" There is nothing there which is trying to capture something" ~ UG

    This conversation (scroll down for the audio clip and transcription) between Bob (Robert Carr) and UG reminds me of my own exchange with my previous guru, Sri Rayaru, years before bouncing into UG. I was finished with Jiddu Krishnamurti during my college days in Bangalore and soon after Rayaru appeared on the horizon.

    Young, sincere and faithful, I used to listen intently to my new guru in flesh and blood, and latch onto his every word. At the time, for me, his words came across as truly liberating and revelatory. He was a simple village man, but his words were powerful and cut through the most sophisticated logic and scholarship. They held a mirror to the many serious limitations and distortions inherent in human understanding and intellect. 

    The guru hit the nail on the head pointing to the crux of all our problems - the futility and shallowness of our understanding. Little did I realise at the time that in my exchanges with the guru, I too was unconsciously walking into this very trap, the serious and misleading 'intellectual trap' of 'trying to understand' his words. 

    Understanding is the attempt to see or grasp meaning out of events or words or utterings. No doubt, this is a much-needed tool in the mundane world and has great utility in technical matters, and also for smooth functioning in the day-to-day transactional world where we have to live and function. 

    Understanding, in this sense, is nothing more than 'storing and sorting' of things or thoughts or words or statements (' understanding is nothing but hashing and rehashing of thoughts' ~ UG). 

    But what we call understanding could actually be a dubious intellectual exercise when it is used as an instrument for inquiring into life or reality. It could become an intellectual trap when ordinary 'words' or 'sounds' get enriched through our limited experience and knowledge. Words then acquire 'meanings', and 'meanings' turn into 'ideas' etc. This is the mechanism of ideation or conceptualization or mentation. This builds our worldview, and we are stuck with it forever. We use our so-called understanding as the pivot or reference or guide in all our dealings with the world. 

    All of us, knowingly or unknowingly invest in words or statements of gurus or teachers and turn them into some kind of 'teaching' or 'ideology' or 'doctrine' and end up carrying the burden of their wisdom on our backs. We fail to realise that words are to be used as the proverbial 'net' to capture the essence and should be thrown away or discarded after 'catching the fish'. 

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    Back then, I was still raw and had absolutely no clue about the latent dangers of 'understanding'. The process of 'constructing meaning' or understanding is a deadly game that our intellect plays like a pro. 

    During one of our verbal exchanges, I challenged my guru on his view and confronted him with 'a dose of his own medicine', so to speak. Essentially, I was pushing back at him with my own 'acquired' point of view, by weaving meanings and images around his own words that I had gathered during the course of our daily discussions and dialogues. And boy, he immediately flared up like a volcano and raged like an inferno. He clinically went about 'putting me in my place', thoroughly demolishing all my ideas and arguments, pulverizing my bloated ego. 

    My foolish attempt to 'make sense' of his words had brought about this debacle. I was puffed up and arrogant with the acquired knowledge that I had piled up over the years. This encounter came as a total shock to me and completely shattered my erstwhile investment or faith in words, however noble or great. It hit me hard that my shallow understanding was premised upon false and fabricated meanings that I had infused into the words of the guru, thanks to my limited experience and borrowed knowledge. 

    In fact, the guru was just holding a mirror to me, showing me how stupid and shortsighted I really was. I was totally blind to the folly of 'understanding'. Till then I had no idea of how seriously I was invested in 'words'. It was indeed a wakeup call.

    This shocking exchange put me in a state of total stillness and silence that lasted for several days. I fell into a deep trance-like state where I could see and read a person like an open book and even predict events as they happened. Gradually the effect evaporated after a few days. 

    I had gotten a bloody nose but was lucky to have received one of the best lessons of my lifetime. Whenever we hear or read something, we indulge in building or constructing rich imagery, ideas and concepts around the words. 

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    Here is UG exactly describing how we indulge in the word game by bestowing such imaginary power and glory to mere words,  

    " You are building images around those words, creating a tremendous image around those words. But actually, they are words" ~ UG.

    Here is another rare gem by UG,

    "The problem is, if I may put it that way, there is nothing there (no entity) which is trying to capture something. It(thought) is one, they are not two different things."

                                                                                                                                        ~ UG

    Not only UG, many other sages like Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramana, Sri Nisargadutta too spoke in unison saying that there is no separate 'psychological entity' there. This is abundantly evident when we see animals and infants. 

    Here UG says, "It (thought) is one, they are not two different things." 

