Notes 385 to 446

 CHAPTER VII

Mai: The Firstmost Agitator and Final most Emancipator trough Avidyaa, Vidyaa, Shakti and Maayaa

Jay Mai Jay Mai Jay Mai

385.What a terrible Power this Maayaa wields over the mortals !!! To begin certain narratives, the Founder had an extremely intense daughterly love for a lady of a high family and education.

386. On his way from Bombay[Mumbai] to Hubli on duty, she had so much devotion for the Founder that she did not mind the doctor's strict instructions not to move from her sick bed and she accompanied her husband from Santa Cruz to see the Founder off at Dadar. It was raining hard and the train did not run. They waited for the next train. That too did not arrive. She was entreated by the Founder to return home, but she would not. She said," I must either take the Founder home or suffer with Founder on the Dadar platform." Waiting for a long period from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Founder than proposed to go to Shiva (Sion)to another devotee and return to Dadar. Founder went there with all. They were welcomed and immediately, the food was prepared. The dinning-place was dark. There was an electric connection but the lights remained off in the town during the daytime. The lady who was more than a daughter, by way of a play, expressed her most obstinate childlike desire," I won't take meals in this darkroom. If you want me to eat, it must be under these electric lights ." Founder endearingly asked not to be so resolute in a matter beyond our human control. Said she," No. I Know there is nothing beyond your control. I am extremely hungry. Every moment that you are obstinately refusing us the light, you are paining me. " Founder said," Alright but I won't trouble Mother after you have finished meals. " The lady with a playful joy agreed. Said Founder," Mother, here is a foolish girl, but most dear to me. She has not cared for her health and illness. Let her be pleased as well, in her resolute obstinacy." As soon as these words were uttered, lights were there, until the whole function was over. In the end, Founder told her," Should I now permit the light to go?"Founder prayed and dismissed the light and the light disappeared.

387. On one side, we have a host of disbelievers, on the other side, an army of belittlers. We may have to refer to the wonderful power of love this lady wielded over the heart of the Founder as God-daughter and making the Founder grant her any desire. She had a friend in Baroda, a high officer who was most severely demoted, say from a pay of Rs. 600 to Rs. 300 and from the position of a big officer to a small assistant.

This lady saw him at a saint's place in the most humiliated plight regarding his standard of living etc. The reason was explained. The lady was in the highest sublime mood and she said, "I am the daughter of Supreme Mother in human form who can do anything and who cannot refuse me anything. " She returned from Baroda and one night she was with the Founder eating away his brains, asking for a boon. Founder would not yield. Said he, I must know what you want. She began gradually to say little things and by pieces told the whole story. Founder did not yield till 3 a.m. and then he promised," Alright Mother will see that he is reinstated within a month. Call him here." This episode is previously referred to as a case of Mother's vision in Baroda. The whole question was reopened after every hope was dead and gone, a long time has already lapsed. He was reinstated. It was the wonder of wonders, but the greater wonder was this. That man wrote a letter to the lady which crossed the lady's letter to him and it said," Last night, I saw a big flash in my sleeping room which gradually spread itself and become less dazzling and I saw therein Mother and she said," Leave off all your worry. I have promised your lady friend in Bombay that I will reinstate you within a month and I shall make my promise good. The officer had absolutely no Mai relations or Mai talk with Founder before the event.

388. Here, a little bit of spiritual and highly subtle talk. The Founder had varied experiences through this lady, of a type unprecedented. Once, that lady, in a theoretical way of Hindu mind, told to the Founder," You must learn Praanaayaam and Yoga ". Founder said," Have you lost your senses?"With so many experiences, you can't understand the greatness of devotion?" Alright, please yourself. Mother will show you that what a devotee can do without a pranayama and a yoga and a samadhi." He went away leaving her house courteously but sorrowfully saying to himself," These people have no idea of the powers, that a devotee who has a personal relationship with God has."

Some half an hour passed since he left. The lady began to see everywhere in her bungalow, in every corner, in every room, on every sofa and in every chair Mother, Mother and Mother, in green saree. She got immediately afraid.

She now became fully alive to the rather " insulting " nature. She thought Mother showed her that the final most thing to be achieved is seeing God everywhere and that, She or her devotee can do, at a simple desire, just at a snip of fingers. She ran to the adjoining bungalow where Founder was residing, begged pardon and took him back to her place, to give his most favourite dish of extremely pungent butter fried, bakery bread, and mango pickles.

389. Yes, a very subtle spiritual point, Founder thought to himself. Was, what he and all had been thinking till now, wrong? The lady would not do any worship, would not do any mantras, would not offer any offerings to Mother's picture. She would not wave the Arti. The only thing she had was the faith of the highest order. Quite a modern lady of luxurious living; however, like a child of ten to twelve years (she so appeared to the Founder), she would believe what was once promised by Founder, can never remain unfulfilled.

390. She had so many experiences; so also the Founder. When her son failed in matric, she came forth ."How can my son fail when you have promised??" And the boy's name ( as far as the Founder remembers, two sons at a time)appeared in the supplementary list.

391. Her husband was ill and staying at Juhu in a rich bungalow. She would take the Founder from Tagore Road to Juhu and get his blessings on him and she would see him off at the station for Founder to catch his train to go to his office. The doctor said, he will take three months to recover. She told Founder " I can't tolerate this delay. You are cruel. If you heartily pray, the illness would disappear."The Founder was made to promise that he would see that her husband attains his office on next Friday which meant less than a week. All said," If this proves true," They will be Mai-ists forever. Said Founder, not knowing his own powers," All right?? I promise, but don't blame me." On Friday he was ready and the Founder took him to his office. It was a wonder of wonders. The Founder has been all along, dealt with like this, by the world, with a promise to be Mai-ists forever. His powers on believing such promise grew super-natural. Now, that has the experience of the world full of cheating, he neither believes the promise, nor do his supernatural powers work to turn everything, nor does he think himself justified in troubling Mother.  

392. There would be a constant discussion. And here the point comes. The lady said, "which else Mother is there ?? You are the Mother." The Founder would say, " I am purely a simple man as good as any of you, but Mother is playing with the world for Her Religion-spreading, through me.

393. The lady one day asked, "you must raise my husband to be the manager of a concern and not merely an accountant as now." Of course, the working in a worldly way was there. But he was able to start within three months a new concern, which had as its telegraphic address "Mai-concern."

394. The husband and son both were once in trouble regarding the official management, of an extremely serious order, although fully innocent. The lady exacted a promise; and both were relieved of the most embarrassing situation, all the destructive forces changing to be sympathetic in no time.

395. One funny experience was this " While her husband was taken to the office to resume his duties, it was on a condition that the husband should go, during recess, to Founder's office in Old Customs House, where he was the head of his department. The Founder would get the most pungent chutney or pickles and they would enjoy full tiffin together. At home, the doctor had not permitted even the simplest normal diet. One day, by chance the lady came up to the Founder's office and found them eating all pungent and oily stuff like Madrasi Dhosa, Bhajjis, Potatoes, Vadas, etc. She got laughter after laughter. " You are eating every damned useless thing here. At home, you are pressing the doctor to permit you to take just only the unobjectionable daily diet, with a pitiable face, and the doctor would say, " still you have to wait !!!" The husband turned pale, being caught red-handed. He excused himself, saying, "Where am I eating anything? I am only taking the Prasad of Mother who enabled me to attend the office, otherwise, your doctor would have made me lie in the bed for months." All laughed most heartily and all diet-instructions ceased.

396. The knottiest point which baffled all attempts at a solution was this, "Here is a lady. She is quite a new type of lady bred up practically in western ways. She does not believe in Idols, Images, Patha Worship and all the usual things, a Hindu is conversant and concerned with. She has only one qualification. She has somehow a faith which has no parallel." She believes "What Founder promises must fulfil." She does not serve him in any extraordinary way. She is doing only what any honourable good host would do to an honourable good guest. The only speciality is that she remains practically in the constant presence of Founder.  She has been constantly hammering the idea, " you are yourself, Mother," and she is, as it were, hypnotising herself with the notion, " What he promises must be done." So much so, that she and her husband would be repeatedly saying to others revering the Founder and in close contact with them, " What we can't get done with two thousand of rupees, we can get done by Founder, with two pieces worth of strongest snuff or pungent chutney."

