Enlightenment: Guaranteed🔗

Ashtavakra Gita

Today's subject is Enlightenment: Guaranteed. Yesterday you saw, Enlightenment: It is possible.

The first thing that you need to understand is that Enlightenment is possible; because from time immemorial there has been a conflict or fight among our sages. One group of Sages says there is something called as enlightenment. The other group says no there is no such thing as enlightenment.

People who say that there is something called enlightenment state the fact. People who say that there is no such thing as enlightenment say the truth. The first group, they give the fact that there is something called enlightenment. The second group, by saying there is no enlightenment create that as a technique. The idea that there is no enlightenment is a technique to make you enlightened.

Just by the idea that there is enlightenment you turn enlightenment into a goal. The moment you make it as a goal you miss the goal. Anybody who makes enlightenment as a goal, they always miss it. It is not the goal; it is the very path itself.

Please understand, if you are not able to realize the truth when I am speaking, the air which comes from me as a sound, the moment it reaches your ears, if you do not feel the effect of the words in you, forget about the words. When you carry this as a memory in your mind, you will always give your meaning. When you start giving your meaning to my words when you go home, you will create two problems: you will torture yourself and vomit these words on others and torture others.

When masters say there is nothing called enlightenment, they are breaking your goal oriented mind and they are bringing you to this present moment. From time immemorial, in the Vedic system of Bharat, the spiritual nerve center of the world, I've seen two kinds of seers, two kinds of rishis. One group continuously says there is enlightenment. These are the descendants of Sankara. The other group says that there is no such thing as enlightenment. These are descendents of Buddha. One says purna, fullness and the other group says, sunya, nothingness*.* But both of them are leading to the same reality. One group states the fact. The other group says the truth.

When I use these two words you need to understand this. The fact is as it is, as you understand. Truth is the word that you may not understand with your mind. But the moment you work with that word, suddenly something opens up in your being and you end up in the truth.

By the words of Sankara, when he says there is enlightenment, purna, he inspires you to work towards it. He creates tremendous inspiration. When the tremendous inspiration is created, automatically all other goals, all other ideas are dropped from your mind. The moment Buddha says it is sunya, no there is no such thing as enlightenment, there is no such thing as purna, and there is no need for you to run. There is no need for you to search; immediately the tremendous energy, which is created in you in the name of search, starts falling into itself; it is directed towards itself. The moment the energy is directed towards itself, it becomes enlightenment.

Desire without object is enlightenment. When you have some strong desire with object, you are drawn towards that object. But if the object is removed, the same strong pull, desire and energy, the same energy turns towards itself and you realize your Self.

Ramana Maharishi talks of this practice in Bharat. In the Hindu villages they burn dead bodies over a pile of wood. When they burn the dead bodies, they use a stick to re-ignite the fire and keep the body in place. They use a bamboo stick to burn dead bodies, to keep the body on the pile of wood, so that the body doesn't fall this side or that side. When the body is completely burnt they throw the stick also in the same fire and burn it.

Same way when Shankara says there is enlightenment, he uses that word as a stick. With that stick he will burn all your other desires. Automatically the idea of enlightenment attracts you so much that all other desires are burnt. Finally this one desire of enlightenment, even that desire is dropped in the same fire; that also disappears. Then you are enlightened.

On the other side Buddha, who when he says there is no enlightenment simply creates a space. He creates an inner void in which you can directly drop. Millions and millions of saints and rishis have come here. They've come to the planet earth. The whole group can be categorized into these two groups. The whole group can be categorized into these two categories; one who says there is enlightenment; the other group that says there is no enlightenment.

Whether you believe it or not both groups, both masters are leading to the same goal. I can give hundreds and hundreds of examples in the tradition of Sankara. Sankara, Madhva, Ramanuja; you may say Madhva, Ramanuja and all are different. How can you say Madhva, Ramanuja are all in Sankara's category? Whoever says there is the ultimate stage, whoever fixes the goal, all of them come under the category of Sankara. Madhva, Ramanuja, Ramakrishna, Chaitanya, Meera, all these masters, they all say about purna. They are all in the tradition of Sankara.

And the other side too we can give so many examples; Buddha, Nagarjuna, Bodhidharma, all Zen masters. In modern days J.Krishnamurthy, U.G.krishnamurthy, all these masters; again it is all just playing with words. If you read J.Krishnamurthy's words, clearly you can see again and again and again he insisted that there is no such thing as Guru. Just by saying that he has become Guru. And you will see a big group of disciples around him. With me the ritual is bowing down; with him the ritual is shaking hands; that's all. By saying that there is no Guru, they've become Gurus.

Some masters state the fact other masters say the truth. But both are leading you to the ultimate, which simply is enlightenment. I can say because the word is loaded with too much meaning, the word is completely corrupted. Because of that, some masters have to say this word cannot be used. Whether you use that word or you do not use that word, the experience that you achieve in the end, the purna or the ultimate bliss exists. It is possible. It is the state where you feel that you are no more bound by the body and mind. That stage exists. It is possible. You may use some words, you may not use some words; that is all up to you. Whether you use the word or not use the word is up to you.

U.G.Krisnamurthy says again and again that there is no such thing as enlightenment. When somebody asked, 'did you have enlightenment?' He said 'Yes, I had enlightenment'.

Of course he gives a different meaning, explosion. He used a different word, explosion. You may use different words, but there is something called enlightenment. Whether you say in the language of Sankara or in the language of Buddha, there is something, which is beyond your body and mind. That is what I want to emphasize in the name, by the name of the discourse. Enlightenment: It is possible.

Next, it is guaranteed. You may ask 'how can it be guaranteed'? Whether you believe it or not, accept it or not, these two facts that you came down and took birth in Bharat, and the second fact that you are sitting in this hall on this second day, these two facts are enough to say you are worthy of enlightenment. Please be very clear these two facts are enough, I am not giving you any guarantees like the politicians.

Be very clear that I am speaking the truth, and one more thing: see, the big problem is that in the outer world whenever you give, whatever you have will reduce. That is the problem. It is not that people don't want to give; they want to give, but they want to also have. What to do? The conflict is between having and giving; that is the whole conflict.

We can't criticize politicians either, because each one has got their own understanding, their own lives. We can't criticize any individual being; each one has his own idea. See, if they give what they have, it will reduce. But let me be very clear, even if I give away all that I have, it will never reduce. That is the reason I am continuously giving. So I can't take pride that I give, because what I give is never reduced from me, it is never lost from me. When I share it only grows. It is the quality of the stuff I give, not the quality of me who gives.

