The Pearl of Wisdom - Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

The different types of Swamis

Disciples: Swami, O noble guru, it is said that the world is great. It is also extolled there is One God for all the Universes. Swami, advise us. People believe in God and have faith in Him. Do they say this knowing the truth or knowing themselves? Swami, please explain this to me. How many types of swamis are there?

1. There is the swami who travels the earth saying, “ O God, you are my Saviour! “

He is the swami who had lived a happy married life enjoying the worldly pleasures till adversity brought him poverty, harassment and difficulties. Harmed by his wife and children and despised by the world, he roams the forest and wanders in the desert.

2. He is another swami who had lived a life of prosperity, had ruled many countries, had amassed great wealth, had travelled widely with wife and children, seen many things, heard of many things, consumed intoxicants and enjoyed life till he had lost all his possessions and incurred heavy losses. Now, discarded by his wife and children and also by his relatives and other people, he has none to inquire after him and look after him. There is a saying, “ If the rich are ruined they will not belong even to a dry pot. “ So with a distorted mind and forgetful of the earth, he directs his mind the other way to ask, “ Is this the world? Is this how the end will be ? ” He beats his head and seeks refuge in the Primal One saying, “This world is false. This birth is false. My God is the Only True One..” So lamenting, he carries a bowl in his hand and becomes the swami who begs for the food.

3. “This is no birth for me,” says the third type of swami. He wanders with no self-awareness, in a state of delusion of the great earth, fascinated, mesmerised and blinded by the supposed greatness of the earth. He boasts of his disbelief in death.

He shows kindness to his parents but causes evil to the neighbours and misery to the poor saying, “ Who is equal to me !” He charges interest, lives a frugal life, loiters about in a foolish manner and lives a life like the useless, poisonous tree. He is a miserable sinner, possessing treachery and witchcraft. He amasses wealth by fraud and buries it under the earth. He is forgetful of charity and offers no help to brothers, sisters, children and others. He neither eats adequately nor clothes himself properly. Such a miser will leave his body and enter the torturous hell. The miser’s relatives and people are displaced and his begotten son fearfully carries a begging bowl, loiters here and there, wanders about pleading for alms, and searches for resting places in cemeteries and other places.

He recollects the lives of his parents and past generations while spending his days in lazy existence , helping himself to the morsels of food for which he sings daily. He is unmindful of day and night. With dishevelled appearance and unaware of the way of life , he becomes lazy, eats like the cattle thinking that it is the best way to live and the best approach to attain the achievable. He eats what he gets to develop his body. He performs the ritualistic and ceremonial prayers, having eaten like a bull. He voices the “O” sound and the “Ah “ sound of the “ Onkaram “ as authority. He thinks that within the raw mango is sourness, within the coconut is the kernel, within the stomach are the intestines and inside the paddy is the grain.

“ Is this all not true?” says this swami, “The darkness of ignorance can dispel sorrow and change it into a state of happiness and cause the resplendence of the eye. It is surely the night. Dawn will be the day. All what I said is reasonable. Isn’t it ? Tomorrow will be a happy day if you realise it. It is sorrowful to develop the destructive body. What I said was about earthly happiness. On this earth there are many more pleasant swamis. “ So saying he ends his sermon.

What shall I say about the characteristics of this third type of swami ? Son, I have related to you the special features of the three types of swamis. Now I shall tell you about the characteristics of the fourth type of swami. Listen.

Guru: Son, the term “swami” is of great significance. It is full of Grace. It refers to God. "Swamiyar ?" is a question. “Swami” has two meanings. Swami can refer to God. Ordinary men too have this name. Swami is also a term of endearment used at home referring to a son, a child or a loved one. Swami can also be used as a derogatory term. There are swamis who deserve contempt. However, the world is in the process of searching for a true swami. Who is he ? Could it be this swami or that swami? Unaware of who he is, the search continues for the true swami the world over. It is very, very rare indeed, for such a swami to be discovered and identified. Each household will laughingly say there is many a true swami. However, there are four kinds of swamis. I shall describe them. Listen.