“Guru Bhavah Paramtirtham, Anya Tirtham Nirarthakam, l
Sarva Tirthashrayam Devi Padangushthecha Vartate ll
Om Brahma-Vishnu- Maheshwarebhyam Namah” ll
Bapu explained the meaning of this Aradhna Jyoti given in the Aradhan Jyoti Pustika. The entire Aradhna Jyoti is dedicated to Sadguru. Bapu started His discourse by explaining a small part of prose from Shree Hanuman Challisa. Hanuman Challisa starts with “Shree Guru Charan Saroj Raj, Nij Manu Mukur Sudhari”. Manu Mukur means let my brow be covered and bestowed with the grace of having Sadguru’s charan-dhul (soil touched by Sadguru’s feet). One should gauge the importance of Sadguru’s charan dhul from this when an extremely pure and sacred hymn like Hanuman Challisa describes it this way. Our mind, conscience and thinking that are muddied by various shadripus (attractions and honey-traps) which can be cleaned only by Sadguru and no one else.
Bapu further drew a reference from Shree Sunderkand which says that “Garala Sudha Ripu Karahi Mitai” which means that with Sadguru’s blessings even our foe transforms to our friend. To explain this in the real sense Bapu says that, a foe becoming a friend means, whatever our foe does against us turns to be blessing in disguise and it actually becomes beneficial to us.
Bapu says that Ram- Bhakta (devotee) Hanumant’s Challisa starts with praise, respect and adoration of Sadguru, which illustrates that Sadguru and Parmatma (God), (here Parmatma Ram) are not different but one and the same. For any endeavor to be successful in our life we need backing and blessings of Sadguru. Only Sadguru can do ‘Labhevin Priti’ (Unconditional, true and non-returns expecting love).
Bapu further goes to explain that even a book can be our Sadguru. Great religious granthas (sacred books) like Sunderkand, Shree Sai Sat Charit, Grantharaj Shreemad Purushartha, etc can also be our Sadguru.
Then Bapu switched to the topic of recitations. Many people boast of completion recitations of some religious text or hymn for some stipuled number of times viz., reciting Hanuman Challisa or Ram Raksha or Ghorkashta Uddharana Stotra, etc for 108, times, etc. Bapu explained that definitely these recitations are helpful and do give excellent results to bhaktas but a recitation will be truly helpful and would be impregnated by the blessings of Sadguru only when they are performed from bottom of one’s heart only out of love for God. Moreover one shouldn’t get on Could 9 after he finishes his recitation. Bapu Himself also does these recitations. So He advises all the bhaktas to do the same but, further goes on to explain that as one goes on increasing his recitations his love, devotion towards Sadguru should increase and ego should decrease. Bapu also promises that even if one doesn’t have complete concentration towards his recitations or if one thinks
about the other worldly things during the process of recitations and worship, even if one makes numerous mistakes like these Sadguru will always take his care and accept his offering of recitations gleefully. Only He can do it because Sadguru is the ultimate zenith of Love, Purity, Compassion, etc. Bapu says that to win Sadguru one needs to put in mahat-prayas (extreme efforts).
Bapu gives example of Vibhishan (demon king Ravan’s brother) here. Bapu says one’s trust on his Sadguru should be like Vibhishan. Goddess Sita was kidnapped and imprisoned by Ravan. Lord Ram couldn’t even locate Her for the start (actually Lord knows everything but has to follow human limitations when he descends on this earth. And out of those human limitations Lord Ram chose to search for Sita with keeping in mind the human boundaries set which He was abiding voluntarily) . Now Vibhishan was the amongst the senior most ministers of Ravan’s cabinet, he was Ravan’s brother, This was the same Ravan who had kidnapped and imprisoned Goddess Sita. Looking at this situation from a layman’s point of view any body would assume Lord Ram to be a normal human being and not Parmatma. But in spite of this, Vibhishan worshipped Lord Ram as his Sadguru and finally joined forces with Him against his own brother.
Bapu further says that if one feels proud of one self after achieving success and out of this thinking says that ‘I have done this, I got success, I am great, etc’ then he looses everything. For any success, credit should always be given to Sadguru. It is because of him that one achieves success and climbs new peaks of prosperity.
So now to inculcate this love, affection, worship, surrender and thoughts towards Sadguru one should chant this Aradhan Jyoti No. 17 everyday. The best time for the recitation of the same is the time when we get up from bed and the time when we go to sleep. At the time of getting up we should first recite mantras like “Om Krupa Sindhu Shri Sai Nathaya Namah”, “Om Abhay-data Shri Swami Samarthaya Namah”, “Om Manasamarthyadata Shri Aniruddha Namah”, etc and then start with this hymn. At the bedtime one can start it directly
