THE PATH UNTO THE ABODE OF BEATITUDE

official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 18

cross-references: none

this version: is the printed Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 18, 1st edition, version 
	(spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most 
	up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

      The subject of today's discourse is, "The Path Unto The Abode of Beatitude." As you know, the style of movement, and the stamina applied for this movement, vary according to the condition of the path. So here in this case, the path unto the abode of beatitude, unto the establishment in Supreme Consciousness, may also be divided into four different stages, and to cross each and every stage one must move in a particular style, with a particular kind of inspiration and stamina.

	As I told you yesterday, in the embryonic form, in the starting phase, it is the inborn instincts that may stand in the way, that may create hindrance in your march. One must keep these inborn instincts under control. The reins must not be loosened; in behaviour, in different types of psychic expression, there must be some kind of restraint. Human beings by dint of their own ordinary power very often cannot do this. I already told you that human beings at the most can make efforts, and if Parama Purus'a is pleased with their efforts, He will help them with positive microvita; Parama Purus'a will get the work done with the help of positive microvita. The duty of human beings is only to continue their efforts to please Parama Purus'a. Thus when any work is done, the concerning sa'dhaka is not to be given any credit; the credit should be given to Parama Purus'a. Human beings should always try to please Him to obtain His Grace ; that alone will serve the purpose.

      So here in this first stage, you will have to go on towards the goal, towards the termination with more and more vitality, and this vitality you are to get from the Supreme Lord. Here Parama Purus'a is your Lord, not only the Lord but the Supreme Lord from whom you are to get the stamina to move on. As I told you yesterday, in this movement one must not go beyond or against the characteristics of vitality. But you should have certain restraints over your physical movement and psychic demands. So in this stage you are to know Parama Purus'a, you are to know the Supreme Entity as the Lord of all Lords. This is the first phase, and in this phase also you are to try your best to bring as many persons, as many spiritual aspirants as possible to do this sacred duty along with you.

	And in the second stratum, the second stage, as I said last night, although it does not concern inborn instincts, it concerns human instincts or instincts not only of human or living beings, but of both animate and inanimate entities; that is, you cannot, you must not neglect those inanimate entities also, because they are also guided by certain characteristics. If you go against their characteristics they will revolt against you and the result may be dangerous. I told you that under such circumstances the physical integrity or physical structure may be in danger. There may be complete disintegration of the physical solidarity -- the solidarity of any structure.

	In this phase one is to remember that each and every particle of one's existence, each and every iota, each and every ectoplasm of one's existence, is an indispensable part of the Supreme Entity. In the first phase you are to ask Parama Purus'a for the vitality to fight against your physical frailties, your physical imperfections. In the second phase you are to ask for vitality, psychic vitality, ectoplasm under endoplasmic coverage from the same Entity -- not to fight against your inborn instincts but against your physical or psychic imperfections.

	I already told you that human beings can make progress only up to a certain stage, and if they want to make further progress they will have to divert their psycho-physical longings towards a different and better path, and keep the flow of their movement intact ; or they will have to ascribe Macrocosmic grandeur to physical pabulum. The special type of psychic force, the faculty of self-control which human beings require at this stage, lies hidden in human beings -- which, in fact lies hidden in all living beings to a certain extent but that is not enough to accomplish the task. To do this, they will have to make more and more efforts, and for this they require more and more strength -- and they will get this strength from Parama Purus'a. It has already been said that human beings no doubt do sa'dhana', but merely by doing sa'dhana' they do not attain anything. Only due to the grace of Parama Purus'a can they attain anything. So to overcome their imperfection and establish themselves in the higher stratum, they will have to seek strength from Parama Purus'a, they will have to approach Parama Purus'a with these words : "Parama Purus'a, I want to move towards you, but I do not have sufficient strength to move. Please give me strength, I want to move on."

	In this phase, Parama Purus'a is not only the Supreme Lord, but He is something more than that. He is also the Supreme Progenitor. He creates everything, and that is why He is in a position to help you. So you have now understood that in the first phase the Supreme Entity is your Lord, the Lord of all Lords ; but in the second phase of your march, He is not only the Lord of all Lords, but He is your Supreme Progenitor as well.

	When human beings reach the third stage, the speed of their progress is accelerated. The third stage, as I said last night, concerns the psychic pabulum. There is quick progress, no doubt, in this stage, but there are strong possibilities of degradation also. At every step one must move with vigilance. In this stage the spiritual aspirants acquire some occult powers, but these powers may be dangerous after a certain progress. There is every chance of misuse or abuse of those occult powers as a result of which one degenerates. Thus in this stage there are both inner and outer hindrances and obstacles. 

	"Ks'urasya dha'ra' nishita' duratyaya'
	Durgam pathastat kavayo vadanti."

	"The spiritual path is as sharp as the razor's edge, it is really inaccessible" --so say the realised persons. Human beings will have to move on, but in this stage they cannot move a step forward unless and until they develop a high-grade conscience. For this they depend solely, on the grace of the Supreme.

