Psycho-Spiritual Channelisation – the Only Panacea

(Image from the recent visit of Dada Anudhyanananda and Didi Ananda Tapomaya in Florida)

What are psychic pabula? The word “psychic” means mental and “pabula” implies “mental objects” or “mental foods”. Communism and capitalism are essentially materialist philosophies. Both encourage a psychology of material attachment, which in turn encourages the pursuit of money, name, fame, etc. People living under either of these two systems develop the psychic pabula which run after crude physicalities. All these objective tendencies are the inevitable outcome of the continuous extroversial movement of psychic urges, insatiably driving themselves from one object to another. While running after such material attachments, the mind constantly creates objects in its objective chambers or citta bhumi. All these mental objects are mental food, and they are called psychic pabula.

Similarly, while engaged in physical or psycho-physical interactions, mind thrives on these pabula. When it changes its outlook and goal, its objects or pabula also change. So the human mind is continuously dragged in thousands of directions, creating innumerable objects within itself. These objects are nothing but psychic pabula (“pabula” are plural), always alluring and always detracting the mind. All these pabula grow out of psychic urges, psycho-physical demands, the reactive momenta of the mind and objectified environmental conditions.

A mind, driven by many psychic pabula is the prisoner of innumerable predicaments. In such a condition the human mind becomes extroversial, multi-directional, weak and static. It is propelled by the principle of selfish pleasure, which leads it down the path of counter-evolution. It always adopts an analytical approach to life, never a synthetic one. As people have to satisfy their unrestrained psychic pabula with limited objects of wealth, they often create interpersonal and inter-group conflicts. The collective psychology arising from many objectified human minds gives rise to social inequality, economic exploitation, political repression, religious bigotry, cultural perversion and the all-round degradation of the individual and society. Crude psychic pabula cause the degeneration of individual and collective mind, and thus bring about the downfall of the society.

So psychic urges must not be objectified nor should they be suppressed; rather they must be channelized towards the Supreme Desideratum through the proper psycho-spiritual approach. The Supreme Entity is always one – there is no room for duality in infinity. In the psycho-spiritual approach the goal of psychic urges is always singular. With constant spiritual practice, the mind, with its thousand propensities, becomes one-pointed and is goaded towards the Supreme Singular Entity. At this stage of advanced psycho-spiritual attainment, all the psychic urges with the many psychic pabula are channelled and converted into one psycho-spiritual pabulum – Cosmic Consciousness.

This inner channelisation and one-pointed conversion into psycho-spiritual pabulum brings about radical changes in individual and collective life. The psycho-spiritual approach makes a person deeply introversial, one-directional, strong and dynamic. It is inspired by the principle of social equality, leading it along the path of spiritual attainment. He or she always adopts a synthetic approach to life, never an analytical one. Such a magnanimous and devotional mind rises above petty quarrels and interpersonal and inter-group conflicts. Those imbibed with spiritual idealism are dedicated to the all-round elevation of humanity, free from the slavery of capitalism and the repression of communism, and established in the glory of Neohumanism.

With the smooth, natural and progressive channelisation of the psychic urges of the individual and collective mind towards the Supreme Entity, psychic pabula will be converted into psychospiritual pabulum. Then each person will be a Sadvipra, and the whole society will be a Sadvipra Samáj – an Ánanda Parivára. So the transformation of psychic pabula into psycho-spiritual pabulum is the only panacea.

( Extracted from the discourse of Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar given on October 1986 in Calcutta)

Discourses

Posted on February 23, 2016

“Let History be Rewritten” An Article by Shrii P.R. Sarkar

History has been written and is read – it was written in the past; it will be written in the future. But I suggest that in the writing of history there should be a radical change. The history written so far is a history of kings and monarchs. It should be thoroughly overhauled and completely rewritten – rewritten in the interest of humanity and the universal well-being of the human race. If the chronicles of history merely describe who succeeded to the throne and when, who plundered the neighbouring countries or kingdom, and who became a minister, they will be of no importance whatsoever, nor, indeed, of any interest to the common masses. If human beings are to profit from the study of the annals of history, they must reflect the weal and the woe, the hopes and aspirations of the masses.

The annals of human history should show which communities brought about which amount of progress and prosperity in which area of social life and in which part of the world – only such significant events are worthy of being recorded. History should also maintain special records of the trials and tribula tions which confronted human beings, how those trials and tribulations were overcome, how human beings tackled the numerous obstacles to effect greater social development, and so on. Only such history would I call the complete history or complete cultural history of the human race.

The history of the human race should be written according to the inherent special characteristics of human beings. Only then will we know how successful the human beings of the past were in developing their latent noble qualities, and how much they have progressed today. A handful of people out of millions may reach the pinnacle of progress and provide inspiration for thousands of others, but this will not benefit the entire human race. We will have to be particularly persevering to ensure that the special characteristics, that is the innate Dharma, of all people are fully developed. Some people may be dissatisfied with such a writing of history, but from this type of historical analysis people will gain inspiration and derive great strength to move ahead.

(extracted from Let History Be Rewritten 29 January 1980, Patna )

Italian Diary Archive Rewrites History from the Bottom Up through a Personal Story Commons

Discourses

Posted on January 12, 2016

Párthasárathi Krśńa and Sáḿkhya Philosophy by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti

In analysing Vraja Krśńa, we see that, being the embodiment of Parama Puruśa or Táraka Brahma, He is beyond the reach of philosophy. It is said:

Yato váco nivarttante aprápya manasá saha;
Ánandaḿ Brahmańo vidván má vibheti kutashcana.

[Brahma is the One from whom words and mind return disappointed, after failing to fathom Its depths. But one who has known the blissful nature of Brahma is not afraid of anything.]

“Words fail miserably to reach Him, and the mind is obliged to return after meeting the same fate.” Parama Puruśa is beyond the eloquence and fluency of language, so how can philosophy fathom His greatness?

Sáḿkhya philosophy contains the highest expression of intellect, but intellect, after all, is not everything. To reach the Supreme Entity, one must go beyond intellect and enter the realm of intuition.

Some people may say that Vraja Krśńa was comparatively easy to attain, for He mixed freely with the common people. Thus it may have been possible for Sáḿkhya philosophy to say something about Vraja Krśńa, but even then it could not. That shows that Parama Puruśa, though established in the human mind, cannot be grasped by the human prajiṋá [intellect].

This applies even more in the case of Párthasárathi Krśńa. Being a king, He did not have much contact with the masses, but was confined to the circle of kings and vassals. Judged in that perspective, it is even more difficult for philosophy to reach Párthasárathi than to reach Vraja Krśńa. It should be added that although Párthasárathi was a king, and thus beyond the reach of the common masses, mentally He was always with the people.

The word sárathi comes not only from Rathena saha, but also from the suffix i [imparting the sense of “offspring”]. That is, a sárathi is one who treats the chariot as his own child and thus takes constant precautions to ensure that it is not harmed in any way. One does not qualify as a sárathi merely by being able to drive a chariot.

Now, ratha does not only mean a horse-drawn chariot. What is its actual meaning?

Átmánaḿ rathinaḿ viddhi shariiraḿ rathameva tu;
Buddhintu sárathiḿ viddhi manah pragrahameva ca.

He is Párthasárathi because He encompasses the human intellect. [Buddhintu sárathiḿ: “the intellect is the sárathi.”] He supplies the human intellect with His intellect.

Human beings are not concerned only about their physical existence. Behind the struggle for the minimum necessities of life (food, clothes, education, medical treatment and shelter) works the mind, which, in its turn, draws inspiration from the átman. People in today’s world become fatigued by their wants and needs, attractions and aspirations, pleasures and pains, and weaknesses and imperfections. The One (as their charioteer) who leads them from the depths of darkness to the realm of brilliant light and strengthens them with divine inspiration, is Párthasárathi. Only He has the might to shoulder such an immense responsibility, only He has the requisite vital force and intellectual acumen. So how can philosophy describe His greatness?

Now, let us compare Párthasárathi Krśńa with Sáḿkhya philosophy. Sáḿkhya philosophy says that there are many puruśas and one Janya Iishvara. Now what relationship can one [special] puruśa have with jiivas [microcosms], with the world, and with Iishvara? From the microcosmic point of view, Párthasárathi is a mighty, vigorously active puruśa, who brings about radical changes in the lifestyles of human beings and imparts benevolent guidance to them. Sáḿkhya does not mention anything about such a Puruśa. According to Sáḿkhya, there are many puruśas – a separate puruśa in each jiiva. But Párthasárathi is not like that. Nor is He like the Janya Iishvara of Sáḿkhya philosophy, whose presence is [only] a necessity for the creation of the world. He is a superhuman personality as mighty as a meteor.

Párthasárathi is a great personality reflected in every word, in every direction, and in every divine expression of His Macrocosmic imagination. He is great because He is turning the vast chariot wheel of the Cosmos, He is guiding all things, all sentimental living entities. He is Táraka Brahma. He absorbs everything within His mind and guides humanity. What is the need for Him to guide and advise individual entities? Being Táraka Brahma, whatever He imagines mentally will take place accordingly in the outer world. He whose thoughts take the form of actions is called Cintámań⁽¹⁾ in the scriptures. Krśńa is Cintámańi. What was the need for Him to advise the Pandavas, to advise the Kaoravas, and to teach the Pandavas war strategy? Should He be considered like the unit puruśa as described by Sáḿkhya? No, certainly not, for it is impossible for the unit puruśa to think such grand thoughts, to make such powerful thought-projections. So since He is not Janya Puruśa, He is Cosmic Consciousness personified, why should He take the trouble to work in a planned way, advising people, teaching people lessons on the value of system? Why? Simply by thinking He could have materialized His goals. Why did He go out of the way to create a drama? The battle of Kurukśetra was a big drama. Why was it necessary? He could have thought, “Well, the Kaoravas are finished,” and the work would have been done. In fact, that is how things happened in the end, but only after staging a huge drama.

At the end of the war, Kurukśetra was turned into a burial ground. Gandhari, Dhritarastra and their one hundred widowed daughters-in-law came there to have a last look at the dead bodies of their nearest relatives. All wept profusely. Krśńa, Kunti, Draupadi and the Pandava brothers arrived on the other side of the battlefield for the same purpose. They too were weeping. It was indeed a heart-rending sight. While everyone was crying in deep sorrow Krśńa addressed Gandhari. “Mother, I beseech you not to weep,” He said. “Sometimes tragic calamities like this befall humanity; so lament not, O Mother.”

