Magazine - Year 2007 - Version 1
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Language: ENGLISH
Language: ENGLISH
Companions in Solitude-12
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Dedicated life involves three – fold Sadhana - (1) Matrivatparadareshu (Apart from own wife, all other women to be looked upon as mothers) (2) Paradravyeshu Loshthavat (Other's wealth to be regarded as a lump of clay) (3) Atmavat Sarva Bhooteshu (All living beings to be regarded as extensions of our own self).
It is natural that Parijans of Gayatri Pariwar would like to know something more about my sadhana and the attainments thereof. Whatever of my visible life activities have come to light, themselves give glimpses of ‘Siddhis’ and miracles in their view.
Usually, I have never been in favour of hiding anything. Hypocrisy, tricks and fraud are not in my nature. But I firmly believe that so long as my assignments behind the curtain are not completed, raising the curtain would be counter-productive; and would not serve the purpose of awakening the sense of duty in common people. People will get mired in pseudo-occultism and my personality will become controversial. Moreover, it will create obstacles in the way of fulfilling the mission assigned to me. My life throughout is undoubtedly filled with supernatural phenomena. The curtains of occultism are so many that their premature raising would be uncalled for. So I leave it to posterity to test their veracity on the anvil of rationality and thus to judge the power and potential of spirituality. Then would be revealed the secret of how an insignificant individual succeeded in transforming his personality, just as an ordinary piece of iron turns into gold by mere touch of ‘Paaras’ (the magic stone which is said to turn iron into gold). With this view the secret behind the outer events of my life could be researched in times to come and my close associates will be of help in this endeavour. But at this moment, it is premature. So let it remain veiled, as it has so far been.
The wish to write the autography can be fulfilled only in respect of revealing how I carried out my Sadhana. In fact all my achievements are the results of single-pointed dedication to and pursuit of the noble ideals put before me by my Teacher, my unconditional surrender to the guidance of my Gurudev – and above all to Divine Grace. By taking this cue, those who are sincerely interested in this subject can find the path, treading which the bliss of spiritual elevation can be achieved. For the present, only this much can be revealed.
Of the 60 years of life (in 1971), the early 15 years are not of much consequence. In the next 5 years I was assimilating spirituality in my life system. Prayers and worship had only a small part in it. Three hours of daily worship for 24 years may not be considered so great an effort for purifying the mind and for developing sublimity. Had not the thinking and mode of working been purified, the net result would have been naught like that of the numerous people engaged in performing mere ritualistic worship. If the pursuit in my life can be considered superbly successful and the underlying reasons thereof are deeply searched for, it will be found that it is attributable to the purified state of my inner and outer being. Prayers and worship may not be considered of prime importance. In my endeavour to write my autobiography on one aspect of my life, I would state only one fact - that I have applied all my concentration and all my efforts and ability for self-purification. The prayer and worship have also been aimed at this aspect. Now for the benefit of the readers I would throw light on the path to tread for self-purification.
Dedicated life involves three – fold Sadhana - (1) Matrivatparadareshu (Apart from own wife, all other women to be looked upon as mothers) (2) Paradravyeshu Loshthavat (Other's wealth to be regarded as a lump of clay) (3) Atmavat Sarva Bhooteshu (All living beings to be regarded as extensions of our own self). The first two steps were simple ones. The challenge was with regard to one's own self, which had to be expanded to encompass all beings. This was done successfully due to the inner trait carried on through previous births and with the help of my great Teacher. The mind was not so wicked or avaricious as to drag me on the path of evil doings. When it attempted to do once in a while, it was resolutely resisted and subdued whereafter it became gentle and obedient and thus I was spared from sin and down-fall. Saint Kabir had said that he had worn the blanket (the garment of clay – the physical body) so carefully that he could lay it off without a blemish. By this metaphorical expression Kabir meant that he lived his life in such a manner that no speck of impurity touched it and thus he returned it to God in as pure a condition as was it was given to him at birth. I thank the Almighty for having guided me along the same path and now I have reached a point where the danger of slipping or falling down does not exist.
The ritualistic aspect of spiritual life is not difficult. With firm determination, dedication and faith one can effortlessly carry on the prescribed process of prayer and worship. An ordinary grocer carries on his business in the same shop in the same routine throughout his life with full zeal and zest. Neither does he feel bored nor disinterested. A person selling Paan (betel) and cigarettes spends about 12 - 14 hours daily in his shop quite comfortably and joyfully doing the same routine all through his life. Then where was the need for me to break the resolve of performing Gayatri Sadhana for 24 years requiring daily routine of 6 to 7 hours Sadhana? Boredom occurs only to those who consider Upasana to be less important or less profitable than running a grocery shop or such other cores. It is lack of interest that creates boredom.
