Qualification of getting Moola Mantra upadesam

Query :-

Swami sharanam,

Some of our friends asked, what is the qualification of getting Moola Mantra upadesam. (Sastha  or any god)

I have not answered to them, since I feel you are the right person to answer authentically.

According to me if the person is ready for this it comes automatically, but  I I say this they may not believe and they expected detailed answer.

Can you explain in your blog please.
----------------

I have already given a note here
http://shanmatha.blogspot.com/2011/05/guru-mantra-upadesham.html

Moola mantram is the very form of the God... U may be called by one name today (in this janma) and another name tomorrow.. But God's name is permanent... Thats why people are suggested to do Nama Japam and Naama keerthanam...

If Nama japam itself can bring so much glory just imagine how powerful the moola mantram will be? Nama is God's name... whereas Moola Mantram is the very form of God himself.

First of all the Moola Mantram has originated from the Lord Himself. It's the most sacred one in the world.  Right from the start of the creation the moola mantra is used by countless number of Rishis to do the Mantra japam to please the Lord and to get his blessings.

Moola mantram upadesham may happen in two (and rarely three)  ways....

This is what is prescribed in various Tantras like Kularnavam...

1.
First a person is totally immersed in devotion towards a particular God and want to do the upasana...

He surrenders to a particular person - identifying him as his Guru.

Then one has to plead to the Guru for upadesham... And Guru has to observe the sishya and carefully watch his actions for a period of time... Only of he is satisfied he may consider him for giving the mantra upadesham.

For some people only some mantras are suitable; So if a person voluntarily asks for mantra upadesham, his horoscope has to be assessed to check whether this mantram will suit him. Or Siddhari Shodhanam may also be conducted. Most of the Gurus do this and exception from these tests are there for a few mantras.

After this over a period of time, gradually various mantras right from ganapaty (as per the sampradhaya) are given to the disciple

2.
The second case happens due to a divine will - a Mahan or Guru due to his compassion towards the Sishya, gives him the upadesham. Even without asking, one may get the mantra upadesham. This one is actually superior than asking. Its a momentary decision or intuition which makes the Guru to give the upadesham...

Prahalaadha, was given Upadesha of moola mantra from Narada even when Prahalaadha was in the womb.

Iam forunate enough to have personally witnessed few such incidents at Pampa, Veliyanavattam, Karimala and Sannidhanam. Just while sitting in the puja, meditation or Sastha Preethi, the Guru calls someone and gives him the treasure.

3.
The third case, When the Guru parampara order - is in disorder, some divine intervention takes place to set it right... Either the giver should have the blazing fire or atleast the receiver should be a dry log... but in todays case - both are very difficult to find. So for a few very very rare cases mantra a divine force may manifest in dream etc to give the upadesham....  This happens only for one in a million.

.......
So if one is really interested in doing moola mantra japam, one has to catch hold the feet of his guru. Anyway - the qualification for getting a moola mantram - is decided by Bhagawan himself. So one has to sincerely pray to the Ishta deivam to show the proper Guru and to give him the upadesham through the Guru. So once the time comes or rather when "He" feels you are qualified, you get the mantra upadesham.

A very very fortunate person will get to know the moola mantra through proper upadesham. And the person who is now a Shishya of that Acharyan must not at any cost disclose the mantram openly to anyone. These Secred Mantras only when got through an Acharya from a true sampradayam and Guru Parampara, will the power of the potency of these mantras. Only mantras obtained through proper Guru will earn the grace of the Lord.


{The Sishya has to salute the Guru with Dakshina and the Guru has to acknowledge it. This has to be done very clearly... I was wondering why this step is insisted so much?  On pondering over this, it  reminded me of three famous (rather interesting) phrases
1. "Pusthaka Guru" ie Reading the moola mantram from a book and start doing the japam on his own....
This method is not allowed and when practiced, it will not give any result....

2. "Mantra Thiruttu" ie When the Guru is giving upadesham to a sishya, a person making an eavesdrop on them and start chanting on own
This method is a great sin and will give negative result....

3. 2. "Mantra Sweekaranam" ie The person instigating a guru very cleverly and somehow make him utter the moola mantram - and even without the knowledge of the Guru, they themselves consider this as upadesham and start chanting.
This is a worst crime
)

Guru Krupa - the Golden touch

You are going to a temple casually... What will you do if a complete stranger casually stops you, come to you and says, “You are a Brahmin belonging to _______ gothra. You were not born for this purpose . . . Your lifetime purpose is different. Learn Sanskrit and enter the Upasana Marga”?

99% reaction will be - you come to a conclusion that you are dealing with a madman or yet another way to make money. 

But Ambika Dattan,a young school boy did not leave... He stopped and listened or.... something made him to stop... The face of the mysterious man was very very familiar.

Ambika Dattan was actually in a confused mind set - for the past few days... He was unable to come to a conclusion. Life bound him to disown responsibilities but renunciation was equally enchanting.

It so happened that one tuesday evening, during the month of Maasi he was casually moving inside a temple entrance. Ambika Dattan was encountered by this person... He stopped the boy and started questioning him...

The boy actually didn’t know what to do. Out of sheer desperation, he stood up, thinking of running. But, he heard a voice which clearly ordered, “Iam a Parabrahma vasthu and Ive manifested here just for you ! Iam here to answer your prayer ! be here !” 

Ambika Dattan was perplexed as he couldn’t make out anything. But the person soon started narrating many personal instances, "His" connection with the boy's family for generations.. Still Ambika Dattan was very hesitant in staying back.. Finally he spoke about one personal prayer made by the boy at an Adhishtanam - during his childhood. Finally he revealed his identity and started explaining the reason for his visit. What was heard only in stories -was happening in reality. Divinely inspired, the boy even forgot to salute the great person standing in front of him.  

