Re: Way to Improve Sadhana #6

Date: Mon, 05 Nov 2012 19:36:11 -0000
To: AM-GLOBAL
From: Pradiip.....@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Way to Improve Sadhana

Baba

== WAY TO IMPROVE SADHANA ==
             
~ Part 6 ~

Namaskar,
"Thus, the only thing we are to ask for is parabhakti, the feeling of His loving closeness each and every moment of the day and night. By His grace, this is what we are allowed to ask for; and, by His grace He will always satisfy such a request. All that is required is the requisite longing - and that everyone has." (Way to Improve Sadhana #5)

THERE ARE ONLY TWO MIND-SETS WHEN ONE DOES NOT ASK

There are only two circumstances wherein a person does not ask devotion from Parama Purusa.

1) Those suffering from ego and arrogance do not feel the need to ask for the grace of Parama Purusa. They feel that they have what they need - prestige, wealth, health etc - and in their self-glorification they feel there is no need to come off their pedestal and ask anything from God. They forget all energy comes from Parama Purusa.

The plight of such persons is indeed pitiful and they will suffer greatly in life and perhaps be reborn as stone or iron etc. They are truly far from Parama Purusa and that distance is enveloped in arrogance. It is a most horrible situation. So that is one type of person who never makes any requests of the Lord.

2) The second category of person who never asks the Lord for devotion are those top-grade bhaktas. Such A-grade devotees realise that every moment Parama Purusa is gracing them and supplying them with what they need. They understand well in their heart that without Him they have nothing. They know that everything belongs to Parama Purusa. Their mind is established in the idea that everything is His grace and He will provide what is needed for success and spiritual attainment. When the mind is wholly saturated with this idea, there is no need to ask for anything because you have everything without asking.

In contrast, lower devotees feel that they have progressed on the path by their own efforts, along with His grace, and so those bhaktas will continue to ask Parama Purusa for what they think they need. This is the way it works until they come to the heightened realisation that Parama Purusa is really watching over and granting their every need.

EVERYTHING IS HIS GRACE:

I JUST WANT TO SERVE HIM

Those blessed persons who have really, truly reached the apex of devotional life where they constantly feel that everything is His grace and only wish that His desire be fulfilled - such persons never ask Parama Purusa for anything.

With that mind-set they only express the deep desire to serve Parama Purusa. They do not ask for His grace but rather request, "What should I do for You - please give me some work - I want to serve You.

"Bhaktir bhagavato seva..."
Bhakti means service to God

In the physical sphere that service means serving His creation; psychic service is kiirtan; and spiritual service is sadhana.

Reaching this state of only wanting to serve Him - and not even asking for devotion - is not an ordinary endeavour and one must not try and fake it to enhance their prestige.

One should be very natural in their devotional expression and not posture in a particular or phony way to impress others. So long as we have not reached such a pinnacled place, then we should go on asking Him for His grace and closeness. Suppose one has reached that highest state of devotion, even then during the course of the day or week, one's devotional feeling might may descend from that high place in which case one again must make requests of devotion to the Lord. One must ask for His love.

BABA'S WARNING

If we fail to ask Him for His grace and closeness, then we are bound to get lost in the attraction of maya and that will be disastrous. The effects of this are awful and long-lasting. No sadhaka should fall in this way.

BABA'S BLESSING

Baba has graciously has filled our hearts with love and longing for Him and He has sweetly taught us that we are to always ask Him to come still closer. He recognises this is emotional need of human beings and knows that in our personal relation with Him every sadhaka desires to ask devotion from Parama Purusa. Baba knows the feeling of the heart and encourages every devotee to express their love and desire to be closer with Him - and by His grace He grants it.

Baba says, "Let us [request] to Him that we ever forget Him, that we always remain united with that Supreme Benevolence. Let Him arouse unwavering ideation in us." (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4)

Baba says, "If you desire devotion, you will get it. If you have love for the Supreme, you will get established in your Is't'a." (Subhasita Samgraha - 20)

Namaskar,
Pradiip

Note 1: HOW TO OVERCOME MAYA

Daevii hyeśá guńamayii mama Máyá duratyayá;
Mámeva ye prapadyante Máyámetáḿ taranti te.

Baba says, "It is true that máyá is extremely powerful. By individual effort, it is not possible for a person to overcome her. But as she is the immanent power of Parama Puruśa (Shaktih Sá Shivasya shaktih), she is certainly subservient to Parama Puruśa. So why should a person who has come into the shelter of Parama Puruśa be afraid of Máyá? Hence it is said, “Those who take shelter in Me do not find it difficult to overcome Máyá.” " (Subhasita Samgraha - 11, A Devotee's Object of Ideation)

Note 2: EARLIER LETTERS ON THIS TOPIC

 #1: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/way-to-improve-sadhana.html

#2: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/way-to-improve-sadhana_17.html

#3: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/way-to-improve-sadhana-3.html

#4: http://www.am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/way-to-improve-sadhana-4.html

#5: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/re-way-to-improve-sadhana-5.html

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

 

"A'lor pathe je eseche a'ndha're se hoy na' ha'ra'..."   (P.S. 996)

Purport:

Baba, those who are treading the divine path never get lost in the oblivion of darkness and staticity. Those who are smiling sweetly, their life can never be like hell - surrounded by the agony of suffering and crying. 

