The Master & the devotee
Maharaji
Shri Sant Yogashram/New Delhi
Evening Session, March 24, 1990
Dear Premies,
It is the last day, the last night of this program. You have listened to me the preceding two nights and also had a chance to hear me in the morning. Some of the mahatmas also spoke, including Mahatma Ji (Sampurnanand Ji). And now the time is drawing near and we are getting closer to those moments when we would forget all that which has occurred here during this period, and probably brushing aside whatever joy we have obtained here, we shall begin to think of the departure.
A stereotyped story
Just try to understand what usually happens in our life. In our childhood when we are very young, the world appears to be very big for us. Our problems are small, our sorrows are small but our laughter is big and unrestrained. By and by we grow and our parents ask us to read and write, to go to school. Then gradually we find that while our problems are getting bigger, the
Life Force – October-December 1990 5
laughter gets comparatively smaller. Then after sometime we are caught up in various sorts of worries and when all these troubles surround us, it seems that they are bent upon swallowing us whole. That's the time when the thing called 'mirth' or smile completely disappears from ourlips. It totally vanishes. And then engulfed in all kinds of sorrows and sufferings we try to pass each day of our life somehow. We pray, we en-
sorrows are small but our laughter is big and
unrestrained. By and by we grow … Then
gradually we find that while our problems are
getting bigger, the laughter gets comparatively
smaller.
treat, cry and beg, '0 Lord, 0' Master! ! They have dubbed God with such fascinating and splendid terms that it would really amaze you. They have composed wonderful bhajans, erected such majestic buildings in the name of God that are incredible. And the whole idea behind all this is, '0' God, save me in any way possible. You just get me out of this misery; rescue me from this grief. Help me somehow, if you please.'
There are big temples, big gurudwaras, big, churches where people go, supplicate and solicit some favour. And when there is no opportunity left for laughing and smiling in this life, when the commodity called 'joy' seems to be far away, when people wander from door to door for that Knowledge, for that joy and when the longing for happiness and peace begins to force itself out, then man becomes really upset and agitated and he feels that probably he would have to pass the rest of his life in the same manner. Sometimes he even resolves to commit suicide and sometimes tries to do something else. But even then under the influence of maya (illusion), being a captive of maya he goes on assuring himself: "oh, never mind, when I will become old, when I will get time I will try to find God. I will try to meet him, to do his Arti, to perform devotion," etc.
That memorable day!
And you know, this story would have been most inauspicious, most unfortunate if there would not have been a little change in it. This story would have been so futile if there would have been not a slight modification. And that modification took place on that day when these ears heard those words, due to which this heart began to dance--the body danced or not, that is of little conse-
6 Life Force – October-December 1990
quence. That was the first day…I do not know, maybe there are some aspirants sitting here but most of you are those who have received Knowledge. I don't know whether you remember that day or not--such a day when you had no idea why there was a smile on your face. You didn't know why there was such an irresistible laughter affecting your whole being. And it was coming out spontaneously. You didn't hear any joke, nor talked with anyone but the heart was dancing instinctively.
Mahatma Ji was also saying something in this respect. He was referring to the time when he came as an aspirant. He started with a narration about how he was in a state of great suspense when he listened to me at (inaudible) because I put forward only one thing before all the instructors present there. Because sometimes we are so much confused and caught up in sundry things that we are in a quandary. We don't know what to do. We begin to forget the events of that day when we really fell in love. We do not know how to deal with that love. We usually are caught up with such ideas, like what to do about that love that influenced us. But we actually forget that day when we really fell in love. And if we can remember that memorable day in our life when we felt such a love, when our heart started dancing, then there is nothing more left to do. Because that is such an inspiring incident in itself that it is capable of inspiring us throughout our life.
been so futile if there
would have been not a
slight modification.
And that
modification took
place on that day
when these ears heard
those words, due to
which this heart
began to dance--the
body danced or not,
that is of little
consequence.
The living present
How much I have seen with these eyes and listened with these ears of mine, is beyond description. There was a woman. Her husband had received Knowledge--that was at New York. Her husband although had received Knowledge, yet didn't attend any program. So one day he said to his wife, "Listen, Maharaji is coming and he will explain about the techniques. Therefore I am going there to learn." So he decided to go. Then his wife thought, "Oh, so far he was quite safe but now I feel he is likely to get himself entrapped
Life Force – October-December 1990 7
somewhere." So the wife was very nervous. She became afraid. But then she said, "Okay, go if you like." Then the husband asked her, "You better meet me at such and such time to take me back home."
