||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||
 |
| My Gurudev |
The last words playing in my head as I succumbed
to the well turned down bed was from my guide saying: “Please arrive by 6am
itself Sir, it will be good to see the sun rise over the river”. The words
intercepted my brain in a disjointed garble as my priority after the 7 hour
journey to Varanasi was sleep. The sudden annoyance of the telephone solicited
much irritation because it seemed that no sooner than I put my head to rest, I
had to awake. The voice on the other side was Vijay Kumar, the guide - coming
across with a chiding tone, like a teacher who was reprimanding me for not
following instructions. “Sir we must leave soon or else we will miss out”. I
had to restraint the rebel in me in pursuant of a pleasurable day. It didn’t
take long before I presented myself all togged up before the tour entourage. Vijay
Kumar didn’t seem too pleased and started to innovatively navigate the driver
through the unknown gulleys laden under a cloud of falling mist. It was in two
ticks that the roaring diesel engine came to a halt near the Dasaswamedh Ghat -
the place puranas depict as the stage
where Gods and Saints performed many great austerities and rituals. History simultaneously
tells us that Varanasi is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.
At the very point when I alighted from the
vehicle I felt nothing… not even a sense of awe, as the stimulus being received
was more audio than visual. The rattles, whistles, clanging and chattering
announced the start of another day. I
took a deep breath and opened my arms in a wide stretch gazing in the direction
of the horizon. There I witnessed night and dawn wrestle for prominence. An
audience of chillness revelled as the spectacle of day was about to reveal
itself over a city worshipped and revered from time immemorial as the home of
Kashi Vishwanatha: ‘the Liberator of Souls’. Without any effort from my part I
was whisked onto an oar boat. Four of us were being rowed by one oarsman in
competition of many others towards a vantage point from where the miracle of
Kashi will be witnessed. The oar struggled against the current and the creaky
boat which came across as ancient as the city itself bobbed about on the holy
river. Slowly as night started to lose its grip on dawn, an ancient and
mystical scene appeared to be painted on the sacrosanct canvas of the most
venerated place on the globe.
The muddy waters strewn with garlands and
remnants of banana leaves bathed the banks huddled with half naked men busy
with their morning cleansing, side by side with woman doing the laundry. In the
gaps, devout pilgrims and residents stood transfixed in great concentration
toward the Sun holding a gathering of flowers, holy basil and lighted incense contained
in a dried leaf bowl. As they slowly one-by-one lowered their offerings into
the river as a thanksgiving for the day and life in general… a few feet ahead
one- by-one cremated remains were released into the very same waters. Was this oxymoron the great miracle to be
witnessed?
By now, day was gaining strength and life was
starting to infuse into the city. There was steam from the chai-stalls and street food vendors dancing to the chime of the
bells emanating from the poojas and
morning aarthi in the many mandhirs and ashramas around which it seemed the city was developed. It is after
this auspicious and important ritual that men and woman -adorned with white ash-
make their way to begin their work. Sadhus,
Swamis, ordinary men and women, animals, beggars and death all exist side-by-side
without any form of dissent. It then dawned upon me that this place was not a
miracle but a great teacher.
Hundreds of thousands make their way to Kashi to
breathe their last breath in the hope that they will be liberated from the
cycle of birth and death… and attain the heavens. There are also those who work
hard against all odds to create a better life by applying their skills at
weaving the finest Benares Sarees that will find its way to the world.
Paramahamsa Yogananda said:
Don’t
depend on death to liberate you from your imperfections. You are exactly the
same after death as you were before. Nothing changes; you only give up the
body. If you are a thief or a liar or a cheater before death, you don’t become
an angel merely by dying. If such were possible, then let us all go jump into
the ocean now and become angels at once! Whatever you have made of yourself
thus far, is what you will be hereafter. And when you reincarnate, you will
bring that same nature with you. To change, you have to make the effort. The
world is the place to do it.
Swami Sumanasananda, President of the
Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa- Durban gave an inspiring and emotive Keynote
Address at the 62nd Annual Children’s Cultural Festival over the
past weekend. Maharaj unpacked the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda as
the panacea of the malaise that is debilitating our youth and society in
general.
In this very city of Varanasi, Swami Vivekananda
who was being taunted by a group of monkeys and started to retract from them, was
instructed by an illumined sage to “face the brutes!!!!” This pivotal point had
an everlasting effect and chiselled the firebrand Vivekananda who shook the
world of tamas. In His address, Maharaj
highlighted that our lives are full of challenges and we must stand up and face
them with great force and vigour. “Arise! Awake!” was the clarion call of Swami
Vivekananda.
Swami Vivekananda eloquently drew a parallel
between life and a Gymnasium. Swamiji said that the world is a great gymnasium
where we come to make ourselves morally and spiritually strong. Swamiji further
elaborated from the Upanishads that liberation is jivan mukthi or freedom while living in the body. It is not going
to another realm or attaining something new, but realising our true nature. It
is not freedom from anything, but being in the midst of everything.
The boatman was signalled by Vijay Kumar to
start making his way back to the Ghat.
It was quite evident from the expression on his face that he was experiencing
severe withdrawal symptoms from his morning dose of chai and some fresh puree. I glanced towards the river as we journeyed
back. I realised that the water that passed under our boat shall never touch us
again. Time that has passed is time we can never get back. As I reminisce on the illustrious and glorious
life of Swami Vivekananda on His Maha Samadhi
day (4 July), we can say that the essence of His life was to work, work and
work!!! He will ceaselessly work until each one of us realises that we are one
with God. He is truly a voice without form nudging us to awaken from our
slumber and use this rare gift of human birth (as mentioned by Swami
Tadbashananda in His concluding address at the Festival) to experience the joy
of heaven right here in this life.
My earlier annoyance at Vijay Kumar slowly
disappeared as I became more appreciative of the great lesson he taught me by
dragging me out of bed at the ridiculous hour to experience this miracle and
spectacle of Kashi. The Guide had become a Guru. In this month of July on the
Purnima, we will offer our great respects and obeisance to our spiritual teachers
who row our solitary boats bobbing about aimlessly on the ocean of life towards
the safe shores of bliss, joy and fulfilment in life. In this holy month, I offer my sastanga pranaams to my revered Guru
Srimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj and all the monks of the Ramakrishna order
for their guidance and blessings on us always.
All Glories to Master, Mother and Swamiji. Jai Ma!!!!
