WORDS OF SRI ANANDAMAYI MA-2

WORDS OF SRI ANANDAMAYI MA-2

FOUR

Solan, September 11 th , 1948

A Government Official and his wife had come for SRI MA's darsana. They were meeting her for the first time. To a question of theirs, SRI MA replied:

If you say you have no faith, you should try to establish yourself in the conviction that you have no faith.

Where ‘no’ is, ‘yes’ is potentially there as well. Who can claim to be beyond negation and affirmation? To have faith is imperative. The natural impulse to have faith in something, which is deep-rooted in man, develops into faith in God. This is why human birth is such a great boon. It cannot be said that no one has faith. Everyone surely believes in something or other.

The word ‘man(h)us’ (man) is derived from ‘man’ (mind) and ‘hus’ (conscious), which denotes the mind’s awareness and vigilance. This shows that man’s natural calling is to attain to Self-knowledge. When children learn to read and write, they have to accept rebuke and censure. God, too, now and again administers to man a mild beating - this is but a token of His Mercy. From the worldly standpoint such blows are considered extremely painful, but actually they bring about a change of heart, and lead to Peace: by disturbing worldly happiness they induce man to seek the path to Supreme Bliss.

It is of course true that the human body lives by breathing, and hence there is suffering. ( Human life, in fact animal life in general, depends on breathing, which is a sign of disturbance in the universal equilibrium. The entire creation is characterised by this disturbance. The process of breathing implies a dual movement, inward and outward, and a periodic rest between the two. The state of harmony can be reached by getting rid of this urge for movement, by attaining to repose, calm and peace. This is possible through yoga. When one is in a state of perfect poise, there is no longer any need to breathe.)

There are two kinds of pilgrims on life’s journey: the one, like a tourist, is keen on sight-seeing, wandering from place to place, flitting from one experience to another for the fun of it.

The other treads the path that is consistent with man’s true being and leads to his real home, to Self-knowledge. Sorrow will of a certainty be encountered on the journey undertaken for the sake of sight-seeing and enjoyment. So long as one’s real home has not been found, suffering. is inevitable. The sense of separateness is the root cause of misery, because it is founded on error, on the conception of duality. This is why the world is called ‘du-niya’ (based on duality).

A man’s belief is greatly influenced by his environment; therefore he should choose the company of the Holy and Wise. Belief means to believe in one’s Self, disbelief to mistake the non-Self for one’s Self.

There are instances of Self-realization occurring by the Grace of God, whereas at other times it can be seen that He awakens in some a feverish yearning after Truth. In the first case attainment comes spontaneously, in the second it is brought about by trials. But all is wrought solely by His Mercy.

Man thinks he is the doer of his actions, while actually everything is managed from ‘There’; the connection is ‘There’, as well as the power-house - yet people say: ‘I do.’

How wonderful it is !

When in spite of all efforts one fails to catch a train, does this not make it clear from where all one’s movements are being directed? Whatever is to happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time, is all fixed by Him; His arrangements are perfect.

Om Namah Shivay