Chapter 1	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The subject of today’s discourse is “Physical Propulsion, Psychic Propensities and Spiritual Attainment.” Wherever there is any physical structure, be it animate or inanimate, there is certain propulsion, or you may say propensive propulsion. In the case of inanimate objects the propulsion is of physical nature. In magnets there are certain characteristics. In water there are certain characteristics. These are all their physical propulsions or propensive propulsions.

In the case of animated structures, in animals or in human bodies, the propulsion is based on psychic specialities. That is, the propulsion is psycho-physical.

Everything moves in this universe; everywhere there is expressed dynamicity. Nothing is static in this universe of ours. Not only in the realm of physicality, but in the psychic stratum also there is, we find, this movement. In the psychic stratum, rather in the psychic arena, the movement takes place through different propensities and with the help of certain inferences. So the mental structure of each animate body moves sometimes with proper acceleration, sometimes with retardation. Where there is retardation, a day will come when the mental structure will get crudified and become one with crude or material objects. Those who have not got any subtle ideology or goal are sure to become one with the crude world, one with the physical world, one with the world of atoms and electrons. What a dangerous situation! They will lose their identities and become one with the dust of the earth. So it is the duty of each and every sane human being to see that there remains movement in his or her mind, in his or her mental world, and that mental world, that mental movement should be charged with proper acceleration, because when there is no acceleration, retardation is sure to take place.

Now in the realm of physicality, in the stratum of physicality, there is some urge and there is some movement, rather actional movement. This urge is psycho-physical. What is this urge?

Phalisyatiiti vishvásah siddherprathama lakśańam
Dvitiiyaḿ shraddhayá yuktaḿ trtiiyaḿ gurupújanam?
Caturtho samatábhávo paiṋcamendriyanigrahah
Saśt́aiṋca pramitáháro saptamaḿ naeva vidyate.

In this phase of physicality, the first item of the psycho-physical urge is the firm determination that “I must be successful in my mission.” This firm determination is the first requisite factor. The second item is that one should have respect for one’s goal. “Shrat + dhá = shraddhá.” “Shrat” means satyam, the Supreme Veracity, and “dhá” means movement towards that. So “shraddhá” means movement towards the Supreme Veracity. Sometimes people wrongly understand the word “shraddhá”. Shrat satyaḿ Tasmin dhiiyate yásá shraddhá.

Trtiiyam gurupújanam: one should do as per the gospels of the preceptor.

Caturtho samatábhávo: one must have balanced mind, that is, one must establish Pramá within and without i.e., in the physical, psychic and spiritual spheres. If Pramá is lost, it must be restored immediately.

Paiṋcamendriya nigrahah: one must have self-restraint, one must not be goaded by crude propensities. How can a person who has no control over himself or herself, exercise control over others? It is not possible.

And “Śaśt́haiṋca pramit́áháro”: one must have a balanced diet. “Whatever I get, that I will eat” – this must not be the policy of a sane being. This human body is a composite of protoplasmic cells, and these protoplasmic cells are made of the food we take in. If the food and drink is defective, then the protoplasmic cells will also become defective, and the human mind, which is the collective mind of so many protoplasmic minds, will also become defective. That is why támasik or static food has a negative influence on the human mind. These are the requisite factors.

And in the psychic sphere, when the mind proceeds internally towards its Supreme Fulfilment, there will also be three separate stages for accelerated progress: Prańipátena pariprashnena sevayá. Prańipáta means surrendering oneself before one’s goal. The attitude of self-surrender is represented by sáśt́auṋga-prańáma, which means to lie flat in a straight line like a rod. The idea is, however crooked I may be to others, to my ideology I am as simple and straight as a rod. That is why I lie prostrate.

When one surrenders before one’s ideology, one will automatically attain self-knowledge. One need not move here and there in pursuit of self-knowledge.

Idaḿ tiirtham idaḿ tiirthaḿ bhramanti támasáh janáh.
Átmátiirthaḿ na jánanti kathaḿ mokśa varánane.

Here is a place of pilgrimage: if one takes a holy dip in this holy place of pilgrimage one will acquire one sort of merit. Over there is another place of pilgrimage: if one pours water on the deity over there one acquires another sort of merit. One does not acquire any spiritual progress in this way. This is not the path of true spirituality. One will have to move internally. So only a person who surrenders himself before his ideology can attain self-knowledge. This is the only way.

Pariprashna means to get the detailed answers to all the questions which will facilitate one’s individual progress as well as the collective progress of the cosmos, and also to apply that acquired knowledge in accelerating both individual and collective progress, Pariprashna does not mean to become a ship of knowledge: it means to know the answers to those queries which will accelerate and make the path of progress smooth.

And the third one is sevayá. Sevá means rendering selfless service to the universe, not to a particular group of people but to anybody and everybody, to all living creatures – animals, plants or human beings. Service is unilateral, not mutual. Where it is mutual, it is not service – it is commercial transaction. You are giving salt to somebody and he pays you in return. This is not service. People should carry on commercial transactions to earn their bread and render service in order to attain their spiritual progress. Only those are successful people who follow this principle in life. This is the dharma of humanity. This is the practical dharma. When people deviate from this practical dharma, their progress is stopped, and the pramátrikońa in the physical stratum is also destroyed. And in the absence of pramá trikońa in the physical stratum, material prosperity will become an impossibility.

Now you are to move towards the spiritual world from the psychic stratum. When one proceeds in the psychic arena, having attained pramá saḿvrddhi in the individual and collective spheres, one should try to attain pramá rddhi also, and for this one requires two things. There must be some spirituo-psychic urge, and there must be some psycho-spiritual action, actional progress.

What is that spirituo-psychic urge or spirituo-psychic propulsion? It is: I love my Lord, I love Him. My love knows no barriers, and in the field of activity I will be ready to do anything and everything for Him. I will recognize no obstacles, I will not care for anyone’s blame or censure. The chariot of my victory will move undaunted, smashing all hindrance.

And on the psycho-spiritual path, one will proceed towards the object of ideation, the Supreme Entity, the Source of all benevolence. This movement towards the Supreme Entity is not only intended for one’s individual emancipation, but for the emancipation of the entire universe. In the field of actional progress, one will attain pramá in the psychic sphere. Pramá-rddhi will be established both in the individual life and in the universe. And in the immediate next stage, that is, in the psychospiritual stage one will attain a purely spiritual stance, That is, one will attain pramá siddhi. It means that the aspirant has attained the goal. This one attains not out of one’s self-interest, but for the promotion of the interests of all. One will be able to bring about welfare to one and all in a better way.

In the last stage of this movement, that is, in the spiritual sphere, one comes in contact with the kaośikii shakti, the primordial force of creation. And through the lokatrikońa which was established through pramá siddhi, which has pramá saḿvrddhi as one side, pramá rddhi as another side and pramá siddhi as the third side – one approaches the vertex of the guńatrikońa. This is the particular vertex of the unbalanced triangle, from which the kaośikii shakti came out moving in a straight linear order, not in a systaltic way.

Now in this final stage of spiritual practice, the kaośikii shakti will move in a straight line in the opposite direction, along the upward movement of kulakuńd́alinii, and finally one will become one with the guńatrikońa. This is the state of perfect consummation of human existence; this is the glory of supreme spiritual attainment. You are the spiritual aspirants, it is your duty to establish a balanced triangle through pramá saḿvrddhi in the physical sphere, pramá rddhi in the psychic sphere, and pramá siddhi in the spiritual sphere. By this, your coming to this earth will be successful.

Chapter 2	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The subject of today’s discourse is, “The Path unto the Abode of Beatitude.” As you know, the style of movement, and the stamina applied for this movement, vary according to the condition of the path. So here in this case, the path unto the abode of beatitude, unto the establishment in Supreme Consciousness, may also be divided into four different stages, and to cross each and every stage one must move in a particular style, with a particular kind of inspiration and stamina.

As I told you yesterday, in the embryonic form, in the starting phase, it is the inborn instincts that may stand in the way, that may create hindrance in your march. One must keep these inborn instincts under control. The reins must not be loosened; in behaviour, in different types of psychic expression, there must be some kind of restraint. Human beings by dint of their own ordinary power very often cannot do this. I already told you that human beings at the most can make efforts, and if Parama Puruśa is pleased with their efforts, He will help them with positive microvita; Parama Puruśa will get the work done with the help of positive microvita. The duty of human beings is only to continue their efforts to please Parama Puruśa. Thus when any work is done, the concerning sádhaka is not to be given any credit; the credit should be given to Parama Puruśa. Human beings should always try to please Him to obtain His Grace; that alone will serve the purpose.

So here in this first stage, you will have to go on towards the goal, towards the termination with more and more vitality, and this vitality you are to get from the Supreme Lord. Here Parama Puruśa is your Lord, not only the Lord but the Supreme Lord from whom you are to get the stamina to move on. As I told you yesterday, in this movement one must not go beyond or against the characteristics of vitality. But you should have certain restraints over your physical movement and psychic demands. So in this stage you are to know Parama Puruśa, you are to know the Supreme Entity as the Lord of all Lords. This is the first phase, and in this phase also you are to try your best to bring as many persons, as many spiritual aspirants as possible to do this sacred duty along with you.

And in the second stratum, the second stage, as I said last night, although it does not concern inborn instincts, it concerns human instincts or instincts not only of human or living beings, but of both animate and inanimate entities; that is, you cannot, you must not neglect those inanimate entities also, because they are also guided by certain characteristics. If you go against their characteristics they will revolt against you and the result may be dangerous. I told you that under such circumstances the physical integrity or physical structure may be in danger. There may be complete disintegration of the physical solidarity – the solidarity of any structure.

In this phase one is to remember that each and every particle of one’s existence, each and every iota, each and every ectoplasm of one’s existence, is an indispensable part of the Supreme Entity. In the first phase you are to ask Parama Puruśa for the vitality to fight against your physical frailties, your physical imperfections. In the second phase you are to ask for vitality, psychic vitality, ectoplasm under endoplasmic coverage from the same Entity – not to fight against your inborn instincts but against your physical or psychic imperfections.

I already told you that human beings can make progress only up to a certain stage, and if they want to make further progress they will have to divert their psycho-physical longings towards a different and better path, and keep the flow of their movement intact; or they will have to ascribe Macrocosmic grandeur to physical pabulum. The special type of psychic force, the faculty of self-control which human beings require at this stage, lies hidden in human beings – which, in fact lies hidden in all living beings to a certain extent but that is not enough to accomplish the task. To do this, they will have to make more and more efforts, and for this they require more and more strength – and they will get this strength from Parama Puruśa. It has already been said that human beings no doubt do sádhaná, but merely by doing sádhaná they do not attain anything. Only due to the grace of Parama Puruśa can they attain anything. So to overcome their imperfection and establish themselves in the higher stratum, they will have to seek strength from Parama Puruśa, they will have to approach Parama Puruśa with these words: “Parama Puruśa, I want to move towards you, but I do not have sufficient strength to move. Please give me strength, I want to move on.”

In this phase, Parama Puruśa is not only the Supreme Lord, but He is something more than that. He is also the Supreme Progenitor. He creates everything, and that is why He is in a position to help you. So you have now understood that in the first phase the Supreme Entity is your Lord, the Lord of all Lords; but in the second phase of your march, He is not only the Lord of all Lords, but He is your Supreme Progenitor as well.

When human beings reach the third stage, the speed of their progress is accelerated. The third stage, as I said last night, concerns the psychic pabulum. There is quick progress, no doubt, in this stage, but there are strong possibilities of degradation also. At every step one must move with vigilance. In this stage the spiritual aspirants acquire some occult powers, but these powers may be dangerous after a certain progress. There is every chance of misuse or abuse of those occult powers as a result of which one degenerates. Thus in this stage there are both inner and outer hindrances and obstacles.

Kśurasya dhárá nishitá duratyayá durgaḿ pathastat kavayo vadanti.⁽¹⁾

Kat́hopaniśad. –Trans.

“The spiritual path is as sharp as the razor’s edge, it is really inaccessible” – so say the realized persons. Human beings will have to move on, but in this stage they cannot move a step forward unless and until they develop a high-grade conscience. For this they depend solely, on the grace of the Supreme.

The need for psychic power at this stage is felt much more than before, and to obtain psychic power or psychic strength is a difficult task. But this psychic power can be attained easily only by those who have learned how to surrender themselves to Parama Puruśa, who have realized that only due to the wish of Parama Puruśa they have come to the world, and again, because of His wish, they are continuing their efforts to realize Him. They realize that out of His grace, He gets the work done through their medium with the help of positive microvita. They think, “I cannot claim any merit for this. I will simply keep on working, and the energy required to do the work will be supplied by Parama Puruśa. I can say only this that with whatever energy you have given me I am working, and in future with whatever amount of energy you will give me, I will work accordingly. From my side there will be no lethargy. Whatever energy you feel necessary to give me, you will bestow on me – I have nothing to say in the matter.”

If someone has pride inwardly that he is moving on by dint of his own strength, he is wrong. How little strength human beings possess! And with that little strength, how far can they move forward! Human beings really do not have anything to be proud of. If there is anything for them to be proud of, it is Parama Puruśa. They should think, “Parama Puruśa is mine, and I am His” – that is the only source of pride. Because of His grace, they will get energy or strength from Him, and with that strength they will move forward. Without His grace, no one can move even a single step forward. And for this people should always remember that by their own efforts they do not make any progress, rather it is due to the wish of Parama Puruśa that they make any progress at all. It is the duty of Parama Puruśa to help them to move forward. This 100% reliance on Parama Puruśa is called “Prapatti” in the scriptures. Sadhakas should always maintain the spirit of “Prapatti” and they will never develop any sort of pride in their minds. “Whatever takes place in the universe and whatever qualities I possess is all due to His grace. He is the Lord of everything; He is the machine-man, and I am simply a machine.” In this third stage, if there is devotion, one can easily move forward without any difficulty; but a person who has no devotion, whose heart is as dry as a desert, will find it impossible to progress.

In this case, the spiritual aspirant will not only look upon the Supreme Entity as His Lord, and not only as the Supreme Progenitor, but as the Supreme Guru, that is, One who is capable of dispelling darkness (“Gu” means darkness, and “Ru” means dispeller), Parama Puruśa alone is the Supreme Guru: Brahmaeva Gururekah náparah – “Brahma alone is the Guru, no one else.” With the help of this Guru, the sádhakas surmount the waves of degrading tendencies in the third stage.

The fourth stage is the phase of pinnacled intellect, when all aims, all objectivities, all desiderata, all longings coincide in a particular point; that is, the mind gets pointed, apexed and pinnacled in this phase. There is no internal trouble here, but external hindrances may come in the form of so many degenerating forces. But we must remember that those with pointed intellect, those with pointed spirituality can never be defeated. They are sure to be victorious, and Parama Puruśa is sure to help them.

In this stage, the Supreme Entity is not only the Lord, the Lord of all Lords, and He is not only the Supreme progenitor, in the third phase He is also the Guru, and in this fourth phase the relationship is just like a piece of paper; the unit consciousness of the spiritual aspirant is one side of the paper and the Cosmic Consciousness of Parama Puruśa is the other side of the paper; they are inseparable, one cannot be removed from the other. By His effulgence the unit existence, the existential faculty of the aspirant gets lighted, gets illumined. With His illumination the aspirant is to move forward and enjoy the Supreme Beatitude and the Supreme Composure.

One need not ask for any thing at this stage; one needs only to move forward with single-pointed mind, and Parama Puruśa will do what is necessary. One day human beings by virtue of their sincere efforts will surely arrive at this stage; whoever is blessed with a human body and a human mind, with a constant longing for union with Parama Puruśa and a deep yearning for selfrealisation, will surely attain this stage. They will surely be established in the Supreme Stance, in the Supreme Entity; it is a must.

And in this fourth stage, hindrances do not come from inside, but from outside; some hindrances, and obstacles may come from degrading and degenerating forces – but those forces cannot ultimately be victorious. The fireflies may make angry faces at the sun or the moon, but by this the moon and the sun are not diminished – rather it is the fireflies who get burnt in the scorching heat of the sun. Similarly all the hindrances and obstacles vanish into nothingness. The victory of humanity is proclaimed through the intense sádhaná of spiritual aspirants. This Supreme Truth applies equally to individuals as well as to the entire universe. When a person attains an exalted state of spirituality, he or she can bring welfare to millions of people, and they can do so due to the grace of Parama Puruśa. So the final word is “Brahma Krpá Hi Kevalam: Gurukrpá Hi Kevalam” – “The grace of Brahma is everything, the grace of Guru and Brahma are one and the same.”

In the history of the world, you will see that against this type of spiritual aspirants who make spiritual progress with the grace of Parama Puruśa, all the degrading and degenerating forces will easily concede defeat. You too should keep moving forward, and you will also attain victory after victory – there is no doubt about it. Therefore continue your efforts tirelessly, do your duty and you will surely be crowned with success.

