Om Sarvajeevaishwariay eh Namah

(Hindi discourse given by P. P. Aniruddha Bapu on 13th July 2006 on Radha Sahastranam at New English High School, Bandra)

Hari Om

I tender my salutations to Radhaji, the one who grants aishwarya to every jiva. She bestows the five aishwaryas, meaning the five kinds of strengths to transform each Jiva into Jivatma. We have seen the first four strengths: 1. Suvarna bal 2. Raupya bal, 3. Mautik bal or Mukta bal 4. Kalika bal and the fifth strength that we are going to see today, is called the “Udbeej bal”, Ud + beej bal. In the field of philosophy it is defined as “Kak Pipal Nyay”. Nyay means justice, Kak means crow and Pipal meaning the Pipal tree. So then what does this Udbeej bal mean? And what is its relation to the definition of Kak Pipal Nyay in philosophy? So we must first understand what is Kak Pipal Nyay.

The Pipal fruits are very sweet in taste but man cannot eat too much of it, the crows though relish it a lot and it is only the crows who mostly consume the Pipal fruit and after digesting the fruit they defecate. The seeds of the fruit are thrown out at the same place where the crows defecate after eating the fruit. We observe that the Pipal tree sometimes starts growing on the walls of a building too. How does this happen? The Pipal seeds which are in the crow shit are very tiny and these are sowed by the crow too, hence the crow is called the “Pipal Pita” meaning the father of the Pipal in Sanskrit. It is the crow who gives birth to the Pipal. So we all know how huge the Pipal tree can become, how immeasurable the extent of its shade is and just imagine how is it born? Through a crow, whom nobody is really fond of. Apart from inviting the crow on the day when we pay homage to our ancestors, nobody want to keep the crow as a pet in the house and then how does this seed gets its strength from the waste of this crow? When the Pipal tree is formed, when this tree is created, we call it the Kak Pipal Nyay, that means when we see this important tree in this world, we do not know its source, we do not know from where it has originated. And when we see the crow itself we say what an ugly bird, forget seeing or commenting on his waste. But it is from this waste that an enormous tree like the Pipal takes birth. So what is this justice called in the field of philosophy – the truth is that there is just nothing in this universe that is entirely worthless, useless or good for nothing. Even the faeces of an ugly bird like the crow is not without use. This shows that each and every element in this universe, in this creation is of some importance. It is this principle that has been explained to us through this philosophy of Kak Pipal Nyay meaning even a crow’s feces can gift us a gigantic Pipal tree.

The Saints thus want to tell us that dear brother and sisters do not consider even the tiniest of things as insignificant. Also when you see something very big or grand, remember that the origin of this has been from a very tiny or sometimes what we consider as dirt, it could have been from that. We can all see the lotus growing from the dirty muddy waters, but we cannot directly observe the Pipal tree growing from the waste of the crow. These kind of great actions, great incidents which exist either in vast shape, size or immense in thought, all these originate firstly from a small point that people treat as meager. Greatness lies in the smallest of things, try to understand that. This does not mean that we start collecting the waste of a crow, or that it is something of great importance, no, Lord Vishnu is not trying to explain to us something so trivial. He is instead trying to instruct us that God has created this entire universe. This only means that each and every element, component; aspect of this universe is important and necessary for the ongoing cycle of this universe, each ghatak of the vishwarachna is important for the balance of the vishwachakra.

We must not discard anything as just dirt. No doubt that the waste of the crow is dirt, definitely no doubt about it but, it is the same crow who sits on one Pipal tree and consumes twenty fruits, then goes to ten places and spreads droppings and maybe five Pipal trees grow out of that. Thus we can envisage how much the crow must have helped us to cultivate the jungles and plantations and also to shield nature. Also mostly the nests of crows are built on the Pipal tree too. See how all this is dependant on one another. The crow requires the Pipal tree to consume its fruit in order to sustain itself; it also needs a big tree like a Pipal to make its nests and also for the safety and protection of the nests. In return for this favour, the crows eat the fruits of the Pipal tree and then go and sow the seeds in different locations and this is the “Kak Pipal Nyay”, we must always be aware of this principle and keep the same in our mind throughout our life time as only this principle will help us to understand this strength of “Udbeej bal”.

What do we mean by Udbeej bal? Please note that when we experience the first showers of rain the earth continues to be the earth, the land remains the same land, but immediately after the first rains, you will see greenery everywhere, tiny tender grass immediately sprouts all around. Who pulls it from the outside? Is somebody tugging from the outer surface and saying come on now, come out? No, it’s just that some seeds that had fallen into the earth are growing on their own; no human can do this by design. This is happening only due to the law of nature, owing to the events of nature the seeds that were sown under the soil will erupt in the form of blades of grass or very tiny plants and come out from beneath as soon as the rain falls on the surface of land. This strength, which is in the seed, allows it, in spite of it being buried underground to come out of the earth as soon as it receives God’s message in the form of rain. As soon as the tiny seed receives the message, it is eager to meet Him, to get Him, to listen to God’s that message, to experience the nature that God has created, it breaks through, it pushes its way out from beneath the ground.

