Thursday, November 11, 2021

A lecture by Sri Mahabhagavath , Sri Shankaracharya of Nasik on Sri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj. Gondavalekar

 

The Lessons from the Lives and Teaching of Great Men

(Excerpts from a lecture by Pandit Mahabhagavat of Kurthakoti, Shri  Shankaracharya ,Nasik  delivered in Shankara Mutt, Bengaluru.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I became restless as the idea of realisation took hold of my mind and no one could offer any solution. In such a state of mind  I had the fortune of having approached a blessed soul (Sri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj of Gondavale), whose sight was a great delight to me and attracted unknowingly my heart and faith. Being encouraged by his kind look, I begged to be excused for the enquiry as to whether he had attained perfect happiness and could secure Peace of mind for me , if I yielded up myself to his feet . The reply smilingly given by him,  “Hear” said he , “I cannot tell you whether I am myself joyful or miserable. Look at the hundreds of people coming to me and complaining of something that ails them. I am naturally sorry to hear their grievances and wish that I were myself subjected to all their sufferings rather than seeing them in such a state, but at the same time I am so ignorant as to be unconscious of any sorrow that afflicts me. If you think you will be benefitted by the company of such a man, I have no objection.

I was greatly impressed by this sort of indirect assurance. His self-confidence with humility was something quite novel to me. It was then I remembered how the simple words of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa should have produced such effect on the mind of Swami Vivekananda combined with all his modern learning and culture. The inspired nature of teaching rather than the learning displayed by the intelligent discourses produces the desired effect on the minds of the taught. A word from great men is really enough to brush aside a good deal of scepticism.

It is no wonder, then, that I should be so impressed as to apply myself to the service of his revered feet with all pleasure. It is a plain truth that after serving him for a little time, my whole nature became changed. My health improved a great deal and I experienced a better frame of mind. Just as some disease spreads from person to person, so also a blissful surrounding and a strong spiritual mind can transmit good qualities when we are susceptible of receiving them. Though I had the good fortune of enjoying the blessed company for some years, I was never able to get much information about the personal career of the Guru as he himself scarcely, if ever, alluded to it. All that I could gather from his old uncle, who was alive when I paid my first visit to his native place Gondavala, a village in the Satara District, was that after going away from home when yet a boy, the same was seen returning as a young Sadhu. Almost nothing was known of his career during the interval, but somehow the rumour spread that he had realised God during this period under the guidance of a reputed Mahatma in Berar(Aurangabad Distridt).  With this conviction, a number of people began to flock round him and worship his holy feet.

Miraculous accounts have gathered round all great sages either ancient or modern, and I remember how ordinary events, of which I was an eye witness, have, in the mouths of people, received embellishments of an incredibly miraculous nature. In my opinion, the greatest of miracles that can be performed is to cross Avidya or ignorance which is the cause of all misery. Though the Guru referred to here, was far from being a miracle-monger, I was convinced by experience that he had attained to direct and immediate communion with God and that was enough for me. Although he always tried to live according to the tradition of our land, he was not hostile to new views. He welcomed all opinions and reconciled them as far as possible in his own wonderful manner.

The methods of teaching adopted by such teachers have always been adopted to the needs of the people and suitable to the times in which they lived. Almost all great teachers from Shri Ramanujacharya downwards have laid special stress in Bhakthi as leading to the highest goal of life. The sage of whom I am speaking, likewise taught divine love and among the preparatory means to such devotion he accorded the very first place to the repetition of the name of God. I remember, a learned pandit once came to the sage I have already mentioned and asked him to explain why he taught all the people to repeat the name of Shri Rama, though among them were many, who had ever neglected the Karma, prescribed by the Shastra. The guru said, “I do not preach any doctrine. When people come to me and ask what I like best, I mention the name of the Lord”. Then again, when the shastri challenged him to argue out the question with him, he observed,  “Kindly see if you gain anything by defeating me in argument. Would it not be a more glorious conquest to control your mind which has overpowered you and is thus instigating you to an intellectual discussion? It seemed to me as if a terrible blow had been dealt to the shastri’s egotism . After a while, the Guru smilingly said,” Do you really think that the repetition of the names of the Lord cannot gradually induce everyone to take his respective Karma?”.

I never saw this great teacher arrogate to himself a high position. On the other hand, he was very active in ministering to the wants of his visitors in such a manner that they soon learnt to feel quite at home when with him. Some of them brought their friends also, never suspecting that they would be affecting his purse. His expenses thus exceeded his income, though some of the wealthy visitors, appreciating his selfless work, no doubt, sometimes assisted him. That he was thus providing his guests with food might appear to some like fostering laziness and indolence. But others may take it as the expression of unbounded love he felt for all, especially the helpless. However, it was certain that for those who were willing to take advantage of it, a very valuable lesson was available.

As an illustration of what has been said above, one incident may be noted. Once on a special feast day, it happened that a complaint was brought to him that some unscrupulous persons had stolen some of the choice dishes that were specially prepared for the day’s dinner, and the answer he gave was very characteristic of his attitude towards such matters. “What do you think, “he asked,” was that right or wrong?” “If that is right, there is clearly no room for complaint and you may also do likewise. But if you think that such a conduct is to be condemned, then you had better not behave like that. After all, the food was meant to be distributed. Would it not be a great consolation to think that these men have only lightened our labours by freely taking the food instead of waiting for it to be served by us? .A noticeable feature of his character was that he was highly solicitous not to injure anyone’s feeling and his teachings though simple in language were pregnant with inspiring thoughts and full of illustrations which were in themselves the best explanations possible on many an occasion.

He was an embodiment of the truth so often reiterated in our shastras that man can be perfect even in this very life. However, it cannot be expected that he should have been free from blemishes for, with what great man has humanity ceased to find fault? But a discerning eye ever saw the real state of things, being unaffected by the views of the censorious people.  There are many points common to the lives of all great men of the type we have been considering. One of these common features that however, stands out so prominently is their intense love of humanity and highly disinterested service to the helpless. So strong is the similarity of missions of their lives in this respect that any one life may be taken to represent all others. Though such ”Gods on Earth” have made human life wholesome, there is some sense in  the observation, “The world knows nothing of its great men,” for, as regards the secret of their lives, little or nothing real is known to the ordinary man.

From what is heard or seen of such great men, many valuable lessons can be learnt, the chief of which is that God and not the world should be our aim, We should make ourselves instruments in the hands of God. ...

 

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