Baba
Namaskar,
Those disciples of Sadguru Baba who lack the requisite knowledge of Ananda Marga ideology follow the wrong path in their individual life and misguide others in collective life. There is a double loss involved. One of the operative factors is that some suffer from the dogma that studying means they are a lowly jinani. When in fact nothing could be further from the truth. Sadguru Baba encourages us to study.
Ananda Marga teachings guide us, “The importance of study is tremendous. Those who are educated must conduct seminars among themselves and also among the less-educated – they must make the latter understand. Knowledge must be disseminated throughout all sections of society. You must create opportunities for all people to judge everything in the light of truth. Liberate the intellect of each and every person. Human intellect is now bogged down in a marshy quagmire – let people enjoy the sweet taste of intellectual freedom.” (1)
This letter examines how any and everyone can resolve this situation easily using modern methods and tools to gain success. By this manner one can learn all of Baba's teachings without doing hard labour like sitting in a library all day long, reading books.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
In this above Hindi discourse, Baba guides us that if Ananda Margiis do not read and study Ananda Marga books then they will be misguided by opportunists and dragged into dogma. So study is very important. And svadhyaya will strengthen one’s bhakti. This is a summary of the above excerpt from the discourse Subhasita Samgraha 14 chapter 10 from 29 June ‘80 DMC Bettiah.
Ignorant spread dogmatic ideas & harm others
We have all been blessed to come under Baba's loving shelter and receive His divine guidelines. Human life itself is a unique opportunity and to come in contact with the Sadguru and understand and follow His dharmic injunctions is still more rare.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Human life is very precious, very rare; and such life is still more rare, still more precious, if it has become successful by dint of Bha'gavata Dharma." (2)
So indeed we are fortunate and blessed to have this opportunity to follow His tenets of Ananda Marga ideology. However, the problem remains that human life is very short and in this modern era we are all quite busy with so many duties and responsibilities. Hence it is difficult to find the time to read, study, and understand all the many, many books which Baba has given. And without that, how is one to implement those teachings in their own life. Those not aware end up practising and spreading dogmatic ideas, and harm others. There are so many examples of some Wts not reading Baba's books and not learning Ananda Marga mandates, and then teaching the wrong things to others. This is what happens when a Wt or pracaraka does not understand Guru's guidelines. But if we Ananda Margiis / Wts do not read them, then who will – non-margiis?
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Giving a false reply is very bad idea
One of the best ways to increase one’s understanding of Guru’s teachings is to preach Ananda Marga ideals and invite questions from interested parties. And if you do not know the proper answer then appreciate their query and tell them that you will reply within 24 - 48 hrs. By this way you have time to consult with someone who knows the answer, or you can reference Baba's books. The main idea is that giving a false reply with the aim of saving your prestige is a very bad idea. That is sinful and defeats the whole purpose. Ultimately one is exposed for giving a false answer. Ultimately, the questioner comes to know truth loses faith in that teacher.
So the approach is to expand one's knowledge base by researching the question. By this way the opportunity comes to learn and apply Ananda Marga philosophy.
If anyone feels shy and thinks, "Until I read all of Ananda Marga philosophy then I will not open my mouth and do Ananda Marga pracara," then that is very bad. What one knows one should start teaching to others and they feel pressured to learn more. It is a natural cycle. Preach the philosophy, field queries from interested parties, research the answers, and give the proper reply. This is the way to expand your knowledge base. Otherwise people do not get the time or inspiration to read and study. So pracar gives the pressure of circumstances and inspiration to study and learn more.
Needed for intellectual service
To do intellectual service, the study of scriptures is an absolute must. One cannot do intellectual without the right knowledge. And service is part sadhana and svadhyaya is part of 16 points. So every margii and Wt must be determined to go through and study the entire gamut of Ananda Marga publications.
