For several years, Sraddhalu Ranade, while a member of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and one who receives and enjoys all the benefits of residence, boarding, and material needs from the ashram, is known to have spent most of his week in Gurgaon, Haryana. From there Mr. Ranade flew to and from the Sri Aurobindo Ashram every week. And now, as everyone knows, Mr. Ranade is busy starting lawsuits against the ashram Trustees and members of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram such as Peter Heehs. How did Mr. Ranade get the substantial funding required for these activities? Here are some revealing accounts which, perhaps, Mr. Ranade would like to clarify.
Income Tax official’s arrest tip of iceberg, by K.S. Chawla, Ludhiana, February 6 [2005]
The CBI raids on the premises and office of an Assistant Commissioner Y.K. Saxena and lawyer, Mr Kamaljit Shelly, and later the arrest of the Assistant Commissioner Saxena by the CBI are reported to be part of a much bigger operation of the CBI into unaccounted money and complaints of corruption against a very senior officer of the Income Tax Department based at Chandigarh handling a very sensitive wing of the Income Tax Department.
What has been revealed during the raids at the premises of Mr Saxena and questioning of Shelly are stated to be the proverbial tip of the iceberg. The CBI is said to be after very big fish of the Income Tax Department against whom there had been numerous complaints of corruption and many enquiries were held against him in the past.
According to sources in the Vigilance Department, the vigilance wing got complaints that some officers of the Income Tax Department, Chandigarh, had been forcing businessmen in Ludhiana as well as in northern region to deposit huge sums of money in a private trust called ‘Mother India Fund’. The vigilance wing of the Income Tax Department in Delhi asked the Chief Commissioner, Income Tax Chandigarh, in a letter in October, 2004 to collect facts on the complaints that many businessmen in Ludhiana as well as in the northern region were being harassed by officers for collecting money in the name of a fund called, ‘Mother India Fund’ for which a bank account was opened in the ICICI Bank and people were being asked to deposit cash in order to avoid any enquiry or survey. The vigilance wing had asked the Chief Commissioner, Income Tax, Chandigarh, to get details of the bank account of ‘Mother India Fund’ and all other necessary information related to this fund and the persons operating the account.
When the Vigilance Department received details of the ‘Mother India Fund’ account from Chandigarh, it revealed that almost around Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore had been deposited in this account in Ludhiana in a period of about 17 months from June 16, 2003 to November 8, 2004 and as much as Rs 8 lakh to Rs 9 lakh was deposited in cash in some entries. The Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax Department, Saxena, who was arrested at Ludhiana, was known to be the right-hand man of the senior officer based at Chandigarh who was allegedly the real beneficiary and was in a position to twist the arms of businessmen. The lawyer, Shelly, was very close to this officer who was earlier posted at Ludhiana for about seven years.
The investigations into the ‘Mother India Fund’ have revealed that it had its headquarters as mentioned in their cards of the ICICI Bank as F-4/2A, DLF Phase-I, Gurgaon, Haryana. The account was opened in the ICICI Bank, Jandu Towers, Miller Ganj, Ludhiana.
The details of deposits and withdrawls are revealing. In seven months there have been as many as 81 entries of cash deposits, out of which 22 are of the deposits of more than Rs 2.5 lakh each. There is one entry of Rs 9 lakh, two entries of Rs 8 lakh each, 4 entries of Rs 5 lakh each, two entries of Rs 4 lakh each, 13 entries of over Rs 2 lakh each. The remaining entries are mostly of Rs 2 lakh and 1 lakh.
The investigations show that most of the amount has been transferred to the account of Agni Productions of which there are 74 entries and some entries of money transfer are to one auto company. An interesting feature is that as soon as some money is accumulated in the ‘Mother India Fund’, the money is immediately transferred to the Agni Productions account and some other account leaving a few thousand rupees in the account.
The main suspect in this investigation was holding a very important post at Chandigarh and was recently transferred following complaints. This senior officer had been having long political arms and always escaped enquiries. Even now he was using a central minister to pressurise the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, to get his transfer cancelled. But ultimately he had to leave. This officer had been having special interest in Ludhiana, the biggest industrial town in the region. Last year he was pressurising Mr Chidambaram through his political connections to get his Chandigarh office shifted to Ludhiana and to retain his house. But he could not succeed and he had to vacate his Ludhiana house after many months having occupied it even after his posting to Chandigarh. The CBI is pinning hopes on the interrogation of Assistant Commissioner Saxena to reveal the facts.
