Baba in Oz, May 13 2004

This was the final night of public programs in Perth and the hall was beautifully decorated for the event. Rose petals were strewn along the walkway laid out for Babaji’s  Lotus Feet. The crowd that had gathered for the evening were solemn as they contemplated this last opportunity to be in the presence of Babaji. Baba arrived resplendent in gold cloth with His face and eyes glowing. He was garlanded as He took His place on the dais afterpaying due respects to Swamiji during aarati. Baba commenced the evening by reciting a special sloka then spoke to us as follows.

“My warmest greetings to you all. May Swamiji help you all, inspire and bless you to know the Real from the unreal, to know the Ultimate Truth, and achieve the elusive happiness and peace that is the birthright of the natural Self. My Guru’s blessings have brought me here. I pray for refuge at His Lotus Feet. I acknowledge the love, openness and willingness to learn of the Australian group that brought me here. The committee and other friends have come to India to be with me but they generously wanted to share me with all the Australian community. When you achieve something, share it with others. Learn and achieve and then share it so that the institution or mission can survive, so coming generations can be inspired. As we get realized, our fundamental duty is to serve and help others to achieve the same before we leave this world.

Your earnestness, love and understanding to practise is good. The average attendance this tour has increased. This is encouraging for me because it means that you are practising. Never give up, be determined, practise, practise ’til the last breath, come what may! Insist on the Ultimate Truth. God may test you with amazing things but always remember that the greatest thing is God, not the world, power or wealth. As a child I thought the Ultimate Truth should be unwavering, 24 hours a day. Do not compromise, be determined for God to show you the eternal way.”

Baba then told the story of eight year old Nachiketa whose father was a great scholar. His father gave discourses on philosophy, the Vedas, birth, death and God. In the ancient times all the learned people and Sages were invited for fire sacrifices. Afterwards they would be given due honors and gifts. While his father was preparing the gift list, Nachiketa asked who was he going to be given to. He kept asking this question, annoying his father who eventually said that he would give him to the death god. The boy wanted to honor his father’s word and prepared himself for death.

After the fire sacrifice the boy insisted that his father carry out his word because in those times people were expected to stand by their word. The boy said to his father, “God is everywhere as you say. Therefore God heard what you said”. The father panicked at this, asking how could he sacrifice a boy and how could he have said this? But the boy did not want the world to think that he was a liar. The boy was bemused by his father’s reaction given that every day he talks about the eternal soul, life and death, so why be upset? He felt disgusted by this and slowly went into meditation. He saw visions projected by the mind but eventually was inspired from within and saw a vision in which he jumped into the fire and sacrificed himself. His soul went to Lord Yama and he surrendered himself as a slave to the death god.

Lord Yama reported that he was pleased with his honesty and reverence to his father. “I will give you three boons and you can go back to the world as you are only a boy.” Nachiketa firstly asked that his father not be blamed for the sacrifice. He then asked what was the real truth regarding life after death. “Why did my father panic about sacrificing me?” Lord Yama responded by saying that this is a mind-boggling thing and something that Nachiketa should not worry himself about. Since he liked the world, Lord Yama suggested that he go back to the world as an emperor for 5,000 years. The boy asked what use would that be because if he still had to come back to Lord Yama in 5,000 years then he would still think of him and not enjoy it. So, what use would that be?

Lord Yama tried to make him forget about the Ultimate Truth by tempting him with 10,000 or even 50,000 years as emperor but boy asked if he would still have to come back to him. Lord Yama responded that earthly life is always transitory and that Nachiketa would always have to come back to him. Yama finally relented and said that he would tell the boy the Truth only once and not repeat it so the boy must devote 100% concentration. The boy asked Yama to be His Guru and bless him with 100% concentration so that he could understand the Truth. Yama decided that the boy’s mind was ripe for the Truth because he had devotion, faith and concentration.

So, Yama imparted the following Truth: One’s self exists as Divine, all else are mental illusions. Born into the world, one must realize the Real Self. If you allow dirt, violence, and greed to conquer your mind then you have no idea what kind of birth you will get next time, you will be delaying your Liberation.

Baba concluded the story by highlighting to the audience that He was giving us this secret and we should not let our minds go into all of these projections. He encouraged His devotees to de-hypnotize themselves by always being on the lookout for the Truth and to have faith and devotion. He promised that the mind will be totally free and Liberated if meditation is practised. Meditation ensures that your mind doesn’t get caught up in the world so you will not be disturbed.

Baba then encouraged the audience to utilise every moment on the coming retreat day and reassured that He is always with us and to have faith and devotion even when He goes away. He asked that we do not fool ourselves and to listen to our consciousness every moment, don’t waste it! Tomorrow becomes today, so plan for it and make good use of it. “You must earn money to live and eat. You must eat daily and do daily practice for mind control.” He encouraged us not to lose heart if in the beginning it is difficult. “It may be difficult but not impossible. Do not pamper your body. To be clever and cunning in this world you first lose to yourself. We fool ourselves like a cat that, by closing its eyes while drinking milk, thinks that no one is watching! God is always watching. You yourself have to achieve, no one can do it for you.”

