Be
Your Own Guru? Without a living Guru,
the best Guru is the Wisdom of the Wise: this means the Shruti and the Smriti;
the Vedas and the Vedic literature. Rather than ‘be your own Guru’ you should
recite the Gyatri mantra (Guru Mantra), constantly meditating and reflecting on
its meaning:
Om – the Supreme Self, the Absolute, God, Satchitanand,
the Supreme Being Bhuh – the Creator
of the Universe, the Author of Humanity Bhuvah
– the Sustainer and Support of the animate and inanimate world (all living
and non-living things) by means of the Eternal Divine Spirit (PRANA).
Swah – the Giver of Self and the very Self of the
Self (Mahapurush) who is the Supreme Gift-Giver and the Supreme Gift of Liberation
itself, the Highest of the Highest Heaven, the Greatest of the Greatest Bliss
Tat – THAT (and only That)
Savita – Ultimate Creator of all this
Varenyam – is the only ONE we choose for our life,
because only That Supreme Being is capable of satisfying the deepest, purest,
eternal longing of our heart and soul. Bhargo
– The Unchangeable, Pure, Absolutely Real Devasya
– Divine Qualities (beyond mind and matter) Dhimahi
– We meditate upon. (Both during formal meditation and all day long in the
state of meditative awareness) Dhiyo Yo
Nah Prachodayat – By the power and Grace of that meditation (our own determined
deliberation infused with intense faith, Shradha), may our intellect (our faculty
of discernment) be guided to make wise choices, so that we may realize and manifest
our own True Nature and ultimately attain the highest state of Liberation (Moksha),
which is total freedom from all ego and Ignorance (the source of all pain and
misery). By constantly engaging your
mind in solid spiritual practices, like contemplation on Gyatri Mantra and the
earnest study of other mantras, as well as the study of the teachings of Aptas
(truly trustworthy human beings), and by actively making a sincere effort to improve
your self physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, and by deliberately
going against your selfish tendencies to be lazy, arrogant, inconsiderate, complacent,
and so forth (by the daily, life long, practice of these and other noble qualities)
the noisy mind is purified (silenced). Atman
is the eternal Witness; undisturbed, untainted, and unmoved. However, Jivatman
is the active participant playing on the field of Prakriti in the Sport of Life.
We must play with all our skill, intelligence, and heart. We must play as a team
(because our Creator loves Sangatikarana – Cooperation), and we need to
give up our ego and play to win (DO GOOD) not for the sake of personal recognition
but for the sake of GOODNESS itself, because “Good work is its own reward.” When we live our life
with this attitude our life becomes a Yagna, and we offer ourselves in the Fire
of Life, consuming ourselves in Wisdom, Service, and Devotion, as an offering
to the Supreme Being. Your life is the Fire Ceremony. Keep the fire of your life burning by adding noble thoughts and good
deeds. |