selected discourses of sri anandamayi ma

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From the World Wisdom online library:www.worldwisdom.com/public/library/default.aspx

CHAPTER III

elected iscoursese following are selections from r nan-damayMs replies to oral questions, recordedat meetings of large and small groups.e re-corder of the discussions, Brahmacri KamalBhattacharjee, well-known as Kamalda toall devotees and visitors of nandamay M,first met Mtjin Dacca in 1926, and kept intouch with her ever since. In 1942 he joinedthe Vrasi ramand became one of its most

devoted and prominent workers. Gifted witha keen intelligence and a great thirst for realknowledge, he conceived the intense desire torecord Mtjs exact words, since he was con-

vinced that they emerged spontaneously fromdepths to which ordinary human beings haveno access. Notwithstanding his numerous du-ties as the Joint Secretary of the Shree Shree

Anandamayee Sangha and the manager of theVrasi ram, etc., as soon as he got to knowthat Mtjwas replying to questions, he wouldat once leave the work in hand, and hasten tothe spot where the discussion took place. Inhis eagerness to preserve Mtjs utterances intheir original purity and with the greatest pos-sible precision, he soon developed a techniqueof his own. In the stillness of night he used tomake fair copies of his records, pondering overthe profound significance of what he had heardand written down. Often the dawn would re-mind him that he had spent the best part ofthe night in this delightful meditation. If, forsome reason, he was prevented from recording

a part of the conversation, he felt it as an acutepersonal loss. But on many such occasions, he

would later, to his great delight, hear Mtjex-plain the same point to someone else, therebyelucidating the part of the conversation he hadmissed.

Mtjspeaks of that which is beyond theexperience of the ordinary individual and can,at best, be only hinted at by words. It is there-fore not surprising that her language should notconform to either literary or colloquial Bengali.She has given new meanings to many familiarexpressions and sometimes coined new words

with an etymology of her own. Her way of ex-pression is as original as it is relevant, and is

intensely alive and plastic, often condensed andpithy, with every unnecessary word left out. Incertain cases, when stating very profound truths,her language becomes cryptic.e dissimilar-ity of the Bengali idiom to that of English isa well-known fact. No adequate words exist inEnglish for many Bengali terms. In some casestwo or three Bengali words have had to be ren-dered by an entire clause or sentence. No painshave been spared to translate as precisely aspossible every one of the utterances, as record-

ed. At the same time, it has been the ambitionof the translator as much as possible to preserve,together with the exact meaning of the words,their rhythm and beauty, the inspiration theycarry, and the matchless, intangible quality thatpervades Mtjs every expressionher words,her songs, her smile, and her gestures.

Concerning the value of religious and philo-sophical discourses, Mtjsaid:

By listening repeatedly to discussions anddiscourses on topics of this kind, the path tofirst-hand knowledge of what has been heardgradually opens out. You know, it is as when

water uninterruptedly dripping on a stone fi-nally makes a hole in it, and then a flood may

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suddenly surge through, which will bring en-lightenment.

Be it the perusal of Sacred Texts, listeningto religious discourses, engaging in krtana

God must be the alpha and omega of whateveris done. When reading, read about Him, whentalking, talk of Him, and when singing, singHis praises.ese three practices are intrinsi-cally the same; but because people respond dif-ferently, the same is expressed in three different

ways to suit each persons temperament and ca-pacity for assimilation. Essentially there is onlyHe and He alone, although everyone has hisown individual path that leads to Him. What isthe right path for each depends on his personal

predilection, based on the specifi

c character ofhis inner qualifications.Take for instance the study ofVednta. Some

seekers become completely drowned in it. Justas others may so lose themselves in krtana as tofall into a trance, a student of Vednta may be-come wholly absorbed in his texts, even more sothan the one who gets carried away by krtana.

According to ones specific line of approach,one will be able to achieve full concentrationthrough the study of a particular Scripture, orby some other means.

First comes listening, then reflection, andlast of all the translation into action of what hasbeen heard and pondered over.is is why onehas first of all to listen, so that later on each maybe able to select Vednta orkrtana or whateverelse be in his own line.

