We are proud to let you know that we are starting a new series “Memoirs of Guruji Ravindra Sharma” on Saarthak Samvaad tomorrow – on the auspicious day of Guru Purnima, that may go a long way in elaborating the stature of a Guru. We often mistake a guide or a teacher or a mentor for a Guru. A Guru is not the one who teaches you a thing or two, a Guru is not the one who teaches you a craft, a Guru is not the one who teaches you how to succeed in your respective career, a Guru is not the one who teaches you how to be rich or famous or successful in the present day context. A real Guru may take you away from some of the scenarios mentioned above.

In our tradition Guru is equated with Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, Kabir worships Guru before Govind. Can Guru really be so great as to be equated with Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh? No, but when a Shishya calls someone a Guru, he / she must regard the Guru as the divinity. It is the beautiful process of transformation for both Guru and Shishya just to be in that relationship. If the Guru does not teach you to be successful, does he / she teach you to be a failure? No, the Guru takes you away from षडरिपु, viz. काम, क्रोध, लोभ, मद, मोह, मत्सर; the Guru takes you on the path of enlightenment, the Guru helps you unlearn your biases rather than teach you, the Guru helps you attain अनासक्ति rather than आसक्ति, the Guru helps you be in the state of साक्षीभाव।

Apurv Sharma, son of Guruji Shri Ravindra Sharma ji recounts multiple anecdotes, encounters, experiences growing up in Kala Ashram with Guruji, Amma ji and family. Apurv, fondly known as Shenki / Shenky in extended Kala Ashram Parivaar has started narrating the narrations and deliberations of Guruji with a pinchful of his own understanding, his own judgements, his own articulation of the incidents.

Some stories could be funny and some rather unpleasant, but all of them would surely push one to pause and rethink.

Guruji had a unique habit of answering the questions in his own way, at times with stories, at times with explanations, at times with real life experiences and some of these answers could be instantaneous and some could be delayed by years, but he for sure knew, whom to tell what and how to alleviate one from where he / she would be. I am sure, everyone who has stayed at Kala Ashram for a few days or a few months or a few years would have scores of stories and first hand experiences to weave the fabric of Guru Shishya relation.

The nonformal yet disciplined, organic yet organized and affectionate atmosphere of Kala Ashram is to be treasured and get inspired from.

For the coming weeks, we shall delve into Shanky’s writings of Guruji’s memoirs and hopefully look at our own Samaaj with our own perspective rather than the imposed glasses that we all inadvertently have.

Guruji would often quote the incident from Ramayan, when the Vaanar Sena was standing on the sea shore deliberating on ways to reach Lanka and Jambavnt reminded Hanuman of his powers by telling him the stories of his childhood (युग सहस्र जोजन पर भानु, लील्यो ताही मधुर फल जानु) and Hanuman ji grows in size as he realizes his real powers. This is very symbolic in nature. Like Jambvant, many illuminated souls like Guruji have been telling us stories of our own recent past, our Saamarthya and our true identity hoping for the Bharatiya Samaj to realize who we have been.

I’ll end this note with a Shlok that we picked up from the prayer of Jeevika Ashram, Indrana (truly inspired by Guruji and Kala Ashram)

ध्यानमूलम् गुरुमूर्ति। पूजामूलम् गुरुपदम्॥
मंत्रमूलम् गुरुर्वाक्यम्। मोक्षमूलम् गुरुकृपा॥

_{Image Courtesy: Washington University of Barbadose}