Knowledge Sheet: 4 dimensions There are four main dimensions through which we should see our life. The first is Saamipya. It means to feel that those who are very dear to us are also very close to us and are always with us - whether it is your Guru, God or even a Jnani (wise or knowledgeable person). So you must know that Lord Krishna belongs to you and is with you at all times. Just take this for granted. When you say that Gurudev belongs to everyone, then you tend to feel a bit distant from the Guru. But when you say that Gurudev belongs to me, then you experience that nearness and closeness with the Guru. Experiencing this intimate bond with the Guru does not depend on place and time. No matter where you are, you can experience this nearness. Just take it for granted that you are very dear and close to the Guru. It is just like how you treat someone who is closely related to you. If you think that you are distant from the Guru, or the Knowledge, or God Himself, then that is what will start to happen also. Just know for certain that you are very dear and very close to the Guru. When you stay firmly established in this thought despite all obstacles and doubts, then you acquire Saamipya-siddhi (the experience of being very close to the Guru). Then you will feel that you are always close to the Guru, and the Guru to you. If you think that you are distant from the Guru, or the Knowledge, or God Himself, then that is what will start to happen also. When this happens, then the next thing you experience is Saanidhya – which means to truly feel the presence of the Guru, or God. So first you should believe totally that you are always close to the Guru, despite all odds that may shake this faith. This is Saamipya. Then in no time you will be able to feel their presence near you, as if they are standing right beside you or behind you, and are deep within your very being. Such is the deep feeling that arises in one’s heart. How many of you here have experienced this? (Many in the audience raise their hands). This is the sign of a sincere seeker. This experience too does not depend on the place or time one is in. It is not that only if you come to the Ashram you will be able to experience the Guru’s presence. No, it is nothing of that sort. You can have this experience anywhere and at any time. The moment your mind becomes quiet and you reposes in your Self, that very moment you can feel the presence of the Guru. There are many Art of Living teachers sitting here. How many of you feel the presence of the Guru when you sit to teach the Happiness course? (Many teachers in the audience raise their hands). You surely experience it, which is why you are able to teach the course. Many times you give answers to the participants which you yourself did not know. When you sit to take the course and someone asks you a question, the right answer just comes from within at that very moment. This is Saanidhya. The third is Saarupya. It means to feel that the Divine is present in every particle of our being, and we have the same look and form as the Divine. During festivals like Janmashtami and Ram Navami, it is a tradition in India to dress young children in the attire of Lord Krishna or Lord Rama. This feeling is to see the form of the Divine in each and everything around us. In some religions and traditions in the West, this is considered to be a crime or a serious insult to the Divine. Dressing up like their Gods or their prophets is considered to be a crime in those cultures. But we in India do not think like that. Instead, we see it as a way of deeply adoring and honouring the Divine. That is why during these festivals you will see that in every other street, one child is dressed as Lord Rama; another gets dressed like Devi Sita, and some other child tries to look like Lord Hanuman. We do everything we can to look like these deities and imitate them in the best way possible. The thought behind this is that if you must imitate someone, then why not imitate the Divine, and why not look like God Himself. But while doing this, you should not cheat people. Do this for your own joy, but not for others. So do this with pure and clear intentions for your own happiness, and not to cheat or trick others for something. When someone is worshipping the Mother Divine with intense devotion and love, then you will feel as if it is the Mother Divine Herself is present there, and not the person. Just like how someone starts imbibing all the qualities of Lord Krishna as they go deeper and deeper into worshipping and adoring Him. This is what happened to Devi Radha and Saint Mirabai also. It is what happens to all devotees. When they are soaked totally in the love for the beloved, the Divine, then they see no difference between them and the Divine. No matter where they look, they see nothing but the Divine. Every form and being appears to be no other than the Divine. This is Saarupya. Then the final step is Saayujya (to merge and be one with the Divine). In Saarupya also, there is intense longing for the Divine. The devotee is in love with the form and appearance of the Divine. There is intense devotion, but there is also longing and restlessness to unite with the Divine. Saint Mirabai has said that If only one knows how painful is the longing that comes with Divine love, then I would roam the streets telling people not to fall in love! Such is the pain of longing that comes with the intense devotion for the Divine. It is at this stage that one needs a Guru who can dissolve the difference between the devotee and the Divine. So when Mirabai finally met her Guru who gave her this knowledge, she was overwhelmed with joy and sang, Paayo ji maine Ram ratan dhan paayo (O what bliss! I have found the mantra of Lord Rama, the most precious of all gems! ). Just see how wise and established is the Guru. He knew that Mirabai is in love with Lord Krishna and could not bear the intense and painful longing for Him that came with her devotion, so her Guru told her a very different thing altogether. He could see that she was overwhelmed with both devotion and the intense restlessness of separation from her Lord and so he gave her a mantra dedicated to Lord Rama instead. You must contemplate upon the knowledge heard again and again and imbibe it deep within yourself.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 15:01:05 +0000
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