Have you never come across people makinglight of krtana, saying: What is there to begained by it? Nevertheless, after listening to itfor some length of time, they actually developa liking for it.erefore one must listen beforeone can reflect, and then later, what has beenheard and reflected upon will take shape in ac-tion suited to the person concerned. To listento discourses on God or Truth is certainly ben-eficial, provided one does not allow oneself tobe moved by a spirit of fault-finding or dispar-agement, should there be differences of outlook

to ones own. To find fault with others createsobstacles for everyone all around: for him whocriticizes, for him who is blamed, as well asfor those who listen to the criticism. Whereas,

what is said in a spirit of appreciation is fruitfulto everybody. For only where there is no ques-tion of regarding anything as inferior or blame-

worthy (asat) can one call it satsaga.1

Who is known as a vaiava? One who seesViu everywhere. And as a kta? One who be-holds the Great Mother and nothing save Her.In truth, all the various ways of thought springfrom one common sourcewho then is to beblamed, who to be reviled or suppressed? Allare equal in essence.

ou art Mother,ou art Father,ou art Friend andou art Master,Truly,ou art all in all.Every name isy Name,Every qualityy Quality,Every formy Form indeed.

Yet He is also where no forms exist, as pure un-manifested Beingall depends on ones avenueof approach.

For this reason, no matter what path anyonemay choose it is that. Vednta actually meansthe end of difference and non-difference.2

While engaging in sdhanone must concen-trate in a single direction; but after it has beencompleted, what comes then?e cessation ofdifference, distinction, and disagreement. Dif-ferences do indeed exist on the path, but howcan there be a difference of goal?

1

A play upon words: Sat means true Being, the Good;satsaga the company of the good, and also a religiousgathering. Asat, the opposite of sat, means non-being,

wrong, evil. erefore to find fault (asat) in a religiousmeeting (satsaga) is a contradiction in terms.2 Vednta: end or culmination of Vedic wisdom. Mtjhere plays upon words: Veda, and bheda (difference). InBengali the letters B and V sound alike. Anta meansend.

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A member of a well-known Indian family, who to social service, came for Mtjs darana andhad distinguished herself by devoting her life asked:

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Does the capacity to meditate come by practicein this life, or is it an aptitude acquired in formerbirths?

Mtj: It may be the result of either of thetwo, or of both combined. Meditation shouldbe practiced every day of ones life. Look, whatis there in this world? Absolutely nothing thatis lasting; therefore direct your longing towards

the Eternal. Pray that the work done throughyou, His instrument, may be pure. In every ac-tion remember Him.e purer your thinking,the finer will be your work. In this world youget a thing, and by tomorrow it may be gone.

is is why your life should be spent in a spiritof service; feel that the Lord is accepting ser-

vices from you in whatever you do. If you desirepeace you must cherish the thought of Him.

Question: When will there be peace on earth?Mtj: Well, you know what the present

state of affairs is; things are happening as theyare destined to be.

Question: When will this state of unrest cometo an end?

Mtj: Jagat (world) means ceaselessmovement, and obviously there can be no restin movement. How could there be peace in per-petual coming and going? Peace reigns whereno coming exists and no going, no melting andno burning. Reverse your course, advance to-

wards Himthen there will be hope of peace.

By yourjapa and meditation those who areclose to you will also benefit through the help-ful influence of your presence. In order to de-

velop a taste for meditation you have to makea deliberate and sustained effort, just as chil-dren have to be made to sit and study, be it bypersuasion or coercion. By taking medicine orhaving injections a patient may get well; evenif you do not feel inclined to meditate, conquer

your reluctance and make an attempt.e habitof countless lives is pulling you in the oppositedirection and making it difficult for youper-severe in spite of it! By your tenacity you willgain strength and be molded; that is to say, you

will develop the capability to do sdhan. Makeup your mind that however arduous the task, it

will have to be accomplished. Recognition andfame last for a short time only, they do not ac-company you when you leave this world. If yourthought does not naturally turn towards theEternal, fix it there by an effort of will. Somesevere blow of fate will drive you towards God.

is will be but an expression of His mercy;however painful, it is by such blows that onelearns ones lesson.

A Government Official and his wife had comefor Mtjs darana.ey were meeting her for

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the first time. To a question of theirs, Mtjreplied:

If you say you have no faith, you should tryto establish yourself in the conviction that you

have no faith. Where no is, yes is potentiallythere as well. Who can claim to be beyond ne-gation and affirmation? To have faith is impera-tive.e natural impulse to have faith in some-thing, which is deep-rooted in man, developsinto faith in God.is is why human birth issuch a great boon. It cannot be said that no onehas faith. Everyone surely believes in somethingor other.

ere are two kinds of pilgrims on lifesjourney: the one, like a tourist, is keen on sight-

seeing, wandering from place to place,fl

ittingfrom one experience to another for the fun of it.e other treads the path that is consistent withmans true being and leads to his real home, toSelf-knowledge. Sorrow will of a certainty beencountered on the journey undertaken for thesake of sight-seeing and enjoyment. So long asones real home has not been found, suffering isinevitable.e sense of separateness is the root-cause of misery, because it is founded on error,on the conception of duality.