Baba has given thousands of discourses which appear in hundreds of different books and still there remains innumerable files of unpublished materials. In that case, how are we to climb this mountain of knowledge, understand it, incorporate it into our own lives, and ultimately teach others. Fortunately, by His grace, there is a solution that is quite practical for one and all.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
We should utilize our time. We should involve in listening to His discourses when involved in all kinds of mundane, daily duties and engagements, as outlined above. By this way, one’s knowledge of Ananda Marga ideology will expand and one will be better suited to serve others.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “The importance of study is tremendous – you will have to do it. You cannot afford to shut the pages of your books and remain like frogs in the well. You must enlarge your mental horizons and move ahead by shattering all social bondages.” (3)
Namaskar,
in Him,
Pratibha’
These days there are many digital devices, screen readers, software, and web browsers etc that will read out that will read the text.
Practical plan
In this 21st century, where the bulk of our day is filled with work and professional responsibilities, family duties, spiritual duties, etc, then for some people it is not easy nor practical to plan to sit down and ready Baba’s books for many hours every day.
His many teachings range from spiritual treatises to grammar and language, from geography to farming, from education to politics, from microvita to brahmacakra, and the list goes on and on. How are we to read and understand all these many topics, some of which are quite abstruse. Yet that is our duty as Ananda Margiis: To review, understand, follow, and do Viprocita seva with the help of His teachings. Without first understanding His teachings ourselves, then how can we teach others. After all, if we do not study then for what reason Baba has given Ananda Marga books? If we Ananda Margiis do not read them, then who will - non margiis?
The more practical plan is to record Baba's books in one's mother tongue and listen to those recordings. Further down in this mail we will discuss exactly how to do this. Let's first analyse how listening can be done in our day to day life.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Can listen while body is engaged
The beauty of listening is that it can be done during all sorts of activities during our busy daily life. For example, we all bath, do asanas, cook food, eat, do chores, and attend to duties. In our lives we involve in so many engagements where the body is engaged but the mind is free to think. But when the body is involved it is not possible to sit still and turn the pages and read Baba's books. The best option then is to listen to His recorded books. Listening does not require the use of our arms and hands etc, as reading demands.
So while cleaning, travelling, bathing etc, we are physically involved with our arms and legs but not psychically involved. In that case the mind is free to engage in something, such as listening to Baba's books. Indeed the mind needs some psychic food, or pabulum, or abhoga.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Abhoga means occupation or pabulum. Not only the physical body but the mind also requires a pabulum; whatever object the mind confines itself to, that is its pabulum...mental pabulum is called a'bhoga." (4)
Hence the mind always needs some food - something to think about. So while we are doing mundane chores we should involve in listening to His discourses. This psychic food we should give to our mind. By this way we can best utilise our time and learn, understand, and follow His teachings.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
~ In-depth study ~
How much time do we really get for worthwhile tasks?
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Everywhere, in cent per cent of the cases, there is wastage of human psychic potentiality. The psychic potentialities of human beings are immense, but people do not utilize them because most of their valuable time is wasted in undesirable thoughts, in psychic extravaganza. Suppose human life is an average of sixty years. Twenty years of that is spent in sleep, and the remaining forty years are wasted in petty or useless activities. How much time do people really get to devote to worthwhile tasks? This psychic extravaganza should be checked....” (5)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “The importance of study is tremendous. Those who are educated must conduct seminars among themselves and also among the less-educated – they must make the latter understand. Knowledge must be disseminated throughout all sections of society. You must create opportunities for all people to judge everything in the light of truth. Liberate the intellect of each and every person. Human intellect is now bogged down in a marshy quagmire – let people enjoy the sweet taste of intellectual freedom.” (6)
References
1. Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism, Awakened Conscience (Discourse 9)
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Jaeva Dharma and Bhágavata Dharma
3. Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism Awakened Conscience (Discourse 9)
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 11, The Hub of Universal Activities
5. Subhasita Samgraha - 18, The Cult of Spirituality – the Cult of Pinnacled Order
6. Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism, Awakened Conscience (Discourse 9)
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
As soon as I came to know
"Anek shuniá anek bháviá,tomákei bhálobesechi..." (Prabhat Samgiita #1041)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, Your tales are infinite. From the mouths of bhaktas I have heard endless, heart-touching stories how You have showered Your boundless love and compassion. As soon as I came to know-- all those recollections, I fell in love with only You and began to contemplate Your grandeur and glory, over and over again, and realised that You are inseparably linked with my entire existence. You are my most intimate One. In hopes of finding You, I have searched in each and every town and village, by the rivers and the oceans, in the hills and the valleys, in the mountains and the caves. I have sought You in the sky and earth, even in pa'ta'la - everywhere. By Your grace, in the end, You made me realise that You alone are that priceless jewel sitting in my heart forever.
