Radhe Krishna All,
On
this occasion of Guru Purnima month we are sharing the discourse of
H.H.Sri Sri Muralidhara swamiji about certain Great disciples who were
deeply devoted to their Guru's.
Guru Bhakti - 3: Sant Eknath
The
state of Maharastra in India is renowned for the spiritual giants it
had given to the world. Sant Nama Dev, Sant Thukaram, Sant Gnaneswar,
Sant Jana Bai.... the list is almost endless and Sant Ekanath is one
amongst the most exalted saints of India. He is frequently quoted as the
one of the best examples for devotion towards a
Guru.
Ekanath is known for his Guru Bhakti. He was a Mahatma
who had learnt all the shastras. But he realized that Shastras were of
no use. He wondered, "Of what use is learning 'Tarka' or Vedanta if one
failed to experience peace?" Even if we are adept in all the Shastras -
be it Vedanta, Tarka or any other philosophy - we cannot enjoy
peace/bliss unless these are brought into experience. Books and Shastras
will not bestow peace. Only sadhana will give peace. The doubts will be
cleared only if seen practically. So, Ekanath felt, "I have studied all
these shastras. But they are of no use. What is the essence of all
these shastras? To serve a Guru," and he deeply desired to serve a Guru.
Lord Panduranga, in a dream, directed him to Janardhanaswami who was a
great Mahatma.
Ekanath served Janardhanaswami for twelve long
years with one-pointedness. And how did he serve his Guru all these
twelve
years? Without any expectation whatsoever! He would clean the place,
keep all the puja articles ready for the Guru, maintain the accounts of
the home, wash the Guru's clothes and so on. Day and night he attended
on his Guru. Innumerable Sadhus visited his Guru.
Janardhanaswami
taught Brahma Vidya to some, Raja yoga to some, Shastras to some. The
Guru blessed each with a way of attaining liberation. But nothing
diverted the attention of Ekanath whose sole desire was to serve the
Guru in all ways. He had nothing to ask of his Guru. He did not demand
his Guru to bestow him with Mantropdesa or teach him Shastras or Vedanta
Vichara. He wanted to serve his Guru. His sole aim was his Guru's
happiness. He did not even wish his Guru to take notice of his services.
He served his Guru in this way for twelve long years.
Janardhanaswami
felt guilty for not having given anything to this attendant devotee of
his. He was wonderstruck that this
young fellow had nothing to ask of him. So, he himself decided to
bestow darshan of his Upasana Murti, Lord Dattatreya, on the selfless
Ekanath. He asked Lord Dattatreya to give darshan to Ekanath when the
latter returned from his morning bath in the river. The next day when
Ekanath stepped out of the river Godavari he found Lord Dattatreya under
the nearby tree. Since one should not be disrespectful to God he
prostrated before this Lord. Lord Dattatreya blessed him by placing His
Feet on Ekanath's head. Ekanath then returned home.
Here, at
home Janardhanaswami was restless. He walked up and down awaiting
Ekanath's return. He kept rehearsing as to how he should handle the
stunned Ekanath. It was not going to be darshan in a dream but a real
one, just as one person sees another. Janardhanaswami thought, "Anyone
who has darshan of the Lord would swoon. Ekanath would be in bliss. Full
of joy he would come running and narrate
the darshan breathlessly. I must calm him down." But Ekanath returned
home and carried on with his work as usual! The Guru waited for Ekanath
to come and describe the darshan in an excited tone. But Ekanath did
not! The surprised Janardhanaswami called his upasana devata and asked
him, "Did you not give darshan to Ekanath?" Lord Dattatreya said, "I
did! Just you had asked me I gave him darshan as he returned from his
bath in the river". The astounded Guru called the devotee. "How can you
be so calm? Have you not had darshan of Lord Dattatreya this morning?"
Ekanath simply replied, "I never desired this! Only if I considered
someone other than you as God should I feel ecstatic! Since I consider
you as God there is no new darshan of God to be had anywhere else. I
never desired for it nor does this surprise me. I desire only you!"
So great was his Guru Bhakti. Due to his Guru Bhakti Lord Panduranga Himself later
served this Ekanath, in the form of a young man by name Kandya Kanna!
