== HOW TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM LEAVING THEIR SADHANA ==
Namaskar,
Our AM is the path of tantra where by Baba's unfathomable grace the
sadhaka has the opportunity to attain liberation in this life itself.
Indeed this is the guarantee. So really we are blessed.
Because human desires are infinite and as this infinite desire gets
channelised toward the spiritual realm, one will get tantric diiksa,
exhaust all their samskaras, and reach unto Parama Purusa,
At the same time, we should know about the underlying philosophy and
science behind it all. By this way we can better anticipate and
understand how and why our lives transform as we speedily move towards
the Cosmic nucleus, towards Baba.
And perhaps most importantly, by this way we will be able to support and
guide new and old margiis on the path when they invariably undergo the
accelerated ripening of samskaras in their movement towards the Goal.
STORIES TOLD IN OUR UNIT
The other day in our unit, a number of margiis were telling stories
about their sweet journey since coming onto the path of sadhana. Some
talked about their devotional experiences; and some shared the Baba
dreams they had. There were many things told; but, certainly one theme
common among all was the remarkable difficulties & great changes we all
have faced when since embarking on the path of sadhana-- due to the
ripening and burning of our samskaras.
Here below is one such account.
THE BOILS ARE COMING
One brother recounted how when he first started doing sadhana then
suddenly boils formed on his rear. In his life he had never had boils
before, so this was a big surprise for him. They were so tender and
sensitive that it was too painful to sit down and do sadhana. And when
he told his acarya about this, his acarya directed him that no matter
what he must continue with his sadhana.
So that margii adjusted and began doing sadhana from a lying position.
It was not long thereafter when boils began to form on the back of his
legs and in the middle of his back as well. The margii was thinking that
this was unbearable and again he went to his acarya and told that it was
too difficult to forge ahead with meditation. But his acarya would not
relent and instead told that, 'This is a good sign-- you are cleaning
and purifying your body and burning samskaras. At any and all cost you
must continue with your sadhana.'
Not knowing what else to do, the margii started doing sadhana from a
prone position, lying face down on his stomach. But then again trouble
found him out as almost instantaneously boils began to appear on his
belly, thighs, and torso.
When he approached his acarya this time he was totally ready to give up
his sadhana and quite entirely, but his acarya outrightly told him that,
'Great things are happening, you are getting purified to pursue the path
of AM-- all those negative samskaras are oozing out. So keep going.'
With renewed vigour, that margii continued his sadhana and by Baba's
grace despite having painful boils all over his body, his sadhana
improved and, amazingly, within a week all the boils totally
disappeared-- leaving as quickly they came.
And in the 25 years since, he has not had a single boil and to this day
he remains a committed sadhaka and fully dedicated member of our Marga.
GETTING AM DIIKSA': WHAT THAT MEANS
So in the above account, the newly initiated margii was well-coached by
his acarya, and by that way he courageously adhered to the path. Because
the whole point here is that as soon as one takes initiation and gets
diiksa', then the annihilation of samskaras begins in an accelerated fashion.
And this continues throughout the course of one's life.
Baba says, "When a spiritual aspirant moves from the most negative point
towards the ultimate positivity, what happens? His accumulated
sam'ska'ras start to become exhausted. That is, all his sam'ska'ras
start to wane." (AV-25)
So as soon as one starts sadhana up until the time they attain
liberation, one will invariably undergo the speedy exhaustion of samskaras.
And here below Baba specifically reveals how the term diiksa' into AM
sadhana means the burning of their old samskaras.
Baba says, "For this “waning of sins” the Sanskrit word is
pa'pa'ks'ayam. The initial letter of ks'ayam [waning] is ks'a. So the
dii of diipanii [which means ray of light that shows the path] together
with the ks'a of ks'ayam becomes diiks'a. And with the addition of the
feminine suffix t'a, the word becomes diiks'a'." (AV-25)
Here it should also be noted that in the above term-- pa'pa'ks'ayam--
the prefix pa'pa does not mean sinful deeds, but rather it refers to the
collection of both good and bad samskaras. Because any samskara-- either
good or bad-- is a chain or form of bondage that will keep one from
reaching the Goal.
So our AM tantrika diiksa' means the imminent burning of all samskaras--
both good and bad ones-- so one can move quickly ahead and reach their
cherished Goal, i.e. becoming one with Baba.
MANY REMAIN UNAWARE OF THIS FACT
Unfortunately, as we all know, so many come onto the path of AM and
immediately their life undergoes radical change-- things start happening
more quickly than they can seemingly manage. All sorts of things, which
they did not expect to happen, start occurring at an accelerated rate.
