Sadhana relationships + 4 more

Baba

Sadhana relationships

Namaskar,

This letter addresses the types of relations a bhakta can have with Parama Purusa. This is an important topic for all sadhakas. These types of spiritual feelings are special aspects of Ananda Marga sadhana, the path of bliss.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

In human life, people have all kinds of desires, and most resort to animalistic tendencies in their pursuit of materialism and sensuality. As Ananda Margiis, we are embarking on the path of true spirituality; we are travelers on the path of life divine. Our goal is to realize and attain Parama Purusa.


Types of relations with Parama Purusa

Here below we briefly outline the various relations a bhakta might have with Parama Purusa. As one's level of bhakti rises, ultimately in the culminating moment the sadhaka likes either da'sya bháva or madhura bháva, as described below.

(A) Basic: In the rudimentary stage of bhakti, the sadhaka thinks that God exists and resides somewhere in this universe, but feels no personal relationship with Him. Just the sadhaka views God as being the judge of some court.

(B) Father: As one's bhakti grows, the sadhaka starts to develop a closer link with Him and feels that, “Parama Purusa and I are part of the same family.” This often leads to the Father-son relation. In the Father-relation there is a respectful, loving, and personal relation with Him. But the bhakta does not feel very close where he can share everything with Him.

(C) Vatsalya Bháva: In this stage the sadhaka cares for the Lord as their child. So here too a familial relationship has been formed, but it is not very, very close. Countless margiis and also sadhakas like Surdas had this type of relation.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

(D) Sakhya Bháva: When one views Parama Purusa as their friend, then that bhakta opens up in a more personal manner and shares all kinds of inner thoughts and feelings with Parama Purusa. Sadhakas like historical Arjuna plus many margiis & wts etc had this type of relation. In the highest stage of bhakti, one feels one of the following relations: Da'sya bháva or madhura bhava. It generally depends upon one's inherent samskaras and way of relating with Parama Purusa in dhyana.

(E) Da'sya Bháva: Slave relation. In this bhava, the sadhaka views Parama Purusa as their Master. In that case, one vows to do each and everything for Him as He is the Master. In the mythological story of the Ramayana, the great imaginary bhakta Hanuman is depicted as an example of a sadhaka with da'sya bhava.

(F) Madhura Bháva: This is the sweetest, most loving relationship with Parama Purusa. The path of madhura bháva is very charming where the sadhaka accepts Parama Purusa as their Dearest One. Many margiis and wts and also great sadhakas like Miirabai, Rádhá etc come in this category. This is a very close relationship where there is a very intimate feeling between the bhakta and Parama Purusa.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Those with some kind of bhakti will fall in one of the above categories. Remember that one's relation with Him is based on one’s inner feeling; it is not some type of external show. A sadhaka cannot just beat the drum and brag with a booming voice that they got a particular type of bháva (relation). One's relations with Parama Purusa is purely an internal affair, not some type of superficial display. This is a very intimate and personal topic where one should see how close they feel in their heart with Parama Purusa Baba.


Maturation of relation

In His below teaching, Baba guides us that at the culmination of one’s personal link with Him then the relation matures into one of two bhávas: dasya bháva or madhura bháva. 

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “When this sakhya bháva matures, when this love for Parama Puruśa deepens, it is transformed either into dásya bháva or into madhura bháva. “Parama Puruśa is my best friend. He loves me.” When a person thinks like this, he or she draws close to Parama Puruśa. From a distance one cannot feel His greatness, but when one comes within His proximity one realizes that He is unfathomable, immeasurable, and thinks: “Oh, although He is my sakhá [my friend], how great He is! How vast! I consider myself fortunate to have come so close to Him.” When one thinks in this way, oneʼs sakhya bháva is transformed into dásya bháva. One then feels that since Parama Puruśa is so great and loves one so much, it is oneʼs duty to serve Him and fulfil His desire in every possible way. One feels, “Since He is earnestly seeking human welfare it is my duty to do His work.” This is the spirit of dásya bháva. “He is my Master, my Lord – I am His servant.” And the spirit of madhura bháva is as follows: “He is so vast, endowed with innumerable attributes, yet even then He loves me. He is so great, yet He is still my most intimate friend, so very close to me. What joy! What joy!” This is madhura bháva.” (1)


