Yoga Vasistha, Vairagya Part 3 | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.223

Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang 

Yoga Vasistha, Vairagya Part 3 | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.223
Recorded on 3 May 2025 with worldwide participants

0:00 Introduction
0:38 "All hopes of man are consistently destroyed by time."  If time is unreal, how can something unreal be indestructible?
7:26 What is the relation between silence and time?
9:53 Are time and space different aspects of the same thing?
11:52 Has a Yogi has overcome the effects of time?
14:17 Lord Yama as the presiding deity of time.
17:09 "Only that thing which cannot be lost I can regard as a gain, but such a thing does not exist in this world."
23:28 One who has given up everything but has not yet reached the Truth.
26:27 The story of Shuka Maharaj and King Janaka.
34:33 How can we perform Guru Seva when we are staying away from Babaji?
35:36 How can we have a two-way communication with God?
36:09 A feeling that something is spinning on the head during meditation.
37:00 Meaning of the Sanskrit term chid vyoma.
38:59 The concept of Mother kali in relation to time.
40:06 For a Yogi, time does not exist? Was it bondage of mind and thus time that made Shri Rama feel acute vairagya?
42:30 How to know if there is progress from meditation into samadhi?  Is then self awareness effortless or is still effort is needed?
43:40 Why does the mind not let the body be disciplined?
44:42 Is it possible to divide the meditation into two parts, morning and evening?

___
Website: http://www.srby.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang

Website: http://www.srby.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Transcript

Discourse: In Quest of Truth – online Q&A no.223
 Yoga Vasistha – Vairagya, Part 3
You tube Link: https://youtu.be/zX4rXQqAJoY
Recorded: 10 May 2025

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   Pranaams Babaji, Thank You for giving us time to answer all the questions about the Self.  The topic today is Yoga Vasistha.  We will finish the section of Vairagya, where Rama was reflecting about all that He is feeling about the world, and then later we will go for the ‘Behavior of the seeker’.  So, to end with this section, we continue with the time.  Rama defines time with three concepts.  One I think He's relating time with the Divinity; He says, “All hopes of a man are consistently destroyed by time.  The time only creates the entire universe, and within a short time it destroys everything.  Nothing is beyond its reach.”  Then it says that its essential nature is hidden, and it overpowers everything.  Then, the last thing He says, it can’t be analyzed, because however you much you try to divide it, it always survives.  It's indestructible.  So, what does this concept mean, and finally the time is unreal, so how can something unreal be indestructible? 

Babaji Maharaj:   See, one thing, if it is indestructible, means it has to be one with the Divine.  That's how in ancient scriptures also, for the time, kaala is the Sanskrit word used.  And Lord Divine, Shiva is also known as Mahakaaleshwar.  He is the Lord of all the time, all the things.  So, now time – A thing appears, and then it disappears.  In between, that is what is known as time, that we recognize as time limit.  But this time consumes all created ‘total creation,’ but it itself always remains there, because nothing can consume the time itself, because that is the Ultimate Truth.  It is one with the Divine.  That is the reason.  

So, now, if you are looking for your peace, happiness and right knowledge of the Self in such things which will be consumed by the time eventually, that means such things are impermanent.  They are not going to be permanently there.  Time can destroy or consume them, finish them, make them disappear.  So, this is what happens.  So, like our own physical body, it was born as a small baby child, then it became a young, childhood, teenage, youth; like that it went on seeing.  So, the body went on growing, and when it went into the next stage, the previous stage was consumed by time.  Where is the childhood? At the age of seventy, if we look into this body, where is the childhood? That childhood has been consumed by time.  That time is over.  It is finished.  

So, that is how time consumes everything.  The earth keeps moving and moving.  It was yesterday, it is today, it will be tomorrow.  Like this, the time goes on and on and on, coming.  A thousand years ago, ten thousand years ago, so many thousands of years ago people came on to this earth and then disappeared.  They all went.  We call it as birth and death.  So, now to overcome this effect of the time, you have to realize your real Self, which is beyond the effects of time and space.  Because that is simply all pervaded, that is why space cannot limit its existence.  And it exists at all times, because it never appeared, so it will not disappear.  So, that is beyond time, the Lord of the time.  