397. Founder who is all his life an extremely subtle observer of feelings, results, etc., in the realm of religion, was getting very unsettled. Said he, "What?, Is this religion all a farce ?? Is it that the fulfilment of a certain desire entirely independent of what you are in the scale-pans of what they call religiosity? Does your success, especially at least the one in worldly matters, depend on the force and faith with which you wish and determine it must be a fait accompli, and the conviction you have about its sure fulfilment!!!"

398. Founder would so often most subtly analyse his mind and heart. There were two factors. He loved her most intensely as his own daughter and the second thing, was, if she took up the Mai-cause, that would be accelerated most speedily as she had rich relatives, was herself a cultured and educated lady and she had a moral courage and even boldness of an up-to-date England-returned lady. The Founder's whole working-policy was this. His ambition was to give wonderful experiences of Divine Help through Mother's Grace and go on getting families after families praying to Mother. He, however, found the world to be too deceitful, selfish and ungrateful, in general.

399. What is the actual working??? What is it, that works these wonders? She can't help to analyse, because she had quite a simple theory. She would say, " With respect to people that come to you, when do you inquire or what do you know about anything like their deservedness, sinlessness, prarabdha, favourable worldly circumstances, personal faculties, etc.?" The Founder was, as it were, forgetting Mother's Pardon, or at least postponement of Prarabdha, as an exception, for whoever agreed to be worshipping Mother. She continued, " Is it not extremely easy thing to understand? Each one is a Master of oneself. Can I not do anything I like in my own house??"  "Everyone is God and God is within every one of us. Where is than anything like sinfulness and sinlessness and so many other things talked over under religion?"

400. The most dangerous notion, of everyone being God, is a senseless jargon for which Vedant teaching is criminally responsible. The Vedantik mischief to which any immature mind is led, on Adwaitistic talking about the Supreme Truth, to anyone in the street that meets and prostrates, without testing his worth and plane ( Adhikari and Bhumika ) was at the bottom.

    It is tantamount to this, that man is responsible to none and nothing here or above. The Founder has heard this senseless parrot-like misunderstood expression from so many of even the most learned people, "Everyone is God, God is in me, and God is in you." Blessed Shree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, in his own homely way of illustrations, has done his best to stem the tide of this foolish notion, by the well-known example of the elephant crushing one of his disciples. Said Paramahamsa, " Yes, you are a God, but the elephant driver was also a God, and the elephant was also a God. The driver asked you to be out of the way. You did not. Two Gods threw out one God."

The illustration is childlike as Paramahamsa was a Mother's child and as a man, of highest Divine knowledge and intellect. He knew the world as a whole had not advanced more than a child to understand the deep philosophy, practically. The illustration more than hammered out the foolish notion, without the bitterness of calling spade a spade. The uprooting of the poisonous weed was done in that disciple's case. Nothing beyond that was considered necessary for a particular occasion by the most practical Guru of Gurus. 

401. How very dangerous this teaching of the Supreme Truth without Adhikaar is ?? At Madras [ Chennai], in 1949, I had an extremely strong Vedaantist who argued with me for three days, 3 to 4 hours daily. He was so very learned, he came with scriptural books and quotations. So to say, after a scriptural controversy, I was much tired.I was at my wits' ends. On the fourth day, I finished admitting practically my defeat. I told him," I feel, I can not convince you by all arguments and scriptural quotations. I own my defeat. Tomorrow you come here with an agreement, that you have transferred all your property to me. I am not different from you. There are no two souls and this is only a question of transferring matter. " He laughed outright. He said," That thing is quite apart. That is not relevant. That has nothing to do with "philosophy". He stood up and never turned up again.

402. Unless you have reached a particular stage, or unless you say at the outset, that this is only a piece of philosophy, which is not only ennobling but making you strong to be the master of universe and that is one of several methods in which the mind can be trained  to be nearer God, the practical result for mere worldly man, is an Infinity of positive and plus variety being mistaken to be the other Infinity of negative and minus variety and that often turns him to be an irresponsible swollen headed creature.  

Why such Vedaantists' " that thing apart, no relevancy, nothing to do " etc at the end ?? Are you telling us, some Arabian night story ?? A king can't live without air water and food, just as poor beggar. Has the later, therefore, to go on keeping his head swollen and shouting " I am the same as king? "Let people reach that stage  after " Oh God, I am Thine." Only after " You are mine" and " I am Thine", the stage of "I and Thou are one " must come. Let that "I" also be eliminated, after the consciousness as " I am nothing" is eliminated. If after that stage, such a realised man ( it can only by way of accidental ejaculation) says," I am God", that has some meaning. Just think for a few minutes deeply. How can one who has come to a conviction that there is nothing but God, speak "I am God"? To whom is he talking? Does the talked-to not know that? Except in lunatic homes have you heard any man talking in full solitude of four walls " My name is so and so."?

Although the supremacy of " I am God " is not denied, the world will be happier  by being taught " Thou art God." Just look at the ugly repulsive viciousness-stamped face of any hopeless man speaking," I am God.". When his moral character, self-control, sacrifice, service etc. are all big cyphers, that expression is not only a despicability but a blasphemy.  It carries both him and his Guru to hell. Let the speaker of "I am God" prove his Godhood by reviving a killed bug or fly. Never forget, that expression is true in a particular sense only and at a particular finished perfected stage only. Let "Thou art God" be more efficiently taught to the world, already led astray with hundreds of Vedantik and other delusions.  

403. Surely, such Supreme Truth should not be lost to the world. We know so many things (and have to know) in advance. The preachers of the Supreme Truth must, however, be extremely careful, so that little knowledge does not prove dangerous. That could best be done by a thorough treatment, not only of the Supreme Truth but also abuses that half-understood or misunderstood Truth leads to. A certain invaluable medicine which would, in certain cases, save the life of a dying man, would act poisonously for another. Such medicine should be labelled and preserved in a closed cupboard with a caution," To be administered by Doctors only."

Why should you (the Adventist) leave it to your opponents to humble you down with?? You remain silent, because you have not before you, the picture of the suffering of the world, on its abuse. You are swimming in the joy and that of your carrying away the palm. If you are true Adventist, with whom you are fighting, calling him a Dwaitist ?? Adwaitism is an Ideal, though highest and not a fact to be exploited in your worldly dealings.

404. Premature knowledge of this Final most Truth leads to a mental deranged condition of burning down one's cottage, on learning that a rich millionaire relative of your is on death bed and he is thinking of making you as his heir.  To give another instance, a poor man's son has passed his I.C.S. examination. The affectionate boy wrote to his father," I am now able to earn enough for the whole family. You resign your post. You have suffered too much from us. " The father resigned and the steamer carrying the son sank. The father too in anguish committed suicide and the whole family in the fullest lamentation went to rot in a poor house.

405. Mai-ism says," Nothing is unreal- Creator and Creation, happiness and misery, heaven and hell, deities and human beings, obedience and disobedience to the Divine Law. So long as the soul has any relation with bodies and so long as one is affected even to the slightest extent physically mentally or spiritually, these differences do exist and are not unreal. No illusion of Adwaitism and no dancing. Practically, everyone is Dwaitist, so long as he has a body, mind heart and soul. That is how I believe. I may be wrong.

There is no illusion or unreality about the Universe which is managed by Mother with the highest Perfection, Justice, Law and Order, as Power and Love. The realisation of the unreality of the universe does come in the end to some few blessed souls, but premature prattling about unreality has been extremely dangerous.  

406. The Founder has so many learned persons coming to him and expressing their great life complexities as a result of jumbled up beliefs of Dwaitism and Adwaitism, and he has ruthlessly to tell them  in harsh words," Don't be at one moment Dwaitist  and at another Adwaitist ." A diamond is the same thing as a coal, but to the chemist only, and not to the jeweller or a coal-shop keeper or even to the whole world." You are for taking away another's diamond and returning a piece of coal and you bring in the argument of sameness. As soon as you resort to that theory, it is as the very first requirement presumed, that you are on a much higher stage and you would not be murmuring about your pennyworth worldly matters of little discomforts, inconveniences, injustices, etc.  and weeping like this. How can God be weeping for a five rupee note lost, or a child being little indisposed, or a little worry or sorrowful face of his wife for not taking her to a cinema?? Have you no common sense to see that you are no God ?? 

