Thinking of a Larger Cause | Thus Spake Babaji - online Q&A, No.136

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Thinking of a Larger Cause | Thus Spake Babaji - online Q&A, No.136
Recorded on 1 July 2023 with worldwide participants.

0:00 Intro
0:05 Could Babaji explain the significance of Guru Purnima?
6:30 What does it mean to think of a larger cause?
8:14 Does a Yogi automatically think of a larger cause?
11:39 Why is it a tendency for human beings to selfish?
15:22 Swami's quote, "If you live for yourself it is life, if you live for others it is Mission."
16:33 Swami's quote, "If you cannot help anybody, at least do not hinder them"
22:53 When you are serving the master should you always think of the larger cause?
26:05 Is immersive renunciation the correct way to live in the larger picture of life?
27:52 How to avoid negative influence from others when on the spiritual path.
29:22 Babaji explains how you should not define your dharma, with a story in the Mahabharata.
32:33 Thinking about future generations on earth.
35:25 How to trust in yourself despite criticism from others.
38:27 How to avoid getting attached to objects around us.
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Website: http://www.srby.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Transcript

Discourse: Thus Spake Babaji - online Q and A No. 136
 Thinking of a Larger Cause
You tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u5PXsOTp1A
Recorded: 01 July 2023

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   To start with Babaji, could Babaji explain the significance of this Guru Purnima day?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, every year during this time it is celebrated as Vyasa Purnima also. Vyasa Maharishi is considered one of the greatest gurus who brought into this, the guru-disciple relationship, the writer of Mahabharata, epic everything. On this day, Indians all over the world, they celebrate it as Guru Purnima giving total obeyance and respects to, reverence to the guru. That too, you see, if you have a Self-realized guru in your life, really very blessed. So that is the most important thing. Like in the beginning also as I told, we were blessed to have Swamiji, Shivabalayogi as our Guru. So grateful always. Guru's meaning all of you are familiar by now; the one who can dispel the darkness of ignorance. And my Guru always said, “As long as you are open to learning, there is no problem. Ignorance is not at all a curse. Only the ego is the real curse.” Ego means when you don't want to learn. And He also used to say, “Never think that you have come to know of everything, not possible and never stop the learning process also. That's also very much important.” He always used to tell. So, this is the significance of guru-disciple relationship. Like many things are there, guru is equivalent to God, guru is like a father, mother, and taking you on the right path as a torch bearer. Like another example, why a guru is needed, my Swamiji, my Guru used to tell – “On the road you can go on walking. As long as it is a single road you go on walking, no problem. You can even boast that you know, you don't need anybody. But suddenly you come to a circle where one road goes to east and another goes to west and another to north and you are coming from the south. You don't know where to go. You have to reach a place. Then you will be confused. You need somebody to guide you – ‘You have to take this road.’  Then you can reach, otherwise you will be simply going round and round and round and you will never reach the things”. Like suppose you want spiritual truths, you are a spiritual seeker, then you need a right guru to guide you on the right path. He should not be exploiting the disciples; should be guiding them on the right path. 

A guru is satisfied when a student achieves that truth. That is the greatest dakshina or donation to me I have always told. When you achieve that truth to yourself, all of you, when you practice, that gives the moment of pride for a guru. That is very important. Like Kabir Das also has told. He sings in the song of Guru Govinda dono kade; kinike laago paayi; balihari Guru aapano Govinda dio Batai. Means, He is singing, "O Guru and God, both of you have appeared in front of me. To whom shall I prostrate first?” The mind is a bit confused. “God is the Supreme. He is absolute. But here is Guru also.” But then His mind clears and thinks, "Guru, it is You who told me about God. Otherwise, I would not have known about God at all. So let me prostrate to You first and then to the Divinity." So, that is the importance given to a guru in Indian culture since ancient times. We heard about guru from my mother's mouth as a young child. “Even if God gets annoyed, if you worship the guru, if you have faith in the guru, your protection will happen. But if you annoy the guru, no God can help you, you must know this one.” That is where you can learn. Wherever you learn, that is your guru, means. You have to have reverence for that one, whatever it is. And a guru will always forgive you, bless you, pray for you, all the things. He will never have any hatred, any dislike for anybody. Such a one is the Self-realized Master. And He will never hurt anyone. His mind will be so pure consciousness. Even if He scolds somebody that will get converted as a blessing Swamiji used to tell. He used to tell, “If I smile at you, I can give you the world.” Means everything of the materialistic world. “But if I get annoyed, I can give you liberation. I can liberate you.” So, we were fortunate to undergo that from our Guru, so eventually to get liberated, in the peace. 

