The other day I was discussing “Devotional Sentiment and Neohumanism”. In discussing devotional sentiment, I said that lack of adjustment with the external world inhibits the internal devotional sentiment. To avoid such obstructions to one’s devotion, one should pray to the Supreme Consciousness, “O Lord! Save me from these obstacles! Kindly save this most precious treasure of mine – devotion.”

I also said regarding the path of devotion that devotion should not be taken as a mere cult or as a mere principle; it should be accepted as the highest mission in life. Devotion leads humanity towards the stage of subtlety, and finally ensconces a person in the state of supreme bliss. That is why in the scriptures devotion has also been called puśt́i márga, that is, a path by which all of human existence becomes spiritually strengthened: the mind becomes more stable, one realizes more and more spiritual bliss – in a word, the whole of human existence becomes blissful.

Otherwise, in the absence of devotion, life seems to lack rhythm. It becomes dull, dreary and miserable. So if human beings become more extroversial, they ultimately lose their internal treasure.

It is just like a sprout shooting from a palm seed. The sprout grows fast externally, but inside there is emptiness. First the kernel becomes porous, then gradually the whole seed begins to fall apart bit by bit, and finally it loses its existence altogether in the earth. At present, in most of the countries of the world, cynicism⁽¹⁾ is becoming rampant.

In my discussion the other day, I said that of all the factors that cause this imbalance in the external world, the primary one is geo-sentiment, which concerns itself with the interests of one’s own locality at the expense of other localities. People will have to fight against geo-sentiment in their individual lives in order to direct their inner beings towards perfection, to develop their latent humanity along the proper channels, and to elevate the demi-humans, or half-humans, and the quarter-humans⁽²⁾ to the level of fully-developed human beings.

And at the same time, intelligent people should no longer remain silent, but rather exhort the people to oppose this geo-sentiment. They must not act like goody-goodies, seeing evil but continuing to tolerate it. This is very bad.

Developing Rationalistic Mentality through Study

I also said that other sentiments – geo-patriotism, geo-religion, geo-economics and many more – are based on this geo-sentiment; and in the future clever people may create still more sentiments based on it. All these sentiments certainly hinder the inner growth of human beings. So people must remain vigilant, lest this precious treasure, their inner asset, be destroyed. It is said:

Pát́hato násti múrkhatvaḿ jagato násti pátakam;
Maonináḿ kalaho násti na bhayaḿ cásti jágratah.

“O clever human being, if you want to be a fool, give up studying. If you want to be a sinner, avoid feelings of sympathy for others. If you want just to live a peaceful life and never be disturbed, then keep silent. And if you hope to completely avoid danger, then you must never close your eyes.”

Now then, what is the most powerful weapon with which to fight this geo-sentiment? What is the most solid ground on which to challenge it? The answer to both questions is, rationalistic mentality. Rationalistic mentality has to be developed in two ways: First, through the study of various subjects (studies both of the kind called pát́ha in Sanskrit [pát́ha means “study” – that study may be of any subject], and of the kind called svádhyáya [“study of spiritual subjects”]). But what about those who are illiterate? Can they not join the fight against geo-sentiment? Certainly they can. They will learn by listening to the discourses of others; thus it is the duty of those who have understood, to make others also understand. In this way, all will be able to develop their rationalistic mentality to fight against geo-sentiment and protect their precious psychic wealth.

How will people make their human existence glorious? By rising above geo-sentiment, and by helping others to rise above it also. This geo-sentiment attacks not just from one direction, but from many directions at once. It spreads its roots into all spheres of human life. Just as a single banyan tree spreads its roots under all corners of a mansion, ultimately causing its total collapse, in the same way, this geo-sentiment attacks the whole human personality and annihilates all its noble qualities. The only way to protect oneself from the all-out attack of this geo-sentiment is to develop rationalistic mentality.

