Chapter 1	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Today is the day of the spring festival, and the whole of India is busy in celebration. This festival is basically the festival of the Aryans. You know that the original homeland of the Aryans was Central Asia, in the central and southern portion of modern USSR. This area is extremely cold – bitterly cold – and throughout the winter there is continuous snowfall. In fact, it was so cold that throughout the winter the people could hardly move out of their houses; they used to stay indoors all winter long. And the moment the winter was about to depart, they were beside themselves with joy. At the onset of the spring following on the heels of winter, they burst into revelry and bustling activity. The arrival of spring meant the departure of winter, the disappearance of the dullness of cold.

Due to the extreme cold, people found it difficult to move; their hands and feet remained inactive. Cold is called jáŕh in Hindi, jáŕáha in Bhojpurii and Angika, and jád́ya or jaŕata in Saḿskrta. This sort of inertness during cold weather is usually hated by children and young energetic people, but the old people merely sit inactively. They invariably walk slowly and leisurely, whether the season is cold or warm; but youths always like to walk or run as fast as they can. However, due to the extreme cold in winter, they cannot do so; and thus for children and youths the spring at the end of winter is the season of festive joy. There is a popular saying,

Báccáke hám láginá yuvake hám bhái;
Buŕáke hám cháŕiná yateke oŕas rejái.

The winter says, “I do not harm the little children, and I am the friend of the youth; but I never spare the old people, however they may cover their bodies with quilts.”

In the ancient days the Aryans came to India from that very cold country, and thus as soon as the winter had passed they used to organize joyful festivals with great din and bustle. In these festive celebrations there used to be a sheep with an old woman seated or its back, symbolizing the cold. The clothes of that old woman were merely a blanket, made of the wool of the sheep. The Aryans used to burn that effigy of the old woman on the full moon night, signifying thereby that they had bade farewell to the winter, for the next day the spring season would begin. In the language of the Aryans the festival was known as the spring festival: in the Persian language, spring is called báhár. The people of the Punjab even today sing the Holá songs the day after Holi. In their ballads they sing:

Áii basantadii báhár
Ásu mole t́esu mole
Mol rahii kacńar.

“The winter is gone, the flowers of the mango, palásh and káiṋcan trees have all burst into bloom – for the spring has come.”

In Bengal, as you know, winter is not very severe; there is almost no cold at all. And where there is no winter, people can hardly enjoy the sweetness of the spring, for spring becomes beautiful only in comparison with the severity of the cold. In the North Pole, where the snow is completely frozen, spring is the most precious season. In Scandinavian countries, spring is warmly welcomed because of the biting cold of those countries, and the footfall of spring indicates the death of the winter. But in Bengal this is not the case. There the duration of winter is very short; it comes and goes quickly. Here the people feel the presence of spring only because the mango and hog-plum trees burst into bloom; otherwise its advent would remained unnoticed, because the weather remains generally warm all year round. The seasonal patterns of Bengal are slightly different, which I have not discussed up until now. In the entire India and Central Asia, today is the full moon of the spring season, and yesterday the winter officially ended. But in Bengal the situation is different: the winter is over on the fourteenth day of the previous bright fortnight of the moon, and the spring season begins from the fifth day of the next fortnight, or Shrii paiṋcamii, the day when the Goddess of Learning is worshipped. In Bengal, today is not the starting of spring; in fact it starts from the day of the worship of Sarasvatii. I do not know whether you are aware of the fact that in those days in Bengal the small children used to wear deep yellow clothes (vásanti) on the fifth day. So you see, the spring season starts in Bengal long before it starts in other parts of India, in the Bengali month of Mágha and not in Phálguna. Thus in the dhyána mantra of the mythological goddess of learning Sarasvatii, it is mentioned that winter is over from the date of her worship. The Buddhist Sarasvatii, or Niila Sarasvatii, is called Tárá. She is also worshipped in Tibet.

The Buddhist Sarasvatii is blue and four-armed, but the Sarasvatii of Bengal is all white, not blue. Saras+vatii = Sarasvatii. One meaning of Saras is “white colour”; another meaning is “lake” or “large pond.” In the dhyána mantra of the goddess Sarasvatii the word jád́yá has been mentioned

Yá puŕnendutuśáraháradhavalá
Yá shubhravastrávrtá
Yá viińdbaradadańd́ashobhitá kalá
Yá shvetapadmásaná
Yá Brahmáeyutamaheshaprabhrti devae sádávandita.
Sá máḿ pátu Bhagavatii Sarasvatii nisheśajádyapahá.

Jád́yápahá means that which kills or removes dullness. The old date for the spring festival in Bengal is Shriipaiṋcamii, the fifth day of the fortnight. Now the question may arise, why was the spring festival in Bengal not observed in a grand way? Because the winter in Bengal is not very severe, so spring also is not very conspicuous. In Bengal there are three seasons: summer, rainy season, and autumn. Autumn is very conspicuous, but spring is not. In autumn, the kash and shiulii (lower) blossom, the rains are over, and the land is all green. In this season the planetary position is as follows. If the full moon comes during the presence of the stars Púrva Phalgunii or Uttar Phalgunii in the northern hemisphere (north of the equator), the lunar month is called Phálguna, and the name of the solar month is also Phalguna. On the night before the full moon, people burn the effigy of an old woman which represents winter. This is the astrological as well as the astronomical interpretation of the spring festival.

In Indo-Aryan mythology there is mention of a king named Hirańyakashipu. His sister, Holika, was a woman of violent nature. She was a cannibal. (You should note that she was a cannibal, not homivorous. A human eating another human is called a cannibal, whereas an animal eating human flesh is called homivorous. Holika was a cannibal, whereas a tiger is homivorous). The people out of anger burnt Holika alive the night before the full moon, and to celebrate this occasion, they arranged a festival of joy which was called Holikadahana (the burning of Holika). That is why even today in northern India particularly in the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, this Holi festival is celebrated. And since the moon enters the zodiac sign of the Uttar Phálgunii star, the festival is popularly called Pháguyá in Bihar and in the eastern regions of Uttar Pradesh. But as neither winter nor spring is conspicuous in Bengal, so neither festival, Holi nor Pháguyá, is celebrated. The festival that is celebrated on that day in Bengal is the Dolyátrá of Shriikrśńa, and thus that day is also observed as a holiday in Bengal.

The history behind the festival is this. About 500 years ago Mahaprabhu Shrii Caetanya once went to visit Brindaban, where he observed the Holi festival. Brindaban is situated in the western part of India, where the Holi festival is celebrated, not the Pháguá, which is popular as far as Allahabad. To the west of Allahabad, i.e.in the non-Bhojpurii-speaking areas, there Holi is celebrated.

After his return to Bengal, Mahaprabhu pondered deeply and decided to introduce the festival but, of course, in a different form. He said to his followers, “Go to the Krśńa temple on that day, and apply red powder and red colour to Krśńa. Then you should play with the red powder and colour amongst yourselves,” And those who gave red powder and colour to others would also feed them with malpoa [delectable sweet]. In Bihar there are both poa and malpoa sweets. The difference between the two is that if flour is mixed with sugar and spices, and dipped in sugar-water, it is called poa. And if flour without sugar is first fried in ghee and then dipped in sugar-water, it is called malpoa. What is known as poa in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh is known as malpoa in Bengal. And what is known as malpoa is known as dhákái malpoa. Mahaprabhu was very fond of malpoa. In his biography it has been written, Malpoa sarbhájá ár, luchi purii, ananda bhojan karen nadiiya biharii. (“Malpoa, sarbhaja, luchi and puri are relished by Mahaprabhu”). In my boyhood days when I first heard these lines, I said, “Well, it’s all right that Mahaprabhu relished malpoa, sarbhaja, luci, puri, etc. – but is there anyone who does not relish these delicacies? Personally as far as I know, all people like them!”

As I said, Mahaprabhu saw the festival in Brindavan and then introduced it in Bengal. It has never become a social festival in Bengal, as Pháguyá has become a social festival in Bihar and in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. Rather, it has become a kind of religious festival in Bengal. So it is neither Holi festival nor Pháguyá – it is the Dolyátrá of Shriikrśńa, and the government of West Bengal has declared that day as a holiday.

Now, what is the significance of Dolyátrá? The winter is over, and the people are active again. Various colourful ideas and plans are appearing in their minds, and they plan to do so many things for the benefit of society. Similarly when they think of Lord Krśńa, their minds are filled with joy. The very thought of Krśńa produces ripples of joy in people’s minds, and these vibrations of joy in the devotees’ minds also produce a corresponding vibration in Krśńa’s mind. They think, “Oh Krśńa, I love you – but you also love me, that I know.” In this way the ripples of joy in their own minds also create vibrations of joy in His mind. This is the inner significance of the Dolyátrá of Shrii Krśńa. In our Ananda Márga Caryácarya, this festival is celebrated as a spring festival.

In the days of Mahaprabhu, the prevailing rule was to seek the prior permission of the person to whom you were going to give the red powder. If that person gave permission, then only could you smear him or her with coloured powder, and then treat them to malpoa. These days all these customs have degenerated.

Let us discuss the science of colour. In Saḿskrta language there are two similar words: varńa and rága. Though the meanings are approximately the same, they are not completely synonymous. Varńa means colour (what is termed in Bengali as rauṋg). But this word varńa does not indicate the colour which will colour other objects as well; an object has its own colour but its colour may not necessarily dye other objects. But the word rága means that particular colour which can dye other objects also. So the inner spirit of the science of colour in Vaeshnavii Tantra is this – that each and every expression of this universe has its own rhythm, its own vibration, its own sound, and its own colour, and thus it has its own form as well. And as it has its own sound, it has a particular sweetness of its own. Suppose there is a person who is dumb but very good; and there is another person who is equally good, but speaks well also. Obviously you will prefer the second man, because he possesses the power of expression. Dumb people can give expression to their inner thoughts only with their gestures and postures, whereas those who can speak can express themselves with gesture, posture, and also language. A dumb person can only look at you and express through gesture to come to him, but a person who can speak can say, “Come little child, come to me.” This vocal expression of the second person conveys more sweetness.

When Tantra was first invented, there was only one science of Tantra; but later various cults emerged according to their respective philosophical viewpoints. Each had a different name although their inner spirit was the same: for instance, Baoddha Tantra, Jaina Tantra, and in later times Shaeva Tantra, Shákta Tantra, Saora Tantra, Gáńapatya Tantra, Vaeśńviiya Tantra, etc. The inner idea of the Vaeśńaviiya Tantra is that there is form and colour (both rága and varńa) in the rhythmic expressions of Parama Puruśa, and those cosmic rhythms also have a sweet sonic vibration. This sonic vibration is instrumental in giving expression to various other forms in this universe as well. The resonance of the collective vibrations of the universe is called the flute sound of Krśńa, another name for oṋḿkára, the cosmic sound which reaches the ears of spiritual aspirants in various ways. When human beings attain spiritual progress step by step, they will also hear this sound with their own ears.

In this expressed world full of various emanations there are so many varieties of colours – not only seven colours, but numerous colours made through permutations and combinations. And all these colours which people know, as well as all those which they do not know – all are included in that divine sound, that oṋḿkára. It the Upaniśads it is said,

Yá eko’varńo bahudháshaktihyogád
Varńananekán nihitártho dadháti
Vicaeti cánte vishvamádhao sa devah
Sa no-buddhyá shubhayá saḿyunaktu.

“That one Parama Puruśa has been creating this unique colourful world with His various powers. Why He is doing so is known to Him alone; no one else knows it.”

The scriptures on devotion emphatically insist that only He knows the answer, no one else. It is a fact that human beings with their limited intellect can never understand the secrets of why and how Parama Puruśa has been creating this universe; their wisdom can never fathom this mystery. That is why the scriptures say, “Be a good person, but do not be foolish. Be intelligent and clever.” Now what is the clever approach? Just as on the one hand you are moving towards Parama Puruśa to attain Him by concentrating your mind through mudrá, práńáyáma and kiirtana, at the same time you should constantly remember why He is creating all these things, and what is your relation with Him. You should think, “My little intellect cannot fathom all this – rather let me do one thing, let me establish a relation of sweet love with Him. When this relation of love is established, He will be my own, and I will know His inner secret; I will certainly find the answers to all the questions ‘why’.”

To find the answer to those questions of “why”, just as the devotees run towards His sonic expression which the Vaeśńavas call His flute sound, they also run towards the expressions of His colour. They think, I will colour my mind with the same colour in which He manifests Himself before me, and move towards Him. If I can colour my mind in His colour, I will be very close to Him. This attempt to colour oneself with the colour of Parama Puruśa is called anurága (anu means “afterwards,” and rága means “colour”). Those who want all their actions to be crowned with success should love Parama Puruśa with all their hearts, and understand what He likes and what He dislikes, what He wants and what He does not want. They should not even go near those things which Parama Puruśa dislikes. And when they guide all their desires and ambitions according to His wishes, their success will be inevitable, because whatever He wants will surely be fulfilled.

Kii habe iccháy, iccháte kii nay
Krśńa icchá viná phal phalená.

[Even if one wishes, the wish may not be fulfilled; without the wish of Krśńa, no wish can bear fruit.]

So all must work according to the wishes of Parama Puruśa. [[To dye oneself in the colour of Parama Puruśa I call anurága. In the cult of devotion, it is said that the best sádhaná is the sádhaná of kevalá bhakti. “I do not ask anything – I do not ask anything from You. Do whatever You think proper]], and do not do what You think improper. I will not apply my little intellect to You, because Your intellect is infinitely superior to mine.”

In the cult of devotion, a higher [[form of sádhaná is]] rágánuga bhakti. The word rágá is derived from the word rańj + ghaiṋ suffix. The verb rańj means “to colour”. Rágánuga bhakti means that type of devotion which gives expression to one’s inner devotion. The psychology behind this type of bhakti is, “Because of my rágánuga bhakti, because I have dyed my mind with His colour, He will be pleased. And when He is pleased, I will also get pleasure.” Some people may think, “Parama Puruśa likes to eat malpoa, so let me prepare a few pieces of malpoa for Him. When He will eat malpoa He will feel pleasure, and when He feels pleasure, I will derive joy from His joy.”

But there is a still higher type of devotion than rágánuga, in which devotee thinks, “I will do exactly as He wants, I will colour my mind with His colour, and I will not think whether that will bring joy to me or not. Let Him be pleased… that is my only wish.” This is the highest stage of devotion.

According to Vaeśńava Tantra, a person in a certain circumstance is coloured with a particular vibrational colour. Thus unit beings must offer that particular colour to Parama Puruśa saying, “Oh Parama Puruśa, please accept my colour, and colour my mind with your colour.” To offer the colour of one’s mind to Parama Puruśa, is a kind of ragasádhaná.

When Mahaprabhu first introduced the Dolyátrá festival, the psychology behind this festival was to give one’s mental colour to Parama Puruśa. The inner idea was, “Let my mind vibrate in the same way as Krśńa’s mind is vibrating” This Dolyátrá has no relation to the Holi festival of north India or the Pháguá of central and east India, for it is something purely psychic. The word Dolyátrá is popular in the almanacs of Orissa, Bengal, Assam, Manipur, and Mithila. The inner significance of Dolyátrá is, in the swinging vibration in which the entire universe is vibrating, I will also be vibrated.

Chapter 2	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Nothing in this world is meaningless – rather everything is meaningful. Suppose a person stumbles while walking in a field; even this is not meaningless. Another person bursts into laughter; that also is not meaningless. Itihásati itiyarthe itihása – “That which brings smiles, is called history or itihása.” Thus amidst smiles and tears, human beings move forward. The branch of human knowledge which depicts these joyful or tearful events is called history

Dharmárthakámamokśarthaḿ niitivákyasamánvitam
Purávrttakathayuktam itihásah pracakśate.

[That which leads to the attainment of the four vargas, the four goals of life (dharma, or psycho-spiritual goal, artha or psychic goal, káma or physical longing, and mokśa, or spiritual salvation), that which imparts the knowledge of the highest morality, and which explains the chronological history of past events is called itihása.]

We belong to the world – the world is our homeland. To state it more clearly, the entire universe is our homeland. In one corner of this universe there is a small planet called earth, and in one corner of this earth there is a community called the Bengalees. While advancing from the distant past, this community has reached the end of a dark period; a new year’s dawn is about to break in its history. The Bengalees will have to move forward still further, and in this path of their movement, there is no pause, no rest – no punctuation mark with comma, colon or semi-colon. They must move ever forward. Indeed, they are moving and they will continue to move. For movement is the very essence of life, the living proof of its vital existence. Those who stop in the middle of their movement have lost the very characteristic or dharma of life.

Akásh pátháre caleche phuler dal
Niirava carańe barańe, barańe, chúte sahasra dháráy
Duranta jiivani nirjharanii
Maraner bájáye kiuṋkinii.

[In the vast void are floating an unending flow of flowers
Moving silently in various hues
In countless flows rush the indomitable stream of life
Tolling the knell of death.]

Human beings must move forward, ignoring the frowns of staticity. Only those who move ahead vigorously are capable of making history. The Bengali community is not a mere handful of persons: they total 160 million people. So they have enough vitality to move forward, ignoring the frowns of death. In this path of historical movement, what is the law of motion? Motion is never linear, rather it is always systaltic, it is always pulsative. Each New Year’s Day is the starting point of a pulsation in history. So during the stage of pause and speed at the New Year, people look back and discover that they have moved forward leaving many things behind; and they also look ahead and see many things in front of them – they realize that they will have to do many things in the future. Accordingly they make many plans and programmes to utilize the coming year in a fruitful way.

This New Year’s day is the day of recollection of our past resolutions, when we remember our past plans and goals. By reviewing our past mistakes, we find the rectificatory measures which will help us gain enough strength to move ahead with new zeal.

Many of you perhaps do not know that the modern Bengali community is over 3000 years old. If we accept that the Rg Veda was composed between ten to fifteen thousand years ago, and the Yajur Veda from five to ten thousand years ago, then the Atharva Veda is certainly 3000 years old. In the Jain scriptures which Mahaviira Jain propounded 2500 years ago, there is a direct reference to the Atharva Veda, which proves that the Atharva Veda is older than the Jain scriptures. That is why I say that the Bengali community is more than 3000 years old, for there were various references to Bengal in the Atharva Veda. Much later, when the demi-Magadhii language was being transformed into old Bengali, words like Vauṋga, Bengali, etc. were in vogue. Many people think that the word Báḿla has come from the Turkish word Banjal or the Persian word Banjal, but they are mistaken. In Chinese the word Banjal has been in use for the last 5000 years, for in Chinese the land of Bengal was called Banjal. So both the land of Bengal and its community of people are very ancient. When the demi-Magadhi language was being transformed into old Bengali, in the Buddhist poetry of the period, there are references to the words Baḿla and Bengali. For instance, Báḿla nila jáyá (“They married in Bengal”), or bhuesu-ku áji tu Báuṋálii bhaeli aiya gharańii cańd́álii lelahi (“Bhusuku, you became a Bengalee today, and the mistress of your house has become an untouchable.”)

