Nocturnal sadhana
Note: This letter refers to both genders - avadhutas, avadhutikas, brahmacariis, brahmacariniis - in all instances. Kindly read it in that spirit.
Namaskar,
What is kapalika sadhana? Of foremost importance is that it forces the practitioner to fight against their weaknesses and lower tendencies of mind like fear and shyness etc. By confronting the struggle and battle of kapalika sadhana, facing that dark night and various propensities like the six internal enemies and eight external fetters (such as fear, shyness, and hatred), and dealing with weather challenges, the practitioner is forced to overcome those weaknesses of mind.
Granted avadhutaship before colouring mind
The situation of an avadhuta / avadutika in Ananda Marga is akin to:
(a) Suppose a police uniform is given to a normal citizen who has no police training. As soon as that person puts on the uniform and wears that badge he will be expected to live up to a particular standard because the public has certain expectations of police personnel.
(b) Suppose a chef’s uniform is given to a person who does not know how to cook. Immediately that person will be forced to learn the art of cooking because everyone is expecting that he knows how to prepare food in a nice way.
Same is the case with our avadhutas / avadhutikas. Without having fulfilled the qualifications for becoming avadhuta / avadhutika they are given the uniform and stature of an avadhuta / avadhutika. So now they have to live like an avadhuta / avadhutika to qualify themselves. From the very first day that one wears the avadhuta / avadhutika uniform they must strive to live up to a certain standard because others have a particular expectation about what their conduct should be like. This expectation or circumstantial pressure leads to their progress because by wearing the avadhuta / avadhutika garb they are trying to live up to that standard. So they have to follow all Wt and avadhuta conduct rules. Those who don't follow 100% of the rules are not Wts; maybe they are fake, coloured jackal avadhutas - but in the true sense they are not actual avadhutas. Those in avadhuta / avadhutika uniform who are sincere benefit greatly and, step-by-step, become that ideal, by His grace.
Some may wonder why Baba made the system like this. The answer is two-fold. Firstly, if Baba was only going to accept those as avadhuta / avadhutika who fulfilled all the requirements, then the number of avadhutas / avadhutika would be much, much less - approximately less than one percent - yet a maximum number of Wts / avadhutas were needed to do the work. Secondly, just by wearing the avadhuta / avadhutika dress and having an avadhuta / avadhutika name, those Wts are forced to live up to a high ideal. Circumstantial pressure is created, and that brings about their progress.
Every kapalika is not avadhuta
Ultimately, becoming an avadhuta / avadhutika is an involved and on-going process, that takes time, commitment, dedication to a high ideal, and the fulfillment of their vow of renunciation. Whereas, a kapalika is anyone who has been taught kapalika sadhana, whether they be a family person or a brahmacaryii or avadhuta / avadhutika etc. So one should not think that every kapalika is an avadhuta. Baba has given kapalika sadhana to many non-avadhutas.
Conclusion: kapalika sadhana helps one focus
The great challenge of kapalika meditation forces the mind to concentrate. Whenever one is confronting fear or rising to challenges and adverse conditions, the mind becomes more focused. In result, the mind gains a more pointed approach. That enhanced focus invariably helps when doing the two main lessons of sadhana, 1st and 6th. The mind becomes more pointed on Ista.
