WELCOME TO THE JANMASHTAMI ISSUE OF E-SANAI

 by Sri Sandip Dasgupta

Welcome to the Janamashtami edition of our electronic magazine. As we celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna, I would like to recap some teachings of our Master which we can use in our everyday life.

Whenever we encounter unfavorable circumstances in life (the term bipod in Bengali), we often get flustered and find it difficult to handle such situations. But our Master has repeatedly told us that the Science of Oneness was revealed to Him as He dealt with the direst of situations in everyday life. He has reminded us that these situations are gifts from the Absolute, and that we should offer them at the Lotus feet of our creator (Bishnupod in Bengali). Our Master has repeatedly pointed out that Lord Krishna revealed the eighteen chapters of Bhagawad Gita to Arjuna at the battlefield – when the circumstances were very very unfavorable for Arjuna. Lord Krishna chose those circumstances because Arjuna’s mind was ready to receive the wisdom of Bhagawad Gita at that time. Lord Krishna did not reveal the Gita to Arjuna in good times, because we all are not in a position to receive higher/finer knowledge in such times.

So, it is a clear message to us that we should not be afraid of adverse circumstances and welcome them as gifts of the Lord. We will all emerge stronger when we are able to handle adverse circumstances – and I can assure you that the next test in our life will be harder than all previous ones. This is very similar to an academic curriculum where the tests become harder as we move from one level to another. It is also very similar to our life at work, as each level of position comes with greater and greater responsibilities.

In another discourse, Sri Sri Babathakur has pointed out that in everyday life, when we need to obtain something, we have to give up something. He went on to lucidly point out that when we have the desire to obtain the Knowledge of Oneness, we have to give up our sense of otherness! In order to obtain that state, we must understand that:

• We are not different from the Absolute One.

• Each and every one of us/each and every object around us is a reflection of that Absolute One – and hence is no different than us.

We are all extremely lucky to have been exposed to the Science of Oneness discovered by our Master. He has assured us that if we all start practicing the Science of Oneness in everyday life, we will discover our own Self. So, why not start practicing what we have heard from Him?

Joy Babathakur! Joy Babathakur! Joy Babathakur!

Co-Existance

 by Smt. Mandira Lahiri

Next to our apartment building is a quaint little school called ‘The Home School’. In the last ten-eleven years of our stay here, this school has become an integral part of our lives. Every morning we drink tea sitting on the balcony which overlooks the school. We enjoy watching the activities taking place in the school — the gardener coming and tending to the plants every morning…. the watchman getting ready to face the day…. the maids busy sweeping, mopping and dusting to give the school a gleaming look before the arrival of the Principal…. the bus drivers washing and cleaning the buses before they embark on a journey to bring the kids to school. Blackie, Brownie and Chikku Nayi (meaning “the little dog” in Kannada) are three mongrels who have been adopted by the school, and they are very important members of The Home School family.

When the Principal’s car is five minutes away from the school, the three dogs somehow sense it and start chasing each other from one end of the playground to the other. Their joy knows no bounds…. in anticipation of eating the fresh food prepared by the Principal’s daughter (an ardent dog lover who feeds about fifteen stray dogs each day). They welcome the principal by wagging their tails vigorously and letting out short yelps of joy. After that it is eating time for them but here too few unspoken rules are to be followed. Just when the driver starts serving the food into their bowls, Chikku Nayi is nudged by the other two dogs to go under one of the buses and wait for his turn….which he does, a little reluctantly. If he shows even a little resistance, the other two nip him here and there and he is forced to obey them. Hot, fresh and nutritious food is first served to Blackie (also known by the name of Charcoal). After he has his fill, it is Brownie’s turn. He is the senior most, hence quite bossy. Then it is Chikku Nayi’s turn, he wriggles out of his refuge, sticking out his long, pink, saliva dripping tongue to lap up all the goodies offered to him. After this satisfying meal, all the three dogs look for a nice and cozy place for their siesta. They protect each other, care for each other, respect each other and play with each other. Their camaraderie is really amazing! How beautifully and peacefully they co-exist with each other. 

We humans have a lot to learn from this animal world. During childhood, we often hear of cats and dogs being born enemies. In one of my relative’s house— two cats and two dogs live happily together. I have heard of dogs adopting kittens…. giving them all the love, attention and care and bringing them up as their own offspring. Even the wild animals don’t attack or kill their prey if they don’t feel threatened or if they are not hungry. Whereas, there is so much chaos and unrest in the world of us humans today. Children are being conditioned to grow up into individuals with no compassion, kindness, empathy, love or respect for others. In most of the schools Moral Science lessons have been scrapped.

