From this chapter commences the Karma Yoga section of Sri Guru Charitra.
Namdharak was rapturously listening to the glorious narration of Guru Leelas being narrated by Siddhamuni, the blessed disciple of Guru Nath. Siddhamuni continued his narrative as under.
There was a muslim nawab ruling Vidur Nagar at that time. He had no respect or tolerance for the Hindu religion. He used to tempt Brahmins to come to his court by offering money and gifts, and make them recite the Vedas and explain the meaning. Public recital of the Vedas before anybody and everybody, and especially before the non-believers and who have no reverence, is against the very Vedic injunctions. After making them recite and explain, he used to ignore the deeper sublime meaning of the words, and drawing perverse and distorted meanings of the Vedic words and hymns, he used to taunt the Brahmins, deride the Hindu Religion and gloat over it. But most of the Brahmins never used to come forward, however much the nawab was tempting and pressing them. Veda is our very Mother. It is profound. It is divine. How can any self-respected person bear the Sacred Text being taunted by shallow minded persons viewing at the Text, wearing goggles of prejudice and hatred? None used to come forward to oblige the nawab.
However, there were two Brahmins who came forward to be used as pawns in the hand of the nawab. No doubt there were very scholarly persons. They knew the Vedas by rote but had not imbibed even a grain of true wisdom from the Vedic study.
The two Brahmin pundits impressed upon the nawab, that there was none in the land with scholarship comparable to theirs. They said that the Nawab should arrange a debate in scriptural and Vedic subjects in his court, and that they would be able to defeat anyone and establish the supremacy and superiority of their scholarship and knowledge over that of others. But none of the Pundits agreed to come to the nawab's court for the contest, because the Vedic subjects were sacred and were meant for Pathana, chanting and contemplation, and not for vada, (ie., not for acrimonious debates). The pundits said they would go out into the country and seek out contest in different villages and towns. If anyone ever dared contest against them, they were confident to defeat them. And in case nobody came forward, that meant an open acknowledgement by all, of the two pundit's supremacy and therefore, the ruler should recognise it and honour them benefitingly. The nawab encouraged them in this, only with object of enjoying watching the pundits disputing amongst themselves acrimoniously.
The pundits set out on their challenging campaign, puffed up with pride of the patronage and backing of the Yawan ruler. They came to Kumasi and they were told that Trivikrama Bharati was the most scholarly pundit of the area, and he was defeated, it would establish their unchallengibility. When the pundits proposed to Trivikrama Bharati that he should enter the contest against them, Trivikrama declined, saying it did not befit him, a renunciate and Sanyasi, to enter into discussions and debates for winning name and fame. The pundits said, if he did not want a contest against them, he should acknowledge them as unchallengeable and should accede "Jaya Patra' to them. Trivikrama Bharati saw their conceit and ambition and thought they should be taught a fitting lesson. He took them to Sri Narasimha Saraswati at Gangapur, as soon as they entered into the presence of GuruNath, Trivikrama fell down prostrate at Guru Nath's feet, offering his obeisance. The pundits, however, did not show any respect and they showed off their pride and arrogance.
Sri Narasimha Saraswati enquired as if he was not aware of what had brought them to him. Trivikrama Bharati narrated about the campaign on which the pundits had set out. The pundits demanded that Sri Narasimha Saraswati should enter into debate with them or should acknowledge their unchallengeability and should give them the "Jaya Patra".
Sri Narasimha Saraswati chided them saying what benefit would accrue to them by their showing off their intellectual scholarship. All the knowledge, knowledge of Vedas and scriptures, will have to be imbibed digested into integrated wisdom, into intuitive experience, fructifying in the realisation of the Self, the spiritual Reality. He cited the instances of Ravana, Banasura, etc, who were all very well versed and proficient in Vedic lore, but which made them highly conceited and egoistic. And what was the result? It led only to their total ruin and destruction, along with all their clan. The Vedic knowledge should be put to use for the conquest of one's senses and ego, and to realise the All pervading divine and spiritual Reality. All the loving well meant advice of Guru Nath fell on deaf ears. It did not change the minds of the Pundits, whoose hearts were deeply set on winning worldly acclaim for 'their scholarship'.
Thus ends the Twenty Fifth chapter of Sri Guru Charitra, describing about "the Vain glorious and conceited pundits."
Glory to the All merciful, the Omnipresent and the ever responsive Guru Nath.
The Vedas are meant for Buddhi-Yoga, but are not meant for Buddhi-Vada. Rationalism (especially the materialist rationalism) cannot reach us beyond Buddhi-Vada. It is only intellect and into the realms of the Spirit, which is the sole and true(ultimate) purpose and aim of the Hindu Scriptures, and for that matter, of all the Religious Scriptures of the world. From the plane of intelligence, into the realm of Intuition, they want men to rise.
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