Baba
Developing bhakti in sadhana
This letter addresses some key aspects of spiritual life and dhyana, and how we can cultivate a deeper, more intimate relation with Parama Purusa. In Sadguru Baba's teachings, it is given that sadhana is the journey from fearful love for Parama Purusa to fearless love for Parama Purusa. All should put their knowledge of this to proper use so they can move towards Him with ever-increasing speed, by His grace.
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Examples of fearful & fearless love in spiritual life
Still today most of the religions preach about living in fear of God. In some extreme cases of fear-based relations with God, dogmatic followers think that, "God is ferocious and can curse and destroy me. I have done sin and He will leave me to burn in eternal hellfire." Some dogmatic religions adhere to this extreme tenet. In that case there is only fear or terror - no love.
Natural progression with sadhana
Those early humans were very primitive and viewed natural disasters - i.e. cyclones, hurricanes, or wildfires etc - as the wrath of God. They had a fearful relation with the Supreme. In particular, the Semitic religions (Judaism, Islam, & Christianity) maintained a fear-based, and very distant relation with God. Those followers could not communicate with God directly. They must go via a priest, mullah, rabbi, or some type of intermediary. In that case the relation with God is distant - there is no family feeling, rather fear only. People thought that, “If I do not follow the religious commandments then I will burn in eternal hellfire.” This was the terrifying feeling they had and it was injected from their very infancy so it was deep-seated. And still those religions are locked in that relation.
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Love for mother
Case 1: Suppose a father punished his child and the child runs away and does not come back home. The child instead is hiding at the neighbor's house. The father is calling and calling for him to return home, but the child does not return. Rather, the child is quite despondent and unhappy. Whatever may be the reason, in this case the child's relationship with the father is based only on fear with hardly any love. It is just like one’s relationship with the police.
Case 2: Suppose a child breaks something in the house, and that child feels very badly and repents for their mistake. The child picks up the broken pieces and brings them all to his mother. In that case, we can say that the child has some fear but mostly love for his mother.
In the case of ideal parents, kids generally have some fear but mostly love for their mother.
Those prehistoric humans had only a fear-based relationship with God. That continued for thousands of years. It was only with the divine advent of Lord Krsna that a monumental shift occurred. Then bhaktas began having a loving relation with Parama Purusa. This is evidenced by the poetry and writings of Surdas, Miirabai, Caetanya Mahaprabhu, Vidyapti etc.
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Some bhaktas think that, "If I do wrong then Parama Purusa will be unhappy with me." Actually they have yet to engage in any wrongdoing, but the very thought of that is enough for them to think that the Lord will be displeased with them. They have some fear, but mostly love for Parama Purusa.
Loving relation sprouts
As society developed, and aspirants broke free from the prevailing religious dogma, that fear receded and a loving relation sprouted. They started to relate with God as a Father etc. And verly, on the whole, the era is changing. Those who are a bit elevated spiritually feel that the Supreme Entity is close and within the periphery of their family. And steadily this feeling grows until one day the sadhaka becomes very close and intimate with Him. And ultimately the sadhaka reaches the destination and becomes one with Parama Purusa.
According to Ananda Marga philosophy, sadhana starts with fearful love and culminates in fearless love. For instance, in the initial stages, Ananda Marga sadhakas have some love, but more fear, for Parama Purusa. As they progress, the feeling arises that, “If I do not follow 16 points and the conduct rules then Parama Purusa will scold me etc.” In that case, the sadhaka does not want to displease Parama Purusa. They do not want to do anything that goes against His wishes. This type of idea comes in the mind. And when the sadhaka reaches the higher stages then more and more fearless love develops. The zenith state is 100% fearless love.
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Conclusion
And this all unfolds very naturally and spontaneously in sadhana. A feeling arises in the mind - it is not imposed from without. If one sincerely does their sadhana then this stage comes - one will have attained the apex state of fearless love for Him. Then one is not afraid to go close to Parama Purusa.
Namaskar,
at His lotus feet,
Kripal
~ In-depth study ~
2nd grade bhaktas
Some sadhakas think they are unable to follow all the rules and codes of conduct and they will never be up to the mark. So they opt not to go close. Instead they prefer to do pranam from a distance. They have love for Parama Purusa, but do not want to go close and talk etc. They prefer to sit in the back for general darshan and DMC; and internally they vow to themselves never to go to any meeting or reporting, or dharma samiiksa, or PC etc. In that smaller venue, they may be pointed out, so they prefer not to attend, but they want to hear about it from others. There were some margiis and wts who followed this pattern. They did not wish to go close but they had love for Baba so they came and stayed on the path of Ananda Marga.
