Naive People Create Problems for Themselves

From: "Shantatma Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Naive People Create Problems for Themselves
Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 22:10:35 +0530

Baba

"Toma'ya a'mi bhla'loba'si, a'mi toma'ra a'jina'ka'ri..." P.S. 4589

Purport:

Baba, I love You. I feel fortunate when obeying or carrying out Your order.
By Your grace, I pass my whole days always involved in shravan, manan, and
nidhidhyasana (1). I am always engaged in Your ideation.

In true sense I do not know whether I love You or not. I do not even want
to know whether I am loving You or not. Please be gracious and
compassionate. And bless me with devotion. This is my only thing I want--
to remain at Your lotus feet.

With my whole existence-- my body, my heart, & my mind, I do sastaunga
pranam at Your lotus feet. Baba, please grant me devotion...


NOTE TO PRABHAT SAMGIITA 4589:

(1) Manan, Shravan Nidhidhyasana: Here Baba explains both the
special meaning and intrinsic  value of the devotional practices of
 manan and shravan.

Baba says, "To attain Him human beings have to take recourse to shravana
(constantly hearing His name), manana (constantly ideating on Him) and
nididya'sana (constantly meditating on Him). The Supreme Entity is Gurha,
that is, He is lying hidden in the innermost recess of the human entity. To
attain Him one must penetrate deep within oneself, and for that the
development of an introversial outlook is essential." (TK-3)


    == NAIVE PEOPLE CREATE PROBLEMS FOR THEMSELVES ==

Namaskar,
There is a myth in our AM society that jinana is useless and there is no
need to read Baba's books. This letter addresses the issue.

We all have to consider the matter: If really reading Baba's books is
not needed, then what was the reason for Him to deliver thousands and
thousands of discourses and emphasize the seminar system, svadhyaya, and
study etc.


       WE MUST REFLECT: DO WE REVIEW HIS TEACHINGS?

In AM, we have our distinct path. Baba has given all the necessary
guidelines: When we follow them, life flows properly; when we disregard
them, difficulties arise. This happens both in personal and in
collective life.

At present, we all know that groupism has reared its head in our Marga
society. But it did not come out of nowhere. There are some tell-tale
signs and reasons behind it.

We should all be more aware about AM philosophy, Baba's articles /
books, and reflect and honestly ask ourselves: "Am I part of the problem
- even in the smallest way? How often do I read Baba's guidelines and
discourses and ensure I am following His tenets."

Kindly consider the following analysis and share your thoughts.


         DEVOTION DOES NOT MEAN A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

In our Marga, all want to be devotees. In countless discourses, Baba has
clearly defined bhakti as being the best path, far better than the other
paths, i.e. karma and jinana. Jinana or knowledge is the worst.

So all are eager to become devotees.

Unfortunately, some have (mis)understood this to mean that one need not
read AM discourses or study Baba's guidelines. They think that is the
lowly path of jinana. Indeed there is a prevailing myth in our AM family
that knowledge is not needed.

But Baba's main intention behind His criticism of jinana lies in having
vanity of knowledge whereby people just read books and overlook sadhana.
In contrast, knowledge of Baba's books is needed.

In AM, some people mix this up. That is their misconception. So all
should be cent-per-cent clear that reading Baba's discourses and doing
sadhana comes under that path of devotion. One must read the books, do
sadhana and follow accordingly, otherwise they will go in the wrong
direction.

We must know Baba's teachings. That is our compass of life. Just as the
explorers of old used celestial navigation or a compass to plot their
course, Baba's teachings are our compass to stay on the right path. Thus
we must study and know His guidelines.

Baba says, "To liberate society from this unbearable situation,
consciousness will have to be aroused among the people; their eyes will
have to be opened by knowledge. Let them understand the what’s, the
why’s and the where’s. Thus study is essential, very essential."
(NH-LOI, Disc: 7)

If His teachings were not needed, then He would have just sat up on the
dais and given varabhaya mudra for 2 hours straight. But He did not do
that.

Most certainly He blessed us, but in addition He gave us distinct
guidelines to abide by so that we may (a) progress, (b) know what to do
and not to do, and (c) reach the Goal. If one does not read the books
they will not know the do's and don'ts and they will follow the wrong
path and go in the wrong direction. That is what we see happening now.

If due to our naiveté or ignorance, we are not aware of Baba's
guidelines, then problems will arise. That is how groupism came about
and finds support still today from good, well-intentioned margiis. Why
because they lack the requisite knowledge.

Confirmed group leaders are aware what they are doing - they are
deliberate sinners. But countless other wts and margiis wish to serve
the best interest of the Marga but innocently get caught up in the
whirlpool of groupism. Because some are not fully aware of Baba's
teachings and instead rely on certain Dadas for advice and guidance.
When in reality, we should only rely on Baba. He is our Supreme Guide.

So we should all be critically aware about His divine guidelines and let
those teachings determine the course of our lives.

Let's consider the matter further.


                       COMMON THEME

Many in AM think that, "Yes, I am following Baba in all respects". Who
does not think like this - everyone does. We all think we are abiding by
the ways of neo-humanism etc. All think that by their actions they are
serving and pleasing Guru.

However, upon closer examination, it is often found that many are
unknowingly part of the problem. Unwittingly they are supporting
groupism: Either by financial donations, reading Fake Ananda Vaniis,
attending factional functions, accepting the Fake BP Manual, following
Bangalisation or the Mahaprayan dogma, accepting scriptural distortions,
the splitting of jagrtis, witnessing punishment postings and so many
other ways. They do not mean to do it; it simply happens because some
naive margiis / wts are not aware of Baba's teachings.

See for yourself. We should all ask ourselves, "Did I review a discourse
from neo-humanism this month? Have I read an entire discourse from
Subhasita Samgraha this week? Do I regularly refer to Caryacarya?". This
is the type of self-analysis that must be done.

When one has Baba's ideas in mind, then one will not innocently become a
puppet or supporter of groupist activities. That will save you from
harsh consequences.

Because those innocent people who unknowingly follow groupists agendas
will have to face the facts and undergo the reactions.

It is just like if one unknowingly touches fire, then that fire will not
spare you. Similarly, going against bhagavad dharma is dangerous. On
this point, no one can save you. One will have to face the consequences.

Thus by not knowing Baba's guidelines and actively applying them in
life, one is inviting all sorts of problems.


                   ASTRONAUT ANALOGY

Most margiis are quite intelligent and more aware than the general
public, so many may think that they are not prone to falling away from
Baba's teachings. But if one has a weak spot for a certain Dada or
group, then it can easily happen.

Just think, most astronauts are extremely well-trained in the sciences
and all kinds of technical aspects of life, yet still they may prescribe
to the dogma of heaven. They know about outer space but they stillthink
they will go to heaven. Because of their kinship with a particular
religion etc, they may not critically evaluate their beliefs whereas in
other arenas of life they are quite sharp.

Many read discourses yet because of their friendship with certain Dadas
they support groupism unknowingly, and hence fall into dogma like the
astronauts.

So those inclined toward a particular group of Dadas may automatically
conclude that those group leaders are grounded in neo-humanism. When in
truth those wts may just be involved in forming one group and thus
violating the facets of neo-humanism. But the margii cannot understand
that because they have lost the capacity to see; they have no vivek due
to their factional allegiances.

That is how people naively get trapped in the net of groupism, despite
their best intentions to follow Baba.


                BABA'S BLESSING & SOLUTIONS

There is more to this topic and a follow-up letter should be written.

We should all know that through study, satsaunga, sadhana, and
introspection, we can bring Baba's teachings into our practical life and
avoid the awful reactions that stem from a lack of basic knowledge of AM
teachings.

Remember, whatever one does - right or wrong - one has to face the
consequences. If one goes against the fundamental teachings of AM, then
prakti will not spare them.

As margiis we should adhere to Baba's principles strictly, read His
discourses on neo-humanism and engage in introspection.

Baba says, "There is another meaning of the word ideology. It means a
mirror. When we look at it, we can observe ourselves. Similarly is our
ideology. Every human being should follow his ideology. Human life is an
ideological flow. Those people who have no ideology in life are not
human beings. One can recognize other men to the extent that he follows
his ideology. The life of man devoid of ideology is like an animal
life." (SS-20)

Namaskar,
Shantatma


        ****************************************
              - Marriage Condition -

BABA says, "I have stated that at the time of marriage the bride and
bridegroom should not have any direct relationship three generations above
and three generations below. If this condition is not met, the marriage
should not be solemnized." (AV-7, p.57)

Note: Those not following this their moral standard is questionable. Top
grade margiis are very strict about this Baba's teaching.
         ****************************************

Story: Practical Approach to Dhruvasmrti

Date: Thu, 05 May 2011 18:22:45 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: V. Deva
Subject: Story: Practical Approach to Dhruvasmrti

Baba

    == STORY: PRACTICAL APPROACH TO DHRUVASMRTI ==

Namaskar,
We all know that one of the most blessed things in life is to remember
the name of the Lord.

