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Baba Story: Offering Mangoes

Date: 5 Oct 2008 22:51:09 -0000 From: "Ramashankar Suman" To: am-global@earthlink.net Subject: Baba Story: Offering Mangoes BABA PS Intro: This following song is for teaching to non-margiis because it is a Lord Krsna song. Baba has written this Prabhat Samgiita for devotees of Sri Krsna. In contrast, we Ananda Margiis are fully devoted to Baba, Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji, so when we sing with our devotional heart then we sing to Baba-- not Lord Krsna. In that case we select one of the innumerable dhyana songs related with Baba. The point being that for true devotees Ista is one and only one. For more about pointed devotion and strictness in Ista refer to Baba's colorful explanation of the shloka, 'Shriinathe...', from AV-23, p.118. "Ka'nu binu tha'ka' na'hi ja'y..." (P.S. 3355) Purport: Without Lord Krsna, life is very miserable-- surviving itself is very difficult. Beause Lord Krsna is that glittering Personality of my heart so when He is not present then I suffer terribly from the pain of restlessly longing for Him. Day and night every moment I hear His flute in my heart. With the sound of that flute, Lord Krsna is telling me that He loves me. And He tells me, 'I love you, that is why I am calling you'. The flow of my life is ensconced in His ideation and it goes on fighting strongly against the deep fog and it is rushing with the high tide in a hundred directions by His grace. My life is very painful in the absence of Lord Krsna...
== BABA STORY: OFFERING MANGOES ==
Namaskar, It was the usual course that our Acaryaji would go to attend the DMC those days. Then one time a margii sister requested Acaryaji that he should take some mangoes grown in her garden and offer them in presentation to Baba. And this is the story about that and what we should offer to Baba. For many years prior to '90 whenever this margii sister would go for Baba's darshan then she would always offer fruit for Baba at His Baba's Quarters (BQ). Thus from her garden in the summer season she was offering mangoes and in the winter season she used to offer Guava for the Baba Quarter's caretaker to pass to Baba. And in her simplicity she was thinking that this was the only way to offer something at the lotus feet of Baba. So this time when Acaryaji was going to Ananda Nagar then she raised the matter again. Because due to her own ill health she was unable to go so she was requesting Acaryaji to make the offering of fruit for her. After some deliberation back and forth, then Acaryaji said, 'Alright I will take it but you should know that offering to Parama Purusa every day is good for devotional feeling. So today I am going there so I will bring it for you. But what about tomorrow, then what you will do'.
SPECIAL APPROACH FROM ACARYA DIARY
Acaryaji continued, 'Surely what you want to offer that you offer and on this particular occasion, I will take that. But in His physical absence because He is at a distance in which case you cannot make your offering directly to Him because of natural limitations. Then best is to be aware about these following guidelines from Acarya Diary. While teaching about system of Guru Puja in Acarya diary appendix, Baba has described that if devotees have a strong feeling to offer some worldly things to Guru, they can do so. So sadhakas could give those things to Guru during His physical Presence. But Baba directs us that when He is moving here and there or if after His physical departure then those material things which we desire to offer to Him, that should be distributed to needy people-- to that portion of the suffering humanity. And by that way He (Baba )will receive that. Baba explains all this very clearly in the Acarya Diary.
ANOTHER WAY OF DOING
At the same time Acaryaji said that we should not just do external offerings to satisfy or please Baba. Because Baba is the Creator of the entire universe He does not need those things, per se. He is living in your heart, not in Ananda Nagar only etc. Acaryaji said that devotees should offer something more special-- not just worldly fruits, vegetables and sweets. This all is not needed. Baba says, "Remember, you have to offer your own mind -- not money, rice plantains or other crude objects. The give-and-take of crude things is a business transaction. If you want to attain the bliss of Brahma , you must offer your own self. If you want to have the Great 'I', you must surrender your own little 'I'. You have to give the full sixteen a'nna's, (the full rupee). Giving fifteen a'nna's and holding back one a'nna' will not do. You must completely surrender. To attain that Infinite One with the help of your mental concentration and strength, you have to surrender yourself." (SS Part 3, p.69) After listening this Baba's teaching the margii became convinced to some degree and she asked if there was anything more on this topic.