According to RBI guidelines, no bank is permitted to have cash deposits of more than Rs 50,000 and if the cash deposit is for more than Rs 50,000, the depositor has to give the permanent account number (PAN) along with the deposit. The ICICI Bank, Ludhiana branch, will have to explain all this to the CBI and also identify those who made these deposits and if the bank fails to do so, the complicity of the bank staff, particularly the manager will be proved in this scam.
The CBI during the raids at Ludhiana at the house of Mr Saxena found huge details of properties and recovered cash. He is in police remand and his interrogation will make further sensational revelations. Besides, the questioning of lawyer Shelly will also help the CBI in unmasking the hidden wealth. Shelly is known to have close relations with the income tax officers.
§
Now what has Sraddhalu to do with all this?
Let’s first take a look at one of his online profiles, where it says that he is
Currently in Agni Television Pvt Ltd. Delhi.
Next, the Whois Record of AgNiProductions.com, which says:
Domain Name: AGNIPRODUCTIONS.COM
Created on: 12-Feb-03
Expires on: 12-Feb-12
Last Updated on: 21-Sep-10Registrant: Mother India Trust F-4/2A
DLF Phase I
Gurgaon, Haryana 122002, IndiaAdministrative Contact: Ranade, Sraddhalu (shraddhalu@auromail.net)
F-4/2A
DLF Phase I
Gurgaon, Haryana 122002,India
+91.5050550
Next, the Whois Record of AgnItv.com, which says:
Domain : agnitv.com
Created on: 2009-03-13
Expired on: 2011-03-13
Last updated on: 2010-03-09Registrant:
Name: Sraddhalu Ranade
Organization: Agni Television
Address: 8, St Gilles street
City: Pondicherry
State: Delhi
Postal Code: 605001
Country: IN
Phone: 2335067
Fax: 0
Email: shraddhalu@auromail.netAdministrative Contact:
Name: Sraddhalu Ranade
Organization: Agni Television
Address: 8, St Gilles street
City: Pondicherry
State: Delhi
Postal Code: 605001
Country: IN
Phone: 2335067
Fax: 0
Email: shraddhalu@auromail.netTechnical Contact:
Name: Sraddhalu Ranade
Organization: Agni Television
Address: 8, St Gilles street
City: Pondicherry
State: Delhi
Postal Code: 605001
Country: IN
Phone: 2335067
Fax: 0
Email: shraddhalu@auromail.net
Finally there is a Yahoo Group message, which says:
Fwd: Researchers for an upcoming TV channel needed
From: Priyadarsi Dutta
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 5:42 PM
Subject: Researchers for an upcoming TV channel needed
Please refer, if you know some one:Agni Television (‘Illuminating the genius of India’), an upcoming TV channel, with its office 20,000 sq ft office at Gurgaon’s IFFCO chowk, is on lookout for research scholars. The channel’s area of operation could roughly be described as redefining the spiritual-cultural-intellectual heritage of India in modern times. A content-based channel, i t needs some sparkling mind to build its core research team. The researchers, apart from having sharp mental and imaginative faculties, are expected to be committed to nationalist ethos. Freelance contributors are also welcome.
Those interested may contact Sraddhalu Ranade at 09312063520 or <sraddhalu@…> based in Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. He can also be contacted in person in New Delhi where he shuttles to. But he is currently leaving Delhi on October 31 evening, but would return during November.
Best
PRIYADARSI DUTTA
New Delhi
9899146841
Given the kind of funding that Mr. Ranade appears to have raked in, for the next hearing it is hoped that Mr. Ranade will hire a more comfortable bus to carry all of his aggrieved colleagues to court when they accompany him. Also, he should make necessary arrangements for snacks and hot meals during and after the court proceedings. It would be very unfair that the services of his entourage should not be well rewarded.
Lets see the case now. If you are doing the work of CBI, why can’t I do it.