Bhakti & middleman

Dogmatic people cannot digest this type of intimate and close link with Parama Purusa. They think of God as being far away in the distant fictitious heaven etc. In that case, there is no question of having any relation; the gap is so vast. There is no direct communication; one must go via a third party, i.e. priest. Indeed, puja’ will not be successful without a purohit puja'ri. In those religions, they preach that to realize God one must go via others. Just like how dogmatic people need a middleman / religious cheat to communicate with their object of worship. Actually, that type of relation is no relation at all; one is very far. If forced to attach a name to that type of relation, it will be termed as "alien relation." Because one is so far away, there is no way for the bhakta to share their feeling of the heart with their object of worship.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Across the ages, only great bhaktas have fully realised and experienced a loving, intimate relation with their Lord. For example, Rádhá and the great bhakta Miirabai formed a deeply personal and intimate madhura bháva relation. Surdas had a deeply personal va’tsalya bhava link with Parama Purusa. These are a few examples of many great bhaktas.


What is Rádhá
 
Ananda Marga philosophy states, ”The further the jiivas move towards Parama Puruśa, the more elevated their minds become. When they reach a very subtle stage of elevation, their concentrated mind-stuff speeds towards Him with the one-pointedness of an arrow. Such a mentality is called Rádhá....What is Rádhá bháva? When devotees feel in their heart of hearts that their existence is meaningless without attaining Lord , that they cannot survive a single moment without feeling His blissful presence, they have attained the stage called Rádhá. Such devotees know nothing other than árádhaná [total mental absorption” (2)

Note: Some ignorant people think that Radha is a female of Vrindaban. But that is not true. 'A-grade' devotees are Radha, whether they are male or female or anyone.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Krśńa is not a male being of Vrindavan, and Rádhá is not a lady. You should understand it properly.” (3)

In dhya'na, a sadhaka should always follow the type of relation that feels most natural at that time. Forcing or pretending to follow a particular bha'va is meaningless; rather it is highly detrimental. Ours is the path of sincerity and naturalness.

Namaskar,
Sastaunga Pranam to Baba,
Prabha’ 

Those who want to know more about this science should reference discourses #3, #7, #9, #26 & #27 from the book Namami Krsnasundaram.


~ In-depth study ~

What is chief Gopii bháva

The following is what Sadguru Baba describes in His Hindi MGD 2 November 1979 Kullu: 

Within this gopii bháva there are two grades. One is lower and one is higher. As long as a sadhaka is still making efforts to establish himself in gopii bháva then they are in lower gopii bháva (gaon’a’ gopii bha’va). When one is fully established in gopii bhava, without any imposition or effort, then they are in higher gopii bháva (mukhya’ gopii bhava). Another name of mukhya’ gopii bháva is radha bhava. Rádhá bháva is the highest bhakti. In a natural, effortless manner, these great bhaktas of Radha bháva love Parama Purusa unconditionally. They think, “Whether Parama Purusa loves me or not, I will go on loving Him.” (English summary)


References
1. Namámi Krśńasundaram, Párthasárathi Krśńa and Sáḿkhya Philosophy – 2
2. Namami Krsnasundaram, Vraja Krśńa and Sáḿkhya Philosophy (Discourse 7)
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 23, Rádhiká Shakti

*        *        *

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 ==

You brought me

"Ámáy keno bhálobásile, guń nái, guń nái jinánao nái..." (Prabhat Samgiita #2283)

Purport:

My Parama Purusa, You are so loving and gracious; why do You love me so much. I do not have any quality or merit; nor do I have any knowledge or learning. What then did You observe in me that made You pour Your karuna on me.