So she came at the fixed hour. She was walking outside the hall and thinking, "Oh, what is happening here? What is being told here? What are they talking about?" She thought perhaps some sort of indoctrination was going on inside. In English it is called "brain washing". Which means all their brains are being distorted, being changed. Something odd and irregular is being taught to the people.
remember that
memorable day in our
life when we felt such
a love, when our heart
started dancing, then
there is nothing more
left to do. Because
that is such an
inspiring incident in
itself that is capable
of inspiring us
throughout our life.
Then a man came out of the hall. When he came out the door was opened and she saw two or three thousand people sitting in that hall. Then she thought, how could it be possible to convert the minds of so many people at a time? If there were only two or three, even five or ten people then of course it would have been possible to brain-wash them. But there were three or four thousands of them. How could they brain-wash all of them at a time? So she concluded, 'well, it must be something worthwhile here.' But as she didn't have Knowledge,she was not allowed to go inside. Then she began to listen outside, keeping her ears glued to the doors. At that time I was talking about the cause of unrest in man. I was saying that the main reason for that distress was that man had stretched his one leg in his past, the time which had already passed away, and his other leg he had placed in the future. Because man usually dreams about both these periods. About both of them. He has fanciful ideas about his future, "Oh, this is sure to happen in my future. It is bound to occur. This must be in store for me." And in the same way he laments his past : "Oh, this has happened to me! (which should not have happend)." In other words he often bewails the past happenings. So one of his legs is placed in the past which is a bygone stage and the other one he has in the future. Thus he has entangled both of his legs in the past and the fu ture-- the past which has already passed
8 Life Force – October-December 1990
had stretched his one leg in his past, the time
which had already passed away, and his other leg
he had placed in the future. Because man usually
dreams about these periods.
I further said that no one is in this present which is the current time, which is now, and if anybody comes and sees in this time which is present, one can notice a different scenario. Neither it is the past, nor it is the future. The future has yet to come and the past has already gone. The future,when it comes automatically turns in to the past, but the past cannot turn into future. If anybody wants to love, that love is neither possible to do in future, nor it can be done in the past. If anybody wants to love, that has to be done here, now. The smile doesn't come to the lips in the past, nor it does so in the future. If the smile has to come, it can only come now, at this time. If you want to laugh you can't do it in the past, nor can you do so in the future. If you have to laugh you better laugh here at this time.
Inner thirst
So, she heard all this. Then she went to her car and sat in it and began to weep. She went back home by her car weeping all the time. She couldn't stop crying. She told this story herself when she returned back. She came as an aspirant of Knowledge, in order to receive Knowledge and she narrated this story herself. And she voluntarily felt a desire to receive Knowledge.
But what will happen to such a person? Do you remember the occasion when you came to receive Knowledge? You didn't know what was Knowledge. You had no idea. You only knew this much that there is a sort of hunger from inside to get something. You know, when does the baby cry? When it is hungry, it cannot express itself in any language that it is hungry. It cannot say to its mother, "Well mummy please warm the milk and feed me." It cannot say to her, "The kettle is there, bring it here, pour milk in it, kindle a fire and warm the milk and when the milk gets warm then feed me." No, the child cannot tell all this. The little baby is unable to say anything. It can do only one thing and that is,that it can express its intention. When the little child is hungry or it feels cold, or it feels hot, or if there is an urge in it to sleep,it only cries. Its cry is an
Life Force – October-December 1990 9
indication to its mother, "Well, I don't know what is the matter. I don't know what is the trouble and to mitigate thattrouble. Butt I want to apprise you of the fact that there is some cause of trouble. There is some need. I am with you. I am here. And I only want that you fulfill my need, and I don't know how it has to be done."
this time. If you want to laugh you can't do it in
the past, nor can you do so in the future. If you
have to laugh you better laugh here at this time.
So when the child cries, the mother picks it up. If she is a mother and she has some sense. There are a number of mothers who are 'clock mothers'. Whatever they do, they do after consulting their watch. They see the watch and say, "Yes, now is the time that the baby is hungry." And whether it is hungry or not,that does not matter, they put the…in its mouth. When it is night, they tell the child, "Sleep, baby sleep " But how can it know that it has to go to sleep at night? It can only sleep when it feels sleepy and it will wake up when it is awake. But the parents are not so considerate. They will insist, "No, just see it's night time. It is too late in the night. It is now 3 a.m., you just sleep." It goes on like this. But if the mother is considerate, she would take the child up in her arms, she would try to feed it.If it does not stop crying, she would walk it or putting it on her shoulders would try to soothe it, to pacify it. And in this way she would try various tactics and thus be able to make it content somehow or the other.
