Baba
Unenviable samádhi
Namaskar,
There are many types and various grades of samadhi. Some samadhis occur due to high spiritual attainment while others are completely mundane in nature - i.e. jara samadhi. Either way, samadhi means the suspension of mind. Depending on the person, that can happen with something sublime as well as with something worldly.
For instance, some lose consciousness - i.e. get samadhi - when they think about the money they lost or when they remember their deceased friend. While others get samadhi from their spiritual practice. Whenever a person’s nervous system is overpowered then that is samadhi.
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Why margii got samadhi
Anyone whose conduct is not good undergoes a similar reaction as those new and irregular sadhakas. Almost instantly in dharmacakra or in kiirtan they start crying and laughing etc; but, side by side, as soon as they leave the spiritual program they become involved in anti-social behaviour and often begin quarreling with everyone. Their overall conduct is not good.
For example, in a unit where I recently visited, one person was involved in some unsavory activities. When he shows up for sadhana shivir or akhanda kiirtan then immediately he cannot tolerate or manage the sentient vibration and he begins displaying unusual bodily reactions typical of samadhi. But he is not a great sadhaka. Rather he was so neglectful in yama and niyama that when he came in contact with a little spiritual vibration his mind became suspended. Baba describes this phenomenon in His following teaching.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Vikśipta samádhi occurs when the mind is engrossed in an elevated thought one moment, and the very next moment suddenly returns to its meaner propensities. Those who do not follow Yama and Niyama (codes of self-restraint), those who endeavour to attain God without the sádhaná of saḿyama (self-control); are troubled by a multitude of distractions. If they absorb themselves in singing spiritual songs (kiirtana-bhajana), their mental proclivities are temporarily focused on the Divine One. Their bodies show signs of spiritual awakening, tears flow from their eyes, and they attain the trance of subjectivity (bháva samádhi). But immediately after the kiirtana-bhajana session has ended their unrestrained and incontinent minds race towards mean propensities with an even greater momentum." (1)
Could not handle slightest vibration
More than a decade back one young sadhaka used to bounce around and leap up and down in sadhana. Many around him were proclaiming that this young sadhaka was the incarnation of a great soul. They told like this because they were impressed with his various "bounces" and "sounds" during sadhana. Then all of a sudden came his "fall from grace". Really it is a sad and shocking story. What he did and how he behaved has been explained in the past and does not need re-hashing here. Only we should understand that he did some very unfortunate things due to lack of discipline in yama and niyama. Then all understood his bouncing in sadhana did not mean he was a saint or mahasadvipra; rather it was due to weaker nerve cells that he could not handle even the slightest bit of vibration. So we should be careful to properly evaluate samadhi-like symptoms. Because as sadhakas our approach should always be balanced and we should be able to recognise who is who.
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Nerve cells & nerve fibers strong or low
Next, consider what happens when equal amounts of spiritual vibration come within the bodies of two different persons. If Mr. A's nerve cells and nerve fibers are strong they will not react. Tears will not come and Mr. A will not fall in samadhi. And when that same degree of spiritual vibration arises within Mr. B, he is unable to tolerate that vibration. Instead, he falls into samadhi or tears come - all because his nerve cells and nerve fibers are not adequately developed.
So one person's nerve cells and fibers can manage a certain degree of spiritual vibration and another person's nerve cells or nerve fibers cannot tolerate it. One should not conclude then that the sadhaka who got samadhi experienced a higher vibration or realisation; only it means that his nerves who not handle even a little spiritual wave.
When one does regular sadhana, asanas, and takes proper food then one's nerve cells and nerve fibers get mature and strong. In that state, they can receive a much greater and more sentient spiritual vibrations. That is why such sadhakas easily can tolerate normal and higher spiritual vibrations. So it depends upon individual to individual. In that case, very soon they will be able to tolerate higher spiritual experiences and still not get samadhi. The benefit is that instead of their body shutting down they will be able to ascend into higher realms.
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That is why one should never calculate the "greatness" of any particular sadhaka based on external signs of samadhi as one may have just gotten a low samadhi. Better is to evaluate the level of a sadhaka based on their conduct and overall expression. That will render a far truer measure.
Samadhi analogy: rock & bag
Here is one good way for determining why some new, irregular, sadhakas quickly enter into a state of samadhi. By this analogy, it will be clear that they got samadhi not because their mind was high but because they were deficient in aspects of yama and niyama.
Suppose you place 30kg of solid rock in one strong sack and lift that sack in the air or hang it from a tree. Then notice how the sack is able to manage the weight; it is not ripping or breaking. That means that that bag is strong enough to hold the 30kg of rocks.
Next, place just 5kg of small rock pieces in a thin, plastic bag. Then when you lift the plastic bag you will see that those small rocks are ripping the bag and ultimately all the rocks fall due to gaping holes in the bag. This occurred because that fragile bag cannot bear the weight of even 5 kg of rock. One should not conclude that the 5kg in the thin, plastic bag was heavier than the 30kg in the strong sack. Rather the proper conclusion is that thin bag was not as strong - indeed it was much weaker than the rugged sack.