Baba, You have given me a healthy physical body, a sound mind, and a heart filled with bhakti, and saturated my core with a strong feeling for realisation of the Supreme. You have bestowed upon me an awakened intellect to serve society. Knowing that I am helpless and have no one besides You as my own, You have granted me everything, above and beyond - more than what was needed - in all realms. It is Your causeless grace.

Parama Purusa Baba, You brought me onto this earth by providing me with a human form. You filled my mind with spiritual yearning and infused a strong longing of paramartha for You. Even then, such is my miserable condition: I always remain forgetful about You and Your grace. Baba, why do You love me so much…

== Section 3: Important Teaching ==

How to overcome provincialism etc

In His below teaching, Baba guides us that when we see someone supporting a particular group or an agenda based on caste, creed, colour, race, then we should be alert. By digging down, we will find that the person is not sincere in sadhana. Because Ananda Marga sadhana is the sadhana of the infinite Parama Purusa. By ideating on Him, the mind becomes larger and more vast. That is why standard sadhakas do not support any kind of groupism etc. So watch out: if someone is supporting any group then try to politely convey that they should increase their sadhana. By this way their mind will expand; and, thereafter from the core of their heart they will naturally keep their distance from any type of lowly outlook like groupism etc. This following quote from Sadguru guides us in this direction.

   Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The more the human mind becomes magnanimous or expanded, the more it rises above the sentiments of tribalism, communalism, provincialism, etc. Often I hear people say that nationalism is an appreciable sentiment and that there is no narrowness in it. But is this true? Nationalism is also relative, just like tribalism, communalism or provincialism. In some places it is more worthwhile than tribalism, communalism or provincialism, while in other places it is less worthwhile..."
   "Hence it is observed that communalism, casteism, provincialism and nationalism are all of the same defective type. Those who are able to capitalize on one of these sentiments advocate it volubly. In fact, every one of these sentiments suffers from the defect of ism, and is completely filled with narrowness, violence, envy, mean mindedness, etc. Those who enter the field of social welfare by creating divisions between “yours” and “mine”, substantially widen the fissures of fissiparous intellect in human society."
   "Those who want to promote the welfare of all human beings, remaining above all sorts of parochial sentiments, have no alternative but to embrace universalism with their heart and soul – there is no other way. As universalism is totally devoid of any characteristic of ism, it is not proper to depict universalism as an ism. If everyone is looked upon as one’s own, no one remains beyond the periphery of one’s kith and kin. Naturally, then, there is no scope for violence, envy, narrowness, etc….The more the human mind becomes magnanimous or expanded, the more it rises above the sentiments of tribalism, communalism, provincialism, etc." (1)

Reference
1. Problems of the Day, Point #18

== Section: Important Teaching ==

Sexual impotence & the degradation of society

Here Baba outlines the cause of seminal weakness [impotency] which is a serious problem these days.

Ananda Marga Yogic Treatments states, "Lack of proper sexual knowledge in adolescence or early youth, loss of semen through unnatural means, lack of restraint in married life and failing to follow the rules for fasting, bathing...are causes of seminal weakness. Seeing pornographic pictures or films, reading pornographic literature, etc are also to be forsaken...most cases of this disease are due to overindulgence; so one should keep control over his thoughts and actions. The male should stay away from feminine company as long as the disease is not fully cured. During the disease naes't'hika brahmacarya (complete abstinence) must be observed." (1)

Note: This problem exists all around the globe but even more so in European / western countries, or wherever materialism is in vogue, because of rampant unmarried teenage relations / pre-marital sex. First, young males and females become sexually active and then after many years they may or may not marry. And many times it happened that no marriage ever happens; just males and females continue to live together--i.e  with the opposite sex. And in that condition they produce children, or often times the females get an abortion. And this leads to more and more impotency. This has become quite common these days in so-called advanced countries and one outcome of this is that adoptive agencies are filled with gold coins. They bring children from very poor areas -  like Africa, and parts of Asia - free of cost and sell them to Euro-American countries for thousands of dollars. But the main problem is that both impotence and infertility are on the rise. And this problem is gradually spreading all around the globe. Essentially, wherever materialism is increasing, side by side impotence is also on the rise.

