The Practice of Non-Violence | In Quest of Truth - Babaji Q&A, No. 243

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The Practice of Non-Violence | In Quest of Truth - Babaji Q&A, No. 243
Recorded on 13 September 2025 with worldwide participants

0:00 Intro
0:06 What is the true meaning of non-violence
9:38 When Babaji says ‘you have aright to defend yourself’ - is that the self respect? That Babaji talks about?
11:25 Is it the human being that has the ability to rise out of violence compared to the animal kingdom.
20:18 Where we can we adjust and manage, but If we have no choice, we have to defend ourselves and go into a conflict. What is the difference between these approaches?
29:36 If we aim for moksha then why do people raise a family and bring another life into this world?
 34:03 Hanuman burning down the Lanka and Krishna telling Arjun to kill Bhisma - how is this ahimsa?
38:02 Are we violating non-violence by eating meat?
39:18 Was Krishan advising Arjuna to shoot weapons at the Kauravas as an act of self defence?
39:36 Is the ego of being righteous and a good person also violence?
42:23 When Babaji had to defend the Ashram and chose the path of conflict, it was dharma - but for someone else it might look like a violent act?
 43:35 Is it ok to keep eyes closed when Babaji says to open the eyes at the end of meditation?
44:20 When we watch in between the eyebrows are we to imagine that area?

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

Transcript

Discourse: In Quest of Truth – online Q&A no.243
 The Practice of Non-Violence
You tube Link: https://youtu.be/6HFRrbR9EAo   
Recorded: 18 September 2025

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   So, the first question, Babaji, this achieving non-violence is something that the Buddha talked about, as well as other great sages.  One may normally associate violence with something physical, but what is the true meaning of this non-violence, Babaji? 

Babaji Maharaj:   In this physical world, it will be very difficult to define or practice a non-violence always.  But what we can try to understand, you do not be offensive, but you have a right to defend yourself.  Try to live like that.  As much as possible, avoid any conflict.  This is one thing.  But the actual violent and non-violent comes in the mind.  If the mind has extreme anger practice, and extreme greed, wanting all the twelve bananas; “Everything I want for myself,” is very selfish and narrow-minded, and it is too much attracted to the impermanent world more than that is necessary, all the time obsessed with the worldly things, and it is jealous of anybody else progressing; if anybody else is happy, also one feels jealous, many people cannot take it if one person is living happily at peace.  The other one, the neighbor cannot take it.  So, these types of things happen.  

So that is why the sages called the six shapes to which the mind takes; everything comes under this heading only, whatever the mind takes shape as violent. Extreme anger, extreme greed, extreme attachment to the materialistic impermanent world and false pride and jealousy.  So, all these six shapes…  I think one I forgot to tell – kaama, krodha, lobha, moha – extreme stinginess; lobha is extreme stinginess.  If you have, like Swamiji used to tell, “You have twelve bananas, you eat four.  How many are you going to eat?  Distribute some to others also.”  If you want to have all the twelve, then the other will come to snatch, then the violence happens.  So, this is what we are seeing in the world.  Once the violence starts, it is so difficult to establish who committed the first mistake.  Nobody will accept.  

So in the world, it is always very complicated, the violence and non-violence.  However, during practice of meditation, at least if your mind can be non-violent, if it doesn't practice extreme anger and all these things, then you would have achieved the non-violence.  That is what Buddha meant.  If you practice meditation, this ability comes.  Means you will not be jealous of anybody, you will be able to appreciate.  You will not be greedy.  You will always take things according to your needs only.  And you will not be too stingy also.  You will defend your things, but you won't mind sharing certain things with others if anything extra is there, that type of thing.  You will become a better matured human being.  And you will practice non-violence in this way that you will appreciate that, pray that may all beings in all the worlds be happy.  In one word, you will not be selfish and narrow-minded.  These things will come.  Then you are upholding human values.  

So, I have always tried to tell, this is the actual meaning of spirituality or religion.  Today, people are averse to the word of religion.  Because religion word has been misused by people, corrupted people to suit their things, to control the masses.  It is all wrong things, rubbish.  Actual religion is obligation, your duties.  Like you have three things, responsibilities having born as a human being – looking after the health of your physical body is one duty; learn what type of food is suitable and good for you, how the lifestyle can be helpful, learn all these things from the knowers of the truth.  From using this physical body, try to keep the mind healthier, under your control.  Under your control means when you need to think to live in this world, you should be able to think.  When you don't need to think, you should be able to keep quiet, at peace.  Then you enjoy the peace.  The mind should not be running on its own without your command.  The car should not run without your command, you pressing the accelerator and switching on the engine.  Without that, it should not run on its own.  Then it can be disastrous to yourself and it can be dangerous for others on the road.  