    And also, UG clearly explicated that the division of thought or the 'splitting of thought' is solely responsible for the illusion of the 'self' or the 'thinker' in these powerful and impactful words,

  

" If the thought remains one, without splitting into two, that does the trick! " 

    The division or splitting of thought is brought about solely by our intent. Our desire or intent to 'capture' or 'understand' or 'know' creates the demand for 'inquiry' and brings into existence the illusory 'inquirer' or the 'questioner'. 

    Intent unknowingly, unconsciously brings about the division in thought as the 'inquirer and the inquired', 'knower and knowledge', 'observer and the observed', 'thinker and the thought' etc. 

    Our intent to understand the 'wave' artificially separates it from the 'ocean'; we conveniently ignore the fact that the 'wave' and ocean' are the same waterbody. Our intent to look at one separates it from the other treating them as two different and distinct things. This is the splitting of thoughts.

    Yes, words or thoughts are artificially enriched or loaded with meanings through acquired knowledge and experience. They create fantasy or magic. Words can build worlds, create forms and names and make our existence complex and complicated. 

    Most importantly intent can introduce serious distortions in words and thoughts.

    Only the lucky realise the mischief or danger of words or intentions. Not just that, the wise also know their utility in the societal or transactional world,

    " No, we have to use words. The words are there. You see that's the end of our conversation (there is no need to carry the words any further)" ~ UG

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    A few days after my heated exchange with the guru, I once again confronted and questioned him about the 'trap of words' and whether we could really trust words at all, and he repeated these exact words of UG to Bob. He emphasised that we have no choice but to use words as long as we live and function in the midst of society.

    My guru was remarkable in many ways, but differences were beginning to crop up between us from time to time making our relationship untenable and tenuous. We locked horns on several occasions, sometimes in the public. His followership kept on increasing and soon he was contemplating a spiritual centre of his own with the backing of his newfound followers. I was vehemently opposed to the idea of any spiritual organisation. Gurudom and spiritual circus eventually took precedence over enlightening dialogue and discussion. The time was ripe for me to part ways. 

    Life had different plans for me. Very soon UG stormed into my life, and I had to shift base to Mumbai.

    

Audio Clip

Audio Transcript

Bob (telling the audience): Well, the question is that I'm still trying to fit him (UG) into a framework that there is such a thing as a clear, rational man.

UG: It is irrational. It is illogical.

Bob: I know that.

UG: From that point of view,

Bob: Yes, but these are all just words.

UG: No, we have to use words. The words are there. You see that's the end of our conversation.

I don't see anything other than words. That's all that I'm saying. There is nothing more than words. We assume that there is something (meaning, the second-order derivative) more than words.

You are building images around those words, creating a tremendous image around those words. But actually, they are words.

The word is the thing. You can't say the word is not the thing. If the word is not the thing, what the hell it is? I want to know.

Bob: Accepting that, we are always trying to capture something.

UG: What is it?

Bob: It's the lack of being able to face what is, this reality?.

UG: The problem is, if I may put it that way, there is nothing there which is trying to capture something.

It is one, they are not two different things.

    

" UG is the most profound embodiment of Advaita " - Major Dakshinamurti

 

Major Dakshinamurti & UG Krishnamurti

    This is an unpublished 35-year-old writeup about UG, penned by his close associate Major Dakshinamurti who lived and journeyed with the master during his annual visits to South India for nearly two decades. 

    In his eighties now, the former Major from the Army continues to live alone in the midst of nature in a farmhouse near Bangalore. Practically a society dropout, he is a standing example of 'self-reliance' living alone and all by himself.

(Scroll down to the bottom to watch the latest video of the Major sharing his 'spiritual odyssey' with UG).

MY MASTER UG KRISHNAMURTI

-    A DYNAMIC PERSONALITY

By Major Sistla Dakshina Murti (Retd.) December 1990

UG - The most profound embodiment of Advaita

 In a country suffused with spiritual ambience like ours, one is confident of what to expect from a spiritual master - soft speaking calmness exuding balmy solace. Such conceptions are shattered to pieces when you are face to face with the great sage Sri Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti who prefers to be simply called UG. 

    With quick fluid movements and dynamic energy at the age of 72, one often sees him denouncing the gurus and godmen and one is even tempted to brush him aside as a maverick. However, if you exercise patience and probe into his lifestyle and teachings, you are in for many surprises. You find yourself face to face with a Jeevan Mukta, a liberated being who is one of the most profound embodiments of Advaita living today.   

