Baba
Story: Baba asks about my sadhana
Namaskar,
Before going into the Baba’s room I had many questions, but once inside His room He saturated and ensconced me in His endless bliss. In that exalted state, I did not have any desire or energy to ask anything from Him. After quite some time, with a very soft, sweet voice, Baba asked, "What time do you do sadhana every day?"
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I replied, “Baba, I do not have a fixed time. Usually every day the time differs.”
Baba smiled and told, "That's why I asked you the question. For better sadhana, the time should be fixed. It is just like if your sleeping time is fixed, then at that moment time tiredness comes. And if one’s food time is fixed, then at that moment you will feel hunger. In contrast, if you do not have a fixed time for taking food then you will invite stomach diseases like acidity, if you eat when you are not hungry etc. The human body functions best when one has a routine or habit. Randomly changing the time of taking food and going to sleep will disturb the body and mind. The same is the case with sadhana, asanas etc. For better health in all the realms - physical, psychic and spiritual - one should follow a strict routine. Sadhana also needs a fixed timing. If the time is set and one practices daily at that time, then naturally at that moment you will like to do sadhana. And sadhana will be better."
When Baba guided me about all these points, I did not have any question or any desire to ask anything. And after some time, very lovingly He told that, "Now you should go." After doing sastaunga pranam with a heavy heart, unwillingly I came out.
Conclusion
Strict priority should be given to sadhana and creating and following a proper routine. Because sadhana is the most important aspect of life.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "Human life is short. It is wise to get all the instructions regarding sadhana as soon as possible." (1)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Ananda Maungal
~ In-depth study ~
Baba has given the following definition of the four sandhya's, i.e. junction of time.
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Ananda Marga Caryacarya states,"The four sandhya's:
(1) The period from forty-five minutes before to forty-five minutes after sunrise is called 'dawn', and dawn is the first sandhya'.
(2) The period from 9 A.M. to 12 noon is called the noon sandhya'.
(3) The period from forty-five minutes before to forty-five minutes after sunset is called the evening sandhya'.
(4) The period from forty-five minutes before to forty-five minutes after 12 midnight is called the midnight sandhya' (11:15 P.M. to 12:45 A.M.)." (2)
In daytime, 9a to 12p is very important; and at night 12a - 3a is highly important.
Sandyas: ancient tantrika system
The entire system of tantrika sadhana was invented by Lord Shiva. And that very time -- 7000 years ago -- human beings were calculating everything in the night by the presence of stars in the sky or their various primitive ways. The modern system for calculating the time had not been formulated. They founded the period we term as midnight. Various junctions of day and night play a very significant role in infusing the good qualities, sentient feeling in the human mind. And these junction periods in tantrika language are called as "sandhya.”
In the past, I was thinking that sandhyas were something dogmatic. The various Hindu dogmatic rituals observe sandhya' in their prayers etc. In the temples, they do their rituals and worship in the morning, in the evening, and at midday etc. That's why I was thinking that the sandhya' theory is dogma.
However, in the true sense, in our day to day life, these four sandhya's - (a) morning, (b) midday, (c) evening, and (d) midnight - are very significant for our various types of sadhana. Not only sadhana, but other dos and dont's are also involved. Baba has written about this in various discourses and books.
For instance, among the four sandhya's, three sandhya's are very good for bathing.
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Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "Bathing at midnight is prohibited. One must not take a bath in the midnight sandhya'. Everyone must bathe in any one of the other three sandhya's. Taking into consideration one's health and the climatic conditions, one may also bathe in one or both of the remaining two sandhya's." (3)
About Brahma Muhurta
For longevity, one has to get up in brahma muhurta. That is just 45 minutes before sunrise.
Baba says, "Brahma Muhurta. 45 minutes before sunrise; the best time for meditation. At that time the omnipresence of Brahma is felt." (In the Land of Hattama'la)
In this morning sandhya', paincajanya is also done.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "At five o'clock every morning, sa'dhakas [spiritual aspirants] will assemble at a ja'grti, and where there is no ja'grti, at a fixed convenient place, and participate in singing five minutes of Prabha'ta Sam'giita, in performing fifteen minutes of kiirtana, and lastly in performing ten minutes of collective meditation. This should be the practice on all days of the week except Sundays. On Sundays, there should be singing of ten minutes of Prabha'ta Sam'giita, performance of fifteen minutes of kiirtana, and performance of at least ten minutes of collective meditation. This programme is known as Pa'incajanya." (4)
Timing of kapalika & madhura sadhana
There is a three-hour period allotted for kapalika sadhana, from midnight for three hours up to 3am. While madhura sadhana can only be done during the 1.5 hour period of midnight sandhya', i.e. from 11:15pm to 12:45am.
