Guiding Light: Shri Dakshinamurti's Silent Teachings On Advaita & Self-Realization

The most attractive rupa of Lord Shiva is Shri Dakshinamurti. He is a sixteen-year-old serene boy form. He is sitting beneath the vata vruksha, a large banyan tree that is hugely spread. He is the embodiment of the Jnana. The stotra in the honour of Dakshinamurti is given by the avatara of Shiva himself, Shri Adi Shankaracharya. 

The brahmanishta is visible. The young Guru is silently preaching, the old Shishyas are absorbing from the Jnana satra whose language was silence. It is said that “mauna vyakshya”. During the process the Shishyas become bereft of all doubts. The maya melts away. The oneness of the Guru and the Shishya or the ultimate ONENESS is realized. The world which is illusion looks like the city viewed in the Mirror. Beyond the Maya we realize the true nature. Chinmudra of joining the thumb (angushta) and pointing finger (tarjani) is highlighted here. What is taught is, the Jiva and Bramhan are ONE and the same. Advaita.

Dakshinamurti faces the south direction. In normal course only the Shraddha is done facing that direction. In Upasana marga, the South direction indicates change and transformation. When the Maya melts away, the awareness dawns that there is NO difference between the entities we see as different. The essence of all is THAT. A huge transformation would have happened to us. Rest of the existence and journey for the seeker is full of perspective and spiritually rejuvenating. Such a journey becomes the sought destination.