Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

The Ánanda Vacanámrtam (“Blissful Discourses”) series assembles all the known General Darshan discourses given by Márga Guru Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti. General Darshan (GD) speeches, or discourses, were those given to Ananda Marga members, often as a part of the daily routine, in whatever locality Márga Guru happened to be staying in at the time. Normally briefer and lighter in tone (though no less profound in their fundamental meanings) than the discourses given on the formal occasions of Dharma Mahácakra (DMC), these talks were sometimes delivered in a very intimate way to relatively small groups of Margis.

The Ananda Vacanámrtam series was begun in 1978 with the GD discourses given by the author at that time; it then kept pace with the GD discourses that the author gave over the subsequent six years. Starting with Part 23, the series has included GD speeches given before 1978.

In this present volume, twenty discourses (most of them quite short) have been assigned to the appendix “From the Notebooks of Devotees” in the last pages of the book. These are discourses that were recovered in the form of typed discourse notes; or if recovered from an established magazine of the mission, then recovered in the form of an article that appeared to be a summary or approximation of the original discourse, but perhaps not an exact rendering. It was thought advisable to locate these discourses separately. Writers who wish to quote from these discourses should attribute the material to the “Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31 appendix”.

Normally within each Ananda Vacanámrtam the discourses appear in chronological order. Although in this volume the appendix has been separated from the main text, within the main text and within the appendix, respectively, the chronological order has been maintained.

To assist researchers, it is our policy to indicate here – in addition to the original language of each speech, the date and place, by whom it was translated, and where, if other than in this book, it was originally published – whether or not a tape of the speech is in existence. At the time of this printing, however, not all the cataloguing of tapes has been finished. Further information as to tapes will be given in future printings.

In the cases of some of the discourses published here, no written record was found of the language in which the discourse was given; but if the language could be clearly inferred from the location and other circumstances of the discourse, we have cited that language.

Footnotes by the editors have all been signed “–Eds.” Unsigned footnotes are those of the author.

Many readers are concerned that the author’s speeches, as published, should adhere as closely as possible to the precise wording the author used in speaking. For this reason, in the case of discourses given originally in English, the editors have not altered pronouns and other terms which the author in his lifetime considered “common-gender” words. As the author once said, “You know, ‘man’ is not only masculine gender, ‘man’ is common gender also. ‘Man is mortal’ – here ‘man’ means both male and female.”

The author was a natural advocate of women’s rights and on at least one occasion indicated that “lopsided justice” in language should be eliminated at some future date. In keeping with this guideline and with present-day trends, it is our policy in the case of translated discourses (where the published wording will necessarily be that of the translators) to use gender-neutral language.

Square brackets [   ] in the text are used to indicate translations by the editors or other editorial insertions. Round brackets (   ) indicate a word or words originally given by the author.

The author used a certain shorthand for explaining the etymologies of words. Under this system, a minus sign (–) follows a prefix, and a plus sign (+) precedes a suffix. Thus ava – tr + ghaiṋ = avatára can be read, “the root tr prefixed by ava and suffixed by ghaiṋ becomes avatára.”

“Make Your Mind Light”. Discourse in English. Tape.

“The Field of Dharma”. Discourse in English. Tape. Originally published in English in a magazine.

“Sinners and Their Rectification”. Discourse in English. Tape.

“The Conduct of an Ácárya”. First published in English as “The Duty of an Ácárya” in Prańám. Original language, date and place not identified in Prańám. Second English publication in Supreme Expression II, 1978. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“There Should Be Subjective Approach through Objective Adjustment”. First published in English as “Subjective Approach – Objective Adjustment” in Trishula, Vol. 2 No. 1, Nov.-Dec. 1979. Original language, date and place not identified in Trishula. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Macro-Propensitive Equipoise and Non-Propensitive Desideratum”. First published in English in Prout, Dec. 2, 1967. Original language and date not identified in Prout. Second English publication in Divine Flame. English re-editing by ÁAA.

[[“Supramundane Heritage and Supramundane Desideratum”]]. First published in English in The Crimson Dawn, July 1979. Original language, date and place not identified in The Crimson Dawn. [[Second English publication in Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 11, 1st ed., 1991, tr. by Ácárya Vijayánanda Avadhúta and Avadhútiká Ánanda Mitrá Ácáryá. Third, inadvertent, English publication as “The Cosmic Inheritance and the Cosmic Desiderata” in the first edition of the present book,]] English re-editing by ÁAA. [[It will be omitted from the present book when the book is reprinted.]]

“Sleep and Inertia”. Discourse in Bengali. First published in English as “Bábá’s Darshan” in Trishula. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Devotees Moving around the Cosmic Nucleus”. Discourse in Bengali. First published in English in The Crimson Dawn, Dec. 1979–Jan. 1980. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“The Omnipotent and Omnipresent Consciousness”. Discourse in Bengali. First published in English in The Crimson Dawn, Dec. 1979–Jan. 1980. English re-editing by ÁAA.

Appendix: From the Notebooks of Devotees

“Your Ideal in Life”. Discourse in Hindi. First published in English as “Ideal of Life” in Bodhi Kalpa, August 1966. A note in Bodhi Kalpa read, “That was a Sunday morning gathering in March 1963 to which Bábá told the following. Bábá talked in Hindi. It is too difficult to reproduce the same words and language as was then used by Him. The author, one of those who were present on the occasion, has tried to maintain the spirit of the talk. –EDITOR.” English re-editing by ÁAA.

“The Best Character”. Discourse in Hindi. First published in English in Bodhi Kalpa, August 1966. A note in Bodhi Kalpa read, “And this was on a Sunday afternoon in March ’63. Bábá had said, ‘This is not only a story, this is a historical fact.’ The story was told in the Jamalpur Áshrama and the language was Hindi. It is being retold by one who heard them directly. –EDITOR.” English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Svarńanakula Kathá”. Discourse in Hindi. First published in English in Bodhi Kalpa, August 1966. A note in Bodhi Kalpa read, “This story was told by Bábá on 25th February 1966 during His evening sitting in the field of Jamalpur. The story was given to three persons who had requested Him for a story. It is being put in black and white by one of them. The story was originally told in Hindi and Bábá Himself named it as ‘Svarńanakula Kathá’. –Editor.” English re-editing by ÁAA.

“No One Is Negligible”. Source: typed notes. Original language not identified in the typed notes. The typed notes are headed, “Baba’s Darshan, 1969 in Ranchi”, and a handwritten note mentions, “October”. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Everything Is Vibrational”. Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“He Is the Mind of Your Mind”. Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Surrender at the Altar of the Supreme”. Discourse in English. Source: typed notes. Date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“‘What Is Your Permanent Address?’” Discourse in English. Source: typed notes. Original date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Abhidhyána Samádhi”. Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Subjective Sense”. Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Everything Is in You”. Source: typed notes. Original language and date not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Ordinary Mortal or Divine Child?” Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Who Are You?” Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Prańava Dhvani”. Originally published in English as “In Divine Company” in Advent, April 1978. Original language not identified in Advent. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Guhá and Satsauṋga”. Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Abhidhyána and Árádhaná”. Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“The Four Stages of Meditation”. Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“Dharma Sádhaná”. Source: typed notes. Original language, date and place not identified in the typed notes. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“The Superconscious Mind”. First published in English in a magazine. Original language, date and place not identified in the magazine. English re-editing by ÁAA.

“The Four Types of Progress”. Discourse in English. Source: Typed Spanish translation from the original English, retranslated into English. English translation finalized by Ácárya Lokanátha Brahmacárii and ÁAA.

We particularly wish to thank Ácárya Prańavátmakánanda Avadhúta, who went to much trouble to collect Márga Guru’s GD discourses from old magazines and newspapers, and from the notebooks of different sádhakas; and Shrii Giri Dhara and Shrii Vinaya of New York Sector, and Táttvika Dhanjoo Ghista of Delhi Sector, who sent us discourses that they had collected in similar form.

Key:
ÁAA = Ácárya Acyutánanda Avadhúta

Chapter 1	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

According to the standard of intellect, microcosms can be divided into three broad categories: brutes, humans and devatás [gods]. In our human society also, we find brutes in human structure, we find humans in human structure, and we find devatás in human structure.

What is our sádhaná? What is our intuitional practice? Sádhaná is a march from the stratum of brutality to the stratum of humanity, and from the stratum of humanity to the stratum of divinity. And finally this divine man, this divine entity, becomes one with the Supreme Lord. That particular point where the devatá merges with the Supreme Lord is the terminating point of all the marches in his life. So it is a march. It is something dynamic. In human life one must not support, one must not encourage, the static principle. Dynamicity is the law and the order of human life.

You know, in ancient times, there was a great pandit. His name was Rohita. He was well-versed in all the shástras.

What is the meaning of shástra? Shás means “to control”, to do shásana; and tra means “liberator”. That which liberates you by controlling all your activities – “Don’t do this, do that” – through this sort of control – is shástra. It liberates you by auto-suggestion. Auto-suggestion means mantra, incantation. Mananát tárayet yastu sah mantrah parikiirttitah [“A mantra is that collection of sounds which, when meditated upon, leads to liberation”].

So that Rohita was well-versed in all the shástras. And after returning from his gurugrha [the master’s house], when his laokika father⁽¹⁾ asked him to do worldly duties, he said, “Oh, I went through so many shástras, and I have come to the conclusion that there is no necessity of doing any work. We shouldn’t do any work, we should always be engaged in jiṋánacarcá [cultivation of spiritual knowledge].”

Then his father said,⁽²⁾ “O Rohita, he who moves forward, he who has developed the dynamic force in his body and mind, is really blessed. And the sweating body of that industrious man is the most beautiful body. That perspiring body has world-attracting charm, and Indra, the lord of the devatás, always tries to make friendship with that man, with that industrious man. So, Rohita, move forward, move forward, move forward. Life is a dynamic force.

“If someone does not do anything, any work; if someone is afraid of work, then his fortune is ‘sleeping’. If someone is intellectually and physically sleeping, then his fate is also sleeping. But if someone wants to do something, then his fate also wants to move forward. If someone is standing, then his fate is also standing. If someone moves forward, then his fate also moves forward. So Rohita, do something, do something, do something.

“When you are sleeping in the slumber of ignorance, there is Kali Yuga in your life. If someone feels that he should do something, there is Dvápara Yuga in his life; and if someone becomes ready to do something, there is Tretá Yuga in his life; and if someone has started doing something, doing sádhaná, there is Satya Yuga in his life. So Rohita, do something, do something. Life is a constant effort to restore an unstable equilibrium. Life is a fight. Life is moving forward. Life is a dynamic force.”

So this human life is a movement from the stage of brute to the stratum of humanity, and from the stratum of humanity to the stratum of divinity, and from the stage of divinity to merger with the Supreme Lord. This is life. This is your intuitional practice. This is your sádhaná.

But you know, when you are to move fast, your mind should be light; if the mind is heavy it will not be able to move fast. What makes the mind heavy? So many impurities of thought. Lord Buddha said:

Sinca bhikkhu imaḿ nábaḿ sitta te lahu messati.

Muiṋca pure muiṋca pacchata majjhe muiṋca bhabassa páragú.⁽³⁾

[Remove all the water from the boat of your body; being free from water, it will become very light.]

[Give up everything that lies ahead, everything that lies behind, and everything that lies in the middle; and go to the other side of the world.]

“You should make your mind light. You should give up all worldly thoughts, all base thoughts, all depraving thoughts, and make yourself light.” To make oneself light means to free oneself from impurities. A magnet can easily attract a piece of iron, but if that piece of iron is full of impurities, that very magnet may not be able to attract that iron. So the Supreme Self, Supreme Lord, is always attracting you, but because of your heaviness due to worldly impurities, you are not being attracted by Him.

Now how to free the mind, how to make the mind light, how to free the mind from worldly impurities? By rendering selfless service to suffering humanity without any restriction of caste, creed, religion or sex. So you as sádhakas [spiritual aspirants], you must remember that the dharma of your life is to move forward from matter to abstract, from abstract to soul, from soul to the Supreme Soul. This is the dharma of your life, and while performing this dharma, you are to render selfless service to all humanity. You must not forget this fact. If you are successful in rendering selfless service to the world, certainly you will make progress in your spiritual life.

Shubhamastu [“May it be auspicious”].

Footnotes

(1) His father “of this world”, as opposed to a guru. –Eds.

(2) Three Sanskrit shlokas omitted here. Each shloka ends in caraeveti, caraeveti (“move forward, move forward”). The author will now proceed to give an English rendering of the substance of the shlokas. –Eds.

(3) From the Dhammapada, Shlokas 369 and 348. –Eds.

Chapter 2	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

You know, life is a constant fight, a fight between the evil force and the divine force, vidyá shakti and avidyá shakti. These two belligerent forces are active in the human mind. A sádhaka will encourage the divine force, and a non-sádhaka will encourage the evil force. This fight is called devásura saḿgráma. The deva party is the divine force, and the asura party is the evil force. This devásura saḿgráma has been going on since time immemorial; and that’s why spiritual practice, spiritual sádhaná, is called sádhanásamara. Sádhaná is samara. Samara means “war”, “fight”.

We get this very picture in the Giitá. In the Giitá, in the first shloka, what does it say? Dhrtaráśt́ra uváca [“Dhritarastra said”]:

Dharmakśetre Kurukśetre samavetá yuyutsavah;
Mámakáh Páńd́aváshcaeva kimakurvata Saiṋjaya?

[“O Sanjaya, now that my children and the children of Pandu have gathered on the battlefield of Dharmakśetra, of Kurukśetra, eager to fight, what is taking place?”]

“Dhritarastra said.” Who is Dhritarastra? Dhrta means [“controlling”, “controlling entity”], and ráśt́ra means “structure”, “framework”. And who does [control] your physical structure? Your mind. Because of the mind, because of the existence of the mind, the structural solidarity of a body is maintained. If the mind leaves the body, the body will decompose, dissociate; its structural solidarity will be lost. So who is Dhritarastra? He who controls the ráśt́ra, he who controls the physical body: that is, the mind. Dhrtaráśt́ra uváca means “The mind says” – “The question arose in the mind, in the human mind.” Now do you know? Dhritarastra said: “Sanjaya,”

Dharmakśetre Kurukśetre samavetá yuyutsavah;
Mámakáh Páńd́aváshcaeva kimakurvata Saiṋjaya?

Dhritarastra asked Sanjaya, “These two belligerent forces, my party and the Pandu party, have assembled on Dharmakśetra and Kurukśetra to fight against each other. And after assembling there, what did they do, Sanjaya? Tell me.”

Now, why does Dhritarastra ask Sanjaya? Because Dhritarastra cannot see. The mind cannot see; the mind is a blind force. Dhritarastra was blind. You know, Dhritarastra was blind, because the mind is blind, the mind is a blind force, the mind cannot see without the help of the conscience. The mind cannot see without the help of the viveka. The manah cannot see without the help of the viveka. The mana, the blind mind, asks the viveka (the viveka is saiṋjaya: sam + ji + al) the result of the fight between [good] and evil. Saiṋjaya means the power of discrimination. The power of discrimination between good and bad is called viveka – and this is saiṋjaya. The blind mind asks saiṋjaya – the mind asks the viveka – “My party” (that is, the party of the blind mind) “and the Pandu party – after assembling on Dharmakśetra, Kurukśetra, what did they do?”

Now, who are the members of “my party”, that is, Dhritarastra’s party? That is, who are the supporters of Dhritarastra? Who are the supporters of the blind mind? Now you know, there are ten indriyas in the human body, cakśuh, karńa, násiká, jihvá, tvak, vák, páńi, páda, páyu, and upastha. These are the ten indriyas of the human body, the ten [organs] of the human body. Five are sensory organs, and five are motor organs. Cakśuh, karńa, násiká, jihvá, tvak [eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin] – these five organs are sensory organs. And vák, páńi, páda, páyu, upastha [vocal cord, hands/arms, feet/legs, anus, genitary organ] – these five organs are motor organs. There are ten organs. And each and every organ can function in ten directions. So the agents of the mind can function in ten times ten, a hundred directions. So Dhritarastra had one hundred agents, one hundred sons. These one hundred sons were the party of Dhritarastra. They are the supporters of materialism, they are the evil force.

And Páńd́aváshcaeva. They are fighting against whom? Against the Pandavas. What is the meaning of páńd́ava? In Sanskrit [pańd́á, from the] root verb pańd́, means “spiritual knowledge, sentient knowledge”. Pańd́ita means “he who has acquired spiritual knowledge, he who has acquired sentient knowledge”. Pańd́á means “I am Brahma.” This firm determination, this stance of “I – Brahma,” this firm determination, is called pańd́á. And he who has acquired pańd́á is called pańd́ita – and he who wants to acquire this knowledge is called pańd́u – and páńd́ava means “pertaining to pańd́u”. The stages that you will have to go through in your spiritual practice are páńd́ava. In your spiritual sádhaná, you are required to exalt your kulakuńd́alinii, the “coiled serpentine”, from the múládhára cakra to the pineal gland. And in this process of exaltation, this “coiled serpentine”, this kulakuńd́alinii, will have to pass through five important plexi. These five important plexi are the múládhára cakra, the svádhiśt́hána cakra, the mańipúra cakra, the anáhata cakra, and the vishuddha cakra. These are the five plexi controlling physicality, controlling the physical world. The múládhára cakra is represented by Sahadeva, the svádhiśt́hána cakra is represented by Nakula, the mańipúra cakra is represented by Arjuna, the anáhata cakra by Bhima, and the vishuddha cakra by Yudhisthira. And above that is the site of the mind. What mind? The sentient mind. When the kulakuńd́alinii reaches here [mid-point between the eyebrows], a person attains the qualified stance, savikalpa samádhi. So to attain this stance of savikalpa, the kulakuńd́alinii, that is, the jiiva shakti, the sleeping divinity, will have to pass through these five stages. So these five stages are the Paiṋca Páńd́ava [Five Pandavas].

