Chapter - 16 : Mystagogy [रहस्य-दीक्षा]
“A mystagogue [from Greek: μυσταγωγός, mystagogues, "person who initiates into mysteries”] is a person who initiates others into mystic beliefs, and an educator or person who has knowledge of the sacred mysteries of a belief system. Another word for mystagogue is hierophant [which is a person who brings religious congregants into the presence of that which is deemed holy. As such, a hierophant is an interpreter of sacred mysteries and arcane [borrowed from Latin = ‘arcanus’ = “hidden, secret” arcane principles.]. In various organizations, it is the role of the mystagogue to "mystify" pledges. The term is sometimes used to refer to a person who guides people through religious sites, such as churches, and explains the various artefacts. This branch of theology is at times called mystagogy.” [Wikipedia].
The corresponding word for ‘mystagogue’ in the dictionary of ’Sufism’ is - “Peer” पीर or “Pir” [Persian: پیر, lit. 'elder’] is a title for a Sufi spiritual guide. They are also referred to as ‘Hazrat’ [from Arabic: حضرة, romanised: Haḍrat and Sheikh or Shaykh, which is literally the Arabic equivalent. The title is often translated into English as "saint”. In Sufism, a Pir's role is to guide and instruct his disciples on the Sufi path. This is often done by general lessons [called Suhbats] and individual guidance. Other words that refer to a Pir include Murshid [Arabic: مرشد, lit. 'guide, mentor’] and ‘Sarkar’ [Persian: سرکار, lit. 'master, lord').
The title Peer Baba [from Persian: بابا, lit. 'father’] is common in the Indian subcontinent and used as a salutation to Sufi masters or similarly honored persons. After their death, people visit their tombs or mausolea, referred to as dargah or maqbara.
The path of Sufism starts when a student takes an oath of allegiance with a teacher called Bai'at or Bay’ah [Arabic word meaning "transaction”] where he swears allegiance at the hands of his Pir and repents of all his previous sins. After that, the student is called a Murid [an Arabic word meaning committed one. From here, his batin [esoteric] journey starts.
A Pir usually has authorizations to be a teacher for one [or more] tariqas. A tariqah may have more than one Pir at a time. A Pir is accorded that status by his Sheikh by way of Khilafat or Khilafah [Arabic word meaning "succession”], a process in which the Pir identifies one of his disciples as his successor, which may be more than one.
Mysticism in the world is as old as its hills. Adam was, perhaps the first mystic who had direct illumination; and that without an effect on his part. This is the grace of God, which He bestows on whom so ever He likes. There is a kind of mysticism, which is the result of an acquisition. By leading life in a particular way, you open up the channels through which the grace flows.
Pythagoras
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| Pythagoras |
had prescribed a five years course of silence on his disciples before they were admitted to his mystic path. The word mystic is derived from mu, [to close]. The secret rites and lessons of the Greek mysteries were things about which the mouth was closed.
Jalaluddin Rumi has also said, the meaning of the couplet is :
“close your lips, close your eyes and close your ears
Laugh at me, if you do not see the secret of the Truth.”
A Hadith says - [who knows God, his tongue is tied]. The word was again applied to the inner esoteric doctrines of a religion.
The scene of the first meeting of Shri Ram and Sita in Balkand has become very captivating. Under the direction of his guru Vishwamitra, Shri Ram along with his brother Lakshmana is present in Sita Swayamvar. Rama and Lakshmana come to pick flowers from the garden to worship the Guru, Janaknandini Sita also comes along with her friends to the Girija temple near the lake in the garden. Tulsidas has given a beautiful description of the feelings of Rama and Sita in these scenes through the beautiful painting of words. Ram, born in human form, is not untouched by any tender feeling of the human mind, in youth, love and anger strike together in the mind of Ram, nurturing the future life partner, At the same time, Sita is also saddened to remember her father Janak's vow along with Rama's wish as a future life partner. In the words of Tulsidas, comparing Sita's face to that of the moon in solitude after the first sight of Sita represents the expression of the adolescent/young mind.
