How does one describe the indescribable, circumscribe the infinite, put into words that which is beyond all speech? This
book is but an attempt to introduce to the eager and the devout an individual, who was an epitome of human perfection. Howsoever feeble this effort may be, its completion entails a feeling of total elation. Pure, holy and luminous, whose very vision from afar bestowed peace, he was, to ascetics, an example of “self-denial”. Yogis saw him in union with the Divine. Sages found him calm, unruffled, wholly in tune with the cosmos. Paradoxically, he appeared withdrawn to the recluse, and full of involvement to the worldly. Adorned in saffron silk robes, seated on a golden throne, he shone like the resplendent sun. those around him sensed, as coming from him, rays of tender love, innocent simplicity, graceful compassion. Unconcerned about mundane matters, nevertheless, he brought into play hi resolute will. Each word that he spoke was charged with a power that won the hearts of his listeners. Every person who came into his contact went away with the feeling of being the one who was closest to Guru Dev. He was not in the habit of giving discourses. Whenever someone in a group used to ask him a question, he answered in such a way that others also felt their doubts dissipating. They reported later on that he had answered their questions without their having to utter them. His personality was replete with many such specialities for which ordinary explanations are inadequate. In his elucidations, generally he used to relate his own experiences. This gave to his teachings a freshness that was irresistible to his audiences. Is it because of this that we are able to have rare glimpses of his solitary life. This book, in fact, is mainly a collection of his life’s experiences as narrated to him to his many devotees who took notes of what he said.
Guru Dev—
Jagadguru Bhagwan Shankaracharya Swami Brahmananda Saraswati Maharaj of Jyotirmath, was born on Thursday,
December 21, 1870. When only about 8 years old he left home, came to Prayag, had a bath at the Sangam and then sat meditating for three days. A amazed policeman noticed him and on the third day asked him: “Where are you coming from and where to do you intend to go?” He answered:
“I have come from where the whole world has come, and I’m going to where the whole world is going.” “But you can’t get on without money, can you?” the policeman said. Guru Dev:
“My wealth is my destiny which is what I have accumulated since time immemorial. When that wealth is exhausted this body shall disappear and reappear no more. Please do not worry about me and get on with your job.”
1950:
“When God gives, He gives all that is required: the whole thing—the real thing. What could take place at the time of Mahabharat can take place now. God has not changed, He is beyond change.” 1950, to Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Dr. Kangar and Dr. Shilpe:
“The Vedantic Truth is selfevident and self-complete. It is light itself. It needs no other light to illuminate it. The techniques meditation being one of them> are not there to throw light on the Brahma-essence. They are there just to dispel the darkness of ignorance. They destroy ignorance by and by, but they do not illuminate Brahma. Brahma itself is illumination. No other light is required to illuminate it—just as the sun is self-illuminated and no other light is required to illuminate it. Before sunrise, the dawn dispels the darkness of the night but does not illuminate the sun because the sun itself is illumination. All techniques are intended to destroy ignorance but they do not reveal the Innermost Self. The Self is Light, the Self is the Witness.”
To Indian president Dr. Rajendra Prasad 4th December 1952, who had come to him for darshan: “The student does not set his own lessons. He needsa teacher to do it. For this reason to learn the art of well-being, the art of living a truly happy life, one needs an experienced Guru. When I first met my Guru in Uttarkashi, my first request to him was. ‘Please give me the knowledge which makes me self-sufficient so that I do not have to beg anything from anyone. Later on you can explain the Supreme Truth to me.’ It is indeed my Guru’s grace that till today I have never had to stretch my hands before anyone.”
Guru Dev left his body 20th May 1953. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is a disciple of Guru Dev and is today teaching Transcendental Meditation, TM-Sidhis, yoga and the Science of Creative Intelligence to the world.