[Advaita-l] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra - Guru alone removes Avidya

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted
on the Chaturamnaya list : http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
 
http://vijayayatra.sringeri.net/vijayayatra/hassan-march-9-2017/
 
HASSAN: MARCH 9, 2017
Jagadgurus At Hassan
 
The Jagadgurus travelled to Hassan and arrived at the Sringeri Shankara Math to a devout welcome
by the assembled devotees. Their Holinesses had Darshan at the shrines of Goddess Sharadamba,
Sri Balamuri-Ganapati, Sri Chandramoulishwara and Sri Adi Shankaracharya in the Math.
 
Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam inaugurated “Paramahamsaangana” – a hall to conduct
Dharmic functions – and a Goshala.
 
Thereafter, a public function organised to welcome the Jagadgurus began with Veda Ghosha and a
prayer song “Sri Sharadamam Bhaje” (composed by Sri Mahasannidhanam). In his address, Sri Srikantaiah,
the Dharmadhikari of the Math welcomed the Jagadgurus.
 
Members of the Nagara Sabha of Hassan then read out separate citations in honour of Sri Mahasannidhanam
and Sri Sannidhanam, and submitted them.
 
SUMMARY OF ANUGRAHA BHASHANAMS
 
In His Anugraha Bhashanam, Sri Mahasannidhanam remembered the services of Guru-Bhakta-Tilaka Rao
Bahadur Nanjundaiah who was instrumental in the setting up of the branch Math at Hassan.
Sri Mahasannidhanam stated that it is the Anugraha of His Guru, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji
(who had in 1962 inaugurated the Math) that the Math had seen such development. Devotees experience
the Grace of Goddess Sharadamba, Lord Mahaganapati and Adi Shankaracharya, and turn up in large numbers
and participate in the many activities of the Math. Sri Mahasannidhanam specially blessed the members
of the Nagara Sabha.
 
Orient Your Intellect Towards Performing Noble Deeds
 
Sri Sannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam said that man’s superiority amidst all species is due to his
faculty of reasoning and power of intellect. It is this ability that helps man to overpower or tame all
other species including those that may be more physically powerful or gifted in other ways (such as being
able to fly). However, this intellectual faculty of man has to be essentially used for securing one’s
welfare and must be channeled along the path of welfare. We must use it to orient ourselves towards the
performance of noble deeds. These noble deeds are enjoined in our Shastras. Hence we must know what the
Shastras recommend. We must have knowledge of Dharma and deeds that bring about our good, as well as of
Adharma and deeds that bring about suffering. Being able to distinguish between the two is to have
“Viveka” that will help us strive along the path of Dharma and abstain from the path of Adharma.
 
Sri Sannidhanam then quoted a verse from Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsha. Maharaja Raghu (who had just then
succeeded his father, Maharaja Dileepa) was informed of all aspects of kingly wisdom, both good and bad
by those well versed in Neeti Shastra. Maharaja Raghu’s nature was to always stick to whatever was good
and beneficial, and never resort to wrong or undesirable characteristics –
 
नयविद्भिर्नवे राज्ञि सदसच्चोपदर्शितम् ।
पूर्व एवाभवत्पक्षस्तस्मिन्नाभवदुत्तरः ॥
 
Sri Sannidhanam pointed out that even in worldly affairs, rules exist only for man. No animal will be
taken to task for violating a traffic rule. Likewise, the spiritual ordainments too are only for man.
Just as laws laid down by a just king when followed by his citizens ensure their well-being, we will
do well to follow the laws laid down by God, the Supreme Ruler and be benefitted.
 
Sri Adi Shankara & Importance of a Guru
 
Speaking about the advent of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada 1200 years ago, Sri Sannidhanam said that
when there was a complete negligence of Dharma, and people had become deluded by non-Vedic schools
of thought, Lord Parameshwara incarnated as Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada and showed the path of welfare.
 
