0:00 Intro
0:18 What is the meaning of the word ‘sadhana’?
1:25 A time when Swamiji asked a man if he was doing sadhana.
3:19 What is the technology of karma yoga?
8:27 What is the technology of bhakti yoga?
15:36 Is acceptance and the mind settling also aspects of dhyana yoga?
18:24 Does sadhana also have an effect on our life in the world?
20:08 Through sadhana does one mature in a moral sense automatically?
20:30 How to practice selfless service to others while facing obstacles to our service.
23:14 It seems meditation is more difficult that any other sadhana, so why is it recommended so much?
27:28 How Lord Rama achieved Self-Realization through listening to Yoga Vasistha.
33:10 Can I get rid of all bad karmas in this life? What kind of person should I become to accumulate good karmas?
35:54 The story of Krishna, Arjuna and the farmer.
39:24 Does sadhana stop when Self-Realization is achieved?
41:12 How to make an emotional connection with god.
42:23 By silencing the mind can you stop acquiring future karmas also?

Sadhana, Thus Spake Babaji, Online Q&A, No.137

Recorded on 15 July 2023 with worldwide participants

Question: Babaji, this evening the program is aimed at finding out more about sadhana. Could I ask Baba please first to describe what He means when He uses the word sadhana, please?

Babaji: Sadhana is literally meaning ‘your efforts to achieve’. When you put effort to achieve, that exercise is known as sadhana. So here in spirituality, when you put an effort to practice meditation, understanding the essence of meditation that you need to silence your mind, that effort is sadhana. To achieve some siddhi through efforts, means, siddhi means success in your pursuit. So, when successfully you are able to achieve the silence of the mind, that is a siddhi that you have achieved. So that type of thing.

Question: Thank you, Baba. Baba, in one of Your books You speak about a time when You had only just joined the ashram with Swamiji for a little while and one man came to the program describing some difficulties he was having in life. And in an answer to his question, Swamiji asked him, “Are you doing sadhana?”. When You interpreted that, when You translated that for Swamiji, You translated it, “Are you meditating?” and Swamiji pulled Baba up at that time. Could Baba please describe that event, please?

Babaji: Well, as it is, Swamiji was a very unique Master. He never imposed or insisted about His own philosophy. He was very universal. Thus, probably he wanted to ask, means, different seekers or spiritual seekers might be using different types of sadhana. One might be into a Bhakti Marga, devotional path, another might be into the Karma Yoga, or another type of sadhana. One might be repeating a mantra, any such thing. So, anybody could be doing anything. So, that’s why probably Swamiji told me, “Do not insist, emphasize, ‘Why are you not meditating?’. They might like to do something, at least as long as they are doing sadhana then we can ask them whether they have achieved any peace.” So, like that Swamiji pulled me up, “Don’t use the specific word of ‘Meditation’, ask them if they are doing sadhana.” That’s what then I also understood.

Question: When Babaji talks about sadhanas and the different techniques of sadhana, Baba always describes them in a very technological way, not an emotional carried away manner. Could Baba talk about each of those parts, please? First, I was hoping Baba could talk about what’s the technology of Karma Yoga path.

Babaji: So, Karma Yoga, the result that has to come is that mind must recede and become quiet. Otherwise, usually what happens, when you have a desire to achieve something and when you put effort, when you go on working for that one, that is Karma. Karma is your actions, you put in actions. Always, the results may not be according to your expectations. Sometimes it might happen, sometimes it may not. Some people call it luck favouring, some people call it Grace of the Divine descending, or the Guru’s Kripa Grace descending. Any such thing according to their beliefs or their culture, whatever they want to. But when such a thing happens, mind is likely to go into a disappointment, dejection, or even depression also that it did not happen according to their expectation. Then the mind, when it goes into such brooding, it will split, it will spin, go into all sorts of thoughts, gets generated; “Why didn’t it happen? What did I do? I put in my effort in the best possible way. Who made it not to happen?” So, we want to have somebody to hold responsible, either the Guru or God, “They didn’t make it happen.” Like this, human beings can be into so many type of things. In that case, a Yoga will not happen because the mind is not receding, it is jumping more, it is spinning more, it is getting distracted, scattered, all these things are happening.