1. Is there any evidence of involment of Ranade in this matter?
If someone you know or don’t know does a crime (even we are not sure that “iceberg” is a criminal. If he was doing Divine’s work. He is not!) are you responsible. If you are proved wrong in writing this article, I am sure you will not take up the responsiblity. Why should SR take other’s responsibility.
2. ” What has Shraddhalu to do with this?” LOL! Are you asking the public or instigating them towards someone. Malacious act!
3. I ask you what is your grudge with SR? Did he do something bad to you or may be did not satisfy your ego.
4. I think you should find a job for yourself. In this manner you will never earn money and will remain unemployed. Don’t waste time over internet like this.
5. Are you paid to insult good people? There are surely some people behind you who have a grudge with Ranade.
6. The introductory paragraph is baseless. It clearly shows that you don’t have an inkling of the Peter Heehs matter.
7. You are basing you argument on Media report which itself is doubtful. Silly stuff!
8. You have written “what has Shraddhalu to do with this and just simply provided some infomation below it?” If I type your name and address below it what will people understand. Ooops! A poor and small article writer in a rich and big scam. What a method of research and clubbing up of facts, just to fool the public or fool yourself.
9. Let me make an online profile in your name and then lets see what we get. xyzee article writer trying to throw dust here and there and landing in a puddle.
10. Oh! There are some google adds below. Each click will bring at least a dollar and in the mean time you can sip beer, whisky, brandy- Oh! sorry desi daroo in the bar.
I think I am wasting my time.
I agree why do people waste time just throwing dust at people who are superior and better then them? I think these people are jealous.
Which idiot has written such foolish things about Sraddhalu Ranade?
As I have said earlier these are people who have nothing to do.
sona singh gill says:
January 5, 2011 at 8:54 am
Lets see the case now. If you are doing the work of CBI, why can’t I do it.
1. Is there any evidence of involment of Ranade in this matter?
If someone you know or don’t know does a crime (even we are not sure that “iceberg” is a criminal. If he was doing Divine’s work. He is not!) are you responsible. If you are proved wrong in writing this article, I am sure you will not take up the responsiblity. Why should SR take other’s responsibility.
2. ” What has Shraddhalu to do with this?” LOL! Are you asking the public or instigating them towards someone. Malacious act!
3. I ask you what is your grudge with SR? Did he do something bad to you or may be did not satisfy your ego.
4. I think you should find a job for yourself. In this manner you will never earn money and will remain unemployed. Don’t waste time over internet like this.
5. Are you paid to insult good people? There are surely some people behind you who have a grudge with Ranade.
6. The introductory paragraph is baseless. It clearly shows that you don’t have an inkling of the Peter Heehs matter.
7. You are basing you argument on Media report which itself is doubtful. Silly stuff!
8. You have written “what has Shraddhalu to do with this and just simply provided some infomation below it?” If I type your name and address below it what will people understand. Ooops! A poor and small article writer in a rich and big scam. What a method of research and clubbing up of facts, just to fool the public or fool yourself.
9. Let me make an online profile in your name and then lets see what we get. xyzee article writer trying to throw dust here and there and landing in a puddle.
10. Oh! There are some google adds below. Each click will bring at least a dollar and in the mean time you can sip beer, whisky, brandy- Oh! sorry desi daroo in the bar.
I think I am wasting my time.
Do you know why they are after SR? Read this-
http://www.thelivesofsriaurobindo.com/2008/10/introduction.html
SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM TRUST
It is unfortunate that certain rumours are being circulated that the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust is in some way endorsing, supporting or promoting the book “The Lives of Sri Aurobindo” by Peter Heehs. We would like to re-iterate what has been our consistent stand since October 2008 namely:
“Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust does not approve and has nothing to do with the book entitled “The Lives of Sri Aurobindo” written by Peter Heehs and Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust is not in any way responsible for the contents or the interpretations of the material contained therein….”
This is to re-affirm that the stand of the Ashram Trust has been consistent and has remained unchanged. The book is not sold from any department of the Ashram.
The Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust is fully aware of its responsibilities and its actions are determined keeping in view the vision and values it is meant to uphold.
For The Board of Trustees
[Signed: Manoj Das Gupta]
Seal: MANOJ DAS GUPTA
Managing Trustee
Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust
Pondicherry
23.09.2010
Dear Sona Singh Gill-ji,
The person who has posted the information on Sraddhalu Ranade is clearly interested to know where Sraddhalu Ranade gets his funding for hiring top lawyers and filing court cases across the country. Sraddhalu Ranade is also known to be a very busy traveller and as most of us ordinary mortals know, travelling costs quite a fortune.
