Call for a Step Forward
Nitya & Neerav
Chennai
Hari Aum!
Pranaams to Maa ji
It had been around 7-8 years since our first visit to Satyavrat Institute of Subjective Sciences (SISS). We were excited to take part in the three-day retreat of Sree Guru Purnima.
It started with Aarti at Sree Ishwar Darshan Temple followed by Sree Guru Paad Puja on 27th evening. The atmosphere was filled with devotion and a strange peace, the kind that is usually not present during our worldly affairs.
The next two days were devoted to the study of the ‘Commandments of Sanaatan Dharm’, from the Shiksha-Valli part of Taittiriya Upanishad.
It is a common misconception that Hinduism, unlike other Religions does not have commandments, due to which we find individuals subscribing to this misconception as and when required out of convenience. The dismantling of the misconception and subsequent elucidation of the various commandments started off with the chanting of Shanti Mantras and clarification on the meaning behind the Mantras.
Words and thoughts are two sides of the same coin; one cannot exist without the other. Since Sanskrit is a language where each letter/sound of letter has a meaning, Mataji emphasized the importance of pronunciation during chanting of the Mantras, as wrong pronunciation could entirely change the purpose intended by the Mantras.
We were then introduced to the various commandments and the meaning behind each one. Upon a first reading of the commandments with direct translation, one would have realized that he/she would have certainly come across many of them through their parents / teachers or other members of the society. Almost every child would have been taught to speak truth and only the truth - ‘Satyam Vada’. However, Mataji navigated us through the subtleties of each one. Satyam Vada does not amount to speaking the truth as a mechanical act to be done, but to be incorporated into our everyday lives, thoughts, actions and commitments we make to ourselves. ‘Svadhyayanma pramadaha’, the act of not neglecting self-study is another commandment that rings true is this busy world where people do not find / make time for the study of the Self. Illumination of various other commandments was provided over the course of the Retreat.
On the auspicious day of Sree Guru Purnima, after Sree Guru Paduka Puja, we both were fortunate to receive Naam Deeksha from Mataji.
As part of the initiation, we were blessed with our new names, ‘Neerav’ (previously Shreyas) and ‘Nitya’ (previously Vijayalakshmi). During Mataji’s visit to our home in Chennai, she had mentioned that a name is not merely an identifier, rather it refers to one’s true nature or that which one should consciously strive for. Receiving the name serves as a constant reminder of the qualities / values to be cultivated. The entire experience was deeply moving and humbling leaving us with a deep sense of gratitude.
We are grateful to Manishji, for giving us this opportunity and to all other fellow seekers. Coming to SISS had truly been an inspirational learning.
With humility,
Pranaam.