The Two Mantras: Adjust and Manage | Thus Spake Babaji - online Q&A, No.153

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The Two Mantras: Adjust and Manage | Thus Spake Babaji - online Q&A, No.153
Recorded on 2nd September 2023 with worldwide participants

0:00 Introduction
0:06 What does it mean to adjust and manage?
5:12 If we find it difficult to accept a situation what do we do?
7:25 If we are getting mentally affected are we punishing ourselves?
10:15 How do we know when to adjust and manage and when to act?
13:52 Should we get into the habit to do one thing at one time and act in the present?
14:43 Babaji on adjusting and managing in Ashram life
17:03 Babaji narrates the lottery ticket incident with Shri Swamiji
22:11 In what way should we pray to god to ask for help?
25:23 If we find ourselves irritated what is a good thing to do in that situation?
26:47 If someone's frustration or anger is projected onto us, how do we respond?
31:10 Is there an element of luck in what we receive in life apart from hard work?
32:25 How to be happy when others are unhappy?
33:40 Is everything the divine?
34:52 When to adjust and when to be firm with others, how do we decide?
36:10 How can I remain detached while doing work sincerely?
37:34 Can we change our prarabdha by doing hard work?

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Transcript

Discourse: Thus Spake Babaji - online Q and A No. 153
 The Two Mantras: Adjust and Manage
You tube Link: https://youtu.be/2LBSWLcTnxw
Recorded: 02 September 2023

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   The first question would be, most of us live with expectations about life, but life doesn't always bring the outcome that we desire and Babaji recommends us to adjust in manage to what happens in life.  Could Babaji explain what this means, please?

Babaji Maharaj:   We always look for happiness and peace and when we are active in this world, well for a while it is natural to have put an effort with expectation. As long as when we are putting efforts, at that time you have some expectation is no problem, but the thing is when the result comes, it is already done.  When it is done, then acceptance has to be there.  Acceptance, two bifurcated terminologies are the adjustment and management. Means when it comes to us, we have to adjust with whatever we have and resources, whatever we have - today we may have ten dollars, tomorrow we may have a hundred dollars and a thousand dollars and again ten dollars; whatever we have, we need to manage with that one, manage our needs and try to utilize as prudentially as possible. So that is management.  When we are able to do like this, we will always be happy, there won't be any brooding in the mind, “O, why I couldn't get the thousand dollars today, why I couldn't get ten thousand dollars today?  I should have been a millionaire, I should have been a billionaire.”  Like that, it's a never-ending process; all that time mind will be brooding and we will not be able to enjoy what we have in the present. The mind will not be in the present, always is brooding about past.  Past means whatever has happened, that is not enough for us, so that's what happens. “O, we should have had more, we should have a bigger garden and bigger land,” all these things, anything.  If we have a bicycle, we need a motorbike, when we have a motorbike, we think of a car, bigger car and as big car as possible; one rich person is driving, “O, that big car, I also need to drive” -  like that one keeps thinking, but nobody seems to be happy.  We have seen people who have billions of rupees and then they tell, “O, where do I have the money, it always gets expended, expenditures keep increasing.  I need more money, I need to collect more money, I need more, more properties.”  They have bungalows in every town and cities, yet they want more. If available, one more they won't mind taking it away legally, illegally, in every way.  So, this is what human beings behave, we see; that's when we lose our peace, that peace is always elusive.  That is when adjustment and management is required.  

For the same thing, Sri Krishna has said in Bhagavad Gita, “Thyargadh Shanthira Nantharam”, means when we sacrifice the mental brooding, then we have peace, not that we have to sacrifice this world or any such thing. Means we have to stop the brooding in our own mind, anxiousness in our mind, “Let it happen, fine.  So, today this is what has happened.  Let us adjust and manage.  This is what we have today.  Let us manage, adjust with this one.  We will adjust, no problem.  We got one bread today; we will adjust with that one.”  So, that attitude helps always.  We need to develop slowly.  When we get, whatever we get, we should feel happy, “O, how gracious the Divine is, and the Divine has given us surplus, so much has been given to us,” we should always see.  When we fail to see, when we go on brooding, we start accusing God, “O, You should have given us more; this is not enough.  Why didn't You give that thing also?  I just needed a little more of that thing.”  But when we look back, whatever has been given to us, to sustain, it is always surplus by the grace of the Divine.  “Thank God, at least we have this much.  We should be grateful.”  It is the old saying like, “We should be grateful that thorns have roses; no need to grumble that roses have thorns.”  This is the world. 

