Aham (I) is
the fulcrum around which our entire knowledge is based. Right from our birth we are brought up in such
a culture that raising and directing our right index finger towards our chest we
are taught to identify ‘I’. So, our physical stature is taken for granted as
true ‘I’. And most part of our journey
in this material world we crave for all earthly pleasures and in the process
suffer pains with this 'I the body ' consciousness.
What is real
happiness is never found on these superficial moorings -anchoring at notional
places of paradise, just as a person holding a wrong or misspelt address in
his
hand, can never reach the right address. Only a postman who is possessing sufficient knowledge
about each and every door of the place can help you to decipher the proper address and
guide you to reach the right destination with great relief, putting an end to
your anguish of tiresome searches.
The postman
is none other than the Sadguru. With his
kind bestowal of knowledge you come to the surprising reality that your raising
and pointing of right index finger towards your chest for ‘I’ is absolutely correct
but with a sea change in your awareness. It is not at all the physical body
but the ‘hrudguha’ (spiritual heart) within - the real abode of ‘I’, the ‘Atman’,
the Essence, the True Consciousness. Sri
Ramana Maharshi alluded to this, being located at slightly to the right of your
physical heart. Now you are awakened! Your illusion about the body
consciousness being identified with ‘I’ is driven away. You have come to
realise that the real I - That Is You - are Immortal.
This Supreme
knowledge was revealed by our learned sages expressed in four ‘Maha Vakyas’
(Great Statements) of Upanishads. They
are, Prajnanam Brahma (Brahma is the Supreme Knowledge, Consciousness), Tat Tvam
Asi (You Are That), Ayam Atma Brahma (The Esssence,Consciousness and the
Supreme Consciousness are Same) and Aham Brahma Asmi (I Am The Brahman, The
Supreme Consciousness).
‘Once a prospective
seeker went to a Guru and asked, “Guruji please accept me as your
disciple. I wish to learn 'Brahma Jnana’
from you”. For this the Guruji replied
without hesitation, “You come after ‘I’ die!” The prospective seeker got
perplexed pondering about how could it be possible for the Guruji to impart
anything after his death? He prostrated before the Guruji and prayed for explaining
about what the Guruji meant by his bewildering statement. Then the Guruji elaborated that, so long as
the ‘Aham - I’ of body consciousness predominated in one – as revealed in the
words, ’I’ wish to learn - he would not be ripe to receive ‘Brahma Jnana’. The annihilation of Egoistic ‘I’ is a must to
become worthy of receiving the Supreme Knowledge.’
‘Consequently, the prospective
seeker had another doubt to be clarified, “Excuse me Guriji, how can I realise
that the egoistic ‘I’ completely vanished in me leading to spiritual ripening and
come to you for the Supreme Knowledge?”
The Guruji took him to the nearby wheat field and asked him to observe
the heads of corn. Some were erect and many others were drooping. Then Guruji explained, "When erect
head is slashed, no grain comes out, because it has no grains at all. Whereas when a bowing head is slashed, all
the grains fall off. That is, if one
removes Ego from his head and bows his head before God, he is spiritually ripe!
Otherwise, if his head remains erect
with Ego, he is not spiritually ripe.”
So, with sufficient spiritual nectar you all relished through these ‘anecdote – garnished anthologies' on Tatva Jnana (True Knowledge) till date, it is my earnest conviction that you are all, with all humility of spiritual awakening and ripening, the ‘stout and drooping heads of corn!'
Igo-free head bows down
.
Om Shanti!
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