The word Bengal is mentioned here. Had the word Bengali been from Turkish or Persian, then it would not have been more than 700 or 800 years old. So it clear that the Bengali people have been marching towards a glittering future from an ancient past for over 3000 years. This is not a community living in a state which has only recently been demarcated; its political structure has undergone numerous transformations. Because it is so ancient, it has achieved progress in various stages. Just as it has assimilated many things from others, so it has also given many things to others.

Consequently the Bengalees have their own dress and the women have their own distinctive style of wearing sariis. They have their own almanac, literature, script, and style of intonation, and they also have their own social system of inheritance. As far as I know no other community in the world has so many unique specialities. In Europe or elsewhere, a particular community is called a nation in modern terminology; however, if we would go deeper into the Latin root meaning of the word “nation”, we would be more cautious in using the term. But the Bengali community is more than a nation.

In every phase of its history the Bengali community has made enormous progress. A community which is constantly progressing should have a special system to record its chronological history, and also a system for reckoning time.

Ancient Bengal (the then Paondravardhana) had as its capital Siḿhapur for 750 years. Siḿhapur is presently a very small town in the district of Hooghly. Siḿhabahu was one of the kings of that period. His son Vijay Siḿha conquered Ceylon and changed its name to Siḿhala. As Vijay Siḿha died without children, he brought his nephew Pánd́u Vasudeva from Siḿhapur and made him the king of Siḿhal and Kerala. The descendants of Pánd́u Vasudeva are known as the Nayars of Kerala; they migrated from Bengal 2514 years ago and settled in Kerala. At any social function of Bengal, any auspicious social ceremony, Bengali women produce a special sound which is called “huludhvani”. This system is also found amongst the Nayyar community of Kerala even today.

Another prince of Siḿhapur was Sahasneváhu who conquered Thailand and named the country Siam. Another king of Siḿhapur was Shalibáhana, who opposed the then prevalent calendar system of India. In those days the calendar system was based upon the lunar month; that is, twenty-nine days made up a month and 354 days comprised a year. According to this system there was no link between the crops and the seasons, and in some years the Bengali month of Áśáŕha (the month of the monsoon) began before the rainy season, and in other years it began after the rains were over. This system caused much inconvenience to both the farmers and the government during the collection of taxes. Consequently, Shalibáhana rejected the lunar calendar system and 1387 years ago introduced a simple new system of calendar which is followed even today in Orissa, Assam, Bangladesh, and by the revenue collectors of North India.

During the reign of King Akbar, the hijrii year was changed from the lunar system to the solar system, and it was renamed the faslii year. The faslii year begins from the month of Áshvin (the time of harvesting the autumn rice). According to the previous calendrical system of Bengal, the year began at the time of harvesting the late autumn rice. So from the reign of King Shalibáhana, the Bengali year started from Agraháyań. (The astrological name of the month was Márga Shárśa but as it was the first month of the year it was called Agraháyań. Until the days of Akbar, Agraháyań was the first month of the Bengali year. Later, to maintain adjustment with the calendar of the rest of India, the first month of the year was changed from Agraháyana to Vaesháka. The full moon takes place in the month of Agraháyana with the appearance of the Mrgaśhira star. In the rhymes of old Bengal, for example,

Agráńete bachar shuru navánna hay mit́he
Paośete áoli báoli ghare ghare pit́he.
Mághmásete Shrii paiṋcamii cheler háte khaŕi.
Phálgunete rog sáráte pháger chará chaŕi.
Cáeter gájan bájan Kánpe báḿlá sárá.
Vaeshákh másete sabe cáy jaler dhárá.
Jaeśt́hi máse śaśt́i bátá bándhe śaśt́hiir dor.
Áśáŕhete rathayátrá náiko loker oŕ.
Shrávańete jhulan dolan pathya ghrta muŕi,
Bhádra máse pántá bahát khán Manasá buŕii.
Áshvine má Durgá ásen kolákuli kaŕe,
Kárttikete ákásh pradiip shasya rakśa kare.

[The Bengali year begins in Agraháyań when the new the rice
tastes deliriously sweet.
In the month of Paośa in the festival of áoli-báaoli,
Every house prepares sweet rice cakes.
In Mágh on the fifth lunar day the children first learns to read
and write.
In Phálguńa red powder is smeared to cure disease.
In Caitra on the occasion of the Gájan festival the whole Bengal
throbs with the sounds of drums.
In Vaeshákha people anxiously await the rains.
In Jaiśt́ha people celebrate the worship of Saśt́hi (the deity
of children).
In Áśáŕha there is an unending stream of people in the ratha
festival.
In Shrávana during the swinging ceremony of Krśńa people are
entertained with puffed rice fried with butter.
In Bhádra the old snake goddess is presented with stale rice.
In Áshvina the goddess Durgá is worshipped in every house.
And in Kárttik the lamps in the sky protect the cornfields.]

This poem is called báramásyá, the depiction of the twelve months of the Bengali year. This shows that the Agraháyana was the first month of the year. In those days married Bengali girls did not set out for their paternal homes in the month of Kárttika:

Kárttika más vachaner sheś jeorná pitár desh.

[Kárttik is the last month of the year, not an auspicious time for setting out for father’s house.]

This shows that the Kárttika was the last month and Agrahána was the first month of the year. But according to the Indian system of reckoning and the newly introduced system of Saḿvat, when the full moon takes place with the appearance of the Vishákhá star, the month is called lunar Vaesháka. In lunar Vaesháka as long as the sun remains within the scope of Me’s zodiac sign (Aries), the period is known as solar Vaesháka. The Bengali month of Vaesháka is the solar Vaesháka. Yesterday the sun was in Pisces zodiac sign, but today it is in Aries. That is why today is the first day of the Bengali New Year. This was first introduced by King Shálibáhana.

According to some, the Bengali word sal or year is derived from the Persian word sal. That may be true, but in the case of Bengal, the system of the Bengali year was introduced by King Shálibáhana. King Shálibáhana was assisted by the famous astrologer Jayanta Pánigráhii of the then Danda Bhukti, who introduced the new system of reckoning the Bengali year. In the Pathan and Mughal periods, Danda Bhukti, now known as Midnapur, was called Hizli Parganas. In those days Burdwan bhukti, Somatát bhukti, Páońd́ravardhana bhukti and Kámtapur bhukti (which included some districts like the present Jalpaiguri, Goalpara, Koochvihar and Raḿpur), were all under the sovereignty of the king, and so they all accepted the Bengali system, as did Assam and Orissa.

The Bengali community is making progress in various spheres of life. And with this progress, the lunar and solar dates and years are inseparably associated. None of these matters can be removed from social life, nothing can be discarded. It is rather like the crown of the bridegroom during a wedding – if the crown is removed, the bridegroom is no longer a groom.

Again the Bengali New Year has come. So the Bengali community, who were very vibrant in the past, are still alive today; and I hope they will live dynamically in the future also. The same Bengali community will have to renew their resolution to make the new year more successful, to make their existence more vigorous. This is a day of rejoicing, and amidst this rejoicing the Bengalees will have to determine ways of improving their individual and collective life, and developing their resources for their future Progress. Nányah panthá vidyate ayanáya. “There is no other way for a living community besides this.” This is not the time for laziness; rather it is the time for intense activity. Let every moment of your valuable time be used properly. With these words I conclude my discourse.

Chapter 3	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

While moving forward and working in individual life, people sometimes become tired; this happens to everyone. Even the women of the house while working continuously sometimes complain of their daily drudgery. “We can no longer tolerate this monotony.” Those who are employed in factories also say, “We cannot bear this drab and dull existence any longer.” Every day they come and go in the same boring way, and because of this continuous monotony, people lose all interest in life. They become totally dissatisfied with the world, and their minds become assailed with cynicism. At that time some one should say, “Why do you worry? You should not be anxious or dejected – you must not feel sick at heart. You have your physical strength, you have your hands and feet to work and walk, you have your intelligence. If necessary you should take rest for a while. There is no reason to become frustrated in life.”

Mere movement is not the only characteristic of life; the second characteristic is buoyancy of spirit. Not only should people move, but they should also move in such a way that shows they are full of vitality, so that the throbbing pulse of their lives will be a source of inspiration to others. This is the true characteristic of life. Human beings always need inspiration from their fellow humans. Thus one should say to others, “Why do you waste your time in idle pursuits? You should throw yourself into a maelstrom of activities. Why do you worry about the success or failure of your work? If you fail, I am there to help you, I am with you. You needn’t worry in the least.” Those sick and disappointed people should be exhorted with these sorts of inspiring words.

This dejected situation occurs not only in the lives of individuals but in collective life as well. Perhaps a particular community performed marvellous feats in a particular century, giving ample proof of its vitality and receiving the applause of all. But thereafter followed a century of stagnancy; after a period of extreme over-exertion, the people suddenly became totally silent. When a newborn calf first sees the light of day, it becomes utterly confused and merely runs about aimlessly. Then all at once it becomes motionless and starts to suck its mother’s udder. After a few days it starts eating grass and stops running about altogether.

Human life should not be like this; it should be full of dynamism from start to finish. If it fails in this, it will cease to be human life in the true sense of the term.

Just as people psychologically do not like to move, similarly they do not want to be cast aside either; no one wants to become a thing of the past. Those who are still employed start thinking before their retirement, “Now I shall be cast aside in the world, as I will be unfit for any worldly activity.” While thinking thus, they feel very unhappy. Males after retirement try to keep themselves engaged in this or that work, but this women often cannot do – they merely remain in the house doing nothing. What a pitiable condition! It is a peculiar situation, and it develops a tragic psychology. If you call a person an old man, he will not react sharply, but if you call a woman an old woman, she will be extremely angry. Thus women always pretend they are younger in age than they actually are, for no one wants to lose the essence of their life.

In collective life as well, a particular community may demonstrate its efficiency for a while, and in that community many great persons may be born. But thereafter, everything comes to a standstill. With the noise of a bustling wind, people reminisce, “Oh, my grandfather accomplished this great feat… my aunt performed that marvellous work… our surname is Roychoudhury. For we were once great landlords…” Thus people always ruminate over their past and gloat over their ancestors, because they have no glorious present at all – everything is an empty void. When a community thus loses its inner wealth, then it tenaciously clings to the skeleton of its past and says, “I was this, I was that.” But they are unable to say, “I am this, I am that.” I hope you realize the significance of this.

Now, what is essential in such a circumstance? One must say, “Do not bother about what your ancestors have done. Why can’t you do the same? The same warm blood is flowing through your veins as flowed in theirs.”

Amra ghucába má tor kálimá
Mánuś ámrá, nahi to meś;
Devii ámár, sádhaná ámár,
Svarga ámár, ámár desh.

[Oh motherland, we will remove all your stains, for we are human beings, not sheep. You are my goddess, You are my sádhaná, you are my heaven, you are my hallowed land.]

The poet Diijendralal Roy said, “We have done many things in the past, but now we can do nothing. We have lost our glory, we need not be anxious. The stains of our inglorious life of today will certainly be removed, for we are human beings, not sheep.” Thus when any community is caught in a muddy whirlpool, then someone must come and declare in a thundering voice, “Do not be alarmed. There is no reason to think that those who had a glorious past will not have a glorious future as well.”

Uttiśt́hata jágrata prápya barán nibodhata: “Arise, awake awake and learn from a competent teacher, and then start to work.” Just as the guidance of an inspiring person is necessary in individual life, similarly in collective life also there should be someone to give a clarion call to action. When collective life becomes dejected, then a divine personality is necessary to galvanize people into action. Some means must be found for people to cast off their lethargy and start life anew.

People often feel bored with their humdrum lives, with their mechanical routines; thus a fresh start must be created through [[utsava [festivals]. In the Sanskrit language the meaning of the word sava is “to take birth”; the root verb sú plus al suffix equals sava, and su means “to take birth”.]] The substance which [[makes one feel that one’s body has been reborn]] is called ásava [an alcoholic drink thought to have energizing properties]. Similarly ut – sú + al = utsava [which means “festival”]. “Ut” means “above” and “sava” means “[[to take]] birth”; so utsava means “an occasion which gives human beings fresh inspiration to live a new life.”

When people become tired and uninspired, when they can no longer look towards the future with hope, when their colourful dreams are shattered, at that time the sweetness of a festival brings new joy and vigour in life. Thus in individual and collective life, the importance of festivals is tremendous. One should always remember that festivals should be such that all can take part in them without any ostentatious display of wealth, and with an upsurge of their life force. And these festivals should be conducted in such a way that people take part in them from a spontaneous inner urge. I hope that you will make such arrangements so that all are attracted towards your festivals which will be more and more charming – and this will bring about your collective welfare.

Chapter 4	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Our subject of discussion yesterday was action, the reaction of action, and doership.⁽¹⁾ In that connection, I explained what Parama Puruśa can do: what are the actions He performs directly and what are the actions He gets done through His agents. In this context a fundamental question arises – what are the steps Parama Puruśa adopts to redeem so-called sinners? People say that when sinners and evil-doers come under the shelter of Parama Puruśa, they attain salvation. Now if people can be redeemed from sin, intellectuals may naturally ask a question: “How to attain that salvation?”

You all know that the most detrimental thing for human society and human progress is dogma. What is dogma? Where there is no logic, where there is no support of intellectuality, where there is no debate and free discussion, but there is only a severe imposition forcing people to accept something, there is dogma. What type of people preach this sort of dogma? The answer is: the blind followers of religion. It is quite natural for the followers of religion to say all kinds of dogmatic things. That is why people say that there is no room for logic in religion. But genuine dharma is completely based on logic and supported by intellectuality. In the case of dharma, people are convinced by logic; and people analyse and accept it after free and frank discussion and accordingly start moving in the path of life. The question is: how can people follow something which is not properly understood by them? And another question is: can one get redemption from sins, or not? It is said:

Nábhuktaḿ kśiiyate karma kalpakot́ishataerapi;
Avashyameva bhoktavyaḿ krtaḿ karma shubháshubham.

“Unless one undergoes the requitals of one’s mental reactive momenta – good requitals to good actions, bad requitals to bad actions – one cannot attain liberation.” Avashyameva bhoktavyaḿ krtaḿ karma shubháshubham – “whether an action is good or bad, the reaction must be experienced.” Then, if one is bound to undergo a bad reaction to a bad action, how can one hope to be redeemed from sin, because we already know that the reactions of sins must be required? But Lord Krśńa declared, by way of consoling human beings: “However durácárii or sudurácárii a person may be, if he or she comes under My shelter I will certainly save him or her from all sins. I will help him or her to attain liberation or salvation.” Here durácárii means a sinner, a person whose actions are opposed to ideology, whose thoughts and activities are opposed to morality, justice and the spirit of dharma. And sudurácarii means a person whom even the durácáriis consider a sinner, and whose company they will try to avoid.

Are not these two things self-contradictory? On the one side it is said that one must reap the consequences of actions, and on the other side people are advised to take the shelter of Parama Puruśa to attain salvation. Is this also a dogma?

This is a knotty question indeed. Now the question is, who performs action? It is the human mind which performs action.

Mana eva manuśyáńáḿ kárańaḿ bandhamokśayoh;
Bandhasya viśayásaungii mukto nirviśayaḿ tathá.

Mano karoti karmáńi mano lipyate pátako;
Manashca tanmaná buddhayá na puńyaḿ na ca pátako.

“It is the human mind which is the cause of bondage or liberation. If the mind is in bondage, the person is also in bondage. Similarly, if the mind is liberated the person is also liberated. After all, it is the human mind which engages in auspicious actions. Now, if this mind is kept engrossed in the ideation of Parama Puruśa, then it gets totally merged in Consciousness. In that case, where is the scope for virtue or vice for that person?”

If an ordinary sinner or a confirmed sinner remains absorbed in the thought of Parama Puruśa to the exclusion of all other thoughts, then his or her mind becomes pointed. This is called agryábuddhi [pinnacled intellect] in Sanskrit. In that state of mind the spiritual aspirant gets well established in pinnacled intellect. Unless and until the ordinary human intellect is elevated to the level of pinnacled intellect or apexed intellect, the continuous rise and fall of innumerable vibrations within one’s existence continues. These psychic vibrations are sometimes the vibrations of virtue, sometimes the vibrations of vice, sometimes the vibrations of the reaction of sinful deeds, sometimes of virtuous deeds. Unless the human mind is pointed, this rise and fall of antagonistic psychic vibrations will go on. The moment the mind is centred on Parama Puruśa, then that mind will naturally become pointed. In that state there is no scope for the rise and fall of any wave – neither the wave of virtue nor the wave of vice. Thus it is said that when a spiritual aspirant is established in pinnacled intellect, there cannot be any question of virtue and vice. A person who has taken the Cosmic shelter goes far above the scope of virtue or vice. This is something very natural.

And thus so-called sinners and evil-doers should not be worried at all. Krśńa has rightly said, “If even a diehard criminal comes in My shelter, I will save him or her from all sins; I will see to it that the person attains liberation or salvation. Hence no one, no spiritual aspirant – however black or despicable one’s past life might be – should be worried about anything.” This statement of Parama Puruśa is unalterable, inviolable. This statement is neither a philosophical assertion nor any dogma. Then what sort of statement is it? It is clear and simple. It conveys the idea that human beings should not be anxious under any circumstances, Parama Puruśa is always with everyone. If one has love for Parama Puruśa, the door of liberation or salvation will immediately open.

Footnotes

(1) “Karma, Karmaphala o Kartrttva” in Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 19. –Eds.

Chapter 5	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

The subject of today’s discourse is “Reality and Intellectuality”. While talking or arguing, we usually say, “It is reality,” or “This is a matter of fact,” or “This is abstract.” We use various terms to express the idea of reality. Now, let us consider the concept of reality, and then we will examine intellectuality.

People often say that “So-and-so is highly intellectual.” People speak in this way about intellectuals. But before we begin our discussion on intellectuality, let us first understand the concept of reality.

