During the last Gorakhpur dharmamahá cakra [spiritual congregation],⁽¹⁾ I said that three factors are indispensable for microcosmic progress: physical clash, psychic clash and the attraction of the Great.

Whenever there is clash or conflict within any structure, whether subtle or crude, it develops increasing subtlety. This applies to both psychic clash and physical clash. The more subtle the crude mind becomes as a result of internal clash, the greater its spiritual awakening. It is written in Caryácarya Vinishcaya:

Tulá dhuni dhuni áṋsure áṋsu
Áṋsu dhuni dhuni niravara sesu.

“When cotton is spun, its fibres become more subtle. As a result of further spinning, that is, further physical clash, its fibres become so subtle that they are almost invisible to the eye.” In the dexterous hand of Prakrti [the Supreme Operative Principle], the solid factor is metamorphosed into mind, and mind is later converted into Consciousness.

Physical Clash

In the initial stage of pratisaiṋcara [the process of introversion], there is only physical clash. The unit mind – the mind whose flow is connected with matter through the workings of its vital energy – is generated as a consequence of extreme physical clash. Thus we see that in the phenomenal world the primordial cause of creation is physical clash, and due to this clash animate entities are generated out of inanimate matter.

Though the term “non-matter” is taken to mean the átman [unit consciousness], the maháttattva [existential “I”] and the ahaḿtattva [doer “I”], a subtle analysis can lead us to the understanding that only Nirguńa Brahma [the Non-Qualified Supreme Entity] qualifies as non-matter. Clash transforms matter into mind-stuff and mind-stuff into non-matter. Whenever the objective part of the Macrocosm is converted into non-matter, it is no longer Its objective part but becomes Its subjective part.

Although the unit mind appears to originate from matter, in the absolute sense it evolves from the Macrocosmic Mind. Because the matter from which it appears to originate is nothing but physical vibrations emanating from the Cosmic (Macrocosmic) Mind. And what (based on appearances) we call physical clash is, from the Cosmic point of view, direct Macrocosmic psychic clash, and as created within the microcosm, indirect Macrocosmic psychic clash. When what we call physical clash is mostly superseded by direct Macrocosmic psychic clash due to close proximity to the Cognitive Entity, a material object comes to be termed a conscious entity. When that conscious entity is further assailed by the direct waves of the Macrocosm, it can be called a human mind. Thus the human mind is created as a result of physical and psychic clash in the relative world and Macrocosmic psychic clash in the absolute sphere. The appropriate structure for the human mind is selected by the waves of the Macrocosmic Mind out of the five fundamental factors. That structure is the human body.

So in human beings there is both physical and psychic clash. Due to the impact of both, humans gradually advance along the path of progress. But inanimate objects are only subjected to physical clash, because in them mind has no expression.

Even though both physical and psychic clash help to create progress, human beings can generally be divided into two categories: those who welcome psychic clash and those who prefer to undergo physical clash. The first category we can call bhávavádiis [“idealists”] and the second category bhogavádiis [“materialists”] . I intentionally do not use the word jad́avádiis⁽²⁾ to describe the latter.

It should be remembered that both the materialists and the idealists are sádhakas [spiritual aspirants], the only difference between them being their goal. A subtle analysis will reveal that both categories harm society. In order to advance, human beings will have to maintain a balance between the two, and will have to keep the idea of the Supreme fixed before them as their goal in the midst of physical clashes.

In the relative sense, only a kind of physical clash exists in the saiṋcara [extroversial] phase of Brahma Cakra [the Cosmic Cycle of creation] whereas in the pratisaiṋcara [introversial] phase all three exist: physical clash, psychic clash and the attraction of the Great. Now, in the case of these clashes, what clashes against what? Whatever the clash, whether physical or psychic, it exists between two forces: Vidyá [introversial force] and Avidyá [extroversial force] – negative and positive. Suppose in the phase of saiṋcara the negative Vidyá force is fixed at forty and the positive Avidyá force is fixed at sixty. The resultant force will be twenty in favour of Avidyá. In the phase of saiṋcara this stronger positive Avidyá force causes the [Cosmic] ectoplasm to move away from Puruśottama [Nucleus Consciousness]. In the phase of pratisaiṋcara, if the negative Vidyá force is fixed at sixty and the positive Avidyá force at forty, the resultant will be twenty in favour of Vidyá, causing the [unit] ectoplasm to gradually advance towards Nucleus Consciousness, that is, towards non-matter.⁽³⁾ The subtle Cosmic mind-stuff is metamorphosed into the material particles of the relative world. The return of these particles to non-matter is caused by physical clash, psychic clash and the attraction of the Great.

