Bhakti Marga, part 2 | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.226

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

How can we change ourselves? | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.226
Recorded on 21 December 2024 with worldwide participants

0:00 Intro
0:06 What does Babaji mean by the term devotion?
2:30 What part does faith play in devotion?
4:15 What was Babaji taught about devotion by His mother?
5:39 How did devotion evolve and increase in Babaji's life?
6:41 Are rituals in the various religions around the world useful?
8:20 Could Babaji explain the technique by which prayers are useful?
11:57 If we perform devotional rituals, does that remove a person's karma?
13:30 What is the meaning of Aarati?
15:09 Why did Swamiji use the term Bhakti Marga for spirituality?
17:00 "Of all those means of attaining liberation, Bhakti is the highest means...  ...Bhakti can also b described as the search for one's own true Self." quote from the Viveka Choodamani
18:12 It is possible to reach the ultimate truth without any devotional aspect to one's sadhana?
20:06 Is it true that not everybody's devotional tendency is the same?
22:11 Is there a way one can increase one's level of devotion?
23:30 Are there character traits which are apparent in a person who is truly devotional?
24:33 What is the place of gratitude in Bhakti Marga?
25:26 What is the meaning and purpose of the concept of Ishta Devata?
26:58 What is the concept of Shiva Lingam?
28:23 What role does body - mind play on the path of Bhakti Yoga?
31:24 How to overcome laziness which becomes a big hurdle in Bhakti Marga?
32:36 In meditation is there a difference between falling asleep and falling into tantra? What can I do to stay alert?
34:16 There are so many gurus around, how do I know my guru?
35:09 Is Self Realisation possible without rituals?
36:33 Many times I surrender to the Almighty but some times my mind becomes judgemental.  Is that correct or not?
37:24 A personal question regards seeing suffering and illness of family members.
41:12 Why do I hear a constant sound during my brain during sadhana.  What should I do?
41:58 A quote from Ramakrishna, a question regards whether God's Grace works even if one if not devoted.
43:50 By taking the name of the Divine, how can the burden be His?
45:12 Why do we show reverence to Ardhanarishwara at the end of the Aarati?
50:18 Ravana did meditation for many years but still had faults and arrogance, why was that?

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

Bhakti Marga, Part 2 | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.226

Recorded on 21 December 2024 with worldwide participants.

Question: Babaji, could we please start the session by me asking Babaji what He means when He uses the term devotion, please?

Shri Babaji: You see, you are devoted to, that means you offer yourself to. Here when we see, you as the consciousness of existence as the atman, that means, you offer yourself means, your total attention has to be on the Divine in any form, any name that you would like to adore Him. Your attention, that needs to be there. So that's why whenever we go to any place of worship, temple, we address people. We tell, “It is so wonderful, you coming to the place of worship is always welcome, nice. It gives a beautiful, vibrative atmosphere, but when you are doing a worship or any sadhana, remember that your mind must be applied to the Divine. It must be there”. So like, for example, if you are offering some flowers, if you are doing an aarathi, then if your mind has run away to some other shopping complex, such a worship will not reach God. Your attention has to be there. 

So through the mind, through your consciousness only, you can reach God. So that is what is important. That's what is the one of the basic… though we cannot simply define the devotion or the devotional path in one sentence or definition, this is somewhat basically that we need to understand. We are devoted. Means, in every way, we are devoted. So all the time, I remember my Divine's name only, my Divine's form. I'm totally devoted to what He wanted to teach, in which path the Divine wants us to go, in which way that we need to live in this world. So all this, if we are devoted, we will be thoroughly disciplined, doing everything for our Deity. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Babaji. What part does faith play in devotion? How are those two related, please?

Shri Babaji: Faith is very important. Faith gives you a total confidence, and enables you to remain concentrated. That's why Swamiji used to tell, “You lose anything in the world, but do not lose faith.” It's one sentence he uttered to us often during his lifetime also. So faith is such wonderful thing, particularly in Bhakti Marga. Faith and devotion both are taught together. They go together parallelly. So that is very important. If you don't have faith, then you won't be doing anything seriously. Your mind could be running away somewhere else because you don't have any faith in the Guru at all. Like if we have faith in the Guru, our mind also will be there with an assurance, “Yeah, our Guru is there. The Guru will protect us. The Guru's grace will descend on Earth. And it will be alright.” 

