Baba says, “Our pilgrimage is unique.“
There are many types of physical pilgrimage but your pilgrimage is only the one and it is completely unique, explains the Boatman who is now taking me across.
| Physical pilgrimage | Spiritual pilgrimage |
| Devotees go on physical pilgrimages | This is a pilgrimage of remembrance |
| People go on these pilgrimages to find God | God takes me on this pilgrimage |
| People observe purity during the course of the pilgrimage. Then they return to their impure life. | I go on the pilgrimage in order to become pure. I then don’t return to the impure world. |
| People endure many hardships on these pilgrimages. They face many physical storms along the journey; some even turn back. | I don’t have to travel anywhere; I take this pilgrimage right from where I am- while moving around, going about my daily duties, or even while sitting on the couch. There is no difficulty for the body. The storms I face are of the spiritual kind and yes, some turn back here too. |
| People worship non-living images. They cannot find God in a living form. They go on pilgrimages to see non-living images. They don’t know the biographies of the one they worship. | God is my Father, my Teacher and Guide practically. He sustains me. He teaches me the spiritual pilgrimage and guides me along it. |
| People return to the old world after their pilgrimage. | The Father is taking me to heaven, to the land of peace, happiness and prosperity. |
| Even if someone were to remember Shri Krishna or another deity or guru day and night, his sins could not be absolved. When they chant the name of the deity, they don’t commit sin at that time. Then, afterwards, they go right back to committing sin again. It isn’t that their sins are cut away or that their lifespans increase. | Here, with the power of yoga, my sins of many births are burnt away and my lifespan increases. My life becomes imperishable for birth after birth. The Father makes me full of all virtues, the same as Shri Krishna. |
| This pilgrimage is of a descending stage; there is no attainment. I become more and more subservient to deities and gurus; lose time, energy and wealth and continue to commit more sin. | This is the pilgrimage of the ascending stage. I become complete with all virtues, 16 celestial degrees pure, completely viceless, completely righteous and non-violent. In other words, I change from human to deity. I claim the inheritance of heaven. |
| People have been going on physical pilgrimages for birth after birth. | This spiritual pilgrimage is for just one birth. |
The main thing for the children is the pilgrimage of remembrance, says Baba. Make effort to make this pilgrimage of remembrance very firm. You are karma yogis. As much as possible, let your hands do the work and your hearts be in remembrance. You have been lovers for half the cycle and have been remembering your Beloved. Baba, we have a lot of sorrow here. Now make us into the masters of the land of happiness! The Father says: I am teaching you a pilgrimage of remembrance to become pure. If you stay on the pilgrimage, your sins will finish and you will come to Me. Unless you become pure, you cannot come to Me.
SHIVA DARSHAN 