To encourage physical clash is a kind of sadhana which is called karma yoga. In karma yoga people perform sadhana physically by rendering service to living beings and the world at large, by conducting scientific research, etc. Physical clash increases the inter-atomic space within material objects, resulting in the transformation of crude matter into mind-stuff. This transformation of matter into mind occurs due to the aforementioned net twenty-point negative Vidyá force, so whatever energy of human beings and their physical science might be applied in the transforming process, those human beings and their physical science cannot add to the effect of that twenty-point force.

Those people who opt for the path of physical clash use all the energy they have gained in the process of pratisaiṋcara to deal with matter. Thus although there is no scope for their minds to acquire knowledge, they certainly have room for devotion, because the goal of the Vidyá force with which they are engaged in physical clash is Nucleus Consciousness. So those who move in the flow of Vidyá are certainly advancing towards Brahma [the Supreme Entity]. This movement towards Brahma, this attraction towards Nucleus Consciousness, is termed “devotion”.

Self-awareness develops through clash. The awareness that develops through physical clash is termed jadábuddhi [crude physical intellect] because it is associated with jadá [matter]. The consciousness of animals and undeveloped human beings is matter-oriented. But even in developed human society, if someone is an atheist or a materialist, we can only term their intellect as jadábuddhi. Such people deny the existence of spirituality in order to hide their intellectual deficiencies. Their denial betrays their moral and intellectual bankruptcy. It does not speak of their glory, nor does it diminish the value of spirituality.

Devotion plays a positive role in the process of clash. Had there been no factor to maintain the balance among all the objects created within the Macrocosmic Mind, the entire structure of the universe would have fallen apart. For the sake of harmony and balance within the universe, there is a mutual attraction among all the objects; each microcosm attracts the other microcosms. All finite microcosms – the innumerable manifestations of the Supreme Entity – are entitled to that universal love with which It has bound each microcosm to Itself, entitled to the wave of that universal love, in which Its divine ocean of bliss is perennially flowing. Attraction is the innate characteristic of microcosms. When this attraction is for finite objects, it is called káma [“physical longing”], and when it surges towards the Cosmic Entity, it is called prema [“divine love”]. Of course, káma is nothing but a limited form of prema. When microcosms rush towards Parama Puruśa [Supreme Consciousness] attracted by the irresistible force of divine love, it is termed “devotion”. Since clash drives the microcosms towards subtlety, it follows that clash must be the sustainer of devotion.

Materialists are worshippers of káma. They are preoccupied with casteism, nationalism, communism, etc. They confine their love to a particular social group or state and do not feel any qualms of conscience about spitting venom at another social group or state. Such a limited expression of love cannot be called devotion. Genuine devotees will shower their love equally on each and every entity of this universe. When materialists put on a show of universal love, it is merely a ploy which they use to misappropriate others’ property.

Psychic Clash

The second possibility is struggle on the intellectual plane – psychic clash. In this sort of clash, people strive only to satisfy their psychic longings unrelated to the physical body. They do not desire mundane objects of pleasure, but seek psychic objects such as name, fame, etc. Pure psychic clash is perhaps subtler than physical clash, but to what extent can it promote human welfare? Even educated and intelligent people constantly indulge in mudslinging against others merely to attain name and fame, even though they are not greedy for money. Can this sort of psychic clash lead the mind towards subtlety? On the one hand ectoplasms are powdered down due to clash and their minds may achieve a fair degree of expansion, but on the other hand, under the domination of the propensity of greed, their minds gradually move towards greater crudity; that is, they move along the path of negative pratisaiṋcara.

