Baba
Baba story: calamity
Namaskar,Before the jail period, Baba was in Patna hospital. At that time my duty was to provide help in any way and ensure that Baba's needs were properly managed. During this time, I was blessed with the opportunity to be with Baba often. Here following is what transpired during one such occasion.
No true Ananda Margii will die in natural calamities
One day Baba looked at me and said: There is one categorical assurance I can give you. Not a single true Ananda Margii will die in the forthcoming natural calamities and future natural catastrophes.
Hearing this, immediately one idea came in my mind. I did not know what Baba meant by "true Ananda Margii." I was not even 1% clear what a "true Ananda Margii" is. I thought that since Baba knows all my thoughts then there is no need to ask Him about this.
While I was thinking thus, Baba explained: Here is what I mean by a true Ananda Margii. For Me, the definition is very simple.
Then Baba gave these two following qualifications.
1. One who sincerely tries to follow yama and niyama.
2. One who sits sincerely for sadhana twice a day regularly.
Sadhana: sincerity is the key factor - not perfection
Hearing Baba's above two criteria, I started thinking that this is indeed very difficult. Understanding my concern and confusion, Baba immediately clarified His two prior points.
Baba continued: I am talking about those who sincerely try to follow these ten principles of morality. At any cost, that is enough.
By sadhana I mean those who sincerely sit twice daily for meditation and perform all the lessons. Their meditation need not be perfect, where they attain savikalpa and nirvikalpa samadhi each sitting, but they should earnestly put forth the proper effort and perform all the lessons.
Baba concluded: For Me, these are the two criteria of true Ananda Margiis. Those who are sincere in these two points, I will save them from all kinds of natural calamities which are coming in the present and the future.
What bhaktas desire that happens
This is a very meaningful story and gives the teaching that sincerity in sadhana and yama and niyama are very important. Parama Purusa resides in the mind of bhaktas and He is watching everything. If you are not sincere then your approach will not be successful.
We should ask ourselves: Why has Baba given these two criteria? The answer is very simple. Because He loves His progeny and He wants His disciples - His children - to attain salvation and not face their negative samskaras and become animals again and again - undergoing "the tortures of animal lives for crores of years." According to their desire, they will either be granted moksa or return to serve His creation for ideological pracara.
Sadguru Baba does not want us to be chained to this endless cycle of birth and death, and birth and death. He does not want that we should return to this world as animals and face more negative samakaras and suffer the tortures and humiliation of animal life etc. That is an endless cycle. In His Supreme Command, Baba has granted that those sincerely practicing sadhana will get salvation. Baba wants that all should attain moksa. That is why He has given these two criteria.
Let's think of it in this way. Suppose a mother says that if you study sincerely then you will get some sweets. Here the mother's intention is to make the child's life better in the future. The child may or may not understand but that is the mother's wish. In this way, Guru encourages us to do sadhana, get liberation, and be free from this serpentine noose, i.e. from this bundle of samskaras. Those who do not pay heed have to suffer: They will plunge themselves in negative deeds and remain bound in "the tortures of animal lives for crores of years."
How one can cross the ocean of samskara
Parama Purusa's sole intent is that we become elevated and bask in eternal bliss. There is no question of Parama Purusa seeking praise or glory by having sadhakas sing His kiirtan or repeat His name in sadhana. Rather, when one silently chants His name then the mind expands; and this psychic expansion leads to moksa. That is why it is important to do mantra japa. This is all done for our welfare.
So this is Baba's greatest assurance; this is the most gracious boon for human society. This makes salvation easily attainable. Without Baba's grace, one has to face all the reactions of their past actions, and come again and again onto this earth to suffer. If one follows these two simple things - sincerity in meditation, and sincerity in yama and niyama - then one's samskaras get exhausted, by His grace. Then they will attain moksa, or if they wish, they may return to do ideological pracara and serve others.
By following Baba's two mandates, one easily attains salvation. So not only are sadhakas assured of their safety during any and all natural calamities while living on this earth, but according to one's desire they will attain moksa or return and be exclusively involved in ideological service.
Conclusion
Sadguru is Brahma - the Creator - Supreme Consciousness, so when He gives His assurance that takes full manifestation. Here He is giving His assurance that those who sincerely try to do sadhana have a bright future. They will not die in natural calamities, rather they will gain everything.
