SELF REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP - TALK BY SW. NITYANANDJI

Talk By Sw. Nityanandji 16/02/06

I am feeling very happy about seeing you all. I earlier came to Mumbai in 1993. After that again I have come only now. I am very happy to see the vast family of Guruji. Whenever I see the vast family of Guruji it gives me great joy. Guruji spoke just before the Mahasamadhi saying – I am sending loving thoughts to kriya yogis scattered like jewels all over the world. So I am happy to see the jewels of Guruji. Guruji had said – Lord, you have given this monk a large family. I am proud of this large family of Guruji’s.

One out of 1000’s seeks God. So everyone of you here is that one out of thousands. Wherever we go we find Yogoda people are special compared to people of other paths. This is because our goal is just union with God. – God Realization. Our goal is right – we do not seek powers and miracles – only God, hence it is the highest path. To know God and to become one with Him is the biggest achievement you can achieve. You have taken the right decision in selecting this goal. The world is not your home. It is your school. Our lesson is to only realize you are not this body, but a spark of the Infinite. We have often heard this statement, but it sounds shallow without any realization. Knowing that as a reality is our goal. After knowing this there is nothing needed to be known. Guruji never read more than 20 books in his life. Yet he could vanquish great intellectuals in discussions. Knowledge comes not from books but from the soul. Some one realizes the knowledge through his soul and then puts it in the books. The knowledge does not come from books to soul. Hence knowing the soul is supreme knowledge. Because of that Guruji could face great Vedapathis and vanquish them in Shastrarth. That is how he acquired the land of Ranchi.

In those early days Maharaja of Kasimbazar used to hold Shastrarth. He invited Guruji for a Shastrarth. Guruji said, ‘I have not read the Vedas, how can I answer.’ The Maharaja invited him just the same and allowed him to speak from his inner realization. The answers given by the Vedapathis did not impress the King, but Guruji’s answers based on inner Self-realization greatly impressed the King. The one who makes halwa by reading from a recipe is not the one who knows how to make a halwa but the one who makes it as a daily way of life. The knowledge of our path is a proven one. Guruji has taken many along this path, and many such souls are living. We are very fortunate we have found such a path.

Keep only one Guru. So often we become disciples of many Gurus. Guruji used to say about such persons “He who follows many Gurus, follows no Guru.” Such a person follows his ego, not the Guru. His ego says, this is easy, take it, this is more applicable to me, take it and he cannot reach anywhere. Don’t mix any other teaching in the selected teachings that Guruji has given us. Yogoda teachings are complete. No supplementary teaching is required. Mixing other techniques and teachings will dilute your search. When you read from here and there and add then you do not get the same fruits. All you have to do is walk along the path Guruji has given. You can add nothing more to the steps given by Yogoda. You will only spoil it. Guruji has in fact written down the steps to be followed systematically in the form of lessons. If you do 100% as Guru suggests your salvation is guranteed. Then and only then Guruji will say “I take the full responsibility for your progress and for your flaws.” When often drawn to other Guru’s see if the other person’s Guru has achieved God. A true disciple is the disciple of a Sat Guru. One doesn’t just take diksha and becomes a disciple. A true disciple first gets diksha, then by total surrrunder (samarpan) he pleases his Guru, then he achieves God and even then he doesn’t become a Guru. All the presidents of our path are God realized. Daya Ma is God realized. But she has not been selected as a Guru. Just as if you have the required qualifications you do not become a professor in the University. You have to be appointed.
If a disciple could be made to achieve God such a Guru would be considered great. Those who are not Bhagwat prapt (God realized) they cannot do that. Yogoda path Gurus are rishis of this age. Our line of Gurus are all God realized rishis. They were required to bring the ancient science of kriya in this ascending Dwapar Yuga and so our Gurus were appointed.

In 1861 Babaji gave kriya to Lahiri Mahasaya. He said to him, only meditate, do not lecture, or write books, or conduct tours. Lahiri Mahasaya did just that. He wrote no books, did not lecture or conduct tours. He and his disciples created a spiritual vibration in the ether to prepare the background for the next step. Babaji did not give authority to Lahiri Mahasaya to make anyone the Guru. He told him He himself selected Yukteshwarji in the kumbh mela and told him – “Some years hence I shall send you a disciple whom you can train for yoga dissemination in the West.” (Autobiography of a Yogi – Chp.36) Yukteshwarji’s work was to train Guruji. When Guruji was to set out for the west and when doubts assailed him, Yukteshwarji told him that Babaji himself had sent him to be trained and sent to the west and hence he need not worry. He would be successful.

In 1920 the world conditions were such that no one could understand the science of kriya. Guruji used to say – material prosperity must precede spiritual prosperity as ‘bhuke bhajan na hoi gopala’ . America had achieved the material prosperity and so Guruji could convince the topmost authorities of America about the science of kriya. The makers of super computers in ISRO are on this path. Guruji has said it is the highest science known to mankind.
Guruji realized people imitate the Americans as they had greater prosperity, greater success. People therefore imitated the American life style. Hence taking into consideration their busy life styles he formulated the lessons giving the techniques of meditation – something which could be followed by people with busy modern life styles. He did not advocate that we have to leave the world, or go to a jungle or seek seclusion. He taught us to meditate by living in the world and fulfilling our responsibilities at home.

He mentioned all spiritual techniques in the lessons. However most only read the lessons. Hong sau, kriya, om technique has also been mentioned in the Bhagwad Gita. Patanjali has also mentioned kriya. But the technique is mentioned nowhere. If you have to learn something you must normally first find a God realized Guru, then you have to serve him and please him, question him, then request him to give you a technique and if he is a God realized Guru he will be able to give you God. If you just do Gita path you cannot find God. Thus Guruji compiled the kriya technique and gave it in ten lessons. Do not twist the lessons and spoil them. If he said do ‘Hong sau’, don’t do ‘so hum’. Guru’s like our Guru’s are living scriptures, follow them blindly. If they read the Shastras they do it to correct the shastras. If they visit a teerth, it is to purify the teerth.
E.g. “Fix one’s vision on the end of the nose.” This inaccurate interpretation of a Bhagwad Gita stanza ---The true meaning of nasikagram is origin of nose, not end of nose. The nose begins at the point between the two eyebrows, the seat of spiritual vision.” - kutastha. (Autobiography of a Yogi – Chp. 16)

A true Guru is the speaking voice of silent God. He is just an instrument of God. Guruji would often to give lectures. The exhibitions, posters, announcements on radio would have been made stating the topic on which he was to speak and yet when Guruji would go up on stage he would speak on a totally different topic. He would say –“ I do not speak from learning; I have not spoken anything on my own but only from God.” And the talks would be totally appreciated. The voice of YSS is the voice of God. The lessons are with us – they are full of pure knowledge. There is no room for doubt. Hence what is the point in going and attending pravachans of different people. If after practicing the techniques you meditate, you will not only acquire God but also be able to do your duties well. Your will power, intuition will develop. You will get divine guidance, health, peace of mind, intuition.
“Deeply meditating disciples should concentrate on their Guru, or meditate with him if possible. Those who are spiritually advanced do in fact meditate with the guru by visualizing him in the spiritual eye and tuning in with him, whether or not they are in his physical presence. During meditation the spiritual vibration of a great master silently works on lesser yogis who may be meditating with him or who are in tune with him, regardless of distance. It is sufficient for a disciple to think strongly of his guru before meditation. He will then find his meditation on God to be reinforced by the Lord’s power flowing through the direct tangible channel of the guru.” Pg. 603, Chp. 6, Vs. 10.

A yogi does not leave work but takes on more work. Your efficiency increases. He does his meditation early in the morning. He makes work service to God. He doesn’t work for self but for God. He tells God, “you have given me some duties according to my sanskaras. Help me God to perform those duties. God is the doer and master of creation. He runs the whole universe. He tells the devotee “you are made in my image, now you run the little job I have given you.” In the evening place all the work you have done back at his feet. Then go to sleep, why worry about the fruits – it is neither punya, nor papa. We are doing work just to please God. So we are freed. A yogi does his work and gets freed while the others do their work and get tied. Punya is the golden chain and papa is the iron chain. The yogi is freed from both because otherwise you have to come back to earth to receive the fruits of both. Yogi asks for neither fruits. We are depressed when we are worried about the fruits. Be in the world but not of it. Hence do not work for the ego, but for God. The yogi lives like others, works like others, yet doesn’t get attached. God has been maintaining his creation, we have to only do our little given duties with sincerity, with meditation. We are not working for our ego. Thus we get freed from work. This is a simple task. Guruji has given us the path to mukti, but we have to walk on it.

We may have all the techniques but we have excuses. Guruji says God doesn’t listen to excuses. We get a human life with such difficulty. We can do sadhana in only with a human body. We have a human body which even the devtas yearn for. If we don’t do the sadhana after getting a body and after being guided to a great guru we will later repent. Now when man can meditate, he goes around blaming everyone. He says no time. If you are so busy that you have no time for your soul then re-evaluate your busy-ness. Make God important. We do everything food, sleep everything is important. Then we don’t complain. But we complain about no time for meditation. This is because we do not consider it to be so important. Give him importance because He is the King of the universe and in His own creation, man gives him no place, not even for a few minutes. Our work takes us either towards freedom or towards bondage. Guruji says – salvation is in your hands. The decision is in your hands. If we want we can free ourselves. Some complain about karma – how can I do it, my karma is such, I am not spiritually ready as yet. He has the lessons, techniques, diksha, kriya etc. How did he get all this if he did not have enough good karma, if he was not spiritually ready. If he cannot get anyone else to blame, he blames God. I don’t have God’s grace and so I can’t do it. Tulsidasji says such a person is lying. Guruji says – you have all this and yet you don’t meditate. As a result several incarnations will pass away in sorrow and then we may again get another such opportunity of being under the protection of a great God realized Guru. This is because when we were given the chance we did not use the opportunity, then why should we be given such a chance? So don’t wait for that sorrow which will make you meditate. Start now so that sorrow doesn’t come at all. If you seek God, prosperity will seek you. The sea has so much water, and yet the rivers daily pour water into it. Similarly prosperity will walk towards you. It is a good business to go searching for God. If not for your mukti do it as a business. We have everything so do it and if we do God will help us. “God helps those who help themselves.” We were capable of doing this spiritual practice, Guruji found us worthy only then He gave His grace and the techniques. 99% loyalty won’t do. We always say a true guru is required. So also a 100 % true disciple is required. If he has 100% loyalty then salvation is guranteed. One percent less loyalty will not do.
When Guruji first met his Guru, Sri Yukteshwar, Sri Yukteshwarji promised him – “I will give you my hermitages and all I possess.”
Guruji replied
“Sir, I come for wisdom and God-contact. These are your treasure –troves I am after!”
Then Sri Yukteshwarji said, “ I give you my unconditional love.--- Will you give me the same unconditional love?” and Guruji said, “ I will love you eternally.” (AY – Chp 10)

When we know this path is 100% pure and Guruji has taken the responsiblility and Babaji has promised that he will ever be with those who practice kriya.
“Inherent in the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India/ SRF teachings and spiritual techniques are the help and blessings of the YSS line of Gurus. Devotees who conduct their lives according to YSS principles will be blessed with the hidden and open direction of the YSS Gurus.” Paramhansa Yogananda – YSS lessons.
Even after these promises you do not believe and go to someone or the other, who promises shaktipath etc. One cannot just transfer one’s spiritual prowess by shaktipath etc. When Guruji went to the Himalayas in search of God, Sri Yukteshwarji told him – “Many hillmen live in the Himalayas, yet possess no God perception.” ---“Wisdom is sought from a man of realization than from an inert mountain.”
Guruji went to meet Ram Gopal Mazumdar and requested him to grant him Samadhi and Ram Gopal Mazumdar told him, ---“If I gave you the infinite ecstasy right now, you would burn as if every cell were on fire.” If you are not meditating, all your excuses are maya, and maya is nothing but a test of God. We have to show Guruji we will follow him 100%. When Guruji returned to Sri Yukteshwar after a time, and said to him,
“Master, I am here to follow you.” --- Sri Yukteshwarji said, “How can that be? You ignore my wishes.”
”No longer Guruji! Your wish shall be my law!”
“That is better! Now I can assume responsibility for your life.”
“I willingly transfer the burden, Master.” (AY – Chp 12)
So you need to be obedient to the Guru.

Listen to Guruji 100%. We can take time off now, then why not do so. We have intuition, greater efficiency, so now intelligence lies in following Guruji. No one has ever been unsuccessful on this path. Even if you were to die, you would carry with you what you have acquired in this life spiritually. Such a disciple goes to Swarga loka after death through even a little practice of yoga, then he takes birth in a good family, prosperous family or a yogi family – a meditating family. Now he is pulled back on the path of yoga. It is better to practice unsuccessfully than not to practice at all. This is one of those wealth’s which we can carry with us at death. Other material wealth’s we cannot carry, we have to leave behind. Then how is it that we do not have time for the soul – if that is the only thing that goes with us after death and nothing else. Guruji is not even asking you to give up work, family etc. He says anywhere you find time meditate. Remember you have made a pledge before taking the kriya of performing the kriya twice daily. So at least meditate twice. Our moksha is thus not in anyone else’s hand but our own. We have everything with us – Now work - Guruji is with us. I am grateful to you for your patient hearing.