Word is Truth, Truth is Guru,
Guru is God's Manifestation

    The diversity and contradictions in human experience are based on indomitable karmic liability involving good and evil alike. This expands as human history depicting known details and subtle influence of unknown factors. The spiritual wisdom and guidance emanating therefrom, is the panacea for all human ills. This is made available to the humanity by the gracious Will of God through the Guru -fully realized spiritual master- authorized in this behalf. This happens to be one among the most important subjects coming within the purview of spiritual experience, especially in the matter of the spiritual mystery latent in revelatory visions. Any amount of explanatory treatises will not be sufficient to bring out this fully. This subject involves the full richness and privacy of the reciprocity of Guru and disciple. In Santhigiri the entrance to this wisdom and experience is open for the whole World. The following is a very brief summary of the ideals and activities of the Ashram.

I

    The spiritual performance of Santhigiri Ashram is not a religious function. It is intended for leading forward the humanity and correcting it. For that, they have to be made aware of the error that had taken place long ago which has to be corrected. That sin is centered around a great spiritual master in the lineage of Manu -first preceptor of mankind- who thought that "Aham Brahmasmi" -I am the Supreme God. Humanity itself got stained by this wrongful attitude. This egocentric statement caused the withdrawal of God’s Light, and resulted in the ego of humans with a big ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ That error occurred approximately 108 000 000 years ago.

    The civilized way of living, requires the correction of erroneous life style that had been in vogue for long. The very action of pointing out the existing error, should not be allowed to turn out as a fresh error. We should be prepared to declare that there is an effective method for the intended correction. For this, it requires that one should come to know or experience the Supreme Soul who fills with radiating light the planetary and interplanetary spheres of the system of nine planets. There is the spiritual wisdom starting at the first sky -Akasa- and encompassing the succeeding planes of the different specifications of Light. But the scriptural renderings of wisdom do not effectively bring out that the spark of life, illuminating the life force of a live tree is immanent in every living being. The written history, which is a mixture of Vedic -related to Hindu philosophical scriptures-, Puranic -regarding to Hindu epics- and Scriptural thought does not illustrate this fact. Beginning from the humble grass, or from the five elements involving the water content, the life -force is evaluated; this leads to the five sheaths or spiritual cells (Pancha Kosha -five sheaths-, namely Annamaya -physical body-, Pranamaya -life breath, vital force body-, Manomaya -mental body-, Vijnanamaya -spiritual wisdom, internal vision body- and Anandamaya -Supreme Bliss). Scholars have tried to add a sixth one to the existing five cells. This concept of the sixth one is far from the truth, though it may appear reasonable, pure and scholarly. The devotees adhering to Yoga cult, have zealously strived to cultivate the soul to transform it into a repository of wisdom. Their super human effort is beyond the comprehension of ordinary men. The fulfillment of scholarship is prone to the commission of the error of cherishing the notion that the different cults of yogi (person that seeks spiritual realization through physical exercises, meditation and respiration techniques); jnani (wise soul enriched by darshans, -spiritual visions- with the power to see past, present and future); karmi (man who pursues spiritual realization through his righteous actions) and bhaktha (person who is seeking spiritual realization through devotion towards God practicing worship and prayer to the Almighty) belong to one fold. They should at least make a note of this spiritual fact that the nine-fold light can emanate from one atom, as has been proved by the possibility of atomic reaction brought about by modern scientific research. There was a theory that the atom cannot be split. Now who has split the atom? The assertion of the indivisibility of the atom is similar to the theory of Advaita -non duality, monism. Science can bring to light a number of facts. But the method or path followed by the scientist need not necessarily be the proper one. What do we understand from this? His findings may be scientifically true. The nature has arranged everything without holding back anything from our observation. The spokesman of the truth can alone clarify the objective tribulations of the life -force in accordance with the different statures of individual souls. The great men, whose sustained effort in search of the source of grace for long having acted upon every cell beginning from the Annamaya kosha -physical body- and through a long journey enabling them to reach Anandamaya kosha -Supreme bliss. The objective evaluation of possessive process of spiritual phenomena, can be done only by a seeker of truth. The mathematicians or the scientists insisting upon a systematic study of mathematics or the dictionary of Gundert, which can be considered as a mathematical study of the origin and development of words and phrases. One reservoir or backwater is quite different from another. Suppose somebody commits the erroneous action of assessing a reservoir in mathematical terms quite in line with Amarakosha -Sanskrit dictionary. If all the reservoirs are emptied into the ocean, without knowing that the ocean itself is moving about over the surface of the earth, one cannot figure out the intricacies of the system. One of the old folk songs in Malayalam, refers to a tree of seven-leafed branches on the other shore of the seven seas. This is an imagination, which has merged with poetic action of reason. The imagery and reasoning differ from individual to individual. Does this mean that the writer and the readers have actually seen it? This is as effective as the consolation acquired by calculating the intensity of the rosy light emanating from each sky (Spiritual sky). The repetitive capacity of the three Yugas -eras- gone by when ripening into that of the fourth age -Kaliyuga, will clearly show the void left by the theory of Advaita -non duality, monism. Why should one engage in the futile act of explaining the reality of a void? If this faculty of philosophic reasoning, which is not spiritual vision, were conjured up intellectually to suit scholarship, would it be helpful to achieve spiritual wisdom -jnana? The dictionaries by Amarasihma and Gundert, are the products of intellectual craft. The spirituality actually starts from a point beyond the intellectual faculty. It is beyond the faculties of intellect and thought. There is no room for reason and thought there. The systematization based on inferences and speculations are the display of the scholarship of the scientists. The fabrication of a big language within the scholarly language resulted in the advent of a new language known as Sanskrit. Sanskrit is one of the most complex academic languages of the ancient scholars. The language underwent much sophistication, in the name of civilized and stylish medium of scholarly communication. Therefore the spiritual culture that had to be evolved in the fourth leg of the age-quartet -Kaliyuga- (actual era) did not take shape as the process of evolution in this line was held up at the close of Dwaparayuga -past era. The glorification of the devas -deities misconceived as fully realized souls- in Amarakosha, etc. denied the evolutionary fulfillment of Kaliyuga. This is symptomatic of scholarly contrivance. Therefore the spiritual evolution congenial to Kaliyuga did not come into play, in none of the Kaliyugas of the past 25 Chaturyugas -age quartets. The impediment inherent in the Trimurti system, nullified the beneficial possibility of Kaliyugas. Kaliyuga, which happens to be the fourth leg of Chaturyuga, has many implications of spiritual grace. How this grace acts upon every living cell, is the manifestation of the inherent force of evolution. The life force of a species of grass, when manifests its chemical and medicinal contents, denotes a relative plane of perfection. This is applicable to each variety of grasses and this process of evolution embraces the different families of shrubs and this repetitive process denotes another perfection of karma -a mode of action. The derivation of different nomenclature exemplifies this process, i.e. ‘Ramapacha.’ It is the name borne by a specific genus of shrub.

    The fortnights represented by full moon and new moon, denote another perfection or fulfillment. We may evaluate the 120 years, which is held to be the maximum human life span. Could a human being make out the innumerable layers of spiritual phenomena immanent in the Universe by his intellectual faculty, even if he completes the full life span? This layered make up of time flow comprising the lunar months of a 100 or 120 years, does not enable men of different caliber such as intelligent, foolish or a scoundrel of the meanest nature, to make out the specific repetitive faculty of karma -mode of action- relating to the four Yugas -eras- namely Satyayuga, Tretayuga, Dwaparayuga and Kaliyuga, involving the planetary and interplanetary action and interaction. This inability, is the source of comments of our ancestors about the achievements of their contemporaries, to the effect that the revolutionary poetic rendering of the faculty, encompassing the range from salt to camphor i.e. everything imaginable as a super human achievement! After reaching this situation, how can a wise man exercise his discretion having already given equal status to truth and falsehood? Therefore we should come to a conclusion based on real experience. Suppose we discard totally the evil after collecting everything good, while evaluating good and evil. Can we calculate correctly the inner make up of a lunar month in terms of karma, past and present, depending on the aspects of good we have collected? Can one be deemed a wise man if one displays the details of evils that pervades 100 years? It follows that the claim that one has reached the spiritual plane of unblemished happiness or bliss -Anandamaya kosa- beginning from the elementary plane of spiritual nourishment -Annamaya kosa- which has been polluted by improper action, based on intricacies of scholarly dogmatism, will not be sufficient. One should act properly in the right way. The spiritual experience of darshan -revelatory vision- occurs at the culmination of such spiritual process at various planes or levels. The spiritual experience of different planes -seven skies- has been enumerated like this. This truth is borne out by some great men who have attained this wisdom through the ages and appearing on rare contexts of spiritual significance in certain Yugas -eras. While at North India, sanyasins -renouncers- of South India would claim their lineage to Sri Shankara, the exponent of Advaita philosophy -non duality, monism-, if inquired by the people there. This enables them to unhindered admission to various Ashrams. This trick is played by all the Sudras -lowest of the castes- of South India! What would be the outcome if these things were engulfed in communal sentiments?

