CONTENTS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Prefatory What is Anushthan? Experience of opposite states at the time of God Realisation Attainment of God through wifely devotion A personal experience The process of Anushthan How the God of one's choice (Favourite Deity) manifests himself A devout housewife reforms her husband The path of self purification Let the mind wander if it will during Anushthan The need for and benefit from the wanderings of the mind The Episode of a Prostitute How the mind is cleansed of its impurities How to carry on Anushthan during the time of Impurity (Ashaucham) How to carry on Anushthan during sickness ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 2 4 6 7 10 18 20 24 26 32 34 39 41 43

PREFATORY
After four years (1910-14) of severe penance under Shree Sai Baba of Shirdi and one year of crowded glory at Kharagpur, Shree Upasani Baba Maharaj finally settled down (1917-1918) at Sakuri, a small village in the Kopargaon Taluka of Ahmednagar District. A small Zopadi (hut) was erected for him by some of the village farmers in the cremation ground on the outskirts of the village. Sometime later Baba voluntarily confined himself for about 15 months in a Pinjra (cage) made of bamboos. Thousands of devotees used to gather here on all important Hindu festivals and to those congregations he delivered a series of discourses on a variety of subjects, social, political, ethical, religious and spiritual. One of those discourse forms the subject of this booklet. In those early days, there resided at Sakuri a Sanyasi, Mangalamurthy by name. He was a votary of God Ganesh, and was in the practice of reading out a portion of Mudgala Puran every day in Babas presence. One day it happened that as he was reading the scripture seated outside the Zopadi, it began to rain. The ground soon became wet and muddy. Baba who was then seated in the Pinjra within the zopadi enquired of Mangalamurthy how it went with them outside. Very well, replied the Swamy. Baba thereupon started his discourse. One

2 mans meat is another mans poison. What is well to you may be ill to another. You have a comfortable seat to sit upon and a proper stand for your scripture. Hence you have no eye for the inconvenience of others. Look at that Narasinga Maharaj! How he is balancing himself on the tips of his toes in order to escape being soiled. Generally every one looks to his own comfort, unmindful of the difficulties of others. Then addressing himself to the other devotees, Baba said: If you find it dirty and inconvenient to sit there you can come in , and continued.

What is Anushthan?
Those who read a scripture as well as they who listen to it shall have to strictly conform to certain regulations. The act or mode of behaviour which is well regulated and systematic becomes an Anushthan. There are many kinds of Anushthan and the perusal of any sacred book is one such. What does the word Anushthan mean? This word is composed of two syllables, Anu and Sthan. In compounding them the syllable Sthan becomes Shthan as per laws and regulations of grammar (Anu Sthan. Anushthan Anu means after and Sthan mean place or state). That state which we create for ourselves as an equivalent to a particular state which we desire to achieve or which we feel cannot be attained is Anushthan. All those activities resorted to by philosophers,

3 spiritual aspirants and those sick of this worldly life, who, in order to experience the characteristics (attributes) of the Supreme Source whence all creation (animate and inanimate) has sprung, create a new state of their own in accordance with the description of the original state as found in the scriptures or in the sayings of the seers of the Truth, constitute Anushthan. Unless one obtains a desired object or hopes to obtain it in the natural course of events without any effort, one will have a mad hankering after the experience of the coveted state, the attributes of which he will forcible try to infuse into himself. Let us see how far this definition of the word Anushthan is appropriate. The anecdote of Lord Krishna, Radha and Gopies aptly illustrates this point. The Gopies were ever mad after Krishna. All of a sudden Krishna once vanished from their midst and the Gopies were at a loss to know what to do. As has been already pointed out, if we cannot get a desired object, we try to bring home its experience by forcibly instilling into ourselves all the characteristic features of the aspired thing. Thus Radha and the Gopies, who deeply felt the absence of Krishna and also the lack of his virtues in them, tried to transform themselves into Krishna by adopting his guise and imitating his qualities. Therefore if we are to become one with Krishna, we have to resort to service of God, charity, imitation of his Divine virtues and such

4 other activities as will ensure for us all the manifested divine qualities. Forgetting their sex, the Gopies strove hard to experience in themselves Krishnas miraculous powers and magnificent glory, or become one with him; and it is no wonder that by their thought force they attained their objective. In like manner, by imitating the characteristics of the Primeval State in the course of Anushthan, it amounts to being well established in that state. EXPERIENCE OF OPPOSITE STATES AT THE TIME OF GOD-REALISATION God is both with form and without form. As such He is sexless as well as with sex. At the time of God-Realisation, men and women experience a state which is exactly the opposite of their own. Unless a man passes through the experience of the female state, namely that of Adimaya, Adishakti and a woman through the male state i.e. the state of Pramapurusha or the Supreme Lord, he or she cannot attain the Divine status beyond the pale of the sexes. This is a profound spiritual truth, not easily grasped by those involved in the meshes of Samsara, (cycle of births and deaths) whose vision is always materialistic and superficial.

5 Though God is self evident, men have, by, contrasting Him with the manifested world termed Him the Unmanifest or Invisible and hold the human and Divine States antithetical. Hence it has become customary and conventional to keep confidential all the activities pertaining to the Invisible Creator of the Universe. Aspirants who yearn for union with God, therefore, prosecute their austerities in secret, and the priniciple underlying all such activities is known only to Yogies and seekers after Truth. The mind actually becomes that which it constantly thinks of, whether by force or by its own free choice. The example of how the Gopies, though women, attained unison with Krishna by forgetting their sex and firmly fixing their mind on the Lord is a point in question. Though God is self apparent, He clads himself in Maya and appears in the form of the world. Since by contrast with the apparent world God is unmanifest, Yogies try to be in a state of secrecy. Yogies invoke, by means of their Yogic powers, any individual upon a stone, a blade of grass or any other inanimate object and converse with him. The person thus invoked, whether he be at Bombay or some such distant place, will receive all the suggestions in his heart, though he may not be aware of the source whence the suggestions come. Thus any one can achieve anything he aspires for, even if it be God

6 realization. As God is manifest in both the sexes, He can be attained in either form. ATTAINMENT OF GOD THROUGH WIFELY DEVOTION If one, who has lost his beloved constantly thinks of her like one mad, he will experience all her qualities in himself. He does not actually behold her material form. But as his mind is saturated with her qualities, he forgets his personality and feels himself one with his beloved. Similarly a wife too can have the experience of being her husband. If during her lifetime a woman is devoutly attached to her husband, looks upon him as God and serves him wholeheartedly thereby meriting a reciprocation of his wholehearted affection, her husband after death appears to her in all the greatness and grandeur of God with whom she has been identifying him. The couple will merge in the Absolute and the joy knows no bounds. This is why the wise have laid down in the Scriptures that a husband and wife should love each other as God and Goddess. An entirely different state of affairs now prevails. Men and women have lost sight of the principle of divine love. Their love is now limited to the practical exigencies of their mundane life.