The process of kapalika sadhana also heightens one's feeling of renunciation. Baba has reviewed how the mind overcomes the depraving tendencies in various discourses, including in His inspiring address known as Kashi Avadhuta Sabha.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Sincerity means they should be one in thinking, saying, and in action. There will be no difference in their thinking, saying, and action. There will be no hypocrisy. Their saying and action will be clear, concrete, and conclusive. In our day to day life, we meet some persons - those who are thinking one thing, saying another, and doing some other thing. The avadhutas should not do this thing. Their heart should be clean and simple. The simple heart is the only qualification of the sadhakas." (2)
Respectfully,
In Him,
Nityananda
~ In-depth study ~
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "So Tantra advises, “Jump into your environment without the least hesitation. Don’t be afraid. Fear will leave you step by step. Tomorrow you will not be as fearful as you are today, the day after you will be even less fearful, and ten days from now you’ll notice that you are completely fearless.” The process of Tantra sádhaná is formulated along these lines. The very first night that a Tantric goes to the burial ground he is stricken with fear; there is horripilation all over the body. But when he returns home after finishing sádhaná, the mind is much lighter than before. When he goes out for sádhaná the next night, he is much less fearful. And thus the Tantric steadily and slowly overcomes fear. This is the applied process of Tantra which will help the practitioner overcome all mental propensities. In Tantra, there is a nice blending between the internal sádhaná, an ongoing psychic process, and physico-psychic sádhaná." (1)
In those early days when Lord Shiva taught kapalik sadhana society was not so developed; whereas nowadays humanity has become comparatively more advanced. And now all Ananda Margiis are divyacariis. Here the point is that the mind may get elevated by doing various sadhana methods. In Lord Shiva’s time, kapalikas were facing all those wild circumstances. But the era has changed and people live in comfort so who is going to do kaplik sitting in swamp surrounded by mosquitos. So Baba placed greater emphasis on sahaja yoga (divyacara sadhana). If that system continued then the number of kapalikas would be much less. Kapalik sadhana is the stage of viiracara which is lower than divyacara.
Meaning of kapalika
We should also examine what the term kapalika means. Some think it is related with the skull since kapal means skull. But in various discourses Baba has explained the term in a different manner. Ka is expressed world and palika is those who care. Thus kapalika is one who serves the world or performs social service.
Ka palayati yashya sa kapalika
Meaning: “Those who have engaged themselves in the service of this manifested universe (manifested portion of Parampurusa), they are kapalika.” (3)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The entity that preserves this objectivated world is ka. (Human beings who have taken the responsibility, the moral responsibility, of serving this ka, that is, of serving this objectivated world, are called kápálika. Our avadhútas and avadhútikás practise kápálika sádhaná, that is, they do the pálana kriyá of ka, they do the pálana kriyá of this objectivated world. They are to serve humanity." (4)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The acoustic root of Kárya Brahma is (ka). That is why those who serve this world are known as kápálika." (5)
Kapalika sadhana aims to overcome weakness of mind
And again, the main import of kapalika sadhana is forcing the mind to fight against and overcome weaknesses and that struggle invariably leads one closer to perfection.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The first letter created in the Macrocosmic body during the formation of vyaiṋjanas is ka; this ka is the acoustic root. This universe has thus been created with acoustic root ka. To serve the ka-deva means to serve the entire manifestation of the Cosmos. That is why they who serve and look after that which has manifested in the Cosmos are known as kápálika." (6)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "The life of avadhutas is the life of systematic fight against inner and outer facets. This systematic process is not with other sadhakas. The avadhutas are bhaeravas. The meaning of bhaerava is that those who are initiated in the kapalika cult by Mahakaola, they are bhaerava. They have some processed fight against six internal ripus and eight external pashas. Another meaning of bhaerava is “those who assure others from fear”. They used to utter “mabhai” for this, so they are bhaerava. As per the second meaning, the non kapalikas, non avadhutas, who have got the quality to assure others from fear, they are bhaerava. But the only thing is that they have no processed fight, no systematic fight against the six ripus and eight pashas. The avadhutas have possessed both the qualities - the processed fight and the ability to assure others from fear. So they are the bhaeravas in the true sense." (7)
Six enemies & eight fetters
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Káma (longing for earthly objects), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice), moha (attraction), mada (vanity) and mátsarya (envy) are the six enemies. Śat́ means “six” and ripu means “enemies”. These six faculties in human beings are termed as enemies, as they absorb the mind in crudeness and stop its march towards the subtle. The supreme rank for unit consciousness is subtle, and anything which holds it back from reaching the supreme rank, is its enemy. These six faculties are, therefore, termed as six enemies.” (8)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Bhaya (fear), lajjá (shame), ghrńá (hatred), shauṋká (doubt), kula (high descent), shiila (complex of culture), mána (vanity) and jugupsá (backbiting) are the eight fetters...Aśt́apásha means the eight fetters. Anyone bound by fetters will lose his or her capacity of movement. In the creation we find the movement of human beings is from the crude to the subtle. That is, human beings have to move towards the subtle, but by their leaning towards the eight fetters such as lajjá, bhaya, and ghrńá, they get absorbed in crude things only and their progress towards the subtle is stopped." (9)
Why kapalika sadhana is needed
Still some may wonder that when the aim of human life is divine realisation and when that is achieved through sahaja yoga, then what is the utility of kapalika sadhana. Why has Baba given this. Many important reasons have already been demonstrated: overcoming vrttis, enhanced concentration, rising above depraving tendencies.
