"A'tma Kii Diivali"

Date: Mon 27 Oct 2008 22:32:18 To: am-global@earthlink.net From: "Giriish " Subject: "A'tma Kii Diivali" Baba PS Intro: This following Prabhat Samgiita is a melancholic song. Here the devotee has deep, deep love for Parama Purusa. And Parama Purusa is in the bhakta's close proximity. Even then due to the bhakta's strong love for Parama Purusa, the devotee wants Parama Purusa to come even more close. And it is in that highly devotional state of deep love and longing, that the devotee begins to sweetly accuse Parama Purusa that 'Why are You not coming close'. When in truth Parama Purusa is close but the bhakta wants Him even more close. It is just like one baby who is sitting very close to their mother but even then the baby is not satisfied. So the baby cries and cries for the mother and calls her all kinds of names. All because the baby wants that the mother should hold the baby tightly in her lap. Then and then only will the baby be satisfied. Such is the deep attachment and love that the baby has for the mother. And if the mother is not responding accordingly, then the baby will accuse the mother that, 'You do not love me the way I love You'. Same is the relation between the bhakta and Parama Purusa in this song. So no one should take this song literally and think that Parama Purusa is really far away. Rather He is close and the devotee longs to have Him still more close. This is the way love works in melancholic songs. So this is a deeply devotional song. In contrast, those with lower devotion do not care whether Parama Purusa is very close or very far-- they think that 'He is where He is and I am fine'. This is the expression of a less devotional mind. Whereas those high bhaktas who have a deeply devotional mind think that 'My Parama Purusa is close but I want Him even more close-- I want that me and my Parama Purusa should become one'. This is the strong yearning of such bhaktas who are ensconced in that deeply loving and devotional state. "Du'r a'ka'sher niiharika', kon du're roye gecho..." (PS 1099) Purport: O' Divine Entity, You are the niiharika' [1] of the distant sky. Why are You remaining so far away in such a distant place. O' my Dearmost, please come close. Please remain deep inside my heart. Baba, You are the jewel of my mind-- I love You. Although You are keeping Yourself distant, You feel the warmth and love of my heart-- due to my strong yearning and longing for You. O' Divine Entity, You are the like the niiharika' of the distant sky; even then I love You. Baba, our loving and intimate closeness is very intimate, intense, and sweet. Our warm, loving relation has been going on since eternity. Alas, forgetting me, to whose abode and to which divine land have You gone and lit the lamp of love. O' my Dearmost, where have You gone and forgotten me. Baba, by Your grace I love You so much. All my joys and sorrows are bound up in You. You are my everything; all my days pass thinking of You. Baba, although You are not coming to me, even then with great anticipation I am holding the fragrant reception basket in my hand-- I am holding the garland to venerate You. Baba, I am anxiously waiting for Your auspicious arrival. I am awaiting Your divine presence. O' my Dearmost You are remaining in Your distant abode watching everything. Baba, You see all that I am doing yet You are not coming in the depths of my heart. O' my dearmost, please grace me by coming close and eternally reside in my heart... NOTE ABOUT THE ABOVE PRABHAT SAMGIITA: [1] Niiharika': Literally means nebula which looks like a hazy, white patch in the sky but is really a collection of far distant stars. Here Baba uses this term niiharika' because Parama Purusa is remaining far-- not because Parama Purusa is multiple in number. So the niiharika' term signifies the extreme distance which Parama Purusa is keeping from the devotee.

== "A'TMA KII DIIVALI ==

Namaskar & Happy Diipa'vali!!, On this wonderful occasion of Diivali, may we all rejoice and celebrate both the social & devotional aspects of this highly significant and spiritual occasion. After all this is one of our recognised AM festivals which is designed to bring a renewal and rejuvenation throughout one's entire existence.

MANY WORSHIPERS OUTSIDE AM ALSO CELEBRATE

Of course Diipa'vali is not just a day celebrated in Ananda Marga. Throughout the vastness of tantric society, Diipa'vali is recognised as a highly meaningful occasion. That is why whether one is a vidya tantric or an avidya tantric, whether one is an idol worshipper or one engages in prayer, whatever type of sadhana one does, Diipa'vali is the day when all sincerely engage in their selected practice. On this occasion, one does more sadhana-- whatever type that may be. At the same time, most also display fireworks in the external arena; that is also a cultural or social aspect of this event. Because after all 'diip' means 'light' or 'lamp' and Diipa'vali is that occasion which is a festival of lights. So it is a widely recognised occasion. Yet of course in our Ananda Marga we have our own special, dharmic understanding of this great festival. And here below Baba sweetly describes the inner significance of Diipa'vali.

