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Babaji's message of Sanatan Dharma
Baba’s
simple message to the world was TRUTH,
SIMPLICITY AND LOVE. Inherent in these three simple words is the entire
humane philosophy of morality (truth), duty (simplicity) and charity (love). Of
these, charity (which is the Absolute aspect of love) is the most powerful, able
to harmonize and unite both truth and simplicity.
By “sanatan
dharma,” Baba did not imply a sequestered, and closeted philosophy of
closed-minded radicalism. Sanatan dharma may be considered a religion which
occurred at the time of Creation – the eternal religion. In the words of
Shri Vishnu Datt Shastri, (an erudite scholar who was originally a devotee of
Mahendra Maharaj and then had the good fortune to sit at Babaji’s feet for many
years) “We can determine the date from which every religion started. For
example, the Muslim religion was started by Mohammed 1400 years ago and this is
recorded in their scriptures. Christianity started with the birth of Christ,
2000 years ago. Before Christ and Mohammed existed, the world and its people
were living. The Sanatan Dharma has been followed for thousands and millions of
years and no one is able to trace the date it began. One may try and understand
this spontaneous religion by drawing parallels to the dharma (law of
nature) of fire which is to burn; the dharma of water which is to moisten; and
of the air which is to blow. Can one tell on which day the fire started to burn,
the water to be wet and the air to blow? No one can. Likewise with the Sanatan
Dharma, which is like a great ocean. From that ocean, canals have been
dug according to specific needs and purposes. But canals, unlike an ocean, can
give only partial satisfaction. The Lord has provided a vision of the Sanatan
Dharma, which like a great ocean, also provides the deepest knowledge in its
depths. …..we aren’t just bubbles in a canal, but bubbles in the great ocean.
As long as we have a separate individuality, we are seen as bubbles, but when we
disappear, we are one with the ocean. ….Placed before the sun in the sky, a
thousand pitchers of water will reflect the sun. Then you will see that the sun
in the sky is only one, but the reflections are many. As the sun reflects in all
the pitchers, Babaji, sitting here, reflects the entire universe,” and spreads
the philosophy of this eternal religion. It was a known fact that Babaji
interacted with the Lamas of Tibet as a Buddhist, with Christ in Kashmir, held
spiritual gatherings of the Sikhs by the reading of their holy book at
Haidyakhan, and expected no-one to convert from his or her professed religion.
According to him all religions were subsumed by the Sanatan Dharma – there was
no need to preach or proselytize any other philosophy except that of the
goodness of mankind – Satya (Truth), Saralta (Simplicity) and Prem (Love).
Karma Yoga
Buried in
this esoteric spiritual philosophy was the active principle of karma (physical
work)) which Babaji emphasized constantly. He said that he wished to “true
citizens” of the people who came to him. He wished to “wake up true humanity,”
and said that it was “with great difficulty that one got this human body” and he
wanted “brave and courageous people.” “I WANT TO TEACH YOU KARMA YOGA,” averred
the Lord. “Learn to talk less and work more….I want to remove idleness from the
world.” “The lazy person is a burden to the world…..Do not think that there
will be many Christs, Ramas, or Krishnas. Throughout history it has taken only
one determined man to lead others and change the world…..resolve in your hearts
to be industrious and courageous….To become strong means to grow beyond pleasure
and pain: beyond heat and cold…..Live in truth, simplicity and love and practice
karma yoga.”
Social Welfare
A
natural outcome of the emphasis on karma yoga was Babaji’s forceful and potent
philosophy of social welfare. Man had to serve man to raise his physical
and intellectual levels. Slowly Baba began to disseminate the importance of
caring for man’s mental and physical well being if he was to grow spiritually,
and narrowed in, as a start, on the populace of the Kumaon region – a region so
dear to him.
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