EE7.5 - Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]

Actions and Their Results (Karma and Karmaphala)

Published in:
Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 1 [a compilation]
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 1

Notes:

official source: Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 1

this version: is the printed Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 1, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected).

The creation of the Universe is sustained by actions or Karma. Where there is expression, there is invariably vibration and behind the vibration there is action. Where the active capacity is dormant, motionless or quiescent, there are no waves, and there is no expanding evolution of life and spirit. Under these circumstances the Cosmic consciousness is lying in blessedness as if it were a tranquil, serene and boundless ocean. When the surface of this ocean is agitated by a gust of wind, surging waves are created. Hence, when the unmanifested Cosmic Consciousness is tossed by Prakrti, the refulgence of expression begins. This Universe, full of fleeting shows and wonders, is the crude manifestation of Cosmic Consciousness. This crudeness results from the domination of Prakrti over Puruśa.

In situations where Cosmic Consciousness is less intense, the influence of Prakrti is proportionately more pronounced. The bondage of Prakrti on finite objects is much greater than the bondage of Prakrti is in the limitless field of activities of Universal Puruśa, otherwise called Saguńa Brahma. What, after all, is a piece of stone? It is a finite manifestation of Puruśa where tamoguńa is extremely dominant and as a result of this, the Consciousness in the shape of Puruśa appears crude. Prudent people will consider Puruśa dominated by tamah as crude or Jad́a.

Names are assigned to different objects according to the variation in the degree of crudeness of consciousness. Every object in this perceptible world is pervaded by tamoguńa for the simple reason that nothing is free from the bondage of Prakrti. Why are human beings said to be the highest creature? It is because the Consciousness of human beings is very highly developed. Humanas desire to attain happiness from within the subtle entity rather than from the crude objects. This insatiable hunger leads human beings towards divine happiness. In those unit beings where the consciousness is moderately developed, that is to say, where the entire consciousness has not been overpowered by crudeness, there is the endeavour for self-evolution and for achieving happiness. The strong display of rajoguńa in Prakrti is an outcome of this effort.

For the sake of self-preservation, one cannot remain in the state of inaction, because inaction is indicative of death, not of life. Now, the question may arise that since every entity is composed of the three guńas does not the dead body also contain them? All the signs of what is called crudeness exist in the dead body; tamoguńa predominates while sattva and rajah are only indistinctly expressed. Therefore, there is no propensity for action and far less the capability for action. Thus we arrive at the conclusion that everything existent is pervaded by the three guńas, but in accordance with the variation of their proportion, Prakrti is dynamic in certain situations and inert in others.

According to both Science and Philosophy, every action has a reaction which is co-existent with the original action, whether the action be a physical one or only a psychic vibration. For example, suppose you have stolen something with your own hands. In this instance there is no doubt that you have committed an act of theft. But supposing that for fear of public scandal or state punishment, you only conceived of the theft but did not carry it out. Alternatively you arranged for the theft to be committed by another person. Are you not still committing this theft from behind the scene? If you think that you will not reap the consequences for a theft committed mentally, you are wrong.

This potentiality of reaction or Saḿskára that you get through physical or mental action, has to be endured by some other act inevitably. But when you perform one act which is reaping the consequence of a previous act, you are not acting independently. In such a case you act mechanically, propelled by the reaction of the previous act, and you may be obliged to do some undesirable acts that bring to you disgrace, accusation and affliction. You upbraid yourself and regret at leisure for it. It is as if your hands and feet are fettered and you are unable to avoid such actions.

So long as you consider your identity separate from Supreme Brahma and so long as you are engrossed with the individual “I”, you will have to continue to perform actions and inevitably earn their reactions, which in potential form are known as Saḿskáras. In order that these seeds of reaction can germinate, you will have to select a new physical form. In other words, you will have to subject yourself to the cycle of birth and death in this revolution of Karma, like the oil-mill bullocks. Both Mokśa and Mukti (emancipation and liberation) will remain remote from you, beyond your access. If you make your mean ego the object of your Átman, your actions will be a source of your enjoyment but not of your salvation.

Ásana máre kyá huyá, yo gayii na mankii ásh;
Jyoṋ teliká boyelko, gharhii kosh pacásh

Does not the oil-mill bullock move on? It keeps going around in circles all the day. But though it may walk more than fifty miles, it does not advance in the least, since it is tied to the pillar of the oil-expressor. Likewise, those working with the Unit “I” as their object are similar to the bullock of the oil-expelling machine.

Yávanna kśiiyate karma shubhaḿcáshubhameva ca
távanna jáyate mokśo nrńáḿ kalpashataerapi
Yathá laohamayaeh páshaeh páshaeh svarńanmayaerapi
tathá baddho bhavejjiivo karmábhishcáshubhaeshubhaeh

In other words, until the actions, whether good or bad are annihilated, human beings cannot attain salvation or Mokśa. Can the gold chain be looser and less torturing than the iron chain to someone in bondage? Similarly, the bondage of bad actions is exactly as tight as the bondage of good actions.

Nábhuktaḿ kśiiyate karma kalpakot́ishataerapi
Avashyameva bhoktavyaḿ krtaḿ karma shubháshubham

Therefore, for salvation or emancipation, it is necessary to be liberated from the bondage of Saḿskáras. The question is, how to attain salvation? When it is essential to act for maintaining one’s existence, how is it possible to avoid the cycle of action and reaction?

It is known from philosophic propositions that the attainment of Mukti (liberation) or Mokśa (salvation) is possible only through spiritual practices or sádhaná. It therefore follows that there is certainly some means to attain liberation from saḿskáras.

There are three processes for attaining freedom from the bondage of action: (1) relinquishing any desire for the fruits of action, or Phalákáḿkśá Tyága, (2) Abandoning the vanity of performing an act, or Kartrtvábhimána Tyága, and (3) surrendering all actions unto Brahma. All of these have to be followed in the individual life, but it must be kept in mind that they all have to be strictly observed. To be more explicit, these rules are the different aspects of one and the same process.

Phalákáḿkśá Tyága: – A man performs each act with a particular objective or other in mind. No act can be accomplished without an objective. For example, someone is studying for an MA then their aim is to graduate? But if he or she only broods over the aim and does not strive to attain it, can they be successful? What is the significance of reflecting over or striving to achieve an aim? For instance, suppose a piece of iron is tossed upwards. The higher it will go, the more it will gain the force of coming down, and as soon as its force for going up is exhausted, it will come down with the same force as it went up. This is natural, an invariable law of Prakrti. Similarly, with every thought or deed the reactions in potentiality will inevitably have to be accumulated. As soon as any act is accomplished, the growth of the potentiality of reactions is stopped and this potential energy is invariably transformed into the reactions of the actions performed. Therefore, it has been said in the Giitá –

Human beings can only control their deeds but not the fruits thereof. When we have no command over the results of our actions, it is vain to brood over the attainment of certain objectives. There is no use in brooding. Is it not reasonable to keep on working only for the accomplishment of an act? To continue to work in this way is to relinquish the desire for the fruits of action or Phalákáḿkśa tyága.

Kartrtvábhimána Tyága: Ordinarily people perform actions with certain objective in view, but still there are many who perform actions not with a view to the result, but only for the sake of self-satisfaction or to feel elevated with vanity because they have done their duty. Suppose a particular person has donated one million rupees to a certain institution. However their mind is not at peace until they find the news of the donation published in the newspapers the following morning. All through the night he or she restlessly waits for the morning and then feels gratified to find the news of the donation in the newspapers.

Mere renunciation of the fruits of actions will not do. The vanity of having performed an act, for example the desire to see the news of gift published in the newspapers, all contributes to the formation of mental vibrations. Saḿskáras will continue to multiply as before.

The term “Iishvara” means Puruśa uninfluenced by actions, afflictions, results or objectives.

For this reason one has to be actions-free in order to merge into “Iishvara”. But we have seen above that so long as Prakrti’s dominance prevails, it is not possible to be actions-free. By merely relinquishing the desire or pursuit of the fruits of action it is hard to get rid of the vanity of a doer, of the idea that “I do”, in so far as we cannot extricate ourselves from the objects of our actions or from the contemplation of accomplishment. To avoid these, one has to always contemplate that one is a machine and Brahma alone is the machine operator who gets the work done through this machine. But even this is not sufficient to eradicate the vanity of a doer. The reason is that one may believe that although a machine, yet he or she is he is superior to others having been selected by the machine operator for that particular action being performed at that point of time.

To avoid such thoughts, the belief has to be developed that Brahma is only served or chosen by Brahma. That is, Brahma inspires us to donate and again receives the same through others. It is simply by the grace of Brahma that we act and have the favourable opportunity of performing this act. It is possible to avoid the doer’s vanity or kartrtvábhimána tyága by developing this belief.

However all is not over by renouncing the desire or abandoning the doer’s vanity. So long as Prakrti is active, rajoguńa is there, causing actions. Doing any act means being caught by the cycle of action and reaction. What is the way out? The only way is to surrender all actions to Brahma and to ideate that every action is performed by Brahma. Such actions will not be called our own. The actions have been performed by Brahma alone and their consequences, whether good or bad, will be borne by Brahma alone. In that case we have no separate identity.

Many people do not do anything out of fear of reactions, and they become indolent. But can they really become devoid of actions? Though they do not act externally, their heart and other organs continue to function. Moreover, inactivity or apparent inaction can never be commended. Those who have surrendered all actions unto Brahma have no reason to fear to act. It also keeps the mind completely engrossed in Brahma. Sannyása means surrendering the mind to the Supreme Object or Brahma. Those who have surrendered their mind to Brahma are the real Sannyásins.

Draopadii inquired from Yudhisthira why he was undergoing the privations of exile in spite of his virtuous actions, while according to ordinary laws of nature he ought to be rolling in happiness. To this, Yudhisthira replied –

“Karmakari yeijan phalákáḿkśii hay;
Bańiker mata sei váńijya karay.
Phal lobhe karma kare, lubdha bali táre;
Lobhe punah punah paŕe narak dustare.
Ámi yáhá karma kari, phalákáḿkśii nai;
Samarpańa kari sarva Iishvarer t́háiṋ⁽¹⁾

[“Those who solicit the fruits of their actions are no better than merchants. He or she who acts for a gain is called a greedy person and acting under the influence of greed they are carried to the dark hell. I do not act for any fruit, rather I surrender all my actions unto Brahma.”]

It is invariably true that the separate identity of the soul is completely dissolved by totally submitting the mind to Brahma. As a consequence of this, human beings qualify for the attainment of liberation (Mukti) or salvation (Mokśa).

Yajiṋa and Karmaphala

Published in:
Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 2 [a compilation]
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Bábá's Grace [a compilation]
Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 1

Notes:

official source: Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 1

this version: is the printed Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 1, 3rd edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

The Bábá’s Grace chapter “Service” is a compilation of parts of this discourse.

Today’s subject is “Yajiṋa and the Fruit of Yajiṋa”. The word “Yajiṋa” is formed by the root “Yaj” and the suffix “na”. It means actions. Whatever a person does, we can call it a yajiṋa. What is the origin of actions? Where is the unmanifested potentiality of action? The doer of an act is the mind. Before doing an act a person thinks of it and the thought gets manifested as corresponding vibrations or sensations in his mind. Those mental vibrations are then transformed into the actions in the external world. That is, when after thinking about doing an act, the hands and feet begin to move, then the action being done is called an act or kriyá. Vibration exists in the mind or Sublime level and an act exists both in the crude and sublime levels, because all vibrations are not necessarily transformed into acts. Whenever there is an act, then the existence of a precedent thought is a certainty. That is why Karma or Yajiṋa is called psycho-physical.

