by Sri Bmal Mohanty
VOL No. 10
 April 2001

CHAPTER ELEVEN – TRANSFORMING OURSELVES

"Based on lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

    One such disciple, was being explained by the Guru, the process of sadhana, the difficulties in the path and some suggestions to overcome them.

The disciple asked the Guru – Sir I shall follow the path you have suggested. Daily I shall engage myself to walk the path of Dharma. I shall listen and follow the voice within. However please tell me how does this work within me. What is the mechanism or prakriya by which the sadhaka advances. What shall be my efforts?

The Guru silently leads his disciple to the Yajnya Kunda – the sacrificial fire burning in front of the ashram. He orders him to sit in front of him on one side of the Yajnya kunda while he sits on the other side.

There is some moments of deep silence. The disciple senses that the Guru is about to reveal to him some deep spiritual knowledge and he eagerly awaits

After more moments of silence, when both have collected their thoughts, the Guru asks the disciple to pick up a piece of mango wood, damp with moisture lying nearby.

“Pick that twig my son and offer to the fire in front of you. And watch it”

The disciple does so. And both watch the fire accepting the twig. The piece of wood does not burn very well and what is more, the heavy moisture in the wood throws up a lot of smoke and there is very little brightness.

“ Now take another piece of wood well dried, being exposed to the strong influence of the sun above and offer to the sacrificial fire, and tell me what you observe.”

The disciple does so and tells the Guru “ the wood is dry and well conditioned to burn in the sacrificial fire. Sir, it burns brightly and there is very little smoke. The light from its brightness spreads far.”

“Now take another piece of similar dry piece of wood “ the Guru further says “ dip the wood in the ghee (clarified butter used in yajnas) in front of you and then offer to the sacrificial fire. What do you see?”

The disciple answers “ Sir, it even burns brighter than the last one. The ghee smeared around the wood makes it even spread more and brighter light.”

Now the Guru points to the disciple a piece of sandalwood which is very dry and asks
“ Now take this piece of sandal wood, dip it into the ghee and offer to the fire”.

Says the disciple “ Sir! Now there is not only brightness devoid of any smoke, but also all around us along with the light, there is sweet fragrance of sandal spreading in the air.

The Guru now proceeds to explain:

The sacrificial fire transforms everything from their present state to another state, which is completely different and was non-existent before. What was offered as Ahuti the wood, the ghee and the moisture in the wood, nothing remains after it has passed through the fire of sacrifice and in their places completely new elements are born. The things that were before will never assume the same form as before.

Yet what came out of the fire is also relational to what was put into the fire. When you offered a damp wood you got smoke and little brightness.. You offered well conditioned dry wood and you saw the bright effulgence coming out of the fire. The butter you offered so much improved the brightness. When you offered the fragrant wood instead of ordinary wood, the fragrance spread into the sky. What you gave into the yajnya-kunda, you got accordingly

Back                                                                                                               Next