Makar Sankranti Puja in Suryavanshi hall at Mumbai (India), 14 January 1985.

[Starts at 9:13]
Today we are celebrating here a special day called Makar Sankrant.For the information of the foreign Sahaja Yogis, I will explain to you what it means. [Shri Mataji explains that She will speak first in English then in Marathi]. It means the day, today is the day the sun crosses over from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer. It is a very big day for us because, now during the summer time we have the harvest, and we look forward to the rain and so many things that happen in every country.

The sun falls at right angles in this country during the summer season and so we welcome the sun. We eat something – that you must have eaten already – what we call as til and jaggery. It is to prepare your body and your mind to give it sufficiency to receive the sun. Because if you are living in the cool season, then all your body, mind becomes lethargic and you become also sometimes very lazy about things in the sense, that the day is so small, that you cannot achieve many results. So the body has become cold as we call it. We take these things, which give us heat so body is prepared to receive the heat of the sun to welcome.
To overcome the inertia setting by the cold weather and also to invigorate the body’s strength, tuned to the sun, people take to all these ways of greeting you by which they give you something that is heat creating in the body.
But it has another very subtle expression, which I find is this, that when they give you these, they say now, you take now til and gul, and you say things, which are sweet. Because when you are taking til and gul, your body gets heated up and you become right sided person, and when you become right-sided person, you seldom speaks sweetly. So, it is a contrast that they give you a thing to heat you up so that your body gets heated up, but you must be sweetly. So there is a warning, that you are eating all these things, but that doesn’t mean now you ride on a big horse of ego and start slashing every one. It’s a very subtle thing to understand that when we become temperamentally right sided, we are so much covered by our ego that we do not feel that we are hurting others by what we say. If there are two egoistical people, they can manage among themselves.

But if there is one egoistical and another one who is subdued, then the subdued will be finished. That’s why they say, today is the day when we start speaking very sweetly. Even if there is some enemy or somebody who is not friendly with you or there has been some misunderstanding, this is the day we say that : “all right take this and say something very sweet.” Talk sweetly to each other.
But today only I think I received a letter from a Sahaja Yogini, which was so full of harshness that I was surprised that I should receive it today – not to Me, but some other Sahaja Yogi. So one thing today we have to decide and take a vow, that to another Sahaja Yogi we are not going to say harshly. And talk to him in a way as if he is an ordinary person. Now supposing he is a leader, then there is more reason that he receives respect. And if he is a senior leader, then there is more reason that you must respect. The first thing one has to learn that we have to respect.

Now the Sun is so much respected in this country, that in early morning time all the people get up and say namaskars to Surya with all His names and do a particular type of exercise to show that they are completely surrendered to the will of the Surya. When you do that then the ego doesn’t come in. Now the sun, when He shines here, it gives you a feeling that you have to be active you have to work very hard. As a result of that you might develop ego. But when you develop ego then its surrounds your brain completely and when the brain is surrounded with ego you do not know which way to go. You do not know what is right what is wrong. You do not have any discretion and no direction. You do what you please, whatever pleases ego.

And this is the day when we celebrate it, in a way to surrender ourselves to the Surya, to the Sun which is, as you know, is the residence of Shri Lord Jesus Christ. He resides on the Sun. So how humble He was, how humble He was residing on the sun. The more you live on the sun, there should be much more humility. Of course I must say in India, people are humbler. But still, the quality of Sun can make you extremely arrogant and very unpleasant person. This unpleasant person can really ruin all kinds of good relations. But the worst thing that happens to us, is that we lose our integration. Because when we say harsh things to anyone we feel guilty, so we have another problem, our heart feels bad, our liver feels bad everything is upset and thus you feel absolutely disintegrated. And this disintegrated is the sign of our not evolving at all, or we should say devolving.

Disintegration is such a common thing that we see, in ourselves; we see that we fight with our ego, then we fight with our super ego, then we fight with our heart with our emotions and all the time we are fighting within ourselves. So, at least, within ourselves we should speak sweetly on this day. Then we can start speaking to others very, very sweetly. Now some people think, to speak sweetly is a sign of weakness. In some countries people believe that if you speak to someone sweetly, it is a sign of weakness. It is the greatest strenght of a Sahaja Yogi to speak to others with respect with proper protocol and with proper understanding.