Let me be very clear that it is because of the nature of the stuff that I am constantly sharing. By sharing, it only grows. If I too have the same problem as of the outer world, that by sharing it reduces, I do not know whether I will give or not. Let me be honest. Let me be honest, if I have the same stuff as these politicians and businessmen, I don't know whether I will give or not. Suddenly if you come and ask for this rudraksha mala that I am wearing, I don't know whether I will give or not. But I can say one thing; what I am giving, always grows. By sharing it only expands, it grows.

I can say one thing, if you can realize these words, if you can understand these words that I am uttering, you too may also have the same property of the one that expands by giving. You can have the wisdom or knowledge, which by sharing will grow. So all I request is to try and understand this moment. If you miss it, don't bother about it.

But do not carry the corpse; do not carry the dead words to the house. Try to forget everything after going to the house. That is the reason I always create a lot of contradicting statements, so that you will stop thinking about it. Either you understand now or you will never understand. You will never be able to understand; you will create only one more philosophy.

The big problem is that when Sankara said there is enlightenment if the disciples had understood, there was no need to create any books. The disciples, half of the disciples who did not understand, they created books. They took down little notes. Taking notes and creating books created the whole confusion. The whole problem is about taking notes, and creating books and commentaries.

When you take notes you can catch only the verbal language; you cannot catch the body language. Be very clear verbal language is not going to help. Only body language is going to help. Verbal language is not going to help. When I utter these words, the confidence radiated in my eyes, the honesty radiated in my body language, only these are going to work on you, not the words that I am uttering. If you want the words that I am uttering there are hundreds of books written. There is no need to listen to me.

Once I went to the bookstore in Bangalore. The day I went to the bookstore, for next three months I did not publish any book. Because I felt when there is so much of literature, so much of books, what is the need for me to add more confusion.

Please be very clear, when the disciples start taking notes and begin to publish the books, confusion starts, the whole problem starts. Then enlightenment becomes philosophy, it becomes a theory, and it becomes a goal. People start working towards it and create more and more conflicts. Once that one conflict or one problem is created immediately all the other problems are created. Understand now completely. I tell you, the technology of Ashtavakra, the words of Ashtavakra, they are so powerful and it is pure technology. There is no need for you to work on these words. These words are so powerful; simply they will work on you. And one more thing, the words are so powerful, just listening can make the ultimate happen in you.

In Vedanta they say there are three steps: sravana, manana, nidhityasana - listening, contemplating and expressing truth in your life. Sravana means listening, manana means contemplating and nidhityasana means expressing. With Ashtavakra you have only two steps: just listen, you will express. No manana, just sravana, straightaway nidhityasana. One more thing: your mind is already completely polluted and corrupted. How can you do manana with this mind? Any manana done with this mind will create more and more trouble. Already mind is filled with fears, worries, and sorrows.

That's why yesterday one person asked, if I drop the mind and I become enlightened, and I say I am working without mind, will it not become one more ego? This question is like if my son gets married and then his mother–in-law will come and call me, what name she will give for me, and mother-in-law's daughter-in-law or daughter-in-law's mother-in-law, what will be the name they will be calling me Swamiji? How the relationship has to be? How should I talk to them? First have the son, then let him get married, then let the mother-in-law come, then you will see, naturally some sort of relationship, some sort of attitude will develop and you will start the life.

Before anything happens, we imagine too much and create all kinds of hypothetical questions. Hypothetical questions are created because of your fear of entering into the experience. When you are afraid to enter into the reality, when you are frightened to face the truth, you create hypothetical questions. Hypothetical questions are shields to protect your self from the truths. The mind, which creates these hypothetical questions is deeply based and centered in fear. When you are centered in fear, not only you create problems for yourself, you create problem for others.

A small story:

A newly married couple went to a hotel. For some reason the wife was afraid that the hotel room was bugged. She ordered the husband to check the room. You know what newly married means and how obedient these guys will be. He runs this side and that side. He starts checking behind the curtain, near the window, under the carpet, under the bed sheet, under the bed, under the cot.

Finally under the cot he found a mysterious plate bolted. With all his strength he removed the nut, took the bolt out, threw the plate away and they felt very relaxed. Next day morning the hotel manager asked, 'Sir, how is your room, is everything ok? How are you?'

The guy asked, 'Why are you asking so many questions?'

The manager said, 'Sir, we don't know why, but from the room below you, the guests complained that the chandelier fell down on them!'

When you are centered on fear, you create problem for yourself and create problem for others. Be very clear, anything done based on fear, will create only more and more problems. When you are centered on fear, constantly you are creating hypothetical questions, to shield yourself from the truth, to shield yourself form the reality. But you are not as powerful as reality. You are not as powerful as truth. The truth or reality forcefully takes away the shield from your hands. That is what you call as depression or feeling lonely. Whatever you use to use as a shield, whatever you use to protect yourself from the truth, the truth snatches it away from you.

Vivekananda says beautifully, 'Renounce gracefully; otherwise it will be snatched from you. Rise gracefully; otherwise it will be snatched away from you. Relax gracefully; otherwise you will be made to rest. Either you go to church or six people will carry you. Don't wait till six people carry you there'.

Understand, either you do it gracefully or simply the truth will make it happen.

Parasakti or Existence or Truth is so powerful that you cannot go against it. You cannot do anything against the reality. You may try your best. It's like this. Fish that swim along the current flow along the river. Some fish like to always go against the current. There are some people who have only one word in their mind. Anything you say, they say no in answer. Anything you say, no, you don't know, you don't know, no.

The mind that constantly says no can never grasp anything. It can never see the reality.

The constant no, what for you are saying no, you don't know. Actually when you say no or when you criticize someone, you feel you really are great. You feel you are great. You feel you are important.

Let me tell you a small story:

There was a village and one young guy was there in this village. The big problem for him was that the whole village discovered that he was a fool and nobody respected him. Everybody called him fool. Even kids called him a fool. He wanted some remedy. He heard that an enlightened master was coming to his village. He went to the master and said, 'Master please, teach me something; give me some technique or some method, so that people would call me intelligent'.

He did not ask I should become intelligent. If he had asked I should become intelligent, master would have given the right technique. But he asked that people should call him as an intelligent person. He said, 'just teach me something'.

Master said 'In that case all right, I will give you one technique. Practice the technique for one week. Within a week the whole village will call you the most intelligent person. Be very clear you will not become intelligent, but the whole village will say that you are intelligent'.