Baba says,"He is your everything. You cannot do without Him...try to
remember Him always. This remembering Him always, in all spheres and all
strata of life, is called “dhruva'smrti”. Don’t forget this for a single
moment." (AV-4)

Yet we all know how difficult this can be in day to day life. Here below
is the story of how one bhakta approached this knotty issue.


                          THE STORY OF ONE BHAKTA

Many of you may know Ram Sahay Verma of Wazipur, Rajanthan. He was a
long-time Ananda Margii.

Years and years ago he was contemplating one problem in life: "How to
remember Baba's name all the time." He was thinking he should devise one
scheme where others would remind him.

So here's what he did.

He had his shirts beautifully embroidered with big, artistic letters:
Baba Nam Kevalam.

This was stitched on the front side and on the back side of his shirt.
The lettering was big enough that people could read the writing - Baba
Nam Kevalam - from 20 feet away. And he found that it worked.


                THE STORY OF ONE BHAKTA (Cont)

Wherever Ram Sahayji went, he would notice that people would either read
his shirt out loud or they would smile. Seeing their smile he understood
that they had read his shirt. By this way he was getting constant
reminder to remember Baba's name. He was most happy.

But that was not all.

Ram Sahayji would explain that there was a dual benefit:
#1: Yes, most certainly he was getting reminded to remember Baba;
#2: By wearing that shirt he was doing AM pracar and the public was
getting benefited by reciting the siddha mantra, Baba Nam Kevalam.

Such was the very devotional outlook of Ram Sahayji - and that was how
he explained the tremendous value of these shirts.

All in all he was quite pleased, because children would regularly loudly
say, "Baba Nam Kevalam", plus all the aged people in town would smile
seeing his shirt.


              THIS VERITABLY BECAME HIS NAME

Ram Sahayji would wear his embroidered Baba Nam Kevalam shirts
everywhere, all the time. He was a professor at one college and everyday
he would wear his shirt and it also became his habit to wear exclusively
saffron. The other university lecturers were thinking that he was mad.
But Ram Sahayji had no cares or worries about their opinions.

He just thought since Baba Nam Kevalam was a siddha mantra then everyone
was getting benefited, whether they liked the mantra or not.

Actually Ram Sahayji wore these shirts daily for so long, that Baba Nam
Kevalam became his veritable name. Everyone in town knew him by this:
This is what they called him and this was how they referred to him. He
did not live in a huge city - just a moderate sized town - so when
anyone new arrived in town all they had to do was ask for "Baba Nam
Kevalam" and the residents would direct them to Ram Sahayji's house.

I know because this is exactly what happened to me. When I arrived in
his town I did not know where to go and I simply said, "Baba Nam
Kevalam" and they brought me to the exact place of Ram Sahayji.

Ram Sahayji was a devotee in all respects. His above plan worked
perfectly. He wanted to be reminded about Baba's name by others
throughout the day, and his desired goal was beautifully achieved by His
grace.


                        DURING EMERGENCY

Here is a tale about one other facet of Ram Sahayji's life. During
Emergency, he was jailed for 2 1/2 years in Jaipur. He was perhaps the
only margii who was jailed throughout the entire Emergency period.

The reason was that due to Ram Sahayji's dramatic behavior - i.e. always
wearing Baba Nam Kevalam on his shirt and wearing saffron clothes - the
government agencies had identified him as a wholetimer. They thought
there was no way that he was a family man. Hence he was jailed during
the entire Emergency.

And Ram Sahayji was quite happy about this as he was in jail along with
so many Dadas.

Then one other great thing happened. When Emergency was lifted and
Ananda Margiis were cleared of all charges, then Ram Sahayji got his job
back at the government college and he also received 2 1/2 years of
salary. Prior to Emergency, Ram Sahay would regularly donate huge monies
to AM, so he never had much money for himself. After Emergency was over,
then he received a big payment so he was quite happy about that as well.

But the main thing for Rama Sahayji was always hearing Baba's name
wherever he went. For him, this was the most beautiful thing imaginable.
To be called Baba Nam Kevalam gave him much joy and bliss in life. Then
he could always remember his Ista.


              SIMILAR STORIES FROM THE HISTORY

There are two stories from history which are similar to this type of
deeply devotional approach.

#1: In one discourse Baba talks about how when Sita was abducted by
Ravana. For Sita, Ram was everything and she did not want to forget him
despite the hardship and troubles she was facing. One interesting
development took place. Ravana ordered the guard to threaten Sita, "Do
not think about Ram". They would say this to her throughout the day and
by this negative type of reminder she always would remember Ram's name.

#2: There was also another famous devotee of Ram. And he had one special
trick. He would pretend to be extremely angry if anyone ever mentioned
Ram's name. The children in town naturally found out about this so they
would run up to him and loudly yell the name of Ram. In turn, the bhakta
would pretend to be so angry and upset. This only made the children yell
the name of Ram more loudly. Plus they would gaily tell all their
friends about this strange man. So wherever this bhakta went so many
children would surround him and repeat Ram and laugh by seeing the man's
feigned frustration and anger. By this way everyone was happy - the
children and the bhakta.


                          BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace good things always happen to devotees. Baba watches
after all. Living the life of a top grade devotee takes strong desire
and courage. Not everyone could do what Ram Sahayji did. It takes a
certain degree of devotional longing and mental courage - otherwise one
will be embarrassed or self-conscious and swayed by public opinion etc.

That reminds me of one Ananda Margii who would wear a big plackard
around his neck that said Baba's name and other devotional slogans. He
would walk around town like that. He never cared what other's said or
commented.

It is just purely Baba's ahetuki krpa that we have come into this world
and become His disciple. We should all remember Him always and strive
for that top most level of devotion. This should be our sole request of
Him.

“Whatever you speak or do,
Forget Him never;
Keeping His name in your heart,
Work, remembering it is for Him,
And, endlessly active, drift in bliss.”

(CC-2, 'Sadhana', pt #10)

Namaskar,
Vidyasagar


                         PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Tava path dhare, tava na'm kare, toma'r pa'nei cale thaki..." (P.S. 2180)

Purport:

Baba, by Your grace I am treading on Your path by singing Your name and
moving towards You. You are my Goal.
By Your grace I am moving closer and closer towards You-- to reach You.
Baba, except You, in this universe who else is mine-- no one. Because of
this I am always calling You for Your shelter.
O' Lord, in this decorated universe of Yours, You have provided me a
special place according to Your liking. You have bestowed everything; and,
You do not desire anything from anyone. Just You go on pouring Your divine
grace eternally.
The demerits such as lethargy only come from my side. Plus all kinds of
lame excuses I give in self-justification. Hence all the lacuna belong to
me; whereas, You Yourself are ever-gracious.
Baba, You have situated my mind in the corner of Your vast cosmic mind.
And from that corner it receives Your divine vibration. With the
attraction and resonance of Your divine vibration, the lotus of
the love, which has blossomed in my heart, is looking towards You with deep
yearning.
Baba, singing Your Name, I am moving on Your path. For me, Your grace is
everything...


       ******************************************
                Importance of Sadhana

Baba says, "Numerous rich and beautiful cities of the historic past
are now buried under the earth. Many splendid palaces and mansions, many
churches, temples, mosques and synagogues, and many pyramids have been
reduced to rubble. With the constant change in the flow of time, how many
major changes have occurred in the universe? Similarly, with the change in
time and space, people also change. A small two year old child becomes a
smart and active twenty-five year old youth. And the same energetic youth
becomes an infirm, inactive old person in due course. Thus, nothing in this
universe is permanent. Many gigantic animals of the past have become
totally extinct from the surface of the earth. Royal pomp and opulence, the
pride of power, the vast knowledge of mighty scholars have become things of
the past, thrown into the dustbin of history. Many objects emerged in the
past, remained on earth for a short time, and then disappeared according to
the inexorable law of nature."
"The only eternal truth is Parama Purus'a. He is Ana'di,
beginningless, endless, all-pervasive; an entity beyond the scope of time,
place and person. He is the only eternal, undecaying, imperishable,
immutable entity. He is the Supreme Source from which the inanimate, plant
and animal worlds have emerged. He is the starting point and the
culminating point of everything. Hence, wise people should utilise their
physical, psychic and spiritual power to realise that supreme
omnitelepathic entity, to become one with Him." (PNS-18, p.6)

Note: Please read Baba's above teaching again carefully. It explains
everything.
        ******************************************

In the Name of Bhakti, People...

Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:54:29
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Miguel
Subject: In the Name of Bhakti, People...

