== GARDABHA SA'DHANA' ==
Namaskar,
Simplicity, sincerity, and honesty are some of the main pillars in the
life of any sa'dhaka.
Baba says, "The most valuable treasures on the path of human progress
are honesty, simplicity and spiritedness. In no stratum of life should
you allow the standard of honesty to deteriorate..." (AV #54)
Even then, it happens that people veer away from these truths, on
occasion or even more frequently. And that leads to the devaluation of
that activity or practice, as well as the degradation of the doer, of
the person.
That's a wee-bit of the philosophical side, now let's delve into
everyday practical examples.
GARDABHA'NNA
Suppose you are invited to a grand feast at someone's house. To
celebrate, that host has the finest chefs prepare the tastiest
delicacies and dainties for everyone to eat. Not because because he
wishes to serve the community with love and affection, but rather
because he wants to make an ornate show of the affair and bring prestige
unto himself. Proof being that if you cannot attend his feast, then he
is not the least bit sorry or remorseful, because he will just get
another person to replace you-- someone else who will pay him honor and
respect.
Under such conditions, when there is not the least bit of service
mentality and the host is just giving a feast with huge pomp and show in
order to heighten his own prestige and self-satisfaction, then attending
the program and eating that food is totally inappropriate. Because in
that case that food is nothing but donkey's food, or gardabha'nna.
Baba says, "If food is not given with that heart-felt feeling and if
one's own life is not in danger due to starvation, in that condition
then any food offered is donkey food, Gardabha'nna. So one must not eat
that food." (Summary of SC-20, p.163-64 [Bangla])
Thus under no circumstances-- unless we are going to starve to death--
should we eat food that is presented as a show of one's wealth and
greatness, because that food is nothing but donkey food, or gardabha'nna.
And we all know that in His practical life, on many occasions Baba
refused such food on various occasions whenever wealthy people or
dignitaries invited Him to dine at their house just to impress Him.
GARDABHA KIIRTAN AND GARDABHA BHAJAN
This type of 'donkey' syndrome-- doing for show only and not out of
one's heart-felt feeling-- is not limited to the realm of food only.
We have all seen various kiirtan players or bhajan singers who perform
solely to display their own musical or lyrical talents, and not to serve
and please Parama Purusa. This happens across all religions and faiths
and occurs in our Ananda Marga as well.
Kiirtan is all about singing to please Parama Purusa-- for His glory,
not one's own glory. And the essence of bhajans is to share one's inner,
heart feeling with the Lord, and not to procure attention for oneself.
Yet at retreats or dharmacakra, sometimes it can happen that a person
might lead a kiirtan or bhajan in order to win over the admiration of
others. If this is done consistently, again and again, such performers
run the risk of being converted into microvita at the time of death.
That said, it is not just the musicians who are prone to such downfalls.
Sometimes a kiirtan or bhajan participant may dance with such
extroverted tendencies or sing with such ego that it is quite evident to
all around that that person is doing just in hopes of drawing attention
to themselves-- so that others will think they are a great devotee.
All such displays devalue one's approach and fail to bring one close to
Parama Purusa. That is why Baba calls these misguided attempts as:
Gardabha kiirtan and gardabha bhajan, i.e. donkey kiirtan and donkey
bhajan.
GARDABHA SA'DHANA'
Then of course this can happen in the stratum of sadhana as well. Before
giving an example, it has to be said that by Baba's grace, the sincerity
and earnestness in spiritual practice is quite high in our Marga, so
this letter by no means aims to cast doubt that abc or xyz persons are
doing donkey practices. Most are fine and okay-- this is just a general
letter for everyone's awareness and knowledge. After all, each and every
person knows their own situation best.
Now let's say someone rarely does sa'dhana' in their own home etc, but
then when they go to the jagrti or to a retreat, then suddenly they
start sitting for long, long sadhana, as if that is their regular way
each and every morning and evening. And not only that, but when they
close their sadhana then the first thing they do is open their eyes and
slyly scan the room to see if others are taking notice of how long they
sat. And if still they do not feel that they got the attention they
deserved, then during meal time they will casually say that, 'It was
very good to be able to sit for 3hr sadhana today etc', and then quickly
scan the eyes and faces of others to see if they were impressed or not.
From, all these instances, we can easily understand that that person is
doing sadhana not to please Parama Purusa-- not to serve Him-- but
rather to bring name, fame, and prestige unto themselves. They want
people to think that they are a great sadhaka. That is why their sadhana
is nothing but donkey sadhana.
DONKEY PRACTICES ARE BETTER THAN NOTHING
Okay, let's say someone you know does do donkey kiirtan, or donkey
bhajan, or donkey sadhana on occasion. Even then it is not the worst
thing in the world. It is not as bad as doing no practices at all.
No doubt donkey kiirtan, donkey bhajan, and donkey sadhana can cause
false vanity and an overblown ego etc, but by Baba's grace our AM
mantras are so strong that in a moment of quietness while repeating the
mantra, even if one was initially motivated by selfish desires, one may
develop sincere love for Parama Purusa. And that is the greatest
achievement.
After all, we have all come from somewhere. In the past ages, we may
have been nature worshipers or even idol worshipers, and then gradually
that feeling gets more refined until by Baba's grace we are given the
opportunity to come onto the tantric path, and develop sincere love for
Parama Purusa.
So all is not lost for those involved in donkey practices. Certainly
such approaches should never be encouraged. But one day, those involved
in such things will develop sincere love for God. So there is light at
the end of the tunnel for those currently stuck in donkey sadhana.
BABA'S BLESSING
Baba says, "Remember, everyone is entitled to sa'dhana'. For this,
nothing neither pedigree, education, knowledge nor any asset, is
necessary except only two things – implicit faith and sincerity. Arouse
these two things through your will-power and victory is yours, it must
come." (AMIWL-5)
Namaskar,
Indrajit
Note 1: DONKEY FOOD
Here is more about what Baba has to say about donkey food.
(a) Donkey food (Gardabha'nna) is that food purchased with ill-begotten
money or sinfully earned money.
(b) If someone feeds you with deep love, respect, and affection and that
feeling is conveyed through their expression, talk and conduct, and by
feeding you they feel blissful ("Toma'ke kha'iae a'nandit hobe") and
very content, and if you do not eat then they will feel pain, in this
situation whatever food you eat in their house-- even if it is just
boiled grass-- will be treated as priityanna (proper & sentient food).
Any meal or food not prepared under such ideal conditions is donkey food.
(c) So if food is not given with that heart-felt feeling and if one's
own life is not in danger due to starvation, in that condition then any
food offered is donkey food, Gardabha'nna. So one must not eat that food.
Note: In western society that food which is not fit for human
consumption is typically labeled as 'dog food'. And a similar idea Baba
has conveyed above by the term donkey food-- "Gardabha'nna".
(Summary of SC-20, p.163-64 [Bangla])
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To Do Great Work
Baba says, "The meaning of the 'Sam'gacchadhvam' Mantra should be
realised in life. Always remain united. Solve all problems, big or
small, with unity. Consider misfortune of one as the misfortune of all--
an injury to one as an injury to all." (CC-2, 'Society' chapter, point #34)
Note: So long as Baba's above teaching is not put into practice, one
cannot do great work. Devoid of this one's life will be as meaningful as
the life of a termite or ant etc. In our practical life we should be
strict in following Baba's teaching.
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