Sadguru Sthavan by Tulas Amma – Sadguru Krupa and Transformation

Hymn 13

1
निष्काम मन, सद्गुरूची सेवा कर रे मन।
(Nishkām man, sadgurūchī sevā kar re man.)
सगुणावरिल सोडूनी भ्रान्ती, शांत राहि रे मन। ||1||
(Saguna-varil soḍūnī bhrāntī, śānt rāhī re man.)

O mind, serve the Sadguru with Nishkama Bhava—without any desire.
Abandon all confusion about the Saguna form,
and remain inwardly still and peaceful, O mind.

2
प्रथम तू शाश्वत असेस की, काय समजून घे मन।
(Pratham tū śāśvat ases kī, kāy samjuṇ ghe man.)
अहंभाव सोडूनी, सकल कार्य साधी रे मन। ||2||
(Ahaṁbhāv soḍūnī, sakal kārya sādhī re man.)

First understand this clearly—
your true nature is eternal, ever-present.
Give up the ego-sense,
and accomplish every action in that understanding, O mind.

3
कऱुणीय अंतर शुद्ध, गुरुबोध विचारि मन।
(Karuṇīy antar śuddha, gurubodh vichāri man.)
देहभिमान सोडुनी, सद्गुरूचरनी शरण जा मन। ||3||
(Dehabhimān soḍūnī, sadgurūcharanī śaraṇ jā man.)

Purify your heart with compassion
and contemplate the Guru’s teaching.
Give up attachment to the body,
and take complete refuge at the feet of the Sadguru, O mind.

4
उपकार गुरूचा विसरू नकोस, अंतरात ठेवी रे मन।
(Upakār gurūchā visarū nakos, antarāt ṭhevī re man.)
प्रारब्ध भोगासाठी चिंता सर्वही सोडी रे मन। ||4||
(Prārabdh bhogāsāṭhī cintā sarvahī soḍī re man.)

Never forget the Guru’s kindness—
keep it cherished deep within.
Give up all anxieties related to Prarabdha
and the experiences it brings, O mind.

5
लौकिक निंदा ऐकून कानीच चंचल होऊस का मन?
(Laukik nindā aikūn kānīch canchaḷ hōūs kā man?)
पूर्ण भार अर्पुन गुरूसि, निवांत होई रे मन। ||5||
(Pūrṇa bhār arpūn gurūsi, nivānt hōī re man.)

Why become restless
when you hear worldly criticism?
Offer your entire burden to the Guru
and remain simple, humble, and composed, O mind.

6
मायिक संसार फसावून घेइल तुझे धैर्य, घे मन।
(Māyik sansār phasāvūn gheīl tuje dhairya, ghe man.)
नित्यानंद गुरु पथी असताना, चिंता व्यर्थ रे मन। ||6||(Nityānand guru pathī asatānā, cintā vyarth re man.)

This worldly illusion (Maya) will try to entangle you
and shake your courage.
But when you walk on the path of Guru Nityananda,
all worries are meaningless, O mind.

O Mind! Serve the Sadguru selflessly and without expectation.
Let go of all delusion arising from form and attributes,
and abide in inner peace. ||1||

The devotee who composed this hymn had undergone a quiet but profound transformation simply by remaining connected with Tulas Amma—through seva, remembrance, and living in her presence. When a devotee lives near a Mahatma like Tulas Amma, their inner instruments begin to reorganise themselves. She has now understood the subtle play of the three instruments:

Śarīra – the body, which acts;
Manas – the mind, which wavers, desires, doubts, and disturbs;
Buddhi – the intelligence, the discriminative light that decides.

Through Amma’s grace, the devotee realises a great truth:
Only when the mind becomes quiet, unobtrusive, and surrendered does Sadguru Krupa truly manifest.
A noisy mind cannot receive the Guru’s blessing; a silent mind becomes its natural vessel.

From this point of inner clarity, she begins to address her own mind with loving firmness:

O Mind! Serve the Sadguru selflessly and without expectation.

Let go of the delusion arising from form and attributes, and abide in inner peace. ||1||

Here, the devotee reveals Tulas Amma’s teaching on Nishkama Bhakti.

Tulas Amma never taught an impossible ideal such as “a bhakta becomes completely desireless.”
No bhakta is desireless.
Every seeker carries desire—
whether worldly, spiritual, emotional, or devotional.
Desire is desire.

But what makes a bhakta Nishkama is not the absence of desire—it is the absence of insistence.

A Nishkama bhakta approaches the Sadguru honestly and openly:

“O my Sadguru, this is what I long for…
…but whatever You give, I will accept as Prasad.”

There is desire,
but there is no attachment to the fruit.
There is longing,
but no demand.

The devotee places her wish at the Guru’s Feet
and then immediately steps back inwardly, saying:

“Hari Icchā — let only Your Will prevail.”

It is this spirit that purifies the mind.
It loosens the ego’s grip.
It opens the door to Krupa.
And it is precisely this inner disposition that the transformed devotee expresses in the first verse:

“O Mind! Serve the Sadguru selflessly and without expectation.”

