DOCSLIB.ORG

Episode 3: Gurus Killed Yoga

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Yoga is Dead Podcast Ep 3 Transcription Episode 3: Gurus Killed Yoga Jesal: Warning: This episode is really triggering because the content deals with sexual abuse and misconduct. (Moved up several lines) Tejal: He would have the youngest girls sleep in the quarters nearest to him. Jesal: That sounds like some R. Kelly shit right there. Tejal: This is -- yes. This is some R. Kelly Swami Muktananda shit. Tejal: Hello everyone. I'm Tejal. Jesal: And I'm Jesal. Tejal: And this is Yoga Is Dead. Jesal: We're two Indian American yoga teachers navigating the weird and tricky world of yoga. Tejal: Get read to hear our personal stories, thoughts, and research on who killed yoga. Grab some chai, a tall comfortable seat, and let's go. Tejal: Jesal, do you have any gurus? Jesal: I think I consider my dance teacher my guru? Tejal: Ooh. Bachata? Salsa? Jesal: [laughs] No. Just like many Indian American girls, I did Bharatanatyam almost every single week from when I was 5 to like 18 or 19. Tejal: Oh, Bharatanatyam. Classical South Indian dance? Jesal: Yep. And shout-out to all the New England ladies who did Bharatanatyam with Jasmine Shah! Woot woot! She's a little celebrity up there. Tejal: I'd like to see the demographics of how many of those New England Bharatanatyam students are listening to this podcast right now. Jesal: That would be amazing. Tejal: Yes. Well, since this is a yoga podcast -- Jesal: [laughs] Page 1 of 27 Yoga is Dead Podcast Ep 3 Transcription Tejal: What about a guru, like a spiritual teacher, a guide in all things, someone who you find influential. Anyone come to mind like that? Jesal: I don't really think I believe in those types of gurus. I have plenty of teachers, people I rely on for specific purposes like meditation or asana or dharma talks, or even teachers that have insight into business or philosophy or general teaching stuff, but I would really consider them mentors. I don't think I would use the word guru. Tejal: Okay. Well, let's clarify the purpose of this podcast. Did gurus kill yoga? ​ Jesal: Ooh. Tejal: And let's clarify what we're not talking about: gurus in terms of teachers or mentors, like you mentioned, that you rely on for movement practice or specific technical things or philosophical things. We're talking about the history and tradition of following a guru without question. The kind of guru that, for whatever reason, you admire and never admonish, that explains things to you that you never question. The guru that makes you feel whole and included in a way you've never felt before. The guru that gave you a sense of belonging and reminds you that they can also take it away with any hint of provocation. Jesal: That concept just gives me the shivers. [laughs] Tejal: Yeah. It's kind of scary just saying it. Jesal: Yeah. It makes me so uncomfortable. Tejal: Which is a good time to say this episode might be triggering for some. We talk about issues like sexual, emotional, physical abuse. Please be prepared. Jesal: I would never give up my power in that absolute, unquestioning way, ever. Tejal: So, let's do a little back and forth then. You say a name of a yoga school or religious tradition, and I say the name of a guru or powerful leader that was accused of some kind of abuse or misconduct, whether it be sexual, emotional, financial, or physical. All of these constitute an abuse of power. And looking at it from a yoga perspective, these leaders violated their vows of brahmacharya or ahimsa, aka celibacy or non-harming/nonviolence. Jesal: Okay, ready? Tejal: Ready as I'll ever be. Jesal: Ashtanga. Tejal: Pattabhi Jois. Page 2 of 27 Yoga is Dead Podcast Ep 3 Transcription Jesal: Iyengar. Tejal: B.K.S. himself. Jesal: Rajneesh movement. Tejal: Rajneesh himself, also known as Osho, some weird marketing thing. Jesal: They made a movie on that, or series. Tejal: Wild Wild Country on Netflix. Jesal: Right. Tejal: Very compelling. Jesal: Transcendental meditation. Tejal: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, also known as the Beatles'... guru. Jesal: Anusara. Tejal: John Friend. Jesal: Jivamukti. Tejal: Ruth Lauer Manenti. Jesal: Mahayana Buddhism. Tejal: Michael Roach. Jesal: Tantric Order of America. Tejal: Pierre Bernard, aka The Great Oom. Jesal: Siddha Yoga. Tejal: Swami Muktananda. Jesal: Zen Buddhism. Tejal: Eido Shimano and Richard Baker, just to name two in the U.S. Jesal: Kripalu. Page 3 of 27 Yoga is Dead Podcast Ep 3 Transcription Tejal: Amrit Desai had a scandal. Jesal: The Hare Krishnas. Tejal: Like literally a whole score of them apparently. Jesal: Kundalini. Tejal: Yogi Bhajan. Jesal: Shambhala. Tejal: Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Jesal: Rinpoche? [pronunciation] Tejal: Rinpoche? Jesal: I don't know. Tejal: We'll see. Jesal: And I think we missed another Iyengar teacher, like our lead teacher. Tejal: Let's see if I can say this properly: Manouso Manos. Jesal: Yeah. That's a lot of predators in the guru realm. Tejal: Yeah. I think we forgot one big one: Bikram. Jesal: Oh right. Tejal: Bikram Choudhury. Jesal: And this is just in the yoga community. This doesn't even include like religious or sub-religious leaders in India, which they have a lot of them. Tejal: And there are a lot of people not named here. Jesal: And this doesn't even begin to list all the swamis and babas and gurus in India that are just super charlatans or total frauds. I mean, people sincerely believe in a lot of these leaders. Tejal: Yeah. One big name, like Baba Ramdev. Page 4 of 27 Yoga is Dead Podcast Ep 3 Transcription Jesal: I don't think that he as at least yet been accused of sexual assault, but he has said some creepy and fraudulent things, not to mention, on record. Tejal: He's literally the most powerful TV guru in India. Jesal: Key: TV guru [laughs] Tejal: Yep. Jesal: Isn't he worth billions? Tejal: Yeah. At least that's what Forbes and The Times of India and Bloomberg have reported. How a guru builds an empire and is valued at billions is just something to ponder. Yet somehow he wants us to believe he's this poor - there's that word again - ascetic monk ​ ​ ​ who lives on an ashram and uses the money only to serve the poor. Jesal: But isn't that ashram like in Scotland? Tejal: God knows why. Jesal: Gods know why. ​ Tejal: That's right. Yep. I mean, my real problem with him isn't really the money, although that's a problem. Let's be honest. But, in theory you can still be a good person with lots of money. In theory. Jesal: Theoretically, right. Tejal: He has said a lot of things that are just fraudulent, and people are just taking it for face value, which is very terrifying. Jesal: Yeah. I mean he claims that pranayama can cure pretty much every disease in the world. I think he's even said - don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure he said that pranayama can cure AIDS and premature ejaculation. Aside from the usual, you know, hypertension and all those things. Tejal: He thinks that yoga should be taught in place of sex ed. WTMF! And he said publicly... this hurts. I mean, this whole episode is going to hurt a little. But he said publicly that he thinks homosexuality is a mental disorder and a bad habit, and he invited homosexuals to his ashram so he could cure them. Jesal: Yeah. WTF. Tejal: Someone with that many prejudices and is allied with the Hindu nationalist prime minister in India definitely has more yoga monsters under his mat. ​ ​ Page 5 of 27 Yoga is Dead Podcast Ep 3 Transcription Jesal: Yup. I don't think we've seen all of those monsters yet. Jesal: There's so many babas I can hardly name them, but I was watching Hasan Minhaj's show Patriot Act and - Tejal: Amazing edutainment show. God I love it. Jesal: Speaking of Hindu nationalism, he did an episode on the Indian elections and he talked about this crazy monk named Yogi Adityanath. He's also the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, and this guy, aside from being involved in politics, he's known for being an extreme Hindu nationalist and making hate speeches against religious minorities in India. And he also said - if men develop feminine traits they become gods, but if women develop masculine traits they become demons. Misogynist much? Tejal: You might think India is just full of yoga and acceptance, but these are serious issues in India that are continuing to happen in modern day, but I really hope that the place that ​ ​ our lineage and heritage and background and family is from can really get their shit together. Jesal: [laughs] Tejal: Because this is some depressing shit. Jesal: Yeah. And I mean, we haven't even talked about Sathya Sai Baba, who arguably, aside from Baba Ramdev, is like one of the biggest known babas in India. Or was, I should say. ​ ​ And he is like one of those rare figures you actually see worshiped in both East and West. And I looked him up - he's been accused of everything from sexual abuse, money laundering, fraud, and even murder. Tejal: Yeah. When we decided to talk about Sathya Sai Baba, it freaked me out a little bit because I recall his framed picture everywhere in homes, family friends' homes little ​ ​ … smiling guy with a fro wearing saffron colors and he's not above this.
Recommended publications
  • University of California Riverside