Tulsidas was a bird of words. Skillfully portrays the various emotions of the human mind with the workmanship of words. Tulsidas composes wonderfully beautiful scenes of the first meeting of teenage hearts with the skill of his words. See only in the words of Tulsidas himself…
Sakhi narrating the beauty of Ram says -
"स्याम गौर किमि कहौं बखानी। गिरा अनयन नयन बिनु बानी।।"
“Syam gour kimi kahaun bakhaani : Gira anyan nayan binu bani…” - Ramcharitmanas : 01-228 (02)
That is, ‘speech’, the tongue is without eyes and and the tongue has no eyes.
By closing every avenue of perception, one withdraws the mind from all external objects; and is able to concentrate it on a point within, when the heavenly light flashes on it. Behmen [someone who believes in the existence of realities beyond human comprehension], the cobbler-mystic of Gorlitz, [in Germany] got into ecstasy when in his presence a light flashed on a tin jar. Inward contemplation solves the greater mysteries [Daqa’iq], while all other branches of knowledge [Haqa’iq] depend on a process of ratiocination.
The German mystics had two kinds of words in the realm of this knowledge - ‘mystic’ and ‘mysticismus’. The Sufis too, have two words of similar import -’ Sufi’ and ’Sufistai’. The Sufi is the man who believes in the realities of things; his creed is - ‘the realities of things are permanent, the world is transitory’. The ’Sufistai’ is one who believes in the world being a delusion, a vanity [tasulluf].
“In the first year of the Hijra,” says Ohlsson in his Ottoman Empire, “forty-five citizens of Mecca joined themselves with as many of Al-Medina. They took an oath of fidelity to the doctrines of their Prophet and formed a sort of fraternity, the object of which was to establish among themselves a community of prohe perty and to perform every day certain religious practices in a spirit of penitence and mortification. To distinguish themselves, they took the name of ’Sufis’. To the name of Sufi, they added also that of ‘Faqir’, because the object was to renounce the goods of the world”
Abul Fida, the famous Muslim historian of ancient days also traces their origin to Ashes-i-safa [sitters on the bench of the temple of Mecca]. “They were poor strangers, without friends or place of abode, who claimed the promises of the apostle of God and implored his protection. Thus the porch of the temple because their mansion, and thence they obtained their name. When Muhammad [Peace be upon Him] went to meals, be used to call some of them to partake with him, and selected others to eat with his companions.”
These men are known in the Holy Qur’an by the terms ‘Muqarrabin’ [Friends of God]. Sabirin [Patient men] Abrar [Virtuous men] Zuhhad [Pious men] - some of them known as Muqarrabin, for six hundred years in the region of Turkestan and Mavaraun-Nahar [Mesopotamia].
The ‘Faqir’ is not such a simple individual as he/she appears to be at first sight. At first blush, it would appear that one has to take a bowl of clay or wooden tray to play the role of a fakir; but the history of the individual would reveal that he/she is the product of well-organized machinery, a member of a society, a Monastic society with regular rules and regulations, the breach of which involves his being “drummed out” - a way of ostracism that appears to be popular amongst them as in the army. According to some jurists, every Maussalman, man or woman is bound to follow the lead of a spiritual director - a ‘Pir’ answering to a ‘Guru’ amongst the Hindus. There is no direct authority in the Holy Quran enjoining the following of a ‘Pir’. In fact, the democratic spirit of Islam would appear to be against all confessional and guru-worship; but texts are quoted as supporting the ceremonials connected with the ‘Bay’t’ such as “Obey God and obey His Prophet, and such as those placed in authority over you.”
Bay’t is an act of repentance, by which the entrant renounces the commission of sins in the future, to the best of his ability. It is a pupil-ship, in which he accepts the Pir as his spiritual master and puts himself under his instruction for the correcting of his lower self (nafs) and heart (qalb).
