Tantra (upaya) contd.

   Paramananda-sutra, a tantra text, prescribes that "One must contemplate on the idea that the master is higher than everything!; that the sacred word  (mantra) is higher than the master; that the deity (devata) is higher than the sacred word; and, that one's own transcendental self (paramatman) is higher than the deity". Thus, the guru is the first step in the ladder of spiritual pursuit. However, the Rk Veda asserts that- Atma eva guru | Atmaivedgm sarvam | Atma is the self of all and it knows everything. As one climbs up the ladder towards samyak prajnya, para samvit, pure consciousness, the lower steps are left to catch the higher and higher ones. So nobody can cling on to the guru, even the parama guru! A guru is absolutely essential for the beginners since the initiation (deeksha) comes from a guru only. But, one should be liberated from all bondage at the end. No guru should bind his disciple and should not force anybody to hold on to his/her principles (tattva) only. Ultimately, all principles (tattva) shall be dropped and the jiva is liberated from eternal bondage. The disciple shall rest in his own self and abide by his own inner master, shiva. Shiva is the 'parama guru', the ultimate master.The tantra shastra dictates that ultimately "the disciple and his/her master become one!"

   The mantra (sacred word) and its devata are one. The devata and the disciple are one united by the sacred word. Thus the devata, the mantra and the disciple become one.  The tantra says that "the identity of the master with the deity, the sacred word, and the devotee's own self".

   "The goddess acquires the form of the sacred word (mantra) as matrika; the sacred word acquires the form of the master (deity). Ganapti as 'brahmanaspati' is the mantra form." Finally, the devotee acquires the form of the devotee's self; and, the devotee, while employing the sacred word (mantra/manu) becomes his own self. Thus the self is one's own master, parama guru. (Prof.SKR).

    Guru (the master), the mantra (sacred word), and the chosen deity (devata) are in fact one. It is like the ghata (pot), the kalasha (jar), and the kumbha (pitcher) that are one only. So also, the mantra, the davata and the guru are one only. It is important to attain to this 'oneness' ('ekatva') or unity consciousness should be attained in all spiritual pursuits. The mantra symbolizes the manas (mind), the devata represents prana shakti, and the guru stands for one's own self (Atman).
  Let's not forget that the ultimate goal of human life is to attain to moksha, liberation or emancipation of the embodied soul. The Atman, a speck of stellar dust, has entered the earth and got embedded in an elemental body (pancha bhutatmika shareera), an earthen pot. It is only with a human body that one can take to yoga through a teacher and attain moksha with the help of a devata and mantra. There is nothing wrong in climbing up the stairs by discarding the lower steps once and for all! The jiva has to return home since it has entered the earth after leaving its stellar abode. The jivatman is an embodied soul, but the atman is the star dust!
   Rk Veda calls the 'Atman' as the 'angiras', a spark of fire! We are all mantrasya putrah. the guru, mantra and the devata redeem us and take us back to our abode in heavens.