A mans belief is greatly influenced by hisenvironment; therefore he should choose thecompany of the holy and wise. Belief meansto believe in ones Self, disbelief to mistake thenon-Self for ones Self.

ere are instances of Self-realization oc-curring by the grace of God, whereas at othertimes it can be seen that He awakens in somea feverish yearning after Truth. In the first caseattainment comes spontaneously, in the secondit is brought about by trials. But all is wroughtsolely by His mercy.

An eternal relationship exists between Godand man. But in His play it is sometimes thereand sometimes severed, or rather appears to besevered; it is not really so, for the relationshipis eternal. Again, seen from another side, thereis no such thing as relationship. Someone whocame to meet this body, said: I am a newcomer

to you. He got the reply: Ever new and everold indeed!

e light of the world comes and goes, itis unstable.e light that is eternal can never

be extinguished. By this light you behold theouter light and everything in the universe; it isonly because It shines ever within you that youcan perceive the outer light. Whatever appearsto you in the universe is due solely to that greatlight within you, and only because the supremeknowledge of the essence of things lies hiddenin the depths of your being is it possible for youto acquire knowledge of any kind.

Inquirer:It is all in Gods hands.

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Mtj: Everything is in Gods hands, andyou are His tool to be used by Him as He pleas-es. Try to grasp the significance of all is His,and you will immediately feel free f rom all bur-dens. What will be the result of your surrenderto Him? None will seem alien, all will be your

very own, your Self.Either melt by devotion the sense of sep-

arateness, or burn it by knowledgefor what

is it that melts or burns? Only that which byits nature can be melted or burnt; namely theidea that something other than your Self ex-ists. What will happen then? You come to know

your Self.By virtue of the gurus power everything

becomes possible; therefore seek aguru. Mean-

while, since all names are His Name, all formsHis Form, select one of them and keep it with

you as your constant companion. At the sametime He is also nameless and formless; for theSupreme it is possible to be everything and

yet nothing. So long as you have not found aguru, adhere to the name or form of Him thatappeals to you most, and ceaselessly pray thatHe may reveal Himself to you as the Sadguru.3

In very truth the guru dwells within, and un-less you discover the innerguru, nothing can beachieved. If you feel no desire to turn to God,bind yourself by a daily routine of sdhan, as

3 e perfectguruwho shows the way to the knowledgeof Reality.

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school children do, whose duty it is to follow afixed time-table.

When prayer does not spontaneously flowfrom your heart, ask yourself: Why do I find

pleasure in the fleeting things of this world?If you crave for some outer thing or feel spe-cially attracted to a person, you should pauseand say to yourself: Look out, you are beingfascinated by the glamour of this! Is there aplace where God is not? Family life, which isthe rama (life stage) of the householder, canalso take you in His direction, provided it is ac-cepted as an rama. Lived in this spirit, it helpsman to progress towards Self-realization. Nev-ertheless, if you hanker after anything such as

name, fame, or position, God will bestow it onyou, but you will not feel satisfied.e kingdomof God is a whole, and unless you are admittedto the whole of it you cannot remain content.He grants you just a little, only to keep yourdiscontent alive, for without discontent therecan be no progress. You, a scion of the Immor-tal, can never become reconciled to the realm ofdeath, neither does God allow you to remain init. He Himself kindles the sense of want in youby granting you a small thing, only to whet yourappetite for a greater one.is is His methodby which He urges you on.e traveler on thispath finds it difficult and feels troubled, but one

who has eyes to see can clearly perceive that thepilgrim is advancing.e distress that is experi-enced burns to ashes all pleasure derived from

worldly things.is is what is called tapasy.4

What obstructs one on the spiritual path bearswithin itself seeds of future suffering. Yet theheartache, the anguish over the effects of theseobstructions, are the beginning of an awaken-ing to consciousness.

A young girl was talking to Mtj. She said:

4Hardships undergone with the definite object of attain-ing to the spiritual.

When I sit down to meditate I do not intendto contemplate any form, but how is it possible tomeditate on the formless? I have noticed that attimes, when I try to meditate, images of deities

comefloating before my mind.Mtj: Whatever image arises in your

mind, that you should contemplate; just ob-serve in what shape God will manifest Him-self to you.e same form does not suit everyperson. For some Rma may be most helpful,for some iva, for others Prvat, and again forothers the formless. He certainly is formless;but at the same time, watch in what particularform He may appear to you in order to show

you the way. Consequently, whichever of His

forms comes into your mind, that you shouldcontemplate in all its minute details.Proceed as follows: When sitting down to

meditate, first of all contemplate the form of adeity; then, imagining Him to be enthroned onHis seat, bow down before Him and do japa.

When you have concluded thejapa bow downonce more and, having enshrined Him in yourheart, leave your seat.is, in short, may be yourpractice if you are not able to meditate on theBrahman.

Be ever convinced that at all times andwithout exception He will do and is doing whatis best for you. Reflect thus: In order to aid me,He has revealed Himself to me in this particu-lar guise. He is with form as well as without;the entire universe is within Him and pervadedby Him.is is why it is said: e Sadguru isthe World-teacher and the World-teacher theSadguru.

In reply to a question concerning the way ofreaching samdhi, Mtjsaid:

Mtj: It is for the guru to point out themethod; he will show you the way to under-standing and instruct you in your sdhan. It isfor you to keep on practicing it faithfully. Butthe fruit comes spontaneously in the form of

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proceed? arises, fulfillment has obviously notyet been reached.erefore, never relax your ef-forts until there is enlightenment. Let no gaps

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Self-revelation.e power to make you graspthe Ungraspable duly manifests itself throughthe guru. Where the question How am I to


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interrupt your attempt, for a gap will producean eddy, whereas your striving must be continu-ous like the flowing of oil, it must be sustained,constant, an unbroken stream.

at you have no control over the bodysneed of food and sleep does not matter; youraim should be not to allow any interval in theperformance of your sdhan. Do you not seethat whatever you require in the way of foodand sleep, each at its own appointed hour, is

without exception an ever-recurring need? Inexactly the same manner must you aspire atuninterruptedness where the search after Truthis concerned. Once the mind, in the course ofits movement, has felt the touch of the Indivis-

ibleif only you can grasp that moment!inthat supreme moment all moments are con-tained, and when you have captured it, all mo-ments will be yours.

Take, for example, the moments of conflu-ence at dawn, midday, and dusk, in which thepower inherent in the contact-point, wherecoming and going meet, becomes revealed.

What you call electric discharge is nothingbut the union of two oppositesthus doesthe Supreme Being flash forth at the momentof conjunction. Actually it is present at everysingle moment, but you miss it all the time. Yetthis is what you have to seize; it can be done atthe point of juncture where the opposites fuseinto one. Nobody is able to predict when forany particular individual this fateful moment

will reveal itself; therefore keep on strivingceaselessly.

Which exactly is that great moment de-pends for each one upon his particular line of ap-proach.is is why, for some disciples, thegurufixes special times for sdhan, such as dawn,

dusk, midday, and midnight; these are the fourperiods usually prescribed. It is the duty of thedisciple to carry out conscientiously the gurusorders, which vary according to the tempera-ment and predisposition of the aspirant. esame method does not suit everyone. What isimportant for you is the moment at which you

will enter the current that is the movement ofyour true being, the going forth, in other words,the great pilgrimage.

Within the twenty-four hours of the day,

some time must be definitely dedicated to God.Resolve, if possible, to engage regularly in japaof a particular name or mantra while sittingin a special posture, and gradually add to thetime or the number of repetitions. Fix the rateand the interval at which you will increase, sayfortnightly or weekly. In this way try to bind

yourself to the quest of God; wherever you maybe, take refuge in Him, let Him be your goal.

When by virtue of this endeavor you becomedeeply immersed in that current and devote

ever more time to it, you will be transformedand your appetite for sense enjoyment will growfeeble; thus you will reap the fruit of your ac-cumulated efforts. You may also come to feelthat the body is liable to depart at any time, thatdeath may arrive at any moment.

Who can tell at what moment the flame ofillumination will blaze forth? For this reason,continue your efforts steadily without flagging.Gradually you will get more and more deeplyabsorbed in HimHe and He alone will preoc-cupy your thoughts and feelings. For the mindever seeks that which gives it proper sustenance,and this cannot be provided by anything savethe Supreme Being Himself.en you will becarried away by the current that leads to yourSelf. You will discover that the more you de-light in the inner life, the less you feel drawn toexternal things. In consequence the mind be-comes so well nourished with the right kind offood, that at any moment the realization of itsidentity with the Self may occur.

ere are instances when one loses con-sciousness while sitting in meditation. Somepeople have found themselves swooning away,as it were, intoxicated with joy, remaining inthis condition for quite a long time. On emerg-ing they claim to have experienced some sort ofdivine bliss. But this is certainly not realization.