The person spoke to the young boy for more than half an hour and explained him the reality of the Mahavakhyams given in the four Vedas. He gave him few more insturctions to be carried out and finally He imparted the knowlege of Devi Upasana to Ambika Dattan. 

(There are many more highly miraculous incidents and informations which was imparted, but due to their sanctity, Ambika Dattan requested me not to publish it here.)

He instructed Ambika Dattan to return home and continue the upasana and assured rest will automatically happen.

When the parting moment came, the boy was totally awestruck to say anything... The mysterious person stood there, blessed him and walked away!

Ambika Dattan then returned to his place, and lives happily embraced by the person’s blessings. This became the turning point in Ambika Dattan's life. 

The ‘person’ who stopped the young boy is actually not a "mere person". He is more than that. The main purpose of this post - is intended to show the glory of a compassionate gurunatha who came to lend a helping hand to the boy whom he had promised janmas ago... he had come back after 70 years of his Maha Samadhi...

Yes ! 70 years after the Maha Samadhi - the person who came there was none other than the Great Mystic -  Shri Seshadri Swamigal.  

Sri Seshadri Swamigal is one of the greatest Indian saints who lived Thiruvannaamalai. He was beyond the description of a saint, a reality that cannot be clutched and clasped by the mind leading one to realization.

Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi, Maha Periyaval of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam said once "will I attain a state like Seshadri Swamigal?". Such was the greatness of Gurunathar Sri Seshadri Swamigal

Yesterday I had a golden chance of going to Thiruvannamalai and had a blissful stay at Seshadri Swamigal's Adhishtanam. This reminded me of the above encounter of Ambika Dattan and Seshadri Swamigal. 

Seshadri Swamigal, well known as Hiranya Bahu - "Saint with a golden hand", whose touch can bring fortune even to an ordinary mortal.

Ambika Dattan is a living example as to what Guru Krupa can do to a person... 

Naasti Thathwam Param Gurum

There is no thathwam other than Guru 

Guru is a father, a friend, a guru and a savior, all in one. 

Mantra Upadesham

Query :

Dear Aravind Guruji,  iam reading all your writings regularly and i have developed a guru bhava towards you... I consider you as my manasika guru and now i have a crisis from which only you can help me.

Can I get the mantra of Kirata Varahi? Can u give me the upadesham of this mantra?

You are the only person who can help... my astrologer has analysed my horoscope and said its full of problems and adviced me to do this upasana

.....................

It is actually very ridiculous and funny to hear that an astrologer recommends the "Upasana" of Varahi, that too specifically Kirata Varahi for a problem with one's horoscope. A mantra sadhana is not that easy as you think. You can directly ask me that you are in need of this mantra if you are interested -  I shall say yes or no.

Or If you are really telling the truth then take your horoscope to another proper astrologer who will guide you properly.

Please let me make clear.... Iam receiving many mails like this claiming that Iam their manaseeka Guru etc etc.... A Sishya is a person who must have one to one relationship with his Guru. And one must follow the words of his Guru without a second thought... Only if a person has this maturity he is fit to called to be sishya.

If one can follow 100% what the Guru says then this Maanasika Guru may work out.. But people leave out most of the advises and conveniently choose "selected areas" and claim to be Maanasika sishyas.

And I personally dont accept the concept of Maanasika guru or Manasika Sishya unless a sishya 200% follows his guru. Unless a Guru knows his sishya well, how can he guide him? Ofcourse there may be exceptional cases... But that doesn't happen always.

Similarly for a Guru - A person who cares for his sishya's upliftment without even a trace of selflessness is a Guru.

Today in both sides we have corrupt people....

Today there are sishyas who pressurize and demand upadesham from Guru.. "if are hesitating to give me this mantra upadesham I shall goto some other Guru." or they  make payments in the name of dakshina and get the mantra.

And on the other hand - there are Gurus who are having an inner fear that they may lose their sishya and so venture into dramatic actions.

A very popular person - may be known to most of Ayyappa devotees - claiming himself to be a Gurunathar - he gave a particular mantram as "Mantra Upadesham" to few persons.  The best part is this person has not even got any single mantra upadesham in his life time. A person who gives upadesha without the mantra adhikara is sure to face disasters.

And some more cases - Mantra upadesham thru Phone, thru email - what is all this ?

Many may accuse me of being partial and threatening. But what Iam speaking is truth and only truth. From many real life anecdotes ive seen - my sincere advise is to stay away from such uncalled practices.

When you have Guru Bhava towards a particular person - first shed your ego and hesitation with him. Approach your Guru directly  with utmost humbleness and surrender to him completely. Only then you are eligible for mantra upadesham.

A mantram  is a subtle form of the Lord himself... and the potentiality of mantram varies from person to person. So only a Guru can select a mantra that suits the capacity of the sishya to proceed in his sadhana. By this the Guru purifies the sishya's mind and pray to Lord to obtain the divine grace for the upliftment of the sishya  Not only this - the guru actually is now shouldering the karmic burden of the disciple ... Now it is also the Guru's responsible to take his sishya for salvation. So he takes up the sishya's Karmic burden and prays for its dissolution.

Please understand.. Until the Sishya gets the Gnana(wisdom) the Guru will not attain Moksha. Guru is such an embodiment of compassion. So, direct grace of Guru is vital in any mantra upadesham.

And so, mantra upadesham other than procedural krama order is not going to give any result.