A human mind also becomes like this when it is not under control. They become violent.  They get brainwashed quickly and they become dangerous to others in the world.  And they become disastrous to themselves.  So, these are the points we need to understand.  So, this is how you look after the mind by practicing spiritual exercises like meditation, remembering any mantra, so many ways are there.  Different meditation techniques are there.  All are good and honorable.  Practice like this.  If this works out, this Jangama dhyana, one of the best highest practice in ancient Rig Vedic era in India by the sages to achieve samadhi and Self-Realization; quietening the mind is the first point.  Then silently, if you watch, when the mind becomes silent, its attention turns to itself.  That's how you achieve the Self-Realization and samadhi.  But practice; as I told, every day one hour of practice.  

So thus, if you practice and look after your mind, you will be the best matured human being.  When you have the mind under your control, you will be able to uphold moral values also.  This is the third one.  Moral values means human values, consideration to each other.  We need to feel responsible to others, to this world, to the space.  We cannot be irresponsibly behaving.  We have to live a better world for the coming generations.  We will go away one day from this world.  We lived enough, good.  We had our childhood enjoyable because we saw a better world.  The violence was very less; 50 years ago, 60, 70 years ago there was less violence.  The violence has increased today.  It is sad.  The coming generations, children who are being born today, tomorrow, what violence they will have to see.  It is so sad.  Let us try to build a better non-violent world for the coming generations also before we leave this world.  So, that is what it is.  When you are practicing to keep your physical health, mental health and moral health, that is the real religious practice in my opinion.  Rest is all rubbish.  

So, these things come when you practice meditation.  If everybody can practice meditation, automatically everybody will be non-violent, because one important thing that one will achieve is contentment, satisfaction.  You have one, you will be satisfied.  You have two, you will be satisfied.  You won't have the greed.  You won't have that craving.  As Buddha also said, constant cravings of the mind is the basic reason for unhappiness.  That craving always keeps happening for human beings.  So, the indulgence increases the craving.  

   So, all these things you can overcome and remain non-violent.  These are some of the basic points.  Though it is very difficult to define exactly what non-violence means.  In this world, it can be always debatable.  But one important definition we have to understand, in this world, try not to go be offensive always.  But you have a right to defend yourself.  That's what Lord Krishna taught.  If a fight is imposed on you, you have a right to defend yourself.  You don't have to run away.  You don't have to give your head unnecessary.  That is another thing.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  When Babaji says you have a right to defend yourself, is that the self-respect that Babaji talks about? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Definitely.  A self-respect and an arrogance are two different things which will have a thin edge of difference.  An arrogance will have false pride, anger.  But self-respect will not have any anger.  One will be polite, but would like to remain in self-respect.  Means just like we used to hear, our primary school used to teach, “You see the tiger.  It will die in self-respect, but it will not eat grass.”  An example, that type the teacher used to tell.  That used to create an impact in our mind.  Be polite and we will remain at peace.  An animal cannot; if it is hungry, it will pounce upon the moment it gets to see the food.  We human beings, we might be hungry.  Food might be served, but until everybody comes, until they are completely served, until signal is given that we can start eating, we can wait.  That's how we practice self-respect.  We are not greedy; though we are hungry, we are not going to pounce upon the plate like animals, but we will wait like human beings.  Once it is said “Okay, now you can eat, the Guru has started eating, the elders have started eating, all of you start eating.”  So, that is how you practice self-respect in a polite way.  

Question:   Is it the human being who has the ability to rise out of this violence in some way? Because if we look at creation, it seems to be the survival of the fittest.  Everything is eating each other.

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, definitely.  If you watch the other creatures, like the animal kingdom, generation after generation they get trained to hunt their food.  When they are hungry while they are hunting, they will go for that; what you call it as the killing instinct.  They might appear violent for others, but they will do it, they cannot think. But we human beings have the ability to think.  Even though we are hungry, we would not like to rob somebody, we would not like to pickpocket somebody's pocket.  “No problem, I will remain hungry today, but I will not go into a wrong path.  If there is a right path, then only I will choose.”  That is human beings.  Human beings can think.  Simply one cannot say, “I was hungry, that is why I had to rob somebody;” that is not the answer for humans.  A law will not accept this. “I was very angry with him, that is why I killed him.”  You cannot tell in the court of justice, the law will not accept.  

So that is what, the human being behaving responsibly in the world is very much needed. Towards fellow beings, understanding, restraining ourselves, exercising more patience – as much as possible.  Like in Mahabharata, you see? Before going to the war zone, to the war, Pandavas exercised enormous restraint.  The eldest brother Yudhisthira, blessed by Lord Krishna, Krishna also taught.  To the extent – He asked the opponent's king, Dhritarashtra; Krishna said, “Just give five villages, if you don't want to give their kingdom.  If you are greedy, you keep it, okay, just give five villages.  So that they can live respectfully with self-respect.”  Again the self-respect came.  “They don't have to beg you.  They can live happily peacefully.  I assure you Dhritarashtra, Pandavas will accept.  I can give word on their behalf.”  But the opponent was not ready, Duryodhana.  Means, these are lessons that we have to learn.  He was not ready to accept this.  So, the war ensued.  

So, this is what is the responsibility.  We try to work out all avenues before going to the conflict.  When no choice is given at all – if we have to defend our Ashram, we try to exercise a lot of patience.  We try to respect elders.  We try to request them, “Don't do this one, don't cut Ashram trees.  Don't try to take Ashram land.  This is a Trust property.”  Because the royal lady donated it to Swamiji, my Guru Shivabalayogi.  See the thing, Swamiji could have kept it for Himself personally, passed it on to His family people, anybody, but He did not do.  Swamiji was not greedy.  Swamiji always used to tell, “I came with a kaupin and I will go away with the kaupin, I don't need; what will I do?”  So, He vested that property into a trust.  A trust means it is a public utility place where trustees will be there, governing and keeping and looking after in trust of the public.  Public can trust them that the property will be safe.  So that is the public utility place.  So, nobody has a right to take that one.  

And Swamiji permits somebody, “You stay and you can meditate and practice.  And that person, what right that person has to say that “This portion has become mine.”  No, this is trust property, like the government property, not ours; we are only caretakers.  So, like this, the world sees unnecessary conflicts when some elderly persons misbehave.  They don't see what the righteous thing is, what the justice is.  You stay, we are committed.  My Guru has permitted you to stay there.  You stay as long as you are alive, but the place will always remain in the trust only.  So, many people, groupism happens, they play politics, they give different statements.  This is what the world also is seeing.  At one place when violence is happening the same country says, “No, this violence, unacceptable, this is terrorism.”  If the same terrorism is happening at another place, “O no, this is freedom struggle, we will have to look into the matter.”  Because that is politics.  

That is why the world is going into a conflict all the time.  There is no peace.  I have always told people talk of peace, but do not practice peace.  That is why there is no non-violence and no peace.  Everybody quotes Buddha; it has become a fashion, but nobody wants to follow what Buddha taught.  They take it, “O” – fashionable thing, “Buddha taught on non-violence.  Look at Buddha,” but you also learn from Buddha, idiot!  Why don't you learn what Buddha taught?  He practiced non-violence, you also practice like that.  Let all human beings practice.  All Gurus said, all Gurus were non-violent.  Swamiji also did not preach any violence.  Rama or Krishna also did not preach any violence.  They tried to avoid all violence, all fights and conflicts.  “Let us not fight.”  Krishna said, “Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, why do you allow yourself to cry at the dead bodies of your children?  And you will make many, many more such mothers and fathers to cry on the dead bodies of their children who will come to fight the war on your behalf.  You will drag all of them.  So many people you will make them get killed just because of your own greed.  Your inability to understand.”  

Sri Krishna tells Duryodhana, “Just give five villages.  You keep this big kingdom.  How much do you want?”  But that greed and anger and arrogance, “I am not going to give you even the needle tip of land.”  See the arrogance of a human being what can happen.  Today's world also we get to see these things every day.  It is so sad.  Everybody wants non-violence.  All Gurus always have taught non-violence.  Swamiji taught “Meditate, don't keep fighting.”  You gain the ability to remain non-violent only if you meditate.  Otherwise, if you are greedy…  somebody gives you 10 rupees, then you start thinking, “O, this must be having another 100 rupees in the pocket.  How to rob that other 90 rupees.”  That is not human values.  

