ManCanBecomeGod07
Posted Date : 06:00 (06/01/2015)
Author: Kaivalliya Navanītham
P.N. Parasuraman. Images:
Nataṉam
When I know you
The tradition is that the Guru regards his disciple as his son.
Therefore, Guru begins thus.
“Son, a self-unknowing person, like the dry leaf going around and round,
goes through birth and death cycle (metempsychosis) repeatedly, until he
realizes the soul is Braḥmam.
He is caught in the revolving Cycle of Time in a helpless state. Once
you know yourself and realize Ātmā and Braḥmam are one, Mukti is at
hand. ‘You carry no blame.
Since you asked me these questions, I am giving you instructions,’ said
Guru.
When he heard, “You asked me…,” the disciple asked him a question.
Gurudeva, did you think I am a dolt? “You said one should know oneself.
There is no one like that. But, why are we all
caught in the sea of metempsychosis and languish? I came trusting you
for answers. Please instruct me.”
‘We should know our soul. The inexperienced disciple considers the soul
as body.’ Gurunāthar explains, “My dear disciple, all do not become
self-knowing. The knower
not only knows about the truths of his body but also the truths about
the nature of Ātmā inside the body. Such knower is the self-knowing
person.”
Though this appears understandable on hearing it, the mind does not
accept it. Immediately, another question pops up. For the disciple also,
a question rose.
“Gurunāthar, how is the body different from the soul inside it?
That disciple is no other than ourselves (individually). He is our
representative. Th
eyes see, the ears hear, the nose smells, the mouth talks… The body
experiences all that is said. Therefore, ‘Ātmā, Jīva and Parabrahmam:’
What a good story they make. Questions arise, ‘Is Ātmā the activator of
all? Who has seen Ātmā?’
But, if one has a bit of spiritual wisdom, these questions do not come
up. Despite such knowledge or lack thereof, such
perverse
arguments and questions won’t come up. The problem inside us
is we accept what comforts us initially; later the problems arise from
them and we to escape from the burdens create more burdensome problems.
Don’t we know we differ from the clothes we wear? Likewise, we should
understand that body differs from Āṉmā (soul). Whether we understand or
not, thought of it never occurs to us. That
is the problem with the greenhorn-disciple, who believes in and says
‘What you see is what your get.’
All this is body. Hearing the words of the disciple, Gurunāthar
was alternately happy and unhappy.
Gurunathar was unhappy about how he will make him understand the concept
of Āṉmā Tattva, while he thinks, ‘I am the body.’ Simultaneously …
‘Appātā,
Though he holds to the view, ‘I am the body,’ does he not hold on to
something? That is gracefully enough! He was happy that the believer in
body will one day become a believer in the soul.
He put forward some answers in the form of questions. They are…
Appāṭā
=
அப்பாடா = int.
An exclamation of surprise, relief.