Sahaj Sandesh No: 2006.12 - Tuesday, February 14, 2006

• “I am also a new abhyasi for its been ages since I did my own sadhana”: He enquired whether this person was an abhyasi to which the abhyasi responded saying, “yes, new abhyasi, one month old”. Master invited quite some laughter with his quick wit making the abhyasi feel totally at home as he came and settled down”.

• “The real way for Charan Sparsh is when you touch the Guru’s feet, get up with the body but leave the soul at the Guru’s feet” : The abhyasi conveyed the greetings of another preceptor (at the preceptor’s behest) and also conveyed the preceptor’s proxy charan sparsh (cleaning of the Holy feet in obeisance) through the abhyasi to which Master responded :

– You see it can’t happen that way. He has to come in person and do it himself

– There is a story of Narad Muni who said that the real way to do charan sparsh of Narayana was to meditate on his image, have that in front of you and then do the charan sparsh.

– And Babuji has said another thing about charan sparsh – above statement. And in this case, one needs to do the charan sparsh only once. But people keep on touching the feet, its no use and is phoney.

The abhyasi mentioned that he had been practicing Yoga (Master quickly clarified that it was asana or posture) for over 10 years and Master enquired further on what asanas. The abhyasi mentioned that it was for the back and neck confessing ignorance of the names/nomenclature when Master reeled of a few relevant names of asanas.

• But he did not prescribe a practice, he only wrote books and spoke : The abhyasi mentioned that he had previously been into another system for several years now and when Master probed for a ‘method’ beyond the books and speeches that his Guide had given (with the above comment), the abhyasi acknowledged Master’s comment (a slight nudge into the realms of reality). The abhyasi went onto say that he had a few questions/clarifications written down to optimize Master’s time and sort permission to raise them. Master was ready, “yes, please!” (urging him on, eyes fixed on him).

• The first big theme was around “Oneness with Nature” that was motivated by three questions from the abhyasi:

Q1: If we look at nature, it is so natural but the human being is so complicated, Why is that?

A1 (naturally and immediately reaching into the reservoir of wisdom that Babuji conferred about him) “What did Babuji say: ‘Be simple and in tune with Nature’. But what do we do? We create the complication, for example our overseas abhyasis want three layers of mattresses and so soft that when they sit on top of the mattress, their buttocks should touch the floor.” (laughter); two stories followed :

• “I shall tell you a story of a well-to-do friend of mine, quite fastidious about cleanliness etc. who accompanied me on a trip from Delhi to Bareilly. We stayed overnight at the Ashoka hotel and the next day I took him to a famous dhaba or roadside restaurant, not fancy and even sometimes dirty. (This was familiar ground for the abhyasi as he was aware of that dhaba, creating a further bonding for him with Master! It was an interesting dynamic to watch them both talk about the dhaba and the chief chef who apparently had a long moustache or some such thing). The friend was ill-at-ease seeing the unhygienic setting with dirty table cloths, stray dogs walking in and out. I persuaded him to eat and ordered the delicacies of the dhabha – aloo paratha, dhahee (curd) and kheer, the nice and thick one! After a few minutes, I saw this friend call out to the waiter and ask for some more Aaloo (potato) – laughter. Now tell me, where did all that cleanliness and fuss go?”

• There is another story around my father. A couple once came to see him soon after their honeymoon but they appeared rather disturbed and displeased. My father asked them “Kya bhooth-vooth dhek kar aaye ho kya?” (have you returned from a visit to the ghost?) They then talked about the lavish honeymoon they had in Mysore palace spending enormous amounts of money but were unable to enjoy their holiday as they spent half their time searching in the enormous palace that had 100 rooms and the bed was so big that the husband could not even find the wife on their honeymoon night. So much for a lavish honeymoon. In contrast, my father told me that I was conceived in a 1 bedroom flat in Matunga (a congested part of Mumbai known to be a South Indian hub) near the railway station, which is where my parents had their honeymoon.

• So, you see, this is all our creation

Q1a (as an interjection by the abhyasi): But why this circus of creation?

A1a: (instant response) But it can all be thrown off in a second. Where is the creation? (suggesting in expression that this is really a non-issue to be pondering over)

Q1b: But why the creation?

A1b: “Well there is no ‘why’ you see. And every ‘why’ need not have a ‘because’.” And after a slightly reflective pause, Master resumed as if disclosing a higher secret: “You see, behind every real creation, there is love!” We human beings try to create big things and there is no love, just display. But God always creates the small things like the cells, the genes, etc, through love only. There is this famous writer called Nevil Shute you might have heard off and he has written several books but the one most relevant to you in this context would be “Trustees in the Tool room” (you may want to write it down). In this story, this engineer constructs an engine with a tiny motor and just a drop of petrol that he charges with a flick of a nail!” So, those are God’s creations. And Babuji used to comment in connection to this major intellectual debate in the west as to whether the tree came first or the seed: “God is not a fool to go around carrying big trees when a small seed could do the job by growing into a tree.”

Q2 : This circus of livelihood – compassion for youth, managing family etc. How does one balance this livelihood with spirituality?

A2 : “We are all doing it here! You know we all have funny minds where we put everything on the family. Babuji used to say of those coming to him expressing worries of their family members ‘You first worry about yourself’. I mean, do the farmers out in the fields not have families? Do they not manage them? Do they have all the comforts that we have? Are they still not happy? But we want a huge house with a two-lakh kitchen that is revamped if a small tap is out of order; this is desire born out of seeing the neighbor.”

• There is a very interesting story of Babuji’s times when a wealthy abhyasi came to see Babuji and had tears in his eyes. Babuji sent me to enquire the reason for his crying but the abhyasi insisted on talking to Babuji directly. So, I took him to Babuji and he explained that he had lost Rs. 5 crore (Rs. 50 mn) in business that year! Babuji responded saying that he must be a very brave man to endure such a loss for he would have been unable to endure even a Rs. 5 loss, the most he had in his purse! After the man was consoled and sent, Babuji asked me to go and find out the real reason. So, I took this guy to a shop in Shahjahanpur and enquired further over a plate of samosas (known to be very tasty there) and he said that his profit this year was Rs. 5 crore lower than that of last year. So, it was not an absolute loss; the Rs. 12 crores profit had become Rs. 7 crores!

• There is another story by Rudyard Kipling in this connection. A king who had amassed adequate wealth became disgusted, bored and disillusioned with wealth, politics and all his pomp. He tendered his resignation then and there, renounced the world and found a small hut on the top of a hill where he sat and meditated, removed from habitation. He was given food by the villagers who passed by. Further, when he was lost in deep meditation several years later, an earthquake hit the place but he was rescued to a place of safety by deer (Hiran). So, one-ness with nature. The giver gives what is needed.

Q3: Master, to do all this one has to burn-the-bridges and get rid of the past.

A3: Well, burning bridges is not the appropriate word. If you have crossed 4 bridges and want to get rid of the past, you would only have to burn the last bridge isn’t it? (laughter). I wonder what Master really meant here?

Q3a: But these desires Master, getting over them and as one grows up one also makes the mistake of desiring a family etc. (laughter)

A3a : But Babuji used to say that it is only in the family setting that one learns love and sacrifice (prem and nyochavar). Both of these are very important for a spiritual pursuit.