They may lose their job or have their car stolen or so many things might
happen. And rather than think they are getting purified and progressing,
they become worried or scared end up leaving their sadhana and the
Marga, thinking that it has brought them too many difficulties.
Certainly, we all know so many cases like this.
Plus there are an equal number of cases where sadhakas undergo the
burning of good samskaras and due to their success in the mundane world
they lose sight of the real Goal and leave their sadhana. Infatuated
with worldly riches or a Mercedes Benz or with professional successes,
they mistakenly think that such wealth and prestige will give them
lasting happiness and they fail to pursue the path of sadhana.
So in both the cases it happens. In the case of good samskaras, people
lose their sadhana due to their great happiness with their
worldly life; and in the case of bad samskaras, people lose their
sadhana due to their sorrows of living in this relative world.
NEW & OLD PEOPLE ALIKE MUST BE ADVISED:
OBSTACLES ARE GOING TO COME
But it does not have to be like that. It does not have to be that we
lose so many sadhakas from the path of AM.
If we are vigilant and educate new and old margiis-- including our wts--
about the way of the path of sadhana, then our attrition rate will be
much less. Then far fewer wts will leave and we will be able to retain
more and more initiated margiis.
This can all happen as we educate everyone about how samskaras are bound
to be exhausted very quickly while on the path of sadhana and that
through it all we must not be sidetracked-- either due to our worldly
happiness or mundane sorrows. Just we have to ensure to keep our mind
focused on the Goal. In that case everyone will be sure to maintain
their sadhana-- regardless of what may be happening in their life,
regardless of the way their samskaras get exhausted.
So here the point is that we must be vigilant to coach new and senior
margiis alike about all the inevitable and great changes that are going
to occur while on the path of sadhana. Speedily they will get cleansed
and purified and our job is to support and guide them through this
process. By that way they will not lose sight of the Goal and not drift
away from their sadhana.
THE BEAUTY OF SADHANA
Let us then take a moment to reflect on how fortunate we Ananda
Margiis are to be on the path of sadhana-- because only sadhana can bring lasting peace.
After all, every human being-- whether margii or non-margii-- has
infinite desires; and only through satiating that infinite longing can
one get true happiness. Hence mundane, finite things like worldly riches
etc can never bring lasting happiness or peace.
The chief difference is then that non-margiis remain oblivious of this
truth and they go on chasing after crude allurements with the mistaken
idea that this will bring them happiness; whereas, Ananda Margiis
ensconce the mind in sadhana and exhaust all samskaras. By that way we
are blessed to truly experience that infinite bliss that gives permanent
satiation to our infinite desires and leads one to a stance of perfect
peace.
Baba says, "Fill your heart with love of the Infinite, and your soul
will be transformed into the Supreme Soul. No worldly happiness is
limitless. Dedicate yourself completely to the blissful ocean of the
Supreme Soul. Then alone will you realize what happiness really is. This
path to attain happiness, this sa'dhana' of self-surrender I call
absolute devotion. Carry on performing your worldly duties with
sincerity, and at the same time think about the pure self within you.
Then alone will your sa'dhana' be justified. The constant thought of
your pure inner Self will certainly one day establish you in your
original source, and this is the ultimate aim of sa'dhana'. The Soul is
by nature characteristically pure. The mind gets tied to sam'ska'ras
(potential reactions) due to its actions, and that is why the unit
becomes the slave of life and death. When all the sam'ska'ras are
destroyed through spiritual sa'dhana' and mental purification, one goes
beyond life and death to the eternal region of immortality, where there
is no difference between the soul and His Supreme Soul." (SS-2)
So the accelerated exhaustion of samskaras and progress in sadhana go
hand in hand and by that way we are able to reach the Goal, by His grace
alone.
Thus none should fall by the wayside and become frustrated or
intoxicated by the burning of their bad or good samskaras. These
samskaras must find expression-- and very quickly-- because that is the
only way to reach liberation in this very life. So our only duty, our
only aim is to keep the mind fixed on Him by holding onto our sadhana.
Only then we will experience infinite anandam or bliss.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace, our path of AM is complete. With Baba as our Tantric
Guru, He has given us the best path to move ahead wherein when we get
our AM diiksa, and by His grace we are given the light or lamp--
diipani-- to race ahead across the ocean of maya by exhausting all our
samskaras and reach the Goal-- reach unto His divine lap, in this very
life itself.