The fool said, 'It's o.k. That is what I want. I do not bother with anything else. I am not asking that I should become intelligent. Just take care that the whole village should call me as an intelligent being'.

The master says, 'you need to do only one thing, anything you see simply criticize. If somebody says this moon is beautiful, say ha, what beauty, where is the beauty? Prove to me where the beauty is? If somebody says this rose is beautiful, catch their neck, say where is the beauty, rose is rose; where is the beauty in it? If somebody says its ugly, catch their neck and say what, it is so beautiful, where is the ugliness? Simply, constantly criticize; whatever people say, criticize. Nothing else needs to be done'.

After one week the master came back to the village. The moment he entered he saw this scene under the big tree. This guy is sitting on a throne like seat on the stage. All the elders are sitting below and listening to him. Practically he has become guru.

The master came and asked, 'How are you?'

This guy, now he has become a guru, says, 'Who are you?'

Master says, 'I am the swami who came one week ago'.

The guy says, 'Oh is it so, now I am busy with the class, meet me after the class, just wait'.

The guy had become so popular and the whole village had started respecting him.

It is a simple technique. Just start criticizing anything and everything. The whole crowd will start respecting you as an intelligent being. Please be very clear about the mind that says no. People may respect you as an intelligent person. But inside, not only will you have a void, but also a constant confusion, because you are trying to protect yourself from the truth.

The moment you start saying yes, truth will come inside you and work on you and teach you the lessons. That is why I always tell people even though you are exploited try, try to say yes. You may say, 'what is this Master, you are asking us to be fools!'

I am not asking you to be fools. Be very clear, sometimes you are protecting yourself too much. Whatever you think of as others exploiting you is simply your trying to exploit others and they are not letting you to exploit, that's all. When they don't allow you to exploit, you say that they are exploiting you.

See, all the countries claim their army is a defensive army. Then who is offending? Everybody claims to be the defensive army; in which case who is offending? Everybody claims their anger is just to defend themselves, who then is offending?

Be very clear, that's the reason I tell you either your mind will cheat you that you are being exploited or somebody else may cheat when you are really exploited. I can tell you somebody else may cheat you only once in a while, but your mind will cheat you completely, for twenty-four hours. If somebody else cheats in a few incidents, you can count it. But if you let your mind cheat you, your whole life is cheated, over. It will swallow your whole life. Your whole life will be swallowed by your mind.

The attitude of saying no will not let you protect yourself. It will constantly and continuously torture you inside. The weapon that you create to protect yourself will start killing you. It is like the electric fence. It is like an electric fence that you create to protect yourself. It may kill even you; it can kill you. This weapon of saying no is what you create just to protect yourself. But most of the time, actually, I can say all the time it just kills you.

Listen, listen with a completely open attitude. Ashtavakra's words are so powerful; it can straight away work on you. It can do miracles, which are what Sankara calls as enlightenment, what Buddha calls as Nirvana, what U.G.Krishnamurthy calls as explosion. I bring U.G.Krishnamurthy inside the system because he also belongs to the group of Vedic seers. Even though he claims there is no such thing as enlightenment.

See there is a big tradition. In Bharat the beauty of the Vedic culture is that we classify people into two categories; people who accept the Veda and people who reject the Veda. Both belong to the Vedic culture. That's the beauty of the Hindu system. I always tell people, many people ask me when I travel in other countries they ask me, 'Swamiji, why so many enlightened masters only in Bharat? Why so many swamis only in Bharat, why so many spiritual gurus only in Bharat? Why not from other countries?'

It is true, only from Bharat so many spiritual masters travel all over the world. Only Bharat represents spirituality in the whole world. Only in that field Bharat is respected. Whatever other fields Bharat tries to represent there is always competition, there is always problem. In this field we have no competitors; in this field we are the leaders. Bharat is the Jagatguru for the whole world. Bharat continuously produces enlightened masters. I tell you that as long as Bharat produces enlightened masters, nobody can shake this culture. Nobody can threaten this culture.

You may say there are thousands of problems. You may say Swamiji, there are political problems, social problems, economic problems. See each country supplies, contributes something to the planet earth. Unless the whole humanity feels the need of that country that country cannot exist. As far as Bharat is concerned, humanity needs Bharat just for enlightened masters. People ask me how is it that there are so many enlightened masters in Bharat Swamiji?

I always tell people, for premature babies, I'm not saying immature, we are all immature babies, but I'm talking about premature babies, like the ones born in the seventh or eighth months, you need to show special care. Premature babies need incubators, which supply oxygen and all the other needs to take care of the babies. Same way Bharat is a spiritual incubator for enlightened masters to land.

Whether you want or not whether you accept or not, constantly these ideas will always come to your ears. If I am not here tomorrow some other Swami will be sitting here and speaking. Day after tomorrow some other Swami will sit and speak. And let me tell you, by abusing one Swami or by disturbing one master, Bharat's spirituality can never be destroyed. People think that by disrespecting one spiritual person or by disrespecting one spiritual master, Bharat's spirituality can be disturbed - NO.

If I am not here tomorrow some other Ananda will sit on the throne and say the same words. It has become the backbone, lifeblood of our system. Constantly whether you want or not these kinds of words- enlightenment, meditation, temple, all these words will constantly come to your ears. You can't do anything. Naturally when these words constantly fall in your ears, you start thinking about it, start analyzing it.

Either you fall in the category - what he says is the truth or you fall in the category no, what he says is wrong. But both categories lead you to the same goal; you cannot escape.

I always tell people, in America when you travel, the moment you enter a city, you see the McDonalds tower; that's why there is so much of obesity; eating, eating, eating. I was shocked at the size of the coke cups. I asked what is this? In Bharat only for cows we give this much water. They said, Swamiji, this is only medium size! And the burgers, seven storey high they build and eat. Don't think two, three people eat that burger, one person does.

In Bharat when you travel on the highway and enter into any village, you will see two or three temples. Then you know there is a village. From a distance you see two or three temple towers, then you know you are approaching a village. In America you will see the big McDonalds tower, the big capital letter M in yellow color, then you know that you are approaching a town or city.

Whatever you see continuously, that will start working on you. In Bharat, when you travel on the highway, continuously you will see temples. If you live in any Hindu village, constantly you will be hearing these words, whether Ramayana, Mahabharata, meditation or something you will hear, which will inspire you and direct you to the ultimate.

Be very clear, so many of you are sitting here and listening to Ashtavakra Gita because you all have heard enough of Ramayana, Mahabharata, Purana and all these basic level things. That's why I gave the title, Ashtavakra Gita, because you are ready. You already heard enough of basic level things and now you can straight away start working on yourself.