Question:   Thank You Babaji.  Babaji, if we find it difficult to accept a particular situation, say, it is quite a difficult situation, then what should we do Babaji?

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, you can always try, try to achieve physically in this world, that is no problem, whatever capacity you have; raise your capabilities and then try again.  Simply, mentally you don't need to lose peace or happiness.  For that only, mentally is what you have to adjust and manage.  At that time whatever you have, you manage, adjust, but if you think you need more, you try, and when trying you don't have to lose your happiness.  You be happy all the time, you are ready to accept, you are ready to adjust whatever we have but you keep trying, try again.  Like you want Self-realization, you don't have to lose peace.  It will come to you one day; you have to put in effort.  Today you sit for one-hour meditation, you think it hasn't come, tomorrow again you sit, no problem.  Today when you get up have an attitude of ‘no problem,’ that is what is adjustment. Don't go into brooding, “O God, I should have had my Self-realization today.  God did not give me and it did not come to me.  Why is this happening?”  People come and complain, “Something is coming to me, but I don't know what to do.  I am confused.  Should I do like this, should I do like this?”  You do whatever you want to do, you do it, simply don't keep worrying.  So, that is what is important, that is what is adjustment and management. But when you want it, when you think that it is not sufficient or it has not yet come, you need to get, you have a right to get it, then you try.  While trying, have your peace, have your contentment always.

Question:   Thank You Babaji.  Babaji does that mean if we are getting agitated or negative or irritated in the mind, we are punishing ourselves almost?

Babaji Maharaj:   Exactly, one thing is you are punishing yourself and you are a victim and also you are wasting your energy and all the energies and you are losing your peace and you are likely to become more confused and you won't be able to remain focused when you put in efforts.  Halfheartedly you will be trying, “Let me do this, I need this.”  And instead of thinking that “I need to focus and try my best,” we will always try to hold somebody as a scapegoat, “Why is this happening?  This person is the reason, that is why it is not happening.  This world is the reason, that is why it is not happening.”  Nobody is troubling us.  Simply, everybody is behaving according to their temperament, according to their culture, according to their character, whatever it is; and the world is behaving in its own way.  Sun is giving light, Moon is going around, Earth is rotating, Milky Way is there; everything is happening in its own way.  The problem is whether we are happy with that or we are not happy.  We don’t have to be either happy or unhappy.  “Let it be in its place.  Let me keep quiet.  I want Self-realization.  I want happiness.”  That means you become quiet mentally.  Simply, that is all you have to do.  So, you try.  As much as possible, you try; every day you try and it will come.  You don’t have to worry to why it is not coming.  It is not coming because you are unable to become quiet.  You have become habitually agitated all the time, wondering, brooding, analyzing.  So, this is what is happening.  That is the reason that you are not getting proper happiness, the right happiness, Supreme Happiness and the Self-realization.  Your attention is on to your imagination; you are unable to pay attention to what you really are.  It is already there.  So, that is how you have to try.  You do not have to give up anything, but you must try.  You hold yourself responsible, then you will feel more responsible for yourself.  “It is me who has to become quiet.”  Like that in the world, you always keep trying, no problem, but don't have to lose peace or happiness.  

Question:   Thank you, Babaji.  And Babaji how do we know to what extent we should adjust and manage to the situation, or when we need to do something, such as voice our own opinion?  How do we know when to do such things?

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, at that time, whatever we have, that is it.  We cannot have the whole world for ourselves, not possible.  So, if we have that much, then we have happiness, if we manage with that one.  Let us manage with whatever we have got.  There is plenty always; we will see plenty.  That is what our idea has to be.  If we are satisfied, then we can try.  You want to acquire more property, you can acquire.  Try honestly, legally, that way you keep trying.  When you are not getting it, don't have to lose peace.  That is what is the manage.  When you need to eat, say, the time comes, it is time now you need to eat your meal.  At that time, whatever bread you have, eat that one, be at peace. You are eating the bread, you are hungry, but mind is brooding, “O, I should have some more butter and some cheese and some this masala, some that masala” type of thing the mind keeps brooding, and the mind is unable to enjoy that bread that you are eating at that moment, and the mind is losing its peace.  So, that is when you understand, “Let me enjoy this bread for now, and after eating the bread, let me think about having more bread.”  That's no problem.  Like that you can plan always.  So, simply you have to delink these two things.  Don't allow them to get into a clash.  Today, just now it is evening here, other place of the world it might be morning. So we need to manage with that one.  We cannot brood.  The morning will come; the evening will come for the morning people; for the evening people morning will also come.  So, like that we need to satisfy ourselves, and then we focus on this.  Let us focus just now.  We are doing the question and answers.  Let me focus on what you are going to ask, and let me focus on what I have to tell, and you all, the rest of you all simply focus on what you have to hear.  The question you have to hear carefully, and the answer when I'm answering, you have to hear carefully that answer.  Some other thing that has to happen that can happen after this session; aarathi is over, then you can attend to your work.  While you are attending to this question and answer, don't think about breakfast or dinner.  Once this question and answer is over, at that time you plan and think and have your breakfast or dinner, no problem.  So, that is how the management and adjustment has to happen - the moment of adjusting and the moment of managing.  There is no such thing that you don't have to put an effort; simply sit in a corner, and adjust whatever comes.  That is a very difficult thing for everybody.  That is not the thing.  You try, but while having it, adjust at that moment.  

