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