So on the one side this kulakuńd́alinii passing through five cakras; on the other side, the one hundred agents of Dhritarastra. They are fighting against each other. This fight is the fight of sádhaná, the sádhanásamara. And where is this fight taking place? On Dharmakśetra, Kurukśetra. What is dharmakśetra? Your physical body is dharmakśetra. Without this physical body you cannot practise dharma. After leaving this physical body, you will not be able to follow dharma, to do dharma sádhaná. So your physical body – this body – is dharmakśetra. That is, this fight is taking place within this body. And kurukśetra? Kuru means, in Sanskrit, “do” – it is the imperative mood, second person, singular number, of the root verb kr. Kuru means “do” – anujiṋá [imperative]. [And kśetra means “field”.] Kurukśetra means the field which is always saying, “Kuru, kuru, kuru… do something, do something, do something, do something!” Kśetra-kuru – “the kśetra of deeds”. So kurukśetra – this universe is Kurukśetra, this world is Kurukśetra. And your body is Dharmakśetra. And this war between the Pandavas and the Kaoravas, the one hundred Kaoravas and the five Pandavas, is taking place within this Dharmakśetra and within this vast Kurukśetra. This fight will never come to an end! In individual life, when the Pandavas win, you will attain salvation, but in collective life, such a salvation will never come, it will go on forever… In your individual life, you will do sádhaná and attain salvation. And with your spiritual force, with your intellectual force, with your physical force, you are to serve society, you are to render selfless service to suffering humanity.

Chapter 3	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

A few days back, I said something to the [sádhakas] of Bangalore regarding pápa and puńya, but here I have been requested by a boy to [again] say something regarding pápa and puńya, so I am obeying his order.

It has been said that,

Tyaja durjanasaḿsargaḿ bhaja sádhusamágamam;
Kuru puńyamahorátraḿ smara nityamanityatám.

[Avoid association with the wicked and associate with the virtuous. Do good twenty-four hours a day, and remember the eternal.]

Kuru puńyamahorátram [“Do good twenty-four hours a day”].

It has been said, Tyaja durjanasaḿsargaḿ – “You should keep yourself aloof from the sauṋga [or saḿsarga], society, of durjana. You should keep yourself aloof from durjanasauṋga, the society of durjanas.”

What is durjana? Durjana means “he who depraves the mind of others”. Now here durjana is a relative term. A man, Mr. X, may be treated as durjana for Mr. Y, but may not be treated as durjana for Mr. Z. Suppose in Mr. X the good portion, the merit portion, is ten degrees, and the bad portion, the demerit portion, is twelve degrees. Then the resultant is two degrees in favour of demerit: ten degrees merit and twelve degrees demerit, so the resultant goes in favour of demerit. Two degrees demerit is the resultant. Now another man’s merit portion is fifteen degrees, and demerit portion ten degrees. So the resultant five degrees goes in favour of merit. So he has five degrees of merit, and the first man has two degrees of demerit. So when that five-degree merit man comes in contact with that two-degree demerit man, the resultant will go in favour of that five-degree merit man. So that bad man will be modified, rectified. He will become good on coming in contact with that five-degree merit man. So for that five-degree merit man, that two-degree demerit man is not a durjana, because the latter cannot deprave him. But for a man who has just one degree of merit, that two-degree demerit man may deprave him – so for him that two-degree demerit man is a durjana. Clear?

So Tyaja durjanasaḿsargaḿ – “You should keep yourself aloof from durjanas.” Then the question arises⁽¹⁾ how these durjanas are to be rectified. If everybody says, “I won’t come in contact with durjanas,” then how are these durjanas to be rectified? In such a case, you should not contact the person singularly; you along with two or three of your friends should contact him. And those friends should have resultant merit, not resultant demerit.

Suppose you have resultant one degree merit, and a friend has resultant two degrees merit; then the total should be three degrees merit: your one degree and his two degrees. So with these three degrees of merit, you will contact that two-degree demerit person. That person will be rectified. So before your combined strength, that man no longer remains a durjana. But when you are singular, then that man is certainly a durjana for you. Clear?

So Tyaja durjanasaḿsargaḿ bhaja sádhusamágamam [“Avoid association with the wicked and associate with the virtuous”]. He who accelerates the speed of social progress, accelerates the speed of spiritual progress, of other people, is a sádhu.

Bhaja sádhusamágamam [“associate with the virtuous”]. In ancient times, a commercial community [caste] used the title Sádhu. Sádhu → Sahu → Sao. Why? The intention was that by using this word sádhu, this word would work as a remembrancer, just to remind them, “You will have to become a sádhu [virtuous person] and not a cheat. You are not to cheat the public – you are not to do black-marketeering or smuggling – you are a sádhu.” So that commercial population used the title Sádhu. The changed form of Sádhu is Sahu or Sao. In north India you will see this title Sádhu, Sahu, Sao. So bhaja sádhusamágamam – “you should always keep yourself in the company of sádhu people, good people. You should come in contact with sádhu people” – bhaja sádhusamágamam.

And kuru puńyamahorátram – “You should do puńya, ahorátram.” And what is puńyam? What is puńyam and what is pápa?

Kuru puńyamahorátram. First, what is ahorátra? [It is part of] the solar system of Indian astronomy.⁽²⁾ The solar system and the lunar system mean the system calculated according to the movement of moon and the system calculated according to the movement of sun. (In Kerala the calendar is according to the Indian solar system. In Uttar Pradesh it is according to the Indian lunar system. In Maharashtra, the Indian lunar system. In Bengal and Kashmir, the Indian solar system.) So as per the Indian solar system, the solar system of Indian astronomy, the period of twenty-four hours from one sun-rise to another sun-rise is called ahorátra. From sun-rise to sun-set is called dinamána, and from sun-set to sun-rise is called rátrimána. Dinamána plus rátrimána is ahorátra.

So kuru puńyamahorátram – “you will have to do puńya, ahorátra.” What is puńya? Lord Vyasadeva says:

Aśt́ádashapuráńeśu Vyásasya vacanadvayam;
Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiidanam.

[Out of the eighteen Puranas, two sayings of Vyasa are of the essence: puńya (virtue) means doing good to others, and pápa (sin) means doing harm to others.]

“When by your action or thought, by your physical activity or by your ectoplasmic activity, you are helping the collective progress of the society, you are accelerating the progress of the society, you are doing something that is puńyam. And when you, by your mental or physical action, are retarding the collective progress, you are committing something that is pápa.” Do you follow? To go against the collective interest is pápa. To accelerate the speed of collective progress is puńyam.

So pápa is a general term. But pápa has a special meaning also. What is the special meaning? (Now regarding the difference between pápa and puńya, I think it is quite clear.)

Regarding the special meaning of pápa: Pápas are of two kinds. In the social order, there are certain vidhis and certain niśedhas – certain dos and certain don’ts. “You should do this, you should do this, you should do this, you should do this” – these are the dos of society. These dos are called vidhi in Sanskrit. And there are certain don’ts – “Don’t steal, don’t do this, don’t do this, don’t do this.” These don’ts are called niśedha in Sanskrit.

What if you go against the vidhis, for example, “feed the poor,” “serve the ailing humanity” (these are all vidhis – “Do this” – that is, positive orders⁽³⁾)? For example, if you are to serve ailing persons but you are not serving ailing persons, then you are going against a vidhi. To go against a vidhi is called pratyaváya. If you are not serving a man in distress, then you are committing pratyaváya.

Pratyaváya is a particular nature of pápa. And if you do the don’ts – for example, “Do not steal” is a don’t, it is a niśedha, but you are stealing, you are doing the don’ts – then you are committing pápa. This is the special meaning of pápa. Clear?

Pápa and pratyaváya: two kinds of pápa. The special nature of pápa [is] not to follow the code of niśedha, not to adhere to the code of niśedha.⁽⁴⁾

I think this word is also known here – pátaka. And pátaka is of three kinds: one is pátaka, simple pátaka; another is atipátaka; and the third one is mahápátaka.

To commit an ordinary offence is pátaka. If one can atone for what one did, that is pátaka. Suppose a man steals. Suppose five rupees were stolen. It is pátaka, because after that, if you so desire, you can repay that amount and say, “Oh, please excuse me.” It has been atoned for. Práyashcitta – “atonement”. “Please excuse me, take your money.” This is called pátaka, simple pátaka.

But suppose you have cut [off] the hand of an innocent person, in that case is there any scope for atonement? “Oh, take back your hand” – ? No, no, you cannot atone for what you did. It is an unatonable offence. This unatonable type of offence is called atipátaka. Now, pátaka is atonable, and as soon as atonement is effected, you are a free man. But in the case of atipátaka, the shástras [scriptures] say that he who commits it must sacrifice his life for the entire society, to serve society. He has no right to live in the society. He is to serve society from outside: this is the atonement. This is the prescribed atonement for an atipátakii.

Then the third one is mahápátaka. This mahápátaka is also atipátaka, but the difference is that its effect is of recurring nature. Suppose a corrupt businessman uses papaya seeds [in the black pepper] – he invents a [new kind] of adulteration – papaya seeds. Now other businessmen will learn it from him, and the process will go on in recurring nature. So the particular businessman who invented this art is a mahápátakii. That is, its effect will be of recurring nature. It will go on forever.

The shástra says that the proper atonement for such a mahápátaka is – what? The first thing is that he has got no right to live in society. He must sacrifice his everything for society and serve society from outside. But that is not enough: that is the atonement for an atipátakii. So what should he do? He should invent something new, and that invention should have a recurring nature of effect. Its effect should be of recurring nature. Because his misdeed had its effect of recurring nature, his good deed should also have an effect of recurring nature.

So this last one is mahápátaka.

In Bangalore I narrated one story. The story is from the Cháyá Rámáyańa: In the last stage of the fight between Rama and Ravana, when Ravana was being defeated – Ravana was a bhakta [devotee] of Shiva – he was requesting Shiva, “Oh Lord, save me, I am dying. I am your bhakta, save me, save me.” But Shiva was not helping him. Then Párvatii asked Shiva, “Ravana is our bhakta, is our devotee, please help him.” Then Shiva said, “No, I can’t help him, I want to [help him but I can’t].”

Párvatii said, “Why? You can do anything, anything and everything, why can’t you help him?”

“He is a mahápátaka.”

Then Párvatii said, “No, no, he is an atipátaka. He kidnapped Sita. It is an act of atipátaka, not mahápátaka.”

Shiva said, “No, he is a mahápátaka.”

Párvatii asked, “Oh, why?”

Then Shiva said, “To kidnap Sita was an act of mahápátaka. But he didn’t kidnap Sita as a thief or as a robber. He went in disguise. He went in the form of a sádhu. That is, he created a very bad precedent, and henceforward no kulabadhu, no lady, will pay credence to what a sannyásii⁽⁵⁾ says. They may think: ‘He may be like Ravana; he may also be a thief – like Ravana.’ So he has set a very, very bad example, and it will have a recurring effect on each and every lady of society. So Ravana is a mahápátakii, his action is of recurring effect. So I can’t help him – his only atonement is if he leaves society and sacrifices his all for society.”

So pátaka, atipátaka, mahápátaka – all these three items come within the scope of pápa; and pápa and pratyaváya are two varieties [of pápa in the general sense]. Not to follow vidhi is pratyaváya; and not to follow niśedha is pápa. This is all I have to say.

Footnotes

(1) A word or two here were inaudible on the tape. –Eds.

(2) A few words here were inaudible on the tape. –Eds.

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

(4) Here the author gave a Sanskrit synonym for this special sense of pápa, but that word was not clearly audible on the tape. –Eds.

(5) Literally, “one who has surrendered one’s everything to the Cosmic will” or “one who ensconces oneself in Sat, the unchangeable entity”; a renunciant. –Eds.

Chapter 4	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

The behaviour of the respected and elder persons in society is an example and ideal for others; it is followed and imitated by the succeeding generations as well. Today there is catastrophe and misery in human society and there is one reason: the defective leadership of society. People blindly follow even unintelligent leaders. The leaders hypnotize and attract thousands with their tall talks, gestures and other dramatics. Understand that the poverty and misery of any people in any country are the sins of the leaders. True leaders should always be vigilant and think how to work best for human society: they must be ever cautious that under their guidance the people are not led to darkness, death and immorality.

Those who have the responsibility to show the path to others should be of superlative character with the most refined conduct. They and their followers must move constantly towards all-round development and shreya [ultimate spiritual attainment]. Persons who teach such well-regulated behaviour to others by their own conduct are called ácáryas.

Bear in mind that people may be harmed or misled by even a small weakness or defect in the conduct of an ácárya. Just as it is the duty of a father to educate his children properly by his good conduct, an ácárya or ácáryá should always instruct by his or her exemplary actions and words.

In every period of history, some people are heard saying: “Today’s society is ruined, the people degenerated. Life was better in the old days.” The same view is expressed in every era. Have human beings really lost their humanity? Don’t they hold the highest position in the evolution of living things?

All the psychological diseases of humanity are the result of not having bhúmadrśt́i (Cosmic outlook) in life. The diseased persons do not consider others, but think only about themselves. They are busy thinking about their own families, employers, etc., and they forget everyone else. This is a terrible malady. But it is a mere expression and symptom of narrow-mindedness, the real root and reason for psychological disease. The cure is to reverse the trend of behaviour to rid the fallen human beings of narrow-mindedness. The medicine is one and only one: Brahmabháva [ideation on Supreme Consciousness]. But just adopting the supreme goal does not immediately establish one in that. It is the work of the ácárya to recognize if a person is on the right or wrong path and course of action. The ácárya should give direction and guidance in every work, big or small. When he or she is to impart any duty to anyone, he should be strict, strong and exact, like a diamond. He or she should never consider social position, wealth, rank, etc. Only those who are established in Yama and Niyama [moral code] and practise sádhaná can be given any responsibility.

Remember, Ananda Marga is a man-making mission. Both quantity and quality are important. Everyone should be free to join Ananda Marga, to take part in social functions, etc., but only those established in Yama and Niyama may be given any position to work in society. Just to satisfy someone and compromise [with] sin is unthinkable. We can in no case ever compromise with injustice. An employer and a worker may compromise after a struggle. But Ananda Marga is fighting for Satya (Absolute Truth) and unless and until we get total victory in both individual and collective life we must not stop the struggle. Compromising with injustice during battle is asatya [untruth]. Achieving only seventy-five percent Satya and twenty-five percent asatya is no victory. Quinine suppresses the symptoms of malaria, while the disease still remains in the blood. But the disease must be destroyed. Therefore, until you banish asatya you shall not stop your battle.

Society is the collective name for those who want to move ahead together. The struggle against sin must be waged individually as well as in a well-unified way in collective social life. There is a story in the Márkańd́eya Puráńa. In it, the demons defeated each of the gods individually, but then the gods united all their individual strengths and formed a tremendous collective force, thereby routing and destroying the demons. It is a very good story and there can be practical application of its meaning in every collective endeavour. It is the duty of an ácárya to develop this great collective force of society by awakening the masses to unite and destroy the evil, demoniac forces existing in society. The struggle between good and evil forces goes on. Sound an urgent clarion call in this battlefield of life. Ácáryas must give such inspiration to the people. You know, a son must remove the debt of his deceased father – he is morally bound to do so. Similarly, you are to purify society by purging it of sin. It is more than an obligation, it is your bounden duty. You must do this or total destruction is inevitable. To take leadership in society you must be established in Yama and Niyama in just such a strict way.

Chapter 5	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

I must never ignore or neglect the present tense. That is, I must always remember where I am and what I am to do just at present. But what is the present?

We know that there are three tenses – past, present and future. What is the present tense? What is the future tense? Actually there is no such thing as the present tense. When I say something, you do not then hear it. You hear it after a small gap. What is the gap? The time taken by the air to carry the sound to your ear. And when you hear, it is past for [me]. So when I say it, just when I am saying it, it is future for you, because you hear after a short gap, and when you hear it is past for [me].

Then what is necessary? You see even a very sensitive organ takes some time to adjust or to digest very long and very short waves, that is, [inferences]. So when we find a little difference between past and future we say it is present. Here between my saying and your hearing there is a very little gap and human organs fail to differentiate that gap from saying and actual hearing. We say it is present tense, actually there is no present tense. But Lord Shiva said, you should [live in] the present tense. The actual meaning of this sentence is you should always be mentally present in the present tense. That is, you should never ignore or neglect the present tense.

What is the import? Human existence [is] physical, human existence [is] psychic, human existence [is] spiritual. Amongst these three, the physical one is very crude; the psychic one is less crude, you may say more subtle; and the spiritual one is the subtlest. So this existence of the present tense is more prominent in the physical stratum than in the psychic, and more prominent in the psychic than in the spiritual. Actually in the spiritual there is no difference amongst present, past and future, and that is why one who has established oneself in the aspects of spirituality finds no difference amongst past, present and future, and becomes sarvajiṋá – omniscient. One sees everything, knows everything. But on the psychic level there are differences, and on the physical level the differences are still more prominent.

Here Lord Shiva says that in the sphere of crude physicality you should pay due respect to the physical world. I said it is objective adjustment, but whatever you are doing or whatever you will be doing in the physical sphere you should have proper adjustment. You should maintain proper equilibrium. This adjustment or equilibrium should be with your psychic stratum. In the psychic stratum the existence is less crude and more subtle, and because it is more subtle the time gap is less prominent. Physically it will take much time, because one’s psychic structure, one’s psychic body, is more subtle than one’s physical body, and that is why the time gap is less prominent. And our spiritual movement, our spiritual progress, starts from the psychic world, the psychic level – starting from the psychic arena and culminating in the supreme spiritual point. So here the time gap is very unimportant. Movement is towards the Supreme Entity, towards the spiritual goal where there is no importance of the temporal factor and no importance of the tempus.

