A Devotee

MY FATHER MEETS BABA

The 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 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 5 1955 it was named Ananda Marga.

THE FIRST ACARYAS

In February 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.