Sadhana Sangama Trust: Guru Smarana Day celebrations at Ashram

Guruji's talk on Guru Smarana Day at Ashram on November 13, 2011:

Friends,

Today is Guru Smarana Day. I will share with you an interesting episode as to how this came to be celebrated every year.

The year was 1997, one year after Baba cast off his body. I was in New Delhi conducting a public programme on ‘Antar Darshana’. One day, when I returned from the programme, I got a call from Jyothi enquiring “Baba’s Maha Samadhi day is approaching fast. How can we go about organizing a programme in remembrance of Baba? My feeling is that since Baba is a great soul who gave and shared love and material things in abundance, we should mark this day in a grand way.” I was tired and was not in a mood to think about this event and therefore told Jyothi that “please call me tomorrow and we will discuss”.

The next day, when I sat for my morning meditation as usual, Baba appeared in my meditation. With a mischievous smile he said to me, Bete, a Guru never dies, for he is the eternal light guiding numerous souls in the path. When that being the fact, Bete, isn’t it awkward that you plan to celebrate my Shradhanjali? Shradhanjali is organised for those who die. Bete, do you mean to say that I am dead just because I cast off my body?

It was a shock for me. I realized that unintentionally I have limited Baba to mere bodily existence. I then slowly responded to Baba and asked him to show me a way to remember the day he cast off his body. Baba then suggested that Bete, call it Guru Smarana Day and not Shradhajali. You remember me on the day I cast off my body. Do it in a simple way and I will participate and bless the sadhakas who tread the spiritual path and then he suggested the following for Guru Smarana Day:

1. Rudrabhishekam
2. Kumkuma archana reciting Lalithashasranama
3. 108 Gayathri Jap
4. Bhajan
5. Havan

From that day onwards, Friends, every year we at Sadhana Sangama observe Guru Smarana Day and Baba comes without fail and blesses us all for a brilliant journey filled with courage and harmony on the path of spirituality. We are extremely fortunate to be a part of this great Tradition and a disciple of such a great Yogi, Swami Rama.

I am extremely happy that this year Guru Smarana programme is being organized again exactly in the same fashion as Baba has desired.

On this Special occasion, I would like to share with you an important message Baba has told me. It is going to help you all in your journey.

Baba told me that our life is like a procession, continuously happening non-stop, whether we want to be a part of it or not. Nothing can remain constant for ever – be it happiness, peace, sorrow, insults, praises, – anything, they stay only for a while. Therefore, prayer is a powerful tool that is going to help us to weather this procession called ‘life’. Unfortunately, the meaning of prayer is corrupted and what we call ‘prayer’ today is not prayer in its real term. All that we know and understand by prayer is to seek something or the other in material form from the divinity.

Bete, our prayer to a Guru and the divinity should be to seek the strength and courage that is required to witness the procession called ‘life’ and not to participate in it. Yes bête, to ‘witness’ life is courage. Witnessing does not mean inaction here. Muster the courage and strength not to get affected by or involved in life’s emotion but to march ahead by discharging our duties, by attending to our responsibilities. That should be our prayer to Guru and the divinity.

When such prayer is made, Guru reveals himself to the disciple that he is present and very close to him / her and there is no need to panic and lose trust. When such direct experience occurs to a disciple, that moment will be the joyous moment that cannot be explained. Through prayers of this nature, Bete, the communication between a Guru and a disciple gets established and a disciple is prepared for direct experiences.

When a guru takes the students hand he purifies his entire personality in all ways and prepares him as a flower that would be offered to the Divine. Therefore, Friends, I request you all, on this day, to think about Baba’s message about prayer and stop looking outside and fixing responsibility on the people around, on our environment for our misfortunes and miseries and start gathering the courage through prayers and become a brilliant sadhaka, in communion with Baba.

Friends, remember that we are all blessed by such a great Parampara and Baba and, therefore, let us all travel together by fostering harmony, joy, peace and create vibrant family of sadhakas. On this day, let us all pledge to work on ourselves and rise above our own weaknesses and reach divinity that is within us.