Matri Vani of Anandamayi | Dharma 2
Dharma
Part 2
41
God is everywhere, He pervades everything. He, whom you think you have sought in vain for so many years, is not apart from you.
Just as a man cannot be without bones, blood, flesh and skin, so the One is present everywhere, at all times, interwoven with everything that exists.
A man who has gone forth in search of God — God will never give him back again. God is one’s very own Self, the breath of one’s breath, the life of one’s life, the Ātmā.
Not until his true Self has been revealed to him may a seeker ever relax his search. By seeking one will find; the Self is within one’s own grasp.
To feel fatigued, exhausted, because one has not found Him is a very good sign indeed. It indicates that one is nearing the purification of one’s heart and mind.
But what is this? What is this that you say? You wonder whether as the result of searching for God one will be led to suicide? By the search for Him whose contemplation, whose Name conquer death!
To indulge in desire for sense objects, this is indeed what must be called suicide; and he who thinks of committing suicide is at that moment mad. Never allow the mind to dwell on the idea of suicide; it is a sin to do so.
For one who has sought God for thirty-five years it is not right to contemplate suicide or madness. His mind should rather be absorbed in the remembrance of God.
In God’s creation the possible becomes impossible and the impossible possible at all times. In order that this fact may become evident, one must ever remember to sustain the thought of That which is Real. Verily, this small child is always with you.
Write to him that for the present it is imperative for him to remain concentrated with single-mindedness on the one Goal. He should stay in solitude and endeavour with the help of japa and dhyāna to control his mind and thereby become firm, calm and unwavering in his determination.
42
If someone really and truly seeks God, he will certainly find Him. You say you have sought for thirty-seven years. Does He always reveal Himself within a specified number of days, months or years?
He is internal, ever present, everywhere, in everything — He alone Is.
The first step on the path to this realization — be it induced by something read in a book or by direct word of mouth and accepted — the first step is the manifestation of unbroken endurance and never ending patience.
My father, who is also a small child, it is only natural that fatigue and despair should overwhelm you, for this road is extremely difficult.
So long as one’s feet have not been set on a smooth and simple path, the condition in which you find yourself at present is natural; this is also a state that may occur on the path.
This small baby says, do not long for death while you are travelling on the path to conquer death. You are out to find immortality and yet awaiting death?
Of course, to look forward to the death of death is very good. One who goes out in search of Truth, for the realization of Truth, must walk with firmness, wide awake and full of vigour.
Yes, it is true, this little baby can send you only a few words. But through these words can be found the way to the realization of Śabda Brahman, Akṣara Brahman — provided someone is actually a traveller on the path.
Pilgrims on the path of the Supreme must endeavour to be receptive. Only that which is all the time falling away has to be relinquished. To the limit of your power try not to give way to despair and to remain at every moment an aspirant towards Self-realization.
The duty of a pilgrim is to aspire constantly at Him who is beyond everything, who is at the same time in all forms, qualities, moods and modes of being, and yet eternally beyond, who is all in all, the SELF of the Self.
When the desire that lies at the root of all yogic practice becomes self-revealed, then He is found.
43
In this world of birth and death the pain of separation is unavoidable. Bear it, taking refuge in patience and obey the directions of your parents as much as you can.
At all times keep your mind immersed in the thought of the Lord so that there may be no possibility of straying into a path that leads to misery.
44
What is to be done, Mother? He lent to you for a time what is His own so that you might serve Him in this manner; and He also stayed with you for a while accepting your ministrations. Then He Himself took His own back again.
If tears come to your eyes, cry for God — for the Beloved.
To weep for one who has left this world sometimes harms that person. One hears of many incidents of this kind. Therefore, it is the duty of the bereaved to remain calm and collected and pray for the spiritual welfare of the deceased.
It is He who gives and He who again takes away. Thus, what can man do about it?
45
On the journey through life it is natural that everyone should be subjected to heartrending pain. Everything proceeds by the dispensation of Providence.
Taking recourse to endurance and patience try to do your duty with calm and steadiness, with a God-centred attitude of mind, (sat-pariveśa).
