Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Compiled by
Tumuluru Prabha
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD ......................................................................................... 11
Introduction ........................................................................................... 13
Vidya or Education .............................................................................. 14
Education has to open the doors of the mind ................................... 19
Youth must be full of yearning to know .......................................... 20
The teacher's task ............................................................................. 24
Acknowledgments .................................................................................. 87
Index ....................................................................................................... 89
Bibliography........................................................................................... 91
FOREWORD
As Guru Poornima is approaching on 22 July 2013, my mind goes
back to the years between 1974 to 2010 to Puttaparthi where
Bhagawan Satya Sai Baba lived. I used to visit Prashanti Nilayam
to have the Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan of Baba. We used
to go to Baba to see and celebrate festivals when Baba used to give
Divine Discourses. Those were the days when we used to enjoy all
that glory.
I recall the Guru Poornima I spent in Babas presence once and am
giving details of that here.
- Tumuluru Prabha
Introduction
Every country, wherever it may be and whatever its stage of
progress, must have three requisites: material resources, protective
power and a proper educational system (producers, security
personnel and teachers or gurus). The peace and prosperity of the
world depend on the work of these three classes of people. They
form the legs of a tripod. Even if one leg is weak, the other two
cannot sustain. When production is plentiful, it has to be guarded
against loot and plunder. When soldiers and security men become
powerful, they turn into a menace to the country while production
declines. When production and protection are adequate, if the
educational system takes a wrong track, the country is weakened.
The development of material resources and the defence of the
country ultimately depend on the kind of education that is
imparted.
But a tripod has only 'three legs'! How can one sit on three legs?
There should be a plank, resting on them--the plank of LOVE, that
is to say, Love of the Country. "Country" does not mean a specific
area on the map, the soil. It means the human community
inhabiting the territory.
And 'Love' means the sense of inter-relationship and involvement
of the individual with that community.
Vidya or Education
That which has no origin knows no beginning. It was before
everything or anything was. There was nothing prior to It. For that
very reason, It has no end. It expands as far as It wills, progresses
as diverse as It feels, and through Its Fullness, It fills the Universe,
too. Knowledge of this supreme Principle is known as Vidya,
Knowledge, Wisdom, Awareness.
14
Introduction
one enables you to eke out a living and the second enables you to
reach your destination.
What constitutes true Vidya? The kind of education that we are
getting today in the schools and colleges cannot be called true
Vidya. This will only lead you to occupy some kind of a position
and lead your daily life without too much trouble. This may also be
described as education that enables you to eke out your livelihood.
It relates to the material world. From the sweeper upwards to the
Prime Minister, they will all be working to eke out a livelihood.
There may be a difference in position and status, but what all these
people do will be related to the material world.
Brahma Vidya is something that will take man to his ultimate
destination. In this world and in the spiritual world, in your life
now, and after this life, what gives you happiness and bliss is the
Brahma Vidya. What we call Brahma Vidya is superior to all other
types of education. All types of education are like the rivers while
the Brahma Vidya is like the ocean. All the rivers go and merge in
the ocean, all types of education lead us to Brahma Vidya. What we
call Brahma Vidya demonstrates the aspects of Para Brahma. This
teaches you about Para Brahma. But, thapas takes you and merges
you in Para Brahma. The ability of an individual to convey the
meaning of Atma and Para Brahma to the seekers makes him a
guru. A guru really means a great person. When we talk of the
greatness of the guru, we mean the capacity of the guru to
experience the aspects of Brahman and teach them to others. So,
when we talk of the position of the guru, it cannot mean what we
generally talk of today. Here the gukara is something that is
above gunas and rukara signifies something which is above a
15
16
Source acknowledgement:
Realized One Media
http://realizedone.com/
You must endeavour to please the Guru and win his favour by obeying
his orders and serving him lovingly. You should have no other thought
than his welfare and happiness. Give up all else and win his Grace. Then,
Jnaana is yours. Instead, if you are disobedient and critical through
egoism and want of faith, you cannot be blessed by the vision of the
Truth. You will be plunged in gloom. As the cow takes her calf near
when it sees it, so the Guru will draw the Shishya (disciple) to his
presence and give him the milk of Grace. The Shishya ought to be of
sterling character. Then, just as a clean piece of iron will be attracted by
the magnet, he will receive the immediate attention of the Teacher.