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Fearless love for Parama Purusa
(a) When bhaktas experience strong sadhana and potent mantra japa by His grace, then their fear automatically reduces. They think, "My Parama Purusa loves me and whatever mistakes I have made will not be cause for Him keeping me away, rather because He loves me He will take me on His lap, regardless of my past wrongs." Such a bhakta has mostly love along with a very small degree of fear for Parama Purusa. They request Parama Purusa, "Ok, I have committed many mistakes but it is Your duty to make me alright. It is up to You to cleanse me and give me strength." Such bhaktas have very little fear.
(b) If a sadhaka experiences deeper and more intimate relations with Him in dhyana, then naturally their fear will reduce and love for Him will grow.
In the last chapter of Subhasita Samgraha – 25 (H), "Iishvar Prem Tatha' Usake Sa'th Bhay", it states that it is appropriate and natural for sadhakas to begin their spiritual journey having a mix of fear and some love for Parama Purusa. By this way they will be careful to follow all the dos and don'ts. Then, slowly over time, or depending upon their approach in sadhana, they become more mature and focused and strictly abide by all those codes of conduct. Their inner link with Him deepens and their fear fades away as they attain that highest stance.
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Ananda Marga ideology, "As long as human minds dwell on the duality that "I and my Lord are separate entities," they keep on moving around the periphery of Parama Puruśa. Instead of this, people should think, "Parama Puruśa is my Father – He may be great and wise, but after all I am His child." Now in the worldly sphere, if a father is learned and the son or daughter is illiterate, this does not at all undermine the sweet and loving relationship between the father and his child; rather instead of going away from Parama Puruśa, it is better to come close to Him so that the influence and wisdom of the Supreme can elevate His sons and daughters. And those who are wicked and sinful also need not be worried because they are also equally His children." (1)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “This sádhaná which is sádhaná for complete merger, for unification, starts with fearful love. Love must be there. Unless and until there is love, there can not be unification. So love must be there but it starts with fearful love and ends in fearless love: and the space between fearful love and fearless love is the space of Sádhaná. What is Sádhaná? Sadhaná is transformation of fearful love into fearless love. Do you follow?...”
“When the attraction is for the non-integral entity, for money, for family, for land, it is called Káma; when it is for integral entity it is called Prema and the mental tendency during Káma i.e., the mental tendency during attraction for a non-integral entity is called Ásakti in Saḿskrta and the mental tendency during attraction for that Integral Entity is called Bhakti. Do you follow?”
“I said it starts with fearful love and ends in fearless love and the process of transformation of fearful love into fearless love is called Sádhaná (Intuitional Practice). Now it starts with fearful love…”
“Everybody starts his sádhaná with fearful love but that Sádhaná ends in fearless love because unless and until one becomes fearless one cannot become one with Him. One will try to keep oneself away from Him out of fear. So finally one will have to become fearless.” (2)
Can’t do highest lesson without pra'n'a'yama
Here is Baba's sadhana guideline for enhancing one's practice of dhyana.
In His discourse, ‘Chariot and the Charioteer', Baba explains about pra'na wherein He specifically guides us that pranayama and dhyana should be done in sequence – i.e. when the mind is very calm then one can do pranayama, and, directly thereafter, one should do dhyana. That's to say, pranayama should always be followed by dhyana.
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Pranayama and dhyana are very important and closely linked as Baba has written the significant aspects of the practical process in His books. Here is the one of the special and unique ways in which pranayama and dhyana are related. Here Baba guides us that pranayama is a necessary complement for proper dhya'na.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "Pra'n'a'yama is the scientific process to control the respiration and hence the mind, as a result of which sadhana is especially facilitated. The practice of dhya'na becomes a time consuming affair if pra'n'a'yama is not adequately practised." (3)
By the above teaching it is clear that pranayama plays an important role in the practice of dhya'na. And through sustained effort in dhyana the sadhaka develops fearless love for Him and ultimately becomes one with Him, by His grace.
