Baba
Snake incident & PC
Namaskar,
Every morning when I awakened, I saw a snake crawl out from underneath my bedding and quietly slither away. Only after meeting with Sadguru Baba weeks later did I learn how and why this was happening. Such was the experience of Shyam Prasad Chakravarty, a teacher in the Ananda Marga school in Ghatal. Here is more of his first-hand account.
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Incident: from bed, snake slithers away
I was living and teaching in our Ananda Marga school in Ghatal - it was a mud building with a mud floor and mud walls. Every morning a snake would emerge from my blankets and go away. This was very concerning to me. Each night before sleep I would meticulously make my bed and check all around. Then I would secure it on all sides with my mosquito net. It was sealed all around. Yet, every morning that same snake would slither away from my bedding. Somehow the snake was entering my sleeping area, remaining there all night, and leaving in the morning.
It never bit me, nor did it hiss at me, nonetheless it was very concerning to me. I began telling others about it and asking their advice. Some of the local villagers and margiis suggested using chemical carbide - a toxic agent. I tried it but it did not succeed. Still the snake was coming. I had no idea how to resolve the situation and was very disturbed by this whole affair.
PC with Baba
Time passed and a month later I went for reporting - everyone told me that I should seek Baba's help about this matter. I was blessed and got the opportunity to see Baba.
Baba asked me how I was and I said that everything was fine. I felt there was no need to tell Him of my problem because already He is knowing everything.
Then Baba said, "You are having a problem with one snake."
I replied, "Yes, Baba."
Then Baba explained in great detail what had transpired.
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Secret behind snake
He said, "When you were growing up you had one very dear friend, Bankim. As boys, you two used to do everything together - during school, after school, always. You were inseparable. You two were bosom buddies. Then, in 1984, you both were initiated into Ananda Marga sadhana. Although Bankin was a good boy, he was not regular in doing his sadhana. Bankin did not perform sadhana twice daily as per our Ananda Marga system. One afternoon, two years later, in 1986, Bankim put down his books, left the school and walked out across the field in the village of Vyangamatii (Purulia Dist) and suddenly died from an epileptic attack."
"You were deeply saddened by his death. You two were so close - Bankim's death was a real shock. And because Bankim was not doing his sadhana morning and evening regularly as prescribed, he was reborn as a snake. And the snake he became is the same snake that is staying with you every night. That snake is very fond of you."
I listened intently as Baba told everything.
Then Baba said to me, "Even though Bankim was not regular in sadhana, and did not do meditation twice daily, if you wish he can again get human life. What do you want: Shall I grant him human life."
I said, "Yes, Baba, please again give him human life."
Snake falls to the ground and slips away
Baba lovingly spoke, "You need not be concerned about this snake problem any longer. It will come to you for one more month, but you need not worry - it will not bite you. The snake will not bother you at all. Only you will see it as usual when you arise in the morning. After this month-long period, it will get human life."
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My session with Baba ended - I did sastaunga pranam, He graciously blessed me, and I slowly left the room.
I returned to the school in Ghatal and that very first night back the snake was with me again. Every day I tried my best to clean and arrange my bed and tie the mosquito net securely to prevent the snake from entering. But no matter what I did, every morning when I lifted up and shook my bed sheets, then the snake would fall to the ground and slip away. Although this was not pleasant for me, I knew that Baba had told that in one month this problem will be over. Each morning I checked for the snake, and each morning it was there. It seemed to be an endless problem. Then one morning I lifted the bed sheet and I was pleasantly surprised and relieved to find that the snake was not there. It was gone. I then counted the days and realised it was exactly 30 days since I had seen Baba. I never saw that snake again. Per Guru's wish, the snake left this world and was blessed to have human life.
Why & what about this incident
(#1) If one does sadhana regularly (two times daily) one will get mukti (liberation) - that is Guru's guarantee. But if one is remiss in doing their sadhana, what to speak of mukti they may not even get human life. That was the case with Bankim as he was reborn as a snake.
(#2) If one does not do sadhana twice daily they will have to face the consequences and reap all their samskaras.
(#3) In this world one should be most attracted to Parama Purusa and not any unit person or mundane thing. Since Bankim was so attached to Shyam Prasad then, as a snake, he had the strong desire to be with him.
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(#4) All who take initiation are benefited in some way - even if they do not get mukti (liberation). Even though Bankim was not regular in sadhana, He was specially graced to quickly again get human life, after living for a short spell as a snake. Had he not been initiated his samskara would have been worse and longer lasting.
(#5) Every initiated Ananda Margii must be very vigilant in doing their sadhana - twice daily without any exception.
(#6) Only Parama Purusa is the benevolent Goal and Eternal Entity. While walking this earth, one must ideate on Him, and not anything else.
Conclusion
Bankim had a snake samskara from his past deeds. But, if he had done sadhana as per the prescribed system, then that old snake samskara would have been burned. When one does sadhana their accumulated samskaras get burned very quickly. As long as one has samskaras, that individual has to take rebirth in order to face those torments. So Bankim had his bundle of samskaras, but since Bankim did not do sadhana that old samskara took over. That is why, after his death, Bankim went in the reverse direction and was reborn as a snake. After he finished his snake samskara then again he was blessed with human life.