If you claim to have common sense and yet persist, then your definition of God must be hopelessly poor. Don't translate Brahma or God as Ishvar. If you want to covey that highest truth, please use the guarded language ." God resides in every one of us." " We are all included in God." Please don't say," We are Gods." Say," God is Life." "God is consciousness"."God is everywhere." That is the wisest understanding." God is in every one of us." is only a derived truth and a corollary. "God is the creator and disposer of everything " is also a simple idea. But this idea of " We are Gods" is not only senseless but even mischievous.

The Founder has a peculiar trait. He does not like that shortening of truths, which creates misunderstandings. Start thinking from fundamentals; no thumb rules; they mislead and keep you in delusion forever, once you commit a slight error. "Every being and everything is a manifestation of God  " - that is alright. But let not that jargon of " I am God, You are God, he is God " continue.

There are men and women. Shall we introduce the distinction between Gods and Goddesses? Or, shall we do away with sexual morality? There are again animals. Is there no God in them? Shall we not call a tiger or an alligator a God? Shall we happily, as Gods, embrace them in a forest or a river? Well again,  men are of a conflicting and contradictory nature. Is God also a conglomerate of contradictions? We shall have to create a new language to explain the world's working in terms of " God". The first thing necessary would be to make the enumeration of innumerable Gods. Some Gods will be in Mother's womb and some Gods would die of abortion. How can we finish our census?

Why not come to fundamentals ?? What is the object you want to achieve, by saying "everyone is God" ??

Why not come straight to the requirement, and stop at that.?/ " You make no distinction between man and man, that will cause misery to anyone and add misery in the world", " Love any other being and serve him as your self". " Consider him to be like your own self ", "Try your best to forget every harmful difference you and any other man."- all these teachings are sensible enough.

If, in the practical life, we can not consider our parents, wife, sisters. etc. exactly as our own self, if brothers fight and husband and wife estrangement require big divorce courts, how far is there any sincerity in your follower's saying "Yes Master!!!  I consider every one of the worlds as myself because God resides in everyone and everyone is God."  

Let us then come to a more practical fundamental understanding. Mai-ism says, all human beings are Mother's children. The objection of  "conflict and contradictions and variances and bitterness" and the census difficulty in the theory of "Everyone is God" disappears. We actually find sisters and brothers at variance in the world.

If I am God and he is God, what is wrong in my swallowing his property? There is no answer. You have to fumble, coming to the theory of fraternity. If one asks," Why? why should I share my happiness, with any other man??" No answer. You can only denounce the man saying,"You are a mean and selfish fellow." That is, however, no answer.

Mai-ism says the simplest thing," You be good, loving and serving others because Mother Herself is pleased thereby and She will make you happy." " For your own happiness, protection and escape from misery, you love and serve others." Am I not saying what in substance every one knows and understands?? Then, where is my strength? Try to relish it in a subtle-most manner. First thing is the idea of Motherhood itself. It is the daily experience of everyone that a mother is pleased with serving her children. But the greater strength proceeds from the fact that love and service and universality are the very first words of a Mai-istic commandment, with the highest importance given thereto. That, and universality makes the whole difference.  

The Founder says," I simply wonder, how the world can't understand the difference of a big bunch of six hundred keys given to you to open six treasuries and those six keys alone by themselves. Just practically try. You will throw away the bunch most impatiently and you will remain without treasures.

On the top of everything, what the world needs today is Love and Service, Devotion and Self-surrender,  with a Universal mindedness. The first two commandments, two alone, are sufficient to make you fairly happy and make the world happy, at least here. Be honest, take up the daily diary or even the whole life of a reputed and labelled religious man and just ascertain for yourself how much part does Universality, Love and Service play therein. 

407. Let this jumble in a Hindu brain disappear once for all, or let there be a clear-cut air-tight compartment understanding about both the contradicting theories. Reconcile them both most happily with discretion and responsibility, and not with folly and irresponsibility, in life and living. Develop the masterly strength of an Adwaitist and the humility of a Dwaitist. That is quite possible and has been possible in thousands of cases of highest souls that have preceded us.

    According to Mai-ism, Adwaitism is a stage of consciousness which is superior to Dwaitism but is no independent path by itself. In Founder's words, it is a description of a certain consciousness and not self-contained prescription to reach that stage.

    By experience, one comes to a stage, when the Universe vanishes from the consciousness when nothing remains except " I am God "; later " I " vanishes, and even " God "- conception vanishes. What remains is an indescribable Divine ecstasy and a perpetual blissful state.

    Once a blessed man has a peep into that stage, for a few minutes or hours, it is only a mathematical induction to believe, that the alternate position of entering that stage for some few hours, and returning to the normal waking and body-running stage, can be so raised that the blessed man can live even in the waking state as during the said blissful Samadhi stage.

    The followers of the two schools of Dwaitism and Adwaitism have been at variance because there is no threadbare analytical treatment of both teachings. If that is done, a revelation will come forth to show that both schools practically differ at extremely few points, and there are innumerable common points. Let both schools try to make up a clear-cut statement of primary issues, which show.

    (a) In these matters, you don't believe, but we believe, and

    (b) in these matters, you believe, but we don't believe.

    And there again, make sure that those are real North-Pole and South-Pole differences. A mere change of expression or a change in the order of precedence, or a little more or less emphasis, or a little variety in externals, does not justify contradictory denominations,

    Founder says: Two friends are enjoying the same dish. One of them says it is relishful, another says it is health-giving. Neither the one has the relish, nor the other the health, without the very same dish. Neither it is, that the relish-seeking does not get health, and the health-seeking does not get relish. What is then all quarrelling for ???. In a lake dried up, there are no fishes, no alligators, no moss, no slipperiness, no water-shrubs and no waterfowl. In a cloth burnt up, there are no designs no red, white and black colours. A document paper containing the purport of an inheritance or a great gift, wetted under rains, shows no words, not even the colour of the ink, speaks no right, no details of the property, and gives no right. So far, it is right, but the Universal Blunder (most pitiably, Universal), in spite of so many preachers and scriptures, is there, when Adwaitism is explained by saying, "Lakes are without waters, they have no fishes, any difference of a mud-fish or a silverfish is an unreality and a delusion."

    Mai-ism makes here a clear distinction between a fact and an Ideal. It says, there does come a time when the lake dries up. And, there is one who is the Witness. There comes a time when the lake dries up, cloth burns away and the document soaks to a pulp. There is a stage above that drying-up, burning away and soaking etc. There is something beyond all stages of drying, burning and soaking- the stage of the Witness. You try your best to acquire that stage of consciousness. Adwaitism is an Ideal. Don't jumble up, and don't be confusing an Ideal and a fact. Adwaitism is a supreme conception, Ideal or belief which can be utilised to the best advantage for one's spiritual uplift and end. Surely it is a stage which should be the goal of every religious aspirant who wants a perpetual cessation of all pains and miseries during births and deaths.

    Here, to the credit of Adwaitism, goes the discovery, that such a state does exist, is attainable, and has been attained by so many in the past. That is the pinnacle point, where Adwaitism stands all alone in its unparalleled glory of a particular type of brilliance, with none to claim its equality. Here too, a subtle point is to be observed. It may not be at all impossible that the Dwaitists, the highest advanced of them, had the cognition of such a stage and experience. Only thing might be, they did not put it as a part of the curriculum laid down for the followers. They loved to line on the last floor more than in the terrace, surely ever accessible to them.

    I repeat, Adwaitism is an Ideal. It is only at that stage when bliss is experienced at all hours and in all states, that the Universe becomes unreal, and that too for that rare perfected soul. For him alone, and him in that state alone, the Universe stands vanished. For Surdass who has reached the highest stages of one-ness with his beloved, the night is the day, the carcass is a barge and the snake is a rope. Otherwise, a night is a night, a carcass is a carcass, and a snake is a snake.

