Baba
Real Guru puja
Namaskar,
One very significant point surrounding our practice of Guru Puja is whether it should be done with the eyes open or closed. And there are clear-cut guidelines about this. As Guru Pújá is part of our Ananda Marga sadhana system it is based on vibration, not any mundane quality. There are key times when keeping the eyes open or closed best enhances the quality of one’s Guru Pújá.
Since the majority of the time, most Ananda Margiis are doing sadhana alone in the privacy of their own home, here first is a suggestion how to do Guru Pújá in this circumstance.
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Way to do Guru Pújá when alone in your room
When alone in your own private space it is recommended to do Guru Pújá with the eyes open, gazing intently on Baba's photo. Because in Guru Pújá the ideation is that Baba is seated directly in front of you, facing you. In that case, using a clear photo as an ideational tool is a very helpful way for the practice of Guru Pújá. In this instance, looking at the photo with the eyes open can be quite good for cultivating bhakti.
Here we must remember that when the eyes are closed, one needs a pointed mind to clearly visualise Parama Purusa Baba. He is the Divine Entity and visualising Him demands deep concentration. It is not the same as visualizing a normal human being. To see Him, one must have a very pointed mind, and His divine grace. When the mind is not in that highly spiritual and pin-pointed state, a photo is very helpful for doing Guru Pújá. When alone in the room one can keep the eyes open and look at Baba's photo.
By this way one will develop the ingrained habit of seeing Baba perfectly when doing Guru Pújá. In those circumstances - outlined below - where one has to do Guru Pújá with the eyes closed, then the mind will be properly trained and one will be able to see Him when doing Guru Pújá.
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What if no photo is available
When one does not have a photo available, then it is best to do Guru Pújá with the eyes closed, even if one is alone. Because in Guru Pújá one must always envision Him sitting in front of you. So when there is no photo available, the eyes have to be kept closed.
The above scenarios represent a few of the many possible circumstances regarding the practice of our Guru Pújá. The basic rule though is to only do open-eyed Guru Pújá when in the privacy of your own room or at your own personal and private meditation place.
Conclusion
We all know that Guru Pújá is a highly personal affair and intimate experience between a sadhaka and Guru. It is a time to be extremely close with Baba and surrender everything at His lotus feet. The entire success of Guru Pújá depends upon generating the right feeling of bhakti, combined with a pointed mind. Keeping the eyes open or close has a big effect. Every sadhaka should know exactly under which circumstances one can do Guru Pújá with the eyes open and when Guru Pújá should be done with the eyes closed. Knowing this, one can have the very special closeness which makes Guru Pújá such a beautiful and personal experience that enables one to progress on the path. The ultimate goal of Guru Pújá is to establish that inner link with Him and surrender everything unto Him. So one should take the approach, eyes open or closed, that best supports that ideal.
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Namaskar,
In Him,
Trinetra
~ In-depth study ~
One key element in tantra is the Guru-disciple relation. When the Guru-disciple relation is properly established, everything in life will be successful. This is the guarantee. So the Guru-disciple relation holds tremendous import in the practice of tantra.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "As the practical aspect is the most important factor in Tantra, the greatest emphasis is placed on the Preceptor-disciple relationship." (1)
And certainly one key aspect of our tantric system that cultivates and deepens our relation with Baba is our practice of Guru Pújá. So the practice of our Guru Pújá is highly significant; we should make our practice perfect in all aspects, by His grace.
How to prevent rushing Guru Pújá
Here it should be noted that if Guru Pújá is done in a rushed or hasty manner, then the whole thing is spoiled, regardless of whether one's eyes are open or closed. So just as we approach our shuddhis and mantra japa in a deliberate and poised manner, similarly we should take a balanced approach in the practice of Guru Pújá; it should not be rushed. The way to prevent this from happening on the collective level is to do call and response style Guru Pújá when in a collective forum.
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And one way to ensure that Guru Pújá is not done in a rushed way, especially when done individually is to chant the mantra out loud. When alone with a clear Baba photo, one should all chant Guru Pújá out loud, keeping the eyes open, gazing intently at Him. This is something for each and every sadhaka to know about.
Side by side, one should ensure to start their sadhana early so there is no need to rush through Guru Pújá in order to finish on time. While doing any of our sadhana practices such as Guru Pújá, one should cultivate and heighten their spiritual flow and love for Baba.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Divine bliss is easily attainable to those who base their sa'dhana' on love." (2)
Recitation of Guru Pújá
As is commonly known, Guru Pújá is the offering of one's mental colours to Guru. Here colours refers to one's problems, difficulties, challenges, etc. Those colours represent the way in which the mind is stained, and those are offered to Baba, and He graciously accepts them. So this entire process of Guru Pújá is known as varnarghyadan, i.e. offering of colours.