Attraction of the Great

That is not to say that one should avoid physical and psychic clashes. On the contrary, one should encourage them, but without losing sight of the Macrocosmic goal.

When one’s mind becomes more subtle and expanded, it is no longer assailed by petty thoughts. The mind-atoms (atoms of ectoplasm) will be powdered down, and in the fire of sadhana those powdered-down atoms will become ensconced in non-duality. So physical and psychic clash achieve their highest fulfilment in the attraction of the Great. Without this divine attraction, life loses its charm.

The mind is one’s best friend if it moves towards subtlety, but if it degenerates and becomes crude it is one’s worst enemy. Due to psychic clash people today have created atom bombs, but as their endeavour is motivated by materialistic desires, the consequences have been horrifying.

The structure of the mind is determined by the nature of its object. If the psychic object is crude, the inter-atomic gaps within the mind decrease in size, and the mind will ultimately refuse to accept anything except its own crude object. For this reason the supporters of crude isms become incapable of accepting the rational ideas of others, and closing their eyes and plugging their ears, they try to cling to their own irrational rituals. Their psychic receptivity is lost due to the superimposition of crude ideation. They do not feel the need for the Vidyá force to exceed the Avidyá force. They say, “Why should I bother about such subtle things. I am quite happy as I am.” Such people, engrossed as they are with materialism, are bound to be reborn in crude material bodies.

When the goal of one’s ideation is Paramátman [the totality of all unit consciousnesses], one progresses in an absolute sense. As one’s psychic object is subtle and expansive, one’s psychic body also becomes subtle and expansive and finally becomes one with the Macrocosm. It was assumed that during the period of psychic clash in the phase of pratisaiṋcara, microcosms progress due to the resultant Vidyá force (a negative twenty in our example). But as a result of Cosmic ideation, can the speed of the microcosms’ progress exceed that pratisaiṋcara speed? Yes, it can. This is known as the attraction of the Great. But some sádhakas whose brain and nervous system have become accustomed to the natural speed of Vidyá find it difficult to adjust to the accelerated movement created by the attraction of the Great. This difficulty is expressed through vibrational symptoms such as tears of joy, horripilation, dance, etc. Sádhakas who can adjust to the accelerated movement will not be affected by these expressions.

The movement caused by the attraction of the Great is called true devotion; such devotion results from worshipping the Great. Physical clash also produces a type of devotion, but that is static in nature. And the devotion caused by psychic clash is mutative in nature. Actually, there is very little difference between the devotion born out of psychic clash and that born out of observance of the moral code [i.e., cardinal moral principles]. Such psychic-clash or moralistic devotees cannot feel the sweetness of sentient devotion, because their minds are not filled with the thought of the Supreme; their minds are filled with petty thoughts; their outlook is that of one engaged in a commercial transaction. Ideation on the Supreme is the only way to attain real spiritual peace. The attraction of the Great is the only genuine devotion.

Paramátman has been attracting all to Himself,⁽⁴⁾ with no exception. Some people complain that Paramátman has forgotten them, but to say that is unjust, for no living being is outside Brahma Cakra. He attracts all through His sweet bond of love. Sometimes this love appears to be painful, sometimes pleasurable. But whatever the experience, painful or pleasurable, He comes to you. He does not cast you away in a world beyond the scope of pain or pleasure. If you ever see that this has happened, you will know that you have lost your identity.

Hence when a genuine spiritual aspirant experiences happiness he or she will say, “O Lord, how great You are to have remembered such an insignificant person as me,” and when he or she experiences pain, “O Lord, how great You are to have come to me in the form of sorrow, even when others ignore me.” An innocent person who is acquitted in a court case should say, “O Lord how great You are! You have saved me by upholding justice.” And the guilty one should say, “O Lord, how great You are! You have made me realize my mistakes by putting me through physical and psychic torment.” And the judge should say, “O Lord, You have honoured me by making me the deliverer of justice.”

