GURU PURNIMA MESSAGE BY Swami Siva Yogananda

Guru literally means the dispeller of ignorance. A Guru guides and directs you on the journey of your life. He helps you in the religious and spiritual pathway with all his knowledge and wisdom to enable you to move from a position of knowledge (Arivu) to a position of experiential wisdom (unarvu).

In the South African context every teacher is referred to as a Guru. A teacher helps, guides and empowers you about the worldly things, worldly processes and worldly phenomena. But a Guru Makes you go within, makes you explore and discover your inner world. A Guru is not only one who is a repository of religious and spiritual wisdom but is also one who vibrates at a high level of consciousness.

Guru Purnima is an auspicious day of importance when the devotee is provided with the opportunity to express his love, devotion, and bakthi to the Guru. Guru Purnima is also an opportunity for the devotee to reflect on his progress on the spiritual pathway and the extent of his transformation from the time he surrendered to his Guru. The spiritual growth and development, the changes and transformation happens when the devotee surrenders to his Guru.

Kavi Yogi Shuddananda Bharati explains the Divine Master as:

“Real inspired masters are good and gracious. They take birth to raise humanity to Divinity. They do not praise themselves nor have they any ambition to play glamorous roles. They come like rain clouds, pour out their teachings and disappear into infinity. A real Master who has realisation of the Divinity / Truth within Him lives in solemn silence and dynamic peace. His Real Light shines beyond his physical body. His very presence has a vibrating spiritual aura. Real devotees who are fortunate to come close to the Divine presence of the Spiritual Master are blessed. They feel a new awakening and a new transformation (change).

If you approach Satguru with all your devotion and sincerity, if you keep yourself pure and receptive and if you call with fervent aspiration surely Gurudev – the Divine Master will respond wherever you are. The yogic force travels thousand times quicker than the electronic forces. The Divine Master has a childlike simplicity, sky-like openness and a flow of natural grace and compassion. He identifies himself with all and knows things from direct intuition. He sees your heart. He is not a mysterious person.

He has a high esteem for true lovers of God and seekers of Truth. The Divine Master gives himself to those devotees that give themselves to him. Satguru lives for the better life of humanity. He works for the purity, unity, divinity, equality and the enlightenment of mankind. He identifies himself with the children of God and pours himself unto them. Real inspired Masters teach the universe gospel of Truth, Beauty, and Sivam.”

One such Master is H.H. Brahma Sri Siva Subramonia Guruswamigal, the founder and ecclesiastical Head of the SSS of South Africa who has written more than 135 Divine Hymns in which he disseminates his profound messages of cosmic love and unity for mankind.

Firstly, you have a Guru in this worldy realm who you can meet at a physical level and you have a face to face interaction with and he guides you on the pathway to enlightenment. He removes all your doubt, empowers you with wisdom, and radiates phenomenal energy and blessings to you.

When you are ready then the Paramaguru, Supreme Lord Siva, comes and gives you the enlightenment. H.H. Brahma Sri Siva Soobramonia Guru Swamigal’s divine composition, Gnana Guruver is a dedication to the Supreme Lord Siva as the Guru. He also refers to the Lord as the Mouna Guru, the silent Guru.

Guru Swamigal also had a personal experience with Supreme Sivaperumaan and he articulates this in a Song entitled, Anroru Nannaallil:

On one fine day while the Master was sitting under a date tree in the cemetery, with his heart melting, he was contemplating on various inner difficulties. He saw a stone in the graveyard and picked up a cloth lying nearby and wiped the stone. He immediately had a vision of an effulgent Lingum which used to play in his heart always. Engraved in that stone were the words, “Kandern…Kandern…Kandern.” Guru Swamigal wept and trembled at the vision of this Lingum.

Having seen the Lingum, Guru Swamigal’s heart was melting and he realized at

that moment the truth that the end of life was dust and he did not want any more life. He adored and worshipped the Lingum. At that moment he Saw the Lord coming with beautiful golden feet. The Lord came as a Guru with complete total bliss. Guru Swamigal explains: “He comes with the body of grace. He comes as Parameshwara. He comes as the

supreme beautiful devotee smearing the white ashes. He comes as Nadarasa of Chidambaram, the very form of consciousness. Siva comes as a Satguru, who is total auspiciousness and truly permanent. Such a grand person came towards me.

I had a glimpse of the holy bowl and holy palm leaves in His Hands. Oh Lord Siva I had all suffering in my life. I want no more suffering. I held steadfast to the Feet of the Lord, clinging on, I told Him I won’t leave you. Sivaperumaan replied, please be patient. Sivaperumaan opened the Holy palm leaves which read: Oh my dear son, you come to purify this world, be patient, tread along for some more time. I had enough patience and I stood in humble submission and bowing to the Holy Feet of the Lord. The great Lord endorsed my plea and the form of Sivaperumaan withdrew itself with the words ‘within a few days out’.

Guru Swamigal also confirmed that the Lord took away all his mental afflictions and he realized God within.

In another instance a divine Sage sat under a kurunda tree in meditation and when Mannikkervasagar walked past the tree he saw the Sage and was attracted to Him. He went to the Sage and prostrated before the Sage. The Sage blessed Vasagar and gave him the name Mannikkervasagar and blessed him with Siva Gnanum. He received instantaneous enlightenment. The Sage then disappeared. Mannikkervasagar realized that the Lord came down as the Sage and blessed him with enlightenment.

I salute all the true Gurus that have a phenomenal impact on the lives of the spiritual aspirants and leading them on the pathway of enlightenment.

Om Nama Sivaya

Swami Siva Yogananda

Spiritual Head: Saiva Sithantha Sungum.