Chapter 1	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

What is the meaning of the word “Váráńasii”? In both English and Bengali the meaning of the word “vár” is “to check” or “to stop”. Vár + anat́ = várańa which means “to forbid”. It is a negative command. Similarly, ni – var + anat́ = nivárańa. Now, “anas” means “birth”. Vár + anas = váráńas. In Saḿskrta, váráńas becomes váráńasii in the feminine gender. Philosophically, váráńasii refers to a particular point or “vindu”. In the spiritual sphere, when one reaches that vindu one no longer takes rebirth – the cycle of birth and death stops and the aspirant no longer has to return to this world. In váráńasii there is no rebirth. It should be understood that this váráńasii does not refer to a particular city of Uttar Pradesh in India but to a point situated between the ájiṋá and sahasrára cakras, that is, between the pituitary and pineal glands. Spiritual aspirants, through the practice of sádhaná and with the help of the Divine Spirit, become established in that point, attaining great mental power and omniscience. Such people do not have to take another birth in this world. That is why it is said that if one dies in káshi, one will never be reborn. Káshi does not refer to a city, but to that spiritual point.

“Trailokye yáni bhútáńi táńi sarváni dehatah”. Whatever exists in this world also exists within your body. You are a microcosmic expression of the universe. That is why it has been said, “Know thyself. Acquire self-knowledge or átmajiṋána”. How can you acquire self-knowledge? Go deep within to the centre point of your existence. First, go to your centre plexus and then to your muládhára cakra. Your muládhára cakra is an ideational entity orbiting like a satellite around the Supreme Muládhára. If you make the effort to know your inner self, if your desire for self-knowledge is strong, all the secrets will be revealed to you. “Trailokye yáni bhútáńi táńi sarváni dehatah”.

That point, that váráńasii, which, as I have said, is situated between ájiṋá and sahasrára cakras, is bright and luminous. It is the true káshi. Káshi is derived from the Saḿskrta root verb kásh + al + striiyám + iniip. Káshi means “very luminous entity”. I think its meaning is crystal-clear.

Some people say that the town Váráńasii is so-called because it is situated between the rivers Baruná and Ashi, but that is not correct. If that were so, the name would have been Varuńásii and not Váráńasii. The correct derivation is vár + ánas = váráńas which becomes váráńasii in the feminine gender. Is the meaning clear to you now? “Var” means “to forbid” and “ánas” means “birth”. Those who die at váráńasii are not reborn. It is not a city in India, but a vindu or point. One may learn the secrets of this point through the practice of vishesha yoga. During this meditation the mind ascends to such a height that there is no further need to acquire a new body. Those who have not yet learnt vishesha yoga will learn it in the future and will come to realize its significance, and will like it.

To establish the mind on this point of váráńasii or káshi, one has to quickly elevate the mind. Those who have learnt the technique of Tantra sádhaná or kápálika sádhaná, know what joy can be derived from this. It helps to establish the practitioner in the cult of váráńasii. Those who have not yet mastered it, will one day be established in the cult of váráńasii. Why not? Those who have acquired a human structure will surely be established in váráńasii.

Chapter 2	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

The day before yesterday I told you something about the superiority of bhakti or devotion, but for want of time I had to stop in the middle of my discourse and could only explain the first line of the sloka: “Bhaktirbhagavato seva”. Today I shall discuss the second line: “Bhaktih premasvarúpinii”.

I told you that the word “bhakti” is derived from the root verb “bhaj” + suffix “ktin”. When is “ktin” used in Saḿskrta? It is used to give an expressional form to an action. The root verb “bhaj” signifies withdrawing one’s attractions or attachments from all objects and concentrating them on one particular point. Bhakti means to withdraw one’s attractions from all objects and channelize them towards Parama Puruśa. When the unit self is associated with the cosmic it is called “bhakti” or “devotion”, but when it is associated with the mundane it is called “attachment”. You must withdraw your mental propensities from all external objects – no matter what they might be – and channelize them only towards Parama Puruśa. Only when you direct them towards Him, can it be called bhakti. If you allow your mind to become fascinated by any other object, it is called “ásakti” or “attachment”. When your only desire is for Iishvara, it is called “Iishvara-bhakti”, but when that attachment is for wine, for example, it is called ásakti for wine. An attachment for any object other than Parama Puruśa is called “ásakti”.

What is the meaning of the word “prema”?

Samyauṋmasrnito svánto mamatvátishayánkitah.
Bháva sa eva sándrátmá budhaeh premanigadyate.

That action – samyauṋmasrnito svánto – which causes one’s mind to become clean and pure, and one’s words and thoughts to become identical (that is, one does not entertain two “I’s”, an internal “I” and an external “I”) can be called bhakti.

I told you previously that human beings can be classified into three categories. What characterizes those in the inferior category? They have three personalities working within and are thus not worthy of being called human beings. The first personality always keeps the true thoughts concealed in the mind. The second personality never discloses what it actually thinks but says something else. That is, the spoken words do not reveal the actual thoughts. The third personality thinks in a certain way, says something completely different and does something else. These three personalities constantly battle against one another. The second personality resolves never to disclose anything the first personality thinks about, because then everyone will come to know the person’s true nature; that he steals money, for example, or wants to become a leader to misappropriate public funds. Such a person proclaims, “I shall look after your best interests. Please vote for me”, but inwardly contemplates, “Nobody’s going to get any help from me. I’ll be busy enough looking after my own affairs.” There is a constant conflict between the first and the second personalities because the second one decides what should be told and what should be hidden. This is the conflict of personalities. What does the third personality say? “I will only do some of the things I said I would do. I’ll do the exact opposite of most of the other things I promised, and as for the rest, I won’t bother about them at all.” This is the mentality of the third personality. “Yes, I certainly did give my word to construct the road. I’ll do it at the earliest available opportunity.” But when that opportunity finally comes he never keeps his word. The third personality has already resolved, “Whenever I meet anyone, I’ll say I’m trying”.

There is a story that once a poor man died in a certain place. The local inhabitants surrounded their elected representative and shouted, “You are our representative. Do something about the funeral of this poor chap”. Actually, all those who lobbied him had lost their sense of personal responsibility, otherwise they would themselves have picked a handful of people to make all the necessary arrangements. Anyway, they did not do that and instead told the representative, “It’s your duty to organize the funeral”. The representative replied, “I’m just on my way to Parliament. On reaching there I’ll table a motion. I’m sure that a resolution will be passed very quickly so that say within two or third months at the most, the funeral of that poor man will be organized”. The third personality is continually fooling people in this way.

There is an intense tug-of-war going on between these three personalities which is highly detrimental to the individuals concerned. They lose their memory, simplicity of mind, and self-confidence and ultimately find themselves thrown into the dustbin. Those people who used to garland them with flowers, ultimately lose faith in them, and search for them, saying, “Where have those rascals gone? We’ve prepared a garland of shoes for them”. This is the fate they have to suffer.

These things never occur on path of devotion. “Samyauṋmasrnito svánto”. The mind becomes smooth, soft and tender. The duplicity and quarrels which disturb the mind of the third category of person are non-existent in the mind of a devotee.

The second type of people are different again. Although they do not say what they think, what they say, they do. That is, although there is no difference between their words and actions, they keep their thoughts secret. “Manasá cintayet karma vacasá na prakśayet”. The changed version of this saying is, “Shataḿ vada má likha”. That is, “Say it hundreds of times if you like, but never put it into writing”. Though there is no similarity between the thoughts and words of the second group of people, there is a close affinity between their words and actions. They honour their words with their actions. Most of those we have called “mahápurush” [great person] come within this category. They do not reveal their minds, their inner thoughts, but whatever they say, they do. For this simple act they are heaped with praise. Those who are really great people, however, do not belong to this group. Being sincere and honest, they say and do exactly what they think because they have clean, clear and pure minds unperturbed by conflict. They are like “laddu”[sweet ball] which easily rolls when pushed and not like “jilebi” [flat, coiled sweet]. In Saḿskrta, jilebi is known as “kuńd́alinii” or “kuńd́aliká” [which means “something coiled”].

“Samyauṋmasrnito svánto mamatvátishayánktah”. Those who have Iishvaraprema – inner love for God – remove the pebbles and stones from their path, making it smooth, neat and clean. Non-indulgence in duplicity, hypocrisy and other base mental propensities is the first sign of Iishvaraprema. Say things clearly: “No, I am unable to do it. I shall not support you”. Talk straight. Do not say things like, “It’s good to see you again. Yes, of course I shall think it over”. Say immediately, “No, I won’t support you. Your actions are not proper. You are not following dharma. You are immoral, unideological and inhuman. Why should I support a person like you? You won’t get any support from me, you can be sure of that”. But do not say, “Come back tomorrow or the day after to give me a chance to think it over.” Close the chapter without delay. Do not linger. To do this, what do you need? You need a little courage, that is all. Every devotee possesses enough courage. Those who pursue the path of bhakti automatically acquire such courage – they are not timid. Krśńa, who used to play his flute in Vrndávana, took up arms in the battle of Kurukśetra. Devotees are capable of doing anything and everything. On the one hand they can endure immense torture, and on the other hand they can dance, sing and feast in joy. For them life is an abundance of blossoming flowers and sumptuous fruits. They derive bliss from every aspect of their lives. Others cannot do this as, due to wickedness and sin, their minds destroy bliss, and like the worm-eaten flower, wither away into dark obscurity. “Mamatvátishayánkitah”.

It has been said, “Ananyamamatá Viśnurmamatá premasamgatá”. How is prema expressed? It is expressed when one is free from all attachments and possessions. What is the meaning of “mamatá”? Mama + tá = mamatá. Mama means “mine” and thus mamatá is the inner idea of being mine, the feeling that something is my own. One does not think of anything as being one’s own except Parama Puruśa (Viśńu). This spiritual outlook can also be called “prema”. One who has thus taken Parama Puruśa as his or her own gets everything in Parama Puruśa and has a grip over the entire universe. Everything will eventually come under the control of such a devotee. To think that Parama Puruśa and nothing else is one’s own is therefore the cleverest thing to do. That is why it has been said “mamatá”: everything becomes full by His mamatá. Everyone will feel His closest proximity and receive the same treatment from Him as His nearest ones. He will take everybody on His lap, saying, “Don’t worry. I have come to help you”. This is the second characteristic of Iishvaraprema. “Bháva sa eva sándrátma budhaeh premanigatyate”. To look upon the world with an all-encompassing vision, seeing everything as an expression of Parama Puruśa is called “prema” by those who are wise. Prema is one of the qualities of a devotee. Bháva also means to see every entity as a manifestation of Parama Puruśa. To explain bháva it has been said;

Shuddhasattva visheśádvá premasuryáḿshu sámyabhák.
Rucibhishcittamásrńya krdasao bháva ucyate.

Here the word “cittamásrńya” has been used to describe the clean, polished state of mind in which there is no scope for any sort of hypocrisy. “Bhaktipremasvarupinii”. This cosmic ideation (bháva) along with certain subtle vrttis which lead the mind towards spirituality together make Ishvaraprema. I have already explained that when one channelises one’s attractions towards Iishvara, it is “bhakti” and when they are channelized towards any other object it is “ásakti”. Similarly, if one’s attachment is channelized towards any supra-psychic or spiritual object it may be called “prema” or “love”. But love in the physical and psychic spheres is called “káma” and not “prema”. Káma occurs when one has an ásakti to run after name, fame, education, intellect and so on. Many people think that káma means “sex”, but this is not correct. Káma means the endeavour to obtain certain things in the physical and psychic levels. So bhakti and prema are only applicable in the case of Iishvara. This ever-flowing mental thought-wave channelized towards Iishvara is the highest human achievement. To achieve this, advanced mental power is required and that is why it is only within the reach of the human mind.

Perhaps in the future, with the swift advancement of science, other unit beings living in close proximity to the human society may also acquire this sort of developed mental condition. Monkeys and dogs are certainly inferior to humans, but not very inferior. By learning from their human masters they will certainly acquire a God-loving mentality. Since they have the potentiality to realize God, we should never hate or mistreat them. We have no right to hate or mistreat anybody or anything. As you are a medium for His expression and reflection, so are all other creatures. Treat all creatures as your friends. You have no right to hate or mistreat any other creature.

Viśńuparisthitah Viśńuh Viśńurkhádati Viśńave
Kathaḿ hasasi re Viśńu sarvaḿ Viśńumayaḿ jagat.

Once a highly-realized Tántrika was eating a dish of rice with his beloved dog sitting on his lap. The dog was very fond of listening to kiirtana and loved to dance whenever a kiirtana tune was played. Actually the dog was more developed than many human beings. While the Tántrika and his beloved dog were sharing the food from the same plate, a jiṋána márgii [follower of the cult of knowledge], who was a supporter of untouchability, happened to pass by. Seeing them eating together he exclaimed, “How disgusting. You’re eating with a dog!” The Tantrika said, “I am Viśńu and the dog is Viśńu. So it is Viśńu who is eating. And being Viśńu yourself, why are you so scornful? The whole universe is full of Viśńu, Viśńu is everywhere. He is all-pervading”.

The sense of differentiation and distinction are of no value to devotees. For them, all become one, all discriminations disappear. Only human beings can have this type of mentality and that is why they are superior to all other beings. Those birds and animals living in close proximity to human beings, will surely develop this God-loving mentality if they have not already done so. The universal love which has remained suppressed in the human mind is also bound to express itself one day. That day is not very far away. By observing people’s conduct one will easily notice those who are absorbed in divine love. Such people could never think of exploiting others. Some of you know how I have described the exploiters. I said they are adhármika – unvirtuous and sinful people. If, by building big temples and large rest houses for pilgrims they think they are showing their love for God, they are false, vain, and hypocritical. By giving away ill-gotten money the exploiters will never be able to cover up their sins: one cannot acquire love for God so easily. Those who have attained Iishvaraprema, can never and will never exploit others. They will raise their voice against all sorts of tyranny, injustice and exploitation. Those who do not possess that kind of honest courage to oppose all wrongs are nothing but fakes – they are never genuine.

“Bhakti premasvarúpinii”. The actions of those absorbed in prema will reflect the true spirit of selfless benevolence.

Chapter 3	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

Bhaktihbhagavato sevá bhaktih premasvarúpińii;
Bhaktiránanda rupáca bhaktih bhaktasya jiivanam.

“Bhaktiránanda rupáca”. Bhakti is the embodiment of ánanda. What is ánanda? What is its visible expression? Ánanda + al suffix = ánanda. The root-verb “nand” means to taste joy, happiness or pleasure deep in the mind. When the entire mind is filled with ever-flowing bliss it is termed ánanda in psychological parlance. In the language of grammar and philosophy it is also ánanda.