7 A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE What does Anushthan signify? What advantage is derived from sitting in the mud? These points have to be clarified. If you find your usual place muddy and uncomfortable, you had better come in and seat yourselves here. Thereupon the devotees walked in and sat in the zopadi. And Baba thus began. Had you been attentively following what has so far been said you would not have stepped within. Commands are obeyed without hesitation so long as they are along the course of least resistance. If you had been asked to walk out of the zopadi, you would have perhaps thought twice before you obeyed. What a hard task master you find in me! At these words, all of them walked out of the zopadi. Formerly I used to go from Shirdi to Rahata and back every day. In the course of those customary rounds, one fine morning I squatted by the wayside halfway from Shirdi to Rahata. Some of the passers by soon gathered round me. The whole country round knew me well to be nude as well as mad. It was about eight or nine a.m. people were busy going about their vocations, some on foot, some on horseback and some on bicycles. That day happened to be Avidhava Navami (The ninth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapad). The sun was shining bright. There was no sign of rain. Besides Shankar Patel and a few others from

8 Sakuri, there were other big people as well. When I was by myself, my thoughts were mine own. But now the conversation that ensued took a turn suitable to the occasion and the audience. Arent you all bound for Shirdi? Why then do you loiter here and waste your precious time? said I. No Baba, replied they. We shall spend a while here with you and then go. Very soon the congregation swelled. Four or five employees of the Irrigation Department came up there. One of them rode a bicycle and another a horse. They set aside their conveyances and sat near me. It is getting hot. Said I. Why do you idle away your time neglecting your duty? They answered, there is no pressing work on hand. We shall sit for a while and go. One of them observed, Today is Avidhava Navami, isint it so? It is my wifes anniversary. The other remarked that it was his mothers anniversary and preparations were being made for its performance. Hence they were in no hurry to go. Time passed on unnoticed and it was now about 1 p.m. My discourse on Avidhava Navami continued. As they found it very interesting, they sat with rapt attention, especially because it very closely concerned the first gentlemans lost wife. Though it was past two, they refused to stir from their places unless and until I would make a move. The sun was fierce and there was no apparent sign of rain, but I said It will rain and you will be drenched. They were however firmly resolved not to stir at any cost. There

9 were also some Mussalmans in the crowd and they said, You are the very embodiment of Divinity, and where you are in Bliss. Another remarked, if it rains, you too will be drenched. I replied, What have I to be drenched? Your suits and hats will drip wet. I will be here till dusk. Then turning to the gentleman who lost his wife, I said, Your wife will perhaps visit your house and finding you absent, may walk away disappointed. He answered Why will she go home? She must surely have come here to drink deep the nectar of your divine discourse. All of a sudden rain began to pour down in torrents. I sat unmoved and so did the rest, as they too were determined to weather it out at all costs. One of them unfurled an umbrella over my head. At my refusal to avail myself of this advantage, those of the congregation who had umbrellas denied themselves their use. Till about half-past four, the rain continued unabated but none got up. In those days Durgabai was in the practice of offering me Naivedyam (offering of food to God) immediately after Sai Babas Arati in the mosque, and till then she would never break her fast. At first I was staying in Khandobas temple outside Shirdi, but later on I used to wander about. Wherever I was, she would find me out and would never return to Shirdi to break her fast without offering me the Naivedyam. Whether it be sun or rain, Whether I would partake of her

10 offering or not, she rigorously kept up her Anushthan. This evening she came up with her Naivedyam at half-past four and stood behind me. Shanker Patel or some one else intimated the same to me. After sometime I felt I should not put the gathering to inconvenience any longer and so got up. In a hut pointed out by Shanker Patel, I tasted a few morsels of the food brought by Durgabai and she then retraced her steps to Shirdi. The long and short of it is that though those persons were not at all used to move about in rain, the strength of their purpose was such as to render them practically unconscious of the external circumstances and they sat there all the time deeply engrossed in my talk. Thus this was an Anushthan for them. You have left your seats as soon as a few drops of rain have fallen on you and the contrast has reminded me of this incident. THE PROCESS OF ANUSHTHAN In the course of Anushthan, i.e. while trying to attain the ideal we have set before us, many obstacles will be encountered. By incessantly prosecuting our Sadhana for the attainment of the characteristic attributes of the Supreme Source regardless of these obstacles, even without the slightest idea that they were such, the Anushthan is brought to perfection. This rain is an obstacle for the perusal of your Scripture, Mudgala Puranam; but if you take it

11 seriously and accounting it an obstacle leave your customary place and seek a more comfortable one, the purpose of Anushthan is defeated. The Original State is steady, motionless and without the least admixture of anything other than Bliss Absolute. To infuse the above qualities into ourselves, it is essential that we should under all circumstances keep to the place set apart for the Anushthan. The reading of scriptures like the Ramayan, Bhagavat or Guru Charitra, constitutes one form of Anushthan. I shall here outline for you the procedure and those of you who can make use of it are welcome. Strict observance of silence (Mauna) essential for any Anushthan. If in the course of Anushthan your child cries and you are disturbed by it, or some one comes to pay you money, or the postman brings you an insured packet and you break your Mauna and cry out. Wait a minute please, I am with you presently, and you put a mark in the scripture and break your Anushthan, the Anushthan becomes null and void. If one is earnest and whole-hearted about his Anushthan, he should, in order to instill into himself the attributes of the Primeval State, allot a certain place for the purpose and keep to it under all circumstances. He should betake himself to the fixed place at the appointed hour. Discipline regarding the particular posture to sit in belongs to the sphere of Hathayoga. You are men of the world and your objective is to attain God with your kith and kin, even while actively leading a worldly life. Therefore if you have