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This same theory applies to sadhakas. A new sadhaka whose nerve cells are not adequately developed cannot manage even a little spiritual vibration. So they are like that weak, thin plastic bag whereas established margiis can manage a much greater vibration just like that strong sack can hold a much heavier amount of rocks. In the above analogy, the bag is your body and the heaviness of the rock is the degree of spiritual vibration.
Various sadhakas and their samadhi - 1
We can say there are various grades of sadhakas.
(a) Those who are not strict in yama and niyama and do not feel any vibration in sadhana. This happens when one is not sincere in their practices and their mind waivers; in result, and they fail to do their mantra japa. In that circumstance, they do not feel any spiritual pull in their meditation practice. That is most unfortunate. Such persons should try and become more sincere and ask Parama Purusa Baba for His grace.
(b) Then there are those who are not strict in yama and niyama yet by the grace of Parama Purusa receive some spiritual vibration in kiirtan and sadhana. In that case, those people often become overwhelmed. Their nerve cells and nerve fibers are not adequately developed and in result when they come in contact with that sentient, spiritual vibration, they lose control of their existence - physically and mentally. They fall into a type of samadhi and demonstrate samadhi-like expressions such as crying or rolling etc.
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Various sadhakas & their samadhi - 2
(c) Next are those who are strict in yama and niyama and Sixteen Points. They are very regular in their practices and when they sit for sadhana and do mantra japa then immediately spiritual vibration comes and they are adequately developed by His grace to handle that sentient flow. They remain still as stone in their meditation yet internally there is a grand rush of spiritual energy.
(d) Finally we reach those sadhakas who are very strict in all their practices - yama and niyama, Sixteen Points - and are of exemplary conduct. In sadhana they regularly feel a strong flow of divine vibration, by His grace. Yet on occasion, when their sadhana is extremely good and they are able to fully surrender to His will, then they may no longer be able to withstand that spiritual vibration and their mind rushes towards Him. At that point they may enter a deeply spiritual state of high samadhi.
The above four stages exist along a continuum. The more strict one is in their conduct and moral dealings, and the more vigilant one is in sadhana, the more developed their nerves and nerve fibres become. In that case one is able to manage a higher and higher vibration in their sadhana. Those blessed sadhakas who are sincere and disciplined enter into states of samadhi when they are completely suffused in His divine vibration.
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Conclusion
When the body is more pure and the mind more sentient, then one can digest stronger spiritual vibrations very calmly and easily. And when the body and mind are more static then even a little vibration is beyond their tolerance. This all depends upon the degree one is strict in yama and niyama. Such lower people start crying and tears start rolling down - even when their conduct is mean and they never do asanas. Such things you might have seen.
The operative factor is that when the body is sentient then it can tolerate many higher vibrations without any disturbance. And if one is not following 16 Points they cannot manage any spiritual waves and they just start crying etc. Baba has described this perfectly in some of His Subhasita Samgraha discourses.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Gopal
~ In-depth study ~
Here is another way to evaluate the situation. Our beloved Baba also had a physical body. And that physical body was so pure and everything was so strong that He was assimilating and managing the strongest vibrations without any external reaction of samadhi. Not only that, if anyone touched Him for a few seconds even, they would get samadhi in a flash. So Baba's physical body was very conducive for keeping the strongest spiritual vibration in a very controlled way. But sadhakas could not do this; they fell in samadhi.
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The use of VSS
That is one of the chief reasons why Baba was not allowing others to touch Him when doing pranam etc. To keep people from touching Him, VSS guards were formed to protect Baba.
But even then, even without direct physical touch, just when entering the discourse room or place of darshan then one's whole body and mind would get charged and goose bumps would arise, and the whole body and mind would get riveted. Sadhakas would feel a strong divine force emanating and penetrating their entire existence. By just sitting in that place, i.e. in Baba's presence. Certainly it varies from individual to individual based on their quality of bhakti etc - that determines how far they can receive the divine vibration of Baba.
Certain central workers might not have received any vibration at all due to their static outlook and ego, whereas those margiis sitting even a little more distant might have received a much stronger vibration. And, above all, it is solely depending upon His grace - how far He is blessing certain individuals.