   So, on this occasion of Guru Purnima, soon that is coming on Monday, to all participants, to all students of the world, to all devotees of all different gurus, we convey our best wishes, our prayers, our blessings. May you all be blessed to achieve the absolute truth in the right sense guided by your guru onto the right path, and then you achieve that one. May you be forgiven by your prarabdha. May you be blessed by your guru, so that is important. So, this is the little bit significance. Otherwise, you can go on talking, never-ending. Scriptures talk so much about the gurus; Guru Gita, such a wonderful scripture. The first time I wrote the commentary was of Guru Gita. So, you should read and try to understand the Guru Gita, is a wonderful book. 

Question:   Thank You Babaji. Babaji, moving on to a larger cause. What does it mean to think of a larger cause? What does Babaji mean by that? 

Babaji Maharaj:   A larger cause is anything we try to do or achieve, it shall benefit whole society, whole country, whole world, and further, all the worlds, the entire space, whoever is in the space, may all. That's how our prayers have been taught since ancient times by our ancient sages. Not simply to me or one house or one society. “May all beings in all the worlds be happy.” Every day we pray. Even today when we do, remember our Guru or God, we pray this, we end up our prayers, loka samastha sukhino, bhavantu. There may be so many worlds that You have created, but let there be peace and happiness to all beings in all the worlds. That is the prayer. Sushantir bhavatu - let there be peace for all of you. So, that is the thing. Like Jesus also told, “They know not what they are doing, forgive them my Lord. Let them have peace, let them be forgiven for any such things. There is nothing wrong. Nobody is wrong.” And Swami Vivekananda said, "Don't call anybody a sinner. That itself is a big sin. All are God's children. That is what is important - you bless, you pray for them.” So, as a yogi, you would like to pray and bless all beings in all the worlds, our prayers for everyone. 

Question:   So a guru, a yogi automatically thinks of a larger cause?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, that's what. So, larger cause, I have always told if you all remember in my talks, so many times, your consciousness expands when you go out. At your home, in your town, you will tell your house address. If you go out of your town or city, you will tell, “I am from that city, such and such city.” And you go out of your state, you will tell, “I am from Karnataka, I am from Selangor, and I am from Washington.” Like that, you will tell your state. Out of the country, you will tell “I am from England, I am from India, I am from America, I am from Malaysia, I am from Australia, I am from Singapore.” Like that every country you will tell. So, from a small house, you feel the belonging to a larger area. When that feeling comes, you will feel all the people living in that area are your own, your own kith and kin, brethren, like that. Like I have told, further - it might appear as a joke, but that is the fundamental reality, truth -  if we get a chance to go out of this planet earth, we tell, “I am from planet earth”. Everybody, anybody whom you meet there from planet earth, you will be so happy. “Are you from planet Earth? O, I am also from planet Earth.” See, the consciousness has expanded. One day, when you meditate and achieve real samadhi, you will feel that you belong to the space. You realize you are that space. So, everybody in this space. Just now we know the life species in this world. There may be other worlds also where life species might be there. In so many ways, it may be visible, may not be visible, but they all belong to us. We are all one, one family type. So, we pray for all of them, we bless all of them. That is the larger cause, thinking of a larger cause. When we act upon, it shall not be for any selfish motivation. It should not be one set of justice for me, another set of justice for you. So, that is the thing. We should be able to forgive people if they want it. Even if they annoy us, no problem. But for a yogi, a guru, even if He annoys, He removes the karmas. That is what one has to understand. That is what Swamiji said. “When I am getting annoyed and scolding you, I am removing your karma,” He said. So, this is very, very important. Knowingly or unknowingly a yogi can never harm anybody. Whatever He talks, it will be for the benefit. He will bless everyone. So, that is how we have to think of a larger cause. That is what Sri Krishna also taught, “For the larger cause only, if necessary, you accept and fight the war.” He exhorted Arjuna – “You need to fight for establishment of dharma so that the entire subcontinent can have peace, all subjects. If the ruler is dharmatma, righteous, then only you can expect that the people of the country can have peace and happiness.” 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji. Babaji, why is it a tendency for human beings to be selfish and to not think of a larger cause? Why is that a tendency for human beings, Babaji? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, if the meditation, means purification of the mind is not there, if it is corrupted by seeing the materialistic world, we want it to ourselves. “Only if we are happy, then we don't have to bother.” So, these tendencies come gradually if you are not on the spiritual path. Spirituality means you should have understood the right sense of spirituality, should be doing sadhana in the right sense with the right technique. That is very important. Then you can achieve purification of mind. Otherwise, purification of mind will not happen. Then you will be selfish. You will talk something for you, something for others. You will try to be clever all the time. You will become a shrewd person, but it's all for selfish purpose only. You won't see the larger cause. 

   So, that is how a yogi, we have to look into larger cause always. If we are running a Mission, we are looking after the institution of the Guru, we have to carry on His Mission. We have to try to see. So, many times it might be favorable to some people, it may not be favorable to some people. So, they might try to blame us or they might misunderstand us, anything. But we have to look into a larger cause always. Like if Swamiji established the Ashram for a larger cause so that all walks of life, people can come without discrimination of any caste, creed or status, so that let them do sadhana, meditation so they may be benefited. So, that's all we have to think from selfishness to larger cause. In talks also I have told, we don't have to pray for myself. “O God, only please protect me. Please help me only.” No need. If everybody can be happy in this world, we are also in that automatically. So, we don't have to selfishly, separately pray. That is the ‘pray for a larger cause.’  That you have to visualize. Otherwise, mind becomes corrupted and selfish. It is sad. We get to see in this world. Many people, all walks of life, they are so selfish and narrow-minded. They don't bother of a larger cause also. Even if it's a public utility place, they want to carve out their own place. They want to take away the place. But whereas, like this property of the Ashram was given for Swamiji. He could have kept it “Bhai, this was given to me and I will own this. I need this.” He did not do that. Instead of that my Guru vested this property in a Trust so that people of all walks come, sit and do sadhana, do bhakthi. Even when He was invited to this place which was a royal family's guest house also, then He said, "If I come, you must allow all public to come to your house to my satsangs, to my meditation classes, then only I will come.” The lady who owned this property was so pleased; she was happy. She donated the entire property to Swamiji. “So, let this be an ashram. Let everybody come freely. If it is my home, people may not come freely, they might hesitate to come. If this is an ashram, everybody can come.” So, that was how larger cause is seen always. 

Question:   Babaji mentions Swamiji's quote of, “If you live for yourself it's life, if you live for others it's a Mission." 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, in a short way, that's what you define, the larger cause issues. Everybody lives for themselves. We have to earn a livelihood; we will work for that one. We won't work for anybody else’s sake. We will work only if we have to earn a livelihood. And then we need a place to stay. We won't try to be in a public place where we have to look after others also, other things also. We want to be our own things. We need to have things for our own. So, that is the selfishness. Otherwise, “If you can live for others, so then it is a Mission,” He used to tell. You have a mission in the world when you are able to look after others, listen to others’ problems also, love everybody unconditionally, bless them, pray for them, then you can see a larger cause. That is the mission. Otherwise, it is only a life, “I'm living a life” - that's all you have to say.

Question:   Babaji also mentions, “If you cannot help anybody, at least don't hinder them.” 

Babaji Maharaj:   That was another thing we heard from Swamiji. First thing, when you do not bother anybody in the world, that itself is a great help to the world. Once, answering somebody, Swamiji was telling. Another was complaining, “Swamiji, that devotee doesn't come here”. Rarely he had come - he was teasing him. Swamiji told, “You see, one person comes and tries to cut my head, another doesn't come. Who is better?” Then he had no answer; he kept quiet. He told, “Yes Swamiji, who doesn't come, means who doesn't bother You at all is much better than the one who comes and tries to cut Your head.” To that extent, Swamiji…  that's why He used to tell “You don't bother the world. That itself is a great help to anybody else. You don't blame anyone; that's a great help to everybody. You don't have to be helping. Above that, if you have time, if you think you can help…” So many people we need in the Mission, you see, so you have to live for yourself, we know, you have to earn your livelihood. Above that if you have time, you can help. This is a larger cause; helping a Mission is a larger cause. Today's technology is so wonderful. See, sitting in England, your home, you can ask questions. Sitting in Dehradun Ashram, I can answer. Everybody, participants, they can sit in their drawing rooms in their house and can listen to this question and answer. All these things so wonderful today. So thus, you are able to help for a larger cause when you are helping. So, we always appreciate. 