Namaskar,
At His lotus feet,
Ramadhar
Note: All know that Vraj Bihari Sahay to be a very active and senior margii. He is well known around the globe. He worked in Patna as under-secretary of state government Bihar, but his hometown was Bhagalpur.
~ In-depth study ~
Fully established in yama and niyama means:
(a) those perfect in brahmacarya will be in dharma megha samadhi all the 24hrs, and
(b) those perfect in shaoca then will be in bhava samadhi all the 24hrs, and
(c) those perfect in iishvara pranidhana then they will be in savikalpa samadhi all day long.
So a “true Ananda Margii” is one who sincerely tries to adhere to the tenets of yama and niyama - and performs all sadhana lessons twice daily.
Using spiritual potentialities & render better service to humanity
Here following are some of Baba's many teachings on the importance and benefits of sadhana - and how one can cross the ocean of samskaras.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "You will surely attain spiritual progress. And because of your spiritual progress, you will come closer and closer to the Supreme Consciousness, you will come in contact with His psychic waves. And in that state you will be able to render still better service to human beings, animals and plants, by means of Neo-Humanism. May you all be blessed." (1)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Sádhaná or intuitional practice means an effort to break through the barrier of this smallness." (2)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "The unit beings that have been in possession of the Cosmic Mind in part and that have been progressing within It, are also conscious of their smallness and this very sense of smallness is their individuality – unit-hood. Sádhaná or intuitional practice means an effort to break through the barrier of this smallness." (3)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "How can one shake off the influence of static inertness? How can one get freedom from the bondages of names and forms? Just as the goldsmith uses a hammer and process of melting (in fire) to extract the real gold from the various ornaments, similarly a practical spiritual aspirant will have to break the bondages of names and forms in this expressed world through the cultivation of knowledge (which is mutative), devotion (which is sentient). By virtue of the heat of the fire of sádhaná and the strength derived from sustained intuitional practice, a sádhaka can overcome the static inertness." (4)
Sadhana brings spiritual strengths
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Most psychic diseases, if not all, grow out of the defective control over the objectivated mind. If one is alert, any trouble can be avoided. Those who regularly practise Iishvara prańidhána or dhyána (meditation) can remain free from these diseases, as their minds will remain in a balanced state. One of the numerous benefits of sádhaná is that it keeps the mind free from psychic disease and encourages the natural growth of the mind. This is of tremendous importance since such problems may arise not only in individual life, but in collective life as well. Individual human beings as well as large communities often suffer from some sort of psychic disease. A subjugated people suffer from an inferiority complex towards the sovereign elite, the ruling class. When India was a dependent colony, many Indians used to describe the members of the ruling community as God's children, obviously due to their deep-rooted inferiority complex. Most of them wondered: “Will India ever see the light of freedom? When will we ever win the struggle against the ruling class?” This shows that the entire indigenous community was a victim of inferiority complex, the removal of which would require a group of leaders endowed with enormous mental strength and noble character – a group of mighty personalities. India at that time was not fortunate enough to have such great people, and that is why the struggle for Indian freedom had to be prolonged. Otherwise, India could have gained freedom in a much shorter time." (5)
Everlasting freedom achieved only by sadhana
Ananda Marga philosophy teaches, "One thing which helps in getting remission, or nivrtti, is called artha [that which provides temporary liberation from mundane desires]. But artha is purely physical, so it can bring only physical and temporary remission. For everlasting freedom from duhkha, Paramártha [that which provides permanent liberation] is the only remedy. Paramártha does not bring only temporary remission, but everlasting freedom from duhkha. Atyantikii nivrtti can be obtained only by Paramártha which relieves one of all duhkha: physical, mental and spiritual. This Paramártha can only be obtained by sadhana, that is, spiritual practices. For maintaining peace psychic equilibrium is necessary, and for maintaining this equilibrium freedom from all duhkha forever is necessary. Freedom from duhkha or atyantikii nivrtti can be obtained only from Paramártha, and Paramártha can be achieved only by sadhana, or spiritual practices." (6)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The attraction towards earthly things born out of lust (káma) and attachment (moha) makes conjugal relations a necessity. Intuitional practice helps one to overcome this need. One becomes indifferent to it." (7)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "A sadhaka, in order to attain spiritual progress, require the help of Vidyámáyá, but at the culminating stage of sádhaná, Vidyámáya has no further value. A sádhaka performs sádhaná to tear away the veil of darkness of the variegated world created by Avidyámáyá and to strive to established himself on the path of pratisaincara." (8)
With the help of sadhana one’s intellect increases
