EE7.5 - Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

The Samádhi of Inferential and Non-Inferential Bliss

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

Everything of this quinquelemental world is born out of macrocosmic conation, so creation and dissolution of all the entities of this universe lie embedded in the Macrocosmic mind. In the flow of the continuous flow of imagination emerged the crude material mind and the living world. Inanimate and animate worlds along the path of saiṋcarah and prati-saiṋcarah.

The movement and staticity and supreme culmination of both inanimate and animate objects all depend upon the cosmic will, for the entire creation is within the vast cosmic mind. The Macrocosm, is the supreme controller of the entire flow of creation. Human life and mind emerges in the introversive phase of the cosmic cycle.

Although the Cosmic Mind is the supreme controller of this world of emanation the unit mind also has a certain amount of control over the nerve fibres and nerve cells – the unit body. We cannot call the power of control an absolute power; we may call it “dominion status”. By virtue of this power, the unit mind directly controls the nerve fibres and nerve cells of the unit body. As the unit mind is controlled by the Cosmic Mind, Parama Puruśa controls the nerve fibres and nerve cells of the human body indirectly. If He so desires Parama Puruśa can also control them directly, too. In that case the entire physical structure of a human being will be vibrated by the cosmic vibrations of Parama Puruśa, causing the function of the unit mind to remain suspended for that period. This state can be called the samádhi of non-inferential bliss. During this samádhi spiritual aspirants sádhakas enjoy divine bliss directly from the Cosmic Mind without the help of inferences or tanmátras. Under normal circumstances human beings enjoy blissful feelings in the nerve cells and fibres and later in the mind; but during the samádhi of non-inferential bliss, the blissful vibrations are created directly in the mind because the Macrocosmic mind does not require any fixed medium – He can use anything as His medium.

There is another type of samádhi, sárúpya samádhi (one of the four stages of savikalpa samádhi), in which spiritual aspirants enjoy blissful vibrations through the inferences. Because of the close proximity to Parama Puruśa they enjoy tremendous bliss and establish a sweet relation of deep love for Him. They feel oneness with their ideal while everything is in the most blissful state. The relation between the sádhakas and their dhyeya (object of meditation) is one of real love. They also feel the tactual bliss of the object of ideation. This state of samádhi is called the samádhi of inferential bliss, because the sádhaka feels the blissful vibration through the inferences.

The basic difference between these two kinds of samádhi is that in the samádhi of inferential bliss, the sádhaka enjoy bliss through the medium of the tanmátras, whereas in the samádhi of non-inferential bliss the sádhakas derive bliss directly from the cosmic mind.

The true identity of a human being is that he or she is the progeny of Parama Puruśa, and will always be. If the same person is merely looked upon as an insignificant, weak and frail human being, it would be demeaning. Human beings are entitled to the transcendental world beyond the realm of the senses. Thus, human beings must not remain oblivious of that transcendental world while caught up in the relative world of trials and tribulations. They must advance towards the spiritual goals.

This universe of ours is not absolute truth – it is only a relative truth. So the wise should try to know the absolute truth. But simultaneously it is also desirable that while striving to realize the Supreme Entity one should maintain an adjustment with this relative world. While doing one’s duties properly with the application of madhuvidyá one can achieve permanent cessation of afflictions from this relative world. Then all the entities of this world will be as sweet as honey for the spiritual aspirant. One should follow the dictum, “Hearts to God and hands to work”. Sádhakas should proceed to the supreme goal with slow but steady steps with bliss within. They must do their duties in the physical world without attachment.

Idaḿ mánuśam sarveśáḿ bhútánám
Madhvasya mánuśasya sarváńi bhútáni madhu
Ayámátmá sarveśáḿ bhútánám madhvasya
Sarváńi bhútáni madhuh.

The Influence of Máyá on the Human Mind

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

this version: is the printed Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4, 1st edition, 2nd printing, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). Exception: the middle portion is as in “Overcoming Máyá” in Discourses on Tantra Volume 2, 1st edition. I.e., this is the most up-to- date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Words in double square brackets [[ ]] are corrections that did not appear in the printed version.

In Ánanda Sútram it has been said: “Shiva Shaktyátmakam Brahma” – “Brahma is the composite of Shiva and Shakti”. The mutual relationship is inseparable. To attempt to separate one from the other would jeopardize their existence. They are as intimately associated as milk and its whiteness, water and its fluidity and fire and its burning capacity. Some people believe that Prakrti and Máyá are synonymous. Theoretically they are virtually the same, but in the practical sphere there is some difference between them. When the three principles of prakrti – sentient, mutative and static – are in perfect equilibrium and equipoise, Prakrti is said to be lying dormant in her primordial state there is no manifestation of creation. To described this state the term Prakrti is used. But when the three principles lose their equilibrium and equipoise, the attributive expression manifests. In this state, when prakrti is committed to start the creation, (of course within the limited sphere of the infinite body of Puruśa, the Supreme Cognitive Principle). She is called Máyá, (the Supreme Creative Principle). The different living beings, the creepers, trees plants and animals, and this entire world of unique diversities that we witness around us, are all created by Máyá. However, it is only with the express will and permission of Parama Puruśa that the vast creation occurs. In the field of creation, because of the diversity of the roles in the creation, Máyá has various expressions:

1) Mahámáyá: When the Supreme Creative Principle continues Her creative role within and without the creation, the entity which maintains the external flow of dynamicity is called Mahámáyá. Because of the inexorable influence of this Máyá, the cosmic mind and the five fundamental factors from ether to sound are created. It’s due to her influence that each and every atom and molecule constantly moves through different stages of metamorphosis and transmutation and is transformed into unit life and unit [[citta, ahaḿ, mahat, etc.]]. It is due to Mahámáyá’s influence that the animate and inanimate objects have all emerged. Without it, all the latent potentialities of the microcosm would have remained unmanifested. This quinquelemental universe was come into being. The created under her influence and its various expressions are the manifestations of the different forms of that Máyá. In the Márkańd́eya Purána (a mythological text) it has been said:

Sarvarúpamayii devii sarvaḿ devii mayaḿjagat.
Tatohaḿ vishvarúpáḿ táḿ namámi parameshvariim.

“Mahámáyá is the omni-pervasive entity. All the entities of the universe are the varied expressions of that Máyá. I offer my salutations to Mahámáyá who had assumed this universal form”.

2) Viśńumáyá: When the same Máyá in Her changed role endlessly continues Her unique creation and remains engrossed in its beauty and charm She is called Viśńumáyá. Viśńu means “all-pervasive”; Viśńumáyá means the Creative Principle who is inseparably associated with each atom and molecule of the unending creation. A particular group of spiritual aspirants, in pursuit of the attainment of supreme fulfilment, make repeated entreaties to this all-pervasive Viśńumáyá:

Tvaḿ vaeśńavii shaktiranantaviiryá
Vishvasya biijaḿ paramáosi máyá
Sanmohitaḿ devii samasta metad
Tvaḿ vae prasannábhúvi muktihetuh.

“Oh Supreme Creative Principle, You are the all-pervasive power, you are the primordial cause of this entire creation. This differential world is created by your static principle. You keep every object of this universe hypnotized. If you are pleased the gates of liberation open.”

3) Ańumáyá: The creative principle which lies within every unit mind is called Anumáyá. Her influence causes unit beings to remain preoccupied with various colorful thoughts regarding the past, present and future. Some thought are materialized in the external world; others vanish as soon as they appear in the mind. It is also due to her influence that, many people move ahead fighting the formidable obstacles of life, allured by the future. The wealth and property, the name and fame that humans attain are also due to the influence of Ańumáyá on the human mind.

4) Yogamáyá: When the Supreme Operative Principle leads living beings towards Parama Puruśa, she is called Yogamáyá. This universe is undergoing constant transformation in the flow of Saiṋcara and Pratisaiṋcara. Due to the centrifugal force of the macrocosmic mind the five fundamental factors emerged, and due to centripetal force of the unit mind, life of the unit beings was created. The influence of Yogamáyá is more clearly felt by the human mind. In her attempt to elevate the microcosm to the level of the macrocosm, She constantly attracts the unit mind along the path of attaining oneness with the macrocosmic mind.

5) Avidyámáyá: The Supreme Creative Principle which leads unit beings from subtlety towards crudity is called Avidyámáyá. The extroversive phase of creation (Saiṋcara) is dominated by Avidyámáyá. She exerts her influence on human minds in two ways. In philosophical terms one is called vikśepii shakti, the other ávarańii shakti. When humans ideate on crude matter, their minds drift away from the macrocosm and their spiritual awareness fades. This is caused by the influence of vikśepii shakti. If one remains close to an object it does not necessarily mean that one will acquire precise knowledge about it. If an object is covered, for example, one cannot attain real knowledge about it even if it is close by. This is the effect of the ávarańii shakti of avidyámáyá. It is called “ávaranii” because it covers the original object. In darkness, one cannot properly recognize an object. At best one can form a vague idea about it. Due to the influence of Avidyámáyá one develops a non-integral view of the macrocosmic body. Due to the influence of avidya shakti in the flow of cosmic imagination the vikśepii and ávarańii shakti become dominant in the extroversive phase [[of creation and in the introversive phase their influence gradually wanes.]]

6) Vidyámáyá: The Supreme Creative Principle that helps unit beings to move from the crude to the subtle is called Vidyámáyá. Unit beings make steady progress towards the Supreme with help of the Vidyá force of Prakrti. At the last stage of the journey, Avidyá is completely non-existent – even the force of Vidyá vanishes. A sadhaka, in order to attain spiritual progress, require the help of Vidyámáyá, but at the culminating stage of sádhaná, Vidyámáya has no further value. A sádhaka performs sádhaná to tear away the veil of darkness of the variegated world created by Avidyámáyá and to strive to established himself on the path of pratisaiṋcara.

The two forces of Vidyámáyá are saḿvit shakti and hládinii shakti. The popular meaning of Saḿvit Shakti is “awakeness” – awakening from slumber. With the help of Saḿvit Shakti, unit beings become aware of their existence. They realize that they are the crown of creation, the most evolved beings whose goal is to attain the supreme rank and dispel the darkness of the ávarańii shakti of Avidyámáya. Under Her benign influence one seeks greater proximity to the Supreme Entity, by surmounting the distance created by the influence of the vikśepii shakti of Avidyámáya. When this Vidyá-dominated force firmly establishes itself in the mind of sádhakas and takes them nearer to Parama Puruśa, by fighting against vikśepii shakti it is called hládinii shakti. It helps the sádhakas overcome the bondages of pettiness and frailties along the path of synthesis, the path of blissful experiences which leads them towards the Supreme Entity. This force is known as shriirádha to the Vaiśńavas.

All the Máyás except Anumáyá are collectively known as Vishvamáyá. Between the Macrocosmic and the microcosmic stances there exists the deep, dark world of máyá. It is due to this that unit beings are unable to form an exact idea about the quinquelemental world, even though it is lying before their eyes. This darkness forms a clear line of demarcation between the Macrocosmic and microcosmic stances. It is an illusion which brings distrust, disappointment and other frailties to unit minds, and causes unit beings to fumble and falter on their journey. That’s why spiritual aspirants seeking emancipation become eager to attain liberation from the bondages of the all-powerful Máyá. But will Máyá make way for unit beings out of fear? A reply to this earnest query of the devotees has been given by Lord Krśńa in the Giitá,

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

“This powerful Máyá of the mind is my Máyá. To overcome Her is a difficult task, But I liberate those who take shelter in Me.”

[The following section was also printed separately as “Overcoming Máyá” in Discourses on Tantra Volume 2. This is the Discourses on Tantra Volume 2, 1st edition, version.]

When human beings depend solely on Parama Puruśa, they cross the turbulent ocean of Máyá⁽²⁾ through His grace. Here lies the importance of Brahma sádhaná – the practice of intuitional science – and the necessity of sharańagati, total surrender to Parama Puruśa. The spirit of sádhaná is to wage an all-round fight against Máyá, to overcome Her tenacious influence. This battle of sádhaná can be carried out in one of three ways - Dakśińácára sádhaná, Vámácára sádhaná or Madhyamácára sádhaná.

Dakśińácára sádhakas are afraid to declare war directly against Prakrti. On the contrary, they want to please Máyá through entreaties, and they pray for liberation from that propitiated Máyá. They chant devotional prayers and eulogies to implore Viśńumáyá⁽³⁾ to withdraw the negative influence of Máyá.