Sadhana lessons that lead to mukti or moksa are iishvara pranidhana (first lesson) and dhyana (sixth lesson), respectively. All other lessons are sadhanaunga, or helping lessons, including kapalika sadhana.
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 5, The Fundamental Difference between Veda and Tantra
2. Kashi Avadhuta Sabha
3. Kashi Avadhuta Sabha
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 5, Mantra and Incantation
5. Subhasita Samgraha - 18, Microcosm and Macrocosm
6. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, Macro-Propensitive Equipoise and Non-Propensitive Desideratum
7. Kashi Avadhuta Sabha
8. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?
9. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, How Should Human Beings Live In This World?
How so-called ghosts are born
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “In a dream, due to the dormant state of kámamaya kośa, the thought-vibrations of manomaya kośa appear real (this we call a dream when we wake up). When, due to extreme fear, stupefaction, crudity, or an excessive expression of any ripu or pásha, the kámamaya becomes temporarily suspended in the next higher kośa and the imagined objects appear real. This is also the case when a person sees various gods and goddesses. Psychologically, seeing a [so-called] ghost, god or goddess is the same thing; none of them actually exist.”
“When hypnotized by someone, a person starts perceiving things as per the commands of the hypnotist. In this state, when the kámamaya is dormant a person feels that his/her imagined objects are real. Often, weak-minded people see ghosts, gods or goddesses of relatives. Such visions are auto- or outer-positive-hallucinations. Conversely, when people declare the absence of things which are actually present, it is called auto- or outer-negative-hallucination.”
“This clarifies that those who emphatically claim that they have seen [so-called] ghosts are not wrong. It is due to the illusions of the negative or positive hallucinations that they see these things.”
Reference
1. Tattva Kaomudii - 1, Questions and Answers on Ananda Marga Philosophy
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Prout philosophy states, “These sadvipras will firmly declare, “All human beings belong to one race. Everyone has equal rights. Human beings are brothers and sisters!” These sadvipras will sternly warn the exploiters of society, “The exploitation of human beings cannot be allowed!” and, “Religious hypocrisy cannot be tolerated!” Giving a clarion call to the fragmented human society from beneath the saffron flag, the symbol of service and sacrifice, they will proclaim at the top of their voices, “Human beings of the world, unite!” And they will sing in chorus: Saḿgacchadhvaḿ saḿvadadhvaḿ..." (1)
Reference
1. Problems of the Day, Point #37
Atheists Are Ignorant - When Intelligence Increases They Will Become Theists
"Self-awareness develops through clash. The awareness that develops through physical clash is termed jadábuddhi [crude physical intellect] because it is associated with jadá [matter]. The consciousness of animals and undeveloped human beings is matter-oriented. But even in developed human society, if someone is an atheist or a materialist, we can only term their intellect as jadábuddhi. Such people deny the existence of spirituality in order to hide their intellectual deficiencies. Their denial betrays their moral and intellectual bankruptcy. It does not speak of their glory, nor does it diminish the value of spirituality."
"Devotion plays a positive role in the process of clash. Had there been no factor to maintain the balance among all the objects created within the Macrocosmic Mind, the entire structure of the universe would have fallen apart. For the sake of harmony and balance within the universe, there is a mutual attraction among all the objects; each microcosm attracts the other microcosms. All finite microcosms – the innumerable manifestations of the Supreme Entity – are entitled to that universal love with which It has bound each microcosm to Itself, entitled to the wave of that universal love, in which Its divine ocean of bliss is perennially flowing. Attraction is the innate characteristic of microcosms. When this attraction is for finite objects, it is called káma [“physical longing”], and when it surges towards the Cosmic Entity, it is called prema [“divine love”]. Of course, káma is nothing but a limited form of prema. When microcosms rush towards Parama Puruśa [Supreme Consciousness] attracted by the irresistible force of divine love, it is termed “devotion”. Since clash drives the microcosms towards subtlety, it follows that clash must be the sustainer of devotion." (AMIWL-8, Cosmic Attraction and Spiritual Cult )
