Chapter 1	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Recently in Thailand, I said something regarding certain fundamental principles of human life. As these are the guiding principles of life, there is no harm in repeating the same points again.

You know, in each sphere of our life we should follow a code of discipline. Knowing or adhering to the code of discipline means 60% success. To become one with the Supreme Entity, with the Parama Puruśa is an innate human urge. Knowingly or unknowingly everybody loves the Parama Puruśa. The movement of a spiritual aspirant towards this goal is his spiritual progress, and it is achieved through spiritual cult. For proper movement, an aspirant should follow certain rules, should know certain important factors. Regarding these indispensable items for spiritual progress, Lord Buddha said that there are eight codes. You should remember these points.

First is Samyak Darshana. What is Darshana? In ordinary Sanskrit, Darshana means to see, and in philosophical language, or in spiritual and psychic strata, Darshana means seeing anything with the proper spirit of a scholar, with the spirit of an aspirant. Darshana means guiding philosophy.

A man is walking, but if he has no fixed destination, all his endeavours, all his exercise will be meaningless. A man may do so many things, but all his gain will be meaningless if he does not know what his goal is, where he is going. So each and every man must have a philosophy of life, without which there cannot be any progress. You should remember, it is the first point, the first important factor.

The second important factor is Samyak Saḿkalpa. Samyak means proper. Saḿkalpa means determination. Here, Samyak Saḿkalpa means proper and firm determination. “I will do it, I must do it”. This firm determination is the secret of success in each and every human life. Where there is no firm determination, one will never be successful in any arena of human life. “I must do it! I must come in contact with the Supreme Entity! I must be one with the Parama Puruśa.” This is firm determination. So Lord Buddha said that this is the second important factor, the second important principle that an aspirant must adhere to.

The third item is Samyak Vák. In Sanskrit, the ordinary meaning of Vák is expression of vocal cord, but in philosophical language, Vák means all the expressions of efferent nerves. Whatever we see, whatever we touch, whatever we speak, all these expressions are found within the scope of Vák. Therefore, a man while expressing himself in any stratum of life, must have proper control over himself, he must have proper control over his sensory and motor nerves. This is Samyak Vák.

You know, Lord Buddha said so many things, but all were not noted properly. However, the collection of what he himself said in poetic form, is known as Darshan Pada. In the Darshan Pada, Lord Buddha said, “Cakśuńá Saḿvaro Sádhu” O spiritual aspirant! O Bhikśu! O monk! O devotee! You should have proper control over your eyes; whatever will have bad effect on your mind, you must not see it. “Sádhu Sotena saḿvaro”. Whatever will have bad effect on your mind, O good man, you must not hear it. “Ghánena Saḿvaro Sádhu.” You should have control over your nose, “Sádhu Jibháya Saḿvaro.” You should have control over your taste. “Káyena Saḿvaro Sádhu.” You should have control over your body. “Sádhu Vácáya Saḿvaro.” You should have control over your language also; and “Savvatha Saḿvaro Bhikśu.” If you want emancipation, if you want liberation from worldly fetters, you must have all-round restraint. This third item is Samyak Vák.

The fourth instruction is Samyak Ájiiva. One can earn money by many unfair means – by stealing, by selling wine, by money-lending business. There are so many bad things one can do. A good man should have a clean occupation; he must not be engaged in unclean means of livelihood. Not only his physical occupations, but also his mental occupation should be neat, clean and pure. His objects of thought should be in good taste, and he should not try to do anything bad to another good man. This is called Samyak Ájiiva, and this is the fourth item.

Then the fifth is Samyak Vyáyáma. You know, many boys do so many physical exercises to make the body strong. This is physical exercise. A human entity, however, is not only physical. It is physical, mental and spiritual. Physical exercise is good, but you should do mental exercise and spiritual exercise. In that case, not only the physical body, but also the psychic body and the spiritual body will be very strong. A good man, an ordinary man, a farmer, a labourer, a soldier, a teacher, everybody has got these three bodies. Practising some physical exercises is good, similarly you should also practise psychic and spiritual exercises. You should know the style of exercise from an Ácárya, and you should practise it regularly. As you eat regularly, as you bathe regularly, similarly you should practise these exercises, the psychic and spiritual exercises regularly. This is the fifth item, Samyak Vyáyáma.

The sixth one is Samyak Karmánta. When you start a work, you should finish the work properly, and in a very nice way. Don’t leave the work in a half-finished condition. The finish should always be good. The finishing touch should always be a nice and sweet one.

There are three kinds of men – Uttama, uttama means best; Madhyama – Madhyama means ordinary, and Adhama – Adhama means, of lower grade. Now those who come within the lower status are afraid of undertaking anything, afraid of doing anything. “Oh! these whole-time workers, these Dádás and Didis, their life is very troublesome, they have to undergo so many troubles, so many afflictions. Oh, it won’t be possible for me to accept the life of a monk. It is very difficult.” Similarly, in other spheres of work, these lower-grade people are afraid of undertaking any challenge. Then, there ane ordinary-grade people, Madhyama. They start a work; suppose, a gentleman of the town doesn’t know how to till the land. Out of fascination he starts tilling, and then he finds that it is very troublesome, so he gives up the duty, gives up the work in a half-done condition. This is what is done by ordinary people. It is also not good. But the best people – Uttama, who are they? It is their principle to feel that “When I have started a work, I must complete it in a nice way, in a fine way, in an excellent way.” The Lord Buddha said, Samyak Karmánta, i.e., when you have started a work, you must finish it in a nice way.

The seventh advice is Samyak Smrti. In Sanskrit, smrti means memory. What is memory? Whenever you see, or you hear, or you smell something with the help of your efferent or afferent organs, what happens? Your mind gets compartmentalized. One portion of the mind takes the subjective form, and another portion takes the objective form. You are seeing a tiger. One portion of your mind becomes the seer and another portion of your mind takes the form of the tiger; then you think that you are seeing a tiger. Now after some time, when you can create the tiger once a day in your mind, without seeing a tiger, you are creating the tiger in the objective portion of your mind. This re-creation of tiger in your mind is called Smrti or memory.

Then what is Samyak Smrti? You boys and girls, you know that one should go on repeating one’s Iśt́a Mantra. Always you are doing your work, but you are not repeating your Iśt́a Mantra in your mind. Why? Because you have forgotten the fact that you should repeat it in your mind. Your memory is not strong. That’s why you have forgotten it. Here Lord Buddha said, Samyak Smrti, that is, you must not forget, you must never forget that it is your foremost duty to take the name of the Lord, to repeat your Iśt́a Mantra. It is Samyak Smrti, proper memory.

The last item is Samyak Samádhi, i.e., proper suspension of mind. When you are hearing an excellent expression of music, your mental object is that music, and while hearing, your subjective mind gets suspended in that objective portion. It is suspension of mind in hearing. Similarly when you see a rose, while seeing the rose, you are very much charmed by the beauty of the rose; so your subjective mind gets merged with your objective mind, that is, with the rose. It is suspension in the rose. Similarly, while meditating on the Supreme Entity, the Parama Puruśa, your mind gets suspended in Him. It is proper Samádhi; it is proper suspension of mind.

These are the eight-fold codes of discipline, an indispensable part of an aspirant’s life. You should always remember that for proper success, to attain the Supreme Bliss, adherence to these eight-fold codes of discipline is a must. You should always keep this in mind.

Chapter 2	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

The fundamental difference between Art and Science is that one is movement towards finer sentiments, and the other is a rational expression, with each and every stage having cause and effect.

What is Art? You do so many things. If you do these things in a fine way, in a subtle style, then within that style, they come within the scope of Art, as in the art of saying, and writing languages.

When you are doing something along a rational line or on the basis of logic, and at the same time, you are drawing attention to cause and effect, it is Science.

In this world, everything comes within the scope of causality. Nothing in this world is non-causal. What we can detect by seeing has got some causal factor. You see sugar. What is the cause of sugar? The cause of sugar is sugar cane or sugar beet. Where sugar cane or sugar beet is the cause, sugar is the effect. Then, where sugar cane or sugar beet is the effect, the seed is the cause. So, in all spheres of life, there is a cause.

What is science? Science means, that which is based on rationality and pays proper attention to cause and effect. About 2000 years ago, one philosopher named Maharśi Kańáda said,

Kárańábhávátkáryábhávah

“Where there is no causal factor, there cannot be any effect.”

Spiritual practice comes within the scope of Science. The first scientist who invented this spiritual science was Lord Shiva who was born about 7000 years ago. The name of His spouse was Párvatii. In Old China, Párvatii was known as Tárá. Now, this spiritual science was divided into two portions – two compartments just like two wings of a bird. One portion was known as Nigama, the other portion, Ágama. The questions of Párvatii were known as Nigama, and the replies of Shiva were known as Ágama.

Once Párvatii asked Shiva, “Oh Lord, in different spheres of life, we see there are certain fixed minimum qualifications. Before becoming a doctor, a person must be a medical graduate. That graduation in medical science is the minimum qualification for becoming a physician. In all different walks of life, there are certain minimum qualifications. Now, according to this science of spirituality, what is the minimum qualification? There must be some minimum qualification.”

Shiva said:

[[Átmajiṋ́ánamidaḿ Devi paraḿ mokśaekasádhanam;
Sukrtaermánavo bhútvá jiṋániicenmokśamápnuyát.]]

[Self-knowledge is the greatest means to attain salvation. People are born as human beings due to their past good saḿskáras, but to attain non-qualified liberation they will have to attain self-knowledge.]

In the process of introversion – the introversial march of this created world, everything moves from crude to subtle. What happens? Due to eternal clash and cohesion in the material world, primitive protozoa or protozoic cells develop. And as a result of further clash and cohesion, these protozoic cells get converted into different metazoic structures. And finally, these metazoic structures, maintaining a standard of intellectuality, take the forms of human beings. In other living creatures, other living forms, there is intellectuality, but it lacks intuition. In the case of human beings, there is intellectuality, and there is also intuitional faculty. Human beings have a peculiar nature. Certain portions of their minds are conscious and certain portions are unconscious. And therein lie all the potentialities [[of intuition]]. Lord Shiva said, when one acquires the human form and develops devotion, that is the minimum, final, and only qualification.

Everyone should remember that when there is human body, then that human body by dint of its devotion, is able to attain the Supreme Stance, the Divine Stance. Nobody is inferior or superior to others; it is the birth-right of all humans to attain that non-attributional stance, which is the Supreme Goal, the Supreme Desideratum. There cannot be any distinction of caste, creed, race, or academic qualifications. The man who has acquired immense educational wealth may lag behind if [[there is want]] of devotion, and an illiterate man can attain the Supreme Status or the Supreme position if there is devotion in him. This was the reply of Shiva.

I told you that the old Chinese name of Párvatii was Tárá. Tárá asked Shiva how one is to know that devotion is the only way, and how, when one feels that devotion is the only way, one can devote one’s all possibilities, potentiality, and stamina in developing devotion. When one devotes everything to Parama Puruśa, those devoted propensities of the human mind make a man a devotee, and his faculties are then known as devotion. The collective name of these propensities [[goaded]] unto the Parama Puruśa [[is]] devotion because they are devoted to Him.

Shiva said,

[[Átmajiṋánamidaḿ Devi paraḿ mokśaekasádhanam
Sukrtaermánavo bhútvá jiṋániicenmokśamápnuyát.]]

Now, what is Átmajiṋánam? Then He answered Párvatii’s question. Shiva said,

Átmajiṋánaḿ vidurjiṋánaḿ jiṋánányanyáni yánitu;
Táni jiṋánávabhásáni sárasyanaeva bodhanát.

I am using Saḿskrta slokas and not Páli because Páli may not be intelligible to you. Saḿskrta is better understood. That is why I am using Saḿskrta slokas.

When a man knows something, what is the actional side of knowing? The science of knowing is but the internal projection of external vibration; introversial projection of external feeling, external vibration, is known as knowledge. In philosophical language, you may say that knowledge means subjectivization of objectivities. A certain portion of your mind is the knower, and a certain portion of your mind is metamorphosed into the known when you are knowing something external.

But when you are to know yourself, i.e. in Self-realization, what are you to do? Your knower portion is the subjective mind who is seeing the elephant, who is seeing the cow, but it is not seeing itself. It is seeing so many things, but it is not seeing itself. So what is Átmajiṋánam, what is self-realization? Self-realization is when one sees one’s subjective entity with the vibrative faculty of one’s Spirit, of one’s Consciousness.

So Shiva says that the actual knowledge is knowing one’s Self, knowing the subjective portion. There are certain defective philosophies which think that the material world is everything. When matter becomes everything, then matter becomes the goal of life. And consequently human existence, human consciousness, subjective portion of the human mind, everything will become like earth and stone. That’s why such a philosophy is detrimental to human development. Reverend Karl Marx preached that defective philosophy. You should keep your mind free from the bindings and fetters of such a defective philosophy because it is anti-human – [[not only]] anti-human, it is most detrimental to the human existence and human development. You should never forget this.

Now, Shiva says that this self-realization, when the subjective portion of the mind is metamorphosed into Consciousness, is the proper knowledge. Other knowledge is of no avail.

Átmajiṋánaḿ vidurjiṋánam [[jiṋánányanyáni yánitu;
Táni jiṋánávabhásáni . . .]]

You, students of science, know that in a shadow, there are two portions – the umbra portion, and the penumbra portion. Here Lord Shiva says that neither the umbra nor the penumbra are the actual jiṋánam. He says, all objective knowledge, where knowing means subjectivization of objectivity, is actually not knowledge. There lies the umbra and penumbra of shadows. By seeing the umbra and penumbra, you cannot have a proper idea of the actual thing. There is a lichee tree, there is a guava tree. By seeing the shadows, you can’t understand which is the shadow of the Lichee tree and which is the shadow of the Guava tree. You have to see the original tree. This was the reply given by Lord Shiva who started this spiritual science.

The question asked by Párvatii was, “Oh Lord, there are so many people who say, ‘This is a holy place, that place is an unholy place.’ They go on moving throughout the world in search of so many Tiirthas, places of pilgrimage. What should be the correct approach?”

Shiva said,

Idaḿ Tiirthaḿidaḿ Tiirthaḿ Bhramanti Támasájanáh
Átmatiirthaḿ na Jánanti kat́haḿ Mokśo Varánáne.

“Oh my Lord, so many people are moving throughout the world, they do not know that the highest Tiirtha (Tiirtha means place of pilgrimage) lies [[coverted]] within their very existence. One needn’t go elsewhere in search of Tiirtha”.

Just now, I have told you that, in the case of physical knowledge, external or extroversial knowledge, the process of knowledge means subjectivization of external desideratum. But in the case of true knowledge, as explained by Lord Shiva, what happens? The very subjective mind is metamorphosed into Consciousness, Átma, the supreme knowing entity. So when the final goal, the Supreme Desideratum is metamorphosed into the Supreme knowing Entity, the Supreme “I” that is the best Tiirtha, rather, the only Tiirtha, that lies [[coverted]] within your “I” feeling.

Each and every man has the feeling that “I exist”. This feeling of “I exist” is the final form of the expressed world. Behind that final form of the expressed world, there lies [[coverted]] the Supreme Consciousness, the Átmá. So, átmá is the best tiirtha. Átmá is the Supreme Tiirtha. Rather Átmá is the only tiirtha.

You are all spiritual aspirants. You should remember that your movement is not from subtle to crude, but from crude to subtle. [[But]] you must not neglect this crude world, because your existence is being nourished by this crude world. That is why you should pay your proper respect to the crude world also. That is why I say, ours is a subjective approach through objective adjustment. [[You should remember this fact.]]

Chapter 3	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Each and every man – whatever his status of life, whatever his psychic or spiritual status – each and every human being wants success in life. Whenever you are doing something, success is not in your hands. Success comes as a reaction. When the original action is good, the reaction is also good, and that reaction is the success. For a spiritual man, for a spiritual aspirant, for a good soul who renders service to the Society, the service itself is the prize. He wants no other prize, no other success.

Suppose a man is dying. You are nursing and helping him, and finally he is cured. This cure is the prize. You require no other better prize.