Is it possible to attain liberation by such entreaties or flattery? Liberation means freedom from the bondage of slavery. It is never attained by flattery. Powerful people are greatly appeased by the entreaties and flattery of cowards, and might grant certain concessions or favours, but would never grant complete freedom. Dominion status may be granted, but the attainment of complete independence remains a far cry away. Thus, in order to attain salvation, to establish the reign of complete independence, a spiritual aspirant will have to fight against Avidyámáyá.⁽⁴⁾

Svaráj shuddhu átmá hatei antarete mukti cái.
Asir bale masiir bale peshiir bale mukti nái.

[Sovereign rule springs from the átmá or self. Liberation has to be attained from within. Freedom never comes about through swords, muscle power, or the power of the pen.]

Vámácára sádhakas are inclined to continue the random and relentless fight against Máyá, irrespective of whether the goal is fixed before them or not. “I will fight against darkness and ultimately Máyá, overpowered by me, will assist me in attaining fulfilment” – this is the psychology of Vámácára sádhakas. Their will to struggle, their courage and valiant spirit are undoubtedly praiseworthy. But in the absence of a fixed goal before them, they fail in their endeavour to attain liberation. Often, before attaining success in the battle against Máyá, Vámácárii sádhakas become tempted to misuse their hard-earned spiritual power, causing damage to themselves and society. As a result they unknowingly invite more darkness, more crudity, and gradually degenerate to the level of animality. That is why wise sádhakas do not accept the path of Vámácára sádhaná as an ideal one.

Madhyamácára sádhaná: Madhyamácárii sádhakas want to fight against Prakrti, keeping Brahma fixed before them. They move forward towards the spiritual effulgence, or Brahmajyoti, tearing the veil of darkness of Avidyá. Ananda Marga accepts the path of Madhyamácára sádhaná, because in this process sádhakas have a fixed goal. A purposeless and random fight usually does not bring victory, rather it causes unnecessary wastage of time and energy.

Now the question is, to attain freedom from the bondages of powerful Máyá on whom should a sádhaka should ideate? Who should be accepted as a dependable shelter? In the Vedas, it is said,

Kśaraḿ pradhánaḿ amrtákśaram harah
Ksárátmanávishate deva ekah
Tasyávidhyánad yojanát tattvabhávád
Bhuyashánte vishvamáyánivrtiih.

In the cosmic body there is a difference between kśara (perishable) and akśara (non-perishable). When the transcendental entity (Puruśa) is transmuted into the manifested world due to the influence of prakrti it is called “kśara”. Kśara is the observable world – wealth, opulence, etc. Being a perishable entity it cannot be the object of meditation of the unit beings. “Akśara” is that which is never metamorphosed under the influence of prakrti, but which remains together with prakrti as her witnessing faculty. Besides kśara and ákśara there is another entity – the Puruśottama.⁽⁵⁾

When the Cosmic Consciousness is under the influence of the static principle, He is called Prájiṋa. Iishvara Bháva is a special state of Puruśottama – He does not require to practice sádhaná. But Prájiṋa, influenced by the static force, has to continue the battle against dullness. Prájiṋa here does not mean “wise”, it means the unit consciousness which is dormant in the spiritual sense. In fact, although Prájiṋa has the complete capability to know and understand each and every object, it cannot do so due to the influence of Avidyá. Prájiṋa continues its relentless fight to save itself from the static influence – it will have to fight against its negative propensities. When it attains victory in the battle it will become one with Paramátman. He will no longer remain máyádhina (under the domination of Máyá) but Máyádhiiśa (Lord of Máyá).

To practice sádhaná is to wage a tremendous war against Máyá and by ultimately overpowering that Máya, to be established in the supreme stance. But before launching an all-out attack against Máyá the sádhaka will first have to master the proper technique of sádhaná from a competent Guru. Who is the Guru? The one who leads a spiritual aspirant from the darkness of ignorance to the effulgence of spiritual realization is the Guru. In this sense Brahma alone can qualify as the Guru of the spiritual aspirant When does one find such a genuine Guru? Muktyákáunkśáyá Sadguru práptih – when the human mind becomes restless for the attainment of freedom from the bondage of Máyá then Parama Brahma, in the form of a Sadguru, appears before the seeker and helps in his or her spiritual progress by imparting diikśá (initiation). So, in spiritual sphere the role of Sadguru and the importance of initiation should be properly understood by spiritual aspirants.

Diipajiṋánaḿ yato dadyát kuryát pápakśayaḿtatah
Tasmát diikśeti sá praktá sarvatantrasya sammatá.

The process which leads to enlightenment and the exhaustion of saḿskáras accumulated over many lives is diikśá. Usually there are two types of diikśá – vaedikii diikśa (initiation according to the Vaedic system) and tántrikii diikśá (initiation according to the Tantric system). Vaedik diikśá inspires the seeker to adopt true dharma and tread the path of spirituality which leads to the attainment of the Supreme Entity. Many slokas of the Upanishads and other scriptures are utilized in vaediik diikśá. The imparting of proper spiritual training produces a spiritual awakening in the human mind, causing spiritual aspirants to seek that path which leads to the attainment of their iśta or spiritual goal. A competent spiritual teacher then will impart the practical guidance to those aspirants. That spiritual direction is called tántrikii diikśá. Tan jád́yáta tárayeh yastu sah tantrah parikiirthita. The practical process which leads to the freedom from dullness is called Tantra. The process of initiation according to the science of tántra is called tantrik diikśá Strictly speaking vaedik diikśá is not real diikśá; at the most it may be called a process of purification. Only tántrik diikśá deserves to be called diikśá because it includes the necessary factors required for diikśá such as diipanii, mantra caetanya, abhiśeka. If sádhakas learn the proper techniques of sádhaná from a competent master and practice the same regularly and with utmost sincerity and devotion, they will move towards Parama Puruśa with firm steps. Their entire existence becomes illuminated with the effulgence of Supreme veracity, of divine realization. Such sádhakas no longer remain under the domination of Máyá.

(1) Creative Principle, Prakrti in Her phase of creation. One aspect of Máyá is the power to cause the illusion that finite created objects are the ultimate truth. –Eds.

(2) The different aspects of Máyá are known as Mahámáyá, Viśńumáyá, Ańumáyá, Yogamáyá, Avidyámáyá, and Vidyámáyá. All together, excepting Ańumáyá, are known as Vishvamáyá. –Eds.

(3) Extroversial force; aspect of the Cosmic Operative Principle that guides movements from the subtle to the crude. –Eds.

Anindyánanda Rasa Samádhi

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

To control the various propensities of human mind there are various glands and sub-glands which form certain nerve centers inside the spinal column. They are called plexii in Tantra. Each and every plexus regulates a certain number of propensities. The hormones secreted from these particular glands influence the concerning sub-glands, the other lower glands, and the vrttis controlled by their respective glands.

The food and drink we take every day is converted into rasa (fluid), rakta, flesh, fat, bone marrow and lymph etc. Ultimately the lymph is converted into hormones of various types. The special hormone secreted from the spiritual aspirant’s pineal gland flows into the pituitary plexus. At that time if one’s mind remains engaged in pure spiritual thoughts that hormone flows from the pineal gland down the left side to the pituitary gland, and then to other plexii, glands and sub-glands, nerve fibres, nerve cells, veins and arteries, etc. This excessive flow of pineal hormone revitalises all the lower plexii. On the other hand, if one’s mind remain preoccupied with crude thoughts then the pineal hormone gets burnt up at the pituitary plexus. The lower plexii and glands, due to the lack of supply of pineal secretion, do not enjoy any spiritual bliss. But when the pineal hormone flows through the pituitary plexus to the lowest plexii, the undeveloped plexii of the body become healthier and revitalized. As a rule the upper chakras control the lower ones. So the svadhistána chakra controls the múládhára chakra, the manipura chakra controls the svadhistána and múladhára chakras, the anáhata controls the mańipura, svadhistána and muladhára chakras, and the ájiṋá controls all the lower cakras.

At the time of pineal secretion if a sádhaka goes into samádhi – he or she visualises or experiences a kind of divine aura around the anáhata chakra. The sádhaka realizes that he or she is experiencing a divine dip in the holy aura, and feels indescribable bliss in the heart. In that exalted state of realization every object of this universe seems to be extremely sweet, and one derives immense bliss which no worldly object could ever provide. The sun’s rays, the moon beams, the land, the water, in fact everything appears to be emanating continuous stream of blissful nectar.

Idaḿ mánusaḿsarveśáḿ bhútánáḿ
Madhvasyá mánúśasya sarváni bhútáni madhuh
Ayámátmá sarveśám bhútánáḿ madhvasya átmanah
Sarvani bhútáni madhuh.

Even a sworn enemy appears to be very sweet at that time. Everything is sweet. In Vaesnava philosophy this stage of samádhi is called madhura bháva. In Tantra it is called anindyánanda rasa samádhi.

The different plexii of the body get revitalized due to abundant hormone secretion and become more active than before. The sádhaka enjoys immense bliss. Due to excessive feelings of joy the nerve cells and the nerve fibres become ineffective. A very sweet relation of love between the devotee and Parama Puruśa is established. Throughout the blissful experience a sweet taste is felt. This state is one of the thirty-two prominent states of bliss experienced by highly developed sádhakas. The special characteristics of this samádhi is that it cannot be attained by one’s own personal efforts, but only through the grace of the Guru.

Of course, to attain supreme spiritual salvation it is not necessary for a sádhaka to experience any samádhi at all. For example, a passengers travelling on a Calcutta-bound train may or will not be able to see the sights of Jamalpur or Bhagalpur towns if the doors and window-shutters are closed. Although the passengers are unaware of the towns they are passing through, they still reach their destinations. In the spiritual world also, the sádhaka, while ideating on the Supreme will certainly pass through the different stages of realization without necessarily being aware of it. When the all-merciful Táraka Brahma physically comes to Earth in the form of a Sadguru He helps the deserving sádhakas to attain this type of samádhi. Even when He is physically absent in this world He helps the deserving persons to attain this samádhi through other gurus.

Kaunkálamálinii Samádhi

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Discourses on Tantra Volume Two [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

About seven thousand years ago Sadáshiva and His wife Kálii did intensive spiritual practice and enjoyed immense bliss. Sadáshiva was the original propounder of Tantric practices. Kálii learned the inner secrets of spiritual practice from her husband. Every day she was absorbed in deep meditation, enjoying the immense bliss of many different samádhis. One day Sadáshiva playfully withdrew her bliss for a long period. Kálii continued to practise meditation regularly, but without the blissful experiences she had previously enjoyed. After some time, the suspended bliss was released suddenly, and Kálii enjoyed the divine sweetness of that accumulated bliss.

She thought, “I shall prepare a kauṋkálamála [garland of human skulls] and remain in a state of perpetual bliss while wearing it, just as Shiva did.” Kálii, when adorned with that garland of skulls, is called Kauṋkálamálinii, and the samádhi in which sádhakas identify themselves with Paramá Prakrti (symbolized by Kauṋkálamálinii) and experience indescribable joy, is described as Kauṋkálamálinii samádhi.

During this samádhi, sádhakas experience indescribable bliss. They totally forget their human existence and feel oneness with Paramá Prakrti or with Paramashiva. One cannot utter anything except some inarticulate sounds through the sides of the mouth. The breathing becomes heavy, the entire nervous system feels immense pressure, and the activities of contraction and expansion in the nervous system become violent.

Tanmátrika Samádhi

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

this version: is the printed Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Words in double square brackets [[ ]] are corrections that did not appear in the printed version.

As regards the nature of the quinquelemental universe, it has been said in the philosophy,

Adarshanádápatitah punashcádarshanaḿ gatah;
Násao tava na tasya tvaḿ vrthá ká paridevaná.⁽¹⁾

Each and every object of creation comes from the world of invisibility and goes back to the world of invisibility. Between the two worlds of invisibility lies the world of visibility. Nothing can be the permanent property of anyone. Everything of this changing world is bound to this disappear, hence one should not lament over anything.

This quinquelemental universe is composed of solid, liquid, luminous, aerial and ethereal factors with their respective inferences or tanmátras. This universe is a collection of innumerable inferential or tanmátrika vibrations. This world of visibility has come into being through positive projection. Its tanmátrika vibrations may be withdrawn in a converse way, resulting in tanmátrika samádhi. In a negative process they may be withdrawn into the world of invisibility.