When we became a child again!
We should remember the day when we too came as a little child. Though we are grown up, even then we became little children. … We have forgotten it. In the beginning we were like small children but we harboured a keen desire to become great : "Oh, I shall become great,I shall be great" We had a yearning to be great. No other fancy, but a fondness to become great. We were in fatuated with this idea, and after that came such a period in our life that only for a day, only for sometime we again became a child. And when we became a child we prayed from our heart, "Oh, I don't know what is theKnowledge. I' don't even know what I really want. But just give me satisfaction through any means whatsoever. Give me that thing which may put out the fire of my heart, which
10 Life Force – October-December 1990
may quench the thirst of the heart. Give me the thing which may provide me joy."
After that you have no idea what sort of satsangs you listened to. What sort of talks did you hear. How many places you visited. What things happened in your life. There are different tales of every individual in this respect. And all of them are convinced that their experience was unique and nobody else had had such an experience as they had. What happened with them ,did not occur with anybody else.
But this is quite wrong. The same thing happened with all. (The same thing happened with everyone, that for one day they had to become a child.) And when they became a child…someone says, "Sir, I was revealed the Knowledge, I got Knowledge there on that hill. "Oh, you talk of a hill but there is such a mahatma with us who gave Knowledge in a train. Well…now he won't do so. I have instructed him fully well. Anyway, it is a good example for me to quote.
But what I want to point out to you is that when we came with the heart of a child then what did we find? What a miracle happened that day for us? We received Knowledge. We got something. But gradually, by and by we forgot all about that day. We lost its memory. It was obscured for us. And then comes a stage when we are unable to recollect anything about it.
If someone says, "Practice Knowledge". They would say, "Well, I have no time." If someone would have asked you that day--half an hour before--half an hour before you received Knowledge, "If this Knowledge is given to you, will you practice it through-out your whole life or not?"What would have been your instant reaction?--"Oh, Maharaji, you just give it to me. I will practice a lot." If someone had asked you, "Will you consult your watch while practicing Knowledge?" Your instant reply would have been, "No Sir, nothing doing, not at all. I won't even look towards the watch. You just take this watch of mine, but please give me Knowledge,just give it to me." This is what is called being an aspirant. That is called quenching the thirst. Such a condition, such a state when we really become needy. When there is an urgent thirst for water in us and somebody comes who has water to give, then what-
what did we find? What a miracle happened that
day for us? We received Knowledge. We got something.
Life Force – October-December 1990 11
ever terms he puts before us, we would be prepared to accept. We would be ready to give anything in exchange. Because we knew that day that thirst must be quenched by any means whatsoever.
A true devotee
So, today as well, the situation is the same. There are two categories of people in this respect. One, who have already got this Knowledge and the second, who don't have this Knowledge,they are aspirants. If you are an aspirant, I shall say that this is the most sacred time in your life. It is the most sacred time for you that you have a thirst for this Knowledge. It is okay that you don't have Knowledge but you understand the meaning of devotion. You haven't got Knowledge so far, I am not your teacher so far, but you at least understand what is devotion. And even if you don't understand the devotion well, it is only because nobody told you about devotion till today. Because there are so many lecturers and many a time they become too much talkative. They do not talk plainly. They do not talk properly. They do not say, "Why do you touch my feet when I should touch yours? Never mind, you do understand what is devotion. Oh, you even remember the thing which I myself have forgotten.
Now there are mahatmas. I was referring to them previously how they are leading such a comfortable life. Wherever they go, they are treated as V.I.Ps. People keep standing before them and ask them with great regard about their requirements of boarding and lodging, or what would they like to do. Some mahatma would like an elephant ride, the other one likes to ride a
12 Life Force - October-December 1990
being an aspirant.
That is called
quenching the thirst.
Such a condition, such
a state when we really
become needy. When
there is an urgent
thirst for water in us
and somebody comes
who has water to give,
then whatever terms
he puts before us, we
would be prepared to
accept.
horse. Someone likes to travel by train and another one wants to fly by aeroplane. And there are such mahatmas who try to explain things to devotees, they don't know themselves. What would you explain to him, Mahatma ji! Have you yourself understood? Anyway, it is not a general state of affairs. It does not happen generally. I have regard for mahatmas but they should be cautious.