So that faith. Even if the Guru wants, must not be able to disturb that faith. That faith must be there for a devotee. That is the real devotion. Even if the Guru challenges, He tests you, He cuts you into pieces type, you totally remained devoted, and having total faith in the Guru, in the God. So this faith is very important. This gives you a self-confidence and thorough, channelized concentrated efforts. Your consciousness is on the Divine all the time. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. Babaji has said He was first introduced to the devotional path by his mother. Could Babaji please explain what He was taught about devotion by his mother, please? 

Shri Babaji: One sentence about the Guru I remember, apart from when she used to do the chants, she used to tell “You have to apply your mind. Be mindful what you are reading, then it will reach your God.” Also, she used to tell, “Even if God gets annoyed, your Guru can protect you. But if the Guru annoys, if you annoy your Guru, no power can protect you.” Such an important position is given to the Guru, as even Kabir Das also talks, “If Guru and Govinda, God, both comes in front of me, to whom should I prostrate?” And finally, the mind overcomes the confusion and tells, “My Guru, let me prostrate and surrender to you first because it is you who told me about God. Otherwise, I would not have known what and who God is.” Such is the importance of Guru in our lives, in our culture, in our ancient culture of India. 

Same Questioner: And then, Babaji, how did that evolve and grow in Babaji's life, or increase?

Shri Babaji: Ah, happened to read the Guru's Grace book, all such things. So, from childhood itself it grew, a love grew for the Guru. And as I got introduced to Adi Shankara, Ramana Maharishi’s teachings, I used to pray, “Please God, grant me such a Guru who would have liberated Himself and who can lead me to liberation. Let me have such a Guru. Like the disciples of Ramakrishna had Ramakrishna as a Guru, we also need to have a Guru of that calibre, the one who would have done Tapas, one who would have achieved Self-Realization.” By the grace of the Guru, we were blessed with Shiva Balayogi as our Guru, finally. 

Same Questioner: Thank you Babaji. In the different religions, the various religions throughout the world, there are different devotional rituals also. Are those rituals useful? 

Shri Babaji: Any ritual can become meaningful if the mind is there. A ritual is an exercise through body and mind. So, in this exercise, you are expected to keep your mind applied, then it is worthwhile, such a worship will reach God. A ritual is like a worship. Different rituals can be taught where your mind can be applied. Like in Indian culture, apart from worshiping, pouring water and milk on the deity and the idol of the Divine, and everybody has to watch that one, is important. And by chanting different stotrams and mantras, you offer worship, and all the cleansing mantras and offering of the flowers through camphor, the aarathis, these type of rituals. Some other religions may have their own rituals. Prayers are taught in all religions. Prayers are such an important ritual for obtaining the Divine's Grace. So, through all these, mentally you get connected to your Divinity, just like a droplet of the ocean getting connected to the ocean. 

Same Questioner: Thank you Babaji. Babaji just mentioned prayers. Could Baba explain the technique by which prayers are useful? What do they achieve technically, please?

Shri Babaji: In the beginning, one is encouraged to pray if there is any difficulties in this world. But as you grow up in devotional path, slowly, you totally surrender. Finally, you come to the level, “May it happen as you wish my Lord, but please inspire my wisdom always, that I must not lose the wisdom, come what may be. So, let it be your wish, it's no problem.” Like, as we were growing also, somehow this point came very naturally to me. We used to pray if a certain thing needed to happen, we used to pray to God, “Please bless that this work happens.” Not always things happened as we wished, as we visualized. Sometimes it would happen, and sometimes it would not happen. But we never felt any disappointment, frustration, or any such dislike to God. Instead, I used to reassure myself, “Though I wanted this thing to happen in this way, if it has not happened, means this is also for something good, that the Divine has wanted me to undergo this. He may have better things in His store. We have to wait and see.” Like that the wisdom used to come automatically by practice. That's how I used to think. 

So, we never got annoyed with God. Getting annoyed with God is getting annoyed with our own Self. So, how the droplet can get annoyed with the ocean? It is in the ocean. It has come out of the ocean. It has to go back to the ocean only. Something good always; the Divine knows. Like Swamiji used to tell, “A mother knows what she needs to feed the child. But the child could be demanding something else. But the mother knows, if I feed the child, he will become ill. I should not be giving this to the child. She will give only such thing which is healthier to the child. The God is like that, a mother. He knows what is good for us. For a while, it might appear odd or awful to us. But eventually, we will see that it is an awesome thing that the Divine will always give and bless us with. Finally, we realize what a grace, what a beautiful thing”. 

If we look back in our lives also, all the good, bad, difficulties we underwent. So, today we have this honour. Whatever our Guru taught, at that time it would have appeared as harsh for anyone, His scolding or His pulling us up, anything. But He used to tell, “Take my scoldings, the world will not point any finger at you. You will become perfect,” He used to say. So, today we realize that sitting here, we have the honour all over the world. The groups are participating in these meditations everywhere in the world. It is all because of the Grace of the Divine. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Babaji. Babaji, if we perform those rituals, the devotional rituals, does that remove a person's karma? 

Shri Babaji: If the mind is applied, the mind becomes purified. You see, any karma, any ritual is a sadhana. Any sadhana is to be performed so that we purify our minds. The mind has to regain the form of pure consciousness. Then only it will start going towards the Divine. I have always told, mind has no third way. Either it has to be in the world with imaginations and cravings, or when it becomes quiet, it will go to its origin, the Divinity. It has no third way, other way. 

So, that is how any ritual, if we follow it properly, cleanly, neatly – it should not be done in a dirty way. Anything, even if we pour some water, if we pour some milk on the deity, that milk should be clean and consumable. We should be able to collect it as the Divine's blessed food. So, that should not go wasted, any eatables, any such things that we offer. The exercise should be very clean to watch also. So, that's what is more important, rituals means. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. We have had one question sent in. One person asked if Babaji could please explain the meaning of the aarathi that we perform, please?

Shri Babaji: When you perform aarathi, you are considering your Guru as absolute, the Divinity. That's when taking round, it is the note of the absoluteness, when you perform. To the highest, considering the Guru equivalent to the Divine, we perform aarathi. Because the Guru has merged with the Divine. He is no more an individual. He is not in the human, though He is in the human body, it's not a human. His consciousness, His Divinity, it is pure. So, that is the basic idea of doing aarathi, showing the highest reverence to the Master. A song can be sung, or you just to do with the camphor. Usually as a good omen it is taken clockwise three times or several times for the Deity, for the Guru, the aarathi is performed. So, finally, it is showing the supreme reverence to the Guru when we do aarathi to the Master. Even Vasistha talks, when a person is Self-Realized, he is worthy to be worshiped. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Babaji. Babaji, Swamiji taught meditation as His great tool in sadhana, but in the quotes where we see Him in English translation speak about spirituality, it seems that He refers to the Indian system of spirituality as Bhakti Marga, rather than Jnana Marga or Sanatana Dharma. Is that correct? Is that what Swamiji used the term for? And can Babaji perhaps please explain why He might have used that term, Bhakti Marga? 

Shri Babaji: Once, speaking to me He told, “When you do the Dhyana, your real Bhakti blossoms.” That means your attention to the Divine. Your attention will not be on the imaginations of the mind, on this world, but it will get directed and connected to the Divine. So that is the real Bhakti Marga. So that's how often He used to mention, like if there is any suffering in the world, He used to say, “When suffering happens, people will get transformed and come to Bhakti Marga”. So that's what generally He used to use that word. So that is important. Many people think a Bhakti means simply doing some rituals like doing an aarathi or worshipping with flowers. Bhakti is when you remember your Divine; that is your Bhakti. So that's what Swamiji meant about Bhakti, He used to tell, “All the time you should be able to meditate on the Divine, then you are a real Bhakta”. 

Same Questioner: Babaji, one question I had already written too was, in Babaji’s commentary on Viveka Choodamani, there is a shloka written by Shankaracharya, where He says, “Of all those means of attaining liberation, Bhakti is the highest means. To intently seek to know one's true nature is Bhakti. Bhakti can also be described as the search for one's own truth Self, Aatman. Is that what Babaji was meaning?

