BABAJI’S TEACHING - Taken from 'BABAJI LILAS'

BABAJI’S TEACHING.

Mahendra Maharaj

Mahendra Maharaj very aptly describes Babaji’s mode of teaching when he cites the Dhakshinamurthy Stotra where in is described that the Sadguru always clears all the doubts of the student in silence itself. Babaji never gives discourses; neither does He encourage nor participate in discussions. Rarely, however, He does orally explain and clear the doubts of his devotees through mental transmissions. For those who have not been able to rise to such a spiritual level, He would create circumstances in their day-today life in such a way that the devotee obtains himself the answers and solutions for the various doubts. Instantly, he receives the answer either telepathically or through circumstances created for him by Babaji.  Thus Babaji has been showing to all the vast power of the mind.

The fundamental principle which Babaji has been preaching is that for obtaining the bliss and happiness, it is very essential to control the mind. Mental power is the supreme power in creation. Even the creation was started by the mental power of Sadashiva only.
The Sankhya Yogis attribute this mind power to prakriti which is equivalent to the Shakti of Shivites. As such, one who has complete control over the mind will be able to control the entire creation itself. Such a person is the Supreme God who is known by various names as Sadashiva, Purush, Adi Brahma, etc. The Yogis and Siddhas have only partial control over their minds. The training required to develop control over the mind has been named by Babaji as Manasa Yoga.

While Babaji spread through Lahiri Mahasaya the technique of Kriya Yoga, the science of controlling the human body to an extent of even rejuvenating the dying cells  of the body. He spread through Mahendra Maharaj the techniques of Manasa Yoga, the science of mental power and its control. Thus theoretically, if one perfects for himself both the Kriya Yoga and Manasa Yoga, one can raise to the level of a Super God.

The easiest way to understand Manasa Yoga and its practice is to follow the instructions given by Mahendra Maharaj, The fundamental prerequisite for following Manasa Yoga is “Shradha”, .i.e. faith. One should have faith in his Guru. Just as one has faith in one’s physician to get cured, one has to have faith in the path shown by one’s Guru to obtain spiritual achievement. After the faith comes the “Sadhana”, i.e. practice. This practice has again two fundamental processes viz,. “Sahana” i.e. tolerance and “Sumirana” i.e. remembrance. Sahana consists of not only tolerance but also patience and perseverance. Just as one has to go through various examinations before finally obtaining the degree in a University the Guru would give different grades of tests at every stage. These tests will be not only physical, but also mental; not only materialistic, but also spiritual. One has to have the tolerance and perseverance to pass through all these tests. Just as it would take over 15 years to obtain a University Degree, one has to have patience to steadfastly practice the system prescribed by the Guru.

Along with Sahana, one has to also practice Sumirana in the process of Manasa Yoga. Sumirana, “remembrance” means to remember Him, the Guru, at all times. By constantly remembering Him and thinking of Him one can develop the telepathic contact with Him whereby one can receive answers from Him directly. By this constant practice of remembrance, one’s ego will be eliminated. As soon as the ego is killed, one would be able to develop rapport with the system, leading to the Realization of the soul. This process is also called “Self-Realization.” Once the complete self realization has taken place, the effects on the body of contracts like happiness, grief, laughter and anger will vanish leading to the bliss (ananda).

To illustrate this method of Sumirana, Babaji cites the example of Shukadeva. Shukadeva was a born Yogi and master of all sciences. He was the son of Vyasa who was the author of Mahabharata and all Puranas. Shukadeva had mastered all the scriptures before he was nine years old. One when he was quite proud of himself, his father told him that the greater person than him was King Janaka.

To find out the truth, Shukadeva went to Janaka’s Kingdom and observed King Janaka’s mode of living etc. As he could not make out any difference between him and other kings, Shukadeva directly questioned King Janaka the reason for his greatness. As an answer, King Janaka asked Shukadeva to carry a pitcher full of water on his head and take a round of the capital. The only condition that he put was that during his walking, no water drop should fall out of the pitcher. Otherwise, he would be beheaded.

 Shukadeva followed King Janaka’s instructions meticulously and returned to him. King Janaka politely asked the saint as to where his mind was during the rounds for which Shukadeva replied, that he was so scared of the King that he was always concentrating his mind on the pitcher so that no drop of water falls out. Then Janaka pointed out that
just like Sukaeva had concentrated his mind while going through the streets of the capital, he always keeps his mind concentrated on God even though he is externally doing all the duties of a normal king. This practice of Sumirana made him great. 

To aid these two methods of practice, some training of the mind is also necessary. This training of mind is basically dependent upon the path of the daily life. 

This path is to follow the principle 

Satya Saralata and Prema, 

i.e. truth, simplicity and love. 

Truth

 Mahendra Maharaj describes truth as “Whatever the mind thinks the voice should tell and the organs should do.” The exact co-ordination of the three powers viz, thought, speech and action are called truth.

 Simplicity

As simple, natural life leads to “Simplicity” it is only to hide the real truth that one takes for complicated life. Because of this complicated life, one ends in misery and sorrow. Hence, after following the path of truth one can easily become simple. To be simple, one has to have a clean conscience and detachment towards the materialistic world. Greed and anger can not go hand and hand with simplicity. To lead a simple life one should practice voluntary poverty. By leading a simple life with simple habits and simple outlook, one can avoid all sorrow and greed.

  Love

Love has the basis of devotion. According to the Upanishads, Love combined with Rati, wife of the Love God, leads only to physical love. However, when the same love is attracted towards only the Supreme, i.e. God, it becomes devotion. Whereas the will power controls the truth and physical power, simplicity, the power of the heart controls love and devotion.

By practicing Satya, Saralata and Prema, one should be able to control one’s mind, body, and feelings of the heart. With these controls, if one practices Sadhana and Sumirana, one would be able to control the mind power and thereby reach the Supreme. This leads to a happy and contented life in the material world.

To aid the devotees to practice Sumirana, Babaji gives them various mantras. The common mantra is, however, Om Namah Shivaya, which in its simplest form, means salutations to Lord Shiva. This mantra is called a Moola Mantra in Hindu texts. The word Shiva in Sanskrit has different meanings. Shiva means one who gives happiness.  As such, this word can refer to any God and also to any thing which gives happiness.  That is why this mantra can be used to refer to all Gods and hence becomes the Moola Mantra (the basic mantra).

The God Shiva is one of the basic trio of Hindu Mythology i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Whereas Brahman is the Lord of creation, Vishnu is the Lord of maintenance, Shiva is the God of destruction. This trio went again in turn created by Lord Sada Shiva who is the Supreme God. The term Sada Shiva means one who gives happiness at all times.

In the Puranas also it has been explained that recitation of this mantra would quickly yield all benefits. During Babaji’s kirtan sessions, recitation of this mantra forms the main program. Sometimes he makes the devotees recite this mantra continuously through the night also.

The above are thus the essence of Babaji’s Teachings. With these basic tools one can achieve whatever one wants just as an artist can evolve any image he wants with the help of his tools.
   
Taken from :
BABAJI LILAS.