Importance of Gurutattva and Asana elucidated in Gurugita.

Gūḍhavidyā jaganmāyā dehe cājñānasambhavā|

Udayaḥ svaprakāśena guruśabdena kathyate||10||

In this body, where there is manifestation of Ignorance, Jaganmaya also resides in the form of Gupta Vidya (Hidden/ Secret Knowledge of the universe). The effulgence of a Tattva (Principal) through which we attain the Jnanodaya (dawn of wisdom) of their revelation, is the same Tattva addressed as the word ‘Guru’.

Realizing that the identification with the body is unreal, and real identity of one is the Soul that is radiating in all movable immovable creatures equally is the dawn of Awareness. Devara Kondajja Avadhoot says ‘if you destroy the termitarium, the snake is not killed. Similarly if the body is dead or killed, the Soul within is not destroyed. This is Jnana’

(Gurugita 10)

Yajño vrataṁ tapo dānaṁ japastīrthaṁ tathaiva ca|

Gurutattvamavijñāya mūḍhāste caranto janāḥ||8||

Foolish people practice Yajna (sacrificial ceremonies), Vrata (vows), Tapa (penance), Dana (donations/ giving alms), Japa (chanting), Tirtha (pilgrimages)etc. from some gurus without knowing the essential nature of Guru. Guru is a Mahan Tattva (Great Principal).

Ignorant people embrace those who wear saffron, red and yellow garments, and ones with Japa mala and Vibhuti smeared as Gurus. They are not aware that Guru is not a Vyakti (person) but Tattva (Principal)

(Gurugita Verse- 8 )

Nityaṁ brahma nirākāraṁ nirguṇaṁ bodhayetparam|

Sarvaṁ brahma nirābhāsaṁ dīpo dīpāntaraṁ yathā||109||

Just as one lamp lights another, the Guru who is the Nitya Brahma (Eternal Brahma/ Supreme Consciousness), Nirakara (formless), Nirguna (attribute-less), the Light of wisdom, must illuminate the same Light in other disciples (called Shaktipath) as well by imparting His Real nature, such a one is Sadguru.

(Guru Geeta: 109)

Śvetāmbaraṁ śvetavilepapuṣpaṁ muktāvibhūṣaṁ muditaṁ dvinetram|

Vāmāṅkapīṭhasthitadivyaśaktiṁ mandasmitaṁ sāndrakṛpānidhānam||92||

The disciple must meditate on a Guru who is cladded in white robes, Shveta Varna, which is a symbol of Light, besmeared white paste (sandalwood), bedecked with white flowers, adorned with pearls, whose eyes are Ananda Purna (filled in bliss), the divine Shakti seated on His left thigh, who is a fountain of joy and infinite store house of Grace.

The dress worn by the Guru is not kavi or red. The disciple wears a kavi. Ka = Kama (Desire), Vi = Vikara (deformity). Which means staying away from Kama Vikar (deformities of desires). Kavi means the fire, a disciple has to burn the desire called Kama in the fire of knowledge called ‘Jnanagni’. That is why a Guru gives Kashaya- Kavi vasthr (orange robe) to the disciple.

(Gurugita: 92)

Parabrahma Nityananda is Jagadguru, He is Avadhoota, Brahmanda Nayaka (Greatest leader of the entire universe), He is the guru of the Guru Mandala. The white Kaupeena (loincloth), is called as Vishnu Kaupeena.

In who the five acts called Srishti (creation), Sthiti (Preservation), Laya (Dissolution), Nigraha (restraint) and Anugraha (Grace) are reflected eternally, such a Gurudeva is Nityananda.

There is a description of Asanas in Gurugita which has a different hidden essence. It is extremely esoteric. This mystery was unraveled to me by a Sadgurunath of the Paramahansa stiti (His name to be kept to anonymous) as stated below.

White Asana for Shanti (peace), one has to sit facing the north. Red Asana for Vashikaran (hypnosis), one has to sit facing the east. Black Asana for Sammohana (Bewitchery), one has to sit facing the south. Yellow hue for wealth, one has to sit facing the east.

The northern direction, that is the northern part of the body, the head, the center of the Sahasrara Chakra-this is where the mind has to be concentrated, this makes the white Asana, the symbol of the light of knowledge.

Black Asana is to focus the mind southward, the Shakti flows Adhomukha (downward- materialistic pleasures) and then death! No Moksha (libeartion). One has to take rebirth. Red Asana is to focus the mind in eastward direction, one attains bewitching powers (Vashikarana). The Siddhis will be attained but once they diminish, we lose our Shakti. Yellow Asana is to focus the mind in westward direction, through which one attains the treasure and wealth, but, yet again, one looses everything and becomes a vagrant beggar .

