Master the Mind - Episode 6

The Golden Opportunity

In Discourse 6 of the series, Sadguru emphasises two critical aspects of the journey of Self-Realisation. One is the grace of the guru and the other is the śraddhā and tapas of the disciple. Without either of these, everything that is done in life is a sheer waste. Elaborating on the attitude with which the disciple should seek the guru, Sadguru explains that while the guru is an ocean of compassion, he can also sometimes be a taskmaster, who puts his disciples through severe tests, for their own good.

The four kinds of speech the guru uses for communication are − parā, paśyantī, madhyamā and vaikharī. Sadguru then describes the continuous cycle of birth and death, brilliantly comparing it to a game of snakes and ladders. There are two times when the ātman poignantly recalls all its previous births − once when it enters the body and again, when it departs from the body. However, the pull of māyā is so strong that it forgets everything and repeatedly lets itself down.

Ultimately, when one attains brahmajñāna, one is liberated from this terrible cycle. Sadguru concludes by pointing out that this is a golden opportunity for mankind to turn inwards and realise the True Self. It is indeed difficult for normal people to read and understand the original scriptures because they are highly symbolic and composed in an esoteric language and style. Therefore, in these discourses, the effort has been to simplify them and squeeze out their essence via practical examples, ideas and anecdotes. That way, the teachings become easy to comprehend and provide the ideal means for the transformation of oneself and others.

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