Chapter 1	Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 11 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “To Know Him Is to Be Free from All Fetters”. No living being in the world wants to he in bondage; the natural tendency of the human mind is to attain all-round emancipation. In all spheres of life – social, economic, psychic, intellectual and physical – human beings seek total freedom. If people do not want that freedom, it should be understood that they have lost their inner vitality, the pulse of life has stopped. Such people should have no place in a living society, rather they should reside in the funeral pyre of the burial ground. Now, the question is: how can one attain liberation from all bondages? Today’s discourse is an attempt to answer that question.

There is only one Entity who, when known, can give liberation to human beings, and that entity is Parama Puruśa. The scriptures say,

Súkśmátisúksmaḿ kalilasya madhye
Vishvasya sráśt́áramanekarúpam
Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itaraḿ
Jiṋátvá shivaḿ shantimatyantameti.

Anádyanantamakhilasya madhye
Vishvasya sráśt́áramanekarúpam
Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itaraḿ
Jiṋátvá devaḿ mucyate sarvapáshael.

Súkśmátisúkśmaḿ kalilasya madhye. The power of perception of the human sense organs (indriyas) is very limited; they can function only within a certain limited range, and beyond, that they are ineffective. Where the indriyas fail to function, the buddhi or intellect takes over. But the intellect also functions within a limited range, although broader than than that of the indriyas. In the case of a very subtle or very crude object, the intellect also cannot function properly.

What is the meaning of Súkśmátisúkśmaḿ? When an object is beyond the power of perception of the sense organs we call it súkśma or subtle. That is, an object which the mind can conceive, but which the indriyas cannot perceive, is subtle. That which comes within the range of the sense organs is crude or sthúla. And the object which is beyond the conceptual range of the mind is very subtle (súkśmátisúkśma). Kalilasya madhye. The word kalila has a number of meanings. Here it means a very subtle portion of an object. When the human mind ceases to function it is suspended, it becomes ineffective. That state is called the liila, or divine game, of Parama Puruśa. Take the case of a tiny white ant: it is a very small creature, yet it too has a brain of its own through which it can think. Even in the case of a tiny white ant, the cosmic game of Parama Puruśa is equally operative. It is not that divine grace is limited only to the crude objects of the senses. Rather, His divine grace continues in the same way in subtle and very subtle objects. The numerous ways in which the divine game of Parama Puruśa is being played is simply beyond human imagination.

Vishvasya srast́á. What do we mean by Vishva? We know that this vast creation, this quinquelemental universe, is created by the static principle of Prakrti. The very wont of the static principle is to bring everything within the bondage of limitations. Parama Puruśa created the universe with the help of the static principle of Prakrti. When He functions as a witnessing entity to this creation of the static principle, this quinquelemental universe, He is called Vishva. Now the question is, who has created Vishva, the witnessing entity? The answer is, He has created Himself, and as such He is caged Svayambhú (self-created). Thus, in the very subtle sphere where the human mind fails to function, His divine game continues in so many ways.

There is a subtle difference between liilá and kriid́a. When the cause of an effect is easily discernible it is called kriid́a, but when the cause is unknown and only the effect is easily discernible it is called liilá. This creation is the liilá of Parama Puruśa because human beings do not know why He has created it. With the help of their intellect they are eager to know the cause of creation, but will they ever be successful in this quest? They want to solve the riddle of creation, but they have no notion about the cause. So whatever Parama Puruśa does is all His liilá, It cannot be called His kriid́á. I have already said that when one discovers the relation between the cause and effect it is called kriid́á, but when one can see only the effect and not the cause, it is called liilá. For human beings having only a small unit mind the creation is the liilá of Parama Puruśa, but to Him it is His kriid́á. For instance, in the relative world wherever there is time, space, and person, and wherever the limited intellect can function, we can discover the cause behind every action. In this connection you remember the oft-quoted aphorism of Maraśi Kańada: Kárańábhávat káryábháva – “Where there is no cause there is no effect.” In the process of tracing the cause-effect relationship back to its original cause we arrive at the last stage. Beyond this stage action does not remain within the scope of time, space and person. Since the cause remains beyond the scope of the three relative factors, it does not also come within the periphery of mind. If the mind transcends the periphery of the relative factors it is automatically annihilated.

So the action which comes within the periphery of the mind but whose cause remains unknown is called the liilá of Parama Puruśa. But this cause, whether it remains within or without the periphery of the human mind, is clearly known to Parama Puruśa. The so-called scholars attempt to discover this cause, but in vain, because it remains beyond the domain of the first effect. Human beings can only try to imagine the cause but they will never come to a decisive conclusion about what it actually is. How can the unit mind conceive of something which is beyond the domain of mind? To attempt do so is a sheer waste to time. In spite of that intellectuals continue their vain attempts, because it is their ingrained habit. But the truth remains forever unknown to them. They can only realize the truth when their minds reach the abode of truth, but in actuality the mind can never reach that abode.

True devotees never vainly discuss anything. They know that to debate something which is beyond the scope of the mind is a waste of time. Devotees are the wisest people; the pundits are foolish. Pundits foolishly waste their time trying to know something which is beyond the periphery of the mind. Devotees, on the contrary, try to make the best use of their time. They are well aware of their relation to Parama Puruśa; they know that He is their Creator, and they are His creation. So the relation between the devotee and His Lord is one of creation and creator. This inseparable relation of Creator-creation has been mentioned in the sloka: Vishvasya Sraśtáramkanewaru pam.

It is a very personal and familiar relationship. Parama Puruśa is not a judge, nor are the individuals the accused. The relationship between Parama Puruśa and the unit beings is a sweet and familiar one. The devotees remind the pundits that their attempts are exercises in futility, and declare unambiguously that they belong to Parama Puruśa, and Parama Puruśa belongs to them. I told you something in Calcutta about the word Bábá. Bábá is derived from the Sańskrta word Vapra. Vapra-Bappá-Bábá. Vapra means “dear”. Parama Puruśa is dear to one and all, and so human beings call Him Bábá. Likewise, all created beings are dear to Parama Puruśa, so to Parama Puruśa all the created entities are Bábá. This is an unusual relationship. When the devotees sing Bábá Nám Kevalam, Parama Puruśa also sings Bábá Nám Kevalam. This means that Parama Puruśa exists because devotees exist, and devotees exist because Parama Puruśa exists. Their relationship is interdependent.

You all know that there is an old conflict between the devotees and the Lord. The devotees say to the Lord, “You are great – You are our life”. To this the Lord replies, “You are great; you are My very life. I exist because you exist”. Who is greater – the devotees or the Lord? Since time immemorial this conflict has been going on, and will continue for eternity. It will never have any satisfactory solution. Hence the devotees advise the pundits not to waste their valuable time. Human beings come on this planet for seventy or eighty years at the most. If they waste their valuable time in fruitless debate, when will they do their real work? “Art is long, life is short”, says the old proverb.

The devotees claim that the pundits are mistaken. Before the universe was created Parama Puruśa was completely alone. Just think of a vast universe where there are neither stars, nor comets, nor satellites, but only one Entity – Parama Puruśa. If you remained so completely alone, how would you feel? I am sure you would go mad. Well, Parama Puruśa was in a similar situation. He had the power to speak, but there was none to hear. He had the power to laugh, but there was no occasion for laughter. He could not even cry, or scold anyone. Just think what a terrible situation He was in. Hence to perpetuate His eternal divine game – to speak, to laugh, to teach, to scold, to instruct – He manifestated Himself in numerous ways. This is, in brief, the contention of the devotees.

Not only has Parama Puruśa created the most complex entities out of Supreme Singularity, He has created the tiniest of objects too; so He understands the pains and pleasures of both. He shares their joys and sorrows. If some people think that they are insignificant, illiterate, poor people, and their Parama Puruśa does not take care of them, they are entirely mistaken. This is not possible, because from the largest to the tiniest everything is within His vast mind. Everything originates from Him.

Sama plusiná sama mashakena sama nágena
Sama ebhistribhirlokaeh.

To Parama Puruśa a small white ant and a mosquito have equal importance. The huge mammoth and the three worlds also are equally important to Him. How vast are the three worlds in comparison to a tiny white ant! But to Parama Puruśa both are equally significant. That is why I want you to remember always that none of you are petty or unimportant in the eyes of Parama Puruśa. Under no circumstances can you be insignificant to Him. All of your feelings and longings, all your mental thought-waves, in fact, everything emanates from Parama Puruśa. He is One, but His manifestations are manifold, unending. His playful expressions are multifarious.

Agniryathaeko bhuvane praviśt́o
Rúpaḿ rúpaḿ pratirúpam jagáma
Ekastháh sarvabhútánatrátmá
Rúpaḿ rúpaḿ pratirúpa vahishca.

“Fire is one, but when it spreads to various objects it becomes numerous. Likewise, the One Supreme Entity becomes many when He expresses Himself externally in numerous entities”.

You can certainly claim that the One and the many are mere psychic distortions, the result of psychic assimilation and externalization. “One” is a particular number, “two” is also a number, “many” is another number. One may also be called many, because we arrive at many by adding many ones together. But in the case of Parama Puruśa, which number should we use? The word “one” is a psychic creation. The same is the case with the word “two”. All are the creations of the mind. But Parama Puruśa is not a creation of the mind. So how can we use the term “one” to describe Him? We can say one for a unit, but what about Him? Until our mind merges in Parama Puruśa, we cannot attain Him. To attain Him the mind must become one-pointed and directed solely towards Him. Thus if any number is to be used to describe Parama Puraśa, only the number one is suitable.

Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itárani. Parama Puruśa manifests Himself in numerous ways through each and every object of this universe, but His manifestation is not confined to unit beings and the observable universe alone. His existence extends beyond that. In other words, His divine game is not limited to you alone – it extends beyond that, and continues for eternity.

Jiṋátvá shivaḿ shántimatyantameti. Parama Puruśa is Shiva. By knowing Him human beings can attain absolute peace. The word shánti is derived from the Saḿskrta root verb sham plus suffix ktin. Shánti means to remain absorbed in one’s own self. One can attain equanimity and equipose of mind by knowing Parama Puruśa. This is what is called shánti. Parama Puruśa is addressed as Shiva. Shiva is also called the Cognitive Faculty (Citishakti); that is, Shiva is also a kind of force or Shakti. In ordinary terms what we call Shakti is Prakrti. So Parama Puruśa is Citishakti and Prakrti is His imminent power. Only if Citishakti permits it can the binding faculty of Prakrti influence Him. But if the Cognitive Faculty does not desire it, the Operative Force of Prakrti is helpless. Then Shiva remains dormant in His unmanifested stance. We witness the manifested state when the Cognitive Faculty permits the Operative Force to operate. So when someone attains freedom from bondage it means he or she is freed from the bondage of the Operative Principle, and is thus established in the Cognitive Faculty. This is why it is said, Jiṋátvá shivaḿ shántimatyantameti.

It is also said, Anádyanantamakhilasya madhye vishvasyá sraśt́ramanekarúpaḿ. He not only manifests Himself in the very subtle universe; He is equally beginningless (ańadi), endless (ananta), and unbarred (akhila).

What is the meaning of akhila? Khila means “bolt” or “shutter”. Anything which does not have a bolt or shutter is called akhila or nikhila. For India as a whole we say akhila bhárata. For the Saḿskrta word vára the English equivalent is “check”. The English word “bar” carries the same meaning also. For instance, the word Váráńasi, according to popular belief, means a place where anas or rebirth is checked or prevented.

Anádi. This universe is both beginningless and endless. Parama Puruśa manifests Himself in subtle forms, but He also manifests Himself in infinite ways.

Deva. Parama Puruśa is called Deva. All other entities are not exactly Deva, but are the expressions or creations of Deva. Numerous waves are always emanating from Parama Puruśa, each wave flowing with a particular speed and wavelength. In common parlance each of these waves is called Deva, but actually they are not Deva because their source or origin is Parama Puruśa. Every vibration of the universe is called Deva; and the, source of a devas is, called Mahádeva. So, in reality, who is Deva? He is none other than Mahádeva. The rest of the so-called devas are merely His reflections. Who is a deva? Sarva dyotanatmakah akhańd́acidaekarasa: the Entity who radiates innumerable vibrations out of His infinite body, whose tendency is to other than Mahádeva. The rest of the so-called devas are merely called Deva. He is cidaekarasah. Cit means Cognitive Flow, ekarasah means unbroken flow. So cidaekarasah means the singular unbroken flow of consciousness. In this sense only Parama Puruśa is Deva, and no one else.

Dyotate kriiŕate yasmádudyate dyotate divi
Tasmáddeva iti proktah stúyate sarvadevatah.

The Entity whose vibration vibrates the whole universe, whose effulgence illumines every other entity, from whom all other entities emanate, and in whom all other entities culminate, is the true Deva. All other deities are engaged in the service of the Supreme Deva. Hence He is the God of all gods, the Deva of all devas, that is, Mahádeva. By knowing Mahádeva all the binding fetters are removed forever. Here the fetters (páshas) mean all the physical, psychic and spiritual fetters. In the narrow sense pásha means the eight páshas.

Ghrńá shauṋká bhayaḿ lajjá jugupsá ceti paiṋcamii.
Kula-shiila-mánaiṋca aśt́ao pásháh prakiirttitáh.

[Ghrńá means hatred, shauṋká means apprehension, bhayaḿ means fear, lajjá means complex of shyness, júgupsá means hiding something or suppression, kulu means lineage, shiila means vanity of culture, and mána means vanity. These are the eight páshas or fetters.]

Sometimes the word pásha refers also to the six enemies (ripu): káma or attraction for physicality, krodha or anger, lobha or greed, moha or blind attachment, mada or pride, and mátsarya or envy. Sometimes it refers also to the fifty psychic propensities (vrtti) of the mind.

Only by knowing this Deva or Parama Puruśa can human beings attain emancipation from all sorts of bondages. There is no other way to emancipation. To know Him means to merge the unit mind into the Cosmic Mind. Human beings can become one with Parama Puruśa with the help of their unit consciousness. Only when they attain this stage can they realize that there is no difference between the microcosm and the Macrocosm; that is, knowledge, knower and known lose their individual existences. The knower and knowable become practically one, and the connecting link between the two, that is, knowledge, stands nullified. At this stage there remains no bondage.

Anádyananta: anádi and ananta. If there is any Primordial Entity it must have its starting point as well. If there is a starting point it must exist in a certain place, and it must have its culminating point also. If the starting point is located at a certain place, the culminating point must also be located in a certain place. If there is a starting point and a culminating point, there must be a middle point also. For these three reasons each and every entity comes within the scope of time, space and person.

When one knows Parama Puruśa, the creator of the starting point, the middle point, and the culminating point, one is free from the temporal, spatial and personal factors. One is liberated from the influence of the binding faculty as the Supreme operative Principle gradually wanes. Hence, regarding Prakrti it is said, Prakrtih sá nitya nivrttá – “Prakrti is the entity that undergoes constant waning.” By constant ideation Prakrti ultimately dissolves Herself in Parama Puruśa. Just as Prakrti is merged in Puruśa under certain conditions, sádhakas also become one with Parama Puruśa when liberated from the bondages of the Operative Principle. They attain salvation when Prakrti becomes one with Parama Puruśa in the process of gradual waning. The very wont of the microcosms is to attain liberation by snapping all their fetters. The only way to do that is to come within the shelter of Parama Puruśa. There is no other way – Nánya panthá vidyate yanáya.

Chapter 2	Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 11 [a compilation]

Today’s subject of discourse is “Omni-Reflective Consciousness” (Pratisaḿvedii Puruśa). Who is pratisaḿvedii? When an object, due to its objective existence, [[is substantiated]] as the counterpart of [[another action or as the counterpart of an existence, that object]] is called [[prati]]saḿvedii. For instance, when the sound wave is reflected on an object we hear the echo of the original sound. The object [[on which the]] original wave is reflected is called [[pratisaḿvedii]] [reflecting plate]. Such an action is called saḿvedana. The reaction to this action is called pratisaḿvedana. That is, the action is saḿvedana and the reaction is pratisaḿvedana.

When human beings proceed towards the cause from the effect along the path of the law of causation, they finally reach a stage where they only see the effect and not the cause. For example, the cause of a tree is a seed and the cause of a seed is the tree. A stage is reached when the cause of the seed is no longer known – the intellect fails to proceed any further. The Supreme cause remains beyond the mind’s periphery on the other side of creation. The human mind cannot reach it because it remains embedded in Parama Puruśa. Whenever there is a reflection, there must be a reflecting plate. Similarly, whenever there is pratisaḿvedana there must be a pratisaḿvedii. Thus in the process of analysis, the last pratisaḿvedii will be none other than Parama Puruśa.

One of the meanings of the Saḿskrta root-verb krś is to determine one’s existence. Krśna means the entity on whom the existence of all other entities depends. Krśna is the Supreme pratisaḿvedii.

