This Article was originally Published on July 31, 2015

Today is Guru Poornima. And it is “Once in a Blue Moon Day”, the full moon coming on a Friday, twice in the same month.

Please hear the Sloka above

To be frank I never took any Sage/Satvik/Sanyasi/Sant/Guru, as my Guru. I read, re-read many Gurus. I followed the Dharma they taught. And if anyone asks me who your Guru in life is, I always answer “My Conscience”. This may sound surprising and arrogance personified but that is way I follow. I depend more on the Karmic effects of my earlier lives and try to be as good as possible, so that, as per my belief, this Janma’s karmic effect is lessened in future births. That will lead to salvation, I believe. That is why, I always donated any excess I had (sometimes I borrowed and begged others to help people in distress, despite opposition from all). So, I am loved and hated both.

I strictly believe in not preaching to others what we do not practice. I took all my suffering in life as Karmic effect and and mistakes and blunders committed under the influence of forces unseen by me. I developed a habit of distancing from everyone who did or does harm to me or my family and so I hate none. Today, I am all alone, only a nuclear family to support and sustain me. I feel my future is safe in their hands.

But, without Gurus we do not learn things in life. As we pass from childhood to adolescence to youth to middle age to old age and to the grave yard, we are guided by Gurus. Inner conscience is the best Guru but it might falter at a time when you need an advice most. I too had many Gurus.

THE LATEST AND LAST (PROBABLY) GURU:

The Latest and might be the last unless I survive 100 years is my 2 year 9 months old grandson who takes utmost care of me. It may be God’s gift he thinks ahead of his age and time. We have no TV for that purpose only not to overload his brain. When we talk among ourselves, he hears, grasps, retains in his brain and uses the substance of our talk at the appropriate time. My children , wife, daughter in law most of the times advise me on one aspect, “Reduce your tummy”.

So, the other Sunday when we were sitting in a restaurant and the waiter brought onion pieces, first he asked me “Tata! (Grandpa in Telugu) Eat the onion”. I said I would not, as I ordered South Indian food. He insisted. I politely refused. Then he advised me, ” Tata! You have a very big tummy and if you eat the onion, your tummy becomes very small” and he displayed the big and small with his hands. Everyday, while going for a walk he tells, “You also come Tata! There is a big spider on the wall you cant see. I can see it. It will bite you if you are alone and you will be really scared”. As we taught him only English and Marathi, he speaks spotless English including tenses and adjectives and corrects our accent sometimes. He advises me to shut down the tablet as it burns the eyes. I hope he will lead me to the Salvation path.

THE PREVIOUS GURUS :

You might have grasped it was my children’s turn to teach me somethings in life. They tell me where I may have committed mistakes in life, teach me the latest in technology, guide me on subjects of my blogs, help me with drawing pictures and all the more keep libraries in all the three homes for me to read when I am there. My elder daughter imposes strict discipline in her talk and actions, my son fights with me to rectify me, but it is my younger daughter who tells whatever she wants to tell in a straight, soft language and is my guide in life. She is the most studious and hardworking of all with tremendous amount of patience “in sustaining life” in great difficulties. These three are my penultimate gurus. My daughter in law too plays a good role as a Guru. She takes the liberty of a daughter and even fights with me to rectify. My son too chose a wife that is a Guru in life. My sons-in-law love me and treat me their own father but rarely take liberty to advise me.

MY WIFE:

You heard many times that she taught me patience and perseverance. She faced the worst test of her life, my loss of job and slow and steady decline in my fortune, my mental trials, with utmost patience, never discussed these issues with anyone and her social behaviour during the days of turbulence was as if nothing had happened. She worked as a teacher and lecturer and was the first Guru to my children and the best in my life.

MY OFFICE:

In my first job, my Administrative Officer in LIC of India, Sri JRK Murthy, was my first Guru who taught me the art of leading people. My immediate superiors used to complain that I was belligerent but he was telling them that I was “analytical” and in my testimonial, he wrote the same. “His analytical approach to issues will make him an immediate asset in any assignment he is given”. I will post the copy of this in next blogs as it is in Hyderabad now.

In my Bank my Manager, Sri Y. Satyanarayana Murthy in Hyderabad was my first Guru, who was allocating time to teach any new issue in banking. He was affectionately calling me “Pottoda” (small guy). His training helped me a lot in the bank and subsequently too.

MY TEACHERS:

I was the blue eyed boy in schools and college and hence, all my teachers were my favourite Gurus. But two teachers took my growth as personal challenge. One was my Head Master Sri Jasti Settaranajaneyulu, English teacher and Sri P. Ramabrahmam, Mathematics, who were burning midnight oil to mug me up in the subjects. I can proudly say that because of them my brain has become a human computer and even today, I can total four digit numbers in my mind and tell the total. I can total a thousand two digit numbers on paper without using pencil and tell the total. My respect to them never diminishes.

MY FATHER :

The real guru in my life was my father. I still remember him as a strict disciplinarian, a bold and haughty gentleman and a man who sacrificed all to make us graduates. When in school, he was teaching us English before a kerosene lantern and was sitting there till 8’o clock until we finished our studies and was giving permission to sleep at 8’o clock. I still remember standing in front of him with folded hands till the graduation was complete. He taught us honesty, reading books, news papers at a very early age, politics, events that were taking place in the world and how to bravely face interviews. A great soul. It was unfortunate that within 45 days’ of my getting first job, he left the world, the saddest event in my life that I could never reconcile. (For more, read the book I am going to publish soon on my travails in life and the Gods and demons in life “The Churning of the Ocean of Life”)

MY MOTHER :

For anyone Mother is the first Guru. She must have taught me walking, talking and behaving. As she was not educated, she never taught us subjects. But one thing she taught me was “FOLLOW YOUR FATHER. HE IS THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD” . Yes. That helped me. Of course, she taught me cooking and spending hours in kitchen that is now helpful to my “not so healthy wife” and children who are working and grandchildren who love South Indian Food recipes.

On this GURU POORNIMA day, I pay rich tributes to all my Gurus in life. To end this blog, let me clarify that I am essentially a ” Family Man” and my attachment to my small family is my everlasting Guru until the final call comes. I do not go beyond my family, while I help so many people with no attachments with them. I forget then and there unless they remember and come back to me.

Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheshwara

Guru Sakshath Parambrahma Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha

OM SHANTI, SHANTI, SHANTIHI