Baba says, ‘The special basis and easy way to have success in tapasya is to make the lesson of ‘One’ (Ek) firm.’

For half a cycle, I was an orphan in a crowded world. I was a lot of things – name, position, title, role, relationships, nationality, etc. and yet I stumbled around not knowing who I really am. I made a lot of things mine- my house, my family, my car, my status, my ideas, my job, my talent etc. and yet nothing truly belonged to me, they came and went. Without identity and belonging, I have nothing and so I tried harder, became more things and chased after more things but to no avail. I felt emptier and lonelier.

Then Baba came and told me what was wrong. You’ve forgotten who you are, He said. Remember you are a soul, the child of God. Instantly, my thirst of half a cycle was quenched; I had found my identity and belonging. God Himself came and adopted me as His own child, practically. He became my Father, Mother, Teacher, Satguru, Friend, Beloved, Companion…everything. I realized through God, that all along I was trying to be a lot of things I wasn’t and trying to make mine that whose very nature is temporary. No wonder I was empty and unhappy. Now, I don’t have to be a lot of things, I just have to be who I truly am- a pure, peaceful soul. Now, I don’t have to make a lot of things mine, I know that mine is One Baba and none other. Only He is constant, permanent, always my Father. He always loves me, no matter what.

This, is tapasya, says Baba, it is to make this lesson of ‘one’ firm. I am a soul and mine is one Baba. As long as I am walking, talking, breathing this truth, I will always be happy. If even a small thing gets added to the ‘I’ or ‘mine’, I become unhappy. Why? because the limited or false ‘I and mine’s tie me into their bondage, they make me dependent on them for my peace and happiness. The true ‘I and mine’ liberates me from all bondages and makes me a sovereign; I realize that I am peace and that happiness is my birthright. This is tapasya, says Baba, it means to be the ruler, the one with the right to a kingdom. It changes me from being dependent into one with a right. This is why, Baba explains, it has been remembered that you claim the fortune of the kingdom through tapasya.’When the limited ‘I’ and ‘mine’ have ended, only the unlimited remains’, says Baba. I am a pure soul and mine is one Baba and none other. When this is my foundation, my reality, then, Baba says, success is guaranteed. How so?

When I belong to the One, I only follow the elevated directions of the One. I am no longer pulled in multiple directions based on dictates of my own mind or those of others. I only follow the Father. Through this, my stage becomes constant and stable. This is my elevated seat which makes me feel peaceful, content and worthy. Then, I cannot help but share my attainment with others, I cannot help but teach others how to claim these attainments for themselves. In other words, I become a server, a real server. Any service I did while still in the consciousness of false ‘I and mine’ was also false because my awareness was: ‘I did this’, ‘this was my idea’, ‘I deserve praise’ etc. And so, Baba says, renunciation and tapasya are the foundation of real service. For such renunciates and tapaswis, success and victory are the garlands around their necks. It is their birthright.

Not just that but tapasya means song and dance, says Baba. I sing and dance when I feel light, carefree. Given mine is one Baba and none other, I become a trustee and make Him in-charge of my life. And so, no matter what He asks me to do, I simply do it without thinking: ‘what if I can’t do it?’, ‘but I don’t have any experience or training for this’ etc. When the Father is Karankaravanhaar, nothing is your responsibility, points out Baba. You are simply an instrument. When I remain in this trustee or instrument consciousness, there is no arrogance nor feeling of insult- nothing is mine, it’s His. My stage remains constant and stable. Those who remain stable in such a stage are great tapaswis, says Baba. 

The power of tapasya is remembered as the greatest power, points out Baba. Those who maintain the tapasya of belonging to the one Father and none other have a lot of power. Hatha yogis do tapasya while standing on one leg.  However, you children, Baba points out, don’t stand on one leg, but you maintain the awareness of One. You belong to only One. Such tapasya will transform the world. Therefore, He says, make this lesson of ‘one’ firm and become such world benefactors that you transform the world.