01/04/2021
A TRIBUTE TO A GREAT SOUL by Indira Ramroop-Boodram
Guruji, Professor H.S Adesh, has been a beacon of light in the hearts and minds of multitudes the world over. In my home, he has become a household name among my seniors, siblings and off springs, spanning three generations and almost half a century of a union that was destined to be. Many would identify with and attest to this almost divine intervention that had singled him out in space and time and placed him at the nucleus of their own family structures: amidst so many orientations, within so many associations and with such varying convictions, where in his pivotal capacity he had been able to hold firm at the epicenter of these various correlations and manage the storms and calms that presented themselves within the diversity of every human experience, thereby sustaining the spirit of family. Such was his celestial design here on earth, that his ease of giving and the alacrity that was evinced in his service to God, through his service to man, allowed for man to experience God, through his service to them. In this deliberate paradox of status and authority, Guruji, the master, chose to offer himself as the server, so that man could afford the privilege of moving successively closer to his maker.
How an individual of such international acclaim, with such versatility of talent and skills, and such vast and prolific portfolios as poet, playwright, author, composer, spiritual and cultural leader, ambassador, director and philosopher, to name a few, was able to majestically manipulate time and effort, in a sacrificial schedule of service as ‘guru’ to ‘shishya’, in vast and virtual assemblages, without fear or favour, until his last breath, is unimaginable, yet immensely laudable. What human endurance could unwaveringly hold the strain of all of these different reins and simultaneously steer the chariots of generations of seekers; seekers of knowledge, purpose, belief, identity, passion, truth, contentment and self fulfillment without complaint? For this, Guruji will always be immortalized, as dedication, determination, will power, patience, strength and love personified.
It is with no uncertainty that the ingenuity of Guruji’s literary and musical accomplishments will speak volumes for knowledge seekers for years to come. His compositions, intentions, interpretations, points of view, thematic concerns, philosophical underpinnings, variant techniques, practical executions of words, sounds, rhythms and structures beat out a tune of human consciousness that is pulsating, alive, elevating and uplifting. His work, which distinctly boasts of his credentials and gives him the awe inspiring status as a master of his craft, will not only serve for posterity, but also as the source of knowledge and sensitization, for generations of students and soul searchers yet to come. While Guruji’s many accolades for his artistic work can be documented so readily, to do justice in a single description of his sterling attributes as a guru is a feat that seems like an impossibility. His influence has been so far reaching and among so many in their search for self, that a mosaic of Guruji’s inherent persona would require millions of memoirs of a collective community from the mother land, together with our nation and the diasporas that have pervaded distances and time, to aptly tell the story of this quintessential guru who has selflessly and wholeheartedly served humankind.
Guruji has been a rock, a pillar, a fortress and a foundation, standing mightily, weathering the forces of ignorance and its accompanying vices, and shielding his disciples from the impact of its abrasion. At the same time, in his duality of purpose, he has been a fertile ground, cultivating, propagating and preserving the essential principles of Sanatan Dharma, whetting the minds and intellects of his disciples through his experiential knowledge of the science and art of righteous and dutiful living and man’s coexistence with man.
His genuine love, compassion, caring and giving had always been interwoven into the very fabric of his every interaction, and this gentleness, layered with the perfect measure of rational and analytical thought, assertiveness, advice and steadfastness, was able to improve, motivate, stimulate and put into motion the dreams, goals and desires of the weak, the strong, the intelligent, the uneducated, the successful, the downtrodden, the indecisive and every other along the continuum of human potential, to allow for their objectives to reach fruition. When he looked at his disciples he looked into their individual hearts, spoke the language of their individual needs and reminded them of their unique contribution to the world and so he received the singularity of their respect and devotion that could be altered by the influence of none.
To imagine a world without the presence of Guruji is inconceivable but the fragrance of his influence will continue to pervade the minds, hearts and senses of those who were fortunate enough to be touched by his offering; his philosophy, his teachings, his wisdom, his support, his service, his camaraderie, his companionship, and more so, those who were touched by his blessings.
Having completed his life’s work, Guruji has renounced this earthly and transient presence, and as his soul ascends towards the celestial regions in its quest for ‘moksh’, his legacy will certainly live on, for he has masterfully prepared his disciples by placing in their hands the sacred gems of his proficiency. He has entrusted them with the duty of gifting it to those who genuinely seek its luminescence. It is my belief that his contribution will continue to be a source of inspiration to all of mankind and that the benefits of his teachings will grow exponentially in value and worth as every disciple, from every niche in the world, intentionally or unwittingly, who has now become a receptacle and a potential vessel for distribution of these priceless treasures, selflessly given to them by him, will translate his will into the ritual of their daily lives, creating a progeny of spiritual, educational and cultural wealth from their thoughts, words, actions, intentions and ambitions.
Written with great gratitude to Guruji, for everything that he has come to represent and for the part he has played in the lives of members of my family and the wider community.