Baba, here along with me, You are and I am. Your love has bound me. In result, I have lost everything else. Those who have ascended onto the path of hope and optimism never get lost in hopelessness and pessimism.  

Baba, You have graciously come with Your sweet smile, riding Your chariot of panoramic colors. By getting You, the whole universe is purified; everyone's existence has become successful... 

Philosophy of the Ignorant: Only For Misguided Devotees

Date: 05 Nov 2012 10:26:03 -0000
From: "jagatmitra_bhakta"
To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: Philosophy of the Ignorant: Only For Misguided Devotees

Baba

== PHILOSOPHY OF THE IGNORANT ==

~ Only For Misguided Devotees ~

~ Part 3 ~

(Note: This is the third letters in this series. The first was titled, "Philosophy of the Ignorant", and the second was titled, "Only For Misguided Devotees #2". Links to both of these letters are appended below.)

Namaskar,
"By the way, according to Baba's philosophy of neo-humanism, the following is the central idea of what it means to be a neo-humanism. (Note: For more detail please reference the text, The Liberation of Intellect: Neo-Humansim.)

A neo-humanist sees the whole creation as the universal expression of Parama Purusa; such neo-humanists are not shackled by any small-mindedness like caste, creed, colour, religion, or gender etc, nor do they fall prey to any narrow sentiments like geo-sentiment, socio-sentiment, or any other divisive approach like groupism or factionalism.

Remember, following various groups does not mean one is a neo-humanist. Just as drinking water from various dirty ponds does not mean drinking pure water.

Likewise, following the dogma of all the religions does not mean being above all religious dogmas and adhering to the code of universalism. Following one religion is bad and following all is worse - not better.

Drinking water from one dirty drain is bad and drinking water from all the dirty drains is worse. Similarly, following one group is bad and following all the groups is worse.

Some confused persons think that since they follow all the groups then they are neo-humanists. Accordingly, if one follows all current groups in Ananda Marga like H, B, EC, & Giita group etc, as well as all the sects of Hinduism, all the hundreds of factions of Christianity, and the innumerable divisions of Islam, then they must be a super-neohumanist. Some misguided person may think like that.

Following one bad thing is bad, and following many bad things is worse. The ideal of neo-humanism means not following any narrow-sentiments - it does not mean following all those narrow-sentiments. That is what Baba says in His book, The Liberation of Intellect: Neo-Humansim." (From Posting #2 of this series)

I really empathize with all that has been expressed thus far. Next, I wish to cite some lines from the very first letter and then talk about a particular case we have with a margii here in our unit.

"In our Ananda Marga, there are some margiis who say that, "I am not a follower of any group, I visit every group, attend their programs, and support them psychically and economically. I am not groupist, rather I am a neo-humanist."

Such people who attend the rituals and dogmas of all the groups think that therefore they are not in any group.

Now we have to decide: If someone follows the dogmas, rituals, and narrow-mindedness of all the groups, then is that person a  neo-humanist? Is that the definition of neo-humanism?

Tell us, what do you think?" (From Posting #1 of this series)

There is one margii in my unit and he is EXACTLY like that. Very sorry to say, but his mentality is a mirror-image of the one expressed in this above letter. He has a special affinity for one particular group, but he economically supports all factions and attends many programs of all the groups. And all along, he keeps a special connection with one group. Yet he openly gloats and brags that he is not in any group.

People laugh at him but he cannot understand. He does not realise what is going on.

Why? Because the concept of neo-humanism is beyond his psyche and he cannot comprehend it. Otherwise what could be the answer.

The most difficult task we have in our unit is to make this margii understand neo-humanism. Does anyone have any idea. This person is a groupist by his actions and approach yet he does not realise it, and instead claims himself to be ideal neo-humanists. There is no telling him otherwise - he just does not get it.

It seems to me only sadhana and a willingness to listen are the only answers. If one's sadhana is not strong and he does not wish to listen but rather brags about his stature, then it does not seem possible to teach such a person. That is the sad part. Only we can hope that with Baba's grace one day he will be alright.

Namaskar,
Jagatmitra

Note 1: LINKS TO THE EARLIER TWO LETTERS ON THIS TOPIC

#1: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/philosophy-of-ignorant.html

#2: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/only-for-misguided-devotees-2.html