It is not the rule that if one does not do sadhana then they automatically become a snake. Ananda Marga philosophy states that if you do not do sadhana regularly then you will suffer from your old samskaras, either in this life or the next. Whatever those samskaras may be. Whereas, if you do sadhana regularly, then most of your old samskaras will be exhausted. Only in rare cases, if one has done terrible, nasty deeds in their previous lives, then their samskaras may not get exhausted due to the sheer vastness of those samskaras. Then what? When the sadhaka dies then only some of their previous life samskaras get burned. And still they have a huge pile of unexpressed samskaras. In that scenario, Guru’s divine promise takes effect from the Supreme Command. However many samskaras are left, Guru graciously takes away all those samskaras and He grants liberation.
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Supreme Command says, "Those who perform sadhana twice a day regularly - the thought of Parama Purusa will certainly arise in their minds at#0759 the time of death; their liberation is a sure guarantee. Therefore every Ananda Margii will have to perform sadhana twice a day invariably; verily is the command of the Lord."
Intelligent sadhakas do their sadhana regularly - at least 80 times japa and 15 minutes minimum of iishvara pranidhana, and maximum as much as they can.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Mukul Basu
Plagiary?
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.
* * *
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 ==
"Álor sáyare d́heu jágáyecho, alakár sudhá jharáyecho, tumi..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0865)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, You have created a huge surge of tidal waves in the ocean of divine refulgence, and You are showering the nectar of the immortal world. After dispelling the dark fog of avidya and staticity, You have graciously brought the crimson dawn.
Parama Purusa, those human minds burning in the three afflictions (trit’ap) - physical, psychic, and spiritual - of the past, present, and future, You have quenched and satiated their thirst for the infinite. To those dumb, inert, crude, materialistic, human minds You have given the message of liberation and taught them a dharmic way of life. You have done everything.
Parama Purusa, Baba, You want to see that all humans, animals, and plants - all animate and inanimate objects - move together in harmony by eliminating the distinction between each and every entity across this entire creation. For this reason, You painted the picture of a brilliant, new era, along with the emergence of proper intellect and the sublime teachings of neo-humanism. Everything You have done…
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #0865
[1] Trit’apa: three afflictions: Ananda Marga ideology states, “Human capacity is very limited – we cannot ignore this truth. Human afflictions are trifarious: physical, psychic and spiritual. The physical afflictions originate from the material world and the psychic afflictions from the unmanifest world or human mind. In some countries of the world people have abundant supplies of food and clothes, but are they happy? No, they too suffer from pains and miseries, troubles and diseases. They too mourn the loss of their nearest and dearest ones. These are psychic afflictions. Next are the spiritual afflictions. The periphery of human mind is small, and this small mind remains engrossed with limited objects. The mind must be raised above these limited objects, above the world of limited happiness, into the limitless spiritual world. Limited psychic wealth is the root cause of spiritual afflictions. The state of breaking the bondages of limitations is known as “spiritual liberation.” When that liberation is permanent it is called “salvation”.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, Artha and Paramártha
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “Human beings will definitely be able to increase human longevity by scientific techniques. In certain special cases they will even be able to restore life to dead bodies. The endeavour to expedite the advent of that auspicious day of science is certainly an important part of social service.”
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “One day human beings will also learn how to produce human babes in science laboratories. Perhaps then it will be possible for human beings to place an order for their children and to get children according to their choice. Why should these laboratory babes lag behind modern humans with respect to intellectual and spiritual wealth! Those opposed to science today challenge, “Let human beings demonstrate that they can produce living entities!” By producing laboratory babes, the human beings of the future will give a befitting reply to this challenge.”
“The development of intuition will make human beings more spiritually inclined. What Saguńa Brahma [the Qualified Supreme Entity] is directly doing today will be done increasingly by the human beings of tomorrow. In that age the reproductive capacity of the human body will gradually cease to exist.” (1)
Reference
1. Problems of the Day, Point #25, 1959
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga Ideology states, “On deeper analysis we find that the Charvaka and other schools of materialistic philosophy propagated certain doctrines which were more a revolt against the prevailing religions than an expression of a rational and benevolent outlook. They protested loudly against the clergy or religious traders who composed the so-called scriptures in the name of dharma (in fact it was not dharma, but religion); who took advantage of the fear psychosis, in the name of god, to ruthlessly exploit society. The Charvaka and other materialistic philosophies were motivated to strike against religious exploiters. They were fully aware of the way the vested interests exploited society, and they knew that nobody had the right to deprive others of their properties, since every thing of this earth is the common patrimony of all, yet they did not endeavour to lead humans along the path of rationality or formulate a healthy social and spiritual ideology.” (1)
Ananda Marga Ideology states, “The reason for this was that they lacked convincing arguments to stand against the sharp intellect of the vested interests [religious exploiters]. Thus, they merely attempted to negate the fundamental tenets of the vested interests [religious exploiters], often with rather abusive language. Due to the weakness of their argumentation it was easy for the vested interests [religious exploiters] to emerge and gain strength in the subsequent period.” (2)
References:
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 7, In Adoration of the Supreme
2. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 7, In Adoration of the Supreme
== Section 3: Links ==