Now, everybody wants success. Human activities, human existence is trifarious. Man is present in physical stratum, his body is something physical. For the material, physical body, he requires physical things – water, air, and light. His existence is also psychic, and for this, he requires psychic stimulation. His existence is also spiritual; and for this, he wants union with the Supreme, which is the goal of life.

Now, in Saḿskrt, there are three different words for success in the three different strata. As human existence is trifarious, so human expression and human activity are also trifarious. Human success in physical strata is called Pratiśt́há in Saḿskrt. Human success in psychic strata is called Sarvajiṋatá in Saḿskrt, and human success in spiritual strata is called Siddhi in Saḿskt.

Now, I told you that man wants success in all three spheres of life. Once Párvatii asked Shiva, “O Lord, what is the secret of success?” Here, success means Siddhi; that is, success in spiritual strata. An ordinary man wants success in physical strata. That success is known as Pratiśt́há. An ordinary man is always obsessed with this. A bit developed man, a wise man, an intellectual, wants success in psychic strata, which is known as Sarvajiṋatá. He has got more attachment to Sarvajiṋatá than to Pratiśt́há. And a devotee is always after success in spiritual strata, that is, he wants Siddhi. Párvati’s question was, “What are the secrets of Siddhi, success in the sense of Siddhi?”

In reply, Shiva said, “You know, there are seven secrets of success, seven secrets of Siddhi.” He said, “phaliśyatiiti vishvásah siddhirprathamalaksanam” – “I must be successful in my Mission.” “This firm determination is the first secret of success”. Suppose, you have got a lofty goal, but you haven’t got the mental stamina to move towards that ideological goal. Then you will never be crowned with success. You must have the high ideology, and at the same time, you must develop the stamina to move along that path. So Shiva said, suppose you want to do something, but your friends, relatives, or enemies don’t want that you should do that job. In that case, only if you have got the stamina to fight against so many attachments, only under such circumstances will you be successful. So Shiva said, phaliśyatiti vishvásah siddherprathama lakśańańam. “‘I must be successful in my Mission’ is the first secret of success.”

“Dvitiiyaḿ shraddhayá yuktam.” You should develop some Shraddhá for your Ideology. What is Shraddhá? In Saḿskrta, Shrat means the authentic spirit of veracity. When truth has got universal recognition, then that truth is called Shrad, and the mental movement towards that Shrat, towards that Supreme Truth is represented by the word dhá. Shraddhá means acceptng the Ideology as Supreme Truth, and moving towards that Truth is Shraddhá. A spiritual aspirant must have Shraddhá for his goal. This is the second requisite. The third one is Gurupújanam. One should have proper respect for one’s Guru. What is Guru? The Saḿskrt word Guru has got two parts. It is a compound word. The first portion “Gu” means darkness. “Ru” means dispelling entity. He who dispels is called Ru. Guru means the entity who dispels darkness from the mind.

Now, Parama Puruśa teaches the spiritual secret known only to Him. His secret is known to Him and to no one else. Parama Puruśa teaches His secret through a physical medium. So the physical medium through which Parama Puruśa dispels all darkness of the mind of the spiritual aspirant is Guru. So a spiritual aspirant must have proper regard for the Guru. Gurupújanam is the third secret.

“Samatá Bhávo” means psychic equilibrium or psychic equipoise. Now, the Supreme Entity, the Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Progenitor, the Supreme Creator, the Supreme Father. I think you know the meaning of the word God. The Supreme Entity, the Parama Puruśa creates everything. He is the generator. The first letter of generator is G. He is the operator of everything. The first letter of operator is O. Finally, everything is destroyed by Him. Everything is coming back to Him. This destruction is not a horrible destruction. It’s a sweet destruction, going back to the lap of Parama Puruśa. So He destroys. The first letter is D. G-O-D. That word is God.

He is the Supreme Progenitor, and everything in this Universe is His progeny. He is the Supreme Father, and others are His children. Then, when all are the children of the Supreme Father, the relationship between man and man is that of fraternal bond. You have got a universal tie of brotherhood because everything created has got the same father. The source is the same. When the spiritual aspirant knows this fact, he cannot get any kind of inferiority complex or superiority complex in his mind. He is not inferior to anyone, as he is one with his brothers and sisters. Samatá Bhávo, the fourth factor, means that the spiritual aspirant must develop a sense of equipoise.

Indriya Nigrahah means, one should have proper restraint over afferent and efferent organs. While thinking you should have proper control over your thoughts. While doing anything, you should have proper control over your dealings. This all-round self restraint is known as Indriya Nigraha. This is the fifth requisite factor.

Pramitáhárah: to maintain the physical body, you require physical food, air, water, light. But physical food is not simply for the physical body. It has got its effect on the spiritual body. The cells of your physical body are created from the cells that you receive from your physical food, and your psychic body is also influenced by these cells. So while taking food, you should be very careful. You should always try to take sentient food, and on rare occasions you may take mutative food. You should never take static food. Not only that, but your diet should be balanced. You must not take too much or too little. The food should be substantial. When it is balanced or measured, and, at the same time, substantial, that type of food is called Pramitáhára in Sanskrit. The sixth factor is Pramitáhárah. The sixth requisite factor is balanced and substantial, sentient food. A voracious man can’t attain success. A voracious man always suffers from so many stomach diseases. So, you should neither encourage voracity, nor should you undergo fasting for a long period of time. I have prescribed that our monks should undergo fasting four days per month, two Ekádashiis, one Amávasyá, and one Púrńimá, and Grhiis, non-monks or family men are to undergo two fasts in a month, two Ekádashiis in a month. Fasting is also included in the scope of Pramitáhára because it gives rest to the digestive organs and frees the body from so many ailments. So the sixth requisite factor is Pramitáhára.

Then the Lord Shiva says, there is no seventh factor. The sixth one is the last one. Now, this reply by Lord Shiva 7000 years ago has got its value even today. You, boys and girls, should remember the points and do accordingly. It will help you in your all-around success, in your attainment of Siddhi.

Chapter 4	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Yesterday I talked about the variations amongst plants, animals and humans. Now, amongst humans also, there are certain variations. Some may have the structure of humans, but may be cherishing the ideas of an animal. From their physical structure, you may say that they are humans, but mentally they are not humans. They are just like animals. The Sanskrit word for “animal” is pashu. They are pashus in human structure. And there are some humans who are just like humans – with all the merits and demerits – and there are some whose physical structure is like that of a human, but who are godly in nature. So among humans, there are these three species – pashu, viira and deva.

Now let us see what yoga is. Then I will say something regarding these three species of humans – pashu, viira and deva.

Some people say that the proper interpretation of yoga is Sarvacintáparityágo nishcinto yoga ucyate – “When the mind is free of all thoughts and all internal projections, that state is yoga.” Some people say that just doing physical exercises and controlling the glands and tissues is yoga.

In Sanskrit, the word yoga comes from two root verbs. One is yuj, which means addition. “Two plus two equals four” – this is addition. Another meaning of yoga is yuiṋj, which means “to unify, to make one”. When two become one, this is unification. When sugar is put in water, the identity of sugar is lost. This is unification.

Now, Sarvacintáparityágo nishcinto means that the mind is free from all thoughts or all psychic projections, but it does not mean unification, nor even addition, so this explanation cannot be accepted by wise men. Neither physical exercises nor suspension of the mind is yoga.

Another interpretation is Yogashcittavrttinirodhah. There was a great philosopher named Patanjali. He said this about two thousand years ago. The human mind has fifty main propensities, and these propensities, both inside and outside, are working in ten different directions. Each and every propensity works within and without, internally and externally: so, fifty [times] two. And these proprensities work in all ten directions: fifty [times] two [times] ten equals one thousand. The propensities, the expressions, are one thousand. And these propensities are finally controlled by the pineal gland, and not by the pituitary gland. The pineal gland is called sahasrára in Sanskrit.

Now, as per Patanjali, the explanation is Yogashcittavrttinirodhah – that is, “controlling or suspending all these one thousand propensities”. You may have controlled all these one thousand propensities, but this does not mean any addition or any unification, so this interpretation is also meaningless. It cannot be accepted by wise people, because this interpretation has nothing to do with the proper import of the term yoga.

Then the final interpretation, the interpretation of Ananda Marga, is Saḿyoga yoga ityukto jiivátmá Paramátmanah – “The unification of unit consciousness, jiivátmá, with Supreme Consciousness, Paramátmá, is yoga.” When the unit entity, the unit consciousness, becomes one with the Cosmic Consciousness, that becoming one, that unification, is yoga. In that unification, the unit consciousness loses its identity. When the river comes in contact with the sea, it no longer remains a river. It becomes one with the sea, it becomes the sea. For this process of yoga the best interpretation is Saḿyoga yoga ityukto jiivátmá Paramátmanah.

What are the stages? (Suppose the little boy cannot get through the books of philosophical science – so there are stages.) I told you that amongst humans, there are three species, pashu, viira, and deva – animals in human form, men in human form, and gods in human form.

Those who are in pashu form have to elevate themselves to the standard of man-god, that is, God. Pashu form means always moving in order to eat, drink, or sleep – for these things. They will have to elevate their standard to become human both in mind and body. This style of practice is known as pashvácára, as taught by Lord Shiva about seven thousand years ago.

For those who are humans both in mind and body, the style of practice is called viirácára. Our avadhútas and avadhútikás practise viirácára. Viira means brave. Why is it called brave? It is because they are fighting against the fetters of mind, they are fighting against the satanic fetters. So certainly they are brave. This viirácára is of two kinds. In the southern Himalayas, the practice taught by Shiva is known as viirácára. North of the Himalayas – in Tibet, China, Siberia, etc. – the practice taught by Shiva was known as Ciinácára, that is, “the Chinese style”.

From ancient India, the great Tantric yogi Vashistha came to China about five thousand years ago to learn this Ciinácára, the Chinese style of viirácára, and the Chinese-oriented [Tantra]. About 1500 years ago, a great yogi from China, named Pa Fa Hu Le, went to Bengal to revive Ciinácára.

Those who are established in viirácára have elevated themselves to the standard of deva. They are gods in human structure. What is the meaning of “god” here? Here “god” is meant with a small “g”, not a capital “g”; the feminine form is “goddess”. For “God” with a capital “g”, there is no feminine form; “God” is common. So, what is God?

Everything in this universe emanates from the Supreme God – capital “g”. All are different waves, coming out, emanating, from the Supreme Entity. All the waves have their peculiar length, no two waves are the same. That is why in Ánanda Sútram I said, Vaecitryaḿ Prákrtadharmah samánaḿ na bhaviśyati – “Variety is the law of nature, there cannot be cent per cent equality.”

Each and every entity has its peculiarity, its speciality. No two articles or expressions of the world are the same. These expressions of Parama Puruśa are devas. The controller of these devas, or the factor just above these devas, is Mahádeva. Mahádeva means the Supreme God, Supreme Entity. Here the “g” is capital “g”. Those who have elevated their status and are recognized as deva – their goal is attainment of Mahádeva, attainment of the status of Mahádeva, to be one with the Supreme Entity. This is divyácára. Their souls, their spirits, their entities, their existences, finally become one with Mahádeva. Hence they are deva.

The first style, from animality to humanity, is known as pashvácára. The second stage, or the second style, is viirácára in the south of the Himalayas and Ciinácára north of the Himalayas. As the final stage, divyácára is for all people who want to elevate themselves to the supreme excellence of Parama Puruśa.

Chapter 5	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

The Puruśottama is the nucleus of the Universe, the centre of the Universe, just as the Sun is the centre of this solar system. Similarly Puruśottama – the Parama Puruśa is the centre of this entire cosmos. Just as so many planets directly and so many planets indirectly are moving around the Sun knowingly or unknowingly, similarly, so many animate and inanimate objects are moving around the Parama Puruśa knowingly or unknowingly. They will have to. There is no other alternative.

In the case of a solar system, a planet may go beyond the range of a solar system and come within the range of another solar system. But in the case of the cosmological order, the system is a singular one. For the entire cosmos, there is a singular cosmological order, and Parama Puruśa is the centre – the nucleus. Nobody can go beyond the periphery of this cosmological order. All are moving around Him.

Those who do not practice Sádhaná – unknowingly they are moving away from Him. Their radius, the radius between that entity and the Parama Puruśa increases, but he cannot go beyond the cosmological order. Not to meditate on Him, not to do His work means increasing the length of the radius, going away from the nucleus of the Universe. But they will have to remain within the cosmological order.

Those who meditate on Him, those who are on the path of Sádhaná, the radius between that spiritual aspirant and the Cosmic Nucleus, the Parama Puruśa, goes on decreasing and decreasing. The position of a man doing Sádhaná is like this [Bábá makes hand motions showing an object moving closer to the centre of a circle]. For men of materialistic outlook, going away from Him, but moving around and around Him, this is the position [Bábá makes hand motions showing a large circle]. Suppose a man is a very bad man, a depraved man, he is here [far away]. But if he will do Sádhaná, what will happen? [Bábá shows with motions the circle getting smaller and smaller until the circling finger touches the stationary finger in the centre of the circle]. He will become one with Him. Even if he is a bad man, a degenerated, depraved person, if he practices Sádhaná, does meditation, leads a pure life, his radius with the Parama Puruśa will go on decreasing, and a day will come when his radius will be zero and he will be one with the Parama Puruśa. That is the goal of human life.

You should always remember that you are the children of Parama Puruśa and it is your birthright to be one with Him. It is your birthright to sit upon His lap. Nobody can debar you from this birthright. That is why, knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously, you should all move towards Him and be one with Him. This is the path of humanity, and this is the main factor that differentiates an animal from a man.

When one doesn’t do Sádhaná, what will happen? The distance will go on increasing. He will drift away from the Parama Puruśa. It is the path of animality. You should never support any ideology – any philosophy that goads a man into the path of animality. Yours is the path of spirituality. When you have been blessed with a human body, be cent percent human, and go on decreasing your distance from the Parama Puruśa. And finally, be one with Him.

Chapter 6	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

[[ What’s the meaning, what’s the significance, of your lalita mármika dance? What’s the position of your leg? [A few words here were inaudible on the tape.] Toe [a few words here were inaudible on the tape]. That is, what’s that portion [toe tip] here?

[Audience replies: “Dhae.”]

This portion is dhae. And this portion [the ball of foot]?

[Audience replies: “Dhin.”]

Dhin. And this portion [the heel]?

[Audience replies: “Tá”.]

Tá. Here [toe tip] is the dhae portion. You are touching the earth with the dhae portion. The dhae portion means spiritual touch, the dhin portion means psychic touch, and the tá portion means the physical touch. Tá! Tá! ]] – with maximum strength, with maximum weight of the body.⁽¹⁾

You are on this earth. You are to do all worldly duties, all psychic duties, all spiritual duties, but your [[pressure]] on the Earth should be minimum. You should give least pressure on the Earth so that the Earth may not think you are a liability to the Earth. Be an asset. So, by touching the Earth with this portion [the toe tip], you are giving minimum pressure. That’s why you are to touch the Earth with that portion. Yes, with the [[dhae]] portion.

This [[position]] of the hand [downward] is the most natural physical position of the hand, is it not? Under normal conditions you will remain in this position. It is the most natural physical position. And while doing any hard work, your hand will be in this position. You can’t use a hammer in this position [arm up], can you? No, You will have to keep the hand in this position [down]. This is the most natural physical position. And this is 90 degrees? While maintaining your hand in this position, you are to utilize your psychic strength. When your mind will desire, only in that condition can your hand remain like this. Otherwise, your hand will be in this position [down]. When you will desire it, when you will want it, only in that condition will it be like this. Is it not a fact? We say, “Raise the hand,” you are raising your hand with your mental strength. Mind likes it. That’s why it is raised. This is the style for using, for exercising the mind. This is physical [down] and this is mental [90 degrees].

Now, while you do kiirtan, Lalita Mármika, what is your position? You are using your mental power or your psycho-spiritual power? Psycho-spiritual. It should not be in this position [90 degrees]. In psycho-spiritual approach, this angle must be more than 90 degrees. This shows that your hands are now at the mercy of Parama Puruśa. Your hands are in this position [up], not by your psychic power, but because of the mercy of Parama Puruśa your hands are in this position. So, in Lalita Mármika, hand must be more than 90 degrees.

