Santhosam Podcast: Guiding Light of Spiritual Wisdom

Gurumahan quotes in the 28th Velvi discourse that Gratitude Liberates.

There is a saying in the Thirukkural: "Even one who has forgotten every kindness may still find redemption. But there is no redemption for one who forgets the kindness received from those who gave him life.”

Why does it specifically refer to the parents?

Children, you must never forget the gratitude you owe to the mother and father who brought you into this world. You may fail to show gratitude to anyone else, but never forget the mother and father who gave you life. If you forget their kindness, what happens?

There is no redemption. You will continue to be caught in the cycle of birth again and again.

That is why, my dear ones, let us express our gratitude to our mother and father. Say it: “Gratitude to my mother and father.”

Even if your mother scolded you or disciplined you when you were young, even if your father chased you around and punished you, or even if you once thought, “When I grow up, I will teach you a lesson,” still, offer them your gratitude.

What happens when you do that? All those unnecessary memories and hurts begin to change. They disappear. And when does true gratitude arise? It arises naturally from the love you have for them.

That is why there is no spiritual tradition that does not speak about gratitude. First, we offer our gratitude to our mother. Then to our father. Then to our Guru. Finally, we offer our gratitude to the Divine.

Why is the Divine placed last?

Who are the first visible forms of the Divine? Our mother, our father and our Guru. These three are visible to our eyes. The Divine, which is beyond what we can see, is within and beyond all of them. That is why we finally offer our gratitude to the Divine.

Today, there was widespread news that by December 30, Chennai could be severely affected by a cyclone and heavy disturbances. Since that did not happen, whom should we thank?

Tell me. Can we offer our gratitude?

But did we?

When we express gratitude, what do we do first? We remember.

We remember God. We remember all the Gurus who have guided us in our lives. Then we remember our father. We remember our mother.

The more deeply you remember someone, the more powerful that thought becomes. That thought travels from your mind towards the one you are remembering.

That is why I say: Bless everyone. Wish everyone well.

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Gurumahan in the 28th Velvi discourse, reveals the secret of the Universe that brings our thoughts to life.

We worshipped the Earth. We worshipped the sky. We worshipped the five elements. We worshipped everyone and everything.

But what is the result of all this worship?

Who is the one who is worshipping? And who is the Ishwara, the One worthy of worship?

The purpose of worship is fulfilled on the day you realise that the one who is worshipping is none other than Ishwara Himself.

That is why there is a tremendous power within each one of you. There is a simple way to experience that power.

For 28 years, I have been in deep penance, continuously seeking and experiencing this truth.

But what do we usually expect from a Guru?

We bring all our problems to the Guru and say, “Here, take care of everything. By the time we come back after 28 days, somehow all our problems should be solved!”

And if they are not solved, we come straight back and ask, “What happened, Guru?”

We also want everything we think about to happen exactly as we wish.

But there is a great secret hidden in the Universe that makes this possible.

What is that secret?

Why are we like this? Why do we keep searching?

The secret is love.

The secret is faith.

And the secret, in three simple words, 'love, faithfulness and gratitude'.

When you truly understand gratitude, you begin to understand the power within you.

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In the 28th Velvi discourse, Gurumahan teaches that there are two aspects of the “I”: the small “i” and the big “I.”

In English, the small “i” carries a dot, while the capital “I” stands without a dot. This becomes a beautiful way to understand the difference between the individual self and the Supreme Self.

The small “I” is what the Vedas refer to as the Jivatma, the individual self. The great “I” is the Paramatma, the Supreme Self.

The small intelligence within us must ultimately discover and merge with that greater intelligence.

Our ordinary intelligence comes through the senses. It helps us understand the external world and acquire worldly knowledge. But beyond everything we perceive through the senses, there is something deeper: the source from which all knowledge arises.

Thirumoolar speaks of this in the Tirumantiram, describing the Self as being of the nature of knowledge and revealing that divine knowledge through grace.

திருமந்திரம் – பாடல் 2357

அறிவு வடிவென்று அறியாத என்னை
அறிவு வடிவென்று அருளினான் நந்தி
அறிவு வடிவென்று அருளால் அறிந்தே
அறிவு வடிவாய் அமர்ந்திருந்தேனே.

English meaning

“Not knowing that I was of the nature of pure knowledge,
Nandi, through His grace, revealed to me that I am knowledge itself.
Through that grace, I came to realise that truth,
and I remained established in the state of pure knowledge.”

For so long, we may live without recognising that we are awareness itself. Is this awareness absent when the mind is asleep? No. The awareness that exists beyond the changing states of the mind is always present.

This is the great knowledge within every human being: the knowledge of the Atma, the higher intelligence.

Our small intelligence uses the senses to understand everything around us, yet it continues outward without turning inward to discover the One who is witnessing it all.

That is why the sages say that by failing to know oneself, one causes one's own downfall.

The real journey, therefore, is not merely to know more about the world, but to turn inward and discover who the knower truly is.

