EVOLUTION OF SAHAJ MARG FROM ANCIENT VEDIC AND YOGIC

TIMES TILL TODAY

I worship Sadguru Sri ParthasarathijiMaharaj, the greatest Yoga
teacher, and who shows the essence of the Vednta (the end of Knowledge)
through the yogic method of SahajMarg.
I offer my heart-felt gratitude to my beloved Master for giving me an
opportunity, courage and encouragement to share my thoughts on the topic
Evolution of SahajMarg from ancient Vedic times and yogic times till today.
At the outset, I would like to tell you that this subject is very vast;
much deeper than what I thought it to be, for, I have to analyse some of the
basic concepts as a student of Sanskrit, as a research scholar in Yoga and
also as an abhyasi of Shri Ram Chandra Mission following the SahajMarg
system. I have come across many people, learned and illiterate,
academicians, philosophers, intellectuals, scholars in science, literature etc.
orthodox and rationalists and those who follow some gurus and practise
some aspects of Yoga. Almost all of them have expressed their ignorance
about SahajMarg with a few exceptions, who questioned the efficacy of this
system and accepted intellectually the teachings of our great Masters, Rev.
CharijiMaharaj, his Master Rev. Babuji Maharaj and that of the Adi Guru
LalajiMaharaj. The orthodox people have been suspicious about our claim
that God-realisation is possible within this lifetime and that too without
observing any rituals and practice of penance and other austerities. Some
have asked whether our practise has got Vedic sanction by quoting some
passages from the Vedas and Purnas. Some have told me or accused me
that I was a Nstika (a non-believer of God or the one who does not accept
the Vedas as an authority), because I did not go the temples to worship God,
did not perform rituals and Bhajans as others did. I am sure many of you
too would have faced such situations.

Before answering to such criticisms, I would like to emphasise that I

have never cared for these things. For me, right from the beginning of my
Sadhan, whatever Rev. Master (Chariji) has said is the pram a
(authoritative statement or valid means of knowledge). I mean it sincerely
from my heart and I accept His words as such. But, as a student of
Sanskrit and Yoga, I have always tried to reply to these questions quoting
from Upaniads
and other texts. I repeat, SahajMarg stands on its own legs

and does not need any substantiation or support except the Master, but to
converse with others who feel that our practice is contrary to the ancient
tradition prevalent in India, it is good to know certain aspects of SahajMarg
from the perspective of sacred scriptures. I would like to emphasise that
SahajMarg stands on the foundation of the great truth expounded by our
Vedas, Upaniads
and the Git and in fact, the sacred text of any religion.

But, a foundation itself is not a structure. It does not solve any purpose if
no building is constructed on it. Similarly, no building can be constructed
without any foundation. The foundation should be deep, strong and capable
of withstanding any damages to the building. The building, in turn, should
be strong to protect those whose dwell in it.
Rev. Babuji Maharaj has recorded in Thus Speaks Ramachandraji,

studied all the past systems and removed their defects in our Sanstha. So,
it is obvious that He did know about other systems and Rev. Lalaji Maharaj
certainly had a profound knowledge about Vedas, Upaniads
and other

sacred texts, as could be seen from his writings.

But what is Veda? Veda comes from the rood vid to know.
Since, it gives us the knowledge of such things which cannot be known by
other means and since it deals with the Ultimate Knowledge, it is called
Veda. But an text in Yoga, Sivasvarodaya says,
na vedam veda ityhu vedevedo na vidyate|
Paramtm vedyate yena sa vedo veda ucyate

(The learned do not the Veda as the Veda or knowledge, for there is no
knowledge in the Veda. That by which the Supreme Soul is realised is called
Veda).
According to this statement, the word Veda cannot be confined to
any particular text. Also, we find that there has been evolution even in the
understanding of the Vedas and also in the Vedic texts. For example, in
ancient texts, only three Vedas were accepted as pram a and it took a long
time for Atharva Veda to be accepted as the fourth Veda. The
Mahbhratais given the status of fifth Veda. So, any authoritative text
which can lead one towards the Ultimate Reality, in the right direction can
be called the Veda. That is why I would venture to say that the words
spoken by and written by Rev. Lalaji Maharaj, Rev. Babuji Maharaj, Rev.
Chariji Maharaj and Rev. Kamleshji Maharaj are also Vedas.
Further, there is no compulsion for anyone to have the mastery over
the scriptures for realising the Reality. Rev. Babuji Maharaj has
categorically said that whatever He has said is only based on his personal
experience. The vetvataraUpani ad (IV.8) also echoes the words of Rev.
BabujiMaharaj. It says
co
parame vyoman yasmin dev adhivive niedu
akare

|
yasta na veda kim c
ya ittadvidus taimesam sate
kariyati

(Of what avail for the Vedas to him , who does not know that indestructible,
highest ethereal Being, in whom the Gods and Vedas reside? Only those
who know That are satisfied).
In the Bhagavadgt(XI.48), Lord K a says,
navedayajdhyayanairnadnai nacakriyabhirnatapobhirugrai
evarpa akyaahanlokedra
utvadanyenakurupravra

(Not through the Vedas, not through the sacrifices, not through the
offerings, nor by various activities and not even by sever penance can one
attain Me.)

Also, He says (II.24), traigu yaviayvedanistraigu

yobhavrjuna
meaning the Vedas consist of matters pertaining to the three guas. O
Arjuna, you should go beyond three guas.
From these and other such statements, it is clear that the scriptural
knowledge is not a must for God-realisation. Then dont these sacrifices
(ygaand yaja),mentioned in the Vedas serve any purpose? Some may
ask us this question. My answer is, Let us go to the first yaja mentioned
in the Vedas. In the PuruaSkta,
we have the reference as follows:

yatpurue
ahavidevyajamatanvata.,

tayajabahiriprauk
anpuru
ajtaymagrata

and
tenadevaayajanta
This shows that the Purua,
first-born, Himself was offered in the
yaja.
What is yaja? It means worship (from yaj meaning to worship).
What is Purua?
Yska, the great etymologist, says in his Nirukta,

purieteitipurua
, i.e., one who sleeps in the city is Purua.
Here, the
body is said to be the city, there are karmendriya,jnendriya and heart as
the Fort where Purua dwells. Now comes the wonderful system of Sahaj
Marg. Here, the Master awakens the dormant energy of man by removing
the impurities in the form of impressions (samskras) that are surrounding
the Soul (Purua)
and through His Prnhuti or transmission. This is
sacrifice in the real sense as the Guru has to sacrifice Himself to awaken the
Self within the seekers which ultimately is His Self! It is a wonderful
process and that is why the KahaUpani
ad

