Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:38:28 -0000
To: AM-GLOBAL
From: J.Deva.45
Subject: Baba Story: How Baba Helped My Daughter
Baba
Note: The following is the first-hand account given by Sister Puspa Lata Kale, an important margii from Nagpur. The story narrated below occurred in the 1980's. - Eds.
Namaskar,
I received a phone call late at night. It was my daughter who lived far away.
My daughter told me that she was alone in the house; her husband had gone for some official duty. Nobody else was there and she felt seriously ill - as if she was going to die. Her chest & throat were severely congested and she could hardly breathe.
Hearing this, I thought, "What can I do now. How can I help. My daughter is so far away."
Through the phone I could hear her gasping for air.
What a shame! I was a great distance from her and she was in remote area with no medical facilities nearby. There was no local ambulance service nor did any doctors live in the vicinity. Plus it was nighttime and she was all alone. The situation was dire.
I reassuringly told her that everything would be alright and that she should just chant Baba's name.
We concluded our call and hung up the phone.
Mentally I called out to Baba and said that, "Baba, You are the Saviour. Only You can help us - my daughter is terribly ill - please resolve this problem."
With that thought in mind I went to sleep.
In the early morning I was awakened by my daughter's phone call.
She asked, "Did you tell my problem to Baba?"
"Why do you ask?", I inquired.
She answered, "During the night, Baba came and touched my forehead in my dream and blessed me. Now I am no longer suffering from any of those symptoms. I am fine. I feel great."
Hearing these words from my daughter brought tears to my eyes. I was so joyous and grateful. My mind went directly to Baba. I thought, "Baba, You are so gracious; You are always there to look after us - always. My daughter is now well; it is nothing but Your blessing - Your care."
Baba is always gracious - there are so many tales to tell. And still today such events are taking place, by His grace.
Some people think that Baba is an historical figure of the past and that they lost their opportunity to communicate with Him. Internally they feel that the opportunity and privilege of being with Baba is no longer available. They believe they cannot have His proximity and that they are left to only reminisce about His greatness. Thinking thus, they feel sad. Those who act like this are ignorant about Baba's greatness.
Baba is Parama Purusa; His existence is beyond time and space. Now, even at this very moment of reading this email you can have His grace and serve Him. You can do anything that devotees have done in the past when in His physical presence.
So one should not feel that, "Oh dear me, now it is impossible to have His closeness and love."
Baba is always with you now and always.
Devotees realise this truth and others do not. If you want to say something to Him then speak mentally. There is not even any need to use your vocal chords. When you mentally speak with Him, He listens. His ears are always ready to listen. If you want to offer something, then His hand is always ready to receive. If you want to do pranam - go ahead. His lotus feet and His unfathomable grace are always available.
Namaskar,
Puspa Devii
Here Baba warns us that it is best not to ask Parama Purusa for worldly gains.
Baba says, "“Oh Lord, please bless me so that I can score high marks in my exams and thereby procure a good job.” To ask for worldly favours as a result of one’s crude devotion to the Lord is not at all desirable." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, The Four Stages of Meditation)
So true devotees never ask for mundane or worldly boons from the Lord. Their one and only desire is to please Him - such bhaktas goad all their actions in this way. For that they may ask for His grace.
Baba says, "The highest-grade devotees say, “I want all my actions to give You joy. It’s immaterial whether that brings joy or pain to me, it doesn’t bother me at all. My only task is to give You joy”. This is called rágátmika bhakti and is the devotion of the highest category. One should possess this type of devotion. “I will do those actions which will make Parama Puruśa happy, but which may or may not bring joy to me.” Human beings should act in this way." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, “Ye Yathá Máḿ Prapadyante”)
Those without a deep spiritual desire may not feel inclined to ask for His grace or His closeness. Their mind may be too involved in the worldly sphere to think in that way. In that case they should at least ask Parama Purusa for worldly favours; by this way they at least build a relationship with Him. After all, the movement on the path of devotion is from crude to subtle. And one day, by His grace, those lower bhaktas will become devotees of the highest calibre.
Basically one should strive to make requests of Parama Purusa in the spiritual realm only. That is, one should ask for His close proximity and grace. That is the main approach for AM sadhakas.
Failing that, those of a mediocre level of devotion can ask Him for worldly boons. This is not ideal, but at least by asking Parama Purusa for those crude items then one cultivates a relationship with Him.
The absolute worst is if one just lives like a materialist or atheist and chases after crude objects of enjoyment without ever thinking of Him. Such persons are bound to degrade themselves.
Finally it should always be remembered that the infinite Parama Purusa remains with you always.