So, that is what is Self-Realization.  When you do the sadhana of meditation and overcome all the imagination effects of your own consciousness, which has become mind now, that has to be finished.  For that reason only, “Watch” is taught, the technique of watching.  When you are watching, you are actually silent.  Eventually, when you achieve total watching, then you are silent.  If you are not silent, that means you are not watching a hundred percent.  You are watching only a little bit here and your mind is somewhere there.  Like, you are watching me now through your eyes, if I see, and suppose by chance, if your mind is not here, and it has escaped and it is roaming somewhere else, it would have gone to Spain, Valencia, etc., etc., or Norway, Sweden, anywhere it can go.  So, that is what happens.  But, if it is held here, watch means you have to watch through your mind also.  Then your mind will become quiet.  It will achieve the silence.  All the thoughts and visions that are in the mind will get disappeared.  Then the mind becomes pure consciousness and rises above the barrier of time and space.  

That is what Sri Rama expressing His doubt and eventually, Vasistha explains to him the time effect, if you are created by the time, you will be consumed by the time.  So, you have to go for that thing, which is beyond this appearance and disappearance.  Then only you can have a permanent happiness once for all.  Like, I used to think twenty-four hours, twelve months, it must be always there.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Related to that, what relation is between the silence and the time? 

Babaji Maharaj:   When the mind goes into silence, it overcomes the effect of time.  Otherwise, if the mind is into imagination, it is brooding about the past; that means the mind keeps going past into remembrance.  Remembering the past, brooding about the past; that is what it is known as, or anxious about the future.  It keeps running to the future; “What will happen if it doesn't happen, if it happens?”, like this it becomes anxious all the time. “What if this doesn't happen? What if I am not allowed to do this? What if I am not going to be successful?” So, when you meditate, it neutralizes the mind and makes it silent.  When it is silent, it would have overcome the effect of time.  It is neither into the past nor into the future.  At all times, it is just there, just exists.  

It overcomes the effect of the present also eventually.  Though for a while, it will be the present, ‘now’ that we call, ‘power is in the now,’ but when it actually comes to the ‘now,’ it loses the effect of time.  It won't understand.  Sometimes, when you are in a monastery and you don't go outside the walls, it is the same routine.  You get up, you do this thing, you do that thing.  And like that, then you would lose the effect of time.  You don't know which day it is, which day it is, which month or which year also.  You can lose that one because mind slowly becomes quiet and quiet and quiet and silent.  When it is silenced, it would have overcome the effect of the time and space.  That's what; achieving this silence enables that mind which has become pure consciousness to merge with the Ultimate Truth that is the real Self.  

Question:   Thank you, Babaji.  Related to that also, the time and space, they both are different concepts or aspects of the same thing? 

Babaji Maharaj:   It is the two aspects of the same thing.  When it comes into existence to create, then the duality; if a certain thing you need to create, then you need space.  Otherwise, it cannot be.  Everything needs space for its existence, except the space itself.  Space doesn't need anything else for its existence, but anything that is created, it needs space.  And when it is created, the moment it got created, it would have come into the effect of the time.  Like, “When were you born?  I was born on such and such a day.”  So, you came into the effect of the time, and it is guaranteed that one day death will happen.  Anything that has appeared will have to disappear.  It may happen to some, it may go on for a billion years or many million years.  To some, it could be 100 years, 50 years, anything it can be, time.  Different aspects have… earth has its own time limit, solar system may have its own time limit, Milky ways and galaxies may have its own time limit.  So, like that, it comes into the effect of this.  To create, a duality comes into effect.  It is also from the Self only.  That is why a Self can never be defined or explained.  It doesn't come under the effect of either the time or space.  

Question:   Then Babaji, a yogi, that is one that has achieved and has overcome the time effect.  But He is here under the effect of the time somehow.  That is because of the previous resolution that Babaji was born, but at that time, because Babaji has overcome the time, it won't be a next birth because of that.  It's something like that?

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, when a yogi has achieved that truth, His consciousness has become silent.  It has lost the effect of both time and space.  So, wherever this body is taken, it doesn't make any difference.  There is no such attachment that this body needs to be at a certain place only, then only there will be peace and happiness.  Anywhere you take this, it will be at peace.  Whether in the midst of public or in solitude.  There is no such thing called a native place and not native place actually in my consciousness.  Only in this world.  

See, many times, I keep forgetting which day it is or which date it is.  I have to refer to a calendar, I have to keep it with me all the time.  I cannot memorize or keep it in my consciousness, “This is such and such day.”  If I have to discuss, I have to keep that date with you and then discuss, “Yeah, this date is okay.”  So, like, I have to think now, next Saturday will I be available again for Zoom or what is it? I have to refer to the calendar and refer to the things.  Otherwise, it won't come to the mind at all.  It is the same thing.  So, when in one ashram, in India ashram, I don't calculate anything; mechanically, it goes on and on.  So, thus, in the consciousness, the effect of time and space has gone.  There is no such thing, “This is my space and this is not my space and this is my native place; this is my country.”  Actually, there is no such thing.  Only outside, the body has to enact this for sake of society and people; that is all.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  So, continuing with the topic, two more aspects of concept of time Rama says; the time as the presiding deity that is Yama, and the time as the end of action that He says is the impermanence, that everything undergoes change.  

