Hindu Yogis

[kralaro]

Still_Waters, thanks for answering my questions
I know that reading others' minds is possible as i've read that Neem Karoli Baba used to read others' minds. I'm his fan.
I'm finding your experience with the black turban man to be amazing. So for 3 hours u asked questions and received answers. Wow. I too would have made full use of the opportunity as i'm curious about many things
Like i would have pointed out contradictions in scriptures and would have asked for explanations, why did religious teachers gave different teachings ignoring each other, answers to unsolved mysteries in mathematics, how to perfect my health, how to meet the person who thinks like me if such person exists, why hasn't God ended all pain, most importantly: how can i best serve. Also how can i get answers to questions which i'll have in future.
You had all your questions answered. If any of those questions were of general nature and answers to which will be useful to us, then i request you to share. If there are many then i don't want to burden you, i request you to share the most useful (to us) answer(s).

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by kralaro

I didn't have a positive impression of Sathya Sai Baba, e.g. he died before the time that he had predicted he would die on. Shirdi Sai Baba i respect.

About that, i was locked in a psychiatric centre and force fed harmful drugs for having spirituality as my foremost priority in life.

There is no question that I too am more drawn to Shirdi Sai Baba and his lineage (Upasni Maharah, Meher Baba) than Sathya Sai Baba. Many people here are probably aware of the controversies surrounding Sathya Sai Baba, but I won't go there.

Regarding you second statement abour the psychiatric center, even Lord Jesus made spirituality a priority when he said: "Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you." I have discovered that to be true and that statement has long been one of my guiding scriptural passages. However, I am also mindful of Nisargadatta Maharaj's definition of meditation, which I use frequently: "Meditation is the art of shifting attention to subtler and subtler levels of consciousness WITHOUT LOSING A GRIP ON THE LEVELS LEFT BEHIND". One must be very aware of one's environment and the developmental level of those around us .... lest one be considered crazy or blasphemous or otherwise discredited ... and persecuted either with tortures or, nowadays, with psychiatric treatment.

The Sufi Master Hazrat Inayat Khan has said that some revered mystics from the past could easily find themselves in psychiatric institutions nowadays ... if they don't watch their words and an establishment threatened by their words.

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 11 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by kralaro

Like i would have pointed out contradictions in scriptures and would have asked for explanations, why did religious teachers gave different teachings ignoring each other

The scriptures from various wisdom traditions do indeed contradict each other more than most people would like to admit.

My teacher was once questioned about the contradictions and she tactfully responded that most scriptures are reasonably consistent within themselves but may seem to contradict other scriptures. In private, her answers were more direct.

Ramana Maharshi was once asked if he had read all the scriptures since he seemed so familiar with them. He responded that he didn't read ANY of them but, once he heard a passage being quoted, he could interpret what point was being made (from his perspective) and hence could comment on them. He said that the point of the scriptures was to POINT people to the truth. He added that instructions are necessary ... until one surrenders completely ... in which case one becomes a light unto one's Self.

[peteyzen]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

It's interesting that you should also mention Sathya Sai Baba as two of my friends both had the opportunity to meet with him one-on-one in India..

Hi Still Waters, I have had some profound experiences with Sai baba, even though I have never met him. I had the great privilege to visit a house in England that was constantly blessed by Baba. They had a few pictures from which vhibutti (a holy ash ) grew each day. Initially I was sceptical, as I thought that it would be easy for someone to pour ash over the pictures each day and pretend it was manifesting. However the house had a great and beautiful sensation around and inside it. When we arrived we took off our shoes and the two owners took us in to the room where Baba`s pictures were.
We sat down in the rooms and discussed baba together and they gave us a bit of vhibutti to taste, oddly each picture had a different flavour of vhibutti.
I had taken a box of milk tray chocolates as a gift for the home owners, I got it out of the bag I had with me and offered it to them and they said thanks, but asked me to open the box and share with the five or so people who were present. I peeled of the cellophane outer, and opened the box. As I lifted the black cover which sat on top of the chocolates I was shocked to see the chocolates all covered in vhibutti. The devotees who owned the house said that this type of thing had happened a couple of other times too. baba continued to surprise even them.
As we left the house and returned to our shoes, they were covered in vhibutti.

I had also taken a picture with me of Mother meera, to be blessed, I had placed it in a plastic bag by the shrine as we chatted and when I picked it up, the whole of the front was covered in orange vhibutti (the vhibutti on the pictures of baba was grey). More astonishing, was my teachers photo, also of Mother meera, his was also covered in vhibutti, but not on top of the photo, but between the photo and the inside of the glass that covered the phote (his was in a frame). These remarkable things did not however compare to the blasting of energy and grace we received there that night, for weeks I was walking around in a dream afterwards.