As you appear to be a great admirer of Sraddhalu Ranade why don’t you request Sraddhalu Ranade to clear his conscience and public image (which he is so concerned about) and publicly declare how he, a member of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram since his childhood, has so much money to conduct all these activities that do not relate in any manner to the Ashram? If he has nothing to hide, why doesn’t he come clean?
You may please convey this message to him and I am quite certain that the administrators of this blog will happily publish the information that Sraddhalu Ranade is willing to disclose.
Regards.
Well said, Vijay.
All those acquainted with Shraddalu’s character and history know that the case against the Ashram Trust is clearly driven by his ambition to grab power. The book is only a pretext. Sona Singh Gill seems to be one of his paid stooges who is attempting to defend him but without much success. Its highly improbable that Vijay will ever get a reply to his query.
Ranjit Das
Ranjit Das and Vijay,
Just it is now very clear who are the stooges.
Dear Vijay,
I appreciate your humble question. If you are curious, go and ask Shraddhalu.
Mr Ranjit Das,
Behave like a human. Are you paid by Peter?
Who are these fools?
They are guys against SR?
I don’t need to be paid to stand for truth. But Das is surely paid by Peter.
Is there really someone called Ranjit Das or it is a fake name?
Ranjit Das is a paid stooge.
Das, I would least bother about words that come from people like you. There is no sense but only non-sense and no logic only illogicality.
singh gill says:
January 5, 2011 at 8:54 am
Lets see the case now. If you are doing the work of CBI, why can’t I do it.
1. Is there any evidence of involment of Ranade in this matter?
If someone you know or don’t know does a crime (even we are not sure that “iceberg” is a criminal. If he was doing Divine’s work. He is not!) are you responsible. If you are proved wrong in writing this article, I am sure you will not take up the responsiblity. Why should SR take other’s responsibility.
2. ” What has Shraddhalu to do with this?” LOL! Are you asking the public or instigating them towards someone. Malacious act!
3. I ask you what is your grudge with SR? Did he do something bad to you or may be did not satisfy your ego.
4. I think you should find a job for yourself. In this manner you will never earn money and will remain unemployed. Don’t waste time over internet like this.
5. Are you paid to insult good people? There are surely some people behind you who have a grudge with Ranade.
6. The introductory paragraph is baseless. It clearly shows that you don’t have an inkling of the Peter Heehs matter.
7. You are basing you argument on Media report which itself is doubtful. Silly stuff!
8. You have written “what has Shraddhalu to do with this and just simply provided some infomation below it?” If I type your name and address below it what will people understand. Ooops! A poor and small article writer in a rich and big scam. What a method of research and clubbing up of facts, just to fool the public or fool yourself.
9. Let me make an online profile in your name and then lets see what we get. xyzee article writer trying to throw dust here and there and landing in a puddle.
10. Oh! There are some google adds below. Each click will bring at least a dollar and in the mean time you can sip beer, whisky, brandy- Oh! sorry desi daroo in the bar.
I think I am wasting my time
First Answer this-
singh gill says:
January 5, 2011 at 8:54 am
Lets see the case now. If you are doing the work of CBI, why can’t I do it.
1. Is there any evidence of involment of Ranade in this matter?
If someone you know or don’t know does a crime (even we are not sure that “iceberg” is a criminal. If he was doing Divine’s work. He is not!) are you responsible. If you are proved wrong in writing this article, I am sure you will not take up the responsiblity. Why should SR take other’s responsibility.
2. ” What has Shraddhalu to do with this?” LOL! Are you asking the public or instigating them towards someone. Malacious act!
3. I ask you what is your grudge with SR? Did he do something bad to you or may be did not satisfy your ego.
4. I think you should find a job for yourself. In this manner you will never earn money and will remain unemployed. Don’t waste time over internet like this.
