Guru's grace essential

CHENNAI, APRIL 26. Diversity is intrinsic to the world and hence differences are bound to be there in the lives of human beings. It is at the level of the Absolute (Parabrahman) that differences do not have meaning as they cease to exist. Before the creation the Absolute alone was there, like the potency in the seed to sprout. The first sign of differentiation arose as a wave in the Absolute and the mind came into existence and then the entire creation.

Human beings presume that joys and sorrows are intrinsic to life in the world. But, from the standpoint of the Absolute, worldly life is sorrowful as there is bondage. Unalloyed bliss can be attained only at the level of the Absolute and hence worldly joys are relative. This can be better appreciated with reference to the concept of Karma which is accrued as ``Papa'' and ``Punya'', result of bad and good actions respectively.

Though we think that Papa is bad and causes sorrows, the fact remains that even Punya earned by the performance of meritorious deeds is binding in nature. So saints refer to Papa as an iron shackle and to Punya as a gold one. Absolute bliss can be attained only when one is freed from both Papa and Punya. Ramana Maharishi has pointed out that only the state of actionlessness beyond Papa and Punya is truly blissful.

In his discourse, Sri Sukhi Sivam said that it was only through the grace of the Guru (spiritual teacher) that a spiritual aspirant can get rid of Karma. As far as a disciple is concerned the Guru and God are not different. Once a spiritual aspirant comes under the guidance of a Guru he is sure to realise the goal of liberation. Just as the prey caught in a tiger's mouth has no chance of survival, the Karma of one who has been fortunate to be blessed with the benign grace of a Guru is reduced to ashes.

Saint Tirumoolar says that great caution must be exercised while choosing one's Guru. He must be a God-realised person himself; otherwise it will tantamount to the case of the blind leading the blind. Saints like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Ramana Maharishi are Gurus whose grace continues to guide spiritual aspirants even after their lifetime.

Ramana has said that liberation can neither be sought from books as it cannot be self-taught nor from others. It has to be realised by Self- enquiry (Vichara), a process in which one directs the question ``Who am I?'' to oneself and through the process of negation goes beyond the five sheaths of the human personality (Panchakosas) and identifies with the Self (Atman), which is the source of infinite and eternal bliss.

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