(II.7) says
caryovaktkualo'syalabdhcaryojtkualnui a
, i.e, Wonderful
is the teacher, wonderful and equally intelligent the student. Wonderful is
he who comprehends It when taught by an able Master. The other
sacrifices like Agnihotra etc., cannot lead us to immortality. This has been
discussed at length in the Vedantic texts. But SahajMarg aims to bring

everyone to the Ultimate within this lifespan provided we co-operate wholeheartedly with the Master (or the Guru).
Thus, briefly put, SahajMarg recognises the existence of the Ultimate
Reality, but unlike other systems which stop them at this point, it goes far
beyond in bringing the sincere seekers to that state through the help of the
living Master.
Now, what about Yoga? We know that Yoga had been practised from
time immemorial. We have seen Yogic postures in the Mohenjodaro and
Harappan excavations. In the Vedas, there are references to Yogic concepts
and in the Upaniads,
there are innumerable references to the practice and

philosophy of Yoga. Patajali, the propounder of the Yoga system (who came
much later to the Vedic period) systematised the ideas and brought them
together in his Yoga Stras. There were many commentaries written on
these stras by scholars and saints. During the 11th- 12th centuries, due to
the mixture of gamic rituals and Tantric practices, there came divisions in
the Yoga school such as Haa Yoga, Mantra Yoga and Laya Yoga while
Patajalis Yoga system was called as Rja Yoga.Patajali has given more
attention to the mind whereas the Haa Yoga has given more importance to
the physical aspects. But the Haa Yoga texts have said that Haa Yoga is
only a preliminary to Rja Yoga. Patajalis system advocates kaivalya or
oneness with the God as the highest goal. But, he has not given any specific
practice for this purpose. The third pda (vibhtipda) or chapter of the
Yoga Stras gives many a hint for practising concentration on different
objects and the occult powers derived through them. Patajali himself says
that those powers have to be overcome as they are an impediment for ones
spiritual progress. Now, why should he do this? It is like tempting a young
child with a sweet-coated poisoned pill, isnt it? That is why the SahajMarg
does not deal with any occult power, nor are the abhysis given knowledge
of such powers for these would take them away from the goal. SahajMarg

offers the straight method, the perpendicular path, the royal path, the Rja
Yoga, modified and altered to suit the needs of all of us where there is no
room for harm either for the body or the mind. It just instructs about what
should be done and asks one to do what is necessary. Another great
advantage in this system is the availability of the living Master, who
constantly guides us all, has a watchful eye on all of us and takes us all in
His shelter. The third advantage is that SahajMarg does not stop with
NirbjaSamdhi (NirvikalpaSamdhi), but goes beyond to offer us all the
SahajaSamdhi, a state of perfect inner absorption even in the waking
condition! Fourthly, there is no room for any difficult practices like
austerity, penance, breath-control etc. In short, it is the supreme, natural
path for the seeker where the divine Master lifts them by his life-force to live
in God and by God Himself. It is the divine way through love, devotion and
faith1.
Yoga means Samdhi, union and joining according to different
etymological rules. Patajali has defined Yoga (YS I.2) as
yoga cittavttinirodha

, i.e., Yoga is the cessation of the mind-stuff.

Among the many meanings of Yoga in the Git, Lord K as
two
statements are well-known. samattva yoga ucyate (Yoga is the balance)
and yoga karmasukaualam (to bring out the best in ones
activitiesisYoga). Yjavalkya says, sayogo yoga
ityuktojvtmaparamtmano (The union of individual Soul and the
Supreme Soul is the Yoga). We have other such meanings of the word Yoga.
But all these definitions help onlyin making the problem more complex.
SahajMarg gives the abhysithe condition of the real Yoga, the merger with
the Ultimate Reality, through the divine flow of Prnahuti from the Supreme
Master, who is the goal.

1cf. Sahajmarg, the New Darsana, by Dr. K.C. Varadachari

Thus, we can see that though SahajMarg accepts the Trust expounded
in the Vedic, Upaniadic
and Yogic literature, it goes far beyond in helping

the sdhaka to realise and merge with the Ultimate Reality, which is called
Layvasth, within ones lifetime. It is commonsense that everything must
evolve higher and higher, deeper and deeper, subtler and subtler, greater
and greater; otherwise, its existence becomes stagnant and fixed.
Unfortunately, in our country, we always glorify the past; but, what about
the present? Out of the present only the future comes. By sticking on to
the past, we live in the past and we dont contribute anything for the present
or the future. Rev. Master Chariji has rightly said we should neither live in
the past nor in the future, but always in the present. Similarly, it is
applicable in our spiritual pursuit also. Those who had been clinging to Rev.
Babuji Lalaji Maharaj even after His mahasamadhi were given strict
instruction by Him to obey and abide by whatever His spiritual
representative, Rev. BabujiMaharaj ordained. After Rev.
BabujiMaharajmahasamadhi, the same law holds good. He has very clearly
said, Even the remembrance of the Reality is only a remembrance and the
Reality Itself. In a nutshell, we can say that SahajMarg emphasises the
need to lead the real life within this lifetime taking only the essence from the
sacred literature and leaving out the unwanted elements. Since, it is a very
vast subject to analyse deeply, the diverse aspects of SahajMarg and
corresponding statements from the Vedas, Upaniads
and other scriptures,

only six topics are dealt with in this article.

1. The Concept of God
2. The Importance of Guru
3. The Importance of Mind
4. The Significance of the practice of Meditation, Cleaning and Prayer in
SahajMarg System as the means of realising the goal.
5. Goal according to Sahaj Marg.