Humans always try to think like that one.  Dogs won't think.  You give it two rotis, two bread, it will be satisfied and it will remain faithful.  The stories we read in Panchatantras and so many things.  But the human beings are not like that; one person feeds a boy, but that night that boy, “This must be having a lot of money here.  If I rob and I can eat for so many days.”  See, that is the human thinking.  We have to practice.  If everybody can practice meditation and spread this message and awareness. All of you sitting here, you practice, achieve peace to yourself, awareness of your real Self, and then you create awareness amongst your friends.  What this meditation practice is; such a science.  It can help you to achieve non-violence.  Be at peace.  It will make you more responsible human beings, mature human beings.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji talks about ‘adjust and manage.’  So, wherever we can, we should be able to adjust and manage, and then we can navigate through this life properly.  But as Babaji said, if there is no choice, then maybe we will have to defend ourselves as well.  We'll have to go into a conflict, perhaps.  So, could Babaji talk about the difference between the adjusting and managing?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, definitely.  This is what we have been discussing about the Mahabharata things all the time.  We should try to explore all avenues.  Means, I have told people, if you see Babaji going into a conflict, you can understand I would have explored for many years all other avenues.  When I was left with no choice, if I had to defend my Guru's property, my Guru's trust property, faithful to my Guru, only then you would see that I would have gone into a conflict.  Not otherwise, not for my personal.  I don't need anything at all.  I will always remain like this.  When I could have eaten peanuts and chocolates and ice creams, nobody gave me when I was  young.  Today, the whole world is ready to bring ice creams and chocolates, but Babaji cannot eat.  The body has become diabetic.  That is how God works.  He makes sure that I cannot eat.  I will have to distribute to people.  Things come, fruits come, a little bit I take.  How much I can take.  I will remain always like that only.  

Some people might accuse that “You are collecting so much.”  I'm not collecting for myself.  I'm not going to pack these properties and take with me when I die.  Nothing will go.  That person died.  Nothing went with him.  When Swamiji dropped the body, His tapas only went.  None of His ashrams went.  When we die, my ashram will not go with me.  But we want to keep this peaceful, energetic, economically viable for the coming generations.  We always tried to think, when we planted lychee trees in the Dehradun Ashram, that person told, “Why are we planting more lychee trees?  What is the use in those slopes?”  I said “I don’t know.  I may not be able to eat the lychees, but I will be happy 20 years later, 40 years later if some people eat the lychees, I will be happy.  My soul will be happy when I die.  For that only I am planting. I don't plant for my selfishness,” I told that person.  He had no answer.  He kept quiet.  “My Guru has told.  That's why I am planting the lychee trees behind your home to save the slopes only.”  So, like that, we live.  

So, this is what adjustment and management means.  First, maximum we can try to adjust and manage.  Means whatever we get, we adjust with that one.  Then you will always see God giving us surplus.  One example I have told, 52 years ago when my Guru sent me to the Dehradun to look after Dehradun Ashram, when I was going, my imagination was very little, a small hut type, peaceful water flowing, quietness, all around silent; I always loved serenity, solitude and quietness from childhood.  Like Buddha, I also loved quietness.  That is all I dreamt.  But when I went, it was like a big, palatial building.  A queen had given to Swamiji all her summer guest house.  “My God, it's such a big.  Swamiji has given me such a surplus thing.  I didn't ask so much big.”  So, that is what if your imagination is very little.  You will always see God giving you so much in life.  But if I had imagined Buckingham Palace or Rashtrapati Bhavan of India, then that palatial building also would be, “O, this is all.”  Then you would start brooding.  That's how human beings…  Adjustment means.  You expect; how much money you want, that person won't know.  You go on serving into the plate the money, he will go on pocketing; he will never say, “No, no, this is enough.”  Never say that one.  So, that's what the greed is.  

Adjustment is whatever comes.  If today, 10 rupees has come by my Guru's kripa, we have lived with that.  It's fine.  No problem.  If we had to wait for two hours for a bus, we lived like that one.  Today, we are able to fly in the air.  So, earlier days, we used to travel for three days by train from Bangalore to Dehradun, three and a half days.  50 years ago, 40 years ago; that was all right, we never felt anything bad. In scorching heat of summer months we used to travel.  Today, we are able to fly in two hours and forty minutes from Bangalore to Dehradun.  That's the grace of the Divine.  Adjustment, whatever we got. I was always happy fifty years in the Ashram, because whatever we got, I felt surplus.  Anything that came, that was Guru's prasad, we ate.  We never thought, “Why this vegetable is not there.  Why this was made?”  No questions, such thing.  We never questioned anything.  We never expected anything.  That's it.  That is the adjustment, simple, in whichever condition.  

We had to dust, we had to mop the Ashram, we had to clean the toilets.  I never felt which caste I belonged to, what I am.  We adjusted.  That's what Swamiji taught, “This is the Bhagavad Gita's essence.”  And managed with whatever you got.  Jokingly, some of my friends had told “Even if there is a dead body, Babaji will manage with that dead body also.”  No problem, whatever is there.  Four boys ran away abusing me.  Two boys are there.  We will manage with them, no problem.  Let all of us work.  We will adjust whatever is there.  And those two boys are working today which those four boys could not work.  So, this is the essence of adjustment and management.  That's why I have told, all those who learn how to adjust and manage in their life will always be happy.  Whether today there is ten dollars, tomorrow it is ten thousand dollars, always we are happy.  There was no question, “Because only ten dollars that I'm unhappy.  This person gave me only ten dollars donation, I'm unhappy.”  No question.  A person gives me one dollar donation, I'm happy.  A person gives me a thousand dollar donation, I'm happy.  We will use it.  We will help somebody.  Something comes like that.  

So, just always be happy.  If you are habitual, become so practiced, people call that you are habitual to adjust and manage, simply.  That's it.  This is such an essential thing in life that we can remain non-violent.  If as much as possible, maximum.  ‘Bear with, bear with,’ this word you all understand.  “Please bear with us.”  See, regularly we were doing Zoom class.  We had to; everybody enjoyed.  People wanted to come and sit.  When suddenly they all heard that Babaji is ill, they all showed their concern, their love for me, their care for me.  I understand.  So, I had to discontinue sometimes.  But we had to request everybody “Please bear with me.  I'm unable to come online.  As soon as possible, one day, one moment I will not waste.  I will be with you all.”  Today I felt I'm alright.  Three days ago, that's why I told Zen “I think I can do the Zoom this time.  I'm happy and I'm sure the cough will not disturb me too much.  It is coming down.  We'll pray to God the rest.  Let me try to talk.  Let me answer.”  Many people warned “You talk only for 15, 20 minutes.  Don't exert yourself.  Keep the question and answers only for half an hour.”  “Okay, okay,” I told “Okay” to everybody.  Did not want to disappoint anyone.  “It's alright.  Don't worry.  We will do.”  We go on doing, if some good questions come, if it is enlightening for people, we'll do that one.

Question:   If we aim for moksha, freedom from the cycle of birth and death, then why do people raise a family and bring another life to this planet? 

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, raising a family or not raising a family is a way of life in this world.  It is individual's choice.  Nobody can suggest or impose; this is my opinion.  But whatever you do, if a person wants to choose to be a family man or not a family man, actually the family is in the mind, the world is in the mind, attachment comes in the mind.  You adopt a family.  You just do it as a duty.  Look after them, give them love and care.  But in the mind, accept as the results come.  The idea of monkhood, you see, one basic reason is that… you see, suppose, I don't have any family today, that's why I am able to dedicate my life to the ashram life monastic life totally to my Guru for the last fifty-two years.  Whatever my work is, everything is connected to this ashram only. If I am traveling, only for sake of Mission work.  If I am conducting any class, it's only for sake of Mission work.  Many people asked me some questions, “You went around America Babaji?  You saw this?  You saw that one? You saw Niagara Falls?”  I never saw anything.  I don't know anything of America.  I go to America, stay at my host’s home, go to the venue, do my meditation classes, come back to host’s home.  Whatever food I get, I take food and rest.  Next day again, we prepare to go to the venue.  This is all I do.  I don't know where is Niagara, where is Biagara.  I have never gone around sightseeing.  This is the Mission work.  