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Ananda Marga ideology says, "Offer Him the colours of different objects which have dyed the mind. When this practice of offering your own colours -- your own attachments, becomes natural and easy, you will then merge in Him. Then you will have no need for any colour, for you will become colourless -- you will go beyond the reach of any colour. Your unit-ego will become one with the Cosmic Ego. Whichever way you look you will see only Him in His ever-surging glory." (3)
Here following is our Guru Pújá shloka that is chanted 3 times, offering the colour of your mind to Guru after the completion of each round.
(Note: New sadhakas who have not yet memorised Guru Pújá should write it down or record it and learn it by heart, i.e. from memory.)
Akhańd́a mańd́alákáram vyáptam yena carácaram
Tadpadaḿ darshitam yena tasmae Shrii Gurave namah
Ajiṋánatimirándhasya jiṋánáinjana shalákayá
Cakśurunmilitam yena tasmae Shrii Gurave namah
Gurur Brahmá Gurur Viśńu, Gurur Devo Maheshvara
Gurureva Parama Brahma tasmae Shrii Gurave namah
After three rounds of Guru Pújá, then the pranama mantra is recited one time:
Tava dravyam Jagatguro tubhyameva samarpaye
Ananda Marga ideology teaches us, "“Tava” means “Your”. “Dravyaḿ” means “that which takes a definite form”. The spiritual aspirant says, “Tava dravyaḿ Jagatguro Tubhyameva samarpaye” – “Your article is being offered to You, is being offered at Your altar.” Why “Tava dravyaḿ”? Suppose a spiritual aspirant has a red flower and is offering it. Why should he say, “Tava dravyaḿ”? The dravyaḿ is being offered by the aspirant, so why “Tava”, “Your”? It is His because in this universe of ours human beings cannot create the original stuff. They have not got the dexterity to create something original. They can create physical mixtures and chemical compounds, but not the original stuff. Everything of mine, along with my mind, is offered at Your altar. Please oblige and accept it.” (4)
This is followed by one's final offering and full surrender in sastaunga pranama (full prostration) to Guru.
It is part of astaunga yoga
As we know astaunga yoga is the 8 limbs of yoga: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. The practice of Guru Pújá - or the offering of one mental colour - is the 5th limb of astaunga yoga known as pratyahara.
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Next Baba describes the derivation and meaning of the term Guru.
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "In Sanskrit, gu means “darkness” and ru means “dispeller”. So guru means “one who removes the darkness from the mind”. The darkness of the mind must be dispelled. There should not be a festival of lights outside while one’s own house remains in darkness. There should also be illumination inside one’s own house, and this is the enlightenment of the mind, of the soul." (5)
Only Brahma is the Guru
Here below is Baba's definition of Guru from Ananda Sutram.
Brahmaeva gururekah náparah.
Only Brahma is the guru, no one else.
Ananda Sutram states, “Purport: Brahma alone is the guru. Brahma alone directs the units to the path of emancipation through the media of different receptacles or bodies. No one except Brahma conforms to the real significance of the word “guru”." (6)
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "The one formless, beginningless and infinite Parama Brahma (Supreme Consciousness) is the only entity to be attained by living beings – That alone is Jagat Guru (the Supreme preceptor), That alone has revealed Brahmavidyá (intuitional science) to us through the medium of the name and form of Anandamúrtijii. Unit beings must be made to appreciate Its majesty." (7)
How concept of Guru is misunderstood
In tantra, as demonstrated above, only Brahma is the Guru, and for the bhakta Guru is everything. As Guru, Parama Purusa Baba watches over every atom and entity of this universe, in all the realms. Indeed, this universe is His creation and it is His thought projection. Guru is the Divine Entity and the Creator of all.
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Yet, nowadays in many countries where materialism has taken root, the term Guru is used in a very ordinary and mundane way. If there is a computer repair shop with 5 technicians and one technician is better or more knowledgeable than the other four, then they will call that top technician the "Computer Guru." Needless to say, this is a complete misuse and abuse of the term Guru. Yet there are many such examples: The auto-mechanic guru, the basketball guru, the Wall Street guru etc. In all such cases, they refer to the top person as the guru. But this is entirely wrong.
Further Reading: Criteria of Guru
Here below are some key aspects from Sadguru Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji Baba's discourse, "The Criteria of a Guru."
