GURUDEV  TATHA  VIDHAATA KI  MASTAK  REKHA

 

 The Destiny lines created by The Lord and by Gurudev

                                                           

 

 From the Book LEKH aur UPDESH   Compiled  in  Hindi  By Smt Dhiruben Patel.

 

 Gopis  were the ardent devotees of Bhagwan .  However the intrinsic nature of a woman , engulfed them ( that of desire)

which was purified by the Lord by making them pure and free from any desires.

It is true that those who are engrossed in the thoughts of the Lord cannot have any desires or vaasanas  left in their heart .

By merely meditating on the Lord all impurities evaporate like camphor!

 

In the Bhaagwat (10,22,26)the Lord Himself says—”Those who have devoted their buddhi (mind)  to  my thoughts ,

the seeds of desires of any kind cannot fructify .The boiled or baked grains are devoid of a any shakti  ( strength ) to fructify ,

similarly the devotees who dwell on my thoughts do not have any desires that will sprout.”  This made the Gopis Bhakts( devotees)

and not Asakts ( attached ).    You have been told the adhibhautik    reason for the Raasleela ( from the viewpoint of the living being .)

Now I shall tell you the adhidaivik   ( from the Devtas and unforeseen forces point of view)

  and the adhyatmik ( spiritual ) meaning .

There are a few shlokas that create great doubt in the mind of devotees , so I would like to clarify those first.

 

 

Bhaagwat ( 10,29,41)

“Hey  Prabhu ! You take several forms to protect DevLok . It was you who took avataar as  Vaaman and others in the earlier ages

and have now come to Braj to relieve them of their sorrows.

You have destroyed all those who have terrorized Braj.  Bhagwan  you are called Deen Bandhu ( friend of the needy and poor) .

You are always helping them and are at their service . We beseech you to put your lotus hand on our fervent and distressed chests

( Tapt sthan) and also on our heads so that we can attain peace.”

People generally are alarmed by this statement and accuse it as a derogatory one. Bhagwan Shri Krishna is placing His hands on the Gopis chest!!

Is this an amorous action on part of the Lord? We should ask the critics who object to the above passage (where it is mentioned

that the Lord placed his hands on the Gopis’ head ) that is  it not every Devotees’ ardent desire that the Lord’s hand is forever on

their head blessing them? It is indeed a matter of great privilege.

When a Gurudev ,being a mortal human being is capable of changing the lines of destiny of his devotees then what to say about

the Purna Brahman Shri Krishna!

It is a fact that our destiny is written on our forehead (as per the scriptures). This is why Naarad Muni says –

                     Jai Gurudev Bura Bhala Ek……Jai Gurudev Lalatai Lakh

Gurudev can alter the destiny lines that are not `right’ by simply placing his hands on the devotees’ head.  We have discussed

this several times earlier that Gurudev can alter the destiny.

You must have heard that a Nawab ruled over Lahore during the end of the Mughal regime.

 During those days there lived a very pretty and pious lady.

Her husband had gone to another city and this lady therefore spent her time in devotion of the

Lord while she was alone. One day destiny had a horrific alteration in her life! Once when she was drying her

wet hair on the terrace of her house , the lecherous Nawab saw her and was bewitched by her beauty.

He decided to get her to his court .One of the maids withdishonorable motivations assured

the Nawab of getting her to his inner chamber if he would gift her with a large sum of money.

This lady regularly visited the beautiful woman and made friends with her. She became a mother

figure for this young and

beautiful woman who was unaware of her ulterior motives.

One day she approached her with a sorrowful face and exclaimed -“Since you are like a daughter

to me I cannot allow any untoward incident to happen to you. The Nawab has intentions to take you to his palace as he is enchanted by you.

I know you are like Padmini and Savitri who were known for their devotion to their husbands . It is better to live with a blemish

rather than be killed because only while we are alive can we make our life beautiful.” 

The beautiful lady asked her –”Is there any way of escaping from this?”

The cunning lady replied –”Daughter , it would be best if you went to the Nawab . I know it would be against your dharma 

  but if you are alive you can alter the destiny and do penance for it”.

 

(Swami Sarwanandji Maharaj)

 

The young lady said that she would first go and visit her Gurudev who lived in the jungle before going to the Nawab.

When Gurudev saw her, he immediately got to know that this young woman was now going to slip from her dharma of a

married woman. Gurudev generally stayed away from women but yet he asked her to come and sit near him. He put his

hand on her head and asked-“Daughter, I hope you are happy.”

All the other people were surprised to see this and said how could this great Mahatma do this !

Of course the Mahatma was not affected by this. As soon as the young lady got up to leave her mind immediately changed!

