Asceticism In Family-life.
“When the impurities are eliminated by the adoption of the eight-fold way of ‘Yoga’, the vision of the discerning intelligence acquires extraordinary brilliance.” - Patanjali Yoga Darshan [02/28]
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| Shri Laalaa Ji Maharaj |
"پریشان کیا جانا اچچھ ہے .گھر ہلم و برداشت کا اسکول ہے . ہمارے یہاں انہیں باتوں پر صبر کرنا ٹپ کہلاتا ہے اور جملہ اقسام کے ٹاپوں سے یہ بالاتر ہے .پاس بجے غصّہ و غم کے غیرت اختیار کرنا چاہئے .غیرت کہتے ہیں اس جذبہ کو ، جسسے دوسروں کے کہیں-سنانے اور ملامت کرنے پر یہ مالم ہوتا ہے کی واقیے میں میرا ہی کسر ہے اور فر زپٹ کر لینا پڑاتھا ہے .آوروں کے واسطے جنگل اور تنہآیے گھوشا نشینی تاھممل اور برداشت اور دنیاں کے ذک ذک بک بک سے رہیے کے اسبابا ہیں .اور ہمارے واسطے گھر والوں ، دوستوں ،دنیاں والوں کی جھدکیاں ، تانے ، ملّمتیں ، ریاضت اور چللاقشی ہے .پاس چدچداپن دور کریں اور صبر اختیار کریں ."
-شرے لالہ جی مہاراج
["परेशान किया जाना अच्छा है। घर 'हिल्म', बर्दाश्त का स्कूल है। हमारे यहाँ इन्हीं बातों पर सब्र करना 'तप' कहलाता है और जुमला अक़साम के तपों से यह बालातर है। पस् बजाय ग़ुस्सा व ग़म के ग़ैरत इख़्तियार करना चाहिये। 'ग़ैरत' कहते हैं उस जज़्बा को जिससे दूसरों के कहने-सुनने और मलामत करने पर यह मालुम होता है कि वाक़ई क़सूर मेरा ही है और फ़िर जज़्ब कर लेना पड़ता है। औरों के वास्ते जँगल और तन्हाई, ग़ोशानशीनी, तहम्मुल और बरदाश्त और दुनियाँ के ज़क-ज़क, बक-बक से रिहाई के अस्बाब हैं। और हमारे वास्ते घर-वालों, दोस्तों, दुनियाँ वालों की झिड़कियाँ, तानें, मलामतें, रियाज़त और चिल्लाक़शी है। पस् चिड़चिड़ापन दूर करें और सब्र इख़्तियार करें।"]
It's Hindi translation -
“चिंताओं में होना अच्छा है। घर अधीनता और सहनशीलता का प्रशिक्षण स्थल है। जीवन में दिन-प्रतिदिन घट रही घटनाओं को शांति से सहन करना ही उच्चतम कोटि की तपस्या और त्याग है। इस लिए मनुष्य को क्रोध या झुंझलाहट की जगह अपने में नम्रता और मृदुलता पैदा करने की कोशिश करनी चाहिए। मृदुलता से मेरा मतलब मन की ऐसी भावना से है जिसमें दूसरे की डांट सुनकर भी अपने को ही दोषी माना जाये और उसके लिए जैसा भी व्यवहार मिलें, उसे चुपचाप सहन कर लिया जाए। दूसरों के लिए पृथकत्व, एकांत और सम्बन्धविच्छेद ही संतोष, सहनशीलता और जीवन के फंदो से मुक्त होने का रास्ता होने पर भी हमारे लिए तो परिवार वालों, मित्रों,समाज के लोगों के ताने और उलाहने सहन करना ही बड़ी से बड़ी तपस्या और त्याग है।”
“Yogis and the Sufis, both carry their practices in ‘ascetic-life’ but Sufi-ascetics, with few exceptions, do not live in ‘celibacy’. … … … The Sufis and Yogis have recourse to devotional practices and ‘Asan’ or ‘postures’, the postures are different in form and practice; Sufis go through experiences of ‘fear’, ‘weeping’ and ‘longing’, but Vedantism seek peace of mind and complete separation from the ‘world’. The ‘Sufis’ prefer attachment to God and the ‘Yogis’ detachment from sensible objects.” - Idries Shah in his book ‘The Sufi Mystery".
