Baba
Ideal bhakta
Note: In this letter the pronoun “you” does not literally refer to you the reader. It refers to a sadhaka in general.
Namaskar,
This letter focuses on evaluating, "Am I truly a bhakta?" In so many discourses, Sadguru Baba guides us that bhaktas are the uppermost and their life will be victorious. So let's see, "Am I a bhakta or not?"
Many live under the illusion that they are bhaktas, but in true sense they are not. It is better not to fall into this hole. Merely thinking of oneself as a bhakta is not enough; everyone should test themselves according to Baba's divine teachings. Knowing one's real status is very important. If you discover this truth at the end of your life, then that will invite misery and it cannot be fixed in that late hour.
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Now is the time to know: Do I have bhakti for the Divine Entity or not? There is no external judge, court, or committee that is carrying out this survey. This is purely a self-test. In particular, I should ask myself and you should ask yourself. There is no "other" involved, and this is not the time to judge or classify someone else. This is purely a personal experiment for spiritual liberation. Let's then investigate this important topic, "Am I a real bhakta?" Knowing the answer will foster progress along on the path.
What is bhakti?
First we should understand and define what bhakti is: Sa para'nuraktriishvare
According to Baba, bhakti is love for the Supreme Entity.
"One’s attraction for the Infinite Entity is called prema...And for a bhakta? Bhaktipremasvaru'pin'ii. For a bhakta, “bhakti is prema personified.” Bhakti is the spirit of prema." (1)
Having love for Parama Purusa is bhakti.
Measuring one's bhakti- part 1
The key principle then is how to measure one's love for Him. How can a sadhaka introspectively understand, "How much do I really love Baba." Here is one theorem that will help.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Where “I” is, “He” is not… where “He” is, “I” is not. Remember, devotion is the pre-requisite of sadhana'. Maturity of devotion is love and maturity of love is He." (2)
What needs to be understood here is that the human mind is one. One's egoistic desires cannot co-exist with love for Baba. It is either "I" or "He", "I" or "Baba". That is the real determining factor in assessing the level of bhakti. Let's take a more careful look. Suppose a person thinks, "I want to become a respected leader, but of course I love Baba." Anyone thinking like this is not a true bhakta. Because their egoistic desire of wishing to become a great leader is more than their love for Him.
Likewise if the mind is full or dominated by any similar desire: "I want to become a millionaire", or "I want to meet someone from the opposite sex", or "I want my boss's job", or "I want post and prestige", or "I want to vacation in Switzerland", or "I want to become Purodha Pramukha", or "I want to be respected in my town", or any other such desire, then to the degree that desire is existing or dominant is the degree to which, "I am not a bhakta".
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Proper objective adjustment
Because the "I" is dominant and not "He". That is essentially how it works. "I" and "He" cannot co-exist as the human mind is one. One is imposing my desire about His desire. This does not mean that one should give up everything of this world, such as a job, or house, or family, only it means that one should live in this world in service to Him. I should continue doing my duty - doing my job and serving my family - all in service to Him, not in pursuit of my own petty desires. This is objective adjustment.
Objective adjustment does not mean forgetting Baba. It means keeping Him as the Supreme Subject in all one does. The I-feeling of ego should never dominate. Many get confused on this point. Real bhaktas harbour only a single desire in their mind; regardless of what they are doing they think, "I want to please Parama Purusa". That is their singular motivation and internal longing.
Any other subsidiary desire merely diminishes that state of true bhakti. Because love is only one, not two or many. One cannot simultaneously long for Baba and a higher post. Longing is one and a person will naturally long for what they love most. Every Ananda Margii should reflect, "What do I long for most? Baba and Baba alone - or do I have other desire in mind?"
One cannot love two things to an extreme degree, only one. Some confuse that they can have strong love for many objects, but that is just a misnomer. There can be top-grade love for one entity. Because the cult of spirituality is the cult of pinnacled order.
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Conclusion
Baba has graciously blessed us by bringing us onto the path. But one should not let one’s level of bhakti be drowned out by other crude desires. One should cultivate more and more pure bhakti - failing that one's fate is bleak.
One should sincerely ask, "Do I long for Baba or something else like money, name, or fame?". Then one will know one's true status. At the same time, never miss the opportunity to ask Baba for more and more bhakti. By His grace those bestowed with human life have a unique opportunity to come close to Him.
