Ananda Marga Universal Forum: 05/02/23

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Story: offering + 2 more

Baba

Story: offering

Namaskar,

One year I planted a fruit tree, and it grew in a healthy way and produced fruit, by His grace. Naturally we decided that the first piece should be offered to Baba.
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Offering to Sadguru

It was our long-standing family tradition that the first fruit or yield from our farm was offered directly to Beloved Baba. This was our regular manner. Each season I would carefully pack the first yield, and when someone was going to see Baba I would give that fruit to them so they could take it to Revered Baba. With this plan in mind, we took His ideation and carefully picked the fruit from the tree, washed it, packed it, and prepared to bring it with us as we readied on our journey to see Baba. At the agreed time, my family and I went to the local railway station. We purchased our train tickets, and when the train pulled into the station we boarded and got our seats. The train left the station, and it did not take long to reach full speed.

Dramatic event unfolded

Then one very dramatic event unfolded. My wife informed me that the fruit which we had carefully prepared for Baba was left behind. The entire reason for the journey was to bring the fruit to Baba. But that fruit was still at the house – not on the train.
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This was an utter shock for me. I became nearly senseless and almost fainted. We were going to see Baba solely for this purpose, and now I came to know that we left the fruit behind. The whole situation was beyond comprehension. How could such a thing have happened? I was completely bewildered. And now the train is moving at peak speed.

We had no idea what to do. We just surrendered to Baba and started reciting His name. We thought, “Baba, we have no way to bring that fruit to You now. Only You can do it if You wish.”

Train stopped at the front of my home

Suddenly the train came to a grinding halt. I could not believe my eyes. Even more amazingly, when I looked out the train window, I saw that the train had stopped very near to the front of my house.

My wife told me, “Don’t delay – quick, do something.”

In utter amazement, I started calling out to the caretaker of my house. He heard my call. I told him to quickly bring the fruit which we had left behind. Within 5 – 7 minutes, the caretaker brought the fruit to the train and gave it to us.

Baba arranged this

We were deeply satisfied that Baba arranged this for us as it was our desire to offer this to Him. But while the train was stopped, security personnel were checking to see if someone had pulled the emergency chain to manually stop the train. But no one had done so. Rather, it was determined that the train suddenly stopped due to an engine problem. Well, that was the apparent cause anyway.
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In my heart, I know that the real cause behind the stoppage of the train was the fruit and Baba’s grace. The train started moving again and the journey continued.
That day I realised that Baba personally takes care of the responsibility – regardless of the situation – and fulfills the longing. In contrast, if a person thinks they can manage the situation by themselves then Parama Purusa sits and watches.

When I think back now, I feel His presence and how He is so gracious. That time I had a deep desire to offer Him something and it was quite satisfying that the fruit was offered to Baba and that He graciously accepted. We became so happy.

Parama Purusa fulfills every desire

Baba has countless bhaktas who offer all kinds of things – yet He is not in want of anything – not fruit or anything else. Just it was the sincere desire in the heart of this ordinary disciple that He should accept this meagre offering. Such is the greatness of Baba: He accepted a humble offering. Here we can understand Parama Purusa fulfills every desire.
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Mundane things are short-lived

Whether one is harbouring a good or bad thought, Parama Purusa Baba will graciously satisfy that yearning. As a sadhaka, one must not think of anything mundane or worldly. Those things are only temporary – here today and gone tomorrow. The only ideal we should cultivate is the desire to please Him. That is the most valuable blessing in life – all mundane things are short-lived. They do not last.

Namaskar,
at His lotus feet,
Laksman Singh

How to offer to Guru when He is only in Taraka Brahma form

To offer something to Guru, especially when He eternally resides as Taraka Brahma, is not so difficult. You know, still today this tradition of offering the first food to Guru is going on in my house. Only now, because He is present everywhere as Taraka Brahma, then the first yield of food that we used to offer to the Mahasambhuti form, these days we distribute among the needy.

According to Baba’s system, when Guru is eternally present only in the form of Taraka Brahma, then any food offered to Guru should be distributed to needy people, keeping the ideation that it is offered to Guru. That is Baba’s mandate when He is only available in the form of Taraka Brahma.
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Still today this is the tradition in my house. It is His grace.

Psychic feeling is operative factor in giving

Some feel sad that the day is gone when one could offer something to Baba. But that is not true. Sadguru is ever-present, and mentally one can offer anything, anytime to Him. Plus already Ananda Margiis make offerings at the time of Guru Puja.

Regarding physical offerings, as soon as one has the idea and mentally offers that physical object to Baba then He receives it. There is no delay. He receives that offering immediately. Here we must bear in mind that offering something physically without proper mental feeling is meaningless. Whereas if one has the right mental feeling, that offering will be successful, by His grace.

Once an object is mentally offered to Baba, then that object / offering should be donated for the welfare of others. With perishable food items like fruit, one can give that food / fruit to needy people. That is the best utilisation. Yet all should remember that the moment you mentally offer anything it reaches Him.
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So the value of the offering is based on one's mental feeling. The mental feeling is everything. Nobody has missed the opportunity to give to Parama Purusa Baba. Parama Purusa is your personal property, and one can offer anything to Him this very moment by taking proper ideation.

About the story teller: This first-hand account of Laksman Singh of Medininagar (Daltonganj), a very senior margii who also served as bhukti pradhan. - Eds

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.

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

Your causeless grace

"A'ma'ra hiya'ra vya'kulata' toma're ca'hi, toma'ri la'gi..." (PS #0333)

Purport:

O’ Parama Purusa, my aching heart craves Your sweet company. I have an unending yearning for Your loving embrace. There is nothing more I want than that. With Your blessed touch, please remove all the dirt and soot from my body and mind; make me pure so that I may feel Your exquisite closeness. Baba, I am begging You for Your divine grace.

Baba, You are with me always, but even then I cannot catch hold of You. I cannot realise You and take You fully as my own. Day and night, in a ceaseless current of melody and tune, You are intermingled with every particle of my mind. You are interlaced with every pore and iota of my existence.

In the smile of the moon, in the early dawn, in the haze of dusk, in the flash of lightning, in radiant sun, in the Cimmerian darkness, You envelop and surround me, inside and out. You are inextricably interlinked with my entire being. There is no separation or gap between us. Baba, by Your causeIess grace I am ever-awake, anxiously awaiting Your auspicious advent in my heart.

Baba, I long to hold You close and have You as my very own…

== Section 3: Links ==