12 previously practiced any particular posture, it is well; or otherwise you seat yourself in any comfortable position so as to remain steady and unmoved for a considerable length of time. The series of activities prosecuted to acquire the qualities of the Original State is termed Satkriya. It is not absolutely necessary even for men of the world to carry on their mundane activities all the twenty four hours of the day. They should therefore set apart at least one or two hours every day either in the morning or in the evening for this purpose. They should, at the appointed hour, betake themselves to the place fixed upon in a state of a purity (both of mind and body). Time and again you have persistently placed before me, in spite of my remonstrances, money and material as an offering to me. I dont need any of them nor do I ask for any gift. If I have to ask anything of anybody, it is this, Out of the twenty four hours of the day, please offer me an hour or atleast fifteen minutes. If you dont like to offer this time to me, offer it to God. Again you do not take back or utilize for your own purposes anything that you have gifted away to me. Likewise you should abstain from making use of the portion of the time of the day which you offered me or God for any of your worldly purposes. Let us now estimate the result of your gift of your time to God. Just as we have no claims over any object we gift away to God, we have no

13 hold whatsoever upon that portion of the day given away to God; that is to say, we should not utilise it for the discharge of any of our worldly activities. Moreover it will be well if you dont even think of worldly things during that period. But due to force of habit it has become the very nature of our mind to go on thinking of ever so many things, good, bad or indifferent during the time dedicated to God, though physically we abstain from all worldly activities. Those who realize that during the period of Anushthan the mind should not keep thinking of worldly affairs or that they should not be tainted by the wanderings of the mind ceaselessly press on with their Satkarma without allowing the mind to lose sight of its ideal. The mind of such strong-willed souls will speedily come to rest or leave them unaffected by their slight oscillation. In view of this principle, a fixed time and a fixed place are absolute pre-requisites for any kind of Anushthan or mental discipline. It is usual in many households to set apart a room for the worship of God and this room goes by the name of Pooja Griha or Deva Griha. The idea underlying is that we should not only stop from all worldly activities during the period gifted away to God but we should not even sit in a place which is a portion of the world. Hence the convention of having a separate room for the worship of God. Even here one should reserve a specific corner for oneself so that others may not

14 intrude upon it. That fixed time and place should be maintained under all circumstances. At the appointed hour one should seat himself in that fixed place with a clean mind and body, approximating to the purity of the Source. And suitable posture in which it will be comfortable to sit motionless and steady till the end of the prescribed period may be resorted to. Movements of all kinds should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. The particular mode of Anushthan fixed upon, whether it be the reading of a Scripture, repetition of a Mantra or Abhishekha or meditation, should be carried on throughout the period allotted for the purpose. You may ask Baba, the mind begins to wander as soon as I sit for Anushthan, what then are we to do? Let the mind wander where it will. It has become its nature to wander and what is natural cannot be stopped at once. For your part, you do not mind the wanderings of the mind but carry on your Anushthan with a fixity of purpose. Till the mind acquires perfect strength of purpose, it will have to face and overcome obstacles at every step. But these obstacles should be regarded as so many opportunities to strengthen your purpose and your Anushthan should be pushed on with a courage and fortitude that defy all adverse circumstances. Smaller obstacles may make room for greater ones but in the long run they too will be overcome. If one leaves off his Anushthan for fear of obstacles, it is an unmistakable indication of a weak purposed.

15 Anushthan and strength of purpose are essentially identical. If the strength of purpose is perfected, the objective is achieved. Says Tukaram, Strength of purpose is its own reward. The final fruit of such strengthening of purpose is ambrosial. Fruit, material or spiritual, is the finished product of this strength of purpose. Anushthan is the processs of perfecting this strength of purpose. Therefore one should be watchful. He should not be deterred by obstacles but continue his Anusthan till its perfection or the perfection of strength of purpose. If the aspirant is earnest, God takes care of him. Either he will encounter no obstacles or they will be formidable indeed. If even under those trials he is persistent and bold, he will have the Grace of the Lord. He may then come out triumphant or physically succumb to circumstances. Nothing worse can happen. If there is a time limit to his Anushthan, these trials will overtake him within the limited period. If the ego (Jeeva is destroyed and the body continues to live it is indeed a high stage of attainment, the state of Jeevan Mukti or liberation while yet in the body. If the ego and the body both perish, it is also a desirable consummation. This is the state of Videhamukti or liberation after the fall of the body. You may wonder at this kind of Anushthan but remember that the purpose of Anushthan is to attain the state of everlasting Bliss, a state devoid of all vehicles. If this is achieved before the expiry of the period set,

16 you will be fortunate to reach your goal earlier than your expectations warrant. If, however, these great trials of strength are treated as mere obstacles and the Anushthan left unfinished, nothing will come out of it. It is not infrequently that we come across a type of people who put a peculiar construction of their own upon those obstacles and make it an excuse for leaving off their Anushthan. It is not the will of Heaven that we should serve Him and therefore, He puts a number of obstacles in our way. How can we think of doing that which does not obtain His sanction? A certain brahmins wife was childless. I directed her to perform Tulsipuja. She replied that Tulsipuja did not prove itself auspicious for her, for within a few days after her starting it, her only child died. How is Satkarma possible for men and women of such queer notions? There was a certain house holder. Lord Shankara came to him in the disguise of a beggar and begged for alms. The gentleman instructed his wife to gim alms which she did. That very night one of her children took ill. The next day the same beggar turned up and she gave him alms. By the time the beggar arrived the third morning, that child was no more and its corpse was about to be taken away for the burial. In spite of it, as she had been instructed by her husband not to forsake her practice of giving alms under any circumstances, she sent the beggar away satisfied. The idea never occurred to the couple that giving of alms was unlucky or

17 inauspicious and thy continued their Anushthan. In course of time the second and the third boy passed away. From the time they started giving alms to this beggar all their children expired in quick succession. But they never thought for a moment that the giving alms was the cause of their childrens death and hence desirable. On the contrary the husband instructed his wife to continue her good practice, come what may. At length the wife too fell sick and died the next day. Preparations were being made for her funeral. A little rice was cooked for that purpose. The husband was alone in the house. The beggar came for alms as usual. The unfortunate gentleman was at a loss to know what to give to that beggar. He sadly moaned out, There is no cooking in the house as yet. What am I to give you? The beggar pointed to the rice cooked for the last rites of the dead and said, Serve that rice to me. Without a word the gentleman did so, and the beggar vanished. As this gentleman had kept on his good practice of giving alms regardless of all the mishaps that befell him, after leaving this world, he attained the highest Bliss of Kailasa along with other members of his family.

