It is She who makes a
Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vishya or Shudra, in matter of Casts or a Brahmachari
(bachelor) or a Grihastha (a house holder), a Vanprastha (a retired) or
a Sannyaasin (a renounced), what anyone is. It is of Her making, that
emotions, passions, thoughts, desires and actions act in a particular fixed
manner, although the knowledge about it is known to few. It is She that
has made properties or inherent natures, and different temperaments
of the practical, moral, emotional, intellectual, philosophical or spiritual
beings and natures.
The idea conveyed, is not
that of the obligatory duty or compulsion, prescribed in scriptures, but a very
clear visualization, that you should be fully contented with the circumstances
and conditions, that you are placed in. This is in the matter of overestimating
one's self on one hand or deprecating or envying others, because of higher or
lower stages, etc, on the other. It should always be remembered that all is of
Her making and every condition, to which each being is subjected, is what is
best for the evolutionary progress of that particular being.
A wise aspirant should lay
out the line of his progress, along the line of least resistance, to be most
economical in matter of energy to be spent and the speed of results. He must
study, respect and obey spontaneity, the natural condition of circumstances,
temperaments, inherent nature, etc., This is what is recommended in the aphorism,
“Better to die in one's own Dharma; a foreign Dharma is full of fears"
Dharma should not be taken
to mean Hinduism etc, but one's own nature, the duty, the call, or the particular
stage in progress, Just what is required at a particular time.
Every race, nation, has its
own distinctive nature. This tely studied, with the most sensitive
psychological analysis, to enable on
Every race, nation,
community, family and individual, has its own distinctive nature. This should
be most minutely studied, with the most sensitive balance and subtlest
psychological analysis, to enable one to decide at every step,
what should be done, and
what should not be done. One nation is able to rule over another, because the
ruled nation does not know its own nature, and the ruling nation knows both its
own nature, and the nature of the ruled, including especially its weak points.
If the backbone of a nation
is religion, religion alone will save that nation, and what is required is to
review and revise the religion, rather than shift the field of progressive
action to the materialistic plane, where defeat is sure.
In connection with whatever
has been most wisely ordained, by the wisest of the Hindu sages, regarding the
rules of the castes and others, the following psychic laws should be well
understood and practiced:
1. What you associate with,
that you begin to love. 2. What you love, that you meditate on. 3. What you
meditate on, that you become. 4. What you take in, that takes you in. 5. As is
the food-stuff, so is the brain-stuff. 6. The quality of the food influences
the mind physically, morally and spiritually. 7. Unless one exerts one-self to
keep up, one goes down. 8. Once you go down, your tendency towards going down
increases and your outer and inner forces which would protect you against going
down, diminish. 9. The natural result of association is equalization; the
higher losing and the lower gaining. 10 The results of a certain meritorious
action are manifested in the same field, in which the actions are sown.
practising religion to be materially rich, is in itself a paradox. Any person
with the said motive, may rightly be said to be resorting to religion, but not
practising religion. One can be rich by resorting to religion, but he is not
then practising it.
Aspirants (Mumukshus) should
associate, as far as possible, with them alone, that are spiritually superior.
Every hour, that they have to pass with inferiors, should be felt as a
distinct tangible loss. The very first door for degeneration souls begins with
inferior association;
Next follows, falling a prey
to the honor, flattery, assistance, and remuneration in some form, that is
received. Next comes in, the loss of discrimination and self-delusion, which
results in the wiping away of the notions about subtle differences and
understandings, actions and reactions, forces and effects, etc. Then follows,
falsely crowning evil, with the laurels due to goodness, and justifying bad
conduct with hypocrisy. Lastly follows, merry-making in the name of religious
tolerance, shamelessness under the name of plain-spokenness and public living,
and finally follows, some entanglement somewhere, with woman, wine and wealth.
I am tempted to give an
interesting illustration. A Guru with his disciple, was practicing penance in a
forest, near a rich and religious city. The Guru had to leave his disciple for
a few years. He gave one point of advice, on great solicitations by the
disciple. "Have little contact with others, and never with those, that are
spiritually inferior." After a few months the disciple began to go for
religious alms in the city. Due to his religious luster, many citizens were
attracted, and they began to go to him for sacred teachings, every evening.
Then came the monsoon and people began to request the Mahaatmaaji, to take pity
on them, and stay in the city so that all might continue to come to him, to
hear his teachings. Next came the request, that in the city it would be
indecent to be in the entirely nude condition. so, at least the loin cloth
should be put on. One night, a mouse chewed away a part of the loin cloth. The
devotees at once arranged for a cat and milk. After a few days, it often
happened that the milk pot overturned, due to some hasty person from the
audience. The audience was ever ready for any sacrifice, to serve their Guru.
Someone atonce arranged for a cow. The cow was milked by a milk- maid, but one
day she said, she had to go to her father for a few months. Just when this was
declared, a beautiful young daughter of a rich merchant offered herself to milk
the cow, twice before sunrise and after sunset. Out of gratitude and
appreciation of the devoted girl's sacrifice to serve him. Mahaatmaaji stood by
her side, when she would milk the cow in dark and solitude. One night, when she
was returning home, she had an unbearable stomach-ache, and she had to remain
in the hermitage. The cold was freezing and Mahaatmaaji had with great sorrow,
to accede to her request of giving her heat by embrace, only as a daughter. The
next day a rumor was strong, and her parents turned her out. She came to
Mahaatmaaji, and said she would commit suicide unless her married he. This had
to be done with great reluctance. Later came self-delusion and gradual
slackening, and after a year a handsome son was born. Two years later an
epidemic deprived Mahaatmaaji. of his most beloved son. The separation was
unbearable and the only way left was to drown the remembrance in only a very
small cup of wine. Poor pitiable husband and wife! Condemned by people and
crushed with the misery of losing the most beloved son.
They began to indulge in
excess of enjoyment and drinking. After some time, it was discovered that wine
spoiled their health and it was necessary to take nonvegetarian food. The
ill-repute due to all these incidents had scared away all devotees. Income fell
down to nil. How to get money to lead the luxurious life of each diet, rich
drink and comfort!
Gradually, due to the
financial pinch, the hermitage degenerated into a brothel. Once mistaking
Mahaatmaaji's wife for a faithless beloved, some ferocious youth murdered the
poor innocent wife. Mahaatmaaji began to tear out his hairs, under this
mountain of calamity, and began to shout for the Guru. The Guru returned. He
was surprised. The disciple repented, and after sufficient admonition, the Guru
by the application of his supernatural powers reclaimed the disciple and taught
him the useful lesson of always keeping superior company or no company, etc.
Aspirants should establish
their censorship over every morsel that they eat, every thought, desire,
emotion and action, but on the top of everything, over every moment that they
spend with spiritually inferior people.
Aspirants should practise
these requirements without any hubbub, about superiority or inferiority,
without exhibition, without harm to others, and almost unseen. The best prayer
and the best worship is one, which the nearest sitting man does not know of.
The secret so much insisted on and enjoined in religion, is interpreted by the
Maai-ists to mean the above, and not monopolizing or allowing one's experiences
and knowledge about attainment of wisdom and power, to be buried with oneself.
Being in spiritually
superior company, and taking in one's own righteously earned, self-cooked or
home-prepared food, is the highest observance for an aspirant, who is
determined to elevate himself spiritually.
Observance of whatever one
desires to observe, as a requirement of the principles of castes and orders,
should not be so in harmonious, showy, selfish, posing and self-deceptive, as
to render one subject to ridicule.
Sincerity of purpose, and
conduct of life, must be convincing. Most liberal allowance must be made for
possible weakness, but hypocrisy should not be permitted to remain unseen,
unknown, and unadmitted. An aspirant must from time to time decide where he
stands or must get an analysis
about him from one who most
closely observes him, and is spiritually high enough to arrive at the right
judgment.
If the superiority is a
solid one, that should be utilized in raising and removing the inferiority of
others. If you are strong enough, do bend to give a helping hand to one on the
lower plane, who needs it. But if the superiority is liable to be lost, do not
remain under the delusion, and the infatuation about your superiority. Visualize
its hollowness and harbor humility. Never forget, that much of your superiority
is often unearned, circumstantial, trivial and untried.