Baba says, “Independence is the birthright of Brahmin life. Attain your birthright now.“

The sanskars that I fill myself with now will continue for many births and the main sanskar is that of being independent. The way to develop this sanskar of independence, Baba explains, is to remain tied by the code of conduct. As counter-intuitive as that sounds, to the extent that I remain tied by the code of conduct, I will remain independent to that extent. This is also what Baba calls being detached and loving– this is independence. The main code of conduct of Brahmins is to stay within the code of conduct, that is, to follow shrimat accurately. Everything else is included in this. “So check“, says Baba, “to what extent you follow every shrimat accurately?“

In the world, when someone does not follow directions, for example, in the military or at a workplace or at a school, they are removed. Here, no one is removed but they themselves become distant, they remove themselves, so to speak. So check, says Baba, “were my thoughts, words, actions according to the shrimat or the code of conduct of the Brahmin clan?” If they weren’t, then at that time, it is as if I have moved myself away from the clan and lost that intoxication of being a child of God, a Brahmin. Shrimat is just one word but it has very great significance. I was a sovereign for half a cycle because I lived a righteous life that followed the code of conduct I learnt at this time. Then when I forgot who I am and started to break the rules, I fell victim to Ravan or the five vices. He quickly bankrupted me of my full inheritance and made me his slave. Now, the Father, Teacher and Satguru is helping me reclaim my lost sovereignty by reminding me of the code of conduct. To the extent that I can imbibe these directions and follow them accurately, to that extent, I reclaim my lost self-sovereignty. To be a sovereign is to be independent.

Brahma Baba demonstrated being independent and being tied by the code of conduct at the same time. It’s good to be independent, teaches Baba, but that independence at this time means that I am dependent on only One. I have to rely on, depend on just the one Father, follow only His directions for my life. If I distance myself from the Father in the name of independence and decide that ‘I know what to do’, and make choices based on ‘how I think’ or ‘how I feel’ then I will become tied into bondage again. At this time in the cycle, it doesn’t matter what I think or how I feel, what matters is what is Baba’s direction for my life; there are no ‘if’s, ‘but’s or ‘later’, simply obedience. To the extent that I obey, I become a self-sovereign, I become independent. “Do the almighty authorities have the practice and the courage of putting every direction into the practical form?“, asks Baba. If BapDada gives me the direction to stop all waste thoughts in a second, am I able to do that? Those waste thoughts may be about someone who treated me wrong, about someone who insulted me in front of other people, they may be about a past betrayal. Will I be able to stop the thoughts in a second or will I say to Baba: “But Baba, You don’t know what they did to me…”, “but what about how I feel…”, “how can I forgive them after all they did…”. The waste thoughts may be about a financial crisis in my life or about a child who is off course. Will I be able to put a full-stop in a second or will I continue to worry, panic, sulk and tell Baba: “Baba, how can I possibly not worry in such a situation?” Obedience means I receive the Father’s signal and I put it into action. Full-stop, nothing new! this too shall pass because the Father is my Protector and Benefactor. He is responsible for my life. Do I have this courage to take my seat of rest despite the storm, the circumstance, the situation…just because the Father is telling me to? This is intense effort, this is reclaiming my independence, my sovereignty.

There shouldn’t be any type of dependence, teaches Baba. To give reasons of ‘what they did to me’, ‘but what about how I feel’ or to worry are all signs of one thing- body consciousness or simply put- ‘I and mine’. If I could just get ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘myself’ off my mind for a minute, then I will become free. Yes, what happened was wrong, yes it hurt but to make that an excuse for not moving forward, to not being able to forgive signifies attachment to the self. Even after becoming children, many try to take God for granted, many leave and defame Him, many others create obstacles…on and on. If God were to hold on to the mistakes I made, if He were to hold on to unforgiveness, and bitterness where would I be today? He forgives quickly and helps me again. He is able to do that because He is detached from ‘I and mine’ and so can be loving to all. Similarly, He has been teaching me for decades now, yet I keep making the same mistake. In body conscious terms, that would seem like a failure; it should have Him worried sick: “what am I going to do? These children can’t seem to understand no matter how hard I try! Maybe I won’t be able to establish the golden age after all! maybe I got the wrong souls!? maybe I’m not God after all..” No, He doesn’t worry, He stays faithful. Let me do the same- that is independence. “With this one type of independence from the body, all other types of independence are easily achieved. Even against your conscious wish, body consciousness makes the soul, the flying bird, into a caged bird.” teaches Baba, “so ask yourself, am I a free bird or a caged bird?“

Now, celebrate your independence day. Just as the Father is constantly independent, so too, become the same as the Father. What would BapDada think if even now, He were to see you souls still being dependent, that you are master almighty authorities and yet your activity is that of a caged bird? So make yourself free from all gross and subtle bondages. If not now, then never! Constantly make this lesson firm. Do you understand?, asks Baba. Independence is the birthright of Brahmin life. Attain your birthright now.