II

    Now we have specialization in every field of knowledge. We are having encyclopedia similar to a botanical garden, maintained scientifically growing plants and trees of all denominations. This leads to a peculiar mixture of wisdom and ignorance, which disseminates purity of thought! This process goes on and on! One of the Upanishadic prayers beseeching peace runs like this:

"Poornamada. Poornamidam,
Poornal Poornamudachyathe
Poornasya Poornamadaya
Poornameva Avasishyathe
Aum Santhi Santhi Santhi."

    (This is perfect, that is perfect; the perfect evolves out of the perfect. If the perfect is taken out of the perfect then again the original perfect remains perfect. Oh! Peace be on earth and heavens!)

    Will this invocation for peace uttered thrice bring about peace for the Vedic scholar? There is another citation of a hymn.

"Antharjyothi Bahirjyothi,
Prathyagjyothi Paratpara
Jyothirjyothi Swayamjyothi
Atmajyothi Sivatmakam."

    This is an invocation in Tantric style. Is this enough for bringing about peace? This spiritual perfection envisaged in such manners and inadequate karmas, have thwarted the aspirations of Hinduism all along. The denial of the theory of birth by some religions is another example. Both these attitudes can be likened to child’s play. The children play very seriously erecting castles of sand, mock-cooking food items, imaginary oblations of milk, etc. If somebody ruins these fabrications and drives away the children, there ends the whole seriousness and serenity! We should not allow ourselves to be led astray to total degradation or degeneration by the magic of language, full of rhetoric renderings of philosophic speculations, which happen to be a child’s play against the background of true spiritual experience. Let not the just get involved in the ruinous race of scholarship versus ignorance! Let each and every soul beware of this.

III

    According to the information by way of history as well as revelatory visions it is evident those great men were not heeded nor honored by their contemporaries and compatriots. The various aspects of spiritual experience put forward by various religious theorists, can be assigned their places according to spiritual dimensions in different skies, only by a few great men. Such great men would illustrate and reveal their own stature or position on a few contexts. For one of the classic examples we may look into the history of Sri Krishna and Arjuna. While Arjuna was in a dilemma in Kurukshetra, Sri Krishna revealed to him the spiritual dimensions and bond of karma and various spiritual planes that were polluted by wrong actions of his elderly relatives in their past lives. Meanwhile Sri Krishna’s own elevated spiritual position was also revealed. But the pity is that we do not understand or accept their sacrifice or renunciation and we could neither realize their Dharma -spiritual duty- with our love and devotion. Besides we went after the narration of miraculous anecdotes of the remote past (of Treta and Dwapara eras) and consequently we placed our faith on the concept of illusory divinity (Maya or Mahamaya) and their blessings and revelations. We were led to worship demoniac forces relying on their blessing for spiritual enlightenment! The demoniac possession experienced by a number of people illustrates this evil. The ancestors who found solace in this kind of worship, have failed to respect truth and true faith and we followed suit! We should wake up and think for ourselves. If we follow the thoughts of the eminent scholars on the connected subjects, we will come to know that the whole Dharma -Spiritual Law- and karma -mode of action- envisaged in this regard, belong to the scholars. But in reality these are not proper Dharma and karma, because the scholars are not spiritually authorized therefor. Here what we do is evaluating the karmic continuity through the deep and ancient past. This evaluation encompasses the three eras namely Treta, Dwapara and Kali. Satyayuga has a different spiritual footing, and therefore the path of the spiritual realization applicable to that era, has been declared in many past contexts. (Ever since the spiritual error had taken place 25 Chaturyugas -approximately 108 000 000 years- back, the Spiritual Law applicable to each Yuga -era- was lost sight of. As a result the Satyayugas and the Kaliyugas especially went by, without fulfilling the obligations based on the Spiritual Law implied originally. This has another reason also. The face of jnana -spiritual wisdom- was disregarded. The system of Trimurti dominated the spiritual scene. This in fact was a deviation, which led the World away from the path of truth.

    Most of the scriptural discourses go astray leaving the humanity behind! Alas! The World population follows suit! What is the way out? The only thing that we can do for their good is to pray to God. Let us pray. The karma or phenomenon of darshana is the dialogue or discourse between Guru and disciple on tangible spiritual experience, getting them across the cosmic boundaries of cause and effect and gross and subtle and their immense shades of differentiations.

