STORY - Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya - Part I

In this discourse revered Sadgurudev Dr. Naryan Dutt Shrimaliji has discussed in detail the relation between a disciple and a Guru through the example of Guru Govindapaadaacharya and his disciple Shankaracharya. He has explained how a disciple can rise spirituality in life. What the life of a true disciple is like can be known by reading these divine words which touch the heart and encourage one to move on the path of spiritual realisation.

Shankaracharya's Guru Govindpadacharya, clearly told him that on the spiritual path one has no father, mother, caste, relatives or social links. The person is alone and he himself tries to instill totality in his life. The Guru then asked Shankar to respectfully disperse the ashes of his mother's body in the river saying that there was no more pure and sacred place for her remains to rest.

And according to the directions of his Guru, Shankar dispersed the ashes in the holy river Narmada. And thus he served the final tie that he had with the society and with family life. Having done this he decided and pledged to discover and unravel the basic truth of life that forms the very essence of human life.

One day Shankar put his wish before master. The Guru said - You wish to get the Brahm Diksha, so that you could understand the play of nature. But for that you shall have to strive hard. You shall have to accomplish tough Sadhanas. You shall have to serve the Guru devotedly and you shall have to obey him every moment. For getting the Diksha it is very important to first have performed control over one's body and mind.

Shankar listened carefully to the words of his Guru and decided that he would go through the toughest tests if necessary and accomplish the most tough Sadhanas so that he could become eligible for the Diksha. Then he chose a natural cave which was on the bank of river Narmada at a place where river flows Northwards and in it he sat down to accomplish Sadhanas. The cave is not man made rather it is natural and it is still there. It is sacred Sadhana seat that overflows with divinity. Just being in it fills one with purity. Entering it one is filled with pure, spiritual thoughts. Once there one starts to enter into deep meditation on one's own. Just being there makes one feel that that the outer world is useless, that all relations with the society are false and that father, mother, brother, sister are all physical relations. One realises that true essence of life lies in viewing this world through eyes of the soul.

When even an ordinary human starts to get such thoughts on entering this cave even today then one can very well imagine how divine and spiritual this place is. It is the same place where young Shankar accomplished amazing Sadhanas and tried to attain to totality in his life.

Shankar's Guru made him realise the Adwait form of the Supreme instead of the Dwait form. According to this thought Brahm (Supreme) and Maya (worldly delusion) are but one. Brahm is the basis of all life and the entire universe. All that exists in the universe shall one day merge in the Brahm or the Supreme. It was due to this teaching of Adwait and its total realisation that Shankar was finally able to declare with cofidence - Aham Brahmaasmi!

i.e. I am the Brahm! It is from Brahm that Maya or the entire universe has originated. And finally everything shall merge into it. It is with this view that the essence of all ancient texts can be grasped and assimilated.

Guru Govindapadacharya subjected Shankar to severe tests. Shankar used to rise in the morning before the Guru rose and serve him with full devotion. He always tried to spend the maximum time in his company and assimilate the essence of the divine words of thee Guru. It was from this very point in his life that he began to realise that Brahm or the Supreme is the Truth. This is the very fact that has been elucidated time and again by the ancient scriptures.

For the whole year the Guru subjected him to the severest of tests and when he finally realised that Shankar has cleared all his tests without failure he granted the Tripur Sundari and Shree Chakra Sadhana to him. Lord Saamb Sadashiv was the family diety of Shankaracharya. That is why he obtained the knowledge of the formless Supreme Element from his Guru and successfully accomplished the Shree Chakra Sadhana.

In the text Soundarya Lahiri, Shankaracharya has cleared stated -

Bhavatah Trayi Varnaa Yaa, Yati Karit Leelaanjan Tayaa,
Vibhaati Tvan Netra, Trityamid Mishaan Dayite,
Punaah Pashatm Devaam, Dwahinn Hari Roodram Paratam,
Raj Satvam Viddhah, Tam Yati Gunnaanaam Trayameevah.

Not just this, while explaining Shree Chakra he has said -

Gate Karnnaabhya Harannam, Guruteiv Pakshamaan Dadhaati
Paraambe Tash Chittah, Prasmad Sa Vitra Vann Phale
Ime Netre Goutraa, Dharapati Kulottam Sakali Te
Tavaa Karannaa Kashtah, Smar Sar Vilaasaa Kalyatah

Through these verses he has eluciadated about the divine form of the Goddes Lalita Tripur Sundari and he has explained how through Mantra chanting one can form a permanent link with the concerned deity. He has clearly revelaed the Mantra of Goddess Lalita Tripuraamba and the he has explained that it is only through Shree Chakra Sadhana that one can imbibe the essence of Vedic Mantras and the Tantra based Mantras which can bestow divine powers.