A person must move from the psychic towards the Supreme Entity, where there is no importance of time, but in one’s physical structure one is to do so many worldly deeds, so many worldly duties. One has duties concerning food, duties concerning shelter, duties concerning medical needs, duties concerning education, and so many things. And in all these duties, all these activities, in the crude physical stratum, there is the value of space and person and so on, if a person wants proper advancement. If a person wants proper utilization of all his or her mind, there must be a proper adjustment, a proper equilibrium, between one’s physical movement and physical activities and one’s psycho-spiritual movement, psycho-spiritual advancement, and psycho-spiritual progress; and that’s why I said in human life there should be – what? Subjective approach through objective adjustment. If only the subjective approach is there and there is no objective adjustment, there equilibrium will be lost. The entire human society will become degraded and destroyed. And if there is only physical activity and no spiritual advancement, human existence will be rendered to the status of brutes or plants, which is not at all desirable. So a spiritual aspirant must always remember the subjective approach through objective adjustment. There is no alternative.

Chapter 6	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

“Macro-propensitive equipoise” is only used in reference to the Macrocosm and not the microcosm. Propensities are the pabulum of the human mind, they are its expressed sentiments. The resultant of these vrttis, or expressed sentiments, is the saḿskára of the mind concerned. Saḿskáras have a momentum whose inherent force causes the unit body to propel to the force of momentum activating therein. This reactive momentum is the causal factor for all the later consequences which the unit body will have to undergo. One must always be careful to form pious momenta. But one must also be careful, while reaping the consequences of past reactions, that in this duration no further reactive momenta be created.

The Three Aspects of Propensity

Resultant propensity consists of three aspects – physical [desire], psychic urge and spiritual [longing]. The last one causes neither a good nor a bad reaction; here is a balanced state. The propensity created by psychic urge can be either elevating or degenerating. If the tendency herein will be directed towards subtler states, the propensity will be elevating, and if directed towards cruder states, it is degenerating.

The propensitive equipoise is a characteristic only of the Macrocosmic Entity, since in It lies everything, nothing is beyond or external to It. Hence it remains unassailed. But microcosms have an external world and get assailed therefrom due to incoming vibrations, to have an unbalanced state.

Propensities are the pabulum of the unit mind, it cannot exist in the absence of these propensities. The microcosmic psychic body gets reflections from external physicality and thus from propensities as its pabulum. Thus an internal projection of the physical world is the mental pabulum. Nothing is external to the Macrocosm, everything is within it, and so the Macrocosm needs no pabulum. This is the fundamental difference between microcosm and Macrocosm. In addition, whatever the Macrocosm creates, it is new, while [the creations] of the microcosm are mere reflections of the external physicality. Truly speaking, therefore, propensities of the Macrocosm cannot be termed as propensities, but as saḿkalpa. The entire Cosmos is His saḿkalpa.

There is a perpetual equilibrium in the Macro-propensitive equipoise, though activation is a continuous event, comprising within all the three phases. The vibrations of the Macrocosmic psychic body cause creation, the acoustic root of which is a. Due to creation or variegations in creations, there is clash and cohesion, which results in dissociation and association of words, and vyaiṋjanas⁽¹⁾ are formed. The consonants of Latin are different from these vyaiṋjanas.

The first letter created in the Macrocosmic body during the formation of vyaiṋjanas is ka; this ka is the acoustic root. This universe has thus been created with acoustic root ka. To serve the ka-deva means to serve the entire manifestation of the Cosmos. That is why they who serve and look after that which has manifested in the Cosmos are known as kápálika.

Creation and Emergence of Oṋḿkára

The vibrations of the Macrocosmic psychic entity create this Cosmos, and this is accomplished with the help of the Creative Principle.

During the operation of the Creative Principle, the bodhicitta is formed in the first phase. The metamorphosis of svara [vowel] into vyaiṋjana is due to the operation of the Creative Principle. When the Creative Principle reflects in the Supreme Self, there is a light which is termed as effulgence. This effulgence is an event both in the microcosm and the Macrocosm. In the microcosm this is personal effulgence, and in the Cosmos it is Cosmic effulgence, or Brahmajyoti, which is omnipresent. When the spiritual aspirant is able to visualize this effulgence, he or she visualizes the universe as Cosmic effulgence.

When the Creative Principle creates a stir in the Transcendental Entity, sound is also created, and this sound is oṋḿkára. In Buddhist Tantra this has been termed as prabhá svara shúnyatá. It is said to be shúnya, or vacuum, because herein exists no physicality, and ipso facto, psychic expression cannot operate, and the only entity is spirituality. That is why Shankaracharya said that the Shúnya of Buddha is the same as Brahma [Supreme Consciousness].

Non-Propensitive Desideratum the Goal

When the microcosm moves towards the external world with the help of the Creative Principle, it is said to be pravrtti, and when the trend is from physical to psychic and from psychic to spiritual it is said to be nivrtti; and when there is a balance it is saḿvrtti-bodhicitta, which cannot be the goal of the microcosm. The Supreme Desideratum is the goal of the microcosm.

Microcosmic tendency is propelled either by pravrtti or nivrtti, it cannot be saḿvrtti, since dynamism is inherent in the microcosmic entity. The Vedas, therefore, ask human beings to move on and on, because dynamism is life. To one who is engrossed in spiritual darkness, it is Kali Yuga; to one who has awakened and desires to get up, it is Dvápara Yuga; to one who has gotten up it is Tretá; and to one who has marched on the spiritual path it is Satya Yuga. Dynamism being inherent in human nature, saḿvrtti is not possible. One will have to adopt the path of pravrtti or nivrtti.

The path of nivrtti is non-propensitive, and its last point is the Non-Propensitive Desideratum, which is the supreme goal of humanity. To achieve this, one has to withdraw the mind to one point,⁽²⁾ and then the pointed “I” shall be merged into the Cosmic ocean which is the desideratum. When the merger has been accomplished, there is no need of any help from the Creative Principle. The effulgence expressing in the bodhicitta does not exist either. This is the state of Niśkala Brahma. Everything has been merged into It, which is the Supreme Desideratum. He is a Supreme Progenitor and we are His progeny. He is the Supreme Desideratum.

Footnotes

(1) Vyaiṋjana is normally translated “consonant”, but here the author makes a distinction. –Eds.

(2) A few words which may have been poorly transcribed or translated in the original newspaper publication of this discourse omitted here. –Eds.

Chapter 7	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

The subject of today’s discourse is “Supramundane Heritage and Supramundane Desideratum.” I wrote long ago that the supreme law of human unity is that human beings have come from a common source and they all will return to the same culminating point, the same destination. No one is an exception to this rule. If due to confusion arising from superiority complexes, people think otherwise, they will land in trouble because there is no alternative.

Yato vá imáni bhútáni jáyante yena játáni jiivanti
Yat prayantyabhisaḿvishanti tad vijijiṋásasva tad Brahma.

Here the Veda says that all the created objects have come from one source, all are established in one and the same structure, all will have to move towards one and the same destination. And that One is Brahma: He alone is to be realized.

The Tantra also says,

Mayyevaḿ sakalaḿ játaḿ mayi sarvaḿ pratiśt́hitam
Mayi sarvaḿ layaḿ yáti tad Brahmádvayamasmyaham
Jágrat-svapna suśuptyádi prapaiṋcaḿ yad prakáshate
Tad Brahmáhamiti jiṋátvá sarvabandhaeh pramucyate.

Out of this Supreme One, all have emerged. Hence this Supreme One is called brhat. The word brhat literally means “One who is very vast, who is beyond the scope of all limitations, who is immeasurable and unfathomable.” The Himalayas are very large, no doubt, yet they can be measured in miles. As they come within the scope of measurement, they cannot be called brhat in philosophical terminology. We may say that the Himalayas are vishála-very large-but certainly not brhat, immeasurably vast.

From the word brhat the word Brahma has come. Brahma literally means the Entity who is Himself very vast, and whose ideation makes others vast like Him. Brhattvád Brahma Brḿhanatvád Brahma. Brḿhanatvád means making others vast. He himself is very great, and hence he is called Brahma; but this is not enough. Besides that He has the capacity to make others equally great like Him, and that is why He is Brahma. The “many” have come from the “One”, and finally merge back into the “One”.

Now the fundamental question is, why have the “many” come from the One? Why is One metamorphosed into many? This is something beyond human imagination, because the mind functions within a particular periphery and with a particular upádhi. When the internal or external projection of the mind does not find a physical base, and the mind loses its capacity to think, it may be said that there is something beyond the scope of the mind. The state where the mind cannot reach, is called the metempirical state, the anavasthádośa of mind. Where the mind is non-existent, how can it perceive or conceive anything? It cannot.

Yato váco nivartante aprápya manasá saha
Ánandaḿ Brahmańo vidván na vibheti kutnashcana.

Anything lying beyond the scope of the mind is an embodiment of bliss.

Ánandaḿ brahmeti vyajanát, Ánandadhyeva khalvimáni bhútáni jayánte, Ánandena játáni jiivanti. Ánandaḿ prayantyabhisaḿvishanti iti te. Saeśá bhárgavii váruńii vidyá. Parame vyomni pratiśt́hitá. Sa ca evam veda pratiśt́hati. Annavánannádo bhavati. Mahán bhavati prajayá pashubhih Brahmavarcasena. Mahán kiirtyá.

Feelings of joy and sorrow lie within the mental arena. But those feelings which transcend the arena of mind are called ánandánubhuti, the feelings of bliss. Philosophers do not find any answer to the question of why the singular Brahma is metamorphosed into many. A philosopher, a jiṋáni, has no answer to this question. No one can know the answer because the original stance of Brahma is beyond the periphery of mind. All argumentations, all logic, lie within the scope of mind. Hence the jiṋániis fail to find the answer.

The karmiis or people of action also try to find the answer, but their capacity is still more limited, for karma or action is the change of position of an object. Now the question is, where can the relative change of position of objects take place? Only within the scope of the quinquelemental factors; it is difficult to go beyond that.

In the mental sphere such a change of place can indeed occur but for such a change of place, there must be a witness or a measurer as well to give an idea of time – the temporal factor. Hence karmiis cannot know on the physical level why Brahma created the manifested world. In the same way, they cannot get the answer in the mental world either because the mind cannot function outside the ectoplasmic structure. Hence karmiis are helpless in this regard. When the jiṋániis and karmiis failed to provide the answer, the poet Rabindranath wrote:

Prashna jáge mor mane
Pratham diner súrya prashna karechila.
Sattár nútan ávirbháve, ke tumi?
Meleni uttar.
Vatsar vatsar ket́e gela
Divaser sheś súrya
Sheś prashna uccárila
Pashcim ságartiire
Nistabdha sandhyáy, ke tumi?
Pela ná uttar.

[The question arose in my mind. The first morning sun put the question to the new arrival: Who are you? There was no answer. The last setting sun repeated the last question on the banks of the western sea, in the silent evening, Who are you? And again there was no answer.]

Bhaktas or devotees are simple and straightforward; they like to steer clear of complications and intricacies. In their characteristic simple way they say:

Sa vá eśa tadádraśt́á na pashyaddrśt́mekrát́
Me ne santamevátmánam suptashaktirasuptadrk.

“My Lord was alone. You know how troublesome it is to be all alone. Anyone who is forced to remain alone for five years together will either die or become mad. In the same way my Lord was all alone when there was no universe, no expression – only a state of complete vacuity. No one can imagine what a terrible situation it was! Hence, to break the monotony, to remove the dullness of loneliness, He started to create the universe to play with His own children.” There is no other reply besides this.

Thus the Supreme Cognitive entity became metamorphosed into many-the One Universal Father, the One Supreme Progenitor, continuing His divine sport with His innumerable children. To some people, this divine sport is very painful, while to others it is extremely sweet and pleasing. But this is His liilá, a great drama. In a drama, some people must play the parts of unhappy people, and some must play the roles of happy ones, otherwise the drama becomes dull and boring. Likewise this world too is a great drama. Parama Puruśa is directing a great dramatic performance, and according to His sweet will, He may call anyone and take them in His vast macrocosmic body.

During the enactment of a drama, all the characters, the dramatis personae (some are acting as great scholars, some fools, some as extremely happy and some as wretched beings) should bear in mind that they are simply playing the roles allotted to them. They should always think, “In reality, I am neither very happy nor very miserable, I am not an erudite scholar nor a fool. I am merely acting a particular role-be it Emperor Shahjáhán or Aurangzeb.” If people remember this, they will neither be afflicted with sorrow nor elated with joy. This is what is called cosmic inheritance, cosmic heritage.

All have come from one and the same Entity; no one is inferior, no one is small, mean or untouchable. No one is born high or low: all are bound by fraternal and sororal bonds. If people support casteism, it should be understood that they do not accept the Universal Father because the children of the same Father cannot have different castes. So one who believes in casteism does not believe in Parama Puruśa; and conversely, one who believes in Parama Puruśa does not believe in casteism. This is all hypocrisy. Those who were extremely cunning, balkanized human society into numerous fragments merely to promote their self-interest.

Upon emerging from Brahma, human beings began their long evolutionary journey. But where can they go? They cannot go outside of the Entity beyond whom there is nothing. If Parama Puruśa says in anger to anyone, “I don’t like you, you scoundrel-get out!” Then that person can say, “Oh Lord, you want me to get out, but kindly tell me where to go? There is nothing outside You. So wherever I go, I shall remain within You. You are infinite. If you cannot tell me where I should go, then please change Your name. If there is anything outside You, then You are not infinite.”

The poet Vidyapati also said, “Adi anándika nátha kaháyasi ab tárańa bhárańa tumhárá.” “You are the Lord of the beginning and the Lord of the end also. I am somewhere between the beginning and the end, and so You are also my Lord. Thus it is Your duty to save me, to redeem me, to protect me from danger. You are bound to do that.”

In the world of thought, two forces operate – the centrifugal and the centripetal. Similarly, regarding the immanent power of centripetal Parama Puruśa, it has been said, Shaktih sá Shivasya Shaktih. Shakti, the Supreme Creative Principle, operates in two ways-vidyá and avidyá. The force of avidyá repulses and the force of vidyá draws the entities towards Parama Puruśa. This is how Parama Puruśa is continuing His perpetual divine sport. That means that none of the entities can go beyond Him, for they are all moving around Puruśottama.

Sarvájiive sarvasaḿsthe brhante
Tasmin haḿso bhrámyate Brahmacakre
Prthagátmánaḿ preritáraiṋca matvá
Juśt́astatastenámrtatvámeti.

All the created objects are revolving around Puruśottama. Some are rotating at a greater distance with a long radius, and some are moving at a shorter distance with a short radius. The nature of the ideation and inherent saḿskáras of entities varies from one to another, and accordingly the physical structures of individual entities also vary. And all the entities with their respective mass and wonts are revolving around the nucleus. This movement continues as long as they think, “I and my Lord, I and the Universal Father are separate entities.” As soon as they think, “No, I and my Lord are not separate entities – just as the ocean and its drops of water are not separate entities. The drops of water are part of the ocean”-then they are no longer misguided. They rush towards Puruśottama and merge in Him.

This becomes possible only when people get the opportunity and proper training due to His grace. Muktyákáunkśaya sadgurupráptih. Whenever anyone develops an intense desire to merge in Him, Parama Puruśa immediately arranges to impart lessons how to move towards Him, how to merge in Him. That is, Brahmaeva Gururekah náparah. No one else except Parama Puruśa knows how to become one with Him. This is why in the form of preceptor He teaches the sádhakas seeking liberation. Besides this, there is no other way of returning to Him.

I used the term “desiderata” in plural number. But the nucleus of the cosmological order is one, not more than one. So the term “desideratum” should be used in singular number because the Supreme Goal is one, not many. In order to reach the Singular entity, the aspirant must proceed with single-minded devotion, ekabuddhi. To proceed with divergent mental flows means to invite trouble, to risk annihilation.

Now, all the microcosms originate from Him and finally return to Him. Their existence during the intervening period also comes within His scope, for He is continuing His divine sport with His microcosms. They will have to constantly remember that howsoever small they may be, they are the fragments of the Infinite One.

With a small brain in a small cranium of the human body, a human being thinks. How much capacity can the brain possess? People sometimes do acquire non-cerebral memory (the memory of past lives) in the new bodies, but under ordinary circumstances people retain their memories of the past in the brain of this body. Anubhútaviśayásamprasmośa smrtih: perception is carried out through the nerve fibres. And with only a few nerve fibres, how much capacity do human beings possess? Katat́uku bal dhare mánavár kata bal dhare vidhátá. How powerless is a human being, and how powerful is the Supreme Lord! There is no comparison.

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

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

A person has a small brain with a little intellect and a little memory. Those who got their Master’s Degrees only ten or twelve years ago will not be able to answer a single question if they are asked the same today. There “pass” certificate is their only capital, nothing else. Such is the small capacity of the poor human beings! Whereas Parama Puruśa possesses infinite knowledge and infinite wisdom. Where was the seed of intellect that found manifestation in different microcosms? It was certainly hidden in Parama Puruśa Himself. His cognitive faculty is metamorphosed into physical objects, which in turn, through clash and cohesion, evolved into microcosms which gradually develop their latent intellectuality and finally become intellectual giants. Hence, with limited human intellect, it is futile to enter into useless debate on Parama Puruśa.

Sahasrákśa: How far can human beings see with their two eyes? Not very far. But can anyone hide anything from such an Entity who can see everything of this universe, in whose mind the entire universe is vibrating-the Entity who is always hearing each and every secret word hidden in the innermost part of everyone’s mind? Hence it is better not to dare to compare Parama Puruśa with the unit living beings, the Macrocosm with the microcosms.

