From: MANI GOPALAKRISHNAN <gopuaol@hotmail.com>
Date: Feb 23, 2008 9:22 AM
Subject: Gurudev’s Coimbatore Visit
Wednesdays are considered very auspicious and there is a saying in Tamil “Pon Kidaithallum Budhan Kidaaikaathu” means even if you get gold you may not be able to get a Wednesday. The Wednesday of 13th February, 2008 was more sanctified and precious, as we were blessed with the divine presence of Poojya Gurudev at Coimbatore. As usual I find words insufficient to convey the memorable experience that we all had on that day. Yet the joy of sharing it with you all made me put my effort on it. Most of Gurudev’s sessions were in Tamil and therefore the translation may not be verbatim.
It was a warm afternoon at the Coimbatore Airport Gurudev was accorded a reverential welcome with “Poorna Kumbham” and from the Airport Gurudev drove straight to Ganeshapuram to inaugurate a Non-Destructive Testing Industrial Unit named Visvesvarya Industrial Engineering Works belonging to the IRICO Group. This is a state of the Art High-Tech Radiography Unit which tests steel components for Aero Space / Defence / Automotives / Oil and Gas Valves etc. Gurudev inaugurated the unit and went round the entire factory. He enquired if all safety measures have been taken to prevent health hazards to the people living nearby as the Unit was dealing with radioactive substances like Cobalt-60 &100 and Iridium 192. The Managing partners showed Gurudev the safety measures taken by them to prevent the eventuality of any hazard happening in and around the Unit. They also conveyed the amazing information that the IRICO group has successfully completed 36 accident free years. They have highly qualified engineers and technicians duly certified by Atomic Energy Regulatory
Board to take care of safety aspects in the unit.
At the function organized at the Unit premises Gurudev addressed a large gathering of Industrialists, Businessmen and people associated with the Industrial Unit. In his short speech Gurudev said “I am happy to inaugurate the Visveswaraya Industrial Engg Works of IRICO group. India is very rich in natural resources, we need to utilize these and start new industries and work for the progress of the nation. We cannot survive without Iron even our body requires a minimum qty of Iron in our blood without which we cannot survive. So is the case with any engineering industry it cannot survive without Iron and Steel.
In this industrial Unit the development and research is most appreciable. There must be advancement in technology and at the same time care for the environment should also receive importance. You have started the industry with “Deiva Sakthi” (Divine power) and “Bhootha Sakthi” (Mechanical Power) both the power has to go together. The Unit started here will contribute to the development of many industries in India.
HE further added “Today it is very important to live a life combining human values and spirituality. In the World people are fighting for very petty things. Nations are fighting each other spreading nuclear weapons. These are posing a threat to peace. Human and spiritual values should form the basis of our lives. May God give you strength, power, prosperity.”
Gurudev then blessed the distinguished guests including Captain Gopinath, Chairman of Air Deccan and some of the important employees and associates of the IRICO Group received mementos and blessings from Gurudev. Gurudev then left for the Codissia Grounds.
The Codissia Grounds one of the biggest in Coimbatore was filled with people at 6.00 O Clock itself and undeterred by the traffic snarl-ups people kept their commitment to be at the venue and took part in the Mahasatsang. People from all over Tamilnadu and some parts of Kerala were there.
As soon as Gurudev arrived at the venue the jam packed crowd of a hundred thousand went into ecstasy and joy. HE majestically walked on the ramp waving to the jubilant crowd and accepted the garlands they gave HIM. Gurudev’s physical presence and a simple glance from the corner of HIS eye is capable of bringing the fountain of joy from our heart and tears of gratitude from our eyes. Just like the flowers blooming in spring every one blooms, blossoms and smiles brightly in his Divine presence. It was an inexplicable experience, as we could observe varied expressions some cried in joy, some were ecstatic, yet some others jostled into the crowd bulldozing their way to be near him. Photographers are never a satisfied lot as they went on clicking shot after shot. In the midst of all these our Gurudev with his graceful smile fulfilling everyone’s wishes walked to the podium and sat on the sofa and went into a short meditation. Dr.Manikandan and Smt. Gayathri were rendering melodious Bhajans and after a few Bhajans, Gurudev started in his usual style.