In Bharat whether you want it or not, whether you understand it or not, whether you accept it or not, constantly these ideas are sent inside; they are presented. See, we use our best intelligence to promote spirituality. In other countries, the cream of their intelligence, the intelligent men of the country spend their energy doing business. In Bharat, the intelligent men, the cream of our country, spend their energy spreading the spiritual truth.

Be very clear, out of a billion people, we have thirteen million holy men, swamis, all over Bharat. One more thing, the other day in BBC and CNN, they were saying that in some country there was a gathering, I do not want to mention the name of the country or the incident. They were mentioning it was the biggest spiritual or religious gathering. Hardly two million people gathered and they were claiming that to be the biggest religious gathering in the world. I was shocked. In one village in Bharat two million people will gather for spiritual functions. You don't have to go to a city. To go to one village is enough. For the Kumbha Mela, a hundred and twenty million people gathered. This is why Bharat is a spiritual incubator.

Please be very clear, this is why I am insisting or talking on this subject. The moment you are in Bharat, be very clear, you have done a long journey. Your soul chooses to take birth in Bharat because you are a seeker. I am not talking about any mysterious things. I am not saying anything that you cannot understand. Whether you understand or not this is the truth.

I am just opening up the truth. If you are intelligent enough receive and let the truth work on you. But if you don't feel connected to this idea, relax and do not bother about it. If you can allow this idea to work on you, you can open your being and experience the truth of Ashtavakra this moment. I am opening the book; opening yourself is up to you.

Let us enter Ashtavakra. The fourth sutra:

You do not belong to Brahmana or any other caste or to any ashrama, you are not visible to the eyes. Unattached, formless and witness of all are you, be blissful.

Virtue and vice, pleasure and pain are of the mind, not of you. Oh all pervading, you are neither doer, nor enjoyer, verily you are ever free.

Yesterday one of my devotees asked me, 'Swamiji, for the last two years I've seen you speaking. First time I am seeing you using a book when you are speaking. I've never seen you using a book'.

To tell you honestly, after all I am speaking only about two or three sutras everyday. It is simply possible for me to repeat the sutras directly. Why I am bringing the book?

Because these sutras are almost like my own words; they look so alike my words. If I am asked to write a sutra, I will write only these words. People should not think that I wrote this sutra. This sutra is from Ashtavakra. Just to make people understand it's not from me I brought the book. Ashtavakra is using the very words, be blissful. You do not belong to the brahmana or any other caste or to any ashrama, you are not visible to the eyes, unattached, formless and witness of all are you, be happy.

You need to understand one important thing.

Ashtavakra says to Janaka you are not a brahmana. Ashtavakra wants to say that he does not belong to any community or any dharma, any ashrama - varnashrama dharma. Varna means the four categories. Ashrama means again the four categories, the four groups. Varnas are brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, and then another one category sudra. Ashrama are brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha and s*anyasa*- four categories. Varna and ashrama.

Ashtavakra wants to tell Janaka that he does not belong to any of these four categories. One more thing; Vedic seers are the only courageous people to say that the system which we created is not sufficient. Vedic Rishis are the most modern minded people.

The two ideas are becoming very popular in the modern day. All the successful CEOs ay that the secret of the success of the CEOs are based on two things. One is the idea that knowledge is free; they don't make money by selling the knowledge. All the major software companies in the west have declared knowledge is free; anybody can download the software and start practicing, no problem.

Second thing; allowing the people to update the software. These two qualities are the reasons for all the success in the IT field in the west. Why IT field is so successful can be attributed to these two qualities - one knowledge is free, next allowing people to update; both these qualities our rishis had.

First thing in Bharat, knowledge is free. Knowledge is totally free; whether you receive it or not is up to you. Constantly the masters are speaking about the truth. Continuously, the teachings on spirituality are given; knowledge is free. Second thing, Hindu rishis are so courageous, they keep the whole thing open. They say you can update; you are free to interpret.

Rishis are the most courageous people. Here Ashtavakra is declaring that the Vedic system is not truth. He is declaring very clearly this since the varna or community system is also created by the rishis. But he is so courageous to say you are beyond that. See, the community system is created for utility; that is used only for certain utilities. It is not the life itself; if you are a doctor, only your profession is doctor, you identity is not a doctor. Do not identify yourself with your profession; do not identify yourself with your profession.

One more thing, constantly I am questioned, whenever I travel outside Bharat. Everywhere, at least one or two people will question me about this caste system. The western media is still projecting Bharat as though Hindus are still sitting on elephants and riding and swinging from tree to tree. That is the way they are projecting Bharat. Or these people who want to exploit, bring money from there and do service here, they constantly speak about Hindu poverty. These two things only; either they think that we are superstitious people swinging from tree to tree or riding on elephants; or they speak about Bharat's poverty. These people who want to bring money from there, just put their big names in the name of service, who want to promote their names in the name of service, they constantly project Bharat's poverty.

I was so happy when Hindu Government declared it would not take any help for Tsunami relief; I was so happy. Constantly Hindu masters are abused and disrespected on the international stage, because these people project about the poverty. And why should they project poverty? There's no need; there's no need, we have enough; all we need to do is share amongst ourselves. We have enough; just sharing is necessary; nothing else is needed. Because of this idea, due to this image projected by the western media to the whole world, I am always questioned: Swamiji, you speak so many things, it is nice, but why have the Hindus created the caste system? Why have they created these superstitious things?

I tell them, be very clear about two things, I am not justifying the caste system; I am not justifying it. But let me explain why it is created, and how it is supposed to be used, and how our masters expected us to use that system, but instead how we abused the system. Just because you do not know how to use the knife, you cannot blame the person who created the knife. Just because you got a shock, you cannot blame the person who invented the electricity. Please be very clear why the system was created and how we abused it.

The system was created basically to make you grow, to help you grow from step one to step two, from step two to step three, to make you grow.

One important thing you should understand, human being is a social animal. He cannot live alone; he has to live together with other humans. Naturally when you live as a group you will create a social system; you will create a group, you will create a system. Be very clear, at least in Bharat the community system is created based on the knowledge and intelligence. Go to other countries, they created their community system based on money; based on money and power.

Be very clear, a simple example, when you get into the flight, walk through the business class to the economy class, just see how the people sitting in the business class look at you. It is the same disrespect or the same way in which in the older days, the higher community people looked at the lower community people. In Bharat at least, the community system was built based on knowledge. In the other societies, in the other social system it was based on money; that's all, money and power.

