In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Shri Babaji
In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Shri Babaji
Human birth - the rarest of rare gems | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.198
Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang
Human birth - the rarest of rare gems | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.198
Recorded on 26 October 2024 with worldwide participants.
0:00 Intro
0:15 What is special about being born as a human being?
5:48 Through our thinking capability, humans can elevate themselves or go away from the Self.
8:08 What is our duty as a human being?
14:56 "If humans are wise, why are we so stupid?"
27:55 Consciousness and the brain.
37:52 Why are some attracted to spirituality and some are not?
44:11 What will happen if I am unable to achieve enlightenment in my current life?
47:26 If the 'I' is never born what gets born and reborn?
48:50 How a Self Realised master can affect the minds of others
50:34 How to protect the purity of Ashram and Babaji and His teachings.
55:16 Can we take harsh measures to prevent people from disturbing the peace?
57:10 Is the subconscious mind the same as the brain?
57:26 What does it mean to invoke the spirit?
58:06 What are the ways to purify the mind other than meditation?
1:00:50 A jerk in the body is felt when Babaji chants at the end of meditation.
1:02:33 How to prevent the mind from going away from the Divine.
1:03:23 If consciousness is already within ourselves, why do we have to be born and reborn?
1:08:50 How to deal with people with rigid views without losing our peace.
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Website: http://www.srby.org
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
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Discourse: In Quest of Truth – online Q&A no.198
Human Birth – The Rarest of Rare Gems
You tube Link: https://youtu.be/U9VKMD9PCZ4
Recorded: October 2024
Start of Questions and Answers
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Question: Babaji, today's theme is a human birth, the rarest of rare gem. So, Babaji, to start with, what is special about being born as a human being as opposed to an animal in the animal kingdom?
Babaji Maharaj: One of the basic things is a human body has a beautiful, well-developed brain. So, the first thing, you are able to discriminate right and wrong, real and unreal; as we keep talking, of permanent and impermanence. Like for the universe, I always tell the universe is impermanent. So, it is alerted that you cannot obtain permanent happiness in this universe. For that, you go for the permanent existence that is the Self; the knowledge awareness of the Self is necessary. So, like that, this human life you can tell is the rarest of rare gem. An opportunity, once in a life cycle opportunity, because once this body is gone, one might lose control to decide what to do.
When you are alive in the body, you have an opportunity to practice, to decide whether you want to completely liberate yourself from being born, or at least, you can have a better, very good quality birth by remaining non-violent in the mind; that is the other criterion. So, you can have a better birth always, more spiritually inclined, more peaceful, more non-violent, more peace-loving, all these types of things come. And you see, like Swamiji used to tell, “You might be able to choose a wife or a husband, but how will you choose the parents? You are already born.” That you have to choose in the previous life itself, depending on your karma, your attitude, mental attitude. What it absorbs as the acquired habits of the mind, then it finds such parents. Being born to such parents. Apart from that, one would carry the basic nature also.
So, so many things are there. We can discuss further later as the question comes, but this is one of the basic things we need to understand, that's why it is human life. All other creatures are just bothered about food. Generation after generation they learn how to find their food, hunt their food, whatever it is. And once the stomach is full, then they won't bother for anything until they feel hungry again, then they hunt for food. But humans are not like that. Even if the stomach is full, their mind keeps working. It will be missing something; it wants something else. It has its own issues and so many wishes. So, like this it goes on and on. So, this mind is there, and this mind is active because of the brain only. So, if we can control the mind and take the brain under our command, then we can use the brains in a better way. To discriminate the real and unreal. So, like this is the reason that the human life…
You see, human life always has an edge over all other creatures - such a big elephant, the small bullet, humans have discovered and invented that they can kill. But physically we cannot stand in front of elephant. If it tramples us, we are dead, gone, it can just take us and throw us away. But when we have that rifle, the bandook with us, we can shoot. So, this all has been possible because of brain's application, mind’s thinking that we have enhanced our defense capabilities. Like this, everywhere, we have an edge over all other creatures because of the mind and brain’s application. Physically, we may not be equal to many of the animals also. Even a dog can attack and bite us and throw us away. But if we have the brain, we can take care of so many things. So, like that. That is why we always tell, Swamiji used to tell, “Human birth is rarest of rare gems. Don't let this go waste. Utilize it. It's a once in a life cycle opportunity for you to know yourself better, to realize yourself as the eternal entity, immortal soul.”
Question: Thank You, Babaji. So, Babaji, humans have this ability to think with this intelligent brain. But it's also this thinking that has got us involved in the world and away from the Self. But also, through this thinking, we can go back to the Self. Can Babaji talk about this? Because Babaji has talked about how human beings are sort of in the middle: we can elevate, we can also go down.
Babaji Maharaj: It's just like the snake and ladder game. You can elevate yourself in this ladder and go up by properly trying to apply your wisdom and discriminate. Like, I used to think as a young boy, “If happiness is there, it should be there at all times, twelve months, twenty-four hours. Why is there fluctuation? Sometimes unknown fear about future. What will happen tomorrow? Sometimes there is excitement. Why is this? Is there something wrong in me or something wrong in the world?” The ancient sages also of the Vedas who gave us Upanishads and Vedas, they also sat and pondered. “What is the Self? Who am I? Am I born with this body? Am I going to become extinct when the body dies? Or am I going to exist in some other form? What is the secret at all?” As Nachiketa also asks in Katopanishad, “Some people say we as the soul go into next birth according to our karmas, or anywhere, they say different lokas, and some say nobody really knows. But nobody has come back to tell what exactly happened to them, whether they remember us at all; our loved ones when they have departed, whether they remember us at all also we don't know. So, O Lord Yama, what is the truth then? Please, give me that knowledge here and now.” So, that's how Sri Yama Dharmaraja’s teachings became the Katopanishad.
Question: Thank You, Babaji. Babaji, You've talked before about the duties of a human being. We've been born as a human. Now, what is our duty as a human being?
Babaji Maharaj: We need to be more responsible. We need to know ourselves better and remain a matured personality so that we always are able to think of the welfare of a larger cause. That is why the loka samastha sukhino bhavantu prayers have been taught since ancient times. Means, we don't know how many lokas. Every now and then we get to hear that a new galaxy has been discovered, this has been done, exoplanet has come into existence. Like that, we don't know. We don't know exactly also, conclusively, what all creatures are there in the creation, how much is there, but this much we would like to pray: “May all beings in all the worlds be happy.” So, this is the responsibility.
As humans, we should have had been more responsible towards fellow creatures in this world. Instead, we have become more selfish. Overnight, we don't mind destroying all others, any animals, their habitats. That's why humans and animal conflicts are increasing. We get to hear the news every other day, a leopard entering the drawing room of a person, leopard eating away, mauling the child and an old man; these types of things are happening. That's because their habitat has been destroyed. No more trees are there. We get to see monkeys, army of monkeys looking for their food. They become aggressive, they attack also because all trees have been cut. First thing we do is cut the trees and then try to build up the buildings. That concept is gone because we want money. Trees cannot give that much of money which the buildings can give. Apartments will come. They cut all the trees and build apartments. Like this, we have become selfish. When we are selfish, often we are irresponsible in behavior.
Why wars are fought? If two countries are fighting a war, you ask people of both countries. Both countries’ people would always like to live peacefully. Nobody wants war. But a handful of people who want power in their hands, who want to control everything, they make all others fight with each other. And the news comes. One country is in war with another country. It is the soldiers who are fighting there to get killed, to kill. Commanders are commanding them. Above their commanding, there are ruling people who want this war to go on and on. So, like this, irresponsibility of humans, we go into conflict. We don't bother. If innocent people are getting killed, we don't bother. We should have been more responsible.
See, in olden days like the times of Mahabharata, even if they had to fight a war, they charted some rules and regulations. Away from the civilian towns and population they used to choose, it's like a playfield. There the war will happen. And they used to choose rules. You will fight with an equivalent soldier of your valor and your calibre only. If you are on a chariot, you will fight another person on a chariot who has the same power. Then invite him and then fight the war. That will be very funny and laughable for the present generation when we read also, right? In Mahabharata we read, as long as Bishma was there, this rule was followed. Morning after breakfast, they all used to come and start fighting. And in the evening, the conch would be blown before sunset and the war had to be stopped. Everybody goes to their tents, their camps, and take rest and whatever needs to be attended, first aid and other things - If we need to attend to the dead bodies of our beloved ones, they could go. So, each could sit and talk also. Everything was there. It's unbelievable, such a thing, where the humans have deteriorated, have gone in today’s world. So that deterioration is the irresponsibility.
If only we had been more responsible, if only everybody can meditate and purify their minds, they regain the consciousness effects, then we will be able to consider each other, love and honor each other. This is what we have been telling ever since we completed our tapas. What is there for us to give and take? Love and honor. If only we can love and honor all, everybody in the world, then everybody can live peacefully, happily. I have told, scientists telling “This earth has had and will always have enough resources to meet the need of humanity, but not its greed.” One person wants to become a billionaire, then he keeps raising, raising, oil prices raising, traffic prices raising, this commodity raises, price goes, price goes. That commodity is the same. Fifty years ago, the wheat or the rice or vegetables, whatever we ate, it is the same today also. But see the price, what it used to be fifty years ago. Now, somewhere somebody became greedy, they wanted the price to be raised. So, it went on and on. The value, dollar’s value, rupee’s value, it all went haywire like this. So, finally, if we look back, we have to understand it is human irresponsibility, selfishness and narrow-mindedness which has resulted in such a chaotic condition on this earth, where we all could have lived peacefully.
Question: Thank You, Babaji. Babaji, I think I heard a thinker saying the other day, “If humans are so wise, why are we so stupid?” We've progressed to be born as a human being, in this rare and precious birth of a human. So why are there still, for many, evil thoughts?
Babaji Maharaj: Yeah, when we are selfish, we behave in a stupid way. The person who became selfish and wanted to usurp the piece of land which his Guru had permitted him to sit and do meditation. Instead he thought of usurping that piece of land. So, he did stupid things, and conflicts happened in a monastery, in the Ashram, which is supposed to have peace and tranquility. People come here for peace and tranquility, they should be able to sit down and meditate. Meditation, that is the advocation that we have to give them. We don't teach that you have to fight wars, you have to clash with each other, you have to usurp somebody's land. We teach peace, honor and love each other. Live and let live, you meditate.
So, this is possible, only if everybody meditates. There are ten people who are corrupted. Amongst them, only one meditates and becomes purified, the other nine will not allow that one person to live peacefully. Either they will kill him, or they will make him one amongst them, corrupted. So, this is the world's history we have always seen, the world's story script. That's what happens, whether it's in an office, in anywhere, any field you go. If ten people are corrupted, you have to become one with them, adjust, then only you can live. In today's world, if one tries to be totally honest, they tell, “O, he doesn't know how to live.” They consider this honest man as stupid, but they are much more stupid. They are not using their wisdom, applying proper brains, because finally when death happens to the physical body, what is it that will go with us? Are we going to carry this planet earth with us, packing it in a box? Are we going to take anything that belongs to us in this world? This body itself is not going to go with us. This is what Adi Shankara singing to the scholar, “Bhaja Govindam, bhaja Govindam, Govindam bhaja moodamathe; samprapthay sanihita kale, nahi, nahi, rakshati dukrinkarne.” “You are trying to become a scholar, a wise person by memorizing the grammar word. You think you can become a scholar and earn well. Sing the glory of God, remember the Divinity in your mind, because when death happens to your physical body, nothing can come to your rescue.” No power, no wealth; death will not ask “Are you a king, are you a royal person, are you a president? O, then, okay, I will wait for another two months.” It won't say like that, “It's time. Let's go Shaolin, enough is enough. Let's go home.” That's what. Whoever it is, whether it is the poor person or a rich one, you have to leave the body, that's finished.
This is the truth, but Yudhisthira tells in the yaksha’s questions - in Mahabharata comes the story. One by one, his brothers go and try to fetch the water from the lake, but there is a yaksha who appears there. He tells that “I will ask questions. If you answer me only, then you can take the water.” They refuse and they are in a rush to take the water, they all fall dead. Finally, Yudhisthira comes. He was a righteous person, very righteous. So, he accepts, “Okay, you ask questions.” So, amongst many other things, one of the things, “Which is the greatest wonder?” Yudhisthira tells, “Everybody knows that they have to die, yet they behave and believe that they are not going to die. This is the most wondrous, the most astonishing, surprising thing.” He tells, “This is the thing.”
So, that is how people either become wise or stupid. Those people who are wise, they became Self-realized. Our Shivabalayogi, Swamiji was blessed to be initiated into tapas by Lord Shiva who came as a Jangama Sage, and then afterwards, Swamiji used His wisdom; “If it is twelve years that I have to sit, only death can stop my efforts.” He had that inborn quality, “Do or die, must not be given up”. That's what He used to teach us also. Never look back. If you are meditating, one hour you have to sit in meditation, don't give up. In that one hour sit down, try to keep quiet, even if it is a struggle, try to keep quiet mentally, try to just watch. Keep trying all the time. The mind runs like a monkey, and you try to watch, then you will become quiet mentally. One day you will succeed; in due course of time it will be possible. “Don't give up, don't give up”, Swamiji used to tell always. That is the effort, self-efforts, and not to look back is very important always. So, then we can achieve.
So, if we all want peace: this is also what I have told, “People of this world, they give big lectures about peace, but nobody wants to work for peace, and that is why we don't have peace.” Simply talking for peace will not change the world, we have to work for it. If we are ten people here, all the ten of us, hundred and forty of us will have to purify our minds, but when we go back to our kitchens, when we behave, we behave selfishly. To my child, I would like to give all the best vegetables, everything. If it is another person I don't want to give it, I will become partial. I will give only a little bit. Again, we become selfish there. We lose that purity of mind; all are our children. If this person has to eat, let him also eat, let us feed equally both. Mother doesn't think. Mother thinks only of a child born out of her womb as first priority and is unable to think about another person in the same place. Means an example, I am only talking for educational purposes; I'm not directing this against any particular person or group of people. Examples, we have watched after my tapas also, what we have watched. Surprising - what happens to these human beings? This simple truth they are unable to understand. Thus, we are irresponsible.
A person who behaves like that is irresponsible. A Guru's property and the person wanted his nephew to usurp that land and build it for himself, whatever he wants. That is because of selfishness that stupid action happened. We are here just to take care of the Guru's monastery. Any day that we have to go, if somebody else comes to look after, if our age grows old and we are unable to work anymore, we just give up and go. We are not going to usurp this land. We cannot claim this Ashram belongs to me. I'm here only as a caretaker. Somebody else will come tomorrow. So, this responsibility is what is important. It comes when we properly meditate, really understand the right technique. Otherwise, one must remember, even forty, fifty years, if you meditate also, the mind will not become purified, it will remain selfish. If this is meditated properly, just watch and the mind gives up all thoughts and all subconscious state, acquired habits, thoughts and visions, all gets dissolved. They come up, good and bad comes. That is what is the amruta mantan. In the Puranas, in the ksheera sagara [Ocean of milk], the angels and demons were there, both were trying to obtain the nectar. The Divine was helping. I don't go into Puranas stories for long, I just want to tell the concept. But when they started churning, all things came; good also came, bad also came, poisonous things also came, which the divine Lord Shiva took. The concept means we have to pray that all the poison that is in our mind be taken away by our Lord, “My Lord, purify our mind and make it pure consciousness eligible to merge with You. Give that nectar of purification.” Not that this body has to be immortal all the time. That is not the thing. The immortality is already there, but our consciousness has to become purified so that we are able to see universally.
All of us need to live happily. That's why they taught loka samasth sukino bhavantu. In one home, if one person becomes unhappy in the family, it affects others also. Yet people don't want to realize. The child is getting affected; it's a small baby, but the husband and wife have to fight because they have their egos; they behave stupidly, accusing each other. The child gets neglected, and the child's psychology is affected. Child also becomes violent, or it can become depressed, it can lose its psychological strength, anything can happen to the child. This is all because of irresponsible behavior, but if we understand the right technique, then “This is how we have to meditate, we remain quiet”. The mind has to understand, “It is me who has to become quiet.” Becoming quiet and becoming purified, both are equally same. When such a purified mind thinks, then it thinks of a larger cause, it understands “O, God…”
This concept is given with Vashista and Vishwamitra also. Vashista was known as the Brahma Rishi; Brahma Rishi means one with the Divine. But Vishwamitra also did tapas. He was known as a Raja Rishi; He still had that stubbornness and that ego was there. So, He comes to take the Kamadhenu [the cow of plenty] with Vashista, then He brings all his army, everybody. But Kamadhenu was the wishes-fulfilling animal, so it gave out all the armies which defeated Vishwamitra’s armies. Then finally, Vishwamitra tries to go and kill Brahma Rishi Vashista Himself, but then suddenly He realizes - because the angels had given a condition, if Vashista accepts you as a Brahma Rishi, then you can become a Brahma Rishi. Then He realizes, “O God, if I kill Vashista, then who will call me as a Brahma Rishi?” Means, we have to understand just the concept. The very thing which is sustaining us, this earth, if we are going to destroy this earth, who will sustain us? This is what we have to realize - humanity. So, it's on and on. It can go on and on about responsibility and irresponsibility if we keep talking.
Question: Thank You, Babaji. Babaji, to ask about consciousness and the brain, Babaji has explained how consciousness is all pervaded like the space, but we think and feel that we are this human body and this brain. But this consciousness is actually not attached to the brain exactly. It's communicating, it has a relationship with the brain, but are we right in saying that it cannot actually touch matter itself?
Babaji Maharaj: Yes, but just now, in consciousness only it is stuck with the brain's reflections. Like brain is the biological organ, consciousness is you yourself, your conscious energy; peculiar relationship is there. In my observation in tapas, along with the blood and oxygen that needs to be supplied to keep the brain alive, it is the mind which needs to be applied on the brain to keep it active. So, this is what happened, and vice versa also. When the brain goes to sleep, the mind gets detached temporarily, but it has not become purified. Sometimes it dreams, because minimum activation of the brain will be there, so thus the dream sequences happen. Catching them, the mind thinks that it is a reality. So, now the brain has helped us to be in touch with this universe; through the nervous system and sensory organs it receives messages and it passes on, then the process has to happen, it has to register in the brain, then the brain reflects as a vision or a thought process. This is caught by the mind and registers in itself as a reality.
So, that is why I have told, brain can be a very good servant, but a bad master. In good faith, whatever brain reflects, if mind simply accepts, a friend might appear as a foe, a foe might appear as a friend, because it is like a computer, brain. It simply reflects whatever comes, but it cannot think like human consciousness, whether “This is my friend, this is a good man, this is not a good man.” It cannot think; it is the mind using the brain that has to think. That is why we tell, discrimination as we were talking in the beginning; it is the mind by applying the brain - that is the wisdom - has to think what is good for me, what is the real, what is the unreal, what is permanent, what is impermanent. So, we have just tried to tell this universe is impermanent, it is not going to be there all the time and in the same shape, shape keeps changing. This body is there today, tomorrow it may become simply a handful of ashes and some bones. Everything will go in its own way. So this is the truth, but if the mind becomes a servant to the brain's reflections, then mind will become stupid, act stupidly, whatever brain.
Instead, if we have control over ourselves, we can use proper wisdom. Say, somebody comes and tells me, “O, this person is very bad”, and I know that person for more than twenty years, why will I take at face value this person trying to brainwash me? But I have seen an elderly person, well-educated person taking things at face value and getting brainwashed quickly. I used to think, “My God, this person knew me for more than ten to fifteen years, he couldn't think what I can do and what I couldn't do. My nature, he could not understand, but he simply believed somebody telling something.” Somebody tells some story, and they start believing; this entire world, it happens like that, in a home, in the society, in the world this is happening.
One tells something - that's what we generally call as brainwashing. Like a media, social media is there. Hardly anybody, few maybe, try to verify whether anything that comes on the social media is right or wrong, good or bad. They take it in good faith and believe “This is what is happening”, they simply believe it. They don't try to verify at all, don't try to understand from other sources, don't try to take a second opinion. Simply because this had come in the social media; that said this person is wrong, and that person must be wrong. That person might be right. How do we know? We don't know.
So, like that, we simply believe. So, that is what happens when we allow the brain to dominate on us. Instead, we should be using the brain instead of brain trying to use us. This is possible when you do meditation properly, regularly. Then you become a matured person; you will be able to use the brain properly. That's when you become a matured personality, human also, better human. You will be behaving as a matured person in this world. Where you needed to bring people closer, instead you make them fight with each other. So, are you a corrupted, cunning person, or are you a saint? So, that's how one becomes a saint, and another becomes a corrupted, cunning person. One is trying to bring both together and advise them to live peacefully, all humanity; all saints have always advocated, “Live peacefully, love each other”, but humanity hardly has learned these lessons. But others are there. They make two people fight and derive some happiness and some good things for themselves and they become rich; they gain more power. They always rule. Both start thinking that “We need this ruler”, so thus they rule, they keep fighting.
So this thing happens in the world; it's happening. All educated people understand, they all get to see these things happening, but yet how can we change unless everybody tries to meditate, understand spirituality in its right sense. Everybody talks of meditation, but how many know what is the purpose of doing the meditation, how it can be helpful to us, what it can give us – ourselves, it can give us ourselves, the Self-realization. That's what it means. So, not other experiences, not its own imaginations, because the mind cannot give the truth; it gives only such thing based on its own imaginations. So this is all responsibility, irresponsibility, human behavior. We forget to understand what a rare gem that this human body has come to us, we should not be wasting this once in a life cycle opportunity. That's what in Bhagavad Gita also Sri Krishna tells Arjuna - this had an impact on me from childhood; “O Arjuna, before death shall claim thee, go to the knowers of truth…” Proper manners also is taught, protocol. ‘Go to the knowers of truth’ means they are the Gurus, they are the Self-realized Masters. “…Seeking their permission with all of your humility, by putting intelligent questions…” Every time after we discuss, we give some time to people. It's a short time; we have only fifteen to twenty minutes. Within that fifteen to twenty minutes, whoever is able to ask an intelligent question, they get an intelligent answer, otherwise simply a time we'll pass by. They will keep asking the same old round, round-again, egg. That is all zero. No absoluteness is there, and the time gets wasted. I am unable to give a proper answer because they don't ask the question properly. If they ask the question properly, if it is intelligent, that's what Sri Krishna advises. “This has to happen before death happens to your body, Arjuna”, He told this. This is also important, we have to understand - human life, why it is such a rare gem.
You have to earn your livelihood, you will have big challenges in the world to live the life that you would have adopted. You cannot give up, you have to live, you don't have to run away anywhere. But living this, accepting the challenge, then you have to look after yourself also. That is what is spirituality, that is meditation. Then you can enhance your capabilities, your understanding, your observation powers, your ability to consider about others; all these things increase, you become a responsible human.
Question: Thank You, Babaji. Baba mentioned at the beginning, “Please bless us to inspire our wisdom.” Some of us are inspired by Babaji's talks, other people perhaps inspired by other things. It seems that the inspiration in the right direction is so important on the path, that we're so fortunate to have this inspiration, all of us here, to join the Zoom and attend Babaji's Q&A and listen to Babaji. So, how has this come about? Some people are attracted, some are not, somehow?
Babaji Maharaj: See, this is a very difficult question, inconclusive answer. I have observed this. Some people call it destiny - if they are destined, they come, if they are not destined, this doesn't happen. This world has both. Even when you come to spirituality also, there are highest, right teachings available, the ancient teachings are there, but there are other magical things, myths, what people expect, powers and miracles, they are also available. So, often people get carried away with them and they lose this vital knowledge of the Self, the highest knowledge. So, this is happening. Even after coming to spirituality, they are unable to understand the real truth of the spiritual essence, what we need to learn, what we can achieve as human beings; that discrimination power doesn't happen to them. They simply get carried away by listening to somebody.
That's when even in Viveka Choodamani, Adi Shankara, after talking to His students, in the end He tells, “All this time I have told my opinion, my experience, now it is for you to adopt such methods. Practice the truth and experience the truth to yourself and then you have your own opinion of what the truth is.” That's what Swamiji also always told, “You meditate, and you know your real Self. Meditate and know yourself.” He used to say, “Sit down, meditate, then you will know what it is. Don't become a victim of religious prejudices.” Swamiji used to talk this very important thing. Otherwise often people will simply succumb to religious prejudices. Anybody talks of anything, free-for-all. They tell, “This religious book talks of this thing; you will have to behave like this only.” They get carried away; they have no choice. But at least in our culture we have this freedom; you can choose what you want to read, what type of sadhana, meditation you want to do, what you want to achieve. After achieving also, I am able to express my opinion, my experience. I am not bound by any one particular text. I can quote any text that I have read which created this impact on me.
So, somehow this is a destiny which is difficult to conclusively answer. But one thing, if not today, tomorrow - the Divine will attract everyone; all will go back to Self. That is why we have told, the soul's consciousness has jumped into this creation called well, but in this well of the creation, universe, the Divine has fitted springs called agony, trouble. This agony will throw you back to Divinity. The Divine, He keeps slapping, slapping, slapping with the sole wish, “Let me slap, let me my child realize and come to me, come back to me.” He slaps, but yet the child runs after the world looking for happiness, and the child curses the Divine, “There is no God. God is not helping me. He is not fulfilling my wishes, why?” They keep running after the water in the desert. The Divine again slaps, but to some, once in a while the wisdom strikes “My God, what is this? I am eighty-five years now, the peace is elusive. I've been looking for this peace since childhood, in this world.” One person was talking to me. He told, “I acquired wealth, money. Babaji, I bought so many cars, more than ten cars I could buy, I had money, but I had no peace. I could marry several wives Babaji, I had no peace. I built so many homes, I bought so many properties. Babaji, I could not have peace.” He asked me question, “Do You have peace?” I told “Yes, I don't have anything, but I have peace.” Then He folded his hands and went away.
Question: Thank You so much Babaji. A question that’s been sent in previously, if I may ask. What will happen if I am unable to achieve enlightenment during my current life. Will I take a new human birth and continue the practice? If yes, does that mean that the practice that I'm doing in this birth is a continuation of the practice from my past births that had failed to achieve enlightenment?
Babaji Maharaj: Definitely, you have obtained this inclination because of your sadhana in the previous life also. You continue the sadhana - till the last breath of life it is worthwhile. Never give up, because some amount of purification always happens when you sit from meditation. You have to continue to achieve more and more. The more your mind becomes non-violent, then you take a better birth where you will have such parents from whom you can get inspiration, the right inclination towards spirituality or bhakti marga. And also you, yourself will have that wisdom of inclination towards the truth of existence, truth of your own real Self, spirituality, and your surroundings also you will find, and if necessary you will find a right Guru also who will come into your life. All these things will be blessed, so never give up sadhana; it will not go to waste. I have always told, it's like putting into a fixed deposit whatever you all meditate in this life. It will be with you; it will not go away. Even if unable to obtain total Self-realization, for some reason if the body dies, then you will have the inclination; next life, it will be much better.
So, to be born as a human being to particular parents from whom you can feel inspired, obtain the guidance for the character, culture, spirituality, and the surroundings, and after the surroundings as long as possible parents will look after. One time will come, the child will have to go outside to the school, to the society, it will find friends. In the friends there might be good people, there might be bad people; the child's individual capacity also matters, what it's going to absorb. So, all these things you will be blessed if you are doing sadhana in this life. So, that's how we saw the world, but we never got carried away. We were totally dedicated to the Guru. Once we accepted Him as a Guru, we never questioned anything; He was all in all! In 1971 I saw my Master and I fell in love, means never looked back at all. Hundreds of people tried to brainwash us, they told this, they told that, “You can go there, you can achieve this one, you are wasting your youth.” It's okay, no problem. My Guru is this - never looked back; determined we went ahead. So, that's how you will be able to achieve.
Question: Thank You, Babaji. Another question - If the ‘I’ is never born, then what or who gets born and reborn and continues the practice to achieve enlightenment?
Babaji Maharaj: It is the physical body which is born and which dies, but that ‘I’ which is in the form of mind until it doesn't realize, doesn't merge with the Self, it is that mind, based on its imaginations which form as the intensity of thoughts in the last moments; the mind which is the consciousness and energy spins and imagines automatically. Then with the intensity of thought, it assumes next incarnation. Thus, though it is the body which is born, it imagines and experiences in illusion as if the mind itself is born, thus it identifies itself with the physical body. To overcome this only, if you meditate and remove the mind's attention to its own imaginations, then it will be able to become attentive to its real Self, thus the Self-realization happens.
Question: Pranaams, Babaji. So, I was thinking about when a Self-realized individual or yogi sits with the pure intention to benefit the minds of all conscious beings, is He or She able to do such because at the base level all of our minds are existing on the same ground, so a pure mind of a Self-realized being that's not caught up in focusing on its own ego, is it able to suddenly affect the minds of all beings?
Babaji Maharaj: Definitely, you see, in our culture a yogi is considered like a son of God, means the messenger, so our job is we just try to create this awareness. Whoever is destined and blessed to sit with us, their minds will definitely be influenced to a larger extent and that is what we keep trying in our prayers, in our meditation, in our remaining in the Self, everything creates such vibrations. It is flowing in all directions, so now whoever develops faith and devotion, they become receptive and they are able to gain that momentum.
Same Questioner: Thank You. That's what I was thinking. So, it is true that at the base, pure, unpolluted mind, all exist as one; it's the same ground.
Babaji Maharaj: Yes.
Same Questioner: Okay, thank You, Babaji.
Question: Pranaams Babaji. Babaji, when You say that this whole world is so selfish and so self-absorbed in being irresponsible, wise people are less, the art of discrimination is pretty rare, how to protect this whole purity? How does it work? It's been working for years; it seems very impossible but still there is some power - like Babaji Himself. I think that Babaji has to be protected because anybody can come and harm or disrupt the purity of ashram or the place which we have. So, what is the comfort, how is it all protected?
Babaji Maharaj: We always put our efforts, do our karma, then leave it to the Divine. So, when we give up the body, we will have the satisfaction that we tried whatever we could try. Like every Saturday I come onto this Zoom class, I try whatever I can try to tell the truth to people who all participate in this Zoom. First I tell them, “You meditate like this”, so they all have to listen considering it as a command from the commander. Then the question - answer we select themes, or people ask questions, I try to answer sincerely based on my experiences. Not to criticize any single person or a group or the world, any such thing - general viewpoints we give for sake of education so that people can learn and then practice this meditation. So, at least there is some satisfaction there. You see, today 150 people, they get attracted, come and they keep waiting for a Saturday. They all receive the Zoom link and they come and participate in the meditation and they are able to sit in their drawing rooms and do meditation with me, they are able to see me live. Like that we need to have satisfaction, and we need to keep trying. If every one of us try.
Say, today one hundred and fifty or forty-five, all of you are sitting, and this is one person here. Forget about Self-realization for a while. So, whatever experience about the Self and truth I obtained and the opinions I have, I am trying to convey. If you all also meditate and experience the truth, imagine, then if all of you try to spread this awareness. From one person another hundred and fifty people are trying to spread this awareness to other people, then every one such person in the hundred and fifty may be able to influence a hundred or two hundred people; like that it can go on increasing. But everybody must put effort, not that simply you come into the Zoom class and after this you forget until next Saturday, you have nothing to do. It should not be. You must practice every day. This is a challenge. You see, most of you, or almost all of you may be householders; you may have to earn a livelihood, you may have your responsibilities. You have to live that life, in addition you have to take out a time so that you practice one hour meditation, then when you are able to find some friends, you try to create an awareness whatever is possible for you. You assume the power of a teacher and teach them. So, then we can change the society to a larger extent, will be possible.
That's why Swami Vivekananda told, “Give me such youth who can dedicate themselves for this life and I will change the society and show you.” So, this is what is lacking, you know? People, several came, youth came to our ashram also, but they came with their own personal agenda and then ran away when they could not do all such activities. One needs to be sincere, but we will keep trying, we'll try to influence. Like from your childhood you have attached to me at least, at least you did not run away. Today also you consider me like a Guru, you want to consult me, you want to take my blessing; there is some attachment in you for me, right? Something is good; better than nothing.
Same Questioner: Babaji, same attachment, it feels maybe out of 150 people, somebody gets distracted and is not using the wisdom properly or decides to disrupt this peaceful session here - it may happen. So, devotees, us ourselves feel like we want to remove that person from this environment or protect in some ways, harsh measures. So, I want to understand what is the sanctity of taking those harsh measures? Can we discriminate in saying “No, this person cannot disrupt my peace.”
Babaji Maharaj: Yes, definitely. Best example is this Zoom session. One person goes mad and tries to shout once, “Unmute my mic, unmute my mic, I don't want this Babaji to keep talking. He is giving lectures unnecessarily. He is nonsense. Remove Him!” All others are there who like me and who understand me, who want me to keep talking, so they all can ask him to shut up, “Either you shut up or get up and go away.” When in the ashram also, if somebody attacks, if all devotees gather and tell that person “What you are doing is unfair, this is your Guru's ashram, and this is meant for public to come and sit down, not your personal property. You must not be doing this.” Then a lot could have happened. Always in the world, this is another thing which we learned; more than bad people trying to do bad things, very often it is the good people who don't want to do anything, who don't want to get involved. That is the reason world is suffering.
Question: Pranaam Babaji. Babaji, subconscious mind and brain are the same?
Babaji Maharaj: Ney, brain is different. Subconscious mind is the mind which is holding all habits.
Same Questioner: Babaji, one more question. Long way back I studied one book of prosperity and spirituality. In that book it was repeatedly written in that book to invoke spirit. How to invoke spirit Babaji?
Babaji Maharaj: Invoking spirit is God, Divinity, your existence as the soul. That clue, gateway is your own mind. You can invoke when your mind is concentrated and purified. So, first if you meditate and purify your mind then you will be able to invoke the spirit within you.
Same Questioner: Thank You, Babaji.
Question: Pranaam Guruji. My question is when we want to have the consciousness, first we have to purify our mind. So, to purify mind there may be more ways. One of the ways is to do the meditation. My question is what are the other ways also we can purify our mind so that we will have the pure consciousness?
Babaji Maharaj: All methods taught in religion is for this purpose only. Like, music can be a very good therapy for mind control, purifying the mind, devotional songs; if you like music, that is one thing. Chanting of a Divine name, a mantra, japa, this also can be helpful. If all the time you are unable to sit silently in the meditation, when you are awake and walking you can keep chanting within your mind; something like that one. So, this is one thing, and in the karma yoga that you accept whatever comes in your life; acceptance is a very big thing. Then your mind recedes and becomes purified. When it is unable to become quiet and gets agitated then it runs away. So, this is what is the karma yoga that happens. Like this, bhakti yoga is there. Always try to remember the Divinity in some form, whatever you like; it is your choice always. And places of worship are there. There also you go.
Like we do abhishekams in the temples; these abhishekams are also a good exercise. On a surface that is cleaner, that is the idol of the Divinity, you pour such things which can be consumed, but while pouring you all watch that Divinity, and imagine there is Divine standing; He is being given a beautiful bath. Then your mind becomes purified. When you have to imagine, if you can imagine the highest thing, then you will be purified. For example, this body as a personality, I am not important. Your own faith and devotion is what will see you through. If you have that faith, “This is a realized Master”, you will always see in your consciousness a realized Master, and then you can achieve that truth to yourself. So, like this there are so many methods which can purify your consciousness if you adopt and keep doing. Keep yourself busy the whole day while you are busy working also, it will be helpful to you.
Same Questioner: Thank You, Babaji.
Question: Pranaam Babaji. After the meditation You chant saying the “Om” and You start the chanting process at the end of the meditation. When the sound comes, my body gives jerks. It is not one day. Every week when the meditation is completed, with your chant, my body jerks. I do not know what to do.
Babaji Maharaj: No, it's okay, no problem, it won't be harmful in any way if it’s a little bit. But still we try to tell, “Slowly”, that you don't become excited. I always also tell, “All of you can slowly open your eyes.” Even if a little bit jerk happens, try not to open the eyes immediately, and slowly open the eyes, or you yourself also try to chant something slowly, so that you come back to senses properly.
Same Questioner: My mind was so pleasant. With a small sound, automatically the body jerks. It is not the closing eyes. My body is in a very pleasant state.
Babaji Maharaj: Yeah, it is that the mind has become more used to silence, so any smallest sound also might appear like a violent thing. So, it is good thing for you. You can meditate quietly alone also, if this is disturbing for you, any of these things.
Same Questioner: No, no, only when You are starting out, it gives jerks, then it comes down.
Babaji Maharaj: Then it's okay then. No problem. Carry on.
Question: Pranaam Babaji. I don't want my mind to go into loops and go away from the Divine. I understand that maybe it is the way of life or somehow Divinity is slapping me to change my path. I don't know what to do. I want to be hundred percent in spirituality and also achieve my goals, but I don't know if I am going somewhere wrong and I am facing…
Babaji Maharaj: All you need is don't lose faith. That's what our Guru said, “Lose anything but don't lose faith. That will sustain you to be with Divinity always.”
Question: My question is since the topic is regarding birth and death, the entire process of first immersing and consciousness, this is both within ourselves, so why is this the beginning of birth within ourselves? I am not talking about the first birth or the reincarnation - this is one part. And death, since a person who has absolutely gone into consciousness has been liberated, so we are trying to get into our own Self when we are learning to be conscious of what? That consciousness that is already within ourselves? That is what I presume in my limited knowledge. So, this whole story of birth, reincarnation and looking into ourselves, basically meditation is that we are looking into ourselves. So, it’s a little bit complex, I don't get this thing, why birth and then rebirth and why getting why in the beginning is the first point of getting born or re-born?
Babaji Maharaj: Now, though as you are not talking of the first birth, and we don't have a conclusive answer, but this is what generally… Now, this world appears to you based on your own attitude, your imaginations, either as a good or a bad, as a right, as a wrong. Like the old saying is there, one man's food is another man's poison; not necessary that everybody should like in the same way. Now, what is the mind? That mind itself is the consciousness. That mind, as long as it is thinking and into imaginations, we call it as mind. When it stops all thinking, becomes totally quiet, when you are able to achieve the silence, then it regains its form of pure consciousness. As long as the imagination is there, now, when the body dies, death happens, means the brain stops functioning, it dies; that's when medically people tell that the person has passed away, but mind gets detached from the brain when the brain dies. But the mind is holding all thought habits; it has not given up totally. So, it spins and the intensity of thought happens in the last moments as the brain is becoming cool and getting died, quiet. Based on those thoughts, this consciousness or mind assumes its next birth.
Like this, on and on it's going on, birth and death, birth and death is going on. Nobody knows when it started, but one can stop this. That is the teaching of spirituality. When this physical body is available, if you are able to stop your mind, stop its imagination so that you have the control over your mind. When you want to think only you are able to think, when you don't want, you don't think. During the fag end of life, automatically the mind becomes stopped, quiet, then the liberation happens. No more birth happens. That mind which is pure consciousness, merges with the Divinity that is all pervaded.
So, this is what happens, in our experience. So, this is what is the recommended goal for one also. “Why?” is the difficult question. It just happens because of the presence of energy in the consciousness, means, mind is made up of both consciousness and energy. This is the concept of Shiva and Shakti that is given in Hindu culture also. Because of the presence of the energy, the mind keeps spinning. Just like for example, one example, sometimes when you have had a good rest in the night, you are fresh in the morning, your mind might be peaceful, quiet, you are enjoying that. Unknown to you suddenly the mind starts imagining. In the beginning it tries to imagine all pleasant things. Nobody wants unpleasantness. But as the day passes by, mind jumps into both; good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant, then it gets trapped and involved and it's unable to stop itself.
Long time, somewhere we have neglected, we have not taken care of our mind - it should have been that when you want it to think you should be able to think, when you don't want to think, you should have been able to keep quiet, but that is not happening. Like whole day if you are working in the office, you are tired, you come back home, you can rest your physical body on a sofa, on a bed, but the mind refuses to rest; like that, it will be spinning. So, that is why the spiritual practices are taught, so that you are able to become the master of yourself, your mind. When you want to think, you think, when you don't want to think, you don't think. Then you can get rid of this birth and death, if that is your choice.
Same Questioner: Namaskaar, this was my first lesson with You. Namaskaar.
Babaji Maharaj: Wonderful. Bless you.
Question: How to deal with strongly rigid, egotistical people who are stuck into some concepts? For example, to follow only Jesus - they cannot even accept worship of Mother Divine because it is not in the Bible, and others who are rigid in a particular direction; if they are atheist and making fun if you are spiritual. How to deal with these kinds of people without losing our peace and love?
Babaji Maharaj: It is very difficult to change others always. First thing, you can change yourself, means when you have a problem. So, it is the same; any such status of Jesus means, they are merged with the Divine which is all pervaded. Only one Divine, one God, many names. Everybody accepts this. There cannot be two different truths, only one truth. Only one truth can be all pervaded also. Matter can be different, physical bodies can be different. So, this body is something, somebody else, this body is something else, that is how we become rigid. “This is my Guru; I do not want to accept anybody else as a Guru.” So, this type of egoism happens to people, but if they can apply some wisdom, understand. You see your Guru wherever you go, you have a choice. If you want to see Jesus for example, anywhere you go you try to see Jesus only - any idol of any other Divinity, any other culture, any other religion, you try to see your Jesus if you are used to seeing. Try to see your Jesus everywhere as all pervaded. How can there be any other person other than that? If you deny that “This is not Jesus”, then you are denying the existence of your own Guru as all pervadedness.
So, if this wisdom can be exercised, all are the same, there is no difference. Our prayers. That is why my Guru always honored all religions as equal and honorable. From time to time in this world, all great Self-realized Masters who have come, we have the highest regard for them. We convey our best regards, and today with this we are ending this Q&A.
End of Questions and Answers
End of Session