Baba
Analogy: bull & sadhana
Namaskar,
Parama Purusa Baba uses colourful analogies to explain His teachings and guide us for our betterment and learning. Some of these analogies are very easy to understand, some less so. It depends upon the person and their experience. Yet each of these analogies holds great meaning and insight into the life of every spiritual aspirant. So we should strive to understand every aspect of Baba's analogies.
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Three things needed for understanding
Baba has given one analogy about the bulls and its inflated ego. The analogy relates to the psychic disease of ego in a sadhaka’s life. To gain a clear understanding of Parama Purusa Baba's teaching in this analogy, three things are needed:
(1) knowledge about bulls;
(2) knowledge of Hindi, and;
(3) a desire to know Guru’s spiritual teachings on vanity, ego, and bhakti.
Once one is aware about the above components, the reader will have a complete understanding about Sadguru Baba's teaching on the psychic disease of ego and how this affects the life of a sadhaka.
About bulls: some basic info
First off, as you may know, bulls are simple creatures that are fairly intelligent and live around villages. They have big, sharp horns, and a potentially strong disposition. They are also huge and can weigh up to 1000 kg or 2200 lbs or more, even as much as 2000 kg or 4400 lbs. So they can be quite intimidating and ferocious. They express their fury when they feel encroached upon by others, i.e. when someone crosses their path.
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Often these bulls live in areas where they are the biggest animals, as usually there are no elephants nor whales where bulls reside. So those full-grown, healthy bulls consider themselves to be the strongest entity. And they are well-known for making this type of loud sound, "Hummmm, Hummmm, Hummmm, Hummmm”. This is their natural sound, especially when they are angry.
About Hindi: some basic info
The next component needed to understand this analogy are two simple Hindi words. The term "ham / hum" in Hindi and other Indian languages means "I". And the term "tum" in Hindi means "you". That is also essential to understand Parama Purusa Baba's teaching.
About ego, vanity & bhakti
We all know that ego or I-ness has an inverse relationship with bhakti. Where there is more ego there is less bhakti, and where there is less ego there is more bhakti. No human being has any reason to praise himself. All their energy comes from Parama Purusa in the form of food, air, light, water etc. Humans cannot create any energy on their own. In that case, on what grounds can one brag about their own greatness. Doing so is the height of all audacity.
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The aim of our human life is to realise that Parama Purusa is the Supreme Subject and Supreme Doer in the universe, not our own little "I" feeling. We are to think, "O' Parama Purusa; You are everything; because of Your grace everything happens."
Ananda Marga ideology states, "By His mercy one can [do] anything and everything. Without His mercy even a blade of grass cannot move." (1)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Gurukrpa' hi kevalam - “The Guru’s grace is everything.” This alone is the supreme truth. This is the be-all and end-all of life." (2)
With this idea in mind, then one can lead a spiritual life, realising that His love, presence, and touch guides us in all circumstances.
Sadguru Baba says, "Through devotion you should realize that He is the life of your life, the Lord of your inner heart." (3)
By His grace, with bhakti we can practically feel that He is the be-all and end-all of life. However, a spiritual outlook is categorically impossible when one is dominated by their own egoistic feeling. In that case, one thinks, "I am great, I have done so many things, I am better than others" etc. Such persons give all credit to themselves, and do not even think of Parama Purusa. Here below Baba characterize how egotistical people think:
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "“I did this, I did that, I’m not an ordinary man” – like this. In devotion there is no scope for being puffed up with vanity." (4)
The more one gets absorbed in their own petty ego, the less one is able to realise Him. Ego is the main stumbling block in leading a spiritual life based in bhakti.
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How Baba writes the analogy
With the above understanding about bulls, Hindi, and ego, then we can best understand Baba's below analogy and how it relates with human life.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "People say that a bull, when he is in the fullness of his strength, [calls] Hummmm, Hummmm, Hummmm, meaning “I am great.” After he dies, the cotton-ginner makes a bow with strings from his intestines, and it produces the sound Tu'mmm, Tu'mmm, Tu'mmm, meaning “You are great.” Thus will fall the ego ultimately. Therefore the wise will take the “You are great” stance from the very beginning." (5)
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Literal explanation
Since the bull thinks it is so strong and walks around all day calling "hummmm", "hummmm, "hummmm" - similar to the sound of the Hindi word "ham / hum" meaning "I" - Baba is making the joke that a bull is completely involved in its own unit ego, touting its own greatness, day in and day out.
