Baba Story: Respiration with Susumna

To: AM-GLOBAL Subject: Baba Story: Respiration with Susumna Date: Sat Mar 6 12:38:09 +0500 (IST) From: Ram Sahay Kulshresth Baba "Toma'r na'me bha'siye dilum a'ma'r sa'dher tariikha'ni..." (P.S. 4755) Purport: Baba, by Your grace, You are my eternal shelter. All my desires and all my longings are depending solely on You. Baba, my boat is floating along trusting on Your name. I am surrendering everything unto You. Baba, by Your grace the boat of my desires will float along through all the crests and troughs-- through all the highs and low-- day and night. Baba, I do not have any fear because I am just surrendering at Your alter. You are my shelter. I have full faith on Your name; my whole existence floats in the incantative waves of Your divine name. Baba, You are my Goal; You are my dhyana. By Your grace You are always calling me-- bringing me closer to You. Baba, on the dark, stormy night in the midst of the loud thunder and streaking lightening, my boat will not shake or tremble because I am surrendering in You. You are my everything. Baba, by Your grace on the one side the whole panoramic scene is absolutely brilliant. As I float along on my boat, the entire water, air, and sky are suffused with the golden effulgence of the sun's rays. Everything is sparkling. Yet on the other side, due to my own faults and shortcomings, my existence is stained-- sunk in blackness. Baba, by Your grace, I will carefully sort through all the good and bad things-- keeping all the postive attributes and removing all the negative ones. Baba, by Your grace on this journey all the bad samskaras will be wiped away. Baba, my whole existence is revolving around You-- singing Your name and glory. You are my everything...

== RESPIRATION WITH SUSUMNA ==

Namaskar, By Baba's divine grace here is a story about one general darshan with our dearmost Sadguru Baba in Jamalpur. Some sadhakas may recall that in those days in 1965 Revered Baba was very particular in guiding us in spiritual life; He was quite strict with all sadhakas about following a proper sadhana routine and doing all the lessons etc. Of course, in various ways and forms, this was true all the way up through 1990. But that time in 1965 it seemed to us that Baba was being especially gracious and personally giving so many special techniques and beautiful explanations for improving everyone's meditation. Looking back, we can only say that this was His causeless grace those days. On this particular occasion that I am about to recount, Baba was in a most gracious and charming mood when He came for General Darshan. Upon entering He was smiling so sweetly and we all felt a special vibration in the air. Baba was moving very slowly and delicately. And when He gently sat down on His cot then He began little by little emphasizing the deep importance and great significance of sadhana. This was the norm those days. And in His own beautiful cadence and rhythm, He began addressing many complementary points for meditation such as proper food, right atmosphere, good company (satsaunga), physical exercise (asanas) etc-- all of which aid one in the practice of sadhana. Included in this discussion also was Baba's special teaching about breathing and the correct use and utility of the nostrils. And He descriptively told us how long, long ago the great yogii Sadashiva was the first to give this special science of breath control known as svarshastra.

SPECIALTY OF THE NADIIS

Then Baba began to unveil some of the inner secrets regarding the three na'diis-- the ida', piungala', and the susumna. Baba was specifically guiding us that: (1) When the piungala' na'dii is expanded then the right nostril is dominant. Baba told us that this state is conducive for doing physical activities such as running, jumping, eating etc. (2) When the ida' na'dii is expanded then the more left nostril is more active. Baba explained that this is more conducive for engaging in psychic work, intellectual studies, and psycho-spiritual pursuits. Then Baba went on to describe that one na'dii may be more or less dominant to varying degrees. For example sometimes the ida' na'dii might be 70% dominant and the piungala' na'dii is doing 30% of the breathing. Or the ratio could be 90%-10% or 60%-40% or any combination there of. And sometimes one na'dii may be controlling 100% of the breathing. (3) Then Baba paused and He told that there is a somewhat rare situation when both the na'diis-- both the nostrils-- are working equally: 50-50. This occurs when the susumna channel or centre pipe is expanded fully and it is applying equal pressure on the other two na'diis. Note: Under the heading, Techniques for Switching the Nostril, the following letter neatly describes how to switch and balance the breath through the nose. These are easy simple processes give by Baba which every sadhaka can do to correct the air flow through the nostrils. http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/11/svarshastra-ii.html Baba then told us that in that unique situation when the susumna na'dii or the susumna channel is nicely expanded such that both the nostrils are working equally, then that is an ideal time to do sadhana. He told us that in this circumstance the mind easily gets concentrated. Then Baba lovingly directed us that we should always be ready to utilise that time for sadhana. Then in that very room one very special event came to pass which I will never forget.