Now because of arrogance, people also forget what is their situation is, and this indiscreet temperament gives you no sense of direction. You move in every direction and you don’t know where you are going. As long as your ego is satisfied you go ahead with it. And by the time you discover that you have really become a humpty-dumpty, you do not know what you have done to yourself. So, the best way to conquer your ego is to speak sweetly first of all. It is such a small thing to be done but it brings you to that synthesis of character within yourselves first of all and to the synthesis of all the beautiful principles of lives. Like you talk to somebody sweetly, the person may like you. He may tell you something, which he may be knowing of a very great importance for you. If you talk to somebody sweetly, then you may get the peace of mind because you have given peace to another person. Whatever you give to another person, that you feel within yourselves. But if you are quarreling with another person, actually, it is the reflection of your quarrelling nature within yourself.

Today, there is a big dearth and big cry and big organizations working out the peace missions. The peace mission is within yourself! Let us start all of us the Sahaja Yogis, who are great saints sitting here, decide today that we are going to make peace with ourselves and with others. But first and foremost thing the peace cannot be made with quarrels. You see, like America and Russia want to decide it, with missiles – the peace part. They say: “Let’s fight out. As many as will remain, then they can live in peace. Let us, all those who are fighting, kill each other!” [Shri Mataji laughs] They think this is the solution of the problem. It is the other way around. Let everybody live peacefully within themselves and give peace to others, so that this peace will become a nucleus for the peace of the world. So your great task today is to establish a great source of peaceful people.

We have so many Sahaja Yogis here. You’re sitting in complete peace and happiness and joy, you don’t know you are emitting all that peace, channelizing it and doing it. But still, there are some who are suffering from horrible ego, and with hurt ego. And they are trying to do something, which they should never do, is to think just now. [Shri Mataji smiles] If you are thinking just now, you will not register what I am saying. Because this is another quality of a person who is ego oriented, is not to register. You may say anything you like, but they don’t hear. They hear what they want to hear or they don’t hear.

So, this is another thing we have to, today, decide, that we’ll register things than to tell out. Let us register. This is a sign of a character that wants to know, wants to know more about. The criteria of ascent is synthesis and integration. A person who is not integrated with other Sahaja Yogis is not a man who has ascended, [but] who tries to divide and talk of divisions: “We, the English, we, the Germans, we, the Indians”. Then they are not Sahaja Yogis, they are Indians all right, but not Sahaja Yogis. Sahaja Yogis have no caste, creed or nationality. We have to carry our passport only because we are born in this jail. So we have to carry our criminal number. [Sahaja Yogis laugh] But actually you don’t need it. You don’t need all those things.

Now for us today to decide first of all in our hearts, that we will take to peaceful methods, when we are troubling, we will be taking to peaceful methods. Anybody who is trying to provoke you or trying to create a problem or divide you on any issue whatsoever, run away from that person as fast as possible. Anybody who talks of peace, the peace makers, stick on to that person. Then only you will understand that you are also getting peace.

You, here, you have come to get peace, not to create problems or to listen to your problems, but to get to peace. Peace is a nature or is the quality of your Spirit. So, once you jump onto your peace, somehow, what happens that you go beyond the cause and the effect. You are beyond the cause and the effect. So the cause disappears and the effect also disappears. So, today we all have come here to worship the peace, the within and the without. Let us be peaceful within. Let us not join groups who hate, who talk big, who wants to hate one person, wants to create a group, who says,” We, the Americans” or “We, the this”, just. In Sahaja Yoga, you must learn from people who have advanced who have very much progressed. For example, I would say, among all the Europeans, Australians have done very well. There is nothing to feel jealous.

All right, if Australians have done well, all right, that’s your glory. So, ask them how they have done it, how they have worked it out. Tomorrow, may be that Americans – I wish that very much- may do the best.
So, then you should ask them, “How have you done so well?” That’s the way we are going to live. We are not going to compete. We are not going to be jealous, but we are going to absorb all that is best. This is Sahaja Yoga, it is the other way around. Like, if they discover something, a pilotless bomb, then they will discover something as, which is a machineless bomb. No. It is another one: we develop a mind, which absorbs everything, and then we develop a bigger mind, which gives everything. There is no secret in Sahaja Yoga.

Everybody who has known something better, have had some good experiences of Sahaja Yoga, should tell. But then in ego I have seen people start preaching that, “All right, this method you try, that method you try”. There is no need to do that also, because of lack of discretion. If you had discretion, you would have known that this is not to be done. What is not to be done in Sahaja Yoga is not to be done ! But how will you know when you don’t have the discretion, like a lost ship? So then you have to see how your Mother would act at such a position. And then I am sure you will go beyond the cause and the effect.

So, today is the day I should also not say anything that is in anyway hurting to anyone. [Laughter] And I am trying to make you smile and laugh, but you are so serious! [Laughter]. So, today, we decide on peace. Peace with ourselves, peace with others and that is how we worship the Sun, Christ the one who was the emblem, who was the absolute practical symbol of that peace.

And once you understand this, I am sure you will try to follow that instead of hitting everybody, getting angry with everybody. Just forget all these things. You have come here to ascend and your gain is your gain. Your fighting is not your gain, remember that. Your quarrelling is not your gain. The gain is the peace that you have achieved, the love that you have developed, the compassion that you can emit, the amount of relationship and the rapport you can penetrate into others [with vibrations]. This is your gain which we have to receive today, a mind, a heart like a lion and not chicken hearted people. Not people who would be angry and this. To boast of your anger: these days are gone, we boast of our peace. We boast of our contentment, we boast of our glory and we boast of our state. And that is the state where we are now in the Kingdom of God.
May God bless you!

[Marathi translation part starts at 27:49]

Now I want to tell you that so many guests have come to us responding to your cordial invitation and you have made proper arrangements for their stay. None of you have   indicated to me how much trouble you have taken or efforts you have made. Especially , the Mumbaites have made great efforts. So on behalf of all of you and these people here, I must say  that the Mumbai people have  taken a lead. However I am telling you the same thing which I tell them. Today we offer  the sesame and jaggery mix, so as to avoid any ill effects from the Sun.

First issue is, with   Sun in the sky one becomes irascible. One speaks in an insulting manner with others. The person’s ego strengthens. People who are directly exposed to Sun have big egos. Hence such people should remember that this is a mantra –  “Talk sweetly“. Consuming  sesame and jaggery  increases the body heat and the person starts shouting. This is strange. Just a short time back you were offered sesame and jaggery, at least converse sweetly with me! But even that  seems difficult. They accept the sesame-jaggery mix and start shouting the next moment. What sesame-Jaggery?  Throw it away! So, on this occasion, we should understand that this is good opportunity. Shri Mataji came here and however fervently she advised us, it will not enter our heads.. If there is heat in our head nothing will enter. This heat should go away. And from where does this heat come in us? It emanates from  our ego.  In the past, when I commenced with Sahaja Yoga, all were having disputes. So much so that it was fortunate that they did not break skulls. However the heads are intact now. But quarrels abound. They were rampant due to one or the other reason. Half of them ran away and half remained. I thought , Sahaja Yoga was not possible because  one person  would join in  and run away after two days, Another would come  and run away after three days. This was the situation.  We have established  Sahaja Yoga.in such a commotion.

There is only one main reason and that is, you should have the desire that “whatever may it may be, we have come to meet God almighty. We  want His  blessings, we want to know the Divine Principle. We want to obliterate  all those things in the world  that  torment  and trouble everyone.” Hence  we cannot afford to fight here. This  ego has caused so many problems all over the world. Now we should completely give it up(tilanjali) in  Sahaja Yoga. Tilanjali means offering of sesame.That means take sesame  in hands held together in the cup form, and do your offering that we shall not find faults with  others, get angry with them.

 Try it once.  You should try it once.  One can resolve many things without  getting angry. One  can  face so many things, and that a number of problems get resolved just because you have not paid attention to those things. You will see that whatever issues that were there, have been resolved. If we give too much importance to a particular thing then one could  say that you have acquired a Tamasik temperament. (vengeful). What is the meaning of  Tamasik? A person who makes a big issue out of small thing. Suppose a woman, whose  husband is ill. “ My husband is ill, my husband is ill”. Agreed, but you are there! you are in good health !. What about you?  But she will not think thus. While it is true that husband is important but one  gets fixated   over a small thing. Blow it out of proportion and harass others with it, trouble others. This is a common practice with us and the reason behind it .is that we give importance to small issues and ignore the big ones.

For these people, small and big are just the same. They do not understand anything about it , but you should understand.  The reason is that whatever great things we have , the heritage, that we have received, is   great. So we got heritage. We were born in this land of Yoga (Yoga bhoomi). What did we achieve after having born  in this yoga bhoomi ? It is said that one is born in India after the Tapasya (penance) of a thousand years and after another thousand years, in Maharashtra. When I see drunk people on the road , I don’t know if they are from Maharashtra or elsewhere. I mean one cannot understand how these worms were born here.

You have become Sahaja Yogis because of your Tapasya (penance)  in  the last life, now you are getting its reward. But it does not mean that Shri Mataji has to perform the rest of your Tapasya of this life. The first penance of this life is to talk sweetly with each other. Behave lovingly. Not to be curt. First  thing.  Hence we have initiated the practice of having the Puja on this first day. On this day we all  should speak sweet words   and behave amicably. Because speaking sweet words is very easy. Getting angry is more difficult. And beating is impossible. Then why to do these difficult things? Just speak sweetly and you are done. Amongst us, there are many whose surname is ‘Godbole’(“Sweet speaking person”). I thought that the people from their families speak sweetly. They really spoke sweet but while using sugar coated words they used to  cut others’ throats. So, I asked,” What is this? ” They answered, “In the past while our people spoke sweet language, others took their advantage . So we use sweet words and also cut the throats.” I asked, “Why ? Is this something good that you have learnt ?   Has it done any  good to you? Have you risen above it? Those who spoke sweet language were all right. They lived comfortably and contentedly.”

Suppose you quarrel with two persons and you cut their throats, then what have you gained? One  must see what one has gained. So today is the day of a special festival which everybody enjoys.. Atleast I do not want to say bitter things at this time. So I say  with due respect to everyone that I   take enough care that  it should not happen that people feel bad or so. Now, some people come and suddenly touch my body. It troubles me a lot.  One should not do so.  But, how do I  tell ? So I   to bear it.  Let it go, what else can I do?   As  that person will feel bad. Thus I have to bear a lot. I do not mind   bearing it. If I hurt the person, he will feel bad.. So why do that? I can bear that much pain..   I do not mind it, being aware that I have the strength to bear which  others do not have.

The same is also true about love. If our power of love is stronger and the others’ is less, then who is greater, we or those people?  In general if we think that we are Sahaj Yogis and our Mother has bestowed on us the power of love so we are superior than them. . So, what do we lose even if they say something? What is the need to fight and get angry with them.? As your temperament becomes peaceful, your face will have a glow. Not only this, when people around see you, they will say that he is a peaceful  person. However, being peaceful does not mean that if somebody beats you up, you should bear it. Not at all!  Christ has said only for Sahaj yogis, that if you are slapped on one cheek, show the other. Only for the Sahaja Yogis. Not for other people. For other people, I would say that if they slap you once, you give them four slaps. Because if they have ghosts(catches), they will go  away.Among Sahaja Yogis your talk with each other should be pure and loving. It is very necessary. All should talk lovingly amongst each other. I do not mind if you speak this way with an outsider. But, one who is ours, a Sahaja Yogi, is embodied in me.. Every Sahaja Yogi is in my body. Hence if you are kicking each other or abuse each other, then you should think that you are abusing me. 

Because if there are ten branches on a tree, if these fight amongst themselves, what will happen to the tree and what will happen to its leaves? If my hand starts quarrelling with my other hand then what will happen? If it is understood that we all are one….. Overall, we have so much unity amongst ourselves that we are elements of the same body. Then how should  we behave, how much understanding we should have , how warm our love for each other should be, how desirous we should be to give pleasure to each other, —-what should be done to make them happy..what should I give them? What will they like ?   Now in Diwali, or during Sankranti, we give presents..

What present should we give them — so we give them something that is cheap and low value.  This is typical. We are very intelligent in such things. Get the cheapest thing from the market and offer it saying,  ‘Accept  our gift” – so that the other should take it and throw it away. So unless there is benevolence in the heart, this thing cannot happen. And you have not lost that benevolence  of heart. You have that heart in you because now the lamp of atma,  that has lit in you –   has given you immense illumination. Such a clean beautiful, chaste heart . Whatever – full of love that is flowing through the heart – .one should continue to gaze at it happily. I came here and seeing you people I felt amazed – look,  what all is flowing from  the light of the heart – What a great pleasure it is ! Thus you all should feel that we  are the elements of Shri Mataji’s being. If we make some mistake, it pains Mataji’s body. It will cause pain to her being… So we should not behave like that at all.  We should have a sort of prudence in us, a sort of understanding in us and we should have a courteous  behavior.  

  There are some who stall  others  like a disoriented person; or who indulge  into mindless childish prattles. Many  have a compulsive habit of singing and some read poems incessantly  or something else. This is not right.   We should do things that are proper, pragmatic and elegant. Even in our behavior there should be elegance. When we make ornaments for Mother, how beautiful they are! But you only  are my ornaments and I have adorned you on my body. If those ornaments lack cleanliness, or are impure that is they lack the main quality —  meaning if they are  gold ornaments without gold, or contain brass instead of gold, then what is the use? The same applies to you too. If the main element embodied in you is fake then where  will I go showing it off  ? So you are my ornament, you only have decorated me. I do not need any other ornament. I submit to you in great earnest that while speaking with kids or anybody else, one should perform the task very sensibly, very politely and slowly. There is no point in forcing, in being rude or doing hurry with anyone. This way there  will be a day when the whole world will behold you with great awe. “ Where do these people come from, who are these people ?”. Then they will know that these are messengers from the heaven. To take care of the whole world, to bestow success on the world, to escort the world to God’s doorstep. These are messengers sent by the Almighty.  

I bow to such messengers..