Abhyasi's Confusion: What to eat and what not (Part II)

It is a fact that Babuji Maharaj has said, "Meat eating may be beneficial to the body but it is harmful to spiritual upliftment." Even Lord Krishna in his dictates to Babuji Maharaj on 15th October, 1944 had pointed out, "Though meat eating is certainly beneficial for health, seekers of the Divine, should not eat meat. It is harmful for them."

Babuji Maharaj was of the opinion that a person used to wrong things or doing unwanted actions, is like a patient who is suffering from a disease of  ' Wrong Doings '. It is not easy for him to get rid of the disease himself. Babuji Maharaj never said, " leave this or that and then come to me for abhyas". He neither pointed out nor blamed the person for his defects. He simply judged them by the love for Divine in their heart. Being the Supreme Spiritual Doctor, having absolute confidence in his system, he simply prescribed his spiritual medicine, i.e., Meditation, Cleaning, Prayer, Constant Remembrance, to be taken regularly by the patient(abhyasi) to get rid of unwanted things. Abhyasi should make his best efforts to do all actions in Divine Remembrance which develops a balancing smoothness in him with the gradual departure of adverse elements. Cure has been a definite result and time depends on the depth of devotion for taking prescribed medicine. I have myself seen a number of abhyasis cured and touching height of spiritual upliftment. In short Babuji wanted, " Eat to live and do not live to eat. Necessity, however, is a deciding factor in all matters and situations."

A new abhyasi should be told about the efficacy of the system which frees a man from all undesirable things so that he may not entangle himself by brooding over his own defects. In our system, Babuji's role is maximum as compared with the abhyasi. He cures the abhyasis by transmission of Divine Grace. Abhyasi has only to keep himself attached with Him.

Abhyasi's Confusion: What to eat and what not

According to Babuji, a spiritual man definitely eats to live and does not live to eat. Necessity is a deciding factor. Before Babuji Maharaj it has been a practice in the field of spirituality to suggest do's and donts. Eat this and do no eat that. Some so called Gurus also speak even more than that. However Babuji Maharaj suggested only to take the spiritual medicine in time, i.e., to be regular in practice of meditation, prayer and efforts for remaining in constant remembrance and he assured that gradually the abhyasi will feel lightness as he will be free from that which the system does not want. It too is decided according to a particular situation.

Eating is related with body. There are so many places in the world where people cannot survive without eating meat or taking liquor. According to Babuji Maharaj, these people are as good as others who are vegetarians to attain the human goal of life, i.e., God Realization. If eating is related with the body, Divine worship is related with the inner being.

Babuji Maharaj did not prohibit anything because he was confident about the efficacy of the system which if followed properly will keep only required things in an abhyasi. The best way to have a Divine living, is simply to practice ' Not I, but He is doing everything'. It means that abhyasis should even eat and drink in His Remembrance. Gradually the abhyasi will start feeling His presence everywhere. This helps in melting of " I " and to that extent there is replacement by Divine. Without any stress, the abhyasi proceeds towards ' Balance ' in all matters. The dirt gets cleared and obstructions go away. 

One thing we should remember that Nature has given us independence in our actions with an inner guidance to understand Good or Bad, Right or Wrong. This sense should be utilized in our living. Moreover Babuji's help in the form of transmission of Divine Grace is always there. I have put these facts to the best of my knowledge and hopefully this should clarify any confusion in this regard.

Babuji Maharaj's views on Constant Remembrance

Remembrance  means creation of a link in between two, i.e., the one remembering and the other being remembered. It is complete when one always feels the other's nearness all the time.

Babuji Maharaj used to say that an abhyasi should make his efforts always to be in the remembrance of God. No time, place or action should be an exception for His remembrance. With increase in the efforts, the Divine help also increases. Efforts become Real in due course of time.

Babuji Maharaj has pointed out, "Remembrance should be in a way that we feel the thought of remembrance oozing out from the objects everywhere. It is the Real remembrance which mortals can have. It is a play for our good. Now a new chapter opens in the web of life. The effect of our deep devotion begins to resound in a way that we feel, the Ultimate is remembering us. That is the justice of Divinity. When you have played your part fully well, the Ultimate cannot fall short in playing His part. That is only a beginning of a higher sort of spirituality."

Saint Kabir has also said that one should be restless in His remembrance. He has expressed his views on Remembrance as under -

" मेरा राम मुझे भजे, तब पाऊं विश्राम "

which means that my mind can be at rest only when the Lord gets busy with the remembrance of me.

Once I asked Babuji Maharaj "Babuji, when I am at Shahjahanpur before you, there is no remembrance. Why?" Babuji Maharaj replied, "As you are near me, no question of remembrance arises. However on reaching the climax of remembrance, the state of mind of such person does not make him realize that he in remembrance(याद वोह याद है जो कभी याद ना रहे कि हम याद कर रहे हैं ). It happens only when one is always near to the person being remembered."

The efficacy of the way suggested by Pujya Babuji Maharaj is beyond expression because at every step there is the help of transmission of His Divine Grace. We are very lucky to be in the shelter of Babuji Maharaj because for attainment of goal of God Realization, a major part is played by Him with a little co-operation of the abhyasi.

Babuji's view on Do's and Don'ts

Babuji Maharaj never supported the theory, "Leave the bad habits first then start worship of God,". Babuji was of the opinion that nothing is good or bad as its decision is done by the situation. In fact excess of everything is bad. Poison may be a cure in certain cases. According to Him, love for God is the best medicine to get rid of bad habits and obstructive elements. An abhyasi can progress on his self-effort but his progress becomes fast if he is helped by the transmission of Divine Power by some capable person.

Babuji never suggested Do's and Don'ts because he was of the opinion that these come automatically in an abhyasi moving on the path of God Realization. However we should treat such thoughts like an uninvited guest and we have not to pay any heed to them.

The doctor's responsibility is more than the patient. The patient's duty is only to take medicine in time while doctor's responsibility lies in correct diagnosis of the disease; prescription of proper medicine; and monitoring the improvement in the condition of the patient. Similar case is of a Spiritual doctor whose responsibility is more than the role of the abhyasi. Inner self of abhyasi starts guiding in all situations. By simply cramming right and wrong, one cannot be well versed with them because the self guidance is a condition of mind which develops in an abhyasi in due course of time with the help of Divine Grace.

Once one fellow asked Babuji, "Sir, being a spiritual man why you take 'Hookah'?" Babuji replied, " Anything which is an obstruction or harmful to spiritual progress, should not be done. Smoking is harmful to the body but not to the spiritual upliftment. Moreover, I may take poison but if i provide nectar to you - take it. Find out the things favorable to your goal and if you do not get them, it is better to leave the place and the man. The physical of a man is simply a door, while a lot about him is inside. So it is better to peep into him to understand his real personality".

Hence one should not care of Do's and Don'ts rather one should pay attention to proper discharge of the duties  in the remembrance of the Almighty.