18 HOW THE GOD OF ONES CHOICE (FAVOURITE DEITY) MANIFESTS HIMSELF The jeeva state or the ego is the prime source of our sorrows and sufferings and as such it is in our best interests to destroy it as soon as possible. If you push on your Anushthan regardless of obstacles and obstructions till the close of the prescribed period, the object of your prayers or the God of your choice will reveal himself to you even where you sit in Anushthan. This revelation may be in one of two ways. (1) The deity may manifest itself before you as a separate entity maintaining an individuality of its own. Thus the worshipper and the object of worship stand face to face. This experience will, in the first instance, be brief but by persistent Sadhana it can be made to last longer till at last, when the Anushthan is complete, the deity stays with you as long as you like and will appear to you whenever you wish and will give you counsel or direction as per your requirements. (2) It may be that you may completely lose your body-consciousness and feel you the object of your worship. This experience of oneness with God (Soham) is indeed a higher state of development and here there is no duality or separate individuality of the worshipper and the object of worship. In the early stages this experience also will be momentary and the bodyconsciousness will again and again intrude upon

19 this divine consciousness. But by patience and perseverance the Anushthan should be perfected. Then you are for ever established in the state of divine consciousness and even if the bodyconsciousness may thrust itself upon you on occasions, it cannot disturb, much less break, the stream of God-consciousness which courses steadily through. No Guru (Spiritual Master) is obligatory for this kind of Sadhana. Any one with an elementary knowledge of spirituality can by himself practise this kind of Anushthan and attain the cherished goal of life. What is essential is that the time dedicated to God should be held sacred and should be utilized only for spiritual purposes. The question may be raised as to how it will be possible for men and women in service who are not always masters of their own place but may be obliged to go hither and thither on duty to carry on Anushthan. I say unto you, If you are not masters of your place, do not worry. If you cannot maintain a fixed place for Anushthan, let go the place but stick to the time. By carrying on your prescribed Anushthan at the proper time in your temporary residence, you will derive the same benefit as in the original place. Even if you cannot carry your place with you, you do not leave your time behind. It may however be questioned What if we are otherwise engaged at that time by a call of duty? It is indeed an obstacle. Your concern should be to maintain the time of your Anushthan at all costs. In proportion to the strength of your

20 purpose will be the measure of your successs; for providence is ever watchful and takes care of you. The ancient practice of Sandhyavandan (twilight prayer) laid down for the twice-born is based on this principle of the importance of timely prayer. The Mussalmans never miss their time of prayer. Even while traveling in a railway train, they will kneel down and pray at the prescribed time of the Namaj. As a rule God will see to it that no hindrance comes in the way at the time of your Anushthan. If circumstances so conspire that it is not at all possible to carry on the Anushthan at the prescribed time also it should be continued as soon as normal conditions are restored and no sin will then be attached to the period of lapse. On the contrary if you become negligent and indolent and put off the Anushthan, it all goes waste. A DEVOUT HOUSEWIFE REFORMS HER HUSBAND A spirituality minded and devout housewife will be of immense help in the proper discharge of her husbands Anushthan. A wife is generally termed a Dharmapatni or Sahadharmacharini. This term, however, is appropriate only to that wife who renders active assistance to her husband in the discharge of Satkarma. Though the husband may not naturally be inclined to Satkarma, the example of his devout wife will put him to shame and he will very soon be induced to copy her. The wife

21 should strictly adhere to and keep up the traditional practice of wearing a sacred cloth at the time of worship, cooking and eating and arrange the materials of worship etc., whether the husband takes to it or not. If she is asked to remove them, she should implicitly obey but repeat the process every day. If she is rebuked for her persistance, she should answer: I follow the tenets of Stridharma (duties of a woman). Please do not come in the way of my duty. If you have taken a vow of not performing any religious austerities viz., Sandhyavandan, Puja etc., dont do so. My parents have brought me up in the traditional religious path. As you are my husband. You are my God. At the same time my parents too should command from me the respect and adoration due to God as has been laid down in the scriptures (Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava i.e., Let thy mother be a God unto thee, let thy father be a God unto thee). Therefore it is incumbent on me to obey both. If your commands do not harmonise, I shall be put to inconvenience and trouble in carrying them out, but I am prepared to bear them patiently. If the husband gets wild, she should gently remonstrate with him in some such was as the following. What cause of offence have I given you? Have I set before you any unclean or undesirable objects such as a shoe or excreta and the like? The beneficent results of our austerities will be far reaching and will extend to our progeny as well. Her persistence and tenacity of purpose

22 will slowly tell upon the husband and he will gradually learn to respect the sentiments of his wife and allow her to have her way. This is the first step in the reformation of the husband. A little later he will slowly learn by degrees the wearing of a sacred cloth at the time of meals and the reciting of the usual prayers etc. If by chance a friend of his, a finished product of modern civilization and one used to sit at the table and dine with his boot and suit on, pays him a visit, he will be surprised at his friends orthodoxy. He may ridicule him and jeeringly ask when and by whom he has been initiated into those fantastic superstitions of our foolish fore fathers. The host may feel a little abashed and will thrust the whole blame upon his old fashioned wife. The guest will thereupon express his disapproval with a sneer, adding that women are always conservative, irrational and bigoted and to follow them will be to plunge headlong into silly superstitions and meaningless conventions. Then the host may get a little confused, feeling a sort of inferiority complex and command his wife to put away all the rubbish and serve them without further ado. After meals the friends will smoke a cigar or two crack a few jokes, put on their goggles and hurry away to their offices. Not withstanding the gibes and ridicule of his friend, the influence of the wifes austerities will not fail to make itself felt upon her husband in a greater or lesser degree; and in course of time he will fall in with his wifes aspirations and be take himself

