Chapter 1	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

In the physical, psychic and spiritual strata there is ample scope for yatamána. But remember, without freedom of intellect, physical and psychic progress are impossible. Of course one may attain a certain degree of progress, but that will be hard to maintain. The other day I said that the mind of a person who does not get sufficient food will always think about food. This is normal, for food is necessary to sustain the physical body.

The inner spirit of yatamána is to sincerely try to advance. The greatest obstacle on the path of progress is a lack of intellectual freedom, for it prevents one from planning independently how to advance in the physical and psychic spheres. When one is aware of this one thinks negative thoughts. It has been mentioned in the yoga shástra that yogis would go to countries ruled by powerful kings to be able to practice their spiritual sádhaná without harm or hindrance. If the king was strong the society he represented was also strong. It was only natural for those sádhakas to seek a well-knit and stable society to further their spiritual advancement. So for the full expression of yatamána society should be structured in such a way that the physical and psychic needs of the people can be met.

The second stage of psycho-spiritual progress is vyatireka, which concerns human psychology. The human mind can be compared to the ayogaváhá letters of the Indo-Aryan alphabet. These are letters which cannot be uttered independently without the support of other letters. In our alphabet there are three such letters: aḿushvar (ḿ), visharga (ah), and chandrabindu (nasal sound). Aḿushvar has no independent pronunciation, but if written after the letter ka, for example, will be pronounced as kaḿ. Similarly, when visharga comes after the letter ka it is pronounced as kah, and likewise, when chandrabindu is written above ka we pronounce it as kan.

The human mind can be compared to these ayogaváhá letters because it, too, cannot exist alone but always remains attached to some object or other. Suppose you are walking along a road without looking at the houses, animals, traffic, etc. Does this mean that your mind is disassociated from all objects? Not at all. You may be thinking that if you don’t hurry up the ration shop will be closed. So the ration shop is your mental object. You are unable to keep your mind in a state of objectlessness.

The human mind attaches itself to three types of objects: physical, psychic and spiritual. In the mundane sphere the mind jumps continuously from one object to another. For example, on seeing some rasogollás (delicious Indian sweets) you immediately feel a desire to eat them. But maybe you think, “No I shouldn’t eat any. I shouldn’t be so greedy. That would be very unbecoming of me.” Perhaps the following couplet comes to mind:

Lobhe páp pápe mrtyu shástrer vacane
Ata-eva kara sabe lobha saḿvarań.

[Greed leads to sin, sin leads to death,
This is the teaching of the scriptures.
Therefore, Oh human beings, control your greed]

So you tell yourself, “No, I won’t eat any rasagollás.” But the moment you withdraw your mind from the rasogollás you happen to smell the aroma of freshly made tea and think how nice it would be to have a cup. Your mind drops the object of rasagollá, but now embraces another object: tea. You tell the tea boy, “Two cups of tea please”, even though you may feel a little ashamed that you have succumbed to the influence of yet another object of desire. While sipping your tea you decide to never again allow your mind to be swayed by the desire for any other object – never, never again. But, alas! the very next second you think, “Oooh, what a beautiful shirt that boy’s wearing. I should get myself one like that.” So now the mind is running after a shirt. It cannot stay attached to any one object for long but jumps uncontrollably from object to object. Then, you think, “Oh dear, I’m going to be late in getting home today. I bet mum’s complaining already, ‘How long will I keep the food warm for him. What a nuisance. I won’t wait any longer’. What shall I say when I get home? Let’s see… yes, I’ll say, ‘Sorry I’m late today mum. I won’t be late again in future.’” So now you are thinking about the conversation you’ll be having with your mother. And the mind continues to jump from one object to another. Most of the objects in this example are physical – the rasagolla, the tea, the boy’s shirt – but your planned conversation with your mother is psychic, for after picturing the image of your mother in your mind you use your mental ear to hear her words.

Thus it is clear that the mind requires an object. The initiative to act comes from the mind-only after thinking about an action do we actually do it. One should also remember that if the mind constantly thinks a thought for a long time, it will certainly be materialized sooner or later. If one’s mind thinks about something for a short time and then jumps to another object, that thought may or may not be materialized. But if a person cherishes a desire for a long time to eat something he will certainly it eat it one day, whatever the hurdles he has to cross. That is why the mind should not remain attached to a particular object for a long period.

The best psychological cure for addicts is to put them in an environment where they will be unable to think of their object of addiction for any length of time. To proclaim, “Don’t do this, it’s bad,” is futile, for it is a negative approach. If you say, “Don’t drink wine”, you are still injecting the concept of wine into the alcoholic’s mind, thus making it impossible for him to forget it and kick his bad habits. You are giving alcohol negative publicity, and it again becomes his mental object. Thus whenever he gets the opportunity he will certainly drink it again. And it may be that this negative approach encourages the alcoholic to become even more addicted. It is a defective approach.

These days the sign “No smoking please” is placed in many public places, but it will not reduce the amount of smoking. If society wants people to stop smoking, its approach should be to divert the smoker’s mind to other objects. A chain smoker should be encouraged to get involved in various pursuits such as music, dance, songs, culture of fine arts, etc., for if the mind remains engaged in these things it will forget its object of addiction. But the person who thinks, “I’ll stop drinking wine the day after tomorrow – no, let me see, why not tomorrow” can never kick the habit, for wine remains the mental object. The mind will try to materialize whatever it thinks about in the external world – this is its nature.

There is a good story. An alcoholic saw the sign “Drinking is bad” everywhere he went so he decided to stop drinking. After a moment’s contemplation he decided to go and see an astrologer. “Can you please tell me when the next auspicious day is?” he asked. “Certainly” replied the astrologer, “it’s dúrgásaptamii, in about four months time.” The alcoholic thought that would be a wonderful day to give up drinking, so why trouble himself with abstinence before it arrived. Four months later, that auspicious day arrived. At six in the morning, after drinking a bottle of wine, he resolved, “That’s it! No more wine for me from this moment.” Soon after he was marching past the wine shop. “No problem,” he thought, “I’ve decided to stop drinking from today.” That evening when the clock struck six he congratulated his mind for being so strong. “Well done mind, even when I marched past the wine shop you didn’t ask for wine, and even though it’s already six in the evening you still aren’t asking for a glass. Such self-discipline deserves a reward – let’s open two bottles of wine.” This is human psychology!

Not only does the mind remain attached to physical objects, psychic ones are equally dear to it. Great scholars probe deeply into highly intellectual subjects, and as a result of their continued study, gain success. Since ancient times human beings have aspired to fly in the sky. The lymphatic glands of the human group are developed, and thus the monkey, proto-ape, and ape groups can jump a lot, but they cannot fly. But today this human desire has been fulfilled with the help of aeroplanes. Whenever people probe deeply into fields of thought in the psychic sphere it influences the subtler sphere, and comes to eventual fruition. Similar is the physical sphere, for whatever people think is materialized if their desire is intense.

The same thing also happens in the spiritual sphere. In the physical sphere the mind may run after rasagollá, a cup of tea, or a boy’s shirt; and in the psychic sphere after mother’s words. In the spiritual sphere, if the mind is withdrawn from all such objects and directed to Parama Puruśa, it will eventually become one with Him. But it will have to take a firm decision: “I will think only of Parama Puruśa, and not any of the thousands of other objects.” So the mind must be withdrawn from all objects and directed towards Parama Puruśa In this process, and after some time, it will become one with Parama Puruśa. At that stage it will cherish no further desire for rasogollas, tea, fashionable shirts, or the mother’s words. Parama Puruśa alone will be the greatest object of happiness.

It is the characteristic of the mind to remain attached to one object at a time. It cannot remain attached to one object for a long period of time, nor can it remain objectless. As the mind has to select an object to maintain its existence, it would be wise to select the biggest, the best, the most lasting, and the most loving object. Parama Puruśa is the only such object.

What is vyatireka? The mind may strive to concentrate on one object for a long period, but it will have difficulty remaining attached to that object permanently. Perhaps you have had an experience like the following one. You have been ideating, on Parama Puruśa for a long time and feel immensely blissful. Then suddenly the idea flashes in your mind, “Oh, I’ve got to go to Burdwan right now – my train’s about to leave” and you get up quickly. The mind now switches over to the thought of Burdwan. This is the science of vyatireka. The way it works will be discussed in the next discourse.

Chapter 2	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

The mind cannot exist without an object (viśaya). In the case of an object which is related to the physical sphere the Saḿskrta terms viśaya and ádhára can be used, but for a mental object there is a special term.

Suppose there is a rasagollá – you can see or you can eat it – it is your mental object. But the mind sometimes remains attached to certain objects which cannot be eaten or touched. Even though such objects are not related to tanmátras the mind still remains preoccupied with them. Suppose your house is in Haldibari (a place in N. Bengal), and you have gone to Jaipur (a place in Rajasthan about 1500 kilometres from Haldibari). While visiting the important sites of Jaipur – the Hawámahal, the observatory and other places of historical importance – you suddenly think, “ My paddy plants are ripening so I’d better get back soon and prepare for the harvest. And I’ve still got to sow the wheat seeds… I shouldn’t waste any more time here.” At that moment your mind is no longer seeing the sights of Jaipur but has returned to your paddy fields at Haldibari. Actually it is as if your mind has been split in two: one part is enjoying the tourist spots at Jaipur, while the other part is concerned about Haldibari. Such is the plight of the mind. Even though one of your mental objects has no inferences of its own – neither taste, smell, touch, form, etc. – yet the mind remains preoccupied with it. Such an object is called the pabulum of mind (ábhoga). Ábhoga is derived as prefix á – bhuj (root verb) + ghaiṋ (suffix). In such a case it is the mental body as opposed to the physical body which gets food. Thus the outer mind is working in one way while the inner mind is divided into two parts resulting in nothing being done properly: neither can you enjoy the sights of Jaipur, nor can you think deeply about your paddy fields at Haldibari. When the mind is split in two, not only is it rather disturbing, it hampers mental progress. That is why the mind should be withdrawn from all unnecessary objects and concentrated only on one object. During study if one is disturbed by so many things, one will lose concentration.

The other day I said that the mind cannot exist without an object, and keeps jumping from object to object. The person in the example I gave thought it would be good to have a rasagollá (the rasagollá became his mental pabulum) so he went to a sweet shop to eat some. But while in the shop he felt that he really shouldn’t have any at all – it was pure greed on his part. Then, suddenly, the smell of a fresh tea reached his nostrils (the mind made the smell tanmátra its pabulum) and he decided to have a cup. The very next moment a very fine shirt caught his attention and he thought he would like one just like it (the shirt then became his mental pabulum). Then he thought about the scolding his mother would give him for being late and prepared his reply.

These examples show how the mind is continuously switching over from one object to another. Without an object the mind itself becomes non-existent. In this context a fundamental question arises: When the mind jumps from one object to another – say, from rasagollá to tea – what happens to it during the intervening period? What is the mental pabulum at that time? It is an important question. A very interesting thing happens. When your mind starts to move from rasagollá to tea it still remains attached to rasagollá for a certain time. It has taken a decision to move, but nevertheless hesitates a while before moving towards tea, because it is not completely sure that it wants to leave rasagollá altogether. If the attraction for tea is stronger than the attraction for rasogollá it will be able to jump to tea. But if the attraction for rasagollá is extremely strong, according to one’s inherent saḿskaras, it will take up more mental space than the attraction for tea, and the mind will be unwilling to take tea as its mental object. If, on the other hand, the attraction for tea is stronger, the mind will prefer to take it as its mental object.

In between those two extremes there is another state – a state of mental balance (of course it may not be perfectly balanced). At that stage the latent human saḿskáras of mind becomes more active, that is that type of saḿskáras which one has been expressing for many years becomes more assertive. At this stage of one’s mind becomes expanded, one’s resolve becomes stronger, and one decides, “No, I shouldn’t drink tea because it’s a stimulant. Rasagollá is much more beneficial for health so I should be more partial to it.” When this discriminating faculty asserts itself the person will shun the tea. In this balanced state of mind one’s acquired saḿskáras become more active.

Those who strive regularly to elevate the mind through the practice of sádhaná thus acquiring the state of balance, remain unaffected by saḿskáras. They immerse themselves in a serene flow.

Chapter 3	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

Iikśye-shrńomi-jighrámi svádayámi sprshámyaham.

Human beings wish to express themselves in so many ways through the different inferences of sound, touch, taste, form, and smell. And they wish to derive joy from the many inferences they receive from the external world. They exclaim in joy, “How tasty this dish is! How delightful its smell! How delicious the vegetables.”

It is a fact that human beings are connected with the material world through the inferences (tanmatras). But the human capacity of assimilating these tanmatras is rather very limited. For example a very loud or very soft sound cannot be perceived by the ear. Human beings can only perceive the medium range of tanmatric vibrations. Lord Buddha called it “majjhimá mágga”, the middle of the road. It is a fact. The poet Giirish Ghosh said in this context,

Ál gá táre bol ot́he ná
T́ánle cheṋŕe komal tár.

[If you don’t tune the string tightly enough you won’t get the required note, and if you tune it too tightly it will break.]