Developing Proto-Spiritualistic Mentality

Next comes socio-sentiment, which promotes the interest of one’s own society at the expense of other societies. Based on this sentiment are many other sentiments, such as socio-patriotism, socio-religion, socio-economics, socio-art, -architecture, -literature, and so on.

A social group’s own deity “says” to the people, “Your God is the true God: all other gods are false. You are the chosen people in this universe: all others are cursed!” These are the preachings of socio-religion.

Similar is the case with socio-patriotism and socio-economics: “Let that country be destroyed. I will conquer that nation and drain its vitality for the sake of my own country” – this is socio-patriotism, also called “fascism”.

“Let others be ruined. I will exploit that country to serve the interests of my dearest homeland” – this is socio-economics.

What is the way to counteract this socio-sentiment? The only way to eliminate it is to develop proto-spiritualistic mentality. The basis of this proto-spiritualistic mentality is sama-samája tattva [the principle of social equality]. When people understand this principle from the core of their hearts, they spontaneously develop proto-spiritualistic mentality, proto-spiritualistic psychic structure. So this sama-samája tattva is very necessary to fight against socio-sentiment. There is no other way.

If one avoids this sama-samája tattva and thinks, “I will be a virtuous person, I will be a devotee of the Lord, I will do all sorts of good deeds – but I will not raise my voice against injustice,” I must say that will be foolish. Trying to do good while avoiding this sama-samája tattva is just like placing the cart before the horse. The cart should be placed behind the horse; it is foolish to place it in front.

Sama-samája tattva teaches that the basis of dharma [righteousness] is the collective march of all in unison.

Vishvajaner páyer tale Dhúlimay ye bhúmi Sei to svargabhúmi Sabáy niye sabár majhe Lukiye ácha tumi Sei to ámar tumi.

–Rabindranath Tagore

[This dusty earth which humanity treads – this is indeed heaven; You who are within all, hiding in every heart – You are indeed mine.]

This is the first and last word of sama-samája tattva.

This sama-samája tattva is the firm foundation of society. And what is it that maintains social dynamism on this firm foundation? It is the proto-spiritualistic psychic structure, the proto-spiritualistic mentality.

This proto-spiritualistic mentality has been moving eternally towards the Supreme Entity. Its undulating waves have no beginning or end. They spread out in all directions, endlessly. No one can stop its movement; no one has the power to stop it. And the Supreme Consciousness also wants this proto-spiritualistic systaltic movement to continue endlessly, until it finally merges in Him.

Once a person is established in this proto-spiritualistic flow, what happens within his or her mind? Devotion as a cult is transformed into devotion as a principle. Only at this stage, when devotion becomes a principle, can one fight against socio-sentiment.

Next comes the so-called humanistic sentiment. I say “so-called” humanism because it is not motivated by any perennial source of inspiration. The humanism which is not motivated by any perennial source of inspiration is bound to become a formality only, devoid of real sincerity. It may die out at any moment, like a river which ends in the sands of the desert. So it must be motivated by a constant and perennial source of inspiration – which I call Neohumanism. When this Neohumanism operates in the external sphere, then internal devotion as a principle is transformed into devotion as a mission.

Finally, the source of inspiration for this Neohumanism is spirituality as a cult. And when this surging Neohumanism overflows in all directions, making all things sweet and blissful, unifying individual life with collective life, and transforming this earth into a blissful heaven – that very state of supreme fulfilment is the state of spirituality as a mission. That is the highest state of attainment in human life, the source of all inspiration.

The other day I explained the external factors that disturb the balance of mind. And today I have spoken about the psycho-spiritualistic processes to counteract those destabilizing factors. Those who move along this path make their lives glorious and effulgent, and their sweet radiance illumines and glorifies all other minds in this harmonious universe. In that state, whatever they come in contact with in the world, they will be able to distinguish the pure gold from the impure, the true from the false. On these people alone can all of humanity rely. Their victory is assured.

Footnotes

(1) Cynicism results when the internal aspect of life is neglected. –Trans.

(2) I.e., undeveloped human beings, almost subhuman. –Trans.