Namadharak, refreshed by the sleep, and enlivened by the joy of the dream-vision, now woke up. The Guru Nath's splendorous form, with ash smeared all over the body, with tiger skin as his garment and locks of matted hair, and with looks overflowing with love and compassion, the dream-vision, stood indelibly imprinted on his mind. Recapitulating the vision, he was in a state of ecstasy. But it soon flashed on him, that it was after all but a dream. But even so, he realised and felt convinced that it was only because of Guru Nath's grace that he had such a blessed vision, even if it be a dream. But could he ever hope to have even such a dream-vision again? Would Guru Nath ever again shower his mercy upon him? As he was brooding thus, Lo! there came near him an Yogi (an Ascetic) who looked like a near replica of the Divine form, which he had seen in his dream. The Yogi too had a similar face and looks bespeaking of his inner peace and enlightment. Namdharak was overwhelmed with joy & wonder and feel at the Yogi's feet and exclaimed "oh! Great one! on seeing You, all agony in my heart has subsided and my whole being is filled with ineffable joy and supernal peace. I am feeling most blessed. I pray to you to let me know who you are and where are you coming from and where you reside. I am certain that it is Sri Narasimha Saraswati Deva who sent you to me, taking pity on me.
At this, the ascetic replied as follows, "I am known by the name of Siddha Yogi, I am disciple of the great Dattavtar Sri Narasimha Saraswati. My Guru was Supreme Brahman himself. With his grace alone, I have attained the knowledge of the Spirit and the possession of all the yogic Siddhis, i.e., the parapsychic and spiritual powers. Ever since my Guru's departure from Gangapur and withdrawing of his avatar a little later, I have been constantly on pilgrimage. I am now on my way to the holy Gangapur or the darshan of my Guru Nath's Nirgun Padukas enshrined there. I spend all my time reveling in the remembrance and recounting the Leelas and Mahimas (miracles) of Guru Nath. Oh How great, how Divine is my Guru! He is peerless indeed. How blessed is Gangapur which is hallowed by his grace! How blessed indeed are all those who are devoted to him! They are freed for ever from all mundane worries and are for ever anchored in peace and happiness. Their homes will be ever prosperous, with everything aplenty and with no want whatsoever. Cattle, children, wealth - none of these matter, anyone devoted to his own Guru, let apart to Guru Nath, is most blessed indeed. He will be all peace and happiness himself. Guru, any guru, is indeed Supreme by himself and all the gods are no comparison to him at all. Guru indeed is the sole benefactor and liberator for man, and blessed indeed are those who are devoted to their Guru.
Although Namadharak was so joyous at hearing the above; some apprehensions started raising their heads in his mind. He said to the Siddha Yogi " I am puzzled at what all you say. I am also devoted to Guru Nath just as my predecessors in my family were. But I have no peace and I am ever haunted by worries. Inspire of my devotion to Guru Nath, I am in a pitiful state. You say that those devoted to the Guru are freed from all worry and misery. It doesn't seem to hold true in my case at least. Further, although I too believe that great indeed is Guru Nath, how can you say that guru whosoever he be, is indeed Supreme by himself and all the gods are no comparison to him at all. guru can hold some place of honour, like mother or father, but how can you rank him above all the Gods? It puzzles me much and I fail to understand what you say".
Siddha Yogi then said "My child! Your faith is wavering and is not steady fast yet, and you are bedeviled with all sorts of doubts. Just as a sick person cannot relish food however delicious it is, so also a doubting heart cannot imbibe the grace of the Guru, however abundantly it may be overflowing. Just as excessive and wrong diet is harmful to a sick person, so also doubts are inimical and detrimental to the progress of men on the path of Bhakti ( path of devotion). It is not said "Samsayatmaa Vinasyati - a wavering and doubting person perishes and 'Sraddhaavan labhathe gnanam - the one with faith gains all the wisdom"? You should cultivate unalloyed devotion to the guru. Because of your doubts only, you are not able to derive benefit of Guru Nath's grace and instead, have enmeshed yourself in misery. Ever remember that Guru alone can redeem the disciple. Even if he has incurred the wrath of all the gods, if he has the Guru's grace, no harm will ever befall him.
