Transmission - Two Historical Examples

By Radheshyam Miryala MD (Sahaj Marg Abhyasi, SRCM Preceptor)

As abhyasis of the Sahaj Marg mission, we are very fortunate to receive this nurturing transmission from our Guru. Although Transmission is unique to the mission, it is not a new phenomenon. Transmission has existed for many centuries, and there are two examples that are very important for us to learn from.

The first example is that of the exchange between Arjuna and Lord Krishna. On the battlefield of the Kurukshetra, Arjuna has a dialogue with Lord Krishna. Arjuna beseeches Krishna to withdraw from the battle.  Lord Krishna then educates Arjuna on the laws of duty and expounds on Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana Yoga in the form of the Bhagavad Gita. How was it practical for Lord Krishna to stand in the middle of the battle field and ‘reveal’ His True Personality to Arjuna and elucidate the voluminous virtues of the Bhagavad Gita?  The answer is Transmission. Lord Krishna transmitted the knowledge of the Gita to Arjuna in a matter of seconds. It is Lord Krishna’s greatness in having the capacity to transmit, but it is equally remarkable that Arjuna was able to receive the transmission. What made Arjuna deserving of this Grace? Arjuna had surrendered his will to Lord Krishna. Arjuna loved Lord Krishna. When given the choice between Lord Krishna’s armies or the opportunity to have Lord Krishna as his charioteer, Krishna chose the latter. This is the essence of the Guru-Disciple relationship. Arjuna is the consummate disciple as he had love for the Guru, faith in the Guru, and had surrendered to the Guru. This is a great example of how a disciple can prepare himself to receive Transmission.

The second example is that of the exchange between Swami Vivekananda and his Guru Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. When Vivekananda came to get the Dharshan of Ramakrishna for the first time, Ramakrishna took his great toe and placed it on Vivekananda’s chest.  At that instant Vivekananda felt a complete transformation take over him. This is another great example of transmission. From that day onwards, Swami Vivekananda spent his time spreading the message of his Guru. This is another great example of the Guru Disciple relationship. Here, the disciple receives the transmission and works hard to ensure that he was deserving of the gift. This work entails service to the Guru, the Mission, and the World. Swami Vivekananda worked tirelessly till the end of his days to spread the message of love from his Guru.

In Sahaj Marg, we are fortunate to be able to constantly partake in both examples from above. We work on ourselves with our sadhana and character formation to prepare ourselves for the transmission that we receive. In the sitting, the generosity of our Guru takes over and showers us with more transmission than we deserve. We should make use of this gift and live in service to the Master, Mission and Method. May the Great Masters Blessings always be upon us.