Those of you who play string instruments are well aware that if the strings are tuned too high they will break, and if they are too loose they can’t produce the proper notes. Although the human mind can be compared to the strings of an instrument, it would be more precise to compare it with a cloud which fills up the sky, bringing all objects within its domain. How does the human mind expand? It can best be explained with the analogy of the cloud. Imagine there is a tiny patch of cloud in a corner of the sky. Gradually it expands its size until it covers the whole sky. This is ectoplasmic expansion. As the mind expands in all directions, it brings all objects within its periphery. It is essential for the mind to maintain a perfect adjustment between itself and its objects. The other day I told you that the mind always seeks an object and jumps from object to object depending on the degree of attraction. Take the case of this bolster beside me. If I pick it up and move it from left to the right will the mind remain associated with it for the entire duration of its movement. Remember, before I said that the mind remains attached to the object for which its attraction is greater. In the case of the bolster the mind is more attached to having it on the right side then the left because that will be more comfortable, and thus its preoccupation is with putting the bolster on the right.

In the ekendriya stage, which is the third stage in pratyáhára one expands one’s ectoplasmic sphere just like a cloud filling the sky – whenever the cloud passes over an object it brings it within its sphere of influence. But this is not so in the case of Parama Puruśa. Whenever His mental sphere increases, numerous entities emerge within His mind, remain in a state of flow for some time and subsequently dissolved back into Him. The microcosms which are created, maintained and dissolved within the Cosmic Mind are qualitatively almost the same manner as Parama Puruśa, but of course they differ quantitatively. The Cosmic Mind is extremely vast; the unit mind is tiny. The unit mind only expands in the ectoplasmic sphere, like the cloud filling the sky, and in the process of expansion brings other unit minds within its sphere of control. When it expands tremendously it can also assert some influence on the Cosmic Mind.

Suppose two people, Mr. A and Mr. B, have small minds. After the practice of deep meditation Mr. A succeeds in expanding the periphery of his unit mind and can influence the mind of Mr. B. Not only that, he can also influence the vast mind of Parama Puruśa. This endeavour for mental expansion is called Vidyá Tantra.

The scientific process of expansion of mind is called Tantra. Tantra is derived as tan + trae (root verb) + d́a, and literally means to attain liberation through expansion. Suppose you are sitting immobile in one place having have been bound by ropes. Now you can either free yourself by cutting the rope with a knife, or by taking such a deep breath to expand the chest that the rope snaps. On the path of Tantra one expands the mind to snap the bondages of vrttis, ripus, páshas, etc. This is the goal of Vidyá Tantra.

Suppose a person is trying to expand the mind, not to attain Parama Puruśa, but a crude goal such as name, fame or wealth. In that process the science is the same but the actual path is different. One who follows this path becomes mentally degenerated. This state is called Prakrtiliina avasthá in scripture. For such people become as crude as matter. A person whose mind is engrossed in money becomes money itself. Yes, a conscious human being gets converted into crude money. Human beings are aware that they are human, but a rupee doesn’t know it’s a rupee. There are other categories like this such as yakśa, gandharvá, kinnara, vidyádhara, vidhehaliina and siddha which have been categorized according to the degree of ectoplasmic crudity or subtlety. You are the master of your ectoplasm – you can expand it across the vast sky, or you can confine it to the horizon of a solitary cloud. It depends on your will.

The seven categories mentioned above have sometimes been described in scripture as devayoni. They are not exactly gods, but are somewhat similar to them, so devayoni is the precise term. Similarly, the ghost-fearing people never use the word “bhuta” (ghost) at night lest they anger the ghost. Instead they refer to them as “upadevatá” (demi-god), to appease them. Likewise, on a dark night people never use the word “sap” (snake but “lata” (rope) instead! And in case of certain diseases they say that “such and such goddess has shown mercy.”! It can hardly be described as mercy; more precisely the goddess is inflicting pain. But people still call it, “the mercy of the goddess.” I won’t mention the names of the diseases, but you all know what they are.

Let us resume our original discussion. Suppose a person who does spiritual practice constantly ideating on money (i.e., is following both shreya and preya) even while he is meditating. If he were to die while ideating on rupees, the solid and liquid factors of the body would perish but the mind would continue to operate through the remaining three fundamental factors - luminous, aerial and ethereal. This body of three factors is not clearly visible to the eye, yet the mind born out of one’s inherent saḿskáras still functions through it. The “disembodied mind” expresses its mental longings through vibrations. If one could establish vibrational contact with those entities one would be able to communicate with them. Not having a solid body or a vocal cord (like a so-called ghost) they cannot speak audibly. So to give expression to their longings they have to use vibrations. The person whose goal in life is not Parama Puruśa but a pot of riches, will, after death, live near a source of money in its invisible body of three factors. You may call such phenomena “ghosts” as they are not visible to the eyes, but the proper term is “yaksa”. In colloquial Bengali people sometimes say “yakśer dhán” or “the wealth of a yakśa”. A yakśa often guards treasure lying hidden under the earth.

This notion of yakśa has been in vogue since the pre-Jaena period. At most sites of Jaena temples there are invariably effigies of yakśa and yakśinii. In the Jaena temple which has been excavated near Ánanda Nagar (the headquarters of Ánanda Márga) effigies of yakśa and yakśinii have been found. In olden days a class of people use to worship yakśa. Even now in Mithila there is a designated place either a banyan or peepul tree either inside or outside the village which is called Brahmastán Here Brahmastán means the place of worship of a yakśa.

The second type of devayoni is gandharva. Suppose a person is sincerely cultivating the science of music (a branch of aesthetics – nandana vijiṋána) Nandana means to give and derive pleasure. While one cultivates the science of music one derives pleasure and simultaneously gives pleasure to Parama Puruśa. But if one believes nandan vijiṋána is everything in life and neglects the Supreme One from whom it originates, one will remain absorbed in it even after death. Such entities are called gandharva. The science of music is called gandharva vidya. In many places in northern India the music schools are called gandharva biddyaláya.

The third category of devayoni is called kinnara. People who have an extraordinary fascination for beauty become kinnaras after death. They have an immense weakness for fashionable clothes, expensive ornaments and so on for they believe that if they are well dressed they will be treated as gods. Some people used to ask, “Kiḿ puruśa?” – “Is he a man?” In those days people believed that there was a group of people living in the northern part of the Himalayas who were always well dressed. Out of superstition they were treated as one of the devayonis. That area was known as Kinnara Desha. The name of one of the districts in Himachel Pradesh is also Kinnara. To the north of Kinnara district is Kiḿpuruśa, the Saḿskrta name for Tibet. Kiḿpuruśa means “Are they humans?” In ancient India the general belief was that they were superior to humans, that they were devayoni. So Tibet was named Kimpuruśa Varśa. Some people have a different interpretation. They say that the clothes worn by men and women were the same so it was difficult to clearly identify the sex of a person. Thus the country was called Kimpuruśa (is he a man?). I will give you a better interpretation for the sake of history at a later date.

The fourth type of devayoni is vidyádhara. Suppose some people acquire vast knowledge through intense study. Such bookish knowledge is theoretical, not practical. Such scholars may be compared to the pages of an almanac. Its pages may predict heavy rainfall this year, but if you wring them out not a single raindrop will fall. These scholars maybe highly pedantic, but remain far away from Parama Puruśa.

Without even knowing the procedure for worshipping the goddess Śashtii (goddess of children’s welfare) some priests would memorize the entire Siddánta kaomudii (the most authentic grammar book written by Panini). It was not unknown for some priests to recite vyakarána kaomudii (the grammar book written by Iishvar chandra Vidyasagar while worshipping the deity Satyanarayan! They knew that the simple followers were not conversant with Saḿskrta, and would believe that since they were reciting Saḿskrta so beautifully, they must be well versed in the scriptures! The people who remain absorbed in such bookish knowledge throughout their lives and never use to attain Parama Puruśa are called vidyadhara after death.

The fifth type of devayoni is Prakrtiliina. If a person continually gloats over crude material things, his entire existence will be converted into crude matter. In mythology the story goes that Ahalyá was converted into a stone due to his constant crude ideation. So people who accept matter as their goal, totally denying the existence of Parama Puruśa, treads the path of degeneration and become prakrtiliina devayonis after death.

The sixth type of devayoni is videhaliina. Some people have such an insatiable thirst for material gain that their minds run continuously from object to object, leading them far far away from Parama Puruśa. Their minds are in perpetual motion, but they don’t get anywhere, rather like bullocks trudging endlessly around the oilman’s mill. After death such people become videhaliina.

The last type of devayoni is the siddha Suppose a person practices spiritual science with deep sincerity – his only goal being to serve humanity and attain Brahma. But if he threads the spiritual path with a sense of vanity, feeling superior to common people, he too will become a devayoni after death. Had he controlled his vanity, Parama Puruśa would have helped him to exhaust his remaining saḿskaras. But if he indulges in vanity Hari (when Parama Puruśa steals others saḿskaras he is called Hari) will not steal it. His sins may be pardoned, but not his vanity. One of the names of Narayana is Darpahári or destroyer of vanity (and that destruction may be laborious and painful). Narayana takes away an individual’s unburned saḿskaras, but if one basks in the glory of being a spiritual practitioner one will have to become a Siddha devayoni after death. According to the scriptures the siddhas play a rather strange role. Either by entering the mind or by some external means their duty is to help sadhakas realize their mistakes. Thus, they assist sádhakas in the process of sádhaná. Suppose a sádhaka develops a strong feeling of ego – the siddha will create a strong feeling in his mind to realize his mistake. Or suppose a sádhaka is about to step onto the path of sin. The siddha will create an awareness in the sadhakas mind to inspire him to desist from following the negative path.

Let me tell you a story. Once two Ananda Marga tantra sádhakas from Muzaffarpur were going by bus to a place on the other side of the river Buriigańd́ak, which flows by Muzaffarpur town, to do their sádhana. Suddenly there was a flash flood so the bus was unable to cross the river. However they had to find some way across because that particular spot was the appointed place for their meditation. Then they saw a light flickering near the river bank and thought that if there’s light there must be some people, and perhaps those people will be able to tell them how to get to the spot for meditation in such adverse conditions – being the new moon night it was pitch-dark. As they approached the light they noticed to their consternation that it was moving ahead of them. They decided to follow it. The light then started to float across the river, the sádhakas who were following close behind were surprised to discover that at that point in the river the water was only knee deep. The Búriigańdak is a deep river but not very wide. The light guided them safely to a tree on the other side of the river and then disappeared. Those two ácáryas sat at some distance from the tree and performed their sádhaná. There was an understanding between them that afterwards they met under the tree, as planned, and were surprised by the reappearance of the light, which lead them back across the river. Once they reached the other bank the light again disappeared. This was not the work of a ghost for ghosts do not exists – it was the work of a siddha devayoni.

Chapter 4	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

Last Sunday I started discussing ekendriya. I said that the human mind is like a cloud spreading slowly and gradually across the sky; bringing everything it encounters within its periphery. This subjectivization is called jiṋána (knowledge) in Saḿskrta. The process of knowing has a few stages.

What is knowledge? It is psychic assimilation of external projections. Parama Puruśa has been creating countless projections in the external world – the sky, the wind, the hills, the mountains and numerous other entities. We may or may not be able to see them, but they do exist. There are innumerable subjects (the unit “I’s”) witnessing and innumerable objects being witnessed. These unit “I’s” are thinking, “I am the projection of Parama Puruśa and the objects I perceive are also the projection of Parama Puruśa.” This is the first stage of knowledge.

In the next stage human beings develop a desire to know more about those external objects. They question what they are, where, when and how they originated, and so on. Likewise they seek to discover more about themselves and pose the same fundamental questions. Kasya tvaḿ vá kuta áyatah. “Who am I?” they ask. “Where have I come from? And why? Where shall I go from here?”

Juŕáite cái kotháy juŕái
Kothá hate ese kothá bhese yái

[I want to get peace, but how?
Where have I come from and where do I drift?]

In their search for the answer human beings strive to realize that Supreme Entity. This is the second stage of knowledge.

On seeing an ant, you may ask many questions; Where do ants live? How many legs have they got? How do they see and hear? You study the ant in various ways. The ant becomes subjectivized and its image is created in your mind. You can easily visualize its different parts, allowing you to form an idea about it. This is the process of acquiring knowledge, a process divided into three stages: ava-átmasthiiksárańa, upa-átmasthiikarańa, and samyak-átmasthiikárańa.

In the first stage (ava-átmasthiikarań) you form a rough idea about an object in the external world, but do not try to enter its psychic sphere. This is the normal process regarding most objects. You may say, “This species of palmyra grows in abundance in northern India. It has such and such characteristics. But this species of palmyra is common to southern India. It looks quite different from its northern cousin.” So in the process of ava-átmasthiikarańa (superficial assimilation of projection) we study the external characteristics of an object. If someone asks you, you can easily give a description of different species of palmyra, but you will not be able to go any deeper because you have not entered its psychic sphere. From external observation you can determine the nature of a person, but without penetrating his psychic sphere you will be unable to tell whether he is truly good, or merely a wicked person in the guise of a good man.

Penetrating the psychic sphere can be done in two ways: through applied psychology and through Cosmic Grace. When you attain the quality of macrocosmic omniscience, by His grace, your mind can easily enter the minds of others.

Most people can reach the stage of superficial psychic assimilation. With this superficial knowledge the pandits debate amongst themselves, scholars write theses, and groups of intellectuals repudiate each others arguments. Strangely, many so called intellectuals have grossly inflated egos even though they have only attained this superficial knowledge. Actually they know so little.