One should realise, "I have been through so many animal lives and day by day I am speeding towards my death. I should be practical and sincerely advance along the path of bhakti. For that, I should think, 'Am I longing for Baba or something else'."
"One’s attraction for the Infinite Entity is called prema...And for a bhakta? Bhaktipremasvaru'pin'ii. For a bhakta, “bhakti is prema personified.” Bhakti is the spirit of prema." (3)
Namaskar,
In Him,
A’tmapraka’sh
Your lot will be only a profound sigh
Ananda Marga ideology states, "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'dhan'. 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." (4)
Importance of bhakti
Other schools of yoga may give huge credence to the paths of action (karma) and jinana (knowledge). But on the path of Ananda Marga, everyone understands well that bhakti is the main thing. That is what Baba emphasizes in so many thousands of discourses.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda Marga ideology says, "It is a recognized fact that the way to salvation is three-fold; jina'na, karma and bhakti. All three of these roles are recognized routes, and I have nothing to say against any of them. But you know, those who are experienced in this life of spirituality say, after realization, that the path of bhakti is the best. Even the intellectual giant Sham'kara'ca'rya had to admit that “moks'a ka'ran'asamagryam' bhaktireva gariyasii” – bhakti is the best way to moks'a or salvation, the approach of bhakti is the best." (5)
Ananda Marga ideology teaches us, 'The path of bhakti is not only harmless, but the wisest one and is the approach of the most rational people. So my advice to you all is to move along the path of bhakti. It is the best route." (6)
Indeed, it is well known in our Marga that bhakti is the most favoured approach, and the best thing in life is to become a bhakta - that is second to none.
~ In-depth study ~
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "There should not be any amalgamation in devotion. For example, people mix copper in gold, but there should be no mixture in bhakti. Bhakti should be shuddhá bhakti, unadulterated devotion; that is, there should not be any covert desire in the mind. If there is a second thought, it might be that that desire will be satiated; but Parama Puruśa will remain unattained. The covert desire was your main desire, and devotion was a show. This will not do." (7)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "The object of Esana is Parama Puruśa and nothing else."
“Ananyamamata visnormamata brahmasamgata”.
Ananda Marga ideology says, “The Esana for other objects has to be channelized towards Parama Puruśa. This will be the right Esana. And “Ananyamamata visnormamata brahmasamgata” – that is love, that is Mukti. Hence, the correct Esana for men is Bhakti (Devotion)."
"If a man wants to become a devotee of the lord but in the mind of his mind, if he thinks that God will make him pass his examination – here the Esana is not one but two. Here the work will not be done, “I want Paramatman and from Him I want nothing”. When something is demanded from God the Esana becomes two. Hence the time is completely wasted. Where this Esana is towards Paramatman there it is known as bhakti. Where there is Bhakti there will be the success in action and there will be victory for devotees." (8)
"I should not dupe myself"
When all want to become bhaktas, there should be a sure-fire way to determine, "If I am a bhakta or not". One should not live in the illusion that "I am a great bhakta" when in fact they have just medium or lesser bhakti. That is like cheating oneself, knowingly or unknowingly, intentionally or unintentionally.
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It is just like if I think to myself, "I am a great swimmer and I can swim across the river", when in truth I am not a great swimmer. Then when I try to swim the river, invariably calamity will strike. I will not make it - I will drown. All because I was living under the banner of self-deception and hypocrisy.
Such horrors should not happen in one's spiritual life. One should not think, "I am a top grade bhakta, I am a top grade bhakta', only to reach the end of their years on this earth and suddenly realise, "I have wasted my time, I do not have bhakti, I do not know what to do." This type of panicked desperation due to living in an illusion should not befall anyone.
All along they hypocritically think that I am great bhakta, when in fact in their heart they have just lower bhakti. That situation is not good, because Parama Purusa sees right into your heart and knows what you are. So one should not befool oneself in this hypocritical manner. Then one will just feel empty inside despite getting praise from others. Nor should one live with the false notion that "I have no bhakti", when in fact I have a lot of bhakti. There should not be a miscalculation in either direction. We should make a clear pathway to understand our own degree of bhakti. That is what this letter is all about.