Sahasrapáda: If you want to go physically to Calcutta from Siliguri, it will take at least some time. But it will not take any time at all to go from the Siliguri in your mind to the Calcutta in your mind; and in this universe everything is within the Cosmic Mind. This whole universe is His mental world, and so He does not take any time at all to move from one place to another within His mind. And thus it is said that He has innumerable legs and does not have to go from one place to another, because He is present everywhere.

Sah bhúmiḿ vishvato vrtvá atyatiśt́haddashaungulum: He is lying covert in each and every particle of this universe. Not only that; He is also residing in the arena ten fingers above the pituitary gland. He is equally present in the subtle expressions, in the psychic and astral worlds lying above the quinquelemental factors. And He is also above even that. The pituitary gland is the location of the human mind; mind is controlled from that point. So Parama Puruśa is both above the physical, and above the mental world as well. And even the spiritual world is also within His grasp.

Whether He blesses someone, or grants salvation to someone, entirely depends on His grace. No one has anything to say about it, nor has anyone any justification to say anything. For the justification does not exist within the ambit of the small minds of the microcosms, and beyond their minds they can know nothing. Thus He controls everything from sahasrára cakra (related to the pineal gland); this is the location of Parama Puruśa. The distance between the pituitary and the pineal gland is ten fingers; hence it is said, atyatiśt́haddashaungulam; that is, He resides ten fingers above the pineal gland. Obviously in this universe there is nothing which is not within His control.

Puruśa evedaḿ sarvaḿ yadbhútaḿ yacca bhavyam;
Utámrtatvasyesháno yadannenátirohati.

Pure shete yá sah Puruśah: The Supreme Entity is lying covert in you. If you are awakened by dint of sadhana He will also be awakened, and then the unit being will become one with the Supreme Being. The Cosmic Consciousness knows everything; He does not need to study books to learn or understand anything. Some may question how he can be so well versed in all branches of knowledge. Human beings always read and forget; in fact they learn only to forget. But how does Parama Puruśa remember so many things? Here lies the difference between human beings and the Supreme Entity; He does not learn only to forget; in fact He does not even learn – He just knows. Everything is within His mind.

What is the knowing faculty? Knowing means subjectification of external objectivity, and as there is nothing outside of Him, so the question of subjectivisation does not arise at all. For Him everything is internal; He does not know things by turning the pages of books to see what is written therein. As everything is within His mind, He already knows everything. Tatra niratishayam sarvajiṋabiijam: rtambhará tatra prajiṋá: Whatever was and whatever will be in future is all known to the Supreme Cognitive faculty.

Utámrtatvasyeshána yadanenátisoham: Does the Supreme Consciousness reside in heaven or Vaekuńt́ha above the seven realms of existence? No. He is omnipotent: He is in Vaekuńt́ha as well as in the lowest hell. In fact, any place where Parama Puruśa is non-existent, cannot itself exist. Hence to substantiate the existence of anything, the presence of Parama Puruśa is essential. So if so-called sinners complain that Parama Puruśa does not look at them, they are mistaken. He does look at them – He is with them. The moment those sinners will say with tears in their eyes, “O Lord, please, take me in Your lap.” He will immediately lift them upon His lap and brush the dust off their bodies and say, “I am cleansing all the dirt and dross of your sins.”

Hence under no circumstances should anyone think that Parama Puruśa can remain far away from them, because He cannot remain away from His created beings at all-it is contrary to his very nature. I have already said numerous times that if anyone ever complains that Puruśa is showering His grace on such-and-such person but not on me, it is wrong to say so. Those who complain thus are in fact holding the umbrella of ego on their heads. The Supreme Entity is surely showering His grace on all, but those who hold the umbrella of ego on their heads cannot be drenched by the rains of His grace. What is sádhaná? Sádhaná is the systematic endeavour to remove this umbrella of ego from over one’s head.

The main thing is that the fundamental essence of humanity is that all have come from the same source and that is Parama Puruśa. Hence no artificial distinctions should be recognized among human beings. To recognize such distinctions means to impair the underlying unity of the human race, to act against the cosmic unity of the human race, to act against the cosmic will – to act like a demon in human form. Such demons should have no place in human society.

The existence of living beings is within the vast Macrocosmic body of Parama Puruśa, not without. So whatever Parama Puruśa has given to the human race for its collective use should be utilized by all human beings. To act contrary to this is to act against the Cosmic Will. To fatten oneself beyond all proportion by exploiting others is neither good for individuals nor for the collective body. Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Desideratum of all humanity. To help all human beings bound by these cosmic bonds of fraternity and sorority to move towards their Supreme Goal and not allow anyone to lag behind – here lies the supreme fulfilment of human life. This Parama Puruśa is the ultimate goal of existence, and only to attain Him have human beings come onto this earth. If they fail to do so, then they do not deserve to be called human beings. Hence life devoid of dharma is worse than animal life.

Footnotes

(1) Rgveda Puruśasúktam. –Trans.

Chapter 8	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[

Nidrá tandrá bhayaḿ krodha álasyaḿ diirghasútratá;
Śad́adośáh puruśeńeha hántavyáh bhútimicchatá.

Those who want to prosper in life must destroy these six defects in themselves: nidrá [sleep], tandrá [drowsiness], álasya [lethargy], bhaya [fear], krodha [anger], and diirghasútratá [procrastination].

]

It is said, “Those who long for their well-being, who very much wish for their all-round development, will have to give up these six bad habits. A person desirous of welfare must necessarily be free from these defects, otherwise one’s progress is bound to be impeded, retarded.”

Nidrá [sleep]. A person who is given to too much sleep can never perform big things in life. A person who sleeps too long spends half of his or her lifetime in sleep only. So how will he or she find time to do noble deeds? Human life, after all, is not very long; and of that short span of life, if half is wasted on sleep only, then there will hardly be any time left for doing noble deeds. That’s why it is said, a person who is given to too much sleep can never aspire to attain the peak of progress in life. Sleep is necessary for health, but many people wrongly think that the more one sleeps, the better it is for health. That is wrong. Human beings go to sleep because they want to work more. While working for long periods the body gets tired, and then only does one take sleep, just to get back fresh energy for work.

Tandrá. Tandrá means “inertness” or “inertia”. For various reasons, this inertia develops in human beings. For instance, in some persons, this inertness grows out of a lack of self-confidence. Before starting any work, such persons think inwardly, “Shall I be able to do it? Perhaps I shan’t.” Out of this sort of hesitation or diffidence, a person develops inertia, the lack of mobility. There are still others who lack courage, who don’t dare to take up any work, who hesitate to take the responsibility of initiating any work. This also leads to inertness. Again, there are some people who have the capability to work, who do not work due to lack of initiative. They sit inactive because of lack of self-confidence. A person who is a victim of this sort of inertness can never attain progress in life.⁽¹⁾

That is why I say, whenever there is a desire to do any good deed, do it immediately, without bringing it to my notice, and in case of bad deeds, kill time as much as you can.⁽²⁾

In order to make progress, in order to perform noble deeds, you must give up these six defects: excessive sleep, indolence, fear, anger, laziness and procrastination. And then you will be strong enough to broadcast the ideas and ideals of Ananda Marga to the nooks and corners of the globe.

Footnotes

(1) Some words were not clear here in the original magazine publication of this discourse. The author may have told the story of Ravana, mythological king of Lanka, who wished at his death that he had done good deeds immediately and postponed bad deeds. –Eds.

(2) The original magazine publication of this discourse may not have been complete. The author may have discussed here others of the six defects mentioned in the opening shloka. –Eds.

Chapter 9	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

You know there is a time-honoured theory of cause and effect. It is a recognized fact, a recognized standard of veracity, that wherever there is effect there must be cause. This was propounded by Maharshi Kanada. He first said that where there is an effect there must be a cause. We may or may not know the cause, but the cause is there. At the same time you should remember that wherever there is effect, there must be the cause, but wherever there is cause there may or may not be an effect.

You see, wherever you find any sprout, the cause is the seed; but wherever there is a seed there may or may not be a sprout. That seed may lack in qualifications for creating a sprout; or the seed may have had the power to create the sprout but did not create it. From a bad seed, from a weak seed, there will not be any sprout – but even if there is a very good seed, but that seed does not come in contact with earth, or air, or water, or light, in that case there will not be any sprout.

So we must say that nothing in this universe is non-causal.⁽¹⁾

Here we have come. Our coming is the effect of some cause. Because it is the effect, what is the cause? Why have we come here? The theory says that it is not non-causal. Then what is it for?

Wherever there is a movement, wherever there is a flow for a long time, if it does not [receive a fresh impetus], what happens? It loses the acceleration. And finally, what happens? Retardation starts. In our human society there was want of acceleration from the very start. And now the retardation has also started. Now humanity bleeds. The future is dark. So we have come here to do something. I have come here to do something, and you have also come here to do something. My coming is significant, and your coming is not less significant. We have come with a mission; and our lives, singularly and collectively, are a mission. Not missions – ours is a collective mission. Here we all are one. We have come to do something. And that is the causal factor.

And what will be the effect? The effect will be that the world will realize that humanity is one and indivisible, and no power in heaven or on earth can destroy this glorious humanity. We have come here to save humanity, and we will save humanity.

Another thing. We have come. Our coming is not non-causal, it is causal. And you see, nobody amongst us, A, B, C, X, Y, Z, is – what did I say? Insignificant. Each and every entity has got many a thing to do, and he or she will do it, and you see, our fates have been very closely associated with one another. This shows that in the past there has been some unity amongst us, some closeness, some proximity amongst us. That is why we have come together. It is not meaningless.

We must always remember this thing. When a group of good people – that group may be of a thousand, that group may be of a million, that group may also be of many billions – but when that group comes, it comes to do something concrete. And that group is known as Hari parimańd́ala gośt́hi, because that group moves around [makes a circle round] the Cosmic ideology.⁽²⁾ So you have come here to form a strong, well-knit Hari parimańd́ala for the coming generation.

Footnotes

(1) Sentence that was not clear in the original magazine publication of this discourse omitted here. –Eds.

(2) Hari parimańd́ala: “circle around the Lord”. Gośt́hi: “group”. –Eds.

Chapter 10	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[Súkśmátisúkśmaḿ kalilasya madhye vishvasya sraśt́á-ramanekarúpam;
Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itáraḿ jiṋátvá Shivaḿ shánti-matyantameti.
Anádyanantamakhilasya madhye vishvasya sraśt́á-ramanekarúpam;
Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itáraḿ jiṋátvá Devaḿ mucyate sarvapáshaeh.

Within so many subtle and still subtler structures, the Creator of the universe expresses Himself in so many forms. By knowing Him, knowing that Shiva, who is beyond the universe also, human beings can attain absolute peace.

Within this vast universe, the Creator, the One without beginning or end, expresses Himself in so many forms. By knowing that Deva, who is beyond the universe also, human beings become free from all fetters.⁽¹⁾

Parama Puruśa is called súkśma, or “subtle”. What is subtle? Any object which does not usually come within the scope of the sense organs is subtle. When an object is so small or so vast that the human eyes cannot perceive it properly, it is called subtle. When a particular sound is so low or so high that human ears cannot perceive it, it is called subtle. Similarly, when an object is so sweet that our tongue cannot properly perceive its sweetness, it is called subtle. So it is said that anything which does not come within the scope of sense perception is called subtle.

And this subtle object human beings try to bring within the scope of sense perception through a machine – a telescope or a microscope or something of the sort. And that object is called very, very subtle which does not at all come within the scope of perception, even through subtle instruments. Now the difference between a subtle object and a very subtle object varies from person to person, from place to place. For instance, there may be some subtle object today which is not perceivable even by machines; but maybe some new machine will be invented tomorrow by which we will be able to perceive the same object. Then that object will no longer be considered very subtle. But even in that case there will be something, some entity, which will still remain very subtle for those days. This is the inexorable law.

The word kalilam has a number of meanings in the Vedic language. But the general or popular meaning of the word is ádhára – a structure, a base. What sort of structure? A structure with which I am associated through inference. For instance, suppose a very bright light is emanating from an object. Light may be emitted from any object. But the very object which is radiating light and which you are trying to perceive – that very light-radiating object is known as kalila.

Now Parama Puruśa is manifesting Himself in various forms even through that kalila.

Now comes vishva. Vishva apparently means “universe which is created”: that which does not come within the scope of human perception but only partially.

Now the degree of human comprehension of this universe varies from person to person. For a human being this universe is certainly beyond the scope of total perception. But a certain portion of this universe is certainly within his reach. Again, to a cow the world is unlimited, no doubt, but the cow fails to comprehend that this universe is unlimited, and that only that part of the universe where she grazes comes within her reach. So there is a variation between human and human and between creature and creature as to the degree of comprehension of this universe.

That’s why some persons spend their lives in quarrels over land, while others may prefer to spend their lifetimes delving into scriptures, while others might be more interested in earning money. For these types of people, a very little portion of the universe is within their comprehension, whereas a vast portion of the universe remains untrodden and incomprehensible to them. Now [human] greatness or smallness is judged by how far a person has expanded his area of comprehension of the incomprehensible portion. You may find it a little difficult to understand this point. Suppose for instance a particular person has comprehended this earth; the solar system has come within the scope of his or her comprehension. In the case of a cow the arena remains quite limited; and if again a cow is tied to a stake, her arena may be still more limited. She does not know anything beyond that arena, nor does she want to know. She has no urge to know at all. In Bengal there is a popular saying that a cow which is tied to a fixed pole has a fixed quantity of grass to eat. Human beings who remain too preoccupied with terrestrial objects are in a condition no better than that of that cow.

For a person who is more evolved in intellectual erudition, the comprehensible portion of the universe goes on increasing. But the incomprehensible portion remains as large as before, because that is infinite. But a developed human being lives to reclaim the incomprehensible portion. For instance, when we fondle a little child, we think that the child is not merely a child, but rather Parama Puruśa Himself has come to me in the form of a child just to enjoy my fondling, love, and care. He has willingly come to me for that purpose. This is called madhuvidyá, and one should always remember to do it. And one who remembers to do it all the time is considered a great person in society.

So this is the explanation of vishva, the universe, of which part comes within the scope of human knowledge while another part remains inaccessible. So the universe never means the earth only.

Vishvasya sraśt́áramanekarúpam. Now, “the creator of this universe is manifesting Himself in innumerable forms, innumerable colours.” That is why a mystic of Bengal once exclaimed:

[

Tomár rúpe mugdha ámi mugdha Tomár guńe
Párghát́áte base áchi Tomár nám shuńe.

]

This means, “Your [beauty] has delighted me beyond words, Your qualities have also delighted me beyond words. I am sitting on the other side of the river after hearing of Your [impending] arrival.” All we human beings are sitting on the other side of the river.

The creator of this universe has too many forms for us to count, has too many qualities for us to count. He is endless in qualities, unfathomable in beauty. These little green worms or flies that fly about in autumn, the little red worms or insects, these long and continued seasons, these vast oceans, these roaring streams of clouds – all these are He, in endless forms. These rumblings of clouds, these flashes of lightning – all [of] existence are veritable expressions of Your numerous forms. You have not a few but many forms. There is no end to Your forms, and human beings do not have the capacity to see all Your forms.

You are beginningless, You are endless. You have firmly established yourself by Your omnipresence, by Your special and supreme divine power, which human beings neither have the [inherent] capacity to think of nor have been given the power to think of. If at all they start thinking about that divine power of Yours, they simply lose their individual identities.

None of the created beings has the power to deny Your existence, to challenge Your power, Your qualities and greatness.

All the created beings are Your partial manifestations. They can never measure You. They can never fathom You. If at all they try to measure You that will be a sheer waste of time and energy for them.

He is not only manifesting Himself in this universe in various forms, He is also [pariveśt́itáraḿ], that is, He is “beyond the arena of this universe itself, is beyond the scope of human comprehension”.

You are circumscribing even the vast universe, You are! You are my own, You who are hidden in each and every one. You are immanent in each and everyone of this universe, that immanent You who is conversant with each and every inner psychic vibration of mind, who knows the innermost secret thoughts of my mind even before I know, who is my own. When one knows that immanent You, that Shivam, one attains lasting peace, eternal bliss. You are Shiva, You are Shánta; knowing You, one can attain bliss.

Shiva means “Supreme Consciousness”: so, “He who is controlling everything, is manifesting a balance in everything, who has restored order in everything”.

How will He restore order? How will He do so? By dint of His own prowess, own valour, own dignity and authority. One can attain peace by knowing Him alone. But how to restore peace? By fighting all the forces which are a detriment to peace. Now the one who can restore peace is Shaḿkara. One who is putting everyone on the right path, by chastisement and punishment, is Shaḿkara. He is Shiva. Human beings can hope to attain everlasting peace by knowing You who are everyone’s own, who are the most favourable to one and all. Now lasting peace, that is, átyantikii shánti,⁽²⁾ is that permanent peace which does not vanish after two or three days. Peace which is everlasting, which leads to eternal well-being, is átyantikii shánti. Only by knowing that Parama Puruśa, that Shiva Shaḿkara, can one attain eternal peace. There is no alternative.

Footnotes

(1) The magazine article that is the source of this discourse did not include this shloka, but since the discourse is a commentary on this shloka, it is assumed that the author must have quoted it. –Eds.

(2) Referring to shántimatyanta in the shloka. –Eds.

	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF DEVOTEES

As mentioned in the Publisher’s Note, this appendix comprises twenty discourses, most of them short, that were recovered in the form of typed notes; or if recovered from an established magazine of the mission, then recovered in the form of an article that appeared to be a summary or approximation of the original discourse, but perhaps not an exact rendering. For more information regarding the sources of these discourses, please see their individual entries at the end of the Publisher’s Note.

Writers who wish to quote from these discourses should attribute the material to the “Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31 appendix”.