Baba says, "Brahma, the author of this vast cosmic imagination moves everywhere within the universe, His vast Macropsychic arena, with His mental feet. He catches all the objects of this universe with His all-pervasive mental hands. He is the intellect, the intuition and the witnessing faculty of the innumerable created objects and hence we can say that He has His all-pervasive mental heads. Similarly, as the witness of all the macropsychic entities, He has innumerable mental eyes; and to hear their words, spoken or secret, and every loud or soft sound, He has His all-pervasive ears. He exists surrounding all objects with His own identity. You can keep nothing secret or private from Him - He knows more about you than you know about yourself. Behind all His pervasive faculties of knowing, understanding and hearing lies His Macropsychic stance." (Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 6, Microcosm and Macrocosm)
To: AM-GLOBAL
From: J.Deva.45
Subject: Baba Story: How Baba Helped My Daughter
Baba
== BABA STORY: HOW BABA HELPED MY DAUGHTER ==
Note: The following is the first-hand account given by Sister Puspa Lata Kale, an important margii from Nagpur. The story narrated below occurred in the 1980's. - Eds.
Namaskar,
I received a phone call late at night. It was my daughter who lived far away.
My daughter told me that she was alone in the house; her husband had gone for some official duty. Nobody else was there and she felt seriously ill - as if she was going to die. Her chest & throat were severely congested and she could hardly breathe.
Hearing this, I thought, "What can I do now. How can I help. My daughter is so far away."
Through the phone I could hear her gasping for air.
What a shame! I was a great distance from her and she was in remote area with no medical facilities nearby. There was no local ambulance service nor did any doctors live in the vicinity. Plus it was nighttime and she was all alone. The situation was dire.
I reassuringly told her that everything would be alright and that she should just chant Baba's name.
We concluded our call and hung up the phone.
Mentally I called out to Baba and said that, "Baba, You are the Saviour. Only You can help us - my daughter is terribly ill - please resolve this problem."
With that thought in mind I went to sleep.
In the early morning I was awakened by my daughter's phone call.
She asked, "Did you tell my problem to Baba?"
"Why do you ask?", I inquired.
She answered, "During the night, Baba came and touched my forehead in my dream and blessed me. Now I am no longer suffering from any of those symptoms. I am fine. I feel great."
Hearing these words from my daughter brought tears to my eyes. I was so joyous and grateful. My mind went directly to Baba. I thought, "Baba, You are so gracious; You are always there to look after us - always. My daughter is now well; it is nothing but Your blessing - Your care."
REFLECTION
Baba is always gracious - there are so many tales to tell. And still today such events are taking place, by His grace.
Some people think that Baba is an historical figure of the past and that they lost their opportunity to communicate with Him. Internally they feel that the opportunity and privilege of being with Baba is no longer available. They believe they cannot have His proximity and that they are left to only reminisce about His greatness. Thinking thus, they feel sad. Those who act like this are ignorant about Baba's greatness.
Baba is Parama Purusa; His existence is beyond time and space. Now, even at this very moment of reading this email you can have His grace and serve Him. You can do anything that devotees have done in the past when in His physical presence.
So one should not feel that, "Oh dear me, now it is impossible to have His closeness and love."
Baba is always with you now and always.
Devotees realise this truth and others do not. If you want to say something to Him then speak mentally. There is not even any need to use your vocal chords. When you mentally speak with Him, He listens. His ears are always ready to listen. If you want to offer something, then His hand is always ready to receive. If you want to do pranam - go ahead. His lotus feet and His unfathomable grace are always available.
Namaskar,
Puspa Devii
Note 1: ONLY ASK FOR HIS GRACE
Here Baba warns us that it is best not to ask Parama Purusa for worldly gains.
Baba says, "“Oh Lord, please bless me so that I can score high marks in my exams and thereby procure a good job.” To ask for worldly favours as a result of one’s crude devotion to the Lord is not at all desirable." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, The Four Stages of Meditation)
So true devotees never ask for mundane or worldly boons from the Lord. Their one and only desire is to please Him - such bhaktas goad all their actions in this way. For that they may ask for His grace.
Baba says, "The highest-grade devotees say, “I want all my actions to give You joy. It’s immaterial whether that brings joy or pain to me, it doesn’t bother me at all. My only task is to give You joy”. This is called rágátmika bhakti and is the devotion of the highest category. One should possess this type of devotion. “I will do those actions which will make Parama Puruśa happy, but which may or may not bring joy to me.” Human beings should act in this way." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, “Ye Yathá Máḿ Prapadyante”)
Note 2: BUILDING A RELATION WITH HIM
Those without a deep spiritual desire may not feel inclined to ask for His grace or His closeness. Their mind may be too involved in the worldly sphere to think in that way. In that case they should at least ask Parama Purusa for worldly favours; by this way they at least build a relationship with Him. After all, the movement on the path of devotion is from crude to subtle. And one day, by His grace, those lower bhaktas will become devotees of the highest calibre.
Note 3: CONCLUSION ON ASKING FROM PARAMA
PURUSA
Basically one should strive to make requests of Parama Purusa in the spiritual realm only. That is, one should ask for His close proximity and grace. That is the main approach for AM sadhakas.
Failing that, those of a mediocre level of devotion can ask Him for worldly boons. This is not ideal, but at least by asking Parama Purusa for those crude items then one cultivates a relationship with Him.