In the language of grammar, too, when the mind becomes full to the brim with joy and happiness, it is termed “ánanda” [“á” means “entire”]. Suppose you have enjoyed a sumptuous feast. All the dishes were tasty except one: the curd was very, very sour. You could not derive total pleasure (ánanda) from the feast as one part of the feasting pleasure was absent. That is, one of the dishes was not at all palatable. So it was a very good feast except for the curd, which tasted very, very sour, as if it had just been taken from a tamarind tree.

In Saḿskrta, “nanda” means “a woman who has become highly pleased”, and “nánanda” means “a woman who is not completely pleased”, but is half-pleased or half-unhappy. In modern Bengali, “nánanda” is changed to “nanada” which means “husband’s sister”. She is not at all pleased when she has to welcome a sister-in-law in her house. In a corner of her mind she nurses a grievance against the girl who has so suddenly intruded upon her life, encroaching upon her position and authority. Thus, as she is not fully pleased, she cannot become completely nandá. That is why a husband’s sister is called “nánandá” in Saḿskrta and “nanada” in Bengali. But you should not give importance to such matters. I have simply used this example to help you understand, that is all. “Bhaktiránanda rupáca”. Pleasure is felt in the end. In its expressional form, that pleasure is called “ánanda”.

Now, let me explain the philosophical aspect of ánanda. In Ánanda Sútram it has been said, “Sukham anantam ánandam”. Joy and sorrow are the two expressions of the mind. Whenever the mind receives an object, there is an effect on the nervous system. When the nerves are put under a heavy pressure the effect is painful and it is called “sorrow”. If one hears a loud, screeching sound, the auditory nerves become over-burdened and one wishes the sound would stop. The poetaster, Bholá Moyra, wrote:

“Káker kańt́ha dháker vádya thámilei láge bhálo.”

Bholá Moyra was explaining what is good, and when it is good; what to eat and when; and what to see and when. He was asked, “When does the cawing of crows and the beating of drums sound good to the ear?” “When they stop,” he replied.

When the mind experiences a painful reaction, we call it “sorrow” and when it experiences a pleasing, relaxing reaction, we call it “joy” or “happiness”. Knowingly or unknowingly every human being is running after happiness, It is human nature. Not only is it human nature, it is the nature of all creatures. All birds and animals are in search of comfort and pleasure. Cats are constantly on the look-out for a warm, comfortable corner where they can curl up and sleep peacefully.

Sukham banchati sarvam taccadharma samudbhutam;
Tasmád dharmah sadá cárya sarva varnaeh prajatnatah.

Dharma was born out of this endless quest for happiness. One day, through experimentation, human beings discovered the true path of happiness. This was the starting point of dharmácarana [observance of dharma], the path on which people feel immense joy.

Tasmád dharmah sadá cárya sarva varnae prajatnatah.

Every human being, regardless of caste, creed or colour should practise dharmácarana. It is of no importance whether one is a labourer or an intellectual. The joy of dharmácarana flows from one and the same source and is so elevating that the mind cannot measure it. When an object is small, it can easily be measured with a tape measure. But when joy surpasses the capacity of the mind it becomes immeasurable. If sorrow becomes too intense to bear, one loses one’s equipoise and may even become senseless. When sorrow becomes this acute, it, too, can no longer be measured. So, unbearable sorrow and overwhelming joy are both beyond the scope of measurement. A person overwhelmed with joy may become senseless or may dance joyfully. That intense, immeasurable joy which leads one to infinity, is called “ánanda”.

Ucche is a bitter tasting vegetable which is not liked by everyone. Rasagollas [delicious Indian sweets], on the other hand, are rather satisfying to eat. However, the pleasure derived from eating a rasagolla is limited: while it sits on the tongue it is satisfying, but as soon as it goes down the throat, the pleasure ends. A rasagolla is ephemeral; only Parama Puruśa is infinite. No matter how you attempt to judge. Him, be it from the standpoint of His learning, education, love, temperament or authority, you will fail to fathom Him. He is immeasurable, He is infinite. When one comes in contact with Him one attains. infinite ánanda, not the limited pleasure of a rasagolla. When one experiences just a little extra joy, one tends to forget oneself. When one experiences infinite joy, what happens? One merges in the ocean of infinite joy thus attaining “savikalpa samádhi”. When that flow of joy becomes so great that one loses. one’s own identity and existence, it is called “nirvikalpa samádhi”. This happens due to extreme joy.

This explains ánanda from the grammatical point of view and sukhaḿ anantam ánandaḿ from the philosophical point of view.

“Bhaktirupánanda ca”. Bhakti is the embodiment of ánanda. Ánanda may also have an external manifestation. Yesterday, I spoke about “bhaktipremasvarúpińii”. Those established in bhakti cannot indulge in any form of duplicity. Radiating deep love for humanity, they work tirelessly to establish an ideal social Order free of all exploitation where human beings can stand up and fight against any type of injustice.

There is another expression of bhakti which occurs when devotees realize that all beings are created from ánanda, exist in ánanda and return to ánanda. This realization causes a radical change in their outlook – no longer can they differentiate between rich and poor, highborn and low-born. They observe an ocean of ánanda flowing within and around all created beings. “Rasa vae sah” – all are flowing in the same rasa, the same ocean of bliss. In that divine flow the devotees see Parama Puruśa dancing with each entity. In philosophy, this dance is called “rásaliilá” [divine play in the flow of bliss]. It does not mean that someone is actually playing a flute with all the humans and cows dancing around him. Rather, it means that all the entities of this beginningless and endless universe are floating in the ocean of cosmic bliss. There is no place for sorrow since sorrow only exists where petty interests clash and vie with each other. When the devotees clearly understand this they become established in “bhaktiránanda rupáca”.

When all humans are dancing in the same rhythm of Parama Puruśa, when they are all moving in the same ideational flow, should there be any distinction between rich and poor, high-bred and low-bred? Of course not. In this divine flow there is not even a distinction between devotees and non-devotees. Does Parama Puruśa ever exclude the non-devotees from His infinite, endless cosmic dance? Does He not feed and protect them too? Why should such a sense of distinction influence the human mind? Humans must keep such divisions and distinctions out of their minds. When all are dancing in the same flow of bliss what right does anyone have to discriminate against them? If one person rejects another, Parama Puruśa will be angry.

Who is Parama Puruśa? “Brahmaeva Gururekah ná parah”. Not only is He the creator of everything, He is also the Guru, the preceptor, the teacher. If any created being is neglected, the Guru will be angry. In the shástras it has been said;

“Shive ruśt́e gurustrátá gurao ruśt́ao na kashcana”. If Shiva gets angry the Guru can save you from danger, but if the Guru becomes angry nobody can save you. Parama Puruśa is that Guru. Everybody is dancing in that ocean of ideation, that ocean of bliss. Nobody can ignore this divine flow of bliss; nobody should be prevented from enjoying that bliss.

“Bhaktih bhaktasya jiivanam”. Fish live in water – their existence depends upon it. If you pull a fish out of the water it dies. Humans are creatures of the land. If you keep a person immersed in water for a long time he or she will die. Land is a person’s life. Similarly, if devotees are unable to remain in a devotional environment, they will surely die. Wherever they go, they scour the earth, the oceans and the skies in search of other devotees. When two devotees meet they cling to each other in an embrace of deep affinity. For them, the company of a non-devotee is unbearable. Hence, “Bhaktih bhaktasya jiivanam.”

Devotion is the life-force of a devotee, and without it nothing can be achieved. When the life-force leaves a person’s body, death quickly follows. Similarly, if devotion is taken away from the devotees, they, tom, will die. So devotees always want to listen to topics of devotion – they do listen and they should listen. That is why devotees will never tolerate anything said against God or anything propagated against Parama Puruśa.

Chapter 4	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

Eko hi rudrah na dvitiiyáya tasthúrya imánllokániishata iishaniibhih
Pratyaḿ janámstistate samcukopántakále saḿsrjya vishvá bhuvanáni gopá.

In this universe the guiding entity is One; there is no scope for multiplicities. That single entity who guides and directs everything is the father, the preceptor and Guru of all. “Eko hi rudrah.” This Rudra is a singular entity. Rudra means “he who makes one weep”. In Saḿskrta there are two verbs referring to this state: rodana [to weep softly] and krandana [to cry loudly). Parama Puruśa is called Rudra because He makes us weep. But why should He who has unbounded love for us make us weep?

People weep due to intense pain or pleasure, that is, when sorrow becomes unbearable or when joy becomes overwhelming. Why does Parama Puruśa make us cry by giving us too much love or too much suffering? It is certainly not because He is cruel. He created this world because He was alone. He wanted to be with others, to play the game of joy and sorrow, of pain and pleasure. Now, there is no hard and fast rule which states that a play should have both comic and tragic scenes. It may be comic or tragic. However, it only becomes complete when it includes both comic and tragic elements. It should make one laugh and cry. Parama Puruśa makes you laugh with joy and pain; and He makes you cry with joy and pain. When people suffer they think Parama Puruśa is very cruel, but when they are happy, they never think about how much joy He has given to them. But they should remember:

“When tears of pain roll down my cheeks
Thanks to Hari, thanks to Hari.
When I float in the ocean of nectar
Thanks to Hari, thanks to Hari.”

In both cases Parama Puruśa deserves our thanks. That is why He is Rudra. If we only laughed, the drama would not be so interesting, and if we only wept, the drama would not be so enjoyable. Parama Puruśa’s drama is never dull or boring.

“Na dvitiiyáya tasthúrya.” There is no second entity like Him. Why? All the unit minds of the universe along with the cosmic mind make the mind of Parama Puruśa. So there can never be a second guiding entity. All the responsibility lies with the One Entity. Thus it has been said, “Na dvitiiyáya tasthúrya”. Why is this?

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

Puruśa evedaḿ sarvaḿ yadbhútaḿ yacca bhavyam;
Utámrtatvasyesháno yadannenátirohati.⁽¹⁾

A person works with one brain, but Parama Puruśa has innumerable brains. One cannot fathom the depths of His intellect, judgement or consideration. Everything is in His mind; He observes everything. You cannot hide anything from Him. Even if He does not want to observe someone, He has no choice as all actions are performed in His mind. You can shut out the world by simply closing your eyelids; but Parama Puruśa’s mind has no eyelids. All objects are within Him, and thus He has no choice but to observe everything. There is no place for a second guiding entity. “Na dvitiiyáya tasthúrya.”

What is the greatest benefit which human beings derive from this? Wherever they are, Parama Puruśa is always with them. They are never alone. If someone thinks, “I will not obey Parama Puruśa,” Parama Puruśa will chuckle to Himself and say, “What an absurd thing that person in my mind is thinking.” Similarly, if someone thinks, “No, I shall not recognize Parama Puruśa,” Parama Puruśa will laugh and say, “All right, don’t recognize me.” But later, when that person is in great danger, he or she says, “Parama Puruśa, please help me. I know I shouldn’t have said all those things about you. Please be merciful. Please forget what I said and help me. In order to become a public figure I sometimes denounced you, but you understand why I had to do this, don’t you?”

“Utámrtatvasyesháno”. When everything resides in His mind, can heaven or hell remain outside Him? No, both heaven and hell exist in His mind. If a so-called sinner goes to hell, is that hell outside His mind? No, it is also within Him. “Utámrtatvasyesháno”. “Uta” means “hell”. Even the most degraded people are not alone – Parama Puruśa is with them and will help them in times of need. No one should ever despair, however degraded they might be.

In the movement towards subtlety there are seven stages or lokas: bhu, bhuvah, svah, mahah, janah, tapah and satya; and in the movement towards crudity, there are seven spheres: tala, atala, talátala, pátála, atipátála, mahiitala, and rasátala. Rasátala, the crudest sphere, is dense, crude matter, like wood, bricks and stones. For a person having degenerated to this degree of crudity, it is next to impossible to return to the subtler spheres. But even in rasátala one is not alone – Parama Puruśa is also there. Hence, no one should despair.

“Utámrttvasyesha”. Those who are very advanced, who have ascended to the zenith point of human progress, are also not alone: Parama Puruśa is always with them. Even if Parama Puruśa would like to ignore certain, people, He cannot, since everything is within His mind. He is bound to stay with everyone whether He likes them or not. We may say to a person, “Hey, you. Clear off!” but Parama Puruśa cannot, because nothing is outside His mind; everything is within. He cannot order anyone to “clear off”. If He instructs a sinner to go away, that sinner will say, “All right I’ll go, but where?” Parama Puruśa will have no answer since nothing is outside His mind. One can easily challenge Parama Puruśa by saying, “You are driving me away but where shall I go? Nothing is outside you. Oh Parama Puruśa, if there is another entity besides you, you are no longer the endless, infinite entity – you will be one of two entities.” Some people mistakenly believe that this second entity is Satan, but there is no such entity. If Parama Puruśa and Satan both existed, we would have to acknowledge two Parama Puruśas. Satan would be a second God. But that cannot be; there is no Satan. The force of avidyá [ignorance], the propensity which tricks one into doing an evil act, can be called Satan. Other than this, there is no Satan.

“Utámrttvasyesháno”. Parama Puruśa is bound to stay with those who live in hell. Similarly, those who have reached the zenith point of existence and attained infinite bliss, are bound to have Parama Puruśa with them. If they think that, having progressed so far, Parama Puruśa need not stay with them any more, they are wrong. He stays with all, be they the virtuous or the sinners. The virtuous He must love, the sinners He must rebuke and correct. In both cases, Parama Puruśa is obliged to stay with them.

“Utámrttvasyesháno yadannenátirohati.” There is no entity to supervise or administer Parama Puruśa because nothing exists outside Him. That is why He is the only adorable object for humanity. No other object can fulfil that role.

“Yadannenátirohati.” If one accepts a second entity as one’s object of adoration, what will happen? After blessing you, the second entity will have to say, “Look, I’m not what you think I am. There is somebody greater than me.” In this way one will have to worship thousands of gods, one after the other. But does anyone have that much time in life? There is a Bengali saying, “If I want to kill I will kill a rhinoceros; if I want to loot, I will a treasury.” [That is, one only attempts the greatest feat.] Thus if one is to adore any entity, it should be that One Entity, and no other. “Tamekaḿ smarámah, tamekaḿ japámah”. If I am to meditate on an object, let it be on that One Entity. “Tamekaḿ japámah”. If I am to utter anyone’s name in prayer, let it be the name of that One Entity. And if I am to prostrate myself before anyone, let it be before that One Entity.