Baba

     == IN THE NAME OF BHAKTI, PEOPLE DO A'SAKTI ==

Namaskar,
In our Marga, the term 'bhakti' is well--known and commonly used in our
daily talk and interactions.

We say things like, 'He has a lot of bhakti', or 'Bhakti is the greatest
attribution', or 'I only follow the path of bhakti' etc.

Then of course some think, 'I am an acarya so I must have a lot of
bhakti', while others contemplate, 'I am the bhukti pradhan so I have a
lot of bhakti'.

We have all seen and heard how the term bhakti gets used in the above
ways, when in fact such things may have little or even nothing to do
with true bhakti.

So we should take a moment to reflect on what is real bhakti, especially
since it is only bhakti that can lead us to our cherished Goal.


                      PURITY OF BHAKTI

Baba is quite clear that bhakti means having one's mind directed only
towards God, and not towards any other object or desire.

Baba says, "Bhakti means to withdraw one’s attractions from all objects
and channelize them towards Parama Purus'a. When the unit self is
associated with the cosmic it is called “bhakti” or “devotion”, but when
it is associated with the mundane it is called “attachment”. You must
withdraw your mental propensities from all external objects – no matter
what they might be – and channelize them only towards Parama Purus'a.
Only when you direct them towards Him, can it be called bhakti. If you
allow your mind to become fascinated by any other object, it is called
“a'sakti” or “attachment”." (AV-7)

Thus no external qualification or mundane desire has even one iota to do
with bhakti.

If anyone thinks, 'I am an acarya so therefore I am a devotee', or if
one thinks, 'I organise many service projects so I must be a great
devotee', this is all nothing but self-befoolery. Because using external
things to build a case for one's internal amount of bhakti is meaningless.

The operative phrase in the above quote is, "only towards Parama
Purus'a". If the mind is goaded only towards Parama Purusa, then it is
bhakti.

That is the real meaning of bhakti. If one's mind is only involved in
serving and pleasing Parama Purusa.

That is not to say we should forgo or abandon all worldly activities,
that is not our way. Rather we should ensure we are doing those worldly
activities for pleasing him, and not out of our own unit desire for
worldly prestige etc.

As Baba points out, if the mind is separately or simultaneously involved
in any other longing then it is known as a'sakti or attachment, i.e. the
path of degradation.

Baba says, "When the attraction is for the non-integral entity, for
money, for family, for land, it is called ka'ma; when it is for integral
entity it is called prema and the mental tendency during ka'ma i.e., the
mental tendency during attraction for a non-integral entity is called
a'sakti in Sam'skrta and the mental tendency during attraction for that
Integral Entity is called bhakti. (SS-18)

Hence the degree to which we are attracted by or infatuated with money,
name, fame, respect, position, is the degree to which we are off the
path of bhakti.

Bhakti, then is a very pure and internal desire to attain Parama Purusa.
And for this tremendous honesty and love are needed.

We may be able to masquerade ourselves in front of others so they think
we are great bhaktas; but we cannot fool Parama Purusa in this way. He
sees our inner-most desire and knows how far we have pure bhakti or not.


                BHAKTI & A'SAKTI CANNOT CO-EXIST

The main thing we should keep in mind is that bhakti (love for God) and
a'sakti (mundane longing) cannot co-exist. The degree to which we harbor
one is the degree to which we are remiss in the other.

Baba says, "The attachment for a finite thing is an expression of
extroverted energy, whereas the attraction for the Infinite is an
expression of the introverted energy. That is why these two can never
co-exist." (SS-1)

And Baba points out that even our most worldly intimate dealings can
take us away from the path of bhakti.

Baba says, "Do you love your son? No, no you don’t love your son. You
love Brahma in the form of your son. By loving your son as a son, you
cannot love the Lord. Where there is the feeling of son, there is no
Lord and where there is the Lord, there is no son." (SS-1)

So even harboring seemingly tender feelings for our loved ones drags us
on the path of temporality, and away from God-hood.


                CANNOT OVERLOOK WORLDLY DUTIES

Neither should one get caught up in the misconception or dogma that to
become a true bhakta I should give up my sons, or renounce my parents,
or become some type of hermit etc. Rather, we have been given various
responsibilities, and they are to be managed. As we know, performing
worldly duties is not antithetical to the path of devotion. It is only
when we get infatuated by those worldly expressions that it infringes on
our devotional experience. So that is what we must be careful about.


                    MUST SEE ALL AS BRAHMA

The answer given by Baba is that we must view all as the manifestation
of Parama Purusa. That is the way to live in this world without
sacrificing our devotional longing for Him.

Baba says, "The ascription of divinity to objects means the pursuit of
the Infinite, leaving the finite behind. Are you feeding your son? No,
no, you are feeding the son-like manifestation of Brahma. Are you
tilling the field? No, no you are serving the finite manifestation of
Brahma with your plough. Really speaking, the ascription of divinity to
objects precludes their material enjoyment, as the objects then merge in
the non-material Supreme Brahma." (AMIWL-2)

To do this we must be very honest and clear. Material Indulgence and
bhakti have no place together.

Seeing all as Him means seeing all as an opportunity to do service, not
satisfy worldly passions such as post, power, lust etc. Thus thinking of
making more money, garnering huge respect, or even becoming PP have
nothing to do with getting devotion.

Only by truly following brahmacaraya, are we perfectly consonant with
the path of devotion.


                 ONLY BHAKTAS CAN SERVE ALL

This all leads to the point that only true bhaktas can serve the humanity.

Invariably, non-bhaktas, or degraded bhaktas get attached to one worldly
expression or another-- either their wife, or their country, or their
job, or their community etc, in which case they will view the rest of
the world in a biased manner. There are countless examples of this
happening nowadays.

That is why only the bhaktas of Parama Purusa can promote the cause of
universal welfare on this earth and throughout the universe. See Him in
everyone, the sadhaka can them maintain equanimity and serve others
without favouring one person or another.


                    VERY CRUDE APPROACH

We can say that there are three basic approaches. The top most is to
love only Parama Purusa all the time. Then one is truly established in
bhakti.

Second is when one loves Parama Purusa sometimes, and then on other
occasions love towards mundane things is dominant. This is quite common.
Many of us may find ourselves in this position. In that case, more
kiirtan and sadhana are needed.

The next lowest phase occurs when in their ritualistic worship of Parama
Purusa, one prays for something mundane. That is very crude and must be
avoided entirely.

Baba says, "If a man wants to become a devotee of the lord but in the
mind of his mind, if he thinks that God will make him pass his
examination – here the esana (longing) is not one but two...When
something is demanded from God the esana becomes two. Hence the time is
completely wasted...When the esana (longing) is not [only] for
Paramatman but [also] for something else, it is known as asakti
(attachment) and not bhakti." (SS-20)

There is no scope for this type of approach in AM; we should all keep
the mind a thousand miles from such a crude and dogmatic way.


              WHY IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW BHAKTI

Lastly, what is the logic or rational for following bhakti. How should
we convince ourselves when the mind is down or how can we convince others.

Well, we can say that the path of bhakti is the blissful way to live and
that only should be followed. even then that might not always do the
trick of convincing ourselves. In that case another route is needed.

And that route is: Other than the path of bhakti there is no other path.
Every other entity in this universe will leave you one day. Every other
longing will create a samskara. Every other longing is ephemeral.

Baba says, "Under the influence of avidya' people believe that the
finite objects created by static Prakrti are their own. They think, “my
horse, my son, my daughter, my wealth,” and believe that with these
objects they will live eternally. But the fact is, all these limited
objects will desert them after sometime. Nothing that can be called
one’s own will remain." (AMIWL-8)

We have come onto this earth for a very short period; our window of
opportunity is small. So we must utilise our time in the right pursuit--
that pursuit which will free us from the suffering and bondage of maya.
That is the only way. In that case, only the path of bhakti is the answer.

Whether we like it or not, that is the only avenue for advancement.


                     BABA'S BLESSING

Everyone in AM likes to think they are bhaktas because we know this is
something great, but only those who really have internal longing for
Him-- and no other desire-- truly qualify as real bhaktas. Thus it is
for each and every sadhaka to estimate for themselves how far they are
on the path of bhakti.

By Baba's grace, by remembering Him we are all sure to attain this most
blessed stance. When we think, 'I want only You, then Baba cannot keep
us away'.

