SPIRITUAL CULT: PROGRESS FROM CRUDEST MATTER TO SUBTLEST ENTITY LIVE WITHOUT FEAR THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY THE PATH OF SALVATION THE SUPREME AESTHETIC SCIENCE AND THE CULT OF DEVOTION SPIRITUAL CULT: PROGRESS FROM CRUDEST MATTER TO SUBTLEST ENTITY official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19 cross-references: none this version: is the printed Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19, 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. Those who have established themselves in their highest spiritual stance through the practice of spiritual cult are the real human beings. Others, who do not move on the subtle and sublime path of spirituality and behave like animals, are humans only in name. Human beings alone have got the privilege to do Sa'dhana'. Animals, because of their intellectual deficiencies are unable to adhere to the spiritual cult. Man--Not an Animal Animals are guided by instincts. They do not know the 'why and how' of things. Human beings, on the other hand, are led by mind. Animals can't go beyond their instincts. In the case of excessive intellectual clash, however, the animal mind also gets subtlimated. This is generally found with those animals who remain in contact with human beings. But the development that is discernible in this case is not spiritual, it is simply intellectual. Through training, for intance, dogs and monkeys can be made a bit more intelligent than other animals. Human beings, on the other hand, have got the capacity to develop even in the spiritual realm. Those who do not pay heed to this special gift are animals, nay even worse than the animals. The latter are unable to make efforts for spiritual development whereas the human beings can. You can't call a beggar a miser, for he has got no money to donate. If a moneyed man, on the other hand, hesitates in donating, he is presumably a miser. Human beings are sometimes described as rational animals. Such a view does not seem to be consistent. In the cosmological order, at a particular stage of development, a unit is called an animal, at a particular point it is inanimate, and in a particular state, a plant. Therefore, it does not make sense to call humans rational animals, for in that case they can also be called rational stones. in process of psycho-physical development when the physical structure gets complicated and psychic structure also develops to the extent that it starts controlliing the physical body, you call that particular phase human. Different Phases of Manifestation In the creation of the universe the consciousness that is existing as the nucleus of the triangular basic principle is the Supreme Father, the Basic Cognition. The Avidya' Shakti that is working with the Basic Cognition as the operative principle, but is not yet manifested, is called Basic Principle. There is no expression in the Basic Principle--neither physical nor psychic. She is active but there is no effect of operative nature. The expression does not occur so long as there is proper equlibrium between the Basic Principle and the Basic Cognition. When they lose their balance a theoretical expression takes place. In this stage it is called Primordial Principle. The primordial principle is something theoretically manifest. It does not fall within the periphery of experience due to the equilibrium of Shiva and Shakti, but it is theoretically well established. There is actional vibration in the Basic Principle, but due to the absence of any measuring psychic entity it can't be said to be temporal. However, it is related to time factor. Due to the curvatures in the Primordial Principle there does not exist any second entity. That is why we don't find another time-measuring factor there. This curve is its special characteristic. In the third phase of manifestation due to internal clash and cohesion, curvatures come into existence. The difference between the Vibrational Principle and the Witnessing Counterpart becomes explicit. The Vibrational principle in Sanskrit is called Bhava'ni Shakti. The temporal factor is established in the development of "ka'la". What is "ka'la" or Time ? Time is nothing but the psychic measurement of the relative motivity. If the vibrational expression will be towards the crude, the unit will face retardation. * * * * Sa'dhana'--Movement towards the Nucleus The final or culminating point of retardation contains the history of the full expression of the unit. In the crudest point of human mind, therefore, lies the history of its innumerable lives. Even a timorous stroke rips open the burden one is carrying and makes one able to see oneself. The development from the nadir point of crudity to the highest point of Supreme Cognition is progress. So long as the fundamental negativity does not receive a stroke, there does not occur any progress, nor any development. A seed sprouts forth if struck by light, water and soil. Similarly, when the fundamental negativity of a unit--that is kulakundalini--receives the stroke of a Mantra, it awakens. But so long as desire to move towards Parama'tma' is not aroused, this phenomenon does not take place. This does not happen with an animal because of its intellectual deficiency. Due to external and internal clash, matter is converted into ectoplasm, the crude stuff is metamorphosed into Citta'nu. The intensity of this clash and cohesion depends upon the intensity of internal and external clashes. That is why the mind that succeeds due to immense physical and intellectual or even intuitional clashes is human mind, and the body that is associated with it is human body. Sa'dhana'--the spiritual cult--is progress from the crudeness of matter to the subtlest entity, that is, a march, a movement from the last point of the Vibrational Principle to the nucleus of the Basic Principle, the controlling point of the fundamental triangle of forces. Sa'dhana' is, therefore, a march to the place from where one has come. Those, who want to make themselves the attraction or the ideal of the world, add a "Shrii" before their names. The term connotes the charming entity, Ma'ya', Prakrti. Supreme Cognition is the shelter of "Shrii" and that is why He is also called Shriniva'sa in Sanskrit. The movement towards the entity, that has sheltered the universe, is Sa'dhana'. Need of a Spiritual Guide Since human beings are ostensibly weak, they need the aid of others for spiritual movement. Where from will they get the stamina, the strength for this movement? Assuredly, it can be had only from the entity that is the source of this stamina, this strength. Whatever stamina-physical, mental or spiritual--exists within you is not your creation. Can you create