The pace of my life is unusually fast and sometimes I need to break that pattern intentionally so that I leave behind the unending noise and clatter of the atmosphere and connect more peacefully with the Holy Spirits and converse with them from time to time in quietude. Their words is the elixir, the potion on which I thrive and live on and even a few moments of communication with them is enough for someone like me to take a plunge in the ocean of vast spiritual wisdom and simultaneously get ample rest of mind.
As it has been a long time since I abandoned or quit temporarily the daily grinding and challenging domestic duties, I decided to go to a place where the atmosphere would be very still and calm and I would restore my spiritual energies. So on 7th September on a very pleasant morning, I took out my car and headed towards Ganeshpuri, which is approximately seventy five kilometres from my house. It was a rainy day and the villages outside Mumbai were lush green. I was delighted and I devoured the sight of the lush green paddy fields throughout the journey. The continuous copious light green colour of the long standing blades of the paddy in the lavish fields had a healing effect on my eyes and mind. I got some mental rest. I took long deep breaths and gasps in between to breathe in cool and fresh rejuvenating air. The continuity of green paddy fields did not break until I reached the Vajreshwari temple. The entire place was remarkably beautiful with the thick green coloured mountains encircling the lush green fields. The river Tansa and many other small streams were gurgling with joy and running forcefully over big, black stones as if displaying that they were quite busy! Had it not been for the constraint of time, I would have spent at least some time there strolling in the scenic vicinity. And to top it all, the several white birds flocking the grey sky with synchronized flapping wings added so much more grace and beauty to the atmosphere that it tantalized my heart and I became ecstatic. Just before we were about to reach Vajreshwari temple, I was repentant for not taking my camera with me but I consoled myself by the thought that there should be some days when you should only relish the scenic beauty and just being with yourself is good enough.
I have not been able to visit Ganeshpuri frequently in the recent past because of blogging work and other family pressures. So as a mark of respect and an offering of my present segment, I went to seek the blessings of Swami Nityananda and Swami Shaligram. It always feels so light in our heart and mind if we offer all we possess or the work we have done at a saint’s holy feet or even for that matter in the abode of God whatever that may be- a temple, a church or a synagogue. I could have possibly invoked these two saints in my house during meditation and could have offered myself and my current work, but somehow I felt that they were essentially calling me. And besides that, I should just let myself lose and receive something special and rewarding from them as a Prasad or blessing after completion of my thirty seven blog posts of this particular segment. So I took some sweets and a coconut as a mark of my offering at their temple. I went there merely to perform a thanksgiving act quietly and any blessing that comes from them is a huge grace for me. I lit an incense stick in the temple of Swami Shaligram after I settled down in front of his big photo at his Samadhi to meditate. Thankfully, I had an exclusive time as no devotee arrived for more than three quarters of an hour because of rains and I could therefore meditate peacefully. In return of my devotion, I received a very beautiful learning- a wisdom that is essentially important in a seeker’s life to know if he wishes to climb up the higher steps of the spiritual ladder. The blessing came as Self Realization during my meditation in Swami Shri Dayananda Shaligram’s temple there. He blessed me with a lot of peace as I sat there for quite some time with my still and restful body and mind. Once I absorbed that heavenly peace and felt so good, he set out to give me a long discourse as elucidation.
“There are hardly 25% people in this whole world who know that peace is very essential in our lives. The rest of 75% people are mean, rude, harsh, greedy and selfish. Out of these 25% people who make an effort to gain peace, merely 2% succeed. Peace should be sustainable. To achieve that sustainable peace of mind, there is first strife. After strife and storm comes peace. One has to strive hard to eliminate all the undeserving people, circumstances or events in one’s daily life to gain permanent peace of mind.
Lord Krishna made all possible efforts to bring about peace without a war between the Kauravas and Pandavas but did not succeed because of arrogant and selfish attitude of Duryodhana who did not want peace but instead wanted to avenge his insult and craved to rule the kingdom singlehandedly without sharing the rights of the Pandavas. And so there was a war between the two parties. Arjuna and others had to go through the unbearable painful strife in order to gain peace in their lives. Mahabharat war was fought for bringing about peace in the land.
Only 2% people gain success in attaining long-lasting and sustainable peace in their lives and more so in the mind because the jigyasu yogi or the ardent persistent seeker will pierce through the three subtle bodies and eliminate them completely. They are sthool, sukshma, kaaran shareer. In translation it means that the striving seeker has to pierce and transcend the physical body, the mental body and emotional body correspondingly. Beyond these three bodies is the Sakshi Atma, the witness, the Self. With prolonged practice of meditation, the three bodies are annihilated one by one as the rays of Universal Energy and Spirit enter the last core region of a human being called the kaaran shareer. The more the rays of Light enter, the more peace one gets. This takes time but with profound spiritual knowledge gained by the persistent seeker, the last bits and traces of ignorance are burnt and the seeker attains long lasting peace. Such a high yogi gives prolific peace to others in the environment too. Strive hard. You too should bring that sustainable peace in your lives, bring peace in your heart, your mind and in other’s lives too.”
