Baba
Vishes'a yoga
Note: This subject is very deep. Only with a rational mind can it be understood.
Namaskar,
Many times margiis and Wts have approached me in a concerned way and asked, “Dadaji, what is it like to have vishesh yoga?” They seemed to think that without vishesha yoga their spiritual approach was lacking - and that they will not be able to realize Parama Purusa.
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Hindu deity on crocodile mount
Here below is a dogmatic Hindu deity perched on top of her mount - i.e. a crocodile. The Hindu goddess is wearing a red dress and a golden crown and the mount is a green alligator. The head of the alligator is on the left, and the tail of the alligator is on the right; and the dogmatic goddess is seated directly on the back of that alligator. One of the goddess’s feet is touching the ground, and the left foot is placed on the inside of the right thigh.
And this is somewhat related with vishes’a yoga. Because those involved in vishes’a yoga use a deity and some kind of mount or animal. It is not the exact same as the below photo but similar and more about this will be explained further down in this email.
~ Goddess Ganga on her mount crocodile ~
Those who do not have vishes'a yoga
So I feel there is a need to clear the fog on this topic. After all, Sadguru Baba has come to flood the world with bhakti and grant all the opportunity to realise Parama Purusa. As an avadhuta and longtime practitioner of vishes’a yoga, it is my duty to propagate His teachings and help all advance on the path.
Hence, this letter is written for all those margiis and Wts who do not have vishesha yoga so they can understand that the secret to getting Parama Purusa in a close and intimate way lies in the six lessons of sahaja yoga, not in the arduous and time-taking practice of vishesha yoga.
Here following are some of the key points on this important issue of this letter.
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Dogmatic people meditate on gods & goddesses with their vehicle (animal)
Ananda Marga ideology says, “The problem is that if one meditates on Gańesha, one will have to meditate on his mount also – his mount being a mouse. Think what the consequences could be!” (1)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, “Each of the gods and goddesses has a particular mount, or vehicle. Had they been modern gods and goddesses, their vehicle would have been a jeep. But the ancient gods and goddesses had birds and animals as vehicles. Now if you meditate on these birds and animals, yádrshii bhávaná yasya siddhirbhavati tádrshii [As you think, so you become]. How dangerous it is! It is more dangerous for women. They generally like to remain well-dressed and well-decorated. But if they worship Lakśmii and if they become like an owl which is the mount of Lakśmii (because in meditating on Lakśmii you are meditating on owl also), then would it be good?” (2)
Here in the below photo there is a lady with many arms wearing a special golden headdress. She is a dogmatic Hindu goddess. And if you look just beneath the goddess you will notice an animal / mount. That is an owl with its wings sprawled wide as it flies through the sky. And the mythological goddess is seated upon this owl. So this dogmatic Hindu goddess is riding a mount, i.e. an owl; that is how the dogmatic Hindu goddess goes from place to place. That is the fictional story of Hindu worshipers.
~ Dogmatic goddess on her owl mount ~
In the above photo, a dogmatic Hindu goddess is moving around on her mount, i.e. an owl. That is the ritualistic scene that is depicted in the above image.
In His above teaching, Baba explains how dogmatic worshipers meditate on gods and goddesses who are sitting on their mount vehicle (animal). Every deity has their own mount - i.e. vehicle or animal by which they move around. Baba warns that one should not meditate on such gods and goddesses who are sitting on their vehicle (animal) because while meditating on such gods and goddesses naturally you will meditate on that vehicle also. So you will become that animal. That is Guru’s key guideline: Do not meditate on such gods and goddesses who are sitting on their vehicle (animal) or mount (animal) otherwise the practitioner will degenerate, degrade, and become that animal. You should know that vishes’a yogis do somewhat similar things which Baba warns us not to do.
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For example goddess
Already you may be aware, but if not, do not be surprised to know that vishes’a yogiis and purodhas do that which Baba forbids in His above teaching. Sadguru Baba forbids meditating on the mount because the practitioner will degenerate. Yet vishes’a yogiiis meditate on the mount. Hence, you can see the "greatness" of vishes’a yogiis.
Exactly how purodhas practice vishes’a yoga and meditate on the mount (animal) is secret, so I do not want to divulge that here. Suffice to say here that vishes’a yogiis meditate on the mount (animal). So it is clear that vishes’a yoga is not some very elevated practice. Yet the prevailing myth is that vishes’a yoga is the highest sadhana. But that is not correct.
This faulty image - i.e. that vishes’a yoga is the highest sadhana and that vishes’a yoga is great - is the result of political propaganda.
