Beyond Hiranmaya Kosa

From: "Satiish K Bhatia" To: am-global@earthlink.net Subject: Beyond Hiranmaya Kosa Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:14:36 +0530 Baba (Note: Here is the version of PS #3003 with the expanded purport.) PS Intro: Here Baba is describing what happens in the severe summer season. It can also be equated with bad or difficult times in one's spiritual life. When the sadhaka is feeling out of their devotional flow then the mind is dry like a desert. The softness and fulfillment of the mind withers away. Everything becomes drab and lifeless. The sadhaka's heart of that dark time is reflected in this song. Here summer season means that state of mind devoid of devotion. Prabhat Samgiita #3003 A'mra vaner madhu jhare ja'----y Vasanteri haoa' digante ha'-ra'y Vasanteri haoa' digante ha'-ra'y Vasanteri haoa' digante ha'-ra'y Nida'gher ta'pe a'j kokil bhuleche ga'n A'-----------------------------------a' Nida'gher ta'pe a'j kokil bhuleche ga'n Nida'gher ta'pe a'j kokil bhuleche ga'n Nida'gher ta'pe a'j kokil bhuleche ga'n Shya'malima' ha'-ra'no ven'u vane nei ta'n Ba'dal meghe na' dekhe mayuro nis'pra'n' Na' phot'a' mukul a'tape shuka'----y Amra vaner madhu jhare ja'----y Harit trin'e legeche haridra'- cha'--p A------------------------------------a' Harit trin'e legeche haridra'- cha'--p Harit trin'e legeche haridra'- cha'--p Harit trin'e legeche haridra'- cha'--p Jeno se baye ja'y dustar anuta'p Cepe ra'kha' marmer jata chilo santa'p Us'n'a ma'rava a'nkhite mila'----y A'mra vaner madhu jhare ja'----y Purport: Summer season has come. The nectar of the mango grove has dried up. The unrelenting sun is baking and cracking the earth. The vernal breeze has gotten lost in the horizon. The hot summer wind is blowing. The nectar of the mango grove has dried up. The burning heat of summer makes the cuckoo bird forget its song. It has stopped singing. The world has lost its beauty. In the greenless flute groves [1], there is no resonance. The lush vegetation has lost its vitality. Not seeing the monsoon clouds, the peacock is half-dead and lifeless. The unbloomed flower buds have withered away in summer's scorching heat. Everyone wishes for the arrival of cool, refreshing rain. O' Parama Purusa, devotees long for the showering of Your grace and devotion in their melancholic heart. The nectar of the mango grove has dried up and the hot wind is blowing. Because of the intense summer heat, the green grass has become yellow - as if it is facing a terrible ordeal. Whatever suppressed and painful feeling was in the heart became one with the hot desert storm. This entire scene of the floar and fauna in the summer season is similar to all the agonies and pain of the heart which was unexpressed in my mind. Now it is taking form by this summer storm. Inside and outside are same. O' Lord the suffering and pain of not getting You is expressed by this summer storm. Baba I want You... NOTES FOR PRABHAT SAMGIITA #3003: [1] The flute is made from the cane plant, that is why cane plants are also known as flute groves. End Note: One key point to be aware of in this ongoing translation work is the danger of being overly literal. For instance, in Bengali it is said, "jal kha'bo" literally meaning "Will eat water"; whereas the better translation is "I will drink water." Whenever and wherever possible, a good translation will aim for the spirit of what is being said, and not the bare, literal meaning.

== BEYOND HIRANMAYA KOSA ==

Namaskar, Each and every Ananda Margii knows that Baba is Parama Purusa and that He is living with one and all, in ota and prota yoga. That means individual and collective tactuality. But it is hard to realize and feel always, that Baba's touch is there. How many persons feel like this, the ota-yoga feeling of tactual contact with Parama Purusa? This is one of the mysterious ways, that Baba is living along with one and all, in tactual contact. And yet He is also invisible, remaining unrealized. Similarly, whenever Mahasambhuti comes on this earth, He gives various teachings. But most of the teachings remain unclear for the common public. Because His guidelines are so concentrated and pointed-- as they have all been given in seed form. By the example we can see that at the time of Lord Krsna, in the Giita which He has given, ages passed and nobody understood that text's inner meaning, because of its profound nature. Only after 3500 years when again Mahasambhuti advented in the form of Baba, He Himself explained those meanings -- and then everyone understood. So this is one example of how the teachings of Mahasambhuti remain misunderstood by the general public. And it is similar in the case of Baba's ways of teaching in all the spheres. Because these teachings are not easily graspable.