5. Are you paid to insult good people? There are surely some people behind you who have a grudge with Ranade.
6. The introductory paragraph is baseless. It clearly shows that you don’t have an inkling of the Peter Heehs matter.
7. You are basing you argument on Media report which itself is doubtful. Silly stuff!
8. You have written “what has Shraddhalu to do with this and just simply provided some infomation below it?” If I type your name and address below it what will people understand. Ooops! A poor and small article writer in a rich and big scam. What a method of research and clubbing up of facts, just to fool the public or fool yourself.
9. Let me make an online profile in your name and then lets see what we get. xyzee article writer trying to throw dust here and there and landing in a puddle.
10. Oh! There are some google adds below. Each click will bring at least a dollar and in the mean time you can sip beer, whisky, brandy- Oh! sorry desi daroo in the bar.
I think I am wasting my time
And what’s this then-
SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM TRUST
It is unfortunate that certain rumours are being circulated that the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust is in some way endorsing, supporting or promoting the book “The Lives of Sri Aurobindo” by Peter Heehs. We would like to re-iterate what has been our consistent stand since October 2008 namely:
“Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust does not approve and has nothing to do with the book entitled “The Lives of Sri Aurobindo” written by Peter Heehs and Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust is not in any way responsible for the contents or the interpretations of the material contained therein….”
This is to re-affirm that the stand of the Ashram Trust has been consistent and has remained unchanged. The book is not sold from any department of the Ashram.
The Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust is fully aware of its responsibilities and its actions are determined keeping in view the vision and values it is meant to uphold.
For The Board of Trustees
[Signed: Manoj Das Gupta]
Seal: MANOJ DAS GUPTA
Managing Trustee
Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust
Pondicherry
23.09.2010
Dear Vijayji,
I see your point but do you see mine.
Dasji or Stoogeji.
Go and see the website even if you have little respect for Sri Aurobindo.
http://www.thelivesofsriaurobindo.com/
Sona Singh Gill-ji,
You said “I appreciate your humble question. If you are curious, go and ask Shraddhalu.”
Actually I don’t have anything to ask Sraddhalu Ranade. Moreover, I am not the one defending him.
It is up to Sraddhalu Ranade to answer these simple questions if he can, which I of course doubt he will.
But as you are so bent upon defending him, it might be in your interest to do so.
Dear Vijay-ji,
I see that you are a very humble person. I don’t find anything personal between you and me. Well, as far as my interest is concerned, Mother is the greatest judge. May Mother dispell all doubts.
Take Care.
In the Peter Heehs matter, so many people has become scape goats.
Friday, December 24, 2010
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE SPIRITUALITY
Don’t speak. Act. Don’t Announce. Realise.
THE MOTHER
Among the visitors to spiritual organizations like Sri Aurobindo Ashram are some dead serious, sincere and intense young people who claim to be on the spiritual path but seem to be on the verge of losing their mental balance, if they have not lost it already. The question naturally arises what makes something as laudable as the spiritual path a risky road to walk on. The risk lies in a faulty approach to spirituality. Young people who become miserable as a result of their engagement with spirituality invariably treat spirituality as yet another worldly achievement. They go about searching for techniques that would take them to the peak by the easiest, shortest and fastest route. They treat spirituality like mountaineering. They want to climb nothing less than the Everest, and feel entitled to do so because they are ready to spend all their energy looking for and learning the best techniques. They may try several techniques simultaneously, or in quick succession, with great vigour. They may go straightaway to the advanced pranayamas, or meditate for hours or days at a stretch under the mistaken impression that if something is good, more of it should be better. Then they start looking for signs of progress. So obsessed are they with getting there as quickly as possible that they attach great importance to their ‘visions’, ‘dreams’ and ‘experiences’. They try to hold on to these real or imagined events, try to repeat them, improve upon them, and talk about them, either to seek approval and confirmation, or to impress people. But instead of getting the peace that may be expected on the spiritual path, they get only more and more disturbed. Unless they correct the fatal flaw in their approach to spirituality, they end up on the psychiatrist’s couch.