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The endeavour to remove inferiority complexes from the mind leads human beings slowly but surely to the Supreme Entity and establishes them in universal humanism. Hence it will not do for those who are determined to solve the problems of humanity to accept inferior ideals; along with this they must also acquire the strength they need to implement their ideals. The active endeavour to acquire this strength is called sádhaná – the sádhaná of the Supreme. It should be borne in mind that no theory will ever bring people salvation. In fact, it is the inner strength gained from spiritual practices which helps to expand the individual mind. The tremendous force acquired from spiritual practices helps to bridge the gap between the harsh realities of human existence and the supreme desideratum of human life. This is an eternal truth, applicable to all spheres of life – social, economic, psychic and spiritual." (9)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "“The jiiva and Shiva are the same” – this idea helps the jiiva to become one with Shiva. And “We are different; we are two entities” – this idea compels the jiiva to move round that Supreme Hub. What is your sádhaná? By sádhaná you are to free yourself from this ignorance, from the slumber of ignorance." (10)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Those who have tasted even a little of the flowing nectar of Brahma, know that they can never be impure. This constant thought of self-purity greatly helps to exhaust their samskáras or reactive momenta, as a result of which the samskáras held in the sthirabhúmi of their práńa are gradually destroyed. With the help of sádhaná or spiritual practice the spell of pleasurable and painful requitals ceases both internally and externally. Sádhakas call it the combustion of the seed of action in the fire of sádhaná." (11)
Sadguru Baba says, "When a man, a devotee, a spiritual aspirant moves towards the Supreme Self, his body, that is his brain and intellect increases. And when he moves further, close to the Supreme Being, his spirit, that is his a’tman is also developed. His a’tman becomes more reflecting and more soothing to other existential vibrations because it comes closer to the emanating point of the Supreme Spirit." (12)
References
1. Neo-Humanism Nutshell - 2, Spirituality and This Panoramic Universe
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 2, The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 4
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 2, The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 4
4. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 7, Form and Formless
5. A Few Problems Solved - 7, The Faculty of Knowledge – 3
6. A Few Problems Solved - 7, Social Psychology
7. Elementary Philosophy, Why Are People Afraid of Intuitional Practice?
8. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, The Influence of Máyá on the Human Mind
9. Human Society - 1, Social Justice
10. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, The Noumenal Progenitor
11. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 5, The Chariot and the Charioteer
12. Ananda Nagar, Morning Darshan, 12/30/80
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Mindset of kleptomaniacs
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Another type of crime occurs occasionally. This is a temporary criminal urge, a special type of mental disease which suddenly appears in a certain type of environment and again subsides after a short time. Kleptomania is an example of this kind of mental disease. After committing a crime kleptomaniacs feel ashamed and are anxious to return the property that they have stolen to the owner. They have sudden fantasies about stealing, abducting people, becoming drunk or indulging in decadent activities. But analysis shows that they do not in fact have the slightest personal interest in such things.”
“Usually weak-minded people who have witnessed larceny, murder or any other crime, are deeply affected by their experience, and due to the ensuing extreme agitation that occurs in their minds, they deviate from the path of common sense. If the feeling of mental agitation recurs due to the influence of temporal, spatial or personal factors, they will immediately commit a crime.” (1)
Pseudo-criminal
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “If a person who is not actually a thief constantly thinks about stealing and about the various techniques that can be used to steal, it may happen that he or she will begin to talk in a way that will give people the impression that he or she is really a thief. After witnessing a brutal murder, sometimes such weak-minded people begin to think of themselves as criminals.” (2)
References
1. Human Society 1, Justice
2. Human Society 1, Justice
Plagiary?
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It is the accepted international standard and Baba's system not to copy another's work and publish it in your own way. Baba has given a very strict rule on plagiarism. Why is Baba against plagiarism or stealing someone's work? There are many reasons:
1) It is against the code of asteya (non-stealing).
2) Countless stories of bhaktas need to be published. But some do not want to do the hard work of compiling and writing these stories, so they just steal them from others. But new stories need to be told, otherwise so many unpublished stories of sadhakas will be lost and forgotten forever. So watch out for story thieves, and kindly help them not to steal by posting on social media in their own way. If you want to forward this story then attach the following yellow section with the story:
“Courtesy of unknown bhakta via Ananda Marga Universal (https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/)”
This will be treated as the standard protocol.
== Section 3: Links ==
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