Namaskar,
The program was arranged that on 30 March 1984 Sadguru Baba would come to Medininagar (Daltonganj). Baba also gave the condition that if there was no Marga Guru quarters, there will not be DMC. Hearing this, all the margiis became committed to construct an MG quarters, complete with a place for Baba to stay and a meeting hall. My duty was to collect the requisite funds, arrange the labour, and supervise the construction. The work was going on "full-steam ahead."
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Crisis emerges & no hope in sight
But on 28 March, just two days before Baba's intended arrival, we ran out of building materials, like cement. All along I had been getting the materials on credit from one shop. This time, however, when I went to get more cement for that day's work, the shop owner would not give me more supplies on credit. He demanded that I first give him RS1000 and then and only then would he consider giving me more building materials on credit.
I was in difficulty; the situation was not good. I had only a little time before Baba's arrival; in two days Baba would come. And the MG quarters was not completed; plus I did not have the materials to finish that day's job. The situation was dire. I needed to gather 1,000 rupees - fast.
After paincajanya, I got on my bicycle and went door to door to margiis' houses to collect money. I spent the entire morning and I got 900 rupees, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not collect the full amount needed. I was 100 rupees short. It was around 11:30 am, and it was very hot.
I reviewed the situation in my mind: The labourers were waiting on-site; the shopkeeper was not giving me the cement. I was short RS100, and my financial sources had dried up. All morning I was bicycling everywhere in order to collect funds for the materials. I had not had anything to eat or drink. I was hungry and thirsty, and I was completely exhausted. Overall, my health was not good.
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I was suffering from terrible anxiety: (a) I was short on money; (b) I could not get the building materials; (c) the MG quarters would not be finished; and (d), Baba would not conduct DMC. Thinking all this, I felt very sad.
Money appeared out of thin air
While I was bicycling along Panki road, I began reflecting mentally: "Baba, without Your grace this is impossible for me; I cannot complete Your job; if You wish then it will be done; if You choose not to shower Your grace, I am going to give this money and duty to the bhukti pradhan and let him do it. It is impossible for me without Your grace."
I surrendered fully to Baba thinking, "This is only possible by Your grace; I am helpless." I was going over the situation again and again in my mind: Nobody is giving me RS100 and the shopkeeper is not going to give me the cement and the laborers are sitting there unable to work. I thought: "I cannot go on like this." I was very disturbed psychically. All these thoughts were arising in my mind as I was slowly bicycling along. It was broad daylight, but all around me it was dark. I was in a quandary as to what to do. Chanting Baba's name I was moving along slowly.
Suddenly, what's this I see! A 100 rupee note is floating towards me from the opposite direction. How is that possible. There is no one around and now I see that a currency note is coming directly towards me. It continued to float in my direction, almost in slow motion.
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The rupee note fell to the ground right by me and I got down from my bicycle and I picked up the money. I looked around to see if anyone could have lost this money; where was the rightful owner of this currency note. I checked in all directions and there was no one around. I sat in that spot and waited for some time to see if anyone was coming. Time passed, and after 10 minutes still there was no one in sight. I was wondering what to do and how to find out whose money this was. More time passed as I considered what was to be done.
Realisation: Baba responded to my call
Then the idea came in my mind that Baba has graciously given this money; it was the exact amount that was needed for the project. Baba made this money appear from thin air. All these ideas filled my mental plate. Internally, a soothing feeling began filling my heart, and I understood this was Baba's gift to complete the unfinished project. I became so happy that tears began rolling down my face. I quickly pedaled to the shopkeeper's store and gave him the 100 rupee note along with the other RS900 and I got the cement. I told him my purchase was delayed because there was a shortage of money. To resolve the matter I had to ask my Gurudeva for a contribution.
I do not know what the shopkeeper understood by my words. But when I reached the ashram I told everybody that I was 100 rupees short when Baba made the final contribution Himself. I then filled out the donation receipt in Baba's name and handed over the cement to the laborers. They did the job. And ultimately Baba came: He was very happy and conducted DMC. It all happened solely due to His grace.
Note: Some may be thinking that 100 rupees is not a lot of money. But you must recall this was 1984. But even then that does not explain the matter fully. Think of it this way: If you are very hungry and you do not have any food then even one bite of food is very tasty and rejuvenating. Similarly, if you need to buy something but are a little bit short of funds, then that amount of money is very precious, regardless of how little it may be.
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There are two essential factors contributing to the intensity of my experience: The urgency of the work (i.e. Baba's impending arrival) and the materials needed to do the work. The solution to both of these matters was RS100. So you can imagine how I felt.
Vishvanathji recounted this incident to me.
