As we all know Guruji is our all-powerful master and what he stated while in his physical form is worth contemplating and reflecting on for each individual whether young or old.  Often we get to hear from our Guru-bhais and Guru-didis that Guruji told me “this” and Guruji told me “that” however, few really know what Guruji wanted his disciples to learn or acquire from his messages.  This article will provide the readers with a platform to understand how Guruji’s sayings relate to the Srimad Bhagvad Gita.  Those who have read the Bhagvad Gita, are surely aware of its timeless and ageless divine message and guidelines on doing one’s duty in life which it provides.  Please note that the sayings of Guruji that are quoted below are those that are noted by Dr. Shanakaranaryana (Banglore, Pune).

“All are welcome to me, I do not differentiate good or bad people when they come to me, for me all are the same.”  This statement shows how Guruji saw “Bhraman or the “Super soul” in everyone and practiced it in his life without discrimination.  Shloka #19 of Chapter 5 and #9 of chap 6 of the Srimad Bhagvad Gita relates directly to this statement of Guruji as you can see in the following:  “Even here in this embodied state, the cycle of births and deaths has been overcome by those who have this vision of sameness in all.  Verily, Bhraman is the Unsullied and the Pure.  Therefore are those seers of sameness said to be established in Bhraman.”  “Specially noteworthy in excellence is he who is even-minded in his outlook on friend and foe, on comrade and stranger, on the neutral, on the ally, on the good, and even on the evil ones.”  As you can see the sameness that is described in the shlokas directly relates to the fact that Guruji did not differentiate and treated everyone equally, therefore he saw “Bhraman” or “God” in everyone.

“You have come to me, forget your past doings (wrong) and be on the right path now.”  This statement of Guruji’s is related to shloka #52 of chap 2 in the Bhagvad Gita.  “When you have overcome the delusions of your understanding sprung from self-centered attachment, then you attain to a state of indifference towards all the past experiences and the others yet to be had.”

“All that is said in the Vedas may not be correct.” and “Do not go for Siddhi, you will get stuck; it prevents you to achieve the goal (of spiritual realization).” these messages of Guruji’s are reflected in the Bhagvad Gita by shlokas:  #42-44 of chap 2 as follows:  “O Arjuna!  There are people who delight in the eulogistic statements of the Vedas and argue that the purport of the Vedas consists in these and nothing else.  They are full of  worldly desires; paradise is their highest goal; and they are totally blind in a spiritual sense.  They expatiate upon those florid Vedic texts which describe the means for the attainment of pleasure and power, which provide attractive embodiments as the fruits of actions and which are full of descriptions of rites and rituals (through which these fulfillments are obtained).  In the minds of these votaries of pleasure and power, addicted to enjoyments of the above description, steadfast wisdom (capable of revealing the Truth) is never generated.”  As we can see from the above comparison, Guruji’s sayings are truly infallible.

“Empty your mind of all thoughts and sit quiet.  No need to recite mantras.”  This saying of Guruji’s is quite obviously reflected in the yoga of meditation as mentioned in the Bhagvad Gita.  Yoga of meditation is described in the Gita as a means to attain Self-realization along with other Yogas such as Yoga of Action, Yoga of Knowledge, yoga of renunciation etc.  In Shlokas #13-14 of chap 6, Shri Krishna states:  “Holding the body, head and neck erect, motionless and firm, gazing at the tip of the nose and not round about, fearless, serene, restrained in mind, and established in the vow of continence, he should sit in spiritual communion with Me, looking upon Me as his highest and most precious end.”  This shloka describes yoga of meditation which is one way to attain Self-realization as stated by Guruji.

“Fasting is a step to control desire.”  This statement of Guruji’s is generally reflected in chapter 2 of the Bhagvad Gita as chapter 2 refers to control of one’s senses (smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch) and controlling one‘s desires since desires lead to attachment and coming back to the world again and again.  Shloka #64 of chap 2 reveals Guruji’s message.  “A man of disciplined mind, who has his senses under control and who has neither attraction nor aversion for sense objects, attains tranquility, though he may be moving amidst objects of senses.”  This relates indirectly to the fact that one who has controlled his sense of taste can move about and around food while fasting, for example, a mother making and feeding food to her child on a fasting day such as Maha Shivaratri.