Part and parcel of the problem is that illicit relations are no longer treated as illicit. Young girls tell their father and mother openly that they have sexual relations. And in reply they are encouraged and praised for finding a male. And when the young unmarried female gets pregnant then in one festive atmosphere she and her mate invite parents to join in a baby naming ceremony. So there is no shame involved. 

Altogether in western countries new terms have been invented: "Biological mother" and "biological father". Those not aware should know that it means that the father and mother never got married. Rather the mother ended up marrying a different male. So those children have "two fathers". Their "biological" father who does not live with them, and their "other father" or "at-home" father-- that is the male whom their biological mother married or just lives with. And of course the situation can be reversed also. 

Altogether the ones who suffer the most in all of this are the mothers and the children because in most of the cases male partners leave and choose a new young female somewhere else. So multiple losses are there-- not only sexual loss / impotency or infertility. Multiple drastic negative effects occur such as the ruination of the social structure and also the spread of various types of diseases including AIDS. The root cause is improper education. Tragically, this drastic trend starts at the tender young age of 8 or 9 for both males and females. 

Another point common people are oblivious about is that females are getting exploited. Common people are not aware; females are just treated as sexual tools for enjoyment. Nothing more. And here are more points: 

- This happens in materialistic society because adults have no-control; they severely lack restraint. 
- Then children grow in that environment and by the age of puberty they themselves are producing children. I.e. the "mother" is still a child and she has a child. 
- Because of toxins, chemicals, excess protein, and poor nutrition of company food, the age of puberty is decreasing. So there is less and less emotional maturity when their sexual glands develop. 
- In total, the whole entire scene is way out of bounds. 

Baba's teachings only can save humanity on this critical point.

Reference
1. Yogic Treatments, Seminal Weakness

== Section: Comment ==

Re: How faith develops on God

Namaskar,

For some unknown reason...BABA chose me to see Him. In 1970 I was practicing asanas on my living room floor in the USA at midnight. I had fallen asleep. I awoke suddenly to a radio announcement that there would be a lecture at Carnegie Tech University now Carnegie Mellon. The announcer mentioned Yatiishvaranabda's name so I had my wife call the radio station the next day for particulars.

I called two friends both classical pianists to go with me. They put "yes" and "no" in a hat and pulled a "yes" out if it. So we sat in the back rows amongst so many hippies - almost all college students . 

Dada Y's accent was so strong I couldn't understand him, but the title of his lecture was the Chariot and the Charioteer, which was the title of one of Baba's discourses. As Dada and newly initiated poeple left the hall they walked past  me. I thought this is the real deal. I noticed one brother who wore a pratiika with swastika. I thought these people either are crazy for wearing a swastika combined with Star of David or they are  courageous. For many Jewish students were there. At the time I did not know the ancient history of the swastika or the upward and downward pointing triangles given By Lords Shiva and Krsna. When I was initiated that evening at 3am by Dada Y I was the last of many. He said no more for blood came out of his ear!

When I saw BABA for the first time BABA was delivering discourses about Lord Krsna. How fortunate we are! How very few saw Him talked with Him received His blessing and / or Dharma Samiiksa!

I wondered then as I wonder now - for I do not long for liberation. I long to be near Him always. To be His coolie if need be. He can liberate everyone before me. What kind of gentleman would I be to barge into line before my brothers and sisters? What is the well known want in India? I don't want to be sugar I want to taste sugar.

BABA His greatness the undiscovered mystery. No one knows the secret!