Baba's teaching on dhyana
In many places Baba guides us that dhya'na is our highest practice which has no comparison.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "Dhyana is the unbroken flow of the mind-stuff, or citta, in one continuous stream, like the flow of oil, where all the propensities of the mind are fixed on the Goal." (4)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Dhya'na yoga which elevates human beings through constant self-analysis, obliterates the very existence of the non-spiritual, and expedites one's elevation into the supreme spiritual stance." (5)
By these sadhana teachings it is clear that dhya'na is that distinct practice which leads us unto Him.
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Transforming fearful love to fearless love
In this passage Baba vividly tells us that sadhana – dhya'na – is the process of yojana't, whereby we move from the stage of fearful love to fearless love for Him.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Yojana means unicity with Him. The final goal of a sa'dhaka is to become one with Him...The spirit of sa'dhana' is to get oneself unified with the hub of this universal wheel, not united but unified."
"Now this sa'dhana' which is sa'dhana' for complete merger, for unification, starts with fearful love. Love must be there. Unless and until there is love, there can not be unification. So love must be there but it starts with fearful love and ends in fearless love : and the space between fearful love and fearless love is the space of sa'dhana'. What is sa'dhana'? Sadhana' is transformation of fearful love into fearless love."
"When this attraction is for any non-integral entity, or for any small entity this is called ka'ma. When that attraction is for that integral entity, and the integral entity is only one and that one is Parama Purus'a — it is called Prema."
"Yojana't starts with fearful love and ends in fearless love and the process of transformation of fearful love into fearless love is called sa'dhana' (Intuitional Practice)."
"Sa'dhana' starts with fearful love:..One name of God is bhiis'an'a because everybody is afraid of Him. Everybody starts their sa'dhana' with fearful love but that sa'dhana' ends in fearless love – because unless and until one becomes fearless one cannot become one with Him." (6)
It is Baba's grace. For all bhaktas, the transition is from fearful love to fearless love for Parama Purusa.
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References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 11, The Supreme Desideratum of the Microcosms
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 18, The Stance of Salvation and How to Attain It
3. Caryacarya, Sadhana, Point #4
4. Ananda Marga Caryacarya – 1, Sadhana, Point #7
5. Microvita in a Nutshell, Smell and Microvita – Excerpt C
6. Subhasita Samgraha – 18; Salem, Madras, D.M.C. 9-12-64
== Section: Important Teaching ==
These types of people are most harmful
Ananda Marga ideology states, “The vanity expressed by the so-called civilized human beings of today is extremely dangerous. These people hide the cruder propensities of the mind under the cloak of sweet words and decent behaviour. They are more harmful to the well-being of the human race than the so-called uncivilized humans, because they are hypocrites. The defects of the uncivilized humans pale into insignificance before their abominable hypocrisy. The uncivilized humans of the past may have killed twelve people at most in the battles they fought with bows, arrows, sticks and spears, but the so-called civilized human beings of today kill millions of unarmed, innocent people indiscriminately with their dreadful and lethal weapons. Human society of today is being exploited by the so-called civilized people. Such people should not make themselves look ridiculous by claiming otherwise.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 8, Struggle and Progress
== Section: Ananda Vanii ==
Rend asunder the mists of sinful deeds
“The despondent humanity, in the monumental task of searching for veracity, sees the beacon leading to the path of effulgence. This immense task makes humanity’s existence resplendent and illumines its path of movement with the blazing tenderness of humanism. You are the blessed travellers on that effulgent path. Let the unique blending of your profound wisdom and intense urge for action rend asunder the mists of sinful deeds and smash to dust the jagged rocks of hypocrisy, and establish you in the realm of supreme fulfilment. This is my wish for you...” (Ananda Vanii #71)
Note 1: True Ananda Vaniis have a number whereas Fake Ananda Vaniis do not - just as a fake car license plate has no number. By this way, you can easily recognise a Fake Ananda Vanii.
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Relation between language and religion
Relation between language and religion
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “The consent of those embraced must be sought for before renaming them in Saḿskrta. Language has got nothing to do with religion and as such, there is no reason for anybody depreciating the use of Saḿskrta. In this connection it may be added that the great emperor Aurangzeb used the term sudhárasa (juice of nectar) for mango (original Saḿskrta term for mango is ámra).” (1)
Reference
1. Táttvika Diipiká (Paiṋcama Parva)
== Section 2: Links ==
Other topics of interest
