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Date Posted: 11:08:02 12/19/04 Sun
Author: Sundarar - 28 Nov 2004
Subject: Re: Bidyananda
In reply to: anon. - 28 Nov 2004 's message, "Re: Bidyananda" on 11:06:54 12/19/04 Sun


Yes. He gets the respect in YSS that Baktananda gets in USA. I had plenty of times with Baktananda and some with Anandamoy also. I think there is an american in YSS called Shantananda. They say he is a heavy hitter--often in samadhi.

It would be good to get Bidya's Gita. It is only in Bengali? Some may say if you are a chela of PY that why not be satisfied with his Gita. My reply is each enlightened persons perception is unique and as long as they are in kriya lineage I like to read their Gita. Yukteswar says 'what unique testimony do you want to add to the ages? Don't be a spiritual victrola.' Everyone has a position and experience. To deny that is playing politics. Most saints I have been with like you to be straight up but open to new vistas. You have to be somebody before you become nobody says Mitrananda. What is yoga?--learning to stand on your own 2 feet says Kriyananda. I like these quotes.

The thing about Yukteswar is I think he did not like bull. He says intuit mens thoughts behind their verbiage. The guru is a flawless mirror. Whatever flaws you have he will bring out--they may appear to be in him but really they are in you, unless you are honest. This isn't easy. It is easy to be a "bliss bunnie" and be in some spiritual fairy tale in your own head.

Few people are honest with themselves let alone others. If these visitors were honest with themselves the fear would not be much! Kriyananda asked Yogananda why Yukteswar was like that and the answer was he did not want disciples because he would not come back to earth for a very long time as he had a few stragglers this time only. This is in the "essense of self-realization" among other books. Evidently he will stay at Hiranyaloka in th astral for a very long time. You can go and see him there if you have nirbikalpa samadhi and have finished your earth karma! Even so, many direct chelas say it was not easy being around Yogananda. People see the sweetness but forget the power of the man. Kriyananda said that few men could handle Yogananda as his power and energy intimidated them. This may contribute to the seemingly larger feminine population in SRF.

Kriyananda met Yogananda and the last question he asked him is which of the 3 delusions bother him. Kriyananda said lust. Yogananda said he knew it already and saw it in his eyes but he wanted to test him to see if he would be honest. Then Yogananda gave him the discipleship vows. This was a good lesson to me. It helped me remember that Satyananda was the first rep of Master I met and he told me about honesty.

Babaji told Lahiri before he initiated anyone "first be sure he is honest". Satyananda told me twice that only honest people get God realization. I didn't know what he meant. It was sort of like when Roy Davis met Master and he told him "this is not a path of escapism you know". Roy said Yes, he knew. But did he really? I certainly didn't understand for many years. I think he told Norm Paulsen that on this path we must assume responsibility. As I see it these 3 are all related and united in tantra: honesty, no escapism and responsibility.

Now 10 years into the path I am finally understanding what the guru really is --pure consciousness and a flawless mirror and not a big santa claus. And the kriya path is more than socials and an occasional meditation. I have had to face a lot of desires and fears before and after the kundalini woke up. I felt like I was in the Lord of the Rings battling Oruki thugs.

Repression of faults and desires out of judgement and fear, posing to appear righteous, and venting on subordinates or family is a cycle of action too often seen. (especially in ashrams and churches) No good comes of it. If you are on a ego trip--forget progress on the spiritual path--its the worst! But being "right" is a high stronger than cocaine. Look at fundies of all religions and terrorists. It is a protection against deep fear. You can cut the fear in most western ashrams with a knife. Lean on a rule too hard and it will break. But everyone wants a rule!--someone tell me the rules so I can feel good if I obey it. SILLY. Do kriya.

One must face all the darkness and see it as kali. No escape by meditating all day when there is no concentration. This is what Daya Ma, Kriyananda, and Ram Das all had to realize. As often as they tried to meditate alot, the guru pulled them into more work. All 3 were told that karma yoga was their path this life and all 3 balked. When Kriyananda 1st came to the ashram he sais he was meditating 3 hours morn and eve. Then Guruji got him on this work kick out at 29 Palms and had him doing 1/2 hour in the morn and 2 hours at night. He told him to work like lightening at editing but do not change a word! I was placed in a similar spot. This was to flush out selfish habits he was trying to hide from in meditation for himself and ultimately made him attune to the guru. Getting rid of laziness (tamas)ego selfishness (rajas)and attunement to the guru by intuition
is vital to go on to the advanced stages.

All areas of life must be spiritualized--family, sex, work--etc. At this stage I very much think of kriya as a tantric path as some in Benaras called it Shyamachurn Tantra. The kriya technique is a tantric technique and the lifestyle that is most effective is a tantric one in my view. The world must be embraced and not feared. Otherwise you are seperate from divine mother and cant unite in meditation.

Renunciation out of fear does not produce results. The only real sanyas is attained in deep states of paravasta--so says Lahiri. I have seen only a handful of ashramites that aren't prideful. The ocher robe gives most people a false pride and it would have myself also! No one has any business wearing it but the realized. Chidananda of Divine Life in Rishikesh said that in the old days you got it when enlightened. He told my friend this. Mr Dubey of YSS passed up sanyas and said to Ma to give him yogacharya instead as people worship sannyasis and he did not want it going to his head. Smart man!

What is more valuable?
Supposedly Bejoy Dasgupta was taken to see Yukteswar to get 2nd kriya by Satyananda. When Bejoy saw him he said 'I don't want to get kriyas from such an old man!' Yukteswar laughed and warmly welcomed him. I suppose it was because he was so honest and fearless. That story is at yoganiketan. Everyone has addictions until merged in God. This is also a hard reality to deal with. Anandamoy says kriya plus devotion but I think kriya and honesty may be better. A superficial sweetness is not enough and honesty may be the foundation of devotional surrender.

Yogananda said "practice kriya night and day" but he only allowed the amount one could do with concentration. At present I am trying to figure out what that is for myself. I do not want to do huge numbers of kriya and brag on it. That would induce pride also.

S

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