      The need for psychic power at this stage is felt much more than before, and to obtain psychic power or psychic strength is a difficult task. But this psychic power can be attained easily only by those who have learned how to surrender themselves to Parama Purus'a, who have realised that only due to the wish of Parama Purus'a they have come to the world, and again, because of His wish, they are continuing their efforts to realise Him. They realise that out of His grace, He gets the work done through their medium with the help of positive microvita. They think, "I cannot claim any merit for this. I will simply keep on working, and the energy required to do the work will be supplied by Parama Purus'a. I can say only this that with whatever energy you have given me I am working, and in future with whatever amount of energy you will give me, I will work accordingly. From my side there will be no lethargy. Whatever energy you feel necessary to give me, you will bestow on me -- I have nothing to say in the matter."

	If someone has pride inwardly that he is moving on by dint of his own strength, he is wrong. How little strength human beings possess ! And with that little strength, how far can they move forward ! Human beings really do not have anything to be proud of. If there is anything for them to be proud of, it is Parama Purus'a. They should think, "Parama Purus'a is mine, and I am His" -- that is the only source of pride. Because of His grace, they will get energy or strength from Him, and with that strength they will move forward. Without His grace, no one can move even a single step forward. And for this people should always remember that by their own efforts they do not make any progress, rather it is due to the wish of Parama Purus'a that they make any progress at all. It is the duty of Parama Purus'a to help them to move forward. This 100% reliance on Parama Purus'a is called 'Prapatti' in the scriptures. Sadhakas should always maintain the spirit of 'Prapatti' and they will never develop any sort of pride in their minds. "Whatever takes place in the universe and whatever qualities I possess is all due to His grace. He is the Lord of everything ; He is the machine-man, and I am simply a machine." In this third stage, if there is devotion, one can easily move forward without any difficulty; but a person who has no devotion, whose heart is as dry as a desert, will find it impossible to progress.

	In this case, the spiritual aspirant will not only look upon the Supreme Entity as His Lord, and not only as the Supreme Progenitor, but as the Supreme Guru, that is, One who is capable of dispelling darkness ( 'Gu' means darkness, and 'Ru' means dispeller ), Parama Purus'a alone is the Supreme Guru: Brahmaeva Gururekah na'parah -- "Brahma alone is the Guru, no one else.' With the help of this Guru, the sa'dhakas surmount the waves of degrading tendencies in the third stage.

	The fourth stage is the phase of pinnacled intellect, when all aims, all objectivities, all desiderata, all longings coincide in a particular point; that is, the mind gets pointed, apexed and pinnacled in this phase. There is no internal trouble here, but external hindrances may come in the form of so many degenerating forces. But we must remember that those with pointed intellect, those with pointed spirituality can never be defeated. They are sure to be victorious, and Parama Purus'a is sure to help them.

      In this stage, the Supreme Entity is not only the Lord, the Lord of all Lords, and He is not only the Supreme progenitor, in the third phase He is also the Guru, and in this fourth phase the relationship is just like a piece of paper; the unit consciousness of the spiritual aspirant is one side of the paper and the Cosmic Consciousness of Parama Purus'a is the other side of the paper; they are inseparable, one cannot be removed from the other. By His effulgence the unit existence, the existential faculty of the aspirant gets lighted, gets illumined. With His illumination the aspirant is to move forward and enjoy the Supreme Beatitude and the Supreme Composure.

      One need not ask for any thing at this stage ; one needs only to move forward with single-pointed mind, and Parama Purus'a will do what is necessary. One day human beings by virtue of their sincere efforts will surely arrive at this stage ; whoever is blessed with a human body and a human mind, with a constant longing for union with Parama Purus'a and a deep yearning for selfrealisation, will surely attain this stage. They will surely be established in the Supreme Stance, in the Supreme Entity ; it is a must.

	And in this fourth stage, hindrances do not come from inside, but from outside; some hindrances, and obstacles may come from degrading and degenerating forces-but those forces cannot ultimately be victorious. The fireflies may make angry faces at the sun or the moon, but by this the moon and the sun are not diminished -- rather it is the fireflies who get burnt in the scorching heat of the sun. Similarly all the hindrances and obstacles vanish into nothingness. The victory of humanity is proclaimed through the intense sa'dhana' of spiritual aspirants. This Supreme Truth applies equally to individuals as well as to the entire universe. When a person attains an exalted state of spirituality, he or she can bring welfare to millions of people, and they can do so due to the grace of Parama Purus'a. So the final word is "Brahma Krpa' Hi Kevalam : Gurukrpa' Hi Kevalam" -- "The grace of Brahma is everything, the grace of Guru and Brahma are one and the same."

	In the history of the world, you will see that against this type of spiritual aspirants who make spiritual progress with the grace of Parama Purus'a, all the degrading and degenerating forces will easily concede defeat. You too should keep moving forward, and you will also attain victory after victory -- there is no doubt about it. Therefore continue your efforts tirelessly, do your duty and you will surely be crowned with success.

A'nanda Pu'rn'ima' 31 May 1987, Anandanagar