    It is a pity that the Eternal Truth though disclosed is not accepted as such by the people in general. The corrective and explanatory discourse between Guru and disciple is denominated as darshana, which is not any dogmatic rationalization of revelation and realization as a figment of imagination. It is a karmic error to define jnana -spiritual wisdom- in terms of spiritual dogmatism. This error has taken place due to the lack of sagacious assessment of the sharp differences between Sanatana -perennial- and Haindava -that which relates to Hinduism.

    If the spiritual assessment is effected in the intellectual gymnasium, even by the people of true faith will be chaotic. In Malayalam language the situation can be likened to the state of affairs in a gymnasium where there is no master. Similar examples will be available in respect of all languages.

    The revelatory spiritual faculty could be properly developed only with the help and blessings of the Guru. Our present devalued social existence denies us the faculty of realizing the wisdom, in respect of the basis of different and separate metaphysical or spiritual identity of Ishvaran, Daivam, Brahmam, Parabrahmam (7th, 8th, 9th and 10th -final stage of evolution).

IV

   An Acharya -spiritual master- of the Manu parampara -lineage of the progenitor of mankind- reviewed the ancestral heritage for the deferential assessment of truth in the light of Yugadharma -code of spiritual conduct pertaining to a certain age. His reaction to what he saw and concluded resulted in a blasphemous egocentric statement eulogizing self as the Supreme, totally denying the God. This error caused the withdrawal of God’s Light. As a result the World lay inert for a number of Yugas. The reenactment of the regulated evolution of the World had to be instituted afresh. When this was done, it took ten Chaturyugas (forty Yugas -43 200 000 years) for the destined flow of things in accordance with the Dharma -Spiritual Law-, which culminated in the fulfillment of the system of Trimurti -Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The system of Trimurti was described as the embodiment of truth -Sathswaroopa- though it began from the lowly manifestation of spiritual possession and this description was grown into the dimension of an irrevocable dogmatic theme. Consequently the assessment of the relevant Dharma, pertaining to each Yuga -era- went wrong and as a result the scholars were constrained to declare that Kaliyuga was inauspicious, which is fraught with evil and ruinous possibilities! This miscalculation had started in India and it has not been noticed elsewhere. When the different and effective Dharma -Spiritual Law- applicable to each of the four Yugas -Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali- was lost sight of as a result of the adverse effect of Cosmic dimensions, the auspicious and redemptive potentiality of Kaliyuga -precious era for attaining liberation where a great deal of suffering is involved- was totally forgotten. In its place sprang up the false notion that Kaliyuga is inauspicious and ruinous. This ignorance was actually ruinous and prevented humanity from entering the proper path of jnana -spiritual wisdom.

    The scriptural edifice fabricated on Tantric and Mantric bases -ceremonies where ritualistic forms are involved- comprise good and evil aspects dealt with by different lineages of Gurus. This includes the eighteen Puranas -Hindu epics- six Shastras -Hindu philosophical scriptures-, four Vedas -texts of spiritual knowledge- namely Rig, Yajus, Sama and Atharva Vedas according to the Hindu philosophy. Of these the Atharva Veda has to be considered as the authoritative repository of truthful depiction of the realization of darshana or revelatory vision. The four Vedas were supposed to be applicable to the four Yugas and when the spiritual evolution met with stagnation at the third Yuga at the plane of Trimurti -Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva- system which involved specific, limiting, qualitative definitions of illusion -Maya, Mahamaya, display of divine grace and procession of spiritual nomenclature and divine morphology. There is an illustrative example in the story of the Brahma Rakshas, who is a subtle spiritual entity who projected Devendra as the potential liberator for human beings the World over. This is based on the postulate or assumption that Devendra would never tell a lie. The Brahma Rakshas placed a blade of grass before the subtle spiritual entities representing elemental forces such as air, fire, water, etc. and the devas, and asked each of them to lift it. All the powerful ones tried but failed miserably. Meanwhile Devendra inferred by intuitive knowledge the Brahma Rakshas was the Almighty Himself, and declared it submissively. This is how Devendra was conferred the title and position of the king of devas, the story goes. Yet there are other stories wherein Devendra finds himself in unholy and vulnerable situations by his capricious, passionate nature. His karmic and spiritual blemish, has been eliminated by way of purifying by prayerful sankalpa -mind prayer- by the saint Athri and his wife Anasooya. Further the story goes on, stating that these saintly couple getting the Trimurti -Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva- disillusioned and dethroned from their illusory heights of vanity. It is stated that Trimurti had been transformed into small children so that they may not know anything worldly or otherwise and may not possess the feeling of pride or shame. What actually happened is that their mental stature had been reduced or reverted to that of rudimentary intellectual position, which is devoid of any faculty to grasp anything. The concocted story goes on showering such details as the wives of the Trimurti, finding out the identity of their husbands with the blessing of Parashakti. Actually there was no morphologic transformation and therefore there was no mystery regarding their identity. Devendra who was undergoing the ignominy and suffering as an aftermath of his past misdeed, came to know of this noble place of the rishi and his wife. Devendra submitted himself to the grace of the saintly couple and got himself purified of his sins. The place was therefore named as Sucheendram -the place where Devendra was purified. But a sinister mixture of vedic rituals and scriptural concoctions instituted the midnight worship of Devendra as a deity at Sucheendram Temple! This is also evident from the stories told in the legends, epics and scriptures.

