Showing posts with label Path of Four Yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Path of Four Yoga. Show all posts

April 13, 2009

Path of Four Yoga and views of Shirdi Saibaba


Yoga means ‘to join’. The ultimate union of our soul with the God is called Yoga. We all feel pain and a feeling of deep inner loneliness because we have separated from our Source. All Yoga aim at re-establishing our contact with our Source – the SELF. The union cannot be achieved as long as we are caught in the matrix of life and death due to our Karma. Union with the God/ Brahma / Supreme power implies that the soul has broken free of the cycle of birth and death. The soul will not have to take birth after birth to work out its karma. We call it by name of Nirvana/ Moksha/ Salvation. Every soul has to reach this level of perfection. It is said that at this stage soul gets enlightened and can recall all its past, present and future. The soul can create anything it wants. The soul becomes Spirit. It attains the state of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss.

Some souls reach this state fast in few births only and some take hundreds of births and still wonder what’s the aim of getting human birth. Shirdi SaiBaba often said that we get human body as a result of our good karma so that we can work out for our own salvation/ moksha/ nirvana. Every human being has to take steps towards self realization and ultimately God realization – i.e., first to learn that he is soul and not body. Ultimately realize and let his soul merge with the Divine Holy Spirit (GOD).

We can come across someone (Guru / Guide) who will remind us of the purpose of taking human birth. However, the one, who has already achieved self realization & God realization and strives to help others to achieve the same is known as Sadguru (ascendant master or Perfect Master). Shirdi SaiBaba is one such Sadguru. He may not be physically visible to us anymore but his holy spirit is still guiding and helping many of his devotees towards self realization and God realization.

As per Hindu scriptures, there are mainly four routes to reach this ultimate destination – Karma Yoga (Work), Jnana Yoga(Knowledge), Raja Yoga (Power) and Bhakti Yoga(Devotion). Though during his lifetime, Shirdi Saibaba has thrown light on all forms of Yoga. As per ancient Hindu scriptures, consistent practice of either Love, Work, Knowledge or Psychic control help us achieve Yoga. These four routes that take us our ultimate destination called Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga respectively. In the final stages all these routes overlap each other and become same. SaiBaba was Yogasampanna (full of Yoga). He has given practical demonstration of all these Yogas by his conduct, action and preachings during his physical lifetime on earth.

Shirdi Saibaba has also given discourses on all these Yoga practices to his devotees as per their needs and qualifications. To be able to learn and master either of these Yogas to reach our final destination needs grace of God which further depends on qualification of the receiver. A student of class fourth cannot be given knowledge of class eighth. Baba would often say that people keep asking him for worldly comforts but do not ask HIM to give them what HE wanted them to give out of his full treasury.


Bhakti Yoga
This is path of pure extreme love and single minded devotion. Devotee (Bhakta) places his trust in his ascendant master and loves him unconditionally thinking him to be Brahma/ Universe. The Master looks to the qualifications and preparedness of the seeker, works on the mind, thoughts and feelings of the devotee and gently but surely guides him towards path of self realization.

Saibaba had placed such unconditional faith in his Guru and waited patiently for his blessings. He advised his devotees to do the same. Saibaba maintained that though Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Love) is difficult but if one has a guide than this route becomes the most easiest path to follow. The only condition is that for treading this path the devotee has to surrender himself completely (sarvasva sharanagati) to his deity with firm belief that his perfect master will take him safely across the worldly ocean existence. SaiBaba often asked people to offer HIM two pice of Shradha and Saburi, if devotee wanted HIM to become their guide. Bookish knowledge is for intellectual learning. For spiritual learning a capable Sadguru is needed who is pure love incarnate, doesnot care for monetary benefit and is himself self realized. Shirdi SaiBaba was all this and more.

A Bhakti Yogi has to surrender himself to his Sadguru – his personal God. SaiBaba once told a devotee (who was following some other Guru) to hold on to his own ‘bolster’ and not leave his Guru. Baba advocated that we should have faith in our Sadguru, we should assimilate his teachings and follow them with patience without any doubt. So many times SaiBaba appeared as Ram, Krishana, Vithala etc to his devotees to confirm their faiths in their respective personal Gods. He sent Shama to Vani to fulfil his mother’s vow made to their family’s personal God.


