EXPERIENCES WITH BABA

Baba stories related by Dada Jyotiprakashananda, a senior acharya based in Raipur, India, during the 3rd International Prabhat Samgiit Festival (Nov. 2021)

[Some minimal editing has been done for greater reading clarity]

 

 In Ananda Marga spiritual sadhana there is only the importance of Guru, the Taraka Brahma. Without his grace it is not possible to attain the goal, to get the stamina to move toward the goal, to understand the goal. Everywhere the great need is the grace of Guru, the grace of Taraka Brahma. 

 

BABA’S REVELATION ABOUT PERSONAL CONTACT 

Once Baba was telling what he does in personal contact. Actually, until Baba himself tells, we can not understand what he does in personal contact. The [external] process is like this: PA Dada will explain how the disciple is to enter Baba’s room and do sastaunga pranam and then answer to whatever Baba is asking and not to ask any questions.

Baba revealed what actually happens: “When the person enters my room I see their past 200 years samskaras, then I see 200 years of their future. I see all their samskaras and I reorganise their samskaras in such a way that all their negative samskara and all their positive samskara will become the cause of their spiritual progress. This reshuffling of samskaras I do in those few minutes of personal contact because if I don’t do that it will be very difficult for my sons and daughters to move ahead unto me.”

Baba is so compassionate, loving, kind. He does everything and at the same time he takes away some of our samskaras on himself. This is Baba’s process which has not been previously given, so I thought it would be beneficial to share it with all brothers and sisters. 

 

 WHY DID I COME? 

In 1981 when Tiljala building was under construction Baba held two DMCs there. By the second DMC Baba had his Tiljala quarters. After the DMC was over Baba went to his quarters, after giving varabhaya mudra. As general rule, after general darshan and giving varabhaya mudra, Baba didn’t take reporting with the acharyas. Therefore, everyone went to their room to retire to bed, but Baba told PA dada to call the workers. PA said, “Baba, today is your rest day, tomorrow we can organise”. Baba told him, “Call them all immediately!” We all rushed to Baba’s quarters and Baba was already sitting on his cot outside his room. When we were assembled Baba asked,” How was my lecture today?” We all said “Baba, it was very nice.” Then Baba put a question, “Can anyone tell why I came on this earth? With what motive, with what purpose?” No one was able to tell the main purpose that Baba came to planet earth. Then Baba started asking some workers individually and they replied, “to establish dharma,” “to establish Prout” – a few words like that. Then Baba was silent and lastly he himself revealed that he came to this earth with two major purposes;

“Firstly, I want that every human being of this earth should know the goal of their life, and that it is very  easy to attain oneness with God by the spiritual practices of Ananda Marga. So tomorrow, no one should get the chance to complain that, “I was not knowing what is the goal of my life and how I could attain it, otherwise I could have also achieved the goal”. “Do you understand my boys?” We said,  “Yes Baba.”  Then Baba was speaking in a very requesting tone.  “Will you please do my little, small work?” and we all assured Baba, “Yes, we will do it.” 

Baba continued, “The second reason for my coming on the earth is that I want to see the Ganges of devotion flow in heart of every human being by singing the kiirtana of Baba. I want that all hearts should sing ‘Baba nam kevalam.’  Will you do this small work my dear boys?” We all assured Baba that yes, we would do that. Then Baba said, ”Yes, my reporting is over, now you can go.” 

Dear brothers and sisters, respected Dadas and Didis, we should all understand that we should not do kiirtan in a closed room or hall, but we should do it in an open place, in a garden, beach etc. which will allow anyone and everyone to participate, rather we require them to participate. When they sing with us they will enjoy, whether initiated or not they will enjoy the kiirtana. Those with respect and even those without respect, they will enjoy. Their elevation is guaranteed. So I request that we all do like this. We should do street kiirtana, we should do it in the park, schools and colleges, in an open place and to invite people to come. 

 

 THE ONE QUALITY NEEDED FOR PRACHAR

The next incident was in 1988 or 1989 October when there was RDS of all Bhukti Pradhan of India from the Prout department in the Tiljala building. The first-floor hall of Baba’s house was completely packed. One brother was asked to give his report. Baba said, “You are all Prout workers and you have to do the propagation of Prout, of Dharma. Tell me, what is the quality that a pracharaka (one who propagates the ideology) of Prout or Ananda Marga should have, without which it is very difficult to propagate the ideology? The brother was very talkative and started telling the qualities needed as if he would give a lecture. Baba said, “Wait! Wait! You have to answer in one word, not a sentence.” The brother stopped and was thinking for a few seconds. He said, “Baba, very difficult to answer in one word.” Baba said, “Okay, this is the quality, in one word, that all of us need: sympathy. True sympathy for human beings and living beings. Then only you can be a pracharaka of Dharma. Without sympathy for the living beings you cannot.”

 

 REMEMBER HIM 

Now the next one was in a very memorable phase of my life. I was Regional Secretary (RS) in south India in 1983. We were ten RS and we reached Baba’s quarters in Lake Gardens for reporting. Baba told his P.A. Dada Ramananda to call us to his room and Dada came and called us, “Come on! come on! Baba is calling. Hurry! hurry!!” We all rushed to Baba’s room and the door was open so we went inside and did sastanga pranam. We were just finishing our sastanga pranam when Baba became very angry, “Ramananda! Get them out of my room!” Dada had to support Baba and said, “Hey! What nonsense are you people doing! Get out from here!” We could not understand why Baba had called us and all of sudden he’s telling us to go out. Then Baba said, “Okay, let them stand. You know Ramananda, none of them from the ten has taken second lesson before entering my room.” And really, we were so nervous and hurried that we forgot to take second lesson before entering Baba’s room. On some such occasions Baba used to remind us and help us to use second lesson. Baba then said, “Even when you have urgent work and less time you should remember him and then start your work.” 

 

KNOW YOURSELF

The last one is very short. We Dadas were standing front of Baba and he said, “Can any one of you come forward and tell their weaknesses in front of everyone here?” GS Dada repeated Baba’s question to us and we were all standing with our heads down and everyone was silent. GS said to Baba, “Baba, everybody is silent. No one is coming forward.” Then raising his voice Baba said, “Is not a man of you strong enough and brave enough to tell their weaknesses to everyone here?” Then one Dada came forward and said in a strong and determined voice, ”I will tell them!” We were surprised and curious about what answer he will give. I was also curious – I was also among those who did not answer. Without hesitation he started telling his weaknesses one after the other, “I am very selfish, I am very egotistic, I am very lazy – just like that he told about ten of his weaknesses. Baba was very happy and said ,”Yes. Every sadhaka must know their weaknesses, then only they can correct themselves. The person who doesn’t know their own weaknesses cannot improve themselves.”