🔥 What makes us live and grow with healthy maintenance - is Dharma in short. (M.2.p33)

• Upholding urge of our existence... (M.2.p32)

• That which upholds every individual and collective life... (M.2.p34)

• What makes anything stand on with life and growth - ... (M.2.p31) </aside>

Beyond all Differences

We have heard saying, good and bad are always relative, what is good to me can be bad to someone else. Being socially moral creatures we tend to find virtue in our action and meaning in our lives but this sense of relativity in all things knocks us out. The good or bad often becomes an object of belief and the striking materialists find it easy to sham this illogical sense of life. This gives rise to several ways or views of life, sects and so forth. Again if we see the strict materialists, scientists even in their downtime become emotional too, find secluded in the search of love, attachment and meaning in life. Above all we are empathetic creatures we are human beings. The more we look into it, the more it deludes us because it is not the way to look into it. Experimentation, Faith and morality all have their proper places but beyond that there is an absolute basis on which the meaningfulness of all other actions, morals or understanding stands. But what is it? How to find it? Dharma gives us an answer to that.

Master says,

What gathers for existential welfare with meaningful adjustment exalting being into becoming - is good. (M.2.p43)

• FAQ: A philosophical enquiry

The Primordial need

The basic experience that is common for all of us is this, - 'I exist'. This means we have a life or existence. No matter what happens, we don't want this existence to extinguish. We want to sustain it, protect it and expand it by identifying with other people and objects, through this acquiring a sense of meaning and fulfillment. We don't like any thing that is not favourable to this existence. So, the basic need in us is to nurture this existence. When we say 'I am' it is an act of being. So to address this essence of existence in us in its entirety we use the word 'Being'. Each of us has being and this being lives. Hence the name 'Human Beings', 'Living Beings', etc. This state of Being is to exist.

No existence no 'ism' root of all isms is 'Existentialism' - Master

Existence through Survival & Becoming

To exist we must eat, sleep, keep this body and mind disease-free, have a roof above our head, etc. but most of us in this world have it, isn't it so? Then why so much misery and turmoil? The problem is these basic amenities for survival and survival is the foremost part of our existence. This philosophical enquiry wouldn't be possible had we not eaten for several days. Master says, 'আগে অন্ন ব্রহ্ম, তা'পর শব্দ ব্রহ্ম' (To experience Brahman or the Supreme, first take Food and sustain yourself, then explore Him through the sound, vibration and knowledge).

But once this survival is taken care of the real problem begins, most predominantly for us humans, we start wanting more. You might have noticed at the moments of crisis a small good news makes us super happy but when all is fine even the glorious events make us feel so so. This need for more, this urge to expand is not a bad thing at all, this is the essence of evolution. Survival is not eternal, one day the life passes on but the urge to live still flourishes unfulfilled. Master says,'contraction is dejection, expansion is delight' this deilght or joy that we feel is that expansion of our being.

Becoming is the cry of existence, and existence enjoys the universe through it and feels it existes; do thou welcome becoming - the uphill move of the being with every nurture of existence and every adjusting go of life,- do enjoy and help others too with the elixir of life and growth. (M.2.p43)

The inherent urge to exist invites the expansion of the being. This is the primary force that has been driving all life to evolve in an eternal quest to seek immortality and pursue in this eternal mission of adaptation and evolution only to sustain its existence. So the drive of existence is to become something more. It is through this becoming that the being feels its own existence.

Three Inherent Properties of 'Being' or 'সত্তা'

• Being is instinct with Sat-Chit-Ananda

• Sat-Chit-Ananda= Existence + Consciousness (Responsiveness) + Blissful Becoming

  1. Sat ****(or Existence)

     • Etymologically the term 'Being' means 'to exist', 'Sat' means the same (originated from the sanskrit root sti). So the Being naturally predefines its existence.

  2. Chit (or Responsiveness / Consciousness)

     • Our being experiences its existence only when it comes in contact with the environment (even in the subtlest way), just as there is no meaningful existence of shadow without the prior existence of light, similarly without environmental impulses there's no experience of response. This inherent ability to respond is the essence of being conscious. So the Being has consciousness.

  3. Ananda (or Blissful Becoming).

     • We do what we do for our happiness or bliss. Blissfulness is a result of the becoming of the being. So, the Being wants blissful becoming.

     • FAQ : Why is it called blissful becoming instead of just bliss?

       • Master says, "do be and have", "doing is the mother of getting", when we are much obsessed with 'having results & getting the fruits' we ignore the necessary actions. We must remember this : by doing → we become and by becoming → we can have or get we want and that fulfillment invites the bliss.

These properties are intertwined with each other, like different sides of the same thing.

Conclusion:

<aside> 🔥 Being wants to exist with consciousness towards blissful becoming.

It is obvious that Being is naturally Evil-resisting in its nature. i.e. Being is inherently repulsive towards anything that opposes the it in the pursuit of existence, consciousness and the bliss.

</aside>

What is actually meant by Evil?

• Anything that is unfavourable for the Existence, Responsiveness & Blissful Becoming of the Being is identified as Evil.

• (Earlier we focused on Being, but a proper understanding of evil and acquiring the capability to recognise it is equally important. Understanding the enemy and its moves is a basic strategy of self-defence.)

• The Prime force that drives the being is it's inherent urge to exist and grow consciously so obviously it tends to resist anything that come in its existential pursuits. Sources or causes of such adversities those hinder the life and growth of the being is termed as Evil.

Dharma is...

Our primary need is to uphold this existence. Much has to be done for it. This is Dharma.

Following the above passages we conclude:

the being wants to exist with consciousness with steps towards blissful becoming.

The function of Dharma is the nurture of existence, consciousness and bliss with all resistance to evil.

Environment & Individual

A scientist says, "The food that we eat is cultivated by others, the books that I read is written by others, the house that I live in is constructed by others, so if this others vanish, I'll vanish as well."

To nurture the being all alone is in itself a self-contradictory statement. It is like asking a plant to water itself. For example, to exist I need to drink milk, for that there must be a living cow and for that cow to live healthy there must be some necessary conditions available to the cow which are suitable for her. In a similar way, all other things that reach us one way or the other, follows through a system of fulfillment that involves many people, animals, plants, microbes and much more. So it is the 'others' who are responsible for my being and becoming and as an integral organ, I play a part in it too.

Master once said, When we say up, we predefine the existence or down, when we say left we predefine the existence of right, when we say shadow we predefine the existence of light. Similarly, when we say 'I' we predefine the existence of 'others'. If there is no 'others' there is no existence of 'I', just as there is no shadow without the existence of light.

This very sense of being is possible only when we come in contact with the impulses from our environment. In physics when a body is in free fall, it feels zero weight or force, until it is resisted or the momentum is stopped by the ground below. It is similar for our Being, we feel something as distinctive as ourselves through to the resistance we feel by coming in contact with the environment.

Master Says,

Environment can impart impulse, being accepts it according to his nature and need with every thrash which makes one conscientious according to his innate inclination. (M.8.p40)

According to our innate inclinations or tendencies we receive all the gross and subtle impulses and percieve. This sense of transmitter and receiver between self and it's environment creates the identity of the Being that we are.

"On others' existence, I stand, This is Dharma, do understand." (translated from Anushruti) "That by which one’s life and growth along with that of others is upheld is called Dharma."

-Master, Sree Sree Thakur Anukulchandra

So, taking care of others is not a moral or ethical factor of life as it is often portrayed. Upholding others' existence is as important as sustaining one's own. Looking deeper, this individuality is not complete and is an incomplete idea borne out of restricted experience of consciousness and perception, we shall address that in the near the end of this chapter. Just like the organs of the body are individually distinct but at the same time are active parts of a larger organization called body, just like the cells combine to work for the larger purpose of the organs, similarly each of us are the unique parts of this broader organization of existence. Self→Society→World. This whole existence is a unitary body, its parts maintaining their individual characteristics to fulfill one big purpose.

<aside> 🔥 The most important fact!

• In the atmosphere water molecules are present almost everywhere in the form of water vapour but ironically we can't drink that. We need a condensed form of water vapour to drink and quench our thirst to survive.

• Similarly, the mere idea of Dharma is actually consumable only when it is presented in a condensed format. Just as a poem is non-existent without its poet, a song is imaginary without its singer singing, the energy is inaccessible without the workingout of a matter, similarly, the Idea of Dharma is impractical without its Living Ideal who is the embodiment of Dharma.

• So, practically speaking, to understand and apply the Dharma in our life we first need to follow a practical and natural demonstrator of the Dharma. </aside>

• The Nature of Existence : Sat-Chit-Ananda (The complete roadmap from unity to infinity) - given by Master

(👆the Unabridged Verse & English Translation by Prafulla Da)

The Musk Syndrome 🦌

There's a kind of deer called white bellied musk deer, they have this scented musk that produces beautiful aroma that mesmirizes even itself. It tries to find the source of that smell everywhere yet fails to reach. But the source of that aroma had already been within itself. We call this musk syndrome. Most of us suffer from this syndrome. The grandeur of exuberance that we are seeking outside is actually within us, but we fail to notice. Now even after knowing verbally we are not actually convinced because that must only be done through proper activity that takes us to the realisation. For this we need the practical guidance of the Master personality who is perpetually tuned to this source of elixir yet responsive enough to reach out to us. That is why they are called the Redeemers of Mankind. Only they can cure us of this Musk Syndrome.