anything ? No, you can't. You convert the external energy derived from food, light, water and soil into vital energy. You can't create any energy, you can simply convert it into other forms. You convert sound energy, magnetic energy etc. into vital energy. You then reconvert that vital energy into other forms of energy. While working you convert your vital energy into mechanical energy. While speaking, you convert your vital energy into sound energy. The moment this vital energy is gone, the living unit turns into a corpse. You derive your vital energy from the external world - a gift of Paramapurus'a. Similarly, the strength to move towards the Supreme Father will also be obtained from Him. But the tragedy is that you don't ask for spiritual force from Him. Your sole concentration is on earning name, fame, money, promotion, prestige and other such worldly gains. You remain so busy with your worldly desires that you hardly manage to get some time in your daily life to ask for spiritual strength. In the ancient times, when the desire to move on the path of spirituality was aroused, the human beings felt the need of a guide to show the path. it is this desire that is manifested in the Vedas. When the desire to move on the path is aroused, He is compelled to come as a Guide to the seeker. He just can't ignore. Ask for the way and you will get it. Cent Per Cent Surrender It's not enough to get the way, for one also needs to walk on that way, on that path. The strength to move forward lies within you--the only impediment being the encumbrance of reactive momenta that is on your head due to your past actions. Remove the "burden", be light and march on. Bhagwan Buddha said the same thing when he asked his disciples to jettison the burden that is in the boat. Desire is, therefore, not enough. One needs to perform some tangible action. It is called intuitional practice, spiritual cult. This cult is also called Tantra. It's not enough to read books, scriptures. One will have to be practical, will have to do something in practical life. You need to move towards the fundamental positivity. Thus through Sa'dhana', one makes one self light and at the same time feels His attraction. Furthermore, one needs to surrender oneself completely. Until and unless there is cent percent surrender, it is naive to deem in terms of accomplishment of the task. The story goes that so long as Draopadi had even a grain of dependence on her own strength, she remained constantly under the threat of being exposed before the congregation. The moment she found herself completely helpless and reposed all faith in the Lord--the Na'ra'yana, she got divine help. So one who feels this attraction and surrenders oneself completely to Him, one is bound to get His help. On the other hand one who keeps even a paisa with oneself fails to get it. A natural question comes here. Since human life is evolved through the animal stages, the impressions of animal life are bound to work within the frame work of human psychology. In such a situation it is not unlikely for human beings to commit mistakes. How is it possible to move forward with this encumbrance acquired during animal stages? Pa'p and Punya The answer has been provided by the Lord himself. If even the most degraded remember Him single mindedly, He relieves them of their burden. There is, however, a difference between the English term, "Sin" and the Sanskrt word "Pa'pa" In sin are involved religious, doctrinal and Biblical connotations. The Sanskrit term "Pa'p" is more explicit. Paropaka'ra Pun'ya'ya Pa'pa'ya parapiiranam. Those actions that help to develop the physical, intellectual and spiritual strata of human beings are Punya and those that obstruct this are Pa'pa. The biggest Pa'pii is called Dura'ca'rii in Sanskrit and one whom even the Dura'ca'rii call Pa'pii is Sudura'ca'ri. There is a common term in Sanskrit, Pa'tak. There are two forms of Pa'pa and Pratya'va'ya. Going against the dont's is Pa'pa. Pratya'va'ya is not to do what one should do. In Sanskrit do's are called Vidhi and don'ts Nisedha. The whole social structure revolves around Vidhi and Nisedha. Cause of Great Retardation Those who shirk from duties and responsibilities do great harm to society. It is lack of this dutifulness in our country today that has caused great retardation in different spheres of life. This has also caused spiritual degeneration. One should perform good actions regularly and should do Sa'dhana' properly-- these are the do's which everyone is expected to perform. Those who don't pay heed to these responsibilities indulge in Pratya'va'ya. Pa'taka is the collective name of Pa'pa and Pratya'va'ya. Pa'takas are of three kinds. First, the ordinary one which is an undesirable act for which the doer repents and atones. Someone, for instance, takes away the money of others. That act will be called Pa'taka, for one can pay back the money and repay it for the act. There is no atonement for Atipa'taka. If one, for example, chops off the hands of an innocent person, one can't pay those limbs back in the same capacity. According to Sha'stras the persons indulging in these Atipa'taka acts can have atonement only when they renounce their worldly life and fully offer themselves for the cause of humanity, in the service of humankind. The third one is Maha'pa'taka. There is no penance for even Maha'pa'taka. Furthermore, the result of the Maha'pa'taka is of recurring nature. If a business man, for instance, discovers a new method of adulteration, he commits Maha'pa'taka. A mixture of the papaya seeds with black pepper is bound to deceive the purchasers. The discoverer of this new method shows a new path in the sphere of adulteration. The effect of this act is bound to be of recurring nature. The atonement for the Maha'pa'taka is like Atipa'taka, that is, one should also renounce one's worldly life and should offer oneself in the service of humankind. There is, however, a difference. Since the latter's act is more serious they will have to invent something that will have a recurring good effect on the society. The invention of Penicillin, for instance, is a case in point. There is no other way out for the Maha'pa'tak. Way Out for Atipa'tak There is an interesting story about this. When the defeat of Ra'vana became almost certain he sat in prayer imploring Lord Shiva to save him from the oncoming disaster. But Lord Shiva remained quiescent and did not pay heed to his prayers. Pa'rvati was also there. As it is, the heart of the mother is more soft than that of the father. Seeing the miserable condition of Ra'van'a --a devotee of Lord Shiva-- she started pleading Lord Shiva on his behalf. The latter, however, refused to heed even