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You become what you think about. So, what are you thinking about?
When you think of happiness, you experience the feeling of happiness. When you think of sorrow, you experience sorrow. When you think of pain or worry, that feeling arises within you. Therefore, both the thoughts we think and the feelings that follow those thoughts are extremely important.
We may say outwardly, "I will pass the exam. I am sure I will pass."

But inwardly, there may still be a feeling of fear: "Let us wait and see what happens. Let the results come first."
So, the thought is one thing, while the feeling within is something different.
You may have the thought of starting a business, but at the same time there may be a feeling of fear within you. This is why our feelings can have such a powerful influence over us.
The kind of feeling that exists within a person can shape the way that person experiences and lives life.
So, what is the feeling we should cultivate?
It is Divine Awareness -  Irai Unarvu.

What does this Divine Awareness give us?
It gives us the experience of happiness, because the nature of the Atma itself is happiness.
What is that happiness?
It is the state of the Atma. It is Brahman. It is the very "I" spoken of in the Bhagavad Gita.
The culmination of the Vedas, the culmination of the Siddhantas, the culmination of Yoga, the culmination of the teachings of wisdom; all of them ultimately point towards one Truth.

What is that Truth?
Know the Truth that exists within you.
What you presently take yourself to be is not your true nature.
When you contemplate your true nature, clarity arises through that contemplation. From clarity comes wisdom. Through that wisdom comes Mukthi(liberation). 
In that state of liberation, while still living in this very life and in this very body, you can experience the fullness of life.
Your aspirations can find fulfilment, and what is meant to come to you can come into your life.
That is why the Vedas declare:
I am Truth.
I am Eternal.
I am All.
I am Everything.

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"Beyond Worship: When Does the Search Turn Within?” explains Gurumahan in the 28th Velvi discourse.

Tapas is not about closing your eyes and worshipping something.

Until the age of 16, children should follow the spiritual tradition of their family. A particular path is important at that stage because a path is needed to help a person move towards a goal.

Until the age of 16, a Shaivite family may worship Shiva, a Vaishnavite family may worship Vishnu, those devoted to Shakti may worship Shakti, devotees of Muruga may worship Muruga, and devotees of Ganesha may worship Ganesha. Muslims may worship Allah and Christians may worship Christ. Some form of spiritual path is needed until the age of 16.

Earlier, people considered 25 to be the age when a person developed sufficient understanding. Later, it became 18. Today, even 18 is not necessary. Sixteen is enough. Sixteen is the beginning of the teenage years.

So, what is needed at 16?

Today, everyone uses a mobile phone. Sitting in one place, we can connect with people and information from every part of the world. If a father does not know something, he can simply say, “Let me check Google,” or look it up on Wikipedia, and immediately find the information.

Knowledge has grown tremendously. That is why 16 is enough.

What should happen at the age of 16?

At 16, a person should begin to recognise the power that exists within.

What is this power?

There is physical strength, mental strength and the power of intelligence. Beyond all these lies another power: the power of the soul.

When a person recognises this extraordinary power within, and keeps turning their attention towards it, they gradually become that very power.

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In the 28th Velvi discourse, Gurumahan asks us to reflect: Do we have a human nature, a divine nature, or a demonic nature within us?

There are three qualities within us: demonic, human, and divine.

The demonic nature says, “I should be happy. I should be comfortable. I should get everything.” It lives only for itself.

The human nature says, “Let me live well, and let the people around me live well too.”

The divine nature says, “Let everyone live well.”

So, which one are you?

If you honestly observe yourself, you may find that the answer changes every day! Sometimes we live only for ourselves. Sometimes we live for our family. Sometimes we think about our country. And sometimes, we sincerely pray, “God, please bless everyone with good rain!”

That is the nature of being human. We carry many qualities within us. At times, we may behave like a donkey, at times like a dog, and at other times, we reveal something truly divine!

Someone may even say, “There is another nature sleeping inside me. I have shown you only one face. I haven't shown you my other face yet!”

But the Guru does not ask you to reveal your hidden faces.

The Guru asks you to reveal your true face, your divine nature.

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Gurumahan, in the 28th Velvi discourse : Who Are We? The One Light That Became Many

The Supreme Light, Paranjothi, is the Divine Light. It is the beginning, and it is the “I” within us.

When that primordial reality became aware of itself and moved through its own thought and sankalpa, that movement created heat. As the movement continued, it manifested as light. The Paranjothi that had remained unseen within revealed itself outwardly as the Light of Creation.

From that Light emerged the particles of existence. Through the coming together and separation of these particles, matter was formed. From there came the vast expanse of space, the different spheres of existence, the solar system, and ultimately our Earth.

On this Earth, life evolved, and among all living beings, we have evolved as human beings with six faculties of intelligence.

But, O human being, who are you in this evolutionary journey?

The original substance that existed in the beginning is the very same substance that has become everything today.

Consider a single banana plant. From that one plant, an entire grove can grow. A single mango tree can become a mango grove. A single coconut tree can grow into an entire coconut grove.

In the same way, the One Parabrahma, the original “I,” has evolved and expressed itself as all of us.

The same life force and consciousness present in one coconut tree pervades the entire grove. In the same way, the same Divine Consciousness that exists in the One is present in all of us.

So, who are we?

