Guru puja. Cabella Ligure (Italy), 28 July 1996.
Today we have gathered here to do Guru puja. This system started long time back in India, I think even at the time of Patanjali, maybe even earlier, when there were great seekers. And their gurus were sitting in the jungles, where they used to get permission to go there and then they would get their realisation, very few of them, one or two. So we had many rishis and munis in the olden times in India. So this system of guru started. Also one of the reasons is that, that there is no organised religion in India. There’s no popes, there are no priests, nothing like them. They have priests just for worshipping in the temples. But for giving realisation, for talking about higher life, they all had to go to very great realised souls. And it was absolutely the freedom of the guru, whom to accept whom not to accept. And everybody was tested thoroughly by the guru if they are capable of achieving Self-realisation or not. And this test was so hard, so difficult, and also to a point of cruelty, that very few could pass through that test.
It’s not like Sahaja Yoga, everybody is a Sahaja Yogi, it’s not like that. That, of course, made it a very narrow margin for people to achieve their realisation and these gurus never used to leave their own seats, they call it takiya (meaning: pillow). They would be there in their own place, all those who would like to go to him could come. If he allowed, then only they can meet him. You may go on for miles together, nothing, no obligations of the guru that he should meet you. Perhaps they didn’t feel that love and compassion for the seekers. They didn’t understand that the seekers are ardently seeking the truth and they should not suffer. That may be the reason they were not so much concerned. All the time they were testing their disciple. Even Ramdas, who was the guru of Shivaji, was testing even Shivaji for so many times, though he was a born realised.
So to get this Gurupada, to the position of a guru, after that they had to work very, very hard to achieve a state of a saint. But in Sahaja Yoga that is not the case, as you know. I just thought – if people get their realisation, they’ll see for themselves what’s wrong with them, they will introspect themselves and will try to correct themselves. It is true, for many, many people, but some of them still are lingering behind and are going on and on and on thinking that they are Sahaja Yogis, they have achieved a lot, they are something very special. So this delusion is all the time is creating this problem. This delusion makes them very narrow minded, selfish, self-centred, and people can’t believe how can they be Sahaja Yogis.
So the first and foremost thing we have to know that this Sahaja Yoga has worked out because Paramchaitanya is transmitting compassion, It never did before, It never had that kind of an attitude which it is there because I am a Mother. And this compassion has worked it this way that: you all have got your realisation, you have achieved a state which we can call as a Self-realised souls. But still, because you got it so easily, cheaply, I think still we don’t realise what we have got. Still we do not practice meditation, introspection and dedication. Some are very much there, but mostly we are just living in the idea that we have already achieved.
So, the first thing we should introspect: Are we concerned about ourselves? All the time do we think that we are suffering, we have this problem, that problem, or this should be done, that should be done. If the attention is on that, that all the time you are worried about yourself, then you cannot break, you cannot break through this shell of your being, which is under the domination of your mental selfishness or self-centredness. Even self-centredness is absolutely against your growth.
There are many people who come, I have seen, even to Cabella, I know they have to suffer a lot because they think it’s a very open space where they have to live and they must make all arrangements to make themselves comfortable. Such people have to grow still much more. For a saint, any place has to be heavenly. You must have seen Me enjoying everything. I can live anywhere, I can sleep anywhere. I have no demands of any kind. But if you are worried about your body comforts or your body troubles then still you are at a body level, which you have to transcend. Worried about how you look, how you dress up, what sort of things you have to wear: all this makes you yet not a good Sahaja Yogi. This is one style of Sahaja Yogis who still want very great comforts.
So, what you have to do, if you are used to comforts: try to go and sleep on the street. I will not do that, but you can do it. Or sleep on a tree, you may fall down doesn’t matter (laughter). Do all kinds of things that are necessary to punish your body to understand that you are not bound with this comfort of the body. This is one of the greatest things one has to see, that you are not bound by your body. It’s alright if you have comfort, well and good, if you don’t have, well and good. For a Sahaja Yogi it is very important that he should be able to live like a saint. Not necessarily that you should become a sanyasi, but from inside your body should be such that you can dominate your body. How can you not sleep anywhere? Why can you not sleep anywhere?