Baba says, "Therefore, O devotees remember the Lord’s name, else all
your efforts will be reduced to cipher [zero]. Under all circumstances
and during all activities, cling firmly to His name." (SS-1)

Namaskar,
Mantreshvar


Note 1:            BHAKTI VERSUS A'SAKTI

Baba says, "The meaning of the word bhakti is “attraction to the
Supreme”. When the attraction is to something limited, it is called
a'sakti, and when the attraction is to the Supreme, it is devotion,
bhakti. There is no compromise, no meeting point, between a'sakti and
bhakti, between attraction to the Supreme and attraction to the objects
of the world. In a'sakti, the feeling is that I get the object. In
bhakti, the feeling is that I merge myself in Him. Where there is no
desire, there the Lord lives. The Lord and the desire for the world,
like the sun and the night, cannot coexist." (AV-23)

Baba says, "In philosophical terms the attraction for finite objects is
called a'sakti and the attraction for the infinite is Bhakti. Ra'ga or
rakti means both the attraction for the infinite and attraction for the
finite objects." (SS-1)

Baba says, "One may have attachment towards physical objects as well as
towards Parama Purus'a. The attachment to physicality is called a'sakti
or vis'aya'nurakti, while the deep attachment to Parama Purusa is called
para'nurakti or bhakti." (AV-33)

Baba says, "The meaning of the word “para'nurakti” should be considered.
Rakti denotes raga or attachment. Anurakti means maintaining attachment
with or being attracted by a particular entity after having understood
its meaning. Anurakti is of two kinds. The anurakti for the Supreme
Brahma or Infinite Cosmic Consciousness is para'nurakti. The Anurakti
for Brahma under the sway of prakrti or the anurakti for the crude
manifestations is termed apara'nurakti. God is an object for
para'nurakti. When the aspirant considers the Supreme Brahma to be his
own, it is termed bhajana' or bhakti." (SS-1)


Note 2:         SEEING ALL AS PARAMA PURUSA

Baba says, "Do you love your son? It is perfectly right that you should,
however, when the son dies, you will experience great pain. Is it not
so? The son is preya, a finite entity. He cannot live till eternity. He
will depart and make you weep. But if you treat your son as the
expression of Brahma in the form of your son, then you will never fear
losing him because Brahma cannot be lost in any span of time. He is
present around you in all the ten directions." (AMIWL-2)


Note 3:   RELYING ON WORLDLY THINGS INVITES MISERY

Baba says, "Take, for instance, an unstable or transient thing, such as
your son. He is constantly progressing through changes, and so you are.
Neither of your two entities will remain forever. If you regard him as
the only support in your life, it will certainly not be wise, for your
son may leave the world any day, and you will moan his loss with bitter
tears; or you yourself may leave the world, making him an orphan. This
applies in the same way to wealth, power, etc." (Matter & Spirit)


Note 4:          WHAT IS DEVOTION

Bhaktirbhagavad bha'vana' na stutirna'rcana'

Baba says, "Being merged in the constant thought of God is devotion.
Devotion is not related to the chanting of hymns or ritualistic worship
with different paraphernalia. A devotee may perform these, but they are
not an indispensable part of devotional sa'dhana'. (AS, 3-12)

                                 
                                      PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Nabiina Pra'te ei arun' a'lote..." (P.S. #19)

Purport:

Baba, by You grace the new dawn has come. In this new crimson dawn, with
the rhythm of form, You have entered my mind. Baba You are so gracious:
You know how to make us laugh and weep, You know how to play
hide-and-seek. Baba by Your grace You have filled my life with Your
radiant light. You know how to play the lyre, to weave endless melodies,
to make the world dance in Your melodies and rhythms. And You know how
to love the world with all its pains and pleasures. Baba You are so
gracious, You are that most loving One...



     **********************************************
                This Must Be Averted

Baba says, "'Andham tamah pravishanti mudha ye ke catmahano janah.' What
happens to the person who runs after the external mundane things instead of
the Self within? One day he finds himself surrounded by the blinding
darkness (Andhatamasa). All around he finds nothing. When a person whose
self has miserably degenerated, whose spiritual progress is altogether
stopped, rushes towards matter, his whole existence starts getting
crudified, his mind and Self get crudified, he forfeits the right even to
be called a human being. This is indeed a miserable condition, an
unimaginable circumstance." (Calcutta, 1980)
     **********************************************

"Master Glossary" Blunder: The Term Gopa

From: "Dinesh Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: "Master Glossary" Blunder: The Term Gopa
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:27:53 +0000

Baba

                  == "MASTER GLOSSARY" BLUNDER: THE TERM GOPA

Namaskar,
A "Master Glossary" has been included with the latest release of the "The Electronic Edition (English) of the Works of P.R. Sarkar" (version 7.5).

Many of our AM books printed in English also have a glossary in the back of the book. This glossary provides definitions of common Sanskrit terms so those not aware of Sanskrit can understand the discourse. That is the aim. The definitions in the printed English AM books are the same as those in the electronic Master Glossary.

Since many readers will undoubtedly refer to these Master Glossary definitions to learn the meaning of various terms, it is important that the definitions reflect our AM ideals. Otherwise people, margiis and non-margiis alike, will get the wrong idea about AM philosophy.

In this particular letter we will take a look at the term gopa. In future letters, other terms can be brought for review.


                                DEFINITION OF GOPA IN AM DISCOURSES

Gopa is common term in AM discourses and Baba has clearly told its meaning.

Baba says, "Actually, Gopáyate yah sa gopah – in Sanskrit, the word gopáyate means to give pleasure – “A gopa is one who gives pleasure to Parama Puruśa, one whose very nature is to give pleasure to Parama Puruśa.”" (Discourses on Tantra -2: "Yoga, Tantra, and Kevalá Bhakti")

By His above teaching we can clearly understand that a gopa is one who gives pleasure to Parama Purusa. Thus a gopa is a bhakta of the highest order.

According to our AM perspective then, the term gopa has nothing to do with cows or those herding them; nor is the term related with any so-called caste or community.

Baba says, "There are people who have a mistaken idea that gopa means “cowherd”."(Discourses on Tantra -2: "Yoga, Tantra, and Kevalá Bhakti")

Hence it is all quite clear. In our Ananda Marga discourses, gopa refers to those top devotees whose sole intention in life is to please and serve Parama Purusa. It has nothing to do with being a cowherd etc.


                                           DOGMATIC HINDU MEANING

Before examining the definition of gopa in the Master Glossary, we should consider the common (dogmatic) meaning of the term gopa.

Across northern India, the entire cowherd community is called gopa. That is what the common people in north India primarily mean when they say gopa. In addition, gopa is used as the family name of people of a particular caste and community.

Hence the common populace of India does not understand Baba's definition. They use the term "gopa" in one way and in AM the term is used in a completely different manner. We do not subscribe to their faulty notion that gopa means cowherd etc.

According to the teachings of AM philosophy, gopas are great devotees. That is Baba's explicit teaching.

Baba says, "Actually, Gopáyate yah sa gopah – in Sanskrit, the word gopáyate means to give pleasure – “A gopa is one who gives pleasure to Parama Puruśa, one whose very nature is to give pleasure to Parama Puruśa.”" (Discourses on Tantra -2: "Yoga, Tantra, and Kevalá Bhakti")


                           HOW THE "MASTER GLOSSARY" DEFINES GOPA

Keeping all of the above in mind, now please see what has been published in the "Master Glossary". Here is how the new "Master Glossary" defines the term "gopa":

"gopa m. or gopii f. village cowherd boy or girl; devotees of the Lord." (7.5 version, Master Glossary)

Thus in their above definition, the editors of the Master Glossary defined a gopa as a "village cowherd boy or girl". That is their #1 definition.

In consequence, many will be led to believe that in AM we think that a gopa is a cowherd. People will think we also adhere to the prevailing dogmatic use of this term. Because that is the "official" definition from the Master Glossary of the electronic editions of AM books.

Indeed, by reading this one person sitting in China or El Salvador will think that gopa means cowherd. They will be misguided about our AM philosophy.

Many will automatically conclude that we in AM are just one radical Hindu organisation that fully supports the caste system and all kinds of Hindu dogmas. They will form a totally wrong opinion of our Marga.

So it is a big problem that "cowherd" has been given as the #1 definition of gopa in the Master Glossary. And the main problem is that it misrepresents Baba, Ananda Marga, and our AM philosophy. People will get the wrong teaching and the wrong idea.


                                  BABA REJECTS THE COWHERD DEFINITION

In very pointed speech, Baba Himself rejects the notion that gopa means cowherd.

Baba says, "There are people who have a mistaken idea that gopa means “cowherd”."(Discourses on Tantra -2: "Yoga, Tantra, and Kevalá Bhakti")

Hence, it is quite clear that Baba says that those who think that gopa means cowherd are "mistaken". That is Baba's exact language.

So it is most surprising - nay shocking - that the creators and editors of the Master Glossary have used this cowherd definition. The only reason imaginable for doing this is that they are just not familiar with Baba's teachings. So they just inserted dogmatic definitions into our Master Glossary. 

Regardless of the reason, when certain editors have defined a gopa as a "cowherd" then it is quite evident that the Master Glossary strays far from Baba's teachings.


