SERVICE TO HUMANITY IS THE SUPREME IDEOLOGY OF LIFE by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti

All the created objects in this cosmological order are dynamic. Nothing is stationary, all have to move, movement is compulsory.

This movement alone is 'Dharma'. Different creatures. have had mind for the sake of pleasure. The undeveloped and underdeveloped creatures gradually move ahead in the path of evolution out of great struggle. Out of struggle alone dogs, monkeys and jackals attain their lives.

This has to be accepted, that there is certainly struggle in animal lives. Take for example, case of the wild creature. Now these creatures have to move about in search of food. For instance, there are tigers, deer and boars in the forest. They have to move here and there in search for food. And together with this they have to think where they will go and how they will procure food. Thinking like this, or worrying like this, their psychic development is affected out of physical and psychic clash. Because of this, a little development is effected. After their death all these creatures attain higher bodies of developed creatures. As for instance, you will mark there categories in the dogs also, some of them have more intellect and some have little only. This is also true in the case of human beings.

K'alao Shaya'no Bhavati Sandiha'nastu Dva'parah
Uttis't'han Treta' Bhavati Kratam' Sampadyate Caran
Caraeveti, Caraeveti"

There was a great scholar named Rohit. There was a rule in those days that students used to go to their teachers' residence at the age of five. Studying scriptures for twenty to twenty five years, they would return home. This Rohit was conversant with many scriptures. You know, We sometimes call people 'pandeya' or Pandit, but all of them are not pandits. In ancient sam'skrta i.e. in ancient vedic language there was a word'Pan'd'a''. From that 'Panda' the word "Pandaya" is derived.

Aham' Brahma'smi Iti Buddhih Ta'm Itah Pra'tap Pa'n'd'itah"

"Panda" means self-knowledge "I am Brahma" -- one who has attained this realization, one who has realized the self, is a pandit. Nobody becomes a pandit with the word 'Pandit' affixed at the end of one's name. One who is eager to attain this Panda, one who has indomitable urge for this attaining self-realization is known as 'Pandeya'. You can see several pandeyas who keep standing with sticks in hand, but really they are not Pandeya, The surname "Pandey" is only at the end of their names. Hence one who has yearning for self-realization, one who is a Sa'dhaka (Spiritual practitioner) can alone be called Pandey. By adding the suffix "Sn'eya" to the word "Panda" the word 'Pandey' is derived. Human beings have to march ahead on the path of progress. It will not do to sit idle like Rohit. A great scholar, Rohit returned home after study. He began to say "this world is transitory." Today it is there, tomorrow it win not be. Hence, what is the use of doing work in this temporary and ever changing world ? What is the use of individual effort ? Hence, I do not lie to do meaningless work." But, that Rohit didn't speak a single time that he would not take food. Rohit's old father used to earn his livelihood by hard labour and Rohit, the scholar,. used to swallow the food. Indeed he would take food but not work. Really speaking Rohit was a big fool,, to eat is also an action, a verb. Respiration is also an action. If one does not work, it does not mean that his respiration will stop. Hence, the father of Rohit said to him -- "well Rohit, on this earth human beings will have to labour, they will have to be active, spiritual practice is also a kind of labour. Nothing is attained without diligence. We go on physical work Naturally. Spiritual practice begins with the body and towards the end it culminates in spiritual evolution. In the first phase, sadhana is physico-psychic, and in the second stage it is only psychic. In the third stage psycho-spiritual and in the fourth stage it is entirely spiritual -- These are the different stages of physico-psycho Spiritual practice.

Spiritual practice begins from physico-psychic level. For instance somebody does "Pran'a'yama". Externally the pran'a'yama is a physical process but its effect is on the mind. If the body is controlled, mind is also controlled.