Parama Purusa, I do not have any explanation for why I have fallen in love with You. All I can say is that it is solely Your krpa. Prema knows no logic or reasoning. All I can mention is that You drew me near. My Supreme One, I do not love You in order to get mukti. I am not an A-grade bhakta so I love You to get bliss. This is the essence that I have come to realise in this stage of divine love. Although this is a lower stage of bhakti, this is the desire of my life: To love You so I may live blissfully.
Baba, with whatever capacity I have I will execute the tasks which You have given me. I will go on doing Your work and following Your order, expending every ounce of energy to satisfy You. At the same time I will always remember that parabhakti is the highest level of spirituality; that is the greatest attainment in this universe. It is paramount; nothing is equal to parabhakti. If one is blessed with parabhakti they have received everything. In that pinpointed stage, the bhakta thinks, “I will love You to please You alone.” There is not an iota of selfishness to get bliss from sadhana. Rather one’s singular desire is to give You bliss. That is the ultimate treasure I realised, by Your grace...
Notes for Prabhat Samgiita #1041:
Those on the path of sadhana are all bhaktas of various gradations, from the lowest to the highest.
On the path of enlightenment all these aforesaid stages come, step by step. In the highest state one feels the sole yearning to please Parama Purusa. By knowing these grades of bhakti, one can understand how far along they are on the path.
[1] Mukti: (Literally means 'liberation'). Just as the sadhaka in the above song is not doing sadhana to get mukti, similarly, in the below discourse Ananda Marga ideological teachings guide us that one should not do sadhana to get mukti.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "While surrendering oneself at the altar of the Supreme, what is one to do? One must not ask for anything from Parama Purus'a. [For example,] for a bhakta, mukti has got no importance. A bhakta wants Parama Purus'a, and nothing from Him, not even mukti. Suppose Parama Purus'a says, 'O devotee, what do you want?' - his reply is, 'I want You'. One must not say, 'I want mukti', because suppose one says, 'I want mukti', one may get mukti, but one may not get Parama Purus´a. Which is more valuable - mukti or Parama Purus'a? Parama Purus'a!" (1)
So this is a good teaching: A sadhaka should not ask for anything, not even mukti. Even then some do sadhana for mukti; but in the above Prabhat Samgiita as well as in the above quotation, Ananda Marga ideology is instructing us that one should not do sadhana to get mukti. One should do sadhana so that one may please Him.
[2] A'nanda deva'r l'a'gi: (Literally means 'to give bliss'). The last stanza of this song describes the stance of ragatmika bhakti where one does sadhana to please Him-- to give Him bliss. That is the culmination of all bhakti.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "The ra'ga'tmika' bhakta says: 'I love Parama Purus'a because I want to give Him a'nandam. I don't care whether or not I get a'nandam. My only desire is to give Him joy through my love. I shall perform, even at the cost of profuse sweat and difficulty, only those noble deeds which will give Him joy. I am ready to undergo any amount of pain and suffering to give Him joy." (2)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, 'Bhakti, Mukti and Parama Purusa'
2. Namami Krsnasundaram: Disc 25
Outcome of communism
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “By raising an iron curtain, a veil of dark ignorance, before them, they have taught people to chatter a few chosen, tutored sentences. They have confined them within a small dungeon, with its doors and windows locked – they have converted them into owls of darkness. This is the inevitable outcome of those pseudo-philosophies.” (1)
Note: Here above Baba is pointing out the defective nature of communism.
