Below is GuruPrasad’s evening experience at the ashram. Though I am a personal fan of his stories and writing, he doesn’t easily write and has to be coaxed and motivated to pen his experiences. i wish he writes more, and share it with us often 🙂
Dear Rajesh,
Just came home from Ashram. Satsang was in the amphitheatre. My second preference to Vishalakshi Mantap, but today could not have been better. Looked up when He was meditating and the lights were off, and there were the Saptarshis (the constellation) right above Him. The orientation of the stars was *exactly* like the arrangement of enightened masters in the Guru Parampara picture – and Him meditating at the base. Oh, and there was this lovely half-moon, too.. to complete the picture.
The. Perfect. Ambience.
(yeah, I know. Pretty soon I’ll be sitting at His feet in some completely different setting and calling *that* “The Perfect Ambience”… the problem is that The Perfect Ambience has this funny tendency to follow Him… anyway back to today’s satsang).
So He comes out of meditation, and goes “Hmmmmm….” and then, He’s just there, in silence, for a few minutes. And then: “What shall we discuss? do you have any questions?” and I recognize the voice… it’s the almost husky voice He uses at the beginning of the Ashtavakra tapes – where each word seems to struggle to emerge from the silence… like a butterfly coming out of its cocoon.
All these seemed like indications that profound Knowledge will flow. And it did! from 8:20 to 9:10. For now, I’m only describing the ones that stood out…
Q. What is ego?
A. Asahajta. That which requires another to stand. Wanting to convince others that you are something that you are not, or something that you think you are. Identifying yourself as something – “I am intelligent” is ego, “I am stupid” is also ego! (and He laughs at this…). Wherever there are tears, know that there is ego. So it has been said before, “erase the ego, erase the ego”… but I tell you this is no good. The moment you feel you have erased the ego, “I am the one that has erased the ego” which is an even bigger ego (again laughs at His own statement)! Then what to do? Expand your ego, identify with the entire universe. Be natural. If someone says ‘you are a fool” then say “Oh? Yes, maybe…” and if someone says “you are very intelligent” again say “Oh? yes, maybe…”.
(for some other inaudible question)
See yourself in the 5 elements. See them in you, and you are all the 5 elements, but they are not in you. See, this is a very beautiful Knowledge – The 5 elements are made up of One consciousness which is You. So see the whole world, and everything in it, as the Self. But when you meditate, the world does not exist, so none of the 5 elements are there in you!
(for some other question from a girl)
Do you get what I am saying? (girl shakes her head) No? Are you confused (girl nods her head)? Then I have done My job ( and He has a good laugh again). See, My job is not to convince you, but to confuse you. In the Gita, Krishna does the same – keeps confusing Arjuna saying this is the way, that is the way… Arjuna says “Im confused, tell me 1 way” and Krishna further confuses him more! I’m doing the same thing here… (and the girl becomes very happy and sits down).
Like bees around a flower in bloom, two Swamijis sat next to Him as guests… one was our Swami Pragyanandji (Naaraayan… 4 times) and the other another Maharajji from Gujurat. This Gujurat Maharaj was having a hard time controlling himself today – every joke Guruji would make, he would find so hilarious, that he would almost bend over and start shaking. It looked like if he wasn’t given a chair next to Him, he would be rolling on the floor holding his stomach. It was nice to see how much he was enjoying every sip of Knowledge.
wah re wah!
Amazing knowledge… keep posting the knowledge all angels at work 🙂 Guruprasad lovely angel 🙂
‘…deep husky voice struggling to emerge from silence..like a butterfly from a cocoon…’
beautiful choice of words befitting the graceful occasion…what a moment..!
wow loved it 🙂 And for HIM, i have no words…..
Have been reading and re-reading those lines when Guruji comes out of silence. Beautifully written. It captures the magical silence.
Now this is the real ‘Guru Prasad’ for us – thank you very much and please write more 🙂
it re-energises me,
jai gurudev bhaiya
Another wonderful post! one that I feel so thankful for…. 🙂
Love,
Bhaskar
Yaaay! It’s nice to be on Happyings… one of the very few blogs (2, to be precise) I follow regularly. It’s nicer to see that you guys liked the post, which was a spontaneous “this is so beautiful, I just have to share it” kind of thing…
…and it’s *even more* nicer when your teacher, someone whom you look up to, praises you! 😉 😀
Jaya Gurudeva!
– Guru
Lovely writing..as always..I loved the Way Guru shares his stories n experiences..I am also lucky one to be there on that day 🙂
Thanks Guru for this post :))
wow..I’m lucky to be reading this !
loved this “our Swami Pragyanandji (Naaraayan… 4 times)”
From experience… 😀
My first visit to Ashram in Oct 2007, Navratri and the crowd would erupt before he did:)
Super ya !!! 🙂
its So nice we get to read what he says and still the excitement is still the same as if the divine is talking to you !!
Thanks a lot for posting it.
Jgd bhaiya
Nice post bhaiya! Especially the lines about the Gujrat maharaj are really humorous!Hahahahahahaha!
Love
Meghana