I Am That - Nisargadatta Maharaj

Q: How does one reach the Supreme State?

M: By renouncing all lesser desires. As long as you are pleased with the lesser, you cannot have the highest. Whatever pleases you, keeps you back. Until you realise the unsatisfactoriness of everything, its transiency and limitation, and collect your energies in one great longing, even the first step is not made. On the other hand, the integrity of the desire for the Supreme is by itself a call from the Supreme. Nothing, physical or mental, can give you freedom. You are free once you understand that your bondage is of your own making and you cease forging the chains that bind you.

Q: How does one find the faith in a Guru?

M: To find the Guru and also the trust in him is rare luck. It does not happen often.

Q: Is it destiny that ordains?

M: Calling it destiny explains little. When it happens you cannot say why it happens and you merely cover up your ignorance by calling it karma or Grace, or the Will of God.

Q: Krishnamurti says that Guru is not needed.

M: Somebody must tell you about the Supreme Reality and the way that leads to it. Krishnamurti is doing nothing else. In a way he is right -- most of the so-called disciples do not trust their Gurus; they disobey them and finally abandon them. For such disciples it would have been infinitely better if they had no Guru at all and just looked within for guidance. To find a living Guru is a rare opportunity and a great responsibility. One should not treat these matters lightly. You people are out to buy yourself the heaven and you imagine that the Guru will supply it for a price. You seek to strike a bargain by offering little but asking much. You cheat nobody except yourselves.

Q: You were told by your Guru that you are the Supreme and you trusted him and acted on it. What gave you this trust?

M: Say, I was just reasonable. It would have been foolish to distrust him. What interest could he possibly have in misleading me?

Q: You told a questioner that we are the same, that we are equals. I cannot believe it. Since I do not believe it, of what use is your statement to me?

M: Your disbelief does not matter. My words are true and they will do their work. This is the beauty of noble company (satsang).

Q: Just sitting near you can it be considered spiritual practice?

M: Of course. The river of life is flowing. Some of its water is here, but so much of it has already reached its goal. You know only the present. I see much further into the past and future, into what you are and what you can be. I cannot but see you as myself. It is in the very nature of love to see no difference.

I Am That - Nisargadatta Maharaj

Extracted from Chapter 64. Whatever pleases you, Keeps you Back

http://www.fixdisease.com/i_am_that.pdf

For those who don't know, Maharaj was Ramesh Balsekar's final guru. He used to sell bidis, and in his satsangs, it was ok to smoke. After he met his Guru, Shri Siddheshwar Maharaj, Nisargadutta did an escape act, that is, he left his family in search of enlightenment. He came back from the station, and set up his own corner in his attick, and spent time there by himself. Until whatever had to happen happened. And the bees came swarming, from all over the world.

Ramesh met him through an article in the Mountain path, a magazine published by Ramana Ashram. When Ramesh walked in to his house, Maharaj said absently, 'What took you so long?' Since both lived in Mumbai, Ramesh became a regular. Maharaj disuaded Ramesh from the temple brand of worship. Ramesh started tranlating the talk for the foreigners.

'No absentees!' Warned the Bidi seller to the Banker. The (retired) banker agreed. And one day, Ramesh was talking faster than his Master spake. That day, the understanding got transfered.

I love the blazing fire in Maharaj's eyes. He beams something. He is a bomb that would love to explode on you.

MAYA MACCHINDAR

One day the great saint Gorakhnath thought that he was greater than his Guru. He contracted this feeling due to the influence of pride. But his Guru Matsyendranath immediately saw through the disciple's affliction.

He called the disciple to his side and said: “My dear Gorakhnath, I intend to leave the external world and take recourse to the habitation within for some time - please guard gross body. Thus saying he left the body. Gorakhnath looked after his Master's body thereafter.

As time passed, one day Gorakhnath heard that Matsyendranath has become a bhogi and he is revelling in sensual pleasures with beautiful women, arranging by day and night various sports, song and music. It was said he has fallen from his high state and sunk in the ocean of pleasures. Hearing this Gorakhnath became extremely angry: " He told me I am retiring within, has he forgotten that? Lost in senses...what a pity!"

Gorakhnath immediately reflected; it would be best for his Guru to return to Yogashram and give up the lowly attachment. Or else he was sure to be insinuated and condemned in the saintly society.

Forthwith he left for Simhaldweep where his Guru was. It was a clandestine visit and he could not have gotten there without some skill in singing or music. " I know how to play tabla" said he and entered the assembly.

He saw his Gurudev revelling in the midst of song and music. Gorakhnath too began to play on the tabla: " JAAG MACCHINDAR GORAKH AYAA, JAAG MACCHINDAR GORAKH AYAA..." he sang.

Guru heard this and turned to him: " Gorakhnath how come you are here?" The disciple replied, " Master you had promised to stay in the domain of the soul for some time. Now, what rest do I see here ? What a sadhana indeed !"

Gurudev realised that the disciple's pride had not yet been subdued .Gorakhnath did not know that the high Yogis can assume many bodies. Matsyendranath said: " Gorakh why do you talk like this ?" Gorakhnath said: " Enough Gurudeva, enough of this! People are saying to me, you are sitting here perfecting yoga while your Guru is enjoying Rajbhog in Simhaldweep. I have had to hear many insulting things indeed."

At this Matsyendranath thought for a while and said, " Allright, let's return to Yogashram." Gorakhnath's pride swelled further, in thinking that he was instrumental in conducting the Guru back to Hermitage. They set out to go, but when Gorakhnath turned back he did not see his Gurudeva. His Jholi and Chimta were very much there, but Matsyendranath had disappeared. Gorakhnath thought this had to be - Gurudeva had probably disappeared from a sense of severe embarassment.