In order to understand how the approach of these sincere but misguided young people to spirituality is flawed, let us digress to an ordinary young person. He wants wealth, power, and prestige. In the pursuit of what he wants, he becomes completely absorbed in himself. Our young man on the spiritual path wants to reach spiritual heights. In the pursuit of what he wants, he also becomes completely absorbed in himself. Hence there is no fundamental difference between these two young men. They both want something badly. They are both afflicted with acute self-absorption. The desire in both cases is intense, and the impatience of the seeker is palpable. The difference lies only in what they want. In a sense, our spiritual enthusiast is the worse of the two. The seeker of wealth, name and fame may at least temper his pursuit because of ethical considerations and out of decency. But the one wanting spiritual victory may be blatantly egoistic because he does not feel any scruples are necessary in pursuing the noblest of goals. The result is that spiritual enthusiasts frequently find themselves entangled in one or more of the following deadly traps.
The transactional trap
The seeker is quite conscious of having given up the usual goals of wealth, position and power. “I have sacrificed so much”, he argues, “therefore I should be rewarded with spiritual achievements”. In short, he looks upon spirituality as a transaction which involves giving up devalued currency and getting gold in return. The right approach is to simply give up everything that is no longer interesting. Gradually, there is more and more that appears uninteresting, unnecessary and superfluous. Giving up everything physically is, however, incompatible with life. But what can be done is to give up the attachment to everything – to things that one gives up physically, as well as to things that one has not been able to. This is what Sri Aurobindo calls inner renunciation. The key is giving up, not for the sake of getting something, but because one has realized that what is being given up cannot bring lasting happiness, and has no place in a meaningful and fulfilling life. Thus the dictum in spirituality is to give up everything, and to expect nothing.
The scholastic trap
The person reads a lot of spiritual literature. He finds so much of it that eventually devouring spiritual books becomes his major occupation, 24 X 7. Because of his passionate involvement in the subject, his reading speed is phenomenal, memory incredible, and even his comprehension may be admirable. Because of his vast theoretical knowledge, he assumes that now he has become deeply spiritual.
Spirituality is not the same as filling the head with spiritual facts. Spirituality may or may not be associated with mental knowledge; what is indispensable to spirituality is practice and experience. Knowledge may sometimes act as a trigger for spiritual progress by arousing the curiosity of the seeker. But if the focus remains on acquiring more and more knowledge at the mental level, knowledge may become a barrier on the path of spiritual growth in at least two ways. First, the person may start treating knowledge as a substitute for experience. Secondly, knowledge at the level of the intellect might make a person critical, less open, and distract him from genuine spiritual inquiry by directing the attention to too many irrelevant questions. As the Mother has said, “the mind is incapable of judging spiritual things… … in order to proceed on the path, it is absolutely indispensable to abstain from all mental opinion and reaction” (1).
The signboard trap
Soon after embarking on the path, the person gets trapped in the superficial and visible signs associated with spiritual life. For example, he may start observing regular ritualistic fasts, adopt fad diets, observe long periods of silence, dress up in saffron or white, and chant incessantly, keeping count of the chants using a rosary. He may impose on himself a rigid routine and a punishing schedule, filling up every hour of the day and night with something that he considers clearly and visibly spiritual. The result is that he stands out in a crowd, and has time for little else except doing things which are necessary for him, because he is ‘spiritual’. Although he is very busy doing one thing after another, and lives like a machine, he lives only for himself.
This type of engagement with spirituality only boosts the pride of the seeker without leading to any real progress. Spirituality is primarily about an inner change, which may get reflected in a few outer signs, but which must get reflected in outer life. Unless the outer life is filled with greater love, compassion, giving, caring and sharing, merely displaying the signs and symbols of ‘spirituality’ does not make a person spiritual.
The school-leaving certificate (SLC) trap
The person might have seen a beam of light, or heard an encouraging voice during meditation. Or, he might have experienced a rush of energy as a result of some practices calculated to open up the charkas or awaken the kundalini. The person is ecstatic about what has happened to him. He starts imagining how much of bliss lies untapped at the summit. He gets greedy, and wants more and more, as fast as possible. He behaves like a child who has just received a school-leaving certificate, and is now in a hurry to get a Ph.D. as soon as possible. The spiritual enthusiast now engages in a sort of spiritual engineering to repeat his experiences, to hold on to experiences, and to climb towards the peak experience.
The right approach is to take the experiences as an indicator of the immense love of the Divine. It is through Divine Grace rather than personal effort that the seeker has received some encouragement in the form of these experiences. To negotiate the long way to the summit also Divine Grace will be much more important than personal effort. The seeker may continue his efforts, and trust that the Divine will take care of his progress in Its way and Its time. Therefore, the dictum is to continue walking the path, and to continue seeking the guidance and grace of the Divine. The walk itself is blissful; why then be in a hurry to scale the summit?
