== LIFE OF SADHAKAS AND NOOSE ==
Namaskar,
By Baba's grace we have all come onto the tantric path of AM - the path
of pure spirituality.
Baba says, "Vaedikii diiks'a' is to request God, request the Lord, to
show one the right path. And after a long time, when the Lord is
satisfied, He arranges for Ta'ntrikii diiks'a'. Ananda Marga diiks'a' is
Ta'ntrikii diiks'a'." (AV-3)
So ours is the fast path where the Guru is Brahma Himself and where
every sadhaka's progress is rapid. One life is all it takes to get
moks'a (salvation).
OURS IS ROCKET SPEED
As we are moving very quickly towards our final destination - i.e. onto
Baba's divine lap, we must take proper care along the way.
For instance, if one is walking slowly down the sidewalk in a quiet town
on a sunny day then there is not much danger involved. Because one's
speed is quite slow. But if one is aboard a rocket that is blasting off
into outer space, then there is the potential for grave danger. Because
one's speed is quite fast.
Likewise, those involved in material life are just revolving far around
the Cosmic Hub, similar to a person slowly moseying down the street.
Hence they are not exposed to many dangers (i.e. allurements etc).
Whereas as sadhakas of the Marga we are making a straight line to the
Cosmic epicenter. Our speed is super fast - like that rocket. In that
case, every allurement and obstacle under the sun will come our way.
MUST BE CAREFUL - DEGENERATION CAN COME
THE WAYS OF MAHA MAYA
Given our great speed, we must be extremely careful.
We are burning all kinds of samskaras very, very rapidly. We are leaving
behind the old ways of past animal lives, embracing the ideas of
neo-humanism, and striving to lead life divine. Along there way, so many
problems, difficulties, temptations, and obstacles that confront us.
Nearly each and every day brings a new hurdle.
We may be lured by greed, tempted by the opposite sex, prestige, fame,
occult powers - so many things may befall us, i.e. all the sa'dripus
(six enemies: physical pleasure, anger, avarice, vanity, blind
attachment, envy) and all the as't'apasha (eight fetters: hatred, doubt,
fear, shyness, dissemblance, vanity of lineage, cultural superiority,
and ego), and we also may fall prey to all kinds of negative microvita.
And indeed we see such things happening in our Marga every day - it is a
very real reality:
- Family margiis stray from the path to pursue material wealth;
- Wt's get caught up in nonsense behaviour and sexual scandal and leave
the Marga;
- Some join a particular group due to their pride of cultural legacy or
lust of power;
Others think they are so great and then leave AM in order to start their
own ashram or yoga group.
All these things happen daily in our Marga.
And still others think that their sadhana is very high and therefore
they are above so-called normal people. Sadhakas with this kind of
superiority complex can never enter the kingdom of Parama Purusa.
Hence there are a whole slew of difficulties that may befall us. Why all
these difficulties?
Because our minds are focused and moving ahead quickly so we face an
endless barrage of allurements as avidya maya does not want to let us
go. She (Maha Maya) likes that we should remain in her bondage. Whereas
if we become liberated and attain salvation, then she must be our
obedient servant. Thus, she is using all her tricks to keep us in
bondage. Whereas those who are leading ordinary mundane life are already
keeping themselves in bondage. Thus Maha Maya focuses more of her energy
on us as we are moving quickly out of her grasp.
So if we are not careful those things -- the gross temptations of avidya
maya etc - can catch hold of us and bring about our degeneration.
NOT TO BE SCARED
Here the point is not that we should suddenly become scared and leave
the path and take shelter in materialism and animal life so as to slow
down our speed. That is not the point and doing like that will only
invite a whole new slew of problems.
We should move ahead at our rapid pace but at the same time we should be
acutely aware of the dangers that might drag us down. We should be aware
of those temptations and know how to combat them as well.
And the best way to overcome any obstacle is to surrender to Parama
Purusa and desire to please only Him, and not harbor any personal
desires. For this, we must ask His grace.
NEGATIVE MICROVITA: SO MANY PROBLEMS CAN COME
Failing to surrender to Parama Purusa means inviting so many problems as
sadhakas.
Without His shelter, there are so many types of negative microvita that
can allure us.
Baba says, "Kinnara microvita is that category of microvita which
creates a thirst for beauty – a strong desire for beautification and
decoration. The word kinnara means “receptacle of beauty” or “a
beautiful and graceful structure”. This category of microvita creates a
tendency in the human mind to make the human body as beautiful as the
many forms and figures it observes in the external world. This tendency
or propensity is called “kinnari vrtti”. If the kinnaras direct the mind
towards crude matter instead of leading it towards the subtler layers,
they are considered to be enemy microvita or negative microvita." (MVNS)
Thus we should always be aware what we desire in life. If we desire the
wrong thing such as physical beauty and charm, we may become negative
microvita itself.
Same is the case if we chase after fame and fortune or so many other
worldly things. Negative microvita will swallow us.
Baba says, "There is yet another category of microvita whose collective
name is called “videhaliina microvita”. These microvita cause the human
mind to rush from one place to another, and finally lead it away from
Parama Purus'a. They keep the human mind oblivious to the supreme
purpose of life. Due to their inner thirst for material gain, they force
the human mind to go around in circles, like bullocks trudging endlessly
around an oil mill. They make the human mind restless, and by
misdirecting it, throw it into utter confusion." (MVNS)
Thus along with the sa'dripus and as't'apasha', we must keep all kinds
of negative microvita at arms length.
EVEN HAPPENS TO GOOD SADHAKAS
Perhaps the most dangerous thing is to think that, 'I can never
fall - it will never happen to me.' After all, people always thinkg
Baba says, "Suppose a person is practising spiritual sa'dhana' regularly,
properly, and with proper inspiration and sincerity, but some other desires,
some other longings, remain coverted in the person’s mind. The person is a
good person, he or she is sincerely doing sa'dhana', but in his mind he
thinks, "If Ba'ba' gives me ten lakhs – or five lakhs – or only two lakhs –
everything will be managed properly. Oh, no! I won’t ask for these things.
No, no, no, it is bad, it is bad." That desire, that longing for money,
remains in him, although he is a developed soul, not a bad person, not
at all a bad person. So what happens? Because of his piety, after death
he gives up the physical structure, the solid body, and gives up the
aquatic structure, that is, apatattva, also; but the other three factors –
tejas [luminous factor], marut [aerial factor], vyoma [ethereal factor] –
remain with him, with his detached mind." ('Ghosts and Evil Spirits')
In that case a person become negative microvita instead of attaining Parama Purusa.
Here is yet another example.
Baba says, "“I am a good sa'dhaka, but haven’t any vocal power.
I can’t dance properly, I can’t sing properly, my vocal cord doesn’t
function well. I require more attributions, more qualifications – and
if I get more qualifications I will get promotion in the service also.
Oh, no, no, no. These are all bad things. These are all bad desires.
A person should not have any desires.” When such a person dies, they
also get that type of body, luminous, gaseous and ethereal.
These three bhu'tas are there. These people are called vidya'dhara."
('Ghosts and Evil Spirits')
In that case a person become negative microvita instead of attaining Parama Purusa.
So there are any number of ways that one might get transferred into
becoming negative microvita and they all stem out of improper longing.
We should desire to please Parama Purusa - nothing else.
Otherwise even good people will get caught in the net of negative
microvita and float for centuries across the universe as
disembodied souls who could not attain salvation.
OCCULT POWERS
Here is yet another problem that can pull us down off the path.
Baba says, "If one gains occult power, one may do so many things. In the
third stage of sa'dhana', a sa'dhaka gets some occult power. And after
getting the occult power, suppose that he becomes engaged with that
occult power, he wants to display that occult power. What will happen?
He will fall down. He will be nowhere. He will not remain a sa'dhaka. 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 Purus'a, not the occult powers.” Do you follow?" (AV-30)
The attainment of occult powers is not some far-off fantasy. Here above
Baba Himself says that occult WILL appear on the doorstep of every
sadhaka. It is an inevitability, but we are to pass them by and not pay
heed to such allurements. We must focus on our goal of pleasing Parama
Purusa and surrendering to His sweet will.
Unfortunately, many get lured in this crude direction of occult powers.
They want to be able to do things that will catch the attention, praise,
respect, and awe of others. It is common. In the material sphere, one
may buy a sports car or become a half-naked super model, and in the
realm of spirituality one may become a slave of occult powers. That is
how they satisfy their strong urge to command the attention and respect
of others. In that case, all their hard-earned spiritual attainment
becomes lost as one will never ever get close to Parama Purusa.
MIND IS ATTRACTED TO ANIMAL LIFE
One of the main things we have to remember is that every human has
emerged from animal life. That is part and parcel of the cycle of
brahmacakra. So the ways of animal life are well known to us. And in
general, people march towards things that they are familiar with - not
toward new things. Spirituality is new to humans; we have not been there
before. So it take a lot of effort to move in that direction. In
contrast, the allurement toward carnal pleasures is well known to us and
easily gotten. In that case, if we are not careful, at any moment one
can fall in that direction: Sex, greed, crude food, excess sleep, etc, etc.
BABA'S GRACE
By Baba's grace, we have all come onto the path of life divine and are
moving ahead quickly. We should be aware of the obstacles - hence the
above letter - and be proactive to remain on the true path.
Let us fill our lives with His teachings, song, dance, and sadhana. The
more we think and involve ourself with Him, the less we are prone to
fall into problem.
No one should be scared of negative microvita or avidya maya. Though, we
should be aware and honest with ourselves about the direction in which
we are moving.
Then, by His grace and with His practices, we are sure to be successful
in this very life and attain Him.
Baba says, "You will never attain Him through your erudition, intellect,
valour, or vanity. You are to attain Him through constant ideation,
sweet devotional sentiment, and intense spiritual longing." (AMIWL-7)
Namaskar
Ramlal