BABA'S SPECIAL DESCRIPTION OF DIIPA'VALI

As we all know in Caryacarya part 1 Baba neatly outlines all our AM festivals. Plus in various other discourses Baba also talks extensively about so many of these various festivals. And that is the case with Diipa'vali also. Before we move ahead any further it should be noted that there are various different spellings of this occasion, depending on the language and area etc. Suffice to say here that 'Diipavali', 'Diivali', 'Diipa'vali' and 'Deewali' etc all refer to the same wonderful festival. And in His June 1990 DMC discourse, 'The Cult of Spirituality-- The Cult of Pinnacled Order', Baba makes special mention of this event. In this discourse Baba explains how this festival known as Diipa'vali is linked with the enlightenment of the soul. That is the great significance of this day. Hence Diipa'vali is related with spiritual effulgence, sentientness of thought, and all psycho-spiritual ideas that are linked with light: Igniting the lamp of love for Parama Purusa. And here below is the original Hindi from this discourse. For those with the English editions of this book-- "Yoga Psychology"-- this section comes on page 136 of the 1991 edition and on page 174 of the 1998 edition. It directly follows the two line Sanskrit shloka, "Phalis'yatiiti vishva'sah...". Unfortunately in both of these English editions, the proper translation of the original Hindi could not be given. Here then is the original Hindi followed by the correct English translation:

Man ka' jo andhaka'r hai usko hat'a'na' hae. (The darkness of the mind should be removed.) Esa' nahin kahana' hai ki ghar-ghar men diivali, mere ghar men andhera'. ('In each and every house there is a festival of light, yet my home is dark', one should not say like this.) Ghar men bhii diiva'lii honi ca'hiye. (There should be diivali in the home) Aor ye hae a'tma' kii diivali. (And it is the diivali of the atma')

So according to Baba's above DMC discourse, Diipa'vali is the idea of cultivating that inner spiritual yearning for Parama Purusa, thereby illuminating one's entire existence with the sweet flow of spirituality. That is, infusing one's soul with the great love of Parama Purusa.

HOW WE SHOULD CELEBRATE

Of course abiding by the Supreme Command, each and every Ananda Margii does sadhana twice a day, at minimum. So it is our regular habit and regular practice to illumine our minds and hearts with that deeply spiritual of flow. This is Baba's grace and His great gift to all Ananda Margiis. So when the day of Diipa'vali arrives then what are we to do. We are to dedicate even more time to our devotional practices of sadhana and kiirtan-- enabling our existence to better reflect and capture the infinite love of Parama Purusa. By Baba's divine grace may we all pass this occasion in this way.

BABA'S BLESSING

On this wonderful festival of Diipa'vali, let us once again recall Baba's great boon upon all Ananda Margiis. Baba says, "You should remember why You have been born. Following the path of devotion, you will have to ultimately reach Parama Purusa." (YP, '91 Edn, p.140) Namaskar, Giriish

Note 1: DISCOURSE NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED

Both the 1991 and the 1998 printed editions of Baba's famous 1990 DMC discourse, 'The Cult of Spirituality-- The Cult of Pinnacled Order', carry the wrong translation of the original Hindi lines. In English that paragraph begins and ends in the following way:

"In Sam'skrta, gu means 'darkness'...there should not be a festival of lights...of the soul."

If compared with the original Hindi lines, it is apparent that there are various mistakes and omissions in the English translation of this important paragraph. That is not to say that the idea has been totally misconveyed. But, we cannot say it is a proper translation of Baba's words either. That is why both the grammar and the word selection in the English editions needs to be redone according to Baba's original spoken discourse. As this is a DMC discourse, it was given using a mixture of the three languages (Bengali, English, and Hindi) but the special section about Diipa'vali was uniquely given in Hindi only. And the English translations should be made to reflect Baba's original words.

Note 2: BABA'S PRABHAT SAMGIITA ABOUT DIIPA'VALI

Here is one of Baba's divine songs about Diipa'vali.

"Diipa'valii sa'ja'yechi prabhu..." (PS #63)

'Baba, my Beloved, by Your divine grace I have arranged a row of lamps in Your reception. Please grace me and come inside my heart always with newer and new form and dress. Please come inside my heart with Your gentle footsteps. Please come inside my mind with more song and dance. Baba by Your grace please radiate Your sweet and tender smile-- illumine my entire existence. Baba, by Your causeless grace please come in my world of ideation with rhythm and new effulgence--exuding Your charming vibration...'

*************************************** 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)

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