Reality

To human beings, [reality] is that which they can perceive with their sensory organs. What I can see with my eyes I call reality. How does a person perceive an object? The tanmátras⁽¹⁾ of sound, touch, form, taste and smell of an object reach the gateways of the sense organs as vibrations of different wavelengths. These vibrational expressions, these movements, are not linear, but are of systaltic order. In every phase there is pulsation, there is systalsis. Every vibrational expression is pulsative. Whatever we receive (or emanate) through our sensory or motor organs follows a systaltic movement. Waves appear for a fraction of a second and again disappear in the next moment. So when a wave appears, we can perceive it. When the action is there, we observe the object, we absorb it; in the pause phase we neither observe it nor absorb it. For example, when we say that we are seeing an elephant or a camel, we do not see them incessantly – now they appear, and the next moment they disappear. From the total of all these appearances and disappearances, we know what we are seeing.

The fundamental characteristic of the human mind is to receive or absorb something; that is, usually it has a positive tendency to see, to touch, to smell or to taste some object. Thus when we see numerous fragments of an object in the expressive phase, we integrate them into a whole and then say that we have seen this or that object, that we have touched or smelt this or that thing.

But if the mind has a negative tendency then it will, in the same way, integrate all the pause phases of the vibrational flow and we will say, even after seeing an elephant or a camel, that we did not see any elephant or camel at all. This indicates that there are positive tendencies and negative tendencies in the mind. On the basis of the positive tendency, we see and feel and taste different things. But the negative tendency will cause us not to perceive anything.

So that which we call “reality” has two subdivisions – positive and negative. Duality always exists in reality. Because of the existence of duality, reality cannot be an absolute entity. The existence of reality is not substantiated. So that which we call reality is not reality – if we happen to have a positive tendency in the mind, we think: “I am perceiving the real world.”

One more point should be mentioned in this regard. The process of perception by the sensory organs may be defective. Suppose you are looking at a sandy area at night from a distant point. In the darkness, the sands may appear to you as an expanse of water, or as a river, or as sheets of corrugated metal. This is an optical illusion. And this is not the end of the matter. The perceptive capacities of the sensory organs vary from one individual to another. There is no recognized standard of reality. Moreover, each sensory organ has its own limited capacity. Each sensory organ functions within its own defined limits and within its own jurisdiction. In addition, there are objects which we can perceive with the help of sensitive instruments but cannot perceive with the naked eye. We perceive some objects with the help of radio waves. Can we call such things perceptible by the senses? No, we cannot. That is why what we call reality or crude fact, on which the whole concept of materialism stands, is not at all real. So how and where can materialism get a foothold? Materialism is based on so-called reality, but that so-called reality is itself defective and full of ambiguity; the meaning of “reality” is not clear. Where there is duality, how can there be truth?

Intellectuality

Now, what about intellectuality? The flow of ectoplasmic waves moves continuously on, and those waves are also systaltic, with crests and troughs, speed and pause, contraction and expansion. They sometimes come in the mind and sometimes not. But when there is a positive tendency in the mind, it integrates everything which it receives and claims that it has seen an object, such as an elephant. Now suppose that there is not a positive tendency but a negative tendency in the mind, what happens? In that case, though the mind projects an elephant within, we will not see it. Even if we try to imagine an elephant in our minds, we will not be able to see it. And not only this. Because of this psychic defect or disorder, we have hallucinations, sometimes positive and sometimes negative. In our inner thoughts as well, sometimes such positive or negative hallucinations can occur. Obviously, whatever an intellectual thinks in his or her arena of intellect is completely defective. There always remains scope for doubt in intellectuality. So intellectuality is also baseless, because the very movement of the ectoplasm is baseless.

Intellectuals think that they are not ordinary persons. They think that they can do so many things and that they know so many things. But they should keep in mind that their thoughts may be defective, because in their thought-waves crests and troughs are always operating. Within their thoughts there is sometimes speed and sometimes pause. If the sum is taken of all those psychic pauses together, then intellectuality amounts to nothing.

Intellectuality does not depend on thought-waves alone. Here, the crux of the problem is not that thought-waves are defective, but that such thought-waves become defective because the mind’s subjectivated compartment has no control over its objectivated mental chamber. As a result, the mind may think that an object is non-existent, although it actually exists. Similarly, sometimes an object appears to the mind to exist, although actually it does not. This kind of intellectuality is affected by ambiguity.

So we see that there is ambiguity in both reality and intellectuality. The possibility of such ambiguity remains because of the positive tendencies of the mind. So we see that reality is not actually reality, and intellectuality is not actually intellectuality either.

Spirituality

Now, what should be our final conclusion? We can say that in this world neither intellectuality nor reality exists. So, what course should intelligent and wise people adopt in this world? They should search for something beyond this pulsative order of contraction and expansion, speed and pause. And what is that something? It is nothing else but spirituality.

The movement of spirituality is never pulsative in character, but rather linear: it flows in a straight line. Due to this straightness, it has no positive curvature or negative curvature. Yet for the sake of convenience we can call it the supreme positivity; and its farthest extremity, the point where resides all human existence, the starting-point of all intellectuals and non-intellectuals, can be termed the supreme negativity. So the movement of a living being starts from the supreme negativity, and as it gradually flows towards the supreme positivity, that is, towards spirituality, its line of movement becomes straight. This is the real path. At the end nothing exists – neither intellectuality nor reality – only spirituality pervades everything. No entity in the external world can claim the status of an absolute entity. Spirituality alone is the absolute stance; and to search for it is the real intellectuality. Whatever people do apart from this is nothing but the expression of their distorted propensities.

Footnotes

(1) Tanmátra literally means “minutest fraction of that”, i.e., of a given rudimental factor of matter. It is also translated “inferential wave”. The various types of tanmátra convey the senses of hearing, touch, form (vision), taste and smell. –Eds.

Chapter 6	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Just as this material world made of the five fundamental factors cannot be neglected, similarly the human mind which is made of ectoplasmic stuff also cannot be ignored. The mind evolves due to clash and cohesion in the material world. Similarly, out of clash and cohesion within the psychic body, Self or unit consciousness evolves. This is why the path of psychic culture cannot be ignored or neglected. As a result of constant psychic culture, the mind will be elevated to higher states of spirituality, and that evolved mind naturally seek to merge into the Cosmic Entity. The human entity wants to be identified with the Supreme Entity. The microcosms long to expand themselves until they are as vast as the Supreme Entity, because expansion is the very nature of human dharma, that is, Bhagavad Dharma.

Vistára (expansion), rasa (flow), seva (service) and tadsthiti (attainment of the Supreme) are the four aspects of human existence, and there must be progress in all these spheres. That progress occurs through the process of thesis, antithesis and synthesis. In the second stage of progress, the synthesis becomes the thesis and it is again opposed by antithesis. The resultant of the clash between the new thesis and antithesis is again synthesis, and this synthesis becomes the thesis in the third stage. This process of movement applies in the mundane sphere as much as it does in the sphere of ideation.

This movement in the physical sphere takes place as a result of the fight against inertia in all respects. Many people hesitate to point out this simple truth, and others do not care to be reminded of it. For example, from the Medieval Age until the present there was a custom that upper caste people were not authorized to till the land, since tilling the land was considered a sin. When I decided to break this dogma by ploughing the land with my own hand, many opposed me. They objected saying, “No, no, no – to use a plough is forbidden. You must not do it!” But I did not heed their advice. I went against their dogma and ploughed the land with my own hands and found to my satisfaction that no harm resulted. They cautioned me again and again that such intransigence on my part would bring about my ruin. But I was not harmed in any way; their arguments were just useless dogma. When human beings are advised or forced to follow something irrational, that is a dogma. Why should ploughing the land be forbidden? Why should one incur sin by doing that? Strangely, after crops are grown as a result of ploughing the land, eating those crops is not forbidden. This means that the person who grows crops for me by ploughing the land will incur the sin for me! What kind of logic is this? In fact it is no logic at all. So movement in the physical sphere means to fight against this kind of inertia. That which thwarts your progress and endangers your very existence is your enemy. You have to smash the shackles of those obstacles and break through to a new light.

Our physical body exists and works within this quinquelemental world. For the maintenance of this gross quinquelemental body there are the necessities of food, clothing, education, shelter and medical treatment, and in this regard you will have to establish yourselves through struggle.

Human beings are social beings: they cannot live in isolation. The establishment of oneself through struggle no doubt takes place through individual efforts, but this individual effort has to be supported by collective approval and collective urge. On the foundation of this collective effort, human beings will continue their struggle. If the collective foundation is free from any flaw, then human beings will certainly establish themselves in their cherished goal.

Thus human beings should have firm determination and a sound philosophy. They must continue their struggle in the physical sphere for the preservation of their individual and collective existence. The psychic inertness which I term dogma will seek to thwart your progress with all its might; this is quite natural. One should not be fearful and stop moving due to this dogma. It should be borne in mind that forward movement always implies facing obstacles created by inertness. It would be unnatural if obstacles did not come. If obstacles do not block your path, it means you are only indulging in tall talk, you are not actually trying to move forward. We often hear people saying, “I just commenced a project and such-and-such person opposed me”. This is quite natural. If you want to do something concrete, inertness in various forms and various ways will stand in your path. You will have to welcome these obstacles with a smile and say, “Hello obstacles, you have come. You do your duty and let me do mine.” In Ananda Sútram it has been said, Bádhá sá yuśamáná shaktih sevyaḿ sthápayati lakśye “Obstacles are the helping forces which establish people in their cherished goal.”

There is also the vast psychic world of human beings which is composed of ectoplasmic stuff, which evolves out of the powdered-down five fundamental factors. It should be borne in mind that this quinquelemental world is a crudified form of the Cosmic Mind. Out of this quinquelemental world, through clash and cohesion, the ectoplasm or the psychic world has evolved. If human beings try to avoid struggle in the physical sphere, if they wrongly attempt to circumvent those obstacles, they cannot succeed. Rather as a result of their aversion to struggle, they will not undergo any ectoplasmic development, and this will be harmful for them. Then when greater obstacles appear before them, they will not be able to confront them staunchly. Thus the struggle in the physical sphere is a necessary preparation for the struggle in the psychic sphere. Similarly due to expansion in the psychic sphere, various new ideas and facts will flash before a person’s mind, and these will be a positive help in the struggle in the physical sphere. Such forceful ideation and unflickering psychic steadiness will help people in their spiritual expansion, and this spiritual expansion will lead them closer and closer towards Parama Puruśa. Then their minds will desire only that their small “I feeling” should be merged in the infinite, unbounded expanse of Parama Puruśa. And in that state they will be able to devote themselves more completely to individual and collective welfare.

This is Shrávańii Púrńimá. It is an important day. Then I was very young, studying in Vidyasagar College in Calcutta. One evening a very interesting event took place. Suddenly a wicked person came near me. I use the word “wicked”, but it is not a permanent state of human beings. A person who is wicked today may be a noble person tomorrow, and one who is dull or stupid today may be wise tomorrow. These are all relative matters bound by the bondages of relativity. No one can be called permanently wicked. It should always be borne in mind that one should always try to develop the good and the subtle in a wicked person.

The word “good” in Bengali is bhála; this word has come from the Saḿskrta word bhadra. Bhadra became bhadda in Prákrta-Pali, bhalla in demi-Prákrta, bhálá or bháilá in old Bengali, and bhála in modern Bengali. In the villages in Faridpur District of Bangladesh, there is a rhyme, Bhála áila burá gela; “So the good came and the bad disappeared.”

Bhála means “good”. Again, there is a 1200-year-old Bengali poem:

Pár gazara saḿga soi durjana saḿga abasara toi
Ńda na bindhu na ravi ná shashimandala
Ujure uju chári ná leo re bánka
Niori bohi na kháore laḿka Háthe kaḿkana ná leo dápan
Appane appa bujhata niya mana
Pár gazara soi durjana saḿga abasara toi
Báma dáhina yo khala bikhalá
Saraha bhanai báppá uju báta bhaelá.

So here bháilá or bhadra means “that which progresses in all the three spheres”: physical, psychic and spiritual. To willingly subject oneself to humiliation without protest, to tolerate injustice and accept all the agonies of exploitation as divine providence without resistance, is not the mark of a good person. The characteristic of good people is to fight against injustice, to firmly adhere to truth and righteousness, to protect the helpless and fight against all evil persons. Those who are merely simple and are of a meek and goody-goody nature are not good people.

Let us return to our original topic. That evening a certain wicked person came to me. What could he expect from me? But then he came. In accordance with natural human psychology, I asked him, “What do you want? Why do you adopt this evil path?” In the course of our conversation, he realized that he should change the course of his life, and he took initiation. That was the first spiritual initiation I ever imparted to anyone. And that same day, Shrávańii Púrnima, has again returned.

A long time has elapsed since then. That was perhaps in 1939. This all took place 41 years ago. You must try to arouse the seed of benevolence that lies hidden in the inner recesses of the human mind. How can this seed be aroused? Human beings will have to apply all sorts of measures – persuasion, scolding etc.; and at the same time you will have to continue your efforts so that the dormant seeds of psychic potentialities express themselves. And with their expression, the whole society will be benefited. Today human beings must be inspired and motivated, and thus discipline is essential. To impose discipline is not bad. It has been said in the scriptures: Hitarthe shásanam ityarthe anushásanam. “That discipline which leads to the welfare of all human beings is called anushásanam.” Society requires enforced discipline. In the scriptures it is also said: Nigrahánugrahe shakto gururityabhidhiyate: “One who is capable of punishing or rewarding one’s followers is called a Guru, a true teacher”. Only one who can discipline as well as love a person, can be called a Guru.

One who only punishes a person is not a Guru, and one who only loves is also not a Guru. Rather he or she is an enemy, for excessive love and affection spoils a person. Only one who does both these things is a real Guru. That is why people should be trained with both love and punishment. Where love fails, punishment helps. Medicine is not necessarily always sweet; sometimes bitter medicines are necessary as well. Patients often refuse to swallow bitter medicines; they cry in protest. But the ideal physician will force the patient to swallow the medicine. This is the proper way.

Today the entire body of the human society is riddled with numerous ailments of dogmas – as if the whole social body were stricken with leprosy. Under these circumstances humanity will have to undergo the necessary treatment and then move forward.

Once again I repeat that no human being should be considered irrevocably wicked. One should always try to find the good lying latent in all people, because as their good qualities develop, society will respect them more. We should try to restore those sinful persons to an honourable position in society. Those who will not support your endeavour to establish those people in a respectable position, or those who openly harm society without restraint, will have to be dealt with firmly. And this will be for the welfare not only of those downtrodden human beings but also of the greater humanity, as well as for the satisfaction of Parama Puruśa.

Chapter 7	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

To try to go beyond the walls of obstacles is the nature of all living beings, not only of human beings. To overcome the limitations of bondages, physical strength is not sufficient – psychic and spiritual strength are also equally necessary. In spite of animals having sufficient physical power, they cannot make progress due to their shortage of psychic power, and their complete lack of spiritual power. But by the use of their intellect, even weaker human beings can easily cross lofty mountains, the mere sight of which makes the animals stand in awe. The very fact that human beings can do something which animals cannot in spite of their greater physical strength, proves the power of a developed mind.

Now the question is, has the developed psychic power of human beings come overnight? Certainly not. Their intellectual development has taken place as a result of prolonged clash and cohesion. The human mind and its vehicle, the brain, have been developing continuously, and as the medium for their developed minds and developed brains, humans have evolved more developed bodies which are very different from those of the animals. And this difference in the psychic sphere and the consequent difference in the physical sphere have distinguished humans from non-humans: this is the speciality of human beings.

For instance, when an animal confronts an obstacle, it is ready to overcome that obstacle with its brute force; whereas humans will deeply contemplate and finally overcome the obstacle by inventing various methods with their subtle intellect. It must be borne in mind that these obstacles are not merely physical, or temporal, or spatial, or personal. There are also other major obstacles in the psychic and spiritual spheres.

Of these obstacles, the temporal, spatial and personal ones come within the scope of adhibhaotik obstacles. But the adhidaevik (psycho-spiritual and spiritual) obstacles are something different, something external. It is possible only for human beings to fight against these psycho-spiritual and spiritual obstacles, not for non-humans. Only in the physical sphere can non-human creatures put up a fight.

In the psycho-spiritual sphere, the greatest obstacle is dogma. From their neighbours, from their own families, and from their teachers, unwholesome ideas are injected into people’s minds. People cannot free themselves from these ideas, even when they are mature and highly educated; they simply helplessly surrender themselves to these dogmas. What a tragedy! “I understand something in one way, but I behave otherwise.” Why is it so? It is tragic that I do not have enough moral courage to oppose something which is wrong. I understand that a particular disease should be treated in a particular way, and I also follow that course of treatment – but with a certain degree of hesitation and fear.

People make offerings to certain deities secretly. The psychology behind this sort of ostentatious ritualism is this: if it helps, so be it – if it doesn’t help, never mind. This serious frailty of human beings is called dogma (bhávajad́atá in Saḿskrta). For the welfare of the human society, human beings will have to struggle vigorously against these dogmas, which seek to devour them like cobras with outstretched hoods. Humanity must be liberated from the bondages of smallness, and thus they must transcend the limitations of bondage after bondage. After liberating themselves from one bondage, they will be ensnared by still another one, which they will also have to break; and thus in the process of movement, when they are able to totally and finally smash all these obstacles, that day will be the day of emancipation for them. And for that auspicious day of emancipation, each and every human being will have to actively wait. Yet they must not merely look on passively; they will have to move ahead vigorously.

The final obstacle is that of the spiritual world. For the dissemination of spiritual instruction, how many scriptures and mythologies have been composed, from age to age. And these scriptures, these social treatises and mythologies, have made so many contradictory statements. Each of them has claimed that its own utterance is the most correct and rational and deserves to be accepted, since it is the commandment of God. Now the question is, if all these utterances are the instructions of Parama Puruśa Himself, then why should there be so much mutual contradiction among them? This should not be the case at all. Personally I do not find any difference between one person and another in regard to their fundamental spiritual psychology. There is no mutual contradiction in the case of jaeva dharma (animal dharma) or human dharma, Bhagavad Dharma. All these are the essence of humanity, born out of the deepest human psychology.

