== NARAKYA'NA IS NOT OUR WAY==
Namaskar,
The path of sadhana is difficult-- it is not an easy endeavour. Many, of course, sincerely try to move ahead, and indeed do move ahead on this path; while sometimes, a few get discouraged and revert to worldly pleasures to satisfy themselves. And tragically, some never even start on the path of spirituality and just immediately get swayed by their baser, animal instincts.
Because these carnal desires are familiar to us and are easy to get. But, ultimately such crude deeds will only pull one far, far from the goal and drag our minds along the path of narakya'na-- path to hell.
Baba says, "Microcosms, confined as they are within the relative factors, have very little controlling authority. The Macrocosm, however, is the controller of heaven and hell. It is worthwhile to mention here that the tendency of the human mind to degenerate towards matter in the path of negative pratisaincara is called hell (naraka), and the movement of the unit mind towards the Supreme Non-attributional Stance in the flow of positive Pratisaincara is called heaven. A unit mind which accepts gold or silver as the goal of life gradually becomes transformed into gold or silver. The psychic waves, as a result of constant ideation are first transformed into the waves of gold or silver and finally into crude gold or silver itself as a result of jad'asama'dhi. Later on it is reborn as a gold or silver, and spends its days confined within the safe of a money-minded merchant. This undesirable situation is called narakava'sa or life in hell." (AMIWL-8)
Due to lack of sadhana, so many follow this path of narakya'na.
But as human beings, if we fill our mind and life with sensual pleasures and materialistic pursuits-- like chasing after the opposite sex, or filling our pockets with money, or running after name and fame-- then we will just fall into hell. And be reborn into lower and lower beings like ants and bugs, or even be reborn as rock and stone. And not only that, our current human life will turn into a torturous journey of frustration and suffering as one gets more and more bound to animalistic desires.
So although this path of narakya'na is easy and may satisfy the vices of our motor and sensory organs, we should not let the mind become a slave to our crude, external external organs. We should not fall prey to the allurements of avidya maya. Ultimately, such a path is a complete bust, a dead-end, and one-way ticket to hell.
Unfortunately, time and again this can happen. In ignorance people may run in that direction thinking that they will find bliss-- when in fact the opposite will happen. They will be bound up in angst and frustration. That is why the so-called glamorous life of so many movie starts just metamorphoses into a life of depression, drug addiction, and disease etc. Even this happens to common citizens, as well.
Let us remember-- both practically and theoretically-- that human desires are infinite and that infinite desire cannot be satisfied by finite sensual ramblings. In that case, one will just jump from one crude deed to the next in search of satisfaction until they become so degraded that they are just beasts in human form.
Thus no one should let themselves get dragged down onto the path of narakya'na, nor should we allow others to do so.
JUST LIKE CEMETERY DOG
Those on the path of narakya'an-- those stuffing themselves with crude pursuits-- may think that they are getting something good, blissful. But in truth they are just stuck in temporality and ruining themselves.
They are just like the dogs in the cemetery that chew day-long on dry bones. They chew so long and so hard that they make their own gums and mouths bleed. And then those dogs chew even harder thinking that now they are getting some fresh meat due to the taste of that juicy blood. Little to do they know however, that they are merely sucking their own blood.
Same is the case with any human being who are satiating themselves through lustful ways. They may be thinking that they have discovered the bliss of life, but in truth they are sucking and draining themselves of their own life-force and getting bound deeper and deeper by avidya maya.
We must not let such a fate befall us.
OUR PATH IS DEVAYA'NA
As Ananda Margiis, as human beings, ours is the path of spirituality. There is no second path. Or rather that second path is the path of animality-- the road to hell. So even if sadhana seems difficult or even fruitless, we are to persevere on this divine path, ceaselessly. To stop and turn the other direction will not bring an ounce of satisfaction. So we should be determined and ready to continue along out path-- that of devaya'na.
Baba says, "This path towards divinity is known as “devaya'na”. That is, the path of elevation from crudity to subtlety followed by humans is known as devaya'nah (“yanah” means “path”). One who pledges to follow truth from the beginning, steps onto the path for the attainment of divinity. And the one who does good deeds while sincerely following satya finds it easy to advance along this path. This broad path of spirituality, which has been further broadened by truth, has been followed by many successful rs'is (sages) who ultimately attained the supreme status of truth (a'ptaka'ma)." (AV-4)
Thus our path is goading the mind towards Parama Purusa. That is the course of our movement. In this relative world known as jagat-- where everything is moving and nothing is fixed-- we are to adopt the path of divine movement. Failing that we will be on the degrading pathway of animality.
Hence we should be strict in all the elements and aspects of 16 Points. Whether we feel inclined or not, we should be vigilant in all these points as they will bring us forward on our divine path, closer and closer towards Him. Because narakya'na is not our path; by that way we cannot be satiated, just degraded.
THE MIND WILL GET TRAINED
And fast or slow, by His grace, that mind which may not like to do sadhana now will one day embrace sadhana. Because that is the characteristic of human mind: As you think so you become. So if we are regular in sadhana then it is sure that one day our mind will like to do sadhana and delve deep into the ocean of bliss, by His grace.
BABA'S BLESSING
As sadhakas, we should faithfully embrace the path of devaya'na-- there is no other option. By this way, today or tomorrow, we will experience true bliss and attain Him.
Baba says, "O' human being! Be established in the radiance of godliness, in manliness, because yours is a path of a revolution. Yours is not a path of extra caution and hesitant movement. You are travellers on a difficult path. You have to march ahead, with head held high and with your chest forward. You have not a moment to stagger or look behind." (SS-1)
Namaskar,
Pavitra
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