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066-Vidya and Avidya
066-Vidya and Avidya
Nucleus
Babas discourse in 1966 Purusottama (Supreme Consciousness) is the nucleus Kendratiga centrifugal - avidya Kendranuga centripetal - vidya
psycho-physical distraction:
unwilling to see the spiritual delusion like a black curtain cover
psycho-spiritual attraction:
propels human beings towards the sublime realm of absolute peace or supreme beatitude inspires people to do intuitional or spiritual practice
Sanskrit equivalents
avidya' shakti - centrifugal or eccentric force:
viks'epa shakti - spirituo-psychic distraction a'varan'ii shakti - psycho-physical distraction
Avidya
Two aspects: viks'epa shakti; a'varan'ii shakti.
When a microcosm is influenced by avidya' shakti, it always tries to go away from the Hub (Nucleus).
Avidya
Due to viks'epa shakti it moves away from its Lord.
Due to a'varan'ii shakti it cannot see its Lord.
Vidya
Two aspects:
Samvita Shakti Hladini or Radhika Shakti
When a microcosm is influenced by vidya' shakti, it always moves towards the Hub (Nucleus).
Vidya
Samvita Shakti: "I should do something. I have a human structure. I am a human being. I should do something. I should act like a human being. I should try to goad myself to the realm of divinity, it is my dharma. I should follow dharma, I should strictly adhere to the code of dharma."
Vidya
Hladini or Radhika Shakti: "I should do something practical. Theory won't help me; I should do something concrete, I should do something practical."
From discourse of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti - 9 December 1964, Salem from BRAHMA CAKRA in A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 33
Now regarding the vidya' shakti, the concentric force, the centripetal force, the force moving towards the hub of the wave: A man following the path of vidya' shakti naturally will be decreasing the length of his radius, the radius of this Brahma Cakra (Cosmic Cycle). The radius will go on decreasing in length. But this vidya' shakti has also got two influences on the minds of individuals, on microcosms.
Discourse (continued)
Of these two expressions, the first one is called samvit shakti. Samvit means spiritual consciousness, spiritual awakening. A man engaged in bad things all of a sudden feels that "No, I shouldn't do all these things. No, I should be a good man henceforward." Such an idea all of a sudden comes in his mind. And this thing, this change of mental tendency, is brought about by samvit shakti of Vidya'ma'ya'. Do you follow? This is what is called samvit shakti. "No, henceforward I must be a good man. No, henceforward I must be a spiritualist. I must not encourage any depraving idea." Samvit shakti.
Discourse (continued)
And the second expression of Vidya'ma'ya' is hla'dinii shakti. After a man decides that "Henceforward I will be a good man, henceforward I will be a sa'dhaka [spiritual practitioner]," he gets the krpa' of that Almighty Lord. (Regarding krpa' I will say something afterwards.) And after getting His krpa' through some medium he gets initiation. After being initiated he is to move along that spiritual path. That movement along the spiritual path is brought about by hla'dinii shakti.
Discourse (continued)
This hla'dinii shakti is also known as Ra'dhika' shakti in Sanskrit. "Ra'dha'" means spiritual aspirant, "one who is engaged in a'ra'dhana'". One who is engaged in a'ra'dhana' is called "Ra'dha'" in Vaes'n'ava [Vaishnavite] philosophy. And Purus'ottama is called Krs'n'a. Ra'dha' moving towards Krs'n'a. So that hla'dinii shakti is called Ra'dhika' shakti. Clear?
From discourse of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti - November 1966, Ernakulam from RADHIKA SHAKTI in A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 23
Your progress in the realm of spirituality, in the realm of intuitionality, depends on His divine grace -- just say His special divine grace. The Vedas say that it depends on divine grace, Guru krpa'. What is krpa'? You know, Ramakrishna Paramahansa was not a learned man in the mundane sense. Once upon a time a very learned man said, "Oh, Ramakrishna, people say everything depends on His krpa'." (What is the local pronunciation? Krpa'? Krpa'? Krpa'?" [pronounced in three ways]) "So, what is the meaning of krpa' ?"
Discourse (continued)
Ramakrishna said, "You know, I am an illiterate fellow, but according to my view, krpa' is made of two syllables, kr and pa'. Kr means Karo, karo, karo -- 'Do, do, do -- Do your sa'dhana', do your sa'dhana', do your sa'dhana'.' And pa' means Pa'o -- 'Get'. 'Get it, get it, get it, get it.' That is, 'Get it by doing sa'dhana': Kr-pa'.'"
Discourse (continued)
And I say, that divine bliss, that divine krpa', that divine compassion, is always being showered upon you, on each and every living being, on each and every animate and inanimate object -- but you do not feel it, you are not being drenched by that divine water, you are not being drenched by that divine shower, because you are holding the umbrella of vanity upon your head. If you want to be drenched by that divine shower of krpa', you have to remove the umbrella of vanity from your head; just remove it and be drenched. And what is sa'dhana' ? Sa'dhana' is just the action of removing this umbrella from upon my head.