Bayat is derived from the Arabic word “bayah” which means deal or agreement between two groups or parties or persons. Likewise, Bayat is an agreement or deal between a man and his Creator Allah that the man will hand over his everything to Allah which actually belongs to Allah already and in reward, Allah blesses that person with his vision and closeness.
The teacher, however, can benefit a disciple only if two conditions are met; there is compatibility between their old impressions [Sanskars] i.e. harmony in their natures, and there is a link or connection [Nisbat] between them. Without these, the teacher, howsoever accomplished he may be would not be able to help the disciple. For example, if the teacher does not have the inclination towards worshiping in him then it will be extremely difficult for him to help his disciple in doing worship. Similarly, if the disciple has the inclination in him to engage in worship but if the teacher has a lesser inclination towards it, the benefit flowing to the disciple would also be proportionately less. The greatness and accomplishments of the teacher cannot help the disciple but if there were better harmony between them the benefit also would be equally greater. Suppose a seeker feels that his teacher is very knowledgeable. In that case, it indicates that the seeker has more inclination towards acquiring knowledge since the teacher has all the qualities in him. Still, the disciple has the hidden Sanskars of knowledge and, therefore, a better appreciation for the knowledge.
If a woman was to become a Murid, she would hold one end of a turban cloth, while the Pir would hold the other end or they would both dip their hands in a vessel filled with water simultaneously and utter some prayers. The ceremony of Bayat gradually turned into an essential ritual and it became necessary for the seekers of Truth, who went to surrender before a Pir. In the beginning, the Pir used to initiate the disciple directly on the "hand of God", next, on the hand of the Prophet and then lastly, on the hand of his own spiritual Master.
Method of ‘Bayat’ in the system of Kabir Sahib, as given by Maharshi Shiv Vrat Lal Sahib in his book, ‘Kabir Yoga’ -
Jahangasht opened his eyes - "Huzoor! Your kindness has achieved the purpose of life. The purport for which I left Baghdad.
Thus before the process of initiation takes place, the student has to be completely confident about his connection i. e. his allegiance and trust in the Pir under whom he wishes to train.
However once the Bayat ceremony takes place, the student is completely under the command of the Pir [Master] as he has literally been 'sold' to the master.
Laalaa Ji, in his book ‘शादी के तीन ज़रर’ [its English translation published under the title - ’Transcending Duality’] writes - “The trust in God and the firm belief in the truth that ‘He is the real provider’ get shaken by duality.”
“Courteous exposition: now let us consider here the relevance of ’Tawaqqul’ [Trust in God]. Villagers and commoners, who are not well conversant with the intricacies of court proceedings, explain their concern to the advocate in their own words, sign the ‘Vakalatnama’ [power of attorney] and keep full trust in him, they rest with no burden on their heads. They know that they know nothing about the legal matter and that they cannot argue the case. Leaving the entire matter in the hands of the advocate, they live without worrying. In the same manner, the real Provider for all of us is God and He alone in the real sense is our advocate. Those, who in their hearts really consider Him to be their advocate, live in peace. To leave one’s honour, one’s life and belongings etc in the hands of one’s advocate and to become free from all worries, is to surrender in the real sense, which is called ‘Tawaqqul’. Man spends all his time worrying about earning his livelihood and thinks that it is he, who would arrange for himself. It is against the spirit of faith and surrender. Marriage thus causes disturbance in the peace of mind and on the dependence of God, which is a loss of ‘Dil’ [emotion].”
श्र्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद [06 - 22] :
"वेदांते परमम् गुह्यं पुराकल्पे प्रचोदितं।
नाप्रशान्तया दातव्यं नापुत्रायाशिष्याय वा पुनः।।"
व्याख्या - यह परम रहस्यमय ज्ञान पूर्वकल्प में भी वेद के अन्तिम भाग - उपनिषदों में भली भाँति वर्णित हुआ था। भाव यह है कि इस ज्ञान की परम्परा कल्प-कल्पान्तर से चली आती है, यह कोई नयी बात नहीं है। इसका उपदेश किसे दिया जाय और किसे नहीं, ऐसी जिज्ञासा होने पर कहते हैं - "जिसका अन्तःकरण विषय-वासना से शून्य हो कर सर्वथा शान्त न हो गया हो, ऐसे मनुष्य को इस रहस्य का उपदेश नहीं देना चाहिये ; तथा जो अपना पुत्र न हो अथवा शिष्य न हो, उसे भी नहीं देना चाहिये।" भाव है है कि या तो जो सर्वथा शान्त - चित्त हो, ऐसे अधिकारी को देना चाहिये अथवा जो अपना पुत्र या शिष्य हो, उसे देना चाहिये ; क्योंकि पुत्र और शिष्य को अधिकारी बनाना पिता और गुरु का ही काम है ; अतः वह पहले से ही अधिकारी हो यह नियम नहीं है।
Explanation - This highest mystery in the ‘Vedanta’ which has been declared in a former age should not be given to one whose passions are not subdued nor again to one who is not a son or a pupil. it should not be taught to a son or a pupil if his passions are not subdued.
"यस्य देवे परा भक्तिर्यथा देवे तथा गुरौ।
तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः।।”
व्याख्या - जिस साधक की परमदेव परमेश्वर में परम-भक्ति होती है तथा जिस प्रकार परमेश्वर में होती है उसी प्रकार अपने गुरु में भी होती है, उस महात्मा - मनस्वी पुरुष के ह्रदय में ही यह बताये हुए रहसयमय अर्थ प्रकाशित होते हैं। अतः जिज्ञासु को पूर्ण शृद्धालु और भक्त बनना चाहिये। जिसमें पूर्ण शृद्धा और भक्ति है, उसी महात्मा के ह्रदय में यह गूढ़ अर्थ प्रकाशित होते हैं।
Explanation - These subjects which have been declared shine forth to the high - souled one who has the highest devotion for God and his spiritual teacher as for God. Yea they shine forth to the high-souled one.
The formal act of initiation is the ‘bayat’*, the pact that you tighten taking the hand of the Shaykh. If the disciple falls in love with the Shaykh he wants to bind himself, to chain to him, then he will take his hand, and it’s like a marriage, a union from which there is no divorce, at least on his part. Archimedes' principle;
states that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces. Archimedes' principle is a law of physics fundamental to fluid mechanics. It was formulated by Archimedes of Syracuse. The fact that this principle is equally contextual in spirituality is also, reveals from the statement of Laalaa Ji appeared in his autobiography [Published by B. R. Publishing Corporation, Delhi, ISBN 817646744 its chapter - ‘My Guide The Truth Personified’, “I was fully aware even amidst that surrender to my Master. I clearly felt that up to that culvert while I was narrating to him my painful and sad past, he was listening to it quietly. Till then the world in its gross form occupied my mind but the moment I turned back on his order, I entered such a door where it was only faith and truth. All the worries and sorrows disappeared forever. I felt as if someone has taken upon him all my responsibilities and it appeared that something loving and extremely peaceful has entered deep within me. It was this support of a wonderful and invaluable help that took me to a different world.” This was a notable day for Laalaa Ji, in his life.
After this incident, he [Laalaa Ji] started to present himself every day both in the morning and evening at the feet of Huzur Maharaj with a service comity and started benefiting from his company.