Here’s a hagiographic story I love which relates to the incidence through which Lord Krishna gave Gyan [gnosis] to Devarshi Narad. Once Devarshi Narad visited Lord Krishna in Dwarka. Lord Krishna welcomed him with great cordiality and asked him about the purpose of his visit. Devarshi Narad requested Lord Krishna to tell him what is ‘Prakriti’ or ‘Maya’ [illusion]. Lord Krishna graciously told him “that ‘Prakriti’ couldn’t be explained in words; it could only be experienced. Come with me.”
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| Lord Krishna and the Sage Narada |
Thus they both left Dwarka and reached a place in the deserts. Narad asked surprisingly ‘where have you brought me, my Lord? How would I know about “Maya” in this desert?” Lord Krishna asked him to have patience and after going some distance he suddenly stopped and told Narad that he could not walk any further; he was feeling thirsty. Then he gave him his pot to fetch some water from somewhere. Narad consoled him and said that he would fetch some water for him quickly. Narad then walked away in search of water. A little far away he spotted an inhabitation. Perhaps this was the gross form of ‘Maya’. He was delighted that he had found a well. A beautiful young girl drew water out of the well to fill her vessel. Narad was astonished at the beauty of this girl, who looked like a goddess. He immediately asked her if she could give him some water to quench his thirst. The girl was as polite as she was beautiful. She agreed with great devotion. Narad outwardly was drinking water but his eyes and mind were set on the blooming youth of the girl, and he was lost in it. Narad followed the girl to her house, where he saw a person and asked him whether he was the chief of the house. The man replied that he was not only the chief of that house but was the landlord of the whole village and asked Narad-“what is your purpose, Sir”. Narad, getting reckless out of her youth's attraction, immediately said he wanted to marry his daughter. The old man too did not take ill of it and thinking that Narad was an appropriate groom for his only daughter said ‘why not-you are young and healthy, but there is one condition. After marrying my daughter you will have to stay in this very house in this village. Narad, who was deeply attracted to the girl immediately agreed. Both of them then were tied in the knot of marriage. After a few days, the old man died and Narad had to take charge of all his responsibilities. He was blessed with four children and thus he got absorbed in his own world. When he would take one of his children in his lap, the other would ask him to take him in his lap and so on. Considering this to be the ultimate success of life, Narad used to appreciate his fortune. But then at this very moment, he came across all sorts of difficulties in the form of floods, storms and so on. His wife and children started crying and asked him to save their lives. Narad took them in a boat and in that turbulent water started somehow to save them. But the boat got toppled and Narad could save neither his wife nor the children. Drowning in water his children were shouting for help but Narad was helpless. Suddenly a big wave of water threw away Narad at the shore. He was moaning and lamenting that he had lost his wife and children and that there was no purpose in his living alone without them. Instantly he heard Krishna saying “Narad I am thirsty. Have you brought water?” This was Krishna’s voice. Narad turned and saw Krishna standing in front of him. He rushed and embraced Krishna and said “Krishna! My wife! My children! Bring them to life again.” Krishna alerted him “What are you saying Narad. There was no wife, no children; all this was Maya.” Narad regained his consciousness and saw Krishna in the form of ‘Purusha’ [the luminous Soul], who makes the entire creation dance to the tune of his eyebrows.
In all the Sufi systems the surrender to the Teacher is demanded. Chishti-shaykh चिश्तिया - सूफ़ी शैख़ are very magnetic because of many things they do through the physical body. So the body becomes very magnetic. It is the body which attracts the body and through it the soul. In our system, ie, Naqshbandiya, it is the soul which attracts the soul, and the soul speaks to the soul. They [Chishtias] need ‘music’, for instance. Without music, they can do nothing. They use ceremonies, sometimes, breathing practices, and other things. We [the Naqshbandiyas] need nothing. We are not limited. Music is bondage. Ceremonials, and worship, when done collectively, can also be bondage. But we are free. We go to the Absolute Truth in ’Silence’, for it can be found only in silence and it is ’Silence’. That’s why we are called the ’Silent Yogis’. If some practices are given, they are performed always In silence.
