= BLISSFUL TIMES IN THE PISKAMOR OFFICE =
Namaskar,
Those days at the Piskamor Central Office*, one special type of kiirtan was
going on. Kiirtan itself had just been started. Means that was the time
when kiirtan was first given by Baba. So then that time Baba's cot was
placed in the lawn of the Central office, especially in the evening hours.
And then Wts and margiis were dancing around Him singing kiirtan. The whole
scene was blissful and charged with devotional feeling. It was completely
His grace.
All the devotees were ecstatically dancing around Baba while He was
graciously sitting in lalit mudra. Baba's cot was in the nucleus and we
were all making a circle around the Him, singing Baba Nam Kevalam.
In addition, the cot itself was placed on the ground directly; there wasn't
any dais. And, of course we were also dancing on ground. So we were all on
the same level and Baba was sitting in the nucleus just three feet away
from the periphery-- so very close. Because the radius of the kiirtan
circle was only three feet. And He was looking so attractive and we were
moving closely around Him chanting His holy name.
So those were really blissful days. Even today when I think about that
devotional scene then I feel goose bumps all over my body and a strong
devotional pull in my heart. The memories bring on one spiritual surge.
SITTING IN LALITA MUDRA
Because the whole flow of that kiirtan was so charming. Baba was in lalit
mudra-- sitting with one leg crossed over the other with His one knee just
a little bit raised above the other leg. So that one knee was about 2 feet
above the cot and Baba had both His hands on His knee. All the time looking
so attractive.
Many may also remember how in DMC Baba used to also sit in that mudra. Of
course sometimes He was also sitting in siddhasana and sometimes in easy
posture; but many times He was in that lalit mudra. So it was Baba's style
to occasionally sit in like that.
And when sitting in that pose during those kiirtan sessions, then always
Baba had a very calm and peaceful look on His face. Just He was sitting
there quietly, closing His eyes. Indeed He looked so beautiful in that pose
and during those kiirtan sessions the whole environment was saturated with
His divine love.
Now when I think about that beauty, then I can feel that as if some heaven
descended on the Earth. Thinking about this gives a lot of vibration even
now.
REPORTING WITH BABA
And side by side many glorious reporting sessions were also going on at His
Piskamor office those days. And while on the outside in superficial way it
was looking like Baba was very angry and being very harsh, but all along
everyone present felt His divine sweetness. And how everything that
was going on was just His grace.
Because those days Baba was giving huge pressure for work and He was taking
report while sitting on His rotating chair. And the air was electrified
with His divine grace. Because even though scolding was going on, but
internally everyone was feeling blissful and that their burdens of
samskaras had been removed. Full feeling of freshness was there. So it was
just His grace.
But on the outside it was looking very strict and serious. Because Baba was
giving huge work targets, which were impossible to attain like-- doing
pracar in several thousand villages in just one week's time. And side by
side maximum pressure was there to satisfy those demands. And when Baba was
taking report and seeing that all the work was not completed then all sorts of
dramas were done and huge punishments was given.
Because that time Baba Himself was playing His drama and beating us with
stick and if that was not enough then HE ordered for us to 10,000 tik-tik.
And as most know, Tik tik is a code word & the full meaning is to catch
both your ear lobes (lower part) with your opposite hand and sit down and
stand up and sit down and stand up. And Baba would order us to go on doing
10,000 times like this.
So this was all His loving drama. And all the devotees were enjoying and
fulfilling their punishment by doing one tik-tik & counting out 50 or 100.
And by this was their number would reach to 1000, 2000, and some 3000 etc. And
then in grand fashion Baba would call out that everyone who finished 3000,
they had fulfilled their quota. Because Baba being the Parama Purusa knew
exactly what was going on.
So it was just His divine liila and we always we felt how this punishment
was all given with His great compassion. Because at the time while all this
was going on, then each then every devotee could feel Baba's divine love
radiating in their heart-- even though on the outside His behavior was
looking very tough.
And later on, by His grace, we realised that by giving us huge pressure of
work, Baba was actually goading our minds unto the path of beatitude.
Because this world is full of allurements and it is so easy for the mind to
go astray. But when everyone had huge work demands on their head, then
their was no scope to get caught up in the negative ways of maya. Rather by
paying heed to Baba's pressure for work, and concentrating in that way,
then the mind remained in a completely positive stance. Always thinking and
planning to do more and more selfless service for the humanity. So like
this those heavy work demands which were impossible to complete, that was Baba's
special way of watching for our welfare and bringing us closer to Him.
Because that pressure of forced us to keep our minds focused in His
direction. So it is His blessing.
Hence all along, those days in the Piskmor office were ensconced in His
blissful flow. Everyone felt cared for and loved. His grace was tangibly
felt by one and all-- whether by getting scolded or punished and feeling
their samskaras peel away such that their whole body was feeling light and
energized. Or devotees were feeling His grace by singing His name in
kiirtan. So in all the ways being in Baba's presence meant being ensconced
in the blissful showering of His causeless grace.
BABA'S DIVINE MANNER
Here are some guidelines that are highly related with the special, unique
ways of Baba, the Sadguru.
Baba says, "Only to love is not the work of the Guru. One who only loves
you is your enemy, and one who only punishes you is also your enemy. But
the one who both loves and punishes in a balanced way is the real Guru."
(YP, 98, p. 174)
Baba says, "Nigraha'nugrahe shakto guruityabhidhiiyate-- 'the guru must
possess the capacity both to punish and to love, or bless, his disciples'.
Punishment alone without love is not good. Love and punishment should go
together, and the degree of punishment should never exceed the degree of
love. Then only can one be called a real spiritual guru." (15 March 1981)
BABA'S BLESSING
Here following are some especially inspiring words that show how He
is eternally linked with one and all.
Baba says, "Now, the entity by whose grace one comes into contact with sat
(sat, the non-changeable entity, the non-changeable stance, the non-changeable
nuclear entity around which so many electrons move) - that entity, or
rather, that framework through which Parama Purus'a is working or Ta'raka
Brahma is functioning, is the Sadguru, `Sadgurum' tvam' nama'mi' - `I do my
namah before You, at Your altar'." (AV part 3, p.48)
Namaskar
Pramod
*Baba's office in Piskamor Ranchi was in one rented house approximately
1/2 kilometer from the old jagrti.
Note 1: Those days most everyone was feeling how Baba's every action was
blissful. But a few unfortunate people could never get adjusted. So due to
lack of devotion, or poor samskara, or whatever the case, due to these
things they ran from the scene. Means some persons like Dada Nirmalanandaji
Avt, Ac. Tadgatanandaji Avt, Ac. Prakashanandaji Avt., Ac Prashantanandaji
Avt., Ac. Prajinanandaji Avt, they all left. So those who left are in the
small, small minority. And their future is mostly dark till they rectify
themselves. In contrast, devotees never have such problems because due to
strong love for Baba they have implicit faith that what Guru does, that is
based in supreme welfare motive.
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Brave Persons
Baba says, "Do not remain worried about your individual problems at all. Be
prepared to carry your own burden and be prepared also to carry the burdens
of others. Then alone are you brave. Be dagdhabiija. Everyone has his or
her own individual problems. Do not try to pass them on to others. On the
contrary, bear the burdens of others. No one is your enemy. Be ready to
bear the burdens of others." (AV-30, p.4)
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