The Roadmap of Self-Realization

In a word, when the individual and the entire society, out of an un-repelling, active adherence to the Ideal, advance towards all-round welfare and progress, which is called observance of Dharma.

Ideal - the embodiment of Dharma

The Need of an Ideal

• Ideal the Dharma Manifested

• Ideal - the Nucleus of the society

He in whom Dharma finds a living embodiment is called the Ideal. He is also called ‘Guru’ (spiritual guide), ‘Acharjya’ (spiritual preceptor), ‘Ista’ (superior beloved) etc. Anyway, in order to understand the manifest form, essence and characteristic of Dharma, we are first of all to understand what is meant by Ideal. So at the outset, without going into detailed discussion about Dharma, we shall discuss about Ideal, who is the living embodiment of Dharma. Moreover Dharma pervades the whole of life and the world, so we shall try to explain the comprehensive meaning of Dharma with reference to different contexts. With regard to Ideal Sree Sree Thakur says—‘In simple words, Ideal means living man who, out of an irresistible love and normal maddening urge for his superior beloved, establishes him in his environment through his own life, service, contact and sympathy, exalting the environment’s life and growth with the aid of his varied experience, without caring for sufferings; and it is in him that man finds his path— by which he can normally and untotteringly embrace life and growth.”

So Ideal does not mean an unembodied idea. Again a man who is to be an Ideal or Guru must have a Guru. Man’s complexes cannot be adjusted and unified without following the Guru with adherence, so he cannot have an integrated personality. Without this a man is not fit to be an Ideal or Guru. A decentric man may have many qualities, but he is not to be followed. Again, the Ideal must be a nurture of distinctiveness and a fulfiller of all. He will seek to maintain and nurture the inborn instinct of every individual. He will preserve their natural differences. He will not disturb the inmost being of anyone. Moreover he will have no contradiction with past prophets; rather he will fulfill them. He will not entertain one-sided views. He will aim at the all-round harmonious fulfillment and development of individual and collective life. He will not be interested in isolated compartments of life alone. He will be interested in all, and as such will be the meeting ground of all. The welfare of everyone is the same as his own welfare. He will feel everyone as different manifestations of himself. Communal discord will find no favour with him. Rather people of different communities and parties will be inspired to be unified under his banner. In his contact people’s regard to past prophets will be enlivened. Everyone’s adherence to Dharma will be emotionally energized. Conversion will have no place with him. But there will be provision for a scientific method of initiation for the unlocking of energy and efficiency and the unfoldment of distinctive traits. There will be no discord in the world of his thoughts, words and deeds. His sayings, maxims and instructions will be reflected in his life and conduct. In a word, he will be an ‘Acharya’ with mastery over conduct. He is to have direct realization, experience and mastery of the gross, subtle, and causal planes of truth. He will make an existential use and adjustment of the fundamental three qualities, ‘sattva’ (existential quality), ‘raja’ (colored view of life) and ‘tama’ (stupefying darkness). He will seek to make men abler and better by promoting devotion, knowledge and activity without having recourse to so-called miracles.

His ideology and programme will be synthetic and existential. Every step of his life will be inspired by an urge to uphold, protect and nurture others. He will be all-knowing and in unrepelling tune with God. He will also be an infallible seer. He will strive to make existential evolution progressive by maintaining an unbroken continuity of the past, present and future. He will discern unity in variety and promote integration. He will not ignore existential culture, tradition, custom, etc; rather he will revive them. He will be a sympathetic, serviceable, normal, loving man. There will be a harmonious blending of devotion, knowledge and activity in him.

He has many more characteristics. He never denies life. He wants to make life concentric and exalt it in all respects. His evil-resisting tendency makes him war against decay and death. He does not want to destroy individuality, nor does he want to degrade the higher; rather he wants to make the small great and the great still greater. Moreover he seeks to lead everyone towards divine becoming along the path of his distinctiveness.

He does not want to exclude individual interest but wants to make it spontaneous through service to the Ideal and environment. He does not like to deny, suppress or give indulgence to complexes; but he wants them to be adjusted in a concentric and existential manner through which man may be illuminated and liberated. The qualities of the genuine Ideal are endless. In a word, he may be said to be a veritable manifestation of God.

<aside> 🔥 Dharma and Religion- clarified

শ্রীশ্রীঠাকুর হেসে বললেন—Religion (দ্বিজীকরণ) কিন্তু ধৰ্ম্মের সবখানি নয়কো, যদিও ওটা ধৰ্ম্মের একটা অপরিহার্য্য আনুষ্ঠানিক অঙ্গ। ধাতুগত অর্থের দিক দিয়ে বুঝতে গেলে Religion (দ্বিজীকরণ) কথার অর্থ দাঁড়ায় ইষ্টকে গ্রহণ করে ঈশ্বরের সঙ্গে নিজেকে নূতন করে বেঁধে ফেলা। এক কথায় দীক্ষার মাধ্যমে পুনর্জন্ম লাভ করা। (Re-মানে পুনরায়, legare মানে—বাঁধা)। ধৰ্ম্ম মানে তাই করা যাতে সপরিবেশ আমাদের বাঁচাবাড়া অক্ষুন্ন থাকে। নিজেদের মনগড়া রকমে বাঁচাবাড়ার পথে চললে হবে না। তাতে পদে-পদে গােলমালের সৃষ্টি হবে। তাই বাঁচাবাড়াকে সার্থক ও নিষ্কন্টক করে তুলতে হবে ঈশ্বরের চলনে অর্থাৎ ইষ্টানুগ চলনে। Social custom (সামাজিক প্রথা) এমন করে গড়ে তুলতে হবে যাতে তা ধৰ্ম্ম অর্থাৎ বাঁচাবাড়ার পরিপােষণী হয়। তাই-ই গর্হিত, যা’ এর অন্তরায় হয়ে দাঁড়ায়। তা’ overcome (অতিক্রম) করতে হবে, mould(নিয়ন্ত্রণ) করতে হবে। (আলোচনা-প্রসঙ্গে নবম খন্ড ইং ২৩.০৮.১৯৪৭)

<aside> 🔥 To explore it in extensive details with comparative studies between all major religions of the world and how they portray the same existential truth, visit this page → One Dharma, Many Religions

</aside>

</aside>

Initiation

We know that we have been born with a tendency towards unification, i.e. an inherent attachment. We shall be shaped according to the object in which we place our attachment. “The water of Swati-star produces effect according to the receptacle.” “The being is full of regard, and a man is what his object of regard is.” (Gita) If we can wholly concentrate our love on the Ideal with unrepelling active adherence, we have nothing to worry about. Then Dharma, wealth, fulfillment of desire and liberation will be at our disposal. We shall find fulfillment by achieving all-round worldly and other-worldly welfare.

In order to concentrate our entire love on the Ideal, we have to practice every day some scientific processes. To learn these processes with all regardfulness is to be initiated. After initiation we have to observe these things daily with due adherence. This will develop our love for the Ideal from day to day. In a word, our character will be tinged according to his characteristics.

Spiritual Evolution

The main obstacle in the path of this transformation is selfish expectation. If we follow him with expectations, then fulfillment of expectations becomes primary to us and the Ideal becomes secondary. So we are moulded according to the objective of our life. So we should want him for his sake with unswerving adherence and love. To do the will of the Ideal, to fulfill his interest and to establish him should be the urge of our being. We may outwardly follow the Ideal, but if some other desire or passion dominates us, its frustration may make us forsake the Ideal. Anyway, hypocrisy cannot lead us to the goal. Again if the love is inactive or indolent, it will not touch our character. We shall have to practice such thoughts, words, deeds and habits as spontaneously flow from love. Ideal centric thoughts, words, deeds and habits are called Jajan, Jaajan, Istavrity and Sadaachar. We shall discuss at length on these subjects later on. But it is a message of great hope that whatever a man may be, if he observes Jajan, Jaajan, Istavrity and Sadachar regularly and ardently, adherence to Ideal grows in him gradually. It is an irrefutable scientific fact.

Adherence to Ideal

Adherence to Ideal means to tenaciously and firmly cling to the Ideal with unceasing active absorption. We shall have to be constantly engaged in contributing to his well-being, satisfaction and pleasure and in enhancing his interest and establishment, avoiding all other attractions and oppositions. This should possess us like a passion. There should be a grim determination that we will never deviate from the Ideal under any circumstance, whether it is weal or woe, good or bad, honour or dishonour, gain or loss, hope or fear, enticement or oppression, wealth or penury, disease, grief, chastisement and suffering or anything else. Then we shall be invincible in life. This adherence makes man valorous and powerful. Again, allegiance, active urge and pleasant painstakingness are inseparable from adherence. Allegiance means obedient move. Active urge means the urge to do. We normally want to please our beloved by doing things that are to his liking. The more we do, the more we feel like doing them. This sacred energy and enthusiasm gradually goes on growing. And this makes life agile ever youthful. The body, mind and brain are flooded with infinite energy. We may then work very hard or suffer much for the Ideal but this never causes any grievance in our mind, even if we do not get any appreciation or advantage from it. Rather, we consider ourselves blessed in having got the opportunity to suffer for him. One never likes to be deprived of this happiness. This self-complacence earned through sufferings is very lovely. Compared to this all other gain are insignificant. So adherence is such a rare object as removes a man’s feeling of want, pauperistic cravings, feeling of emptiness, and slavery born of expectations, and thus makes him independent, fulfilled to the brim and overflowing in divine joy.