This thing concerns both of them--the aspirants and the mahatmas. So I occasionally sit with the mahatmas and talk to them. And what do I talk to them? That-"Do you tell the people what you yourself have understood? What is your understanding?" The day the mahatma says to himself, "I have become a mahatma," he no more remains a mahatma and the day a premie begins to say, "I have become a premie", he or she ceases to remain a premie after that. The premie, the lover, is one who is intoxicated with love. Who is so much intoxicated with it that he is no more conscious of the fact that he is a premie or not. Just understand what I am saying, that one who is a premie, when he is loving, when he is truly in love, he becomes oblivious of his environments. He is lost to the outer world. He is so much affected with the devotion that he is unable to admit to himself that he is a premie. Because he is so much captivated by love and devotion that he has no time to ponder and say to himself, "Oh yaah, I am a premie now! Because he is already in love, he is wholly absorbed in love captivated by that love.
Thus, what I mean to say is that you who are aspirants … I know that there are not many aspirants here. Mostly I think, probably 99 percent of the audience are those who have already received Knowledge. But I am talking to you people about those aspirants who probably are less than one percent. Because I want to emphasise that you yourself will have to become aspirants. Although you have received Knowledge even then you will have to be
Life Force – October-December 1990 13
Today I saw a premie. He had received the Knowledge very recently. It is not long since he was given Knowledge. But what sentiments, what love I perceived in him! And I didn't notice him for long. Just only for a minute. Not more than a minute. But what did I observe? I observed a childlike disposition. I marked that aspiration. But if a man begins to say after getting Knowledge, "Well, I am now a learned man. I have now become learned …" What would be the result?
I shall say that this is
the most sacred time
in your life. It is the
most sacred time for
you that you have a
thirst for this
Knowledge.
The 'gyani' & the 'agyani'
Look, what is the difference between a gyani (learned) and an agyani (ignorant). If there is a difference between the two then what is it? The ignorant is the one who after receiving Knowledge says, "Now, I have got the Knowledge". That fellow is agyani. And the gyani (learned) is he who after receiving Knowledge knows, clearly understands that it is only the beginning. Now, the agyani is the person who declares "Well I have reached my destination." Nad the learned is he who still says, "I shall go on trying throughout life. Where I have to reach, even this I don't know. I don't know my destination. That too you will hive to tell me. I on my part shall continue going. I will keep going." The ignorant is that person who says "Oh, there is nothing to do for me now." The learned one says, "Yes, I have so much to do." The ignorant one often forgets while being instructed, and the learned? Who is really a learned person? Who even after forgetting something, reminds himself somehow and recollects. That is the wise, the learned in the real sense. The person who due to omission, or mistake forgets something, but reminds himself in some way or the other, "0' God, the aspiration that is in my heart may never cease! Maharaji, please may it never end."
That is my prayer too. I also pray to my Guru Maharaji, "O' Guru Maharaji, you are all capable." But it doesn't mean that I am saying "As you are all-competent, please advance me two or three hundred thousand rupees." No. I will never demand this from my Guru Maharaji. Neither have I demanded nor can I demand that. Nothing of maya for me. First of all, I know who am I to put a demand? That has to be considered. Then I further bear in my mind,
14 Life Force – October-December
how can I demand? It is I who am indebted to Guru Maharaji. If there is anybody to demand anything, it is he (Guru Maharaji) who should demand. Whence do I come in the picture? What is my worth or credibility?
is one who is
intoxicated with love.
Who is so much
intoxicated with it
that he is no more
conscious of the fact
that he is a premie or
not.
Now I would like to tell you a story. There were two men sitting in a temple. One of them was very poor. So, while sitting there, he was begging something from God. He didn't desire much. He was only begging some money to pay as the rent for his room and some more money to be able to have his food. In all, it amounted to rupees hundred that he was begging. The other fellow sitting along with him was a millionaire. He was also praying aloud. As he was a millionaire, so he was praying to God for millions of rupees: "0' Almighty God, please give me ten to twenty crores of rupees." In this way both of them were sitting there and praying very loudly. While the poor one was praying, "0' Maharaj, give me hundred rupees, O' God, bestow hundred rupees to me." The other one was saying, "Maharaj, you just give me ten to twenty crores of rupees." And both of them, were praying aloud. In the meantime the millionaire became so exasperated with the disturbance caused by the noisy prayer of the poor man that he took hundred rupees out of his pocket and handed them over to the poor, and said," Oh, be quiet and get lost. Don't trouble God. Let Him pay His attention towards me. Don't pester him. Your demand consists of a petty hundred rupees. So here they are. Just take and be off with you: I have a big problem of ten to twenty crores of rupees, so don't bother God at this moment, as He has to give me a huge amount of money."
So you see how the prayer of a poor man was acceded to. Isn't it so? And it got fulfilled by the other man who came to take money but had to pay instead. And how he was made to pay the money? "Oh, don't trouble God. Let God concentrate here, on this side, as there are talks going on for a great amount of money." So how jhould I explain it to you? We display our authority in the first instance as if it is our prerogative, as if we are the creditors. As if we are demanding bur dues. And what would we demand? What can we demand? What right do we have to demand anything? As has been said:
Life Force – October-December 1990 15
I was flowing and flowing with the current of the world and the scriptures. And there comes the Master with the lamp in his hand.
He handed over that lamp to me and revealed the thing to me.
And with his grace I reached my destination within moments. A long long voyage hardly possible to be made even in millions of births.
The grace of the Master
So I was just flowing and being swept away in the river of confusion and concepts. And there comes Guru Maharaji who saved me. He gave a lamp in my hand. He showed me the desired thing. And what was that thing? Did I know it before in my life? Did I alone know how to talk about Knowledge? No! He chose me and made me an aspirant. We must understand this fact that he himself created the thirst in me and then quenched that thirst too. I didn't even know if there is any water available.I didn't know whether there is anything like thirst or not. Even then we come forward and begin to beg. But I on my part only pray this much: "O' Guru Maharaji, you are all-competent. What is there that you cannot do? Please protect me. And protect me aginst that thing about which I don't know whether it is coming to kill me, to devour me. I have no idea. Save me even from that thing. Have mercy on me. But at the same time I am fully aware of the fact, and I cannot forget it that I have no right to demand anything. Even then I beg. Even then I put forward my prayer." And I will always have to express my gratitude for that grace with regard to the fulfilment of my prayer. I can never forget how gracious my Guru Maharaji has been towards me. Whether that grace will continue tomorrow or not,even this I don't know.
Many a person come to me and say, "Maharaji, may this love of mine may remain constant. May this devotion be everlasting." And I just laugh. Why man, have you signed any contract for that? I have seen a lot of such "distinguished" persons, the so-called 'devotees' who were regarded as the crest jewel, the ideal ones, 'a model of devotion', 'a living personification of a devotee in this kaliyuga.' And I have seen such devotees disappearing in the manner you will hardly believe: "Oh, has he gone!" It was not merely a disappearance but an amazing phenomenon. Just now they are here before you and in another moment they are nowhere. I mean, sort of a miracle they performed. They were such persons who preached to other people that they should never be confused but they themselves got confused. They pressed people to remain firm and constant devotees of Guru Maharaji, that their devotion should be unceasing and unimpaired, but they themselves vanished altogether. Such so-called epitome of devotion who exhorted
16 Life Force – October-December 1990
loudly by microphones on big loudspeakers that the devotion to Guru Maharaji must be unbreakable, ceaseless, but their own devotion proved to be such a mirage that they themselves became untraceable after sometime. Nobody knows whether they are even alive or not, and if alive where they are at present. Such devotees I have seen myself.
truly in love, he becomes oblivious of his
environments. He is lost to the outer world. He is
so much affected with the devotion that he is
unable to admit to himself that he is a premie.
If you really want the true devotion then for that devotion, for that Knowledge, for that experience of Knowledge you will have to make sincere effort every moment of your life. If you are thirsty…Look, there are people sitting here who are eighteen years, twenty years, thirty, forty, fifty, or sixty years old. Now, you suggest to a man who is fifty years old, "Your age is now fifty years, you have been drinking water for the last fifty years, so you just refrain from drinking water for a year, do not drink water the next year, what is the big difference? You have already taken so much water for fifty years,if you won't drink it for a year, it should not make much difference to you. You do without water just for two days only, what is the difference?" Yes, there would be. Isn't it so? If you forgo water for two days only then you will be dehydrated to such an extent that you will start crying for water. You will be in great agony. Because for whatever number of years you might have been drinking water, and for whatever number of times you might have done that, but whenever you will be affected by a thirst for water, you will have to assuage it instantly. Although there may be a river flowing behind, or in front of your house, or your house itself may by standing in the middle of the river, yet you will be compelled to quench your thirst by drinking water. As has been said:
Wonder of wonders that a fish is thirsty in water,
This incongruity just makes one laugh!
Actually here it doesn't refer to a fish, it applies to you. You are that fish. You are such a fish who has water all around you. Everywhere there is water for it, and yet that fish is thirsty for water. This ridiculous situation makes me laugh whenever I think of it and yet it is a very signifi-
Life Force – October-December 1990 17
cant example.