The misplaced curiosity trap
Drifting into spirituality with the relatively simple aims of pursuing something of lasting value, something useful to others, or something better than joining the rat race, some young people get distracted by the futile search for answers to irrelevant questions. They want to know more and more about life after death, rebirth, past life regression, or forecasting the future. They start resolving the apparent discrepancies in the karma theory. They want to know whether an evil man can be reborn as an animal. They want to know whether it is possible to communicate with the dead. They want to know whether some yogis can really do without food, air or sleep, and if so, why and how. They want to know whether yoga can help in conquering death. The result is that they are lost in a maze. These are not good points to begin forays into spirituality. From the spiritual point of view, these explorations are fruitless at best; sometimes they can even be dangerous. Life on earth is for growing in consciousness, not for forcing the Divine to reveal what It has chosen to conceal from us for our own good. Growing in consciousness means a change in our picture of reality from one based on multiplicity and division towards that based on oneness and unity. This inner change should get reflected in our outer life. That is the essence of spirituality.
The grandiose trap
Some seekers pass through a confusing and risky stage that Sri Aurobindo has described as the intermediate zone.* This is a stage between the physical and spiritual realms, and lacks the firm foothold of both. The seeker thinks that he has realized much more than he actually has. At this stage the person is vulnerable to exploitation by negative forces in the occult worlds. By unwittingly giving his consent to such exploitation, the person exposes himself to great risks. The person may go totally astray, or may stay permanently in the intermediate zone without any aspiration to progress further. Sri Aurobindo asserts that safety lies in attending to psychic and spiritual development before entry into the occult regions.
The intermediate zone is not an inevitable stage on the spiritual path. The risk of passing through this stage is increased by excessive hurry and eagerness, letting the emotional and mental parts of the being lead the sadhana, and an exaggerated confidence in one’s ability to do it either on one’s own or with the help of the ‘Divine’, as erroneously visualized by the seeker. While passing through the intermediate zone, it is important not to get attached to the lesser truths of this stage. The risks of the intermediate zone can be avoided by sincerity, humility, being calm and patient, letting the psychic being lead the sadhana, and by seeking the guidance of a guru. As Sri Aurobindo has said, “It is idle for anyone to expect that he can follow this road far, – much less go to the end by his own inner strength and knowledge without the true aid or influence…. All work here must be done in a spirit of acceptance, discipline and surrender, not with personal demands and conditions, but with a vigilant conscious submission to control and guidance” (2).
The greatness trap
The seeker is not sure whether he has reached the summit, but he has convinced himself that at least he is one notch above the rest of humanity. This is a very subtle trap, to which even experienced and sober seekers are not immune. It is a trap that people around the seeker strengthen by admiring him to the point of worshipping him. Experienced seekers may be a victim of this trap, but often manage to hide their vanity behind superficial humility. But young and volatile seekers who fall for this trap flaunt their arrogance with abandon. They miss no occasion to talk about how immune they are to heat and cold, hunger and thirst, pain and suffering. They look upon ordinary suffering humanity with a mixture of pity and disdain. On one hand, they are angry at the world for not doing what they have done. On the other hand, they are quite convinced that stupid humanity (with rare exceptions like themselves) is incapable of following their example. They are also proud to talk about their personal acquaintance with many renowned persons on the spirituality circuit, and enjoy comparing one with the other, and in the process end up talking about not only the strengths but also the flaws and weaknesses (as perceived by them) of these luminaries whom other people might have seen only on the TV. If they have read a lot, and are also a victim of the scholastic trap, so much the worse. Then they have a tendency to analyse spiritual books in hair-splitting detail. If they attend a discourse, they ask questions, either to show off their knowledge or to find faults with the speaker. They itch for discussions on spiritual topics, and if they do get (or create) such an opportunity, they are quick to argue in order to prove the other person wrong.
The right approach is to be grateful for whatever progress has been made, and to realize how much more remains to be done as compared to what has been done. Comparisons are also unfair because we are all fellow travelers on the same spiritual journey, and are manifestations of the same Divine. The following celebrated quote from James Adams applies as much to spiritual seekers as to the rest: “There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it ill behaves any of us to find fault with the rest of us.”