Passions & Complexes : Understanding & Dealing

We have got some idea as to how spiritual practices make man vibrant with adherence and attachment to the Ideal. We shall now see how adjustment of passions becomes possible through it. Passion means lust, anger, greed, pride, infatuation and jealousy and their varied manifestations.

The Result of Absence of Passion

A man becomes inert if he has no passions. He cannot be called a man. At the most, he may be called a sub-man. His intelligence, feeling and efficiency become poor. He does not come to any use of society. His life-urge remains dormant. He can hardly do good or bad. So there is very little chance for the evolution of his life. Even when alive, he remains half-dead.

Consequences of Slavery to Passion

Again, if a man becomes a slave to passions, if he has no control over passions, he becomes worse than an animal. There is no end to the mischief that he causes to himself and his environment. The main cause of the woes and sufferings of the world is slavery to passions.

It is impossible to enumerate adequately the ways in which passionate ness at every step leads to mistakes, conflicts, discords, disasters, sufferings etc., and thereby hastens the death of man. At the root of most of the disastrous events that have shaken the history of the world in the past and are now agitating individual and collective life, there lays the satanic play of passionateness. It does not allow man to be happy and normal; it is constantly harassing him by making him move madly under its obsession. At the same time it is bringing more and more decay, loss, weakness, mental anguish, ignorance, distortion and perversion. Human life is becoming unsuitable to human habitation. Different countries are now busy multiplying agents of destruction. So human society is shuddering under the fear of the world’s annihilation. Whatever reasons there may be behind it, in the ultimate analysis we shall find that man’s slavery to passions and the ignorance born of it are its root causes. So they are called six enemies. If they are not under control, they act like enemies.

Suppression of Passions

To get rid of the adverse actions of passions many try to repress or suppress them altogether. But the result of this is also dangerous. If we try to suppress passions in an unnatural way, this gives rise to physical and mental diseases, distortions and perversions, which make a man’s life complicated and inconsistent. He loses joy, energy and enthusiasm. He cannot adapt himself to the environment. Gradually he loses mental balance. Sleeplessness, depression, suicidal tendency, neurosis, brain disorder and many other distressing abnormal symptoms appear. Often intelligence, efficiency, will-power, mental strength and memory dwindle. Life becomes inert.

Adjustment of Passions by Acceptance of a Living Ideal

We see that passions are troublesome in all respects. But we cannot do without them. Now, what to do with them? Here comes in the necessity of attachment to the Ideal. If a man’s inherent original attachment or libido is set on the Ideal, then he does not yield to passionate cravings; on the other hand, he engages every passion in the service of the Ideal. Then he is not guided by the whims and impulses of passions, because they are not his guide. His guide is the Ideal. He moulds his passions according to the principles, likes and desires of the Ideal. Passionate move may have great attraction for him, but he overcomes it out of love for the Ideal. He does not like to do anything which hunts the feelings of the Ideal. Again, it may be very difficult for him to follow in the footsteps of the Ideal; still he embraces that difficulty smilingly. It is the Ideal that constitutes the whole of his life. His life is meaningless without the Ideal’s satisfaction, nurture, pleasure, interest and installation. Ideal is the key to his life. He is his very life-breath. He lives for him. The Ideal stands above all passions. So man unknowingly acquires mastery over passions by loving him.

The Import of Self-adjustment

This way passions are adjusted. But they do not die or dry up. Rather they become healthy and strong. And that is what is needful, because they are the instruments of man’s life and growth. If they are used in moderation according to necessity and that in an Ideal-centric and existential manner with proper control over them, then they cause good and no harm. Thus the passions may turn out to be the source of bliss. Godly children may be had from controlled and proper sex life of religiously minded pairs. But if a man becomes a slave to lust, that creates mischief. It holds good with regard to every passion. Passions are neither good nor bad. They become good or bad according to proper use or misuse. The main thing is to bring them under control. And to do that, we shall have to be under the control of a man who has brought passions under his control.

How to Transcend Identification with Passions?

Without this there is no possibility of rising above passions, because we are generally identified with passions. We cannot extricate ourselves from them. To do that we need a man above and beyond us who habitually lives on an existential plane. If we bind ourselves with him with a bond of love, if we cling to him with all our being, then we can perceive and know all that is against him and all that tends to snatch us away from him. It is in this state that a passion may be recognized as a passion and it may also be adjusted if there is a will to do so. Otherwise when we are in the clutches of passions, when there exists no line of demarcation between us and passions, when the being is identified with passions, there remains no possibility of distinguishing passions as passions and adjusting them. So in this matter adherence to a living Ideal is indispensable. No man wanting life and growth can do without this. If a man is not initiated and attached to the Ideal, there is no knowing where he will aimlessly drift away like a rudderless vessel in the ocean of life, being carried away by the influence of environment and the impulse of passions.

Accepting a Guru

So Sree Sree Thakur has said—“This is very true, he, who has no Guru or Ideal, he, for whom it is providentially predetermined not to accept an Ideal or Guru, is fallen indeed. However enlightened he may be he falls enlightenedly to the same extent.”

Devotion towards Parents

Initiation is essential. But before that there should be devotion to parents and. Regard to their superiors. Self-adjustment starts with this.

The Need for a Living Ideal

People say that man may do without a living Ideal. If man pursues some lofty ideas that may suffice. But it is very difficult to be attached to impersonal ideas. If the idea is not embodied in a person, there can be no actual communication with it nor can its real form be perceived. Man can feel mercy only through a merciful person. Otherwise mercy is merely a word. This holds good with regard to all attributes. Without an embodied Ideal there can be no realistic idea about a nobler life. Without a living Ideal, with whom the bond of love will be established, and out of love for whom and through whose inspiring example will man evolve into a higher life adjusting his unruly passions? So it is to be specially remembered that the pursuit of the philosophy of a seer cannot be successful without pursuing the seer.

The Result of Following Many

Some say—we shall accept from different persons whatever is good in them. Why should we surrender to one? But there is an error in this conception. If we divide our internal attachment in different parts, our personality will also be disintegrated and inconsistent. So, that attachment has to be centered in a proper individual. And everything that is needful for fulfilling and nurturing him has to be collected from different quarters. “Devotion loves many for the sake of one, and passionate leaving loves one for the sake of many.”

Following Conscience

Some again give the excuse of conscience. They think that God-given conscience naturally guides man aright. But the conscience of all people is not the same. It varies according to the character, experience and knowledge of different persons. Conscience means the power of discrimination between good and bad, right and wrong. Everyone has it in his own way. So it cannot be said that it cannot commit any blunder. Rather, due to the influence of our indwelling unholiness, in more cases than not, the decision of conscience is wrong. And even when it is right, it can hardly guide man’s conduct, because reasoning does not guide man; it is the urge of love that guides him. His go of life is determined by the centre of his love. Again, man often unconsciously supports his weakness on the pretext of conscience. He cannot detect it. At times others also fail to detect it. At times others also fail to detect it. One illustration will make the point clear. The reasons against war which Arjuna adduced in the battlefield, enumerating the evils of killing relations, appear to be irrefutable and proper. And in order to expose the flaw lying therein, Lord sree Krishna discussed many points in the Gita. And at last Arjuna said to sree Krishna-“By your grace my infatuation is gone and recollection restored, now my doubts are dispelled and I am in myself, please order me what to do”. In the name of Dharma people often indulge in infatuation and oblivion and lovingly cling to them considering them to be Dharma. Man cannot detect the deception of his mind. He even explains infallible scriptures according to his liking. He has no escape from the labyrinth of his unregenerate mind. To get rid of this, a living Ideal is needed who is the very embodiment of Dharma. So long as a man is not tackled by him, he cannot get beyond the sense of Dharma of his own making and his eye of knowledge is not opened either. Man goes on revolving in the world of his own thinking and conception. He attaches an exaggerated value to his own conception and idealises it. But this deception cannot continue if a living Ideal is accepted. He definitely points out what is what.

Why is he called Thakur or Master?

He lovingly knocks us at different steps. And because of these knocks he is called ‘Thakur’. He never comprises with our mistakes. He is ever-unrepelling and ever-untottering. Man learns to understand the meaning of ‘Dharma’ by seeing this living and moving form of ‘Dharma’. Then alone he learns to follow ‘Dharma’. He comes out from the shell of his imagination and directly feels ‘Dharma’ with all his senses. Our sense of ‘Dharma’ may not conform to his. But we should not try to have him according to our liking. Then we shall not belong to him in the true sense of the term, and there will be no self-adjustment or evolution in tune with him. Even if our heart bleeds, without caring for that we shall have to move in tune with him-knowing him to be ever-infallible and ever- benign. The prime Assets of divine life are untottering Ideal-centric adherence, devotion and faith.