Sufis, otherwise, never attract the ‘attention’ of the disciple to the physical body. It is, simply, a ‘mythomania’ that a woman can never reach a high state [in spirituality], if she does not get rid of her limitations as a ‘woman’, she is more limited by ‘Prakriti’ प्रकृति [a force, or principle evolving the material world] than a man [purusha पुरुष = the supreme being or soul of the universe]. This is the case for every human being, man or woman. If they don’t get rid of their limitations, they can not reach Reality. For men, there are many restrictions, for women only one: to get rid of their limitations as ‘woman’. With a woman, it is always from birth.
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| Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur UP |
28th November 1929 :
At night, at the time of going to sleep, I [Baabuji of Shahjahanpur UP] felt that there is a thought line with the saints of the past and they are attentive to me. Their eyes are focused on me. In the night I dreamt that there is a guardian with a temple in it, and near the temple, there is a terrace. Lord Krishna is standing on that terrace on seeing me Lord Krishna came down the terrace and embraced me. I became over whelped with the love of Guru Ji Maharaj and began to weep in His memory. One surprising thing which I marked was that while embracing me Lord Krishna merged with my body, and on the merger, I felt that my body was subtle from head to foot. I was conscious of the sublet body just as a wrestler and a worshiper of physique experience sturdiness in the body. Even during sleep, I felt myself to be wide awake after this dream. This state of feeling the body be subtle lasted the whole night and was felt on awakening also.
29th November 1929 :
Condition unchanged. At 07.00 in the evening, I felt that the eyes of the saints of the past are focused on me. I experienced this phenomenon when I went into meditation.
30th November 1929 :
I was going to the court at 10.30 A.M. Felt at that time that I and the Master of the Universe. This Divine condition prevails all the time these days. On the slightest activity in the network of thought, the process of feeling commences.
English translation of Baabu Ji's letter to Shri Laalaa Ji Maharaj :
Revered Guide of both the worlds,
may God bless you!
After salutations, it is submitted that I consider it necessary to inform you of conditions that have prevailed over me in the near past or are prevailing at present.
On first November 1929 at about 08.00 at night inner condition expanded and by means of phenomenon a picture of my own condition came before my eyes. That condition pervaded the whole body from head to foot. So to say it had drowned in it. And that conniption was producing the idea of 'I am the Guru' from head to foot. That is to say, everything having been devolved in that condition had become real, and was proclaiming it by the slogan "I am the Guru" silently but enthusiastically. Courage was boundless. The feeling was present that I could do everything, and I considered myself to be the Master of everything. For a while, I remain absorbed in this thought. But having limitless courage and the coming of such thought, I took to be ego. So, coming out of the condition in which I was deep down, I remained diverted towards lighter thoughts so that the thoughts of possession and omnipotence (which I had taken to be ego) might not be experienced.
Remained diverted to this phenomenon for some time. Later on, I retired for the night after taking my meals. At about 10.00 in the night, I began to recite a bhajan "mine is God - and none else". Again that phenomenon came into being. The above-mentioned condition is frequently experienced during day time. Self-forgetfulness is experienced. The condition of forgetfulness and moderation mostly remains and makes me feel dissolution.
On 08.11.1929 I felt that events that are happening in town seemed to be waving within me. on thinking of somebody, or on coming across somebody, his character and all the troubles and comforts of his future life are mirrored before the eyes. In case the thought grows stronger, that which shall happen to them in the next birth begins to become evident. I do not pay heed to this condition. Events happening in the town, and the atmosphere prevailing over the town, is constantly producing waves. Pain is frequently caused and, at times, acts like a stone in silent waters. These conditions often come intensely and I have been duly informing your Holiness because, to my imperfect thinking, that state was not to my liking and seemed to be a trap. The position is in keeping with the line -
"Enlightenment of intellect!
thou hast become my trouble”.
At this time events which are happening and the events which are forming waives i.e., which have not yet happened, are both experienced. Some power particularly retsina my thought from being inclined towards such events, and does not help in reading the present future events that are taking place in the town. This power puts the thoughts into fetters and chains, but even then the thought runs to them to some extent, and waves remain as they are.
The other significant thing which is to be brought to the notice of your Holiness is as follows : ( this will reveal my moral condition to you). I am so much harassed in the house that at times I feel like running away from the house while at others I have a mind to cause injury to myself, though I am helpless. As soon I reach home either one or the other method is adopted that either I feel angry for nothing or I am forced to resort to indecency. This is why I inculcated the habit of anger. Due to this, I have to undergo many losses, for instance, the breaking of some articles. Anger is mostly confined to the home only. In seclusion, when God is particularly benign, I find solace. Otherwise, some such thing is presented, the acceptance of which is either against reason or wish and the not doing of which is advisable. Such things occur mostly when I return from the court or am tired after hard labour. Someone has said,
"ख़ाके सहरा अज मुल्के सुलेमाँ ख़ुशतर,
ख़ारे सफ़र अज संबलो रैहां ख़ुशतर।"
[The thorns of the Homeland are better than roses and raihan."
