Why Did Devendran Return Repeatedly to Guru Brihaspathi in Search of His True Self? தான் உண்மையிலேயே யார் என்பதை உணர, தேவேந்திரன் ஏன் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் குரு பிருகஸ்பதியிடம் சென்றார்?

In the 12th Velvi discourse, Gurumahan recounts the story of Indra and Brihaspati, revealing profound insights about the nature of Brahman, guiding the seeker toward deep Atma vicharam.

Devendran went to Brihaspati to learn BrahmaVidya. He stayed there for 33 years. After completing 33 years, he received instruction from his Guru and left with a sense of fulfillment.
As he walked halfway outside, a doubt arose in his mind. The Guru had said, “What you see is Brahman.” Devendran thought, “I see it. What I see is the body. So, the body must be Brahman.”
But he remembered that Brahman is eternal, unchanging, and omnipresent. He questioned himself: “Then what is this body doing? It is born, grows, ages, and falls sick. It changes constantly.”
He realized the Guru had not said that the body is Brahman. “Have I misunderstood?” he wondered. He returned to the Guru and asked again, “Guru, you said, ‘Whatever you see is Brahman.’ I have understood that the body is not Brahman. Then, what is truly Brahman?”
The Guru replied, “Stay in the Guru’s presence for another 33 years.” Devendran obeyed. After another 33 years, he realized the truth: what is seen and the one who sees, that alone is Brahman.
He reflected further: “Who is the seer?” He understood, “It is not the body. The mind is what sees.” He thought deeply and said, “I understand, Guru. I will go.”
He pondered: “How should a teacher speak? A teacher must always tell the truth and never mislead.” On his path, he continued reflecting.
“If it is the mind, the mind fluctuates constantly. The mind changes moment by moment. It is never steady. Therefore, Brahman is not the mind.”
He returned to the Guru with doubt again. “Guru, I thought mind is Brahman. But mind is not Brahman. Please instruct me again.”
The Guru said, “Stay for another 33 years.” After those 33 years, he understood: the one who sees, the seer, is Brahman.
He reflected further: “Mind is not it. It is the intellect that perceives and determines what I saw. Therefore, intellect is Brahman.” With this understanding, he left with happiness, saying he would not return.
Three miles away, near Devaloka, another doubt arose. “If intellect is Brahman, then during sleep, intellect is absent. How can that be?”
“No one knows when I am asleep. Not even Indra,” he realized.
He returned once again and said to the Guru, “I thought intellect is Brahman, but intellect is not eternal. During sleep, it is absent. What should I do?”
The Guru instructed him to stay for another five years. After that period, the Guru explained: “The seer, the one who operates even during sleep, who keeps your body warm and breathing steady, that is Atma. That alone is Brahman. That alone is truth. That alone is life. That alone is everything.”
Devendran realized that it is one and the same, within you, within me, within all worlds, inside and outside. Nothing exists in the world besides Brahman.
Everything has evolved from God. All the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Itihasas, and Sastras can be summarized in one truth: the bliss of realizing God.
That is why, in this Kali Yuga, people were not taught the Divine name in a simple way. Whatever you meditate on as God, that alone is God.
He understood the nature of God: it exists beyond everything, beyond the gross body, subtle body, intellect, awareness, dreams, and sleep. That is Atma. That is Brahman. That is eternal.
Realize yourself as Atma. This is your true state. When you exist in this true selfhood, your karma unfolds automatically. You have no worries about the world. Why?

Let Wisdom Flourish!
Let Peace Prevail!
Let us protect Mother earth!
Let us protect the Universe!

Santhosam

https://universalpeacefoundation.org