He called a Gurubhai to his side and said: " Wake up and look for Gurudeva. He has gone far away. Make haste. Look for him."

Gurubhai was astounded, " Nathji, what has happened to you? Don't you know that Sri Guru Matsyendranathji has quit the external world immediately after the Godavari Kumbh, and is now immersed in Nirvikalpa Samadhi. If you want, you can instantly go to Bhramara cave and get glimpse of his Murti."

Gorakhnath was shocked to hear this: " What's happened to me today? Am I dreaming ? " he murmured.

Gurubhai reassured him: " This is not a dream. It's the Krupa of Guru Maharaj. You were full of pride concerning performance of great austerities, and you thought you were greater in the skill of Yoga than Sri Matsyendranath himself. To destroy this pride Gurudev worked this illusion. This Maya will be widely known as MAYA MACCHINDAR.

This then is MAYA MACCHINDAR, it needs hardly be added that Gorakhnath, his pride fully subdued, sought the dust of his Guru's feet.

An advatin's dream

I dreamt last night that I am cooking tehri, (a khichdi with vegetables thrown in), for Ramesh, in his home.

For some reason he wasn't talking, and the satsang crowd slowly dispersed. I stuck on, and he called me to him and told me that he was hungry.

I have never cooked for him, although I have wanted to.

'This is delicious.' he said, in the dream, 'Blogit.'

I must ask Ramesh, next time I meet him, if he knows what is blogging. He probably does.

Anyway, dream or real, Guruadnya is an order one gets when one is lucky.

So here is the recipe:

Tehri : A nutritious, quickly made, complete meal.

1. Wash and soak half a bowl of rice and half a bowl of lentils. (arahar dal works best)

2. Take a pressure cooker and pour two spoonfuls of oil into it and turn on the flame.

3. Start chopping the onion, tomato, capsicum, spinach, fenugreek, potatoes, carots, beetroot, etc, in this order.

4. Put in a few ground nuts as the oil gets hot and fry them on a low flame for three minutes.

5. Put in half spoon of jeera and black rai in the hot oil and let it splutter. Add the onions and fry on a low flame. Add half a spoon of turmeric, cumin powder, garam masala, black pepper, salt, jaggery, and mix.

6. After onions are done, add the vegetables as and when they are cut. Tomatoes and potatoes can be cut in big pieces. Keep mixing.

7. Put in the soaked rice dal inside the cooker. Add twice the amount of water (two bowls) , shut the lid and let cook on a low flame for fifteen to eighteen minutes. If your cooker works like a traditional, then two whistles, I suppose.

8. Serve hot with ghee, or milk, or curd,with lemon pickle, papad, and salad.

Play this video and say thanks to the Guru for making sure you do not forget him. Bonapetit.

If I were in Mumbai,

If I were in Mumbai today, a second Saturday, I would go meet my longstanding sweetheart, Ramesh Balsekar.

I would get up early and catch a local train to Bombay Central. Hopefully the train wouldn't be crowded, but even if it was, it wouldn't really matter.

I would scan the big clocks on the passing railway platforms, to make sure I am not too late. Ramesh usually starts his talk by nine, and I am usually late by an hour. But thats ok because I have heard him talk since 1996. What appeals to me, and what I still need, is his presence, which is imbibed in the remaining one hour of the talk.

Besides, Ramesh has a clock in his house, with all the numbers having fallen down and the words, 'Who cares ?' inscribed on it. Look for it, you will notice it in the video below.

So my train would reach Mumbai Central by nine forty, max. I would get out of the station, at the west side, and take a cab. At this hour I would probably be his first customer and if I am lucky, there will be flowers and smell of inscence burning...

In twelve minutes, we would climb up Navroji gamadia lane and stop outside the Mountain. Sorry, I mean the Sindhula apartments. As the lift would ascend, so would my anticipation, my heartbeat.

Since Ramesh is ninety plus, it would be a relief to see the shoe rack overflowing. I would quickly remove my sandals and gently push open the door to his voice.

Weekends are for the Indians, so it would be crowded. But I have a special place, on the floor just in front of the chair near the door. If I sit with a straight back, I can see his face. If I feel like chilling out, I slouch and listen. Sometimes, I can see his face in the window of a video camera and thats good enough.

I love the feel of the bare floor in this house. It gently cools down my fatigue, my pain, my thoughts. My Guru's house is inside the ganga.

After half an hour of advaita, Ramesh would signal the end of the talk by asking Murthi to come and sing bhajans. A small re-shuffle would happen, with people in front going back and making space for us to sit in front of Ramesh.

Ramesh would give me a hello smile, and I would smile back, but not completely because the tears may start. I would sit very near to his feet, so that I can touch the wooden patla on which his feet rest.

He has the most beautiful pair of feet in the world.

I would make sure I don't sing too loud, wouldn't wanna make the old man deaf. We sing the same bunch of bhajans since a decade, so its more like humming along in a school prayer. However, like the talk, one word, half a sentence would unknowingly enter the heart and fertilize, and become bigger and bigger.

After the Panduranga's are done, the best bit would follow. Touching those feet in silence.

If I were to translate into words what my tears say again and again,

It's not thank you guru for giving me god,
but, thank you god for giving me the guru.*

If only, I were in Mumbai....




* Quoted without permission from 'A Homage to the Unique teaching of Ramesh S. Balsekar'.