The Mantra As a friend

The Mantra As A Friend

On the occasion of Navaratri Baba said:

Dear mothers and friends, the mantra that you receive from your Guru is the indicator of a friendship that permanently unites you with your Guru. Mantra is not just a cheap thing that any Baba Ji gives in passing. When a Guru initiates you, he takes responsibility for your being. An accomplished Guru, when he gives you a mantra, is giving you a friend in the form of the mantra that will remain with you always, coming to your aid during the hard times in your life. Without such a mantra, you might become terrified, scattered, and your life unbearable.

A good friend should be like the earth, which keeps going around the sun looking for light. Because of that light the creatures on earth are nurtured and are able to accomplish many things. The darkness is removed from their lives. There is great need for a nurturing friend in our lives, as the sun is to the earth.

But many so-called 'friends" come just to cause us pain. In the name of friendship they encourage us in various lowly acts; perhaps in gambling, drinking or using drugs. While luring us into various practices which cause poor health and weak minds, they still call themselves our friends. We should be aware of what kind of "friends" these really are.

In our families, as well, it is not always possible to find friendship. Sometimes we are like The wounded deer who indicates its own Where abouts to the hunter by the blood dripping from its wound like this wounded deer, we can be defeated by our own blood (our children). Children over sixteen years of age should be treated as friends by their parents; otherwise, the parents invite great pain into their lives. Despite other victories, we can never win there if we never made friends with our children. Because of being continuously harassed by us, they become our enemies. If you have two or three children and have not made friends with them, they start to fight with each other right in front of you, and then they

fight with you, and you become a dysfunctional family.
Mothers should understand that just bathing and feeding their children does not relieve them of the duties of motherhood. They must also nurture them with good samskara (mental impressions), friendly emotions, and encourage them to keep good company and stay away from the wicked. If the children ask for water, give them milk (try to give more than they ask for), because the mother is the giver of piyusha (nectar in the form of milk). A woman who does not practice this kind of friendship in her family invites a miserable situation. It is for this greatness that the mother is revered in India, A Guru teaches his monks that after renouncing the family you may not bow to anyone except the mother (whether physical mother or the divine mother), because it is the mother who nourishes you.

Fathers are equally responsible for the character of their children. The father is and should be the best friend of a child. Children are very impressionable to their father's character and his daily routine. For this reason, the father should show affection and reverence towards the mother of the child. If he treats her otherwise, it is disruptive to the family environment Under some circumstances, if parents are entertaining undesirable guests, they should be careful about exposing their children to them. Later on, children may start behaving like those guests, and then it is too late.

In every situation of life we need a friend. We can find God, Guru, and children, but we don't "seem to know where to look for a good friend. Actually, the friend we are seeking is God^ and the Guru mantra has the same meaning as "friend". When we meet a good friend, we experience boundless joy and upon parting we experience immeasurable sorrow. The situation is quite the contrary when we meet with a wicked person. We must understand this difference and practice discrimination in our lives accordingly.

A Guru instructs his disciples to behave in a noble manner. The disciple who crosses the boundary between noble and ignoble action is never considered a true disciple; a true disciple will not behave in an offensive manner, spreading disharmony. There are standards of nobility for all the spiritual practices as well, as in meditation and contemplation. Instead of meditating by closing our eyes, paying attention to everything in life is the greatest worship of all. Remaining alert towards our behavior is propitious to the self as well as to others, and this is the greatest friendship with ourselves. If the company of certain people rattles our minds and drains us of our shakti (strength), we should definitely terminate our association with them, no matter how dear they are to us. If we practice this kind of discrimination in our lives, we obtain great happiness and peace.

Where ethics and discipline have to be maintained, passive politeness has no place. You will have to practice &3W ~$kr $W ^W <*oh (maintaining love in the heart but speaking firm words). There must be love in the heart but the words should be strong enough that by listening to them, the misguided person may come back to his/her senses. In such a situation, passive politeness would be dangerous and could cause great harm, and you would be responsible for the sufferings that result. Just talking about this will not work; you will have to practice it in your actions, you will have to remain very alert towards your own behavior, and thus obtain peace and happiness. As others observe this behavior, you will be an example for them and they also will obtain peace and happiness.
The sadhus (monks) of this ashram are constantly tested and tried like an iron blade in the furnace. Living in the midst of society, constantly they have to pass through fire. They are surrounded by all kinds of people, but they are always alert, because they know that by deviating even a bit from their path they will be thrown out like a fly from milk. But you, as a householder, cannot test and try your children like this if you have not made friends with them. If you test and try them like this, you may face a big revolt.
Dear friends, these two words, friend and friendship, have a wide definition. A true friend always encourages you towards good deeds; instead of becoming involved in losing propositions you are always propelled towards winning propositions they will set out to find true friends. The question of violence towards anyone will not ever appear. Even violent animals will be tamed in their presence.

The friend that the Guru imparts to you in the form of a mantra is more than a mere sound or a word. The one who receives and practices it becomes virtuous, steadfast and stable. Such a person is never deterred by the floods and storms of life; he remains immovable and stable like the Himalayas. There is no rise and fall of the tides in his nature; there is only the calmness of the deep ocean. The proverb,, 2flf &1W wtf/i (a shallow river Hoods with a little water as a wicked person is intoxicated with a little wealth), does not apply to a stable person. A person like this is never arrogant, talkative or impertinent.

When you have received that friend, the mantra , you will find how stable you can be. Though exotic, seductive situations may appear, you are never affected by them. The excitement does not arise. Once your *1*T (heart-mind) experiences this state of stability, you should know that you have found that "friend”, you have found the company of God; you have reaped the benefit of your mantra. Upon realizing this, instead of being vain about it, you should practice humility, and there should be stability in all of your actions. It is only then you can remain a rightful possessor of this secret. As long as you do not gain control over yourself, it is all worthless.
In the company of Aughar, Awadhoota or Aghorcshwara, a person^’s behavior is given more importance than his religion, race or color. Aughar monks

give importance to renunciation and celibacy rather than caste and religion. They are well versed in making friends with themselves as well as with others; thus they share this knowledge with the people who come in their contact, so that they may live in peace and let others live in peace.

We should be very careful in choosing our friends. There are all kinds of wicked characters posing as noble beings. There is not much difference in their outer appearance. At times no one will appear more sympathetic than these characters. Faying attention and being alert to this is also a type of puja (worship). We should avoid food and gifts offered by these people because they pollute our intellect and health. Simple food offered by saintly beings is much more pleasing than delicious food offered by the wicked. If your health and intellect are being polluted, you should try to dive into the heart of the matter, and find out the truth.

Being compassionate to yourselves, I hope you will try to learn about friendship and seek the suitable friend. The day this happens in your life, you are no less than the divine itself. Whatever the divine does, you, yourself will do. Whatever you wish, it will happen. Your determination will be firm. You will be endowed with noble character. This is the way of saints. Everyone is looking for peace, prosperity and happiness which are possible only by this

This, instead of being vain about it, you should friendship. If we do not obtain peace along with practice humility, and there should be stability in material wealth, we remain very poor. I hope you will definitely strive to be your own friend, and with these words I bow to the “unknown” residing within you and take leave of you.
OM Hara Hara Mahadeva