Then also, that they want to have a very comfortable arrangements about bathrooms, this, that. All these ideas are there because you are very self-conscious but not superconsciousness, it’s not there. You want to have everything first class, and anybody who tries to interfere with that kind of a thing, you don’t like it. I can understand a person who is very old – he cannot manage things, he has to have a certain amount of body comfort, but even young people these days are extremely comfort-oriented. That is not for Sahaja Yoga. Of course I’ve seen people in the West are better off in this matter. Because when they go to India they told Me they like [Maharashtra] S.T. buses better than comfortable buses. So I said “Why?” “Because Mother, you can jump in the bus nicely with all the luggage,” (due to lack of suspension and bumps in road) “Because the windows are open, you can breathe. Very natural, very good”. And they wanted to go on bullock carts also. I mean they enjoy all that.
Actually if you see you’ll notice, in the Western World mostly, people are taking to a more rustic life. They are enjoying more the rustic style of life than to this so-called comfortable, artificial life. Not so much Indians, I would say, also Malaysians. I think most of the people I have met in the Western countries are really great because they can sleep anywhere, they can eat anything. You ask them “How did you like the food?” “What did we eat, I don’t know Mother?” That is the sign. That is the sign of a person who is not bothered as to what he is eating, what he’s getting, what is his taste, “I like this, I like that,” these words drop out.
It’s not difficult, it’s not difficult, you might think that I am asking you to something, hazardous thing, you see. It’s not difficult at all, because if you have to impress the people around you, you have to be like a saint. And if you are a fussy person, if you are a fusspot, then you cannot impress others that you have got Self-realisation.
Many people tell Me “Mother, people had to do so much: to go to Himalayas, do this, do that, and then they got their realisation. How is it these people you have blessed?” Even some great saints asked Me that. “What right they had to get their realisation? Why did you give them realisation? What have they achieved?” I said “Only their desire. Their desire was very much there that they should get their Self-realisation and that’s how they got it”.
But now to go into only desire, is not sufficient. You have to depend on yourself, on the light of your Spirit you should see what’s wrong with you. This is a very important thing. Ask questions to yourself. “Why do I want this? Why do I need this? What is the purpose?” Because as you have seen, all the rest of the world is mad, [we] call it mad, because they are running after stupid things, they are wanting things which has no meaning to spirituality.
So spirituality itself should be self-satisfying. If you are spiritually endowed, then you are self-satisfied. And this self-satisfaction within you will lead you to that Ocean of Joy about which I have been telling you and all the scriptures have described. For Sahaja Yogis, the word we use is nirananda. Nirananda means: A joyous state, where nothing is needed. Joy itself is joy. You are enjoying only joy. Nothing is needed to make you happy. You are happy because of joy that you have, in the nirananda state.
If you go and see how these saints lived, you will be amazed. How they managed their life, you’ll be very much amazed. How many days they used to fast, without food. Never bothered! They never thought it was fasting. They just used to think, “We have no food, so no, don’t eat.” Of course, you don’t have to go through [that], you have got your realisation. So now you have a power to achieve this mastery. Now, you have this power.
The another thing I have noticed about Sahaja Yogis, some of them have grudges about others. Sahaja Yoga is the blessings of love, blessings of compassion. There is no place for any kind of hatred, or any kind of revenge, or anger among Sahaja Yogis. If you have that, you must conquer it. Is a good chance, if you find somebody who is very hot-tempered, who is a very angry type, go and make friends with that person. Just see if you can carry on with that person or not. If there’s a fusspot, also make friends with such a fusspot, and see that you achieve that peace which will keep you above all kinds of hatred, all kinds of temper, which is a very bad thing.
But some Sahaja Yogis lose their temper very fast. I would say that they cannot be Sahaja Yogis, because if you have no control over your anger, then how are you powerful of compassion and love? But you don’t even have to control it – just there. Once you have it, or that state, then you just watch and see. In the olden days, the saints ,mostly, used to be very much angry type people. They couldn’t bear the stupidity of the world and they used to be very, very angry type and they used to run away from people.
