Guruji's teachings
A question and answer with Guruji on God, visions, fear, and why the Goddess images at Devipuram are shown as they are.
From the teachings of Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswati (Guruji). Post title: ""I Saw Her": On Seeing God, Vision, Fear, and the Nakedness of the Divine". Dated 26 April 2016. Posted on Guruji's blog by Vira Chandra. Originally published at amritananda-natha-saraswati.blogspot.com.
Q: Do you believe in God?
Guruji: Yes. I do believe in God.
Q: Have you seen Him?
Guruji: I saw Her…
Q: What was She like?
Guruji: At first I contemplated Her in a human form, as a form of Tripura Devi — Bala Sundari, Sarasvati, Hladini (Radha). I beheld — in reality — Kamakhya Devi, in the form of a young sexy girl. She always wanted to fold me in her arms, whenever I was alone in Devipuram.
Later, I contemplated the glowing circles and spheres, as yantras or shapes that resemble those that are used to test the ability to distinguish colors. Now I no longer contemplate Her in human form.
During the construction of the temple, from 1983 to 1994, I had a vision of 80% of the images of the Goddesses of Khadgamala Stotra, such as you can see them depicted in the Devipuram temple. The remaining 20% is the vision of a sculptor; I involved him in Sri Vidya. Some people argue that they should not be so sexually provocative. If they had my experience, they would be surprised how much I played down how provocative their true forms are!
Now I see how the perfect creative potential of Her is manifesting itself in different forms: varying images of the Beautiful, in all three dimensions. Each sequence is unique in its own way; each is perfect in its own way. I am very sorry that in any way I cannot capture them and show them to you. Alas — to reproduce these varying forms, it would take thousands of lives of overwork! Perhaps when the technology becomes more sophisticated, we will be able to see the experience in real time by recording the waves of thought with a million angles and correlating them into a coherent picture using a supercomputer. This could be corrected by people who have a similar experience “here and now.” Until this time has come, people have to be satisfied with statements of people such as myself, taking them for granted.
Q: Have you always had such beautiful visions? Never had ugly or frightening?
Guruji: Initially there was a certain amount of very frightening incidents. I think that they are connected with my past. Even now, sometimes I see very unpleasant things. For example, I can see that my body was dismembered and cut into pieces, or people that are near and dear to me are in trouble. Or the various natural disasters that cause a lot of damage. Or I can just feel an unaccountable feeling of fear, and no matter what I do, this feeling does not go away. In this case, I can only experience it — and it goes away by itself. Or — it might kill me. I’m not worried about my possible death. Sometimes I associate it with a banal problem with the stomach or hyperacidity. Now I understand the importance of moderate, sattvic foods.
Q: You have shown openly nude images of goddesses. Don’t you think that it will turn away many people who sincerely want to visit the beautiful temple in Devipuram? Not many people recognize that it is possible to worship images of naked goddesses. Many people are ashamed of their bodies, and do not accept the bodies of beautiful goddesses that they see here.
Guruji: Oh yes, it’s always been a problem! It is difficult to make even a married couple recognize that their bedroom can also be a temple, and that the Goddess is enjoying their love games, because She is the life in them. People turn images of deities or Guru to face the wall in the bedroom while having sex, believing that the deity does not see them!
Guruji, "I Saw Her", as posted on Guruji's blog by Vira Chandra on 26 April 2016. The text is kept as in the original. A photograph on the original post is not copied here.
Guruji describes the Goddess as real to him, first as a form and later as light. In Kaula practice the same pull moves from outer form toward inner awareness.
His honesty about fear is useful. He does not hide it. He says to experience it and let it pass, and he links it to simple, sattvic food and a steady body.
His words on the body and on married love point to the Kaula view that the body is a temple. This is a view for consenting adults, held with respect, and it is explained here only in broad terms.
Yes. He says plainly that he does believe in God, and that he saw Her.
In a human form, as Tripura Devi: Bala Sundari, Sarasvati and Hladini (Radha). Later he contemplated glowing circles and spheres.
Guruji says 80% came from his visions of the Khadgamala Stotra Goddesses during the building of the temple from 1983 to 1994. The other 20% came from the vision of a sculptor he involved in Sri Vidya.
Yes. He says early on there were very frightening incidents, and that unpleasant visions or fear can still come. He experiences it, and it goes away by itself.
Guruji says many people are ashamed of their bodies and find it hard to accept the Goddess as She is shown. He says the Goddess is the life in people, including in married love.
Read the original: "I Saw Her": On Seeing God, Vision, Fear, and the Nakedness of the Divine, on Guruji's blog.
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