DEMONSTRATION

On that divine occasion in Baba's presence, there were eleven of us sitting at His lotus feet immersed in His darshan by His grace. Then with His infinite compassion Baba sweetly guided us all to check our nostrils and see which na'dii was dominating. By His causeless grace everyone present acknowledged that both their nostrils were openly equally-- thus signifying that the susumna na'dii was expanded fully. Everyone present understood that this was nothing but Baba's divine grace and then upon His grand direction we all started doing sadhana. And almost instantaneously and we could feel a very strong vibration as the kulakundalini began to rise up through the various cakras until finally by His magnificent grace we all become totally ensconced in His divine flow and heard that omnkara dhvani-- sound of silence. We were all completely swept up in the vast ocean of His cosmic bliss and tears of joy were streaming down from everyone's eyes. Like this the time passed by His grace. When Baba brought our minds back into their normal state and our awareness returned to being in that small, little room with Baba then we could all sense how the sweet smell of the lotus flower was permeating all around and that a blissful vibration dancing through each and every cell of our existence. It was truly a memorable experience. Of all the different occasions that I was blessed to have Baba's direct darshan, I shall always hold and cherish the above experience as being quite dear. I will always feel that on that particular occasion Baba truly showered His causeless grace on us and allowed us to experience that real internal communion with Him.

BABA'S BLESSING

Perhaps now more than ever this opportunity is open to us all as sadhana is the means for communicating with Him and realising our true nature. So in this short human life of ours we should be most careful to utilise the best moments-- the most opportune moments-- for doing His sadhana. Here is Baba's blessing upon all sadhakas: Baba says, "One who has followed the straight path of the sus'umna' canal upwards does not return. He becomes one with Parama Purus'a, losing his separate existence." (NKS, Disc 16) Thus, when the susumna canal is active, i.e. when both nostrils are open, then we should all be vigilant to use that time for sadhana, by His grace. Namaskar, Ram Sahay

Note 1: A FEW MORE FACTS ABOUT NA'DIIS

Baba says, "Among the three principal nad'iis [psychic-energy channels], the sus'umna' is straight while the two on either side of it, the id'a' and the piungala', curve right and left." (SC-2) Baba says, "In the yogic treatises the left na'd'ii is called id'a', the right na'd'ii is called piungala', and the one between them is called sus'umna'. The id'a' is also called candra na'd'ii [moon channnel], the piungala' su'rya na'd'ii [sun channel] and the sus'umna' a'ka'sha ma'rga [sky channel]." (SC-2)

Note 2: THE SCIENCE OF SVARSHASTRA

Baba says, "The process of breathing, depending upon whether the breath is flowing through the right nostril or the left nostril or both nostrils, influences people in various ways. It was Shiva who determined what kind of activity should be performed, depending on which nostril the breath was flowing through, and depending on whether the id'a' or piungala' or sus'umna' channel was active. He set down specific rules and regulations as to when one should undertake physical, psychic or spiritual activities. He further instructed when and in what circumstances one should do a'sanas, pra'n'a'ya'ma, dha'ran'a', dhya'na, etc. This science, which Shiva invented and developed, was known as svara sha'stra or svarodaya [science of breath control]." (NSS, Disc 3)