STORY - Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya - Part II

On reading Soundarya Lahiri one feels that Shankaracharya has merely described beauty of Mother Goddess Parvati. But this is a mistake which many scholars have made. Soundarya Lahiri is not merely the description of the divine beauty of the Goddess, rather it hides in its words the essence of the world of Tantra. Shankaracharya has said that without Tantra life cannot be fully understood and neither can one understand the Shree Yantra and the Shree Chakra Sadhana. One can comprehend the Sadhanas of the world of Yog only by first knowing about various channels of divine energy in the human body namely Ida, Pingala and Sushumna and the six divine centers of energy. When all knowledge related to the human body is gained the body itself becomes a Shree Yantra and then with the help of Mantras one can make the Kundalini Power rise to the Brahm Randhra or Sahastrar. All divine energies are present in the human body in a recurrent form. All one needs is the activation of the Same so that one could become god like.

To understand the gods and the divine powers one need not explore outside. Those who seek only outside are not able to realise the Shree Chakra that is the part of human body. An atom and the universe are basically the same. If one follows the path of Yog one can activate the Kundalini, the mind, the soul, divine resonance within and thus one could gain the knowledge that one can understand this world and gain divine powers. Then one can accomplish even the most impossible looking tasks and lead an extraordinary and unique life.

If one carefully observed one would find that the Kundalini situated in the Mooladhar is the basic energy and it is the Mahamaya which leads one into the world. And when this very energy is purified it helps one gain amazing powers. It is the basic energy through which one could comprehend all Mantras and gain wonderful powers.

Shankaracharya explained that the basis of Yog and Sadhanas is the human body. He also explained that it through the medium of the human body that one can attain to great success in the field of Mantra Sadhanas. Yog and one could gain wonderful powers like Parkaya Pravesh (leaving one's body and entering some other body), Vayugaman (flying in the air), reducing the size of one's body and gaining entrance into Siddhashram. The different Mantras only tend to activate the various centres of the human body by activating the Kundalini that rests in the Mooladhar.

He revealed all this in two verses of the Soundarya Lahiri which are as follows-

Vishaal Kalyaanni Sfutruchirayoddhayaa Kuvalaye
Kripaa Dhaaraa Dhaaraa Kimapi Madhuraa Bhog Vatika
Avanti Drishtite Bahunagar Vistaar Vijaya,
Druvam Tat Tan Naamah Vyavharann Yogyaa Vijayate

And further he explained how one can master different powers like Uchchatan (making one feel indifferent towards someone or something), Aakarshan (captivating someone), Dravikaran (making one feel kind towards someone), Sammohan (hypnotising someone), Vashikarann (controlling others), Tarann and Vidraavann.

Kavin Naam Sandharvhah Satvakamarah Kandeih Karishkam,< Kataakshah Vyaakshepah Bhramarkal Bhoukarnaa Yugalam
Amuchanto Drashtvaa Drashtavaa Tav Navar Saa Swaad Yugalam,
Vashudhaa Sansargaa Dalikanayan Kim Chidurannam

These two verses also explain that the human body is in itself divine and it is real the Shree Chakra. It is by gaining perfect control over this body, by concentrating on the Shree Chakra within, by fusing oneself completely in the form of the Goddess Tripur Sundari that all knowledge, all divinity and all powers of the world can be gained.

But in order to do so one needs the grace and blessings of the Guru. Lord Krishnna had elucidated this very fact in Gita thousand years ago.

Tad Vidhei Praanniyaten Pariprashne Na Sevaya
Upadesh Shanti Deya Gyaanaam Gyaaninnah Tatra Darshinah

i.e Without a Guru one cannot understand life. And till one does not understand life one cannot understand Shree Chakra and Lalitamba Sadhanas. And till one does not understand these two Sadhanas one cannot gain powers like projection of the soul, activation of the Kundalini and reducing one's physicial form to a size smaller than the thumb.

The description of the energy centres or Chakras and the Kundalini that has been given by Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya in the text Soundarya Lahiri is simply unique. This text is not meant to be just read or recited. It is in fact a text based on Tantra and each of its verses tells in detail about the science of Tantra. By diving deep into this text one can make quick progress in the field of Yog, Sadhanas and Tantra.

In this text Shankaracharya says that god is none else than Lord Shiva. The Guru is also Lord Shiva. He says that through the medium if the Guru one can attain to totality in life. At young age of 32, in 820AD, Shankaracharya, having completed this wonderful text left his mortal frame. But he left behind this most revered text that will be remembered for ages to come. To this day the text Soundarya Lahiri is considered a unique work of Tantra by all Yogis and scholars.

