You are hereForums / Teacher Stories / Swami Suddhananada ji
Swami Suddhananada ji
It was six in the morning, our house owner-- an old man in his 70s, a very shrewd person and a Ramana Follower invited one Swami Suddhananada to Bhimavaram [west godavari distict, andhra pradesh, india]. We were students then. A copule of us were asked to receive him. I was interested in meeting him and asking him my "Have you seen God? Can you show me God?", which I picked up by reading Swami Vivekananada.
That was a time when I wanted to see God, people see each other.
"Bring a flower garland", my owner told me. I cursed him a little for not giving me the money to buy the garland. I woke up early, picked the garland and reached the station, eagerly waiting for someone who could show me God.
And finally, after some waiting --- which seemed longer because of my eagerness --- he arrived. He did not look impressive. He was normal, wearing saffron robes and simple person. he came in a train. When I garlanded him, he greeted me with a nice smile and said "Govinda! Govinda!"
he some times says "Mahadeva!" and some times "Govinda!" , when people take his blessings by touching his feet.
He was taken to a guest house which was very near to our college and then we waited for a few minutes for him to get ready.
That was when our owner introduced me to him. He was informed that I have lots of questions. Swamiji asked me to accompany him. Our owner had arranged for his speeches at various places in Bhimavaram. Swamiji was provided a car and he had a couple of disciples with him. I would reach the place where he would give his speech 10 mins before him, along with his disciples and see the people's reactions. Swamiji spoke very simple English and was always very clear in what he was saying. That was very special about him. He seemed to have no confusion.
At one of the colleges Swamiji spoke to the teachers and there someone asked
"Do you believe in God?"
I was all ears.
Swamiji replied "Suppose there i tell you that there is an idol of Sri Krishna in my bag. Do you believe it or not"
Some of them said "Yes, its there"
some others replied "No!"
and then Swamiji continued "Neither the person who believes in it nor the person who disbelieved in it has any idea whether there is krishna idol in my bag or not. To know , you have to verify if there is Krishna idol in my bag or not"
and went on to add "The person who denied in the very beginning would not go through the process of verification. The person who believed and would verify would know"
I was really charmed by the explanation. Later I learnt that this was termed "Sradha" or "Faith", in hinduism. Sradha is to believe in the teacher's words and then verify it. Its belief pending verification.Its one of the essential qualities of a student.
(continued ...)
- 657 reads
-
The next day, I managed to wake up early and reach the guest house. Swamiji was already outside, doing his morning walk. Swamiji walked briskly and I followed him on the way asking various questions.
One of the questions was ofcourse "Can you show me God?"
and he replied
"If you want to see me as I am, its easy. But if you want to see me dressed in a jeans pant and in a certain peculiar way you will have to request me and even then I may not oblige."
and then paused for a moment and added
"but why would you want to see me in a peculiar dress? It can only be for your ego satisfaction"
That was a profound reply in my view. God, what does the word mean? An understanding leaves us in the embrace of God 24 7. and a lack of understanding can make us search for God for years together.
A few years later, I read his work which said "Right now, whether you know it or not, God is to your left, right, in and out, up and everywhere... as if embracing you"
Whether we believe it or not... but unless we understand, we cannot appreciate this Truth. we might believe it, disbelieve it... but unless we "know" it [as in the case of krishna idol in swamiji's bag], we cannot be free.
I spent the whole morning discussing some or the other topic. Most of my questions were very naive. I asked about Sri Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi etc. Today when I look back, I feel i need not have asked many of those questions. whether Ramakrishna was realized or not ... how did it matter? The point is, how do I understand the Truth myself.
I asked Swamiji "is an intellectual understanding enough", he said something like "it solves most of the problem". I did not appreciate that answer then. Swamiji seemed to suggest that its important to study scriptures. I did not appreciate it then, but today I myself suggest friends and relatives to study scriptures.
When the mind is agitated, how to calm it ? this is taught by many people and "so called saints". But a more fundamental and important point is "when it is once calmed, why does it get agitated again". Thats what needs a treatment.
:)
To understand it, we can use an analogy. Suppose I come home and find my room to be full of water. What do i do ? I remove the water for sure. But there is something more important to do: find out from where the water had seeped in.Thats more important, as if that is not closed, the water would keep leaking in.
The "leak" in our case is misunderstanding about myself. And this misunderstanding is only in the mind. The Self does not have any misunderstanding and the body does not know. So only mind needs the correction. And correction is in my understanding about myself.
Scriptures are not mere texts discussing some blind points. Advaita vedanta is a systematic way of leading the student to see the Truth for himself. if the teacher has seen, he can show. if the teacher has not seen, he cannot show. Advaita vedanta provides a proper system for presenting the Truth and removing the distractions from the students vision so that he or she can appreciate the Truth for themselves.
This is why study of scriptures under a teacher who has seen the Truth is very important.
(continued ...)
Somewhere else he was questioned "What is the difference between spiritual and scientific inquiry"
Swamiji reply was
In scientific inquiry one inquires the various objects we perceive. This universe we perceive is inquired into.
in spiritual inquiry one inquires the one who is seeing.
Later I learnt that this was called Aparoksha jnanam in Hinduism. Hinduism talks of various means of knowledge.
Someone told me, therefore I know --- this is indirect knowledge or aparoksha jnanam.
I saw it therefore I know... this is pratyaksha jnanam or direct knowledge.
(continued ...)
But how do I know I exist? It cannot be pratyaksha as in order for it to be pratyaksha, i should be present as a prerequisite to perceive. So my presence is a prerequisite to all direct perception. So what is the way to know myself ? Its called Aparoksha jnana. A very techinical term whose significance and meaning, I learnt by reading swamiji's works.
The day ended at around 7 in the evening. I stayed back with Swamiji and went on to ask him my doubts. "Have your dinner and come back", Swamiji told me. I went to a near by hotel and took a couple of idlies and returned to him very fast.
"what did you have?", he asked me.
I did not reply
"idlies?", perhaps he guessed it coz I returned very fast.
not wanting to accept, "its chapati", I replied.
Swamiji smiled and we continued with our discussion on philosophy. After some time, I bade him good bye for the day and returned home... he gave me some banana to eat as I was leaving and told me to come early [by 5am], next morning.