On this sacred occasion of Guru Purnima we should revere and worship our Spiritual Gurus who have bestowed us with knowledge or with the mantra for our spiritual upliftment. Such worship is itself a penance. This tradition of worshipping the Gurus has its origins in Badarayana Sage, Vyasa, the Saptarshis, Valmiki.

Why is this day alone important?

Purnima implies Full-moon. Guru is Purna i.e. complete in all aspects. Here fullness does not denote form or external decoration, but instead denotes enlightening the six spiritual centres (chakras) and removing the inner darkness known as spiritual ignorance. Sadguru Darshana is capable of removing sins. This is the importance of Guru Purnima.

Mere chanting of mantra will not bring merits. In addition, we should also serve the Guru who blessed us with the mantra. Such service must be physical, verbal and mental. However powerful, the mantra is, however devoted you could be and however high your concentration levels could be, remember that your Karma body needs purification and towards this offering physical service is a must.

You could ask ‘Why does mental service (manasika seva) not suffice? Is physical service a must?’ The physical body is capable of causing illness to the mind. This body needs to be taught discipline. It needs to be engaged in penance. The sense organs must learn discipline and regulated through penance. External purification is an absolute must!

About two thousand years ago, a strong Sankalpa was enough to purify the mind and body. But in Kaliyuga it is not so. Presently, the mind has become a slave to the senses. Such a body necessarily needs to be purified. Towards this, physical service is a must.

Now you may question as to how long one must engage in physical service? Till death. It may not be possible to tune this body for spiritual journey completely within one birth as it has been pampered with luxuries. It demands hot water and other comforts at every step.

We must begin by questioning the wants of this body. Sitting on hard surface makes you ask for a pillow. Why do you need it? It may appear trivial but still you need to question the need. Even fan is a luxury. Practice to bathe in cold water. What will happen to your body if you do so? At max, you may shiver. But in the process, the body learns the necessary lessons.

Maharishi Vasishtha trained Rama and his brothers to adjust to all situations. They were made to sleep on hard surface. They were given only one meal a day. Vashista’s wife was worried for them. Even their mother was worried. But he was adamant that the brothers must be prepared for worst of the circumstances. This training turned very useful at a later date. They were trained to limit their desires. On the contrary, we are not trained for such.

Anyway, let us make a beginning now at least. As soon as you wake up, the tongue asks for coffee. Start your training by delaying the coffee drinking. After a few days, it stops asking for coffee. This may seem small. But it definitely counts.

Cheat your habits. They have cheated you so far. Now you cheat the senses. When Ravana died in the battlefield, his wife Mandodari came there and bemoaned the death of her husband. She wept, ‘Oh my dear Ravana, what happened to you? You conquered your senses and the three worlds. Perhaps these senses were waiting to take revenge. They influenced and tempted you and thereby ensured your demise’.

So far the senses have commanded you. Now you take charge. When you feel like smoking, tell yourself that Swamiji may call you any moment. When in Ashram prolong your stay in this prayer hall. The body will not demand cigarettes as long as you are in the prayer hall. Gradually, as you keep delaying, the body gets accustomed to staying longer without them. Cheat your wishes and humiliate the mind whenever it asks for excessive desires.

Now let us understand about mental penance (manasika tapas). The first problem is that the mind is unwilling to concentrate. The more you try to concentrate, the more it wavers. When the senses and body are seated for meditation, the mind decides to go for a joyride. It starts to run wildly. There will be no concentration. All sorts of thoughts arise in the mind. They take you through a topsy-turvy emotional ride. The mind paints a frightening future. Thoughts about the past, future, friends, enemies – run wild in the mind. As soon as you sit for meditation, the mind ceases to be under control.

Therefore, you need to hear some sounds, so that the mind concentrates on them. That is why Swamiji says listen to pleasant music when you meditate. The mind will be engrossed is music. After concentrating on the music for some time, the mind drifts into sleep. That sleep is worth it.

Now let us understand verbal penance (vachika tapas). When you sit for Satsang or bhajans, you are actually engaging in verbal penance. However, even here, often the mouth endlessly chants “Hare Rama Hare Rama- Rama Rama Hare Hare. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna – Krishna Krishna Hare Hare’, while we scratch our back, clean the ear and the like. The senses and the mind will be very actively engaged in other tasks while we chant. Is this right?

Let us take the instance of Anagha Vrata being performed in the home of a devotee. He invites all his family members and friends to witness the Vratam. He sits to perform the Vratam and, every time somebody enters the house, he looks at them, greats them and beckons them to sit. Meanwhile the priest would be chanting the next mantras. In between, the news from the neighbours TV will fall into his ears. The noise of the children playing in the nearby field will draw his attention.

After this fiasco, he writes a letter saying, ”Swamiji, I performed Anagha Vrata. This is my twelfth vrata, I spent five thousand rupees and served feast for two hundred people.” Is this what Swamiji wants? NO!

Swamiji wants your concentration levels to improve. Verbal penance demands that you forget your surroundings when you sing a bhajan or do a puja. Physical, verbal and mental penance are all important.

– Guru Purnima July 1996