POPPYCOCK OR SPIRITUAL SCIENCE?

Ashok Kumar : Practice in spirituality is a poppycock. It is about inner introspection and exploration of the eternity. The examples you have given essentially applies to the objective world, a play of ego and dualism. Spirituality is all about intuitive understanding and not about perception and cognition. It is a pathless land and what you need is a vision to see things objectively, as they are before us. Ashtavakra calls an enlightened being as a total IDLER, reveling in His own majestic presence.

Meena Devi Dasi : Practice of some sort will be there. The rules of practice vary according to the level of realization of the practitioner.

     In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krishna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life. BHAKYALOKA, SIX FAULTS:NYAMAGRAHA

     In the process of devotional service, whatever rules are prescribed for each level are all subordinate to one principle rule:

     Remembering Krishna is the eternal duty. All other prescriptions mentioned in the shastras have arisen from this main prescription. Forgetting Krishna is never allowed. All other prohibitions mentioned in the shastras have arisen from this main prohibition. Keeping this main prescription in mind while advancing, the practitioner should give up his attachment for the prescriptions of the previous level and accept the prescriptions of the next level. BHAKTYALOKA SIX FAULTS:NYAMAGRAHA

     Those who are pure in devotion need not follow any rules but they may follow rules to help others. Even Krishna Himself does this:

     O son of Pṛthā, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I need to obtain anything—and yet I am engaged in work. For, if I did not engage in work, O Pārtha, certainly all men would follow My path. If I should cease to work, then all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would also be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of all sentient beings. BG 3:22-24

     This is the essence of the Gita: Krishna is asking Arjuna to come to a higher level:

     Abandon all varieties of religiousness and just surrender to me... BG 18:66