Reference
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Shiva's Teachings – 2 (continued) (Discourse 14)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The reaping of consequences of original actions performed by a human being occurs mainly in the psychic sphere. And if a person attains the blessings of evolved beings and the Cosmic grace in that same psychic sphere, the problem is solved. Pain and misery is bound to come. Depending upon one's inborn sam'ska'ras and the actions performed, tortures and afflictions are bound to be undergone - the expression of one's own samskara [reactive momenta]. Tortures and afflictions will not be as severely painful as before; with the blessing and grace, the psychic afflictions will be removed. Well, when there is pain and the pain is not felt as such, should it then be called pain? In this case, in the psychic sphere, one will remain in a state of bliss. Let the afflictions come. When the affliction and pain are not felt as such, one should not worry about it." (1)
The only way to permanently relieve oneself of any suffering is not to run after worldly allurements but rather get His divine grace. Just a tiny portion of His grace is enough to free the mind of any suffering. Then one will just be in a state of peace - bliss.
Sadhaka not feel the suffering
According to Ananda Marga philosophy, nobody can escape the reactions of their past deeds. When the all-benevolent Guru wishes then He showers His grace and the mind becomes elevated. In that state Mr X is not undergoing any suffering; but, others will see Mr X’s plight and think that Mr X is suffering. But because Mr X does not feel any pain then for him there is no suffering of that bad samskara. For bhaktas, they are in bliss by His grace whenever they have to face any bad samskara.
For example, suppose a bhakta and a non-devotee are both facing their own individual samskara and became sick with tuberculosis. Physically both are suffering. But the bhakta is not undergoing any psychic suffering. If one is not in mental agony they may remain in a blissful state. The end result is that although both are suffering from the same disease physically, but only the non-bhakta is suffering psychically. In that case the bhakta’s mind may remain ensconced in bliss.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, The Physical, Psychic and Spiritual Strata
Other topics of interest
Ready to be cheated
Namaskar,
Those disciples of Sadguru Baba who lack the requisite knowledge of Ananda Marga ideology follow the wrong path in their individual life and misguide others in collective life. There is a double loss involved. One of the operative factors is that some suffer from the dogma that studying means they are a lowly jinani. When in fact nothing could be further from the truth. Sadguru Baba encourages us to study.
Ananda Marga teachings guide us, “The importance of study is tremendous. Those who are educated must conduct seminars among themselves and also among the less-educated – they must make the latter understand. Knowledge must be disseminated throughout all sections of society. You must create opportunities for all people to judge everything in the light of truth. Liberate the intellect of each and every person. Human intellect is now bogged down in a marshy quagmire – let people enjoy the sweet taste of intellectual freedom.” (1)
This letter examines how any and everyone can resolve this situation easily using modern methods and tools to gain success. By this manner one can learn all of Baba's teachings without doing hard labour like sitting in a library all day long, reading books.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
In this above Hindi discourse, Baba guides us that if Ananda Margiis do not read and study Ananda Marga books then they will be misguided by opportunists and dragged into dogma. So study is very important. And svadhyaya will strengthen one’s bhakti. This is a summary of the above excerpt from the discourse Subhasita Samgraha 14 chapter 10 from 29 June ‘80 DMC Bettiah.
Ignorant spread dogmatic ideas & harm others
We have all been blessed to come under Baba's loving shelter and receive His divine guidelines. Human life itself is a unique opportunity and to come in contact with the Sadguru and understand and follow His dharmic injunctions is still more rare.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Human life is very precious, very rare; and such life is still more rare, still more precious, if it has become successful by dint of Bha'gavata Dharma." (2)
So indeed we are fortunate and blessed to have this opportunity to follow His tenets of Ananda Marga ideology. However, the problem remains that human life is very short and in this modern era we are all quite busy with so many duties and responsibilities. Hence it is difficult to find the time to read, study, and understand all the many, many books which Baba has given. And without that, how is one to implement those teachings in their own life. Those not aware end up practising and spreading dogmatic ideas, and harm others. There are so many examples of some Wts not reading Baba's books and not learning Ananda Marga mandates, and then teaching the wrong things to others. This is what happens when a Wt or pracaraka does not understand Guru's guidelines. But if we Ananda Margiis / Wts do not read them, then who will – non-margiis?
