Baba
Wrong way
Namaskar,
Some wonder, “Others are doing sadhana so then why can’t I do it properly.” There are many reasons behind this. It could be that the person is not following yama and niyama. Or it may be that he is not doing asanas properly and his glands are not supportive. Or it might be that what the acarya taught is the wrong process as the acarya himself does not know. Or there may be other causes. The following letter clears up some of these issues.
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Some warning signs & red flags of a bad acarya
Here are some things to be aware of when getting together with an acarya for a lesson revision. Remember, that many of our acaryas are involved in an endless array of business dealings. In that case even attending to their own sadhana is tough on a day to day basis. That makes it difficult for them to teach sadhana to others. Fortunately, there are some telltale signs to recognise if the acarya you are consulting is a charlatan or quack.
(a) For example, if the acarya keeps delaying, procrastinating, and avoiding giving your lesson review, that is one indication that this Wt does not feel comfortable teaching sadhana. Rather, the acarya has forgotten the formula, and for that reason they readily say they do not have time.
(b) Another way to know that the Dada feels uncomfortable teaching sadhana is if the acarya keeps their acarya book with them and have you close your eyes so they can refer to it.
(c) Sadly, that is the scene in the below photo. Dada is the acarya seated on the right in orange. This he is telling the new person (seated on the left) to close his eyes. Then it looks like the acarya is again and again consulting his instruction book / diary. It seems Dada had to do this so many times that ultimately he just kept the book open to the proper page. Otherwise he would not know what to do. One should avoid such acaryas.
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Another angle: self-propaganda
Here is another way of looking at this situation. Sadly, the growing trend is that some Wts are gradually becoming addicted to self-glorification and over-indulgence on social media. The moments of inward journey are consciously photographed to post it on Facebook and WhatsApp, etc to portray how they are great meditation practitioners, but they are fake.
Sign of quack acaryas
If when teaching sadhana, they keep getting up and going out of the room. That also is not good as it shows that in their own mind they do not know what to do. Rather they are confused and they are exiting the room to refer to their sadhana notes and diaries etc.
All of these above circumstances are red flags, or warning signs. And here are more points to bear in mind:
- Before
taking initiation or getting lesson revisions do your homework and
research. Find out who is doing long sadhana etc. Remember, an acarya is
one who teaches by their conduct. Post, age, or long beard, or colour
of beard have no meaning.
- Higher
post is most detrimental these days as dry people who do not do
sadhana, have loose langota, and have a very weak 2nd cakra are
intentionally selected to occupy the higher posts. So avoid them. One
should ensure to get lessons from an acarya who is highly involved in
sadhana and capable of imparting this practice to others.
- Some display fake sadhana selfie on their social media post - avoid such persons.
- It
is akin to a surgeon consulting a medical book as he is performing knee
surgery on you while you are under local anesthesia. That will not be
comforting to the patient.
- Similarly,
if a plumber or an electrician comes to your house and when doing the
job starts reading a "How to" book, that clearly shows they do not have a
clue about what they are doing. No one wants to have that type of
plumber or electrician doing work on their house. It will not inspire
confidence, and even worse, the outcome will be disastrous.
- Here is another scenario: Before making your final decision and sitting with a particular acarya, carefully watch their dealings and see if they are engaged in sadhana or if they are a quack acarya.
- That is why you have to watch out if the acarya is consulting his book again and again. So if this is going on when you are getting a lesson revision, then best is to get up and walk away from that acarya.
Correct mantra is very important
Let us remember that Ananda Marga is a man-making mission. To this end, sadhana is needed and a correct mantra is an essential factor. There are so many groups who sing bhajans and kiirtan. This is common on so many paths. Yet those practices alone are not enough. That is why Baba has given His comprehensive sadhana system. And for sadhana to be effective it needs to be imparted properly.
It is only through the practice of sadhana that the human personality is changed and revolutionized, not through mere theoretical knowledge. With proper meditation, one will have the insight and inspiration to spread His teachings and establish His ideals. So the correct mantra is very important.
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Even after getting human life, only a few get the opportunity to listen to dharmika discourses. Among those, only a few develop the desire to practise dharma sádhaná. And even among these, only a few actually grasp the spirit of Sádhaná. Those rare ones who understand, perform sádhaná, and reach the goal are truly blessed.” (1)
Namaskar,
in Him,
Brahmasiddh
What to do
This fact I am writing because I have deep respect for our acaryas, and in my heart I want their dignified standard to be maintained. Already we have few good Dadas and Didis who are adept in teaching sadhana and their respect should be upheld. Unfortunately, with the way things are now in the organisation, for the last several years, due to poor conditions in Training Centre, and other reasons, our overall acarya standard has declined. The key point is those who do not sit for a minimum of a few hours in sadhana can't complete their own lessons. In that case, how can they teach others - they cannot.
