sadguru with humility and surrender, seeking
this spiritual knowledge, the Guru bestows enlightenment to him and
removes all his doubts.

The Guru-sishya relationship is the supreme relationship in this

world. A Sadguru is the one on whom a sishya can depend upon
completely and unconditionally. He surrenders himself unreservedly
in the Guru’s hands to be moulded by his Guru in any manner so that
he becomes fit to receive the supreme knowledge. The Guru too takes
complete charge of such an earnest disciple who is filled with a
burning desire to receive knowledge regarding the ultimate reality.
He imparts to the disciple that supreme knowledge of Brahman
attaining which all the knots of his heart are severed and he is
liberated.

Out of all the teachers and preceptors in all fields, a Sadguru, a real
spiritual preceptor who bestows enlightenment to the disciple and
liberates him from bondage, is unparalleled. In fact, in all the three
worlds, there is nothing that can illustrate the role of a Sadguru.

Sri Sankaracharya says that a philosopher’s stone has a wonderful

and unique property. When a philosopher’s stone touches iron, it

2
 converts it into gold immediately. However, the wonderful
philosopher’s stone can at best turn the iron into gold, but not into
another philosopher’s stone. That is, it cannot change the iron into
one like itself which again has the property of turning other iron
pieces into philosopher’s stones. Since a philosopher’s stone lacks
such a characteristic, one philosopher’s stone is not able to produce
more philosopher’s stones.

The transforming power of a Sadguru is far superior to that of a

philosopher’s stone. When a disciple approaches the Sadguru in
reverence, humility and surrender, the Sadguru enlightens him by
imparting to him the supreme knowledge of Brahman. Attaining this
knowledge, the disciple not only gets liberated from all the bondages
in the world but also becomes fit like his Guru to impart spiritual
knowledge to anybody else who seeks it. In other words, the Sadguru
transforms the disciple into somebody like himself who by the virtue
of having realized Brahman is capable of liberating others from the
miseries of the world.

Thus, the Guru is incomparable and the spiritual role which he plays
in the life of a seeker is indeed supra-worldly.

Remembering this incomparable and supra-worldly role of the Guru

in one’s life, a seeker should be eternally grateful to the Guru and
surrender at the holy feet of the Guru with all soul and heart.

Word Meaning:

o¹]õÉxiÉ: (d¤À¶¡nta:) = standard, comparison; xÉ (na) = not; B´É (eva)

= indeed; où¹]õ: (d¤À¶a:) = seen; ÊjɦÉÖ´ÉxÉVÉ`ö®äú (tribhuvanaja¶hare) =
inside the three worlds; ºÉnÂùMÉÖ®úÉä: (sadguro:) = of the Sadguru;
YÉÉxÉnùÉiÉÖ: (jµ¡nad¡tu:) = of one who bestows knowledge; º{ɶÉÇ:
(spar¿a:) = philosopher’s stone; SÉäiÉÂ (cet) = if; iÉjÉ (tatra) = there;
Eò±{ªÉ: (kalpya:) = imagine; ºÉ: (sa:) = that; xɪÉÊiÉ (nayati) =
bestows; ªÉiÉ (yat) = by which; +ù½þÉä (aho) = Ah! what a wonder!;
º´ÉhÉÇiÉÉÆ (svar¸at¡Æ) = gold-ness (attributes of gold); +¶¨ÉºÉÉ®ú¨ÉÂ
(a¿mas¡ram) = iron; xÉ (na) = not; º{ɶÉÇi´ÉÆ (spar¿atvaÆ) = qualities

3
 of philosopher’s stone; iÉlÉÉ +Ê{É (tath¡ api) = even then;
ʸÉiÉSÉ®úhɪÉÖMÉä (¿ritacara¸ayuge) = one surrendering at the holy lotus
feet; ºÉnÂùMÉÖ¯û: (sadguru:) = the Sadguru; º´ÉÒªÉʶɹªÉä (sv¢ya¿iÀye) = in
one’s disciple; º´ÉÒªÉÆ (sv¢yaÆ) = of one self; ºÉɨªÉÆ (s¡myaÆ) =
sameness, likeness; Ê´ÉvÉkÉä (vidhatte) = bestows, establishes; ¦É´ÉÊiÉ
(bhavati) = exists; Êxɯû{ɨÉ: (nirupama:) = incomparable; iÉäxÉ (tena)
= by that; +±ÉÉèÊEòEò: +Ê{É ´ÉÉ (alaukika: api v¡) = is indeed supra-
worldly.

+x´ÉªÉ:
ÊjɦÉÖ´ÉxÉVÉ`ö®äú YÉÉxÉnùÉiÉÖ: ºÉnÂùMÉÖ®úÉä: o¹]õÉxiÉ: xÉ B´É où¹]õ: * +ù½þÉä +¶¨ÉºÉÉ®Æú
º´ÉhÉÇiÉÉÆ º{ɶÉÇ: xɪÉÊiÉ ªÉiÉ ºÉ: iÉjÉ Eò±{ªÉ: SÉäiÉ , iÉlÉÉ +Ê{É º{ɶÉÇi´ÉÆ xÉ
(xɪÉÊiÉ) * ºÉnÂùMÉÖ¯û: ʸÉiÉSÉ®úhɪÉÖMÉä º´ÉÒªÉʶɹªÉä º´ÉÒªÉÆ ºÉɨªÉÆ Ê´ÉvÉkÉä * iÉäxÉ
Êxɯû{ɨÉ: ¦É´ÉÊiÉ * +±ÉÉèÊEòE : +Ê{É ´ÉÉ *

tribhuvanaja¶hare jµ¡nad¡tu: sadguro: d¤À¶¡nta: na eva d¤À¶a: . aho

a¿mas¡ram svar¸at¡Æ spar¿a: nayati yat sa: tatra kalpya: cet ,
tath¡ api spar¿atvaÆ na (nayati) . sadguru: ¿ritacara¸ayuge
sv¢ya¿iÀye sv¢yaÆ s¡myaÆ vidhatte. tena nirupama: bhavati .
alaukika: api v¡.

* * *

Narayanashrama Tapovanam
Venginissery, Paralam P.O., Trichur, Kerala - 680563, India
Email: ashram1@gmail.com; Website: http://www.SwamiBhoomanandaTirtha.org