In this Universe, everything moves. Nothing is fixed. Nothing is stationary. Willingly or unwillingly, everyone will have to move from eternity to eternity, from infinity to infinity. This movement goes on in this biological order, in this zoological order, botanical order, archaeological order [[starting from the Palaeozoic Age of about 400 million]] years ago, the Earth is moving. Everything is moving except the Supreme Nucleus, Parama Puruśa. Parama Puruśa is stationary simply because it is supra-spatial, supra-temporal, and supra-personal. Had it been within the periphery of time, space, and person, He too would have been moving. Everything within the scope of time, space, and person is moving. This movement is the order of the Universe. It is the situation.

So in human life, where a man doesn’t want to do anything, unknowingly or unconsciously, he is going against the very spirit of the Universe. Because, the soul of the Universe is to move. In Sanskrit, this Universe is called Jagat; jagat means the entity whose characteristic, whose nature, is to move. [[ Here everything moves.

Now, in these so many orders of zoology, botany, archaeology, and so many archaeological ages, [palaeontological] ages – Tertiary Age, [Cretaceous] Age, Pliocene Age, Miocene Age, Oligocene Age, Mesozoic Age, Cenozoic Age – So many ages existed in this world with their specialities in lithosphere, in atmosphere, in animal world, in psychic world, during the last 400 millions of years. But Parama Puruśa sees everything that is happening. ]] He knows what is happening, what did happen, and what will happen. Does it require any book? From the very start of the Universe was there any book at that time? And in theory, when this world, this particular world will come to an end, will there be any man to record its end? But Parama Puruśa will be knowing it.

Everything moves. But whenever there is movement, there must be some starting point and there must be some terminating point. Where is the starting point or culminating point? They coincide. What’s the meaning of “coincide”? To come to one point.

Everything started from that Parama Puruśa, and passing through long distance, through so many physical, psychic, and [vital] metamorphoses, they are just now in the present position, and they will be undergoing so many metamorphoses and finally will be one with the Parama Puruśa, the starting point. So many changes – physical, mental, spiritual, vital. [[ Somebody is in this position, some plants in this position, animals in this position, undeveloped animals, developed animals, cows, buffaloes, monkeys, apes, ape-man, proto-ape, Australopithecine, Java Man, Old China Man, gorilla, chimpanzee, orang-utan, pygmy, Zulu, finally modern civilized man, highly-developed man, man who became one with Parama Puruśa. This is the psychic order. So every man is somewhere in this line, here or here or here or here. So I may say, rather, we may say, our movement is a movement from imperfection towards perfection.⁽²⁾ Do you understand? Do you relish it? Is it a palatable dish?

Then, this is the movement, the movement is from –

[Someone replies: “Imperfection to perfection.”]

Imperfection to perfection. And that’s why I said actual development, actual progress, cannot be in the realm of physicality or in the psychic world. Actual progress is where the proximity to Parama Puruśa is increasing – that is, going closer to Parama Puruśa. That is progress. But while moving in this way, if the mind remains in that position, if the átmá, spirit, remains in that position, only man invents new dress, and television, or radio, or so many⁽³⁾ teleprinters, and so many newer vehicles, is it progress? No. Progress is – what? When he comes near this point. That is the only progress.

So there can be progress only in the spiritual sphere. In physical and psychic spheres there cannot be any progress. You will be where you were. Only when your spirit, your átman, your soul, comes closer to the starting point, that is the only progress, that’s why there can be progress only in the spiritual stratum. Do you follow? In physical spheres, no. Suppose a man is mentally just like a monkey, and he wears a good silken dress⁽⁴⁾ and drives an ultra-modern vehicle, but has there been any progress? He is in the monkey state, not in the human stage. So he is a monkey, a well-dressed monkey. So there cannot be any progress in physical and psychic spheres.

Now what is spirituality? Spirituality means that which helps you in moving towards that goal from where you started your long journey. To go back to the original home after passing through so many lives, is the spiritual practice and spiritual progress. While moving like this, when you are in, say, the inanimate stage – stone, earth, water – and after that plant, after that animal – Up to the stage of animal, the mind is very undeveloped. It cannot do anything independently. Undeveloped beings do everything being goaded by instinct, inborn instinct.

You know the octopus, an aquatic animal? People eat it. An eight-legged creature in the water, in the sea? To some extent it looks like a spider, you may say water-spider. The octopus is an aquatic animal.

I say that below the level of human beings, most creatures are guided by – what? Inborn instinct, and not by intellect. Have you seen water buffaloes? Yes, you have seen them. And you have seen cows also. And have you seen bullock-carts? A cart drawn by bullocks? Have you seen the picture? There is a cart, a wheeled cart, drawn by bullocks. And similarly there may be a buffalo-cart also, a buffalo drawing the cart. But you know, the buffalo is more wild in instinct than the cow. From here you may go to Tainan by bullock-cart. It will take a long time – in the past people used to go, but it will take long time. But if you go there by buffalo-cart, you may go, but because the buffalo is more wild in instinct, what will happen is that if by the side of the road from Kaohsiung to Tainan there is any lake, the buffalo will go into the lake along with the cart and along with the passenger. [laughter] It is so wild in its instinct. But cows have become more intelligent, because of their long association with men for about twenty-five [thousand] years. Buffaloes have been tamed, you see, but not for more than five thousand years. Very recently it was a wild animal.

Is there any buffalo here in Taiwan?

[“Yes.”]

Now you have understood. Animals who have developed themselves to some extent, mentally, spiritually, just like monkeys, just like dogs, have got some intellect. Although they are also guided by instinct, because of close association with human beings that intellect has been a bit developed. A dog can carry a hurricane lantern like this, can carry a stick like this. It can feel the pains and pleasures of its master. Sometimes it can see, it can witness, dreams. Dogs and monkeys can see dreams, other animals cannot.⁽⁵⁾

Now, the movement is like this, and it goes on like this. So animals are guided by instinct. The octopus is there in the water, and one crab is also there. And the crab moves its legs like this. You know crabs? With so many legs, and two main legs? Is it found here? There are many big types of crabs also. The crab is a very favourite food of the octopus, and the octopus will know what a crab is by seeing the movement of its legs. If you kill a crab, and after cleaning it, place that crab before an octopus, the octopus won’t eat it. Because the octopus will say: “No, no, no, this animal is not moving its legs like this, so it is not my food.” Do you follow? The animals are guided by instinct, but a man by intellect.

Now human intellect says that human progress is only on the spiritual level – on physical and psychic levels there cannot be progress. And if a man, in spite of his having a developed intellect, doesn’t utilize his intellect, is he not worse than an animal? Because an animal has no intellect – it doesn’t get the scope to utilize the intellect – but a man has got the intellect, and if even then this intellect is not used and utilized by him, certainly he is inferior to an animal. An animal is helpless, it has no intellect, but man is not helpless, he has an intellect; and, having the intellect, he is not using it. So a man who is not on the track of spirituality – logic says he is inferior to animals.

Is he like plants?⁽⁶⁾ Is he like plants? Is that man like a plant? No, no, he is inferior to a plant. A plant cannot do spiritual practice because it has no intellect, it is guided by instinct. So a man having a developed intellect – if a man doesn’t move along the track of spirituality, he is worse than a plant even. I think I’m quite clear? So try to bring one and all unto the path of spirituality. It will be the greatest service to human society. ]]

Footnotes

(1) [[Elsewhere the author has said: “The heel of the foot is related to the sound tá, the ball of the foot to the sound dhin, and the toes to the sound dhae.” –Eds.]]

(2) [[A few Sanskrit or Hindi words here were not clearly audible on the tape. They seemed to repeat the idea of imperfection towards perfection. –Eds.]]

(3) [[A word here was inaudible on the tape. –Eds.]]

(4) [[A word or two here were inaudible on the tape. –Eds.]]

(5) [[Some words here were inaudible on the tape. –Eds.]]

(6) [[A few words here were inaudible on the tape. –Eds.]]

Chapter 7	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Regarding psychic waves and parallelism, I said that there are two things for auto-suggestion and outer suggestion.

Auto-suggestion is done through what? Your own incantation. The incantation, what is it? Is it an internal or external acoustic expression?

When you say something, you [suppose] are saying, “Rama”, it is a vocal expression, external expression. So while using your incantation, what do you do? Just the internal vocal expression. When you think, what do you do? You say something internally.

What is thinking? To say something internally. To think means to speak within. Just try to think something, to speak within your mind. In that case, no one else will hear. And when you speak externally, use the vocal cord externally, then others may hear.

And there is a third style of expression. There is external expression but only you can hear. It is called what? What is its name in Sanskrit? Upáḿshu. (speaks loudly). Ráma, Ráma, Ráma. External vocal expression. (Baba closes his eyes and pauses) Internal. (Baba mouths the words “Rama”) You can hear, others can not. Upáḿshu.

I told you in [[Tainan]] that actual progress is in spiritual level, not in physical or psychic level. Your progress is auto-suggestion or outer suggestion, when you say something like… “Sudarshan, be an ideal man. Sudarshan be an ideal man,” When you say internally, what is it? It is auto-suggestion. Sudarshan is giving suggestion to Sudarshan. The conscience goads Sudarshan’s mind towards the idealistic stance of Sudarshan. – “Be an ideal man.” The mental picture is in the mind of Sudarshan. And the conscience of Sudarshan says, “Sudarshan, be an ideal man.” The conscience of Sudarshan goads towards that ideal figure. Do you follow the psychology? What is it? It is auto-suggestion. “I must be a good man. I must be a good boy. I must do something concrete for the world. I won’t be afraid of anybody in this world. I must be a good boy. I must do something concrete for the world. No power in Heaven or Earth can check me.” What are these things? Auto-suggestion. I think now the term auto-suggeston is clear to you. I used the word in DMC.

When someone else is saying, “Sudarshan, be a good boy. Sudarshan, be an ideal man. Sudarshan, start your life afresh, forgetting all your past mistakes and misdeeds.” what are these things? Outer suggestion. Suggestion coming from the outside.

What is the best auto-suggestion, on what you are to do? You are to use your incantation, always use your Iśt́a Mantra. That is the best auto-suggestion. Auto means what? Auto means self. Autonomy means self government. Automatic-done by self.

Then what is the best outer suggestion? When you are in good company, from that good company there comes outer suggestion. Here you are getting outer suggestion. This outer suggestion strengthens the vitality of auto-suggestion. So, outer suggestion is a necessity, is indispensable for a man’s spiritual progress. This outer suggestion is called Satsauṋga in Sanskrit.

What is Satsauṋga? Have you understood what is outer suggestion? So many good discussions are there. These discussions will have an effect on your mind – Effect of outer suggestion. Now all the company or all the associations can not give you outer suggestion. If you are in the company of thieves, they can say, “Steal, steal, go on stealing.” This is also a sort of outer suggestion. In case of auto-suggestion, you are sure that there will be cent per cent success because of that mantra, that incantation. In the case of outer suggestion, there will be good company and bad company. And the outer suggestion coming from bad company may be detrimental to your progress; and not only your progress, but the progress of the entire humanity. If you become a giant, then so many people will be destroyed by you. So there must be a careful selection of company. That is what in Sanskrit is called Satsauṋga. Sat means good, and sauṋga means association = Satsauṋga. Sadvipra, one who is a good intellectual.

What is good and what is bad? A constant fight is going on between good and bad. In your mind, in our society, in the country, in the entire human society. Never-ending fight between good and bad. When good is established over bad, when the result goes in favour of good, that result is known as conscience, the authentic and established power of discrimination. It is called conscience in Latin. As a result of fight between good and bad, when the resultant goes in favour of good, that resultant is called power of discrimination or conscience. The English meaning of conscience is power of discrimination. For conscience the Sanskrit term is Viveka.

Now, what is good and, bad? What is Sat and what is Asat? The physical, mental, or spiritual action that helps you, or your association in developing your spiritual life, that lessens the distance between you and your Lord is good. And your physical, psychic, or spiritual actions that increase the distance between you and your Lord is bad. That which encourages the proximity between you and your Lord, your goal, your idealistic goal, and the distance is decreased, lessened, is good. And when it is increased, it is bad.

So while selecting company, you should be careful whether its discourses, its activities, its plans or programmes are to decrease the distance between you and your Lord. This is Satsauṋga, good company. Otherwise it is Asatsauṋga. Even intellectual discussions of a high order may not be Satsauṋga if it has got nothing to do with lessening the distance between you and your Lord, you and your Goal. That type of intellectual discourse, in my language is called intellectual extravaganza. Baoddhika Amitavyayitá. Satsauṋga and Asatsauṋga. When it goads you on the path of the Lord, it is Satsauṋga. From this moment, you should always try to have Satsauṋga. That Satsauṋga will give you outer suggestion.

Those who are engaged in Satsauṋga and lessening the distance between the Lord and the aspirant, their actions are called Puńya. And those who try to increase the gap, their actions are known as Pátaka. Puńya and Pátaka – virtue and vice.

In the scriptures, it is said, “Kuru Puńyam Ahorátram”

“You should always be engaged in doing Puńya.” Ahorátram, day and night. “Ahoh” means sunrise to sunset, not to zero hours in the nights, sunrise to sunset. And “Rátri” means sunset to sunrise. Ahoratri means 24 hours.

Kuru Puńyam Ahoratram

You should be engaged in Puńyam – virtuous work – for all 24 hours.

You may ask, “How can I do Puńyam while sleeping? In the wakeful state, I may do Puńyam. But while sleeping, how can I do Puńyam? Can you? Yes, you can. What’s the difference between habit and nature? When habit becomes one with your existence, it is called nature.

Suppose you are a teetotaller. What is the meaning of “teetotaller”? Now, a friend offered you some alcohol, then after three days, the friend offered you another glass of alcohol and you accepted it. After that it is your habit that you won’t be able to be without alcohol. Then it is a habit. Finally, alcohol will be drinking you, you won’t be drinking it. That is why the doctor will tell you to stop it. Everyone will tell you to stop because you have become helpless. It has become your nature. By constant practice or under pressure of circumstances, one becomes habituated, and by encouraging this habituation, it finally becomes nature.

This is auto-suggestion. “Now it is time for my meditation”, what is it? You are trying to habituate yourself. But when you cannot live without puja, then it has become your nature. Try to make it what – habit or nature? Nature. I never take a drop of water without doing puja. Why? It has become my nature. And I want that all of you should make it your nature also.

When auto-suggestion will become your nature, what will happen? While sleeping you will be repeating that japa (repetition of mantra) in your unconscious mind. You are sleeping, so conscious mind is not active. You are not having any dream, so your sub-conscious mind is also not active. But unconscious mind is there. Automatically there will be japa. 24 hours you are doing Puńya. While you are sleeping, you will be engaged in doing japa and using your incantation. Kuru puńyam Ahorátram. Be engaged in doing Puńya all 24 hours.

And you should always encourage the company of Satsauṋga – those who are engaged in Puńya. And always avoid the Sauṋga of Pátakiis-those who are engaged in Pátaka. That company will deprave the people, degenerate the people. Among Pátaka, there are two classes, two branches. One is Pápa, the other is Pratyaváya. Pápa means to do the “don’ts” of life. Don’t steal. If you steal, it will be Pápa because you are doing the “don’ts” of life. Pratyaváya means not to do the “dos” of life. You should help a man in distress. You should help the suffering humanity. These are the dos of life. If you do not do them, you are doing Pratyaváya. Pápa plus Pratyaváya is Pátaka. There are two kinds of Pátaka.

Always be engaged in Puńya and always avoid Pátaka. Always try to be with those people who are engaged in Puńya. Never be with those people who are engaged in Pátaka. This is because these Puńyavána people who are engaged in Puńya will give you outer suggestion, good outer suggestion, positive outer suggestion. Pátakiis will give you negative outer suggestion, and their suggestions are detrimental to the progress of the human society.

