Vande Guru Parampara
Guru Purnima – Honouring Our Gurus, Upholding the Tradition
इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोत्कवानहमव्ययम् ।
विवस्वान्
मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत । । (४-१)
In
the Bhagavad Gita, while advising Arjuna, Lord Krishna gives an example of the
tradition of knowledge. He says, “I imparted this indestructible Yoga to the
Sun (Vivasvan), who passed it on to Manu, and Manu, in turn, passed it on to
Ikshvaku.”
In
the Indian tradition, whenever new knowledge or philosophy is presented, the
legacy of the Guru's tradition is also acknowledged—because knowledge
flourishes only when its lineage is preserved and passed on.
Jnana
Prabodhini has accepted four great personalities—Samarth Ramdas, Swami
Dayananda, Swami Vivekananda, and Yogi Arvind—as its visionaries, and
pathfinders who have shaped Jnana Prabodhini ideals and direction.
Today,
let us learn about Samarth Ramdas. The poet Vaman Pandit praises him with the
following verse.
शुकासारखे
पूर्ण वैराग्य ज्याचे।
वसिष्ठापरी
ज्ञान योगेश्वराचे ।।
कवि
वाल्मिकीसारखा मान्य ऐसा ।
नमस्कार
माझा सद्गुरू रामदासा ।।
जयजय
रघुवीर समर्थ ।।
The
meaningful English translation of this Marathi poem is as follows:
One who embraced complete renunciation like Shukadeva,
Who, like Sage Vasishtha, is accomplished in
knowledge and yoga,
And whose poetic genius is universally acclaimed like
that of Sage Valmiki—
I bow to such a revered Guru, Ramdas.
Victory to the valiant Raghuveer, Samarth!
Why
are the three personalities—Shuka, Vasishtha, and Valmiki—mentioned
while describing Samarth? Who were these three? Was Samarth given the title
Sadguru because he embodied the combined qualities of these great sages?
Who
were Shuka, Vasishtha, and Valmiki?
It is natural to think
this way when we recite the above verse.
Shuka
Muni
was the son of Sage Vyasa. Why is he called a recluse? After completing his
studies at the ashram, Vyasa asked Shuka to go to King Janaka, who would assess
his knowledge. When Shuka arrived at Janaka’s palace, he asked the watchman to
inform the King of his arrival. The response he received was to wait there
until the King summoned him.
So,
how long did Shuka wait? A ghatika passed. A prahar went by. The day ended.
Then came the second day, and the third. Shuka waited at the palace gate for
three full days and nights without any remorse or resentment.
On
the fourth day, the King, accompanied by his officials, ministers, and the
sound of a drum roll, came to the gate. He seated Shuka in a golden palanquin
and brought him to his court with great honour. Shuka was then accommodated in
a separate room, furnished with luxuries—sumptuous meals, soft mattresses, and
entertainment through dance and music. However, Shuka remained undisturbed and
unaffected. The King observed Shuka’s conduct closely.
The
following day, King Janaka invited a group of graceful female dancers to
perform in his court. During the recital, he handed Shuka a bowl filled to the
brim with milk. Shuka was instructed to walk around the court seven times
without spilling a single drop.
Shuka
fixed his gaze on the bowl, walked seven rounds of the court, and returned the
bowl to the King exactly as he had received it.
Pleased,
King Janaka said to Shuka, “O great sage, I tried testing you in several ways.
I have nothing to teach you. Your father wished you would learn something from
me—but I have realised that it is I who have something to learn from you.”
Like
Shuka Muni, clear minded and resolute on his objectives—Narayan, later to be
known as Samarth Ramdas, came to Nashik, undertook self-study for twelve years,
travelled extensively, and established an order of knowledge.
This was Samarth Ramdas,
one who never deviated from his goals
and walked the path of a true recluse.
Rishi
Vasishtha was the leader of the learned and the revered teacher
of Lord Rama—Rama, who was known for his sense of justice, impartiality, and
unmatched valour.
Samarth Ramdas,
too, was like Rishi Vasishtha
wise, balanced, and fair in all his actions.
Like
Sage Valmiki, who wrote the first epic, the Ramayana, Samarth Ramdas
composed the Dasbodh, Manache Shlok, Karunashtaka, and various Aartis.
Samarth Ramdas, like Sage Valmiki,
expressed his thoughts through poetry in many forms.
These
are the reasons why the poet Vaman Pandit mentioned the three great sages while
praising Samarth Ramdas Swami.
If
we examine Samarth’s life, we observe that since his childhood, he questioned
two things.
The
first question concerned the world around him; samaṣṭi and its Creator.
Samarth immersed himself in deep study at Nashik, after which he wrote the Dasbodh.
