Sri Guru Gita – 4 March 2014 – Episode 74

Jaya Guru Datta. English summary:

Jaya Guru Datta.

There are many miraculous deeds that Jagadguru Lord Krishna performed. We were talking about his miraculous deeds. Just as Lord Krishna stood by the Pandavas, the Jagadguru stands by his devotees as a mother, as a father, as a son, as a friend, as a relative, and constantly protects those who have faith in him. He enables and ensures that they walk the dharmic path. He ensures that his disciples have positive resolutions, that their minds are filled with good thoughts, that their minds are centered on God and stay pure. He ensures that the disciples do not have speech problems and that their words do not carry blame for others. He makes sure that whatever the disciples utter is pure. He ensures that the disciples earn the merit they deserve for their service. He does this, no matter what. That is why, in this Sloka, the Guru clearly explains that there is no one greater than the Guru, that there is no Principle greater than the Guru.

Let’s suppose someone declared that he is giving away his wealth and even his children. Then, even though his wealth and children are given away, the feeling of “I” and “mine” are still with him. Some are only paying lip service saying, “Swamiji, you put Your foot in this house, this house is Yours”. If I ask them to put this in their will and hand it to me, they will probably say “I did not expect you to ask for the house”, or they may just laugh and be quiet. Or, they may just turn the tables saying, “Swamiji, you are so funny”. That’s it. “Then, why did you say that, for no reason?”
There are also people who say “I have five sons, Swamiji; they are all Yours”. If I say, “Okay, put one of the sons in the Veda school and make him a good citizen”, they hesitate and get wishy washy saying, “Swamiji… these days… Swamiji…these days, how can one afford to not have worldly education?” “But, you said you were dedicating your children to me ?”

A father may say “Swamiji, I have 8 daughters, I am dedicating them all to you”. If, for some reason, I say “Okay”, he may say, “Okay, you get them married”. So, I should be careful what I say.
Someone may say, ”I have given up tea since you asked me to, because it was not good for me”.
“Did you, son?”
“Yes Swamiji, I did. I had given You my word”.
“Very good”.
“I am drinking coffee instead, Swamiji”.
Someone who is not used to drinking coffee may drink tea sometimes, but now that he has given up tea, he is now going back to drinking coffee. This is how we are. It is clear that this is not the right kind of offering.

You should surrender “I” and “mine”. There is the ego or the feeling of “I” due to which there is “mine” and “yours”.
Whatever is impermanent, we refer to as “mine”. Whatever is permanent, the eternal state of bliss, the Paramatman, that is who I want to merge into. He is me and I am Him. They won’t even jokingly say “I am Him”. It’s always “Mine”, “My bank balance”, “My house”, “My goat”. The “I” and “mine” should also be surrendered along with the offering. He said, children, house, wealth are “mine”. He gave up everything related to “mine”, but kept the feeling “mine”. It implies that he can earn it back again after he offers it. I gave him whatever was mine. But, I didn’t give him the feeling of “mine”. So, there’ll be things I can call “mine” again. So, when you make an offering, you should offer the feeling of “I” and “mine”. That is the right kind of offering.

“I am giving everything I have” would mean that you are giving all that belongs to you, but “you” are still there. If you say you are giving everything that belongs to you besides the feeling of “mine”, you are offering everything material that belongs to you. You couldn’t see the invisible “I” in you that you won’t offer. Because of that, you leave the door open to earning karma again. You are not offering the feeling of “mine”. If you did, you cannot do anything else. That’s the Guru’s command. Eating, swallowing, sleeping would all be the Guru’s commands. That’s it. There is no vow beyond this. That is why, saying “I am offering” is also not right. When you say “I am offering”, it implies that the recipient does not have the item you are offering.

Jaya Guru Datta.