Gandhari was a noble lady of firm principles. A woman of integrity is called a satii. (In Sanskrit, the term sat means a virtuous man, whereas satii is used to describe a woman of integrity and pure character.) Both a maiden and a widow can be called satii nárii. Gandhari was a noble lady of high integrity. She was virtuosity par excellence. She was a princess of Gándhára, or Kandahar, a province of Afghanistan. When she was told that she would be married to Dhritarastra, who was born blind, she immediately blindfolded her eyes with a piece of cloth. Her contention was that as her husband was blind, she too should be blind. She removed the blindfold from her eyes only twice in her lifetime. The first time was on the eve of the Kurukśetra war when Dhritarastra instructed his one hundred insolent sons to go to her and ask for her blessing. “Go, my sons, to your mother. She is a lady of uncommon virtue,” he said. “Go to her and ask for her blessing.” They did according to their father’s bidding.

Now, one cannot bless others with closed eyes. Dhritarastra thought that Gandhari would surely take off her blindfold while blessing her sons, and that she being a satii nárii, blessing with her eyes open, the blessing would certainly be effective. Dhritarastra reminded his son Duryodhana that his arch-enemy was Bhima. He advised him, “My son, your mother being a satii nárii, if she casts a benevolent glance on your body, it will become as hard as a thunderbolt.” At that time Duryodhana was already a fully grown man, so he went to his mother wearing a loincloth, not completely undressed. The story goes that when Gandhari blessed him, his body grew as hard as a thunderbolt, except that portion covered by the cloth, which remained as soft as before. Krśńa alone knew this fact. At the end of the war, when Bhima was trying in vain to strike Duryodhana down, Krśńa signalled to Bhima to indicate the soft point on Duryodhana’s body where Bhima could deal a mortal blow with his mace. Bhima struck Duryodhana on that soft point and he died.

So Gandhari first removed her blindfold when blessing her sons. (As she was firmly committed to dharma, she did not say, “May you be victorious,” but proclaimed, Yato dharma tato Krśńah, yato Krśńah tato jayah – “Where there is dharma, there is Krśńa; where there is Krśńa, there is victory”. It was against her principles to pray for the victory of the impious. However, it is not our intention to analyse the character of Gandhari here, for I have already done that in Discourses on the Mahábhárata.)

And she removed the blindfold for the second time when the battlefield of Kurukśetra had become a burial ground. After Krśńa had spoken some words of consolation to Gandhari, she said, “O Krśńa, I know and admit that You are Táraka Brahma, that You are Parama Puruśa. If You had only wished something to happen, it would have certainly taken place accordingly. What then was the necessity of enacting such a bloody drama? It was totally unnecessary. You played the role of an ordinary man. You wrote the drama to serve as a lesson and inspire the common people. Yet you played the role of an ordinary man. Being Táraka Brahma, whatever You mentally imagine will take place accordingly. But no, You unnecessarily killed my sons and made my one hundred daughters-in-law widows. Had You only wished the victory of dharma, dharma would have been victorious.”

In Sáḿkhya philosophy this same question comes up. Since He was the vast Puruśottama, whatever He wished would have come to pass. Krśńa replied, “It is true that Parama Puruśa could do everything by mere wish. He could do everything without creating this world, without this Cosmos. But the drama of the Kurukśetra war was enacted to teach the common people that ultimately dharma always triumphs over adharma [injustice, unrighteousness]. It was meant for popular education. If Parama Puruśa were to accomplish everything by mere thought-projection, that would be hidden from people’s sight, and people would not learn anything from it. But when people see these events with their own eyes, they learn what should be done and what should not be done. Hence, the battle of Kurukśetra had to be conceived and dramatized. You, being an intelligent lady, certainly understand this.”

The bereaved Gandhari understood, but she threw back one more question. “I understand that You conceived of such a drama to educate the masses. But was it necessary to give my sons the roles of the adhármikas? You could have given the Pandavas the roles of the adhármikas, and my sons the roles of the dhármikas.”

The argument was irrefutable. Krśńa had no choice but to keep silent. Then Gandhari said, “Krśńa, I shall pronounce a curse on You. Accord me Your permission.” Before cursing Parama Puruśa, one should first take His permission. Krśńa said, “So be it.” Gandhari then uttered the curse, “Just as the Kuru princes perished before my very eyes, let the Yadava princes die in Your presence.” Krśńa said, Tathástu [“Let it be so”]. This very utterance, Tathástu, proves that Krśńa was not an ordinary puruśa.

There is a world of difference between the unit puruśa of Sáḿkhya philosophy and Táraka Brahma, Puruśottama, Párthasárathi. Whatever the latter did was to teach an important lesson to the common people for infinite time: that if one behaves like this, the results will be like that.

Mátulo yasya Govindah pitá yasya Dhanaiṋjayah;
Patito sah rańe viiro daevaḿ hi balavattaram.

[Even the great hero whose maternal uncle is Govinda (Lord Krśńa) and whose father is Dhanaiṋjaya (Arjuna) is killed in battle, because the decree of providence is mightier than anything.]

Nobody was spared, not even Abhimanyu, Krśńa’s nephew and Arjuna’s son, for in war between virtue and vice the sparks of fire fly out on all sides. Abhimanyu also had to sacrifice his life, because the drama was not designed to be one-sided. If an evil man falls on the battleground, the virtuous will also have to face some blows. It would not be natural for the virtuous to return from the battleground completely unscathed. Such an intricate plot and vast drama can only originate from a gigantic Puruśa – it is beyond the capacity of an ordinary puruśa. Thus Krśńa remains beyond the reach of Sáḿkhya philosophy.

One final point should be mentioned about Párthasárathi. It is a fact that although He mixed with kings, He thought more for the interests of the common people. The suffering of the masses, their plight and their struggles, were the object of His attention and consideration. Labouring hard, extending His personal influence, He made immense progress in advancing their welfare. He left us some 3500 years back, but He is still dearly loved and will continue to be loved by oppressed, suffering and struggling men and women.

Discourses

Posted on December 16, 2015

Yoga, Tantra, and Kevalá Bhakti

Today’s subject of discourse is “Yoga, Tantra and Kevalá Bhakti”. In the sphere of spiritual practice, yoga, Tantra and kevalá bhakti, all three, are essential for the realization of Parama Puruśa. We should not ignore any of the three, although [ultimately] Parama Puruśa can only be attained by dint of bhakti – rather, kevalá bhakti [non-attributional devotion].

Now let us see what yoga is.
The word yoga may be derived either from the Sanskrit root verb yuiṋj plus the suffix ghaiṋ, or from the root verb yuj plus the suffix ghaiṋ. When yoga is derived as yuj + ghaiṋ it means “addition,” such as “two plus two equals four.” But when yoga is derived as yuiṋj + ghaiṋ, it means “unification”. For example, when sugar and water are mixed together, they become one. Sugar loses its individual identity. This is the real yoga.(1)

And yoga has also three major definitions. One of them is Yogashcittavrttinirodhah. The expressions or propensities of the human mind are primarily enumerated as fifty. And secondarily they are considered as one thousand in number.(2) The mind survives because of these vrttis. If the vrttis become non-existent, the mind also loses its existence. According to Maharshi Patanjali [who gave the above definition], if the vrttis are suspended, if their expressions are withdrawn and the vrttis become functionless, at that stage the mind will enter into a state of non-manifestation, the mind will lose its outward expression, and this state will be called yoga.

Now let us see. If the mind ceases to express itself and altogether stops functioning, how can it unify itself with any other object? In the state of functionlessness, the mind is transformed into something crude. At that stage the mind will become like a desert where there is no flower or fruit. Now on the one hand yoga means unification, but here in the practical sphere there is nothing with which the mind can unify itself; hence Patanjali’s definition of yoga does not seem to be very rational.

There is yet another definition of yoga, Sarvacintáparityágo nishcinto yoga ucyate – “When the mind is absolutely free of thoughts, when the mind is completely thought-less, that state of mind is called yoga.” Now when a person is sleeping, not even dreaming, in that state the mind is free from thoughts; furthermore, when someone becomes unconscious, at that time also the mind remains free from any thought whatsoever. But that is not yoga. The question is, since the mind is not unified with anything, how can this be accepted as a definition of yoga?

However, there is yet a third definition, which does seem reasonable. Saḿyoga yoga ityukto jiivátmá Paramátmanah – “When the unit consciousness merges itself fully and is finally identified with the Supreme Consciousness, Shiva, that is called yoga.” Here the microcosmic drop merges into the vast ocean of Consciousness; the microcosm merges into the Macrocosm. This state of supreme union or merger is what is called yoga. What is the supreme goal in the life of a spiritual aspirant? To merge the individual existence into Parama Puruśa, Paramátman, the ocean of Macrocosmic Consciousness. This is the real yoga. A person who would endeavour continuously in his or her individual life to attain the Supreme Entity should know that [this] yoga is the only way to attain it. There is no doubt about that.

Now let us see what Tantra is, and what the relationship is between Tantra and yoga. Taḿ jádyát tárayet yastu sah tantrah parikiirtitah. The sound ta is the acoustic root of dullness.(3) So “the science or systematic process that liberates one from the bondage of dullness or lethargy is called tantra.” The word tra is derived from the Sanskrit root verb trae, plus d́a. Tra means liberator, so the liberator from ta, that is, dullness, is called tantra.

There is yet another definition of tantra. In Sanskrit there is a root verb tan, which means “to expand”. (From this root verb tan the word tanu is derived. Tanu literally means the growing body of a child. The human body continues to expand up till the age of thirty-nine; that is why a young body is called tanu. Tanu means “that which is expanding”. An old man’s body should not be called tanu; it should be called shariira, because an old man’s body does not expand, it decays.) So tantra means that which shows the way towards expansion and ultimately liberation.(4)

When the unit soul or unit mind transcends the barriers of limitation, and in the process becomes infinite, there remains no bondage of finitude. That is the state of liberation. One’s existence becomes one with Parama Puruśa. Here Tantra and yoga are in complete agreement. So we have established that the word tan means expansion.

Let me digress a little to explain further the significance of the term ta [derived from tan]. You know the Sanskrit name of India is Bháratavarśa. The root verb bhar means “to feed” or “to nourish”, and the root verb tan means “to expand”, “to grow”. So the entity whose function is to feed, to nourish, and then help to grow, is called bhárata. And thus the land which feeds its population and thereby helps in the physical, psychic and spiritual growth of that population is called Bháratavarśa. (Varśa means “land” or “country”.) Bháratavarśa is a land which facilitates gradual growth and finally leads to emancipation; in other words, the mind and the soul gradually expand, and the soul becomes one with the Universal Soul. And in the state of highest expansion, all the eight fetters and six enemies of the human mind, that is, all the external [externally-imposed] and internal enemies of the human mind, will cease to exist; and thus when the microcosms are free from all bondages, they cease to remain as microcosms and become one with Shiva [Supreme Consciousness]. In Tantra it is said, Páshabaddha bhavet jiivah pásha muktah bhavet Shivah – “Those who are bound by the fetters are jiiva [unit consciousness] but one who is free from the fetters is Shiva.”

So we see that as a practical matter there is no difference between yoga and Tantra. Yoga is a practical cult; Tantra is also a practical cult. There may be a slight difference in language, but there is no difference in practice.
Now we come to kevalá bhakti. What is bhakti, or devotion? Bhakti is defined as,

Bhaktir Bhagavato sevá bhaktih prema svarúpinii;
Bhaktiránanda rupá ca bhakti bhaktasya jiivanam.

[Bhakti is service to God; bhakti is the form taken by divine love; bhakti is the embodiment of bliss; bhakti is the life of the devotee.]

When spiritual aspirants advance towards Parama Puruśa by dint of the practice of yoga or Tantra, they develop an exclusive devotion towards Parama Puruśa. Ananyamamatá Viśńormamatá premasauṋgatá – “Spiritual aspirants withdraw their minds from all mundane objectivities, and with the same intention direct all their physical, psychic and spiritual propensities towards Parama Puruśa.” They remove their individualities, and accept Parama Puruśa as their nearest and dearest one. This is what is called exclusive love for God. This is called kevalá bhakti. And only in this stage does devotion reach its fruition or culmination.

The term bhakti is derived as bhaj + ktin. When all the propensities are withdrawn from all other objects and diverted towards the Supreme goal, this is called bhakti. You may have noticed that people sometimes establish some kind of devotional relationship with God out of selfishness. For that reason there are different gradations of devotion. For example, there is támasikii bhakti, static devotion. People sometimes wrongly pray to the Lord, “Such and such persons are my enemies. Let harm befall them.” Here the mind has a defective thought within. The ideation is related to Parama Puruśa, there is no doubt about that, but here the person does not want to attain Parama Puruśa, rather he wants Parama Puruśa to help him by harming his enemies. Here you are moving towards Parama Puruśa, you are even mentally speaking to Parama Puruśa, but to attain Parama Puruśa is not your goal. Under these circumstances, Parama Puruśa may or may not grant your prayers, but one thing is certain, you will not attain Parama Puruśa, because you do not really want Him. This type of devotion is called támasikii bhakti [static devotion]. A genuine spiritual aspirant should keep away from this type of static devotion, because it leads to degradation.

The second type of devotion is rájasikii bhakti [mutative devotion]. In this type of devotion, the mind moves towards Parama Puruśa, and there is devotion, no doubt, but the mind does not want to attain Parama Puruśa. Here the sádhaka prays to Parama Puruśa, “O Lord, grant me some kind of progress or financial achievement or a promotion in my job or more profit in business.” In this type of devotion you do not pray to Parama Puruśa to help you by harming your opponents – so far, so good – but still you do not want to attain Parama Puruśa, you also want something for yourself. And for this reason, you will not attain Parama Puruśa. This is no doubt a type of devotion, but it is not the best type of devotion.

Yet the third type of devotion is called sáttvikii bhakti [sentient devotion]. In this devotion you do not pray to Paramátmá to achieve anything. You do not want Him to harm your opponents, you do not expect anything from Him. This devotion is better in that sense. But there is still a defect inherent in this type of devotion. It is just like the prayer of an old man who feels that if he does not carry on his religious observances he is likely to be criticized by his neighbours. So he carries on his practices with that sort of devotion. Or sometimes a person prays to the Lord saying, “O Lord, I have been here on earth for a long time, I am faced with so many problems in life, now, O Lord, take me on Your lap.” Here the person who is praying wants the cessation of his or her worldly afflictions.

You cannot attain Parama Puruśa with this sort of prayer either, because at this stage you still do not say that you want Parama Puruśa to be your own. This will not serve the purpose. Only when the mind has an intense desire to attain Parama Puruśa alone, and nothing else, is it the highest devotion. This is called kevalá bhakti.

You can make an analogy. A little child is crying for its mother. But what does the mother do? She immediately rushes to the child and gives it a number of colourful toys. The child stops crying immediately. But if a persistent child insists that it does not want anything else but its mother, the mother is compelled to take the child on her lap. So the devotees with kevalá bhakti in their hearts do not ask Parama Puruśa for anything. Even if Parama Puruśa proposes to give them this or that, the aspirant will say, “No, Lord, I don’t want anything but You. I want to remain with you. What You are offering to me is a trivial thing; I want You and You alone, nothing else.”

Now even within this ideal state of devotion there is a gradation. Even those who have this sort of ideal devotion may think that they will worship Parama Puruśa because by worshipping him they may be able to enjoy bliss. So here also there is some slight selfishness, because one shows devotion to Parama Puruśa with an expectation of attaining some bliss thereby. This sort of devotion with a slight tinge of selfishness is call ráganugá bhakti. Although it is one of the higher categories of devotion, it is not altogether free from a tinge of selfishness.

There is yet another type of devotion, which is free from even this tinge of selfishness. It is [the highest kind of] kevalá bhakti, [the highest kind of] non-attributional devotion. Here the devotee says, “I serve Him, I worship Him, because I want Him to get bliss from my devotion or service or worship. I don’t want anything for myself. I want Him to enjoy the bliss.” This type of devotion is called rágátmiká bhakti, and the type of devotee having this sort of non-attributional devotion is called a gopa.

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.”

Now we see that in the proper spirit of the terms there is no difference between yoga and Tantra, and that both yoga and Tantra strengthen the aspect of devotion in the human heart. The cult of yoga and Tantra strengthens and nourishes the devotional aspect in a spiritual aspirant. This cult has been called in the scriptures puśt́hi márga, because the practice of this cult nourishes [puśt́hi means “nourishment”] the latent devotional faculty within spiritual aspirants. The highest stage of this puśt́hi márga is rágátmiká bhakti, and Parama Puruśa is attainable by this rágátmiká bhakti. He is not attainable by the vanity of jiṋána or the restlessness of karma.(5) He is attainable by devotion; there is no other way to attain him.

Footnotes

(1) Yoga should be pronounced [“joga”], not [“yoga”], according to the rule Padánte padamadhyasthe ya-kára [i]ya ucyate – “If ya occurs at the beginning of a word, it is pronounced [‘ja’], but if in the middle or at the end, [‘ya’].” So yoga should be pronounced [“joga”], not [“yoga”], but viyoga should be pronounced [“viyoga”], not [“vijoga”].
(2) The basic fifty vrttis may be expressed in ten directions (or through the ten organs – five sensory and five motor), and both internally and externally, for a total of one thousand (50 x 10 x 2). –Eds.
(3) In whatever exists in this universe, or whatever action is performed, there is a sonic expression. When people laugh they produce a sound, há-há-há. When they walk they make a sound, khat́-khat́-khat́. And thus for every action there is an accompanying sound or sound expression. To denote an existence also there is a sound expression. You exist: therefore wherever there is light, wherever there is an acoustic wave, these come and dash against you and get reflected. The reflection also has an accompanying sound expression and an accompanying colour expression. The accompanying sound expression is called the acoustic root, in Sanskrit biija mantra. Thus dullness is a psychic propensity, and ta is the acoustic root of that psychic propensity. Ta is also a letter of the dental group.
(4) Sanskrit that was unclear in the original magazine publication of this discourse omitted here. –Eds.
(5) Jiṋána, karma and bhakti are forms of spiritual practice which emphasize, respectively, discrimination, selfless action, and devotion. –Eds.

17 November 1979 DMC, Etah

Posted on August 28, 2015

The Human Body Is a Biological Machine

Human existence or any other biological existence is goaded by the propensive propulsion of the psyche. Let me explain why the human body is a biological machine and goaded by propensities.

The physical body is not yours. It belongs to another Entity who has placed the mind in this body, so now you think, “It is my body.” The mind has been authorized to use this body, so the mind is thinking, “It is my body.” The átman [unit consciousness] is watching, witnessing what the mind is thinking. If the átman stops watching, the mind will stop working. So what is the science by which the biological machine is being goaded?

There are ten indriyas [organs] – five jiṋánendriyas [sensory organs] and five karmendriyas [motor organs] – and one antahkarańa [internal faculty]. The sensory and motor organs are bahihkarańa [external organs]. Antahkarańa is directly associated with the body. It is one intrinsic portion of the mind itself. It is by dint of this portion that the mind feels the emptiness of the stomach, and thereby hunger. Once the stomach becomes empty, the mind starts searching for food, and this is expressed through the physical actions of the body. So there are two portions – antahkarańa and bahihkarańa. One consists of an intrinsic portion of the mind itself, and the other of the ten organs – five sensory organs and five motor organs.

The propensive propulsion comes from antahkarańa. The origin or source of the propulsion is antahkarańa. Antahkarańa is made of the conscious and subconscious portions of the mind – thinking, memory, etc., all belong to antahkarańa. Antahkarańa is doing these things. Now, whenever antahkarańa does something, the physical body is activated accordingly. The body is also transformed accordingly. Thus, this biological machine is goaded by propensive propulsion.

The Inner Significance of the Mahábhárata

In Sanskrit there are six main directions – north, south, east, west, up and down – which are called disha or pradisha. There are also four corners – northwest, southwest, southeast and northeast, termed iishána, agni, váyu and naerta respectively – which are collectively called anudisha. So four plus six makes ten.

Now, the mind is blind. With the help of the viveka [conscience] it is able to see and visualize. So the mind is Dhritarastra [the blind king of the Mahábhárata], and its forces – that is, the ten agents, the bahihkarańa – can work in ten directions simultaneously. So the mind has ten by ten or one hundred external expressions. Or in other words, Dhritarastra has one hundred sons.

What about the Pandavas [five brothers of the Mahábhárata]? They are the five fundamental factors in the human structure. Sahadeva is the solid factor represented by the múládhára cakra (capable of answering everything). Next is Nakula at the svádhiśt́hána cakra. Nakula means “water which flows having no boundaries”. Na means “no” and kula means “boundaries” – the liquid factor. Next is Arjuna, the representation of energy or force, luminous at the mańipura cakra – always fighting to maintain balance. Then Bhiima, the son of Pandu, is váyu, the aerial factor, at the anáhata cakra. Finally, the position of Yudhisthira is at the vishuddha cakra where matter ends and the other world starts.

