What is the goal of human life? A person should love – what? Parama Puruśa, or occult power? If one gains occult power, one may do so many things. In the third stage of sádhaná,⁽¹⁾ a sádhaka gets some occult power. And after getting the occult power, suppose that he or she becomes engaged with that occult power, he or she wants to display that occult power. What will happen? He or she will fall down. He or she will be nowhere. He or she will not remain a sádhaka. So in that stage, in the third stage, one will have to be very, very cautious. And even with those occult powers [one should say], “I want Parama Puruśa, not the occult powers.” Do you follow?

Mother is cooking and little baby is there crying. “Ma! Ma!” he is crying. What will the mother do in such a case? She will give a toy to that little baby and again start her duty, her cooking duty. But the baby is quite intelligent and says, “No! I don’t want this toy, I want you!” Then what is the mother to do? She will have to do like this [imitating a mother cuddling a baby in her arms]. It is the mother, and not the toy, that the intelligent baby wants. Similarly, an occult power is just like a toy. If Parama Puruśa gives you a toy, what are you to say? “Oh, ah, very good, very good!” – ? No, you are to say, “I don’t want it, I want You.” What are you to say? “I don’t want the toy, I want the Maker of the toy.” So you see the third stage of sádhaná⁽²⁾ is a great [test]. You will have to select between occult powers and Parama Puruśa.

What will you [looking at one particular disciple] do in that case, in that third stage of sádhaná? Will you will choose occult powers, for people to say, “Oh, D– is a supernatural man! D–, you’re a great yogi! You have so much power!” Will you do like this? No, no, you want [Parama Puruśa]. And you…? [asking various disciples] And you…? Don’t you want occult powers? No, you do not want occult powers. That is [right]. “I don’t want occult powers, I want the Lord of occult powers.”

In society those who have no knowledge, little knowledge, regarding spirituality, think occult power is everything. But those who are actually elevated persons [consider such power] meaningless. When a sádhaka wants occult power from Parama Puruśa, he or she may or may not get occult power, but it is sure he or she will not get Parama Puruśa, because he or she did not want Parama Puruśa. He or she wanted occult powers, so he or she may or may not get occult powers, but he or she will not get Parama Puruśa. Be very strict in this respect.

[The author paused and looked very slowly and intently at almost everyone in the room. There was absolute silence.]

Do you follow?

[Addressing one disciple:] V–K–, stand up. Do you want occult powers? You don’t want occult powers? Then you are not an “intelligent” fellow if you don’t want occult powers! You don’t want to be that type of intelligent, eh?

Do meditation on occult powers and see if you are getting any – what shall I say – ánandam [bliss] or not. Ahhh. Now meditation on Parama Puruśa – don’t disturb him please – meditate on Parama Puruśa. [V–K–, in trance, raised his head back.] Certainly you are getting ánandam. [V–K–’s head went higher, his back arched.] Try to be with Parama Puruśa. Go inner and inner… [V–K–’s hands rose up shoulder height, then higher and higher, outstretched and quivering]… inner and inner… inner and inner… [V–K– groaned with ecstatic feeling] … inner and inner… [V–K– moaning]… inner and inner … [V–K– moans very intense]… be with Parama Puruśa… go inner and inner… inner and inner. [V–K– gasped and fell backwards in samádhi (ecstatic trance) and into another disciple’s lap.]

Don’t disturb him. He wanted Parama Puruśa. So, if you want to get occult powers, go outer and outer; if you want Parama Puruśa, go inner and inner and inner and inner.

You should always remember this. Do not be after occult powers, be after Parama Puruśa. Occult powers, like all other powers, are transitory, temporary in nature, not permanent in nature. As soon as you die, occult powers will also be taken away from you. But Parama Puruśa will remain with you even at that time, for that property is of a permanent nature.

Occult power is an ordinary power. The general public does not possess that ordinary power, that is why they think it is a supernatural power, is occult power. Gold is an ordinary metal, but because it is a bit rare, it is costly. Otherwise machines, spades, tractors would have been manufactured with the help of – what? Gold, not iron. Gold is an ordinary metal. It is just like that. Occult power is an ordinary power. People say it is supernatural. There is nothing supernatural in this world. Everything is natural. But because it is a bit rare, people say it is supernatural.

Do you children want occult power? Or [pointing to V–K–, still in samádhi] do you want to be a “fool” like that one?

Footnotes

(1) For the four stages of sádhaná, see “The Phases of Human Approach” in this book, and the book Stages of Psycho-Spiritual Sádhaná as included in Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Parts 5 and 6. –Eds.

(2) For the four stages of sádhaná, see “The Phases of Human Approach” in this book, and the book Stages of Psycho-Spiritual Sádhaná as included in Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Parts 5 and 6. –Eds.