Conclusion
The above story, narrated by brother Vishvanathji of Medininagar (Daltonganj), teaches us that when one surrenders fully to Guru and feels helpless, then Guru will certainly shower His grace. When Vishvanathji was thinking that he could manage the situation by his own doing then he was not successful. But when he surrendered to Baba then everything changed and the work was beautifully managed. So surrender is the key point.
Here we should keep in mind that surrender to Guru is unconditional. If one thinks, "I am surrendering to You Baba and by this way I will get the money" etc, then that so-called surrender is useless. As we know, in surrender a sadhaka is surrendering their petty egoistic feelings to Baba. Then and only then can one become His medium, otherwise not.
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Ananda Marga ideology says, "One needs to surrender oneself completely. Until and unless there is cent percent surrender, it is naive to think in terms of accomplishing the task." (1)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Ram Chandra
~ In-depth study ~
Following are some of Baba's many teachings on surrender. As we know this is a deeply spiritual concept far beyond the realm of any selfishness. First is one of Baba's famous guidelines from the Mahabharata era when the Pandava Queen Draopadi was being disrobed in the Kaurava court for all to see. Yet because she surrendered fully, she was saved.
Baba says, "The story goes [in the Mahábhárata] that so long as Draopadi kept even a grain of dependence on her own strength, she remained constantly under the threat of being exposed before the congregation. The moment she found herself completely helpless and reposed all faith in the Lord, Náráyańa, she got the divine help. So one who feels this attraction and surrenders oneself completely to Him is bound to get His help. One, on the other hand, who keeps even one paisa with oneself, fails to get that help." (2)
And here are more of Sadguru Baba’s teachings on surrender.
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Ananda Marga ideology says, "What you must do is simply surrender to the Lord and leave everything else to Him and Him alone. Your ideal should be the Lord, and your effort should be towards a complete self-surrender. You should ask the Lord to make you what He wants. You should ask the Lord to take that work from You which He desires." (3)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Prapatti means complete surrender. The inner spirit of prapatti is that whatever is taking place in the universe is all due to the Cosmic will. Had Parama Puruśa willed otherwise, things would have been different. Hence the Cosmic will is at the root of each and every action. Thus we should say, “O Lord, Thy will be done. I am but a machine. Utilize this machine in any way You like. I am nothing but a mere tool in your hands.” This is the spirit of prapattiváda." (4)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "However little one's capacity might be, if one constantly remembers that Parama Purus'a is always with him, that they are in the closest contact with Parama Purus'a, they will be able to do everything. They are not as small as they think themselves to be. And as long as they remember this closest association with Him, they can do much more than ordinary human beings. When this idea becomes permanently established in their minds, they become great. This is why no one should be disappointed or depressed in any circumstances; let everyone constantly perform great deeds, remembering that the flow of their capacity is coming from Parama Purus'a, and thus they can do everything." (5)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Mysticism and Spirituality
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Mysticism and Spirituality
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, Your Ideal in Life
4. Namami Krsnasundaram, Disc: 4
5. A Few Problems Solved - 3, Genius and Technician
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.
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
Your immense compassion
"Apár ananta tumi ki bá jáni ámi, tomár krpáy mor din cale jáy..." (Prabhat Samgiita #2147)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, You are endless and infinite and the vast ocean of bliss, while I am small and meagre. So how much can I know of You; I know not. Baba, my days are passing only by Your grace. I am floating on in Your flow. By chanting Your name and singing Your song and glory, I am marching forward according to Your desire, on the path which You have shown to me.
Parama Purusa, I love You - and smile and weep in a spiritual flow, while calling Your name, in Your longing. By chanting Your name and ideating on You, I am drenched in Your overflowing bhakti. Ensconced in that vibration, I sing and dance. Baba, Prabhu, to do Your work, I come onto this earth again and again. The way You want my life to proceed is the way it moves on. You make me act according to Your desire.
My Supreme Entity, one cannot know Your whereabouts or get You by the study debate of scripture, philosophy, and spiritual science. By this way, nobody can realise You. Baba, according to Your desire everything happens. All happens due to Your karuna', due to Your immense compassion.
Baba, You are infinite, beginningless, and endless. By chanting Your name and singing Your glory, my whole life is passing...