Means that is the monkhood.  We are totally dedicated.  So, I have to be fulfilling only this.  Today, if I want to come to Zoom class, I don't have any excuse except this body is ill.  Then I'm sorry.  I have to say sorry.  Otherwise, there is no such excuse, “Bhai, I have to attend a relative’s wedding.  I won't be able to do Zoom class.”  You will all laugh at me, “What type of Baba is this?”  I don't have any such duties.  That is what is monkhood.  But it should be an individual's choice.  It was my choice.  I wanted to be in the Mission work helping others.  Like when I came to Ashram, some people criticized, some relatives or friends.  “You are leaving your mother behind.  You could have looked after her.”   I was lucky my elder brothers were there.  They were looking after mother.  I said, “I'm leaving behind one mother, but I may get a chance to look after many more mothers.”  Today all over the world, so many call me a father.  My daughters, my sons, children, everybody.  They write to me of their sadness, their sorrows, their problems.  We give counseling.  I give courage to them.  I pray for them.  Everything we do, we are able to look after them in the name of my mother only.  I look after all women; we respected, I told.  We don't have any disrespect to anyone.  We respect all.  

Like this, it has to be a choice.  Either you become a family man or not a family man.  However, you must know, you really become a family man in your mind, or you become a monk in your mind.  That is the first need.  Afterwards, if you have already adopted a family, you exercise the responsibilities, still you can remain a monk in your mind.  But if it's before family adopting, if one is able to adopt a monkhood, that is nothing like that.  That is that person's choice.  There are many people in many missions working.  So, one will be able to work for the mission totally dedicatedly.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Hanuman burning down Lanka and Krishna telling Arjun to kill the likes of Bhishma, who is regarded as one of the dwadash Mahabhagwat [twelve supreme devotees of the Divine].  How do we classify this as ahimsa paramo dharma [non-violence is the ultimate dharma/duty]? 

Babaji Maharaj:   See, there the things were the defending.  In Ramayana, Hanuman went as an ambassador, a dootah of Sri Rama to look for Sita.  So, that King had taken away Sita.  He had committed the violence first.  So, Hanuman was just trying to defend and show Ravana, at least let him learn lessons and leave Sita, hand her over back to Rama.  That was how it was in defense of their own action.  What was going to happen, Sri Rama was going to come and take away Sita; definitely He will defend His wife.  So, such things cannot be called as violent.  That's what we have always tried to tell.  You have a right to defend yourself.  This is important to understand.  This is the most difficult thing to understand, for many people misunderstand.  

   Much more difficulty is the killing of Bhishma, that Sri Krishna advised.  Definitely, we all salute that great soul Bhishma.  Such a great warrior, dharmaatma.  But yet, he failed to define the dharma, means a duty.  When the daughter-in-law of that clan was about to be disrobed, he was also sitting in that court, defining “My dharma is to obey the King's order.  Without that I cannot help you, my daughter.  I am sorry.”  How could he say that one?  He could not think that “My priority should be to protect this daughter first.  That is the dharma.  My personal glory comes afterwards.”  That's what Sri Krishna taught.  The greatest teacher this world has seen is Lord Krishna.  That's how Sri Krishna taught.  “So, Bhishma has sided with a wicked person.  Though, Bhishma is noble, dharmaatma, a great warrior, but he has sided with the wicked.  So, he is fit to be killed.  If you are not going to kill, I will kill.”  Then Arjuna says, “You have taken a vow, Krishna, that you will not take up any weapons.”  Krishna tells “No problem.  If I take up the weapon and kill Bhishma, people will blame me that I did not keep up my promise.  That's no problem.  But at least I would have saved a larger cause, dharma of this subcontinent.  People will be able to live in happiness.  

How could he allow the disrobing of that woman in the court?  He could not think that “My dharma is to protect this woman first.”  He failed to understand, if I protect this woman, he would have protected the entire clan.  The war wouldn't have happened.  That's what he regretted in the end, Bhishma.  “Had I married, this war wouldn't have happened,” he thought.  But what was the use, by then this thing happened.  So, that's why without thinking, you should not take up any vow.  That's what Krishna taught.  When the dharma in which way comes, you don't know.  What your action should be.  When you have to take up a sword, when you must not take up a sword, you never know.  Do not define dharma and tie your legs with a chain.  

Question:   Namaskaar Babaji, my question is, if we have a habit of eating meat and fish, are we violating the non-violence principle, even if we personally aren't killing those animals? 

Babaji Maharaj:   If you have this habit, if you think it is violent, then stop eating.  

Same Questioner:   What do You think? 

Babaji Maharaj:   My Guru never imposed this eating because world-over different cultures are there and weather conditions, habits.  So, He didn't want to talk much.  This can always be debatable, disputable.  If you ask my opinion, I would recommend vegetable.  Even you see, vegetation was also taught by elders, how to pluck a vegetable without harming the tree or the plant itself.  Just like you cut the nails – my grandmother used to tell, just like you cut the nail, you pluck a flower or a vegetable like that.  You should not harm.  So that is the non-violence, those elders knew and practiced.  But what to say about the present world? I would recommend vegetable.  

