Value: Salutations to Guru - May 2025
Second Week: Take His guidance - pariprashna
There is a distinction between doubt and questioning. A person who lacks faith in the Guru may have doubts about the Guru's guidance or teachings. In contrast, someone who faithfully follows the Guru's teachings may have questions that arise from a desire for clarity in the understanding.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna poses many questions to Lord Krishna, not due to lack of faith but because he seeks deeper insights. Lord Krishna cautions, "संशयात्मा विनश्यति," which translates to "a person filled with doubt perishes." The term "prashna" refers to inquiry and the pursuit of clarity.
Take up to study Gurudev's original writings
The wisdom of a true teacher is reflected in their creative approaches to teaching. Pujya Gurudev's original writings are both practical and easy to understand. Reflecting on these can help align our minds with His. I can share a personal experience to illustrate this.
During my time at Yuvakendra, we held youth meetings every Sunday. One week, our discussion focused on the topics of proficiency and efficiency. Gurudev provided valuable guidance when he said, "Efficiency is the capacity to bring proficiency into action." Although this statement seems straightforward, we debated whether efficiency actually requires proficiency. Opinions were divided; some agreed while others disagreed.
The following week, one of the youth members came to the meeting with a bright smile, sharing that he got the job he applied for. He mentioned that during the job interview, he was asked to discuss efficiency. He credited our discussion from the study class as a significant help in articulating his thoughts clearly on the subject.
I have no doubt in my mind that when we make it a daily habit to read His writings, our minds can easily enter into the mood of contemplation, leading to clarity in thinking.
Reflect on the teachings
In Sanskrit, the term for reflection is 'Mananam,' which also means 'churning the thoughts.' This process is akin to churning milk to extract the hidden butter. Once the butter is obtained, the remaining curd holds little value. Similarly, in the study of scriptures, the true essence is what one seeks to uncover.
According to Adi Shankaracharya's "Atma Bodha" (25), the phrase 'I know' arises from a lack of discrimination between the Existence-Knowledge aspect of the Atman (Self) and the thoughts produced by the intellect. Just as the reflection of sunlight appears bright when the water is calm, we can perceive the pure reflection of the Atman only when our thoughts are quiet.
To gain a deeper understanding of these teachings, reflect on the rationale behind your Guru's advice. By recognizing this, you can work on reducing conflicting thoughts. Engaging in excessive study or debate is futile if it does not lead to inner stillness.