How to Make Passions Existential

If adherence, devotion and faith do not become steady and deep-rooted, there is no knowing where we shall be carried away by the waves of our impulsive nature. It will not do to follow him with thoughts, words and deeds alone. Along with that the whole of our life-force and being has to be channeled. The more our attachment will be passion-pervading and existentially integrated, the more will our passions become adjusted and nurturing to being. They will not cause any disturbance to being and becoming. Being convergent and mutually fulfilling they will contribute to our being and becoming along with that of our environment. Then we shall realize how sublime, divine and blessed the passions are.

Uphold of Existence

In this context it has been said- ‘adjustment of complexes invites uphold of existence’, i.e. if the complexes are adjusted, our being is upheld properly. Uphold includes sustenance and nurture. It sustains and nurtures life and existence. So long as we are obsessed by complexes, our life is not at all safe. There lies the seed of death in passionate move. It imperceptibly leads us to death. Generally out of urge for existence we build the foundation of existence with one hand and often out of passionate urge we break it with the other. Suppose, a man is ill. He improves his health with great effort. If he unduly succumbs to passions at that stage, he again falls ill. Passionateness invariably brings such self-contradictory and inconsistent move. And so life cannot have a firm footing.

Enjoying Existence

Then, should we not enjoy life? Out of fear of death should we avoid all enjoyment of senses and drag a miserable existence? No, not at all. Existential enjoyment is essential. We shall have to renounce all that is against existence. Out of a mania of renunciation, if we deny ourselves all existential enjoyment that will hasten our death. Hence it will be irreligious. In a word, the line of demarcation between renunciation and enjoyment is to be determined in such a manner as makes life blissful. Everything is to be enjoyed so far as it is consistent with the life and growth of self and others. This standard is called Dharma. Every enjoyment should be consistent with Dharma. So in the Gita we find the statement of Lord Krishna, ‘Oh Arjuna! If a man is not above a passion, he cannot enjoy it existentially. He becomes obsessed and benumbed by it. In that state real enjoyment is impossible. If a man does not know swimming can he get down in deep water and enjoy it? Mastery is necessary for enjoyment. So to acquire self-control by following on Ideal, who has attained it is the secret of maintaining our existence intact and leading in towards enjoyable becoming. Without this, existential uphold of being is impossible. As this basic preparation is lacking, seldom do we find a vigorous manifestation of life with an unfoldment of all its wealth and beauty. Most lives are found to be broken and full of inconsistencies. They shake and totter. The invincible spirit of acquiring untottering existence by overcoming obstacles and utilizing calamities is gradually disappearing from society. That concentric, undying existential urge is to be revived all over the world. We shall not die, we shall not kill, and rather we shall try to extinguish death. “Do never die, nor cause death, but resist death to death”—will be the motto of our life. We shall be determined to make everyone’s existence untottering. We shall resolve to take up the responsibility of doing, whatever is necessary for it. We shall live and let live. We shall live by letting others live, we shall never think of living by killing others. While saving others we shall not be indifferent to our own existence. Existence is the gift of God, and we have no right to sacrifice it according to our whims out of carelessness or magnanimity. If we are mindful about maintaining the sacred trust of God, then we shall be able to discover consistent ways and means whereby we can simultaneously save others as well as ourselves.

Resistance to Evil, Violence and Non-Violence

An indispensable part of this move is resistance to evil. We shall not give indulgence to anything in ourselves or others that deteriorates existence. Of course the more the resistance to evil is cordial, peaceful, valorous and tactful, the better. At the root of it there should prevail a benign sense and a loving ardour. Resistance to evil becomes effective through it. The question of violence and non-violence arises here. But non-violence can never triumph by allowing violence to remain intact. So to do whatever is necessary to weaken violence is an indispensable factor of non-violence. Dharma has to be imparted to a man, if his evil propensities are to be fruitfully moulded; i.e. he is to be imbued with love for Ideal. Man’s mistaken notions cannot be dispelled without love for Ideal. So propagation of existential ideals or establishment of the Ideal is essential. If a man is not attached to God or Ideal, he must be passionate. He has no other alternative. So, in order to be successful in the culture of non-violence we shall have to make ourselves and others attached to the Ideal. That is the only safe- guard. Otherwise, self-protection will be impossible. The more a man will be allowed to remain passionate, the more will he harm himself and the world. Passionateness will take its own course. There will be no escape from it. So to live, fruitfully we need to actively purify ourselves and our environment. According to necessity, we shall have to adopt stern measures for achieving this purification. As a surgeon resorts to surgical operations for the benefit of a patient, so also at times we shall have to employ severe methods for combating evil and enhancing the good of people.

There are people who instinctively refuse to be inspired propitiously. They are to be brought under control by hook or by crook, so that they may not harm the environment.

“Those who are depraved (corrupt) from their very birth are not obliged by goodness or kindness. Fear alone makes them submit. They find no interest in the path of welfare”.

“If a knave is not won over by courteous behaviour, neutralize his knavery by apt terrible shock”.

So, in the matter of resistance to evil there is a place for intimidation (pressure) and chastisement (punishment) also. This is not wrathfulness or violence but an ally (helper) of non-violence. Existential vigour, valour and indignation (righteous anger) are vital traits of a powerful personality.

Elimination of Exploitation

The tendency of exploitation creates a great trouble in the social life. When a man wants to profit by deceiving others and by hampering their life and growth, he is said to be actuated by a tendency of exploitation appears where the tendency of taking and getting becomes more prominent than the tendency of doing and giving. So both the rich and the poor may have this tendency. It is to be condemned wherever it is found. This brings conflict and chaos in society. As an antidote against it, many are in favour of abolishing individual ownership of property and introducing socialization of all wealth and all factors of production. But whatever may be its benefits it must be admitted that it destroys individual liberty. And there is no doubt that extinction of individual liberty is a great calamity. Here we shall not enter into a detailed discussion on this. Anyway, we want an arrangement in which there will be provision for individual ownership with the least scope for its misuse.

Genuine Self-Interest

So man is to be made to follow Dharma, so that out of love for Ideal his self- interest may extend to the bigger environment through active service. The root cause of man’s exploiting tendency is ignorance and lack of love and efficiency. Whom shall I exploit? The man, I shall exploit, is the source of my resources. How shall I get by drying up the source of my resources? How can I live by emaciating my environment? The environment constitutes my limbs. Can I remain strong by weakening them? This true vision and love are awakened by loving the Ideal who is a real embodiment of universal love. And this knowledge and love kindle ability, “The tension of love brings strength in action and exaltation in life.”

Real Greatness

And the abler people feel a normal urge to make the unfit fit by providing them nurture, encouragement and inspiration. They cannot do without it. As if all men constitute one man. If anyone among them falls, it will hurt all. The real fact is this. We are engrossed in selfishness and obsessed by passions, so we cannot feel how deep and inseparable is our relation with every one of the environment. So we remain indifferent and inactive. We strive for isolated individual greatness. But this greatness cannot be sustained if the environment is not raised along with it. So concentric loving harmony is needed, so that everyone becomes up and doing in enhancing the welfare of everyone else. This is the foundation of self-interest. Personal welfare means so much. This sense has to be infused in the domain of man. A revolution has to be brought in the domain of thought, speech and deed of man by infusing the Ideal. And proper social and governmental measures are to be adopted against those who are determined to injure the interest of the environment. This forms an integral part of existential resistance to evil. But though we hate guilt, we must not hate the guilty. Existential consciousness has to be constantly kept alive. It is only then, that existential uphold will be consolidated.

Environment and Consciousness

We have discussed how very essential it is to adjust the environment for the sake of our existence. But there are deeper implications in it. At the back of our consciousness and feeling there is the environment. We cannot be conscious or endowed with feeling without the memory or impulse of our environment. So in order to improve our character, consciousness and feeling, we are to improve our environmental.

Sympathy and Service

Sympathy i.e. a feeling of happiness at the happiness of others and a feeling of distress at the distress of others is a normal disposition of man. This is a natural law. Because there is an existential concord among all. So the feeling of one awakens a corresponding feeling in others. The deeper a man’s love is, the wider, the keener and more active is his sympathy. He, whose love is deeply rooted in a feeling of oneness with all, feels the deepest and most active sympathy for all beings of the world. He engages himself in augmenting the happiness and alleviating the distress of others. He cannot but do it. He has to do it for the sake of his own wellbeing. The sympathy of those who are attached to such an Ideal expands gradually. This sympathy finds expression in inquisitive service. We frequently find an example of it in family-life. Those who follow an Ideal normally develop a sense of a bigger family-life. Mutual distribution of service and co-operation become automatic there. No sense of parade or egoistic mercy is found in this service. Because, the driving force there is to please the Ideal. As the father is in a brother, so the Ideal is in a brother-in-faith. If service springs from this sense, man considers himself blessed by rendering service to brothers-in-faith but gradually they realize that the Ideal is interested in the welfare of all and so the circle goes on expanding.