    Regarding the question of reality and unreality, the Universe is unreal to the man who has reached that stage. Why not stop there? Why do you want to jump into a decision, " the world is unreal because there are few men to whom it is unreal ??" Why not consider the fact that it is real to all except to all those blessed ones, and call the Universe to be real ?? Why? even in the case of those blessed ones themselves, there was a period when they saw the Universe as real. Mai-ism does not want to go beyond saying that the Universe, and even the individual soul, is an unreal reality and a real unreality.

    The Founder says. Further again, in greater details, I explain this Dwaitistic and Adwaitistic chaos in my own villager's childlike way. I am fully satisfied with it. No scriptures no religious books and no teachers have satisfied me and I want to approach none. This much is more than enough for me. No frightening with scriptural authorities and plunging in deep waters, where one's highest human intellect ceases to go forward with a rationalistic mind.

    Delhi to Bombay is nearly 850 miles. In Bombay itself, there is the Bombay Central, where all trains stop. But beyond Bombay, there are five small stations, each one mile away. That latter local part is Adwaitism. It has the unique qualification of taking advanced souls who have reached their goal of going to the Celestial Bombay, much deeper and much interior in Bombay. Adwaitism is the continuation of Dwaitism, just as Bombay Central to Churchgate is a continuation of the whole long path from Delhi to Bombay.

    Why should you embarrass a poor passenger intending to go some few four miles from Delhi with all your detailed sublimities of the local electric trains in Bombay from Central to Churchgate ?? Let the passenger be bothered about the local trains only after he has reached Central.

    And even in reality, just go over the scriptures with the minutest eye and you will see that there is a restriction. Speak about it, only after the Central is reached, and if at all he is anxious to go into the interior of Bombay.

    Mai-ism again repeats; no mistaking of an "Ideal" for a "fact." If you commit that mistake, your lower nature will not permit you to stand on the higher plane, and will not fail to overtopple you and to put you in pitfalls.

    An Adwaitist went as a guest, quite a religious and a yellow-robed and clean head-tonsured. He said, "I am above thirst and hunger." The host said, "Thank God, I am relieved of all bothers about your meals." The Swamiji says "No-No-No-. It only means any meals will do." The home-life happy talks go on. Says the host " My son and the neighbour's wife are dying for each other. Should I permit my son to run away with her?". The Adwaitist startles and wrathfully says "No-No-No. Are you not ashamed of talking about such immorality?" The host after a few other matters says " My Guru has recently been mostly indifferent to me and has taken a fancy to a new disciple. Should I kick him out from my bungalow where he has been residing for the past eight years?" The Adwaitist says " No-No-No. It is Guru Droha, faithlessness to the Master." A little after, the host says, "Let everything go. I have got an expert who can manufacture currency notes. That is only dealing with the matter. Should I make you some Beth (gift) of those currency notes?" The Sannyasin vociferated "What!! do you want to send me to prison?".

    The host asked " Where is then your unreality and oneness? of Adwaitism ?? "Your non-difference"? "Your delusion theory"? You want me to make the difference between a hungry man and a royally fed guest, morality and immorality, a faithful and a faithless disciple, one type of dead matter as a paper of one kind and another, my ownership and another's ownership, and your own fat-fed Asram and a prison??".

    Why bring in another complication of a " Vyavaharik Satta " and " Paramarthik Satta ", which Adwaitists have to thrust in, for their defence?

    The son (representing a modern-world young man) who was overhearing, wrote to his beloved neighbour's wife (with the modern belief of the sexual morality) thus: "Last night the hypocritical      "Brahma " had come, but this time the credulous " Religious Ghost " within Papa got vexed and did not dance so expensively as before". Is there nothing really laughable round about us, for the modern youngsters?.

    Call it an Ideal. Mai-ism says: " If you want to be above painfulness and misery, you begin developing and training your mind to think, believe and live in a particular manner. Advaitism is an Ideal which, on being perfectly mastered and made to be permeated in every atom of yours, will carry you beyond all pains and miseries.

    It is a mentality to be developed. To the extent the differences remain to an Adventist, let him remove the incongruency by saying: My Ideal has not reached the point of realisation." Regarding the conflicting questions in respect of the dealings with people, Mai-ism advises, let him say: " The Universe, the morality, the justice, the truth, the righteousness, the virtue, and the religious requirements are not only true for you but even for me, till I have reached the perfect stage."  " I have no right to dabble and upset the established laws of Divinity for the smooth and happy running of the Universe."

    Mai-ism says: make your definitions extremely precise, and you will find, in reality, by an acid test, every so-called Adwaitist except the " the Perfected Ones " is a Dwaitist, a dualist. The dualities, at a certain stage, gradually and automatically drop down one by one like the dried leaves of a sapless life-gone tree.

    Training your mind, to view whatever you have to deal with, with the convictions about the fruitlessness, nothingness and non-permanence of anything and everything, and any condition is the highest achievement.  Everything loses its sting, its bitingness, its cheerfulness-dryingness. An indescribable relief is realisable after the experience. You simply laugh, when others would be weeping. Miseries cease to touch you and desires die away. Even the Universe itself gets enriched with such highly developed illustrious souls, whose eyes and outlook are Adwaitistic.

    There is no meaning in saying " Matter or different individual souls - is a delusion, but don't steal my property." So long as the badness of " stealing " is there, the difference of " you " and " I " is there, and the attachment to the property is there; it is only a meaningless jargon just for intellectual display.

    The Mai-istic approach to this naughtiest point that has harassed and inimically split Hindus for centuries is, " Don't be fighting over reality and unreality. Neither call such a vast universe a big void or Cipher nor pounce upon poor God, to usurp His God-ship. Practise and follow and respect all that the Dwaitistic religions teach, but on the top of that practise developing your mind and mental vision and outlook to reach the convictions of the nothingness, fruitlessness, temporariness and delusiveness, about anything and everything of the Universe, including you yourself. As you advance in experience and beliefs, you will find both mentalities can go together without the confusion of a conflict or any contradiction."

408. Returning to the Founder's daily diet-like subject of deep thinking over religious experiences, to form his own conclusions, the Founder can't be satisfied," If it is all a question of one's own will, why does anyone need even the Guru?? Why can one not perfect one's own powers, by considering oneself as Mother or God??"

Founder decided perhaps, for the development of one's muscles, etc. a big mirror is indispensable. Guru may do nothing, but he is indispensable. It is that clay image of Guru Drona द्रोण which made the hunter powerful enough to defeat Arjuna अर्जुन.

409. For some time, though not with full seriousness, he began to think about "The theory of Guru Vaakya Siddhi गुरू वाक्य सिध्दी ." It meant this," If you have a faith that your Guru is God and simply go on pleasing him, you need not have the same views and beliefs and living as his or as he advises,. You need not be obeying. Guru must be loving you and very generally wishing the desires be fulfilled, without any special effort or concentration or prayer to Mother, on the part of the disciple. Guru's promise and your faith that his promise will not go unfulfilled, are enough for any worldly success. " That is what it comes to, although we may fully believe the theory to be flaw-ful somewhere. One more slip and it leads us to the western semi-atheistic theory of "Individual Will Power."

Founder did feel there was some flaw, somewhere. This theory, so to say, dispensed with God and Religion and even the need for a man-to-man happy relationship. Where was the flaw?? The Founder constantly tried to locate the flaw. The flaw was detected one day. It is this, the day due to some reason or another, the idea of Godhood in Guru disappears, the whole fabric collapses; and that is most natural, as any Guru is, after all, a human being. Such borrowed religiosity is only quite a temporary phase in life, like some Abu Hasan being made an Emperor for one day, the next day he is again the beggar in the street. Like the heavenly child of Love, Religiosity also comes and goes at it wills. One can not give any satisfactory explanation for its coming or going. In some cases , the Founder has seen there is a huge religious wave of irresistible force due to a strong placatory or prarabdha प्रारब्ध  influence. It is temporary and persons again revert to their natural plane with a strong reaction.

410. It is therefore that God and Guru both should be worshipped and revered respectively. Guru without God is nothing God without a guru is nothing, even though Guru is only an infinitesimal part of God. Guru is Mother and God is Father and the child needs them both. The whole world is manageable by Father, but Father never refuses Mother's desire.  

This, in  Founder's opinion, is an extremely important Truth," God and Guru, neither God alone nor Guru alone," The Founder has seen many instances of the climax of the miraculousness of the Will Power, as also the bursting of the bubble in less than a moment as soon as the higher power of God says,"Enough now of this nonsense and human folly of entirely ignoring Me."