In BABA 

govinda 

USA

- Here is a link to the initial letter on this topic: How faith develops on God

== Section: Important Teaching ==

When will they cast aside the burkas and veils

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “A handful of unprincipled, power-hungry men propagated these [religious] doctrines in order to paralyse women’s reasoning, and to inflate men’s vanity. This doctrine is against nature and we have only to look out into this wide world to find numerous proofs against it. Can anybody drape a burka over a tigress? Is there anyone with enough courage to do it? Can anyone dictate to a tigress, “You cannot cross this boundary,” or “You cannot take part in games and sports, for this is prohibited to women”? Those who propagated these doctrines were not only unprincipled, they were also well aware of the inherent loopholes in their arguments. That is why they did not propagate their ideas directly in their own name. On the contrary, they propagated all those ideas in the name of God. They proclaimed them as the gospels of God; no one shall dispute it; one has to accept it without a murmur. When women will develop a sense of self-respect and be like other spirited creatures, they will cast aside the burkas and veils of servitude. They will then be enabled to expand their role in serving society in a balanced and consolidated way.” (1)

Reference
1. Shabda Cayanika - 9, from “Kaomára”

== Section 4: Links ==

Upcoming Dogma: Father's Day - June 21

Father's Day?

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2016/06/way-to-shrug-off-responsibility-2-more.html

Mother's Day undermines motherhood

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2015/05/where-and-why-mothers-dont-like-to-be.html

Postings to Read

How pranayama helps

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2013/10/why-some-cant-do-proper-meditation.html

Those beings in Shabda Cayanika stories

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2023/06/so-called-ghost-2-more.html

Samskara & rebirth of famous leader

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2014/07/baba-story-samskara-bhog.html

Types of peace: bad to beneficial

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2017/11/peace-useful-vs-harmful.html

Fear epidemic & antidote

• https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2019/10/paranoia.html

Way to boost dhyana

Baba

Way to boost dhyana

Namaskar,

We have all heard and read about how Ananda Marga ideology says that we are to “sit on the lap of Parama Purusa.”

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "One is sure to reach one’s destination. And what is the destination? To merge into Parama Purus'a, to sit on His Lap." (1)


What is the meaning of 'sitting on the lap'?

Here are a few important points to note:
1) A sadhaka attains salvation by sincere dhyana, i.e. exclusively by His causeless grace. In proper dhya'na, SadGuru is gracing the sadhaka.
2) From the human perspective, all we can do is dhyana and ask for His grace.
3) With first lesson one can only get mukti (liberation) through savikalapa samadhi; whereas, by dhyana one can attain moksa (salvation) through nirvikalpa samadhi.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Various stages & degrees of dhyana: part 1

Most understand that the practice of 6th lesson is not easy: It demands sincere and proper effort, and, most importantly, His grace. Without bhakti, all those steps in dhyana are mechanical, or may even seem to be fruitless. Depending on one's inner, spiritual feeling and quality of mind, there are various phases one may undergo in dhyana.

First, if one's mind is down and one is not feeling an inner link with Parama Purusa, then that sadhaka will not even like to practice dhyana. Rather, sixth lesson will seem boring or mechanical, and one may just do it for one minute at the end of sadhana, or even not at all. And,  in that condition, they will not even like to talk about Parama Purus'a in a more intimate manner.

Think of it this way: When one loves their own child then they will always be thinking about the welfare of that infant, and they will always discuss their darling baby with their friends and family members. So in the next phase of dhyana, when one feels more spiritual love towards Parama Purusa, then one gets the idea that, “I should talk to Him and do something for Him.” In that flow, when doing dhyana, one tries to serve and please Him. Yet even in this stage, He may come and go in the mind, and one might find it difficult to concentrate. In spite of that, if a sadhaka goes on practicing and struggling in dhyana, and asking for His grace, then that will invariably lead one towards the next tier in dhyana.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Various stages & degrees of dhyana: part 2

When by His grace one feels immersed in Parama Purus'a and harbours a deep yearning to get Him, then one will like to practice dhyana more and more. The sadhaka will feel a strong inner urge and spiritual pull. When this feeling reaches its climax and culmination, then by constantly thinking about Him and Him alone, and using one's dhyana mantra and calling His name, a unique moment arrives when the sadhaka forgets oneself, by His grace. That is the stage of losing one's identity wherein one's mind remains fully ensconced in Him.