BABA'S DARSHAN: HUMOR STORY

I remember clearly in 1987, when Baba started giving discourses on microvita. He gave the philosophy of microvita. And those days in general darshan in Hindi language, He explained about microvita in a different way. Speaking to simple village Margis who have hardly any interest to learn philosophy, to them Baba told, that "To make you laugh, sometimes I use the term 'microvita'-- that microvita is doing this or that. But actually it is His grace, which does everything. Everything happens with the grace of Parama Purusa. Microvita is nothing. Just I use this term, to make you laugh." After hearing this, all the Margis started laughing, and Baba did too. At that time, only non-Hindi knowing people did not understand why people are laughing. So this is also one of the mysterious ways. Taraka Brahma Baba has given microvita philosophy, but He jokes about it also and tells that it is nothing. He uses microvita for just humor's sake. Who can say anything on these such devotional issues? So Baba's each and everything is gurh (Means, it is not easily intelligible by the human mind).

INNER MEANING OF PRABHAT SAMGIITA

So Baba's Prabhat Samgiita has inner meaning also. One meaning is the external literal meaning. And another meaning is the inner meaning. If anybody knows the meaning of the words of the song, then they can easily understand the literal meaning. But to understand the inner meaning, one has to think deeply. Even so, one may or may not understand. For example, take this following song. PS song number 6 looks very ordinary, but this itself is in fact a very intricate song. The song is- 'Bandhu a'ma'r bandhu a'ma'r, Sona'r a'loy d'haka'. The normal purport is: "My Paramapurus'a, My Lord Is covered with golden light" This first line needs a lengthy explanation. A very important part of our AM spiritual philosophy is hidden within this first line. And in normal way in the English PS book 1-100 (or 1-200) which is published by our AMPS Central, the meaning of the first line is written as: "My Paramapurus'a, My Lord Is covered with golden light" This very line is very deep. In the book, as seen above, the literal meaning has been given. The inner meaning is not there. And without the inner meaning of the song, the real meaning of the song will remain unclear. To understand this first line you have to read Subhasita Samgraha part 1. In the chapter 'Base and Relative Truth SS part I, Baba describes the colour of Hiranmaya Kosa as golden. He says beyond the Hiranmaya kosa in Satya Loka Brahma is residing. Baba has given the example of the "Hiran'yamaya pare Koshevira'jam' Brahma..." Beyond the Hiranyamaya Kosa the place of Brahma is there. In the PS song number 6 Bandhu Amar, Baba is describing a similar thing in poetic form, in a very condensed way. Those who do not have understanding about satyaloka and hiranmaya kosa, will not understand by this one line explanation, "My Paramapurus'a, My Lord, is covered with golden light". Some innocent person may think Parama Purusa is playing in the colour festival-- "Holi", or spring festival. But the real meaning of this song #6, Baba has described in the above said discourse in SS part 1. And those who understand the discourse will realise "Sona'r a'loy d'haka'" means Brahma is covered with golden light-- which signifies Hiranmaya Kosa. 'Sonar a'loy dhaka' means coloured with golden light which means Parama Purusa is beyond Hiranmaya Kosa.

RELATED WITH SADHANA

In the field of sadhana the practical meaning is that the mind should be placed beyond hiranmaya kosa in order to reach up to Parama Purusa. In the process of doing proper dhyana etc, or when dhyana is properly done then one's mind crosses the periphery of Hiranmaya Kosa and reaches to satyaloka. And as we also know that the colour of Hiranmaya kosa is golden. This very thing that Brahma is beyond Hiranmaya Kosa, Baba has described in another discourse 'Intuitional Science of the Vedas (2)' in SS part 2. Baba writes as follows, Baba says, "Hiranmaye pare kose virajam brahma..." "Hiranamaya kosa or the astral mind is the subtlest of the five sheaths or shells of the human structure. Just above it resides the integral, imperishable Brahma. He is integral, for He is intransmutable, flawless, devoid of the decaying quinquecellular or Paincakosatmaka manifestation. His luminosity is white. He is the radiance of all radiant objects. All radiances pale before His radiance." (SS Pt 2, p.32) So by these explanations which are given by Baba in Subhasita Samgraha, it is clear that the meaning of Prabhat Samgiita is very deep. Just in this song number 6, one line of the song carries the meaning of several paragraphs of the discourse which is related with the practice of our dhyana. Since 20 years we have this song but only recently I could understand the inner meaning.

SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PRABHAT SAMGIITA

There is a long philosophy hidden behind each and every PS. Examples have been given above to illustrate how PS is made for devotional cause, and for teaching various aspects of AM philosophy in the form of poetry. Because if Baba had composed 5018 Samskrta slokas in place of Prabhat Samgiita, then it would have become more difficult. The reason is, that Samskrta does not exist as a spoken language these days. That's why Baba did not compose Prabhat Samgiita in the Samskrta language, as a sloka. The whole Ananda Marga philosophy is hidden in Prabhat Samgiita. PS is all in one. Means all aspects of AM philosophy: Prout, Neo-Humanism, social and spiritual philosophy, and the loving communication between devotee and Parama Purusa -- all together are existing in PS. This PS is a type of scripture or sha'stra. Just like non-margiis do not understand our AM books. To understand AM books it needs a mind of a sadhaka. AM books are the theoretical side and the practical side is spiritual practice. Those who do not do sadhana will not understand Baba's teachings. Just see, the Indian CBI has all the books including acarya diary, but they did not understand anything. Rather they became paranoid by reading the word sadvipra leadership. In conclusion, AM books and Prabhat Samgiita are for Ananda Margiis because they are the "laboratory practical" books of the sadhakas. Those who do not do the practical aspect of sadhana, do not need those "practical" books. And those who want to propagate PS, their first and foremost duty is to create more margiis and then with their devotional heart gradually those margis will understand. Otherwise sowing seeds in the dry desert will not yield any fruit. Prabhat Samgiita is such a devotional treasure. PS is an unparalleled gift of Baba where devotees and Parama Purusa are sharing their loving heartfelt feeling with one another.

BABA'S BLESSING

Here the letter concludes with this following Prabhat Samgiita. "Andha'rer sei hata'sha', Kete geche a'ja a'loker parasha peye." (PS no. 9) With the sweet touch of HIS divine love and grace the hopelessness of darkness is gone. Namaskar, Satiish Note: From 1982 to 1990 it was the strict rule of Baba that Prabhat Samgiita should not be telecasted or broadcasted in the common public. Why was it like this? The reason is explained in this above letter. And the pointed reason is, that the meaning is ungraspable to non-Margis. And they will treat it as songs of their crude love. That's why, Baba does not allow to telecast and broadcast Prabhat Samgiita. Prabha't Sam'giita are not just ordinary songs. The PS collection assimilates all Baba's teachings together. But, because it is in poetry, so it is very hard to understand. In such a case more possibility is there to misunderstand. The possibility is, that non-Margis will misuse. Baba wants to teach deeper aspects of AM philosophy through Prabha't Sam'giita. But the understanding of the general public is very low and crude. In their low state it is not easy for them to understand normal aspects of AM philosophy. Then you can think how they will be able to understand deeper aspects of our philosophy which is very sentient and pointed. To understand it needs agraya' buddhi / intuition. So due to lack of all this, the common public will use Prabha't Sam'giita for their crude sensual satisfaction if PS is propagated to the common public by television or any other broadcasting media. That is, without prior teaching of sadhana to them. That's why Baba did not allow broadcasting and telecasting of PS.