Shri Babaji: Exactly. Yeah. So like, I was telling here you are devoted, means you devote yourself to that cause. You want to know what the truth is. That is devotion. Unless you are devoted, you won’t go for that. Like, if everybody is sitting in this Zoom class, they are all devoted to meditation, devoted to any Divine form, or devoted to their Guru; any such thing is there, that's why they are seriously here, practicing a serious meditation. So that is what is the devotion.

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. Babaji, is it possible to reach that Ultimate Truth purely through other paths such as Karma Yoga or Dhyana Yoga, without having any devotional aspect to one's sadhana? 

Shri Babaji: You see, automatically, a devotion will come. The moment you understand what you are doing, and when you start doing it. Like in Karma Marga, acceptance. Though this world ‘acceptance’ might appear as very simple, but it's not simple. It's a very difficult thing. A result may not come according to your expectations, but you have a right to do the karma. But when it comes, if your mind accepts, means your mind recedes, it becomes quiet. Whenever it is quiet, it goes towards the Ultimate Truth, Divine. That is devotion. So, the devotion automatically happens when you do the Karma Yoga also. 

Dhyana also has the Bhakti. Automatically your mind goes towards the Divine. It has to go. Then only your Dhyana… When you are taught to watch in between eyebrows, you are trying to silence the mind. You are trying to get rid of all the thoughts and visions that are in the mind. The visions can always create distraction within you. You try to analyze, “What is this?” and you want to know. It's mind boggling and you go after that one. And the vital, going to the Divine, gets delayed. So, that's why it's always taught just watch and do not bother about whether it is there.

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. Babaji, different people seem to be born with a different tendency towards devotion. Some people appear much more devotional. Is it true that not everybody's devotional tendency is the same? 

Shri Babaji: Definitely. Many people's understanding about devotion also may be of different stages. Highest devotion; all the time you need to be remembering God. Swamiji used to tell, when Narada had developed some ego that he is the real highest devotee of the Divine, the Divine took him to a farmer who was doing his farming job. All the time he was remembering; “Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna”, all the time it's there. And the Divine said, “Narada, please get me a glass of water and take care that not a single drop should fall on the ground”. So, he came back after some time, “Narada, how much time you took to bring this glass of water, in this time how many times you remembered about me?” 

Narada complains, “You gave me a job that the water should not fall on the ground, so I was always concentrated so that the water should not fall.” “Look, just one small job I gave you to bring a glass of water and you were unable to remember me in that time. This farmer is all the time working. Whole day when he is working, he is a householder, in spite of all his attending to duties, he keeps remembering me only all the time, “Krishna, Krishna.” He doesn't remember anything else. He doesn't even remember what he is doing on the farm, but he remembers only Krishna.” Like I have always told, in Mirabai, for her in her consciousness, only Shri Krishna was there, Mira herself never existed. That is the highest form of devotion when you rise to the level of Tapas and then merge with the Divine. 

Same Questioner: Is there a way that one can increase their level of devotion? 

Shri Babaji: The more you can remember, the more you can connect mentally with your Divine. How many times in a day? How many times in an hour? How many times in a minute that you can remember Divine? And you don't remember anything else. So gradually, your consciousness picks up only Divinity and it will not see the universe at all. There is nothing for it to see. All the time, it gets to see only the Divinity. That's how a Yogi... ‘Yogi hrid dhyana gamyam’. Yogi is always in meditation, meditative to the Divinity. Means His attention is always on the Divine. Even if Yogi is gossiping a lot, as Ramana Maharishi said, His consciousness is ever silent one. When it is silent, means it is merged with the Divine. Only in the silence only it merges with the Divine. When it makes sound, it remembers, it thinks, it shouts, then it is away from the Divine. 

Same Questioner: Thank you Babaji. Baba, are there character traits or behaviour traits which are apparent in a person who is truly devotional? 

Shri Babaji: Definitely, a person would remain composed, at peace always. His consciousness will be on the Divine. Though he mechanically will be moving in the world, appears to be working, everything, but he is not on this earth. To this, Ramana Maharishi also says very beautifully, “Though such a person, a Yogi, is moving in the world, his steps will not be on the earth. It will be like measuring the sky by sky. He is always one with the Divine”. Though he might appear doing something, he might be eating, he might be moving around, he might be talking a little bit, but his talking about the world will be very limited. He always would like to talk about God. That is what the satsanga is. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Babaji. One person has written in, asking “What is the place of gratitude in Bhakti Marga?”