Chapter 11	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[As Bábá⁽¹⁾ took His seat in the room in the Jamalpur Ashram, He said:] In the Mahábhárata period we find two persons coming quite close to Shrii Krśńa – Arjuna and Sudámá. Both were greatly devoted to him. Now tell me, which of the two is the greater devotee of Shrii Krśńa, and whom would you choose as the ideal of your life?

[One by one, persons present there expressed their views. Some said that Arjuna was more devoted to Shrii Krśńa than was Sudámá, for he did all that the Lord asked him to do. Arjuna was the ideal of their life for he was a great karma yogii (yogi of selfless action) and the much-troubled world of today needed a karma yogii. A similar number were for Sudámá. Even being such a poor man and knowing that his childhood playmate Krśńa could shower riches on him, he never ever asked for even a little material help. Sudámá was a greater devotee than was Arjuna. Sudámá was the ideal of their life. When all had expressed themselves, Bábá said:] Devotion means unconditional self-surrender. The measure of devotion is the amount of this self-surrender. One who has more of it, is a greater devotee than one who has less of it.

[Bábá paused and then said:] Arjuna and Sudámá were great devotees. But while comparing their devotion by this yardstick, we have got to say that Sudámá was a greater devotee than was Arjuna. You know the story in the Mahábhárata – Arjuna refused to fight when Shrii Krśńa asked him to do so. This shows that Arjuna did not have full faith in and complete surrender to Shrii Krśńa. Had there been complete surrender, Arjuna would have done as directed by Shrii Krśńa. On the other hand, we notice a complete surrender by Sudámá. He never desired anything from Krśńa, his sakhá [friend], who could have given him anything and everything. Howsoever he was, he remained content. Even when his wife forced him to go to Shrii Krśńa to request Him to remove his poverty, he went to him but didn’t ask for a thing. Sudámá was a greater devotee than was Arjuna.

[Bábá again paused and then continued (in reference to the second of the original questions):] Now whom should you take to be your ideal? Neither of the two – neither Sudámá nor Arjuna. You do know that neither of the two is perfect – so how to take anything imperfect as the ideal of life? Your ideal has to be perfect – so your ideal is to be the Lord and the Lord alone. No one else should be your ideal.

And you should not pray to the Lord, “Make me this, make me that; make me Arjuna or make me Sudámá.” No, such should never be your prayer, for suppose the Lord wants you to become even greater than what you are praying to become? In such a case, you are creating a hindrance to your own welfare.

What you must do is simply surrender to the Lord and leave everything else to Him and Him alone. Your ideal should be the Lord, and your effort should be towards a complete self-surrender. You should ask the Lord to make you what He wants. You should ask the Lord to take that work from You which He desires.

And if he finds that you have the potentialities to do His work, but you are lacking in self-surrender and you have not forgone your ego, then in such a case He will first create circumstances in which your ego will be forced to yield and surrender. After this only will the Lord choose you to be the medium for His work. You do know, similar was the case with Arjuna. Arjuna had the potentiality, but he also had some ego left in him. Shrii Krśńa first made him surrender by showing His virát́a rúpa [Cosmic form], and then alone was Arjuna chosen to be the medium.

Footnotes

(1) An affectionate name for the author, used by the author’s disciples. –Eds.

Chapter 12	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

Long ago there was a lady by the name of Madalasa. She was a great sádhiká [spiritual aspirant]. In Aryan literature she has been mentioned as Rakshasi⁽¹⁾ Madalasa because she belonged to the Dravidian race.

At the time when she was to be married to [Chitrasena,] the king of Kashi, she said to her would-be husband, “I will marry you only on the condition that I will be solely responsible for the education and upbringing of the children. The moment you will interfere in this, I will leave you.”

The king of Kashi agreed to this condition set by Madalasa, and the marriage between the two was held. [Three] children were born to them. [The first] was named Vikranta and [the third] Alarka.

Madalasa started imparting spiritual education to Vikranta. She would put him in the cradle and sing lullabies in very sweet and rhythmic tunes which were full of the highest spiritual truths. One of her lullabies was

Shuddho’si buddho’si niraiṋjano’si saḿsáramáyá parivarjito’si;
Saḿsárasvapnaḿ tyajamohanidrám Madálasollápamuváca putram.

This means, “O my son! You are that [pure] Entity; you are that all-knowing Entity; you are that spotless Entity. This world is a passing show, is ever-changing. It is all like a dream. O my son, awaken from your sleep of ignorance and realize the Reality.”

Vikranta grew up among such spiritual ideations, and by the time he was about twelve he left his parents and took to sannyása [renunciation]. This was a great blow to his father, the king of Kashi, for, he, the king, had planned great wordly things for Vikranta. He had planned to make Vikranta king after him.

[The second son, under Madalasa’s training, followed in the footsteps of the first.]

Now Madalasa devoted her time to her [third] son, Alarka. [Madalasa] was not happy at the naming of [this third] son, for alarka meant “mad dog”.

Once when the king was strolling by the palace where Madalasa lived, he heard the same spiritual lullaby being now sung to Alarka that Madalasa had sung to his first two sons. He thought, “Madalasa spoiled [my first two sons]. I see she is doing the same thing with Alarka as well. No, I can’t let this happen.” Thinking thus, he rushed to Madalasa and said, “Stop this now. I have had enough of it. From now onwards I shall look after Alarka.” The king picked Alarka up in his arms.

Madalasa then said, “You have gone against the promise you made to me. I will therefore stay with you no longer.” Madalasa prepared for her departure. Just when she was about to leave, she gave one ring to the king and said, “Please put this ring on Alarka’s finger as he grows up a little more. Please tell him that at any moment when he might be in great trouble, he should break open the ring, and therein he will get the right advice.” Madalasa then left her husband’s place.

Alarka was then brought up under the care of the king. The king had gotten himself too involved in material pursuits. There was hardly any evil to which he had not gotten habituated. Naturally, under an evil care, Alarka as well developed evil habits. These grew in intensity as he grew. And when he became the king of Kashi after the death of his father, Alarka had hardly any time for the state and its people. He was too engrossed in his own entertainments. The condition of the state and its people deteriorated, going from bad to worse. The officers of the state ruthlessly exploited the people, as generally does happen in any state ruled by a king who finds no time to look after the affairs of state. All the people of the state wanted a change in the administration.

Vikranta, the sannyásii brother of Alarka, heard of the miseries of the people of Kashi. He approached the [king of Kaushala] and said, “You see, I am the [eldest] brother of King Alarka. The kingdom actually belongs to me. You know also the sorry state of affairs in Kashi. I therefore request you to please march with your army to Kashi, conquer it, and hand it over to me.”

[The king of Kaushala] was a moralist. He thought the proposal to be a wise one and attacked Kashi. As there was no one to support Alarka, Kashi was conquered without a fight. Alarka fled to save himself.

Vikranta then thought, “I requested [the king of Kaushala] to attack Kashi only to give Alarka a good lesson. My duty is now over and I hope Alarka will now rule nicely.” Vikranta returned to his own place.

But Alarka had run away from Kashi. Hiding here and there, he reached a forest. He found himself helpless and in trouble. Suddenly his eyes fell upon the ring given to him by his mother. He broke open the ring. Therein he found two pieces of advice written. The first was, “Do not have any desire, but if that be not possible, then have the desire for mokśa [non-qualified liberation].” The second was, “Do not keep any type of company, but if that be not possible, keep good company, satsauṋga.”

Alarka thought, “It is not possible for me to be desireless. At the same time, I have committed such evil deeds, how then can I get mokśa? Regarding the second advice, it is not possible for me to live without company, but let me keep good company. This is what I can do.”

In the same forest where Alarka then was, the ashram of Astavakra Rishi also was. Alarka went to see the rśi [sage] and started living in the ashram. In due course he learned sádhaná and devoted most of his time to the rśi. The rśi taught many things to Alarka.⁽²⁾ Due to his sádhaná and good company Alarka became a realized man.

Meanwhile, finding neither Vikranta nor Alarka to rule Kashi, yet having not even the least desire to enlarge the frontiers of Kaushala, his own state, [the king of Kaushala] decided that he would rule Kashi as well as his own kingdom for the time being only, and, when either Vikranta or Alarka would come, would hand Kashi over to that person.

Some time passed thus. One day Vikranta thought, “I did all those things only to correct Alarka. I guess now he must be ruling Kashi nicely. Why not go and see him?” And he started for Kashi.

Alarka also thought, “Vikranta must be ruling excellently. He gave me such a fine thing here. I should go and thank him.” And Alarka too started for Kashi.

The two met on the way to Kashi. They embraced each other and exchanged affections. They then proceeded towards the court of [the king of Kaushala]. Seeing them coming, [the king of Kaushala] hurried to meet them. The king then said, “You two have really burdened me with the administration of Kashi, and I already had enough to keep me worried. Now you have come. Please take your kingdom back and release me.”

But neither Vikranta nor Alarka was ready to do this. They had already got a taste of a nicer thing. They requested [the king of Kaushala] to administer Kashi as well. The king had to accede to the requests of the two sannyásiis.

[Bábá ended the story here and asked:] Now tell me which of the three – Vikranta, Alarka, and [the king of Kaushala] – is the greatest character, according to you?

[One by one those present expressed their views. Diverse were the opinions. Some were for Vikranta, for, though he was a sannyásii, he did not forget society. When needed, he came back to do his part of the duty. Some others were for Alarka, for he showed that a degraded man could rise. Many others expressed themselves for the king of Kaushala, for he represented “Heart to God and hands to work.”]

[Then those present asked Bábá, who then said:] All three are the greatest of men. But the greatest character is the one who not only is great himself but also can inspire others in society. Of the three characters in review here, Alarka has such a characteristic. A great majority in society, and actually speaking almost all, do commit mistakes. They repent, too, and are always desirous of correcting themselves, of improving themselves. Alarka will inspire all such persons. These persons can get new hope in Alarka, thinking that if a man like Alarka could rise to great heights, why can’t they? Alarka will keep encouraging them to rebuild their careers in a nicer way.

Footnotes

(1) In mythology, a demoness. The terms rákśasa and rákśasii were used by the Indo-Aryans to refer derogatorily to the indigenous Indians, especially the Dravidians. –Eds.

(2) These have been compiled in a book named Aśt́ávakra Saḿhitá. –Eds.

Chapter 13	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

Yudhisthira was performing Rájasúya Yajiṋa.⁽¹⁾ Kings, courtiers, men and women from all over had come to witness the great performance of King Yudhisthira. Shrii Krśńa was also present there.

Suddenly a mongoose entered the place of the yajiṋa. Everything about this mongoose was unusual. Half of its body was golden, but the other half was like that of any other mongoose. The mongoose started rolling all over the place, and repeatedly rubbed every portion of its body to the earth of the place. People around were awe-struck – what was the mongoose doing?

And then as if to bring its wondrous actions to a climax, the mongoose stood up and yelled in a very disgusted tone, “Useless! Absolutely useless is this yajiṋa! Nothing compares with that yajiṋa which I had the fortune to attend. Futile is all this here!” And he left the place.

People there were so taken aback that they just could not believe all that had happened. With expectations of some explanation of the mystery surrounding the mongoose, people looked eagerly at Shrii Krśńa.

Shrii Krśńa then said, “Long ago I heard about a certain very pious family. I had a desire to test their piety. The family consisted of a father, a mother, their son and the son’s wife. The father would go out and ask for alms from the people in the area and whatever would be got out of this, the whole family would share it.

“Suddenly there occurred a famine in the area. The father was not able to get anything in alms for days together. On one of those days of hardship, when it was sure that if nothing could be gotten, that day itself the entire family would die of starvation, the father was able to get a handful of chátu.⁽²⁾ On returning home he gave the chátu to his wife and said, ‘All of us are so hungry, and this much chátu is hardly enough for one of us. Better therefore to divide it into four parts; otherwise I know in hunger I would definitely eat more and you would willingly offer me others’ shares too! And so, by the time you make a paste of the chátu, I will finish my bath.’”

Shrii Krśńa continued his narration to Yudhisthira and the people around, “The old man was about to finish his bath when I reached there and said, ‘I am so hungry! Please, if you have something, give it to me or I will die right here!’

“The Brahman and his hungry family were in a similar condition, but pious and righteous that the old man was, how could he say that there wasn’t any food? So he said, ‘Yes, we have something for you. Please do come in.’

“I followed the old man to the house. I was offered water to wash myself and then a proper seat was given to me. The old man then went into the next room and said to his wife in a low voice, ‘God has sent a guest to us, but the food is so little! I think my share should be given to the honourable guest.’

“At this his wife said, ‘What do you mean? I know well that you are very weak. If you do not eat today itself, you will not survive. And you are so important to the family. Not your share, but my share, should be given to the guest.’

“Hardly had the mother finished when the son said, ‘[I am very young.] But both of you are old and weak. I can very well live days together without food. So I will take my food to the guest.’

“And immediately the son’s wife added, ‘I am the youngest of all and so can tolerate hunger better than anyone. So to save the life of my elders, my food must be given to the guest. Let’s not delay, he is waiting for his food.’”

Shrii Krśńa continued, “And so there was quite a fight for the first sacrifice, though knowing full well that a sacrifice here meant death. Finally, no solution coming up and the guest getting delayed, the old man said, ‘Now look here, this is my order. My food must be given to the guest.’ So the old man’s share of the chátu was brought before me.

“I was so hungry that naturally I finished that small amount of food within no time. The old man understood that my hunger was not satisfied. My host then brought his wife’s share to me. This too I finished and looked hungrily at my host. The son’s share was then served to me. This I also gulped down, then asked, ‘Haven’t you got anything more?’ And then the share of the son’s wife was also placed before me. This satisfied my hunger.

“I then thanked the noble old man and his family and blessed them, Kalyáńamastu [‘Let there be welfare’], and left the place.

“Some time after my departure, the members of that great family died of starvation.

“There in that very house lived this mongoose. He saw this great sacrifice, this great yajiṋa. Seeing all this, he was moved to his very depths. He was overwhelmed. He prayed, ‘O Great Lord! You gave me birth as a mongoose, but you have also shown me such a great thing! Lord, how fortunate I am, how blessed I am to have seen this great yajiṋa!’ And with great feeling, he rolled on the floor of the room. All those portions of his body that were touched by particles of chátu lying on the floor turned golden. But about half of his body did not.

“Since then, whenever the news of a great sacrifice or yajiṋa reaches him, he definitely goes there and rubs his body on the earth of that place so that the other half of his body may also turn golden. But as yet such a thing has not happened to him.”

Shrii Krśńa concluded, “He heard somewhere that Yudhisthira was performing a great yajiṋa. So he came here too. But as his body did not turn golden, he was disgusted to see what was just another show of sacrifice. And so he said, ‘Useless, absolutely useless is this yajiṋa.’”

[Bábá then said:] You know, the measure of sacrifice is not its quantity or its grandeur. A sacrifice should always be measured in terms of the circumstances in which it has been rendered.

[Bábá then asked:] Which character in this story is the greatest? [After a pause Bábá said:] The old Brahman is the greatest – for he is the one who made the others in his family so great!

Footnotes

(1) Literally “Royal Sacrifice”; a ceremony in which a king would give liberally of his possessions and would establish his hegemony over other kings. –Eds.

(2) Flour made from roasted gram (also called chick-pea or garbanzo) or sometimes roasted wheat or maize (corn). –Eds.

Chapter 14	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

The spiritual potentiality in all human beings is the same; it is wrong to say that one person is developed and another is underdeveloped or undeveloped. There is equal potentiality in all, only some have aroused it and others have not aroused it yet.

Everything in this universe is the expression of the Divine, so you have no right to hate anybody. Even the Nucleus of this vast universe [Parama Puruśa] has no right to hate anybody. He cannot do two things: He cannot hate anybody, and He cannot create another Parama Puruśa! There is spiritual potentiality in all people. Some people have harnessed it, and these people are able to help other people to arouse it. Some people will arouse it if they are in the company of those who have already awakened it; this is the importance of satsauṋga [good company]. Your duty is to awaken yourself and help others to awaken. I find that divine effulgence in the face of everyone here. No one is inferior, no one is degraded! You are committing a sin if you think you are a sinner or degraded! You cannot hate anyone. Do you have the right to hate anyone, to hate yourself? No.

My work is not to look towards the past of anyone. I only see how much one is advancing towards his or her destiny, and I help that person. You are to look ahead, you are to look forward. If you look back, if you look behind, you are wasting your valuable time. Fools, not wise people, do that.

The nature of a human is to think of the so-called sweet memories of the past. People think more of the past and less of the future. But the sádhaka [spiritual aspirant] thinks of the Lord who is the [Terminus]. When he or she starts thinking of the Terminus of life, the very goal of life, the past with all its glory becomes pale.

The ordinary person is one who thinks of the past and also of the future. The medium person is one who thinks only of the future. But the siddha [perfect] person is one who thinks neither of the past nor of the future. He or she thinks only of the Lord.

[Then Bábá called one avadhúta⁽¹⁾ to come near and meditate. Bábá touched the back of his head above his neck – the place which, Bábá explained, is the seat of the superconscious, all-knowing mind. Then Bábá asked that avadhúta to look towards one Margi sitting in the room.] What do you see around his head?

[The avadhúta answered, “I see a beautiful light, Bábá.”]

[Bábá continued:] Paramátmá [the Supreme Soul] does not hate anybody, do you understand? He does not see your hands, your feet, your face, etc. He sees that light only. [Then Bábá looked around the room at everyone sitting there.] All are good boys. A person can make others good by his or her own power. If I give some power to this boy [pointing to the avadhúta], he can also help others.

[Bábá told that avadhúta to meditate again, and while he was meditating, everyone in the room heard a divine and very sweet spiritual sound.] No one is negligible, no one is unimportant. The Lord can do anything and everything through these machines. Be a perfect machine.