    University of California Riverside

    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE Choreographers and Yogis: Untwisting the Politics of Appropriation and Representation in U.S. Concert Dance A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Critical Dance Studies by Jennifer F Aubrecht September 2017 Dissertation Committee: Dr. Jacqueline Shea Murphy, Chairperson Dr. Anthea Kraut Dr. Amanda Lucia Copyright by Jennifer F Aubrecht 2017 The Dissertation of Jennifer F Aubrecht is approved: Committee Chairperson University of California, Riverside Acknowledgements I extend my gratitude to many people and organizations for their support throughout this process. First of all, my thanks to my committee: Jacqueline Shea Murphy, Anthea Kraut, and Amanda Lucia. Without your guidance and support, this work would never have matured. I am also deeply indebted to the faculty of the Dance Department at UC Riverside, including Linda Tomko, Priya Srinivasan, Jens Richard Giersdorf, Wendy Rogers, Imani Kai Johnson, visiting professor Ann Carlson, Joel Smith, José Reynoso, Taisha Paggett, and Luis Lara Malvacías. Their teaching and research modeled for me what it means to be a scholar and human of rigorous integrity and generosity. I am also grateful to the professors at my undergraduate institution, who opened my eyes to the exciting world of critical dance studies: Ananya Chatterjea, Diyah Larasati, Carl Flink, Toni Pierce-Sands, Maija Brown, and rest of U of MN dance department, thank you. I thank the faculty (especially Susan Manning, Janice Ross, and Rebekah Kowal) and participants in the 2015 Mellon Summer Seminar Dance Studies in/and the Humanities, who helped me begin to feel at home in our academic community.
  • INTRODUCTION to Changdev Pasashti (1) Journey's

    INTRODUCTION to Changdev Pasashti (1) Journey's

    INTRODUCTION to Changdev Pasashti (1) Journey's end - 65 minutes to moksha (65 verses to Liberation) .…. the disciples are old, the guru is young So it is said to have been with the legendary guru Dakshinamurti (4). And so it was with Changdev (3) and Jnaneshwar (2). A lot of people are quite religious, in the sense that they follow the dictates of their particular form of organized religion, but most average people are not interested in real spiritual seeking and Enlightenment or Liberation. But for those who are, their lot is not easy. The life of the seeker is a difficult one. Although Liberation is said to be our natural, original state, the average man has drifted away from it, and though he may be (therefore) said to be having a natural tendency to regaining it, there are many obstacles to this. They may be preliminary ones like material interests and pursuits. This is not to say that such things are to be decried and that everyone should be exhorted to give up material interests and pick up the spiritual pursuit. This is the premise of the common religious preacher, not of the true (Enlightened) spiritual guru. The true guru simply leaves such people alone, and waits for their spiritual maturation. Meanwhile, he may indulge in some of their simple minded demands, giving them, as Sai Baba of Shirdi (5) remarked, what they want in the hope that they may "begin to want what he wants to give them." Or he may not. Such deemed miracles and such other trivia are not the guru's true purpose or message.
  • The Guru Next Door the Truly Health-Obsessed Don’T Just Want to Eat Right and Get Some Exercise

