Guruji's teachings
Guruji did not set rules about food, clothes or fasting for his students. This post gathers what he said about it.
From the teachings of Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswati (Guruji). Post title: "You have all the freedom in the universe". Dated 5 November 2016. Posted on Guruji's blog by Vira Chandra. The post mixes Guruji's own quoted words with a narrator's account of his views. The post does not name the narrator. Originally published at amritananda-natha-saraswati.blogspot.com.
“My guru gave me total freedom; how can I do any different?” Guruji would say. “Use the mantras and rituals I teach you whenever and however you want. There is no requirement forcing you to somehow lead your life differently.”
Indeed, he extended this laissez-faire approach far beyond his guru’s original concept, applying it to a broad spectrum of spiritually related behaviors.
Even vegetarianism, a virtually universal practice among traditional south Indian Brahmins, is not a prerequisite for Sri Vidya initiation according to Guruji. Though personally a lifelong vegetarian, he shrugged it off as a “cultural habit” of his family, caste and region—not a spiritual one.
“Non-vegetarians are eligible devotees, too,” he said. “I used to argue that, out of the 10 avatars of Vishnu, only Vamana the Dwarf is a vegetarian Brahmin; all the others are non-vegetarians. So it is a case of vegetarian devotees worshiping a non-vegetarian god!” He laughed. “Why is this? Why can’t a non-vegetarian devotee worship a non-vegetarian god or goddess? Ahimsa, is it? Non-violence? Vegetables like the kushmanda (a red pumpkin common in south India) can live for a full year after being separated from the plant. They experience pain and pleasure too, even if they can’t express it in terms we understand. Himsa [injury, harm] cannot be avoided. It is part of life. Life consumes life; that is the rule. We can’t eat inorganics and live.”
It was a viewpoint fully consistent with Guruji’s general disinterest in the mundane social markers of one’s spiritual path—whether they concerned dress, diet or anything else.
While he never rejected such practices outright, he did advise caution about attitudes and practices that emphasize divisions between people, or that act as “first you must do this” obstacles to the free exploration of one’s spirituality. This philosophy even goes a long way toward explaining his own simple form of dress. “To put on distinctive religious garb and set oneself apart from the rest of mankind certainly flatters the vanity of one’s tribe,” he noted. “But is it spirituality?”
Physical austerity as a pathway to God drew a similar note of caution. “Asceticism is not a requirement for spiritual development,” he said. “Austerities are as much of a waste of time as an overfull belly.”
When a sleekly muscled young male visitor to Devipuram once attempted to elicit Guruji’s opinions on the benefits of advanced hatha yoga practices, Guruji laughed and replied, “You’re talking to the wrong guy! I’m not really built for it!”
When another expressed determination to undertake a strict spiritual fast, Guruji remarked, “It might be good for you, but only because you need to prove to yourself that you are capable of it.”
The dos and don’ts of spirituality, he continually stressed, must come from within.
“All religions seem to preach that there are certain things you should or should not do,” he said. “But who is to be the judge? I think that you, as a divine personality, should judge for yourself what you ought and ought not to be doing. Every conscious decision you make says something about the type of lifestyle you want to lead: whether you should or should not have sex, eat meat, drink alcohol, have coffee— whatever it may be; all the good things and bad things. You are the only person who can decide and tell yourself. Anything in moderation—just don’t hurt yourself, don’t hurt others and don’t hurt the environment. Other than that, you are free to do what you want. This is the fundamental basis of all results in Tantra.”
Our spiritual journey, Guruji taught, can only begin from where we are at this very moment. If any particular mode of eating, dressing or behaving inspires us, focuses us, gives us a sense of community, or makes us feel happier—then by all means, we should indulge as we see fit.
What we should never do is allow such outward signifiers to function as a prerequisite (or substitute) for spirituality itself, or a vehicle for feeling superior to others who dress, eat or act differently.
“If a change has to happen, it will happen from within,” Guruji said. “You will be guided by Devi herself. Who am I to decide for you? You have all the freedom in the universe.”
"You have all the freedom in the universe", as posted on Guruji's blog by Vira Chandra on 5 November 2016. The text is kept as in the original, including its bold and italic marks.
Kaula practice starts from where you are now. Guruji did not ask students to change their food, clothes or habits before they could worship. Inner worship begins with the person as they are today.
His rule of moderation is the measure for the rest: do not hurt yourself, others or the environment. That last part ties practice to the five elements. The earth, water and air we live on are part of what we are asked not to harm.
In outer worship of the yantra, the fire or the deity, the same freedom holds. Guruji told students to use the mantras and rituals he taught whenever and however they want, and he left any change in how a person lives to grow from within.
Guruji said no. He said non-vegetarians are eligible devotees too and that vegetarianism is not a prerequisite for Sri Vidya initiation. He was vegetarian himself but called it a cultural habit.
Guruji said asceticism is not a requirement for spiritual development. He called austerities "as much of a waste of time as an overfull belly."
Anything in moderation, without hurting yourself, others or the environment. Beyond that he said you are free, and called this "the fundamental basis of all results in Tantra."
Guruji said each person, as a divine personality, should judge this for themselves. He said real change happens from within, guided by Devi.
The post links his simple dress to his caution about anything that sets people apart. He asked whether putting on special religious clothes is really spirituality.
Read the original: "You have all the freedom in the universe" on Guruji's blog.
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