[Then Bábá performed another demonstration using that avadhúta. He told him to meditate again and look around the room and see the past lives of the people in the room, thousands of years ago. He then asked the avadhúta what he saw. The avadhúta replied that he saw that different people were tigers or other animals, some were insects, some uncivilized humans.

Bábá continued:] You were the children of the Lord and you are still. Human existence is a completely mental structure which is according to the psychic momenta due to saḿskáras [mental reactive momenta]. In this world everything is cinmaya [composed of consciousness], nothing is mrnmaya [composed of matter (literally, “earth”)]. According to the way the Lord controls one’s mind, so the person gets his or her physical body. Whatever you have got is good for you. Parama Puruśa is never to be guided by your reason, by your logic, and your justifications. You are to be guided by His whims.

Footnotes

(1) Literally, “one who is thoroughly cleansed mentally and spiritually”; a monk of an order close to the tradition of Shaeva Tantra. –Eds.

Chapter 15	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

All action, existence, quality and thought (mental projection) are vibrational. All are in the mind of Parama Puruśa. He creates all. The human mind can only create physical mixtures and chemical compounds, it cannot create originals. So we are to obey only Him, Supreme Consciousness.

But the human being is the most evolved form in the universe. The human mind is composed of three layers: conscious, subconscious and unconscious. The conscious mind controls external actions, such as drinking, eating, etc.; and the basic desires. The subconscious controls the functions of thought and memory. The unconscious mind is omniscient, all-knowing. It only needs to be developed by dint of our sádhaná: but remember this is not individual enterprise alone, it is the grace of Supreme Consciousness. Infinite powers can be developed because the human is the most evolved form in the universe: all of you are blessed.

Nothing is secret for Supreme Consciousness. You, my boy, whom I punished a little before – stand up. [Bábá was speaking to a young man. He had chastised that person earlier for some wrong he had done.] He is thinking, “I am being punished again, all are sitting and only I am standing.” [Bábá had an avadhúta come and sit on his lap. Bábá touched the back of the avadhúta’s neck.] I am touching his basal ganglia, the seat of his all-knowing [un]conscious mind. All of you sit in proper ásana [posture]. [Bábá said to the avadhúta:] What do you see?

[The avadhúta answered that he saw that young man dressed in shirt and pants. Bábá replied:] You see different clothes because they are giving off different vibrations. [Bábá waved a bamboo staff between the avadhúta and the young man, in this way changing the vibrations being emanated from that young man and perceived by the avadhúta.] Now what do you see?

[Avadhúta: “He is naked, Bábá.”]

Now enter into his bowel, what do you see?

[Avadhúta: “His intestines are weak, Bábá.”]

Now move upward, see his heart and lungs. Are his lungs healthy or a little black?

[Avadhúta: “A little black, Bábá.”]

Yes… [to that young man] you smoke too much, isn’t it so? [To the avadhúta:] Now enter his brain, enter every iota of his nerve cells. Is his mind slightly weak or brave and strong?

[Avadhúta: “Slightly weak.”]

What colour of light do you see at his trikut́i?⁽¹⁾

[Avadhúta: “I see white colour, Bábá.”]

Ácchá, he wants to be a good boy. Shiva [the boy’s name] is a good name. Shauṋkara [One Who Controls the World, another name of Shiva] is also a good name. Sit down, my son.

[Here Bábá was giving that avadhúta the yogic power antaryámitva, which means the capacity to enter into things, mental or physical, to know everything about them, and to be able to control them. Bábá often explained that only Parama Puruśa, Supreme Consciousness, has this power, and those who realize Him can also know the secret.]

[Now Bábá asked another young man, who was very thin, to stand up. Bábá said to the avadhúta:] Now look at this boy, what do you see?

[Avadhúta: “I see black spots at the base of his lungs.”]

[Bábá said to the boy:] Yes, you have TB, isn’t it so, my boy?

[The boy, obviously astonished at Bábá’s knowledge of his disease, which he had not told anyone about, replied, “Uh, yes, Bábá.”]

Hmmm. Come here.

[The boy came close to Bábá and Bábá slapped the front and back of his chest with his hand, and then rubbed his chest with his bamboo staff. He then said to the avadhúta:] I ask again, what do you see now? [to the boy:] Now, my boy, breathe deeply.

[The boy started to breathe shallowly, the way he was accustomed to breathing because of his disease. He obviously did not believe any change had taken place inside his body. But to his amazement he could breathe deeply! He started breathing more and more deeply and then started to cry in relief and amazement. “Oh, Bábá!” he said, crying, “before I could not breathe, I could not do sádhaná.”]

Yes, now [Bábá said laughing] I will hear no excuses! Now do sádhaná, my boy, work for the Marga! This power of entering inside objects is known as antaryámitva. There are no secrets before the Supreme Consciousness – He can enter everywhere, inside every object, inside every mind.

Footnotes

(1) The mid-point between the eyebrows, concentration point for the psycho-spiritual plexus that controls the mind. –Eds.

Chapter 16	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[Bábá called one Margi over, asked him to sit, and then touched his vocal cord. Bábá told him to utter some name. The man easily spoke the name aloud. Bábá then said:] Now I am withdrawing the capacity for speech from his vocal cord. Now again say that name. [The man opened and closed his mouth, struggling to speak, but could not utter a sound. All was silent. Bábá said:] In the same way, the powers of seeing, hearing, walking, etc., can be withdrawn easily and without one’s knowledge by Parama Puruśa – He can easily withdraw the powers that He has given to human beings.

There is vitality, vital energy, associated with the physical body. Where does this vital energy come from? Humans can speak: where does this power of speaking come from? Humans can see and hear: where does this power come from? He, the Supreme Consciousness, is the mind of your mind, the life of your life, the vocal power of your vocal cord. The sádhaka [the spiritual aspirant] who understands this attains salvation, enjoys the divine nectar. You see and hear, not because of your eyes, but because of His grace. He can do anything and everything. You may have so many desires, but they will not work unless they are supported by His desire.

Chapter 17	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

Parama Puruśa is called Darpahárii, which means “Pride-snatcher”. One thing He will not tolerate is ego. He is uni-purposive and multilateral: He is doing everything at once. He is running the whole universe, so He is multilateral. But He is uni-purposive because He has only one purpose: to bring all His creatures back to Him, to merge in Him again.

Human beings, on the contrary, are unilateral and multi-purposive. They can only do one thing at a time – they cannot do two things at once – so they are unilateral. And they are multi-purposive; they have so many desires. The human being thinks [Bábá was smiling and looking steadily at one particular Margi], “Shall I go to see my brother in America? But then if I do, I will not be able to see Bábá there! I will ask Bábá what to do! But how can I ask Him? When will I see Him?” [Later that Margi confirmed that these had been the exact thoughts going through his mind some days before he had come to Ranchi to see Bábá.]

You have only one goal in life, one duty – to surrender at the altar of the Supreme. You have only to wish – that His plan for you may be successful. I think you have understood?

We get all our power from Him. He can do anything, and He reserves all His vast powers and does not delegate them to anyone. Why? Because they might misuse them.

Chapter 18	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[A Filipino Margi had recently come to India, and had heard many stories about how Bábá could reveal the past lives of individuals. He was very anxious to know his past life, and several times expressed this desire privately to his companions. “I wish Bábá would show me my past life,” he used to say.]

[Bábá said to the Filipino Margi:] Mr. P–, what is your permanent address?

[Mr. P–: “Manila, Bábá.”]

[Bábá said laughing:] Oh, is it so? [Bábá called one dádá (literally “elder brother”, a spiritual teacher) to sit and do meditation.] An ordinary person is under the three bondages of time, place and person.⁽¹⁾ But a mahápuruśa [a great human being elevated by the practice of yoga] can remove them. [Bábá reached down and held the dádá on the back of his neck. He said to the dádá:] Look into the mind of Mr. P– and go back 135 years. What do you see?

[Dádá: “I see a tall man wearing a dhoti and kurtá.”⁽²⁾ ]

Can you tell who he is?

[Dádá: “He is a Brahman⁽³⁾ in West Bengal. His name is Shankara Mishra.”]

Yes, and today that man is Mr. P–. [To Mr. P–:] What is your permanent address, my boy? [laughingly] Is it Manila or India?

[Mr. P–: “No, Bábá!”]

What is it then?

[Mr. P–: “ The universe, Bábá.”]

Yes, the universe is your permanent address.

Footnotes

(1) Bondage of person, meaning one is confined to one’s personality; bondage of time, meaning one cannot know all the past, present and future; bondage of place, meaning one can only be in one place at a time. –Eds.

(2) Traditional East Indian dress. –Eds.

(3) The uppermost caste in India, who traditionally perform priestly functions or live by intellectual labour. –Eds.

Chapter 19	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[Bábá called one dádá to sit and do meditation. Bábá touched him on the back of the neck, and then told him to hold the shawl of another dádá near him. Bábá said:] Touch it, see it, smell it – saturate your indriyas⁽¹⁾ with it. [The dádá did as Bábá told him.] Now close your eyes, and withdraw your mind from the shawl, from the external world. What do you see?

[Dádá: “Darkness.”]

Go deeper, still deeper. Cast away the darkness. Can you do it?

[Dádá: “No, Bábá.”]

Try to find a path through the darkness. Is it becoming less dark now?

[Dádá: “Yes, Bábá.”]

Now think of that shawl again, go deeper into it – what is it? What do you see?

[Dádá: “It is dust, Bábá.”⁽²⁾ ]

Yes… his mind has moved slightly upward now. [The dádá’s face changed. It was obvious that he was experiencing great bliss.] If he remains much longer in this state he will experience abhidhyána samádhi. [Giving him a pen] How is this?

[Dádá: “Ohhh… so sweet, Bábá, so beautiful!”]

[Giving him the shawl again] And this?

[The dádá’s face glowed with delight: “Oh, it smells like delicious perfume!”]

[Bábá said to everyone:] Shall I give you that state?

[Everyone (eagerly): “Yes, yes, Bábá!”]

[Bábá said laughingly:] But then you will do no work!

Footnotes

(1) Organs, in this case sensory organs. –Eds.

(2) Abhidhyána samádhi is attained through a meditation process wherein physical objects come to be perceived in increasingly subtle ways. Thus a sádhaka might perceive only the normal solid integrity of a shawl when his or her mind is in a normal state; but when his or her mind becomes a bit elevated, might perceive the shawl as having been “powdered down”, or pulverized, into dust. Later on it will appear still further powdered down into its component subatomic particles (“ions” in philosophical language). And finally when the mind becomes maximally elevated, the sádhaka will perceive a solid object as the consciousness that it intrinsically is. At that stage the touch of a solid object will be like the touch of Supreme Consciousness, carrying with it the bliss of Supreme Consciousness. –Eds.

Chapter 20	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[Bábá called one Margi, Mr. X, and told him to sit and do meditation. Then Bábá called another Margi, Mr. Y, to stand before Mr. X. Bábá said to Mr. X:] Look at Mr. Y – what do you see?

[Mr. X: “I see that he has no clothes on.”]

This power by which he is seeing now is ordinary subjective sense – antaryámitva – the ability to enter into anything. With this he can enter into his intestines and see whether they are in proper order or not.

[Mr. X: “They are a bit defective.”]

This was done with a bit more developed subjective knowledge. [To Mr. X:] Now see his throat, his head, and the nerves of his body. What do you see?

[Mr. X: “He has a cold.”]

Yes, And what else?

[Mr. X: “I see him starting his journey this morning by bus from Purulia. He took tiffin (snack) twice from tea stalls – once tea and pakora, and then jilipii (a curly fried sweet). When he reached Ranchi in the evening, he had a head cold.”]

Now he is using still greater subjective sense. [To Mr. X:] Now look around you at the persons in the room. What do you see?

[Mr. X: “I see many persons, Bábá.”]

Look again [touching him]. Now what do you see?

[Mr. X: “I see only One.”]

Now the [known] has merged into the [knower]. (Mr. X has merged into Supreme Consciousness.)

Chapter 21	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[Bábá touched a Margi meditating in front of him, and told him to look at the forehead of a Margi from Nepal who had recently arrived in Ranchi. He told him to look at his trikut́i (the mid-point between the eyebrows, the seat of the mind).] Do you see any light there?

[Margi: “Yes, Bábá.”]

What colour is it?

[Margi: “It is off-white, Bábá.”]

[According to how Bábá touched the Margi or removed his hand, the colour perceived by the Margi changed. Bábá touched again:] And now?

[Margi: “Brilliant white, Bábá.”]

You all have potential, everything is in you. [Bábá called a young man to stand up, and said to the same Margi:] Now see his trikut́i; what colour is it?

[Margi: “Bluish light, Bábá.”]

Yes, his mind is confused and indecisive. [Bábá called another Margi to stand up:] What colour is the light?

[Margi: “I see red lights with blue lights moving up and down.”]

This is the colour of his fear complex. He is afraid to come to me – for a reason between him and me alone. [To that boy:] Come here, my son. [Bábá caressed the boy and touched the boy’s forehead.] I am now removing his fear complex. [To the Margi:] What colour do you see now? Is red and blue light still there?

[Margi: “No, Bábá – there is only white light.”]

Chapter 22	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

Although there are some external differences among human beings in language, colour, etc., in all essential matters they are from the same source, all have originated from the singular entity, Parama Puruśa. They differ only externally and apparently.

We should hear the language of heart and sentiment, not the language of the tongue. No language can claim to be an original language. Neither English, nor Bengali, nor Tagalog.

Nine hundred years ago there was no English language; 1500 years ago there was no Bengali; 800 years ago there was no Angika, Maithili or Assamese. Modern English is a mixture of Scottish, old Norman, Anglo-Saxon, Brighton, Celt, Latin and Greek. Until King Alfred the Great, there was no approved standard of English vocabulary. Bengali consists of Sanskrit roots and many English, Japanese, Portugese, [Persian] and Arabic words. Tagalog is composed of Mandarin, Cantonese, Indonesian, Malay and Sanskrit.

No race can claim the absolute purity of its blood. Hitler’s claim of the purity of [Aryan] blood misled people. Europeans are many races: Nordic, Mediterranean, Alpine, Greek, etc. Indians are also many races: Austric, Austrico-Negroid, Dravidian, Mongoloid, Negroid, etc. No race is perfectly pure without any blending. Everywhere there is universal blending. There is no single original race or language anywhere in the world. So human society is a singular entity. All the merits and demerits of society are ours, they are common patrimony. It is foolish to claim that the merits are ours and the demerits theirs.

[Bábá called one Bengalee Margi and told him to meditate on Supreme Consciousness and keep his mind fixed on his anáhata cakra (heart centre):] Is your heart mundane or divine?

[Margi: “Divine, Bábá.”]

Is it universal or Bengalee?

[Margi: “It is universal, Bábá.”]

[Then Bábá called one Australian ácárya to stand up.] Now see his heart – is it Australian or universal?

[Margi: “Universal, Bábá.”]

Is it mundane or godly?

[Margi: “Godly.”]

Is he an ordinary mortal or a divine child?

[Margi: “He is a divine child.”]

[Bábá told the Australian ácárya to touch the Margi.] Do you feel the divine touch?

[Margi: “Yes, Bábá.”]

[Bábá told the Australian ácárya to sit down, and called to a Filipino Margi to stand up.] What do you feel? Is he an ordinary man or a divine being?

[Margi: “He is a divine being, Bábá.”]

Is his heart Filipino or universal?

[Margi: “Universal, Bábá.”]

[Then Bábá asked an Indian of the Angik race to touch the Margi.] Do you feel a human touch or a divine touch?

[Margi: A divine touch, Bábá.]

Is his heart Angik or universal?

[Margi: Universal, Bábá.]

Is he an ordinary mortal or a divine child?

[Margi: “A divine child, Bábá.”]

In this universe all these entities are divine entities, and people must only realize it. Nobody is helpless and alone in this universe. We all have mundane, supramundane, and spiritual relationships with the universe. So it is the bounden duty of human beings to expand their mental arena, because basically all these infinite entities have one goal – the goal of the Supreme Entity. Human entities must expand themselves so much that they can go beyond the fetters of limitation.

There should not be any inferiority or superiority complex in anybody. Those who preach individual and racial superiority are committing sins against human dharma [human spiritual nature]. Like earth, air, and water, this dharma is common to one and all – and all will have to become one with that Universal Entity.

[Bábá ended the discourse by quoting the words of the American poet Carl Sandburg:]

There is only one man in the world
and his name is All Men.
There is only one woman in the world
and her name is All Women.
There is only one child in the world
and the child’s name is All Children.⁽¹⁾

Footnotes

(1) “Timesweep”, in Honey and Salt, 1963. –Eds.

Chapter 23	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[Bábá looked around the room at everyone and then asked one Margi who he was. The Margi answered, “I am Ram Kumar Chatterjee, Bábá.”]

Is that who you are? Who are you really?

[“I am an accountant, Bábá.”]

But who are you really?

[“I am a Bengalee, thirty-eight years old.”]

But who are you really?

[The Margi was confused and kept silent. Bábá said:] He doesn’t know who he is. [To another Margi:] And you, my boy, who are you? [This man also kept silent. Bábá asked several Margis in this way and, not knowing the correct answer, they all kept silent. Finally Bábá asked another Margi:] And who are you, my boy?

[The man answered, rather hesitantly: “Parama Puruśa, Bábá.”]

[Bábá said:] Ha ha! He thinks he is Parama Puruśa, but he is not sure.

[Bábá called the Margi over and touched him on the back of his neck at the base of his skull. Then Bábá said:] Be in peace. [The man immediately went into deep samádhi (state of ecstasy in which the individual mind merges with Supreme Consciousness). The room was totally silent. Bábá said softly:] Now he knows who he is. [And turning to everyone, Bábá said:] You have all forgotten who you are, but I remember. [Bábá gave a mysterious laugh, and repeated:] I remember.