While doing so, he also sought answers through the practice of Jnana yoga.
His
second set of concerns was about the Sultan’s soldiers, who would
plunder and loot whatever they could. The villagers were unable to resist these
attacks. As Samarth travelled across India, he reflected deeply on the
widespread slavery, political; social and oppression. He contemplated the need for freedom.
To
raise awareness about these issues, he practised Karma yoga alongside
Jnana yoga. He inspired society to become physically strong and
mentally alert and awake about freedom. He also established a network of Mathas
(monastic centres) to spread knowledge and preserve tradition.
This
network not only served as a connection between various mathas but also
became a centre for the holistic development of disciples—and a foundation for
nation-building.
In
this way, by following Jnana yoga and Karma yoga, Samarth
Ramdas upheld the tradition of knowledge established by Shuka, Vasishtha, and Valmiki.
Therefore, on the occasion of Guru Purnima, we offer our salutations to him.
Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa
Purnima.
Who was Sage Vyasa?
'व्यासं वसिष्ठनप्तारं शक्ते: पौत्रमकल्मषम् ।
पराशरात्मजं
वन्दे, शुकतातं तपोनिधिम्' ।।
Vyasa,
who was the great-grandson of Rishi Vasishtha,
grandson
of Rishi Shakti, son of Rishi Parashar, and father of Rishi Shuka;
I
bow to this pious ascetic.
Vyasa
wrote the Mahabharata and the Shrimad Bhagavatam. He was a master of all the
Vedas. He developed a systematic method for studying the Vedas and established
a tradition of Vedic learning.
This
Vyasa tradition of knowledge is also reflected in language. That is why
the podium—or the place from which a speaker shares their thoughts—is called a Vyaspeeth.
Society expects the speaker on the Vyaspeeth to uphold this
tradition of knowledge, which is self-evident.
Across
the world, various lineages, families, and schools of thought have preserved
and nurtured rich traditions of knowledge. These traditions have flourished
over generations, sustained by the contributions of thinkers and seekers
committed to sharing and expanding human understanding.
In the field of atomic science,
J. J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, and
James Chadwick
each played a pivotal role in unfolding
the structure of the atom.
All three were associated with the
Cavendish Laboratory
at the University of Cambridge, a
historic centre of physics research.
Their groundbreaking work
discovering the electron, the nuclear
model of the atom, and the neutron,
form the foundation of modern atomic
theory.
They exemplify the enduring
Knowledge tradition of scientific
inquiry and discovery
that is passed from mentor to student,
generation after generation.
In the realm of primatology,
Louis Leakey, a paleoanthropologist mentored his students
Jane Goodall (who studied chimpanzees), Dian Fossey (gorillas),
and Biruté Galdikas (orangutans) did pioneering in study of
primates.
They established a powerful tradition of observational field
research.
Their work, often referred to as the Leakey School,
expanded our understanding of primate behaviour and human
evolution.
The Leakey School of Primatology, represents a deeply rooted
knowledge tradition grounded in observation, patience, and
empathy.
In space science, Indian visionaries like
Vikram Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan, Vasant Gowarikar, & A. P. J.
Abdul Kalam founded and nurtured
a knowledge tradition
of scientific excellence
at ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), an institution
that remains a symbol of India's innovation and aspirations
in space exploration.
Through their leadership
and mentorship,
they created a vibrant knowledge tradition
that continues to inspire
future generations of Indian scientists and engineers.
We may send several
messages wishing a happy Guru Purnima to our teachers and gurus to express our
gratitude. But we must remember that
Guru Purnima is not only a day to feel grateful to our gurus,
it is also a time to bow wholeheartedly to them
and to the tradition of knowledge, they have upheld and
nurtured.
On this day, let us resolve
to become torchbearers
of this grand tradition of knowledge—
to preserve it, to pass it on, &
to keep alive the ever-flowing river of timeless wisdom.
Prashant Divekar
Jnana Prabodhini, Pune
Superbly written and a well-researched article. 🙏
ReplyDeleteअतिशय सुंदर मांडणी केली आहे .
ReplyDeleteगुरु शिष्य परंपरा उलगडवत विज्ञानाच्या संशोधनच्या क्षेत्रा पर्यंत पोहवण्याची ताकद तुमच्या ओघवत्या लेखनामधे आहे
आज गुरुपौर्णिमे दिवशी हा लेख वाचायला मिळाला ही एक पर्वणी आहे .
स्मिता झंझणे
Namaste Divekar ji,
ReplyDeletePranams to you and your team for constant support , guidance and motivation. Good clarity on the significance of the Guru Purnima day and your blog reminds us of our duties towards moulding the younger and present generation kids who are exposed to many many distractions. May we dedicate our lives for meaningful journey.
Regards
Shanthy Asokan