Many times we may not have mentioned names, but we always have deepest appreciation for all people who helped. Just now, recently I went to America and came back after two months of successful travel, conducting retreats. So many people were helping. Otherwise, such a huge thing cannot happen, the Mission work. Several traveling with me, looking after me, organizing me, cooking for me, food for me, program for me. Before I went, decorating the hall properly with my dais, looking after all my comforts, “Babaji would need a fan, He would need this one, His sound system should be all right, everything” - they were looking after. Only then successfully I can do. Otherwise, I will have to be calling “Hey, come, come, some problem has happened in the sound. I don't have a fan, I need a fan, I'm feeling very hot.” So, these things - that's what service means. So many people were doing beautiful service, deeply appreciable. That's what Swamiji used to tell “Bhai, you have to apply your brains.” Many times, He used to scold us, “This is a public program.” 

Once what happened, I was looking after a mentally challenged boy. That was very successful. He started listening to me, then Swamiji asked another family also to send their boy; he was also a mentally challenged one. So, He asked me to look after. So, I was looking after him; happily, I was looking after; I used to clean the soil also. When other devotees were perturbed, they complained to Swamiji (My name was Seenu before my tapas), “Seenu has to do all such things; this is not proper. He is from a good family. Why does he have to?" Swamiji said "Look, he does it very happily. He has no complaints, he has no brooding, let him do it. His karma will be very nice. He will be able to do tapas and achieve liberation one day. You don't try to stop him. This is an opportunity for him to get.” So, like that Swamiji meant when you are doing anything. Okay, after this what happened… but he did not survive. He had lot of liver problems. So, within two, three months he died also. So, that was the time when we had to have a public program, 7th August, for Swamiji’s tapas purthi day. So, before that, on 5th August evening he passed away. So, we informed Swamiji, and then Swamiji asked us to inform his family people and He said, "Until they come, wait with the body. Don't do anything until they permit, or they need to be satisfied, whatever they want to do.” Then what happened - some devotees here and the committee, they said, "We have a dead body here. If the dead body cannot be taken away before 7th August, we cannot hold the function.” I was a bit confused what to do now. Then I requested to call Swamiji, and spoke to Him. He took the phone, He said… He was furious – “Look, if you die, tell them that they should keep your dead body locked in a room and conduct the public program, that must not go away. It must happen; it is a public service.” He was telling me, “Your body can be attended afterward.” So, I will be happy if my body is locked, if I die for some reason, and the public program is attended, I pray to my Guru always, “Let even my death be helpful to people. That should not go waste; it should be a Mission work. If I can be kept locked in a room, and my body can be attended afterwards.” So, that's what He taught. But the present-day generations may not take it, not even in the Ashram also; I don't think anybody can take. If such a thing happens, there will be bewildered, they will be sad, “O this has happened - this thing cannot happen. You cannot do aarathi, you cannot do puja, you cannot worship.” I used to think as a child, “Worshiping God is a larger cause for the benefit of the whole world. If somebody dies, why should we not be able to worship God, pray to God, remember God, meditate on God, what stops? No power should be able to stop meditating, no power should be able to stop remembering God.” That's how I used to think. So, like this larger cause, larger cause, it should not be selfish, always. 

Question:   Thank You Babaji. So, when You were serving the Master or serving in any time, we should always be thinking of the larger cause? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, when we came to Ashram we were serving the Master. Whatever He wanted us to do, I never complained. I never complained that I am deprived of sleep, I am deprived of free time, nothing; there was no need for us. Early morning from three thirty to midnight, one o’clock, we were working. That working was very happy. Though, physically, there used to be fatigue and tiredness also. If I sit somewhere, I used to go to dream-samadhi, means sleep-samadhi type, fall asleep - so much of fatigue, but yet inside, you are so happy, enthusiastic. It was so nice, whether we were preparing tea for somebody, or whether we were cleaning the Ashram, mopping the Ashram, cleaning the toilet, writing the letters, attending to accounts, attending to my Guru, taking milk for Him. That was not the only work that I will attend; “only to Swamiji, I will not do any other work”. We always thought this institution is for a larger cause; my Guru has undertaken. He Himself could have stayed back comfortably. Like this was such a palatial building that was given to my Guru, He could have comfortably stayed at one place here, “I will not travel now, I have got a beautiful place.” Hardly He stayed here. He made us to stay comfortably here, but He used to travel, whether He went to a small village to a hut of a poor person, He went to a royal family’s palace also, whoever invited, respected, He went for a larger cause; He met people also. In the fag end of His body days also, even if He was not well, if public had come for darshan, He would not listen to doctor’s advice also. He would tell “People had come from long distance for my darshan, so I have to give them darshan. So, I must go and sit in the hall.” He used to come out and sit in the hall. He lived for public utility only; His life was totally dedicated for sake of the worldly people. That was the mission work, real mission work He was doing. So, we always seek my Guru's blessings, so that we also can be useful, at least to some people in the world, whatever it is. I always pray to my Guru, “The day my body is not useful to anybody, please take it away from this world; this should not live anymore, if it is not helpful to somebody”. It should always be helpful. If this is alive, some people must be happy at least, some people must tell “We want you, physically; please be with us.” That must happen. The day everybody thinks, “We don't need you anymore, you can go, I'm happy to go from this world.” That's the larger-cause thinking always, mission work thinking always. Swamiji taught us. He used to talk about this. 

Question:   Thanks so much, Babaji. Babaji, there's a couple of questions that have come in to the chat. One question from Arjun is – Is immersive renunciation the correct way to live in a larger picture of life, be in the world, but not of it. 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, you must understand, all of you, renunciation does not mean simply adopting a way of life. Simply, “I have a saffron cloth on me, I have taken to monkhood” does not mean that I have renounced everything. Mind might be attached to so many worldly things. It is from the mind you need to develop detachment and always thinking of a larger cause. Swamiji used to say, “If any bad thought comes, immediately, divert attention, think of the development of the Ashram, think of the Mission work, think of how much you can help others.” So, that is the real renunciation. That is why He also told, “Simply going to caves and forests, that will not help, that is not renunciation. You are taking your mind also with you.” That's what Sri Krishna talking in Bhagavad Gita, “Tyaagad shantira nantaram,” when you sacrifice, renounce only you will have peace. That renunciation, not that you have to give up your home. People ask, “What is it that we have to give up?” Nothing, no home, nothing; you just lead a normal life in the world, just give up the ego of the mind, renounce that one. That is what it is, then you become a matured human being; you will be really serving for the Guru, you will be helpful, you will never look back till the last breath of life. That is what we always thought of it. 

Question:   Pranaams Babaji!  Babaji, my question is when we sit in meditation on our Guru, we feel positive, but there are some like our friends or relatives when we talk to them, we start feeling negative. So, I want to understand like when we talk to these people, we receive their karma as their karmic interchange or is it their stimulating our negativity, which is impure in us only and how harmful can be to indulge with them on the path of liberation? 

Babaji Maharaj:   See, if you are meditating and on the spiritual path, you don't have to worry. If your mind is pure, not corrupted, so then it will not be receptive to negative things also. Another thing, only if necessary, for your job or livelihood or any such thing only, interact with such negative people also, you cannot avoid. Just for gossiping and keeping any relationship, you don't mingle with such negative people because you are harming your own self. Slowly your mind becomes weak and it starts absorbing the other's negativity also. If your mind is strong, then you won't be harmed at all, you don't have to bother. Like if it is absolutely necessary that somebody is negative, but because you need him for a job or something, then you can bear with him. If you are spiritual, you will not be harmed. Take care of yourself. 