The destiny of faltering from her dharma was altered by her Gurudev’s touch!

She pondered over her low thoughts and cursed herself. How can I betray the dharma of the likes of Padmini Devi for

fear of losing my life? Padmini had plunged herself in the fire with her friends when Allaudin had killed her husband.

( Rani Padmini)

A moth is given the title of a true lover as it dies immediately for its beloved , but Maharani Padmini Devi proved herself

to be greater! Even Allaudin had praises for her.

A moth is an ardent admirer of the Deepak ( the lamp) as long as it is lit. But the Hindu ladies are to be praised who give

up their lives even after the lamp of light in their husbands is extinguished! They sacrifice their life.

The same thoughts now were in this lady’s mind. All the comforts of life are overlooked when one remembers the sacrifices of Padmini Devi.

She reached home and dressed herself up as a bride and then pierced herself with a sword, with thoughts of her husband in her mind.

She became immortal and left behind a legacy of sacrifice for Hindu women.

There is a memorial in this lady’s name in Lahore and people go there once a year to pay their homage.

The purpose of this story was to tell that a Guru can change the destiny of the devotee by merely touching the head.  Had he not done

this the beautiful woman would have committed an act not fit for a married woman and made herself fit for Narak ( hell).

The touch of Gurudev’s hand brought about a change of thoughts in her mind.

Similarly the Gopis also sought a change in their destiny by their Guru of all Gurus Shri Krishna. They aspired for a life

of devotion and wanted Shri Krishna to touch their head and change the course of their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next allegation is of the word `Tapt Stahn’ which would mean a fervent and heated chest.

Let me explain the deep meaning of this .Why don’t people try and understand the esoteric meaning?

There is no trace of passion here, in fact it is something that teaches us something!

Restlessness is a trait of the mind. The restlessness which we feel for our Ishta Devta is experienced in the heart.

The word here is STHAN (breasts) .This word actually indicates the heart .This is an indicative word.

When we say get the red dress, we mean that the dress which has red colour be brought.

Red is the adjective quality and hence it does not have a form. We cannot get or bring `red’!

Here the word `red’ is the supporting word , supported by the foundation word dress. When the word dress is not used

we can simply say –”Bring the red one.”

The word `sthan’ is used to indicate `heart’ where it is located ( the chest. The indicated word `heart’ is not used and

only the word that points to the heart ( its place) `Sthan’ ( breasts) is used.

Only the heart can be restless not the breasts, so it is correct for us to understand that this word `sthan’ indicates the heart and not breasts.

Thus the proper meaning is —“Oh Lord . Our heart is restless in your absence! Please place your hand on my chest and make it peaceful!”

 

 

Knowledge resides in the mind , the head and the heart. We can get knowledge when the hand of the Guru touches our heads and blesses us.

We can see the inner light. Gopis want the Lord to change the lines of their destiny and to make their heart pure enough for Him to reside in it.

Even if we were to think that these words were said in a malicious and amorous manner it still is perfectly alright, as when

the devotee says it he  is still not in that pure state and hence  such words may come out of him. It is only later with the holy

company of the Guru does all the impurity of the mind and heart gets erased.

 

Another shloka from the Bhaagwat (10,29,43) has also been widely criticized. This shloka says—Lord Krishna regales the

Gopis by embracing them, by pressing their hands, touching the different parts of the body and their plaited hair, thereby

raising their divine desires and love for Him.

 

 

Ordinarily, we may be flabbergasted to read this shloka as it clearly speaks about Lord Krishna engulfing the Gopis in His arms.

All the above actions stem from desires but actually all these actions indicate the path of renunciation ( Nivritti Marg.)

We have often read in our scriptures starting from the Vedas, the Puranas and from the writings and works of Surdas, Tulsidas,

Fareed and  Kabir that words which appear inappropriate are actually embedded with deeper meaning .

We have several such examples in our literature. The Rishis of yore knew that the people were in the sway of Maya and perhaps

it would be more appropriate to explain the essence of Brahman in a language that they can relate to.

If we would like to explain something to a scientist, we have to speak to him in a language that he would be able to understand.

The Rishis used the same strategy and to explain the loftier ideals of spirituality to those trapped in Maya. The Vedas and other

shastras have called the devotee the `wife’ and the Lord as the `husband’.

There is a saying- A girl lives for a shorter time in her mother’s house for she has to eventually go to the house of her in-laws (sasural).

In the same way this samsara is the `Maika’ ( the mother’s house) for the jeeva who has to eventually go to sasural

( the house of the in-laws) which is the abode of the Lord.

Kabir too describes the Jeeva and Ishwar in a beautiful way.

