[Advaita-l] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra - Guru alone removes Avidya

[Murali k]

Namaste,

Maha Sannidhanam is quoted as saying that ' one should perform Noble deeds
as enjoined in the shasthras'.

Can anyone here point out any books in English which contain these shastras
for daily conduct for a follower of Sanatana Dharma?

Thanks,
Murali

PS: Thanks for posting these nuggets.



On Thu 11 Jul, 2019, 9:32 AM S Jayanarayanan via Advaita-l, <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> (Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru
> may be posted
> on the Chaturamnaya list :
> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
>
> http://vijayayatra.sringeri.net/vijayayatra/hassan-march-9-2017/
>
> HASSAN: MARCH 9, 2017
> Jagadgurus At Hassan
>
> The Jagadgurus travelled to Hassan and arrived at the Sringeri Shankara
> Math to a devout welcome
> by the assembled devotees. Their Holinesses had Darshan at the shrines of
> Goddess Sharadamba,
> Sri Balamuri-Ganapati, Sri Chandramoulishwara and Sri Adi Shankaracharya
> in the Math.
>
> Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam inaugurated “Paramahamsaangana” –
> a hall to conduct
> Dharmic functions – and a Goshala.
>
> Thereafter, a public function organised to welcome the Jagadgurus began
> with Veda Ghosha and a
> prayer song “Sri Sharadamam Bhaje” (composed by Sri Mahasannidhanam). In
> his address, Sri Srikantaiah,
> the Dharmadhikari of the Math welcomed the Jagadgurus.
>
> Members of the Nagara Sabha of Hassan then read out separate citations in
> honour of Sri Mahasannidhanam
> and Sri Sannidhanam, and submitted them.
>
> SUMMARY OF ANUGRAHA BHASHANAMS
>
> In His Anugraha Bhashanam, Sri Mahasannidhanam remembered the services of
> Guru-Bhakta-Tilaka Rao
> Bahadur Nanjundaiah who was instrumental in the setting up of the branch
> Math at Hassan.
> Sri Mahasannidhanam stated that it is the Anugraha of His Guru, Jagadguru
> Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji
> (who had in 1962 inaugurated the Math) that the Math had seen such
> development. Devotees experience
> the Grace of Goddess Sharadamba, Lord Mahaganapati and Adi Shankaracharya,
> and turn up in large numbers
> and participate in the many activities of the Math. Sri Mahasannidhanam
> specially blessed the members
> of the Nagara Sabha.
>
> Orient Your Intellect Towards Performing Noble Deeds
>
> Sri Sannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam said that man’s superiority
> amidst all species is due to his
> faculty of reasoning and power of intellect. It is this ability that helps
> man to overpower or tame all
> other species including those that may be more physically powerful or
> gifted in other ways (such as being
> able to fly). However, this intellectual faculty of man has to be
> essentially used for securing one’s
> welfare and must be channeled along the path of welfare. We must use it to
> orient ourselves towards the
> performance of noble deeds. These noble deeds are enjoined in our
> Shastras. Hence we must know what the
> Shastras recommend. We must have knowledge of Dharma and deeds that bring
> about our good, as well as of
> Adharma and deeds that bring about suffering. Being able to distinguish
> between the two is to have
> “Viveka” that will help us strive along the path of Dharma and abstain
> from the path of Adharma.
>
> Sri Sannidhanam then quoted a verse from Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsha. Maharaja
> Raghu (who had just then
> succeeded his father, Maharaja Dileepa) was informed of all aspects of
> kingly wisdom, both good and bad
> by those well versed in Neeti Shastra. Maharaja Raghu’s nature was to
> always stick to whatever was good
> and beneficial, and never resort to wrong or undesirable characteristics –
>
> नयविद्भिर्नवे राज्ञि सदसच्चोपदर्शितम् ।
> पूर्व एवाभवत्पक्षस्तस्मिन्नाभवदुत्तरः ॥
>
> Sri Sannidhanam pointed out that even in worldly affairs, rules exist only
> for man. No animal will be
> taken to task for violating a traffic rule. Likewise, the spiritual
> ordainments too are only for man.
> Just as laws laid down by a just king when followed by his citizens ensure
> their well-being, we will