6. Transmission as the means of realising the goal.

Only a brief summary of the above is given hereunder.
1. The Concept of God
From time immemorial, man has been worshipping God, either as
impersonal Power or the Creator or the Base, or the personal God, Ideal,
Lover, Protector, or in any other form according to his aesthetic pleasures.
Simultaneously, there had been also a question as to the need of accepting a
God and if He exists, the nature of such a God. Different systems of
philosophies have advocated different views.
If we go back to the Vedic period and pre-Vedic period, we see that the
people were worshipping the Nature as God (dhibhautika). Then, they
started worshipping the different powers behind the Nature (dhidaivika).
In the g Veda, we have hymns addressed to different deities Indra,
Varu a, Agni and others, glorifying each one of them. But, we can also see
that they worshipped these gods either out of fear or expecting for some
fortunes, health, removal of enemies etc. Then the prominence of iva,
Vi u and Brahma Trinity, as they are called, with their respective functions
as destroying, protecting and creating. But when the Vedantic system and
especially the Advaita gained popularity, the God was conceived as
attributless (nirgu a) while other systems considered God as with attributes
(sagu a). While Sahaj Marg does not criticise the views of the other
systems, it goes far beyond all these. Rev. Babuji has said that God is
neither Sagu a nor Nirgu a, but beyond both. He is what He is. In fact,
Rev. Chariji Maharaj has pointed out many a time that the concept of God
as Sat-Cit-nanda, as advocated by Advaitins is at a very lower level. The
scriptures too support His view. The NsadiyaSkta of the g Veda says,
Nsadsnnosadsttadnm (There was neither sat (existence) nor asat
(non-existence) at that time) while referring to what was there in the

beginning before creation. In the Upaniads,

we find contradictory

statements The Chndogya Upaniad

(6.2.1) says,
sadevasaumyaidamagrast, i.e., Oh, dear, only existence was there in the
beginning. The same Upaniad
(3.19.1) says, asadevaidamatrast, i.e.,
non-existence was there in the beginning. Rev. Babuji Maharaj has very
correctly called THAT as Non-being-Being. The Bhagavad gt also
supports the view of Rev. Babuji Maharaj. Lord K a (II.16) says,
nsato vidyate bhvo nbhvo vidyate sata
Ubhayorapi d o'ntas
tvanayos tattvadaribhi

(The Unreal does not have existence and the real does not cease to exist.
The truth has been realised by Seers by going beyond both these).
While seeing the Cosmic form of the Lord, Arjuna(XI.37) says,
tvamak arasadasattatparayat(You are the Imperishable and are what
is beyond Sat and Asat). Hence, there is no room for duality when we
transcent both. Therefore, Rev. Babuji Maharaj has very rightly called
That as Non-being-Being! Coming to the aspect of Cit, Rev. Master has
said that if we accept Cit we should accept the manas (mind). But Rev.
Babuji Mharaj has said, God is mindless, which is reflected in the
Mu aka
Upaniad(II.1.2)
also apr o hi amana ubhro hi

akartparata

para .
As for nanda (Bliss), Rev. Babuji Maharaj has pointedout that we
have to transcend bliss2. Therefore, the concept of Sat-Cit-nanda as
representing the Ultimate Reality is not acceptable and Sahaj Marg goes far
ahead of this.

2Complete Works of Ram Chandra (Volume I) (p.13) ..the end of Reality is

the real Bliss. When that too is gone, we have reached the destination. That
is the highest mark which is almost inexpressible in words.

As for worshipping God as Power, Rev. Master Chariji Maharaj pointed out
once during a discussion that if we accept God as power, we have to accept
disintegration in God, for when power is generated, there is disintegration.
Hence, God will cease to be omni-pervasive. So, Sahaj Marg does not accept
this view also. Regarding idol worship, Rev. Babuji Maharaj and Rev.
Chariji Maharaj have repeatedly pointed out the limitation of such worship.
Therefore, Sahaj Marg says that God cannot be seen, heard of, touched,
smelt or tasted by the organs (indriyas) we can only experience the
condition. That is why our prayer says ..to bring us upto that stage. Rev.
Babuji Maharaj has rightly cautioned that no one should talk of God unless
he has experienced That. Further, it cannot be taught, but can only be felt
by the grace of the Guru, who comes in the human form to take us all to
that Base, Bhma, Tam, Zero, Nothingness, otherwise known as God or
Brahman. Hence, we say that Guru is God.
2. The Importance of Guru
This grand statement that Guru is God brings us to the next
important aspect of our discussion, viz., the importance of the Guru and the
significant role that He plays in our life. Swami Vivekananda has said,
Know your Guru as Brahman and Lord K a too has said, know your
Guru as myself (cryamvijnhi).
In Indian tradition, the Teacher or Preceptor or the charya or the
Guru has always been held in high esteem. We have this well-known verse
in Sanskrit.
guru brahmguru vi ugururdevomahevara
guru sktparabrahmatasmairguravenama

This says that the Guru is the Creator (Brahm), for He creates the
disciple. According to our tradition, we are twice-born (dvija) the first
birth is when we are born out of the mothers womb the physical birth.

The second birth is when one is initiated by the Guru. Guru is the protector
(Vi u) as he protects the disciples from many obstacles that come across in
their path of journey (yatra) towards the Ultimate Reality. He destroys (iva)
the samskras of the aspirants. That is why the derivation of the word
Guru is given in the Advayatrakopaniad
(16) as,
guabdastvandhakra syt ruabdastannirodhaka|
andhakranirodhitvt gururityabhidhyate
(The syllable gu stands for darkness or ignorance and the syllable ru
stands for its removal. Since, he removes the (inner) darkness or the
ignorance, he is called Guru). The Guru is the Ultimate Reality
(Parabrahma). The vetvatara Upaniad
(VI.23) says,
yasya deve par bhakti yath deve tath gurau
tasyaite kathit hi arth prakante mahtmana
(These truths, when taught, shine forth only in that great Soul, who has
supreme devotion to God and an equal degree of devotion to the Guru).
Thus, the scriptures proclaim the greatness of the Guru and equate
the Guru to God Himself.
Sahaj Marg accepts the view but has gone far ahead of this concept.
Here, the importance of the Living Master (as Guru is addressed) cannot be
explained by mere words but can only be experienced. That does not mean
that Sahaj Marg advocates gurudom or one should become a slave of the
Guru and serve him all through his life. What our system say is that since
God does not possess any organs and mind, He cannot receive our prayer
and come to our rescue. But the Guru in the human form possesses the
mind and more importantly the heart full of love and compassion for all the
beings so that He is able to serve all at the appropriate moment. Since the
living Guru under the Sahaj Marg system is established in God, He is divine
and hence, Omni-pervasive. So, a sincere prayer in the heart by anyone
from anywhere in this vast universe reaches Him instantaneously and

