Baba Story: Guiding in Sadhana

From: "Ranjan Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Baba Story: Guiding in Sadhana
Date: Mon 26 Sep 2011 21:13:55 +0530

Baba 

== BABA STORY: GUIDING IN SADHANA ==

Namaskar,
I went to Patna to attend to some family matters and while there I faced a lot of clash. When I came back to Jamalpur, I sat for my regular sadhana. But, in place of doing proper sadhana and japa, all the trouble and difficulties of the trip to Patna flooded my mind. I became totally immersed in those mundane thoughts. I completely forgot that I was supposed to be doing sadhana.

It was then that I clearly heard Baba's voice. In a scolding tone Baba was saying: "Dasarth...Dasarth...Dasarth...". Baba called my name three times.

Hearing this I was completely surprised. I broke my sadhana and started searching all around to find Baba. I went outside but I did not see Baba. I was thinking, "Where has Baba gone, how has He left so quickly, why is He not here."

I wondered, "When Baba is not here then how did His voice reach me."

I then returned to my seated posture and did my sadhana as usual. I also thought I should go see Baba that evening.

So that evening I made it over to Baba's residence around the time that He would go for regular His field walk. I was standing outside His house with the plan that when He comes out then I will accompany Him on His walk.

In His usual way, Baba came out from the house and began walking. I started following Him, just keeping a few paces behind. I was thinking when I get the opportune moment I will ask Baba about His coming to my house and why did he leave so quickly without waiting for me. I wanted to know if He was angry with me for not doing meditation in the correct way. I wanted to ask Baba why He came to my house and called me and then left so quickly. While walking, I had these thoughts in my mind.

When the right moment arrived, I asked in a very humble manner, "Baba, did You become annoyed with me today when I was not doing sadhana properly - is that why You scolded me?"

Hearing this, Baba smiled and He started talking on another matter.

Since that time I became very particular in my sadhana. If worldly thoughts ever intruded my spiritual practice, I did not entertain them at all. I just re-focused my mind on my meditation, by His grace.

Namaskar,
Ac. Dasarth (Jamalpur)

SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE ABOVE BABA STORY

1. In the above story, Baba smiled because Dasarthji understood the message that at the time of sadhana one should not think about other worldly matters, rather one is to focus on their meditation. Baba did not talk further on this point with Dasarthji because there was no need.

2. As Guru, Baba guides His devotees onto the right path, irrespective of where they are. Always He is present to benevolently guide them in all kinds of ways. Indeed there are countless stories recounted by sadhakas how Baba helped them in their time of need and brought them onto the path of dharma. Baba has blessed all His disciples in this way, directly and indirectly.

Baba says, "While doing anything, while doing any mundane duty or doing any spiritual practice – you should always remember that He is Subject, He is seeing what you are doing. He is hearing what you are thinking. You cannot do anything secretly. He is always with you...you are never alone; He is always with you. You are never helpless, you are never shelterless, you are never weak, you are the strongest personality of the universe, because the Supreme Entity is always with you." (Ananda Vacanamrtam, part 12, The Only Cult)

Here the point is that Baba is with His disciples all the 24hrs. He is ever-ready to guide and protect you, and there are innumerable ways in which He might express His presence. This is nothing but His unfathomable grace.

3. Some think that keeping a worldly diary by their side during sadhana is a good idea so they can write down those mundane points and creative ideas. But this is a very bad thing to do. In that case, one cannot ever do sadhana they will just be caught up in crude thinking and when sadhana time comes then more and more of those thoughts will fill the mind and one will go on writing them down. This is a very negative and degrading approach. Rather when those thoughts come they should be immediately pushed aside and one should redirect their mind toward their spiritual practice and cherished Goal.

Namaskar,
Ranjan Deva

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Tumi a'cho, a'mio a'chi, a'r keu nei e tribhuvane..."  (P.S. 2027)

Purport:

Baba, You are my dearest One; by Your grace I love You so much. For me, in this entire universe-- tribhuvan*-- only You and I exist. There is nothing else in this whole creation except You and I. Baba, by Your grace You have brought me here. And with Your love and compassion You are nourishing me, always keeping me under Your shelter. Baba, by Your divine grace I always receive Your tender love and care-- both in times of great joy as well as during times of intense suffering. Always, in each and every circumstance, I feel Your sweet and loving presence.

Baba, by Your grace You bless me with Your blissful touch in the effulgence of the new dawn. Baba, Your charming smile gets expressed in the blossom of the lily and in the flowering of the lotus. Baba, in the dry, burning desert You are the soothing balm. Baba, You are so gracious, in that unbearable heat You provide a cool oasis and lush verdant leaves. Baba, You saturate my dreams with Your divine love.

Baba, in the form and fragrance of the sweet flowers, You dance and emanate in the vast blue sky. Baba, You always manifest Your divine Self in each and every cell of my being-- as well as in the most distant corner of my mind. Baba, by Your grace Your magnanimous effulgent smile shines like a blissful lightening bolt throughout my entire existence-- inside and out, as well as in each and every pore of this vast, infinite cosmos.

Baba, You are that most effulgent and loving Personality-- I surrender at Your alter...


*Tribhuvan: The prefix "Tri" means 'three' and the term "bhuvan" means 'world'. And here Baba further clarifies what He exactly means by tribhuvan, or the three worlds:

 Baba says, "Tribhuvana means the expressed world, the psychic world and the
astral world or, you may say, Causal World." (AV-2) 

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Three Dangers

Baba says, "We may say that intoxicants have three distinct characteristics. Firstly, if one addict does not receive that intoxicant at their regular, fixed time during the day then they will become anxious and restless-- even agitated. In addition, when they do get it then their mind will not like to involve in any work. The second major point is that as long as one remains under the spell of that intoxicant, his intellect will be dysfunctional. And if one continues to take intoxicants on a regular, on-going basis, then their mental stupor will continue on and on. The third major danger is that intoxicants adversely affect the liver, throat, and kidney. And in the majority of cases, the user suffers from constipation also. In conclusion, all intoxicants are bad; opium and ganja (cannabis indica) extremely harmful." (SC-15)

Note: As A'nanda Ma'rgiis, our duty is to propagate Baba's above teaching and warn others about the harmful effects of intoxicants.
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