So, if there is acceptance, simply one word, ‘acceptance,’ instead of disappointment, dejection, depression, so on. Just acceptance, “Yeah, it has happened, it’s okay”. That is where the word ‘destiny’ also is taught, in my opinion. Just to console the mind, you are destined to undergo this, you are destined not to receive these results. Accept it. So, you console yourself and your mind accepts. When this happens, the mind recedes, and it becomes quiet. If it becomes quiet, that is Yoga.

In this world, a thing happens or doesn’t happen, it should not matter for you, finally. Because, you were born in the body and the body will die, in between it has to live. Whatever way that is possible, you live. That is what is adjustment and management. “Today somebody blamed me, somebody scolded me”. It’s okay. Let go, finish, forget about it. We don’t have to be brooding and remembering that person, why that person blamed me, all these things. That is his culture, his nature, whatever he wanted. So, we forget, we don’t allow it to play on our mind. Like that, then our mind recedes, it remains cool, at peace. So, this is also Yoga. That’s how the Karma Yoga happens.

When we are active in this world, our body needs to be active, moving, mingling with people, trying to achieve something, we have any desires. So, I have always told, if you remember, having a desire itself is not wrong and not a problem. But if you are unable to accept the results, then that desire can become a point of worry for you. That will be a negative activity for you and it can take you out of your peace, out of your Real Self. The consciousness will spin and go into depression, rejection, disappointment, anger, irritation, everything follows that energetic force that goes. Instead of having peace, so now you are subjected to your own imaginations of irritations, anger, frustration, etc., etc. If that doesn’t happen, if simply one word ‘acceptance’ – you have peace. That is what is basically Karma Yoga, we can say.

Question: Baba, one other path Babaji describes is Bhakti Marga, devotional path. Could Baba talk then about the technology? Is that different? What is that technology?

Babaji: Many people I have seen misunderstand Bhakti Marga to be just easy. Just go to a temple and take a piece of campfire and do some Arati, offer some bananas and some incense sticks, and done, “Oh, I am the devotee and God needs to accept my application, and He must give me what I wish.” That is not the Bhakti Marga actually.

Bhakti means you are totally devoted to that cause, means devoted to Divinities. You can choose any particular form, that is no problem. So, you are totally devoted means you love. So, when you are devoted and love, you shall not have any expectations. Again, acceptance. The Divine might give, Divine may not give, it’s up to the Divine. Sometimes you might be very happy, luxurious, enjoying the life. Sometimes it may not be possible. You may have to undergo troubles, expect troubles. Both are done by the Divine’s Grace. That’s what you have to accept. And your mind’s application must be on the Deity, on the form that you would have chosen of the Divinity. That is the real devotion. Your mind has to be there. That means, your Dhyana, your meditation must be on the Deity that you have chosen.

That’s why many times when I have addressed people in temples, I have told them, “Coming to a temple is welcome, it’s wonderful always. However, when you watch an Abishekam, pouring of milk and water on the Idol, or you watch a puja, or you yourself are able to do Arati with a camphor or a candle or any such things… Like in our programs we allow all devotees to do two rounds of Arati to Babaji like that, not that only one priest has to do, others are not supposed to come near, there is no such restrictions for us. But some temples may have such restrictions, only a priest does and the rest have to watch – no problem, whatever it is. At least when you are watching, let your mind be there. If your mind has gone somewhere else, outside the temple, roaming to a shopping complex, then you are physically standing there, you cannot be a devotee. That is not the devotional path, that is not the Bhakti Marga, because your mind is not on the Deity at all.

