Sree Dattaatreya Guru Incarnates
Rajib Phukan,
Dist. Golaghat (Assam)
Hari Aum!
This year's (2023) Sree Guru Purnima was special with a full day discourse about the One Who holds a mystical position in the spiritual sky capturing full attention and reverence by the generations. Referred to, as the One Who combines the three contexts of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar in One, Lord Sree Dattaatreya Guru brings the unified vision and understanding of the entire ‘Indian Knowledge System’ under the umbrella of Sree Guru Parampara.
Always abiding in awareness of the true nature, but living like ordinary being in the outer world, Sree Guru Dattaatreya out of sheer compassion and love to the sincere seekers presented His unique way of teachings, full with insights or art-of-vision. One of the special features we learnt in Sadguru-Sharanam was about the direct communication methodology that Sree Dattaatreya Guru employs to guide the seeker. Using the common parlance and taking examples typically from mundane life, which is easy for common people to connect and grasp at once, the delivery of message could never have been more direct and effective!
Guru Maa unfurled the mystery around this colossal Figure, and explained in detail, how His teachings are widely reflected in multiple references of Upanishads, Puranas specially Sreemad Bhaagwatam, Itihasas like Mahabharat, Ramayan and many more. It was astonishing for us, when Guru Maa revealed the missing links, how to find Sree Dattaatreya Guru's presence in all four corners of our land, regardless of time. He is indeed, the Eternal Guru presenting the Light of all lights, all the time, in all the ways and at all the places. And That Essential LIGHT was brought ALIVE in a capsular form in this Guru Purnima retreat in the true Guru Parampara style. This was the speciality of this year’s retreat, aptly titled, “Thus Explains Sree Dattaatreya Guru…”,
It is a common experience that if one is confined in a dark room, it is not possible to find the exit unless he is guided, pulled out or the place is lit up to remove darkness. Similarly, when we are unaware of the original LIGHT that lights our Consciousness into three states (waking, dream or sleep state), it is not possible to realize beyond the mundane fields of the Body, Mind and Intellect. It needs the grace of the Guru to make us aware of the path and responsive on our part for us to act. The animated dimension or vikshepa state is so enchanting & exciting that we are totally lost in the dark field of unawareness, and no wonder, we are habitually faltering and always on the wrong side in our mundane dealings!
The universe with all its constituent components is unreal in the sense that it is ever transient & temporary. The eternal unchanging Reality is the Lord alone, was my key takeaway from this Retreat. Citing references from Uddhav Geeta, Guru Maa literally plotted a reality check model for us to understand the essence of what Sree Dattaatreya Guru delivered to king Yadu, and the lurking danger (that accompanies sense dependent perception without ‘check’) became readily apparent to us. Such context-based learning comes from spiritual insight that has the potential to transform the perception of who we are, what this world is and what is our relationship to it. And that ‘check’ is nothing but the Art-of-Vision bestowed upon the sincere seeker as grace from Guru Parampara, the knowledge transferring mechanism across generations for the benefit of the society. Every Guru in the lineage (Parampara), be it Sree Ved Vyas ji or Sree Adi Shankaracharya ji, has made the eternal Knowledge relevant to the generation of Their times.
The mind has a tendency to be always on the move here and there. And the remedial pill has also been prescribed by seers like Maharshi Patanjali, Sage Ashtaavakra ji in the form of restraining alerts & sublime nudges as checks and balances to remain guarded in this age of narrative building trending of pop culture, social media or peer pressure and to propel the mind in the direction of evolution.
As the session continued, it did not take much time for us to realize that this retreat is of a different level. The setting had been made and the ‘onlooker bird’ (abhichaaksheeti) which had been unleashed, will not leave us in the comfort-zone anymore and that vision of abiding in the LIGHT of lights will haunt us forever, whether we are in the daily activities or at home.
And indeed, it is so!
Even after we reached home, the transformational experience that we had at Sadguru-Sharanam is still there in the heart, ALIVE!!
The bell is ringing so loudly, and piercing the ear like never before. Though the enchanting inputs are still there in the senses, no doubt, we are still vulnerable to fall. But then, the Grace from Guru Parampara is never felt so immediate and intense as of now, and the auspicious sound of the bell is pulling us to strive once again with double vigour and enthusiasm from each fall & not to give way to despair.
Indeed, the embodiment of wisdom, love and compassion is Guru, and only way to remain free from avidya and vikshepa, is continuous contemplation on the Guru's words as Mantra.
Truly,
The source of Meditation is the Guru’s Form.
The source of Devotion is the Guru’s Feet.
The source of Mantra is the Guru’s Word.
The source of Awakening is the Guru’s Grace.
Humble prostration at the revered Altar of Sree Guru Parampara!
Hari Aum.