Anger flares up very quickly and for trifling matters, but when it subsides there is no animosity or ill-will. Rather I feel inclined to touch his feet. Because of having become habituated to anger at home, some excuse or the other is sought for becoming angry. A few months back this state had diminished to a large extent. Now it has increased a lot and tamper has often become peevish. Many spiritual problems and many insoluble propositions present themselves of their own accord, but when there is purity in great measure they are solved. The observations which I have been hearing from time to time from our saints help like axioms of Euclid in solving the knots and act as lamps on the wayside. But such things do not give me any pleasure as I am in the least inclined towards them. My only concern is with the Master.
[An other letter of Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur UP]
May God bestow eternal grace on you.
After due salutations, I have to submit theta before submitting my diary for your perusal I am nothing down some conditions in a concise form. Thoughts of masterhood and omnipotence are always present; for instance, the thought that it is because of me that there is growth in trees; I give life to animate objects, and all the activity in the world is a manifestation of my power. I am the Master of the entire universe; the warmth in the sun is from me; it is my law of nature which is working in the world, and so on. These conditions, as described by Lord Krishna in Gita, are being experienced by me and seem to be eternal. Love is becoming worldwide. The curtain of separateness has disappeared. The defects and imperfections of others do not come into view. I pray every moment voluntarily for the well-being and good of man. And whatever I get, I share with all. When I find someone in trouble or see somebody entrapped in any particular thought of worldliness or devilry, my hands go up in prayer as if it has become my second nature. I feel the same condition inside and outside. That is to say, the thought running in mind towards spirituality is felt to be in such a condition of subtlety that it cannot be likened even to the subtlest possible thing. In it neither any colour nor shape, nor any fervour, and it is always in the same condition. The same condition is felt to be pervading the whole world but in a berry subtle manner. I am always respectful of a particular condition.
01st December 1929: Left for Kanpur. Felt liveliness during the journey.
02nd December 1929: Stay at Kanpur since afternoon. Felt intense liveliness.
03rd to 05th December 1929: Condition unchanged.
06th December 1929: Since morning it was experienced that every atom had a Godly condition, and felt affection for every atom. Meditating upward on the head it was experienced that an everlasting effulgence was descending over the head, and a saint was sitting there engaged in the remembrance of God.
07th December 1929: The above condition is unchanged. In the night saw in a dream that my Master sitting on the upper side of the cot (at the head-side of the bed) and I was sitting at the nether side (foot-side of the bed). He told me that He was much pleased with me for I had worked very hard and, with my hard work, had merged in Him. He put His hand on that part of my face where the beard grows and remarked that such and such parts of my face resembled His and He bestowed a boon upon me.
08th December 1929: At about 10.00 in the morning it was felt that my thought was going to such a place which had pitch darkness. The colour of that darkness coulees is likened to that time of the dawn when the face of a man is not visible. The same day I went to the village 'Brnai'. There at noon, I felt that a subtle current was emanating from my body which was giving life and freshening up the whole world.
09th December 1929: At 08.00 in the morning there was much detachment [asceticism] in me, and I yearned to go to 'Lakshmanjhoolaa' at Rishikesh [existing presently in Uttarakhand, India] in the Hills. The imaginary picture had formed of Master's play (the acts of a deity as performed at pleasure, esp. those of the avatars - Rama Krishna) with it; I was insane, taking food with Him and doing things which children usually do. The same day at about 11.30 in the miring I felt a desire to run away from the court to a field somewhere, where there was absolute solitude. No such place was nearby. So I was desirous to sit in remembrance of God in some species field at Lodhipur (a village) across the railway bridge. But it seemed that the reins were in the hands of somebody else who did not permit us to go. In the evening every person seemed to have the form of the Master. His being was manifest in animate objects, minerals and vegetation and this condition became very intense in the evening at 06.00 P.M.
13th December 1929: Condition remained unpleasant.
