[In 1993 Muniji’s
birthday by the Indian calendar fell on 15th February. That night, at
11:20, the time of Muniji’s birth, Bhagwan Lakulish gave darshan to
Muniji and the two conversed for forty minutes. Muniji made the matter
public in a discourse at Kayavarohan on 19th February when the family of
disciples and devotees gathered for Mahashivratri, and thereafter at a
Gurupurnima public discourse at Ashi Village on 3rd July 1993. Among
other things, the Lord commanded Muniji to undertake a worldwide
campaign to propagate the moral, ethical, spiritual and cultural values
of the Sanatan Dharma. Muniji concluded his Kayavarohan public address
by declaring his firm determination to carry out the Lord’s Divine
Command and calling upon his listeners to join the campaign. Not much
later, he formed the Lakulish International Enlightenment Mission, later
registered as a Public Charitable Trust (1996) and set about the task of
forming the International Fellowship that would constitute the
work force for the great task ahead. The following is a gist of Muniji’s
Kayavarohan address containing Dadaji’s divine command and his own
concluding declaration of intent] –Editor.
"Rajarshi! I
wish to give a special command to you. You know well that I had
commanded my disciple and your Guru-Swami that the principles of yoga,
gyan (knowledge), bhakti (devotion) and karma should be propagated and
spread throughout the world by my spiritual successors and by these
means the work of resurgence of Indian culture must be carried out.
Swami did undertake it but the work of resurgence still remains largely
undone. Now you have become the successor in my spiritual lineage.
Therefore, you must now undertake this work. This is my command".
"Indian culture can even today receive respect and welcome
everywhere and can guide the whole world because it is based on those
fundamental principles which can be found acceptable by all mankind.
This way Indian culture has the capacity to become the culture of
mankind. Therefore an enlightenment campaign has to be undertaken to
cultivate popular awareness of the world in favor of the fundamental
principles of Indian culture".
"Understand
my command well. You have to launch an enlightenment campaign through
the instrumentality of my spiritual tradition for the reestablishment of
the highest values of human culture. The field of this campaign is not
to be kept limited to Gujarat or India alone but is to embrace the whole
world. In modern times the work of cultural resurgence is necessary for
all of mankind. All works must start at the appropriate time. The time
has now ripened for starting the campaign for enlightenment of humanity.
This work awaits your active participation. Therefore, shake off your
inactivity and be active to conduct this campaign.
"This campaign is to take on hand the task of gradually
creating an atmosphere of peace, ethical living, righteousness and
spirituality in the world. Mankind can progress only if human conduct
finds basis in ethical, moral, and spiritual values, which are the true
pillars of culture. Ethical behavior is the foundation of culture;
righteousness is its mansion and spirituality is its roof-top".
"A man
becomes truly cultured when, along with his physical and mental
development, his spiritual development also takes place. Culture without
spiritualism remains incomplete. God created man with the objective that
he may ascend, not that he may fall".
"Acquisitiveness is increasing among the people of the world and this is
causing the spread of all manner of wrongs and evils. Therefore man must
learn to curtail his needs and live a simple life. Indian culture
commends a life of simplicity; with the increase in wants and needs
resulting in acquisitiveness, selfishly motivated competition has
increased in the world. Because of this people tend to put away
principled living. This rot does not take long to spread and corruption
comes to be regarded as the normal coin of the day".
"Because of scientific researches the world will continue to see
explosions of energy. If this energy is not controlled by men through
morality and restraint, it will assume evil forms. It will lead man on
the path of moral downfall and total destruction. To prevent such
harmful consequences, science will have to be kept in check with the
rein of Dharma, which does not mean sectarianism. Dharma is the sum
total of morality, truthfulness, restraint and right conduct. That which
Indian scriptures refer to as Dharma is an indestructible tattva,
(principle). That is why Indian Dharma (the guiding principle of life)
is sanatan (everlasting). This Dharma is the foundation of the whole
world and the source of all good qualities. Such a Dharma is auspicious
for humans not only in this world but also in the world beyond, This
dharma is very subtle and profound. Without its universal acceptance the
world community cannot experience peace".
"Yes, if dharma gets confined within the narrow boundaries of
sectarianism, it does not remain enduring and everlasting. The thought
and philosophy of sectarian religion becomes stagnant. It is incapable
of welcoming good new principles. Indian Sanatan Dharma is not stagnant
and narrow. On the contrary, it cries out 'Aa no bhadrasha kratavo yantu
vishvaha', meaning, may we receive from all directions the ideas and
principles that lead us to outstanding actions and works. If anything
containing true and everlasting values can be obtained from any other
culture, there should be no hesitation in accepting the same".
"In reality
Sanatan Dharma is wedded to the principle of monotheism. But in this it
is not the same as other religions similarly wedded to the principle of
the oneness of God. Due to this reason many people make the mistake of
looking upon Sanatan Dharma as one displaying the principle of the
multiplicity of God. The God of Sanatan Dharma does not reside in any
heaven. He is beyond and transcends the limits and boundaries of not
only heaven but indeed the entire cosmos and yet exists and is contained
within every atom of the cosmos".
In this way
the principle of oneness of God enshrined in Sanatan Dharma is of a
higher class than the similar principle as embodied in other religions.