Átmajiṋánaḿ vidurjiṋánaḿ jiṋánányanyáni yánitu;
Táni jiṋánávabhásáni sárasyanaeva bodhanát.

“Internal knowledge, that is self knowledge, and not the knowledge of the intellect, is the real knowledge. Other knowledge is merely the shadow of knowledge. Through intellectual knowledge one cannot attain anything.” No matter how learned people might be in this world, they are all throwing mud in the realm of superficial psychic assimilation. They remain ignorant of the reality behind each object. This sort of superficial psychic assimilation takes place due to study, intellection cultivation, direct perception, inference, testimony and authority.

Perception takes place when the sensory organs assimilate external objects. It’s accuracy depends on the degree of assimilation. If our eyes are defective, for example, perception through them also becomes defective. If one glances hastily at tomato seeds, brinjal seeds and chilli seeds, one may mistake one for the other. So perception is not always a reliable source of information.

The second source of knowledge is inference, which is even more unreliable in conveying information from the external world. In winter smoke rises from many sources. Suppose water is suddenly converted into vapour, it appears as if smoke is rising. If you take that vapour to be smoke you are wrong. Thus inference is not a reliable source of knowledge. Suppose you see smoke coming out of a thatched hut. You may conclude that the hut is on fire, but on further investigation will realize that the family is lighting the oven. So through inference one cannot arrive at a safe conclusion.

The next source of knowledge is authority (ágama). People normally accept the words of a teacher or the printed words as being factually correct. When someone points out that some of the informations printed in a particular book are wrong common people will refuse to believe it, because for them the printed word is sacred. I read in one page of Namámi Krśńasundaraḿ, Suniilakomalacchaviḿ. According to Saḿskrta spelling it should “lakśabim”, but has been wrongly printed as “ lacchaviḿ”. Ordinary people will say that they have seen it spelled that way in a book so how can it be wrong? Thus authority is not a reliable source of knowledge. So superficial psychic assimilation of external objects through direct perception, inference or authority is very unreliable.

In the upa-átmasthiikarańá stage one enters the psychic stratum. Take the case of the palmyra tree. What group does it belong to? It belongs to the palm group. What are the physical characteristics of the trees of the palm group? What are their psychic wants? By posing such questions you will gain knowledge about the palmyra and its special psychology. You will realize that if the saliva of any animal touches the palmyra tree, its growth gets stunted. Suppose an animal eats the leaves of a palmyra sapling and drops a little of its saliva onto the plant. The speed of its growth will certainly be hampered. So according to its peculiar psychology, it reacts when the external saliva comes in contact with its internal psychic juice. Consequently its natural growth and fruit bearing capacity will be decreased. This is the general rule of all the trees of the palm group. Coconuts and betel-nut trees have the same characteristics. You will understand these facts through upa-átmasthikarańam because you become acquainted with it’s basic psychology. When you sit beside a tree you will intuitively understand what the tree is thinking. Of course, the tree won’t say anything loudly, but you will be able to communicate with it because your mind has established a link with its mind. Regarding the characteristics of trees in the palm group, [[Kśańá]] said,

Bára batsare phele tál,
Yadi ná láge gorur nál.

[The [[palm]] tree bears fruit at twelve years of age provided it is not touched by the saliva of cows.]

[[The palm tree cannot tolerate cow saliva.]] So in the stage of upa-átmasthikarańa one comes in contact with the inner heart, the inner life and the inner mind of all objects, leading to one’s knowledge becoming deeper and more confirmed. The mind derives much contentment from its contact with the inner mind of certain plants, animals and human beings, for through such contact one can render better to service to them. One will develop a certain degree of self satisfaction for one’s psychic assimilation will have been of some use. This is also a step in the acquisition of knowledge. But it does have a particular disadvantage. This contact with the inner mind of a tree, animal or human being depends on the freshness or strength of your mind. If for some reason your mental power is lost the capacity to acquire knowledge through superficial psychic assimilation and upa-átmasthikarańa will also be lost. Suppose you are a very experienced psychologist. If your mind ceases to function properly, you won’t be able to utilize any of that knowledge you had acquired. People who have practised the sádhaná of avidyá tantra can develop the power to know the minds of others. But such acquired power is short-lived – it will desert them one day. If they misuse even a small amount of this acquired power, they will lose it immediately. Perhaps you have heard of certain instances when this has happened.

The last stage is samyaka átmasthiikarańa. When the sky filling cloud of the mind is directed towards Parama Puruśa it is called dharmamega in scripture. Human beings come in close proximity with Parama Puruśa through the science of dharmamega. That stage is called samyaka átmasthiikarańa. It is the stage in which sádhakas form a clear understanding of the physical, psychic, and spiritual realms of life. They thereby come to know of everything of this universe. Their knowledge is lasting, final and absolute. The scripture says, rtambhará tatra prajiṋá, i.e., their knowledge is filled with veracity.

Permanent knowledge is not possible through perception, inference, or authority, or by studying books or discourses. The knowledge which one attains by expanding one’s mind in the psychic sphere through the practice of sádhaná, which I gave the name upa átmasthiikarańa is also not everlasting, although it does last for a certain period. Knowledge only becomes permanent when the human beings withdraw the entire intuitive element and focus it on their spiritual point of ideation. At that time the entire universe comes within the scope of their mind, and they become omniscient.

Chapter 5	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

In the previous discourse I discussed the process of acquiring knowledge. And in the discourse before that I explained the seven types of devayoni. They all come within the scope of ekendriya. To have a clear understanding of this stage of ekendriya, some discussion on the mind stuff is required.

While analysing the nature of the mind, I remember something which is not totally out of context. In Bengali the Saḿskrta word mana (mind) is pronounced “mon” and not “man.” The letter “a” (অ) has three styles of pronunciation. saḿvrta, vivrta and tiryak.

The Saḿvrta style of pronunciation is [[ক-অ. The vivrta is ক্, অ and the tiryak is কো-অো]]. Take the word “aman” for instance: “a” is pronounced in the Saḿvrta style and “ma” in the tiryak style. Take another example: “kakhan”. Here the letter “ka” is pronounced in the saḿvrta style while “kha” is pronounced in the tiryak style. In the languages of Bihar, Angika, Maithili and Magahi, “ma” is pronounced as [[“mo-a”]].

However mind is a particular ectoplasmic state. Here I do not often use ectoplasm or endoplasm. Mind is a flowing entity which wants to surround to engulf any object. What do you do with the object of a person whom we love so much? You want to control that object or that person according to your mental will. Each and every mother wants her son to be within her control. If her child goes out of control she complains, “Well, my son used to be obedient to me, but no more – nowadays he is under the control of his wife.” So everyone wants to control objects or human beings. This is the actual state of psychic affairs. Then what is ekendriya? When you develop a fascination for a particular object or person your mind encircles it. In this process of expansion your mind develops a special liking for the object or person it comes in contact with. This occurs when the internal saḿskára of the person or the object is in perfect adjustment with your own samskaras. You notice that the rhythmic vibration of that entity and your own psychic rhythm are parallel (there is no imposition from anywhere) and you develop a love for it. I have already explained to you the difference between “fascination” and “love”.

What is the actual import of ekendriya? At first the mind is drawn towards the entity in a particular way – it flows unhindered across the boundary of liking and enters the sphere of love. At that time the mind neither has the desire nor the scope for any distraction whatsoever. All it wants is to flow towards the object it loves. If it encounters a second entity on the way it will ignore it, so strong is its one pointed pursuit for its object of love.

Ucát́an man ná máne bárań,
Shudhu tári páne chut́e yáy.

[The mind is extremely impatient – it listens to no one,
But rushes towards its object of love.]

So the mind moves towards that Supreme One. You may know some people whose minds always run after money. You might have asked them to sit down for a while and have a chat, and been surprised by their excusing themselves, saying they were so busy and had to rush off to the stock exchange. If their pursuit of money is hampered in any way, if it eludes their grasp, if they are totally severed from it, their minds will lose their base and they will die.

All crude objects on which people base their hopes and aspirations will certainly disappear one day, for the nature of this relative world is “Yah ágacchati sah gacchati” – “Whatever comes, goes.” When people are deserted by their crude objects of desire they are eaten away by frustration and disappointment, and die a miserable death.

I heard that once, when the currency was devalued, a wealthy jute merchant suddenly died because all the aspiration of his life were based on money. He could not face the prospect of having to part with his cherished object of desire.

This is ekendriya. One should concentrate one’s mind on the Supreme One to the exclusion of all mundane objects; for they can give no lasting support. To come and go is their intrinsic nature.

If one focuses all the flows and moods of the mind on a certain object, idea or philosophy to fulfil one’s hopes and aspirations, can that be called ekendriya? You know in the past in India there was a debate on the theory of pure non-dualism (vishuddha advaetaváda) which continued for a long time. Today this theory has been almost totally rejected. Those who accepted it as their cherished philosophy, investing all their accumulated mental energy on its different branches and ramifications, met a tragic end. They discovered that the trunk of the tree, in whose branches, twigs and foliage they had been taking shelter, had been felled! They joined the ranks of the living dead, their hopes and aspirations shattered forever. The life of a person obsessed with philosophical theory, who denies the existence of Parama Puruśa, is bound to become wrought with frustrations. That’s why in the ekendriya stage it is unwise to accept any physical object or intellectual doctrine as one’s object of ideation.

When an intellectual doctrine is proven invalid in the battle of logic, and ultimately shown to be dogmatic, what happens? The characteristic of dogma is to expand more and more. Do you know what expands when it is cut? The answer is a pencil, a pond and dogma. If someone tries to root out a dogma from people’s mind they tend to use even more dogma to justify their present dogma. Even when they are defeated they refuse to accept defeat. There are some so-called scholars who meet with a crushing defeat, yet never admit to being defeated. They call it a “voluntary retreat”. So, if you accept any mundane object or any dogmatic idea as the goal of your life, you will find yourself locked in the darkest dungeon.

The real spirit of ekendriya is this: the mind, having discarded all physical objects, ideas and dogmas, embraces the Supreme One as its supreme and only goal.

Chapter 6	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

In my previous discussion I explain that the mind can accept something physical as its object. The difference between these two is minimal. An object which has less inter-atomic and inter-molecular space is what we call matter. In the physical sphere differences in thought occur due to the variations in ectoplasmic or introplasmic space.

No physical goals of human life can ever be permanent. No two entities of this world have a uniform velocity. Take the sense organs and physical objects. The velocity of these two is not equal – one moves forward while the other lags behind. They are just like two vehicles – one accelerating, the other slowing down. But after a while the one that was behind catches up with the other one and overtakes it. Thus there is a constant conflict between the physical entities you cherish as your objects of desire today, and the physical objects which will have the position of paramount importance in your life tomorrow, When you move ahead on your path, one advances, the other falls behind.

Once, in my childhood, I stayed in a village in Bhagalpur district which I grew to love immensely. Forty years after I returned to the village. I looked for my favourite river and ponds but was unable to trace them. Nor could I find the playground or the houses I remembered. And the house we lived in looked so different I hardly recognized it. The river where we bathed and played was unseen for it had changed its course and was flowing about two miles from the village. Naturally I did not feel the same for the village as I had before. Actually I felt bored and left the place soon after. Why did this happen? Because my life and the life of the village were not moving at the same speed. There was a gap between myself and the village. The “good old days” were dead and gone. In the material world human beings must carry out their duties without being bound by the binding fetters. The mind should not get helplessly attached to anything undesirable, otherwise it will have to undergo severe afflictions. The wise person carries out his or her duties in the world without getting attached to anything. One must always remember,

Thákbo ná bhái thákbo ná keu, thábená bhái kichu,
Ei ánande yáore chale káler pichu pichu.

[In this world no one is immortal
Nothing is permanent.
Knowing this Supreme Truth, march on,
Happily following the footprints of time.]

[[

Áj tomáder yeman jánchi temni jánte jánte,
Tvaráy yena sakal jáná yáy jiivaner pránte;
Ei ye neshá láglo cokhe ei t́ukui ye chot́e,
Amni yena samay ámár váki ná ray mot́e;
Jiṋáner cakśu! Svarge giye yáy yadi yák khuli,
Martte yena ná bheuṋge yáy mithye Máyáguli.

]]

Always remember that you have to discharge your duties while remaining fully aware of your Supreme goal. As I already mentioned the philosophy which is accepted as infallible today will be rejected through logical argumentation tomorrow. The vast structure based on that irrational philosophy will crumble like a house of cards. No intellectual notion should be accepted as Supreme goal of life.

Mana eva manuśyáńám káránaḿ bandhamokśayoh,
Bandhasya viśayásaungimuktonirviśayaḿ tathá.

“The mind is the cause of bondage or liberation of human beings. A person under bondage is attached to a mental or physical object, whereas the liberated one is free from all objects.” If the mind is confined to something physical or psychic it is bound to be assailed by either pleasure or pain – it is inevitable. However hard you may try you can not avoid it, because you are so inseparably bound to your objects.