This is the cherished state. It may continue such that one will not even realise that the time is going by, until at some stage one may again gain their unit awareness. However, at the end of one's life, after finishing their worldly duties, a deserving sadhaka gets the special grace of Parama Purusa and leaves their body and becomes one with Him. In that case, they do not come back or take rebirth. Whereas, when experiencing this high state in dhyana, one does come back into their unit existence after sadhana.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Here it should be added, that these above realisations in dhyana are essential for understanding the meaning of the phrase, “sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa.”


Divine pull

This all leads to the real meaning of “sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa” and how intense dhyana is an essential requisite. The phrase, “sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa”, is characterised by one's strong urge of wanting to become one with Him. The notion of “sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa” parallels the idea of “merging into Parama Purusa.” These two phrases express the same concept: A sadhaka fully absorbed in dhyana, wherein the mind actually loses its own unit identity due to great prema and bhakti for Him.

Initially, a sadhaka feels bhakti for Parama Purusa and one feels separate from Him. And then, as that love mounts more and more, a certain moment may come when one completely loses their individual identity and becomes one with Parama Purusa. When, by His grace, the loving attraction and divine pull towards Parama Purus'a becomes so great that one forgets their own existence in the pursuit of getting Him, then one is “sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa” . Therefore, “sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa”  and 'merging in Him' mean the same thing; the only difference being, the first is a personal expression, whereas the latter is more philosophical.

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "One is sure to reach one’s destination. And what is the destination? To merge into Parama Purus'a, to sit on His Lap." (2)

In more technical language, when one loses their own individual existence in Cosmic Self, then this is nirvakalpa samadhi. That is also the meaning behind the phrase, “sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa” , i.e. becoming one with Him. And this merging only happens in dhyana, when by His grace, one calls Him and yearns for Him with such spiritual longing that one loses their own unit identity.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Conclusion

Sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa occurs only at the zenith point of one's dhyana practice. And it refers to that high stage of dhyana wherein one has forgotten their own unit existence and become fully absorbed in Him.

Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "What a good man should do, what an intelligent man is to do, what a spiritual aspirant to do, is always to remember his loving Father. And this is what meditation is. Why should he always remember his loving Father? Because he will have to keep in the closest psychic and spiritual touch with the Supreme, because He is the Supreme abode of all. And finally one will have to sit on His lap. That is the final Desideratum." (3)

Without proper anudhyana, the mind will remain hungry, dry, and unfulfilled, devoid of any feeling of peace.

Namaskar,
At His lotus feet,
Ananda

~ In-depth study ~

Cultivating that stage in dhyana

In day to day worldly life, we generally achieve something by the following stepwise process. First an idea comes in the mind, then one develops the desire of having or achieving that, and finally one gets that object or outcome. Similar is the case in dhyana. First the idea comes to think about Parama Purus'a; then one feels a strong urge to get Parama Purus'a; and then by His grace after continued effort one receives Him in dhyana. Then one has truly fallen in love with Parama Purus'a and it is in that depth of bhakti that one may lose their own existence while doing dhyana. This happens by His grace and by the constant effort of wanting to merge in Him.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

It is everyone’s birthright to become one with Him: To shed ourselves of all unit qualities and merge with His divine Self.

Ananda Marga ideology states, "Each and every entity has the right to move towards Him, and to be one with Him. And when the mind becomes one with Him, the mirror is lost. There cannot be any more reflection. There cannot be any more Jiiva'tma'. Jiiva becomes one with Shiva. “Pa'sha baddha bhavet jiiva, pa'shmukta bhavet Shiva” – Jiiva will become one with Shiva. This is the human goal. This is the Desideratum." (4)


Making dhyana successful

Here we have to understand that doing dhyana is a difficult process and we should furthermore understand why it is difficult.

Being human, we have all come from animal life and to some or more degree we all cultivate animalistic desires. The more prevalent these desires are, the more they prevent us from moving towards Him in dhyana. That is why doing sadhana can seem like an uphill task. Even then the goal of life is to realise Him in our sadhana, and for that reason we must continue and persevere in this endeavor. Otherwise one will just be stuck on the treadmill -- an endless cycle of life and death. Indeed the illusion of maya keeps us in the dark and makes us unaware of the divine truth. The only way to escape this cycle is to go close to Parama Purusa. This earth is not our permanent abode - our ultimate destiny is to realise Him.