However a day is sure to come when it will die and its body parts and intestines will be dried, cured, and used as a string to gin cotton. Then the sound of that bull will be "Tu'mmm", "Tu'mmm" - similar to the Hindi word "tum" meaning "You". Thus after its death, when its ego is crushed, then and only then does the bull recognise "You" Parama Purusa and repeat, "You are everything."
Best then is to overcome the pitfalls of the ego early in life, and sing His praises each and every day - why wait until death, like the bull does. That is the grand teaching that Baba is giving to all sadhakas. This is the highly significant meaning of Baba's humorous analogy.
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How this takes form in human life
In human life, when people gain worldly success - name, fame, prosperity, and fortune - then they think that they are really great. Then their ego is on the top. In that case, they are prone to a fall. In social life, their ego will be a problem. But in their spiritual life it will be deadly. Because with a big ego, one will forget Him and accumulate all kinds of samskaras, i.e. bound by so many actions. When one forgets that He is the Doer then unknowingly one adopts the mantra, "I am great - I did this" etc. In such circumstances, there is not an iota of scope for bhakti.
Immersed in that egoistic superiority complex, they create problems in their personal and social life. And that hampers their spiritual life. The main factor is that when a person thinks more about their own self, then their mind gets smaller and smaller.
Yádrshii bhávaná yasya siddhirbhavati tádrshii
“As you think, so you become.”
So by thinking about oneself the mind contracts. And that contraction is directly contrary to the path of spirituality where the aim is to expand the mind. The only way out is to escape the shackles of one's ego and accept Parama Purusa as the sole aim of life. That is the intelligent way to live. And that should be started from this very moment, not when one is old and gray, or even worse - dead, like the bull.
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More thoughts on Baba's use of analogies
Parama Purusa Baba's way of teaching and unique use of analogies is ideal. Baba knows that not all are of the same intellectual calibre and that not everyone grasps deeper philosophical topics etc. But dharma is for all. That is why Baba uses commonly known, day to day life examples in His analogies to portray more intricate ideological tenets and theorems.
The aforementioned analogy about the bull comes in this category. This analogy represents a deep idea, yet is very easy to understand for those who have lived around bulls and know Hindi. Baba has used this analogy throughout most of India, where the common people were well aware about bulls and the Hindi language. Bulls roam freely around the Indian countryside and even in the cities. So people are very familiar with the ways and antics of bulls, and most people know Hindi as well. Thus, through this analogy, Baba easily and simply conveyed abstract aspects of yogic philosophy.
So this letter is primarily for those coming from (a) regions where bulls are not commonly seen, and (b) regions where Hindi is not known or spoken. By this way, all our brothers and sisters can readily assimilate and benefit from Baba's teaching.
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Ignorant people brag about their personal greatness
After countless animal lives, one is granted human life. Every human being has infinite desire. So they cannot be satisfied by finite, worldly things; hence they are always hungry for more. Their desire is never satiated. Because transitory, earthly gains can never bring permanent peace. Those with less intellect cannot understand this simple truth. That is why ignorant people invest their entire life rushing after material gain. In turn, they waste their human life. Whereas, those who are intelligent realise early in life that the path of spirituality is the only path of human fulfilment. But when they start moving ahead on that path, negative propensities try to pull them back. One such propensity is vanity / ego.
Conclusion
Why is vanity detrimental? Nothing belongs to human beings. If even the strongest human does not breathe for a few seconds they will die. Humans survive on the constant supply of energy from Parama Purusa - through air, water, food etc. That is why intelligent people understand that they do not own anything on this earth. Whatever they have - including their body - comes from Parama Purusa. So having vanity is gross ignorance; it is a psychic disease. But ignorant people do not understand this fact and they suffer from the psychic disease of an inflated ego / vanity.
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Those who are ignorant do not understand: They are engrossed in vanity and brag about their personal greatness. To warn such sadhakas, Baba has given this analogy about the bull. A bull touts its ego its entire life but ultimately dies and after death that bull finally surrenders. But by that time it is too late - it is useless - they wasted their entire life. So human beings should realise this truth early in life - as soon as possible. Without the dominance of ego, sadhakas can make swift progress along the path of true spirituality. And in this very life they will reach to their final destination - Parama Purusa.
in Him,
Arvind
~ In-depth study ~
Follow spiritual ideal & not caught by ego
Baba has graciously given us the perfect recipe for living a life above the fray of ego and vanity, ensconced in the spiritual ideal that He is everything and that all inspiration and energy stem from Him. Then one can serve all without vanity and reach Him by surrendering unto His sweet will.