In his ‘Autobiography’ [published as mentioned above] Laalaa Ji writes -
“On the auspicious day of 23rd January 1896, the request of this servant was granted :
“MUDIT NATH MATH NAVAT,
BANI TULSI ANATH KI,
PARI RAGHUNATH SAHI HAI”
- VINAY PATRIKA [279]
The most auspicious day of my life, on the twenty-second day of June 1896 [AD], at five o’clock in the evening, my Hazrat Qibla took my hand in his hand and by giving it in the strong hands of his revered Master Hazrat Maulvi Ahmad Ali Khan Sahab-Rahmat Ullahu Alehi, he admitted me in the Silsila-e-Aliya Naqshbandia, Mujaddadiya, Mazhariya ‘नक्शबंदिया-मुजद्ददिया-मज़हरिया’ [in the Naqshbandi Order of Sufism]. He initiated [Bay't] me. My desire for innumerable births was granted. He accepted me at his feet and gave me shelter. I am drenched with his unrestricted affection and love. I am bewildered by this unexpected kindness, which has no beginning or end.
What should I tell you; now my end is nearing. It is possible that what I am writing now may only be the means through which the forthcoming generations may know me. Thirty-five years ago I was standing at a juncture, where I had many paths to choose from. I was numb to decide which way I should follow. I was able to understand and differentiate between two things, but it was of no use as I found that some people whether less in number or more, were moving ahead on each of the paths, and on enquiring each group was prepared to take me with them. They were not only ready but they were trying to persuade me through various arguments in their favour so that I may be inclined to accept their path. I was, however, not convinced because I was in a state of being dazzled and was unable to accept any particular path because different people were pulling me in different directions. At one point in time, I got tired and gave it up. At last, a day dawned when the Supreme Father, the God, turned His kind attention towards me and He sent an embodiment of His great power in the form of a living human being to show his real sympathy towards me. It was Vishwaroop Darshan (the cosmic form of Brahman-God). In the real form of Atma Darshan (in the form of an individual soul), he showed me the path and holding my hand in a split of moments took me to unknown heights. It was that place where everything of the universe shone with its splendor and glory. What I saw or received is indescribable. You can find a parallel of this in those verses of the first chapter of Srimadbhagvad Gita where out of dejection and confusion, like me, Arjun had laid down his weapons and refused to discharge his duty to fight with the enemy. If Lord Shri Krishna with his splendor and glory had not pulled out Arjuna from that situation and if the request of Arjuna had not filled Arjun’s heart with His Divine Light, the result would have been entirely different. In short, I was pulled up onto the path of success and I was not left alone to discharge my duty, instead, he occupied my dark and impure heart to be always with me. That charming beauty so occupied my heart that I lost the sense of my own being and I started to think that now it was not me but he and he alone. By and by he took over every cell of my body and then it was not me but he and at last it was neither he nor me; there was the existence of both and that of none. It remained as it was.
My lord and the holder of my hand had such great courage and enthusiasm that without having any regard for the cast or religion he kept on continuously showering his grace and kindness on all living beings and in all conditions. Each breath he inhaled washed and threw away the darkness in the hearts of people and every breath he exhaled filled their minds and bodies with the nectar of divine grace. He did his job while in body and now after leaving the body he is still engaged in doing the same work. One who can know it or see it may like to know it or see it.”