Pa'rvati's implorings. He had to see to his duties and not to hear Pa'rvatii's lecture, When Pa'rvati persuaded Him much, Lord Shiva revealed the situation. He said that he was a great Pa'pii and so He could not do anything for him. Pa'rvati continued in her obstinacy. Pleading on behalf of Ra'vana she said that at most he might be an Atipa'taka. The Lord thereupon said that he was a Maha'pa'takii. Though it was Atipa'taka to kidnap a lady, yet Ra'vana's act was Maha'pa'tak for, he did this in the garb of a Sa'dhu. If he would have done it as Ra'van'a he would have been Atipa'taki. His act would not have a lasting effect. From now-onwards no housewife would believe a Sa'dhu. The effect of his act was of recurring nature. Greatness of Cosmic Father There is however, a way out even for the Maha'pa'taka. If one dwell's on the thought of the Lord single mindedly and offers oneself in the service of humanity one will also be able to lead a respectable life, one will also get liberation. Paramapurus'a, the father of all fathers, the multiple of all multiplicities, the nucleus of all nuclei, knows everything. He is omniscient. He knows Sarva. The Cosmic Father knows everything. He is omniscient, pre-scient and post-scient. The earth is established in Him. What has happened in the past is within the vibrational principle. What is going to happen in future is also within the vibrational principle. Present has got no independent existence. It is nothing but an adjustment between the past and the future. That is why the present varies in accordance with personal differences. The omniscient purus'a, the Pratyagatma', is the Lord of both heaven and hell. He is the father of both developed Sa'dhakas and Sudura'cha'ris or Maha'pa'takis. There is, therefore, no question of hating the Sudura'ca'rii and loving the good Sa'dhakas: All are one to Him. He can't ostracize the former and embrace the latter. There is no place out side Him where He can throw off the Sudura'ca'riis. He also can't disown them, for in that case He does not remain "Patitapa'vana". It is, therefore, naive to lose heart. Even if one is Sudura'ca' ri one should not get discouraged. One should on the contrary do Sa'dhana' and undergo the prescribed penance. There is no cause to fear. This world is not for cowards. Only brave people can enjoy the world. If love for Him is awakened there is no cause to fear. Your longing for Him, however, should not be attributional. It should, on the contrary, be non-attributional. Your attraction for the Supreme is called devotion whereas attraction for any finite objectivity is called A'sakti. Attraction for a friend is A'sakti, attraction for God is Bhakti (Devotion). In case A'sakti the object is limited, in case of Bhakti it is unlimited. Mysticism is a never ending endeavour to find out a link between finite and infinite. It is the first phase of non-attributional devotion. Attributional devotion is no devotion. There are two types of non-attributional devotion. The first is psycho-spiritual devotion whereas the second is pure spiritual devotion. The reactive momenta remain quibbled in this psycho-spiritual devotion of internal projection of the subliminal human mind, and these reactive momenta of the subliminal human mind disturb mental equipoise. As a result the mind again comes back to the lower status. One rises during the period of Sa'dhana' and comes back to the pristine stage when in normal life. Here love for God is not of permanent nature. While quarreling unnecessarily one does not remember the untoward nature of one's act. Later on one repents for this. When this remembrance becomes of permanent nature it is called Dhruva'smriti. In the non-attributional devotion of pure spiritual type, reactive momenta cannot function within the scope of that subliminal strata. Even where the Sa'dhaka' does not long for name, fame and wealth but worships Him for experiencing inexplicable bliss, the devotion is attributional--the attributional psycho-spiritual devotion. But where the devotee is worshipping Him for pleasing Him there the devotion is of purely spiritual nature. There does not exist the feeling of duality here. Such a devotee is called Gopi. The term connotes one who worships God to please Him ( Gopa'yate Yah Sah Gopah). One who has made a mission to attain Parma'tma' will assuredly attain Him. You are Sa'dhakas and you should always remember this. Your love for God, your devotion for God should be of non-attributional or of spiritual nature. 1 January 1971 LIVE WITHOUT FEAR official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19 cross-references: none this version: is the printed Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19, 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. (Baba's First Discourse on 3rd August '78 after His release from Patna jail on 2nd August. Subsequently Ba'ba' declared it as D. M. C. ) This Universe is the creation of Parama Purus'a. Who is this Parama Purus'a ? He is your father. Therefore, this universe is your paternal property. You must not forget it even for a single moment. You have not to be afraid of any immoral or evil force of the world. Fearfulness is not your wont, it is not your Dharma. Your duty is to march forward. You must move forward. You have always the support of Parama Purus'a. Regarding Parama Purus'a it is said : Karma'dhyaks'ah Sarvabhu'ta'dliva'sah. The humans cannot do anything with their own power. They have no power of their own. Those are indeed the greatest fools who think that they work with their own strength. Humans' existence, their actions, their everything is verily dependent upon Parama Purus'a's grace. Those who realise this early in their lives are wise. It is true, humans sometimes feel weak. And when do they feel weak ? They feel weak when they isolate themselves from the Supreme Father, drift away from Him. But the moment they again realise Him they begin to realise that they are not low, they are not mean, they are the sons of the Supreme Father, they are the daughters of the Supreme Father, instantly they receive strength. Always remember : Karm'adhyaks'ah. You work with His power, you have no power. Hence you must not think as to whether you will be able to do this work, whether this work is possible for you. You will certainly be able to do it if there is the grace of the Suppreme Father. Why should you not be able to do it ? You will surely be able to do it. While doing work you are always in His sight. He is always seeing you, you are not alone, you are never alone. In no circumstances are you alone. Humans are never alone, but when they realise this, there is an advantage as well as a disadvantage in it. The disadvantage' is