Look at the size of the seed, it is so very tiny, but still it has the power to break out from underneath the hard surface. This is called the Udbeej bal, Ud + beej bal. If we have to insert a nail or a wire in the ground, imagine what all effort we have to put in, how much strength has to be used, even a well built person of 60 kgs will have to use might for this, but this seed which is so tiny weighing a maximum of 10 or 6 or 5 milligrams has so much power that it can just erupt out. The tiny blades of grass are so very delicate but still they can steer their way out from the earth. This great energy is called the Udbeej bal. The Supreme mother Radha, Janakimata to every living being, always gives this. She gives this so that we never consider ourselves unworthy or useless. I am good for nothing is a feeling you must never ever nurture about yourself. Radhaji gives this best of all strengths to each one.

You have the Udbeej balam with you, so even if you are buried deep underground, do not worry. If you are truly God’s devotee, if you really have bhakti within you and have the seed of love for God within you, then two seed of God’s grace are going to tear through the earth and reach you, with the help of which you will once again find your way out through the hard ground and grow to be a big strong tree. Many a times we face such serious problems that we feel that we are literally buried underground, now there is nobody or no way out and I am going to die here, this will never happen. There will always be somebody to pull you out from there. If you have faith in God, if you have steadfast belief in God, if you have the forbearance, then surely after 9 months or 8 months or 6 months, depending on the season, this shower of rain is going to reach you. Just two raindrops are needed for this seed, just two little drops of rain. With just these droplets the tiny seed that was buried under the ground comes out and grows back again and goes on to become a big tree.

What if the Pipal seed thought that the crow is going to eat me and I will now have to come out through his waste and says, no I will not do this, then what would have happened? The seed would always remain a seed and never ever become an enormous tree. God’s desire or wish here is not to put the seed in the crow’s waste, growing through dirt here symbolizes going through difficulties, tough situations. God has designed this only for your progress and development. When you are going through such times in your life be assured that God loves you very much. I should also become strong like a Pipal tree, that’s why people are today throwing muck at me, abusing me and there is no peace and happiness in my life. This is the same state that the seed endures when it is in the crow’s stomach or faeces. Similarly I am in stretched circumstances today, in a confusion today, in difficulty today, but always remember that God is taking me through these state of affairs, definitely due to my actions in the past and fate, but even in this my God, this Bhagwati Radha, Lord Krishna, Ram will transform me into a strong Pipal tree.

All I need for this is implicit faith and steadfast conviction towards my God and His divine feet. This is not the complete picture about the Udbeej Bal, like I had said on the first day also that this fifth strength is the most important one. This is one kind of energy that is distributed equally to each one at the time of one’s birth itself. The pious and the sinner both have it, but the more effort we put in to carry out bhakti and seva, the more this strength is then replenished to us in the same proportion on a daily basis, daily and I mean it!

It is said that at dawn, which according to the time in Mumbai means 30 minutes past 3 O’clock in the morning, between that time and sunrise, this Bhagwati Radha, this Janakimata, this Uma keep distributing this Udbeej Bal in the entire universe. Every single day and whosoever remembers God before sleeping at night can easily obtain this from the Supreme mother. Only the one who has dozed off chanting God’s name and with His remembrance in the heart at night is eligible for this bal everyday. The one who gets up at the Brahmamuhurat and chants God’s name, such a person gets this bal three times over. This means that we can get this energy every single day. But the one who does not at all take God’s name is not entitled for this bal. If you do not receive this strength, then you will remain buried underground and then when you reach that state and if you curse God, you think He is going to listen to you? Absolutely not. That is precisely why the elders in the house advise us that after finishing all our daily chores always chant God’s name before falling into slumber. There is no need to count sheep.

So the one who goes into sleep with God’s remembrance in the heart, to such a one Radhaji grants the Udbeej Bal at every Brahmamuhurat. You automatically also get the power to receive this strength on its own and you don’t have to strive for it. What in fact happens is that all the seeds that we contain within us, we actually have a lot of seeds in us, but these seeds do not get the energy, like when we say I have not been given an opportunity in life else I would have become the Prime minister or I would have been a great engineer or I would have been a successful businessman by now. Why did all this happen? Because the seeds in my mind, in my intellect, in my ability to perform did not get the energy and this control that we need is obtained from the Udbeej Bal that I can obtain on a daily basis. If you can get up at dawn everyday, then that is the best and for some reason if you cannot, even then there is no problem. Just commit God’s name to memory before sleeping and you will surely receive the Udbeej Bal in some quantity. You will definitely get it as Radhaji distributes it every single day, Daily!