Chapter 8	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

What is this? What is this? “It is a flower.” How could you say that it is a flower? Because particular light waves come and touch your eyes, and a similar flower is created in your mind. Actually, you are not seeing the flower; you are seeing the mental image of the flower within. Do you follow? You never see anything, you never hear anything, you never even touch anything. When you see something or touch something, the corresponding sympathetic vibration is created within your mind. At that time, you feel that you are seeing the flower, or you feel that you are hearing some song, or you feel that you are touching something hot or cold.

In fact, you never come in physical contact with anything. Your contact with everything is through your mind, through your nerve fibres, through your nerve cells, and your entire objective mind. When you feel you see, it is an internal projection with the help of your nerves.

What a mystery! It is a great mystery that whatever you perceive or whatever you conceive – everything is within you, nothing is outside of you. That is why it is said that the entire universe is within you in miniature form. You are seeing the psychic projection of the material world, which is why I say that the human entity is more psychic than physical. Your existence is more important in the psychic world than in the physical world. But, in DMC, I said that you must maintain parallelism between your entitative waves, incantative waves, and spiritual waves.

Human approaches are of two kinds – extro-internal and intro-external. Here is a flower. The waves move from the external world to the eye, then through the optic nerve to the nerve cells and finally to the brain. There, a similar flower is created inside the mind according to the light waves that are outside your body. This movement is from external to internal. It is something external, and its creation is in your mind, that is external to internal. Extro-internal – created outside but going within. This is the subject of applied psychology.

There may also be intro-external movement, created within the mind and sent outside. Suppose you have created an elephant within your mind, and you have got a strong ectoplasmic structure. With the help of this strong ectoplasmic structure, you create sympathetic vibrations outside. That external projection can be seen by you and by others. In your mind, you are creating an ectoplasmic elephant, and that elephant is projected outside. Others may see it. In the language of psychology, it is called a “positive hallucination”.

Similarly, suppose there is an external elephant, and with the help of your ectoplasmic power, you withdraw the light waves emanating from the external elephant. Everyone will see there is no elephant, although actually there is an elephant. In psychology, this is called a “negative hallucination.” A positive hallucination means that what appears to exist does not exist, and a negative hallucination means that what actually exists appears not to exist. Have you understood?

Now, for you there are two worlds, the external world and the internal world. Waves from the outside enter the internal world, and ectoplasmic waves with a strong pressure may create strong extroversial waves. In order to create positive hallucinations or negative hallucinations, there is always extroversial projection of your thought-waves. It is a very nice, interesting and intellectual subject.

But for Parama Puruśa what happens? Who is Parama Puruśa? Parama Puruśa means He who, with His ectoplasmic force, is creating everything. When a man has got devotion, he may or may not be a scientist, but he may unify his existence with Parama Puruśa because of his extreme love for Parama Puruśa. In that case, he will become one with Parama Puruśa. At that time he maintains no separate identity. Suppose, the name of the man is Mr. Joseph. When he becomes one with Parama Puruśa, there is no Mr. Joseph.

So, Parama Puruśa is one. You, little girl, can you dance? Yes. Can you sing? Yes. Are you an expert in painting? Yes. Can you speak French? No. Now you have one weakness. So everybody has got certain imperfections. Parama Puruśa has got two imperfections. One is that He cannot create a second Parama Puruśa. Whoever will be in love with Him, in close contact with Him, will also become Parama Puruśa. But Parama Puruśa remains one. Magnet and iron. When iron comes in contact with the magnet, the iron and magnet become one entity. So, Parama Puruśa remains one. Have you heard the name Huang Ho? What happens when it comes in contact with the Pacific Ocean? When a person comes in contact with Parama Puruśa, one does not remain a person. One becomes absorbed, just like the Huang Ho.

Parama Puruśa has got two imperfections. He cannot create a second Parama Puruśa. Parama Puruśa is always one. The second imperfection is that He cannot hate anyone. Suppose you dislike a person. You will say, “I do not want to see your face. I hate you.” You may say this if you are dissatisfied. You may also say, “Get out! Get out!” But Parama Puruśa cannot hate anyone. If Parama Puruśa hated you what might He say? “Get out! Get out!” Then you may challenge Him. “Parama Puruśa, you are everywhere, and yet you order me to get out. Where will I go?” Then Parama Puruśa will have to say, “Go outside my area.” But outside there is nothing. Everything is inside. So then you will challenge Parama Puruśa. “Either you change your name or withdraw your order.” Do you follow?

So, Parama Puruśa cannot do two things. He cannot create a second Parama Puruśa, and he cannot hate anyone. He cannot even hate a bad person. All are His creation. Suppose in your mind you have created a drunkard, a bad man. You cannot hate that man because he is within your mind. So Parama Puruśa cannot hate.

Now I was saying that for you, there are two worlds, the external world and the internal world. For you, there are extro-internal vibrations and intro-external vibrations. But for Parama Puruśa, everything is within, everything is internal. Nothing is without, nothing is external. So for Him, there can neither be extro-internal projection nor intro-external projection, because everything is within, nothing is external. So whatever He thinks in His mind, others see as real. You see the Pacific Ocean externally, but for Parama Puruśa, the Pacific Ocean is within His mind. He has created the ocean within His mind, and mentally He is seeing it. Seeing mental objects requires no eyes. If you create a tiger in your mind, do you require any eyes to see it? You will mentally be seeing the tiger you created. For seeing anything Parama Puruśa requires no eyes. He sees with His mental eyes. For Him, there is nothing external. Everything is internal.

Now what will an intellectual do? Many learned people are puffed up with vanity. Have you seen some scholars who have much vanity, who are proud of their intellect? You have seen such people. Can they become one with Parama Puruśa? Never, because their psychic projection is towards the external world. They want to get more name and fame, to establish themselves in the arena of vanity. Those who have intellectual vanity will never be able to come in close contact with Him.

Those who are established in actional faculties will be engaged in action. What is action? Action means relative change of place. When there is a change of place, you will say that an action is being done. It is a relative change of place and not an absolute one. Those who are engaged in actional faculties are doing so with time, space and person, but Parama Puruśa is beyond the periphery of time, space and person. So, by dint of one’s actional faculties, one cannot get Him.

Then who can get Him? They say it is very, very easy. What to do? “O Lord, I am Your creation. I am Yours, I am at Your disposal. This body is a machine. Utilize it.” But you are to do one thing. What? Is there any want in Parama Puruśa? There are two imperfections. He cannot create another Parama Puruśa and cannot hate anybody, but is there any want in Him? There is no want – name, fame, money, etc. – because the entire universe is within His mind, so all the properties of the universe are His. He has no want.

But the true devotee says, “Oh Parama Puruśa, there are so many great devotees, and I am only an ordinary devotee, the worst devotee. But Lord, those who are your big devotees have done one thing. They have stolen Your mind.” Because Parama Puruśa loves His devotees very much, His mind has been stolen by them. Now Parama Puruśa’s mind has been stolen by His devotees, so He has got one want – mind. His mind has been taken by His devotees. “Oh Lord, your devotees have stolen your mind, so You have got one want. You have lost your mind. Do one thing, Lord, take my mind. Let there be no want in You. I offer my mind to You. Accept it.”

So the devotees are very intelligent, they are more intelligent than intellectuals, and more intelligent than those engaged in actional faculties.

Chapter 9	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Do you know what a saying is? It is a collection of words. And what is a word? A collection of syllables. And what is a syllable? A collection of letters. And what is a letter? A [sound having a] particular wavelength, or a particular acoustic expression. Everything comes out of the Supreme Entity, so many waves of light, sound, so many waves of tactual vibration… Ssh! – hot! Tssh! – very cold! These are all tactual variations having different wavelengths. Similarly, the acoustic wave, which means the expression of sound, also comes from the very source, from the very nucleus, from the very controlling point of the universe – who, we say, is Parama Puruśa.

Sounds are innumerable. Say, the English letter “a”. In the English language this sound “a” has twenty-two types of pronunciation. A-N-T, “ant”. But E-L-E-P-H-A-N-T “eleph-ent”, not “eleph-ant”. Here, A-N-T is not “ant” but “ent”. The same A-N-T will be pronounced ant [“ahn”] in French, elephant [“elephahn”]. The same vowel or same consonant may have so many sounds. Even in the case of the pictorial expression of sound, a particular figure may be pronounced in a particular way in Mandarin, in a particular way in Shanghailese, in a particular way in Cantonese, in a particular way in North Japan, in a particular way in South Japan. So many expressions, innumerable expressions, of human vocality. “Acoustic” means “pertaining to –” – what? The Latin term for “concerning sound” is “acoustic”, and for “concerning ear”, “auricular”; “concerning eye”, “ocular”; “concerning seeing”, “optical”. All these are Latin words.

These many expressions are all sacred. All sounds are sacred, no sound can be bad, because all come from that Entity. All human expressions are certainly sacred. All languages are certainly sacred. That is why I pay respect, I pay reverence, to all languages of the world. All have the same dignity.

Now if we try to bring those expressions – so many expressions – together, it will be beyond human capacity, but we may try. And as a result of human endeavour, those expressions have been brought within the range of fifty main sounds. Those fifty main sounds are controlled by fifty main glands and sub-glands of the human body.

In the morning span I was saying something regarding the pancreas. There are ten sub-glands; each and every sub-gland has a particular sound. Amongst the fifty sounds, ten are controlled by the pancreas – d́a, d́ha, ńa, ta, tha, da, dha, na, pa, and pha. Each and every sound has something to do with the physical world and with the mental world. These ten sounds control ten propensities of the human mind – shyness, fear, etc.

Suppose all those sounds are expressed at one time. What will happen? Suppose you go to a market. Somebody will say, “What’s the rate of potato?” Somebody else will say, “What’s the rate of brinjal [eggplant]? What’s the rate of meat?” – like this. And the shopkeeper will say, “I want this much;” and the customer will say, “No, no, no, I won’t give more than that.” So many sounds. But if you go, say, about one hundred yards from the market, what will be the sound? Something like “hawawawawa”. All the sounds together will create a peculiar collective sound, is it not a fact? Will you hear “potato” or “beans” or “cauliflower” from a distance? No, you hear the collective sound “hawawawawa”. Is it not a fact? Similarly, all those sounds, innumerable sounds, brought under the broad category of fifty, will create a collective sound in the universe. That collective sound is aum, A-U-M.

Now listen to these three sounds of aum: a, u, ma. They represent the creation, the retention [or preservation], and the destruction. The first sound, a, represents creation; the second sound, u, represents retention; the third sound, ma, represents destruction. So all those innumerable sounds, all those fifty sounds, are represented by these supreme sounds, a, u and ma; and collectively a-u-ma becomes aum. For each and every action there is a supporting sound in this universe. That supporting sound is called the acoustic root of that action.

You are moving. The sound khat́-khat́-khat́-khat́ is created. That sound, khat́-khat́-khat́, is the acoustic root of the action of moving.

You are laughing. The sound há-há-há-há is created. The sound há-há-há is the acoustic root of the action of laughing. Each and every action has its acoustic root.

The portion of the tree that remains under the earth is the root; the acoustic root is the sound which may be treated as the rudimental portion of an action. The Latin adjective of “root” is “rudimental”. For each and every action of this world there is an acoustic root.

You see, tantra. The root tan means “to expand”, and tra means “liberator”. The science that liberates you from all bondages, physical, mental and spiritual, is Tantra. Tan means “expansion” and tra means “liberator”. The science that expands your mind and spirit and thus liberates you is Tantra. The metamorphosed form of tantra about seven thousand years ago became taota. The Sanskrit dhyána became c’han [in Chinese], c’han became chen [in Korean], chen became zen [in Japanese]. It is a very interesting science. Now, tantra became taota; taota after further distortion, further metamorphosis, became taoa – in modern language [Chinese], tao. Taoism, don’t you know? Its root is tantra. Do you relish this topic? Do you like what I am saying? But I must be paid for it! [Everybody laughs.]

So then for all the universe, the acoustic side is aum – A-U-M. It includes all the spheres of work also. It is the collective sound of all the work of the universe.

The earth moves around the sun; certainly a sound is created. It may or may not be audible to you, you may or may not hear it, but certainly a sound is created. The moon moves around the [earth]; certainly waves are created, and certainly due to those waves, sounds are also created. It may or may not be audible to you. Everywhere there is sound. If you move stealthily, as the cat moves while catching a mouse, even then there is sound. Everywhere there is wave; everywhere there is light also. That light may or may not be visible to you.

In the night you cannot see, but owls can see, moles can see – Moles, you know? Rat-like creatures of small size… for example, “to make a mountain out of a molehill”. Moles can see in the night. Owls can see in the night. Bats can see in the night. The bat is neither bird nor animal, it is a mammal. It lays no eggs; it is a mammal. It can see in the night, so there is light. Aum is the collection of all sounds, so within the scope of aum come all the activities of the world. For each and every work there is sound; aum is the collection of all sounds. So within the scope of aum comes all the work of the world. Aum represents the mundane expression of Parama Puruśa; aum represents the worldly expression of Parama Puruśa.

In each and every human being there is sleeping divinity, divinity in latent form, divinity in dormant form. When that sleeping divinity is aroused, stops sleeping, is in a wakeful stage, what happens? A person will acquire immense power. He or she may become omniscient, all-knowing – will know everything, without going through any book, without going to any library – will know everything of this universe, because that person will be one with Parama Puruśa. The person is Parama Puruśa, because the sleeping divinity has been aroused.

The sleeping divinity in the human body lies in the lowermost portion of your backbone. That lowermost bone is called kula in Sanskrit. That sleeping divinity is called kulakuńd́alinii. Kuńd́alinii means “in coiled form”. It is sleeping, and when it is aroused, is elevated, by dint of your sádhaná, by dint of your dhyána, c’han, chen, zen, it will go upwards. When it comes up, that is, touches the controlling point of the pineal gland, one will become one with Parama Puruśa. One will become Parama Puruśa.

Now the spot, the kula, where divinity is in sleeping form, is found in each and every human being. When by Tantra and yoga it is aroused and brought upwards by applying a special force, that special force is called diipanii. Raising it, elevating it, it finally becomes one with Parama Puruśa when it comes here [crown of the head].

Now the seat where the kula is, the seat where the kulakuńd́alinii is, has got existence, and wherever there is any action or there is any existence, there is acoustic root. There is a sound for it. (Because of your presence, air, light, everything – every expression’s flow – is barred, the flow is checked. You are standing here; air comes; because of your existence, it will refract or reflect; so your existence also has got a certain sound.) The existence of the seat of that kula, where that kulakuńd́alinii, that coiled serpent, sleeps, also has an acoustic root, and there is a certain psychic place allotted for it.

That psychic spot is called in old Sanskrit mańipadma, or mahámańipadma, or munipadmá or mahámunipadmá. (Mahámuni is a name of Lord Buddha. Mahámuni means “great sage”.) So, “Using aum, I remember Parama Puruśa; and mańipadma is the seat of that coiled serpentine, that sleeping divinity, in the human body. I remember that entity also.”⁽¹⁾

There are so many sounds. Each and every thing has got some sound. Suppose you want to learn. A particular vibration is created, “I want to learn, I want to learn.” A vibration is created. The meaning of the vibration is, “I want to learn.” The vibration of this desire is a mental flow. “I want to do something.” “I want to eat jackfruit.” “I want to eat – ” – what? “Passion fruit.” [laughter] There are several different flows. “I want to eat mango” and “I want to eat pineapple” are not the same flow. In the case of “mango” there is a picture of a mango in your mind. In the case of “pineapple” there is another picture in your mind, a picture of a pineapple with small thorns. In “mango” there are no thorns. You prepare different pictures in your mind, so the waves will also be different.