One can never reach the Supreme pratisaḿvedii by following the path of analysis. This path causes one to believe that one’s mother, father, and even the limbs of one’s own body are all separate entities. The path of dharma or spirituality is the path of synthesis. It is the path which synthesizes the many into one, and helps one to discover the Supreme unity in the midst of diversity. The one who treads the path of synthesis ultimately discovers that what was once multiplicity has been transformed into the supreme singularity.

In the first stage of synthesis one will have to consolidate all the expressions of the sense organs and then withdraw them into citta. Suppose you see something. The original waves of an object assimilated by your eye organ will be reflected in your citta. Only then will you be able to perceive that object. But if those waves assimilated by your eyes are not properly reflected in citta you can not see anything. In the next stage the existence of citta is substantiated by ahaḿtattva or doer-I, its reflecting, plate. Thus, on the path of synthesis citta will have to be merged in ahaḿtattva. In the subsequent stage all the faculties of ahaḿtattva will have to be merged into mahatattva, the existential I. And in the fourth stage the faculties of mahatattva will have to be merged in jiivátmá or unit consciousness. The pratisaḿvedii of jiivatma is Parama Puruśa. Thus in the process of synthesis human beings move towards Parama Puruśa.

What is the meaning of the term Puruśa? The first meaning is, Pure shete ya sa Puruśah. That is, the entity that lies quiescent in the psycho-physical structure of another entity is called Puruśa. You must have noticed that in a house where a marriage ceremony is being held different people perform certain tasks. The head of the family, however, does not do any specific task, but supervises the proper completion of all tasks. Similarly, Puruśa, the Cognitive Faculty, lies hidden in the physical body. Without His wish no organ of the body can function. The second meaning of Puruśa is Purasi tiśt́hati ya sa puruśah: The entity that remains before all other entities is Puruśa.

The import of both the above definitions is the same: Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Pratisaḿvedii.

You may have thought about the primordial cause of this creation. Human beings have been trying to discover this ultimate cause in various ways. Primitive human beings had an undeveloped intellect. To them rainfall, the dawn and rice were the symbols of gods and goddesses. Matter was of paramount importance in their lives. It was long afterwards that human beings realized that Parma Puruśa is the Supreme cause of creation.

Kálah svabhávo niyatiryadrccha
Bhútáni yonih Puruśa iti cintyáh
Saḿyoga eśaḿ na tvátmabhavát
Dátmá pyaniishah sukha duhkha hetoh

“Time, nature, fate, accident and the five fundamental factors – the combination of all these was thought to be the Supreme Cause of creation.”

While trying to discover the original cause of creation human beings thought that it must be eternal tempos. But when intellect developed they discovered that hypothesis to be incorrect because time is nothing but the mental measurement of the motivity of the action. If there is no action there is no question of any measurement of time. If the moon does not move around the earth, no question of days, months or years can arise. Hence time is not the original cause. Yet out of inquisitiveness human beings continued to search for the ultimate cause of creation. A question arose in their minds:

Is nature the ultimate cause? The answer is no. Prakrti, the Supreme Operative Principle, functions according to the limited freedom it has been granted by Puruśa, the Supreme Cognitive Faculty. Puruśa is the Transcendental Entity; Prakrti is merely the immanent power of Puruśa. Shaktih sa shivasya shaktih. The style in which Puruśa functions is called nature. Nature cannot act independently and thus cannot be regarded as the absolute cause of creation, the Supreme Reflecting Plate.

Is fate (niyati) the primordial cause of creation? The word niyati means “fate” or “providence.” The accumulated reaction of the action you once did will definitely be expressed one day. This reaction is called niyati. It is true that human beings are controlled by niyati or fate. The environment into which one is born is the most congenial for the expression of the unexpressed reactive momenta, and the circumstances in which one exists must be accepted as the result of one’s actions – this constitutes one’s fate or niyati. According to their fate, people are born under particular planetary positions, but they are not guided by those planets: they are guided by their own fate which they themselves have created. Hence niyati or fate also cannot be the Supreme Reflecting One (carama pratisaḿvedii). I would like to add further that those who are fatalists are also misguided. It is wrong to leave everything to fate without taking any initiative at the time of grave danger. Once a person has created his or her fate through his or her own actions, it is certainly not proper to completely surrender to that self-created fate.

If time (kála), nature (svabháva) and fate (niyati) are not the Supreme Factor, then is action (yadrcchá) the primordial cause? In fact in the world there is no accident – everything is an incident. The seed of a mango becomes a tree in due course, but when the cause is quickly transformed into effect, we call it an “accident” because we can see the effect but not its cause. In fact, the concept of accident is a defective notion created by our ignorance. Many people consider an earthquake to be an accident, but this is incorrect. Perhaps a huge stone took ten million years to move from one place to another, but when it really did fall then the action of falling took place in only a few seconds; whereas the cause of the action was preparing to reach this consummate state for many years. Hence you should bear in mind that this vast and varied universe was not created accidentally, otherwise in the process of analysis we could have attributed it to accident. The exact equivalent of the Saḿskrta word yadrcchá hat́hát is that which literally means “suddenly” – an unwise action done on the spur of the moment. The sound “ha” is the acoustic root of the sun, and of the Vishuddha Cakra, and the sound “t́ha” is the acoustic root of the Ájiṋá Cakra. The portion of mind which regulates the body and the physical energy is symbolised by the sound “t́ha”. When “ha” controls “t́ha” it is called “hat́ha yoga”; that is, to control one’s subtle energy through physical energy. Hence accident or yadrcchá which is only a relative concept can never be the primordial cause, and it cannot be the Omni-Reflecting Cognitive Principle either.

Then are the quinquelemental factors of matter the primordial cause? The physical body composed of five fundamental factors is activated by the physical nerve cells and nerve fibres, which are in turn controlled by the mind. The mind is the over-all controller. To consider this material universe the primordial cause of creation is certainly erroneous. The five fundamental factors emerge from the Cosmic Mind and from the five fundamental factors the unit minds emerge. By utilizing powerful bombs made by these unit minds, we can utilize matter at our own will to even destroy huge mountains. So how can matter which is created and ruled by mind be called the absolute factor? It, too, cannot be said to be the Supreme Reflecting Principle. Those who consider matter as the primordial cause are living in a fool’s paradise.

Then is the unit consciousness (jiivátma) the primordial cause of creation? The unit consciousness is so assailed by its illusory bondages of Prakrti, by its actional bondages, and by the bondages of the guńas, that it cannot transcend its own labyrinthine limitations. Although the witnessing “I” (jiivátma) of the microcosmic mind can be the witnessing “I” of the Macrocosmic mind as well, yet in ordinary circumstances that witnessing “I” is confined within the limits of a particular unit mind. Under these circumstances the iivdma or unit consciousness which is associated with the unit mind and assailed by the consequences of the actions of the unit mind, cannot be called the Supreme Reflecting Principle, because it is coloured by the colour of the unit mind. For instance, when a red rose is placed before a mirror, the mirror becomes red. Likewise the unit consciousness also becomes assailed due to its proximity to the unit mind. Here the flower represents the unit “I” and the mirror the unit consciousness. The unit consciousness, because of its closest association with the unit existential feeling, gets inseparably associated with the joys and sorrows of the microcosms.

Klesha-karma-vipákáshayaeraparámrśt́a puruśavisheśa Iishvara.

Until the jiivátmá or unit consciousness is unassailed by dint of sádhaná or spiritual practice, it cannot be considered to have attained the rank of Iishvara. Hence the unit consciousness also cannot be considered as the Supreme Reflecting Principle, the primordial cause of creation.

What is the actual Pratisaḿvedii Puruśa? The scriptures say,

Kśaraḿ pradhánamamrtákśaraḿ harah kśarátmanáviishate deva ekah.
Tasyabhidhyánád yojanát tattvabhábádbhúyaschánte vishvamáyá nivrttih.

The instrumental cause of the metamorphosis of this universe is the three principles of Prakrti. Prakrti is an entity which is doing something, but it cannot be the material cause or the efficient cause because behind the actional faculty of Prakrti there is no scope for any moral principle. Shakti or energy itself is a blind force – if it is not supported by intellect or prajiṋá it is always crude and static. Suppose an electric hammer is being operated, and a child accidentally inserts its tender hand under the hammer. The hammer will automatically smash it – its blind force will not spare the innocent child’s hand. Hence the sádhaná of Prakrti divorced from the touch of Shiva (consciousness) is highly dangerous. The Cognitive Principle itself is both the material cause and the efficient cause of creation.

In the flow of creation the Cognitive Principle is also inseparably associated with the Creative Force. Although the Cognitive Principle is not the enjoyer of the fruits of action, yet it maintains the closest association with the Operative Force, and as such it cannot be the Supreme Reflecting Principle (caram prati-saḿvedii). Hence only the unmanifested Supreme Cognition which is above both the Cognitive Principle and the Operative Force can be the Supreme Reflecting Principle, because when we reach both the mutable and immutable (kśara and akśara) in the path of synthesis towards the One, we notice that in the previous stage both of them have emanated from the unmanifested Supreme Cognition (nirakśara). This unmanifested Supreme Cognition is the Supreme Reflecting Principle. Hence the unit consciousness will have to proceed from matter to mind to consciousness, and from consciousness to the Supreme Cognition. All human beings are endowed with this capacity to move forward towards the Supreme Cognition. You all have come from the Supreme Entity, and you will all finally return unto It. That Supreme Reflecting Principle is the highest desideratum of your life.

Chapter 3	Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 11 [a compilation]

Wherever there is movement or progress, there is either momentum (saḿveda) or attraction or both. When people advance that which propels them from behind is known as momentum, and that which pulls them from in front is known as attraction. Momentum and attraction can be physical, psychic, and also spiritual. For instance, if I push something from behind, that object moves forward. Again, if I forcibly pull it from the front, it also moves forward. This is called mundane or physical momentum or physical attraction.

Similarly, we can propel or attract an object forward through psychic force. Even if the body is pushed, the mind may not move. Often the body wants to work but the mind is too weak. Conversely, sometimes the mind wants to work but the body is physically tired; yet the mind goads the body into action by sheer force of habit. Thus momentum and attraction function equally in the physical, psychic and spiritual worlds.

There are various types of movement in the world, and behind all of them these forces of attraction and momentum are operating. Physical momentum or physical attraction, however, is, extremely short-lived, especially if it is not supported by psychic or spiritual force. The momentum and attraction of the psychic realm is comparatively long-lasting, and the momentum and attraction of the spiritual realm is everlasting.

When people’s actions are supported by their physical energy and actional faculty but not by their spiritual energy, they become easily tired in the process of work. But when they plunge into activity with cent percent of their energy and move forward with a clear plan of action, fixing a high ideal before them, all their actions become successful, and their lives are fulfilled. This is called devotion.

There cannot be devotion in every physical action because the existence of devotion is dependent on the Absolute Entity, Parama Puruśa. When people are engaged in intellectual activities, their work is bound to be temporary; likewise, when they perform action simply for the sake of action, this too is only temporary. But when there is both knowledge and action, and both are fused into one, the result is devotion. Devotion itself has an attraction which is permanent in effect, and this is called inspiration.

The goal of human life is to realize the Absolute Entity, without which human actions can never be permanent. When human beings seek to do something lasting, or build something new, or promote human welfare, or establish something valuable to society, they must establish themselves in spiritual life. Without devotion, without inspiration, they cannot achieve anything.

Spiritual inspiration and devotion arise in the human mind through sádhaná or selfless service. Many people may think, “How is it possible for devotion to arise without following the path of knowledge or action?” The arousal of devotion is but the reaction of one’s previous actions. Perhaps at some time in their previous lives people cultivated knowledge (jiṋána) and selfless service (karma), and as a result they have attained devotion without practising jiṋána and karma sádhaná in this life.

Many people cherish the idea that bhakti, devotion, has nothing to do with jiṋána and karma, but this sort of thinking is totally defective. Devotion is never divorced from knowledge or action; rather, it is a synthesis of the two, it is their consummation. People may think they can achieve the Supreme Goal of life by practising práńáyáma in a closed room for twenty-four hours – they will certainly fail, for in them there is inertness, there is a lack of dynamism. Someone who continues the ritualistic incantation of mantras twenty-four hours a day cannot attain Iśt́a, the Supreme Goal. Conversely, those who exclusively perform actions cannot attain the Goal either; they will simply become like machines – they will become slaves to action. A machine is certainly dynamic and works extremely hard, but can that machine acquire knowledge and devotion?

Knowledge and devotion are just like the Gauṋgá and the Yamuna:⁽¹⁾ only when these two converge is the fulfilment of life attained. Thus those in whom devotion has awakened will have to engage themselves in suitable action. In life one can never escape from the need for action. If they do not understand which action is beneficial for them, they should consult others; but they will have to work continuously. Since devotion has awakened in them and they have been endowed with spiritual inspiration, they are sure to attain success in whatever action they undertake. Plunge into action and you will find that you will be able to do anything and everything. Never think that you cannot do a certain work; just commit yourself to doing that work and you will see that you will certainly be able to do it. When you start working for the welfare of society, society can never remain backward; it is bound to progress, and through the advancement of society you will also achieve success in your life.

The momentum or attraction of the psychic realm is much more powerful than that of the physical world, and the momentum or attraction of the spiritual world is still more powerful. When people hesitate and doubt whether they can accomplish something, and if they start to work in that hesitant frame of mind, they can never accomplish that task. But if they plunge into action thinking of their goal with courage, imbued with spiritual inspiration, they are sure to be crowned with success. No action is greater than the human capacity to perform it. Of all the manifold entities in this expressed world, human beings are the most powerful.

We determine the standard of human beings depending upon the degree of success or failure, or purity or impurity of their actions. If the actions of human beings are successful and pure, we call those people great. Thus before starting any work, wise people should think whether the action is righteous or not. If it is they should throw themselves into action then and there. They are destined to be victorious. When people decide to act they generally do not bother to think whether their action is righteous or not; rather they merely think whether or not they can achieve success. The more they think this, the more a fear grips their mind that they will fail, and ultimately they will never achieve success, whether the task is righteous or unrighteous. They should rather think whether or not the action is righteous.

Whenever performing any action, you must analyse to what extent the action about to be undertaken will ensure physical, psychic, spiritual, social and economic progress, and you must also consider whether your action will truly bring welfare to the world. When you are certain that your actions are truly benevolent, you must immediately throw yourselves into those actions. The inspiration behind your righteous intellect comes from Parama Puruśa, and thus it is He who will provide you with the requisite strength to accomplish the task. When your conscience dictates that the action to be performed is benevolent, you should realize that if the discriminating intellect behind your conscience is convincing you of the righteousness of your action, then that intellect will also surely provide you with the requisite courage to translate that idea into action. Thus when you are convinced that a certain action is good, then you should have no hesitation in your mind whatsoever. Such hesitation will be absolutely useless.

Átmánaḿ rathinaḿ viddhi shariiraḿ rathameva tu
Buddhiḿ tu sárathiḿ viddhi inanah pragrahameva ca.

If the human body is compared to a chariot, then the passenger is the Átma, unit consciousness, the intellect is the charioteer, and the mind is the reins. When the intellect determines that a particular action is supported by conscience, then the intellect is sure to receive all kinds of assistance from Parama Paruśa. Thus I have said, and I repeat: never be hesitant or afraid to perform any righteous deed. The human body and mind which are just like machines, have to be fully utilized. If the machine is good but is left idle, it becomes rusty; likewise, if people are endowed with keen intellect, profound wisdom and enormous physical vigour, but do not utilize these assets, then their degradation is inevitable. But if people who have no remarkable intelligence, physical energy or financial resources but are endowed with an awakened conscience, plunge into action, they are sure to be victorious. They will become great in all respects, and others will be forced to accept their greatness. Only after achieving great deeds in society will they leave this world, and their advent will have been successful in all respects.

In this way it becomes easy to perform righteous deeds. What is important is to move towards Parama Puruśa, the only permanent Entity, along with one’s knowledge and action, which we collectively call devotion. Without the inspiration of devotion, nothing lasting can be achieved. Thus conscientious people, whatever actions they may perform, must not deviate from the Supreme Goal in life. Ours is a subjective approach with objective adjustment: our main purpose is to continue with our mundane activities while placing our minds at the feet of Parama Puruśa. You must accept Him as the ultimate Goal of your lives, and then move on. If impediments arise in your movement towards the Goal, they must be removed from the path; and those circumstances which are beneficial to your progress must be encouraged. In this way you will individually progress, and that individual progress will also advance the collective life.

Only a life thus inspired is the true life. Others may have human bodies, but the minds residing in those bodies are not truly human. You boys and girls have come onto this earth as human beings with human bodies and minds – you should never forget this. Humanity is the criterion of judgment for truth in this universe. When human beings are established in the false glamour of humanity, then truth stands victorious. So in the practical world, the greatest entities are human beings – they are the highest expressions of Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Consciousness. Only they have the capacity to understand the significance of the numerous forms, colours, smells, etc., in which Parama Puruśa is constantly metamorphosing His creation. The poet Chandidas sang,

Shuńaha mánuś bhái, sabár upare mánuś satya, táhár upare nái

[Look, O human beings, humanity is the highest truth – There is nothing above it.]