“Tamekaḿ jagatśakśiirupáḿ namámah”. I should salute that One entity. “Tadekam nidhánam sharańaḿ vrajámah”. If I am to accept anyone as the supreme shelter of life, as the ultimate desideratum, let it be that One Entity, and no other. He is the only entity which needs no shelter and no base. He depends on none. He is “nirálamba”; He needs no support. That is why He is the Supreme Entity, the Highest Entity. Let us move towards Him.

“Tadekam nidhánaḿ nirálambaniishaḿ vrajámah”. Whenever human beings try to attain liberation, they are hindered by the binding shackles of their reactive momenta. Dragged forward by these reactive momenta against their wishes, they are forced to suffer the reactions of their misdeeds. They have no choice: this is the only way they free themselves of the influence of their past actions. They are mere instruments, unable to act independently. They cannot perform the pratya mu lak karma, and are thus forced to perform the saḿskara mu lak karma. These reactive momenta (or “bhava” in Saḿskrta) are sometimes compared with an ocean. The only way to traverse this vast ocean – and thus progress along the spiritual path – is to cleanse the mind of its reactive momenta. But everyone has so many sins, accumulated from so many lives, which cannot all be acquitted in a single lifetime. What should people do? How many more births will they have to undergo to be free of all the sins? If in one life people commit so many sins, imagine how many they commit in ten or twenty lives. Can people endure the suffering caused by those past misdeeds? How small and helpless humans are, even with all the knowledge and intellect they claim to possess. Those who are thought to be learned actually have such little knowledge and can only remember a small portion of what they study. People often blame themselves for their unwise actions; but why did they do them in the first place? No matter how wise people are, they always face dilemmas – not just every month or year, but every day. In every way humans feel the inadequacy of their physical and mental powers.

How can a person cross this vast ocean of bhava, this vast ocean of reactive momenta whose waters have been rising life after life? To reap the consequences of all these saḿskáras would take a person at least twenty lifetimes. What a long time! Is this suffering necessary? The person who committed those bad deeds, those undesirable actions, was not enlightened – he or she did not understand right from wrong, but acted quite unknowingly. So is it not Parama Puruśa’s duty to consider the state of ignorance that the person was in at the time? Certainly; but Prakrti never pardons anyone because of their ignorance. If a one-year old boy puts his hand into a fire, he will get burnt. Prakrti never forgives; for her there are no exceptions. She knows what reactions each action causes. But will Parama Puruśa not consider that human beings commit mistakes due to their inherent defects and imperfections? Yes, He will certainly consider that, due to their lack of wisdom and proper judgement, they were not aware that their actions would have such painful reactions. The jiṋániis and karmiis may not realize this, but the devotees certainly will. The devotees will not plead, “Oh Lord, please help me,” because they know that He is all-merciful and considerate.

Parama Puruśa is not an unfeeling judge, sitting impassively on his bench, following the codes and rules of court. No, He feels love and compassion. He knows that His devotees have a deep love for Him and thus He has a similar love for them. Love and attachment are reciprocal and interdependent: they are not one-sided.

Can a person cross the ocean of saḿskáras by individual effort? In this regard Krśńa said:

Daevii hyeśá guńamayii mama Máyá duratyayá;
Mámeva ye prapadyante Máyámetáḿ taranti te.⁽²⁾

“It is very difficult to surmount this Máyá, because she is very powerful. How can such a small, ordinary human surmount this Máyá?” “Mámeva ye prapadyante máyámetám taranti te”. “Only the one who has taken shelter in Me can surmount Máyá”. Individual effort alone will not suffice. How can one free oneself from the saḿskáras accumulated while under the influence of Máyá and thus cross that dreadful ocean? A devotee has said, “Bhavámbodhipotam sharańam vrajámah”. “I will not be able to swim across because sharks will devour me. It is an impossible task. So what shall I do? I shall board a ship and sail across that ocean. Oh Parama Puruśa, please be the ship which carries me safely to the other side.” “Bhavámbodhipotam”. Ambudhii means “sea” – the bháva samudra; potaḿ means “ship”. Saranam vrajámá signifies, “I shall take shelter in that ship for I have no other way.” Thus, the intelligent people, the devotees, know that Parama Puruśa is the only shelter, the only patron. There is no other path, no other alternative.

Human beings would not be such helpless creatures, if they realized that Parama Puruśa is their dependable shelter and permanent guide. There is a riddle: if there is a severe fight between a cow and a horse, who will win? The answer is, if the cow is in her shed, she will win; and if the horse is in his stable, he will win. The point is that the winner is the one who has the support of his or her patron. The same is true of humans. For the devotee, the divine patron is Parama Puruśa. When a devotee fights a non-devotee who is scattering thorns on the path of devotion, the devotee will ultimately be victorious in the struggle.

“Pratyaḿjanáḿstist́hate saḿcukopántakále”. Parama Puruśa remains with every entity. He is everyone’s shelter, everyone’s refuge. Thus, human beings are never helpless, neither individually nor collectively. Always remember that He is with every individual. Some philosophers, quoting the scriptures, say that a day of final doom will darken the Earth when the dead will rise from the grave. Others predict that a doomsday (pralayá in Saḿskrta – “pra” means “complete” and thus pralaya means “complete destruction”) will obliterate all forms of life. One should laugh at such illogical doctrines. According to Ánanda Márga philosophy, this doomsday or pralaya will never occur. On the one hand, the flow of creation will continue and on the other, there will be jadasphota [gradual or instantaneous disintegration]. There will never be a complete thermal death. of the universe. Thus, predictions of an imminent doomsday should be of no concern to you. It is nonsense; pralaya will never occur. But supposing it were to happen: even then there would be no cause for fear as Parama Puruśa is always with us. If pralaya does occur, He will be there with us, so do not worry. “Saḿcukopántakále.” He will remain with us even at the time of doom.

“Saḿsrjya vishvabhuvánánii gopa”. His plan to secure everyone’s salvation remains a secret. Even though He will never reveal Himself openly, one can easily understand who He is. He is constantly engaged in His work of manifesting the universe and bringing all beings to the path of enlightenment. In every way He is firmly establishing human beings on the path of advancement through various theories, philosophies and principles of ethics and morality. But the funny thing is that He constantly eludes humanity. “Bhuvanánii gopa”. Although Parama Puruśa resides in every corner of the universe, He can never be fully discovered.

“Bhuvánánii gopa”. He has concealed most of Himself. If He were to express Himself fully, He would face many difficulties in carrying out His work and thus the collective interest of humanity would suffer. In the interest of human society, He will have to keep Himself secret.

Footnotes

(1) Rgveda Puruśasúktam. –Trans.

(2) Bhagavad Giitá. –Trans.

Chapter 5	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

Trńádapi suniicena taroriva sahiśnuńa
Amáninaḿ mánadeyaḿ kiirtaniiyah sadá harih.

Regarding the first duty of a devotee it has been said, “Trńádapi suniicena.” Trńá means “grass”. Even though grass is one of the most beautiful things on this Earth, it remains one of the lowliest. Yet without it millions of animals would not have been able to sustain their lives. If there is anything which properly represents the state of egolessness, it is grass. Humans should always be free from ego, free from any superiority complex. Each complex, be it fear, defeatist, superiority or inferiority complex is a type of psychic disease. Complexes originate in a certain environment and in due course become completely overpowering. They are most detrimental to human progress. A person seeking all-round welfare should not allow any complex to take root in the mind.

All are the progeny of Parama Puruśa. Even so, some people think that because they are endowed with less intellect, knowledge, financial capacity or physical strength than others, they are inferior. Such an inferiority complex contracts their minds and retards their progress. It must be overcome.

Fear complex is even more harmful than inferiority complex. People suffer from it, often without reason, when they encounter something more powerful than themselves. For example, thinking that a ghost is nearby, a man becomes terrified – his mind contracts and he becomes paralysed. Were he to take a few steps forward he would discover that the ghost does not exist at all. Fear, in most cases is baseless. If one marches on with courage, one finds that there was no reason to be so afraid.

I had a certain acquaintance whose garden was quite large. One night his wife thought she saw a ghost in a corner of the garden. In Bihar, a female ghost is called “cuŕeil” in Hindi. At the sight of the imagined ghost she cried out in fear, and fainted. She never regained consciousness and died some time later. The next night the same gentleman came out of his house at the same time. He also thought he saw the ghost. “Why should people have to die one after the other in this way?” he thought. Stepping forward to strike at the imaginary ghost with a stick, he suddenly saw that it was nothing but a bush which, in the moonlight, looked just like a human being. His wife had died for nothing, terrified by the deceptive image of a bush. Most so-called ghosts are like this. Towards the end of the rainy season rotting vegetation often gives out a gas, called marsh gas or will-o’-the-wisp, which bursts into flame when it comes in contact with oxygen. This burning gas may easily be taken to be a ghost. This is how a fear complex can develop.

The defeatist complex also strikes deep in the human mind. “How will I possibly be able to do the work? How will I be able to fight against such heavy odds? How will I be able to do my job properly?” Because people think like this before they act, they are unable to do their work properly. The defeatist complex weakens their minds. Had they been bolder they would have been more successful.

One must uproot all sorts of complexes from the mind. No complex should be entertained in the physical, psychic or spiritual spheres because all are equally detestable.

The most dangerous complex in the spiritual sphere is the superiority complex. It occurs when one feels oneself to be greater than others in knowledge, intellect, wisdom, and so on, and eventually leads to one’s downfall. On the spiritual path, the most essential thing is to withdraw the mind from all kinds of objects, concentrate it on one point, and finally surrender it to Parama Puruśa. But those suffering from a superiority complex, and thus an over-inflated ego, find it impossible to withdraw the mind from its objects and, to their frustration, find that the mind easily slips away from its point of concentration. They will never be able to surrender such a mind to Parama Puruśa. These people fail to realize that the more the ego is inflated, the more the mind loses its weight, just as the more rice is puffed, the lighter it becomes – inside is nothing but air. To prevent this from happening the following advice has been given: “Trńádapi suniicena.” Always remember that you should never give any indulgence to any superiority complex under any circumstances. That would be most harmful; it would be the greatest foolishness on your part.

“Tároriva sahiśńuńá”. Those who overreact at the least provocation lose their power of judgement. One’s internal power is determined by the degree of control one has over one’s nerve cells. A person who cannot tolerate even a single provocative word obviously has no control over the nerves. His enemies can take full advantage of him by easily provoking him. He will never be able to do anything great because his self-confidence is easily shattered. One must always be in control of one’s nerve fibres and for that one must develop the power of tolerance. It is highly gratifying to note that many of our members were able to properly maintain control over their nerve cells and fibres while in prison during the period of Emergency [From June 1975 to March 1977 the Government of India proclaimed a State of Emergency and put hundreds of innocent citizens behind bars], even under the pressure of circumstances. That period was very painful and it certainly seemed many a time that things were getting beyond our endurance. To many it actually reached that stage and yet, even when faced with such tremendous circumstantial pressure, they tolerated immense hardship and, as a result, have now acquired the capacity of endurance. This is a fact. Everything has two sides – good and bad. Hence it is said, “Tároriva sahiśńuńá” [with the power of endurance of a tree].

Kát́ileha taru yena kichu ná boláy;
Shukáiyá maile káre pánii ná máuṋgay.

[When the tree is felled, it does not object;
And when it withers, it does not ask for water.]

The same idea has found a place in the “Caetanya Caritámrta” [the most authentic book on the life and teachings of Caetanya Mahaprabhu, written by Krśńadas Kaviraja]. In Bengali there is a proverb: “Ye say se ray, tár jaya” [“The tolerant one survives”].

“Amáninam mánadeyam”. Human beings neglect many things in this world without any plausible reason. They forget that Parama Puruśa resides in every object, even the most neglected one. They fail to look at the world with proper social benevolence. Suppose a pig is writhing in pain. The onlookers casually say, “Well, it’s only a pig – let it die,” and thus neglect Parama Puruśa in the form of a pig. Such an error will result in their overall progress being retarded. One should not detest anything as everything is a manifestation of Parama Puruśa. Parama Puruśa cannot hate anyone or anything in this world – how can He, all are His manifestations – so on what grounds can humans hate anyone or anything. If one hates His manifestation it means that one hates Parama Puruśa Himself. Let no human being be so arrogant. It has been said, “Amáninam mánadeyam” – “respect the disrespected.” Those who are disrespected and rejected by society should also be recognized by us as manifestations of Parama Puruśa. We must respect them with due honour as Parama Puruśa has chosen to manifest them in that particular way. We should always be very courteous to them. Hence the third duty of a devotee is to respect those people whom no one respects. We must approach those who are unloved, ridiculed, and in need of affection, and tell them we care for them. By honouring them and restoring their dignity we will make them happy; their minds will become filled with joy.

Amáninam mánadeyaḿ kiirtaniiyah sadá harih.

It is not with one’s own strength and intellect that one does great things in life, but with the strength and intellect given by Parama Puruśa. Most of the credit for one’s great actions should therefore go to Him. Someone who donates 100 million rupees to a worthy cause will be called a philanthropist. But the question is, who actually owns the money? In fact it is Parama Puruśa’s money which happens to come in the possession of that so-called philanthropist. The main credit should therefore go to Parama Puruśa and the secondary credit to the donor whom Parama Puruśa was kind enough to use as a medium. That is why, if anyone is to be praised in this world, if anyone’s virtues are to be extolled loudly through kiirtana, it should be Parama Puruśa. Kiirtana means to utter good words loudly; not mentally, nor in a whisper, but loud enough for everyone to hear. It is never done secretly, but always openly. There is no place in a devotee’s life for hypocrisy – the devotee’s thoughts, words and actions will never be contradictory. These simple and straightforward people will say what they think and do what they say. So devotees will openly sing praises to Parama Puruśa. Kiirtana means, as I said a little earlier, to sing the Lord’s glory in a loud voice.

“Kiirtaniiyah sadá Harih.” What is the meaning of “Hari”? Philosophy says that this universe is the playground of Hari and Hara. Hari maintains this universe and Hara destroys it. What form does this destruction take? He withdraws the objects of the world into Himself and projects them again in a newer form. Suppose you create an image of a wicked demon in your mind but decide that it is too dreadful. You can easily annihilate it and create an image of an honest person in its place. You can easily create and destroy images in your mind – you are doing this all the time. In the same way, Parama Puruśa withdraws an image or an idea into Himself and the very next moment sends another image or idea back into the universe. It is not destruction or dreadful annihilation as people are generally prone to believe, but withdrawal followed by the creation of a the same image in a newer way invested with a greater capacity. Does Hari send back a person who has been liberated from all sorts of past saḿskaras by dint of sádhaná? No, a person who attains permanent liberation is assimilated into Him. Hari here means Parama Puruśa. The entity which is instrumental for the withdrawal of everything is called “Hara” and the entity responsible for the creation of unit beings is called “Hari”. This is the fundamental difference between Hari and Hara.