Human beings cannot exist even for a moment without doing an act. Salvation means the eternal emancipation from this very Karma or Yajiṋa. Ordinarily Yajiṋa is of four kinds: Bhúta Yajiṋa, Nr Yajiṋa, Pitr Yajiṋa and Adhyátma Yajiṋa. Of these four Yajiṋas, the first three, namely Bhúta, Nr, and Pitr Yajiṋas, are psycho-physical, that is, both mental and physical, but Adhyátma Yajiṋa is one hundred percent internal. The origin of Bhúta, Nr and Pitr Yajiṋa is in mental vibrations and they take shape in the physical world. The actual origin of Karma, however, is in the arena of the mind. Suppose I donated ten rupees to a particular person. This is called Nr Yajiṋa. In the first instance I gave the donation mentally, and when this mental donation took the shape of a physical act, then I practically made the donation. As soon as the thought of giving the donation occurs in the mind, the physical act of donating flashes before the mind, that is, the act actually originated in the mental domain. Adhyátma Yajiṋa, on the other hand, originates in the domain of the soul and terminates in the soul.

(1) Bhúta-Yajiṋa: Bhúta Yajiṋa means services rendered to any created entity of the manifested world. For example, watering trees, serving cattle, undertaking scientific explorations and doing anything for the sake of welfare. In Saḿskrta, Bhúta means that which has been created. It does not mean ghost or spirit. The Saḿskrta synonym of the English words ghost and spirit is “Preta”.

(2) Nr Yajiṋa: Nr Yajiṋa is action for human welfare. In fact Nr Yajiṋa is a part of Bhúta Yajiṋa because human beings are also created beings, I will explain Nr Yajiṋa later on.

(3) Pitr Yajiṋa: Pitr Yajiṋa means remembering the ancestors and the sages. As long as a person possesses the physical body, he remains indebted to his ancestors. Those who are capable of working for their own emancipation, as well as of the society by virtue of the knowledge acquired through the austerities practised by the sages, are indebted to the sages. Sages are those who are helping and who have helped human society in numerous ways, such as the invention of new subjects. You enjoy the fruits of the inventor of railway engines. Is it not a fact that present intellectual currents originated from the fountain of their wisdom? Many people say that science is detrimental to civilization and an impediment to civilization, that the old world was indeed good. They forget that science also existed in the old world and, although it was very undeveloped, the people had adopted it according to their standard of wisdom and knowledge. We are progressing on the road constructed by them. We proceed and extend these roads by cutting down the jungles and the hills. Their bullock carts have given us the incentive for our railways and cars. We have converted the yachts constructed by them into submarines. That is why I say that there is no fault in the development of science. Time is also not to blame. The fault rests with us. Science does not tell us to use nuclear energy in destructive ways. To do so is to use science to establish our animality. Those who have invented destructive weapons with the help of science are not sages, because their Sádhaná does not contribute to the welfare of humanity. On the other hand, those sages who have looked to the well-being of humanity certainly deserve our revered memory. To pay homage to them is Pitr Yajiṋa.

(4) Adhyátma Yajiṋa: I have already said that Adhyátma Yajiṋa is one hundred percent internal. The impetus for Adhyátma Yajiṋa comes from the soul and this impetus becomes operative in the mental province. The mind performs the sádhaná and the Karma also terminates in the province of the soul. That is, the ultimate goal of mental sádhaná lies in the province of the soul. Adhyátma Yajiṋa is a liberating sádhaná and the remaining three, Bhúta, Nr and Pitr yajiṋa are both liberating and subjugating (Nivrtti Pravrtti).

Nr Yajiṋa is of four kinds: (a) Shúdrocita, (b) Vaeshyocita, (c) Kśatriyocita and (d) Viprocita. To serve the world by the physical body, to make others happy by one’s own sacrifice, or to alleviate the afflictions of others, for example by example by nursing the patients, comes within the scope of Shúdrocita sevá.

The services rendered by supplying food, money, etc. are termed Vaeshyocita sevá. Protecting others, even by risking one’s life is Kśatriyocita Sevá. Viprocita Sevá is to give expression of Adhyátma yajiṋa by imparting the spiritual knowledge you have gained. Instil in others the earnest desire to follow the path of virtue – only then will you justify your existence as a social creature.

Shúdrocita sevá is the backbone of society. Those who undervalue Shúdrocita sevá cannot render Vaeshyocita sevá. In the same way, one has to become a Shúdra, in order to be eligible for rendering Vaeshyocita-sevá. Exactly in the same way, one has to become a Shúdra, a Vaeshya and a Kśatriya in order to be eligible to render Viprocita Sevá. Hence only those who possess these four qualities are Vipras.

Although the excellence of all the different services is equal, Viprocita sevá is particularly glorious because it is directly related to Adhyátma yajiṋa. But it must be remembered that the value of a particular service depends on time, place and circumstances. Suppose a wayfarer is in distress in a lonely place and is about to die. In this situation viprocita sermons are entirely useless. While Shúdrocita sevá, i.e. nursing will be of great value. What will you do for a man who is dying of starvation? Will you nurse or preach sermons? Food must be arranged for him. In this circumstance Vaeshyocita sevá is of great value. In another situation, some men are attacking a helpless person. In this case neither sermons nor nursing is needed, nor is food to be offered; there you will have to render Kśatriyocita service. In this situation, Kśatriyocita Sevá is of greater value and other services are entirely meaningless.

Shúdrocita service is meaningless to a drunkard, so is Vaeshyocita, because giving money to him gives impetus to the addiction to drinking and does not encourage him or her to give it up, If you give the drunkard a beating then he or she will leave the place and go elsewhere to get a drink. Therefore, a drunkard has to be treated firmly with Kśatriyocita sevá and with Viprocita sermons. They must be emancipated from this bad habit by good counsel. The problem can not be solved just by simply inflicting punishment or enacting laws to close the liquor shop. In such circumstances the drunkard will seek to satisfy his or her bad habit in secrecy and consequently the whole society is affected. Thus we see that all the four types of services are important in particular circumstances. Still the effect of Viprocita sevá is stable whereas the effects of other types of service is not.

At the time of rendering service, you should feel that object of service is Náráyańa or God and that you are a spiritual aspirant. With such feelings there is no room for conceit. Conceit causes the fall of human beings. To get rid of conceit we will have to regard the object of our service as Náráyańa.

When you render service to anyone you must mentally address them with sincere devotion. “O Lord, O Náráyańa! Oblige me by accepting my services. You are merciful to me, and for this reason you have appeared before me as a living being to offer this very precious opportunity of rendering service to You.” By maintaining such sentiments, conceit will not arise in you, nor will you be bound by the reactions of your actions. The principal cause for bondage to the fruits of actions is conceit or the yearning for fame. Suppose a certain man donates one thousand rupees to a particular institution. The next day he looks anxiously for his name in the newspaper. If his name does not appear in the paper, then with an air of conceit he brags amongst his kith and kin. “I have donated a thousand rupees, but I do not desire recognition and therefore I have not published my name in the paper.” The desire for fame exists in a concealed form in that man’s mind. Clearly, he did not make the donation with the spirit of service. However, when you perform acts with the ideation that the person served is Náráyańa, there is no possibility of arrogance or the desire for fame growing in your mind. Then you will realize that through the grace of Náráyańa you have been given the opportunity of serving Náráyańa. Our hands and feet are not ours, they are His, and by serving Himself with those hands and feet, He sports with Himself. Such an action is an action without attachment. Only in this way can one attain salvation from the bondage of Karma. You must feel that the person served is Brahma. The person served is a finite manifestation of Him. Never, even by mistake, take the object as a human being. A devotee in ecstasy says:

Wherever I look Hari is visible. To attain this stage is the consummation of the aspirant’s efforts. By working with ideation of Brahma, you will gradually be able to perceive Brahma in everything. Why should ideation of Brahma or Hari be adopted? Before realizing this you will have to understand what Bháva signifies.

Shuddhasattvavisheśádvá premasuryáḿshu sámyabhak
Rucibhishcittamásrńya krdasao bháva ucyate

Bháva is where the mind is sanctified. All the ten directions are brightened by the rays of the sun of Love, and love is developed for the Supreme Brahma. The mind develops gentleness or tenderness. This is the aim behind treating the objects of service with ideation of Brahma.

The development of ideas in a person’s mind takes place in three ways: direct imposition, indirect imposition and spontaneous idea.

Direct imposition: Suppose you are playing the role of Sháhjáhán in a certain drama. Though your mother tongue is Saḿskrta you speak in Persian. In that situation you have consciously thought, “I am Sháhjahán”, and having influenced the mind accordingly, you behave in that manner. Here your own personality is masked by that of Sháhjahán. This is known as direct imposition of ideas.

Indirect imposition: Here you do not knowingly assume any idea, but are influenced and hypnotized by another person. You act unconsciously. Your personal exclusiveness is drowned in the currents of another’s ideas. Under directions of a hypnotist, you will take sand for sugar and find it sweet as well.

Spontaneous idea: In this case, the ideas spring from within and only the true ideas get expressed. This occurs while you are in Iishvara Prańidhána. Initially the feeling of “I am” certainly exists in the aspirant’s mind. He or she feels that “I am practicing Sádhaná for a realization of Brahma.”

In the method of Sádhaná prescribed of Ananda Marga, this feeling of “I am” having been developed and expressed spontaneously is then transformed into feelings of Brahma. This spontaneous idea is not easily understood by those who do not practice Sádhaná. For this very reason, more often than not, non-aspirants are overtaken with false apprehensions since they do not know the transcendental currents of happiness in which the Sádhaka is drifting. You don’t have to take the idea “I am Hanuman”, or “I am Rádhá”. Adhyátma yajiṋa is performed entirely in the mental arena and there is no necessity of any experiment or imposition.

But in Bhúta, Nr or Pitr Yajiṋa, experiment or imposition is necessary. One has to feel that the object of service is Náráyańa. If you do not adopt this feeling your efforts are in vain. It should be remembered that the reaction of an action is intimately connected with the action itself and when you perform an act you have got to bear its brunt.

You are free to act, but you are bound to undergo the reaction. The moment you do an act you acquire the possibility of its reaction. Simultaneously with the performance of an act is being done, the seed for its reaction is also sown and its consequences have to be undergone. There is no escape from it. It is not within your right to get rid of it or to escape its fruits and consequences. You have a right only to the action. Just by wishing you may or may not do an act.

What we call Saḿskára is the reaction of Karma in potential forms, that is, it is the seed of the reaction to an action. The completion of a Yajiṋa lies in its offerings. Karma and Yajiṋa are the same and the accomplishment of the four varieties of Karma lies in offering one’s dearest thing, that is, in offering one’s own self. Ráma Yajiṋa signifies offering or surrendering unto Ráma. Viśnu Yajiṋa has a similar significance. The word Vishnu means all-pervasive. For this reason the accomplishment of Viśnu Yajiṋa lies in merging oneself into the Supreme Entity. Those who offer clarified butter in Yajiṋa are misguided. They think that by offering ghee in the fire, it will rain. Still today people are following such blind superstition. Science tells us that when ghee is offered in the fire, the ghee is burnt and the unburnt carbon particles evaporate in the form of smoke. Everyone knows that ghee is basically the chemical composition of hydrogen and carbon and that the water vapor generated by burning ghee is negligible. Therefore, what will be the magnitude of the cloud formed by burning even one thousand tons of ghee? It is an utter misuse of ghee. The proper use of ghee is to feed it to the weak so that they may have a good health. If you want rain you should perform Bhúta Yajiṋa. Scientific research comes within the purview of Bhúta Yajiṋa. Manufacture artificial clouds and make use of them wherever rainfall is needed.

O Sádhakas! Justify Ráma Yajiṋa by offering yourselves unto Ráma or Paramátman. Accomplish your Maháviśńu Yajiṋa by merging the arrogance of your “I” feeling in the all-pervading Paramátman. For this you need not go begging from door to door. Adhyátma Yajiṋa is an internal affair and money has no use. Only in the case of Bhúta, Nr and Pitr Yajiṋa are crude physical things needed and not in the case of Adhyátma Yajiṋa. By this the mind gradually obtains enlightenment and there is no need to entertain the idea of Ráma or any similar idea.