necessary action is taken automatically (This is done so naturally!) That is

why Lord K a has said in the Git (XII. 5)
kleo'dhikarasteamavyaktsaktacetasm,
avyakt hi gatirdu kha

dehavadbhiravpyate , i.e., it is futile to worship the God in His

unmanifested form. So, he suggested to Arjuna to worship Him, love Him,
dedicate everything to Him as He was the Master in loving form for Arjuna.
If we look at the Bhagavadgt and Kaha
Upani ad, we can find one strking
evolution of thought in the Gt. In Kaha
Upani ad, the body is considered
as the chariot, the intellect as the Charioteer, the five indriyas as five horses,
mind as the rein and the Soul as the person in the chariot. But the Gt
goes one step ahead and presents the Lord in human for as the Charioteer
(instead of Buddhi). Rev. Chariji Maharaj said that the Guru in the human
form represents the divinised mind and by connecting oneself with Him, one
can reach the goal smoothly.
The Kaha
jgrata prpya
Upaniad
(III.14) also proclaims utti hata

varn nibodhata (Arise, awake, realise (that) by approaching the Chosen

One).
Rev. Chariji Maharaj also pointed out this in a very telling manner.
While talking of knowledge, He said, You can know a thing only if you
become that. If you go and ask him, he would say,
Be it.
How to be it, Sir?
Become it.
How to become it, Sir?
Go to the one who has already become that!
This clearly brings out what has been quoted above from Kaha

Upaniad.
So, we need a personalit amongst us who can make us become

That, what He represents, in this lifetime itself. This means the personality
should be of the highest calibre and a Chosen One for the purpose. He is

beyond space and time and can act so, according to the need. Age or
knowledge is not a criterion for such a personality. We have this wonderful
verse ascribed to akara in Dak i murthi Stotra
citra vaatarormle
vddh

iy
gururyuv |
gurostu mauna vykhyna iystucchinnasaay

(It is a wonder under the banyan tree. The disciples are old (aged) and the
Guru is young. The explanation offered (by the Guru) is silence and the
disciples remain with their doubts dispelled).
Nobody can claim to be a Guru by the merit of their sdhana or
knowledge or age. In fact, these are not at all a criterion for becoming a
Guru. It is only the grace of the great Master who chooses, prepares and
places one of His associates as his disciple, representative as the Master by
the Divine Master and always remains a disciple to his Guru. Thus, He has
to play twin roles as the Master for all the beings and as the humble
disciple of His Master. So, there is no question of even the thought of power,
position, fame or any such things. It is a position of tremendous
responsibility, total commitment for the welfare of all even those who do
not accept Him. Anyone who claim to have left Him but He cannot leave
anyone, for having merged in the Absolute and the Nothingness, He cannot
exclude anything or anyone! That is why, I said, in Sahaj Marg, Guru is the
God, for, God alone can remain lie this.
Rev. Babuji Maharaj has also pointed out that in the strict sense,only
God is the real Guru. Patajali also accepts this view and says (YS I.26) ,
sa ea prvemapi
guru klennavacchedt. This proves again that the

Guru, living in the present, represents all the knowledge and the evolution of
the past extending upto the unimaginable future. In short, though his body
is limited, He is not limited by space and time3. He represents, in the hearts
3 There is a beautiful verse by the great poet Mga with which he begins his great poem
isuplavadham (I.1) riyam pati rmatiitu jagat jagannivso vasudeva sadmani
vasan dadarvataranta ambart which means The great Lord, who is the container of

of all the seekers of Reality, without any barrier of space, time, sex,
nationality, colour etc. This great phenomenon unknown in the history of
mankind, perhaps hinted in the sacred scriptures of our land, is practically
experienced by all of us. This is called prnahuti in our system. It is
beyond words, for words cannot represent the Reality whereas the Master
can.
Suffice it to say that the Guru of the Sahaj Marg represents the Reality, nay,
He is the Reality, He is the means and the path to lead us all to the Reality
which He himself is4. Our prayer also says, O Master, thou art the real goal
of human life.. Thou art the only God and power to bring us upto that
stage. That is why Rev. Babuji Maharaj, in Efficacy of Raja Yoga in the
light of Sahaj Marg has said, If A is equal to B and C gets equal to A, then
ultimately C becomes equal to B5. Hence, in our system, mergence in the
Master is synonymous to mergence in God (Brahmalaya).
3. The Importance of Mind
Mind plays a vital role in the human existence, for it is the mind which
distinguishes man from other species. The word manu ya (man in English)
is derived from the root man, i.e., to think. Hence, Raja Yoga (the royal
path of Yoga) mainly focuses its attention on the mind. Every action is
preceded by thought and mind is the origin for it. Hence, by cleansing the
mind, by transforming it from its animalistic tendencies to human and
divine level, it becomes purified and becomes the divine mind. Patajali has
defined Yoga itself (YS I.2) as yoga cittavtti
nirodha , i.e., the cessation of
the tendencies of the mind is Yoga. In his Yoga Stras, he has given
prominence to the mind and not to the other physical activities like the
the whole Universe is living in the house of Vasudeva.

4 See the views of Vii dvaita

wherein it is stated that God is the upya

(menas) and upeya (the goal)

5 Complete Works of Ram Chandra (Volume I) (p.133).

sanas, Pr yma and there is no mention about the later texts of Haha

Yoga. Even the texts which extol the merits of Haha

yogic practices, say
that Haha
Yoga is only the preliminary step to Raja Yoga.
Sahaj Marg has fully understood this aspect and it focuses its
attention on the mind, the root of everything. The Amtabindu
Upani ad,

which is one among the Yoga Upaniads

say,

mana eva manuy

kra a bandhamok ayo

bandhya piysakta
muktaye nirvi aya smtam

(The mind is the root cause for both bondage and liberation. If the mind is
attached with worldly things, it is bondage and if it is not so, it is
liberation).
One important aspect of Sahaj Marg teaching and training is that the
mind should not be controlled by force. Here, the mind is slowly and gently
refined and regulated in a very natural way by the transmission of divine
energy by the Master and the Preceptors appointed by Him. The cleaning
practised regularly by the abhysis backed up by the meditation as
prescribed by the Master, strengthens the mind and will power and checks
the outward tendencies of the mind. Thus, slowly the mind is transformed
and gets divinised by attaching oneself with the Master.
The mind is the seat of emotions and feelings. The Bhad
ra yaka