So, like that many stories are there. Sometimes we have read, one such story. Arjuna was complaining to Sri Krishna, “You seem to appreciate that farmer very much.” He (Sri Krishna) used to appreciate, “Look at that farmer, such a great devotee. Look at that farmer, he is wonderful”, all this thing. And then (Arjuna said), “I have been a devotee Krishna. How can you appreciate somebody else like that one? Do you think he is more devoted than me?” Then Krishna takes him, “Come, I will show you.” So, when he (the farmer) is there, when he was ploughing his land also, all the time he was remembering God in his mind. Then by that time, Krishna tells Arjuna, “Please go and bring me a glass of water so that it should not fall even a drop, take care of that one.” So he goes and brings water from a nearby pond, “My God, I have to take so much of care so that a drop should not fall.” (Krishna:) “While bringing, when you went from here to the pond and brought the water, how many times could you remember me? Not even once, because all his mind was on the water, that it should not fall like that one. This is the Bhakti you see. He appears to be ploughing the land, but his mind is on me, he remembers.” So, this is the science and technology of Bhakti Marga, which is very important.

You might be doing some office work. You might be doing some other work. You might be driving a car or an auto-rickshaw or anything. You might be anywhere. You might be a driver. You might be a pilot. You might be an officer, anything. But if your mind can be on that Deity, then your Bhakti is successful. And there is acceptance, “As you wish my Lord.” If it happens, “As you wish my Lord”, if it doesn’t happen, “As you wish my Lord.” “You have cut the ashram into two pieces and made Hanuman temple to stand aside, and the general’s cottage to stand aside. As you wish my Lord.” But we pray, “May that piece come back to the ashram, it was being in the ashram. It belonged to the ashram of my Guru Shiva Balayogi. But if it doesn’t come, as you wish my Lord.” That is Bhakti Marga.

These topics are very wide. We can go on talking. But some basic points I am trying to tell, this is the essence of Bhakti Marga. That means your meditation, your Dhyana has to be there. Dhyana is everywhere. Like in Karma Yoga also, so when your acceptance is there, your mind is into meditation, it is quiet. It goes back to its Real Self automatically. That’s what was helpful for us when we were serving Swamiji for those twenty years and meditating and serving, Karma Yoga happened. So later, those five years meditation was just one more step that was needed. So that is what is Bhakti Marga.

So, people must not think it is simply very easy. “Such a Saint has told of Dvaita Marga, duality, that really you come through the duality, that is what we can do.” They think it is very difficult for them to sit down to meditation, close the eyes, and control the mind. It is tortuously thoughtful. But when they go to temple, they allow all those torturous thoughts to be coming and because they will be attending to those thoughts, there mind is not there in the temple at all. But then they think that they have been a devotee, they visited a temple, that is successful. Now God must give them what they want.’That is not Bhakti Marga. That is only a business deal with God. We tell, “If God can give me a hundred dollars, then I will consider God as a God.” Who the hell are you to certify God as a God? God doesn’t need you. [laughs] So that is as it is. Sorry, I didn’t tell you as ‘who the hell are you’, just an example, it came out.

Question: So, Baba has talked there about two aspects: Acceptance, as part of both of those techniques, and then the mind resting, becoming closer to the Divine because of that settling that occurs. Those two aspects are also part of Dhyana then Baba?

Babaji: Exactly. When you sit down, close your eyes, and concentrate and watch in between eyebrows, when you are just watching means you are practicing the acceptance. When millions of thoughts come, you accept all of them, you don’t bother about them, why they are there, why that type of thought is there. So then that thought all disappears when that acceptance is there. Then mind recedes. Only when those thoughts disappear. That will dissolve and disappear only when you accept, you don’t bother about them. Like for a result that comes, you do not bother and you accept it. Then mind recedes. The same thing in Dhyana also. So that is why Bhagavad-Gita is considered as the highest Upanishad, the highest spiritual teaching. Krishna talks of all paths, any path that you think that is convenient for you, you choose, provided technology is the same.

So, when you go to any of the online payment methods, they give you several methods of payment. Any way, any type, but provided you are ready to make the payment we will give you the product. So, like that, it is here. So, provided you apply your mind – you choose Bhakti Marga, Karma Marga, anything. People talk, they try to be very clever, “Oh, I am a Karma Yogi,” but they are not yogis at all. They are actually bogies. They want to do Karma, they cannot do meditation, they cannot do Bhakti. Bhakti also, they say, “I am a Bhakta. Easy that is,” they think. Simply you go to temple and offer your pranams to God, then God is happy and He gives you what you want. That is not. So that is what needs to be understood. Any path, it’s not easy.

