0:00 Intro
0:07 Why does Shiva have Parvati? What is the role of Shakti?
1:19 So does Babaji have Shakti?
1:55 If Shiva had not married Shakti would creation have not happened?
3:06 So energy cannot exist without consciousness and consciousness cannot exist without energy?
4:52 Shakti is of the female body and Shiva is of the male body?
6:35 Does Shaktipat have any value?
9:59 What was Krishna trying to tell Arjuna when he showed the appearance of creation?
11:26 When artists depict this image, they show the ten heads and the entire cosmos is inside Krishna.
13:22 Krishna’s psychological teaching to Arjuna
15:08 Is it useful to tell yourself that you are not the body?
15:50 Can Babaji elaborate on losing the ego?
18:29 These habits, even before you can think, you suddenly find yourself doing it.
19:36 What is the significance of vibhuti (holy ash), and how often should it be applied?
22:20 If people do healing for other people, is it interfering with the laws of nature?
23:06 Why do they call Lord Shiva Neelakantha?
24:46 What is Vedanta?
25:39 What is potency of mind? Is it like willpower?
26:11 So with more meditation you can increase potency?
27:00 If a thought or vision is strong within meditation, how to maintain the focus?
32:03 So in this story the ghost is you yourself and Vikram is also you?
33:21 When many thoughts come up in meditation, if we give ourselves the instruction, “Enough, I’m not going to recognise any more”, will they diminish?
33:40 In Sikhism, they meditate but also worship?
36:29 There is a Sikh devotional song which says to ‘forget everything’

Discourse: In Quest of Truth
DSM Meditation Retreat 2024 Day 10 – Morning
You tube Link: https://youtu.be/V0p0uHf_2Q0   
Recorded: February 2024

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   Why does Shiva have Parvati?  What is the role of Shakti?

Babaji Maharaj:   Both are inseparable and same.  Presence of one needs the other.  Instead of Shiva and Shakti, let’s go for consciousness and energy.  That is the Shiva and Shakti.  So, in consciousness the creativity comes, the ability to create or imagine comes because of the presence of the energy.  That means Shiva is able to create because of Shakti.  They both need each other.  So, Shakti enables the creation because Shiva’s presence is there.  Like that, they are inseparable, they need each other.  So, these are symbolizing the concepts.  Finally, it has taken shape of a human type of God and Goddess, these types of things are happening.  Both are equally… a mother and father, both are needed.

Question:    So, does Babaji have Shakti?

Babaji Maharaj:   Only for worldly people. [Babaji laughs]   So, that’s the concept the ancient sages gave for the Ultimate Truth as Shiva-Shakti, symbolizing that thing.  But here, one entity [points to His body] has both consciousness and energy; Amba also has both consciousness and energy, it is there.  We don’t go like that, me and Shakti, not necessary. 

Question:   If Shiva had not married Shakti, would creation have not happened?

Babaji Maharaj:   See, because there was no need for Shiva to marry Shakti.  Right from beginning, they were together.  The wedding ceremony of Shiva-Shakti is celebrated to symbolize praying to the energy not to create havoc in this world.  Be one with the consciousness so that… consciousness is considered that it has the ability to consider about welfare.  So, you pray to Shakti also to transform like a mother who has the highest consideration for creation; unconditionally is able to forgive.  That’s what it is.  In any case, they are not the human type of figures that they needed to marry, and then begot the children.  That’s what the world – not like that.  Simply it is symbolizing only Shiva-Shakti.  Otherwise, the original thing is like the consciousness-energy.  It’s already inseparable. 

Question:   So, energy cannot exist without consciousness and consciousness cannot exist without energy?

Babaji Maharaj:   These are all human-made, to argue, to convince and to teach.  So, the truth is truth; it is inseparable.  That’s what it is.  Both consciousness and energy.  The existence is like that in nature, naturally.  So, simply we have to understand that they both are together and inseparable, not as different entities coming together, but as one entity.  The same one entity has both consciousness and energy.  It’s a combination of energy and consciousness.  That’s what we could observe and understand, finally.  We all have heard the “Shiva illama Shakti illa; Shaki illama Shiva illa,” these arguments.  Some arguing for Shakti, some arguing for Shiva.  So, these are all the meaningless worldly people’s arguments, unnecessarily.  Just somebody becomes fond of the mother – even if we try to take from that viewpoint also, for a child, both mother and father are needed.  They cannot tell “Because of my mother only I came to this earth.”  They cannot tell “Because of my father only I came to this earth.” “Because of my parents I am here, this body is in front of you,” like that.  That is the final truth of existence which we need to understand.  So, all arguments are futile and make really no meaning. 

