VEDIC TRADITION, SPIRITUALITY AND SANNYAS!🔗

Wednesday, 15th May 2013

Today is Adi Shankara Jayanthi!

The great being Sri Adi Shankaracharya was born today. One of the greatest philosopher on the planet earth, he still has the unbeaten record. Please understand, for somebody to have an unbeaten record in the field of philosophy even after almost 2500 years is not a joke! I can say that he is the first acharya who went from the south, and established the Vedic tradition all over the world. Please understand that at that time, different parts of India were different countries. So, it is equivalent to establishing it all over the world! The civilization was such and he had the strength - he had the strength! Adi Shankara is still one of the greatest philosophers who walked on the planet Earth! He still has an unbroken record!

Understand, in the world of philosophy, there are only 2 groups - the ones who accept Shankara and those who reject Shankara. But, nobody can go beyond Shankara, that's all! They are either those who accept Shankara or those who reject Shankara. Nobody is above Shankara!

I still can't introduce Adi Shankara. Because when I remember him, I am just lost in the ocean of his glory, for what he has done! He was in the body for just thirty two years! Some biographies say thirty four, but no biography claims that he lived more than thirty four years on the planet earth. So, the maximum possibility is thirty four years. He studied the shastras, wrote commentaries on all the major books like prastanatraya - even on the stotras like 'Vishnu sahasranama', composed hundreds and hundreds of stotras of the level of 'Bhaja Govindam'! And above all, he argued - did 'vada prativada' and transformed millions of people!

He established four peetas – Shringeri, Dwarika, Puri and Bhadrikashrama. He established four peetas to keep the dharma (of Vedic tradition) alive. Of these, three are still are an unbroken lineage of masters. Only for Bhadrikashram peetadhipati, the Shankaracharya was killed by Aurangajeb before he initiated the successor. But by that time, the Puri Shankaracharya had taken charge and initiated the next Shankaracharya. Three of his mutts are (still) an unbroken lineage! And he created the philosophies!

Please understand, I am not saying that Shankaracharya created the philosophy. I am using the word 'philosophies'. Because he is so vast! He cannot even be contained inside Advaita philosophy. He was a space for the philosophies to happen! The best philosophy that happened out of him is Advaita, so Advaita became his brand. But he is not just an Advaiti alone. If you see his devotion – his composition ‘Soundarya Lahari’ - Oh God! Anybody will be mesmerised by the way he has described the form in his song. A person who can describe the form so beautifully can never be only an Advaiti! That was also a breeze happened in his space!

No one can imagine that he has done all this in just thirty four years! Please don't think – ‘Oh, Swamiji also did it.’ No! Now, we have so much of modern equipment that supports this. For all the five hundred books that I published, I myself don’t need to sit and write it, because there are video records. Whatever I speak is video recorded, it gets transcribed, then gets edited and published. But in Shankara’s time, he wrote every book, he himself has to write it! For every arguement that he conducts, teaching that he conducts, satsang that he conducts, he himself has to speak, as there is no (separate) audio recording system. It is not that when he speaks, it gets audio recorded and then transcribed. No! So he has to spend time separately for the conducting arguements and spend time separately for writing books.

Shankara has written three types of literatures. He wrote commentaries on the traditional scriptures - like ‘Brahmasutra’ bhaashya, bhaashya on the ‘Dwadashopanishads’ and ‘Gita’ bhaashya. That is the first.

Next, he established four monasteries. Please understand that it is not a joke to establish a monastery! Even in this modern day, with fifty five sannyasis directly supporting the mission and around a thousand two hundred full time volunteers (including rishis and everyone else) I am not able to establish monasteries everywhere. It is so much of work, you don’t know! He established four peetas in four different countries he established! Understand that all of it was not India at that time. They were different countries - like Kalinga desha, Chola desha, etc. In those days, Sringeri was under the Chola kingdom. So he established in four peetas in four different countries - Chola desha, Kalinga desha, Goorjara desha and Himachala.

And his contribution to the world of philosophy is another major one! See, philosophers will usually be so impractical that they will not even have their own house! Philosophers will be so impractical that neither can people live with them nor can they live with others. That is why they can never create even their own house. They will always be beggars in the streets! But here is a philosopher who is so practical! He established four huge monasteries which are still alive, flourishing and thriving.

And incidentally, today is also the jayanthi of Ramanujacharya. Both of them are born on the same day, but of course with the gap of maybe a thousand five hundred years. Ramanuja's birthday was on the nine hundred and ninety sixth jayanthi. Of course because of the shaiva-vaishnava problem, vaishnavites usually tend to celebrate Ramanujacharya's birthday one day before. But the original thithi and nakshatra is on same day (as Adi Shankaracharya).

Nothing - nothing - nothing can be compared with Adi Shankara! I and my sangha pay homage to the adhipati of the Hindu tradition, the sarvangyna peetadhipati of the Hindu tradition. He is the

establiser of the Hindu tradition - of what you are seeing today as the Hindu tradition. Adi Shankara is the architect. Understand, even for mahanirvani akaada (oldest apex body of Hinduism), even though it was originated by Kapil muni, the by-laws are formed and reorganised as a sangha - as an organization, by Adi Shankara.

We bow down to the aachaarya with great respect! Let him shower his grace on all of us and bless us to experience what he experienced and expressed through his great words!

With this tribute to Shankaraacharya, I will move to nithya-satsang today. I will answer the questions from Inner Awakening participants and all the participants. Please read the questions!

Q & A session with Inner Awakening program participants:

1) Question: Respected swami I am working in business con where my job is to make our buyers believe that they are getting the products at the best cost, without giving a good profit. If I lead a life of complete integrity, I may or the company may not be out of business. Please help me for this situation. Swamiji: This is a very important question. I tell you, I really tell you. You do not need people to know what is your margin or profit. When I say integrity - please listen - do not reduce the quality of the product and do not try to cut corners. Do not try to cheat and do not try to delay the delivery.

For example, I say that this is the best product and the cost is ten thousand rupees. He does not need to know that I made it only for two thousand rupees. I can continue to be in my integrity by maintaining the quality of this product, the delivery date and all the services. Being in integrity does not mean that you need to tell the cost of the product to the buyer. Understand; make the buyers understand very clearly - we are a business organisation, we are not a charitable organisation. We are a business organisation. What profit we make is ours. All you need to know is that you get the best product. Please understand, if you maintain integrity in all these, then you are in integrity. Don't lie, don't talk about the cost price, and make it very clear to people that whatever words you utter will be honoured. Whatever words you utter will be honoured!

May I know who asked the question? Yes, please be seated. Whatever words you utter is honoured! For example, take this program - the Inner awakening program. Whatever I commit, I go on honouring it. But nobody needs to know about the expense we incur. Nobody needs to compare what they are paying to the expense we incur. You understand? Neither do we tell you nor do you expect to know. Everyone knows that what is finally delivered to them, is worthy of much more than what they are paying. There ends integrity.

Understand, please understand. Integrity is not transparency! It is honouring the words you gave. You are confusing integrity with transparency. Tell the people - we are in business. I have a wife, I have a car, and I have a house. I need a cell phone. Who will pay my bills? We are a business organisation. You can be very clear when you say that you are a business organisation.

Forget about business organisation, even charitable organisations need to run. I have to take care of one thousand two hundred people per month, they eat because of me. Understand, it is not a joke to run an organisation with one thousand and two hundred people!

So integrity is not transparency. Integrity is honouring the words you give, trying to honour the words you give. And go on trying to provide the best, this is authenticity. Neither in integrity nor in authenticity are you asked to be transparent! You are only asked to be transparent about the product and the cost. When you say this upfront, that perfectly alright! Understand. Your life is added into each product. For each product you create, your time is added, your energy is added and your creativity is added. What’s the cost of your time, your creativity and your energy? So, integrity is not transparency. How many of you are clear? If you maintain your integrity in all these places, that is enough. Your business will flourish and pick up.

2) Question: The practice of the four tattvas has to manifest in our behaviour as a human being. And the correct practise of this will make us role models in the society. How can we achieve this?

Swamiji: First, drop the greed to be a role model in society. Live these four tattvas, people will simply accept you as a role model. If you are rolled in the four tattvas, you will be the model for society. Understand, intensely, intensely, as intensely as possible, as authentically as possible, think-think-think through the four tattvas. Please understand, think through the four tattvas.

The first thing you need to do is practice pure listening of the four tattvas, and thinking

through these four tattvas. Integrity, authenticity, responsibility and enriching - let your thinking be aligned with these four tattvas. For example, now if you are feeling very sleepy or drowsy, immediately bring authenticity. ‘Come on, I was always like this until yesterday. Now let me wake up and practise these tattvas. Let me push myself to the space of listening. Let me take the responsibility for transformation and enriching.’ Continuously think through the four tattvas. Think through the four tattvas. You will simply be successful with you and with the society. I tell you

3) Question: What does it mean to be complete with any situation in life?

Swamiji: What does it mean to be complete with any situation in life? May I know who it asked this? Yes.