Chapter 3	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The subject of today’s discourse is “Propensities and Pramá”. As you know, propensities are of two kinds: introversial⁽¹⁾ propensities or Saḿvrtti and extroversial propensities or Pravrtti. What is propensity (Vrtti)? In the case of introversial propensities, the mind moves towards any spiritual pabulum, any psycho-spiritual pabulum, or in certain cases, any developed psychic pabulum, and the flow of the mind is through different channels of mind and psycho-spiritual body. But the ultimate goal is always spiritual although it may apparently be psycho-spiritual or psychic. The subtler the pabulum, the greater is the elevation of the propensities, as they move towards subtler realms.

In the case of extroversial propensities, the movement of mind is towards crude psychic, psycho-physical, or physical pabula. And the mind or psycho-physical body moves through different channels of crude mind or crude psycho-physical body.

So propensities mean not only physical or psychophysical propensities, but also psychic and psycho-spiritual propensities. But one must remember that in the realm of spirituality, there are no propensities.

In the case of microcosm there are both extroversial and introversial propensities (Pravrtti and Samvrtti), but in the case of Macrocosm, there are only introversial ones, no extroversial propensities. The movement of the propensities in Pravrtti is always extroversial, and as there is nothing outside Macrocosm, there cannot be any extroversial movement at all – the movement is always introversial, every movement is within the Macrocosmic arena. So in the case of Parama Puruśa, there are only introversial propensities. Even this expressed quinquelemental universe is within the periphery of the Macrocosmic structure. That is why those who are not cynical or nihilistic in their attitude towards the world, give the philosophical interpretation of the world as “Saḿvrtti bodhicitta” (“internally projected psychic creation, just like a flower of fig”).

In the case of both microcosm and macrocosm, there are many propensities, but they come mainly under fifty groups, and all of these fifty groups have both introversial and extroversial movements. So fifty is multiplied by two: (fifty introversial and fifty extroversial propensities) = one hundred. And since these one hundred propensities move towards the ten directions⁽²⁾, so one hundred is multiplied by ten: 100 X 10 = 1000. Thus it is said that the Vrttis or propensities (or emanations, manifestations, or flows of propensities) are one thousand in number, and they are all controlled by the multi-propensive plexus of the human body. And the controlling point of this plexus, when pinnacled, touches Parama Puruśa. That state is the state of perfect psychic equilibrium and equipoise – the state of Nivrtti. Nivrtti is the silver line of demarcation between Pravrtti or extroversial propensities, and Samvrtti, or introversial propensities.

What is Pramá? Pramá is psychic equilibrium – equilibrium in the arena of psychic faculty, and equipoise in the arena of psychic mass. In the final stage of Pramá, when there is absolute equilibrium and equipoise in psychic faculty and mass, then the triangle of forces, the triangle of equilibrium, remains undisturbed. (Pra – má + d́a + t́a suffix = Pramá).

Now, as I have already said, extroversial propensities move towards crude objects, and introversial propensities move towards the Subtlest Entity. As a result of these extroversial propensities, human beings and other living beings maintain their relationship with the earth. Without the existence of extroversial propensities, no living entity can exist properly on earth, and without the existence of introversial propensities, one loses one’s all mental faculties; the psychic flow cannot move upward towards subtler levels of existence, and so the mind gradually becomes crudified like stone or iron. All sense of humanity, all refinement and finer sensibilities are smashed into smithereens: the whole human existence is razed to its crudest foundations. That is why those philosophers who propagate materialism in fact mislead human beings towards extroversial propensities and goad them towards crude objects. Is such a state desirable? Certainly not. As there is no scope of Nivrtti, there is no equilibrium or equipoise, human beings gradually identify themselves with crude physicality or matter like stone, soil etc. In philosophical terms this is called the state of Prakrtiliina, i.e., one becomes one with nature.

Thus human beings will have to move forward towards the Supreme Entity in the multipropensive plexus along the path of introversial propensities; their minds must be elevated. But extroversial propensities will always remain in all living creatures. So while moving along this path one will have to maintain adjustment with Pravrtti, the extroversial propensities: they cannot be entirely crushed.

Even on the path of introversial propensities there are various obstacles, and those obstacles create uneasiness in the human mind. So human beings will have to move towards the Supreme Entity while simultaneously fighting against these obstacles which are known as Páshas and Ripus, internal and external enemies. As a result of their fight, human beings are established in the supreme stance of Nivrtti; and when they attain that pinnacled point in the highest cakra (Parama Pada) in the multipropensive plexus, they reach the supreme goal in human life. Then human beings no longer remain humans: they become veritable gods in human frame.

It is possible for one and all to reach this supreme stance; it needs only effort, sincerity, and constant intuitional practice, and also a wee bit of the grace of Parama Puruśa. You know that divine grace does not depend on any logic; it depends only on the whims of Parama Puruśa. If Parama Puruśa is satisfied with your intuitional practice, with your sincere zeal then He may bless you so that you can easily reach that Supreme Stance. But if He does not bless you, then you may attain the goal in theory, but not in practice. Thus everyone will have to seek His blessing in order to reach the goal. We say that spiritual progress is effected by the application of positive microvita; but in fact even microvitum is nothing but the grace of Parama Puruśa. Let human beings perform virtuous deeds, practise meditation, serve the suffering humanity, and in return they will attain His grace. Then by His grace they will certainly reach their goal when all the introversial propensities and all the extroversial propensities reach the state of Nivrtti. Not only human beings, but also animals and plants will reach that highest stance with the help of His grace. What is not possible with His grace? Everything is possible.

Human beings cannot demand that Parama Puruśa grace them; at the most they can only entreat Him for His blessing. It is said, Brahma Krpá Hi Kevalam, Guru Krpá Hi Kevalam. “The grace of Brahma, and the grace of Guru is all.” Mahadkrpayaeva bhagavadkrpá leshád vá: “The grace of a great person and a wee bit of the grace of Parama Puruśa is required.” Not much, but only a wee bit of Cosmic grace will suffice.

You should always remember that you do not belong to an ordinary family, to an ordinary lineage. Those who are the sons and daughters of Parama Puruśa certainly cannot belong to an ordinary lineage. You have a personal relationship with Parama Puruśa, and because of that intimate relation you can say to Him, “Oh Parama Puruśa, you know me very well; so if You think it proper, You may bestow Your grace upon me. But it depends on You.” Parama Puruśa certainly has great love and affection for His children; He will certainly want His sons and daughters to reach their ultimate goal. And whatever bliss human beings may attain by reaching that Supreme Stance, I know that in Parama Puruśa’s mind the happiness will be even more. Victory to you all.

Footnotes

(1) Introversial movement means movement from psychic to psycho-spiritual to spiritual. –Trans.

(2) The six directions of Pradisha (north, south, east, west, above and below) and the four directions of Anudisha (north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west). –Trans.

Chapter 4	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The subject of today’s discourse is “Macropsychic Conation and Micropsychic Longings.” The microcosm cannot remain without thinking – to remain at a standstill is not its nature. Think it must. And is the Macrocosm also compelled to think? Partly yes, partly no. When the balance in the triangle of binding fetters is maintained, there is no expression of creation, and then the Macrocosm does not think at all. But as soon as the supreme triangle is imbalanced and its equilibrium and equipoise are lost, then the attributional expressions of creation start from one of the vertices of the triangle, and then the Macrocosm also cannot remain without thinking. It is bound to think of something; it thinks of its created objects. A microcosm, a unit being, may think, “I am an insignificant person, I am not educated, I have neither intellect nor erudition nor wealth. Does Parama Puruśa think of me also? – Me, a very small insignificant microcosm?” They should remember that Parama Puruśa not only does think of them, He is bound to think of them by force of circumstances. Parama Puruśa cannot think, “These are just very ordinary human beings merely managing to make both ends meet – I can’t think of them!” He cannot think like this, because by providential decree the Macrocosm is bound to think of His created objects – He cannot forget them.

And does He think only of a human being, or only of a white ant? No, He thinks of all.

Sama pluśińá sáma mashakena
Sama nágena sama ebhistribhih lakaeh.

He looks upon a tiny white ant with as much love and affection as on a mosquito. Nor does He think of a large mammoth more than other entities, for a mammoth has a mind just as an ant has. So He thinks equally of all: He thinks of a white ant or a mosquito with the same seriousness as of a mammoth or an elephant, and He attaches same importance to each individual creature as to all the three worlds. So you understand that you are not at all insignificant: your existential value is very great.

Just as the Macrocosm thinks of the microcosm, so the microcosm also thinks of the Macrocosm: Macrocosm meditates on microcosm and microcosm meditates on Macrocosm. But what happens as a result of this mutual thinking? The microcosms attract the Macrocosm within themselves, and the Macrocosm arouses supreme devotion in the microcosms, and bestows permanent liberation upon them.

Because of this meditative emanation of the Macrocosm, the universe moves, and because of the longings of the microcosm for the Macrocosm, the unit moves from zero point to the vast range of infinity. When the mental object of the unit mind is crude, the unit mind drifts away from the Macrocosm; but even while thinking of crude objects, if one ideates on Consciousness even for some time one attains a certain degree of progress and moves towards Parama Puruśa, towards permanent liberation. This is the eternal liilá of Parama Puruśa. When human beings bring something within the scope of their intellect, and by perceiving and observing it closely, can understand the cause behind it, this is called kriidá; and when the cause is beyond the scope of their thinking it is called liilá. Whatever the Macrocosm does is beyond the periphery of the human intellect, and that is why whatever He does is His liilá.

In the process of thinking, if the microcosm’s full energy of thought is devoted to Parama Puruśa, then suspension of thought will result, and a temporary state of effortlessness or inaction of mind which is called yoga.

Sarvacintá parityágo
Niscinto yoga ucyate

Two plus two equals four: this addition is called yoga; and the merger of the unit mind in the Cosmic Mind is also called yoga. But the difference between these two types of yoga is that one is the yoga of addition (yuj + ghaiṋ) and the other is the yoga of unification of unit mind with Macrocosmic Mind (yunj + ghaiṋ). If you put sand and sugar together, they become mixed but they do not become one – the sand and sugar are still separate. But if sugar and water are mixed together they become one – sugar water. Can you separate the sugar from the water? No, you cannot, because they are already unified.

Now, these two processes are occurring simultaneously – micropsychic conation and micropsychic longing: but the difference between the thought of Macrocosm and of microcosm is that what the microcosm thinks is an auto-internal projection; but what the Macrocosm thinks, His auto-internal projection is the attributional emanation of the universe. He creates everything within; there is nothing without. Everything in this universe, even a blade of grass, is within His vast mind, within the mind of the Great Puruśa, the Great Entity, the Macrocosm. The auto-internal projection of the Macrocosm is the outer external projection for the microcosm: it becomes an outer reality.

But the auto-internal projection of the microcosm is simply a psychic phenomenon, which although it may be important for that microcosm, has no value for another microcosm because that other microcosm will not feel or realize it as a reality. This is the fundamental difference be tween Macropsychic conation and micropsychic longings: Macropsychic conation, what the Macrocosm thinks, is a reality for the microcosms, whereas micropsychic longings and desires are created on the basis of the external experience of the microcosms projected within their small minds, and have no real value in this universe. Macro-psychic conation, based on Macropsychic existence has the faculty of greatness, and micropsychic longings created by micropsychic entities have the faculty of desiring or wanting something from somebody else. This is the difference: the attribution of the Cosmic Mind is greatness, and that of the unit mind is smallness.

Etávupádhi para jiivayostayo
Samyag nirásena para na jiivo
Rájyaḿ naŕendrasya bhat́asya khetáka
Stayorapohena bhat́o na rájá.
Tayorvirodho’yamupádhih kalpito
Navástavah kashcidupádhireśah
Ishádya máyá mahadádikárańaḿ
Jiivasya káyaḿ shrńu paiṋcakośam

The attribute of controlling everything internally and externally is the wont of Macrocosm, and that of being guided by the guiding faculty of Macrocosm is the wont of microcosm. By dint of one’s own sádhaná – by taking the Supreme as its object and ascribing Godhood to whatever it sees, feels or realizes through different inferences, the microcosm becomes one with the Macrocosm and acquires the faculty of Macrocosm. This is the goal of human life.

Now, those who think that this universe is not a reality because it is a Macropsychic emanation, are not thinking in the proper way. Yes, this Macropsychic conation is a passing show, a moving reality – it is not a static reality. Is there any static reality in this universe? No, everything moves, nothing is static, for staticism is not the wont of this universe – mobility is the wont of the universe. Long ago, about four and a half billion years ago, when this planet first dissociated from the sun, it was only a ball of burning gases. Gradually it became transmuted into liquid, and then a layer of solid formed on that liquid matter. You may have noticed that whenever there is a layer of solid on a pot of boiling milk, the entire surface is not uniformly level: it is uneven, with some portion a bit high, some portion a bit low. In exactly the same way, on this earth a portion of that outer solid layer on the liquid was called Gondwanaland, and the eastern part of Gondwanaland was known as Ráŕh. In this area there were red metals and non-metals in the soil, and so it was called laterite or reddish soil – “Ráŕh” in the Austrik language. From the high snowcapped mountains of Ráŕh flowed large rivers – the present Damodar, Mayurákśii, Ajay, Kaḿsávatii, and Suvarńarekhá; and as human civilization progressed, larger ships used to sail on those ice-fed rivers. Still later, as the result of tempestuous rains, those great mountains eroded; the soil began to slip away, and the mountains lost their height. There was no more snow on the peaks, and the rivers were no longer fed by melted ice. They were only fed by the rains, and thus they shrank in size. The rivers you see in Ráhr are all small rivers now; but if you look carefully you will observe that their beds are very wide. If you travel between Bhedia and Bolpur you will see that the river bed of the Ajay river is very wide, but the water current is now flowing only through one side of the bed. The same applies to the Damodara and the Mayúrákśii also.

Thus everything undergoes metamorphosis and transformation in this way. Can we dismiss all these things as simply unreal? No, we cannot. Besides, the very nature of imagination is mobility: whatever the Macrocosm thinks is also moving, and so the whole universe is always in a continuous state of flux. The once snowcapped mountains of Ráhr no longer have ice on their peaks, and are now reduced to humble hills – in some cases, to very small hills. One day they will become level with the earth, and there will remain only undulating laterite soil. This sort of metamorphosis is natural as the universe is a dynamic reality. The microcosm will have to maintain adjustment with this moving reality, and in harmony with its waves, flow ever onwards towards eternity, towards salvation.

The microcosmic mind is a mere bubble, a mere spark of the Macrocosmic Mind. Then how can the unit mind dare to deny the Cosmic Mind? If human beings try to trace the cause behind this divine Liilá or sport, they will never succeed, because the Cosmic Mind is the source of all causes, the source of all the unit minds. Now if the unit minds want to know the cause, they will have to go back to the Supreme Source; but it is impossible for them to do this. If they ideate on the Supreme, then one day all their thoughts will be suspended in Parama Puruśa, and they will no longer be able to think – their minds will stop functioning. In that state of mindlessness, there remains only the Soul or Self (Átman). So if you really want to reach the source of your life you will have to lose your mind, and when your mind is non-existent, how can you run after that Supreme Entity? In logic this is called the fallacy of infinite regress: your mind cannot make any statement about an Entity whose origin must remain forever unknown.

So the microcosms must think, “We are moving towards the Supreme Source of all – we are going to surrender ourselves at the feet of Parama Puruśa.” When human beings consider themselves as superior or powerful entities, then they view themselves as the subject, and the One to whom they are moving becomes the object. When people’s goal of life is crude – wealth, power etc., then their hidden intention is to acquire more and more satisfaction and comfort for themselves (khud parastii or self-centered). But when they want to give satisfaction to Parama Puruśa and move towards Him, it is called khudáparastii or God-centered. This is the difference between a sádhaka and a non-sádhaka: a non-sádhaka is khudá parastii, whereas a sádhaka is khudá parastii.

You boys and you girls, do you realize why you were born? You were born to do something to please Parama Puruśa. Always move towards Parama Puruśa through your actions, through your thoughts, through your contemplation, and your goal will be attained, your purpose in coming to this world will be fulfilled. The only duty of human beings is to move along the path of righteousness until they reach the Supreme Entity, they touch the sweet feet of the Supreme Entity, they cannot stop their movement.

Now, how will they move? By maintaining a proper adjustment with the external world, by rendering maximum service to the external world in all possible ways. Thus the unit entity will move towards Supreme Fulfilment while the hands and feet and mind are fully utilized in service to the external world.

You must lift your minds above all feeling of differences – difference among human beings like social disparities or economic disparities – differences between human and other living creatures – and differences between living and non-living creatures. You must move along the path of Neohumanism towards the Supreme Goal with your mind moving like a subterranean flow. Until that Supreme Goal is reached, you will have to tirelessly advance, ignoring all fatigue and exhaustion. You must reflect in your personal life the very spirit of “caraeveti, caraeveti” – move ever onwards, move ever onwards. May you be victorious.

Chapter 5	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The subject of today’s discourse is “Biological Transformation Associated with Psychic Metamorphosis and Vice Versa”. This applies to the Macrocosm as much as to the microcosms. In the phase of extroversion, one Suprapsychic Entity is transmuted into many Prakrti-influenced physical entities: the Entity which was psychic is transmuted into numerous physicalities. In this connection the Vedas observe: Eko’ham bahusyáma – “I am one but I shall become many.” This “I” feeling is something psychic, an ectoplasmic vibration within or without the realm of the physical structure.