“How are you all? You are waiting as if Guruji would talk or not? Enough of singing lets talk a bit. How many of you were thinking like that?, raise your hands. – Almost the entire crowd raised their hands to affirm the same.
HE continued.
“Our world is an energy field connected with thoughts. The thought which arises in us doesn’t get wasted; it goes round and round the world and comes back to us. In a small cell phone we press 4 to10 buttons and talk to people all over the world. Don’t we? Such a small instrument and just pressing those buttons it enables us to talk to people in America, England, Australia and everywhere else. I feel the trust that we have, over the cell phone; we do not have on our own mind. We trust the cell phones, and it is foolish not to trust the brain which created it! This brain has enormous energy in it. That which brings out this energy is spirituality. If there is no spirituality, there is no happiness in life; no love, no peace. So we need to have a deep involvement in spirituality. We think spirituality is going to temple, worship and come back. But it is not that. We break the coconut and that’s the end of our spirituality. Spirituality really is a deep feeling that is inside us. Our body is the wick and our heart is the light, which continues burning throughout. The wick has to be induced/kindled with ghee so as to make the light burn brighter and longer. This is what is called “sadhana”.
Then HE moved on to the Question & answer session.
Question: Guruji what are your solutions for the cultural changes of today?
Ans : We have to keep our old cultures. Our cultures being the best in the world have to be safeguarded. We shouldn’t leave them. People from Iraq had come last November. Now they have started organizing classes there. We are not taking care of the big thing that we have with us. We are getting requests for India’s spiritual knowledge from all over the world; Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, Yoga, Meditation and all. We are in need of many teachers. India has soft power. It can contribute to the whole world through knowledge.
Question: Guruj is science a part of spirituality or spirituality a part of science? Explain briefly:
Ans: To know “what is this?” is science and to know “who am I ?” is spirituality. Thinking “this and me are the same” is “Brahmagnyanam” You can understand right? To find what this is Science, what flower, what kind of material, what are the atomic and subatomic particles…. In India we never separated science and spirituality. We always created a link to go from one to the other. If you see Bhagvad Gita, there is a lot about the 5 elements, concepts and science. It always goes from science to knowledge and knowledge of self.
Question: To successfully carry out a task is human effort more important or faith in god more important?
Ans: Both of them are important. When you watch a television program which do you think is more important your eyes or the ears? When you want to have sunlight inside the house you should open the windows and move the screens to the side then only you will be able to get the sunlight. When you do this in the night you cannot expect sunlight to come. Effort is to keep open the windows and when the sun comes out then only you can get the grace of sunlight.
Question: Now a days, why is it that in our families affection is diminishing and selfishness is increasing more and more?
Ans: Because people have very little involvement in spirituality. People forget themselves and are running after earning more and more money. Parents too send their children abroad and remain orphans in the society. When the joint family system consisting of grand parents were there love and affection was also there. There were good thoughts for helping each other. But nowadays all these affection and love remains only with money. People accumulate wealth and die and their kith and kin fight for that money. 60 to 65% of the court cases are all due to this wealth. We should teach our children Human values. Make your children your wealth teach them love, human values, compassion and good virtues then no other wealth is required. This is the birth place of Nayanmars and how fortunate it is. Yet we do not teach our children Thirukural and Thiruvasakam. In schools Devotion and spirituality should be compulsorily taught to eliminate violence from this country.
Question: When does education become meaningful?
Ans: When an outstanding person is created and when there is enough of strength in him Education becomes meaningful. Our lives should be like the coconut. Our involvement should be like the husk of the coconut. Our body should be like the coconut shell and our mind should be like the white kernel and our heart should be like the sweet coconut water. Our culture and tradition are bound by scientific reasoning.
Question : What is life?
Ans: That which is now and that which was yesterday.
Question: How to know and feel one’s own Guru?
Ans: Once you realize yourself, you will automatically know your Guru.
Question: Guruji can you please explain me whether astrology is true?
Ans: Astrology has is a fact no doubt about it. But I don’t know or can’t say about any astrologer, which astrologer you may be thinking about. Astrology as a science has some knowledge definitely has an influence. Moon has an impact on body and mind. Our body has 60% water element and water is impacted by moon. It is obvious and of course Mars, Jupiter, they all have an impact on body mind complex. But you don’t need to worry about them. If someone says you have a bad period, don’t worry, just chant “Om Namah Shivaya” and all bad things will go away.