Sometime back I came across a story written by Dorothy Victor which goes this way—

The once-a-month exercise in creative writing for the sixth graders was in progress. As the young students were penning their composition, an argument in hushed tones was building up from the south-west corner of the class where the twin sisters Tina and Rina sat. Our class teacher, Mrs. Roselyn, walked to the sisters and enquired what was going on. In her characteristic gentle yet stern manner, she resolved the issue.

The next day was a bright Wednesday, and classes began with the usual Moral Science period. That day Mrs. Roselyn chose to take us out to the garden of the sprawling campus of our convent for the class. The change of scenario got us enthusiastic about the class. Shortly our teacher began the period which covered the teaching of Moral Science to the young minds.

“What you see is the beauty of God’s creation around us, look around, the shrubs and the trees; the buzzing bees and the color changing chameleons; the birds and the insects,” she went on pointing to a colorful butterfly that darted just then from the row of marigolds in a flower bed at the corner of the field.

“All this beauty is for all of us; the good and the naughty, the studious and the lazy, the talkative and the quiet. God does not distinguish among us. He opens his goodness to all. It is important then that we, who enjoy his goodness, in turn become instruments of goodness. And becoming instruments of goodness means that we learn to share freely, forgive generously, and care warmly for all around us , including the planet we live in,” so saying, she continued with the class stressing on how we ought to choose goodness over everything else in the world. 

We listened with rapt attention to the values that were being emphasized effectively by drawing inspiration from the natural and glorious setting of the school garden. Later in the day, the grapevine had it that the twin sisters who had fought over sharing their stationery vowed to share their belongings with each other in the future. As for me, the words of Mrs. Roselyn would echo in my ears for the rest of my school days and urge me to believe in goodness over anything else.

So, after going through this simple story we realize how imperative it is to reintroduce Moral Science lessons in schools.

Our divine Master, Prajnanpurush Sri Sri Babathakur, in His book “Nectar of Wisdom” reaffirms, ‘In the present age people have human form but not human nature. Had they had a true human nature, events would have been shaped differently, for a true human nature will never allow such debauchery and chaos as we experience them now through hatred and violence, greed and jealousy. There are men having human form with the true human nature, but they are few…. In most people, the inner nature is not truly human. Mankind must again follow the evolutionary process to discover the true human nature. Without going through this process, no beneficial evolution can take place…. and that is why people suffer.”

Sri Sri Babathakur further points out that temples often represent but the outer show, not the true religion, as true religion should uplift the standard of the spirit, the ethical and moral senses along with the development of true discrimination between the Real and the unreal. He said, ‘The way it goes now, at present, is not good at all because the Right Knowledge is not taught during the time of the primary education. Nescience or spiritual ignorance prevails, but I assure you that a time will come when the mind will get fed-up with itself and it will then cry for help. That time will come, when the `Science of Oneness` and the `Oneness of Science` will be truly followed for the well-being of all.’

What powerful words! What assurance! It fills up each and every cell of my body with new energy, vigor and a fountain of hope! O Lord! Just let me be at your lotus feet for ever.

 

Illumination of Self Knowing of Sri Sri Babathakur

 

The following is a transliteration of the last page of Swajnanugraha Sudha, Volume 2 by Sri Ramen Basu - with the objective that reflecting upon the points listed in the transliteration below, may benefit those practicing the Science of Oneness.

 

 

• I have not found anybody greater than me, so there is no Guru of mine.  I have not found anyone smaller than me, so there is no disciple of mine. 
• This I is ‘Ownness in Ownness, Self in Self, Supreme in Supreme’ – Self perceivable Self Conscious Realizer Himself.
• There is no disease equal to Self delusion.
  