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Ananda Marga philosophy states, "As a general rule the grace of Parama Purus'a is expressed through positive microvita in different plexi. Noticeably or conceivably a sweet aroma comes from the concerned plexus. When a spiritual aspirant attains mental concentration or composure, as in madhura sa'dhana' [a particular type of meditation], he or she experiences a sweet aroma and the mind feels peaceful or composed. Parama Purus'a gives the bliss of tactuality through different plexi." (5)
Life is for sadhana
Baba gives the following lines which convey a deep sense of how life is only for sadhana.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "The worship of Brahma should be done scrupulously, or else you will later regret and bemoan the futility of your life with the last drop of your tears at your last hour. You should make your life worthwhile through your Sa'dhana'. How much can your worldly friends and relations do for you? After your death your relatives may perhaps ask, "How much money has he left behind?" Your friends may go to the crematorium and indulge in flattering reminiscences about you. Your husband or wife may cry for you for about ten or twelve days and then regain their normal composure. Your lot will be only a profound sigh -- a record of the futility and frustration of your life. So do not waste your time lest you later have to repent."
"Vrtha' janma goina'yaluin hena Prabhu na' bhojaluin
Khoya'yalu soha gun'anidhi,
Hama'r karama manda na milala eka bunda
Premasindhu rasaka abadhi.
Fruitless, O Lord, has been my life
That sang not of glories Thine;
Lost in the worldly strife
And lost Thee, most precious treasure of mine.
Fate's long and ominous hand
With compassion, cold and daft,
Strayed me out of Thy Love's strand
Deprived, alas of a single Draught." (6)
On this occasion, Baba gave me the opportunity to go inside His room and massage His feet. That was unforgettable: such a soft touch of His fragrant His body. I was aware that Baba never uses any scent. The sweet aroma which was coming from His body had no comparison. It was so divinely intoxicating that my voice was choked - full of bliss.
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References
1. Caryacarya - 2, Sádhaná (Intuitional Practice), point #8
2. Carya'carya Part 3, Bathing Procedure and Pitr Yajiṋa
3. Carya'carya Part 3, Bathing Procedure and Pitr Yajiṋa
4. Caryacarya - 1, Páiṋcajanya
5. Yoga Psychology, Bio-Psychology
6. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Vibration, Form and Colour
Plagiary?
The below section is an entirely different topic, unrelated to the above material.
It stands on its own merit as a point of interest and ideological awareness.
* * *
Appeared in my inner abode
"Maner końe royecho gopane, brhater ceye tumi brhat..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0617)
Purport:
Baba, You are infinite - vaster than vast. Even then, with Your divine play, You are secretly hiding in the corner of my mind. You are full of love and the embodiment of prema. With Your exquisite and boundless affection, You have saturated this entire universe. Your liila is incomparable.
Parama Purusa, You have removed all the staticity and drowsiness. Transcendental Entity, You have come as Ta’raka Brahma in my dhyana, blessed me, and taken Your seat on my blossomed mental lotus. You are the great, samvedanátiita Entity. Baba, You have appeared in my inner abode in a very intimate manner, in an extremely personal way. You have blessed me.
You are everywhere: in white snow of the foggy mountains as well as in the core of my heart in the form of a garland of gems. You exist within the casket of bhakti. You are the pure essence of all knowledge. You are a stream of nectar, the embodiment of bliss, and immortal. Your glory is unfathomable as You manifest as bliss-personified. You are mine...
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 section is an entirely different topic, unrelated to the above material.
It stands on its own merit as a point of interest and ideological awareness.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Appeared in my inner abode
"Maner końe royecho gopane, brhater ceye tumi brhat..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0617)
Purport:
Baba, You are infinite - vaster than vast. Even then, with Your divine play, You are secretly hiding in the corner of my mind. You are full of love and the embodiment of prema. With Your exquisite and boundless affection, You have saturated this entire universe. Your liila is incomparable.
Parama Purusa, You have removed all the staticity and drowsiness. Transcendental Entity, You have come as Ta’raka Brahma in my dhyana, blessed me, and taken Your seat on my blossomed mental lotus. You are the great, samvedanátiita Entity. Baba, You have appeared in my inner abode in a very intimate manner, in an extremely personal way. You have blessed me.
You are everywhere: in white snow of the foggy mountains as well as in the core of my heart in the form of a garland of gems. You exist within the casket of bhakti. You are the pure essence of all knowledge. You are a stream of nectar, the embodiment of bliss, and immortal. Your glory is unfathomable as You manifest as bliss-personified. You are mine...
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "It is the sense of duty that causes one person to renounce everything; and it is the sense of duty that inspires another person to readily accept the burden of caring for his or her family. It is the sense of duty that makes a person great. Of all bonds, the bond of duty is the strongest, and the bond of moha [blind attachment or infatuation] is the worst. Humanity will have to break the bonds of moha and increase the bonds of duty willingly and consciously. This is the law." (1)
Reference
1. Namámi Krśńasundaram, Disc: 13
== Section 3: Links ==
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