The reply given by Laalaa JI Maharaj :
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| Shri Laalaa Ji Maharaj |
Fatehgarh dated 27th November 1929 [AD]
“My dear brother with blessings of your development I have to say that what you have described in respect of your progress and stages of development, May God make auspicious. They are not manifestations of ego, rather they are encouraging. You should be thankful for them. They will then disappear. If they are attributed to God then there is no conceit. Since they are from God one has no hand in it. "This boon is not got by the might of arm if it is not bestowed by God, the bountiful". The condition of condition-less-sens is good, and this is lasting. It is good to be tormented. Home is the school for tolerance and meekness. According to one way of thinking, patience in such things is considered to be penance and is superior to other kinds of penances. So instead of sorrow and resentment, one should resort to 'ghairat' [ग़ैरत 'ghairat' is a feeling that a person himself is at fault, although really he is not at fault]. Repentance is that emotion when one, being abused and chided by others, feels as if one himself is at fault, and then one had to resort to patience. For others, jungles, seclusion and solitude are the ways of achieving patience, endurance, and freedom from the turmoils of the world, while for us the scoldings, taunts and scoffs of the family members, friends and worldly persons are true penance. God willing submissiveness and surrender also shall follow.
Reply given by Laalaa Ji to ‘Baabuji’s another letter:
Dear brother,
Blessings. Got your letter and it gave pleasure to my heart. May God bestow His blessings and favors on you and take you to high stages. At one time I was anxious that none of my companions should so develop that even if they are not worthy to be the dust on the feet of the saints of the past, they, at least, might not be a stigma to pay to my humble self. thank God! due to the blessings of great saints, such symptoms are in evidence now which show that they enjoy the Divine blessings, and it is very probable that you, too, maybe one of them. All this is the gift of saints, but this boon is not because of the might of the arm, and cannot be obtained unless and until it is bestowed by God, the bountiful. The love, companionship and affection of your preceptor is to be considered enough. By God, he is a man of love. Love alone is a dynamic thing. May God keep you and others under the shadow of His benignity.
I have great hope from dear Rameshwar Prasad. He too is a man of love. May the all-pervading bountifulness of God provide him with the patronage and affection of the great saints so that his determination of object may assume permanent shape. Brother, disciples are numerous and guides very rare. These days even disciples are to be found very sparingly. This is a boon of the saints of the order that distinction cannot be made between the disciples and our associates, otherwise, it is very difficult to be a disciple. Whenever the associates get the effect of companionship or feel the breeze of gaze they, for a while, are awakened and again slip away when the fire becomes and stop attending the Satsang. Their personal attachment and emotion are in name only. But even this is enough that whenever a wave comes they begin to wave. They are men who keep the feet of their determination firm even without any goading. What is a grievance against so and so? They are the companions of opium, charas (a resinous preparation of hemp, and cannabis) and ganja. If these are used they are present. (those friends are they? They only smoke and slip away). When blessings of God descend they also have a fit and then revert to their original condition. What is there to complain about pundits so and so? I feel perhaps in the whole year the average shall be two months when he flairs up. Even then there is sometimes a craze for newspapers and sometimes for drama. The crux of the matter is that he alone is successful whom he attracts. You and I beat hands and feet for nothing. When the proper time comes all those people will come to the right path and by. Emotions and sanskars (an inborn power or faculty) of everybody are different and, accordingly, there is a separate time for each one. I intended to go to Allahabad, but I have become old. There is much cold and so courage fails. Hazards of a trainer being loaded in a goods train were not considered proper. So I gave up the idea for the time being. Can't say what friends there, who awaited me very anxiously and who had to take entire responsibility for all my comforts, will think. Now I intend to go to Konch whenever it is ordained by Him and my livelihood takes me there. Shall go to Allahabad in February.
Recently doctors in Europe have discovered that if the face has sufficient growth of hair [which is called a beard] there is a natural support to combat dental diseases, and troubles are lessened. So, if you feel inclined to have the courage to put up with the taunts and scoffs of people, then let the hair grow.
Love to children.
Your well-wisher,
Sd/- Ram Chandra
Fatehgarh dated January 20, 1930 [AD]
Continued ... ... ...
servus servorum Dei,
Dinesh Kumar Saxena [Grandson, spiritual and de jure heir of H. H. Mahatma Ram Chandra Ji (Laalaa Ji) Maharaj of Fatehgarh (UP) India.]
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