Question:   So, we should take each moment as it comes then, Babaji, to get in the habit of doing one thing at one time?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, do not plan too much and go into a worrying all the time, “O what will happen now?  Will I be able to get; will I be able to do this thing; will I be able go there; and should I do be doing this one?”  No need, at that moment, whatever needs to be done, do that one, the rest of you all, your job is just to listen to me, you don't have to answer any question.  When it is your choice, you just have to ask a question and answering is my job, so I have to do that one.  That's it.  So, all of us will have to do our jobs at the moment, that's it! 

Question:   Thank You Babaji.  Could Babaji talk a little bit about the life in the Ashram about having to adjust and manage in ashram life, because it's different to normal life.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Probably, I think by nature I had been a little more flexible than an ordinary person.  Like fifty years ago I came, the moment I came there was no brooding.  Simply, like I used to feel hungry, whatever was given, I was happy and that used to be so tasty and nice, because the idea in the mind was, “This is the blessed food of my Guru, my Guru’s Ashram. “Ah, wonderful, I have got the life that I have wanted.  I wanted to be in the Ashram and I am here in the Ashram.”  Like I started enjoying the present moment unknown to me.  So, thus, everything became simply enjoyable.  And whatever vegetable, whatever things was cooked at that time, whoever was here, so that was fine, because I used to feel hungry and just used to eat it and never had a brooding, “O my mother used to cook this thing; I used to get this thing at home.”  There was no such thing.  I never had that.  I instantly adjusted very quickly, simply.  So, then whatever came, I went on adjusting, then everywhere, in every part of the life, whatever work I had to do I went on doing the work; that was enjoyable for me, because “O this is my Guru's abode, this is the Ashram.”  The thought of a palatial building or a bungalow or a home, that was never there, because the idea of coming here, because this was my Guru's Ashram and my Guru sent me here, I came to the ashram, I am in the Ashram.  That was the idea.  That was how mind was always happy.  Whatever came, whatever work needed to be done, whatever - easily adjusted, went on living happily at peace. 

Question:   Thank You Babaji.  There's a question that just came in the chat from Suchetana.  She asked, “Kindly ask about the lottery ticket incident with Sri Guru Maharaj.”  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, you see, I do understand in my life I have told, when several other people came to stay here, whom I had to look after, well there were difficult times there.  So, always what happens, if it is just me or this physical body, it's very easy to adjust; it's no problem at all, but when we have to look after some more people, sometimes the trouble comes.  But however, quickly I used to recover, means when it did not happen, I used to be happy, adjust, “It's okay, the things are going on; it will move on like this.”  Like when it became very difficult to manage this Ashram financially, there were not many members who were helping and who were donating.  Everybody, when they come to Ashram, they don't think that “We need to donate something.  How the Ashram will be running?”  They don't just bother, but they come and go.  This happens, fifty years we have seen.  So, then what happened one time, I just thought, let me buy a lottery ticket, if a couple of hundred thousand rupees come; at that time, forty years ago it was a very big amount; we can put into bank’s fixed deposit.  From the interest, peacefully we can run this Ashram I thought.  We don't have to keep asking or writing to people to donate, or to send their monthly contribution, something, all the time; we don't have to bother people also I thought.  But lottery did not come, four, five months, whatever money little bit, one-one rupee that was there with me, I bought lottery ticket, but lottery did not come.  But this lottery not coming did not make me unhappy or more worried.  Simply the time passed by, four, five months, and then Swamiji came.  It was in summer months, April or so, we were doing oil massage to Him, then I felt like smiling.   Smilingly, I tried to tell Swamiji, “Swamiji there was trouble with the money.  I just thought of buying lottery ticket.  I went on buying.”  As a joke, I told Him, “I went on buying lottery ticket, but luckily, I think the lottery did not come.  Maybe that's Your blessing.”  Then Swamiji hit on my head. “You idiot…” and forty minutes He went on scolding me, scolding me, “You are going after money.  You are forgetting you are a monk; you are a sanyasin.”  Like this, went on scolding, “The money will come on its own; you don't have to go after that one.  Whatever comes, you should just be happy.  Your mind must not go on the money all the time.”  Like that He advised.  “You see, don't forget that you are a monk.  You don't go on worrying for this thing.  Just be.  Whatever comes, eat and be happy.  What is wrong?  There is no dearth of food for you all.  You can eat, stomach full of food, isn't it?”  “Yes Swamiji, we can eat, stomach full of food, no problem.  We will do that one.”  Whatever it is, I don't mind, just if it is rice, we can have a lemon, squash it, then put some salt and then eat it; that's no problem. 