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Giving a false reply is very bad idea
One of the best ways to increase one’s understanding of Guru’s teachings is to preach Ananda Marga ideals and invite questions from interested parties. And if you do not know the proper answer then appreciate their query and tell them that you will reply within 24 - 48 hrs. By this way you have time to consult with someone who knows the answer, or you can reference Baba's books. The main idea is that giving a false reply with the aim of saving your prestige is a very bad idea. That is sinful and defeats the whole purpose. Ultimately one is exposed for giving a false answer. Ultimately, the questioner comes to know truth loses faith in that teacher.
So the approach is to expand one's knowledge base by researching the question. By this way the opportunity comes to learn and apply Ananda Marga philosophy.
If anyone feels shy and thinks, "Until I read all of Ananda Marga philosophy then I will not open my mouth and do Ananda Marga pracara," then that is very bad. What one knows one should start teaching to others and they feel pressured to learn more. It is a natural cycle. Preach the philosophy, field queries from interested parties, research the answers, and give the proper reply. This is the way to expand your knowledge base. Otherwise people do not get the time or inspiration to read and study. So pracar gives the pressure of circumstances and inspiration to study and learn more.
Needed for intellectual service
To do intellectual service, the study of scriptures is an absolute must. One cannot do intellectual without the right knowledge. And service is part sadhana and svadhyaya is part of 16 points. So every margii and Wt must be determined to go through and study the entire gamut of Ananda Marga publications.
Baba has given thousands of discourses which appear in hundreds of different books and still there remains innumerable files of unpublished materials. In that case, how are we to climb this mountain of knowledge, understand it, incorporate it into our own lives, and ultimately teach others. Fortunately, by His grace, there is a solution that is quite practical for one and all.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
We should utilize our time. We should involve in listening to His discourses when involved in all kinds of mundane, daily duties and engagements, as outlined above. By this way, one’s knowledge of Ananda Marga ideology will expand and one will be better suited to serve others.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “The importance of study is tremendous – you will have to do it. You cannot afford to shut the pages of your books and remain like frogs in the well. You must enlarge your mental horizons and move ahead by shattering all social bondages.” (3)
Namaskar,
in Him,
Pratibha’
These days there are many digital devices, screen readers, software, and web browsers etc that will read out that will read the text.
Practical plan
In this 21st century, where the bulk of our day is filled with work and professional responsibilities, family duties, spiritual duties, etc, then for some people it is not easy nor practical to plan to sit down and ready Baba’s books for many hours every day.
His many teachings range from spiritual treatises to grammar and language, from geography to farming, from education to politics, from microvita to brahmacakra, and the list goes on and on. How are we to read and understand all these many topics, some of which are quite abstruse. Yet that is our duty as Ananda Margiis: To review, understand, follow, and do Viprocita seva with the help of His teachings. Without first understanding His teachings ourselves, then how can we teach others. After all, if we do not study then for what reason Baba has given Ananda Marga books? If we Ananda Margiis do not read them, then who will - non margiis?
The more practical plan is to record Baba's books in one's mother tongue and listen to those recordings. Further down in this mail we will discuss exactly how to do this. Let's first analyse how listening can be done in our day to day life.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Can listen while body is engaged
The beauty of listening is that it can be done during all sorts of activities during our busy daily life. For example, we all bath, do asanas, cook food, eat, do chores, and attend to duties. In our lives we involve in so many engagements where the body is engaged but the mind is free to think. But when the body is involved it is not possible to sit still and turn the pages and read Baba's books. The best option then is to listen to His recorded books. Listening does not require the use of our arms and hands etc, as reading demands.
So while cleaning, travelling, bathing etc, we are physically involved with our arms and legs but not psychically involved. In that case the mind is free to engage in something, such as listening to Baba's books. Indeed the mind needs some psychic food, or pabulum, or abhoga.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Abhoga means occupation or pabulum. Not only the physical body but the mind also requires a pabulum; whatever object the mind confines itself to, that is its pabulum...mental pabulum is called a'bhoga." (4)
Hence the mind always needs some food - something to think about. So while we are doing mundane chores we should involve in listening to His discourses. This psychic food we should give to our mind. By this way we can best utilise our time and learn, understand, and follow His teachings.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
~ In-depth study ~
How much time do we really get for worthwhile tasks?