“Humanity is the highest truth.” Whenever you perform any action, your humanity should never be devalued; whenever you undertake any action you should think whether or not it is truly human, whether or not it is truly righteous. The moment your judgement convinces you that this action is righteous, you should not waste a single moment; you should forthwith jump into action, and victory will be yours.

Footnotes

(1) The Ganga and Yamuna are traditionally considered holy rivers in India. –Trans.

Chapter 4	Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 11 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Relativity and the Supreme Entity”. The innate propensity of human beings is to seek freedom from all bondage. Whenever they are placed in bondage they try their utmost to free themselves. It was this effort to liberate oneself from bondage that caused love or dharma to develop in the human mind. I will free myself from all sorts of bondage. This inspiration, this existential stamina, this motivation inspired human beings to tread the path of Dharma. It is due to this driving urge that human beings have mastered and will master all matters concerning Dharma.

These bondages are of three types: physical, psychic and spiritual. The first category comprises all those bondages which concern time, space and person in this quinquelemental world. For instance, if a person wants to reach Dacca immediately, he or she will not be able to do so; this inability is physical bondage. Human beings want to reach their destination at once but they cannot, and the consequent dissatisfaction created in their minds is the physical spatial bondage. Likewise there are temporal bondages also. Perhaps a desire may arise in someone’s mind today to see what India was like at the time of Lord Krśńa, 3500 years ago; but this cannot be done due to temporal bondages. Likewise there are personal bondages also.

There are also psychic bondages, the various types of mental limitations and afflictions that arise due to our saḿskáras; and finally, there are the spiritual bondages. Human beings, through the cultivation of knowledge, become convinced that their nearest and dearest one is Parama Puruśa, that He is the soul of their souls. Parama Puruśa is dearer even than their own existential “I” feeling, because one’s “I” feeling is not something permanent – it will not last forever. But Parama Puruśa, the Supreme “I” of one’s small unit “I”, will remain forever, and thus only He can be the dearest Entity. In the material sphere we wrongly think that the existential “I” feeling of the human mind is our most beloved entity, but if we penetrate deeper into the matter we will understand that Parama Puruśa is indeed dearer than our own “I” feeling.

Yet even after this understanding, when we do not actually attain him within the scope of our realsation, then this painful sense of separation is spiritual bondage. That which brings about the permanent cessation of these three types of bondages is called Paramártha, the Supreme Good.

Trividha duhkhasya átyantikii nivrttih.

Out of the endeavour to liberate themselves from these three bondages, human beings have cultivated material science, and in this way they have learned and discovered many things. In overcoming the psychic bondages they could not achieve any significant progress; and although they have attained some success in overcoming physical bondages, yet they could not permanently conquer any of the three factors of time, space and person. Even if they go to Dacca from Calcutta by rocket, it will take some time to reach the destination: they will never be able to conquer time altogether. Nevertheless people go on trying to surmount the limitations of time, space and person.

Is any psychic progress attained in this continuous endeavour to overcome physical bondage? It may be possible to acquire some objects of enjoyment or to transcend the temporal, spatial and personal bondages to some extent. But will this really bring psychic elevation? No, not even the slightest. Suppose a highly elevated person is travelling by bullock cart, and a degraded person is travelling by rocket. Does the person in the rocket become more elevated because he is moving at a high speed? The affluent countries have purchased the brains of the intellectuals and invented many new things: does this mean that they are highly developed? Are those countries which could not develop those inventions, like India and other Third World countries, underdeveloped countries? Not at all. The progressiveness or backwardness of a certain country cannot be judged in this way. A progressive country is one in which human beings are developing. Even cows, goats and other animals can be sent into space in rockets – does that mean that they are more developed?

So it is clear that time, space and person can never be completely conquered. Likewise, in the psychic sphere also some people try to explain things to their fellow human beings, thus removing their psychic hunger. Suppose people do not know the meaning of a word. They may suffer some psychic discomfort for a time, but once the meaning of the word is conveyed to them their mental affliction is removed. Then they discover another word whose meaning is unknown to them! Among human beings you will never find anyone who knows everything, nor is that possible in practical life. An omniscient person never comes within the scope of relativity: he or she may remain outside the realm of relativity but not within it.

What ordinary people learn one day they forget the next. Those of you who are graduates and postgraduates will admit that if I ask you to sit for the school final examination now, you will certainly not pass the exam. This shows that you have studied but quickly forgotten what you learned. You have not gained much, so it would not be wise for you to consider your education as a glorious achievement.

The fact is that human beings have tried, are still trying, and will continue to try to overcome their physical and psychic bondages. That which helps one overcome physical and psychic bondages to some extent – that, for example, will reduce the minute – is called artha. Hunger is a physical bondage – it is related to the physical body of this quinquelemental world. To remove hunger you require money to buy food in a restaurant. Eating the food brings temporary release from the bondage of hunger; and thus money, the object which brought about this release, is called artha.

Let us take another example. “Antidisestablishmentascalistically”⁽¹⁾ is the longest word in the English language. Until people know the meaning of this word, they remain in psychic bondage. If someone says that that particular word [is] meaningless, or useless, then that psychic bondage is removed. The next moment, however, another question arises in the mind: “What is the meaning of asaḿkramsahah?” Unless someone gives the meaning, one’s mind is disturbed. Only when the meaning is known does the mind return to its normal state. Hence the meaning of a particular word is also called artha in Saḿskrta, because knowing the meaning brings temporary relief from psychic bondage. [The Saḿskrta word for “notebook” is artha pustakaḿ: pustaka means “book” and artha means “meaning.”]

When people know in theory that Parama Puruśa is always with them, that He is their nearest and dearest one, and yet He does not come without their personal realization, this is called spiritual bondage. For such people Parama Puruśa remains confined to the abstract striptures, and does not become a living realization. Spiritual aspirants must liberate themselves from this bondage by dint of their sádhaná.

So people may attain temporary freedom from physical or psychic bondages, but they fall into those bondages again the next moment. There may be temporary victory, but it is again followed by defeat: ultimate victory is impossible. (In Saḿskrta “victory” is jaya and “complete victory” is vijaya.) Spiritual bondage is different from psychic or physical bondage, because once the spiritual aspirant realizes Parama Puruśa, that realization becomes permanent. If you take food in a restaurant daily, you will also have to pay every day – you cannot pay once for always. Hence the term artha is not used in the spiritual sphere; rather we use the word Paramártha – the ultimate, permanent relief from bondage. This Paramártha, as I said earlier, remains confined to the scriptures of the philosophers, and thus the thirst of their hearts is never quenched. They waste their valuable time in useless philosophical discussions. Parama Puruśa may or may not remain in the book of the devotees but He is surely present in their hearts. By dint of sádhaná and kiirtan devotees bring the supreme flow of spirituality into the practical world; they taste it and bathe in it. Parama Puruśa is not an object of bookish knowledge, of philosophical speculation – He is the soul of souls, the nearest Entity to a devotee’s heart, the One with whom a devotee is constantly playing and conversing with laughter and joy. That blissful satisfaction in a devotee’s heart is conspicuously absent in that of a philosopher.

Thus the Supreme Entity is beyond the scope of the physical and psychic spheres. The physical and psychic spheres are assailed by the limitations of relativity, but the spiritual world is free from such limitations. The Supreme Entity is absolute, but It also touches the realm of relativity. This descent from the absolute to the realm of relativity is not properly understood by the philosophers. They say that the realm of the absolute is not at all accessible to the human mind, and hence the mind is incapable of judging or analysing the Supreme Entity. Thus philosophers are totally incapable of explaining why Parama Puruśa is so closely associated with the relative world, and with human beings. In none of the books of the philosophers can we find the proper reply to this query. Devotees are always ready to reply. They say, “Oh philosophers, it is a fact that Parama Puruśa resides in the unmanifested world. Now, you philosophers, just imagine that you are alone in this universe. Will you not become mad if you remain alone with your analytical bent of mind? In the same way our Lord did not want to remain alone, so He manifested Himself in various forms just to associate Himself with them, to play with them.” The explanation of the devotees is simple and straightforward.

Some people may complain about this strange game (liilá) of Parama Puruśa. (In Saḿskrta, an action whose cause is known to human beings is called kriirá, and an action whose cause is not known is called liilá. The actions of the Supreme Consciousness are called liilá because we do not know their cause.) They may say, “What a strange liilá is this! Because of this liilá we have to undergo so many trials and tribulations!” But the point is, He is playing His liilá with none other than His own creations. Thus He certainly has the moral right to do so.

The devotees tell the philosophers that Parama Puruśa has the right to play His divine sport with them, thus they find no reason to complain. This sets the philosophers thinking. They conclude that the devotees are correct because the devotees have a very close relationship with Parama Puruśa, whereas they are outside of His intimate circle. They fail to understand where to draw the line of demarcation between the Macrocosmic flow and microcosmic flow: they simply churn through hundreds of pages of books without any practical realization. So the philosophers feel deflated, while the devotees proclaim,

Nitya áchi Vrndábane,
Ámi to nai Hari cháŕá,
D́ákle Hari ásbe káche,
D́ákle parei dey se sáŕá.

[I am always in the divine realm of Vrindávan
I am never without my Lord.
My Lord will come to me whenever I seek Him –
He responds to my slightest call.]

So the devotees truly enjoy the presence of Parama Puruśa whereas the poor philosophers are so foolish that they remain far from Him.

Then the philosophers start pondering over the issue of conversion from absolute into relativity. They wonder, “How is it possible, how can it be done? What is the Primordial Factor, the Causal Matrix behind this creation?” The philosophers start racking their brains to find the answer.

Kálah svabhávo niyatiryadrcchá bhútani yonih puruśa iti cintyá;
Saḿyoga eśáḿ na tvátmabhávádátmápyaniishah sukhaduhkha hetoh.

Kála svabháva. What is that Absolute Entity? Some say it is mahákál or Time eternal, because, they say, everything is imbeded in Time. However, everything occurs within the vast scope of eternity, thus can we call Time the Absolute Factor? The devotee objects: how can the time factor be the Supreme Entity? Time is the mental measurement of the motivity of action. Where there is no action or where there is no mind to measure, there cannot be any time either. If there were no earth, or if the earth had not revolved around the sun, or if there were no developed living beings to measure the movement of the earth around the sun, then there would have been no days, months or years. We could not have measured them, and thus there would have been no time either. Hence the existence of time depends on two factors: the motivity of action and the instrument to measure this motivity of action. Judged in this light, time cannot be the ultimate factor, so the devotees advise the philosopher to look elsewhere for the Absolute. There is nothing like Eternity, because what we call Eternity is a collection of numerous fragments of time.

The concept of fragments of time arises in the human brain. Suppose a person becomes senseless at twelve o’clock. When that person regains senses after five hours, he thinks that it is still twelve o’clock. During the period of senselessness his mind was not able to measure the motivity of action, and hence time ceased to exist. Then should the philosophers not admit that the devotees are correct?

Then the philosophers turn to another hypothesis: that nature or svabháva is the Absolute Entity, but this is also not acceptable. Whatever is taking place in this universe happens in a particular style, and that style of functioning is called “nature.” Nature cannot be considered to be the Entity which creates this style of functioning, because Nature is not a conscious agent. There can be no intellectual justification for this supposition. Nor can we call Nature a blind force because it follows a particular system, a particular style of functioning. Suppose a person is cooking food according to a particular style. Who is cooking: that person, or the style of cooking? The answer is, the person is cooking. The sun rises at a particular time and sets at a particular time – it follows a particular system, which we call Nature. However, the conscious agent which is working in this particular style is not nature. The philosophers must accept this argument also.

So the philosophers turn to still another hypothesis, that niyati or “fate” is the absolute factor. “Whatever is fate cannot be averted,” they say. This is equally unacceptable to the devotees because, after all, who is that Entity who spins our fate? Ram’s fate is different from Shyam’s fate. Who created these different fates? Fate herself cannot determine that.

Daevena deyamiti kápuruśah vadanti
Udyoginaḿ Puruśasiḿhamupaeti Lakśmii
Yatne krte yadi na sidhyati ko’tra dośah.

Cowards say that everything is determined by fate. In reality, however, those people with tremendous initiative or enterprise are crowned with success. Cowards say, “If one makes intense efforts and then fails, what is the harm?” But devotees say, “No, no, this is sheer fatalism. One who believes in fatalism will have to simply lie inert.”

Devotees say that fate is simply the collection of unrequited saḿskáras. A person who performs an action has to undergo the reaction to that action. If his body is old, the reaction of that action may not be expressed in this lifetime. Only when the same person is reborn will his unserved saḿskáras be expressed. He cannot remember the action of his previous life because he has acquired a new brain. So he takes the expression of those saḿskaras to be his fate. In fact they are not his fate – they are merely the reactions of his previous actions of his previous life. The philosophers contend that astrologers are able to predict people’s future by preparing their horoscopes. They may be correct, for in this universe everything follows a particular rhythm. Nothing is isolated, everything is interconnected. Even a tiny ant does not die a premature death. If an ant does die prematurely, the entire universe becomes unbalanced and loses its rhythm. Everything in this universe, whether great or small, is a dignified member of the universal family. To enjoy equal importance; none should be slighted.

When people are reborn, they carry the saḿskáras, the reactive momenta, which remained unrequited in the previous life. According to their saḿskáras, they are born under a certain planetary system in the solar system, and during their lives they must act and move within the scope of a particular sign of the zodiac. Thus everything follows a particular system. It can be inferred that people of such-and-such nature are born under a certain planetary position. The science of astrology was formulated on the basis of such a theory. But in this regard, simply surrendering to fate would be sheer foolishness.

The philosophers say to the devotees, “Yes, these ideas appear to be logical,” but then they take up another hypothesis. “Is yadrcchá or accident the cause of creation?” they ask. Some people say that this creation is accidental, but the devotees retort that this is simply absurd. In this universe nothing is accidental; so how can accident be accepted as the ultimate cause of creation? It is merely a simplistic attempt to hide one’s ignorance about the ultimate cause. One should remember that each and every incident is causal, nothing is non-causal. When some incident takes place abruptly we call it an accident, because the effect has taken place so suddenly that we can not determine its cause. Thus we use the word “accident” just to cover up our failure to detect the cause behind the effect. These arguments convince the philosophers that the idea that accident is the ultimate cause of the universe is simply absurd.

Then is matter, of which this universe is composed, the ultimate cause of creation? Here the questions arise, from where does matter come? And from where does intellect, the subtle mind of a human being, come? We must accept that the potentiality of mind was lying hidden in matter, otherwise, how could mind originate from matter? The strange thing is this: that the same mind which originated from matter is also controlling matter. The hands, feet, eyes, nose, ears, mouth, etc., of the human body, which are all material, are all controlled by mind or intellect. If mind originated from matter, then how does mind control that same matter? Suppose the body is hungry for food, but the mind insists that it will not eat anything; it would prefer to commit suicide rather than eat. Then who will win – mind or matter? Mind will certainly triumph over matter. This proves that mind exercises authority over matter. Mind is subtle and the crude emerges from the subtle. Matter works under the guidance of the Cosmic mind. So the philosophers are convinced that matter, too, is not the ultimate cause of creation.

Then is unit consciousness or jiivátmá the ultimate cause of creation? The devotees argue, “How is that possible? Although the jiivátmá is the witnessing entity which cannot perform any original action by itself, it always maintains the closest proximity to the mind, and is inseparably associated with it.” Suppose a person does something wrong physically or mentally, and imbibes a set of saḿskáras. According to the previous saḿskáras he was a human being, but according to the newly acquired saḿskáras he is reborn as a dog. The progress or degradation of the human mind has a direct effect on the apparent progress or degradation of the soul, because of the soul’s close proximity to the mind. Suppose a piece of red cloth is placed in front of a mirror: the mirror will appear to be red, but in reality it is the cloth which is red, not the mirror. The same applies to the unit consciousness. Hence an entity which is affected by the mind cannot be the ultimate cause of creation. When it has the limitation of being assailed by another entity, it is certainly not the Supreme Agent.

The philosophers are now quite confused, but the devotees are guided by clear logic. According to them all objects and actions that we perceive are reflected on the Supreme Reflecting Plate. If this reflection does not take place, the existence of an object or action remains unsubstantiated. Suppose you come in contact with an object. To you the object is real because the vibrations of that object are reflected on your mental plate. You extend your hand, and your hand feels the existence of that object. Due to this tactual contact you accept that the object exists. Likewise, when the vibrations of external objects transmitted through your nerves are reflected on your citta, and those vibrations on the citta are reflected on the ahamhattva, and those on the ahamhattva are reflected on the mahattattva, and finally when those on the mahattattva are reflected on the unit consciousness, you have attained your real Átmá or Soul.

Although the Átmá itself has no merits or defects, it is affected by the saḿskáras of the mind. Only when the unit consciousness is fully reflected on the Supreme Reflecting Plate, Cosmic Consciousness, is the real Parama Puruśa attained. The philosophers are finally convinced by this cogent logic.

When you realize that everything is Parama Puruśa, you will have to channelize all your physical, psychic and spiritual faculties, all your hopes and aspirations, longings and desires, towards that Supreme Entity. Only then will you come in the closest proximity to Him.

Let us take an analogy:

Yathá darpańábhávo ábhásahánao mukhaḿ vidyate kalpanáhiimekam
Tathá dhiiviyoge nirábhásako yah sah nityopalabdhi svarúpemátma.

Suppose there is a certain person surrounded by fifteen or twenty mirrors. In those mirrors fifteen or twenty faces are reflected. Each mirror thinks that it possesses a particular face. The real face is amused at this, because it knows that it is not possessed by any mirror. Those faces reflected in the mirrors are just like the microcosmic minds. Every human being, every unit entity, has a mind. In matter mind is dormant, but the potentiality of mind is ever present. Mind even exists in wood, rocks, sand, stone, etc. Wherever there is the expression of mind, there is also the reflection of the unit consciousness. Through scientific research this dormant mind may also express itself one day, even in matter – it is not it all impossible. A tiny grain of sand today will one day be transformed into a great scholar, an extraordinary personality. Every atom has that possibility. Thus those reflected faces in the mirror are the unit consciousnesses, and the real face is Parama Puruśa. When this reflection is stopped, the unit consciousness will also cease to exist, and the existential “I”-feeling of the microcosm will also cease to exist. But how to do this?

The task of all the images in the mirrors is to rush headlong and merge themselves in the Supreme Entity. That is, the devotees must channelize their minds towards Parama Puruśa and stop all reflections forever. Tathá dhiiviyoge nirábhásako yah. When they merge their “I”-feeling (mahattattva) with all their joys and sorrows, thoughts and moods, hopes and aspirations in Parama Puruśa, there remains no reflection, and no unit consciousness: there remains only the One Supreme Entity. They should not attach any importance to obstacles they may meet along the way. Trampling down on the thorns on the path, they must move ahead, undaunted. Parama Puruśa is also attracting all created beings towards Himself, and they consciously or unconsciously are moving towards Him. No one can escape this movement. When people realize that they are moving towards Him, the speed of their movement is tremendously accelerated. They move on and on, meeting no defeat.

Chot́e ye jan banshiir t́áne
Se ki tákáy pather páne.

[Those who rush in response to the call of the Divine Flute – do they pause to look back?]

Whatever might be the obstacles, the devotee must move on like a flying bird. True spiritual aspirants will never be frightened by any circumstances, for they are born warriors, ready to move on amidst all struggles. They will smash all obstacles relentlessly. This is the creed of their lives.

What is the result of this headlong rush towards the Supreme One? The result is that one becomes one with the Supreme Entity. Hence the devotees channelize all their longings and urges towards that Supreme One. They recognize only that One and no second entity. I narrated a story some time ago that is highly illustrative. Once a few people asked Hanuman, “You know that Ráma and Nárayań are one and the same entity?” What is the meaning of Náráyańa? The Saḿskrta word [[nára]] has three meanings. One is “water,” niira: Nitraḿ toyaḿ jalaḿ udakaḿ kambalaḿ pániiyaḿ ka. The second meaning is “devotion”: nára + dá + d́a = nárada; that is, one who distributes devotion. If we take the first meaning of the word nára, in that case Nárada means “the person who supplies water in the railway station.” The third meaning of the word nára is Paramá Prakrti or the Supreme Operative Principle. Here the suffix ayana means “shelter.” So nára+ayana=Náráyańa, “Parama Puruśa, who is the shelter of Prakrti.” Likewise the book in which the character of Rama is described is called the Rámáyańa. The word Ráma means “Parama Puruśa:” Ramante Yoginah Yasmin Sah – “the One whose very thought exalts the spiritual aspirants is Ráma.” The light of the earth comes from the sun, the light of the moon also comes from the sun, and the light of the sun comes from Parama Puruśa. No entity possesses any light of its own.

Na tatra súryo bháti na candra tárakaḿ
Nemá vidyuto bhánti kuto’yamagnih
Tvameva bhántámanubháti sarvaḿ
Tasya bháśá sarvamidaḿ vibháti.

[Before that effulgent Supreme Entity, neither the sun shines, nor the moon nor the stars. Nor does the lightning flash, what to speak of fire. In Parama Puruśa’s light all other entities shine. His effulgence illuminates all luminous entities.]

Ráti mahiidharah rámah. The first letter of the word ráti is ra, and the first letter of the word mahiidhara is ma – from this the word Ráma has come.

This may also be explained: Rávańasya márańaḿ. Here Rávańa means all the baser propensities of the mind. Since all these baser propensities work in ten directions, it is said that they are like a ten-headed demon. If one seeks to annihilate this demon, one will have to take the shelter of Parama Puruśa. The entity who is instrumental in that annihilation is called Ráma.

Thus you see the meaning of Ráma and of Naráyańa is the same. When Hanuman was asked why he was so insistent on taking the name of Ráma and never taking the name Náráyańa, he promptly replied:

Shriináthe jánakiináthe cábheda Paramátmani
Tathápi mama sarvasvah Rámah kamalalocana.

“I know by philosophical analysis that there is no difference between Náráyańa and Rama, and yet I will channelize my mind towards One Entity and not many. For me there is no Náráyańa, there is only Ráma.”

Likewise for the genuine spiritual aspirants there is only One Entity, and they rush only towards that Supreme One. Their minds move only in one direction, not in a thousand directions. The devotees say:

Tadekaḿ smarámah tadekaḿ japáma
Tadekaḿ jagatsáksiirúpaḿ namámah.

“If I remember anyone, I will remember only that One Entity and not many. If I repeat anyone’s name, I will repeat only the name of the Lord. If I ever salute anyone, I will salute only the Supreme One and no one else.” The rule is, if you pay salutations to a human being, you should say “Namaskár”, but if you pay salutations to Parama Puruśa, you must say “Namaste.” Namaste means “I salute Thee.” Human beings are greeted with the word “Namaskár” because they are considered to be the expressions of the Supreme Being. They should not be greeted with “Namaste.” In the case of Parama Puruśa either “Namaste” or “Namaskár” is permissible.

The mental strength that develops through one-pointed concentration accelerates the speed of the aspirants’ minds. When they proceed towards Parama Puruśa with accelerated speed they are destined to reach Him.

Always bear in mind that the Lord of the philosophers (jiṋánis) is only an impersonal God, whereas the Lord of the devotees is a personal God – a personal relationship is established between the devotees and their Lord. The Lord of the philosophers bears so many glamorous epithets that it is difficult to understand Him. He sits like a magistrate, presiding majestically over his courtroom, trying human beings according to various sections and sub-sections of the penal code. The relationship between the devotees and their Lord, however, is very intimate – here the question of courts or law does not arise. There is only a sweet relationship of love between them. Thoughts, fears, anxieties are the concern of the philosophers, and hence the Lord also remains somewhat aloof from them. The difference between the philosophers and the devotees is illustrated in the following shloka:

Brhacca taddivyamacintyarúpaḿ
Súkśmácca tat súkśmataraḿ vibháti;
Durát sudúre tadihántike ca
Pashyatsvihaeva nihitaḿ guháyám.

The Lord is far, far away from the philosophers, but the devotees know that their Lord is in the innermost recesses of their hearts. The philosophers say that the Lord is beyond the reach of the ordinary human mind; but the devotees say that the Lord resides within the innermost cavity of the human mind as the subtlest entity, subtler than any subtle creation. He is the closest entity to the human heart.

Tomáre páche sahaje pái tái ki eta liilár chal
Báhire yáder hásir chat́á bhitare tháke cokher jal
Bujhi go ámi bujhi tava chalamá
Ye kathá tumi balite cáo se kathá tumi balaná
Tomáre páche sahaje dhari kichui tava kinárá
Dasher dale pheli go páche vimukh tumi virúp tái
Bujhigo ámi bujhigo tava chalaná
Ye pathe tumi calite cáo se pathe tumi calaná
Savár ceye adhik ogo tái ki tumi phiriyá jáo
Khelár ghare khelár mata bhikśá yadi bháśiye dáo
Bujhechi bujhechi ámi tava chalaná
Savár yáhe trpti halo tomár tithe halaná

[Do You playfully avoid me lest I should attain You easily? Those who outwardly smile but inwardly shed tears of sorrow – these tricks of Yours I understand, O Lord. You do not say exactly what You want to convey, lest I should attain You easily. You have made Yourself boundless. When I treat You as an ordinary entity You turn Your face away from me. I understand Your tricks, oh Lord, I understand. You do not walk the path which you want to tread. You always demand the maximum and if we give you anything less, You turn Your face away from us. Everyone else may be satisfied with his or her lot, but you alone remain ever unsatisfied.]

When human beings ask for money they must send some application letters, but when Parama Puruśa wants something from you, He will not ask for it, He will demand it. What He will ask you for, you will hesitate to give; for He will ask for nothing less than your whole existence. Those who are prepared to give their all, even though they may be the most degraded sinners, become the full responsibility of Parama Puruśa, because they have surrendered themselves completely to Him. They have not given away fifteen annas, keeping one anna for themselves [there are sixteen annas in one rupee.] Hence it is the moral responsibility of Parama Puruśa to care for such people. Those who dwell in the “Heaven of Knowledge” may say, “Such a degraded person has committed such a dastardly crime – his liberation is impossible, for his past was so black!” The philosophers might busy themselves dabbling in knowledge, but those who have completely surrendered themselves to Him, will certainly be cared for by Him.

Take the case of flower: it may be defiled with dirt and dust, but if that flower is offered to the water, will the water not accept it? Certainly it will. Likewise the devotees will never be concerned with what a person did in the past. They will think, “I am like a flower offered at His feet which He has graciously accepted.”

Api cet sudurácáro bhajate mámanyabhák;
So’pi tu vinirmuktah mucyate bhava bandhanát.

The Lord says, “Even if the worst of the sinners worship me exclusively, they will be liberated from all worldly bondages.” This total surrender is not attainable as long as there is any vanity of knowledge in a person’s mind – it is not possible for such a person to become an A-grade devotee. (Devotees are of several categories). No matter how sinful people may be, they need not worry about anything if they come within the shelter of Parama Puruśa. Only this has to be ensured, that their surrender is cent per cent.

The devotees know that their Lord cannot do two things: the first is that even if He wanted to, He cannot create another Parama Puruśa like Him, for there remains always only one Supreme Consciousness. Hence self-surrender means surrender to the one and only one Parama Puruśa. The second thing which Parama Puruśa cannot do is He cannot hate anyone. He does not have this capacity at all. This is one of His major weaknesses, and the devotees take full advantage of it. They know that however sinful or wicked they may be, Parama Puruśa, cannot hate them, so there is no need to worry.

Thus you see that those who possess knowledge mixed with some devotion are bound to dabble in intellectual speculation, while those who possess devotion mixed with some knowledge are the best type of human beings. Devotees are classified into three categories: the devotees of the third category say that “The reflected consciousness of the unit mental plate is the jiivátmá, and my existential ‘I’-feeling is embedded in it. Since Parama Puruśa is reflected on each and every mental plate, He is also reflected on mine as well. Since Parama Puruśa belongs to all, and I am included in all, therefore He belongs to me as well.”

The second or medium category of devotees says, “As Parama Puruśa is reflected on my mental plate, He is mine. Perhaps He is also equally reflected on other mental plates, and may be related to others as He is related to me. Thus Parama Puruśa belongs to me, and He belongs to others as well.”

The first and highest category of devotee says, “I belong to Him. Since my heart and mind are dancing in His divine flow, and are becoming effulgent, He is mine – He is my personal property. I don’t care if He belongs to others or not. I am not prepared to share Him with others. In this universe everything is transitory: what exists today will not remain tomorrow. Nothing will last forever – neither wealth, nor name, nor fame, nor power, nor prestige. I am prepared to give up all relative objects, but Parama Puruśa is my permanent treasure – I will never share that treasure with anyone.”

Such sádhakas who move towards the Supreme Goal with undaunted speed will never recognize any obstacles on the way. Their only goal is to realize that “Parama Puruśa is mine. He is my personal treasure. I will live with Him, and I will never give Him up.”

Footnotes

(1) [[The author appears to have deliberately invented and used a nonsense word here. –Trans.]]

Chapter 5	Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 11 [a compilation]

Before we try to understand what a mantra is, let us be clear about shabda [sound]. Everything in this manifest universe is vibrational. Creation is also vibrational. And the first and subtlest expression of the vibrational flow is shabda. As shabda is the first vibrational expression of Brahma, Shabda Brahma is the first expression of Kárya Brahma [Effect Brahma, Expressed Brahma]. The fundamental difference between Kárya Brahma and Kárańa Brahma [Causal Brahma] is that all vikásha, all expression, in Kárańa Brahma is purely svagata (subjective) and svarasátmaka (blissful). There is no paragata (objective) or pararasátmaka (extroversial) pleasure therein. Being purely subjective and blissful, it has no vyaiṋjanátmaka bháva, no exceptional quality. In other words, it is purely original and cannot [contain] any compound or mixture.

Prior to its practical emergence in the practical sphere, shabda was present in the realm of bháva, or ideas. And the starting point of shabda in the world of ideation is called paráshakti. Paráshakti exists both in the unit⁽¹⁾ and in the [Cosmos]. Although potentially paráshakti has full possibilities of expression, due to lack of a medium it does not get expressed. It germinates into expression as soon as it finds a medium. And its vibrational expression is shabda. In other words, we hear sound within and without when there is a mutual clash in the medium due to the formation of troughs and crests of various waves. This then is shabda.⁽²⁾

Kárańa Brahma [is represented] in Tantric scriptures by all the svaravarńa [vowel] sounds taken together. When those sounds are converted into action, that is, acquire the potential to form mixtures and compounds, they are called vyaiṋjana [consonants]. The diversity of creation is expressed through consonants, not through vowels. This is the logic behind the division of the Indo-Aryan alphabet into vowels and consonants.

What is a mantra? It has already been stated that the starting point of shabda, parábindu, exists both in the unit and in the [Cosmos]. In the flow of evolution, in the unit as well as in the Cosmic, shabda is born out of pará. Pará is the womb of all sounds. A mantra is a collection of a few particular shabdas - not each and every shabda. Mantra means “that collection of sounds meditation on which leads to liberation” – Mananát tárayet yastu sah mantrah parikiirttitah. Man plus the root verb trae plus the suffix d́a make up the word mantra.

By way of illustration, suppose you are sitting somewhere and you do not have the strength to move. A gentleman happens to come that way. If you say to him, “Come, sir, let’s have a little talk,” that will not prompt the gentleman to lift you by the hand and support your movement. If, on the other hand, you tell the gentleman, “Come, sir, I don’t have the strength to get up – please take my hand and lift me up,” it may bring about that result. Thus we get the result we desire by means of an appropriate expression in words. In this illustration the seed of the idea was the same at the level of pará, but due to two different formations of expression, different results were obtained. A given expression carries a particular meaning for you, as it expresses a particular feeling and it possesses a particular value. In other words, when a particular feeling is expressed through a particular combination of sounds, it achieves a particular value. But even then it does not attain the status of a mantra.

Unless the shabda or the collection of shabdas, when meditated upon, leads to the path of liberation, it cannot be called a mantra. Every mantra is thus sonic or vibrational and is vibrating simultaneously in the Cosmic system and in the unit body. When, with the help of a mantra, a person finally establishes the parallelism of the unit ectoplasmic vibration with the Cosmic vibration, that person gets mantra siddhi.

And what is mantra caetanya, or the awakening of a mantra? Mantra caetanya is the condition where, with the help of a particular shabda, a person establishes parallelism between his or her external physical vibration and his or her internal ectoplasmic vibration, and then raises this to the spiritual level.⁽³⁾ And the culmination of this process in the achievement of the final spiritual goal is called mantra siddhi. The same shabda without being made “live” or awakened in the above process is meaningless; it acquires force and meaning when it becomes “live” in the aforesaid manner. The parallelism between the internal ectoplasmic vibration and the external Cosmic vibration can only be established when one has complete control over one’s own ectoplasmic vibration.

According to one’s saḿskáras, a person will be vibrated immediately by one shabda, but remain immune to the vibrations of another. Thus some people get angry when you say “Sitá-Rám” to them, but are pleased when you greet them with “Rádhe-Shyám”. Our attitude towards different shabdas becomes defined.

It will be noted that many writers repeat the use of particular words. Many, for instance, use the word “but” in every other sentence. All this happens because of their attachment to particular rhythmic vibrations. Similarly, when the vibrational expression is ectoplasmic, that is, when the individual gets equilibrated with the Cosmic vibration, [Cosmic] mantra caetanya takes place.

As already mentioned, not only human existence but every existence in this universe is vibrational. But the vibrations of each individual, of each object, differ from those of other objects. For instance, there is a difference between the vibrational expression of iron and that of gold. Just as the vibrations of a human differ from those of iron or gold, the vibrations between one human and another also differ. A person’s life is nothing but a mesh of multilateral rhythms, and the goal of human life is a singular Entity having no rhythm.

The style of a person’s speech represents a particular rhythm of his or her own. The way the person eats represents the rhythm of his/her own eating. Every person is thus special on account of these specialities. The rhythms of two individuals cannot be identical. An individual rhythm is the particular property of a particular person. It has been said in Ánanda Sútram:⁽⁴⁾ Vaecitryaḿ prákrtadharmah samánaḿ na bhaviśyati [“Diversity, not identity, is the law of nature”]. In this universe every person in every action possesses a particular rhythm of his own. If someone wants to obstruct or strike that rhythm through disciplinary measures or expressions of anger, the person will not tolerate it. Personal liberty – individual liberty – really means the unobstructed expression of individual rhythmic vibrations.

When with the help of one’s paráshakti (pará in the sense of the starting point of shabda and not in the context of pará and apará) a person coincides his or her individual rhythmic vibrations with the rhythmic vibrations in the realm of this quinquelemental universe, from that moment onwards his or her rhythms become vibrated with mantra caetanya. This is the awakening of, or putting life into, a mantra. Therefore Sadáshiva has said:

Caetanyarahitáh mantráh proktáh varńástu kevalam
Phalaḿ naeva prayachanti lakśakot́ijapaerapi.

In order to make a mantra “live”, the individual rhythms have to be made parallel to the Cosmic rhythms. Then the starting point of expression of the unit will have to be made to coincide with the starting point of expression in the Cosmic field. “If this has not been done,” says the shloka, “even hundreds of thousands, even millions, of repetitions of the mantra will not lead to mantra siddhi.”

There are several essential factors to bring about mantra caetanya. The first is that the mantra should suit the saḿskára of the individual concerned. And the second is that the individual should feel a fraternal emotion for and attachment to the external world. This sentimental contact with the external world is a must. If someone is under the impression that “I am doing sádhaná for the sake of personal liberation and I have nothing to do with the world,” and thus denies his or her contact with external physicality, although the person’s physical body is very much in this world, the person is cheating himself and indulging in selfishness. Service to humanity with a view to serve Parama Puruśa and with the same attachment which one feels towards oneself and Parama Puruśa is an essential prerequisite for progress in sádhaná. This will establish the equilibrium and parallelism of the individual rhythms with the rhythms of the external physicalities.

The microcosm is in a dormant state, and the jiivabháva, the feeling of the unit state, is in a condition of slumber. The point where the jiivabháva, that is, the sense of the unit identity, is locked, is called kula. Hence those who achieve perfection through sádhaná are called kaola. (Kaola, with this meaning, is also used as a surname.) Those who can move the collective ectoplasm through the medium of their ectoplasmic rhythm, can awaken new power in shabda through their own ectoplasmic strength. The awakening of this power in shabda is called purashcarańa in Sanskrit. And those who can perform such a tough task are called Mahákaola. They alone are worthy of the status of guru and no one else. When a Mahákaola awakens vibrations in the universal ectoplasmic body through the medium of particular shabdas, those shabdas [are also altered and] acquire the status of siddha mantras. A spiritual aspirant can only achieve perfection through the medium of those siddha mantras. Other mantras are not capable of leading to success, and spiritual aspirants cannot awaken them. A person’s individual efforts will never be sufficient for that task.

Every person has certain mental limitations. He or she can only proceed to a certain extent and then cannot do anything further. Further progress requires special power and special grace. And this power and grace of God are always available for everyone. But people must use their existing strength in order to utilize that grace.

What is the range of these shabdas, whose troughs and crests are expressed in vibrational rhythms? The medium as well as the spirit of the human’s individual life are personal, but in the Cosmic body, as well as in the case of less-developed creatures, the spirit is personal or individual but the medium is impersonal or Cosmic. An existence where the medium is impersonal [or Cosmic] but the spirit is individual is called an animal existence. In other words, any progress in the life of an animal is due to the vibrational power of Parama Puruśa; the medium therefore is Cosmic or impersonal, but the spirit is individual. The progress which is attained through the personal spirit and impersonal medium is towards Parama Puruśa Himself. Therefore there is no chance of a spiritual fall in the life of an animal. Animals are set firmly on a path of gradual progress.

As the medium is impersonal, the growth in animals is from the crude to the subtle. But when due to engagement in subtler activities the medium also acquires individual influence, when its [mental] colour and its feeling do not remain entirely impersonal, gradually thinking and intellect are born. We find this in developed animals. The transformation in a dog is due to the effect of the personal, or individual, medium on the impersonal medium; this does not occur in lower creatures.

There is a big difference between a wild Alsatian in a jungle and one who is a pet. The medium of the one is influenced by the impersonal, that of the other is under the impact of an educated person. When in a living being the influence of the personal or individual surpasses the influence of the impersonal [or Cosmic], at that point the frame of that being can no longer be called animal but is called a human being. So this is the human status.

Due to one’s individual effort, pará gradually develops step by step into pashyantii, madhyamá, [dyotamána], shrutigocará and vaekharii.⁽⁵⁾ These steps are from the subtle to the crude.

Similarly in the Cosmic order, development is from the subtle to the crude, as the medium there is Universal Mind. The vibrational principle appears in the third phase of extroversial development. This vibrational principle is fully operative in matter and in the bodies and minds of undeveloped and underdeveloped creatures. The same vibrational principle functions in the human body when it starts from the point of pará and gets full extroversial expression. When a person will awaken caetanya in a mantra, that is, when he or she will do purashcarańa, he or she will move from negativity to positivity, from human parábindu to human sahasrára.

The starting point of the vibrational principle is the culminating or last point of the primordial principle. In other words, the last point of the primordial expression and the starting point of the vibrational faculty are one and the same. The movement after mantra caetanya is from the fundamental negativity to the fundamental positivity. In other words, this movement will be the reverse of the movement of the vibrational faculty; it will be from crude to subtle and not from subtle to crude. In the vibrational principle, the first crest and trough are far apart, and thereafter the distance becomes shorter and shorter. In spiritual practice, the first troughs and crests will be frequent, and then the intervals will gradually lengthen till a straight line is formed. Thus, in the second phase, that is, in the returning phase, the vibrational principle will be reconverted into the primordial principle and the primordial principle or primordial faculty will ultimately convert itself into the basic faculty.⁽⁶⁾ This movement, however, is only possible after the mantra has become [awakened], not before that.

Spiritual practice is essential for human beings; and for spiritual practice initiation is necessary. And those human beings who do not perform spiritual practice are under the influence of the Cosmic principle. They are guided by the Cosmic rhythmic order, but as this is an impersonal entity they will never be able to enjoy liberation or salvation. So what is the way out? In what direction must they move after mantra caetanya? They have to do an about-turn and cross the three phases described above. They have to return to their original abode. They have to merge back into the One from where their existence sprang.

Ánando brahmeti byajánat
Ánandádhyeva khalvimáni bhútáni jáyante
Ánandena játáni jiivanti
Ánandaḿ prayantyabhisaḿvishantiiti.

[Know ye that ánanda, bliss, is Brahma. It is out of ánandam that the five fundamental factors have emerged. All created beings live within ánandam, and finally merge with ánandam.]

What then is to be done? The scriptures say that you do not have to exert very much. I have said before that there can be no progress either in the realm of physicality or in the realm of intellectuality. Those who are hankering for progress in these fields are indulging in a self-cheating business. Whether they admit it or not, they know that they know nothing. Ask them whether they are getting pleasure in the realm of physicality. They will admit that they are not. Ask a good businessman whether he is earning good profits. His reply will be, “What profit? I am incurring losses.” This will be his reply whether you belong to Income Tax Department or not! To run after progress in the realm of physicality and intellectuality is utter foolishness, a waste of time, as there is no progress in these fields. But I have already said that you may make efforts in these directions provided you can convert or metamorphose them into spirituality. But as far as spiritual sádhaná is concerned, or as far as efforts to achieve bliss are concerned, there is no touch of pain in them, as bliss is infinite pleasure alone. Sádhaná then is what wise men have to do. And in sádhaná, the first thing to be done is to use mantra caetanya.

In simple words, what we have to do is to return home from where we came. We have all come from Parama Puruśa – the Supreme Entity – and from the práńa-kendra, the nucleus of the universe – that is, Puruśottama. We have to return to the same place. It is like a boy who has played throughout the day away in the fields, and now that evening comes, returns home. Sádhaná is the process of returning home. The child has played outside for the whole day. As evening approaches, he thinks, “Father must have returned home. Let me also return home and sit next to him.” When one is tired of this world and worldliness, one yearns to go back to spirituality, that is, to one’s home.

And what is our permanent abode – our home? It is Parama Puruśa paramáshrayah Shriinivásah. Here shrii refers to the Universal Creative Faculty, or Paramá Prakrti. The abode of this Universal Faculty is also your abode. Therefore going home is a simple task. It requires no scholarship, no knowledge, no intellectual faculty – no long and tedious lecturing. The scriptures tell us to remember three points in order to return home. They are shravana [hearing about the Supreme], manana [ideating on the Supreme] and nidi-dhyásana [meditating on the Supreme with an unbroken flow of mind].

We know that the vibrational faculty converts subtler waves into cruder waves in the phase of creation. Hari kathá [devotional talk] provides subtler vibrations. You must allow yourself to receive these subtler waves. It has already been said that sound waves are the subtlest in the chain of Cosmic expression. The importance of Hari kathá in spiritual development is great. Hearing about God is much more important than studies in spirituality, as sound is subtler than visual form. Therefore wherever there is an opportunity, listen to His name and speak it to others.

When you speak His name to others, you also hear it. This dual enjoyment in reciting His name is called kiirtana. Bhajana, on the other hand, is hearing His name by oneself.⁽⁷⁾ You must do both – both bhajana and kiirtana. This is shravana. The effect of shravana is that vibrations of sound which are moving from crude to subtle are set in motion against the flow in the vibrational faculty, where wordly sounds are moving from subtle to crude. This will set in reverse motion a flow of sounds, and this will take one up to the starting point of the vibrational faculty.

I have already stated that the starting point of the vibrational faculty and the culminating point of the primordial faculty are one and the same. You will therefore reach the culminating point of the primordial faculty. The vibrational phase is called bhava – also bhava ságara or bhava párávára [ocean of creation]. The word bhava thus denotes the entire realm of the vibrational principle. This is the world of mundane involvements. The Caetanya, or Cognitive Principle of this faculty is called Bhava, and the Shakti, or Operative Principle of this faculty is called Bhavánii Shakti. This is the worldly bondage. Only through the medium of Hari kathá can one cross this ocean of bhava, the entire range of the vibrational faculty.

Thereafter comes manana, that is, thinking only about Parama Puruśa and about no one else. If any other person or thing comes in the mind, ascribe Brahma-hood to that person or thing. This process is manana; you learn this process through the medium of Guru Mantra.⁽⁸⁾ The effect of manana will be that it will take you from the last point of the primordial principle or faculty, and gradually take you to the starting point of the primordial faculty.

At this point you meet the basic faculty or basic principle. The basic principle or faculty is a point in the unbalanced triangle of forces. It is situated at a particular vertex of the triangle of forces. Manana can take you up to that point. What is now left is the point of “I”-hood, the ego. Now we have to wipe out this “I”-hood.

All burdens, all confusions, all considerations of respect and disrespect, are connected to the “I”. When someone does not agree with you, you file a suit in court. Why do you take such trouble? Only to vindicate yourself. All bother and frustration is solely due to the unit ego. The fact is that even after surrendering everything to Parama Puruśa, your arch-enemy – the “I” – remains. Because you will say, “I have surrendered everything to God.” “I”, “I”, “I” – my friend, surrender that “I” to God. Then alone will your surrender be complete. All the trouble is due to this “I”.

Ratnákarastava grhaḿ grhińii ca padmá
Deyaḿ kimapi bhavate Puruśottamáya
Ábhiiravámanayanápahrtamánasáya
Dattaḿ mana yadupate tvamidaḿ grháńa.

[Your abode is brimming over with gems and jewels. The goddess of fortune is Your housekeeper. What can I offer to You, O Lord? Oh yes, there is one thing You lack, as it has been stolen by Your devotees; it is Your mind. I therefore offer my mind to You. Please accept it.]

After the surrender of this “I”, Parama Puruśa is satisfied, as you have reached the central point in the triangle of forces.⁽⁹⁾

Actually, the only task to be performed is to give away everything to Him. All that you possess – your body, your name, fame, wealth, everything – you have received from Him. So what are you to give to Him and how are you to do it? So far you were only giving God’s own things back to Him. What you must give Him now is something of your own. This is the crux of the matter. Suppose someone gives you a flower as a gift and you return the same flower to that person. This is not proper. Why not give your “I” to Him, which anyway to you is the source of all troubles, all confusions, all complications. There is nothing dearer to you than this “I”. It is most difficult to give it up. Thus in the above shloka, the devotee exclaims, “O Lord, this universe is Your abode. It is full of precious jewels. Whatever of value exists in this world belongs to You. What precious gift can I give to You? You have no desire for anything. What is the use of offering anything to one whose house is full of precious jewels? The almighty Prakrti is Your own consort; at Your will She will make innumerable jewels in a moment – aghat́ana ghat́ana pat́iiyasii Máyá [‘the dexterous hand of Máyá that can even create things impossible to create’] – this creative power is ever ready to serve You. O Lord of lords, although I have a yearning to offer You something, I do not know what that thing should be. Although I want to offer, You have no desire or want. If You lack nothing, what can I offer? If I knew of anything that You did not possess, I would offer it to You.

“O Lord of lords, we hear that Your great devotees have stolen Your mind from You. The Lord becomes the slave of his devotees. A devotee steals the heart of the Lord – almost forcibly. The deed is performed openly and not in secrecy. Therefore, O Lord, You lack one thing – You have no mind.”

The devotee says, “Despair not, O Lord, I am offering my mind to You. Please accept it.”

This offer of one’s mind to the Lord is nididhyásana. The inner sense of nididhyásana is that all the propensities of the mind are to be concentrated at a point to be offered to Parama Puruśa.

Today the human mind consists of fifty dominant propensities. Definitely when the human structure becomes more complex in the course of evolution, the number of these propensities will also increase. The number of these vrttis is not going to remain fifty forever. It will increase. Similarly, the number of glands will increase, and so also the number of sub-glands. Not only will the number of mental propensities increase; the propensities will also undergo change. The concept of beauty will also change with the change in outlook of the human mind. An owl may then appear beautiful and a peacock ugly.

Shravana therefore enables one to cross the vibrational faculty. Manana enables one to cross the primordial faculty. And nididhyásana makes it possible to merge with the Supreme Entity. This is God-realization. The essential thing therefore is to awaken the mantra, whether one also does intellectual things such as reading and writing or not. What is important is to have proper shravana, manana and nidi-dhyásana. If one does this, one will no longer find it difficult to learn to do anything. Mantra caetanya is sure to lead to mantra siddhi, to the attainment of the supreme goal. The process of sádhaná will automatically arouse devotion.

When you come in close contact with the Supreme Entity, you will find that you have no wealth superior to devotion. All worldly possessions will prove of no avail. Only devotion enables you to come into close contact with Him. This is the goal of human life. This is true progress.

You have been wandering through the labyrinth of a myriad of lives. You have been ever advancing toward this stage. Knowingly or unknowingly, you are being drawn unto Him. This is the summum bonum of life. As long as you have not realized Him, there is no siddhi in your life.

Footnotes

(1) Editors’ note: In the unit, before awakening, it is the “sleeping divinity”, or kulakuńd́alinii.

(2) Editors’ note: At this point in the original magazine publication of this discourse, some text appears to be missing.

(3) Editors’ note: To “raise to the spiritual level” is to establish the parallelism of unit and Cosmic mentioned above.

(4) Editors’ Note: Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti, Ánanda Sútram, 1962.

(5) Editors’ note: See the discussion of this sequence pp. 93-98.

(6) Editors’ note: The basic faculty is the starting point of the primordial principle, as mentioned below. That is, it is paráshakti, or parábindu.

(7) Editors’ note: Kiirtana, like bhajana, can be done individually, but it is preferable to do it collectively.

(8) Editors’ note: A lesson of Ananda Marga meditation.

(9) Editors’ note: That is, you have progressed from the basic principle at one vertex of the triangle to Puruśottama at the mid-point of the triangle.

Chapter 6	Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 11 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Taking the Opposite Stance in Battle.” This strategy, which wise persons recommend, is equally applicable to all spheres of life – physical, psychic and spiritual. One should always remember this golden principle because life means struggle – without struggle there can be no life. Those who think that they will advance with firm and rapid steps avoiding struggle or even the least scratch on their bodies, are surely mistaken. In fact, even in the smallest affair one will have to move ahead through struggle. When people start walking on the surface of the earth, the ground tries to arrest their movement. As long as they are capable of struggling against the opposition of inertia, they will be able to move; but the moment they lose this capacity, they immediately fall down. Hence the very essence of life is struggle. Life without struggle means death. Since we have to live through struggle, we must understand this important principle of taking the opposite stance in struggle.

When someone shoots a bullet at you from the north, you will certainly not shoot back from north to south. On the contrary, you will shoot from the opposite direction, from south to north. Similarly if one thrusts one’s sword at you from north to south, you will certainly thrust back from south to north: this is the accepted principle of battle. When you must struggle against impenetrable darkness, you will certainly carry a torchlight in your pocket. So you must always remember this golden truth, which is as applicable to the psychic and spiritual spheres as to the physical sphere. It is also equally applicable in individual, social, economic and political life as well. Neglecting it is suicidal.

Regarding the psychic sphere it is said,

Akkodhena jine kodhaḿ asádhuḿ sádhuná jine
Jine kadariiyaḿ dánena sattyena aliikavádinam.

[Overcome anger by patience, overcome dishonesty by honesty, overcome greed by generosity, overcome falsehood by truth.]

Akkodhena jine kodhaḿ: Suppose someone has come to you in anger and challenges you to a fight. In that case your strategy should be that you must not be angry at all, for those who are angry have already lost control over their rational judgement. They lose control over their hands and feet and other limbs, and their whole bodies tremble with rage. No one can work rationally in such a state. If at that time you remain free from anger and keep your brain cool, you can easily vanquish that angry person in battle with your calm judgement. But if you, too, become as angry as your opponent, this will be foolishness on your part. Hence you must never become angry at an angry person; this is the strategy of battle. It is not only the policy of a decent person, it is also an effective strategy of war.

Asádhuḿ sádhuná jine: The strategy of struggle against dishonest people is to be more honest. When all the people around them come to know about their dishonesty, they will support you, and victory will be yours.

Jine kadariiyaḿ dánena: If you want to struggle against a miser, start by doing charity to others, and that miser will surely be defeated. If someone does not offer you even a betel leaf, offer him a full meal, and he will be put to shame.

Satyena aliikavádinam: When you are struggling against a liar you must be strictly truthful and you will be easily victorious. Hence the policy of taking the opposite stance in battle is the most effective strategy; the mind must be guided in the opposite direction. This idea is reflected in the following aphorism:

Maetrii-karuńá-mudito’pekśáńáḿ
Sukháduhkha-puńyápuńyaviśayánáḿ
Bhávanátashcittaprasádanam.

When someone is happy, ordinary people feel jealous. They do not try to let their minds flow in the same direction as that happy person; rather they feel psychic pain thinking of that person’s happiness. The correct strategy should be to arouse the feeling of friendliness (maetrii) in the mind towards that happy person. Instead of feeling jealous one should think, “So-and-so is my friend – how wonderful! She is so happy!” If the mind thinks thus, then all jealousy will be removed.

Suppose someone is very sad; seeing his miserable fate people will say, “Well done! He deserved it!” But this is not the proper approach. The proper approach should be to show compassion, thinking “What a pity he is in great trouble. Had I also been in such a difficult position, how badly I would feel.” In this way the feeling of compassion (karuńa) should be aroused in one’s mind.

Again, suppose someone is doing some good work but others cannot tolerate him; they try to pull him down. This should not be done; rather you should encourage such people by saying, “Keep up the good work! I fully support you.” This is muditá (encouragement).

Upekśa: Suppose certain people are wicked; one should not hate them, rather one should overlook their faults. Thus this principle of taking the opposite stance should be applied equally in all spheres of life.

Now let us apply this principle in our spiritual life. You know that the wise spiritual aspirants and devotees have recognized three main paths to attain the Supreme Goal in life: jiṋána (knowledge), karma (action), and bhakti (devotion). Of these three, the path of devotion is the highest. Shankarácarya, the greatest philosopher that India ever produced, admitted, Mokśa kárańa samagryáḿ bhaktireva gariiyasii: “Of all the paths leading to salvation, the path of devotion is the greatest.” There is a particular reason behind this. The cultivation of too much knowledge creates two major defects: lethargy and vanity. You will notice that people of knowledge are averse to physical labour. They sit idle and prattle on and on, dabbling in philosophical speculation for hours, and it this way they become dependent on others for their sustenance. Thus in the past scholars earned the opprobrium, “Pańd́itá vańitáh latáh.” “Pundits (scholars), women and creepers cannot stand on their own.” What a pity! These days women have learned to be independent and thus they have removed that stigma; but pundits and creepers have not.

The philosophers always prefer to remain idle. I had an acquaintance who was a great scholar and an advocate with several masters degrees. But he could not earn enough to support his family; our relations used to support him. That gentleman was so fond of studying books that he even read in the bathroom! So I said that scholars are generally lethargic. Not only that, they even do not posses enough common sense so that the theories on which they soar in the sky, can stand up to reality – they have no link at all with reality.

The system of education prevailing today was formulated or evolved long ago, mainly with a view to suit the needs of the capitalist class. For the last three to four thousand years, the same type of education is being imparted. The main purpose behind this sort of educational system is to create persons with slavish mentality: this sort of education is fundamentally defective.

A new educational system must evolve to produce sadvipras: we have to thoroughly revamp the entire educational system. But it must be remembered that unless and until a new system is developed, we cannot demolish the old one, in spite of our aversion to it. Until you catch hold of a new branch, you cannot let go of the previous one. But it is certain that this type of education which serves the capitalists’ interests is not at all suitable. This sort of education creates obstacles in the evolution of humanity.

Hence the first defect of so-called knowledge is lethargy. Most people of knowledge (jiṋániis) are indolent, basically adverse to physical labour; they are veritable burdens on society. You know that human beings evolved on this earth about a million years ago, whereas human civilization emerged about 10,000 years ago. During these 10,000 years the caravans of the so-called pundits did not advance human progress at all. In fact, it is the people of action (karma) and the devotees (bhaktas) who have contributed to human development. That is why I say that the pundits are a burden on society.

The second defect of knowledge is vanity. These pundits know very little, but they always make a pompous display of their knowledge. They pretend to be great scholars: they generally speak little, smile little and laugh little, thus maintaining an enforced gravity. If someone puts a complicated question before them, they will behave as if that is their day of silence, so they can avoid such hazardous questions. You know, vanity is the cause of downfall: none can check the downfall of such vain persons. Hence so called knowledge is a dangerous thing.

The path of karma is somewhat better, because whatever might be the defect of karma, it is free from lethargy. One becomes a person of action (karma) when one overcomes one’s lethargy. But people of action are also not free from vanity: “I did this, I did that – I built this road when I was a minister I constructed this bridge when I was in the Public Works Department” – this is how people become mad for their little “I”. Thus we see that although action is free from lethargy, it is not altogether free from vanity.

Pure devotion, parábhakti, is free from both. If the Lord comes to you and says, “What do you want?”, what will you reply? You will certainly ask for what you think you need. But as you do not know what you really need, you should say, “Oh Lord, you know best what my need is. So you should give me what You feel is necessary for me.” You must leave everything unto Him. Why should you risk asking for anything? But even then if He insists, saying, “No, you tell me what you want”, then you should reply, “Give me parábhakti, give me shuddhábhhakti (absolutely pure devotion).” Those who ask for parábhakti or shuddhá bhakti will certainly acquire the things they need also. Thus due to their devotion, the devotees are always intelligent. You should be an intelligent devotee like this.

There is an ancient shloka:

Mathitvá catvárovedán sarvashástrani caevahi
Sárantu yogibhih piitam takraḿ pivanti pańd́itáh.

[Churning all the four Vedas and other scriptures, the cream is consumed by the yogis. What remains is eaten by the jiṋániis (philosophers).]

There are voluminous scriptures weighing tonnes. Sometimes when people just see the size and number of these books they faint – what to speak of reading them! Now these voluminous scriptures are as vast as the ocean. When milk is churned you get the curd and whey; similarly when the ocean of scriptures is churned, you get two things: the quintessence and the remains. The devotees are clever: they rush to eat all the curd, and what remains, the whey, is left to the philosophers.

Now the philosophers start their research on the whey – on the weight, the density, the food value, what the great physicians Caraka and Shushruta said about the qualities of whey, its effect on the human liver, spleen, and brain, on what day and at what time of day it should be ingested, etc., and in the process they spend fifteen or twenty days on analysis. After all this they discover that the whey is fit to be eaten. But when they go to eat it, they find that it has already become spoiled! This is the lot of the philosophers. But the devotees are intelligent: they quickly consume the quintessential part without wasting their time, Human life is short – the devotees do not want to waste their limited time in fruitless debates. Hence it has been rightly said,

Krśńanám Harinám baŕai madhur
Yei jan Krśńa bhaje se baŕa catur.

[The name of the Lord is very sweet; the person who worships Him is truly clever.]

However, even if the philosophers know little, still they will try to make a display of their knowledge, for they want name, fame and self-aggrandizement which they do not deserve. And the karmis, the people of action, have the defect of vanity. But the devotees are free from both. If they are told to ask for anything, they will ask only for parábhakti and nothing else. One who asks for parábhakti gets everything.

I deliberately used the word parábhakti because there is another type of devotion called aparábhakti. When people beseech the Lord to fulfil all their selfish desires, this is called aparábhakti. “Oh Lord, I am your devotee, help me to pass my examination… Oh Lord, my daughter has attained marriageable age – help me to find a worthy suitor… Let the bridegroom be ideal, let me not spend much on the wedding…” This type of showy devotion that simply asks for mundane objects, is no devotion at all, because it demands everything except Parama Puruśa. Such devotees never say, “Oh Lord, be mine… I want You and only You.” They always say, “I want this, I want that.” In fact this is no devotion at all. When one asks only for Parama Puruśa, this is the true devotion, parábhakti.

So the position of devotion is above action and knowledge. Action comes next and knowledge comes last. Take for example the case of the series of seminars that were held in 1970. A great deal of knowledge was disseminated through these seminars, and as a result of this spread of knowledge, then, some vanity developed. Usually vanity grows when a person feels to have learned much. The next year was the year of utilization or karma (action). If there is action there cannot be lethargy, and automatically devotion will come. So if there is knowledge followed by action, that knowledge will be free from its defects of lethargy and vanity. In practical life knowledge is important, but at the same time one must guard against the natural defects that may originate from knowledge. This is why Caetanya Mahaprabhu said,

Trńádapi suniicena taroriva sahiśńnuná
Amáninaḿ mánadeyaḿ kiirtaniiya sadá harih.

[One should be as humble as the grass and as tolerant as the trees, one should give respect to those whom no one respects, and always do kiirtan to the Lord.]

Vanity harms the mind in three ways: abhimána or inflated ego, gaorava or self-aggrandizement, and pratiśt́ha or prestige. The word abhimána is not used in a derogatory sense in Bengal. When someone is hurt mentally, we call it abhimána. But the Saḿskrta word abhimána is not used in the same sense: mána means “honour”, and abhimána means “honour in a pervasive sense”. When a person expects greater honour from another person but does not receive it, then his or her reaction is called abhimána.

Suppose someone goes to a place and the people there do not give proper respect to him: such a person will feel slighted and he will have a severe psychic reaction. This is called abhimána. I told you the story of one of our Acáryas who was a senior officer in the Agricultural Department in Bihar. Once when his higher officer came, the Acárya became rather nervous; he did everything for his officer but he forgot to do Namaskar to him. The officer said, “What sort of gentleman are you! I am your higher authority and you did not do Namaskar to me?” Obviously the officer’s pride was wounded and on some false pretext he issued a charge-sheet against the Acárya. But do you know what was the outcome? Before our Acárya could even reply to the charge-sheet, the officer was dismissed from his job because the anti-corruption squad caught him red-handed accepting a large amount of money as a bribe! This is an example of abhimána: usually the consequences of abhimána are always bad.

The second is gaorava, self-aggrandizement or boasting – projecting oneself as a great personality. Suppose in one’s garden there is a big rose; obviously the owner of the garden will boast to other people about the size of the rose. Perhaps the flower was as big as a fig, but the owner will describe it as huge.

The third is pratiśt́há, self-glorification or hankering after prestige. Human beings are made of flesh and bones. If their heart or lungs stop functioning, then they will have no other option but to climb onto the funeral pyre. When this is the situation of human beings, where is the scope for self-glorification? Thus the spiritual aspirants say,

Abhimánam surápánaḿ gaoravaḿ raoravaḿ dhruvaḿ
Pratiśt́há shúkariiviśt́há trayaḿ tyáktvá Hariḿ bhajet.

[Abhimána is like drinking wine; gaoravam leads one into the deepest hell, and pratiśt́há is like the excrement of a pig. Give up all these three and only sing the glories of the Lord.]

What is this abhimána? It is as bad as drinking wine. Now you may say, “Is drinking wine so bad that we should condemn it?” Smoking cigarettes and chewing betel are not so much condemned in society as wine is. The reason is that the most precious treasure of human beings is their intelligence, their wisdom, their discriminating judgment, and their conscience. But after drinking alcohol, all these faculties are temporarily paralysed. So the food and drink that spoils the greatest treasure: the human mind – the thinking power – is undoubtedly condemnable. Thus it is universally agreed that drinking is bad. And this abhimána or false sense of vanity is as condemnable as drinking wine.

Gaoravaḿ raoravaḿ dhruvam: Gaorava means to project oneself to be greater than one actually is. In fact, is there anything of which human beings can be legitimately proud? You know, within this small human cranium there is a small brain composed of some nerve cells. Is this really something great of which human beings can feel proud? And what is the result of this self-glorification? Raorava means the seventh hell. You know that according to the comparative crudity or subtlety of existence there are seven stages: bhurloka (physical world), bhuvarloka (world of becoming), svarloka, maharloka, janarloka, taparloka and satyaloka. Had these been still cruder forms in that case they would be tala, atala, talátala, pátála, atipátála, and rasátala. So the seventh hell is rasátala, the very crudest of all stages of existence. Obviously in that state human beings are no longer human beings: their minds, their intellects are reduced to extreme crudity, a stage of no return. Similarly when people start becoming degraded, a stage comes when they can no longer elevate themselves; rasátala is such a state.

Pratiśt́há shúkariiviśt́ha: human beings come onto this earth only for a short while: after this stipulated period, they will depart. All entities in this world merely come and go, nothing is fixed – everything is moving, and thus this universe is called jagat (root verb gam + kvip = jagat). Jagat means that which has the characteristic of ceaselessly moving on. Another synonym for the word “world” is saḿsára (saḿ – s r+ ghan), “that which constantly changes its place.” When nothing ever ceases to move, then can you remain permanently in this world? Even the effort to establish oneself permanently in this world is unnatural, because this pratiśt́ht́á is as abominable as the stool of a sow. Hence one should give up all these three – abhimána or inflated ego, gaorava or self-aggrandizement, and pratiśt́a or desire for prestige – and worship the Lord.

Trayaḿ tyaktvá Hariḿ bhajet – here Hari means Parama Puruśa. You know Hari is a favourite name of Parama Puruśa: harati pápán ityarthe Hari – “one who steals the sins of His devotees is Hari.” Is it not absurd to call Hari a thief? Hence the fact is that only the devotees can come in close contact with Parama Puruśa and not a philosopher (jiṋáni), because the devotees’ main goal of life is to serve Parama Puruśa. Now to serve Parama Puruśa, the devotees cannot remain away from Him. A philosopher or a person of action always maintains some distance from Him – they do not come closest to Him. They cherish a certain degree of awe in their minds for Parama Puruśa: “My Lord is the Supreme! How Great He is! How then can I go near Him? Let me rather remain a bit away from Him.”

In this connection let me recount an old story from the Mahabharata. You know that when Draupadii was disrobed by Duhshasana, she was praying to Naráyańa, “Oh Naráyańa, save me, save me!” But although Draupadii was in great trouble, still she was clutching her dress at her waist with one hand, and with the other hand upraised she was beseeching the Lord to save her. But the Lord did not at once come to her rescue. Then Laxmii said to Naráyańa, “Your devotee is entereating you so piteously – why do you refuse to help her?” The Lord answered, “No, her self-surrender is not yet complete.” You remember, when Draupadii found that there was no way to save her prestige, she threw both her hands up in the air in utter helplessness, without even trying to hold her clothes, calling pitifully, “Oh Lord, now you must save me!” And only then did the Lord immediately come to her rescue, for whereas previously she had personally tried to save herself from such a fate, now her self-surrender was complete. Similarly, all devotees must try to attain such total self-surrender as Draupadii did.

When someone comes in the shelter of Parama Puruśa, then He elevates them from all psychic distortions. You should know that there are certain social groups who, at their place of worship, confess to the Lord, “I am a sinner… I am a sinner…” This is a defective approach, an unpsychological approach. Parama Puruśa knows more than you whether you are a sinner or not, so what is the necessity of telling Him? What news can you report to a person who already knows all the intimate details of your life? Is it not ludicrous to retell the stories of your grandfather’s house to your mother, for certainly she knows them better than you!

Then what should be the proper approach to Parama Puruśa?

Shuddho’si buddho’si niranjano’si
Saḿsáramáyá parivarjito’si
Saḿsárasvapnaiḿ tyaja moha nidrám
Madálasollapamuváca puttram.

[You are pure, you are enlightened, you are completely unblemished; you are free from the snares of this illusory world. Give up this dream of worldly life, thus spoke Madálasá to her son.]

You should think within that you are ever pure and enlightened – you are a child of Parama Puruśa. You should think that you are like a newborn baby who remains untouched or unaffected by the dirt and dross of sin. Why should you approach Parama Puruśa as a sinner?

The relationship between the Lord and human beings is one of close family ties. Does a small child in the family ever go to its parents saying, “I am a sinner, I am wicked, please forgive me, my parents”? Certainly a child will never say this. Even a truly wicked person comes to his mother and says, “Dear Mummy, I am very hungry, please give me food.” He will never speak of his sins.

However, when Parama Puruśa knows that the sense of sin harms human beings and creates obstacles in the path of their spiritual progress, He steals the sins of His devotees. Is it stealing? If one takes an object of another person without proper permission, this is called stealing. And what is robbery? When someone takes away someone’s property forcibly but with prior intimation, this is termed as robbery. Here what Hari is doing is not robbery but stealing, because if He says to His devotees, “Oh my children, give me all your accumulated sins,” certainly no one would agree to do so; rather they would say, “How can we give our sins to you? We can provide you with delectable food, we can take care of you, we can give you all sorts of gifts – but how can we give you our sins?” Thus when Parama Puruśa sees that the devotees are unwilling to part with their sins, He forcibly steals them away.

So towards the Entity who is so close to you, is it proper for you to entertain such false feelings of abhimána, gaorava and pratiśt́há? Caetanya Mahaprabhu, to help human beings, overcome this sense of vanity and lethargy, advised them to a psychological approach: trńadapi suniicena – be as humble as the grass. When people feel that others are not giving them proper regard, and as a result they feel psychically wounded, they should accept this golden principle to counteract this false sense of self-aggrandizement: one should consider oneself to be even humbler than the grass.

But remember that this refers to individual and not collective behaviour. In collective life, pride should not be allowed to raise its head, it should not be condoned. In collective life one has no right to forgive anyone; in individual life you can extend maximum forgiveness – rather, the more forgiveness, the better. Forgiveness is something personal; it is not a collective matter. Suppose you are an inhabitant of India. If someone harms the collective life of India, you must not forgive them. Likewise, as you belong to the entire human race, you must not forgive anyone who harms humanity. But in individual life, however much one might harm you, you may forgive that person to the greatest extent possible. Thus it is said that one should be as humble as the grass. But remember that grass, although humble, is not insignificant: the universal life is manifested in grass. Without grass it would have been impossible for human beings to survive.

You should further remember that in practical life, no spiritual aspirant would like to be a banyan tree or a palm tree. A banyan tree as it grows, extends its branches in all directions. Many people enjoy the wide shade of such a huge tree, but its greatest defect is that it does not give any opportunity to other plants to grow under its shade. Likewise, one should not aspire to become like a palm tree which raises its head higher and higher but does not provide shade to anyone. So you should not emulate the examples of either the banyan tree or the palm tree – you should rather be as humble as the grass. It remains underfoot, but how luxuriantly it grows from there! Mother Earth remains under the feet of all beings, but does this do insult to her in any respect? Sometimes a child stands on the lap of its mother; does this harm or insult the mother? Not at all. On the contrary, the mother is elevated thereby. Hence it is said, trńádapi suniicena taroriva sahiśńuná [“one must be humbler than the grass, and more tolerant than the trees”].

Likewise when one’s sense of aggrandizement is wounded one becomes intolerant. Suppose someone claims that huge roses have grown in his garden but in reality the flowers are not that big. If someone argues, “No, no, the roses are not all that large – you are telling us lies! The roses in your garden are actually quite small!” The owner of the garden will fly into a rage. Thus when someone’s inflated ego is pinched, he or she becomes extremely angry.

Thus human beings will have to practise tolerance. But this spirit of tolerance must be developed only in individual life; in collective life it must not be expressed. If a country illegally grabs even one inch of your land you must take one mile of the aggressor’s land; no spirit of tolerance in this regard is permissible. If you show your tolerance then they will take one inch today and one mile tomorrow. However, you can practise toleration as much as possible in individual life, and that will be considered a sign of greatness.

Amániinaḿ mánadeyaḿ: You expect that people should respect and honour you, but you never think that you should also respect and honour others. Saḿgráme vaepariityaḿ: this principle has already been explained. You long for name and fame, and you are burning with impatience because you are not receiving the honour you expect. So you must use the reverse strategy: give respect to those whom no one gives respect, and your mind will become balanced and at peace. When beggars are stranded by the wayside, do you ever care to salute them? Why not? Are they not dignified human beings, are they not also expressions of the same One Supreme Consciousness? But when well-dressed, high-placed ministers and leaders stand before you, you lie prostrate before them – why this discrimination? All are manifestations of one and the same God: yet one person you greet warmly and another you utterly neglect – why this differential treatment? It means that there is a hidden sense of flattery in your mind and you are surreptitiously trying to gain honour from the elite. Rather you must give respect to those who do not receive respect from anyone; in this way your minds will become balanced and you will progress.

As ideal human beings you should not wait to give namaskar after another has greeted you: you should rather take the first opportunity to greet others. When someone greets you, it is merely common courtesy for you to salute back; you do not become an ideal human being thereby. Rather one who seizes the first opportunity to salute others is the ideal. So you should always make an effort to do namaskar to others first: you should not care whether the person whom you greet will greet you in return or not. (When people come to me during personal contact, I greet them first whether they salute me or not.) By giving honour to others you will not be belittled, you will rather enhance your prestige.

Namanti phalinah vrkśah: when trees are laden with fruits they do not raise their heads high, rather they bend down low: this is the sign of greatness.

Kiirtaniiyah sadáharih one should always sing the glory of the Lord. It is the frailty of human beings that when a few of them group together, they indulge in criticizing or mudslinging others. This leads to psychic degradation. In fact people should perform such actions which will lead to psychic elevation, actions which give the mind no scope for degeneration. The easiest way to do this is to sing the glories of the Supreme Entity whose very thought automatically elevates the mind. Chanting the name of Parama Puruśa aloud is called kiirtana; For, the vibration created in the atmosphere by kiirtana will influence others also. But if one’s mental ideation is conveyed only to Parama Puruśa without affecting other human beings, this is called bhajana. So bhajana is purely personal; it has no collective aspect. Kiirtana is more beneficial than bhajana, and hence it is said kiirtaniiyah sadá harih: whenever you find time, do kiirtana loudly and you will never become degenerated because by chanting the Lord’s holy name the mind remains elevated. Mudslinging and criticizing is thereby stopped forever, and hence kiirtana averts the degradation of the human mind. You should always remember that in every sphere of life – social, political, economic, psychic, and spiritual – you should always follow the principle of “taking the opposite stance”: there is no exception to this rule. Victory will surely be yours.

Chapter 7	Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 11 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Parama Puruśa and His Creation.” It is said,

Páshabaddho bhavejjiivah páshamukto bhavecchivah.

[The microcosms are in bondage, and the Macrocosmic Shiva is free from all bondages.]

What is the fundamental difference between jiiva and Shiva, between microcosm and Macrocosm, between the creation and the Creator? The main difference is that the microcosms are in bondage, whereas Shiva or Macrocosm is free from all bondages. The difference between one object and another is determined by observing their respective characteristics. The wood apple and the mango are two different fruits, but if the qualities of the wood apple are transferred to the mango, then the wood apple itself becomes mango. Likewise, the microcosmic created entities are different from the Macrocosm, their Creator, because of their qualitative differences. Now, if by dint of sádhaná, if the microcosms can assimilate the special characteristics of Parama Puruśa, they cease to remain microcosms; they become Shiva Himself. At the same time it is also said that all the qualities that are present in Saguńa Brahma or Iishvara (Qualified Consciousness) are of course also present in Parama Puruśa, with some other qualities as well. So we see that Parama Puruśa is both Iishvara and Bhagaván, and something more than that.

Now let us analyse the qualities that are present in both Parama Puruśa and His created entities. The Saḿskrta word Iishvara is derived from the root verb lish + suffix varac. The root verb iish means “to control.” Hence the word Iishvara literally means “controller”. In this universe each and every object whether big or small or middle has a controller. This rule applies universally to all objects, from the tiniest molecule to the universe. However, Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Controller, and His created microcosms are the controlled entities. In the mundane world, human beings can never control their own activities because human capacity is extremely limited. For instance, even a second before one’s death one cannot know of the impending death. But Iishvara, the Controlling Entity, has absolute power of control: there is none to oversee or supervise His activities.

Just as the owners of a house can remove the tenant if they so desire, according to necessity they may issue a notice for the tenant to vacate the house. Of course the tenant may go to the court for help, but Iishvara, if He so desires, may snatch away this human body, whose true owner is not the human being but Iishvara Himself. Human beings can at the very most utilize their bodies; but if Iishvara takes away this body, human beings have nothing to say about it, for as they are controlled entities, they have no alternative but to surrender to the Supreme Controller Iishvara.

Therefore it is logical that when Iishvara controls everything Himself, in that case His created microcosms have no freedom. Of course in the kingdom of Parama Puruśa, a certain amount of freedom is granted to the microcosm. For instance, if any human being sitting in the kingdom of the Lord criticizes Parama Puruśa, He does not become angry, nor does He admonish His critic. This much freedom is granted to the microcosms. But at the same time it should be remembered that the capacity, the strength of the microcosm to criticize Parama Puruśa comes from none other than Parama Puruśa Himself. The microcosms criticize Parama Puruśa with the energy allotted to them by Him.

Now what sort of attitude should the microcosms adopt towards the Supreme Controller, Parama Puruśa?

Ya eko jálavániishata Iiśańibhih
Sarváunllokániishata Iiśańibhih
Ya evaeka udbhave sambhave ca
Ya etadviduramrtáste bhavanti.
Eko hi rudro na dvitiiyáya tasturya
Imáunllokániishata Iiśańibhih
Pratyamjanáḿstiśt́hate sauncukopantakále
Saḿsrjjavishvá bhuvanánii gopah.

The controlling power of Parama Puruśa is truly a unique force, a magic power. When an expert magician creates a living pigeon out of a clod of earth, the spectators become wonderstruck to see it. In reality that earth is not actually transformed into a pigeon, but the spectators seem to see with their eyes that the soil is being transformed into a living, flying pigeon. What is the secret behind this phenomenon? And who knows this secret, whether the clod of earth really became a pigeon at all? In fact this secret is known only to the magician and his inveterate followers and no one else.

With a similar kind of magic power, Parama Puruśa has been continuing His creation. Now if anyone desires to know the inner secrets of that magic power, what should be done? The answer is to establish a relationship of love with the magician Himself. One will have to enlist oneself in the inner circle of His followers. Then the Controller of this universe, because of His intimate relationship with that person, will disclose the secret of His controlling power. So one can know the secret from Parama Puruśa only through the closest proximity to Him, and not through any struggle with Him.

Hence the only path for the survival and progress of the microcosms is to establish a sweet relationship with the creator of the universe. According to Maharśi Kańáda, the illustrious propounder of Vaesheśika philosophy, this universe is composed of innumerable atoms and molecules; these are, however, only material forces. In the absence of consciousness, they themselves cannot create anything original or do anything rational. If the responsibility of all the actions of this universe had been left to the atoms, molecules, protons, electrons, positrons, etc., then there would be clash at every moment; and in that case this vast, beautiful and harmonious universe where everything is moving according to a particular system, would not have existed at all.

According to Kańáda, those material forces are undoubtedly the primary causes, but they cannot control themselves; they are controlled by the Cognitive Force, the knowing faculty which is none other than Iishvara. Such a blind material force cannot create this vast, well-ordered universe. So in order to transcend the crudity of this material universe, there is no other way for human beings except the surrender to the Cognitive Principle, and the sooner the human beings thus surrender, the better it will be for the speed of their progress will be accelerated. Human beings are not simply living creatures with hands and feet: they are something far greater than that.

The human body which is material, is controlled by mind, and mind is controlled by unit consciousness, and unit consciousness is controlled by Parama Puruśa. Hence truly intelligent people should perform their mundane duties according to the will of Parama Puruśa. We already discussed the two different interpretations for the word Iishvara; the third interpretation is:

Klesha-karma-vipákáshayaeraparámrśt́ah
Puruśa visheśa Iishvarah.

The Entity which remains unaffected or unassailed by kleśa (afflictions), karma (action), vipáka (reactions or requitals of actions) and áshaya (unserved saḿskáras or unrequited actions) is called Iishvara. All the living beings in this world are not equally evolved; the standard of elevation of all is not uniform. When living beings in the course of evolution go beyond the periphery of these four factors mentioned above, they are called Iishvara.

What is kleśa? That which affects the natural state of mind is called kleśa, that is, the psychic state from which people seek to be liberated is called kleśa. No one wants his or her natural state of mind to be impaired. Suppose in a certain place there is something decomposed from which a foul stench is emanating. Whenever one thinks of that, one’s natural mental state is disturbed; one cannot remain mentally balanced. Obviously, people want to avoid such an uncongenial atmosphere. Conversely, where there is a fragrant odour, the mind rushes there and it becomes pleasurably balanced. When people light fragrant incense before meditation, the same psychology prevails: the mind remains calm and quiet, in a natural flow in such a congenial environment. All the living beings are affected or assailed by kleśa.

How many types of kleśa are there? The four main types that people experience while performing their mundane duties are: kliśtávrtti, akliśt́ávrtti, kliśt́ákliśt́avrtti, and akliśt́ákliśt́avrtti.

Kliśt́ávrtti: People sometimes knowingly or unknowingly do certain actions as a result of which they not only undergo difficulties at the time of action, but even after the action is finished, they suffer the negative consequences of their undesirable actions. Suppose in a certain place people are competing with one another to determine which one of them can consume five kilos of rasogollas [sweetmeats]. While they are eating the five kilos of rasogollas, they certainly do not feel comfortable. Although they have no real inclination to eat and find it difficult to do so, they force themselves out of competitive spirit just to win the prize. So they suffer at the time of eating, and afterwards they certainly suffer from digestive trouble. This is an example of kliśt́ávrtti. Goaded by this kliśt́ávrtti, human beings do many actions in this world. It affects all living beings except Iishvara.

Kliśt́ákliśt́avrtti: Suppose someone is doing a good action, and in the process undergoes some hardship, while at the same time his friends are deriving material benefits from their actions. Perhaps some of them have already purchased several luxurious buildings, whereas he is living in a dilapidated tenement. He undergoes hardship in the beginning, but what is the ultimate result? It is akliśt́a – not painful. Perhaps while living an honest life, people may face some difficulties, but as they led pious lives, their death becomes glorious. So initially their action is kliśt́a or painful, but ultimately it becomes akliśt́a or non-painful. This kliśt́akliśt́avrtti also affects living beings, but not Iishvara.

Akliśt́ákliśt́avrtti is that action which is not painful at the beginning but which is ultimately painful. Suppose four passengers, A, B, C and D, are going to Bombay from Nagpur. The first three are travelling without tickets, and that too in the First Class compartment. But passenger D is travelling second class, and the train is overcrowded and painfully cramped. So for passenger D the train journey is certainly painful (akliśt́a) but for passengers A, B and C the journey is quite pleasurable (akliśt́a) because they are travelling in the comfort of First Class without spending a farthing for tickets. Now at a certain railway junction the inspector boards the train and arrests passengers A, B and C for ticketless travel: they are dragged to the police station in humiliation, bound in chains. But as passenger D was travelling with a bonafide ticket, he exited triumphantly from the compartment. Thus although for him the journey was painful, ultimately it became non-painful (akliśt́a). This vrtti also affects living beings, but not Parama Paruśa.

