BABA’S DEVOTION TO HIS MOTHER

On winter evening, I was enjoying Baba’s talk while sitting on the tiger’s grave.

Baba suddenly said, “Let us go, Nagina. Today I want to return home somewhat early.”

Then Baba immediately stood up to leave. I was also surprised as to why Baba was in a hurry to return.

In my contact with Him for 1.5 years, this was the first time when Baba returned earlier than usual time. I asked hom why.

Baba said, “There is pain in my mother’s neck. I have to rub warm oil to her neck. This will remove the pain. If we delay, I won’t be able to do this.”

I was moved to hear this, and to see His devotion to His mother. He who controls the whole universe, who Himself is the supreme doctor, also cares for His mother’s health! This was a great lesson for a person like me who was not conscious of my duties.

Winter was not yet over, when one evening I reached Baba’s residence to do my pranam to Him. I found that another gentleman of my department was also waiting outside. I inquired about the purpose of his coming. He informed me that he was to be initiated that day.

I felt very happy at this. After some time when the door opened, I went in after doing pranam. I told Baba that a gentleman was waiting outside for diiksa.

Baba said, “Send him in and you wait outside. After initiation, we shall go for a walk.”

I came out and sent that gentleman in and as I was waiting outside, I heard Baba saying in a loud voice, “Be normal. Be normal.”

In between I could also hear the voice of that gentleman. He was calling out, “God!” Sometimes he would say, “Oh Krsna, Oh God.” Sometimes he would say, “Jai Guru” (Victory to the Guru”).

I heard Baba’s repeated instructions to him to be normal.

After initiation, that gentleman came out and said to me, “Have you seen God face to face?”

I replied, “No.”