You want to fight against so many weaknesses. The human mind has so many weaknesses. The doctor says, “You see, you are suffering from liver disease, you must not take oil. You must not take butter.” It is human weakness. There are so many human weaknesses. “Bábá⁽²⁾ says I should fast on Ekádashii day, so I am fasting on Ekádashii and secretly taking chocolate.” Bábá knows this, but Bábá won’t say anything. Simply, when you come before Bábá during P.C., then in Personal Contact Bábá will say, “O my little boy, can you explain to me what’s the actual taste of chocolate?” And if that person has intellect he will understand. Do you follow everything? [Laughter. One Márgii, in particular, becomes red-faced.] According to mental desire, there are acoustic roots, there are sounds. Each and every man has certain weaknesses; one is always moving after name, one is always moving after fame, or after money, always money so many weaknesses. One wants to fight against internal and external enemies. You have enemies in your mind, you have enemies outside your mind. There are so many depraving forces, they are all your enemies. When you want to fight against the mind, a particular flow is created in your mind, a particular flow. The acoustic root of that flow is hummm. [Makes fighting gesture.] The hum sound is created. The hum sound is the acoustic root of fight.

When you are to raise your sleeping divinity, elevate the sleeping divinity from the lowermost bone of your body, the mańipadma, the lowermost seat, you will also fight against so many adversities and pass through the entire cord, the entire backbone of your body. After so many fights, you will be able to elevate the sleeping divinity in your body to the status, or to the stance, of Parama Puruśa. Parama Puruśa touches the human body through this point [crown of the head]. It is called Brahmarandhra.

Brahma means Parama Puruśa and randhra means “cord”, the cord through which Parama Puruśa touches the body. It is the pineal gland controlling all fifty – that is, fifty times two times ten – one thousand – propensities. One thousand propensities of the human mind are controlled by this pineal gland. By the pituitary gland only the conscious, subconscious and unconscious portions of your mind [are controlled]. Now, just to raise the coiled serpentine, your sleeping divinity, you have to fight against many fetters, so many fetters of animality, so there is a fight, and this should be represented by the sound hum.

So the old Maháyániis used this incantation, Oṋḿ mańipadme hum. Now it is clear. I think perhaps the monks do not know, though they should know, the inner meaning of what they say. I think it is very interesting and very pleasing, although it has been a bit terse.

Footnotes

(1) Editors’ note: Refers to the mantra Oṋḿ mańipadme hum.

(2) Editors’ note: An affectionate name for the author, used by the author’s disciples.

Chapter 10	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Last night I said something regarding extro-internal movements and also some thing regarding positive hallucination and negative hallucination. And I also said that intellectuals, by dint of their intellectual power won’t be able to reach the goal, and that those engaged in actional faculties also can’t reach the goal. It is only the devotees who reach the goal. I didn’t say much regarding their movement.

Their movement is movement of pinnacled existence. Your existence is divided into so many projections. You like this thing, you like that thing. You love this thing, you love that thing. So your existence has been projected. There are multifarious projections of your existence.

For a man who always runs after money, what will happen when that money is lost? He will die. Sometimes, due to economic depression or devaluation, many people die because their existence was solely on money. But when your existence is pinnacled, that pinnacled existence comes in contact with the Supreme. So it is said that the devotees are the most cunning fellows. Who are the most cunning fellows? Devotees are the most cunning fellows. Others are fools.

But how is one to move along that path? How is one’s existence to be pinnacled? Human existence is trifarious – physical, mental, and spiritual, but the stages or layers are four in number – physical, psychic, psycho-spiritual, and spiritual. In Sanskrit those physical entities with which, we say, human existence is closely coordinated is called “Káma”. You cannot do without these things – food, clothing, education, medical treatment. These things are essential for human life. They come within the grasp of Káma, the lowest layer. Those that think that this world is nothing, or those who say that a good man should keep no connection with the world are in Fool’s Paradise. Yet you should remember that these things should not be the goal of your life. So many times I have said, yours should be subjective approach with objective adjustment.

For your development in this crudest, physical layer, you should build up a strong society. You should see that everyone gets enough food, clothing, housing, medical treatment, education, you should see to it. It is your social duty.

Just above Káma is Artha, pure psychic. The crudest one is physical, next is psychic. It is called “Artha”. What is Artha?

When the psychic want is quenched, when the psychic thirst is quenched, when the psychic hunger is satisfied, that quenching of thirst or satisfaction of hunger is called Artha, in psychic level, not in physical level. In physical level, I have already said that it is called Káma. This is Artha.

In Sanskrit, Artha has got two meanings, two significances. One is purely psychic. Another is psychic but associated with physical. When it is purely psychic, the word Artha means “meaning”. “What is its Artha?” means “What is its meaning?” Another meaning of Artha is the object, the token, the entity with which you can quench your thirst, that is… Money! (laughter). There are two meanings of Artha. Artha functions in psychic level. So for a devotee, this movement will be from Káma, pointed towards Artha. The supreme point of Káma should merge, should be one with the stratum of Artha. There must not be any want in your mind. If you want to know the meaning of “rudimental”, you will ask, “What is the meaning of rudimental”. One man will say, “Rudimental means ‘fundamental’.” If rudimental means fundamental, why are there two words? First, thirst of mind – “What is the meaning of ‘rudimental’?” Somebody said that rudimental means fundamental. Then the second thirst, when rudimental means fundamental, why are there two words? Why not just say “fundamental”? Then a new thirst is created in the mind. Unless and until this thirst is quenched, there won’t be any mental concentration. [Baba pretends to meditate – Publisher.] What’s the difference? It is a psychic thirst. During your Iishvara prańidhána, you are doing the prańidhána not of Iishvara, but of “rudimental”. “Rudimental, rudimental.” Is it not a fact?

Then how is that thirst to be quenched? It is for those intellectual fools. Ordinary devotees won’t have this type of thirst. My thirst is quenched, my throat is quenched. Then one man will say that “fundamental” means concerning the base, and “rudimental” means concerning the root. This is psychic. Have you understood? Unless and until all these thirsts are quenched, there cannot be concentration. So what is a devotee to do? These thirsts are of mind, and mind has got so many flows, so many propensities, so many propulsions. You have to withdraw all these propensities and goad them to a higher level. Again it is to be pinnacled, and that point is to come into contact with spiritual level. When it is from psychic level to spiritual level, the movement is psycho-spiritual. This psycho-spiritual movement is the third phase. It is called Dharma. In Pali, Dhamma, in Sanskrit Dharma. That is why Lord Buddha used the word Abhidhamma for initiation. It means “getting the way to Dharma.”

Now, this psycho-spiritual movement is withdrawal of all propensities. It concerns the psychic body, but movement of the collective propensities is something psycho-spiritual. It starts from the psychic level and ends in the spiritual. A devotee has got nothing to do with intro-external or extro-internal activities. This is purely internal.

In the first phase, it is physical, the projection of physicality on mind. In the second phase, pure psychic; in the third phase, psycho-spiritual, known as Dharma. The fourth stage is purely spiritual. It is called mokśa or parinirvańa – both are Sanskrit words.

What is mokśa? Should one do anything for attaining mokśa? The English term for mokśa is salvation. Not liberation, but salvation. Salvation means liberation of permanent nature. Emancipation of permanent nature is salvation. We must not use this term salvation for physical liberty or psychic liberty. It is to be used only in the case of spiritual liberty because in all other three spheres, physical, psychic, and psycho-spiritual, there can’t be liberty of permanent nature. It is called mokśa.

For the attainment of mokśa what is one to do? That pinnacled psycho-spiritual existence of yours is to be offered at the altar of the Supreme. The dearest entity for each and every human being is his existence, is his feeling of existence. “O Parama Puruśa, I offer this feeling of existence, I offer this mind at your feet.” This is the practice of mokśa as taught by the ácáryas during dhyána (meditation). It is the practice of mokśa.

The day before yesterday, I said that the devotees are very cunning. They are certainly clever; not only clever, they are cunning too, because their approach is neither extro-internal nor intro-external. Their approach is pinnacling from physicality to psychic existence, from psychic existence to psycho-spiritual, and finally to the stance of spirituality. Extroversiality has got nothing to do with a devotee.

Chapter 11	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Last night what was the subject? That the movement, the progress of a spiritual aspirant starts from the physical strata. In the first phase, it is physical, then psychic, then psycho-spiritual, and finally spiritual. Káma, Artha, Dharma, and Mokśa.

Now you know there is a theory that whenever there is an action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. But, in the philosophy of Ananda Marga, this theory has been a bit changed. Whenever there is an action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, provided that the three fundamental relative factors remain unchanged. Whenever there is any change in any of these three fundamental relative factors, the reaction won’t be equal to the action. These three fundamental relative factors are the spatial factor, temporal factor, and personal factor. These three are called Tridańd́a in Sanskrit. Tri means three in Sanskrit. T-R-I. Tri. In Latin also, tri-angle. Tridańd́a. Dańd́a means pillar or stand. In Latin, “triped”. These are the fundamental relative factors.

Whenever an action is done, in the next moment the temporal factor has changed. Say, at 12:00 an action has been finalized. When the reaction will start, it will be at least 12:01 or 12:02 So the time of the orginal action and the time of the reaction are not the same. They can never be the same. So time factor changes and the personal factor may or mav not change.

Suppose, you did something when you were a boy of five, and then the reaction comes when you are a boy of 25. Are you the same boy? There will be so many changes in your body. So the personal factor also changes, the personal factor when the action was done, and the personal factor when the reaction comes.

Space also changes. The Earth’s position in the Solar System is changing at every moment. The Sun with its solar system with all the planets and satellites, is moving in the vast space. The Sun is also not fixed, not stationary. It also moves along with its entire planetary system, along with its planetary order. Do you follow? And the relative distance between Earth and Sun also changes because the path is not circular. It is to some extent elliptical. (Makes a circular movement with fingers). The path is not circular, rather it is like this (Makes an elliptical movement with fingers). When the Earth is there or there, the distance is more than what it was when the Earth was here or here. So space also changes. For no action in this Universe does the reaction come without some change of time, space, or person. The temporal, spatial, or personal factor must undergo changes. Is it clear? Is it crystal-clear?

Whenever an action is done, its reaction can never be equal and opposite. There should be some change. Mr. X borrows some money from Mr. Y. Say, he takes 100 Rupees. During the repayment, he will have to pay 100 plus some interest because the time factor has changed, otherwise he would have repaid the equal amount. Do you follow me? Due to change in the temporal factor, he will have to pay some interest.

So in theory, the reaction should be equal and opposite, provided the three relative factors remain unchanged. But surely there will be some change, so surely the reaction will not be equal and opposite. That old theory that to each and every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction can not be supported now.

Now when should the reaction start? Sometimes it may happen that a man was a degenerated man. When he was a bad man, he was eating, drinking, and making merry, but as soon as he starts Sádhaná, he is to face so many obstacles, so many hardships. He has become good, but be has to undergo so many troubles, so many problems.

What is this? Why? Do you follow what I said? Why? The reason is that the pendulum moves. When it starts coming in the opposite Side when its upward movement ends and the downward movement starts. The moment he becomes a good boy, becomes a Sádhaka, the reaction of his bad actions starts.

Suppose there is a good man. The moment he becomes bad, the reaction of his good actions starts. He is quite happy. He says, “when I was a good man, I was suffering. And now I am a bad man. What! Mine is an easy life!” When one asked Lord Buddha, “Why do good men suffer and bad men do not suffer, what is the reason?” Buddha said.

Pápo’pi pashyati bhadraḿ yavo pápam na paccati
Yadá ca pápam paccati atha pápáni pashyati,
Bhadro’pi pashyati pápam yavo bhadram na paccati
Yadá na pacchati bhadram atha bhadráni pashyati.

What is the language? Yes, it is Páli language. What the Buddha said was in Páli language. Pápa means sin, but it appears to be very good. Virtue and vice. Bhadram means virtue. Pápa means vice. “Pápa, sin, appears to be very good because the reaction of Pápa does not start. Suppose a man holding a ticket for lower class travels in upper class. He is quite happy. Without spending much money, he is quite happy. But when the ticket checker or the police will arrest him, then the reaction starts. The man is quite happy until the reaction starts. Pápa appears to be very good, but when the reaction starts, then the man feels that his original action was bad.”

When a man is good, his life is neat and clean, then he is to undergo so much suffering because of his goodness. It appears as if his goodness is a curse, his morality is a curse, but only until the reaction starts. When the reaction starts, then it is seen that what he did was good. That is why he is enjoying the good reactions. Who said these things? Buddha, in his Dharmapada, his Buddha Sútram.

Nobody can avoid the suffering of reactions. Suffering due to good actions and suffering due to bad actions – both are suffering. The reactions of good actions are just like a chain of gold, and reactions of bad actions are just like the sufferings of a chain of iron. Both are chains. The trouble is the same in both the cases. If the chain is made of gold, will the suffering be a lesser one? What? There is no difference between a gold chain and an iron chain. Gold chain or golden chain? Golden means that it looks like gold, but is not gold.

Yávannakśiiyate karma shubhaḿcáshubhamevaca
Távannajáyate mokśo nrńáḿ kalpashataerapi.

“[[As long as]] there are reactive momenta, while there are unsatisfied reactions, there can’t be Mokśa.” When a man is freed from all reactions, he is called Iishvara, he is called “enjoying Mokśa” – where there is no reaction, where all the reactions have been fully satisfied, where all the reactions have been fully quenched. Whenever you will do good action, you will have to wait for good reactions. Whenever you do bad action, you will have to wait for bad reactions. But in this world of ours, you will have to do some action either good or bad. Then how is one to attain Mokśa? How is one to get Salvation? He is to do something. This body is a machine. It is for doing work. This mind is also an ectoplasmic machine. It is also to do something. The body can not remain without doing any work. Even inhalation and exhalation, respiration is also an action. Even to sleep is an action. Is it a verb – sleeping? And those who are of lethargic nature, always sleeping, also do something, “To sleep” is a verb. Transitive or intransitive? (laughter)

Then what is a good man to do to save himself from bad reactions of bad actions and good reactions ofgood actions? In order to attain salvation, he is to free himself from the reactions of good actions and bad actions. To save oneself from the reactions of bad actions, what may one do? Refrain from doing anything bad. He won’t do anything bad, but he is to do something.

In Sanskrit, this world is called Kurukśetra. In Sanskrit, Kuru means “do” in imperative mood. “Do! You do!” Imperative mood of “to do”. And Kśetrá means “field”, the field that always says, “Do something! Do something O man! You are to do something, you can not remain idle. You will have to do something.” So one name for this world is Kurukśetra, the field to do. And this body is called Dharmakśetra. Kśetra means field, and Dharma means spiritual practices, spiritual pursuits.

While the body is with you, you can practise Sádhaná. When your mind will be detached from your body, you won’t be able to do anything, neither physical work nor spiritual work. So you are to do everything while this quinquelemental structure is with you. Even in your old age, you will not be able to perform spiritual practices properly if you do not start the practice from an early age. The best age for doing Sádhaná is from 16 to 49, and the second-best age is from 5 to 16 and from 49 to 69. Before 5 or after 69, the glands become weak, distorted. So the best age for spiritual Sádhaná is 16 to 49. This body is Dharmakśetra. Without this body, one can not do Sádhaná. Animals can not do sádhaná because they haven’t got a human body. The human body is the most developed on this planet. There are 50 main glands. The total number of important and unimportant glands is 1000. 50 x 2 x 10. Why? Each and every gland can function both extroversially and introversially. You can steal with your hand mentally and physically. Physically stealing with the hand is extroversial, and mentally stealing is with your mind. No one else will know that you have stolen mentally. So, each and every gland has a double function, external and internal. 50 x 2. And all of these functions are in all the 10 directions. So 50 x 2 x 10 = 1000. These 1000 important and unimportant glands and sub-glands are controlled by the pineal gland So these are the psychic functions.

The main thing here is that when all the glands are in proper order, that age is the best age for doing Sádhaná. And the human body is the best structure for doing Sádhaná. Other animals cannot do Sádhaná. Their conscious mind is well developed, sub-conscious is less developed than human mind, and unconscious mind is still less developed, almost nil. The human body is the best body, the best vehicle for the purpose. So no intelligent person should waste a single moment so far as spiritual practice is concerned.

If with the help of these glands one is not doing Sádhaná, then one will be doing something bad. And if you are refraining from bad actions just to save yourself from bad reactions, you will have to do good actions, and go through good reactions. Until one is going through good reactions, one can’t attain Mokśa. Then, what is one to do?