23 to the prescribed religious observances. If again his old friend happens to be his guest and finds fault with him for his orthodoxy, he will now answer Let it be. Our ancestors have trodden this path and handed it down to us. It has stood the test of time and the lives of our fore fathers bear the incontradictable evidence of its merit and veracity. Why not we too adopt it and derive the same benefit as our forefathers? He thus gets well established in the path of righteousness and will refuse to be shaken by the mockery and ridicule of his friends. If his good old friend repeats his visits to the gentlemans house off and on, he too will very soon come under the influence of the good example of his friend and his pious wife. He will begin to wonder why his wife had not been brought up on such healthy and righteous lines, for she would then have enabled him too to perform the worship of God and other meritorious acts. The picture of his friends wife will imprint itself prominently on his imagination; her docility, devotion and sense of duty impress him so well that he will address himself to his wife and enquire of her whether her parents had never inculcated to her the righteous path of religious observances, devotion to God and the like. Let alone my parents,will be her sharp rejoinder, What about your honoured self? What have been your ways of life so far? It is you, sir, that have led me along theses lines of

24 modern civilization. By force of habit they have been so deeply ingrained in me that they have become my very nature and it is impossible for me now to shake them off. Undoing, you know, is more difficult than doing. Habits are harder to break than to aquire, more so bad habits. As there is engendered in him an earnest desire to reform himself, this gentleman will, in the fullness of time, train his wife and himself on the model of his friend and wife. Thus the couple will also lead a pious and a religious life. The successful completion of an Anushthan depends directly uupon the strength of purpose of the individual. Be wary and watchful; fill the minutes as they come and go with good thoughts, good words and good deeds. An obstacle is meant to be a stepping stone to success. At this point Baba once more invited the devotees to sit inside the zopadi if it was muddy outside. But not a soul stirred from his place. THE PATH OF SELF PURIFICATION In order that the characteristics of the Supreme Source should manifest themselves in us, we should observe strict silence (Mauna) and carry on Anushthan at a fixed time in a fixed place as has already been outlined and God will reveal himself to us in that very place. We will not be obliged to go anywhere or to any individual.

25

We do not possess the divine attributes to any great degree and hence we shall have to instill those qualities into us by force and transform our nature from the human to the Divine. If this practice is carried on long enough, we get firmly established in Divinity and our Anushthan is then complete. Such a transformation is almost entirely the outcome of our association. Times without number have I given you to understand that I am or a Sadguru is like a lump of wet clay. He is blind, deaf and dumb. You can fashion him as you please. The state of a Jeeva (individual soul) too is exactly similar. You too, like wet clay are moulded by circumstances. You are at present under British Rule and so you ape and acquire their dress, customs and manners. We unconsciously acquire the qualities of those with whom we closely associate ourselves. Hence the proverb Tell me what your company is and I shall tell you what you are. Place the highest minded philosopher in the midst of rogues, scoundrels and vagabonds, he cannot raise them to his level but he will unconsciously gravitate to theirs. The association with drunkards will induce in us a thirst for drink. A lump of wet clay may be cast into the form of an ass. This form, if not required, may easily be demolished and remoulded into a cow or into an angel, as he wish. A jeevatma may likewise be

26 moulded into whatsoever form we choose. If a soul lacks faith and devotion, they may be induced in him by dint of patient and persistent effort. If the clay gets dry, it has first to be made wet by sprinkling some water and then modeled into the required form. Even so in the case of a mind from which the elements of faith and devotion are entirely absent. Greater trouble has to be taken but nevertheless those virtues can gradually be induced into such a mind of relentlessly pursuing the path of Satkarma or Anushthan. To replace the old by the new or the bad by the good costs not a little by way of hardship and labour. By strong and determined effort, however, unmindful of the hardships and sufferings, the objective may be achieved in this very life or in one or two lives at the most. Gold too like wet clay can be shaped and reshaped at will. But it has first to be heated in the fire in order to reduce its hardness into mellowness. The souls hardness (evil tendencies) has to be reduced to softness (good tendencies) by melting it in the fire of Satkarma. LET THE MIND WANDER IF IT WILL DURING ANUSHTHAN It is the common experience of many that as soon as they sit for Anushthan their mind begins to wander hither and thither. But I say, Let the mind wander where it will. Of the three

27 instruments (Thri Karana) God has gifted you with, the mind is not within your control. But you are masters of your tongue and body. Therefore, keep these two firmly engaged in the service of God. In the instance of the husband and wife cited above (See Section 8) the husband was heterodox and unruly to begin with but was slowly converted by the good example of his wife. Our mind may be likened to the husband and the body to the wife. By the steadfast devotion and incessant striving of the wife of a body, the husband of a mind can be brought under control and into harmony. By the systematic practice of any kind of Anushthan such as reading of a holy scripture Abhisheka, Japa or Dhyana, the mind will feel ashamed of its wanderings or will spend its force and get exhausted and will inevitably come to rest. The more it acquires the attributes of the Source, the more blissful it becomes. What is required of you is that you should not allow yourselves to be distracted by the wandering aspect of the mind but steadily push on your Anushthan. You have already seen that the mind resembles a lump of wet clay and can be fashioned into any specific form. The more the mind absorbs the qualities of the Original Source, the steadier will it become. The true nature of the mind is not to wander but this has become its nature by force of habit. Even if the mind wanders, you are free to disregard it and continue your Anushthan

28 uninterrupted. If the body tenaciously carries on its Satkarma, the mind cannot but come to rest. The question is often asked whether an Anushthan in which the mind goes on wandering upon worldly things will be of any great spiritual value. In my opinion we incur no loss by the wandering of the mind but on the other hand there is a great advantage to be gained. This statement of mine may somewhat puzzle you and you can come down upon me with the retort that in the scriptures and Puranas it has been laid down that all Satkarma should be discharged with a steady and one pointed mind. How then can these apparently contrary statements be reconciled? I do not say that the scriptural injunctions are inaccurate but what I drive at is that because you are not in a position to carry on Satkarma with an unwavering mind, it does not mean that you should abstain from it altogether. Something is better than nothing. In the course of Anushthan, the agent experiences a two fold aspect of the mind. 1. The steady aspect continuously with Anushthan. which goes on the prescribed