A stage does exist in meditation where intense

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joy is felt, where one is as if submerged in it.But what is it that gets submerged? e mindof course. At a certain level and under certaincircumstances this experience may prove an

obstacle. If repeated time and again, one maystagnate at its particular level and thereby beprevented from getting a taste of the Essence.

In the event of an experience of anythingpertaining to ultimate Reality or to the Self,one does not say: Where have I been? I didnot know anything for the time being.erecan be no such thing as not knowing. Onemust be fully conscious, wide awake.To fall intoa stupor or into yogic sleep will not take oneanywhere.

After genuine contemplation (dhyna)worldly pleasures become unalluring, dull, en-tirely savorless. What does vairgya (detach-ment) signify? When every single object of the

world kindles, as it were, the fire of renuncia-tion, so as to make one recoil as from a shock,then there is inward and outward awakening.

is, however, does not mean that vairgyaimplies aversion or contempt for anything ofthe worldit simply is unacceptable, the bodyrefuses it. Neither dislike nor anger will arise.

Whenvairgya

becomes a living inspiration,one begins to discriminate as to the true na-ture of the world, until finally, with the glowingcertainty of direct perception, the knowledge ofits illusoriness arises. Each and everything be-longing to the world seems to burn; one cannottouch it.is also is a state that may ensue at aparticular time.

At present, what you enjoy does not impressyou as being short-lived, rather does it appearto make you happy. But to the extent that thespirit of detachment is roused, the relish of such

pleasures will die down, for are they not fleet-ing? In other words, death will die. Now that

you are advancing towards that which is beyondtime, the semblance of happiness brought aboutby mundane things is being consumed. As a re-sult, the question What actually is this world?

will arise. So long as the world seems enjoy-

able to you, such a query does not present itself.Since you are progressing towards that whichtranscends time, all that belongs to time willbegin to appear to you in its true light.

Question: At times we feel that sense objectsreally exist, at other times that they are merelyideas. Why does one and the same thing appear sodifferent on different occasions?

Mtj: Because you are in the grip of time.You have not yet reached the state where every-thing is perceived as the Self alone,5have you?Herein lies the solution of the whole problem.

To feel as you do is good, since your feelingis related to the supreme quest; for nothing isever wasted. What you have realized even for

a second will, at some time or other, bear fruit.us, the knowledge of the real character ofeach element (tattva)6and the knowledge what

water, air, the sky, etc. are, and hence what cre-ation is, will flash into your consciousness oneby onejust like buds bursting open. Flowersand fruit come into existence only because theyare potentially contained in the tree.erefore

you should aim at realizing the one supreme el-ement (tattva) that will throw light on all ele-ments.

You asked about sense objects: an object ofsense is that which contains poison,7 is full ofharm, and drags man towards death. But free-dom from the world of sense objectswhere notrace of poison remainsmeans immortality.

Inquirer: One is pulled in two directions, to-wards God as well as towards sense enjoymentthis causes anguish.

Mtj: You have a desire to give up, butyou cannot let go; such is your problem. Letthat desire awaken in your heartits stirringsignifies that the time is coming when you will

be able to give up.

5A play upon words: samaya and svamaysound alike. Sa-maya, time; svamay, permeated by Self.6 Literally that-ness or essence.e tattvas are the pri-mary elements or categories of universal manifestation.7A play on words: Viaya means sense object,vipoi-son, hai is.

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You obtain a coveted object, but still you experience at the fulfillment of your wish isare dissatisfied; and if you fail to get it, you wholesome; but the torment of the unfulfilledare also disappointed.e disillusionment you

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hankering after the things you could not secure, drives you towards that which is of death, towardsmisery.

Question:And the anguish of not having found, the anguish of the absence of God? I have no wish forsense pleasures, but they come to me. I am compelled to experience them.

Mtj: Ah, but the anguish of not having found God is salutary. What you have eaten willleave a taste in your mouth. You wear ornaments because you wish to, and so you have to bear their

weight. Yet this weight is fated to fall off, for it is something that cannot last, can it?

Selected Discourses

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e Essential Sri Anandamayi Ma:Life and Teachings of a 20th Century Indian Saint

World Wisdom, 2007Biography by Alexander Lipski; Words of Anandamayi Ma

Edited by Joseph A. FitzgeraldAll Rights Reserved. For Personal Usage Only

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