• There is no physician equal to Sadguru.
• There is no medicine equal to spiritual discrimination of the Self.
• There is no piety equal to untiring religious prayer and worship.
• There is no perfection equal to contentment.
• One’s own parent is the living God in this domestic life.
• The image of One’s Own Consciousness the Self in the form of Consciousness is the eternal worshiped Deity. 
• One’s Own mind is the worshiper.
• The innate nature is the ingredient of worship.
• Acceptance in even Consciousness is self-surrender, self sacrifice.
• To the ignorant Brahman is false, the creation is real but to the Wise i.e.to Jnani, Brahman is real, creation is false.
• To the Bliss Itself the Eternity is all Eternal Truth.
• Bliss Itself is Unqualified qualified.
• The attribute and the attributing adjuncts are nescience, ignorance.
• The awareness or thought of ‘mine’ is verily the relative mundane existence.
• The thirst for objective riches is the cause for the bondage of misery and poverty.
• One’s own fear in one’s Self is called the perception of duality.
• One’s own delight in one’s Self is called the stay in the Non-duality; everybody runs after happiness, but sorrow comes along with the happiness.
• In this family affair everyone is unhappy, only there is variation in the measure of sorrow.
• The comfort, happiness-sorrow, good-bad, righteousness-unrighteousness all these go side by side. If one asks one of them the other is inevitable, all these are hindrances to Self Knowledge. All these are modifications of reflected consciousness, these are not there in all Conscious Self.
• Unless one rises above Nature one cannot have character, without character attainment of the eternal ‘dharma’ is not accomplished.
• The Absoluteness of the eternal ‘dharma’is ‘sudharma’ or Self Knowledge.

 

Humbly submitted at the lotus feet of Sri Sri Babathakur.

Golpe Atmavidya: Golpo #13

The following is a translation by Smt. Anusuya Guha of a story narrated by Sri Sri Babathakur in Bengali (appearing as Golpo #13 (pages 37 - 39) in Golpe Atmavidya, Volume I, published by the Saccidanada Society, Kolkata).

God is ever present in all forms, names, ideas and consciousness. We should not identify Him with a specific name or form because He is present in all states of being and becoming. True acceptance of God lies in accepting him in all forms, names, ideas and consciousness. To illustrate this teaching, Sri Sri Babathakur related a story.

A Krishna devotee decided to go on an indefinite hunger strike at Vrindavan until he could get Lord Krishna’s darshan. Lord Krishna decided to disguise himself as a shepherd boy and appear before the devotee. As the devotee went to the river Yamuna to take a bath, he saw the shepherd boy happily feasting on mouth-watering food. Lord Krishna (in disguise) also sang “Whoever you are seeking with pride and ego, will never be visible to you on an empty stomach”. Lord Krishna then departed from the scene. Needless to say, the devotee was unable to recognize Lord Krishna given his ego had a certain preconceived image of Lord Krishna in mind.

After a while Lord Krishna decided to send Radharani -- disguised as a young girl carrying a basket of fruits for the devotee. The young girl asked the devotee if he had seen her aged father who was supposed to be present there. The devotee answered in the negative. Thereafter, the girl requested the devotee to take care of the basket of fruits while she went about looking for her father.  The devotee wasn’t pleased with the plan and asked the girl how he would benefit from the plan. The young girl reassured the devotee that he would achieve what he desired. She also mentioned that her father had told her about a devotee:

● Who had stopped partaking of food unless he saw Lord Krishna.

● As a result the devotee’s body and senses had become weak, and his memory weakened.

● In such a state even if Lord Krishna appeared, he would not be able to see and recognize Him.

● So her father had sent the fruits and would soon come personally to feed him.

● But since the father was not present, she was just going to leave the fruits there and go looking for her father.

Hearing this, the devotee was able to relate his condition to the young girl's conversation - yet he still did not touch any of the fruit!! Thereafter, Lord Krishna disguised himself as the old man (the young girl’s father) and appeared before the devotee. Lord Krishna asked the devotee why he had not consumed the fruits. The devotee explained that he had vowed not to eat anything till he saw Lord Krishna.

The old man asked the devotee what he would gain by seeing Lord Krishna in person. He went on to say “If you want to get some work done by the Lord, tell me and I will ask Lord Krishna to come and meet you”.

The old man went on to explain to the devotee “Krishna assumes many forms; so please tell me in what exact form do you want to see Him. You (we) are not aware that God sustains you (us) at all times. Look around you! He is in all forms, titles, space, ideas -- gross, subtle, subtlest, transcendental - everything is Krishna everywhere!!”.

By now the devotee’s vision had become poor without nourishment, and he was uttering gibberish. Before departing, the old man advised him to consume the fruits and regain his strength in order to recognize Krishna.

The devotee offered pronam to the old man and went to sleep -- disheartened that he had not seen Lord Krishna. In his dreams Lord Krishna appeared before him and told him that Krishna presents himself in infinite forms, infinite names and infinite design patterns. He therefore asked the devotee to offer pronam to the first person he sees in the morning -- because Lord Krishna will be appearing in that form.