Upaniad
(I.5.3) says,
kma sakalpo vicikits raddh'raddh
dhtiradh
tirhrrdhrbhrityetatsarva
mana eva

(Desire, resolve, faith, lack of faith, steadfastness, lack of steadfastness,

shyness, intellect, fear all these are the mind only)
That is why Sahaj Marg emphasises the need to regulate the mind and
not control it by forceful means as advocated by pseudo Yoga teachers. It
may also be noted that Patajali, who propounder of Yoga system of thought
has recommended Samdhi by giving more attention to the mind. The word

Samdhi can be explained as Sama + dhi, i.e., equilibrium of the mind

(dhi means mental disturbance). The word vydhi is used to denote
physical disease, which means that our ancients know that the mental
disturbance could cause physical ailment too. Hence, even in the Haha

Yoga, control of mind is considered as a very important aspect and different

means are adopted for the same. But Sahaj Marg teaches a gentle, soft,
natural and highly efficient path for this. It says, As you have to ride on a
horse to train and master a horse, you have to start with the mind, train the
mind and become the master of it. Training in Sahaj Marg gives more
prominence to the mind than to the other organs.
4. The Significance of the practice of Meditation, Cleaning and Prayer
in SahajMarg System as the means of realising the goal
Every one of us have some ambition or goal in our lives. We follow
someone or some path to attain the goal. Students, great thinkers,
politicians, administrators, physicians, and others all follow some method
to achieve their goal.
Rev. Chariji Maharaj has very rightly cautioned that the result does
not justify the means. If the means are not right, the result cannot possibly
be right. So, Sahaj Marg emphasises the need for right approach under all
circumstances.
If we take up the history of spirituality, we come across innumerable
paths or practices advocated by religious leaders, intellectuals, saints and
seers. But Babuji Maharaj made an evolutionary contribution in this field
and said boldly that God is subtle and we should adopt subtle and simple
method for realising Him. His famous example is, You dont require a
crane to pick up a needle from the ground. Hence, Sahaj Marg
recommends only simple and subtle practice which is highly dynamic and
efficacious for any seeker interested in spiritual pursuit.

Sahaj Marg advises meditation on the divine light in the heart,

cleaning in the evening and Prayer at bed-time in the night, as the basic
practice. Of course, love, devotion and faith in the Master and constant
remembrance speed up the progress in spirituality.
Some may argue against the idea of starting the spiritual sdhana
directly from meditation or dhyana, for Patajali himself has placed
dhyana as the seventh step in his A ga
Yoga (eight-limbed Yoga). Many

also have the misconception that meditation is very difficult to practise. In

fact, it is not so. Rev. Chariji Maharaj has said many a time that meditation
means to think of an object constantly. It is from the root dhyai, i.e., to
think. The rutis, mtis
and the texts on Yoga also recommend meditation
as the best means for spiritual progress. The Taittirya Upaniad
(III.5.1)
says tapas brahma vijnasasva tapo brahmeti (Know the Brahman
through meditation, for, meditation is the Supreme Brahman) The
vetvatara Upaniad
(I.3) says, te dhynayogonugat apayan
devtmaakti svagu airnighm,
i.e., Practising the method of

meditation, they realised That Being, who is the God hidden beyond the
gu as.
The Goraka Sagraha, of Gorakanatha,
an authority on Haha

Yoga
also says,
avamedhasahasr i vjapeyaatni ca
ekasya dyanayogasya tul nrhanti o
am

(Thousands of Avamedha sacrifices, hundreds of Vjapeya sacrifices are

not equal to even one-sixteenth (1/16th) of one dhyna Yoga)
Rev. Babuji Maharaj has also said quite correctly that in meditation,
we wait for something to happen, thereby creating a vacuum in the heart
attracting the divine grace to be poured by the Master Himself. So, he has
said, Prayer is begging and meditation is having.

There are many objects or points in the body itself to be meditated

upon, but Sahaj Marg prescribes divine light as the object of meditation.
The rutis also recommend this. For example, Kaha
Upaniad
(4IV.13) says,
agu amtra

puru o jyotirivdhmaka
no bhtabhavyasya sa evdya sa u sva
etad vai tat
(The Purua is of the size of a thumb, the Lord of the past and future, is like
a light without smoke. He is verily today and tomorrow. This is verily
That).
anta arre jyotirmayo hi ubhro ya payanti yataya k
ado

(When the impurities dwindle, the ascetics of the self-controlled, behold
Him, the stainless resplendent, within the body)
Rev. Babuji Maharaj has dealt exclusively on this subject. I quote only
a few lines here from Sahaj Marg Philosophy.
In our system, the abhysi is advised tomediate on the heart thinking
of the divine light there but he is directed not to view light in any form or
shape like that of an electric bulb or a candle, etc.6.
The real light has the dawn colour or a faint reflection of
colourlessness7.
Light means the loss of the weight of ones own thoughts. Thus, the
real Light refer only to the real substance, or more appropriately,
substanceless substance 8.
Dr. K.C. Varadachari has also pointed out correctly that light is not
our goal. We go beyond darkness and light. Quoting the well-known
statement of the Veda tamaso m jyotirgamaya, he has pointed out that
the word jyoti refers to something beyond light and darkness9 . Regarding
6
7
8
9

Complete Works of Ram Chandra (Volume I) (p.341).

ibid (p.343).
ibid (p.343-4).
Talks on Sahaj Marg Philsophy by Dr. K.C. Varadachari (p.54)

meditation on the heart, Rev. Babuji Maharaj has explained elaborately in

his works. He has said, the most appropriate point for meditation can be
only that wherefrom the current flows on, either upwards of downwards. It
can only be the heart and nothing else10.
The rutis and mtis
also support this view. In the Nrya a Sukta,
we find
anantamavyayakavi samudre'nta vivaambhuvam |
padmakoapratka hdaya
cpyadhomukham

(We meditate upon Him, the limitless, the changeless, the Seer, the end aim
of the ocean of existence, the source of all Bliss, like a lotus-end in our heart
facing downwards)
The vetvataraUpaniad
(IV.17) says,
ea devo vivakarm mahatm sad jann hdaye
sannivi a

|
hd
bhavanti
man manas'bhikpto

ya etad viduramtste
(This divinity who created the Universe and who pervades everything
always dwells in the hearts of the creatures).
Lord K a, in Bhagavadgt (XVIII.61) says,
vara sarvabhthn hddee'rjuna
ti hati

(O Arjuna, the Lord is seated in the hearts of all the beings).