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Samádhi due to excessive fear
Ananda Marga ideology states, "One's sense of reality often becomes distorted in a paroxysm of rage (kśipta), and a sort of mental inertia occurs. This is also a type of crude samádhi in which all the propensities of the irate person are absorbed in the object of anger." (2)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Mudhabhútni samadhi, or the trance of infatuation, is a little higher than this. This is a state of mental stupefaction which results from excessive infatuation, causing a person to lose all common sense. All the propensities of the infatuated person become absorbed in the object of infatuation. This sort of samádhi may even occur in the mind of the most common person if he or she is suddenly fettered tightly by this overpowering bondage. In the Mahábhárata it is said that Jayadratha was a victim of such samádhi due to excessive fear." (3)
Such sádhakas: dishonest, depraved, & deceitful
Ananda Marga ideology states, "That is why such sádhakas are very dishonest, depraved and deceitful, and even go so far as to defraud their own relatives. Most people are a little wary of such bhajana singers. People lacking self-control do enjoy a little transcendental happiness by forcing their mental flow towards the auspicious name of God, but soon after the end of the divine singing (náma kiirtana) their dammed up minds burst and race towards the crude world with redoubled speed, and they become even more inclined to scandal-mongering and rude behaviour. You may have noticed how blatantly those bhajana singers indulge in abusive language at the least provocation. These are symptoms of the distractions of the citta." (4)
Eventually end up in the blind alley of inertness
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Vashiikára-siddhi is only possible for those sádhakas who follow the principles of yama and niyama and perform Brahma sádhaná. Those who do not, do immeasurable harm to themselves and the entire world by the strength of their kśipta, mudha and vikśipta samádhis having attained some degree of control over their organs through the process of yoga sádhaná. In the absence of the sádhaná of self-control they use their mental power for the petty selfish ends. After practicing yoga or Tantra sádhaná for a while these immoral individuals begin to harm others for the sake of their own petty egoistic aggrandizement, and eventually end up in the blind alley of inertness. So I entreat you to follow the right path. The same yoga of self-control which is so beneficial for both individuals and the collectivity, is so dangerous when it is devoid of morality. So everyone must be strict in following the principles of yama and niyama." (5)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 4, This World and the Next
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 4, This World and the Next
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 4, This World and the Next
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 4, This World and the Next
5. Subhasita Samgraha - 4, This World and the Next
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stands on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Dedicated to Your service
"Toma'ke d'eke gechi kato jiivane..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3789)
Purport:
Baba, O' Parama Purusa, with longing in my heart I have been calling You for so many lives. Why did You remain distant. It may be that You heard me but You did not listen, or that You saw me, but You did not look towards me. So many lives passed and I just remained in darkness. O' my Parama Purusa, You play Your unkind liila with one insignificant being like me. You remain unkind.
O’ Parama Purusa, Baba, I always tell You the feeling of my heart, and by Your grace I know that resonates deep in Your inner core. You are intimately aware about whatever I think each and every moment; nothing is hidden from You. Because You are the all-knowing, love-personified Entity, that is why without my telling anything You understand my most intimate thoughts. The feelings of my mind expressed in my core can be heard in the resonance of my mental reflections.
O' Parama Purusa, whether You listen to my call or not, that does not give me any pain. If You hear it that is good, and if You choose not to that is also fine. The main thing is that my everything is dedicated to Your service. With deep longing my duty is to call You day and night. So I continue whether You respond or not. I only want solace in the mind, for what cause You turned deaf ears to me and avoided my call. Baba, You have graced me so much. Keep me under Your loving care…
"Toma'ke d'eke gechi kato jiivane..." (Prabhat Samgiita #3789)
Purport:
Baba, O' Parama Purusa, with longing in my heart I have been calling You for so many lives. Why did You remain distant. It may be that You heard me but You did not listen, or that You saw me, but You did not look towards me. So many lives passed and I just remained in darkness. O' my Parama Purusa, You play Your unkind liila with one insignificant being like me. You remain unkind.
O’ Parama Purusa, Baba, I always tell You the feeling of my heart, and by Your grace I know that resonates deep in Your inner core. You are intimately aware about whatever I think each and every moment; nothing is hidden from You. Because You are the all-knowing, love-personified Entity, that is why without my telling anything You understand my most intimate thoughts. The feelings of my mind expressed in my core can be heard in the resonance of my mental reflections.
O' Parama Purusa, whether You listen to my call or not, that does not give me any pain. If You hear it that is good, and if You choose not to that is also fine. The main thing is that my everything is dedicated to Your service. With deep longing my duty is to call You day and night. So I continue whether You respond or not. I only want solace in the mind, for what cause You turned deaf ears to me and avoided my call. Baba, You have graced me so much. Keep me under Your loving care…
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Perfect life plan
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "O human beings, proceed on the path of Oṋḿkara towards subtleness. Do not run after the superficial, pleasant mirage dominated by tamoguńa. Establish yourself in sattvaguńa and then merge yourself into Brahma. Reach the point whence oṋḿkára has started. Awaken your latent dynamism through sádhaná and devotion, arouse your divine wisdom and merge that pure divinity into the endless stream of divine glory. Attain the Supreme state for which you have suffered tremendous privations. Today you have the most favourable opportunity to prove yourself as human being.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy - 4, Our Spiritual Treatise
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Allopathic medicine disturbs the ecological balance of the body
Ananda Marga ideology states, "When people take allopathic medicine to cure a disease, the medicine disturbs the ecological balance of the body because more negative microvita get concentrated at the point of the disease. Allopathic medicines do not kill diseases – diseases die by their own natural death. Although the medicine may check the disease, the increased concentration of negative microvita can overcome the effect of the medicine. In fact, the increased concentration of negative microvita caused by allopathic medicines creates many new types of diseases, and due to this, two or three new diseases are presently being created every decade." (1)
Reference
1. Microvita, Some Guidelines for Commencing Microvita Research – Excerpt D
== Section 3: Links ==