Closing thoughts
The greatest difficulty for the spiritual enthusiast probably originates in the glimpses of suprasensory reality that he might experience. Spiritual experiences are not an achievement to discuss, share or boast about. Spiritual experiences widen, deepen and raise the consciousness, and this change should be reflected in outer life, making the person more considerate, compassionate and contented. Further, one should not talk about these experiences. As the Mother has said, “It is a very well-known fact that one has never to speak of one’s spiritual experiences, if one were not to see vanishing in a moment the energy accumulated in an experience which is meant to hasten one’s progress” (3). Another common wasteful distraction is searching for miracles. Ordinary life is itself a miracle – no other miracles are necessary for inspiring faith in the omnipotence of the Divine. Sri Aurobindo and the Mother have repeatedly emphasized that the aspiration for spiritual growth should be sincere and constant; it may even be intense, but it should not be impatient. The distinction that Sri Aurobindo has made between straining and concentration is also relevant here. He wrote in a letter, “Straining implies an over-eagerness and violence of effort, while concentration is in its nature quiet and steady. If there is restlessness or over-eagerness, then that is not concentration” (4). Obviously, concentration helps, but straining hinders spiritual growth. Anxiety and restlessness are an expression of the ego. Ego is a product of the dividing consciousness. It divides the individual from the rest of the creation. In contrast, spirituality breaks the dividing barrier. Spirituality unites the individual with the rest of the creation. Hence the acute self-absorption that afflicts misguided spiritual enthusiasts cannot take them towards the spiritual consciousness that they seek. Instead of getting obsessed with spiritual growth, it is much better to follow one of the simplest pieces of advice that the Mother has given: “Be simple, Be happy, Remain quiet, Do your work as well as you can, Keep yourself always open towards me – This is all that is asked from you” (5).
REFERENCES
1. Sri Aurobindo and the Mother On Education. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1956, p. 125.
2. Sri Aurobindo. The Riddle of this World. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 6th Edition, 1973, p. 44.
3. Sri Aurobindo and the Mother On Education. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1956, p. 150.
4. The Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo’s Teaching and Method of Practice. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1993, p. 156.
5. The Science of Living: A Simple Programme. Words of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 2006, p. 1.
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*For more on the Intermediate Zone, see Reference 2, pp. 35-47, and Reference 4, pp. 187-189.
The person named Shraddhalu Ranade is weird in my opinion. i met him as a kid in my school where he sometimes delivered guest lectures. he told us once he lived only on fruits and never ate for ‘x’ number of years, then he claims himself as a prominent scientist, which i highly doubt. he also seriously believes in a few magic tricks and wants every young student to believe as if he is a great magician. i still recall that he showed us how water can be generated from one’s ears, which turned out to be a cheap trick. his comments on sri aurobindo n mother are also sometimes controversial, he once told us a story about world war II when hitler and nazi army saw sri aurobindo and mother in the battlefield before being defeated (i m not very sure about the exact storyline that he told). yes, he did lecture on some interesting topics like the power of thinking and mind , blah-blah but some of his claims were baseless. Another of his stories I recall, is how in an indian village, which was having severe shortage of rain for months, all villagers decided to think that rain will occur tomorrow, n according to him, it rained the next day! If these are real life claims, why can’t Mr Ranade stop the sufferings of all Indian people with his super natural thinking and magical powers? now as an adult, it seems to me he was better off spinning more yarns to others which he continues to this day. And, if you don’t believe me, do ask Mr. Ranade himself whether he remembers or not.
Are Bhaiya Adminstrator, tumhe tension rehti hain SR ki income ki, mai sooch raha hoon ki tum kya apna ghar is forum se chalte hoon?
Are bhaiya mere kuch kaam dhanda kar lo, government job karte hoon kya?
Biwi bache hain ke nahi ke Ashram me rehte hoon… maza hain bhai koi kaam nahi bus posting karte raho, kya baat?
Muje bhi aise do tin blog pe kaam diva do yaar, Must time paas hove….
Chaloo bhaiya Ram Ram……..
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very ugly website.
All bluff. This is a humbug site.
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