    The Guru Next Door the Truly Health-Obsessed Don’T Just Want to Eat Right and Get Some Exercise

    BE WELL BE STYLE The Guru Next Door The truly health-obsessed don’t just want to eat right and get some exercise. They want to live in a new kind of “wellness community.” by Sandra Ballentine. Illustrations by Andria Mongia FACED WITH EVER more transient Despite the moniker, it doesn’t mean green space, farmers’ markets, clean wellness trends (diets, detoxes, work- monster mansions overlooking the ninth food and air, spaces for socializing and outs, healers, supplements, superfoods, hole or marble-clad condos with “luxury coworking, and myriad indoor and out- spas, and sleep apps—oh my!), it’s easy spa amenities,” although sports and spas door fitness options. “If the culture of to experience wellness fatigue, or to feel definitely factor in. Instead, buildings and a place is healthier, you will be health- like you’re being wellness-washed. But as communities are being purpose-built or ier, period,” says Katherine Johnston, growing populations around the world renovated expressly with human health a senior research fellow at the Global compete for resources and struggle with and happiness in mind. Wellness Institute in Miami, who, along DEPARTURES real issues like sickness and soaring med- Recent studies indicate that genet- with fellow researcher Ophelia Yeung, ical costs, there’s one health-related trend ics may account for just 10 to 15 per- just completed a five-year study of the that might stick around—and it literally cent of our health outcomes, while nascent phenomenon. hits you where you live. lifestyle and environmental factors can Community is the linchpin of the “Wellness-lifestyle real estate” may not account for the rest.
  • Sikh Outreach Program

    Sikh Outreach Program

    SIMPLE FACTS ABOUT THE SIKH FAITH 1. Sikhism is one of the youngest religions of the world—originating only 540 years ago. 2. World wide Sikh has over 25 million followers making it the 5th largest religion of the world. Sikh have made North America their home since 1880 and presently 1 million to 2 million Sikhs happen to reside in North America. 3. It was founded by Guru Nanak in the 15th century in Northwest India. 4. The principal belief of Sikhism is faith in one Universal God—‘WaheGuru’—and oneness of mankind and so for all practical purposes prostylization is not practiced in Sikhism. 5. Guru Nanak also emphasized the following as a means to attain salvation—the spiritual union OUTREACH with God through the following principles: PROGRAM • NaamJapna—Meditation on God’s name About through the heart, soul and spirit. SIKH • Kirat Karna—To balance one’s work (and f amily life) thr u r ighte ous liv ing . AWARENESS • Vand Chakna—Concept of sharing thru charity. Langar—distribution of free food is integral part of Sikhism. 6. The Turban in the Sikh religion is not a sign of orthodoxy, fanaticism or priesthood but is an NISHKAM SEVA GURDWARA SAHIB & DR. JASBIR SINGH SAINI integral part of the religion. 99% of the guys SIKH COMMUNITY CENTER with a turban that you see walking down the 4950 W Tonopah Drive, Glendale, AZ 85308 street in your town are just ordinary Sikhs. (NE corner of 51st Ave and 101) Outreach Program Liaison: Mrs. Rangi, 623-412-4942 THE SIKH GURUS GURU GRANTH SAHIB MOOL MANTRA—THE SIKH PREAMBLE Guru Nanak was followed by nine Gurus.
  • 1 Religion: Hinduism Judaism Buddhism Christianity Islam