Shri Babaji: If you are really grateful to the Divine, you always are one with the Divine, you remember the Divine. That's what the Divine wants. Divine doesn't need your money, or your world, or your anything, you cannot please Him. If you are grateful to the Divine, don't forget the Divine at all times. Whatever comes, whatever happens, consider that as the Divine's Grace. Not simply a kiss on the forehead is the Divine's Grace. A slap on the cheek also is the Divine's Grace. If you can have this grace, you are really grateful to the Divine. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. Babaji, another person has written asking the meaning and purpose of the concept of ‘Ishtadevata’. 

Shri Babaji: Yeah, you see, Swamiji said, “You can believe God in any form or formlessness, by any name, any form is no problem. Just do not condemn others' beliefs.” So like that, if you are inclined towards one form of the Divine, you fall in love with that one. So that becomes your Ishtadevata. But gradually as you grow higher and higher in that devotion of Ishtadevata, in your consciousness, you will see that Ishtadevata only everywhere. You will not differentiate. You will never differentiate. It is the same. If a certain person comes to you, say you are a devotee of Shiva, another is a devotee of Krishna. He tells, “No, why don't you worship only Krishna? Why are you worshiping Shiva?” That person is not a real devotee of Krishna. He must see Krishna in Shiva also, and understand, when you are worshiping in the form of Shiva, you are worshiping Krishna only. So they are no different. That height of devotion one must reach. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Babaji. Could Babaji please explain about Shivalingam? One person has written that they found that it symbolizes our pineal gland at the base of the brain. Could Babaji please explain that? 

Shri Babaji: I am not a scholar who would have read the books, but my experience and what my Guru said; Swamiji said, the Shivalinga denotes both the form and formlessness of the Divine. It has no form. Any stone, you just take and start worshiping, that becomes a Shivalinga for you. An absoluteness, symbol of absoluteness. And because it is a stone, it has a form also. And you can worship that one. So that is the important thing that you have to take. Both form and formlessness are same. God can be both. That is important. Other scholarly things, different Gurus have explained so many things. It has no end. If you understand this much, is good enough. The rest all could be simply mind-boggling, which is not necessary in the Bhakti Marga. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Babaji. Babaji, another question was, what role does body-mind play along the path of Bhakti Yoga? 

Shri Babaji: Physical body's health is very important. Using the physical body only, you can apply the mind to your Divine. Because when death happens, the brain dies. Whatever habits the mind is holding, based on such habits it spins and visualizes, and attains the next incarnation. Next birth happens. That means, once the physical body goes, you lose control over yourself. Whatever already habits are there in your consciousness, you attain that one. If you have been successfully able to totally silence through the sadhana, meditation, Tapas, all such things, then you merge with the Divine. Otherwise, you will attain another birth. 

Say you are on the devotional path, remembering God, trying to meditate, worship, all these things, but it was not yet complete, then the body dies. Then you achieve a better human birth, another better human birth. Better human birth means, imagine, a person being born to a pious couple who have the character, culture, and are devotional. They will impart such samskara to the child also. A child can learn from the mother all the bhakti, all such samskaras. Then, as it grows, the child develops such inclination towards Bhakti Marga, towards sadhana, towards Ultimate Truth. All these come much better, then it will be able to do Tapas also. 

If we all did Tapas, it means we must have been trying in our previous lives. That's how since childhood itself the inclination came and the thoughts about the Divinity, wanting to know the Ultimate Truth, wanting a Guru of Self-Realization, Self-Realized Master, like Ramakrishna was always there. So, all these things comes if you have done good sadhana. So, this is the role that the body and mind plays. Mind is nothing but you. It is a part of you. You always tell, “My mind wants to go”. What does ‘my mind’ mean? It is not a separate hand, or a leg, or any such thing. It is one mass of infinity. So, even you are thinking, you call yourself as the mind, ‘my mind’. If you stop thinking, it is you as the pure consciousness. When you merge, that ‘I’ also disappears. Only that Ultimate Truth remains. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. There are a few more questions, Baba. One is, how to overcome laziness? That itself becomes a big hurdle in Bhakti Marga. 

Shri Babaji: Laziness means you are a pampered person. You have been getting everything wherever you have been sitting. Imagine, you have to get up and work. Otherwise, you cannot earn your bread. Then you cannot afford to be a lazy person. If you understand the need, very soon death will happen to the physical body, it will not remain all along forever. Then your laziness will vanish. You will get up and start working for your salvation. You who have to meditate. You who have to be on the Bhakti Marga. You must overcome this laziness. Hit yourself on the cheek. Slap yourself. And scold yourself and get up! Don't allow yourself to be pampered into a bed all the time being lazy. You have to work. Laziness is death! 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. There is a question also. In meditation, is there a difference between falling asleep and falling into tantra? How will I distinguish between these two and what can I do to stay alert, please? 

Shri Babaji: You have to remain alert. Falling asleep will not help the mind to get cleansed. Because the brain will go to sleep, mind will not have anything to catch, mind will not be able to purify itself without the help of the brain. So brain needs to be alert. Then only you can watch your mind and cleanse off its habits. The habits have come due to brain's reflections. And the same habits you need to clear with the help of the brain only. It's very, very important that you don't fall asleep. Necessary you get up, you wash your face, then again sit down. That's why when you sit for meditation, you should have taken sufficient rest also. And your stomach's food also needs to have been digested properly. Otherwise, if it is heavy and wind, then you will feel sleepy. That sleep should be overcome. Then only you can meditate. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Babaji. We've had two more questions before we invite people to raise their hands on the screen. Would that be okay, Baba? 

Shri Babaji: Yeah, you ask the question and then see what time remains. Based on that, we will try to say something. 

Same Questioner: There are so many gurus around. How do I know my guru? 

Shri Babaji: You need to be sincere. If it is Self-Realization that you want, you will not compromise for any other miracles, any other dramas, any other things from the guru. You will not like to become a VIP. If you are not sincere only, you will get exploited. Then a guru is clearly visible for you and what you need. What you need you must know, then you will not compromise. Through you only, you will know a sincere guru. Very soon, quickly you will know, “This is not the guru for me. He is teaching something else, he is trying to do something else.” 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. And the final question we've got is, Baba, what if someone's nature is not into devotional rituals but is more inclined towards Dhyana and connecting with the Divine as light and consciousness? Is it demanded by Babaji to do rituals as a path towards Self-Realization or is Realization possible without rituals? Thank you, Baba.

Shri Babaji: Yes, yes. There is no need for rituals. If you don't have inclination, if you have inclination only for meditation, you can go ahead. The idea of any ritual is also to cleanse the mind. So when you sit for meditation, that itself will be like a ritual. So you cleanse your mind, if that is your inclination you go ahead, you don't have to do any other thing. It is through the mind only worship happens, not simply by offering flowers. Even if you don't offer flowers, you just stand and in your mind you become quiet. That is the real worship. Whenever your mind is silent, that is the real worship. So you go ahead with your inclination and you do your sadhana. Still you will be devoted when your mind becomes quiet. 

Same Questioner: Many times I am surrendering to the All Mighty, but sometimes my mind becomes judgemental. Is that correct or not? 

Shri Babaji: Not correct. A surrender should be total. That is important. So then only your mind recedes totally. Otherwise, your mind will start calculating and using its own limited wisdom's intellectuality, then you will not be able to understand the Divinity perfectly. So all these things happen. Total surrender is important. A certain thing like a little bit of meditation, little bit of world, doesn't happen. Either you are meditating, or you are in the world, you are not meditating type. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Baba. Baba, there’s a very personal question that's been sent in. My mother passed away with a lot of suffering a year ago and so did my father when I was 10. I am now 48 years old. I have lost the significance of life, seeing their suffering and illness. Could Babaji please help me with an answer? 

Shri Babaji: We are sorry. Such a thing should not have happened, but however, this world is, one is impermanent. The body's illness also is inevitable. Some people do suffer. Difficult to draw a conclusive answer. Some gurus talk about previous karma, some talk about something else, somebody gets trapped. However, the people who have passed away, their bodies have gone. Based on their own acquired habits of the mind, they will be going towards the Divine or whatever sadhana that can happen in the next birth, and they would not remember you at all. 