We are not separate from that Divine Reality.

We are the Divine expressing itself as human beings.

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Gurumahan in the 28th velvi discourse : Why Did Vallalar Turn Away from Religious Rituals? The Divine Truth He Discovered Within!

Arutperunjothi Arutperunjothi
Thaniperungkarunai Arutperunjothi.

Arutprakasa Vallalar expressed his devotion through countless songs in temples. He followed the path of devotion and, through the guidance of a Guru, sought to reach its highest state.

He then sat before a mirror and began to inquire deeply, “Who am I?”

He realized, “The body I see in the mirror is not me. It is only a reflection. There is something beyond this body, something within. I do not need to go anywhere in search of it. I only need to sit quietly and contemplate.”

As he continued to contemplate, he realized that the all powerful Divine Force is Light. This entire universe has emerged from that Light.

Therefore, that Light is the source, the beginning and the end of the universe. That Great Light is Arutperunjothi. That itself is the Divine.

It is through the compassion of that Arutperunjothi that this entire universe has come into existence. Therefore, through the grace of that Divine Light, may everyone be blessed with well being.

I visited countless temples and sang countless songs through the five Thirumurais. Yet, through all those paths of devotion, I could not truly know myself.

That is why I asked:

“Moon, tell me a way
to know myself and experience bliss.”

I discovered that way by turning within. I searched for the Divine, the source of this entire universe, not outside but within myself.

The moment I realized this, I left behind all religious rituals. These rituals had their purpose: they were meant to help us discover the truth of the Divine present in nature. Once that truth is realized, there is no need to cling to the rituals. The light of wisdom begins to shine forth with tremendous clarity.

With that realization, I questioned the very paths I had once followed, including religious practices and rituals.

“Why do you still hold on to all these and wander in search of the Divine? When Arutperunjothi, the Divine Light, is already within you, why do you continue searching everywhere outside?”

I spoke with such intensity because I wanted people to turn within and discover that Divine Light for themselves.

But people did not understand.

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In the 28th velvi fullfilment discourse, Gurumahan talks about the limitations of fives senses!  

Long ago, the people who lived on the continent of Lemuria, which was said to be the largest of the five continents, turned inward and contemplated deeply. Tapas means contemplation to go beyond the external and contemplate within.

Ancient Lemurians contemplated again and again:

“What is this ‘I’?
Am I the body?
Am I the mind?
Am I the intellect?”

This awareness is present while we are awake. It is also present beyond the waking state, through dreams and sleep. If so, where does it exist? Is it in the lower abdomen? Is it in the chest? Is it at the centre between the eyebrows? Or is it in the brain?

Through such deep contemplation, they came to understand its connection with the brain and developed their intelligence and awareness.

Human development has two dimensions: external development and inner development.

External development is science, the knowledge we acquire through the five senses. Meignanam, or true inner wisdom, can be realized only through the inner eye of wisdom.

A human being, therefore, is not merely a material object. A human being is a conscious being, where the body is for the soul.

For this reason, every person must come to know their own true nature and state of being. When individuals understand their true state, that realization can bring well-being to their families, society, nation and ultimately the whole world.

This is why the sages did not need to show humanity countless different paths. It is enough to help each person realize the Truth that already exists within them. It is enough for the hidden Reality within each person to be revealed and directly experienced.

There is a traditional saying that a knowledge which must be directly shown or transmitted cannot be gained merely through one's own effort.

What is this hidden Reality within us?
It is the Supreme Reality, the Paramporul.
It is the Ultimate Truth, the Meipporul.

Throughout history, even wealthy people travelled across the seas in search of riches. After acquiring wealth, they performed charity and acts of Dharma.

What is the spiritual benefit of such charity and righteous action?

It is the hope that, at least in another birth, one may receive the guidance of a true Guru.

And what is the purpose of finding a Guru?
It is to attain the Divine state.

The very purpose of human birth is to understand and reach the ultimate culmination of this birth. This is what the sages called Mukthi, liberation.

Bharat has shown humanity the path towards this Mukthi, the attainment of the Divine state.

First came the path of Bhakti, devotion. Then came other stages of spiritual practice and realization. The Yogic paths were also given as means to reach this higher state.

Beyond these stages lies Mukthi, the state of liberation.

And this is a remarkable time in which human beings have the opportunity to attain that state of liberation.

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The Higher Intelligence Within Us: Gurumahan in the 28th Velvi Discourse!

The limited intelligence we possess carefully chooses what food we need, how to eat it, what to eat first, what to eat in between, and what to eat at the end. But once the food passes below the throat, its work comes to an end.

From that moment, something else takes over. The food is digested, transformed into energy, separated into what is useful and what is not, and the unnecessary water and waste are eliminated at the right time. Solid waste, liquid waste, heat and air are all processed and released.

Something within you is performing all these functions.

That inner intelligence continues to work through waking, dreaming and deep sleep, and even beyond sleep.

That is why you are not merely this limited intelligence. You are the extraordinary energy that exists beyond these three states.

When you become aware of this energy within you, you can accomplish what you once thought was impossible. What you deeply intend can unfold, and your words can carry the power to manifest.

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