Baba says, “While living with your lokik relations, do not look at those limited relationships, but look at the souls. To change your vision and attitude is to have an alokik life.“

Brahmins have an alokik life, a spiritual life based on God’s Shrimat. This is therefore a life that is even more elevated than that of deities. I create sanskars now, I transform now from lokik to alokik. I move away from the old world of ignorance and come into God’s family where I receive directions to transform the life of unhappiness into a life of happiness. I change from a human-being into deity. Previously I was the child of Ravan and so I was one who caused sorrow, whereas now, I have beccome the child of the Bestower of Happiness, I have become an embodiment of happiness. Now, it is my duty to make others the same. For this, Baba says, have the transforming thought: “I am now living a life where I have died alive, that is, lokik bondages have now finished.”

Often, along the journey, I start to develop distaste for lokik relationships and become disrespectful. I start seeing them as bondages that I’d rather get out of. However, this is not Baba’s way. Baba never asks me to reject or abandon my lokik relationships like sannyasis do, no. Rather, he says, don’t look at them as bondages, but as the basis for service, then I won’t be troubled them. When I move along in the awareness that I am the child of the World Benefactor then, I don’t abandon, rather, I become merciful and have feelings of compassion. “To the extent that you serve hopeless cases, accordingly, you will claim a right to as many prizes“, says Baba. “You will be remembered as famous world benefactors. You will claim the prize of being a peace maker.” But the key is to ensure that I don’t get entangled with the one I am serving. Then service ends and bondage resumes. Sometimes, even doctors become attached to their patients, points out Baba. “Relationships for service” means those who have the form of being a tyaagi (a renunciate) and a tapaswi (one engaged in deep penance), He explains. These are the qualifications of a true server.

In the same way, when it comes to lokik relationships at my workplace, often I interact from the perspective of the livelihood of the body but the main basis, Baba explains, should be for the livelihood of the soul. “Do not forget the livelihood of the soul because of the livelihood of the body“, He cautions, “there should be a balance.” If there isn’t then, I get busy with hustling and strategizing, impressing others, proving myself to others and so my interactions become a net of Maya. The wider I spread this net, the more I become entangled in it. And so, “while making a physical income, don’t forget the method of making a spiritual income. Don’t forget the method of remembrance. The two should go hand in hand“, explains Baba. This is called transformation from lokik to alokik. I transform lokik, physical karma into the stage of being a karma yogi. Karma means interaction, and yoga means for the sake of God, that is, I do it for the sake of service. So there should be both: interaction with others but doing it for the sake of God. This is called karma yogis who follow shrimat, explains Baba. “I am a combined form of interacting with others and doing it for the sake of God.”- if I have this transforming thought, then, Baba says, my mind and body will continue to earn a double income. In this Godly service, constantly think of yourself as an instrument and have the consciousness of Karanhar (the One who does everything) and never forget Karavanhar (the One who gets everything done), explains Baba. Then, He says, I will constantly be constructive in service.

“If you keep speaking and interacting in the same ways as householders. what would be the difference?“, asks Baba. “So examine how much you have transformed yourself.” Even if the one I am interacting with is my spouse, my mother-in-law, my mother, or another close relationship, just look at the soul, teaches Baba. She is not my mother or mother-in-law, but a soul. When I look at the soul, there can only be happiness or mercy. I realize when the other is behaving clumsily that they are behaving that way because of being under external influence, in a state of ignorance, and doesn’t know anything. realize this because I am a knowledgeable soul and so rather than be frustrated or angry, I feel mercy and have good wishes for that soul which then transform that soul. “This is called a relationship of service“, explains Baba. “Your vision and attitude have to change. Else, there will be no impact. To change your vision and attitude is to have a spiritual life.” As a world transformer, I cannot allow myself to be colored by others’ company, rather, I have to color them with mine. “Look at yourself“, says Baba, “Am I a knowledgeable soul? Do I have an impact on those who don’t have any knowledge?” If there isn’t impact, it means I don’t have good wishes, He points out. The impact is not a result of anything I say, it is a result of the subtle feelings I have.

“In addition to interactions with people, also check how you use instruments or facilities of the world“, teaches Baba. If I use a facility or instrument just as per need, then that is different. But if I become dependent on it, if I can only be happy when I have it, then that is off-course. Sometimes, I become dependent on certain things even for my spiritual endeavor – unless I am in a certain place, have created a certain ambience, I cannot sit in remembrance etc. This too is lokik or worldly which needs to be transformed into alokik, says Baba. Be an embodiment of success, not an embodiment of instruments (sadhan), points out Baba. While seeing all the lokik things, and while listening to all the lokik things, transform the lokik into alokik, says Baba. That is, be an embodiment of knowledge and serve. “Don’t engross yourself in them but go into the depth of knowledge.” This, He explains, is the transformation I have to bring.