Baba
Asking for problems
Namaskar,
Human beings do not know what they need. In that case, people wrongly ask Parama Purusa for mundane gains. With that mindset, people ask for their various worldly desires to be fulfilled: To marry a particular person, or attain a particular job or social status, only to watch so-called attainments crumble into the sea. The end result is that they only invite more problems for themselves. It is just like how a child desires to touch fire, yet having that desire fulfilled will bring pain and suffering.
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Humans unable to know
Take a look back over the course of your life, i.e. the last 10 or 20 or 30 years, and examine the things you desired and asked for. You may find that those were mostly useless requests which are no longer of interest to you. This itself shows how human beings do not know what they need.
Also, human beings lack knowledge of the future. A person does not know what is going to happen. In that case also, how can they ask for what they truly need. One cannot. Only Parama Purusa knows the future and what their needs are. A person might request Parama Purusa that their daughter be married with such-and-such boy. But they don’t know that in one month that very boy is going to fall on the train track before an oncoming train and be killed. In such a situation, the person’s request is utterly foolish; yet because the person has no idea about the future they go on making the request. Such inane, useless requests occur, all because humans do not know what the future holds.
Why only ask for bhakti
Best then is to ask for bhakti - nothing else. Because spiritual life is vastly different. In the life, a bhakta is not asking for something mundane but rather spiritual. Plus in His discourses Baba has given the following directive.
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Ananda Marga ideology says, "The only thing you may ask from Parama Purusa is that He may guide your intellect along the path of bliss; and you should demand nothing else." (1)
In His above guideline, Sadguru Baba is clearly giving His approval to ask Parama Purusa for bhakti and to remain immersed in spiritual endeavours. Every sadhaka has this right. Thus it is wholly wrong to conclude that asking bhakti from Him goes against the proclamation in Ananda Sutram 3-11. In that sutra Baba is guiding sadhakas not to ask for something mundane from Parama Purusa. Always, a person can ask Him for more bhakti. That is part of the process and part of the path unto Him.
What should we ask for
Here in more expansive language, Baba clearly addresses this issue of how to make requests of the Lord - as well as how not to.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "'When people beseech the Lord to fulfill all their selfish desires, this is called aparábhakti. “Oh Lord, I am your devotee, help me to pass my examination… Oh Lord, my daughter has attained marriageable age – help me to find a worthy suitor… Let the bridegroom be ideal, let me not spend much on the wedding…” This type of showy devotion that simply asks for mundane objects, is no devotion at all, because it demands everything except Parama Purusa. Such devotees never say, “Oh Lord, be mine… I want You and only You.” They always say, “I want this, I want that.” In fact this is no devotion at all. When one asks only for Parama Purusa, this is the true devotion, parábhakti." (2)
The only thing we are to ask for is parábhakti, the feeling of His loving closeness each and every moment of the day and night. This is what we are allowed to ask for; and, He will always graciously satisfy such a request. All that is required is the requisite longing - and that everyone has.
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Conclusion
So if, to date, one has not made such a request of Parama Purusa, then one should ideate and do so immediately. That will help one's relationship with Him grow very quickly. One will feel His presence always and dhyana will be sweeter.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "His love is perennial. It is always there. It is for you to tap His love. It is up to you because the chance has been given to you. Now it is for you to realize that and open everything. Then you will be able to enjoy the complete love and devotion which has been showering on you for time eternal." (3)
Ananda Marga ideology says, If the Lord comes to you and says, “‘What do you want?’, what will you reply? You will certainly ask for what you think you need. But as you do not know what you really need, you should say, ‘Oh Lord, you know best what my need is. So you should give me what You feel is necessary for me.’ You must leave everything unto Him. Why should you risk asking for anything? But even then if He insists, saying, ‘No, you tell me what you want’, then you should reply, ‘Give me parábhakti, give me shuddhábhhakti (absolutely pure devotion).’ Those who ask for parábhakti or shuddhá bhakti will certainly acquire the things they need also. Thus due to their devotion, the devotees are always intelligent. You should be an intelligent devotee like this.” (4)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Guna’dhiisha
Example of pseudo-bhakta
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “There are three classifications within aparábhakti. When a so-called devotee (aparábhakti means they are not devotees, they are so-called devotees) says, “O Parama Puruśa, I am Your devotee,” and then says, “X is my enemy. Please kill him, please kill him!” this type of bhakti is called támasika bhakti. Actually it is not bhakti. When someone says, “O Parama Puruśa, I am Your devotee, but You know, I am not getting any employment, please arrange for my employment,” he is not trying to harm anybody, but he wants physical development or physical elevation, his [physical] betterment. His bhakti, his so-called bhakti, is known as rájasika bhakti. And that is also aparábhakti, and aparábhakti is not bhakti. And suppose someone says, “O Parama Puruśa, I am Your devotee, and You know, I want mukti, I want mukti,” and Parama Puruśa asks, “O my boy, why do you want mukti?” “Oh, I don’t find any charm in this world, because I lost my digestive power. Either give me back my digestive power or give me mukti.” This is sáttvikii bhakti. Actually sáttvikii bhakti is not bhakti; aparábhakti is not at all bhakti.” (5)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Jiivátmá and Pratyagátmá
2. Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 11, Taking the Opposite Stance in Battle
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, Dharma Sádhaná
4. Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 11, Taking the Opposite Stance in Battle
5. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Bhakti, Mukti and Parama Puruśa
* * *
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: Important Teaching ==
How to grow up to be great
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "It is meaningless to impart diikśá under five years of age, since at this stage the nerve cells of a human child are undeveloped. Consequently, at age of five, there is no disposition or propensity for intricate types of spiritual practices. But, in absences of initiation of five years of age, there is apprehension of the child going astray. Verily, all the human vices are acquired during the age of five to fifteen years. The child has a great inclination to imitate. It hears abusive words and learns them. The robbers’ sons turn to be robbers only on account of environmental influence. For this reason, if the child is initiated on attaining five years of age, it can develop into a perfect human being – it will be a perfect man." (1)
Reference
1. Táttvika Diipiká (Paiṋcama Parva)
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “If one stays away from objects of attraction, one has no chance of using them and they may thus gradually lose their attraction; while if one is near them one may be attracted towards them more.” (1)
Note: Reading negative articles, dirty books and literature, filthy magazines and watching lewd movies invites degeneration. By staying away from such degrading vices, one will step-by-step overcome that type of sensual attraction etc. And the mind will not be overwrought by those low-minded vrttis / degrading inclinations.
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy, Why Are People Afraid of Intuitional Practice?
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The system of education prevailing today was formulated or evolved long ago, mainly with a view to suit the needs of the capitalist class. For the last three to four thousand years, the same type of education is being imparted. The main purpose behind this sort of educational system is to create persons with a slavish mentality to fulfill need of those capitalist exploiters. This sort of education is fundamentally defective. It is certain that this type of education which serves the capitalists' interests is not at all suitable. This sort of education creates obstacles in the evolution of humanity. We have to thoroughly revamp the entire educational system. A new educational system must evolve to produce sadvipras." (1)
Note: Those who are bragging about the standard of their education should know what type and what category of knowledge they have. In this regard, we should ponder Sadguru Baba's above guideline.
Reference
1. 11/29/70, General Darshan, transcribed from cassette
== Section 4: Links ==