> do well to follow the laws laid down by God, the Supreme Ruler and be
> benefitted.
>
> Sri Adi Shankara & Importance of a Guru
>
> Speaking about the advent of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada 1200 years ago,
> Sri Sannidhanam said that
> when there was a complete negligence of Dharma, and people had become
> deluded by non-Vedic schools
> of thought, Lord Parameshwara incarnated as Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada
> and showed the path of welfare.
>
> It is the Guru who can remove our misapprehensions and point us to the
> truth. Even in ordinary life,
> when a person walking along a path sees a rope and mistakes it for a
> snake, he would stand paralysed.
> He would however be immediately relieved of his fear if another person who
> knows the fact conveys
> to him that what is seen is merely a rope. Likewise, the Guru’s Upadesha
> is potent enough to relieve
> us of misapprehensions, such as identifying the Self with the body. A
> person may claim to know who
> he is – that he knows his name, age, height, weight, etc. However all
> these are attributes of the
> physical body and not of one’s true identity. The cause of this wrong
> identification of the non-Self
> such as the body with the Self is termed Avidya (nescience). This results
> in bondage. The removal of
> Avidya is Moksha or liberation –
>
> अनात्मन्यात्मदेहादावात्मबुद्धिश्च देहिनाम् ।
> साऽविद्या तत्कृतो बन्धः तन्नाशः मोक्ष उच्यते ॥
>
> Sri Sannidhanam clarified that Moksha itself is not to be attained, for
> the Self is in truth Svayam-Prakasha –
> self-luminous. This Avidya that is the impediment to Self-knowledge can be
> removed only by surrender to a Guru
> and being instructed by the Guru.
>
> Ekashloki Explained
>
> Sri Sannidhanam stressed that it is important to try and understand this
> fact about one’s own Self.
> However, since not all are at the same level of spiritual eligibility, Sri
> Adi Shankaracharya,
> besides penning the Prasthana Traya Bhashyas, also wrote a number of
> Prakarana Granthas (short treatises
> carrying a Vedantic theme), and Stotras (hymns). In the smallest Prakarana
> Grantha, Ekashloki,
> Sri Bhagavatpada explains by simple logic how the Self is the light that
> illumines everything –
>
> किं ज्योतिस्तव भानुमानहनि मे रात्रौ प्रदीपादिकं
> स्यादेवं रविदीपदर्शनविधौ किं ज्योतिराख्याहि मे ।
> चक्षुस्तस्य निमीलनादिसमये किं धीर्धियो दर्शने
> किं तत्राहमतो भवान्परमकं ज्योतिस्तदस्मि प्रभो ।।
>
> Sri Sannidhanam then explained the Ekashloki as the conversation between
> the Guru and his disciple –
>
> Guru – किं ज्योतिः तव (What is the source of light by which you see?)
> Disciple – भानुमान् अहनि मे, रात्रौ प्रदीपादिकं (It is the Sun by day, and
> lamp etc. by night.)
> Guru – स्याद् एवं रविदीपदर्शनविधौ किं ज्योतिः (इति) आख्याहि मे (If this is
> so, tell me by which light do you see the sun, lamp etc.?)
> Disciple – चक्षुः (The eye.)
> Guru – तस्य निमीलनादिसमये किं (What is the light when the eyes are closed?)
> Disciple – धीः (Intellect.)
> Guru – धियो दर्शने किं (What is the light through which the intellect is
> perceived?)
> Disciple – तत्राहम् (In this case, “I” am the light.)
> Guru – अतो भवान् परमकं ज्योतिः (Hence, you are the Supreme Light)
> Disciple – तदस्मि प्रभो (O Master! I indeed am!)
>
> Sri Sannidhanam stated that such is Bhagavatpada’s greatness that He has
> given us the Supreme Tattva
> in such a simple shloka. We must all revere Him and be indebted to Him.
>
> Sri Sannidhanam then said that it was the second time He was coming to
> Hassan with His Guru
> (the first being in 2015) and ended His Anugraha Bhashanam blessing the
> devotees.
>
> After Sri Sannidhanam ended His Anugraha Bhashanam, devotees and
> communities offered Phala Samarpanam.
>
> Later in the evening, Sri Mahasannidhanam performed the Sharada
> Chandramoulishwara Pooja.
>
> The following day morning, Sri Mahasannidhanam gave Darshan at around 8:15
> am to devotees and proceeded
> towards Mandya. Sri Sannidhanam graced the devotees with Darshan from 9am
> onwards and blessed the devotees
> with Aashir Mantrakshatas. At around 10 am, Sri Sannidhanam started from
> Hassan towards Mandya.
>
>
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