In the Rigved, there is a mention of Usha Stavan. In Usha Stavan also the same concept is mentioned, that Usha is also one form of Bhagwati Radha. This Usha presents a similar force at each step. The entire universe blooms and this energy too is the Udbeej Bal. Which goes to reinforce the fact that it only at Brahmamuhurat that this special bal is gifted to the entire universe only due to the unlimited grace of this Radhaji. But if somebody says, I want the bal but will not take God’s name, and then it is impossible. You will ask why? Because this rule is made by that one. Not Radhaji, but by the one who is Radha’s husband, the one who is Laxmi’s husband, the one who runs this entire universe, He has made this rule.

You will argue Bapu; this is too much, He is full of Himself. Only if one takes His name, one can benefit? Yes that is so. But He does not want anybody to go into raptures over Him, He only desires that all His children should get all the superior energies, but He also knows that when my children try to find the way to obtain these potent energies, they sometimes go on the incorrect trail and end up harming themselves. It is only this one thing called God, this thing called faith in God, which stops them from going on the mistaken path. Even before you take a single step on the erring course, he drags you down; he will prefer you having a fall but will not allow you to go on the wrong path. So remember to take God’s name every night before sleeping.

Some of you may ask Bapu, though we forget to remember God at night, but we do chant His name during the day. What about that? Is that of no use? The bhakti that I do throughout the day, does that go waste? Is it of no use to me? Do I not gain the Udbeej Bal from there? Then also you do, but how? Lets see one simple example; Very early in the morning fresh vegetables have arrived in the vegetable market, about 100 kilos of vegetables. You too arrive there early in the morning, what kind of vegetables will you get there? The best, because you have the right to choose and as you are there in the beginning itself, you can take the pick of whatever you want.

But as the day proceeds and more people arrive and buy the vegetables, our choices are reduced and after 6 0’clok you have to be content with buying whatever is leftover and return back home. Right? If you plan to get married at the age of 25 or 30, it is all right, but if you think let me keep enjoying and then finally get married at the age of 70, then what will happen? Whom will you find and what will you get? Right? The age when I should have stu died, gone to school to educate myself, I didn’t and now at the age of 80 I plan to start my schooling and go and attend std 1 and sing nursery rhymes and dance to their tune, what will happen? People will say that the old man has lost it. All these examples go to show us that everything must be done at the appropriate time.

So the ones who pray at night constantly obtain the energy that is being disseminated in the morning. But that does not mean that the others start feeling that now there is nothing left for me. This does not happen. This energy is immeasurable and is flowing incessantly, but each part of the day distributes a different kind of energy or vibration. There are these five bals. From all those, this last bal that we are conversing about today, the Udbeej Bal, that is distributed at dawn and is also present for the entire day and the ones who remember God at night receive it effortlessly. But the other four parts of the day – three parts of the day and one part of the night, the other four bals that we spoke about are also being circulated one by one. First the Suvarna bal, then the Raupya bal, then the Muktabal and the Kalika bal – all of these are also spread in the remaining four parts of the day. Each being can essentially receive the energies in the most appropriate form only in that particular part of the day when each one is scheduled to be dispersed, because at that time it is habitual, it is natural, one does not have to put in any effort. The only thing one has to do at that time is to take God’s name and one can easily receive the strength being given by God.

This goes to show that in our life we must bear in mind God’s name atleast five times a day. Then we can receive all the five strengths on a daily basis and this fifth energy that begins flowing at dawn continues to do so in the same proportion right till the evening and the other four strengths are emitted only in a limited amount during the specific parts of the day assigned to them, they do not flow continuously on their own. Then only the one who does upasana can receive the same based on his passion and dedication.

Man’s effort has an important role to play here. But in the bal that is given in the morning over there human effort as well as God’s force is at work. Understood? That is why friends please remember God atleast five times in the day. You will grumble that you don’t have the time that is why Bhagwati Mata is trying her best to reach you. Whenever you can during the day atleast pray for 24 minutes. Remember God and chant His name, do his bhakti and to top it if you take His name before retiring to bed at night then automatically all these energies are made available to you on their own. But if I cannot spare even 24 minutes in a day, and even if I do take out that time, my thoughts are elsewhere, eyes are roaming around then He is neither in my mind, nor in my eyes. I sometimes cannot even see what is right in front of my eyes. We want everything to be made very simple and easy for us. If something appears a little tough or difficult I hesitate to attempt it. We want solutions where we do not have to put in any effort. This is not going to happen.