It is necessary to adopt a special sentiment in the case of Bhúta, Nr, and Pitr Yajiṋa, the sentiment that you will not be attached to Karma because the arrogance of your “I” feeling will not have any opportunity to arise. By Lord’s direction, you are serving Him, being a part and parcel of his manifestation. By maintaining such sentiments arrogance cannot arise. You know that the results of your actions will conformity to your intentions. If you submit the subjective feeling of your actions to the Lord, the reactions also appertain to the Lord. However, while taking this sentiment, one has to see that it is born out of love and not out of fear. Fear does not generate love. There is no service where love is absent and your Bhúta, Nr and Pitr Yajiṋa become meaningless. The sentiment must be surcharged with Prema or Love. What is Prema?

Samyauṋmasrńito svánto mamatvatishayáunkita
Bháva sa eva sándrátma budhaeh prema nigadyate.

Love must be selfless. Suppose you rear hens, you feed them rice and of course you love them also. If takes one of your hens you may fall out with him and even come to come to blows with him. But is that selfless love? Love must be untarnished, free from all caprice. How will love be untarnished? While rendering services you should think that you are serving for his or her comfort and well-being. This will make your service selfless and your love untarnished. Services rendered with a selfless motive are not without blemishes. You feed the hens for your benefit. You are motivated by the thought that one day this hen will lay eggs and you will earn money by selling them.

Inculcate divine sentiment by saturating love wherever you have to perform Bhúta Yajiṋa, Nr yajiṋa, and Pitr yajiṋa. It is meaningless to love out of fear. Where there is no love, there cannot be complete surrender of the self and the yajiṋa is fruitless.

Karma, tapa, yoga, jiṋána,
Vidhibhakti japa dhyána,
Ihá haite mádhurya durlabh,
Keval ye, rágmárge,
Bhaje Krśńa anuráge,
Tá’re Krśńa mádhurya sulabh.

People’s life becomes mechanical, if they are overwhelmed with the sentiment that they must do such acts, must perform such yajiṋa, must rise in this manner and sit in this manner and get up in this manner and so on. Such a person is not happy and this type of ritualism cannot be called real Karma. To serve others at one’s sacrifice is called penance. In the absence of love any service or penance is for show and is therefore fruitless. All ritualistic devotion, sham penance, counting beads etc. are meant only for public show and true love and the Supreme goal are lost from sight. Brahma cannot be attained through actions, since the sweetness of joy is lacking in such ritualism. On the other hand the divine bliss is easily attainable to those who base their Sádhaná on love.

One has to see appreciate how the consequences of actions are annihilated through service. Where there is the arrogance of “I” feeling, then the consequences exist with the actions. Where the “I” is the doer then the same “I” is the receiver of the consequences. In detached actions the “I” is not the doer and is not therefore liable to reap the consequences. In an unattached action there is no bondage of the consequences because whatever the person does is consigned to Brahma, and therefore, the consequences of the actions are also consigned to Brahma. In other words, both the actions and consequences appertain to Paramátman. You should regard yourself as an instrument of Náráyańa and go on doing your work in a detached manner. Where a person is suffering from pain, you may ask whether they are only reaping the consequences of their actions and whether in these circumstances it is proper for you to serve them. The answer is very simple. I should not even think that he or she is reaping the consequences of actions. My purpose is to decide the intention with which I will act. I will have to think that in the pursuit of a particular design, Paramátman is suffering distress and in this way, He is giving me an opportunity to render service. Out of His grace He is obliging me by accepting my services. Náráyańa’s designs are inscrutable, so you must look upon the distressed with divine sentiments.

Just as vibrations take the shape of actions, so too counter vibrations bear exact opposite consequences of these actions. The nature of consequences is shaped by the tune of the nature of the intentions to act or vibrations. Then in the physical world the consequences of such an action are treated according to the status of the doer, irrespective of the magnitude of the action and is in consonance with his or her mental endurance. If there be no pain from a cut in the hand, that is, if the mind does not feel the consequence, the action then is not punitive. For those free from a debased mind and accomplished in universality the question of unitary suffering of the consequences of actions does not arise, since such individual do not work with unit feelings.

Where action yoga, penance or knowledge is affected with feelings of distinctions, arrogance is bound to come into play and individual distinctions are created. When an act is dedicated to Paramátman, its consequences are also dedicated to Him. The unit is neither the doer nor the bearer of the consequences. What is it to you then?

Occasionally, an affectatious vanity is seen in the aspirant which is not meant for his or her personal end, but rather for the sake of Paramátman. This is called Sáttvika vanity. The vanity associated with selfless service is not derived from the mean unit “I” feeling, but from the feeling of Universal “I”. Rádhá says,

“I pride in You. This beauty that Rádhá has belongs to You. It is your beauty which has given comeliness to Rádhá. Is it not that I receive the inspiration to act from you? You are the doer and You alone are the enjoyer.”

You should act precisely with this sentiment. The more a person works with feelings of detachment, the greater is his or her Godward speed and the more the “I” feeling is annihilated. The Unit “I” feeling will be completely annihilated by the time you are completely established in the divine feeling. Detached actions are the fight against the unit self and for the attainment of the Universal “I”. The Unit “I” will go on abating in proportion to the decline of arrogance. By the same proportion, the mind’s sphere will get enlightened by refulgence of the Universal Self. That is why the followers of Ananda Marga must tread the path of action without detachment. Along with Adhyátma Yajiṋa, Bhúta, Nr, and Pitr yajiṋa also have to be performed and then the true sacrifice of the self in the fire of Brahma is accomplished.

The feelings of “I” or self work just like a mirror. The original entity is Paramátman or Cosmic Consciousness and its reflection in the mirror is the Jiivátman or unit consciousness.

Yathá darpańabháva ábhásahánao
Mukhaḿ vidyate kalpanáhiinamekam.
Tathá dhiiviyoge nirábhásako yah
Sah nityopalabdhi svarúpehamátma.

Where there is no mirror there cannot be any reflection. Where there is no mirror of the “I” feeling or Mahattattva or Budhitattva, there is no Jiivátman as the reflection. After annihilation of the ego, the condition in which one lives, is the initial form. He alone is the life of lives, the soul of souls, namely the Lord. Genuine spiritual practice is that which does away with the mirror of Buddhitattva and enables Jiivátman, in the shape of the reflection to get absorbed in Paramátman – the original entity. For this the inevitable requisite is detached action.

Yajiṋa is performed to achieve emancipation from the consequences of action and to annihilate the Unit “I”. The fourfold services enumerated under Nr yajiṋa can be easily be performed by anyone. Every human being gets more or less opportunity for rendering services. If a poor man thinks that he cannot render Vaeshyocita type of service because he is devoid of money he is wrong. The charity of a few paise of the poor has the same value as a thousand rupees from a millionaire. Indeed the charity of these few paise is greater. Lord Krśńa attached greater importance to a handfuls of grains from Vidura than to the sumptuous royal dishes of Duryodhana. Even so, everyone should render service to the world in accordance with their capacity and work for the welfare of the living beings to the best of their ability. Perform viprocita type of service by projecting your convictions to others as best as you can. Let every person perform the four kinds of service as much as possible. Adhyátma yajiṋa is an internal yajiṋa and ultimately it terminates in Paramátman, the original self. Therefore, your Sádhaná should be with a detached sentiment. All types of Yajiṋa begin and proceed in an externalized manner, but ultimately they will reverse their course towards the inner self and will gratify your innermost entity on the jewelled throne attained by your birthright. Remember, no one yajiṋa is inferior to another.

As long as you exist, you have got to perform Yajiṋa. The moment you cease from discharging duties, either due to incapacity or wrong choice you will fall into an abyss. You should not let this happen. It is your dharma to move from narrowness to vastness, from greatness to divinity. To allow yourself to fall into an abyss is against the characteristic of your existence. You long for eternal bliss and endeavour for eternal life. You are associated with that unending vitality in the blood circulation of your arteries and veins and in the rhythmic throbbing of your heart. You have been listening day and night the voice of eternal youth. Can you ever imagine remaining inert matter in an inactive state where there is no yajiṋa? Even in the state of supreme realization you will be infused with boundless knowledge. O human beings! be established in the radiance of divinity and the splendour of valour and chivalry, because yours is the path of revolution. Your path is not the path of extra caution and scheduled movement. You are the traveller of a rugged path. You are travellers of an impregnable path. You have to march ahead proudly with the flag of Marga upright. You have no time to stagger or to look behind.

“Kurvanneveha Karmmáńi”

Published in:
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 15 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 15

this version: is the printed Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Words in double square brackets [[ ]] are corrections that did not appear in the printed version.

Kurvanneveha Karmmáńi jiijiviśecchataḿ samáh;
Evaḿ tvayi nányatheto’sti na karma lipyate nare.

Human beings have come to work. What is the body? The body is a machine (Yantra). What is the meaning of “Yantra”? Yaḿ + trae + D́a = Yantra - that is, that which is controlling everything. And when one can have this control. It can be done when some work is performed. Therefore work must be done. But how? The answer is, work is to be done with control and self-discipline. And that is the job of a machine. Human body is a machine. If we think deeply, we see that mind is also a machine. That is, what we do with the help of mind, we will do that in a well planned way. Just as working is an action, thinking is also an action.

The word “Kurvan” has been derived from the word “Kurvat”. Kr + shatr makes the word kurvat, the meaning of which is, what is being done or going to be done. “Iha” means, “in this world”. When the body is attached to the world then that stratum is called “Iha” in Saḿskrta. And that stratum to which body is not attached and mind may or may not be attached, mind may or may not be active, is called “Páratra”. Átman, or Self, exists in all the strata. Iha + śńik makes the word “Aehik” and paratra + snik makes the word “Páratrik”. “Aehik” means concerning this world and “Páratrik” means concerning that world.

As I have already said, mind may or may not remain active. The fundamental thing is that when mind goes beyond the scope of body, the mind in the form of seed [[– the saḿskára in the form of seed –]] remains attached to the átman. In that stage saḿskára or the reactive momenta can not do any work whatsoever. After death disembodied souls cannot do anything. Hence human beings have to do any good and noble work, any constructive or benevolent work when they are physically alive.

In the ancient days, there was a popular belief that even the gods were to come down to earth to perform spiritual practice. The reason is, when one does not have a physical existence, one cannot perform action. So long as human being is alive, so long as one possesses one’s physical structure, one cannot but engage one’s body in action. One should not remain idle for a second. Once a leader said, “Árám hárám hyáy” (“Idleness is harmful”). Although many of his sayings are not to be accepted as true, this one saying deserves acceptance.

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

A question may arise whether the mind can at all function in an entity lacking a physical body. In a disembodied state the mind cannot work, because ectoplasmic structure can never function in that state. The stuff of which the mind is composed cannot function once it is detached from the body, because the mind-stuff functions only when the brain is active and the nerve cells are active. Physical death brings about dissociation of the nerve cells, hence the ectoplasmic structure stops functioning. So when people say that there is a ghost in such-and-such tree, it is totally baseless. The brain of a dead person has already been burnt in the cremation fire or transformed into soil in a grave, so how can it function? A disembodied soul or disembodied mind can never function.

But it is true that often a powerful person will associate his or her ectoplasmic structure with the disembodied mind. Suppose there is a man named Ráma Bábu who has great ectoplasmic strength, great mánasadhátu. (In Ánanda Sútram,⁽¹⁾ the word cittáńu has been used for mánasadhátu). He, employing a portion of his own ectoplasm, activates the disembodied mind according to its saḿskáras [reactive momenta]. In this case the reactive momenta remain associated in the form of seed with the disembodied mind. Now, the disembodied mind has no ectoplasmic structure because it has no physical body. Under the circumstances Ráma Bábu can get that particular disembodied mind or soul to do many things. If people such as this happen to be wicked by nature, they can cause the disembodied entity to hurl pieces of bone, brick, etc., into someone else’s house. Sometimes the cots on which people recline are also found to be tilting. All these actions are done by the ectoplasmic structure of a powerful person, not by that of the dead person.