    The spiritual sankalpa karma -action of praying with the mind- of meditative concentration performed by Anasooya has proved beyond doubt that jnana -spiritual wisdom- is beyond the planes of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Devendra, and that no amount of spiritual dialectics or didacticism, or illusory miracles can help one to achieve spiritual enlightenment. In every cult of religion there were men of enlightenment who declared ‘Nethi, Nethi’ -‘not this, not this’- so long as the ultimate truth was beyond their spiritual reach. The epics and scriptures contain occasional descriptions of the Dharmas -Spiritual Laws- of the Chaturyugas -Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali- as have been expounded by the sanyasins -renouncers- in their narratives and songs. It has been proved that the respective spiritual planes of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Devendra and Parashakti do not reach beyond the spiritual plane of the sixth sky. Spiritual liberation is attained while reaching the tenth sky. The code of Dharma spreading across the past innumerable millennia came to naught, because of the spiritual error mentioned above. The ill effects crossed the barriers and spread over other countries flooding their history with miracles as is evidenced in the life history of Moses.

V

    Meanwhile India had a number of great men as exemplified in the stories of 18 Siddhas -great souls who developed the art of yoga in ancient times- and 12 communities born of the ‘Parachi’. The Treta and Dwapara Yugas are the ages delegated for the preparation of the process of emancipation, which has to take place in Kaliyuga -our actual era. In Kaliyuga the devas -deities wrongly considered as fully realized souls- and the stages of rishis -sages- and sanyasins -renouncers- are manifested in their spiritual identity through Grihadharma or the code of ethics proper applicable to exemplary householders. This is proved as approved in the four Vedas -Hindu philosophical texts. The realization or emancipation as contemplated in the Atharva Veda, has been toppled and interpolations are made for the inclusion of sorcery and black magic, and this gradually had been accepted as the philosophy of Vaidika Dharma -spiritual duty of priests- which is manifested in the epic legend of Magha, illustrating the implications of linguistic inflections and synonyms. The cultural conquest in the field of Sanskrit language is evidenced in the authoritative position of Amarakosha, the famous dictionary of synonyms. Sanskrit is a language that has been intricately sophisticated and purified by formal linguistics which in turn reestablished the cultural concepts, on the ancient pedestal of literary adulation and digressions and double meanings (pun).

    Sri Narayana Guru has cited certain revelatory statements in the ‘Atmopadesa Sathakam’ -his book of metaphysical observation. "We should always remember the quintessence of the Upanishadic truth, which holds that it is not possible for the sanyasi -renouncer- who has not adhered to the genuine spiritual path, to see the light shining beyond the frontiers of the three worlds that are realms of Trimurti -Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva."

    When the vanity of scholarship based on illicit reasoning could not reach out for the realization of the fabricated reality, the terms Maya, Mahamaya and Bhagavan Maya, were introduced in philosophic thought to spread an aura of illusion over everything. The theorists of other religious faiths have arrived at similar conclusions and belief. It is beyond doubt that a proper understanding about all these aspects and strict adherence to Yugadharma -Spiritual Law for a certain era- will forever enable the human race to attain spiritual welfare and redemption. This goes beyond the frontiers of humanity and may extend to the adequate spiritual evolution in respect of the other species also. The competence of human faculty will reveal Satyayuga in its true spiritual clarity. In Tretayuga, the theory of the bond of karma will manifest itself in human experience. In Dwaparayuga, the human evolution through the stages of rishi, sanyasi and jnani will come to light. The protective spiritual veil around Kaliyuga is the resurrection of the faculties of spiritual force accumulated all along the three previous Yugas -eras. That is the Jnana Kanda -the sector of spiritual wisdom. But instead of the true potentiality of Kaliyuga, it has been attributed with defamatory remarks such as Kali is full of evil, Kali is ruinous, Kali is estranged from the path of Dharma -Spiritual Law-, Kali is full of misdeeds and crimes, such as murder and arson, Kali is the time for unreal dogmatism, etc. Actually Kali is the congenial context for achievement of human spiritual rights; it is the time ripe for the attainment of all the required wisdom of the World, and thus to equip ourselves with the knowledge and faculty for the attainment of truth which we deserve. This truth is made available to all men and women irrespective of religious denominations. This is proved by the Upanishads, which will be referred to in due course.