So that's that. We engage ourselves in so many things here and there, which we are not conscious of. If someone asks me about my experience regarding this life : "What is the most important thing in this life? A man does so many things. He has to attend to his job, do service somewhere, and he has to do so many other things but is it necessary for him to do so many things?" Then I will stop him then and there and say from my own experience that these things are not necessary for him. He has to do them, that is another thing.
that you yourself will
have to become
aspirants. Although
you have received
Knowledge even then
you will have to be
aspirants.
Just see, the Lord provides man in such strange ways and situations that you will hardly believe. Some years before, I think probably last year or the year before last, there was an old couple. They purchased a boat--a big one, and set out in that boat on a voyage. They were sailing to South America Via Central America. By mistake they happened to reach such a place where these big mammals, called whales, were breeding and rearing their young ones, or were doing something else. They are not actually fish, as they too require air to breathe. When they reached there, some of the whales hurled themselves against the boat, with the result that the boat began to sink. While it was sinking, the old man went towards the back of the boat and picked out the emergency raft. That is a small boat of rubber meant to be used in emergency. He somehow retrieved it. There is a handle fitted there which has to be pulled out and then that emergency raft is released. So both of them managed to embark that emergency raft and began to float slowly in the sea. It is said that they remained in that small raft for about ten or eleven months. That raft contained some tinned water and to suppliment it they also collected water when it rained there, in those tin boxes. And for food they caught fish to eat In this way both of them could survive. Thus they remained alive for so many months in that situation.
Now you just ask those people who insist that it is necessary to do service for livelihood, whether it is actually necessary. So don't say it is necessary to serve. It is you who want to serve, and accept this fact because it has become your habit. If it is your habit to do service, that is another thing. If you want to do it, that is your liking. I won't say any-
18 Life Force – October-December 1990
thing in this respect. But still it is not necessary.
The tussle between the heart & the mind
So let us proceed further. Now, the next thing is : Don't ask me what is the most important thing in your life. You should not ask me. I will tell you whom should you ask. Ask your heart. What does it say to the question : 'What is necessary for you?' Yes, of course, if you don't know the language of your heart, I shall translate that. If you don't understand it, I will certainly translate it for you. But don't ask me. Ask your ownself. Ask your own heart. Because that heart will start dancing the day you receive Knowledge. And the day you become an aspirant once again, then too your heart will dance again. It doesn't matter wheher the mind dances or not. Because the mind may be taken aback, may be disconcerted, "Oh, what is going on?" But the heart is dancing on its own.
Haven't you ever felt such a joy in your life, when the mind is just nonplussed. "What is this going on?" And there is that inside longing of the heart to start dancing. And there is no communication going on between the two. Neither the mind is talking to the heart, nor is the heart talking to the mind. On one side is the mind busy in its futile reflections and on the other is the heart humming its own tune. Arid when the heart starts dancing, you cannot control yourself, but when the mind dances then there follows a confusion. When the mind begins to dance there is unrest. But when the heart dances, there is peace. When the mind is silent then there is serenity. But when the heart is silent there is restlessness. Which means that both of them are of contradictory nature. They are incompatible.
So this has to be clearly understood. The issue before us is to open, our heart and we too have to understand these things. Because you have received this Knowledge
Life Force – October-December 1990 19
But look, it is not your Knowledge. This Knowledge is not yours. There is this Knowledge, and I declare everywhere I go that this Knowledge is not yours. It is mine. And I have given you this Knowledge so that you can have joy through it. And the day you cease to enjoy it, let it be returned back to me. I will withdraw it. Because it is not yours, know this fact clearly. Know it and don't make a mistake by deluding yourself that once you have been given this Knowledge, it cannot be withdrawn from you. As has been said:
Don't stretch the thread of love that it may be severed,
If once broken, there will be a knot of discord in the middle.
It is the thread of love. Don't crack it. Don't sever this thread. Don't stretch it too far. You may stretch any other thread if you like, but don't pull this one.If it is broken,it will lead you to a great trouble because it cannot be woven back. There will always be a knot (of discord) in the middle.
Then so long you have got this love in you heart take some effective decision. You have got this life as a gift. Whether you will get it again or not, I don't know. Look, even great scholars, most learned and distinguished wise men cannot ensure it. Should I tell you one more difference between the wise and the ignorant? That difference is that it is only the wise who can accept the fact that he does not know. But the ignorant one will never accept it. He will usually try to patronize you, "Oh, you don't know kid." And why is he passing this judgement? Because he himself does not know that he is a kid himself. And that kid will never accept this reality that he doesn't know a thing. That's why he claims to be a learned one.
Just see, what is the need for a wise man to demonstrate that he is wise? Because he already is. Should a wise man put a badge on him to display the fact that he is a wise man? What is the necessity for him to go on proclaming that he is a gyani? Even if somebody says to him that he is an agyani (an ignoramus) he has nothing to lose. He cannot turn into a blockhead, as he did not become a wise person after being pronounced as such by anyone else.
'Shastrartha' - a fruitless exercise
There are people who are very very fond of doing shastrartha (debating about the meaning and interpretation of scriptures). I only want to say this much to them : if you ever be able to find out the correct meaning of scriptures, please also inform me. Because as you still don't know,that is why you are in search for an answer, for a solution to your questions. And I have discussed such things with a lot of persons. Once I argued with a man.He came to me many years before. He comes to me and says, "Are you God?"
20 Life Force – October-December 1990
one who after
receiving Knowledge
says, "Now, I have
got the Knowledge."
That fellow is agyani.
And the gyani
(learned) is he who
after receiving
Knowledge knows,
clearly understands
that it is only the
beginning.
Really, I tried to explain to him that I am not this, I am not that. But still he persisted. He says, "Look, give me a straight answer whether you are God or not?" And the discussion went on. After that I said to him, "Tell me just one thing. If I tell you that I am God, will you believe it?" He says, "No, sir." Then I said, "Then why are you wasting your time
unnecessarily? "I mean, they apply such crafty manoevures and ask such tricky questions, "Are you God?" What is the purpose of this sort of fruitless discussion? I too have a body like yours, though there is some difference. My facial features are different. My stature is different. I have a different way of thinking. But I am also like you.
Shri Maharaj Ji, my Guru Maharaj Ji, used to say a very nice thing--"Look here, if Guru Maharaj comes here for cows or buffaloes, he will appear in a bovine form, as an ox or buffalo. Because if he comes in the form of a man for buffaloes then the buffaloes would be scared to see him. They would not be sure whether he will beat them with a stick or do something else. If Guru Maharaj comes here for donkeys, he will come only in the form of a donkey. If he comes for crocodiles, he will not appear in the form of a fish, because he will be devoured by the crocodiles. Do you understand? If he comes in the form of grass for an ass, the latter is likely to graze it in that form. So to make it short, if he comes for man he will have to come in the form of man. But people want to put some distance between Guru Maharaji and the devotee. Some sort of a gap. Particularly a separation that is what they want to make.
They will say, "Oh sir, you have already attained pefection. You are an accomplished soul. Who can compete with you?" Not at all. Happiness and sorrow are alike for everybody. They equally effect everyone in the same way. Sorrow never leaves anyone unscathed. Time is passing for everyone. The watch which tells the time clearly, shows that time is passing away for you, as well as for me. My watch may be better than yours somehow, but should I tell you why I wear this
Life Force October-December 1990 21
authority in the first
instance as if it is our
prerogative, as if we
are the creditors. As if
we are demanding our
dues. And what
would we demand?
What can we
demand? What right
do we have to demand
anything?
watch? For the same purpose. Because it tells time for me. And do you know why you wear yours? Your purpose is the same. It tells the time to you as well. As you are subject to the control of time, I am also in the same category. The only difference is that I know how to spend this time, while you don't know this. And when you too will be able to know how to utilize this time, your life will become praiseworthy. The joy that I myself have experienced, has made me recommend to you to have that experience. I don't say anything new. I don't say that you can never experience what I have experienced. No, no. Not at all! That is rubbish. What I say is that you can have that experience that I am having and that you should also consider this fact. You should watch your steps, you
should be attentive. If you will pull yourself together, the doors of fortune will be opened for you. And when you are so fortunate, you will be quite safe from sorrows which surround you. Maybe you wouldn't be totally spared, but at least there will be some gap inbetween. And owing to that gap, you will be able to experience that happiness, that is called 'absolute happiness' or paramanand (ultimate bliss), which has been so much praised and glorified. And that is why people greet each other with "Jai Satchit Anand! (glory be to Satchitanand, i.e. conscious bliss in this life)" I wish you should also attain it. That is why I come again and again and try to tell you in the form of warnings, requests and examples.
So, now, I hope that at least there will be no more Knowledge givingin a moving train to anybody. That can be guaranteed now, after what has been explained here. At least no mahatma will do so. If this occurs somewhere else, by someone else, that is another thing. These trains are meant for travelling, not for giving Knowledge. If anybody wants Knowledge that's my job, that I give.
Sometimes people ask, "When it is such a good thing why don't you give it to me?" And why should I give it to you when it is so good? Why should I not keep it with me? Why should it be given to you? They even insist, "Oh, why don't you give it just now?" Well, a time is fixed for
22 Life Force – October-December 1990
me an aspirant. We
must understand this
fact that he himself
created the thirst in
me and then quenched
that thirst too.
such babblers also, for such foolish talkers. When the death comes to them, I want to see them babbling, how they try to engage the death with their gibberish, with their foolish talk. It shall be ejected out of them as the air is expelled from the baloon, like ferrr ………. If you fill a balloon with the air and then leave it loose, the wind rushes out of it emitting a sound like dhusssssssssss! In the same manner those big talkers will discharge the air kept within them. When the death would come to take them they will rub their hands and grit their teeth. They will not be able to see with their eyes. The whole body will be tingling and I shall be standing there and telling them, "Now do your talking act. Now talk as much as you like. Just demand ten or fifteen minutes time more and discuss now to your heart's content. As you have done nothing except discussing and arguing the whole of your life, so con tinue the discussion. You wanted to do shastrartha. Now is the time to do it. Now you will be able to know the true arthas (meanings) of shastras or scriptures. Because throughoutyour life you didn't listen to anything as you were so much inclined to talk, you wasted your life in abusing and insulting others. You were unable to receive anything worth receiving from anyone. Even from the one who came at your doors to give you".
But that time has to come for everybody. So just think of it. Be careful in your life and do the needful. I have already informed all of you that I shall make a tour in the month of November. Necessary preparations for that tour have to be made. The scheduled dates and time will be given to you by M. Sampurnanandji when he gets it and also the necessary informations where the programs are to be held. I will tell him before leaving.
So till then you should experience this Knowledge, enjoy and think deeply over whatever I have explained to you during these days. Don't argue but enjoy. You will get ample time for discussion as I have told you--at that time when the death knocks at the door. Then I will see whether you are able to discuss things.
Heartiest thanks to the Creator & the Master!
It is exactly the same situation, I tell you. There was a physician, a learned doctor. When his time drew nearhe thought of a plan to cheat the
Life Force – October-December 1990 23
express my gratitude
for that grace with
regard to the
fulfilment of my
prayer. I can never
forget how gracious
my Guru Maharaji
has been towards me.
Whether that grace
will continue
tomorrow or not, even
this I don't know.
death. So he made three effigies similar to himself. And when the death came, he lay down with them. The death stood still for a while gazing and observing as it was in a fix--"Which one is the real among these four statues? Whom should I take along with me?" Because it could not take the wrong one and only one had to be taken along with her. Who could be that one amongst them? Then the death started speaking--"Oh physician, I am stymied. But there is just one flaw that you have left unattended." And the physician thereupon could not remain silent. He says, "What?" And the death said, "Just this one!" you became so proud of your capabilities that you could not restrain your self and blurted out 'what is that deficiency?'
So he was a competent doctor. Had he kept lying there quietly and let the death speak her say, without speaking anything himself, then all would have been okay. But no. He says, "What is that flaw? What have I left unfinished?" Then the death pointed out that "This is the deficiency (that only you can speak)." So that is exactly what would happen with us and everybody else as well.
Therefore, we have this time and the time is fixed for everybody. And there is no guarantee for future.
None whatsoever. And I know that. Just now I saw a premie. I enquired what was the matter with her. Then somebody told me that the doctorm was quite pessimistic about her and had stated that not much time was left for her. When I saw her, I also remembered the fact that I don't know when my time may come. But whenever my time comes, I only want to cherish this desire in my heart that O' Creator, millions of thanks to you for giving me this much time here. O' Guru Maharaji, millions of thanks to you that you made really a heaven for me on this earth! I don't know anything else. Now I don't want to argue, so I won't do so. I have nothing left to argue about. I will be rather happy that I was granted so much beautiful time till now. And I will remember, I will remember my Creator. And I will be obliged and grateful to my
24 Life Force – October-December 1990
Creator for allotting me such a beautiful time.
So remember this fact and now you may leave. And I shall only say this much to that lady that though I am not feeling that pain which is being felt by her, but there is one thing that I must say, that you have been given this life. How long it has been, don't measure its length, its duration.It has been given, that is important. One day everybody has to leave. So fill your heart as much as you can before you leave. Remember this saying--
"O' my rambling mind, burden yourself discreetly."
So don't burden yourself with the confusion an complexities of this world. Fill your heart with that commodity called 'joy', the happiness. Whether it is for a day or even for an hour. But fill, and fill it more!
So enjoy yourself. And I shall see all of you again in November.
My blessings to all the people.
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