Finally, akliśt́ávrtti is that action which is neither painful in the beginning nor painful in the end. This vrtti may be present both in living beings and in Parama Puruśa: it is part of Parama Puruśa’s characteristic nature, and for living beings it is in their spiritual practice. In the spiritual sphere human beings and Parama Puruśa are in the same realm, and thus the more the human beings perform spiritual practice, the closer they come in contact with Parama Puruśa, because then there remains Only one common vrtti for both them and Him – akliśt́ávrtti. Hence it is mentioned in the scriptures that in Parama Puruśa there is not the slightest vestige of kleśa.

When there is some expression both in the psychic and spiritual spheres, it is called kriiŕá, but Parama Puruśa does not do anything in the physical sphere, because for Him there is nothing external – everything is within Him. For the microcosms, for the unit living beings, there are both external and internal psychic projections. If someone thinks about ghosts even in broad daylight, one will definitely see those ghosts externally due to repeated internal psychic projection. On the contrary, a person who has never thought about ghosts will never see ghosts even in the dead of night. In the process of constant brooding over ghosts, a major portion of the mind becomes concentrated, and suspended in the object of that internal psychic projection. In that case the entire personality of the individual concerned is disturbed. He or she starts thinking, “I am the ghost,” and acts accordingly. The disease of hysteria is similar to this ghost phobia or ghost possession.

Again, there are some people who sometimes experience spirit possession: perhaps at night they feel possessed by the spirit of the goddess Kali or by Lord Shiva. These are all psychological phenomena. Hence this proves that for living beings there are both physical and psychic actions: they think of so many things, and what they think within, they cannot speak out either due to shame or fear of social criticism.

Remember that the less the gap there is between one’s internal thinking and one’s external action, the better person one is. Obviously the inner personality and the outer personality should be one. Usually it is found that there is a gap between these aspects of a single person, and with the passage of time this gap goes on increasing, and finally one’s real personality becomes completely lost. This split personality is a great impediment to human progress. Do not allow such a thing to happen. Today’s civilization is not a civilization in the true sense of the term. I urge society’s thinkers to analyse this situation deeply. What is the major defect in our civilization? It is this very split personality: the inner personality and the outer personality differ, and that difference is gradually increasing. Such a split personality is rarely found among the rural masses. In Parama Puruśa also such a defect cannot be found because for Him there is no difference between internal and external – for Him everything is internal, nothing is external; everything is within, nothing is without. Thus from the actional point of view there is some difference between jiiva and Shiva, between Parama Puruśa and His creation.

Next comes vipáka. The word vipáka is derived from vi - pac + ghaiṋ. Vipáka literally means the reaction of an original action: whenever a person does an original action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. But to state only this much is not enough: something more must be added, and that is “provided the three factors, time, space and person remain unchanged.” If there is the slightest change in time, space or person, the reaction will not be equal and opposite: it will be either slightly more or less. For example, suppose Mr. X borrowed the amount of Rs. 2000 from Mr. Y one evening at 7-30 P.M. If Mr. X returns the amount the same day, he will not be required to pay anything extra. But if he returns the amount the next day, then he will have to pay a certain amount as interest on the original amount, because there has been a lapse of time.

Similarly, if someone commits some wrong or undesirable action, then the requital will not be equal to the original action because the reaction is not expressed immediately after the original action is performed; it usually takes place after several hours or days. It may even take a few decades for its expression. For this the wrongdoer will have to undergo a reaction which is greater in degree than the original action: the doer will have to undergo a certain amount of pain as “interest” to the original action. This is what is meant by the term vipáka. It is applicable only to the microcosms and not to Parama Puruśa, for human beings perform actions both in the physical and psychic spheres, and for their undesirable actions in the psychic spheres, too, they will have to suffer the consequences. It is said in the scriptures that in Kali Yuga (the present Age of Darkness), mental sin is no sin at all, and this may be true to some extent. But it is also true that although psychic sin is not punishable, still it must be avoided.

External sin, expressed in physical action, should not only be avoided but it is punishable as well. Take for instance, the case of someone stealing with one’s own hands: for this the thief will have to undergo punishment. But suppose someone steals mentally: by this no one on earth is harmed. This mental crime may not be punishable, but it should definitely be avoided, because if people often think about committing theft, as a result of prolonged thinking one day their hands will certainly be engaged in the actual act of stealing. Now if Parama Puruśa does something mentally, that also involves vipáka or reaction, whether good or bad. The fact is that although Parama Puruśa does not do anything bad, He certainly does good, and these good actions also beget good reactions. It is the divine decree that good actions beget good reactions, and bad actions beget bad reactions. The former is like golden chains, and the latter like iron chains. Yet in the case of Parama Puruśa this question of reaction is not applicable, because there is nothing beyond Him – everything in this expressed universe is all created within Him, and He is dealing with His own created objects according to His own wishes. Thus no question of good or bad can arise, and that is why the matter of suffering the consequence of action also does not arise in His case. If you slap a decent person, that will be an undesirable action on your part; but if you slap your own cheek, will that also be considered an undesirable act? No, certainly not. No one will ever criticize you, or file a suit against you for this, because it is exclusively your personal matter. Likewise, whatever Parama Puruśa does, He does with His own created objects, and hence in that case the question of vipáka does not arise.

Next comes áshaya. The principal meaning of the word áshaya is ashraya or “shelter.” Each and every entity requires a shelter; for instance, the city of Nagpur where we are seated now requires a shelter. In this case Nagpur district is the shelter and of Nagpur where we are seated Nagpur city; and the shelter of Nagpur district is Nagpurcommissionary; and the shelter of Nagpur commissionary is the state of Maharastra; and the shelter of Maharastra state is India; and the shelter of India is the continent of Asia. The continent of Asia is only a part of our little planet Earth, and this planet Earth is only a small part of our solar system. And finally Parama Puruśa is the shelter of all the solar system. So if Parama Puruśa is the shelter of all, then what is the shelter of Parama Puruśa? The answer is that Parama Puruśa does not require any shelter. Regarding Him the scriptures say, “Nirálambamiishaḿ”; that is, the Supreme Entity does not require any shelter or refuge. But for the microcosms, a shelter is indispensable.

If the microcosms are to save themselves from afflictions or kleśa, then they will have to acquire all the qualities or characteristics of the Supreme Entity. The akliśt́avrtti or non-painful propensities are inherent both in jiiva and Shiva, in microcosm and Macrocosm. Hence human beings will have to encourage this non-painful propensity more and more; that is, let human beings practise sádhaná more intensively and look upon all their mundane duties as part of their spiritual practice, thus superimposing cosmic ideation on all their actions. Only thus can they avoid undergoing afflictions. If people become more and more regular in the application of their guru mantra, then on one hand they will be able to perform more and more physical activities, and at the same time they will be able to avoid creating new saḿskáras (reactive momenta). Regarding vipáka it can also be said that human beings must treat all the objects of this universe in the proper perspective as the various expressions of Parama Puruśa, and learn how to apply madhuvidyá even while discharging their mundane duties.

Regarding áshaya, spiritual aspirants should remember that they will have to become completely dedicated to their ideology or ádarsha. More important than this is that they will have to become dedicated to their Iśt́a; they will have to establish a relationship of exclusive devotion to Iśt́a. If there is not intense attachment to one’s Iśt́a in one’s heart, then one cannot do anything. Thus during sádhaná you should think that as you are thinking of Parama Puruśa, He is also thinking of you. This is the proper devotion to one’s Iśt́a. When people do something exclusively for themselves, their mental tendency is called áshakti or attachment, and when they do something not for their personal satisfaction but for the pleasure of Parama Puruśa, their mental tendency is called bhakti or devotion.

Parama prema svarúpa: whatever the Lord does, He does for the welfare of His created beings and not for His own interest. He is inexplicable: no language can properly explain Him. The microcosms on the other hand, have limited intellect. They are goaded into action by trivial self-interest. Once a certain gentleman, a businessman, was asked to laugh. He said, “I am ready to laugh provided it brings me some profit.” Without considering the profit and loss of any action, he could not act. But such a question does not arise in the case of Parama Puruśa. Whatever He does, He does for the welfare of all creatures. He is inexplicable also: but the ways and behaviour of microcosms can be explained. Regarding any individual, we can say that he or she is such-and-such type of person: “She is very frugal… he is good-hearted but sharp-tongued, etc.”

An old definition of verse is vákyaḿ rasátmakaḿ kávyam. When a story is narrated in a lucid manner it is called kávya or poetic verse. Who is a poet? One who knows all the three phases of time – past, present and future. In the modern age, the Saḿskrta word kavi is translated as “poet” in English, but in old Saḿskrta the word did not necessarily mean a poet – it meant a self-realized person.

In older days the scriptures or shástras were divided into several categories. Shásanát tárayet yastu sah shástrah parikiirttitah: that which leads to human welfare through a system of discipline is called shástra. That is, the books which lay down certain guidelines as to what actions should or should not be done, which actions are conducive to human progress and which lead to degradation, are called shástra. They are divided into four categories: kávya (verse), puráńa (mythology), itihása (educative history), and itikathá (history).

Itikathá or history, means the recording of chronological events; that is, the maintenance of a record of events as they took place in succession; and itihása means that portion of itikathá or history which has some specific educative value – it has no English synonym. Hence all history or itikathá is not itihása. When we refer to the history of India, it means the itikathá, not itihása, of India. Now, the definition of itihása is:

Dharmártha káma mokśárthaḿ niitivákyasamanvitam purávrttakatháyuktam itihásah pracakśyate.

That which leads to the attainment of dharma, artha, káma and mokśa (psycho-spiritual, psychic, physical and spiritual attainnment, respectively), that which leads to the attainment of a deep sense of morality, is called itihása. Iti hásati ityarthe itihása. Judged in this light, the Mahábhárata can be called itihása. What is taught in schools and colleges these days in the name of itihása should not be called thus; rather it should be called itikathá, itivrtta, purákathá, or purávrtta.

And what is puŕána or mythology? In puŕána the narrative event is not factually accurate, but it contains a good deal of educative value. The Rámáyańa is such a puŕána because it contains much material to educate the people. The great Vyasadeva composed the puŕánas in order to demonstrate that doing good to others brings victory, and doing harm to others brings defeat.

Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiirańam.

Vyasadev wrote something about the inexplicable nature of the Lord. While describing Parama Puruśa, who transcends words, a great deal of verbal explanation has been made of the different occasions. For example, there are some descriptions regarding His extraordinary loveliness, apparel, ornaments etc., but these are not at all proper because He is beyond description. It is not possible to write something about an Entity who is indescribable. So at the end of the shloka the author begged Parama Puruśa for forgiveness:

Rúpaḿ rúpavivarjjtasya bhavato yadhyánena kalpitaḿ
Stutyánirvacaniiyatákhiloguro dúriikrtá yanmayá
Vyápitvaḿca nirákrtaḿ bhagavato yat tiirthayátrádiná
Kśantavyaḿ jagadiisho tadvikalatádośa trayaḿ mat krtam

“You are the Formless Entity, yet I have committed the error of describing Your form: this was my first offense. You are a Non-Attributional Entity and yet I have tried to describe Your attributes – Your infinite compassion, for You are the embodiment of Grace. This is my second offense. I know you are omnipotent, and even so I have extolled the glories of certain places of pilgrimage, and thus I have limited Your all-pervasiveness. I have described the merit one acquires by visiting certain places of pilgrimage, by bathing in holy rivers, by performing various sacrifices, charities and rituals – this is my third offense. Oh Parama Puruśa, I have committed these mistakes knowingly, and hence I beg Your forgiveness.”

The Supreme Entity is aniirvacaniiyah parama prema svarupa: that is, He is indescribable – no words can describe Him, whereas living beings can easily be described by words. Everything concerned with Parama Puruśa is infinite, whereas living beings are all finite. Then what should the microcosms do to attain Parama Puruśa? They must meditate on Him, and in this process they will one day attain that infinite love themselves. Regarding Parama Puruśa, the scriptures say:

Sahasrashiirśá Puruśah sahasrákśah sahasrapát;
Sa bhúmiḿ vishvato vrtvá’tyatiśt́haddasháuṋgulam.⁽¹⁾

Human beings perform actions with a limited mind, whereas Parama Puruśa performs actions with His infinite mind, and thus human beings can never compare themselves to Him. Human beings read a few books and, puffed up with vanity of knowledge, say, “Can you show us where Parama Puruśa is?” Now the question is, do they have the proper vision to visualise Him? If you tell a blind person to describe the parts of an elephant’s body, can he do it? Before describing the elephant, one must have the vision to see it: so first the blind man’s sight must be restored. Human beings see with two eyes, and both eyes are in front. Of course, if they had one eye in front and one in the back, that would also serve the purposes. But fortunately or unfortunately both eyes are in front and so they cannot see what is happening behind their backs. Whereas Parama Puruśa is seeing everything with His infinite number of eyes. He knows even what human beings do secretly or think inwardly.

He is sahasrapát – with a thousand feet. Human beings are limited by time, space and person. Suppose you are at Nagpur. You are thinking, “Had this town of Nagpur been very close to Hyderabad, I could have got my work done more easily!” But Parama Puruśa faces no such difficulty. He does not need to move from one place to another. Suppose someone has his or her Master’s Degree in geography. If that degree-holder is asked, “Can you say how many houses are there in Nagpur city? How many bricks are there in those houses?” – I am sure he or she cannot answer those questions. I have yet to meet a pandit who can tell me how many bricks are in the town of Nagpur. Human knowledge is very limited, very imperfect. Hence it is totally pointless to pride oneself on so-called intellectual knowledge or pedantry. In fact, human beings have nothing to be proud of except one thing, and that is Parama Puruśa. What type of pride is this? Human beings can think, “A perfect Entity like Parama Puruśa is my Father, I am His dear affectionate child.” This sort of vanity and pride can be harboured. But besides this human beings have no other treasure of which to feel proud.

Human beings can at most remember events which took place only a couple of days ago. Often they are quite ignorant of what will happen just after one second. Mostly they say something or perform some actions on the basis of assumptions. But Parama Puruśa is omniscient; everything, past, present and future is at His fingertips. But the knowledge of living beings is very limited. If those of you who have acquired the highest university degree are asked to sit for examination right now, perhaps none of you will pass the exam, and if you are asked to answer the same questions which were given to you when you passed from the university, you will certainly not be able to answer them, for you have completely forgotten the topics which you studied in the past. In such a situation, should human beings be proud of their intellect? Yet they are often misguided by a false sense of superiority or inferiority.

Suppose there is a Master’s Degree-holder in a certain village, and in that village no one else knows even A, B, C, D. If you visit his village you will find that that so-called educated person, because of his vanity and false sense of superiority, does not even talk to the illiterate villagers – he feels ashamed to speak to his old friends. In this way human beings develop meaningless ideas of big and small, high and low: they lose their universal vision.

But for Parama Puruśa there is no difference between educated and uneducated, literate and illiterate, high and low, black and white. Human beings always discriminate between those who are socially high and low: they disdain the low and prefer the high-born. This sense of discrimination exists only among living beings. Parama Puruśa always remains with people in their joys and sorrows. A virtuous person when in trouble says to Parama Puruśa. “Oh Lord, save me!” Similarly, a thoroughly wicked person also says, “Oh Lord, save me!” Parama Puruśa listens equally to both of them. In this regard I have already said that Parama Puruśa cannot do two things. First, He cannot create another Parama Puruśa like Himself. He can create everything, but He cannot create a second Parama Puruśa. Secondly, He cannot hate anyone even if He wants to. But human beings commit the mistake of hating others easily. So in this respect human beings are ahead of Parama Puruśa, that they can hate others!

Those who are seated in Heaven are as dear to Parama Puruśa as those who are ensconced in Hell, scorched in eternal hellfire. Even for those infernal creatures Parama Puruśa has unbounded love and affection – even such people are not helpless. Their piteous wailings reach His ears, and accordingly He takes steps to help them. But this is not the case for human beings: rather even at the sight of the sorrows and sufferings of afflicted people they will say, “Well done! as you sow, so you reap! Those people are reaping the consequences of their past misdeeds!” In the human mind there is an ingrained sense of hatred for others. But there is no such feeling in the mind of Parama Puruśa.

Parama Puruśa is the all-controlling Entity. No one else can dictate to Him. This is the major difference between jiiva and Shiva. In spite of such a serious difference, Parama Puruśa loves human beings and showers His Grace on them, and out of His infinite love for them, He has given them a valuable treasure – mind. The characteristic of this mind is that as it thinks so it becomes. Hence if they so desire, human beings can merge their individual minds in the Macrocosmic Mind. While taking the ideation of Parama Puruśa, human minds will one day become identified with Him, and one auspicious moment all the inherent qualities of Parama Puruśa will be infused in their unit minds. Brahmavid Brahmaeva bhavati: One who knows Brahma becomes Brahma.

And I have already said that there cannot be two Parama Puruśas. So in the last stage of evolution, the living beings become completely identified with Parama Puruśa, and then only the microcosms will be fully established in their infinite blissful Cosmic Stance.

Footnotes

(1) Rgveda Puruśasúktam. –Trans.