Becoming stooge for vishes’a yoga
One day I saw one very good, but naive, Wt massaging the feet of Rudrananda and applying butter. Basically, he was doing the work of a doormat. When he finished I politely asked him why he was conducting himself in this minion way. Then he told that getting initiation into vishes’a yoga was embroiled in politics. He felt that without committing himself to toady ways, i.e. massaging the feet of Rudrananda and applying butter, he did not think he would get the opportunity to learn vishes’a yoga. So he wanted to prove himself as being 100% loyal - i.e. obsequious. I was shocked to hear this news and thought to do something to resolve this issue. Because no Wt or tantrika should feel inferior about their status whereby they get exploited as a sycophant.
If anyone analyzes this whole situation from the point of view of bhakti, then they will find that we vishes’a yogis are very low grade bhaktas. But the cold irony is that we are prone to bragging about our sadhana of vishes’a yoga - and try to inject an inferiority complex in the minds of ignorant margis & wts.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
Why Baba gave vishes’a yoga
The question then is why did Sadguru Baba give vishes’a yoga. Here we will respond by way of a chewing gum example. Suppose a child is fed a perfectly wonderful meal that is both ample and nutritious. Even then, for some reason, that child is dissatisfied and wants something that the other siblings did not get. Then to satisfy that child’s desire to have something special that the other children do not have, but the mother has to love all equally. In that case the mother will give that child a stick of chewing gum which has no nutritional value but satisfies the child’s desire to get something special. Then the child claims its bragging rights and touts all over town about the great thing that it got. In that way, the child chews to his heart’s content, happily thinking that he got something special that the other children did not get.
Same is the case with vishes’a yoga. Already Sadguru Baba has given His disciples the dharmic teachings of sahaja yoga meditation, i.e. the six lessons, and by that way one can attain the heights of realisation, by His grace, yet still a few remain dissatisfied - thinking that they deserve something that the others did not get. So to fulfill their hankering that the six lessons are not enough, Baba has given them the toy of vishes’a yoga whereby they can sit and keep busy, boost their ego and brag about their greatness. But in reality, it is inferior fo sahaja yoga. (Other letters have explained this point at length - write us for those letters).
Conclusion
Sadguru Baba forbids meditating on the mount (animal) because the practitioner will degenerate. (See Baba’s above teaching reference #2) Yet vishes’a yogiiis meditate on the mount. Hence, you can see the "greatness" of vishes’a yogiis.
Exactly how purodhas practice vishes’a yoga and meditate on the mount (animal) is secret, so I do not want to divulge that here. Suffice to say here that vishes’a yogiis meditate on the mount (animal). So it is clear that vishes’a yoga is not some very elevated practice. Yet the prevailing myth is that vishes’a yoga is the highest sadhana. But that is not correct.
This faulty image - i.e. that vishes’a yoga is the highest sadhana and that vishes’a yoga is great - is the result of political propaganda. Top of all in vishes’a yoga, those practitioners are doing the very thing that Baba warns against doing. So vishes’a yoga is not something very high; just it is an approach where one uses various animals as mounts.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
This concludes my letter on this topic. Whatever I have written in this letter - beyond this please do not ask. Because the entire approach and practice of vishes’a yoga is secret material.
Namaskar,
at His lotus feet,
S. Ananda
~ In-depth study ~
Medicine example
The whole situation is just like if someone has been given the correct medicine for their illness, but in their own mind they are not sure if the medicine is proper or not. Because the patient does not have faith in the doctor. Then, so long as they have doubt, they will go on searching for the right medicine. Later on, if they find out that the medicine which they have already is the right medicine, then they will start taking that medicine - otherwise not. So although vishes’a yogiis have received tantrika sadhana, but in their mind they feel they are lacking something. To cure them of their doubts, they are given the gayattrii Rk and the practice of vishes’a yoga. Otherwise, what could be the reason for their having to go back to an earlier stage.
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Note: Once again, let me reiterate: Vishes'a yoga has its own limitations.
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 11, The Psychology behind the Origin of Tantric Gods and Goddesses
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 11, The Psychology behind the Origin of Tantric Gods and Goddesses
Heart-touching music
Prabhat Samgiita Intro: This song expresses the intimate link between the bhakta and God. If anyone is doing sadhana and they do not have any relation with Parama Purusa it means their sadhana is very low. There are various relations. And having some sort of relation is called mysticism.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Mysticism is the never-ending endeavour to find out the link between the finite and the infinite.” (1)
Why is it never-ending? Those who are not bhaktas do not have any relation with the Supreme. Then when one first develops a relation with Him it is distant. When the relationship matures then it becomes intimate. So the relation is always changing, ever-evolving. It culminates only when one loses their I-feeling and merges in Parama Purusa.