It is also true that you will not remain associated with your object forever because the speed of movement of both cannot be equal forever. The person with whom you live with all the warmth of your life will ultimately desert you – it is a cruel game. Confronted with this grim reality one should be very cautious about selecting one’s goal. One thing is clear – the Supreme Entity alone should be accepted as one’s goal. The question of difference in speed does not arise in the case of Parama Puruśa for He is beyond speed. This is extremely important. When there is the question of speed one either advances or falls behind. Speed differs between those entities which come within the domain of time, space and person. But Parama Puruśa is beyond the relative factors for He is the relative factors (they are embedded in Him) and thus the question of speed does not arise.

A pertinent question arises here – how do the fundamental relative factors emerge? Space emerge when the Supreme Entity is converted into five fundamental factors sue to the binding influence of the sentient, mutative and static principles of Prakrti. The state in which Parama Puruśa is not transformed into the five fundamental factors is beyond the scope of space.

Time is a mental measurement of the motivity of action. To a common person it appears as if the earth is fixed and the sun moves around the earth. He or she understands that the earth moves the sun, but from perception, it appears that the sun moves around the earth. The mind measures the movement of the rotating sun. It calculates the different position of the sun in the morning, at midday and in the evening. If the mind or the rotating entity were to perish, time would also cease to exist. So time will only cease to exist when Parama Puruśa is no longer transformed into the manifested universe in the flow of His cosmic cycle.

The third relative factor is person. In fact, only Parama Puruśa exists. But when He metamorphoses Himself into many in a sportive mood and plays with his created manifestation, the personal factor emerges. There was no personal factor before the creation, neither will there be after its dissolution. When Parama Puruśa remains in His original stance, He is the Supreme psycho-spiritual pabulum of the human mind. But the problem is that this Impersonal Entity cannot be meditated upon. Only when He changes His original stance (nityánanda) into His playful stance (liilananda) can human beings make Him the Supreme goal of life and an object of meditation. When the Supreme Entity is metamorphosed into His playful stance the relative factors are bound to exist, otherwise how will He play with his creations?

You cannot see electricity directly (no one has ever seen it), but can see its effect in the revolving fan and illuminated bulb. When Parama Puruśa remains preoccupied with all His objects, animate and inanimate, in His playful stance, then you can easily meditate upon Him. Any material or psychic object that one adopts as one’s object of adoration will certainly perish one day leaving one totally devastated. But the Supreme Entity who has been playing with His created microcosms since eternity will remain. He is the only object of adoration for human beings. Hence intelligent people will accept Parama Puruśa as their goal and nothing else.

There is another important factor for consideration.

Ánanda brahmeti vyajanát ánandádheva khalvimáni bhútáni jáyante
Ánandena játani jiivanti ánandaḿ prayantyabhisaḿ vishantiiti.

One should know Brahma, the embodiment of bliss (ánandam). All created entities have emanated from ánandam, are preserved in ánandam and will finally dissolve into ánandam. At the initial stage human beings try to attain this Supreme Entity through the medium of one indriya at a time, but at a final stage attain Him with their entire existence (that is, all thoughts, propensities and urges), which is not possible in the first stage. While sitting in meditation one closes the gateway of one particular indriya (the organ of sight, for example) and prays, “Oh Parama Puruśa please manifest yourself in me.”

Asado má sadgamayo tamaso má jyotirgamayo.
Mrtyormámrta gamayo áviraviramayaedhi.

Rudra yatte dakśińaḿ mukham tena máḿ páhi nityam.

“Oh Parama Puruśa please appear suddenly in the dark corners of my mind. Let me see you with my mental eyes”. This type of “seeing” with one’s mental eyes is called ekendriya. The eyes are as indriya. Similarly, the rśi prays, “Oh Lord, come still closer to me so that I can serve you”. Here the devotee wants to attain the Lord through the indriya of touch. Or the rśi may pray, “Oh Lord, play your sweet flute so I can hear your divine tune and be absorbed in you, forgetting myself. Please come to me in the form of a blissful melody.” This is an attempt to attain Him through a different indriya – the auditory organ. So these are examples of the initial attempts to come into the closest proximity of Parama Puruśa. This is not the first but the third stage of sadhana.

Chapter 7	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

We were discussing ekendriya, the third stage of spiritual practice. Sádhakas reach this stage having advanced step by step along the spiritual path.

Let us discuss the nature of the indriyas. In Saḿskrta “indra” means “greatest”, and thus according to mythology Indra is the king of the Gods. Sal trees are called “indra brkśa” due to their huge size.

The human body is composed of eight main parts and is thus called aśt́auṋga. Prostration is called saśt́auṋga prańáma. Some teachers of ayurveda include the navel area and the back in the list of the body’s main constituent parts, but this is not totally appropriate. Of the five sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin), one, the skin, can be omitted, and of the five motor organs (vocal cord, hands, legs, excretory and genital organ), one, the vocal cord can be omitted. This leaves the eight constituent parts. And the prostration made with these eight body-parts is called saśt́auṋga pranama. Now the question is why have these eight indriyas been selected and the chest, back and navel area omitted? The reason is that without the help of the indriyas one’s inherent characteristics cannot be manifested. They also play a dominant role in giving expression to one’s physical characteristics. For example, when you see or hear something you may become happy or angry. The changes in mood (one’s excitement or tranquillity) in the psychic sphere are due to the activity of the indriyas. The indriyas are the centres of activity, the main gateways of the physical world.

Now you may ask, what is mind? The mind is neither something physical nor something purely spiritual. That which is directly related to the quinquelemental world and simultaneously related to the psychic world is called “indriya”. Take the indriya of sight. The gateway of this indriya is the eyes themselves, but it is the optical nerve which connects it with the psychic world. Judged in this light the indriyas are superior to the physical body since they are connected with the psychic world.

The mind does not have any physical or psychic gateway. What we call the eye is not the real eye, but is merely the gateway of the eye organ. The optical nerve which is connected to the psychic world is the actual eye. So what is the mind? The mind is not perceived from outside since it has no physical or psychic gateway, but at the same time it is connected to the indriyas. That’s why after proper deliberation, the experienced philosophers of the past recognized mind as a special indriya, [the eleventh indriya. The difference between this eleventh indriya] and the other ten is that it has no external gateway as the eyes have. Because of this subtle difference the mind is recognized as a subtler indriya and Because of its subtler power it exercisesa far greater influence on the human body than the ten indriyas. These ten indriyas always convey information to the mind. The mind on receiving the information creates reactions to it in the physical body, and in the process gets reacted to itself.

If you want to get good service from the mind, you must keep it in a state of tranquillity. For this you must send information through the ten indriyas and the eight limbs which will maintain the equipoise and equilibrium of the mind. Suppose someone is seated at dining table. If you were to break the news of a relative’s death at that time it would definitely destroy his composure, and he will leave the table, having lost all appetite. Even those of you who practice sádhaná say, “I’m feeling a little troubled today, I won’t eat anything.” If you feel disturbed mentally why shouldn’t you eat physically? After all, it is the body which eats. The reason is that the mind exerts a tremendous influence over the body.

Those who wish to elevate the mind, should knowingly bring the indriyas within the contact of someone whose inspiration will cause only positive information to be sent to the mind. The influence of positive inferences will have such a beneficial effect that the ectoplasmic stuff will be powdered down and converted into cognitive faculty.

Chapter 8	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

In the previous discourse I discussed indriyas. In the scriptures it is said,

Indriyánáḿ manonáthah manonáthastu márutah.

[The mind is the lord of the indriyas. The vital energy is the lord of the mind.]

I said that the mind is also an indriya, the eleventh indriya but one without a gateway. Thus we cannot say it internalizes a certain external vibration or externalizes any internal thought through a particular gateway. That job is done by the other ten organs. The eyes take the image of an external object to the mind. The ahamtattva portion of the mind “sees” the imagine and relays its reaction to the indriyas through the citta (mahattattva, ahamtattva and the citta are the three functional chambers of the mind). Thus the mind is surely the lord of the indriyas.

Who is the lord of the mind? The vital energy (práná). The mind – a very peculiar entity – moves within the domain of the abstract and material worlds. It’s location is within the brain, which is something material and it’s controller is the vital energy. When the human mind is calm, the respiration slows down. But conversely, when the mind is agitated, the breathing becomes rapid. When one runs the whole body is active and so the breathing is rapid, and when breathing is rapid, the mind is restless. While running quickly you cannot think deeply about anything due to the mind being in state of motion. During práńáyáma the vital energy controls the mind.

Práńán yamayatyeśah práná yámah

[That which controls the ten vayus (the flows of vital energy) is called práńáyáma]

Tasmin sati shvás-prashvásayorgatibicchedah práńáyámah

[The process to reduce the gap between inhalation and exhalation is práńáyámah]

The flow of breath continues according to the shortening or lengthening of the period of one’s thought. By channelizing the natural system of respiration into a particular rhythm one controls one’s mind through práńáyáma.

The indriyas are the controller of the body, the mind the controller of the indriyas, and the vital energy the controller of the mind. That’s why on the path of spiritual practice, and particularly in the practice of astáuṋga yoga (the eight fold path consisting of yama, niyama, ásana, práńáyáma, pratyáhára, dhárańá, dhyána, and samádhi) práńáyáma plays a very significant role.

So when the respiratory system becomes restless, due to one’s individual reactive momenta, the mind also becomes restless. When the mind becomes restless a particular propensity or sense organ also becomes very restless, and another particular propensity or indriya also remains inactive. This is the general rule. But, if one’s respiratory system becomes rhythmic and calm through the process of práńáyáma then a particular propensity or sense organ becomes tranquil. This is something which is very important to remember. Through prolonged practice of práńáyama one learns which propensity or indriya becomes more active due to the restlessness of the respiratory system and which propensity or sense organ becomes more tranquil due to the pause of the respiratory system. This regular practice is known as yoga.

If a person becomes agitated, causing his respiration to speed up, and his fists to close tightly the propensity (vrtti) of anger can easily get expressed. If this situation continues for long[[, what will happen? Among the propensities of lust, anger, greed, vanity, attachment and jealousy,]] anger will easily dominate the other propensities, and the hand indriya (in Saḿskrta the palm is called páńi and its action is called shilpana) will become active resulting in him angrily slapping or punching another person. It often happens that a person will be able to control all the ripus (psychic enemies) except one, say the ripu of anger. This is also the same in the case of the indriyas – all the indriyas may be under one’s control except one, say the hand. Or conversely, a particular ripu or indriya may be perfectly controlled while the others are not. There are some people whose only weakness is greed. They have an uncontrollable desire for food, for pickles or rasagolla. They don’t even care what other people think about them. That is they have totally lost his control over the instinct of greed. Some people have trouble controlling the movement of their legs, and even move them while sitting down To have control or lose control over a particular vrtti may be both temporary and permanent. Some people are totally free from greed, neither greed for money, nor greed for food, but cannot control their other vrttis. A person may have no problem observing a vow of silence for two years, but is unable to control his legs and often kicks people indiscriminately, or if he controls his legs, cannot control his hands.

That particular psychology, when a particular vrtti or indriya is under control is called “ekendriya.” That is in the process of psychic development sádhakas reach a stage where a particular sense organ or propensity either hinders their spiritual progress, or leads them towards extreme subtlety. This stage is called ekendriya.

Before arriving at the stage of perfect ekendriya one may attain it temporarily. For example, one may be able to observe a vow of silence for a few days will break it after a few days due to boredom. Often after a quarrel two people decide never to utter a word to each other again. However, after some time they find some excuse to make amends. Again, someone may angrily refuse to eat anything. The other family members try at length to persuade him to forget everything and eat his food, but to no avail. When they stop pleading with him, however, he feels neglected and writes on the wall, “If you ask me one more time I’ll eat my food.” Obviously he is not fully in control of his whole being and before his control finally collapses wants to be requested publicly to eat one more time. He will then say that he had no other choice but to break his vow to fast because he was persistently requested to do so.

So one particular propensity or indriya may be under control, but not the others. This is termed negative ekendriya. One of my cousins was an avid supporter of Mohan Bagan football team. Whenever he went to the match and saw them score a goal he would shout “gooaaal” with the other spectators in a frenzy of excitement. One night he shouted “gooaaal” while dreaming and kicked my uncle who was sleeping beside him. This incident shows that although my cousin had control over the other parts of his body, he had no control over his legs. When a player wants to score a goal his leg mechanically kicks the ball. During sleep when his subconscious mind was functioning and not the conscious mind, the memory of the football match came alive on his mental plate. As the conscious mind was inactive, the subconscious mind could activate the nerve cells directly, so as soon as his vocal chord shouted “goal” his legs, in adjustment with rhythm of the nerve cells and fibre, kicked the ball into the goal. In life such things happen quite often. These are the expressions of ekendriya tattva during the dream stage. I am sure you have experienced such things yourself. Try to compare these experiences with the actual reality.

Chapter 9	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

So far we been explaining the different stages of psycho-spiritual practice. Last Sunday I discussed ekendriya and in that context I analysed the science of indriyas and discussed the circumstances in which people act and think.

By the way you should know that samádhi does not only occur as a result of a certain realization; other samádhis can occur on indriyas or the five fundamental factors. When the mind is focused on a particular object and becomes intensely concentrated it is called samádhi. According to spiritual science the samádhi attained when the entire mind is pin-pointed on Parama Puruśa is called prajiṋá samádhi.

When a sádhaka focuses his or her mind on the solid factor (solid is one of the five fundamental factors) and thinks “I am the earth” he or she attains kśitibhaetik samádhi, losing all practical intelligence in the process. Those who constantly think about rupees or dollars attain a kind of samádhi, too, for they become completely identified with their crude object of attraction. If such people incur heavy losses due to the collapse of their business or bank, they will die an instant death, for the pillars on which their life was built crumbled beneath them. So, once they lost their wealth, they lost their lives too.

So samádhi can be attained if one focuses one’s mind on a particular thought, sense organ or inference (sound, form, touch, taste and smell). The samádhi on inferences is called tanmátrik samádhi. Sometime ago I gave a practical demonstration of tanmatric samádhi. I demonstrated the type of physical and psychic changes which occur when the mind is withdrawn from a specific inference or tanmátra. [refer to Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell, Part IV]

Suppose there is a rose. If the entire mind is focused on the colour of the rose it will become totally identified with it and will ultimately think, “I am the rose.” Similarly, samádhis on the indriyas is also possible. One who attains samádhi on a particular indriya consciously bring it under one’s control and get one’s work done accordingly to one’s sweet will. This was widely practiced in avidyá tantra in the past. The indriyas can function within and beyond their immediate surroundings. For instance, from here you can physically see a part of Calcutta. But if you have been to Naiháti (a small town about thirty miles from Calcutta) you will certainly be able to visualize a part of Naiháti town while sitting here in the room. In this case there should be proper adjustment between the eyes and the previous perception. In this case it is the mental eye which actually visualizes part of Naiháti.

Avidya tantriks make use of this sort of process. With the help of their sense organs and ectoplasms they create positive hallucinations. In Saḿskrta this science is called rakśasi vidyá. Rakśasa does not refer to any monstrous type of animal, but to a particular group of humans. With the help of your mental eyes and your psychic power you can create an image visible to the eyes of an ordinary person. You can actually suspend the power of vision of another person so that he sees the object you want him to see. This is called rakśasi máyá (a kind of hypnotic spell) Such negative practices are common in avidyá tantra. For example, a wicked person is sitting in a lonely place with bones scattered around him. Using his psychic power he can create “ectoplasmic hands” and command them to throw the bones into the house of that person he wishes to harm. The inhabitants of the house, ordinary people no doubt, will certainly be terrified by such occult phenomena. They will think it is the work of a ghost and will probably decide to move out of the house. Instead of bones, bricks and stones could also be hurled. To do this one does not require great power – rakśasi máya is an occult power of an inferior quality.

The Ramayana, the great Indian fictive epic, contains some stories which illustrate rákśasi máya. The golden deer is one such a story. Of course, there was never a real golden deer could you ever think of such a thing? – it was the demon Máriic who made a golden deer out of his occult power. Another such story goes as follows. Prince Angad, the son of the King Bali, was about to present his credentials to King Ravana in the court. The nineteen ministers present wanted to humiliate him in some way, and decided to use their rákśasi máyá for the purpose. Present in the court at the time were Prince Angad, King Ravana and his son Indrajita, and the nineteen ministers. In order to baffle Angad, the ministers created a form tanmátra, a type of positive hallucination, through which they all assumed the form of King Ravana. So, his vision distorted, saw that there were a total of twenty Ravanas beside Indrajita. Nineteen of them were the ministers, of course, but due to the hypnotic spell exercised on his unit mind (a kind of tanmátric samádhi) they all looked like Ravana. The best way to disturb someone’s mental concentration is to make him or her angry by being provocative. Be it vidyá tantra or avidyá tantra, everything depends on the degree of psychic concentration. So Angada thought, “I have to disturb their mental balance by provoking them in some way. If I make them angry they will certainly lose their ectoplasmic support and simultaneously their tanmátric samádhi, and will revert to their original tanmátric form”. Angad did just that. He said,

Angada Kahila tave shuna indrajitá
Vishti rávan dekhi vishti ki tor pita?

[Listen Indrajita. I can see twenty Ravanas. Are they all your father?]

All of them become furious lost their mental balance and became their original selves permitting Angad to single out the real Ravana and submit his credentials.

Samádhi on the indriyas is much higher than tanmátric samádhi. Tanmátric samádhi is higher than the samádhi on the fundamental factors, even though the tanmátras are only five in number. The reason is that these five tanmátras have countless expressions. For instance, a single rose plant may have twenty flowering roses, each with its own size and colour. Each and every object of this colourful universe has a certain speciality of its own. This speciality divides the tanmátras into numerous fragments – that is, in one form tanmátra there are countless forms; in one sound tanmátra there are countless sounds. In the musical world we hear of six rágas and thirty six ráginiis but actually their number is much more than that.

The samádhis on indriyas are concerned with the five motor organs. If the six indriyas (sensory organs) are controlled then people can easily elevate themselves to higher states of existence. That’s why this samádhi is greater than other samádhis.

While explaining the concept of ekendriya, I consider it important to explain something about the samádhi of the indriyas. In my next discourse I would like to discuss some interesting things about ekendriya which might have happened in your personal lives, but which your intellect could explain how and why it happened.

Chapter 10	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

The path of sádhaná is divided into a few stages. We are presently discussing ekendriya. In my previous discourse I was explaining how different samadhis take place and what happens when there is adjustment between various expressions of the indriyas and ectoplasm; and also what is called positive hallucination.

When the various expressions of indriyas and ectoplasmic maintain some sort of adjustment, different psycho-spiritual experiences take place. For this two factors are required. The control of mind over ectoplasm and the control of mind over indriyas. For example if the organ of hearing is properly controlled it can attract many things from the external world through the ectoplasm, and conversely can project many internal thoughts and make others listen. This phenomena comes within the scope of rákśasi vidyá of ancient Indian psychology. I have already told you that rákśasi vidyá is not the black magic of the so called demons, but a kind of occult science. Perhaps you know that Tantra is divided into two branches, and similarly, occult powers are expressed in two ways. Sádhakas who have reached iishvarakoti, (but not Brahmakot́i, the highest stage of human realization) through intense spiritual practice attain both vidyá and avidyá shakti, both positive and negative occult power. Common people usually call it aeshvarya [divine power] but this is not completely true. The other day while discussing that phenomenon with a few people I said that some of these occult powers are related to space while others are beyond it. Iishvarakoti sádhakas, through special efforts, can master some negative and positive powers, and may apply them on certain human beings, places, or ideas. But a brahmakoti sádhaka can apply those powers on the entire universe at the same time, through his prota-yoga. Moreover, with the help of ota-yoga, he can also apply his power on an individual place or person if he so wishes. The same thing, when applied on a crude level, may take the form of magic. This explains the eternal side.

If people remain satisfied with the attainment of these occult powers and stop advancing along the supreme path, the fullest expression of their human potentialities will be checked. To bring about the greatest fulfilment of life, sádhakas will have to reach the pinnacle of the state of ekendriya. That is, instead of directing their mind-stuff towards crude objects, they must channelize their minds towards the Macrocosm, and embrace the Macrocosm fully as their goal.

Prańavo dhanuh sharohyátmá Brahma tallakśyamucyate
Apramattena vedhavyaḿ sharattanmayo bhavet.

“A sádhaka who utilizes his spiritual practice as the bow his self as the arrow, and Parama Puruśa as the target and then tries to pierce the target with undivided attention, attains the Supreme Goal”.

Sádhakas who accept this sloka as the supreme and final guidance and move accordingly along the path of ekendriya sádhaná are capable of devoting the mind to the highest stage of spiritual realization. Their lives become so meaningful. It is not enough to only ideate on Brahma, one must also practice ekendriya sádhaná. Here ekendriya means that all the expressions of the sensory and motor nerves and all the energy and subtle power of the organs should be focused on one point. The consolidated power of the nerves, indriyas, and mind stuff should be directed towards the supreme goal. This unidirectional movement towards the goal is the stage of ekendriya. In this stage the sádhaka does not attach any importance to any particular indriya, idea or thought, but attaches paramount importance to the supreme goal. Such a sádhaka ultimately arises above both vidyá and avidyá Tantra.

Vidyá Tantra is a positive approach to the world, whereas avidyá Tantra is a negative approach. People who tread the path of negativity tend to become crude. And if they follow the positive path they may attain name, fame, social prestige, etc. but will fail to attain Parama Puruśa. They even fail to attain higher lokas (realms of existence). The person who follows neither of these two paths and thinks only of Parama Puruśa will attain Him one day and will be elevated from the ekendriya stage to the vashiikára stage. This path, of transcending positive and negative ideas is called madhyammárga (middle path) in Tantra (Buddha called it majjihimá mágga). This is the only path, that leads to the highest fulfilment of human life. Nányah panthá vidyate ayanáya. There is no other path. At that stage the sensory world has no attraction for a sádhaka whatsoever. But those sádhakas who dabble with the positive and negative aspects of Tantra readily become engrossed in mundane affairs. The time and energy employed to master the positive and negative aspects is a waste for it diverts the mind and delays its movement towards the higher planes of existence. In my opinion it is better not to waste one’s time on such inconsequential pursuits. Instead it would be wiser for people to utilize their time and energy for the attainment of Parama Puruśa.

If I were to analyse the positive and negative paths you would be fascinated, but it would be if no use whatsoever in attaining Parama Puruśa. To attain Him you must reach the vashiikára stage.

Chapter 11	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

Movement is the essence of existence. Existence is pushed from behind, and moves forward towards the Supreme pole star of all movement. This guiding force is not linear but systaltic. The degrees of its systalsis in one stage is not the same as in the subsequent stage. The reason behind this non-uniformity is that the path of movement is divided into a few stages. Any systaltic or pulsative movement within the realm of the relative factors starts from one point and terminates in another point within the domain of space. The intervening space between the two points is measured by the time factor and substantiated and sustained by the personal factor.

When movement is in the psychic realm it usually starts from a crude mental idea, and from there proceeds towards subtlety. The crude mind of the first stage, becomes increasingly subtle in the subsequent stages, and eventually becomes so subtle that it becomes non-existent.

Human beings guided by the sweetness and charm of the inner heart pray to the Lord,

Namah Shiváya shántáya kárańatraya hetave
Nivedayámi chatmánam tvaḿ gatih parameshvara

[Salutations to Shiva, the Supreme Controller and the Lord of the crude, subtle and causal worlds. I completely surrender myself unto you, Oh Lord. You are the Supreme destination of all microcosms]

Sádhakas first address the Lord of their life “Oh Parama Puruśa, You are the Supreme Entity, You are Shiva.” Here Shiva means the Supreme Cognitive Faculty who is watching, hearing, understanding and witnessing everything in the capacity of His individual and pervasive association. One cannot think of anything secretly, what do speak of doing anything without His knowledge. This pinnacled entity who remains as the silent witness of all phenomena is Shiva. He plays the role of the hero in all dramas, He is the unblemished, omniscient one, pervaded with the thought of the welfare of all at all times. So His role is not only that of a witness. “Shiva” also means the embodiment of welfare. Had He not played the role of a Supreme Benevolent Father, microcosms would not have been able to live for even a single moment. Human beings survive because they feel His benevolent touch every moment. In Him all movements culminate, in Him the supreme faculty of benevolence lies embedded, and thus He is the most lovable object in this universe. And He is not only the Supreme Cognitive Faculty, the embodiment of absolute well-being – He is much greater, much deeper than that. For He lies in the subtlest thoughts of one’s mind and exists as the limitless sphere beyond the periphery of the limited human mind. Whatever human beings want or whatever they receive is His manifestation. Yet He is beyond the capacity of the human mind to comprehend. So, one should only prostrate before such an entity. The amount of bliss which human beings attain after surrendering their everything to Him is too deep to be measured by the small human mind.

In the above shloka Parama Puruśa has been described as Shánta. As long as the human mind is attracted towards the glamorous external objects, as long as mental progress is checked by the pursuit of gross physicality, the human heart remains restless, and utters mournfully “ I am hungry. I am hungry” This insatiable hunger cannot be satisfied by anything from the mundane world, and that is not possible either. So what is the solution? Only Shánta, the Supreme Tranquil Entity, in whom all the objects of this universe, whether animate or inanimate, positive or negative, take shelter and controls all His latent potentialities by dint of His unfathomable valour can satisfy the unlimited hunger of human beings. Only He can establish human beings in the world of supra-aesthetic joy, the abode of bliss, by applying the balm of inner peace. Another name of this Tranquil Entity is Shiva.

In the field of manifestation, there are crude, subtle and causal expressions. The entity which appears as crude to me is necessarily so, for it too is saturated with the sweetness of Parama Puruśa. Whatever I consider subtle is the subtler sweetness of Parama Puruśa. He is at the root of everything of the universe. In the causal world His sweet smiling form is being transformed according to His wish and radiating divine effulgence throughout the universe. Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Entity who is the seed of the three worlds.

“I surrender myself unto you, Oh Lord because You are the Supreme Shelter. I offer my everything at Your feet”. There is no second entity in the universe to whom everything can be surrendered. If human beings surrender themselves to mundane or psychic objects they will ultimately be converted into crudity in their lives – misery will be their fate. No wants this. All human beings want to attain lasting happiness. But for this they will have to surrender themselves at the altar of Parama Puruśa. The culminating point of the path of movement where every manifestation culminates is also Parama Puruśa. He is the Supreme terminus of all movement.

