Baba Story: "Baba is as Pure as the Ganges"

Date: Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:45:43 -0000
To: AM-GLOBAL
From: "Mukunda Deva"
Subject: Baba Story: "Baba is as Pure as the Ganges"

Baba

== BABA STORY: "BABA IS AS PURE AS THE GANGES" ==

Namaskar,
Baba has come to Muzafarrapur to give darshan. The year is 1956 and I am a very new margii. I am seeing Him for the very first time. I am so enchanted by His presence - my mind is fully ensconced in His look and charm. I am not even comprehending what He is saying as my analytical mind is not functioning at all. All I know is that the sound of His voice sounds very beautiful.

As He delivers His discourse, I am gazing at Him and He is looking at me. Our eyes are fixed on each other. I am completely magnetized by His divine presence.

Now the discourse has ended, I have come to know that Baba is going to Jamalpur the very next day. I have decided that I too must go to Jamalpur. I cannot bear the thought of not being with Baba.

Even during the night I am thinking and dreaming of Him. When morning arrives I quickly make all the needed arrangements for going to Jamalpur.

By Baba's grace the journey passes smoothly.

I am so pleased to be here in Jamalpur so I can see Baba again. Just now I got word that I have been given permission to go on field walk with Baba.

While on field walk, Baba asks me to start a newspaper.

I reply, "Yes, Baba."

We continue walking. By His grace, I feel compelled to take on the assigned task. The rest of the day passes in a flash, drenched in His love and care. My short stay in Jamalpur is coming to a close and I am preparing to return to my home in Muzafarrapur.

I feel like the return journey cannot happen quickly enough. By Baba's grace I arrive safely.

So here I am, I have returned to Muzafarrapur and I am already thinking about what I will write for the newspaper. Having just been with Baba, I can only think of His magnificent beauty and charm. So I have decided to write about Baba Himself. In my article I compare Baba's purity to that of the Ganges River.

I am so enthralled by Baba's loving manner and divine personality that I could not resist writing about Him in this way. I have decided to publish the article on the front page of our paper which will be distributed to both margiis and the general public.

By Baba's grace, the project has come to fruition and the paper has been published and circulated all around the local area.

Within one or two days, the local margiis are up in arms and furious with me. They keep telling me, "You are just a new margii - you do not understand - we do not believe in this dogma that the Ganges is pure and holy. In AM, we do not subscribe to the belief that bathing in the Ganges purifies one of their sins. What you have written is completely wrong and misleading. You must correct this immediately."

In turn, I am trying to convince them of my feeling and intention, but no one is listening to me. They are not understanding my perspective.

Some have decided to bring this matter to Baba Himself. They send word to Baba about all that transpired. We are waiting for His review. In the meantime I continue to be pressured and criticised by the local margiis. A few days pass in this way.

Finally, a margii has just come with the news. The margii reports to us that Baba has said that, "What Sashi Ranjan has written is a comparison. When the writer has a pure mind then such a comparison is OK."

Alas, Baba knows my inner feeling and He has approved of my words and told this to everyone. Hearing this, all the margiis apologise to me and accept the article.

Namaskar,
Shashi Ranjan Sahu


Note: Many know that Shashi Ranjan Sahu was a key member of parliament with a high post; thereafter he was influential with the founding of the PBI (Proutist Block of India).

BABA HIMSELF USES COMPARISONS

The above account shared with us by Shashi Ranjan is quite meaningful on multiple levels. Firstly, it is a very devotionally-charged tale of one bhakta's real-life experience with Baba. And secondly, we all get the teaching that using comparisons when writing about Parama Purusa is ok - so long as one's heart and mind are pure.

And indeed we see that in His many devotional treasures, Baba Himself uses comparisons to describe the greatness, charm, love and beauty of Parama Purusa as well as to talk about spiritual life.

In countless Prabhat Samgiita compositions, Parama Purusa is compared with the sun, moon, and stars and in so many other ways.

For example in the song, "Nayane ma'mata' bhara'" (PS #12), in the first stanza His smile is compared with radiant pearls, "Hasite mukuta jhara'".

And in song #913, it says: "Candana sama tava a'shisa  a'ma'ke" meaning, Your grace is a soothing balm like sandalwood paste. 

And verily there are so many songs where His love or His arrival is compared with the sweetness of a flower or the cool summer breeze. Comparisons are part and parcel of Baba's whole entire expression in Prabhat Samgiita. They allow bhaktas to know and describe the Divine Entity Who would otherwise remain beyond description. So this is an important element of His songs.

Plus Baba uses similar comparisons in many of His discourses as well.

Baba says, "By kiirtana you become as pure as if you have taken a “holy dip in the Ganges.” What does a holy dip in the Ganges mean for a sádhaka? It means doing kiirtana constantly." (AV-22, Kiirtana: The Panacea for all Afflictions)

Thus in the above discourse, Baba Himself uses the comparison of the river Ganges to relay the effect of doing kiirtan.

In so many ways Baba is guiding us that this is how we are to describe Him, i.e. through poetic comparisons or similes. It is a way for sadhakas to share their feelings about that otherwise indescribable Personality.

Before coming to AM, Shashi Ranjan thought of the Ganges as being very pure. This is the common understanding in India. So with his heart-felt feeling he compared Baba in this manner and Baba Himself gave His divine approval. Without such comparisons, there is no way for bhaktas to express themselves when talking about the greatness, beauty and charm of Parama Purusa, i.e. Baba.

Namaskar,
Mukunda

 

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

Introduction to PS #2327: In the following song Baba is lovingly guiding one disciple who is confused and totally immersed in materialism.

"Cora'ba'lir pa'r'e keno gar'e ya'o ghar..." - P.S. 2327

Purport:

Why are you building castles in quicksand. Have you never examined the matter carefully. That structure is shaking profusely because of the soft foundation. Since ages you have been wasting your time in constructing that castle on quicksand. You have invested huge energy along with blood, sweat & your own hard labour to build it. All the while you were indulging in your own dreamland-- foolishly thinking that this "thing" will give you permanent satiation. You were never ready to admit that this is temporary and ephemeral...

Note: In the above song, the term "quicksand" means materialism and "castle" means building one's life.

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How Meaningful

Baba says, "A jiiva is manifested out of Paramashiva as a jiiva in human body-- or rather, simultaneously in the Cosmic Body and in a human body. Each and every microcosmic structure is like a universe. Hence the yoga of scriptures say, Traelokye ya'ni bhu'ta'ni ta'ni dehatah-- 'Whatever exists in the universe exists in your small structure as well." (DKG, p.19)
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