The qualification of the Guru can be inquired into by the Shishya; in
fact, he ought to. For, he needs a Teacher. Arjuna! I shall describe the
characteristics which a Teacher should possess. He must have not merely
book-knowledge, but the wisdom derived through direct experience. He
must be established in the Reality, that is, in Brahmanishta (steady
contemplation of Brahma). Mere Shastra Jnaana is incompetent to grant
Mukti (Self-realisation). It can at best help in gaining Bhukti (a living).
Why, there are some who by sheer Anubhava Jnana (knowledge gained
through your own experience) have won Mukti, without a grain of Sastra
Jnana. The Guru must study the virtues and qualities of the aspirant who
seeks his guidance. He must not be moved or prejudiced by his wealth, or
position. He must be able to judge the aspirants heart, his real nature.
The Guru must act as the alarm clock to the disciples who are caught in
the sleep of Ajnana. If the Guru is a miser and the disciple is a sloth, woe
be to both.
Thus Krishna taught Arjuna very clearly the qualifications of both the
Guru and the shishya, their conduct, scholarship, virtues and weaknesses,
activities and characteristics. These valuable gems of advice were
addressed not only to Arjuna, but to the whole world. All who seek to
become either Gurus or Shishyas must pay attention to these precious
words. Bhagawan Baba
Introduction
19
Introduction
Thomas Carlyle says,"Not to aim high is a sin, but after having worked for
it if you failed to achieve is not a crime
A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful
than a life spent doing nothing. George Bernard Shaw
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that
counts. - Winston Churchill
22
Introduction
he should give up all hopes of being taken for the job. The young
man replied, with folded hands: 'Sir! I am only waiting for the
office to open. I have been paid five rupees extra by them as fare
and daily allowance through wrong calculation. I shall return that
amount and leave." On hearing this, Raman's heart melted; he
patted the candidate on his back; accepted him and gave him a job.
Character is the best qualification.
24
Introduction
25
Who is a Guru?
Who is a Guru?
Who is a Guru? Is one who teaches a "mantra" a Guru? No.
Gukaaro Gunaatheetham, Rukaaro Ruupavarjithah
(one who is attributeless and formless is a true Guru)
Gukaaro Andhakaarascha Rukaaro Thannivaaranah.
27
28
Who is a guru?
29
Who is a guru?
the same, only names and forms are different. (SSS Vol.25) 14 Jul
1992
Who is a guru?
THE Rishis of ancient times were revered with the utterance of this
laudatory verse as gurus by those who approached them for
spiritual guidance. When aspirants for spiritual illumination pay
homage to the gurus who lead them to the goal, the implications .of
this authentic summary of the credentials attributed in this verse, to
the Sad-Guru or Proper Preceptor can be probed.
Brahmaanandam: The Guru is the embodiment of Brahma-Bliss,
since he is merged in the Ananda which Brahman is. It is not
imported or acquired or attained. It is inherent in every heart.
The world, the cosmos, every particle, is Ananda itself but being
ever in it, with it, of it and for it, man is unable to be It, on account
of the darkness that misleads him and deludes him.
Brahmaananda and man
The Upanishads attempt to give men a faint idea of the measure of
that Brahma-ananda. The Taithireeya Upanishad assumes the
height of human ananda as the unit for estimation. A person having
all the wealth he desires, all the renown man can earn, all the
learning that can be gained, perfect health, perpetual youth, and
undisputed sovereignty over the entire globe---his Ananda is an
understandable base from which to proceed. A hundred times this
Maanushi-ananda is the Ananda of celestial singers (Gandharvas);
a hundred times that is the Ananda of the souls of departed beings
dwelling in heavenly regions. Hundred-fold of this is the Ananda of
the divine entities (Ajanma-ja). A hundred times is the Ananda of
the gods (Deva); the Lord of the Gods, Indra, is ever in Ananda that
is a hundred times more than that of the Gods, Brhaspathi, the
preceptor of Indra, has Ananda a hundred times more than Indra;
and Prajapathi, the Lord of Creatures, has a hundred-fold Ananda
33
Who is a guru?
cannot reach that state. The highest joy has its source and spring in
the Atma, the spark of the Cosmic Splendour. The person who is
ever aware of the Atma in him and in all is therefore the Sadguru.
Kevalam: Beyond all limitations of time and place the guru is pure
chaithanya, Is-ness; his consciousness is all pervasive; that is to
say, God alone is the Sad-Guru.
Jnaana Murthim: What is meant by Jnaana? "Advaitha Darsanam
Jnanam": the awareness of the One, without a second, is Jnanam
(the supreme wisdom). And the sadguru is the embodiment of that
wisdom, having unbroken experience of the One. Those who are
commonly known as gurus are signposts, name boards. They have
not travelled the entire journey and reached the goal. But the
Jnaanamurthi is with you right through, beside you and before you,
smoothing the path until the journey ends in him.
Dvandvaathitham: The Sadguru is unaffected by the inevitable
dualities of life: joy and grief, profit and loss, ridicule and respect.
Gaganasadrsam: Untouched by happenings and incidents but
forming the perennial base, like the sky enveloping the nature.
Thath-thwam-asyaadi-Lakshyam: The living exponent and
experiencer of the four crucial axioms of the Vedic thought--Thatthwam-asi (That Thou Art), Ayam Atma Brahma (The Self is verily
Brahman), Aham Brahmaasmi (I am Brahman) and Prajnaanam
Brahma (Consciousness is Brahman).
35
Who is a guru?
37
38
Who is a guru?
have merged in God, or the Atma Itself. It is only these who can help you to
attain. (Divine Discourse on 29/7/1969 Gurupurnima day Prashanthi
Nilayam) Of course, he could come to that stage only through the
sublimation of the lower into the higher qualities and the steady and
conscious ignoring of the part played by mere name and form. In the
preliminary stages of spiritual Sadhana, name, form and quality all have
their part to play in the moulding of the spirit. The Guru destroys the
illusion and sheds light; his presence is cool and comforting. (SSS Vol.1
p.26-27)
If you do not come across such preceptors, do not get downhearted; pray
for guidance and from your own heart you will receive the Geetha that you
need from the Charioteer who is there. You can easily get plenty of
preceptors the moment you seek; for, it has now become a profession, full
of competing practitioners, each one trying to collect as many disciples, as
much money, and as wide a reputation as he can. There are some who have
developed swollen heads, while others suffer from short sight or bitterness
or itching palm. How can persons challenging each other for dry
disputations be revered as Gurus? When they do not possess, along with the
elation of scholarship, the ecstasy of Divine Experience, they are not
entitled to that holy mission He who seeks a Guru can find him in every
word spoken within his hearing, in every incident that happens around him.
(SSS Vol.9 p.76-77)
39
40
Who is a guru?
Who is a guru?
Faith in the Guru should bring faith in the Atma (true Self), or else,
the Guru is a handicap. (SSS Vol.7, p. 79)
The Guru has very often to tell you that you have forgotten your
real name or that you have lost the most precious part of yourself
and yet are unaware of the loss. The Guru is the physician for the
illness which brings about the suffering of alternate birth and death.
He is an adept at the treatment needed for the cure. If you do not
get such a Guru, pray to the Lord Himself to show you the way and
He will surely come to your rescue. (SSS Vol.1, p. 27)
The guru is the person who discovers that you have fallen into a
wrong road that leads to further and further darkness. For, he
knows the fight road and he is full of love for all who strive to
escape the travails of the night, without lamps to light their steps.
This is a day when the First of Gurus is remembered with gratitude.
He is called Narayana, because Narayana is the reality and if you
do not get a Guru from outside yourself, if you pray, the Narayana
inside you will Himself reveal the road and lead you on. It is
always preferable to be prompted by that inner Guru, because most
of those who claim to that status are themselves rolling in objective
pleasure or are bound by greed, envy or malice. Guru also means
'heavy'; many have only the qualification of physical weight, not of
spiritual height! (SSS Vol.5, p. 22)
43
Examples of Guru-shishya
Relationship
The story of Ekalavya
Ekalavya approached Dronacharya and prayed to teach archery.