In order to achieve success in the struggle against spiritual obstacles, the entire humanity has to be established in Bhagavad Dharma, and then only will human beings be able to breathe the free atmosphere of supreme emancipation, beyond all the insurmountable walls of spiritual obstacles. In this connection the utterance of Lord Krśńa should be mentioned: Mámeva ye prapadyante Mayámetaḿ tarantiite. “Whoever accepts Me as their shelter will be able to cross this ocean of Máyá.” What could be more painful than spiritual bondage, which is the greatest obstacle in the path of human movement, and which leads human beings to forget their humanity and identify themselves with animality? Yet to fight against these obstacles and emerge victorious, and thereby to bring about human emancipation – all these tasks become easier if human beings take the shelter of Parama Puruśa.

Now the question is, what is the source of these obstacles? The answer is that Parama Puruśa has a special power which is known as Mayá. Whose power is this Mayá? The answer is, Shakti sa shivasya shaktih. Mayá is nothing but the immanent force of Parama Puruśa. Now human beings are eager to surmount these obstacles created by Mayá, and for this there is no other way than for them to take the shelter of Parama Puruśa, the Lord of Mayá.

Chapter 8	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Brahmavid Brahmaeva bhavati – “One who realizes Brahma becomes Brahma.” I said yesterday that in the path of progress, there are three types of bondages: (1) ádhibhaotika (2) ádhidaevika, and ádhyátmika. The word adhi means “pervasively”; that is, any limited material object is called either quinquelemental or physical; but when something is pervasively related to all the quinquelemental factors, there the mere word “physical” or “material” will not suffice. We will have to use the term ádhibhaotika (“all-pervasive physicality”). Similarly, when some action or reaction is taking place in the psychic sphere as the requital of some previous action, it is not sufficient to call it daevika (psychic phenomenon): we will have to use the word ádhidaevika. Likewise, in the spiritual sphere, when there are some minor obstacles in individual life, we generally call them “spiritual” obstacles; but in a broader, more pervasive sense, they should be called ádhyátmika. As there are no proper synonyms for ádhibhaotika, ádhidaeviká and ádhyátmika, I am in favour of using the terms “metaphysical”, “metapsychic,” and “metaspiritual,” respectively. I have said that the spatial, temporal and personal obstacles come within the scope of the metaphysical sphere. So when we use the terms metaphysical, metapsychic and metaspiritual, it will not be necessary to additionally use the terms temporal, spatial and personal.

Now, human beings will have to persist in their untiring efforts to liberate themselves from these triple bondages; this is only natural. Animals also endeavour to do this, but due to their incapacity they cannot succeed. Yet as the result of their efforts, after lives together when these very same animals attain the human frame, they gradually overcome these obstacles due to their acquired momentum.

These three kinds of obstacles can also be described as triple afflictions or trividha klesha. We will have to analyse how much relief human beings can actually attain from these afflictions.

Now the question is, why is it not possible to conquer this metaphysical universe with the help of a physical body? Why can human beings not establish their supremacy over time, space and person? Humans may be able to expand their physical bodies by means of their efforts. You may have noticed that some animals, under some special circumstances, enlarge their bodies in anger or fear, just as a cat does when it is enraged or frightened. This is possible with the help of vital energy. And when human beings want to establish their supremacy over the metaphysical world with their physical bodies, then the interatomic and inter-molecular spaces of their bodies will increase, and ultimately due to internal clash the physical will no longer remain physical, it will be transformed into psychic: that is, by virtue of their psychic power, they will gain control over the quinquelemental world. And when human beings by means of their unit consciousness (jiivátma) seek to attain Parama Puruśa, then their unit consciousness will have to expand itself. In that stage the unit consciousness will no longer remain confined to the unit; it will be transformed into Paramátma, the Supreme Consciousness. That is why it is said, Brahmavid Brahmaeva bhavati, “One who realizes Brahma becomes Brahma”.

While performing meditation, when spiritual aspirants develop their intrinsic love for Parama Puruśa, there no longer remains any separate identity in them; they become completely identified with Parama Puruśa. In an old poem it is said, Ye ye ujuvát́e gelá anávat́t́á bhailá sai – “Those who have moved upwards towards Parama Shiva in the multipropensive plexus along the passage of shuśumná have not returned;” and they are not expected to return again. That is why I tell you to continue your sádhaná sincerely, and in the process you will one day become one with Parama Puruśa, you will finally attain eternal bliss. This is the absolute and supreme goal of human life.

Chapter 9	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Those who worship Parama Puruśa with single-minded devotion, with their undivided attention discarding all other mundane thoughts, and, bringing about a smooth softness in their mental flow, move towards Parama Puruśa, are called gopiis or devotees. No one can depict these types of devotees, because the inner devotion of their tender ideation is embedded in the deepest recesses of their hearts. It is completely internal, a matter of their psychic world. It is also difficult to give proper expression to the thoughts of these gopiis, who are specially endowed with this unique devotion and ideation. This sort of gopiibhava, the ideation of a gopii, may be attained as the result of spiritual practices and merit from the performance of virtuous deeds for lives together. While imbibing this ideation of a gopii bit by bit as the result of prolonged meditation and merit, one can gradually elevate oneself to the highest state of devotion. It may also happen that within a very short period, even within an hour or two, this gopiibháva may be aroused as the result of exclusive absorption in Parama Puruśa. So one can become a gopii as a result of prolonged practice, or even within a very short period. This ideation is never confined within the limits of time. When a person moves towards Parama Puruśa with tender ideation, full of smoothness, full of sweet peace, he or she is called a gopii (samyaung maśrńito shánto).

Even while remaining in this exalted state, sometimes it happens that the mind of the devotee runs after materiality for a short while. Consequently in the blissful flow of the devotee’s mind some blemish or distortion takes place. For instance, a poor person at the sight of the vast wealth of a rich man, may be tempted to think, “If I had that much wealth, I could have rendered greater service to the society, and to Parama Puruśa.” Or when seeing an eloquent person, one may think, “If I had the same power of oratory, then I could also praise the glories of Parama Puruśa with my sublime force of expression.” Although a person has sufficient knowledge to do some work yet such a person may think inwardly, “Had I greater scholarship, then I could have preached about the Supreme with greater logic and artistry.” These desires for the acquisition of more material wealth, for more scholarship and eloquence, are certainly distortions of the smooth flow of a devotee’s mind. Perhaps there is no defect regarding one’s goal, but the defect lies in the psychic movement in the world of ideation; because one must work according to the capacity which Parama Puruśa has already bestowed – this is what Parama Puruśa expects us to do. Parama Puruśa knows best which person should be given what amount of power; thus if we think that it would have been better if we had possessed more wealth, more eloquence, more scholarship – these ideas are not consistent with ideation of a gopii.

Genuine devotees should always remember that they should serve Parama Puruśa to the best of their capacity, with whatever power they have already been given by Parama Puruśa.

Now, wealth or eloquence or scholarship – these are all concerned with the world of colour. When human beings think of money, then the crude colour of money brings impurity in the mind ; similarly oratory or scholarship brings another type of impurity in the mind, and thus the smooth flow of the mind becomes impaired. In the scriptures it is said of Parama Puruśa, raso vae sah; that is, “Parama Puruśa is an unbroken flow of bliss.” If there is not a hundred percent smooth flow of mind, then it will not be possible for the mind to maintain parallelism with His continuous flow of bliss. One who is a real gopii is always aware of this. What does a gopii do? He or she will say to Parama Puruśa, “Oh Lord, let all my impurities, all my defects remain, but remove my weakness for scholarship, for oratory or material wealth – because if I want anything other than you, I am grievously mistaken. For my wrong desire, for my deviation from my path – for this temporary distortion that arose in my mind when I sought to attain something in this colourful mundane world – I admit my fault. I surrender my mental colour to merge with your colour. I want to rise above the world of colour, I want to be colourless. I want to rid myself of my defective dependence on the world of colour, due to the distorted thoughts in my mind.”

Thus a devotee will have to make vigorous efforts to rise above the realm of colour. The fundamental significance of the spring festival is this. The spring festival is not a festival of Bengal ; it was observed in north India where it was known as Holi. The people of northern India sought to regain the vibrant liveliness of spring after throwing off the dullness of winter. Winter is a symbol of inertness or dullness, whereas spring represents irresistible life force, the expression of enormous dynamism. Human beings welcome the advent of spring by burning the effigy of Holi which symbolises the static inertness of winter. The same festival is known as Pháguya in Bihar. About 550 years ago, Caetanya Mahaprabhu once went to Brindaban. There he observed how the people of the north were celebrating the Holi festival. After he returned to Bengal, he introduced the Dol festival of Lord Krśńa, based on the inner significance of the Holi festival.

The Dol festival is also a spring festival, but in northern India it is known as Holi, in Bihar Phaguyá and in Bengal it is known as the Dol festival of Lord Krśńa. The festival in northern India is essentially a social festival, but in Bengal it is a spiritual celebration, because the spring festival represents the psychology of a spiritual aspirant, the ideation of a gopii.

Chapter 10	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Everything in this universe is embedded in time, space and person. Whatever we see, whatever we touch, hear, taste or smell, is all within the scope of relativity. Everything that exists is within the domain of relativity, and the only entity which is beyond the realm of relativity is Parama Puruśa. So each and every entity coming within the scope of these three dimensions has an existential awareness. Within the realm of these three dimensions, various objects are constantly assuming form in various ways; some are maintaining their structural solidarity, and some are being destroyed. Whatever is created does not exist forever; what is created in one moment starts undergoing the phase of destruction in the next moment. The intervening period from the point of creation to the point of annihilation is what is known as existence. This existential awareness depends upon the balance amongst time, space and person.

The Bengali society today is not exactly as it was about 1000 years ago: it has undergone a great change. The males of those days used to wear dhoti in the málkoca⁽¹⁾ style; they would wear an undershirt with short sleeves stitched by hand, and a pair of wooden sandals. The women used to wear their saris with the end piece tucked in at the waist, as it was not the fashion then to wear a blouse. They used to cook rice, greens, and shukto;⁽²⁾ it is not written anywhere whether or not the people of ancient Bengal used to eat pulses. Probably the use of pulses came to Bengal at some time from southern or northern India. There is reference to a kind of food preparation called mugshaolii – whole green grams boiled in milk. Of course, rice was in wide use because Bengal was essentially a land of lakes and ponds, canals and marshy land, and rice was always the principal crop of the area. Old Bengali literature provides us with a long list of food items popular in those days:

Oggara bhattá rambhá patta
Gaikka ghittá dugdha sajattá
Nália gacchá moallá macchá
Drjja kamá khá punyavanta.

[Warm rice served on banana leaves, with clarified butter and well-boiled milk, green leaves and moalla fish – this food the wife is distributing, and the husband is eating.]

Along with the changes in time, dress, ornaments and human taste are all undergoing change. The girls of those days were very fond of using ornaments; but the girls of today prefer social prestige to ornaments. Even if some of them want ornaments, they do not desire them as much as the girls of the past. The girls of those days never cared for social prestige; rather they felt that it was not meant for women, so they were content with ornaments.

The social system has also undergone changes. In Bengal there was no caste division at any time. The division of society into four varńas was never accepted in Bengal or Manipur; it developed from the Aryan influence at a later period. The famous law-giver of Bengal, Raghunandan Bhattacarya, introduced this caste system into society. In ancient Bengal there were only two varńas or castes: the vipras (intellectuals) and the shúdras (labourers). So you see, as the result of internal changes within the scope of relativity, the social system also underwent change. In ancient Bengal, people did not at all like to use intoxicants and stimulants like wine, hashish, etc. The people of the rest of the world did not frown upon the habit of drinking, but the people of Bengal were different from others.

The social consciousness of the people of Bengal was very well-developed; among them there were no kings or nobles. In the ancient India of the Aryans, as well as in the medieval age, there was a monarchy; and much later due to the influence of the Aryan kings, that system also spread to Bengal. In spite of that, if the kings of Bengal were harsh or tyrannical, the people would rise in revolt against them and remove them from power. The kaevartta rebellion in Bengal, the monks’ rebellion in the 18th Century, and the peasants’ uprisings throughout the entire 19th Century, are the outstanding proofs of this. The rebellious kaevartta subjects of the Pál kings under the kaevartta leader Bhiim and his nephew Divyok rose in revolt against the tyrannical king Devpal and ousted him from power. Autocratic monarchy is not consistent with the Bengali psychology; and the Bengali psychology in this respect is also at variance with the psychology of the inhabitants of other parts of India.

[The following section was also printed separately as part of “Tantra in Bengal” in Discourses on Tantra Volume 1. This is the Discourses on Tantra Volume 1, 2nd edition, version.]

The social system of Bengal was basically Tantric, for the Vedic influence was minimal. In the higher realms of spiritual practice, the influence of Tantra was enormous; only in the middle and lower strata of spiritual practice was there some slight Vedic influence. In the local customs and social systems, and in some ceremonies conducted by women, the influence of Tantra was quite evident. Even today the avidhavás [married, unwidowed women] of the family play a prominent role in various social observances. The [modern Bengali] word eyo⁽³⁾ developed from this word avidhavá through a process of linguistic distortion.

In the various rituals of worship, banana, betel leaves and betel-nuts were widely used. This is not in accordance with the Vedic system. The word kadalii is not used in the Vedas; but in non-classical Sanskrit, a banana is called rambhá and a plantain is called kadalii. In non-classical Sanskrit betel-nut is called guváka or pungiphalam. With changes in the temporal and spatial factors, various other things as well have undergone change. Bengalees are Austrico-Negro-Dravidian; thus they were fond of chewing betel leaves like the Dravids, and they used to keep a container with them for this purpose. Young people used to carry a betel-nut cracker at the time of their wedding. Bengalee women used to work in the fields and farms all day long, and after the day’s work was over they would wash their hands and face and, with a daub from their collyrium casket, would make a black mark on their foreheads. The women of Bengal were quite fond of cosmetics, so they used to tuck this collyrium casket into their hair-buns. They still do this at the time of their marriage ceremony.

The ancient society of Bengal was basically Tantric. Both the young men and the young women would use the surnames of their fathers before and after marriage [i.e., the young women would not give up their surnames]. The young women would use their father’s surname, suffixed by the word duhitá [daughter], even after marriage. Women, though belonging to a new gotra [clan] after marriage, were entitled to observe the funeral rites of their departed parents. They would observe ashaoca [mourning] for three days and three nights after their father’s or mother’s death, and on the fourth day would perform the shráddha ceremony [in commemoration of the departed]. In the rest of India, the rule was that the women after marriage would lose their parental gotra and as such would not be entitled to observe the shráddha ceremony of their departed parents. In the rest of India, women’s right to make pińd́a [offerings] to their ancestors is not recognized, but in Bengal it is recognized. In ancient days, the social life of Bengal was based on Tantra as introduced by Shiva.

[end of section that was printed separately as part of “Tantra in Bengal”]

The system of astrological calculation popular in the Vedas was primarily a lunar system. When the Aryans first entered India from the northwest, the system of astrological calculation they brought with them was basically the lunar system. The various social ceremonies such as the marriage and funeral ceremonies, and the ritual worship of various worldly gods and goddesses are all observed on lunar days. In some years Durgapúja festival is held in the early part of the month of Ashvin, and in other years it might be held at the end of the month.

If the month of Malmas comes, then there is a gap of one month. Furthermore, after a gap of sixty-four or sixty-five years, another additional month comes which is known as Ksáyamás. That is to say, there has to be an adjustment between the solar year and the lunar year. Every year there is a difference of ten or twelve days, because the lunar year according to the old Aryan system of astrological calculation comprises 354 days; whereas a solar year according to the Tantrik system takes 365 or 366 days. The English system of calculation is not accurate. For the advantage of calculation, every four years there is a leap year, but that is not actually correct. A leap year is supposed to be of 366 days, but actually the year is calculated as 365 days. In Bengal this system is not followed from the point of view of astrological calculation, the Bengali system seems to be more scientific.

The Vedic Aryans brought the ancient lunar system of calculation to Bengal from Central Asia. In the Shráddha ceremony there is mention of ekádashyám tithao, that is, “on the eleventh day.” This tithi or lunar date is calculated according to the lunar system of astrological calculation, not according to the solar system. There is always an attempt to bring about an adjustment between the lunar day and the solar day. When the Aryans first came to India, they had to adjust the year to thirteen months every three years, because the lunar year comprises 354 days; and so in three years one month’s time is added. If this adjustment between the solar year and the lunar year is not made, then the first month of the Bengali year (Vaeshákh) will sometime fail in summer season and sometimes in winter season, because the months are not adjusted with the seasons. When the Aryans first came to Bengal, they had to make an adjustment between the local Tantrik Shaeva religions and their own Vedic religion; and accordingly they had to make an adjustment between the lunar months and the solar months of Bengal. Those Aryans who refused to make the adjustment, had in fact thirteen months in their year every three years, according to their lunar calendar, and so they had to assimilate the thirteenth month in the year. But it was decided that during that additional month they would not be able to observe any festival or ceremony, thinking as if that month was not even existing. And the people of Bengal, too, while adjusting with the lunar calendar of the Aryans, decided to assimilate that additional month by not observing any festivals. So they named that additional month Malmás or “unholy” month, because no religious festival could be held then. Bengal’s indigenous calendrical system was the solar calendar which is popular even to this day; and rightly so, because it is properly adjusted with the lunar calendar.

And while following this system of calculation, King Akbar observed that the Arabic calendar was also a lunar calendar and thus their biggest festival, Mahram, was celebrated sometimes in jyaeśt́ha (the second month of the Bengali year) and sometimes in the month of Mágh, the tenth month). Akbar was a rational king, and he found that in some years during the time of the Mahram festival, paddy seedlings were being transplanted in the fields, and in other years, the harvesting was taking place. During those years when the harvesting was going on during the festival of Mahram, the farmers found it easy to pay their taxes, but during those years when seedlings were being transplanted, then the farmers failed to pay their taxes. So for the benefit of the government treasury, the solar calendar, that is, the calendrical system of Bengal, was suitable, because it was adjusted with the seasons. Thus King Akbar introduced a new system of revenue year by adjusting the then hizrii calendar with the Bengalee calendar, and this new revenue year was named the Faslii year. It was not necessary for Bengal to accept this system of faslii year because the Bengal’s own calendrical system was already adjusted with the seasons. Since then the Bengali year has started from the month of Vaeshákh rather than from the month of Agraháyan. The rationale behind this is that the first zodiac of the month of Vaeshák is Meśras or Aries, for in this month the sun enters the zodiac sign of Aries; and this is a very scientific system. Some adjustment is made with the calendrical system of the rest of India by declaring one month as Malmás. At that time in Bengal, particularly in southwest Bengal, there was a king named Shálibáhan, who took an active role in introducing this new calendar. At that time also there was a renowned astrologer in Midnapur named Jayanta Páńigráhii who assisted the king in this regard.

