The disciple awakens from within, it is like a rebirth happening
22 July 2013, Amritapuri
After many years, Amma was physicially present for Guru Purnima in Amritapuri. Even though she had just arrived the previous day from her two month-long world tour, Amma came to the stage at 10.30 am for the function. The celebrations began with Amma’s Pada Puja, which was performed by Swami Amritaswarupananda accompanied by the chanting of the Guru Gita and Vedic mantras.
After the Pada Puja and chanting of Amma’s 108 names, all the Swamis offered a garland to Amma. Amma’s Guru Purnima message was then shown on the video screens.
In the message Amma said: “One may ask, “The scriptures say that God is within us and not different from our true nature. Then why should we seek refuge in a Satguru?” It is true that God is within us. We are, in truth, the embodiment of Sachidananda—pure existence, pure consciousness, pure bliss. But have we experienced this truth? No, it is being veiled by our ego. We hold the key to the massive treasure chest within us, but that key has become rusty due to a long period of lack of use. Just as we remove rust from a regularly key by applying grease, so too we have to remove the rust of our ahamkara and vasanas—our sense of “I” as a limited body and mind and our deep-rooted tendencies. This will help us realize our true nature. It is for this purpose that we seek refuge in a Satguru.
In the message Amma said: “One may ask, “The scriptures say that God is within us and not different from our true nature. Then why should we seek refuge in a Satguru?” It is true that God is within us. We are, in truth, the embodiment of Sachidananda—pure existence, pure consciousness, pure bliss. But have we experienced this truth? No, it is being veiled by our ego. We hold the key to the massive treasure chest within us, but that key has become rusty due to a long period of lack of use. Just as we remove rust from a regularly key by applying grease, so too we have to remove the rust of our ahamkara and vasanas—our sense of “I” as a limited body and mind and our deep-rooted tendencies. This will help us realize our true nature. It is for this purpose that we seek refuge in a Satguru.
However much the guru tries to awaken the disciple, unless the disciple is ready to awaken from within, it will never happen. It’s easy to awaken someone who is sleeping, but it is impossible to awaken someone pretending to be asleep. When you break an egg by force, it puts an end to a life, but when the shell breaks from within, life is created anew. In a similar way, when the disciple awakens from within, it is like a rebirth happening. He or she awakens to their true nature. Being with a Satguru is like being a chick being warmed by the body of the mother hen. The guru’s presence creates the favorable climate in which the seeds of divinity within the disciple can sprout. The guru provides us opportunities. It is up to the disciple as to how they are used.
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Aerial photography of Amrita Institutions
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences; Amrita University Healthcare Campus, Kochi; Amrita University Campus Coimbatore; Amrita university Campus Amritapuri and Amritapuri Ashram.
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