The vastness of the universe is due to the five fundamental factors. If the liquid factor was withdrawn from this universe, it would be one thousand times smaller than its present size. If the luminous and aerial factors were withdrawn from that universe, it would be a thousand times smaller than a mustard seed. And if the ethereal factor was withdrawn from the remaining portion a small point would remain having a certain position but no magnitude. So, the vast universe is in reality, nothing but a point. The Supreme Entity, in His imaginative flow, has attached the five fundamental factors to this tiny point to create the vast universe. During sadhana, the mind has got to be one-pointed. That point is the silver line between the relative world and the absolute world. Hence, in the course of sadhana, when a sádhaka achieves full control over objects (an object is nothing but a collection of inferential vibrations) he or she is said to have attained “tanmátrika samádhi”.

Matter is not an absolute truth; neither is the mind. Matter is no more than a collection of inferential vibrations, and the human mind is puffed up with vanity or ego. Both are created in the flow of Macrocosmic imagination. Just as in the negative process, the quinquelemental world becomes non-existent, similarly, the human mind may also become non-existent. Parama Puruśa if He so wishes, may snatch away the intellect, the intelligence, in fact everything associated with human existence. Not only that, Parama Puruśa, the stealer of vanity, if He so desires, may snatch away immediately whatever the human beings consider as their own. Out of His Grace only He has granted all that the human beings require. They should properly take care of these created objects and make the best use of them. It is only when the human beings, become puffed up with vanity and misuse the power granted to them by Parama Puruśa, that He steals everything from them. Hence, He is called Darpahárii – the stealer of vanity, and Manachora – the stealer of mind. Vain people suffer a similar fate when their vanity is destroyed as the balloon faces when its air is let out. But, does Parama Puruśa snatch away everything from everyone? No, He takes away only then when the unit beings, try to create with the help of God-given obstructions in the flow of His creation.

Some people deny this world on the ground that it is an illusion. They say it is merely a relative truth, composed of inferential vibrations and not an absolute truth. Ananda Marga philosophy differs from them because, although it accepts that this world is a relative truth, and not an absolute one, yet this world cannot be dismissed as unreal because it provides vitality required from its food, drink and air to attain the absolute.

The unit mind has been created due to the influence Prakrti, and until these bondages of prakrti are removed, the unit beings can not attain the ultimate truth. Therefore sádhakas should withdraw their minds from the relative world and concentrate on a small point – the smallest diminutive of this vast universe, which itself is merely a minute island in the vast ocean of infinity. This point is the connecting link between the unit mind and the Macrocosmic mind. Through the process of sádhaná the concentrated unit mind becomes one with the Macrocosmic mind. Therefore the mind that has become one with the cosmic mind can easily bring the pictures or images of which is only the reflection of numerous tanmatras, London, Calcutta, or any other city of the remotest corner of the world.

Human beings can surely expand their mental arena by dint of regular intuitional practice. Before one starts practicing sádhaná, one’s mind becomes a little crude due to the influence of Prakrti. But it should be remembered that the Máyá is Herself subservient to Parama Puruśa. Cosmic ideation increases psychic power, permitting the sadhaka to break the bondage of máyá.

This world is a Macro-psychic creation. When the human mind becomes one with the Macrocosmic mind, through the process of sádhaná it will immediately know whatever the macrocosmic mind thinks or does. The secrets of the mundane world will be revealed. So the seed of omniscience lies inherent in the human mind itself, but due to utter ignorance, the human mind has forgotten its inherent nature and capacity.

The entire creation is a collection of inferential or tanmatrik vibrations which emanate from the universal mind. Thus it can be said that creation is the positive tanmátrika samádhi of Brahma. If He withdraws all the tanmátras, creation will dissolve into nothingness. All tanmatras emanate from Him and finally merge in Him. Hence the negative tanmátrika samádhi of Parama Brahma means the dissolution of the creation.

Since creation, preservation and destruction depend on the sweet will of Parama Puruśa, nothing in this universe is eternal. The only entity which is eternal is Parama Puruśa Himself. The success in human life lies in working according to the desires of Parama Puruśa and become one with Him. If human beings act otherwise, Parama Puruśa may snatch away everything they possess. Human beings are a composite of body, mind, self. If the thinking capacity is taken away from the human structure, it will become static or lifeless.

When the human mind becomes concentrated on mean and crude thoughts instead of subtle and pure ones, it enters a state called prakrtiliina avasthá a kind of negative tanmátrik samádhi. Those who die before they attain the prakrtiliina stage remain in the videhaliina stage and according to their inherent saḿskaras are transformed into gandharva, kinnara, vidyádhara. Once their saḿskáras have been requited they regain their human frame.

Hence it is said that human life is full of mysterious life. If it is properly utilized the human beings remain no longer humans they attain oneness with Brahma and those who, even after attaining human frames do not properly utilize are really unfortunate. Hence the human beings should learn the proper techniques of spiritual practice from the competent master even at the early stage of life. Lest they [[are]] forced to say “My human life has been barren. If I had cultivated it properly it would have yielded a golden harvest”. By consistent and continuous efforts they are bound to reap the golden harvest; one’s life will be successful in all respects.

Nitya Karma and Naemittik Karma

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

The word karma is derived from the root verb kri + suffix man. Kri means “to do something”, and man denotes establishment. (Similarly, dhr + man = dharma) So, karma means an action which is superior to an ordinary action. Both karma and kriyá mean action in the sense of change of place of an object, yet there is a difference between the two. An action devoid of cosmic ideation is kriyá. If we are to live in the world we must perform actions in order to maintain our physical existence. Whatever we do with our physical organs without a spiritual purpose is our kriyá – sleeping, resting, drinking and eating devoid of cosmic ideation are kriyá and not karma. Actions performed with cosmic ideation are termed karma. So people performing karma should be aware of questions such as “What is my goal? By what means can my goal be attained?” Thus all karma is kriyá, but all kriyá is not karma. Some human actions are kriyá while others are karma. The performance of kriyá leads to bondage, whereas the performance of karma leads to liberation from bondage. Even rituals and ceremonies are kriyá.

Kriyá is of two types: Nitya kriyá and naemittik kriyá. Those actions which are essential for the preservation of human existence are nitya kriyá, whereas those which are occasional and done with some other purpose are called naemittik kriyá. For instance, eating, bathing, resting, spiritual practice are nitya kriyá, because without food, drink, bathing and rest, etc., physical human existence become endangered, and in the absence of spiritual practice human psychic degeneration is unavoidable. Hence, in the daily lives of human beings, spiritual practice is indispensable. Regular spiritual practice leads to psycho-spiritual parallelism. A sadhaka slowly and steadily advances spiritually and finally becomes ensconced in the supreme spiritual stance. Naemittik kriyá are actions which are occasional and done with a set purpose, such as employment, study, charity, festivals, observances, etc. Naemittik kriyá may have a certain value in human life but is not as essential as nitya kriyá.

Human beings often attach less importance to the spiritual aspect of nitya karma and more importance to the physical aspect. This is detrimental because one should not forget that human life is short. From the moment of birth one slowly and steadily advances towards death with every passing second. This short period of time from birth to death is human life. Human beings have come from the world of invisibility and at the end of this short span of time will return to the world of invisibility. Those people can be called intelligent who utilize every moment of their short life engaged in spiritual practice. Hence regarding karma, the view of Ananda Marga is “Karma Brahmeti, karma bahukurviita” (“Karma is Brahma so do as much karma as you can”).

Food, Cells, Physical and Mental Development

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]
Yoga Psychology [a compilation]

Notes:

this version: is the Yoga Psychology, 3rd edition, 5th impression (printing), version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

The physical body of every human being is composed of countless cells. These cells are of two kinds: protozoic and metazoic. All parts of the human body are composed of these two types of cells. In another sense, the entire human structure can be regarded as one metazoic cell.

Each of these cells has its individual mind, soul, etc., but the minds of the cells are different from the human mind. (And the minds of the metazoic cells are more developed than those of the protozoic cells.) The human mind is the unit microcosm plus the collection of the minds of the protozoic and metazoic cells; therefore the human mind is a collective mind. Just as the Macrocosmic Mind is inseparably associated with each and every entity of this universe through ota yoga and prota yoga, the unit mind is inseparably related to each of its composite entities [individually]; and in a collective way also the minds of the cells have a certain relationship with the unit mind.

Generally a cell lives about twenty-one days and then dies, being replaced by new cells. When one rubs a certain part of the body, some seeming dirt comes off, even when the body remains covered, but this is not always dirt from the environment. In most cases, it is the accumulation of hundreds of dead cells.

Cells generally grow out of light, air, water and the food we eat. The nature of food and drink has its effect upon the cells, and consequently also influences the human mind. Obviously each and every sádhaka, or spiritual aspirant, should be very cautious in selecting food. Suppose a person takes támasika, or static, food. The result will be that after a certain period, static cells will grow and exercise a static influence on the aspirant’s mind. Human beings must select sáttvika, or sentient, or rájasika, or mutative, food according to time, place and person. This will lead to the birth of sentient cells, which in turn will produce a love for spiritual practice and help in attaining psychic equilibrium and equipoise, leading to immense spiritual elevation.

After about twenty-one days the old cells are shed and new ones grow. But in old age, due to certain defects in the cells, the smoothness and the lustre of the face disappears and the skin becomes wrinkled, and the different parts of the body weaken. (With old persons, the old cells decay and new cells are produced in lesser numbers. And some of the new cells do not get proper nourishment.)

In all cases where a patient has been ailing for a long time, experienced physicians advise complete rest for a minimum of twenty-one days to allow the growth of new, healthy cells so that the ailing person will regain physical and mental energy.

Cells are living beings, and as a result of transformation through lives together, they have found existence in the human body. Later, through gradual evolution, each cell mind will develop into a human mind.

The aura or effulgence radiating from the human body is the collective effulgence of all its composite cells. When in old age many cells in the body become weak, this results in the diminution of the effulgence. Even the body of a young man who is suffering from a disease loses its lustre.

In the human face alone there are millions of cells. When a person gets angry a large amount of blood rushes into the face, causing it to become red and causing many cells to die. A violent or cruel person can easily be recognized by his or her face.

As a result of eating sentient food and performing spiritual practices, the cells of the human body become sentient. Naturally, an effulgence emanates from these cells creating an aura around the physical body of the spiritual aspirant. This is the reason why many pictures of mahápuruśas [highly-evolved persons] show them with radiant auras.

If cells are affected by food and water, and if the nature of the cells affects the nature of the human mind, obviously human beings should eat the correct diet, because food and mind are closely related to each other. Any food item, whether good or bad, must not be taken indiscriminately because it may lead to mental degeneration. Sincere spiritual aspirants must follow the dictum: Áhárashuddhao sattvashudhih [“A sentient diet produces a sentient body”].

Only food which is helpful in keeping the body and mind sentient should be eaten.

Every object of the world is dominated by one of the three principles – sentient, mutative, and static. Food is no exception, and according to its intrinsic nature, is divided into the same three categories.

Sentient food: Food which produces sentient cells and is thus conducive to physical and mental well-being is sentient. Examples of sentient food are rice, wheat, barley, all kinds of pulses, fruit, milk and milk products.

Mutative food: Food which is good for the body and may or may not be good for the mind, but certainly not harmful for the mind, is mutative.

Static food: Food which is harmful for the mind and may or may not be good for the body is static. Onion, garlic, wine, stale and rotten food, meat of large animals such as cows and buffaloes, fish, eggs, etc., are static.

Very often people eat food without knowing its intrinsic qualities. For example, the milk of a cow which has just given birth. Or white eggplant, khesárii pulse [horse gram], red puni [Basella rubra Linn.], or mustard leaves, all of which often grew out of rotten matter.

In order to have a balanced mind and to progress spiritually, human beings will have to pay attention to the qualities of the food they eat. The idea that “I will just do my sádhaná and eat any food, proper or improper” will not do.