Footnotes

(1) A particular style of wrapping the lower cotton garment customarily worn by Bengali men. –Trans.

(2) A Bengali vegetable dish with bitter flavouring. –Trans.

(3) Editors’ note: With the same meaning, a married and unwidowed woman.

Chapter 11	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Are ghosts always hallucinations? What is an hallucination? In the case of hallucinations, there is no defect in optics, the defect is in ocularity – that is, the ocular vision is influenced by different thought-waves. These hallucinations may be of two types, positive and negative. In a positive hallucination, there is no defect in optical vision, but the ocular vision is affected by the thought-wave which wants to see something, whereas as per opticality there is nothing physical.

And what is a negative hallucination? Here also there is no defect in optical vision, but the ocular vision becomes negative due to excessive pressure of thought-waves. We say “auto-suggestion”. The thought-wave doesn’t want to see something which is actually present as per optical vision.

Many scholars are of the opinion that so-called ghosts are positive hallucinations, and sometimes people are also misguided by negative hallucinations. They say that in this case the [optical] vision – the optic nerves – are deceiving them, but actually the main role here is played by the thought-waves, not by any physical organ, or psychic cells, or psycho-physical cells (ectoplasm).

It is said, Abhibhávańát pretadarshanam [“The sight of ghosts is created in concentrated thought”]. Abhibhávańa means “cellular suggestion” – that which affects not only the mind but also the nerve cells, as a result of which fight takes place between nerve fibres and nerve cells. And when the functioning of the nerve fibres is defeated, then a human being – not only human beings but many living beings – see something which is not present or do not see something which is actually physically present. Cellular suggestion is of two types: auto-suggestion and outer-suggestion. Auto-suggestion takes place within the jurisdiction of one’s own mind, in the individual mind, whereas outer-suggestion is the transmission of suggestion from another’s mind, from another, stronger, mind. The result of outer-suggestion is⁽¹⁾ that the mind of the weaker man, that is, the weaker mind, is highly influenced by that greater mind, bigger mind, and as a result something is not seen or nothing is seen.

You know, philosophically, whatever we see in this universe is another suggestion, is, we may say, a positive hallucination created by Parama Puruśa. Whatever He thinks is seen by the nerve cells of the individual mind. The difference between this practical world and ghosts is that in the case of ghosts the suggestion comes from the individual mind; be it one’s own or be it from outside.

But when people see so-called ghosts and apparitions, are they always positive hallucinations? No, they are not. Whatever we observe in this physical world is made of the five fundamental factors (solid, liquid, luminous, aerial and ethereal), created in such a way that it functions autonomously. Its inherent capacity for autonomous action is derived from this physical world under the inspiration of the Supreme Consciousness.

There may be some entities that do not require food and drink. Any entity composed of solid and liquid factors will certainly require food and drink, because food is mainly composed of the solid factor, and drink is mainly composed of the liquid factor. But if any entity is composed only of the other three factors – luminous, aerial, and ethereal – without any solid or liquid, then that entity is called a “luminous body”.

These luminous bodies are do not have nerves or nerve cells, because nerves and nerve cells are composed of the five fundamental factors. By means of nerve cells, the mind operates the physical body: by creating vibrations such as smell, form, touch, taste, etc., the nerve cells either receive tanmátras (inferential essences) or project them externally. But luminous bodies have no nerves, because nerve cells and nerve fibres are all physical; thus they cannot function properly. Only, as in auto-suggestion, they may create a vibration within, and experience some type of feeling.

These luminous bodies are not ghosts or apparitions; they have nothing to do with them. Neither are they created by auto-suggestion or outer-suggestion or cellular suggestion. Under some circumstances, if someone happens to see this kind of luminous body, one may think one is seeing a ghost. But actually there is no ghost at all – it is only a luminous body. It is not possible to see luminous bodies in broad daylight; it may be possible during the darkness of night, but then not everywhere.

It is said that there are seven kinds of luminous bodies: yakśa, siddha, gandharva, kinnara, vidyádhara, Prakrtiliina and videhaliina. They are categorized according to their respective psychologies.

Suppose there is a very elevated person who often ideates on the Supreme Consciousness, but who has some greed for wealth. He or she does not, however, express it openly to the Supreme, nor does he or she even think of it directly. He or she thinks indirectly, “Oh, since I am a devotee of the Supreme Consciousness, He will certainly give me enormous wealth and make me immensely rich.” Those who harbour this sort of covert desire are reborn as yakśas. Thus sometimes we refer to “the wealth of the yakśas”.

I will explain something about siddhas a bit later.

The next is vidyádhara. Those who have vanity of knowledge, although they do not expressly beseech this from the Supreme, but rather think inwardly that the Supreme should bestow an enormous wealth of knowledge upon them – this type of person is reborn as vidyádhara. Vidyádhara is also a luminous body.

The third is gandharva. Those who have a great talent for higher music (people should cultivate music to the maximum to give pleasure to the Supreme Consciousness) and mentally think, “Oh, Parama Puruśa, I want knowledge of the science of music, not You” – they are reborn as gandharvas. (In Sanskrit the science of music is called gándharva vidyá.) They are also luminous bodies; they are not ghosts at all. They are also not visible in daylight, just as other luminous bodies are not visible, for the same reason that stars are not visible in daylight.

Rúpaḿ dehi, jayaḿ dehi, yasho dehi, dviśo jahi [“Give me beauty, give me victory, give me fame, and vanquish my enemy”]. Rúpaḿ dehi, dehi, dehi [“Give me beauty, give me, give me”]. The next is kinnara. Those who are vain about their physical beauty, or those who pray to the Supreme to give them more and more physical charm, are reborn as kinnaras. They are also luminous bodies.

Then siddha. Those human beings who are doing sádhaná, who have great love for Parama Puruśa, but in their heart of hearts are proud of their occult powers or pray to Parama Puruśa to grant them still more occult powers – these people after death are reborn as siddhas. Of all the categories of luminous bodies, the siddhas are the most elevated. They often help sádhakas in their sádhaná.

All these luminous bodies are collectively called devayoni. Besides the above, there are videhaliina and Prakrtiliina. Those who wrongly worship Parama Puruśa in the form of clay, iron or other material substances, are ultimately transformed into Prakrtiliina.

The next is videhaliina: those who run after occult powers and think, “I will attain such great occult power that with it, I will move from place to place.” These are all luminous bodies; they are not ghosts, nor are they positive or negative hallucinations.

Thus ghosts are not positive hallucinations, or negative hallucinations, or siddhas or devayonis. Then is there any such things as ghosts? Not exactly ghosts, but there is something like that.

After death, when the mind dissociates from the body, the accumulation of unfulfilled saḿskáras or reactive momenta remains, although the body with the five fundamental factors no longer exists. Thus, the mind cannot function, but it remains in potential form. Now, in some circumstances, if the ectoplasm of a living person is associated with that disembodied potential mind, then that disembodied mind gets a mental body temporarily, for a very short time. Then that mental body can start functioning with the help of the nerve cells and nerve fibres of that living person, but only for a few minutes.

What is this called? It is neither a positive hallucination nor a negative hallucination, nor is it a luminous body (devayoni). Then what is it? A living person’s ectoplasmic cells become the mental body of a dead person for a few minutes until – after a few minutes – that mental body again dies. This mental body I will call preśitamánas – “recreated mind.”

Some people may do good works or get good works done with the help of these preśitamánas, but only those who have perfect control over their minds and over the nerve cells and nerve fibres of their bodies can do this.

Those who are bad people can do evil deeds with the help of these preśitamánas. They can hurl stones into others’ houses, throw bones, or overturn tables and cots – all these things can be done for only a few minutes.

So here ghosts are not always positive hallucinations, and really speaking, those luminous bodies are not a creation of positive hallucination. And those recreated minds, those preśitamánasas, are not ghosts either. Luminous bodies are not ghosts. Then what is a ghost? Positive hallucinations, creations of positive hallucination, are ghosts. And they are of human creation, so actually there is no ghost. Now, suppose due to positive hallucination, or due to coming in contact with those luminous bodies, or due to coming in contact with those recreated minds, one thinks that it’s a ghost, then what is the medicine? What is the psychic medicine for such a disease?

In the case of a positive hallucination, we may say it is a sort of disease, but in case of luminous bodies, or recreated minds, it is not disease, because it is something physico-psychic – it is not disease. But in the case of a psychic disease or when one gets afraid while coming in contact with those luminous bodies or recreated minds, those preśitamánasas, what is the medicine? The medicine is, do kiirtana or devotional chanting. Do kiirtana for one minute or repeat your guru mantra, and that “ghost” will instantly vanish into thin air. So under no circumstances should you be afraid.

Footnotes

(1) [[A word here was not clear on the tape. –Eds.]]

Chapter 12	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Human life is the most developed and final stage of animal life. The speciality of human life is that it has dharma. In animal life there is no dharma.

Civilization is a collection of usages, manners, etiquette, formalities, ideologies and love. The culture of the entire humanity is the same, but civilization varies from society to society.

Human civilization is created in, and moves along, river valleys. Like a river, human civilization also has three stages – hill stage, plain stage and delta stage. From the hill stage, it moves to the plain stage and from the plain stage to the delta stage. A civilization starts in the hill stage, develops in the plain stage, and matures in the delta stage.

Why are civilizations created in, and why do they move along, river-valleys? In ancient times, up until the Stone Age, humans could not dig wells and depended upon natural sources of water. As such, human habitation started from springs, fountains, waterfalls, rivers, etc. Animals also select such places for habitation; only birds do not follow this rule. Thus, human habitation started near valleys, fountains, waterfalls, springs, and particularly near rivers. Due to the assemblage of humans in the river-valleys, the first stage of civilization started there.

The relation between man and man, man and woman, individual and collective requirements, individual and collective responsibilities – how to move singularly and collectively – the collection of all these is civilization. It has already been said that civilization starts in the hill stage, develops in the plain stage, and attains maturity in the delta stage. Naturally, the delta stage is the finality of a civilization.

The hill stage of the Gangá (Ganges) river-valley civilization in India started from the Garwal and Kumaun ranges of Uttar Pradesh (UP). The rest of UP and Bihar is in the plain stage, and the delta stage starts from Maldah in West Bengal. The hill stage of the Brahmaputra valley civilization starts from Tibet and Arunachal. Its plain stage lies in Assam and its delta stage starts from the districts of Goalpara, Maymensing, and Rangpur (now in Bangladesh).

The delta is that stage where the river starts to merge in the sea by the shortest route. In the delta stage, tributaries have no prominent role. In the hill stage, tributaries play the dominant role, and there are hardly any branch rivers. In the plain stage also, tributaries have the dominant role in the growth and manifestation of civilizations, but branches also have some importance. However, in the deltaic stage, branch-rivers have a more important role than the tributaries.

Simple civilizations (maolik sabhyatá) and blended civilizations (vimishra sabhyátá) are the two basic characteristics of civilization. A particular civilization changes in a particular way as a river moves and merges with other rivers, thus giving rise to sub-civilizations.

The Mandakinii and Alakánanda river civilizations emerged. We find the blending of these two civilizations at the hill stage. After passing through so many mountains, hills, fountains, etc., these two rivers, Mandákinii and Alankánanda, come in contact with each other at the hill stage. They merge near Hardwar, and there the two simple river civilizations. Garwali and Kumauni respectively, combine to produce a blended Gangá civilization, which comes up to Prayága.

Now, another river valley civilization, the Jamuna civilization along the river Yamuna, is also a collection of several sub-civilizations comprising many customs, costumes, manners, etc. It also comes up to Prayága. The blended Gangá civilization and the blended Yamuna civilization merge at Prayága and a blended Gangá-Yamuna civilization occurs after the river confluence at Prayága and moves towards Varanasi. Prayága is the second blending of manners, customs, etc., of the Gangá and Yamuna civilizations.

After Prayága we find another blending of civilizations. Therefore, there are variations in the manners, customs, languages, intonations, physical structures and economic conditions of eastern UP and western UP. A further blending occurs in the blended civilizations of the Gangá and Yamuna when the Gomati, Papti, Sone and Saraju rivers bring new trends from the northern portion of the Himalaya and Chambal-Ghagher river from the Vindhya ranges. Thus civilizations vary and sub-civilizations, branch civilizations, emerge at different stages of the movement of a river and its blending with other river-civilizations.

The Bundela sub-civilization emerges due to the blending of the Yamuna and Chambal civilizations. The Bagheli sub-civilization emerges due to the blending of the Yamuna and Sone.

After Kashi there is another blending of civilizations where several other rivers merge. Thus in this plain stage, tributaries and branch rivers play an important role in the emergence of new civilizations.

After Madrah in West Bengal, the Gangá enters the delta stage–a stage where branches have the dominant role. The blended civilization of the Gangá attains maturity in Bengal. “Daha” means the circular movement of water in a river; so it is called Maldaha. At Maldah, the Ganga turns to the right. The blended Gangá civilization is in its highest form in the deltaic stage in Bengal.

Now it is clear that the hill stage of the India civilizations occurs in the hill area of UP and the rest of UP, and Bihar are in the plain stage, where Baghali, Bundeli, Avadhi, Bhojpuri, Magahi, Maetheli, and Aungiká sub-civilizations emerged.

The Brahmaputra civilization is a combination of the proto-Chinese and Indo-Tibetan civilizations. The civilization of Assam is a blending of the Tibetan-Chinese and Gangá civilizations, due to the proximity of Assam with the Gangá civilization. After this, the Brahmaputra turns to the left and enters Bengal, which is in its delta stage. The delta stage of the Brahmaputra civilization is its final stage. Bengal is the finality of the Brahmaputra civilization.

In Bengal there is another civilization as well, the civilization of Ráŕha. The hill stage, plain stage and delta stage of the Ráŕha civilization is in Bengal. So many rivers of Ráŕha merge in the area of lower Bengal, which results in further blending. Thus in Bengal, there is a blending of three delta civilizations – the Gangá, Brahmaputra and Ráŕha civilizations. This is the highest blended civilization of the world. Nature helps the people of Bengal in their intellectual progress, because no two great rivers like the Gangá and the Brahmaputra merge together anywhere else in the world.

In original civilizations (maolik sabhytá), people are physically strong. In blended civilizations, people are strong in the psychic stratum and the civilization is complicated as well as forceful. In the simple Gangá civilization people are simple and physically strong; in the delta stage people are complicated, less physically strong and strong psychically.

The people of Bengal are intellectually developed because first, Bengal civilization is a blending of three deltaic civilizations and secondly, it is not a simple civilization but a great, complicated civilization – the blend and finality of three deltaic civilizations. Naturally, therefore, it is a powerful civilization, advanced in the intellectual and other spheres.

	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

While discussing destiny, or decree of fate, I still vividly remember an old story which is still vibrating my mind. I went to Allahabad to deliver a lecture on Indian philosophy in response to an invitation from the university. Usually I don’t accept such invitations, but this particular case was a little different and more significant for me. First I knew many of the university administration and teaching staff, and secondly the university of Allahabad was highly reputed and influential. My lecture was complete by evening and I left Allahabad city without delay for Muzaffarpur, where I had some important work. Suddenly, at the waiting room at Rambag railway station I happened to meet Sutanuká and her son Himaván. She was delighted to see me and exclaimed joyfully, “Elder brother, what a surprise! I would never have dreamed that I would meet you here.”

Sutanuká Mitra is my cousin. I had last seen her fifteen years before at Chandannagar at the marriage of her younger sister. Her husband Arúpratan Mitra was a veteran military officer who earned a name for himself during British rule. I met him for the first time during that marriage at Chandannagar (Boŕo Káliitalá.)

“Since we are meeting after such a long time,” I said to my cousin, “why don’t you come with me to Muzaffarpur? From there you’ll be able to go directly to Burdwan.”

“Well, I was thinking to visit your place during the winter holidays,” she replied. “Himaván has to go to college, and Arúpratan will be landing at Dumdum airport the day after tomorrow after his trip to London. He’ll be going straight to Burdwan from the airport. Our house is locked up, so if we get home late, he’ll be greatly inconvenienced.”

I realized her difficulty. We decided to travel together in the same compartment to Varanasi by narrow gauge railway and exchange stories. On reaching Varanasi I would take the narrow gauge on to Muzaffarpur and Sutanuká would take a train to Burdwan, arriving there either late at night or before dawn. It was expected that Arúpratan take a local train from Calcutta to Burdwan and reach home at about 10 A.M. the same day. That was finally decided. It had been a long time since Sutanuká and I had seen each other.

Though Sutanuká and her family were living at Burdwan they originally belonged to the Mitra family of Konnagar. Towards the end of Pathan rule, an intellectual society grew up in Hooghly District on the west bank of the river Bhágiirathii. Konnagar was one of the intellectual centres. In those days the Ráy Mitras of Konnagar were the landlords. Konnagar was considered as one of the most cultured and well-educated villages of Hooghly District of Rarh. Moreover it was one of the most famous places in the whole of Bengal. Its original name was Karńanagar. The people said that in Bengal if there was only one nagar or town it would be Karńanagar. That is why the town’s name could often be heard during a conversation between intellectuals. If anyone was asked, “Which is the best town to go to?” he or she would reply, “There is only one town. Why should you ask ‘Which town [Kon nagar in Bengali]?’ – There is only one town: Konnagar.” And that is how the place became known as Konnagar.

I said to Sutanuká, “The name of the city we’re about to leave is known as Allahabad city, but formerly it was called Prayága. It’s a fact that Prayága is older than Konnagar. It was built towards the end of the Yajurvedic period six thousand years ago. But Burdwan is even more ancient than Prayága. During Pathan rule Prayága was renamed Allahabad (Abode of Allah). Since then its popularity has been increasing. The Shia Moslems named the city Illahabad, but during the Mughal period, the prosperous growth of the city was checked. Thereafter, the city again began to flourish towards the end of the British rule when it became the capital of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (UP for short).

“In the pre-Buddhist era Burdwan was the capital of Rarh. In the Buddhist and Jain era it remained Rarh’s capital. During the Mughal period (during the reign of Akbar) Burdwan was the capital of Suba-Bángal. But Konnagar had no such royal glamour. It was just a cultured village of Burdwan District (the district of Hooghly was not created then). Iishan Chandra Ghosh, the renowned Bengali scholar of medieval Bengal; Rama Chandra Ghosh, the illustrious logician and author of scriptures; Práńatosá Biswas, the most erudite Sanskrit and scriptural scholar; and Dr. Krśńadhan Ghosh (Aurobindo’s father), the first Bengali District Medical Officer (DMO) and Civil Surgeon, were all born in Konnagar.” Then I turned towards Himaván and said, “Your father was born at Konnagar but you belong to Burdwan.”

