== DEVOTION: A HEAVENLY QUALITY ==
Namaskar,
In a book published not long back, one Dada makes a statement about
devotion that is quite suspect-- or even shakier than that. Because what
he is telling about devotion goes directly against Baba's explicit &
eternal guideline.
Please read the following & write in with your valued thoughts &
experiences.
DEVOTION IS THE HIGHEST THING
In our Marga, we know that spirituality is the highest attainment and
that the golden nugget of spirituality is devotion-- love for God.
Baba says, "Spirituality is the summum bonum of life in all its
aspects." (I & I, '93 Edn, p.77)
Baba says, "The devotional sentiment is the highest and most valuable
treasure of humanity." (NH-LOI, '87. p.3)
So, by His above well-known teachings and by our own sadhana, each and
every Margii knows that devotion is something very sacred-- the best
quality.
And here Baba reveals one other highly unique aspect of devotion.
ONLY DEVOTION IS PERMANENT
In His below teaching, Baba pointedly guides us that devotion remains
with us throughout-- not only in this life, but devotion stays with us
life after life after life. It never leaves us. And it is this very
devotion which carries us up to that eternal supreme stance.
Baba says, "Devotion enables spiritual aspirants to attain the pinnacled
goal of their lives. It is this devotion that human beings have been
seeking since time immemorial. When they finally attain the Guru and get
initiation, then they begin to walk on this path of devotion. And those
who have started on this path realize that they are sure to reach their
destination, that to reach their goal is the sole reason for their
birth. You should remember why you have been born. Following the path of
devotion, you will have to ultimately reach Parama Purus'a. This is the
pinnacled point, the supreme point of human glory. You should always
remember this, during your lifetime and even after your death." (YP,
'Cult of Pinnacled Order')
So the whole entire idea is that devotion is a permanent quality and
that it remains with us eternally-- "even after your death". This is
Baba's expressed teaching and holy guarantee.
DEVOTION: A HEAVENLY ATTRIBUTION
Thus according to Baba devotion is a heavenly attribution. It has no
parallel. If one has devotion they have everything.
On the other hand, in spite of having all the worldly commodities if one
does not have devotion then they are a pauper.
The relation between the Lord and the bhakta is eternal. It is beyond
the boundary of time, space, and person. That is why it carries from one
life to the next, and beyond.
PHYSICAL POSSESSIONS DO NOT LAST
We all know physical achievements are temporary and fleeting in nature;
they are ephemeral. The stocks one buys on wall street, the spoon one
uses at breakfast, the clothes we wear on our back. None of these
physical things remain with us.
So in this human life so many mundane things come and go-- they do not
last. Today they are; tomorrow they are not. At some point, sooner or
later, they will disintegrate or perish. This is the common reality.
Thus one cannot take any physical property along with them at the time
of their death. This is not at all possible. Nor will one necessarily
have that wealth in their next life.
PSYCHIC ATTRIBUTIONS ARE ALSO TEMPORARY
The fate is the same for psychic qualifications. The knowledge one has
in this life, one may or may not have in the next life. A Sanskrit
professor may not even remember a single syllable of Sanskrit after his
death. In his next life he may not have even an iota of understanding of
Sanskrit. And same is the case with all the intellectual knowledge and
facts and figures which we acquire in this life. All of that is
short-lived. So psychic knowledge too is temporary-- fleeting.
So from one life to the next people lose & gain many things in the
physical and psychic realms. Because none of those things are permanent.
SPIRITUAL WEALTH IS EVER-LASTING
In contrast, one's spiritual wealth is ever-lasting; devotion for the
Lord is permanent-- eternal. In each and every case, devotion carries
over from one life to the next. It remains with us and increases,
incarnation after incarnation, till we reach our final Goal-- Baba.
That is why we see that in their early childhood some persons are great
devotees and are completely sadhana-minded. This is because of their
accumulated devotion from previous lives.
So here the whole idea is that devotion is never lost. Whatever devotion
one acquires remains with them from one life to the next. And whatever
amount of devotion which gets aroused in their next life will be added
to their existing amount. Like this it goes on and on. Never is a drop
of devotion lost. Rather it keeps growing and becoming more and more.
Devotion is one's only permanent property. This is Baba's eternal
mandate: That devotion is ever-lasting.
BABA'S BLESSING
It is Baba's eternal blessing that with our devotion we will certainly
reach our Beloved Goal.
Baba says, "You will surely attain the Supreme rank and become one with
the Supreme Entity." (Av-4, p. 81)
Namaskar,
Parashram
Note 1: IF ONE HAS DEVOTION THAT IS EVERYTHING
Here Baba guides us that when one has the permanent attribution of
devotion then they have everything and they will get eternal salvation.
Baba says, "Bhakti (Devotion) is the best of all the means for attaining
Moks'a. Whatever a sa'dhaka has to do is to be done for the arousal of
Bhakti. He is not the beggar of anything except Bhakti. When one's
Bhakti is once attained one is not a pauper but an emperor." (SS-18,
'Yoga and Bhakti')
Note 2: DEVOTION IS OUR PERMANENT POSSESSION
DEVOTION CARRIES US TO THE GOAL
Here again in this following teaching Baba reveals how only devotion
remains along with us from one life to the next. And that this devotion
is what leads us to our cherished Goal-- Baba.
Baba says, "You have no other wealth superior to devotion. All other
worldly possessions will prove of no avail. Only devotion enables you to come
into close contact with Him. This is the goal of human life. This is
true process." "You have been wandering through the labyrinth of a
myriad of lives. You have been ever advancing toward this stage.
Knowingly or unknowing you are being drawn unto Him. This is the summum
bonum of life." (SS, part 10)
Note 3: WHAT ONE DADA IS TELLING
On page 89-90 of his book "My LIfe with Baba", Dada Tapeshvarananda
wrote the following:
"When we feel or remember His incomparable sweetness and grace we can
only weep in gratitude. As long as we remain on this earth we can never
forget His infinite love for us." (My Days with Baba, p.89-90)
In his above writing, Dada Tapeshvarananda tells us that our devotional
link with Baba only lasts "as long as we remain on this earth". Please
excuse me, but by Dadaji's above words, it is clear that he went off the
track. Because what Dadaji is telling goes against Baba's clear-cut
teaching that devotion is permanent.
Indeed all bhaktas know that our love and remembrance of Baba extends
far beyond the limitations of this particular life and far beyond the
confines of this worldly abode.
Note 4: DEVOTION STAYS WITH US EVEN AFTER DEATH
Here again is Baba's most gracious blessing where He guides us that our
devotional feelings are our permanent property and that they will remain
with us even after our death-- till we ultimately reach up to Him.
Baba says, "Following the path of devotion, you will have to ultimately
reach Parama Purus'a. This is the pinnacled point, the supreme point of
human glory. You should always remember this, during your lifetime and
even after your death." (YP, '91 Edn, p.140)
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Mayan Civilization, USA, and India
Baba says, "At one time, the ancient Mayan civilization of America was
more advanced than many other civilizations, but because they lagged
behind in the invention of the wheel, they were forced in subsequent
times to acknowledge their defeat at the hands of other civilizations.
The oldest existing artifacts of the Mayan civilization give evidence to
advanced ways of life but no wheel. One should keep in mind that the
Sanskrit name for America, Mayadviipa, came from the name of the Mayan
civilization. During the Chola, Pa'n'd'ya, and Pahlava dynasties of the
Indian Middle Ages there was contact between America and India--this was
before Columbus' discovery of America." (SC-1 p. 87)
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