Interview with Aghori Baba Surya Ram

 Ismail Akgoz (Nyagrodha) - Copyright © 2021 hermetics.org
 

Baba Surya Ram aka Sri Aghoracharya Vishnuswami, as the founder of Sri Aghor Vaishnav Sampradaya, reveals a Vaishnavist approach instead of Shaivism popular in the Aghora tradition. In the text of the interview, Baba Surya Ram is represented as BS, and the speaker is represented as N. The Aghora tradition is a Tantric tradition in India marginalized as mad, perverted people. The Aghora tradition is a Tantric tradition in India that is marginalized as mad, perverted people dealing with black magic, but it is a tradition that has an oral tradition and is initiated by many Sadhus such as Sri Ramakrishna and his teacher Tota Puri. Information about the purpose of the tradition and other things is included in the interview.

Interview

N: First of all, thank you for accepting this interview. Could you please introduce yourself to our readers? How did you discover the Aghora tradition?
SR: Named Surya Ram by my Guru according to thetradition of Aghoracharya Baba Kinaram. It's a very long story but after my first journey to India 2002 I began to study It's philosophical and religious traditions more in depth.
N: The Aghora tradition is known with its "disgusting" and "terrifying" practices. What is the purpose of the Aghora tradition?
SR: 
To become free from all dualities of this world and attain Self and God realization.
N: It looks pretty similar to Advaita Vedanta. Are Aghori practices as offensive as they seem? What is the view on living things and Ahimsa in this tradition?
SR: Well yes and no, it depends on how we see it, but it's all for Self and God realization nothing else. The founder of Aghora tradition Baba Kinaram is known as a great saint and did alot of welfare activities for the poor and downtrodden people around him contrary to what many may think. So in general the view on all living beings in Aghora is that it is sacred and inherently divine.
N: Well, In this case, a popular question comes up: "What should we do when someone treats us badly?" What is the Aghori's reaction in this situation?
SR: It entirely depends on the situation. What kind of response would be most beneficial for everyone involved? Anything and everything is a possibility
N: When most Western people think of Tantra, they think of sex Magic. So what is Tantra? You are also the founder of Sri Aghora Vaishnava Sampradaya, how did you come up with the idea to establish something like this? What kind of activities does it do?
SR:
 Tantra is a very broad subject. It mainly refers to the Agama scriptures also called Tantras that describes rituals to attain certain goals in elaborate details. It also refers to a philosophy that encourages the practitioner to utilize the physical body the mind and senses as tools to attain perfection in with spiritual or mundane endeavors. Aghora is often seen as a left hand path oriented tradition of Tantra but that is an overstatement. Aghora is beyond all limitations. When it comes to as to why the Aghor Vaishnav was established it has many reasons. There are many details of the ancient scriptures that connects Vaishnava tradition with Aghora tradition. Lord Shiva the first Aghori is a Vaishnava Acharya (learned teacher and scholar of devotion to Vasudeva) and the legendary Avadhuta incarnation of Vasudeva known as Dattatreya is said to have initiated Baba Kinaram into Aghora practises at mount Girnar. Since my first Guru was a Vaishnava and Aghoracharya Baba Kinaram's first teacher also was a Vaishnava this came very natural to me to do. In the process my Guru personally introduced me to Lord Shiva who then revealed all the details of this phenomenon to me in dreams, visions and meditation. It's time to bring Vaishnava tradition back to its unorthodox Avadhuta roots.
tat-krsna-varna-vilasat-su-kalam samiksya tasmin vilagna manasa su-sukham vihaya unmatta-vad vrajati dhuvati nilakantho bibhrat kaparda-visa-bhasma-kapala-sarpan
Radha said: "Gazing at Krishna's dark handsomeness, Shiva became attached to Him. Giving up all normal happiness, Shiva now walks and runs about like a madman, wearing matted hair, drinking poison, covered with ashes and decorated with snakes and skulls."
- Garga Samhita 2.18.23
N: Hmm.. Shiva is the supreme deity what many people understand from Shiva-Purana, but should we understand from your statements that Vishnu is supreme?