This one definition everybody must understand, because application of your mind and silencing the mind, mind has to become silent and recede, and when it recedes it goes towards the Self. That is when the success happens.

Question: Baba, that sadhana that we undertake is aimed towards Self Realization but does it have an effect on our life in the world also?

Babaji: It definitely changes. There will be a transformation because when the mind purifies, slowly you become a mature person, you are able to consider about others and then you will work for your need. You won’t go into greed, you will not be a greedy person, and acceptance comes easily. From a smaller thing, slowly you will grow to accept bigger things in life. When you are able to accept bigger things, you are called a Saint. That is what a Saint means. He is able to understand everybody. Like a small child comes and hits at. We try to understand the child, after all it is a child, we must understand. We cannot blame the child. It is innocent. It does not know anything. That is how, remember Jesus could understand those tormentors who are crucifying Him, hitting His hand with a nail, a big nail. Imagine the pain in the body that can happen to anybody. Unbelievable that one human being can do to the other human being. Our minds become bewildered like that one. But at that time He could forgive them, let go of the things; “Forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” One day when this is possible, you become a Saint, and your Yoga also becomes successful.

Question: Baba, that maturing in a moral sense, that is an automatic thing is it?

Babaji: Yes, transformation is automatic. When you apply soap to your body and wash it with water, the cleansing is automatic.

Question: We have a question Baba from Suchetana. She has asked, “How do we understand that we are not exaggerating our efforts while trying to serve others in pursuit of sadhana, and yet overcome obstacles of worldly resistance to do that sadhana?

Babaji: When you want to serve others, you need to be humble. And if the other does not want to accept your service, you need to accept that situation. You should not feel irritated with the other. Like you want to feed somebody, but that person doesn’t want to eat at the time, he is not happy to eat, or is full in the stomach, something. You must not feel irritated, “Oh, I am trying to feed, and he is refusing. Come on eat. Come on eat.” Instead, we respect his wishes. “It is okay. No problem.” That is what it is.

If somebody wants to serve me for some time and they want to leave, they are unable to serve anymore, then they have other wishes in the world. They want to go to other places. So, we need to accept graciously. We need to bless them. So that is what the acceptance can happen. That only can convert into a sadhana. Not otherwise. We must not have that doer-ship, “Oh, I am doing a great thing.” Nothing great. If I am trying to help somebody, it is nothing great. I am helping myself. So that my mind also becomes purified and it learns to have the acceptance at peace. It is not easy to help the people of this world.

See, I would like the whole world to come to me and give their time to learn my meditation and serve. Lose the ego by serving. The methods that I will use to help them to lose the ego, I will make them serve, I will order them, I will subject to them all type of tests. If they are ready to accept, very happy, but it doesn’t happen. Not everybody wants to come and do it. They don’t have time. They will need time for so many other things. I have to accept graciously. If the world is not coming to me to learn meditation, it is fine. Not yet time for them, or they may be getting from other quarters also. When they are destined to receive blessings from Me, the Divine will bring them to Me. That grace and polish should be there while we are trying to serve.

Question: Thank you, Baba. We have had two questions come in from Vidya Lakshmi. The first question she asks, “Swamiji and Babaji often emphasise that meditation is the best sadhana anybody can do compared to any other sadhana. It seems to be more difficult than any other sadhana. Why is Dhyana recommended so much?

Babaji: You see, Swamiji at the age of fourteen was initiated into Dhyana by Jangama Deva who appeared before Him. So, innocently, Swamiji simply followed the command and went on achieving Samadhi and eventually Self-Realization because He was determined. He had the inborn qualities to dedicate, remain disciplined and patience. When these things are there, things become easy. You know the old saying that we all keep reading and hearing, ‘When things get tough, only the tough get going.” Simply you have to be tough and then that becomes very easy. Meditation is not at all difficult. You don’t have to do anything. In Bhakti Marga at least you may have to buy some camphor if the priest, if your Guru Ji has asked you “Bhai, bring some 500 rupees prashadam, this thing, that thing”, he may ask you to spend money. But here you don’t have to do anything. Swamiji did not ask even a single penny. You just sit down, close the eyes and watch. When you are watching, you are trying to become quiet. You have become a chatterbox. Just you are asked to become quiet. That is all.

In these things, what is needed anywhere, any other path also, without dedication, discipline and patience, it never comes, not the Karma Yoga, not the Bhakti Yoga, nothing comes easy. Otherwise, people would have achieved Self-Realization. Those people who are following meditation, others who are following Bhakti Marga or Karma Yoga might be more in number, but they all don’t become Self-Realized. They end up simply achieving nothing, wastage of energy because, understanding the right technology, what you are supposed to do, and dedicate yourself, “This is all my job.” Like Swamiji said, “When Jangama Sage gave me, ‘You just keep watching in between eyebrows,’ I received it as a command from the Commander and just went on watching, and Samadhi came. If only people follow this instruction as my command when I initiate them into meditation, meditation can become very easy, simply.” People don’t want to do it. When we are unable to do it, that means our willpower, our determination is very weak and we don’t understand the need also.

See, earning a livelihood is not easy. Eight to ten hours to twelve hours sitting in front of the computer and conducting the meetings and project work, it can be frustrating, “When is this going to come to an end? Let me save something in the bank and retire and enjoy a peaceful time.” But yet that becomes so easy. Every day work, once you get used to it, easily you are able to conduct meetings, easily you are able to conduct your group, everything. Because you practice, you are determined, you need that money, that livelihood, you need that one. They are giving you money, you are not giving any free service to the company. This understanding needs to be there. The Divine is giving you eternity, immortality. Supreme Peace you are getting, you need this one, don’t you need this one? Then meditation becomes so easy.

Question: Thank you, Baba. Vidya Lakshmi has another question. “Lots of Yogis have attained Self-Realization without having to go through rigorous tapas, through the path of knowledge. So, for instance, Lord Rama listened to Yoga Vasistha and became Realized. And King Janaka, Ramana and several others also achieved Realization through this path of knowledge. There are lots of aspirants who have intentionally studied Yoga Vasistha, but they didn’t get Self-Realization. What’s the difference between them and Lord Rama?

Babaji: Those who studied Yoga Vasistha did not get Self-Realization, they did not do sadhana, they didn’t pay attention to what the Yoga Vasistha teaches. Like Rama, for those seven days or fifteen days, whatever discourse was being given by Vasistha, he was into sadhana. Attentively He paid apt attention to what Vasistha was telling and absorbed that inner meaning and just did it. He became quiet. Mentally, He went on becoming quiet and quiet and quiet. Thus He Realized the Self. It did not come like a stroke like that one. Just by listening only it does not come. Where is the apt attention for people when the Guru teaches? Their minds would have run somewhere else and they wouldn’t have listened.

In Gurukalams ancient times also when the Gurus used to teach, once in a while somebody used to get Self-Realized, that’s because other students wouldn’t be able to pay the apt attention. Their minds will be restless and going somewhere, here and there, and then they try to find easy ways. They try to be very clever, “Just by a touch Rama Krishna gave to Vivekananda, can my Guru also give a touch?” It did not happen just by a touch. It was only a glimpse. Vivekananda did His own sadhana. Ramana Maharshi did tapas for fourteen years in Tiruvannamalai. After the first enlightenment about death experience, then He went, He left home and went to Tiruvannamalai. There He did tapas. Long time tapas He did, so vigorously. In the midst of so many obstacles, everybody did tapas. Rama also did that tapas within that 10 days because His soul was so ripe. He was able to absorb and be attentive and become quiet. He understood the essence. All that is needed in Yoga Vasistha, that Vasistha tells, you need to become mentally quiet. The rest is all all-right. We find fault with the world, “Why the world is like this. Why is conflict happening? Why are human beings behaving like this? Who is making them to behave like this? Is one person like God making all these things, nonsense things? Why then He is God?” We have hundreds of questions being asked but nobody bothers that every individual is responsible for their own happiness or unhappiness, for their own Realization or not Realization.