Question:   Pranaams Babaji. I am so grateful You're with us. So, Babaji, You talked of dharmatma and in the Mahabharata, Yudhishtira was known as the epitome of dharma, but yet he wouldn't help his wife when she was being publicly humiliated. How can You explain that? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, you see, that thing happened. One thing was, our Guru used to tell, “He was so righteous a person, dharmatma. One time he did mistake, we have to forgive.” On the other point of view, it was a wrong thing. You see, when you become intoxicated with an ego, or you forget the dharma, what it is. Telling a truth is the only dharma many people define. That is one part of the life. Suppose a woman is being disrobed and you are there and you have the energy power to protect her. But because you need to tell the truth, you cannot tell a lie, you have adopted that oath and you don't help that woman, it is a wrong thing. That is what Sri Krishna taught - never define the dharma. At some places taking a sword may come. At some places to defend you may have to take a sword. That's why He advised Arjuna, “You have to kill Bhisma also; Bhisma is a dharmatma definitely, but he did the wrong thing. He kept quiet when Draupadi was about to be disrobed. Yudhishtira, he had to undergo such calamities because he did a wrong thing. At least he could have protested. “Even if I have lost my wife, there is no such contract that you can disrobe her, do anything. She can be your dasi. She can serve you, is a different thing. But we cannot allow a woman to be disrobed. If not my wife, let her be any woman now. I have lost her.” At least that much he could have used these brains. That's how to think of the dharma. It's a very tricky situation always. Perhaps Sri Krishna was only one of His kind who taught how to think the dharma in its right sense, where to apply in which way, where to set a priority. That's why never tie the dharma in chains. It can be something else. Even the day you understand by telling a lie you are going to protect a life, never hesitate to tell a lie. You are not doing that lie for your purpose, for your selfishness. That's how we have to understand. These things are historical or mythological, we have to learn lessons. Even it is relevant for today also. If we don't have to criticize those people who behave like that one, we can forget. We don't have to become corrupted. But we have to learn lessons. This is important - whom we should protect in which way. That's my opinion. 

Question:   Pranaams Baba. So, on the topic of thinking of a larger cause, I was reminded of a recent conversation I had with a close family number. And, I was speaking about some of the things as a human race we should be doing now to ensure that a hundred years down the road, those future generations have a comfortable life still here that they can live on earth. And the reply that I was getting from this family member was basically, “Well none of us and none of our children or grandchildren will be here in a hundred years anyway. So, what do you really care?” That's not how I feel, but I was wondering what Babaji would perhaps say to someone to get them to feel differently maybe? 

Babaji Maharaj:   It is wrong to think like that. That is selfishness. Say a hundred years before we were born, if those people also had thought, “Hundred years later we are not going to be there, our children are not going to be there, let us destroy the earth,” we wouldn't have been here. We wouldn't have had a chance to meditate or know about the Divinity, about ultimate truth. So, we have to think of the future people. Hundred years later also those people should be able to peacefully sit and do meditation, should have all facilities that we have, should be able to eat peacefully, earn their livelihood, live peacefully, no wars, no conflict. We must always think to leave a better world for the coming generations that we have to pray for all of them. So, that's why when we planted lychee trees in the Ashram someplace, some people said, "O, You are not going to live in any way to see the plant growing up and having lychees. So why are you planting this one?” To that gentleman I told “Not for my sake I am planting. Twenty years later, fifty years later, if somebody else eats this fruit, he will remember “Whoever has planted, so let their soul have peace.” I will be happy; I will be blessed by the Divine. That's why I am planting. That's what I would like to see. Whatever little bit service I could do, this Ashram I would like to keep it peaceful, secure so that the future generation doesn't have to struggle like we had to struggle for safety, for security, for peace, all these things. That's what we keep struggling. That's what every human being must think. If everybody practices meditation, the mind will become purified, then all of you will be able to think of a larger cause, future generations, we can sacrifice ourselves. This is my opinion. A lovely question.

Question:   Pranaams Babaji. I have a very interesting question, I think. If you've been told for a long time that you don't know anything or you're too small or you're not smart enough, and then you suddenly lose trust in yourself, how do we learn to trust in the things that we know in our heart or the things that we have conviction in, but also open to learning new things because Babaji spoke in the beginning having the capacity to be open to learning, but also knowing that there are things that we know in our heart?