In order to be an ideal guru in the spiritual sphere, one must be throughly conversant with the minutest details of sádhaná, every aspect of sádhaná, important or unimportant. The guru must not only learn those things, but must also possess the capacity to teach those practices to others. Otherwise he should not be treated as a guru. The Mahákaola alone has this capacity, no one else. Kaolas are those who by dint of sádhaná have successfully elevated their microcosmic stance and established it in the Macrocosmic one; but a Mahákaola is one who is a kaola, certainly, but at the same time possesses the capacity to help others as well to get to that exalted kaola position. In the past Lord Shiva was one such Mahákaola. Lord Krśńa was another. To be a guru one must be a Mahákaola.
One must possess knowledge regarding sádhaná, not only thorough knowledge of the shástras [scriptures]. And in order to gain thorough scriptural knowledge, one must know as many important languages as are necessary for the purpose. That is to say, it is not enough that a guru acquire the necessary qualifications to be able to teach sádhaná (that is, impart lessons on the practical cult); he must possess adequate knowledge of theory also. That is, in order to know the inner secret of sádhaná, he must possess thorough and authentic scriptural knowledge; then only should he be accepted as a perfect guru in the spiritual sphere...
A spiritual guru must be well-acquainted with all the processes of sádhaná, must have the capacity to convince others, must possess complete knowledge of the scriptures, must know many languages, and must have comprehensive knowledge and intellect, plus some extra qualifications. What are those qualifications? Nigrahánugrahe shakto gururityabhidhiiyate – “the guru must possess the capacity both to punish, and to love, or bless, his disciples.” Punishment alone, without love, is not good. Love and punishment should go together, and the degree of punishment should never exceed the degree of love. Then only can one be called a real spiritual guru.
I have already said that a guru must be an authority on all subjects in all the three strata:
As a spiritual guru, he must be thoroughly versed in spiritual science – both the theory and the practice. He must know how Parama Puruśa associates Himself with jiivas [unit beings]; and he must know how jiivas associate themselves with Parama Puruśa (they associate themselves just as the Ganges merges into the Bay of Bengal). Otherwise, how can he teach this science to others? And who knows this science? Only Parama Puruśa knows it, because He Himself has created everything...
After the spiritual sphere comes the psychic sphere, which is cruder than the former. That is, the guru must be aware of the nature of the human mind – what it is made of, how it should be elevated step by step from crude to subtle, how all the unit minds can march together in unison towards the goal – in a word, he must know both the theoretical and the applied sides of psychology. He must know a thousand times more than is written in books. He must assimilate everything through his own refined intellect. And then only can he teach others perfectly. That shows that he must be not only a spiritual guru, but also a guru in the psychic world. There is a sense of want in the human mind. One who can remove the sense of want is a guru. In order to qualify as a guru, one must have the power to remove psychic wants.
As in the spiritual sphere, so also in the psychic sphere, a guru must be learned. He should be well-versed in the humanities; in fact, in all branches of human knowledge. In order to be a spiritual guru, it will be sufficient that he have mastery over scriptural treatises; but to be a guru in the psychic sphere, he must be well-versed in all branches of human knowledge. A limited knowledge of a few scriptures will not do. And simultaneously, he must be conversant with the style in which the human mind functions, as also in the method to control and guide it properly.
Next comes the physical world. The followers, the disciples, of the guru, are men and women of flesh and blood having physical structures. They have their sorrows and miseries, their tears and smiles. This is their life. They have their problem of food and clothing; they have their pleasures and pains, their tears of pain and tears of joy; they become elated in happy circumstances and depressed when things go wrong. It is the duty of a guru to provide his followers with the wherewithal for their progress. This is what an ideal guru is to do in the physical sphere. As a guru in the physical world, he will have to teach mankind such techniques as will solve their worldly problems – problems of food, clothing, education and medical treatment. A guru must see to it that their mundane problems are solved.
So in order to be a guru, one must come onto this earth with the highest qualifications in the spiritual field, and with the greatest capacity to face the mountainous obstacles in the physical world. To shoulder the responsibility of a guru is not child’s play. (8)
References
1. Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 9, 'Tantra & Sadhana'
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Yajiṋa and Karmaphala
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Vibration, Form and Colour
4. Ananda Vacanamratm - 3, Pranama Mantra
5. Yoga Psychology, The Cult of Spirituality – the Cult of Pinnacled Order
6. Ananda Sutram, 3-9
7. Caryacarya - 2, point #1a
8. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 21, The Criteria of a Guru
