- J.M.Sarma

My dear Pujya Sir, brothers and sisters

I place my humble pranams at the holy feet of all the lovers of the Master.  

On the happiest occasion of birthday celebrations of our Great Grand Master, Adi Guru, Pujya Lalaji Maharaj, I would like to share some of my thoughts and feelings about the topic ‘Basanth and its relevance’. I sincerely request all of you to forgive me for any mistake.

When the topic ‘Basanth and its relevance’ was conveyed to me, first, it came to my mind to share about the importance of Basanth and its relevance to all of us who are all moving towards Master in the path of Natural Path.

Basant Ritu (season) is supreme from all the other seasons as this season comes before the intense heat of the summer from the shivering colds of the winter. The whole atmosphere turns into mustard yellow and it is the time to celebrate the spring festival of Basant Panchmi which arrives. Yellow represents spiritual knowledge, increasing the significance of the festival.

This is the concept in general, but for us, the moment we think about Basanth or hear about Basanth, we remember the most auspicious day Basanth Panchami that is the birthday of our Grand Master, Adi Guru, Pujya Lalaji Maharaj. Also, it is the beginning of the New Year of Lalaji Era that is with the month Samavarti.

Our Pujya Babuji Maharaj in his message at Mysore on 20^th December 1964, conveyed to all that

“Great men are not born accidentally. They are born when the world waits for them in eager expectation. Such is the phenomenon of nature. At the time when spirituality was tottering helplessly and the solid materialism had usurped the position of spiritualism in human life and Yogic transmission had become quite obsolete, the Great Soul of my Master descended down to earth in the form of Samartha Guru Mahatma Ram Chandraji Maharaj of Fatehgarh, U.P. This spiritual genius was born on Basant Panchami day, 2nd February, 1873. His life marks the advent of a new era in spirituality. He was in fact the nature's prodigy and his work in the spiritual field is beyond common conception. He has practically modified the system of Raj Yoga so as to suit the need of the time and the capacity of the people in general. He has made wonderful researches in this science and has made human approach up to the farthest limit possible and practicable for a man in the least possible time. He was completely dynamic so much so that even people not following him got transformed by the action of the effect radiating from him all the while”.

Our Pujya Sir has beautifully explained the importance of the Basanth Panchami during his talk on Basanth Celebrations in the year 2007. He says

“It is as a part of spiritual duty that we assemble every year on the auspicious day of Basanth Panchami which is glorified by the descent of Pujya Sri Ramchandraji Maharaj of Fategarh to further consolidate our spiritual status as Murads totally dedicated to the service of Sri Ramchandraji Maharaj of Shahjahanpur. Our beloved Master has stated that his master has taken the incarnation at a time when the world was in turmoil and when “Solid materialism had taken the place of fine spiritualism. Dark clouds of ignorance were hovering all over; yogic transmission had become quite foreign to us. At this state when spirituality was urgently needed to set things right for the upliftment of mind”.

Further in one more talk, Pujya Sir conveys the importance of Basant Panchami that

“We are all happy to gather here again today, the most auspicious day of Basant Panchami made more auspicious by the descent of the Divine in the form of Rev. Sri Ramchandraji Maharaj of Fatehgarh affectionately called Rev. Lalaji by our beloved Master Pujya Babuji Maharaj. We all owe our life spiritual as well as mundane to this great Personality who descended in the human form to bless us. With Him our beloved Master said started a new era of spiritual life. I would like some of you to deliberate the possibility of revising our calendars to be written accordingly. He is the cause for all of us enjoying Pranahuti everyday and many times everyday, which lifts us from the ordinary bestial levels to planes which are more humane and certain times bordering in the divine ones as acknowledged by our friends and dear ones”.

So, it is indeed, great day and I feel, we should remember our Grand Master and Lalaji Era.

Pujya Babuji Maharaj further conveys the greatness of Pujya Lalaji Maharaj in his message at Mysore that

“There have been great saints of highest calibre in India almost at all time and they have by their teachings and preachings tried to guide through to uplift the masses to a higher level of consciousness. But, of all these, one who can foment us by his own inner powers would be the best for a guide in the spiritual pursuit. It is he and he alone who perceives our inner complexities, understands our real needs and knows how to conduct us along the path up to the final limit. Pranahuti or Yogic transmission is of course the chief instrument he works with. That is the only effective process to introduce immediate change to regularise the inner tendencies of our mind so as to effect our gradual transformation. Under the present conditions when the poisonous effect has overshadowed the entire cosmos so as to attack every mind and keep it in a constant state of tumult and disorder, when the senses have all gone out of control, and when the individual mind is on the wings every moment, we stand in dire need of such a personality to take us along supporting us by His superior Powers.

This is what we had in the Divine personality of the Great Master referred to above. He introduced an improved system of Raj Yoga which later came to be known as NATURAL PATH”.