Imparting Dharma

We have already mentioned that the best form of service is imparting Dharma. Because it is through this that a man’s latent power and ability are quickened. All kinds of service are to be rendered making it primary, so that everyone may attain real inward and outward growth. By concentric service both the server and the served become attuned to the Ideal. If a man’s passionate ness remains untouched, all the service he gets will not serve to make him progressive. A passionate man seeks to nourish his passions through everything. To nourish passions is to shrink existence, does not hesitate to injure others. So learning, wealth or property, whatever a man may be given, if he is not given character or Ideal, he is given nothing. In that case his wealth and ability may prove to be harmful to him and to the society. So whatever we may do out of sympathy for a man, we are to discern whether he is advancing towards existential welfare through it. Mere superficial service will not do. The sore that lies deep down in man’s life, due to which he suffers and makes others suffer, has also to be healed. Otherwise the service will be like pouring water in a leaky vessel. After rendering much service it will be found that nothing tangible has been done for anyone, and no one has been provided ingredients of welfare. Anyway we are not minimizing the importance of giving external service. That too is necessary.

Behaviour

One point should be specially remembered with regard to the characteristic of service and behaviour that flow from sympathy. The maxim is this—“Do unto others as you wish to be done by”. The real essence of sympathy lies in this. This world can turn into heaven by following this principle. There can be no scope for fault-finding or hatred, if we judge people from this standpoint. Then we normally think of the circumstances and causes that goad a man to do what he does. We take into consideration his inborn nature and environment. I also consider what I would have done under those circumstances and what sort of behaviour would have pleased me. Compassion, forgiveness, toleration, patience and Ideal-centered perseverance sprout spontaneously from this. Of course, it does not mean that resistance to evil is abandoned. But man’s sympathy and knowledge grow proportionately. And that knowledge imparts the understanding as to how to adjust evil. If man is to be changed, his thread of love has to be caught hold of. And that can generally be done by bearing and forbearing him sympathetically.

We cannot do without making them normal whose mind and character have been badly injured, distorted and given to crimes as a result of repeated shocks. The more their abnormality will intensify, the more terrible will be its venomous impact on the society. So they have got to be rectified as far as possible. We shall not be responsibly serving the society if we exclude them altogether. So we see that our most beloved Sree Sree Thakur never excludes anyone. He reforms the vilest of men by loving them heartily. There are some who do not hesitate to harm Him despite His unbounded love. But He continues to provide them the elixir of life digesting all their ugliness like an all-forgiving God. It is thus that He awakens the latent man from within a devilish character. The modern human society will never be able to attain self-poise without the aid of this divine service flowing from sympathy and love. Because, then the accumulated poison of the world will find no path of sublimation and will manifest itself in newer and newer ugly shapes and serve to make the society and civilization cursed and corrupt.

Obstacles to Sympathy

There is one minor point in regard to sympathy. It is not so easy to share and enjoy the success, renown and glory of a man as it is in the case of showing sympathy to him in his calamity and distress. Jealousy is the underlying cause behind it. Our sympathy cannot be perfect as long as we harbour jealousy and ego in us. As envy makes us inimical to the fortunate so also does ego prevent a fortunate man from identifying himself with less fortunate people.

If man has any kind of inferiority, that serves to make him separated from many other individuals. Untainted and unhampered sympathy is possible only for him who is deeply attached to the Ideal and considerably free from the clutches of passionate ness.

Integration

Real integration evolves where people become actively sympathetic to one another through giving and receiving mutual service and co-operation centering round a common Ideal. This integrated collective body can integrate the whole country, nay, even the whole world.

Attachment to Ideal and Integration

The soul of integration is adherence to a common Ideal. We have already stood that the Ideal is to be a nurture of individual distinctiveness and a fulfiller of all. The specific characteristics and the existential desires of every individual can be fulfilled by accepting and following such an Ideal. It is sheer insanity to dreams of unity of humanity excluding individual distinctiveness and all manner of varieties. Each individual man is distinct and separate. His mode of nurture is also different and the utility and contribution of every individual in the world are also different.

If a man does not become what he is inherently destined to be, he cannot accomplish his duty properly, so the society also becomes deprived of his unique service and contribution. Thereby he himself becomes a loser and the society also becomes lame. If a man, who has been born with a poetic talent is not given proper scope for the unfoldment of his native talent and is engaged in a work that is alien to his nature, then he cannot perform the superimposed work properly, not can he manifest his specific trait. He becomes a misfit in the society. He does not enjoy any sense of fulfillment in his life. An agonizing sense of frustration, conflict and uneasiness oppresses him all through his life.

Nurture of Individual Characteristics

So he, who is to be the Ideal, must have the capacity to discern the inherent distinctiveness of every individual. At the same time he should have mastery over the technique of fully unfolding the distinctiveness of every individual.

The nurture of a rose and a jasmine is not the same though both of them are flowers. There is difference even in the nurture of two varieties of roses. In the sphere of human development the mode of nurture in the case of two individuals must vary.

That which is to be done for a man’s nurture considering the time, place and situation is to be accomplished with all precision. This is what is called law. If every individual man is made to develop in his specific manner, then real welfare of the human society can be affected. Because individuals constitute the collective body.

Individual, Society and the State

In this context an importance point has to be discussed-often the political and social leaders consider the individual as an instrument for the fulfillment of the needs of the society and the state and as such frame laws according by. There can be no blunder so dangerous as this. The individual cannot be equated with a part in the social and political machinery. His only office is not to keep the machine going. He has an independent existence and mission that is self- realization or God-realization. So the society and the state have to be moulded in such a fashion as offers every individual belonging to it proper scope for self- realization or God-realization. The individual is not a slave to the society or the state. The existence of the state and the society is meant for the proper development of every individual according to his distinctiveness. It is an existential duty and interest of the individual to lend co-operation to and keep a harmonious relation with the society and the state, so long as they pursue this Ideal, it is the responsibility of the people to guide them in an unerring way according to the Ideal. This is the essence of existential democracy.

Everyone Needs to be Fulfilled

If the devotion, faith, cult, culture, tradition, inherent nature and desire etc., in a word all the characteristic symptoms of all individual are maintained intact and if the people are exalted to an existential ‘Ideal’, then the foundation of integration becomes stable. Then everyone feels that his growth has not been hampered and he has been thoroughly fulfilled. And due to their adherence to a common Ideal they become coordinated and crystallized. The Ideal constitutes the thread that binds all in a bond of love. Then none remains distant or alien and everyone becomes interested in every other person. The human organism is the symbol is the symbol of this integration. Every organ of it nurtures every other organ and the whole human organism simultaneously. The goal of divine integration lies in evolving an inseparable organic relation among all its members forming the social structure.

A Real Form of Integration

‘Satsang is the pioneer of this Supreme integration. Here Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Parsees, Westerners, Easterners, Bengalis, Biharis, South Indians, Gujratis, Maharastrians, Oriyas, Assameses, Punjabis, Communists, Congress men, politicians, educationist, social reformers, scientists, litterateurs, artists, soldiers, peasants, the wise, the foolish, the rich, and the poor, the aristocrats, and lowly people, the capitalists and labourers, the zamindars and tenants, men and women, teachers and the taught, the old and the young, theists and atheists, spiritualists and materialists, the honest and the dishonest, the good and the evil etc., in a word all categories of people of the world have crystallized around Sree Sree Thakur giving rise to a divine platform for the union of all being tied by a homely relationship in active conformity with the Ideal.

In fact, it is an amazing achievement. It will not be an exaggeration to say that there is no room for racial hatred, provincialism, communalism, clash on account of language, factionism conflict for leadership etc. in this fraternity. Of course, there are all sorts of people here with average merits and demerits. The divine quality of integration that has evolved here on the basis of a scientific method of initiation and adherence to the Ideal gives rise to the hope that through an appropriate propagation of this, the whole of India, nay, the whole of the world may one day become integrated in a right fashion.

A unified world harmonizing all varieties in its bosom will come into being on the basis of a universal Dharma and the Ideal, where every man is a brother to all other people and where all are inter-related and that not only in the sphere of ideas and professions but simultaneously in thoughts, words and deeds i.e., in all round reality.

Integration in Individual Life

Integration is essential not only in the collective life. It is indispensable in individual life also. When all the complexes, habits, behaviour, inclination, inborn instinct, action, speech and thinking of a man become convergent and adjusted finding fulfillment in the Ideal, he acquires an integrated personality. And it is only then that he can realize the infinite potentialities of his life. There grows a perfect harmony in all his moves. He never deviates from the Ideal. Every second, his effort becomes creative and constructive. Step by step he advances towards a richer life-in progressive attainment of success, glory and becoming. And it is only an integrated personality that can bring into being an integration of the masses.

The Benign Effects of Integration

Whether in individual life or in collective life, whenever there evolves an Ideal- centric integration, it invariably gives rise to a tremendous power. Then it does not get clogged in so many different water-tight compartments. An interlinking thread runs through all the spheres of life and mind. As a result of this, a mighty stream of energy does have its unhampered course in and through our entire personality inundating the environment also.

The collective body too then assumes the form of an individual. Then all the individuals co-operate and strive to serve the entire society and keep it healthy maintaining proper balance and harmony. Then none feels himself to be helpless and forlorn. Everyone is conscious of the fact that all others are behind him with all their resources. So why should he worry ? That man is a possessor of infinite strength as a child of God, is concretely brought home to him when Ideal-centric service, love, sympathy, mutuality, co-operation and integration become overflowing, intense and dynamic. At that hour this mundane world becomes transformed into a celestial region.

Misery, pain and penury cannot exist there. How can they persist where all are for everyone and everyone is for all? If a man faces any difficulty, so many people rush there to provide assistance and they do not do it with the pride of showing mercy or doing duty. They do it out of an urge to please the Ideal. They do it to maintain their own existence and well-being by contributing to the health and vigour of the environment. If everyone’s knowledge does not become luminous to this extent and if his sense of self does not expand to this degree, then Dharma is nothing but mere empty talk to him.

By removing ignorance we shall have to be convinced of the fact that another individual is virtually my ownself in a separate form i.e. a different manifestation of myself, who constitutes a contributing agent to my life and growth. I cannot maintain my health by allowing my environment, which is an inseparable part of me, to remain unhealthy. That all men’s happiness and misery, good and evil, progress and deterioration are inseparably connected can be deeply realized when the Ideal who is an embodiment of love is intelligently and reverentially understood and followed.

The Fulfillment of an Individual

So a man’s powers or attributes have not the least value if they do not provide existential nurture to his own being as also to that of others. Devilishness reigns, where there are separation from and non-co-operation with the Ideal and environment, giving rise to ingratitude, denial of and aversion to the supreme source. And devilishness carries the seeds of its annihilation in its own bosom. Divine power flows abundantly where the golden thread of a happy harmony among the Ideal, individual and environment shines with an undying glow. Each individual will have to advance towards the Ideal, the path of welfare and the path of Dharma i.e. being and becoming along with his environment, according to his distinctiveness—with all service, exalting effort and adjusting responsibility. And integration and power emerge in and through this concentric move.

The Standard of Becoming

The life of the individual and the community can attain thorough growth where this background is formed and that is called proper becoming. This becoming finds expression both internally and externally. The goal of becoming lays adherence in acquisition of Brahmanhood. When a man out of his adherence to the Ideal feels every being to be a manifestation of his self and engages himself in the existential service of all and thereby advances towards progressive growth, that state of evolution is called Brahmanhood or acquisition of the knowledge of Brahman. This habit must penetrate the character and nature of a man, so that others who come in contact with him instantaneously become inspired with a holy zeal for expansive becoming. Whenever a man comes in contact with such a man, he invariably breathes an atmosphere of emancipation. When we merge ourselves in our narrow selfish world being averse to the Ideal and environment due to an obsession of complexes, its adverse impacts scorches and torments the inner man in us. We keep being consumed and find peace by no means, because this equality of life is hostile to our inherent nature.

Essentially we are great and unbounded. We can find no wellbeing or fulfillment till we attain divinity which constitutes our being. So the goal of Brahmanhood is constantly attracting us irresistibly. We must reach that realm; otherwise there is no enduring security for us. The problems of the world cannot be solved without the attainment of this concentric-expansiveness on the part of men. Our safest shelter lies hidden in a divine way of life. That is where power, peace and satisfaction dwell.

God-Realization

Often people interpret becoming as God-realization. God-realization involves assimilation of existential serviceableness in character. That also should be directed towards the fulfillment of the Ideal. Whatever terminology we may use, becoming signifies bringing about an active concordance among Ideal, individual and environment. We must establish a right relationship with the Ideal and the environment and manifest the same in all the concrete details of our day to day life. And this is the very spine of becoming.

The External Manifestation of Becoming

In human life internal becoming alone will not do, there should be a full-fledged external manifestation of becoming also. We shall have to attain harmonious development in all spheres that contribute to the life and growth of the individual and the society. We shall have to build up the foundation  of resources, fulfillment of healthy desires and liberation on the bedrock of Dharma, Education, Science, Industry, Literature, Agriculture, Wealth, Commerce, Economics, Sociology, Politics—in fact all things needful for the way to human life and growth may be unhampered and wide open.

We want to acquire immortality by doing away with death. So we shall have to wage a relentless and ceaseless war against ignorance, illness, illiteracy, distorted education, poverty, inefficiency, dissension, conflict, passionate ness, dishonesty and immortality and thus smash and crush everything that is against life’s existence. And simultaneously we shall have to encourage such endeavours as make man’s life and growth ever-progressive.

Harmonious Development

It is to be remembered that the goal of our life lies in attaining all-round success and development. If there is any inconsistency, deficiency or irregularity in our actual life that will serve to make us unbalanced, restless and agitated to that extent. Adjustment of our character will also be hampered to that degree. In fact we shall have to strive to acquire perfection within and without, at every step in a methodical manner with all patience, perseverance and continuity. We shall have to bring about perfect consistency and tuning in all our thoughts, words, deeds and movements. It will not do to be one-sided and over inclined to a particular aspect of life, ignoring other aspects of life. That will frustrate total adjustment and give rise to reaction in the long run. In a word, we shall have to be flawless and thorough in all respects on the basis of our individual distinctiveness. And it is only then that we shall be able to fully realize the dignity and sanctity of human life. And for this we need to be firmly established on the bedrock of our ancient existential tradition and culture with an eye to consolidating and fortifying the present and creating a better and brighter future. It is only through such a run of life that a background may be formed which is calculated to provide the best possible scope for highest development of every individual forming the society.

The Continuity of Cultural Effort

If the continuity of cultural endeavours and achievements is not maintained, then evolution becomes impossible. To keep this evolutionary effort unobstructed simultaneously two factors are indispensable. One is endeavour for self-improvement. Education, Knowledge, Research and any kind of effort for self-improvent and improvement of the environment are so many stepping stories to evolutionary move.

Another indispensable factor is applied eugenics. We shall discuss this at length later on. But at this stage it is necessary to indicate that all our efforts towards becoming are sure to fail if there is no provision for proper marriage and eugenics to keep up the continuity of our achievement in the human world. Because, human element is the most essential factor in the world and the inborn biological wealth is the fundamental basis of every human individual. It is the capital with which he conducts the commerce of his life. So if this basic foundation is not set a right, then all our planning for becoming will turn out to be so many day-dreams.

The Secret of Becoming

One more point should be explained here. There are thousand and one aspects of our internal and external life. If we cannot unify and harmonize all these various trends and integrate them in a happy whole then we are sure to invite a chaotic condition. Because, then the order, degree, sequence, means, method and end of our thoughts, words, deeds and movements etc., get disarranged in a disastrous manner. We defeat our own ends and as a result of this incoherent go of life, we may invite ruin instead of becoming. If we want to avoid this danger, we are to consciously maintain a tenor of fulfilling and establishing the cause of the Ideal at every step. It is only then that we can avoid blunders. Then everything becomes conducive to being and becoming. And at this stage man’s personality cannot be disintegrated by the obsession of various complexes and untoward desires. He becomes an integrated man, a whole man whose entire being is devoted to the service of God. Through this unbroken communion he turns out to be such an instrument through which the divine power and the divine will can operate in an unobstructed way and nothing but individual and social good flows out from him. It is progress and not retardation that is brought about by the way he lives. This is the summit of becoming. Then he becomes a great friend of every individual being. To see him is to attain bliss. It is through the presence of such a devotee that the world becomes blessed and the earth turns out to be the kingdom of God.

Deep Concentration & Samadhi

After concluding that power invokes harmonious total growth, Sree Sree Thakur has observed in that context “and uphold of existence gives rise to deep concentration”. We have already discussed about uphold of existence. Here Sree Sree Thakur has focused our attention on another aspect of the same thing. Man has a natural instinct of trying to understand and know himself. This leaning towards the cause or the source leads him to the doors of knowledge. Then he naturally becomes introspective and contemplative. What is the basis of any destiny, what is my goal, what is my eternal nature, what am I to pursue and achieve, what is the sumum-bonum of human life—this eternal quest of human mind engages his attention. Then he earnestly devotes himself to finding solution to these problems. These efforts constitute—deep concentration. At that hour our mind habitually dwells in that region. But it is redundant to say that in order to find a solution we shall have to be actively devoted to a person, who has found the solution to all these problems. The Ideal is a living embodiment of this solution with a consummation of integral knowledge and love concentrated in his personality. The more a man becomes immersed in the remembrance, contemplation and meditation of such a personality with a systematic pursuit of self-analysis, self-adjustment and words and activities calculated to maintain, nurture, fulfill and establish him, the more will he be enabled to find a satisfactory solution to the deeper questions and problems of his life.

In a word we shall have to dedicate ourselves completely to the Ideal with all efforts to constantly live in him and install him in the core of our heart for all time to come. Deep concentration connotes so much.

Samadhi

verse from message vol.2

The more our concentration becomes intense, the more our realization intensifies. Then, it is as if the Ideal seizes our entire being and leads us according to his will. Thus gradually appears ‘Samadhi’, i.e. perfect absorption in the Supreme spirit. Samadhi means to uphold something in all respects with all aptness. When our life constantly sustains the Ideal in an unrepelling manner, i.e., when it completely and consistently holds on to the Ideal, then that state may be called conscious and active Samadhi.