Question: Guruji… How to control our mind?
Ans: Why should we control? Just leave it; let’s see where it is going. One day leave it to go anywhere it wants and see how it comes back to you.
Guruji Said “Let’s meditate for sometime and before that I wanted to ask, how many of you have body pains since early in the morning, raise your hand. (There was about 25% of the crowd raising their hands)
You know why? We eat the crops that are cultivated by using chemical fertilizers. This causes a lot of diseases in our body. Do you understand? We don’t detoxify the body. To get good yield we use artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Because of these fertilizers, soil turns toxic and the produce from the soil in turn becomes toxic and our body gets toxic substances as we eat them which cause disease and pain.
How many have hip, joint, back pains and different kinds of headaches. I don’t want you to tell me the number of head aches that you have at home!!! If we have to get rid of all these pains and diseases, we have to go back to our traditional method of farming. We have to do natural farming, Zero budget farming low-cost, more yield, better health. So we have to take this as a revolution to the farmers.
You know the white sugar is termed as white poison in western countries. As it covers the knobs of the intestine and stops the nutrients from being absorbed by the body. The children who consume a lot of sugar are mostly lean because of lack of nutrition. If you stop giving them sugar, they will start getting healthier. We eat a lot of sugar and reduce our body growth as well. So instead of white sugar you should start consuming cane sugar which is in turn good for the body. It helps the liver as it has minerals. We have to know how to eat well not how to eat more.
Similarly we need to learn breathing practices to keep our body healthy and learn meditation to get peace of mind and these things are very much essential for life. We should have knowledge and awareness on meditation, breathing practices and food. Now let us switch on to cane sugar. The only difference that you may notice is that gulab jamuns would look much darker and jalebis would be of a different color!!! It does not matter.
After 30 -32 years everyone should take 3 Triphala tablets at night. It sets right all the three doshas, vata, pitha and kapha in the body. It eliminates toxins from the body. Even if there is a problem with the food, Triphala clears the stomach and helps in good elimination the next morning. It also maximizes anti- oxidization in the body. All of you should take “Triphala” and you can see the effect in your body within 5 to 7 days. “Deva Vati” is a good cure for amebiosis and other diseases caused by change in food and
water. It is harmless and every one must carry with them wherever they go. It replaces antibiotics like Flagyl and others. Two to three “Deva Vati” can cure fever.
In India, whatever we prepare we add turmeric in it. You know why? Because of its anti-oxidant properties and it has medicinal value. In 1980, we called upon scientists for a conference in Delhi. When asked about the use of turmeric, they said it is just a color pigment without any value. Today, the foreigners say turmeric is an antioxidant and it can give immunization against Cancer and yet we do not understand its real value. In Tamilnadu we add turmeric in the pickles, especially the lemon pickles. Turmeric means Goddess Devi. She is incarnation of lemon, turmeric, and neem. All the three plants are considered sacred in our country and they all give good energy to our body. If we grow lemon and tulsi in each and every house we can have good health in our country.
You know in our country there is a shortfall in the production of pulses. We are importing nearly 40% of the pulses and if this continues we will not have sufficient food In the future. So we have to plant pulses in our home garden and our women can do it.
My Grandmother was in Papanasam even at the age of 92 years she used to do things for herself and she had a good system of eating. Like, eating “Agathi Keerai” (A type of green leaves) on every “Dwadesi” day (The day after Ekadesi Fasting) and she used to take two kinds of vegetables everyday. She had laid rules for herself and hence had a lot of energy. In the next generation the energy level came down and now in our generation it is getting lower. One more interesting thing you know our “Idly” is considered to be the most nutritious food in the World. Because it contains carbohydrates, proteins, enzymes, fats, amino acids and fiber.
Every one should consume ghee. Ghee helps the body to absorb nutrients. If I start talking on food I can go on for hours together. “Idly” is said to be the complete food it is a happy thing to know don’t you think so.
Question: Global Warming is considered as a serious concern today. What is your opinion on this?
Ans: Use less of refrigerator and plant more trees.
Question: What is the difference between Guru and God?
Ans: You now tell me who is Guru and who is God, then I will tell you the difference. We are the one’s who give meaning for the words. Knowledge is Guru. In one whose life knowledge is also an integral part he is a guru. Love is guru. If in one’s life love and soul is inseparable, he is a Guru.
