== BABA'S REPLY TO MARGIIS ABOUT DEVOTION AND HIS COMING ==
Namaskar,
All in AM know that seeing Baba physically was something very sweet and
special. This wonderful experience many of us have had.
However, some are spreading the idea that the height of devotion is related
with seeing Baba physically. Because they have misunderstood one of Baba's
replies.
When in fact we all know that in countless discourses Baba guides us that
devotion lies within. That sweet, close devotional proximity with Him is
achieved internally. This is Baba's eternal teaching on devotion.
Even then some have misunderstood the situation. This entire letter is
revolving around this central theme: Baba's reply on devotion.
SOME CONFUSION THAT IS SPREADING AROUND
We know that everything Baba has given is 100% clear, consistent, and
conclusive. In that way His every thought, word, and deed are perfectly in
sync with His AM ideology.
Unfortunately nowadays-- or since some time-- various dogmas have been
spread around regarding what Baba said while He was in Jail about certain
topics such as mission and devotion etc.
This letter addresses one "statement" about devotion. Because like parrots
a few repeat again and again that in jail Baba said 'Devotion alone can
demand My physical presence'. And in their confusion they further proclaim
that this is one universal teaching on devotion. When in fact it is not at
all like that. Rather those telling like this are just suffering from one
dogma.
Here then is some of the history that will make everything perfectly clear.
SIXTEEN POINTS GIVEN PRIOR TO EMERGENCY
In those weeks and months before going to Jail, Baba beautifully introduced
His divine system of 16 Points. Now, in retrospect, we can clearly see that
was His special timing. Because being the omniscient Parama Purusa and
knowing that His jail period was upcoming, Baba introduced 16 Points with
the intention that even during His physical absence-- i.e. Jail period--
all margiis would be able to endure and face the difficulty of Emergency.
Because 16 Points gives the needed strength, vigor, and devotion to
overcome all obstacles.
So in that pre-Jail period around 1970 etc, Baba was living in Patna and on
a regular basis He began checking up on everyone's 16 Points-- ensuring
that everyone was following properly. Because Baba knew that without those
special guidelines it would be impossible for sadhakas to survive the
Emergency. But by following 16 Points every margii would have the devotion
to withstand any and all difficulties. This was Baba's unique and secret
planning.
And these following Ananda Vaniis lead in that same direction. Because
during the Emergency period itself Baba graciously issued these below
dharmic mandates:
Baba says, "Be firm on sixteen points. Unite all the righteous forces. All
the tall talks of the evil forces will be silenced." (Ananda Vanii #44, 1
January 1976)
Baba says, "...In order to march ahead on the road of human welfare, we
will have to strengthen ourselves in all the arenas of life. The complete
seeds of welfare in all the spheres -- physical, mental, moral, social and
spiritual -- are embedded in the sixteen points. Hence be firm on the
sixteen points." (Ananda Vanii #45, A'nanda Pu'rn'ima' 1976)
So this is one special aspect of that Jail period era, and surely that
universal teaching holds true for today and eternally that by strictly
adhering to 16 Points then one's standard of devotion will increase higher
and higher.
Unfortunately some are proclaiming that the universal teaching is,
'Devotion alone can demand My physical presence'. But here following is the
story and answer to their dogmatic claim.
BABA'S REPLY WAS SITUATIONAL
Side by side during Baba's period in Jail, so many margiis visited Baba.
And Baba graciously gave countless guidelines to all those who came. Very
often directing people in their personal lives and answering their various
questions about how to proceed ahead. All through His incarceration this
was going on.
But over the course of this entire period there was one question above all
that was asked again and again. And that question was, 'Baba, when will You
be coming out?'. After all, each and every Ananda Margii was intensely
curious about this.
And that question was asked with even greater frequency after the devilish
Emergency period was lifted. Because when the Emergency came to an end,
then so many of our dedicated Dadas were automatically released from their
various jail cells, but Baba's case was still pending and He had not yet
been released. So naturally everyone was eagerly asking Baba when He would
finally come out.
This was the question of the day.
And many times Baba would lovingly and reassuringly smile in response. And
other times being fully aware of their sincerity and eagerness, Baba would
sweetly reply, 'Devotion alone can demand my physical presence' and at the
same time He would always add, 'I am always with you'.
Because, after all, it was Baba's planning that He would come out. So the
sense of His reply was for everyone to be firm in 16 pts, increase their
devotion, and soon enough I will come out. With our devotional minds we can
understand that this was the inner spirit of Baba's reply-- or something
similar to that.
But some missed the point entirely and to this day they continue repeating
His statement: 'Devotion alone can demand My physical presence'--
proclaiming this to be a universal teaching. When in reality this was just
Baba's sweet and psychological reply to those who were inquiring about His
release from prison.
So Baba's reply is totally situational, and not at all one of the universal
teachings which can be found in our devotional scriptures.
PERSONAL REPLIES ARE NOT (NECESSARILY) UNIVERSAL GUIDELINES
It is just like if Baba tells one margii a particular recommendation about
diet or asanas, then we cannot say that Baba's reply to that margii is also
appropriate for everyone. Because Baba's reply is specifically related with
that brother's own personal situation, such as liver problems or skin
disease. In that condition, if that margii goes around telling everyone
that they should also follow the guideline which he received, then that is
nothing but his dogmatic and wrong understanding.
Likewise those who think that the above noted reply about devotion and
physical presence is part of our transcendental AM spiritual philosophy are
way off the mark. Because that special reply which Baba gave from inside
His cell was just related to that particular circumstance when He was in
jail-- when He had foreknowledge that soon He would be coming out. Hence
that statement cannot be considered as one of His eternal guidelines.
Especially since, as a philosophical-spiritual tenet, such a proclamation
runs counter to His divine teachings. But as a psychological reply to a few
concerned margiis it was perfect.
BABA'S DIVINE GUIDELINE ON DEVOTION
Here Baba beautifully describes how internal devotion & sadhana are the key
ingredients for attaining Him. So physical sense experience (empirical
knowledge) is not enough. One will have to look within.
Baba says, "It is wrong to think that Parama Purus'a is realizable by man
through empirical knowledge...To attain Brahma you shall have to do
sa'dhana' or spiritual meditation. You should make Him the only goal of
your life. For this you require integrity, devotion and singular and
earnest love for Him. He is not attainable without reverence and unflagging
and unflinching devotion. When the devotional depth will come, love, too,
will be out-brimming with high sentiments - will be full and
over-flowing... In that state alone will come your final realization of the
Supreme Consciousness." (SS-3)
Namaskar,
Gurucharan
Note: DEVOTION IS NOT LIMITED TO THE PHYSICAL SPHERE
Each and every Ananda Margii knows in their heart that devotion is not only
related with physicality. Because we feel & have experienced that our
special devotional connection with Baba is also something internal and not
just based on physical means.
And here is further proof of that: So many communist spies and CBI agents
were planted here and there and physically watching Baba intently during
DMC's and while He was on Field Walks etc. But such communists and CBI
agents did not have an iota of devotion in them. Rather they were totally
against and not understanding anything about Baba's divine advent. So even
though they physically were watching, they could not get the real nectar.
Even Jyoti Basu-- the crooked communist leader of West Bengal-- lived side
by side in the same city for years, but he could not get one tiny inkling
of devotion.
And here is more about this same point of devotion and physical life. Even
PA Dada and various Central Workers had to do sadhana even though they were
around Baba 24hrs a day. Never did Baba say to them that since they were in
His physical proximity then therefore they did not have to do sadhana. This
was never Baba's instruction. Instead even if one Dada was working all
morning with Baba then before lunch that Dada must go off somewhere and do
sadhana. It was not that one could skip sadhana and eat just because he had
been physically close that morning. It was not like that; rather the rule
always was, 'No sadhana, no meal'. So sadhana always had to be done
regardless of the degree of one's physical proximity.
We can say then that devotion is such a unique force that is not limited to
the physical sphere. Rather we know-- and in numerous discourses Baba
guides us-- that the secret to the higher stages of devotion is dhya'na;
and that dhya'na is the only way to attain those divine devotional
realisations and samadhis etc.
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Hankering for Praise
Baba says, "Those who work with the motivation that they will attain
intellectual victory are slaves to words of praise. They can never become
great people. It is bad to be a slave to worldly words of praise. The
sounds raised by jackals and those raised in praise of some intellectuals
are similar. Hence remaining engrossed in [the path of intellectuality,
i.e. vada, vitanda and jalpa] will lead to nothing...So those who waste
their time in vada, jalpa and vitanda are fools. They are C-grade fools."
(AV-5)
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