WHO IS AN ABHYASI?
Talk by Sister Kasthuriji on 5th April 1990.
Dear brothers and sisters,
I feel pleasure and greatly honoured to be with you this evening. I am intending to share my views with you on a topic titled ‘Who ia an abhyasi?’
Dear brothers and sisters, you may feel some sort of embarrassment because majority of you are quiet senior and old abhyasis of the
In reality, an abhyasi is an embodiment of devotion. If devotion is lacking, he is not an abhyasi at all.
Now what is devotion and how to develop it in oneself? Whenever the word ‘devotion’ occurs in the mind, it seems that it is linked with deep inner faith in our Beloved – the ‘Ieesth’. The attribute ‘deep’ here denotes that there is no place for anyone else in the mind, thought and heart except the ‘Ieesth’, the Beloved. If, in the thoughts and actions, only the ‘Ieesth’ the beloved is there, the heart then, feeling the presence of Him, in its own self, always remains in a continued meditative condition. In the mind also then, no one else can find a place, however near and dear he may be.
The seeds of faith are sown in the abhyasi when he practices to remember the Goal again and again. One can be successful in doing this practice only when the mind automatically starts loving the Divine. When we have the sole craving for someone, then there remains nothing in the mind which can be surrendered to the Beloved except the self (with ego). This condition of surrender of self is nothing but a standing invitation to forget himself.
When the faith becomes deep, then it can be assumed that the invitation has been accepted . At this stage nothing remains in our inner and outer except the drowning condition of meditation of Sadguru, Shri Babuji Maharaj. The abhysi then gets so much deeply linked with Him that it becomes impossible to divert the thought to any other side or object. When he attains this stage then the unfailing firm faith becomes laya in the Sadguru – the ‘Ieesth’. Now the realization of the Sadguru becomes the goal of life and the heart then gets filled in with His devotion. It remains drowned in the Divine Grace flowing in the inner constantly.
The feeling of inner divine pleasure then gradually dissolves the ego coverings and throws it out. As speedily we become egoless, we feel the flow of deep devotion in the inner. We have a feeling of this condition naturally and then we can say ‘we have become His’. The next stage of this is that Jeev or Soul also is then surrendered to Him. The condition of deep devotion then bestows upon us the feeling of ONENESS and this makes us firm towards our goal. This is the natural process of abhyasi’s progress in Sahaj Marg. The process continues in the inner in its natural way if the abhysi dives deep in meditation. One important pre-condition for abhyasi’s progress, as emphasized by Shri Babuji Maharaj, however is that the guide or guru we select for the purpose should be one of highest capability and practical attainments. In His own words, ‘ select a Guru after a judgment and drink water after it is filtered.
One can judge him through reasons and experiences. He has said , he should be such where divine attraction automatically attracts us and we are not in any way ‘forced’ to accept him as our Guru.
Such a higher capable personality is neither born automatically nor can be made by any one but the Divine Itself descends It on earth. Now in the present era, when, at the call of Nature, for the spiritual advancement of mankind as well as for purifying and beautifying the Nature’s creation the sky was anxiously and eagerly awaiting the descent on earth of such a capable Personality. Then Shri Babuji Maharaj as a special Divine Personality had descended and the whole world was enlightened and glorified with His divine Light. We all are well aware that the present era is constantly looking forward to Him for its change and transformation through His Divine Glory. We the abhyasis are marching ahead through our constant practice of meditation under Sahaj Marg for His divine Realization.
It is infact a rare auspicious time for mankind that the Virat Sankalp of Shri Babuji Maharaj will pour on earth the Divine Transmission through His Virat divine Form. It is under the flow of His Divine Transmission that we have to attain the highest level of our practice viz. the deep devotion and thereby become deserving for His complete Realization. Devotion according to its condition can be classified into three stages namely (1) Shradha (2) Bhakti and (3) Laya. Shradha generates simplicity in the inner. Simplicity, when it gets the flow of devotion in the inner begins to expand in the whole system. Now if you are alert you can feel the expansion of that simplicity in your speech, sight and living. When simplicity reigns the whole system of the abhyasi then Shradha becomes laya in the natural condition viz. the devotion. Devotion then flows over in the heart and gradually it expands in His virat. When devotion enters the whole system of the abhyasi, then the condition of Naturalness (saadagi) develops. Shri Babuji Maharaj has therefore said that devotion is not an artificial act, but it develops naturally out of deep devotion in the divine and firm determination to realize the goal. The divine condition of naturalness (saadagi) develops Godly balance in our inner and outer living. In this condition we get the feeling of pure Reality in our inner as well as outer living. This impulse we get naturally from the condition itself and not through our own experience.
After having been blessed with this condition, feeling of further condition is not the function of mind but the condition itself reveals its stages to us. We should therefore be aware that we can have the darshan of the Purity in real form (saadagi) of Shri Babuji Maharaj. Saadagi (naturalness) may thus, be supposed as an apron (kapra) of the natural condition. After having been bestowed upon this condition, the abhyasi can naturally find himself fully drowned in the love of Shri Babuji Maharaj. In other words after getting this condition we have the perception that ‘who would know, how deep this love is?’ It is so deep and intense that we appear to be the threshold of being laya in Him after remaining drowned and getting expansion in it.
Now we find that the Layavastha in Master Shri Babuji Maharaj is pervading alround and the devotion too becomes laya in Him. It seems then that the Divine personality has become our own and subsequently the condition of becoming laya in His Omnipresent form begins. It gets expansion in His Omnipotent form.
As a result of remaining drowned and laya in Him when we become egoless, then the precious moment of the realization of the Master Shri Babuji Maharaj is bestowed upon us. In this way, the self in its original form also dissolves in his beloved then what remains is nothing but His divine Glory.
Dear brothers and sisters, I not only earnestly and sincerely wish, but also try my level best, that the abhyasis of the
I have a firm belief which I have always emphasized and today again I wish to impress upon you all that such a deserving abhyasi can only be he/she who has firmly fixed his/her eyes on Shri Babuji Maharaj, whom the Reality has descended on this earth as the Ultimate source of Divine for mankind. Nothing else then remains in sight except zero which is also for being laya in Him.
Dear brothers, it is our unfailing bounden duty and also a matter pride for us all that we should wholeheartedly and fruitfully utilize this auspicious era of Shri Babuji Maharaj and keep ourselves honestly and sincerely devoted to our prescribed practice of meditation.
I am confident that then the original source (Ultimate) will definitely enlighten the abhyasi’s heart with His constant showering divine grace and take them to the goal. UNSHAKABLE CONNECTION WITH THE ORIGINAL SOURCE ( SHRI BABUJI MAHARAJ) IS, HOWEVER A PRECENDENT FOR THE SUCCESS. To simplify the significance, an abhyasi, I think it would be sufficient to say that ‘ if you cannot transform your heart into a pain, let the pain be transformed into your heart.
May Shri Babuji Maharaj bless you all with more and more advancing conditions on the path of your goal.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Attachment and Love
By Kum Kasthuri Chaturvedi 09-04-1991
I am extremely delighted to be with you this evening.
Generally abhyasis use the words “ Attachment “ and “Love” as synonyms. Shri Babuji Maharaj said that “ Attachment” was related to worldly relationship and “Love” only to the Goal of Realization. The earnest attitude of life leads to love for Shri Babuji Maharaj. Our attachment to the sublunary existence is based on our interest and finding pleasure in transient objects. The craving is not satiated and the desire grows manifold, unabated. This human quality ‘Moh’ is detrimental to man who is thus taking a retrogressive step and moving away from his original condition. On the contrary love enthuses the human system with the divine fervour, awakens the feeling of brotherhood, radiates to vaster spheres of purity, delves into the sphere of tranquility and traverses the sublime atmosphere. The inner enlightened mind is drawn closer to the Goal of Realization. The affection, which is real and pure is bestowed upon us by Nature. It expands to embrace the entire humanity and sours to celestial heights. The attitude of brother hood is not influenced by human bondage nor subject to mortal relationship, nor a slave to likes and dislikes, whims and fancies and such other human frailties. It is an ebullient condition, the expression of inner Reality, which transcends name and form. Words now fail to express the voiceless affection. This is evident from right reflection and intense contemplation of our sadhana or meditation. Let me put forth my experience in this regard.
I went to Shri Babuji Maharaj for the first time and I was over-whelmed by my love for Him. My heart was heavy and I had no inclination to move away from Him, nor leave the premises to return home. This was an account of my attachment, filial affection and not ‘Love’. Back home, my mind was replete with thoughts of Shri Babuji Maharaj and I cherished His memory. The depth of affection and the feeling of separation from Him affected me. These thoughts haunted me and He was ever present before my eyes. This is a revelation of my inner attachment to Shri Babuji Maharaj that I had developed in course of time. As a consequence of this the inner eyes had revealed His Divine Beauty, had made a deep impression in my mind and etched into my heart. I had become an introvert. The material world had lost its glamour; the transient life had lost impact on my senses. I felt the proximity to the Omni present Babuji Maharaj. My heart had the unique experience of His sublime existence and my Inner Being was in communion with Him. Once I got up from my bed in the morning and put my feet on the ground but I was surprised to find that I did not feel the physical contact with the floor. I realized that Shri Babuji Maharaj had let me transcend the stage of worldly attachment. When I next went to Shahjahanpur I had come under the influence of Shri Babuji Maharaj and over a period I had developed an attachment to Him. I had seen Him sitting in His chair, in the verandha, outside His room. Sometimes I had seen Him walking in the premises of His house. There was always an innate longing to look at Him and be in association with Him. I found that there was a change in my attitude. There was no more the human phase of attachment. However He was ever present in my heart in His subtle form. My association with the members of my family, other relatives and friends made no special impact on my heart and it was purely impersonal. The Inner Being was immensely overwhelmed by the presence of Shri Babuji Maharaj.
Subsequently this condition did not seem to be static but was progressive, the remembrance touched the core of my heart, the perception was supernal. The relation ship established did not seem to be relevant to this generation alone. It was traced to the past generations. A term relationship does not express the full implication of attachment. It might better be described as ‘our own beloved’. The Non-Being Being was Eternal ie., He was existing in the past; He is in the present; and He shall exist in the future. The subtle nature of this condition was, on the spur of the moment, apparently beyond the grasp of the mind and more so to assimilate or imbibe the state. I spontaneously cried that Ram, Shri Babuji Maharaj was the all-pervading Ram.
The so-called attachment had snapped and lost its identity for ever, with His Darshan. This affords a substantial proof of the existence of Shri Babuji Maharaj as the Special Personality.
The state was paradoxical. On one hand the divine attachment was permanently dissolved and on the other hand, the realization of His Divine form was unattainable. So to bridge the entities, to take me into His fold, the Cosmic idea had sowed the seeds of Love in my heart. Saint Kabir’s words that, ‘Neither the seeds of Love are sown in the field nor is Love sold in the market, but Love can only be enthused and nurtured in the heart of one who surrenders himself to Him’ are thus amply justified by my experience.
It need not therefore be emphasized that the insignificant being could attain the pinnacle of human perfection and a seeker of Reality could achieve the goal of life. – an abhyasi could realize Shri Babuji Maharaj when there is dissolution of self in the Real, which is pre-requisite to the implantation of seeds of Love. The abhyasi’s heart is the proper field for the germination of Love. Kabir expressed that when there is Love for the Realization of the longing for the Ultimate Consciousness there is a constant flow of Divine Grace from the Source. This testifies that Love alone attracts the DIVINE.
The constant flow of the Transmission of the Divine Power to our hearts, to every particle of our body keeps us drowned in the supernal sphere and engrossed in empyrean bliss whether we are conscious of it or not. In such a state the fragrance of Divine Love spreads around us.
Dear brothers and sisters, the spiritual work actually begins with the germination of the seeds of Love in our heart, in our inner self. Shri Babuji Maharaj said that, ‘ the abhyasi is not a slave to the practice of meditation but he is the representative of the Divine creation to help Him in this Divine work.
It is my earnest advice that you abhyasis should develop the inner craving for the germination of Love towards Shri Babuji Maharaj in your self so that all of you can have the Realization of your Supreme Goal and thereby bring to fruition His Sankalp of bestowing the ‘ Realization of the Ultimate ‘ to the humanity as a whole.
I am confident that your sincere efforts in this regard with attachment similar to the dust to His Holy Feet would rightly deserve His blessing. This strengthens your determination to Realize Him; enhances the craving to inculcate the Love for Him in yourself. This is the only way you could obey Shri Babuji Maharaj and satisfy Him – the unique satisfaction of achieving His Sankalp for the humanity at large.
With best wishes। Thanks.
Guidance for speedy progress.
By Kum.Kasturi Chaturvedi 10 – 04 – 1991.
Dear sisters and brothers,
This evening I intend to share with you the observations I made during satsang conducted on various occasions. The abhyasis expressed that:-
- They felt better during meditation on such occasions.
- They did not experience such feelings at other times.
- Their progress as was apparently slow.
- they would like to have an idea of the stages of spirituality they had attained viz., points or knots crossed, the regions traversed etc.
I am confident that if meditation were to be as prescribed by Shri Babuji Maharaj the Goal is bound to be achieved. Without going into the details, I would like to submit the pre-requisites, in general, for the speedy progress towards the Goal.
Following Sahaj Marg, meditating with the sole aim to realize the ultimate does not mean neglecting or discarding material life but actually attending to them as the situation demands. Liberation or freedom from bondage can be attained only by discharging your responsibilities in life. Good or bad, everything must be attended to as if they were divine commands. By so treading the path of righteousness (Dharma) you remember Shri Babuji Maharaj, obey Him, and attend to duty for duty’s sake. All the activities to earn your livelihood (official); to serve the family (domestic) and to attend to personal matters are important; and you put in all your efforts to be successful. Even so women plays her role in life. She might be a working women, discharging her official duties; she attends to her unique and inherent domestic responsibility. The social activities are incomplete without her participation in them. She acquires a special status in personal life in
Likewise when you meditate at home, at Satsang elsewhere or on special occasions like this, you wholeheartedly participate in the sadhana and earnestly involve yourselves with dedication and love, by being wholly absorbed in the thought of Shri Babuji Maharaj, so that every trickle of the Divine Power in your inner may be utilized for your advancement. The faith in Him is inexplicable; the devotion to Him transcends the realm of reason and the dedication to Him goes beyond the level of materialism and becomes WHOLE. The subtle body, the Inner Being assimilates His Grace and imbibe Its energy into itself to advance spiritually, to realize the Ultimate Consciousness. Well, the participation in such functions involves time and heavy expenditure too. It is needless to mention the inconvenience undergone in this endeavor.
There is need for developing Inner perception without which the finer, spiritual revelations cannot be recognized. Shri Babuji Maharaj said, “the feeling of nearness” or sameepyata signified the first sign of progress in our sadhana.
(a) The presence of the Divine Light in our inner Being indicates the preliminary stage of progress;
(b) Gradually there is a feeling of Lightness which is at first physical;
(c) In course of time this gives place to the ineffable, subconscious feeling of lightness. In contrast to calmness, losing the awareness of the external world, you are engulfed in the supernal atmosphere of peace.
(d) The presence of Shri Babuji Maharaj is revealed to the Inner Being:
(e) You are now blessed with the inner happiness. To notice these changes in your inner, you have to remain ‘alert’ that is to keep your faculties in a state of alertness. Hence if meditation is to be as it ought to be, you deserve His Grace; develop the capacity to receive His spiritual energy – His Gift. Transcending the senses, when you are wholly absorbed in Cosmic Babuji, ever conscious of Divine Babuji and always ‘alert’ to the eternal existence you are blessed with His Gift, unasked and unknown to yourself. There is no other way to achieve it.
Abhyasis are under the unhappy illusion that they could make speedy progress by frequent sittings with a preceptor or sittings from more number of preceptors or participating in more number of group sittings. Abhyasis should be receptive to what is received during meditation. His Grace should be digested and assimilated into the system. They now thirst for His Grace and deserve to be blessed. However if they had not been receptive to His grace or had not absorbed nor assimilated it, craving for or taking a sitting from a preceptor is not genuine. I would say that your inner thirst for divinity is reflected in you. When it is recognized by the preceptor he would then be impatient to transmit to you. When the bowl of the beggar is full to the brim what a pitiable condition the donor is put to! Hence abhyasis should develop the capacity to receive the Grace and assimilate it into the Inner Being. The greater the receptivity the greater is the spiritual benefit. The Divine Consciousness is unique and is made available in abundance in Nature and it is only the abhyasi who are spiritual exiles.
You have been told the divine Transmission is to the heart. After having got the feeling of progressive sign, you should spread it through thought and look all round you. Now you should feel that the divine power is spreading in your whole physical system – purifying and divinising it. You should spread your spiritual experiences through your behavior with others. Sahaj Marg is not only the sadhana for the attainment of the highest goal of human life but it is also a living in the awareness of Shri Babuji Maharaj. The Divine Consciousness is assimilated or imbibed into the system. Introspection enables you to note the metamorphosis, the physical condition in the recent past, the modification of your attitude in your life and the silent transformation from the extrovert to the introvert. The material phase of life becomes abbreviated and the spiritual fragrance is sprayed over all your thoughts and actions.
The conditions in life might vary. However brooding over the situation should be avoided. You should not subject your self to dejection; feel isolated and you would be left alone to yourself. If you choose to be under the care and guidance of Shri Babuji Maharaj He would be happy and you would therefore be happy.
Firm determination to reach the Goal of life should be the initial step in this sadhana. You should not swerve from the path, under any circumstances. The other steps which are conducive to reach the holy feet of Divine Babuji are to develop right reflections, right attitude in life; to be under the care and guidance of Shri Babuji Maharaj. Whatever might be the circumstances in life, the influence of family, relatives or the society, you should be firmly hold on to and depend on Shri Babuji Maharaj that no odds of any kind could detach your hands from His hands.
@@@@@@@@
The Spiritual Journey or The Distance Between Abhyasi and Ultimate.
By Kum. Kasthuri Chaturvedi 10 – 04 – 1991.
I am extremely happy to be with you this evening and share my views based on my personal experiences during my journey on the path of spirituality under the loving care of Shri Babuji Maharaj.
In common parlance we use the word ‘ distance ‘ to express the spiritual gap between two separate places. It may be the point of starting the journey and the desired destination. Accordingly the distance becomes the aim or the focus when we start the journey but as we progress on the path, it narrows down and is finally reduced to nil when we reach the destination.
In spirituality, the term ‘ distance ‘ is used in quiet a different sense. Here it does not refer to a spatial gap. Instead, it refers to the difference between the physical form of the Guru and His Divine Form. While the physical form can be seen through our physical eyes, the Divine form can be seen through the inner eyes.
Gradually when a person reaches the feet of a Guru, he thinks that now the distance between him and the Guru has ended. It may be true under the system of Gurudom where a Guru is taken as a matter of convention.
In spirituality, which is free from Gurudom, this conception does not hold good. Shri Babuji Maharaj has revealed to me that the ‘ distance ‘ in spirituality or the approach actually begins when we somehow meet the ‘ Guru ‘. The appreciation of such a Divine existence even after we see Him physical form through our external eyes, is a revelation to us as we progress on our journey to Realization of the Ultimate.
When we start the regular practice of meditation on our heart as prescribed by Shri Babuji Maharaj the flow of Divine Power in our inner gradually transforms or modifies our living to that of an introvert. Subsequently we gradually experience the progressive signs of the transformation of our inner being, viz., presence of the Divine Light, feeling of lightness, inner happiness and the presence of Shri Babuji Maharaj in our self. We have seen His physical form and now naturally, without our conscious effort feel the influence of Divine Babuji. When we listen to His speech it is not an intellectual appreciation of His sweet voice, nor the satisfaction of the depth of His advice but the sublime experience of the voice of love from the Celestial atmosphere from our Divine Mother. We understand that our reaching the Holy Feet of Shri Babuji Maharaj, the meeting point or the distanceless point is not really reaching the goal or arriving at the Ultimate but actually the beginning or commencement of our approach, journey to the Guru.
To cover this distance, to attain the Goal of Realization of the Ultimate we have to cross different spiritual steps such as dissolving of physical, subtle and causal bodies in the Divine and merging of the soul ( Atma tatva ) into Paramatma Tatva, with the Divine Grace of Shri Babuji Maharaj.
The process of dissolving the physical, subtle and causal bodies when, by remaining drowned in His remembrance, crossing the boundaries of consciousness and submitting to the inner pleasure of Guru’s Darshan, we are blessed by Him with the inner vision. The mortal pleasure of physical pleasure, which we had experienced earlier has given place to that of the subtle eyes. In this way the subtle pleasant look melts with love and embrace the holy feet of Shri Babuji Maharaj so as to dissolve its identity. Now we fully experience what Shri babuji Maharaj meant by ‘ go deep in meditation ‘. The subtle body then begins to laya in the causal form. Latter during meditation only the causal body remains drowned in the Divine. Now as the abhyasi goes deeper and deeper the layavasta exerts its influence to attract the abhyasi towards the atma ( soul ) whose power draws it to itself. At this stage the abhyasi realizes the progress he has made towards the goal to reach His Holy Feet and understands the significance of the unimaginable distance to reach the Sadguru.
Meditation becomes subtle and gradually the feeling of drowning also fades away because we remember Shri Babuji Maharaj and its causal body and atma had laya in Him. Recognition of the distance between the two then is lost; the feeling of place, time and Guru also vanishes. Then our inner begins to remain drowned in a unique love of belongingness.
Now the first stage of abhyasi and Guru relationship – that between the disciple and Sadguru begins, ie., after laya of Atma tatva with Parama tatva. The glimpse of the real form of Shri Babuji Maharaj with the inner eyes enables him to be enthusiastic and to dance. When I had narrated this condition of my inner in my letter to Shri Babuji, He replied that the appropriate description of this condition was ‘ the dancing of the soul ‘. He furthur elaborated that the state of Realization brings the Divine message of the freedom of the soul. The dancing condition then speeds up the expansion of the Divine Power in the inner and gradually the whole system of the abhyasi gets enlightened, purified and glittering with Divinity. This results in laya of Atma in Paramatma.
Now abhysi bows down as His disciple to the feet of the Sadguru. Thus exposed to the radiation of the Sadguru, embalmed and anointed by the Sadguru, he loses the character or attitude of an abhysi and becomes transformed to a disciple – a true seeker of Reality. Now the saying of Shri Babuji Maharaj that ‘Guru is not taken but he meats accidentally‘, becomes a reality.
The relationship between the Sadguru and the Disciple is unique in the sence that the Sadguru is the knower of all but the disciple is not aware of anything. He goes beyond the level of devotion and only cries from the inner that ‘If you liberate me without devotion then it would be your benevolent act’. His inner also longs for an innate craving that, ‘O! dear Master, take me to the realm of my homeland,.
Now the pouring of the Divine Love of the Sadguru into the inner of the disciple begins to awaken the thirst for Realization of the Ultimate. Gradually the thirst which was lying dormant since ages gets awakened and there remains no other feeling except that of being face to face with the Sadguru.
After attaining this condition a saint said, ‘Neither am I seeing anyone nor are you allowing me to see others’.
Now Love has no flexibility at this stage. It is impersonal. Shri Babuji Maharaj then showers the Divine Power over the disciple through His repeated benevolent smiles and brings him upto the ream of God as if He has fulfilled His Sankalp as Sadguru. But what can the poor disciple do? He simply forgets where he is, whether in front of God or somewhere else.
He finds himself in an inert state, in innocence and simplicity because of the fact that he has been brought up in close proximity to and under the loving care of the Divine Personality. In such an unimaginable condition the significance and propriety of the Sadguru is revealed to him. He finds the Sadguru as God and surrenders himself to Him. The innocent, benevolent smiling face of Shri Babuji Maharaj also reveals this novel secret that this is God Realization and thereafter He merges the disciple in Himself and bestowes Layavasta in God, by immersing him in God. The disciple is then divinised to swing to the end according to the Sankalp of the Divine Personality who has descended on earth from the Ultimate – Shri Babuji Maharaj.
I pray to Shri Babuji Maharaj that He may recognize your earnest practice and bless you and take you to the goal.
With blessings and best wishes.
------------------------SRCM