Yes, go on doing good actions. And while doing good actions, offer the good reactions, the good reactive momenta, offer it at the altar of Parama Puruśa. “Oh, Parama Puruśa! All these good actions done by me should be enjoyed by You, not by me. Let the bad reactions of bad actions be undergone by me, but let the good reactions of good actions be enjoyed by You. What good actions I did in the past, what good actions I am doing at present, and what good actions I will be doing in the future, the reactions should go to You. You please enjoy it. I don’t want to enjoy it. Let me suffer. Let me undergo the suffering for my bad deeds, and may You enjoy the good fruits of my good actions.” Then you won’t be undergoing any good reactions of good actions, and you will attain Salvation. This is the only way, and it is a very intelligent way.

But what do the general people do? They want that their bad reactions should go to Him, and the good reactions to themselves. It is a defect. Some people are so intellectually developed that they say while doing something bad, “Oh God! Oh Parama Puruśa! You misguided mv mind. Thaes why the bad action was done by me. So the reaction should go to You. And when I did a good action, I take the responsibility And so, the reaction should go to me.” Now, don’t do like this, because the actuality is known to Parama Puruśa. Your jugglery of words won’t do.

Now what I say, it is for the devotees, for all the spiritual aspirants. It is the Supreme Truth. Repeating the words of Buddha I say,

Sinca bhikśu imaḿ nábaḿ sittá te lahumessati,
Chetvá rágaḿ ca dosaḿ ca tato nibbańaḿehisi.

“Oh spiritual aspirant! You are crossing this Ocean of Reaction. If you are to go to the other bank of the Ocean of Reaction, then you should be very cautious.”

Muiṋca pure muiṋca pacchato majjhe muiṋca bhabassa Páragú,
Sabbattha bimuttamánáso na puna játijaraḿ upehisi.

You must not run after any psychic weakness, you must not cherish any psychic weakness. You must not go on remembering the sweet memory of your past. Your only goal is the Parama Puruśa and your only motive is to satisfy the Parama Puruśa by your action. Don’t do anything bad, and offer the good reactions of good works to Parama Puruśa.

Chapter 12	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

In this Universe of ours, there is nothing non-causal. Do you know the meaning of non-causal? Non-causal means “having no cause”. In hoary past, there was a great philosopher named Kańáda. He said in his theory –

Kárańábhávát káryábhávah

Kárańa means cause, Abháva means want. Where there is no cause, there cannot be any effect. He was a scientist, and he invented the Atomic Theory. He was Maharśi Kańáda. Long before Dalton’s Atomic Theory, about 1500 years ago, 1000 years after Buddha, he said,

Kárańábhávát káryábhávah.

“Where there is no cause, there cannot be any effect”, and it was he who established the fact. Everything in this Universe of ours is causal.

Now, here we are. Say a few years ago, none of you knew that Baba is on this Earth. None of you knew that Baba loves you. But Baba was there, and Baba loved you, though you were not acquainted with Baba. Is it not the fact? And I think, now some of you feel that Baba loves you, at least a little. Don’t I love you a wee bit? (Baba makes a pinch measure with His fingers). And I also realize that you love Me very much. (Baba makes a grand measure with his arms spread wide). You do not know, but it may or may not be a fact. Rather, it may be a fact that I knew you. Nothing is non-causal in the Universe. You came in close contact with Me, I came in close contact with you. This is also not non-causal. Certainly there is some cause behind this actual happening. The cause may or may not be known to you. There are so many people in this world. Why did you, boys and girls, come in close contact with Me, but not others? Certainly there is some cause. And perhaps this cause or seed germinated in long past, say, 5000 or 10,000 years ago. The seed was there and it germinated, and finally, when its sprout was out, you came in contact with Me. What is sprout? The white portion of the tree that first comes out of the seed. So, when nothing is non-causal, your coming in close contact with Me is also not non-causal. There is some cause, you do not know. It may be that in hoary past you were also in close contact with Me. It may or may not be on this Earth, on this planet. It may be on some other planet that you were known to Me. It may be that on that planet, we sat like this and decided that, “Let us go to that small planet known as Earth, and there we may do some work.” And, just to fulfil the pledge of ours, we have come here. So nothing is non-causal.

This Cause and Effect Theory is called Kárya-Kárańa Tattva. In Sanskrit, Kárańa means cause. Tattva means theory. Those who are theoreticians are called Táttvika in Ananda Marga, because Tattva is theory. The range, the jurisdiction of this Kárya-Kárańa Tattva is within the scope of mind – within the scope of collective microcosm, and also Macrocosm, Separately for Macrocosm and collective microcosm. You should know the difference.

A particular man, a particular living being has got the ectoplasmic structure of microcosm, but the mind of Parama Puruśa is bigger than collective microcosm, because the entire crude world of quinquelemental factors is also a part of Macrocosm, a part of the mind of Parama Puruśa. This Cause and Effect Theory functions within the scope of collective microcosm. And above and beyond the range of this collective microcosm, there may be Cause and Effect Theory within the scope of Macrocosm as well. But as we can not bring Macrocosm within the scope of unit minds, rather it can not be tethered by logic and reasoning, that’s why we may say that this Cause and Effect Theory functioning within the range of microcosm. The starting point of mind is zenith point of Cause and Effect Theory functioning within the range of microcosm. The zenith existence is beyond the periphery of this theory. It depends on the sweet will of Parama Puruśa. And human Cause and Effect Theory can not go beyond that zenith point.

If one wants to know something more beyond the scope of that zenith point, one is to coincide one’s own existential nucleus with that final zenith point. When one will be one with the Macrocosm, one will know how sweet the Macrocosm is. And that, one can do by dint of one’s devotional Sádhaná. Sádhaná without devotion is meaningless, a waste of time. Sádhaná with devotion means maximum utilization of human existence.

So you may or may not know the logic. You may or may not know the philosophy. You may or may not know the spirit of Cause and Effect Theory. But if you have got devotion, if you have got love for the Macrocosm, you will get everything. And the secret of Parama Puruśa is known only to Parama Puruśa. That is why, if you want to know Parama Puruśa, you won’t be able to catch Him with the help of Cause and Effect Theory. You will have to become one with Him. There is no other alternative.

Chapter 13	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

The eternal question is: Wherefrom do you come? When you have come, certainly you have come from a certain place. Wherefrom have you come, where will you go and what to do? Wherefrom do the collective and individual worlds come? You know, nothing is destructible. Everything in this world is indestructible. Nothing is finally destroyed. What is known as destruction is nothing but metamorphosis, a change of form. When a small boy of five years becomes a young man of 25 years, you won’t find that little boy of five years. But, is that boy dead and gone? No, he lives in that young man of 25 years in a changed form, in a metamorphosed form. So, nothing is destroyed. And nothing comes from nothing, everything comes from something,

This human society, this animal world, this plant world – all of them come from a particular source, and that source is Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Entity, the Supreme Father, whose progeny are all. He is the Supreme Progenitor, the great Father, who creates everything Human beings, both in individual and collective life have got the same source, the same progenitor. Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Creator.

Now, the second portion, the second phase of the question is – Where do the people stay? To contain something you need a container. Here you are standing in the city of Athens. It is the container. This city of Athens is contained by the country of Greece. It is the shelter of the city. This country of Greece is sheltered by this earth, this planet earth. And this planet is sheltered by the entire solar system – sun and moon and planets. And this solar system is contained by, is sheltered by, Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Entity. So, human beings and all other beings come from Parama Puruśa, stay in Parama Puruśa, and then finally leave this world. This applies to everybody – man or animal or plant. Whoever comes goes. “Ya ágacchati sah gacchati”. Who has come will go. Nobody will be in this world forever, because movement is the very order of this universe.

Everything moves. This earth moves, the sun also moves, and along with this, the entire world. Nothing is stationary. Everything will have to move. So, those who are staying in this world, will also move with this moving world. And, where will they go? What is their goal? They have to go back to Parama Puruśa, from where they came. So, He is the starting point, He is the originating point, and He is the culminating point of all creatures. Thus there lies an inherent tie of fraternity among human beings, among the living creatures. You are all spiritual aspirants. You are all devotees. You are all going to be one with the Creator. You should remember this inherent tie of humanity. Try to help others as much as you can, because it is the desire of Providence that all will march onward with maximum cooperation. And, if you move along the path of righteousness with the spirit of Universal Fraternity, victory is yours. The blessing of Parama Puruśa is always with you.

Chapter 14	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Yoga has become a very popular word throughout the world. We should know what Yoga is or rather, what the spirit of Yoga is. Human existence, or human expressions are trifarious. Human beings have got a physical body and they have got physical problems, and they have to be solved. Secondly, human beings have got an intellectual structure, a mind, a psychic body, and all their psychic problems must be solved. There are so many knotty and complicated psychic problems, and when those psychic problems are not solved properly, people may become insane. There is a constant rise in cases of insanity throughout the world. This shows that the human problems, the psychic problems of human beings are not being properly solved. And, there is the spiritual body of human beings, their spiritual life. The culminating point of all spiritual progress is Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Entity, the Supreme Cosmological Lord.

Now, what is Yoga? We must have Yoga in all the three strata of life. If there is Yoga only in the spiritual stratum and there is no Yoga in the psychic and physical strata, what will happen? The very existence of human beings will become unbalanced, human equipoise will be lost. So we must have Yoga, or rather Yoga-oriented movement, in each and every sphere of life.

The crudest portion of human existence is the physical body. Now, what is this physical body? For human beings there is the external physical body and there is the inner projection of the physical body in the mind. You see an elephant in the external physical world, and you see the projection, that is, the extro-internal projection of that elephant in your mind. But for the creating Entity, for the Causal Matrix, there is no external world, so there is no physical world. For Him there is a psychic world and a spiritual world. But, for human beings there are three worlds – physical, psychic and spiritual. So, for us, our physical world is nothing but an ectoplasmic world of the Creator. While doing any work, while being engaged in any action we should remember the fact that whatever we see, whatever we do, is within the ectoplasmic scope of the Creator. This will be our Yoga in the physical sphere.

Suppose, there is a drop of water in an ocean. When the drop feels its unity with the ocean, the drop no longer remains as a drop, it becomes the ocean. But when it feels its separation from the ocean, it is nothing but a drop of water. So, when a human being feels his/her unity with the Supreme Lord and feels that he/she is not an ordinary person, but the blessed child of the Supreme Father and when becomes one with him, then he/she is no longer an ordinary person. He/she acquires immense power, immense vitality, infinite vitality and this is your Yoga in the physical sphere. You should always remember that a man or a woman is an ordinary person when separated from the Supreme Father, but he/she becomes Supreme when one with the Supreme. This we do with the help of our Guru Mantra. This is Yoga in the physical sphere.

In the psychic sphere, human mind is a projection of Cosmic mind. The so called physical body of human beings is nothing but the ectoplasmic creation of the Supreme. When this physical body, due to internal clashes and cohesions, gets powdered down, it is human mind, it is unit mind, and for this unit mind there are two worlds – internal and external. We become associated with the external world when there is an intro-external projection or an intro-external emanation. In the intellectual field, what is Yoga? “Yogashcittavrtti nirodhah.” In the field of intellectuality, Yoga is Cittavrittinirodhah or “Sarvacintá parityágo nishcinto yoga ucyate.” What is Cittavrttinirodhah? We should know.

Just now I explained to you Yoga in the physical sphere and now I will explain Yoga in the intellectual sphere. In the human mind there are 50 propensities controlling 20 directional movements or propensities. So in all, there are 50 x 20. How many? 50 x 20 = 1000. So human expressions – human intellectual or human psychic expressions are 1000 in number. Those 1000 propensities are controlled by the pineal gland in the human body. This controlling point lies in the unconscious stratum of human mind and these 1000 expressions are there both in cerebral and non-cerebral or rather extra-cerebral memory. These propensities are there both in cerebral and extra-cerebral memory. If I get time I will explain to you what are cerebral and extra-cerebral memories. Now, when one withdraws particular propensity or all the 1000 propensities and goads those collectively withdrawn propensities unto Parama Puruśa, that is, when all those withdrawn propensities and the collective force of those propensities are guided and goaded unto the Supreme Entity, it is Yoga in the intellectual sphere, Yoga in the psychic sphere. It is called Jiṋána Yoga in Saḿskrta, and the former one is called Karma Yoga in Saḿskrta.

What is Karma? Karma means action. What is action? Action means change of place. Suppose the boy was there, now the boy has come here. There has been change of place. So, it is an action or deed in English, D-E-E-D. What is intellectual? Intellectual means movement of ectoplasmic staff.

The third Yoga is yoga “Saḿyogo yoga ityukto Jiivátmáparamátmanah,” Yoga in the spiritual sphere is unification of the unit entity with the Cosmic Entity. There is Mr. X, there is Mr. Y, there are Mr. A, B, C – so many units. And when these units become one with the Supreme, it is Yoga. But in Saḿskrta language – you know Saḿskrta is a language about 15,000 years old and it is no longer a spoken language – in Saḿskrta, each and every word is created from a root verb. That is, there was a verb and from that verb a noun was created, an adjective was created. Wherever there is any word, there is one root verb or rudimental verb or controlling verb. For “Doing”, the Saḿskrta is Kr, K-R, and from that Kr, the noun Karma, was created. Karma means action.

Just now I told you about Karma Yoga. Similarly, in Saḿskrta, Jiṋá is a root verb – J-I-Ṋ-Á – Jiṋá. From Jiṋá, the noun form is Jiṋána which means subjectivisation of objectivity. In modern English the verb is “know” although there is no pronunciation of K because “K” is mute, “K” is silent. The original Saḿskrta term was J-I-Ṋ-Á Jiṋá. That is why intellectual Yoga is called Jiṋána Yoga about which I told you just now. The last one is Bhakti Yoga, that is the unification of unit with the Supreme.

In Saḿskrta the word Yoga has got two root verbs. One root verb is “Yuj” and another root verb is yunj? Yuj – Two plus two is equal to four, Three plus three is equal to six. It is also yoga. But this yoga is derived from the term “Yuj”. “Yuj” means to add. There is another root verb of the word Yoga and that root verb is “Yunj.” The root verb is “Yunj,” not “Yuj”, and the word Yoga is also derived from that root “Yunj”. Here “Yunj” verb means to unify, not to add, but to unify. Yuj means to add and Yunj means to unify. Suppose there is sugar and there is water. Sugar plus water, what will happen? Sugar will unify with water. You won’t find sugar in a separate form after this unification. Adding two mangoes with two mangoes will be four mangoes – one mango, two mangoes; three mangoes, four mangoes – four items or four mangoes. But in case of Yunj it is like sugar and water. After unification, will you get sugar in separate form? It will be one with water. It is unification. In case of Yoga, in the spiritual sphere it comes from the root “Yunj” and not “Yuj.” Here Yoga means unification. When unit consciousness, unit spirit, unit cognitive principle, becomes one with the Supreme One, with Parama Puruśa, the unit no longer exists. It becomes one with the Supreme. The little boy “A” or the little girl B will become Parama Puruśa. This is unification.

For each and every human being there are two “I’s” – two “I’s”. The name of a man, say, is Solomon. Then that means the name of his little “I” is Solomon and the name of his big “I” is Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Entity. Suppose the name of a little “I” is Joseph, Mr. Joseph. But the name of his big “I” is Parama Puruśa. That is, the big “I” for all created being is the same, but the little I varies. So many bodies have so many names. These names are names of little “I’s”, but the big “I” is one and indivisible for the entire universe – there is one big “I”. One is for one Parama Puruśa, one Parama Pitá.

What is Yoga in the spiritual level? It is to become one with Parama Puruśa. When you become one with Parama Puruśa, you are getting everything, but you are losing nothing. You are losing the name of your little “I” and nothing else and in return you are getting the Supreme “I”, the big “I”. This is Yoga in the spiritual sphere.

Some people think that Yoga means a particular exercise, No, no, no: Yoga does not mean exercise. Yoga means unification. It is the Supreme definition of Yoga.

