ADVENTURES IN ADVAITA VEDANTA...

Adventures in Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy and science of spirit. We are one you and I; are you curious why?..


Line of Knowledge

Hari Om

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

Today is Guru Purnima. It is the day to honour all true teachers and, in particular, the parampara - the lineage - by which the torch of knowledge is passed. If you go to a University, you want firstly to know that the establishment as a whole has a good reputation; then you also wish to know that the professor who leads the department of your area of study has not only academic credentials, but that those qualifications themselves are from a worthy institution, and that the Prof was himself inspired by a great teacher. This is quite normal in regular education.

How much more, then, does this apply within the field of spiritual philosophy?! There is great importance attached to such parampara in the Sanskrit tradition.  That said, one cannot of course account for each and every individual - for each student will do with the learning as is his or her capability and this may, or may not, come up to the standard expected of the parampara.

It is not for lack of vision by the Guru, but the Satgurus, the true teachers of the world, recognise those among their students who are weak and find ways to direct them, even if it is not to the fullest call of the tradition. Such are the teachers found in the Saraswati Maharaj parampara from which arose Swami Chinmayananda and our present Guru-ji, Swami Tejoymayananda.


Throughout August, the weekend focus will be on the Guru and devotion to same.