Question:   Shakti is of the female body and Shiva is of the male body?

Babaji Maharaj:   Consciousness I am talking, not of the body.  No need of talking – physical body, whatever you all recognize in this world as a male, as a female, it’s all the same.  But the consciousness; that consciousness is made up of both consciousness and energy.  I also tell, “What is the mind itself?”  You recognize it based on thoughts and visions only.  But if there are no thoughts and visions, what remains is the combination of consciousness and energy.  For that elaborately I have explained, consciousness means wherever you apply your consciousness, you become aware of that.  When I am talking, you apply yourself, your consciousness.  So, this application is possible because of the presence of energy in the consciousness.  If there was no energy, only consciousness, it would simply be a stillness.  But here the energy is there.  So, that’s why it is able to spin and become creative.  So, that is what has been tried to be explained. 

So, when originally some Self-Realized soul explained, that comes, then afterwards, next, next generation, they wouldn’t have understood.  They keep on arguing, arguing, arguing; it’s like a tug of war which loses its meaning.  Just like the other day I was telling, son tells, “No, no, it’s only mother; she cannot be a wife.”  Father says “Idiot, she is a wife, she cannot be a mother.”  So, it makes no sense, actually. That type [of thing].

Question:   Does Shaktipat have any value?

Babaji Maharaj:   Humans need new, new things.  Initiation and the dhyana are the original words; diksha and the dhyana.  So, for that, some, they want to create curiosity.  When the Master initiates, automatically some energetic power is transformed.  It is like, when I initiate you, I give you like ten dollars, so that you can start some start-up business.  And then it’s up to you to increase that into hundred dollars, million dollars.  If you know how to manipulate and do the business, you will do that one.  Otherwise, it will remain only ten dollars. 

Shaktipat is like that.  Simply by a Shaktipat, nobody becomes Self-Realized.  That starts; after that, you have to do sadhana.  Journey begins after the Shaktipat.  But when Shaktipat, means if I tell that energy has been given, so they feel confident, “Ah, now I have got some energy.  If I close the eyes, O, it starts coming.  O, energy is there.  Yes,yes, it is here.”  So, some people even do the drama.  “See, I am raising your Kundalini.”  They show their hands like this.  “It’s coming up.  Can you feel?”  That person will say, “Yes,” because you know, if he says, “No,” then the Guru tells, “O, you are an idiot.  You don’t understand anything.”  That’s why he will tell, “Yes, I can feel.  I’m coming up.  It’s coming here, it’s coming here, now it’s coming here.  Now, I am tying it here.  It will remain here.”  So, Self-Realization doesn’t happen like this.  You have to become quiet.  If your mind becomes quiet, then the Kundalini rises.  This is what happens. 

So, for that Shakti is given so that the initiation, so that you feel inspired, you start doing and then it goes.  So, no Shaktipat has made people Self-Realized.  Sometime ago, some Gurus spoke about this Shaktipat – “He gives Shaktipat”.  When I was going by train to Dehradun, they were asking, “What does Your Master teach?”  I said “Dhyana.”  “Is it like transcendental meditation?”  In those days, Mahesh Yogi was very famous in the West.  And another asked, “Is it the Shaktipat? He also gives Shaktipat?”  “He gives dhyana.  That’s what I know.  So, no Shaktipat, no transcendental meditation.  But if you meditate, you will transcend everything,” I used to tell.  “If you meditate, the shakti gets generated that is within you.  That’s what is the truth of teaching.”  Like that I used to tell.  So, new, new terminology.  From India, the same techniques travel to another country, comes back as reiki.  The coal was taken away to England by the British.  Then again, brought it and sold to Indians for more than double the rate.  Marketing; this is also something like that only.

Question:   What was Sri Krishna trying to tell Arjuna when He showed the appearance of Creation?

Babaji Maharaj:   What Krishna was telling was the infinite Ultimate Truth.  He went on talking, “If I am this, all of you are in me.  Now, you all understand the Infinite, all-pervaded Supreme Consciousness as me.”  Suppose I am Krishna, just assume for a while.  So, I am telling, “All of you are in me.”  Means, if I am the space, all of you are in me.  When Krishna went on telling that one, it was mesmerizing, thrilling, hair raising for Arjuna.  Perhaps in his consciousness, he went on imagining a very high personality like Krishna.  And one head is not enough because He was telling, “I am this, I am that, I am that,” so many heads all started growing.  And everything appeared as if it is coming from the mouth and Arjuna saw himself to be inside that body.  But actually, originally, it was this what Krishna meant in Bhagavad Gita.  That is what needs to be understood.  He went on telling, “I am the Raja among human beings.”  That means that ‘I’ is the consciousness, not the body of Krishna. 

Question:   When artists depict this image, they show the ten heads and the entire cosmos is inside Sri Krishna.

Babaji Maharaj:   See, that is all the capacity to imagine.  Now also, Hanuman has one head and two hands and two legs.  That is what we all studied in Ramayana.  But you install Hanuman, many people may not get attracted that much.  But instead, you give four more heads to Hanuman and call it ‘Panchmukhi Hanuman’.  Then that is curiosity, “Bhai, there is a Panchmukhi Hanuman, hitherto not seen before that one.”  So, another comes with another competition, “Acha, you have done Panchmukhi.  I will do it Dwadashamukhi.  Now, I will see all the crowds coming to my temple.”  So, he constructs twelve heads for Hanuman.  It goes on, it is growing like that to attract people to generate curiosity. 

Like that, artists, when they do it, whatever maximum they can imagine, Vishwaroopa Darshana, yet, it will be limited into a frame.  Whatever they could imagine, as many heads as they could imagine, they depicted and whatever He went on telling, Krishna, “This is Vishwaroopa Darshana,” that is what Arjuna saw, that one.  Who saw, who didn’t see?  But the actual truth is, space, and that is the thing.  Every creation, entire creation.  So, every day you get to see in the telescope if you are an astronomer, a new planet appearing, another planet getting dwarfed and sun is being engulfed by another white star or something like that, keeps coming, astronomical news every day keeps coming.  That is the truth.  That is what is the actual truth.

Question:   Sri Krishna’s psychological teaching to Arjuna.

Babaji Maharaj:   So, that is another psychology.  Your mind needs to become single-pointed.  That only, like for the last ten days I am answering, I am trying to teach, “You meditate, you do that thing, you do that thing.”  Suppose you are very emotional about Babaji as your Guru, as your God, it is your imagination, your faith.  So, you tell “Babaji, I am unable to control my mind.  It is so difficult; this is happening.”  “Okay, forget about all meditation, all imaginations, everything.  Just think of one Babaji with you, sit down there!”  That is what Krishna tried to tell Arjuna; “Forgetting about everything, you surrender to me.”  Means in your consciousness, if you can maintain only “Krishna, Krishna, Krishna”, then also your mind will become single-pointed. 

It can happen.  He told the formula, but imagine, that also Arjuna could not maintain fully during the Mahabharata war.  He went on taking oaths and pratignyas based on his own ego; “I will kill Jayadratha before sunset tomorrow.”  So, he forgot “Krishna is all-pervaded, I have to talk to Krishna first.”  He didn’t.  So, that is what was happening.  That is what Krishna said, surrendering means, in bhakti marga, if it is too difficult for you to meditate, at least surrender to Swamiji.  I have one Swamiji; you and your God, that also we try to teach.  So, that is the inner meaning of what Krishna was trying to tell. 

Question:   Is it useful to tell yourself that you are not the body?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, consciously, you are not this body because this body is going to go away.  You must be something else.  Then you try to focus on the consciousness of your existence, from where the ‘I’ is coming.  So, that’s what will be helpful.  It is useful, definitely.  But consciously you must, not just for theory’s sake.  With all your emotions, “Ah, this body is impermanent and I am not this body.”  Firm conviction; that will be useful. 

Question:   Can Babaji elaborate on losing the ego?

Babaji Maharaj:   Losing the ego means, if I tell you “Sit down,” without thinking, sit down.  If I tell you, “You watch, without thinking twice just watch!” then things will work.  That’s what is the surrender to the Master.  You got a chance to see Swamiji.  He told everybody whoever came to do dhyana.  And you know many of the other royals, this, that.  Did anybody do?  They went on doing their own things.  That is what is known as ego.  So, ego is so dearer than even the Guru.  Can you imagine?  If one can lose the ego.  Swamiji always told, “Ego is the biggest hurdle for progress.”  If you can lose the ego, that means when the Master says, “You just do it” – you don’t have ego, you will do it.  When He asked me to look after the mentally challenged, I looked after; I never bothered “Why, I should look after a mentally challenged.  Why is He not making me to do meditation?”  Never thought.  Because the ego was not there.  “Swamiji is asking me and I am just doing it.” 

So, that’s how you will lose ego.  You will be benefited.  This is what elaborately the ego point means.  Having your own ideas and not following, then the things will get delayed.  So, Master tells something and you try to do something.  Inside you will hear, it appears so true.  Whatever Babaji is telling you makes sense, it is so wonderful.  The moment you cross this door, it goes away from the mind.  You talk something else; you take a cell phone and you argue with the family people, you keep scolding somebody, “This is not happening,” pulling up the husband, “Why did you do this?  I told you not to do this.”  Something, example.  Not exactly that you do it, for anybody.  So that is all the ego, habits!  That’s what I also try to call as ‘acquired habits of the mind.’  Mind becomes a victim of its own habits.  It cannot give up.  If one can give up, then Self-Realization can come like this [clicks fingers].  That’s what delays.  That’s what they talk of ego. 

Question:   These habits, even before you can think, you suddenly find yourself doing it.

Babaji Maharaj:   That is what is the habitual.  Always, when one stronger thought is troubling you, you need to take help of a much more stronger thought.  That only helps you to overcome this.  Otherwise, difficult.  So, now you have to see what can be more dear to you than that habitual ego.  Take the help of that.  Then this will not allow this ego to crop up.  You think twice, ten times, “O God, Babaji will pull me up if I do anything nonsense here.  If I don’t do this work, if I don’t wash the plate, Babaji will be watching me; He will pull me up later.  He will crack some joke about me because I did not do this service.  He is very clever.  Babaji is watching.”  Like this you keep thinking and you won’t do that wrong thing. 

Question:   What is the significance of Vibhuti (holy ash), and how often should it be applied?

Babaji Maharaj:   Every day you can apply on the forehead and feel that the Master is with you and then practice meditation.  So, this will help you to remain inspired and feel confident that the Master is with you in that form of vibhuti.  For that purpose only this vibhuti is a practice, particularly in southern part of India, very widely practiced since very long, long time ago.  Vibhuti’s meaning is of two, symbolizing two significance.  One is, in Hinduism, particularly if a person dies, the body is cremated.  So, when fire is put, what remains of the body a handful of ashes.  To remind the impermanence of the body – after all this beautiful body will become a handful of ashes finally.  We should not forget the moment of death.  So, before that we must try that we come to know about us.  We realize the Self.  That this is one thing. 

Another meaning of vibhuti is like Divinity.  Bhutatma means individual imagined self.  In Rudrashtakam also it comes, ‘sarva bhootadi vaasa’, all the bhoota, means all the jeevatmas, imagined selves; inside it is the Divine who resides.  So, vibhuti is beyond the imagination of all imagined selves, it is the Ultimate Truth of the real Self.  That’s what is ’Vibhuti Purusha’. 

So, these two different meanings are there for vibhuti.  That’s what Swamiji told me.  That is the significance, as a tradition to give you, to remain devoted to the Master and feel connected to the Master or Guru always.  So, when you keep the vibhuti with you and apply it in between eyebrows on the forehead.  Swamiji also gave blessed vibhuti for many other purposes.  If you had some work to be done, if you had a case, if you had to be in hospital, any such thing, He used to give, “Keep this in the pocket.  Everything will be alright.”  You will gain that confidence, “O, Swamiji is in me, with me, He is with me.”  So, that faith can be very helpful to you.  It can even work wonders for you.

Question:   If people do healing for other people, is it interfering with the laws of nature?

Babaji Maharaj:   Some reiki people have discussed.  I told, “Before doing reiki, if you meditate well, if your mind is mature, then you won’t absorb any negative energy, you will be able to help better.  Do not be in a rush to become a reiki teacher without understanding that perfectly, without getting that mind under your control, go towards Self. Otherwise, you will simply end up becoming a small teacher, and will not be able to go towards Self-Realization.”  That’s what I would like to tell, alert people. 

Question:   Why do they call Lord Shiva Neelakantha?

Babaji Maharaj:   Originally, when you stand outside, the sky appears to be in the blue, right? When it is clear.  To symbolize that, if Lord Shiva is the all-pervaded space, so His throat is blueness.  This is one thing spiritually.  Other things, the story has been told, during samundra mantana, when the devatas and the demons were churning the ksheera saagara, they were doing it so that the nectar comes out.  So, then whoever gets the nectar will become immortal.  That’s what the story said.  So, they were doing it, both demons and the devatas.  So, before the nectar, so many things came.  It says that Mahalakshmi came, so Maha Vishnu took Her away.  And along that haala haala, poison also came.  So, there was nobody to take it.  It was going to burn the whole world, universe.  Then Shiva took that poison and drank.  Then by then, Parvati comes and holds the neck so that the poison should not go to His body.  Then it says it stayed there, giving the mark of blueness to the neck.  This is the legendary story.  But that is the symbolizing of the Ultimate Truth that is. 

Question:   What is Vedanta?

Babaji Maharaj:   Vedanta is the knowledge about the Ultimate Truth.  See, first Veda mantras have been told about the worldly manners, worldly significance for householders, for kings, for the citizens, all like this.  Then, the Upanishads; Upanishads give the knowledge of the Ultimate Truth, philosophy – they are known as the Upanishads.  So, they are known as the Vedanta teaching. Where the Vedas end, then the teaching about the Ultimate Truth starts.  Antha means ‘ends.’  Vedas end, then the Upanishads start.  So, that’s the meaning of Vedanta.  Vedanta means you are trying to learn the Ultimate Truth.

Question:   What is the potency of mind?  Is it like willpower?

Babaji Maharaj:   It’s concentrated power.  If it becomes more distracted and scattered, its power is less; commonly everybody can understand.  When it is more concentrated, then when it applies the brain, that person can work like a genius; his observation, focus, all these are very powerful.  That is how the power potency increases.

Question:   So, with more meditation you can increase potency?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, it can be more distracted, mind spinning into thoughts and thoughts and thoughts about this world and its imagination.  It becomes more and more weak, layer after layer, layer after layer, it dilutes itself.  If it stops, then focused – remaining focused is the watching in the meditation.  That is the power that increases.  So, using that as the rocket thrust power, so you go towards the Self.  So, that is one thing – you have come a long way in imagination, if you can become quiet and concentrate yourself, that will take you back to the Self. 

Question:   If a thought or vision is strong within meditation, how to maintain the focus?

Babaji Maharaj:   So, if at all such a thing appears… Mind has a tendency to quickly recognize, analyze, and then make a judgment.  First mistake, when you recognize the existence of such a thought or a vision – “Okay, you recognize, at least now you keep quiet,” you can tell your mind.  But it analyzes, then that is the second mistake, repeats the mistake.  Then the Master tells, “At least my child, don’t make any judgment, you will get involved.”  It makes a judgment.  Third mistake it does.  So, like this, it gets involved.  Instead, if you don’t do any of these three things, you will win.  First instant itself, you don’t recognize it, then that dissolves. 

So, this is what is the ‘Vikram and the ghost’ story I have told.  Vikramaditya was a great king.  One tantric guru tells “I have to do a great sacrifice for Mother Kaali.  I need the ghost which is on the treetop.  You only have the power to bring it.”  So, he [the king] goes to bring it.  He puts it on his shoulders, he is bringing.  The story says, thousand nights, every day the ghost would engage in talking, “Look, Emperor Vikramaditya, I am going to tell you a story so that we can time-pass.  Long distance is there for you to reach there.  So, we can have some entertainment.  I will tell a story.  And at the end of the story, I will ask a question.  You have to answer if you know.  If you don’t know, I won’t mind.  I will leave you in peace.  But if you know the answer, then you have to tell me.  But the condition is that the moment you open your mouth, I will escape and go back to the treetop.”  That was the condition.  He agrees. 

Every night it tells a story, beautiful story, some puzzle, something, “So, now you tell me what is the answer.”  He [king] used to listen to the story with apt attention.  And he already knew the answer because he was very wise.  He had to tell; the moment he told the answer, it escapes. “Now you opened your mouth, I am going.”  Like that it went on, every day without fail he comes without losing patience and tries to take [the ghost].  The last day he just thought, “Why is this happening?  Every day I take, I answer and it runs away.  How to avoid this?”  Then he realizes, “The problem is when I listen to the story the ghost says, then I always know the answer.  So, the moment I answer, it runs away.  One idea.  If I don’t listen, if I don’t pay attention to the story that the ghost is telling, then I don’t have to answer at all.  It cannot complain.  Then it will have to go with me.”  So, last day, it goes on telling its story and he doesn’t pay attention.  He keeps his mind totally focused.  He was a serious, great meditator, tapaswin, Raja Vikramaditya. 

