Accelerating Zeal
Table of Contents
Logic beyond logic
The field training keeps me hectically busy, and I love it.
The internal energy built up in Benares is finding its expression.
Usually I give 4 lectures daily for different schools, clubs, and civic organizations.
It seems like everyone in the city knows that I’m here, and they all want to see the westerner who teaches yoga.
I’m not yet authorized to teach personalized meditation techniques, but I’ve been teaching the Baba Nam Kevalam mantra to crowds of up to 2000 people at a time.
I usually have very little advance notice of whom I’ll be speaking to, nor do I prepare my lectures.
My talks are all spontaneous. Because some people attend more than one program, 1 also make sure each talk is unique.
Today I was brought to the main university. Before giving the lecture, the organizers ushered me into a meeting room in which there were about 40 professors.
“Who’s the audience this time, Madhu?” 1 asked.
“You will be speaking to the combined faculty and students of 3 departments: logic, ethics and metaphysics.”
I felt that:
- ‘Logic’ was okay
- ’ethics’ was half clear
- ‘metaphysics’ left me in a cloud
I turned to converse with the professor sitting next to me.
“In the west, many words carry different meaning than in India. Here at this university, what do you mean by the word ’metaphysics’?”
I remember him saying: “those dimensions that transcend purely physical analysis.”
“Dadaji,” another professor inteijected, “all of us would like to know the title of your discourse today.”
His voice was loud enough that everyone suddenly stopped their personal conversations to listen to my reply.
Without thinking, I said, “I will talk on ‘The Absolute and Eternal Relationship between Logic, Ethics and Metaphysics’.”
There was a gasp of many voices throughout the room.
“No one has ever spoken on such a topic here, Dadaji. It should be extremely interesting.”
The organizers brought me onto a stage. I faced about 500 students and teachers. One man spent 5 minutes lauding praises on me.
During that time I tried to divine something of my subject, but could only draw a blank.
Then it was my turn to speak. From the moment I started, I had no idea what I was saying.
The words I used were complex, and the sentence structures and relations between those sentences were even more complex.
I was totally lost, but went on speaking enthusiastically.
Several times the audience interrupted me with applause, though I didn’t know what they were appreciating.
At the end, they gave me a long and loud standing ovation.
The main organizer told the audience, “When Dadaji first told the title of his lecture, many of us wondered what he would speak. I dare say that we are now fully satisfied with his explanation. Nevertheless, you are now welcome to ask questions.”
One student stood up and asked something. God knows what he asked; it was far beyond my understanding.
Instead of replying, what would you think if here and now I were to teach you all something which will answer all the questions you have related to this topic?
Everyone applauded. I taught them Baba Nam Kevalam meditation.
Then I escaped.
Benares training center.
Each time we have group meditation, a different trainee leads it.
Today was Vimal’s turn. He’s a very simple fellow which means he:
- is devotional and affectionate
- often falls into trouble.
Once, when Baba was passing on a road, Vimal threw himself in full prostration at Baba’s feet.
Normally this might be an understandably humble or even spiritual act.
But as rain had only just let up, Vimal rose to his feet covered with mud.
While Baba pretended not to notice, Vimal’s face was illumined with a broad smile.
Today while leading the kiirtan, he gradually became more and more enthusiastic, jumping higher and wider, and thrusting his arms toward Baba’s photo.
As he sang Sam’gacchadvam before meditation, he accented each word with heartfelt emotion.
During the silent meditation, he was not so silent, uncontrollably blurting out “ah!” and “oh!” and “Baba!” with such explosive force that no one could help but be amused.
Afterward, he could barely get through the singing of the Guru Puja, breaking into tears repeatedly.
At last came the point for him to lead us in the Supreme Command.
His emotions were so strong that he could not stop himself from leaping up, lifting his fist high in the air, and shouting with full fanaticism, “THE SUPREME COMMAND!”
With these words, he collapsed on his back, falling upon some of us.
We burst into laughter.
But he did not hear our response. His eyes were closed.
He remained in super-consciousness (samadhi) for 2 hours.
Devotees each have their own unique way.
The ancient Sanskrit verse, sam ‘gacchadvam’, is sung before group meditation. It comes from the Rk Veda, composed about 15,000 years ago, and means—Let us move together, let us sing together, let us come to know our minds together, let us share like sages of the past, uniting ourselves in intention and mind
Guru Puja is performed after meditation. One offers one’s strongest attachment or ego to the infinite Entity, and ultimately offers oneself
The Supreme Command was written by Baba. It contains the most essential guidelines for a spiritual life.