NAVRATRA SPECIAL : Reviving the Golden Traditions of Navratras

NAVRATRA SPECIAL: Reviving the Golden Traditions of Navratras

Navratras, a festival of divine celebration commence today, with the worship of Goddess Durga who is the divine mother of the entire universe. An embodiment of Shakti, she represents the infinite power of the universe. Baba Ji, an ardent devotee of Goddess Durga explains how to pray to the divine mother for her grace or to express gratitude for all that she has bestowed on us. Further he urges us to maintain the sanctity of the verses and to eliminate the wrong practice of dining before the culmination of Mata ki Chowki.

During the Navratras, 'Durga' is worshipped in her nine diverse manifestations, namely, Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata ,Katyayani,'Kalratri', 'Mahagauri', 'Siddhidatri'. Each of the manifestations represents a chakra. Thus Baba Ji has very beautifully explained how to commit each day of the Navratra to the respective manifestation and its chakra, for a comprehensive sadhna.

Guru Vakyam - 20 March

Babaji’s Birthday Message

Namah shivay! If its Baba ji’s day, can it be that there is no message or teaching for His beloved pupils? In his special message to the sadhaks from Mauritius, where He is conducting yagyas for the welfare of that nation, Baba ji sheds light on how excessive logic can wreak havoc on one’s faith. It was Baba ji’s desire that Shiv Yogis take this important lesson in their spiritual life – the lesson of understanding the wrong from the right when it comes to making offerings to God.

In order to fulfill this desire of His, under the heavy influence of Mahamaya or the worldly delusion, a seeker told Baba ji: “I feel guilty whenever I present offerings to God. Such as those made to Shiv Lingam. The milk, the fruits, the honey, curd, Bel leaves etc I feel all are a big waste. I would rather give to some other needy person. I want everyone to be genuine.”

Baba ji retorted that firstly logic must be consistently applied. We never think of the poor when we spend lavishly on luxury restaurants, pizzas, burgers, ice-creams. And splurging on junk food is something we do almost on a daily basis. Why doesn’t the logic of feeding the needy occur then? Once a year we offer the milk and other consecrated items to Shiv Lingam and all of a sudden the do-gooder in us comes to the fore with a skewed logic that the offerings are a waste and they must be diverted for other purpose. Why the double standards of preaching about wastage in Shiv Lingam offerings on the one hand and turning a complete blind eye to the colossal wastage of food in parties, marriages, social gatherings, professional meetings on the other? Where is the activist in us when trash bins after social functions are full to the brim with food left over by the attendees? Every day we waste so much food in our home, almost as a routine. All this without an iota of remorse or the much vaunted guilt that shows up only during the Lingam abhishek. Where does the awareness of “waste” and “better utilization” go when almost all our friends, relatives, acquaintances drain down buckets of food?

The whole dire scenario of global hunger can be sorted out if we just learn to ensure that heaps of unconsumed food does not go down the drains after our merriment in restaurants and parties.

Secondly, society follows the rituals out of greed and fear. Just because some priest tells us that offering xyz to so and so God will give wealth, good job, rid us of evil eye of others or some such easy boon, that we rush to temples to further our request. The intention is impure. The underlying reason to offer is “I will offer something to God and God will do this for me”. But, if we see things not happening the way we wish them to, we curse God. We doubt the rites of offering to Almighty.

This argument of “wastage” and “better utilization” is only an excuse, a pretext, an object of hiding then, to disguise our own shortcomings of impure intention.

Primordial Shiv Yogi Guru Adi Shankracharya said the real ritual is to visualize pouring all the ingredients to your own self. Because you yourself are the ‘Ling roop’. The ‘sarvashreshth abhishekam’ of the ‘sarvashreshth Lingam’ is that done on your own self through the power of emotion. The outer act is done so that the process is complete. What we are doing outside is what we are doing inside. God only wants your intention, not the items.

Thirdly, while having the pizza or burger, it does not occur to us that we should give one slice to the poor. We shoo away the poor when they seek something from us even as we are entering into restaurants.

While shopping for expensive shampoos and lotions, we never think that we should distribute some to the poor. While living in a palatial mansion, we never think that one room I should reserve for the poor. All the misplaced logic emerges only when a petty poly pack of milk is being poured out of devotion to the Almighty.

The lesson is not that you should donate a slice of your pizza or lotions to the poor. The teaching is that in every action; perform your best without having any doubt or guilt. When worshipping, do not harbor miscued, misplaced and unfounded logic. Just as you totally immerse in the moment when partying or enjoying with your loved ones, without logic, nurture the same attitude when remembering the Almighty.

Banish guilt while interacting with the Supreme. Banish logic. Steer clear of a misdirected sense of self-righteousness when offering anything to God.

Geetanjali Shivanand ji adds: “इंसान के लिए भी करो, भगवान के लिए भी करो| सबके लिए करो| Proportionately करो| But never be guilty for anything either while doing for इंसान or भगवान| हर हफ्ते करो हर रोज़ करो| ग़रीब बच्चों को खिलाओ| Do your best for the needy. Give your best while worshipping.”

Ishan Shivanand ji sums up: “Baba ji and sister dear have said everything so beautifully. I just want to conclude by stating that for humanity’s evolution, purity of emotion is the only solution. This is Baba ji’s birthday message for all the sadhaks world over. Lots of gratitude for the wishes and double the blessings to all.”

HAPPY HOLI

Happy Holi to all the viewers.

Message from Ashram

Namah shivay! The commercialization of a spiritually significant festival as Holi is a clandestine plan of those who fear the ascent of the culturally and cosmically rich Indians. So, to distract the loving attention of the countrymen towards the Almighty in order that the imperialistic hold and enslavement is prolonged, certain anti-spiritual elements began celebrating Holi as is done on this day. Harmful colours (Baba ji terms them tools of chemical warfare), extravagant use of water, contaminated and poisonous sweets, hooliganism, courtship etc are all what has remained of this festival. Anything else seems an aberration or a non-celebration. But, if you are a genuine seeker of Self Realization, all of the malpractices stated above are not for you. This is a time for inner celebration rather than outer revelry. On Holi, Baba ji says no intoxication, no drinking. The evening before Holi till the night of Holi is the Sarva Siddhi Kaal. There is a massive surge of cosmic energy in the ambience. It is the night for soul searching. It is the night to meditate and rise above the senses instead of dumping the senses down through consumption of intoxicants. Meditation performed during this time is equivalent to contemplation of years of Tapa. On the full moon night of Holi, which also happens to be Baba ji’s birth anniversary as per Hindu Vedic calendar, one must have as much Amrit bhojan (raw fruits and vegetables) and perform dhyan as many times as possible. In his heyday, Baba ji used to follow a curriculum of Pran kriyas, Shree Vidya sadhna and Amrit bhojan (fruits & milk) throughout the night. He urges all sadhaks to toe a similar line and increase the volume of pran kriyas, sadhna and sankirtan in these 2 days, especially the night of March 16, 2014 till dawn of the next day. Let the inner fire burn all the karmas. Let the inner colours come to the fore. Shun the decadent modern way of celebration. Give up conformism. Plunge in the inner bliss. Happy Holi. Divine Holi. Namah shivay!

 

Queries of Sadhaks...Part 19

Q. Namah Shivay, The Shree Vidya Sadhana taught at the HK shivir August 2013 and the Gurgaon Shivir November 2013 vary. One focuses on the chakras with mantra and the other sadhana focuses on the Meru with the mantra. I am a bit confused as to which one I should do? Thanks.

 A. Namah shivay. The one you have attended most recently you should practice that. Blessings.

Q. Namah Shivay I was initiated into shree vidya level-1 by Babaji in Ahmedabad shivir in 2010, now a cd of advait shree vidya guided meditation level-1 is recently launched. Can Ido meditation using that cd or it is a different meditation? Please advice. I have bought that cd but due to this confusion, still not used it. Thank you.

A. Namah shivay ji if you have been doing regular sadhana as taught by Baba ji, you can do any guided meditation. Do not break the momentum. Recommended is that you begin a routine immediately after attending a shivir. Blessings.

Q. आप के प्रवचनों को सुनती रहती हूँ और कोई संशय नहीं की आप बहुत ज्ञानवर्धक बाते बताते हैं। लेकिन जब आप बताते हैं "The antidote to all diseases, problems and sufferings तो क्या आप ये नहीं मानते की "मोटापा " भी diseases, problems and sufferings के अंतर्गत आता है ?

Listen to the texts you live and no doubt you are very informative talk show. but when you say "The antidote to all diseases, problems and sufferings, do you not believe" obesity "also belongs to the sufferings and diseases, problems? (Translated by Bing)

A.    नमः शिवाय हमारे शरीर का जो भी प्रकार है उसके लिए हम स्वयं उत्तरदायी हैं| मोटापे को रोग की संज्ञा यदि आप एक सकारात्मक दृष्टिकोण से देती हैं तब तो उचित है| किंतु यदि ऐसा आप मात्र टिप्पणी करने हेतु करती हैं तो यह ग़लत है| बाबा जी कहते हैं की अपने भीतर कोई भी सुखद बदलाव लाने से पूर्व अपने को जैसे तुम हो वैसा स्वीकार करो| उसके पश्चात अपने से यह पूछो की मैं चाहती क्या हूँ? क्या मैं अपने वजन ५ किलो, १० किलो या १५ किलो घटाना चाहती हूँ? यदि हाँ तो मैं इसके लिए क्या मूल्य चुकाने को तय्यार हूँ? क्या मैं प्रत्येक दिन व्यायाम करने को तय्यार हूँ? क्या मैं अपने जिव्हा का स्वाद त्यागने को तय्यार हूँ? वजन कम करने के पीछे मेरी भावना क्या है? इन सभी प्रश्नों का उत्तर देने के बाद विचार को कर्म में बदलिए और गुरू को हर कदम पर प्रणाम करिए, धन्यवाद दीजिए और उनका आशीर्वाद लीजिए| आप जो कुछ चाहती हैं आपको मिल जाएगा| नमः शिवाय

Q. what is the ideal time for doing Durga Saptsati Sadhana chanting?

A. Namah shivay! Morning 4-8am or evening 5-7pm. Blessings

Q. Namah Shivay. Kindly guide.... Is it ok to recite "Devi Kavach" before ShriVidya Sadhna?

A. Namah shivay whatever the Guru has taught you in the shivir is the final teaching. Treat it as Guru Prasad and follow it without any contamination. Bring the bhaav. Blessings.

Q. Aap Kei Marg Darshan kei liyai dhanyawad, please batayein joh dhan mata pita sei milta hain, joh Will meih likha jata hain, kya woh dhan rakhna chayai, kyon kei hum toh Mata Pita kei Rinni hain, toh yeh rin mukti kaisai hogi, agar woh dhan bhi humnai rakli? Please please jawab dena. Namah Shivay.

A. Namah shivay. We must be driven by love and not fear. Parents indeed do so much for us. As a spiritual seeker we must at all times be ready to do anything and everything for them and make them feel comfortable and special. We must not treat them or their possessions as something separate from us. There is no competition to pay back their debt. While they are alive, we must give them so much love that all else becomes immaterial. In cases like yours, don’t create division that this is my parents' money and that is my money. Why create duality? You are their part. You are not separate from them. Everything that is theirs is yours. But yes don’t be dependent on their money alone. Work hard to earn yours while assimilate theirs to the whole. The debt of the parents can be fulfilled by doing all your duties as a son/daughter such that it pleases your parents and an atmosphere of unconditional love prevails. At a later stage this debt is paid back by being a good parent yourself. Namah shivay.