Since early days into my spiritual quest, spiritual texts like Upnishadas, Bhagawat Geeta, Ashtavakra Mahageeta, Shiva’s Tantra Shutras, teachings of Bhagwan Buddha etc. interested me. I believed / assumed Puranas (without reading them) – containing spiritual teachings in story form – as of inferior value and meant for people with low intellect. Same with Ramayana, Mahabharata etc.
About a month after I returned from Himalaya Yatra with Nithyanandji, I was with Mungale Sir (August, 2007). He said, “Now that the seed of Bhakti has sprouted, it requires to be nurtured and for$that read Shrimadbhagawat till you live.” Though I was not inclined to read such a text because of preconceived notions but being an instruction from Guruji, I had to comply – limited mind easily yields to unbounded reach of the Guru.
Before continuing with the narration of events that followed, I would like to dwell on one aspect of Guru. Our preferences and prejudices is the ignorance because of which we feel as if we have an identity distinct from everyone and everything around – that distancing, that separatedness is the cause of all suffering. Without them we will be one with the ONE – relaxed in that unity.
A Guru (gu-ru) is the remover (ru) of ignorance (gu). He is the one who breaks (does not support) one’s mental constructions consisting of one’s preferences and prejudices (we are slaves to our preferences and prejudices) and thus releases one from bondage and consequent suffering. Osho used to say, “I will take away everything from that you think you have (identification with things and persons around) but do not have. I will give you that which you already have (consciousness within).”
Mind feels comfortable in any defined setting. That is how men everywhere form some kind of social, political, organizational and spiritual structures. Anything unstructured and it is insecure and shaky. To make this clear, Osho gave his followers a particular way of living, different from social way they were accustomed to – changed it after sometime. Gave another and changed that too. After a number of changes he said something like, “Whatever way of living I give, you adept to it and start feeling comfortable with it. I change it, you again adept and become comfortable. I expect you to be intelligent enough to understand that all this is arbitrary and that you need no way, a spiritual seeker has to drop all structures – live an unstructured life!”
Organised religions, business organisations and the politicians, on the contrary, support our belief systems and thereby our ego to garner our support and exploit us. A Guru will not do any of that.
Coming back to the narrative, I went to a bookshop (Vedant Book Depot, Chamaraj Peth, Bangalore) and asked for Shrimadbhagawat published by Geeta Press, Gorakhpur with slokas in Sanskrit and their Hindi translation. The shop owner, himself a good sadhaka, offered me to have a look on a few other books. I was not willing but he put “I am that” containing a compilation of questions and answers by Nisargdatt Maharaj. I had the intention to read this book but did not find in book stores which I casually visited in last few years. This overwhelmed me as he had put only that book before me first which I had been casually searching for few years. I said, yes, I will have that. Thereafter he put before me a few books by Swami Virajeshwaraji – I had never heard about him earlier. I glanced through the books and found them very good but did not buy as their contents were similar to teachings in Ashtavakra Mahageeta – I had listened to Osho’s lectures on that. He agreed and said that of course if you have read that, you do not need to read these books. He also briefly mentioned about Swamiji and that people find him to be a good saint. Contrary to my normal conduct in a situation like this, I made note of the address of Swamiji’s ashram in my mobile. Bought both the volumes of Shrimadbhagawat and came back.
I soon started relishing Hindi translation. Initially I was very slow in reading Sanskrit text of slokas but I persisted and gradually gained speed. But since, I did not understand much of Sanskrit text, I had doubts about efficacy of reading them. On being asked, all the Gurus (Mungale Sir, Supeji and Virajeshwaraji) emphatically told me that Sanskrit is Devbhasha and that it is not symbolic – the sounds in these slokas start revealing their intrinsic meanings on their own without formal instructions in the language – they help us even without understanding.
Now I am reading Shrimadbhagawat for the third time and find it to be one of the most profound spiritual text expounding deeper spiritual principles with the help of stories about various avataras of God and creation of existence. More of it in some later posts.
A few months later (end of 2007) Gaur Saheb visited Bangalore for an official meeting. He came a day earlier and told me that he has kept Sunday for me and that he will go wherever I wish to take him. In the morning we went to Supeji and Nithyanandji and came back home for lunch. There was no engagement for the afternoon. After lunch I asked him if he would like to go to a saint (Swami Virajeshawarji) whose address is available in my mobile but about whom I know nothing. He readily consented. We (Gaur Saheb, Aspatwarji and me) went to his Ashram situated about 70 kms from Bangalore. Road at that time was dug up at several places so we reached there at 5.50 pm and he permitted visitors only upto 6.00 pm. He was siting on a sofa and we sat on the floor in front of him. After initial introduction, he was silent – no expressions on his face sitting as if half asleep. We closed our eyes and set in meditation for a few minutes. After a while he said that it is time to close and that we could have a look on a few books which he had written. We purchased those books.
After coming out each one of us felt that he is a great saint and that we had experienced deeper states of meditation in his presence. But the period of our meeting being very little, the desire to devote more time in his presence remained. That took me to him again. Since then I have been going to him 4 to 5 times every year.
One of the books we purchased was his aoutbiography tiltled as “Scientist’s search for Truth”. From that I came to know that Swami Virajeshawarji hails from Karnataka. He did engineering from Bombay University in early 1950s. Did MS and PhD form US and served there in many research organizations. His last assignment was with IBM on development of super computers. He did not marry (used to have dreams from his childhood days that he is running away from Shaadi Mandapam) and all these years he practiced yogasanas, pranayam and meditations on his own with little assistance from a Guru living in Mahu, a small town near Indore through correspondence. He soon realized that all scientific research is very shallow (stories are created around very little material), researchers are interested in merely getting their papers published in reputed journals and that science has no answers to offer to questions relating to mysteries of life. Real answers will be found back home, he felt. Left everything and sat at the feet of a Guru in Rishikesh (Swami Vidyanandji).
He got experience of Samadhi in about 5 months on Deewali night and shared it with Guruji next morning and asked him if it meant "Realisation”. While approving, Guruji was scintillating with joy and added, “Now you have reached the stage of brahmavid, the knower of Brahma. You still have to continue your sadhana, until you see and realize Brahma in everything, all the time, not just a few times a day.” Thereafter Swamiji sat almost alone for next 30 years in sadhana.
Obviously first glimpse of Samadhi is so overwhelming that it appears to be final. This is where many a evolved sadhaka loose focus, get into sharing mode with others (create Ashramas) and fall down.
At that time, Guruji also told him, “You can write this information in a book form and publish it. Most of those who may read it will not understand, but even if one out of a thousand gets Realisation, it is worth it.”
I was reading his autobiography in parts on day-to-day basis. It was a coincidence that the day I was reading the Chapter “Revelation” referred to above, it was Buddha Poornima day and after reading a line or two, I would close my eyes, try to be in that space. Again read a few lines and again try to go into the experience. It took me more than an hour to read a couple of pages. It was a nice experience.
A few month’s before that Dhirendraji, my co-brother, had given me a book “Shri Naad Leelamrit” by Baba Sitaramdas Omkarnath. The book is on the role of Naad (Japa) and Jyoti. For a few years, I had been going to Supeji, a disciple of Babaji. As mentioned in my earlier post he advised writing of “Shri Ram Ram Ram” and chanting of Tarak Mantra. I was instrumental in taking many to Supeji and he suggested this to them with wonderful results. But I (foolishly) thought that I am following different path of sadhana and that Japa is not for me. I did not attempt it.
About a month after reading “Revelation”, I was sitting with Swami Virajeshwaraji. He told me that on every third Sunday of the month there is Naam Sankeertan and those who attend it feel its effect for a few days. On another occasion when asked about the way for sadhana, he had said that Ram Japa is the fastest, surest and easiest way. He said that for everything, chanting name of Ram is the remedy. Same thing was often said by Supeji.
Now when the suggestion for Japa comes from the stature of person of Swamiji who is great in the knowledge of science, technology and scriptures and has practiced many forms of sadhana through various methods of Yoga, Pranayam and meditations; mind cannot find any excuse to ignore it. Very next third Sunday I was there. Next morning I tried Japa as a form of sadhana and I was amazed to find that it produced the experience in a minute which I used to get in my way of meditation in more than half an hour. I started chanting Tarak Mantra.
Next month (July, 2008), I joined a two week course (Nithyanandam) with Nithyanandji. In this course he was repeatedly telling the participants that he will wipe out all their Sanchit Karmas. He also told that you will not know this but others will perceive the change. A few days after I went to Shettyji and while I was entering his place, he said something like, “Your jeeva has become so light as if it is floating / flying!” Next month I went to Mungale Sir and he said that all your chakras are now clean (faultless) and that now you have become fit for initiation. Something significant had happened in that course with Nithyanandji. And of course as he had said, I did not perceive it. But it was perceived by other Gurus.
In this meeting with Mungale Sir (August, 2008), I told him about the inputs suggesting Japa as a method of sadhana from books as well as Gurus. He was very happy to hear it (as if waiting to hear this from me - he himself was doing it) and said, “Bahut achha hai, wahi karo.” He asked me to come in November that year for initiation (giving a Mantra). In the meanwhile I started chanting Tarak Mantra.
In November I was initiated By Mungale Sir. A month after I was invited to a Satsang at the place of stay of Supeji where I was initiated by his Guruji, Shri Vithal Ramanuj Maharaj. Since then, in the mornings I have been chanting Mantra given by Mungale Sir and in the evenings that given by Vithal Ji. Rest of the time, whenever I remember, I chant Tarak Mantra.
Swami Virajeshwara Ji is the latest Guru whom I am fortunate to be in contact with on regular basis and Chanting of Mantra my latest way of sadhana.
I feel carefree in the knowledge that Gurus will reveal the path ahead! Content (in fact overwhelmed) with what they have given me, I am grateful for their grace – I cannot ask for more!!
About a month after I returned from Himalaya Yatra with Nithyanandji, I was with Mungale Sir (August, 2007). He said, “Now that the seed of Bhakti has sprouted, it requires to be nurtured and for$that read Shrimadbhagawat till you live.” Though I was not inclined to read such a text because of preconceived notions but being an instruction from Guruji, I had to comply – limited mind easily yields to unbounded reach of the Guru.
Before continuing with the narration of events that followed, I would like to dwell on one aspect of Guru. Our preferences and prejudices is the ignorance because of which we feel as if we have an identity distinct from everyone and everything around – that distancing, that separatedness is the cause of all suffering. Without them we will be one with the ONE – relaxed in that unity.
A Guru (gu-ru) is the remover (ru) of ignorance (gu). He is the one who breaks (does not support) one’s mental constructions consisting of one’s preferences and prejudices (we are slaves to our preferences and prejudices) and thus releases one from bondage and consequent suffering. Osho used to say, “I will take away everything from that you think you have (identification with things and persons around) but do not have. I will give you that which you already have (consciousness within).”
Mind feels comfortable in any defined setting. That is how men everywhere form some kind of social, political, organizational and spiritual structures. Anything unstructured and it is insecure and shaky. To make this clear, Osho gave his followers a particular way of living, different from social way they were accustomed to – changed it after sometime. Gave another and changed that too. After a number of changes he said something like, “Whatever way of living I give, you adept to it and start feeling comfortable with it. I change it, you again adept and become comfortable. I expect you to be intelligent enough to understand that all this is arbitrary and that you need no way, a spiritual seeker has to drop all structures – live an unstructured life!”
Organised religions, business organisations and the politicians, on the contrary, support our belief systems and thereby our ego to garner our support and exploit us. A Guru will not do any of that.