Because she has realised that the Sadguru’s grace begins the moment the mind stops bargaining
and starts trusting.

O Mind, first understand this: the body is not eternal, but you—the real Self—are.
Give up your ego-sense,
and accomplish the purpose of your life. ||2||

In this verse, the devotee—now awakened to the inner teachings of Tulas Amma—addresses her mind with a higher insight. Earlier, she spoke of Nishkama Seva. Now she turns to the root of bondage: misidentification.

The mind must be shown the truth:

The body (śarīra) is perishable.
The mind (manas) is unstable and temporary.
The intellect (buddhi), though subtle, is still limited.

But you, the inner essence—the Atman—are shashvata, eternal.

The devotee is instructing her mind:

“Do not mistake the body for ‘me’.
Do not mistake the mind for ‘me’.
Realise who you truly are.”

This understanding does not arise through logic alone. It arises through Sadguru Krupa.

Once this clarity dawns, the ego (aham-bhava) naturally loosens its grip.

Therefore, she says:

“Give up the ego, O mind.”

When the ego falls even slightly, the real purpose of life becomes visible.
What is this purpose?

To purify the mind
To receive Sadguru Krupa
To recognise the true Self
To live in freedom and inner quietude

Thus she says:

“Achieve your mission.”

Not a worldly mission,
not a personal agenda,
but the soul’s true aim:

to return to its own nature,
to its Nijaswarupa,
through the grace of the Sadguru.

This verse is therefore an intimate reminder from a transformed disciple:

“The body will perish.
The ego must fall.
Only the Self remains.
Do not waste life in delusion.
Awaken to the eternal Truth.”

O Mind, first purify yourself and then receive the Guru’s teaching.
Give up attachment to the body and the ego,
and surrender completely at the Lotus Feet of the Sadguru. ||3||

In this verse, the devotee gives her mind a vital instruction that lies at the heart of Guru-Krupa Yog:
Purity precedes revelation.
Shuddhi precedes Bodha.

A restless, impure, or preoccupied mind cannot absorb the Guru’s teaching in its true spirit.
Thus, she begins:

“O Mind, first purify yourself.”

Purification here means:

softening the heart (antar-shuddhi)
removing jealousy, fear, and agitation
cultivating compassion and simplicity
reducing the noise of unnecessary thoughts
freeing oneself from selfishness and pride

The Guru’s words are not ordinary; they are shakti-charged.
But they can only enter a mind that has become a receptive vessel. Bhagavan Nityananda emphasised to the Sadhak that they must have Sudha Bhavan. The platform from where the spiritual journey can start is Sudha Bhavan. Unless there is purity within, an aspirant can not qualify to be a true Sadhak.

So she says:

“Then ask the Guru to guide and teach you.”

Not before purification, but after.
Tulas Amma’s lineage always emphasised:
Guru Krupa flows naturally towards the pure-hearted.

Next, she instructs:

“Give up attachment to your body and ego.”

This does not mean hating or neglecting the body.
It means giving up:

the obsession with bodily comfort,
the pride of identification—“my body, my looks, my strength,”
the fear of disease or death,
the ego that arises from bodily identity.

The disciple has understood that:

Body attachment strengthens ego,
and ego blocks grace.

Thus, she firmly advises the mind to drop it. She says increase the circumference to encompass all the creatures as a manifestation of Consciousness. Experience the one Essence that permeates all.

Finally, she concludes:

“Surrender at the Lotus Feet of the Sadguru.”

This surrender (sharanagati) is not weakness; it is the highest wisdom.

To surrender means:

trusting the Sadguru’s guidance fully
letting go of resistance
offering one’s burdens, fears, and plans to Him
resting in His presence with inward humility
allowing His Krupa to direct one’s life

Surrender is not an act of the body; it is the quiet, inward bowing of the mind. Accepting wholeheartedly that it is thw Will of God that prevails.

Therefore, Verse 3 is the disciple’s tender but firm reminder:

“Purify yourself, seek the Guru’s light, drop body-ego, and enter the shelter of the Sadguru.
Only then will real transformation begin.”

Never forget the obligations you owe to your Guru.
Keep in your heart the Sadguru’s grace, kindness, and benevolence.
Give up all anxiety about what destiny has in store for you. ||4||

In this verse, the transformed disciple reveals one of the most sacred principles of Guru-Bhakti:
Gratitude to the Guru is itself a purifier of destiny.

She warns her mind:

“Never forget what the Guru has done for you.”

A Guru’s benefaction cannot be measured in worldly terms.
His “upakār” is not just help—it is:

removing ignorance accumulated over lifetimes,
reshaping one’s destiny,
sustaining the devotee even when unseen,
and guiding one from darkness to the eternal light.

To forget this is to fall back into the ego.
To remember this is to stay anchored in Bhakti and humility.

Thus she says:

“Keep the Sadguru’s kindness in your heart.”

Not on the lips, not only in ritual,
but deep in the antar-rang,
in the heart’s innermost chamber.

When the remembrance of the Guru’s Krupa becomes continuous,
The mind becomes gentle, fearless, and steady.
Gratitude itself becomes a form of meditation.