    1 Religion: Hinduism Judaism Buddhism Christianity Islam

    1 Religion: Hinduism Judaism Buddhism Christianity Islam Sikhism 2 Name of Follower Hindus Jews Buddhists Christians Muslims Sikhs Religious Leaders/ 3 leaders of whorship Brahman Rabbi, Abraham Siddhartha Gautama Pastor, Preist, Jesus Mohammed Guru Nanak No one God/ Nature Trimurti, Shiva, Brahma Adonai, Yaweh, God (based on Buddah) one unnamed God 4 Name of God (polytheistic) (monotheistic) polytheistic God (monotheistic) Allah (monotheistic) (monotheistic) 5 Place of Worship Temple Synagogue Temples Church, Cathedral Mosques Gradura/ Gurdwara 6 Name of Holy Book Bhagavad-Gita Torah Tipitaka The Bible Qu'ran/ Koran Guru Granth Sahib based on beliefs of the prophet Mohammed is first Guru Nanak, kosher food, Sabbath, 10 key figure, Five Pilars of meditation, value of all Karma,Reincarnation, Commandments, only rencarnation, Nirvana, Jesus Christ died for sins Islam, only one god life, only one, unknown 7 Key Beliefs Nirvana one God Eight Fold Path and rose from the dead (Allah) God 8 Holiday Diwali Yom Kippur Vesak Easter Ramadan Viasikhi North and South America, Europe, Russia, The Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa , Southwest Asia, Island Australia and New Southeast Asia, and 9 Main Area of Practice India US/ Israel India and SE Asia Zealand North Africa Punjab province of India stem from Judaism- Founded in what is Founded in India, based Founded by Jesus Christ today Saudi Arabia by Middle East. Moses is on teachings from the and spread by His 12 Mohammed in the 600's 10 Origins Pakistan 3000 BC main prophet, founder Buddha (Gautama) apostles AD Pakistan 1500 BC.
  • Josephine Rathbone and Corrective Physical Education

    Josephine Rathbone and Corrective Physical Education

    Yoga Comes to American Physical Education: Josephine Rathbone and Corrective Physical Education P a t r ic ia V e r t in s k y 1 School of Kinesiology University o f British Columbia Around the turn-of-the-twentieth-century yoga took on an American mantle, developing into India’s first “global brand" of physical culture. Physical educa­ tors became implicated in this transnational exchange adopting aspects of yoga into their programs and activities, though there has been an insufficient attempt to piece together the sum and pattern of their intersecting influences. This paper explores how adopted Eastern cultural practices such as yoga gained traction on American shores and entered the fabric of everyday and institutional life, in­ cluding the curricula of higher education in the late nineteenth and early de­ cades of the twentieth century. It then describes how American physical educa­ tor Josephine L Rathbone came to draw inspiration and knowledge from Indian gurus about the yoga postures she would incorporate in the first and rather significant program o f corrective physical education at Teachers College, Colum­ bia University during the 1930s and 1940s. As an early pioneer of the evolu­ tion o f Ling's medical gymnastics into a therapeutic stream o f physical activity which formed an important branch o f physical education, Rathbone was in­ strumental in maintaining a critical link with physical therapy and medicine, 'Correspondence to [email protected]. facilitating transnational connections and networks while pushing open a ¿loor to mind-body practices from the east. Her project was a small but illuminating aspect o f the shifting spaces o f "bodies in contact” in cross-cultural encounters and complex imperial networks emerging from "modernities" in both East and West.
  • Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism

    Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism

    HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, SIKHISM HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, SIKHISM What is Hinduism? One of the oldest religions of humanity The religion of the Indian people Gave birth to Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism Tolerance and diversity: "Truth is one, paths are many" Many deities but a single, impersonal Ultimate Reality A philosophy and a way of life – focused both on this world and beyond What do Hindus believe? One impersonal Ultimate Reality – Brahman Manifest as many personal deities True essence of life – Atman, the soul, is Brahman trapped in matter (“That art thou”) Reincarnation – atman is continually born into this world lifetime after lifetime (Samsara) Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions keeps us bound to this world (good and bad) Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and reunite with the divine, becoming as one with Brahman (Moksha) And we too are manifest forms of God! “We are not human beings having spiritual experiences; We are spiritual beings having a human experience!” “That art Thou” Hinduism is about recognizing the all pervasiveness of the divine Reincarnation, Karma and Service 1. The soul is present in all species of life 2. All life is sacred and worthy of the highest respect 3. Everything that lives and grows is interconnected 4. Where there is life or soul there is atman. 5. At death the soul enters another body. Buddhism Buddhism challenged Brahmanical Hinduism Founded by Siddhartha Gautama-6th century BC Began to look for answers beyond the Vedas Called for a new ethical conception of human affairs 330 million followers Teachings of Buddhism Four Noble Truths Life is suffering; Suffering is due to attachment; Attachment can be overcome; There is a path for accomplishing this.
  • Shankara: a Hindu Revivalist Or a Crypto-Buddhist?