And on the very practical level, if our dhyana is not good, then we have to sincerely ask ourselves if in our daily routine we are practicing shravan, manan, niddhidhyasana. For only with the support of these practices can dhyana be done.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

So as sadhakas, the main thing we should remember is to cultivate more and more bhakti. In its broadest sense, dhyana is the culmination of all one's activities. So we are to remember Him always from morning till night, singing His name, listening to His discourses, serving His creation, and doing His sadhana. Plus, we should always request Him to grace us with a higher degree of bhakti. Then, with His divine compassion, one’s quest in dhyana will become successful.

Otherwise, if we live our lives in a mundane way and just think by closing our eyes for a few minutes in the morning and evening that magically we will get Him in dhyana, our practice will not be fruitful.

Ananda Marga ideology says, "Dhya'na is withdrawing the mental propensities from all extroversive entities, and then collecting those withdrawn mental forces, mental propensities, and urging them towards the Supreme Entity. If there is no love for the Supreme Entity, this movement cannot be done. Where there is no love, the mind will not run after Him. So dhya'na also becomes meaningless." (5)

So love is an essential requisite for true dhyana, and that bhakti gets cultivated by thinking more and more about Him, by including Him in all our thoughts and movements through the day. Then bhakti heightens, and by His grace dhyana becomes successful.


Our Sadguru's mandate

Some in the Marga may not yet have all their sadhana lessons, yet Baba says not to delay. According to SadGuru, every sadhaka should practice sincerely and get all their sadhana lessons as quickly as they can.

Ananda Marga Caryacarya guides us, "Human life is short. It is wise to get all the instructions regarding sa'dhana' as soon as possible." (6)

So every Ananda Marga sadhaka should get all their lessons, including dhyana, as quickly as possible. Every sadhaka then should be sure to consult an acarya about this and make proper arrangements to get their remaining lessons. Because it is only in dhyana that one can realise what it means to sit on the lap of Parama Purusa and become one with Him.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Baba has blessed us by bringing us on that path of tantra sadhana and filling our hearts with innate bhakti. By this way, we are sure to sit on His lap and become one with Him. That is our birthright and our destiny.


Immediately arranges to impart lessons

Ananda Marga ideology states, "Whenever anyone develops an intense desire to merge in Him, Parama Purus'a immediately arranges to impart lessons how to move towards Him, how to merge in Him." (7)

Ananda Marga ideology says, "One who loves Him will merge in Him, will become one with Him." (8)

To understand the inner meaning and true import, one must be a sadhaka of dhya'na and have a high intensity of bhakti for Parama Purusa. This Baba also says. Otherwise it is just an empty show or play of words to say, “sit on the lap of Parama Purusa.” So this letter is only geared towards those who are pointed practitioners of dhyana.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

The idea being, without one's sincere practice of sixth lesson, the phrase 'sit on the lap of Parama Purusa', will remain misunderstood, if not a mystery. That is why some wrongly conclude that the phrase, 'sit on the lap of Parama Purusa', is only related with the mantra from our Ananda Marga shraddha ceremony or that it only could happen in PC with Baba. They do not realise how it is also related with dhyana. They do not understand that one can sit on Baba's lap in sadhana. On the whole though, there are countless sadhakas who are quite familiar with the inner idea and true import of sitting on Baba's lap in dhyana and in personal contact.

References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 22, Kiirtana – the Panacea for All Afflictions
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 22, Kiirtana – the Panacea for All Afflictions
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, He Knows His Duty
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Jiivátmá and Pratyagátmá
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 1, Who Is Gopa?
6. Caryacarya - 2, 'Sadhana'
7. Subhasita Samgraha - 11, Supramundane Heritage and Supramundane Desideratum
8. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 5, Devotion and the Realm of Intellectuality

== Section 2: Links ==

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