So to stop this nonsense you should find the real culprit and give the person a good shaking. You will find that the throwing of pieces of bone, brick, etc., will immediately stop. All this comes within the scope of Avidyá Tantra. It often turns out that the person who was responsible for the throwing of the bricks is found sitting quietly in a corner of the burial ground, and their ectoplasmic structure is getting that hapless disembodied soul to do all those wicked things. If you hit their arm with a good stick then their wicked deeds will immediately stop. And when you see a cot rising from the ground with the ectoplasmic strength of that person (though you cannot see the ectoplasmic arm that raises it, as ectoplasm cannot be seen), just brandish a stick at random. It will turn out that the arm of that wicked Tantric gets broken. Perhaps that person was seated three miles away from the actual site of occurrence. These are all interesting things – Avidyá Tantric things.

However, as long as the human beings remain alive in the world they can utilize body, mind and Self. Now what will the Átman or Self do? It will proceed more and more to the internal world. It has got no other function than this. So the function of mind is that it should always remain engaged in virtuous deeds for the purpose of continuous spiritual progress. Physical body also should be utilized constantly for noble deeds. Because if the body is engaged in noble deeds, the mind also remains engaged in virtuous deeds. If a person is a thief by nature whenever they think something in seclusion they will think of thieving. So, his mind will be degraded. Physically, he is not stealing, yet his mind is degrading. On the contrary, when a person is engaged in good deeds his mind also remains engaged in good thoughts and his spiritual progress remains unhindered even though physically he may not be active and imposed saḿskáras which are instrumental for people’s progress or degradation. In a 1200-year-old Buddhist Bengali poem it is said –

Pára gajara soi durjana sauṋga avasara toyi;
Náda na bindu na ravi na shashii mańd́ala.

It means all the created objects in this universe seem to be real to you because they are perceptible to the sense organ. Otherwise, the reality of those external objectivities is not recognized. By nature the human mind is liberated. But the human beings mentally do not consider themselves liberated; rather they think they are in bondage, that is, why the people gradually fall into numerous bondages.

The word “uju” in Saḿskrta is derived from the Saḿskrta word “rju”. “Rju” means straight. The meaning of this line is “don’t accept the crooked path rejecting the straight one”.

That is, just proceed along the path of “suśumná” not along the path of “id́á” and “piuṋgalá”. The word “báḿka” in Prákrta is derived from the Saḿskrta word “bakra”. The modern Bengali word “báṋká” has come from old Bengali “báḿka”.

The Saḿskrta word “nikat́a” [[close, near]] became “nioŕi” in old Bengali. The word is no longer used in modern Bengali but is used in Bhojpuri. The word is very [[close]] to the English word “near”. “Bohi” means Bodhi, that is intuition – spiritual realization - “Parinirvána”. The Saḿskrta letter “Dha” becomes “Ha” in Prákrta, e.g. “Badhu” becomes “Bahu”, “Madhu” becomes Mahu, “Sádhu” becomes “Sáhu” and then “Sau”. Similarly Bodhi becomes “Bohi”. So the meaning of above mentioned line is “the intuition is very near to you. You need not go out elsewhere”. That is, to attain spiritual realization you need not wander about. In old Bengali “laḿká” means overseas country – not necessarily Ceylon. The Persian word is “viláyet”. The “laḿká” or chilli which we eat came to India from America about 450 years ago. Prior to that [[piipul and golmaric [black pepper] were]] widely prevalent in India. As chilli came from beyond the sea it was named “laḿká maric”. The funny thing is that now-a-days the word “maric” is no longer used. The people use the word “laḿká”.

“There are bangles on the wrist. To see these bangles, one need not use a mirror.” A mirror is called Adarshi or “Darpańa” in Saḿskrta. From Darpana it became Dápana in old Bengali. In Marathi language a mirror is called Aŕsá. Now-a-days the word Darpańa is no longer used. The word Áyaná in the sense of mirror is a Persian word.

“You can analyse your own mind and find for yourself how pious or impious, how simple or crooked you are.” To understand that you need not have to take the help of another person. You can very well judge that by yourself.

“This mind, when it is in the company of virtuous persons can easily take one to one’s ‘Iśt́a’ and when in bad company it can bring about one’s downfall.”

The name of the poet is Saraha; about 1200 years ago during the Buddhist period he was born. The poet says “O human beings, move on, on your right and on your left there are deep chasms. If you move slightly away from the path you will fall into deep water.” The word “bapra” in Saḿskrta becomes “bappa” in Prákrta, “báppá” in old Bengali, and [[“báppá” → “bápá” → “bábá” → “bápu”]] in modern Bengali. The word “bápá” was also used in Bengali about 150 years ago but it is no longer used now. There is a saying by Kśaná -

The poet Saraha says, “Look my child, the straight path is safe”. One should remember, “Kurvanneveha karmmáńi jiijiviśecchataḿ samáh”. To do virtuous deeds human beings are in possession of body and self. But once they die nothing remains. So do as much pious deed as you can and aspire to live a hundred years. To do the noble deed you can expect to live a 100 years, not for other purposes. When we were flying towards Europe over the Mediterranean Sea a member of our team said:

The person was really eating a good deal. I deliberately avoid mentioning his name. You know there is a proverb in Bengali: “Bolum kathá sabár májhe / Yár kathá tár práńe báje” [“I spoke the word before all but the person for whom it is meant understands it”].

Then they asked for my opinion about the poem or the couplet. I said, “It is good but I propose to add two more lines:”

[Let us eat after proper verification, because after all our life is not meant for eating.]

In fact why have we come to this world? Certainly to do some good work. But when a vehicle runs, when an engine functions it needs fuel, water, coal, etc. Now, when human beings have come on to this world to perform some actions they require some food. Actually, they have come for the work and not for eating. And hence they should try to perform more and more action as long as they live, even if they survive for 100 years.

“Samá” means year. “Shataḿ Samáh” means a hundred years. Many people are under the wrong impression that perhaps the people in ancient times lived long lives. In my opinion this idea is not very correct. Had it been so, then why is it maintained in the shloka, “you should aspire to live a hundred years”. It is not true that many people lived a hundred years. Then only the lifespan of a hundred years was considered to be something covetable. In fact the people would not lived very long years. Life in those days was full of struggles. A gorilla in a wild environment lives about 22 years. If it is brought to a zoo and provided with good food and if it is kept free from any worries and anxieties then the gorilla may live about 28-29 years. Life in a zoo is comparatively safe – free from worries of wild life. Life in ancient days was not in the least carefree. It was full of struggles and dangers. There were struggles amongst human beings, between human beings and animals, and between animals. So human life was rather short-lived. Now the average longevity of human being is on the increase. People of those days would bless the juniors – “Shata sharadaḿ jiiva” – Live a hundred autumns. That shows that the lifespan of a hundred years was not usually the longevity of an average person. “Shata sharadaḿ jiiva,” “Shatáyurbhava” [“Live a hundred years”].

In this connection I am reminded of a very funny story. Once Mahaprabhu Chaitanya went to visit his ancestral village. In those days when people would undertake tours to distant places they would journey either on foot or by boat. Mahaprabhu was a very humorous person. Usually intellectually or spiritually developed persons become a little humorous. When Mahaprabhu returned to Navadviipa, the people asked him, “Would you please narrate what are the things you visited there in your ancestral village.” He answered, “Well, I saw many things. It is a very beautiful green land. The more you move towards east of Navadviipa the land is more and more green. How lovely is Bengal.” The attendants of Mahaprabhu said, “We would also accompany you next time”. Mahaprabhu said, “No, I don’t want you to accompany me”. The attendants wanted to know the reason why? Mahaprabhu replied, “Well, you may go or you may accompany me if you want, but mind you, never touch the feet of the elderly brahmins in obeisance”. They said, “How strange, O Lord! People pay obeisance to elderly brahmins to seek their blessing; certainly we will do that.” Mahaprabhu said, “You may pay obeisance to them but don’t seek their blessing”. A little surprised they asked, “Why should we not seek their blessing?” Mahaprabhu said, “Because while blessing you they will say, ‘Shatáyurbhava’. [[But]] they pronounce ‘sha’ as ‘ha’. So ‘Shatáyurbhava’ will be pronounced as ‘Hatáyurbhava’, which virtually means ‘May you die.’ What a dangerous thing”!

Let us come back to our original topic. So let people live for a hundred years or more and engage themselves in noble deeds.

If a person wishes to live a hundred years for the promotion of human welfare his life will really be a meaningful existence. Such a person will never fall into the bondages of reaction, because all of his actions are intended for public welfare.

Karma kare yei jan phalákáuṋkhii hay
Vańiker mata sei váńijya karay;
Phal lobhe karma kare lubdha bali táre
Punah punah lobhe páŕe naraka dustare.
Ami yáhá karma kari phalakáuṋkhii nai
Samarpan kari sarva Iishvarer tháṋi.

Thus if people continue to perform deeds for public welfare then they will be able to avert the bondages of action. They will not be required to be reborn in a world to reap the consequences of their actions. Good deeds produce good reactions and bad deeds produce bad reactions. To reap the good reaction and bad reaction they will not be required to come to this world, if they perform deeds with the sole intention of public welfare and not any other intention. Then they can avoid being trapped into bondages of actions. Then the welfare of others brought about by his deeds will be considered a reward for his deeds. This is the life of a real person – a righteous person. This is the reason for which human beings have come to this world.

“You Have the Right to Action Only”

Published in:
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 15 [unpublished in English]
Discourses on Krśńa and the Giitá [a compilation]

Karmańyevádhikáraste má phaleśu kadácana;
Má karmaphalaheturbhúmá te sauṋgo’stvakarmańi.⁽¹⁾

[You have the right to action but not the right to the fruits of the action. You must not do actions that will bind you, but you must not be averse to action, either.]

It is said: “O human beings, you have the right to action, but not to the fruits thereof. So don’t perform any action hoping for certain results, keeping an eye on the results, greedy for the results.” There seems at first glance to be an inconsistency in this statement, or at least a serious misunderstanding of psychology. For such a great personality as Lord Krśńa, at least, to misunderstand psychology or to give defective teachings, is quite unthinkable. Yet the apparent inconsistency remains.

Karmańyevádhikáraste – “You have the right to action.” What does karma mean? The word karma is derived from the root verb kr and the suffix man. The verb kr means “to do something”. You know that a verb is created on the basis of the reaction that a sound produces within the mind; and on the basis of the verb, other words are created – this is the general rule. For instance, the presence of an [annoying] object, or the motion of such an object, may produce a sound like kar kar, and people will say: Cokht́á karkar karche, cokhe váli paŕeche [“My eye is going karkar, feeling a scratching sensation – maybe some dust has gotten in”]. Or people may say: Jinist́á dekhe mant́á karkar karche [“Having seen that unpleasant thing, my mind is going karkar”]. We see the form of the type of wave that arises in the imaginative mind, and on the basis of that we create words – and also on the basis of the action [such as the scratching] itself. A vibration of the colour red comes floating and through the nerves reaches the eye; then a vibration is produced in the mind. Whenever an object vibrates, it has sound and colour as well. The vibration produced by red is itself red in colour. Your eyes also see the colour red. What you see as a result of the vibration in the mind, you call red. Now, what is red to you may be a different colour to someone else. Yet that person will call it red, because his or her mind experiences the same sort of vibration.

The colour you see and call red – which is one particular kind of colour – another person will also see and call red. But the red that you are seeing may not be the same colour that that person is seeing. That person may be seeing a different colour. The colours in the two people’s eyes may be different. It may be that for you it is violet, and for the other person it is yellow. It may also be that you can detect something which someone else cannot. What you call red when you are speaking, someone else does not see as red when he or she speaks – they see something else – but they say “red”. Of course I am not speaking of colour-blindness here, but of normal vision.

At the sight of red, a vibration arises in your mind, and the name that you give to that vibration is “red”. The name you give to what you see with your eyes is “red”.

As mentioned earlier, every vibration has sound; even vibrations in the mind have sound. When you see a certain vibration, you call it t́akt́ake lál [scarlet red], because the sound that colour produced was something like t́ak t́ak t́ak. Similarly, when you see something white, a white colour is produced in your mind and you call it “white”; and because of that vibration, a sound is produced within your mind. That sound is dhav dhav dhav, from which in Sanskrit the word dhava + la = dhavala is derived. Dhavala means “white”. In the Bhojpuri language it is dhaorii. This is how words are created – dhavdhave shádá [perfectly white], t́akt́ake lál [scarlet red]. Nothing comes out of nothing. Everything has a logical history behind it.