The absolute worst is if one just lives like a materialist or atheist and chases after crude objects of enjoyment without ever thinking of Him. Such persons are bound to degrade themselves.
Note 4: BABA IS ACCESSIBLE TO YOU - ALWAYS
Finally it should always be remembered that the infinite Parama Purusa remains with you always.
Baba says, "Brahma, the author of this vast cosmic imagination moves everywhere within the universe, His vast Macropsychic arena, with His mental feet. He catches all the objects of this universe with His all-pervasive mental hands. He is the intellect, the intuition and the witnessing faculty of the innumerable created objects and hence we can say that He has His all-pervasive mental heads. Similarly, as the witness of all the macropsychic entities, He has innumerable mental eyes; and to hear their words, spoken or secret, and every loud or soft sound, He has His all-pervasive ears. He exists surrounding all objects with His own identity. You can keep nothing secret or private from Him - He knows more about you than you know about yourself. Behind all His pervasive faculties of knowing, understanding and hearing lies His Macropsychic stance." (Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 6, Microcosm and Macrocosm)
PRABHAT SAMGIITA
PS Intro: In this song the devotee is addressing Parama Purus'a in a
very indirect manner.
"Ba'ndhan jetha'y ceyechilum se ba'ndhan keno na' elo..." (P.S. 3752)
Purport:
The Divine Bond - "Ba'ndhan" - which I was looking for, why has that Divine Bond not come. He, that Divine Bond, is the darkness of my nights as well as the effulgence of my days; He is my everything. Alas, He is remaining far.
By His grace I wanted my loving devotional link with Him to gradually grow closer & closer through the sweet ideation of my Ista mantra, different lessons, dhyana etc, all the ways which He shows up to samadhi - until ultimately becoming one with Him. I was also thinking that by calling Him constantly with the repetition of my mantra & heartfelt feeling, then He will bless me by His august advent in His absolute and divine form in my Guru cakra. In that way, by His grace I will get His extreme proximity and oneness. Alas, He is remaining far.
I was also desiring that He will attract me close to Him by showering His divine love and infusing a sweet intimate relation. Thus by falling in love with Him, His divinity will descend in my unit existence. Naturally, my heart will feel love for His vast creation - as the neo-humanistic feeling will sprout in my heart, by His grace. Then each and every manifestation of this grand universe will emanate His effulgence. Alas, He is remaining far.
Those sadhakas who are blessed by Him and engaged in pointed, arduous meditation, by His grace, they surely love all beings. Baba, You are my divine bond, please grace me by keeping me deep within Your bosom...
"Ba'ndhan jetha'y ceyechilum se ba'ndhan keno na' elo..." (P.S. 3752)
Purport:
The Divine Bond - "Ba'ndhan" - which I was looking for, why has that Divine Bond not come. He, that Divine Bond, is the darkness of my nights as well as the effulgence of my days; He is my everything. Alas, He is remaining far.
By His grace I wanted my loving devotional link with Him to gradually grow closer & closer through the sweet ideation of my Ista mantra, different lessons, dhyana etc, all the ways which He shows up to samadhi - until ultimately becoming one with Him. I was also thinking that by calling Him constantly with the repetition of my mantra & heartfelt feeling, then He will bless me by His august advent in His absolute and divine form in my Guru cakra. In that way, by His grace I will get His extreme proximity and oneness. Alas, He is remaining far.
I was also desiring that He will attract me close to Him by showering His divine love and infusing a sweet intimate relation. Thus by falling in love with Him, His divinity will descend in my unit existence. Naturally, my heart will feel love for His vast creation - as the neo-humanistic feeling will sprout in my heart, by His grace. Then each and every manifestation of this grand universe will emanate His effulgence. Alas, He is remaining far.
Those sadhakas who are blessed by Him and engaged in pointed, arduous meditation, by His grace, they surely love all beings. Baba, You are my divine bond, please grace me by keeping me deep within Your bosom...
***************************************
Here Baba summarizes some of the points about second lesson.
Baba says, "Human beings work...and think internally, 'I am His object and He is my subject. He is seeing whatever I am doing.' So He remains the subject throughout. When He is made an object it is for the purpose of ideation on Him. Moreover, there is an additional benefit: when I think I am His object and He is my subject, I cannot commit any wrong under any circumstances. His ever wakeful conscience will constantly warn me, 'What are you doing? He is watching you'." (Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life-10)
***************************************
More About Second Lesson
Here Baba summarizes some of the points about second lesson.
Baba says, "Human beings work...and think internally, 'I am His object and He is my subject. He is seeing whatever I am doing.' So He remains the subject throughout. When He is made an object it is for the purpose of ideation on Him. Moreover, there is an additional benefit: when I think I am His object and He is my subject, I cannot commit any wrong under any circumstances. His ever wakeful conscience will constantly warn me, 'What are you doing? He is watching you'." (Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life-10)