Práńa Dharma

Published in:
A Few Problems Solved Part 6
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Prout in a Nutshell Volume 2 Part 6 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

In this universe there are people whose thoughts, character and behaviour are similar – similar but not identical. Differences in human character and mentality, which are reflected in external human conduct, are due to varying propensities and tendencies. This is what accounts for the differences between people. Just as individual human beings have their distinctive characteristics, similarly, groups of people brought up in various geographical environments, historical eras, or cultural atmospheres, acquire their own group characteristics, too. Later those characteristics inherent in a particular group get mixed with the internal thoughts and ideas of other groups within a society. This leads to the development of national characteristics. In this way an entire national psychology – its external behaviour, its social outlook, and its philosophy of life – is developed. This process produces different national outlooks which distinguish one nation from another. It is also in this way that different human groups have developed different viewpoints towards life and the world. These differences are internal rather than external. Through proper education and well integrated social living in the individual and collective strata, internal qualities can be properly developed. Internal discipline in the psychic sphere of individual life is what we may call the Práńa Dharma of individual life. When the national characteristics are expressed in a particular vein, we may call it the Práńa Dharma of the nation. Although Italy, France, England and America are part of the western world, their national characteristics are not uniform. There are considerable differences in the mental thought-processes and external conduct of the East and the West. The thoughts and ideals of India are quite different from the other countries in the East. Since ancient times, India has been adhering to her distinct Práńa Dharma. Regarding life and the world, the Indian people are certainly spiritually inclined. They look upon each and every thought and deed as part of their spiritual practice. The reason is that in ancient India, children studied from the age of five till the age of twenty-five. They lived virtuous, disciplined and holy lives and received extensive training in spiritual knowledge as well as some degree of mundane knowledge. At the conclusion of their student careers, they returned home to adopt the life of householders. As householders they continued to cultivate both spiritual knowledge (pará) and mundane knowledge (apará). When they reached the age of fifty, having met all their family commitments, they would adopt the life of a Vanaprastha and retire to a forest to concentrate on the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Thus all aspects of Indian life were based on spirituality. This subjective approach to life became the Práńa Dharma of Indians. Spirituality has penetrated so deeply into Indian social life that even the toughest and most notorious robbers offer something to the goddess Kálii before committing theft. They pray to mother Kálii and make pledges to her to ensure their success. The ancient Indian system of education was based on this original Práńa Dharma. Consequently, the Indian students developed a reverential, humble and noble trait in their conduct. The subtle way to undermine an individual or a nation is to divert them from their original Práńa Dharma, sometimes by forcibly snatching away their right to pursue it. This will sap them of their inherent strength and capabilities causing them to become increasingly weak. Just as a bird divested of its right to fly freely gradually becomes reduced to the status of a biped, similarly, human beings when deprived of their Práńa Dharma lose their elevated stance.

During the Moghul period India was subjected to severe political torture. The Pathan and Moghul rulers tried to inflict a blow to the Indian Práńa Dharma indirectly. However, by holding out allurements of high posts or by using other methods, they could not do much harm to the Indian Práńa Dharma. The reason was that the inner vitality of Islamic society itself was considerably weakened after assimilating the conflicting thought waves of Egypt, Siberia and Persia. Thus, though the Islamic Práńa Dharma existed alongside the Indian Práńa Dharma it could not cause much damage.

The British rulers were very clever. Instead of attacking the Indian Práńa Dharma directly, they resorted to the path of diplomacy. They believed that to maintain British rule in India they would have to create a group of native supporters who would remain Indian by birth and complexion but European in manners, customs, education, taste and culture. So they introduced a system of education based on their own British system. This was an obvious attempt to strike a blow at Indian Práńa Dharma. As a result, the people of India forgot their distinctive national characteristics and developed a completely Western outlook. The moral, spiritual and social qualities that were developed through the Indian system of education were ignored. Rather, Indian youth, under the influence of materialistic Western civilization, grew cynical, materialistic and atheistic. A class of educated persons was created who were neither English nor Indians. Many of them were employed in the Indian Civil Service. A certain scholar once remarked that the Indian Civil Service “is neither Indian, nor civil, nor service.” These people became alienated from the mainstream of Indian social life because their conduct, behaviour, customs, manners, thoughts and ideals were different from those of other Indians. This neo-class of people with modern education could not regard the simple, innocent masses of rural India as their own. The clever English rulers trained them in such a subtle way that they looked upon the British as being nearer to them than the Indians. The imperialistic British purpose was served: colonial rule was firmly established.

The British also tried to destroy the natural Práńa Dharma of the Chinese people. Prior to Kuomintang rule, Chinese people were simple, peace-loving, energetic and spiritually inclined. But the British imported a huge amount of cheap opium into China and made the energetic and pious people idle and indolent. Thus the Chinese race deviated from their original Práńa Dharma. As a result, it was easy to mislead them onto the path of communism. The British were responsible for the annihilation of the Chinese Práńa Dharma. The communists completely destroyed the ancient Chinese religion and finished the unfinished task of the British.

Although capitalism does not directly oppose Práńa Dharma, the all-devouring exploitation of capitalism robs the people of their possessions and drives them into the street as beggars. For such people it becomes virtually impossible to properly follow their Práńa Dharma. Even the feudalistic exploitation in Indian social life did not run counter to the original Práńa Dharma. But the present capitalistic (Vaeshyan) exploitation has financially ruined the Indian people. Hence, it is impossible for the people to follow their Práńa Dharma. At this period of crisis in Indian Práńa Dharma the materialistic philosophies are getting scope to rear their heads.

The socio-economic philosophy of Ananda Marga calls for the elimination of capitalism. It clearly emphasizes the need to fulfil minimum economic needs and create an ideal congenial social environment in which there will be maximum utilization of collective wealth and the rational distribution of resources to solve all economic problems. Every human being will get ample opportunity to follow Práńa Dharma.

Materialism can never be the base of human life in any country because it is detrimental to the all-round development of human beings. Materialism is the philosophical base of communism. Communists act against human Dharma by propagating the defective philosophy of materialism. Communism is diametrically opposed to Indian Práńa Dharma. Although they raise high-sounding slogans of human emancipation and progress, human well-being cannot be accomplished by communism. The communist states give much importance to the application of material science and technology. This may help increase the wealth of the country and thereby alleviate the financial distress of the people to some extent, but by solving economic problems one does not solve all problems. If that were the case, the affluent countries of the West would be utopian. Human beings are not merely destined to fill their bellies. There is much more to human life than that. Human beings are veritable children of God having a thirst for unlimited happiness. Limited physical wealth can never quench their infinite thirst. Obviously, their Práńa Dharma should provide them with the necessary ways and means to satisfy their unlimited hunger. Communism ignores the higher human and spiritual values of life. It lets the human soul stand unrecognized. The condition of human beings in today’s communist countries is no better than that of domestic cattle in dairy farms.

Ananda Marga wants to establish the Práńa Dharma of the entire universe, and the Ananda Marga philosophy has been conceived to that end. Ananda Marga’s spiritual treatise, social treatise, ethics, spiritual cult, socio-economic theory and educational system will all help in establishing Práńa Dharma. Whatever a genuine Ananda Margii does in his or her life is always conducive to Práńa Dharma. The Ananda Marga philosophy – unlike the Vedantic sannyasin who professed the philosophy of illusion – is not in favour of dismissing this quinquelemental world as mere illusion. On the contrary, Ananda Marga accepts this world as a relative truth and strives to cope with its problems. Both wealth and poverty force people to digress from their original Práńa Dharma. That’s why the socio-economic philosophy of Ananda Marga has advised its supporters to be ever-watchful so that one is forced to die due to want of food.

Defective systems of education also strike a blow in Práńa Dharma. This is exactly what happened in India during the British regime. Ananda Marga is ever vigilant in this regard. Hence, the Ananda Marga system of education has been formulated in such a way that the fundamental Práńa Dharma of humanity has been fully recognized. The educational system of our schools is based on the principle of Práńa Dharma. It includes the study of various aspects of modern branches of human knowledge, as well as the development of qualities such as reverence, good manners, humility, dignity of labour, social consciousness, etc. The Western system of education has miserably failed to inculcate these rare qualities in the students minds. Had there been radical reforms in the defective education system introduced in post-independent India, she could have solved many undesirable problems. The reformers of Indian education can make an experiment even today by introducing a new system of education based on national Práńa Dharma.

All the countries of the world can apply Ananda Marga philosophy according to their distinctive national Práńa Dharma. There is enough scope to introduce Ananda Marga philosophy in this way.

Our Philosophical Treatise

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

The recognized book on Ananda Marga Philosophy is Ánanda Sútram. Usually a philosophical treatise has four main sections – (1) ontology, (2) metaphysics, (3) ethics, (4) epistemology. But in Ananda Marga philosophy two more sections, in addition to the above-mentioned four, have been added. They are (1) psychology and (2) spiritual cult. In Western philosophy there is no mention of spiritual cult, because Western philosophers had no opportunity to learn such a cult. The main reason is that in the theology prevalent in the west there is no concrete spiritual cult.

According to general belief, psychology is a part of general science, and should therefore not be included as a part of philosophy. Thus psychology has been accepted as a branch of science in the West. But in Ananda Marga, psychology has been included as a part of philosophy. Moreover, according to Ánanda Márga the scope of psychology is wider than what is usually accepted by psychologists.

Ontology: Ananda Marga believes in monotheism. In common parlance iishvara, Bhagaván and Brahma are accepted as synonymous. But according to Ananda Marga, they are not synonymous, they represent the different aspects of Parama Puruśa. Brahma is the philosophical term, and Bhagaván and Iishvara are the attributional expressions of Brahma. Regarding Brahma it has been said, “Ánandaḿ Brahma”, i.e. Ánanda and Brahma are identical. In Ananda Marga philosophy, a subtle line of demarcation between sukha (happiness) and ananda (bliss) has been drawn. Sukha denotes a congenial mental state whereas Ánanda is a metempirical state of bliss which overflows the mind – a state which should be called neither congenial nor uncongenial. The state of bliss is always above the scope of mind because it is limitless. The experience of bliss transcends the scope of mind and is concerned with the Macrocosm. Brahma is the name given to the ultimate quality of happiness.

Two aspects of Brahma – Saguńa and Nirguńa – have been mentioned. “Shivashaktyátmakaḿ Brahma”, i.e. Brahma is the composite of Shiva and Shakti. The derivative meaning of Puruśa is one who lies covert in the unit being – one who is devoid of any action. Where there is no expression, that aspect of Brahma is called Nirguńa Brahma and where there is expression, it is called Saguńa Brahma.

Nirguńa and Saguńa are two aspects of one and the same Brahma. They are not two different Brahmas. It should be clearly mentioned that Ananda Marga is absolute monism – it is not dualism. A question may arise: How can Ananda Marga be called monism when it declares that Shiva and Shakti are separate entities. The answer is that in Ananda Marga philosophy, Shiva, or Cognitive Force, is both the material and the efficient cause, whereas Shakti, or Operative Force, is only the efficient cause. Shakti is merely subservient to Shiva, Shakti has no existence separate from Shiva. So we can safely conclude that Ananda Marga philosophy is based on monism.

The Supreme Entity, playing the role of the controller of the quinquelemental universe is called Puruśottama. He controls all created beings and entities by virtue of His centripetal and centrifugal forces. In the Cosmic cycle, the inanimate objects are called saḿsthá, the living being haḿsa. Each and every haḿsa and saḿsthá is moving around Puruśottama on its respective axis.

The closer the microcosm feels to Parama Puruśa, the less the radius between Parama Puruśa and the microcosm will be. In addition to Nirguńa, Saguńa and Puruśa, a new concept of Táraka Brahma has been added to Ananda Marga ideology. The philosophical interpretation of Táraka Brahma is found only in Tantra – nowhere else. Táraka Brahma is a link between Saguńa and Nirguńa Brahma. Táraka Brahma is more a devotional concept than a philosophical one.

Metaphysics: Ananda Marga metaphysics is really unique and revolutionary. Metaphysics as explained in the West is not supported by modern physics. Modern science, while attempting to trace the prime cause of creation, has been upgraded to idealism above materialism. But facts of metaphysics as presented by modern philosophers are supported by materialism or extreme idealism. Both views are equally one-sided and unscientific.

As the first cause of creation, Ananda Marga philosophy conceives of the guńayantraka, the triangle of forces. We have already discussed that Brahma is the composite of Shiva and Shakti. Shakti means the sentient, mutative and static forces. The expression resulting from the triangle of forces is the cause of a great bondage on Consciousness. In the first phase of movement of the Cosmic cycle, the Macrocosmic Mind emerges. Due to the increasing static pressure on Cosmic Citta, the five fundamental factors gradually emerge – ether, air, luminous, liquid and solid. Thus out of the Cosmic mind arises matter. This aspect of the Cosmic cycle is called Saiṋcara. Due to the further static pressure on the solid factor, there ensues an internal physical clash within the material structure which gives rise to unit mind and life. As a sequence to the origin of life and mind, there arise the living beings – the birds and animals, plants and trees – and in the final stage of evolution come the humans, having a developed mind and complex body. This introversive phase of the Cosmic Cycle is called pratisaiṋcara.