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"Arise, awake! Seek an acarya (teacher)”
Baba has shown us the way to reach the highest level or realisation - and for that sadhana is essential. So we should ensure that the standard of our respected acaryas is maintained, then sadhana will be imparted properly.
Uttis't'hata ja'grata pra'pya bara'n nibodhata;
Ks'urasya dha'ra' nishita' duratyaya' durgam' pathastat kavayo vadanti.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Arise, awake! Seek an acarya (teacher) of an intuitional science or brahmavijina'na and get initiated in the path of sa'dhana'. The kavi (seer of truth) says, this path is impassable, it is as dangerous as a sharp razor’s edge, and so you will have to step carefully. You must proceed very quickly along this inaccessible path, for you have very little time at your disposal. Do not stop, go forward, do not look back." (2)
By Baba's grace if your sadhana practice is blissful, and you can feel the vibrational effect of your mantra japa, or if you like to do longer sadhana then that means your meditation is fine and you were taught properly. In that case, there is no need to go and seek out another acarya for a sadhana review. It is only if one's sadhana is not good that one should consult with another acarya.
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~ In-depth study ~
Very important items to do
1. Acaryas must read their Ac. Diary regularly so they are well versed on matters of teaching sadhana and spiritual life. Then all those points and guidelines will be fresh in their mind - and they will have perfect recall to guide others. True acaryas do like this.
2. Margiis should do svadhyaya regularly - as one will get guidelines for sadhana spiritual life from those discourses. That will fuel one’s progress on the path.
3. Sadguru Baba’s discourses inspire sadhakas about the importance of sadhana. Human beings have come for a higher purpose, and when one feels this in their life the mind is ready for sadhana. So regularly doing svadhyaya is invaluable.
4. Guru’s discourses offer countless points on meditation and dhyana. For instance, the lesson on pranayama is fully (99%) described in His books - only the aspect about mantra has not been given, but beyond that it is described in full. And verily if one reads carefully, they will see that Ananda Marga ideological discourses are full of special teachings for how to go close to Parama Purusa in sadhana.
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5. In Caryacarya, the guidelines on asanas have also been fully documented.
6. Reading any discourse means reading it again and again over time. Just going through it once will not do. Rather every every few weeks or months it is extremely valuable to go through the same discourse. Each time one will get new points and gain greater insight.
7. Svadhyaya should not just be done in an empty, ritualistic manner where one randomly reads two lines from any book. Rather one must read regularly and sincerely whereby those spiritual discourses inspire towards a deeper spiritual life.
8. All sadhakas should have their own sadhana notes - i.e. do’s and don’ts and reflections - and regularly review them. This will be helpful in all circumstances, but especially in those periods when the mind is restless and sadhana is difficult.
9. New sadhakas should build up their collection of notes, guidelines, and sadhana experiences by journaling a few times each week.
Baba story: sadhana
In various reporting sessions, Baba has pointed out some Dadas for imparting sadhana incorrectly. That was repeatedly exposed on numerous occasions during reporting with Baba. Sometimes, Baba immediately sent the acarya back out into the field to rectify the problem and give the correct mantra to the sadhaka who is sitting in some distant land or remote village. After all, all-knowing Baba is aware about everything.
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Similarly, in PC and other instances when the sadhaka was physically before Baba, face to face, then Baba changed and corrected the mantra of a particular sadhaka. And sometimes, He has also come in dreams and given the right mantra. But one should not automatically think that if Baba has not come in dream to correct my mantra then the mantra is fine. It may be fine only if sadhana is in proper flow.
These above instances about dreams and PC are the exceptions and occur when one has a very good samskara for sadhana. Of primary importance, unfortunately there have been times when an acarya failed to follow the correct process when assigning the mantra. Here the point is not that everyone should harbour doubts in sadhana, or in our acaryas. In many instances, the mantra has been properly given. And the proof is if you are experiencing progress and bliss in sadhana, in that case everything is fine.
In the event that your sadhana is clearly not working, despite your sincere efforts, then it is important to consult with another acarya about your meditation lessons. It is also well known that on various occasions our acaryas have selected the wrong mantra for a particular sadhaka.
Dharma remains with you even after your death
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "After your death your friends will carry you to the cremation ground. After being burnt, the body is rendered into ashes. Your friends will spray some water on the ashes of the funeral pyre, and then go back home. As long as they are in the cremation ground, they remember you. After that they forget you. But dharma remains with you even after your death, and what you did for dharma in this world is never forgotten. Therefore, in your worldly life, you are to strengthen the hands of dharma, and in the world, dharma will strengthen you. So it is the duty of intellectuals and intelligent people to strengthen the hands of dharma. If you strengthen the hands of your friends, your friends will also strengthen you in case of urgent need." (3)
Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji says, "Have you got any bandhu in this world? No. Even your friend, your best friend, did not come at the same time as you, and after leaving the cremation ground there is permanent separation. He will be with you up to the cremation ground. After your cremation he will not be with you. So he is not bandhu, he is not a friend, for he can tolerate the idea of separation. So who is the real friend? Parama Puruśa. When you are in this physical framework, in this quinquelemental framework, He is with you, with your body, with your mind and with your spirit. After death, He will be with your mind, with your soul. When the body is lost, the body will become one with the earth but mind and spirit will remain. He will be with you. So He is the real friend, He is the real bandhu, and there cannot be any mundane friend, mundane bandhu. It is a false utterance to say that a mundane friend is the best friend. Nobody is your friend. Only Parama Puruśa is your friend, and nobody else is your friend." (4)
In my life, the sun may or may not rise tomorrow
Sadguru Baba says, "This human life is attained through the medium of lots of clash and cohesion. Of all creatures' existence, this human existence is the most rare. But even rarer is the human body that has been perfected through sádhaná."
"Even after getting human life, only a few get the opportunity to listen to dharmika discourses. Among those, only a few develop the desire to practise dharma sádhaná. And even among these, only a few actually grasp the spirit of Sádhaná. Those rare ones who understand, perform sádhaná, and reach the goal are truly blessed. In the effort to perfect oneself, even if one faces obstacles and hindrances from one's elders and near ones, one must ignore them..."
"Dhruva further said, “Nárada, who knows what will happen tomorrow? You have become old and you got the opportunity to do sádhaná and sing bhajanas at this age. But in my life, the sun may or may not rise tomorrow. Suppose I die tonight? So how can I wait till old age?” Then Nárada went away silently. “Dharmán Bhágavatániha,” said Dhruva. All men should try to become established in Bhágavata Dharma in childhood. Then one is likely to have a lot more time at one's disposal." (5)
Disorganized meditation will not produce any fruit
Here below Baba outlines the great importance of doing meditation in a proper manner
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "Our students, our boys and girls, our ladies and gentlemen should be taught how to think in a methodical style, otherwise there will be wastage of mental potentialities. We do not want such wastage to take place in this age of science."
"Regarding thinking with concentration, that is, meditation – it is another, still subtler, science. Meditation should be performed knowing fully well the location of different glands and sub-glands and also the different cells in the human brain. And people should not only know the location of these glands and sub-glands, they should also be acquainted with their respective systems of hormone secretion, otherwise their meditation will not produce any fruit. So for this system of meditation, knowledge of biology is essential. Human beings have yet to invent the way of methodical thinking and methodical meditation based on the location of different concerned cells, glands and sub-glands, and their secretion of the requisite quantity of hormones." (6)
The special role our acaryas play is integral to success in sadhana. They are not middle-men between God and the follower, rather they are important helpers with limited scope to convey the teachings.
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When sadhana is very good - by His grace
Here below Sadguru Baba describes the various experiences a sadhaka might have when in a good sadhana flow by His grace.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “If this mental japa is practised regularly and properly after learning the same from a competent teacher, the mind will progress in a particular flow, a forward movement on the path of Pratisaiṋcara of Brahma. The speed of the mind generated by a Sádhaka by means of Iishvara prańidhána is faster than the mental speed of Brahma by which He is leading His psychic creations towards perfection through the path of Pratisaiṋcara.”
“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).” (7)
Duty of acarya before & during imparting sadhana lessons
Just before initiating anyone, the acarya must sit in meditation and do 6th lesson for a few minutes. At the end of that meditation, that acarya must mentally convey to Guru that, "I am just a medium and You are the one who is actually teaching sadhana to this person. I am not the doer but a tool in Your hands."
Thus every acarya must ideate and think that, "I am the medium and Guru is going to teach sadhana to this person through me." Only then can proper sadhana can be conveyed - otherwise not. This idea should remain in the mind of the acarya throughout the session in which they are imparting sadhana lessons to anyone. If the acarya thinks otherwise then sadhana will not work.
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This is why it is orally conveyed to new margis that their Guru is Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji. Because in reality, Guru is teaching through the acarya.
Remember, Sadguru Baba is eternally present and never dies. This philosophy is not some vague theological notion, it is the practical science of tantra. Still today Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji is teaching and guiding all in sadhana. Even without a physical body, He is looking after every disciple for their well-being and spiritual progress. Those who do sadhana sincerely realize this in their day to day life. For them Baba is not in “past tense.”
Way to know fakes
In the above photo the acarya is seated on the right and it seems that directly in front of him is his sadhana notebook / acarya diary. And on the left side is a new person who has come for initiation. And the acarya is telling the new person to close his eyes. Then it looks like the acarya is again and again consulting his instruction book / diary.
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References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, The Requirements for Sádhaná
2. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 5, The Chariot and the Charioteer
3. Anand Vacanamrtam - 4, Your Real Friend
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, Social Animals and Friends
5. Anand Vacanamrtam - 3, The Requirements for Sádhaná
6. Yoga Psychology, The Mind Grows in Magnitude
7. A Guide To Human Conduct
* * *
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 ==
He will tell us
"Pathik eseche a'ji a'loker desh theke..." (Prabhat Samgiita #0370)
Purport:
The Divine Entity - Parama Purusa, Ajana Pathik - has come today. He has taken advent on this dusty earth from the world of divinity. He is graciously bestowing a new dharmic message to the entire world. He is blessing all living beings of this transitory mortal world. His words are filled with brilliance, hope, and optimism.
Let’s go ahead collectively and receive that Divine Entity, Ajana Pathik Parama Purusa. Let us adorn and receive Him. When will the blackness of the dark vanish – we will hear it from His mouth directly. When the darkness of this mortal world is pulverized and golden dawn comes, He will tell us. He is our Saviour; He is our guide; He is our well-wisher. We should go and receive Him.
We should march forward and give Him our word that, by His grace, we will no longer lag behind. We will promise Him that we will fight against all sinful forces - tooth and nail, without compromise. We will combat the evil forces face-to-face and defeat them. We will follow His guidelines and His teachings. We are on the march to defeat the demons in human form. The Ajana Pathik Parama Purusa Baba has come; we should go and receive Him....
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #0370:
Aja’na’ Pathik: The term Aja'na' Pathik means 'The Divine Entity Parama Purusa Who moves around this entire universe, and resides everywhere and knows everything; irrespective of where one goes, He remains along with you'. That is one of His many unique attributions and that is the speciality of the name 'Ajana Pathik'. The name 'Ajana Pathik' denotes this special quality.
Literally, Aja'na' means 'unknown' and Pathik means 'traveler' or ‘tourist.’ But this is just the word by word, literal translation; and, proper nouns are not meant to be translated. So we cannot call Him the ‘Unknown Traveler’ or ‘Unknown Tourist', or Unknown Vacationer', or 'Unknown Backpacker', or 'Unknown Visitor', or 'Unknown Globetrotter', or 'Unknown Daytripper', or 'Unknown Hitchhiker.’ The spirit and meaning is then lost.
The inner sense of the name Ajana Pathik is that Parama Purusa is always moving throughout this vast cosmos and He is constantly present with everyone, all the time. He is in the Cosmic Nucleus, yet at the same time through His ota and prota yoga He is everywhere - carefully watching & lovingly guiding everyone. This unique aspect of His grand Personality is treated as Aja'na' Pathik. Because He is constantly traveling yet present everywhere. He is in the nucleus as well as throughout this entire universe.
As the Ajana Pathik, Parama Purusa Baba moves and moves and moves. In their spiritual approach bhaktas feel that wherever they go the Aja'na' Pathik will always be there to shower His blessing. By His grace, bhaktas can always get His intimate company and companionship. With this mystical link, sadhakas understand that Parama Purusa is present everywhere, yet side by side He travels on and on throughout this entire cosmos. Thus He is Aja'na' Pathik.
Overall, the name Aja'na' Pathik has one special and unique meaning that goes far beyond its literal translation. And in our hearts we A'nanda Ma'rgiis know and feel that Baba is that Aja'na' Pathik. Indeed in His discourses, in Dharma Samiiksa, and in reporting, in DMC, and in numerous ways Baba has shown this very fact that He is ever-present and always along with us. He is always moving, and wherever we go then He will also be there. Parama Purusa has infinite attributions and one of them is this special quality where He always remains along with us wherever we are in this vast universe. In this way, He is known as - Aja'na' Pathik. In true sense, as the omnipresent Entity, He does not go anywhere because He is everywhere; but, in a more literal manner, He goes from place to place.
Those who use ‘Unknown Traveler’ or ‘Unknown Tourist’ in place of Aja'na' Pathik are naive and ignorant.
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest