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Everywhere, in cent per cent of the cases, there is wastage of human psychic potentiality. The psychic potentialities of human beings are immense, but people do not utilize them because most of their valuable time is wasted in undesirable thoughts, in psychic extravaganza. Suppose human life is an average of sixty years. Twenty years of that is spent in sleep, and the remaining forty years are wasted in petty or useless activities. How much time do people really get to devote to worthwhile tasks? This psychic extravaganza should be checked....” (5)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “The importance of study is tremendous. Those who are educated must conduct seminars among themselves and also among the less-educated – they must make the latter understand. Knowledge must be disseminated throughout all sections of society. You must create opportunities for all people to judge everything in the light of truth. Liberate the intellect of each and every person. Human intellect is now bogged down in a marshy quagmire – let people enjoy the sweet taste of intellectual freedom.” (6)
References
1. Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism, Awakened Conscience (Discourse 9)
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Jaeva Dharma and Bhágavata Dharma
3. Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism Awakened Conscience (Discourse 9)
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 11, The Hub of Universal Activities
5. Subhasita Samgraha - 18, The Cult of Spirituality – the Cult of Pinnacled Order
6. Liberation of Intellect - Neo-Humanism, Awakened Conscience (Discourse 9)
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
As soon as I came to know
"Anek shuniá anek bháviá,tomákei bhálobesechi..." (Prabhat Samgiita #1041)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, Your tales are infinite. From the mouths of bhaktas I have heard endless, heart-touching stories how You have showered Your boundless love and compassion. As soon as I came to know-- all those recollections, I fell in love with only You and began to contemplate Your grandeur and glory, over and over again, and realised that You are inseparably linked with my entire existence. You are my most intimate One. In hopes of finding You, I have searched in each and every town and village, by the rivers and the oceans, in the hills and the valleys, in the mountains and the caves. I have sought You in the sky and earth, even in pa'ta'la - everywhere. By Your grace, in the end, You made me realise that You alone are that priceless jewel sitting in my heart forever.
Parama Purusa, I do not have any explanation for why I have fallen in love with You. All I can say is that it is solely Your krpa. Prema knows no logic or reasoning. All I can mention is that You drew me near. My Supreme One, I do not love You in order to get mukti. I am not an A-grade bhakta so I love You to get bliss. This is the essence that I have come to realise in this stage of divine love. Although this is a lower stage of bhakti, this is the desire of my life: To love You so I may live blissfully.
Baba, with whatever capacity I have I will execute the tasks which You have given me. I will go on doing Your work and following Your order, expending every ounce of energy to satisfy You. At the same time I will always remember that parabhakti is the highest level of spirituality; that is the greatest attainment in this universe. It is paramount; nothing is equal to parabhakti. If one is blessed with parabhakti they have received everything. In that pinpointed stage, the bhakta thinks, “I will love You to please You alone.” There is not an iota of selfishness to get bliss from sadhana. Rather one’s singular desire is to give You bliss. That is the ultimate treasure I realised, by Your grace...
Notes for Prabhat Samgiita #1041:
Those on the path of sadhana are all bhaktas of various gradations, from the lowest to the highest.
- The lowest, i.e. D-grade sadhakas, do sadhana to harm their enemies. They request the Lord to kill others.
- C-grade bhaktas do not want to hurt anyone, rather they have a strong penchant for mundane gains. They request God to grant them power, post, and worldly riches. That is why they do sadhana.
- B-grade sadhakas do spiritual practices to remove their psychic tension and gain peace, tranquility, and bliss. They want to derive pleasure from the Lord. These are their selfish reasons and inner motives for doing sadhana.
- A-grade or top grade sadhakas only want to make Parama Purusa happy and give Him bliss. Whatever small or big work they do in their life is done for the sole purpose of pleasing their Ista. They harbour no other desire. With this A-grade bhakti, in due course, the sadhaka becomes one with Parama Purusa.
On the path of enlightenment all these aforesaid stages come, step by step. In the highest state one feels the sole yearning to please Parama Purusa. By knowing these grades of bhakti, one can understand how far along they are on the path.
