the speaking tree - Keep Saving In Your Divine Bank Account
Anup Taneja
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When Seth Jamnalal Bajaj, the right-hand man of Gandhiji, met with Ma Anandmayee affectionately referred to as Sri Ma at her ashram in Dehradun in August 1941, she advised that in addition to fighting for the country's freedom, it is important that some time is set apart every day for contemplation; no one knows how long one is permitted to live in this world it may be for six months, or it may be six years.Sri Ma taught that the supreme calling of every human being is to make efforts for realising the Self; all other obligations are secondary . She often said: “To find yourself is to find God, and to find God is to find yourself.“
Sri Ma was an ardent votary of the technique of practising `mantra-japa' or repetition of the Divine Name. She suggested that the seeker could choose any name that appeals to her the most and invoke the blessings of the Supreme Being by repeating the chosen name on a regular basis.
Sri Ma would say that just as there is a definite timetable for work at schools, colleges and offices, in the same way, seekers should set apart some time for contemplation every day preferably during early morning hours. One must make a firm resolve that this little time shall be devoted exclusively to the remembrance of the Supreme throughout one's life.During this period no worldly activity should be allowed to encroach upon the contemplation of God. Over a period of time, this spiritual period of time, this spiritual routine will become such an important part of your nature that you will begin to feel restless if some day you are not able to adhere to your practice. Your earthly pension, said Sri Ma, comes to an end after your demise but the Divine pension continues long after you pass away. Just as worldly people amass money and keep it safe in the bank locker, in the same way , seekers on the spiritual path should reserve a corner in their mind for the Almighty and should keep adding to their divine wealth by engaging themselves in repetition of the Divine Name whenever they find the time.
Sri Ma, while silently repeating the Divine Name during med itation, often experienced a state of divine intoxication and unalloyed bliss, losing body-consciousness in the process. Seeing herself engulfed by the dazzling Light of Consciousness, Sri Light of Consciousness, Sri Ma marvelled how a mantra, composed merely of a few letters, could enable the seeker to gain access to the vast expanses of the subtle realm of Consciousness! A wonderful feature of Sri Ma's teachings was that her ideas were not borrowed from books; these were a direct expression of the Truth based on her spiritual realisation through meditation. Also, her realisation was not merely confined to the time when she was in deep meditation; people close to her were amazed to see that Sri Ma would remain naturally absorbed in a permanent state of God-intoxication even while engaged in household work.
Sri Ma's words bear ample testimony to her sublime state of Godconsciousness: “This body has served the husband, so you may call it a wife; it has prepared food for all, so you may call it a cook; it has done all sorts of scrubbing and menial work, so you may call it a servant; but if you look at it from another standpoint you will realise that this body has served none but God.“
Sri Ma was an ardent votary of the technique of practising `mantra-japa' or repetition of the Divine Name. She suggested that the seeker could choose any name that appeals to her the most and invoke the blessings of the Supreme Being by repeating the chosen name on a regular basis.
Sri Ma would say that just as there is a definite timetable for work at schools, colleges and offices, in the same way, seekers should set apart some time for contemplation every day preferably during early morning hours. One must make a firm resolve that this little time shall be devoted exclusively to the remembrance of the Supreme throughout one's life.During this period no worldly activity should be allowed to encroach upon the contemplation of God. Over a period of time, this spiritual period of time, this spiritual routine will become such an important part of your nature that you will begin to feel restless if some day you are not able to adhere to your practice. Your earthly pension, said Sri Ma, comes to an end after your demise but the Divine pension continues long after you pass away. Just as worldly people amass money and keep it safe in the bank locker, in the same way , seekers on the spiritual path should reserve a corner in their mind for the Almighty and should keep adding to their divine wealth by engaging themselves in repetition of the Divine Name whenever they find the time.
Sri Ma, while silently repeating the Divine Name during med itation, often experienced a state of divine intoxication and unalloyed bliss, losing body-consciousness in the process. Seeing herself engulfed by the dazzling Light of Consciousness, Sri Light of Consciousness, Sri Ma marvelled how a mantra, composed merely of a few letters, could enable the seeker to gain access to the vast expanses of the subtle realm of Consciousness! A wonderful feature of Sri Ma's teachings was that her ideas were not borrowed from books; these were a direct expression of the Truth based on her spiritual realisation through meditation. Also, her realisation was not merely confined to the time when she was in deep meditation; people close to her were amazed to see that Sri Ma would remain naturally absorbed in a permanent state of God-intoxication even while engaged in household work.
Sri Ma's words bear ample testimony to her sublime state of Godconsciousness: “This body has served the husband, so you may call it a wife; it has prepared food for all, so you may call it a cook; it has done all sorts of scrubbing and menial work, so you may call it a servant; but if you look at it from another standpoint you will realise that this body has served none but God.“