Guru's grace will be his invincible armour even if all the gods make an assault upon him. But if one incurs the wrath of the Guru,none can rescue him, not even if all the gods together try.
One should actually never make a distinction between his Guru and God. for the devotee all the forms of god should be subsumed in the form o his own Guru.
"Let me now narrate to you the power of Guru Bhakti by an anecdote from the Bhrama Vaivarta Purana", continued the Siddha Yogi...
In the beginning less times, Brahma Deva created the cosmos, and along with it , the four Vedas too - the repositories of all wisdom and which enunciate the code of conduct for man for the upkeep of harmony in the Universe. He also enunciated the puranas by way of illustration of the practice of the Vedic Drama in the day-to-day life of the people. He also created the four Purushas assigning to each one of them, the rule of each of the Yugas respectively. He does this in each one of the Kalpas (cycles). Each one of the Yuga Purushas in their respective Yuga, has to undertake responsibility for the upkeep of Dharma on earth, for the welfare of all. Each Yuga will have it's own specific characteristics and special features and Brahma has explained about them in detail to each one of the Yuga Pururshas.
The Purusha of Krita Yuga is endowed with pure Satwa guna. The Purusha of Treta Yuga has Satwa and Rajas mixed in him. While the people of Krita Yuga are of contemplating nature, ever engaged in Tapas and contemplating always with Inner self, the people of Treta Yuga will resort to external and ritualistic disciplines and austerities, especially of performance of sacrifices, etc. The Purusha of Dwapara Yuga is predominantly Rajastic, and he always carries bows and arrows in his hands. But even so, he is tranquil-minded and compassionate. the Kali Purusha is possessed of Tamasic traits; the people of Kali age will be materialistic-minded, they will discard all noble values of life, will be atheistic and will take to unwholesome and evil practices. Moral values will sink to the lowest level in the age of the Kali, and Kali will tempt and lead people astray, take them away along wrong and evil paths. People will fall slaves to sense-pleasures and throw overboard all noble values of life. Cravings of the tongue and passions of the Sex are the two weapons of the Kali Purusha to subdue men.
Lord Brahma, however, had warned that he should be very cautious when he approaches people devoted to their Guru. He should never try to meddle with and harass people devoted to Guru. Guru holds the highest spiritual status, higher than that of even all the gods. And whosoever is devoted to his guru, is ever protected against all odds and harm. The Guru's grace will be an impregnable armour around his disciples and devotees. Brahma cautioned Kali that though he was free to indulge in his pranks with others, with regard to devotees of Guru, he should restrain himself and abstain from meddling with them. Otherwise, he would be incurring God's wrath and will come to grief and none would be able to help him, not even the Great Trinity.
"You will know the power of Guru Bhakti from the following anceote", continued Brahma in his instructions to Kali.
On the banks of river Godavari, there used to be once the Angeerasa Ashram. In the Ashram lived many Rishis, ever engaged in their spiritual pursuits. Many young students used to come for learning to these Rishis who were very learned in the Vedas and the scriptures and were realised souls. Vedadharma, son of the great Paila Maharshi, was one of these Rishis. He was revered for his vast learning as well as for his spiritual stature, and was a worthy son of a great Rishi. He used to have a very large group of students. One day, during his daily discourse to his students, he said, "as a man sows, so shall he reap. No one can escape the bonds of Karma. Human birth is a result of his previous Karmas only. Just as the law of cause of Law & Effect works in the physical world, the law of Karma works in the moral sphere. Every thought, word & deed, as it were, is weighed in the scales of eternal justice. The moral law is inexorable and inescapable". He then slowly added, "As for me too, in my former lives, in my ignorance, I committed many great sins. I have been able to expiate most of them thought the severest of penances in this life, but there is still some Parabdha Karma persisting, which I cannot escape and will have to suffer. The time is now coming for me for undergoing this suffering and I will soon be overtaken by a dreadful disease, which will see me in its grip for a long time, for nearly two years. I need the services of one of you, if any of you are willing. You will have to constantly attend upon me, nurse me and relieve me of my sufferings to whatever extent you possibly can. But, let me tell you, the disease that is going to overtake me is most loathsome and you will not be able to bear my presence. Those who jave to attend to a diseased person will suffer even more than the diseased person himself". With this, he stopped and kept silent.
No sooner than the Guru finished speaking this, one young disciple, Deepak, rose up, walked to Guru's feet, prostrated himself there and prayed he be given the chance and privilege to serve him. He said. "Master! what greater blessing can there be than serving the Master, under all circumstances. Pray, give me the opportunity to serve you".
Vedhadharma said that he was setting out on a pilgrimage to the holy Kashi, as the disease which would be overtaking him could be fatal, and that he would like to breathe his last on the banks of the holy Ganges at the feet of Lord Viswanath.
Vedhadharma then entrusted his other disciples to the care of other Rishis, and he set out to the holy Kashi along with Deepak. There he settled down at Kambleshwar on the northern bank of Manikarnika.
In a few days, the body of Vedhadharma was overtaken by leprosy and, day by day, the disease was fast spreading, ravaging the whole body. Flies made almost a permanent habitation on the sores of Vedhadharma's body. Hardly could he sleep; and he was suffering in agony all the time. He grew highly irritable & peevish, and for everything he used to blame Deepak. He used to treat the disciple very harshly. He used to scold him for not cleaning his sores properly, and when he was cleaning the wounds, he used to flare up and howl that he was causing him pain. He used to complain that the food Deepak was getting for him was not good. But Deepak used to bear it all calmly, while at the same time he also felt sorry for the agony and suffering of the Guru, which he was not able to alleviate however much he served him. He stove all the time, trying to make his Guru as comfortable as possible. He himself used to hardly sleep, nor used to eat properly, and all the time of the day he was attending up on the Master, catering to his needs. the young boy's dedication and love for his Guru moved the hearts of ven the Trinity.
One day, Lord Siva (Lord Visweshwara) appeared before Deepak and said that He was immensely pleased with his Guru Bhakti and Guru Seva and that he came to him in order to give him whichever boon he might ask for. Deepak said that without his Guru's explicit permission he would not do anything and that he would therefore ask his Guru first as to what he should do and what boon to ask for. Lord Siva said. "Then you go and get your Guru's permission for asking the boon. I will be waiting here for you. I shall give you whatever you ask for". Deepak told the Guru about this and said that he would seek boon from Shiva for the cure of his (Guru's) dreadful disease. The Guru instantly flared into a rage and said that he should not seek any favour from anyone for the redress of his suffering. He said he will have to expiate his Karma by his own suffering only. Deepak went back and told Lord Shiva that he had nothing to seek from him. Brahma & Vishnu also later appeared before Deepak and they too offered boons, pleased with his Guru Bhakti. At the behest of the Guru, he turned down the offer of these Gods too. then the Gods said. "When we, the Supreme Gods, who are higher than any being, are graciously offering you boons, is it not foolish of you to listen to the perverse behests of your Guru and spurn down the blessed opportunity come to you?" Deepak replied, "Pardon me Sirs! there is none equal to the Guru, Guru is higher than even the highest Gods. Whatever I ever yearn for is only my Guru's grace and not the favor of anyone else. If you are still keen on granting me some boon, please bless that my devotion to my Guru will only grow more & more and will never slacken and waver". The gods blessed him accordingly and disappeared.
Actually Vedadharma wanted only to test Deepak's steadfastness and devotion; for this he put to the severest of test. When Deepak thus defied even the Gods, Vedadharma was much pleased. The disease was not real, it was just assumed by him for the purpose of testing the faith of this disciple and to give him posterity an example of the Supreme power of Guru-Bhakti.
Vedadharma then gave up the disease and became perfectly well. He embraced Deepak. He lauded him for his steadfast devotion to the Guru even under the severest of trials and tribulation. Vedadharma endowed on Deepak all the knowledge of the scriptures and the highest wisdom and all the Siddhis (mystic powers). He blessed him thus " You will flourish as a chiranjeevi for ever in this Holy Kashi. Lord Viswehsara will ever be at your side. Whoever thinks of you will be rid of all their woes and will enjoy all prosperity and attain englithment". Deepak became as enlightened as his own illustrious Guru himself was and came to be also know as Sandeepak or Samdeepak.
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