Babaji Maharaj:   See, Swamiji always taught, any such situation arises that you might feel helpless, you are innocent or you don't know what to do, how to learn things, do not be afraid of anything, anything! Even if you have to die if your head is going to be cut. That means you don't have to die. You will gain that confidence; inner strength will come. You will start thinking that “I am going to face till the last breath of life.” At least you will have a satisfaction even if you have to die, “I have tried my best till the last breath of life.” Like if I have to look after this Ashram, till the last breath of life I will try to do it. I will not run away from here, from my Guru. I will look after because I had given promise to my Guru. Promise - He did not take special promise, He did not order. In a simple language He asked me to look after the Ashram; that is His command. Throughout my life we will do. Like that if you think, you will gain the energy; inner strength will come. Always in life this is what we were taught by our elders, by our Gurus, by our Swamiji, “Never be afraid of dying.” Swamiji used to tell “If at all I have to die, I will die. Now, if I die, if I live, it is the same. I am not going to give up. I will face the challenge.” Like that He used to teach. His language was like that. Even if I die, if I don't die, it is all the same thing, no problem for me. Like that if you think you will not die, you don't have to die, you will be able to face the challenge. You will gain that inner strength. Right? Never lose confidence. 

Same Questioner:   So, slowly we will learn to trust things, trust in ourselves, trust in our own confidence, and trust in our own actions?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, exactly. You don't have to bother about success. Success is what confuses always. “What if we do not succeed?” No problem. Failure is no problem. If we fail to look after the Ashram, no problem, I am dying at least with the satisfaction, “As long as I was alive I looked after the Ashram.” This world, anywhere, any field, anywhere also, that is what you have to think. So, then you will have that confidence. No problem if a failure happens. Think like that, then you will gain that trust in yourself. Right? Good. 

Question:   Pranaams Babaji. You had narrated an incident of Jada Bharata, where though He was a sage, He unknowingly developed such an attachment to one of the small baby fawns, so that He had to be reborn as a fawn in His next birth. And for lesser mortals us, it is so hard. Unknown to us how to avoid getting attached to objects and to things around us?

Babaji Maharaj:   Practice. Practice meditation. Dhyana is one such strongest remedy, where your mind will not absorb impressions and the mind is clear. There are no desires. No desires means accept the situation, accept the people of this world as they are; don’t brood. That is what it is. Like that, if you practice, you will do the karma yoga, dhyana yoga, both; your mind will be clear. Do everything as a normal person. Serve anybody you want, help anybody you want, but don't become so much attached that you start worrying, “What happens if I die? What will happen to them? Tomorrow if I die, what will happen to this Ashram?” No problem. If the Divine wants, He can bring sixteen thousand soldiers to look after this Ashram. You are not the only one Shiva Rudra Balayogi to look after this Ashram. You look after as long as you are there. Like that, everybody think - As long as you are there, you live a beautiful life, you help everyone, live a normal life. The day you have to go, simply go, bye, bye.

  Nothing. The world will be looked after by God. We are not the ones who are protecting the world, but we will do service as long as we are alive. This point also we must not forget. But if we die, somebody else will come - just like we came into this world. God will look after finally. Every conflict will be sorted out. At the right time, things will work. You keep watching - we saw the second world war, like that the world also we saw. Everybody will find, we tell every soul will find their own way finally. They will find such people to help them also. Like any one of you, you would have pressed a button, how you will go back to the Self, to the absolute, how will you get liberated. So, you would have imagined some troubles also on the way, in the same way you would have imagined some help also. If nobody helps, for them, the Divine directly helps. That's what you have to have - the firm faith, and then you can definitely get rid of being reborn also. This is possible. 

End of Questions and Answers

Babaji Maharaj now concludes the session.

   So, all my love and blessings to all of you, such a wonderful thing. I'll just have a gallery look, and then we will go for aarathi. I will try to see the gallery. Beautiful questions came up today. Whatever time was possible we could answer. I hope it was beneficial for you all. So wonderful you all took out your precious time and participated in these classes, giving me such encouragement and such meaningful things for all of you. My blessings to all of you. May Swamiji bless on this auspicious Guru Purnima Day. May my Guru Shivabalayogi be with all of you. 

End of Session