He pointed out, “You told us a little while ago that Konnagar was within Burdwan District.”

I said, “That’s a hundred per cent true.” We were travelling from west to east – from ancient Brahmávartta or Brahmarśidesh to the ancient Káshii kingdom. That part of the Gangetic valley is considered as the middle part of the Ganges river civilization. The Prayága area is considered as the upper part of the Ganges river civilization. The area stretching from Prayága to the confluence of the rivers Shone and Ganges is the middle part of the Ganges river civilization. And the area from the Shone-Ganges confluence to Sahebganj is considered as the Gaod́á part of the Ganges river civilization. The area from Sahebganj, where the Ganges starts flowing southward, to Gangasagar is known as the final part of the Ganges valley civilization or Gaod́iiya civilization. The Gaod́iiya civilization is most developed where the rivers of Rarh – carrying with them the local cultural specialities of Rarh civilization – and the Brahmaputra river, coming from the northeast – carrying with it the flow of Mongolian civilization merge into the Ganges. The part of the Ganges valley civilization which was the home land of the pre-Gaod́iiya and Gaod́iiya civilization cannot be called the Aryan civilization in the proper sense of the term. Actually, it is the east India civilization or extended Ganges delta civilization.

So the area from Allahabad to Káshii or Gańd́akii (here Gańd́akii means Náráyańii-Gańd́ak – not the Buŕi Gańd́ak of Muzaffarpur and Samastipur) is part of the pre-Gaod́iiya civilization. Burdwan can be considered as the nucleus of Ráŕiiya civilization, and Konnagar as the main source of the Gaod́iiya civilization which is itself based on the Ráŕiiya civilization. “So you see, Himaván, your Burdwan and your father’s Konnagar are both bathed in the light of the same golden moon.”

Himaván was a B.Sc. student, but I was amazed by his ardent interest in river-valley civilizations. Even though he was a young boy he had an unusually keen interest in the origins of civilization. He asked me, “Uncle, different species of plants, trees and animals and a particular human civilization have followed the Ganges downstream from its source in Gauṋgottarii. Similarly, other species of plants, trees and animals as well as a different human civilization have followed the banks of the river Yamuna downstream from its source at Yamunottarii. What is the result of the merging of the two rivers, the Ganges and Yamuna, at Prayága?”

I answered, “That’s a good question. Just as the river Ganges has brought with her saffron-coloured clay, special types of flora and fauna and its own alluvium, the river Yamuna has also carried her own distinct characteristics down from her source. A little further downstream, another river, the Charmánvatii or Chambal, carrying the special characteristics of the western Indian civilization of Málava and Bundelkhańd́a merges into the Yamuna. In this area a new mixed civilization occurred which can be called the Baghelii civilization. The Yamuna carried this mixed civilization, and merged its black waters into the Ganges at Prayága. So, the middle stage of the Gangetic valley civilization starts from Prayága.

“The Gangetic river valley civilizations upriver and downriver from Prayága are not the same. The middle stage lying to the south of the Ganges continues up to the Ganga-Shoń confluence at Patna, and that lying to the north continues up to the Ganges-Náráyańii confluence near Hajipur. After that the pre-Gaod́iiya civilization starts there. Comparatively speaking the Austric influence is comparatively less than the Mongol-Tantric influence. This area has been known as Trihotriiya Bhúmi since ancient times. On the south of the Ganges, after the Ganga-Shoń confluence, the Pre-Gaod́iiya civilization starts no doubt, but there the Mongol-Tantric influence is less than the Gondawana influence.

“From the ethnological point of view, there is a difference between Trihotriiya Bhúmi and Magadha Bhúmi. In the physical structure of the people of Trihotriiya Bhúmi the Austric influence is less than the Mongolian influence. Black people are few in number. From the complexion of the people in Magadha it is evident that the Mongolian influence is almost nil. Flat-nosed people are very few. There are many black-complexioned people but with aquiline noses.

“Although Trihotriiya Bhúmi (Videha or, Mithilá) and Magadha belong to the same language group, the Mágadhii Prákrta group, the Maethilii language belongs to the Eastern Demi-Mágadhii group, and the Magahii language belongs to the Western Demi-Mágadhii group. The difference in intonation of the languages is particularly discernible, yet both languages belong to the pre-Gaod́iiya Gangetic Civilization, is noticed in Anga Bhúmi, where the Trihotriiya and Mágadhii cultural characteristics have blended into one. These characteristics came in contact with the Gaod́iiya civilization.

“This Gangetic valley civilization has been transformed into pure Gaod́iiya civilization or deltaic civilization where the River Ganges and the Vindhya Range have come closest to each other near Sahebganj in Angadesh, and from that point the Ganges flows southwards.”

Himaván said, “ I want to do research on the subject when I’m grown up. But from my conversation with you I can clearly understand that this sort of research cannot be done sitting at our Borehat residence in Burdwan or at the Shyampur residence in Calcutta; rather we have to move a great deal in the fields and along the banks of the rivers.”

I said, “You are right. This type of work cannot be done theoretically or half-heartedly. One hundred per cent sincerity is required for this sort of task, and then one will achieve one hundred per cent success.”

Sutanuká said, “Well, brother, I think we have now almost reached Káshii. After a while we’ll reach Benares city by narrow gauge. I’d like to know how deep the Vedic influence was in this area which you describe as the second part of the Gangetic Valley civilization.”

I replied, “Look, as far as I understand, the land of Rarh is the land where Sanskrit originated. But the ancient language which we describe as the Vedic language came to India from the northwest along with the Aryans. The Aryans first migrated to the Sindhu-Saoviira, and the land of Sapta-Sindhu, the Seven Rivers (Sutlej or Shatadru, Bias or Vipásha, Ravi or Irávatii, Chenub or Candrabhágá, Jhelum or Vitastá, Kabul and Sind). These seven rivers together are known as the Sapta-Sindhu. Later on the land became known as the Punjab, that is, the land of five rivers. The names of two rivers have been dropped, so there remain only five.

“This is the first phase of the Vedic influence in India. In the second phase the Aryans moved further southeast: their influence pervaded in the northern part of the Yamuna valley. That area was known as Haritadhánya or the ‘Land of Green Vegetation’ (Haritadhánya → Hariahánna → Harihána → Hariyána).

“Then, in the next phase, the Aryans reached Prayága around the Ganga-Yamuna valley. This we can describe as the third phase of the Vedic influence. Then they moved farther east, and their influence extended to the Gańdákii river on the north and the Shon River on the south. This can be called the fourth phase of the Vedic influence. In this area was situated the ancient Káshiirájya or Kingdom of Káshii. We are now journeying through the Káshiirájya. One thing to be noted here is that in the first phase, the Vedic language left two daughters behind: Páshcáttya and Paeshácii Prákrta. In the languages born out of this Páshcáttya and Paeshácii Prákrta (for example, Pashto, Punjabi, etc.) there is a multitude of derived words from the Vedic language. In the second phase, that is, in the Hariyánavii language, the percentage of Vedic-derived words is somewhat less. In the third stage, the percentage of the Vedic-derived words is still less, for instance in languages like Máŕoyárii, Haŕaotii, Bundelii, Bághelii, Avadhii, and Vrajabháśa, etc. And in the languages of the fourth stage, like Bhojpurii, the percentage of Vedic-derived words is still less. But no one should misunderstand that in the fourth stage the Vedic influence was nil. No doubt the direct Vedic influence in the fourth stage was nil, but the indirect influence in pre-Gaod́iiya and Gaod́iiya civilizations was tremendous, and that influence still persists even today.”

Sutanuká said, “I’ve noted with interest that in the fourth stage the external appearance of the people and the size of the cattle are quite different from those of the pre-Gaod́iiya and Gaod́iiya civilizations.”

Then I said, “You’re right in your observation. The structure of the human skull of people in this area is different from that of the people of the area of pre-Gaod́iiya civilization. But the human skull of the people of Angadesh is almost the same as that of the people of the Gaod́iiya area; the difference is hardly discernible.”

Káshii is not very far from Allahabad. After a short while we reached Benares city station by narrow gauge. Himaván said with a choked voice, “Uncle, now we must get off. I don’t know when we shall meet again. It was a very lively and interesting discussion.”

Both Sutanuká and Himaván were repeatedly requesting me to visit them at Burdwan: they complained that I had forgotten Burdwan. I protested, saying “No, I haven’t forgotten it – I have so many pleasant memories of Burdwan, so many songs of sweet love filled with joys and sorrows associated with Burdwan.”

They proceeded to the city centre. My private secretary approached me and said, “My in-law is sitting in the next compartment – he’s going to Chápra.” I said, “When your in-law is sitting nearby, why don’t you go and have a chat with him for a while? I won’t mind. Tomorrow morning there is an auspicious occasion of holy bathing in the Ganges, so most of the passengers are bound for Benares. There will be relatively few passengers from Benares to Muzaffarpur. Perhaps I will be the only passenger in this compartment.”

My private secretary went to the next compartment to talk with his in-law. I supposed he was enjoying a hearty meal of lit́t́i [a type of fried unleavened bread] soaked in ghee. The train left with a whistle, and the wheels started moving. Suddenly, a handsome gentleman dressed in a military uniform came running up, and, gasping for breath, entered the compartment. Immediately he approached me with rapid steps. After a while, when I looked closely at him, I was amazed to see that he was none other than my brother-in-law, Arúpratan Mitra, Sutanuká’s husband, whom I met about fifteen years ago at Boŕokáliitalá at Chandannagar! I requested him to take his seat beside me, and said to him, “How are things going – why are you running, gasping for breath? Why are you coming to meet me at 9:00 at night in this empty compartment? I’m on my way to Muzaffarpur; where are you going?”

Arúp said, “About fifteen minutes ago, at a quarter to nine, my mind suddenly became restless and agitated with so many thoughts and feelings. I thought to myself, ‘However possible, and as fast as possible, I must come to you immediately.’ It is my firm conviction that this restlessness, this agitation, will be put to rest as soon as I come near you. I now desperately need peace… only peace. I don’t want happiness, or prosperity – I don’t want the least amount of wealth or jewels of this vast world – I want only peace. ”

Arúp sat down. He was still gasping for breath. I asked him, “When your mind became restless, where were you then?” He replied, “I was far away from here… on the shore of a sea.” I said, “If you were so far away from here, then how could you come here in fifteen minutes?”

With a glimmer of a sweet smile on his lips he replied, “I came very fast, so I am gasping for breath. Immediately after reaching you, my mind has become peaceful. Now I feel a deep tranquillity within.”

I said, “Unrest or peace are all in the mind. Well, let us talk for a while.”

Arúp said, “Some time ago I heard from someone that you have already addressed a few symposia on river valley civilizations. I couldn’t realize what it was, but I guessed that you might have said something about how at the different stages of rivers the patterns of civilizations vary.”

I asked him, “Were you then in Britain?”

He answered, “Yes, I was,” and said, “Perhaps you know that Great Britain is a small country; the distance from any part of Britain to the ocean is not more than fifty miles. So naturally in that country there cannot be any large river: the distance between the source of a river and the ocean cannot be very great. Yet if we move along the banks of certain rivers, there is a difference between the civilization of the upper areas of the river and the lower ones, and there is also a variation in language.

“Take for example the case of the river Thames: it is not a big river, either in width or in breadth. The part of the river Thames where the ships sail is not really a river, it is only an estuary of the sea, just like the Mátlá river near Canning. Many people think that the Mátlá is perhaps a wide and large river. They may think that in olden days the southern branch of the river Yamuna (Vidyádharii) emerging from the Ganges at Trivenii, moved southwards, and then it and the southeastern tributary of the Ganges (Piyálii) both flowed separately for a certain distance and then joined together to form the Mátlá river. Though this is a fact, yet the collective waters of these two combined rivers is quite small. In fact, the Mátlá river is nothing but the estuary of the sea entering into the land.

“The deltaic portion of the river Thames is somewhat similar. The more one proceeds down the river from the source of the Thames, the greater is the Anglo-Saxon and Norman influence. If one moves from the southern bank of the Thames towards the Straights of Dover, there is still a tremendous Norman influence, like a subterranean flow. If one moves from the northern side of the river towards the port of Grimsby on the delta at the coast, there is a greater Anglo-Saxon influence than Norman influence. If one moves towards the coast, the Norman influence becomes negligible. Where there is Norman influence, there are large numbers of Latin derivations in the spoken language. Where the Anglo-Saxon influence is predominant, the number of Latin derivative words is comparatively little. The difference in intonation in the respective areas, too, is quite discernible.

“If one moves towards the opposite part of the Thames river, or towards Wales in the west, the ancient Briton influence is not negligible, even in the spoken language. This is the reason why, though Welsh is a language of a small country, yet it has certain specialities of its own. Even the difference in people’s external appearance, though not very prominent, is not negligible either.”

I said, “You are right, Arúp, in your observation. I notice that both you and Himaván are equally interested in river valley civilizations. I was not aware of this before!”

Arúp blushed and smiled faintly. He said, “Perhaps you once said that in our land of Rarh, on either bank of the Bakreshvar river in central Birbhum, there is a local civilization which, though small in area, has its own speciality even in the style of its temples and also in its terracotta works. There is also a difference in the use of verbal forms in the spoken language of that area. Similarly, in southern Birbhum also, there is a small river called the Kopái (Kupita or ‘angry’) in whose valleys there is also some sort of local civilization. As far as I remember, someone said that the water of the Bakreshvar valley is one of the best for it is full of sulphur. But the water of Kopái valley, though it is as good as that of many places in Bengal, is not as good as that of the Bakreshvar valley. The two small rivers, with their own distinctive streams of water, flow from the west to the east, carrying the rhythmic songs of the most ancient human civilization, in cadence with the dancing rhythms of the land of Rarh. When the two rivers meet at Melanpur (meaning ‘meeting place’) at one end of the area under the jurisdiction of the Nanur police station, they are known as Kuye, and at that point both their local civilizations become blended. Melanpur really joins the two rivers in all respects. If one listens intently to the local dialect, one will hear a particular drawled intonation which is lacking in west Birbhum. Besides this, other local variations also came into being there.”

I said, “You are right, Arúp. Really I am delighted by your description. The specialities of the river valley civilizations are very distinct in our Birbhum. In the upper reaches of Birbhum, the spoken language has no drawled intonation: it is one of the flawless branches of the Rarh language. But in the lower reaches of Birbhum, the same Rarh dialect has a local drawl – have you noticed it?”

Arúp said, “Yes, I have. This subtle difference in intonation between the area of the Khayrásol police station and the Lábpur police station, and again, between the Khayrásol police station and the Mayureshvar police station, can be easily discerned only by listening to it.”

Arúp said, “Though it is not directly concerned with culture, still it is a funny story…”

I looked at Arúp and asked him, “What do you mean?”

Arúp said, “At Khayrásol in the upper reaches of Birbhum, there is a widespread use of poppy seed, whereas in the lower reaches, the use of poppy seed is less by five to seven per cent. That is to say, in the upper reaches there is an empire of poppies, and in the lower reaches there is merely a kingdom of poppies!”

Arúp burst into laughter. I too joined in his laughter. To continue, I said, “The other symbols of Rarh culture – like d́iḿle [a type of pumpkin], kheŕo [another type of pumpkin], green gram, jhumur dance are equally popular in both the upper and lower reaches.”

Arúpratan smiled, and said with a voice growing in excitement, “Yes brother, I’ve noticed that too. You see, although I live in Burdwan in central Rarh, I was actually born in Konnagar in the low-lying area of Rarh. In our place also, pumpkin and green gram are very popular, and people can hardly live without poppyseed.”

“By the way, Arúp”, I said, “you rushed into this compartment at exactly nine o’clock. How long were you able to speak with Sutanuká and Himaván on the platform?”

Arúpratan exclaimed in wide-eyed amazement, “What! Did Sutanuká and Himaván come here?”

“Don’t you know that?” I asked. “They accompanied me in this very compartment from Allahabad City and got off the train in Benaras. They were in a hurry to get to Káshii where they were planning to catch an evening train which would get them to Burdwan by dawn on Wednesday morning. They told me that you were expected to land at Dumdum airport at around the same time, and that you would take a local train from Howrah to Burdwan, reaching there at about ten the same day. They have the keys of the house, so if you were to arrive there before them you would be put to great trouble. They knew they had to reach Burdwan by dawn on Wednesday by any means.”

“No, I didn’t see them,” said Arúpratan. “I missed them at Benaras railway station. But what you said was correct: I was expected to arrive at Burdwan at ten on Wednesday morning.” He paused for a while and then continued. “They shouldn’t catch any train which will get them there late at night or at dawn – I apprehend some danger.”

“If you sense some impending danger, under no circumstances should they catch any Burdwan train at that particular time. You should get off the train at the next station and find some way to go to Káshii.” And I advised him, “You’d better go to Káshii and look for them in all the probable places. They have to be prevented from taking any of those Burdwan trains.” He said, “That’s a good idea. That’s a good idea.”

The train slowed down. We were approaching a station, no doubt. Arúpratan jumped to his feet, rushed to the door, and, looking like a bird ruffled by a raging tempest, leapt onto the platform without waiting for the train to stop. He had reason enough to be worried.

As soon as the train stopped my private secretary hurriedly entered my compartment. I guessed he had just finished his dinner of lit́t́i [a type of fried, unleavened bread] with his in-law. Perhaps his in-law had also served him kaŕiibaŕii [a type of dumpling made of chick-pea flour and served in yoghurt water] and mákhána kśiir [a type of sweet rice] for dessert. My private secretary sat beside me and asked me if I had been inconvenienced in any way. I said I hadn’t. Our train was moving from west to east across the border of the ancient Káshii state. I had told Himaván that this was the last area to come under Aryan influence. In the fourth phase of the Aryan invasion of India, Káshii can be regarded as a border state of northern India (Áryávartta). The River Sarayu not only carried the Aryan influence along its banks but also Mongol and to some extent Austric influence as well. That is why its eastern bank was considered as non-Aryan land. Later on this boundary was further extended to the River Gańd́akii (Náráyańii Gańd́ak). The Kányakubja Brahmans of those days did not like to cross the River Sarayu. As the land on the other bank was non-Aryan it was considered unholy. They were afraid they would lose their Aryan purity. Those Kányakubja Brahmans who dared to cross the river, being lured by the fertile land of the trans-Sarayu area, were declared outcastes. They lost their identity as Kányakubja Brahmans and became known as Sárayupárii Brahmans.