                                           ABOUT OUR DEFINITIONS

For the Master Glossary to be effective, it must achieve a few things.

Firstly, the Master Glossary must accurately convey Baba's dharmic definition of a given term. The best way to do this is to review our AM literature and cite Baba's actual words and explanations of the term. If Baba has explained a word using a shloka, then that should also be included in the definition as well as His explanation of the shloka.

Secondly, the Master Glossary should also state the definition of the term according to the general societal meaning, i.e. what is the "normal", "common", or "dogmatic" use of the term. This aspect must also be included, and it has to be clearly indicated as such.

For instance, with the term "gopa", after citing Baba's dharmic definition along with the shloka - i.e. that gopas are those who give pleasure to Parama Purusa - then it should be added that in the general society, gopa means cowherd. Then we have to clearly explain that this is their dogmatic understanding, but that is not our definition in AM. In AM books only the first meaning is used, not cowherd. By this way, readers will understand our dharmic definition, the common / dogmatic usage, as well as the difference between the two.

Here the bigger issue at hand is that the same term has a vastly different meaning in AM from the general society.

It is just like how in AM the term "tiirtha" refers to a high state of mind whereas in the general society tiirtha means Varanasi and other so-called religious holy places.

Here is another example.

In AM pa'pa means harming others whereas the Hindus have their own dogmatic meaning. If any "high-born" Hindu is not giving proper human value to the so-called harijans (i.e. untouchables) then that is not papa according to Hindu thinking. But in AM that is papa.
Likewise idol worship is pa'pa in AM, but in Hindu religion it is not papa.

Here the whole point is that in Ananda Marga we have our own unique understanding that is different from the general society. Hence certain words in AM have a vastly different meaning from the same word amongst the general populace. And the whole point of our Master Glossary should be to put forth Baba's dharmic definition. Any and all reference to the non-AM definition should be clearly labeled as such. By this way we can clearly present Baba's teachings to the world.

That seems to be the best way to present the definitions in the Master Glossary. Others in our Marga, especially scholars, linguists and authors, should also share their views on this important topic.


                                       BABA'S STATED EXPLANATION

At this point, we should pass the below citations to those in charge of the Master Glossary. Then the glossary can be corrected so it properly reflects the spirit and content of Baba's divine discourses.

Baba says, "Gopa here does not mean the cowherd or the caretaker of cows. Gopáyate means to give pleasure – “Gopáyate yah sah gopah.” One whose nature is to give pleasure to Parama Puruśa or Paramátmá is Gopa." (Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 19)

Baba says, 'There are people who have a mistaken idea that gopa means “cowherd”. Actually, Gopáyate yah sa gopah – in Sanskrit, the word gopáyate means to give pleasure – “A gopa is one who gives pleasure to Parama Puruśa, one whose very nature is to give pleasure to Parama Puruśa.” (Discourses on Tantra -2: "Yoga, Tantra, and Kevalá Bhakti")

Namaskar,
Dinesh


                                  PRABHAT SAMGIITA

PS Intro: Here the devotee is immersed in His divine love and he is thinking to
himself in the following way.

"A'ma'y d'a'k diye ja'y kon aja'na'y, kii snigdhata'r bha's'a'..."  (PS 2343)

Purport:

  Which unknown Divine Entity is calling me in my heart. What a sweetness is saturating His voice which intoxicates my heart with divine love. That Divine Entity is coming with His sweet and attractive form & with His infinite rhythm and melody.
  I was hoping that I will get Him and also that I will go on doing His task. With His inspiration and grace, I will go on moving forward forgetting the pain and pleasure of this material world.  
  In the deep corner of my mind & in the sacred place of my heart which holds all my inner desires and ideation, I only long for You. O' Lord, please come in my mental lotus and fill it with Your color. Baba, please come...


                          ***************************************
                                             Historical Fact

Baba says, "In the Pharsi language the sweet fruit known as mango is called ta'mar. But in the early days the people in Iran did not know what a mango looked like, nor did they know how it tasted. Because they had only heard about it from travellers passing through. So the first time a sour type of fruit from India reached Iran the local Pharsi speaking people mistakenly thought it was a mango. Consequently they started calling it 'ta'mar-e-hind', meaning 'Mango from India. In Pharsi, "Ta'mar" means 'mango'; "e" means 'of'; "Hind" means 'India'. Thus, Ta'mar-e-hind. And later when the Britishers saw those Iranians calling those sour fruits 'ta'mar-e-hind', then the Britishers adopted their own English pronunciation and started calling it "tamarind". So this is how the sour fruit tamarind came to be called in the English Language." (MGD & Field Walk, Raipur 18 Oct '79)

Note: For those who may not be aware, the name for tamarind in Hindi is "imalii".                                ***************************************

Unfortunate Umbrella: Part II

Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2011 12:37:06 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From:
Subject: Unfortunate Umbrella: Part II

Baba

               == UNFORTUNATE UMBRELLA: Part II ==

Namaskar,
This entire topic about the 'Umbrella of Vanity' is closely linked with
our devotional life and being able to feel His grace each and every
moment through the course of our days. All are encouraged to write in
with their own thoughts and experiences as well.


                        COMMON HUMAN LONGING

As diverse as human beings are in their various expressions from their
outward appearance to their intrinsic talents, even then there are
certain common points that are universal to all.

For example, as Baba Himself tells us, it is the innate desire of each
and every human being to develop a close, personal relation with God.

Baba says, "Human beings want a personal God who will understand their
joys and sorrows, who will have love for them, and to whom they can
express love and feel kinship.  They certainly do not want a God who
will only impart words of knowledge or punish them and not listen to
their tales of sorrow in a sympathetic manner. They want an Entity who
will sympathize with them cent per cent in their prosperity and
adversity alike." (SS-11)

So when this inherent desire of wanting a personal link with Parama
Purusa is such a universal characteristic of each and every human heart
then certainly we should understand how to best satisfy and satiate this
divine longing.


                     TWO DISTINCT OUTLOOKS

Looking at opposite ends of the spectrum there are two distinct outlooks
which have a vastly different effect upon one's ability to form that
sweet, intimate, and personal relation with God.


                      DEVOTIONAL APPROACH:

        CULTIVATING AN INNER LINK WITH HIM

On the one side there are the bhaktas who think that Parama Purusa is
always watching them and caring for them and deep inside they believe
that that He is in fact the doer of their good. By this way of thinking,
by this type of outlook, devotees naturally develop a closer link with Him.
Because closeness between any two beings develops when one party feels
that the next entity is helping them. So when bhaktas believe in the
core of their heart that Parama Purusa is there to do everything for
them, and that He is the most benevolent and gracious One, and that
indeed everything happens in this universe due to His divine grace, then
automatically those bhaktas become internally linked with Him in a most
intimate way. That is one end of the spectrum.


                              UMBRELLA OF VANITY:

              OBSTRUCTING ONE'S LINK WITH HIM

And on the other end of the spectrum there are those jinanis who are
dominated by their own unit ego and in their arrogance they think that
they achieve everything in this world by virtue of their own individual
talent-- by their own efforts.

In that case, they are not relying on Parama Purusa but rather giving
full credit to themselves. And this defective approach-- egotistically
thinking that 'I did and that it at all happened because of me'-- is
itself the 'umbrella of vanity'. In which case one cannot feel His grace.

By this defective outlook a distinct gap develops between those jinanis
and Parama Purusa. In which case, consciously or unconsciously, these
jinanis view Parama Purusa as being nothing but one theoretical God in
the far distant sky, not that personal God Who is deep inside their heart.
And this is all due to their umbrella of vanity-- thinking that 'I am
the cause and I did everything'. That very defective approach creates
the feeling that Parama Purusa is far away-- non-existent. In which case
such jinanis never get to feel His sweet grace or divine bliss.


         IDENTIFYING THIS UMBRELLA OF VANITY: 'I DID'

So in a nutshell, bhaktas think that 'Parama Purusa is doing' and
therefore move closer to Him; and jinanis think that 'I did' and thereby
increase the distance between them and their Lord.

And again if we identify the root cause behind this grand difference, it
is this very defective outlook: 'I did'.

That egoistic expression-- 'I did'-- is the unfortunate umbrella of
vanity which separates those jinanis from Parama Purusa. That is the
dark umbrella which obstructs their relation with Parama Purusa. And
that is why they do not feel His eternally flowing grace.

So the whole thing is just a matter of one's outlook.

When any small or big thing occurs in this universe there are two
different ways to view the situation. The devotional mind will think
that it is only due to His grace while the jinani oriented mentality
will immediately try to take the credit for that action.

By these divergent approaches, the bhakta goes closer to Parama Purusa
and feels His sweet grace more and more while and the jinani goes away
from Him and just gets caught up in the net of their own ego.

And this is the umbrella of vanity-- giving credit to oneself-- when
really it is due to the grace of Parama Purusa.