Then he said, “Baba is God Himself, He is my Supreme Father.” He was in an ecstasy and absorbed in God. He was not fully conscious of his body. Meanwhile Baba called me in. He said, “Take care of him. He became abnormal just touching my feet. With great difficulty I have been able to give him his mantra. I am coming in a minute. We will go for a walk.“I came out and began talking to that gentleman. When Baba came out, he pointed towards Baba and said in Bengali, “He is my Baba, my Supreme Father! Are you my Father, Baba?” Baba said, “Yes, I am your Baba.” Then Baba asked me whether I could take him to the field for a walk. I agreed. But after supporting him for some distance, I realized that he did not need support; he had to be carried along. Although his legs were on the ground, but the burden of his whole body was on my shoulders. In the field, when Baba sat on the tiger’s grave, this gentleman sat close to Him on His right side. For some time, he was silent then he asked Baba, “Will you do me a favour?” Baba replied “Yes, certainly.” As Baba said this, he put his head on Baba’s lap and lay down. Baba began to rub his back and arm. Sometimes Baba was also massaging his arms. Seeing this, I also began to massage his legs and feet. He removed his head from Baba’s lap only when it was time for Baba to return. Thus, for about one and a half hours, he received Baba’s sweet love in His lap. Baba was also keeping him on his lap as if a child was sleeping there, and was rubbing his body gently. I will never forget this experience of witnessing Baba’s divine love. Blessed is that gentleman also. How pure must his previous life’s karma be, that in the first darshan itself he had God realization ion Baba and was getting such affection from Him. On return, Baba said, “Nagina, take him with you and look after his needs.” I asked, “Baba, will he be able to travel today?” Baba said, “Yes.” I took him along to Bindeshwariji’s house, and after taking care of everything, I took him to the railway station and saw him off. Many times after that when he came for Baba’s darshan, that gentleman would become abnormal. In that condition he would normally say, “Hare Ram Hare Krishna”, and then would become quiet again. I once asked Baba, “Why does he speak like this in Your presence?” Baba gently smiled and said, “He sees me sometimes as Rama and sometimes as Krishna and so speaks like this.” One day, while he was crying and was in ecstasy, Baba asked me, “Nagina, do you recall that chapter of Bhagavad Giita where Arjuna says, ‘My body perspires and trembles. My mouth is dry, my hair stands on end due to overwhelming bliss’? I said, “Yes, Baba.” Baba said, “This is the state of this sadhaka.” I bowed to the infinite forms of Baba. MY FATHER MEETS BABAThe same month of March 1955, I went to Bhagalpur for some work. I had to stay there for two days. During my absence, my father came to see me at Jamalpur. I had not gone home after leaving Begusarai, nor had I inquired about the well being of my family. Hence, he himself had taken the trouble to come to Jamalpur. The fact is that from worldly point of view, I was always a burden on my family. Father, was worried and concerned about how I lived. In my absence, my brother-in-law and Bindeshwariji looked after him well. When I returned, I was surprised to find my father there. Father said, “You have not written any letters since leaving Begusarai. I have therefore, come to see you.” After sometime, I came to know that Bindeshwariji had somehow persuaded my father to take initiation and with Baba’s permission, had taken him to Baba’s place. Baba put one condition prior to initiation, and it was that he should not ask any other question except relating to initiation. Bindeshwariji informed him the condition. At the appointed time, Bindeshwariji took my father to Baba’s place. They arrived early, and waited in the courtyard. When the door of Baba’s house opened, Bindeshwariji took my father in and he came out. Although my father knew the condition, he asked Baba several questions. One was: “Do we have to under go the reactions of our actions?” Baba replied, “Yes. They will have to be undergone for certain.” Then there was some conversation and Baba rose to go out for a walk. When my father asked for initiation, Baba said, “You don’t need initiation. You continue to do what you are doing.” Then my father and Bindeshwariji returned, and thus he could not get initiation. When I came to know that, I felt sad and apprehensive. I asked my father how this happened. He said most innocently, “I knew the condition, even then I could not refrain from asking questions. I was helpless Baba replied to my questions in the most satisfactory manner, and did not object to questions. But I had a strange experience. When we reached Baba’s place before time, and were waiting in the courtyard, my entire life since the childhood began to appear on my mental plate like the film of a picture, and felt as if all had happened only yesterday. It is written in the scriptures that at the time of death the whole life flashes upon the mental plate.” I felt a little worried. But seeing that my father was quite healthy, my doubts disappeared soon. I had much faith and respect for my father. I was somewhat unhappy that my father could not get initiation and several times I though of again requesting Baba for it. But somehow I could not mention in to Baba. Next day, father returned to our village. BABA’S SELECTION OF INITIATES AND OUR METHODS OF PRACAR During those days, Baba gave initiations extremely selectively. It was for those who had the patience to pursue Baba’s disciples, who in turn requested Baba, and then Baba selectively graced some by initiating them. Such period lasted up to June-July of 1955. Then Baba permitted that the ardent seekers could be sent for initiation after His permission. Baba agreed to this only after our repeated insistence. Baba only allowed dissemination of spiritual ideals, and forbade any mention of His name to the people. We discussed with people what Baba used to teach us. There were no books available then. In the November of 1954, for the first time Baba asked His disciples to disseminate His spiritual teachings. Meanwhile many disciples requested Baba that His teachings must be disseminated widely in some organized way and the initiation should be available to all.After repeated requests from disciples, Baba agreed and said that He will train some acaryas to initiate people and train some tattvikas to teach philosophy. In the December of 1954 Baba had formed the organisation, and on January 5th 1955 it was named Ananda Marga. THE FIRST ACARYAS Now in February of 1955, Baba started taking the acarya classes and by middle of March, the first batch of acaryas was ready. Shri Chandranathji was also a graduate of that class. Then Baba started conducting tattvika classes, and the first batch of tattvikas was also ready by April-May of 1955. I was also in that batch. Now the tattvikas were teaching philosophy and acaryas were initiating people. Some people were both acaryas and tattvikas. They used to teach as well as initiate. Now acaryas and tattvikas were getting trained regularly as a result all these efforts, a very large number of people got initiated. Among them were large number of intellectuals who were much attracted to the philosophy.

From the very beginning, Baba was against creating distinctions amongst His disciples. Thus Baba removed the caste distinctions. He said that all belonged to one human family with Parama Purusa (Cosmic Consciousness) as the Father and the Parama Prakrti (the cosmic creative principle) as the Mother.

To further remove caste distinctions, Baba asked His disciples to give up the ‘sacred thread’ and the tuft of hair on the head called ‘shikha’.

Baba also taught that this universe is our country, and we are all world citizens. The property and wealth of this universe is for the growth of all people. How great are His ideals! As human values and Dharma were declining, Baba was increasing the speed of His organization. He is leading us towards society free from narrow-minded ideas, dogmas and all kinds of exploitation.

By this time, “Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy” was printed in Bengali, and it was being translated into Hindi. “Carya Carya” a book containing do’s and don’ts for sadhakas was also published. Everyone realised that Baba was shaping a new human society. Today, of course the organisation vigorously projects His ideals worldwide, but at that time we only envisioned some of the glimpses.