Mahanirvan Utsav (24th November 2024) of Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj
Significant events in the spiritual life of Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj – Guru of Dr Athavale
and Sanatan’s seat of Faith
* Birth : 7th July, 1920 at Manasa, Madhya Pradesh, at 7.10 a.m.
* The first Darshan (Vision) of His Guru, Shri Anantanand Saish : 9th February, 1956.
* Shri Guru giving the Gurumantra : 15th February, 1956.
* Shri Guru naming Baba as ‘Bhaktaraj’ : 16th February, 1956.
* Shri Guru giving up His body : 12th December, 1957.
* Mahanirvana (giving up of His body) : 17th November, 1995, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, at 2.45 a.m.
Some teachings of Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj (fondly called ‘Baba’)
Essence of the Teachings : We address our Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj as ‘Baba’. Baba talks neither of ritualistic worship nor does He confuse the listener with discourses on Jnanyoga (Path of Knowledge). He only says, “Experience Bliss through the Spiritual practices of Chanting God’s Name, Service, Sacrifice and Love for others”, and He makes His disciples do accordingly.
Bhajans (Holy songs) : Singing Bhajans is Baba’s favourite form of relaxation. In fact, Baba is identified with Bhajans and Bhajans remind one of Baba. As a disciple, singing Bhajans was His spiritual practice as well as ‘Service’. Standing before His Guru, He would sing Bhajans for hours together. After reaching the level of a Guru, His Bhajans became a medium of teaching and guiding His disciples in becoming one with Chaitanya (Divine consciousness).
Reverence some Saints have for Baba
‘A Saint of the highest level’, ‘The ultimate in Spiritual progress’, ‘Extremely rare’, ‘Beyond the realm of human understanding’, many Indian Saints have expressed their reverence for Baba in such words.
There is no other easier way to Bliss, than through the touch of the Guru’s feet. – Saint Bhaktaraj
The best Guru
Baba teaches His disciples verbally as well as non-verbally (i.e., through Anubhutis – Spiritual experiences). At times, however, when Baba is speaking, one does not understand what He is teaching because the mind goes blank; one goes into a meditative state. Hence, Baba does not merely teach Spirituality or ask someone to perform Spiritual practice, He sees to it that Spiritual practice i.e., chanting, gets done by the disciple.
Namasankirtanayoga
God’s ‘Name’ is Baba’s life and breath. Whenever Baba comments on the Geeta, He says that its essence is – ‘Resigning all your duties take refuge only in Me, the all powerful and all supporting Lord’ (18:66). Similarly, ‘Name’ is the essence of Baba’s Teachings.
Importance of Chanting
- Where resides the ‘Name’, there is neither enmity nor friendship.
- ‘Once I realised that the origin of all Knowledge is from the ‘Name’ only, I was freed of all doubts.’
- The ‘Name’ is superior to the Vedas, because the Vedas themselves are derived from the Name ‘Omkara’, denoting Parameshwar (Supreme God). Therefore, concentrating on chanting God’s ‘Name’ is more important than the study of Vedas, Upanishads, Geeta or other Scriptures; and Ajapajapa (Spontaneous chanting) is the most superior.
- There is no way of controlling thoughts and imagination other than through (the Name of) God.
- ‘Name’ given by Guru is more important than the Guru Himself : It is required for one to have faith that everything can beachieved by chanting the ‘Name’ given by the Guru, than from the Guru Himself. The first stage in Spiritual practice is having faith in the Guru rather than in one’s parents, money or intellect. Whereas in the final stage of Spiritual practice one has faith in the ‘Name’. It is only due to this that one is later able to progress towards the unmanifest. In this way, one is able to, step by step, become one with the ‘Name’ (which has no physical form) and the unmanifest formless Brahman.
- Actions, Chanting and God : Chanting while performing actions is better than offering the result of an action to God. However, thinking that God Himself is getting the action done according to His wish (i.e., thinking that everything takes place according to destiny or His wish), is the best.
- Fruits of Action and Chanting : When one is chanting, there is no ego involved. Therefore, all action is without any expectation. In effect, one does not undergo the results of action. But when chanting stops, ego surfaces again and the law of ‘Fruits of Action’ is applicable.
Teaching through spiritual quotes
Baba teaches a lot through Spiritual quotes. A seeker is likely to be deprived of Baba’s invaluable treasure of thoughts if the implied meaning of some of the quotes is not understood. To prevent this, implied meanings of a few from amongst thousands of His Spiritual quotes, are given here
1. Obstacles in Spiritual practice – Money
A. We should use money or should money use us ?
B. Money is never sufficient; when sufficed, it is the end !
Implied meaning : There is no end to worldly problems. ‘When sufficed, it is the end’ means they come to an end only upon one’s death.
2. Not finding time : You save what should be spent and spend what should be saved. Learn to do the reverse.
Implied meaning : In ‘You save what should be spent’, reference is to money. ‘You spend what should be saved’ means that you waste the valuable time that can be utilised for Spiritual practice. In ‘Learn to do the reverse’, Baba advises the maximum use of time for Spiritual practice.
3. Live in the present : Forget whatever has been said and do whatever work lies ahead.
Implied meaning : ‘Whatever has been said’, is a thing of the past. Not living in the past, a seeker must constantly live in the present. ‘Do whatever work lies ahead’, refers to Spiritual practice.
4. Experience and intellect : The Guru is ahead in experience and behind in intellect.
Implied meaning : The word ‘experience’ is used in the context of Spiritual experience. ‘Behind in intellect’ means one who does not make use of intellect, because His causal body (Karanadeha) has been destroyed i.e., dissolution of intellect has occurred.
5. Do not ask God for material happiness : A mother and a doctor do not give a child poison even if he asks for it. Similarly, God does not give material happiness to His devotee because He knows that the devotee will not be able to handle it. Therefore, there is no point in asking God for alms (material happiness).
Implied meaning : God i.e., Guru, does not give that material happiness which takes the devotee away from Him. From a Spiritual seeker’s point of view, going away from God is like death itself. This is why, material happiness is likened to poison.
6. There should be no egoism : The door is closed for those who come to us and is open for those who leave.
Implied meaning : ‘Those who come and those who leave’, is in reference to those who have ego.
7. What one can receive from Saints : We have got nothing to give. One who wants to take, can take everything from us.
Implied meaning : In ‘We have got nothing to give’, ‘nothing’ is in the context of worldly things, whereas ‘can take everything from us’ is in the context of Spirituality.
Teaching directly
Baba answers each and every question immediately, He does not have to think twice. Each answer is in few words, but complete. Many a time it so happens that a seeker goes to Baba with a question in his mind and Baba answers that question before the seeker has even put it to Him !
Regarding Time, Baba says – Take care.
The ‘seconds’ hand of a clock indicates the body, the ‘minutes’ hand – the mind and the ‘hour’ hand – wealth. To get rid of desires sacrifice the body, mind and wealth. The watch repairer first attends to the ‘hour’ hand.
On asked why should one ask for a donation, Baba says – What if it is the Guru’s wish that you ask for donations ? Each one should always keep in mind that, ‘all tasks that arise in front of a person are his duties’.
(Ref.: Sanatan’s Holy text – ‘Teachings of Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj’)
| From a seeker’s point of view, going away from God is like death itself. This is why, material happiness is likened to poison ! |