"मेरे मालिक और हाँथ पकड़ने वाले की आला हिम्मती, बुलन्द हौंसलग़ी और फ़ितरी शफ़क़त [स्वाभाविक प्रेम] लगातार हर हालत में इस तरफ़ मसरूफ़ और मुतवज्जः [आकर्षित] रही है कि बिला लिहाज़ फ़िरक़ा और मजहब फ़ैज़ाने इलाही की वारिश [अमृत वर्षा] मुतनफ़्फ़िस पर फ़रमाते रहे। उनकी हर अन्दर आने वाली साँस लोगों के दिलों की स्याही [कालिमा] को सूँत कर बाहर फेंक देने वाली थी और हर बाहर जाने वाली साँस अमृत की धार को दिल, दिमाग़ और हर रग़ों-पट्ठों में भर देने वाली; वह जिस्म में रह कर अपना काम कर गए। और अब आज़ाद हो कर उसी काम में सरगर्म हैं, जो जान सके वह जाने और देख सकता हो वह देखे।"
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*The concept of Bayat बैअत can well be understood by going through a famous literary piece titled as Doctor Faustus authored by Christopher Marlow. The book summary is given below -
"Doctor Faustus, a well-respected German scholar, grows dissatisfied with the limits of traditional forms of knowledge—logic, medicine, law, and religion—and decides that he wants to learn to practice magic. His friends Valdes and Cornelius instruct him in the black arts, and he begins his new career as a magician by summoning up Mephistopheles, a devil. Despite Mephastophilis’s warnings about the horrors of hell, Faustus tells the devil to return to his master, Lucifer, with an offer of Faustus’s soul in exchange for twenty-four years of service from Mephistopheles. Meanwhile, Wagner, Faustus’s servant, has picked up some magical ability and uses it to press a clown named Robin into his service.
Mephistopheles returns to Faustus with word that Lucifer has accepted Faustus’s offer. Faustus experiences some misgivings and wonders if he should repent and save his soul; in the end, though, he agrees to the deal, signing it with his blood. As soon as he does so, the words “Homo fuge,” Latin for “O man, fly,” appear branded on his arm. Faustus again has second thoughts, but Mephistopheles bestows rich gifts on him and gives him a book of spells to learn. Later, Mephistopheles answers all of his questions about the nature of the world, refusing to answer only when Faustus asks him who made the universe. This refusal prompts yet another bout of misgivings in Faustus, but Mephastophilis and Lucifer bring in personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins to prance about in front of Faustus, and he is impressed enough to quiet his doubts.
Armed with his new powers and attended by Mephastophilis, Faustus begins to travel. He goes to the pope’s court in Rome, makes himself invisible, and plays a series of tricks. He disrupts the pope’s banquet by stealing food and boxing the pope’s ears. Following this incident, he travels through the courts of Europe, with his fame spreading as he goes. Eventually, he is invited to the court of the German emperor, Charles V (the enemy of the pope), who asks Faustus to allow him to see Alexander the Great, the famed fourth-century BCE Macedonian king and conqueror. Faustus conjures up an image of Alexander, and Charles is suitably impressed. A knight scoffs at Faustus’s powers, and Faustus chastises him by making antlers sprout from his head. Furious, the knight vows revenge.
Meanwhile, Robin, Wagner’s clown, has picked up some magic on his own, and with his fellow stablehand, Rafe, he undergoes a number of comic misadventures. At one point, he manages to summon Mephastophilis, who threatens to turn Robin and Rafe into animals (or perhaps even does transform them; the text isn’t clear) to punish them for their foolishness.
Faustus then goes on with his travels, playing a trick on a horse-courser along the way. Faustus sells him a horse that turns into a heap of straw when ridden into a river. Eventually, Faustus is invited to the court of the Duke of Vanholt, where he performs various feats. The horse-courser shows up there, along with Robin, a man named Dick (Rafe in the A text), and various others who have fallen victim to Faustus’s trickery. But Faustus casts spells on them and sends them on their way, to the amusement of the duke and duchess.
As the twenty-four years of his deal with Lucifer come to a close, Faustus begins to dread his impending death. He has Mephastophilis call up Helen of Troy, the famous beauty from the ancient world, and uses her presence to impress a group of scholars. An old man urges Faustus to repent, but Faustus drives him away. Faustus summons Helen again and exclaims rapturously about her beauty. But time is growing short. Faustus tells the scholars about his pact, and they are horror-stricken and resolve to pray for him. On the final night before the expiration of the twenty-four years, Faustus is overcome by fear and remorse. He begs for mercy, but it is too late. At midnight, a host of devils appears and carries his soul off to hell. In the morning, the scholars find Faustus’s limbs and decide to hold a funeral for him."
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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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