One should not live their life like a bull, dominated by their own false sense of prestige and vanity - singing their glory as long as they survive on this earth, only to realise when they die that Parama Purusa (God) is great, not oneself. This should not be one's approach to living.
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Best is to do sadhana and lead a spiritual life, always singing the glories of the Lord.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Now, this complete surrender, complete self-sacrifice, is to be done. But how? What is the secret? All human egos, all egoistic expressions, are based on the vanity moving around the self, moving around the “I” feeling, the first expression of existence. “I am” is the base, is the fundament, of all egos and all vanities. You know, when a man learns much or earns much, his ego, his vanity, gets puffed up. The man gets puffed up with vanity, and under such circumstances he becomes so conscious of his little existence that it becomes very difficult for him to surrender before the Supreme. What to speak of surrender, even if a logical theory is placed before him, he does not like to accept it. He thinks that if he accepts that theory, if he accepts that veracity, it will be humiliating for him. This sort of psychology misguides him under such circumstances. How to surrender? This can be done internally with the help of dhya'na [meditation in which the psyche is directed towards Consciousness], and externally by ascribing Godhood to all external entities."
"While helping the poor people your vanity may increase. You may think: “I have done this, I have done that. I am not an ordinary man.” This is a psychic disease. Actually, vanity is a psychic disease, a psychic ailment. But if, while helping a man, a poor man, or a diseased person, you ascribe Godhood to him, that is, if you think, “I am not helping a man, I am helping God in human structure,” then vanity will not be encouraged. What will be the reaction within the person? “This body, this mind, this wealth has been given to me by Parama Purus'a, and Parama Purus'a has come before me, God has come before me, as a suffering person, and I am paying back that thing to Him. That is, the actual owner of this body, the actual owner of this mind is He, and His wealth I am paying back to Him.” So there will be no vanity."
"And I said that the internal process is meditation. In meditation, Parama Purus'a becomes your object and you become the subject. You become the seer and He becomes the seen. But the inner spirit of meditation is that while looking at Him internally with your inner eye, you should think: “I am not meditating on Him nor am I seeing Him mentally. What is actually happening is that He is seeing me; that is, I am the object and He is the subject. He sees whatever I do, He sees whatever I think, so I am His object and He is my subject.” This idea helps in freeing oneself from the serpentine noose of ego and vanity." (6)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, The Phases of Human Approach
2. A Few Problems Solved - 8, The Neo-Ethics of Multi-Lateral Salvation
3. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 7, The Highest Category of Devotion
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Human Life and Its Goal
5. Ananda Vacnaamrtam - 23, Consciousness
6. Ananda Vacanamrtam -14, “Prańipátena Pariprashnena Sevayá” – 1 / Yoga – Its Fundamental Factors
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Make anything happen
Note: Only those who sincerely practice the higher lessons of sahaja yoga meditation can understand this song in the depths of their heart.
"Tumi, álo cháyá khelá khelite jáno, kheyál khushiite sabe nácáte jáno..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0428)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, You can do everything. You know how to play Your divine liila of hide and seek, light and shadow, sorrow and bliss, as well as how to make all dance in the bliss of supreme anandam, the way You like. By Your mere wish, an infinite array of things are possible. Baba, there is nothing which You cannot do.
Supreme Entity, You can shower refulgence in the cimmerian dark night. And You can cast darkness in broad daylight. There is no end to Your remarkable feats. Baba, You know how to transform a dumb person into a great orator by giving him language, voice, and making them laugh happily. You play the strings of the viina of life and can make anything happen. You have the capacity to do it all.
Parama Purusa, by Your grace, not only this earth but the entire universe has become colourful. Due to Your cosmic liila, all are the slaves of maya, vidya and avidya, i..e the cosmic operative principle. Baba, by removing the bond of maya, You grant mukti and moksa and bring emancipation in a flash, with a wee-bit of Your krpa. Those in bondage are freed from the shackles of maya. There is nothing You cannot do. You are the granter of salvation...
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Tiljala typo
In Ananda Sutram, Sadguru Baba has given the following sutra:
Prárthanárcaná mátraeva bhramamúlam. (1)
But Tiljala Publications made a typo when the reproduced this same sutra:
Prárthanárcanámátraeva Brahmamúlam (2)
The original meaning of the surtra is: Prayer and ritualistic worship are a source of confusion. But due to TP’s typo, their meaning is: Prayer and ritualistic worship are a source of God. As if one finds or realizes God by engaging in those dogmatic practices.
References
1. Ananda Sutram 3-11
2. Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 10, “The Devotee and the Lord”
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest
