Recorded on 8 November 2025 with worldwide participants.

0:00 Intro
0:07 What is faith and why is it so important?
5:28 Faith does not depend on any result.
8:45 Without a guru would it be very difficult to overcome the ego?
11:45 How does one get attracted to a real Self-Realized guru?
14:20 If we follow the practice as taught by the guru, does our faith and devotion increase?
16:00 As we progress on the spiritual path, does the Divinity throw us test to see if the devotion is genuine?
27:09 Is it our attention that needs to be more complete to have surrender?
31:15 How do we cultivate and keep our faith as we go about our daily lives?
36:36 The remembrance of the guru comes as we go on practicing.
37:51 Ramana Maharshi said, “It is by god’s grace that you think of god.” Is this true?
40:35 Seeking validation after praying to there Divine.
44:44 Is true guru the knowledge such as forbearance, acceptance, detachment, optimism and endurance that we gain while doing sadhana?
45:44 How important is it to have a living guru?
47:02 Not exactly focusing on one point in meditation.
48:16 How to stop worrying about the health one’s mother.
49:48 Is tirobhava or concealment a function of the Divine or a consequence of our ego?
51:35 Are we getting more in touch with the cerebellum and not the cerebrum?
52:20 Faith that a surgery will go well but also fear as one cannot predict the outcome. Is faith still there in the midst of fear?
54:08 Faith in the Guru-Disciple relationship.
55:07 Faith in our actions and expectations of the outcomes.
57:37 Surrendering to the universe to achieve Self-Realization.
1:00:46 How to get rid of the ego.

Discourse: In Quest of Truth – online Q&A no.251
The Real Meaning of Faith and Devotion
You tube Link:  https://youtu.be/gyxp0L2P9Rg?si=C3PTA_SxxcU2Ax08
Recorded: 08 November 2025

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   Babaji has mentioned that Swamiji said, “You can lose anything, the whole world, but don’t lose faith.”  So, could Babaji say what this faith is and why it is so important?

Babaji Maharaj:   Faith is a self-confidence which can connect you to your Ultimate Truth, the Divinity through your mind.  When you develop and cultivate such faith, “The Divine is there, everything will be all right,” like that, then you settle down peacefully, you will not doubt about it.  This, all great Masters also have told.  Like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa has told, “Faith in the name of Lord can work wonders.”  And Swamiji also told us, “If you repeat the name of Guru with total faith, the Guru will have to bless you.”  Such is the wonder.  For the same thing Ramana Maharishi said, “It’s an automatic Divine activity.”  Automatic Divine activity means, if you have faith in your mind, that means you surrender.  When you surrender, your mind can go introvert and touch the Divinity.  Then the grace flows automatically.  That’s what the faith is.  Just like if you touch an electric wire, it will give you a shock.  That giving the shock is known as the automatic activity.  It is automatic.  If you touch it, it will give you a shock, like that.  In the same way, here, through the mind, if you can touch the Divinity, then the grace automatically flows.  The blessings come.  This is very important.  That is why faith and devotion are taught.  Meditation also helps you to surrender really, and become one with this Divinity; that faith develops. 

So, to achieve anything and to put an effort, to start doing it, you need to have faith, that “Everything will be all right, the Divine is with me.”  Either way; either you have the self-confidence, “I can do it.  My Guru‘s grace is there.  My Divine’s blessings will be there.”  These are some of the basic points about the faith, having faith in that name.  And you can have faith in a name or through a form or direct Divinity or a Guru, whichever appeals to you.  You can select any form also of the God.  Because God is both form and formlessness there.  So, that is how, whatever appeals to you, you cultivate and you catch hold of that one.  So, that is the faith.  As yogis, we also do not try to disturb anybody’s faith.  We don’t insist that you have to be devoted to the God like this way only.  Whichever appeals to you; even if it appeals to you that your parents are your God, you can have faith and such a thing also can work wonders. 

So, that is what the faith’s basic idea is.  Never doubt, never doubt yourself, never doubt God.  That means whatever happens, your mind accepts.  It would not expect a result in a particular way.  Then the disappointment can always happen.  So, even if the thing doesn’t happen according to our wishes, we need to surrender, “Maybe the Divine has better things in His store for us.”  Like that in childhood also as a youngster, small boy of nine or ten-year-old, we always used to think, sometimes we used to pray, “Like this, the thing should happen.”  Always it wouldn’t happen like that.  Sometimes it would happen.  Sometimes it wouldn’t happen.  Even when it didn’t happen, we never lost faith in the Divine or in ourselves.  “This is destiny.  This is the Divine’s grace.  Though I wanted it to happen like this, if it has not happened, there is something good by the grace of Divine that wants it on me.  I consider this as a grace of the Divine.”  Like that, we never felt disappointed, we never doubted.  Whatever the Divine did, “This is also for good.  Ultimately, it will be alright.  Maybe we will know that later.”  Like that, the faith; how to cultivate and grow the faith and develop and cultivate it. 

Question:   So, Babaji, that faith that Babaji talks about, it doesn’t depend on any result in a way.  But we continue to have faith no matter what happens. 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, just like a mother knows what she needs to feed the child.  She knows what is healthier for the child.  The child may be demanding in a particular way.  But mother knows, “I should not be giving this to my child.  It will harm its health.”  The same way the Guru also, when devotees, disciples come, if the devotees, sometimes if they do not behave properly or if they do not talk properly, in any way, mannerisms, anywhere, if the Guru notices, He would like to correct it.  At that time, the devotee or the disciple must not feel disappointed or frustrated or feel bad about it.  And should not become stubborn and try to demand in its own way.  If the Guru says, “This is not right.  You do like this one.  Don’t talk like this one.  You should talk like this.”  Immediately if you accept, then the grace descends.  The faith, that’s what needs to be.  That faith you have to cultivate and maintain.  “The Guru is saying, let me listen to the Guru.  Though I wanted to go, the Guru says not to go, let me not go.  Though I have become habitual to talking like this, if the Guru is saying “This is the wrong way to talk.  This is not proper manners,” let me accept that this is not proper for me.  Let me learn what the way the Guru says.” 

Otherwise, we might have cultivated our own egos from childhood.  And that ego may force us to behave in a particular way.  That may not be the proper way.  Then the Guru might pull you up, “This is not proper.  This is the wrong language.  You should not behave.  This behavior is not proper.”  Like this, the Guru corrects.  Then you have to surrender.  “The Guru is telling.  I need to take this as an advice and I need to correct.”  So, that is the faith.  So, if a disciple behaves like that, the Guru will guide him towards Divinity, towards the Ultimate Truth, towards liberation, for what the student is looking for, the Supreme Peace.  So, on the path, hundreds of obstacles will come, particularly based on ego.  If the ego is maintained, many times, for many devotees we have seen during Swamiji’s time also, their personal ego has been more dearer than the Guru Himself.  They have not listened to the Guru’s advice.  They have behaved in their own way.  They have left the Guru.  Like these things have happened.  So, that is not faith.  The faith is very important.  So, if the Guru is saying, there is some meaning to it. 

Question:   So, Babaji, having a Guru sounds like a very important thing to overcome one’s ego.  Like, in life, in the world, if we accumulate knowledge, we start to think that we are correct, what we think is always correct.  So, Babaji, without the Guru, would it be very difficult, therefore, to overcome?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, definitely.  I would recommend.  If you get a Guru in a physical body, who would have realised the Self, who is a jnani, atma jnani, that’s like a bonus, nothing like that.  Such a Guru would correct you always.  He will never talk to please the students.  He will tell, “This is the right thing.  This is the right thing.”  When He is teaching, He will teach the right thing.  So, you have to follow that.  Many times, students come back to make the Guru tell what they want Him to tell.  Again, they repeat their questions, and they tell they want the Guru to endorse what belief they have developed.  But that belief they have developed is wrong.  The Guru would point out, “No, this is not right.  Don’t go for these things, if your aim is liberation and Self-Realization.  If your aim is something else, it’s up to you.  You can do anything.  You can go anywhere.  It’s your choice.”  Everybody has a choice.  Even a Guru also cannot impose.  But if you have surrendered for this purpose, it’s like you have registered for this purpose with me, then this is the path.  This is the answer.  This is the way you have to behave.  So, that is what the faith and devotion the Guru teaches. 

So, that way, a Guru‘s presence in life is so useful.  Like Swamiji used to tell a simple example, “You are walking on the road.  You might be egoistic and you might tell that you don’t need a Guru, because the road is straight and you will simply keep going.  But suddenly you come to a circle where one road goes to west and east and south, then you are confused.  You don’t know what to do.  That’s when Guru comes and shows the way, “This path is the right thing for you.”  So, that’s what it is.  That’s when ego doesn’t help you anymore.  If you maintain the ego, you are losing your reputation, you are losing your relationship.  Because you do only marketing work.  So, that is what is the faith and the devotion which are so important. 

Question:   Babaji, how does one get attracted to the real Guru, the Self-Realized Guru?  Does that person need to have a longing, a desire for liberation, the highest?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, student needs to be sincere.  Many times people ask “How to find the real Guru, atma jnani Guru, Self-Realized Guru, how to find, how to approach, how to get,” all these things.  I tell, first the student needs to be sincere, then you will not compromise on anything else.  You will look only for such a thing, then you will find it.  In the teachings and the behavior of the Guru, the atmosphere and the clues that the Guru gives you, how to proceed on the path of sadhana.  He won’t please the student.  He won’t tell, “You are already Realized you don’t have to do anything.”  No, you have to do it.  That’s what Swamiji said, “The real Guru will tell, “You have to do this sadhana.  If any Guru tells, “I will do it for you,” don’t believe.  It’s only a psychological brainwashing, that is all,” He used to say, Swamiji used to say.  But you have to do it; purushaartha, self-effort is very important. 

A Guru gives a  clue as to what you are supposed to do.  You sit for meditation, what you are supposed to do, what is the technique you have to adopt, how the meditation can be smooth, how the peace can come – all these points the Guru says.  So, if you follow, you will get it.  If you are unable to follow, if you don’t want to follow, if you don’t have that dedicated faith, then you will not get it.  Then you don’t blame the Guru.  People tell, “I didn’t get.  Whatever You told I have been doing.”  No, you have not been doing.  If you had been doing, it wouldn’t have happened like this, it would have come.  You have not put any effort sincerely.  You are double standards, that’s what we call it, right.  So, that is very important, student’s sincerity.  Then you will search only for such a Guru and you will find such a Guru.  You will not compromise for anything less than the teachings. 

Question:   When we adopt the practices of a Guru such as Babaji and practice regularly, we listen to Babaji’s talks as well, does our faith in devotion in the Guru automatically increase? And does the practice and the Guru become one and the same?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, definitely it can happen.  When you sit with the Master in any way, and listen to the Master’s answers, and listen to the Master’s teachings carefully by paying attention.  Many times people don’t pay attention.  I would have answered in a particular way, but they would have understood it in a different way.  They would have understood something else, not that one.  So, you have to pay attention.  Apt attention is what the Guru demands.  If that is there, then you will be able to understand thoroughly of what I am trying to convey.  Because always, more than the grammar meaning, in which context that you are talking, the Master is talking, what is it that the Master is trying to convey, the message, that is more important.  So, if you pay apt attention, your mind will absorb the truth, and it will be able to understand if you are focused when the Master is teaching, when the Master is answering.  That is very important. 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji, as we continue on the spiritual path, does the Divinity throw us tests to see if the faith is genuine?

Babaji Maharaj:   See, the tests will automatically come.  If you have gone into such imaginations and got involved into your own illusions since time immemorial, the determination, eligibility, your ability to understand the right technique what the Guru teaches, for all these tests will definitely come.  Then only you will progress.  You will be able to progress, or you will know that you are progressing.  So, this is very important.  People want spoon feeding, easy things, easy.  When we spoil ourselves, we spoil all the way and long, long way and long, long time immemorial, everything we do.  Then suddenly we want that “The Divine has done something wrong to me.  He has made me to suffer like this unnecessarily.  He should give me like instant coffee immediately.”  It doesn’t happen.  It is the mind.  It is a practical thing.  Practically, when so much of dirt is there on the cloth, it takes that much of time to wash.  Suddenly, with magic, nobody can wash it.  It doesn’t happen.  The mind cannot be cleansed like a magic like this.  Somebody waves the hand and tells “Your mind is purified now.”  So, you should know whether it is purified or is it still corrupted, is it still egoistic, is it ready to understand what the Master teaches, is it ready to accept the teachings and give up the ego, practice sadhana?  So many things are there.  It is a bitter pill.  It is like a surgery, painful surgery. 

Twenty years we were at the lotus feet of the beloved Master.  Consistently He operated upon us.  He never allowed us for a single moment to deviate or get distracted.  Just like a mother keeping an eye on the child, “this child should be on the right path.”  Like that our Guru looked after us like a child, like His own child.  Every time pulling up, scolding and finding faults, “This is not right.  You will be like that.”  We never know – even at that time, we might think that we have not committed any mistake, why is Guru scolding?  You never know.  You might commit a mistake.  That’s why He is scolding in advance also.  A Guru can be doing anything.  It’s not easy to understand the Guru.  Swamiji used to tell “Don’t try to understand me like that.  You cannot.  You will misunderstand me.”  So that’s what is very important.  So, you have to understand and allow, then the Guru’s blessings and grace, He will be trying to…  Then if you don’t mind, if you go back to the Guru again; like Swamiji said, “I cut him into pieces and this boy will join and come back to me.”  That must be the thing.  Even if the Guru wants to cut you into pieces, you get joined and come.  That much of faith it means.  It is a symbolically said word, not that somebody will cut you, your bodies will be cut into pieces, that is not the thing.  Symbolically said – that much of dedication. 

The more the Guru scolded, we started loving Him more.  We fell in love with Him more.  We never felt bad about anything.  When He was scolding also, at that time also we never felt bad, we just kept quiet.  The mind never analyzed anything, never tried to understand at all.  So, the misunderstanding question never arose.  We never tried to understand anything.  We kept quiet.  “The Master is doing something.  Let Him do it.  He is sculpting on me.  When the sculpting is complete, then the picture will be nice.  Then the idol will be so beautiful.”  So like that, we used to think, “Let him do it.  He is looking after me.  He is taking care of me.  I may not be able to understand now, but one day I will definitely understand.”  So, today we understand.  The Master was always scolding, always pulling us up.  He was looking after so that we should not get distracted.  Nobody should distract us, we should not deviate from the path.  If we were trying to become too friendly with somebody also, He would scold, “Don’t get involved too much, too friendly.  That person might be materialistic and they will drag you also to the materialistic world.  And you have come to Ashram all the way giving up your home and you will lose it, and on the middle path you will go somewhere else.  Everything will be gone.  Tire puncture.”  Like that Swamiji used to tell.  Funny, funny examples He used to give;  “Tire puncture,” He used to tell. “On the road vehicle is going and the tire gets punctured, how it will be?  Like that your life gets punctured.  Careful, don’t get involved, don’t become too friendly with anyone.  I don’t like you to be talking like that so much.”  Because we allowed the Master to do surgery.  Today’s people might misunderstand if the Master tells “Don’t do like that one.”  They think that we are trying to be unfair to the student.  So, that’s what we are, fair, fair enough.  Like a mother.  It’s a very painful act to be a Master actually.  It’s a very painful act.  It’s risky also.  The student can anytime misunderstand and abuse the Master.  You never know.  So, that’s not easy.  So, this is a matter of faith and devotion.  If the student has that unwavering faith and devotion.

That’s what my mother wanted to see perhaps. “For three years” she said, “You remain at home.”  In 1971 after I met my Guru, I told, “Mother, I am going.”  She said, “Three years you be with me.  Complete studies, whatever you can study, study.  Even after three years if your mind is unwaveringly devoted to the Master then I will send you, because I don’t want you to come back,” she said.  “You must never look back, achieve something.”  That’s what Swamiji also taught, “Do or die” type of resolution, resolve.  Like that one.  “I will achieve it.  If death happens, it’s no problem.”  He said, He told to Jangama Sage after three months when Swamiji felt very painful.  He got up from the samadhi and wanted to go back home.  When He started walking, at the gate of the cemetery, the Jangama Sage stood. “You have to do for twelve years.  Your destiny has made us to manifest like this,” He said. “You have to do it.  Until then I won’t allow you to go anywhere.  After twelve years tapas, then we will see, you want to do anything else you can do.  But twelve years.”  

Then Swamiji turned back, “O, if that is the thing, so now You have told me twelve years.  Okay, twelve years I will sit.  I will not go anywhere.  I will do it for twelve years.  Whatever You have told me.  You have asked me to just keep watching.  I will just watch and I will not do anything else.  That’s my job for twelve years.  I will do that.  But if death happens to the body, I’m not responsible.  You do not blame me.  I will do it or die.”  The Sage smiled, Jangama smiled.  Swamiji came back and sat. That was it, He never looked back.  So that type of determination, it demands.  So, getting liberated is not easy, getting Self-Realization to stop the mind completely, burn all its habits once for all.  Then that is visible, the ‘I’, the consciousness of existence.  Then it is there.  It is not in the body.  It is not in the brain.  It is not a picture.  It is not a thought.  No imagination is there in you.  That’s what Adi Shankara said, “When you come face to face in your consciousness, and when this consciousness is not into any type of imagination.”  If imagination is there, it will be wavering, spinning.  It won’t be stabilized into one thing.  So, that is one clue.  As long as there is imagination, mind will be seeing different, different, different, different.  This, that, this, that keeps happening.  When it all vanishes, all imagined thoughts and visions vanish, when the mind becomes stabilized, that’s what is samadhi.  Then all wavering stops.  There’s a stillness.  That existence is the truth, consciousness of existence. 

To reach that one has to practice.  Don’t believe anybody else.  You have to practice.  Don’t listen if anybody says, “I will give it to you.”  You will have to practice.  And do not get frightened if you have to practice.  It is simple.  You just have to sit down with determination, have patience and it comes easy; simple.  So many things you would have learned in your life.  From studies to jobs, to this and that, so many things.  Many people telling a lie also, they would have practiced how easily it came.  In the same way you can start telling the truth also.  You have to give antidote always.  Imagining came very handy because long, long ago you started and you have become habitual to keep imagining and you are preoccupied with its imaginations.  So, you have to give a strong antidote.  Means your determination needs to be strong – “I need to get rid of this.  Enough is enough.  I need that Self-Realization.”  The day when you resolve, you are there.  The Divine will grace upon you.  The Divine will start slapping you to test so that you can progress quickly. 

Question:   Babaji, is it our attention that needs to be more and more complete in the faith and the surrender?

Babaji Maharaj:   To achieve anything in this world, for everything you need to remain focused.  This ‘focused’ can bring in observation.  So, then you know the truth.  If the focus is not there, then the mind would be wavering.  It would have run away anywhere else.  Then it would become so difficult to pay attention.  If you don’t pay attention, you would not know what the Master is conveying, the message, the teaching, the answer.  After the session is over, you would be wondering, “The master said something, O, He told like this.  He told like this.”  You will try to do your own measurements and weighing and you would have misunderstood finally.  So, the focus is very, very important.  One hour session, you are asking a question and I am answering.  This should be such a precious important golden thing for anybody who is interested for Self-Realization and achieve the Ultimate Truth in the meditation.  So, the focus is important.  They should set a priority.  They shouldn’t have time even to look here and there, like that.  That type of focus needs to be there.  When the eyes are fixed, it can bring the mind also and fix it.  It wouldn’t allow the mind to waver and imagine anything else.  It will be there.  It will be listening.  Then it understands, “O, this is what I have to do.  What a beautiful thing.  O, this is what I have to do.” 

Then you read any book also.  You read the Bhagavad Gita, you read Asthavakra Samhita, you read Guru Gita, you read Viveka Choodamani,  everything, beautiful meaning will come out.  You will start understanding everything in its right context.  You would wonder, “I read the same Bhagavad Gita before also.  I never understood like this.  This is what the Bhagavad Gita is conveying.  How wonderful it is.  Earlier, I did not understand because I did not focus.  I just tried to read and told people, I have read Bhagavad Gita.”  That is not a certificate that you want.  If you read, it should help you.  It should make you understand what is it that you are supposed to do to achieve that truth.  As Krishna said, “Before death shall claim thee Arjuna, go to the knowers of truth.  Seeking their permission, sitting at their lotus feet, ask intelligent questions.  And when they teach, when they advise, remain focused, pay attention.  Listening to them, understand.  And adopting such methods, achieve that truth to yourself.”  Krishna didn’t tell, “Arjuna, I will give you the truth.  You don’t have to worry.”  He said “You have to achieve it.  Achieve that truth to yourself.”  Sri Krishna had achieved, so we consider him as God incarnation, Bhagavan, Divine.  So, like that, everybody has to put in effort, and the focus, concentration, understanding, not to have ego; surrendering.  This ego can be so habitual, people will end up doing that.  Hundred times they will give a promise, but they will end up hundred and one times again.  Such is the power of the illusion, ego is. 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji, in this world, if we are not in the ashram, but we are in the world, how do we cultivate and keep our faith while we go about our daily lives in the world?

Babaji Maharaj:   Anywhere, anywhere you are is no problem.  The life is like that.  Every moment it can be reminding you of the impermanence of the world and your own body.  This remembering need not become panicked, need not become depressed or lose peace.  That is not the thing.  Just be active in the world.  Keep doing, keep working.  At the same time, remember, time is very less, any day anything can happen.  One leader tells “We have bombs to destroy this world 150 times.”  Imagine if such a thing happens.  Impermanence, reminding impermanence.  But before that, we should remind ourselves, keep working and we should remind, yeah; the moment you get sometimes, sit down.  At that time remain relaxed.  Quiet, focus, just watch.  Quieten your mind.  Don’t bother about anything else.  Like that remaining in the world, it should remind you every moment.  Every moment the world reminds you of impermanence to give you detachment.  You live in the world.  Don’t give up living in the world.  Enjoy, love, for sake of love.  Love for sake of love.  Then you have peace.  Then you will see God helping you every step, every moment the God is coming to you to help.  The Guru is always standing by you.  He will be with you to help you.  Often He will be carrying you. 

You need to have this faith that the Guru is with you.  Be active in the world.  Live any life.  Not necessary that you have to live in an ashram only.  Living in the ashram itself is not a bed of roses.  Everywhere it’s the same human beings.  Everywhere the thing is there.  Anywhere the materialistic thing can drag you.  You have to be careful not to get attracted.  It’s impermanence.  Today it is there, tomorrow it may not be there.  So, like that, things go on, the Guru reminds you but the Guru is always with you.  The Divine is with you.  So, wherever you are, remind yourself of the impermanence.  Simply for sake of knowledge and wisdom application only.  So that the moment you get time, then you will see that you will take out time.  Not that you are getting time.  That sentence will disappear.  You will take out time.  You will get.  If you take out time, you have it.  In the midst of all the work, you can take out time.  Today you all have taken time and sitting with me in the Zoom.  Though it might be in your drawing room, but still you are listening to this old man.  You’re not running away.  So, like that.  When you understand the need.  When you remind yourself.  So, in this world, living in this world also. 

So, like an ashram or a monastery is meant so that on and off whenever you get time you go, sit there, so that you rejuvenate yourself with the teachings of the Master, with much more vigorous practice.  You are retreating from the mundane activity for a while.  Utilize that time.  Don’t waste that small time also into gossiping, groupisms, doing this nonsense, doing that nonsense.  Nothing.  Sit down quietly, peacefully, do sadhana.  Many people waste their time trying to do their own groupisms.  They become excited.  The same friendship which they will be doing in the school, college, job, on the roads, they want to do it in the ashrams also.  So thus, they waste time.  They will never learn what is devotion, what is faith.  Time simply passes by.  So, if you go to the monastery, ashram, try to learn something from there.  If you go back to the world, try to learn, something will always be there.  Like this, whether you are in a monastery, whether you are in the world, there will always be something to learn.  Learn that.  Never stop the learning process.  This is another thing our Guru said.  Swamiji said, “Never think that you have learned everything.  Never stop the learning process.  Any moment, anywhere something good might come and you learn.  Don’t have any ego issues.  Don’t have any reservations.” 

Question:   So the remembrance of the Guru can also come, Baba, is that right, as we go on the practice more and more, we can remember the Guru within us?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, definitely.  You will not forget.  Otherwise, if you become too sucked into the world, then you will forget what the Guru, what the Guru has said, what the Guru tried to teach.  That is when ego becomes primary and a priority, then you forget about it, you don’t learn anything.  This is very essential.  So, remember the Guru.  If you remember the Guru, you will remember what the Guru has said. 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Sri Ramana Maharishi once said, “It is by God’s grace that you think of God.”  Is this true?  And if so, can you explain a bit about it?

Babaji Maharaj:   You think. When you think it is God’s grace, you have thought it’s God’s grace.  But don’t sit in a corner, “Whenever the God’s grace comes, then only I will think,” then that grace will never come.  Because you need to have faith and start thinking, cultivate that practice.  When you cultivate the practice, you give that credit to God’s grace, “Without the grace, it wouldn’t have happened.”  So, like that you have to go.  Often this is misunderstood.  A grace means without an effort from your side, a grace has to descend then automatically I will remember.  Then that thing never happens.  People get sucked into the world.  You have to put an effort.  If you are in this Zoom session, you wanted to be.  You tried and you came in.  Now you think that this is God’s grace that you are here.  That is the proper manners.  You go and sit in a shopping mall, “O, whenever the God’s grace comes, then I will go to the Zoom class of Babaji.”  That’s a bad thing.  The grace comes when you put an effort when you want. 

Many times for this question, let me tell.  Many times devotees try to be very clever.  They think they are cleverer than the Master.  They come to me and tell, “O Baba, You never called us.  That’s why we could not come.”  Now I have also learned to be clever.  I say now, “You never had any devotion or faith.  That’s why I did not call you.  You have devotion and faith, then I will call you.”  Then they will shut up their mouth.  So, this is what we have to… never try to find God as a scapegoat for anything.  Our efforts are very important.  Swamiji used to tell, “You do your effort.  God will do His things.  You don’t have to teach God,” Swamiji used to tell, “Don’t try to teach God what to do.  But you teach yourself that you need to have faith and devotion.  You need to put an effort.  Then God will do it.  Automatically, it will happen.” 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Often with faith we tend to seek validation.  I pray to God.  “Please help me to succeed in a particular endeavor”, or “please help me decide what I should do next”, or “how to go about in life, what to decide.”  And I finish the prayer by saying that I have faith that You will help me reach clarity.  Next, I tend to search for validations from the Divine through signs or messages, etc.  This happens both in spiritual sadhana, as well as materialistic goals, like career, etc.  But lately, I feel that this approach is very confusing, draining, making me feel exhausted and stuck.  I’m starting to feel that maybe we should not seek validation.  But if we are doing the right thing in accordance to dharma, then we have to do it with absolute optimism and faith in ourselves and maybe that the Divine will protect us and lead us.  Maybe we should stop seeking validations.  Is this reasoning correct, Babaji?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, you cannot win over through logic or understand through logic.  As Tulasidas says, ‘shraddha vishwasa rupinau’.  That is, ‘shraddha’ is devotion; ‘vishwasa’ rupinau is the faith.  You need to have faith.  Because the existence of Divinity is beyond any logic, any such thing that you can comprehend.  You cannot comprehend.  Now, that’s why we teach, “You have faith.  Whatever result comes, accept it as the Divine’s grace only.”  Because Adi Shankara says that Divine is never unjust to Its creation.  He wants to take you back to Divinity.  For that, He may adopt any methods.  Allow Him to do it, allow Him to do the surgery.  We go to a doctor, we trust the doctor.  First day; it may be our first day, but for the doctor, it is an everyday job.  He does the surgery.  Then another senior doctor advises us, “Don’t worry, Baba, let the doctor do the surgery.  For him it is very common, every day he keeps doing this heart surgery.  This may be first time for You.”  Like that, the Guru keeps doing surgery.  God’s job is to do surgery.  He wants everybody to come back to Divinity.  So, we delay by losing faith, by questioning, by reasoning, by validation, by things. 

Actually, science and spirituality both are same.  Both go for existence value.  There is a systematic approach.  That approach, you have to do it.  Even if you have to look through a telescope, you have to look.  If somebody else is looking through a telescope, you won’t get to see.  So, here also, it is you.  You have to look for yourself.  Who else will see?  Your mind.  Who else can see in the mind?  You have to see your mind.  You know what is in the mind.  But you are unable to see because you have corrupted it with imaginations.  So, you try to give up all those.  Have faith.  Then you will be able to see.  The grace of the Divine is coming all the way.  At that moment, it could be disappointing sometimes.  But allow it to happen.  Then God will take care.  You will see after some time.  Then you will realize, “O God, thank God that thing happened.  That’s the Divine’s grace.  That’s why today I am here.  At that time, if I wanted and God had given me that boon, then I would have become something else.  Much lower than this.  Today I am here with the Self, with the Divinity.”  So, like that.  It’s necessary.  Give up the validation.  Have faith and devotion. 

Question:   In scriptures, it is mentioned, “Never abandon your Guru, no matter what, even if you do not understand Guru‘s ways.”  I’m starting to feel that true Guru is the knowledge such as forbearance, acceptance, detachment, optimism and endurance that we gain while doing sadhana.  Maybe this is the real light that will lead us slowly to realizing the Self.  Is my understanding correct?  Or is it again an ego trap?  Please help me understand better, Babaji. 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, this is the way you have your faith and proceed with the sadhana.  Don’t go too close to the Guru or don’t remain too far away from the Guru.  Maintain the middle distance with reverence.  Don’t take the Guru lightly.  So, then you will do the sadhana seriously.  Then the faith and devotion also gets developed.  And that is the right way. 

Question:   Namaskaarams, Babaji. Some people during Your time and till now, they still have Shivabalayogi Maharaj as their Guru.  I have three questions Babaji.  So, first question is, how important is the living Guru, Babaji, who is living?  Even though they say that Shivabalayogi doesn’t need the physical form to guide us, but how important is a living Guru for modern generation, for us today?

Babaji Maharaj:   So, initially, if there is a living Guru bodily, it is like a bonus.  He can talk in the language that you can understand and communicate.  You will be able to communicate.  Otherwise, what matters is your faith and devotion.  If you have that much of faith, you will get the guidance from within; the same Shivabalayogi can guide you from within you also.  That is also definitely possible.  So, in case the physical body is not there, you must have faith and devotion.  So, next question. 

Same Questioner:   So, Babaji in meditation, sometimes I don’t feel like I am watching between the eyes exactly.  I don’t know how to tell this, but it feels all over the place.  Like, I am not exactly focusing on one point.  It’s just like seeing into somewhere. 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, I understand.  This happens because eyeballs move parallelly.  It doesn’t come into one direction easily.  So, that’s why this thing happens.  When you close the eyes, a larger space might be visible.  But without trying to think what it is, just steadily keep watching.  Then, when the eyeballs stabilize, then it starts coming into one direction.  In due course of time, that’s when you need to have apart from discipline, patience is important.  Give some time, six months, one year.  Regularly do like that.  With all the patience, just keep watching.  Then it will come closer.  Then the vision also comes closer.  That wider space all becomes narrow.  So, like that, if you just go on watching without thinking anything, it will come. 

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji, third and final question.  Babaji, I keep worrying about my mother’s health.  She recently had brain surgery.  I couldn’t do my sadhana in between.  I couldn’t come to online class also.  So, I keep worrying about her health.  So, how to stop worrying about it, continue my meditation and also get the detachment? That is the doubt. 

Babaji Maharaj:   One important thing.  It is very good to look after a mother.  It is the most precious thing in the world, mother concept is.  But just by worrying, you cannot help her.  You are also becoming a casualty unnecessarily.  So, meditate, do not worry.  Pray to God.  Have faith that God will look after your mother also.  Whatever is possible for you to look after, look after her and take out some time.  Like my Guru used to tell, “Twenty-four hours are there.  You just have to take out one hour and meditate.”  Other twenty-three hours are there if you are working and you want to look after your mother.  And your own recreation or your rest, taking rest, everything will be possible.  You work out a timetable like that.  When you are meditating, meditate.  When you are looking after the mother, look after her.  Like that, keep it separate actions, then it will come.  It will be alright.  We will pray for you. 

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji. 

Question:   Okay, since we are speaking about grace, anugraha, often like in shastra, I read about the accompanying function of tirobhaava or concealment.  Is this a function of the Divine?  Or is it the consequence of our ego, this concealment factor?

Babaji Maharaj:   Concealing yourself or your thinking, you mean?

Same Questioner:   The Divine concealing itself from us.  Does that happen?

Babaji Maharaj:   Actually, in my practical experience, the Divine is not concealing itself.  Simply, if anybody is unable to see the Divine, that person doesn’t know what Divine is.  That is important.  The moment you know what is Divine, your problem will be solved.  You will never tell that it is not visible.  The Divine – one important logic, the thing which is all-pervaded, how can it hide?  If it is at one place like a matter, that matter can go behind the doors and hide.  If it is simply all-pervading like the space, can the space hide from anybody?  Simply, we have put a matter as an over-imposed illusion, so that is why it is not visible.  We have thought something else about the Divine, and that is why it is not visible.  Otherwise, it is not concealing itself, in fact. 

Same Questioner:   Thank You for clarifying that.  Thank You, Babaji. 

Question:   In scientific terms, it seems to me that we are getting more in touch with the cerebellum, and not the cerebrum.  Would you say that?  The old brain, the back of the brain, cutting out the front?

Babaji Maharaj:   No, it is the mind.  You are paying too much attention to your own imaginations. 

Same Questioner:   Yes, so mind.  Yes, it is not the physical, it is the mind. 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, that is the problem.  So you get rid of that and you will see the truth. 

Same Questioner:   Okay, thank You. 

Question:   Good morning.  Well, it is morning here.  It is good to see you, Baba, always.  I have a hip surgery coming up soon, a hip replacement.  And most of the people that I have spoken with say that these surgeries are very successful, that afterwards it’s great.  And so I have a lot of faith that things are going to turn out well.  I just have that feeling.  At the same time, I also have some fears that it won’t, you know, just because you can’t predict life.  So my question is am I lacking faith because I have these fears or is the faith still there even in the midst of fear?

Babaji Maharaj:   Faith and fear cannot go together.  One doesn’t like the other.  So, when you have faith, there is no fear at all.  You are ready for anything.  So that’s what the faith is.  Ultimate faith is necessary.  Then what we are trying to teach, you accept whatever happens.  You are not bothered about the result.  Whatever happens, it is the Divine’s grace. 

Same Questioner:   Yeah, I actually have that understanding that my faith is that things are going to turn out well.  If they don’t, it’s all part of the Divine play.  But… 

Babaji Maharaj:   That’s it. Then there [won’t be] fear. 

Same Questioner:   All right.  Another question.  Does this apply to the Guru-disciple relationship?  There is a basic faith that I know what You are saying is right.  I believe that so deeply is why I am still doing this.  But there is still some fear.  So, is it the same kind of thing?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, that’s how the Guru-disciple relationship builds up.  Like a mother and child.  A child totally depends on the mother and it has total faith.  It never doubts mother when she picks up or she leaves on the ground.  She is there.  Whatever she feeds, it takes it.  Once it understands, it is mother, mom.  “Mother, mother,” when it tells, it has total faith, like that. 

Same Questioner:   Okay.  All right.  Thank You very much. 

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  Babaji on this topic of faith, Babaji described that when He was in twenty years of sadhana, some things were not going as expectation.  And the faith was that maybe this is also Divine’s will to bring a better result later.  So, in connection of this statement, Babaji, I was reading the same thing in Yoga Vashista yesterday which says that if self-effort has not led to a fruition, then one should examine if it came from a deluded action and one should correct it immediately.   

Babaji Maharaj:   That’s what is the faith, they are talking in context of the faith.  That’s what I keep telling.  Faith is also self-confidence.  So, when you put in efforts, have the total faith in yourself that you can do it, in God that it will happen.  Whichever anchor you want, you need to have something.  And then that works.  Then you will be able to put in efforts totally well-concentrated.  You will not be disturbed and you will not be wavering. 

Same Questioner:   So Babaji, what about the expectations from the faith?  So just like the question which came in the chat which was, “I have faith in successfully achieving something versus faith in silencing my mind.”  These are two very different objectives.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Expectations are there.  That’s what creates fear.  Simply faith is there, no fear comes.  The mind settles down at peace.  Hands up.  Simply that’s it.  Whatever the Divine wants, let it happen like that.  Nothing to bother, nothing to worry.  If it happens like this, it’s okay.  If it doesn’t happen, it’s okay, like that.  So, this is totally different.  But if we cultivate expectation also, for that reason we want to have faith – then the fear comes up.

Same Questioner:   Got it.  Thank You, Babaji. 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Okay.  My question is about fear of missing out.  Basically, as You know, in spirituality we surrender to God and have surrendered and said, “Hey, I need my Self-Realization to happen in this lifetime.”  And if we surrender to God and we have faith that this will happen, but there are other activities going on in our lifestyle, like we have to take care of work and kids and family and things like that.  And I see Gurus like you all have taken years of tapas and sadhana and meditation.  And we just started and I don’t know how long I’m going to live or we are going to live.  So, if I surrender to God that “Hey, I need in this lifetime, I should get Realization” and I surrender, and I give it to almighty or the universe that “Hey, let me be guided to achieve that.”  And I surrender.  Will I get Realization? 

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, now, ‘surrender’ means your surrender has its own limitations.  There are other things also in the life of the frame.  So, you have to attend.  Well, spiritually, nothing is prohibited.  You live the life whatever you have adopted, be a householder.  In the midst of that, slowly let the faith develop, and try to take out a little bit of time.  As I’ve been telling, in the twenty-four hour if you can take out thirty minutes or sixty minutes, one hour to do sadhana to quieten your mind.  As long as the mind is active, it creates doubts and fear, doubts and fear.  Then that makes the mind waver and disturbs.  Instead of this, you have faith and let the faith be there unwavering.  And you carry on with your life and with the sadhana also.  For anything, if the body goes, in the next life your inclination will be there from childhood.  You’ll put an effort much more.  It will simply continue like you are putting it in a fixed deposit.  You should not bother about the time limit or when and what will happen.  Like for example, as you were talking that we had to put in efforts from many years.  So, maybe we were trying to put in efforts since previous lives.  So, since childhood itself, we got the inclination.  So, we could dedicate more time, more time, and totally got sucked into spirituality.  That’s how finally we could achieve.  But if it has not happened, still there is nothing for you to worry.  Have this faith that one day it will definitely happen.  Do not give rise to any doubt in yourself.  God will definitely give you. 

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji. 

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  I am really thankful for Your blessings and guidance.  I am actually now worried how to get rid of this ego.  Because I think that I have that ego, which is subconsciously maybe overpowering me.  And then I think that getting rid of this ego is the biggest hurdle now for me. 

Babaji Maharaj:   So, if you simply practice meditation as we have advocated and have devotion and faith.  Keep thinking; assure yourself.  If at all there has to be a thought in the mind, try to take help of a positive thought, “Everything will be all right.  The Guru is with me.  God is with me.”  Like that, you assure yourself, you can become a doctor to yourself, a psychiatrist to yourself by thinking positively.  Then you can cultivate this faith and overcome the fear.  Everything will be all right.  God is with you and the Guru‘s blessings are with you.  Everything will be all right.  Like that you think.  Then your mind will become more clear and better.  We will pray for you.

End of Session