The moment their body died, they would have forgotten the previous life with the death of the brain. This is the fundamental truth. Please, you can pray for them, but do not worry. By worrying, you are becoming a casualty yourself. Your life is still available in this world. You purify your mind. There is a chance for you for salvation, going towards the Divine or knowing your Real Self. Even if you don't want to know about Divine, at least you would like to know your Real Self. Do sadhana. Spend the time that is available for you, without allowing the mind to go into a brooding, because that will not come back under any circumstances. 

Those who passed away from this world have not come back to talk about it or be worrying, they would have forgotten, they would have taken their next birth. And depending on the mind’s acquired habits, they will find their way to the Divine. You can pray for them. Pray for them, that their [inaudible]… You are becoming a victim unnecessarily. Please understand this and let go of the thing. It's over. And try to cleanse your mind. Try to find a way to know yourself so that at least when your body is dropped, you would have achieved a total silence of the mind and Divinity. If that can be possible, you try for that. 

Pray for your parents, no harm in it. You love them, is no harm. But worrying is not good. Worrying will not be helpful to anybody. They would have forgotten. Do you remember any of your previous lives? If anybody is crying that you passed away in your previous life, anybody connected to you, do you remember ever? You are remembering only parents of this life. You won't remember somebody who would be crying for you. 

So, this thing has no evidence. So, you have forgotten. Even Ashtavakra tells, this vismriti, forgetfulness, is a Divine Grace that you can look for your future. Otherwise, your own consciousness becomes a victim of unnecessary suffering and casualty. You must look forward. The future is there for you. Look for your own salvation. You might be able to help your parents also by praying for their sake. 

Same Questioner: Thank you, Babaji. We have one other question, Babaji. Why do I hear a constant sound in my brain during sadhana? What should I do, please? 

Shri Babaji: Either focus on the sound so that the mind stops thinking or worrying, then that will be helpful, then the sound also will disappear. If it persists, any other reason, please consult a medical expert if necessary. Otherwise, it should be alright. If it is just coming only in meditation only, it will go away. If you just concentrate on that sound, remain focused, then it will disappear. Don't try to analyze what it is. 

Question: Guru Dev, I wanted to ask about the meaning of one of the quotes of Sri Ramakrishna. What he meant by this thing, I am translating it from Bengali. He said, “Whether knowingly, unknowingly, or by mistake, just by taking His name, the Lord's name, the God's name, will bring results. If like one goes to bathe, getting prepared like with oil and massages, he gets cleansed by bathing. But even if one can be pushed into the water, he also gets bathed and gets cleansed sometimes. And if even someone is lying in the house in his own bed and water is poured on him, he gets bathed. So, how God's grace can work even if one is not even devoted? 

Shri Babaji: You see, there is no need that you have to be devoted to take the name. Even by chance you take, you are taking through your mind. Then the Divine automatically comes to your mind. That's what Ramakrishna meant. That is what He has also told, “Faith in the name of Lord can work wonders.” Then the faith automatically builds up unknown to you. You don't know what God is when you begin with, yet you try to take the God's name. That is with good faith. That is what Ramakrishna is talking. So, it is always there. The name of the Divine can purify your consciousness, even unknowingly also if you take. 

Same Questioner: Guru Dev there was one follow-up question, please. 

Shri Babaji: Yes, okay. 

Same Questioner: Yeah. And Maa Saradamoni, the divine wife of Takur Shri Ramakrishna, also said in one of her quotes, that if you give the power of attorney, the pen to the God to act for you, the burden will be His. So, how can it be by taking His name only the burden can be His? 

Shri Babaji: Now you surrender. Whatever happens in your life, you might be imagining some as good, some as bad, some as the kiss on the forehead, some as a slap on the cheek. But if you allow the Divine; power of attorney means, even if He is slapping, He is doing good to you, He is doing a surgery. Allow the surgeon to perform surgery, He will remove the wound, He will cure you. That’s what Ramakrishna meant here, that you have to surrender. So then, consider everything that is happening as the Divine's Grace only, then it will definitely benefit you. Ultimately, it will lead you to the Divinity, God only. 