“Leave 5% of kama, krodha, lobha, moha, ahankara and the rest will follow”.  Kama is desire, krodha is anger, lobha is lust or greed, moha is attachment and ahankara is ego.  This statement of Guruji’s is firmly reflected in the following shlokas.  In chap 2 shloka 56:  “Whose mind is not agitated in adversity, who is free from desire, and who is devoid of attachments, fear and anger–such a person is called a sage of steady wisdom.”  In Chap 3 shloka #37 Shri Krishna states:  “It is lust, it is anger, born of Rajoguna, insatiable and prompting man to great sin.  Know this to be the enemy (in man’s spiritual life).”

“You have to renounce to go further.”  is shown in shloka 2 chap 6: “O son of Pandu!  What is called “sanyasa” or renunciation know that to be identical with yoga or disciplines of selfless action.  For whoever has not abandoned subtle hankerings and self-centered objectives, can never become a yogi or a practitioner of spiritual communion through works.  In the above shloka, abandoning subtle hankerings and self-centered objectives directly refers to renouncing and thereafter going further spiritually.

“Attachment prevents you from attaining liberation; it will make you come back to world again.”  As seen in chapter 2 shloka 71:  “Whoever has abandoned desires, and moves about without attachments and the sense of “I and mine”–he attains to peace.  Also seen in chapter 3 shloka 19:  “Therefore perform action always without attachment.  For by working without attachment a man attains the Supreme.”  If seen carefully, both of these shlokas indirectly reflect Guruji’s statement of attachment preventing from attaining liberation.

“Easy way to realize is to practice spiritual life while staying in the worldly life (grihast).”  This statement is directly reflected in the following shloka:  “The Blessed Lord said:  Both abandonment of works and communion through works lead to liberation.  But of them, communion through work excels abandonment of work.”  In this shloka, communion refers to advancing spiritually and abandonment of work refers to yoga of meditation or knowledge while works refers to yoga of action.  Shri Krishna states that although both Yogas are means of self-realization, Yoga of action (which is performing one’s works while in the worldly life as stated by Guruji) is superior than yoga of meditation or knowledge (which refers to practicing spiritual life while abandoning the worldly life).

As you have seen by now, the Srimad Bhagvad Gita’s message is reflected in Guruji’s sayings.  Guruji did not like to give lectures or properly discuss the Vedas teachings, however his life is a perfect example of a man following the Yoga of action while in the worldly life.  Also, he provided the same message of the Bhagvad Gita in words easy to understand by the general public.  The following shlokas of the Bhagvad Gita, describe Guruji exactly how he was:  Chap 4 shlokas 19-22.  “Whose undertakings are devoid of self-centered objectives, whose works have been burnt up by the fire of knowledge–him the wise call a sage.”  “Without attachment to the fruits of action, ever-satisfied and free from calculations, he is verily doing nothing, even though engaged in actions.”  Here the works being burnt up by the fire of knowledge and one who is doing nothing even while engaged in actions both refer to one who doesn’t take ownership of performing his actions while performing them.  The reason behind this is that he knows that he will not be bound to his actions if he doesn’t take ownership.  “One who is free from desires, whose mind is well-controlled, and who is without any sense of ownership, incurs no sin from works, as his actions are merely physical.”  “Satisfied with whatever comes without calculations, rising above the contrasting conditions of life, without any competitive spirit, and alike in success and failure, a man, though working, incurs no sin.”  Both of these shlokas again reiterate the way Guruji lived his life.  Although we cannot become like Guruji, we all can use him as an example and strive to practice our life in such a way that can lead us to spiritual enlightenment and not hindrance since the ultimate goal of spiritual life is to attain a state of “Bhraman” and peace.