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 14 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by peteyzen

These remarkable things did not however compare to the blasting of energy and grace we received there that night, for weeks I was walking around in a dream afterwards.

You have been blessed to actually see/experience what would trigger disbelief and skepticism in most people. Once one has had direct experiences such as what you have just described, one no longer even engages in arguments/debates over such happenings as one's certainty is unshakable.

In my case, having seen so many "impossible" happenings, including a long one-on-one dialogue with a Tibetan Buddhist monk who observed his master raise a monk from the dead to guide him "properly" through the Bardos (transitions), I am convinced that virtually anything is possible.

Furthermore, as you duly noted, "these remarkable things did not however compare to the blasting of energy and grace we received there that night" and that awesome state is indeed incomparable. That state eventually becomes more and more continuous even without remarkable occurrences.

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

There were also footprints in the ashes. He interpreted that as a sign from Sai Baba, who often materializes vibhuti ashes in addition to other things. Intuitively, he scooped up the ashes and applied them all over his son's body. Subsequent medical examinations showed no traces whatsoever of the disease.

Nothing in this world can be achieved by Devotion or Prayer or Powers or Siddhis sir.

Only one who is deserved for an act, can reap the fruits he laid as seed. Devotion won't bring anything in this world. Devotion can bring only Liberation or Mukti. Nothing else.

All other stunts are Maya. Sir, based on one's previous actions (Karma), he gets or loses everything. God or Sages have nothing to do about it. Even in the life of Sai Baba, he couldn't save more people. He saved few only by giving his years of life to them, as an exchange to Death. This exchange happened for only few, and there were many whom were more devoted or prayed in him, but he failed to save them.

This Krishna/Sai Baba/etc.. is to be prayed only for "to be with them always" rather than for any desires of worldly/karmic things. Even when one does so, they didn't bring any miracles, they just give what the one is deserved to get.

If they have to live, nothing can kill them. If they have to die, nothing can save them. It's nature. Sai Baba, Krishna,etc.. are just means. It's not their devotion to them brought life back but their previous Karmas. Their thought structure made them think such way, so that in coming future it may lead them to devotion and Mukti. Their appearance in such way in bring back life is like a climax scene, where it has nothing to do with the main picture but a means to end the action in the way the perceiver wants to perceive.

Even a sage with 64 siddhis, is useless before the Death. Nothing can surpass Death when it is in Doorsteps, except Salvation.

Powers will end, miracles will end, they only feeds 'ego' rather than ending it and so adviced not to be spoked about. It only feeds 'false ego' like Sasuke and Indra in Naruto Manga, like 'Evil Dr. Strange' in "What if?? Or Multiverse".

Powers doesn't make cross 'ego' but only makes them bound with it unknowingly. Be cautionate with it.

Hope you will understand again and again why I keep on stressing and the seriousness..

Be like a Maarkandeya in holding "HIM" rather than distracted by 'his' powers. Maarkandeya, worshipped not amazed of his powers/siddhis/etc.. but being a 'devotee' thinking nothing else other than 'HIM'.

One has to fix to one thing, whatever it is. Buddha fixed to one thing. Sages they themselves fixed to one thing. Swami's fixed to one thing. Gurus imparted one thing. If not fixed and run for many knowledge or experiences, it is not a worthy thing and only feeds 'ego' by the experiences earned. It may seem to provide more pleasure like Dr. Strange felt, but only leads them to destruction unknowingly of collecting more,more,more. This more,more,more is only useful for devotion, and other than that - in case of Knowledge and experience, it's an invisible prison.

You know, I was then like this, but when I came to know that knowledge also ends in Non-duality, my search stopped and only fixed to the 'reclining/sleeping pose' being myself in such pose and brings much Peace inside, that's my nature. Staying in such pose and perceive the whole creation,maintanence and annihilation and blankness is Peace for me.

Take care.

[SagarRawat]

All 7 gurus are known for being one of the best Hindu gurus. I personally follow Vivekananda.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Viswa

Nothing in this world can be achieved by Devotion or Prayer or
Powers or Siddhis sir.

Um, just saw this...I counter that with much can be achieved with devotion and prayer....

Not many bring up Maarkandeya, thank you.

Welcome, Sagar. :)

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by peteyzen

vhibutti (a holy ash )

I had taken a box of milk tray chocolates as a gift... I peeled off the cellophane outer... as I lifted the black cover which sat on top of the chocolates I was shocked to see the chocolates all covered in vhibutti.
As we left the house and returned to our shoes, they were covered in vhibutti.

I must admit I LOVED this story!!!!
What a playful *wink* you were all getting!

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by SagarRawat

All 7 gurus are known for being one of the best Hindu gurus. I personally follow Vivekananda.

Before the pandemic, I used to frequent the Vedanta Society in NYC. As you know, the Vedanta Society was founded by Vivekananda, a truly awesome Yogi.