It is the Guru who can remove our misapprehensions and point us to the truth. Even in ordinary life,
when a person walking along a path sees a rope and mistakes it for a snake, he would stand paralysed.
He would however be immediately relieved of his fear if another person who knows the fact conveys
to him that what is seen is merely a rope. Likewise, the Guru’s Upadesha is potent enough to relieve
us of misapprehensions, such as identifying the Self with the body. A person may claim to know who
he is – that he knows his name, age, height, weight, etc. However all these are attributes of the
physical body and not of one’s true identity. The cause of this wrong identification of the non-Self
such as the body with the Self is termed Avidya (nescience). This results in bondage. The removal of
Avidya is Moksha or liberation –
 
अनात्मन्यात्मदेहादावात्मबुद्धिश्च देहिनाम् ।
साऽविद्या तत्कृतो बन्धः तन्नाशः मोक्ष उच्यते ॥
 
Sri Sannidhanam clarified that Moksha itself is not to be attained, for the Self is in truth Svayam-Prakasha –
self-luminous. This Avidya that is the impediment to Self-knowledge can be removed only by surrender to a Guru
and being instructed by the Guru.
 
Ekashloki Explained
 
Sri Sannidhanam stressed that it is important to try and understand this fact about one’s own Self.
However, since not all are at the same level of spiritual eligibility, Sri Adi Shankaracharya,
besides penning the Prasthana Traya Bhashyas, also wrote a number of Prakarana Granthas (short treatises
carrying a Vedantic theme), and Stotras (hymns). In the smallest Prakarana Grantha, Ekashloki,
Sri Bhagavatpada explains by simple logic how the Self is the light that illumines everything –
 
किं ज्योतिस्तव भानुमानहनि मे रात्रौ प्रदीपादिकं
स्यादेवं रविदीपदर्शनविधौ किं ज्योतिराख्याहि मे ।
चक्षुस्तस्य निमीलनादिसमये किं धीर्धियो दर्शने
किं तत्राहमतो भवान्परमकं ज्योतिस्तदस्मि प्रभो ।।
 
Sri Sannidhanam then explained the Ekashloki as the conversation between the Guru and his disciple –
 
Guru – किं ज्योतिः तव (What is the source of light by which you see?)
Disciple – भानुमान् अहनि मे, रात्रौ प्रदीपादिकं (It is the Sun by day, and lamp etc. by night.)
Guru – स्याद् एवं रविदीपदर्शनविधौ किं ज्योतिः (इति) आख्याहि मे (If this is so, tell me by which light do you see the sun, lamp etc.?)
Disciple – चक्षुः (The eye.)
Guru – तस्य निमीलनादिसमये किं (What is the light when the eyes are closed?)
Disciple – धीः (Intellect.)
Guru – धियो दर्शने किं (What is the light through which the intellect is perceived?)
Disciple – तत्राहम् (In this case, “I” am the light.)
Guru – अतो भवान् परमकं ज्योतिः (Hence, you are the Supreme Light)
Disciple – तदस्मि प्रभो (O Master! I indeed am!)
 
Sri Sannidhanam stated that such is Bhagavatpada’s greatness that He has given us the Supreme Tattva
in such a simple shloka. We must all revere Him and be indebted to Him.
 
Sri Sannidhanam then said that it was the second time He was coming to Hassan with His Guru
(the first being in 2015) and ended His Anugraha Bhashanam blessing the devotees.
 
After Sri Sannidhanam ended His Anugraha Bhashanam, devotees and communities offered Phala Samarpanam.
 
Later in the evening, Sri Mahasannidhanam performed the Sharada Chandramoulishwara Pooja.
 
The following day morning, Sri Mahasannidhanam gave Darshan at around 8:15 am to devotees and proceeded
towards Mandya. Sri Sannidhanam graced the devotees with Darshan from 9am onwards and blessed the devotees
with Aashir Mantrakshatas. At around 10 am, Sri Sannidhanam started from Hassan towards Mandya.