Chapter 24	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

[Bábá was sitting as usual, very gracefully, on a cot, and started with these words:] This is Sádhaná Year, next year will be Seminar Year. [Then he added:] Of course, Sádhaná Year will be continued for an indefinite period.

[He then ordered the doors and windows to be closed so that the external sounds might not disturb people in any way. At his command, all the sádhakas (spiritual aspirants) sat in one dhyánásana (meditation posture) or other. Those who had been imparted the lesson of Dhyána were told to sit in siddhásana,⁽¹⁾ and those who had not received that lesson were told to sit in padmásana.⁽²⁾ All were told to fix their minds at their prescribed Iśt́a cakra,⁽³⁾ but not to start sádhaná. After some time, all but a few started to hear a sound such as that produced by crickets.]

[After some time, Bábá told the sádhakas to open their eyes and look at him. He next told the sádhakas to concentrate at their trikut́is (the mid-point between the eyebrows) and to enjoy the prańava dhvani (also called the oṋḿkára sound). The sound that everyone had been hearing became more intense and changed slowly into the nupur dhvani [sound of ankle bells]. Bábá repeated many times, “Enjoy this sound, this is the divine sound, the prańava dhvani.”]

[In the third stage, Bábá told the sádhakas to take their minds and concentrate at the vishuddha cakra (situated at the throat). He then said:] Open your eyes and look at me for a second or two and then again concentrate. [The sádhakas then felt that the sound had become fainter and had changed slightly. Bábá said:] It is now more madhur [sweet] than what you heard at the other two points.

[At the end of this, Bábá said:] All of you have experienced the sound excepting a few. Those who have not heard it should do more intensive sádhaná for a few days, and in their normal sádhaná they will also hear this sound. [He assured everyone:] Those to whom I give the experience of this sound once, will be able to listen to this sound even while walking on the road only by remembering me for a few seconds. I will complete the course of one and all who will only follow the Supreme Command.⁽⁴⁾

[He then finally explained that this was the “sound of silence”, the “divine sound”, or the prańava dhvani:] This sound is caused by the process of thinking of the Creator when He thinks of creation. The entire universe is within His mind. Every action produces a particular sound. The average of all sounds produced within Him, is this sound: the sound caused by the creation of a thing, the sound due to the existence of a thing, and the sound due to the destruction of a thing – as everything is happening only within Him. Everything has its own individual vibration, and every individual possesses different vibrations for different points, and the average vibration is at the nucleus of the entire body.

[Bábá then told a young sádhaka to sit in any dhyánásana, as per his own choice, with his spinal cord in the proper position. He also told him to keep his navel exposed. He then touched the boy’s navel point with a stick. Some movement in his body could be noticed. His anáhata (at the mid-point of the chest) was then touched, and the boy started crying out. Bábá explained:] The anáhata is the seat of all sentiments, so by a touch to it, all the sentiments are touched – so this cry occurred in him. [The boy’s vishuddha cakra was touched, and the boy became completely silent now (as the vishuddha cakra controls the vocal cord).]

[Finally Bábá touched the trikut́i of the boy and said:] The average individual vibration of the boy is now merged into the Cosmic vibration, so he will enjoy the constant flow of bliss. [The boy fell flat on the ground. Bábá commanded:] Enjoy now the supreme bliss – enjoy. [He pointed out that one should always sit for sádhaná in a proper position.]

Footnotes

(1) Siddha posture (meditation posture of a siddha, a perfected person). –Eds.

(2) Lotus posture. –Eds.

(3) The psycho-spiritual plexus used for concentration in the practice of Iishvara prańidhána (surrender to the Cosmic Controller through meditation). –Eds.

(4) The most fundamental spiritual instructions. See page v. –Eds.

Chapter 25	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

Let us treat the two topics of today’s discussion, guhá and satsauṋga, separately first, bringing them together in the latter part of our thoughts. The word guhá has two meanings. The first interpretation from Sanskrit into English is “cave wherein God resides”. For too long yogis in every corner of the world have taken this interpretation too literally, and, thinking it to be the only way to obtain union with Supreme Consciousness, have turned their backs on society and spent their lives hidden deep in caves. Everything being a part of Parama Puruśa must mean that this world is also a part of the same; to deny one part of Him is to deny the whole; and a person’s obtaining something that he or she has denied is a very unlikely occurrence. Therefore any attempt to obtain Him by leaving the world is indeed a very foolish endeavour.

Someone may very well present the age-old argument that in a society so materially oriented, there are too many things to distract our minds, while in solitude contemplation of the Great is a much easier endeavour. This is folly again, because any mind that is swayed from contemplating Him by social distractions will no doubt find itself admiring the different rock formations in the cave of its seclusion, a more subtle and perhaps a more dangerous veil than the one supposedly left behind.

We must always bear in mind the fact that when Parama Puruśa wants us to attain Him, then and only then will we get Him. And what determines when we are ready for Him to take us? He looks to see if we truly love only Him down to the depths of our hearts. In each and every moment of our lives He is testing us to see if we have reached this degree of devotion, or whether there is still in fact some wordly desire that diverts our thoughts from Him.

The second meaning of guhá is “I am.” Paramátman [the Supreme Soul] is lying in the cave of your own heart, your own “I”-ness. So that makes everything very simple! We only need to come to know ourselves by intense sádhaná, and know His manifestations by selfless service, and then our love for Him will surely grow to boundless proportions. Parama Puruśa, seeing the degree of our devotion, will have to take us to Himself – success is surely ours.

Yes, satsauṋga, I am coming to that now. Sat means “Truth”, that which is unchangeable, the Absolute. Only He is unchanging, so He alone is Truth. Sauṋga means “company”. So satsauṋga means “the company of Parama Puruśa”. But a second meaning is also there. This term is also used to describe the company of good people. The first is internal, the second external. As we said above, internal satsauṋga is given through our growing love for Him, and this, if the sádhaná be done faithfully, is an eternal satsauṋga. But external satsauṋga must be sought out by us, by our careful choosing of the company we need. Time spent with others who are also actively seeking His internal [satsauṋga], will give very much momentum to your own sádhaná.

Of course your own ideation is of great importance here. “When a pickpocket sees a saint, he sees only pockets.” But together with the internal longing, the external presence [of spiritual people], aided by the natural attraction He has for all of His creation, will no doubt lead us to our Self-realization. Then we will be called guhán, “one who dwells in the cave of his own heart, the cave of God”. So a good person in good company has in fact already achieved Him. He or she just has not let it be known yet.

Chapter 26	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

What is abhidhyána?

Parama Puruśa is my goal. I try to reach Parama Puruśa, that is, I do sádhaná. You know that Parama Puruśa’s other name is Liilámaya [the Sportive One]. You will find Parama Puruśa if you love Him heartily. But He plays a play with you. If He does not play with you, you will not get ánanda [bliss]. A person must run here and there after Him, and think, “What is going on, what is going on?” This is suspense. And this suspense is the sweetness.⁽¹⁾

In Ranchi I told [you] about dhyána and dhárańá. Parama Puruśa is your goal. You are going to Parama Puruśa. If Parama Puruśa is caught easily in your heart, then that is the will of Parama Puruśa. If Parama Puruśa runs away from you, then what should you do? If you think, “Parama Puruśa does not want me,” and you go back, then you are defeated by Parama Puruśa. But if Parama Puruśa runs away and you chase Him, if you say, “I won’t let Him go, I will not desist till I catch hold of Him,” this is abhidhyána.

Tasyábhidhyánát yojanát tattvabhávát;
Bhúyashcánte Vishvamáyánivrittih.

[Through abhidhyána, through association with the Supreme, and through tattvabháva (half-meditation on the Supreme while in the midst of action), one can overcome the powerful spell of Vishvamáyá – the universal Máyá.]

You must do abhidhyána. “Even if Parama Puruśa says that I am a sinner or a confirmed scoundrel, I will not leave Him. Whatever I may be, a sinner, a fool, a scoundrel, I will chase him. I will run and run after Him. After all, how much can He run? I will surely catch Him.” This is abhidhyána.

Next comes árádhaná. What is árádhaná? We know that it is the microcosm that does sádhaná in all respects. Now this sádhaná is done to attain Parama Puruśa, to reach the Supreme Desideratum. And when in the process of sádhaná the devotee attains a certain stage, then the devotee forgets himself or herself completely. Sometimes it happens that a person running after Him in abhidhyána ultimately forgets himself or herself. This is known as árádhaná.

This happens in other spheres of life also. In games and sports there may be some boys and girls who in their over-enthusiasm get their legs bruised – but they have no concern about that. In music also, there are some people who get completely absorbed in the music, forgetting everything else, even their meals and bath. If, by doing abhidhyána on Parama Puruśa, one forgets oneself in a similar way, that is known as árádhaná.

Footnotes

(1) A few sentences that were unclear in the original typed notes omitted here. –Eds.

Chapter 27	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

The first stage of meditation is the stage of difficulty. All the activities of the mind are directed towards the citta, the crudest layer of the mind. The meditator has many difficulties, both inside and outside. The meditator feels internal difficulties because his or her uncontrolled thoughts are racing about like wild animals. One gets a few seconds of control over one’s thoughts, and then they go rushing off again, dashing about like untrained horses. There are many external obstacles also, because the beginner’s friends and relatives may oppose his or her meditation. They are afraid the person will become detached from the world and his or her family and friends and leave them and become a monk or nun. So these internal distractions and external pressures test the patience and determination of the person beginning spiritual practice.

The second stage is the beginning of success. All the mental activities are now directed towards the aham, the next higher layer of the mind. This is a much less difficult stage, and sometimes it is very pleasant. The thoughts which were like wild horses before have been trained to some extent. Occasionally, and for brief periods of time, the mind is controlled. During this time the meditator enjoys a taste of spiritual ecstasy and bliss, and tears of happiness may roll down his or her cheeks. In this stage also, the external pressures are reduced, since the person’s friends and relatives realize they cannot discourage the person from meditating, and finally accept his or her spiritual practices.

The third stage is the stage where some mental and spiritual powers develop. [All the mental activities are now directed toward the mahat, the highest layer of the mind.] In this stage the meditator gets control over his or her mind and some of his or her sense or motor organs, and this control gives the person some mental or supernatural power. This is a sign of great progress, a great step forward, but it is a very dangerous stage also. The meditator may become intoxicated by the new power of his or her mind, and may be tempted to abuse it (use it wrongly). Someone may anger the person and provoke that person into using his or her power wrongly, and this will bring about the person’s spiritual downfall. The misuse of any kind of power is bad; even misuse of physical, worldly, power brings about one’s downfall and degradation. Power corrupts its owner, and absolute power corrupts a person absolutely, unless there is also some strength to control the power.

The meditator should pray for Supreme Consciousness Himself and nothing else. Meditators should not ask for worldly power, even if by their meditation they develop the strength to control that power. If Supreme Consciousness is so powerful that He can grant worldly power and the spiritual strength to control that power, why not pray for Supreme Consciousness Himself? Spiritual powers may be pleasing to some people, but actually they are just what the meditator is due to receive, coming in another form.

There is an interesting story to illustrate this. Once a magical dried hand of a monkey was given to a spiritual aspirant, as a boon (spiritual gift) for his good deeds. This hand would fulfil three wishes. For his first wish, the man asked for a fortune of fifty thousand dollars – and suddenly there was a knock on the door. A man appeared with the money! The man and his wife were overjoyed! But then they found out that the money was the insurance payment on their only son who had suddenly died in an accident. The man was very clever, and so with his second wish he asked that his son be [brought back to him]. There was a clattering sound at the door. The man opened the door, and there stood the skeleton of his son, tapping at the door! The man was terrified, and grabbed the monkey’s paw and shouted at it to drive the skeleton away. The skeleton disappeared – but the third and last wish was finished and the power of the hand was exhausted. The man had received fifty thousand dollars, but he had lost his son.

The fourth and last stage of meditation is when all the mental activities are directed from the mahat, the highest, purest and most subtle layer of mind, to the Supreme Consciousness within. In this stage the meditator realizes his or her true self, and merges his or her individual mind into the infinite ocean of bliss, Brahma.

Chapter 28	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

The topic of discussion is dharma sádhaná. What is dharma? What is sádhaná? Dharma means “nature”. Sádhaná means “to complete the journey”. Each and every being which has been created in this universe has to complete its journey. Every [ion], every cell, every being which is born will have to complete its journey, because there is an ever-increasing attraction between the unit and the Cosmic, between the jiiva and God. This continuous journey has been going on since the creation of this universe. Whether you like it or not, still you have to continue the journey. To continue this journey is known as dharma sádhaná.

We are all born in this universe. We are all grateful to the Almighty, because He has given us the chance to know Him, to realize our nature. That is the course of our journey. How can we forget the path? The path of knowing Him is so beautiful. It is not only for us, it is for animals also; they are also proceeding on the path. None of them are left behind. Each one of us is moving towards that supreme nature according to our individual dharma, according to our individual nature. Each one of us is motivated by our saḿskáras, our reactive momenta. Every human being is being subjected to the reactions of his or her actions.⁽¹⁾

So saḿskára is motivating you, is propelling you towards or away from Him. If you forget the true nature of yourself then you are being propelled away from the Supreme Entity, from the Divine Being. But if you follow your nature then you are being propelled [towards] the Supreme Entity. It is up to you to select which path you want to go. The selection depends completely on you; but this is not the case for animals. Animals do not have the developed ego, whereas you have the total ego. [You know what you should do; still you do not always do it.] Your dharma, your nature (in Sanskrit dharma means “to hold, to uphold”) is to know that Supreme Entity. That is the nature of human beings.

So today [your] nature is not being upheld properly. You are not following yourself; you are not following your true nature. There are two aspects of your nature: one which is not relevant and one which is relevant. The one which is not relevant is the nature of animals. [We have all evolved out of that.] We are all [possessed of] animal qualities. But that does not mean you have to follow that animal dharma; you do not have to. Even though you have come from that, you have to overcome that animal tendency. Eating, sleeping – all these qualities are there in the human being; they are not to be discarded, but to be overcome. We have got to overcome them by our true nature. Our true nature is to know ourselves thoroughly, to know who we are, where we have come from. So we need to have that energy. We need to have that momentum to know Him; that is known as sádhaná; that is known as intuitional practice – the intuitional practice or the meditation which gives you the momentum, the spiritual momentum, you need to go towards that Supreme Entity. First of all we all have got to know [our] dharma; [our] basic nature is important. You have to know your true nature. Once you [know] it, once you know the true nature of yourself, then you want to perform your sádhaná; then you want to perform your spiritual practices. It is because you do not know your nature that you do not do your spiritual practices. Once you start knowing your nature, once you start knowing your dharma, then you will never stop performing your sádhaná. [Then you will have] to fulfil your sádhaná because you know what you are, you know what you want to do, you know what you want to become. Becoming and knowing is an important part of the human being. First of all know; know what you want to do. Once you have known about what you have to become, then you will become what you want to become.

[You are being propelled] now by your sádhaná. Sádhaná is an important aspect of human [existence]. But dharma is that which protects your sádhaná. Without dharma there is no sádhaná, without sádhaná there is no dharma. The two are interdependent. They move together. So you have to be a dhármika. You have to follow your true nature. By following your true nature you become a true spiritual aspirant. By becoming a true spiritual aspirant you know God in yourself. You know that truth in yourself. That is what your life is to be.

It is truth that is going to save you. It is not untruth that is going to save you. Truth alone will live. In Sanskrit we say Satyameva jayate – “Truth alone will be victorious.” Truth is begotten only through dharma. [Where there is] lack of dharma there is no truth. Where there is no truth there is no victory. So the victory of all human beings is possible only through dharma, only through spiritual practices. It is our duty to perform dharma. It is our duty to perform sádhaná. It is your duty to inspire yourself.

Inspiration comes from inside. [Sometimes] we need inspiration from outside; but that inspiration is not lasting. It is momentary. But in order to inspire yourself you have got to know yourself; by knowing yourself you are inspired always. Inspiration from inside will stand for all time; it will inspire you for all time. That alone is going to help you. And by inspiring yourself you are inspiring others. So be an example. Be a true aspirant by becoming yourself what you are; [and by becoming what you are,] you show others what they have to be. So in order to know everything you know one thing. That one thing is dharma. That one thing is the supreme truth, and that truth is hiding in your heart. You have got to know that truth inside yourself. That is why sádhaná has to be performed.

In order to perform sádhaná you have to observe moral precepts. Without morality, sádhaná is [impossible]. Morality is given to you; it is for you to follow; it is up to you to follow; by observing morality, you follow dharma. By following dharma you practise sádhaná. By practising sádhaná you know yourself totally. The purpose of all creation, the purpose of all human beings, is to know what we are; that is why we are all born in this world. The very purpose of our human existence is to know what we are. There is no other purpose in this universe – remember this point. Remember always that the very purpose of our creation is to know Him, the [Supreme] Entity which is in front of you all the time – even if you forget many times because we are not following our true nature.

Having forgotten our true nature, we have strayed away from the path. So we have got to know our nature. We have got to know that inner self. Knowing one’s self is the true dharma, our true nature. The inspiration comes from inside, it comes always. So do your spiritual practices. Observe the moral principles. Become yourself an example; and that is possible by doing your spiritual practices in a regular manner, in a regular way. That is why you are all here today. The very purpose of your presence, the very purpose of your action, is to know yourself; is to inspire yourself all the time by your internal entity.

You cannot be inspired by others all the time, you have got to be inspired by yourself. That means you have to follow dharma; you have to follow the path. Because He is always inside of you; He is always outside of you also. The Supreme Truth is hiding; you are chasing Him and He is hiding behind you. And again you are chasing Him and again He is hiding. It is like a hide-and-seek game. And He is happy about that. You are chasing Him and chasing Him and chasing Him and He is hiding [from] you, and you want to chase Him again.