    The Upanishads -Hindu philosophical scriptures- deal with spiritual truth or reality in terms of the mathematical or scientific system of light. The scholars who had to do nothing with this sort of real knowledge, are the ones who wrote Mandookya Upanishads. Likewise there is an enumeration of blue skies in Narayana Upanishad. The description of the light -in myriad shades of colour- is the reevaluation or redefining of spiritual history, applying the system of the spiritual lay out of the skies and thus the ten Upanishads are the manifestation of the spiritual lights illuminating the skies of philosophic thought and experience. But this has been nullified by the interpretation by the scholars. Speculation is not experience and therefore the veracity has been challenged by the rationalists. The scholarly rendering does not hold good as it is far from true in terms of actual experience. The darshana -spiritual vision- brings out the truth or otherwise of the spiritual phenomena. That the whole human race deserves this real wisdom is a fact envisaged by Kali Dharma -Spiritual Law for Kali Age. We must discern karma and Dharma through the fulfillment and realization of spiritual vision and spiritual experience. Then we will be able to discern the true nature of jeeva and atma -the different evolutionary statures of soul- as has been explained by Sri Krishna, who calls for the elevation or uplift of the soul. The faculty for the discerning individual atma from the Supreme and totally surrendering one’s self is referred to as "Athmanathma vivechanam and Athmana atmaniveditham." At this point the jeeva discerns itself. This is the spiritual sense of duty envisaging the partaking of spiritual experience between the Guru and the disciple. When this process is fulfilled eventually the reciprocity of the Guru-disciple relation, becomes the guiding spirit of the World order and the above participation manifests itself as the elevating action of emancipation.

    The mystery or essence of the knowledge which is the subject matter of the quest by the whole humanity, being what it is, the repetitive cyclic passage of 71 Chaturyugas -age quartets- of a Manvantara -aeon consisting of 306 720 000 years- happens through the destined cosmic path. When the six Manvantaras and the first three Chaturyugas of this seventh Manvantara went by, the spiritual leadership came upon Satyatrana, who was one among the many Acharyas -spiritual masters- in the Manu lineage who were in the spiritual helm of affairs. An occasion presented itself before Satyatrana to valuate the evolutionary process of spiritual life and its hierarchy, at the beginning of the fourth Chaturyuga. The spiritual evaluation all along the passage of time, brought before his inner eye the incessant rhythm of spiritual evolution of souls through the ages, according to the delegation and karma in the spiritual ancestry of India, along the path of spiritual and ethical governance. He saw himself having been delegated for this mission of spiritual leadership many a time in the past Yugas. The repetitive force of spiritual potency evolving into spiritual richness and grace that came across over the ages elated his mind. The process of realization in respect of the highest planes of spirituality namely, Ishvaran -7th-, Daivam -8th-, Brahmam -9th- and Parabrahmam -10th, which is the plane of perfection involving redemption. The attainment of the spiritual perfection borne out by the fourth face of jnana -spiritual wisdom- (Jnanamukha), emerged before the focus of his concentration. He tried to reevaluate the whole spiritual hierarchy, which act only helped him to arrive again at the same conclusion that he himself was the Almighty. This onslaught of vanity in the place of submissive serenity, forced Satyatrana to utter the Chathurvakyas (four enunciations). ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ -I am the Supreme- etc. Some scholars have claimed this to be five folds. The spiritual Dharma, which intuitively acknowledges the inscrutability of the ultimate reality through intellect, was lost sight of. In other words the relevance of the spiritual position was done away with. What Satyatrana ought to have arrived at, can be thus summed up: the spiritual skies of specific colour and light pertaining to each of the nine planets of the solar system, the possibility of the attainment of the highest spiritual plane through selfless devotion and optimum faith, and evolution of the souls through spiritual richness to the realization of the supremely subtle plane of the Supreme, held in utmost reverence in Indian philosophic thought and experience. Satyatrana was destined to unravel for himself the spiritual mystery or the latent spiritual potentiality of the nine lights of the nine spiritual planes known as ‘Navodayam’ and take up his spiritual responsibility as an Acharya -spiritual master- to lead the humanity through the path of Dharma -Spiritual Law. Unfortunately he could not do this. Instead he arrogated to himself all the spiritual potentialities and declared to the World that the waves or rolls of dharmic innovations and teachings were his own creations.