Note: Only those sadhakas who have a deep feeling of bhakti in their heart can understand this song in the depths of their core.
"Ke go, gán geye jáy shonáte ámáy, ei aveláy…” (Prabhat Samgiita #1048)
Purport:
O’ who is that Charming Entity who goes on singing for me in this midnight, untimely hour - tantrika hours. Who is that who goes on playing the flute for me, making that sweet, melodic, heart-touching music filled with the deep pain of yearning. It looks like He is someone whom I have seen. His call is filled with supreme love and affection. His flute pulls my heart towards the spiritual realm. When I hear His music I lose myself in bliss. My mind does not remain still; it rushes towards Him. What a liila of His.
From some distant land He is calling me in this late hour. Due to prema for me, He forgot about the time and could not consider what others will think by hearing this heart-wrenching melody in these very late hours. I could not pay heed to His call so with His desperate feelings and broken heart, He is conveying His immense kindness towards me. What a painful sound emanates from His flute. Who is that Charming Entity who goes on singing for me at this odd time.
Long back, on one fine morning we came in contact. Gradually that first glimpse flourished into full-blown prema and bhakti. I fell in love with Him. He is that Parama Purusa who became my most dear. We can't live without each other. The place and moment where we first met became a thing of the past. But the bond of our love only grew in leaps and bounds. And He goes on singing for me in these late tantrika hours after midnight. By His grace, now I am floating endlessly in His love in some wonderland of divinity.
In my life there is nothing - only His prema...
Note For Prabhat Samgiita #1048
Tantrika hours: This is the period from midnight to 3am.
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Mysticism and Yoga
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Already you may be aware, but if not, do not be surprised to know that vishes’a yogiis and purodhas do that which Baba forbids in His above teaching. Sadguru Baba forbids meditating on the mount because the practitioner will degenerate. Yet vishes’a yogiiis meditate on the mount. Hence, you can see the "greatness" of vishes’a yogiis.
Exactly how purodhas practice vishes’a yoga and meditate on the mount (animal) is secret, so I do not want to divulge that here. Suffice to say here that vishes’a yogiis meditate on the mount (animal). So it is clear that vishes’a yoga is not some very elevated practice. Yet the prevailing myth is that vishes’a yoga is the highest sadhana. But that is not correct.
This faulty image - i.e. that vishes’a yoga is the highest sadhana and that vishes’a yoga is great - is the result of political propaganda.
Becoming stooge for vishes’a yoga
One day I saw one very good, but naive, Wt massaging the feet of Rudrananda and applying butter. Basically, he was doing the work of a doormat. When he finished I politely asked him why he was conducting himself in this minion way. Then he told that getting initiation into vishes’a yoga was embroiled in politics. He felt that without committing himself to toady ways, i.e. massaging the feet of Rudrananda and applying butter, he did not think he would get the opportunity to learn vishes’a yoga. So he wanted to prove himself as being 100% loyal - i.e. obsequious. I was shocked to hear this news and thought to do something to resolve this issue. Because no Wt or tantrika should feel inferior about their status whereby they get exploited as a sycophant.
If anyone analyzes this whole situation from the point of view of bhakti, then they will find that we vishes’a yogis are very low grade bhaktas. But the cold irony is that we are prone to bragging about our sadhana of vishes’a yoga - and try to inject an inferiority complex in the minds of ignorant margis & wts.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
Why Baba gave vishes’a yoga
The question then is why did Sadguru Baba give vishes’a yoga. Here we will respond by way of a chewing gum example. Suppose a child is fed a perfectly wonderful meal that is both ample and nutritious. Even then, for some reason, that child is dissatisfied and wants something that the other siblings did not get. Then to satisfy that child’s desire to have something special that the other children do not have, but the mother has to love all equally. In that case the mother will give that child a stick of chewing gum which has no nutritional value but satisfies the child’s desire to get something special. Then the child claims its bragging rights and touts all over town about the great thing that it got. In that way, the child chews to his heart’s content, happily thinking that he got something special that the other children did not get.