    UG lives like King Janaka, one of India's greatest philosophers of ancient times. Being a Jnani, his teaching is exalted like that of Sri Gauda Pada. His non-dualistic view of life is like a clear crystal untainted by authoritarian, religious, scriptural, social or national beliefs and affiliations. His teaching is on the lines of Jnana Marga considered to be the highest in the Indian Philosophical tradition as different from Karma or Bhakti. Even in the Bhagavat Gita, the Lord likened the Jnani to none other than himself. UG is a person of unexcelled awakening and never comes down from his lofty spiritual heights. He never stoops down or dilutes his teaching for the mundane to understand him. One has to climb up to reach him.

    He was born on the 9th of July, 1918 in the town of Gudivada in Andhra Pradesh and his mother, who died soon after his birth, predicted that her son would achieve great spiritual eminence. The boy was brought up by his grandfather who was a well-known Theosophist and was tutored in the best spiritual traditions of Hinduism surrounded by Sannyasins, Pandits and Theosophists. He learnt Yoga from Sri Sivananda Saraswati of Rishikesh. He was initiated into Mantra Japa at a very early age and spent most of his time in spiritual practices, thus hardly finding anytime for his studies. 

    While studying BA Honours in Madras, UG was taken by a friend to Sri Ramana Maharishi at Tiruvannamalai. UG asked the Maharishi three questions - "Does a state called liberation exist?" The Maharishi answered, ''yes". The next question was "Are there any levels to it?" The reply was ''There are no levels, either you are in it or out of it". Then UG asked his last question "That state -liberation, can you give it to me?" Ramana Maharishi, looking the young man in the eye answered pointedly, "Yes I can give it, but can you take it?" UG was flabbergasted by this reply and was haunted by the thought ''What is it that I cannot take?'' The encounter with the Maharishi was a challenge to him which further strengthened his obsession to attain Moksha (liberation).

UG and the Classic Neti, Neti approach stretched to the limit

    As time passed, he married and had children. He became actively interested in the Theosophical Society and started touring the world as a platform orator, first on behalf of the society and later as an independent speaker. He was very close to J.Krishnamurti (of the World Teacher fame) for many years but left him as the latter's teaching did not help. All the while UG was having many spiritual experiences but felt that the 'highest' evaded him. He had every kind of desirable experience the teachers and books described - Samadhi as well as Nirvikalpa Samadhi. But he said to himself, "Thought can create any experience you want - bliss, beatitude, ecstasy, melting away into nothingness - all these are thought created experiences. These are not what I want and brushed them aside as worthless. His was the classic Neti, Neti approach stretched to the limit. 

    From the age of 35, UG had many supernatural powers. The moment he saw a man, he could instantly know the past, present and future of that man. Whenever he uttered something, it used to happen. But he did not use these faculties as he was not interested in these powers at all.

    By this time, UG lost his family and his considerable wealth. He started drifting in Europe, but his burning quest continued. He lived in London and Paris for some time and started feeling that his head was 'missing'. He lost his will and was like a leaf blown by the wind. He lost even his appetite and above all, lost all hope of enlightenment. He was in a totally hopeless state when he reached Switzerland. Here, a gracious lady, Valentine De Kerven in her late 60's understood his plight and provided him with money, food and shelter. His spiritual experiences continued. Once when he saw a girl dancing on the stage, he had no way of knowing whether it was he that was dancing or someone else. Even when he entered into the state of Buddha consciousness, there was the experience still leftover, so UG brushed it aside concluding that it was his past knowledge which had projected that state - it was Neti, Neti in action, at its best.

There is no reference point or centre in UG

    On the 9th of July 1967, on his 49th birthday, UG was sitting under a wild chestnut tree overlooking one of the most beautiful spots in the world - the seven hills and seven valleys of  Saanenland  when the final awakening occurred. He suddenly felt that the experiencer in him disappeared along with the two philosophical questions which were smoldering with great intensity in him for long, namely - ' Who is the experiencer?' and 'How do I know that this is the state of liberation?'                               

    UG says that there was a sudden explosion inside, blasting every cell, every nerve and every gland including the bone marrow in his body, destroying the illusion that there is continuity, that there is a centre, that there is an 'I' that is linking up the thoughts.  He became conscious that the head had become very tight and any thoughts or vasanas could not enter the brain anymore.  There were tremendous pains all over the body simulating a nuclear explosion with chain reactions wherein an alchemy of sorts occurred changing the entire chemistry of the body. UG calls this experience a 'Calamity' which hit him like an earthquake. From then on for him there were no (spiritual) planes, no levels. At no time does the thought that he is different from anyone else occur because there is no reference point or centre in him.