So, he just keeps quiet and doesn’t listen to the story at all.  So, the ghost is helpless.  When the ghost asks a question, he doesn’t open his mouth.  Then the ghost understands.  “Today you did the wisest thing; you applied your wisdom.  You are not opening the mouth because you did not listen to my story.  I could see that one.  And that’s why you don’t have to answer.  Okay.”  It surrenders.  The story says, finally, “Anyway you have won me, I won’t go back now.  But when the tantric guru asks you to prostrate, you tell him, “You prostrate and show me how to do the prostration.”  When that guru prostrates, cut his head.  Otherwise, he is going to cut your head and will get the darshan of Mother Kaali.  For that purpose only he is asking you to bring me, that I can give him all the powers.”  So, he wins.  He takes the power.  That tantric was actually a badmaash, he was a wicked person, not a real guru or whatever.  So, this is the story.  The significance for us is that spiritually; you recognize that thought or vision, you are gone.  Then you are forced to analyze.  You analyze, you are forced to answer, talk to that, judgment.  Then it escapes, betaal.

Question:   So, in this story the ghost is you yourself and Vikram is also you?

Babaji Maharaj:   It’s your mind which tells a story, always shows a scenario, a vision, or gives a thought.  And then it knits a story and tells you the story.  That becomes attractive to you and you analyze.  And you try to judge yourself, “This is good, this is bad.  Why is this happening?  Why not that happening?  Why can’t I be given Self-Realization without having to do any meditation?  How nice if I didn’t have to meditate at all?  How nice if I didn’t have to die in this body, then I won’t have bothered about any God.”  So, stories it keeps knitting, knitting, knitting.  And you get involved; you become a victim of your own stories.  Here, you become a victim of your own stories!

Finally, it is just an imagination which is not useful to you in any way for your happiness or for your existence.  During meditation at least.

Question:   When many thoughts come up in meditation, if we give ourselves the instruction, “Enough, I’m not going to recognize any more,” will they diminish?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, don’t recognize, be firm.  “No thought, this is illusion, my own imagination. Nothing is a reality.  I don’t have to recognize or analyze, no need.”

Question:   In Sikhism, they meditate but also worship?

Babaji Maharaj:   That’s the devotional path.  Several reasons. Originally, Guru Nanak taught meditation because He spoke such language also.  So, you have to cross the doorstep.  When you are able to cross the imagination doorstep, then in the stillness and the space you will find the Guru, Ultimate Truth.  Then, afterwards successors were there.  In Sikhism, ten Gurus have happened.  The last Guru thought, “If we have to continue, the quality of Gurus has been decreasing.  If they are not Self-Realized, there will be lot of politics.”  So, He thought of putting a stop to the Guru successive lineage.  Instead of that, that text is known as ‘Guru Granth Sahib’, in which all the songs are there.  Guru Arjun Dev composed that one taking hymns and songs from different sages, from all religions; from Islam also, Sufi saints singing; from Hinduism also, Kabir Das or Tulsidas, so anyone like that one.  And the Sikh Gurus also had composed – all composed songs have been compiled in that One. 

So, now, in Sikhism, they worshiped that Guru Granth Sahib book.  It is kept on the final takht [elevated altar] for worshiping.  Everybody just follow that one.  No more human Gurus.  There won’t be any politics – that’s what Guru Gobind Singh thought.  And the circumstances; He founded that Sikhism of wearing the turban and the five significant things – kadaa [bangle], and growing the hair, and a small sword, like this.  So, that’s what is now the present situation.  But they all sing, beautifully they sing; Guru Baani, they call it.  Now, in all Gurudwaras, that paath [constant recitation/singing] keeps going on.  So, that is, like if one can listen, if they cannot meditate, even if they listen out of total devotion.  So, slowly, probably, I think the meditation has taken a back bench and other things have come to the forefront.  This is what happens in any religion or any Guru’s teachings.  Then they try to take other form of things. 

Question:   There is a Sikh devotional song which says to forget everything.

Babaji Maharaj:   In praise of the Guru, such a song is also there – one amongst them she is remembering.  “I came to seek refuge at the lotus feet of the Guru.  I surrendered.  So, then I found that Supreme Peace.”  Like that, the song’s meaning goes.  So, all the songs, beautiful songs are there, giving high philosophical meaning.  But if only people can follow that, they can reach the Truth, wonderful.

End of Session