With such enlightening words, I close this segment with bowing down humbly at the sacred feet of Shri Mahavatar Babaji for giving me so much spiritual abundance throughout this long segment. My endless thanks and pranams forever and forever to you my honourable and revered Shri Baabji…..Om Shanti, shanti, shanti Om…
A Note Dear readers, as you can see this is the second part of the title Blessing as Self- Realization.
I wish to conclude and wrap up segment D titled ‘Our rich heritage’ with this post on the blog. It already holds more than thirty six articles out of which twenty were addressed to our lost heritage and seventeen were on occult science dealing with the worlds after we die and before we are born again. I feel this has been quite a long session and hence it should be ended at this point. Besides, I also think I deserve a good break of a few weeks at least at this juncture after its successful completion.
The last few months were exceptionally frenzied because of turning out of the most unexpected circumstances which I have encountered gracefully with never failing love, guidance and knowledge of my Gurus. At this stage, I intend to look back and assimilate whatever I have grasped while I was journeying during this course of time. And now as I have circumnavigated with this last post, I also wish to revisit my past exclusive anecdotes or encounters with the Supreme and my sacred Gurus in my meditations and peacefulness in moments of silence. So will be back after a short break! Until then, have some splendid times with your inner Self and reflect during times of inner silence and peace….
Dear Aunty,
Such is your beauty of words that it calms the inner core of heart as we try to grasp the essence of your experiences.
Let life begin and end with peace is the utmost goal which I think we need to set as.
Love
Garima
Yes, Garima a good sadhak will set the right goal as you rightly pointed out and that is -our life should begin and end with peace. It is because of peace in us that we are able to always say and do the right things. Peace is very healing and rejuvenating in every sense and in today’s senseless world, it holds the highest price tag!!
Therefore go for it and during moments of crisis, remember and recall these words in order to hold this peace in you and say Om shanti, shanti, shanti Om till peace returns to you.
Lots of love
Sarika Aunty
Dear Sarika,
It is such a pleasure to read of your beautiful and sublime experiences at Ganeshpuri. Who does not want peace within and without? But how to achieve peace? Where is it found? These questions cloud the mind as we get involved in the ordinary day-today life. And here in the pure environment of the Ashram, such a realization and more than that your narration is the balm to any restless soul seeking to be at Peace. Thank you once again for your love and compassion. Love you lots 🙂
Vanita
Dear Vanita, the importance of peace is understood more if we lose it! Isn’t it a fact that it is during times of war and violence, peace becomes the most important thing in our life. But in normal times, the involvement in mundane and inane things becomes our main focus thus blurring the fact that we should be chasing those priceless things which are long lasting like peace. Only a peaceful mind will be able to touch and feel God. A peaceful mind looks at this world as an everchanging thing and so does not create unnecessary karmic patterns. A very peaceful mind forgives everybody with grace and compassion. And it is because of peace inside us that we are able to stay for long in communion with God. So strive hard to gain so much peace in you that practically nothing should be able to rob you of that priceless gift of God!
With unconditional love and friendship.
Sarika
Sarikaji ,
So kind of you for sharing such a nice and awakening article.I am truely indebted for this kind gesture to Shri Guru Mahavatar Babaji and you also.
Respectfully,
Vakharia MJ
Dear Sarika ji
Thanks a tonne for sharing your experiences with us that helps people like us to stay steady with perseverance on our journey towards our inner selves.
Enjoy yourself during this interim period and look forward to your return.
Thanks
Mohan
Thank you Sarikaji for all the blog posts in this segment.
Blessed to read them all 🙂
Thank you Ma for all these enlightening posts…Love to read it
-It is because of peace in us that we are able to always say and do the right things. Peace is very healing and rejuvenating in every sense and in today’s senseless world, it holds the highest price tag!!
-a peaceful mind will be able to touch and feel God. A peaceful mind looks at this world as an everchanging thing and so does not create unnecessary karmic patterns. A very peaceful mind forgives everybody with grace and compassion. And it is because of peace inside us that we are able to stay for long in communion with God. So strive hard to gain so much peace in you that practically nothing should be able to rob you of that priceless gift of God!
-Peace should be sustainable. To achieve that sustainable peace of mind, there is first strife. After strife and storm comes peace. One has to strive hard to eliminate all the undeserving people, circumstances or events in one’s daily life to gain permanent peace of mind.
Thank you Swami Shaligram and Bade baba.
with love and gratitude.
dear ma,
thank you for such a beautiful post.
pranam to sri babaji, sri Swami Shaligram, all gurus from all religion, and ma.
this post comletely reflecting peace upon me.
ohm shanti shanti shanti ohm.
may god bless everyone of us for peace, knowledge and bhakti.
thanks again ma.
with lots of love,
Midhun Pk