Himalayan Trip 2005 Begins
Weeks before we set out, when we were still at the Acharya (Teacher) Training camp in the ashram at Bidadi, master had been telling us what to expect during the Himalayan trip with him.
On a number of occasions he would turn to the ashramites and tell them, 'Your job is not to stay here and get fat. You should either get enlightened or get out. Don't stand in the door way to the ashram and block other people.'
He would challenge them, 'If I could get enlightened why can't you?'
On one occasion he talked to us about surrender to the guru and the three layered process of surrendering the intellect, emotions and senses. He said that the most difficult was the surrender of the senses. So we asked him to teach us how. He told us that he would tell us and teach us during the Himalayan trip.
To at least some of us this was the underlying theme of the trip: how we could learn to surrender, surrender completely, and surrender our senses to the master.
In his own mysterious way, the master decided to make the master-disciple relationship the theme of the trip.
Against the backdrop of the majestic Himalayan hills, where the Hindus believe the master guru of them all, Shiva, resides, our own guru, no less a Shiva himself, chose to reveal the secrets of how a disciple, 'the disciple', should relate with his guru, 'the master'. The substance of that dialogue forms the truth of this book, Nithyopanishad. This substance is along the same lines as dialogues between masters and disciples from time immemorial, immortalized in the Upanishads which are sources of Hindu spiritual knowledge.
Master explained a few things before we started our journey. He said:
'Let us see how we can maximize the value of this trip. The Himalayas are the only energy centers on this Earth. Here birds don't cry and flowers do not smell. Feel the divine vibrations in the air. This is Murti Sthala Tirtam: the living master, energy center, and the holiest of rivers have come together for you. If you get all three at the same time, you are in bliss. You have all three now. Let the Himalayas feel the presence of the and his disciples. Be intense in whatever you do.
Last year I lectured on Iso, Keno, and Kato Upanishads during the Himalayan trip. This time I am starting the 'what', 'when', 'where', 'how', and 'why' of the master-disciple relationship.
Open yourself up to the divine energy. This is a life-transforming experience. You will not come down from these hills the same person. You will be something more than what you are now.
We have brought everything from the ashram here, except the Banyan Tree! A lot of work has gone into making this trip an intense one for all of you. Remember one thing: I am your guest, not your host. Each one of you should behave like you are the host.
Real joy is in the journey, not in the destination.
From tomorrow onwards and for the next 15 days we shall each live the life of a sanyasin (one who gives up all forms of attachments and seeks only the Divine.)
At Rishikesh we do the Ganga snan (bathing in the sacred river Ganges) to purify ourselves, shradh (water ritual) to show our gratitude to our ancestors, vraja homa (fire ritual) to further purify ourselves, recite the gayatri mantra (a powerful prayer involving the female goddess Gayatri) and wear the kavi (saffron cloth) and yagnopaveetha (sacred thread worn across the chest) for protection over the next 15 days.
After the Vraja homa (fire ritual) we take 5 sanyasic vows (vows of a person who gives up all forms of attachment and seeks only the divine). These are the vows of: Ahimsa (non violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (not coveting or stealing from others), Aparigraha (doing with as little as possible) and Brahmacharya (living free of fantasies). These vows, you will follow for the next 15 days. After that of course you are free to do whatever you like!
Travel in high altitude creates pitha (acidity). All your toxins will be removed in the process. This is a good opportunity to do the Swadishthana (spleen chakra) meditation. What you cannot get rid of, just accept.
Keep your inner chatter pure. Above all open yourself to the presence of the master and allow his energy to work on you. If you have the guru's grace you need nothing else; if you don't have it, nothing else helps.
Understand, a master is like a hammer. Internally you are solid. But in the Himalayas you will be hot, almost like liquid. The master can then mold you easily. Allow him to transform you with his malleable fingers.
Deep attraction makes even a stone an idol. Even if a master is not a realized being, your deep attraction to him will lead to your enlightenment. On the other hand, even if a master is enlightened, if you are not attracted him, you will not progress.
On last year's trip to Gangotri I went into deep ecstasy. Somehow I traveled to Gomukh, the source of the river Ganga. There I was in samadhi, a very deep state of meditation.. I could not drink even milk. I said to the rishis (great masters) at Shambhala (also called
Tapovan - not only a geographic location but an etheric field): I am quite happy to stay on here. No sooner did I say this to them, they sent me back into my body!
Once enlightened, there is no one inside to move your body. You are empty. Only universal consciousness moves the body. It is a single energy that is equivalent to hundreds of rishis.
Parashakti (the female energy which moves the universe) is love, compassion and energy. She is the energy that allows access to anything, anywhere at anytime.
Once enlightened, masters have a mission, guided by Parashakti. They can be Mystics just living their experience, or masters who create and reproduce the formula to produce the same experience in others, or Incarnations who without any formula create this experience in others.
Meditation is a formula that can cleanse and energize you.
The guru is like Dakshinamurthy (Lord Shiva in the form of a young master). Dakshinmaurthy holds a damaru (small drum) in one hand which creates vibrations, agni (fire) in another hand, which destroys and recreates, has one hand up in abhaya mudra (a gesture of removing fear) showing compassion and the other hand downwards, denoting gnana, wisdom, to handle the other three. Under his foot are the emotional memories, the samskara, unfulfilled desires, being crushed so that they do not cause suffering. These memories are symbolically shown by an evil demon being crushed.
There are five types of relationships you can have the master. Intensify your relationship with the master through one of the 5 types. The most common type of relationship is dasa bhava, that of a servant to master. An example of this is that of Hanuman to Rama in the grand Hindu epic, the Ramayana. In this, Hanuman is utterly devoted to Lord Rama and enjoys the master-disciple relationship in the capacity of a servant who is ever ready to serve the master. Another is sakya bhava; of a friend to the master. This is the relationship that existed between Arjuna and Krishna in the epic Mahabharata. Lord Krishna was like a good friend to Arjuna, who was actually his disciple. The next is the vatsalya bhava, love of a mother for her child. Here, one looks at the master as a child*, as Yasodha looked at Krishna. Yashodha was the mother who brought up Krishna and soaked in his childish pranks. Then comes matru bhava, love of the child to its mother. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa saw Mother Kali as his own mother. Finally comes madhura bhava*, that of a beloved, like Radha or Meera to Lord Krishna. Here, one sees the master as his or her own beloved.
I have so far never come across anyone who has the maturity to express madhura bhava. It is best to start with dasa bhava and then allow the master to enhance your relationship as you progress. Choose a relationship and intensify that relationship. Contemplate every word that he speaks. No words of his are casual. Allow the words to work on you.
Be punctual throughout the entire trip. Do not disrespect others. You need a strong motivation to get the tamas (inactivity) out of your body in the morning; for me you are the motivation. You are my anchor to return to my body every morning! I have to bring in all your faces and think of how many of you are waiting for me to surface and then I enter into the body.
For 15 days drop all your status. Be innocent as a child. Be simple. Relate to everyone. See God in others, not just in me. Relax from the ego. Relate to nature and celebrate.
I had my first spiritual experience on this day today, the Buddha Purnima (full moon) day, when I was twelve, 15 years ago. It is an auspicious day for us to begin.'