Notes for Prabhat Samgiita #2147:
[1] Ensconced in that vibration, I weep and smile: Here below Ananda Marga philosophy enlists the many different ways a sadhaka might express the pious expressions of their deep feeling or bhakti and realisation.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "When the mental flow of a spiritual aspirant moves along the introversial phase of Macrocosmic meditation, one’s animative force, having the potentiality of divinity itself, rises above all tendencies – all saḿskáras – and proceeds towards Eternal bliss. In this state the mind is vibrated with Cosmic feeling. The unexpressed divine qualities of the higher glands find expression and the resonance of the mind vibrates the nervous system. This gives rise to pious expressions in the physical body. In the case of those people whose occult feelings are not physically expressed due to causes associated with the nerves, the mental vibrations cause certain radical changes, in the various glands within the body. These occult feelings are basically of eight types: stambha (astounding), kampa (trembling), sveda (sweating), svarabheda (hoarseness of voice), ashru (tears), romáiṋca (horripilation), vaevarńa (change of colour) and pralaya (fainting fit). There are other feelings associated with these major feelings. For examples, nrtya (dancing), giita (singing), viluńt́hana (rolling), kroshana (weeping), huḿkára (roaring), lálásráva (salivating), jrmbhańa (yawning), lokápekśá tyága (indifference), at́t́ahásya (bursting into laughter), ghúrńana (whirling), hikká (hiccoughing), tanumot́ana (relaxation of the physical body) and diirghashvása (deep breathing)." (A Guide to Human Conduct)
[2] Karun'a': This is when one harbours a deep sense of empathy, is pained by another's suffering, and feels, "I should help them.” For example, suppose a beggar is wallowing in misery. By seeing his wretched condition, you felt, "I should help him and remove his agony.” This heartfelt feeling is the expression of karuna'.
Similarly, suppose a bhakta is suffering and unable to progress in the physical, psychic, or spiritual realms due to their own inherent negative samskaras. In such circumstances, Parama Purusa cannot bear to watch that sadhaka suffer. He feels He must rescue them immediately. With His deep empathy and mercy, Parama Purusa removes their agony, so that once again that bhakta can progress in all realms of life. This entire liila is called His karun'a'.
Difference Between Krpa' & Karun'a'
In the case of karun'a', Parama Purusa is moved by a bhakta's suffering and comes forward to save that bhakta. Whereas with krpa' (grace), the bhakta is not suffering but even then Parama Purusa is bestowing His blessing.
It is just like if a beggar is sick and suffering half-naked in the freezing cold. If with great empathy a passerby selflessly helps that beggar without expecting anything in return, that is karuna’. Because the passerby is moved and motivated into action by seeing the beggar's suffering. In contrast, if a student is not sick, and that person just wishes to give the student a gift, then that krpa’.
When out of empathy Parama Purusa lovingly comes to the aid of the suffering bhakta to relieve them of their spiritual strife, that is the karuna of Parama Purusa; and, if that same bhakta is not suffering in the spiritual realm, yet Baba still bestows His blessing to enhance their bhakti, that is His krpa’ on the bhakta.
Use of water & natural call
Ananda Marga philosophy states, ”Regarding the Sixteen Points, it was said that ácárya/ás or senior persons would see if you were observing them properly or not. Similarly, I gave a directive to all that they should keep watch on one another. No one will exempt anyone else regarding the Sixteen Points.” (1)
Because Sixteen Points is an essential part of our existence, it is helpful to have more information about these pointed guidelines. Here below are some of the historical, social, and practical aspects of the first point of 16 Points.
Long ago in India, thousands and thousands of years ago, various rishis and seers of the society introduced the idea that water plays an important role in life - especially for health, hygiene, and proper maintenance of the human body. And people introduced the idea to the old Indian society that water should be used for washing before and after meals, before cooking, and those rishis also told that one should wash with water after passing stool as well as after urination etc.
And we have to remember that this was all given in that pre-historic era when the general population around the globe was hardly even aware about hygiene; rather, people were more involved in animalistic ways of living. In that historical context, those rishis introduced certain sentient habits.
So, since long, these practices were established in India. Yet over the course of time, degeneration occurred and the general populace lost the idea of using water after urination. But the practice of washing the backside with water after defecation did not get lost - primarily because people understood that it was obviously dirty. So people were conscious about that aspect. That was the case in old India and that continued up to the present time.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, ”Regarding the Sixteen Points, it was said that ácárya/ás or senior persons would see if you were observing them properly or not. Similarly, I gave a directive to all that they should keep watch on one another. No one will exempt anyone else regarding the Sixteen Points.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Silent Action
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Sadhana is indispensable for serving humanity
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "You have to bring about your own spiritual salvation. If one does not try for one's own salvation, if one does not do spiritual practice, one can never serve society. It will be totally impossible." (1)
Note: There are a few who think that any type of mundane social activist, who is not even God-oriented, can be an ideal Prout leader. Some get enamoured with the popularity and tall talks of some so-called orators. In their naïveté they think that the person at the podium can bring lead society forward and establish Prout etc.
However, in Baba's above teaching, He clearly guides us that only those deeply involved in sadhana and equipped with the force of spirituality can provide the soothing balm to the exploited humanity. Without spirituality one can never render true service to society. Hence being on the path of sadhana is an essential requisite for serving the world.
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, p.105
