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Krishnaashtami 2008.
1.
My humble salutations to all co travelers
in the path. I am happy that all of us have
joined to celebrate the Krishnaashtami today.
During the meditation now, as ever, we were in
the company of the Master. In the language of
the Gita, we all were having intimate contact
with the Eternal and are immensely absorbed in
the thought of the Master. (“sukhena
brahmasamsparsam atyantam sukham asnute”-
BG.VI 28) I think we are all aware that we
should not disturb such a sweet Silence unless
we can better that. I do hope that a few
sentences I share with you now do indeed such a
service. The showers of Ganga -Jamuni drenched
us to the core and we were all deeply absorbed
in meditation and have felt the love of the
Master deep in the core of our heart. For such a
blessing we offer ourselves unreservedly to His
service. It was never easy for us to come out of
the deep silence we usually imperience during
the spiritual congregations but certain routines
appear to be inevitable even while we serve the
Lord silently.
2.
For the sensitive aspirants the flow now
as on all Krishnaashtami celebrations is tinged
more with love as contrasted to the Pranahuti
during our Masters’ birthday celebrations where
devotion predominates. In tradition it is held
that Love belongs to the river Jamuna and
Devotion to Ganga. The reason for this may be
Lord Krishna had his play with the gopis on the
banks of Jamuna and Lord Rama and his brothers
particularly Bharat played their roles in the
banks of Ganga. Though Pranahuti is a mixture of
Ganga-Jamuna during Krishnaashtami we experience
more of Jamuna or love. We know that Lord
Krishna is the head of our organisation and it
is but natural that He showers his grace on all
of us dedicated to the Master and his mission.
3.
Love has the possibility of our entering
into the states of ecstasy and rapture while
devotion leads to subduedness and humility. With
the Advent of our Master we are fortunate in
having a mix of the two great traditions of Love
and Devotion. About this aspect of Pranahuti we
have discussed in the booklet “Ganga Jamuni”,
which I would request all the aspirants to read
more than once. The state of Avadhoot is a
problem that arises in the path of Love. By
deriving benefit from both the traditions we are
saved from falling into a state of Avadhoot in
this path. We all know that the state of
Avadhoot is considered to be a high spiritual
condition in other systems of yoga and
spirituality: however Master in his infinite
beneficence saves us from falling into that rut
of being in a static state.
4.
The very word Krishna makes spiritually
inclined persons in the world feel happy. The
word Krishna means one who grants unending
greatest happiness and He is true to His name as
we all feel. The word also means black or blue.
Some of the aspirants often write or tell that
they have experienced the blue color and in this
path it is generally construed that the aspirant
having such a vision is blessed by Lord Krishna.
Some say blue, some black, some violet and some
brightness and many more just brilliant light is
what they felt during meditations. Of these
which is true? I am inclined to say ‘all and
none’ because what we experience is
intellectually mediated knowledge: the reality
behind is beyond expression.
5.
In a letter to Revered Dr.K.C.V. Master
wrote that “I am reminded of Lord Krishna’s
prediction inter communed to me some time ago
that the time has not yet come for the people to
have full understanding of your existence though
it shall definitely come but only when you have
given up the material form.” In another letter
he wrote that there is no difference between him
and Lord Krishna. It has been our experience
that when we think of Lord Krishna we
immediately think of our Master and when think
of the Master with love and devotion we also get
reminded of Lord Krishna. They are one and at
the same time two. We know such is also the case
with reference to the Samarth guru Sri
Ramchandraji Maharaj of Fategarh and our Master.
6.
However there is a vital point to note
here. Lord Krishna came to restore Dharma while
our Grand Master came to connect us to the
Centre through Prana. He brought some thing
new and that is why he is
called Samarth Guru. This connection to the
Centre is no unique opportunity restricted to
those who are in this institution or to the
institutions going by the name of our Master
only. Such an interpretation would be beneath
the dignity of the Master whose Universal nature
is unquestionable. It is universally available
and it is only the devotion, love and dedication
to the divine that is required. While one has
the option to seek the Source or God directly it
is common wisdom to take assistance from those
who know the path and can give connection to the
Master who leads us to the Goal. In fact coming
to the Master itself is the Goal: that is known
to those who have derived benefit from such an
association. To be one with the divine I need
not say means to die to be a petty self – which
is the real meaning of surrender.
7.
The remembrance of the Master thanks to
the effect of Pranahuti never allows us to enter
the states of ecstasy or rapture but keeps the
fire of devotion alive. Aspirants doing bhajan,
kirtan or sangeetam enter into states of ecstasy
or rapture and thus get into the gross
absorption albeit of the divine. This is common
to the various cults and streams of spirituality
spread through out the world living in the
thought of Lord Krishna. Where as sadhakas who
are getting trained through Pranahuti do not
enter into such states but do get into states of
deep absorption where sense of self itself is
lost not to speak of even an element of
enjoyment missing. This perhaps is the reason
why many aspirants in the path are not all that
happy about their condition though they all
appreciate and acknowledge the same: and that is
good, as it keeps the aspiration alive through
the path of love, devotion and surrender.
We find that the Pranahuti sessions we have
increases our peace of mind in spite of
suffering; we become braver and more
enterprising; we understand more clearly the
difference between what is everlasting and what
is not; we learn how to distinguish between what
is our duty and what is not. Our pride melts
away and we become humble. Our worldly
attachments diminish and, likewise, the evil
within us diminishes from day to day. We find
that the continuous and unbroken awareness of
the indwelling presence of the Master and the
inner light of consciousness is what we have in
this supreme meditation which intimates us deep
in the heart both devotion and love.
I am afraid the point is very fine and I have
difficulty in communication here. While
experiencing the effects of Pranahuti is
relatively easy, explaining the subtle methods
by which it works in transforming our behaviour
attitudes and behaviour is not that easy. In
Pranahuti we find love and devotion intertwined
to such an extent it is difficult to point them
out separately. However it may be said that the
aspect of love in it is more than the aspect of
devotion during Janmashtami celebrations. I may
say it is showers without clouds.
8.
It is obvious that love is a common
characteristic of the disciple and the Master or
devotee and God. But devotion is essentially the
characteristic of the devotee. However this
issue is different in the case of PAM. It may
sound odd and heretic if I say that in this
path, Master is also devoted to the cause of the
upliftment of humanity. This aspect of
devotedness of the Master is unique to this
system and we do not find it in the case of
other systems. To have made the Centre yawn
towards the circumference was the task performed
by the Grand Master and that is the indication
of devotion he had for humanity. Devotion has,
it may be seen a purpose while Love is blind.
Devotion I may even add is of the heart and mind
while Love is that of heart and heart alone. We
love Master not with any purpose but because we
cannot help loving him. This desireless love is
the prime characteristic we develop as we grow
in this system.
9.
The prediction about our Master referred
to above I personally know is true. This is so
with all those who are here who had personal
acquaintance with the Master when he was in the
physical form. We feel the Master more intensely
in our hearts now than we used to when he was
here physically with us. The truth of
spirituality is thus expounded by him more now
than before. In fact I may say we are now
granted the Vision through which we now see him
without seeing him: after all the purpose of
seeing is to feel and when we feel what
necessity is there to see? We all understand
this logic and are so much with him even as the
gopis were with Lord Krishna. To see him with
the mortal eyes is not possible and we need
special capacity is what is stated often by the
learned. But we have such a vision by his grace
a vision that requires no physical organ or
means. The aspirant has the Master in his heart
and is intimate with him always. But that
awareness or vision is clouded many times due to
dirt and dross that we have collected. Our Grand
Master asserted “Every individual is
satchidananda. No one is devoid of Sat
– existence, Chit – Knowledge and
Anand – Bliss. It is due to ignorance that
man has thought himself to be something other
than what he really is. Here in the Satsang, it
will be tried to remove his ignorance side by
side with the practice of meditation which will
enable him to experience Sat-Chit-Anand.”
How true are his statements we know through our
personal experience during Satsangh and at other
times when we receive Pranahuti.
10.
We are today having a seminar on the
topic “God is
constantly with us and ready to take us up at
the slightest sign on our part of accepting
Him.” We have felt Him with us intimately during
meditation and now are feeling Him less
intensely as the mind which was turned upwards
now started seeing downward and forward. Yet it
is the same mind that seeks transformation. This
is but natural in the realm of Vyavahara. There
are many serious aspirants in the path who would
like to share their understanding of the matter
and I would be one with you waiting to share
their wisdom.
11.
Pranam.
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