Dronacharya turned down his request saying that the sacred skills
of archery must be taught to a valiant hero and not to a wandering
tribal youth engaged in hunting animals. Ekalavya, however,
considered Dronacharya as his Guru and installed him in his heart.
Even though Dronacharya did not give any instructions to him, he
went and made a clay image of his Guru and started worshipping it
daily. He learnt all the skills of archery, constantly contemplating
on Dronacharya as his Guru. He became an expert archer in no
time.
47
to take it from him. Rama taught that artha and kama should not be
allowed to over-rule dharma and the discipline of moksha. For,
fundamentally, the objects of the world are incapable of conferring
joy. (SSS Vol.4, pp. 289-290)
Rama- the ideal student:
The world is becoming more and more deeply immersed in
irreverence and cruelty. Codes of decent behaviour are being
ignored and laughed at. The material is receiving greater attention
than the moral and spiritual. Faith in the victory of truth, justice and
goodness is fast disappearing; the distinction between good and bad
is seldom recognised. The child Rama, when he was brought into
the hall where Dasaratha, Kausalya and Vasishta were together,
touched the feet of Kausalya first, of Dasaratha next and of
Vasishta last---thereby demonstrating that it was aware of the
ancient discipline: "Revere the mother as God, revere the father as
God; revere the preceptor as God." Gratitude for these three is
absent only among animals which soon ignore the parents, once
they are weaned. Keeping them as well as the preceptor in grateful
Their affection and selfless attitude to serve people
It is very necessary for you to recognise the affection that was
shown between the brothers in the Ramayana and the sacredness of
such affection. At no time and on no occasion did the brothers of
Rama exhibit any selfishness. With a selfless attitude, they were
regarding that service to the people was the main concern of their
life.
All these good qualities were acquired by them from their Guru
Vasishta, even while they were young and they shaped themselves
49
6
7
51
Significance of Guru
Poornima lessons to be
learnt
Guru Poornima
Guru Poornima is celebrated by people as Thanksgiving Day for
their spiritual preceptors, those who initiated them into spiritual
disciplines, mantra recitals, meditation, japa and the study of
sacred texts. We have a popular saying, "Without a preceptor, all
learning is blind." (SSS Vol.9) 29. 7.1969
This day is celebrated as Vyasa Poornima, the full moon day
dedicated to the memory of sage Vyasa. (SSS Vol.18) 2-7-1985.
This day is also called Vyasa Poornima, a day when mankind
offers him the gratitude he deserves. 'Vyaaso Naaraayano Harih':
Vyasa is the Lord Narayana, Hari. Narayana, the Lord Himself,
came as a man called Vyasa, to collate the Vedas and teach man the
path towards God. He has made the path plain and easy to climb.
(SSS Vol.14), 9-7-1979
There is nothing specially related to Sage Vyasa which makes this
day attached to his name. He was not born on this day nor did he
'leave' on this day; it is just dedicated to his memory and to the
worship of all Gurus. For Vyasa is the Aadiguru, the Mulaguru
53
and 'Thine.' He then finds only 'Thee' everywhere and thus achieves
the Vision of Unity.
The fully worth-while Guru must facilitate that Vision of Unity
without the discords and divisions that 'mine' and 'thine' engender
in the mind of man. Such a Guru was the sage Vyasa. (SSS
Vol.14), 9-7-1979
rest sank and were lost for ever. Those 108 came forth from the
heart; the rest were products of intelligence, cleverness.
They rose from the head. God does not reside in the head; He is
Hridhayavaasi, the Dweller in the Heart. Keep the heart cool, pure
and soil---as the moonlight is on this day---the Guru Poornima
Day.
For this, your mind has to be cleansed by the mind only. Just as you
shape an iron sickle or axe with an iron hammer, the mind is the
shaper and shaped, both. The power behind the mind which helps it
to shape it well, is Faith in God. That is why it is declared that one
must have faith in God, holy places, the scriptures, the mantra, the
soothsayer, the drug and the teacher. Cultivate that Faith and
everything else will be added unto you. (SSS Vol.9), 29. 7.1969
57
58
bliss associated with God will be known only to the individual who
seeks such ananda and bliss.
