What a beautiful question! Such questions come rarely – so I must first thank the questioner for coming up with such a deep question.
Once it happened, it was early morning, and it was a routine for the divine master to have a bath in a nearby river. The master had become old, almost in his late 70s. And so one disciple walked with him towards the river – just to attend him – help him. While walking towards the river – the divine master suddenly stopped, looked into the eyes of his disciple and said â Mohan, could you please find a piece of clean cloth – just a small piece of cloth.â
Mohan took out his handkerchief – and said â Master – I have my handkerchief with me – will this do?â
The master just looked at the handkerchief – it was clean.
âThis is fine, keep it with you and give it to me when I ask for.â said the compassionate master and he started walking towards the river. The disciple followedâĻ.
After having his bath, the divine master dressed up and then they again started walking towards the discipleâs home. As they walked – suddenly a sharp thorn pierced through the feet of the master – the toe started bleeding profuselyâĻ.
But the master was not moved, he remained undisturbed, looking back at the disciple – the master said: âMohan – now use that handkerchief as a bandage and wrap it around my bleeding toe.â
The disciple quickly applied his handkerchief as a bandage, and after a while, they again started walkingâĻ..
But the disciple was not a common man, he was a meditative person, deep within he was moved by what he had seen. He said, â Master – you asked to keep the handkerchief as handy – before this happened before your toe was injured – this means that YOU were PERFECTLY AWARE that soon your toe is going to be INJURED. Then why you were NOT able to AVOID what was going to happen?â
And the divine master smiled and said â Mohan – who can ESCAPE what is to happen? Nobody – not even Krishna, not even Buddha, not even Jesus – nobody can escape the destiny – but with our consciousness, we can always PREPARE ourselves to face destiny in the aptest manner. And that is what I did – I knew that my toe was going to get injured while coming back home and so didnât I tell you to keep this handkerchief as handy – look now you have wrapped it around my bleeding toes as a bandage! Now come let us walk back homeâĻâ
Nobody can escape the destiny – but when you are AWARE – CONSCIOUS of what is going to happen – you can always prepare yourself – mentally, physically and also spiritually!
The divine master was not a common man – he had all the great powers that he could have used to avoid the unfortunate accident – but instead, he prepared himself by keeping a piece of cloth (handkerchief) to dress up his toe that he knew was going to bleed after some time!
And the name of the divine master was Sri Lahiri Mahasaya.
A real photo of Sri Lahiri Mahasaya sitting in the lotus posture.
I humbly salute and prostrate before the divine master Sri Lahiri Mahasaya – the GURU of Sri Yukteswar Giri.
Salute to Sri Yukteshwar Giri Maharaj – the man who wrote the most beautiful book that the world had ever known – âThe Holy Scienceâ & âKriya Yogaâ.
Sri Yukteshwar is the Guru of the much famed Yogi Paramhansa Yogananda who wrote the legendary book âAutobiography of Yogiâ!
Paramhansa Yogananda – one of the greatest Yogi who introduced the âKriya Yogaâ to the WEST – and also to INDIA in a big big way!
I would appeal to all my dear followers and readers to read His legendary book – â Autobiography of a Yogiâ – published in almost all languages across the world!
When I was in my college days – must be 19 yrs old, I had read this blessed book and then there was no looking backâĻ..the road ahead was clear and I was ready to walk with faithâĻ.many hurdles came, many people tried to kill me, many people tried to pull me down, tried to distract me – many, but when you are walking with faith and love in your heart – can anything ever go wrong – can you ever get lost? Never – the love of God is immense – the real question is âHow much faith you have in your heart?â And âWhat you are from within?â
What you are from within – is the real question that you all should ask yourself. How you look is what the MIRROR can tell you. But – WHAT YOU ARE from within – only the âselfâ can tell you – turn inwards, meditate and discover your ‘self’.
To focus within, to remain engrossed in the Holy Name of the Lord – is always in our hands – what is to happen will go on happening – but YOU remain unmoved, undisturbed – because nobody can escape his or her destiny – but YOU can always empower yourself to FACE what is to COME with much love, faith, patience and DEVOTION in your heart.
The MIND is not willing to remain silent. And silence is the KEY to all our problems. But this silence has to be blissful – insightful – meditative! Then there is an altogether different dimension to our existence – then we are âprogressingâ in true sense!
But who wants to listen? If I say – people cannot understand. If I share – people start labeling me. If I try to âhelpâ in a true sense – people donât realize. If I am providing something that has happened to me – something beautiful – people cannot appreciate. How will they – they cannot – because you will APPRECIATE only that – which is also happening within you!
And so in a way, I should thank all you – my followers and readers, because if you are able to understand and appreciate my sharing than it simply means – that there is a beautiful âseedâ within you all – that is eagerly waiting to sproutâĻand now sproutingâĻ.
and who knows – a day will come when it will flower, blossom into a beautiful tree that will give birth to many more such âtreesâ – spreading love through their compassionate âshelterâ.
Our âjourneyâ should be aimed towards providing shelter to those who are suffering in the âheatâ of their own karma. But for that, we should first grow within! Only then can you blossom, can you grow into a beautiful tree – thereby providing shelter (guidance) to all those who *genuinely* seek help!
Always remember there are two types of people – one, who genuinely seek help, and the other who come to âtestâ you!
Through your own insights, through your own understanding – you all must find out what type of this man or woman is – before you âjumpâ to help!
Once it happened, an old man was walking through the forest, and he was such a beautiful man. Whole life he had spent in healing the sick, the poor. Many many miracles had happened through his holy healing hands.
On his wayâĻ.a young woman came. She was suffering from severe cough. She lived in a house that was exactly opposite to the tree – beneath which the old man lived. That tree was his home, at every stage of his traveling, he would seek the shelter of a tree – and the tree would become his home!
And so this young woman thought âthis man must be something, let me test if he can heal me.â
She went to him. And the old man was in his own bliss. When the woman asked him if he can heal him, he started laughing – a loud belly laugh. Then he said â Mai – I would have healed you – had you come with a clean heart, a faithful heart – but I can see that you have come to test me. I can still heal you – but you will not get the results because it is not me, but you – who through your doubting, your testing have created a hurdle for yourselfâĻâ
The woman felt embarrassed. She went away, not that she was rejected – but when the patient is doubting or testing the doctor – results never come in its full capacity! Still while leaving – the old man told her certain things to do – which can help her to heal.
The heart of the master is always flowing with compassion and love! How to express such a love – language is really poor!
The journey continued. The master continued walkingâĻ.
While on his way, he came across an old woman who was bleeding profusely. She said âI donât know what is happening to me. But whenever I vomit – blood comes outâĻmy daughter-in-law has thrown me out of the house and my son no more cares for me. So I came all the way to this forest and surviving on some fruits that I get from these trees, I have been living here for a few days but from last few daysâĻI am vomiting blood. I always pray to my Lord. Every day and every minute I am prayingâĻ.I am certain someday – my Lord will send someone to heal me, to cure meâĻâĻâ
And she started cryingâĻ..
The heart of the master moved, He said: â Mother, give me your hand.â
Just a touch, a soft touch of the master – and the woman was healed. After two days, she said, â I am truly healed, there is absolutely no vomiting and I am feeling so good, so good and I donât know how to thank youâĻ..â
And her eyes became wet, not knowing how to express her gratitude, she started cryingâĻ.but this time, the tears were of JOY, of GRATITUDE!
The Lord looked up in the sky and said â I have done nothing, it is all HIS love, HIS miracle. If you really want to thank, then thank the Lord.â
And then the master leftâĻ..
The journey of the master has no destination – for HIM – for the enlightened, the journey itself is the destination! And so the journey never stops – it never can!
You all have to decide what you are and what you want to be. If you want to be doubtful – then be so. And if you want to be faithful – then be so! What you are within – is what you will receive in return!
The young woman was filled with doubts – too much of MIND. She received the result based on her âstate of awareness/consciousnessâ.
The old woman such a simple woman. In spite of bleeding profusely, she never even thought or imagined that this man – this old man standing before him is the master of all masters – that the Angel that she had been praying for is standing right before her – she was simply innocent and innocently she shared her state – not knowing that the master himself is listening to her words and that her prayers are going to be answered! And her prayers were answered – the sole reason was her unwavering faith and love for the LORD – and her unending patience!
To me – she was the richest woman on this planet. And to you all – also I insist that it is NOT your luxury cars, and properties, and status that make you rich – it is your pure LOVE, unwavering FAITH and unending PATIENCE that makes you truly RICH!
Sai Baba – His whole life insisted on having just two coins with you – that can make you the richest man or woman in this world! Do you want to know what those two coins are? Find it for yourself from the below words of Sai Baba:
SHRADDHA (FAITH) AUR SABURI (PATIENCE).
Always remember that no matter what has to happen – Good or Bad – it is never against the flow – it is always with the flowâĻ.and the flow always ensure that you reach to the âseashoreâ! The question is âAre you going with the flow of your life?â
Donât interfere, donât try to go against the flow – donât try to do something out of your Mind – because the Mind is as good as a monkey! Simply go with the flow of life and you will be able to do so – only when you are a man of heart – a woman of heart – a follower of heart – only then can you go with the flow – and I am simply encouraging you all to move towards your heart. Only then can you find your answers, only then can you understand the words of the master – only then can you relate to me!
Life flows on – like a river – it goes on flowing, meeting many good and bad people – experiencing many bad and good phases – and the more you go experiencing the more you mature – it is a process and you must go with the âprocessâ!
And always remember that the BAD experiences or the BAD people – have not wasted your time. Because unless you experience the BAD – how can you appreciate the GOOD! How can you value the GOOD! And so the years you think that have been simply wasted in the company of certain ignorant people – evil people is NOT a WASTAGE – but a great learning experience! So do not regret that has not worked in your favor and with a clean heart continue to walk down the lane of your life – remember the journey never ends – the journey of the soul has no destination!
It is the MIND that goes on targeting/deciding destinations – in reality, there are no destinations and the âjourneyâ simply continuesâĻ.
You all also have met me on this wonderful journey of mine! It is heart to heart and those who can resonate with me – will find joy and will heal in the process. This is one station where coincidently we have met – a time may come – when my journey will take me to the other station – you all may not see me anymore – because the journey never stops – after one âvillageâ – the next is in the waiting – and the journey continues!
Once it happened, Lao Tzuâs disciple was staying at a village for many months and the villagers had fallen in love with him. His words, his peace, his sharing and they all waited for him to speak, to share and the beautiful âjourneyâ continuedâĻ.
But one day Lao Tzuâs disciple said to all his followers â I must leave.â
The villagers were taken aback. They were lost, it was a shock – they became speechless because life without this man had become impossible. Who will now share the beauty that this man was sharing – who will motivate us – who will love us so much, they all simply were taken aback.
They said â Why? Have we done anything wrong? Then why master – why you talk of leaving usâĻ.â And they simply cried – like an innocent child, there was no other way to express their hearts. They simply hugged him, they simply tried to find a way through which they can stop the master from leaving themâĻ..a close disciple came and hugged the master.
The heart of the master moved, but looking into the eyes of a disciple – the master says â Son, I have to leave. And the reason is that I would not want you and everybody in this village to become dependant on me – if you all have loved me then always remember my words – and those words will help you sail through the many seen, unseen difficulties of this human life. Now let me leave, for the next village is on my wayâĻ..and I can see that they too are waiting for me and I must goâĻ..â
And the master leftâĻ.but only after changing the hearts of the villagers!
Nothing is as beautiful as revolutionary as wonderful as the changing of your heart! It is the greatest miracle of this universe – and what a wonderful quote of Neem Karoli Baba – through his omnipresence he changed millions and millions of hearts – and yet humbly he says â I do not know anythingâĻ.â
How to express this love – how to – I am speechless – I am simply speechless!
Salute to this divine man – many came – Steve Jobs was one of them, and many many âwhoâs whoâ from all the corners of the world – just to seek his blessings and yet this humble man says âI do not know anythingâ!
The divine master is always in the bliss of nothingness! For nothingness is the key to everything!
Life is never the same. Change is constant. Except for change – everything else changes! Tomorrow I may also leave this forum – but you all – your journey should continue – for the journey should never stop. It never does!
It is a fact that many jealous men and women will go on causing harm to you – just the way they do to me – along with the GOOD – the BAD also exists – and we all have to ACCEPT this fact. Always remember the existence of BAD is only because there is GOODNESS in this world. Without the existence of the GOOD – the BAD cannot exist! Good and the Bad – both exist and they always exist in balance.
All of us have the dark side and the positive side within us. We are born with the âleftâ and the ârightâ – and we have to make sure that we raise the ârightâ (righteousness – Swadharma) within us by being more and more conscious of our KARMA – our actions.
While going through the bad phases, the evil people – the bad experiences – if we remain conscious – aware than those experiences also will turn out to be a âblessing in disguiseâ! So never fear experiences – no experience goes waste – every experience counts and it counts only if you remain rooted within – conscious.
To expect a life without any difficulties or any challenges is to imagine a âcropâ that goes through no rains, no heat, no storms. But then such a crop comes with no âgrainsâ within – it simply grows – grows but without any grains within! What is the use of such growth? It is like a plastic rose – looks perfect – but has no fragrance to it!
The struggles are not to cause you pain – but to help you âevolveâ into something much beautiful than you had thought of!
The crop becomes âpregnantâ with grains only when it goes through the storms – the winds – the heat – only then it is filled with beautiful âgrainsâ within!
Be a natural rose – a natural crop – yes it goes through a lot of struggle, a lot of difficulties – winds, storms, rains – and yet in the end – it is only this journey of ups and downs that transform it – into a rich crop – into a beautiful rose!
And I would pray – for you all – my followers, readers, and fellow travelers to transform into a rose – a beautiful rose that brings joy and peace to all those who come – let there be more love, more understanding and more peace within.
And so come, come you all – and let us spend some time with our âselfâ – let the mind do all the wandering – you remember – YOU are NOT the mind. And so sit down and close your eyes and meditate on the Lordâs holy name.
âAum Namaha Shivayaâ.âAum Namaha Shivayaâ.âAum Namaha Shivayaâ.
Let HIS name merge in your breath – let HIS name become the anchor of your life – do not expect anything and everything will come to you – when the time is right – so why you worry? The nature of the MIND is to worry – the suffering is of the MIND – not of yours!
Let there be no fear – for nothing is going to happen to you that is not in harmony with the existence! You just have to go with the flowâĻ.without appeasing the monkey mind – without becoming a victim of the mind – without becoming a slave of the mind – and slowly you will come out of the mind – and the moment you slip out of the mind – you come to the state of eternal bliss of happiness of joy! Then there is a song to it, a dance, a poem, a beautiful painting!
Drop all your EGO and come towards your âselfâ – that is the way – the only way that can help you to slip out of the mind – to go beyond the mind – and that is where the real journey starts – that is where the real birth happens – that is what is Jesus addresses as âRebornâ – the first birth is through the mother – the second through the master! So come – come you all – and turn inwards – and meditate.
The Ego stops you from meditating – the EGO creates many illusions – the EGO is the dancer – the EGO âIâ âMEâ is the dancer – let us all put this âIâ aside and let us all become the âdanceâ!
And when there is no EGO – no dancer – no âIâ – no âMEâ – absolutely NO thought of âIâ am doing something – that is when the showering happens – love happens – than you are no more the same – everything around you is the same but you are no more the same! Then there is a dance to it – a celebration!
Life is a celebration. A celebration of moments. A man who lives moment to moment is a man of awareness – for he is absolutely not bothered about the PAST and not worried about the FUTURE – he is simply HERE – in this NOW moment – and thatâs meditation – to BE HERE NOW!
BE HERE NOW – the more you all BE HERE NOW – the more you would be able to experience life in true sense! For the PAST is no more and the FUTURE is not yet – all you have is this NOW moment – and if you miss the moment than you simply go on missing life. For life is neither in the past nor in the future – LIFE is NOW – and if you can BE HERE NOW – then only can you appreciate life – embrace life by living in total ACCEPTANCE – Tathata!
Meditate.
Jai Shri Ganesha. Jai Guru!
