You Are No Sinner
Authored by
THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM
śreyān-dravya-mayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa I sarvaṁ karmā'khilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate
O Parantapa (conqueror of foes), the sacrifice of wisdom is superior to the sacrifice of material wealth. After all, all activities totally end in wisdom.
The Master knows the best way in which you can grow. He creates the moulds for each of you according to your needs and abilities. Trust him, drop your solid ego and become fluid so you can fill in the spaces he creates for you.
tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā I upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ
Understand these truths by approaching a spiritual Master, by asking him your questions, by offering service. The enlightened person can initiate the wisdom unto you because he has seen the truth
A Master is one who has experienced the truth and who can simply transfer his experience of truth to you.
yajjñātvā na punar moham evaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍava I yena bhūtāny aśeṣeṇa drakṣyasy ātmanyatho mayi
O Pāṇḍava, knowing this you will never suffer from desire or illusion, you will know that all living beings are in the supreme, in Me.
When you realize the truth that you too are one with the Universe, there is nothing more to desire; nothing to be attached to.
api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ I sarvaṁ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi
Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, you will certainly cross completely the ocean of miseries through the boat of knowledge.
When you have the true knowledge, it will propel you to do actions that are a means to reach the Ultimate.
We spoke about the history of Brahma and Viṣṇu trying to reach Śiva's crown. Viṣṇu was able to accept that he failed and completed with Śiva, whereas Brahma could not. A person of knowledge becomes arrogant and refuses to acknowledge the limitations of knowledge.
Sacrificing knowledge is far more difficult than sacrificing wealth. For a scholar to admit that he does not know is to commit suicide. He is losing his identity. Kṛṣṇa advises the seeker to sacrifice one's knowledge and one's intellect at His feet, at the feet of the Master, to experience the ultimate Truth.
Beautifully He says, 'tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (4.34).' A Master is one who has experienced the truth and who can simply transfer his experience of truth to you. He communes with you. A teacher, on the other hand, is one who imparts knowledge through communication.
It is easy to do the first step, which is to follow the Master in his physical form because Masters are so attractive by nature and they do not expect anything in return. The next level is to follow the dharma, teachings of the Master. This is slightly more difficult because you have to not only listen to his teachings but you also have to do something; you have to live his teachings, practice them.
Though it is only for your own growth, your laziness (tamas) causes you to not do this. The final level is where you infuse your life with the truth that life is for others.