Coming back to the narrative, I went to a bookshop (Vedant Book Depot, Chamaraj Peth, Bangalore) and asked for Shrimadbhagawat published by Geeta Press, Gorakhpur with slokas in Sanskrit and their Hindi translation. The shop owner, himself a good sadhaka, offered me to have a look on a few other books. I was not willing but he put “I am that” containing a compilation of questions and answers by Nisargdatt Maharaj. I had the intention to read this book but did not find in book stores which I casually visited in last few years. This overwhelmed me as he had put only that book before me first which I had been casually searching for few years. I said, yes, I will have that. Thereafter he put before me a few books by Swami Virajeshwaraji – I had never heard about him earlier. I glanced through the books and found them very good but did not buy as their contents were similar to teachings in Ashtavakra Mahageeta – I had listened to Osho’s lectures on that. He agreed and said that of course if you have read that, you do not need to read these books. He also briefly mentioned about Swamiji and that people find him to be a good saint. Contrary to my normal conduct in a situation like this, I made note of the address of Swamiji’s ashram in my mobile. Bought both the volumes of Shrimadbhagawat and came back.
I soon started relishing Hindi translation. Initially I was very slow in reading Sanskrit text of slokas but I persisted and gradually gained speed. But since, I did not understand much of Sanskrit text, I had doubts about efficacy of reading them. On being asked, all the Gurus (Mungale Sir, Supeji and Virajeshwaraji) emphatically told me that Sanskrit is Devbhasha and that it is not symbolic – the sounds in these slokas start revealing their intrinsic meanings on their own without formal instructions in the language – they help us even without understanding.
Now I am reading Shrimadbhagawat for the third time and find it to be one of the most profound spiritual text expounding deeper spiritual principles with the help of stories about various avataras of God and creation of existence. More of it in some later posts.
A few months later (end of 2007) Gaur Saheb visited Bangalore for an official meeting. He came a day earlier and told me that he has kept Sunday for me and that he will go wherever I wish to take him. In the morning we went to Supeji and Nithyanandji and came back home for lunch. There was no engagement for the afternoon. After lunch I asked him if he would like to go to a saint (Swami Virajeshawarji) whose address is available in my mobile but about whom I know nothing. He readily consented. We (Gaur Saheb, Aspatwarji and me) went to his Ashram situated about 70 kms from Bangalore. Road at that time was dug up at several places so we reached there at 5.50 pm and he permitted visitors only upto 6.00 pm. He was siting on a sofa and we sat on the floor in front of him. After initial introduction, he was silent – no expressions on his face sitting as if half asleep. We closed our eyes and set in meditation for a few minutes. After a while he said that it is time to close and that we could have a look on a few books which he had written. We purchased those books.
After coming out each one of us felt that he is a great saint and that we had experienced deeper states of meditation in his presence. But the period of our meeting being very little, the desire to devote more time in his presence remained. That took me to him again. Since then I have been going to him 4 to 5 times every year.
One of the books we purchased was his aoutbiography tiltled as “Scientist’s search for Truth”. From that I came to know that Swami Virajeshawarji hails from Karnataka. He did engineering from Bombay University in early 1950s. Did MS and PhD form US and served there in many research organizations. His last assignment was with IBM on development of super computers. He did not marry (used to have dreams from his childhood days that he is running away from Shaadi Mandapam) and all these years he practiced yogasanas, pranayam and meditations on his own with little assistance from a Guru living in Mahu, a small town near Indore through correspondence. He soon realized that all scientific research is very shallow (stories are created around very little material), researchers are interested in merely getting their papers published in reputed journals and that science has no answers to offer to questions relating to mysteries of life. Real answers will be found back home, he felt. Left everything and sat at the feet of a Guru in Rishikesh (Swami Vidyanandji).
He got experience of Samadhi in about 5 months on Deewali night and shared it with Guruji next morning and asked him if it meant "Realisation”. While approving, Guruji was scintillating with joy and added, “Now you have reached the stage of brahmavid, the knower of Brahma. You still have to continue your sadhana, until you see and realize Brahma in everything, all the time, not just a few times a day.” Thereafter Swamiji sat almost alone for next 30 years in sadhana.