Diipajina'nam yato dadya't kurya't pa'paks'ayam' tatah;
Tasma'tdiiks'eti sa' prokta' sarvatantrasya sammata
Baba says, "Now what is diipanii? Everything lies coverted within the
self. The Supreme Entity is also within your “I” feeling. [He] is with
you, but you do not know Him. That is, the Supreme Entity is with you,
but You cannot see Him. You cannot realize Him. Why? Because you are
covered by, you are surrounded by, ma'ya', the cimmerian darkness of
ma'ya'. This diiks'a', Tantrikii diiks'a', is just like a torch. And by
focusing the torch, you see your route through the darkness. That is why
the first sub-phase is diipanii – diipanii means 'showing the
torchlight'...Diiks'a' gives the aspirant the route, the way, or rather
the path, of bliss. It shows the path of bliss. And to show the path of
bliss, light is required; and that light is also supplied by diiks'a'.
This light is diipanii." (AV-6)
Namaskar,
Anil
Note 1: THE VAST DIFFERENCE IN SPEED BETWEEN
MARGIIS AND NON-MARGIIS
As soon as one gets tantric diiksa' and starts doing sadhana and leading
our AM way of life, then their wheel starts moving quickly. Lifetimes of
old samskaras become ripe and ultimately get exhausted. By that way one
becomes free of so many fetters and they are able to advance ahead very,
very rapidly. Then His grace becomes ever resplendent in their life and
they able to reach their ultimate abode upon His divine lap. This is the
sweet destiny of every Ananda Margii.
Because in this lifetime every Ananda Margii will have to reach their
Goal. That is why their speed is so great. And that is why in the life
of margiis the cycle of happiness and sorrow rotates quickly, because
only by exhausting all these good and bad samskaras can one reach their
ultimate abode. So our movement is very fast by His grace. Because in
this very life we are going to get Him.
In contrast, the road for non-margiis is totally different. Rather than
racing towards the Cosmic Nucleus in a straight line, they move slowly,
slowly around the periphery. The ripening of their samskaras occurs in a
very gradual way such that one can hardly see any movement in their
life. What they are when they were born is not much different from how
they are when they die. Their progress is negligible, if any at all.
Because when one one does not have a Tantric Guru and when one does not
have sadhana, then they have no path of movement to race ahead. So they
live their life shackled by old samskaras and their rate of change is
very minute. Hence, they will have to undergo life after life--
thousands and millions of lives. Their journey will be extremely slow
and mostly uneventful.
Whereas in our Marga, due to Baba's grace, we are racing ahead towards
Him with great speed-- in which case all the fetters rapidly fall away
as one after another samskara gets annihilated. Such is the great
transformation that takes place within the life of every Ananda Margii.
And that is why amidst the various obstacles and difficulties & joys and
pleasures, those moving on the path of AM will reach their cherished
goal in one life. One is sure to reach Baba's lap & get Him.
Note 2: HOW WE GET LIBERATION
Here below Baba beautifully explains how those on the path of sadhana
reach unto the Supreme Goal of life and attain Him.
Baba says, "Now how to get liberation from these bondages? It’s possible
only when the reactive momenta get exhausted, and this is possible only
through sa'dhana'. When one walks in the sphere of actional bondages
one’s movement is from subtle to crude. The sa'dhana' for liberation
from bondages is a movement from crude to subtle. The 'saincara' process
is a movement from the supreme positivity to the supreme negativity, a
flow from fundamental negativity to fundamental positivity. But, what is
this movement for? This movement is for the exhaustion of actional
bondages. It is movement from darkness to light and truth. One has to
march towards truth."
Satyameva jayate na'nrtam satyenah pantha' vitato devaya'na.
"This is the sa'dhana' of liberation and this is not possible without
Diiks'a'. If one walks in darkness one needs a torch otherwise one will
fall down in a ditch. Similarly one walking on the path of sa'dhana'
needs this torch, otherwise however strong one may be, downfall will be
inevitable. The Sanskrit synonym for the word torch is diipaka or
diipanii. The first letter of diipaka is dii and the first letter of the
word ks'a'ya is ks'a. Thus comes the masculine word diiks'a. In feminine
it is diiks'a'. Diiks'a' is essential for the exhaustion of actional
momenta. This is the sa'dhana' of liberation. To learn is the sa'dhana'
of knowledge. To walk on the path, i.e., to do regular practices is the
sa'dhana' of action. Last but not the least is devotion – the
culminating point of moks'a sa'dhana'. " (SS-19)
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Like New Born Baby and Mother
Baba says, "It is a law of nature that nature provides a mother with
sufficient breast milk to feed her newly-born baby. In the same way,
nature provides sufficient resources like food and other essential
requirements for all human beings. Human beings need only utilize these
resources in a proper way. Shortages of food and space cannot be blamed
on nature. These problems have been artificially created by the folly of
human beings." (PNS-13, p.45)
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