Dada Sarveshvaranand's Story

Dada Sarveshvarananda, a previous General Secretary, writes about Baba’s ability to alternatively love and scold us:

Baba was as strong as thunder in dealing with evil or immoral actions on the one hand, and as tender as a flower bud in dealing with righteous or moral actions on the other. Actually, I never felt Baba’s anger was in any sense like that of an ordinary person. Usually if someone loses his temper, his blood pressure rises, his face turns red and he loses all mental equilibrium. But Baba was always in control of Himself. He would show anger and displeasure to make us realize our faults and goad us on towards inner and outer perfection. I always felt that He was playing a role with His anger for us because, in the next moment. He could be light-hearted again — laughing and making us laugh….

Truly, we were not so unnerved by His anger as one might expect.

Even though that anger blew through us like a devastating storm, we knew that soothing rainfall was sure to follow. The severity of the prolonged reproofs and condemnation we had to face during our reporting sessions, pierced through our minds like arrows and made us completely heartbroken. We would then be hopelessly rejected. But when the reporting was over, He would change completely.

He would call us and shower loving caresses and sweet, calming words on us. This love, this affection, was so sublime and touching that all the humiliation, dejection and agonies we were experiencing a moment before were instantly gone. … Baba once said to me, “No matter how high a position a person attains, he or she will always need a strict guardian to answer to for his or her deeds — good or bad — who will give him or her proper guidance in life’s journey.

That guardian will also be a perennial source of inspiration. That is why I have a responsibility to be very strict in my discipline and duties. But it is not my real nature. My responsibilty compels me, against my wish, to be harsh with you.” Infinite affection was His real nature. What we saw in the way of anger and fury was nothing but a camouflage to an inner ocean of love and affection for all….

Further, here’s a story of Dada Tapeshvarananda:

In 1984 I was a Central worker. During a few days that the General Secretary was absent, I had the duty to give most of the reports to Baba. In the collective sessions. Baba gave me terrible punishment, as if the whole blame of the organization’s defects was mine.

After one punishment I felt so wounded, both physically and mentally, that I wanted to distance myself from Him. I decided I would-not sing Prabhat Samgiit, and that I would do only organizational work, since that was all He seemed to care about.

So that night when Baba returned from fieldwalk, I intentionally avoided Him. and was not there for singing together with everyone else. I heard that Baba asked, “Where is Tapeshvarananda?”

Someone answered, “Baba, he was just here, but maybe he is busy somewhere.”

After eating His dinner. He called me. I could not avoid, and had to go to His room. I did not look at Baba, and kept my eyes down while I answered His questions.

He asked, “How did you like that song I gave yesterday, Tumi amar dhyaner dhyeyol Did you learn it?” I was silent.

“You cannot remember?”

“No, Baba, I did not learn it.”

“Whatever you remember, even one or two lines, you sing.” Then I could not control my tears, and started crying. I said, “Baba, I did not learn the song, I cannot remember any line.” “Why?” I could not reply.

He said. “You see, I understand, you may feel that I only punish you. I only torture you. But you don’t understand that when I am punishing you. my inner intention is not to torture you. but to purify you. You may feel externally that it is torture, that it is humiliation. But spiritual purification comes after suffering, torture and humiliation.

“The main enemy on the spiritual path is ego, and ego can be powedered only through these three processes of suffering, torture and humiliation. You may feel bad, but you don’t know how happy I am when I see that you are successfully passing all these sufferings and tortures, because bliss and the supreme Ananda comes only after that. Ultimately in the spiritual world, nothing is suffering. There is only you moving toward the spiritual bliss.

“Do you know why I asked you about that song? The last line says, ‘I am weeping. Is that what You want? If that gives You pleasure, then I will go on weeping only for You.”’

So after this big build-up about Baba’s stricness, let’s turn to what really happened today:J

I had heard stories about reporting sessions before Baba, the punishment He metes out to his workers and the countless displays of His spiritual power and love; today I had my first real taste during a session with the education department.

The drama went as follows:

GENERAL SECRETARY [GS]: How many schools were started last month in your region?

RANCHI REGIONAL SECRETARY. Three, Dada.

BABA: Why only three? How many of your diocese secretaries are present here?

REG. SECY.: Four, Baba.

BABA (frowning and squinting): Then why not four schools? Nonsense, rascal. Who is the worker that didn’t start a school?

DIOCESE SECRETARY (stepping forward uneasily): Myself, Baba.

BABA: Is there any justification for such gross inefficiency?

DIO. SECY, (stammering): I try…tried my my best. Baba.

BABA: Tried! Stupid. One does or does not do. To sincerely try is to do. So no need to keep the word try in your dictionary. Ranchi regional secretary, come forward! (The reg. secy, steps in front of Baba.) Due to your inadequate supervision, this jewel-of-a-boy’s potentiality was not fully utilized. Hands up! (The reg. secy, lifts both arms straight up.) Animal! Only eating and sleeping! (Baba hits His stick against his side. The reg. secy, jumps up involuntarily.) Wasting your time and misguiding your workers.(Baba beats a him bit more, as the reg. secy, mutters “Baba Baba” and leaps from side to side.)

DIO. SECY, (moving closer to Baba): No, don’t beat him, Baba! It’s my fault.

BABA (pausing with the stick and speaking in a calm, dignified manner): No. it’s not your fault. It is due to your supervisor. (He turns to the reg. secy, and strikes him again.) Idiot, lazy fellow!

REG. SECY, (speaking to the dio. secy.): Say something concrete!

DIO. SECY.: Baba, I’ll start a school within one month.

BABA (hits the reg. secy, again): One month! One month! Do you think that the suffering humanity can wait for such listlessness and lethargy?

DIO. SECY.: One week. Baba! I’ll start the school within one week! BABA (halting with the stick): Did you hear what the boy said, GS? GENERAL SECY: Yes, Baba. He said he will start a school in one week.

BABA (taking out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from His brow): Yes, take a note. If a school is not started within one week, then further measures will be required.

REG. SECY.: Baba, I will properly supervise him.

BABA: Yesss…

Surely most people would be horrified to see such a display of anger and force. But I was full of inspiration. Here was a man-making guru, capable of molding His disciples for the benefit of society.

After leaving the room, the RS joked and laughed, his face suffused with joy, though the marks of the stick were still visible. It made me even more curious to know the inner effect of His stick.