2. An unsteady or fickle aspect which keeps on roaming from place to place or object to object whether they be good, bad or indifferent. The mind is one but its

29 working is two fold and there is no inconsistency about it. The mind starts some kind of activity through the body and engages itself in another avocation. The latter does not come in the way of the former but both run simultaneously. Anyone resorting to any form of Anushthan first plans it out intellectually and then works it out physically. Having endowed the body with the necessary strength and power to carry on the physical activity of the Anushthan such as sitting steadily in a particular pose, repetition of prayers and hymns, pouring of water and telling of beads, the mind projects itself forth into the wide world of its acquaintance. He the mason started the building of the latrine or not? How long are we to use our neighbours latrine even after repeated warnings from him not to do so etc. Or again if there is a patient in the house, Which doctor shall I call in for treatment? What remedy? etc. Or again For want of avocation I have opened this ship, will it turn out a profitable concern or not etc. These or similar thoughts come crowding into the mind. If a drunkard sits for Anushthan, his thoughts naturally wend their way to the liquor shop. There is shortage of the usual dose. Whom shall I send to fetch some more for me? If

30 perhaps I take a puff of Ganja, the mind will be in high spirits and it will be in a mood to meditate on God etc. This two fold working of the mind is a matter of common experience of everyone who enters upon any form of spiritual sadhana. So long as the Satkarma continues without a break, the wanderings of the mind are of no great account. What is Anushthan for? It is capable of purging the mind of its impurities and restoring it to the state of Absolute purity of god (Sadavastha). Wheresoever the impure thoughts of the mind travel or whomsoever they touch upon, is rendered unholy or impious. In order to purify all these polluted objects, the mind generates power by virtue of its Anushthan and transmits it to the several objects or individuals who have been rendered unholy by its vicious thoughts. Thus the course of Anushthan purifies both the mind and the wide range of objects or persons within its purview. Whither does the mind wander? Its vagaries are confined to those places, objects or individuals whom it has come to know of through any of the senses. It cannot conceive or think about anything of which it knows nothing. Thus if the mind has no knowledge of a lion, it cannot imagine anything about it; nor can it remember a person whom it has known nothing about. If it is

31 possible for anyone to shut himself up from any sort of knowledge pertaining to the world, the world would not exist for him at all. His mind is a complete blank i.e. it will be very subtle and concentrated unlike the average mind which is expansive and diffused. In the process of Anushthan the mind journeys from place to place, person to person, whether it be a friend or foe, pure or impure, returning every now and then to the place of Anushthan. It is also possible that it never returns but continues its march from place to place. All those places, persons or objects the mind thinks of constitute the mind, and the extent of its wanderings marks out its boundaries. Therefore unless and until all the constituent elements of the mind get purified, the mind as a whole cannot be said to be pure. How then can the mind abstain from wandering in the course of Anusthan? For instance, say a gentleman undertakes a certain piece of work but before finishing it, is obliged to go somewhere else. What prevents him from entrusting the work to his son and completing it through him? Is it obligatory that you should not leave the work unfinished or entrust it to another? If the mind wanders in the course of an Anushthan, does the Anushthan come to a standstill on that account? Again take the instance of a person who has started on foot from Sauri to Kopargoan. Having invested the feet with the necessary strength and capability to undertake the journey, the mind sets about its own work of roaming about Well, at

32 Kopargoan, shall I be able to meet such and such a person? Will he do the work for me?etc. countless thoughts of a similar nature flash across the mind in quick succession, but does this impede the progress of the feet? If it be so, we can well admonish the mind, saying, you, fool, be still. Because of your wanderings, my pace has become slow. Kopargaon which is only four miles ahead has now been removed a hundred miles farther away by your restlessness. But as a matter of fact, it is not so. Were it so, we shall be justified in concluding that no activity is possible unless the mind is steady. So long as the Satkarma goes on uninterrupted, there is no need whatsoever for the mind to be still. THE NEED FOR AND BENEFIT FROM THE WANDERINGS OF THE MIND Steadiness of the mind is the final fruit of Anushthan. How is it possible to secure it even without starting Satkarma? If the mind is at a standstill, what is there to do and what for? There is need for the maximum wandering of the mind in the course of Anushthan. For, with the force generated by the Satkarma, the mind shall have to purify all the dark spots in it and the process of purification is effected by its traveling to those places carrying with it the merit of the Satkarma. If in the course of Anushthan your mind thinks of an enemy, the inimical tendencies of that individual will gradually lose their

33 intensity and will ultimately be absorbed into and made holy by your mind. Amicable thoughts will be engendered in his mind. He whom I have so long regarded as my enemy seems to be a good fellow after all. They say he spends practically all his time in the service of God. It is not, therefore, desirable that I should harbour any illwill towards such a pious individual. Moved by such considerations, he will speedily change his attitude of mind towards you and become friendly. In the same way, if a drunkard takes to the disinterested discharge of any Satkarma and his mind wanders upon his fellows at the tavern in the course of the Anushthan, a change is wrought in the mentality of those drunkards by virtue of their friends Satkarma. Our friend has left off drink and spends his time in devotion to God, but we are still addicted to this vice. How long are we to be enslaved by it? Similar thoughts hold sway in their minds and ennoble them. Later on if they meet perchance, the former will admonish his fellows in some such way as the following. My friends, I am now no longer one of your company. I am no longer a votary of Bacchus, but devotee myself whole heartedly to the worship of God. In the course of my worship, my mind, by old association, thinks of you and I am not very happy about it. You must either cease to be my friends or give up your drinking habits. Thus admonished, they too will feel ashamed of their weakness and the strength of their vice will slowly get reduced.

