For the Betterment of All

From: George Kourakos To: AM-GLOBAL Subject: For the Betterment of All Date: Sat 12 Jul 2008 23:15:25 -0000 Baba "(Tumi) esechile mor bakul-bita'ne na' baliya' ka'r ghare..." (PS 4320) Purport: Baba, that time the place was surrounded by innumerable bakul flowers which were blooming and You graced me by coming to my cottage during that verdant spring season. With Your divine grace, You brought devotional horripilation (goose bumps) throughout my entire existence and You also vibrated the very pulsation of my blood. Baba, by having You in such an intimate and close way, my life has become meaningful. It is Your grace. Baba, soon after that golden dawn, Your liila moved into a different phase. Because then You went away leaving me crying all alone. O' my dearmost where did You go that time. Baba, since then I have spent countless days and nights waiting-- sitting by my window threading heaps of flower garlands for You. But that was all in vain because You did not come. It is painful that now I no longer see that attractive & charming smile because You are keeping Yourself distant. Now I no longer see that radiant smile which I used to see on Your lips when You were with me. Baba in longing for You, ages have passed since You came close. Springtime has finished and now summer has come. My entire garden of those sweet, fragrant bakul flowers has dried up and withered away in this hot season*. Now that same window-- where I used to sit and make garlands for You and wait-- is full of spider webs. Baba, it is so painful and heartbreaking how You have gone so far away. And my mind is completely dry in the absence of Your divine presence. O' my dearmost, please shower Your causeless grace and appear in my heart in a very intimate and charming way... *Hot Season= In the absence of His presence, the sadhaka feels a distinct dryness in his heart. Summer season-- or hot season-- has been used as a metaphor to express that dryness in the devotees heart, where one's devotional feeling is lower. And this happens with each and every sadhaka. Sometimes when one feels dry and out of the spiritual flow then that is summer season; and when one's flow of sadhana is good then that can be compared with springtime because in their dhya'na they feel greater proximity with Parama Purusa. But when one is experiencing the dryness of summer, the best thing a devotee can do is to sincerely request Baba to grace them by coming in their meditation.

== FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL ==

(This letter is part of a series of letters on our practice of satya. To receive past postings from this series, please write us. -Eds) Namaskar, In our Marga, each and every thing is done for the healthy growth and sentient development of everyone-- for the welfare of all. As every Ananda Margii is aware, this approach to life is known as satya. Baba says, "The right application of thought and words for the welfare of humanity is called satya. That which one thinks or says with a view to harming others may be a fact or a factual statement [i.e. rta], but it is not satya." (AV-4) Thus it is only satya which can promote well-being to the world in all circumstances. Mere mundane facts and figures-- i.e. rta-- alone will not do. Unfortunately a few people in our AM feel that only rta is proper and that satya is a 'distortion of the facts'. This is the deluded perspective of some. While most are certainly understanding the eternal value and special quality of satya-- benevolent truthfulness.

OURS IS THE PATH OF SATYA NOT RTA

However to follow satya it does demand having a somewhat developed state of mind. Devoid of that, one will be stuck in the realm of rta. As Baba explains below, less evolved beings like animals and plants are confined to the ways of rta-- and even some humans are limited to this more static approach as well. Baba says, "That which is a fact, which has really taken place, we call rta. The spirit of rta can be found in the plant world. Even among simple, undeveloped people one can easily find the idea of rta as the motivating force for society." (NSS: Disc 10, 'Shivokti 8') By His above teaching it is evident that rta is the guiding factor in the life of undeveloped creatures, including some human beings. Due to their lower state, they are only aware about this simple and limited way of living: Following rta. Whereas the broad-based view of Ananda Marga is totally different. Guided by benevolence, Ananda Margiis will adhere to satya. Baba says, "But the followers of dharma improve upon rta and utilize it in a reformed way for the welfare of the world. When rta leads to harm, or when it carries the possibility of falsehood, in that case people improve upon rta and make it a fit instrument for promoting welfare. Rta when it leads to welfare is called satya." (NSS: Disc 10, 'Shivokti 8') Thus when the ways of rta are outdated and unable to follow the dynamic laws of dharma, then rta must be tossed aside in place of satya.

IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RTA AND SATYA

That is why Baba is very careful to point out the very pointed and clear difference between rta and satya. It is not that they are the same. Rather there is a fundamental difference between the two. Baba says, "In the opinion of the yogic scriptures there is an ideological difference between rta and satya. That which is a fact, which has happened or happens, is called rta. And the ideation used for the welfare of the people is called satya."

Parahita'rtham' va'unmanaso yatha'rthatvam' satyam.

"Using one's mind or speech out of a spirit of welfare for others is satya'. It is said that one should take the shelter of satya, not rta.." (SC-2, Disc:11)

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SATYA

Here in this below example, Baba clearly shows how satya is employed to promote justice and welfare. Baba says, "If a person takes shelter in your house out of fear of a wicked person and afterwards that wicked person comes up to you and asks: 'Is that fellow here?', in that case, an innocent person's life is endangered. Here, if one is to follow satya then one will have to say: 'No, he is not here.' In this way an innocent person will be saved from being murdered or tortured at the hands of a wicked person." (SC-2, Disc:11) In the above example if one were to resort to rta then that would do irreparable damage; it would cause irreversible harm. That is why it is satya which has incorporates the dynamism and vivek to bring wellness all of the time.

FOLLOW RTA UNTIL IT GOES AGAINST WELFARE

However that is not to say that rta itself is totally useless. Another way of looking at this entire equation is that each and every moment of our lives we are to follow rta-- unless rta contravenes the spirit of welfare. Where rta reaches its limit and when rta causes harm to others, that is when we depart from the path of rta and stand firm on the principles of satya. Thus, so long as rta is moving evenly and consistently with satya, then rta can be followed-- and indeed it is to be followed. But the moment rta swerves from universal well-being, then the only option is satya. Because only satya promotes the benevolence and welfare of others 100% of the time. And since we have come to this world to serve others, then satya is our greatest tool-- out greatest friend.

SADHANA IS THE PATHWAY

The question then becomes what is the best way to follow satya. How can one develop the intuitive understanding of what is satya. This is the method we all need to know. And by Baba's grace He has given the answer. Baba says, "Sa'dhana' is the only way to remove the shadow of asatya and reach satya." (APH-3) Thus it is only by our spiritual practices and meditation lessons that the mind develops the softness and compassion to know where satya lies. Here we should always remember that where there is an ounce of selfishness there cannot be satya. Thus all those who in the name of groupism tell their various stories about dharma, they are just a bunch of cheats spoiling the good name of satya. But for this none should blame satya. Rather it is those groupist parties that should be blamed and pointed out-- and ultimately rectified. Otherwise they will only invite their own destruction. So the only way to keep the mind above selfish tendencies is by ideating on the Great. By adhering to the path of sadhana the mind will grow and blossom and emanate the sweet fragrance of satya all the time.

SATYA IS ETERNAL

Where as rta or relative truth is limtied and only of value in a particular set of circumstances, the path of satya has eternal value across all time and space. "Question: What is Truth or satya?" "Ans. Truth is that which never changes: it always remains in the same condition throughout eternity. Satya is not only unchangeable throughout eternity but it is also unlimited: there is nothing beyond it. Satya also does not change from place to place: it remains the same whether in one place or another. Thus Satya is not affected by time, place and person; it is Ka'la'tiita, Desha'tiita and Pa'tratiita." (APH-3, "Some Q & A...', #10)

BABA'S BLESSING

Here Baba guides us that those followers of satya-- those Ananda Margiis-- will gain victory in each and every moment of life.

Satyameva jayate na´nrtam´

Baba says, "Finally satya becomes victorious in each and every fight, in each and every clash and in each and every work. Satya comes our successful. 'Satyameva jayate na'nrtam'.'That is, the falsehood won't be victorious."

'Satyena pantha' vitato devaya'nah'

"Your path to godhood becomes widened with the help of this satya, that is, this satya makes the path wide so that progress towards godhood is achieved." (AV-2) Namaskar, Gagan