The word karma is derived from the root verb kr. The verb kr means “to change the position”. Adding the inflection man lends the sense of “assuming a special form”. Now, the verb kr means “move”, “change position”. If an object does not confine itself to a particular place, and does not remain static, it will always be on the move. Rabindranath said: “When I sketch any object, when any object is drawn, it does not lose its mobility.” When you see a picture, you cannot deny that it has mobility. If you say that something is confined within the scope of lines and is presented as a picture and as such it is static, you are wrong, because the idea represented by the picture enters your mind and vibrates it, and you cannot confine those vibrations; you cannot declare anything to be static or inert.

Kii praláp kahe kavi,
Nahe nahe nahe shudhu chabi;
Ke bale, rayeche sthira;
Mari mari sei saondaryya
Nibhe yeta yadi

[What a meaningless utterance the poet has made! No, no, no, it is not simply a picture! Who says it is static? It would be a great tragedy if that beauty vanished.]

Everything in this world is restless. All the ideas in everyone’s minds lie there in seed form. Whatever work you do contains latent mobility, which has to be expressed – but it is a partial expression. How can you give full expression to an entity which is in eternal motion from anádi [beginninglessness] to ananta [endlessness]? You cannot fully confine it within the scope of lines. At one end is anádi and at the other end ananta, so if you try to confine it within lines, where will you put the lines? So a partial form extends from anádi to ananta; it cannot be confined within lines everywhere. Suppose you demarcate something here, and something else over there: what you are doing is demarcating particular parts, partial forms. You can confine only a particular form, a particular projection of the flow of action from anádi to ananta which is progressing continuously in the segmented eternal flow of time. It is in this context that the word karma is derived from the root verb kr plus the inflection man. You grasp only a particular portion, a partial expression of the eternal flow of time – that is karma.

Shrii Krśńa said: Karmańyevádhikáraste má phaleśu kadácana – that is, “You have the right to action but not to the fruits of the actions.” You have a physical body, you have vital energy, and with their help you can move an object from one place to another. The change of position of an object is called karma; it is just a segment of the eternal flow of time. You certainly have the right to action: you have a body, you have vitality, you have arms and legs, you have power to think, you have an ectoplasmic structure, you have so many things; you can certainly do many things.

Even remaining in one place you can go to many different places. Your body and mind can perform many actions. You have certainly the right to get them to do various things. You can also remain idle – Pi-pu-phi-shu.⁽²⁾ You can do anything; everything is in your hands. Hence it is said: “You have the right to action but not to the fruits of the actions.” Actions and reactions are inseparably associated. Wherever there is an action, there is a corresponding reaction, because every action gets either reflected or refracted. The wave produced by the action will be either reflected or refracted. Both reflection and refraction are reactions. So whenever you act, whatever the nature of that work, that is the kind of reflection or refraction it will produce. But that reflected or refracted reaction is not in your hands. To do whatever you do, that is your only right.

So it has been said: “You have no right to the fruits of action.” And as you have no right to, no control over, the fruits of action, you should think carefully before you act. Do work; do good work; do very good work. Once the work is done, you will not be able to withdraw the results. So one must act carefully; the action is in your hand. And if, after acting, you start to worry about the consequences of the action, that will be meaningless. Remember, the reaction will come in a natural way, as a natural dharma [property (of the action)].

Karttrtva karma karmaphala [“Doership, action, result of the action”]. Human beings do the actions, and the results come according to the law of nature – the Lord has nothing to do with it. So when people are in trouble, they say: “Oh God, what have You done to me? What put this into Your mind?” But the fact is that Náráyańa, God, has done nothing, and had nothing in His mind. You have done something and are suffering the consequences. You are in trouble and you are crying out. Many people are like this. But Náráyańa has done nothing. As you have sown, so you now reap. This is the plain truth.

So before doing anything you should think carefully, because the action is in your hand, but not the result – that is in the hand of Prakrti [Cosmic Operative Principle]. Náráyańa neither performs the action nor administers the results. He simply gives Prakrti the opportunity to work within Her own limited sphere; Prakrti does Her duty accordingly. She does not aim to satisfy either your mind or the mind of anyone else. She only aims to please the mind of Náráyańa. Whatever work Náráyańa has given Her the right to do, that is what She does. She has no right to do more than that.

(2) Four lazy people were resting in their house when a fire broke out. The backs of those idlers soon started to be licked by the flames. One of them said, Pi (in spite of his pain, he was too lazy to utter the full word pit́ha, “back”). Another said, pu (instead of saying purche, “is burning”). A third said, phi (short for phire, “turning over”). And the fourth said, shu (“lie down”). In this way, through a concerted effort, they more or less completed the sentence Pit́ha purche, phire shu – “Our backs are burning, so roll over, but remain lying down.” –Trans.

Karma Is Brahma

Published in:
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 15 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 15

Work is Brahma, and hence, do more and more and still more work. Brahma consists of everything. Work is a microscopic fraction of Brahma. Hence how can work be called Brahma? Whatever human beings do or think, and with whatever method, they move towards Brahma, they impose the ideation of Brahma on them. One who is a “Karmayogii” ascribes Brahmahood to Karma. For the sake of attainment of the Supreme entity one can advance either through the path of knowledge or through the path of Karma. In the same way one can also proceed through the path of Bhakti (devotion).

What is knowledge? It is the understanding, with sharpened intellect, of what is permanent and what is temporary. Besides this, one has to analyse that out of the permanent which one is true and which one is false. It is like the mixture of gold ore with many kinds of stones. First of all the ore has to be smelted and separated and whatever remains is not pure gold. That again, is melted and pure gold is obtained. Thus after removing impurities repeatedly, we get pure gold. Likewise in worldly affairs the human beings, eliminate the unsubstantial and adopt the substantial. And out of the substantial they keep only the cream and reject the dross. Just like that, by constant intellectual analysis, human beings arrive at the Supreme truththis alone is Brahma to the seeker of knowledge. This alone is the path of knowledge.

The followers of “Karmayoga” perform only those deeds which lead them to spirituality. While following the path of Karma it is experienced that there is some distortion in life and that is rejected and a correct path is again adopted. Again while moving it is found that there is still some impurity, which is again rejected, and a still purer path is adopted. The march continues till the Supreme One is attained. The path of devotion is -

[Taking all with Thee, Thou hast hidden thyself in the midst of all and Thou art mine.]

Everything is the expression of Parama Puruśa. Bearing this in mind the devotees serve all with integrated outlook and move ahead on the path of devotion. The path of the devotees is straightforward, it is blissful right from the beginning. The path of knowledge is a little troublesome and so is the path of action. The workers say “Karma Brahmeti Karma Bahu Kurbiita”. Remember the worker works ceaselessly. While moving on the path, if you happen to discover that some actions, which are not pure by nature and do not bring joy to you, you should outright reject them. Likewise, one has to move ahead step by step. Hence you should go ahead with work as much as you can. And thus in the process of work, you will understand which work is noble, which one is ignoble or repulsive. Hence this saying – “Karma Brahmeti Karma Bahu Kurviita.” This utterance is highly justified. The path of knowledge is something else. I shall discuss it in detail on some other day.

Service to Humanity Is the Supreme Ideology of Life

Published in:
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 15 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 15

All the created objects in this cosmological order are dynamic. Nothing is stationary, all have to move, movement is compulsory.

This movement alone is “Dharma”. Different creatures have [[obtained a]] mind for the sake of pleasure. The undeveloped and underdeveloped creatures gradually move ahead in the path of evolution out of great struggle. Out of struggle alone dogs, monkeys and jackals attain their lives.

This has to be accepted, that there is certainly struggle in animal lives. Take for example, case of the wild creature. Now these creatures have to move about in search of food. For instance, there are tigers, deer and boars in the forest. They have to move here and there in search for food. And together with this they have to think where they will go and how they will procure food. Thinking like this, or worrying like this, their psychic development is affected out of physical and psychic clash. Because of this, a little development is effected. After their death all these creatures attain higher bodies of developed creatures. As for instance, you will mark there categories in the dogs also, some of them have more intellect and some have little only. This is also true in the case of human beings.

Kalao shayáno bhavati saiṋjihánastu Dvápara;
Uttiśt́han Tretá bhavati Krataḿ sampadyate carań;
Caraeveti caraeveti.

There was a great scholar named Rohit. There was a rule in those days that students used to go to their teacher’s residence at the age of five. Studying scriptures for twenty to twenty five years, they would return home. This Rohit was conversant with many scriptures. You know, We sometimes call people “pandeya” or Pandit, but all of them are not pandits. In ancient saḿskrta i.e. in ancient vedic language there was a word “Pańd́á”. From that “Panda” the word “Pandaya” is derived.

“Panda” means self-knowledge “I am Brahma” – one who has attained this realization, one who has realized the self, is a pandit. Nobody becomes a pandit with the word “Pandit” affixed at the end of one’s name. One who is eager to attain this Panda, one who has indomitable urge for this attaining self-realization is known as “Pandeya”. You can see several pandeyas who keep standing with sticks in hand, but really they are not Pandeya, The surname “Pandey” is only at the end of their names. Hence one who has yearning for self-realization, one who is a Sádhaka (Spiritual practitioner) can alone be called Pandey. By adding the suffix “Sńeya” to the word “Panda” the word “Pandey” is derived. Human beings have to march ahead on the path of progress. It will not do to sit idle like Rohit. A great scholar, Rohit returned home after study. He began to say “this world is transitory. Today it is there, tomorrow it will not be. Hence, what is the use of doing work in this temporary and ever changing world? What is the use of individual effort? Hence, I do not like to do meaningless work.” But, that Rohit didn’t speak a single time that he would not take food. Rohit’s old father used to earn his livelihood by hard labour and Rohit, the scholar, used to swallow the food. Indeed he would take food but not work. Really speaking Rohit was a big fool, to eat is also an action, a verb. Respiration is also an action. If one does not work, it does not mean that his respiration will stop. Hence, the father of Rohit said to him – “well Rohit, on this earth human beings will have to labour, they will have to be active, spiritual practice is also a kind of labour. Nothing is attained without diligence. We go on [[doing]] physical work naturally. Spiritual practice begins with the body and towards the end it culminates in spiritual evolution. In the first phase, sadhana is physico-psychic, and in the second stage it is only psychic. In the third stage psycho-spiritual and in the fourth stage it is entirely spiritual – These are the different stages of physico-psycho Spiritual practice.”

Spiritual practice begins from physico-psychic level. For instance somebody does “Prańáyama”. Externally the prańáyama is a physical process but its effect is on the mind. If the body is controlled, mind is also controlled.

The controller of the Indriyas – the Sense-organs is mind and the controller of mind is vayu (air). By being goaded by mind the Indriyas get activated. And this mind too is activated by being influenced by aerial factor. Therefore, at its starting-point sádhana is physico-psychic. It starts from [physicality] and then proceeds to psychic stage. In the second stage sadhana is only psychic. Seating at a place quietly and repeating mantra psychically. As for instance, you are doing “Svadhyaya”, studying holy scriptures, listening to noble ideas – all these are psychic. Our mind is certainly vast but not unlimited, infinite. It has its limitation, it has to work. There is nervous system in human body, there are nerve cells in it – with their help we receive vibration from external world and that internal vibration we externalize. And besides the mind there are nerve cells. The brain that exists in the cranium, is the basis of all nerve cells.

Human beings want to do something, they have to do with the help of mind. Take for example, Rama or Shyam is the name of a person. When he performs some action, then the hub behind every action is his individual name, Ram or Shyam. This very psychic force or psychic limitation is known as unit mind. You have a small “I” and encircling that “small I” there is limited field of action. Therefore, your “small I” is not able to do unlimited or infinite action. It is because the unit mind is limited but the “I” feeling which is in you is extended beyond your psychic arena.

