Tattva Vivekah

   (An enquiry into the nature of

                      Truth)

     Other invocation verses not only serve the above purpose, but also indicate the anubandha catustaya --- the qualified student (adhikari), the subject matter (visaya), the purpose of study (prayojana), and their inter-relation (sambandha). Such a verse is called vastu nirdesatmaka manglacharana --- indicative invocation verse.

    The lotus symbolizes tenderness, purity and detachment. We salute the Feet of the Lord and the Guru indicating the virtues and Knowledge they stand for. What is the extra-ordinary task they achieve? They destroy the very root cause of all our problems.

     Moha implies a general delusion. We often get confused about the most ordinary things --- 'Should I cross the road or not?' 'Should I get married or not?' Many are confused about their duties or what is right and wrong. Maha moha is delusion about one's own identity --- 'Who am I?' This is called mula avidya, the primordial ignorance which in turn gives rise to all other delusions. The effects (savilasa) of maha moha are 

insecurity, grief, anxiety, stress, depression, frustration, fear, desire and so on.

     The crocodile's powerful jaws clamp down upon its prey in a firm and painful grip. All its efforts to extricate itself prove futile. Similarly, ignorance has us ensnared completely and the more our efforts to free ourselves, the stronger seems its sway over us. The solution we find to one problem leads to another and often bigger problem. We seem to repeatedly jump from the frying pan into the fire. Even as we take the medicine, the disease keeps worsening (marda bhadta gaya jo jo dava ki)! Sometimes the solution itself becomes the next problem. When asked about the side effects of a particular medicine, the doctor replied, "Heart attack!" Without knowing and dealing with the root cause, we struggle to eliminate the symptoms without much success. The Guru, by the knowledge of our True Nature destroys this ignorance. Grateful indeed are we for this great task he achieves so gracefully. Imagine the contrasting picture of the tender and pure Lotus Feet of the Guru capable of devouring the huge and terrible crocodile of ignorance.

Om. Swami Tejomayananda.

Will continue.