The secrets unveiled by Gurunath was true. I had lost a lot of money and energy by listening to a red robes cladded Tantrika named Maiya. What Gurunath had told was true that if you are made to see the red light and practice trataka (concentrate), you will offer and surrender everything to that Guru and lose both energy and wealth.

After this incident I also read a lot of books and scriptures to understand more about the Asanas, I would like delineate a little here which will help aspirants on the path. I am sharing my experiences and the wisdom from scriptures and what the Avadhoots have taught me, with a pure intent of letting the sadhaks know that the spiritual path, like any other paths, has many challenges and obstacles on the way and one must have right wisdom and right guidance to tread this path, also be cautious about those who are into occultism with ulterior motives and stay away from them.

They use certain Asanas (mats and postures in this context) for attaining Siddhis in Vama Marg (occultism). But Sadhaks must know that these Asanas are not required for Dhyana Marg and also be heedful about people practicing such around us. There are various methods in such practices. Sometimes the result of such practices can be evil fruits also as well as Siddhis, which eventually will destroy the Sadhak.

In Vashikarana Karma, they use Asana of frog’s skin, in Akarshana Karma deer’s skin, in Marana Karma sheepskin is used, for rest of the karmas and satvika karmas, Dharba grass/Kusha grass Asana is used.

Sitting postures are also called Asanas. If a mantrika who has learned Mantravada performs Japa in Vikatasana for Shankikarma and Marana Karma, Kukkutasana for Vidveshana Karma, Ardha Svastika Asana for Ucchatana Karma (to disturb mental equilibrium/exorcism), and to appease the karmas performed, he performs Shanti Karma in Padmasana, he receives the fruits of those karmas accordingly.

A mantrika sits facing north direction for Shantikarma (for peace and relief), east direction for Vashikarana (to enslave/ control) and Stambana Karya (stop the movement/ freeze) in red robes. The color of Asana (mat) and his clothes are red. For Vidveshana Karya (creating opposition between two individuals), a mantrika sits facing the South-West direction, for Marana Karma (to kill someone) he sits facing the south direction wearing black clothes, for wealth and health, he sits facing the east, for Pushti Karma (for wealth and fame) he sits facing the North.

Sadhaks of Moksha Marg and those sadhaks who are trying for Brahmavidya Sakshatkar must be very careful about these Asanas and also in selecting the Guru. Even in Gurus there are different Gurus like Satvika Guru, Neecha Guru, Chora Guru, Pishacha Guru, Sadguru, Shrotriya Brahma Nishta Guru. Samartha Ramdas has elaborated on this in Dasabhodha.

There are some Sadhaks who wander around saying that the Asanas (mat in this context) have ‘Positive’ and ‘Negative’ energies in them. Some Gurus even command that one must sit only on the Asana purchased from the Guru (However that is purely a marketing strategy). We have seen some yoga gurus have earned millions selling the Asanas in the name of Yoga Day.

The Shakti (power/energy) is within us, not in the blankets made of clothes or the dead skins of animals. The Guru awakens the Shakti that resides within us, redirecting it from Bahirmukha (outward)- where the shakti gets depleted- to Antarmukha (inward), he gives urdwagati (higher state) to it, bestowing the Light of Wisdom. This is Gurupatha, Shivapatha!

When I said I will go to the Himalayas to do Sadhana, Sogala Avadhoota Ajja in the dialect of the village said ” Son, what happens if you go to the Himalayas and sit in the snow? Your bottom freezes, that’s all! (only the body freezes because of snow, that’s all). If you go to the woods and sit on a rock, your gluteal region becomes warm, that’s all. Nothing else happens! The mind has to dissolve. When the gaze stills, the mind steadies, once the mind stills, the air circulating around steadies! then you are the God”.

Parabrahma Avadhoota Bhagavan Nityananda has made the Asana much simpler for sadhaks to follow in the path through His simple yet profound teaching ‘to practice Shuddha Mann (pure mind), Nirmal Mann (untainted mind), Nischal Mann (steady mind) and Shuddha Bhavana (pure intent)’, to bring this mind to such a sanctified state is Asana. Experiencing Nityanandam is the Asana. Surrenderness is the key for it, only when one surrenders the individual ‘I’ can he merge with the ‘Supreme I’. The very meaning of Moksha is annihilation of desires, ‘Moha’ is desires, Kshaya is ‘to annihilate’. Then how are these external Asanas going to help a sadhak seeking Moksha; liberation from desires, to live in Now, Moksha is very much in Now. Hence, for a sincere sadhak, the inner Asana to steady the mind is the prefered as suggested in Sahaj Yoga, Rajyog!