During Pathan rule, the last boundary of Áryávartta was the present Ghazipur District. In those days north India consisted of three Subas [administrative divisions]: Suba Bángál on the east, Suba Punjab on the northwest and Suba Hindostan between the two. Even today, the people of Bengal and the Punjab call the inhabitants of the middle part of northern India “Hindustani”. Some people are of the opinion that Hindustan means the whole of India and thus why should the inhabitants of a small part of India be called Hindustani. But this is wrong, because the term “Hindustani” is used for the people who were once the inhabitants of Suba Hindostan, and not in the sense of Hindustan as being the whole of India. During the Mughal period when Akbar divided his empire into fifteen subas, the name of the northern part of Suba Hindostan was Oudh and the southern part, Suba Agra. Ghazipur District was the last boundary of Suba Agra. On the east of Ghazipur District lies Balia District. Previously it was only a subdivision of Ghazipur District. Similarly, there was no Deoria District in those days. It was only a subdivision of Gorakhpur District.

The British occupied both Agra and Oudh Subas and made one administrative area out of them – the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (UP for short) with its capital at Allahabad. In the last part of British rule, the capital was moved to Lucknow. Anyway, there was a marked influence of Mongol and Austric cultures on the Aryan society inhabiting the Sarayú river valley. Later on many Aryans crossed the Sarayú river and declared the banks of the Gańd́akii as the boundary line of Áryávartta. The area lying on the west of the Gańd́akii valley was called Shákyárańya and the area on the east was called Videha or Mithilá. This latter area was not considered as an Aryan colony. I personally consider it as part of the area covered by the pre-Gaod́iiya Gangetic valley civilization.

King Mithi occupied Videha. To sanctify the land he held a Trihotriiyá Yajiṋa [a big sacrifice presided over by three priests]. It was then declared sacred. The land sanctified by the performance of a Trihotriiyá Yajiṋa was named Trihut. The land of Shákyárańya, although not widely valued by the Aryans, was respected by the Buddhists. Lord Buddha visited it a couple of times. Later, it became known as Shárańa (Shákyárańya → Shákyárańa → Shárańa). In later years it was wrongly spelt as Sháran.

On the north of Shákyárańya was the ancient and famous place, Champakárańya. A reference is made to it in the Rámáyańa [one of the two great Sanskrit epics] (Campakárańya → Campárańya → Camparań). Shákyárańya and Campakárańya are situated in the Náráyańii-Gańd́aka valley. On the eastern bank is Videha or Mithilá or Trihut, the land which was occupied by King Mithi. Mithi + lá [holder] + d́a [suffix] + á [feminine suffix] = Mithilá. In the Buddhist period one of the famous villages of Shákyárańya was Hatthiigrám (Hastiigráma in Sanskrit). Buddha visited this place a couple of times. It is now known as Háthoyá. During British rule the Háthoyá estate was one of the biggest estates in India. Then came the river Gańd́akii – Náráyańii Gańd́aka. The biggest cattle fair in India, known as the Hariharkśetra fair, is held once a year on the banks of this river. Nearby is the Shońpur railway station.

Immediately after crossing the Gańd́akii river bridge at Shońpur we reached Mithilá. During the Mughal period and the early part of British rule, the Mithilá division of Bengal Presidency consisted of three districts: Trihut, Champaran and Shárań. The district headquarters of Champaran was Motihári, that of Shárań was Chápra, and that of Trihut was Muzaffarpur. This latter district was named after Muzaffar Shah. It covered a wide area and until the early part of the British period its fertile soils were thickly forested. The forests contained abundance of numerous species of flora and fauna, notably tigers, antelopes, crocodiles, panthers and deer. The lake on the ancient river course of the river Lakhandei covered a larger area in those days and was surrounded by extensive forest full of abundant flora and fauna. A major part of the forest was part of the king of Darbhanga’s estate. Some of it was within the Shúraśańd́a kingdom, and some part belonged to the estate of the Bettiah king. People today, out of necessity, but also out of immense greed have destroyed most of the forest, particularly in Trihut District.

At Vaeshali⁽¹⁾ in Trihut District Vardhamána Maháviira was born into a Vaeshya family. His father’s name was Siddhártha and his mother was called Trishalá. The Trihut District as well as Mithilá were located partly in the Náráyańii-Gańd́aka valley and partly in the Buŕigańdaka and Lakhandei valleys. There was more Gaod́iiya influence here than in Aŕyávaŕtta. The Bengali script is used here. It is to be noted that both Buddha and Maháviira were born in a place where there was less Aryan influence in comparison.

Trihut District was quite large in area. The British divided it into two parts: Muzaffarpur District in the west with its headquarters at Muzaffarpur, and Darbhanga District in the west with its headquarters at Laheriasarai village (which has since become so large that it almost touches the city of Darbhanga. The old Muzaffarpur District is now divided into three districts: Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur and Vaeshali (Hazipur). This is the same Muzaffarpur which was considered as one of the most cultured places in the whole of the then Suba Bángál. The old Darbhanga District has since also been divided into three districts: Madhubanii (a place where there is an abundance of forest honey); Darbhanga, named after the famous Dáŕibhangá Shah (In Maethilii the town is called “Daiŕbhanga” but spelt Daŕibhangá); and Samastipur, named after Samasti Náráyan Ray).

The Maethilii branch of the pre-Gaod́iiya valley civilization was enriched by the Mongol-Tantric civilization that flourished in the Náráyańii Ganges, Buri-Gańd́aka, Lakhandei, Bágmatii, Kamalábálán and Koshii valleys. King Prthvii Náráyan Shah established the Gorkha empire in Nepal at this time. The Gorkhas occupied Tirhut District and advanced up to Hazipur. Thereafter they were defeated by the British (The British commander-in-chief was General Octorloney in whose name the Englishmen living in Calcutta built a war memorial. In recent times, the leaders, ignorant of history, have changed the name of the Octorloney Memorial to Shahiid Minar [Martyrs’ Column]) and were forced to sign the Treaty of Sugaoli (Champaran District). According to the terms of the treaty, the British got possession of Garhwal and Kumayun regions from Nepal, which was included in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, and they also reclaimed a major portion of Champaran and Trihut Districts. Part of the northern portion of Trihut was left in Nepal and is still part of Nepalese territory. The former capital of Mithilá, Janakpur, is situated in that area. Many people of Bengal know the famous Janakpur catachu.

I got off the train at Muzzafarpur and spent two days of intense activity there. I arrived home about a week later, my mind full of pleasant memories. Waiting for me on the table was a letter from Himaván, sent from Burdwan, in which he wrote: “Dear Uncle, We had an unforgettable experience on our return to Burdwan. We left Káshii late Tuesday evening and were sure that we would reach home either late Tuesday night or Wednesday morning at dawn. Late into the night, mother and I were discussing river-valley civilizations when we suddenly heard a huge crash and felt a severe jolt. I don’t remember ever having heard such a loud noise in all my life. In a fraction of a second the train seemed to be smashed into pieces. There was commotion all around – people were screaming – chaos reigned everywhere. Mother and I were violently thrown out of the derailed compartment. Pieces of train and the passengers’ baggage were scattered here and there. We realized we were the victims of a tragic accident – who knows how many were lying dead. Both of us were violently thrown towards part of the derailed train, screaming desperately. Suddenly both of us perceived my father (Sri Aruprathan Mitra) rushing towards us. He grabbed each of us by the hand and pulled us out of the wreckage, saving us from the jaws of inevitable death. What happened next we cannot say, for we both became unconscious.

“When the rays of the rising sun fell onto our faces we regained consciousness and, looking around, discovered that we were lying on a hay-stack on the edge of a paddy field beside the railway line. As we had fallen onto hay our injuries were not severe – just a few bruises. A crowd of villagers had gathered around us. We saw the wreckage of the train in the distance and heard the pitiful screams and lamentations of the seriously wounded. The local people were very kind, as the people of Burdwan usually are. On seeing the slightest hardship of others, tears come into their eyes. Those people standing around us desperately wanted to help and kept asking what they could do to make us feel more comfortable. They were prepared to do anything to help. We asked them to look for my father and to bring him to where we were lying. They searched everywhere for him, but without success. ‘There’s no one called Arúpratan Mitra here,’ they said. They helped us get to our feet – which we could only do with great difficulty – so that we could also look for him. But our search was also unsuccessful – he was not to be seen anywhere. By that time the railway auxiliary van had arrived from Burdwan. We approached the authorities and with their help returned to Burdwan. The site of the accident was near Burdwan so we didn’t have much difficulty getting home.

“Well, uncle, how were we saved? Is it called ‘fate’ or is it perhaps the work of destiny?”

I was utterly shocked by what I read. Himaván wrote further: “Father has not yet arrived in Burdwan. We went to the airport to make some enquiries about him and learnt that the plane he was supposed to take still hadn’t reached Dumdum airport. The ground staff informed us that they had received no news as to the plane’s whereabouts, nor was it possible for them to find out for reasons of military security. The plane was carrying a military cargo and the passengers were military personnel. As a result, the military department was trying to black out all news about the non-arrival of the plane.”

No sooner had I finished reading the letter than I heard an announcement on the radio news. The news bulletin disclosed that there was a serious plane crash somewhere along the Mediterranean coast-line last Monday at 8:45 P.M. Due to certain military reasons the exact details could not be disclosed. All the passengers died in the crash. From the passenger list provided at the airport it appears there were twenty Indian passengers. Their names and addresses have been confirmed, but the dead bodies were so severely burned that identification is impossible. The names of the Indians are 1)… 2)… 3)… 4)… Among the passengers there was a man from Calcutta, a Sri Arúpratan Mitra.

I was speechless. I pieced all the events together and concluded that it was indeed at 9 P.M. on Monday that Sri Arúpratan, gasping for breath, rushed into my compartment at Benares railway station. He told me that he had been feeling considerable mental unease for the past fifteen minutes, since 8:45. His mind was terribly restless. He had come to me in quest of peace. He had travelled a long distance and that is why he was gasping for breath.

After hearing the news I was so bewildered that I was unable to decide what to do. How should I reply to Himaván’s letter, I thought.

Footnotes

(1) Vaeshali was the land of the Licchabis; it was the oldest republic in the world. –Trans.

Chapter 13	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Now there will be a short discussion on “Pseudo-Spirituality and Neohumanism.”

On the one hand, there is pseudo-spirituality. We cannot call it “spiritual maximitis”, because “spiritual maximitis” means movement from imperfection to perfection. In the process of movement a very exalted position may be attained; but that exalted position is not the final stratum. That is why I prefer to call it “pseudo-spirituality”. What is pseudo-spirituality? It is spirituality that is not in perfect order, but is to some extent spirituality, having something to do with spirituality.

And on the other hand there is Neohumanism.

Human life – and not only human life but the life of other living beings also – is divided into four main strata. The first stratum is the physical stratum; the second one is physico-psychic; the third one psychic; and the final one is psycho-spiritual. In these four strata there is movement; everything moves, nothing is stationary. Even in the last stage, which I did not mention, that is, the stage of pure spirituality, there is movement; but we cannot bring it within the scope of speed, of velocity, because that movement is free from all bondages of relativity.

Now let us see how much pseudo-spirituality can help us or does help us in all these four strata.

The First Stratum

In this physical world, we are to be guided by rhythms. Each and every object has its own characteristic. In this case, it is not at all relevant how much existential value or utility value an entity has for human beings. The fact is that the created beings in this universe are all moving in this harmonious Cosmos. Innumerable entities are moving, and their movement towards supreme fulfilment, towards the final attainment, does not at all depend on their utility value or existential value. Everything is moving to its own particular rhythm, but that individual rhythm is an inseparable part of the Cosmic rhythm.

In the great Cosmos, we are to be guided by the Cosmic rhythm, but in the human world, what do people do? They are not guided by the Cosmic rhythm, they are guided by group interest, individual interest; that is, there is a clash between the rhythm of group interest and the rhythm of Cosmic movement. So this pseudo-spirituality fails to satisfy human demands. In the realm of physico-psychic movement also, the psychic ups and downs, the psychic waves, the psychic vibrations, are affected by physical vibrations due to group interest and individual interests; so in the realm of the physico-psychic world also, pseudo-spirituality bears no significance.

Now in the case of Neohumanism, we have to consider how far the individual rhythms of human beings and other living creatures and plants are maintaining adjustment with the Cosmic rhythm. And herein lies the greatest application of the human intellect. But because of the deficiency of the human intellect, people never consider things in their proper perspective: they do not think for the collective well-being of their fellow humans, far less for the welfare of the flora and fauna. They only think for their group interest or individual interest. That is, they are not guided by the Cosmic rhythm, they are guided by group interest or individual interest, so there is clash between the group interest and the rhythm of Cosmic movement.

Why do human beings think for their narrow interests? Because they are goaded by dogmas, and these dogmas certainly affect the Cosmic rhythm of the universe and the collective interest of the plant world, the animal world and the human world as well. Dogma affects the free and natural movement of the collective world.

Thus wherever there is pseudo-spirituality, there is the seed of dogma. Pseudo-spirituality harmfully affects the rhythmic movement of the physical world; it does not promote the cause of human welfare.

The Second Stratum

The second stratum is the physico-psychic stratum. The physico-psychic stratum usually maintains adjustment with the rhythms of the physical world. But often the psychic ups and downs, the psychic waves, the psychic vibrations, are affected by physical vibrations because of group interest and individual interest. Due to extremely narrow and selfish thoughts, human thought processes degenerate and people lose rhythm in the psychic world. Thus they deviate from the mainstream of the Cosmic rhythm of the universe. So in the realm of the physico-psychic world, pseudo-spirituality bears no significance. We do not want pseudo-spirituality, we want perfect spirituality.

The Third Stratum

Pseudo-spirituality cannot help us in our free thinking either, for our thinking is badly affected by dogma. When a human being sits alone and thinks, if the person thinks for the collective interest, then such thoughts are proper; but usually people do not think in this way. Usually they lament over the worn-out skeletons of the past. “This was done by, this was imposed by, our forefathers – when our forefathers have said this, why should I break with the old traditions? It was written in this way in the scriptures; and moreover if I follow these old conventions and traditions, what is the harm?” These types of dogmatic and dogma-ic thoughts will naturally stifle the free flow of human thought. And that is why whenever there is dogma, human thinking cannot be free; and for want of, for paucity of, free thinking, there cannot be any proper psycho-spiritual progress either. So here what we want is perfect spirituality and not pseudo-spirituality.

Pseudo-spirituality cannot promote the cause of human welfare; the seed of welfare does not lie there. The seed of welfare cannot exist where the seed of dogma exists.

The Fourth Stratum

In the psycho-spiritual sphere also, where the speed of progress is the maximum, that speed becomes thwarted because of dogma, for there is a defect in the initial stage. If people’s very thoughts are defective, then how far can they progress towards perfect spirituality under the weight of those defective thoughts?

So pseudo-spirituality, full of dogma, does not lead to collective welfare either in the physical, physico-psychic, psychic or spiritual worlds. What we really want is perfect spirituality, not pseudo-spirituality.

Everything in this universe moves, and this movement is from imperfection towards perfection. So perfect spirituality is our goal, and Neohumanism is our approach. What is Neohumanism? The collection of all natural human expressions, the collection of all natural expressions of all flora and fauna, is Neohumanism. All these movements of human sentiment and all these movements of flora and fauna are towards perfect spirituality. So that perfect spirituality cannot be the cult – it is the goal, it is the desideratum, it is the culminating point of all movements.

All the movements of human sentiment and – as I just now said – all the movements of flora and fauna are unto the perfect spirituality. So that perfect spirituality cannot be the cult, it is the goal. And what is the cult? The cult is the movement of Neohumanism. That is, the cult is the movement of all human expressions, all human manifestations – and not only human expressions and manifestations, but all expressions, all manifestations, of all living beings, including flora and fauna. This is the cult, this is Neohumanism.

So our approach, our cult, is Neohumanistic, and our goal is perfect spirituality. And this Neohumanistic approach is our human asset; it is the charm of human existence, it is the fascination of human existence, and it is the glamour of human society.

Chapter 14	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Neohumanism includes within its scope not only human beings and animate creatures, such as plants and animals, but all inanimate entities as well, for the scope of Neohumanism extends down to the smallest particles of sub-atomic matter.

What is Neohumanism? Neohumanism is newly-explained humanism. “Humanism” and “humanity” have been very popular words for the last century, but only human beings have come within the scope of humanism and humanity. This explanation [of the concept] is not sufficient – it cannot quench the thirst of the developing human society. Why should the love and affection of developed human minds be restricted to human beings only? Why should it not include all living beings, including plant life? This is the new explanation of humanism – Neohumanism – for within Neohumanism the entire animate world is included.

But what is the status of inanimation [the inanimate world] in Neohumanism? Fundamentally there is hardly any difference between the world of animation and the world of inanimation. Some people explain that when there is a characteristic of movement within a structure it is animate, otherwise it is inanimate. But this explanation is not sufficient, because there is a characteristic of movement within both animate and inanimate objects. Others say that if the source of this internal characteristic of movement is the unit mind, it is animation, otherwise it is inanimation. But this is not a perfect interpretation either.

Even within inanimate objects as minute as the atom and smaller particles, there are still smaller particles that maintain their structural unity and struggle against their internal and external fissiparous tendencies. If the scope of Neohumanism is extended in this way from an extensive scope to an intensive scope, then we should go deeper into matter – not only into composite structures of animation and inanimation, but within the subtlest and smallest assembling structures.⁽¹⁾ And within the smallest assembling structures, where the point is nadir, the assembling body is the perfect status. But that perfect status can be reached only theoretically, never in the realm of practicality.

So in Neohumanism our movement, our progress, must be not only extensive – that is, bringing within its scope the whole world of animation; it should also be intensive, a never-ending movement from the imperfect world of humanism to the perfect world of the unit assembling body, to the original primordial phase of perfection.

And that golden day is sure to come when that perfect stage of structure, that is, unit existence in the intra-atomic world, will be reached, when human intuition will realize that the essence in the sub-atomic world is pure Consciousness.

Footnotes

(1) The smallest essential sub-atomic particles. –Eds.