Thus the psycho-spiritual path is divided into four stages: yatamána, vyatireka, ekendriya and vashiikára. When the mind hovers between the crude and the subtle it is the yatamana stage. When, after vacillating between petty gains and losses one wishes to want to snap the bondage of gains and losses for good and plunge into the world of psychic bliss, it is the second stage, vyatireka. When bliss comes like a flood of light on a moonlit night, it is ekendriya. And when one strives hard to establish oneself in the absolute word by suspending all the mundane longings through psycho-spiritual endeavour it is vashiikára.

Chapter 12	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

Last Sunday I was discussing vashiikára, the last stage on the path of psycho-spiritual movement. I said that the path of human movement is divided into four stages. This movement is only successful when Parama Puruśa is accepted as the ultimate goal. This can be illustrated with an analogy. Suppose an expert boat man is rowing a boat, but is totally undecided as to where he will land, and moves aimlessly here and there. Without a fixed destination, and in spite of his skilled rowing hand, all his labour will be in vain.

Tantra, as you know, is divided into two branches – vidyá and avidyá. Shiva formulated all the tantras and thus all tantriks regard Shiva as their supreme and final shelter. In all schools of Tantra there are certain rules, and these are compulsory for practitioners of both vidyá and avidyá tantra. The difference between these two is that avidyá tantra invariably leads one towards crudification, and ultimate annihilation, whereas vidyá tantra leads one from crude to subtle, and invigorates the human life, mind and soul – in fact the whole existence – with exuberant joy. In the initial stage of progress in spiritual sadhana the human mind becomes more subtle, enabling one to achieve a certain degree of control over the physical world as well as the mind. This realm of existence, where psychic control is exercised to some extent, is called kámamaya kośa (crude mental world). Through such psychic control one can gain material wealth, or earn a certain degree of name, fame, etc. Now, where do these things come from? They come from the cruder manifestation of the Cosmic Mind. (This perceptible world is in itself a cruder manifestation of the Cosmic Mind). Thus in this stage sádhakas may attain and establish supremacy over certain things in the crude world.

One may also strive to make the mind more subtle while endeavouring to exercise greater control over the mundane world. This is the path of avidyá tantra. In this endeavour the practitioners remain totally preoccupied with the attainment of name, fame, prosperity and material enjoyments – these are their goals. The purpose of their spiritual practice is to make the mind increasingly subtle to be able to exercise further control over not only the physical world, but the crude minds of the other microcosms. Their goal is not noble, and will result in them being ultimately converted into inert matter. So the final resultant of avidyá tantra is extreme crudity. I have attempted to explain things in some of my ghost stories. Try to find time to read them.

The second stage is artha. What is artha? Suppose a person has been struck with afflictions (there are three types – crude, subtle and causal) and seeks to destroy them. The permanent cessation of these triple affliction is named paramartha and their temporary cessation artha. In this second stage of sádhaná human beings also try to make their minds more subtle through spiritual elevation, but not to attain Parama Puruśa. Their goal is to develop the capacity to dominate the minds of others. Paradoxically they are trying to make the mind subtle while attempting to establish supremacy over others. This stage is neither vidyá nor avidyá – it’s an intermediate stage. Sádhakas who tread this path cannot attain the supreme fulfilment of existence for they try to master the psychic occult powers of Parama Puruśa, and ignore Parama Puruśa Himself. Their fate is to move in the crude arena of the psychic sphere of Parama Puruśa. Until the day comes when they lose their psychic power and degenerate. Maharśi Jaemini, formulated his philosophy, the Miimámsá Darshana, on the basis of this type of psychology. But in this world, such philosophy does not stand the test of pragmatism or spirituality.

In the third stage of sádhaná sádhakas accepts the cognitive faculty as their goal. They wish to advance along the spiritual path while simultaneously serving the subtler expressions of Parama Puruśa. This is the true dharma of human beings. The sadávrata (mass feeding) which you organize comes within the scope of this practice. While performing sádhaná in this stage the human mind attains a greater proximity to Parama Puruśa and sees the entire universe as a divine expression of Parama Puruśa. Through this realization one enjoys pure unblemished bliss. When people served good food during sadavrata smile happily you feel inner joy.

The fourth stage is when Parama Puruśa alone is your goal and you attain oneness with Him. Its spirit is, “with the bliss I enjoy after attaining oneness with Parama Puruśa, or with the bliss I am giving to Parama Puruśa, or with whatever emanates from that blissful entity, I shall make my existence meaningful.”

I have introduced páiṋcajanya to help you derive bliss from this stage. At the time of doing páiṋcajanya the mind becomes filled with spontaneous joy. And no external object is required – just one’s inner self. This self sufficiency which every human being can realize through páiṋcajanya, brings success and a new spirit of fulfilment to human life. One’s life will shine with the divine effulgence of Parama Puruśa.

Let your advent in this world be successful in all ways. I want your existence to shine, to be resplendent with the joy of being alive. This is the reason why I introduced páiṋcajanya and sadávrata – to bring supreme fulfilment to your lives. Let your advent on this earth be successful, individually and collectively.

Chapter 13	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

Lord Krśńa’s role is divided into two main parts – one is Shrii Krśńa, Vraja Krśńa; and the other is Krśńa the king of Mathura. The natures and jurisdictions of the duties of the two aspects were different, hence the roles also were different. People in general could not become as easily intimate or familiar with the king Krśńa – Párthasárathi Krśńa – as they could be with Krśńa of Vrindavana. Vraja Krśńa was a sweet personality, and that sweetness was mixed with spirituality; whereas Krśńa the king was a tough personality, but that toughness was also mixed with spirituality. In both roles Krśńa set a unique example before the Indian people as well as the entire world, and the necessity to hold that example up before others is not yet over. Although the first part of Krśńa’s life was that of Vraja Krśńa, instead of first discussing Vraja Krśńa, I wish to discuss first Krśńa the king – Párthasárathi Krśńa.

I have already said many things about Krśńa. I gave a series of discourses on the Mahábhárata⁽¹⁾ in Ranchi stretching over a long period. But the main theme there was the Mahábhárata, and not Krśńa. In this series of discourses, however, I propose to focus more upon Krśńa as the central figure. The context of the Mahábhárata will come up only incidentally, because it does not cover the whole life of Krśńa. The Mahábhárata cannot stand if we remove Krśńa from it; while if we wish to remove the Mahábhárata and retain Krśńa, Krśńa will stand a bit diminished, though He will stand.

Let us come first to the context of Krśńa the king. He came to Mathura after leaving Gokula and Vrindavana.⁽²⁾ Although valour, intrepidity and all such virtues had been much evident in Krśńa during His early career in Gokula and Vrindavana, the element of sweetness was the most predominant quality in Him. To attract and draw people closer to Him by playing sweet and melodious tunes on His flute, to establish sweet relations of love and affection with all, and, in case of necessity, to take up arms in the interests of His favourite friends and followers – these were the deeds He used to do. Krśńa’s devotees felt that He was their own. They would say, “He is one of us. Of course, He is a great hero, far superior to us in all respects, but still He is ours.” But that same Vraja Krśńa who did so much for His devotees, remaining so close to them in prosperity and adversity, found that that role did not permit Him to render maximum service to the human society that was being unbearably persecuted, humiliated and neglected. Therefore He gave up that role and assumed the role of a king. And that role started with the annihilation of Kansa.⁽³⁾

What is the meaning of the term kaḿsa? It means “an entity that endangers the existence of others, that impedes their all-round progress and welfare”. Krśńa, on the other hand, means “an entity who leads others towards fulfilment”. So the Entity who leads others towards perfect attainment, who cannot tolerate destructive ideas or destructive elements, was destined to annihilate Kansa and remove the thorns of sin from the physical, psychic and spiritual planes. This is dharma.

Those forces, those demoniacal forces which are the main obstacles on the path of social progress, must be removed. Mercy or compassion may intervene, requesting, “No, don’t do that,” but the circumstances compel it; and for this, an element of toughness is indispensable. This was not possible in the sweet and loving atmosphere of Vraja; the environment of Kurukśetra was the proper place for that purpose.⁽⁴⁾

Regarding the main role of Krśńa, I have already mentioned that although the Mahábhárata does not cover all aspects of Krśńa’s life and personality, it is nevertheless a fact that Krśńa’s main role [i.e., that which the Mahábhárata does cover] was that of Párthasárathi.

First I shall analyse the origin of the word “Pártha”. “Pártha” is derived from “Prthá” or “Prthu”. Prthá is the name of a particular kingdom, a kingdom where the princess Kunti lived. The word “Pártha” is derived “Prthá” + suffix śńa (imparting the sense of “progeny”, or “offspring”). That is, “Pártha” means a son of Kunti (as does also “Kaonteya”).

In ancient India, before the arrival of the Aryans, the matriarchal system of inheritance as well as the matrilineal order of society was in vogue among the Austric and Dravidian communities. The people of those prehistoric times used to identify themselves in terms of their mother’s lineage, and as such used to take on the name of their mother, grandmother or great-grandmother. If one was asked, “Who are you?” one would have to give one’s mother’s, grandmother’s or great-grandmother’s name. Along with this matrilineal order, the matriarchal system of social inheritance, whereby the daughters would inherit the property from their mothers, was also in vogue. Two thousand years ago, the mother’s name was considered the most important factor in naming a child. For instance, Lord Buddha’s two main disciples were Sáriputta and Mahámaggallan Arhan. “Sáriputta” means “the son of Sári”. His mother’s full name (these people were all from Magadha, incidentally) was Rúpasári; and thus the son’s name became “Sáriputra” in old Sanskrit. In Prákrta, it was changed to “Sáriputta”, just as the Sanskrit word “Rájaputra” became changed to “Rájaputta” in Prákrta (and “Rajput” or “Rout” [common surnames] in modern languages). And in the second case, the mother’s name was Mahámaodgalii in Sanskrit, which became “Mahámaggali” in Pali. Her son was thus known as “Mahámaggallan” Arhan.

Here is another example: Once a merchant promised, as per the direction of Buddha, that he would build the new capital city of Magadha near the confluence of the Ganges and the Sone Rivers. The name of that merchant was Pát́aliputra,⁽⁵⁾ because his mother’s name was Pát́ali. This demonstrates that ancient Indian society followed the matrilineal order.

Thus Arjuna⁽⁶⁾ was popularly known as Pártha [“the son of Prthá”]; he was also called Kaonteya [“the son of Kunti”].

And what was the role of Krśńa? The role of a sárathi. Now let me explain what sárathi means. Sárathi means one who looks upon a chariot as one’s own child. You may have come across some car drivers who take meticulous care of their motor cars. “Hey, don’t touch the paint job… don’t jump in like that… don’t sit down so hard… my car will be damaged… Hey, no, my car can’t carry six or seven people, it will be damaged…” They go to great lengths to ensure that their cars are not scratched or damaged in any way. In fact, they treat them as if they were their own children. One who similarly looks upon a ratha [chariot] as one’s own child is called a sárathi. Rathena saha saratha [“The one associated with a chariot is a charioteer”]. Saratha + i suffix (imparting the sense of “child”) = sárathi.

The sárathi of the chariot of Pártha (i.e., of Arjuna) was none other than Krśńa Himself [hence “Párthasárathi Krśńa”].

So Krśńa assumed the role of sárathi. The shástras [scriptures] say that the sárathi plays a very significant role in physical fight, in spiritual fight, in all-round fight. It is said in the Yajurveda:

Átmánaḿ rathinaḿ viddhi shariiraḿ rathameva tu;
Buddhintu sárathiḿ viddhi manah pragrahameva ca.

[Know the átman, the soul, as the occupant of the chariot; the human body as the chariot; the buddhi, or intellect, as the charioteer; and the mind as the reins.]

Átmánaḿ rathinaḿ viddhi. There is a chariot. The átmá [self] is likened to the person seated in the chariot. That person is the master.

Shariiraḿ rathameva tu. The physical body is likened to a chariot (and is sometimes also compared to a temple). A chariot has to be kept neat and clean and fit to move. A temple is also to be kept neat and clean, jhakjhake taktake [clean and shiny], because it is the nucleus of all activities. And with a chariot as nucleus, one can move. Hence Shariiram dharmamandiram [“The human body is the temple of God”]. The human body has to be kept neat and clean. Cleanliness is a fundamental principle of every sádhaka [spiritual aspirant].

How should you maintain your body? In Bengali it is said, jhakjhake taktake. In Sanskrit tak means “sparkling white, dazzlingly clean”; hence the word taktake in Bengali.

There is a fruit which, when eaten, removes all diseases from the body. Hr + nini = hari, “that which steals”, and taki means “that which cleans and enhances the glow of the skin”: hence the fruit is called haritaki [myrobalan].

Haritakih manuśyánáḿ máteva hitakárińii;
Kadácit kupyate mátá nodarsthá haritakih.

[Myrobalan is benevolent like a mother. A mother sometimes gets angry, but not myrobalan when it is eaten.]

Both a chariot and a human body have to be kept neat and clean. Buddhintu sárathiḿ viddhi. The buddhi that leads humanity, the pinnacled intellect that brings spiritual aspirants in close contact with Parama Puruśa [Supreme Consciousness], is compared to the sárathi.

Manah pragrahameva ca. While driving a chariot, the charioteer needs a rein (lágám in popular Bengali). The mana [mind] is likened to the rein.

Human existence is a composite of four factors: the unit self, the body, the intellect (which exercises control over your mind) and finally Parama Puruśa – the Supreme Controller of your unit existence. You must advance while developing each of the four – you cannot afford to loosen your hold on or neglect any one of the four. If one deviates a little from the right path, one may earn a lot of wealth, but one will surely invite one’s ruination as the occupant of the chariot-like body. Your chariot-like physical frame will be shattered, your rein-like mind will be loosened and snapped beyond repair, and your sárathi⁽⁷⁾ will be virúpa [temporarily angry with you] and vimukha [turn His back on you]. One can bear it if He becomes virúpa, but not if He becomes vimukha.

There is a clear distinction between virúpa [displeased] and vimukha [permanently angry]. Let me illustrate. Suppose someone asks me a question that irritates me and I am displeased with that questioner. I may burst out, “You stupid fool. I won’t answer your silly question.” This is an example of virúpatá. After some time I may cool down, and will of course regain my usual composure. Then supposing the person says, “Bábá, please forgive me, who will help me if you don’t?” I may say, “Tell me what you want.” The previous displeasure is gone.

But vimukhatá is different: “Bábá, let me say just one word to you – just one word, Bábá.” “No, no talk. I won’t listen to you at all,” I may say. It means I have turned my face away.

Similarly, if your Charioteer is ever displeased with you for your mistakes, He will guide you back to the right path (after all, you are only human); but if He is permanently angry it will be highly painful, unbearably painful. You may happen to make your sárathi, Parama Puruśa, displeased due to your inadvertence, but you must never make Him permanently angry with you.

Footnotes

(1) Mahábhárata literally means “Great India”. Hence Mahábhárata became the name both for the campaign led by Krśńa to unify India, and for the epic composition about that campaign. Both the campaign and the narration of the epic begin at a point when Krśńa is already a king – Párthasárathi.
After the author of the present book had spoken in Ranchi in 1968 on the two topics (the campaign and the epic), those speeches were collected in the book Discourses on the Mahábhárata. –Eds.

(2) Mathura was at that time the capital of the kingdom of Shurasena, and Gokula and Vrindavana were villages within the kingdom. Mathura was and still is an important city. The Gokula and Vrindavana of that time fall within what is now the larger town of Vrindavana. All lie in the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. –Eds.

(3) The cousin of Krśńa. He imprisoned King Ugrasena (Krśńa’s grandfather), usurped the throne, and, out of fear arising from a prophecy, imprisoned his cousin Devaki and her husband Vasudeva, killing each of their children as they were born. Two of the children, Krśńa and his brother Balarama, escaped destruction. Kansa spent years trying to find and assassinate the young Krśńa. –Eds.

(4) “Vraja” was a term for Gokula and Vrindavana (for further discussion of the term, see p. 47). Kurukśetra was the battlefield of the Mahábhárata war. –Eds.

(5) The city that the merchant built was also named Pataliputra, and is now a well-known part of modern-day Patna, capital of the Indian state of Bihar. –Eds.

(6) Arjuna was the greatest warrior of that era and the closest friend and disciple of Lord Krśńa. During the war of the Mahábhárata, Krśńa agreed to be Arjuna’s charioteer. –Eds.

(7) Buddhintu sárathiḿ viddhi. In the shloka the sárathi represents the buddhi, the discriminating faculty, or pinnacled intellect. But since it is the buddhi that brings spiritual aspirants in close contact with Parama Puruśa, the sárathi ultimately comes to represent Parama Puruśa. –Eds.

Chapter 14	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

There is a popular saying, Shreyáḿsi bahuvighnáni [“The path of spiritual excellence is strewn with numerous obstacles”]. When one sets out to complete a great task, innumerable difficulties must be confronted. The greater the task, the mightier the obstacles. That is why the person who wants to perform noble deeds must be ready to face opposition from the very outset. Those who are not prepared for these mighty obstacles begin to falter and ultimately surrender in the face of opposition. Thus it is aptly said:

Nindantu niitinipuńáh yadi vá stuvantu
Lakśmii samávishatu grhaḿ gacchatu vá yatheśt́am;
Adyaeva marańamastu yagántare vá
Nyáyát pathah praticalanti padaḿ na dhiiráh.

“Let those well-versed in ethics criticize me or praise me, as they so desire; let Lakśmii, the goddess of wealth, either be gracious enough (because of my activities) to reside in my house, or, if she prefers, go elsewhere; let death visit me today or decades later. It makes little difference to me. Wise people will never withdraw from the path of ideology, the path which they accept as their ideal.”

Prárabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena niicaeh;
Prárabhya vighnavihatáh viramanti madhyáh.
Vighnaermuhurapi pratihanyamánáh;
Prárabhya uttamáh janáh na parityajanti.

“Inferior people do not even start any noble activity because of the mere anticipation of opposition. Mediocre people no doubt start their work, but, when confronted with opposition, leave it unfinished. The best type of people never leave any work unfinished. Even if they are confronted with enormous difficulties at every step, they persist until the work is successfully completed.”

Hence the popular saying Shreyáḿsi bahuvighnáni.

Our topic of discussion was Vraja Krśńa and Párthasárathi Krśńa – the same Krśńa playing two distinctly different roles. Párthasárathi’s was a very tough role. The opposition was tremendous, as mountain-high as the goal was great.

In prehistoric times people were no better than animals. There was no difference between primitive humans living in caves and ape-men and proto-apes living in caves. But one branch of primitive humans made significant advances in knowledge and intellect. The other branches, moving at their normal speed, failed to keep pace with the accelerated movement of that branch, so they trailed far behind. Apes could not evolve beyond the animal stage, whereas humans felt that they were something new, something different, from other species.

While advancing, human beings gradually learned how to cultivate land and build houses, but still retained some animal traits. For example, animals and monkeys would dance, peacocks would dance, and those primitive humans would also dance. However, whereas animals continued to eat their food raw, humans gradually learned how to roast and otherwise cook their food.

It was Lord Shiva who trained those ancient humans – who were neither fully human nor completely animal – to live a harmonious and systematic life. Since those people liked to dance, Shiva taught them the art of dancing. He introduced a fixed system in every sphere of life. Shiva observed that the people of His age were contemplative, so He formulated a particular discipline to help them attain psychic progress and spiritual elevation. He introduced a rhythm and a systematic lifestyle into the lives of those primitive people and showed them the path that leads towards subtlety. The highest and greatest contribution of Lord Shiva was that He helped develop every aspect of human life and guided human beings from the animal stage to the domain of subtlety. That tradition has continued for many thousands of years.

However, that was not enough for human society. Society had not yet realized the need or significance of beautiful collective living. It was an imperative necessity for people to feel, to realize, that they needed to build a society which guaranteed the basic necessities of food, clothing, shelter, education and medical treatment to all its members. It was essential for those advancing along the paths of their individual lives to realize that others should have equal opportunities to follow the same broad highway of morality and spirituality in collective life. Otherwise, with the degeneration of the collectivity, the degeneration of the individual is inevitable.

The kingdoms of Anga, Banga, Kalinga, Saurastra, Magadha, etc., had small populations. If any problem of unprecedented magnitude were ever to confront them, they would be unable to grapple with it individually, and could only succeed in overcoming it if they formed a united front. Teaching society this lesson was the onerous responsibility of Krśńa, and to make the lesson crystal clear to His contemporaries, He had no other choice but to assume the role of Párthasárathi.

This was a prodigious task, beset with difficulties and obstacles. Society in those days, the entire ancient India, was fragmented into a large number of small kingdoms. Krśńa fervently hoped that all the petty kingdoms would unite and construct a well-knit society, a stable, greater India. In a strong and united India, coordinated cooperation among the federated units would bring stability to socio-economic life and improvement in the moral standard, enabling people to progress spiritually. His mission extended from individuals to the collectivity. Such was the aspiration of Krśńa.

The role of Vraja Krśńa was to guide people along the path of bhakti [devotion]. He was the very embodiment of softness and sweetness, never showing the severity needed in battle. Of course, struggle was present, but the primary factor was devotion. To guide people along the devotional path was the main theme, and the realization they received as a result was aparokśa anubhúti [direct experience]. But in the case of Párthasárathi Krśńa, the realization they received was both direct and indirect. For instance, people developed superior intellect. They built a happy and prosperous society, and cultivated higher knowledge, whereby they could determine the dos and don’ts of social life. They learned the secrets of action by cultivating the science of yoga and learning the practical process for finishing any action adroitly. These lessons fall within the scope of parokśa anubhúti [indirect experience]. Párthasárathi Krśńa showed humanity the path of knowledge which is in itself an invaluable aid for aparokśa anubhúti. Likewise, He demonstrated the art of karma yoga, which is an aspect of parokśa anubhúti, yet a most valuable aid for aparokśa ánubhúti. He also taught sharańágati [the cult of surrender] to enable people to surrender to Parama Puruśa and come within His supreme shelter. This is the stage where parokśa and aparokśa anubhúti become one.

The Foremost Difference

Vraja Krśńa showed humanity the way to attain aparokśa anubhúti. Jiivas [unit beings] come closest to Parama Puruśa through devotion, through sweet love for Him (Rádhá bháva). Vraja Krśńa taught His devotees that they must realize the sweetness of the world – for everything in this world is sweet – and make it their own through love. Párthasárathi, on the other hand, said that although everything in this world is sweet, people have to taste that supreme sweetness through severity, harshness, struggle and bitterness. Struggle in life is inevitable. This is the first and foremost difference between the two roles of Krśńa. The one wished to lead humanity to the highest realization through aparokśa anubhúti, while the other wished to lead humanity to that highest state of human excellence first through parokśa anubhúti and only then through aparokśa anubhúti. The difference is very vast indeed. The resoluteness, the firmness, that is found in Párthasárathi Krśńa is conspicuously absent in Vraja Krśńa. Similarly, virtues that are found in Vraja Krśńa are totally absent in Párthasárathi Krśńa. Párthasárathi Krśńa is ever ready to take up arms for the protection of those who have come under His shelter, whereas Vraja Krśńa protected His followers with softness and charming sweetness. He never exhibited His toughness, His firmness, to anyone.

Can anyone say which is the greater of the two? My reply is this: the question of who is superior or inferior does not arise at all; it is irrelevant. The fact is that Krśńa had to assume different roles out of necessity. In one role, He converted an ordinary community of people into a God-loving and highly devotional group, and in the other role, He goaded that same community to greater and nobler deeds, and established them in the highest excellence of human glory. Both roles were equally necessary then and both are necessary even today.

Chapter 15	Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6 [a compilation]

When Parama Puruśa incarnates Himself as Táraka Brahma [the Liberating Supreme Entity] at a certain transitional period, the people of that period invariably enjoy some special privileges. The privileges enjoyed by the people are the veritable proof of Táraka Brahma’s advent or incarnation. Let us analyse how Vraja Krśńa and Párthasárathi Krśńa tried to help and actually did help elevate people on the path of spirituality.

When people attain progress in the realm of spiritual realization, that progress is divided into six stages – sálokya, sámiipya, sáyujya, sárúpya, sárśt́hi and kaevalya.

Sálokya: At the stage of sálokya, people feel that they have come onto the earth at the same time as Parama Puruśa. The greatest achievement of human life is that one has come to live in this world at the same time that Parama Puruśa Himself has chosen to incarnate on this earth as Táraka Brahma. The great devotee Vrindavana Das observed, “It is my greatest misfortune that I was not born at the same time that the Lord chose to incarnate Himself on this earth.”

E hena sampad kále gorá ná bhajinu hele
Tachu pade ná karinu ásh;
Shrii Krśńa Caetanya T́hákur Shrii Nityánanda
Guńa gáy Vrindávana Das.

He lamented, “How unfortunate I am that when the Lord was physically present on this earth, I did not come. I was born later.” It is truly a great misfortune, a spiritual affliction, to be born a little before or after the Lord’s advent – it is indeed a spiritual affliction. The very thought that Parama Puruśa was on earth at the same time that I was brings a sense of ecstasy, an immense joy. This state of joy or bliss is termed sálokya. (Loka means “the world”. In Bengali loka means “human being”, but in Sanskrit it means a stratum [in this case, the world].)

When Krśńa was in Vraja, the people felt intense joy and a sense of pride that a great personality in the form of a young man had chosen to live in their midst. Those who came in contact with Párthasárathi Krśńa also felt that Krśńa was with them, guiding them, on all strata.

Oddly enough Duryodhana, even though he was apparently Krśńa’s enemy, was convinced that Krśńa was not an ordinary person. He thought that if he could win Krśńa’s support, he would be very fortunate. So on the eve of the Kurukśetra war he went to Lord Krśńa to ask Him for help. Both Duryodhana and Arjuna went to Krśńa for help.⁽¹⁾ Arjuna was more advanced than Duryodhana so far as the realization of sálokya was concerned.

Duryodhana arrived at Krśńa’s palace before Arjuna to find Krśńa lying in bed with His eyes closed pretending that He was fast asleep. Arjuna came afterwards and took his seat near Krśńa’s feet. [Duryodhana had seated himself beside Krśńa’s head.] Suddenly Krśńa sat up and acted as if He had just awakened. He did it in such a way that He looked first towards Arjuna sitting near His feet and said, “Oh, welcome Arjuna, you’ve come. It’s good to see you.” Then He caught sight of Duryodhana and said, “Welcome Duryodhana, you have come too. It’s good to see you.”

