Aug.20,02

Gurupurnima Saptah was celebrated in Bagiwadi on July 23,24,25^th.

From August 9 through September 6 is Shravan Saptah. This whole month is dedicated to reading the complete Dasbodha by Swami Ram Das. Each morning in Maharaj’s room, a minimum of 21 verses are sung, followed by puja and the morning bhajans. Disciples come to Maharaj’s room and quietly read chapter after chapter until on the last day, the last chapter is finished.

Maharaj, Himself was doing this Saptah alone in His room long before He had disciples. Then after disciples came, one by one, they joined Him. Siddharameshwar Maharaj had instructed Maharaj and His co-disciples to read a minimum of 20 verses per day to keep the teachings in their minds as they went about performing their duties. Maharaj continued this practice for His whole life. In fact, in the old bhajan book, in addition to the four bhajans, He included a chapter from Dasbodh and 9 Manache Sloks just in case He and disciples were delayed somewhere, they would always have Dasbodh to read. During this time, as part of their devotional practice, many disciples come to Maharaj’s room daily to sing the bhajans and hear Dasbodh being sung.

==================================================================

Excerpts from a satsang with Maharaj – Bombay - August 02, 2000.

How to be Divine?

Maharaj:

You have to forget yourself which is wrongly based in you and that is Divine. You have become something due to ignorance; father and mother gave you the name and you have become that. If you have become a wrong person, how can you be your truth or “Divineness?”

Unless you forget everything - nothing is true – how can you be Divine?

Divine means, everywhere, He is there.

You have to throw off which is not Divine. Divine is there always.

So yourself, be Divine and show your Divineness to others. Divineness means love for others. Why? They are Myself.

Why do people go and bow down to a Saint? Because He has nothing in His heart. Rich or poor, whomever he may be, anybody may be there, He doesn’t care because He doesn’t want anything. You want something and you say, “He’s a good fellow, he’s a bad fellow.”

Let people say anything about you because you are not this.

Be Divine yourself and automatically others will be Divine.

Try to understand others. Unless you become Divine, how can you know? You cannot give light to anybody.

You say, “I’m this body.” Forget that and say, “I’m not the body, I’m not the mind, I’m not ignorance and I’m not knowledge. I’m beyond knowledge.” Knowledge itself is not true. Understand that way. Knowledge comes when? From zero. You feel something, no!? But one who says everything is zero then what thought comes to him? If you say everything is zero, what thoughts come?

Keep your mind open; so open that everybody’s good, nobody’s bad.

Don’t have the burden good and bad; both are burdens. When you say good also that burden comes.

Be Divine always means, I do everywhere.

Forget your mind and say that everything is good; in this way you have to tackle your mind.

Everybody wants to shatter your samadhi. Don’t shatter. Say anything; what they do, let them do. You, don’t show your wise-ness. ………..All people make you irritated. And then you show yourself. Realized persons, never say anything… (People say) “I do this.” (He, Master says) “Do it!” (People say) “I don’t want to do this!” (He says) “Don’t do it!” If you say (to someone), “No, don’t do it,” the person is sure to do it. …………………To say something, yes or no, is bondage. You give the truth to which is not true. The world is nothing but zero. You want to make it true. Don’t make it true. Tell yourself, “Oh, it’s zero.”

There is not the word, ‘N-O’ in His dictionary because all who are doing are Myself.

He doesn’t want to exist, the one who wants to be Divine.

He is not a common human being; one should be uncommon.

(regarding putting the teachings into practice in day-to-day life) If you want to be Divine. If you don’t want to be Divine, do whatever you like, I don’t mind.

The ego should not come!

Be moderate. If you become moderate then your ego will go off, otherwise not.

Why Saints are happy? They have no ego so they’re happy.

You can be Divine, why not!! You are Divine. You are Divine but you forget yourself. Don’t forget yourself.