A thief came to a saint wanting to surrender to him, but he didn’t want to give up stealing. The saint allowed him to have his way under the condition that he can steal provided he does it with full awareness. The thief thought it would be very easy as stealing was his second nature. But as and when he got ready to steal, he remembered the saint’s condition and became aware of his action. And he couldn’t steal thereafter!
Such is the power of awareness. It can bring about the highest transformation. Mistakes happen in unawareness. In awareness, one cannot get angry or commit a mistake. Such awareness comes when one establishes a connection with the Self. When a guru enters the life of a seeker, the awareness of higher Self dawns. The guru is a doorway one sees when groping for shelter from rain or the hot sun. The same rain and thunder, which appeared frightening, become beautiful when one is inside the shelter.
A guru doesn’t fill one with information but kindles the life force in the seeker. The knowledge of the unseen the guru enlivens brings a sense of security. The guru is a principle, not something to be conceptualised or limited to the physical body.
Once his master gave Kanakadas and other devotees a banana each to break the fast of Ekadashi with the condition it could be eaten only when no one was watching. The next day the disciples narrated their ingenious ways of eating it without being observed. But Kanakadas came back holding the banana. Kanakadas said he felt the presence of the Master wherever he tried to eat it. This is what we call sanidhya. In this state of awareness all complaints vanish and one operates with a deep sense of being taken care of.
This brings us to the oft-asked question. How to establish the connection with that presence? How to find a master who can kindle that? This is a challenge. There are no eligibility criteria. The authentic ones don’t show off or act pricey.
There was a knowledgeable teacher in a royal court. Everyone including the king respected him. But the teacher was feeling some emptiness and searching for a guru. When he was departing to find his master, the king offered him his palanquin. He arrived at the destination; it turned out that one of those carrying the palanquin was the master he was looking for! The longing of the teacher had pulled the master to come and carry the teacher.
If the longing arises, the master will appear in one’s life. If one takes a step towards the master, he or she will take 10 steps. But that one step has to be taken. The closer one goes to the master, the more charming it becomes. It’s like a depth without a bottom. It is this tradition of an endless and unconditional connection that we celebrate on Guru Purnima.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Founder, The Art of Living