This was all pretense, of course, because Duryodhana had actually come earlier. But his realization of sálokya was less than Arjuna’s; he did not have the deep realization that Parama Puruśa, Táraka Brahma, had incarnated on the earth. Hence he could not get the benefits of sálokya, while Arjuna easily could. Now the entity who was pretending to be asleep was not Vraja Krśńa, the constant wielder and player of the magic flute, but instead was Párthasárathi Krśńa, the keen-witted person, the person with the pinnacled intellect. Had He been Vraja Krśńa, he would have played His magic flute, drawing Duryodhana as close to Him as Arjuna. Here lies the difference between Vraja Krśńa and Párthasárathi Krśńa. Párthasárathi Krśńa employed the tactics of diplomacy whenever necessary – and in those days that was quite often.

Sámiipya: The second stage of spiritual realization is sámiipya. Now in the first stage, people realize they have been born at the same time and in the same world as their Lord. In the second stage, they feel close to Parama Puruśa, close enough to talk to Him on friendly terms, even regarding extremely personal matters, and thus be relieved and comforted by Him. Sometimes people feel so close to Him that they go to Him not necessarily to disclose their personal difficulties, but for relief, for consolation and to gain sufficient strength to withstand the difficulties and troubles, the storms and stresses, of personal life.

Many people who came to Vraja Krśńa – and they were very common people – had this realization of sámiipya. But those who had the privilege to come in contact with Párthasárathi Krśńa were either highly-educated people and great saints, or kings and dignitaries. Not everybody had the privilege to come into contact with Párthasárathi Krśńa and enjoy the realization of sámiipya.

Those who had the experience of sálokya or sámiipya had to pass through various difficulties and hardships. The path of attainment was in no way simple and smooth. In the case of Vraja Krśńa, the realization of sálokya and samiipya was attained with very little difficulty, but in the case of Párthasárathi, one would not necessarily get the realization of sámiipya as an inevitable concomitant of sálokya.

Sáyujya: Next comes the stage of sáyujya. It implies close contact, almost body contact, the closest proximity imaginable. Most of the people of Vraja had enjoyed the realization of sáyujya, for they had dined, sung, played the flute and danced with, and sat close to, their dearest Krśńa. But it was not so easy to attain the state of sáyujya with Párasaráthi Krśńa. Only Arjuna, the third of the five Pandava brothers, was blessed with this realization. None of the other brothers had the opportunity.

Sárúpya: The next stage of sádhaná [spiritual practice] is sárúpya. It implies that “Not only am I close to Him, but whenever I think of Him I see Him in all directions.” Now how do people attain this state of realization? One may attain this state by becoming His closest and most intimate companion – His father, mother, wife, son, or any near and dear relation – or one may realize Him in another way. If one commits many sins and becomes a confirmed sinner, one always remains in mortal fear and thinks of Him – “Ah me, I am doing such ignoble deeds, the Lord is watching everything.” While thinking thus, one either becomes mad or dies. Ravana⁽²⁾ looked upon Parama Puruśa as his enemy, and ultimately died at the hands of Parama Puruśa.

Kansa also looked upon Parama Puruśa as his enemy. Consequently, just one week before his death, Kansa saw the reflection of Krśńa everywhere: in the sky, in the wind, in the trees and in the land and water. History tells us that in those days the primary school children were taught “Ka is for ‘Krśńa.’” The followers of Krśńa would say, “Ka is for ‘Krśńa.’” But Kansa, out of extreme fear of Krśńa – a kind of fear complex – demanded that teachers teach “Ka is for ‘Kansa’” instead. Kansa saw Him everywhere and consequently became mad: became mad a week before his death, and then met his physical death. (Ravana also looked upon Parama Puruśa as his enemy.)

Now it is true that one may attain Parama Puruśa by being His enemy, but that path is a torturous and cruel path. It would be better that no one be made to endure such afflictions, because such a person remains condemned by society as long as human history endures. When this realization of sárúpya (visualizing Parama Puruśa in each and every particle of this universe) results out of immense love for Parama Puruśa, that is the genuine realization, the true realization, and is something enjoyable, something exceedingly sweet and precious. When human beings become restless for the attainment of Parama Puruśa, when they strive hard to realize Him in all their actions (and ultimately succeed), their zeal, their irresistible urge for the Lord, is called arádhaná in Sanskrit (a – rádh + anat́ + tá [feminine suffix] = arádhaná), and the entity who does this arádhaná is known as “Rádhá”. Here Rádhá represents the mind of a devotee. The people of Vraja felt and realized Krśńa in all their thoughts and actions.

Jale Hari, sthale Hari, anale anile Hari,
Graha tárá súrje Hari, Harimay e trisaḿsár.

[Hari is everywhere, Hari is in everything: on land, in water, in wind and in fire. He is in the sun; He is in the three worlds.]

In the case of the sárúpya of Párthasárathi, people see Him in everything. The Pandavas experienced this realization as His inseparable friends and devotees, and the Kaoravas as His formidable foes. Those who are criminals or sinners think of Parama Puruśa as their enemy. “Look out,” Krśńa’s foes would think in fear, “here comes the enemy Párthasárathi Krśńa.” Thus the whole world became polarized during His lifetime. This polarization also took place during the period of Vraja Krśńa, but it remained partial. At the time of Párthasárathi Krśńa, the polarization became complete. Society became divided into opposing camps: on the one side those who were extremely committed to Him, ever ready to lay down their lives for His mission and ideology, and on the other side those who became so angry and so hostile that they could not even tolerate His name, far less His existence.

Sárśt́hi: Next comes sárśt́hi. Sárśt́hi occurs when spiritual aspirants realize Parama Puruśa in all possible ways and in all conceivable manners. Not only do the devotees see Him, they also remain united with Him, one with Him. That is, the sádhaka has the feeling that “I exist, He also exists, and there is a link between us.” There is a subject, there is an object, and there is a verb connecting the two. This is the proper significance of sárśt́hi. There is some difference between the meanings of sárśt́hi and of sárúpya. In sárúpya, the import is, “I exist and, my Lord, You also exist,” whereas in sárśt́hi it is, “I have become one with You.” But the question of my having become one with You remains. That is, there is an “I” feeling, though very tenuous. Otherwise how can I say that I have become one with You? To put the idea in another way, here in sárśt́hi the devotee and the Lord are extremely close, but duality remains nevertheless. The devotee exists and feels that his Lord is also there, so it is dualism. “I don’t want to become sugar, I want to taste sugar. If I become sugar, how will I enjoy the taste of it?”

Cini hate cáine re man,
Cini khete bhálabási.

–Ramprasad

Thus there must be some sense of duality. This sense of duality, though very slight, is the last word in most of the Vaeśńava schools of philosophy and in most of the religions of the world. There are some Vaeśńava schools which insist that the last word is “Lord, only You exist.” This state of realization – “Only You exist” – is called kaevalya. In Vaeśńava scriptures, not much mention is made of kaevalya (though it is not altogether non-existent), for sárśt́hi is generally considered to be the highest stage. This stage of realization was attained through Vraja Krśńa, and also through Párthasárathi Krśńa, but in a different way. Generally speaking, the realization is similar in the cases both of Vraja Krśńa and of Párthasárathi Krśńa, but for Vraja Krśńa the realizations of sámiipya, sáyujya, sárúpya, and sárśt́hi came through madhura bháva [sweetness], pleasing ideation and intimacy at every stage, through joy and overflowing bliss. In the case of Párthasárathi Krśńa, the realization came through struggle, through privation and hardship. Unlike Vraja Krśńa, Párthasárathi Krśńa in the sálokya stage does not inspire the hearts of His devotees by playing beautiful music on His flute. On the contrary, His directives to His devotees are: “Do your worldly duties, build a stable society upon a sound economy, fight against injustice, and build a secure base for both individuals and the collectivity. Be pragmatic and remain united against all evil forces. Unite the different groups in society upon a common platform.”

You all know that it was Lord Shiva who first taught human beings how to live a systematic and harmonious life and how to oppose the fissiparous tendencies resulting from animal propensities. This was considered enough during Shiva’s time, but during Krśńa’s time there was greater social consciousness. Krśńa wanted to arouse a strong urge in people’s minds to fight against evil forces. Although Krśńa did not provide any socio-economic-political theory, He made people conscious in the social, economic and cultural spheres, and advanced society by providing inspiration in His own unique way. That is, Párthasárathi Krśńa helped the people to advance by expanding their social consciousness. That is why those who had received schooling from Párthasárathi jumped to the stage of sárśt́hi right from the lowermost stage of sálokya. They did not rise gradually to successively higher stages through joy and sweet blissful experiences, but advanced to the highest stage all at once. But this sudden expansion involved labour, toil and struggle. It entailed great risk and demanded uncompromising fighting spirit.

In the case of Vraja Krśńa, the devotee developed a unique spiritual consciousness. The one thought that filled a devotee’s mind was, “I want to go to Parama Puruśa,” and that journey passed through madhura bháva. Párthasárathi’s teachings were quite different. He said, “Well, you want to advance. That’s all right, but others must come with you. You must all come together.” This approach certainly impairs madhura bháva to some extent because it involves an element of roughness. If we are to use an analogy, we can compare a very sweet thick-skinned mango to Vraja Krśńa. You can easily peel away the skin and relish the sweet juicy fruit to your heart’s content – no trouble, only happiness. If someone asks you how sweet it is, you cannot express your delight in words and you illustrate the sweetness through gestures. But Párthasárathi Krśńa may be compared to a firm, ripe bel [wood apple] with a hard shell. You have to take some trouble to break the shell, and while breaking it you have to be careful not to let the fruit fall to the ground and smash into pieces. The pulp is no doubt very good for the stomach, perhaps even better than a mango, but it is not so nice to eat. It is not as juicy as a mango. If Vraja Krśńa can be likened to high quality cakes like gokulapiit́há or pát́i sápt́á, Párthasárathi Krśńa may be likened to sweets made of boiled, condensed sugar cane juice.

While analysing these six successively higher stages, one more thing must be considered. Not only human beings, but all expressions in this universe, have form and colour. One must establish oneself permanently above all tanmátras,⁽³⁾ rising above sound, touch, form, taste and smell. When your mind rises above inferences of various wavelengths and finally attains the subtlest wavelength, a straight line, you realize that Párthasárathi is your dearest friend and nearest relation.

Atyágasahano bandhuh sadaevánumatah suhrd;
Ekakriyaḿ bhavenmitraḿ samapráńah sakhá smrtah.

“One who cannot tolerate separation from his or her friends is called bandhu.” The bonds of love are so strong that they cannot be snapped.

Sadaevánumatah suhrd – “when two friends are always in agreement, never differing from one another, they are suhrd.”

“When people pursue the same profession and discharge duties of the same nature, they are called mitram.” (For example, two lawyers or two physicians are mitram.)

“When the love between two friends is so close that they seem to be of one life, they are said to be sakhá.” Arjuna was the sakhá of Krśńa. Párthasárathi was the sakhá of Arjuna. Their mutual love was very deep.

Arjuna attained Krśńa, the real Krśńa, after negotiating the different stages from sálokya to sárśt́hi. Arjuna had to pass through enormous difficulties, sufferings and rigorous training. When he developed a psychic crisis on the battlefield, he was given severe psychic blows before he came to his senses. He then recognized Krśńa clearly and perfectly, and his life became fruitful.

How can one attain Puruśottama [the Cosmic Nucleus], Párthasárathi Krśńa? In the case of Arjuna, in the initial stages there were soft murmurings, but in the final stage there was the ear-shattering noise of Páiṋcajanya [the name of Krśńa’s conch] resulting in Arjuna’s final, supreme realization. However, things were different with Vraja Krśńa. His flute produced different notes at different times. When devotees achieve some spiritual progress through madhura bháva, they hear a sound similar to a cricket sound. If you meditate in a lonely place with deep concentration you will hear the sound of crickets. Of course the crickets become silent after a while, whereas the Cosmic sound never stops its continuous refrain. This is the first stage of the flute sound of Vraja Krśńa. There are other sounds at other stages such as the roaring of seas, the rumbling of clouds and, finally, at the stage of sárśt́hi, the pluta⁽⁴⁾ sound of the oṋḿkára, continuing its eternal flow without any break or pause. But while hearing the sound of the oṋḿkára, sádhakas hear within it the sound of the flute. With their physical ears they hear it.

Adyápi sei kálácánd bánsharii bájáy;
Kona kona bhágyabán shuńibáre páy.

[Even to this day Lord Krśńa plays His flute. Only the blessed few can hear that holy sound.]

When a sádhaka attains this stage, he or she attains sárśt́hi, and feels, “Lord! You exist. I exist. We are so close that I have become You. You have become me.” One can attain sárśt́hi through Párthasárathi no doubt, but not of this kind. There the ideation is “O Parama Puruśa, O Lord, O Párthasárathi! You have made me exclusively Your own. My separate existence cannot be kept intact. I am a mere tool in Your hands. I will aim my arrow as You want me to. I am ready for all kinds of work.”

Footnotes

(1) Duryodhana was the eldest of the Kaorava brothers and leader of the Kaorava side in the Mahábhárata war. Arjuna was one of the Pandava brothers and went as a representative of the Pandava side. –Eds.

(2) The mythological king of Lanka in the Ramáyáńa epic. –Eds.

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

(4) Prolonged. See also Ch. 5. –Eds.