It is the devotee who seeks and enjoys the experience of ananda
and not God. Narada told Vyasa that he had only written about
such happiness, but he had not experienced it. Narada then told
Vyasa that from that day he would have the capacity to sing the
glory of God and advised that Vyasa should do this and derive bliss
and joy. (SSB 1978, pp. 19-20)
Singing of a bhajan is usually associated with singing with a
rhythm. In reality, if we can give a form to what is contained in
Sama Veda, that itself can be described as bhajan. All types of
tunes have their origin in Sama Veda. Narada also told Vyasa that
if such a sacred song is sung with proper feeling and devotion, then
the significance of the song will also be clear. The sacredness of
divine nature that is present in each individual can be experienced
in the form of a song. There is a small example for this. When two
individuals are talking with each other, one individual enters the
other in the form of sound. This concept of an individual entering
another in the form of sound is not clearly understood today. When
you are face to face with God and think of His name and glory, the
form of God will enter you. It is in this context that the Shastras
and Puranas advise you to spend all your time in the thought of
God and in singing His glory. We are, therefore, told that God is
present in all living things, and that all living things in their turn are
present in the divine. If several people gather and sing the glory of
God in a congregation, then prajnana, or knowledge of God, will
come to everyone in the gathering.
61
The sacred work of Vyasa was such that it demonstrated the unity
amidst all the diversity in creation. Narada used the word ambhoja
in the present context and that means a thing that is born in water.
Not only man, but all living things are born from water. All trees
and everything else is born from water. Even if we have a small
seed, it can sprout only if it is in contact with water. If there is no
water, even this seed will perish. In this context, Narada said that
the human body must be regarded as a lotus. All texts and writings
in relation to God will consist of a lotus implying that such a text is
a lotus coming out of a lake.
The state of our mind is compared to a lake that contains two swans
represented by the aspects of Soham. This sound of Soham
proclaims I am That and demonstrates the oneness of all creation.
The swan always symbolises purity in our tradition; and when we
compare this aspect to that of Soham, we wish to bring out the
purity in all creation. This implies that in the manasarovar or the
mind of man, which is like a lake, the identity between man and
God should be promoted. Because of such sacred teachings from
Narada, there was a divine feeling in Vyasa which enabled him to
write the sacred text of Bhagavatha.
Because Narada removed all the doubts from the mind of Vyasa,
Narada was taken as guru and that day has since been referred to as
Guru Poornima. As the role of the guru is to remove ignorance
from the dark minds, it is also referred to as the coming of
Poornima or brightness. The Vedas have compared the mind to the
moon and the eye to the sun.
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the preceptor for the gift of light; this day, pilgrims to the Lotus
Feet of God study the guide books and the maps. When the Sun
rises, the world is blessed with heat and light. When the Guru
blesses, the pupil gets peace and joy. Guru Poornima is not over
when it becomes tomorrow. It is not a date marked in the calendar.
It is all days when the Mind of Man, whose presiding deity is the
Moon, is Poorna (Full), with cool refreshing rays, which it
receives, in the first instance, from the Sun (Intelligence). The mind
must derive illumination from the intellect, the discriminative
faculty, and not from the senses, which are the deluding forces.
When sensual desire tarnishes the Mind, it cannot earn peace and
joy.
Do not cultivate too much attachment to things of the world, which
appeal to carnal desires and sensual thirsts. A moment comes when
you have to depart empty handed, leaving all that you have
laboriously collected. and proudly called your own. (SSS Vol.10),
19-7-1970
That beauty of heart, that Ananda (bliss) in life can be won through
the mind, if the lesson of this Day is remembered and realised.
Strengthened by Swami's Grace, encouraged by Swami's Blessings,
engage in Sadhana (spiritual practice) and achieve success by
realising the Goal of Life. (SSS Vol.9), 29. 7.1969
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The Guru teaches you this and tells you how to rend the veil of
maya.
Man, who is basically akin to the beasts, can roam in either of two
jungles: the non-Vedic and the Vedic. In the non-Vedic, life is
nourished by the living; wildness is rampant; the teachers are
enmeshed in tawdry tangles; they are keen to put their long hands
in your purse, rather than watch your heart or mind; they are
interested more in your fortune than in your fate. In the Vedic
jungle, calm and quiet prevail. Leonine majesty in the form of
realised souls resides joyously therein. The silence filters into the
heart and all mysteries are clear.