    Shankara: a Hindu Revivalist Or a Crypto-Buddhist?

    Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Religious Studies Theses Department of Religious Studies 12-4-2006 Shankara: A Hindu Revivalist or a Crypto-Buddhist? Kencho Tenzin Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/rs_theses Part of the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Tenzin, Kencho, "Shankara: A Hindu Revivalist or a Crypto-Buddhist?." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2006. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/rs_theses/4 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Religious Studies at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Religious Studies Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SHANKARA: A HINDU REVIVALIST OR A CRYPTO BUDDHIST? by KENCHO TENZIN Under The Direction of Kathryn McClymond ABSTRACT Shankara, the great Indian thinker, was known as the accurate expounder of the Upanishads. He is seen as a towering figure in the history of Indian philosophy and is credited with restoring the teachings of the Vedas to their pristine form. However, there are others who do not see such contributions from Shankara. They criticize his philosophy by calling it “crypto-Buddhism.” It is his unique philosophy of Advaita Vedanta that puts him at odds with other Hindu orthodox schools. Ironically, he is also criticized by Buddhists as a “born enemy of Buddhism” due to his relentless attacks on their tradition. This thesis, therefore, probes the question of how Shankara should best be regarded, “a Hindu Revivalist or a Crypto-Buddhist?” To address this question, this thesis reviews the historical setting for Shakara’s work, the state of Indian philosophy as a dynamic conversation involving Hindu and Buddhist thinkers, and finally Shankara’s intellectual genealogy.
  • Om: One God Universal a Garland of Holy Offerings * * * * * * * * Viveka Leads to Ānanda

    Om: One God Universal a Garland of Holy Offerings * * * * * * * * Viveka Leads to Ānanda

    Om: One God Universal A Garland of Holy Offerings * * * * * * * * Viveka Leads To Ānanda VIVEKNANDA KENDRA PATRIKĀ Vol. 22 No. 2: AUGUST 1993 Represented By Murari and Sarla Nagar Truth is One God is Truth . God is One Om Shanti Mandiram Columbia MO 2001 The treasure was lost. We have regained it. This publication is not fully satisfactory. There is a tremendous scope for its improvement. Then why to publish it? The alternative was to let it get recycled. There is a popular saying in American academic circles: Publish or Perish. The only justification we have is to preserve the valuable contents for posterity. Yet it is one hundred times better than its original. We have devoted a great deal of our time, money, and energy to improve it. The entire work was recomposed on computer. Figures [pictures] were scanned and inserted. Diacritical marks were provided as far as possible. References to citations were given in certain cases. But when a vessel is already too dirty it is very difficult to clean it even in a dozen attempts. The original was an assemblage of scattered articles written by specialists in their own field. Some were extracted from publications already published. It was issued as a special number of a journal. It needed a competent editor. Even that too was not adequate unless the editor possessed sufficient knowledge of and full competence in all the subject areas covered. One way to make it correct and complete was to prepare a kind of draft and circulate it among all the writers, or among those who could critically examine a particular paper in their respective field.