Obviously first glimpse of Samadhi is so overwhelming that it appears to be final. This is where many a evolved sadhaka loose focus, get into sharing mode with others (create Ashramas) and fall down.
At that time, Guruji also told him, “You can write this information in a book form and publish it. Most of those who may read it will not understand, but even if one out of a thousand gets Realisation, it is worth it.”
I was reading his autobiography in parts on day-to-day basis. It was a coincidence that the day I was reading the Chapter “Revelation” referred to above, it was Buddha Poornima day and after reading a line or two, I would close my eyes, try to be in that space. Again read a few lines and again try to go into the experience. It took me more than an hour to read a couple of pages. It was a nice experience.
A few month’s before that Dhirendraji, my co-brother, had given me a book “Shri Naad Leelamrit” by Baba Sitaramdas Omkarnath. The book is on the role of Naad (Japa) and Jyoti. For a few years, I had been going to Supeji, a disciple of Babaji. As mentioned in my earlier post he advised writing of “Shri Ram Ram Ram” and chanting of Tarak Mantra. I was instrumental in taking many to Supeji and he suggested this to them with wonderful results. But I (foolishly) thought that I am following different path of sadhana and that Japa is not for me. I did not attempt it.
About a month after reading “Revelation”, I was sitting with Swami Virajeshwaraji. He told me that on every third Sunday of the month there is Naam Sankeertan and those who attend it feel its effect for a few days. On another occasion when asked about the way for sadhana, he had said that Ram Japa is the fastest, surest and easiest way. He said that for everything, chanting name of Ram is the remedy. Same thing was often said by Supeji.
Now when the suggestion for Japa comes from the stature of person of Swamiji who is great in the knowledge of science, technology and scriptures and has practiced many forms of sadhana through various methods of Yoga, Pranayam and meditations; mind cannot find any excuse to ignore it. Very next third Sunday I was there. Next morning I tried Japa as a form of sadhana and I was amazed to find that it produced the experience in a minute which I used to get in my way of meditation in more than half an hour. I started chanting Tarak Mantra.
Next month (July, 2008), I joined a two week course (Nithyanandam) with Nithyanandji. In this course he was repeatedly telling the participants that he will wipe out all their Sanchit Karmas. He also told that you will not know this but others will perceive the change. A few days after I went to Shettyji and while I was entering his place, he said something like, “Your jeeva has become so light as if it is floating / flying!” Next month I went to Mungale Sir and he said that all your chakras are now clean (faultless) and that now you have become fit for initiation. Something significant had happened in that course with Nithyanandji. And of course as he had said, I did not perceive it. But it was perceived by other Gurus.
In this meeting with Mungale Sir (August, 2008), I told him about the inputs suggesting Japa as a method of sadhana from books as well as Gurus. He was very happy to hear it (as if waiting to hear this from me - he himself was doing it) and said, “Bahut achha hai, wahi karo.” He asked me to come in November that year for initiation (giving a Mantra). In the meanwhile I started chanting Tarak Mantra.
In November I was initiated By Mungale Sir. A month after I was invited to a Satsang at the place of stay of Supeji where I was initiated by his Guruji, Shri Vithal Ramanuj Maharaj. Since then, in the mornings I have been chanting Mantra given by Mungale Sir and in the evenings that given by Vithal Ji. Rest of the time, whenever I remember, I chant Tarak Mantra.
Swami Virajeshwara Ji is the latest Guru whom I am fortunate to be in contact with on regular basis and Chanting of Mantra my latest way of sadhana.
I feel carefree in the knowledge that Gurus will reveal the path ahead! Content (in fact overwhelmed) with what they have given me, I am grateful for their grace – I cannot ask for more!!
Note : I have edited my post on "Ganga Snana" today by adding a quote from Shrimadbhagwat
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