Be simple and sincere. It is sheer waste of money to burden the
pictures and idols in the shrines and altars of your homes with a
weight of garlands, and to parade costly utensils and vessels and
offerings, to show off your devotion. This is deception; it demeans
Divinity, imputing to it the desire for pomp and publicity. I ask
only for purity of heart, to shower Grace. Do not posit distance
between you and Me; do not interpose the formalities of the Gurusishya (Preceptor-disciple) relationship, or even the altitudinal
distinctions of the God-Devotee relationship, between you and Me.
I am neither Guru nor God; I am You; You are I; that is the Truth.
There is no distinction. That which appears so is the delusion. You
are waves; I am the Ocean. Know this and be free, be Divine. (SSS
Vol.10), 19-7-1970
ego and take refuge in the Lord (as Arjuna did) and who imbibe
with care the Geetha sung by the Lord in the silence. God is
Omnipresent; He is the Inner Motivator of every particle in the
Universe. To declare that He is amenable only to your style of
worship, that He will answer only to the Name that you have learnt
to use, is to insult His Omniscience and His Glory. See Him in all,
serve Him in all. Revere Him in all. Pray, "- Let the whole-world
prosper; let all mankind be happy." This is the Special Message I
give you on this Day. (SSS Vol.12), July 1974
People come to Me and pray, "Swami! Naaku mooksham kaavaali"
(For me moksha (liberation) is wanted). Consider for a moment
that statement of thirst. A parcel you get through post is covered
top and bottom, with the gift inside the two; you remove the
packaging material from top and bottom to get at the thing you
really value most; moksha (the gift you value) is packed between
two ideas---'for me,' and 'is wanted'---the idea of EGO and the idea
of DESIRE.
So, all I have to tell you is, "Remove the packing, and take the gift,
MOKSHA. Have no ego, discard desire, you are liberated!" The
Guru asks you to repeat a mantra; but the mantra cannot grant you
the final beatitude, It will discipline the mind, control its vagaries,
and strengthen faith. But, unless you see God in all, unless your
mind is made a mirror reflecting the image of God that everyone
and everything is, you are not entitled to the release you claim.
(SSS Vol.14), 2 7- 7-1980.
Meditation is the key to the Atmic treasure that is the real wealth of
the individual. Meditation can progress and gain victory only when
one wins the affection of great souls and obey their instructions.
In fact, God, the God within, is the Guru of Gurus. His Grace can
make the blind see, the lame walk and the dumb speak. By a mere
touch, He can demolish the sins of the past and erect the basis for
peace and joy. God can be adored, worshipped and even-imagined
or pictured by man only in human form, so long as the
consciousness as man persists, so long as man cannot escape from
this necessity. How can he travel beyond his limits? He can
visualise God only as man, with super-human or supra-human
power, wisdom, love, compassion. He can never describe or
delineate the formless, the attribute-less, the quality-less. It is only
by means of form and attribute that one can pray, adore, worship or
feel the presence. And the form has to be human. Little minds with
no faith may argue that God cannot come as Man but in fact God
can be recognised only as Man by human. This explains the
statement, "Dhaivam maanusha ruupena"---"God through human
form," found in the scriptures.
The sum total of spiritual experience is "Knowing oneself." This
does not mean the knowledge of one's capabilities and skills, wants
and wishes, strength and weakness. It means the knowledge of who
one is, what one really is. Sankaracharya has summarised this
knowledge in three lines---Brahma Sathyam (God is Truth), Jagath
mithya (Creation is an illusion), Jeevah Brahmaiva naa para (the
Jeeva---the individual---is Brahma only, is God only, not else).
Every 'become' has its source in 'being.' Being is God. God and the
Individual are the undifferentiated One. So human-ness is holy; it is
76
neither mean or low. It has the status of God, though clouded and
contaminated. For this faith to strike deep roots in our minds and to
keep us fixed in that belief, a guru is needed. (SSS Vol.14), 2 7- 71980.
words and deeds. Grow in love and greet Nature with love. This is
the way to Ananda. (SSS Vol.14), 2 7- 7-1980.