Hara is derived from two letters: “ha” and “ra”. “Ha”is the acoustic root of the ethereal factor and “ra” the acoustic root of energy. So the entity who, by virtue of His tremendous power, withdraws and projects all the five fundamental factors up to the ethereal factor, is called Hara.

What is Hari’s role? Human beings have been committing numerous crimes and sins for lives together resulting in a huge pile of sins as high as the Himalayas. If they have to carry the full load of those sins, they will surely break their backs; and if they have to atone for them all, they will have to return to this world again and again for at least 20 generations. Now the question arises, why should Hari exist? Why should Parama Puruśa exist if He cannot help individuals? Well, He does render assistance and in that capacity He is called Hari. “Harati pápáni ityarthe harih.” One who steals others sins to lighten their burden and pave the way for their liberation, is called Hari. Why would Hari steal sins? Stealing, after all, is a despicable act. What is stealing? Stealing is taking things which belong to others without their permission. Why should He wish to steal others’ things? It does not seem to be a very wise thing to do. On closer analysis, however, it is seen to be a most commendable act because the main purpose of Hari’s theft is to lighten the burden of the devotees load; otherwise they will never attain liberation, but will continue to suffer from the reactions of sins for lives together. What does He want? As His devotees have surrendered everything to Him, He would like to relieve them of the burden of their sins. He wishes to say to His devotees, “My dear children, give me all your sins. You won’t be able to carry such a heavy load of sins. Remember that you have been committing sins for lives together and it will take you as many as 20 lives to undergo the consequences. So it would be better for you to give me all your sins to free yourself of your burden”.

Sinca bhikkhu imaḿ návaḿ sittá te lahu messati;
Munca pure munca pacchet majjhe munca bhavassa páragú.

“Oh sailor, your boat has become full of water. You should bail all the water out to lighten your boat and ensure your safe passage across the river. You should bail out the water from the front, middle and back of the boat to make it lighter”.

These are the teachings of Lord Buddha. Who is Brahma? He is the one who frees an individual from the burden of past, present and future sins.

Yassa pure ca pa pacche ca majjhe ca natthi kiuṋcanaḿ;
Akiuṋcánaḿ anádánaḿ tamahaḿ brúmi bráhmańam.

“One whose past, present and future sins have been removed has become a pauper. Such a person has no need to ask for anything. One who does not accept anything from anyone is called a Brahman.”.

So Hari wants His devotees to unburden themselves by giving away their sins. However, a true devotee will say, “Oh Lord, I can give you my all, but I cannot give you my sins. Let me carry the load of my sins myself. How could I possibly hand over my load of sins to you? I have committed the sins so why should You have to carry the load? Your proposition is absurd. However much you love me, under no circumstances can I give you my sins.”

It is a fact that Hari loves His devotees very much; so much that perhaps He even loves them more than He loves Himself. So what does He do? He steals the devotees’ sins without them knowing. There is no other option, as the devotees refuse to give Him their sins voluntarily. Devotees may offer delicious dishes or even holy basil leaves, but under no circumstances will they part with their sins. He is compelled to steal their sins when their backs are turned. One who steals others sins is called Hari.

For whom should a human being do kiirtana? For Parama Puruśa and no one else, because no one else is as generous as Hari, no one else is as loving and affectionate. Only Hari is the Supreme Shelter for unit beings. That is why it is said, “Kiirtaniiyah sadah Harih.” Sadá means “always”. Whenever you have even a single moment to spare, do kiirtana. [[ One time I said something in this regard –

Ekvár Bábá nám yata páp hare;
Pápiider sádhya nái tata páp kare.

[The repetition of Bábá nám even once kills so many sins that the worst sinners could not accumulate them.]

Why? Well, He just steals. Otherwise what would have become of those people? Nothing. Kalyáńamastu [“Let there be welfare”]. ]]

Chapter 6	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

Some time ago, I said many people incorrectly believe that only men can attain success in the spiritual world. They say that although women may make some progress in the spiritual sphere, they will have to come down to earth in the form of males to attain final salvation.

I said that this is an absurd and irrational idea as women are the children of God just like their male counterparts. Could any father want his sons to prosper in all ways while his daughters remain backward? Certainly he would not and could not want such a thing. Not only do parents take their sons on their laps and play with them; they do the same with their daughters. Sometimes they even have more affection for their daughters, thinking, “They won’t be with us much longer. They’ll be getting married soon and will move in with their husbands, so let us give them more love and affection. After all, we are not sure how well they will be treated by their mothers-in-law.” Some parents expect their sons to support the entire family once they have grown up and started earning money. Even though they have no such expectations for their daughters, they still love them dearly. Their love is deep and sincere.

On what basis, therefore, is the argument propounded that women will not attain salvation, whereas men will? It is a totally irrational idea. Why was such an idea propagated at all? The reason is that so-called religion, which arose wherever capitalism permeated every sphere of life, was in the hands of opportunists with their own vested interests. In order to subjugate women, it was proclaimed that they were not entitled to attain salvation. After repeatedly hearing this, women developed an inferiority complex, became men’s slaves and were reduced to the status of maid-servants. This absurd idea was propagated with the sole intention of exploiting women. But when human civilization first sprouted, these things were unknown, as women were totally free. From a study of Bengali history, we learn that there was equality between men and women. They would hunt together; and the women would sometimes carry the slaughtered animals from the forest. Women were equally free in all respects. But later, when the so-called civilization spread, it was obsessed with the psychology of cunningness; the exploiters’ psychology gripped it, and women were made captives.

In the early stages of spiritual education when human beings were first taught the concept of dharma, many enlightened sages, both male and female, were born. In those days, both men and women made equal contributions to the world of spirituality: Vashiśt́ha, Vishvámitra and Yájiṋávalkya were among the illustrious men; and Maetreyii, Gargii and Madálasá, among the illustrious women. They were equal in all respects and greatly enriched the world of spirituality with their teachings.

Gargii was born many years ago. Once, in the royal court of King Janaka, she challenged Yájiṋávalkya to a debate on the spiritual scriptures. Yájiṋávalkya found it difficult to answer her poignant questions and was soon on the point of being defeated by her. Utterly frustrated, he said, “Gargii, if you don’t stop now, your tongue will drop off.” Gargii was compelled to shut her mouth. Unable to beat Gargii in the debate, Yájiṋávalkya misused his powers to force her to stop.

One day, Yájiṋávalkya fell seriously ill. His two wives, Maetreyii and Kátyáyanii, attended on him with due care and affection.⁽¹⁾ It is a fact that some men are ordinary and some are extraordinary. Similarly, some women are ordinary and others are extraordinary. After recovering from his illness, Yájiṋávalkya said to Kátyáyanii, “I would like to give you a present. What would you like?” His wife replied, “Let me see I’d like some new clothes, some new jewellery, in fact, so many things.” And she made a long list of all the things she wanted. Yájiṋávalkya bought everything she asked for and then asked Maetreyii, “What would you like? Clothes, jewellery, or any other valuable thing?” Maetreyii remained silent. Yájiṋávalkya continued, “Just a little while ago, Katyáyánii said she would like some new clothes, jewellery, and so many other things. What would you like?” Maetreyii replied, Yenáhaḿ námrtasyáḿ tenáhaḿ kim kuryám. “What will I do with things which will not remain with me permanently? Of what use are the objects which will not establish me in immortality? The expensive clothes I wear today will be torn in a few days. The jewellery I wear today will no longer be fashionable tomorrow as the designs change from age to age. A certain design was fashionable in my grandmother’s day, another one in my mother’s day and yet another in the present day. No design is permanent forever. It’s nice of you to offer me such things, but none of them will remain with me. I will have to leave them all behind when I depart from this world; so what use are they, and why should you tempt me with them?” Yájiṋávalkya then asked, “Please tell me what you would really like.” “If you can,” she replied, “please give me that thing which will remain with me permanently, which I’ll be able to preserve forever, which will establish me in immortality. I don’t want anything else.” Then Yájiṋávalkya gave her a number of instructions, upon which a major part of Rájá Yoga is based.

No one should be foolish enough to think that women did not practice yoga in the past. You girls should always remember that if anyone underestimates you, or looks upon you as inferior, you should give a very blunt reply.

Madálasá, who was a so-called rakśasii [a name contemptuously given by the Aryans to the indigenous people of India] was married to Citrasena, the king of the Gandharvas. In their marriage contract it was agreed that Madálasá, and not the king, would be responsible for the education of their children. Madálasá always maintained that women are more spiritually inclined and devoted than men and are therefore more capable of properly educating their children. With this idea in mind I told one of the members of our WWD [Women’s Welfare Department] to launch a movement promoting women as primary school teachers. So, according to the marriage contract, and with the king’s consent, Madálasá started teaching the first child. As soon as he was seven years old, he became an ardent spiritualist and went to the mountains to live the life of a yogi. Following his departure, Madálasá promptly started educating the second child. The king became angry, fearful that all his children would embrace a spiritual life due to Madálasá’s unusual education. There was nothing he could do, however, since he feared Madálasá. Not only was she the most beautiful woman in the world, she was also highly educated. He was therefore unable to oppose her to her face. Moreover, she was a rákśasii, and he was frightened that she might even devour him! The second son also became a sannyásii [renunciant] in due course.

According to historical records, Madálasá’s children were the first to embrace missionary life and take the vow of sannyásii-hood in order to serve humanity. Prior to that, there were sannyásiis, no doubt, but they dressed themselves as sadhus more to enjoy delicious gifts of laddu [sweet balls], pu lau [fried rice dish] and malpoá [a type of sweet] than to render any service. Madálasá’s sons were very different since they became sannyásis to serve the suffering humanity as ideal missionaries. Everyone praised them, saying that they had never seen such ideal yogis. This was due to Madálasá’s unique education. The third son also followed in the footsteps of his elder brothers. One day, Madálasá was putting her fourth child, a three-month-old baby, to sleep with the following lullaby:

Shúddho’si buddo’si niraiṋjano’si saḿsára ḿayá parivarpito’si.
Saḿsára svapnaḿ tyaja mohanidráḿ Madálasollápam uváca putram.

“Dear son, although you are but a child in a small human frame, you are the veritable expression of the Supreme Consciousness. You are an ever-holy, ever-enlightened entity. As long as you think that you are only a small child, you are spiritually ignorant, but when you realize that you are a part of that Supreme Entity, you become that Supreme Entity, you become spotless (niraiṋjano’si).” The mistakes that people make, the crimes and sins they commit, leave a mark imprinted on their minds which remains as a saḿskará. This spot or mark is called aiṋjana in Sanskrit. Aiṋjana also means a kind of black mark which is used to decorate the eye. “My dear child, there is no black spot in your mind. You are spotless. You are unassailed by any kind of sin.” Saḿsára ḿayá parivarpito’si: “You are beyond the spell of the illusory Máyá of this mundane world. You are the embodiment of the pure and unblemished self.” Saḿsára svapnaḿ tyaja mohanidrám: “What is this world after all? Human beings think this world is real, but to the Absolute Entity it is only a mere dream, having no real existence. That is why I tell you to break the spell of illusion which makes you dream about all the attachments of this world.” Madálasallopam uváca putraḿ: “This is how Madálasá teaches her son.”

While she was teaching her son in this way, the king, beside himself with anger, came and accused her of having wrongly educated their children. They both started to quarrel, and Madálasá said in protest, “Don’t you remember our marriage contract? I was the one entrusted with the education of our children. Now that you have broken the contract, I will no longer remain with you.” And she left him. The story goes that soon after she drowned herself in the River Ganges. The king was determined to give his fourth child a good education. By the way, do you know what name he gave to his son? He called him “Alarka”. What better proof of his ignorance could you ask for? In Sanskrit, alarka means “mad dog”! Due to the king’s faulty education, Alarka became wicked in all respects.

As depicted in many stories, soon after Alarka became king, his kingdom was attacked by a neighbouring king. Alarka was defeated in battle and forced to leave his kingdom. Utterly dejected, he suddenly remembered that on the eve of her departure, his mother had given him a ring and advised him to break it open if ever he found himself in great danger, as it would provide good advice for him. Alarka thought that this was the best time for him to break open the ring. Inside he found a small piece of paper on which several instructions were written: “Give up all sorts of company. If you are unable to do that, then only keep the company of good people. Give up all sorts of desires. If you are unable to do that, then cherish only one desire: the desire for salvation.” Then Alarka decided to give up everything and go out in search of an ideal. His quest brought him to Vakreshvra, in the west of Birbhum district [in the presentday West Bengal, India] where the great sage Aśt́ávakra was doing penance. There are some hot springs there. Alarka, seeking advice, asked the sage a number of questions. On the basis of Alarka’s questions and Aśt́ávakra’s answers, a part of Rájá Yoga was evolved which is known as Aśt́ávakra Samhitá.

Later, when Alarka’s reputation as a great yogi had spread far and wide, the conquering king requested him to take back his kingdom. I have already said that Madálasa’s sons were the first sannyásis to embrace missionary life and serve the common people. “Alarka, come and take back your throne,” said the king. “No,” replied Alarka, “I’m too busy now as I have to propagate dharma in the world. I am bound to serve the society and thus have no time to look after the affairs of the royal administration.” This is the story of Madálasá.

There is no plausible proof that women were spiritually undeveloped in the past. On the contrary, they were greatly advanced. Moreover, it is seen in various artistic and literary depictions that women were not undeveloped in any age. To say something like that is a downright falsehood. In the days of Buddha, many women were also highly evolved, and there is no reason whatsoever to suppose that women are any less developed in this modern age. It is a fact, however, that women’s rights were curtailed in many ways in the past and that amends should be made for that. In Ananda Marga we have done this by giving women equal rights. We hope that women will also advance along the spiritual path with the same speed as their male counterparts. I do not find any justifiable reason why women should lag behind in this age.

Footnotes

(1) To attend to someone is called shushrúśá in Sanskrit. There is some difference between the terms sevá and shushrúśá. The latter is derived from the root verb shru + san + tai and literally means “the desire to hear”. A nurse will normally ask a patient, “Hello, how do you feel today? Are you in any pain?” The nurse will then treat him or her according to the answers given. In order to render good service, one must know what is troubling the patient, and hence the term shushrúśá.

Chapter 7	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

Today I will relate to you an episode of Tantric history – an episode which has almost been lost. I think you all know that Sadáshiva was the first Tantric Mahákaola on this planet. His mission was Kurvantu vishvaḿ Tántrikam – “To get the whole universe initiated into the Tantric cult”. To become a Tantric means to fight directly against the opposing forces and obstacles on the path of progress and to preach the lofty gospels of universal humanism. That human beings are the greatest of all living beings is to be proven in action, not in mere words or theoretical moral principles.

In that early phase of human civilization, there were more rifts and clashes among the different clans and tribes than there are today. It was therefore safer for human beings to live on hills. Later, with the development of civilization, they moved down to the plains and settled in woods and forests. But in those early days, they would sleep in hill-caves after blocking the entrances with big rocks. Fire had not yet been discovered, so they could not protect themselves by burning fires around their encampments in the caves and forests. Fire was discovered much later.

The hills on which people used to live were called gotras in Vedic Sanskrit. So if a person called Ráma lived on a certain hill, the hill was called “Rámagotra”. Similarly, the hill where Shyáma lived was known as “Shyámagotra”, and all the people who lived on it belonged to that gotra. This was the system followed in that early period of social development. Prior to that [patriarchal system], each hill was ruled by a gotramátá, or clan mother. The clan members would all obey her and would introduce themselves by her name; and likewise the hill itself would be named after that matriarch. These days this system has evolved into a dogmatic clan or caste system.

So each hill was named after its sage. If Maharśi Káshyapa [The Great Sage Káshyapa] was the leader of a hill clan, that clan was called Káshyapagotra. If Maharśi Bharadvája was the leader, it was called Bharadvájagotra. Thus, the early matriarchal system was followed by a patriarchal system of leadership.

Those people who lived on the same hill under a common patriarch lived just like brothers and sisters. However, they considered the members of other hill communities to be their deadly enemies. And since all on one hill were brothers and sisters, they could not marry among themselves. So what would they do in order to marry? One clan would defeat a neighbouring clan in battle, and they would forcibly drag the vanquished women, with hands bound, back to their own hill for a life of domestic servitude. The males of the defeated clan were utilized as slaves.

Even to this day, there is a custom whereby the mother asks her son on the eve of his marriage, “Where are you going?” He replies, “I’m going to bring you a maid-servant.” It comes from those days when the victorious clan would drag the defeated women back to its own hill. Not only that – to bind someone you need a rope or a chain ([now] called a gánt́chaŕá).⁽¹⁾ The women would be brought back in those days with chains on their wrists, otherwise they might run away. The iron bangle that a married woman wears today is a symbol of that early servitude. In those days women also fought in battle, and were often hit on the head and severely injured. A small vermilion mark then came to represent the blood streaming from their cracked heads. But today a woman must wear that vermilion mark if she is to be recognized as married. This is quite different from the original idea. Actually these are all just different dogmas.

In Ananda Marga I have said that those who wish to use vermilion as a decorative mark may do so. Some women like to wear plastic bangles, others like to wear iron ones. I am not going to object to the use of these ornaments. Similarly, if someone uses vermilion on the forehead I have nothing to say against it, because that, too, is a matter of decoration. Those who like to use vermilion may do so. I hope, however, that the original reason for the use of vermilion is clear.

So even today women bear the mark of servitude by wearing iron bangles on their wrists, thus giving the impression that they have been vanquished; they still use the vermilion which originally symbolized bloodshed; they still tie the gánt́chaŕá after marriage, which symbolizes their being forcibly carried away; and the bridegroom still often says to his mother on the eve of his departure for the marriage, “I’m going to bring you a maid-servant.” How absurd! No one is anyone’s servant. The system of slavery was abolished long ago. You should oppose these dogmatic beliefs. They are very objectionable. You should understand the history behind them, and then do the right thing.

There were three main ethnic groups in India in those days: Austric, Mongolian,⁽²⁾ and Negroid. In [East] India they all mingled into one. The dark-complexioned non-Aryan Austrics were the original people of India, and thus there is Austric blood in most of the present population of India. The Bengalees, being a mixture of these three groups, evolved in a particular way and developed a particular psychology. They have developed certain morphological characteristics from which one can easily deduce that they are Bengali. Their physical appearance and nature are a result of a special type of blood mixture. Those groups which have mixed blood are generally very intelligent, and the Bengali people are no exception. Besides being intelligent, they have other marked psychological traits which characterize them as Bengalees: they are sports fanatics, even those who do not play any sport themselves, and they are equally mad for open-air theatre and established theatre. These psychological traits result from the integration of the different racial groups.

In the days of Shiva, three ethnic groups intermingled. One was the Austric group, the black non-Aryan people; the second was the Mongolian group who came to India from the north, that is from Tibet and China; and the third was the fair-complexioned Aryan group which entered India from the west. The Aryans are further divided into three groups. The Aryans of the far north are Nordic. Their complexion is reddish-white, their hair is reddish and the irises of their eyes are brown, which is to say also reddish. The second group, the Alpine group, have bluish hair, bluish irises and a pinkish-white complexion. The third group, the Mediterranean group, have a milky-white complexion, black hair and blackish irises. The Aryans who settled in India came mostly from this Mediterranean group, and converged, as mentioned, with the Mongolians from the north [and with the Austrics].

There was a general disharmony among these three groups that had converged in India, expressed in numerous feuds and clashes among the various hill clans. In those days, a war party would ride fully armed to a rival hill to bring a woman back by force. Even today, in certain parts of India, the bridegroom and his party act this out as a marriage ritual by riding on horseback fully armed to the marriage ceremony and staging a mock battle. The leader of the group, that is the bridegroom, is called bara, which in Sanskrit means “best of the lot”, because on that day he is the most important man.

This predominantly racial conflict among the different hill clans was raging fiercely during the period of Lord Shiva. Shiva worked hard to cultivate a perfect friendship among the three warring groups. He knew that in the absence of such a friendship, the future of humanity was dark. Just as Krśńa wanted to unite all the people of the then India and create a Mahábhárata [Great India], similarly, Shiva wanted to unite the three warring groups. He thought that his lofty spiritual cult and ideology and his unique school of medicine would not be properly conveyed to future generations if the people continued their racial battles.

Those were also the days of polygamy. Shiva himself had three wives – Párvatii, an Aryan girl; Kálii, an Austrico-Dravidian girl; and Gauṋgá, a Mongolian girl. He hoped these marriages would restore the spirit of friendship among the three races. With the help of his three wives, he propagated the gospels of dharma and the practices of Tantra. It was a great advantage for Shiva that he was accepted as a god equally by the Aryans, the Mongolo-Tibetans and the Austrics. Much later, even the Buddhists and the Jains accepted him as their god, because Shiva wanted to bring about a blending of the human race. This is the same Shiva who was known among Buddhists as Bat́uka Bhaerava. From “Bat́uka” come words such as “Buŕo”, “Baŕuyá”, “Buŕa”, “Boŕá” [all applied to Shiva] and “Buŕoshiva”.

In many cities and towns of Bengal you will come across [the place name] Buŕoshivatalá. Buŕoshiva was the Shiva of the Buddhists. In Calcutta, the area around Buŕoshivatalá became known as Buŕo Bájár [bájár = “bazaar”, “market”]. Many people from Marwar settled there and it became a prosperous market, but it became wrongly pronounced “Baŕa Bájár” [“Big Market”]. In fact, originally it was not a big market. Of course, there are Baŕa Bájárs in many cities, but this Baŕa Bájár in Calcutta was not named because it was a “big market”; rather it was the market area surrounding the Buŕoshiva temple.

Later Shiva felt that there should be proper media to propagate the grand and lofty ideals He was teaching. Tomár patáká yáre dáo táre bahibáre dáo shakti [“Give strength to the person to whom you give the flag to carry”]. Otherwise who would be able to carry forth so much knowledge, wisdom, intellect, and such a deep spiritual cult? Incompetent people cannot be expected to carry the legacy of anything. If I teach something to an incompetent or undesirable person, it will bear no fruit, it will get wasted. A heron can never learn to speak like a mynah bird, no matter how much it is trained. The incompetent person is just like the heron. What did Shiva do about this?

Párvatii had a son called Bhaerava, and Kálii a daughter named Bhaeravii. Shiva first taught Bhaerava Tantra sádhaná, or kápálika sádhaná (the Tantric sádhaná which utilizes the human skull); and the táńd́ava dance. Since then all those people who have learned the Tantric practices have also been called Bhaerava, they all introduce themselves by the name Bhaerava. They lose their individual names such as Ráma, Shyáma, Tom or Dick, and automatically become a part of Shivagotra [the Family of Shiva].

Shiva proclaimed, “You are all mine. Whatever hill you live on you are still my own. I will think well of you. I will think about your collective welfare. I will work for your collective well-being. Come one and all to me safely and fearlessly and tell me your needs. I will help you. Átmagotraḿ parityajya Shivagotraḿ pravishatu [‘Leave your own gotra and enter Shivagotra’].”

Whoever is a spiritualist has left his or her own gotra and has entered the Shivagotra. In Ananda Marga also, separate gotras are not recognized. All belong to Shivagotra. I have only stated that at the time of marriage the bride and bridegroom should not have any direct relationship three generations above and three generations below.⁽³⁾ If this condition is not met, the marriage should not be solemnized.

Ananda Margis have no caste or gotra. I have said before also that the division of humanity into Káshyapagotra, Bharadvájagotra, etc., is nonsensical. This is just to mislead people. If we look back in [anthropology] we will see that the forefathers of the present-day humans were apes or ape-men. So if people are very particular about their gotras, I will say to their faces, “Boys and girls! You belong to the ape gotra.”

We have all descended from our common ancestors, the apes. The same is true in relation to the castes. [One might try to argue that] the forefathers of the Bráhmańas were the ape-Bráhmańas and the forefathers of the Kśatriyas were the ape-Kśatriyas; but that just isn’t so. As apes do not have any particular caste, the present-day caste differences are all hypocrisy and maliciousness. You should remove even the least vestige of these nonsensical notions. You must not give credence to such things.

So Shiva taught Bhaerava. Then He thought: “If I teach this only to my son; that is, if my son alone knows this secret spiritual cult, this great asset for humanity, and my daughter remains ignorant, then fifty per cent of the society will remain a burden for the other fifty per cent; that is, the women will remain a burden for the men, and the movement of the men also will be greatly impeded.” Even in those days, seven thousand years ago, Shiva thought in this way. “If I only give the strength and responsibility to carry the burden to my son, Bhaerava, that will not be good. I will also have to give some of the responsibility to my daughter, Bhaeravii.” And that is what He did. And since that day, any woman practising Tantra is known as Bhaeravii.

His other wife, Gauṋgá, had a son called Kárttikeya, but he was more of a dandy. Even though he wished to, he did not have the moral courage to practice Tantra. The practice of Tantra requires a little courage – it is not for cowards. (Some people say that Kárttikeya was known as Devasenápati and was a general of the gods [deva means “god” and senápati means “military general”], but the fact of the matter is different. Kárttikeya’s wife was called Devásená, and so he was Devásená’s pati [husband], or Devásenápati. You should remove this common misunderstanding. If people say that Kárttikeya was the general of the gods, they are wrong.) Gauṋgá was a little sad that the son of one of her co-wives and the daughter of her other co-wife were taught the practice of Tantra while her own son turned out bad. To console her and help her forget her sadness, Shiva gave her extra love and affection. This did not please his other wives, Párvatii and Kálii, who naturally complained to him about this. But actually, what he did was right. There is a rhyme about Shiva’s marriage to three girls:

T́ápur t́upur vrśt́i paŕe nadey elo bán
Shivt́hákurer biye habhe tin kanyá dán.

[Pitter-patter goes the rain, the river water whirls; Lord Shiva who lived long ago was married to three girls.]

Those three girls were Párvatii, Kálii and Gauṋgá. People used to complain that Shiva was “dancing with Gauṋgá on His head.” (Suppose you are doting on someone, people will say that you are “dancing with So-and-so on your head”.) In later days, people completely misinterpreted the facts and made statues of Shiva with Gauṋgá’s head placed on his head and water flowing from her mouth.⁽⁴⁾ These are all mythological interpretations. Could such a thing ever be possible? The poet Bharat Chandra Raygunakar wrote in his famous magnum opus:

Gauṋgá náme satii tár tarauṋga emani
Jiivanasvarúpa sei svámii shiromańi.

[Gauṋgá the blessed one is the jewel sitting on Shiva’s head with water flowing from her mouth.]

Here shiromańi means “a jewel placed on one’s head”. If you are doting on someone, people will say that you are “dancing with So-and-so on your head”.

Thus we see that even in those days Shiva did not accept any differentiation between males and females. He taught Tantra to both his son and his daughter.

Let me tell you a short story about Kálii. One night she thought, “What will happen if my little daughter meets with any danger when she goes out to practise Tantra? Let me go out and help her.” In Tantra, however, it is not permitted to intervene in anyone’s individual practices. Bhaeravii went out and practised her sádhaná according to the instructions she had received. Shiva was already absorbed in samádhi in the burial ground. Kálii thought, “Even if Shiva is able to see me from a distance on this dark new-moon night he won’t be able to tell who I actually am – he’ll think I’m Bhaeravii.” Now while walking in the darkness, Kálii accidentally stepped on Shiva’s chest. When she realized whom she was stepping on, she felt ashamed and stuck out her tongue [a sign of embarrassment or shame in India]. “Who are you?” asked Shiva. Kálii was dressed like Bhaeravii to misguide Shiva, but how could she introduce herself as Bhaeravii, their daughter, to her own husband? So Kálii said, “I’m Kaoverii.”⁽⁵⁾ (In southern India there is a river named Kaoverii. People mistakenly call it “Káverii”. The actual Sanskrit word is “Kaoverii”. The English spelling was at one time “Cauveri”.)

In any case, Kálii said that she was Kaoverii, a name she has also been called ever since. Those who do not know the story in the proper context say that Shiva was lying down and Kálii was standing on his chest with her tongue stuck out.⁽⁶⁾

From a study of history we learn that in those days there was no differentiation between men and women regarding spiritual practices or the spiritual code of conduct. To enable the entire society to develop what He propounded in social, economic, educational, medical, scientific and artistic fields, Shiva taught His daughter in the same way that He taught His son. Shiva was the original propounder of Tantra and the first Mahákaola. Those who oppose what Shiva did are to be treated as opportunists. If they wish to keep women subjugated, to curtail women’s natural rights, they are opposed to Shiva and the code of dharma. In fact, I should say that they are veritable demons, and such demons in human form cast a shadow on the glory of humanity.

