-- Sri AVS Pawan Kumar

Rev Sir and Brothers and Sisters in the Natural Path,

My Humble Pranams to all,

1. The topic for this seminar is taken from the message delivered by Rev Babuji Maharaj titled “Peep into Reality” on 16 Jan 1970 during the inauguration of the Yogashram building at Raichur.

2. I will now present the paper based on my understanding of the Masters saying.

3. Rev Babuji has given this message for those people who, though want to achieve Reality or Divinity, without knowing what it is or what it involves, start to proceed in a grosser way to attain the “Subtlest”. He further compares this with those who describe the taste of a mango without actually eating it. It is in this context Rev Master states that Reality can be achieved by lion hearted people who are willing to follow the method practically and not theoretically, in its prescribed form to achieve the result of attaining the Ultimate.

4. In the above message Rev Babuji brings out two important facets of the system of natural path:

(a) Thoughts have life and they also work on the lives of others: In this statement Rev Babuji has very categorically stated that our thoughts have ‘Prana’, the Life Force and they impact on others ‘Prana’. This, I feel is possible only when thoughts have their original natural character in its core. Therefore, as an abhyasi, one must maintain purity of thought and always think of the betterment of others. This has been integrated in the concept of Parahita and Parasukha as given by Rev Master. This can be developed by deliberately practicing and offering the 9 PM prayer where we are making a sankalpa that “all brothers and sisters are being filled up with love and devotion and that real faith is growing stronger in them”.

(b) Living in tune with nature: Rev Babuji says that people generally believe in God but proceed in an “Opposite direction”, a ‘gross’ and impossible way to reach the goal of life the ‘Subtlest’. Here we learn the importance of living in tune with nature or in line with the divine and assiduously following the method as given by the master and making it our nature to exhibit Divinity in all its dimensions.

5. On reading the message and contemplation, a thought comes to our mind as to why only ‘Lion Hearted’ men are required to approach and achieve Reality. In my view the answer to it is that in order to identify and achieve the ‘Highest’, the subtlest, the goal of human life one must have the Courage of conviction in the objective and an unstinting faith in the system given to us by Rev Master to reach the destination, thus forming an ‘Individual Will’ that to become one with the Master is one’s most fundamental duty.

6. What does this Involve?

(a) The most important facet required to grow in spirituality is to ‘Subordinate the Selfish Interests for the larger interests of Humanity’. I say this on seeing the various examples of our history where we, for our selfish needs and goals, did / do not hesitate in sacrificing even the normal needs of our own brethren and family, the group , the nation and above all the humanity itself. It requires a man with enormous courage to stand up and practice his dharma, which is his primary duty. This courage develops by having faith and belief in oneself and most importantly the Divine. This is practiced by following the Commandment 6 as given by the master.

(b) The next aspect is that a person should Give due consideration to ‘Fair rights and the legitimate needs of others’. This develops when we have respect and concern towards others. This involves regulating ones own interests and ambitions in addition to undergoing inconvenience in not harming others. This requires high degree of control over ones faculties in the physical / mental / Emotional / Vital planes. Moderation develops and becomes an integral part of one’s life process.

(c) When Rev Babuji Says ‘To Peep into Reality’, we must understand that reality is a state of highest purity. This necessitates one to get rid of the grossness and such like impediments, which surround us in the form of various coverings, to progress on the Natural Path. It is the development of divine attributes alone that can slowly but steadily shatter the various layers of grossness leading everyone to be the “Mould of Divine Expression”.

(d) Importance of the Role of Spiritual Guide and the Trainer: Having understood the basic fact that, as Rev Babuji puts it ‘Unless the grossness is completely off, we cannot peep into Reality’ and in another message “As long as we do not remove the grossness settled in our centres, the grace or effect of higher centres remains far apart due to grossness and complexities we have made”. This can be achieved only by the help of a “strong and dynamic hand” of the Spiritual guide and the trainer who help us in realizing our goal through the process of transmission as Act of Service to the Great Master. We should develop a yielding attitude towards the Spiritual guide and the trainer, who are assisting us on the path of spiritual progress by adhering to the suggestions given to the abhyasi scrupulously.

7. How does the Natural Path make us ‘Lion Hearted’

(a) The assiduous following of the path as shown by the master will help us to understand oneself or the nature of individual Self and its commonality with Nature (creation) i.e. all other species. This makes us realize that divinity exists in all forms of Nature. This also promotes a feeling of Fraternity and develops in us the divine qualities of Moderation (in thought / Actions and attitudes), Tolerance, Respect and love for the fellow beings. This is strongly felt by the practice of Pt A and 9 PM Universal prayer.

(b) The natural path makes us think beyond ones ‘Selfish’ self and grows into as being a part of nature. The Questions ‘What is my role in the world’, ‘what is the purpose of existence’ and ‘what am I to do’ tend to get automatically answered. The system envisages the role one has to play by following the principles of living by the Master i.e. the Ten Commandments as a Divine Order. The practice of Morning Meditation, purification process, Bed time prayer and the practice of Points A and B are the only means to step towards achieving the goal of human life.

(c) The most important facet of our system in the natural path is the continuous divine support in the form of ‘Pranahuti’ which enables one to grow and fly with both the wings. This is being bestowed to us on a day to day basis. The shower of divine grace is given to us right from introduction, Individual sittings, Satsanghs and Bhandaras. We are indeed grateful to our Spiritual Guide and the ISRC for having instituted a system that the abhyasi can derive the bliss of Pranahuti in Satsanghs everyday wherever one may be.

(d) The system gives us the indefatigable conviction to think of the good of others and to pray for their betterment despite personal suffering at physical level as a human duty.

(e) Above all, an abhyasi develops lion – like courage with total and absolute focus on the Goal, the Reality of the Master and follow the NATURAL PATH with sincerity and devotion overcoming all types of obstacles at all levels.

8. To conclude, the system of Natural path has inculcated in us to be ‘lion hearted’ in the march towards Reality. The Practice of the system as given by Rev Babuji in totality will help us in expressing Master and Master alone in our life and serve the Spiritual purpose. The examples of many of the abhyasis of ISRC are a proof of this.

9. I am grateful to you for providing me the opportunity to express master and his thoughts.

Namasthe.