Now I will ask you a question. There are so many machines being designed right? Now suppose such a machine is designed that you are made to sit in front of it near a table and the machine puts your food in your mouth, on its own ok, the meter has been set that the food should be put in the mouth after so many seconds, my mouth will open on its own and will even be made to chew on its own, the machine will help me to swallow the food by putting some pressure that pushes the food inside me. Now this, which has gone in, which has been forced in from the outside and guided still further deep inside of me, will you enjoy something like that for consuming your meals? Just close your eyes for a moment and imagine that there is this machine and you are being automatically fed, will you get any taste? You like a certain dish, are fond of certain food items and if due to the progress of science are told that now you only have to eat a pill instead of your meal and you will get your nutrition for the entire day, what will you do? For how many days will you be able to live on that tablet? You will have memories of how your mother or wife cooked a certain dish, this delicacy is available in this hotel or place, and won’t you remember all this? You stomach of course will be filled; you would have received all the calories, vitamins, minerals required by your body. Will you be ready to eat that tablet on a daily basis? It is ok once in a while; when you are engrossed in work you can think of having it. Nobody will be ready to eat this everyday, no one will be ready to use that machine everyday, I am not talking about somebody who does not have both the arms, that is different but any being who has both his hands intact will never be ready to use this machine.

Somebody tells you to stay in Mumbai and now select a wife on the computer- in Japan, in Africa, wherever- you get married also through the computer. You will stay here and she will reside there, she will even have children there and you become a father too, you will express your love also only through the computer – how many people will agree to this platonic love? Nobody will agree and shouldn’t because it is wrong, it is against nature, against the laws of nature. So everybody will be ready for a normal lifestyle otherwise, but for God’s upasana let me give two priests 50 rupees and he does the prayers for you in the temple, while you play cards at home. We think its alright, we feel God will tolerate anything. If you have given the money to a priest to pray on your behalf and then envisage that you will get the blessings for the same, then you will get the blessings only for the 50-rupee charity that you have made. Sometimes the priest may not even pray and just come and give you some grams as prasad then you will be in even greater difficulty. Leave the priest to his fate, what is appropriate for you? You ask the priest how long will the prayer last and if it is for twenty minutes and for some reason you cannot go to the temple or do not have the time in the morning when the prayer is being done at the temple then atleast in the evening sit calmly for 20 minutes and chant”Jai Jai Ramkrishna Hari” or “ Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram”, or “Sainath, Sainath” whatever that you want to say to remember Him, only then will you receive the true blessings of that prayer done by the priest. Do not try to give money to priests to receive God’s grace; this is never going to happen.

In every sphere of our life, in every aspect I want to do things myself, want to enjoy the benefits myself, want to experience myself all that is pleasurable and enjoyable but whatever effort I have to put in for God’s bhakti or whatsoever endeavours I must do to earn His grace, I am not willing to do that. How do we expect to get everything so easily without any exertion? For ease of gain we look at putting in the minimum effort and I don’t want to tread on the path that requires hard work. But then look at what happens because of this negative tendency- the energy that is being gifted to us owing to God’s unconditional love cannot be received by us due to lack of effort from our side, we do not even receive this boundless grace and are ignoring the continuous flow. We ourselves are refusing it. We are closing our own doors, is this appropriate then? But we don’t realize we are doing this, nobody explains this to us. We only feel that spirituality is a very difficult thing, let us only learn one thing that, yes I do not know much about spirituality, but then I am not seeking to be an expert in that area or a priest, I am not seeking to be a professor in that field, there is no need to be all of that, just think that I only have to become one simple foolish bhakt. Let people call you dumb, idiotic whatever; let it be, just insist that you only have to become only a foolish bhakt.

You will state that Bapu you are suggesting to us to become foolish? Yes but what I want you to be is not foolish but innocent, naïve, somebody who does not know what to do or what is to be done. First just confess in front of the Almighty that you are ignorant and do not know anything, this confession is in front of God and not to other people. Fold your hands humbly in front of the Lord and lovingly tell Him about your ignorance that I do not know how to do your bhakti, what is the best way to serve you, how do I receive these five strengths, but sincerely with a clean heart I want to love you and also offer all my affection at your divine feet. I really want to serve you my lord, I want to lead a pure and clean life, and I want to have good virtuous qualities. Just saying this to God in your own simple but loving language is enough; there is no need for any great mantras. If we keep doing this and keep saying this sincerely everyday to God then this Bhagwati Radha who gifts the five energies daily to us will surely pressurize God to visit you at the earliest and gift the powers and that too in a little extra quantity. Only She can do this and will also surely listen to you but you have to first agree to take the first step.

If I take the rigid stance that since I recite ten strotras a day, sing hymns for ten minutes every night, say the gayatri mantra in the morning, read one chapter of a holy book everyday then I have to be very close to God. No. I have given ten lakh rupees as donation to this temple, given twenty lakhs for some prayer to be conducted, excellent for you, with all this your reserve of good quality deeds will surely go up, but when you say - I have given, I have done this for God then surely know that you have got your punya for the deed you have done, but you have surely not received God’s grace. God is very Just. He always gives back multifold of what you offer to Him. When you sincerely feel that I have offered at God’s feet, all that He in any case has given me or that I am offering to Him a small part of all that which is truly only His, not only this but offering with the true feeling that what ever I have is only given by you dear God, everything in this universe belongs only to you and I don’t know what and how to offer anything to you, then the matter is totally different.

Look we are walking on a road to cross the road and a blind man is standing there for the same, then many people come forward to help him cross the road. After you help him to get to the other side of the road and while getting into a taxi find that your wallet is missing, you realize that the fellow pretending to be blind was actually not one. He has tricked me and when you turn back to see him, you see him taking off his goggles and laughing. What will you do? What will you say? That a man who was not actually blind but was only pretending to be one has fooled me. But after this incident will you start think that every blind man is a robber? You will not right? Definitely you will not think so and if you do think so, you will be wrong. Similarly when we are doing God’s upasana we may commit some mistakes, somebody tricks us, we fall into some one’s trap, we err but then with all this we start feeling scared, there is fear in our heart and because of this fear I am always worried and do not want to bear the responsibility of the wrong act. Each one is scared of this responsibility, so if a ceremony has to be performed, a pooja has to be done, then better to let a priest do it, what if I do it and make a mistake? Don’t worry God is not going to catch you by your tail for these mistakes. God is truly the one who knows what is in your heart, your intention, your true feeling, your inner thoughts, so you don’t have to worry about all the errors you might make in your actions of prayer. He knows what is right and what is wrong.

So the Udbeej bal can be received only by the one who devotes at least twenty four minutes for God’s bhakti every single day, and falls asleep every night only while chanting God’s name, to such a one all these five energies are made available and also the sarvashrestha bal the Udbeej bal is continuously granted. To each and everybody! Why is it that only this one Bal is so important and a pre requisite for all? Why have I called it the most important bal? Why is it flowing everyday from dawn to dusk? It never ever reduces in quantity in spite of as many people taking as much of it, so then what is so special in this?

Now lets see the case of a man who has five rooms in the house and also has five women sitting in those five different rooms. One is his mother, one his grandmother, one his wife, one sister, and one his daughter; the fifth one is just an acquaintance. Now when this Mr. XYZ goes to each room, his relationship with each of the ladies there is of a different kind. His love for each of them is of a dissimilar nature; he feels a different affection for his mother, grandmother, wife, sister, and daughter. The emotion of love is the same but the expression of that emotion for each woman is different. This shows when the reason or kind of love varies then the expression of love, the physical action of that expression is also not the same and it should be so or else we will not call him a human being, but an animal instead. When he enters the room where there is a woman whom he does not know and he starts expressing his love for her, then you can very well imagine what he is going to receive.

This is the truth that every person is fulfilling different roles and relationships all the time, at the same time, in the same house. Lets take the work situation where let us say that you are the second in charge, there is an officer above you and one under you. At the same point in time you are taking orders from your senior, and giving instructions to the one reporting to you and simultaneously working in a team with the colleagues who are on the same level as you are. All these roles have to be performed at the same time. Not only this let us take a simple example of walking on the road. So our one objective is to leave one point and arrive at some other point. From the home to the market, home to office, office to home wherever it is that I want to go there are two points, one the starting and the other the ending point. So what is the thought in our mind when we are walking – that we have to reach a particular destination, and what are the different roles that I am performing when I am walking? One is of a person who is walking, what is the other one? Taking care that I don’t fall down somewhere- be careful about potholes, dirt, fruit peels etc, meaning that this thought of safety is also predominant in the mind. Whilst crossing the road also I am observing the different directions in which the cars are moving, not only this I also am thinking that my wife had asked me to bring some vegetables on the way back, so you look out for the vegetables too. You wish for the same to be available on your way itself so that you don’t have to go the market specially. Then suddenly you see somebody known approaching you and think that if I stop to talk to him I will waste a lot of time, so think of ways to avoid meeting his gaze and moving on.

How many times we all have to do all of the above? The action is the same; the objective is the same going from one point to the other, but how many roles we have to perform at the same time. Now lets see the same point from another perspective, when I am sitting in a temple in front of God’s idol, then am I performing only one role? Of the bhakt. I am the bhakt and He is my God. No, even then I am living a variety of roles, some good, and some bad. First lets see the negative roles. One is that I feel I am highly educated; I have a white collar, what if others see me here? People might ridicule me by saying that in spite of being so educated, he is sitting here calling out to God; this is the first negative thought when I think that my white collar will become a little dark.

The other harmful kind of thought is that I want to go for a movie and here I am in a queue, let me break the same and move ahead or since I have to go for a movie I will not spend ten minutes as scheduled in the temple but get up only after a couple of minutes there. The other thoughts are that if I give the priest 50 rupees, he will give me some extra prasad and let me go away with that, here you have not received God’s prasad but the priest’s prasad. You are trying to bribe by giving money to the priest. Right? Not only that, over there in the temple if you feel someone is insulting you by say pushing you or going ahead, it could be anybody another bhakt or a volunteer there or else somebody asks you to shift or stand some where else, you become very agitated. I hold such a high position and I am being told this? Just realize that you have come to God’s door, learn to look at His holy feet here atleast, here if anybody even kicks you just think that this is happening because of God’s will, some sin of mine is being washed away, we will not think this way but we will caress our ego and get trapped there. Remember in front of whom are you standing? You are nobody, you are a tiny dot, and what are you sitting with your status, fame, and glory in front of Him? This is not at all necessary. Why are we sitting with all these roles, status, respect etc over there?

The other strong role that we get stuck with in front of God is that of a sinner. God how useless I am, God how undeserving I am, what a sinner I am, look how I have wronged. God when will you stop me from doing all this? Dear Lord why are you not stopping me? God gets bored with all this. He says that my dear child, if you really think that you trust me, if you really are repenting, you are feeling very bad in your mind that you have done wrong then be rest assured that I have heard you and believe you. There is no need to keep repeating the same thing over and over again. Just keep taking my name again and again instead. We otherwise find ourselves begging God, its two years now and I have not got married, or four years since I have had a child, ten years and I have only five daughters when will I have a son – all the time we are asking Him for something or the other. When we are doing this, in what role are we sitting in front of our God? In the role of a beggar, or in the role of a sinner, or in the role of a famous man, or in the role of a person who is always in a rush and not only that we also become actors in the court of God.

We actually start performing in front of God, we very lovingly fold our hands, this is so that when people around see you, they will perceive you as a great devotee, but in reality when you have joined your hands and shut your eyes, you cannot see God’s idol, even what you could when your eyes were open cannot be seen now, you start seeing some other kinds of idols. Now arises the big problem. Better than this is to keep your eyes open and see what you can, that at least will have some benefit for you. See the other kind of playacting that goes on- if somebody is singing a bhajan then I have to sing louder, if somebody is clapping to the tune then my claps have again to be louder because I want to show off. Sometimes I see that hundred people are singing an arati and ten out of that do not know the same, but still they will keep moving their lips and mumbling jumbling something or the other as they think of what others will say on realizing that I don’t know the prayer. Whom are you trying to trick? God? If you don’t know the prayer, it is all right, you don’t have to unnecessarily move your lips uttering some nonsensical sounds. But we do not leave our acting behind even when we are in front of God. All through the day, through our life we keep acting and then do the same in front of God too. Why do this dear friend? There is no need for this. For He knows just everything. Some remember some don’t, how much ever you remember just say that with love and affection that’s it, you will learn the rest gradually, there is no need to playact, but we continue with our acts in front of God. We pull our ears when we see Him, do that if you have to but do it with the same feeling in your heart and not just as a ritualistic physical action.

Many a times I have heard people asking, Bapu, I hope I am not going wrong, I hope I am not making any mistake. I just laugh, because I know he wants to ear “No” as an answer from me. He knows that what he is doing is wrong but he wants to hear a no from me. How can I do this? I just keep laughing. So they think that Bapu does not understand much. But in his heart says no, even having such a thought is not a good thing. Maybe Bapu does not pay attention to these things, poor thing what all can he look after? He has so many other matters. Dear brother Bapu has become a poor thing in one minute, Right? Now all this is acting.

Please do not act in front of God my dear friends, please discard this role of an actor or actress when in front of your Lord. Be as you are. If you know the prayer say it, if you don’t then simply join in with a clap, just look at Him with a lot of love, say whatever you can if it is Ram, Ram, Ram, along with the arati, so be it or else just listen to others singing. Do pull your ears in front of Him, do the dandvat if it is necessary but whilst doing that have the feeling in your heart that I am doing this only for my God, for getting my God, not for impressing somebody else. Don’t sing just to show somebody how much you remember or put the other person down. Just realize, in front of whom you are standing. This is a power much much greater than me and I am sitting in front of this Supreme one. Why then do I need to act?