  • Bani of Bhagats-Part II.Pmd

    BANI OF BHAGATS Complete Bani of Bhagats as enshrined in Shri Guru Granth Sahib Part II All Saints Except Swami Rama Nand And Saint Kabir Ji Dr. G.S. Chauhan Publisher : Dr. Inderjit Kaur President All India Pingalwara Charitable Society (Regd.) Amritsar-143001 Website:www.pingalwara.co; E-mail:[email protected] BANI OF BHAGATS PART : II Author : G.S. Chauhan B-202, Shri Ganesh Apptts., Plot No. 12-B, Sector : 7, Dwarka, New Delhi - 110075 First Edition : May 2014, 2000 Copies Publisher : Dr. Inderjit Kaur President All India Pingalwara Charitable Society (Regd.) Amritsar-143001 Ph : 0183-2584586, 2584713 Website:www.pingalwara.co E-mail:[email protected] (Link to download this book from internet is: pingalwara.co/awareness/publications-events/downloads/) (Free of Cost) Printer : Printwell 146, Industrial Focal Point, Amritsar Dedicated to the sacred memory of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Who, while compiling bani of the Sikh Gurus, included bani of 15 saints also, belonging to different religions, castes, parts and regions of India. This has transformed Sri Guru Granth Sahib from being the holy scripture of the Sikhs only to A Unique Universal Teacher iii Contentsss • Ch. 1: Saint Ravidas Ji .......................................... 1 • Ch. 2: Sheikh Farid Ji .......................................... 63 • Ch. 3: Saint Namdev Ji ...................................... 113 • Ch. 4: Saint Jaidev Ji......................................... 208 • Ch. 5: Saint Trilochan Ji .................................... 215 • Ch. 6: Saint Sadhna Ji ....................................... 223 • Ch. 7: Saint Sain Ji ............................................ 227 • Ch. 8: Saint Peepa Ji.......................................... 230 • Ch. 9: Saint Dhanna Ji ...................................... 233 • Ch. 10: Saint Surdas Ji ...................................... 240 • Ch. 11: Saint Parmanand Ji .............................. 244 • Ch. 12: Saint Bheekhan Ji................................
  • Gp2020-Study-Guide-Week1

    Gp2020-Study-Guide-Week1

    ©2020 Sathya Sai International Organisation All Rights Reserved sathyasai.org I NSP I R AT I ONAL S TORY GURU, the Last Resort A Little Story by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba An aspirant after spiritual realization went off into a jungle and was plodding across the infested region, through the thick undergrowth, when he heard the angry roar of a lion. He climbed a tree to escape from the beast, but the lion saw him among the branches and roamed round and round the trunk in terrific rage. On the tree, he was attacked by a bear and so, he slid down the roots that descended from one of the branches of that banyan tree. Luckily, there were two roots hanging from the branch, so that he could hang on in midair clinging to them, one in each hand. Just then, he saw two rats, one white and the other black, which were gnawing at the base of the roots, endangering his life with every bite. While in this perilous state, a honeycomb which was full of sweet nectar situated on one of the top branches leaked a few drops which fell his way. So, the unfortunate man put out his tongue to catch a drop so that he may taste the delicious honey. But no drop reached his tongue. In despair and terror, he called on his Guru, “O Guruji, come and save me.” The Guru who was passing by heard his appeal. He sped to the rescue. He brought a bow and arrows and slew the lion and bear, frightened off the rats and saved the disciple from the fear of death.
  • Guru in Sanātana Dharmā

    Guru in Sanātana Dharmā

    Guru in Sanātana Dharmā - Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai All are Brahman declares sanātana dharmā and the true purpose of human life is to overcome the māyā or illusion created by the mind, which projects the myth of duality that one is different from Brahman by giving a false identity (ahańkāra) through the acquired thoughts (manas), memories (chitta), and flawed analysis (buddhi). This realisation that one is Brahman is moksha - destruction of moha or false attachment, also called mukti or freedom from ignorance. To achieve this, a Guru - a realised Master- is imperative as he experiences his truth as Brahman, and can thus help the lost seeker also discover his true identity, like the big lion that guided the ignorant cub lost in the flock of sheep to its real identity of being a lion, and thus liberated it from the illusion of calling itself a sheep. That’s what we discussed in the last article. But how does one find a Guru? Who is a real Guru? What are his qualities? And how does he help one realise Brahman? These are the questions that we would try and answer in this article. As mentioned some time ago, the same Brahman descends as an avatār amongst people with the main purpose of establishing dharmā - which is to help one execute one’s true duty of behaving in accordance with one’s divine nature. Many who come across such an avatār are inspired and strive to achieve the greater heights of the supreme state of Brahman, cutting asunder the bondage of false identification that ties them down to the māyā of the world.