Chapter 15	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

You know that the science of aesthetics is a special characteristic expression of all microcosms in the entire universe, not only of humans but of all living creatures. This inner spirit of aesthetic science leads all the microcosms to seek a congenial environment for their psychic expression, for all unit minds are searching a totally congenial environment for their development. This development leads to a state of psychic balance, attained as the results of all one’s actions and reactions. While seeking to attain this state of psychic balance, human beings invented the science of aesthetics.

Everything in this universe of ours is moving, and this entire universe also is moving around the Macrocosmic Nucleus. This movement is from imperfection to perfection, and this element of dynamism is the essence of aesthetics. While trying to analyse the nature of this dynamism, one is bound to conclude that aesthetics is surely a science, for it moves according to fixed and self-created rules. But the realization of aesthetic feeling is not a science, rather it is a high-grade art. I said just now that this aesthetic science is not only a characteristic of the human mind, but of all living creatures as well. When we say that human beings have attained peace in life, what are the dimensions of this peace? When we say that we are all seeking a peaceful environment, what does it mean? Is it some kind of physical relaxation? No, certainly not. If so, then that relaxation would be physico-psychic, but the subtle feeling of joy in aesthetic science is psycho-physical. Now the question is, is this joy only psycho-physical? No, it is not: it is both psycho-physical and psycho-spiritual. When the mind seeks a subtle feeling of joy without expecting the fruits of its action, this is certainly psycho-physical, but when this experience of joy moves in a well-defined way towards a goal then it is certainly psycho-spiritual.

Whether it is psycho-physical or psycho-spiritual, clash is inevitable, and this clash occurs amongst the static, mutative and sentient principles. This clash goes on and on. Due to this clash, when the movement is towards the sentient force, that is, when the mutative force overpowers the static force and the sentient force overpowers the mutative force, in that case the psychic movement is called psycho-spiritual. This type of movement gives birth to true art and science; whereas that knowledge which creates numerous obstacles and problems for the human society is not at all wisdom, but merely the expression of mean propensities of mind. When nothing great is created, then cheap sentiments emerge for low-grade art, literature, architecture, sculpture, etc.; and when the sentient principle is overpowered by the mutative principle, and the mutative principle by the static principle, the cumulative effect is complete chaos. That is why I said that this clash goes on and on, and it occurs not only within the human mind but also within all the unit and collective minds of the entire universe. The duty of all the educated and talented people of the society is to arrive at a firm conclusion as to what they should do, how they will lead the society along a righteous path, and how ultimately they will establish society in the subtle realm of Satyam, shivam and sundaram (Truth, Consciousness and Beauty). This clash amongst the three binding principles will continue eternally; it can never be checked, because it is endless by its very nature. But although it cannot be stopped altogether, it can be channelled along a particular direction so that the mutative force cannot defeat the sentient force, and the static force cannot defeat the mutative force.

Now, within the realm of these three binding principles, society will have to find the path for true progress through proper planning and proper struggle. Without this, the future of humanity is dark. But you should bear in mind that pessimism or the complex of hopelessness is not the essence of this universe; optimism is the goal of the universal humanity. So in no circumstances should cynicism or nihilism be encouraged; rather when the righteous and virtuous people of this world sit together and decide what should and should not be done, they will certainly find the proper path. The internal clash amongst the three binding principles should never be discouraged; on the contrary, it should be directed along the proper path. We can only suggest this much. So the movement of these countless heterogeneous microcosms, through ceaseless clash, towards the Supreme Sentiency should be kept unobstructed. Wherever there is aesthetics, there is bound to be heterogeneity, and the ultimate goal of this clash is to be established in the realm of the Supreme Homogeneity, the state of Absolute Bliss – in the midst of heterogeneity. But that state of Supreme Bliss does not come within the scope of aesthetics; it comes within the scope of supra-aesthetics, that is, in the world of the absolute above the domain of relativity. And in that Supreme Macrocosmic Stance, there are none of the three bondages, no heterogeneity, only Supreme Homogeneity. So all the honest and right-thinking people of the world will have to decide what should be done, and how to establish that Supreme Homogeneity.

Chapter 16	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

Baraśá eseche niipanikuiṋje
Vetasakuiṋje nácite nácite;
Shikhiirá sakale chande meteche –
Viińára dhvanite mandrita giitite
Chandahárá dhará práń peyeche.

Júthira suvás bháse sajala háoyáy,
Manera parág háse madhura Máyáy;
Chande chande vipulánande
Ádhmará taru sab jege’ ut́heche.

[In the bower of kadamba flowers, the rains have come
Dancing, dancing in the grove of cane.
And all the peacocks have started prancing in rhythm.
In the vibrant songs from the sounding lyres,
The world without rhythm has found new life.
The fragrance of jasmine floats in the wet air.
And the pollen of mind smiles in the sweetest love.
Thrilling in blissful rhythms,
The half-dead trees have all sprung into life.
And all the peacocks have started prancing in rhythm.]

Baraśár dine sabákár sane
Aekatáne egiye calo
Egiye calite náhi cáho jadi
Jhará pátári galpa balo.
(Shuye) jhará pátári galpa balo.

Sabái ájike meteche chande
Kekákalarab shikhiira kańt́he
Salája dharańii neche cale se je
Sabujer sáje man bholálo.

Hásikhushii bhará ei samárohe
Utalá pavan náná dike bahe
Álápe ábeshe gáne ulláse
Sabár jiivan bhariye tolo. ⁽¹⁾

[In these rainy days, together with all Let us move forward in concert If you do not want to move ahead, Then lie down and tell tales of fallen leaves. All are today intoxicated with joyful rhythm With the piercing sound in the throats of peacocks This blushing earth dances along Its verdant beauty enchants the mind. The people are full of gleeful mirth In all directions the restless wind blows With banter and festivity, songs and delight Let us fill the lives of all. Let us move forward together, in concert.]

Humanity is now at the threshold of a new era. We do not want any dogma. The age of dogma is gone. What we want is an idea based on Neohumanism. We are for the entire created world; and not only for human beings or living beings, but for the entire animate and inanimate universe.

Now when you are in a mood of pleasure, just distribute it throughout the universe – let all the hearts of the created universe dance in ecstasy and throb with energy. And this is the gospel of the day: we are for all, we are for the Neohumanistic progress of the entire Cosmos. This is the idea.

Baraśá eseche bharaśá eseche
Cátaker trśá mit́eche

Shuśka trńerá shyámala shobháy
Gálicár rúp dhareche.

Jal paŕiteche jhamájham kare
Amarár sudhá jena jhare paŕe

Háráno mádhurii tarute phireche.
Jiiverá nútan práń peyeche.

(Áji) calo chut́e cali lakśyer páne
Dúranta gáne durdama práńe
Phire cahibár ghume kát́ábár
Sab abasar cale’ geche
(Áj) sab abasar cale’ geche.⁽²⁾

[The rains have come, and hope has returned
The skylark’s thirst is quenched
The once-parched grasses in verdant new beauty
Carpet the earth.
The rains are pattering on the ground,
As if heavenly nectar is dripping down
The lost sweetness has returned to the trees
And all the creatures have found new life.
Let us rush today towards our goal supreme
With full-throated songs, with indomitable spirit.
And now there is no time to look back or sleep.]

In the primordial phase of human creation, say about one million years ago, when human beings [had just evolved on earth], the cranium was small, the brain was small, and the nerve-cells had meagre capacity to think and to emanate thought-waves. The nerve-fibres were also less efficient in [expressing] human ideas. But now human beings are developed creatures. The brain has much increased, the nerve-cells are more developed, and the human brain and human nerve-cells can emanate more thoughts. So under such circumstances we can say, as I just told you, that humanity is now at the threshold of a new era. We must not waste our time. There must be maximum utilization of all human potentialities.

In the first phase of human creation, when humanity, rather, civilization, was just in the form of a new[-born child], humans were almost like other animals. There was little difference amongst apes, proto-apes and humans – ape-men and humans.⁽³⁾ In the realm of physicality, humans were almost like other ape-men – there was no socio-economico-cultural life, and there was hardly any spiritual life.

[The age] moved on. Humanity passed through several transmutations, through several changes, and through many metamorphoses. Human ideas underwent changes as a result of the development of human cells – protoplasmic cells in the realm of physicality, and nerve-cells in the realm of intellectuality. Some people came forward who became the leaders of the society. Hero-worship started – [the worship of heroism] in human structure. And there came the first phase, the rudimental phase, in human socio-economico-cultural life. [And a great acceleration] of spirituality came; human values increased. Cardinal human values underwent a bit of assessment. Human existence came upon a new era. There was hardly any economic life, but there was a wee bit of cultural and social life.

Metamorphosis went on. Age after age came; era after era came; so many small and big epoch-making events took place – the collection of these became the history of prehistoric men. This was the first phase of primitive history. Then finally the reign of intellectuality started. Along with intellectuality there was certainly much intellectual extravaganza. Dogma replaced simplicity: the social life was goaded by dogma in the name of so many faiths and so many creeds and so many cults. Those creeds and faiths and cults had nothing to do with the collective progress of human beings; they did much harm to our collective body, not only in a particular corner of the earth, but in the entire universe. And the main structure of the society, rather, the bulk of the society, moved on goaded by these dogmas, and this movement of dogma was known as the mainstream of life. Those who did not accept this, those who were guided by reasoning and rationality, were treated as unwanted beings.

Now dogma is fast being replaced by rationality and reason. Human beings with their developed brains, developed nerve systems and developed nerve-cells started thinking that we are not to do something for a particular tribe or a particular clan or a particular nationality; we are to do whatever we are to do, whatever we must do, for the entire humanity of the Cosmos.

But even that is not sufficient; even that will not suffice in preserving this human stock. In this mid-portion of the Cenozoic Age, we are to think once more what we are to do. Is humanity the summum bonum of existence? No, no, no, certainly not. The universe does not consist only of humans; other animals, other creatures, other plants, also have the right to live. So our universe is not only the universe of humans but the universe of all – just now I said, for all created beings, for all living beings, and for both the animate and the inanimate universe.

So ours is the age of Neohumanism – humanism supplying elixir to all, one and all. We are for all, and with everything existent we are to build up a new society, a Neohumanistic society. So we must not waste our time. And if we are late in doing our duty, the dark shadow of complete destruction will overpower our existence. We should be conscious of this; we should be cautious of this; we must not waste a single moment of our valuable existence. So what I said just now is that now humanity is at the threshold of a new era. And so many epoch-making events, so many annals of history, are to be created by you boys and you girls. Be ready to shoulder that responsibility of ages to come. You boys and you girls, what do you say? Are you ready for your revised duties and responsibilities?

[Audience: “We are.”]

Very good, very good. “Dogma – No more, no more.” Ours is the age of Neohumanism. Very good. And let there be one more song.

Mánuś sabái ápan –
Eki marme gánthá sabára hiyá, sabákár eki áyojan.

Duhkhe kándi morá, sukhe hási, priyajan priyamukh bhálabási;
Morá kśudhár anna-jal milemishe khái;
Bujhi sabákár táhá prayojan.

Sabái bhálabási ei dharańii, ákásher cánd-tárá,
arańyánii;
Eki chánde náci morá, eki práńe gái –
D́áki Parama Puruśere haye ekman.⁽⁴⁾

[All human beings are our own –
All hearts share the same innermost heart, the needs of all are the same.
We cry in sorrow, we laugh in joy, we love to see the faces of our dear ones;
We share food and drink all together;
We realize that all share the same needs.
We all love our universe, the moon and stars above and the forest below;
We dance to the same rhythm and sing with the same life’s urge –
We link our minds together to call to the Supreme Lord.]

All humanity is a singular entity, it is one and indivisible. (Go on singing.)

The feelings and sentiments of all human beings are the same; and preparation for a nobler life is the same for all. The requirements and necessities of all humanity are the same. So humanity is a singular entity, humanity is one and indivisible. And for this purpose we should always maintain an equilibrium amongst different humans, and there must be one equipoise for the development of all, irrespective of caste, creed, nationality and clan isms.

There must not be any shortage of food or water in this world. Still there are so many places where there can be more production, where there is pure water; so all the requirements, all the potentialities, all food and water should be distributed throughout the world. Nowhere in this world should men die of starvation. We are for all and everything is for all. (Go on singing.)

So many gospels of peace, so many texts and sermons, have been preached. But those who were so-called apostles of peace, preached the gospels of peace, but kept their powder dry. They were not sincere in their mission. We want no more gospels. We want something practical, something practical for the elevation, or for the exaltation, of the entire human race. As a result of the elevation of the human race, all other living beings, all other animate and inanimate objects, will also be elevated. So what is required now is the elevation of human existence, the elevation of human mind and human spirit. We require no dogma – we require more reasoning, more rationality – rationality moving unto the terminus of Parama Puruśa;⁽⁵⁾ the Supreme Desideratum is that Universal Nave.

So many waves of so many feelings have been emanated from the nucleus of this Cosmological Order. Each and every existence has its own peculiar wavelength and peculiar rhythmic order; but when the movement is towards that Supreme Unity, all those heterogeneities will become one. So many colours moving on, moving on, with so many rhythms, with so many wavelengths – but when it comes to the supreme culminating point, all the rhythms will be united – there will be complete unison. And when there will be complete unison, in that Desideratum (as I told you, there cannot be “desiderata” – it always remains in the singular number, it is a singular entity) all waves will also attain singularity, there will not remain any heterogeneity; everything will become homogeneous in the final point of this universal march of ours.

This Neohumanism, only this Neohumanism, can save our universe, can save human existence. So now we are to sing the song of Neohumanism. We should [forget] all our omissional and commissional errors of the past. Forget the past. Be the [vanguard of] a bright future; and the crimson light of that future breaks on the eastern horizon. We should welcome it – we must welcome it. There is no alternative but to welcome it.

Footnotes

(1) Prabháta Saḿgiita is a body of 5018 spiritual and psycho-spiritual songs composed by the author. Songs numbers 116 and 117 were sung before the author and the congregation on this occasion. The author then began to speak, elaborating, as he began, particularly on the last lines of song 117. –Eds.

(2) The author paused and allowed Prabháta Saḿgiita number 118 to be sung, after which he resumed his discourse. –Eds.

(3) A few words here were inaudible on the tape. –Eds.

(4) Prabhát Saḿgiita number 1090, a song of Neohumanism, was then sung. The author punctuated the performance every few lines with further commentary, until both the song and his discourse were finished. The “innermost heart” of line 2 refers to the Cosmic “I”. –Eds.

(5) A few words here were inaudible on the tape. –Eds.

Chapter 17	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

You know, it is the inherent nature of all living beings to expand their physical arena, and for this purpose, rather, because of this fundamental characteristic (this trait is nothing but a sort of fundamental characteristic), they exploit others, they forget the interest of other living beings. Just now I said that this is the inherent nature of all living beings, both humans and animals. But human beings have another characteristic, another inborn instinct, and that is to expand their psychic arena also. So unlike other animals, human beings have the opportunity to divert their physical longings into spiritual longings, into spiritual aspirations. Other animals do not have this opportunity. But because of this psychic characteristic human beings exploit others on the psychic level as well as on the physical level, and this exploitation on the psychic level is even more dangerous than on the physical one.

So that there may not be any intellectual extravaganza or any physical subjugation, human beings require proper training both physically and mentally. And this is what is called education – properly training the physical and also the psychic existences. Because of the lack of such a training at the proper time, there is no perfect coordination, no happy adjustment, between one’s inner being and outer being. Sometimes people seem very sincere to hear them talk, but there is not an iota of sincerity in their inner world. And this is what happens in the modern world: both individual and collective existence has become one-sided, it has lost its balance. Thus what we require most is a proper system of education.

Just to show their sincerity of purpose, just to show that they are developed human beings, sometimes people speak of disarmament. They say that there should be a check, a control, over the manufacturing of deadly weapons. They express this idea vocally, but internally they surreptitiously are prepared for even worse weapons, even more deadly weapons, just to keep others under their servitude in the physical sphere. This is nothing but the worst type of brutality. Once a certain leader said, “Keep the prospects of peace alive, but keep your powder dry.” That is what is happening today. This physical longing should be diverted towards psychic longings; but if it is diverted towards psychic longing by proper mundane education, that will not suffice. In that case there still remains the fear of psychic subjugation. So the remedy lies elsewhere.

Yes, people should be motivated by human feelings, human sentiments, human ideas. No doubt it would be good if human feelings could serve as a moral check in this competition of weapons, but don’t take this prospect as the last word: human feelings cannot check the infighting prevalent among human beings. For this purpose we should have a two-fold approach. For the purpose of training this turbulent mind, what should be done? We will have to educate the mind properly, along the lines of Neohumanism. This Neohumanist education will impart proper training to the mind. And at the same time there should be spiritual practice for proper psychic transformation. This is what we require most. There is no alternative.

Chapter 18	A Few Problems Solved Part 5

You know, all expressions in this universe are divided into three strata – physical, psychic and spiritual – and not a single stratum among them is unimportant or negligible. For the integrated development of this world, we want all three of these strata to be properly developed, and their speed to be accelerated. Not a single stratum is unimportant – neither the physical stratum, nor the psychic stratum, nor the spiritual stratum.

For physical development you are to work, you are to create certain physical factors guided by psychic faculties. Regarding development in the psychic world – since the psychic stratum is the controlling faculty of the physical world, automatically there will be certain processes which develop the physical world also. And the spiritual world is the apex form of the psychic world. So for psychic development there must be spiritual development, there must be spiritual progress. For the integrated development of the world, not only the human world or the animal world or the plant world, but for the development of the entire animate and inanimate universe, there must be progress in these three arenas.

The psychic world, partly directly and partly indirectly, controls the physical world, and the spiritual world, partly directly and partly indirectly, controls the psychic world. As the psychic world is the apex form of the physical world (mind is the subtilized form of matter), we cannot afford to neglect or ignore the development of the psychic world. And as the spiritual world is similarly the apex form of the psychic world, for psychic development, for development in different spheres of intellectuality, we cannot neglect the spiritual world.

This has been our failing: that we neglected the spiritual faculties of human life, we neglected the cardinal spiritual points of life. If we are interested today in the welfare of this beautiful universe, we should try more and more to accelerate the speed of spiritual progress. If the acceleration of spiritual progress becomes tremendous, then not only in the human world, but also in the physical, psychic and spiritual spheres of the entire world – and not only of the entire animate world, but of both the animate and inanimate worlds – there will be tremendous progress. And this is what we want. Now we are anxiously waiting for that crimson dawn on the eastern horizon.