There is common wont in each and every human mind and that wont differentiates human being from animals, people from plants. What is that difference? That spiritual wont is called human Dharma. What is Dharma? Human beings want to expand, and secondly, they want to become one with the Cosmic Body. Thirdly they want to do something noble and the fourth thing is that they want peace, Supreme peace, undisturbed peace. These are the four special qualifications of human beings. Collectively you may say, it is the human mode.

Yoga is the path of progress, the path of development for each and every human being. Nobody can keep himself herself away or aloof from that track of Yoga. Yoga is Dharma. So in individual life we should practice Yoga, and in collective life we should encourage others to practice Yoga. It is the [[panacea]] of all human ailments in the physical stratum, in the psychic stratum and also in spiritual stratum.

Chapter 15	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Last night I spoke about what yoga is in the realms of physicality, intellectuality and spirituality. Now, this all-pervading spirit of yoga is controlled by three fundamental factors. The yogic approach is all-pervading. Yoga covers everything, anything and everything. But this yoga, this movement of yoga, this progress of yoga, is based on three fundamental factors. What are those fundamental factors? They are prańipáta, pariprashna and sevá. The great yogi Krśńa said about 3500 years ago: Prańipátena pariprashnena sevayá [“By surrender, spiritual questioning, and servicefulness”].

First let us see what the import of sevá is. The root meaning, or the rudimental meaning, of the term sevá is “service”. But service in the field of yoga is not the same as in the commercial sphere. In the commercial sphere sevá means mutual exchange. Give some money, take some article – it is something mutual. You are giving something and you are receiving something. The shopkeepers give you some article, and receive money in exchange. You give money, and receive some article in exchange. So this sort of service is mutual. But in the field of spirituality sevá is not mutual. It is unilateral. You are giving everything to Parama Puruśa, and in return you are taking nothing.

But you know, when you give everything to Him, even your very existence, then what happens? You become one with Parama Puruśa. So when you give Him everything, in exchange you get Parama Puruśa, you get the Lord. Here you are not the loser. You are the winner of everything.

This is the proper import of the term sevá. It is unilateral, and not mutual.

Another factor is pariprashna. Prashna means “question”. The English term “question” comes from the root verb “quest”. “Quest” means “to search for”. You are in search of a reply, you are questing. “Quest” means “to search for”, and the noun of “quest” is “quest” plus the suffix “ion” – “question”. It means “searching”. But here the term is pariprashna, not prashna. Prashna means “question”. Pariprashna means questions concerned with your spiritual practice. You want to know from the ácárya how to practise ásanas [postures], how to withdraw the mind from physical objects and goad it unto Parama Puruśa. You are to learn so many things for the purpose of practising the same – not for the sake of knowing, but for the sake of practice. When something is placed before a scholar or a teacher for the purpose of doing something, for the purpose of doing according to the reply, then that particular nature of question is called pariprashna.

So for a spiritual aspirant the first factor is that he should be engaged in sevá, that is, service, unilateral service. And the second thing is that he should not waste his valuable time in idle questioning, that is, questions that bear no fruit. Your questions should be pariprashna – you are placing the questions just to know something in order to do accordingly.

What is the third item? The third item is prańipáta. Prańipáta means complete surrender at the altar of the Almighty. Now, this complete surrender, complete self-sacrifice, is to be done. But how? What is the secret? All human egos, all egoistic expressions, are based on the vanity moving around the self, moving around the “I” feeling, the first expression of existence. “I am” is the base, is the fundament, of all egos and all vanities. You know, when a man learns much or earns much, his ego, his vanity, gets puffed up. The man gets puffed up with vanity, and under such circumstances he becomes so conscious of his little existence that it becomes very difficult for him to surrender before the Supreme. What to speak of surrender, even if a logical theory is placed before him, he does not like to accept it. He thinks that if he accepts that theory, if he accepts that veracity, it will be humiliating for him. This sort of psychology misguides him under such circumstances. How to surrender? This can be done internally with the help of dhyána [meditation in which the psyche is directed towards Consciousness], and externally by ascribing Godhood to all external entities.

While helping the poor people your vanity may increase. You may think: “I have done this, I have done that. I am not an ordinary man.” This is a psychic disease. Actually, vanity is a psychic disease, a psychic ailment. But if, while helping a man, a poor man, or a diseased person, you ascribe Godhood to him, that is, if you think, “I am not helping a man, I am helping God in human structure,” then vanity will not be encouraged. What will be the reaction within the person? “This body, this mind, this wealth has been given to me by Parama Puruśa, and Parama Puruśa has come before me, God has come before me, as a suffering person, and I am paying back that thing to Him. That is, the actual owner of this body, the actual owner of this mind is He, and His wealth I am paying back to Him.” So there will be no vanity.

And I said that the internal process is meditation. In meditation, Parama Puruśa becomes your object and you become the subject. You become the seer and He becomes the seen. But the inner spirit of meditation is that while looking at Him internally with your inner eye, you should think: “I am not meditating on Him nor am I seeing Him mentally. What is actually happening is that He is seeing me; that is, I am the object and He is the subject. He sees whatever I do, He sees whatever I think, so I am His object and He is my subject.” This idea helps in freeing oneself from the serpentine noose of ego and vanity.

For a devotee you must remember that these are the fundamental factors for spiritual progress – sevá, pariprashna and prańipáta.

The guiding spirit of prańipáta is:

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

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

“Oh, Lord of the universe, You are the owner of all the wealth of this universe, all the gems and jewels of this universe; so what can I offer at your altar? When You are the owner of everything, what can a poor man like me give You? I cannot give you anything, because You are the owner of everything, and I am the owner of nothing. The second thing is the Cosmic Operative Principle, the mechanical force. All the energies are your servants. Whatever You desire, they will then and there manufacture the same for You, for Your pleasure. That is, all the energies of the universe are Yours. Whatever You desire, then and there, that thing will be prepared. So what can I give you? What can I present? What can I offer just to satisfy You? I cannot give anything. I own nothing.”

Then in the second phase the devotee will think that there is one thing only, one thing, and what is that thing? The thing is that Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Entity, loves His devotees very much. He can do anything and everything for His devotees, and actually He does. Devotees should always be fearless, because Parama Puruśa is always ready to do anything and everything for them. When this small state Israel was created, one man, one Margi, asked me, “Baba, it is such a small state, how can it protect itself?” I said: “You know, for Parama Puruśa there is nothing small or big. If a man has got love for Parama Puruśa, Parama Puruśa will do the needful. The man should only develop love for Him.” And what I said long before has come true, and it will become still more true in the near future. You must remain undaunted, and create a sentiment of love for Parama Puruśa anywhere you go. Now, you should know, remember, that a devotee says: “Oh, Parama Puruśa, You are lacking in a particular object.” What is that object? You boys and you girls, can you say? There is one thing wanting in Parama Puruśa. That is, He loves His devotees very much, and “I am an ordinary devotee, and You have got so many big devotees, and You love Your big devotees very much.” “You love Your devotees very much” means the devotees have taken away Your mind, have stolen Your mind. So, “There is one thing wanting in You, and that thing is mind. Your mind has been taken away by Your devotees. Then, oh, Parama Puruśa, there is a want in You. What is that want? Your mind has been taken away by Your devotees, by Your big devotees. And I am an ordinary devotee. I can do one thing. I offer my mind to You. Please accept it.” It is the concluding factor for a devotee.

[The best devotees say:] “O Supreme Entity, there is one want in You, want of mind, because You love Your devotees very much, and that is why the devotees have taken away Your mind. But You needn’t be in that wanting condition. Fulfil Your entire existence and Your thirst of love for Your entire creation by one thing, by accepting my mind. I am offering it to You, and I want that my mind should satisfy Your demands.” This is the spirit of prańipáta. Prańipátena pariprashnena sevayá – these are the three guiding factors for the spiritual aspirants, for yogis, in all the three strata of human existence.

Chapter 16	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

When the aesthetic sense, based on the subtle aesthetic science, comes to touch a certain standard, it is what is called mysticism. And when this mysticism reaches the pinnacle of human glory, or the excellence of human glory, it is called spirituality. What is mysticism? Mysticism is the never-ending endeavour to find out the link between the finite and the infinite. It is a never-ending endeavour to find out a link between the self and the Super-Self, khud and Khudá. This is mysticism.

It is one of the human wonts that human beings are never satisfied with something finite. They are never satisfied with something limited. In Sanskrit it is said, Nalpe sukhamasti bhunaeva sukhamasti [“Human thirst cannot be satisfied with something limited, human hunger cannot be satisfied by something finite”].

That is, in the quest for the Infinite, human beings first come in contact with aesthetic science. Aesthetic science does not always mean to get something pleasant; it may mean to get something troublesome, something embarrassing – it may or may not be something pleasant. Aesthetic science is that which one can express in a subtler way, from subtle to subtle, and when it reaches the subtlest point, that point is the pinnacle of human glory. Now, it is the duty of artists to express their work in a nice way, in a lucid way, and place it before the world. Not everyone can do this. But enjoying something with aesthetic taste or aesthetic charm is within the capacity of each and every human being.

When human beings started their movement towards the Supreme Being, in quest of Supreme Bliss, they first came in contact with spirituality. As spirituality is coming in contact with the Infinite, that is, the finite comes in contact with the Infinite, it is called yoga. Yoga is the unit moving in quest of the Infinite, the finite moving towards the Infinite in a mystic style. In Sanskrit, yoga means “addition”. For instance, two plus two is equal to four. But for a mystic, for an aspirant of the mystic goal or the mystic desideratum, yoga is not only addition; here yoga means “unification”. What sort of unification? It is just like sugar and water. Say there are two plus two apples. In the case of addition there will be one apple, then two, then three and then four apples. Every apple will maintain its individuality or its identity. The identity of the apples remains unchanged before and after the addition. But in the case of unification, that is, in the example of sugar and water, the sugar does not maintain its identity because it becomes one with the water. This is unification. In the realm of mysticism, yoga means this type of unification. That is, it is unification like sugar and water, and not simply addition like two plus two.

Now the starting point is aesthetic taste or aesthetic science. The culminating point, that is, from the culminating point, starts the movement of Supreme charm. In that movement with the goal of Supreme charm, human beings become unified with the Supreme Entity, whose seat is above the pinnacle of existence.

This movement for yoga, for the unification of the unit with the Supreme, the finite with the Infinite, is a must for each and every human being. The human physical and psychic structure is most suitable for this purpose. Animals and plants act according to their inborn instincts. They are mentally undeveloped, and because of this their brain is also undeveloped. The cranium is very small and the conscious portion of the mind is sufficient for them; there is no necessity or little necessity for the sub-conscious or unconscious strata of the mind. A plant gets pleasure or pain when its inborn instincts are either encouraged or discouraged. When the inborn instincts of a plant or an animal are encouraged it gets pleasure, and when the inborn instincts are discouraged, suppressed or depressed, it gets pain. This is how the brain or the mind of plants and animals functions. But in the case of human psychology, human psycho-spiritual movement cannot be suppressed, cannot be checked. There lies the speciality of human existence.

Now yoga. Yoga is the most developed and most valuable expression of human wonts, so it is in the first phase of yoga that one expresses oneself through so many arts and sciences. The final point of all artistic movement and the final point of all branches of sciences is the supreme source, the perennial source of all energies, the supreme seat of all energies. It is Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Entity, who is the Father of all, the Causal Matrix of all created beings in this universe, both animate and inanimate. That is why for all people, whether they are intelligent or illiterate, [[poor or rich]], educated or uneducated, the Supreme Entity must be the goal of life. That is, the Supreme Entity is the culminating point, the desideratum of all human expressions. When human beings are lacking in this spirit of movement, they degrade themselves from the human status. All you boys and girls, you should remember this supreme expression of veracity.

Chapter 17	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

The sentient action comes very near to Supreme Existence; it can maintain a good proximity, but cannot coincide with that Supreme Entity. The philosophy of spiritual aspirants, known as Tantra, says that he is a singular entity. Why should we say that He is a singular entity? You know, singularity and plurality are different projections of the human mind. If we say “one”, it is a particular projection. If we say “two”, it is a particular projection. If we say one hundred, it is a particular projection. So far as the tendency of projection is concerned, all projections are the same. There is neither any singularity nor any plurality. Even then the spiritual aspirants say that he is a singular entity. Why do they say this? Because when all the propensities of the mind, when all the propulsions of mind come to a particular point, and apex to singularity, one comes in contact with Him. That is why, if a numeral is to be used at all for Him, that numeral is one. He is the Supreme Controlling Faculty.

You know, whatever there is in the realm of physicality, or in the realm of ectoplasm, everything is a particular manifestation, a particular outcome of waves of a particular length. This universe is a mesh of waves of different lengths, and all these waves emanate from a particular source, a particular nucleus. That is, whatever inference is there, whenever you come in contact with any inference, that inference emanates from the Supreme Nucleus.

So, He is the controlling faculty. He is the Mahádeva, that is the Supreme Controlling Faculty. Then the spiritual aspirants know that He lies covert in each and every entity. That is, He is all-pervading because everything is of His ectoplasmic expression, everything is a creation of His inner mind. That is why He is everywhere, and in everything, within each and every pore of each and every existence. That is why the aspirants say that He lies covert in everything, He is everywhere.

You know in this world of relativity there are three fundamental factors: temporal, spatial and personal. And all our worldly activities are connected with these three fundamental factors. That is why there cannot be absolute pause or absolute speed in this universe of relativity. Whatever there is beyond the scope of relativity, the world of the manifest, is the world of non-manifestation.

He, as the expressed world, comes within the scope of human perception or human conception to some extent. I said “to some extent”, because we can come in contact with a particular length of wave – from a particular length to a particular length. If the light is too much, you cannot see. Also if it is too mild, you cannot see. If the sound is too much, you cannot hear, If the sound is too mild, you cannot hear. Your jurisdiction is from a particular wave-length to a particular wave-length. That is why I say that in this expressed world you can see, you can perceive, you can conceive, to a particular extent, not below or above the same. But, His expression is not limited, is not restricted within your jurisdiction. That is why He is all-expanding, all-pervading. When your small existential feeling tries to come in His contact you become one with Him, you lose your small individual small entity.

You know, whatever you create in your mind is just an extro-internal projection. Whatever you saw or whatever you heard, you can only recreate that thing within your mind, or you can only see that thing in your dream. Your mental objects or your mental existence is within His mind. So, if you are the seer or you are the witnessing entity, He is the Supreme Seer and Supreme Witnessing Entity. So, if you are the soul, He is the Supreme Soul. If you are the roof, He is the Supreme Roof.

Now, let us see our activities in the physical world. We do so many works, we think that we are doing so many works. Actually a man does not do anything, cannot do anything, without getting any energy from Him. You say, “I give it, I am a strong man, I am healthy man.” Where do you get that energy from? You get that energy from air, from water, from fruits, from food. Thus you are neither the creator of energy nor the owner of the energy. You take these energies with your vital energy.

You do. Doing means action. What is action? Action means change of place. This pot is here. Change the position, and we will say that an action is done. Action means change of space. So, whatever you do, you do with the vital force that you get from Him. That vital energy is not yours. If you do not take food for several days or several months or several years, you won’t be able to do anything. If you undergo fasting for, say, two or three months, you won’t be able to speak, you won’t be able to express yourself in any way. This is what your strength is. You are solely dependent on his grace. So, actually the owner of everything is Parama Puruśa, and the Supreme Doer of each and every action is that Parama Puruśa. He is the Supreme Fountain of all energies.

What about your abode? Each and every created being, may it be physical, liquid, gaseous or ethereal, requires some shelter. You are in Calcutta, your shelter is the city of Calcutta. You cannot remain without any shelter. No created being can remain without any shelter. Calcutta also requires some shelter. The shelter of Calcutta is the State of Bengal. And, what is the shelter of Bengal? The country of India. And, what is the shelter of India? The continent of Asia. And, what is the shelter of Asia? This globe, this earth. And, what is the shelter of this earth? The solar system. And, what is the shelter of the solar system? The Parama Puruśa, the Supreme factor, is the shelter of the solar system. So, He is the Supreme Shelter.

Each and every action gets recognition when it is witnessed by something. Witnessing entity means reflecting and or refracting plate. Without this reflection or refraction no action is recognized. While you see something, the light that comes from that object gets reflected in your mind, and touches a particular point of your nerve cells, and then only you feel that you are seeing something.

Similarly, whatever is being done here, a reflection is being made on the Cosmic Body, the Cosmic Body being just like a reflecting plate. He is the reflecting plate, the witness of all the works and all the deeds done in this universe. Nothing is secret for Him. You cannot do anything, or you cannot think anything without His existence, with being witnessed by Him. If you think that you are not being witnessed by anybody, then and there He will witness this external utterance of yours, that the boy says, “I am not being witnessed by anybody.” The final assurance, the Supreme assurance to a created entity, given by Him, and will be given by Him forever, is that as a witnessing entity, He is always with you.

Your mental strength will be increased a thousandfold because you are always with the Supreme Entity. The Supreme Entity is always with you to help you, and this is the first and the greatest merit of this fact, of this Supreme Veracity. The only demerit is, as He is always with you, you cannot do anything secretly; you will be caught red-handed. But, the merit is, that because He is with you, you are never alone, you are never weak. You are never helpless. So, the duty of a perfect person, the duty of a spiritual aspirant is always to remember this Supreme Truth, that he or she is never alone. You are always with your Supreme Father, who will always help you, and will always accelerate the speed of your progress.

Chapter 18	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

As the sphere of knowledge increases, many secrets of the world do not remain secret. Yoga is such a secret. It is a cult, and by dint of practising this cult one comes in contact with the causal factors of many secrets. About seven thousand years ago a great yogi, Sadáshiva, systematized different branches of yoga. His spouse, Párvatii, was also a yoginii; and for the welfare of the entire human society Lord Shiva and Párvatii tried their best to create a practical cult. The questions placed before Shiva by Párvatii and the answers given by Shiva to Párvatii collectively form the shástras [scriptures].

Now, many important questions of the human mind were placed before Shiva. These questions, that is, the question portion, was known as nigama, and the answer portion, ágama. The collective name of ágama and nigama is Tantra.

Once upon a time Párvatii asked Shiva, “O Lord, for many duties, many posts, there are prescribed minimum qualifications; for this job the minimum qualification will be this or that. But for attaining salvation what are the minimum qualifications?” Shiva said that the minimum qualification for the attainment of salvation is nothing but a human body and a human mind. That is enough. There is no racial bar, no colour bar, no regional bar, nor any bar of any other type. He said:

Átmajiṋánamidaḿ Devi paraḿ mokśaekasádhanam;
Sukrtaermánavo bhútvá jiṋániicenmokśamápnuyát.

[Self-knowledge, Párvatii, is the greatest means to attain salvation. People are born as human beings due to their past good saḿskáras, but to attain non-qualified liberation they will have to attain Self-knowledge.]

“For attainment of salvation one should know oneself, and by knowing oneself one attains salvation.” Now, let us see what knowing is, and what knowing oneself is – what Self-realization is. The human mind has got three types of movement. The first type is extro-internal projection, that is, an external object moving towards the inner side of existence. The second type is intro-external. The sentiment comes from the inner side and is expressed in the physical world. And the third one is the movement of the mind towards the Spirit.

Now generally “to know” means subjectivization of external objectivity. When the external object becomes one with the objective portion of the mind, that is, takes place in the objective compartment of the mind, it is called knowing or knowledge. And what is self-knowledge or self-realization? In this case the mind knows the spirit, that is, the movement of the mind is towards spirit. Now, how can the mind know the spirit when the Supreme Spirit, Parama Puruśa, Parama Pitá [Supreme Father], the Supreme Entity, is the Omniscient Entity, is the only Omniscient Entity of this world? The Supreme Entity, Parama Puruśa, is omniscient. He not only sees what you do, He also sees what you think, what you are contemplating, what the thought-waves of your mind are. Then He is omniscient, and you are His object. He sees what you do. He is the subject, you are the object. Then how can the mind know Him? That is, how can the mind be the subject and He be the object? He sees your mind; how can your mind see Him? How can your mind accept Him as the object and your mind be the subject? Yes, there lies the secret. What is the secret? It is that whatever you are doing, whatever you are thinking, you should always remember that that action of yours, those thoughts of yours, are being witnessed by Him. If you remember this, He remains the subject and you remain the object.

But what happens? Because you are always thinking of Parama Puruśa, indirectly He also becomes the object; although actually He is the subject and you are the object, because He is the all-witnessing faculty. And this is a very clever policy of devotees. Devotees are very clever; not only clever, they are very cunning. Because with their developed mind, pinnacled mind, pinnacled intellect, they bring the Supreme Entity within the periphery of their minds. So the path of devotion or the path of spirituality is for those who are extremely cunning and clever. And those who think that Parama Puruśa is not seeing them are the most foolish amongst the fools.

Lord Shiva said that the minimum qualification is a human mind and a human body, and with the help of this human mind and human body one may attain salvation. One may come in His contact; because it is only the human mind that can think that Parama Puruśa is witnessing all one’s activities and all one’s thoughts. When one is established in this stance, it is said that one has attained salvation.

There are so many created beings. These quinquelemental factors of the world – air, water, earth – they are also of Cosmic creation, but their mind is in an inert condition. It cannot function. In the case of protozoa, there is mind, but it is guided only by instincts, inborn instincts. In the case of plants, there is mind, but the mind is guided by inborn instincts, there is no independent thought in them. In the case of animals, in the case of metazoa, there is inborn instinct, but no independent thought. But in the case of developed metazoa, developed animals, there is a bit of independent mind, and amongst those developed metazoa, those who come in contact with human beings, as a result of clash and cohesion in the intellectual world and in inter-cellular structure, their minds develop a bit – as in the case of dogs, monkeys and so on. They have got a bit developed mind because of their coming in close contact with human beings.

But in the case of human beings, the mind is very developed, and with this developed mind one can feel that whatever one does, whatever one thinks, is always being witnessed by Parama Puruśa. Nobody can do anything secretly.

Now, everything is a creation of the Supreme Father; but in the course of introversion, as a result of clash and cohesion, the mind develops, and the stage of man, the stage of humans, is the most developed stage in the process of introversion. So human beings are blessed beings because they can feel the charm and love and all-pervading existence of the Supreme Lord.

You are all human beings. You are all dignified human beings. Forget all fissiparous tendencies that sometimes function within the human mind. Remember, you are the loving children of Parama Puruśa, and your goal is Parama Puruśa. Your goal is the Supreme Entity. Yours is a subjective approach through objective adjustment. Your movement is towards the Supreme Entity. But while moving towards the Supreme Entity, you are to do all your worldly duties in the social, economic and all other spheres. That is, your hands should be engaged in worldly duties, and your mind should be moving towards the Supreme Entity.

Chapter 19	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

Whenever anything is created, there must be three factors: first, the creator; second, the creative faculty; and third, the material. In case of this universe, other factors include the Supreme Creator or the Parama Puruśa and the Operative Principle or Parama Prakrti with its dexterity of creation. Then, who is the Causal Matrix? Not the Operative Principle, but the Supreme Consciousness, who desires to create.

That Supreme Entity, that Supreme Consciousness, is the Causal Matrix, and is a singular entity. The creative entity, Operative Principle functions according to His desire and the creative faculty, rather the dexterity is His.

Here is another question. Why does He create? What is the necessity of creation? Human beings and all other creatures come here to undergo so many sufferings. Then, what is this creation? So many millions of people came here on this earth for the last four thousand years, but they could not give a satisfactory reply to this eternal question. So many people, engaged in so many types of actional faculties, came. They tried to find out the proper reply, but they failed. But when the devotees came, they said, “It is not at all a knotty problem. It is a very simple issue. You learned scholars, you cannot give the reply. Even you, the heroes of actional faculty, you don’t know the reply. But I know, What is the reply. My Lord, my Supreme Father, was alone in this universe before creation. Just think, if you are alone in jungle or in a village, your life becomes miserable. And, in this vast space my Supreme Father was alone. Just to save Himself from the sufferings of monotony He created.” And, where did the material come from? Material came from His mind, because everything in this universe is within Him; nothing is without. So no material can come from outside. In His ectoplasmic stuff, that is, in His mind, is the material, and He creates everything within His mind. So many animate objects, so many inanimate objects are there, but they are all within His mind and not outside. A man may be educated, may be illiterate, may be of fair complexion, may be of dark complexion, may be poor or may be rich, but all are within His mind. All are His psychic creation, all are His loving children, loving progeny of the loving Progenitor. So, nobody is unimportant, nobody is insignificant. Nobody should be suppressed, oppressed or repressed.

Now, these created beings, they being the progeny of the same Father, are members of the same Universal Family. They have got a common tie of the Universal Fraternity. We must not forget this Supreme fact. Now, everybody is within His mind. Can a sinner go beyond the periphery of His mind, when there is nothing beyond His mind? No, nobody can go beyond the periphery of His mind. And, He cannot say, “You naughty chap, get out”. If such an order is given by Him, that naughty child will then and there say, “Oh Supreme Father, where am I to go? Because you are infinite, everything is within you. If you say, ‘Oh naughty chap, get out’, then certainly there is something outside Your mind, and I am to go there. And, if there is something outside, then You are not infinite. So, either You please, oh Supreme Father, withdraw Your order or change Your name.”

Sinners are also within His mind, virtuous people are also within His mind. The sinners are His naughty children, and He always wants that His naughty children should become good children by their conduct. He cannot expel anybody from His mind, from the arena of His universal mind.

Now, after creation, after being freed from the tortures of monotony, what does He do? He is playing His eternal game with His loving children, and this is the world. So, nobody should suffer from the psychology of melancholia. None should feel that he or she is alone in this Universe. None should feel that he or she is helpless or hopeless. And, nobody should suffer from inferiority complex or superiority complex. When the Supreme Father is with you, when you are within His mind, then you should not be afraid of any physical or any psychic enemy, that would be stronger than your Supreme Father. When the Supreme Entity is omniscient and omnipotent, no power in heaven or hell can do anything bad for Him.

What is the system of thought-process? What is thought? Some portion of the ectoplasmic stuff takes a particular form, and that form is a crudified form of ectoplasm; when projected internally, it takes form. Similarly this quinquelemental universe is a projected crudified form of Cosmic ectoplasm. And, after that, due to internal and external clash and cohesion, energy is created, light is created, psychic structure is created in individuals. And, as a system of thought-process, it finally gets merged into the nucleus from which it came.

So, the final goal, the Supreme Desideratum of each and every living being is that Parama Puruśa, is that Supreme Father. So, all living beings and all inanimate objects came from the same source, they live in the same ectoplasmic field of the Supreme Entity. And, their final goal, their desideratum is that Supreme Home.

All human beings, all spiritual aspirants should always remember this fact, and move along the path of beatitude, collectively singing the song of the Lord, singing the praise of the Supreme Father.

Chapter 20	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

[I have told you] that nothing is insignificant in this world. Each and every sound has got its meaning. We may or may not know the meaning, but the meaning is there. Similarly, each and every syllable has got its meaning. Each and every word has got its meaning. And what is a sentence? A sentence is a collection of words. Each and every sentence has got its own significance.

If we say, “God is one,” “Parama Puruśa is one,” that “one” denotes a particular pointedness. If we say “two”, although “two” denotes two points, still the psychology is the same. If we say “He is finite,” it is a particular psychic projection, and if we say “He is infinite,” it is also a psychic projection. For a philosophic ideology there is little difference between finite and infinite, because both are different projections of the same mind. Still we say that Parama Puruśa is one, and we also say that He is infinite. We say He is one because we can come in His contact, we can ensconce ourselves in Him, only when our mind becomes one. That is why we say, just to satisfy our sentiment, that He is one, He is a Singular Entity. We say He is infinite, because His wonts are fathomless, we cannot count them. There are so many qualifications and attributions in Him that we fail to count. That is why we say He is infinite.

He is sourceless, He is non-causal. Everything in our universe is causal. Everything is guided by, controlled by, the theory of cause and effect. This theory of cause and effect was propounded by Maharshi Kanada long ago. As per this theory, the effect of a particular cause becomes the cause of the next stage; that is, an effect is the cause of the following stage, a cause is the effect of the previous stage. In this world, everything is causal. If we go to the root, if we can touch the rudimental entity, we get the cause, we get the subtler entity. The cause is generally subtler than the effect. And in this way we come to a particular point wherefrom we cannot go onwards, we cannot move onwards. We cannot get the still subtler entity, we cannot get the causal entity. Such a stage is reached where our mind becomes non-existent. From the cruder physical entities, if we go inwards, we get the subtler mind. If we go inner, we get still subtler mind, and so on. But when we reach the primordial stage of mind, we cannot move further inward, that is, we cannot get the causal entity. So if one tries to go beyond the seed of the mind, one cannot go, cannot move, because all these measurements are done by the mind. Actions are of the mind.

What is time? Time is psychic measurement of the motivity of action. So everywhere the psychic body must be present.

Regarding Parama Puruśa, our mind fails to measure His arena, our mind fails to touch Him in the rudimental stage, and that is why we say He is non-causal, He is causeless. When one comes in contact with Him, when one loves Him sincerely, one may ask Him, “O Parama Puruśa, what is Your cause?” Before that, one cannot know it. So His cause is known only to His devotees and to nobody else. That Supreme Entity who is beyond the periphery of the microcosm, is the creator of the microcosm. So when a microcosm is to know Him, the microcosm is to become one with His Macrocosm.

That Macrocosm creates so many things, so many varieties, within the jurisdiction of That, of Its infinite wonts. And this universe of varieties is nothing but some psychic crudifications of His supreme stuff. Units exist within His jurisdiction, and He is within each and every pore of the unit. That is why He is all-pervading. And He is not only within, but without, outside. That is why He is within you, He is outside you, He is all-pervading and He is all-covering. When one enlarges one’s jurisdiction as a microcosm, when one’s nucleus coincides with the nucleus of the Supreme, one becomes one with the Supreme.

And in order to do it, what is one to do? One is to increase the periphery of one’s mind. And how is one to enlarge the periphery of one’s mind? By a constant fight against all limitedness, against all physical limitedness and against all psychic dogmas.

Physical limitedness – You know, this physical world, although it is very big, is not infinite, because it is a limited projection of the Macrocosm. The entity that has got boundaries cannot be infinite. So our universe with so many planets and so many galaxies, is very big, but not infinite.

Similarly, in the psychic realm, if there is an idea, that idea may be big, but if that idea is surrounded by boundary lines, and no microcosm is allowed to go beyond those boundary lines, that idea is called dogma. Dogma seals the future of the human intellect. So the man, the spiritual aspirant, who wants to establish himself in the supreme stance, must fight against dogmas. In the realms of philosophy, economics, history, archaeology, sociology and all other branches of science and humanities, dogma is a dangerous factor.

You boys, you girls, you the spiritual aspirants, must always remember that you must never surrender at the altar of dogma. In the past, dogma committed so many nuisances, dogma created so many fissiparous tendencies in this human society. Your slogan should be “Dogma – No more! Dogma – No more!” Establish yourselves above the boundaries of dogma, and be established in the excellence of human glory.

Chapter 21	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 14

I have told you so many times that no person should encourage any sort of complex – superiority complex, inferiority complex, fear complex or any other complex. You should always remember that you are children of the Supreme Father, children of the Parama Pitá. You are not at all inferior to anybody. You must not forget this Supreme Truth even for a single moment.

From this very moment forget all your past mistakes, all commissional and omissional mistakes, and start your life afresh as an ideal child of Parama Pitá, an ideal child of Parama Puruśa.

Yours should be a glorious march towards the Supreme Goal, and you should remember that you are not to pause for a moment during this movement. The entire human society is anxiously waiting for you, for your service. You will have to shoulder a great responsibility for the suffering humanity. You know, actually humanity bleeds, and you will have to save them. You should remember that if you don’t help humanity, who else is to come and shoulder the responsibility? It is you – you are to do everything. You are the torch-bearers of human civilization. You are the pioneers of human march, and you are the vanguard of a new civilization.