The great good of deportation

During the darshan Baba said:

“In the prehistoric world, the first language that was spoken was about 6 million years ago. The language came, but the intellectual standard was very poor. At that time even the forefathers of present human society, those apes and proto-apes, were not here.

Modern humans came about 1 million years ago. They had language but at that time their intellectual standard was also very poor. As the intellectual standard was low, the vocabulary was also very poor.

Even amongst the developed species of apes, the vocabulary is about 600 words. In the most undeveloped species of humans, the vocabulary is a little more than 900.

Whereas in the modern French language, the vocabulary is more than 4 lakhs, i.e. 400.000.”

Next day. It was 9:00 a.m. I was in the workers’ room, resting on my back with my eyes closed. Nearly a month had passed, and now only three days remained of His program in Berlin Sector. I was exhausted. Thoroughly and totally.

Having had minimal sleep, minimal meditation, minimal food, and maximum stress during this period, I thought, H 0 W can I continue for another 3 days?

I love Baba and even love this work, but it’s too much. Would that this were the last day. I’m sooo tired. I’m too tired to even move my hand. I can’t even move a muscle. Nothing can possibly make me move now.

Just in that moment someone said, “Baba!”

The room rippled with excitement and surprise. Suddenly realizing that Baba had entered, I jumped straight to my feet within a fraction of a second.

Baba walked up to me. He gave me that mischievous smile which shows His dimples but not His teeth. Though He said nothing, I distinctly caught His thought: Nothing can possibly make you move, huh?

Milano airport, Italy. June 4. There were thirteen of us in Baba’s entourage. We passed through immigration procedures normally; all the passports were stamped for entry into Italy.

Just as we were beginning the customs check, an official ran up to us. “Please! I’m sorry, please let me have your passports again!”

Without the slightest idea of the cause of this abnormal treatment, we collected our passports and gave them to him. We walked back with him to the immigration area, and watched, horrified, as he stamped all the passports again. Over the entry permits he stamped ‘CANCELED.’ He gave no explanation and requested us to sit down.

All of us were running in different directions, talking to any and every officer that we could find, trying to get an explanation, and reverse this shocking mistreatment. I felt especially responsible because I was the only one of the group who could speak Italian.

After a few minutes of this pandemonium, I suddenly became aware that Baba was acting in a way I had never seen before. He was sitting alone, looking at nobody, and turning both forefingers and one foot in small circles—surely mudras to manipulate the circumstances.

The action was similar to that I’ve seen done by other Tantrics who were tapping some occult power (Afterward I tried to imitate the movements, but could not).

I understood that He was in full control of what was happening, and wanted it to proceed exactly as it was.

Knowing that nothing I could do would affect His plan, I straightway sat down next to Him. Under the influence of His energy, I became calm and meditative.

After another hour, we were led to a shuttle bus. Everyone was talking excitedly, except for me. I stood next to Baba who appeared completely serene.

We got on a plane and flew back to France. At no point did any official offer an explanation for our deportation.

When we arrived back at the Lyon airport, I telephoned the yoga house.

Only one Dada and three full-timers were there. All the other Margis had either gone home or were traveling to Italy for Baba’s program. Of course that Dada was shocked, but he arranged three cars to fetch us.

While waiting for the cars, I stood next to Baba, offering what little security I could provide.

Ignoring my intention. He said, “Sit down, Dharmavedananda. Tell me what is the great good which will come out of this deportation.”

I was surprised at his question. I thought for a moment and then replied, “I don’t really know. Baba. But I suppose the hundreds of devotees who were waiting for You in the Milano airport are now frustrated and disappointed. They’ll surely feel very bitter toward their own government, and they will better understand how corrupt their system is. As a result, they’ll be much more encouraged to work hard for the establishment of a society guided by spiritual morality.”

He said, “Yes, you understand a little something.”

The cars arrived. Baba entered one car and I entered another. For the first time in several hours I was separated from Him. For the first time, I started to think in a normal way.

As we drove down the highway toward the yoga house, I turned gloomy.

My mind sank deep within itself, and in that moment I remembered the thought I’d had in the morning while lying on the floor: HOW can I continue another 3 days? Would that this were the last day. Oh. why did I think such a stupid thing? Now here it was happening according to my idiotic wish. His flight to Bombay was already fixed for the evening.

I was so sad that I started to weep softly. I thought. Baba, I miss you already. Please, You have to give me one last chance to be alone with You again. Please, when You call someone to massage You, let it be me. This thought ran on uncontrollably until we arrived at the yoga house.

As we entered, the place seemed deserted compared with how it had been when we left that morning. Already most of the decorations had been taken down, and in every corner lay the remains of a yet uncompleted cleaning effort.

Baba entered His room. I sat on the floor alone, alone with my sorrow. After a few minutes He came out and went for His bath.

When He returned to His room, I continued to sit alone, sure that He would soon summon me.

Ramanandaji came out, saying, “Karunanandaji, Baba is calling you for massage.”

What was this? I was so much into my own world that I never considered He might call another worker. I became distraught and dismayed.

A moment later though, Karunanandaji opened the door and rushed out saying, “Dharmavedanandaji, Baba is calling for you to come also. The electric fan is not working for some strange reason, so you should fan Him with, with…“He didn’t know what to use as a fan.

I grabbed a newspaper, ran into His room, and started fanning Him with it.

Meanwhile, Kamnanandaji also came back to do the massage. Baba was in a blissful state. I was now as high as I had been down a few moments before.

At first Baba was in a quiet mood. He began speaking about the suffering He and His mission had undergone from the very time of His childhood. But His voice carried no resentment. It had all been necessary and ultimately good.

Then He returned to the present. “What is the cause of this deportation?”

“I believe the Indian government fed bad information about Ananda Marga to the Italian government,” Karunanandaji said.

“Well, it may be, it may be,” Baba said with eyes half-closed. Then He opened His eyes and said, “But it may be a religious institution.” He told the exact name of that institution.

We were both surprised. Though He said “it may be a religious institution,” we understood Him to mean that it definitely was that institution.

“You see those priests,” He said, “they teach the people to think, ‘I am a sinner, I am a sinner. Lord, save me, I am a sinner.’ Thus they infuse inferiority complex. Even if one is not a sinner, praying like this, identifying with sin, he or she will become a sinner. Today’s young people don’t like this approach.

“Whereas Ananda Marga gives a revolutionary call to the youth. We say that everyone should think, “I am the son or I am the daught er of the Supreme Father. Lord, no matter what I’ve done. You have to take me on Your lap.’”

He was silent for a few moments. Then He sat up, looking serious and said. “Why do they fear us?”

By His word they, we understood He was no longer talking of any single religious institution, but rather of all the people and groups that fear Ananda Marga. The question was rhetorical, so we didn’t try to answer.

“They fear us because we are better than the Hindus in philosophy…

better than the Christians in social service …

better than the Jews in orthodoxy …

better than the Buddhists in morality …

better than the Moslems in social equality …

better than the Jains in asceticism …

and better than the Communists in mobility. That’s why they fear us.”