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Spiritual teaching

CHENNAI: The prerequisites for a seeker of liberation have been described extensively in scriptural texts and the foremost among them is the ardent desire for liberation for which he should seek guidance from a Guru. The Bhagavad Gita says, “With reverential salutations do you approach them, the wise men who have known the truth. Serve them, and question them repeatedly (with due respect until your doubts are clarified). These wise men will impart the knowledge of this divine truth unto you.”

After approaching the preceptor he must serve him till he is pleased to impart the teaching and the period of study will vary from individual to individual as the capacity and preparedness to receive the instruction differ. Above all, the seeker has to leave all his social identities behind and remember he is a disciple (Sishya) before the Guru.

In her discourse, Swamini Satyavratananda said the teaching of the truth by Prajapati to Indra and Virochana in the Chandogya Upanishad was an archetype of the Guru-Sishya method of imparting spiritual knowledge. When Prajapati said that the knower of the Atman (Self) would become immortal and that all his desires would be fulfilled, both the celestials and the demons heard it. Indra from the gods and Virochana from the demons approached Prajapati with the desire to obtain Self-knowledge. Both were archrivals but as they had come to learn the highest wisdom they left behind their prejudices and became friendly. Leading a life of austerity as required of spiritual seekers, they served Prajapati for 32 years before he even asked them why they were living with him.

They replied, “The Atman which is free from evil, free from old age, free from death, free from sorrow, free from hunger and thirst, whose desire is of the truth, whose resolve is of the truth, he should be sought, him one should desire to understand. He who has found out, and who understands that Atman, attains all the worlds and all the desires. These are known to be the words of your revered self. Desiring that Atman we have been living.” Prajapati then taught them step by step as knowledge of the Atman cannot be revealed until the identification with the body is overcome.

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