The moment we think about Basant Panchami, we can not forget the words of Pujya Babuji Maharaj in his message at Madras on 24^th February 1973 on Birth Centenary of Lalaji Mahraj

“We have assembled here on a very auspicious occasion to celebrate the Birth Centenary of our Great Master Samartha Guru Sri Ram Chandraji Maharaj of Fatehgarh (U.P.). We should utilize this occasion in getting into the Master and Master alone, which will act as food and tonic for spiritual elevation. Remembrance should be in a way that we feel the thought of remembrance oozing out from the objects everywhere. It is the real remembrance which mortals can have. It is a play for our good”.

About Pujya Lalaji Maharaj, few words

1)          He attained perfection only in seven months – really an unparalleled example. Since then he devoted the whole of his life for the cause of spirituality. He is the Adi Guru of our Mission.

2)          With his birth, an Advent of New Era (Lalaji Era) started.

3)          He made Special Personality, our Master Pujya Babuji Maharaj.

4)          He was an embodiment of moderation, toleration and devotion.

5)          With him dawned the new era of yogic training through transmission (Pranahuti), of which he was the master. He showed a way to bring a man to perfection in one life only, and even leading a family life in the grihastha ashram.

6)          He had simplified the method of spiritual training to a great extent and adjusted it to suit the requirements of our time.

7)          He devoted every moment of his life to the upliftment of humanity. He was in fact the Nature’s prodigy and his work in the spiritual field is beyond common conception. His wonderful researches in this science have made human approach up to the highest limit, in the least possible time, quite possible and practicable.

8)          He always laid emphasis on the special importance of character in the area of spiritual development. He used to say ‘How so ever advanced a person may seem to be, if his moral character is doubtful, I would say that he has not got even a breadth of spirituality’.

9)          He taught, " Never offer advice unless invited, otherwise it is likely to yield bad results. If you find any fault with anybody, pray for his freedom from it." He himself never directly asked anyone to give up any bad habit. All such bad habits and afflictions left that person in no time after he had been with him. Commenting on this method he used to say, "If you sit by a fire, you feel warm; if you sit by ice, you feel cold. Why then will you not get transformed if you sit with a person who is perfect in discipline and etiquette?" He never talked about anyone's faults. In case it became necessary to discuss such a subject, he went mum.

10)       He always advised reduction of wants. He would say "Do not purchase a new thing if you can manage to carry on with your old belongings." He was not against earning money by honest means, but insisted on spending it on others. Use of intoxicants being given to adultery were strictly prohibited by him. He would often direct his followers not believe their manas in this regard. Accordingly to him, the slave of woman and greedy person could never perform acts of paramarth. To him, show was disqualification. Stating a bare truth was always good in his opinion. He was very firm in his conviction that the real discipline and etiquette were simply that the tongue should utter only that which was in ones' heart. The inner and outer condition of an abhyasi had to be same.

11)       He considered spiritual perfection to be based on three things. 1) Love for the Master 2) Satsangh with the Master and 3) Obedience to the Master.

12)       He considered three things necessary for a saint 1) Permanent bodily ailment 2) Financial stringency and 3) Nindak - one found fault with.

13)       He says the real sadhana is to balance the mind.

14)       He says, eat less and earn a honest living. Without taking honestly earned food, spiritual experiences often go wrong. Once he wrote - "it is good to be put to worries. The home is the training centre for submission and endurance, etc. It is the greatest form of penance and sacrifice."

15)       He always advised to cleanse our manas (mind) with practice and sadhana and then read, otherwise Reality will be lost upon you. He advised to avoid becoming a Master and serve as a servant should. He used to say that "God has hidden himself inside our hearts and exposed us. Hide yourselves and expose God!" This is the real sadhana.

About Lalaji Era, Pujya Babuji Maharaj conveys to humanity that

"The blissful time ushered in by His advent introduced a New Era of spiritual awakening which promises a practical solution of the human problem of existence".

On the eve of New year, a calendar is distributed and also New Year wishes with the link of Lalaji Era for knowing more details were sent through E-Mail to all E-Mail subscribers of our Pujya Sriramchandra website.

I feel, as followers of Master, we should communicate to the world about Pujya Lalaji Maharaj and Lalji Era. The day is not far off that everyone will follow Lalaji Era and the months of the year that is Samavarti, Prana, Bhuma, Prabhu, Bhanwar, Iswar, Varada, Krishna, Samadristi, Satpad, Radha and Viveka.

Concluding the topic, I feel there is lot of responsibility lies on our part to fulfill Master’s mission that is transformation of human beings from lower consciousness to upper consciousness and to Divine consciousness.

I would like to express my sincere thanks for providing me this opportunity to say few words about ‘Basant and its relevance’. Please forgive me for any mistake.

My humble pranams to all.