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Sri Gnanananda Thapovanam, Its Inspiration And Role Today [Page 2] The simple pooja performed to the feet of Sadguru
described by Swami Abhishiktananda as 'ablutions prior to the meal'
gave place to a full-fledged ritualistic worship of the padukas or sandals
encased in gold, in which Adi Sankara and Gurudev were invoked. The
pada pooja was preceded by Swamiji leading a Deepa Jyoti procession
of all devotees with a young girl carrying a lighted lamp symbolising
the Divine Mother and with the singing of hymns and songs. During the
day, there would be often impromptu satsang at which Swamiji answered
questions of the devotees. In the afternoon ladies sang songs of Thayumanavar
and other Vedantic lore such as Gita Sara Talattu at Annai Mandapam
(Mother's Mandap) when Gurudev was present in an exalted mood, here
and there explaining a passage. They would conclude with bhajans and
arati in the evening. |
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Sri Gnanananda who renounced his title to a mutt, did not desire Thapovanam to be developed as a mutt with himself as its head. Yet, here the glory of Adi Sankara is sung, Sankara's padukas are worshipped everyday and the homage is paid to the old traditions, particularly to that of Sannyasa, more than in any of the traditional mutts. Nor did Gurudev provide for a line of succession by choosing one of his disciples and declaring him to be his successor to head the ashram. But he was keen that the monastic lineage or parampara should continue and monks of the ashram pursuing Vedantic Sadhana and meditation should continue to be given all facilities in the same manner as was provided by Him. He told Swami Abhishiktananda: "Come back and be near me. We shall talk again. Above all you will have time for silent meditation. No one will disturb you. You will not have to worry about food or anything like that. Apart from our conversations, you will remain in silence" This is indeed the call of Gnanananda to his monastic disciples to Thapovanam for all time. He instructed them to lead a life of total nivritti or withdrawal. The daily routine of the ashram beginning with the ringing of the temple bell early in the morning to announce Gurudev's arrival for darsan and closing with the arati in the evening went on automatically like clock-work, in the mere presence of the sage. The harmony and rhythm of the routine continues in the same manner to this day, ten years after his Mahasamadhi, with the devotion of a few self-effacing residents of the ashram charged with fervour by the ever-present grace of Sadguru. During the final years at Thapovanam, Sri Gnanananda exhibited the entire spectrum of Hinduism in his person and teachings, just as the entire spectrum of the Indian public - Hindu, Christian and Moslem came to him for guidance, consolation and inspiration. At one moment one could hear him instruct a peasant how to marry two sacred trees with the appropriate ritual of Hinduism, and at another he would be explaining the highest Vedanta to a qualified seeker! Always he aimed at elevating those who came to him. But he realised that they could be elevated only from where they already were. Swami Abhishiktananda records Sri Gnanananda telling an aspirant, obviously a Sannyasin, of the path of nivritti: "Dhyana is the only thing necessary and it is absolutely essential. Pooja, Japa, rites, litanies, and the rest, all belong to the outside realm depending on the world of appearances and have nothing to do with the Real. Far from being useful or necessary, they are on the contrary, an obstacle for the man who is committed to the way of Gnana. They must be resolutely put aside". But Swamiji urged that these practices are not only useful for beginners but also essential for them. He underlined the importance of Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. He held the traditional view that Upasana (devotional meditation) has a very important place in the scheme of sadhana and only he who has attained the purity of heart and single-minded concentration is qualified to pursue Self-enquiry. In order to meet the needs of the largest group of the devotees who came to him, he built a small temple underneath five mango trees and installed deities with names having the prefix of 'Gnana' such as - Gnana Vinayaka, GnanaSkanda, Gnanapurisa, Gnanambika, Gnana Venugopala, Gnana Anjaneya. His discourses abound with references to the importance of the worship of the personal God with form. Swami Abhishiktananda beautifully explains the content of a famous verse of Thayumanavar, which Sri Gnanananda often used to repeat - "Guru will come to him who has passed through the stages of worship of murtis, sthalas and Tirthas properly". "There is also the darsana of the sacred places of
Kshetra, of the temples, and of holy images or murti, where the divinity
who transcends all forms is willing to don the numerous forms invented
by man's imagination when set on fire by faith. Above all, there is
the darsana of holy men, the most meaningful of all for the man who
is on the right wave length. The darsana of the Guru is the last step
on the path to the ultimate darsana, when the final veil is lifted and