Unless he takes the path to the Supreme, man cannot find peace. Therefore the remembrance of God must be sustained under all conditions and circumstances.
46
In Bhagavan’s empire in this world there is creation, preservation and dissolution — continuous coming and going, age after age.
When subjected to the agonizing grief of the departure of a loved-one there is no way except to resort to fortitude and patience. It is His dispensation. Pray for the salvation of your dear one.
Being plunged into that ocean of sorrow you will have to cross over it. Try to engage in the reading of sacred books, in japa and meditation even if you are not in a mood for it.
Do not make your loved-one miserable by your tears and your longing for him. Taking refuge in God is the one and only road to peace.
In this material world keep up the remembrance of the One even if there is no desire for it. Those who have been taken away are indeed in Him.
47
The lute of man’s short life is strung with so many strings. They have to be cut asunder. There is no substance to these many strings. It is futile to let one’s thoughts be occupied with the ties by which one is bound.
Why behave like a fool and return again and again to this world of illusion? When someone understands deep down in his innermost heart that nobody is anybody’s own, why then should he bear so much pain and suffering?
Of course, being under the spell of delusion it is not always possible to attain to real, deep understanding. But in some cases even bitter medicines or injections administered forcibly restore people to health.
48
Bereavement and suffering, pleasure and pain are generated by delusion (moha); whereas man’s journey through life must be directed towards the Supreme Being.
When He is found all is found — contentment, peace, bliss. Evil-mindedness is due to the notion that God is far away. So long as you do not see Him in everything, make a supreme effort to be vowed to the uninterrupted thought of Him.
He is present in all practices and actions; He Himself manifests as action — try to remain ever aware of this! Brooding over grief, which is but the result of delusion, makes it spread and increase like a creeper — bear this in mind!
49
Such terrible calamities on all sides bring forth the black cloud of despair and darkness. It is natural that your mind should be terror- stricken and harassed by all kinds of worries. What is to be done?
The only refuge of the helpless is Bhagavan. Do not allow yourself to be broken. The very ground to which one has fallen, receiving a blow, has to be used as a lever in the effort to rise up again. This is God’s law. He whose tool you are, His indeed is everything. He Is.
You are in the arms of the Great Mother. As She keeps you, so you have to live. Keep mind and body healthy.
Rather than allowing yourself unresistingly to be consumed by the fire of worry and anxiety, ever try to keep awake the conviction that everything happens according to His Will.
Truly, the contemplation of Reality is the path.
50
About health and ill-health this body does, not say anything. The real, supreme and universal remedy for all ills is to abide in the constant remembrance of God. Put your whole trust in Him.
51
He should keep his mind free from cares, and worries and be ever full of inner joy — this is the important thing! He should invoke God with his mind and heart and voice in whatever way and by whatever words that come to him easily.
Why only mornings and evenings? At every moment! For this is indeed the unfailing panacea for every kind of trouble. He is the Supreme Father, Mother, Friend, Beloved, all in one. All names and forms as well as the nameless and the formless are His.
Therefore, one should make use of any expedient or device that may aid one to sustain at all times in one’s heart and mind the remembrance of Him and thereby to find peace.
52
Father! How much more do you want of earthly pleasure? Once you have a taste of that delight, you will have no more desire for worldly enjoyment.
This is the actual truth- By cultivating the company of saints, sages and seekers after Truth, by attending religious gatherings, by studying books of wisdom and by similar devices, one develops a bent in that direction.
Nothing will have to be given up. Only try to cling to Him desperately. What has to be relinquished will fall away of itself.
53
When one sees a stone, it cannot be called a vigraha; and seeing a vigraha it cannot be called a stone. Where it is regarded as a focus for the presence of God, there He actually is.
Just as it is said that everything is God’s own vigraha. Once it is regarded as His vigraha it is only fitting that one should strive after the direct perception of this fact. Stone-mindedness is foolishness — the fact of God’s immanence has not yet been grasped.
The delight in the things of this world, in sense objects, is fleeting indeed. It does not last; it is impermanent. But where God and God alone stands revealed, there is no such thing as impermanence.