Measuring one's bhakti- part 2
This is the introspective self-test that everyone on the path of Ananda Marga sadhana should take. No one can administer this test to you. Nor can you impose this test on anyone else. This is for every sadhaka to think about internally - with absolute honesty and sincerity, otherwise it will not work.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
If others administer the test, one can get a passing mark by their hypocritical behavior. Rather, one has to sincerely embody what it means to be a true bhakta. One should consider, "Am I doing to please Him, or do I have some other competing desire in mind." That is the essential question. Everyone should know their own state of mind and mental longing. That is the self test. Then one will know their level of bhakti.
According to Ananda Marga scriptures, bhakti is everything, and one's longing should only be for Parama Purusa and for that reason one gets human life, then we should be clear about our real stature of bhakti. One should know, "I have high bhakti or low bhakti." No Ananda Margii should foolishly walk this earth thinking of themselves as a great bhakta, when in truth they have so many other worldly longings in mind.
When talking about highest bhakti then mind can only love one. When loving Parama Purusa one cannot simultaneously have worldly love. If you fall in love with worldly things side by side dreaming that you are a great bhakta, then your bhakti is false and it will not help you. That is why introspection is needed to fix oneself. In this regard, no third party is involved in this self-test. It is between you and Parama Purusa. In this situation, hypocrisy has no value. Sincerity is needed.
Here Baba shows how worldly love cannot coexist with Divine Love.
Ananda Marga ideology teaches us, "Do you love your son? No, no you don’t love your son. You love Brahma in the form of your son. By loving your son as a son, you cannot love the Lord. Where there is the feeling of son, there is no Lord and where there is the Lord, there is no son. Where you exist He does not and where He exists you are no more." (9)
Jánhá káma tánhá nahiin Ráma, jánhá Ráma tánhá nahiin káma;
Dono ekatra nahiin miile ravi-rajanii ek t́hama.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "When there is attachment to the mundane, Parama Puruśa is not there; where there is Parama Puruśa there cannot be attachment – these two things cannot go together, just as the sun and the night cannot go together in the same sky." (10)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Bhakti, Mukti and Parama Puruśa
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Desire and Detachment
3. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Bhakti, Mukti and Parama Puruśa
4. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Vibration, Form and Colour
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, Bhakti Is the Best
6. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, Bhakti Is the Best
7. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 1, Pleasing the Lord
8. Subhasita Samgraha - 20, Astitva and Shivatva
9. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, Bhaktitattva
10. Discourses of Krsna & Giita, Spiritual Lessons of the Giitá – 3
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The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stands on their own as points of interest.
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== Section: Important Teaching ==
Pervasive harm by religion
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Dharma is based on the solid foundation of vigour derived from universal love. The goal of religion is a non-integral entity and as such there remains a narrow outlook. The goal of dharma, however, is infinite Brahma. So the pursuit of dharma increasingly expands one's vision. Sometimes a kind of alliance is noticed between religions but that is entirely an external alliance. The talk of synthesis of religions is totally absurd; it is merely an apparent show of honesty and grandiloquence to hoodwink the common people. Dharma is always singular in number, and never plural. So there is no question of religious synthesis in dharma. Religion is always plural in number – never singular. The synthesis of religions means their annihilation. Where impermanent entities are worshipped as the goal through various ritualistic paraphernalia, there is no scope for synthesis."
"Religion is practiced for the fulfilment of mundane aspirations. This is the reason why a class of clergymen emerged centring around the religion. Ultimately the adherents of these religions become mere tools in the hands of vested interests. With the awakening of nityánitya viveka in human minds and the opening of the door of scientific knowledge, it will not be possible to deceive the people in the name of religion or by holding out the lure of happiness in the next world. The vested interests are quite aware of this fact and hence strive to keep the masses lost in the darkness of ignorance. Like parasites, they manoeuvre themselves to misappropriate, by injecting fear and inferiority complexes, a lion's share of what the ignorant masses earn with their sweat and blood."
"Religious exploiters maintain an unholy alliance with the capitalistic exploiters. With hands upraised, a religious preceptor blesses the wealthy merchants for their future prosperity but refuses to see the faces of his poor disciples who fail to provide handsome prańámii (a fee for the priest's blessing). You will notice that in many religions mythological stories and fables are given more importance than science and rational ideas because they contain ample scope for exploitation of human weaknesses." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life, The Five Kinds of Conscience (Viveka)