Note 3: THE IMPORTANCE OF BREATHING

Baba says, "The process of breathing has a great influence on the human mind and self, or soul." (NSS, Disc 3)

Note 4: FURTHER READING ON SVARSHASTRA

Here are the other postings on this topic

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/11/svarshastra.html http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/11/svarshastra-ii.html http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2010/01/svarshastra-iii.html

Peculiar Unity Talk

Date: 05 Mar 2010 13:24:10 -0000 From: "Gurucharan Yadav" To: AM-GLOBAL Subject: Peculiar Unity Talk Baba "Mora ma'na'sa sarovera tumi son'a'lii kamal..." (PS 2209) Purport: Baba, in the pool of my mind You are the golden lotus. Looking towards You - ideating and meditating on You - is my dance and my life. Baba, You are the sweet vibration of my heart. Baba, the garden of paradise is filled with sun rays, the glow of Your beauty is resplendent Baba. In grove after grove, the buzzing bees get the pure, sweet honey from that lotus, You. [1] Baba, pleasing You is my sadhana - except You I want nothing. O' my Dearmost, O' the Liila Personified, please fulfill the longing of my heart. Baba, please be gracious and shower Your causeless grace on me... [1] In the above Prabhat Samgiita, the allegory is that Baba is the sweetness of the lotus blossom and the bhaktas are like the buzzing bees. Just as the buzzing bees are attracted are attracted by the nectar of the lotus, similarly, bhaktas are attracted by the divine charm of Parama Purusa.

== PECULIAR UNITY TALK ==

Namaskar, Just the other day, two factional heads had a talk, i.e. a little tete-a-tete, about creating unity. By examining their dialog, we can understand what is their mind-set; it all becomes quite transparent and crystal clear. Using Baba's teachings as our guideline, let's review their "unity talk" and see what is going on.

SAMA'NII VA A'KUTI

In His discourses, Baba clearly guides us that unity is based on our inherent link with Him. Baba says, "Sama'ni va a'kuti, When everything cometh from the same source, from the same Progenitor, and when finally everything goeth back to the same desideratum, there must be the same aspirations, the same longing, in the heart of each and every individual." (AV-3) When we remember and realise that He is our Goal and that He has created this expressed universe, then we can easily feel that everyone is our brother and sister and work in a coordinated manner toward a common ideal. Unity begins then with the longing for one Ista. When we realise that unity is a psycho-spiritual bond, then there is no question of bickering over material things like money, post and power. Baba says, "Human unity is purely an ideological unity, which means unity in the psychic sphere. Where there is psychic unity, physical unity will also occur. In the realm of unity, unity is always psychic – ideological unity means unity in the subtlest level of the mind." (PNS-15) Unity then is a high-minded ideal based on accepting Him as our Supreme One.

THEIR RECENT TALK

Now let's take a look at how on Feb 25 & 27, 2010, two esteemed group leaders embarked on their unity discussion. One Dada said, "[I] am tired of [this] court case and its huge financial pressure." With this premise, our two Dadas - who were on either sides of the court case - met in order to discuss plans for unity. Neither before nor during their talk was there any mention of being brothers in Baba or children of the same Supreme Father. Nor was there any talk of working towards a common ideal etc. Just one was feeling nauseated by all these groupist court cases and he was hoping to get rid of this headache in some way. In response, the other saw this as a great opportunity to bargain for getting one of the top posts. Such were the precipitating factors for their so-called unity talk. It was in this fashion that their peculiar unity talk bobbled back and forth. Only naive people can think that such a unity talk will be of any value. Any rational margii will easily see that that banter between these two Dadas was just crude talk, nothing more. One side was getting a major headache due to the court cases, and the other was greedy to get the post. With these thoughts powering them forward, they met to discuss unity. In that case unity can never result. Or whatever token unity that does arise will be blown to bits by even the slightest gentle breeze. Their materialistic, selfish agreements cannot last.