But, through it all, we should always remember that Parama Purusa is
equally gracious on all-- whether one understands this or not.


                    BABA'S DIVINE TEACHING

Baba says, "He has got equal love for each and every creature of this
universe, for all animate and inanimate objects. His krpa' and His
compassion is being equally showered upon each and every individual,
upon each and every object. He bestows His compassion equally on each
and every object. Equally on pa'piis [sinners] and pun'yava'nas [the
virtuous]."

"But common people do not feel it, they do not feel that they are
getting His krpa'. Why do they not feel it? That krpa', that water of
compassion, is being showered on each and every creature equally, but
ordinary people do not feel that they are being drenched by those sacred
waters. Why? Because they are holding the umbrella of vanity over their
heads, that's why they are not being drenched."

"And what is sa'dhana'? You will have to remove that umbrella from above
your head and get yourself drenched by the sacred water. You will have
to remove that umbrella of vanity...and get yourself drenched by that
water; and then you will feel that you are being graced by Him. This is
what is called krpa'. Krpa' is there, but you will have to come to feel
it by your sa'dhana'. And when you will remove that umbrella, you will
get proper direction, and then you will be guided by hla'dinii shakti,
by Ra'dhika' shakti. Here you will come in contact with His nu'pura
dhvani [Divine Sound]." (AV-33, 'Brahmacakra')

Thus by moving along the path of devotional sadhana one will easily be
able to remove that umbrella of vanity-- it will disappear naturally. In
which case one will feel His boundless grace in each and every work, all
day long.

But for those crusty jinanis who again and again gloat about the fact
that they themselves are doing everything and that it is all due to
their own smartness, then they will permanently move around with the
umbrella of vanity over their head and in their life they will never
feel His divine grace. This is their unfortunate fate.


                 SPECIALITY OF DEVOTION

Here below Baba highlights the speciality of devotion.

     "Bhaktira'nanda ru'pa'ca... Devotion is bliss incarnate." (SS-18)

Devotion means feeling His sweet grace and divine in the seed vessels of
one's mind, each and every moment.

So the degree to which one is tangibly feeling His grace and bliss in
their own mind is the degree to which they are a devotee.

And to the degree that one does not feel His grace and bliss is the
degree to which one is still holding that umbrella of vanity over their
head.

In this regard, when trying to calculate anyone's standard, best is for
everyone to judge the matter for themselves. Only a tad bit of honesty
is needed, nothing more.


                      BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace, may we all move along the path of devotional sadhana
and feel His ever showering grace and divine bliss each and every moment
of our lives-- and beyond.

Baba says, "By dint of sadhana, one is to arouse and exalt that sleeping
divinity. ...But for this, one requires divine help and I know further
that one is getting divine help, and I know still further, that it is
for infinite time and infinite space, one is getting this divine help,
and you are all sadhakas, you will certainly attain the Supreme Stance
and enjoy that divine blessedness. You are sure to enjoy it my sons and
daughters." (AV-23, p. 76)

Namaskar,
Mukunda


Note 1:          ALL STRENGTH COMES FROM HIM

Here below Baba guides us that all our energy comes directly from Him.

Baba says, "Human beings also move on, but to move forward sometimes
they need energy.  But where does this energy come from?  The source of
all energy is Parama Purus'a. With His energy all entities are moving.
No living being has its own energy: endowed with the energy of Parama
Purus'a, it moves forward." (SS-12, 'Adarsha & Ista')

Thus when all our strength comes from Him then naturally He is the one
behind our each and every work.

But jinanis again and again overlook this eternal truth and instead
proclaim themselves as the champion of their own deeds. And that
defective mentality is their umbrella of vanity.


Note 2:           WHAT SHOULD BE OUR APPROACH

In this next guideline Baba clearly tells us what our approach should be.

                      Yato vishvam'...

Baba says, "Out of the grace of the supreme, the universe has emerged;
due to His grace, the universe preserves its existence; and because of
His grace, everything will finally dissolve in Him."

"So the final word in the realm of spirituality is the supreme grace of
Parama Purus'a. Intelligent people will understand this supreme truth
and move accordingly. It is true not only in the physical level, nor in
the physico-psychic level, nor in the psychic, nor in the
psycho-spiritual level, but in all levels."

"Finally, whatever you say or think, everything is finally embedded in
the grace of Parama Purus'a. The sooner this fundamental truth is
realised, the better it will be for all." (SS-18, 'Cult, Inference, &
Propensity')


Note 3:                THE FIRST LETTER IN THIS SERIES

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2011/02/unfortunate-umbrella.html


                                        PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Ceye gechi toma're, shato rupe shato ba're..." (P.S. 2503)

Purport:

Baba You are mine; my everything is depending on You. You are my Ista;
You are my Goal. Baba, I long to see You in hundreds of forms, hundreds
of times--again and again. But, You only got held in name, song, melody,
and tune. I only got You in those few ways. Baba, with my deep yearning,
I search for You very near in the depths of my heart; I do not ever want
for You to remain far away.

O' the Devata of Divine Effulgence, please come more close--silently,
please smile in my "I-feeling", in the deep core of my heart. Baba,
please fill my whole existence in Your divine effulgence, in Your
undying love, with parabhakti.

Baba, by Your grace I have a deep longing and earnest desire to have
You close, with the bond of love, in Your rhythmic expression and
resonance. Baba, I want You close, in the land of the sweet resonance of
the divine flute, in each and every blissful moment, in the world of the
divine effulgence and beyond-- eternally.    Baba, please shower Your
ahetuki krpa' and make my existence successful. O' my dearmost...

Deep Meaning Behind Story

Date: 16 Dec 2010 06:19:58 -0000
From: "Subhash  Dholakia"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Deep Meaning Behind Story

Baba

"Jhainjha' jadi a'se jujhite shakati dio..." (P.S. #1783)

Purport:

 Baba, You are my Saviour. If in my life a hurricane or typhoon comes,
then You please provide me the strength to fight and face that negative
situation. And give me the strength to struggle and persevere.
 Baba, if ever in my life lethargy and frustration comes, then please
provide me strength to hold onto Your feet. And to go on moving on Your
path.  Baba, by Your grace I am treading on Your path. You please color
my mind with Your color in all situations. During both pleasure and pain.
  With Your divine grace, if my mind becomes radiant then it cannot be
covered by staticity during times of cimmerian darkness. Please grant me
strength to follow Your dictates.   Baba, please grace me and give me
the force to go on marching on the path of effulgence, in an undaunted
way moving ahead. And please give me strength by Your grace, to jump up
and take on ever-new tasks to serve the downtrodden people.
  And please bless me by Your Varabhaya mudra. So in my life, I never
feel fear or cowardice to fight against demonic forces. Baba, in all the
circumstances I am completely depending on Your grace. Without Your
grace, nothing is possible...


              == DEEP MEANING BEHIND STORY ==

Namaskar,
Various gurus have always used stories to communicate important ideas to
the common citizens.

Our human society is comprised of so many people, each with their own
interests, talents, and abilities. Some are intellectuals, some are
technicians, some are artists, and some are scientifically or
mathematically inclined etc.

Everyone has their own specialty, bent of mind, interests, and
understanding.

Hence when a guru wants to convey a teaching to the entire public, the
guru will often give the teaching in the form of a story. Because
regardless of one's psychic inclination, everybody loves a story. All
will listen and learn.

Baba, being the Taraka Brahma and Supreme Guru, has also told many
stories. And embedded in those stories are the gems and jewels of AM
ideology. Hence not only should we enjoy Baba's wonderful stories, but
we should understand them deeply and apply them in our practical lives.


                   MANGO GROVE STORY

One of the famous stories which Baba has repeated in numerous discourses
is the story of the jinani and bhakta visiting a mango grove. Everyone
in the Marga is aware about this story because Baba has used it again
and again.

As we recall, both a jinani and a devotee go to a mango grove.
Immediately the jinani (intellectual) becomes highly involved in
counting the trees, measuring the length of the branches, checking out
the leaves, and classifying the mangoes according to their genus type
such as Mangitera Zeylanica, Valcarrie, Bombay Ratual, Aroemanis, and
Nam Doc Mai etc. The jinani is involved in all kinds of research and
calculations regarding those mangos. In contrast, upon entering the
mango grove, the devotee goes up to the first tree, grabs a ripe mango,
sits down, and enjoys the sweet taste of that delicious mango. At the
end of the day, the jinani is very hungry and the devotee is totally
satisfied.

This type of mango grove story Baba has recounted various times.


                IS IT SO SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND

Just because it sounds like a simple story, we should not therefore
conclude that the meaning is also so simple. There is a deeper meaning
that all may not be aware about. Then of course there is also the matter
of applying it to our own lives in a practical and tangible way.

Baba has told this story because He wants to convey its significance to
everyone. That much we all know. And the most basic idea He is giving is
that devotion is very important and we should all aim to become
devotees. This much also everyone understands.

Beyond that there is more to know, and that is why this story is a real
treasure.


         PRACTICALLY APPLYING THE STORY HUMAN LIFE

When Baba says that jinanis enter the mango grove and start counting the
trees and analyzing the leaves, but miss out on the fruit, Baba is
guiding us that jinanis come into this world and study so many things,
from lokas to microvita, from kosas to cakras, but they miss out on the
real essence of life, i.e. engaging in sadhana and getting Parama Purusa
and His bliss.

Whereas when a devotee enters a mango grove then he eats the mango and
does not get sidetracked by anything else. Similarly, when a bhakta is
born on this earth he aims for and attains Parama Purusa, and he does
not get waste his time in other useless pursuits like name, fame, or
fortune etc.

Even then it is not so easy to understand.


       PRACTICALLY APPLYING THE STORY TO OUR OWN LIFE

When a devotee eats the mango, that presents a colorful and
mouth-watering image for what it means to attain Parama Purusa. Thus
getting Parama Purusa is not some abstract theoretical notion.

In our day to day practical lives, eating the mango, or getting Parama
Purusa means getting bliss out of all the lessons, thinking of Him
always, and feeling His love practically in your heart.

Just as all the taste buds of the devotee in the mango grove are
immersed in the sweet sensation and taste of that mango, similarly a
true bhakta in this quiquelemental world practically feels Baba's divine
vibration in sadhana and even when not in sadhana. One will practice all
the lessons joyfully, doing them will not be burdensome. True bhaktas
feel His inner sweet touch just by closing their eyes or by thinking of
Him. They are always immersed in His flow and life passes blissfully in
that way.

So being a bhakta is not some dry, theoretical experience. One cannot
just say that, "well I have been in AM a long time so I am therefore a
devotee of Baba." It does not work that way.

One can only say they are a bhakta if they tangibly feel Baba's blissful
presence in their heart night and day. Just like a bhakta in the mango
grove can practically taste the juicy sweetness of that fruit. So one is
only a bhakta if really attend to sadhana with great sincerity and feel
the only aim in their life is to serve and please Parama Purusa. Such
persons are not harboring any other idea related with career goals,
prestige, money, or spouse etc. Then one is a bhakta otherwise not.

Baba has told the mango grove story because He wants us all to know the
devotion is the most important element in human life. And He wants that
we should become devotees. And the way to do that is by wholly diving
into the realm of sadhana. Getting bliss in sadhana and loving Him in
dhyana is what it means to eat mangoes in the grove. There is no second
or third meaning.

Thus we should understand the inner meaning of the devotee in the mango
grove and then honestly evaluate if we really satisfy that criteria or
not. And if not, then we should put forth sufficient effort in our
kiirtan and sadhana to get our mind moving in that direction.


                  HOW SOME MISUNDERSTAND

Unfortunately, it is highly possible, or even probable, that there are
some who call themselves as bhaktas, yet they are not really involved in
tasting the mango. They are not involved in sadhana.

They may struggle to even sit in sadhana; they will not complete the
lessons; and their mind just flickers in various directions when doing
sadhana. Such a person then has no quality of being called a devotee.

But that same person may think that, "I have a good reputation in AMPS
and I have started many projects, built so many schools, and my name is
printed on the newsletter or Prout magazine", and for that reason they
think that they are a bhakta.

When in fact nothing could be farther from the truth. Instead they are
merely falling into self-deception.

Because everyone wants to think of themselves as being a devotee, but we
should not fall prey to false notions of what a devotee is or who we
are. That is why Baba has given the mango grove story. Because it
practically teaches us who a devotee is, i.e. those fully engaged in
sadhana, and emphasizes that devotion is the only way human beings reach
fulfillment and get Him.


         THE FATE OF SUCH JINANIS, WHILE BHAKTAS GET HIM

The jinani who is puffed up with the pride of his knowledge will never
be satisfied within, rather he will always be looking outwardly to get
some praise etc. And in the end of life they will not get Parama Purusa,
but will instead get thrust back into the cycle of life and death or
float around the universe as some kind of microvita, like vidyadhara
etc. Such is their empty fate.

While the bhakta will always keep Parama Purusa in the forefront of
their mind, be immersed in His bliss, and ultimately become one with
Him. That is what it means to eat the mango and that is what we are to
do in this life.

Baba says, "The devotee will pluck a ripe mango and eat it... the
devotees will get real bliss...Devotees will come under the shelter of
Parama Purus'a...and cross the Cosmic Cycle comfortably." (AV-1)

Namaskar,
Subhash

          ***************************************
       Unruly Free Mixing between Males and Females?

Parama Purusa Baba says, "It does not require the harnessing of any
elaborate logic or reasoning to convince people that the final outcome
of permissiveness is not healthy. But it is also true that the result of
free mixing in society, without self-control, is bad...Hence, along with
the recognition of the freedom of the two sexes, a well-judged code of
self-control will also have to be associated with their mutual mixing."
(HS-1, p. 35)
          ***************************************

Devotee Story: Three Boons

From: "Shantatma Kerketta"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Devotee Story: Three Boons
Date: Fri 26 Nov 2010 07:46:32 +0530

Baba

"Diner a'lote a'so ni, ele tumi a'ndha're..." P.S. 2073

Purport:

Baba You are so merciful, You are so divine. Earlier when my life was
full of happiness then that time You did not come; but now in this
period of darkness You have come. It is Your grace. During my good days
I wanted You to come and rejoice the occasion. But that did not happen--
in the effulgence of the day You did not come. But now in the darkness
of night You have come.* Baba, how You play Your liila.

Baba in the smile of the moon, You do not present Yourself. But when I
was suffering in pain, then with the soothing balm You came and relieved
me of my suffering. Baba, You have come in this cimmerian darkness when
I am crying. Baba, everyone knows that You are most-loving; and everyone
knows that You think about one and all. Even then they involve in
logically analysing and reasoning about Your ways in order to strengthen
their love for You-- to love You in a deeper way.

O' Baba, You are beginningless and Your abode is in infinity. In all the
twelve months You remain constantly along with me-- in pain and
pleasure. Baba, You are the divine shelter of everyone; You are the
heart of everyone, the Soul of souls. And by Your grace You pull
everyone close to You. You never discard or ignore anyone-- irrespective
of how high or how low they are. Baba You have only come in this time of
crying and suffering. In the good days when I was calling You then You
did not come. Baba, Your glory is unfathomable; Your liila is beyond
imagination; Baba, You are so gracious...

* Here Baba is using effulgence to represent those days of happiness and
darkness symbolizes those periods of tears and sorrow.


             == DEVOTEE STORY: THREE BOONS ==

Namaskar,
Devotees have a special characteristic that separates them from ordinary
people. That is Baba's explicit teaching.

Rregardless of a bhakta's behavior, whether he commits a right or a
wrong, we must not think that thr devotee is therefore useless or worse
than common folk. Because still that bhakta has the special quality of
devotion. Baba Himself places tremendous importance on this.

Here below is one famous story about a devotee from long ago. The inner
meaning of the story lends itself well to life in Ananda Marga.

Thereafter are two dramatic Baba stories wherein He vigorously defends
the honor of even bad bhaktas after they were condemned by others for
their faults.

All these stories point in the direction that Parama Purusa holds a
special place in His heart for all devotees, even bad ones who commit
wrongs.


         GAYA'SURA STORY: BAD DEVOTEE GOES ON CRUSADE

Baba tells the story of King Tripasur who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu.
After launching a crusade, King Tripasura met his untimely death.

His son, Gaya'sura inherited the throne and followed in his footsteps.

King Gaya'sura too was an ardent worshiper of Lord Vishnu. He prayed
endlessly and finally achieved the gift of immortality, granted to him by
his chosen Lord Visnu. King Gaya'sura promptly launched a heinous offensive
wiping out innocent people in all lands. The wrath of Gaya'sura was terrible.
And no one could kill him.

King Gayasura even attacked the devotees of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu Himself
came to defend them, but the Lord too was defeated.

Lord Vishu's followers pleaded with Him to do something.

Lord Vishnu then askeda boon of King Gayasura. The King agreed. Lord
Vishnu then asked that Gayasura be turned to stone.

Gaya'sura replied, "So be it", but then made three pleas:

1) The Lord should put His feet in Gaya'sura's heart;
2) All those with the Lord's feet in their heart must be granted liberation;
3) If anyone with the Lord's feet in their heart does not get
liberation, then King Gaya'sura will again be granted life on earth.

