Baba says, ‘Only the Father comes and gives you patience.’

When someone is ill and experiencing discomfort, he is given reassurance: ‘you will be okay soon, this is just for a little while longer.’ For the last half of the cycle, the whole world has been the kingdom of Ravan and everyone is unhappy, they have had enough. They have tried religion, the gurus and sanyasis, dips in holy rivers, the government,…everyone and it only keeps getting worse. The Father says to the whole world: ‘Now, have patience. It’s just a little while longer.’

As a Brahmin, I am in the confluence age which means that I have the awareness that these are the days when I attain liberation and liberation-in-life, that is, these are the days when I am liberated from the iron aged, impure world of Ravan. Not everyone in the world has this assurance that the Father is here and that He is going to liberate them from sorrow. I too, Baba reminds me, experience this assurance, numberwise, according to the effort I make.

To the extent that I follow Shrimat at every step, to that extent, I experience this assurance. How? because by following Shrimat is how I become pure from impure, righteous from unrighteous, deity from degraded human being. The purer I become, that is, the more I transform, the happier and lighter I become and my faith that ‘yes, indeed the old world is to end soon’, gets firmer. Baba says, ‘there is no question of mercy or blessings etc. here‘ He doesn’t, like the false gurus of the world, tell me to wear a ring or to fast or to visit a certain temple to attain liberation; He asks me to study. He teaches me the study for self-sovereignty. He gives me elevated directions. When I obey, I become liberated.

But just because I follow Shrimat doesn’t mean that storms of Maya won’t come; they will continue to come till the end. Just because I follow Shrimat doesn’t mean that I won’t fall ill or won’t experience opposition or persecution or other obstacles; I will. ‘But‘, says Baba, ‘you must not become afraid or wilt. Spin the discus of self-realization.‘ When I do, I strengthen my faith that ‘yes, I am claiming the inheritance of heaven from the Father now. Yes, there is some effort involved, there is some pain, but victory is guaranteed.’ This, Baba says, is imperishable patience. It is certain that I am establishing the kingdom of heaven by following Shrimat. I don’t have to wage a physical war for it, mine is an incognito war against Maya and I have won this war countless times before. Nothing new!

Indeed, in today’s world, there are many kinds of upheaval, many reasons for sorrow, Baba acknowledges. Some have the habit of lust, some have the habit of anger, some have the habit of distressing others, and some have the habit of causing damage. Those who have the habit of lust become angry and even hit someone for it. This world is like that! Ravan is evil. At this time, this world is evil. And so, the Father comes and gives me patience: ‘O souls, have patience! Continue to remember Me and also imbibe divine virtues.’ Sometimes, children say: ‘But Baba, how can I live in such a household where others don’t understand…’ or ‘Baba, I will come and live at the center… I no longer wish to carry on my business.’ Baba says: ‘This is Raja Yoga. You are not sannyasis; they have distaste for their home and family and so they move to the jungle. That is limited renunciation whereas yours is unlimited.’ They move away to become to ‘become pure’ or ‘to be close to God’ but the truth is I won’t become pure or get closer to God that way.

Purity comes when I stay in the midst of impurity and transform. This is what sets God’s children apart – they become and remain pure while living at home, while shouldering their responsibilities. As far as opposition or people not co-operating, Baba says, ‘learn to be detached and loving. Live like the lotus flower‘. To the extent that I see everyone as souls, as fellow actors in this drama, I won’t be distressed when they don’t understand; I won’t have expectations of them. Then, it becomes easy to be loving to all. ‘Your heart should only be connected to the Father and to the new world‘, He teaches, ‘then you will remain happy and the spiritual intoxication will be high.’ When I go to Baba for Shrimat, He teaches me how to speak to others tactfully, how to bring about peace at home.

Even if there are ten or twelve children at home, and on top of that, maybe a few of them are off-course, still, Baba says, there is no need to wilt. ‘Under no circumstances‘, He says, ‘should the mercury of your happiness fall. Have patience and continue to cut away karmic bondages.’ Offering His own example, He says: ‘Look at Baba. He has thousands, hundreds of thousands, of children. Some are worthy children whereas others are unworthy, they even create upheaval. Some do service whereas others do disservice. Does Baba become afraid then? So neither should you children become afraid.’ Live at home with your family and claim the inheritance from the Father, He teaches. See the trees of your land of happiness, it’s right around the corner!

I can see this when I use the gift of the third eye of knowledge or the divine intellect that I have received from Baba right at birth. When I learn to see everything through this eye rather than the physical eyes, I begin to experience patience or reassurance. I spin the discus and see my whole story, I see how elevated my part is in the drama, I see that I am now at the tail end of it and that the Father is here to take me back home, He is here to give salvation to all, I see that then, once again, I will come into heaven as the king of kings! ‘You recognize the visible and the invisible with your third eye’, says Baba.

I have been ill for half a cycle i.e. for a really long time, the Supreme Surgeon is here to treat me and make me well again. Just as a sick person has to complete the treatment before he can be discharged from the hospital to return home, similarly, here too, I have to become well i.e. pure before I can return home. Yes, there is a lot of sorrow in the world and sometimes, like the patient, I say: ‘Baba, there is a lot of sorrow here, take us away quickly’, but just like a physical father would, the eternal Father too says: ‘No children! this drama is predestined. You cannot change from corrupt to elevated instantly. You have to develop faith in your intellects and make effort. You must battle Maya well.’ But the good news is that the Father, the Surgeon, the Purifier never leaves my side. He is with me always guiding me and giving me patience like only He can: ‘Now, remember Me and the inheritance. It’s just a little while longer. Then, I’ll seat you in my eyes and take you home.’