But the best explanation as to why one should meditate in the heart
has been given by Rev. Babuji Maharaj. I quote only a few sentences here
from Sahaj Marg Philosophy.
in my opinion, meditation on the heart is the easiest and most
beneficial. There is a great philosophy underlying meditation on the heart.
The heart is the pumping station of blood. It sends out purified blood to all
parts of the body and to the smallest cells. Now, we have taken the heart as
the centre for meditation. The blood that runs through our system is
affected. The solidity due to our own thoughts and actions begins to melt
10 Complete Works of Ram Chandra (Volume I) (p.346).

away. This is the first thing that we begin to gain from the first day by this
method of meditation on the heart. It is the nucleus and creates the vibrant
motion, wherever it is directed. This is the field for the mind to work and
this is the instrument by which we develop the discriminating faculty. The
subtle force works in this place for the descent of divine energy. If somehow
our thinking conjoins with it, or we train it so that it may percolate the right
thing and direct it towards Reality, the problem is solved. People may ask
why it is necessary to proceed with meditation. The answer is quite plain
and simple, that by meditation we gather ourselves at one point so that our
individual mind may leave its habit of wandering about, which it has
formed. By this practice we set our individual mind on the right path
because it is now metamorphosing its habits. When this is done, our
thoughts naturally do not go astray. The heart is the only point at which the
connecting link between the animate and the inanimate is most clearly felt.
This is the reason why meditation on the heart is very useful11.
Further, Rev. Master has clarified this point many times and he has
also stated that heart is the seat of love. Heart itself is the Master.12
Cleaning : Another major contribution of Sahaj Marg in the field of
spirituality is the practice of cleaning. Rev. Chariji Maharaj has laid much
emphasis on this aspect. It is prescribed and practised only in this system.
The other systems advocate different types of meditation etc. They all advise
us to do. Here, by this method of cleaning, we are advised to undo
ourselves from the bondages of samskras, which we have acquired in aeons
of time.
It is the belief of Indian tradition and right one too, that every thought and
action leaves an impression in our mind. The impressions or samskras
(known as Vsan) in Patajalis Yoga System get solidified in the long run
11 Complete Works of Ram Chandra (Volume I) (p.345-6)
12 Rev. Chariji Maharajs message on 30th April, 1990 at Jaipur

and cover theSoul like the cocoon. One has to remove all these coverings
(varanas) so that he becomes completely purified and reflects the Reality,
the Master, the God or the Soul, whatever we may call it. Patajali (I.3) has
said, tada dra u
svarpe avasthnam, i.e., Then, the Seer sees his own
Self as the result of citta vtti
nirodha (cessation of mind-stuff). But
unfortunately, we do not find the effective means for achieving this in the
Yogic or Vedic texts. They have all given the goal as something to be
achieved, gained or realised. But Rev. Babuji Maharajs system of Sahaj
Marg teaches that we should lose ourself totally, forget our identity with the
body or the organs or the mind or anything including the idea of the Master
of the God13!
In Sahaj Marg, we are advised to sit daily in the evening after the days work
is over and by using our will power, do this cleaning. Regular practice of
cleaning and meditation strengthen our will power and remove the
unwanted things from our hearts and mind14.
Prayer : Human beings, as we are, resort to prayer to God whenever we are
in distress or in need of help or when we feel insecure and also for health,
wealth, knowledge and, in fact, for everything material and spiritual. The
first hymn in the g Veda, considered as the oldest sacred text of the world,
is addressed to the Fire (Agni). Agni is being praised and requested to help
the person who chants the g Veda. This is the case with other Vedic gods
like Indra, Varu a, Mitra and others.
The Prayer has been used as a device to offer ourselves unto God in a
helpless situation and begins for His help.
It we study our Vedic texts, we come to know that man worshipped the
Nature in the beginning and then the different powers of Nature and
13 It may be noted that gamas speak of only the bhtauddhi on following
pr yma.
14 For further details on Cleaning and Meditation, see Role of Abhyasi by
Sri Ram Chandraji.

subsequently he gave form to each power and started worshipping it. Thus,
he has been worshipping his own creation! The various gods and goddesses
and temple deities who do not find any place in the Vedas but came into
prominence during the Purnic period and modern times give us ample
testimonyto this fact. Rev. Babuji Maharaj has correctly pointed out that
religion stands on two things fear and temptation. We see precisely the
same in the religious literature of India and other countries as well.
But Sahaj Marg does not advocate prayer as a means to escape from
any situation, which we feel, are not good or acceptable to us. In fact, one of
our ten maxims advises us to accept the miseries as divine gifts! Prayer,
according to Sahaj Marg, is the best and the easiest way of establishing our
link with God or the Master. Here, we do not chant the merits of each God
in thousand names, praising Him as if God can be flattered. Sahaj Marg
prayer is very simple, natural and is offered in a supplicant mood. The
Prayer says :
O Master! Thou art the real goal of human life
We are yet but slaves of wishes putting bar to our advancement
Thou art the only God and power
to bring us upto that stage.
As we can see, it is addressed to the Master and to quote Rev. Chariji
Maharajs words, simply says :
My beloved, You are the real goal of my life. What is standing
between us are my foolish wishes and desired for your powers, your beauty,
your wealth. You alone can give me Yourself15.. Thus, the prayer in Sahaj
Marg is unique and does not request for any favour from the Supreme Lord
or the Master. It is the statement of a lover to the beloved.
5. Goal according to Sahaj Marg