Upasana becomes uninteresting and boring to those whose supreme ambition is materialistic welfare and comforts. Those who think of getting their desires fulfilled by performing ritualistic worship get disappointed when the aim is not attained due to deficiency of dedication and the burden of the past doings. In such persons, right from beginning there is apprehension and lack of firm faith in the outcome. My state was different. The body was considered only as an instrument for ‘sadhana’. The materialistic requirements were restricted to the extent necessary for sustenance of life. I never nourished any ambition for becoming a great man or to get appreciation or recognition. With the firm conviction that I am an Immortal, ever pure Soul, a spiritual being going through a living experience, I thought, “Why not live for its upliftment, for its awakening to its true identity and for its expansion to encompass the whole existence.” When I divided myself into two parts - that is body and soul - and identified the requirement of each, an invisible wall crashed down and light rushed in dispelling the darkness.
Satiation of sex, fulfillment of greed, amassing wealth, getting applause, etc. are the highest aims in life for those who consider their body to be their true identity. They can forget about the awakening of the soul and can continue wearing golden handcuffs and leg straps. They may be right in their pretext of not having favourable conditions to adopt the higher path. It is the ego-driven desire within that prompts people to amass material wealth, and worldly name and fame. When the aim itself is gaining material pleasures and prosperity, the whole conscious efforts and thinking will be focused on acquiring them. In that condition, Upasana will remain a childish game. Out of curiosity people do it for fun to see whether it yields something. When one takes up Upasana half-heartedly with a view to obtain miraculous worldly benefits, it is bound to be abandoned when the hoped for benefits do not accrue in a short while. Without dedication and faith, without focused efforts in the pursuit of the true aim of life, no one could achieve any progress in spiritual field. These facts were already known to me. So I paid only that much attention towards the need of the body and the management of the household as was felt absolutely necessary. The inmost conscience was firmly determined to achieve the aim. So there was no need to run after materialistic temptations and attractions.
[To be continued]
________________________________________________________________________
Swami Vivekanand was taking a stroll along the banks of the Ganga near Vellur Matha one evening. Sister Nivedita, Sharatchandra Chakravarti and a few others were also accompanying him. While walking, some of them started discussing about the Divine (Indian) Culture. Swamiji said, “The Divine Culture represents a harmonious blend of sadhana (purity and strength of character) and samvedana (loving kindness and compassion). Lack of either would strike at the very roots of the structure and aim of our culture. Sadhana without samvedana leads to arrogance. And, samvedana sans sadhana proves to be nothing more than sentimental effervescence. A balanced cultivation of both generates what is essential for the expression of divinity in humanity.
It is natural that Parijans of Gayatri Pariwar would like to know something more about my sadhana and the attainments thereof. Whatever of my visible life activities have come to light, themselves give glimpses of ‘Siddhis’ and miracles in their view.
Usually, I have never been in favour of hiding anything. Hypocrisy, tricks and fraud are not in my nature. But I firmly believe that so long as my assignments behind the curtain are not completed, raising the curtain would be counter-productive; and would not serve the purpose of awakening the sense of duty in common people. People will get mired in pseudo-occultism and my personality will become controversial. Moreover, it will create obstacles in the way of fulfilling the mission assigned to me. My life throughout is undoubtedly filled with supernatural phenomena. The curtains of occultism are so many that their premature raising would be uncalled for. So I leave it to posterity to test their veracity on the anvil of rationality and thus to judge the power and potential of spirituality. Then would be revealed the secret of how an insignificant individual succeeded in transforming his personality, just as an ordinary piece of iron turns into gold by mere touch of ‘Paaras’ (the magic stone which is said to turn iron into gold). With this view the secret behind the outer events of my life could be researched in times to come and my close associates will be of help in this endeavour. But at this moment, it is premature. So let it remain veiled, as it has so far been.
The wish to write the autography can be fulfilled only in respect of revealing how I carried out my Sadhana. In fact all my achievements are the results of single-pointed dedication to and pursuit of the noble ideals put before me by my Teacher, my unconditional surrender to the guidance of my Gurudev – and above all to Divine Grace. By taking this cue, those who are sincerely interested in this subject can find the path, treading which the bliss of spiritual elevation can be achieved. For the present, only this much can be revealed.
Of the 60 years of life (in 1971), the early 15 years are not of much consequence. In the next 5 years I was assimilating spirituality in my life system. Prayers and worship had only a small part in it. Three hours of daily worship for 24 years may not be considered so great an effort for purifying the mind and for developing sublimity. Had not the thinking and mode of working been purified, the net result would have been naught like that of the numerous people engaged in performing mere ritualistic worship. If the pursuit in my life can be considered superbly successful and the underlying reasons thereof are deeply searched for, it will be found that it is attributable to the purified state of my inner and outer being. Prayers and worship may not be considered of prime importance. In my endeavour to write my autobiography on one aspect of my life, I would state only one fact - that I have applied all my concentration and all my efforts and ability for self-purification. The prayer and worship have also been aimed at this aspect. Now for the benefit of the readers I would throw light on the path to tread for self-purification.