Like that, it was always happy.  Happiness was there, amazing happiness.  Everything was Guru's prasad.  Like that He taught. Again, He also taught, maybe it would have deviated a little more probably, so then He corrected it and put me on the track.  That's how the Guru works and it was His grace wonderfully.  So, we never felt bad, money never came, the lottery never came, but I never bothered about that lottery also.  I never thought or imagined and I forgot in the mind totally, and went on doing other things.  Whatever some donations came and somebody used to give, something would come and the things went on; the vehicle was moving.  There was no such trouble that we didn't have anything to eat.  Something or else it kept happened.  So, simply I used to be happy.  My nature was that.  If there was no milk, simply a black tea I used to have and then never bothered.  Others used to be brooding, “O, why the milk hasn't come today?”  “Don't know the milk hasn't come.  I don't know why it hasn't come.  I am peaceful.”  “So you're not trying to get the milk?”   “From where will I get?  I don't have extra money to bring the milk.  The regular daily milk has to come, then only we can pay at the end of the month, but now I cannot go and buy extra milk and I don't have money.”  So, like that I used to just be happy.  But for me mentally I was happy.  Remembering today also, it's amazing.  So much of happiness was there in my youth also.  There was no brooding.  

Question:   Wow, thank You Babaji.  We hope, we may be able to achieve that as well one day.  Babaji, when we pray to God and ask for help, in what way should we pray? 

Babaji Maharaj:   If we have anything that needs to happen for a larger cause, like this Ashram safety or any such thing, we keep praying; that is no problem.  But just because we are praying, we don't go into a brooding or we don't go into any annoyance with God, with my Guru; “Why this is not happening?” Year, two years, five years, ten years we keep praying.  Simply, that's what I adopted, “Whenever You want to give, You give, but I am not going to give up praying to You.  That is in my hand, I can pray.  Let me pray.  You give or You don't give, that's no problem, no accusations.  I won’t blame You.  Maybe this is the prarabhda that it has not come.  It's okay, no problem, but let me pray.  At least simply I am praying, that's all.  I am not accusing You God.”  I talk to Him, I tell Him. “No blame on You my Lord.  It's no problem You are not giving or You will give some other time or You don't give at all, that is no problem.  Now let the prarabhda happen.  Let me just pray a little bit.  I will feel happy that I am talking to You at least.”  So, like that I keep praying.  I have a funny habit like this, but then no unhappiness, no blaming of anybody, no worry.  I keep smiling.  It's like a joke for me.  I keep smiling at God and then I ask, “Again one more time “I have come to ask You this thing.  Let it happen, let this Ashram be safe for people to come and sit here, do sadhana.  Let me be able to conduct the Mission work properly.  Nobody should trouble me, unnecessarily “I need to do this thing, I need to do that thing” must not happen.  I'm happy doing Your service. To do Zoom I am happy; if I have to travel and give darshan, conduct meditation I am happy, but not other things.  I cannot go on this problem, that problem.  I cannot do these things, but I can do this thing, so let me pray.  One more time, I am praying.  It is up to You to give.  It is up to me to pray.  Let me pray at least.  Allow me to pray to You.”  Like that I enjoy always.  I am always happy.  That's probably by nature this flexible nature has come.  Humorously I tend to take on my life.  When I look at it - now it is seventy years, “O, so happy, seventy years have gone simply like that, just another some time is nothing to worry.  It will be over.  Don't worry.”  I console myself “Everything will be alright and you will just rest with God.  You are not born, you are not going to die at all, nothing.”  So, like this you keep thinking, positively, if at all you have to think.  Or you just keep quiet. 

