Drkdarshanashaktyoreka'tmateva'smita'
Baba says, "As asmita' is devoid of any discrimination, people with this
mental defect lose their power of discrimination. First, they think that
since they are so great, there is no need for them to learn anything from
others. As a result of this, their further progress comes to a halt.
Secondly, the arrogant attitude of this asmita' banishes from their minds
the humble psychology of the learner. They lose interest in learning
anything useful; so not only in the world of knowledge, but also in the
world of practicality, they become misfits in life because of their
mountainous accumulated ignorance."
"It is not that arrogance of this sort simply obstructs their progress.
The human mind, like the human body, is dynamic. No one has come to remain
here; everyone is moving -- for movement is a must. Now, the mind whose
further progress is blocked will also have to move this way or that; so
when one must move, but the path of progress is blocked, one is compelled
to move along the path of degradation. Thus the arrogance born of this
asmita' will lead people towards their downfall." (NSS, 'Shivokti-6')
== HOW TO RID THE MIND FROM SINFUL THOUGHTS IN SADHANA ==
-- Part II --
Note: Here is the link to the first part of this discussion.
Namaskar,
It is well known and commonly understood that the path of yoga is the
process of elevating the mind to that divine stance. By one's selfless
service and by one's devotional sadhana and by His ever-flowing grace, the
sadhaka quickly moves towards that Cosmic Nucleus-- Baba's divine lap.
ENCOUNTERING PROBLEMS ALONG THE WAY
However, along the way on this journey, due to one's own shortcomings and
inadequacies, so many difficulties and trials, so many undesirable thoughts
and impure actions, may attempt to set one back on this journey. Those
obstacles may be internal or external-- but nonetheless they may come.
And if and when they do, the very existence of those obstacles creates an
impression on the mind: They colour the mind.
In that condition, when one sits in sadhana, it can sometimes happen that
those undesirable thoughts-- those mental colours-- invade one's psychic
arena. In that case, instead of meditating on Him, one is entangled in all
those impure ideas.
As Baba describes below, this phenomenon can happen to any sadhaka.
Baba says, "When human beings rush towards the Supreme, they may sometimes
think, 'I am a sinner. I have committed so many sins that I am immersed in
sin'. The particular mental colours of the sinners' minds are the
combination of so many thoughts of sin, which may leave a profound mental
impression." (NH-LOI)
MUST RID THE MIND OF THOSE MENTAL COLOURS
Thus if mind becomes filled with so many colours-- when the mind is
affected by various defects or attachments-- then there is a distinct need
to rid the mind of those things so that one may advance with renewed vigour
towards Him, towards the Goal.
In that case, what is one to do? As Baba guides us in innumerable
discourses, we are to offer those mental colours to Him and surrender
ourselves at His lotus feet. And this of course is our practice of Guru Puja.
MISGUIDED WAY: THINKING ABOUT SIN
It can happen though that instead of properly adhering to that cleansing
and purifying process of doing Guru Puja, one or two confused sadhakas may
end up thinking again and again about those sinful thoughts.
That is, instead of surrendering themselves at His lotus feet and offering
those undesirable thoughts unto Him, in their confused state and in their
wrong way of doing Guru Puja they may involve their mind again and again in
dwelling upon those negative ideas, in which case the mind becomes more
degenerated.
Needless to say, this defective approach should be avoided as one has
strayed far from the systematic and devotional practice of Guru Puja.
The root problem is that if when doing Guru Puja one plunges oneself in the
thought of those sinful things as opposed asking His grace and surrendering
them unto Him, then the mind cannot go towards the Guru.
FOCUS ON HIM, NOT THE PROBLEM
That is why our approach in Guru Puja we always see Him graciously sitting
before us, look upon His divine countenance, and ask His grace.
The sadhaka may say:
O' Lord please take this problem, I do not want it; just I am a little
unit being seeking Your eternal shelter. Let this be Your problem.
Baba, please grace me by taking it so that I may move ever onwards
towards You.
BABA'S DIVINE SYSTEM OF GURU PUJA:
MAKING THE MIND COLOURLESS
Here below in perfect fashion Baba guides us how to systematically move
ahead in the process of Guru Puja-- whereby one can rid the mind of useless
thoughts, become colourless, and merge in Him.
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...to offer Him the colours of different objects which have dyed the
mind. When this practice of offering your own colours-- your own
attachments, becomes natural and easy, you will then merge in Him. Then you
will have no need for any colour, for you will become colourless-- you will
go beyond the reach of any colour. Your unit-ego will become one with the
Cosmic Ego." (SS-3, 'Vibration, Form, & Colour')
HIS DIVINE GUIDELINE
By His grace, here again Baba is specially describing the divine process of
Guru Puja-- so ultimately we attain His eternal shelter.
Baba says, "'By surrendering all the colours of my mind to You, I want to
become colourless.' This surrender to the Supreme Consciousness propels
human beings towards Him...This very psycho-spiritual phenomenon is
operating behind the process of varn'a'rghyada'na [offering of colours]: 'O
Lord, make me colourless so that I may move towards You without any
hesitation'." (NH-LOI, 'Inner Asset')
Namaskar,
Virendra
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