So please do not sit in front of God with all these effects, this is extremely wrong, so then in what role should I sit in front of my God? Sometimes sit in front of Him in the role of a friend, sometimes as a son or daughter; sometimes sit as his servant, sometimes sit as somebody who serves Him, sometimes sit there to fight with Him. But even while fighting have the complete faith and feeling that I am fighting because only you are mine and I have nothing to do with anybody else. I am not going to ask anybody else for anything ever. That’s is why if I have to fight, then it has to be only with you and after the fight, after all that you have to say to God, do it and then tell Him that now I am feeling better and lighter. You are very dear to me but I will still come and fight again tomorrow. Please do sit in this role in front of God. This is also a very dear role.

The other role you must sit is in that of just seeing you. Dear God I am only going to look at you. The role of an observer, a spectator. I am sitting here only to see your form, I do not want to do anything else. Just sit in the role of a spectator and just keep gazing at His comely form, His eyes, and His feet. Sometimes sit in the role of dust. The role where you are a particle of the dust, which has been purified by the touch of the divine feet of your lord and your God, is walking on you. Just think of this role and be seated in the same. You have seen that Vishnu holds a Chakra in His hand, Shankar holds a Trishul in His hand, and there is a Satka in Sainath’s hand. Sometimes sit down in this role, that I am the Satka in Saibaba’s hand, think like this it is not a wrong thing. I am the Paduka that is in Ramchandraji’ s feet. Dear God please walk wearing me as your Paduka. Just sit in front of Him and imagine that you are a Paduka and God is wearing you while walking. Friends these are all good roles. Try and sit in these roles when you are in front of God. Not only this, sometimes while you are being a spectator just try and be a listener too.

Now Bapu how do I become a listener in front on an idol? The idol will not speak, but God will, the idol is not God Himself; it is just a symbol of Him. If you are truly sitting in the role of a listener in front of God’s idol or picture, then be confident dear friends that the ultrasonic waves of God’s voice is reaching right within your ears. Somebody is singing God’s bhajans, chanting God’s name go and try and be a listener there, listen and you will feel good. We have got used to listening only to our own voice, when will you hear God’s voice? If you have done some good deeds in your life or past births only then do you get an opportunity to hear the words of the Lord when He has appeared in a physical form on earth. Otherwise there are billions of people on this earth; all of them do not get this opportunity to hear the voice of the one who is in a physical form. To see Him from close proximity, even from a distance of 100 feet or 200 feet is not in everybody’s destiny. So then sit in front of Him, being his true listener, try and fulfill this role. You don’t realize how much strength there is in this. There is a lot of power in this, lot of power in God’s name and God’s form and God’s sport. God’s name and God’s form and God’s sport means God’s true Kirtan. There is Gunsankirtan, (singing His glory), Naamsankirtan (chanting His name), but there is no Roopsankirtan. Then what is from the roop, the form? Roopgrahan (Absorbing His form). Gunsankirtan, Naamsankirtan and Roopgrahan try and practice all these three things. Try and practice these as you can, wherever you go or wherever you are, try and practice these, do these sitting in your own house, there is a lot of power in this.

If you see Ram’s picture even on a scrap of paper in which some vegetables have been wrapped no problem, even in that picture there are His eyes, His divine charan, when you are seeing that form of Ram in that picture, who is actually looking at you? It is not that picture or that scrap of paper but it is actually Lord Ram Himself. It is very important to know this. We read a tale in the Sai Satcharitra, that once a person called Balabua comes to meet Baba, then we all hear about the tale of the Munshi, we know about Lakshmichand too who in the first meeting was told by Baba that I have met you earlier, about 3 years back. He had seen Baba’s photograph in a betel shop 3 years back. What I thought was a photograph of Baba was actually Baba Himself who was seeing me. We just hear these tales and then don’t pay any further attention to it. We must realize that the God who is true and real, His every photograph is deeply connected to my life. You have a television in your house and there are some channels on it, which are being relayed in other houses too. Why is this happening? How is this being done? It is because you have made the connection. Like when I have a photograph of say Ram or Krishna or Sai, this is the same connection, but we don’t realize it. So you don’t have to fear anything, if you don’t understand anything, no problem, God I am foolish, I don’t know anything but this picture is yours, this object has you on it so I will keep it very lovingly with me, try and sit in front of Him and do this, think like this.

It is always not possible for an ordinary person to pray and worship the formless one. That’s is why ceaselessly worship his Sagun form, do his Naamsankirtan, do His Gunasankirtan. If we consider Yuddhistra a king then, listens to what Bhishma, his grandfather had to say, (meaning their father’s paternal uncle) who was like a father to him, and he respected Bhishma more than his own father. He had told Yuddhistra to always remember the following: From all that you speak, utter during the entire day, spend atleast 1% of that in singing, talking about God’s glory and only then consider your life successful. Only 1% of all that you speak for the entire day should be spent talking about your God, in His praise, praising Him, just talking about Him. Let me always be aware and alert about how much I keep blabbering through out the day and how much of this actually addresses my God or about Him.

The other thing that Bhishma Maharaj says is: That from the time you get up from your sleep in the morning to the time that you go back to bed, from all the people that you see, the number of humans that you see atleast 1% of that duration you should be seeing God’s picture or any other form of God. Only when you have seen Him for 1% of the time that you are awake, only when you have utilized 1% of the time for seeing God only then should you consider your life successful. Please realize that your life is going to be successful only and only when you have spent the prescribed time of 1%gazing at His form

He then goes on to explain that during the day count the number of times you keep saying I, I, I, I like a cattle and if you spend only 1% of that time to say You, You, You dear God then consider your life worthwhile. What a beautiful insight Bhishma has said to Yuddhistra.

He has given three lovely paths to make one’s life successful - Gunsankirtan, Naamsankirtan and Roopgrahan. 1% of what we speak, 1% of what we see! Just look at such a great creation - we have to give in such a small quantity to receive so much in return! And this is done with the help of the Udbeej Bal. If we just contribute 1% also, we receive far greater quantity of the Udbeej bal and with the help of the Udbeej Bal itself we can perform all these three actions.

Here I am telling you a very significant principle, that if you are not doing this, not devoting even 24 minutes in a day to God, not remembering God while going to sleep at night, not doing the Gunsankirtan, Naamsankirtan and Roopgrahan for 1%, 1%, 1% of your time, then this means that you do not possess the Udbeej bal, and when this bal is in less quantity then whatever plans you make for your personal, monetary or work related progress then the chances are that even 1% of those will not be fructified. The Bal that nurtures each seed, the Udbeej Bal is in very less magnitude with you. That is why we see that the business community always does a lot of charity and follows religious practices. Remembers God first thing on rising in the morning, on reaching the shop first God, before leaving for home its God, on returning home its God again. This is because thousands of years back when these traders had to travel very long distances for business and trade they had to undergo a lot of hardships and thus they were forced to chant God’s name a number of times. Because of which this has now become a culture with them since many generations.

Only 1% is necessary but they were ready to give 100%, so then why should we limit ourselves to just 1%? Why don’t we think that if instead of 1% I give 2 % it will be great. Whatever God has to give whether it is 10% or ½%, that’s for Him to decide. He is fully just. Apart from this Udbeej Bal nothing else can help us to achieve complete progress in our life and Bhagwati Radha is already giving this Udbeej Bal to me, she keeps flowing it into our lives. We have now seen that all these five bals help to transform the “Jiva” into a “Jivatma”. Because it is the Udbeej Bal that can change the Tamoguna into Rajoguna and Rajoguna into Sattvaguna and that is why I mentioned earlier that this is the most important Bal. Not only that, the Udbeej Bal can even transform the Tamoguna directly into Sattvaguna and when the Sattvaguna is formed all our sins are destroyed.

That is why dear friends Bhagwati Radha keeps giving all these five Bals to all of us all the time, and to transform yourselves into Jivatma learn to accept her. Even if you don’t do anything else atleast understand that taking Her name, gazing at Her form with love, singing the praises of her miracles meaning talking about Her is extremely beneficial for you. From how much ever you talk during the day use atleast 1% of the time narrating about God, this will be extremely useful for you. Just doing this much will be enough. But there is no other option except these three paths. Udbeej Bal is necessary for each one, from birth right till the last day. Ante matih, sa gatih, the memory, the thought which exists in the last moments of our life, the desire that is in my mind at the last moment is what will decide the direction for my future. Here if you don’t have the Udbeej Bal with you then at the last moment you will not have positive thoughts with you.

If a patient is dying in the hospital and suddenly sees a dog or cat or mouse, what will happen? Does it mean that in the next birth you will have to become a dog or a cat or a mouse, this is not the case ever, this is an example we cite only to teach the concept. This only shows that the thoughts that I have in my mind when I am breathing my last will determine, will help to prepare for the direction of my next birth. This again does not mean that while dying you call out to your servant whose name is Ram and just because you have said Ram all the sins of your lifetime will be washed away, this is not the case.

Ante matih, sa gatih, means chanting God’s name at the end moments of your life is extremely important. As this will be the longest night of your life, that is why sleep is referred to as the real sister of death, the younger sister, as she is like death herself. When one is asleep one does not realize what is happening. If we remember Him, chant His name before we slip into the long slumber of ultimate sleep i.e. death then our next life will surely be beautiful. Similarly before this short death, our sleep at night if we chant God’s name then the approaching day will progress smoothly. This is the Udbeej Bal. These are the five Bals and this is that Sarva Jeevaishwarya Radha.

Hari Om