Footnotes

(1) Gáńt́chaŕá is the word used for the knotting together of the bride’s sari and the groom’s scarf in a modern Hindu wedding ceremony. As the author will explain, it is a vestige and symbol of the “rope or chain”. –Eds.

(2) Since in ancient times Mongolia was an empire, and symbolized all of North and Northeast Asia, “Mongolian” here means the Oriental, or yellow, race. –Eds.

(3) As opposed to the custom that people should not marry within their own gotras at all. –Eds.

(4) A further part of the misinterpretation was that Shiva’s wife Gauṋgá was somehow the River Gauṋgá (Ganges). –Eds.

(5) Editors’ note: She wavered between saying her own name, “Kálii”, and the name of her daughter, “Bhaeravii”. The word became “Kaoverii”. –Eds.

(6) This is the popular representation of the goddess Kálii, who developed 5300 or 5400 years after the time of the actual Kálii the wife of Shiva. –Eds.

Chapter 8	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

What does “yugasandhi” mean? “Yuga” means “age” and “sandhi” means “joint”. Therefore yugasandhi means “juncture between ages”.

At a certain stage in the movement of human society along its path, the behaviour, manners, customs, intellect and wisdom of the people cease to develop – they become static; and society loses its capacity to move forward. This is the critical juncture in history when the society feels the need for an extraordinarily powerful personality, a Mahásambhúti. At this juncture the advent of such a mighty personality is inevitable.

It has already been said that sadvipras will be at the hub of the social cycle to guide and control the movement of the society. They will not allow anyone to perpetrate torture or exploitation. However, at that stage of acute staticity in the society, which occurs every three to four thousand years, a great and extraordinarily powerful person’s advent is extremely necessary. Such a figure or “Mahásambhúti”, infuses dynamism in the social body and accelerates the speed of movement. All the virtuous people in the world respond to his call and rally around him. He creates a polarization in the society: the virtuous versus the wicked. In the clash between the two groups, the virtuous people emerge victorious by dint of their special efforts coupled with the grace of that great personality. His advent itself signifies victory in the war. The mark of victory is sure to be imprinted on the forehead of the virtuous. The brave companions of this Mahásambhúti accompany him from age to age preferring to work with Him than attain their own liberation. They may or may not have great ambitions, they may or may not suffer from superiority or inferiority complexes, but there is no evil element in this world that can defeat these blessed people. Rather, in the last phase of the conflict, the evil forces are bound to accept total defeat. Therefore, to those of you marching forward on the path of virtue, the path of dharma, I say, “Keep marching on safely and without concern.”

Shiva’s companions were not reputable scholars, but were virtuous people who were always ready to fight against sin. In history they are called “Shiva’s spiritual soldiers.” You should remember that in the present world you are Shiva’s retinue or “gańa”. That is, you have come to the world for victory and not for defeat. A few thousand years ago, Krśńa was born. At this time also, his companions, the gopas and gopis of Vraja, who worked with him to accelerate the speed of the social movement, were also not profound scholars or learned people, but it is they who were victorious. In those days many songs were sung in praise of those great people.

In the present day also, you can see for yourself how the social movement is grinding to a halt. When social progress loses its velocity it is called “yugasandhi” (transitional period) in Saḿskrta. You have all been born in such a transitional period and have assembled here today. In the future, the honest and virtuous people of the society will respond to Your call and will unite. The same polarization is taking place now as occurred in the past: the honest people are with you and will remain with you; the dishonest people win oppose you now and will continue their efforts to block your progress in future. Whenever there a war between dharma and adharma, you are sure to be victorious. You are not alone – dharma is with you, the benevolent intellect is with you, and I am also with you.

Chapter 9	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

It is said, “Saḿghe shaktih Kalao Yuge.” In Kali Yuga, that is, in the so-called “Iron Age”, the real strength lies in an organized body. That means to say people should live unitedly. Why? In early human history, in the so-called “Golden Age” or Satya Yuga, in the dawn of human civilization, human beings accepted dharma with complete sincerity. The attainment of átman or soul was the only cherished goal of these ancient people. They would live for their átman and die for their átman. Regarding the right to do spiritual practices, they would not discriminate between anyone, not even between friend or foe. They tolerated everyone. They would even give special opportunities to their sworn enemies to learn spiritual practices. In this regard, they never lost their collective spirit.

The next age was called Tretá Yuga, the so-called “Silver Age”. In this age the attainment of átman was no longer the dominant factor – people became more obsessed with their minds. In other words, there was a slight degeneration. Even so, they still helped each other to ensure their collective progress. They, too, did not discriminate between friend or foe and never harmed great scholars or learned people in any way. They were conscious of the need for justice. As they had a common collective goal in the spiritual sphere of life, they did not feel the necessity for any organized body and they did not suffer as a result. In the Tretá Yuga human beings became more mind-orientated.

However, as time passed, the differences of opinion amongst members of the society greatly increased. You all know that among learned people, differences of opinion are common.

Shrutayo vibhinnáh smrtayo vibhinnáh
Naekamuniryasya mataḿ na bhinnam
Dharmasaya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám
Mahájano jena datah sa panthá.

[The scriptures vary, social codes differ; Each sage has a different opinion. The essence of dharma lies deep in the mind; The realized one follows the true path.]

Due to these differences, there was a further degeneration and humanity entered the Dvápara Yuga, the so-called “Copper Age”. People became more body-orientated. At the least provocation they would annihilate their enemies. It is evident that body-orientated creatures are more degenerated than mind-orientated creatures.

Then came Kali Yuga, the present age. People of this age are food-orientated and grossly materialistic. Eating plays such an important part in their lives that, if there is a shortage of food, they think they will surely die. Their existence is so dependent upon food that they become feeble and lose their stamina to continue vigorous spiritual practices. You should not depend on food too much. This is why I have prescribed fasting on four days a month for some people and two days a month for others, and personally I have proved by fasting for five years and eight months at a stretch that if people try, they can remain without food. If one’s dependence on food decreases, one will gain more freedom in a particular aspect of life. In Kali Yuga, as I have said, people are too obsessed with food and other material objects. That is why it is said, “Saḿghe shaktih kalao yuge.”

It is impossible to solve singlehandedly the acute problems of food, medical care, housing and education which we are con fronted with today. This requires a collective, organized effort following the spirit of “devábhágaḿ yathá púrve” [in the olden days the gods used to share their food]. With this end in view I have formulated a socio-economic philosophy. The sooner you are able to collectively implement that philosophy, the better it will be for society. At the same time you should always remember to exercise control over food. Do not depend upon food too much.

Personally, I do not believe in this division of time into the Satya, Tretá, Dvápara and Kali Yugas, although I do admit that there is some truth in the underlying spirit. You should always remember that Kali Yuga, when people are continually obsessed by food, is also a transitional phase and will be followed by a new Satya Yuga when people will again be more soul-orientated, Satya Yuga will start as soon as you implement the socio-economic ideology. By your collective efforts let Satya Yuga be established on this dusty Earth as soon as possible. May you be victorious.

Chapter 10	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

The subject of this discourse is, “The Process of Human Progress”. Long ago, I said that true progress takes place in only in the spiritual sphere. What we generally call “progress” is not actual progress. Today, people are making very little progress in comparison with the progress made in the distant past. Of course, they are struggling as much as their ancestors did (and their counterparts will do in the future), but there is some difference between them.

Behind the human endeavour to progress towards perfection lies one motivating factor – the desire for permanent happiness. Urged on by this desire, people start to tread the path of advancement. Early on in their journey, they discover hundreds of personal and social imperfections hindering their progress and resolve to overcome them to reach their cherished goal. Those early humans, goaded on by their instinctive urge to attain happiness, also battled against these imperfections. However, having no systematic method to achieve progress, they were greatly handicapped.

Human existence is trifarious: physical, psychic and spiritual. In the initial phase of their march, in the dark age of the distant past, the humans progressed in the physical and psychic spheres alone. Not having the key to enter the spiritual world, they were unable to advance spiritually. When they tries to establish their physical supremacy in the external world, great pressure was exerted on their nervous system, resulting in a mutual conflict between their innumerable cells. This inter-cellular clash caused a marked development in human consciousness which, in turn, led to corresponding changes in the external human structure.

Morphological changes are still occurring in the human structure and will occur in the future. Human beings will undergo such marked changes in the future that they will be almost unrecognizable to the people of today. When the first humans evolved from the apes, it was also impossible to imagine that such marked changes would occur. But this process of internal and external change through inter-cellular conflict does not represent true progress. We cannot say that those early humans made any really significant spiritual progress. Whatever advancement they made, however, was by no means insignificant and, although of no absolute importance, had significant relative importance. This transformation is called “karmayoga”. According to Ananda Marga philosophy this is the real karmayoga. This fact should not be ignored.

How did change occur in the psychic world? When human beings started fighting against imperfections in the physical world and psychic sphere for the development of mind, psychic changes began to occur. Their internal attempts to remould their psychic world resulted in considerable clash among the nerve cells and nerve fibres which led to subtle changes in both the psychic and physical structures. Although the nerve cells and fibres are related to the mind, they actually originate from subtle physical stuff. When they become more subtle, therefore, there is a corresponding subtle change in the physical structure.

Thus those early human beings battled against psychic imperfections to bring about a change in the psychic world. The same fight is still continuing and will continue in future as well. This phase on the path of human progress can be called “Jiṋánayoga”. According to Ananda Marga philosophy, change in the psychic world can be termed “Jiṋána yoga”. It is also a change, not of absolute significance, but of relative significance.

Did human beings take the help of any greater force in their fight against their inherent imperfections? Yes, they did. In those early days, people observed that there were more imperfections in the mental world than in the physical world. Some of the more intelligent humans realized that for an individual with a limited mind, it is not possible to struggle on alone. If one had the stamina for an individual fight, it would take hundreds of thousands of years to reach the zenith point of perfection. No human being can wait that long. They could not wait that long in the past, nor will they be able to do so in the future. After intense analysis, therefore, they concluded that if they could focus their psychic propensities on one point and merge them into cosmic energy, they would, with the help of that cosmic energy, be able to remove their imperfections and thus attain the cherished state of perfection.

Human beings discovered this type of intellectual approach nine to ten thousand years ago. Whatever they were, educated or uneducated, the approach they discovered was “Bhakti marga”. The people of this phase of human history were the most intelligent people. Although the karma and jiṋánayogis are less intelligent than the bhaktiyogis, whatever advancements they made in their respective ages had a relative importance. I have already said that the importance of the spiritual world is immense, yet the relative world is not totally unimportant.

When, in the distant past, humans realized that karma yoga and jiṋána yoga would not help them to attain true progress, they readily embraced bhakti yoga. They realized that devotion is the only path. Human beings today have advanced even further due to their developed karma and jiṋána yoga, and thus will realize more quickly than their ancestors the need to follow the path of devotion. This is the bright side of karma and jiṋána yoga. That is, these two yogas will strengthen the path of devotion, will make it more solid.

Chapter 11	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

Some people say, “I am helpless. There is no one to take care of me”, and some take pity on others, saying, “Look, sir, this man is helpless. Please do something for him.” In this context, I will say that no one in this universe is helpless. Some people believe that money and wealth will greatly help them in life but they are mistaken because wealth and riches are limited. A finite entity comes and goes; it has a beginning and end. How can it help you? Thus, the physical body, wealth, riches and clothes cannot give you any lasting assistance. Only that entity which neither comes nor goes, which has an unbroken existence from beginningless to endless time, can be your permanent shelter.

Every entity, organic or inorganic, mobile or static needs a shelter. Parama Puruśa is the only real shelter of one and all. Parama Puruśa has devised a system for everyone in which there is provision for scolding and deterrent punishment. However, behind that lies His deep love and affection. This is why I advise human beings, “Don’t be afraid of any harshness or any difficulty whatsoever in the world. Don’t be afraid of scolding or deterrent punishment. The Supreme One, who is the Creator, the most powerful entity of this universe, is with you, so spend your life in this world free from worry or anxiety. There lies before you the call of duty. Parama Puruśa will provide you with the strength you require to respond to this call. You do not have to say any special prayer to Parama Puruśa for that because He will supply you with everything according to your necessity. This is His duty, it is a must for Him.”

Some people pray to Parama Puruśa, “Oh Lord, please give me strength.” In my opinion, there is no need to ask Parama Puruśa for strength. You should first utilize the strength that has already been given to you. Only when you are completely exhausted, when you have utilized all your energy, may you say, “O Lord, I have used up all the strength you gave me. If You want me to do more work, give me more strength. If You don’t require any more work from me, don’t give me any more strength.” While you still possess the last remnants of the capacity given to you, while you still have the strength to move and the ability to speak, there is no need to ask Parama Puruśa for anything. I have already said that it is His duty to provide you with the requisite strength. Is there any need to remind Him of His duty? You know that Parama Puruśa exists in all the entities of the universe – the sun, moon, planets, satellites, nebulae and innumerable celestial bodies, the countless atoms and molecules – in His individual and collective association. That is why, as long as there is a speck of dust under your feet, as long as a single star twinkles over your head, you should remember that you are not helpless, that you are not alone. You need not have any fear or apprehension about this under any circumstances. Just keep moving along the path of spirituality.

The question then arises, why should you continue your spiritual practices? The answer is that you continue because Parama Puruśa wants you to. Only in deference to that particular desire of Parama Puruśa do you continue your spiritual practices.

During your spiritual practices you should ensure that Parama Puruśa is your mental object and you are His subject. It sounds funny that human beings become the subject and Parama Puruśa the object. In the absolute sense, Parama Puruśa is the supreme controller of everything, the Supreme Subjectivity, with human beings as His object. Usually, human beings cannot make Parama Puruśa their mental object. Therefore, when you repeat your iśt́a mantra, or when you ideate, you should remember that, in fact, you are the object and Parama Puruśa is the subject. That is, in meditation you do not see Parama Puruśa, but Parama Puruśa sees you. The actual idea in your mind should be that Parama Puruśa has kept a close watch over you in the past, is keeping a close watch over you now, and will keep a close watch over you in the future. Under no circumstances are you alone or neglected. As long as you remember that Parama Puruśa is watching, no power in this universe can oppose or harm you. Moreover, each and every entity, from the Supreme Creator of the universe to a single blade of grass, will cooperate fully with you. It is a divine decree that human beings should live in this world amicably. No one should exploit anyone, no one should perpetrate torture or exploitation. Everyone should utilize their inherent strength to the best of their capacity.