Then she advises the mind:

“Leave all anxiety about destiny.”

In Tulas Amma’s teachings,
Prārabdha arrives only to be experienced; worrying does not change it, but surrender transforms its impact.

When the devotee walks under the Sadguru’s grace,
Prārabdha may still unfold,
but its sting is removed,
its weight is reduced,
and its course becomes bearable, sometimes even beneficial.

Bhagavan used to say, “When a Jeeva is born, he will have to cross the Samsara Sagar, and while the Jeeva is in the ocean, the salt water is bound to enter his mouth. Sadguru Krupa is like refreshing sweet Teertha, nectar. A Sadhak should dilute his share of salty water with this sweet water and cross the worldly ocean.

Therefore, she says:

“Do not burden yourself with thoughts of what fate may bring.”

Destiny belongs to the past.
Grace belongs to the present.
Surrender shapes the future.

A mind filled with Guru-smarana has no room left for anxiety.

Thus, Verse 4 gently teaches:

“Be grateful to the Guru, hold His grace in your heart,
and let destiny take care of itself.
The Sadguru will carry you through.”

O Mind! Why do you become disturbed just by hearing worldly criticism?
Offer your entire burden to the Sadguru
and remain inwardly calm and at ease. ||5||

This verse addresses one of the most subtle and persistent weaknesses of the mind:
its dependence on public opinion.

The disciple—now inwardly strengthened by Tulas Amma’s grace—asks her own mind:

“Why do you waver when you hear worldly criticism?”

Laukik nindā—worldly criticism—is inevitable:

People will speak according to their nature.
The world sees only the external.
Human judgment is incomplete, often unfair.
Praise and blame constantly fluctuate.

The mind, however, takes these fluctuations personally.
It becomes uneasy, restless, insecure, or irritated.

But the devotee has now understood a crucial truth:

What the world says is temporary.
What the Sadguru gives is eternal.

Therefore, she chides her mind gently:

“Why allow such petty noise to shake you?”

Criticism hurts only when the ego is alive.
When surrender deepens, the mind simply observes and lets go.

Then she offers the antidote:

“Surrender all your worries to your Guru.”

This is the spiritual heart of the verse.
A mind that has surrendered:

stops defending itself,
stops proving itself,
stops worrying about reputation,
stops overreacting to praise or blame.

It becomes light.
It becomes inwardly free.

The Guru becomes the inner refuge.

Whatever troubles or burdens arise, she instructs:

“Place them at the Feet of the Sadguru.”

This does not mean escaping responsibility; it means giving up mental ownership of the burden.

Finally, she says:

“Just remain calm, comfortable, and inwardly relaxed.”

A mind resting on the Guru becomes:

simple,
quiet,
fearless,
and naturally content.

Thus, Verse 5 teaches:

“Worldly criticism is a shadow.
Do not give it power.
Give all burdens to the Guru and remain peaceful within.”

O Mind! This illusory world will surely deceive and mislead you,
but you must remain courageous.
When Nityananda Guru Himself is your protector and saviour,
why do you entertain unnecessary worries, O Mind? ||6||

This final verse is the culmination of the devotee’s transformed understanding.
After addressing service, surrender, purity, ego, gratitude, and public criticism,
she now deals with the root of all bondage—Maya.

She warns her mind:

“This world is illusory and deceptive, O Mind!”

Mayik sansar—the world created by Maya—
is full of:

temptations,
confusions,
false promises,
disappointments,
attractions that fade,
joys that turn into sorrows,
relationships that shift,
securities that collapse.

The world is not evil,
but it is unreliable.
It constantly changes and thus cannot be a stable source of peace.

The mind, however, keeps running outward,
believing it will obtain happiness.
Therefore, the disciple warns:

“The world will cheat you, O Mind.”

Not because the world wants to cheat,
but because expecting permanence from the impermanent is itself the deception.

Yet she follows this with strength, not fear:

“But you — be courageous!”

This courage is not worldly bravery.
It is inner spiritual courage:

courage to stay on the path,
courage to choose truth over comfort,
courage to surrender when ego resists,
courage to trust the Guru fully,
courage to face destiny without panic.

This courage comes directly from grace.

Then comes the heart of the verse:

“When Nityananda Guru is your Saviour…”

Nityananda Guru is not just a name—
it is the eternal, blissful consciousness
protecting the devotee from within.

A disciple under the shelter (sharan) of Nityananda Guru has:

an unseen shield around him,
guidance even in confusion,
unseen correction of mistakes,
protection in danger,
strength in weakness,
peace in turmoil.

Just the remembrance of Nityananda drives fear away.

Finally, she questions her mind gently, lovingly:

“Why do you worry unnecessarily, O Mind?”

Worry belongs to those who think they are alone.
Fear belongs to those who rely only on themselves.
Anxiety belongs to those who forget the Guru.

A mind that knows it is held by the Sadguru
naturally relaxes into trust.

This final verse, therefore, is the disciple’s triumphant affirmation:

“The world may be deceptive, but my Guru is Truth.
The world may shift, but my Guru is the unmoving centre.
The world may frighten, but my Guru removes fear.
Why should I worry?”