Indriya'na'm Mano Na'tha Mano Na'thastu Ma'rutah

The controller of the Indriyas -- the Sense-organs is mind and the controller of mind is vayu (air). By being goaded by mind the Indriyas get activated. And this mind too is activated by being influenced by aerial factor. Therefore, at its starting point sa'dhana is physico-psychic. It starts from [physicality] and then proceeds to psychic stage. In the second stage sadhana is only psychic. Seating at a place quietly and repeating mantra psychically. As for instance, you are doing "Svadhyaya", studying holy scriptures, listening to noble ideas, -- all these are psychic. Our mind is certainly vast but not unlimited, infinite. It has its limitation, it has to work. There is nervous system in human body, there are nerve cells in it -- with their help we receive vibration from external world and that internal vibration we externalize. And besides the mind there are nerve cells. The brain that exists in the cranium, is the basis of all nerve cells.

Human beings want to do something, they have to do with the help of mind. Take for example, Rama or Shyam is the name of a person. When he performs some action, then the hub behind every action is his individual name, Ram or Shyam. This very psychic force or psychic limitation is known as unit mind. You have,a small "I" and encircling that "small I" there is limited field of action. Therefore, your "small I" is not able to do unlimited or infinite action. It is because the unit mind is limited but the "I feeling" which is in you is extended beyond your psychic arena.

You have certainly knowledge in yourself to know that which is outside you. You don't have capacity but you have eagerness, and a yearning for knowledge, that hunger that you have to go ahead still more. You have to go somewhere else starting with mind. Starting with a limited mind you have to merge it in unlimited mind. This is the third stage of sa'dhana -- the psychospiritual stage.. Starting from unit "I" feeling and moving towards cosmic "I" feeling is your spiritual practice and this is the third phase of sadhana.

And when your limited mind merges in infinite mind and becomes one with it, that is, when you transform your unit mind into cosmic mind but when you make effort to be free from cosmic "I" and be merged in "Self" -- this very effort is purely spiritual.

Now which science operates behind the movement towards the spiritual world. Moving towards the Great by expanding the mind is psycho-spiritual sadhana and merging the mind into the Great and then establishing oneself in Supreme Self is the real science. For this the path of knowledge is there, path of action also there. The path of knowledge is the path towards the world excluding Self.

To pursue the path of knowledge one has to study and learn a lot. In the process of learning, a stage comes when human beings leave the unreal and get established in the real. With the help of the path of knowledge one is able to attain Parama Purus'a. It may also be possible that while studying the burden of knowledge increases a lot and the brain is overstuffed. Because of development in the field of knowledge, the ego also gets puffed up. "I know so much, I know so much". If a person always says like this he degrades himself. While climbing the mountain suddenly he falls down -- this can also be possible. Hence this path of knowledge is risky.

Now, what about action ? Human beings have come to the world for work, work has got to be done. In the context is Rohit's father says [when a person's face get perspired due to constant labour], the beauty of the face of that person is unprecedented. Since that is the perspiration due to hard labour, its beauty is flawless and unparalleled. Even Indra, the king of gods aspires for befriending such a person. Where face is beautified with perspiration out of hard labour, the king of gods, Indra, becomes a friend to such an industrious person. Hence Rohit, go ahead, go ahead, don't' sit like a crude object devoid of lustre. You are a well-read person no doubt, but don't sit like an inanimate object-"Caraeveti, Caraeveti" -- "Move ahead, move ahead".

In ancient sanskrit language, the verb "Cara" means "to move". In modern Sanskrit, the verb "Cara" means "to move" while eating. In sanskrit there are many verbs which mean "to move", as for instance the root-verb "cara" - people say the cattle are grazing. The cattle eat and while eating they move. Just think you are moving on the road while chewing peanuts or chocolates. I shall say you are grazing. The difference is that the cattle are grazing, whereas you are taking chocolate. In modern Sanskrit the word "cal" means to move like that.

"Vraj" is another verb. "Vraj" means to move ahead joyfully. You are moving and at the same time enjoying -- in that sense the verb "vraj" is there. In the past people used to visit "Brindavan" for going around "Braj". Hence that was called "Braja bhu'mi".

In ancient times when the Aryans were moving towards the east from the Middle Asia, they entered India through Iran. First, they came to Afghanistan and then to India. Its name was "Gandhava". Certainly at that time Afghanistan was part and parcel of India. Its, name was "Gandhar". The Aryans were the people of cold countries the people of the Caucasia region of Russia. While in Iran, they discovered abundance of food materials and the climate was also congenial. Hence they liked that place very much. When these people were moving and moving joyfully, they named their country "Aryanavraja" that is, the Aryans lived in that country happily. In ancient Iranian language "Aryanabraja" ? It got changed into "Iranbej". At present it is Iran and in Arabic language it is "Pharas". The word "Persia" is derived from the word "Pharas". In English language its name is "Iranbej". Furthermore, suppose someone is moving, he may or may not find joy but he gets the scope of gathering knowledge. In that sense, the word "Pari-ata" is used. "Paryataka" means one who moves and while moving learns.

In Sam'skrta there are many words like this. The verb "Car" means "to move"'. In Vaedic Sanskrit "Car" means "to move".

Kalao shaya'no bhavati sandihanastu dva'parah. Uttis't'han treta' bhavati kratam sampadyate caran'.

Rohit's father said to Rohit. "Rohit, when a person is sleeping, his fate is also sleeping, and when one has risen, ones fate also has risen. And when one has started moving ahead, one's fortune also has started moving ahead. Hence Rohit you should also move forward. Caraeveti, Caraeveti -- Move on, move on." "Start working, don't sit like an inert object". As long as a person is asleep drowned in the darkness of ignorance, one remains seized by static force, one's fate also remains sleeping. That period in life of a human being is known as "Kaliyuga". Afterwards when the conscience dawns on him, and he starts thinking that he has to wake up and start working from that very moment onward comes the age of "Dvapara" in his life. In individual life "Dvapara Yuga" begins when his sleep is broken, and he sits up thinking that he has got to begin to work. When one stands up and starts moving ahead, "Treta" yuga begins in his life after that.

When a person actually starts moving ahead from that moment onward Satya yuga commences Krta yuga means Satya yuga. Hence Rohit's father advised Rohit to move ahead. Now the father of Rohit was an ordinary man whereas Rohit himself was a great scholar. It is an extraordinary matter that the father of Rohit, uneducated or little educated, advises a big scholar like Rohit. In this context who is to be considered a real scholar -- Rohit or his father? Really Rohit's father was a true scholar. The science of knowledge says, "Go ahead with work and in the process of work, if some negative work stands on the way, that negative path has to be given up and proper work has to be done. That which is improper has to be totally avoided. This itself is known as the science of Karma of Karma yoga.

One who does not understand the science of action what kind of action will he do ? One who does not have knowledge nor even Karmayoga what will he do? For them also there is a way and their way is the way of devotion. The path of devotion is -- " I do not know anything and whatever I do, I do only to please "Paramapurus'a". I do work for His satisfaction. I work just to serve Him. The idea behind service is the idea of devotion. Who is served through devotion ? It is Parama Purus'a alone who is served. You can say, "we may or may not serve the humanity but we will certainly serve Paramapurus'a. Service to humanity is service to Paramapurus'a, for the universe is created out of Paramapurus'a. Hence every object of this universe is the creation of Paramapurus'a. Hence serving the world is serving Paramapurus'a -- and thereby He becomes pleased. Suppose you bring good sweets for me but as I don't eat sweet so much, I eat only a little, hence if instead of giving the sweets to me you give it to some other child, I shall be pleased. Likewise serving Paramapurus'a is serving the world. The world is created out of Paramapurus'a, hence render service as much as you can. Paramapurus'a will be satisfied. Therefore one who is a true devotee, one who follows the real path of devotion will serve humanity to the maximum extent and together with this, whatever else he will do -- singing, dancing, doing kiirtan. He will think that Paramapurus'a should remain in everything, seeing everything. Hence Paramapurus'a also wants that he should remain in the midst of his devotees, he should listen to their stories of pain and pleasure and watch their singing and dancing.