Fully utilize your strength and all the other qualities you have received from Parama Puruśa. When you have exhausted them, when you have no strength, intelligence or spiritual power left in you, Parama Puruśa will provide you with the things you need most. You should not waste your valuable time by entreating Parama Puruśa to give you this or that. Remember, you are never alone and should never have any fear or apprehension. You should not sit down and lament, “Oh, what will happen to me now?” Such thinking is totally absurd. Parama Puruśa will certainly see the problem and take the necessary steps in all circumstances. Just as a small child never has to think about itself – its parents think about its well-being – similarly, you should not concern yourself about your own needs. Let Parama Puruśa worry about that while you carry on your duty fearlessly and cheerfully. You will see that Parama Puruśa will certainly do everything necessary to protect the interests of His affectionate and beloved children. You should not have any sort of inferiority complex in your mind – you are not inferior to anyone, nor are you any less significant than anyone. I have already told you that a father gives equal love and affection to his sons and his daughters: both are equal. Those who curtail other people’s rights oppose the divine providential law, thus inviting trouble for themselves.

Chapter 12	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

Once, in answer to a question, Lord Buddha outlined a set of principles that human beings should follow in life. The first of these principles is right ideology or “samyak darshana”. Human beings should base their lives on an ideology. Those without an ideology do not view the world rationally or benevolently, but view it with the greedy eye of an exploiter. However, those who follow the guiding principles of a radiant ideology, can better view and judge the world. In order to prevent human degradation, ideology is indispensable. The earlier one embraces an ideology, the better it is because first, sufficient time is needed to assimilate the ideology and second, one can never say with certainty how long one will live – many people die in the prime of life.

The decision to lead a family life or to become a sannyasin should be taken at the proper time. What is the use of becoming a sannyasin during old age? How can a person have enough strength to serve the society at that time? Everything should be done at the right moment.

One should follow an ideology which encourages the development of a universal outlook. It should not be based on narrow ideas. In the past, ideologies were based on very limited ideas and thus people had to undergo endless troubles. Due to constant fighting between various communities, the human society has suffered tremendously.

The second principle is right determination or “samyak saḿkalpa”. One should decide as early as possible how one will lead one’s life. Family people are required to know the necessary rules and regulations for living an ideal family life, and must follow them in both letter and spirit. They will have to take the vow to render more service to the society. Actually, they have two families; one is their small family, having five or six members, and the other is the larger family, that is, the entire human society. Human beings should understand at an early age how they will fulfil their duty. “Should I give up my home and adopt the life of a sannyasin for the well-being of the larger society, or should I move ahead, maintaining a happy balance between my small family and the large family?” One will have to take a vow to follow either of these two paths. For the sannyasins, there is one family – the larger family, that is, the entire universe. Sannyasins own everything or nothing. However, for the family people there are two distinct families, one small and one large, and they are to serve both. Thus the householder’s path is not any easier or simpler, but is quite complex. One should first understand the two paths and then take a vow to follow one of them faithfully. One should make a firm determination to fully establish oneself in life. Only in this way can a human being attain fulfilment. Anyone living such a life cannot be tormented by the agony of disappointment and frustration.

The third principle is right speech or “samyak vák”. Here “vák” includes all the sensory and motor organs; not only the vocal cord.

Vacchad váunmanasi prájiṋastad yacchajjiṋána mátmani
Jiṋamátmani mahati niyacchettad yacchecchánya átmani.

Human beings have ten organs: five sensory – eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin; and five motor – vocal cord, hands, feet, anus, and genital organ. According to some people, there is an eleventh organ, the mind. One will have to think deeply about the best way to utilize these organs and act accordingly. One should think about their utilization before doing something, and not after.

Cakkhuna saḿvaro sádhu, sádhu sotena saḿvaro
Ghánena saḿvaro sádhu, sádhu vácáya saḿvaro
Manasá saḿvaro sádhu, sádhu sabbattha saḿvaro
Sabbattha saḿvaro bhikkhu sabba dukkhe pamuccati.

Buddha says, “Think once before you speak. If you have the eyes to see, cast a quick glance before you look at anything, otherwise, do not look at all, because whatever you see will influence the mind. Don’t listen to anything which is not worth hearing. Only listen to that which purifies and elevates the mind.” Human beings should control their organs in this way. The organs should be controlled by the mind and not the mind controlled by the organs. This is samyak vak.

The fourth principle is right livelihood or “samyak ájiiva”. Ájiiva means “livelihood” in Saḿskrta. Unscrupulous people earn a lot of money from actions which are by nature sinful and harmful for the world. Human beings should not earn their livelihood in this way. Their means of livelihood should be pure and sacred and should not harm anyone. Lord Buddha’s father was called “Shuddhodana”. “Shuddha” means “pure” and “odana” means “rice” (or any staple food) or “means of livelihood”, so Shuddhodana literally means a person who lives by honest means, whose food is accepted by all.

The fifth principle is right exercise or “samyak vyáyam”. Many people do physical training and play sport to strengthen their bodies. But human beings are not only endowed with a body – they have a mind and a soul as well, and an equal importance should be given to strengthening all three. There should also be proper exercise for mental development and spiritual elevation – one should not neglect the mind or the soul. What is the best way to strengthen the mind? The best and proper way is to strictly observe the 16 Points [physical, mental and spiritual exercises for the all-round development of the individual]. The more rigidly you follow the 16 Points, the more your mental strength will increase. It will increase so much that it will be more powerful than the collective mental strength of 100,000 people. In a psychic clash they will have to concede victory to you. A person who is physically strong can fight against eight, ten or twenty people at most, but no more than that. A psychically developed person, however, is able to fight against many more people. So you must endeavour to develop your psychic strength - this is your bounden duty. The more rigidly you follow the 16 Points, the more psychic strength you will acquire. It will not take you long. The only way to develop spiritual strength is to surrender everything to Him – the more you surrender yourself to Him, the more you will develop your soul. Such development will lead to not only 10,000 people surrendering before you, but the entire universe. This is right exercise. Exercise is necessary, not only in the physical sphere, but also in the psychic and spiritual spheres.

The sixth principle is proper finishing or “samyak karmántua”. Once you have started a task, you should finish it in the proper way. Do not leave anything half finished or half done. Finish your work and finish it properly. If you are sure you will, start the work and do not leave it until its completion. This is the spirit of proper finishing.

The seventh principle is right memory or “samyak smrti”. The literal meaning of smrti is “memory”. Many people have asked me how they can increase their power of memory. Personally, I know quite a few secrets in this regard, as well as a number of physical exercises which increase the power of memory. In our 16 Points there are a number of psychic exercises which also help. In my experience, however, the quickest way is to meditate on that person who has a tremendously powerful memory. You should remember to use guru mantra regularly before every action. One attains success in the field of action by the right application of guru mantra. Some of you, I do not say all, often forget to use guru mantra before starting an activity. If you do forget, repeat it after completing the action. When one no longer makes such a mistake, that is, when one always remembers to use guru mantra before starting any activity, one is said to have attained “dhruva smrti” or “fixed memory”. Dhruva means “fixed”, “stationary”. When, by dint of sádhaná, one establishes oneself in dhruva smrti, one experiences an unbroken flow of bliss in one’s mind. In the scriptures, this intense spiritual bliss is termed “dharma meghánanda”. Whenever you develop that sort of fixed memory, you will experience dharma meghánandá.

The last and eighth principle is right absorption or “samyak samádhi”. Here samádhi signifies a state of intense love or attachment for a particular object. Except that object, one forgets everything else in the universe, even oneself. This is the state called samádhi. When human beings’ love for Parama Puruśa becomes so intense that they forget everything else in the universe, including themselves, they attain spiritual samádhi. Lord Buddha was referring to this spiritual samádhi when he spoke of samyak samádhi.

Chapter 13	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

Yacchedváuṋmanasiiprájiṋastadyacchejjiṋána átmani;
Jiṋánamátmani mahati niyacchettadyacchecchánta átmani.

[Wise persons first merge their indriyas (sense organs) into their citta (mind-stuff), then their citta into aham (doer “I”), then aham into mahat (“I exist” feeling), then mahat into jiivátmá (unit spirit, soul), and finally their jiivátmá into Paramátmá (Supreme Consciousness).]

I have already told you how spiritual aspirants should live their lives. I have said that a real sadhaka [spiritual aspirant] will properly discharge their duties in the relative world, and will at the same time attend properly to their duties in the spiritual world; and between the two worlds, there will be a happy blending. In the external world there should be an objective adjustment, and at the same time there should, in the psychic world, be a subjective approach.

Furthermore, never forgetting that human life is an ideological flow, human beings should always move towards the supreme ideology. They have been moving in this direction since time immemorial and, through this process of movement, have reached the present stage of humanity. Passing through many lives as worms, insects, birds, and animals, they have undergone countless pains, miseries, tortures and humiliations. Take for example the life of a goat. A goat spends its life eating grass, until the day comes when the butcher grabs it, kills it, skins it and sells its flesh piece by piece in the market. That goat at one time had to live such a miserable life. But today it has forgotten all this. Through a process of forward movement, today it may have attained a human life.

Human life is more secure than animal life. Many animals live in the jungle where there is something to fear every minute; where the weak are the prey of the strong. To escape this atmosphere of fear and insecurity, many wild animals have sought refuge with human beings. They have been fed grass, leaves and other types of fodder until the right moment came to kill them for their flesh. Even today, this is generally what happens. Animals fully trust human beings; they trust them even up to one minute before their death. But when they see a person approaching them with a weapon in hand, they realize that those they had trusted as their friends are actually their enemies. Although human beings feed their animals, the love or attachment which they have for them is purely external. There is no genuine love in humans. This is how wretched animal life can be.

Every human being has had to pass through that sort of painful animal life in the past. But that does not mean we should be the cause of misery for those animals who have taken shelter with us today. On the contrary, we should have a merciful attitude towards them. A woman who has been badly treated or humiliated by her mother-in-law should be careful that she does not treat her daughter-in-law in the same way. Human beings should carry out their duties properly in the external world and should always ensure that no being suffers unnecessarily from any undue mistreatment. In the physical sphere, the rights of all should be protected. Each and every human being should be guaranteed the basic necessities of life: food, clothing, medicine, shelter and education. “I won’t exploit anyone, and I won’t allow others to exploit me.” This is the spirit of proper objective adjustment. And while this proper objective adjustment is maintained, work must continue in a progressive way. You will have to move ahead on the path of life while keeping an adjustment with the external world.

You must always remember that your existence is not only a physical one. It is animals who are primarily concerned with the physical world, who struggle merely to survive. Those animals which live in jungles are constantly confronted by the fear of tigers, lions, bears, elephants, snakes, crocodiles and a host of other ferocious creatures; while those which have surrendered to human beings, such as goats, sheep and cows, are confronted in the last moment of their lives with the fear of being slaughtered by a human. So it is quite obvious that animal life is less secure than human life.

In today’s world, human beings face difficulties in maintaining an objective adjustment with the physical world. As we have not yet been able to build an ideal human society, we will have to first concentrate on providing everyone with the basic requirements of life. Once that task is accomplished, we will be able to build an ideal society. To enable society to progress spiritually, people will be given sufficient scope and time for spiritual practices.

The subjective approach is to first withdraw the crude mind gradually from the external world and merge it in the subtle mind, and then to merge the subtle mind in unit consciousness. When unit consciousness is merged in Cosmic Consciousness, a human being is said to have attained the supreme fulfilment in life. In the present world, human beings face such tremendous difficulties in maintaining their objective adjustment that they cannot afford to give any time for their subjective approach. This is the greatest tragedy of the day! That is why I would like to advise you to build a healthy human society as early as possible, so that each and every human being gets enough scope and time for spiritual progress.

Chapter 14	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

The tiny organization which first saw the light of day in a small town in 1955 – you may call it the “Jamalpur Organization” because in those early days it was confined to Jamalpur town - has today, due to your efforts, been transformed into a mighty global organization.

Each and every entity grows step by step due to its own inherent strength, not by acquiring strength from any external source. If internal strength is lacking, it serves no purpose to inject additional strength from outside.

The day we started our journey we only had a fixed goal ahead of us, nothing else. In those days we had neither structure nor financial capacity, nor even a small office room. Yet our organization continued to grow and has become so large today that there is hardly any country left where its branches and ramifications have not spread. The Ananda Marga of today is no longer the small Jamalpur Organization of those early days: the people of Jamalpur have had to surrender it to the population of the world. During the twelve years since 1966, I have not been to Jamalpur. In those early days, people used to talk about the “head of Ananda Marga of Jamalpur”, but these days they no longer use such words.

Every entity develops by virtue of its own internal strength. But where does that internal strength come from? The strength acquired from the external world is fundamentally crude. Food, air and water are created from the five fundamental factors which, being crude, can only directly help the growth of physical energy and not the more subtle psychic energy and spiritual energy. One should not be over-dependent upon that physical source of energy as it is transient by nature.

From the very beginning it was my opinion that it would not be wise to depend on external objects alone. This is the advice I have given to members of Ananda Marga, saying that they should rather depend upon psychic energy. Psychic energy is of two types. One is a product of physical energy, the other a product of spiritual power. Suppose some people stop eating food for a number of days: their physical and psychic stamina will be affected. They will be unable to continue their studies and other activities due to a lack of physical stamina. Their minds, infatuated with food, will repeat “bread, bread” instead of “Krśńa, Krśńa”. Thus, crude psychic power which is a product of physical energy is also undependable.

The second type is internal psychic power. Those who are moralists, those who are armed with spiritual power, naturally develop a kind of psychic power. Whether they eat or not, their strength remains unaffected. Staunch moralists would never agree to drink alcohol even if they were about to die. Their moral strength is so strong that they would rather put their heads in fire than violate their ideology. The energy that originates from crude food is not adequate for the development of this sort of indomitable psychic power. It requires spiritual strength, spiritual moral force which originate, from unit consciousness or átman. In the absence of spiritual power, this unflinching psychic power and moral force quickly fade. That is why from the very beginning I have been stressing that human beings should depend more on spiritual power. Ananda Marga firmly believes that human life should be based on this inherent moral spiritual force. Those who possess such crude physical force tried their utmost to eliminate us. Their days are gone.

The crude mental force which is a product of physical energy is expressed as vanity or ego. There is nothing more foolish. You must have observed that when one strikes at vanity it shatters into pieces.