In Bharat the person who doesn't have anything except the knowledge is respected; he is respected. And even in that system, the system itself is very clearly declaring this. THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM is a great master and he is boldly denying the caste system. He is not speaking today; he is speaking ten thousand years ago. This book is at least five thousand years before the Gita. Gita is at least five thousand years old. Ten thousand years ago, he is declaring you are not brahmana or belonging to this community or that community; you are beyond all these things.

And one more thing, the interesting thing is that when Ashtavakra addresses Janaka, he should have said, you are not kshatriya, because Janaka is a king. But Ashtavakra says, you are not brahmana. What does this mean? Even in those days community system was based on the knowledge, not based on the birth.

You see, the intensity or the attitude of a person expressing his energy and interest towards knowledge is understood by the master and then the master decides whether he is going to be a spiritual preacher or whether he is going to be a merchant or if he is going to be a person who is going to rule the country or he is going to assist in all the other three categories.

Understand these three things. A person who has nothing else except his time, who shares his time belongs to the worker class. A person who has a little intelligence and creates some products in his time and who shares his products, he is called vaisya- business class. A person who has got confidence and shares his confidence with others, he is called kshatriya- person who rules. A person who has got knowledge, spiritual wisdom and who shares that with community or the society is called brahmana. That's all there is to the caste system.

A person who shares his time, who has nothing else except time to spare, who gives his time and assists others, he is of the worker class, a sudra. A person who shares his products, which he creates with a little bit of intelligence and who shares the products, he is called vaisya. A person who shares his confidence in life, who gives you the confidence, a feeling of security, he is called kshatriya. A person who shares his knowledge and wisdom is called brahmana.

Janaka was sharing the wisdom; he was more or less like a yogi. He was ruling the whole kingdom as a yogi, not even as a king. That's why Ashtavakra says, you are not a brahmana, nor do you belong to any other caste or any a*shrama*. You are neither brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, nor the fourth category. Neither are you brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha or sanyasa.

You do not belong to these four categories; you do not belong to the four ashrama or four varna. You are beyond all these things. You are not visible to the eyes.

This is a big idea. You need to understand.

Straight away Ashtavakra says, you are not visible to the eyes. If I tell you that you are not visible to the eyes you will tell me to go and have an eye check up. Somebody enters a building and asks, 'Doctor, do I need glasses?

The person says, 'you surely do, because this is a bank'.

So if I say, you are not visible, you will ask me to go and check my eyes. But Ashtavakra says you are not visible.

There was a great master. The big problem is for masters is that you can neither use was nor is; in English you have to use only was, but you can never use the word was for them, because they are.

People ask me, 'Swamiji can the dead masters help us? I feel Yogananda is my Guru, I feel Ramakrishna is my Guru, can they help us?' I tell them never use the word 'dead masters'.

Please be very clear, my absence has got the body; their presence has no body. My absence is having the body; their presence has no body. Whether they have body or not they are present. Whether I have body or not I am absent. Be very clear, of the difference between the absence and the presence.

I am not present as you think; they are not absent as you think. They are not absent as you think, I am not present as you think.

Nisargadatha Maharaj, a great-enlightened master who lived in central Bharat was asked by a devotee, 'Maharaj, you say enlightened people don't have karmas. Then how is it that your body is functioning and how are you working?'

Maharaj says, 'I am not working, I am not functioning'.

Disciple asks, 'what is this? You are talking to me, what about that? You may not go to an office, you may not have any responsibilities, but you are talking to me, what about that?'

Maharaj says, 'I am not talking to you'.

He says those words also and says I'm not talking to you. It is very difficult to understand. Please be very clear, but it's the truth*.*

He says you feel as if I am talking because you see. It is because you see, that you see me and it is because you hear and you wanted to hear me, that you hear me; that's all.

It is a very subtle concept.

Let me tell you a small story.

Then it may be possible for you to understand what Ashtavakra says and what Nisargadatha Maharaj says.

One of our devotees is trying to write my biography. He has listened to me speaking about lot of small, small incidents from my life and he started collecting them. He has done a real nice job – in last two and a half years, from January 2003, almost three thousand DVD tapes and videos have been recorded of my speaking. He patiently went through them and collected many incidents from what I talked about. The big problem for him was, if he tries to write all the incidents that he collected chronologically, I should be at least sixty years old. Now, what to do?

He asked me, 'Swamiji how could so many things happen in hardly twenty-eight years? How can I even tell people so much has happened in a short span of time? It is simply impossible'.

Then I told him a small story on how it has to be presented or how it has to be understood.

There is a swan flying in the sky and its reflection falls on the lake below. When the reflection falls on the water, the fish in the lake started jumping. 'Oh, a new fish has come, a new fish has come' they say and go around it, admiring it intensely. Some start jumping on the swan, some fishes start dancing around the swan and some fishes started selling land around the swan. Some started making a fence saying this is the ashram for the swan. Some fishes started getting hold of places around the swan saying they wanted to be around the swan without knowing it is the reflection of the swan. They started thinking it is one more fish.

Some fish started jumping on the reflection saying, 'Oh this fish is so loving, so caring, so graceful and so beautiful'. Some fish started jumping on the other side and started saying, 'See, this reflection is not at all taking care of me, this fish is not at paying attention to me. You all say it is caring and loving, it is not at all caring and loving'.

Some fish are having the idea that the reflection is very caring and loving and some fish are having the idea it is not loving and caring. Some fish talk good things about the reflection and some fishes talk bad things about the reflection. Some fishes start creating the ashram; some fishes even throw some stones.

The fish see the reflection moving by the very commotion created by them. The very commotion or the movement created in the water by the fish, because of that movement, the fish think that the reflection is moving. After a while the fish even start fighting among themselves saying, 'I am close to the swan'.

Then slowly the swan moves to the other side, the American side. All the American fish gather and build one more ashram. Then the Swan flies over the Canada side. All the Canada fish get together and build one more ashram.

Suddenly the swan starts flying on the ground. The reflection has disappeared; it's not there. All the fishes now start crying, 'oh the reflection has disappeared; the reflection is not there, what to do?'

One important thing; some fish praising, some fish blaming, some fish creating ashram, some fish playing around, some fish going away, some fish jumping on; the swan is not even aware of anything. Swan doesn't know. Swan is not aware nor is it interested.

If at all you are an intelligent fish, the moment you see the reflection, if you understand, this doesn't seem like a fish, then from where is it coming? If you then look up and see the swan, you can also start flying, that's all. You can also just start flying. If you have started flying, you are intelligent; the purpose of the swan is achieved.

If you are just fighting with other fish, playing with other fish, playing with the reflection, playing in the area where the reflection is happening, be very clear simply you will be cheated, simply you will miss.

Simply you will miss.

Now from the angle of the swan, from the point of view of the swan, the swan neither knows the fish are jumping nor it knows they are fighting nor it knows they are praising. Same way from the vision of the Ātman, Ashtavakra says you are not visible.

For the swan you are not visible. Be very clear for the swan fish are not visible. Only eagles see the fish. Swans don't see the fish because they don't have to eat. Eagles have to eat the fish and that is why constantly they see the fish. Swans don't have to see because there is no need for swan to see. It just flies.

Sometimes fortunately or spontaneously the reflection falls on the lake. A few intelligent fish that get to see the reflection, they try to look up and they see the swan. The other foolish fish they just jump around, or dance around or fight around the reflection. Whether you fight, blame, praise, jump, dance, sing, whatever you do swan is not even aware of you.

Here Ashtavakra says you are not visible, because he is beyond everything. All you can do is only one thing. The moment you see the reflection, the moment you are surprised seeing the master, you start wondering how can such a thing happen. You feel it is humanly impossible. Be very clear that the moment you are surprised, your intelligence should start working. You will become aware and ask, from where is it happening? Do not try to physically capture the master, do not start worshipping.

Worshipping is the worst form of crucifixion.

Romans avoided Jesus just by crucifying him and Hindus have avoided Krishna by worshipping, that's all. People say, 'Krishna is great and whatever he says in the Gita is true THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM, but we can't follow it. He is great, so he can tell all these things, but we can't follow'.

Be very clear; do not avoid the masters by worshipping them. When we start worshipping, the first thing we do is avoiding. Sometimes rarely when worshipping inspires us to follow them, then worshipping is all right. But if it creates a feeling of distance, be very clear then that the first thing to do is to drop worshipping. If worshipping makes you connected deeply then it is all right. If worshipping does not make you feel connected, or if it is not acting as an inspiration to follow the path or the teachings, be very clear then worshipping is not going to help.

Fortunately we have not made statues of Ashtavakra and that is why the sūtras in the Ashtavakra Gita are so pure. If we had not started making statues of Krishna, we would have all started following the Gita. The moment we started to make statues then we decided not to follow the Gita.

A person came to me and said, 'Swamiji I am too stressed and there is too much pain in my life, give me some solution to overcome it'.

I gave him a Gita book. I recently spoke on the eighteen volumes of Gita and I gave him a DVD of that also. I told him, 'Please listen to this; I've spoken on Karma yoga, the beauty of purposelessness. Please listen to this and understand, the inner healing will happen. The constant irritation that you carry will disappear'.

We all constantly carry an irritation inside. That is why we are waiting to explode. We are just waiting. Any simple reason is enough. The wife keeping a coffee cup down with a little force, a little sound is enough. Husband starts shouting, 'what have you brought? Is it from your father's house or what?'

Then she starts, 'for the job which you are doing coffee itself is too much. Keep quiet and drink'.

Then the whole drama starts. The next statement you know, I don't have to tell you.

The whole drama starts. Constantly you carry an irritation in you. You just wait for a reason to explode. You are waiting for some reason to vomit. The constant irritation that we carry is because of stress. I told him, 'Listen to this cassette. Watch this Gita DVD'.

Then he says, 'Swamiji, I too have a Gita book in my house. I keep it in my puja room and worship it everyday'.

I asked him, 'If you have a glass of milk in your house, would you drink it or keep it in the puja room and show aarti?'

Gita is a glass of milk; drink and enjoy. Do not keep it in the puja room and start doing aarti. Krishna is milk. That is why Jesus says, 'Drink me, do not worship me'.

You are supposed to drink Krishna, not worship. If your worship inspires you to drink then it is ok. But if the worshiping creates a distance, something is seriously wrong in your understanding.

Here Ashtavakra says you are not visible.

Unattached, formless and witness of all are you. You are unattached, you are formless and witness. You are beyond this body, you are beyond this mind, you are formless, unattached.

It is a beautiful word, unattached. Ashtavakra says you are unattached. I am also saying that you are unattached. Please don't start believing it, that's the big problem; understand it, as to how you are unattached.

One person came to me and said, 'Swamiji I constantly suffer because of my smoking habit. The moment I get up from bed I cannot do anything else but smoke. I have to smoke; but after one hour I have a deep guilt. After two hours, when I get ready to go to work, I again have to smoke. Again one hour guilt, what to do? Constantly I am suffering with this guilt; constantly I am suffering with this habit, what to do?'

First thing I told him, 'Please be very clear, either you should drop the smoking or you should drop the guilt. Drop any one thing; you will be liberated from this habit'.

He was shocked. He said, 'Swamiji, you know that I am not able to stop the smoking. If I drop the guilt, how do you say that I will drop the smoking?'

I told him it is a vicious circle. When you have guilt what will you do? You will keep repeating constantly, I should drop smoking, I should drop smoking. Naturally what will you do? You will give power to the word smoking also in your mind. When you use the word I should drop smoking, you will remember the smoking also. So the memory of smoking is again and again engraved in you deeper and deeper. The memory of smoking is engraved in your inner space deeper and deeper. Then how do you expect that you will be able to drop?

I always tell people never repeat to yourself that you should get rid of this disease; don't say, I should get rid of this disease. Instead create the words, I should become healthy, I should become healthy.

Learn how to think, learn how to create words in you. Please understand that the words that you create in you are so powerful, straight away they become reality. The words, which you repeat again and again in your life, will become a reality in your life. If you constantly repeat the words, I should get rid of this disease, I should get rid of this disease, I should get rid of this disease you will constantly remember the disease also.

For example if you have headache, if you constantly think I should get rid of this headache, I should get rid of this head ache, I should get rid of this head ache, you give power to the head ache also.

In Ramayana there is this character Vali. Vali has got a special power. He has a boon. Anybody who stands in front of Vali, half of his power will go away to Vali. Same way when you repeat this word, I should get rid of this disease, half of your power is given to the word disease also. Then you will never be able to be successful. Create the right word that you should become healthy.

Create the right words, especially those that you create almost unconsciously, like you do early in the morning when you are brushing your teeth. You will be repeating some words inside you. When you are taking bath you will be constantly talking to yourself. Anybody who says no, no, no I don't talk to myself when I am taking bath? You may be singing, that's all. Either you'll be singing or you'll be talking to yourself that's all. Constantly you will be talking to yourself. Especially in the bathroom because nobody can hear, sometimes you will even start talking loudly.

It's a good practice actually, to once in a while to talk alone, so that others will be liberated. Otherwise you will catch people and constantly vomit on others.

Be very clear, nobody listens to you. They just wait to reply. They are polite so that once you stop they can start talking. Conversation never happens. Be very clear on the whole of planet earth no such thing as conversation happens. The other person is just waiting so that he can start speaking. The moment your voice is low, the moment you are slightly tired, the moment your vocal chord is little bit tired immediately he gets hold of the mike. Even when you listen you are just preparing your answer. You are not listening. So once in a while it is good for you to talk alone; you spare others.

The words, which you speak when you are speaking to yourself when you are alone, please understand they should be proper words. They should be right words, otherwise constantly you will hurt yourself; you will be torturing yourself.

Here Ashtavakra says you are unattached. I was talking about the incident with the smoker. I told him either you drop the smoking or you drop the guilt. He asked, 'How could I drop smoking by dropping the guilt? How can just dropping the guilt heal me?'

Please understand, in the morning the person smokes when he gets up from the bed. Then after three hours he smokes. These two incidents are actually unclutched; two separate incidents. But the guilt that he carries clutches both the incidents and makes both incidents as one shaft.

Please understand I am speaking about the way in which your mind is working. If you can understand this one truth this moment you can become unclutched. All your habits, all your activities, all your thoughts are unclutched, individual incidents. But by carrying the guilt about the habit or the pain about the habit, suffering about the habit, fear about the habit, worry about the habit you make that as a shaft.

If your car is unclutched, simply your vehicle cannot move, even if your engine is functioning. Your vehicle cannot move. If it is clutched, if it becomes one shaft, it starts moving. In your mind also, whatever is happening in your mind, everything is completely unattached. The thoughts are individual, independent, separate incidents, separate happenings. The morning smoking and the afternoon smoking are two separate incidents, two different happenings. But the guilt clutches both the incidents and creates something called mind and creates the suffering and pain for you.

You create a shaft, you connect two incidents and create suffering for yourself through the worry and guilt and fear. Understand, if you can just have little bit of courage, and drop these unnecessary fears and worries and guilt, suddenly you will realize you are always unclutched.

Each and every statement or thought that is happening in your mind is completely unclutched. It is an independent experience. You can neither judge nor connect or pigeon hole them, categorize them. Each and every experience is independent in its own right.

Drinking yesterday and drinking today are completely two different incidents. But by your mind, either through pain or through pleasure you connect these two incidents, and say it's a habit and create a mind, which doesn't exist in reality. The food that you took yesterday, and the food, which you take today are different. You are not able to eat the same food; fortunately you are not able to. Only bats can eat the same food. Bats vomit and eat the same food. Only dogs vomit and eat.

The food that you ate yesterday and the food that you eat today are different; they are completely independent. But your mind creates the shaft between these two incidents and makes the whole thing as a single shaft and it categorizes and says I eat everyday. Please be very clear you don't eat everyday. You may use the same word eating for both the experiences; but they are not same experience. Do not be cheated by the words that you are using. Yesterday's eating, today's eating and tomorrow's eating are separate incidents; separate experiences. They are completely independent, unattached. But in your mind, you start thinking, oh I eat the same food, I eat the same thing.

When you are in the low mood, you constantly start connecting all these incidents. Either through pain or through pleasure you connect them. Then you start saying, you start thinking, I am suffering or I am enjoying.

This is a beautiful incident from an enlightened master in central Bharat: last ten years of his life doctors had asked him to eat a particular kind of food. He was not allowed to eat everything. He was asked to eat the same food.

After two years the person who cooks for him, came and complained, 'Master, even I am bored of cooking the same food, how are you eating the same food?'

Master just laughs and says, 'I am not eating the same food, how can I eat the same food? I can eat this food only today. Tomorrow's food is totally different'.

Your mind connects every independent incident, every independent thought with pain or pleasure. With your idea of pain or pleasure, you connect it. If your food is not right you connect, oh same food, same suffering.

Wife who is stressed too much with the work tells the husband, 'If somebody sees my suffering they will think you married me only for my cooking, I am here only as a cook'.

Husband says, 'certainly not after eating your food'.

Through pain or through pleasure you connect the incidents. Be very clear, because of your memory of pain or pleasure, you think you have a constant mind; you have a continuous thought flow.

Please understand I am not talking about tomorrow or day after tomorrow or after your enlightenment you will become unattached - no. This moment you are unattached; simply this moment you are unattached. The thought that appeared in your mind one minute ago, the thought that is appearing now, these two are not connected. These two are complete independent thoughts; complete independent thoughts. Be very clear, thoughts are not linear; they are vertical.

Every bubble is coming from the atman, soul, being. Every bubble is coming from below. It is not linear as you think. Every independent thought, every single thought is separately appearing. Because of your idea of pain or pleasure you connect these two thoughts and start thinking it is linear; it is linear. Be very clear, because of your idea about pain or pleasure you connect your thoughts; you clutch yourself and create a shaft. And you think you have a shaft running inside.

This moment just by this very understanding you can unclutch yourself; just you can unclutch yourself. If you had some experience of pleasure as you think, whenever those kinds of incidents are repeated, immediately you connect that pleasure and this pleasure.

Understand, by the time you connect that pleasure and this pleasure you have created a shaft. Now you are trying to fight with the shaft. If you think that shaft is painful you want to break the shaft; if you think that shaft is pleasure you want to extend the shaft.

Neither extending nor breaking is possible because the shaft does not exist. If the shaft exists, the extending is possible; if the shaft exists the breaking is possible. Neither you can break the shaft nor you can extend the shaft, because the shaft does not exist.

Just understand that there is no such thing as continuity between one thought and another thought. You are unattached now. You do not have to practice renunciation. Your very nature is renunciation and at every moment when a thought appears in you, whether it is fulfilled or unfulfilled, you renounce that thought.

Thoughts come to the upper layer only when you renounce them. It is only when you drop them they come out and disappear. The moment the next thought has appeared you have renounced the earlier thought. The moment the thought to come inside has appeared, the thought to stand outside has disappeared. The moment the thought to sit has come it means that the thought to stand has disappeared. Every moment you are renouncing thoughts.

Every moment you are getting unattached.

By your very nature you are unattached; but by creating an idea about pain or pleasure, constantly you think you are attached. The moment you think you are attached, either you try to extend the attachment or you try to break the attachment. You can neither break the attachment nor extend the attachment because it doesn't exist. The very attachment does not exist.

You are fighting with illusion - maya. Maya means ya ma iti maya – which does not exist is maya. Literal translation of the word maya in Sanskrit is that which does not exist. The shaft doesn't exist, but constantly you think that the shafts exist. Either you try to break the shaft or extend the shaft.

Just understand this very moment that the shaft does not exist and be liberated. When Ashtavakra says you are unattached he means that there is no shaft. There is no shaft. Simply independent thoughts, independent, unconnected, illogical thoughts appear separately and disappear. Because of your idea about pain or pleasure you connect these thoughts and create a shaft and feel as if there is a shaft. Mind is a myth.

Your idea about pain or pleasure is a pure myth; that's the first myth, the original sin. The original sin is thinking that there is a connection between these two thoughts. That is the original sin; nothing else is original sin. It's the first sin.

Here Ashtavakra says you are unattached. Understand, whether we believe it or not, accept it or not, understand it or not constantly you are renouncing thoughts. The moment a new thought has appeared you have renounced the old thought; unless you renounce a thought, new thought cannot appear.

Constantly you are unattached. Automatically by your very nature you are unattached. The moment you understand that you are unattached you are just liberated. Immediately a tremendous inner healing starts happening in you. A tremendous sense of rest happens in you.

You think, oh God what for was I fighting? I was fighting with a person who does not even exist. All my energy was wasted. It was wasted unnecessarily fighting with a person who doesn't exist. Your idea of pain, your idea of pleasure, your idea of ego does not exist. Simply it's not there. Every moment you renounce your thoughts by your very nature.

In the Vedic system we refer to time through the word kshana. Kshana does not mean a second. Kshana means the gap between one thought and the other thought. Atman is also called as kshana. Between one thought and another thought we drop into the atman. There is no connection between one thought and another thought. The moment you understand there is no connection between one thought and another thought, you drop into the source of thoughts, from where thoughts appear.

Just like the bubbles in the fish tank, how the bubbles come up from the bottom, constantly rising- just like that your thoughts also come. When one bubble comes and reaches the surface of the water, the next bubble starts, then the third bubble starts. You start connecting all these bubbles in the top level or layer of the water. Because of your memory of pain or pleasure you start connecting all the bubbles and start thinking that your mind is linear. No, your mind is vertical.

Between every bubble, from one bubble to the next you can't go horizontally; you can only go vertically. You go to the source and come back. By your very nature every moment you are renouncing thoughts. You are just unattached. When you try to connect one thought and the next thought in the linear level through your pain or pleasure you create a myth called mind; you clutch yourself.

This very moment you can just unclutch yourself. Relax from the fighting. But a tremendous fear rises. If I stopped fighting then how will I develop my life? It is only when you stop fighting the transformation can happen. Be very clear, the mind can never be developed. Either you have this mind and suffer or drop this mind and transform yourself. Only two things can be; either mind or no mind; you can never develop your mind.

In the forests if you have seen the hunters trying to catch parrots you will understand this. Let me give a small example to show how you are afraid to unclutch yourself. Why you are not ready to unclutch yourself. Why you are not just opening up and understanding this truth.

In the forests of central Bharat, I've seen how they catch the parrots. They tie a rope between two trees. In the middle of the rope they secure a wooden stick. The rope is tied at the midpoint of the stick. When a parrot comes and sits on one side of the stick, the stick tilts completely topsy-turvy due to the weight of the parrot. And now the parrot will be hanging upside down. Now, the parrot is so afraid that if it lets go of the stick, it will fall and die.

The foolish bird doesn't understand that if he let go of the stick, he can simply fly. If he leaves the stick he can simply fly. But he is afraid thinking this is my only hold; if I let go of this what will happen? I may drop and die. And the hunter simply comes, catches the bird, and puts it in his bag and goes.

Be very clear, your fear and the parrot's fear are just one and the same. If you have the courage and let go, if you have the courage and open yourself, simply you can fly. You are Paramahamsa. Please understand this one thing, just like how the parrot is not able to trust, how the parrot is not able to understand by letting go or opening up it can fly, you also suffer; you are also afraid, if I stop connecting all my experiences in a linear way, if I stop connecting the incidents of my life with pain or pleasure I may constantly suffer, I may fall into the pain, people may exploit me, how will I maintain my bank balance, how will I maintain my house, how will I extract work from my subordinates? You have one thousand fears just like the parrot.

Please understand, I am telling you from my experience, I was also holding like that. I was also holding like that. Let me tell you, simply let go, you will fly. You will simply fly. Understand this moment that you are unattached.

Every single thought is independent, completely disconnected, no way related to others, and no way related to the thoughts of the future or the thoughts of the past. The thought that is appearing in your mind now, is no way connected to the last thought or the next thought. They are completely independent. The moment you understand this, you are unattached. You just relax.

I've seen the hunters doing this job. The parrots will be hanging and the hunters will come slowly after three or four hours and he will just catch the parrot and put inside his bag.

You are also waiting for Yama or the hunter. Of course when he comes you have to let go of the thing to which you are holding onto and he will help you to let go, that's all. Please understand, do not wait for Yama to come, just let go; just open up; you can simply fly like a parrot. You are unattached. Realize this truth and be liberated. Be established and be in eternal bliss, THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM.

Q: Can you tell us something about your mission?.

A: I have no mission ma. Just to go around and unclutch people, that's what my mission is. And teach them they are unclutched, that's all. Nothing much. Whenever people are arrogant and egoistic, you see, the question somebody asked a few minutes ago, 'Why should we use the mala?' and all those things.

See if it is out of a real doubt, I would have answered differently. If you don't wear my photo what will you do? You will be wearing somebody else's photo. Your own ego. At least these are all some methods to replace you.

There are some things even beyond logic. Sometimes you feel so much of gratitude and connected you don't even ask logical questions like, why should I have the mala. Only if you feel connected to me that much, you are qualified to have healing initiation. Otherwise there is no need to have healing initiation. It's a pure gift.

See, one more thing, I am not God or guru for everybody. I am guru only for people who feel connected to me. I always tell people that unless you feel connected I won't be master for you. Continue to search; perhaps you will have the right master. So, these are all few methods to see if they really feel connected beyond logic. Or do they only feel connected until the logic.

These are all some obstructions, or methods I put to filter those kind of people. So if you don't feel connected that much, then healing initiation is not for you, forget about it. Search, you will have your master, then things will start happening in you.