that the Supreme Father's eye is ever on me, He is constantly watching me. Should I do any wrong action, He will see it then and there. There is no opportunity to do anything secretly. This is the disadvantage, a big disadvantage. And the advantage is that in no circumstances am I alone. Since the Supreme Father is with me, why should I be afraid of anyone ? Why should I fear at all ? There is no reason to be fearful. I have to move forward. Fearfulness is not my duty. Let the fear fear me, I will not fear. I will therefore only tell you to move forward and Parama Purus'a is certainly with you. And the evil force, what is it ? If Parama Purus'a is the sun, evil force is a firefly. Then what is there to be afraid of in a firefly ? Is anybody ever afraid of the pebbles on the track ? They move ahead throwing them into the drain with the strokes of their feet. This indeed is the fact. Move forward, live without fear. Continue your movement forward. What more should I say ? I have nothing more to say. 3 August 1978, Patna THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY This discourse originally appeared as "Desire and Detachment" in Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 3. It was inadvertently reprinted in Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19 under this name. See the file DESIRE AND DETACHMENT-s03.txt (short name des&detc.s03). THE PATH OF SALVATION official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19 cross-references: none this version: is the printed Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19, 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 salvation.' As you all know, everything moves. Humans will have to move. Nobody can remain stationary and life represents that movement. There must be movement in human life. As in all strata of life, in our physical stratum we'll have to face, we'll have to solve so many problems, and in the physical stratum also the goal is the Cosmic welfare, the Supreme welfare. As this physical stratum, however, is a creation of fundamental relative factors which are also moving, there cannot be any permanent goal or permanent point of stagnation in this realm. Really speaking, there cannot be any progress in the realm of physicality nor in the psychic arena. You are moving, solving one problem, a few more problems will be created and so on. But human beings cannot remain idle. They will have to move forward. In psychic stratum also, so many psychic knots are unknotted but so many psychic problems are again created. If there is no proper adjustment amongst physical, psychic and spiritual movements, the psychic side of humans will get unbalanced and many new psychic diseases will get created. This is the present position of the world. There has been enough physical progress, less spiritual progress and the psychic structures of humans have lost their equilibrium, rather their equipoise, and that's why the modern society is suffering from so many psychic ailments. Really speaking there cannot be any true progress in the psychic arena. Progress can be only in the spiritual level, because the spiritual goal, the spiritual desideratum of the humans is beyond the periphery of the fundamental factors--spatial, temporal and personal. So a person, a wise person is to move on towards the spiritual goal. While moving along the path of beatitude they will do their physical and psychic duty properly. This is the true path. Now everything moves and that movement is of systaltic nature. Wherever there is any movement there is pulsation. Without pulsation there cannot be any movement. And this pulsation, that is movement through speed and pause, is an essential factor for each and every animate or inanimate object. Wherever there is existential factor there must be this pulsation. An entity acquires strength and stamina, during the pause phase, and emanates vibration during the speed period. There cannot however, be any absolute speed or absolute pause in the created world. For a proper or a well-knit structure, there must be one nucleus and there must be many entities moving around that nucleus. Whether within a very little atom or in this vast cosmological order, the same movement is there around a nucleus. Hence in the middle there is the nucleus and everybody is moving around it and always the path is to some extent elliptical. I said "to some extent" as it is not actually elliptical. In the case of atoms, electrons are moving. In case of our etherial order, the moon moves around the earth. In case of our solar system so many planets are moving around the sun, and in the Supreme Cosmological Order the point of command is Parama Purus'a. He is the nucleus and everybody is moving around Him. Now the fundamental difference between this cosmological order having Parama Purus'a as the nucleus and other orders, is that in all other orders the movement is physical and the nucleus is also physical. In the case of this Cosmological Order, however, the nucleus is spiritual with all the potentialities of psychic and physical expression, and the moving entities are physical having psychic and physical pabula. That is, when we move, we not only move physically but we move along with our psychic structure and spiritual structure also. When asked by his disciples, Lord Buddha said that the proper style of movement should be according to a definite system and in that definite system there should be 8 fundamental factors. Another thing I should say here, for movement around the nucleus two forces are at work-one is centripetal and one is centrifugal. The centripetal forces called Vidya'Shakti or centre-seeking force. Those moving with Vidya' Shakti get inspiration to move towards the nucleus. The other is centrifugal or drifting away from the centre. This movement always increases the radius, and where Vidya' is more strong the radius is always reduced until finally the moving entity becomes one with the nucleus. This is salvation--becoming one with Parama Purus'a, becoming one with the Supreme Faculty. Now, how to decrease the radius ? That is, how to strengthen the Vidya' Shakti ? That is a spiritual secret. Lord Buddha says, there are eight factors. Those factors will help the spiritual aspirant in lessening the length of the radius. The first is Samyak Darshan or proper philosophy. One must know what one is and what is one's goal. A goal-less march is meaningless, mere wastage of time and energy. So the aspirant must know who he or she is and what is the goal, what is his or her destination. When moving along the road, if you don't know what is your destination, your energy is wasted. So you should know what is your goal and this is