Samadhi means to hold, carry, think-about, please and nurture the Ideal thoroughly with our entire being. He symbolizes the very essence of solved knowledge. So, when a man attains constant absorption in him, an immeasurable glow of enlightenment dawns on him due to communion with him with all his being. Then all his doubts are torn asunder. A harmonious knowledge evolves in him unraveling the truths as to how he himself and the whole world are related to the Ideal and how he stands related to every individual being and thing of the universe.

Then he can feel with all analysis and synthesis and knowledge of the causal nexus as to how variety dwells in unity and how unity pervades all variety. It becomes revealed to him with all scientific mechanism that all things of the world are interrelated. So the secret is laid bare before him as to how each individual can attain highest evolution on the line of his distinctiveness, maintaining a harmonious mutual relationship with all. No question or problem relating to life and the world remains unexplained or unsolved to him. The basic mechanism of everything is unfolded to him with a thorough understanding of the causal relationship underlying it. And this realization is the realization of ‘Brahman’. The undifferentiated knowledge of oneness that is devoid of cognition of distinctiveness and variety cannot be called knowledge of ‘Brahman’.

When a man attains knowledge of Brahman he can directly perceive how and in which componential mode that Supreme One resides in each individuality constituting the plurality of the universe.

Kaivalya: Eternal Emancipation of the Soul

It is at this stage emancipation of the soul takes place, i.e., a man becomes exclusively absorbed in the supreme spirit. One alone reigns supreme in life and none but that one exists.

Whatever a man looks at awakens the consciousness of the Ideal. The Ideal becomes all in all and represents everything to him. A man constantly lives in him and is firmly established in him. He constitutes the one unshaken foundation of his life. As if the whole world and one’s entire existence are full of him.

He is all that exists and everything exists for him. That which does not come to his use, ceases to have any attraction for him. A man becomes actively immersed and intoxicated in love for Him—and that also unconditionally and unexpectantly. He does not care for whether He loves him or not.

In fact man does not gain anything even by receiving super abundant love from God till he begins to love Him actively and unexpectantly. The devotee cannot do without Him, so he dedicates himself completely to His service, worship and propagation. Gradually he gets fully merged in Him. The only desire that actuates him is to be happy by contributing to His happiness and to enjoy his life by making himself enjoyable to Him. This is called emancipation or in other words supreme love. No obstruction, bondage or repulsion can succeed in dissociating him from the Ideal even for a moment.

Man is the outcome of the unconditional self-dedication of God and the consummation of human life lies in spontaneous self-surrender to an embodied God. All sufferings, pains, losses and frustrations of human life become meaningful if a man can realize this supreme essence underlying his life.

In reality God alone exists. In and trough all conflicts and contradictions of life, the Divine play is going on incessantly. So the life of a devotee is spent in an active absorption in the supreme and unparalleled one. He finds the fulfillment of his life by discerning Him alone unceasingly within and without and everywhere in all manner of varieties. Emancipation means this untottering, concentric, constant normal communion.

When the Ideal becomes all in all in life, when everything except the Ideal appears to be insipid, when all the valuable and attractive things of the world that do not serve Him fail to charm us and rather appear to be oppressive, it is only then that our passionate desires become extinct or rather undergo a metamorphosis.

Passionate desires always torment all beings. It is very difficult to get rid of them. They possess men like so many ghosts and drive them with their whips. They always mislead, depress, impoverish and lure them, but in return they do not provide any existential ingredient. Rather, they emaciate the being. A man who is a captive of his passionate desires does not enjoy the least bit of freedom. It is almost impossible to extricate ourselves from this terrible infatuation. There is no end to the recurrence of passionate desires. So it is said in Manu- Samhita—“Our desires do not become pacified by enjoyment, rather they flare up as fire becomes aggravated by the fuel of ‘Butter-oil’ (Ghee).

The Extinction of Passionate Desire

The unending desire of man indicates that he is essentially infinite. So he has to constantly advance towards then infinite. But as he is not conscious of his eternal nature, he creates endless suffering for himself due to the obsession of complexes. So we shall have to develop unceasing love and attraction towards a man who is a conscious and finite embodiment of the infinite. And we shall have to seek him and him alone with undivided adherence. It is only then that we shall be free from endless hankerings born of ignorance. Anyway, if we are not completely attached to the Ideal, we are not likely to win our battle with unenlightened desires. We shall have to make the Ideal our all in all and the only goal of our life and mould every desire in keeping with him. Rather we shall have to convert them into so many offerings for his worship. It is only then that the thralldom of desires will come to an end. The more God will be the object of our desire the more will the unholy desires be eliminated.

Supreme Awakening

Then we shall be constantly saying—“Thy will be done in my life”. At that stage our whole life will be turned into His playground. We shall not cease to exist owing to the extinction of passionate desires. Rather, real life will begin for us through liberation achieved in this life. We shall be awakened to a supreme life pulsating with consciousness. That life is a life that is constantly in divine communion. In fact, a liberated existence is an active all-fulfilling eternal existential divine life which ceaselessly engages itself in promoting the welfare of the whole world. In that state ‘I’-ness and ‘my’-ness will not remain tied to smallness and selfishness. Then a man will realize the Ideal as the source, shelter and essence of his own being as well as the being of others and as such will identify himself with all that exists in the universe. He will feel that his own self is identical with the soul of all other beings. So, contributing to the welfare of all beings will be the only unceasing endeavour of his life. The essence of achieving emancipation or ‘Nirvan’ lies herein. Sree Sree Thakur Anukulchandra has described it as the great awakening of Supreme consciousness.

Course of Human Life

Goal of Life

Every man wants to have a clear conception about the way and goal of life. If this conception is not proper explicit and unclouded, his run of life becomes chaotic. Much of his energy is wasted due to lack of consciousness about the goal of life. Often a man advances so far towards blunder and distortion that remedy becomes almost impossible. So in this regard Sree Sree Thakur has declared the following in no uncertain terms, so that man is not confused about the objective of his life ;--

“The goal of life is god-realization,

• -or in other words attainment of a personality in which the urge of upholding and protecting others, is firmly established ;

the means to it is

active adherence to the Ideal and from this flow self-adjustment ; adjustment of the family, society and the state ;

and from this adjustment of the state begins advancement towards becoming— forging a link with the whole world,

and there from springs the urge of finding fulfillment of everything in God ; and this is the supreme consciousness of God-realization.”

The Secret of Life

The source, course and goal of our life are the selfsame God. The word God connotates mastery. Mastery means thorough hold over the faculty of upholding and nurturing beings. Our being is the gift of God. We are not the creator of our own selves. God is the creator and behind this creation He has a profound purpose. We exist and move on the strength of the resources endowed by Him. He has granted us free-will. The evolution or devolution of our life depends on how we use our free-will. If we like we may follow in His footsteps and we may also deviate from Him with the aid of the strength provided by Him. To deviate from Him is to emaciate our being by yielding to our complexes according to our whims. But the being wants to live and grow. This urge is hampered if we become averse to the Supreme source of our life. “Blunder over takes us as soon as our move of life becomes averse to the source.” Whenever we develop aversion to the source, we fall under the clutches of delusion. And it is just then that ignorance, oblivion and lack of proper consciousness begin for us.

The Eternal Nature of Man Fundamentally we are the very essence of consciousness and bliss. Conscious life and growth constitutes our basic nature. But we have allowed ourselves to be averse to the source and drawn outwards and in this process we have covered ourselves with various gross and fine veils—thereby losing the memory and consciousness of our real self. And in this way through innumerable lives we have acquired so many habits and instincts that are hostile to our divine attributes that nurture being and becoming. To get rid of these inimical habits, concepts and instincts we are to be inclined to the Supreme Source, i.e., God. And it is through this that our divine consciousness will gradually revive and we shall regain our lost heritage i.e., the divine nature. God-realization means assimilating the character of God. “God created man after His own image.” If man fails to have acquaintance with his real nature and if he cannot firmly establish him on that plane, and then whatever he may do turns out to be utterly futile. In fact this sort of go of life only serves to multiply bondages for him.

Know Thyself

So all the scriptures exhort—“Know Thyself”. To know self is to dwell in self. If there is anything that may be called our eternal nature, its stay is in God. He is the creator of our being. We have sprung from Him. In the process of creation we are the legitimate heirs of His divine nature. He is the upholder and protector of all with a mastery over upholding and nurturing all existence. In a word He is the one and only master of our being. He alone has full right over us. We belong to him alone. This is the real truth. Subservience to ego is negation of freedom and that is also self-deception, ingratitude, ignorance and devilishness, because it illegitimately denies the sovereign right of God over us and seeks to move independently and arbitrarily extirpating God and usurping His place in the domain of our life. And to recognize God as the sole Lord of our life willingly and gladly submitting ourselves to Him with a sense of active responsibility to uphold and protect all, is at once devotion, self-knowledge, liberation and bliss. It is this that is the Supreme Goal of our life. So when surrender to God, belonging to Him and fulfilling His will in the divine way become the objects of our life, it can be safely inferred that we have been able to comprehend the essence and keynote of the entire creation. It is heard that God has created himself into many simply to realize and enjoy Himself.

So if we can completely surrender ourselves to His feet with unconditional devotion and unrepelling adherence and love coupled with active pursuit and service, then we can reach the culmination of spiritual realization and enjoyment in our life. Spirituality means ceaseless dynamism of life with an untottering stay in God.

Supreme Love

“The desire that is directed towards gratification of one’s own senses is called lust, but the desire that wants to please the Lord alone is called love.”

This quality of love is the only objective of human life. Then our whole being is consciously centered in Him. He becomes the focal point and the foundation of our ego. At that stage a man does not take even a single breath for himself. When his whole soul is thus absorbed in God, he becomes just an instrument in His hands and constantly seeks to fulfill His will, i.e., he becomes ceaselessly active in upholding nurturing every being of the universe.

There is no room for narrow selfishness, ego or self-establishment in this divine move. And when a man becomes untainted, empty, selfless and holy to this degree, the infinite power of God does find a dynamic manifestation in and through him according to his capacity and characteristics and it is employed in promoting the welfare of all people. It is needless to say that when a man thus dedicates himself to the propitious service of humanity he naturally becomes abundantly resourceful.

It is in this way that human beings find the fulfillment of all their desires along with their environment through selfless love for God. so it is obvious as to how deep and indispensable is the need of a man to advance towards God-realization in his actual day to day life.

Pursuit of Fulfiller the Best of the Age(Yuga-Purushottam)

For this, steady adherence to an Ideal who represents the urge of upholding and protecting all, is necessary. Because we cannot properly conceive a disembodied upholding and protecting urge. So a relationship of real love cannot grow there. An embodied Ideal representing the upholding and protecting urge is called the incarnation, fulfiller the best (Purushottam), the prophet, the Ideal, the master etc. The latest incarnation is the object of our worship. It is best if he can be had when he is alive. He may be said to be a living manifestation of God. All the past prophets are alive in him. To follow him is to follow all the past prophets. If we want to follow any past incarnation it is desirable to follow him in and through the present One. Because, the present incarnation is just a new form of the past One. All the past Ones can be found in him more fully, because in the fulfiller the best of the present age, all the previous prophets can be felt fully, moreover we get in him a further fulfillment of them according to the evolutionary process.

If we seek for highest development, it is indispensable to accept him. We can constantly sense the material and live stimulus of the divine attributes of loving service and the upholding and protecting urge in his direct contact through all his conducts and minute strokes of behaviour.

It we have unexpectant and sincere love for him then his living example stirs the inmost depths of our soul and inspires in us an urge to do as he does and there can be no doubt about the fact that by so doing our perceptions also become finer, keener and richer.

The Way to Highest Evolution

In fact “God is one, Dharma is one and Prophets are messengers of the same truth.” And, unrepelling active adherence and attachment to the present fulfiller the best (Purushottam) who is a nurturer of individual distinctiveness and a fulfiller of all, is the fundamental spine of self-development. He is a living embodiment of the essential truth. We cannot reach the culminating point of truth by excluding him.

If we do not accept him we cannot fully realize God or any of the Past Prophets. He is indispensable to everyone. As a fish cannot live an easy, normal, healthy life without water so also we cannot have an unhampered meaningful complete existential life without availing ourselves of fulfiller the best of the age who symbolizes the very source of the stream of our eternal life. Our life becomes dynamic and fruitful in so far as we live in communion with Him. When we sever our connection with him we gradually become dried up, weakened and shattered. The highest objective of life remains unachieved. Our spiritual pursuit cease at a much lower stage in comparison with the highest possibilities of our becoming.

Prophets are One

In this context it is necessary to say that prophets or incarnations reveal the science of being and becoming. There is no difference among them so far as fundamental and universal truths and principles are concerned. The particular instructions they impart suiting the needs of time, clime and individuality may show some apparent differences but it is discernible that those instructions are strung on the thread of principles of existence. So, it is not at all proper to create any difference among prophets. If we obey one of them and disobey another or if we all the past prophets without caring for the present one or if we obey the present one and disown the past ones then we shall be infected by the spirit of communalism and deviate from proper Dharma.

As we should recognize sequence of prophets so also we should respect the hereditary clan of every individual. To disown forefathers and their existential tradition and culture for the sake of following Dharma is a veritable form of ignoring Dharma. If we develop an unerring conception about the oneness and scientific universality of Dharma then despite the existence of lacs of communities all the people of the world can be unified around the fulfiller the best of the age maintaining the distinctiveness of every individual. We have already stated that Sree Sree Thakur has expressed these supreme truths in all brevity—

(a) “All live and grow through Dharma, sectarianism is not Dharma.”

(b)  “Dharma makes life glowing and it is always one.”

(c)  “Those, who do not obey past prophets, are to be certainly known as heathens.”

(d) “He, who differentiates among prophets, brings about destruction by causing blinding darkness.”

(e) “Non-acceptance of the present prophet leads to extinction in the midst of blinding darkness.”

The Way to God-realization

So if we come to know about the embodied fulfiller the best, we should by all means avail ourselves of this presence. It is a great fortune to have him. Those who cannot accept him owing to their obsession of ignorant instincts are really very unlucky. They keep themselves far away from the fundamental purpose of life which lies in God-realization. They may endeavour much in the spiritual domain according to their own likes and dislikes but those endeavours which owe their origin to their imperfect mind can never produce the desired result. In fact, those attempts are not in tune with God. When the fulfiller the best is present in flesh and blood it is he who is to be accepted and followed. Because, he is the living altar of God and previous prophets. Moreover, he is the - then supreme evolving agent of the whole human race. To ignore him is to ignore God and the past prophets. All gods and goddesses are also ignored thereby. A God means a deity who glows in the heart of people by accentuating life and growth in them through service and inspiration. If we become averse to fulfiller the best and continue spiritual practice according to our own passionate choice we become deprived of worthwhile realization.

Of course, if we continue spiritual practices according to the instructions of a realized Guru with all adherences to him it invariably produces its effect. We should again remember that on the advent of the supreme Guru, the Guruhood of all other Gurus devolves on him. God alone is attainable, so when He Himself appears in human form at that hour he is to be worshipped. If we accept him even after having accepted another Guru that does not involve desertion of the former Guru. Rather, by this new initiation the previous initiation finds further fulfillment. But if we do not accept him notwithstanding our having come in contact with him, that amounts to forsaking the real Guru. Moreover, there are different stages of spiritual pursuit and realization thereof. If we are to reach the highest possible stage of realization, unrepelling adherence to fulfiller the best of the age is an imperative easy. To know the fulfiller the best in his essence is God-realization.

Again, if the fulfiller the best of the age is not alive, if he is already gone, it is our paramount duty to follow him. And we can have the inspiration of following him truly through an ideal devotee who has unrepelling and passion-pervading attachment, it is all the better. In fact he continues to remain alive in the world in and through the chain of devotes that have passion-pervading attachment to him. Moreover, there remain his process of spiritual culture, the divine name given by him, his image, the history of his life, his messages and his holy dwelling. All these things serve as aids to God-realization till his next advent.

Divine Name, the Embodiment of Name and Creation

In order to know him in his essence it is needful to be initiated in the process introduced by him. Out of mercy he condescends to come down to earth in a human shape from his causal plane carrying the memory, consciousness and instinct of the Supreme Source in their pristine purity. He is the embodied form of the divine name and the seed of entire creation lies embedded in the divine name. The world has evolved out of it. Everything belonging to the world has organized from the prime sound, so it is called Brahman in the form of sound. Behind sound there is the vibration. And the mechanism of every kind of vibration is found in the supreme name. Originally there was a great void or vast expanse endowed with two opposite poles. One pole is the positive and the other negative. There are an eternal attraction and repulsion between these two poles. Motion and energy are the outcome of them. This constant dynamic force constitutes ‘Atma’ (soul). The word ‘Atma’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘At’ which means to go on incessantly. At the back of vibration there are also attraction and repulsion. Sound is generated by them and creation gradually evolves out of it. Sree Sree Thakur has proclaimed on the basis of his direct realization:-

“Vibration comes from the conflict of stato-dynamic urge evolving into sound in a periodic flow of positive and negative motion which creates with every orientation different devices and designs of creation and dissolution from the vibrating tremor of tuning adjustment and it runs on resonating within and without in the form of a thrill of make and break; discern, know the clue and characteristics of vibration, apply it accordingly to make and break and to have the desired effect of creation and dissolution.” - Master

In fact, the original divine name or word constitutes the essence of all causes or in other words the cause of all causes i.e., the final cause. And the fulfiller the best (Purushottam) is the conscious embodied form of it. The divine name is said to be the symbol of the divine. Through name we can ascertain the Supreme Source, i.e., we can form an idea as to wherefrom he has condescended to descend and where he wants to lead us who are ignorant and erring. If we cannot establish ourselves steadily on the plane of the Supreme Source, our whole move of life turns to be meaningless and productive of ignorance. That only serves to multiply the fruits of futility.

We have already learnt that the way to God-realization or attainting a personality capable of upholding and protecting all, lies in active adherence to fulfiller the best or the divine master. Now we shall discuss how we can adequately develop our adherence to the Ideal. Here we shall discuss at length all that we have to do after being initiated and in the process we shall endeavour to show how attachment to the Ideal and self-adjustment inevitably flow from the observance of them. The first duty after initiation is self-culture. →