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Rays of Dharma
Gautamswämi, Sudharmäswämi and other Ganadhars. Jambooswämi heard it from Sudharmäswami and the knowledge thus continued to pass from mouths to ears. The life of the person, who gains it, is radically changed. The sun of enlightenment arising thereby leads to the destruction of darkness of ignorance. In order to learn it, one needs to resort to restraint, renouncement and austerities, and go to a Guru.
While listening to the scriptural truth as one bows his head, his pride goes down. Ächärya Haribhadrasuri has therefore said, “There are three benefits of serving a saint, viz. one can view a saintly figure, gets to listen to his wholesome words, and gains the opportunity to show reverence to him”. Those who are detached, can help in removing the attachment of others. They can turn one's earthly life into the gold of humanity.
Now-a-days there are many publications professing to deal with truth; so-called Kathäkärs (those narrating ancient Indian epics) also talk of it. Most of them, however, do not deserve it. Their talking is comparable to a barber talking of jewelry business. Their reciting of epics in public is identical to reading of a poem on fire. Such reading cannot help in shielding against the cold of winter; for getting protection from cold one needs to have access to real heat. If one goes to a person of true character, he can gain the warmth of truth. It is therefore better to come in contact with a saint rather than reading many books.
In ancient times, there were Gurukuls, where the pupils used to stay and learn from Gurus. There they could acquire true knowledge and maturity. Gurus also used to test how much the pupils had assimilated. Those Gurus were Inänvruddhas and Tapovruddhas. They knew that the sense organs have the tendency to go astray; as such, they used to keep them under control by observing austerities and restraints.
There are six major attributes, viz. austerity, scriptural knowledge, discretion, attentiveness, enlightenment and good character. One
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