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Philosophy

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Devleena and Amitabha Bhattacharya, June 7, 2019: The Times of India

The Philosophy Of Dadaji Amiya Roy Chowdhury

Since ‘Dadaji’ Amiya Roy Chowdhury discouraged any cult following, having refused to set up any ashram or designate a spiritual heir to carry forward his legacy, few people today know about the unique features of his life and teachings. Scholars and followers, however, have faithfully recorded their personal experiences for posterity, in Bengali and English. First, he asserted that no human being can be a ‘guru’. While for attainments in the material world, say, for education, skills, sports or music, one may need a guide, for spiritual advancement, no such human guru is needed. Though counterintuitive and against conventional wisdom, Dadaji maintained that Mahanam, the ‘divine name’ alone is the guide, He and His name being one.

By making the Mahanam public, like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did for the ‘Hare Krishna’ mahamantra, Dadaji sought to demolish the conventional guruvad, which often takes the form of business. He advocated direct communion with the Creator. ‘God within’ in the form of the Mahanam – the two sounds Gopal, Govinda – vibrating all the time and setting in motion our breathing, is the warp and woof of all existence. ‘One sound, Gopal, apprises you of the Supreme; the other sound, Govinda, of the Beyond.’ Second, Dadaji always stressed the importance of karma, action/ duty. The purpose of coming into this world is to perform the assigned duty to the best of one’s ability and bear the onslaught of Prarabdha – unfolding of events in time – keeping the Mahanam in mind. The realisation that God alone is the doer, will dawn with constant remembrance of His name. One has come from infinity and with the dissolution of the body, will revert to infinity. Worldly existence is for savouring His love through finite senses. According to Dadaji, maya itself is the kripa.

Third, Dadaji’s explanation of nishkama karma was also unique. Unlike other sages, Dadaji maintained that no work is possible without attachment. He advised that duty has to be performed with such devotion and concentration that the expectation of results just does not arise. ‘Dharmakshetra, Kurukshetra’ was also explained by him differently.

An individual attached to the body-mind complex, with mind reigning supreme, is symbolised by Dhritarashtra, who is blind, for he refuses to comprehend the ‘truth within’. Loving submission to Mahanam will gradually give rise to a transformation when the body-mind complex, hitherto a Kurukshetra where constant battle is being waged, will tur n into Dhar makshetra.

Dadaji was opposed to prescribing any specific course of action to be followed – about meditation, rituals, pilgrimage or even about food. In fact, he was against all kinds of superstition. In this world of ‘Prakriti’, nature, the laws of action and reaction are inviolate. His advice, therefore, was to follow the path of moderation – neither abstinence nor over-indulgence. One has to be in a state of svabhava, in sync with one’s innate, natural self, and leave the rest to Mahanam to show the way.

God cannot be understood since understanding requires standing apart. ‘Love is the answer,’ through his simple yet profound philosophy, Dadaji struck at the root of institutional religions and the differentiation that often accompany them. Instead, he proposed spreading love and getting in touch with divinity within.

See also

Gurus: Hinduism