Thus Ananda Marga can legitimately claim to have solved many riddles of metaphysics. It has clearly stated that matter originates from Macrocosmic mind and the microcosm evolves from matter.

Spiritual Cult: Thus far all philosophers have remained completely unaware of spiritual cult. Although new ideas in the domain of philosophy have been added, philosophy has failed to establish its link with the dusty earth. And a philosophy which has no relation with the dusty earth nor with the children of the soil has no practical value. Philosophy is meant for the benefit of the human race.

Ananda Marga philosophy is unique in this respect. Ananda Marga stands to implement its ideology. In order to establish a coordination between philosophy and practical life, Ananda Marga has evolved a spiritual cult on the basis of Tantra.

Epistemology: According to Ananda Marga, epistemology has two branches – pará and apará. Pará jiṋána means knowing the Supreme reality beyond the scope of time, space and person. Apará jiṋána means the knowledge within the scope of time, space and person – which is ever changing. The means to attain pará jiṋána, or absolute knowledge, is through the application of pinnacled intellect (agryábuddhi), and the means to attain apará jiṋána, or relative knowledge, is the pinnacled intellect plus circular approach.

Psychology: We have discussed earlier that psychology and manovijiṋána are not the same thing. Manovijiṋána deals with the origin and development of mind – its actions and reactions, its influences, its consummation, etc. This novel addition of Ananda Marga regarding the origin of mind is that the unit mind has evolved out of matter through clash and cohesion. Mind is the composite of citta, aham and mahat – its different functional chambers. It has four mental states – jágrat (wakeful), svapna (dream), suśupti (sleep) and turiiya (transcendental). From a practical point of view, the mind is divided into conscious, subconscious and unconscious portions.

Mind has five layers (kośas) of existence – kámamaya, manomaya, atimánas, vijiṋánamaya and hirańmaya. The expression of mind, whether crude or subtle, depends upon the different kośas. The association of mind with external objects is established through tanmátras or inferences. Tanmátras are of five kinds: sound, touch, form, taste and smell. The tanmátras are actually the expressions of material objects. The tanmátras in the form of vibrations come in contact with the mind through the five sensory organs. The mind establishes its link with external objects through the inferences.

Ethics: Ananda Marga ethics is rudimental and universalistic. There are five kinds of yama and five kinds of niyama whose very purpose is to regulate the external and internal behaviour of human beings according to the highest principles.

In Western philosophy observance of ethical principles is considered the primary goal in life, but Ananda Marga philosophy considers that ethical observance is the primary step towards the higher life. Niiti or principle is not the goal of human life, rather it is a starting point of life’s journey.

Our Social Treatise

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Prout in a Nutshell Volume 4 Part 16 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

this version: is the printed Prout in a Nutshell Part 16, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Words in double square brackets [[ ]] are corrections that did not appear in the printed version.

The inner import of society is collective movement. The primary stage of this movement is morality. The idealistic element of mind which inspires the human beings towards the cosmic goal is moralism. Social life has to start its journey from this moralism. The journey will end at the point where universal humanism encompasses every human being in the universe. The only resource needed on the journey is sádhaná. Hence it is said, morality is the base of life, sádhaná is the means and divine life is the goal.

Ananda Marga wants to build up an ideal society such as this. So there should be a congenial environment where people will get the opportunity to enhance their physical, psychic and spiritual progress, and advance rhythmically and in unison towards Parama Puruśa. Hence, Ananda Marga has formulated a social treatise for the establishment of a congenial social structure.

The social code of Manu helped to build the Hindu social system, although the same social code has been the cause of degeneration in Hindu society. Manu wanted to bind the various aspects of social life together with rigid laws and regulations. Because of the rigidity and harshness of the laws, many common people could not follow them, and as a result, they approached the priests [[for concessions]]. This led to slackness in the observation of the laws and social codes.

In Manu’s social code, the penal code was so severe that people were always afraid. There was no congenial atmosphere for [[freedom and full growth]]. Morality was confused with dharma, so people accused of social crimes were given religious punishments. This thwarted the spiritual growth of people at every step. Obviously, Manu’s social code is totally unacceptable in the society which Ananda Marga wants to establish.

1) Social laws and regulations have been framed in accordance with the needs and [[prevalent moods]] of the people.

2) [[That which is true]] has been accepted, and the dark aspects of life have not been given any scope to flourish.

3) The physical, psychic and spiritual progress of all people has been stressed and promoted.

To build an ideal social system, the following factors are essential – unity, social security and peace.

In any society or social structure, unity among its members is indispensable. Otherwise, the structure will crumble down. Social disunity, economic self-interest, lack of [[openness of mind to]] others’ actions or viewpoints, are factors which not only degrade society, but also cause the complete eradication of society from the face of the earth. In the short annals of human history, there are many societies which have completely disappeared, leaving very little trace. So the most important thing is to know how to maintain social unity.

Social unity and solidarity are only possible if the members of society are inspired with the following ideals – a common ideology, a caste-less society, collective social functions and no capital punishment. In the Ananda Marga social system, all these four factors are present.

1) A common ideology. At an early age, that is, at the age of five, when a child starts acquiring knowledge, it should be taught how to imbibe cosmic ideation. Ananda Marga society is based on a common ideological goal – the attainment of Brahma. Brahma is the Eternal and Supreme entity. Abiding peace is possible if Parama Puruśa is accepted as the goal of life.

In the economic sphere also, Ananda Marga has accepted this common goal. The entire wealth of the universe is the common patrimony of all human beings, and all are equally entitled to enjoy this wealth. At the outset of any festival or social function, the Saḿgacchadhvaḿ mantra is recited so that everyone can reflect on the significance of the common ideal. Ánanda Márga promotes love for the entire humanity and the proper utilization of all wealth for the benefit of all. Those participating in the child-naming ceremony take the collective responsibility for the physical, psychic and spiritual development of the child. This clearly demonstrates that Ananda Marga has a common ideology.

2) A caste-less society. Any society which gives predominance to a particular class or caste is bound to disintegrate. The curse of caste divisions is not found in any country of the world except India. Small parties and groups seeking various social and economic privileges should not be [[permitted to be formed]]. In our Ananda Marga, the entire human race is considered one family, bound by the common bonds of love. In Ánanda Márga, one introduces oneself as a mere living being, so here it is impossible to establish anything but a caste-less society. The head, the directors and the general members are not only the [[fellow]] members of the society, they are also mutual spiritual associates, sharing the common spiritual ideology. They may have belonged to any other class or caste, but Brahma is accepted as the common goal for all. A social structure has been evolved in which all members consider themselves only as living beings. The entire family is not deprived of the joy of attending a social function if an individual family member makes a mistake. This precludes the possibility of forming a dissident group of excommunicated members. There is no special requirement for marriage, studying the scriptures or any [[programme]]. In Ananda Marga, looking after children is considered a social responsibility. There is no caste or colour bar for learning spiritual practice.

3) Collective social functions. Many social problems arise due to lack of magnanimity, such as not properly understanding or respecting the views of others. This not only keeps people apart, but also makes them hostile to each other. People come together in different festivals and social functions which foster mutual bonds of unity. When they participate in such activities and remain engaged in the same type of collective action, they develop the feeling of temporary affinity. Ananda Marga encourages these types of social functions. Collective bathing and collective meditation on special occasions are as good as common social functions. No ceremony or festival in Ananda Marga is performed in the presence of one ácárya [[only]]. [[At]] least five Ananda Margis also have to be present.

4) No capital punishment. Capital punishment degenerates the moral standard of the society. It also checks the progress of those who are punished. In addition, people who are penalized with severe social punishment form bands or groups with the help of antisocial elements, and aggravate the problem of indiscipline and crime in society. In our Ananda Marga, capital punishment or social punishment is not supported. As a punitive measure, wrongdoers are not permitted to attend social functions for a certain period of time. After the period is over, they are again allowed to attend social functions as before. This system of punishment does not affect the other members of their family. Nor does it affect the moral standard of those being punished, which excommunication or penal servitude does.

Another punishment is that one must bring ten people to the path of spirituality. Only then will one be permitted to attend social functions. This system of punishment is corrective in nature. Wrongdoers have the opportunity to rectify themselves instead of having their progress checked. This system of punishment does not cast any aspersions on the concerned people or their families, and hence it does not foment further indiscipline or crime. On the contrary, those undergoing punishment utilize their time in a better way than other people when they try to inspire ten persons to embrace spirituality. They do good to both themselves and society by teaching a noble ideology. [[Nobody]] should be punished in hot haste. In the first stage, people should be given a chance to rectify themselves. It has been stated in “Caryácarya Part 2”:

3) In the third stage, they should be informed of the probable punitive measures that will be taken against him.

4) In the fourth stage, disciplinary measures must be taken against the offenders. Naturally [[would-be]] criminals will live in constant fear of punishment.

The absence of social security may create disunity in the society. A society cannot last long if it does not guarantee the safety or security of its members against [[wrongs]] and injustice. In the absence of discipline, social security may be endangered. So for social security, both justice and discipline are essential.

1) Justice. To ensure social security, people should not be subjected to any form of injustice because of their economic status, sex or caste. Economic injustice springs mainly from lack of respect for the dignity of labour. That is, it takes place due to occupational differences. In Ananda Marga, the life of a scavenger is considered more respectable than of that of a social parasite. Injustices are bound to be eradicated from society when great importance is given to people’s independent means of livelihood.

Economic injustice may also arise from people’s excessive desire to accumulate wealth. Selfish human beings want to appropriate all resources for themselves. But if they would realize that all members of society have an equal right to utilize these resources, the economic problems confronting society will be greatly reduced. In Ananda Marga, the entire property of the universe is considered to be the property of all. In a society imbued with such a common ideal, there is little scope for economic injustice.

Discrimination between men and women also encourages injustice. In human society, there is a marked tendency to consider women inferior to men. In many parts of the world, women are looked upon as mere objects of enjoyment. In some countries, they are even considered unfit for learning spiritual practice. Our Ananda Marga gives equal rights [[and responsibilities]] to men and women. [[In the Ananda Marga marriage system, the man and the woman both take on equal responsibilities. In Ananda Marga the female race is not considered unfit to learn spiritual practices.]] Both men and women are given [[respect]] in our social system, thus there is no scope for men to be considered superior to women.

Similarly, if the people of a particular caste are considered superior to other castes, economic injustice will be encouraged. In India, the so-called upper-caste Hindus perpetrate injustice on the Harijan community (the so-called untouchables). This has created a serious rift in the society. To eradicate this sort of social injustice, caste divisions should be completely abolished. In Ananda Marga, in the very first phase of initiation, a new member is taught to forget both their caste and colour. In the functions and festivals of a society based on caste divisions, the influence of caste prejudice is tremendous. In the collective functions and festivals of Ananda Marga, everyone, irrespective of caste, community or colour, can freely participate. In the society in general, the difference between castes and communities is given too much importance. Ananda Marga rejects these narrow sentiments.

2) Discipline. Throughout history it can be observed that in the absence of discipline, many societies have been obliterated from the surface of the earth. Undisciplined behaviour by a handful of people severely disrupts the lives of others. For the sake of social security, discipline is essential. Normally, social indiscipline arises when a few people think that the existing social laws and regulations are defective and inadequate. If such thinking remains confined to debate and discussion, it will not cause any major social problems. However, to ensure discipline in society, the laws and regulations should be rational and capable of amendments. In Ananda Marga, there is no place for irrationality. In a society where rationality is given so much importance that amendments are permitted, discontent and indiscipline can hardly be contemplated.

In Ananda Marga, rationality follows obedience as the means to maintain social harmony. People should first be obedient to the social codes, and then if they find a few defects, they should have the right to initiate debates and discussions, and suggest amendments to the defective laws. But if people starts arguing without showing obedience, social indiscipline will be the result. The social code of conduct of Ananda Marga gives more importance to rationality than blind obedience. Thus, there is little scope for jeopardizing the system.

A state of mental equilibrium and equipoise is called peace. It is important to know how the state of peace is attained, and how it is disturbed. A systematic, spiritual practice leads to psychic balance, whereas dogmatic faith in superstitions disturbs mental peace. Spiritual discipline and relentless struggle against superstition are required to maintain psychic peace. The principal aim of human life is to be free of sorrow and misery. Otherwise, one cannot hope to attain peace. The cessation of sorrow is of two types – temporary and permanent. That which brings about temporary cessation of sorrow is called artha (psycho-physical). But artha is a crude object, thus it can only bring crude and temporary satisfaction. To attain permanent relief from sorrow and affliction, Paramártha is the only means. Paramártha can only be attained through spiritual practice. That is why in Ananda Marga, each member is encouraged to practice from the age of five. As one grows, one acquires tremendous physical, psychic and spiritual benefits. The Ananda Marga method of spiritual practice does not encourage a person to give up all worldly duties, rather it teaches one how to make the best utilization of physical, subtle and causal potentialities to attain permanent mental balance and peace, and to enhance physical, mental and spiritual progress. Ananda Marga teaches a methodical and scientific system of spiritual practices.

