Last Wednesday, we celebrated Guru Purnima when the disciples, paid obeisance to their revered Guru. n Indic system, many specific dates are assigned in annular calendar to get periodically reminded about fundamental truths of life, as human memory is usually short. Guru Purnima is one such solemn occasion on Ashadha Purnima when the Sun transits Gemini sign owned by intelligence signifying Mercury and Moon moves through Sagittarius sign owned by wisdom indicating Jupiter, also marked with the Guru. So, this particular date is purposely assigned as such. It will be interesting to note here that the word “Guru” comprises of two syllables: ‘Gu’, which means ignorance and ‘Ru’ implies light. So, the one who enlightens his/her disciples and make them aware of the living truths of life, qualifies to be a Guru.
Ancient India’s learned masters had realised that human beings are inherently born ignorant, bound by 6 constitutional limitations, which further gets compounded by self-acquired fault lines, coming as they may as Karmic carryover from the past birth. They also understood very well that though human beings are equipped with the faculty of discrimination, which empowers them to self-reflect, identify, acknowledge and make necessary corrections through fresh educative inputs. The irony, however, is that ahamkara, which is a necessary constituent of mind, ordinarily identifies itself with inborn individualistic human tendencies as well as tempting influences of the seeming world, and tale take them as its end game. Ordinarily, ahamkara doesn’t let you objectively discriminate upon, identify and acknowledge one’s infirmities, as if that would be the person’s guiding spirit. Hence the necessity of an enlightened Guru. He first let you temper down the ahamkara element. He then helps you get over limitations of mind and emotions, through awareness route, so as to come out with one’s best.
To name the constitutional limitations: 1. Limited creativity 2. Limited knowledge 3: Born with a sense of want, thus, breeding in sense of desire, craving, possessiveness, and other related shortcomings. 4. Limitation of time, whereby we measure things in terms of past present and future. In our day-to-day conduct, we are often guided by impressions carried over from the past or fancy the future cravings. In the process, we fail to objectively figure out the callings of the present in the right perspective due. Consequently, we are not able to put in our best in the present, which, in fact sets the terms of future, and with obvious consequences. 5. Limitation of space, which plays a part in restricting the sense of vision, for want of limited exposure. 6. The law of causation that binds us to a cause-effect chain, which sets the premise of the theory of Karma that runs in succession. It carries the potential to even get carried over to the next life. It implies: ‘as you sow, so you reap’. The content and intent of your actions defines what we become due for in future.
As a further consequence of the law of causation, going through the good and bad experiences one would have had, and the lessons learnt in the past, we are born carrying seed-potential of certain inherent limitations and virtues, which, given a congenial exposure, come into play. As different people go through varied sets of experiences, every one is born unique, having a preconditioned mind marked with individual specific desire and mind trends, more often in conflict with others. The world, thus, becomes a natural breeding ground for conflict of thoughts, perceptions and interests. Hence, the need of a Guru, who may help overcome all individualistic as well as collective limitations and ensure smooth run of life cycle in peace and harmony. The lesson doesn’t end here.
Having thus individually prepared the disciple, Guru makes you aware of the existential realities of life, such as the Vedantic concept of the ‘Creator’ being a ‘Singular’ versatile reality that has manifested into an enormous world with all its disparities and varieties, all weaved together as a unified organism by the eternal element of consciousness rooted to the source. In this scheme of things, no individual existence has a reality independent of the whole, all set into an interdependent mechanism, complementing and supplementing each other’s efforts, to together carry forward the cycle of life. We all share common resources provided by nature such as space, air, sun light, and water, which know no geographical divide. With such a sense of unity consciousness dwelling in mind, one would remain conscious about one’s collective obligations even while pursuing aspirational urges. Life may then turn into a beautiful experience.
The writer is an astrologer, vastu consultant
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