411. Founder says," To the worldly man as also to the most religious but routine man, there is nothing worth thinking about, in the divine plan regarding an arrangement in the relationship of any two persons. One moment, any two persons are pulling on well. Another moment, they don't pull on. What is there to be thought about?? This subject is however extremely deep, deeper than all the meanings of the known shlokas of various scriptures. It is called  YOGAANUYOGA योगानुयोग, in religious language," Actual union or happening in obedience to the pre-ordained union or happening ", The truth, as Founder puts, is this :

Leave people of the usual mass, eat-drink and be-merry-mentality, when we come to the details of higher relations ; it is an unfathomable Divine arrangement that any persons live together almost as inseparable, so long as God Almighty desires them to learn certain lessons from each other.T he moment the lessons are learnt, without any reason worth the name, the certain supreme indescribable attraction -  an attraction which could not be substituted or evaded, most speedily sublimates and evaporates, just as some solids become gases without liquefaction.

412. Mother's ways are most mysterious. None has been able to fathom and none shall be. Best scientists have declared their inability. The world has before its eyes, what little new thing comes forth to light through the discovery of the Sciences , but the world never once considers  how vast is the unknownness of things, and it gets swollen-headed, as if it had fathomed  the whole mystery of the universe - working and begins to dance most boisterously.

The more we go deep, the greater becomes the fright of mysteriousness, till we come to conclude "Man is only Ignorance and Inability. All tall talks of vices and virtues, and man being the architect of his own fortune vanish in the air. You can simply explain away failures, but not create a guarantee of success. The world totters before the Divine Will of Some Power unimaginable. How far does our saying, such and such action will unfailingly lead  to such and such action, stand finally true, in our daily life ?? ( We are not talking of scientific physical truths here.)

Study life. We often get a reward for nothing and it is undeserved. On the other hand, we get punishment when we deserve to be rewarded. We strive hard to do or get a thing, we can't do or don't get it. On the other hand, we do get things which we never strived for.

Does this not suggest, that there is some Higher Power which decides matters and governs us!! Does an action of the same nature lead invariably to the result of the same nature??  No.

How many complications are there, to render one action possible, efficacious or otherwise? How many factors are under your own control? How many slips? Who is then the Actor?? Who deserves credit for a certain result? Who decides what should be the result? and who gives it ??

413. Mai-ism says," Don't be a curiosity-seeker and questioner, in the matter of mysteries beyond your limitations. The only thing practically possible is attributing what can't be understood or solved, to Mother's Divine Will.  Subordinate your intellect to Divine Faith. Prefer to be over-powered with Mother's Glory and Mercy, to being humiliated in your vain efforts with your disappointment and God's displeasure.

Be ready to be taught, with the firmness of humility and duty, to walk in the Divine Path. Mother, Herself will reveal you, as you advance, as much of the secret as is necessary and beneficial to you for your further progress towards Her. Whom She selects, that person alone can know and understand the secret and that too only a fragment.

The best answer to all various doubts and questions is to tie down your mind (she-monkey) to the Lotus Feet of Mother and drown her in an opium doze of devotion. If it were possible to learn the universe-ruling mysteries Mother would not have been called Incomprehensible and unspeakable Almighty.

The mystery has to be learnt in the language of silence by the Guru. You can rise above the imperfection of being troubled with doubtfulness and attain a stage, where the mind does not leave its bliss to invite uneasiness under doubts. That is the Real Stage. That is the Real Substance and that is the permanent work to be done. No answers originated and obtained from the mental plane will give you permanent satisfaction.

414. Let me explain rationally what is meant by," Having known which, nothing remains to be known" regarding the said Truth. Does that mean you know from here, how many puppies your bitch has delivered hundreds of miles away? No. The most prevalent misunderstood meaning !! Is it that some higher spirit tells you an answer to any question? No. The only meaning is, your mind reaches a stage when it neither raises any such worthless questions nor does it care to know even if that worthless knowledge were imparted to you by any outside agency.

415. You are served with a dish containing hundreds of most nicest dainties; you take the best thing and you are filled up and say," I have eaten enough " , Once you are filled up to the point of vomiting at the very mention of eating anything more, you never think of other eatables. You do not want to be approached with other dishes. You reject them by saying " I have eaten them all".

This is how I interpret. I am not denying clairvoyance or telepathy or any higher powers of knowing everything past present or future if there be, but for a Mai-ist this interpretation within rationalistic limits, I consider quite enough. Other things may be true but are not indispensable. Further, even if it is or be a fact that the past present and future are actually known, it is my personal strong opinion that you are much happier, and the world too, far less unnecessarily agitated, by your keeping silent and telling people you can't and don't know and advising them to restrict themselves to their rational conclusions. To be knowing everything is no requisite qualification either for peace, or bliss or salvation.

416. As so often repeated, the highest teaching is through the Guru in the language of silence. The essence of the teaching is "ANNIHILATE THE MIND ITSELF." At least, stop it from being perturbed with millions of thoughts and doubts rising like the billows in a disturbed ocean. Acquire the perfect state of quietude where mind itself refuses to be disturbed from its absorption and dissolution in itself, Soul, Guru or God.  

417. Human life itself is the most unfathomable and mysterious thing. Atheists and scientists may think, they can be happy without any knowledge of Divine Laws, but they can not escape the happiness and misery of the head and heart, especially when both go beyond physical cure, with all the discoveries on the physical plane. And why? Even regarding happiness on the physical plane, one great,(extremely great), the barrier has always to be taken into account. IT IS MONEY. All the happiness and comfort of physical plane improvements are available to you but provided you have money to purchase that happiness and comfort. This results in the love of money, which gradually turns men to be voracious and ferocious beasts.

418. To turn however to the occult forces, it is love and hatred that rules the world and practically all the dealings of man to man. It is therefore that Mai-ism can afford to remain silent in the matter of the usual hundreds of things mentioned in the name of Religion, once the tendency of loving others is created. Love is an attraction. It may be of any type. There is one type of attraction between the shortage and superfluity, another type of attraction between similar things, the third type of attraction between dissimilar things and so on. Just as a mango stuck up to the tree at one stage does not fall even when there is a whirlwind, whereas at another moment it automatically falls down in the most quite atmosphere, so goes the most mysterious feeling which we call "LOVE". When and for which reasons, love comes or goes, none can satisfactorily explain. The wisest have to sit hand-folded, calling its appearance or disappearance, as GOD'S WILL.

When this attraction is of the highest intensity, or of the lowest restfulness, Providence alone knows and manages. Leaving, however, all cases of both extremes, in the usual run of life, the world can surely make itself much happier by putting into practice, the Mai-istic commandments of Love and Service.

419. During the Hubli period, there were other wonderful experiences.  One lady came over to Hubli with her husband and marriageable-age-daughter of twenty-five or so, not getting a husband. They stayed about for five days. For one night, the daughter was made to lie on a mere carpet before Mother's picture all alone. A husband was almost an impossibility. She was given certain Mantras to repeat. On their going home to Bombay[Mumbai], on the very same day, an England returned engineer made an offer for the girl and the very letter which referred to their safe reaching at Bombay by the first post contained the gladdening news.  

420. One lady from Bombay[ Mumbai] who was Founder's friend's wife lost her husband in 1942 when the Founder was in Bombay. The lady loved her husband so dearly that had it not been for the special attention and specific religious treatment of Founder, she would have committed suicide or turned lunatic. Founder accepted her as his daughter and did whatever he could, to train her mind to bear the shock. She was carried in the path of devotion. Most important details of psychological interest about the connection with the other world could not be divulged, but it was almost a fatal case. She would get dreams and visions of her dearest husband. She would feel as if he was still alive and speaking in the next room and residing in Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi's Ashram, or sometimes even in her own bungalow. She once prayed to Founder to enable her to be with her husband by painless prompt death.