Our social code provides clear guidelines on how members will adapt to this modern, rapidly changing world. There have been more changes in the past 200 years than in the 800 years prior to that. In education, culture, dress and food habits major changes have taken place. Old, outdated wooden shoes, turbans, etc. have been replaced by modern shoes, hats and clothes made from scientific fabrics with contemporary designs. Primitive bullock carts, horse-drawn carriages, hackney coaches, etc., have been replaced with fast-moving cars, trains, and aeroplanes. In the past, people used to travel by elephant, but now they can travel to other planets by rocket. There should be a proper adjustment between the body and the mind to keep pace with the fast speed of the development in the world. For this reason, Ananda Marga spiritual practices place much importance on ásanas, práńáyáma, etc.

In a word, Ananda Marga’s social code fulfils all the conditions of an ideal social code – it is universal, rational and psychological. It is eminently suited to the development of a dynamic social structure in this rapidly-changing world. As it has been formulated in conformity with the physical, psychic and social needs of human beings, people from all walks of life fully support it and are enthusiastically engaged in its implementation.

Our Spiritual Treatise

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

“Shásanát tárayet yastu sah shástrah parikiirtita” – i.e., that which leads to permanent liberation is shástra or scripture. Here shásana means discipline. The role of scripture is to lead the human beings towards the Supreme goal through discipline or anushásana. Dharma is a valuable asset in human life. Dharma ensures a special position for human beings as distinct from animals. They are considered the crown of creation, due to their dharma. Human beings derive the noblest instructions for the greatest development from dharma. When the sole purpose of scripture, i.e. dharmashástra is to establish the human beings in the stable, exalted position of spiritual ideation, it must be practical, rational, infallible and universal. It must be based on deep eternal truths. It must be áptavákya. A scripture is a guided entity.

The “Subháśita Saḿgraha” series of books are the scriptures of Ananda Marga ideology. The books expound in simple and [[lucid, elaborate]] and rational ways, many important aspects of Bhágavata Dharma. Upon reading this series of books, the reader will receive immense spiritual inspiration. While interpreting the various various spiritual ideas, relevant portions and shlokas of the Vedas and Tantras have also been discussed. According to Ananda Marga the Vedas do not necessarily include every branch of knowledge, nor are they infallible. On many occasions as per necessity, the relevant portions and shlokas from the other scriptures or books have also been quoted. For instance the Rámáyańa, the Mahábhárata, the Giita, the Quran, Tantra, Yoga, Vedanta, etc., have also been quoted to illustrate various aspects of Dharma and philosophy. This [[simple and]] lucid interpretation of Dharma will surely arouse the deep spiritual urges latent in the human mind.

To attain Parama Puruśa, a devotee must be free from the feelings of discrimination. Whenever there is a sense of difference, there is no Parama Puruśa. In this context there is a beautiful story in the Mahábhárata: the story of Lord Krśńa being fed banana skins by Vidura’s wife. As soon as the story is illustrated, the readers have no difficulty in understanding a deep truth that as long as Vidura’s devoted wife was feeding Krśńa with banana skins (instead of real bananas), with no thought of discrimination in her mind, Krśńa relished them. But the moment Vidura aroused the feeling of differentiation in his wife’s mind, Krśńa lost interest in eating.

To attain the Supreme Entity, special attachment for Him is required. While explaining the true spirit of that special love, it has been said, “You love your son; that is all right. But if he dies, you will have immense grief. Is it not true?” Because a son is a finite entity, he will not remain forever. He is bound to die one day, leaving you in boundless sorrow. But if you take your son to be a manifestation of Brahma, you need not fear in constant fear of losing him, because Brahma will never be lost. He is ever present, always surrounding you.

To attain Parama Puruśa there is a necessity of selfless devotion. To illustrate the point, a very common example has been given: Suppose you rear hens, you feed them rice and of course you love them also. If someone takes one of your hens, you will fall out with him, and even come to blows. But is that out of selfless love? Love must be untarnished and free from the least selfishness. You feed the hens for your benefit; you are motivated by the thought that one day the hens will lay eggs and you will earn money by selling them. “Nija sukha lági ye kare piriiti, se jáni garala kháye” (One who loves others for self-interest, swallows poison).

For higher spiritual practice, there should be balanced emphasis on jiṋána (knowledge), karma (action), and bhakti (devotion). Ananda Marga scripture asks: Do you know the mutual relation amongst devotion, action and knowledge? Suppose you know that there is a certain gentleman, Ramesh Babu, and you also knows the place where he lives. This fact of knowing is jiṋána or knowledge, but this alone is not enough, you are to try to reach him. Maybe you are to undertake a long train journey or undergo various other troubles to reach him. This are all karma, or action. Next you have to arrive in front of his house, gently knock at the door and call him politely so that he is pleased to come out and open the door. This part of action, i.e., knocking at the door and calling Him, is bhakti or devotion.

To attain Parama Puruśa one must pursue the path of greatness. One must fight relentlessly against all sorts of meanness, inferiority complex, etc., and advance towards Him while imbibing the ideation of the Supreme. Hence Ananda Margis do not recognize any so-called caste or class divisions.

Another figment of human imagination is to attempt to limit the unlimited, formless entity to idols or clay images. Ananda Marga is clearly opposed to idol worship. So it states: “Do not keep yourself absorbed in crude thought or allow yourself to be carried away by impulse, and narrow tendencies. Those who indulge in idol worship unknowingly worship the static force.” According to Ananda Marga, Brahma, the Supreme entity, one without beginning and end is the only object of ideation.

The spirit of the message of scripture is conveyed to the readers in a language that touches the deepest chords of the human heart. It is meant to provide inspiration to the seekers of truth. The scripture arouses deep devotional sentiments:

(a) “O human beings, proceed on the path of Oṋḿkara towards subtleness. Do not run after the superficial, pleasant mirage dominated by tamoguńa. Establish yourself in sattvaguńa and then merge yourself into Brahma. Reach the point whence oṋḿkára has started. Awaken your latent dynamism through sádhaná and devotion, arouse your divine wisdom and merge that pure divinity into the endless stream of divine glory. Attain the Supreme state for which you have suffered tremendous privations. Today you have the most favourable opportunity to prove yourself as human being.”

(b) “Do not disregard this overflowing love of your unfailing friend. Do not allow any of His gifts to go unused. Just think once deeply with a calm mind, how much He has done for you, how much he is doing and how ready He is to do anything for you. Do not forget Him, O human beings.”

(c) “Thoroughly absorbed in the thought of Brahma, you rush along the path of self-realization starting from the first expression of moralism. Maybe your feet will be pricked by thorns on the path and will bleed profusely, or the treacherous horrors of thunder and lightning may fall on your head, yet you are to move on undaunted. Remember, you are a born fighter: to stop the war and lie inert or flee from the battlefield is against your nature.

“Ignoring all the obstacles on the way, you must rush towards the real destination – Parama Puruśa. His sweet call rushes towards you since eternity. Can you disregard that Supreme call and keep yourself engrossed in the petty world created by Máyá?

[Can one who responds to the call of the Supreme bother about the minor problems on the way?]

In the “Subhasita Samgraha” series, the excellence of Ánanda Márga has been analysed by way of comparing our ideology with other schools of thought. Some simple and innocent seekers of light may lose themselves in the narrow, meandering alleys of philosophies and doctrines. To provide proper guidance to the devotees, different philosophies with their positive and negative aspects, have been thoroughly analysed. For instance, there has been detailed discussions on bhakti and many of the stages of bhakti have been discussed – támasikii bhakti, rájasikii bhakti, sátvikii bhakti, vaedik bhakti, nirguńa bhakti, jiṋánamishrá bhakti, rágánugá bhakti, kevalá bhakti, etc. Of these stages of devotion which one should be pursued by Ananda Margis? The Márga scripture says, “In Ananda Marga, there is no place for vaedhii or jiṋánamishrá bhakti. Ananda Margis are followers of rágátmiká bhakti and therefore they do not wish to terminate their journey in the state of vrajabháva. Whatever else there may be in dualistic vrajabháva, there is no expression of the due reverence or the will of Brahma or His introversive phase of the cycle of creation. Why do people fail to realize the nice opportunity which His grace has offered them? Why will they do not merge their ‘I’ feeling into the immortality of the Supreme? By enjoying the bliss of divine attainment as a separate existence, the unit mind is associated with indriyas – the apprehension of deterioration exists. That is why Ananda Marga does not accept staying in gopiibháva.”

This makes it amply clear to the sádhakas that one should not think of one self to be Ramdas… but Ramaswarupa.

Which path should an Ananda Marga sádhaka adopt? The Marga scripture says: “Vámácára sádhakas, even before attaining their goal, often misuse their hard-earned power; consequently, they unknowingly invite more darkness, more dullness, and gradually degenerate into animality. Without fixing the goal of struggle, it is futile to win the war against Prakrti. Hence Ananda Marga supports neither vámácára nor dakśińácára sádhaná because the latter is the path of flattery. Flattery or sycophancy is a sign of cowardice. A mighty person being pleased with flattery may grant a few favours, a certain amount of privilege, but never complete freedom.”

Hence, Ananda Marga advocates only the madhyamácára sádhaná – to advance towards Brahma tearing the veil of ignorance created by avidyámáyá.

Human life is usually busy nowadays. It is not possible to read various scriptures and gather the essence of scriptural knowledge. At the same time svádhyáya, a part of yama and niyama, has also to be conducted. The study of Subháśita Saḿgraha will serve the purpose.

The ancient preceptors will select and train only a handful of deserving disciples. The latter would sit face to face with the preceptor and seek clarification of doubts and confusions. But as Ananda Marga stands for a large-scale spiritual renaissance in the society, there is little scope for the preceptor and an increasing number of devotees to sit face to face and clarify all doubts. But there is no end to doubts and confusions in sádhakas’ minds. The Subháśita Saḿgraha series deals with such topics as will help clarify the various doubts arising within the sádhakas’ minds.

Prápta Vákya and Ápta Vákya

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Discourses on Neohumanist Education [a compilation]
Prout in a Nutshell Volume 4 Part 18 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

this version: is the printed Prout in a Nutshell Part 18, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

This discourse originally appeared in Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 (not in English as of the present Electronic Edition), then appeared in Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 and, as “Relative Knowledge and Absolute Knowledge”, in Prout in a Nutshell Part 18 and Discourses on Neohumanist Education.

This quinquelemental universe is a relative truth, a changing reality, a passing phenomenon – a passing flow of constantly changing events. It rests on the three pillars of the relative factors – time, space and person. Space is always changing. It is composed of countless atoms and molecules. With the change in the movement of atoms and molecules, space also changes. That is why numerous rich and beautiful cities of the past are now buried under the earth. Many splendid palaces and mansions, many churches, temples, mosques and synagogues, and many pyramids have been reduced to rubble. With the constant change in the flow of time, how many major changes have occurred in the universe? Similarly, with the change in time and space, people also change. A small two-year old child becomes a smart and active twenty-five year old youth. And the same energetic youth becomes an infirm, inactive, old person in due course. Thus, nothing in this universe is permanent. Many gigantic animals in the past have become totally extinct from the surface of the earth. Royal pomp and opulence, the pride of power, the vast knowledge of mighty scholars have become things of the past, thrown into the dustbin of history. Many objects emerged in the past, remained on earth for a short time, and then disappeared according to the inexorable law of nature.

The only eternal truth is Parama Puruśa. He is anadi, beginningless, endless, all-pervasive; an entity beyond the scope of time, place and person. He is the only eternal, undecaying, imperishable, immutable entity. He is the Supreme Source from which the inanimate, plant and animal worlds have emerged. He is the starting-point and the culminating point of everything. Hence, wise people should utilize their physical, psychic and spiritual power to realize that Supreme Omni-Telepathic Entity to become one with Him.