In this transformation of One into many, or rather in this phase of extroversion, numerous individual physical structures emerge from a singular vibration: thus this psychic Entity is gradually transformed into crude matter. Each and every fractional wave of the vast Cosmic Mind then takes the form of an individual animate or inanimate structure.

In the phase of introversion, the reverse takes place: in this phase, individual microcosms move forward with the ideation of the Supreme One, and their multiplicities are transformed into the supreme unicity. As long as there are physicalities, there are material differences; but as these individual physicalities move towards the Supreme Goal, the final desideratum, their multiplicities rapidly decrease, and ultimately they are converted into one Supracosmic or Macrocosmic Entity. That is to say, the whole process of movement is from the state of unicity in the psychic arena to the multiplicities in the physical sphere, and vice versa. In the extroversial phase of expression [saiṋcara], the psychic One becomes physically many – the uni-psychic becomes multi-physical; and in the introversial phase [pratisaiṋcara], multi-physical is transmuted into uni-psychic. This is the eternal sport (liilá) of Parama Puruśa [Supreme Consciousness].

In the past, [many] millions of years ago, living beings came onto this earth. In those early days in the Tertiary Age and especially in the Cretarian [Cretaceous] Age, there were many gigantic animals and plants; (human beings did not appear until approximately one million years ago). Those huge trees and animals possessed very simple living cells without much complexity; most of the cells were only of one type. There are some trees even now which have the same kind of simple cells, for example ferns, to which I have given the Sanskrit name puráńiká. These types of plants were multi-cellular, but their protozoic structure was uniform in character; the same was the case with some other living beings also. For example, there were gigantic animals like dinosaurs, brontosaurus, kakt́esiyás, etc., which possessed very simple physical structures: the number of cells in their body was great, but the degree of intercellular difference was almost negligible.

These creatures underwent changes according to changes in time, space and person, according to changes in climatic conditions – not only on this earth but also on other planets which are inhabited by living beings. Suddenly, between one age and the next, there occurred an abnormal situation created by an ice age, when the temperature fell far below zero degrees. During that ice age, whether long or short, the animals went into hibernation. Many of them became extinct and disappeared after hibernation; because of their intellectual deficiency those gigantic creatures of the Cretarian [Cretaceous] Age had to leave the world – they were vanquished in the struggle for existence. But those creatures which did survive underwent physical changes, and also psycho-physical or bio-psychic changes. The complexity of their cells increased and their bodies gradually became smaller, and eventually their mental power also increased. That is, the physical body first became very big, and after attaining a particular shape, the structure became complicated or complex; and from that moment, in the next stage or phase, as they moved along the path of introversion towards the Supreme Desideratum, their physical body went on diminishing in size and their psychic body was strengthened – their intellect increased. This is the adjustment or equilibrium or equipoise between biological structures and psychic metamorphosis.

For example, huge reptiles which came onto this earth [millions of] years ago gradually became lizards, crocodiles, alligators and salamanders. Another huge creature which gradually developed into a smaller size was the mammoth which evolved into an elephant; but it did not become an elephant overnight – there was an intermediary stage between the mammoth and the elephant. Thus big animals became extinct, and in their place small animals appeared. (Once I said that this is not the age of small countries or big animals. Big animals will have to yield their place to the small; and small countries will have to join together in federations and confederations, or else scientific planning and development will not be possible.)

Thus in the gradual process of evolution we can observe that the crude physicality of creatures is being converted into subtlety – their physical strength is fast being metamorphosed into psychic vitality – and materiality is being converted into consciousness. Similarly, it can be understood that the undeveloped creatures of the present, in whom this physical aspect is all-important, will gradually be transformed in the phase of pratisaiṋcara into more subtle mental beings; gradually their physical aspect will decrease and the psychic aspect will become predominant. This will be true of plants also. As there is increased complexity in the psychic sphere, there will be a corresponding increase of complexity in the physical sphere, as these two are inseparable and must maintain adjustment with each other. In this way the whole universe will gradually become predominantly mental. We see before our very eyes that the gigantic animals of the hoary past, which were undeveloped in intellect, consequently became extinct. Human beings, too, will gradually become totally transformed into completely different creatures: their psychic development will greatly increase, and they will engage themselves in the pursuit of higher knowledge and more and more psycho-spiritual pursuits.

In this process, psycho-physical adjustment will create a great change in the physical body also. For example, the skin of the ancient creatures was very thick, for with this thick skin they used to resist the cold. During the ice age only those creatures with thick skin could survive. The early humans had less hair on their bodies; but the more they evolved psychically, their skin became thinner and the amount of hair increased. Buffaloes are the same as they were in the prehistoric age – they have no sense of responsibility. If while pulling a cart they happen to pass by a pond of water, they will plunge straight into the pool dragging the cart behind. Cows, on the other hand, have developed somewhat psychically and are more intelligent than buffaloes. The skin of buffaloes is very thick and the amount of hair on their bodies is less, but the skin of cows is thin and there is more hair on their bodies. This indicates that they are comparatively evolved. So the change in the psychic sphere brings about a corresponding change in the physical sphere as well. And thus in the process of evolution at present, living beings are more physical than psychic, but in the future they will become more psychic than physical. Now the element of physicality is predominant, but in future the psychic element will become predominant and the physical aspect will become secondary. All the ectoplasmic and endoplasmic potentialities of the entire creation are fast being converted into psychic potentialities.

So in this phase of introversial movement, when crude physicality is being transmuted into psychic, we can expect that the day is sure to come when the whole world will move from the subtle psychic realm and cross the threshold of the still more subtle spiritual world. And that day when the entire living world – dashing through a transitory phase of psychic – will become spiritual will not be in the distant future.

The eternal game (liilá) of Parama Puruśa is in process (when we do not know the cause of something we call it liilá and when we discover the cause we call it kriid́á); and due to this eternal game of Parama Puruśa, matter is converted into mind, and mind into consciousness, and finally unit consciousness into Supreme Consciousness. That is, first the One becomes many and then the many ultimately become One. Parama Puruśa certainly showers His grace upon the microcosmic beings, because they have all emerged from His Macrocosmic thought-waves. And in the final stage of His Cosmic thought-waves, He absorbs all the individual microcosms into His vast Macrocosmic body. The microcosms emerge from Him and finally merge back into Him.

Mayyeva sakalaḿ játaḿ mayi sarvaḿ pratiśt́hitam;
Mayi sarvaḿ layaḿ yáti tad Brahmádvayamasmyaham.

[Everything is born out of Me, everything is maintained in Me; Everything finally merges in Me; I am that Brahma – One without a second.]

If there is only one entity, there is no bliss. Just think, if you were alone in this universe, it would not be possible for you to live – you would become mad. Is it not so? When you remain together with all your friends and relatives, how joyful you feel! Suppose you meet someone after two months or two years, you say, “How are you? What’s the news? I saw you three years ago at Vaeshákhii Púrńimá DMC [a spiritual congregation]!” In this way you talk among yourselves. And do you not offer liit́i [an Indian delicacy] to each other at that time, saying, “Come, sit, let’s have some liit́i!” Had you been alone, how difficult it would have been! Regarding Parama Puruśa it is said:

Sa vá eśa tadá draśtá na pashyaddrst́amekarát́;
Me ne shantamivatmánam suptashaktirasuptadrk.
Ná sadásiinoo sadásiittadániim;
Ná siidrajo no vyomá paro yat.
Kimávariivah kuhakasya sharmannambhah;
Kimásiid gahanaḿ gabhiiram.
Na mrtyurásiidamrtaḿ na tarhi na rátryá;
Ahńs ásiit praketah.
Ániidavataḿ svadhayá takedam;
Tasmáddhányanna parah kiḿ ca nása.
Tamásiittamasá guŕ ahmagrepraketam;
Salilaḿ sarvamá idaḿ.
Tucchyená bhavpihitaḿ yadásiitta;
Pasastanmahinájayataekam.
Kámastadagre samavartatádhi manaso;
Retah prathamaḿ yadásiit.
Sato bandhumasatii niravindan hrdi pratiisyá;
Kavayo maniisá.
Tirashciino vitato rashmiresá madhah;
Svidásiidupari svidásiit.
Ásanmahimána ásanta;
Svadhá avastát prásatih parastát.
Ko addhá veda ka iha pravocat kuta;
Ajátá kuta iyaḿ visŕ stih.
Arvág devá asya visarjanenáthá;
Ko veda yata ávabhúva.
Iyaḿ visrśtiryata ávabhúva yadi bá;
Dadhe yadi vána.
Yo asyádhyakśah parame byomanta;
So aunja veda yadi vána veda.⁽¹⁾

My Parama Puruśa was alone – just imagine what great trouble He had to undergo! He had the capacity to see everything but there was nothing to be seen. One can see only if there is a second entity, but in that phase of creation there was no second entity to be seen. Who was there for Him to scold? – “Why is your out-turn not satisfactory? Give your word that from now on you will work satisfactorily!” To whom could He thus speak if there was no second entity to talk to? So Parama Puruśa thought to Himself, “Now I am alone, but I will become many.” Parama Puruśa wants an ever-increasing family so He can play with His dear children.

So your future is bright – not only bright, but guaranteed. A new spiritual life free from all sorts of dogma is sure to come in the near future. In this phase of introversion, in this eternal game of Parama Puruśa in which the physical, psychic and spiritual entities are all moving forward, one day the mental realm will be elevated to the spiritual, and unit consciousness will become one with Cosmic Consciousness. Parama Puruśa is also waiting for that auspicious day. He is with you – He will give you proper direction so that with His gospels for the salvation of the universal creation, you will reach your goal without much difficulty.

He will do what is necessary. You just go on obeying Him, just go on doing His work and adhere to what He says with all your energy. Let the speed of His introversial thinking be accelerated by your noble actions and by your spiritual pursuits. Let that golden day come at the earliest and make your life effulgent.

Footnotes

(1) These shlokas (couplets) are taken from the “Násadiiya Súkta” – the first canto of the Rgveda – composed about fifteen thousand years ago by Aryan sages. They illustrate how philosophical enquiry first arose in the minds of the ancient sages. –Eds.

Chapter 6	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The subject of today’s discourse is “Cult, Inference and Propensity.” The path that leads or goads the aspirant unto Parama Puruśa is “cult” in the true spirit of the term. Where the goal is something finite, where the pabulum is something limited, the path and the movement cannot be treated as cult.

Spiritual practice is based on cult: adherence to the doctrine of cult is started and practised in the primordial phase by the doer “I” of all living beings. The doer “I” keeps on thinking, “I am working, I am eating, I am seeing, I do not know anything, I know so many things.”

In living beings other than humans, the doer “I” is not properly expressed, and that is why they cannot establish their individual identity or do spiritual practice. In certain animals like dogs and monkeys, the doer “I” is a bit more expressed or developed than in other creatures. That is why in the future they may also be in a position to do this practice.

You should also remember that this doer “I” performs spiritual practice with the help of vital energy, not with the help of positive or negative microvita. In fact, the vital energy accelerates the speed of spiritual progress. Microvita, positive or negative, help the aspirant in his or her movement, but the aspirant cannot utilize the microvita.

When the doer “I” of the aspirant is goaded towards the Supreme Entity, it uses the vital energy acquired through different quinquelemental factors, passing through different planes of inferences, and through different propensities of the human mind, without suppressing those propensities of the mind. The question of suppression, repression and oppression does not arise in the realm of spiritual cult. You are simply to maintain equilibrium and equipoise – that is, you are to move maintaining proper parallelism with the fundamental propensities of the human mind. So spiritual practice is performed by the doer “I” with the help of energy, of so many energies which are converted into vital energy when they pass through the different planes of inferences.

It is not proper to think that this movement, this spiritual advancement, is something purely of individual character. No entity in this universe exists individually. Ours is a universal family. Each and every entity – living and non-living, moving and non-moving – helps others in maintaining not only their equilibrium, but also the equipoise of the entire universe, not only of this small planet Earth. We are to move together with all.

Even if an ant dies a premature death, it is bound to jeopardize the balance of the entire universe. Even if a 110 year old widow thinks that her life has no existential value on this planet, that she is a mere burden to society, it is a defective idea. No – even the life of such an old widow contributes to maintaining the balance of the universe. If such an old person dies prematurely, it is bound to jeopardize the balance of the universal society.

If people think that they will make steady progress in the spiritual sphere even if the society goes to the dogs, they are mistaken. You who are genuine spiritualists should practise spiritual cult thinking that by doing so you will become effective in maintaining the universal balance. You must think, “I will personally move towards the supreme desideratum, and at the same time I will try to assist those who are suffering from despair, those steeped in blind superstition and those wallowing in poverty.” Our family is universal, our abode is also universal.

Hararme pitá gaorii mátá
Svadesha bhuvanatrayam.

“The Universal Father, Shiva, is our Father. The Universal Mother, Gaorii, is our Mother. She is the causal matrix. And this universe is our homeland.”

This spiritual cult is the only cult; others are not cult, they are mere dogma. If the cult is proper – if it is cult in the true spirit of the term – it creates a sort of subtlety in one’s mental flow. Under such circumstances, we receive necessary help from positive microvita. This help that we receive by dint of our spiritual practices is composed of eight occult powers. These powers are known as “occult” because they are acquired through cult. But while acquiring these occult or so-called “miraculous” powers, we cannot do anything without the help of positive microvita. These occult powers are ańimá, laghimá, mahimá, iishitva, vashvitva, prakámya, prápti and antaryámitva. The entity who is endowed with all of them is known as “Iishvara”.

Ańimá means “converting one’s psychic existence into a small point and then transforming it into a minimum entity.” One may understand anything by entering into each and every physical particle and becoming one with the different waves of expression and emanation, by dancing with the wavelengths of objects or ideas. Unless and until one’s very psychic existence is converted into a point, one cannot move or dance according to the wavelengths of objects or ideas. This occult power acquired through positive microvita is called “ańimá”.

Laghimá makes the mind light, free from the bondages of so many liabilities. This carefree mind, freed from the fetters of materialistic bondages, can understand and think properly. So by dint of this occult power, one may understand any idea, subtle or crude, in the abstract realm.

Unless you understand how much pain and sorrow is accumulated in others’ minds, how many tears well up in their eyes, you cannot alleviate their sorrows and sufferings. Through laghimá, you can acquire this particular power to study others’ minds.

The third one is mahimá or expansion of mind. With the help of positive microvita, mind can be expanded. The radius of the mind may cover the entire universe, and we may have ideas about different subjects even without reading books and literature. And in this way, too, we may feel our oneness with the varied entities of this universe – unity in variety, unity in diversity. By associating our benevolent thoughts with each and every entity, we will contribute to universal progress and prosperity.

Iishitva enables the spiritual aspirant to guide other minds who suffer from different psychic ailments. So many people in this world are crying in pain and agony. So many miseries and afflictions have paralysed human beings physically and mentally. In leading this afflicted humanity to their physical progress and psychic well-being, this occult power of iishitva will help you tremendously. It can be achieved through positive microvita which is in turn acquired through the regular practice of cult. By sitting idle and crying constantly one cannot achieve this.

Vashvitva helps a person to bring defective ideas, or people goaded by defective ideas, unto the path of supreme greatness. If people are to be guided towards their definite progress, they will first have to be brought under one’s control. If such people work haphazardly and do not follow the right path, they cannot be expected to reach the state of welfare. So, if you really want to help people, you will have to bring them under control and then direct them along the right path to their goal. This occult power can be achieved through positive microvita.

Prakámya or the right mode of thinking aimed at promoting universal welfare, brings light to the entire universe. Through this occult power, spiritual aspirants acquire what is needed to serve the entire world.

Prápti means helping oneself and helping the souls of so many people to acquire and be benefited by the grace of the supreme.

And the eighth one is antaryámitva – to be able to enter within the ectoplasmic or endoplasmic structures of others, and thereby to know the pains and pleasures, the hopes, aspirations and longings of others to guide them properly. It is somewhat like the transmigration of souls. Regarding this eighth occult power, spiritual cult alone will not suffice – it requires the special grace of Parama Puruśa.

There is yet another occult power – the power of omniscience, to be all-knowing. This power of omniscience cannot be achieved only through the practice of cult, nor with the help of positive microvita – one must reach the height of devotion and achieve the grace of the supreme. Otherwise, even if people dash their heads against a wall, they still cannot acquire omniscience with the help of positive microvita.

And above all occult powers is the supreme knowledge – ensconcement in Parama Puruśa. This is not only a sort of omniscience, rather it elevates the aspirant to be one with the supreme cognitive faculty. Of course, those who are already endowed with devotion will automatically acquire this power.

Bhaktih bhagavato sevá, bhaktih prema svarúpińii,
Bhaktiránanda rúpáca, bhaktih bhaktasya jiivanam.

“Devotion means service unto the Lord. Devotion is of the nature of selfless love. Devotion is bliss incarnate. Devotion is the very life of the devotee.”

Devotion means working in the service of the Supreme according to His satisfaction. Without devotion, one’s mind cannot rise beyond the pituitary gland – if one wants to take the mind beyond that, one needs devotion. So the supreme spiritual progress of microcosms is never possible without devotion.

If you have devotion, you can call Parama Puruśa to you; He will certainly come to you, rather He must come to you. For this, you may or may not have anything else, but if you have devotion, you have everything. By dint of that, one attains Parama Puruśa, one becomes identified with Him. This is the summum bonum of human life.

Regarding prema or selfless love, it is said:

Samyauṋmasrńito shánto mamatvátishayáunkitah;
Bháva sá eva sándrátmá budhaeh prema nigadyate.

“The attitude which makes the mind smooth and placid, and radiant with the deepest love for the Lord, is called “bháva”. Wise people call this “prema” or “divine love”.

Prema is the attraction for Parama Puruśa overcoming the attraction for all other finite objects. Those who are endowed with such divine love are bound to receive the grace of Parama Puruśa – they need not worry about it. If they practise the spiritual cult regularly, positive microvita are sure to help them. Those who arouse devotion through action and knowledge are certain to attain the grace of Parama Puruśa. This grace need not be huge in quantity – even a wee bit of it will be enough.

Mahatkrpayaeva bhagavatkrpáleshádvá.

“One can attain the supreme stance by the blessings of the exalted ones, as well as a wee bit of Macrocosmic grace.”

Only such people endowed with the grace of the supreme are in the best position to render maximum service to this universe.

While practising spiritual cult, it should be remembered that spiritual aspirants must not practise in order to acquire these occult powers. The goal of spiritual practice is to realize the Supreme Entity. To search for any other thing is wrong. Occult powers are just like the dust on the roadside. The attraction for Parama Puruśa is the most valuable object – all else is only the dust of the earth.

Hence the spiritual aspirant must not run after these inconsequential occult powers, although while prasticing spiritual cult they may develop. You must not forget that all your achievements must maintain adjustment with the main propensities of the mind, and in the process of adjustment, all these eight types of occult powers present themselves to the spiritual aspirant.

Sádhaná starts in the plane of physicality and moves towards the physico-psychic plane. This first phase of sádhaná is performed by the “doer I”. Then from the physico-psychic plane to the pure psychic plane, and from the pure psychic plane to the psycho-spiritual plane – this portion of sádhaná is done by the “knower I”.

In the final stage of sádhaná, the pure spiritual phase, none of these can help the spiritual aspirant; even positive and negative microvita cannot function above the psycho-spiritual level, beyond the pituitary gland. No vibration is of any help. In such circumstances, finally you will have to depend on the grace of the supreme and nothing else. One is obliged to declare, Brahmakrpáhi kevalam, that is, the grace of Parama Puruśa is everything.

Everything in this universe is created, everything survives and everything ultimately dissolves in and through Him. Regarding this Supreme Entity, the scriptures say,

Yato vishvaḿ samudhútaḿ
Yena játaiṋca tiśthati;
Yasmin sarváni liiyanta
Jineyam tadbrama lakśanach.

“Out of the grace of the supreme, the universe has emerged; due to His grace, the universe preserves its existence; and because of His grace, everything will finally dissolve in Him.”

So the final word in the realm of spirituality is the supreme grace of Parama Puruśa. Intelligent people will understand this supreme truth and move accordingly. It is true not only in the physical level, nor in the physico-psychic level, nor in the psychic, nor in the psycho-spiritual level, but in all levels.

Finally, whatever you say or think, everything is finally embedded in the grace of Parama Puruśa. The sooner this fundamental truth is realized, the better it will be for all.

Chapter 7	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

You know, spiritualism and spirituality are not the same thing. “Spiritualism” means something which concerns ghosts, and “spirituality” is something which concerns the Supreme Cognitive Principle. So there is a heaven-and-hell difference between the terms “spiritualism” and “spirituality”. We are concerned with spirituality.

Now, for all actions, be they intellectual, intuitional, or purely psychic, there must be a base, a standing point, a starting-point. And there must also be a goal – a Supreme Desideratum. For this cult of spirituality, the base is morality; without morality nothing can be done. And morality concerns two types of waves: one, psycho-physical emanations; and another, physico-psychic waves, physico-psychic movement. In the case of psycho-physical emanations, one should have proper control, proper regulation, over those emanative flows. And in the case of physico-psychic movement, one should maintain a proper adjustment between the external world and the internal world, between external physicality and the internal subjective world. The goal is the attainment of that supreme stance where there will be justice and fair play for all inanimate and animate beings.

Práńáh yathátmano’bhiiśt́áh bhútánám api te tathá;
Atmaopamyena bhútánám dayáḿ kurvanti sádhavah.

[Just as my life is dear to me, similarly the life of another creature is dear to it. Every entity loves its own existence. In the light of this truth, evolved human beings feel mercy for each and every object of this creation.]

You should remember this. This sort of remembrance is called sádhu dharma or Bhágavata dharma, and the person who practises this cult is a true sádhu [renunciant]. So there must not be any gap between your thinking and your actions. If there is any gap, that gap should be minimized step by step, and finally thought and action should coincide. So on your plane of morality, there are two divisions: psycho-physical emanation and physico-psychic movement. In Sanskrit, this psycho-physical emanation is called Yama and physico-psychic movement is called Niyama.

Preaching disparity amongst human beings, or disparity amongst living beings – human beings, animals, birds, plants, etc. – is not morality. The supreme equality, the supreme spiritual stance, cannot be achieved where there is any thought of disparity. So at the very start one must practise these two types of morality and become one with them.

Now morality is the base and the supreme stance is the goal. Morality propels the microcosms towards Him without break or pause. Since Parama Puruśa [Supreme Consciousness] is attracting all entities towards Himself, in Sanskrit He is called “Krśńa”. (One of the meanings of the word krśńa is “one who attracts”. Another meaning is “the entity on whom the existence of other entities depends”.)

Thus, on the one hand, Parama Puruśa is attracting the spiritual aspirants to move ahead; and on the other hand, the spiritual aspirants, by dint of their own efforts, their own moral force, are also moving towards Him. Because of these sources of impetus, human beings arrive at their destination. If some people feel that Parama Puruśa is not sympathetic or gracious towards them, that He is not attracting them, in that case I will advise them to become more established in morality, and then they will instantly feel the grace of Parama Puruśa, because it is through their own moral force that they will move forward. Parama Puruśa does His duty of attracting them, and they have their own duty to move towards the goal. Let the sádhakas [spiritual aspirants] do their duty, and let Parama Puruśa do His.

Then, the physical body should be sanctified by good thoughts, good actions and good food as well, and also by various physical practices that affect the nerve fibres of the body; because through the nerve fibres, through the afferent and efferent nerves, the first phase of realization comes. The highest realization does not depend upon the nerve cells and nerve fibres, but for this also good food and self-restraint are necessary.

It is not proper for one to eat whatever one gets. You should eat only that sort of food which will have a beneficial influence on your body, mind and spirit. It is not proper for human beings to eat simply whatever is available, nor is it proper for animals either. Animals do indeed discriminate between food items. In this regard, Lord Shiva said:

Phaliśyatiiti vishvásah siddherprathama lakśańam;
Dvitiiyaḿ shraddhayá yuktaḿ trtiiyaḿ gurupújanam.
Caturtho samatábhávo paiṋcamendriyanigrahah;
Śaśt́haiṋca pramitáháro saptamaḿ naeva vidyate.⁽¹⁾

[There are seven requirements for success in any mission. The first is firm determination: “I must succeed.” The second is reverence. The third is guru pújá, or constant remembrance of one’s spiritual master. The fourth is equanimity of mind. The fifth is control of the senses. The sixth is a balanced diet. The seventh – There is no seventh requirement.]

This sanctification and purification of the body through proper food and proper behaviour and various practices should be complemented by certain other practices to create a perfect adjustment in the body amongst the glands, sub-glands and their hormonal secretions. The propensities of living structures are both directly and indirectly controlled by the secretions of hormones from different glands and sub-glands located near different plexi of the corporal structure.

Now everywhere, in cent per cent of the cases, there is wastage of human psychic potentiality. The psychic potentialities of human beings are immense, but people do not utilize them because most of their valuable time is wasted in undesirable thoughts, in psychic extravaganza. Suppose human life is an average of sixty years. Twenty years of that is spent in sleep, and the remaining forty years are wasted in petty or useless activities. How much time do people really get to devote to worthwhile tasks?

This psychic extravaganza should be checked either by physical approach, or psychic approach, or by spirituo-psychic approach. People should have some control over their breathing, over their respiratory system, because the waves of respiration control the waves of thinking. Whenever you are doing something crude, your respiration becomes very active; and when you are thinking of something subtle, it becomes slow, extremely slow. And finally, when this respiration coincides, or becomes one, with one’s thought-waves, that stage is known as hat́ha yoga samádhi. That is, the physical exertions, the physical emanations, become one with the psychic emanations. So some degree of control over respiration is essential.

I have already said that the scope of rationality and rationalization should be increased more and more, and for this, unnecessary waves should be removed from the plane of physicality. From the psychic sphere also, unnecessary waves are to be removed. This will remove many burdens from the mind. “I must not bother about petty things, because that will waste my time” – people should remember this. This removal or rather withdrawal of unnecessary and undesirable thoughts emanated from the mind will help you in rationalizing the major portion of your mental faculty, so this must also be practised. The cult of spirituality is a cult of pinnacled order.

Now, one’s mental flow is concerned with both ideation and meditation. So far as ideation is concerned, it is connected with the healthy condition and proper functioning of the glands and sub-glands. And we should also remember that ideation will not have any base to stand upon without a clear-cut idea. So idea must also be there.

Kánháse haḿsá áilá
Kánhámán samáilá ho rámá
Kánhámán gad́h banáil haḿsá
Kánhá mán lapt́áil ho rámá
Saguń se haḿsá áilá
Nirguń mán samáil ho rámá
Káyá gad́h banáil haḿsá
Máyá man lapt́áil ho rámá.

[Whence did the swan (a symbol of unit consciousness) come? Where did it go? Where did it build its abode? What did it associate itself with? It came from the Qualified Supreme Entity, and then it merged in the Unqualified Supreme Entity. The swan made its own body its abode and associated itself with the Cosmic Creative Principle.]

Spiritual aspirants should always remember this idea.

What should human beings do in deep ideation? They should maintain the adjustment of their glands and sub-glands. And at the same time, they should not ask for any occult power, but they should take the ideation of the Supreme. Inspired by that ideation, they should meditate on Parama Puruśa. I will say something more regarding ideation afterwards.

Now, there is another apexed or pinnacled order of the mind, that is, meditation. Meditation means concentrated thinking, associated with several subtler and important cells of the human brain. Each and every nerve cell has got its own controlling point, and for all nerve cells there is a supreme controlling point. This supreme controlling point is called in Sanskrit Guru cakra, the plexus of the Guru. All the glands are controlled by this supreme controlling point. So one’s meditation must be properly connected with this Guru cakra, the plexus of the Guru. Shiva also says:

Phaliśyatiiti vishvásah siddherprathama lakśańam;
Dvitiiyaḿ shraddhayá yuktaḿ trtiiyaḿ gurupújanam.

[There are seven requirements for success in any mission. The first is firm determination: “I must succeed.” The second is reverence. The third is guru pújá, or constant remembrance of one’s spiritual master.]

In Sanskrit, gu means “darkness” and ru means “dispeller”. So guru means “one who removes the darkness from the mind”. The darkness of the mind must be dispelled. There should not be a festival of lights outside while one’s own house remains in darkness. There should also be illumination inside one’s own house, and this is the enlightenment of the mind, of the soul.

In the Vedic language the word guru is derived from the root gur plus the suffix un. The root gur means “to train others how to speak, how to behave in a dignified manner”. The guru teaches us to follow a methodical way of life. To love is not the only work of the guru. One who only loves you is your enemy, and one who only punishes you is also your enemy. But the one who both loves and punishes in a balanced way is the real guru.

Now, meditation must be done in a methodical way, and this concerns several nerve centres and also the collective centre of the nerve cells situated in the brain. This pinnacled order of spirituality, its pinnacled point, its apexed point, is the supreme stance. For this human beings have been making constant endeavours since time immemorial, and this effort has made them move ahead, bringing them to their present status.

Previously I said that ideation must be associated with bliss. And as you all know, ideas are mainly of three types: (1) intellectual-cum-intuitional; (2) actional; and (3) devotional-cum-emotional.

Regarding intellect and intuition it is said, Ekaḿ jiṋánam anantaḿ Brahma [“Brahma is infinite intellect personified”]. Therefore, spiritual aspirants have to attain Him through knowledge; this is what the adherents of the path of knowledge maintain. There is an infinite flow of knowledge and intuition, they say, and there is no second entity. Whenever duality comes, it is only due to our ignorance, to our lack of true knowledge.

But you should remember that in most cases human intellect and intuition are wasted in extravaganza, in useless pursuits; they are not at all utilized for constructive or worthwhile endeavours. And human intuitional power is also wasted in trying to exhibit occult powers. Such persons never get the opportunity to move towards Parama Puruśa.

Regarding action it is said, Karma Brahmeti karma bahu kurviita [“Work is Brahma, therefore work more and more”].

Everything in this universe justifies its existence by this sort of relentless mobility. This world is called jagat; the word jagat is derived from the root verb gam plus the suffix kvip, and means “a mobile entity”. It is also called saḿsára, which is derived sam – sr + ghaiṋ: that is, “the entity which constantly keeps moving”. So the karma yogiis say that everything in this universe is immersed in action, in mobility. Nothing is stationary, nothing remains fixed. So move on with your actional faculty. The karma yogiis, the followers of the path of action, say that action is everything – we achieve everything through action.

Some people think, “I am hungry, I want to eat liit́i [an Indian delicacy].” But to eat liit́i we will have to make arrangements to procure gram flour, ghee, etc. All this is done only through action. And the resultant of this action is that we can finally eat liit́i. So karma is the source of everything, so say the followers of karma yoga. Therefore keep on working: Marte marte kám karo, kám karte karte maro [“Die while working, and work even while dying”].

Now, even those who are advocates of devotional or emotional faculties say that people get propensive propulsion from devotion or emotion. When the mind moves along a particular track or follows a particular discipline in a methodical way, this is called “devotion” or bhakti; but when it does not follow a particular method, when it moves haphazardly, swept away by whim, it is called “emotion”. This is the fundamental difference between devotion and emotion. You must know this clear-cut silver line of demarcation between devotion and emotion.

Those who adhere to this cult of pinnacled order know that there must be a happy blending amongst intellectual-cum-intuitional faculty, actional faculty and devotional-cum-emotional faculty. None of these is unimportant, all are of equal importance, but the finality comes in devotion. That is, the final outcome or resultant of intellectual-cum-intuitional faculty and actional faculty is devotion, not emotion, and that is why the great sages of the past said,

Bhaktir Bhagavato sevá bhaktih prema svarúpinii;
Bhaktiránanda rupá ca bhakti bhaktasya jiivanam.

[Bhakti (devotion) is service to God; bhakti is the form taken by divine love; bhakti is the embodiment of bliss; bhakti is the life of the devotee.]

Thus we see that ideation is association with one or the other idea – knowledge, action or devotion – just as meditation is associated with ideology. Thus in meditation and ideology, the spiritual aspirant is moving toward the singular Supreme Entity, the pinnacled goal. If the mind accepts two goals, two Lords, the mind becomes bifurcated.

The ideology which is associated with meditation is more a theory than a cult, and when ideation is associated with idea, it is more a cult than a theory. And the highest expression of devotion is Ananyamamatá Viśńormamatá premasauṋgatá [“The exclusive devotion to the Supreme Entity to the exclusion of all others is called divine love”].

Where the thought-waves or thought-movements are goaded by a single idea, and where the culminating point is also a singular entity – that is, where the attraction for other entities, for the crude world or the psychic world are all goaded unto the Supreme Self, towards Viśńu – this is the supreme status of devotion. Viśńu comes from the root-verb vish which means “to permeate”. The Entity which permeates everything, which is present in each and every expressed entity, in each and every emanation of this universe, is Viśńu.

Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat;
Draśt́avyamátmavattasmádabhedena vicakśańaeh.⁽²⁾

[This manifested universe is the expression of Viśńu, the latent all-pervading entity. Therefore a wise person should look upon everything as his or her own, from an integral viewpoint.]

So on the path of spiritual progress, all three – knowledge, action and devotion – are necessary. Devotion provides the sustenance, action provides the stamina of movement, and knowledge shows why and how the spiritual aspirants should move. So all three are important. But ultimately knowledge and action are merged in devotion, and thus the devotion is not devoid of knowledge or action. Maharshi Narada was the first propounder of this sort of devotional cult, which is not blind devotion but an ideal blending of knowledge, action and devotion. This blended devotion enables spiritual aspirants to attain the pinnacled goal of their lives. It is this devotion that human beings have been seeking since time immemorial. When they finally attain the guru and get initiation, then they begin to walk on this path of devotion. And those who have started on this path realize that they are sure to reach their destination, that to reach their goal is the sole reason for their birth. You should remember why you have been born. Following the path of devotion, you will have to ultimately reach Parama Puruśa. This is the pinnacled point, the supreme point of human glory. You should always remember this, during your lifetime and even after your death.

Footnotes

(1) Shiva Saḿhitá. –Eds.

(2) Viśńupuráńa. –Eds.

Chapter 8	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

Today’s topic of discourse is “Microcosm and Macrocosm” – the unit and the Cosmic. The main difference between microcosm and Macrocosm is that microcosm suffers from imperfection whereas Macrocosm is perfect. In other words, the unit is imperfect and the Cosmic is perfect. But through sádhaná or persistent spiritual endeavour microcosm attains perfection, it becomes Macrocosm.

Sádhaná or spiritual or intuitional practice is the process of transmutation of the unit into the Cosmic. Microcosm (Jiiva) and Macrocosm (Shiva) do not have a subjective difference. Soul is one. The difference lies in the object; it is objective rather than subjective. For, transmutation can never be possible if there is objective difference. The difference being objective, only an objective change will bring change in the subject.

Microcosm is multipurposive but its flow is unilateral. On the other hand, Macrocosm is uni-purpose but its flow is multilateral. There is no end to the desires of microcosm. Sometimes it desires fame and sometimes it desires money. But it can make itself travel at one time in one direction only. His mind cannot be simultaneously engaged in a book and in a football game. While reading, if he thinks of the football game his mind is diverted from the book. Similarly, he cannot enjoy the football game if in the football game he begins to think about his books. Hence, the flow of the unit is unilateral. It travels only in one direction, at one time, whereas Macrocosm is uni-purpose but multilateral. There is only one thought of Macrocosm and that is the well-being of all. This is His one sole purpose. Yet Macrocosm is a multi-lateral flow. He does many things simultaneously. He is feeding you, creating the world, making rivers, canals and birds. Everything is being created in His mind. Hence there is much variety in His mind. It has been said about Macrocosm,

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

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

This Puruśa is sahasrashiirsá. In Saḿskrta “Sahasra” means one thousand but in Vedic language “sahasra” means “many”. One person works with one brain. He works according to it and his praise and criticism is also done accordingly. But Puruśa is Sahasrashirśa ; He works with innumerable brains. So if the unit tries to compete with the Cosmic, he is bound to be defeated. It is quite natural. We work with our brain but Parama Puruśa works with all the brains of the world. He works with this collective brain and He is its master. The portion which has not been converted into brain cells remains as matter, so it also has the potentiality of a brain. That is why He is sahasrashiirśá.

Sahasrashiirśá Puruśah sahasrákśah sahasrapát. It means one who has innumerable eyes. But now the question arises as to how Macrocosm can have eyes. When matter remains associated with microcosm, in the Macrocosm there is always the witness of matter for Macrocosm is a witnessing counterpart of matter.

But what is microcosm? Microcosm is a part of Macrocosm. For instance, one drop of water in the sea is microcosm and the sea is like Macrocosm. So the reflection in microcosm will naturally be inside Macrocosm. Thus whatever microcosm knows Macrocosm also knows. But whatever Macrocosm knows microcosm does not know. Suppose there is a reflection of something in a drop of water, then it is also reflected in the sea because the drop of water is a part of the sea. If the thing is big then its reflection is not possible in a drop of water, there is need of innumerable drops. Hence a unit does not know everything because complete reflection in him is not possible. So whatever we know Paramátmá knows, and whatever we do not know Paramátmá knows that too.

How do we know an object? Our sense organ comes in contact with the object and the sympathetic vibration which is produced reaches through the nerves to a particular point in the brain and then we have perception. When through the brain the vibration reaches the mind we get the cognition, because the presence of the object is in the mind and the vibration of the object directly reaches the mind. That is why the limbs are not needed. Parama Puruśa does not require the help of limbs. For instance, if there is an elephant outside, to see it we need physical eyes. The tanmátras of the object are reflected in a particular portion of the brain through the eyes and then the picture of the elephant is formed in the mind; there after we see the elephant in the mind and get cognition that there is an elephant outside. But the elephant which we make in our mind does not need an external eye to be seen. So everything is in the mind of Parama Puruśa. This universe is His mental creation. This universe is the Macropsychic conation. That is why He does not need limbs and external eyes.

Now why innumerable legs? Time, space, person – these three relative factors have been born out of His imagination. They have flows and their wavelengths always vary. But wherever these three main factors – namely spatial, temporal and personal – are present, it becomes difficult for the unit to control them because it is itself guided by these three factors. The unit is influenced by them and moves with their help. But He in whom these three are contained, is not a slave to them nor is subjected to them. For instance, if we are in Fatehgarh and want to go to Lucknow, immediately we cannot reach there physically. If we go by train or car it will take some hours. If we go by rocket even then it will take one or two minutes. It will surely take some time. It is not possible for us to totally control the time factor. Microcosm is subjected to these three factors. In this case he is being subjected to the temporal factor for he cannot control it. But Macrocosm is not bound by these factors. He is Káládhisha; He controls the temporal factor. This why it has been said: He has innumerable legs, meaning that He has one leg in Lucknow, so it is not necessary for Him to go to Lucknow. But the people of Fatehgarh will say He is in Fatehgarh too because His one leg is there also.

Similarly, the people of Lucknow will say His leg is here and so He is in Lucknow. Hence it has been said that He has innumerable legs, because He is beyond the scope of the temporal factor.

Sa bhúmiḿ vishvato vrtvá’tyatiśt́haddasháuṋgulam. Land means material expression. Land means Kárya Brahma. It does not only mean soil. But what is this Kárya Brahma? What is the physical expression? Wherever Parama Puruśa is expressed or attributed, He is the effect. And wherever He is the witnessing counterpart there He is the causal factor. What is this world which we see? We have come in the form of effect. It has been said earlier that Macropsychic conation comes in the form of effect and that portion of the effect which has not been metamorphosed, is left in the form of witness. For instance; if a person has made something by using his hands to cut something, then the thing which he has made is the effect and the remaining position which we see is causal. The universal has not been created by Macrocosm’s own body but out of His mental body. This expressed universe is Kárya Brahma and the remaining portion is Kárańa Brahma. Kárya Brahma and Kárana Brahma together form Saguna Brahma or attributed Consciousness, or qualified Consciousness.

The acoustic root of Kárya Brahma is (ka). That is why those who serve this world are known as kápálika. What is this acoustic root? For Him the universe is a mental creation. How is mental creation done? It is a collection of innumerable mental waves. Everything has been created with particular types of mental waves. If by a scientific process we are able to create differences in the waves, then we will be able to convert this into that, iron into gold. Mercury can be converted into gold very easily by removing the difference in the waves. There are innumerable waves. The waves of Kárya Brahma and Kárańa Brahma are jointly known as Saguna Brahma. Everything has a particular type of wave behind it. Wherever there is an action or existence there is a vibration, and wherever there is vibration there is sound and there is colour. The sound may or may not be audible, the colour may or may not be visible, but it is there. So the material expression – the Kárya Brahma or the Effect Brahma – consists of many waves. These waves have the sound ká as the first consonant in the collection of tántric varńmala. Wherever there is a wave of Kárya Brahma there is a sound. The expressed universe is the Kárya Brahma.

Now, the waves in the expressed universe have the sound “ka” That is why we will call “ka” the acoustic root of Kárya Brahma, the acoustic root of “Effect Brahma”. For example when we walk there is sound like khat́ khat́. So the acoustic root like walking is khat́ khat́ khat́. When we laugh there is a sound like há há há. So where there is Kárya Brahma we call it land. The land which we think to be mud is also Kárya Brahma. In Saḿskrta there are many names for land or Karan Brahma They are Bhú, Bhúmi, Dhará, Dharitrii Sarvaḿsahá, Vasumatii, Gotra ku, Prthivii, Prthvi Kśamá, Avanii, Medinii, Mahli.

What is inside this expressed Brahma? In every unit there is the presence of the Cosmic. But how is this possible? Take, for instance, the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian sea and the Gulf of Cambay. They are all in the Indian Ocean. We can call the sea at Puri as Indian Ocean but we can not call the Indian Ocean everywhere as the Bay of Bengal. The sea in Bombay can not be addressed as the Bay of Bengal but we can call it Indian Ocean. Sah Bhúmirvishvato Vrttvá. Atyatiś thaddashángulam.

Where there is expression, there is the abode of Brahma and where there is an absence of psycho-physical expression, there too He is present. But how? According to the fundamentals of Yoga Shástra it is said that He is present at a distance of ten fingers. But here it does not mean that Paramátmá is present only at a distance of ten fingers above the earth and above that He is not present. It is not so. It means something different. It means that this expression of Paramátmá is in the phase of extroversion. But how is this phase possible? What kind of phase is it? Let us take the story of creation. It is right to say that there is Cosmic entity and the Cosmic consciousness which are transcendental entities. But nothing concrete is created. The flow continues and gradually emerge geometrical figures of sentient, mutative and static principles. Then only it can be felt that there will be a systolic vibration in the body. Vibration is always wavy, always systaltic, always pulsative. Due to this the feeling of “I exist” comes in the creation. This “I exist” feeling is extremely dominant. In all of us there is an “I” feeling and you know that “I” by your name, by your body and by your activity. Due to our worldly existence we know that I am the master of so and so. The removal of this feeling is extremely difficult. The feeling that I am now here is most difficult for us to bring in ourselves.

After the first phase of the saiṋcara, namely, the basic principle, there is a second phase known as the primordial state or primordial principle. It is difficult to understand the expression in the primordial principle. After this due to clash and cohesion, waves make their appearance, which is then known as the vibrational principle. There are some glands in some parts of the human body which are in the scope of vibrational principle. There are others which come in the scope of primordial principle. What is our Sádhaná? Right from the starting point of physical expression it moves in an upward direction. We have to cross the vibrational principle in order to reach the realm of primordial principle, from where we have to come to the basic principle. In the scripture they say that we have to lift the Kulakuńd́alinii from the múládhára to reach up the Sahasrára: Kulakuńd́alinii means coiled serpentine. “Coiled” means that the potential energy is in coiled form. The five lower cakras – múladhára, svádhiśt́hána, máńipura, anáhata and vishuddha cakra are the controlling seats of fundamental factors. Then what is above vishuddha Cakra? There comes the scope of mind. From a point in the pituitary gland of the ájiṋá Cakra the mind is controlled both directly and indirectly. This is the scope of expression. Above the primordial, in the space up to the basic, up to the Sahasrara Cakra there is no expression, nor does it have the realization of “I exist” feeling; So Paramátmá’s scope is also in Ájiṋá Cakra and the fundamental factors beneath it. He is also present in the space between the Ájiṋá Cakra and Sahasrára Cakra. His rule is present there too. This space is ten fingers long. Thus it is said that His rule is in this physical world as well as ten fingers above it.

Footnotes

(1) Rgveda Puruśasúktam. –Eds.

Chapter 9	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The term setu connotes bridge. Its function is to connect two objects. Devotion is that bridge which connects jiiva (unit) with Shiva (Cosmic Consciousness). At first one has to know about this setu. He has to dissect and analyse minutely its every aspect, taking also the help of books. This is what is called the Sádhaná of knowledge, i.e., Jiṋána Sadhaná. The endeavour to move towards this Setu is called the Sádhaná of action, i.e., Karma Sádhaná.

In philosophical parlance setu means the process of subjectivizing the objectivity. Some people are found misconstruing the real significance of devotion. They contend that since devotion is between jiiva and Shiva, where there is devotion there is the existence of duality also. But had it been so, devotion would not have performed the work of a bridge. Until and unless the jiiva crosses the bridge, there is duality; the moment the Bhava River is crossed duality meets its Waterloo. The term Bhava connotes rebirth, resulting from the action of the unit mind. Devotion is a bridge over the river of Bhava.

Bhakti Is No Sádhaná

Devotion is not Sádhaná. The stage of devotion is reached through the Sádhaná of knowledge and action. The ecstatic experience generated by devotion leads one to a state of trance. A happy news stimulates pleasing emotions in one’s mind and makes one laugh, sing and dance. The moment one crosses the bridge one is lost in the state of complete trance.

When a person is established in devotion he becomes able to understand the greatness and magnificence of Shiva. The understanding at this moment is Anubhúti Siddhi i.e., born of real experience through taste. Similarly, sweet things, e.g., mango and sugar can be distinguished only by taste. One cannot enjoy the flavour of mango by seeing its reflection in water. One will have to get the tree, pluck the mango and taste it. Similarly experience in the spiritual realm also can be had only after climbing a step on the tree of devotion. Only then one can understand the brilliance and greatness of Parama Brahma – the transcendental cosmic entity.

Parama Brahma Is Omniscient

Parama Brahma is an all-knowing entity. Where consciousness is not converted into an object there Brahma is called Parabrahma. Where it is transformed into an object there we call it Aparabrahma. Jiivas are the manifestation of Apara Brahma. The conversion of Apara Brahma into Para Brahma is the subjectivisation of objectivity. Para Brahma is called Sarvajiṋa i.e., omniscient. The Sanskrit word Sarvajiṋa is made of (Sarva + root verb jiṋá + da and means witnessing entity of all objectivities). He is in contact with everything in the universe. He lives with every small or big entity. The term Sarva stands for the three belligerent principles of Prakrti. In Sarva, Sa stands for the sentient principle, “Ra” for the mutative and “Va” for static principle. Every minutest particle is within this Sarva. There is not a single place where He is not. He is the base of the universe, He is its Áyatana. The term Áyatana connotes Adhivása, i.e., the dwelling place. A sádhaka can realize this only after starting his efforts to climb the tree of devotion.

What Is This Universe?

What is this universe? Where there is predominance of Bhaeravii shakti the universe is unmanifested. The domination of Bhavánii shakti means the manifestation of the universe. The term vishva connotes expressed universe. He is in every particle of the universe. He is also well-acquainted with the feelings in your mind. He is Mahat i.e., great. The term Mahat means matchless and also bereft of narrowness. Brahma is one and the same for all persons. Both sinners and pious persons are dependent on – rather, the descendants of Paramátma.

Súkśmát súkśmataraḿ vibháti.

Paramátmá is the subtlest of all. Your organs have a limited capacity. The subtlest is beyond their grasping power. The Saḿskrta word Súkśma (i.e., subtle) means the minutest object or the sweetest sound which the organs cannot grasp. But the subtlety is not an absolute criterion. Something which is subtle for one may not be the same for the other. It is therefore a relative terminology.

Paramátmá is Nitya. The term Nitya means that which is uninfluenced by the time factor i.e., beyond the periphery of past, present and future. The Entity on which depends the existence of time is called Mahakaola.

Object Subjectivized

Meditation is also action. For arousing devotion action is an indispensable condition. Before crossing the bridge of devotion one feels like “You are that”. But while crossing the bridge one feels “I am that”. At that time his object is subjectivised.

From Witnessed to Witnessing

In common parlance you say that Paramátmá is the object of your mind. But, as a matter of fact, everything in this world is the object of Paramátmá who alone can be the subjective entity of the universe. Supreme subjectivity cannot be your object. The experience that you are always witnessed by Him is devotion. One who realizes this attains the state of trance. The moment Tat is converted into Tvam or vice versa, one starts feeling that He is not a witnessed entity but a witnessing one. There are three main stages of mind: (i) Conscious, (ii) Subconscious, (iii) Unconscious. These stages are experienced by the reflected consciousness. When Tat and Tvam become one in the life of a sádhaka he starts feeling that it is not this reflection on these but his reflection on Apara Brahma. At that time jiiva entity for him becomes Apara Brahma. The identification of his unit identity with Brahma makes him free from virtue and vice.

Four Dhámas

The term dháma connotes home. Actually speaking there are four dhámas: i) Conscious mind, ii) Subconscious mind, iii) Unconscious mind, iv) Dhamá less (house-less) state or Nirálamba Avasthá or Turiiyá vasthá.

In the first three the object of thinking is not original. No original creation is possible in these stages. Even during dream or slumber the objects already perceived by the conscious mind are recreated again. In the unconscious mind the object perceived by the conscious mind is completely identified with the perceiving entity and naturally the imaginary figure of ghost, for instance, becomes a reality there. But in Turiiya stage original creation is possible. Man consumes an object mentally. In these three stages the object of your thinking is your own expressed counterpart. A portion of your self becomes Bhoktá and another portion Bhogya. Bhokta is Saguńa Para. Bhogya is Saguńa Apara. The neutral or Nirapekśa part is Nirguńa. Your own unit consciousness, Mahat and ego are bhoktá and citta is bhogya.

Vilakśańá

In collective life also some become bhoktá and some bhogya. But those who are vilakśańa or vipariitguńa i.e., neither bhoktá nor bhogya will feel that their real nature is manifested in realizing. “I am Sadáshiva or consciousness personified”. The term Sadáshiva means always being in consciousness. Sadáshiva was also a historical figure. About seven thousand years ago he had come with this blessing of Tantra Sádhaná. He was Mahakaola i.e., one who can arouse others’ sleeping divinity.

Mást Shiva

There are numerous glands in human body. The secretion from the upper glands affects the lower ones but not vice versa. The secretion of the pineal – the uppermost gland affects all other glands in the human body. But dirty or crude thinking does not allow the secretion to come down to all the glands and thereby influence them. Pious thinking, on the other hand, allows the pineal secretion to affect every gland and leads one to the state of trance or samádhi. The psychological implication of Samádhi is the merger of of the unit with Cosmic Consciousness and its biological interpretation is the influence of the pineal gland over other glands in human body. Samádhi was always a state of ineffable bliss due to the influence of the hormone of the pineal gland. Naturally some misconstrued his joyous state as if he were intoxicated by smoking.

Shiva – the Candrashekhara

What does the crescent moon over the head of Shiva connote? At that time people used to think some portion of the moon as invisible. They had divided the moon into sixteen Kalás. The sixteenth one was invisible to them. They placed the pineal gland in this invisible portion of the moon. This crescent moon is also called Amákalá or Indu. Shiva acquired appellations like Candrashekhara, Candrabhúśańa etc.

The limited human mind grasps external physicalities with the help of organs. But a bigger mind, cosmic mind, for instance, need not take the help of organs just as they are not needed for knowing your own thoughts. He, whose mind is immanent in every particle of the universe, does not need the external help. Identify your mind with this and you will realize that even the minutest of the objects are you. You are the pacific ocean. The universe which is the manifestation of Bhavánii Shakti will appear as your own manifestation. The universe, which is the Liila of Sadáshiva also gives Him infinite, ecstatic bliss. You meditate on Him and He meditates on you. He is the oldest of the entities – Purátana. Práciina means old and Purátana connotes oldest. Since Shiva is the oldest of the entities, He is the father of all, but He has no father of His own. None can say who His father was. The moment one realizes Him, one starts feeling that he is the controller of everything, the golden, glittering entity.

He feels that he is effulgence personified. His identity is Shivo’ham Shivo’ham i.e., “I am Shiva”. This realization is unlikely without devotion. Devotion is the bridge. Proper knowledge and action are also needed, but devotion is the prime factor, the essence.

Chapter 10	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The subject of today’s discourse is “The Stance Of Salvation and How To Attain It.” Salvation as you know, is liberation of a permanent nature. The question of liberation arises only where there is bondage. Where there is no bondage, the question of fighting for liberation does not arise. New let us see what are the bondages of a spiritual aspirant.

Within the realm of this Macro-psychic conation, bondages are of three kinds: 1) physical bondage, 2) intellectual bondage, 3) spiritual bondage. In the case of physical bondage there are three binding factors, there are three rudimental relative factors i.e., time, space, person – temporal bondage, spatial bondage and personal bondage.

In physical stratum one must try to conquer these factors, and this fight has started from the very dawn of human civilization, and this fight helps the human civilization in its progress.

In the age of bullock cart the time taken for a journey from Madras to Salem was a long period, but after the invention or locomotive the period of time was shortened. Man partly conquered the time factor. But in the age of aeroplane it has been still more conquered and in the age of rocket still more but even in case of rockets, certainly, it will take some time in terms of microscopic fraction of a second. So this time factor can never be fully conquered. Similar is the case with other two factors i.e., the bondage of person and space. So in the sphere of physicality liberation is not at all possible. Also the question of liberation of permanent nature does not arise.

Now take the case of intellectual bondage. What is intellectual bondage? Suppose there is a question in your mind. Unless and until you get a satisfactory answer, a satisfactory reply, you are under intellectual bondage, and whenever you get the satisfactory reply, you are free from this intellectual bondage and get liberation. But the next moment another question comes. Again you are under the intellectual bondage. Again the problem will be solved and you will get liberation. So you see, in the intellectual stratum liberation is possible but liberation of permanent nature is not possible. Do you follow? Liberation of permanent nature is only possible in spiritual sphere. What is spiritual bondage? It is a fact that each and every entity of this observable universe is a part of the Cosmic Self, of the Supreme Cognitive Principle. It is a known fact. But even then a Sadhaka in his personal life does not feel that unicity with his Lord. When I am one with Him why don’t I feel this unicity with Him? – this trouble, this pain, this agony is his spiritual bondage; when we should be one, and I should feel that we are one and when I am not feeling it in practice – I know it in theory but I don’t feel it in practice – this is the bondage. This is what is called spiritual bondage.

By one’s sádhaná, by one’s intuitional practice one is identified with the Supreme Controller of the Universe. Then what happens? He attains liberation and that liberation is of permanent nature and so only in the spiritual sphere one can attain liberation and that liberation is of permanent nature. That is, liberation is possible only in spiritual stratum. Now, what is this feeling of separateness? Although a devotee and his Lord are two entities, fundamentally they are one; yet this feeling of separateness exists. And as I already told you this is nothing but the creation of Máyá. Since it is a creation of Máyá a sádhaka who wants unicity with his Lord must surmount Máyá; there is no alternative. Lord Krśńa says:

Daevii hyeśá guńamayii mama Máyá duratyayá;
Mámeva ye prapadyante Máyámetáḿ taranti te.⁽¹⁾

This Máyá is an attributional principle of Mine. She is my attributional principle. She is my attributional force and she is duratyayá. It is very difficult to surmount this Máyá but the one who has ensconced himself in Me only can surmount this Mayá, there is no alternative. One will have to surrender oneself before the altar of the Almighty, there is no other way to conquer Máyá. This universe is a Máyaic creation. What is Máyá? Máyá is the Operative Principle and practically there is no difference between Cognitive Principle and Máyá. Where there is Cognitive Principle there is Operative Principle also. They cannot be separated from one another. In Saḿskrta this is called “Avinábhávii”.

Yátha shivah táthá shaktih
Yátha shaktih tathá shivah
Nányorantaraḿ vidyet
Chandra candrikayor tathá.

One cannot exist without the existence of the other. One cannot separate the moonlight from the moon; similarly, one cannot separate Máyá from the Cognitive Principle. Now, where the Operative Principle has created something abstract or something concrete there that particular Operative Principle working within the scope of something created is called Creative Principle or Máyá. So Máyá is a particular stance of Prakrti. In the Vedas it has been said:

Kśaraḿ Pradhánam Amrtakśaraḿ harah Kśarátmanáviishate deva ekah
Tasyábhidhyánát yojanád tattvabhávát Bhúyashcánte Vishvamáyá nivrttih

When this Máyá creates something we get this observable world. This world, rather this worldly transmutation of the Cognitive Principle, is called “Kśara”. It appears that the Cognitive Principle has been metamorphosed into so many entities. I said, “It appears that” because actually Puruśa is an intransmutable entity. It undergoes no metamorphosis, but due to difference, due to certain vibrational wave of the Operative Principle it appears that so many things have been created. Actually the diversity of this world is nothing but the results of different functional waves emanating from a particular stance of the Cognitive Principle. This particular stance of the Cognitive Principle is called attributed Consciousness. This attributed Consciousness is called Kśara and here in this attributed Consciousness we see so many entities due to the dexterity of that omniparous Mayá. So in this observable world, Prakrti i.e., the Operative Principle, Creative Principle, Máyá and not the Cognitive Principle is the preponderate factor and that is why in this observable world Prakrti is also called Máyá, is also called Pradháńa. Pradháńa means important. In this world Prakrti (Máyá) is more important than Puruśa. It appears to be more important than Puruśa, that is why in this observable world, she is called Mayá, she is also known as Pradháńa.

Lord Krśńa says:

Mámeva ye prapadyante Máyámetáḿ taranti te.

He who meditates on Me can surmount Máyá. Now, what should be the object of meditation? He who meditates on Me, means meditates on whom? Meditates on Kśara or Akśara? Kśará means transmuted universe, transmuted Lord. Certainly, Kśara should not be the object of ideation because if that Kśara is accepted as the object of ideation necessarily his entire identity, his mind, his soul, his body, will be transformed into that object of ideation. Kśara means this observable world of land, money and so many worldly items and articles. If that Kśara is accepted as the object of ideation, naturally mind will also become like that. So Kśara should not be the object of ideation, and one should not ensconce oneself in Kśara. Cognitive Principle, when distorted appears to be Kśara and when it remains undistorted i.e. it is not affected by Mayá, it is known as Akśara and is the witnessing counterpart of Kśara. Whatever you see is Kśara and the Cognitive Principle witnessing this Kśara is Akśara.

One portion of the Cognitive Principle has been transformed into this observable world and another portion remains attached to the Kśara and is called Akśara. Kśara means distorted, demoted, transmuted, metamorphosed and Akśara means non-transmuted, still holding its exalted position, exalted rank.

Kśaraḿ Pradháńam: Kśara should not be your object of ideation. Amrtakśarani Harah: Akśara is what? Akśara is Amrta. But should Akśara be accepted as your object of ideation? No, although Akśara has not been distorted. Akśara is not under the bondage of Prakrti, still it has got transactional relationship with this distorted Kśara. It has not been transformed into Kśara but it has got transactional relationship with Kśara. It is witnessing the functions of Kśara, that is why it has got close contact with Kśara. Its having transactional relationship with Kśara, it cannot be treated as the Supreme non-attributed Consciousness. So this Akśara also should not be accepted as the object of ideation.

Amrtakśaraḿ Harah. Akśara is Amrta. This Aksara is also Amrta, because It undergoes no changes. That which undergoes metamorphosis, undergoes changes is Mrta and that which undergoes no metamorphosis, does not pass through the orbit of time, space and person, is amrta, is immortal.

This Akśara is also called Hara. What is the meaning of Hara? In Saḿskrta Harańa means to steal, to take away. He who takes away all your sins, He who takes away all your umbers and cumbers is Hara. He is Hara, because He takes away all your sins, all your propensities. Now, This Hara. One cannot attain salvation without coming in contact with this Hara. He will have to pass through the realm of Hara because Hara is the sublimest rank of His Cognitive Self and that’s why in ancient times it was a system, rather a usage amongst the spiritual aspirants to chant a mantra, which was a very favourite mantra: Hara Hara Vyom Vyom.

Think of that Hara, think of that Hara, He will take away all your sins; think of that Hara, Meditate on that Hara. Hara Hara Vyom Vyom. Vyom is the subtlest form of matter. Ether is called Vyoma i.e., your mind should go from crude towards subtle. In the realm of physicality it will think of Vyoma and in the realm of spirituality it will think of Hara “Hara Hara Vyom Vyom, Hara Hara Vyom Vyom.” But this Hara shouldn’t be your object of ideation because it has got transactional relationship with Kśara.

Kśarátmanáviishate Deva ekah: Now both these Ksara and Hara – witnessed counterpart and witnessing counterpart – these two counterparts are within this cosmological system. Done portion and witnessing portion. Done I and Seer “I” and these two portions i.e., the metamorphosed portion and witnessing portion are being controlled by another entity, a third entity. Kśara was the first entity – witnessed portion, Akśara was the second entity-witnessing portion, and the third entity is called, in Tantra, Nirakśara. Here Nirakśara doesn’t mean illiterate. Nirakśara is the third entity controlling these two entities What is Nirakśara? Nirakśara Brahma is that controlling point of this universe, that is Puruśottama, that is Krśńa, that is Parama Puruśa, that is Parama Shiva. One will have to accept that Parama Shiva, that Parama Puruśa, that Puruśottama as one’s only object of ideation.

Kśarátmanávishate deva ekah: that is, the third entity controlling both kśara and Akśará: tasyávidhyánát jojanaal tattvabhávát. Now, regarding that Nirakśara, regarding that third entity, regarding that Puruśottama, what is one required to do? Tasyábhidhyánát: he will have to do abhidhyána. What is abhidhyána? There are two stages in abhidhyána. The first stage is called Prańidhána and the second stage is called Anudhyána. What is Prańidhána? In human mind there are so many propensities. As per yoga shastra there are one thousand propensities in human mind. Fifty propensities are controlled by fifty important glands and subglands and can be directed towards 10 directions. These directions are Púrva, Pashcima, Uttara, Dakśińa, Urdhva, Adhah. These directions are called Pradisha and the four sub-directions – Ishán, Váyu, Agni, Naert – are called Anudisha. Six Pradisha and four Anudisha are ten directions. Each and every propensity can be directed towards ten directions, and each and every propensity can function internally as well as externally; you can steal in your mind, you can steal physically! You can do something wrong mentally, you can do something wrong physically. Each and every propensity can be done internally as well as externally. So 50 x 10 x 2 = 1000. So there are one thousand propensities. Now, the uppermost gland directly and indirectly control these 1000 propensities; hence this uppermost gland known as pineal gland is called Sahasrára Cakra in Saḿskrta, i.e., the cakra, the plexus controlling propensities. Do you follow?

Now what is Prańidhána? Prańidhána is to bring all those propensities to a particular point i.e., the entire ectoplasmic structure of the microcosm is to be apexed to a particular point and from that point the resultant is to move forward towards the Cosmic Self. This movement of that apexed resultant is called Prańidhána. Pra – Ni – Dhá – Lyut́a = Prańidhána. Pranidhána is a Saḿskrta noun. This is the psychological interpretation of Prańidhána. But the practical side of Prańidhána is: there should be mental rhythm along with acoustic rhythm in Prańidhána. Where there is only acoustic rhythm, it is called Japakriyá and when that acoustic rhythm maintains parallelism with mental rhythm it is called Prańidhána. Suppose you are saying Ráma, Ráma, Ráma, Ráma – it will be Japakriyá. As you know Japakriyá is of three kinds. Ráma, Ráma, Ráma – this sound is called Vácanika Japa i.e., doing Japa kriyá explicitly, Then there is another kind of Japa: Ráma, Ráma (whispering slowly); you are uttering the sound and you are hearing the sound with your physical ears but others won’t be able to hear that. It is called Upaḿsu Japa and the third one is doing japakriyá mentally and you will hear that japakriyá with your mental ears, not with your physical ears. It is called Mánasika japa. Mánasika japa is the best japa. But in Sádhaná Marga, japakriyá doesn’t help a Sádhaka much in attaining salvation and that is why in Tantra it has been said:

Uttamo Brahmasadbhávo Madhyamá Dhyána-dhárańá
Japastutih syadadhámá Múrtipujá dhamádhamá

The best process is Brahma Sadbháva. Second one is dháraná and dhyána. Third one is Japa-Stuti – this is adhama and múrtipujá i.e. idol worship is adhamádhama. What is the matter? In Japakriyá there is only acoustic rhythm as I have told you about acoustic rhythm Ráma, Ráma, Ráma, Ráma. But in Prańidhána this acoustic rhythm maintains parallelism with mental rhythm i.e., mentally you will be saying Ráma, Ráma, Ráma, there should be acoustic rhythm Ráma, Ráma. Ráma like this and mentally you will be thinking of Ráma also, i.e., the parallelism is to be maintained, otherwise in Japakriyá where there is no parallelism what does happen; while you are uttering the word Ráma, Ráma as you are chanting the word “Rá”, letter “Rá” you are thinking of the next letter “Ma.” Ráma! Again while uttering the letter “Ma” you are thinking of the letter “Rá”. Next “Rá”. in second stage of Japa “Rá”, In that case your Mantra will be “Mara” you are uttering the letter “Ma” and thinking of the letter “Rá”, so your Iśt́a Mantra becomes “Mara” and not “Ráma”. So it is useless to do that type Japakriyá. Unless and until there is a parallelism with mental wave it is useless and where there is parallelism between acoustic rhythm and mental rhythm it is called Prańidhána. In Ananda Marga your Iishvara Pránidhána is not japakriyá; it is called Prańidhána. Prańidhána comes within the scope of Dhyána and not within the scope of japa. Do you follow? Now the first one is Pranidhána and the second one is Anudhyána. What is Anudhyána Within the greater sphere of Dhyána there are two processes – Dhárańá and Dhyána; when you try to withhold something external within your mental world it is called Dhárańá. So in Dhárańá, there is a static force, Dhárańá is of static origin. But when something is moving and that movement has been accepted by you as it is, it is called Dhyána. So in Dhyána there is a dynamic force. Dhyánakriyá is just like a thread of molasses. When poured a thread is created; there is force, there is movement in that thread but it appears to be something static. Dhyánakriyá is like this. Do you follow? “Taela Dharavat.”

What is Anudhyána? Both Prańidhána and Anudhyána come within the scope of Dhyána, come within the scope of Abhidhyána. “Tasyábhidhyánát”. I said Abidhyána. Abhidhyána means that you have accepted that Supreme Self as your object of ideation, but suppose your Lord does not want you, suppose you are a sinner and your Lord does not want that you should get Him, He will try to dart away from you, but in that case you will have to chase Him mentally. This chasing of yours is called Anudhyána. You must say, “O my Lord, I may be a sinner but I won’t spare you, I must catch you”. When this mentality functions it is Anudhyána. So without anudhyána one cannot get Him.

Next one is Yojanát. Yojana means unicity with Him. The final goal of a Sádhaka is to become one with Him. For this unification there are two root verbs in Saḿskrta (“yuj” and “yunj”) Yuj + ghaiṋ = yoga “Ghaiṋ” is the noun suffix. Thus you get the word, “yoga” and yunj + ghaiṋ is also “yoga”. In first case yoga means addition, to unite and in the second case yunj + ghaiṋ = yoga means unification. To unite and to unify are two different verbs. Suppose, for instance, there is a handful of sand and a handful of sugar. You can unite them, but these two entities i.e. sand and sugar will maintain their separate identities. But suppose there is some water and sugar, then what will be the case? They will become one. This is the case of unification. So there is difference between unity and unification. In the second case, i.e. yunj + ghaiṋ = yoga, a sádhaka’s yoga is that yoga, not the yoga of sand and sugar. Sádhaka’s yoga with Lord is the yoga of water and sugar. So Yojanát. The spirit of Sádhaná is to get oneself unified with the hub of this universal wheel, not united but unified; and as I told you that for unification you will have to remove this umbrella of vanity from your head. Now this sádhaná which is Sádhaná for complete merger, for unification, starts with fearful love. Love must be there. Unless and until there is love, there can not be unification. So love must be there but it starts with fearful love and ends in fearless love: and the space between fearful love and fearless love is the space of Sádhaná. What is Sádhaná? Sadhaná is transformation of fearful love into fearless love. Do you follow? What is love? In this universe nothing can remain secluded from other entities. Each and every object is attracting others. This attraction is a natural phenomenon, in this universe repulsion is unnatural, attraction is natural. So we can say that repulsion is negative attraction but attraction is not negative repulsion. This attraction is called Ákarśańa in saḿskrta. When this attraction is for any non-integral entity, or for any small entity this is called káma. When that attraction is for that integral entity, and the integral entity is only one and that one is Parama Puruśa – it is called Prema. When the attraction is for the non-integral entity, for money, for family, for land, it is called Káma; when it is for integral entity it is called Prema and the mental tendency during Káma i.e., the mental tendency during attraction for a non-integral entity is called Ásakti in Saḿskrta and the mental tendency during attraction for that Integral Entity is called Bhakti. Do you follow? The transactional relationship during Káma i.e., during attraction for a non-integral entity is called Vyavasáya (business). Give me a sixpence I shall give you sixpence worth of salt. Vyavasáya (exchange and the transactional relationship) during Prema i.e., during the attraction for the Integral Entity is called “Seva”. The spirit of Sevá is to give everything and to take nothing at all. Do you follow? Yojanát. I said it starts with fearful love and ends in fearless love and the process of transformation of fearful love into fearless love is called Sádhaná (Intuitional Practice). Now it starts with fearful love. Everything in this universe is afraid of Him. During midday a boy, an ultra-modern young man may, says “Oh, I have got no faith in God”. And in the night in the burial ground when alone he will say, “O God, save me, you know I am your disciple, you know I love you, save me, I had to maintain my prestige in my friends’ society. That’s why I said this and that”. So everybody is afraid of Him. That is why in the scriptures it is said:

Bhiiśamád váyu pavate bhiiśodeti súryah
Bhiisasmádagnishcendraeshca mrtyuhdhávati Pancamah
Tasmáducyate bhiiśańamiti.

Out of fear of Him the wind blows. Wind is blowing because wind is afraid of Him. Wind cannot say, “No, I won’t blow.” It will have to blow because wind is afraid of Him, out of fear of Him: Bhiiśodeti súryah. The sun rises just in the scheduled time out of His fears. So the sun cannot say, “No, no, I will rise in the south!” No, the sun cannot say this. The sun will have to obey orders. So he is afraid of Him and the sun does his duty, Why? Out of fearful love. Sádhaná starts with fearful love: Bhiiśasmádagnishcendrashca. Fire burns, why? Out of fear. It will have to burn. It cannot give up its burning attributes. It will have to burn, why? It is afraid of Him. “Indra” means energy working within the scope of matter. Energy always functions within the scope of matter and that energy functioning within the scope of matter is called Indra in Saḿskrta and energy working out of the scope of matter is called Bala. There is difference between Bala and Indra. When the force working outside matter gives external pressure, it is called Bala. The Indra, i.e., the energy – the mechanical energy, electrical energy, magnetic energy – will have to do according to a certain system, certain law. They have to do it because they are afraid of Him. Mrtyuŕdhávati Pancamaha, and the god of death, that horrible death is afraid of Him. And it will have to present itself before the dying person at proper time. Death cannot say, “No, I won’t attend his deathbed.” It cannot say, it will have to go because death is afraid of Him and that is why He is called mryturmrtyu. He is Mrtyu of Mrtyu, death of death. Bhiiśańamiti – because of this kind of fearfulness He is called Bhiiśańa. One name of God is Bhiiśańa because everybody is afraid of Him. Everybody starts his Sádhaná with fearful love but that Sádhaná ends in fearless love because unless and until one becomes fearless one cannot become one with Him. One will try to keep oneself away from Him out of fear. So finally one will have to become fearless.

Yojanát Tattvabhávát. Tattvabhávát means: In Saḿskrta Tat means that and by suffixing “Tva” it has been converted into an abstract noun. Tattva means Thatness, something regarding that. That means Brahma in Saḿskrta. Brahma is neuter gender. Parama Puruśa i.e., the Cognitive Principle is masculine gender, and Paramá Prakrti, i.e., the Operative Principle is feminine gender and Brahma is neuter gender. Thatness means something regarding Brahma-tattvábhávát. That is while attending any mundane duty you will have to ascribe Brahmahood to that material object or while thinking of anything you will have to ascribe Brahmahood to your mental object. This is what is called Tattvabhávát. Yojanát Tattvabhávát, i.e. you will have to do what? Anudhyána! What will be the result of Yojanát? You will become one with Him. Tasyábhidyánát Yojanát Tattvabhávát. Bhúyáshcánte Viśńumáyá Nivrttih and what will be the result? You will get yourself liberated from Viśńumáyá.

What is Viśńumáyá? When the Lord expands Himself with the help of Máyá, when He increases the scope of His pervasiveness with the help of the Creative Principle that Creative Principle is called Viśńumáyá. Viśńumáyá is all-pervading and the Lord is called Viśńu. Viśńu means Omnipresent. Now with the help of Viśńumáyá. He expands Himself. The second one is called Yogamáyá. In the last phase of this Cosmic Psychic order when the sádhaka with the help of Hládinii shakti touches the feet of the Supreme Lord, Krśńa, that conjunction is done by Máyá and in that stage, in that phase Máyá is called Yogamáyá. Yoga means connection; Yogamáyá, Viśńumáyá, then Máhámáyá. The Máyá, with the help of which the Lord has expressed Himself in the form of this world, the Lord has created this world of diversities, is called Máhámáyá. Externally Máhámáyá, and internally you also can create the reflections of this external world. Externally you have seen something relishing, internally in your mind you will create it. Externally you came in contact with Rasagolla and internally you will also create the Rasagolla and where is that Rasagolla internally? Externally you have seen a Rájá, internally you yourself become a Ŕajá and enjoy that position. Internally you do like this. Certainly, so this internal reflection of the Máhámáyámic externality is done by you. Do you follow? This internal creation of yours is a reflection of the external world, as an external projection of this external physicality is done by your Máyá and that individual Máyá of yours is called Ańumáyá. So you see that Máyá in a particular phase is Viśńumáyá. In another phase Yogamáyá, in another phase Máhámáyá and in your particular phase she is Anumáyá. And the collective name for all these phases is Vishvamáyá, it is the collective name. That is why Tattvabhávát, that is, ascribing Brahmahood to each and every physical and mental object, by Yojanát, by Prańidhána, by Ańudhyána, what does happen? Now, Yojanát is established and when that Yojanát is established you get yourself liberated from Vishvamáyá. So the Sádhaná of a Sádhaka is to do these things. Tattvabháva, Pranidhána, Ańudhyána, and finally, yojanát. That is how one is to attain salvation, and salvation is possible only in the spiritual stratum. In the realm of physicality and intellectuality one cannot attain salvation. In the realms of physicality and intellectuality one can attain liberation but one cannot attain liberation of permanent nature in those spheres. It is only possible in the realm of spirituality.

Footnotes

(1) Bhagavad Giitá. –Trans.

Chapter 11	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

The Cognitive Principle is the singular entity, but people give Him so many names according to their respective cogitative projections. A spiritual aspirant has nothing to do with the quarrel or the controversy regarding the magnanimity of these many names as the spiritual aspirant knows that the inner spirit of all these names is the same.

Now, let us take these names one by one. The most popular name is Náráyańa. What is the inner meaning of Náráyańa? The word “Náráyańa” has been composed of Nára + Ayana and the inner meaning of Náráyańa is Parama Puruśa. The word Nára has got three meanings in Saḿskrta. One meaning of “Nára” is devotion ( Bhakti). You know there was a great sage, Nárada, which means the donor of Bhakti. “Da” means donor, so Nárada means one who distributes devotion. Another meaning of “Nára” is water. (niira) The third meaning is Supreme Operative Principle or Paramá Prakrti. Then what is the meaning of Náráyańa? Sometimes the word “Prakrti” is erroneously used for nature. We say “it is a natural creation”, but there is a difference between nature and Prakrti. Nature is the functional style of Prakrti, Prakrti is not nature. So Prakrti – the Operative Principle gets shelter in Náráyańa, as “Ayana” means shelter. Then Náráyańa means the shelter of the Supreme Operative Principle, who is the superstratum of Supreme Operative Principle. It is Parama Puruśa the Supreme Cognitive Principle, which is the transcendental and all-pervading entity. So Náráyańa means Parama Puruśa.

Then another popular name is Shiva. Shiva and Shakti are the two aspects of the same reality. Shakti is not a separate entity: Shakti is the immanent principle and Shiva the transcendental. “Shakti” means Operative Principle. In every action, two principles are required, one cognitive and another operative. Suppose you are a machine-man, you are operating a machine. In that case also two principles are working. You are operating the machine according to the dictates of your brain. So here this power of regulating the machine acts as the cognitive principle; the links, that is the muscles with which you are operating the machinery, become the operative principle. The universe is also created by principles – the Cognitive Principle, Parama Puruśa and the Operative Principle – Paramá Prakrti. Though it sounds dualistic in theory it is monistic in its spirit. The composite name of Shiva and Shakti is Brahma. So here Shiva means this Cognitive Principle which means the Caetanya, the Cosmic Consciousness. Náráyańa means the Supreme consciousness and Shiva also means the Supreme consciousness, so there is no difference between Náráyańa and Shiva.

Now, let us take another word – Mádhava. In Saḿskrta “Má” has got three meanings. One meaning of “Má” is “no”, as for example, “Má Gaccha” – don’t go. Another meaning of “Má” is indriya – the sensory and the motor organs. This is why the tongue is also called “Má”. The third meaning of “Má” is the Supreme Operative principle – Lakśmii, Paramá Prakrti. “Dhava” means controller, “Dhava” means husband. That is why a lady who has lost her husband is called Vidhavá. Another meaning of dhava is also white. Hence “Madhava” means the Controller of Prakrti. Who is the Controller of Prakrti – the Operative Principle? It is Parama Puruśa. Hence, Náráyańa, Shiva and Mádhava denote the same thing.

Now, let us take another word – Ráma. The meaning of “Ráma” is Rámante Yoginah Yasmin Iti Rámah. The Saḿskrta root is “Ram” which means to enjoy the supreme beatitude. Ram + ghaiṋ = Ráma means shelter of Supreme beatitude. It is Parama Puruśa. Hence one should not quarrel regarding the greatness of the different names of different deities. All have got the same import – the same meaning. Another meaning of Ráma is Rati Mahiidhara Ráma – the most dazzling, the most glittering entity. All accept Parama Puruśa as the most glittering entity. Another meaning of Ráma: Rávańaśya Marańam iti Ráma. What is Rávańa? You know human mind has got both the subtle and debasing propensities. As subtler propensities are directed towards the Self, there is no question of their extroversial expressions. Only the debasing propensities of human mind are expressed in ten directions - east, west, north, south, north-east, north-west, south-east, south-west, above and below. The púrva, pashcima, uttar, dakśińa, urdhva, and adhah are known as “Pradisha” in Sanskrit and Ishána, Váyu. Agni and Naert – these four corners are known as Ańudisha. Six Pradisha and four Ańudisha taken together are the ten directions in which microcosms express debasing propensities. As they are directed towards the mundane objects, the microcosm goaded with debasing propensities is called Rávańa. This is why in Hindu mythology Rávańa is represented as having ten heads. Now, what is the duty of a sádhaka for spiritual enlightenment. The sádhaka will have to fight against Rávańa, against those debasing propensities which are the causes of illusion and cloud the spiritual vision of mankind. So to be established in Parama Puruśa, one will have to crucify Rávańa. This is why Ráma has been said Rávańsya Marańam iti Ráma. When the Rávańa dies the sádhaka comes in contact with the universal flow of divine nectar. Then Rávańa dies and the reign of Ráma is established. So Ráma means Parama Puruśa – Puruśottama. This is why it is said that Rávańasya Marańamiti Ráma. What is the first letter of Rávana – “Ra.” and what is the first letter of Maranam – Ma. So Rá+ Ma = Rama, because when the spiritual aspirant ideates on Him Rávańa dies. Hence Náráyańa, Shiva, Mádhava, Ráma – all are the same. But for a sádhaka, the most valuable thing is his Iśt́a Mantra. With the help of the Iśt́a Mantra or his personal incantation, a sádhaka will attain enlightenment.

Chapter 12	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

It is said that if Parama Puruśa can be attained through Yoga then what is the place of devotion (Bhakti) in the life of a spiritual sádhaka? Now let us see what is Yoga? “Yogashcittavrtti Nirodhah” – Yoga is the suspension of the propensities (vrttis) of mind. What is Niruddha? It is said that under five circumstances the mind becomes steady – Kśipta, Múŕha, Vikśipta, Ekágra and Nirodha. What is Kśipta? When mind becomes extremely restless because of crude propensities, then the restless mind tends towards only one object. While tending towards one object, it gets itself concentrated (Samádhistha) all of a sudden therein. That absorption of mind into that object is transitory. This state is known as Kśipta. You might have noticed in your personal life that if you come in clash with a person or if you become angry with him, throughout the day the picture of that individual repeatedly comes to your mind and you fail to concentrate your mind on any object other than that individual. This state of mind is Kśipta Samádhi.

The next one is Múŕha. Where there is attachment to or fear from some object (judged minutely fear is included in attachment ), the object even in that case repeatedly creeps into mind. As for instance, a man of Gazipur working in Bombay is repeatedly haunted with the idea that he should have his office just like the one at Gazipur. Gazipur all the time haunts his mind. It means that the object comes to mind very easily, This state is called Múŕha.

The third one is Vikśipta. Vikśipta is Abhávátmiká Samádhi. Suppose the mind is absorbed in one object. The next moment it shifts to another object, then to the next one and so on and so forth till the mind gets exhausted and ceases to function. This is known as Vikśipta Samádhi. You know that in a lullaby the baby is given one picture, the next moment another picture and so on and so forth, till the child’s mind is exhausted and it takes recourse to sleep. This is Vikśipta Samádhi.

The next one is Ekágra. Because of the ideation of a particular object, the mind is concentrated at a particular point. This is known as Ekágra Samádhi.

The fifth one is Nirodha. Nirodha means to withdraw the vibrations (Gati or the propensities of mind) and to direct them to the objectless (Aviśaya) i.e., to withdraw the mind from the objectivities. This is Nirodha.

Thus Yoga is “Yogashcittavrtti Nirodhah” i.e. the Nirodha (channelisation) of all the Vrttis (propensities) of mind.

What is Vrtti? In Saḿskrta Vrtti means livelihood, profession. Here Vrtti means mental pabulum (ábhoga). These Vrttis are many in number. The chief Vrttis (Mukhyá Vrtti) are five in number, all the other Vrttis are dependent on these. These Vrttis are Pramáńa, Viparyaya, Vikalpa, Nidrá and Smrti.

What is Pramáńa? “Pratyakśánumánágamáh Pramáńáni.” Pratyakśa, Ágama and Anumána are known as Pramáńa. Pratyakśa means that which you perceive directly with your eyes. You will advocate the existence of the object you have already seen with your eyes. Prati plus Akśa is Pratyakśa. Akśi means eye; that which is seen with the eyes is Pratyakśa. Suppose you have seen an elephant with your eyes. You now do not bother about the proof of the existence of the elephant. The next is Anumána. In Anumána you don’t see the original object but you see something related (Anusaḿgita) to or associated with the original object. You see the smoke, not the fire, but when you see the smoke you come to infer that there is fire. This is Anumáná – a Pramáńa. The third one is Ágama: that which you cannot see and cannot even infer but you have heard from some authority. The city of London you have not seen nor can you imagine London but you accept its existence as you have read of it, you have studied about it in your Geography. Here one will have to depend upon Agamika Pramańa (authoritative proof). In the absence of any of these three factors (Pratyakśa, Anumána, Ágama) the existence of any object is jeopardized. There was a materialist philosopher named Maharśi Cárváka in India. Cárváka was of the opinion that Pratyakśa Pramáná is the only Pramáńa and no other Pramáńa is to be accepted. He advocated –

Pratyakśaeka pramáńaváditayá anumánáde
Anaungiikareńa pramáńabhávát.

– i.e., Pratyakśa alone is a Pramáńa. Did he not accept the existence of air? The air remains invisible to the eyes.

The next one is Vikalpa. “Shabdaguńánupátii Vastushunyah Vikalpah.” Suppose you are going to Varanasi. When you come near Varanasi you say Varanasi has come, but really Varanasi did not come – it continued existing where it was, but you yourself came to Varanasi. Then “Viparyayo. Mithyájiṋánamatadrupaprtiśthám.” You generally say that the house of a particular gentleman is in the heart of a town, Himalaya is at the head of India. Can there be heart of a town of India? Still you speak like that. The mistakes in Vikalpa and Viparyaya are occurring all the time.

The next one is Nidrá, one of the main propensities. “Abhávapratyayá lambaniivrttih Nidra”. Nidra (sleep) is a propensity which brings vacuity in mind. In human beings the propensity that brings forth blankness is itself Nidrá. Suppose, you are resting on your bed. Your eyes are on the watch, you fall sleep, but when you get up, you fail to say at what moment actually you slept. Between sleeping and rising things occurred of which you are ignorant. There was vacuum, neither you were seeing anything nor hearing anything. This state of vacuity is Nidrá.

The last one is Smrti. Smrti is “Anúbhutaviśayásampramośah smrtih.” The inferential vibration (Tánmátrika Spandana) comes to your nerves. Sympathetic vibrations are transmitted to the ectoplasmic stuff which takes the shape of the object. Suppose you are capable of creating an object in your ectoplasmic stuff: that is known as Smrti.

So these are the five main propensities. All the other propensities are dependent on these five propensities. And Yoga is suspension of propensities. Mostly all the Vrttis are Kliśt́á Vrttis. Kliśt́a means that which invariably begets pain. There are four divisions of the Vrttis – Kliśt́á Vrtti, Akliśt́á Vrtti, Kliśt́áKliśt́á Vrtti, and Akliśt́á Kliśt́á Vrtti. Kliśt́á Vrtti is one that begets pain in following it. Its resultant is also painful. Suppose you are going somewhere. If the road is bad you are troubled and if the road leads to a desert the destination is also painful. This is Kliśt́á Vrtti. Take another example. A thief goes out for stealing on a stormy and cold night. While going out he undergoes suffering. Suppose he is caught by the police, the end also is painful. The next one is Akliśt́á Vrtti. This Vrtti neither begets pain at the beginning nor at the end. Take for instance the case of a Sádhaka with devotion. While performing sádhaná he does not get pain and at the end too he gets no pain. This is Akliśt́á Vrtti. The third one is Kliśt́akliśt́á Vrtti. While moving on there is much pain but when you reach your destination there is no pain. While moving on a stony path you feel troubled but when you reach a beautiful park you are quite happy. In sádhaná also there are kinks in which one feels trouble but the result is quite pleasing. It is painful to do some difficult ásanas but when the disease is cured it gives pleasure. The next one is Akliśt́akliśt́á. In the beginning it is pleasing and at the end it is painful. A bribe-taker is quite happy at the beginning but if caught by the anti-corruption department, it is humiliating. Whatever the Vrttis be (Kliśt́á Vrtti, Akliśt́á Vrtti, Kliśt́ákliśt́á Vrtti, and Akliśt́akliśt́á Vrtti), all depend on the nature of a person. Where the goal is Paramátman that Vrtti is very pleasing at the end (Aklesántika). But where the goal is matter the end will definitely be painful (Klesántika). So “Yogashcittavrtti Nirodhah.” If the main propensities are controlled, the subsidiary ones will automatically be controlled.

What is Yoga according to Tantra? Tantra defines Yoga as “Saḿyoga Yoga Ityukto Jiivátmá Paramátmanah”. The unification of Jiivátman with Paramátman is termed Yoga. What is Paramátman and Jiivátman? The moon in the sky is like Paramátman and its reflection in the pond is Jiivátman. How to unify Jiivátman with Paramátman? When the moon in the sky reaches the moon in the pond then there is oneness between the two. The reflection of Paramátman on unit mind is Jiivátman. When the mind reaches Paramátman both Jiivátman and Paramátman become one. This is the explanation of Yoga according to Tantra.

The word “Yoga” is derived from the root verb “Yuj” and suffix “Ghaiṋ”. In Saḿskrta there are two similar root-verbs – one “Yuj” and another: “Yunj”. “Yuj” means to unite, “Yunj” means to unify. Arithmetical addition, mixing sugar with sand is unity, but the mixture of sugar with water is unification. Where there is unification both the entities merge into one and they cannot be separated.

Now what is the role of devotion in Yoga? Yoga means “Cittavrttinirodha” or merger of Jiivátman into Paramátman. Where propensities are controlled the nerves are made to stop their functioning by forced physical energy. Not only the nerve fibres but also the nerve cells are made to stop their functioning. When the function is stopped there is no ectoplasmic vibration. If this is done the mind stops its functions. When the mental actions are stopped there is temporary control of the propensities. This forced control is known as Hat́ha Yoga. Hat́ha means Balena – by force. Therefore that is not actually Vrttinirodha. Really speaking, the workings of nerve cells, nerve fibres being stopped, the working of mind is also stopped. This is what happens when one becomes senseless. Therefore that is not Yoga – Hat́ha Yoga is not Yoga. In Yoga one has to do Vrtti nirodha, and for Vrtti nirodha one has to withdraw one’s mind from the crude objects and direct it towards Paramátman, then only suspension of propensities is possible. There has to be a goal without which suspension is not possible. In the Tántrik definition it is quite clear, “Saḿyoga Yogo Ityukto Jiivátmá-Paramátmanah” – the Jiivátman has to be merged into Paramátman. The goal has been fixed here.

In the practice of yoga Sádhakas elevate Jaevii Shakti Kula Kuńd́alini (coiled serpentine) and merge it into Paramátmá. As the Kula Kuńd́alinii crosses various plexii the spiritual aspirant achieves Siddhis at the various stages of Yoga. The kula kuńd́alini can be raised only when the Sádhaka has a longing for Paramátman. When humans will desire to merge Jiiva Shakti (unit consciousness) with Shiva Shakti (Cosmic Consciousness) the Kula Kuńd́alinii will be elevated. Only when the longing to be one with Paramátman is intense will the Kula Kuńd́alinii rise up. When the Kundalinii is in the crudest stage it is in the Múládhára plexus. When by dint of Sádhaná the Kula Kuńd́alini comes to Svádhiśt́hana Cakra, the Sádhaka feels that he himself and Paramátman are in the same world. “Though He is far, yet He is visible. One day I will reach Him.” This is Sálokya Samádhi. When the Kuńdálinii will rise up in Sálokya Samádhi how can it be effected in the absence of devotion? In the absence of devotion it is not possible to take Jiivátman to Paramátman. Even the awakening (Nidrátyága) of Kula Kuńd́alinii is not possible in absence of devotion. Knowledge, education, learning – all will fail if devotion is not there. Futile will become the Yoga of a Yogi who is devoid of Bhakti. When Bhakti is there even if one is devoid of knowledge and learning, one will be a Maháyogii as he will be established in Yoga.

When devotion develops still more Kula Kuńd́alini reaches Mańipura Cakra. This state is known as Sámiipya Samádhi. The Sádhaka who has attained this stage will have a feeling that Paramátman is near him. Where there is no devotion there cannot be the elevation of Kulakúńdalinii to this stage. They may be Hátha yogiis but they will not achieve Paramátman.

When devotion will increase still more there will be Sáyujya Samádhi. Such Sádhakas will feel that they are close to Paramátman. How is this possible without devotion? Without devotion one cannot go to Paramátman as one does not want to go to Paramátman. What to speak of this, if devotion is not there, one will not go to Paramátman even if called for by Him i.e., without devotion nothing is possible.

If there is further increase in devotion then that stage is known as Sárupya Samádhi. In Sárupya, Samádhi there will be oneness of the Sádhaka with Paramátman. The Sádhaka will feel that he himself is his goal – he and Paramátman are one. When devotion is intense this stage is obtained. If not:

Ásana máre kyáyá huyá yo gayii na mankii ásh
Jav kalu ká balad so gharhii kosh paṋcás.

The ox in the country oil mill moves all day long but does not march forward. It simply revolves round the pillar. Such is the case with a Yogii without devotion. When Kuńd́alini reaches Ájiṋá Cakra with the devotion made stronger, this stage is Sárst́hi Samádhi. This means that the Sádhaka and Paramátman are not two entities but one. Sárst́hi is the zenith point of devotion. The stage where even the “I” feeling is lost (i.e., Bekhudii) is Kaevalya. The supreme status of Yoga is Kaevalya, Nirguńásthiti (non-qualified state). The supreme state of devotion too is the supreme state. This proves that a Yogii cannot move even a step further without devotion. Yoga without devotion is as good as a goldsmith without gold. Unfortunate is the Yogii who is bereft of devotion. You will have to do Sádhaná of Jiṋána and Karma. By doing simply Ásana and Pránáyáma, the Supreme Entity cannot be attained. The most important thing is devotion. One who is completely illiterate can attain God whereas even a triple MA may not.

What is Jiṋána? The effort to feel the presence of Paramátman in all the objects is Jiṋána Sádhaná. People perform spiritual practice to realize that Paramátman exists in all the objects. He is not only in all the objects, rather all the objects are He. The attainment in Jiṋána Sádhana becomes possible when one realizes that all the objects are Paramátman. And what is Karma Sádhaná? In the physical world everybody has the potentiality to work, but rarely a person utilizes his cent-percent potentiality for Karma. Even the greatest reformer utilizes about 10 % of his potentiality and 90% remains unutilized. Only with the utilization of 10% he could become so great, but if he would have utilized all his potentialities one could not have even imagined his greatness. Karma Sádhaná is work done more for others and less for oneself. Generally people remain engaged in their own works and for others they devote only 5 or 10 minutes. This sort of tendency is an animal tendency. One who works only for one’s own self is an animal but one who works for others is really great. When people render no service to themselves but do only for others they are known as Karmasiddha.

So through Jiṋána and Karma, Bhakti is aroused and for the arousal of Bhakti both jiṋána and karma are needed. Bear in mind that the Sadhana of jiṋána and karma are to be done but the sadhana of karma has to be more than that of jiṋána. When jiṋána is obtained more than karma done there is possibility of the arousal of vanity which results in downfall.

Abhimánaḿ surápánaḿ gaoravaḿ raoravaḿ dhruvam
Pratiśt́ha shukariiviśt́há trayaḿ tyaktvá hariḿ bhajet.

When karma is done more than jiṋána, then Bhakti is aroused. When Bhakti is aroused a Yogii can move further towards Paramátman, and not before this. A Yogi depends on Bhakti in toto. Where there is no Bhakti the heart of a Yogi becomes like a barren desert. The heart of a Sadhaka is like soil, Iśtá Mantra the seed and Bhakti water. Where there are no cool showers of Bhakti there is no use sowing seed in a desert. So to be an ideal Yogi is the goal of everyone but one must remember that Bhakti has to be aroused. Where there is no arousal of Bhakti the human life becomes futile. One who has Bhakti at the age of five commands the salutations from a man of eighty without Bhakti. This is because Bhakti is the Supreme. Even a great jiṋánii like Shaḿkarácarya admitted “Mokśakárańasamagryaḿ bhaktireva gariiyasii.” Therefore Bhakti is the best of all the means for attaining Mokśa. Whatever a Sádhaka has to do is to be done for the arousal of Bhakti. He is not the beggar of anything except Bhakti. When one’s Bhakti is once attained one is not a pauper but an emperor.

Chapter 13	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

Today’s subject of discourse is, “Knowledge and Human Progress.”

Knowledge is necessary for any kind of progress. It is hence necessary to find out what knowledge is.

Human existence is trifarious. There are three elements in them as composite beings, viz, the physical body, the mental body, and the spiritual body. The physical body of individuals shelters the mind and the mind is the reservoir of all knowledge that a person possesses.

Now, what is this physical body of a human being? The individual’s physical body is composed of many kośas, i.e., cells. These cells are of two kinds – the protozoic cells and the metazoic cells. Thus all parts of human body are composed of a combination of these two types of cells. In another sense, the whole structure of human beings can also be regarded as one metazoic cell. Each of these cells has a mind. But this mind is different from the individual’s human mind. The cell-minds are dormant and underdeveloped. Furthermore metazoic cells are a collective effect of the protozoic cells.

The human mind, too, is composed of these cells. But the human mind is much more developed. It is the unit microcosm plus a collection of both the protozoic and the metazoic cells which make up the individual. Therefore the human mind is a collective mind.

The Macrocosm has a mental relation with all its parts i.e., composites. Similarly, in the human mind there exists a system of relations between itself and its components. Thus, the human mind has a direct relationship with both the protozoic and the metazoic cells in the individual. But the cells, as a composite part of the mind, have also a collective relation with it.

I had said earlier that every unit cell has a mind. The unit protozoic mind is instinctive. And because of the above mentioned relation, instinct comes in human beings. These cells are made by the food and drink that we consume. And so in the ultimate effect, we can regulate the human mind by regulating human diet.

These two types of cells compose different parts of human body. Or in other words, different portions of the body are composed of different collections of two types of cells mentioned. So in each of these portions a collective mind is created and that portion works through its commands, irrespective of whether or not the whole human mind affects it. This collective mind of a portion of the body is possible because, as said earlier, every cell has a unit mind no matter how undeveloped, for without this there would be no reproduction, movement, sound or reflection in the cell.

The individual human being virtually becomes an animal when his mind comes predominantly under the influence of the unit minds or the collective minds of these protozoic and metazoic cells. This is because these cell-minds are undeveloped like animals. However, when the human collective mind dominates in an individual he begins to act more like a devatá. Hence, you should strive to achieve this condition. The explanation of this is in the fact that the protozoic and metazoic mind (i.e., your own mind) is threefold: partly psycho-physical, partly psychic and partly psycho-spiritual.

What happens when a man dies? Death results in the loss of any physical relationship between the human mind and the human body ( i.e., the protozoic & metazoic cells and their minds). The nerves are dead. Therefore, the mind, on the physical death of the individual, does not remember anything physical. It is for this reason that we hold the Shráddha ceremony to be useless and meaningless. This also explains the English saying: out of sight, out of mind. But the longing for the Macrocosm is psycho-spiritual in character and therefore your mind is engaged in it even after the death of your physical body.

What then is knowledge? The protozoic mind is guided by instinct and its sole concern and relation is with the physical body. Hence a protozoic cell does not know of its existence but it displays reproduction, movement, sound and reflexes. The born criminal who is guided by the collective effort of so many protozoic cell-minds will not rise in action, understanding, and appetite to anything higher than physicality. Intellectual and spiritual values will not appeal to him. That is why the effect of mere physical culture is never good.

The metazoic mind, on the other hand, is not solely concerned with the physical. It is also physico-psychic in nature. Human collective mind too has the element of the physico-psychic more than the purely physical. This is because it has more metazoic cells. But the human mind as a whole is much more complex than even the metazoic mind. It is a collective mind being a collection of:

(a) The mind’s own collective mind

(b) the protozoic minds in various parts of the body

(c) the metazoic minds in various parts of the body.

The protozoic mind, being a physical mind, is impervious to knowledge. On the other hand the metazoic mind is the receptacle of knowledge because it is mostly physico-psychic and to a very little extent psycho-spiritual.

Physico-psychic knowledge is the subjectivisation of external objectivity which may be physical, psychic or spiritual. In other words, knowledge is not sterile. It consists in the recognition of some objective matter and action done accordingly. Such knowledge, in practice is born out of a clash of instincts.

From different kinds of physico-psychic knowledge and from psychic knowledge is born the next higher form of knowledge – the psycho-spiritual. In practice, a developed man has all these types of knowledge in some measure. The stage and amount of human development corresponds to the type of knowledge that is predominantly held by his mind.

A living being with psychic knowledge alone is a complete person. However, his natural thirst cannot be quenched by psychic knowledge alone because it comes from the source of physico-psychic knowledge which is unsatisfactory. It is limited by the relative factors of time, space, and person. For example, if you take up a geography book printed 30 years ago you will learn from it that Lahore was the capital of the Punjab. This knowledge will prove to be wrong today. Similarly, limitations of space or person can be equally grave.

If psychic knowledge does not satisfy us because of its defective source, the only way would be to acquire knowledge from sources which are independent of the limitations of time, space and person. What is this Átmá? The individual will, therefore, try to acquire psychic knowledge from Átmá. In other words, the individual should make the Cosmic his object and then subjectivise it. This would generate psycho-spiritual knowledge which would be more satisfactory. Following this process, a phase would come closer.

But at this stage we find an opposite position; the individuals are trying to become the subject and He is the object. Therefore, if you have to proceed further you will have to set this right by always taking the bháva that Paramátmá is seeing you, and not vice-versa which is impossible. This is the correct process of Dhyána.

When your mind will develop the knowledge that Paramátmá is watching us all the time, you will be in dhruvá smrti. Here psycho-spiritual knowledge will be converted into spiritual knowledge. At this stage, object, subject and objectivization will merge in one. Here there will be no blending of relativity. Here human progress would come to its end. What do we then conclude? We see that physical knowledge has negligible importance in human progress; that the importance of the various kinds of knowledge increases in an ascending order. Physico-psychic knowledge has more importance than mere physical knowledge. Without psychic knowledge man is not a complete man. Spirituo-psychic knowledge is absolute knowledge. It is the maximum evolution of Bhakti. This would mean that mere intellectual knowledge, in the long run, hardly contributes to the final end of human progress.