Na'ham Tis't'ha'mi Vaekunt'hae Yogina'm Hrdaye Na Ca.
Madbhaktah Yatra Gayanti Tatra Tis't'ha'mi Na'rada.

Paramapurus'a is the supreme repository of knowledge. Can human beings acquire so much knowledge ? Can they compete with Paramapurus'a in regard to knowledge? They can not. Human beings possess a small cranium and how much knowledge can there be whereas Paramapurus'a has infinite knowledge ? With regard to karma also, human beings can not compete with Paramapurus'a. Knowing everything and being fully established in knowledge and action "Paramapurus'a says,"

  "Na'ham Tist'ha'mi Vaekun't'he"

I don't stay in Vaekun't'ha. "Kunt'ha" means contraction. Where mind is contracted, it is known as psychic contraction. For instance, when illiterate persons go to a learned man in that case in the minds of uneducated person an inferiority complex arises. Similarly, when a pauper meets a rich man, in his mind also a sort of contraction comes and where there is no contraction and the mind is completely free. that state of mind is "Vaekun't'ha", i.e. There is neither inferiority complex nor superiority complex. When one comes to Paramapurus'a neither inferiority complex nor superiority complex arises in his mind, because Paramapurus'a is His own. Suppose, someone's father is a great scholar but his son is not much educated. Even then when the son goes to the father, he will not suffer from inferiority complex. "He is my father, my own relation." Furthermore, the relationship with kith and kin is the relationship of love. No superiority complex or inferiority complex exists in his mind. When you attain Paramapurus'a, there is no "kun't'ha (contraction) and therefore that is known as "Vaekun't'ha. Vaekun't'ha does not mean the seventh layer of heaven ; Vaekun't'ha in your mind; but Paramapurus'a says that He does not remain in Vaekun't'ha. "Its not a fact that I am very far from common people, Furthermore, I am not in the heart of the Yogis." This sounds. strange. The existence of mind depends on the psychic propensities. When in pleasure people laugh and when in pain they cry. This is a natural tendency of mind. By special effort, they restrain their propensities. They check them. When the propensities are fully restrained there is, no expression at all. If propensities are checked like this, human beings will neither laugh in pleasure nor cry in pain but the natural thing in human life is to laugh in pleasure and cry in pain. When daughters come from their father's houses to fathers-in-law's house their mothers feel very sad. Hence the daughter and the mother clasp each other and cry for a long time; this is natural for human beings. This does not apply in the case of yogis as their hearts' feelings are completely checked. If something pleasant happens they don't burst out in joy. Even if the thousands of people die, they remain unaffected. God wants human beings to laugh and cry, sing and dance, eat and feed others. That is why the hearts of yogis are not an ideal abode for Parama-purus'a. Here Paramapurus'a says "I don't remain in the hearts of the yogis because their hearts are like stone". Like deserts the [greenness] and tenderness of the plains is not there. Hence Paramapurus'a says :

  Madbhakta' Yatra Gayanti Tatra Tis't'ha'mi Na'radah

  Where my devotees laugh, cry, sing and dance and remain intoxicated in 

my name at that place only I love to remain. This is the path of devotion.
I have nothing to say if you become a great scholar, I have also nothing to say if you are but if you are great devotees you will enjoy bliss.

This is why, for ordinary people, as well as for extraordinary persons of knowledge, and action the best way is the way of devotion. Do meditation, do kiirtan and bhajan sincerely and together with that, render maximum social service. This is the supreme ideology for an ideal human being.

15 October 1979 morning, Nagpur
A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 15