When one reads the text for the first time one feels that someone has just made a vivid description of gross beauty. But if one looks deeper one finds in its verses amazing facts related to Tantra. Many great scholars have gleaned from its verses invaluable facts related to Tantra. From it other scholars have realised the principle of Adwait i.e. Brahm and Maya are but one. In the human body there is the Supreme Element as well as Maya or wordly delusion. These two cannot be distinguished.

Some scholars believe its each verse to be imbibed with the power of Tantra. According to them the knowledge contained in these verses is the very essence of Tantra. The most wonderful fact revealed in this text is that the human body itself is a Yantra and by meditating upon it one can attain totality and success in life.

Some other scholars have even found invaluable facts related to Yog in this text. Some even state that verses of text contain facts related to Yantras. If Yantras are prepared as stated in the verses and one worships such Yantras according to the proper procedure then by activation of the Kundalini one could attain oneness with the whole universe and attain to true joy in life. This is the way to the divine land of Siddhashram. These views presented by the scholars are also very authentic.

STORY - Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya - Part III

The basic aim of life is to free oneself of the clutches of Maya or wordly delusion which makes one a prey to passions. A person should realise that there is no mother, father, brother, friend in this life. One is all alone. One is born alone and shall merge in the Supreme alone.

Of course one might be born to some mother. One might even be born as a spirit, ghost, Gandharva, Raakshas or Pishaach. But invariably the same thoughts rise in the mind of individual - will I be able to maintain a separate identity in this universe, will I ever be able to make way into the divine land of Siddhashram?

The scholars do try to find answers to these queries. They don try to explain what life is. But they are not able to explain to the full.

Hidden in the words of Soundarya Lahiri is a very high knowledge and a whole text can be written on each verse of the text. And even after having written so many commentaries on this text the scholars are not able to explain all facts of life totally.

There is very deep knowledge in these verses and the scholars find themselves incapable of fully describing it. They cannot find words to express the essence of this knowledge.

By writing this text Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya did not create just a few verses rather he explained that there is no phenomenon like Dwait or dualism in this world. He said that Brahm and Maya are the same. One cannot contemplate of Brahm as being different from Maya.

Brahm is cloaked in the veil of Maya and in order to remove this veil one needs to meditate by the process of Veikhari. The first step in this process is giving a permanent place to the holy image of the Goddess Mother Parvati in one's heart and soul. And through this process one can reach the final stage of enlightenment.

It is necessary to explain each verse of Soundarya Lahiri in detail for without it the common man cannot delve into it secrets, he cannot realise the great science of Tantra hidden in it, he cannot pierce the veil of Maya and have a glimpse of the Supreme. Even greatest of Ayurved experts cannot glean from these verses invaluable knowledge about various miraculous herbs. The best masters of Yog cannot find the complete explanation of the world of Yog that lies hidden in its verses through which one can make the Kundalini rise from the Mooladhar to the Sahastrar. Can the most distinguished scholars realise the significance of this world, the Supreme, the human body and Siddhashram by reading this text?

This is perhaps not possible! This is why I have tried to explain here the deep knowledge that lies hidden in the verses written by Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya. This explanation does not focus on just the gross meaning rather it goes deep and tries to find the subtle thoughts that Shankar wished to convey. It is when a human leaves the gross behind and delves into the subtle that he is not a mere mass of flesh and bones, he is not merely machine activated by the nerves rather within him is the Infinite - the same Infinite whose glimpse Arjun had in the divine form of Lord Krishnna.

This infinite is present in each human being. All one needs is a Guru who could make one realise it. An ordinary ordinary Guru would not do. He must be a Guru who has understood this science, who has mastered all Sadhanas and spiritual processes and who can not just understand each verse of this text rather who can make others understand the same too.

He must be a Guru who has mastered Yog, who has deep knowledge of Ayurved, who can explain what Brahm and Maya are and who can make one pierce the veil of Maya and merge with Brahm or the Supreme.

I know that it is very difficult to find such a Guru. To master all these sciences is not possible for an individual. I also know that each of these sciences and processes is like a huge ocean of knowledge and even if one devotes one's whole life one cannot master the subject fully. For a common man it is not possible to become perfect in Tantra or realise the Supreme in a single life time.

One has to take many births to master just one subject and it would be then that one would understand what Brahm and what is Maya, or what is the true value of this world and the human body or what is the state of consciousness. It is after several lives of study that one can understand how totality can be gained in Tantra or how perfect and powerful Yantras can be designed. One can then learn how one can gain entrance into Siddhashram, the highest seat of spiritual learning.

It is a fact that all these subjects cannot be mastered in one life time. But one time or another one has to struggle with these questions. However perfect answers are gained only when a great spiritual master, a divine being, the Supreme incarnates upon the earth in order to explain the true essence of the verses written by Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya.

STORY - Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya - Part IV

Many scholars have accepted that these verses are not merely an elucidation of the science of Tantra or Yantra, rather they also contain amazing facts related to the science of Ayurved. This is because Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya was not merely a master of Tantra, he had not just realised the Supreme rather he was also a great master of the Ayurved System of medicine.

From whichever place he passed plants, herbs and trees themselves would become eager to reveal to him their virtues and medicinal properties. The verses also explain how through the use of these herbs one could keep the human body healthy and fit forever so that it could become a permanent abode of the divine.

But most of the scholars have failed to realise that each word of each verse of the Soundarya Lahiri is as powerful, effective Mantra is obtained that is based on Tantra. Through this Mantra a person can free himself of the clutches of Maya and become completely fused in the Divine.

Nothing of course is impossible, although it might seem difficult. To climb the Gouri Shankar mountain is not impossible although it is sure a strenuous exercise. To fly in the sky or excavate the greatest depths of the earth is not impossible although it might well seem tough. To dive deep into the Manasarovar lake is not impossible although it might be a difficult task. And till a person does not realise the Guru he cannot understand the true worth of Himalayas or piousness of the lake Manasarovar. Without the Guru it is not possible to give a permanent place to the Divine in one's heart and soul or give rise to true knowledge from within. This is why it is said that the process of searching for a true Guru and finding the Guru is a very difficult task. But one who undertakes the mission and finds a real Guru is able to completely transform his life and become really unique and great in life.

The text Soundarya Lahiri has two parts - the first part is famous as Anand Lahiri and second is famous as Soundarya Lahiri. In the first part Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya has explained about Brahm and Maya and he has explained that Adwait is the basis of life. A human should consider his form as Maya and try to fuse it with Brahm or Supreme which is also within, in order to reach Siddhashram.

The final destination of every human is Siddhashram. But to reach it, live there and return to this world is not an easy task. It is like trying to measure the amount of water in the ocean or swim across all the oceans. But a few Yogis are able to do this. Due to the good Karmas of the past lives they are highly enlightened. They might look ordinary but in fact they are very divine and they sure can make quick progress on the spiritual path.

On the spiritual path there is no age bar. The concept of age is man made. The real age is one's spiritual age and not all an understand what spiritual age means the progress one has made in spiritualism in different lives.

Till one does not understand and realise what one's spiritual age is one cannot attain to totality in life, one cannot know what true beauty means. One who does not have this realisation in life leads an ordinary existence and dies an ordinary man without having achieved anything great.

The first part of the text, Anand Lahiri, has forty verses and in these verses Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya has described the great powers that lie hidden in a human being especially the Shree Chakra that is there within. He has also described the Shree Vidya through which all the six divine centres of the human body can be activated. It describes how through the Para, Pashyanti, Madhyama and Veikhari modes of Mantra chanting one can cause the Kundalini power to rise up and activate the Sahastrar.

Till the Kundalini power is not activated a human is forced to lead an ordinary life. Till the Kundalini is not fully activated one cannot understand the principle of Adwait explained by Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya. The principle of Adwait states that Brahm and a living organism are the same. Adwait is an attempt to understand Brahm and Maya. In these verses he tried to explain the creation, preservation and the progress of the universe. And through these very verses he explained how the human body could be made perfect and immortal.

It just seem that the Supreme Consciousness is just running a grossly material world. Even man seems to be making a lot of progress. But in life he has to face lots of struggles, opposition, pain discomforts, joys and sorrows. A person who is himself entangled in the mesh of this world cannot help others get free of it. After death the person is again born in the same state and he makes no progress in life or from one life to another. Thus he has to take birth again and again.

This is what Bhawatpad Shankaracharya tried to explain that without a Guru there can be no progress in life. He also explained how one can recognise a true Guru. He said that an ordinary human cannot be a Guru. It is the knowledge within a human, the consciousness within, the power of Shree Chakra and Shree Vidya within that is the Guru. Only a person who has his Kundalini fully activated and who knows how to activate the Kundalini of others can be called a Guru and only he is imbibed with the power of the Guru element.

In the future we might come across many scholars, one might find great erudites who can write powerful commentaries but one cannot easily find a Guru who has assimilated all the knowledge of the world within. It is next to impossible to find such a Guru who understands fully the science of Kayakalp through which one can make the body healthy and fit and even immortal. It is difficult to find a Guru who can make the body smaller than a thumb and travel to the holy land of Siddhashram. It is very difficult to find a Guru who has been to Siddhashram which is the abode of thousands of years old Yogis, Rishis and Sanyasis. It is a divine land where Lord Krishnna and the highly revered Bhagwatpad Swami Sachidanand can be seen. Divine fragrance emanates from their forms. In this beautiful land is a divine lake called Siddhyoga. This place is free from the cycle of life and death. The sun never rises or sets here. Rather a divine radiance ever fills the atmosphere. The soil of this land is fragrant too. Various divine energies remain present in this land in invisible forms. And their presence can always be felt.

STORY - Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya - Part V

Only that person can enter into Siddhashram who has all the divine centres of his body activated. Outwardly the person might look like just another human being but he would be overflowing with divinity. Such a person has the capability of taking his disciples to this holy land and activating their energy centres when he so wishes.

Can one really find such a great Guru? Can one win the favour and grace of such an accomplished master? Can one rise high in life with the help of such an Divine Being? Can one fuse completely in the divine form of such a Guru? Can a disciple attain to divine powers through selfless service to such a master?

Shanker was never doubtful that one can surely do this. But for that it is necessary that the Guru must be a divine incarnate, who has appeared on this earth in order to lead people of this world to totality in life. Such a person appears to be an ordinary human to most, to the family man he appears to be a happy family man, to those in power he appears to wield a lot of power and to Yogis and Sanyasis he appears to be a great Yogi and Sadhak.

He shall live like an ordinary family fan. He shall have a wife, son, daughters, friends, wealth, fame respect and high position in life. Yet he shall not be affected by any of these. Just as a lotus flower rises from mud and remains completely untouched by the mud around similarly such a great Yogi lives in family but is not at all affected by the materialistic life. A lotus remains in water but not a drop wets it. Only such a pure flower is worthy enough to be offered to the deities.

The Guru appears to be very ordinary from outside. Can an ordinary human being pierce his outer form and realise his true divine form? Can an ordinary human be curious enough to delve into the ancient sciences which the Guru possesses and master them? Can an ordinary disciple free himself of passions and devote himself totally to the Guru in order to attain to success in Sadhanas? Can such a disciple fuse fully in the divine form of the Guru?

Even the gods, Gandharvas, Kinnars cannot be so devoted. This is why it is said that it is very difficult to offer selfless service to the Guru. The Guru is supremely divine and he is well above all gods and goddesses. It is not possible for an ordinary human being to fathom the depth of the knowledge of the Guru. But it is necessary that he know about the greatness of the Guru otherwise he will not be able to benefit from him.

If one fails to recognise a true Guru one shall lose a chance of getting rid of a life full of tensions, worries and problems. It is hence necessary to be unbiased and try to recognise a true master.

Of course for the Guru it does not matter whether he is recognised or not. He is a divine being who has incarnated upon the earth with a special purpose. Having accomplished the task for which he has appeared he would leave for some other place of existence.

And once he has gone then the ordinary human beings shall be left with no choice but to repent. Too late they would realise what they have missed and then they shall feel sorry and curse themselves for not availing the golden opportunity.

And then they shall have to wait for an other 2500 years before another such great Guru is born. Even then they might fail to recognise the new master and gain something worthwhile from him.

It is at this juncture that Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya feels very anxious when expressing his feelings in the verses. It is here that he seems to be perturbed at the thought that it would then be impossible for a disciple and a Guru to be one.

Still Shankaracharya expresses hope that some time or the other some true disciples shall appear on earth who shall be able to recognise a true Guru and gain precious knowledge from him. He hopes some Guru would surely be blessed with true disciples who would be able to completely fuse in the Guru element. And he says that when this happens his souls shall feel really joyous and satisfied wherever it might be.

It is with this very thought that Soundarya Lahiri was written that some day some person would be able to get to the real meaning of his words. Through the medium of these verses Bhagwatpad Shankaracharya has tried to explain about this world, about the Supreme element, Brahm, about Maya and about the divine land of Siddhashram.

Through the description of beauty of the Goddess Mother Parvati, Shankaracharya has gifted to mankind a unique and precious spiritual gem for which the entire humanity shall remain indebted to him for ages and ages to come and they shall always revere him and remember him as one of the greatest Gurus of all times!

I bless you all so that you could be true disciples like Shankaracharya and attain to totality in your lives.

Bless you from the heart!

- Revered Gurudev Dr. Narayan Dutt Shrimali.