VI

    The wisdom involving the ultimate reality is beyond the faculties of intellect and reason. When this was inquired into by way of reasoning and intellectual gymnastics resulted in the waste of time enumerating or elaborating the relevant sectors of Karma -mode of action-, Dharma -Spiritual Law-, Punya -spiritual richness- and Bhagyam -spiritual prosperity. When the scenic description of the spiritual planes of the nine lights, relating to nine skies, along with the explanatory additions of details regarding the collection of knowledge on various subjects and display of miracles in the cult of siddhi -occult powers, performance of miracles-, it became almost impossible to contain the true subject matter which is beyond the purview of intellect and reason. Thus the sense of dedication for the fulfillment of the Will of the Supreme, based on the spiritual tenet of cause and effect, was confined to the formality of praise in pompous language. The intended resurrection to the correct path of light and wisdom, was again confined to the limitations of human awareness as the guiding Light of the plane of the Supreme, and the perfection of the guiding Light of Yugadharma, are beyond the reach of reason and intellect. To make this clear we may look into the following.

    There is an adage stating that people who are rich in age, education and wisdom are awaiting the generosity of the men who are rich in money. The above people are said to have stationed themselves at the door of the men who are rich in terms of money. The Upanishads are supposed to reveal the spiritual mysteries. The scholars hold that the ten Upanishads held to be most predominant are dealing with the paraphernalia of the ornamental designs of light and colour relating to different planes of spiritual wisdom. Sri Narayana Guru has made a reference to this though he did not further describe it,

"Thribhuvanaseema kadannu thingivingum
Thripudimudinju thelinjidunna deepam
Kapada Yethikku karasthamavukeele-
Nnupanishadukthi rahasya morthidenam."

    (The light of wisdom shining beyond the frontiers of Trimurti -Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva- planes is beyond the reach of a so-called jnani -wise soul enlightened by spiritual visions. This is a mystical secret divulged by Upanishad Sayings, which we should always bear in mind).

    Many great men also have come across this awareness. There are many great men whose mission encompasses only the periods within a few thousand years and who have appeared on the spiritual scene after the birth and the life of Sri Krishna. Their spiritual pilgrimage has led them, it appears, to revelatory experiences up to the seventh sky, while enumerating the hierarchy of the nine planes of spiritual light. This has been celebrated in certain scriptural contexts. In this array come the different spiritual clans of the 18 Siddhas -great souls who developed the art of yoga in ancient times- and 12 children born of the Parachi and many other jnanis. The exponents and proponents of the theories of Advaita -non duality, monism- and Dvaita -duality- engaged in a battle of wits to arrive at the ultimate truth! Meanwhile the jnanis belonging to the spiritual clan of 18 Siddhas and the 12 jnanis born of the Parachi and the Prophets who came subsequently strive to arrive at the truth. They also felt sorry for themselves and for the World in general for the pitiable state of affairs. They, in their humbleness, have spoken revelatory aphorisms limiting to one word, two words or at the most ten words. The series of evidence is before you in the shape of the life and mission of such great men. Their legacy is our legitimate heritage, which we have to acknowledge in all humility. Instead, what the people do is fabricating evidences to suit their intellectual exercise and the cult of miracles. This, again, has led the humanity to the position mentioned above, the wise men awaiting the mercy of the rich. This being the truth, any amount of scholarly interpretations cannot bring it out. This aspect is substantiated in the Tamil saying,

"Sasthirankal, Puranankal, Sathakodi kattalum
...................................................................
Uthavathu, uthavathu, uthavathu."

    (Any amount of scriptural or epic renderings or spiritual discourses can not be of any use in the matter of spiritual realization).

    The Sage Agasthiar has sung:

"Sasthirathin melirukkum
Sathguruve pottamal
Ahatthinude Anavatthal
Arivizhanthen pooraname!"