Gao Gao ri sakhi  Mangla Chaar,  Mera Ghar  aaye  Raja Ram Bharath

           Naabhi  Kamal mein Vedi Rachi, Brahman Gyaan Uchaar

                      RamRai se Dulha Paiye,   Oos Bad Bhaag Hamar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Kabir talks about his own wedding here and seems to invite everyone to attend the wedding.

The groom is not anyone ordinary —He is the Lord of the world in fact and the wedding procession consists of men, rishis,

munis and the thirty three crore devtas . 

A the navel  level in the Manipura Chakra the seat to perform the wedding ( vedi ) is prepared by the Guru with the chanting

of Vedic  wedding  Mantras of—Tat Twam asi, and Aham Brahamasmi, the Maha Vakyas by which the wedding of the Jeeva is performed to Brahman.

After this wedding the `chit’ is `still’ and the beauty of it is described in the following words.

Kaha Sunan ki Kunchu Nahi  , Dekha Dekhi Baat …

Dulha Dulhan Mili gaye , Pheeki Padi Baarat!

When all the ceremonies of the wedding are completed the venue of the wedding has no attraction because it looks desolate.

In the same way the Atma and the Paramatma are united and hence the Samsara seems to have no meaning or purpose.

When the time comes for the husband to travel out of town ( pardes) the new bride does not like the empty house as it is

devoid of the presence of her husband. Nights are very difficult to pass .The new bride confides her emotions in her friend

in the following way in the words of Fareed—

Aj Naa Suti  Sang , Ang Mera Murjhaye

Jao Poocho Suhaagani Tum , Kat Raen Bitaye

The straight forward meaning of this is couplet is –”Dear friend, my whole body is shriveled as I have not been able to

spend the night with my husband. What must be the plight of those widows who have been sad due to the absence of their husbands?

Those who cannot even hope for their husbands to return home one day!”

The devotee says that I am terribly upset that I have not been able to have the darshan of my Lord Today .What can be the plight

of those who have never had the darshan of the Lord? Only a true devotee can experience the separation from the Lord.

Now if these words were to be take literally as they are presented by Fareed in the couplet,would it be not unfair on our part?

Even I asked a loved and dear Mahatma –” Since when have you experienced love for the Lord?”

He replied-“Once I heard some young girls sing a song in Punjabi–

Randiya Ke Vich Veh ke Tenu kis ne Suhagan Kaha?

If a married girl sits amidst a group of widows then how can anyone call her a wedded woman ( suhagan)?The people will

think that she is also a widow like the others in the group.”

The meaning of this is –The ones who remember the Lord are considered married and those who are not are widows!

The Lord is the `husband’ of the devotees.

If we associate and mingle with widows ( meaning, those who are not holy company and are not devotees of the Lord.)

then  how can such a person be identified as a devotee ?

Since the day I heard that song I have been immersed in the thoughts of the Lord . I remain in isolation and love the seclusion.”

We can find several such examples which may sound scandalous but have a deeper and a more spiritual meaning .

We have to just look into the Geeta for such examples.

“Mame Yonirmahadbrahma Tasmin Garbahm Dadhamayam

Sambhavah Sarvabhootanam Tato Bhavati Bharata”

(Bhagwat Geeta Ch 14 Verse 3).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Arjun – Mahat Brahman   is my Primordial nature.( Mahat is the first product of evolution having the three  gunas

(qualities) ofSattva, Rajas and Tamas) Prakriti   is my womb ( wife).

 

It is the place where the seed of life is planted, from which creation of all beings follow.

The purpose of this verse is to say that by the union of Prakriti  and Purusha   the Jagat ( the world ) is created .

What then was the need to or purpose to call Prakriti the womb and the mention of fertilizing the womb?

Are these words also not indecent?    Actually they are not!

These words are not meant to be indecent because this is only a way to describe what needs to be explained to the people

who understand such a language as they are engrossed in Vaasanas of the kind expressed in the above verse. 

 

This will help in understanding the tattva  or the hidden meaning.

Now it is established that the topics discussed in the Bhaagwat regarding the Lord embracing the Gopis actually

indicate  emotions of Nivritti (renunciation).

The great writers of Sanskrit literature like Vyasa and other Maha Rishis and the writers of hindi literature like

Surdas, Tulsidas and Kabir who are well known for their Bhakti Literature have often used the analogy of wife and

husband to describe the relationship between Paramatma and Jeeva. 

He is the ultimate other half and Jeeva is the wife of the Lord. This is called Madhur Bhav.

This Madhur Bhav  was in the Gopis and to explain this emotion it is mandatory to contemplate and understand the

 Shant Bhav and the fivefold emotions which we will discuss later.