A Guru can teach the path and become a torch bearer. A glimpse can be given. But Self-Realization nobody gives to nobody. Otherwise, when a Guru had hundreds and thousands of devotees, He could have made everybody Self-Realized. It has not happened. Look into the history. Look at this world. Look at the society. You watch those devotees of such Guru’s behaviour also. Not at all mature, not at all good human beings. They behave so greedy, so double standard, so politics, so corrupted ways. Jealousy, all these things are there. Where is the sadhana? So, every individual has to do sadhana.

If one could not understand “Ah, this is the Guru’s property, I must not take this, try to take this one”, then the sadhana – where is the sadhana? Where is the transformation of the person? Where is the sacrifice? Understanding? So, these all only makes a person Self-Realized. Though people might claim that “sitting on a stone boulder on the top of a mountain, just like that I got enlightened.” They are not enlightened. Their behaviour is totally different. They are entertainers. They attract thousands and fifty thousand people. They become entertainers. They can talk every way. They can be genius. They can be good organisers. That is a different thing. But not Self-Realized, is totally different. So sadhana must happen, Swamiji insisted. Without sadhana, nothing will come in whichever way.

It depends, one person passed the academic education in just one year. For the same one year, another person took five years, ten years, like that. It happens. It is up to them, how much attention they can pay, how quickly they can learn, the technique they can adopt and apply. So, it depends on that. Without this sadhana, nothing comes. Sadhana means, if the mind has come out, that has to go back. So that is the sadhana, to make that you have to put an effort in that direction. You cannot be doing a disco dance and expect the mind to go back to the Self.

Question: There is a question from Prarag. We only get this human life after millions of years and I’ve accumulated so many bad karmas without being aware of it. Can I get rid of all those bad karmas in this life? What kind of person should I become in order to accumulate good karma and rid myself of the bad karmas?

Babaji: First, do not think about yourself negatively that you have acquired bad karmas. Are you eating? You are alive? Where is the bad karmas? Troubles come to everybody. Don’t keep worrying. Just do the sadhana. Quieten your mind. If you can quieten your mind, you can get rid of everything. You can achieve Self-Realization. It is up to you how much time you are going to dedicate to that one. Instead of talking, “Oh, I am a bad person, I acquired bad things.” Don’t. You are wasting the energy like that one. Instead of that, sit down and quieten your mind.

Whenever you look into a newspaper, try to reject. Ninety nine percent it is irrelevant. In today’s news there won’t be there anything interesting. Yet, you will be wasting looking into all of them. You go on rejecting, “Oh, this is not relevant. This is not what I want. This is why some actor is flying out of Mumbai. So, their photo is given in the airport. That is not important for me,” you reject like that one. Ninety nine percent you will reject everywhere. So, like that in this world also, we are paying attention and wasting our energy to ninety nine percent nonsense. Maybe one percent that is required for our real need of livelihood or something like that sensibly. Many times this happens. We get irritated unnecessarily. So, we get into a jealousy mood unnecessarily. So many unnecessary things are there which you can reject. And then it is possible for you, if you follow the methods taught by the Guru and sincerely with discipline and dedication, all the patience adopt that and nothing else. Then you can achieve. Not otherwise. Don’t blame me if you don’t achieve if you don’t adopt the methods. If you adopt the methods, that’s what Ashtavakra said, “If you listen to my command, I will give you that Self-Realization in a moment that you sit on the horseback.” So that listening from the disciple, “If I command stop, you stop, can you do that one?”

Questioner No.2:  I didn’t fully understand the story of the ‘out-in-the-field’ and ‘the glass of water’, where the attention was in each of those situations?