called Samyak Darshan in Sam'skrta. The second important factor is Samyak Sam'kalpa. A person must have firm determination that, "I am to reach the goal, I must reach there." This second item is known as Samyak Sam'kalpa--proper determination. The third one is Samyak Va'k. All your expressions, sensory or motor movements must be of a definite order ; they must be properly oriented. That is, your nervefibres, your nerve-cells must always be properly utilised. Then the fourth one is Samyak Ajiiva, proper physical and psychic occupation. One may earn money by stealing but it is not called a proper occupation. One may earn money by gambling but it is also not a proper occupation. One's occupation should be pure. It must not go against the interest of the collective body. Human beings are social creatures. In the universe, in the world of living beings, there are two kinds of creatures: one is social, the other is non-social. Human beings are social, lions are social, and there are many other animals who live, together. There are certain creatures. who are non-social. Tigers are non-social, goats are non-social. Human beings are social creatures. You see, I never say that human beings are social animals. Old logicians used to say that human are rational animalsI never say they are rational animals. I say that human life is an ideological flow. Why should I say humans are rational animals ? Then should I say that animals are moving plants ? I should not say this. So humans are social creatures and nobody should be allowed to go against the collective interest of the society. It is the fundamental factor for neat and clean behaviour. So the fourth factor is Samyak Ajiiva. That is, you must have proper occupation--your occupation must not go against the collective interest of the society, not only in the realm of physicality, but also in the psychic pabulum. That is, your thought waves should be properly directed, otherwise today's deteriorating thought may be translated into tomorrow's deteriorating action. One first thinks, then does accordingly. So thoughts should be pure and properly directed. The fifth item is Samyak Vyayam. It means proper exercise. You do so many physical exercises, engage in so many sports and past times for the development ofphysical health and it is a necessity, rather a dire necessity for a living society. But most people neglect the exercise of their mind and spirit. Human existence has got three parts, three important and inseparable portions: physical body, psychic body and spiritual body. So there must be proper exercise of not only the physical body but also the psychic and spiritual bodies. Samyak Vya'yam denotes proper physico-psycho-spiritual-exercise. Then the sixth one is Samyak Karmanta. Whenever you start a work you should complete the work with proper zeal and proper sincerity ; the finish should be of perfect order. Starting a particular work but leaving it unfinished is not good. When you have started any work, you must finish it properly. Let there be so many troubles, so many dangers, so many adversities, but when yo have started it complete it neatly. Then the seventh is Samyak Smrti. It means proper memory. What is memory? 'Anubhuta visaya sampramosah smrtih'. When you felt one thing in your mind, perceived something-- or conceived something, and when afterwards with your mental force you recreate that thing in your mind, that process of recreation is called memory. For this memory, for the cerebral memory we require nerve fibers and nerve-cells is the medium. Memory of this life May be carried over to the next life but the nervecells of this life won't be carried over to the next life, because nerve-cells will become one with the earth. Then how is memory of one life carried over to another life ? It is due to extra-cerebral process. In this process one of the factors of this quinqelemental world serves as the medium. Here Samyak Smrti means proper Smrti, that is, proper memory. You should remember the proper thing which deserves remembering. And what is that ? You know you are to do japa of your mantra always. While doing meditation you do it while doing. Worldly duties:while attending to mundane duties, you should also remember your mantra mentally. Generally you forget it. You are so much disturbed and so much engaged in the work that work takes the prominent role and your own incantation becomes less important, when by dint of constant practice you don't forget this mantra, you don't forget this incantation, it is Samyak Smrti. This is proper memory. The last one is Samyak Samadhi, that is, proper suspension of mind. What does that mean ? When one sincerely meditates on a particular object, one's mind gets attached and that attached mind gets suspended in that object. Now when Parama Purus'a is the object of meditation, what happens ? When the mind gets attached you become one with Parama Purus'a. That suspension of mind in Parama Purus'a is called salvation, this is the eight, fold path. Now each and every living being is moving not only with the physical body but also with the psychic and spiritual body, they are moving around the Supreme hub. Now, if they remember that their goal is the Supreme Nucleus--Parama Purus'a, what will happen ? The length of the radius will go on decreasing and decreasing, and when it becomes zero, the moving entity will become one with the nucleus. It is the path of salvation. When one's mind is not properly objectivated, i.e., when one gets attached to only matter, one may be reduced to the status of quinquelemental objects like earth, stone, sound, etc. When mind is properly objectivated the human entity becomes one with the goal, one with the Supreme Entity and he or she will attain salvation, and when it is not properly objectivated what happens? The radius goes on increasing and increasing, but it can never go beyond the periphery of the Supreme entity. It is drifted away from the nucleus but it remains within His cosmological structure. Now, it is not the path of salvation. But how then can one be with the Supreme ? The final word is, by the grace of the Supreme. You may say if I do not get His grace how can I go towards Him ? The reply is simple. His grace is for all--both for virtuous and non-virtuous. All are His children. Nobody is unimportant, nobody is insignificant. The thing is that somebody realises that grace and somebody does not. Why does somebody realise the grace and somebody not ? The reason is that while moving along this path around the Supreme Nucleus in the cosmological arena, if one holds the umbrella of ego over one's head, what happens ? Suppose it rains and you are holding an umbrella over your head, what happens ? Will you be drenched by the rain ? No. If you want to be drenched you will have to remove the umbrella. Similarly if you are moving around the Supreme Father and holding up the umbrella of ego, you won't be drenched by His grace, and if you remove that umbrella of ego, you will be drenched by His grace and you will feel that His grace is for you. So the spiritual aspirant must move along these eight-fold factors and also should remember to remove the umbrella of ego from his or her head and be drenched by His grace. You spiritual aspirants, you should remember that Parama Purus'a is always with you and His grace is always with you, and you all are His loving children. You need not develop any fear complex regarding the Supreme Father. You should remember that He's the Supreme Father. He's always calling you and you should always be ready to give a proper response. 25 September 1979, Caracas THE SUPREME AESTHETIC SCIENCE AND THE CULT OF DEVOTION official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19 cross-references: none this version: is the printed Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 19, 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 Supreme Aesthetic Science and the Cult of Devotion." What is aesthetic science ? Prehistoric humans used to eat, used to walk, used to take bath, used to do so many things. Humans of today also do these things and so long as humans are on this earth they will do the same. It is hoped that humans will live on this globe for many more days to come. Afterwards, when the environment will become uncongenial the human race will cease to exist here. Humans will then live on other stars, other planets. Today where there are no humans there will be in the future, and they will disappear from where they are to day. Collectively the human race will not come to an end. Whatever were the daily habits of human beings, whatever they did routinely in pleasure and pain, are the same today as they were in the past. When happy, people eat in pleasure, and when they feel sad, they may leave food in pain. There is a difference, however, between the cave-dwellers and the aboriginal human beings of the prehistoric period, and present day human beings. Human beings have brought more subtle beauty into the daily tasks and habitual behaviour, which they used to do in a crude way. Before eating, prehistoric human beings did not wash their hands, and they used both hands to eat. Today, we wash our hands, and use the right hand, or a spoon and fork. We enjoy eating in a more subtle fashion. Our sense of beauty is also part of our enjoyment of subtlety. We wear clothes which we feel make us look attractive, not those which we feel make us look odd. In prehistoric times, human beings did not wear clothes. The habit of wearing clothes came into vogue in later times. Various styles of decoration and make-up of the body also have come into vogue over the different ages of human development. Human beings of the past used to dance and jump in joy. Today we also dance and jump, but there is a a definite procedure in our movement ; we dance with definite process. The common procedure of the dance of olden days was called "folk dance." When more finesse was incorporated into dance, it became known as "classical dance". This very movement from crude to subtle, from ugliness to beauty, from imperfection to perfection, is the first stage of aesthetic science. Now, what is external change ? It is the intro-external projection of the psychic state. Then, is the introexternal projection of mind all-in-all in esthetic science ? No. New likings may occur in the human mental sphere, and new likings do occur in our emotions, in our feelings, also. Though our internal projections are stronger than the external ones. They are not purely internal, they are influenced by extro-internal projections. Human beings started to think in more subtle ways, so their external expressions became more subtle and more beautiful. They also started to want to see beauty, not ugliness or bitterness, in their external surroundings, in the mundane objects of their daily world. This search for beauty, this effort to attain perfection, gave birth to Dharma, because when human beings did not get happiness from crude objects, they started moving towards the Subtle one. Human beings today are not satisfied to watch silent movies. They want to see audiovisual films, because these are more subtle ; they give more pleasure to the mind. Therefore, it is the duty of every person to perform Dharma Sa'dhana'. Human beings are marching along the path of aesthetic science. Parama Purus'a is described as "Truth, Consciousness and Beauty" ( Satyam Shivam, Sundaram). Human beings are fascinated by His grandeur, His non-attachment, and by His beauty too. One who charms everybody, who attracts every body, is called "Krs'n'a" in the sha'stras, the scriptures. "Krs'n'a" means one who attracts all towards Himself. This is one explanation of the word, "Krs'n'a" also means "black" or "dark colony". When there is black amongst other colours, the eyes are automatically attracted to the black. So human beings are automatically attracted to the Supreme Entity, to Krs'n'a. They cannot check this attraction. Even if one tries not to be attracted, one will be. It is due to the attraction of aesthetic science that we move from imperfection to subtlety. Why do we move towards the Subtlest Entity ? The reason is, we want to experience joy or pleasure. The stage when we lose ourselves in ecstatic bliss, we merge in the Supreme Entity, is called supra-aesthetic science. ( Atinandana Vijina'na). It is also known as Sammohana Vijina'na, i.e., as long as we are enjoying that ecstasy, We feel it is very charming. The sport (Liila') of Parama Purus'a is very beautiful. We are moving towards Him. We do not mind the obstructions. We will go on moving. The stage of movement is the stage of aesthetic science. The stage of merger, when we have lost ourselves in the Supreme, when we have no desire for anything else, is the stage of supra-aesthetic science (Mohan Vijina'na). Now according to the devotional scriptures (Bhakti-Sha'stras), the first stage of this aesthetic science (Nandan Vijina'n) is called, Ra'ga'nuga' Bhakti. People may ask, when was this aesthetic science, knowingly or unknowingly, established in ancient times ? Is the Bhakti Sha'stra as old as the cult of devotion (Bhakti Yoga)? The answer is "Yes, certainly". Some people say, the cult of devotion is recent. They are not right. The word Bhakti is used in the Vedas also. "Yasya Deva' para' Bhaktih Yatha' Deve Tatha' Gurao" is, only those who have devotion (Bhakti) in Guru and Deva, can attain the goal. Thus the word Bhakti is used. So the, word Bhakti is not recent. Some people say that the Sufism of Persia (pha'ras) took the form of Bhakti in India. It is not correct. Bhakti Sha'stra,i.e., Sufiism was in India, it was also in Persia, it was everywhere in the world. Where there is human heart there is Bhakti, there was Bhakti and there will be Bhakti. Bhakti is fully established in Tantra and Yoga. By taking the ideation, of Parama'tma', the human mind becomes as vast as Parama'tma Himself. It is the characteristic of mind to take the object of its ideation. It is one of the characteristics of Parama'tma' also. that whosoever takes His ideation becomes like Him. Everything, such as water, fire, oxygen, nitrogen, etc., has its own characteristic. So the characteristic of Parama Purus'a is that whosoever takes His ideation, become as vast as Him by His grace. "Brhatvada' Brahma Brm'han'atva'd Brahma". The word Brahma means very great. Is He only great ? No, He is great, Himself and can make others great ; so, He is called Brahma. When, by taking His ideation human mind becomes like that of Parama Purus'a, it is called Savikalpa Sama'dhi. It becomes one with Him, it merges in Him. Now, after it becomes great, how is it possible to merge this mind in Parama Purus'a ? It is only possible by leaving aside all else, then one remains constantly in His ideation. What is love ? It is the expressed form of devotion. Only one who has love for Parama Purus'a can take His ideation. Love is the expressed form of devotion. When does this expressed form occur ? When it has its root or seed, only then it can occur. When there is seed, only,then it will sprout. That seed is devotion. So, only that one can make oneself great, only that one can take the correct ideation of Parama Purus'a, who has the seed of devotion within. Let us see it from another view point. If one, after transforming mind into a point, without making it vast, merges it into Parama Purus'a, surrenders it to Parama Purus'a, then, in that case, individual mind does not exist. Then what happens ? Mind merges with Parama Purus'a ; there remains only Parama'tma and not the mind. This is called Nirvikalpa Samadhi. In Savikalpa Samadhi the mind enjoys bliss because of its greatness. That bliss is called 'Liilananda'. When the mind is given to the Parama Purus'a, it is surrendered unto Him, in that condition the bliss or supra-mundane ecstasy is called Nityananda. So devotion is essential to get Nityananda or Liilananda ( the bliss of His Sport or Liila). How can you surrender the Self without Bhakti or devotion ? Therefore from the ancient times aesthetic science existed in human mind and there was the cult of devotion. While one remains in aesthetic science, one does not get entry into the supra-aesthetic science. One feels, "I am serving Parama Purus'a, I like Him, because I get pleasure in serving Him, by taking His ideation I get joy." If you ask artists or architects as to why they are busy with their art, they will say, 'we get pleasure from it. This is aesthetic science. A poet composes a poem, because he or she gets pleasure. Na va' Are Puttrasya ka'ma'ya puttrah ; Priyo bhavati A'tmanastu ka'ma'ya puttrah priyo bhavati Na va' Are Sarvasya ka'ma'ya sarvam' priyam' Bhavati A'tmanastu ka'ma'ya sarvam' priyam' Bhavti. Parents love their child very much. Do they love for the sake of their child ? No they love their child because they get pleasure for themselves. If their child turns into a vagabond, if he or she becomes cruel, then he or she does not utter even the parents names, then they do not get pleasure. A person likes everything of this world but not for the sake of these things. One loves the world, one lives with this world because one gets pleasure, that is why one loves it. You see, if one gets great trouble in this World even for a single moment one says, "Oh the Yamaraj (god of death), where are you ? 'Come on, now, I don't want to live." After that if one gets attracted towards this world after two or three minutes, one says, "No Yamaraj, no, you don't come now." So this is the first phase of aesthetic science. After that what happens ? By taking the ideation of Parama Purus'a, when the quantity of pleasure increases, a person loses the self first. What happens when he or she is lost? He or she feels "I take the ideation of Parama Purus'a not for my sake, not for me. I love Parama Purus'a so that he may get pleasure because of my love, I wish to give Him pleasure. I may or may not get it." When this stage is attained, this is called Ra'ga'tmika' Bhakti. In this stage one feels, "I love Parama Purus'a, I do not care whether He loves me or lot, He likes me or not, but I like Him". I This is Ra'ga'tmika' Bhakti. When this Ra'ga'tmika' Bhakti is attained, in that stage one is also called Gopa as described in scriptures ( shastras):-- Gopa'yate yah sah gopah. Gopa here does not mean the cowherd or the caretaker of cows. Gopa'yate means to give pleasure--'Gopa'yate yah sah gopah.' One whose nature is to give pleasure to Parama Purus'a or Parama'tma' is Gopa. When Ra'ga'tmika' Bhakti is attained, when one is established in Ra'ga'tmika Bhakti from Ra'ga'nuga' one enters the arena of Mohana Vijina'na. At that stage one is fascinated, one is charmed, and in that state, art, architeture, all come to an end ; one's verbosity stops, one becomes mute. This is Ra'ga'tmika' Bhakti. So long as human beings are in the sphere of Ra'ga'nuga' Bhakti they are in domestic life ; they create arts, architecture, literature, painting, etc. and get pleasure in them. They are within the scope of aesthetic science ( Nandana Vijina'na ). And what happens when they are established in supra-aesthetic science ( Ati Nandan Vijina'na ) ? All their worldly music is finished. All the Ra'gas and Ra'gin'iis and the art of dancing, whatever they be, they come to an end. In that condition, there remains only an ecstatic state, (Bha'vibhora) The music of that state is called Kiirtana. Therefore, it is the scriptural direction not to sing any song after kiirtana, because other music is within the scope of aesthetic science and the kiirtana comes within the scope of Mohana Vijina'na. This Mohana Vijina'na is the supra-aesthetic science. 'Bhakti tattva' is supra-aesthetic. Therefore, kiirtan is, in its essential form, with devotion, it is in the form of 'Ota' and 'Prota'.So in the life of a spiritual practitioner (sa'dhaka), in the life of a devotee (Bhakta ), kiirtana is most essential. In mentioning the subject of discourse, I said Bhakti Yoga. In English I said 'cult', because there is no word for 'yoga' in English, so I said 'cult', but actually devotion ( Bhakti ) is not a 'cult.' Devotion is the terminating point, devotion is the desideratum, devotion is not a path Some people say, "Our path is the path of spiritual practice ( sa'dhana' )". Devotion is the goal. When devotion is established, everything is established, there remains nothing. To get established in devotion you do something, you do something else. Hence, devotion is not the path, devotion is the goal. Devotion and Parama'tma' go together. Therefore the seat of Parama'tma' is in the hearts of those who are established in devotion, who are devotees. When you are established in devotion, you get Parama'tma' too. Then you will experience yourselves that Parama'tma' is seated in your heart, you will not have to go elsewhere in search of Him. It is the dictum of Bha'gavat Sha'stra. Na'ham' Tis't'ha'mi Vaekun't'he yogin'am Hrdaye Na Ca Madbhakta'h yatra Ga'yante Tatra Tis't'hta'mi Na'rada. "Oh Narada' I do not reside in Vaekuntha, neither do I reside in the the hearts of yogiis, Where do I reside ? Where my devotees sing, where they perform Kiirtana, there I reside," These are the Lord Bhagavana's words addressed to Narada (Nar a+Da+D'a is Na'rada). The word "Nara" has got three meanings. The first is "Niira", i.e. water; the second is the shelter (A'shraya) of Prakti, the abode ( ayana ) of Prakrti ; the abode of Nara is Na'ra'yan'a. Na'rasya Ayanam is Na'ra'yan'a. One of the names of Parama Purus'a is Na'ra'yan'a. The third meaning of the "Nara" is devotion (Bhakti). So one who bestows Na'ra, one who distributes Na'ra is Na'rada. Who is telling to Narada ? Bhagava'na Himself is telling to Na'rada. What is is meaning Bhagava'na ? Bhaga+Matup+first person, singular number, is Bhagava'na. One who posesses everything of occult power is Bhagava'na. He rules over sound and touch. He rules over all tanma'tras. He has got a great administrative capacity. He has to run all the functions of the universe. How could He do all this if He were not a good administrator ? He must be a good administrator, He must be a strong personality. Next is reputation, Yashah. He will have reputation--either positive or negative. Some people will say, He is very good-very very good, and others wil say, He is bad, very bad. Yes, there will be completetely two opposite groups--one group in South Pole and the other in North Pole. One is reputation or yashah. Then comes Shrii meaning charm, or attraction. People will be attracted towards Him. Shrii means charm, fascination. The accoustic root (Biija Mantra) in Sanskrt is Talavya 'Sha' which means mutative principle, the mutative effulgence, and "ra" means energy--light, magnetism, electricity-all forms of energy. Actually energy is one. So where mutative charm and energy are there it is Sha and Ra i.e., Shra and the feminine gender is Shrii. That is why there has been an ancient custom in India to prefix Shrii before the name of persons. So He possesses Shrii in complete form. Jina'na Vaera'gyam'ca s'an'na'm Bhagaitingana'. I thus next come to Jina'na and Vaera'gya. What is Jina'na ? In Shastra, both worldly knowledge and spiritual knowledge are called Jina'na. A'tmajina'nam' Vidurjina'nam' Jina'na'nyanya'niya'nitu Ta'ni Jina'na'na'bha'sa,ni Sa'rasya Naeva bodhana't. Only the spiritual knowledge is Jina'na, others are not Jina'na, because the gist of knowledge is not in them. They do not impart knowledge of that gist. He possesses true knowledge. You ask Him about any subject, you will get a correct answer. He is omniscient. "Rtambhara' Tatra Prajina'" Sixth one is vaera'gya. Vaera'gya is derived from "Vi" +'Ranj' Dhatu plus Ghain suffix. He does not get associated with any colour of the world. No colour can colour His mind. He is within all and also far from all. This is Vaera'gya. The collective form of these six qualities is called Bhaga and the one who posses Bhaga is Bhagava'na. So, Bhagava'na says to Na'rada, (Na'rada means that of Parama Purus'a by which the devotion germinates in the hearts of the living beings.) "Oh Na'rada, people say that I live in Vaeku'n'tha which is somewhere in the sky. No I don't live there" The meaning of the kun'tha' word Vaeku'n'tha is 'without complexes' (Vigata Kun't'ha means contraction. So where there is no complex, either inferiority of superiority, no fear complex, etc., it is the stage of Vigata Kun't'ha. It is a stage without any complexes. It is Vaekun't'ha. So when there is no complex in the mind, no contraction in the mind, then only will one feel Parama Purus'a or His existence in one's heart. That is why it is called Vaekun't'ha. Now what is the dictum here ? It is "I do not reside in Vaekun't'ha or any sky, neither do I reside in the hearts of yogiis."-- "Yogin'a'm Hradaye Na ca". Here 'yogii' means Ha'tha yogii who suspends his mental propensities forcibly. When the propensities have been suspended, there will be no emanation of any propensity ; there will not be any sentiment or any ideal. So when the flow has been checked, what will the Parama Purus'a do by sitting there ? Sitting there means He Himself has remained in a suspended form. There will not be any expression. Parama Purus'a wants to make the world dance. Fverybody will be dancing with His vibrations and in His tune. Parama Purus'a will be enjoying with all. Does He not want this? Why should He live in the dry heart of a yoga ? He would like a sweet, loving heart--Sarasa Hrdaya. He will not like the desert. He would like fertile land. So, the heart of a devotee is like the fertile land. That is why Parama Purus'a says, "Mad Bhaktah yatra Ga'yante",i.e., wherever my devotees perform Kiirtan in full swing at once I reach there. You may say that Parama Purus'a is omnipresent. Now Parama Purus'a is omnipotent, He is also omniscient, it is a fact ; but there is a hub of that omniscience, there is a hub of those premonitions and post-monitions of all expressions. A central point is there. Parama Purus'a is omnipresent but He has a nucleus ( Cakrana'bhi ). Parama Purusa' will place that nucleus wherever He likes. He will take it wherever He likes. Parama Purus'a says, "When my devotees sit single-minded for Kiirtan ( Ananyor Mama'ta Vis'n'ormamata' )" I at once take myself there. This is what I do." This morning I said that the practice of Dharma (i.e. Dharma Sa'dhana' ) is the characteristic of human beings. Now I say, "If you want to be established in Dharma Sa'dhana', then in any case do not forget the importance of Kiirtana, the greatness of Kiirtana, and also the greatness of devotion. Always remember that the devotion begins with aesthetic science and its ultimate domain ends where supra-aesthetic science ( Mohana Vijina'na ) begins "Victory be to you all." 4 November 1979, Ahmedabad