According to divine decree, if the negative Vidyá force in pratisaiṋcara is sixty and the positive Avidyá force is forty, then the resultant Vidyá force is twenty. With the help of this resultant force of Vidyá (twenty), Parama Puruśa attracts microcosms towards Himself. If microcosms surrender totally to Vidyá, they will certainly attain Brahma some day. And if the microcosms can, by virtue of sadhana, accelerate the flow of Vidyá, then their resultant Vidyá force will merge in the resultant Vidyá force of Brahma. This pursuit of Vidyá in individual life is the sadhana of Saguńa Brahma [the Qualified Supreme Entity]. But if one wrongly pursues the path of Avidyá, one moves counter to the resultant Vidyá force of Brahma. The result of this movement against the Cosmic will can never be good. Philosophically it is known as pralaya [annihilation]. Hence while doing the sadhana of Saguńa Brahma, one has to increase the Vidyá force.

Sá vidyá yá vimuktaye – “Vidyá is that which brings liberation.” Now the question is, with how much force can microcosms advance? As long as human beings advance due to the resultant Vidyá force of the Supreme Entity, they are regarded as sádhakas of sentient devotion; that is, the wave of the resultant force during the pratisaiṋcara phase is the wave of sentient devotion. In the flow of their movement they only have one desire in their minds, the desire for liberation. And when they cleanse themselves of all impurities and take the help of the full negative force in order to become one with Nucleus Consciousness, the devotion through which they advance is called rágátmiká bhakti [“non-attributional devotion”]. At that phase of sadhana they do not desire liberation, but yearn for Parama Puruśa alone. In this category of devotees the resultant Vidyá force of twenty is converted into the original sixty Vidyá force [of the Supreme Entity].

Devotion can only be attained through rigorous penance, through action and knowledge for lifetimes together. Even illiterate people can perfect non-attributional devotion. When great scholars, well-versed in the scriptures, see the height of devotion of the common masses, they stare in blank amazement, like fools. When spiritual aspirants advance along the path of devotion, but do not develop the resultant Vidyá force sufficiently to attain the status of non-attributional devotion, they attain a stage of devotion called rágánuga bhakti [“attributional devotion”].

Physical clash leads primarily to progress in the physical aspects of life, and secondarily in the psychic and spiritual aspects. Psychic clash leads primarily to intellectual progress and secondarily to progress in other spheres. The attraction of the Great results primarily in spiritual progress, but at the same time there is adjustment between both physical and intellectual progress and intellectual and spiritual progress.

The spirit of sadhana of a person experiencing the attraction of the Great is total surrender, or kevalá bhakti [one-pointed devotion]. The Entity to whom one surrenders one’s all, is Táraka Brahma [the Supreme Entity in Its liberating aspect].

Footnotes

(1) See “Struggle and Progress” in Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life Part 8, 1988. –Eds.

(2) Bhoga refers to the enjoyment of matter whereas jad́a refers to matter itself. (Jad́avádiis is sometimes used incorrectly to mean “materialists”.) –Eds.

(3) Note that Avidyá and saiṋcara are positive, Vidyá and pratisaiṋcara negative. Avidyá and saiṋcara are positive in the sense that they effect the creation, Vidyá and pratisaiṋcara negative in the sense that they effect the return of parts of the creation to pure consciousness. Elsewhere the author has said regarding saiṋcara, “Avidyámáyá is the operative force behind its multicreative characteristics.” (“Bhútatattva, Tanmátratattva and Indriyatattva” in Idea and Ideology) –Eds.

(4) Elsewhere the author has said: “Brahma is a composite of Puruśa and Prakrti. The name for the cognitive aspect is in the masculine gender, and the name for the operative aspect in the feminine gender. But Brahma is in the neuter gender. Brahma is not a personal God.” (“Dances and the Path of Vidyá” in Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 12)

The concept of Paramátman is virtually identical to the concept of Puruśa. “Paramátman is the Supreme Father.” (“The Dialogues of Shiva and Párvatii - 3” in Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 23) –Eds.