64. Importance of a Preceptor to know the Absolute!!!!!!

Continuation of “TAT TVAM ASI” explanation by Sage Uddalaka to his son and disciple Svetaketu. Svetaketu on the path of understanding the statement “TAT TVAM ASI” from his father and Guru Sage Uddalaka wants to know the means and methods of knowing the Absolute, which cannot be comprehended by the senses and mind or intellect. Sage Uddalaka in an effort to make Svetaketu understand uses an excellent and extraordinary analogy. 

A person from a city is abducted by some robbers he is blindfolded, handcuffed, legs tied together and thrown into a pit somewhere in an unknown place far from the place he is living. He does not know where he has been taken, because he is blindfolded. He is only aware that he is taken far away from his house. He is in a state of despair. His sense of sight is inactive and hence his mind and intellect are helpless to him now. The only hope for him at that time is that he has to find for someone to help him out of this situation and guide him back home. Well he cannot expect help from a person who in the same condition as he is instead the help has to come from a person who is not blindfolded as well as the one who is well aware of the route to the city from the forest. Similarly does a seeker who is interested in knowing the Absolute should seek the guidance of the Guru and implements the teachings and finally realizes his goal of freedom from this cycle of birth and death. 

Swami Shivananda Ji, of Divine life Society writes about the importance of a Guru thus: Only the person who has already been to Holy Badrinath will be able to tell us the route for the place. In the case of the spiritual path, it is still more difficult to find our way. The mind will mislead us very often. The Guru will be able to remove pitfalls and obstacles, and lead us along the right path. He will tell us: “This road leads you to Moksha (liberation); this one leads to Bandana (bondage)”. Without this guidance, even if we might want to go to Holy Badrinath, but find our self in Delhi! The scriptures are like a forest. There are ambiguous passages. There are passages which are apparently contradictory. There are passages which have esoteric meanings, diverse significance, and hidden explanations. There are cross-references. We need of a Guru or Preceptor who will explain to us the right meaning, who will remove doubts and ambiguities, who will place before us the essence of the teachings. 

A Guru is absolutely necessary for every aspirant in the spiritual path. It is only the Guru who will find out our defects. The nature of egoism is such that we will not be able to find out our own defects. Just as a man cannot see his back, so also he cannot see his own errors. He must live under a Guru for the eradication of his evil qualities and defects. After attaining the liberating knowledge of Absolute our Sanchita Karma which is the aggregate of all the past live deeds is destroyed as the dried leaves turned to ashes in the association of fire, however, he remains in the physical body as long as the Prarabdha Karma has to yield out its fruits and finally attains oneness with the Absolute. The Agami Karma does not bother him. After the above instructions, Uddalaka says: “Svetaketu, do you understand what I am telling you? This great but most subtle essence of all the worlds is the Absolute, the Atma, the Supreme Reality within you, and “TAT TVAM ASI” You are That.” 

 Now Svetaketu wants his father to tell him the difference between a person who has consciously attained realisation and another who is unconsciously thrown into it as in sleep or death? Why does one not attain realisation after death, if casting off the body is the only criterion of liberation? Sage Uddalaka explains the merger that takes place at time of Death ……………. In the next blog!!!!!!!!