Here Baba describes these boons in full:

Baba says, "First, the Lord will seat Himself in the heart of the
devotee without bothering Himself about the nature of that person, good,
or bad. It is enough to be a devotee, in order to have the Lord inside.
Second, all those who have the Lord’s feet in their hearts are bound to
get liberation – liberation is a sure guarantee for them. Third, since
Gaya'sura had been turned to stone by the Lord, and since He would again
arise if anyone having the Lord inside failed to be liberated, the Lord
would have to grant liberation to all such persons for all time to
come." ('The Lord's Feet)

By the above story - which Baba Himself has recounted on various
occasions - we can understand that Parama Purusa places great value on
devotion.

Baba says, 'This devotion is a heavenly attribution." (1 June 1986 DMC)

Even though King Gayasura was a ruthless warrior, due to his devotion
he was able to keep the Lord's feet in his heart. Such is the quality of
devotion and such is the grace of the Lord.

Devotion then is enough to gain the favour of the Lord, despite what
other bad qualities a bhakta might have.


            TRUE TO FORM IN ANANDA MARGA

With all the groupism, difficulties, power mongering and so forth, it is
very easy to think that certain people in AM are total garbage. But we
should never harbor such ideas.

Some may have made mistakes and committed gross sins, yet still all are
our brother and sisters. We must develop a relationship of love with them.

We must remember that all have come into Ananda Marga - and they have
come for a reason. In the the near or distant past, they established an
inner link with Parama Purusa, by His grace. They have a place for Him
in their heart - so they have come once again to sacrifice in some way
for Him - and they are going to be granted salvation.

So all in AM are not just our brothers and sisters, but they are
devotees of the Lord and that in itself has great meaning. They have a
special connection with Him.

Regardless of what faults they do or what hell they create, we must not
banish such persons from our minds or think ill of them. Rather we are
to love them.

No doubt such persons may have to undergo rectification in the social
sphere - they may have to stand before the court of justice - but their
spiritual well-being is safe and secure, just as was the case with King
Gaya'sura. Parama Purusa has saved a place in His heart for even bad
devotees.

So we must appreciate all who have come to do something for Baba,
despite whatever shortcomings they may have. Their arrival onto the path
of AM has great meaning - that is enough to make one's life successful.

We should not just think this way about others but about ourselves as
well. Baba has graciously has blessed us with the special gift of devotion.


                      BABA STORY #1:
                THE CASE OF SHARANA'NANDA

We all know that in the 70's when the mass of Wts were called for reporting
and RDS with Baba, then it was so crowded. The rooms were small and
everyone had to squeeze into just a few rooms.

During one such occasion, Dada Sharana'nanda arrived and was told that
all workers should place their bags and blankets into a particular room.
There was hardly any space as hundreds of workers were putting their
belongings there.

Anyway, somehow Sharana'nandaji found a tiny space. He spread his
blanket halfway and placed his bag on top. Then he went off to attend
his various meetings etc.

That evening when Sharana'nandaji returned, he saw that one Dada had
tossed his things aside and taken his spot. When he awakened that Dada
and told him, the Dada did not care at all.

Sharana'nandaji was extremely frustrated. In addition, it was a fasting
day and that made his frustration grow even more. Internally he was
thinking that many of these other Wts were just like monkeys, totally
uncultured and uncivilised. He was thinking they were just worthless
people.

He did not complain openly but those were the thoughts floating in his
mind.

The next day Sharana'nandaji was called before Baba for reporting.

Baba looked at him and in His loving liila He abused him openly. Baba
strongly rebuked him and said that those who have come in AM are not
ordinary. They may have bad manners and their conduct may be irregular,
but I have specially called them and they have come. So you must adjust
with their behaviours. They have a special samskara. Do not
superficially judge them by seeing their bad qualities or rude behaviour.

Baba lovingly scolded Sharana'nandaji in this manner.

Dada was shocked to hear this. First because he had not complained to
anyone, just Baba was peering into his mind. Secondly, he realised that
he must reconsider his relations with other workers and adjust with
their poor dealing.

Certainly Baba must have strongly scolded the Dada who threw away
Sharana'nandaji's blanket. Sharana'nandaji did not know. All he knew was that
he must have respect and love for all in the Marga because of their link
with Baba. That is Baba's wish and explicit direction.

This above story shows how Baba never judges any of His disciples based
on external affairs but rather looks at their inner essence and feeling.
And when He Himself says that all in AM have come because I have called
them and that they have a special samskara, then we must always look
favourably on everyone in AM - and love them.

That does not mean that we cannot point out their wrongdoing. We can in
the social sphere, only with the sweet motive to clean them of their faults.
Good margiis do like this because they know that all in AM are part of their
kith and kin. So in our heart we must not have ill will toward them.
Whether they do wrong or right, we must remember that they come to serve
Him in some capacity and they have Baba's love.


                       BABA STORY #2:
               THE CASE YOUNG WT IN GORAKHPUR

This next story leads in the same direction.

One family acarya from Gorakhpur came to Baba to complain about one
young Wt. The family acarya was telling about all kinds of incidents.

Baba immediately interjected and began scolding the family acarya and
told him to look upon that young worker as his own son. Then Baba
pointed out that the family acarya's own son did not become a WT and was
not even a margii. And not only that, Baba said that, "While you
yourself were eating and enjoying at your house, this young worker was
not even able to find any proper food in the jagrti."

Baba continued, "But you never cared about that and never checked to see
if he is alright. And now you are complaining to me about the behaviour
of this young worker. Such is your audacity. You should be ashamed of
yourself."

Baba concluded, "I am His Father and I have to take care of Him. And you
also should have love for him."

After this incident, everyone stopped complaining about Wts - at least
on the external level.

Again, here the point is not that wrongful behaviours should be
overlooked entirely. We are to point out and seek the rectification of
those bad devotees. But at the same time we should not harbor any
negative feelings in the mind toward such bhaktas. Because all have come
because of His call. They are not ordinary people and we should love
them.


                       MOTHER-BABY ANALOGY
Just as a mother has inherent love for her progeny -- regardless of what
harm their children might cause, same is the case with Parama Purusa. He
has innate and unconditional love for His children.

The mother may abuse and scold her children but she has love. Likewise
Parama Purusa also may scold but His quantum of love is always present.

In the spiritual sphere, love is not unilateral. The bhakta has love for Him
and in return Parama Purusa has much more love for His devotees.

Baba does not look at the qualities or conduct of bad devotees. His love
is based on seeing the feeling in their heart. We should do the same.

This explains why despite all the mischief caused by some Central Dadas,
even then Baba has blessed them and kept them close.


                       BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace He loves, cares for, and looks after all His devotees,
whether they be good or bad. All have a special place in His heart.

Here we must remember the story of King Gayasura and how Lord
Vishnu granted him three boons - keeping His feet always in his heart.

And Baba Himself approves this story.

Although this is the story of King Gayasura and Lord Vishnu, yet in reporting
Baba Himself told and promised that He grants these same boons to all His
devotees.

Then when Lord Vishnu granted the boon that the Lord's feet will always be
in the heart of the devotee, irregardless of their good and bad deeds, we must
know that Baba has promised and guaranteed the same. That is the first boon.

Secondly, Baba also promises that those who have the Lord's feet
in their heart will get salvation. This is His second guarantee.

Lastly, if anyone with the Lords' feet in their heart does not get liberation,
then the Lord's prestige is at stake. Thus He is bound to fulfill them.

So Baba guarantees the above boons for all devotees up to eternity and
the only prerequisite for these boons is devotion. Then liberation is sure -
and the noose of maya will be shattered.

All this Baba has guaranteed and by His grace I was there that time in reporting
and by hearing Baba's loving promise, then tears began flowing from all those
present. The room was completely vibrated; Baba's immense love and grace
was emanating. We all felt especially graced by His infinite love and special
promise. And this guarantee Baba has granted to every devotee - for all who
have love for Him, irrespective of what wrongs and rights one commits in life.
Such His the nature of His loving and unconditional boon.

Thus when Baba does not judge bad devotees poorly, neither should we.
Their mistakes must be corrected in the social realm, but on the
spiritual plane, we must think of even bad devotees as our kith and kin
and love them, and know that Baba will take care for their salvation.

We should not judge any bhakta or even ourselves based on past sins. We
should think about Him and cultivate love for all.

So the lesson given in the Gaya'sura story of old applies equally well
today. That is why Baba has given this story again and again in His
discourses. Because all bhaktas - even bad ones - have earned a place in
His heart.

May we all focus not on the the poor behaviour of bad devotees but
instead adopt a high spiritual ideal.

Baba says, "Cherishing a strong desire to know and understand Him, think
of Him, ideate on Him, meditate on Him – You will certainly attain Him."
(AMIWL-6)

Baba says, "...The wise and intelligent ideate less on their defects and
demerits and more on the Supreme desideratum." (A'nanda Va'nii #66)

Namaskar,
Shantatma