Question:   So, for a normal person, if we find ourselves a bit irritated or some agitation in the mind, what is a good tool to use? Maybe we tell ourselves not to react or what would be a good thing to do?

Babaji Maharaj:   Try to be humorous to yourself.  Talk to God within you.  Assure yourself everything will be alright, “Hey don't worry.  Why are you so much worried?”  You scold yourself, pull yourself up, “There is no need to worry.  After all this world is not going to fall out.  You are stable, you are standing on the earth, you are getting some food, you are able to eat it.  Don't worry.  When it has to happen, it will happen.”  You keep trying.  Don't worry, you try.  So like that, positively you think, you assure yourself and practice meditation.  Try to sing the glory of the Divine by singing and listen to devotional songs, do any name of God, remember any mantra.  Like this, keep yourself busy mentally all the day, throughout the day, anything.  Don't keep wondering, “Should I do this or should I do that one?” Whatever comes just do it.  You can call God in any name.  He doesn't mind.  He is always happy.

Question:    Thank You Babaji.  If someone's frustration and anger is projected on to us and we are the scapegoat, how do we respond?  

Babaji Maharaj:   So, that also, adjust.  Somebody is trying to blame you because they are unable to take it, they are very weak, they are not mentally strong.  There are many people we do come across. Quickly, they put their blame on you and they don't want to be blamed, ever; they are the right people.  We have seen every day we get to see this thing, twenty-four hours.  It's such a beautiful training, it's such a commando training in a college of combat.  Life is like that one.  And you need to be busy with your own work; you cannot afford to give up your work.  Your work is, if you have time, do your sadhana, meditation, keep yourself busy, don't listen to them, then they will go away.  That's it, and then you keep remembering God's name.  Keep yourself so busy.  Keep working something that is useful.  You cannot afford to feel sorry or remember that person who is trying to blame you; ignore.  Like that, mentally when you practice ignoring, you will see after some time, five, six months later, one year later when you would have practiced, your mind doesn't bother at all.  It will be humming in its own way, it will be smiling.  This is an amazing practice, but it requires practice, some practice.  Daily you practice, for little-little thing you practice, then for bigger things also you will become used to.  So, this is very important for you, right? So, like that you have to practice, but it doesn't come easily.  It could be very irritating when somebody blames you unnecessarily, but if you can take. If necessary do a little bit hissing noise, then keep them away and become busy with your work.  There is no time.  You have to meditate, you have to remember God's name, you have to do your singing, you have to do your chanting; all so much of work is there to do.  So, how can we get engaged into these type of fights and blaming games?  There is no time.  People go out and blame us, but I don't have time actually to attend to those things, because we are so busy.  See every day I have to work so much.  I have to attend to emails, thirty, thirty-five emails early morning, then I have to attend to our office work in the Ashram; I have to attend to devotees; I have to attend to WhatsApp messages; I have to listen to them, bless them, pray for them.  The whole day simply passes by.  In between I need to take some food for this body also, a little bit rest, and by evening people come.  They talk to us or some Zoom class is there.  And it's so beautiful.  We spent one hour so busy meditating and almost another forty-five minutes now question answers.  Where is the time to look into these things?  So, keep yourself busy positively always.  God is the only, the Guru is the only worthy thing to keep yourself engaged.  That is the worthy engagement for you, nothing else.  Everything else is impermanent in this world.  Everything will simply go away.  It comes and it goes.  Unhappiness comes and unhappiness goes; happiness comes and happiness goes.  This world is like that.  So, like that if you practice - every day you have to practice as a way of life.  Every day should be a workshop for you.  Opportunity is given in life.  Whatever negativity happens, when somebody blames, that is an opportunity for you to practice, a practice session.  Just, like you practice playing tennis, like that you play this thing, and you will always be happy, you will see.  

Facilitator:   Thank You Babaji.  

Question:   Namaskaar Babaji.  You have always said that we have the right to work hard if you want to achieve something. Do You think there is any element of luck in what we achieve in life, for example, apart from hard work?  Is there any element of luck at all?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Your job is to work.  If it happens, happens.  If it doesn't happen, don't lose hope.  You can try again always.  Acceptance is important.  That is what is Krishna's teaching of ‘Karmanye Vaadikaraste’ - means you have a right to put in effort, but when the result comes, nobody knows what the result is going to be, you have to accept it.  Sometimes it may be according to your expectations, sometimes it may not happen according to your expectation.  Sometimes people call it luck favoring, sometimes people call it God's grace, is the Divine wishes, but you have to accept it - only then you will have peace.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You, thank You.  