Completion means feeling empowered, powerful, without any hangover, after every situation in your life! Completion means feeling empowered, feeling powerful, without any hangover, without feeling powerless during and after any situation in your life. If you are powerful, you won’t be violent. You will not be lying spontaneously. You will not

be in guilt, fear or pain. So completion means you feeling empowered after every incident.

Listen! Every incident only adds to you. Sometimes it adds wealth and success. Sometimes it adds knowledge and experience! It only adds and adds and adds! If you are feeling that every incident is adding to you, you are empowered, you are complete. If you are feeling disempowered or powerless, then naturally you are in incompletion. So only when you live, you will understand this principle based on your experience - what you feel, what you are and how you perceive you.

4) Question: Swamiji, I heard you say that sannyas is the best lifestyle and is the need of the hour for the world. You also said that sannyas is the true freedom. I don't understand how sannyas can be freedom. Can you please explain? Swamiji: If you are married, you will understand! In so many different levels, sannyas is freedom.

I have a story for you guys. One American soldier was in a bunker in Afghanistan with another American whom he did not know. The first soldier said - 'Why did you come to this war?' The second soldier replied - 'I am not married and I love war. So I came here. What about you?' The other guy replied - 'I am married and I love peace. That is why I am here!'

Listen! Listen! Listen! Alcohol does not need any marketing. Do you know that in India, marketing or advertising alcohol is banned? Advertising of alcohol or any form of spirit is banned. It is not legally allowed. But do you know - this non-advertising - does it stop people consuming it? Understand, just by the experience it gives, it gets, one fellow enriches another fellow about alcohol and gets enriched, and the whole world is drinking! At least in India, the whole country is drinking! They import and drink! They make local arrack and drink! Sometimes, they mix and drink! Listen! You don’t need a marketing department. Just by the experience of the alcohol, people pick up the lifestyle of alcohol.

I tell you, sannyas does not need separate promotion. If they see me and my sannyasis, that is enough! It will spread! Alcohol is addiction, sannyas is de-addiction. That is the only difference! Come and see my peetadheeshwar training centres. Come and see my Gurukul.

sannyas is freedom even from the idea of freedom! What is real freedom? Freedom to surrender to the four tattvas is real freedom. Other than these four tattvas, nothing else that exists in me is freedom. Freedom is not simply doing what you want! It is allowing the four tattvas to live through you.

See (this declaration) - from today, as long as I am alive, I am going to be at pada pooja at 7 o’clock in the morning. At 8 o’clock, I am going to be in satsang. Do you understand? I did this for at least the last three years, and I am going to be doing it for all the years that I am going to be in the body. But I don’t feel this as bondage! You may think - ‘Oh, every day, day in and day out, I have to come out and sit and stretch my legs, and then I have to sit and talk something and entertain people for one hour!’ You can get bored with anything, understand! If you are inauthentic, you can get bored even being worshipped! If you are authentic, even while you worship you won’t get bored!

Understand, I never even feel that my commitment towards the world is bondage. See, you may be here today; somebody else may be here tomorrow; but this is my lifestyle. 7 o’clock in the garbha mandir and 8 o’clock in this seat. I will have to continue this. It is not a joke! How many of you understand? (People raise their hands). Then you know! But, I do not feel it is bondage. And I do this not only my morning routine but for my whole day!

After this Inner Awakening program, I give only a few days break, and then immediately start Inner Awakening Level-1. Then a few days break and immediately start the next program - Bali Inner Awakening. Immediately after that is Kailash yatra. Then immediately after that is the August Inner Awakening! My whole calendar for next year calendar is already on the website. You can see! I already know what I am going to do for next full one year. But I don’t feel it is bondage. I don’t feel it is boring. Freedom is free from boredom and idea of bondage and freedom. Allowing the four tattvas to live through you is freedom. Getting it?

With integrity and authenticity, tell me - even if you are worshipped by people every day but you have to come exactly at the same time to receive the worship, the pada pooja, how many of you will be really bored? See, I am neither bored, nor tired. And I am not going to change the time. I am going to continue to receive this as long as I am in the body, and even after I leave the body! And the morning satsang is going to happen! I will continue to speak

as long as I am in the body. After that, I will have my own mechanism to speak! I am neither bored nor going-to-get bored! Understand? Freedom means freedom from boredom and freedom from the concept of freedom! It means deciding to live with these four tattvas. See, decide - 'I am not going to have anything that is private or my own, other than these four tattvas!' That is freedom! That is freedom! That is freedom!

sannyas is the only way to true freedom! Please understand, I am not saying that it is one of the ways to true freedom. Even when it comes to Hinduism, I am not fanatic. But when it comes to sannyas, I think I am fanatic! But one nice thing, my fanaticism is established on sound knowledge and perfect experience. Sound knowledge and complete experience!