You have certainly knowledge in yourself to know that which is outside you. You don’t have capacity but you have eagerness, and a yearning for knowledge, that hunger that you have to go ahead still more. You have to go somewhere else starting with mind. Starting with a limited mind you have to merge it in unlimited mind. This is the third stage of sádhana – the psycho-spiritual stage. Starting from unit “I” feeling and moving towards cosmic “I” feeling is your spiritual practice and this is the third phase of sadhana.

And when your limited mind merges in infinite mind and becomes one with it, that is, when you transform your unit mind into cosmic mind but when you make effort to be free from cosmic “I” and be merged in “Self” – this very effort is purely spiritual.

Now which science operates behind the movement towards the spiritual world. Moving towards the Great by expanding the mind is psycho-spiritual sadhana and merging the mind into the Great and then establishing oneself in Supreme Self is the real science. For this the path of knowledge is there, path of action also there. The path of knowledge is the path towards the world excluding Self.

To pursue the path of knowledge one has to study and learn a lot. In the process of learning, a stage comes when human beings leave the unreal and get established in the real. With the help of the path of knowledge one is able to attain Parama Puruśa. It may also be possible that while studying the burden of knowledge increases a lot and the brain is overstuffed. Because of development in the field of knowledge, the ego also gets puffed up. “I know so much, I know so much”. If a person always says like this he degrades himself. While climbing the mountain suddenly he falls down – this can also be possible. Hence this path of knowledge is risky.

Now, what about action? Human beings have come to the world for work, work has got to be done. In the context is Rohit’s father says [when a person’s face get perspired due to constant labour], the beauty of the face of that person is unprecedented. Since that is the perspiration due to hard labour, its beauty is flawless and unparalleled. Even Indra, the king of gods aspires for befriending such a person. Where face is beautified with perspiration out of hard labour, the king of gods, Indra, becomes a friend to such an industrious person. Hence Rohit, go ahead, go ahead, dońt́ sit like a crude object devoid of lustre. You are a well-read person no doubt, but don’t sit like an inanimate object – “Caraeveti, Caraeveti” – “Move ahead, move ahead”.

In ancient sanskrit language, the verb “Cara” means “to move”. In modern Sanskrit, the verb “Cara” means “to move” while eating. In sanskrit there are many verbs which mean “to move”, as for instance the root-verb “cara” – people say the cattle are grazing. The cattle eat and while eating they move. Just think you are moving on the road while chewing peanuts or chocolates. I shall say you are grazing. The difference is that the cattle are grazing, whereas you are taking chocolate. In modern Sanskrit the word “cal” means to move like that.

“Vraj” is another verb. “Vraj” means to move ahead joyfully. You are moving and at the same time enjoying – in that sense the verb “vraj” is there. In the past people used to visit “Brindavan” for going around “Braj”. Hence that was called “Braja bhúmi”.

In ancient times when the Aryans were moving towards the east from the Middle Asia, they entered India through Iran. First, they came to Afghanistan and then to India. Its name was “Gandhava”. Certainly at that time Afghanistan was part and parcel of India. Its, name was “Gandhar”. The Aryans were the people of cold countries the people of the Caucasia region of Russia. While in Iran, they discovered abundance of food materials and the climate was also congenial. Hence they liked that place very much. When these people were moving and moving joyfully, they named their country “Aryanavraja” that is, the Aryans lived in that country happily. In ancient Iranian language “Aryanabraja”? It got changed into “Iranbej”. At present it is Iran and in Arabic language it is “Pharas”. The word “Persia” is derived from the word “Pharas”. In English language its name is “Iranbej”. Furthermore, suppose someone is moving, he may or may not find joy but he gets the scope of gathering knowledge. In that sense, the word “Pari-ata” is used. “Paryataka” means one who moves and while moving learns.

In Saḿskrta there are many words like this. The verb “Car” means “to move”. In Vaedic Sanskrit “Car” means “to move”.

Kalao shayáno bhavati saiṋjihánastu Dvápara;
Uttiśt́han Tretá bhavati Krataḿ sampadyate carań.

Rohit’s father said to Rohit: “Rohit, when a person is sleeping, his fate is also sleeping, and when one has risen, ones fate also has risen. And when one has started moving ahead, one’s fortune also has started moving ahead. Hence Rohit you should also move forward. Caraeveti, Caraeveti – Move on, move on. Start working, don’t sit like an inert object”. As long as a person is asleep drowned in the darkness of ignorance, one remains seized by static force, one’s fate also remains sleeping. That period in life of a human being is known as “Kaliyuga”. Afterwards when the conscience dawns on him, and he starts thinking that he has to wake up and start working from that very moment onward comes the age of “Dvápara” in his life. In individual life “Dvápara Yuga” begins when his sleep is broken, and he sits up thinking that he has got to begin to work. When one stands up and starts moving ahead, “Tretá” yuga begins in his life after that.

When a person actually starts moving ahead from that moment onward Satya yuga commences Krta Yuga means Satya Yuga. Hence Rohit’s father advised Rohit to move ahead. Now the father of Rohit was an ordinary man whereas Rohit himself was a great scholar. It is an extraordinary matter that the father of Rohit, uneducated or little educated, advises a big scholar like Rohit. In this context who is to be considered a real scholar – Rohit or his father? Really Rohit’s father was a true scholar. The science of knowledge says, “Go ahead with work and in the process of work, if some negative work stands on the way, that negative path has to be given up and proper work has to be done. That which is improper has to be totally avoided.” This itself is known as the science of karma, or karma yoga.

One who does not understand the science of action what kind of action will he do? One who does not have knowledge nor even Karmayoga what will he do? For them also there is a way and their way is the way of devotion. The path of devotion is – “I do not know anything and whatever I do, I do only to please Parama Puruśa. I do work for His satisfaction. I work just to serve Him.” The idea behind service is the idea of devotion. Who is served through devotion? It is Parama Puruśa alone who is served. You can say, “we may or may not serve the humanity but we will certainly serve Parama Puruśa. Service to humanity is service to Parama Puruśa, for the universe is created out of Parama Puruśa. Hence every object of this universe is the creation of Parama Puruśa. Hence serving the world is serving Parama Puruśa – and thereby He becomes pleased.” Suppose you bring good sweets for me but as I don’t eat sweet so much, I eat only a little, hence if instead of giving the sweets to me you give it to some other child, I shall be pleased. Likewise serving Parama Puruśa is serving the world. The world is created out of Parama Puruśa, hence render service as much as you can. Parama Puruśa will be satisfied. Therefore one who is a true devotee, one who follows the real path of devotion will serve humanity to the maximum extent and together with this, whatever else he will do – singing, dancing, doing kiirtan. He will think that Parama Puruśa should remain in everything, seeing everything. Hence Parama Puruśa also wants that he should remain in the midst of his devotees, he should listen to their stories of pain and pleasure and watch their singing and dancing.

Náham Tiśt́hámi Vaekuńt́hae Yoginám Hrdaye Na Ca.
Madbhaktah Yatra Gayanti Tatra Tiśt́hámi Nárada.

Parama Puruśa is the supreme repository of knowledge. Can human beings acquire so much knowledge? Can they compete with Parama Puruśa in regard to knowledge? They can not. Human beings possess a small cranium and how much knowledge can there be whereas Parama Puruśa has infinite knowledge? With regard to karma also, human beings can not compete with Parama Puruśa. Knowing everything and being fully established in knowledge and action “Parama Puruśa says,”

I don’t stay in Vaekuńt́ha. “Kunt́ha” means contraction. Where mind is contracted, it is known as psychic contraction. For instance, when illiterate persons go to a learned man in that case in the minds of uneducated person an inferiority complex arises. Similarly, when a pauper meets a rich man, in his mind also a sort of contraction comes and where there is no contraction and the mind is completely free. That state of mind is “Vaekuńt́ha”, i.e. There is neither inferiority complex nor superiority complex. When one comes to Parama Puruśa neither inferiority complex nor superiority complex arises in his mind, because Parama Puruśa is His own. Suppose, someone’s father is a great scholar but his son is not much educated. Even then when the son goes to the father, he will not suffer from inferiority complex. “He is my father, my own relation.” Furthermore, the relationship with kith and kin is the relationship of love. No superiority complex or inferiority complex exists in his mind. When you attain Parama Puruśa, there is no “kuńt́ha” (contraction) and therefore that is known as “Vaekuńt́ha”. Vaekuńt́ha does not mean the seventh layer of heaven; Vaekuńt́ha is in your mind; but Parama Puruśa says that He does not remain in Vaekuńt́ha. “It’s not a fact that I am very far from common people, Furthermore, I am not in the heart of the Yogis.” This sounds strange. The existence of mind depends on the psychic propensities. When in pleasure people laugh and when in pain they cry. This is a natural tendency of mind. By special effort, they restrain their propensities. They check them. When the propensities are fully restrained there is, no expression at all. If propensities are checked like this, human beings will neither laugh in pleasure nor cry in pain but the natural thing in human life is to laugh in pleasure and cry in pain. When daughters come from their father’s houses to fathers-in-law’s house their mothers feel very sad. Hence the daughter and the mother clasp each other and cry for a long time; this is natural for human beings. This does not apply in the case of yogis as their hearts’ feelings are completely checked. If something pleasant happens they don’t burst out in joy. Even if the thousands of people die, they remain unaffected. God wants human beings to laugh and cry, sing and dance, eat and feed others. That is why the hearts of yogis are not an ideal abode for Parama-puruśa. Here Parama Puruśa says “I don’t remain in the hearts of the yogis because their hearts are like stone”. Like deserts the [greenness] and tenderness of the plains is not there. Hence Parama Puruśa says:

Where my devotees laugh, cry, sing and dance and remain intoxicated in my name at that place only I love to remain. This is the path of devotion. I have nothing to say if you become a great scholar, I have also nothing to say if you are a great worker, but if you are great devotees you will enjoy bliss.

This is why, for ordinary people, as well as for extraordinary persons of knowledge, and action the best way is the way of devotion. Do meditation, do kiirtan and bhajan sincerely and together with that, render maximum social service. This is the supreme ideology for an ideal human being.

Plants, Animals and Human Beings

Published in:
A Few Problems Solved Part 4
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Discourses on Neohumanist Education [a compilation]
Prout in a Nutshell Volume 4 Part 16 [a compilation]

Notes:

official source: A Few Problems Solved Part 4

this version: is the printed Prout in a Nutshell Part 16, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Words in double square brackets [[ ]] are corrections that did not appear in the printed version.

The philosophers of the past used to say that human beings are rational animals. They used to believe that the only difference between humans and animals was that the former were endowed with rationality and that latter were not. While it is true that humans are rational beings, it is not true that animals are completely devoid of rationality. You must have noticed that domesticated dogs certainly have some sort of rationality, and that they are guided by more than just natural instinct. By coming in close contact with human beings, a dog learns a lot. It learns what to do, when to do and how to do. This is a kind of rationality. Hence, it is not proper to say that humans are rational animals. In doing so one does not do justice to human beings. Yet, the philosophers of the past argued along these lines.

Here a question crops up – what is the difference between animals and plants? Primarily, plants are stationary, whereas animals are mobile. With the gradual evolution of the minds of plants, a time comes, a stage comes, when plants reach their highest point of evolution. But for animals, this is the lowest point. There are some well-known plants which catch their prey and kill it. They extend their branches and sub-branches, grab hold of their nearby prey, then eat it. To a great extent, these plants behave like animals. In some other plants, floral nectar is produced in the flowers. It attracts hundreds of insects, which hover around the centre of the flower and suck up the sweet honey. The flowers of some such plants gradually close around the unsuspecting insects and devour them. This kind of plant cannot ordinarily be put into the category of plants, because such behaviour resembles that of animals. Such plants are not mobile – this is the only difference. However, there are some aquatic weeds, grasses and creepers which are also able to move. They go drifting from one place to another in lakes, rivers and the sea, stopping wherever they can to get the maximum food. Hence, it is more accurate to call these plants mobile rather than immobile.