Babaji: That farmer was a real devotee of Lord Krishna. So, he always remembered Krishna in the mind. But physically he was into action as an agriculturist. Got it? Now Arjuna once complained. In the story that we read as children, Krishna used to appreciate about that farmer, “Oh, look at that farmer, he is such a wonderful devotee, he is such a beautiful person, he is so mature.” “Krishna, he is always ploughing and working in his agricultural field. And I am your devotee, always trying to remember you only. But you appreciate that farmer,” he was feeling a bit jealous. Then Krishna took Arjuna to that person, “Let us see what he does.” They disguised. So, he (the farmer) didn’t have time to look into Krishna or his disciple Arjuna. He was busy because he was busy remembering Krishna in his mind. He was so preoccupied he could not pay attention that two people came also. “OK, he is not paying attention to us. Now Arjuna, you go and bring a pot of water for me from the pond nearby. But take care that it should not fall down. No single drop of water must fall on the ground, otherwise I won’t drink.” So, he goes and brings the pot of water with great difficulty, “My God, it took so much of my energies, that I had to take care that not a single drop is fallen down. But I had to bring the full pot full of water also. That was a bit difficult,” he said. “Arjuna you tell me when you went to the pond and came back from the pond, in this time, how many times your mind could remember me?” Not even once because his attention was on ‘oh the water should not fall down’. You understand now? It is the mental attention that is important in Bhakti Marga.

Questioner No.2: With the water, it was too much in the world of paying attention to the water?

Babaji: Yeah. Yes. You can take like that.

Questioner No.2: So, there is a way to make sure the water doesn’t fall and keep attention quiet.

Babaji: Exactly. That is the practice. That is the Bhakti Marga. When you are working also, can you remember the Divinity or your Guru? How much you can remember? That is what it is.

Questioner No.2: Is the remembering Divinity, is that the same as quietening the mind? So, if the mind is quiet, then the Divinity will be there.

Babaji: At least you see, when you are remembering Divinity in a form, you are making your mind single pointed without paying attention to hundreds of nonsense things and thinking hundreds of nonsense things, getting irritated. While bringing the pot of water, you are remembering one Divinity. That is, your mind is single pointed. Then God will guide you to make it quiet very easily.

Questioner No.3: I was wondering when one achieves the goal of Self-Realization, does the sadhana stop because the goal of sadhana was Self-Realization. Like when Babaji still chants the mantra of Shiva Balayogi or does some small Abhishekam to lingam. This is the form of sadhana, but is the reason you are doing it, more because it is like Divine inspiration for everyone?

Babaji: Ah, you see, once you learn how to bake the bread, you go on baking. You call it sadhana or just you are used to baking the bread like that one. So, you don’t have to put special efforts once you achieve Self-Realization. But Yogis do these type of things like offering Abhishekam with a water pouring water on the Shiva Lingam to inspire others, so that instead of gossiping, those who are there, they will all silently stand. If you don’t engage them, they will start gossiping. You know. So just now we both are discussing question, and the answer is being given. Everybody will be silent and paying attention. If we stop talking to each other like this, then we allow them, they will start gossiping, other topics will come. So, to inspire them, we try to do such things only. Otherwise, when it is already there, special sadhana is not necessary, the sadhana continues naturally, effortlessly.

Questioner No.3: Babaji, we have never seen God, right? Then how to make an emotional connection with God so that we don’t depend upon humans for love? So, as we are humans, we always crave for love. So how to connect with God so that we just love God and we don’t depend upon this?

Babaji: You see, first important to have faith, just like first time when you went to school, when the teacher wrote this as A, this as B, you had not seen that A in English language before that, yet you accepted it with total faith. Then as you grew up, you understood the English language uses the same alphabet as A and B. In that same way in Bhakti Marga, you accept with total faith and start following and adopting the methods taught by Guru, doing exercise. Then one day the secret of Divinity will be revealed, you will be able to see God, this is possible.

Questioner No.4: Pranams Babaji. You have given us the right technique to silence the mind through meditation and You mentioned with regards to a prior question about past karmas. So, by silencing the mind, we can stop accumulating the future karmas as well and everything could be wiped off. Is that possible as well?

Babaji: Yeah, you won’t do wrong actions, you will be very mature, your judgments will be of a mature value, you will try to see larger cause, you will not be selfish and narrow minded, thus you will not get involved. You will not have the attachment to the results, you will just do it as a duty, wherever you are, whatever you are. It’s duty for me to teach meditation, I teach, whether they will learn or not, it is up to them. Like my teacher used to tell, “I don’t know whether you will learn or not, my practice I am going to keep it up, by teaching,” so like that doing your duty you will become that.