    The Sath Guru is the perfect one who is above the descriptions and denominations, contained in the scriptures without paying my dutiful homage to that embodiment of perfection, I had depended on my own-self and vanity. This has deprived me of the attainment of wisdom).

    This is contained in the ‘songs of the 18 Siddhas.’ This wisdom reaches us across the span of Manvantara consisting of 71 Chaturyugas while enumerating the ethical, moral and spiritual hierarchy applicable to the series of Yugas. After the sixth Manvantara and 3 Chaturyugas of the seventh Manvantara, which went on properly, the human intellectual vanity intervened and the spiritual clarity of the cosmos fell into chaos. We have quoted a few words of the jnanis -wise men enlightened by spiritual visions- who had arrived at correct conclusion based on spiritual experience. "All these and more have been corroborated in my experience also", Guru says. This reminds the spiritual feat of Bhagiratha who is said to have caused the heavenly river Ganga to flow through the Earth, for which act he had undergone immense sacrifice and applied unimaginable effort for the liberation of pitrus -souls of the ancestors. According to the citations in the Upanishads, humanity has yet to cause heavenly rivers to flow over the Earth (unending paramparas -lineages- of pitrus, sanyasins -renouncers- and rishis -sages- are waiting for mukti or liberation). Remember again the saying of Sage Agasthiar. The spiritual realization is impossible without dedicating oneself to the Guru who is above scriptural denominations and dogmatism. This is proved correct according to the philosophy of Santhigiri illustrated fully by revelatory visions. We have to be fully aware of this and should not loose sight of our ultimate aim that has to be realized through the ordained karma -mode of action- and Dharma -Spiritual Law. The spiritual process in this line stretches across such virtues as truth, Dharma, mercy and sympathy. This has to be fully realized and systematically absorbed into the code of Dharma. This is what is described as "beyond the purview of intellect and thought." This is the process wherein truth comes out of truth, Dharma comes out of Dharma, realizing the essential virtues, and attainment of spiritual welfare and fortune that grows out of spiritual riches. This is intended for the human race. If it is lost sight of what is the earthly purpose of this ideal? So far we have many a wise saying by great men like Sri Narayana Guru,

"Arivilumeri arinjidunnavanthan
Uruvilumothu purathumujjwalikkum
Karuvinu kannukalanchum ulladakki
Theruthere veenu vanagi othidenam."

    (The disciple should prostrate himself before the Guru who is the embodiment of pure wisdom. For this the disciple should bring his five senses fully under control. The Guru’s Inner Light of wisdom is also displayed externally).

     Guru: says, "I suppose that this much would suffice for the present. We should be able to adhere to the tenets of truth. The fact is known to everybody that all the men of religion and learning are zealously striving to find the proper Dharma. This Dharma is expounded and put to practice in Santhigiri. We should keep up the traditions and heritage of Santhigiri."

    This is the quintessence of the message given on account of the mission of Santhigiri. The purpose of Sahakarana Mandiram -House of Cooperation- is the effective furtherance of this ideal.

    The spiritual change for the better that has taken place in Santhigiri tradition is a spectacular transition involving far-reaching spiritual implications. This can be observed the World over in the case of the children born during and after the year 1973. Think it over and find whether or not this change has come to your notice. This change is evident from the fact that the parents find it most difficult to answer the questions put to them by their children who are born during or after 1973. Some babies are being born since 1973 with a new spiritual force. From that year onwards, every 12 years newborns will incarnate with even more spiritual energy than its predecessors.

    You may visit the Ashram to know more about it.

    Note: Chaturyuga.- A Chaturyuga consists of 12,000 divine years (4 320 000 human years). According to Manusmriti -Spiritual Law delivered by Manu- this period is inclusive of the dawn preceding and the dusk succeeding each Yuga -era. These findings are likely to have been made by rishis -sages- through revelations, inference and reason. But the Santhigiri parampara -tradition- knows by revelatory and intuitive means that the duration of dawn and dusk of the eras, does not yield to minute assessments. The time-span inevitably undergoes changes according to the coming of the authorized Acharya -spiritual master- concerned. These facts are beyond speculations and theorizing. It follows that interplanetary regulations and connected natural phenomena cannot be meticulously foreseen by the available media of science or through the reasoning of the scholars. This is a subject that comes within the purview of the spiritual wisdom of a jnani -wise soul enriched by spiritual visions- who has seen for himself the subtle mystery inherent in Time and Space. It is through him that the World comes to know of the truth about Time and Space at the appropriate time).

Go to Book: A Dialogue on the Human Prospect

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