Sitting on Baba's Lap Means Died?

Date: Tue 28 Feb 2012 15:46:06 -0400
From: Divyajyoti_Deva
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Sitting on Baba's Lap Means Died?

== SITTING ON BABA'S LAP MEANS DIED? ==

Namaskar,
Recently after dharmacakra, a senior margii was recounting his experiences of having dharma samiiksa with Baba.

He said, "After being punished by Baba, then He called me close and placed me on His lap - I remained there for some time soaking up His love - and He blessed me."

We all enjoyed hearing about his personal account with Baba during dharma samiiksa.
When he finished telling his story, there was a call for questions. Various people posed their queries.

QUESTION BY A NEW MARGII

Towards the end, one new margii raised his hand and asked, "How did Baba bring you back to life?"

Everyone stared at the new margii in amazement. There was a look of astonishment all around - people were really shocked to hear him say this

The new sadhaka sensed that something was awry.

He said very matter-of-factly, "I thought that sitting on Baba's Lap means that he (the margii) died - that is why I asked that question."

This was totally eye-opening for those of us in the room: Through our language and expression we had unknowingly taught someone to think that being on Baba's lap is the equivalent of death. Because it seems that nowadays people on use the phrase "Baba's lap" when a person has died, such as "Let him rest peacefully in Baba's lap." Many emails have been written this way.

MUST NOT ONLY REFER TO DEATH

At that moment I thought that everyone, new and old, should be clear about the real and devotional meaning of this phrase, "being on Baba's lap." It should not become stigmatized such that it only means death. Because in its true sense the phrase "being on Baba's lap" really does carry a highly devotional and sweet feeling.

It is just like how a small child sits on its parent's lap. In a similar way, a spiritual child (human being) sits on the lap of Parama Purusa. By Baba's grace this can happen anytime in one sadhana, especially in dhyana. Such a phrase then should not become  stigmatized because too many people only use it at the time of death.

We should be careful that we do not relegate "Baba's lap" only to the point of death. All these following terms and phrases also only refer to death:

bhaotik dehtya'g (leaving physical body),
bhaotik shariir tya'g (leaving physical body)
ve bhagavan ko pya're ho gaye (he has been loved by God)
ve svarga sidhar gaye (he has gone to heaven )
ve guzar gaye (he passed away)
mahaprayan hoyeche (he died)

We should ensure that the same death connotation does not get attached to, "being on Baba's lap." Because the phase "being on Baba's lap" is a devotional experience that can happen today itself in sadhana, and especially in dhyana. The phrase "being on Baba's lap" should not lose this quality and only mean death. It should not meet the same dark fate as happened with the term harijan.

MUST NOT MEET SAME FATE AS HARIJAN

As we all know, these days in India nobody uses the term harijan to mean "a devotee". Whereas 70 years ago it was used in that way. The term harijan did mean bhakta. But ever since the time of Gandhi when he glued the harijan term to the lowest so-called caste, i.e so-called untouchables, nobody uses the the harijan to mean devotee. Never. Because the term harijan has been stigmatized to mean "untouchable". Nobody uses it to mean "devotee" but that is the original and true meaning of the word.

The phrase, "sitting on Baba's lap", should not meet a similar fate. It should not lose its devotional quality and just refer to one's death. That will be very negative.

A VERY DEVOTIONAL EXPRESSION

There are thousands of recorded stories by sadhakas where they use the phrase, "on Baba's lap", when describing their experiences of being with Baba: He used to bless them and bring them on His lap. People should understand the deeply devotional value of this expression and not just think that Baba's lap means death, i.e. that you can only sit on His lap at the time of death. Still today there are thousands of margiis walking this earth who sat in Baba's lap. And not only that, there are countless more sadhakas who were blessed by Baba in dreams and dhyana wherein they sat in His lap. And still today this deeply devotional experience is attainable by sadhakas, by His grace.

There are so many ways an aspirant can reach unto Baba's lap including in sadhana and especially during dhyana. That is the main idea that should be preserved. Sadhana is a devotional practice and one can sit on Baba's lap in dhyana. We should make it cent-pet-cent clear to one and all that the phrase, "sitting on Baba's lap", does not mean death.