[1] Mukti: (Literally means 'liberation'). Just as the sadhaka in the above song is not doing sadhana to get mukti, similarly, in the below discourse Ananda Marga ideological teachings guide us that one should not do sadhana to get mukti.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "While surrendering oneself at the altar of the Supreme, what is one to do? One must not ask for anything from Parama Purus'a. [For example,] for a bhakta, mukti has got no importance. A bhakta wants Parama Purus'a, and nothing from Him, not even mukti. Suppose Parama Purus'a says, 'O devotee, what do you want?' - his reply is, 'I want You'. One must not say, 'I want mukti', because suppose one says, 'I want mukti', one may get mukti, but one may not get Parama Purus´a. Which is more valuable - mukti or Parama Purus'a? Parama Purus'a!" (1)
So this is a good teaching: A sadhaka should not ask for anything, not even mukti. Even then some do sadhana for mukti; but in the above Prabhat Samgiita as well as in the above quotation, Ananda Marga ideology is instructing us that one should not do sadhana to get mukti. One should do sadhana so that one may please Him.
[2] A'nanda deva'r l'a'gi: (Literally means 'to give bliss'). The last stanza of this song describes the stance of ragatmika bhakti where one does sadhana to please Him-- to give Him bliss. That is the culmination of all bhakti.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "The ra'ga'tmika' bhakta says: 'I love Parama Purus'a because I want to give Him a'nandam. I don't care whether or not I get a'nandam. My only desire is to give Him joy through my love. I shall perform, even at the cost of profuse sweat and difficulty, only those noble deeds which will give Him joy. I am ready to undergo any amount of pain and suffering to give Him joy." (2)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, 'Bhakti, Mukti and Parama Purusa'
2. Namami Krsnasundaram: Disc 25
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Outcome of communism
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “By raising an iron curtain, a veil of dark ignorance, before them, they have taught people to chatter a few chosen, tutored sentences. They have confined them within a small dungeon, with its doors and windows locked – they have converted them into owls of darkness. This is the inevitable outcome of those pseudo-philosophies.” (1)
Note: Here above Baba is pointing out the defective nature of communism.
Reference
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Shiva's Teachings – 2 (continued) (Discourse 14)
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Why the suffering of sadhakas is minuscule in comparison
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The reaping of consequences of original actions performed by a human being occurs mainly in the psychic sphere. And if a person attains the blessings of evolved beings and the Cosmic grace in that same psychic sphere, the problem is solved. Pain and misery is bound to come. Depending upon one's inborn sam'ska'ras and the actions performed, tortures and afflictions are bound to be undergone - the expression of one's own samskara [reactive momenta]. Tortures and afflictions will not be as severely painful as before; with the blessing and grace, the psychic afflictions will be removed. Well, when there is pain and the pain is not felt as such, should it then be called pain? In this case, in the psychic sphere, one will remain in a state of bliss. Let the afflictions come. When the affliction and pain are not felt as such, one should not worry about it." (1)
The only way to permanently relieve oneself of any suffering is not to run after worldly allurements but rather get His divine grace. Just a tiny portion of His grace is enough to free the mind of any suffering. Then one will just be in a state of peace - bliss.
Sadhaka not feel the suffering
According to Ananda Marga philosophy, nobody can escape the reactions of their past deeds. When the all-benevolent Guru wishes then He showers His grace and the mind becomes elevated. In that state Mr X is not undergoing any suffering; but, others will see Mr X’s plight and think that Mr X is suffering. But because Mr X does not feel any pain then for him there is no suffering of that bad samskara. For bhaktas, they are in bliss by His grace whenever they have to face any bad samskara.
For example, suppose a bhakta and a non-devotee are both facing their own individual samskara and became sick with tuberculosis. Physically both are suffering. But the bhakta is not undergoing any psychic suffering. If one is not in mental agony they may remain in a blissful state. The end result is that although both are suffering from the same disease physically, but only the non-bhakta is suffering psychically. In that case the bhakta’s mind may remain ensconced in bliss.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, The Physical, Psychic and Spiritual Strata
== Section 4: Links ==
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