34 Instances of this sort may be cited time without number. Mysterious are the workings of the mind. When it was sanctified all the unholy elements in its constitution, its work is brought to finish and its wanderings automatically stop. This is verified by experience. THE EPISODE OF A PROSTITUTE I shall here narrate an interesting episode within my personal experience. Take from it the lesson it conveys, if you are so inclined. You know I was at Amaravathi for some time. During that period, I came into contact with a prostitute of that place in my professional capacity of a doctor. As the lady had customers of a variegated character, she often fell a prey to sickness and suffering. On one such occasion, an acquaintance of mine who was also her paramour engaged me for her treatment. I examined her and advised that besides medicine and diet she should have recourse to some sort of Satkarma for the purpose of purging off her sins. As she was ailing greatly, she readily consented to do so. I gave her the necessary directions and she started of with her Anushthan. Very soon she became normal. But she had already evinced a taste of her devotional activities and continued them even after the purpose for which she started them was served. Every day she used to spend as much time she could possibly spare in solitude and silence, devoting herself whole heartedly to

35 Puja, Bhajan, Dhyan etc. When we chanced to meet now and then, I could clearly perceive that her mind was deeply engrossed in devotion to God. In the course of conversation, she used to complain to me that during Anushthan her mind, in spite of her best efforts, would not remain steady but keep continually thinking of her paramours. I counseled her not to worry about the wanderings of the mind but keep her Anushthan steadily going. She would say, I do regularly carry on my Anushthan. My mind takes to it with avidity and at the appointed time would automatically come to the place and subject of Anushthan with an enthusiastic fervour. But no sooner does the Anushthan begin that the mind goes off at tangents and refuses to be controlled. Such and such a person has not yet paid me my dues. He does not seem to be fair minded. The picture of his foul play refuses to clear away from the screen of my mind. This is only one of the innumerable disturbing elements that beset and baffle me in the course of my meditation. I had only one answer to give to all such complaints: Let the mind run where it will. Your concern is with the carrying out of your Anushthan without a break. The merit that accrues therefrom will be available not only to you but to the several individuals of whom you think well or ill of during that time. As her lovers were variously constituted, her devotional bent of mind reacted differently on them. Many of them fell to ridiculing her but as she used to

36 observe silence during her Anusthan, she would never answer them. Some treated her with scorn and contempt, while others of a generous disposition put the best construction upon it and appreciated her for her reformation. Days passed on. Some people became more sympathetic in their attitude towards her. This woman is completely changed. She spends all her time in the worship of God and has abandoned her old ways. Therefore, we are no longer justified in approaching her with the same old sinful intentions. Thereafter they continued their visits to her house but with a changed mind. In course of time, they too began to copy her example and take to the worship of God. Those who had never known in all their lives what prayer was, were inspired by the prostitute to have recourse to Sandhya, Puja, Bhajan, etc., The very persons who ridiculed and scorned her were slowly metamorphosed; a complete and permanent change was brought about in their outlook of life and they betook themselves to Japa, Dhyana, recitation of scriptures like the Bhagavadgita etc., When her lovers were thus reformed, their wives who had so long been made miserable now felt happy that their husbands sinful careers were at an end. Her house, once a house of ill-fame, had now became a sanctuary and those who visited it did so for Divine Service. You are now a mother to us, they would often reiterate. You have led us in the proper way as a mother does her infant. She completely gave up her former

37 style of dressing and behaviour, would put on the simplest and plainest costume and was looked upto as a supreme example of modesty and devotion, of plain living and high thinking, even for house wives to copy. As the mind wanders over hundreds of miles during Anushthan, it bears with it the merit of the Satkarma even to such far distant places and purifies them. The tremendous magnitude of the good work accomplished by the mind as a result of its wandering about is little comprehended or appreciated by the average run of mankind. If in the course of Anushthan the mind thinks of the departed souls of friends or relatives, those souls also will be cleansed and will attain Sadgati. The disinterested discharge of satkarma has been laid down in the scriptures as the means of self purification. If your whole body has to be cleaned, every individual limb has to be washed with soap and water. Likewise if the entire mind has to be purged of its dross, every particular limb of it has to be carefully washed with the merit of Satkarma. If some parts are clean and others neglected, the whole cannot be said to have been purified. It may be questioned how much Satkarma is needed for purification of the mind which, according to the scriptures is located either in the heart or in the head. A child requires a very small quantity of water for its bath and a

38 very small quantity of food for its nutrition. When, however, the child grows into an adult, its needs both for washing and eating increase proportionately. He now wants several gallons of water for his bath, rice, vegetable, bread and various other dishes for his food. Exactly similar is the case of the mind. If it is small and enlarged, it requires only a limited amount of Satkarma for its purification. But your minds have been vastly extended and assume gigantic proportions. The innumerable individuals, objects or places, which form the range of activities of the mind are, as it were its limbs. Whether they be far or near, good or bad, they are parts and parcels of the mind. This is a measure of the extent of your mind. If your mind contemplates good or evil about an enemy, he too forms part of your mind. Hence the mind devises ways and means of purifying the enemy. It is natural for you to try to put an end to the machinations of your enemy to harm you and if possible, reduce his inimical tendencies. The ways and means adopted differ with different individuals. The ignorant retaliate or pay him back in the same coin. (an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth). But this defeats its purpose, augmenting animosities instead of removing them. Others more wise think that the best way of overcoming the enemy is by keeping quiet and maintaining their mental equilibrium. Because they happen to be your enemies, you should not be under the misapprehension that they are not parts of your mind. Your minds

39 boundary extends upto and includes them. Since your anus is dirty, will any of you deny that it is part of yourself or that your body extends upto that organ? Just as we take care to keep our anus clean, so do we adopt several forms of Satkarma by the merit of which we purify the various organs of our mind which sometimes extend over hundreds of mils and include men and materials of all descriptions. When all its organs are fully cleansed, the wanderings of the mind come to an end; like one exhausted it ceases to project itself forth but withdraws itself into the smallest compass possible. Any sensation in any part of your body can be cognized by you as pleasant or painful, from which locality it arises, etc., In the same way, when your Anushthan is brought to perfection, you will be in a position to understand anything which any individual who forms an organic limb of your mental body does or thinks. Thus purifying countless souls in the course of your Anushthan, you will, after the fall of your physical body, attain liberation (Sadgati), and all those persons or objects that have formed parts of your mental body will also, after death, attain the same status. HOW THE MIND IS CLEANSED OF ITS IMPURITIES Whence arise this impurity of the mind and wherein lies the purifying capacity of Satkarma? In the beginning, there was only the