Namaskar, 
Divyajyoti Deva

Note 1: RECENT EXAMPLES

Here are quoted lines from recently posted emails on various forums, wherein the writer uses "in Baba's lap" with the occasion of death:

"May her soul rest in Baba's lap for ever."

"Let her rest peacefully in Baba's Lap - which she always desired."

"now she is in beloved Baba's lap"

"She is now in BÁBÁ'S loving lap"

The above lines were written in response to the recent passing of a dear margii, Gayattrii Devii. And it is fine to write like this - only the point is that this same phrase "in Baba's lap" should be used when describing one's devotional practices and experiences as well.

Note 2: ON BABA'S LAP

We know that one can sit on the lap of Parama Purusa in dhyana and so many of our devotional practices. This is well accepted idea in our Marga.

Baba says, "Now if the same humans address Parama Puruśa with appropriate humility, saying, “Oh Lord, show us the way, take us to Your feet and allow us to sit on Your loving lap” – this is devotion. If this devotion is present, everything else will automatically take care of itself." (SS-11, What Is the Way?)

Baba says, "Intelligent people who move firmly along the path of dharma and sit on the lap of Iśt́a are destined to be victorious." (SS-12, Where There Is Dharma There Is Iśt́a, and Where There Is Iśt́a There Is Victory)

Baba says, "One who doesn’t entertain any thought about past, present or future, but simply says, “I have come to take shelter in You,” is sure to get the shelter of Parama Puruśa and will certainly be lifted onto His lap." (AV-5, Taking Refuge Is the Final Word)

By Baba's above teaching it is very clear that by surrendering to Him with love and devotion, one is sure to attain His lap. This may happen in dhyana or other spiritual practices. That is Baba's expressed guideline.

The culminating portion of one's dhya'na practice is sitting on His lap. Those who practice dhyana regularly understand this. In dhyana there are two parts. The first part is serving Him and the second part is sitting on His Lap and merging in Him.

Furthermore even those who could do proper sadhana during their lifetime, but if they at least attempted to sit twice daily, they too will get mukti and that symbolically means sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa.

If however, this phrase - "sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa" - is only used at the time of death, then new people will come to associate "sitting on Baba's lap" with death (mahaprayan). This is the way slang (street talk) develops.

If some start thinking they can only attain the lap of Parama Purusa upon death and not in dhyana etc, then if someone reads that by dhyana one can sit on Baba's lap, then they will think that dhyana means that "one is going to die", i.e. mahaprayan.

It will be very similar to what happened with the the term harijan, which became exclusively associated with being an  untouchable - not a child of God. People forgot the real meaning of the term harijan.

We should not let the phrase "sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa" meet a similar fate. None should mistakenly think that "sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa" can only occur at the time of death. The phrase should not be limited in this way.

Rather, as His disciples we should remember and think that when one is sincere in their devotional approach then anytime Parama Purusa can lift a sadhaka onto His lap. This is Baba's stated teaching. Veritably, with proper effort and sincerity, during the culmination of dhyana one will always sit on His lap.

The conclusion is that people should use this phrase - "sitting on the lap of Parama Purusa" - on other occasions also. Now it has become the tradition to use it at the time of death (mahaprayan) and not at other times. By this way in the due course this phrase will become untouchable.

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

Baba

"Ceye gechi toma're, shato rupe shato ba're..." (P.S. 2503)

Purport:

Baba You are mine; my everything is depending on You. You are my Ista; You are my Goal. Baba, I long to see You in hundreds of forms, hundreds of times - again and again. But, You only got held in name, song, melody, and tune. I only got You in those few ways. Baba, with my deep yearning, I search for You very near in the depths of my heart; I do not ever want for You to remain far away.

O' the Devata of Divine Effulgence, please come more close - silently, please smile in my "I-feeling", in the deep core of my heart. Baba, please fill my whole existence in Your divine effulgence, in Your undying love, with parabhakti.

Baba, by Your grace I have a deep longing and earnest desire to have You close, with the bond of love, in Your rhythmic expression and resonance. Baba, I want You close, in the land of the sweet resonance of the divine flute, in each and every blissful moment, in the world of the divine effulgence and beyond - eternally.   

Baba, please shower Your ahetuki krpa', Your causeless grace, and make my existence successful. O' my dearmost...