IDEATION IS THE MAIN THING
Acaryaji also told that in one Acarya meeting Baba has given one special explanation. Baba was telling how one Dada had brought Him a gift or offering and then Baba Himself brought that very item out from His pocket. Then Baba explained that material things have two values. Economic value, but Baba quickly added that no matter how much economic worth it has, that does not have any value in the realm of spirituality-- in devotional sphere. So only one value counts-- and that is with how much love and affection was that material offering made. I.e. What was the ideation behind that offering. So if someone offers something physical then the quantum of love associated with that offering is the main thing. Here is another way of explanation. If the item offered however is 100 US dollars but the feeling is negligible or nil-- since the offering was made for show only-- or for name and fame only-- then in that case then without any proper ideation, that offering is zero. And the other side is that if one devotee did not bring anything and did not give anything physically to Baba, but with deep feeling in the heart he is offering something mentally. Then with the feeling alone that has full value. So if a material offering is made without any ideation then that has zero value. And if a physical offering is made and side by side proper ideation and heartfelt feeling is also there, then only the quantum of feeling is the aspect that has value. The money or that cost of the material has no value. And if a person is offering something inexpensive but if the heart-feeling is there then that is everything. So the extent to which the heart-feeling is present that counts. Thus suppose someone has offered an item that costs Rs100, but without any feeling. And if another youth could only offer 1 penny's worth but he has deep feeling for Baba. Then that ideation is significant. And if another person is there who does not offer any physical thing but rather with deep feeling he mentally thinks that, 'Baba I am just offering this with all my loving expression in the mind'. In that case then and there Parama Purusa will accept one's offering. That is the teaching Baba has given in that very acarya meeting.
SURRENDERING TO GURU
Acaryaji furthermore described that to surrender oneself, Baba has taught a beautiful system that each and every Ananda Margii practices every day. At the time of doing sadhana when on finishes then the last part is Guru Puja. And there lies the secret technique of self-surrender. Baba says, "In A'nanda Ma'rga Sadhana, the method of withdrawing the mind from degrading tendencies, and absorbing oneself in the colour of the Great, is called Pratya'ha'ra Yoga (the yoga of withdrawal) or Varn'a'rghyada'na (the offering of colours). All people have a particular attraction for one or another object or activity and as soon as they become attracted to an object, then their minds become coloured with the colour of that object. You can withdraw your mind from the colour of that object and dye yourself in His colour by offering Him the captivating colour of the object that has attracted you: this is the real Pratya'ha'ra Yoga. The word Pratya'ha'ra means 'to withdraw -- to withdraw the mind from its object...When this practice of offering your own colours -- your own attachments, becomes natural and easy, you will then merge in Him." (SS Part 3, p. 68) Hearing this all felt very inspired. Otherwise, some were thinking surrender was just doing sastaunga pranam and others were thinking that remembering Him is surrender. So this was a new point-- that surrender means offering all the attractions and colors of the mind at His lotus feet, through the process of Guru Puja. And overall, the margii got convinced and she told that alright this time you are going so take away. And when I will like-- if there is longing feeling and calling in my mind-- if nobody is there. Then surely I will do what you are telling. That gives more scope of for making an offering unto the lotus feet of Baba. Here following is His divine blessing. Baba says, "Move along the Path of Righteousness with the spirit of Universal Fraternity, victory is yours. The blessing of Parama Purus'a is always with you. [Athens, 11.9.79] at His lotus feet Satyendra
********************************************** Simple Morality Invites Danger
Baba says, "Now, Karna possessed simple morality, which was static whereas the Pandavas were armed with spiritual morality. Lord Krsna thought it proper to extend support to spiritual morality, so He went to Karna in the guise of a Brahmin and begged for alms. Karna asked him, "What do you want-- any material thing like money, clothes, etc. ?" Krsna said, "No, I don't need all those things ". Thus whatever Karna offered to Krsna, He persistently refused to accept. Finally Krsna said, "I'm leaving. If you can't give me anything of my choice, I will leave." Karna said, "You have come to me for alms, and it's not proper that I shouldn't give you something and you return disappointed. It can't happen as long as I am alive." This is what simple morality teaches human beings." "Then Karna finally wanted to know of Krsna what he really wanted. Krsna said, "I want only your earrings, nothing else." Now had Karna been a follower of spiritual morality, he would have said, "Look, sir, I am to join the war in the immediate future. I can't part with my ear-rings now. Without these earrings my defeat will be inevitable. I may even die. Hence I can't part with my earrings now. I will certainly give you the earrings, but later, not now." Instead of saying all these things, Karna agreed to give away his earrings, and did quickly give the earrings to Krsna. This is how he hastened his death." (MHB, p.61-2) Note: Here we should remember that Lord Krsna reached reached to Karna not as Lord Krsna but disguised as a brahmin beggar. Baba says, "He [Lord Krsna] went to Karna in the guise of a Brahmin and begged for alms." So this fact should not be overlooked because it was not that Karna was ready and willing to offer everything to Parama Purusa. It was not like that. Because in the above described scene Lord Krsna was presenting Himself as one needy beggar. So the play was between one poor beggar and King Karna. After all, it was diplomacy or a diplomatic play. Keeping this perspective, in that way the whole scene should be viewed for clearer understanding. That is why Baba is telling that Karna did wrong.
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