Chinmaya Richmond Chapter

Om Shri Chinmaya Sadgurve Namaha!!🙏🌷🙏

Once upon a time in Goa ...

It was a lovely morning of January 1989. I was a young Brahmachari posted in Margao Goa, as a resident Acharya. Pujya Gurudev had come to Margao for a yagna. He was staying at the same house where Swami Vivekananda had stayed almost a century ago.

He had just finished his breakfast and was reading the newspaper. All devotees had taken the prasad and had left. I was sitting alone at his feet happily basking in his presence. I asked Gurudev whether I can press his feet. He loving looked at me and nodded his head. I started doing his pad seva. After a while I hesitatingly asked Gurudev whether I can ask him a question. When he gave permission I spoke. I said, “We all experience the ego as I and we also understand from the shastras that the Paramatman also resides in our heart as I. They appear to be similar. So what exactly is the difference between the ego and the Paramatman?”

Pujya Gurudev smiled after listening to the question and loving started answering. First he explained the difference. Then he gave an example to make it more clear.

He said, “The ego is like the little i we write in English and Paramatman is like the capital I. If you look at it the little i is written with a crooked vertical line and a dot on top.”

He showed this by bending his index finger and showing the dot on top with the index finger of the other hand.

He said, “The dot represents that Paramatman, the Supreme Self, who appears far away. The crooked vertical line represents the crookedness and impurities of our mind. The Self accompanied with this crookedness is the ego. When the mind is impure and is filled with lots of vasanas the Paramatman appears to be far away.”

“As we perform our duties without ego and egocentric desires offering them to Ishwara our mind starts becoming pure. The pressure of the vasanas get reduced. The crooked line starts straightIng up till it gets totally straightened and when that happens the line merges with the dot on top. And lo the small i itself becomes the capital I. The ego disappears and in it’s place the Supreme Self shines forth by itself.”

This was such a profound teaching given to me in a simple way. These words of Pujya Gurudev have remained close to my heart ever since, guiding me and inspiring me at every step of my spiritual journey.

Today on his auspicious Mahasamadhi day I offer my sincere gratitude and namaskar to my Sadguru Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji Maharaj. May his kripa be upon me always. May his grace and blessings flow through me to the world around me.

During that period I also got an opportunity to perform Pujya Gurudev’s pad puja. Those who are interested can see the video of the entire Pad Puja on YouTube under the title ‘Pujya Gurudev in Goa (24.1.89)’.

Om Sri Chinmaya Sadgurave Namah. 🙏🙏🙏

Hari Om!🙏🌺🙏🌺🙏

O Children, remember that you were born in a country of high spiritual attainments and learn to respect her great spiritual heritage.

~Swami Tapovan Maharaj

for more information, click here: https://cmwrc.chinmayadc.org/richmondchapter/programs/balavihar/

Hari Om!!🙏🌺🙏🌺🙏