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80
It is only when the mind is cleansed that one can develop a proper
vision. In our daily prayers we say, "You are the mother, you are
the father, you are the guru and you are the friend." Who is this
"you"? Instead of saying, "You are mother, father, guru and
friend", it is enough if you say, "You are I." You have to attain the
stage when you can say: You (God) are I." This is the essence of
all truths. This is the root of everything. This is the goal proclaimed
by all the scriptures.
Recognise that God and you are one. There will then be no need to
describe God as father, mother, guru and the like and confound
oneself. We should strive to reduce the bondages created by such
relationships as father, mother, etc. We should aim at realising that
basic Unity that underlines and sustains everything. That is the
significance of the statement Eko vasi sarvabhootha-antaraatma.
("He is the one Indweller in all beings").
How meaningful are such expressions as "My people" and "your
people"? How long can these relationships last? They are all
momentary. The only relationship that lasts forever and does not
change is the association with the Atma. Instead of seeking this
permanent association, man hankers after relationships based on
the impermanent body due to the power of Maya. Despite all their
knowledge and study, people are groping in this dark chamber (of
Maya). Until you get out of this darkness and seek the light, you
will be wrapped in sorrow.
82
evil propensities for putting down others, he is only taking the road
to ruin.
Man is inherently Divine; he ought therefore demonstrate in
thought, word and deed the Divine attributes of love, tolerance,
compassion and humanity. God is Truth; man too must live in
Truth.
God is Love; man too must live in Love, eschewing anger. Master
hatred through Love; master anger through sweet Tolerance. (SSS
Vol.12), 5-3-1973
84
85
Acknowledgments
When, I first conceived the idea to write about Guru Poornima,
immediately, my second daughter D.S.S got into action and
collected so much material from different sources. Then my other
family members, also started working on it. Varun Tumuluru, my
grandson designed the cover pages, Satyaprabha, my daughter-inlaw used to send the manuscript to D.S.S and give me the print
outs; my elder daughter, Gowri accompanied by Kumar, of course,
provided material and financial help and my husband, Tumuluru
Krishna Murty gave his invaluable suggestions. Thus, it become a
family effort by Gods Grace.
- Tumuluru Prabha
87
Index
eight types of Gurus, 31
Ekalavya, 45, 46, 47
A
Aadiguru, 53
Acharya, 27, 32, 39, 41, See guru
Adwaitha, 34
Ananda, 33, 34, 66, 67, 78
Arjuna, 19, 46, 47, 75
artha, 49
Atma, 15, 32, 35, 39, 43, 55, 59, 63, 73,
74, 79, 81, 85
Avatar, 50
G
gunas, 15, 30, 38, 80
guru, 15, 16, 19, 25, 29, 35, 36, 37, 38,
40, 41, 43, 46, 47, 62, 63, 74, 77, 81
Guru, 3, 11, 19, 20, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30,
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40,
41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 53, 54, 55,
56, 57, 58, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69,
71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 83,
See guru
Guru Poornima, 3, 66
B
Bhagavatha, 16, 55, 59, 60, 62, 64, 65
bhakti, 24, 54
Bharatha, 48
Brahma, 15, 16, 19, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34,
35, 37, 54, 55, 63, 76, 78
Brahma Vidya, 15, 16
I
ideal, 38, 48, 49
K
D
Kausalya, 49
Kevalam, 32, 35
Kleshos, 57
Krishna, 4, 16, 19, 55, 64, 65
L
E
Lokaguru, 54
89
M
Mahabharata, 54, 55
Maheswara, 29, 30, 37
moksha., 49
S
sabdabhedi, 46, 47
sadhana, 21, 37, 40, 41, 42
shishya, 38, 41
Shiva, 30, 37, 64, 72, 82
Shivaji, 48
N
Narada, 54, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65
Narayana, 43
Paramaguru, 54
Parama-sukhadam, 34
Poornima, 11, 25, 53, 54, 55, 57, 62, 63,
64, 65, 66, 67, 72, 73, 74, 77, 78, 80
Puranas, 55, 59, 61, 64
R
Y
Yoga-Vasishta, 51
90
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