******************************************** Hungry For Applause

Baba says, "Those people are great who harbor no biases and who behave rationally both with those who abuse them give them pain and with those who give them happiness. Such people don't harbour any feelings of enmity towards anybody and take no-one as their enemy. They remain the same in pleasure or pain whether they have a positive reputation or negative reputation. They are unaffected and unassailed in all circumstances of praise or criticism, pain or pleasure. They attach no importance whatsoever to any of these things. They are meaningless for such people." "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." (AV-5, p.57-8)

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Sixteen Points in Personal Life

Date: 02 Jun 2010 13:19:37 -0400 From: Donald_G To: am-global@earthlink.net Subject: Sixteen Points in Personal Life Baba PS Intro: Here Baba is describing what happens in the severe summer season. It can also be equated with bad or difficult times in one's spiritual life. When the sadhaka is feeling out of their devotional flow then the mind is dry like a desert. The softness and fulfillment of the mind withers away. Everything becomes drab and lifeless. The sadhaka's heart of that dark time is reflected in this song. Here summer season means that state of mind devoid of devotion. Prabhat Samgiita #3003 A'mra vaner madhu jhare ja'----y Vasanteri haoa' digante ha'-ra'y Vasanteri haoa' digante ha'-ra'y Vasanteri haoa' digante ha'-ra'y Nida'gher ta'pe a'j kokil bhuleche ga'n A'-----------------------------------a' Nida'gher ta'pe a'j kokil bhuleche ga'n Nida'gher ta'pe a'j kokil bhuleche ga'n Nida'gher ta'pe a'j kokil bhuleche ga'n Shya'malima' ha'-ra'no ven'u vane nei ta'n Ba'dal meghe na' dekhe mayuro nis'pra'n' Na' phot'a' mukul a'tape shuka'----y Amra vaner madhu jhare ja'----y Harit trin'e legeche haridra'- cha'--p A------------------------------------a' Harit trin'e legeche haridra'- cha'--p Harit trin'e legeche haridra'- cha'--p Harit trin'e legeche haridra'- cha'--p Jeno se baye ja'y dustar anuta'p Cepe ra'kha' marmer jata chilo santa'p Us'n'a ma'rava a'nkhite mila'----y A'mra vaner madhu jhare ja'----y Purport: The nectar of the mango grove has dried up. The vernal breeze has gotten lost in the horizon. The nectar of the mango grove has dried up. The burning heat of summer makes the cuckoo bird forget its song. It has stopped singing. In the greenless flute groves [1], there is no resonance. Not seeing the monsoon clouds, the peacock is half-dead and lifeless. The unbloomed flower buds have withered away in summer's scorching heat. The nectar of the mango grove has dried up. Because of the intense summer heat, the green grass has become yellow - as if it is facing a terrible ordeal. Whatever suppressed and painful feeling was in the heart became one with the hot desert storm. The nectar of the mango grove has dried up... NOTES FOR PRABHAT SAMGIITA #3003 [1] The flute is made from the cane plant, that is why cane plants are also known as flute groves. End Note: One key point to be aware of in this ongoing translation work is the danger of being overly literal. For instance, in Bengali it is said, "jal kha'bo" literally meaning "Will eat water"; whereas the better translation is "I will drink water." Whenever and wherever possible, a good translation will aim for the spirit of what is being said, and not the bare, literal meaning.

== SIXTEEN POINTS IN PERSONAL LIFE ==

Namaskar, Here are some of our personal experiences my family and margii friends have had regarding our Sixteen Points and related guidelines on hygiene.

EACH POINT HAS DEEP VALUE

Our Sixteen Points, as we all know, stand as Baba's precise guidelines for how to advance on the path of spirituality. So for us, each and every point has immense value and great significance. Because there are potentially millions of rules and regulations in our human life, yet Baba has beautifully selected the most important ones to be included in our Sixteen Points. So we are certainly blessed. Even then it remains challenging for us to follow them all. Perhaps the points outlined below are easy for you, in which case you can help by offering tips and solutions. But to date, these below points have been difficult for my family (wife and three children) and / or margiis in my unit to follow.