Same is the case with vishes’a yoga. Already Sadguru Baba has given His disciples the dharmic teachings of sahaja yoga meditation, i.e. the six lessons, and by that way one can attain the heights of realisation, by His grace, yet still a few remain dissatisfied - thinking that they deserve something that the others did not get. So to fulfill their hankering that the six lessons are not enough, Baba has given them the toy of vishes’a yoga whereby they can sit and keep busy, boost their ego and brag about their greatness. But in reality, it is inferior fo sahaja yoga. (Other letters have explained this point at length - write us for those letters).
Conclusion
Sadguru Baba forbids meditating on the mount (animal) because the practitioner will degenerate. (See Baba’s above teaching reference #2) Yet vishes’a yogiiis meditate on the mount. Hence, you can see the "greatness" of vishes’a yogiis.
Exactly how purodhas practice vishes’a yoga and meditate on the mount (animal) is secret, so I do not want to divulge that here. Suffice to say here that vishes’a yogiis meditate on the mount (animal). So it is clear that vishes’a yoga is not some very elevated practice. Yet the prevailing myth is that vishes’a yoga is the highest sadhana. But that is not correct.
This faulty image - i.e. that vishes’a yoga is the highest sadhana and that vishes’a yoga is great - is the result of political propaganda. Top of all in vishes’a yoga, those practitioners are doing the very thing that Baba warns against doing. So vishes’a yoga is not something very high; just it is an approach where one uses various animals as mounts.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
This concludes my letter on this topic. Whatever I have written in this letter - beyond this please do not ask. Because the entire approach and practice of vishes’a yoga is secret material.
Namaskar,
at His lotus feet,
S. Ananda
~ In-depth study ~
Medicine example
The whole situation is just like if someone has been given the correct medicine for their illness, but in their own mind they are not sure if the medicine is proper or not. Because the patient does not have faith in the doctor. Then, so long as they have doubt, they will go on searching for the right medicine. Later on, if they find out that the medicine which they have already is the right medicine, then they will start taking that medicine - otherwise not. So although vishes’a yogiis have received tantrika sadhana, but in their mind they feel they are lacking something. To cure them of their doubts, they are given the gayattrii Rk and the practice of vishes’a yoga. Otherwise, what could be the reason for their having to go back to an earlier stage.
http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com
Note: Once again, let me reiterate: Vishes'a yoga has its own limitations.
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 11, The Psychology behind the Origin of Tantric Gods and Goddesses
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 11, The Psychology behind the Origin of Tantric Gods and Goddesses
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Heart-touching music
Prabhat Samgiita Intro: This song expresses the intimate link between the bhakta and God. If anyone is doing sadhana and they do not have any relation with Parama Purusa it means their sadhana is very low. There are various relations. And having some sort of relation is called mysticism.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Mysticism is the never-ending endeavour to find out the link between the finite and the infinite.” (1)
Why is it never-ending? Those who are not bhaktas do not have any relation with the Supreme. Then when one first develops a relation with Him it is distant. When the relationship matures then it becomes intimate. So the relation is always changing, ever-evolving. It culminates only when one loses their I-feeling and merges in Parama Purusa.
Note: Only those sadhakas who have a deep feeling of bhakti in their heart can understand this song in the depths of their core.
"Ke go, gán geye jáy shonáte ámáy, ei aveláy…” (Prabhat Samgiita #1048)
Purport:
O’ who is that Charming Entity who goes on singing for me in this midnight, untimely hour - tantrika hours. Who is that who goes on playing the flute for me, making that sweet, melodic, heart-touching music filled with the deep pain of yearning. It looks like He is someone whom I have seen. His call is filled with supreme love and affection. His flute pulls my heart towards the spiritual realm. When I hear His music I lose myself in bliss. My mind does not remain still; it rushes towards Him. What a liila of His.
From some distant land He is calling me in this late hour. Due to prema for me, He forgot about the time and could not consider what others will think by hearing this heart-wrenching melody in these very late hours. I could not pay heed to His call so with His desperate feelings and broken heart, He is conveying His immense kindness towards me. What a painful sound emanates from His flute. Who is that Charming Entity who goes on singing for me at this odd time.
Long back, on one fine morning we came in contact. Gradually that first glimpse flourished into full-blown prema and bhakti. I fell in love with Him. He is that Parama Purusa who became my most dear. We can't live without each other. The place and moment where we first met became a thing of the past. But the bond of our love only grew in leaps and bounds. And He goes on singing for me in these late tantrika hours after midnight. By His grace, now I am floating endlessly in His love in some wonderland of divinity.
In my life there is nothing - only His prema...
Note For Prabhat Samgiita #1048
Tantrika hours: This is the period from midnight to 3am.
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Mysticism and Yoga
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest