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, Yama is; it brings to an end a certain thing that has been created.  That means it keeps it under a discipline of time.  That is what Yama means.  This Yama is also known for when we keep ourselves under total discipline, our respiration, our exercises, our eating habits, our lifestyle, everything we keep under discipline.  That is also known as the Yama, Yama and Niyama; all these things have been explained in certain Patanjali sutras.  Niyama is also discipline.  Yama is also a strict adherence to such discipline.  

So, that is the time.  Anything that is created comes under this Yama.  That is why Yama is also known as Lord of Death, the Death God He is also known as.  That is the concept.  It's a different thing if people have made it as an angel, human type of personality.  There is no such personality existing anywhere.  It is a concept that has come.  You see, anything, if it appears, the moment it appears, it comes into the concept of time.  It comes under the control of time.  It is, in other words if I have to say, the moment you are born, you are sentenced to death.  Anybody who is born, everybody knows one day death will happen to this body.  It's a different thing people will forget and start thinking that they behave as if we are going to be here forever.  That's what Yudhisthira tells in his answer as one of the greatest wonders of this world, he talks.  But this is what the meaning of the Yama thing is.  Other than that, anything that comes under that time, it will be impermanent.  Because it is going to go away.  The time consumes that one.  It keeps changing.  Every moment it keeps changing.  Today it is like this.  Tomorrow it won't be like this.  

Question:   As a conclusion to this section of Vairagya, Rama says, “I don't consider a hero whoever can win over a mighty army.  Only him I consider a hero who is able to cross the ocean known as mind and senses.  And then I don't regard anything as a gain that can be lost.  Only such a thing that cannot be lost I can regard as a gain, but that thing does not exist in this world.  However hard we try, it's not possible.”  Can Babaji comment on that, please?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, you see, the same thing if you have read anywhere, in the school time also we read even Jesus Christ telling this.  If you win the whole world and lose to yourself, you have lost the war.  But if you lose the whole world, if you have won over yourself, you have won that war or battle.  So that's what it means, overcoming the effect of mind and senses.  As long as it is mind, it keeps imagining.  Your mind also doesn't stop into one imagination or one story.  After some time it gets tired and it creates a new story in the mind.  It goes on and on imagining, imagining; this keeps happening.  

So, this comes under the senses.  The senses; through the senses we are in touch with this world, through this body.  As I had explained, senses and nervous system, they all pass on the message to the brain and the brain passes order to all this through the senses also.  Using the brain, and using the senses only, I am able to communicate to you all in a language that you all can understand.  That's what I mean.  As long as this body is there, I am able to communicate to you in a way that you are able to understand in your body.  Though both of us are not the body; we are that soul.  So once this body goes, I won't be able to communicate anything in this way.  Today sitting in front of you all conducting a Zoom, answering the questions, everything is done.  But once this body goes, it is finished.  Whatever teaching that I have given all these years, you will have to depend on that and go on practicing based on those teachings.  That's why it is essential that you maintain those teachings, otherwise this body comes under the consummation of the time.  It won't be in the same way, it goes away.  So that's what it means.  

So, winning over the things.  And through the nervous system, when the brain reflects, that is what is caught by the soul which is there as a pure consciousness or as a mind.  If it firmly believes whatever comes, then that is the mind.  But if it is totally aware of itself, doesn't forget about itself that this is only a reflection of the brain, so that is the pure consciousness.  And thus, it is able to go back to the Self and realize the Self also can happen.  

So, that is what is the final vairagya, one winning over the mind and senses.  If the mind has been won, that means you have stopped the mind.  You have cleansed the mind, silenced the mind.  There is no more imagination.  When there is no imagination, I have neither happiness nor unhappiness created by the mind.  Beyond that, I always have the peace.  Otherwise, everybody normally depends on their mind for their happiness or unhappiness.  If the mind is imagining happier things, they experience happiness.  If the mind is imagining unhappy things, they experience unhappiness.  So, they are blinded by the effects of the mind.  

That mind needs to be won over, was what Rama is telling.  That means, winning over means, you silence that mind, “Enough of your effects.”  Don't get affected by the mind.  If it is silent, you remain unaffected.  You remain unaffected by the world.  You remain unaffected by the senses.  You remain unaffected by whatever the brain; brain will not reflect anything.  Even if brain reflects, you are silent, because you are totally aware.  Just like you are aware that this is only a cinema that has been produced.  Everybody is acting in that and nothing is real.  When you are aware of this, you are perfectly safe.  Otherwise, if you get sucked into it, you get to the effect of this time.  

So, that's what Rama means, winning over the mind and senses is such an important thing.  Means, you should be able to restrain yourself, keep yourself at peace.  That's what I tell.  Peace is your existence right.  At all times you can have peace, provided you keep yourself peaceful.  The thing would appear as simple as it is.  Yet we have made it so complicated.  And we lose peace.  And we keep searching, searching, searching, searching.  So, this is the effect what Rama spoke about.  Such a beautiful science that Sri Rama has told in these things.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  To end with this section, Rama seeks advice from Sage Vishamitra.  He says, “I have given up everything, but I have not established myself in wisdom.  So, I am partly cowed and partly free.”  So, He says, which methods these heroes that have achieved the freedom of this delusion has adopted to reach that?  And what is Babaji’s advice in that stage, when you feel like you have given up, but you still have not experienced the truth and you are in there in the middle? 

Babaji Maharaj:   See, that is what it is.  When you discuss these matters, suppose your mind is totally focused and absorbs what teachings are given.  That means it has known now, it has come to know this is the truth, it is.  That is what when Vasistha went on talking to Him, Sri Rama understood it.  But finally, to dwell in that, to experience that, you have to meditate, silence your own mind, finally.  When you silence your mind, when the mind totally gets detached from the brain's effects and when it merges into the Self, then only it experiences that truth.  And it dwells there, it settles there composed, at peace at all times, not until then, not just by listening.  Listening also, it doesn't happen to each and every student; every student may not be so focused.  

As Rama was such a ripe soul and He was so focused with whatever Vasistha was giving discourse, Rama got established in that.  But yet He felt that He needs to experience the nirvikalpa samadhi to establish Himself in that at all times, because life can be a big challenge.  This world can be a big challenge.  When a challenge comes, your ability to remain quiet, in peace, in your real Self is what is the thing that you would have achieved by then.  You have achieved Self-Realization.  So, transformation has to happen.  Simply, if a person says, “I have achieved Self-Realization,” if he is unable to transform, if unable to withstand the challenges of life, that means he has not really achieved.  That's what Rama is meaning here, “I need to establish now myself into that Self.”  

Question:   Thank You Babaji, that is a very nice topic of the Vairagya. So, the next section of the Yoga Vasistha is ‘The behavior of the seeker’.  The first thing that in this section Vishwamitra says to Rama is about the history of Shuka.  When Shuka asks about going to Janaka because he doesn't understand why he can without himself being a king.  So, Vishwamitra says that his [Shuka Maharishi’s] knowledge needs confirmation because it is only a self-acquired knowledge, so he has to experience that.  So, could Babaji comment on the essence of that, please?

Babaji Maharaj:   Actually, this story comes in Yoga Vasistha and Swamiji used to talk about it.  If I tell the story you will understand.  Shuka Maharishi had done lot of meditation, had realized the Self.  But suddenly one day, a doubt arises in Him.  “Because, Janaka is also supposed to be a Self-Realized person, everybody tells.  Whereas I was born in a monastery, I remained in celibacy and never got involved in any family life at all.  I didn't have to do favoritism or this or that or anything.  I could remain neutral in my consciousness also and I could remain in that Self at all times.  But how is it possible for King Janaka who is a king who has to take care of His kingdom, political affairs, family lives.  In spite of all this, it would demand His attention everywhere.  If He is paying attention, how is it that He is able to keep Himself to the Self at all times?”  So, then when He spoke to Veda Vyasa His father, then Vyasa Maharishi tells him, “Because you consider me a father, you will not take me seriously if I try to teach you.  Considering, Janaka as your Guru...”  So, here the guru-disciple relationship is so important for the reasons of discipline.  If you have a reverence, you will be serious.  You will listen and you will do that one.  Otherwise, you will not take seriously things.  You will brush aside, or you will take in one ear and give it up in another ear.  

That's when He suggests, “You go to Janaka, to His place, seeking His permission, ask this question and you will know what it is.”   So, thus, Shuka Maharishi finally comes to the court of Janaka.  The story says that Janaka also wanted to test how much He is settled into the Self – Shuka Maharishi.   He [King Janaka] orders His servants at the gate, “Do not allow Him until I permit and do not give Him any reception or ask Him whether He is hungry or anything.  Just wait and watch, and then watch His behavior.”  So, after two, three days it says, Janaka when He enquired with His servants, they said, “He is quiet and composed and He did not demand anything when we did not give Him anything.  He did not ask for that.  He also said that He understands that we are just servants.  We are following the orders of our master.  

So, He said, “There is nothing to feel annoyed with you all.”  He was smiling and He kept quiet all the time.”  Very much pleased, Janaka comes and gives a reception to Shuka Maharishi also.  He is brought inside; He is given all reception of washing His feet, He is received in a proper way.  When they are discussing, then Shuka Maharishi tells “This is the doubt – I wanted to know how is it possible for You.”  Then Janaka says, “Please go around my town.  I want you to go because I have some court work.  I need to attend to the political affairs.  Evening when we sit down, we can discuss this point again.”  Just before they were leaving, Janaka, tells “Bring a candle and keep it on the head of Shuka Maharishi.  Tell Shuka Maharishi, “Please take care that this candle does not fall down.  It should not fall down.”  

“Okay,” He [Shuka Maharishi] tells.  Then He goes around.  Evening, Shuka Maharishi comes back.  When He comes back, He is given a reception and a bath, everything is given.  Now, Janaka is also free.  “Now, you tell me, how was my town of Mithila?” – the capital of His kingdom. To this Shuka Maharishi tells, “O, King Janaka, what to say?  I went around in this body of Mithila, eyes were also watching, but yet my consciousness was full of attention to this candle so that the candle must not fall down.  I had set priority to this that it should not fall down, because You had asked me.  That's why, even though my eyes were seeing, I did not see anything at all.  Nothing has remained in my consciousness.  What you call ‘ mind’.  I don't have anything in the mind of what I saw of Your town.  So, I saw, but I did not see.”  

So, like that, He tells.  Then Janaka also tells, “In the same way that you went around the town of Mithila, your eyes were watching, your body was moving around but because your attention was on the candle, you did not see anything in spite of the fact that the eyes were watching, they were wide open.  In the same way in this world, a Jivan Mukta, the one who has liberated Himself, even though remains in this world will not see anything; though His eyes might be seeing, but His mind will not see anything, it will not absorb anything at all.  The same way, me also, able to attend to the court mechanically with the help of the body, I am able to apply the brain and everything I can do.  But because my mind is in silence, it doesn't get too attracted or get carried away by the brain's reflections, it comes back quickly.”  That's what He tells.  

This is the basic meaning of Janaka and Shuka Maharishi’s story, what doubt came to Shuka Maharishi, how one is able to be.  This is a very good lesson and assurance for people who want to live in this world, householders, they will be living.  In spite of the fact that they can continue living as a householder, nothing prohibits them.  They are very welcome.  If they can meditate simply, then their minds will not absorb any imprints of what they have to do.  They have to fulfill their responsibilities, duties, etc., etc., everything has to be done.  So, in spite of that, they will be able to keep their consciousness in peace, total silence will be possible.  Their attention to the Self will always be possible.  So, that is what Janaka teaches Shuka Maharishi to get his doubts cleared.  

Question:   I understand that the Guru seva is one of the main sadhanas in the spiritual journey.  So, how can we perform Guru seva while we are staying away from Babaji?  

Babaji Maharaj:   See, when you meditate, know that you are doing a service to the Guru.  It is the Guru seva.  When you achieve, it is the Guru seva.  If you follow the instructions and Upadesha that the Guru has given, you are doing the Guru seva.  A Guru need not be physically present with you at all times.  You have to remember the Guru and Guru's Upadesha, Guru's teachings.  So, that is what is important.  That way, you can still be serving your Guru when you seriously pursue on the path of Self-Realization.  

Question:   Pranaam Babaji.  How can we have a two-way communication with God?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Two-way communication means you talk and God talks to you?  This is possible when you do tapas.  Your mind has to become totally purified, get connected to the Divine.  Then it will be possible.  For this you have to do several years of tapas.  

Question:   When I am doing meditation, I will have a feeling like something is spinning sometimes on my head, on my forehead.  Do I need to just leave it like that? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, let it be.  A tingling type of sensation can happen when you are trying to focus, when the mind is becoming concentrated.  So, if it continues, use it to focus on that.  So, you remain focused and it will disappear on its own.  As long as it is there, let it remain.  It is no problem.  It will be helpful to you to remain focused.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji.  

