Walking the mystical path with practical feet—An Appeal to Gen Z
Dr. A. K. Merchant*
There is a yearning in every soul to strike a right balance between the spiritual wellness and material success, particularly the Gen Z. Walking the mystical path with practical feet is the duty of every human being. There is no other way to confront the forces of materialism and physical destruction that are sweeping our world with such ferocity.
The Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, founder of the Bahá’i Faith, have inspired and shaped the life of millions around the world. During the first eleven years of his divine mission Bahá’u’lláh composed a large number of mystical works that are replete with motifs inspiring a would-be wayfarer to the Ocean of Divine Presence. The core of every religion or dharma is that mystic association of a humble soul with the Divine Being, who is manifested from Age to Age some of whom known in history may be mentioned here—Sri Krishna, the Buddha, Mahavir, Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Christ, Muhammad [pbuh], Guru Nanak, and other Holy Souls. Bahá’u’lláh affirmed the exalted spiritual stations and missions of these Founders of past religions aka dharma and the common thread of Their teachings. Their Messages have progressively shaped the collective destiny of sections of populations giving meaning and purpose to daily life. Through these Manifestations of the Divine, civilization has moved forward to new heights bringing whole populations into awareness in harmony with the time in which they lived. Today, these ardent devotees would be greatly aided by Bahá’u’lláh’s explanations of the allegorical and abstruse passages in their respective Holy Scriptures which have long confused and distorted the progressive and evolutionary character of Religion aka Dharma. Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed: “This is the Day in which the testimony of the Lord hath been fulfilled the Day in which the Word of God hath been made manifest, and His evidence firmly established, His voice is calling you unto that which shall profit you, and enjoins you to observe that which shall draw you nigh unto God, the Lord of Revelation.”
As the parvánáh (moth) is consumed (faná) in the flame of the shammá (candle), so is the true devotee consumed and his or her ego annihilated in the fires of divine Love. The joy and rapture of this life-long pursuit impels many an ardent devotee to great heights self-surrender, sacrifice and self-realization. The Writings of the Bahá’i Faith remind us of the ancient truth that one should not flee from the society: Om sangachchhadhwam samvadadhwam samvomanansi janatam. (Rigveda 10/191/1) [Om! Live in harmony and concord. Be organized and co-operative. Speak with one voice and make your resolutions with one mind.] The ordeals that one experiences in the spiritual journey (the path of Bhakti) and the nature of the understanding one obtains in the encounter with ultimate Truth is the theme variously expressed in the mystical writings utilizing the mundane motif of “lover” and the “beloved”; servant and master.
For example, in The Seven Valleys (Haft Vadi), his best known mystical work Bahá’u’lláh says: “In all these journeys the traveller must stray not the breadth of a hair from the ‘Law’, for this is indeed the secret of the ‘Path’ and the fruit of the Tree of ‘Truth’; and in all these stages he must cling to the robe of obedience to the commandments, and hold fast to the cord of shunning all forbidden things, that he may be nourished from the cup of the Law and informed of the mysteries of Truth.”
In a hundred volumes covering a multitude of subjects, Bahá’u’lláh addressed to his followers and the world at large in different genres. Each group of peoples who responded to his message found something to suit their aspirations of how the world is moving towards its destiny that “the earth is but one country, and humankind its citizens”. He wrote to rulers and leaders of both in the East and the West, imploring them to rule with justice and tread the path of peace. The mystical works of Bahá’u’lláh have interesting parallels with those of Sant Kabir Das, Guru Nanak Dev and Sufi mystics such as Farid’ud-Din ‘Attar and Maulana Rumi—all which are today available in excellent English translations and other languages. The motif of Ishq-i-Majázi (Freudian love) as opposed to the Ishq-i-Haqiqi (Divine love) are an interwoven theme and have been variously expressed in the narratives of Layla and Majnun, Radha and Krishna, and the love story of Romeo and Juliet.
The Beloved is erratic and plays with the lover, whom He sometimes binds to Himself, sometimes ignores. The Beloved tortures the lover [‘áshiq]: the snake of His tresses sucks the blood of his heart and soul. With His ‘blood-shedding eyebrow [abrúy-i-khún-ríz]’ He kills the lover and asks him to throw his head at His feet: “If thine aim be to cherish thy life, approach not Our court; || But if sacrifice be thy heart’s desire, come and let others come with thee [Gar khayál-i-jánhamí hast-at bi-dil, ínjá ma-yá, || Gar nithárjánvadildárí, bí-á va ham bí-ár]. (Ode of Sáqi-az Ghayb-i-Baqá).
The Beloved Who wants the sacrifice of the lover in reality wants him to renounce the inferior qualities of his material nature, those qualities, which in the Bahá’í Writings are described as ‘the insistent self, the evil promptings of the human heart’. It is that which some refer to as ‘mystical death’. Death has various names, according to our different manner of expression or conception. It is called a departure, that is, a separation from Self in order that we may pass into the Divine, a loss, total and entire, of the Will of the creature, which causes the Soul to be wanting to itself, that it may exist only in the Divine. Mystical death is the price that should be paid to come closer to the Beloved. The lover’s pains are therefore the unavoidable consequence of the intoxication of love that draws the lover to accept any agony, so that he may come closer to his Beloved. It is the pain of one’s struggle against the emotions of the natal self, in order to master them and bend them towards the direction recommended by the Beloved, so that one may fulfill in one’s life ‘His trust, and in the realm of spirit obtain the gem of Divine virtue’.
Sant Kabir’s message that was meant to free human beings from the burden of blind faith and meaningless rituals is as relevant today as it was in the 14th century Indian sub-continent lives on in his captivating and soul-entrancing “Dohes”. He is indeed one of the greatest poet-philosophers who influenced the learned and the simple, the rich and the poor alike and continues to be part of India’s spiritual and religious as well as cultural kaleidoscope. Reflect on the following ‘Dohe” “The Sun and the Moon shall perish, the stars and constellations fade away, the prophet and the priest, they all pass away, nothing lasts but the eternal truth!” While Guru Nanak’s message enunciated 550 years ago and expanded by a succession of nine Gurus in the face of relentless opposition and ruthless rulers of their time continues to be practiced by all the faithful in the Sikh Community. The teaching “No koi Hindu, Na koi Mussalman”; “Nanak Naam Chardi Kala, Tere Bhaney Sarbat da Bhala”. These foundational principles of unity in diversity and service to humanity find interesting parallels in Bahá’u’lláh’s utterances.
Let me conclude with one of his poems:-
“Be thou the people of hell-fire
But be not a hypocrite.
Be thou an unbeliever
But be not a plotter.
Make thy home in taverns,
But tread not the path of the mischief-maker.
Fear thou God,
But not the people.
Give to the executioner thy head,
But not thy heart.
Let thine abode be under the stone,
But seek not the shelter of the cleric.
Thus, doth the Holy Reed intone its melodies,
And the Nightingale of Paradise warble its song,
So that He may infuse life eternal into the mortal frames of men,
Impart to the temples of dust the essence of the Holy Spirit
And the heavenly Light,
And draw the transient world,
Through the potency of a single word,
Unto the Everlasting Kingdom.”
(1358 words)
*The author is a social worker, independent researcher, & General Secretary, Temple of Understanding India Foundation (a global interfaith association). He can be contacted at <akmerchant@hotmail.com> and telephone 9810441360