“Arjuna had become so psychologically weak that Lord Krishna found it difficult to work with him. Regular meditation will give you strength. Your life will stay the same but your mind will be at peace, that is the difference between you and Me. Observe your mind, don’t observe other people’s minds as that is a waste. Parents have said to try and understand your own faults and rectify them to progress, not other people’s faults. An article from 30 years ago said by looking at others we die before we know about our own faults. You need to ask, ‘if I am hurt, why did this happen?’ If you are weak, then you need to strengthen your emotions. You must be stronger in this world so that the world’s illusion gets weakened.

“You want practice, not theory. Constantly look at yourself, your faults. You must always strengthen yourself. You believe only what you experience so convince yourself by your own experience. A real Guru doesn’t bind you, I am giving you methods for you to practise. I love you all, My blessings are always there. Have faith, devotion and attachment and then I am always with you. If you achieve something, then that’s the best dakshina you can give me. If you can stand on your own two feet then that’s the greatest gift that you can give to Me.”

After this truly inspirational talk, Baba gave each person vibhuti blessing and then we sat for 45 minutes of meditation. The gathering then raised their voices in unison singing some lively bhajans and Baba answered some questions after this.

Questions and Answers

Question: While practising meditation, is it OK to also be thinking of God?

Babaji: No, try not to think at all. If you think about God then you are limiting God to only what you are capable of thinking. Don’t think of an image of God on your own, if it comes naturally then you can focus on that. To reach God you must follow the meditation method.

Question: How do You pray? How do You have a personal relationship with God?

Babaji: I pray for peace and happiness for all the worlds but much of the time My mind is at peace. If you pray, also pray for peace for all then you are also automatically included. Also pray that thy will prevail, and to give us the wisdom so that we can surrender in the proper way that is necessary.

Question: I experience noises in my mind like small explosions during meditation.

Babaji: This is not a problem, do not focus on it and it will go on its own.

Question: I hear the noise pass through my body and it can be painful.

Babaji: Ignore it and if not meditating then pray to God.

Question: Can you tell us more about Swamiji?

Babaji: In 1974 My mother blessed Me and said I could go to Swamiji. She had made Me wait three years because she wanted to know that I was determined and My mind was not wavering. She wanted Me to be disciplined and determined so that I would not be homesick. Swamiji sent Me to Dehradun. He was always affectionate to Me. In the mornings I would accompany Him walking. In the mid 1970’s there were lots of chances to go with Him alone. He would talk about philosophy such as the Yoga Vasishta. Behind the Ashram we would go down to the riverbed, He would hold onto My shoulders. I was scared that I would slip.

I have great memories, I would be thrilled and excited to be with Him. He’d also gossip about the neighbours. I got agitated and wish He would keep quiet! I would get Him His tea. In later years He would make Me nervous in front of His devotees so I would put the wrong shoes on His feet with the socks still in them! He would say that I would think about Him but not think about attending to Him.

I would have to wake Him in the morning and was not allowed to arrive a minute earlier or later than 3.30am. If I came early He would tell Me off for disturbing His peace and if I was late then He would accuse Me of filling My belly in the kitchen. It was impossible to keep to His instructions in boiling His milk and He would always be ringing the bell, checking up on Me.

I would have to give Him and His devotees tea. They would walk and sit by the riverbed but I would have to go back up and bring thermoses, glasses and so on, like a restaurant supplier. Then I would have to go back up for a second round. I would have to run like an Olympic champion for Him! There was no time for Me to sit down. I was the all-rounder who cleaned His room, boiled water for His bath and so on. It was natural to forget things but He was always scolding Me. It was a great experience of love and teachings that you can be more perfect everyday.

Once He took a glass of milk from Me and began scolding Me for 30-40 minutes. It was terrible, and then He tells me that there was an evil spirit on My head and He was not scolding Me. Oh, why didn’t He tell me earlier! He was very loving, He always fed Me and took care of Me. He had an understanding of My mother and blessed her saying that Seenu was her greatest donation and He blessed all of her family. My mother told Me not to ask Swamiji to come to Bangalore to visit her but wait until Swamiji asks you to come to Bangalore. He would make an excuse every now and then for Me to come to His ashram there and I would visit My mother.

Babaji said that this was a rare chance to be at the Lotus Feet of a Guru at His ashram.

The gathering were spellbound by Baba’s generous sharing of His life and humorous delivery of the stories while also cognisant that their time with Baba was fast coming to a close. Baba sang the beautiful song ‘Dimika Dhim’ followed by a moving version of Swamiji’s aarati. The rapt crowd followed immediately with Baba’s aarati and then prasad was shared. The evening concluded with many devotees paying homage to our teacher by bowing at His Feet. Baba was cheered as He drove off and devotees drew close together realizing that their time with Baba this tour was almost over as they turned their thoughts to the final retreat day coming up. 

Copyright 2004 SRBY. All rights reserved.