I know of a saint, Nityanandswami, who always lived on the tree, and anybody tried to come near him, he used to throw stones at. Couldn’t bear the people who were all heated up and coming to him. But you don’t need that, you have a way of achieving love and affection of the people who seem to be very, very troublesome and grudging type or maybe some people who are very aggressive. This is not a difficult task if you try a little bit the other way round. Mostly people, when they find somebody who is a very hot-tempered person, they run away from them. They don’t want to have anything to do [with them]. Those who are not hot-tempered, those who are good nature, you can always be friendly, what is so great about it? What is so nice about it? What is so sweet about it? But how you speak to the person, how you talk to that person, how you manage that person: your love will definitely melt him down, because he’s a Sahaja Yogi, I’m not saying for non-sahaja yogis. Sahaja Yogis as they are, you have to be extremely compassionate and affectionate and love.
Another thing which is extremely important for us to know, that we have got this realisation through Mother’s love. Only My compassion has acted, only the power of Mother’s compassion could have worked it out. Now, even if this love is flowing towards the stones, or towards the mountains or towards anything which is very solid, the ripples come back, they have to come back. In the same way, you people now, who have got realisation, have to know that compassion and love is the only power you have got, nothing else.
If you love yourself, if you care for yourself, you care for your family and care for your children – then you haven’t achieved much. You’re only worried about yourself, because that’s your limited area where you move. But if you can break that and find out places where you have to express your love, you can. As they say, the water finds it’s own level. In the same way, this compassion has to flow to all the places, to all the ditches everywhere, and should find its own level. But if you are just satisfied with yourself and you are not bothered, you are just trying to believe that you are a great soul because, you are a Sahaja Yogi, then I must say, that you are sadly mistaken.
In this lifetime, you can achieve that state. In this lifetime, you can get to that state within yourself.
Now, the third thing that troubles Sahaja Yogis is that, “Mother we want God’s realisation,” that makes Me laugh. You see, it is already there, already there. Like once you get into the sea and you say “Mother, we want to go to the bottom of the sea,” you can always go, just slip, and you will be there. In the same way, once you have developed a kind of a Self-realisation and have jumped into the ocean of this compassion, there’s no need to achieve anything. The sense of achievement, “I should be that, I should be this,” is all coming from your human haunting. That should be over. Now you are Godly people. So you should not think, “I should achieve this state, I should achieve that state,” but just go on slipping, just giving up all the weights that you have in your heads and it will work out. This is what I have been saying to you that: you have to dissolve yourself into the compassion.
Also, there are still very people who want to be in the front. Specially Indians will all sit together in front, I’ve seen that way. They have no right, they have no right to sit in front. Nobody has right to sit in front or to seek a place. They should sit wherever they get seat to sit down with complete satisfaction. Whether you sit in front or at that corner, even in the darkness, you can get My vibrations, you can get everything. So to be prominent, to sit some place where you are prominent, is not necessary. What is it in a prominence, what do you get? To be lost into the crowds, to be lost into the Ocean of Love is the main thing. All these are mythical that, we should somehow or other get the front place. You see as Marathi apan manto (We say), “Samor chi zaaga patkauli mi!” means “I have managed to get the front seat!” Front will be the back, and back will be the front.
It is very surprising how still people are trying to achieve something so nonsensical. So where is your mind, where is your attention, what are you thinking? If you are thoughtless you will be satisfied, you will be happy, you will not ask for anything, you’ll not want anything. What is there to have? What is so important? All these ideas come from ignorance, I must tell you, from ignorance.
Once this ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ fellow came to Me. And he said that “We have heard you are a great saint, this thing, that thing, and you have all the comforts of life – you have everything here, very nice, this thing, that. So, how are you a saint?” I said “How are you a saint?” [He said] “I have given up my family, I have given up my cars, I have given up my house, I have given up my children.” I said “One more thing you have given up”, he said “What?” I said “Your brains!!” (laughter and applause) So he said, “How do you say we have given up our brains?” I said, “Very simple, I’ve given up nothing, because I am holding nothing! What is there to give up when you are not holding anything? Now, I would say in this house, or on my body, anywhere, [if] you think you can find anything equal to the dust particle of Shri Krishna, you can take it. Should be equal though.” Now they started looking here and there. I said “Then what have you given up? Just stones? What have you given? Why are you boasting about giving up that, and giving up this and giving up…?” They even shaved their head.
All these useless ideas, that “We have done this, we have done that.” Anybody in Sahaja Yoga who thinks he is doing a lot of work for Sahaja Yoga, should give up completely! That’s the sign of another ignorance. If you are part and parcel of the Ocean, everything is done by Ocean, you are doing nothing. To have such ideas about yourself shows how little you know about your Self. You are the Ocean. And if you are the Ocean how can you claim “I’ve touched this shore, I have touched that shore, I have touched this shore”? No more “I” is left. Once this I-ness drops out then only the Universal Being within you shines.
All these things are so clearly evident in our characters. Some people are very identified, say with their country, or maybe with their worshipping style, whatever it is. All these mis-identifications have to be given up. It is very difficult for people because they are so conditioned, and as long as you have conditioning you cannot rise above your mind, which is a myth, you cannot. Now, try to understand, what your conditionings are.
One of them, I would say, I have seen and I am so surprised, you go to the Western countries, all of them only sing songs of Shri Ganesha. They know all the songs of Shri Ganesha. Shri Ganesha’s photographs, Shri Ganesha’s everything, children also. And now I have seen that vibrations stop! Why should they stop? Why should Ganesha stop the vibrations? Why they are doing it, I realised, was because I said Shri Ganesha incarnated as Christ. Their identification is with Christ and Christianity, in a very subtle way. So all the vibrations stopped! Imagine with Shri Ganesha’s music, we heard in one of the Eastern Block countries, and all the vibrations had stopped and they were singing all the songs of Shri Ganesha and not one song of Sahaja Yoga, leave alone about the Guru, not once. So, even there is a very subtle identification.
There was one fellow in Russia, supposed to be very intelligent, he said that “Alright, if we keep Mother’s photograph and also the icons, we can get the same type of vibrations.” You cannot, because icons are made by some artist’s imaginary. These are not representing actually even Maria or Christ or anyone, they are all imaginary. If Italian ones make Christ, he is Italian style, if some French one makes it, he is thin like French, if you get somebody say from Holland, he will have a forehead like that. You see all of them they depict Christ as they want to. Then we have Maria the same way, Her expression, her photograph, everything, is all according to the imagination of the artist and to whatever country he belongs, that he will do.
And they are not free, you can see they are not free, because all these artists have a certain style. Now if it is Rembrandt, it’s a style, if it is, say Leonardo, it’s a style. Though they are born realised, still they have a style. Nobody is like this, that he’ll make today like this, tomorrow like that: there’s no freedom. They are bound by their own styles. Everybody has one style, and that is the style they follow. Because, what is the reason, the reason is, they must have done 3 or 4 types of styles, they must have done, surely, but people must have rejected, “This is no good, this is no good,” so it is all the opinion of the people. So they must have taken to one style: alright this is the style.
So you can see Christ if he’s Japanese, he’ll have chinky eyes, if he’s Chinese, he’ll have no nose, if it’s Indian, he’ll be dark. So all kinds of Christs I have seen and I feel that, how can they emit vibrations? Tell me. While with my photograph, how can you compare? Also, cameras were to be developed at this time: do you notice that point? Cameras were developed at this time, not before that. This loudspeaker was not developed before this. Aeroplanes were not developed before. I have been travelling for 19 days, one day in the plane, second day in the public programme. They could not do all that. Nobody could do this. Neither Shri Krishna, nor anyone. They could not fly by aeroplane in those days. Now we say we have 65 countries, somebody says there’s “No, 68 countries” or go on correcting. But is only possible because today, today: there are aeroplanes. They were never there [before].
So all these things are – even video, even the way you are seeing My image there, was that available before? No. So this is a very special time, where science has also supported seekers to find the Truth – science has supported. We have to be thankful to science: that part of science which has been so much supportive. Even [if] there was not a car, I could not have gone up to Milan even! Imagine going on a bullock cart, what would have happened to Me? So all these things are created today for you. You were also born in those times for the special reason. They could not give realisation because that time you were not there. Very few people of your calibre were there. But I wonder if you understand your calibre.
The way you are sometimes growing, shows that you don’t understand your calibre. You don’t know what you are, how much the whole atmosphere has worked out for you, the science has been worked out for you. Science is a gift of the nature. All this has been worked out for you to achieve the highest state in the shortest time. But for that, one has to be extremely introspecting. Instead of thinking of what you have to achieve: be introspective! This introspection will help you and you will really become real gurus. When you go to other villages, other places, other cities, people should know from your being itself that some great person has come. You don’t have to tell, you don’t have to certify, it’s the simplicity of your temperament itself.
First time I went to Leningrad, nobody knew about Me. No advertisements, nothing, They just put some posters, some. And there were 2,000 people in the hall, 2,000 outside. In the hall they had to pay, alright. I was wondering what’s the matter. And when I came out I gave them realisation but I said “You come tomorrow”. So 2,000 from inside and 2,000 from outside and about 2,000 more came, and we were all sitting on the ground. I was amazed. I said “What made you come to my programme?” [They] said “Mother, it’s so obvious, your photograph!” Such sensitivity of spirituality: “So obvious, from your photograph!” And they were scientists, they were doctors, they were all kinds of intelligent people. But they could feel the spirituality from the face. That kind of a sensitivity we should have. When you don’t need any discretion, nothing, you know: this is this, this is this, this is this. Don’t have to judge, don’t have to think about it. You cannot say who will be best fitted for this: those who have come for the first time, those who have come later on or those who will be coming, younger or older, women, men or children. It is there.
In my lifetime if I see so many of you, so much transformed, looking so beautiful, so nice, creating such a good atmosphere. It’s more than satisfaction for Me. And sometimes I think there is nothing to be done now anymore – finished. But then they invite Me here, and invite Me there, so I’m just doing. But to be very frank I am over satisfied.
Now, once you have planted the tree…it’s like a mango tree. Once you have planted a mango tree and looked after it for 3 or 4 years, then it looks after itself. It gives fruits, it doesn’t need any water, nothing, it just grows by itself. In the same way it should happen with you. You should grow by yourself. Of course, you will find people who are stupid, who are aggressive, who are not at all Sahaja Yogis and trying to be Sahaja Yogis. You’ll find all kinds. So just see them, that’s all.
In this Guru puja, you have to decide that what are the criteria. First a Guru has to be without desires, any desires whatsoever: nirichcha as they say. There is one false guru in India who said that ” If I had the powers as Mother has, then I would have become the king of this world”. So people said “Then why don’t you become?” Why doesn’t Mother become like that? Why doesn’t She become the king?” So they said “Because She is nirichcha- means She has no desires. A person who has no desires will not become anything.” So, I said go and tell him “If you have desires, you cannot have powers also.” It’s only because you have no desires, that’s why all these powers are there.
So any desire that comes in your mind, you should say “Forget it, just forget it.” When the desire is overpowering, you just divert your attention. Any kind of stupid desire can take charge and how do you become desireless is by getting to the thoughtless awareness. Any crisis comes in, you should be able to rise into that state of thoughtless awareness. Just be peaceful. Look at your desires with peace. You can tell the desire, “Oh, I’m very much satisfied, now don’t come, I don’t want.” That’s how you can become desireless. There is this compassion, and the compassion that becomes actually the power. [With] small, small things you can express your love, very small, small things. In very sweet ways, you can express your love.. Is very important.
The whole world needs today love and peace. And you have to give peace and love to everyone that is possible. Of course [with] Sahaja Yogis it is very easy, but even non Sahaja Yogis, you must treat them with respect and love, but you should not have a desire that you should get back anything from them.
It’s alright, whatever done, is forgotten. You have known so many Sahaja Yogis who came to Sahaja Yoga have gained so much and have betrayed us – it doesn’t matter, it’s not important. Because they are going to be losers, not we. So, there’s nothing to bother about these things.
Then another thing is: try to see that your mind doesn’t react. Some people have a habit, or I think most of them have, to react. You tell them something and they’ll put their own one tail with it, something. Never will they accept if somebody says something. If you are reacting, what will go into your heads? What will go into your heart? What will go into your attention?
So the reaction itself is a sign of not proper development within yourself. This attention which is trying to go into all the areas of your mind and your body and everywhere, is not there. It cannot enter, because as soon as it tries to enter, you shut it by reacting. You cannot see anything just for seeing sake, you must react. You say “This is not good, that’s not good.” If I say “It is 5 o’clock” you’ll say “No! It is 5 past, 2 minutes, 3 seconds!” This comes with terrible conditioning which has to go away. Not to react. Why should you react? Then the argument starts, then fight starts, then wars come in. If you tell your mind, “Nothing doing, you are a myth and I am not going to react to anything!” 99. 9% problems will be solved.
Then the last, but not the least is the ego. I can’t understand a saint having a ego, just can’t understand. It’s so stupid to have ego. It’s a kind of a domination, if slightest things are wrong, you get angry. If somebody says something, you get angry. That means your power of love and compassion is still not full. You can of course correct people when they have to be corrected but for that you should have this power within yourself. The person should know that you are correcting that person because you love that person, not for selfishness, not for any gain. But this ego is a very big problem and that comes up by, I should say, not only ignorance but stupid ideas about yourself. If you think you are something great, already, then what can you do? Ego makes you very arrogant, horrible. But if you are humble, really, not to just to have the humility of a businessman, but if you are humble from within yourself, from your heart, enjoying your humility, then this ego can run away.
You have to ask yourself “Now what are you angry for?” Again, I come back to the same point: introspection. Because you are not here just to carry on some jobs, but you are here to become saints. Then this ego should be made into a great instrument of love and joy. You can, it is not difficult. This one is what is ego is, reactions to things. You can react to things in a sweet way or you can react to things in a deadly way. Then the humour comes in. Also you speak as if there is fragrant flowers which are coming out. Then every action of yours, everything becomes very gentle and sweet. Have this ego that will be gentle, will be kind, will be sweet, will be forgiving, will be loving. Let’s have this ego. Start with this kind of a ego – the other way round. You’ll be surprised how you can really conquer the whole world.
On this day of Guru Puja, is, Guru is supposed to tell something to his disciples about correcting themselves. In my own sweet way I’ve said to you which you shouldn’t mind. I don’t mean to condemn you by any chance but to give you a proper sense of introspection, proper sense of introspection by which you all get your gurupada. My only, I shouldn’t say desire, because I don’t have desire. So my only vision is, that I should see all the Sahaja Yogis drenched in the power of love, enjoying each others love, enjoying each others relationship, and improving relationships. I know there are problematic people, I know they are problematic, but if you cannot solve the problem what’s the use of your become masters?
So, I leave it to you to solve your own problems which you are facing, and introspection with love and compassion, not by condemning yourself. I am sure you can manage it.
May God bless you.
(Talk after the puja)
Now, you see, every puja I give presents to all the countries who are hosting: to all the ladies, all the men, the leaders [but] only in Guru puja, I’m sorry, I’m not supposed to give any presents to anyone. It’s a thing when the guru, only, has to grab everything from you! (applause)
All this has to be given only on Guru puja: specially the saris, that have been given to me, are all only to be given on Guru puja. But I’m sorry I can’t give anything to the leaders or to anyone on this day. I hope you people don’t mind. (applause)
To be the guru and to be Mother is a very difficult thing because, if you see, the gurus have been very strict disciplinarians: they always try to discipline the disciples and [be] quite hard with them. But the mother can’t be that hard. This is the trouble with the motherhood is! That may be one of the reasons that people take, sometimes, Sahaj Yoga for granted. But you should not, because you have got your Realisation now. Now you are realised-souls, you are masters, so you should look after your ascent. I don’t have to tell you what [is] to be done because you have the light in your hand and you can do that very well.
I hope today’s lecture, you liked very much and you don’t mind if I have said something that might have upset you a little bit.
But it is a thing that one has to see because we all have to grow inside and outside and we have to spread Sahaj Yoga everywhere. So we should see — everyone, whether it’s a woman or a man — we should see how many people we have given Realisation to. It’s very important that you should start giving Realisation all over the world. In this fashion it will spread and I don’t have to then travel so much as nowadays I am travelling still.
I think you all should take it up upon yourself that you will do, at least if not travelling, around your cities, around in your places of work, you can start talking about Sahaj Yoga openly.
All the blessings are there, all the powers are there, you can work it out very well. Anybody you find difficult you give bandhan and can manage things. You know it very well. You know everything about Sahaj Yoga so I don’t have to tell you about it. Only thing [is you must] use it! Even if you have all the instruments and if you don’t use it, it won’t work out.
With all my love, with all my blessings I say goodbye now, to you, for the time being. Thank you. (applause)