15 The Practice of Sahaj Marg (p.11) by Rev. Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari.

See also Role of Abhyasi by Rev. Sri Ram Chandraji

Everyone born in this world have some ambition or a desire to achieve

something. We set up some goal and we try to reach upto that level by some
means. This holds good for anyone. A poor man wants to become rich and
the rich, richer and so on. In politics, education, sports and even in
spirituality, we set some goal and seek the help of someone who is an adept
in that field, follow his advice and try to attain the goal.
Sahaj Marg also advocates a goal to be reached and realised. But the
goal prescribed by this system is infinite and eternal. It accepts nothing
short of Brahma laya, the mergence with the Ultimate Reality or the
mergence with the Master who is merged in that Ultimate Reality or Bhm
as its goal. It should be noted here that it does not advise ascetism (tapas),
leaving this worldly life and living in a forest, torture of ones body and mind
as advocated by other systems. Its goal is subtler than the subtlest
(Anora yn) and the means prescribed for realising this is also subtle and
simple.
Before we go into some details of Sahaj Marg goal, let us see the goal
fixed by other systems. The Karmak a section of the Vedas, taken as the
authority by the Prva Mms system, has the Heaven (Svarga) as its goal.
It prescribes some sacrifices like Jyotisoma
for attaining this goal. This is

strictly refuted by the Vedntins, who take the Jnak a portion of the
Vedas as the authority. Quoting the Upaniadic
texts, they point out that

even if one reaches the Heaven, he has to come back to this world after the
merits accumulated by the performance of such sacrifices get exhausted.
According to them, Liberation is the goal. It is derived by realising the
Brahman (Though the systems of Advaita, Vii dvaita
and Dvaita vary on

their concept of Brahman, the goal is the same). The Nyya Vaieika
system advocates that release from the pain (Apavarga) is the goal. The
Skhya, which does not admit he necessity for the existence of God has for
its goal the knowledge that the Purua is independent from Prakti.
The Yoga

system of Patajali says Kaivalyam or oneness with the vara or Purua is

the goal. According to Patajali, the Samdhi is the final step in Yoga. The
Nirbja Samdhi (consciousness without substance) is the final attainment,
where the mind is completely bereft of any substance. The Buddhists and
Jains, considered as Atheists have also given their views on this end. The
Crvakas, the materialists stand out at the lowest of the ladder whose goal
is to live happily by indulging in all sorts of pleasures, so long as one lives in
this physical world.
Sahaj Marg considers that even the liberation, so highly talked of by
the Advaitins, as a very low level of spiritual attainment. Rev. Babuji
Maharaj has said that it is like a toy for children to be played with. He has
also said that the state of Aham Brahmsmi (I am Brahman) is also a very
low level, though according to the Advaitins, it represents the highest level!
If we think over the statement of Aham Brahmsmi, we can see that still
there is the duality I and Brahman. Hence, the Sahaj Marg prescribes
the complete oneness with the Divine or Brahmalaya as the highest goal.
But since it is infinite, Rev. Babuji has said that even after reaching there,
one has to go on swimming in that infinite ocean.
Sahaj Marg does not neglect this worldly life either. It strongly
advocates that one should give equal importance to the material and the
spiritual life. Rev. Babuji Maharaj has given the example of a bird which can
fly only with two wings. Hence, Sahaj Marg prescribes ghastrama
(family

life) as the ideal life for spiritual sdhakas. In the physical level, Sahaj Marg
aims to transform an individual from being an animal-man into a humanman and then a perfect human being, simultaneously raising him to the
divine level by means of prnahuti or Transmission by the Supreme Master
and the Preceptors appointed by Him. The process of transformation is very
gradual, steady and natural. Regarding the human perfection, Rev. Babuji
Maharaj has said in the Commentary on the Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg that ,

Human perfection lies in realising the Master as Master in true sense, and
oneself as His slave devoted entirely to His service. By doing so, one creates
in himself a state of negation which attracts His direct attention and
establishes a link with Him. Now it becomes incumbent upon one to
discharge his duties in a like manner, keeping the link intact, so that the
Masters greatness be engrossed upon his heart and he may be in His direct
view16. Hence, Sahaj Marg advises the abhysi to live in Him, for Him and
by Him and by this process, one can realise the Ultimate Reality in this life
itself.
There may be some who question that such a state of spiritual attainment is
not possible within ones lifetime. But, we have many passages from the
ruti too. For example, the Kena Upani ad (II.5) says,
iha cedaveddatha satyamasti na cedihvednmahat vina i
bhteu bhteu vicitya dhr pretysmllokdamt
bhavanti
(The truth has to be realised here in this world; if not, it is a great loss)
Yjavalkya, in Bhadra

yaka Upaniad
(III.8.10), also says, yo v
etadakara grgyaviditvsmilloke juhoti yajate tapastapyate bahni
var asahasr i antavadevsya tadbhavati yo v etadakara
grgyaviditvsmlloktpraiti sa kpa

a atha ya etadakara grgi

viditvsmlloktpraiti sa brhma a
(Whoever, O Gargi, leaves this world without knowing this Absolute is
pitiable, but he, O Gargi, who leaves this world after knowing the Absolute,
is the Knower of Brahman).
Rev. Babuj Maharajs last Basant message makes it clear as to what
he wanted of us all. We are all brethren connected intellectually, morally
and spiritually the main goal of human life17. He has often said how this
can be achieved in a single sentence. Love Him who loves all, so that this
16 Complete Works of Ram Chandra (Volume I) (p.236)
17 Complete Works of Ram Chandra (Volume III) (p.432)

love gets reflected through Him to all the beings and vice-versa. The Kena
Upaniad
(IV.6) says,
taddha tadvana nma tadvanamityupsitavya sa ya etadeva
vedbhihaina sarv i bhtni savchanti
(That should be known and meditated upon as the Self abiding in all. All
the being love him who realises this.)
Thus, it is clear that Sahaj Marg offers us the highest goal, infinite, eternal,
not merely in spiritual path, but also it advises us to lead a life in the right
way as it should be lived without neglecting either the material life or the
spiritual life. In other words, it calls for a perfect balance of both where
there is no distinction such as material and spiritual, lower and higher etc.,
but only mere existence.
6. Transmission as the means of realising the goal
We have said that Sahaj Marg endeavours to make God-realisation
possible within ones lifetime itself. For achieving this, the Guru of this
system uses a toll which is called prnahuti. It literally means pouring or
offering of life. Here, the Master offers his life, His spiritual attainments,
His love that encompasses the whole universe to all the beings without any
restrictions of caste, colour, sex, nationality etc. whatsoever.
The prnahuti of this system is certainly an unparalleled discovery in
the history of mankind. We have reference of the transmission of ones
spiritual power to his disciples mentioned in some ancient Yogic texts, if not
in Vedic texts. It is called aktipta in Yogic parlance. The first instance is
pointed out in the Bhagavadgt, when Lord K a tells Arjuna that He
would give Arjuna divine eye to see His Cosmic form (Bh.g. XI.8) divyam
dadmi te caku
paya me yogamaivaram. After witnessing the cosmic
form of the Lord, when Arjuna becomes afraid, Lord K a consoles him and
says, may prasannena tavrjuneda rpa para daritam tmayogt
(Bh.g. XII.47). Here, the tma Yoga suggests that Lord K a transmitted to