421. Do not be so very weak and a victim to the suffering ." She could not be consoled. Founder then used his higher powers," Would you be satisfied if once only you see him?? You have to take care of your children who are so young. You have to live not for yourself but for them. If they are without their mother as well, think how the family will be ruined"

She insisted, " I will hear you only after you make me see him once ." That promise was given. "You will see him during this week on Hindu New Year Day following Diwali, or in the subsequent two or three days. On Paadavaa day, early in the morning, she came to the Founder. Said Founder," I will begin my New Year with a forehead vermilion mark by you and then you may go out." She returned in the evening with a great indescribable joy, stating that she had seen her husband in Khar, and he blessed her with a smile from a distance and disappeared. She wanted a repetition but that was with a great persuasion refused. "Do you wish to make him also unhappy?"

422. She could not restore her normality though 7 or 8 months had passed, when Founder was transferred to Hubli in December 1942. She went to Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi and to Sri Arbind Ghosh and Swami Ramdass and finally came over to Maai to the Founder's place with her two children. There she was initiated into Mother worship Mantras and the whole Mother's philosophy. She was given an independent room where she concentrated on her husband. She returned to her home after 3 or 4 days. These were years of greatest anxiety as also exertion. Founder wanted to bring the broken heart and a superstitious brain to a normality. He would be writing 10 to 15 pages letters to her almost every day, giving her different versions of philosophies, explaining the Mai-istic view, conditions after death and what not. She would feel her husband was there in Bhagwan's Ashram, at Arbindo's at Hubli. This subject being extremely delicate one, the Founder always tried to keep an indirect watch and had along to be as careful as a doctor between patient and a disease. Whether it was the creation of mind which had completely been deranged or she actually saw him, as she often said, the Founder had to be, so to say,  a chloroform controller during operation. If she had not had the sweetness of the pleasure of her husband's sight, she would burst. If she had greater contact than what was just required for keeping her against going wrong, she would be unsettled.

423. Founder says it was a case of " Pardeshi ki preet". Falling in love with someone on the other plane, in a foreign unapproachable land. The mind and the heart must have just the minimum contact to live and not to burst, and yet the mind should be trained by Vairagya (dispassion) and gyaana (Divine knowledge)  , and more than both, the control of mind , for which the easiest course is that of devotional absorption in one's deity. Surely, when matters go very far and wounds become deep, any sense pleasure becomes entirely disabled to bring either the joy or the forgetfulness of pleasure - the disease of love-stricken-ness with the dead, with whom all types of pleasures have been enjoyed for years together.

Mental disease is more difficult to be cured than the physical disease and the heart disease is more difficult than the mental one. It requires only a doctor of an unknown and unlearnt and uncollege-taught science, but on the top of it, a continued long period of constant watch and time-to-time measures.

424. For nearly three years, it was a continuous process of an extremely scanty supply of oil to a lamp and a constant care that the light does not extinguish, nor is there ablaze , or a fire and while these two processes were at work, the main consideration was to be changing the heart and mind, on the reconstructive basis of surrendered devotion to God and Guru.

She was actually seeing her husband and conversing with him, as she from time to time said in unspeakable and broken language. To use the people's language, Founder was all the while pressing her to released that blessed sanctified soul to proceed further in his journey and bid goodbye to him and return to the worldly family life.

425. She was given a separate room wherein she was all alone from 10 p.m to 2 a.m. The Founder was pressing that she had already sufficient consolation with a sufficient period, to be quieted and that now that they must both separate, she going in her own way, and he going his own way.

One night, she did not come out of her room even up to half-past -two. The doors were locked from the inside. She had come with her husband's friend. Both ( the Founder and the friend) were with throbbing hearts, outside, awaiting her safe return. The room was found locked from inside. Founder broke it open. The lady was lying unconscious. She was lifted up and brought to the main hall. At about 4 a.m., when she restored her full consciousness, she told Founder with most profuse weeping, her husband had given her the last final goodbye. She tried and tried, but he did not come again.

426. The stage was now something like tying bandages after a successful operation, and that, the Founder did most cleverly. He made her mind to most convincingly believe, now he was not only irrevocable but now she was acting inimically to his soul, by not permitting him to proceed further in his journey, as a free soul. Gradually the whole heart and mind began to restore a stage of maturity in Vairagya (dispassion), Gyaana (Divine Knowledge) and Bhakti (Devotion). In worldly matters, she restored a normality about all her duties, but she had reached a stage of evolution, which made her live in the world as a saintly soul.

427. The Founder accompanied her with two children of hers to Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi, her own Guru, after she was finally relieved and cured of the mental-heart-disease. There her son fell seriously ill. Medicine won't reach the stomach. The lady with the worldly mind wanted to get blessings of the Maharishi, without letting the Founder know of it, lest he be offended. She went to Maharishi and spoke about the son's illness. The son was getting worse and worse. At 11 p.m. of the night previous to the day when they had the programme to start, she burst into violent tears and began to scold and taunt the Founder, " Being Mother, don't you feel ashamed? Your heart is cruel.," and she began to weep in big tears. Founder went near her to console, and asked," What is the matter?" " She said," What is the matter!! Have you no eyes? this boy is dying here ?? Founder said, " Oh, Why to worry about it ?? Tell me when you want him to get up and you sit with me for Mother's worship and Mantras. Such a simple thing you are weeping about?" She smiled with every hope because she also had the conviction, what Founder promised would not fail to happen. Founder took the medicine dose, sanctified it, asked the lady to see her watch and both sat together to pray to Mother. They began their work; Founder is extremely childlike. " Now, tell me when do you want him to be alright." She, in her extremely righteous mind of troubling others least for her sake, said, " What a joy it would be if we keep up our programme of starting tomorrow morning? It will be enough if the boy becomes removable by 5 a.m. The Founder smiled," I have seen very few persons who would not take maximum advantage of Mother's Mercifulness. If I get him up normal before twelve midnight, have you any objection?". The dose was administered at 11.30 p.m., both sat out before Mother and repeated Mantras, and at 11.50 p.m., the boy shouted out,: Mother, I am free. I am normal." There was nothing but joy. All of them returned to Hubli.

428. This lady had a further experience. Her daughter suffered from a leg distortion. So many doctors were consulted. The girl who was devoted to Bhagavan went there and stayed for months. No cure. Again the same story. One day she caught the Founder, " Have you no pity over my daughter ?? Her whole life will be spoiled." Founder said, " Yes, but the secret I shall explain. I am seeing so many unhappy around me. As a matter of fact, everyone is unhappy in one way or another. Do you think I should go out of my way and say "come on, I will cure you," to one and all? Should they not be even approaching Mother with a genuine humble request ?? The curing process requires the faith of the patient to the effect that Founder's word will not go in vain with Mother. The second thing is, the Founder's whole-hearted desire that the patient be cured; and the third thing, the patient and the Founder to be most intensely praying. And all this, he is doing to spread the religion of his dearest most beloved Mother. That is the dose and that is the pill and that is the ambrosia and that is the message. Let her first agree. She is a modern Graduate girl. She must first have a belief. If she has that, I will cure her with mere earth." It was all agreed. The girl agreed to repeat the mantra " Jay Mai, Jay Markand Mai, Karanguli Nakhotpanna Narayana dashakriti." " Victory to Mother. Victory to the mother installed by Mai Markand. Mother from whose ten Lotus-Feet-fingers, ten incarnations of Vishnu (Rama, Krishna and others) have sprung up."

    The Foundations of " Mai-Niwas " were being excavated. The lady was asked to bring that earth and give a message, repeating only " Jay Mai, Jay Markand Mai." The girl was cured within a fortnight.

429. Whenever the Founder makes a whole survey of the human mind, he finally comes to the conclusion of pitying mankind for being entirely in the hands of its mischievous she-monkey-mind. One does not know when and where she will drag one and what she will make of him, and make him to do or not do or undo. This is a subject of deep observation, study and meditation by itself, which helps the spiritual development by creating an immense overpowering conviction, about the inconsistency and worthlessness of the world, and by engendering a feeling of 

" having absolutely nothing to do with the world." This feeling is what is usually described as Vairagyam (disgust and dispassion). It must be subtly appreciated that this feeling of Vairagyam, which on the face of it means something reverse of love is, in Mai-istic understanding, only the reverse side of Love- Love towards the Eternal Verities. It is your love for permanence constancy and changelessness, that makes you tired of temporariness inconsistencies and everchanging-ness. It is only the highest blessing of God that would enable every man to see things in the right perspective. It is an extremely rare gift and grace of God. The Gift and Grace of a mind, that may understand things correctly especially about the religious working in the battlefield of innumerable conflicting forces, working most invisibly and unconsciously, silently and incomprehensibly. That Grace is merely the Foundation-stone, and grace of higher and higher types are required as man advances religiously.