So in the fight between materialists and spiritualists, in the struggle between matter and the sublime, Yudhisthira remains undisturbed, unperturbed. Yudhi sthirah Yudhiśt́hirah [“One who remains steady in battle is called ‘Yudhiśt́hira’”].

Krśńa is at the sahasrára cakra. Now when the kuńd́alinii [sleeping divinity] is awakened, rises and reaches the shelter of Krśńa with the help of the Pandavas, the jiiva [unit being] merges in Cosmic Consciousness. The Pandavas are rescuing the jiiva and bringing it to the shelter of Krśńa.

Sanjaya is the minister of Dhritarastra. Sanjaya is viveka. Dhritarastra is asking Sanjaya, because he cannot see by himself, “Oh, Sanjaya, tell me, in the battle of Kurukśetra and Dharmakśetra, what did my party [and that of the Pandavas] do? How did they fare?”

The hundred sons of Dhritarastra, the blind mind, are trying to control the jiiva, which is being rescued by the Pandavas through a constant fight. Finally, being triumphant, they bring the jiiva to the shelter of Krśńa. This is the inner significance of the Mahábhárata.

Kurukśetra is the world of action, the external world, which is asking you to work and work. Work is the order. Kuru means “work”. [And kśetra means “field”.] Dharmakśetra is the internal psychic world. Here the Pandavas dominate.

The Scope of Bio-Psychology

Now, suppose a sub-gland just below the mańipura cakra is activated which makes a sádhaka [spiritual aspirant] free from shyness. At a later stage the shyness is increased by pressing the same point in a different manner. When one is free of shyness, one can do any activity without any hindrance and move anywhere without any psychic complex. When one is overcome with shyness one’s face becomes red, a physical change, and one will not be able to perform many actions, even though the mind wants to act. So the human structure is controlled by the glands and sub-glands, thus it is a biological machine. Under-secretion and over-secretion of the same gland will bring this machine under different types of impulses and defects.

I want you all to acquire high proficiency in such capabilities through sádhaná [spiritual practices] and learn practically how to control this biological machine through the control of the glands and sub-glands.

Bio-psychology may be divided into several classes – human psychology; the psychology of creatures which stand upon two legs, for example, orang-utans; the psychology of other beings [including monkeys, quadrupeds and other developed animals]; the psychology of reptiles which move through the pressure of the chest but cannot fly; the psychology of flying creatures, that is, birds; and then the psychology of multicellular protozoa, unicellular protozoa, multicellular metazoa and uni-cellular metazoa. These are the main groups or classes.

Human beings are guided and goaded by a common psychology. There may be some exceptions due to certain biological anomalies; that is, biological exceptions must be there; but otherwise all humans are guided by a common human psychology. Ram, Shyam, Mohan, Yadu, Madhu – all are of the same or similar biological structure. So they have to be guided by the same psychic rules, they have to follow the same psychic characteristics, the same wonts, and the same psychic merits and demerits.

What is goading? There are three terms – “direct guidance”, “guiding” and “goading”. Direct guidance is without any application of force. You want someone to go with you and they go. “Guiding” means making some effort to bring someone along the path of your choice. “Goading” means compelling someone to move and act according to your desire. That is, it means to push or to move by the application of force.

Suppose an old man and a young man are arguing, and the young one says tauntingly to the old one, “You are a number one fool. You have no wits. You are a worthless, useless chap!” The old man replies, “What! What did you say? Is it so? Is it so? Have you no manners? Are you now about to teach me manners?” The young one responds, “Yes, yes, sure!” This is an example of common human psychology, of natural human reaction.

Now, suppose certain sub-glands in the elder man’s chest around the anáhata cakra are activated. Then, instead of arguing, his response will become calmer, and not so serious and grave. He will become quieter and not so irritated. In this case, in the attached nerve cells and nerve fibres, certain changes will have been brought about in the glands and sub-glands of the chest portion of the body. By properly activating the controlling point of a human sentiment, the response has changed.

Thus, due to biological change, the psychological reaction or reflection will change. For this biological transformation, one should practise a spiritual cult which changes the human nerve cells and nerve fibres attached to those portions, and brings about changes in the hormonal secretions causing psychological changes. So, through the practice of a spiritual cult, changes come about in the nerve cells and nerve fibres.

You should all learn the various psychologies of the different groups. You should learn about human psychology in particular, and about non-human animate psychologies. Though inanimate objects – gold, silver, iron, etc. – do not have psychology, they have characteristics. That is, each and every entity, animate and inanimate, has its own particular psychology or characteristic. When coming in contact with different entities, animate and inanimate, you should act according to the knowledge of their psychology or characteristics.

By spiritual cult, spiritual sádhaná, you may bring about certain changes in your nervous system, nerve cells and nerve fibres, control the secretions of the hormones from different glands and sub-glands, and become elevated. By this process of elevation a person becomes superhuman and goes beyond the periphery of the common human psychology. Otherwise, the general rule is there. Here lies the necessity of spiritual practice. Without spiritual practice there cannot be such a change.

The main purpose of human beings coming here to this earth is to do spiritual practice. One is to render social service, one is to learn, one is to go through books, one is to help others, one is to do anything and everything just to encourage and accelerate the process of sádhaná. Sádhaná is the main theme of life. Whatever you do in the world, you should do it with a view to promote your sádhaná and help the sádhaná of others. Human beings come to earth to practise sádhaná, to move closer to Iishvara, the Supreme Goal – to come closer to Parama Puruśa [Supreme Consciousness]. Thus, the deeds of human beings will not be like the deeds of animals. Whatever human beings will do, they will do in such a manner that the progress in their sádhaná will go on accelerating.

Biological Structure

This biological machine is of great help and assistance to humans. That is, you can perform spiritual sádhaná with this biological structure because it is a biped structure. Bipeds are humans, orang-utans, chimpanzees and gorillas. Monkeys are also bipeds but they cannot stand erect. Their position is in between bipeds and quadrupeds. You will find that by proper training, orang-utans will start to enjoy smoking like humans. Have you seen this in the zoo? They will smoke cigarettes, break coconuts and drink [coconut] water. By further training they will easily come closer to humans. So these creatures are guided and goaded by biped psychology. (Pedis is Latin and means “concerning the foot”; the [Latinate] adjective is “pedal”. “Pedestrian” means “one who walks with the feet”.) This is pedal psychology, not human psychology.

The human biological structure and nervous system are more developed than those of other bipeds. Tailless apes such as chimpanzees, orang-utans and gorillas are less developed than human beings because their backbones contain tail bones. The human backbone does bear a tail bone, just at the bottom of the spine, but it curves inside rather than protruding outside the human body. The tail of a monkey protrudes outside its body. During the first four months of pregnancy, a human foetus begins to develop a tail which grows at the same rate as the body; after four months the rate of growth of the tail is slower than that of the rest of the body. This continues up to eight months. After eight months the tail goes inside the body of the unborn baby and is not externally visible. The foetus now has all the features of a human being. This is one of the main differences between the biological structure of human beings and that of other bipeds.

If a baby is born prematurely there is a risk that it may die. If the parents live in an isolated rural area and are unable to provide proper medical attention for their baby, it may be wrapped in cotton collected from the shimul tree [silk cotton tree, Bombax ceiba L.] and kept in a wooden cot for two months. The cotton should be soaked in pure ghee and changed regularly. This simple arrangement will provide a congenial environment for the baby to grow healthy and strong.

Chimpanzees, orang-utans and gorillas are all tailless apes, but their backbones bear larger tail bones inside their bodies than those of human beings. Human beings have only one tail bone inside their bodies, but the tailless apes have more than one, all inside the body, so they cannot stand erect like human beings. They have to bend a bit, so their posterior portion is bigger than that of humans. The cranium – a container made of bones for the brain – of tailless apes is a bit smaller than that of humans, so tailless apes have fewer nerve cells in the brain. In the case of humans, the rate of growth of the foetus is faster in the second four months of pregnancy, but in the same period the tail grows at a comparatively slower rate. In the case of tailless apes, the tail bone continues to grow at the same rate as the foetus. After birth tailless apes have to bend forward to keep balance. Animals with tails have to bend still further forward due to the weight of the tail, so they cannot stand for a long time.

Tailless apes, because of the absence of tails, are guided by biped psychology. Animals with tails are also guided by biped psychology, but their brains are smaller. Due to the larger tail, the cranium grows smaller thus the brain grows smaller, and so their psychology will not be the same as that of tailless bipeds. Tailless apes can be taught sádhaná after some effort. The tailed bipeds will not be able to do sádhaná like the tailless bipeds because the backbone of the tailed bipeds, containing the controlling points of the five fundamental factors, does not come in one line. The controlling points fall on a curved line, hence they cannot perform sádhaná properly.

Mono-sided, straight or erect beings can perform sádhaná very well because all the five controlling points of the fundamental factors fall on a straight line. In these creatures the cranium containing the brain is a bit bulky at the back, indicating that the brain is large enough to perform sádhaná easily. You see how fortunate you are to have a human biological structure. You have got a human frame. Humans should be obliged to Supreme Consciousness for this favour. There is yet another thing. In the case of tailed bipeds, the front legs [the arms], are not fully utilized for walking. They are used more for catching objects. In the case of humans, they are never used for walking. In the case of monkeys, often they are used for walking as well as catching. So, in any case, monkeys can never be equal to humans, even if their tail is severed from the body. The body of a monkey will always remain tilted forward. So it is a great advantage to have a human body. Sukrtaermánavo bhútvá jiṋániicenmokśamápnuyát [“People are born as human beings due to their past good saḿskáras, but to attain non-qualified liberation they will have to attain self-knowledge.”]

The art of attaining self-knowledge is complete self-surrender. You cannot challenge Parama Puruśa with your intellect and talent. You can challenge Him with one thing only. That is, you must say, “Oh, Parama Puruśa, You have brought me to this earth, so You will have to appear before me, because I am in a human body which I have attained by virtue of Your grace.”

Because tailed bipeds have a tail, they can run faster than human beings – their running speed is increased. If the tail is added to the two hind and the two fore legs, tailed bipeds have five legs. The four legs are actually supported by the tail, which works as the fifth leg. Thus monkeys can run faster than bipeds. If monkeys walk on two legs only like bipeds, they will walk more slowly than human beings. If a monkey walks on four legs, it will move faster than a human being. And if it takes the help of its tail, it will be able to jump from one tree to another and its speed will be greatly enhanced.

The speed of movement is increased with the help of the lymphatic glands. In human beings the lymphatic glands are located at the joints of the arms and of the legs, and also at various other places. Depending upon the hormonal secretions of these lymphatic glands, one acquires the capacity to jump. Can humans jump as much as monkeys even after strenuous effort? Humans cannot even run like them. All this is due to the lymphatic glands. When the lymphatic glands in the armpits and leg joints are activated, hairs start to grow in those parts of the human body. If you find an absence of hair, it indicates that the lymphatic glands are underdeveloped, and that the individual will have less jumping capacity.

Suppose a youth begins to run like a monkey using his hands and legs. He continues to run, now imagining he has a tail. Running becomes easier for him. Next, suppose his lymphatic glands are activated and running becomes more enjoyable because his lymphatic glands are producing significantly more hormones – not as much as monkeys but much more than ordinary human beings. Biologically he is very close to a monkey. Now, suppose his lymphatic glands return to normal. His body feels that it is a bit heavier than it was during the monkey demonstration, and he will not be able to jump as freely. He has become a gentleman again!

Take the example of male and female eunuchs. Generally the cranium of a female is smaller than that of a male. If you see the skull of a female skeleton, you will notice that the upper portion of the skull is smaller. Those who are eunuchs by birth have still smaller craniums. If, by biological processes, a eunuch is transformed into a male or female, he or she will suffer from headaches for the rest of his or her life. He or she cannot get rid of them because it is due to a shortage of nerve cells in the brain. If a male becomes a female by biological processes, he will not suffer from headaches as such; he will have no difficulty. But if a female becomes a male, she will suffer difficulties because the cranium is smaller; that is, the brain is smaller. It is a matter of biological importance that humans have done nothing in this direction so far.

Socio-Economic Theories

So you see that the human body is a biological machine. Your social service, your socio-economic theories, your political life and your cultural life must be guided and goaded towards the Supreme Self by keeping this fact in mind. If this is done, selfishness will not arise in the human mind and there is no chance of damaging society. But political parties and socio-economic organizations forget this fact, so instead of serving the world they guide it adversely.

In the case of the Communist Party, for example, this is exactly what has happened. This is what happened to the whole world – great damage. Why? They had no spiritual cult, no spiritual goal. Thus, as long as communism exists on this earth, the world will continue to suffer. Communism has to go immediately without any delay, or it is to be removed. This is the demand of humanity. Otherwise a great danger looms over human society.

What is the social impact or aspect of an economic theory – positive or negative? If it is positive, what is its effect? If it is negative, what is its effect?

The human body or human existence is a biological structure goaded by psychology, by certain vrttis [propensities]. Similarly, socio-economic life is a biological structure goaded by psychic urges and the different psycho-physical propensities; that is, it is goaded by psychology. So socio-economic life is also a biological structure. It has to obey certain norms and rules. So I say that the socio-economic structure of society is a biological structure goaded by psychic urges.

When Karl Marx said that property should be owned by the state, by communes, he went against human psychic passion and urge. Both our socio-economic life and the human biological structure are goaded by psychic urges – by fundamental psychic urges – by psychology. Collective social life – socio-economic theory – and the human biological structure are both goaded by psychology, psychic urges, and psycho-physical passions and propensities. These cannot be ignored, they cannot be neglected.

Our ambitions are something that push us from within to fulfil the demands of certain urges which have some clear-cut pabula. Urge is there; the initial sentiment, that is, the inborn instinct, is there. At the same time, there are certain fundamental socio-psycho-physical demands, passions and propensities. One must not forget this.

All socio-economic theories propagated in the past ignored this fundamental requirement of humans beings, and that is why they failed. Marxism is one such theory. This is the reason why it failed, but its failure is not a distinct or special case. The approach of socio-economic theories should not go against the approved structure of human requirements. Now those who once supported communism are themselves finding the reasons for the failure of Marxism and one of its branches, Euro-communism.

The spiritual thirst, the spiritual hunger, is also one of the subtle passions, the subtle propensities, of the human mind. In the múládhára cakra there are four propensities – dharma [psycho-spiritual longing], artha [psychic longing], káma [physical longing] and mokśa [spiritual longing]. So spiritual longing is a fundamental human urge.

Human beings cannot go against or deviate from the recognized path of the One who controls the thought-waves of the universe (Iishvara) – the recognized path or mainstream of human life. They cannot. For all theories, for all practices, for all cults – one cannot deviate from this fundamental path.

Urge is called utcetaná in Sanskrit. [Someone with an urge will set aside all obstacles and move ahead.] Suppose a man tells his friend that he wants to go to Calcutta, but his friend objects. If the man does not listen to any of these objections, pushes his friend aside and leaves for Calcutta, it is called “urge”.

Passion is called utvrtti in Sanskrit. [One who has a passion will threaten to take or even take physical action against those who place obstacles before him, and then move ahead.] If the man threatens his friend for trying to prevent him from going to Calcutta, it is called “passion”. Propensity is called vrtti in Sanskrit. If the man asks his friend to accompany him to Calcutta because he has many desires and hopes that can only be fulfilled there, it is called vrtti.

Sentiment is called bhávapravanatá in Sanskrit. If the friend says, “Why do you want to go to Calcutta when it is always water-logged and congested? It will adversely affect your health. Listen to reason!” but still the man goes, this is called “sentiment”.

The human psyche is guided by these four aspects. Socio-economic theory and cult have to adjust with them.

Take an example. The psychology of farmers is such that under normal circumstances they will never sell their land. Whenever a farmer donates a piece of land to someone it is usually out of pressure of circumstances or adherence to a high ideal. So any philosophy that preaches that all land belongs to the state goes against this basic aspect of human psychology. This is how the teachings of communism go against fundamental human psychology. Similarly, if a farmer is told by the authorities to give one thousand kilos of rice from his fields, he may give them, but if he is told to give them from his home, his wife may only give one hundred kilos. This is because she is accustomed to staying around the home, so her world is very small. Her psychology is also different from that of the authorities. So, although various groups of people have their own psychology, a socio-economic theory should not go against the fundamentals of human psychology.

You have got a human body. Make the best utilization of it. Forget everything of the past from this very moment.

Bigŕi jiivan anek hi sudhari janam áj
Jay Rám ki Rám japu tulsi taju ku samáj.

[Many of my past lives have gone in vain, but now my life is rectified. I will dedicate myself to the lotus feet of Rama and work for Rama, leaving all worldly attachments.]

This is for every one of you – the younger ones as well as the older ones. Go on working in such a way that you give your proper worth to society, and you bring about the actual evolution of humanity. Be a devotee of humanity as well as a devotee of Parama Puruśa. Let victory be with you.

20 July 1990, Calcutta

Posted on August 28, 2015

The Future of Civilization

Modern minds are often perplexed by the fear and doubt of the extinction of the human race within a short period. People deem that civilization is passing through a very critical phase and there is no possible escape from its total annihilation. But this can’t happen.

Both individuals and society are dependent on three factors for their existence, viz., Asti, Bhati and Ananda. Dwelling place, food, clothing, education and medical facilities are the sine qua non for Asti or existence. The term Bhati means Vibhati or development and progress. The mere earthworm for instance, has existed for hundreds of millions of years, yet it does not signify existence in the true sense of the term. That is to say, there has to be Bhati, progress and development. Eating, drinking and being merry cannot represent a true life. It would be an encumbrance, a boredom.

For the all-round development of an individual or a society a goal is needed. But for this determined goal the direction and purpose of development will remain confused. A bud blooms into a flower; this is what you may call its development. The purpose of Bhati or development is the attainment of Ananda or bliss. The term Ananda connotes infinite happiness, the equipoise of pleasure and pain, the perfect mental peace.

The absence of any of the aforesaid factors may cause a great consternation or convulsion in individual or social life. The earth came into existence tens of millions of years ago. Though from the archaeological point of view it is still in its infancy, one day or the other it is bound to meet its Waterloo. This will naturally mean the extinction of the human race. Is it so?

The destruction of a particular planet or solar system does not mean the end of the human race. There are numerous other stars and planets in the universe. With further development of science and by the help of inter-planetary rocket systems, human beings will move to other planets. What is a dream today will become a reality tomorrow. It is the inherent desire of an individual and the collective body which takes a concrete shape. It was an age-old desire of human beings to fly in the sky like birds. The aeroplane was a product of this desire. Desire is the mother of action. In coming days, you will see such rockets which may enable human beings to travel to other planets. And if one day these planets and stars also perish people will move to other planets. It may also be argued that a day may come when due to constant radiation of heat and light the temperature of the entire universe may become the same, that is, the thermal death of the universe may occur. In the absence of external heat the universe may cease to exist. This means that humanity will also perish. But it can’t happen. There can’t be a thermal death of the universe. The solidification of the object will result in Jadasphota. Tremendous heat will be released due to the Jadasphota or exploding apart of a particular planet, and new galaxies and stars will be formed out of it. There is therefore, no cause to fear. The earth may one day become extinct but humanity can’t cease to exist. You can rest assured of Asti.

Numerous factors are needed for the development of a group of people. But the following six are the most important of them.

There should be a spiritual ideology in the life of both the individual and the collective body. Much of your energy is misused due to the ignorance of your own self and the destination towards which you are moving. This misuse of energy is bound to cause destruction.

The second factor for the progress of society is spiritual cult, a Sádhaná process. Everyone has got a physical structure. The problem with every individual is to produce more and more ectoplasmic stuff by the body and then to convert it into consciousness. There should be a proper process for this conversion. Spiritual cult consists of the conversion of the five rudimental factors into ectoplasmic stuff and then into consciousness through a special scientific process. This is a process of metamorphosis. Spiritual cult therefore, is indispensable. But only spiritual ideology and spiritual philosophy will not do.

The third factor which is a blending of Asti and Bhati is a socio-economic theory. There should be a priori knowledge regarding the social structure, the distribution of wealth and its growth. For want of this knowledge there can’t be a solid ground for the construction of the social edifice.

The fourth one is social outlook. All living creatures in this manifest universe are the children of the same Cosmic Entity. They are the progeny of the same Supreme Progenitor. Naturally they are bound in a thread of fraternal relations. This is the central spirit. A socio-economic theory is of no use but for this fraternal feeling. The implementation of this theory is an impossibility without Sádhaná.

The fifth factor for the progress of society is for it to have its own scripture. There is a need for the company of elevated persons (satsauṋga) in all spheres of life.

The authority whose contact means satsauṋga for you is the shástra. That which elevates society by dint of sháśana is called . We should have a shástra of our own. The last but not the least important factor for the progress of society is for it to have its own preceptor.

The entire social structure is dependent on these six factors. Bhati is meaningless without them. The weakness of one among them may jeopardize the very existence of Bhati.

From ancient times many groups of people came into existence. Some of them somehow managed to drag on, some became extinct and some continued to exist in a metamorphosed form. About one thousand five hundred years ago, Arabs were very developed in science. But they were defeated by the Islamic wave, for they were lacking in the six aforesaid factors, while the latter had at least five of them. The same is the case with Egypt. It was fully developed in the spheres of art, architec ture and science. It is the Egyptians who made the pyramids which needed subtle geometrical knowledge. Moreover, they were also very advanced in the sphere of civilization. Despite this, they could not prevent their defeat. Today’s Egypt is the Egyptian form of Arab civilization. The cause of the death of its older form was the lack of the aforesaid six factors.

The Christian or Roman civilization was also considerably higher on the ladder of development. Yet they were lacking in social outlook. There were no feelings of fraternity and equality. The slave system was rampant and human feelings were on the wane. Furthermore, the lack of a proper socio-economic theory generated a kind of fascist mentality in them. Those rolling in luxury and adverse to labour became indolent. Naturally they were defeated by a stronger and more strenuous force. The destruction of the Greek and Chinese civilizations was also caused by the lack of the factors of Bhati. The Aryans could defeat the indigenous Indians only due to the latter’s lacking in the factors of Bhati. They had several factors of Bhati but there was no preceptor and hence they were defeated.

In the future also, for want of the six factors of Bhati, the extinction of a concerned group of people is sure to happen. But where these factors are present, there the movement is to wards Ananda or divine bliss, and due to this movement the chance of their elimination becomes nil. Such groups which have the six factors in their possession will be able to produce Sadvipras. Sadvipras are those whose all efforts are directed towards the attainment of Ananda. They are also conscious of Asti and don’t lack in the six factors of Bhati. They are strong in morality and are always ready to wage war against immoral activities.

Tapah Siddhi is an impossibility without the six factors of Bhati. Those who strictly adhere to the principles of morality, are ensconced in Tapah, and are ready to wage a war against immoralists are sadvipras. Only those Sadvipras are safe from destruction and extinction who can work for the welfare of the human society. Therefore, it becomes the prime duty of all people to make themselves and others Sadvipras. By Sadvipra it is not meant those who practice Mala-Jap or Práńáyám. In Práńáyám also there are three stages – Purak means to inhale; Kumbhak which is to hold the breath and recak which to exhale. The Práńáyám of the Sadvipras will be to inhale the entire universe in Purak, to keep it within in Kumbhak and then to exhale it after mixing it with their own greatness and good will in Recak.

Sadvipras will wage a ceaseless struggle against immorality and all sorts of fissiparous tendencies. Those who pose as Dharmic but are bashful with the spirit of fight cannot be called Sadvipras. Shiva was great because his Trishul was always ready to strike at the immoralists. Krishna was great because his arrows were meant to curb the anti-human and immoral elements. He also encouraged the moralists to wage war against the immoral ists. They were not only Sadvipras but also the parents of Sadvipras – the great Sadvipras.

These Sadvipras are always busy in the task of promoting the elevation of human beings. When this earth will become old they will lead human beings to other planets by directing scientific endeavours.

Some people fear that atom or megaton bombs may one day cause the extinction of the human race. But such fears are ill-conceived and meaningless. It is human intellect which is responsible for their production and so naturally intellect is superior to its products. It may one day invent such weapons which may render ineffective even atom or megaton bombs. The cry for disarmament, therefore, will strengthen the destructive capacity of the atom bombs. It may lead humanity towards it total annihilation. It is, therefore, a great obstruction, an impediment in the progressive development of the human society. We need more powerful weapons than atom or hydrogen bombs. Sadvipras will manufacture such powerful weapons. If the human race is to survive, if millions of innocent lives are to be saved, it becomes the duty of the apostles of peace to utilize more powerful weapons than what they have at present.

Sadvipras will never lag behind in making scientific experiments. When the earth will become uninhabitable for human beings they will shift them to other planets.

Food shortage is not a new problem. Only Sadvipras and not the politicians and experts can save the world from it. They will produce such tablets which will be substitutes for food grains. By making a useless fuss over problems one will not ease the trouble. The spirit to fight against all odds alone can solve the problems confronting human beings. March ahead and wage war against all difficulties, every impediment. Victory is sure to embrace you. Difficulties and encumbrances cannot be more powerful than your capacity to solve them. You are the children of the great Cosmic Entity. Be a Sadvipra and make others Sadvipras also.

Posted on August 25, 2015

Mysticism and Spirituality

Those who have established themselves in their spiritual being through the practice of spiritual cult are the real human beings. Others, who do not move on the subtler and sublime path of spirituality, and behave like animals, are humans only in name. Human beings alone have the privilege to do sádhaná (meditation). Animals, because of their intellectual deficiencies, are unable to adhere to the spiritual cult.

Animals are guided by instincts. They do not know the why and the how of things. Human beings, on the other hand, are led by the mind.

Animals cannot go beyond their instincts. In case of [great] intellectual clash, however, the animal mind, like the human, gets subtilized. This is generally found to occur with those animals who remain in contact with humans. But the development that is discernible in this case is not spiritual, it is simply intellectual. Dogs and monkeys who are trained, for instance, can be made a bit [more intelligent] than other ones.

Human beings, on the other hand, have the capacity to develop even in the spiritual realm. Those who do not pay heed to this special gift are animals, nay, even worse than animals. Animals are unable to make efforts for their spiritual development, whereas humans do have this ability. You cannot call a beggar a miser, for the beggar has no money to donate. If a moneyed person, on the other hand, hesitates to donate, that person is presumably a miser.

The human is sometimes described as a rational animal. Such a view does not seem consistent. A human cannot be an animal. In the Cosmological order, at one particular stage of development a unit is called an animal; at another particular point it is inanimate; and at another particular point it is a plant. Therefore, it does not behove to call a human a rational animal, for in that case the human can also be called a rational stone. When in the process of psycho-physical development, the physical structure becomes complicated, and the psychic structure also develops to the extent that it starts controlling the physical body, you call that particular phase human.

In the creation of the universe, the consciousness that is existing as the Nucleus of the triangular Basic Principle is the Supreme Father, the Basic Cognition.(1) The avidyá shakti (force of nescience) that is working with the Basic Cognition as the Operative Principle, but is not yet manifested, is called the Basic Principle. There is no expression in the Basic Principle, neither physical nor psychic. She is active but there is no effect [or any creation] of operative nature. Expression does not occur so long as there is proper equilibrium between the Basic Principle and the Basic Cognition. When they lose their balance, a theoretical expression takes place as a sequel. In this stage it is called the Primordial Principle. The Primordial Principle is something theoretically manifest. It does not fall within the periphery of experience, due to the equilibrium of Shiva and Shakti [Basic Cognition and Basic Principle], but it is theoretically well established.(2)

It does not seem proper to attribute… to such a state, yet the situation is akin to…(3) There is actional vibration in the Basic Principle, but due to the absence of any measuring psychic entity it cannot be said to be temporal, though it is related to the time factor. There does not exist any second entity brought about due to curvatures in the Primordial Principle. That is why we do not find another, time-measuring, factor there. This curve is its special characteristic.

In the third phase of manifestation, due to internal clash and cohesion, curvatures come into existence. The difference between the vibrational principle and the Witnessing Counterpart becomes explicit. The vibrational principle is called in Sanskrit Bhavánii shakti. The temporal factor is established in the development of kála. What is kála, or time? Time is nothing but the psychic measurement of the relative motivity.

Sádhaná
If the vibrational expression is towards the crude, the unit will face retardation. The final, or culminating, point of retardation [contains within it] the history of the full expression. In the crudest point of the human mind, therefore, lies the history of its innumerable lives. Even a timorous stroke will rip open the burden a person is carrying and make one able to see oneself. The development [upwards] from the nadir of Supreme Cognition is progress. So long as the fundamental negativity does not receive a stroke, there does not occur any progress, any development. A seed sprouts forth if struck by light, water, and soil. Similarly, when the fundamental negativity of a unit – that is, the kulakuńd́alinii – receives the stroke of the mantra, it awakens. But so long as the desire to move towards Paramátmá is not aroused, this phenomenon does not take place.

This does not happen with an animal because of its intellectual deficiency. Matter, due to external and internal clash, is converted into ectoplasm – the crude stuff is metamorphosed into cittáńu [“mind-atoms”, ectoplasmic particles]. The intensity of this clash and cohesion depends upon the intensity of internal and external clashes. [After] the animal mind, the mind that succeeds due to immense physical and intellectual or even intuitional clashes is the human mind, and the body that is associated with it is the human body. Sádhaná, the spiritual cult, is a progress from the crudeness of matter to the subtlest entity, that is, a march, a movement, from the last point of the vibrational principle to the nucleus of the Basic Principle, the controlling point of the fundamental triangle of forces. Sádhaná is, therefore, a march to the place from where one has come.

Those who want to make themselves the attraction or the ideal of the world add a Shrii before their names. The term connotes the charming entity, Máyá, Prakrti. Supreme Cognition is the shelter of Shrii, and that is why He is also called Shriinivása in Sanskrit. The movement towards the entity that has sheltered the universe is sádhaná.

Since humans [are] weak, they need the aid of some other entity for this movement. From where will they get the stamina, the strength, for this movement? Assuredly it can be had only from the Entity that is the source of this stamina, this strength. Whatever stamina, physical, mental, or spiritual, exists within you, is not your creation. Can you create anything? No, you cannot. You convert the external energy derived from food, light, water and soil into vital energy. You cannot create any energy, you can simply convert it into other forms. You convert sound energy, magnetic energy, etc., into vital energy. You then reconvert that vital energy into other forms of energy. While working, you convert your vital energy into mechanical energy. While speaking, you convert your vital energy into sound energy. The moment this vital energy is gone, the living unit turns into a corpse. You derive your vital energy from the external world, a gift of Parama Puruśa. Similarly, the strength to move towards the Supreme Father can also be obtained from Him. But the tragedy is that you do not ask for spiritual force from Him. Your sole concentration is on earning name, fame, money, promotion, prestige, and other such worldly gains. You remain so busy with your worldly desires that you hardly manage to get any time in your daily life to ask for spiritual strength.

In ancient times, when the desire to move on the path of spirituality was aroused, human beings felt the need of a guide to show the path. It is this desire that is manifested in the Vedas. When the desire to move on the path is aroused, He is compelled to come as a guide to the seeker. He cannot just ignore the seeker. Ask the way and you will get it.

But it is not enough to get the way, for one also needs to walk on that way, on that path. The strength to move forward lies within you – the only impediment being the encumbrance of sins that is on your head due to your past actions. Remove that burden, be light, and march on. Bhagaván [Lord] Buddha said the same thing when he asked his disciples to jettison the burden that is in the boat. Desire is, therefore, not enough. One needs to perform some tangible action. That action is called intuitional practice – spiritual cult. This cult is also called Tantra. It is not enough to read books, scriptures – one will have to be practical, will have to do something in practical life. You need to move from the fundamental negativity to the fundamental positivity. Thus, through sádhaná, a person makes himself or herself light and at the same time gets the attraction of Him. Furthermore, one needs to surrender oneself completely. Until and unless there is cent percent surrender, it is naive to think in terms of accomplishing the task.

Surrender
The story goes [in the epic Mahábhárata] that so long as Draopadi kept even a grain of dependence on her own strength, she remained constantly under the threat of being exposed before the congregation. The moment she found herself completely helpless and reposed all faith in the Lord, Náráyańa [refuge of devotion], she got the divine help. So one who feels this attraction and surrenders oneself completely to Him is bound to get His help. One, on the other hand, who keeps even one paisa with oneself, fails to get that help.

A natural question comes up here. Since human life is evolved through animal stages, the impression of the animal life is bound to work within the framework of human psychology. In this situation, it is not unlikely for human beings to commit mistakes, to commit sin. How is it possible to move forward with this encumbrance acquired during the animal stages?

The answer has been provided by the Lord Himself. If even the most degraded person remembers Him single-mindedly, He will relieve that person from his burden of sin.

There is, however, a difference between the English term “sin” and the Sanskrit word pápa. In “sin” there are involved religious, doctrinal and biblical connotations. The Sanskrit term pápa is more explicit. Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiid́anam – “Those actions that help to develop the physical, intellectual, and spiritual strata of human beings are puńya, and those that obstruct this are pápa.” The biggest pápii is called durácárii in Sanskrit, and one whom even the durácáriis call pápii is a sudurácára.

There is a common term in Sanskrit, pátaka [sin]. There are two forms of pátaka, pápa and pratyaváya. Going against the don’ts is pápa; pratyaváya means not to do what one should do. In Sanskrit dos are called vidhi and don’ts niśedh. The whole social structure revolves around vidhi and niśedh.

Those who shirk duties and responsibilities do commit a great harm to society. It is this lack of dutifulness in our country [India] today that has caused great retardation in different spheres of life. It has also caused spiritual degeneration. One should perform good actions regularly, should do sádhaná properly – these are the dos which everyone is expected to perform. Those who do not pay heed to these responsibilities do indulge in pratyaváya. Pátaka is the collective name of pápa and pratyaváya.

Pátakas are of three kinds. First, the ordinary kind. These are undesirable acts after which the person [may repent]. For instance, someone takes the money of others. That person’s act will be called pátaka, for he or she can pay back the money and repent of the act.

There is no atonement, however, for atipátaka. If, for example, one chops off the [arms] of an innocent person, one cannot pay those limbs back in the same capacity. According to the shástras [scriptures], persons indulging in these atipátaka acts can make atonement only if they renounce their worldly life and fully offer themselves to the cause of humanity in the service of mankind.

The third kind of pátaka is mahápátaka. There is no penance that will atone for mahápátaka, either.

Furthermore, the result of mahápátaka is of recurring nature. If a businessman, for instance, discovers a new method of adulteration, he commits mahápátaka. Mixing papaya seeds with the black pepper is bound to deceive purchasers. The discoverer of this new method shows the world a new path in the sphere of adulteration. The effect of this act is bound to be of recurring nature. The atonement for mahápátaka is like atipátaka, that is, this person also should renounce his or her worldly life and should offer himself or herself in the service of mankind. There is, however, a difference. Since this person’s act is more serious, this person will have to invent something that will have a recurring good effect on society. The invention of penicillin would be a case in point. There is no other way out for the mahápátakii.

There is an interesting story about this. When the defeat of Ravana became almost certain, he sat in prayer, imploring Lord Shiva to save him from the oncoming disaster. But Lord Shiva remained quiescent and did not pay heed to his prayers. Párvatii was also there. What happens is that the heart of the mother is more soft than that of the father. Seeing the miserable condition of Ravana, a devout of Lord Shiva, she started pleading with Lord Shiva on his behalf. The latter, however, refused to listen to even Párvatii’s implorings. He had to see to his duties and not to hear Párvatii’s lecture. When Párvatii finally pressured Him very much, Lord Shiva revealed the situation. He said that Ravana was a great pápii, so He could not do anything for him. Párvatii continued in her obstinacy. Pleading on behalf of Ravana, she said that at most he might be an atipátakii. The Lord thereupon said that he was a mahápátakii. Though it would have been atipátaka to kidnap a lady, Ravana’s act was mahápátaka, for he carried out his act in the garb of a sádhu. If he had done it as Ravana, he would have been an atipátakii. His act would not have had a lasting effect. But since thenceforward no housewife would believe a sádhu, the effect of his act was of recurring nature.

There is, however, a way out even for the mahápátakii. If the mahápátakii dwells on the Lord in his or her thought single-mindedly, and offers himself in the service of humanity, he or she will also be able to lead a respectable life, he or she will also get liberation.

Parama Puruśa, the Father of all fathers, the multiple of all multiplicities, the nucleus of all nuclei, knows everything. He is omniscient. He knows sarva – the Cosmic Father knows everything. He is omniscient, prescient and post-scient. The earth is [created] in Him. What has happened in the past comes within the vibrational principle. What is going to happen in the future also comes within the vibrational principle. (The present has no independent existence. It is nothing but an adjustment between the past and the future. That is why the present varies in accordance with personal differences.) The omniscient Puruśa, Pratyagátma (Supreme Subjectivity reflected in all beings), is the Lord of both heaven and hell. He is the Father of both developed sádhakas and of sudurácáras or mahápátakiis. There is, therefore, no question of His hating the sudurácáras and loving the good sádhakas. All are one to Him. He cannot ostracize the former and embrace the latter. There is no place outside Him where He can throw off the sudurácáras. He cannot disown them either, for in that case He would not remain Patitpavan [Saviour of the Degraded].

It is, therefore, naive to lose heart. Even if one is a sudurácára, he or she should not get discouraged. He or she should, on the contrary, do sádhaná and undergo the prescribed penance. There is no reason to fear. This world is not for cowards. Only the brave can enjoy the world. If love for Him is awakened, there is no reason to fear.

Your Longing Should Be Non-Attributional
Your longing for Him, however, should not be attributional. On the contrary, it should be non-attributional. Your attraction to the Supreme is called devotion [bhakti], whereas attraction to any finite objectivity is called ásakti. Attraction to friends is ásakti, attraction to God is bhakti. In the case of ásakti the object is limited, in the case of bhakti it is unlimited.

Mysticism is a never-ending endeavour to find a link between finite and infinite. It is the first phase of non-attributional devotion. Attributional devotion is no devotion(4).

There are two types of non-attributional devotion. The first is psycho-spiritual devotion, whereas the second is pure spiritual devotion. The reactive momenta remain mixed into this type of psycho-spiritual devotion of internal projection of the subliminal human mind, and these reactive momenta of the subliminal human mind disturb mental equipoise. As a result, the mind eventually comes back again to the lower status. A person rises during the period of sádhaná and comes back to the original stage when in normal life. Here, love for God does not become of permanent nature.(5) (While quarreling unnecessarily, one does not remember the untoward nature of one’s act. Later on one repents. But when the remembrance of the nature of the act becomes of permanent nature, it is called dhruvásmrti.(6)) In the non-attributional devotion of pure spiritual type, the reactive momenta cannot function within the scope of the subliminal stratum.

Even where the sádhaka does not long for name, fame and wealth but worships Him in order to experience inexplicable bliss, the devotion is attributional – it is attributional psycho-spiritual devotion.(7)

But where the devotee worships Him only in order to please Him, there the devotion is of purely spiritual nature. Here there does not exist the feeling of duality. Such a devotee is called a gopii [or gopa]. The term connotes one who worships God only to please Him – Gopáyate yah sah gopah.

One who has made it a mission to attain Paramátmá will assuredly attain Him. You are sádhakas, and you should always remember this. Your love for God, your devotion for God, should be of non-attributional, or spiritual, nature.

Footnotes
(1) The Author here refers to His revelation of Tantra cosmology. In brief, when in Unqualified Consciousness (Nirguna) an ineffable yearning arises to create. As a result the Shiva (the Cognitive Principle) allows Itself to be qualified by the sentient, mutative and static principles of Shakti (the Operative Principle). This results in the rise of Qualified Consciousness (Saguna). These topics are the subject of spiritual experience and not abstract philosophy. Kindly refer to the treatise Idea and Ideology for further understanding. – Eds.
(2) In the primordial phase of Qualified Consciousness the three binding principles of Shakti remain in a balanced flow around the Cosmic Nucleus. When an imbalance occurs between Shiva and these 3 principles of Shakti, then there is a disturbance in the flow of these principles leading to the rise of a Point or swollen seed (biija) of creation dominated by the force of Cosmic will (icchá shakti). This seed is called Shambhuliuṋga. When this seed bursts there is a flow of pure Cognition (Jiṋána) in the form of Divine Sound. This is the stage of Cosmic Mahat or Cosmic Existential State (Knower I, pure awareness of “I exist”) which is the first and highest level of the Cosmic Mind. – Eds.
(3) The ellipses, indicating missing words, occurred in the original magazine publication of this discourse. The missing words may have expressed that at this stage of manifestation it does not seem proper to attribute a practical differentiation to the relationship between Shiva and Shakti. In Idea and Ideology (1959), the Author has described the difference between Shiva and Shakti at this stage as “tending from the theoretical to the practical aspect”. –Eds.
(4) Attributional (Saguna) Devotion is of various types such as Static Devotion (devotion out of desire for one’s enemies to be punished or killed), Mutative Devotion (devotion out of desire for fame, beauty, wealth, power and other crude desires), Sentient Devotion (desire to leave this world of suffering, desire of enjoying divine bliss) and Jiṋánamishra Devotion (where one has desire for spiritual knowledge). – Eds.
(5) This is called Rágánuga Devotion. Anuga means “to follow”. This is a lower stage of devotion associated with lower cakras (plexii). In this stage one’s movement after the Supreme Beloved is systaltic with ups and down, speed and pause as per one’s mindset. In this stage one loves with no desire to get anything from the Beloved. One simply loves that Beloved because of the intense bliss one gets by loving. – Eds.
(6) And when love for the Supreme Beloved (in the form of continual remembrance) becomes of permanent nature, it is also called dhruvásmrti. –Eds.
(3) Though the Author has above called it the first type of non-attributional devotion, it is attributional in that the selfish desire for bliss is still contained within it. –Eds.