Karma Yoga
A karma yogi has to perform all his activities with disinterest and offer them to God. A karma yogi is detached and does not yearn for worldly desires like wealth, progeny and fame. A karma yogi lives to serve the world. Shirdi SaiBaba gave a practical demonstration of being a perfect Karma Yogi during his lifetime. He had no family, desires or wants. He had pure love for humanity. He kept ‘Dhuni’ burning day & night. Every day he would go out for bhiksha (mendicancy) round(s). He did not store money. He did not care for expensive gifts offered to him by his devotees. He was dispassion incarnate and had no attachment with any thing of this world. He only cared for the welfare of his devotees in every possible way he could. So many times he took over his devotees’ pain /sufferings on to him for giving them relief. Many of his devotees got cured by his blessings.

Saibaba always looked after the welfare of his devotees. Rich and poor all were treated similarly and once they surrendered themselves to Baba, their problems became Baba’s problems. SaiBaba took human form for the sake of his devotees, to serve mankind, to sort out wide differences between Hindus and Muslims at that time.

The famous snake and frog story rendered by Baba is a perfect example of how karma performed with attached brings our downfall. Baba would often say we get what is ours and we lose what doesnot belong to us. Our karma determines what we deserve.
Saibaba advised us to practice self restraint, be loving, truthful, unselfish, develop good character, resist evil thoughts.

Jnana Yoga
A rich gentleman had visited Baba to get brahma gyana(secrets of universe). Baba gave him an extensive intellectual insight into Brahma and explained how and why it is difficult to understand this knowledge. So many things are to be surrendered for gaining knowledge of Brahma. This jnana can only be given to those who have attained certain qualifications to receive the same. Further it requires the grace of Guru/ God without which nothing can be made out the theory. Jnana Yogi has a very highly developed ‘vivek’ and can easily distinguish between Real and Unreal – Maya/ Illusion. Baba has explained about working of Maya to his devotees. Baba would often say that God pervades everything. Only God is real rest is illusion. Life would be easy if we can understand this. Baba advised his devotees to watch the show of their life as a bystander and detach themselves so that they do not feel pain. Baba’s most famous phrase ‘Sabka Malik Ek’ is symbolic of a Yogi who has realized universality of religion. A jnani knows that at the highest levels of all religions - all is one. Baba wanted the whole humanity to understand this.

Raja Yoga
This Yoga requires practice of psychic control, control of inner unseen world. Visualisation of God /Universe within through meditation etc. Sai Baba is ‘antaryami’ Baba had full knowledge of inner and outer world of his devotees. He could read devotees inner most thoughts and desires. He could manifest himself at places other than Shirdi. He identified himself as one with other saints and even proved it to so many of his devotes through many such manifestations. He could control fire, rain and other natural phenomenon. Raja Yogi is required to do some physical yogic exercises to keep body fit and Saibaba excelled at such practices like Khanda Yoga and Dhauti. Like a Raja Yogi he had control over his food habits. His tongue knew no taste. He disapproved of fasting preached moderation in eating. Baba’s teaching regarding how he met his Guru who helped him in introvert his outgoing tendencies and making him feel bliss supreme is a perfect Raja Yoga practice. A Raja Yogi can control natural elements like Baba could control the raging fire or stop the storm. Baba knew deepest inner thoughts of all and often said that wherever his devotee may be, HE is always with him and knows every action and thought of his devotee. Though he would be seen mixing with all his visitors, he remained in state of ‘samadhi’ internally.


From all above it is clear that non-attachment is basis of all Yogas. Destination of all the Yogas is same –union with God. So at one point all these Yoga practices start overlapping each other. Shirdi SaiBaba was master of all these Yogas- A perfect living example – of how to put such divine knowledge to practice. He said he was there to help and guide but people are more interested in worldly desires. So many times he would fulfil an earnest devotees worldly desires first to bring him on the path of Yoga later.

Like Hemadpant says it is very difficult to comprehend life of great Sadgurus like Saibaba. We can just imagine their greatness using our limited intellectual bookish learning. One has to practice and experience such yogic practices but that can be possible if we come across someone who has himself united with his SELF. We are lucky, we found our Sadguru in Shirdi Saibaba. I pray to HIM to work on me internally and change and direct my thoughts in the right, positive direction.
Saibaba help me choose my thoughts from the highest point of love.

Vandana Ritik
Heritage of Shirdi Sai
New Delhi