40 Absolute purity (Sadavastha) and upon it was superimposed the impure state (Asadavastha). Our existence is within this Orginal Impurity. Hence the qualities of this Asadavastha are inherent in us. As this Asadavastha takes its origin in and support from the Sadavastha, the attributes of the Sadavastha too are native to us. To purify the Asadavastha, it is necessary to bring in the aid of the Sadavastha whose qualities are the opposite of those of the Asadavastha. Therefore, if the Asadavastha has to be cleaned by another Asadavastha, it will be possible to do so only if the latter possesses a greater degree of the power of the Sadavastha. It is by virtue of this power of the Sadavastha that the Asadavastha is able to purify. The subject is rather abstruse and recondite but will be clear to a sharp, penetrating intellect. All activity conducive to the destroying of the Asadavastha and bringing it to the state of absolute purity is denominated Satkarma. The Sadavastha does not, of its own accord, take the initiative and start the process of purification. It is for ever in a state of non action. Therefore the destruction of the Asadavastha, has to be accomplished by drawing upon the power of the Sadavastha through the medium of another Asadavastha. Suppose a dirty cloth has to be washed clean. For this purpose water has to be taken in a vessel. The dirt of the cloth as well as the vessel which is the support of the water are Asadavasthas. In order to destroy the Asadavastha-the dirt of the cloth, water-the

41 Sadavastha has to be resorted to through the medium of another Asadavastha, the vessel. The Sadavastha is homogeneous and one, but the Asadavastha is varied and many. The Sadavastha does not act on its own initiative. A lamp or the Sun, for instance, are also different forms of the Asadavastha. But as they possess a greater measure of the power of the Sadavastha, they are competent to destroy other Asadavasthas. In proportion to the strength of the Satkarma does the power of the Sadavastha penetrate into and destroy the impurities of the mind. Thus will the resolute mind make available the power of the Sadavastha by means of Satkarma-Anushthan, such as the repetition of Ram Nam; and with the power so acquired, transform the mind to its farthest limit into the state of absolute purity as that of Rama. What need then for taking the name of Rama who is in no way different from himself? Further, such a one will in his turn be capable of removing the impurities of others as do a soap, a light or the Sun God. He not only enjoys Bliss Absolute but imparts the same to others. HOW TO CARRY ON ANUSHTHAN DURING THE TIME OF IMPURITY (ASHAUCHAM) One of the devotees wished to be enlightened on the subject-how to conduct Anushthan during the time of impurity-

42 whereupon Baba spoke thus. Had you paid close attention to what has been said so far, there would have been no room for this query. The time of impurity is evidently an obstacle and the pith of an Anushthan is to ignore and overcome all obstacles. A little consideration will show that nothing should stand between you and your Anushthan, whether it be the time of impurity or something else. In fact, the so called obstacles are so many opportunities for strengthening our purpose. It is only a weak mind that regards them as hindrances. It is traditionally believed that you are in a state of impurity during the period of ashaucha and hence your hesitation to resort to Satkarma during that period. In reality, no impurity can attach itself to that portion of time dedicated to God. If you gift away one of your clothes and all your other clothes are soiled, this cannot affect the gifted cloth. How then can that portion of your time offered to God be tainted by the state of impurity? Besides, the purpose of your Anushthan is to destroy all kinds of impurities. How then can the subject of impurity arise at allin connection with your Anusthan? From the worldly point of view, when someone dies in your family, the whole clan is believed to be polluted. If you carry on your Anushthan with an unshaken resolve at the fixed time, the soul of the dead will, by virtue of your Satkarma, attain Sadgati. If, on the other hand, you treat the state of impurity as an obstacle and stop your Anushthan, the soul of the

43 departed will not in any way be benefited. Those who do not have the strength of mind and illumination to view impurity in this light will do well to stop if for the time being, but they should not utilise the time set apart for any of their worldly activities. It should be kept vacant. If any of your kith and kin happens to die, you should not leave off your Anushthan to attend his funeral obsequies. If it becames obligatory that you should perform them and that too within the very period of Anushthan, rest assured that the departed one will obtain salvation. If, during the time of Anushthan, you have to attend upon a patient on his death-bed and minister to his needs, his suffering will surely be alleviated; if he dies, he will attain Sadgati. HOW TO CARRY ON ANUSHTHAN DURING SICKNESS If the performer of an Anushthan falls ill and finds it impossible to carry on the Satkarma, he should not expend that time for any worldly purpose but he should steadily remember the name of God and put up with the suffering with all the patience and fortitude he can command. No measures should be adopted during that time to mitigate the pain or add to the comfort of the body. The mind should be made to dwell upon the place of Anushthan or the object of worship etc; and after the expiry of the time reserved for Anushthan, medical aid may be resorted to. The

44 important point to remember is that it is sinful to make use of the time set apart for God for our worldly purposes. The sanctity of this period should carefully be preserved. If death overtakes you during that time, you are indeed blessed; for, you obtain thereby the final fruits of perfecting your Anushthan. If the Anushthan is duly discharged throughout your lifetime, the God of death will come to take you away during that time only. To sum up, if it is not possible to carry on the disinterested discharge of any form of Satkarma or Anushthan during the time sert apart far such activity, it should be kept free. No kind of worldly activity should be conducted within that period. If you have to go abroad, you leave the place of your Anushthan behind, but your time and the object of your worship are with you wherever you go. Even in a new place, the prescribed Anushthan should be gone through at the appointed time. In case you cannot be masters of your time as well, the Anushthan may be performed at some convenient hour of the day instead of forgoing it altogether. But this is only a second grade Anushthan. A Satkarma will never go waste, thought it may not be performed at the proper time. Better late than never. It is a common practice to take a vow that unless and until such and such a Karma is discharged, fast should not be broken. Such a resolve does not go

45 without its reward but it cannot strictly come under the definition of Anushthan. ^*^*^