all duality transcended. At Thapovanam, Sadguru Gnanananda's institution of the ritualistic worship of the deities in accordance with the Agama in the ashram temples, the pada pooja, namasankirtan, and the daily routine of prayers in the auspicious hours of the early morning called Brahma Muhurta, are all performed as per the tradition as old as Hinduism itself. Sri Gnanananda Thapovanam is not strictly speaking, a monastic or even an exclusive community. For we do not come across in orthodox mutts or ashrams a set-up in which Sannyasins and Brahmacharis live side by side with retired householders as well as others working in schools or offices. Gurudev gave great importance to the scheme of ashramas or stages of life as set forth in the Hindu tradition. In Thapovanam, elderly retired people take an active interest in the temple rituals and worship, and some of them study Vedanta under the guidance of the senior Sannyasins. The ancient Vanaprastha ideal, as preparatory to the more thorough-going renunciation of the Sannyasin, was given great emphasis by Sri Gnanananda who was deeply interested in monastic revival. A few of the Vanaprasthas were initiated into Sannyasa by him. The families of other householders - ladies and children - are exposed to the influence of an ashram life, as they take part in the daily prayers, poojas, etc. A fine training is imparted to the children from a very early age. As they grow older, they transmit to the next generation the message of Swamiji through the hymns and songs of Thapovanam in which the Guru principle is enshrined. Thus, today the daily prayers of Thapovanam are sung in houses of devotees in different parts of the world. Hence there is a fruitful mingling of monks and the laity. "Satsang" with Sannyasins is beneficial to the house-holders who are, however, expected to respect the essential aloofness of the monks. The contact with the house-holders and the children gives a balance to the life of the monk which might otherwise be lacking. But care is always to be taken to ensure that the contact does not tend to pull the monks down by what is called 'Lokavasana', or an undue interest in mundane affairs. Young and not so young Brahmacharis have ample scope for Guru Seva and study and some of them are trained for Sannyasa. The training is informal for the most part. However, utmost care is taken to ensure that only candidates who have genuine calling for the monastic life are initiated into Sannyasa and that they are well prepared before hand in the disciplines of asceticism and interiorisation. Swami Abhishiktananda observes that Sri Gnanananda made a clear distinction between house-holders and outside visitors with family and social responsibilities on the one hand and those fully committed to spiritual life. He showed great compassion and love towards the house-holders and dealt with them at their own level by blessing them and encouraging them: "But if a person was free from external obligations and spoke of consecrating his life to seeking God and the things of the spirit, then Gnanananda was adamant. No one can trifle with wisdom, much less with God. The man who professes to have committed himself to follow the way which leads to God has no right to be less than honest. One does not discuss the subject of meditation; one immerses oneself in it, giving up everything else. Since there is no hurry in life, as the so-called disciple is the first to admit, he must give up wandering from place to place, speaking of everything with everybody and reading every book that comes to hand. He must settle down in one place and give himself up solely to gazing within". One finds at Thapovanam Sannyasins practicing meditation and Self-enquiry alongside with bhaktas who spend their day singing Kirtans in praise of the Lord. There are others who prefer ritualistic worship with Vedic chants. This unique institution represents the many facets of the Master's personality. In the seeming diversity, there is an order, a scheme which gives it beauty, sense, unity and harmony. It was only during his later years at Thapovanam that Swamiji gave initiation into Sannyasa to a few of those who were ready. The renunciate disciples were encouraged in the study of Vedanta and the path of meditation on the formless. Sadgurudev established in 1969 his last ashram at Yercaud, called Sri Gnanananda Pranava Nilayam, specifically as a retreat, a centre for contemplation on the Atman, the Turiya, the Ardhamatra of OM, the pranava as the name itself indicates. He was anxious that his monastic disciples should not be disturbed by the increasing crowds of devotees who were coming to Thapovanam. This ashram in the hill station provides a fine environment in which they could pursue their specialised sadhana. There is no ritual or communal worship at Yercaud.
The pictures of Sri Gnanananda, the Buddha, Swami Vivekananda, the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and the Kaaba of Mecca are hanging on the wall of the
central hall. The monks and aspirants are to devote themselves completely
to meditation and study. The older Sannyasins who could not stand the
rigour of the climate of Yercaud continued to live at Thapovanam. Swamiji
himself, some months before his Mahasamadhi recalled a senior Sannyasin
and an advanced aspirant from Yercaud to Thapovanam.
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