Dedicated life involves three – fold Sadhana - (1) Matrivatparadareshu (Apart from own wife, all other women to be looked upon as mothers) (2) Paradravyeshu Loshthavat (Other's wealth to be regarded as a lump of clay) (3) Atmavat Sarva Bhooteshu (All living beings to be regarded as extensions of our own self). The first two steps were simple ones. The challenge was with regard to one's own self, which had to be expanded to encompass all beings. This was done successfully due to the inner trait carried on through previous births and with the help of my great Teacher. The mind was not so wicked or avaricious as to drag me on the path of evil doings. When it attempted to do once in a while, it was resolutely resisted and subdued whereafter it became gentle and obedient and thus I was spared from sin and down-fall. Saint Kabir had said that he had worn the blanket (the garment of clay – the physical body) so carefully that he could lay it off without a blemish. By this metaphorical expression Kabir meant that he lived his life in such a manner that no speck of impurity touched it and thus he returned it to God in as pure a condition as was it was given to him at birth. I thank the Almighty for having guided me along the same path and now I have reached a point where the danger of slipping or falling down does not exist.
The ritualistic aspect of spiritual life is not difficult. With firm determination, dedication and faith one can effortlessly carry on the prescribed process of prayer and worship. An ordinary grocer carries on his business in the same shop in the same routine throughout his life with full zeal and zest. Neither does he feel bored nor disinterested. A person selling Paan (betel) and cigarettes spends about 12 - 14 hours daily in his shop quite comfortably and joyfully doing the same routine all through his life. Then where was the need for me to break the resolve of performing Gayatri Sadhana for 24 years requiring daily routine of 6 to 7 hours Sadhana? Boredom occurs only to those who consider Upasana to be less important or less profitable than running a grocery shop or such other cores. It is lack of interest that creates boredom.
Upasana becomes uninteresting and boring to those whose supreme ambition is materialistic welfare and comforts. Those who think of getting their desires fulfilled by performing ritualistic worship get disappointed when the aim is not attained due to deficiency of dedication and the burden of the past doings. In such persons, right from beginning there is apprehension and lack of firm faith in the outcome. My state was different. The body was considered only as an instrument for ‘sadhana’. The materialistic requirements were restricted to the extent necessary for sustenance of life. I never nourished any ambition for becoming a great man or to get appreciation or recognition. With the firm conviction that I am an Immortal, ever pure Soul, a spiritual being going through a living experience, I thought, “Why not live for its upliftment, for its awakening to its true identity and for its expansion to encompass the whole existence.” When I divided myself into two parts - that is body and soul - and identified the requirement of each, an invisible wall crashed down and light rushed in dispelling the darkness.
Satiation of sex, fulfillment of greed, amassing wealth, getting applause, etc. are the highest aims in life for those who consider their body to be their true identity. They can forget about the awakening of the soul and can continue wearing golden handcuffs and leg straps. They may be right in their pretext of not having favourable conditions to adopt the higher path. It is the ego-driven desire within that prompts people to amass material wealth, and worldly name and fame. When the aim itself is gaining material pleasures and prosperity, the whole conscious efforts and thinking will be focused on acquiring them. In that condition, Upasana will remain a childish game. Out of curiosity people do it for fun to see whether it yields something. When one takes up Upasana half-heartedly with a view to obtain miraculous worldly benefits, it is bound to be abandoned when the hoped for benefits do not accrue in a short while. Without dedication and faith, without focused efforts in the pursuit of the true aim of life, no one could achieve any progress in spiritual field. These facts were already known to me. So I paid only that much attention towards the need of the body and the management of the household as was felt absolutely necessary. The inmost conscience was firmly determined to achieve the aim. So there was no need to run after materialistic temptations and attractions.
[To be continued]
________________________________________________________________________
Swami Vivekanand was taking a stroll along the banks of the Ganga near Vellur Matha one evening. Sister Nivedita, Sharatchandra Chakravarti and a few others were also accompanying him. While walking, some of them started discussing about the Divine (Indian) Culture. Swamiji said, “The Divine Culture represents a harmonious blend of sadhana (purity and strength of character) and samvedana (loving kindness and compassion). Lack of either would strike at the very roots of the structure and aim of our culture. Sadhana without samvedana leads to arrogance. And, samvedana sans sadhana proves to be nothing more than sentimental effervescence. A balanced cultivation of both generates what is essential for the expression of divinity in humanity.