While trying to realize that singular entity, the balance between the subjective and the objective worlds is divided into two branches – prápta vákya and ápta vákya. Whatever people learn from the external world – be it from a book of facts or a learned discourse, or any source of knowledge – is “prápta vákya” or “relative knowledge”. It is sometimes correct, sometimes incorrect. When human beings, through psycho-spiritual practice, make their minds as expansive as the Comic Mind, they can receive instructions or directions directly from Him due to His proximity. The knowledge thus acquired is called “ápta vákya” or “absolute knowledge”. As people receive the knowledge directly from the Cosmic Mind, that knowledge is true and beneficial for all people in all ages and in all countries. Absolute knowledge is the direct message from God.

There are three sources of relative knowledge – direct perception, inference and authority. Now let us see which source is reliable and to what extent. The empiricists contend that perception is the only real knowledge. How can something which can not be seen, heard, smelled, tasted or touch, they say, be accepted as something real? But the question is: If the indriyas (organs) through which we gather knowledge are defective, how can true knowledge be attained? Similarly, if the object of attainment is defective, how can true knowledge be attained? Similarly, if the object of attainment is defective, or if there are difficulties in the radiation of inferential vibration, knowledge cannot be acquired. That is why in the shadows of the night we wrongly think a piece of rope to be a snake; we fail to see the difference between a chilli and eggplant seeds; on seeing a bushy tamarind tree we mistake it for a ghost and frighten ourselves out of our wits. Thus, with the slightest defect in the knower, knowable and knowledge, real knowledge is not possible.

Can one attain real knowledge through inference? Suppose smoke is rising from a mountain. Many people may think at first that the mountain is on fire, but on examining the spot they will discover that the smoke had come from a nearby village where the inhabitants were cooking and the smoke had simply accumulated near the mountain. Inference in this case proves false. If some persons look towards the desert during a hot day they will see a vast lake shimmering in the distance. But in reality it is only a mirage. Thousands of people may see the mirage and swear that it is a lake. So inference is also an unreliable source of knowledge.

The third source of knowledge, ágama or authoritative documents, can provide real knowledge to human beings. However, if it is not based on spiritual realization, if it is a mere interpolation arising out of the fertile brain of an opportunist Vipra or intellectual, it can never bring real knowledge to people, but will sow seeds of disharmony and dissension in the human society. For instance, the scripture of a certain community states that the earth is fixed and the sun in moving around it. This assertion is of course absolutely wrong scientifically. If an erudite scientist points out this mistake, the orthodox followers of the scriptures will brand him or her an atheist. The scriptures of other communities proclaim that only the followers of their religion are the favourite children of God and others are damned heathens. To kill them is not at all a sin, rather one will attain a permanent place in heaven after their death. Such scriptures are very detrimental to human society.

Thus it is seen that relative knowledge promotes the welfare of human beings in only a few cases, whereas absolute knowledge is always conducive to human welfare.

Generally there are three recognized means to bring about social welfare: 1) the rule of brute force, 2) the rule of reason, and 3) spiritual leadership.

1) The rule of brute force. Sometimes the members of a society are made to follow rules in accordance with the dictatorial decrees of their leaders. But these dictating authorities are far from being benevolent. Rather, they trick the members of society into believing that they are acting for their welfare but their sole concern is to promote narrow self-interest, power and privileges. Their guidance is not at all helpful for the growth of social welfare. For example, the British government ruled India for two hundred years, but how much real progress has there been in India? In most cases, their rule was based on their own self-aggrandizement.

The political leaders of so many countries have led their countries to the brink of war. The political history of Germany, Italy, Spain, Pakistan and China is a clear proof of this truth. Even though thousands of citizens hardly get enough food to fill their bellies, their leaders continue to spend vast amounts of money on arms.

History does provide some examples of benign, enlightened kings such as Ashok the Great and Alfred the Great who did some good for society, but they are few in number. Most were warmongers, such as Genghis Khan. They were so cruel that they stained the green earth under their feet with blood, and caused the sky to resound with the wails and tears of their innocent victims. The rule of a brutal dictator is no rule at all.

2) The rule of reason. What is reason or logic? There are three aspects of logic: váda, jalpa and vitańdá. In the battlefield an efficient general does not start the battle without strengthening his own army first. First he sends out his intelligence unit to find the weak points of the opposing army. Secondly, he stations his army in such a way that his own soldiers can mount a surprise attack on the enemy installations. Thirdly, the moment he gets the advantage he invades the enemy camp and attains complete victory. In exactly the same way a logician strives to detect the loopholes and weaknesses in his adversary’s argument. This part of the debate is called “váda”. In the next stage the logician formulates convincing argument to defeat the logic put forward by his opponent. This part of the debate is called “jalpa”. In the third stage the logician will present very clear views in such a way that his adversary is completely defeated. This part of the debate is called “vitańda”. When one’s mind is perfectly adjusted with these three phrases of logic it is called “yukti” or “reason”.

Reason is relative knowledge. Many people may come to the wrong conclusion along the path of reason because if the first premise is wrong, the conclusion is also bound to be wrong. For in stance, if a person studies old books on geography and argues that Allahabad is the capital of Uttar Pradesh or Cuttack is the capital of Orissa, that would be something ludicrous. Rice is also relative knowledge because we do not get rice directly from God, we get it indirectly. If one resolves this very moment to lead an honest life, that would be absolute knowledge because absolute knowledge comes directly from the Supreme and produces a certain awareness in the human mind.

“That which leads to liberation through discipline is called ‘scripture’.”

Common people usually live their lives according to absolute knowledge and become noble and great. That is why we see people like Kabir and Ramakrishna, who even without formal schooling, were highly regarded by tens of thousands of people. In fact, it is doubtful whether learned scholars could bring about even a small fraction of the spiritual progress these great people brought to society.

The amount of social welfare achieved by the rule of administration is very insignificant. The rule of administration is no rule. It does not provide any inspiration for the desire to work, but rather it injects a fear psychosis in the mind. Such administrators do not command the confidence of the people. Once they are removed from power they lose their social prestige.

But social progress is achieved to some extent through relative knowledge, but here also there is a great possibility of conflict between relative knowledge and absolute knowledge. Relative knowledge often encourages divisive ideas and the propagation of narrow sentiments such as casteism, nationalism, communalism, provincialism, etc., by extolling the greatness of caste, community, creed, colour, etc. It often tends to suppress other castes, communities, creeds, etc., or wants to annihilate them completely. On the other hand, absolute knowledge teaches human beings that the Dharma of all humans is one and the same. The Supreme Entity is the Universal Father. All the human beings of the world are brothers and sisters. All are equal – no one is low, no one is high.

Relative knowledge, by concocting certain false arguments, may prove that God does not exist, that He is a mere figment of human imagination. A weak mind may accept these arguments, but the heart can never do so. Whenever there is a conflict between the brain and the heart, intelligent people should respond to the call of the heart. The books in Ananda Marga philosophy are all absolute knowledge. The proper mark of identity of absolute knowledge is that it must be universal, rational and psychological. Certain instances of absolute knowledge are as follows – the goal of human life is the attainment of Brahma; human beings are the progeny of Parama Puruśa; this universe is created by the macrocosmic conation; matter is the crudified form of the universal mind; by dint of sádhaná or spiritual practices human beings gradually become divine; whoever is born will have to die one day; liberation is the birth right of all living beings; human society is one and indivisible; diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform.

How far is relative knowledge acceptable to human society? As long as there is no conflict between absolute knowledge and relative knowledge, relative knowledge may be tolerated, but the moment relative knowledge does more harm than good to society, it should not be allowed to work in society, because by taking advantage of relative knowledge opportunists get the scope to exploit the psychological weakness of human beings. For example, the concept of selfless action in the Giita and the theory of the migration of souls have been interpreted in such an unscientific way that the society is greatly harmed. The boot-licking Vipras of the capitalist trick the hungry Shúdras or workers into believing that poverty is a result of their previous misdeeds. Hence they will have to be prepared to wait until their next life before receiving the inexorable decree of fate. This makes a group of people passive fatalists. On the other hand, it paves the way for the ruthless exploitation of the capitalists. Once a reputed professor of Calcutta made a statement which became popular amongst Indian students that the beef-eating race enjoys independent political life. Many enthusiastic students were misguided by that. Today in the communist countries of the world thousands of people are being killed in the name of communism. So the value of relative knowledge should be assessed in the light of universal humanism. If relative knowledge promotes universal humanism, it will be tolerated by the society, but once it goes against the spirit of universal humanism, it will forfeit the right to exist.

Cerebral and Extra-Cerebral Memory

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Discourses on Neohumanist Education [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]
Yoga Psychology [a compilation]

Notes:

Anubhútaviśayásampramośah smrtih [“The re-creation of things already perceived by the mind is called memory”].

The objects or incidents that one recollects are called anubhútaviśayá or things already perceived. When the same objects or incidents are recreated in the mind, they are called smrti or memory. For instance, a person may not always recollect what he or she ate the previous day, but if he or she thinks hard, the items that were eaten will flash in the mind. In our daily life, we are constantly recollecting things perceived in the past.

How does one activate the memory? There are two ways: internal and external. The internal way is to revive the undistorted image of perceived incidents in the nerve cells. Perception in the primary stage is registered in the unit mind through the nerve cells, and the vibrations of those perceptions remain embedded in the nerve cells. The nerve cells in the brain differ according to the different vibrations they carry. Some carry vibrations of knowledge, others the vibrations of action. Microcosms with brains do not have much difficulty in creating ideas at the psychic level carried through inferences because the vibrations in the nerve cells remain undistorted for quite some time. For instance, if someone happens to see a white cow, he or she can easily say after five minutes what the colour of the cow was because the image of the cow imprinted in the nerve cells is still clear and distinct. That is why it is not difficult for the brain to recollect a memory by recreating ideational waves. But if we ask the same person to describe the cow after a few days, he or she will have more difficulty recollecting its colour because by then the impression of the cow in the nerve cells will have become indistinct. At that stage the perceived image is stored in the citta or ectoplasmic mind-stuff and not the brain. Hence the mind will have to labour hard to reformulate the image of the cow from the accumulated saḿskáras or the mental reactive momenta of past actions. The ability to do this depends on one’s psychic power.

If the external factors necessary for the revival of memory remain undisturbed for some time, one can more easily recreate events already perceived. For instance, if one happens to go to the spot where the cow was seen, one suddenly remembers that a white cow was tethered there. But, after a lapse of much time, when the external factors necessary for the re-creation of that image change drastically, it becomes difficult for the brain to remember the details of the event. At this stage, to recollect the image, one has to penetrate the citta of the unit mind. Of course, once an incident is recollected, its impression remains understood for some time before it finally disappears.

Thus the brain is nothing more than a worldly machine for mental recollection. Its various parts assist the mind in various ways. But the permanent abode of memory is the citta. So even though an impression has faded from the nerve cells, the mind can recreate the impression by its own power. When the brain assists in the recollection of any event or fact it is called “cerebral memory”.

The human mind has three stages: crude, subtle and causal. There are also three states in human existence: wakeful, dream and sleep. The crude mind remains active during the wakeful state and the causal mind remains active during sleep. The causal mind is the repository of infinite knowledge. Whatever saḿskáras we recreate in the wakeful and dream states remain stored in the causal mind. When the causal mind sleeps we call it “death”. Kárańamanasi diirghanidrá marańam [“Long sleep in the causal mind is death”].

After death the disembodied mind floats in the vast space with its unexpressed saḿskáras. Later on, with the cooperation of the mutative principle, the disembodied mind finds a suitable physical base. The memory of its past life remains awake for approximately the first five years of its new life. Although the child remains in a new physical environment, mentally it continues to live the joys and sorrows of its previous life. That is why children sometimes laugh and cry in their sleep, and their mothers often think they are talking with God. In colloquial Bengali this is called deola kát́á. In actual fact this laughter and crying is nothing but the reappearance of past memories. To re-experience past events one does not need the cooperation of the old brain. The newly-born mind has not yet had time to build a close relationship with the new brain. The revival of experiences of past lives is what we call “extra-cerebral memory”, and is principally the task of the causal mind. The child’s mind being unacquainted with the outside world and the new-born brain being inexperienced, his or her crude mind does not function much.

The experiences of the crude mind are not reflected in the child’s subtle mind. In the case of a child, since the crude experiences are relatively few, the subtle mind remains tranquil. Thus the waves of the causal mind easily surface in the child’s subtle mind. As a result, the accumulated experiences of the child’s previous life can easily be recollected. As the child’s crude mind is not yet mature enough to work externally, the dream experiences are not expressed in the wakeful state.

This extra-cerebral memory begins to fade after five years. The more one advances in age, the more the new environment leaves its impressions in the child’s mind. The more a child sees new things before its eyes, the more restless it becomes to know each and every object of this world. Hence the child asks a multitude of questions – it seems there is no end to its inquisitiveness. The more it receives the answers to its questions, the more its mind gets acquainted with the mundane world. The experiences of the crude mind then begin, and get reflected in the dream state. As a result, the vibrations of the causal mind cannot come to the surface any more. Hence, the more the child advances in age, the more it forgets its past life.

Sometimes children can remember their past life even after the age of five. In this case the mind of the new body remains free from environmental influences. That is, the waves of the external world are unable to influence the mind. Such people are called játismara or one who remembers one’s past lives. Normally, the extra-cerebral memory of such people remains active up to the age of twelve. If one still remembers one’s past life after that it becomes difficult to survive, because two minds will try to function in one body – the mind of this life and that of the previous one. A single body cannot tolerate the clashes of two minds, hence psycho-physical parallelism is lost leading to eventual death.

Forgetfulness is a providential decree. Usually human beings forget their past lives. Is this forgetfulness a blessing or a curse? It is a blessing because human beings feel burdened by the weight of one life. It would be impossible for them to carry the burden of many lives together.

The human mind is sentimental – full of love, affection, camaraderie, etc. People have a deep attraction to this world; they remain preoccupied throughout their lives with fears and anxieties for the safety of their families. So many problems have to be confronted. The problems of one life alone are enough to make people restless. If they had to face the problems of several lives, they would be unable to lead a natural life. The problems of the past lives, compounded by the strife of the present life, would drive them to the brink of insanity. Secondly, it is difficult for people to be detached from love and attachment for one life. So much effort is required to overcome the bondages of attachment and march towards Parama Puruśa. If the memory of the past lives is revived, the bondage of attachment will tighten its grip, putting a halt to spiritual advancement. One will be caught in the grip of worldly attachment. Thus the decree of merciful providence is, “Let human beings be oblivious of their past lives.”

It is also true that nothing in this universe is lost or destroyed, so the history of a person’s hopes and frustrations [of this life] remains stored in their subconscious mind [subtle mind]. Due to restlessness of the crude and subtle minds, the causal mind cannot give expression to its omniscience. But all knowledge, one’s entire past history and flashes of one’s previous lives, remain stored in sequential order in the causal mind, just like a colourful panorama, one layer representing one life, followed by a gap, followed by another layer representing another life, and so on. That is why the great poet Rabindranath Tagore said, Bhule tháká se to nay bholá [“To remain in oblivion is not to forget completely”].

Human beings, if they so want, may try to relive those experiences in their memories. This endeavour is called sádhaná or spiritual practice. Sádhakas or spiritual aspirants, by dint of sádhaná, suspend their crude mind in the subtle mind, and the subtle mind in the causal mind. They can then clearly visualize that panorama of sequential events in the causal mind. As they have full control over the time factor they can easily transcend the intervening gaps between two lives and establish a link between them. A series of lives slowly and gradually unfold themselves like a moving panorama before their eyes.

Should one strive to see one’s past lives? Through sádhaná human beings attain a certain degree of control over the relative factors. After a long journey of hundreds of years one begins to visualize the saḿskáras of one’s past lives. To visualize other’s saḿskáras is relatively easy for a sádhaka, but to visualize one’s own saḿskáras is very difficult. Behind this also there is the decree of merciful providence. Imagine a person was a sinner in his or her past life, but in this life has got the opportunity to lead a spiritual life, by His Grace. Now, if the person happens to discover his or her past sinful life, he or she will lose all inspiration to continue spiritual sádhaná. The dominant thought in his or her mind will be, “I am a sinner. I have no saḿskára for sádhaná and will be unable to do it.” This sort of negative thought will thwart his or her spiritual progress. One’s past life will pull one back. In the words of Rabindranath Tagore:

Adrśt́ere shudhhálem emani niśt́ur bale
Ke more tániche pashcáte.
Se kahila, “Phire dekh,”
Dekhilám ámi,
Pashcáte tániche more pashcáter ámi.

[I asked the Lord of my life, “Who is pulling me from behind with such irresistible force?” He told me to look back. I did, and found that my own mental reactive momenta were pulling me back.]

The pashcáter ámi [the “me” behind me] of the poem refers to the extra-cerebral memory.

Conversely, if a sádhaka happened to be a great spiritualist in his or her past life, then through the powers of his or her extra-cerebral memory he or she will be further inspired to continue the spiritual life. He or she will think, “In my previous life I was unable to complete my spiritual practice. Now in this life Parama Puruśa has given me the opportunity to attain my cherished goal.” He or she will intensify his or her spiritual practice and advance rapidly towards Parama Puruśa with His sweet attraction. He or she will recite: Sammukhe t́heliche more pashcáter ámi [“My own reactive momenta are pushing me forward”].

Individual Rhythm and Universal Rhythm

Published in:
Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]
Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]

Notes:

official source: Tattva Kaomudii Part 2

this version: is the printed Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4, 1st edition, 2nd printing, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Words in double square brackets [[ ]] are corrections that did not appear in the printed version.

This vast universe is the greatest expansion of the Macrocosmic mind, now the question is, how was this universe created? The fact is that the Macrocosmic citta is the material stuff of this universe. The mind can have a form when it is vibrated by the cosmic mind. Hence this universe is made out of his mind stuff. In the extroversial flow of the cosmic cycle of creation the different tanmátras are created – sound, touch, taste, form, smell – as a result of crudification of cosmic citta. These tanmátras are the analytical forms of universal rhythm. The inanimate matter, plants and animals, etc., originate in the evolutionary flow of the Macrocosmic imagination. It flows from subtle to crude in Saiṋcara and in Pratisaiṋcara flows from crude to subtle. In this second phase of the cosmic flow the evolved human beings emerged and carry the flow of creation to its successful fruition. In the observable world that is the macrocosmic imagination, the numerous forms have emerged – forms after forms, waves after waves, ideas after ideas. He is the noumenal cause of this phenomenal world.

Each and every created entity – whether crude, subtle or causal – is vibrational and rhythmic. Suppose there is a man he has a body, mind and soul. His body is composed of eyes, nose, ears, tongue, skin, vocal cords, hands, legs, excretory and genital organs, ten vayus, blood vessels, nerves, blood, flesh and so on. Each of this parts of the body has its distinctive rhythm. The difference between two human beings or two objects is due to the vibrational or rhythmic differences. That no two entities in this world look similar is due to this vibrational differences. Thus this world is full of diversity – this is the inexorable law of nature.

The average of rhythms of all rhythms – the rhythm of body, mind and soul, and the individual organs etc., of the body – is called individual rhythm. The individual entity has five kośas [layers of mind], rather like a plantain flower. Similarly, this universe is the collective form of countless vibrations and rhythms. Every animate and inanimate object of creation emanates its own vibrations – the mighty mountains, the flowing rivers, the lovely forests – none is mute, none is silent. Each of them is resounding with an inexplicable eternal vibration, as if in deep meditation. The collective rhythms of all the rhythms emanating every moment from the countless objects of the cosmic imagination is called “universal rhythm”. The existence and growth of finite, living entities are dependent on this universal rhythm, whether they realize it or not. A microcosm, due to its limited capacity, cannot fully grasp this universal rhythm, although it tries to do so. To catch the vibration of this vast, endless universal rhythm the microcosms will have to unify all the capacity of their indriyas and minds. Only then will they be totally identified with the universal rhythm and become absorbed in a blissful vibration. The auspicious moment when the small “I” and big “I” are harmoniously united, will [[result in the restlessness of the small “I” coming to a standstill. The result will]] be an unending flow of bliss in the cosmos. Let me try to explain the nature of the mutual relationship between the microcosm and universal rhythms with a simple analogy. Suppose a young boy is flying a kite high in the sky. It seems the kite has an apparent link with someone on earth, but that is not the fact. The kite has a link with the spindle in the hands of the boy through a thin thread. The kite flies at a certain altitude according to the sweet will of the boy. The microcosm and universal rhythm also are linked by an invisible spiritual bond in exactly the same way. That’s why it is said that microcosms are only granted “ dominion status”; whereas a complete independence is vested with the universal rhythm.

How can we understand that there is a spiritual link between the unit and universal rhythms. In daily life everyone realizes that if their lives are troubled their dear and near ones will feel great pain, whereas if their lives are filled with joy, their relative will be happy too. Even sometimes we feel a kind of pain in our hearts when we see the pale, sickly faces of those who are not even related to us. Sometimes people even forget their enmity out of deep sympathy for their sworn enemies. Who does not like the spontaneous joy of the innocent faces of children? This is all due to the invisible spiritual link between unit rhythm and universal rhythm. Thus those who are able to connect themselves with the universal rhythm will attain permanent composure. Their existence will acquire a new meaning. This universal rhythm is unfolding itself in innumerable rhythms in the vast bosom of this universe. He wants the living beings also to keep moving in harmony with the universal rhythm. If we call this endless, vibrating rhythm of the Macrocosmic entity Paramrása, then the individual rhythm of the microcosm should be called svarasa. The actual significance of sádhaná is to merge the individual flow into the Macrocosmic flow.

Those who seek to attain the permanent cessation of afflictions in their lives, have no other way than to follow this path of sádhaná. Very often it is found that a certain person is in possession of vast wealth due to his life long’s diligent labour. It may be that the person, in the days of his prosperity, was a central figure in the society. But at the end of his life he may suffered a wretched existence, bemoaning his losses in the arid desert of his heart. The reason is that the person had an insatiable thirst for material objects and never tried to identify his individual flow with the cosmic flow. On the contrary, a person living in a thatched hut did not forget Parama Puruśa even in the midst of abject poverty and never deviated from the goal of his life. Such a persons life can never lose its charm. Every dust particle of this earth will seem to be as sweet as honey to him. Likewise, his existence will acquire the sweetness of honey.

Idam mánuśaḿ sarveśáḿ bhútánáḿ madhvasya mánuśasya sarvani bhutáni madhu.
Ayátmá sarveśáḿ bhútánáḿ madhvasyá átmanah sarvani bhútani madhuh.

Liberated souls or jiivanmukta are truly blessed individuals. How is this unification of the unit flow with the cosmic flow possible? It is only possible through sádhaná. When sádhakas ideate on the Supreme, their individual flow tries to maintain a parallelism with the universal rhythm. The bridge connecting the unit rhythm with the cosmic rhythm is the incantative rhythm. The individual rhythm vibrated by the incantative rhythm rushes to be united with the universal rhythm. When the unit entity feels the existence of the universal rhythm but fails to attain Him, it feels a psychic affliction. The great poet Rabindranath Tagore has expressed this so beautifully in one of his poems.

Tumi kemon kare gán karo he, guńii
Ámi abák haye gán kebol shuni
Shurer álo bhuban phele cheye
Shurer háoyá chale gagan beye
pásán tute byákul bege dheye
Bahiyá jáy shurer shuradhanii
Mane kari amni shure gái
Kanthe ámár shur khunje ná pái
Kaite kii caj, kaite kathá badhe
Hár mene je paráń ámár kánde
Ámáy tumi phelecho kon phánde
Choidike mor shurer jál buni

The universal life is unfolding itself in so many rhythms, tunes and melodies, in light waves and sound waves, etc. A microcosm which is about to touch Him, but fails to do so, carries the agony of his incapacity. But the wavelength of unit mind will increase by intensive efforts and one day will be one with that universal rhythm and will finally merge in the Macrocosmic wave. This merger is termed “ self-surrender”.

This universe lies embedded in the macrocosmic flow of Parama Puruśa. The imperfect microcosms have no instrument to measure this endless cosmic flow. Each and every atom and molecule of this universe, matter, mind, in fact everything, is floating on this Macrocosmic waves. A person whose mind is free from the load of crudity can easily float along the cosmic wave. One who is overloaded with saḿskáras cannot float at all. Buddha in one of his teachings says, “Sinca bhikkhu imaḿ návaḿ miktate lahu messatti” – “O monk, if you want to cross to the other bank, make the boat of your mind light.”

Whether the same wavelength or a different wavelength each and every molecule and atom of the universe is bobbing up and down on the ocean of cosmic flow. This is the mysterious and eternal dance of the universe. The continuous dance of microcosms around Puruśottama, floating on the Cosmic flow is called rásaliilá.

Nrtyer bashe caiṋcal hala vidrohii paramáńu,
Padayug ghire jyotimaiṋjari bájila candrabhánu.