THEFT EXAMPLE

The above unity talk can be likened to this below analogy. If one refrains from theft because they are a true spiritual moralist, then their stand is quite strong. However, if a thief refrains from theft because there are police cameras all around, then as soon as those cameras are gone or broken, then he will steal. Likewise, if one embarks on unity out of their deep longing for Parama Purusa, then that unity is quite healthy and strong. But if one starts raising the flag of unity for all kinds of crude and mundane reasons - e.g. they are tired of court cases etc - then that unity will not last long. In that case, whenever they are not bothered by court cases they will once again exert their groupist agenda. Or when they get their desired post, they will once again wage their groupist crusade.

BABA'S WARNING

Indeed that is Baba's warning. If any group tires to strong arm another section of society, then unity can never be maintained. Baba says, "However, psychic or ideological unity may be affected if we encourage the exploitation of one group by another." (PNS-15) Yet that is what we see happening with these two Dadas. Both have some selfish motivation behind their so-called cry for unity. One is tired of court cases and the other is hungry for the post. In that case, any talk of unity is just futile. It will vanish as soon as one gets their desired end. When the court cases have been pushed aside or when they have gotten their cherished post, then their quest for unity will go up in smoke. Unity can only be established by a spiritual ideal, not by any worldly haggling by two groupists. That is Baba's explicit warning.

WHAT SHOULD BE IN THEIR MINDS

What then should have been in the minds of those two Dadas during their unity talk? They should have been thinking: Baba is our Guru, we are brothers, we have come on this earth to work together and serve Him, already we are old and we are going to die soon - life is too short for all this quarreling. Why should we fight over petty things like court cases and power. Let us live together and follow the divine ideals of Baba. In this way let unity come. But this is not what they were thinking - nor was this what they were saying. Their minds were instead filled with all kinds of crude and narrow-minded thoughts. That is why most margiis clearly understand that this peculiar unity talk was just a farce - nothing more. Here the overarching idea is that people cannot unite around mundane things, people can only unite around Parama Purusa. When united in Him then one can establish proper mundane adjustment and hence unity, whereas if the goal is mundane then unity cannot arise. By His grace in the coming times when we have true purodhas who are interested in serving Him and are not just doing and dying for the post, then true unity will come and it was last and last. Unfortunately, the two Dadas who met for their unity talk were not of this calibre. That is quite evident by their manner of expression. Instead of being interested in Parama Purusa, they are interested in post, power, prestige etc. It is nothing but a tragedy that in their late age they are totally focused on post and purodhaship - and not the welfare of the Marga or their own salvation.

BABA'S BLESSING

By adhering to Baba's tenets, we can easily create unity in our Marga, as well as recognise when two groupists are just engaging in some peculiar talk about so-called unity. Baba says, "Inspire and encourage the common bonds of unity and thus strengthen humanity. Only then will the human society become one and indivisible. Only then will it be worthy of being called a “human society”." (AFPS-2) Namaskar, Gurucharan

Note 1: WHO ARE THESE TWO DADAS

The two Dadas involved in the above unity talk were Nigamananda and Parmeshvarananda. Nigamananda was tired of all these court cases and Parmeshvarananda was gunning to get the top post. Those were their inner desires behind their unity talk. Parmeshvarananda was even giving the logic that because he was made a purodha in 2005 or so, then that should be honoured, and not the date of 1990 because he was not a purodha then. Neither of these Dadas are interested in unity. Yet both are getting old. Indeed it seems Parmeshvarananda is just thinking that "I should get the post before I die - let me die on the post - let that be my last rites." And Nigamanada has his own clouded manner as well.

*************************************************** Population Growth: Really a Problem?

Baba says, "Does a population problem actually exist? This issue should be considered in the perspective of two vital factors - the availability of food and the availability of space. Today human beings have enough resources to manage their food. Planet Earth is rich enough to feed a far greater number of people than the present population....[So] The tragedy is that there are enough resources to supply proper food to all human beings in the world, but the defect lies in the present approach of the existing socioeconomic systems." (PNS-13, p.44)

***************************************************