There is a water plant called the water hyacinth which is like this. You probably know that the water hyacinth first sprouts in water, has large leaves like spinach leaves, and is spread throughout India. It can certainly be called mobile. Some eighty years ago the Commissioner of Dhaka, Mr. Lee, visited South America. There he noticed some blue flowers in a big pond. Mrs. Lee liked these flowers very much, so she brought some back and planted them around the official residence in Dhaka. From there they spread all over India. In Hindi, such plants are known as shośa. They are also known as jalakumbhi in different parts of the country.

As plant life progresses on the path of evolution, it reaches a terminal point, and there animal life commences. Animal life also reaches a similar terminal point, and there human life begins. Until now, even with much research, the culminating point of animal evolution and the starting point of human evolution has not been discovered. Through more research, one day human beings will certainly discover this missing link. When this unknown link is discovered, enormous changes will occur in the field of genetics, and revolutionary changes will take place in the world of medicine.

There is also a great deal of difference between human beings and animals. That is, human beings are inquisitive by nature, and they want to learn and understand everything. This is a fact. While explaining the difference between plants and animals, I do not think that we would say that an animal is a moving plant. No, we would not say this. Likewise, we should not say that human beings are rational animals. Human beings are human beings. Why should we hurt human sentiments by calling human beings rational animals? One who is born a human being today, even a person who has engaged in sinful acts, will become a great person in the future if they follow disciplined habits, so why should we call human beings rational animals? Hence, the opinion of the philosophers of the past cannot be accepted because it is illogical. Moreover, rationality is not the only speciality of human beings.

There are some special common attributes of plants, animals and human beings which can be termed their Práńa Dharma or Jiivan Dharma. Práńa Dharma has more meaning than Jiivan Dharma. Inactivity, rest, the need for security, reproduction and death are common characteristics of plants, animals and human beings. The physical bodies of all three are also dependent on food and water. These are characteristics of all living beings. Wherever there is life, these characteristics will exist.

Besides this, plants have some additional attributes. For example, only plants can gather vitality from inside the earth. Neither human beings nor animals can do this. Plants can even gather food from the atmosphere and give some food to it. (Human beings can also do this, but not as much.) Because plants perform this kind of work, we can say that they have their own speciality called “plant dharma.” This is the speciality of plants. There is also another attribute of the plants – they drink with their feet. It is because of this unique quality that trees are called pádapa in Saḿskrta. The same word means “that which sprouts from the earth.” Mahaiiruha means “that which comes up from underneath the soil.”

Likewise, animals also have some special characteristics. On the basis of these characteristics, different categories of animals have been made. For example, some animals are carnivorous and others are graminivorous. Carnivorous animals eat meat, fish and eggs. According to the laws of nature, canine teeth are necessary for chewing meat properly. Carnivorous animals such as cats, dogs, tigers and lions possess canine teeth, but cows, monkeys, elephants, wild asses, etc. do not possess canine teeth. Nature does not want them to eat meat. But what do greedy human beings do? Even though they do not possess canine teeth, they cook or boil meat so that they can eat it. This is done out of greed. According to the laws of nature, human beings are not carnivorous. So, if they eat meat they will catch numerous diseases. Vegetarians generally suffer from fewer diseases than non-vegetarians because they are more habituated to following natural laws. You must have noticed that those who violate the laws of nature and become non-vegetarian, even though they do not possess canine teeth, have peculiar eating habits. Sometimes it even seems as if non-vegetarians eat like dogs. Non-vegetarians have trouble chewing meat properly because of the absence of canine teeth.

There are also other categories of animals. For instance, some animals are gregarious and others are not. The tiger is not a gregarious animal – it prefers to move alone. Goats are not gregarious, but sheep, elephants and lambs are. Human beings are social beings. They do not like to remain in isolation. Besides this, animals are also guided by natural instincts. I once told you about an animal called the octopus which lives under the sea. It has eight legs, therefore it is called an “octopus.” In Latin “octo” means eight. Crabs are one of its favourite foods. In Saḿskrta a crab is known as “karkat́a” and in Latin “cancer.” The pain caused by the bite of a crab and experienced in the disease known as cancer are very similar, therefore the disease cancer was named after the Latin word for crab. As the octopus lives beneath the sea, it is able to see other creatures near the surface. When it catches sight of a crab, it rises up from the depths and devours it. The octopus does not understand that a creature like the crab, with eight or ten legs, may enjoy playing in the sea. It only knows that crabs are delicious food. If you make some crabs unconscious and take them to the bottom of the sea so that an octopus will see them, the octopus will not be able to tell whether the crabs are edible or not because they are immobile. Hence, the octopus will not attack or eat them. These are the expressions of natural instinct. In Saḿskrta also, you can call these expressions natural instincts.

Human beings remain under the control of natural instincts until their nature is properly developed. In infancy and childhood, human beings do everything out of natural instinct. For example, when children get hungry they start crying so that their mothers will understand that they want something to eat and drink. They suck the breasts of their mothers to get milk due to natural instinct. There is no need to teach children this.

[[The evolution of human beings began with the apeman and then the proto-apeman. Next came the Australopithecine, followed by its branches and sub-branches, including proto-man. One branch of proto-man were the ancestors of human beings, and another branch were the ancestor of chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans.⁽¹⁾ None of the proto-man group have any external tail, though they have a tail inside the body.]] A foetus in the early stage of pregnancy from an animal in this group will have a tail, but later the tail becomes shorter rather than longer. In the hoary past, there was some resemblance amongst primitive human beings, chimpanzees and orang-utans. The former group developed intellectually, but the latter group did not. Hence, the former group evolved into human beings, while the latter group remained at the animal stage.

Natural instincts did not vanish with the advent of human beings. Have you seen monkeys quarrel? They chatter and show their teeth. Human beings also behave like this when they quarrel in anger. However, monkeys are entirely dominated by instinct – they have not lost any of their natural instincts. How did primitive apemen behave? They used to live in trees, and because of this the word monkey means shákhámrga in Saḿskrta. In Marathi, the word mrga means any wild animal. Hence, mrga-carma means the skin of any wild animal, not only the skin of deer, although deer are certainly included in mrga. Apemen used to grasp the branches of a tree, just as monkeys still do. This natural instinct is also evident in human beings when infants keep their hands closed. If monkeys are afraid or quarrel with other monkeys, they catch hold of a branch very tightly so that they will not fall. When human beings are gripped with fear or ready to fight against an enemy, they also clench their fists very tightly. These are examples of natural instincts.

In the course of time, instincts were less influential in human beings than in janwars or animals, so human beings evolved into a separate species. Human beings are not animals but jandars or living beings. In the Persian language the suffix dar is used to indicate possession. One is called jandar or living in the sense that one possesses life. If jan is used in the same sense and war is added, it becomes janwar or animal. Janwar and jandar are not the same. In some cases the suffix gar is also used. For instance, jadugar means magician, saudagar means businessman, etc. The speciality of human beings is that they are endowed with rationality, which is part of manav dharma or human dharma.

Plants follow plant dharma and animals follow animal dharma. Thus, plants and animals follow their own particular dharma, and there is nothing wrong in this. Tigers may attack and kill human beings, but this is not their fault. However, if human beings consume beef, then they are following animal dharma. Human beings have to follow their own dharma. The speciality of human beings is rationality, and because of this rationality there are four aspects of human dharma. Human being move ahead through these four aspects. And those who progress through these four aspects can be described as following the path of human dharma. Thus, there are three dharmas – plant dharma, animal dharma and human dharma.

Another name for human dharma is Bhágavata Dharma. Bhagavat Dharma contains no divisions like the division between Hindus and Muslims. This dharma is for all human beings. It makes no distinctions based on isms – it is for the entire humanity. That is why we raise the slogans, “Mánava mánava ek hyáy” (All humans are one) and, “Mánav ká dharma ek hyáy” (The dharma of humans is one.) This dharma alone is Adi Dharma, Sanátan Dharma or Eternal Dharma. Bhagavat Dharma has four aspects – vistára or expansion, rasa or flow, sevá or service and tadsthiti or attainment of the supreme stance. The fundamental aim of Bhagavat Dharma is vistára – that is, psychic expansion. But in order for human beings to expand their minds, they have to realize that they are one with the supernatural cosmic flow. They have to move ahead remaining connected with the cosmic flow – merging their pleasure and pain, hopes and aspirations with the cosmic rhythm. So human beings have to move ahead, move forward, keeping pace with the cosmic flow. This alone is known as the rása liila or the cosmic dance of Parama Puruśa. Taking part in this rása liila, human beings have to move ahead towards their goal. An indivisible cosmic rhythm which started from beginningless time marches ahead to infinity. No creature can remain away from this internal divine flow.

The third aspect is sevá or service. In the life of animals, there is no scope for service. There is only scope for mutual transaction, or what we call commodity transaction.

This is the policy. Perhaps you know the story of the kumiir, which is called makar in Saḿskrta, crocodile in English and magarmaccha in Hindi. The crocodile is a carnivorous creature. Although it likes to stay in water, it is not an aquatic animal. It enters the water to catch its prey, and after devouring its prey it returns to the bank and lies quietly with its mouth open. Small birds often come and eat the pieces of meat stuck between the teeth of the crocodile. What is the result? The birds get their food and the teeth of the crocodile are cleaned. At that time the crocodile does not close its mouth, or else the birds would be killed. This is a commercial transaction.

Human beings alone have the speciality of service. At the time of doing service, the motive must be that I shall give but not take. Service is one-sided. When human beings donate something, they do not expect anything in return. For example, if you give something to a beggar, you do not expect anything in return. Furthermore, once you have donated something, you forget about it. This is the speciality of human beings. However, some people make donations for other reasons. For instance, suppose a man donates a hundred thousand rupees to a charity. At night he will not be able to sleep because he is continuously thinking that in the morning he will get up and read in the newspaper that he, Chatumal Dakuram Batpari, donated a large amount of money for the public welfare. You should not behave like this. Once you donate something, you should forget about it immediately. A donation is one-way. If you offer flowers to Parama Puruśa, and at the same time you say mentally, “Parama Puruśa, my son has just appeared in his exams, so you must see that he passes very well. Also, my daughter must get a good husband and a good house. And I should be victorious in the court case against my cousin, etc.” – this will not do. You have to offer yourself without expecting anything in return. If you offer yourself completely at that time, you will attain the highest benefit. You will become one with Parama Puruśa, you will become Parama Puruśa. But if you keep one paise out of a rupee, you cannot get oneness with Parama Puruśa because of that one paise. Hence if you want to offer yourself, offer yourself cent per cent. This alone is known as service.

The fourth aspect of human dharma is tadsthiti. In the long run, human beings have to become one with Parama Puruśa. This is not the case with animals. Hence in the Giitá it is said:

“O human beings – bear in mind that you have attained a human frame, a human mind. Hence, you have to follow human dharma. Be firmly established in it. Even if you meet death while following this dharma, even then it is well and good. But never follow paradharma. That is very dangerous; very, very horrible. This paradharma is the dharma of plants and animals. Humans must not follow this kind of dharma.”

In the Giitá, Shrii Krśńa said something more. He said that if human dharma causes pain and torture, and if paradharma (plant or animal dharma) is easily performed and results in a bed of roses being spread out before you, even then it is preferable to follow human dharma. Human beings should strictly avoid paradharma under all circumstances.

(1) [[Compare with the author’s “Human Society is One and Indivisible – 1”, “The Great Exceptions”, “Sambhúti and Mahásambhúti” and (in Birds and Animals, Our Neighbours, 2007) “Creation and Evolution of the Animal World – Life of Aquatic Creatures”, topic on A Sweet Lyrical Interpretation of the Evolution of the Living World. –Trans.]]