   Mind is such a mischievous minister of man, that he keeps the soul-king entirely confined, inactive and in the drunken-unconscious state, and the only final remedy for any soul is getting his minister either fully subdues and obedient to the king's will, or to have him assassinated or annihilated. This thing is, however, to be done most cautiously slowly and, without every now and then, offering opposition to mind in an open defied manner. The same trick with which mind has taken possession of the soul is to be followed- the persuasive but slowly succeeding manner. Mind gives temporary pleasure to the king but goes on entangling him more and more with hopes, fears, perversions, promises, pleasures, and all things which the mind is in a position to command.

430. If a musical instrument is out of order, do you get offended with the player for dissonent sounds?? No. That is the whole situation. And the whole substance and the extract of your experiences, if you have reached a stage, is that man is to be simply pitied and considered to be a mere puppet in the hands of an Invisible All-Controlling Power.

431. Founder says I record my observations about human beings in the realm of religion, especially with reference to the subject matter in hand, viz., the curing through Mother's Grace.

    Whether a man may believe in God, Guru or religion or not, there is nothing more certain to him than that he himself is a reality and that every activity of his is with a view to be better. He is so and so. None is doubtful about his own reality and the fact of a calamity or a misery is also as real a fact to the worldly man as himself, though of a secondary importance. How can a man of an average mind be helped by Vedanta, which has for its remedy the belief about the unreality of the misery, and the Universe itself, and about himself being a wave in the ocean of that finalmost thing called Brahma ?? All that is something to be revered and treated with a sanctity and a humility. People may also believe, "So many great persons in the past have stated these things. They can't be wrong." But, at least, so far as he is concerned, that is not so. Music, breeze, natural scenery, mango juice and rosy scents do please him. He is glad when he has them. He is wrathful when these disappear or are removed by someone, and is sorrowful when he loses these things.

    Nothing is more real than he himself and his pains and pleasures and his joys and sorrows although he would prostrate before any Mahatma, and say to him, "Bhagwan?? you are telling the very truth." "the world with all its joys and sorrows is only a delusion", when he preaches Vedanta.

432. But he is tigress-caught, she-serpent bitten, and Desire-Dakini-possessed. Where can he go ?? Is it a remedy for an immoral man to be told, "Look at every woman as a Mother"? This old-tomtommed thing has come to us since centuries. Few, however, have seen the fallacy. If a man could look at every woman as Mother, how can he be immoral at all?? The remedy is only an eye-wash. It is just like a doctor saying, "I will cure your fever, but you must come to my dispensary and take away the nectar-like medicine when you have no fever. My medicine is most valuable. Only thing is, it gets spoiled on being touched by a feverish man."

    What is the meaning of preaching, "Rise above pain and pleasure, victory, or defeat, benefits or losses," and so many allied teachings? Mai-ism says, it is all a never-ending bullock's go-round in an oilman's mill in a vicious circle. You get ruffled on seeing a damsel. You are asked to consider her a mother. You feel hungry and thirsty, you are told to be above hunger and thirst. You get half-dead over the death of your wife, husband or a son. You are told, " That is all unreal." Is this a remedy ?? Just think after removing your infatuation about the greatness of these sublime truths. Just form your conclusions most logically impartially and unblindedly.

433. Someone asks "Go on thinking,"Who I am ". I have thought for full ten years, I am Mr So and So, husband of so and so, father of so and so, owner of a bungalow No.,-with a bank account No.-, a member in a such and such club and a resident in the locality, so and so. If you ask me to think about "who am I" for 10 years, I am prepared to think for 20 years, but I am where I was.

434. Mai-ism says, " These teachings are not remedies in themselves. They are the most enchanting and deifying expressions and descriptions of high souls who have reached that stage. They are descriptions and not prescriptions. The man who has reached a certain stage is above pain and pleasure. The man who has reached a certain stage does not fear death. He embraces a tiger as a worldly man would embrace his beloved friend. He is undisturbed by all the modifications, he has ceased to think about the past present and future of everything around him.

To have the blessed Darshan of such Brahma realised souls is the highest of our fortunes. It is a greatness, which surpasses all greatness. It surely, though temporarily crests the proofness against any sorrow and painfulness.

But Mai-ism says These are not remedies in themselves. Remove the old centuries born misunderstanding."

435. " The remedy is something else " clarifies Mai-ism. It is Grace, Grace, Grace, Grace, Grace, Grace of God and Guru. Get the Grace and all the rest will automatically follow. When a mother starts on a long pilgrimage , does the child gets worried itself as to the programmes of places and days at each place , and the dharmashala where they would be halting  and the food they will get and the fare they shall have to pay, the mountains and rivers and forests they shall have to cross etc.? The child does not know anything , and yet , is the child left over anywhere , because the child fails to answer any question anyone may ask ?

You are not required to be knowing everything, for a Mai-ist, even anything. You are carried through every situation, provided you become Mother's child, and that is Mai-ism !!!

436. To use the Founder's subtle language, which he used while writing a long article in " Kalyan " about " God and God attainment remedy " in 1932, such teachings rather describe what a man that has reached the terrace, experiences. The science of how to reach the terrace, floor by floor, is something else. You can't be bold as a lion by simply sitting before a lion in the Victoria Gardens and admiring and appreciating  the lion's boldness and repeating " I am a lion." How to reach that stage is something quite different. To climb a staircase rung by rung, it is the railing and the rope that helps you and not the knowledge of the outlook of the sky and horizon visible on reaching the terrace. And the railing and the rope is God's and Guru's Grace.

437. What can help you is the Grace and the easiest way of getting the Grace, is love, service, devotion and unconditional cheerful self-surrender, as Mai-ism teaches. If we have  a wider search, we may include amongst the remedies, Pranipaata प्रणिपात, Pariprashna परिप्रश्न, and Pari-sevaa परिसेवा  (prostration to Guru, getting varied doubts and difficulties solved  by the Guru, and serving the guru in so many ways.) These things referred to in Geeta have a great similitude with love and service, the tenets of Mai-ism. The other two sets of usefulness would be, one of Shravan श्रवण, Manan मनन and Nidhidhyasan  निदिध्यासन and Sakshatkar साक्षात्कार, and the other of Abhyasa अभ्यास  and Vairagya वैराग्य.  These are the standing remedies. Most of the rest is all pleasant to hear and magnanimous to revere.

438. Abhyaasa", the practice, the repetition for times without number till the mastery is achieved, is the most practical remedy and Manan Nidhidhyasan is the mental remedy. The so-called stereotyped remedies pointed out (like patent medicines in a market) usually have to be adjoined to these true remedies. Take, for instance, the very same case of an immoral man. He has to learn the highest Truth. Look upon every woman as Mother, after he has determined to resort to Abhyasa and Manan on obtaining God's and Guru's Grace. The sad truth is the most invaluable one , but if you have neither the ardent desire of mastering it  or to be constantly practising it or to be day and night thinking about it , in all details, weighing pros and cons of every case , if you do not place yourself under the control of Guru who may control you , advice you, guide you, and illuminate you, your knowing the Truth or not knowing it , is all the same.

439. When a master of a house says to his servant, "Bring the carriage it means", "the carriage with the horse and driver ". So, whenever these truths are stated as remedies, they automatically imply the aforesaid fundamental remedies. It is only when the world has become idiotic and senselessly superficial and has no ideas of the importance of fundamentals or when the fundamentals are themselves  bought into dispute, that a patient and perseverant preacher, has to sum up everything, starting from the alpha itself without presuming so many things , the absence of which creates the whole confusion  and brings discredit to most valuable teachings of the scriptures  and sages of ancient in the past. The new preacher has absolutely no intention of belittling his predecessors, even when he is twisting their said truths. That is also a spiritual diplomacy. Have you not seen parents of children finding fault with each other, to bring the child to be tempted to do what both of them want?? The object is to save the child. The papa and the mamma  both will say," she or he is mad, cruel, does not know." " I am yours." ," not she or he", " you do as I tell you".

