First Mother’s Mercy and Guru’s Grace.

‘Shanti’ and ‘Sukha’ – tranquility and happiness – everyone wants them. These are spiritual qualities.Man’s inner soul revolts, against man being turned into machines. These two attainments are indispensable for the spiritual hunger of man. In spite of all atheism and materialism, man is unable to cease to be divine , in his finalmost reality.Why is it that even the most wicked and worst persons are liked to be called righteous and good , just and kind ? Why ? Why are people so very anxious to cover up all their badness and falsehoods , trickeries and hypocrisies ? Why that nature – inner nature – for being called benevolent, philanthropic and living one’s life  for world’s welfare ? Go to any part of the world , of any language , any civilisation; test either the smallest child , or the most tyrannical tyrant ; there , there , is the proof of the ‘Divinity of Man’.

Peace can proceed in two ways only, by the satisfaction of the desires or their annihilation. If by the time your ten desires are fulfilled , twenty new desires fill their place , with yet higher forcefulness, where is the hope ? Unless you turn your steps towards the self-denying path, your demand for peace and happiness is only modestly worded but it is in reality a demand for world’s conquest.

‘Shanti’ or tranquility proceeds from ‘Naishkarmya’ or ‘in-action’; and ‘Sukha’ or happiness proceeds from ‘Tyaga’ or relinquishment. First have the rationalistic, unclouded , unambiguous, crystal-clear understanding about god, Guru, Religion and Religiosity.Then begin the Sadhana of harmonising all the different tunes within yourself, by actual practice , be they only of simplest nature and of the smallest type . Let every worldly activity be only as an inevitable exception to your standing orders  of ‘Maximum observance of Inaction’. You will see the preliminary peacefulness dawning over your Soul, in your mind and heart . after fairly good harmonisation, you will be able to form a conception, an image , or a reflection in your mind.

Get mother’s Mercy and Guru’s Grace and fire on. Be wisest in selecting your environments , company and associations. Undertake constant watchfulness over your heart and mind, thoughts , emotions and actions.  Never be discouraged.Every failure is only a preparation for a future success. Say ‘I lose nothing on trying ‘. Say ‘Let me have a satisfaction of failing ‘. When there is fortunately an atom of success, say,’ I have to exert a bit more  and let me have at least once a nominal success.’ When that smallest success is there , say,’Why should I not be successful in every case , if I have been successful in one at least ‘ and so on. Say,” Why, while so many others have succeeded, I should not succeed in every case” ? With renewed energy and renewed hope , proceed on, till you have attained a fairly high perfection.

There is no technicality about Religion and Religiosity. Every man that is born is entitled to it, and knows about it.

You are dying for wealth, for woman or man and for pleasure. You have become living ghosts, for their sake. You just try for these spiritual possessions , you will similarly get them now and here. As a matter of fact in the real;m of religion, the demand is the least, if not none; and you will get the Lord or mother, for practically no price whatever. Mother is only waiting to be shouted for, or mere called.

Two Divine Truths must be constantly before your mind :

(A) Unlike worldly efforts, nothing done here is  without its permanent benefit, in spite of seeming failure; because you are busy with bettering your instruments  which are ever with you, to be more efficient , not only for the whole life, but for lives after lives, if you believe in rebirths.

(B) There should be absolutely no feeling of drooping, on seeing the contrast of the mountain of work  to be done to reach the end and your ant’s working capacity. An ant or an elephant , the mightiest army or deserted individual, one and all, are under the kindliest care and observation of Mother and She gives the most handsome return for an ant’s or elephant’s exertion. You have to pass between two opposites. You feel the  task is impossible, on the one hand; on the other you can not succeed unless you have a faith , that you are sure to achieve it. You are drooping at the idea of your inability, and you must have the strength of will, to say that nothing is great for you. The consciousness about your weakness does not permit you to exert yourself , at your maximum possible best. Unless you have that conviction you can’t succeed.

It is here that the faith of God and Guru comes in.You say to yourself,”An impossible thing is impossible so long as I have to do it. ” As soon as you believe ” Mother will do the work for me ” and that your part therein is only the determination, devotional intensity, single mindedness, and ‘Do or die-exertion’ the task becomes easy, provided you have faith in your Guru and in God about His mercifulness and His wonderful powers.

Some persons are so mentally constituted , that if a single thing worth nothing is lost and if they are searching for the same they can’t turn their mind to any other thing, till the lost thing is found.Its worth is absolutely no consideration. The peculiar nature is the indicator of the faculty required  for ‘Sadhana’ or vision or realisation of Godliness. ” DEHAM PATAYAMI KARYAM SADHAYAMI – देहं पतयामी कार्यं साधयामी ”  (  I achieve my object or I throw away my body ).

After the preliminary Sadhana of religious requirements described in this chapter , the Superior Sadhana leading to ‘Vairagyam’ has to be undertaken.This Sadhana is the practice of developing the mind to see in everything 1] temporariness 2]untruthfulness 3]changingness 4] fruitlessness etc.These are the most indispensable factors , in our vision and understanding of the world to make any real headway to go still higher. The perfection in all virtues and the best usual human faculties and capacities, does not bring you to the end of your Sadhana , even if don’t want to go higher than doing your best, to have the maximum happiness and minimum misery. Although the said maximum minimum is the most practical and universally acknowledged  general goal of human life , the higher you climb, the higher and higher requirements press themselves on you as indispensable and inevitable.

You reach the highest apex of devotion ( Gauna Bhakti ). So long as that has not ripened itself to PARABHAKTI  पराभक्ती with Gnana ज्ञान  achievement , the culmination point of Divine Love is not reached and the highest bliss is not experienced. Till that final stage is attained, you remain constantly weeping and laughing, and begging and thanksgiving. Where is the end ?

Here the Gnaninज्ञानी , the Vedantin वेदान्ती come in and say ,” Crush your mind to pieces. Annihilate it altogether. It is this hopeless mind that shows you heaven and hell, and gives you happiness and misery. “. Follow the teaching and train your mind to the point of annihilation of the mind.

Developing your virtues , character and your usual human faculties and living harmoniously and harmlessly with all in the world is the first great thing. It is not that Bhakti or Gnana are not higher things . But without feet and belly and hands what is the worth of your life  with only a sweet heart and sound head ? You can feel most nobly; you can think most ingeniously ; but in practical  life you are a big cipher. What is use ? Hence strict abidance  to the order of development is most useful, hence the importance of ” Love and Service to All ” is the highest, especially in this age of reversed ways and values.

EXTRACT FROM : MAI-ISM AUTHOR : MAI SWARUP MAI MARKAND 

MAI NIWAS, SARASWATI ROAD END, SANTACRUZ WEST MUMBAI 400054 INDIA