In my life, I have at least once doubted even the masters whom I believed - Ramakrishna and Ramana Maharshi. These two were the masters whom I believed while I was doing my practices. They both are my scale to measure anything. What is vairagya? I will only refer to them. What is enlightenment? I will refer only to them. What is tapas? I will refer to them. What is spiritual practice? I will refer to them. They were the scale for me to refer anything. Their words are the ultimate for me. They both are the Supreme Court for me. I doubted even them, but I never doubted

sannyas in my life. There was a time I decided I will live without both of them in my life, before my realization of my mission. Maybe, I can say that I was in that space for maybe ten hours. Once I even thought of disowning Hinduism! I was in that space for three to four hours. I felt that the whole Hinduism is fake! All masters are fake! I was in such a deep depression. The last depression just before enlightenment

I tell you, even a failed sannyasi has progressed a thousand times more than a successful householder. Because as a householder, the responsibility you take is a totally different direction. It is all about enriching one family. The very scale you set for yourself is so low. It is like a mom-shop pop-shop guy. His whole goal is only a yearly turnover of ten-thousand-five-hundred-and-fifty rupees. A sannyasi - his every day turnover is two-and-a-half crore. So, even if he fails, he will be at least two crore! Even if the mom-shop pop-shop guy is successful, he may be twelve-thousand rupees. Understand, the very level in which you put your scale itself is different in sannyas. But only one thing - you have to be a responsible sannyasi. Of course, only with responsibility does sannyas come. A sannyasi is not an outfit (of society), he is an over-fit. If mainstream Hindus take up sannyas again as a lifestyle, even if it is at least after sixty-five - after the retirement, I tell you, so much can be done to you and to the world! Of course if you ask me, I will say that you should start the sannyas life at the age of six, or if not, little early.

I commit, I will make mainstream Hindus accept sannyas as a lifestyle.

Any model citizen - the mainstream Hindus should take sannyas by the time you retire. I will make this as a lifestyle and I wanted it to be a lifestyle. Only then will people understand that there is a different way of living!

The lifestyle taught to us by the mainstream western philosophy is a lie, it is a failure! It is already proven that it is a failure, with the amount of depression, addiction, suicide, legal suicide and illegal suicide we see. When I say legal suicide, I mean things like bringing cancer for yourself and dying; bringing diabetes for yourself and dying; bringing blood pressure for yourself and dying - all of this is legal suicide! You know that if you do all this, you will have diabetes and blood pressure. Then why are you doing that and dying? It is legal suicide! Socially accepted suicide and unaccepted suicide, that is all! If you drink poison straightaway and die in a few hours, it is unaccepted suicide. If you sip it little by little every day in the form of alcohol and die, it is accepted suicide! Accepted and unaccepted suicide, addictions and depression have proven that the lifestyle you adopted as a mainstream lifestyle is a failure!

I give my clarion call - Oh Hindus of India! Oh the people of Vedic tradition all over the world! Wake up! I give you my call for both groups. People of Vedic tradition from all over the world and Hindus of India - wake up! sannyas is the only solution! This is the best

alternative lifestyle! Let the mainstream Hindus accept sannyas as a lifestyle like Buddhists. Only then will you understand and taste the joy of freedom and enlightenment - jeevan mukti!

I am coming! I am just preparing the ground and doing the groundwork. I will initiate at least one million – ten lakh sannyasis with this very hand! I will make sannyas as a mainstream lifestyle. Just like Buddhism, let the sannyas become the mainstream lifestyle! Understand, only with sannyas, you can go to the extreme of living those spiritual principles. Seeing the peak of spiritual life!

It is time, it is time! Only then can we save planet Earth! Planet Earth can be saved only by creating responsible sannyasis - sannyasis who take the responsibility to teach these spiritual principles. It is time!

The essence of today's satsang is this - SANNYAS IS ‘THE’ LIFE!!!

I bless you all to achieve, experience, live, express, radiate, share, explode and enrich with enlightenment! Let you all achieve, experience, live, express, radiate, share, explode and enrich with eternal bliss – ‘Nithyananda’! Thank you!

Listen! Listen to what I am saying. I am your soul. How you relate with me outside will be how you relate with the world outside. How you relate with me inside, will be how you relate with you inside. I just reflect the quality of your ability to relate with others and you.