Same Questioner:   In the Bhagavad Gita story, was Sri Krishna advising Prince Arjuna to shoot the Kauravas with weapons out of a sense of self-defense? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, because the war was imposed.  

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  My question is about being a good person ego.  So, when we have seen many saints and many people, like righteous people, for example, Bhisma Pitamaha, who had the ego of being righteous and good.  And Babaji did explain that how it imparted to not taking side of dharma.  But in, on a regular day-to-day basis, when we see this ego, can Babaji explain that even this counts as violence? 

Babaji Maharaj:   You know, that's what I was trying to tell.  Never try to define what your dharma is.  Never try to take.  You don't know.  At that time, you will have to decide, setting a priority.  You see, if the ashram was my personal property, I could have decided, “Okay, you take this.  No problem.  I will sit under a tree.”  But it was not my personal property.  It was trust’s.  It was a public utility place.  I am supposed to keep it peaceful, safe, take care.  So that's why we had to defend.  You know, that's how we decide – faithful to Guru, defend.  Not for sake of owning the property.  If one ashram goes, devotees will build me another ashram.  But there is a sense of responsibility.  Based on this only we have to decide in life.  

But this comes, this ability when you practice meditation; you will learn to see a larger cause.  You know, what Krishna dreamt; if the ruler is both righteous, dharmaatma, and powerful, both, only then the country will have peace, subjects will have peace.  Either of two is missing, then the trouble will be there.  If he is only dharmaatma but weak, not powerful, then others will take over power and dictate terms to that king.  So, that's why Krishna wanted Pandavas to come to power.  That they will be powerful and they will be able to exercise justice always, give happiness to the subjects, they will not be selfish.  So, based on these things only, Sri Krishna advised and taught.  So, this was what He taught.  That's what is most difficult to understand for people in this world.  

Same Questioner:   Babaji, can I translate this?  So that means that when Babaji had to defend the ashram and choose the path of conflict, it was in Babaji's complete understanding that this is dharma.  But for someone else, it would look like that Babaji is choosing conflict, which is non-violence.  And on the other hand, it was not dharmaatma to not be in conflict.  So, not going into the war was actually ego, was against dharma, although it seems like you're being a good person.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, there is no such thing that we will not go into a conflict under any circumstances.  That definition must not come.  We will try to be non-violent.  And we don't have anything against that person.  We don't entertain any hatred, any dislike.  There is no such thing in my mind.  It is erased, gone.  Simply, we try to defend for the larger cause, not for my personal.  My personal, I can sit in any devotee’s home.  They will give me food.  My life can go, they can build any ashram.  But that would have been selfishness.  So, like that, we try to think.  Understand?

Same Questioner:   Thank you, Babaji.  

Question:   Babaji, my question is regarding online meditation sessions when Babaji is present.  When Babaji asks to open the eyes, is it okay to continue?  Like supposing I don't want to or I am unable to open; I hear, but I can't open.  Is it okay to continue to disobey your command?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, it's okay.  For some time, you want to continue keeping the eyes closed.  It's okay, up to you.  It's no problem.  From my side, I have given the choice that it's okay to open your eyes.  But if you want to continue for some time, it's up to you.  You can continue.  No problem.  I won't mind.  

Question:   Pranaam Babaji.  Babaji, thank you so much.  Today is my first session with you.  And one thing I'm just unable to understand because I'm, you know, a naive person – how can we focus with the closed eyes?  Are we to imagine that area? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Using the eyeballs means when you close the eyes, initially it will be simply a darkness, I know that one.  Nothing else will be visible.  So, that's why we tell, “If you can try to imagine in-between eyebrows, if the eyeballs, you can slowly bring it…  It doesn't come easily.  It moves parallelly like that.  It can give confusion, lot of confusion.  So, what you do is, when you close the eyes, even if it is darkness, whatever is in front, just watch without trying to think what is there and what is not there.  Even if any thought comes, don't bother to analyze or think about it.  Just watch the front portion.  In due course of time, eyeballs will start coming on their own to the center; one day you will be able to achieve.  Just now you just go on watching the front when you close the eyes, whatever is visible.    

End of Questions and Answers

End of Session