TWICE DAILY PRACTICE OF ASANAS

We know our yoga postures or asanas are important, but this point remains difficult for us. Because after doing sadhana in the morning often we are in a hurry to go to work. And likewise in the evening after doing sadhana we are hungry from the long day and want to have something to eat. So getting asanas done twice daily is not an easy job-- at least in our household. Please excuse me, but I notice that some others in our unit also have that same difficulty. Because often at dharmacakra all of us skip asanas before taking food. And in general we have an open relationship with all the margiis in our area and we always talk about what things are difficult for us to maintain. And most agree that doing asanas regularly is difficult. Side by side, some of us only do our dances on dharmacakra days-- and never any other time. So this is another problem. Yet all of these things are included in Sixteen Points. And ultimately I enjoy doing them when it happens, but on a daily basis I remain incomplete in my approach. For instance, on the point of asanas, sometimes I think that since I did them in the morning then I can skip in evening. And other days I think I can skip in the morning because I will do them in the evening. All these types of justifications get built up in my mind. Of course the reality is that when I skip one time then the tendency is to skip again the next time. Whereas on those days when I do attend to my asana practice in full then invariably I feel better. Though I have not yet reached the point where I do both my asanas sessions using a stop-watch so that I can properly time each asana. This was recommended to me by two different family acaryas. And I can certainly see now it would be beneficial-- but to date I have not incorporated this practice, hopefully soon.

FINGERNAILS: CUT SHORT AND NEAT AND CLEAN

Baba is very strict, as we know, on personal hygiene and about cleanliness of the hand and fingernails etc. This point about keeping the fingernails neat and clean is one of Baba's health guidelines. Perhaps you might think this point is an easy one, but with our children we face nothing but struggle. Because our kids attend the local public school and at school many of the children like to keep their finger nails long, even the boys. And by this way a deep dark line of dirt forms underneath each nail. And even days go by and still the children will have this line of dirt underneath their nails. It becomes like one permanent design there. Even with the older kids this is a problem. And with these very same dirty fingers and nails the children eat their food and touch one another. Altogether it is unhygienic. And oddly enough, here in the west it is not limited to children alone. In my daily travels I come across various non-margii adults who also have dark lines of dirt underneath their nails. Even when I was in the doctor's office the other day, then the doctor himself had some nails that were caked with dirt. The whole scene is so ironic. Because the doctor's office itself is quite clean and sterile looking but underneath the doctor's fingernails there is a dark collection of dust and dirt. As I recall this type of thing is not so much of a problem in India and some other countries. But in Berlin, NY, and GT sectors, I have seen-- and others have commented as well-- that keeping long, dirty fingernails is not uncommon. But I have heard that regular asanas and fasting are challenging for those in Delhi sector as well. But those living there can best comment on this. Back to the point of unkept fingernails, unfortunately this trend has taken with my children as well. Ultimately my wife and I struggle and trim the children's nails and clean out the dirt. So to some degree the problem is addressed, but not entirely as we want the children to cultivate the habit of keeping their hands, fingers, and nails clean on their own.

NO NAIL BITING

Along a similar theme, Baba has given this related guideline: "Do not put your fingers in your mouth and take them out repeatedly, and never cut your fingernails with your teeth." ('Social Norms', pt #23) This also has been a challenge as many of our children's friends are constantly chewing on the ends of their fingernails. So this also our youngest child has begun to emulate. And once again this unhygienic habit of nail biting is not limited up to children. There are two colleagues in my workplace who are submerged in this unhealthy problem also. In general, this does not seem to be an issue with most margiis though.

SOME OTHER AREAS OF DIFFICULTY

There are a variety of other aspect of 16 Points that can be difficult to follow as well such as (1) regular fasting and (2) proper use of water. My wife and I are mostly adjusted with both of these points whereas we have had less success with the children. And other margiis have expressed similar concerns. And still there are some margiis who hold dharmacakra in their house yet fail to have a shaocamanjusa in the bathroom, just there is toilet paper. This leads us all to think that this family also is not habituated to the proper use of water. So these are some of the points that challenge us in our daily living. No doubt if I thought more then more points would come. But at present this is all I have time to write so I will stop here. Others should write in with their contributions as well. Because the more we recognise areas that need improvement and the more we can inspire one another, then the better off we all will be.

BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace, through 16 Points our capacities can increase thousands of times. And Baba says below, Sixteen Points is our right exercise. Baba says, "There should also be proper exercise for mental development and spiritual elevation - one should not neglect the mind or the soul. What is the best way to strengthen the mind? The best and proper way is to strictly observe the 16 Points. The more rigidly you follow the 16 Points, the more your mental strength will increase. It will increase so much that it will be more powerful than the collective mental strength of 100,000 people. In a psychic clash they will have to concede victory to you. A person who is physically strong can fight against eight, ten or twenty people at most, but no more than that. A psychically developed person, however, is able to fight against many more people. So you must endeavour to develop your psychic strength - this is your bounden duty. The more rigidly you follow the 16 Points, the more psychic strength you will acquire. It will not take you long. The only way to develop spiritual strength is to surrender everything to Him - the more you surrender yourself to Him, the more you will develop your soul. Such development will lead to not only 10,000 people surrendering before you, but the entire universe. This is right exercise. Exercise is necessary, not only in the physical sphere, but also in the psychic and spiritual spheres." (AV-7) Namaskar, Divyajyoti

Note: ANOTHER BENEFIT

Here is another benefit of Sixteen Points. Baba says, "Of course, if you follow Sixteen Points, your longevity will be greater." (AV-5)

*************************************** Stages of Human Life

Note 1: Here following are the Sanskrit terms demarcating the various stages of human life. Accompanying them are corollary English terms. However since the English language does not formally divide human life in the exact systematic way as in Sanskrit, then everyone should give their further suggestions for how to best express the English counterpart. Note 2: Baba has formed these categories of life based upon changes that come as a result of changes in: age, psychological outlook, physical & psychic development, etc. Baba says, "Human life is composed various stages. And the collection of all the stages encompasses the entire human life. And just as human beings have these ten stages, similarly the life of each and every living being is composed of these ten stages. So depending upon the type of living being and environmental conditions such as climate and temperature etc, the duration of each of these stages varies, either increasing or decreasing. Following are the stages of life for a human being living in a tropical country." 1) Ma'trgarbha: anuma'nika 10 ma's (Mother's Womb; approx 10 months) 2) Shaeshav: 0 to 5 (Infancy) 3) Balyaka'l: 5 to 14 (Childhood) 4) Kaeshora: 14 to 16 (Youth) 5) Paogan'd'a: 16 to 18 (Teenage / Adolescence) 6) Yauban: 18 to 39 (Early adult life) 7) Praor'hatva: 39 to 50 (Middle age) 8) Ba'rdhakya: 50 to 72 (Older adult life / senior citizen) 9) Jara': 72 to 100 (Elderly) 10) Atharva: 100 + (Centenarian) (Laghu Nirukta p.349) Note 3: Ma'trgarbha: In Varna Vicitra part 1, Baba comments that the duration of this first stage is ideally 10 months & 10 days. That is how long the fetus remains inside the womb, in the best of circumstances. If however, the fetus is born before this time, then the new born will not be properly mature. In that case its physical and mental development has not occurred up to the optimal degree. This stands as yet another proof how human life begins in the mother's womb and therefore the act of abortion is not accepted in A'nanda Ma'rga. Note 4: Jara' means those whose bodies has begun shrinking. (Stage 9) Note 5: Atharava means those who are almost immobile. (Stage 10) Note 6: Due to the excess in-take of protein and fat and due to chemicals in the food, the age of puberty in so-called developed countries is rapidly decreasing. Now some young girls reach puberty at the tender age of 8 and some boys begin puberty at the age of 9. The extremely early onset of adolescence is the result of terrible imbalances in lifestyle and ultimately this creates serious problems in the society. Because suddenly 10 year old girls are getting pregnant and producing their own babies, yet they themselves are still young children and completely unable to take care of their offspring. This is the tragedy unfolding in various so-called developed countries. Note 7: This entire cycle of life is the divine liila of Parama Purusa. A baby is born and blooms up to its full development and then gradually it shrinks in its old age. This is the divine play of "Hari & Hara". That is why this world is called Jagat-- because everything is mobile. Everything is changing; nothing is stationary. Those who have come will one day go. Those who have gone, they have gone in order to return again. This infinite liila of Parama Purusa is going on from beginninglessness up to eternity. In reality, this liila is miserable for jinanis; but for bhaktas it is blissful. In this cosmic liila everyone has their own particular role to play. And those who remember that they are part of a divine drama, they enjoy; and those who forget, they cry. But in the real sense everything is blissful because everyone is dancing around Parama Purusa.

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