Question:   Hi Babaji.  I've been wrestling… it's funny we were talking about happiness.  I've been wrestling with that all week.  I go into meditation and everything's basically okay, and I come out into the world and nothing's okay from my point of view, and so I really don't understand happiness, I mean, I don't really want to be happy, because there are so many unhappy people, and it makes me unhappy to see them unhappy, especially the animals.

Babaji Maharaj:   Listen, just to become unhappy, you cannot make everybody happy.  Understand this, first thing.  You can be happy only if your mind is with God.  You become quiet, you remember your Divinity, then you will be happy.  Maybe then you will be able to help somebody else to become happy like that.  So, if you simply become unhappy, you cannot help anybody.  Everybody will be unhappy in their own way.  If they are not satisfied, they will be unhappy.  Slowly they will also learn.  You can teach them, you can counsel them, you can help them, but first thing, you achieve your happiness, is important.  

Question:   Pranaams Babaji, thank You for the meditation and satsang.  I wanted to say that everything You said that, whatever expression is the Divine, there is nothing but the Divine, right? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, that's the truth.  If only one can feel it all the time, in everything, as everything, if you can feel, it's all Divinity.  

Same Questioner:   Yeah, but even whatever I feel is the Divine, everything is that.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, exactly.  It is up to you, what you want to feel.  If you are happy with whatever you feel, you can feel anything.  

Same Questioner:   Yeah, so everything is complete as it is?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Finally.  Absolute.

Same Questioner:   Thank You.  

Question:   When to adjust and when to be firm with others?  How do we decide? 

Babaji Maharaj:   When you are putting in effort, you be firm, you remain focused.  Simply, when the result for that effort comes, you have to adjust.  There is a thin edge of difference, so you have to understand this.  Always never give up your efforts.  You put in efforts.  Whatever you want to achieve, do your karma; that is important.  When the result comes, at that time you adjust.  Don't feel disappointed, don't lose hope.  That is why destiny is taught - you are destined, so that you don't lose hope.  That is the important thing.  And remember your Guru and keep going again, try, keep trying again.  I told you, ten years, we keep praying, no problem; it has not happened, no problem.  Again, once again, you pray, no problem, you pray, no problem.  Always have the attitude of ‘no problem.’  That is important.  Somewhere, something will positively definitely happen.  

Question:   So, the question is, how can I remain detached while doing work sincerely?  We generally are working for success in activity.  

Babaji Maharaj:   You work for success, but when it happens, if it is not a success, not to lose hope is important.  As long as your mind is intact, never losing hope, keeping that enthusiasm, so that is what remaining detached means.  Remain detached for the result.  That is what the idea is.  Never give up.  “Okay, it has not happened now.  Let me try again.  One more time I will try.”  We were taught since childhood, till the last breath of life you try, because when you die, at least you will have a satisfaction that you tried your best. To the best of your ability, you tried.  Whether it happens or not is the different thing.  In any games also, the motto they tell, in Olympics also, participating itself is a great thing, whether you win a medal or not is no problem; that comes afterwards.  If you don't get a medal, no problem.  You have participated with enthusiasm.  You tried your very best.  That is important in life always.  

Question:   Can we change our prarabhda by doing hard work? 

Babaji Maharaj:   You can change.  So, what is prarabhda?  Until it doesn't happen, you don't know what is going to happen.  You have to work.  If a certain thing that happens is not according to your liking, you call it your prarabhda. If it happens according to your liking, you call it your luck and God's grace.  Simply, terminology changes.  It is all the same thing.  So, you put in effort.  When you put in effort, don't bother about prarabhda.  Think that you can change the prarabhda.  Have a positive thinking in your mind and put an effort.  Definitely, ultimately you will go back to the Divinity.  That nobody can change.  That prarabhda is guaranteed; you are one with the Divine.  So, that will happen to you one day.  Be guaranteed for this and always work with positivity.  Don't bother about prarabhda.  It will happen on its own way.  You just keep on working.  That is my opinion and advice. 

End of Questions and Answers

Babaji Maharaj now concludes the session.

   May you all be blessed.  So, we had some very wonderful questions, giving me an opportunity to share my experiences and opinion.  May Shivabalayogi, Swamiji bless you all for love, honor and luck for everything.

End of Session