    The next day UG noticed that his skin became soft like silk with a golden glow. On the second day he became aware that he was in a 'declutched' state. When Valentine brought him tomato soup, he looked at it and could not recognize it. He asked what it was and was told that it was tomato soup. He recognized and after taking a sip forgot its name. He had forgotten everything. On the third day, his sense of smell changed, and the best perfume or the cow dung started smelling the same to him. On the fourth day, he developed a kind of 'vista vision' with 360 degrees visibility and his eyes stopped blinking. He found that the men and cars on the road were either emanating from him or going through him. On the fifth day, his hearing changed and when he heard the bark of a dog or the mooing of a cow the sounds originated from within him. On the sixth day, when he was lying down suddenly his body disappeared. When he touched his limbs, only the part that he touched was there. Because seeing became independent of the sense of touch, it was not possible for him to create the image of his body. All these changes became permanent, and his senses function in a similar fashion even today. After some time, he found the Chakras - Moola Dhara to Ajna Chakra physically appearing on his body. His neck was swollen, and it appeared that his chin was resting on the hood of a cobra, with ash appearing all over the body. The movement of his wrists changed and even now his hands often make gestures described as Mudras in the scriptures. This was followed by physical death of his body which somehow recovered on its own.

UG can only be compared to the Pralaya Rudra, the Annihilator Supreme

   UG remains in what he calls the 'natural state' where thoughts never trouble him and his senses function independently without any 'I' coordinating them. There is no image about himself. No 'self' telling him that he is a liberated or enlightened man. He remains in a state of not knowing, information being supplied whenever there is a need. One cannot find even a trace of the 'self' or 'ego' in him. He has all the extrasensory powers but does not usually exhibit them. He accepts no gifts and does not accept any disciples. He will not allow anyone to touch his feet, is very courteous to visitors, and leads a very pure and simple life. He is a world traveler hopping from one continent to another like a free bird. He is not detached to the conveniences of life, nor is attached to anything. 

    What UG tells the seekers is at once shocking - "Going to the church, temple or mosque is the same as going to the pub for a drink". "There is nothing but fear in you and God is the creation of frightened minds". "God, Atman, hell, heaven, immortality and rebirth are the non-existent figments of your rich and fertile imagination". "What is necessary for man is to free himself from the entire past of mankind, free himself from what every man before him has thought, felt or experienced". "There is no power outside of man. Whatever power is out there, it is inside man". Pointing to himself he says, '' This is going to liquidate what you call 'you', all of you, the higher self, the lower self, soul, atman, consciousness, subconscious, and all that".

    If the old must be destroyed for the new to rise like a phoenix from the ashes, UG can only be compared to the Pralaya Rudra, the Annihilator Supreme, who is out to destroy in his cosmic fire all the accumulated tendencies or vasanas of those seekers who approach him. He says that he can give nothing but admits that he takes away all those vasanas and puts nothing in their place.

    What UG Krishnamurti teaches is the highest philosophy and on meeting him one is left wondering is he Siva, the destroyer of the inner worlds (false mental accumulations) unleashed? But it would be a memorable experience for anyone to meet him and to try to climb to the dizzying heights of his teaching, as you would be meeting the very embodiment of the highest attainment in the spiritual field. For that reason alone, a visit is worth it.

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 Major shares his journey with UG (video)

    Major Dakshinamurti is a rare individual who has truly walked the talk in his spiritual journey.

    He had displayed tremendous courage to follow the traditional path of 'sadhana' and lock horns with the sagely UG who summarily dismissed all sadhana as merely a selfish pursuit or ego trip. He always maintained that sadhana helped to merely bolster the egos of the sadhakas.

    UG, in a rare gesture made an exception to Major and allowed this diehard sadhaka to embrace his own chosen path. What more, he even arranged and finalized a place for Major to stay next to a jungle to pursue the life of a hermit!

    It is to Major's credit that he withstood the constant ridicule, the never-ending tirades and onslaughts from UG for years on end and still managed to live under the same roof with the sage accompanying him on his travels all over India as his personal chauffeur.

    Being a soldier by profession, he didn't budge an inch from his post while he was in direct line of fire from the master blaster.

    In his eighties now, he lives in peace and content in his sprawling farmhouse, surrounded by wildlife. The many cobras and scorpions do not seem to have enough of his peaceful company, all the time paying him regular visits.

    He is a living legend who carries himself with such grace and dignity.

    Here is a clip of the Major speaking to an assembly of UG friends and admirers about how UG helped him deal with his many nagging doubts and questions in his tumultuous spiritual odyssey.

    Major is a shining example of UG's credo of leading a life of 'uncomplaining and uncompromising self-reliance'!

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