Various Topics

[Madhava Kumar Turumella]

At 08:18 PM 11/21/96 -0800, you wrote:

>--
>        Anything that is unneccessary is evil, what disturbs the
>equanimity of mind should be avoided (whether it is onions, meat, sex,
>internet, or whatever).

Dear friends, this is just sharing my experience with you.  I was taught
that I should neither avoid nor hold and should accept things as they
are...

This reminds me my guru's advise.  After undergoing one year course of
Vedanta, I have decided to continue my life in Ashram and wanted become
a Sanyasi.  (this happened 7 years back when I was at the age of 21.)

I clearly remember that day.  Swamy Chinmayanandagi came to the function
and awarded the certificate.  In the evening Swamiji was chatting with
my parents. My parents, being his devotees since 1954, asked him to advice
me to come back home. They have tried to convince Swamiji that because I am
their only son I should be with them and should not take the path of
renunciation.

Swamiji laughed and said "who knows what is going to happen"... that's
all he said and consoled my parents not to worry. I started worrying that
swamiji may ask me to leave the ashram and go back home. Fortunately,
Swamiji had asked me to join the ashram, but not as a Brahmachari, as a
vedic teacher.  My duties were to teach Veda to the kids and make them
perform sandhyavandan and agnikarya and homas etc..

Life went on like that for 3 months. I have started fighing with the inmates
of the ashram. I used to move around with a very big ego that my parents
are direct devotees to Swamy chinmayanandagi and many other causes that
used to make me feel very proud of myself :-(...

This attitude of myself landed me into big troubles. I did not understand
that I am egoistic.  Instead, I started complaining to my guru Swaminy
Saradapriyananda that ashram is not better than the world.
Here is what she said in reply:

"What do you think of this world?  What do you think of the ashram?
how can you dichotomize the ashram from the world?  The ashram is in
this world and the people living in this ashram are nothing but a part
of the world including yourself.  You need to introspect. This is a chance
that God has given you to realize.

This is the world you have created for yourself. If you were interested in
playing cricket you would have joined a cricket club and practised over there.
You are interested in philosophy and that interest of yours (she used the
term vasana) has seen you here.  Now, anyway you are here, try to use this
opportunity.  Do not blame the world.  It is the nature of the world.

The sugar is always sweet becuase of it's nature. The wind blows because of
nature. All things in this world have their own course to go.  You want
to avoid things just because they are hurting you.  You are creating problems
for yourself. Do not tell me that others are disturbing you. Think of it in
this way - that you might have disturbed others!

Where ever you are in the world, try to accept things as they are and
keep detached from the happenings.  You are a student of Advaita. Do not
fight for mean things.  It is the ego that identifies everything, keep
an eye on your ego. Try to identify the play of your ego and the others
aswell. In future you may not be in the ashram (I now also wonder how she
exactly predicted it!!) but where ever you are try to accept things as
they are but don't yield.

After this incident, rapid changes have happened in my life.  I was driven
by my own nature and forced myself out of the ashram.

Now, I am part of this busy world.  A very fast moving world - far from the
serene ashram atmosphere. But, I am not that much disturbed by events as
I used to be.  I never avoid parties.  I feel that I am a part of this world
then why don't I play the game in it's own way! Though I don't boose or eat
meat, I do not feel uncomfortable in the presence of others who do that.

I question, "do we really fall in to the false prey of things when we
discriminately play the game?"...


>Certainly, one cannot discount the jnana of Lahari
>Mahasya (in yogananda's parampara) or Nisargadatta Maharaj (of the Navnath
>sampradaya) just because they had children
>[They may not be recognized by Advaita vedanta, however].
----------------------------------------------------
Can you please explain? Is it said anywhere in advaitic text books that
these teachers are not realised just because they are married?

"yOgaratOvA bhOgaratOvA saMgaratOvA saMgaviheenaH
yasya braHmaNi ramatE cittaM naMdati naMdati naMdatyEva"

I presume this sloka further explains my question.

Earnest regards
Madhav



--
Seer or not I walk alone...
---
Madhava Kumar Turumella
P.O.Box. No : 22525
Sharjah, UAE.
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