SR: They are one. One in two forms. Devotees of each other in many stories. In sanskrit it's called "Lila" divine play. There is passage in the Shiva Purana where Shakti Parvati is performing a daily worship of chanting the Vishnu sahasranama the thousand names of Vasudeva and Lord Shiva says to her that it is not necessary to do that and suggest she can just chant Rama-Rama and it would be equal to the thousand names of Vasudeva. So Lord Shiva the original Guru of all living beings of the universe who was the first Aghori the first Yogi and the first ascetic is a devotee of Sri Vasudeva, the great Goddess and also of himself. Another connection between Aghora and Vaishnava tradition is the fact that Aghora is one of the traditional mantras and names of Narasimha the man-lion incarnation of Vasudeva.This is the conclusion of the ancient scriptures. This is not about who is most high or powerful it's just about bringing these traditions closer to eachother and merge again in it's primordial form. 
N: So what else does the Aghora tradition contains? Astrology, Ayurveda, Yoga?
SR: Well Yoga 'to merge with the divine' is an essential part of Aghora. Aghora is a path that transcends conventional religious principles and breaks many of the social taboos associated with rituals and religion.
N: So, would you like to tell us about an interesting experience on the way? As moment
SR: I don't know where to begin or what to say without making this conversation way too long but it has been a very interesting journey and experience so far living at cremation grounds, in jungles and solitary places. Spirits whispering in the ears, tigers sneaking around the forest camps and deities that appears through the flames of the sacred fire.
N: Can we say that you have an interesting memory of encountering a wild animal?
SR: Many times
N: And they didn't attack you? Although we see it as a metaphor, the term "riding a tiger" is common for Saddhus like you, this must be a real Siddhi...
SR: Yes or we can call it luck. Anyway I have definitely been lucky to have met real siddha sadhus and learned what a true sadhu is. True kindness, compassion, Telepathy, miraculous healings of the sick and even resurrection of the dead. Just to mention a few.
N: Many people are looking for gurus and ashrams nowadays, some of them do not have the financial means to go to India or another country. What is your advice or warning for them?
SR: Don't be naive or stupidly imagining that you have to go to India to find a Guru or to have an Indian Guru to be necessary or of any significant importance. I've seen many naive westerners becoming victims of fraud sadhus in India and also in the west. A few signs of a true sadhu is that they are not interested in money, fame or respect. So why get into this Guru issue of a mess at all one may think? Well, because it is essential for us who are entangled in maya, the illusionary energy of the divine to get help from someone who is free to get out of it. Sri Guru is like someone standing with a stick beside us while we are slowly sinking in the quicksand. Guru is therefore essential. Physical association with Guru is also essential for real progress in sadhana spiritual discipline. It's a common say that when we are genuinely ready for it the spiritual master will appear in one way or another. To meet with one's Guru in person and spend atleast some time learning directly from the spiritual master. So my advice would be to carefully analyze the qualities of the Guru before receiving initiation to be sure of that they are qualified for it. If they cannot travel abroad and there's no representative of Guruparampara disciplic succession where they are located then internet is the only option. Video chat is probably the closest thing to a real meeting that can be done then and that is ok as long as they're not desperate and ignore the warning signs of money, fame and respect mentioned earlier.
N: Most people are surrounded by anxiety from time to time, especially in city life, do you have any suggestions for them?
SR: Recognize that the one and the same absolute divine truth that is within yourself is also within everyone and everything else. Everything that exist is a part of the Divine. God is omnipresent and ultimately in control of everything. Remember this eternal truth always then freedom from illusion and suffering is guaranteed.
N: Thanks again for taking the time to share your valuable information with us.
SR: May the great Goddess carry you all from the darkness of ignorance and illusion of duality to everlasting wisdom and enlightenment. May devotional love for God become your only innermost identity and may the source of all infinite powers protect you always.
Jai Aghor Jai Avadhut Jai Baba Kinaram


 

 

 

 

 

 

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