Question: What all should we do to satisfy God?
Ans:: We are not doing these to satisfy God but to satisfy ourselves. God is always “Nithya tripthan” (He is an embodiment of contentment) When doing Puja, meditation is always important. There is no use of doing Puja without meditation.
Question: What is the difference between Family affection and God’s love?
Ans: Why do you want to compare? They all have their own places. God’s love is present everywhere.
Question: How did you seek God?
Ans: You read the books “Guru of Joy”. “Celebrating Silence” is a book you should read. You should also read the Tamil version of Intimate note to the sincere seeker.
Question: Nowadays youngsters in software industry, to reduce their work stress seek discotheques and bars unaware of the destruction it may cause to their lives. What is your advice to correct them?
Ans: Nothing, just bring them and make them sit in the course. They themselves will know what to do.
Question: What is the difference between a disciple and a devotee?
Ans: Disciples come after knowing the knowledge, they are in the head. The devotees come due to their love and are in the heart. Both of them are needed. Devotees can become disciples and vice versa. And both the qualities are together, this makes a perfect human. If they are doing meditation and yoga, these qualities will emerge on their own.
Question: Why should we follow the traditions and cultures? Why should we do puja?
Ans : Puja is something which gives us fullness. It is something that which comes out of a fulfilled heart. If it’s a small Puja people can relish it and if there is involvement there is happiness. If we do the Puja for 4-5 hours, people who are not interested in it find it boring and they lose their interest. There is one Gyana Gaandam in Agaama. If the pundits narrate Gyana Gaandam with Karma Gaandam, it would be interesting. This would provide an attachment in it, where as doing Karma Gaandam only makes it
monotonous. As you go into meditation, idol worship is not needed. But it is also not necessary to tell that idol worship is not needed. You should not be against it as well. Let it be there but gradually mind just deviates off from it. We see it only outside but God (Kada-vul) is something that lies inside. To see God we have to make an inward transition from outside to inside and meditation helps in it. As a result of going to many temples people start getting confused between which Gods to worship. It’s enough to worship a single God.
Question: What position do you give for the atheists in the world?
Ans : Where there is atheism in the beginning there would be good spiritualism later. There should be no worry about it. You can go from atheism to spiritualism. Just like how we can be a spiritualist from a theist, we can become a spiritualist from atheist as well. To be a true atheist is the toughest thing in the whole world. If you call yourself an atheist you would feel deep in you there is something that you don’t know yet. To say
that something is not there, you need to know everything. The moment you admit that there is something that you don’t know, that minute you cease to be an atheist. When you accept that there might be some things and some concepts that I don’t know, then you cease to be an atheist.
Gurudev asked the crowd to take a “sankalpam” to eradicate the “Two Tumbler” system prevalent in Tamilnadu. People are discriminated based on their caste at Coffee and Tea Shops in Tamilnadu Villages. The two Tumbler systems is a social evil still dominating in the villages and Gurudev wanted each one of us to work towards eradicating this discrimination.
As soon as the Mahasatsang was over, there was a very large queue at the Ayurveda shop at the venue for buying “Triphala” and “Deva Vati”. G urudev spent an hour with the volunteers and individually met all of them. The excellent arrangements by Sri.Uthamraj alongwith DCC members, Teachers and Volunteers were highly appreciated by everyone.
We take this opportunity to convey our gratitude to Sri. Attavar Ramdassji, his family and the IRICO group for inviting us for the Inaugural ceremony. We were able to be with Gurudev and enrich our knowledge. Special thanks for the sumptuous lunch. Gurudev rightly said Sri. Attavar Ramdassji is a man of Iron with a heart as soft as a flower. We wish the Attavar Family prosperity and success in all their endeavors.
On the morning of 14th February, 2008 Smt.Shobanambikai and Sri.Govindaraj conducted a “Guru Pada Puja” at their new residence. We all had the opportunity to get HIS blessings once again. Gurudev took leave of us and started off to Bangalore. We realized time moved so fast and we had spent only a little time with him and our hearts as usual “Yeh Dil Maange More”. The longing to be in HIS presence still continues.
Photos of Gurudev’s visit to Coimbatore is available in our website: http://www.aolcbe.org
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