Siddhashram – The Eternal Heaven

It is human nature to try and realize the self. But generally one’s introduction to the soul remains incomplete. Some time or the other, at some point in life one question certainly rises in one’s mind – Who am I? What is my identity?
In this world man builds up a social status and position and people mill around him attracted by his material prosperity. Still the deep yearning to harmonize with one’s soul keeps him ever disturbed.
It would not be wrong to state that this disturbance in human mind and all his frustration and restlessness is due to the lack of harmony with the soul. And every human hits upon this truth some time or the other in his life. When this happens all his material achievements seem futile. Social status, hard earned respect, fame, wealth and so many acquaintances seem so utterly useless. At such a juncture he is forced to stop and look back into the past and analyze at which point he lost contact with the self in the mad race to achieve distinction in the material world.
This is the basis of the tradition of all our Rishis and great seers. They had the yearning to realize the true basis of life, the real source of life and to rediscover this source and reach it. And whoever tried to put together this jigsaw of true realization, in the end, came upon the truth that the basis of their existence is not just their ancestors.
Ancestral basis is very limited that cannot be followed beyond a few generations. The truth is that the basis of human life is very profound. This is why the concept of Gotra (the Rishi lineage to which one belongs) came into being. And along with this came the realization that every being is the part of the Supreme, the Brahma. This is how one came to realize the eternal nature of Brahma. But if the soul is a part of the Brahma then a question arises why the body that is inhabited by the soul is not eternal or permanent? Why has one to go through the process of birth and death again and again? Why does one have to suffer so much pain, so many ailments and sorrows?

Pondering over these questions leads to the rise of another vital question – Where can the true essence of life be found? How can man attain to Sat-chit-Ananda or true divine joy and realize the Brahma, for isn’t each being nothing but divine joy manifest?
Every being has the potential and right to attain to totality through achieving the highest pinnacle of perfection by making his mind and heart pure, sinless and sacred. Such a state of purity, such a high plane, such a sacred thought is the basis of the divine and holy land which we call Siddhashram.
Divine joy and awareness are indistinguishable. When we get to the very root of existence we realize that we are linked to some divine Rishi and feel proud to take on his name which we call Gotra.
But is it possible to reach one’s real roots? This question is bound to rise powerfully in our minds if we start on the spiritual path. Trying to return to the source makes one progress on the divine path that leads to Siddhashram.
It is not enough to declare that one is in the lineage of such and such Rishi or linked to this Gotra just on some festival or occasion. It is truly great to feel that we are the children of these great souls. In fact it is our duty to attain to the high spiritual state that they had achieved. Only then shall one’s life will be useful. To nurture such a feeling is becoming linked to the divine land of Siddhashram.
Siddhashram is not just a land where great Siddhas (spiritually attained individuals) or souls live or where they perform the highest level of Sadhana. It is not just a beautiful and wonderful place. It is a divine thought that first rises in the mind of the Sadhaka. This thought finally culminates in the realization of Brahma or the Supreme.
The journey of spiritual awareness is mostly within and it is possible only when through the company of some exalted and sacred soul consciousness, awareness and divinity flows into one’s being so that one realizes true freedom, peace and the real aim of one’s life in the form of the realization of  Brahma. Gain of true knowledge, rise of true joy and the manifestation of their unity occur only when one is in the company of a real Sadguru. It is the Sadguru who makes one aware of the true meaning of the term Guru. One should offer prayers and worship the Guru who can make one realize the divine. It is only then that a person can realize the truth.

Brahmavida Brahmaiva Bhavati

One who has realized Brahma becomes Brahma-like or Supreme. The One who has had this realization is the Guru. Guru is the Supreme and the Supreme is Guru. Hence, one should worship the Guru with complete faith, devotion, respect and love. This is the duty of every Sadhaka and disciple.

By pleasing the Guru one can appease all the gods and goddesses. This is the absolute truth. It is stated unanimously in all texts that the Guru is Brahma. He is not only to be worshipped in the form of Brahma, rather he is also called Kevalam Jyana-murti by the texts. It means that the Guru is the only source of true knowledge and divine consciousness. Only the Guru is capable of making one experience divine joy. This is why the holy ancient texts have also called the Guru the personification of Siddhashram or the holy spiritual land. He is the radiance of true knowledge, source of devotion, true conscience that keeps instilling divine bliss into our lives. He is the sole festivity of life, immersing in which one can realize his true self and thus establish oneself in the holy spiritual land ie. Siddhashram.
In the divine light of the Guru’s wisdom one not only gets to see the ever auspicious, Sat-cit-Anandamaya (filled with true divine joy) form of the Guru, but also realize the root of his own existence and his higher self that is always blissful. The introduction to this unique bliss and a dip in the lake of divine joy is in fact the first contact with Siddhashram. By Guru’s grace first Siddhashram is established within the consciousness of the Sadhaka thus strengthening the possibility of seeing the holy abode of the Rishi (Siddhashram) with one’s own eyes!
Even if one gets the company of a Sadguru by staking everything else in life, one should do it readily. The Sadhaka should relinquish all pretences, ego, and useless pursuits and take a vow that he will entirely devote himself towards his Guru. He should totally surrender himself in his feet and merge himself with the Guru. No Guru desires anything else from his disciples.
Since the state of a Guru is free of all desires and dualities it has nothing to do with material, worldly things. There is no place for any desire, wish or passion. If there is anything it is an ocean of compassion that is swaying in the form of waves only with one thought – “”How will my disciple attain to totality? How will he achieve wisdom and enlightenment?”
The word Guru is synonymous with the art of giving. If he takes anything, then it is the shortcomings, lowly passions, thoughts and miseries of the disciple. No Guru wishes for anything from his disciple except his devotion, love and surrender. And this also because unless a disciple surrenders himself and devotes himself completely a Guru will not be able to work on him in order to create an entirely new being easily. The more a disciple merges with the Guru, the more his consciousness is filled with the soothing coolness and purity of the Guru’s wisdom. All his shortcomings are obliterated; all lowly, selfish thoughts are removed and his spirit is cleansed of all sins. Thus he merges into the Guru, so much so that the disciple and the Guru no longer remain two separate entities but are united to form one single entity. It is as if a pitcher full of water is immersed in the ocean. The water of ocean and pitcher are separate only till the walls of the pitcher are between them. But once when the pitcher breaks then the water in it becomes one with the ocean’s, there is no difference at all. Both become one!

The ego of the disciple is that pitcher which separates him from the Guru, but by and by as this ego is dropped the being of the disciple starts vibrating with the Guru’s. Only on achieving this state one realizes that bliss is after all not impossibility. For getting such a rare opportunity, to give Siddhashram a place in the heart and to become replete with its wisdom and bliss one has to do only one thing and that is to surrender completely in the holy feet of the Guru.

Foremost among all, full of wisdom, who knows whether the disciple is deserving or not, such Shiva-like, Vishnu-like Guru who relies only on his own self, who is the knower of all gods, goddesses and religious scriptures, who is a non-peril, a great being and who only wishes for the well being of his disciples… Is it surprising, then, if the existence of a person, which has been hellish until now, transforms into a most heavenly celebration in the company of such a Guru?