20 October 1967 DMC, Meerut

Posted on August 25, 2015

The Human Body Is a Biological Machine

Human existence or any other biological existence is goaded by the propensive propulsion of the psyche. Let me explain why the human body is a biological machine and goaded by propensities.

The Inner Significance of the Mahábhárata

The Scope of Bio-Psychology

Biological Structure

Socio-Economic Theories

What is the social impact or aspect of an economic theory – positive or negative? If it is positive, what is its effect? If it is negative, what is its effect?

The human psyche is guided by these four aspects. Socio-economic theory and cult have to adjust with them.

You have got a human body. Make the best utilization of it. Forget everything of the past from this very moment.

Bigŕi jiivan anek hi sudhari janam áj
Jay Rám ki Rám japu tulsi taju ku samáj.

[Many of my past lives have gone in vain, but now my life is rectified. I will dedicate myself to the lotus feet of Rama and work for Rama, leaving all worldly attachments.]

20 July 1990, Calcutta

Article

Posted on August 22, 2015

Yatamána, Vyatireka, Ekendriya and Vashiikára

In the course of sádhaná the sádhaka [spiritual practitioner] has to pass through four stages: yatamána, vyatireka, ekendriya and vashiikára. There is a shloka [couplet]:

Yacchedváuṋmanasi prajiṋastadyacchejjiṋána átmani;
Jiṋánamátmani mahati niyacchettadyacchecchánta átmani.

[Wise persons first merge their indriyas, sense organs, into their citta, then their citta into aham, then aham into mahat, then mahat into jiivátmá, and finally their jiivátmá into Supreme Consciousness.]

In yatamána, the first stage, the mental propensities are directed towards the citta [objective mind, mind-stuff]. It is a very difficult stage: difficulties arise from within as well as without. The internal difficulties are created by the untrained mental propensities, which misbehave like wild animals. After a moment of control, off they go again, dashing about like unbroken horses. The external troubles arise from concerned friends and relatives who resent the spiritual beginner’s efforts. They fear that he will become an ascetic and renounce worldly ties. These internal distractions and external pressures try the patience and steadfastness of the spiritual novice.

In the second stage, vyatireka, the propensities are directed from the citta to the ahaḿtattva [doer “I”]. This stage is less trying than yatamána. In fact, occasionally it is slightly pleasing. The kicking wild horses have been broken to some extent, and for brief intervals these partially-tamed mental propensities do follow the direction from the citta to the ahaḿtattva. During these intervals the sádhaka enjoys bits, shreds, and glimpses of bliss. Tears of such bliss may roll down his cheeks. In this period the external pressures are also lessened, because friends and relatives have become somewhat reconciled to the other-worldly pursuits of the sádhaka.

In the third stage, ekendriya, the upward direction is followed from the ahaḿtattva to the mahattattva. As the very name ekendriya implies,(1) the sádhaka gains control over some single propensity or organ, which brings to him a corresponding occult power.

Occult power (called vibhúti or aeshvarya in Sanskrit) is the supernatural power gained from the practice of the psychic mystic cult. The eight vibhútis are ańimá, laghimá, mahimá, prápti, iishitva, vashitva, prákámya, and antaryámitva. This stage marks a great step forward. However, this is a dangerous stage also. The danger comes more from inside than from outside. The sádhaka may get intoxicated with the feeling of the occult power and be tempted to abuse it. Moreover, there is the external threat that somebody may provoke him into such abuse. Any misuse of these powers causes a setback or even a downfall in the spiritual journey. Abuse of power is bad in any sphere. Even in the temporal sphere misuse of power leads to downfall. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely – unless there is the strength to control the power.

The fourth and last stage of sádhaná is that of vashiikára, when the propensities are all completely directed from the mahattattva towards the one original and ultimate Self: that is, the sádhaka is established in his svabháva [nature] and svarúpa [own form]. As the very word vashiikára implies [vash means “control”], all the propensities are completely under control. Worldly friends and relatives have already deserted the sádhaka as they desert a dead body after cremation or burial, and he becomes merged in the permanent and lasting Self, Brahma.

The sádhaka should ask for and pray for the Lord Himself and nothing else. He should not even pray for worldly power without at the same time praying for the ability through sádhaná to restrain that power. Better still, if the Lord is so omnipotent as to be able to grant the worldly power and the spiritual strength to restrain that power, then why not pray for the Lord Himself? Boons (baradánas) may be pleasing to some, but in reality they are simply an adjustment in time, shape, or [degree of concentration or dispersion] of what the sádhaka is entitled to by virtue of his karma. If one attempts to acquire power that is beyond his due, he may find that his inability to handle it makes a menace out of a seeming boon.

There is the story of the grant of a dried hand of a monkey to an aspirant. The dried hand was powerful enough to fulfill three wishes. The grantee first of all demanded a fortune of fifty thousand rupees from the dried hand. In a few moments there came a knock at his door and a man appeared with fifty thousand rupees; but this money represented the insurance payment of his son, who had suddenly died in an accident. The grantee, who regarded himself as a clever person, demanded as the second request that the son should be brought to him alive. In a few moments there came the clattering sound of somebody approaching the house. When the father looked out, to his horror, what was coming was the skeleton of his deceased son. It was walking by itself and therefore might be said to be alive, but it was nevertheless a skeleton. The father was so terrified that he asked the dried hand of the monkey to drive the skeleton away. The dried hand did this, but it was the last of the three wishes and the dried hand was exhausted of its power. So the father got his fifty thousand rupees, but lost his son.

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Footnotes

(1) Eka in Sanskrit and Sanskrit-derived languages means “one”. –Eds.

Posted on March 30, 2013

Your Personal Relationship with God

In the morning I said that it is the utilization of energy which matters and not the possession of an unutilized capacity. Many people have inferiority complexes of different kinds. They think they are not learned. How will they achieve the goal of their life?

It is wrong to presume that by reading voluminous books or by delivering beautiful lectures, one can attain Parama Puruśa. No scholarship nor even literacy is required to meet God. The future of those who are uneducated is also bright.

God’s relation with human beings is a family relation. When parents feed the children, they do not give four chapatis to the son who is a Master of Arts and only one to the next son who is only a matriculate. For parents, all their children are equal. Similarly, for God all persons are equal for the spiritual food He will give them. Really, the love of parents is dependent not upon the education of the children but upon the children’s attachment for the parents.

Scholars or intellectuals have one drawback. They read different theories and philosophies, and these things create a clash in their minds. They are unable to decide whether this philosophy is correct, or that one is correct. The uneducated, on the other hand, are better off, as they walk on the spiritual path with steadiness, undisturbed by warring ideas. The intellect is incapable of comprehending Parama Puruśa. After all, the intellect is only a creation of the [pratisaiṋcara](1) process, in which Pure Consciousness reconverts itself into [the mind] out of the five fundamental factors into which it converted itself earlier. Being a created thing, intellect cannot comprehend its Creator, the Supreme Being. The puppets can perform any play the master wants them to perform, but they cannot control the master who plays them.

What is knowledge? It is the subjectivization of the object. God, being the ultimate subjectivity, cannot be caught by the thought process, which can only catch external objects and not a superior stage of subjectivity.

Nor is God attained merely by listening to a lot of [spiritual discourses]. Some persons are fond of attending spiritual congregations. But what they hear with one ear goes out the other at a 180º angle, and does not lead to salvation. With kiirtana and the remembrance of God, however, it is otherwise. Whether you do these things with faith and devotion, or with enmity, the results are encouraging.

The word shraddhá [translated “faith and devotion”] really has no equivalent in the English language. Whatever you consider as the summum bonum of life is sat. And when you direct all your faculties and sentiments towards the attainment of this goal, this is called shrat. And the feeling associated with this is called shraddhá.

Even when you think of God as an enemy, you are involved in Him. Really, our mind is more activated [to think about somebody] by anger and hatred [than by positive propensities]. When we have a quarrel with somebody, we keep on thinking that the next time we meet that person, we will say this or that. Therefore, God will be attained whether you love Him or hate Him. Ravana was constantly thinking of Rama as his enemy and therefore he also attained salvation through His hands. But merely listening to scriptures or talks is not going to bring about the desired results.

Another fact must be remembered: that God is realized only by those whom He graces with compassion. You should not have the feeling in mind, “Now I have done so much; God should shower His grace on me.” Rather you should feel, “It is for You, O Lord, to grace me or not. This body of mine will work like a machine until You grace me with love.” If you are proud of your meritorious actions, this pride will remain in the end and not the grace of God. For Him, all are equal. For society, the differences matter, but not for God. His grace is raining on all, but if you are carrying an umbrella of ego on your head, how will you get drenched by His Grace? Everyone has a right to enter Brahmaloka [the subtlest layer of the Macrocosmic Mind]; this is the birthright of all. He is kind to all, every moment of one’s life. One has only to receive this kindness by removing the ego.

However great a sinner one may be, the moment one surrenders to the Lord, one becomes a devotee – his or her salvation is guaranteed.

The Entity whom you are trying to attain – Parama Puruśa – is your own innermost self. Your relation with Him is not external, to be defined by courts, laws, or society. It is a family relationship. The desire in your mind to meet God is only born when He is inclined towards you. It is the result of His desire to meet you. Your meeting with God is not a unilateral affair, it is a mutual thing. You walk one step towards Him and He will come twenty towards you.

When an infant starts walking, the parent first asks it and goads it to walk a little. It tries to walk, but falls. Then the parent advances and lifts it up onto his or her lap. God does the same. Make the slightest effort, and He will pick you up and place you on His lap.

Your relation with God is personal. No one can sever this relationship. It is part of your being, your birthright.

21 January 1971 evening, Ranchi

Posted on February 24, 2013

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