On
this occasion of Guru Purnima month we are sharing the discourse of
H.H.Sri Sri Muralidhara swamiji about certain Great disciples who were
deeply devoted to their Guru's.
Guru Bhakti - 3: Sant Eknath
The
state of Maharastra in India is renowned for the spiritual giants it
had given to the world. Sant Nama Dev, Sant Thukaram, Sant Gnaneswar,
Sant Jana Bai.... the list is almost endless and Sant Ekanath is one
amongst the most exalted saints of India. He is frequently quoted as the
one of the best examples for devotion towards a
Guru.
Ekanath is known for his Guru Bhakti. He was a Mahatma
who had learnt all the shastras. But he realized that Shastras were of
no use. He wondered, "Of what use is learning 'Tarka' or Vedanta if one
failed to experience peace?" Even if we are adept in all the Shastras -
be it Vedanta, Tarka or any other philosophy - we cannot enjoy
peace/bliss unless these are brought into experience. Books and Shastras
will not bestow peace. Only sadhana will give peace. The doubts will be
cleared only if seen practically. So, Ekanath felt, "I have studied all
these shastras. But they are of no use. What is the essence of all
these shastras? To serve a Guru," and he deeply desired to serve a Guru.
Lord Panduranga, in a dream, directed him to Janardhanaswami who was a
great Mahatma.
Ekanath served Janardhanaswami for twelve long
years with one-pointedness. And how did he serve his Guru all these
twelve
years? Without any expectation whatsoever! He would clean the place,
keep all the puja articles ready for the Guru, maintain the accounts of
the home, wash the Guru's clothes and so on. Day and night he attended
on his Guru. Innumerable Sadhus visited his Guru.
Janardhanaswami
taught Brahma Vidya to some, Raja yoga to some, Shastras to some. The
Guru blessed each with a way of attaining liberation. But nothing
diverted the attention of Ekanath whose sole desire was to serve the
Guru in all ways. He had nothing to ask of his Guru. He did not demand
his Guru to bestow him with Mantropdesa or teach him Shastras or Vedanta
Vichara. He wanted to serve his Guru. His sole aim was his Guru's
happiness. He did not even wish his Guru to take notice of his services.
He served his Guru in this way for twelve long years.
Janardhanaswami
felt guilty for not having given anything to this attendant devotee of
his. He was wonderstruck that this
young fellow had nothing to ask of him. So, he himself decided to
bestow darshan of his Upasana Murti, Lord Dattatreya, on the selfless
Ekanath. He asked Lord Dattatreya to give darshan to Ekanath when the
latter returned from his morning bath in the river. The next day when
Ekanath stepped out of the river Godavari he found Lord Dattatreya under
the nearby tree. Since one should not be disrespectful to God he
prostrated before this Lord. Lord Dattatreya blessed him by placing His
Feet on Ekanath's head. Ekanath then returned home.
Here, at
home Janardhanaswami was restless. He walked up and down awaiting
Ekanath's return. He kept rehearsing as to how he should handle the
stunned Ekanath. It was not going to be darshan in a dream but a real
one, just as one person sees another. Janardhanaswami thought, "Anyone
who has darshan of the Lord would swoon. Ekanath would be in bliss. Full
of joy he would come running and narrate
the darshan breathlessly. I must calm him down." But Ekanath returned
home and carried on with his work as usual! The Guru waited for Ekanath
to come and describe the darshan in an excited tone. But Ekanath did
not! The surprised Janardhanaswami called his upasana devata and asked
him, "Did you not give darshan to Ekanath?" Lord Dattatreya said, "I
did! Just you had asked me I gave him darshan as he returned from his
bath in the river". The astounded Guru called the devotee. "How can you
be so calm? Have you not had darshan of Lord Dattatreya this morning?"
Ekanath simply replied, "I never desired this! Only if I considered
someone other than you as God should I feel ecstatic! Since I consider
you as God there is no new darshan of God to be had anywhere else. I
never desired for it nor does this surprise me. I desire only you!"
So great was his Guru Bhakti. Due to his Guru Bhakti Lord Panduranga Himself later
served this Ekanath, in the form of a young man by name Kandya Kanna!
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