Question:   So, I am reading the Yoga Vasistha now in English.  And the version that I am reading is an absolute work of art.  The translator was fluent in Sanskrit and I think he was also an English professor and a yogi; I mean, it is just amazing.  But I have one question.  I know that he is, at least as far into it as I have read, he is always translating the Sanskrit ‘Chid Vyoma’ into the English word ‘intellect’.  And I just wanted to know what Your thoughts are on that.  Is there any other way, maybe, that we could express maybe now in 2025, what ‘Chid Vyoma’ is really pointing to? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Vyoma is pointing to the all-pervaded voidness, actually.  That is the space.  Yeah, Sanskrit literal translation is the space.  Akash is the translating word.  So, Chid Vyoma means, when you achieve your mind’s quietness or silence, it will be just like that Vyoma, Akasha, purest form, infinite form.  So, that is what is said here actually for this word.  

Same Questioner:   So, just to finish up, it’s not really like intellect which as I understand is more like buddhi, right? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, intellect, many people would understand, applying the brains to generate thinking or wisdom, such things.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji.  

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  Babaji, we are talking about time.  Could You explain the concept of Mother Kaali?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Mother Kaali is different.  This is Maha Kaaleshwara, because the Divine is both the concept of the consciousness and energy.  In the same way, if Lord Shiva is known as Maha Kaaleshwara, His concept of energy, that is Maha Kaali, is the same thing.  That is the Supreme Energetic Force, the Maha Kaali which enables the time to operate upon, perform surgery so that an appearance disappears eventually.  

Same Questioner:   So, Kaaleshwara and Kaali together… 

 Babaji Maharaj:   …is the Parabrahman.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji.  

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  I spent some time trying to ask this question.  It seems like from the questions about time if mind exists, then time is an imagination.  And for a yogi where the mind is settled down, time does not exist.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, yes.  Time would have merged with the Ultimate Truth finally.  

Same Questioner:   So, Babaji, this is only because of the mind which has imaginations that time would be a bothersome experience?  So, for Sri Rama when He was asking in an acute vairagya that it seems time is bondage – time is destroying everything, bringing everything to an end, like Yama – it was all because Sri Rama had the bondage of mind and imagination making Him feel the acute vairagya?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, He realized this: if we try to go after this, the time will create simply a bondage that it will make us get attached to a certain thing, and make us also unhappy when that thing is consumed by the time.  So, that is why it is a bondage, He considered, He told.  We need to overcome the effect of this time.  So, finally, discussing, this time and space both have been generated from the Ultimate Truth, because Ultimate Truth is beyond anything.  We cannot define there – neither time or generation or space; everything disappears, only one single Self, that is what it is.  So, from that this dual has been generated as an illusory effect, so that from there other creations happen; once the creation happens, it has to come to an end also.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You.

Question:   How to know if there is progress from meditation into samadhi?  Is then Self-awareness effortless or still effort has to be used? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Before that, you will experience a blissfulness of quietness, in the quiet and tranquility.  Means, all thoughts and visions would have come to an end, but your consciousness of existence will not go away.  It will be there.  Thus, you realize that Self as an eternal existence.  After that only the samadhi will come.  This has to remain effortlessly.  Without putting an effort, at all times the mind has to remain quiet.  Like that, you have to continue several years.  That is what is known as the tapas.  So, then it establishes itself into the Self once for all.  

Question:   Babaji, why does the mind not let the body be disciplined? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Because if one has not disciplined the mind, then the mind doesn't allow the body to be disciplined.  So, that's what it is.  A Master wants the disciple to remain disciplined.  Then the disciple will allow the Master to have peace.  Otherwise, the disciple will not allow the Master to have peace.  If parents have disciplined the children, children will give peace to the parents.  If it is not disciplined, then they will disturb.  In the same way, suppose you, if you have disciplined the mind, then through the mind, the body can be disciplined.  

Question:   Is it possible to divide the meditation in two parts of 30 minutes in the morning and evening? 

Babaji Maharaj:   It is okay in the beginning, for some time until you get used to sitting, but finally at least in one stretch, at least one hour is recommended.  One hour in the morning, one hour in the evening.  For some time, to begin with, you can do 30 minutes, 30 minutes, is also no problem.  Like something is better than nothing.  

End of Questions and Answers

Babaji Maharaj now concludes:

   So, it looks that questions have come to an end.  It was a wonderful session.

End of Session