Samyak Karmánta (Perfect Finish)

Published in:
Ananda Marga Karma Sannyása in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 19 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 19

this version: is the printed Ananda Marga Karma Sannyása in a Nutshell, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

Since ancient times the mind has had to undergo transformations as a result of its association with different objects on it. Accordingly each object was given a particular name. This associative resultant transformation was in turn dependent upon transitory factors like time, space and person. Suppose you see a white object. The moment it comes within the range of your vision, the rays of light from that object are reflected on the retina of your eyes; at the same time the reflection is also transmitted deeper. In fact, the visual sensation is not subjected to the eyes only. It is the mind that actually perceives everything with the help of the visual organ. And in reality eyes are simply the gateways of organ. The real organ is situated at a particular point within the brain from where the act of vision is completed. Human mind in consonance with the vibration occurring in the brain recognizes the white, red or black colours of objects. There is a “positive” movement connected with this process of conception. Suppose one has a sensation of an object of white colours. Then that vibration of white colour received externally in brain, will naturally give rise to a sympathetic vibration within the mind. That vibration is certainly a “verb” in nature – neither noun nor adjective. When it is movement it is verb. White colour – vibration has an acoustic vibration like the sound of dhab, dhab, dhab. What type of white we say dazzling white (in Bengali dhab dhabe shadá). This acoustic vibration of dhab, dhab, dhab, is actually a verb from which the word dhabala in sanskrit has been originated. From that acoustic root verb namely dhab in sanskrit is formed. Verb means, action. By adding suffix “al” and “la” and “da” with the root verb dhab, we get the word dhabala which means receptacle of the verb dhab. The words like dhaul, “dhaura”, dhauri (dhauri in Bhojuri) have originated from the word dhabala. A large portion of Rarh (Western portion of West Bengal) was known as dhabalabhum or dhalbhum even in recent past. Dhabala Deva was the king of that Dhabalabhum State. Therefore originally all words in any language are actional faculties that’s verbal in nature. Action (Karma) is the prime cause of all existential entities and inertia is the root cause of their annihilation. That is why I say you are to march ahead with the highest aspirations and this will bring you to the highest state of all-round fulfilment.

Now what is the import of the word Karma (action)? In Sanskrit this word is derived from the root verb Kri with suffix “man”. Here suffix “man” has been added. A suffix is that form of word which is added to a root verb. In Sanskrit, the suffix is termed as “pratyaya” whereas prefix is called as upasarga. A prefix is preceeded to a root verb, making it more expressive with newer significances. And the function of suffix (pratyaya) is to give the proper sense of each word. Hence each verb is rendered in a particular manner when suffix (pratyaya) is added to it. Each suffix is selected with this viewpoint. For example, there is a root verb Patha (to read) in Sanskrit. In order to denote the sense of completion of act of reading, we write in Sanskrit “pathitam pustakam” (The book has been read). But suppose you are teaching a student. In that case, the word pathita (to teach) is derived from the root verb “path”, using a different suffix “nich” and “kta”. In the same way the word pathitum (denoting) patha dhatu, suffix tum-Pathitub. Similarly, when you are personally involved in work you say in Bengali Korchi (I’m doing). But when you get the same work done by somebody else you say Karacchi (done by others). There are same expressions in Hindi also – i.e., mei Karuwata hom (I get the work done by some third entity). In this way there are three forms of conjugation in Hindi – that is Karná, “karáná Karuána”).

Now what is our main duty on this earth? It is to undertake different activities upon ourselves as far as practical. There are innumerable tasks but human capacity is limited. Therefore, you are bound to seek cooperation from others in many activities. Suppose you are thirsty. Do you start digging the surface your self, then draw a glass of water from the bucket and drink? Certainly not. You normally quench your thirst by drawing water from someone’s well. Or you may take help from others in making a well. You may also seek the services from others, to draw water from the well, instead of doing yourself. Clearly the human beings cannot do everything themselves. So many tasks are to be completed with coordinated cooperation from all. The work which is not singularly possible is to be materialized with the help of others. Either do your job yourself or get the same done – but keep on doing. This rule is universally applicable for each human being.

All activities are basically for the welfare of the entire humanity. It is impossible in practice that one is full of vital energy but is effortless – doing no work. It is also not possible that one performs action but is not having vital energy time, totally effortless is impossible in practice. Similarly one who is very much in the midst of work but having no vitality at all is also a myth. The true definition of Karma (action) is the relative change of position of an object. That is a particular object has changed its location from one place to another at a given time. How does this change occur? The faculty which causes this trans-shipment of objects is Karma (action). Karma is the greatest amongst all great qualities for human beings. It is by the quality of their actions that a person gets recognition and admiration. So perform your duties exquisitely. An ideal person always performs their duty perfectly as well as invoking the efforts of others whenever necessary.

No one likes to do repetitive work always. So, participation is sought. The methods of work are also different for different persons. The excellence of a person is determined according to efficiency of these methods. Remember you are to accomplish properly the unfulfilled task on hand. One Shiila amongst the eight Shiilas of Buddhist Philosophy is Samyak karmánta, i.e., the perfect finishing of a job. This signifies that whatever may be undertaken by a person must be completed meticulous and flawlessly allowing no room for any defect to remain. Finish should always be perfect.

Do Virtuous Deeds Day and Night

Published in:
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]

Notes:

official source: Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 19

Tyaja durjanasáḿsargaḿ, bhaja sádhusamágamam
Kuru puńyamahorátraḿ smara nityamanityatáḿ.

All creatures are born on this earth, live and then go away. “Yah ágacchati sah gacchati” – “one who comes goes away” – this is the way of the world. But if certain beings only come, eat food and then die, it is because they do not understand the value of their existence. The creatures who understand the value of their existence are mind-dominated. Only those creatures whose minds are developed can realize this. The mind-dominated beings are known as human beings.

It is true that human beings are also born, live and then die, but they also do such work which leaves its impression on the earth. Swami Vivekananda said, “As you have come onto this world, you must leave some mark behind.”

The quality, efficiency and tastes of all human beings are not the same. According to their efficiency and taste, human beings do some great work in the world – that alone is their impression or mark on the earth. The Bengali word for impression, “dág”, is of Persian origin, while the word “cháp”, is from Portuguese.

How then should the humans live and work in this world? – this should be learned if they are to do some work which is truly worth doing. Shankaracarya said, “Tyaja durjana saḿsargam” – “You should keep away from evil-doers (durjana).” Who is a durjana? It is a relative term. Those who are bad to someone may be good to others. A notorious criminal may be bad to society, feared by many, yet to his little daughter he is quite dear. To her, he is not a criminal, because he loves his little daughter so much.

The meaning of “sujana” (good person) is that if you get physico-psycho-spiritual elevation from your association with someone, then that person is “sujana”. All those in a large gathering of people are usually addressed by the speakers as “gentlemen” in order to please them, but it is well known that every person there is not a true gentleman. “Sujana” are only those in whose company you get mundane, supramundane and spiritual elevation, whereas “durjana” are those who cause your downfall. Hence “durjana” is a relative term, for a thief cannot be an evil-doer when he is near a great person, a sannyasin, as he is unable to cause their downfall. For an ordinary person, though, that thief would be a “durjana”.

Humans will have to move ahead by carefully watching those with whom they will associate. What is the result of keeping good company? By spending time with good persons, a deep impression is imprinted on the mind, causing the desire to be good, to rise in the mind. On the other hand, if one chooses to associate with drunkards, a desire will eventually come in the mind, what is the harm if I drink a little wine? The same sort of thing will happen if one lives with thieves.

To give an example, a person is standing beside a tea-stall. There the flavour of the tea floats to the nose, and then the person says, “Bring a cup of tea here, too” In this incident, the flavour of the tea affects the mind. If that person had not remained near the tea stall, the smell would not have reached the nose and perhaps that person would not have taken tea for two or three days. This is the influence that association has on the mind.

Hence humans should choose their company very carefully, for, a mistake in this will cause them to repent their whole life. Even parents who are not good should either send their children to live in a student hostel or keep them with some of their relatives who are good. One must be very strict in this. In Tantra it is said:

Satsaungena bhavenmuktirasatsaungeśu bandhanam;
Tasmádasatsauṋgamudrańaḿ sá mudrá parikiirttitá.

The Tantrik practice of Mudrá Sadhana means to associate with good human beings in order to attain liberation. Here you must remember that salvation is not only spiritual, it is in all spheres of life, in all the strata of life. In all the spheres of life – social, economic, etc. – struggle has to be launched. Wherever there is no food, begin the struggle for it; if clothing is needed, then there should be struggle for it; if there is no irrigation system fight for it. For the highest salvation of the soul is to free it from all bondages – that alone is real salvation. Spiritual salvation is the only real salvation, all other salvations are not real. This is because today one may be free from some physical bondages, but tomorrow the same will come. Today one may be free from hunger, but tomorrow hunger will return. Spiritual salvation, though, is permanent salvation, eternal freedom. Hence good association results in salvation and bad association results in bondage. Hence evil company must be avoided.

In the Saḿskrtá language, “mudrańam” has two meanings. One is “to give impression”, and the other meaning is to desert. So “Asatsauṋga mudrańam” means to desert evil company. In addition it means to print, e.g. to print a book. By mistake people call this “Mudritkaro”. In Saḿskrta, “Mudrita” means to close. For example, “Cakhu mudrita karo”, means to close the eyes. It is generally accepted that “Pustaka mudrita karo” means, “shut the book”; however it is not so. “Pustaka mudrankita karo” is correct.

Whatever it is, “Asatsauṋga mudrańaḿ karo” means to desert evil company, and this is the practice of Mudra Sádhaná. Shankaracarya said that if you leave bad company and associate with very good people, you will be able to do good for society and you will continue to do virtuous deeds.

What is a virtuous deed? Those actions which bring good to the individual and good to the society are called virtuous. Taking a dip in the Ganges is not “Puńya karma” (virtuous deed), nor is the observance of religious rituals. Only if a particular individual or the society is benefited by your actions can they be considered virtuous. If someone is unable to get food and you feed them, that is virtue.

“Always do virtuous deeds.” Your life will be fruitful by those deeds. If you do not, then what is the justification for coming to this world, eating and then going away? There is no difference between that sort of life and the life of an animal – they are one and the same.

The Significance of Service

Published in:
Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]
Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 22 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 22

The aim of human life is to attain Parama Puruśa – no other goal can be accepted. But human beings live in a relative world. They have to remain within the spatial, temporal, and personal boundaries. Hence one has to pass ones life maintaining proper adjustment with time, space and person. The goal of human beings is Parama Puruśa – He is the Supreme Entity – the absolute entity. When human beings move towards the absolute world from the relative world they have to maintain proper adjustment with everything. This very adjustment, this very balance brings about benediction to the society. And the individual entity is also benefited. If someone does not maintain adjustment, the society is not benefited, nor is anyone individually. Due to the absence of balance, one’s individual spiritual practice is also disturbed. As a result, one’s individual progress is hampered. Not only this, retardation starts taking place. One’s aim should be a proper, well-balanced continuous journey. One has to move towards Parama Puruśa. Human beings are travellers on the path of eternity, marching ahead without stopping anywhere is their characteristics. They have not to stop under any circumstance. The greatest shelter of human beings is Parama Puruśa. Hence they have to move ahead fearlessly. They must be fearless because the most powerful entity of the world is with them. There is no cause for fear, there is no cause for timidity. Whom should one fear if the Supreme power is with one? Why should one fear? But one has to move ahead in a balanced way.

While rendering service to the entire society, you will have to move ahead because on the one hand you will be blessed by society, and on the other you will take inspiration from it enabling you to march ahead with much more speed. You must always bear in mind that this created world is created by Parama Puruśa. Thus it is very very dear to Him. When you render service to created beings it is as good as serving Him. Human beings are entities who have rationality and intellect. The extent to which human beings can render service to the world is more than that of any other creature. Hence you will always bear in mind that you are the oldest sons and daughters of Parama Puruśa – His dear sons and dear daughters. Hence your duty is to utilize totally and properly this physical body and mind. By thinking always of Him and talking of Him psychic elevation takes place. Go on moving towards Him. In Him alone lies Your individual good and social good. You have come with human body, human intellect. Your human life will become fruitful. By His grace you have a human body and human mind and you should also bear in mind that by His grace alone you have to move ahead in life. By His grace alone He is to be attained. You will attain Him – certainly you will attain Him.


Chapter 1	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 2	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 3	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 4	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 5	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 6	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 7	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 8	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 9	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]


Chapter 10	Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell [a compilation]