Arjuna, His disciple, the divine energy. In the Yoga Vi a,

Sage Vivmitra
is wonderstruck on seeing Rama being transformed by his Guru Vai a in
no time through transmission. Here, three methods of transmission is
mentioned darant sparant abdat kpay
iya

dehake, i.e., (By

sight, by touch and by word all through the grace of the Guru). This text
goes on to tell that only he who is capable of imparting knowledge in such a
way is the real Guru. The Sta Samhit talks of four methods of
transmission
(

(Has the sloka been

correctly typed?)
viddhi sthla sk ma skmatara
skmatamamapi
kramata

sparana bha
a darana sakalpajanivatcaturdh tat
According to this text, the four means of transmission through touch,
words, sight and thought and these are respectively classified as gross,
subtle, subtler and the subtlest. IN recent times, we know that how
Narendranath was transformed into a great Yogi, Swami Vivekananda, by
his Guru Ramakrishn Pramahamsa through transmission. However, the
greatest example for this phenomenon is seen only in our system. Rev.
Lalaji Maharaj, the diguru of our system, transformed Rev. Babuji Maharaj
into a Special Personality and He, in turn, made Rev. Chariji Maharaj like
Himself! So, the chain of continuity is maintained here.
But, Sahaj Marg does not aim at making only one example such as
given above. The Guru of this system endeavours and takes the full
responsibility of making everyone of us exactly like Himself, provided we
offer conditional co-operation. Rev. Babuji Maharaj used to say, I want to
make Masters and not disciples, which means that He wanted all of us to
be exactly like Him, not physically or intellectually, but having a heart like
that of Himself!

In Sahaj Marg, once transmission is effected in an abhysi by the

Guru, all the process of sana, Prnyma, Pratyhra and Dhra and
also Dhyna are easily mastered by the abhysi without undergoing any
special effort or strain or struggle. For, the transmission itself guides the
Sdhaka through all these processes. The greatest point in favour of this
kind of Sdhana is that the Sdhaka is always safe against injury of harm of
any kind that has to be faced while practising Haha
Yoga. But this process
is a natural and simple in Sahaj Marg. For those who aspire after Yoga
under modern conditions, there is no easier and safer method to follow than
through the process of transmission from the real Guru as available in the
Sahaj Marg system of Rja Yoga.
Pr huti has been defined by Rev. Babuji Maharaj as utilisation of
the divine energy for the transformation of man. This clearly brings out what
the transmission is intended to do in the Sdhakas. The divine Master
Himself takes complete control of Pr huti and He Himself or through the
Preceptors transmits the same into the seekers heart. By this process, not
only the heart of the abhysi, but the entire system of his body is taken care
of. The Nis
and the cakras and points are cleaned and purified, the knots
(grantis) are untied and each and every cell are completely purified. The
abhysis also are advised to practise the cleaning process regularly for this
purpose, which again is supported by the Pr huti.
Through the process of transmission as explained above, the mind is
regulated systematically, thus transforming the individual gradually and
naturally into a better human being, then a perfect human being and later,
elevated to Supreme Reality. When every individual is transformed in this
manner, the atmosphere around him also charges with peace and
tranquillity. Then the society and the whole world get transformed
automatically. When we realise this, we will understand the tremendous
responsibility that the Master has willingly undertaken on His shoulders.

The Preceptors and abhysis situated throughout this world should act as
ambassadors by leading such a life so as to promote a feeling of love and
peace in all. Such is the effect of transmission that is offered by the Guru of
Sahaj Marg.
The word Pr huti also implies that the Guru offers His own life into
the abhysis hearts. This transmission is infinite, beyond space and time.
It is proved practically that once the link is established with the Master, the
seeker feels the transmission wherever he may be and at anytime
whatsoever. Such is the greatness of the Master in this system.
I have tried to present here only in a nutshell some aspects of Sahaj
Marg. As stated in the beginning itself, each topic in itself, is a vast subject.
Our sacred texts like the Vedas and Upaniads
contain a lot of secrets but it

requires the spirit of adventure and determination to unravel the mysteries.

But Sahaj Marg offers the highest possible approach through the most
natural, simple, efficacious way. Let us remember that there is no use in
just talking of the glorious past, unless it is brought into practice for our
benefit, it does not solve our purpose. Rev. Chariji Maharaj has defined
memory itself in a beautiful way. He said, Memory is the means of bringing
the experience and knowledge of the past into the present for the benefit of
the future. Also, it is not wise just to praise and accept anything simply
because it is old or ancient and reject anything on the ground that it is new.
As Klidsa, the master-poet said, pur amityeva na sdhu sarva na cpi
kvyam navamityavadyam
Sahaj Marg is not entirely new but it is only a very highly evolved
system from the ancient system of Yoga. It is a modified and simplified
system of Rja Yoga to suit the modern conditions. Rev. Lalaji Maharaj
revived the age-old system of transmission and made it available to all. Rev.
Babuji Maharaj, the founder of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, to whom we are
eternally grateful, goes the credit of propagating this system throughout this

world. He worked tirelessly till his lifetime (1899-1983). He created another

Personality in Rev. Chariji Maharaj, who had taken up the onerous
responsibility of spreading His Masters mission, teaching and everything
that His Master represented by leading us all in his footsteps. Let me quote
the inspiring words of Rev. Babuji Maharaj in Message Universal on the eve
of His 82nd Birthday celebrations in Malay`sia, before I conclude.
The main purpose of our Mission is to install spirituality in place of
the prevailing non-spirituality, through Sahaj Marg, pronouncing Masters
message: Awake, O sleepers, Its the hour of the dawn. The change, of
course, cannot come overnight. The aim of our Mission will, however,
certainly be achieved, if its members work with love, patience and cooperation. I need such persons in our organisation who may shine out like
the sun. People themselves will be attracted when they know that our
method is correct. One lion is better than a hundred sheep; but we should
try as human beings to do spiritual good to others. Earnest labour on
Masters way shall never go in vain.
May the Master, who gives us the experience of the Ultimate Reality
through the unique flow of transmission (Pr huti) protect us all forever!!!