Same Questioner: Pranams, Baba.

Shri Babaji: My blessing.

Question: Pranams, Babaji. So, the form of Bhagwan, or of God that first drew me to the path of devotion and to these practices was Sri Ardhanarishwara. And so, when I was first led to Swamiji and ultimately finding Babaji, it was such my delight and joy to see the reverence that Swamiji had for the form of Ardhanarishwara. And I was just wondering if Babaji could just speak very briefly about His connection to this most highest of forms in my view, and why we show reverence to Ardhanarishwara at the end of the aarati? 

Shri Babaji: Ah, you see, when Swamiji at the end of Tapas had the vision of Shiva and Parvati, He was in deep samadhi. He was woken up by somebody tapping on His thighs. So, when He opened His eyes slowly, till then, every month, the Jangama deva used to appear before Him and guide Him, bless Him and disappear in thin air. But now, Swamiji's mind thought, a man and woman are standing. He inquired, “Who are you both?” Then Shiva said, “In this world, people worship me as Shankar Bhagawan”. That was the name He used for Lord Shiva, Shankar Bhagawan. “And this is my consort, goddess Parvati.” 

Then Swamiji, it registered in his mind, consciousness, “Oh, this is Divine,” Swamiji got up with great difficulty and prostrated, totally surrendered. Then they had a conversation. Lord Shiva said, “Now your Tapas of 12 years is over. You can go home and you can do anything you want. You can become a businessman”. But after 12 years of pure Tapas, Swamiji had no desire at all. His mind has become quiet. Swamiji said, “I don't have anything to do in this world. No imagination is coming what I am supposed to do. But as long as this body is available, I will be happy to do anything you want me to do for you”. That's a very unique thing, a devotee asking Lord, Divine, what he can do for the Divine. Instead of asking, “Divine, I want this, I want that” – no, nothing. Such a unique thing Swamiji asked, “If I can do anything for you.” 

Then the Divine Shiva was very much pleased and happily tells, “People of this world have forgotten themselves. That is why they are miserable. Initiate them into meditation. I authorize you that you can initiate anybody. Whoever comes to you, you can initiate and bless them, bring them to Bhakti Marga so that they can do sadhana and know themselves. That should be the purpose of a human life”. Saying thus, they entered Swamiji's body. Swamiji said, Parvati was standing in the left. So, She entered the right side of Swamiji's body. Lord Shiva entered the left side of Swamiji's body. Thus, Ardhanarishwara, Swamiji used to tell, they both entered His body. 

That was when once in Dehradun. 1977, a photographer who used to be a secretary also had come. Swamiji told him, “What have you seen in my body?” Swamiji sat in the lotus posture on the dais, asked him to take from right angle and another left angle. So, on the left angle He used to see, “This is like a gentleman, very strong, my left hand is very strong. I can break your head,” He jokingly said. And the jattas also; one single jatta used to be there. And the right side was the very wide jatta, a big one is Goddess Parvati's jatta. And He showed in His body all woman's features were there. So, His hand also was soft, eyeballs, eyebrows, everything were like a woman's, He was explaining jokingly. 

So, that is how He came to be known as Ardhanarishwara, Swamiji is connected to Ardhanarishwara. And that is the reason I also made an Ardhanarishwara idol installed in my native village, Devarayasamudra Ashram temple we built for Swamiji. So, that's how it is connected to Ardhanarishwara. 

Same Questioner: Thank you so much, Baba. I hope to get to see the Ardhanarishwara idol very soon in your temple. Pranams.

Question: Pranams, Babaji, pranams. Babaji, I want to ask about Ravana. Ravana was, he did lots of meditation for years and years. But still he had false ego and arrogance. So, why was it like that? 

Shri Babaji: You see, purpose is very important when you do a sadhana. If you have the imagination that you want powers to rule the world, to win over all the worlds; he had such desires, and he wanted powers so that he doesn't get killed by animal, by any Devatas, by any demons anywhere. So, such boons he wanted. For that purpose only he did tapas and he got them. He didn't bother about Self-Realization at all. So, that's why he had that greed and desires in him. So, he lost those characteristics. So, that's when he got destroyed finally.

End of Session