Sakthi Vikatan-
09 Aug, 2011
The handicapped monkey raised by Bhagavan came to the Āśramam with its troop.
They were waiting for some time for Bhagavan. Because Bhagavan did not
show up, they became angry, shook the tree limbs, screeched and broke
the small branches. Bhagavan noticed the mess caused by the
monkeys under the tree: the broken tree limbs and leaves. Next day the
monkeys came. The lame monkey became the head of the troop. Coronation
of the head of the troop must be done. The troop’s desire was that
celebration should be conducted before Bhagavan. Bhagavan asked his
devotee to feed the Lame Monkey.
The lame monkey directed and took the food server to three monkeys
sitting far away. They were his queens. He sat with them and ate his
food. The royal monkeys ate the Prasādam. The lame monkey had children
with the three queens. The children ate food served by Bhagavan.
There was another troop. The head monkey’s name was Mottaippaiyaṉ
(Bald Head). The strong monkeys treated him with disrespect.
Mottaippaiyaṉ screeched in fear, disappeared suddenly and stayed alone
for a few days. Mottaippaiyaṉ abandoned his aloofness and chased the
strong monkeys and showed its strength. The solitary Tapas gave it
strength and he became the king of the troop. The strong monkeys became
the slaves. Solitariness has power (Sakthi). Bhagavan used to point out
to this simian incident (as an example of solitary meditation).
Snakes visited with Bhagavan. One snake came often slithering near
Bhagavan, remained in his presence for some time and moved away. Two
peafowls, a male and a female circumambulated near the Āśramam. The
female peafowl never left the premises, though it was poked by the male.
It used to climb on the lap of Bhagavan. Once the male chased the
female. Later the female never showed up. The male used to strut around
near the Āśramam. One day,
it lost its life on the lap of Bhagavan. Bhagavan used to tell they were
not ordinary animals. The inmates of the Āśramam feared the growling
panther. “Do not be afraid; I am here.” Those were the words of the
panther. It drank water and
left.
“There are many Siddha Purushas on this mountain. They come in many forms
to see me,” said Bhagavan. That is how he made them calm. For Jñānis,
love is the important message. To whom they show love is not important.
They are friendly to a multitude of forms without discrimination. There
are a few with a unity and conformity of mind and purpose with Bhagavan.
He showed interest to those who surrendered to him, and love to all
people. Let us see who all came to visit with him.
What is the beginning of Spiritual inclination? Search.
What Search? The
search for ‘Who Am I?’ Am I
the face, the twisted mustache, laughter, memory power, scheming power,
strong shoulders, threatening power, or a combination of these? Cogitate
about it. Search for ‘the real you.’ This is not an easy task.
The mind thinks of the mighty, the high and the low. It divides people
by categories. The mind devises many plans.
What a beauty! What a smile! Her staccato laughter makes men swoon in
ecstasy. You call him a clever
man. But, he is frozen stiff. All
these great men smile, show their mouthful teeth and receive her. Each
is getting a car as a prize. What car… What are the options? These are
the surges of the waves of mental queries.
How do I make myself more beautiful? Apply lotions, potions... all over
your body. Use Sandalwood soap, creams, liquids… Would this dress
accentuate my body frame? ‘Which dress will appear beautiful on me?’
They query friends and family.
The person puts on the chosen dress, struts in it all over town, enjoys
people gawking at her… The turbulent, unfocused and vacillant mind takes
a toll. The one decayed and rancid peanut eaten by a person churns and
makes the stomach growl and ruins the expectant eating pleasure.
Handshakes with three people: which hand transferred the germ to me?
Once the germ is caught, it makes you miserable for a few days. The
dance was a success. The dancer was short on breath. The body ached; the
sneeze and cough were incessant; she could not sit or stand. Where can
she go next? All gone! You are not the body. You are not the robust
muscle. You are not that enviable body complexion. You are not the
haughtiness from your majestic persona.
The power does not give the hubris. The scheme does not come from
authority. It is not the divisions created by the scheme. There is
something inside that moves you. It makes you arrogant. You must
exercise a great effort to know that which moves you, where the
activizing power abides, that which removes your hubris… Tireless mind
sees these easily. Once a person
feels the fatigue from distress, falsehood, misery…they will come easily
to the question, ‘Who am I?’ Once you do not feel the fatigue and
continue formulating serial plans in the complicitous mind, the
question, ‘Who Am I?’ does not arise. That
spells disaster. The plans go awry, bite the dust and slap on the face.
Then the eternal question pops in the mind. Victory is not an all-time
occurrence in life. If there is a target, there is a chance for missing
it. The mind feels the distress of failure. The mind sees ‘Who Am I?’
It engages in self-enquiry. The mind should hold that thought
firmly. If not, the distracting plans leap to the mind.
Once self-enquiry is the pursuit in life, you will realize the trouble
you caused to others. That will establish friendship to others. You
develop self-respect. You were harsh on your spouse and negligent of
your mother, discarded your friends for their shortcomings, separated
from others for minor faults, and cheated others. These truths dawn on
your mind and because of it, you develop love for yourself and others.
You will see a likeness of attitudes, thoughts and self-enquiry in
others. You will seek Mahāns with query, ‘Who Is He?’ As you develop
closeness with Mahāns, you trust him.
Srīramaṇar teaches the aspirants the intricacies of self-enquiry with
ease. They are not Yoga
postures, Mantra Japas, expiation from temple visits and bathing in
temple ponds… It is direct contact with mind and soul and asking the
question, ‘Who Am I?’ Talk to yourself.
There is a path. They do not have the mind to take the path. But the
Guru will not let you down.
Let us get Darśan.