Thus, I advise you to depend upon the inherent psychic force under all circumstances. I do not say that you should depend only on the inherent psychic force because that psychic force itself depends on spiritual force. This is what intelligent people should do. That is why we have followed this path from the very beginning. The small nucleus of an organization which we first started at Jamalpur has extended its circumference far beyond the small frontiers of that small town, and has now spread all over the world. It has spread to each and every neighbourhood and is still spreading.

Today, you should remember that Ananda Marga is not limited to a handful of honest and intellectual people. Rather, it is trying to rally thousands of people under the banner of one sublime ideology. I dedicate Ananda Marga in this DMC [Dharma Mahácakra: a spiritual gathering during which the Guru delivers several discourses] to all sections of society. Prior to this DMC, I would only discuss intellectual topics, but from this DMC onwards I have become a man of the people because I believe that dharma is the property of the masses, not the exclusive monopoly of a handful of so-called educated middle class elite. Dharma belongs to one and all. From this DMC, I recognize it as the property of the common people.

Chapter 15	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

I have already said that human beings use only a very small percentage of their inherent capacity – less than one percent, to be precise. Even people whom society has accepted as great personalities use hardly ten percent of their inherent capabilities, and the remaining ninety percent remains unutilized. To put it very plainly, human beings waste ninety percent of their capacity. Those who are very crude by nature waste half of their time in idle pursuits, and the rest of the time they only use a small percentage of their capacity for worthwhile tasks. The term “crude” refers to those people who utilize their physical capacity but totally neglect their mental and spiritual power.

Why do human beings fail to utilize their total capacity? First, they do not know how to utilize their capacity – they lack proper knowledge as to what should be done and what should not be done. Secondly, they are habitually indolent, suffering from psychic and spiritual inertness.

Some people think early in life, even at the age of twelve or fourteen, about how they can utilize cent percent of their psychic power and perfect themselves through spiritual practices. Unfortunately, due to lethargy, they fail to utilize their capacity and thus their potentiality gradually diminishes. Even those who are acclaimed as great personalities in this world utilize hardly ten percent of their capacity in the intellectual and spiritual spheres. This is really very unfortunate. But even more unfortunate is that some people not only fail to utilize their own capacity, but block the progress of others – they do not want others to prosper at all. This mentality is shameful, deplorable, and highly detrimental.

Suppose a very dark-complexioned boy is called a “nigger” by his classmates and even his teachers. This certainly depresses him and blocks the expression of his capabilities. He thinks, “I am inferior. I am downtrodden. I am ugly.” Similarly, those who are born into so-called low-caste families are criticized for being of low birth. People say derogatorily, “Ha! What sort of education can such low-caste people expect?” As a result, their minds contract and their progress is thwarted. In exactly the same way, poor people are subjected to all sorts of indignities and harassments because of their financial difficulties. Suppose a poor but meritorious boy is making excellent progress with his studies: his envious classmates comment, “Why do you bother to study? Shouldn’t you get a job as a servant?” Because of such attitudes, many brilliant and gifted people are forced to let their inherent potentialities go to waste. This is not only a matter of regret and shame, it is an act of blatant oppression, suppression, repression and exploitation! Consequently, the genius in many people gets choked. This is called “intellectual exploitation” in philosophy. You must oppose it.

It is sad that human potentiality is not fully utilized. Those who utilize a mere ten percent of their potentialities are considered to be great people by society. Imagine what the result would be if a person were to use cent percent of his or her potentialities.

As I mentioned earlier, the first reason for this waste of human potentiality is ignorance about the right path, and the second reason is lethargy. There is a third reason. Sometimes, even if people are aware of the right path and are not at all lethargic – even if one is a genius – they cannot express their full potentialities as they are subjected to unusual intellectual or social pressure. Thus, the natural expression of their potentialities is checked. This socio-intellectual exploitation is highly detrimental. You must oppose it.

There are many petty criminals in today’s society. If you keep calling them sinners, they will develop a complex deep in their minds. “I am a sinner. I am a wretch. I am mean and vile. I have no future,” they will think. You must not do anything like this. Rather, you should find their good qualities and praise them. This praise will encourage them to cultivate their attributes and move along the path of virtue. They will concentrate more on their good qualities than on their wickedness, resulting in the gradual diminishment of their sinful tendencies. Finally the day will come when they will be so preoccupied with doing good deeds that they will cease to commit any crime. That is why I say, “Praise the good qualities in human beings.”

But if these criminals are neglected, their progress will be checked and they will become even more sinful. If they are repeatedly called sinners, if they are subjected to social punishment, their habit of committing crimes will become stronger.

Even the worst sinners have some good qualities. If you appreciate their good qualities, they will be encouraged to take to the righteous path – there will be a great change for the better in their lives. This is the right approach. If, instead, so-called sinners are ostracized or criticized by society, they will no longer strive to cultivate their inherent good qualities but will stick to the path of vice so tenaciously that one day they will become a great burden on society.

As most people do not know basic human psychology, their actions result in the so-called criminals becoming a greater burden on society. Having been subjected to much social injustice and criticism, some people think, “Now that I have stepped onto the path of vice, now that I have fallen down, I will not stop until I reach the deepest hell.” You should not do anything, even unconsciously, which goes against fundamental human psychology, and you should ensure that other people do not get any scope to make such mistakes either. If so-called sinners are repeatedly scolded, they will never become transformed into good people. Even bad people, under indirect pressure, or external attraction, or urge for Parama Puruśa, can turn into good people.

You should lead the wicked people to the path of virtue. You will see for yourselves that they, too, will feel an attraction for Parama Puruśa. You should encourage them to develop the noble qualities lying dormant in them without delay. This is the proper psychological approach, the real path of rectification.

Let us consider two points: attraction for the Great and collective pressure. As a result of attraction for the Great, one joins the path of virtue; and, as a result of collective pressure, one’s attributes get scope for external expression. Here, social pressure does not mean declaring anyone an outcast or ostracizing anyone or stopping the supply of anyone’s basic needs. This is not proper social pressure; rather it is a useless approach, having no positive effect on people. On the contrary, it merely strengthens the determination of the sinner to sin. What is proper social pressure? It is to find the good side, the noble aspects, of a person’s character, and help bring about a change in his or her life. In fact, a human being has but one task: to remove that which is harmful or detrimental in society. As you march along your path of movement you should oppose those people who work against the collective interest; you should raise the slogan, “Human exploitation – No more, no more!”

Chapter 16	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

In the scriptures and kiirtanas the word “Haripari mańd́ala” is often mentioned. You know that for a devotee, the dearest entity is Parama Puruśa or Hari as He is the only entity in this universe which lasts for eternity. Parama Puruśa alone remains with humans until the end; all other entities are finite, limited. Only Hari and Harikathá [discussion about Parama Puruśa] are endless. That is why intelligent people should establish a relationship of deep love with the Infinite Entity.

Hari is an internal entity, residing in the innermost core of everyone’s heart. Be it the heart of a bird, a fool, a scholar, a good person or a bad person, Hari’s throne is there. He only considers one thing – whether that heart has love and devotion for Him. Suppose a certain person commits so many sins; rather, is totally immersed in the ocean of sin: Hari resides even in such a sinner’s heart and will reside there in the future, too. He will examine that heart to see how much love and devotion there is for Him.

Whenever the devotees of Hari assemble together they do not like to gossip, but prefer to do Hari kiirtana, and nothing else. Whoever comes within the circumference of that spiritual gathering will certainly feel an irresistible desire to participate in that spiritual dance. The sweet spiritual environment created by the kiirtana is called Hariparimańd́ala in the scriptures. Hari resides at its nucleus.

Those in the Hariparimańd́ala are by nature devotional. When they participate in the kiirtana they become even more devotional. Whenever Hariparimańd́ala is created, be it for five minutes, three hours or twenty-four hours, due to the intense collective devotion, the environment becomes so sweet and blissful that it becomes highly congenial for spiritual ideation (dhyána). At that time Hari moves His nucleus there and becomes the focal point of dhyána, the object of ideation.

From the devotional point of view, it is certainly Hariparimańd́ala, and from Hari’s point of view it is also Hariparimańd́ala. As these two viewpoints coincide at one point, every spiritual aspirant enjoys endless bliss. Thus it is said, “Bhaktih bhaktasya jiivanam”. Just as a fish cannot live without [[water, a human being cannot live without]]the earth, and a bird cannot live without the sky, a devotee cannot live without devotion. Without Hari the very existence of a devotee is endangered. If devotees are estranged from Hari, or separated from devotion, they become as miserable as a fish out of water.

The worst calamity that can befall a devotee is to be separated from devotion. Those who try to deprive people of devotion, who tried in the past, and will try in the future, certainly invite their own destruction. Hari never wants to harm anyone, nor do His devotees. However, if an individual or a force tries to disturb the Hariparimańd́ala of the devotee, or will try to do so in the future, they will certainly meet their destruction; it is a natural law. It is not at all necessary to harbour any thought of others’ destruction. Destruction comes as a matter of course.

Chapter 17	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 7

In this universe, each existence, each action, each inner urge and each individual entity has a flow. It has a source from which it moves like a stream. Some people believe that by eating nutritious food they will acquire more energy to do better work; others expect to get the same results by increasing their intellect through intensive study. Different people have different ideas. On deeper analysis, however, people will realize that the source of permanent wisdom and energy must be a permanent entity. Some people try to attain satisfaction by eating rasagollas [delicious milk sweet]. But rasagollas are transient objects: once gulped down the throat their taste is quickly lost. The source of people’s happiness, strength or intelligence must be an unlimited entity. What can you expect from limited objects? How much light can you expect from a little candle? After a short time it will extinguish itself. The same is the case for each and every mundane object. In winter, some health tonics increase inner strength, but as soon as spring comes, they lose their potency. An intelligent person will naturally depend on that inexhaustible source which will never meet an end and from which people can attain permanent strength, intelligence and courage.

It is said, “Múkaḿ karoti vácálaḿ pauṋgaḿ launghayate girim.” With the help of mundane objects, a dumb person will never become fully eloquent, and a lame person will never be able to climb a mountain. However, with the grace of Parama Puruśa, the dumb will speak and the lame will scale mountains. If one asks Parama Puruśa for strength one may get or may not get some. But one should not make any such demands. One should not ask, “Oh Parama Puruśa, please give me this and that.” By ideating on Him one may get everything. What is important is His grace which may come whether you ask for it or not. His grace is all important, and that is why it is said, “ Mukaḿ karoti vácálaḿ pauṋgaḿ launghayate girim.”

“Ananyormamatá viśńormamatá premasauṋgatá”. You will have to concentrate your mind. Instead of developing an attachment for mundane objects, you should develop an attachment for Parama Puruśa (Viśńu). Here the word “mamata” signifies the feeling of being one’s own. None of the objects of this universe can be called your own. You came to this Earth without any possessions and you will leave empty handed, too. So how can any object be called your own? It cannot. This is true knowledge. There is nothing in this universe which you can call your own except Parama Puruśa. If this idea is not cultivated humans will become inactive and averse to work. In my opinion, the best way is objective adjustment through subjective approach. If you do not feel that all objects and entities are a part of you, you cannot develop any love and affection for His creation. The balance between your unit being and the external world will be impaired and your movement towards Parama Puruśa will be hindered. Remember that the love you develop for this worldly creation must always be channelized towards Parama Puruśa. He, being the owner of the external objective world, is the only object for you to possess. When you realize this, adjustment with the objective world will come naturally and effortlessly. All human beings should have the idea in their minds that the only entity in this universe which they can call their own is Parama Puruśa. “Ananyormamatá viśńormamatá premasauṋgatá”.

Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat;
Draśt́avyamátmavattasmádabhedena vicakśańaeh.

Viśńupuráńa –Trans.

The word “vishva” is derived from the root verb “vish” whose inner meaning is to penetrate into every pore of an entity. Thus the entity which lies covert in each and every object in this universe is called “Viśńu”. He lies covert in all your nerve cells, in every corner of each of your pores, and in the deepest core of your mind. How can you escape His attention? Do not think that He only resides in the five fundamental factors; He also resides in the deepest recesses of your mind, hearing everything you think.

What is the mental process of thinking? Thinking means to speak within the mind. Suppose someone is thinking, “I’ll go to Calcutta to attend DMC. I’d like to go to Delhi, too, but I don’t quite have enough money.” Parama Puruśa has been sitting in that mind listening to the internal talk. He knows everything about that mind. Now, each action is preceded by a preparatory stage. Rice has to be washed clean in water before it is cooked. This is the proper procedure prior to cooking and unless it is done, one should not cook. Similarly, each thought has a preparatory stage. Parama Puruśa knows about this, too. He knows when a particular person is preparing to think about something. In the case of the person thinking about attending DMC, Parama Puruśa knows that he will finally decide to go to both Delhi and Calcutta. Thus, one of His names is Viśńu: the entity which lies covert in everything.

There is no place in the world, nor even in the universe, where one can hide from Him. Even if you think something secretly, He will also come to know about it. Suppose somebody thinks, “I’ll do this work tomorrow morning. Most probably Parama Puruśa is so preoccupied that He won’t worry about the delay. After all, how many things can He see at the same time? And if He overlooks it completely, so much the better.” But Parama Puruśa can also hear these mental words. So what should people do? They should think inwardly, “Oh Parama Puruśa, please make sure that my thoughts move along the right path.” Parama Puruśa will see that even though their minds are not under perfect control, they have a strong desire to tread the right path. He will surely have special love and grace for them. He will think, “Basically they are not bad people; they’re simply having trouble controlling their minds.”

Since Parama Puruśa remains covert in each and every entity, human beings should look upon the universe from an integral point of view. They should not allow any inferiority or superiority complex to develop in the mind, but should remain free from both. All are equal, all are bound by the ideals of Neohumanism. Some people may have studied more than others, some may be white, some may be black, but they are all brothers and sisters. If a white man hates a black man, he should realize that the hairs on his skin are also black. Conversely, if a black man hates a white man he should remember that the soles of his feet are white. No one has ever been born with black soles on their feet! One should not allow any type of complex to develop in the mind. A wise person always looks upon all the objects of this universe with equanimity. This is called devotion, that is, when the mind is withdrawn from all objects and channelized towards Parama Puruśa. This is the most important state for human beings to attain.

You may or may not have sufficient physical, mental or spiritual power – it is enough that your mind is concentrated on Viśńu. How much can you do with your limited capacity, anyway? But if Viśńu bestows His grace, even a dumb person will be able to deliver a learned discourse at a philosophical or spiritual meeting. Similarly, even though you may be weak or incompetent, you will be able to accomplish great tasks with relative ease. You will be amazed how such tasks could be accomplished with yourself as the medium.