Your attention is directed towards the world, not towards the Eternal; you are identified with that which is transient, in constant flux.
What is revealed thereby? The perishable. In the perishable there is no Self-revelation. How can Reality, true Being, be in that? For the destruction of destruction has not yet come about. The perishable must perish.
54
When the heart is full of worldly desires, it is their very nature to make the mind confused. This is why effort is necessary. So long as you do not become absorbed in dhyāna and japa, it has to be performed by constant endeavour.
To be moderate in eating, sleeping and so forth is imperative. Look, when you go on a journey you take with you only as much as you need. You don’t carry along all that is in your home.
Thus, when becoming a pilgrim on the path to the Supreme, you should take only exactly as much food and sleep as will help you to live always in the presence of Him.
There is a saying: “As one eats so the mind becomes.” Thus, withdraw the mind from outer things and make it turn within.
55
For long enough have you given your thought to worldly matters; now turn your mind towards the Eternal. Look, gradually the path will become clear to you and the thought of worldly things leave you as well. It is fated to disappear. The veil of ignorance will also wear out slowly.
The One who Is, is eternal: what is fleeting must needs be destroyed.
56
Such is the pilgrimage through life! Whatever task comes to you in this world, in whatever manner, regard it as your duty and carry it out faultlessly to the best of your ability.
To manifest power spontaneously — through divine contemplation, through God’s Name — is His very nature. In all conditions of life one should be engaged as much as ever possible in japa, dhyāna and similar practices.
57
Like a hero, taking refuge in patience, attend to your duties. Don’t fall a prey to despair; don’t be broken. One must remember that just as good times do not continue forever, so Bhagavan can also put an end to bad times.
Repeating God’s Name mentally, carry out whatever happens to be your duty.
58
Write to him to make his mind sound and vigorous as that of a wise and brave man. To allow the mind to be in this unhealthy state will not do.
What is there to be afraid of? Ever remember: God Is. May His Will be done! He is everyone’s very own and has a full claim on His offspring, to direct them according to His free and absolute Will. Everything He does is all-beneficent.
59
God is merciful. He has saved your life. Under all circumstances there must be the remembrance of Him. Anchored in patience pass through this difficult time.
So often many receive blows that attack their wealth, position and life. If one’s life has been saved, there is hope of everything else. Accept what has happened as the Will of the Almighty.
60
In wealth and property there is certainly no peace. What then does give peace? My own true nature is peace, knowledge, divine consciousness — unless and until this is realized, how can there be peace?
In order to find your Self you must become revealed to yourself. How beautiful!
61
Solely by turning to God is there any hope for man to gain peace. The world is as you have just experienced; it is futile to look for peace there.
When one lacks sincerity and straightness of character and is, moreover, unable to grasp properly the purport of dharma, this kind of disturbed state of mind, where one finds it impossible to elevate oneself by any means or device, may occur quite frequently.
It is imperative to depend on God no matter what one’s condition may be. Pray to Him.
62
Although lacking nothing that the world can provide, is there peace? Your true being is Knowledge, Peace; so long as you do not realize this there can be no peace.
It is the nature of the world to keep the sense of want burning. From the world you receive the things of the world—never supreme peace. Therefore, the awakening of your true nature is imperative. You cannot remain in the realm of want.
63
Is peace possible in the domain of want? Ever new desires will arise. Sense objects only generate poison but never give real peace. Caught in the round of coming and going, can one be at peace?
As long as there are two, there will be sorrow. Duality breeds conflict, pain. Sorrow arises from want. So long as you are not established in your true Being you cannot possibly be at peace.
64
Even right in the midst of troubles and vexations one has to rely on God, practise Japa and meditation and aspire to grow spiritually. By enjoying the pleasures and comforts of material life nobody ever attains to the realization of God.
Cultivate the remembrance of Him, who when you contemplate Him, when you enthrone His form in your heart, will give you peace. So long as He does not reveal Himself in a way that will dissolve all obstacles and obstructions, strive to live ever in His presence.