"Attributeless
Highest Essence is called Brahmatattva, Shivtattva or Parmatmatattva.
This very essence is recognized as Parbrahma or Parshiva too. He is
without beginning or end, eternal, luminescenct, all pervading,
indestructible, changeless, formless, flawless, and on without a second.
This Highest Essence assumes the form which is called Ishwar (God) or
Sadashiva (Eternal Shiva). This God produces from within himself the
primordial causative energy or maya (the illusive projecting power). By
resorting to maya on His own accord, God playfully assumes three forms".
"The triune
forms of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, being aspects of the same Supreme God
or Ishwar are mutually inseparable. Those who see separation or
difference between them are lacking in knowledge. Those blessed with the
power of discrimination do not see any difference between the three
forms and accept the principle of the oneness of God".
The Importance of Work.
"Rajarshi ! I know that you are practicing yoga for the
attainment of the divine body as taught in my spiritual lineage. For the
attainment of the divine body God's grace is just as important as your
own effort. The highest goal of life can be attained only when human
effort and divine grace combine. Before gaining anything, its price has
to be paid. Before achieving liberation, it is necessary to work for the
public weal so as to pay off the debt owed to the people. Consider the
resurgence of culture as your life's mission just as you consider the
attainment of the divine body as your life's spiritual pursuit. The
fulfillment of any great work certainly calls for some sacrifice. One
engaged in spiritual pursuit must consider not just his own interest but
the public interest as well; he has to do not just tapa (penance), but
some tyaga (sacrifice) as well. If renunciate ascetics do not become
defenders of cultural values, society becomes devoid of such values and
amorality increases in the world. It is important for the completion of
spiritual penance that effort be also made piously for the resurgence of
culture. The work of shaping culture is not disunited from or inferior
to that of seeking one's own liberation. In reality, both are
interconnected".
"Detachment
or preoccupation with spiritual practice must not become the limiting
factor restraining spiritual persons from doing their duty. On the
contrary, when the time demands it, the responsibility of cultural
resurgence must become their highest concern and priority. If the
ascetics imprison the seeds of morality, religion and spiritualism in
the safes of their hearts, such confined seeds cannot germinate. Where
then is the question of such seeds becoming trees or yielding flowers or
fruits? A seed is always ready for self effacement and thereby produce
many more seeds. In the same manner, the ascetic must allow the seeds of
morality, religion and spirituality to germinate and engage himself in
activities that will enable others to experience such sprouting, by
becoming an instrument of the universal power".
"Be active
with full dedication in whatever work the universal power controlling
the worlds ordains for you as its instrument. Thereby you would have
lived out your destiny and also paid your debt to society. The sense of
renunciation and the desire for liberation are fine but do not forge
that life is a game of attaining harmony between activity (pravritti),
renunciation (nivritti) and destiny (prarabdha). A renunciate spiritual
practitioner has to become a servant too. Therefore it becomes necessary
for him to work selflessly for the advancement of society, without
expectation of any reward for himself".
"Apart from the chosen duties, God has determined
some service or the other in the public interest for each soul. This is
naturally enjoined duty (Praptadharma). To discharge this or to live by
it is also a form of sadhna. Such naturally enjoined duty cannot be
properly discharged by running away from activity. One engaging in
righteous activity with self-restraint need not nourish fear of slipping
from the path of renunciation (nivritti). You are presently established
on the seat of the Guru in my spiritual lineage. The position of Guru
involves responsibility to teach spirituality, religiousness and culture
to the devotees, the followers and others who are in search of
knowledge. That Guru who fears to carry out his responsibility, fails in
discharging his naturally enjoined duty. You too must continue to
diligently discharge your duties without any expectation of reward. Any
work done with righteousness and without expectation of reward is not an
obstruction in the search for truth but is in fact helpful".
"Rajarshi, nothing will
come of it if you sit down to evaluate divine plans with your
intelligence. If you allow it to express itself through you as the
instrument, the necessary strength will appear in you on its own. If you
allow yourself to merge into the divine will then from time to time you
will receive the necessary enlightenment and the way ahead will keep
becoming clearer. Son, my blessings are bound to be with him who is the
head of my spiritual lineage. If you sow the seed of the enlightenment
campaign properly it will certainly develop into a large tree and yield
fruit".
"Works devotedly undertaken always bring about proper
results. However, the ideal way is to endeavor devotedly without
worrying about the results. May all things propitious happen. Rajarshi,
if you become active in this task with pure faith your intuitive wisdom
(antarpragya) will also develop. When that happens, solutions to the
problems arising will occur automatically in your mind. Nevertheless, if
at any time I think it necessary to give you personal guidance I shall
appear again".
Determination to Carry
Out the Command
“Brothers and sisters ! I do not know if I am
qualified to carry out the great task that Dadaji has entrusted to me.
But I have firmly resolved to involve myself in the sacred task of
implementing the enlightenment campaign. I am not worried whether I
shall fail or succeed in this. I understand only that this is the
command of the divinity who is the subject of my prayers and hence I
should blindly apply myself to carry it out. Yes, this much I would
certainly say, that I have seen measureless kindness flowing from the
eyes of Dadaji (Lord Lakulish) and it is this that is the foundation of
my faith to succeed.”