440. We were referring to the analysis of the human mind in the case of cures through God's Grace. The calamities, pains and pleasures are, therefore , to start with, as solid realities as one's self, for the average man. Vedanta can't help him, as explained before. When someone comes to you to get consolation on his house burnt to fire, how can he be consoled by saying: " This is your delusion. Different things which were simply different forms of the earth have returned to their original element. Why should you be sorry? You were under the delusion that these things were yours. If they were yours, why did they go away from you ?? etc? That is not the efficacious way of consoling him.

Turning to Bhakti, path of Nishkama Bhakti, if you say "How many houses have you?? This is only one burnt. Let other houses be burnt so that you will have nothing to think about, except God" then God will surely be pleased with you and grant you salvation. "

People will prostrate twenty times all the Mahatma Vedantists and the Devotees, big souls with tonsured heads saffron robes and rosaries and garlands, place money, fruits and flowers at their feet. But do you think they are permanently consoled?? No.

441. These Vedantists and Mahatmas may count upon such persons as their disciples and get happy at the large numbers of such disciples; but there too, it is nothing but a delusion. That accounts for the greatest poverty of true religiosity, although India is over-flooded with Mahatmas. The man who is ruined by his house fire cannot be consoled either by the Vedanta or by the pure and simple preachings of Nishkama Bhakti. "Delusion" won't do; nor "suffer, suffer and suffer; God is above you to give you salvation will ever smoothen matters.

442. Here Mai-ism boldly steps in, without minding the superiority complex of both these schools. In the eyes of Vedantins, most of the people, on true analysis and exposure of the inner working of the mind and heart, would be in the class of " world  worms - full of ignorance." In the eyes of Nishkama devotees, they are constant beggars. Where is then their salvation ?? " And if all the teachers of the two types put their disciples to real tests, how surprisingly few, they would be wonder-struck to find ???  Mai-ism says Gurus must come down to the level of their disciples and accept them as they are. The Shishyas, should open up their hearts and begin their Saadhanaa, be it from the first alphabet, under Guru's guidance. There is a way for upward progress for a man even at the lowest level of morality, religiosity and spirituality.  But if even in the simplest relationship and the duties of a Shishya to a Guru; even in that too, there is hopeless bankruptcy then even God or Mother can't help such a useless soul.

443. Founder states on this point, there are so many people who go to other saints for the talk of "Shanti" (peace of mind), the meditation on  "who am I" and "welcome suffering and invite poverty", but finally they have gone to Mother for the relief of miseries and hardships. Mai-ism says, "Most natural thing for a man is that his wants be supplied. How can a hungry man keep his patience on the strength of such hollow and imaginary thoughts and feelings? That he can wait for some few moments more than others is not denied. Such paper-plugs do not stand and don't last long, to control the mighty steam pressure or torrent force from behind, with an overwhelming and overpowering irresistible urge. It is a pity, such simple things are neither understood nor explained in the convincing exhibiting manner. The irony of fate is, theoretically and intellectually, these are too easy things to talk and teach. Practically and actually, in living itself, many people live as if they never knew these simplest things. I ask you," Whether these paper -plugs will do." You answer me, " Not at all." with forcefulness as if to convey how foolish I am making such a silly question. And yet you have never thought anything beyond the paper-plus alone. The whole point of pity of a half-baked, halfway, half religious mentality is there. The high measures one cannot proceed with, because of his most natural incapacity; and the low measures are too low for him, as he has so much enrichment of talks of scriptures, divine knowledge and religious associations, and has not left a single saint unprostrated.

Start your progress from the very first alphabet. Even at sixty, feel pleasure in telling your Guru, " I have reduced the number of lies in a day from hundred to eighty." Feel pleasure in saying to your Guru," Whenever any beggar came to my door, I used to run, to beat or to abuse him. Today, God knows what happened, but  I gave him a piece of bread. " Train up your mind to feel pleasure in the very fact that, you are becoming better and better, does not matter at what stage you are. You will have someday the race-won day. Let your joy be in the increase of your accelerating speed of progress does not matter where you are actually standing today, in contrast with others around.

444. The Guru has to be patiently train his disciple to reduce his wants. It is the shishya who has to be brought to a stage when he wants least. The Guru has not to intimidate him with irreligiosity, in respect of his natural desire of demanding minimum requirements. That does not mend matters. Do not be simply gagging the mouth when it goes to talk about a demand, but change him, transmute him, slowly but steadily, so that the demanding tendency may itself automatically cease or at least get lessened. That is the only correct way of looking at things for both the disciple and the Guru.

445. It is not very easy to be "desireless", as some inexperienced modernised swollen-headed persons think. Remove all the veils of hypocrisy and you see the heart full of insatiable desires in terms of millions. It serves the purpose of both the teacher and the taught to keep mum over this most agitating factor of human life. The disciple, by not letting the Guru know what he really is, gets all the respect of a high class extremely religious devotional and Gyani soul. The teacher is anxious to keep as great distance as possible and takes it for granted that everything is heavenly and working smoothly with a ceremonious question and a respectful answer, as to the pretty well going on about everything.

If "desirelessness" were such an easy thing (which is not true even for highest souls just near the stage of salvation ), why should Dhruva have asked for the kingdom of his father?? When God Himself asked him to have any boon?? Salvation -granting even by God would have been useless until desirelessness was completely secured.

446. Mai-ism says, let the gas-light-lamp automatically go less and less burning, with the consumption of the oil. Let it disappear as a result of the last drop of oil being over, and not by your forceful switching off. Let it be a most natural and spontaneous process. The engine itself must be creating least smoke and emitting least useless water. The root must get thinner and thinner and not the symptoms. The fever must go and not simply the temperature of the body. And when that is sought, surely it becomes a task of extreme patience and perseverance. Look for the element of permanence in the apparent improvement. Your not running because of your desires is not enough; there should be no inward agitation. No inward agitation is not enough, there should be no desire itself. With these ways of belief, Mai-ism is not at all turning up its nose, whenever an innocent harmless legitimate legal and moral desire is sought to be fulfilled by Mother's Grace. It is not only permissible but even welcome because its fulfilment will relieve you of so much strain and stress and enable you to pursue your religious exertions more cheerfully and wholeheartedly.

Mother or Mai is, therefore "Bhukti Mukti Pradaayini" ( Giver of Salvation and also Enjoyment of moral and legitimate desires). Everything is only relatively better or worse, and each case has to be judged on its own merits.

There are men and men, and circumstances and circumstances. Some people get more and more unnerved as we point them out their defects; others get more and more improved being put to their mettle. A boy needs a mother during sickness, but a father must be there to cane him while pelting stones at neighbour's glass-houses. The Founder had also the experience of Mother's over fondled self-indulging children. Mother has an overflowing love, which makes Her sacrifice against the throes due to babies; then comes an infatuation which makes her bear harassment. Then she tolerates, with hope in the child's purposeful mischief ceasing, on attaining the age of discretion. Mother continues to be a mother so long as She has a hope of improvement. The She becomes temporarily father, but in the end, father is father and mother is mother. The final story end is that the Mother ignores, forgives and forgets, which the Father does not so very easily and not to that extent of pity and mercifulness, compassion and condescension. 

Mai-ism starts teaching you from the very alphabets. You might have got proficiency in so many matters, but nothing is to be taken for granted. No exemption, you have to pass through every test. 

If you are already ripened, no time is lost in waiting, but no wrong assumption. Just make out a complete formula of yourself. Nothing matters, provided you have rightly analysed yourself and decided to be better and better through God's and Guru's Grace. Highest Gurus are hard to find, but your severe and intense prayer to Mother is sure to get you your Guru, at least for the particular stage you are in.  The difference between a Saint and a Guru must constantly be before the mind of a spiritual aspirant. A Guru is one who guides you in every detail of your living in the religious realm, one in whom you confide, one to whom you surrender yourself with the confession of all the facts and defects of your life and living.

Hold on to your God and hold on to your Guru, with the tightest grip, come what may; start your spiritual improvement from the very first alphabet. Even go back if you find a single element of yours unripe.  In the end, the tortoise will beat the hare and will win the race.    

Jay Mai   Jay Mai    Jay Mai    Jay Mai    Jay Mai