As per the above instructions, the devotee rushed to a toilet sweeper (first person he saw after waking up) and offered pronam. The sweeper reciprocated by bending over to offer pronam to the devotee. As he bent over, the bucket filled with waste spilled over on the devotee! The infuriated devotee started to verbally abuse the sweeper. The sweeper was none other than Krishna Himself in disguise. Reacting to the abusive language, the Lord told him that a true devotee needs to surrender all ego and pride to the Lord!!!

In analyzing the essence of the story, Sri Sri Babathakur pointed out to the fact that studying scriptures is not adequate in spiritual life. One has to assimilate the wisdom of the scriptures into one’s own life -- and that we should be able to recognize the Lord in all the names and forms. Lord Krishna is present everywhere in Vrindavan; however if there is even the slightest apprehension in one’s mind about the Lord's omnipresence, one fails to see Him.

The Gopis came very close to Lord Krishna -- but they had developed an ego thinking that they were the only ones who love Krishna! That’s why they lost Lord Krishna.

One has to acknowledge Krishna’s presence in all forms and expressions in order to attain Paramatman Krishna. Embracing Krishna in innumerable forms enables one to visualize Krishna.  Only then the entire universe manifests as conscious Vrindavan. This is Paramatma darshan. This eternal consciousness is the true description of Krishna.  Each and everything that we perceive through our senses is nothing but Krishna. As long as one is not established in this consciousness, one misses seeing Krishna in reality.

Kaliyo poison is an engulfing poison. Inside the body, this poison induces the desire to attain God. The effect of this poison is compared to the pain of separation from one's loved ones. A devotee’s super strong desire to be united with God is referred to as Kaliyo poison. When the mind is afflicted by the burning sensation of Kaliyo poison, one seeks the healing remedy.  When a devotee is in this state, meeting the Sadguru and listening to His words are effective for the devotee. God is Guru and Guru is God -- all in one! Through Guru bhajan, the supreme God is satisfied, and God fulfills the desire of His devotees.

Dogmatism is a sign of Aajnana. This dogmatism does not fade easily unless Ishwar atma is remembered. In the world of spiritualism, attaining Dharma is inhibited by sectarianism, disagreement and dogmatism. The unrestrained mind cannot attain God. Soiled minds inquire as opposed to accept. No one can ever know the Absolute or the realized Sadguru. But accepting the Absolute and not trying to know or justify it certainly yields better results. Practicing inquiry leads to the propulsion of ego, whereas practicing “All Acceptance” helps to eradicate our ego. People who indulge in inquiry out of pride cannot accept others. His thirst for inquiry keeps increasing, which ultimately boosts his ego and pride -- turning him into a beast; He fails to become an acceptor.

“All acceptance” will lead one to be immortal, while “non-acceptance” will lead one to wage wars. Everyone can acquire the Science of All Accepance without any prior education.

To all, Sri Sri Babathakur said “Learn to accept, learn to accept.” What is He asking you to accept? Accept every form, every name, every idea as your own Self. There is no discrimination, differentiation when you learn to accept all as One.

In the story, the Krishna devotee went through dismay because he followed The Science of Inquiry and not the Science of All Acceptance as it is. He failed to identify Krishna even though he was a devotee of Krishna. If only he had followed The Science of All Acceptance, he would have recognized Krishna, Radha, and all -- and attained the goal he was striving for.

The Yoga of 'as it is'

by Sri Debashish Kundu

 

 

 

 

Do I reckon on the day of reckoning? 

Or, do I reckon every moment?

 

My hands and feet are tired by gravity 

An unfinished novel, my beautiful family

A set of poems that are still at the press

A film script, that never went to the floor

My recitation of Savitri, my thesis on ‘I-Reality’

And the list of the active forces of gravity, continue.

 

Yet the time of reckoning comes and goes

I cannot unshackle gravity.

 

The script to reckon the reckoning plays in me

 

I am staunch, so I need nothing

I know the mantra of ‘as it is’

I utter ‘Aham Brahmasmi’

for I am truly fulfilled in my True Nature.

 

I am ‘as I am’ and I am complete

Every utterance is a call to my inner Self

And I ‘Knock, Knock and Knock’

till the last vestige of my ‘prana’

 

Once this Yoga is over,

I am at a vantage point

I am not at Infinity

 

But I am ‘in Infinity

of Infinity

by Infinity

from Infinity

for Infinity

with Infinity

to Infinity

on Infinity and

beyond, beyond’

 

Finally, the law of

‘of, by, from, for, with, to, beyond’

reveals as Consciousness ‘as it is’.

 

And infinity stretches infinitely

beyond words into beyond,

‘as it is’.

 

Jai Babathakur!