He is like the mother and the baby. The mother hides behind the door and the baby wants to know “Where is my mother?” And the baby chases the mother; the mother again goes back behind the door. The baby wants to know where the mother is; the baby cries a little bit; the mother shouts, “Here I am,” [and] the baby is laughing. This is the same game He is playing with all of us. He is hiding inside your heart. You open your heart and then you know Him. Again He wants to hide. He hides a little bit; now you open your heart still more. So you are to go on opening your window, go on opening your mind, more and more, then you will know Him totally. So in order to open yourself up, the only way is to know your nature, is to know your dharma. To know your dharma, to know your nature, thoroughly, you have got to perform your spiritual practices. There is no second way. There is no second path for a human being. Spiritual practices alone are going to help you, nothing else.

In order to perform spiritual practices you have to follow everything [given by your preceptor]. So try to follow all you have been asked to and try to follow all the disciplines which you need to. Then you will know Him. By knowing Him you will know dharma. By becoming one with dharma you will have completed the true journey of your life. The true journey is completed by knowing Him thoroughly.

So know Him today, not tomorrow. This day is the most beautiful day. This day has been opened to you; opened to all human beings on this planet. No one has been deprived. Everyone has been given the chance equally. No one can say tomorrow, “Oh Lord, You gave a chance only to that person, not to me.” No one is higher, no one is lower. All are equal in the eyes of God. No one is deprived; everyone has been given the opportunity to know Him. So it is for us to grab the opportunity and try to become one in Him. That is why we are all here today.

So the very purpose of our human creation is to follow the true dharma; is to maintain spiritual practices in this very life, and to become one in Him. So dharma sádhaná [means that] by following dharma we follow our sádhaná, we follow our spiritual practices. By following the spiritual practices we become one with Him. That is the final victory. That is the final goal of all human beings on this planet. Men, women, everyone, we are all marching towards that unique goal. That goal has to be realized. In order to realize the goal, you have to continue your spiritual practices. You should practise what you have been asked to. So do not forget your nature. Do not try to follow animal nature. [But at the same time] you have got to eat, you have got to sleep; that is [your] nature too. Having proper restraint over your animal nature, try to follow the true human nature; the true human nature is to know yourself.

So from this day you have been given the chance. Do not waste your time anymore. Do not waste your life anymore. Take it, this opportunity, and try to know that Supreme Consciousness which is in hiding. By knowing Him you know the whole universe; you know everything. That is the final goal of all of us. So dharma has to be practised in human life. Not tomorrow – today. Whether you are a family person or [a single] person, everyone will have to perform dharma sádhaná. Dharma has to be performed; sádhaná has to be performed.

We have been graced by Him. Grace has been showering on you. It is like a continuous rain that He has been showering on you. In order to feel His Grace, you have to remove the little bit of ego which is unnecessarily covering your head like an umbrella. It is your duty to punch a hole in the umbrella. Punch it with courage. Make many holes in the umbrella; then you will be drenched by the rain of His grace. Once you realize His grace, then you are in Him, you are totally absorbed in Him, you have become one with Him. That is a total victory. That is the final victory for all of us.

And let His Grace be always with you, because He loves [all] His sons and daughters equally. His love is perennial. It is always there. It is for you to tap His love. It is up to you because the chance has been given to you. Now it is for you to realize that and open everything. Then you will be able to enjoy the complete love and devotion which has been showering on you for time eternal.

So do not forget your life; do not forget the path; the path is very noble, very beautiful, and it is for you to know that, it is for you to realize that, so do it from today. Do not leave it for tomorrow, tomorrow may not come for you. Who knows? The sun may not rise for you tomorrow. No one can say who is going to live from today till tomorrow. It is up to Him to decide. So as long as we are here today, let us try to take [advantage] of this opportunity and do sádhaná and follow dharma; thereby you will know Him, [you will complete] the beautiful journey of knowing Him. So let us know Him today. In this way we will be able to provide paths for human beings to come. Animals also are marching ahead to know that Supreme Entity. So it is our duty to make the way, to pave the way, in order for everyone to come on this path. Realize Him. Realize that Supreme Being within you. This is your dharma, this is your path; and let this path be yours, and victory will surely be yours.

Footnotes

(1) A few words that were unclear in the original typed notes omitted here. –Eds.

Chapter 29	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

Those who have attained this superconscious level of awareness develop the true discrimination, the ability to transcend the illusion of life and discern the eternal which underlies all the changing forms. The result of true discrimination is vaerágya [non-attachment]. Those who are established in non-attachment realize that everything of this universe is the manifestation of the Supreme. They cannot hate or neglect anything of this universe. The universe is changeable, while Supreme Consciousness is unchangeable, true and absolute. But non-attachment does not mean to leave all pleasures and remain in a state of indifference to the world. It does not mean to leave everything and go to the seclusion of a mountain cave. Those who are truly non-attached do not deny the world (worldly life), they embrace it, for they feel the touch of the eternal hidden within all the changing forms of their lives. They are with everything. They are paramahaḿsa.⁽¹⁾

The subtle causal mind⁽²⁾ is the last (fifth) gateway of perfection. It is the third stage of the superconscious mind. One who experiences this stage of mind reaches very near the Infinite Self within, and such a person’s desire for supreme union becomes unbearable. Such a person has an intense desire for God. In this stage of mind there is a complete reflection of Supreme Consciousness. When the spiritual aspirant reaches this stage of mind, his or her mind becomes one with that subtle causal mind, and as a result his or her mind becomes one with the Supreme [or Cosmic] Mind and becomes an all-knowing mind. Then the person becomes an all-knowing personality and attains complete spiritual awareness. The person experiences a divine current of the supreme happiness. He or she attains the fullest expression of humanity: divinity. This is the aim of life. One can reach this stage of mind through dhyána [meditation in which the psyche is directed towards Consciousness]. Beyond this fifth layer of mind, there is Supreme Consciousness, the Supreme Spirit, the absolute reality, where all logics and reasonings and conflicts of the lower mind are dissolved and everything becomes one. Be spiritually aware; be great by your sádhaná, by your service and by your sacrifice. Be as great as He (the Supreme Entity).

Footnotes

(1) A microcosm that has become one with the Macrocosm. –Eds.

(2) The hirańmaya kośa. –Eds.

Chapter 30	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

You know, in our universe nothing is static, nothing is stationary, everything moves. Movement is the order of nature. Movement is the order of [the psychic realm, also]. Where there is no movement, there is no beginning of [life]. Immobility means complete death. This physical world, in all its five fundamental factors, is always moving, and nothing in the universe can be separated from this collective flow.

In human structures, there is internal movement within the small protoplasmic cells. [Similarly in protozoa.] In metazoic structures, the [intercellular] spaces are always increasing or decreasing, and in this way there is movement.

[Our minds] move internally and create external pressure on other microcosms, and also create a commotion in the Supreme Macrocosmic structure. Nothing is static, nothing is stationary. In this way, in a spiritual [context], the path never ends. It begins at one extreme in the least subtle form of the Macrocosm and keeps moving towards [eternal blessedness].

This is the system, in the small sphere of the atom as well as in other material structures. Mars moves with its satellites, Deimos and Phobos. The sun and all its planets move in eternal space. Nothing is without movement.

(1) In the human structure, in all the living structures, in the case of all animate objects, there is complete movement. Your mind is attached to portions of the physical body, the nerve fibres and nerve cells to which everything is connected. This is your physical movement. Your physico-psychic body⁽¹⁾ associated with your physical body moves.

(2) Then your second movement is your psychic movement. (Your first movement is your physical movement, the movement of the nerve fibres, of the nerve cells. The second movement is your psychic movement.)

(3) The third movement is your psycho-spiritual movement, that begins in the psychic sphere and moves toward the spiritual self.

[(4) And the fourth movement is spiritual movement.]

Regarding psychic movement and psychic progress, this psychic movement is not only a movement of human beings but a movement of all living beings, of all animals and of all plants which move psychically. In this psychic movement, human minds can move from one point to another, one projection converted into another projection, one psychic matrix transmuted into another matrix or matrices. In the case of plants, however, this psychic movement is nothing but inborn instinct. In the case of [un]developed animals also, the movement is nothing but inborn instinct. They move by instinct, there is no autonomous thinking. In the case of [under]developed animals, there is a small touch of autonomous thought; in the case of humans, they can think anything and everything.

This is the speciality of human beings – autonomous thinking. And when this is strangled, impeded or restrained by something internal or external, the impeding entity is a dangerous entity for human progress. When human psychic growth is stopped in this way, the restriction that has impeded human ideas or thinking or human projections can be called dogma. The progress of human society must be always free from all types of dogmas; otherwise human progress will move forever backwards. Human progress will be blocked forever.

The third human progress, as mentioned, is psycho-spiritual progress. What is psycho-spiritual progress? We obtain pleasure from our spiritual progress or through our psychic approximations or through different types of psychic projections, either internal or external. Depending on the subtleness of the object of projection, the more blissful or happy one will be. In this way, each and every human being must strive for this psycho-spiritual progress. This is the special realm of human beings. No animal can make this psycho-spiritual progress.

But the best progress is spiritual progress. When the psychic body of the intellectual person directs itself towards this spiritual progress, this summit, this goal of human propensities; when it marches towards knowledge and finally becomes one with the highest wisdom within the kingdom of eternal knowledge;⁽²⁾ this is spiritual progress. A spiritual aspirant must always remember that within himself or herself there is a happy blending of progress in all the four spheres: physical, psychic, psycho-spiritual and spiritual.

Recently I said, perhaps in Israel or in Turkey, that among these four types of progress, the physical and the psychic are objective in nature and the psycho-spiritual and spiritual are subjective in nature. That is, in human beings there are two important options of progress: the objective and the subjective.

In this world, you require food, medicine, shelter, education and so many other things; a healthy economic structure, a life free from exploitation; things for the healthy maintenance of your physical body and to maintain the proper order of the objective level. You cannot ignore, you cannot deny, your necessities. You should carry out your duty in this objective sphere, and at the same time you must not forget that you are a glorified human being. You have to elevate yourself to the excellence of human glory, to the greatness of humanity. In this way, your progress in the psycho-spiritual sphere must go forward without barriers.

In this kingdom of psycho-spiritual movement, human beings cannot tolerate any barriers. Also you should remember that your original source is the Supreme Father. He is the Causal Matrix, the Supreme Origin, the culminating point of all your movements.

In this way all your energies, all your tendencies, must be goaded towards that Supreme Entity, Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Father, who created everything. Therefore I must say that yours should be a happy blending of objective and subjective worlds. Ours is a subjective approach with objective adjustment, towards the subjective goal of the Supreme. This is the blissful blending of the objective and subjective worlds. If this blissful blending is achieved, a human society will be created. There is no alternative.

A subjective approach is the important question, but while you move towards the subjective end, you must maintain an adjustment with the objective world. There is no alternative. And this goal, when human society will be established in this supreme idea in the very near future, will produce a more constructive human society according to a plan.⁽³⁾ The humanity of the universe will unite; and we await anxiously that happy moment.

Footnotes

(1) This sentence has been translated literally from the Spanish, the original English having been lost. “Physico-psychic body” probably refers to that part of the mind associated with the glands. –Eds.

(2) A few words that were not clear in the Spanish source of this discourse omitted here. –Eds.

(3) A sentence that was not clear in the Spanish source of this discourse omitted here. –Eds.

	Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 31

ÁCÁRYA m. or ÁCÁRYÁ f. Spiritual teacher qualified to teach all lessons of meditation.
ÁNANDA. Divine bliss.
ANANDA MARGA. Path of divine bliss; Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saḿgha (Ananda Marga organization).
ÁTMÁ, ÁTMAN. Soul, consciousness, PURUŚA, pure cognition. The átman of the Cosmos is PARAMÁTMAN, and that of the unit is the jiivátman.
AVADHÚTA m. or AVADHÚTIKÁ f. Literally, “one who is thoroughly cleansed mentally and spiritually”; a monk or nun of an order close to the tradition of Shaeva Tantra.
AVIDYÁ. Ignorance; centrifugal, or extroversial, force; force of repulsion from the Nucleus Consciousness; aspect of the Cosmic Operative Principle which guides movements from the subtle to the crude. See also VIDYÁ.

BHAKTA. Devotee.
BHAKTI. Devotion.
BRAHMA. Supreme Entity, comprising both PURUŚA, or SHIVA, and PRAKRTI, or SHAKTI.

CAKRA. Cycle or circle; psycho-spiritual centre, or plexus. The cakras in the human body are all located along the suśumná canal which passes through the length of the spinal column and extends up to the crown of the head. Some cakras, however, are associated with external concentration points. The concentration points for the cakras: (1) for the múládhára cakra, the base of the spine, above the perineum; (2) for the svádhiśt́hána, the base of the genital organ; (3) for the mańipura, the navel; (4) for the anáhata, the mid-point of the chest; (5) for the vishuddha, the throat; (6) for the ájiṋá, between the eyebrows; and (7) for the sahasrára, the crown of the head.

DÁDÁ m. or DIDI f. Literally, “elder brother” or “elder sister”; may refer to an ÁCÁRYA or ÁCÁRYÁ of ANANDA MARGA.
DEVA. Mythologically, a god, a deity. Philosophically, any vibration, or expression, emanating from the Cosmic Nucleus.
DEVATÁ. Mythologically, a god or goddess. Philosophically, a minor expression of a DEVA, controlled and supervised by the deva. (Deva and devatá are sometimes used interchangeably.)
DHÁRAŃÁ. Restriction of the flow of mind, conception; e.g., Tattva Dhárańá means restricting the flow of mind to, or conception of, the fundamental factors.
DHARMA. Characteristic property; spirituality; the path of righteousness in social affairs.
DHYÁNA. Meditation in which the psyche is directed towards Consciousness.

INDRIYA. One of the five sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin) or five motor organs (hands, feet, vocal cord, genital organ and excretory organ). The eye indriya (for example) comprises the eye itself, the optical nerve, the fluid in the nerve, and the location in the brain at which the visual stimulus is transmitted to the ectoplasm, or mind-stuff.

JIIVA. An individual being.
JIIVÁTMÁ. See ÁTMÁ.
JIṊÁNA. Knowledge; understanding.
JIṊÁNII. A SÁDHAKA who follows the path of knowledge or discrimination.

KARMA. Action.
KARMII. A SÁDHAKA who follows the path of action or work.
KIIRTANA. Collective singing of the name of the Lord, sometimes combined with a dance that expresses the spirit of surrender.

MARGI. A member of Ananda Marga.
MÁYÁ. Creative Principle, PRAKRTI in Her phase of creation. One aspect of Máyá is the power to cause the illusion that the finite created objects are the ultimate truth.
MOKŚA. Spiritual emancipation, non-qualified liberation.
MUKTI. Spiritual liberation.

OṊM. The sound of the first vibration of creation; the biija mantra (acoustic root) of the expressed universe. Oṋḿkára literally means “the sound oṋm”.

PÁPA. Sin.
PARAMA PURUŚA. Supreme Consciousness.
PARAMÁTMÁ, PARAMÁTMAN. Supreme Consciousness in the role of witness of His own macropsychic conation. Paramátman comprises: (1) PURUŚOTTAMA, the Macrocosmic Nucleus; (2) Puruśottama’s association with all creation in His extroversive movement (prota yoga); and (3) Puruśottama’s association with each unit creation individually (ota yoga) and (4) with all collectively (prota yoga) in His introversive movement.
PRAKRTI, PARAMÁ PRAKRTI. Cosmic Operative Principle.
PUŃYA. Virtue.
PURUŚA. Consciousness.
PURUŚOTTAMA, PARAMASHIVA. The Nucleus Consciousness, the witness of saiṋcara (extroversion from the Nucleus) and pratisaiṋcara (introversion to the Nucleus).

QUINQUELEMENTAL. Composed of the ethereal, aerial, luminous, liquid and solid factors, or elements.

SÁDHAKA. Spiritual practitioner.
SÁDHANÁ. Literally, “sustained effort”; spiritual practice; meditation.
SAMÁDHI. “Absorption” of the unit mind into the Cosmic Mind (savikalpa samádhi) or into the ÁTMAN (nirvikalpa samádhi).
SAḾSKÁRA. Mental reactive momentum, potential mental reaction.
SANNYÁSII m. or SANNYÁSINII f. Literally, “one who has surrendered one’s everything to the Cosmic will” or “one who ensconces oneself in Sat, the unchangeable entity”; a renunciant.
SATSAUṊGA. Good company.
SHAKTI. PRAKRTI; energy; a deification of Prakrti.
SHÁSTRA. Scripture.
SHIVA. A great Tantric guru of 5000 BCE who guided society while His mind was absorbed in Consciousness; hence, Infinite Consciousness, PURUŚA.
SHLOKA. A Sanskrit couplet expressing one idea.

TANTRA. A spiritual tradition which originated in India in prehistoric times and was first systematized by SHIVA. It emphasizes the development of human vigour, both through meditation and through confrontation of difficult external situations, to overcome all fears and weaknesses. Also, a scripture expounding that tradition.

VEDA. Literally, “knowledge”; hence, a composition imparting spiritual knowledge. Also, a religious or philosophical school which originated among the Aryans and was brought by them to India. It is based on the Vedas and emphasizes the use of ritual to gain the intervention of the gods.
VIDYÁ. Centripetal, or introversial, force; force of attraction to the Nucleus Consciousness; aspect of the Cosmic Operative Principle which guides movements from the crude to the subtle. See also AVIDYÁ.
VIVEKA. Conscience, power of discrimination between good and evil.

YAJIṊA. Ritual sacrifice.
YOGA. Spiritual practice leading to unification of the unit ÁTMAN with PARAMÁTMAN.