1. What is Sadhana (practice)?

Combined effect of self effort and grace becomes Sadhana.
[Sadhana= self effort + Grace].

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2. What is Self-effort?

Self effort comprises of:

• making firm determination to reach the Goal
• to search an adept in this field
• to follow the methods suggested by him without deviation and total submission to him.

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3. What is Grace?

It is the link between God and Creation. Entire mechanism of Nature which is set automatic (secret administrative mechanism) and unseen hand (‘adrishta’) can be termed as grace. Grace can be classified as general and special. Every aspect of being may be its living, its struggle, its evolution which happens naturally is because of grace. If man wants to evolve to Divine Being then special grace is required. This special grace is like caprice i.e. sudden change of mind of an unpredictable to a predictable one. The one who is unpredictable is beyond individuality and self.

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4. Brief explanation on ways and means to be adopted to reach the goal?

After having determined our goal, we should find the way which will lead us to our destination and also the means to reach there. To explain ways and means with an example: We have to go to Mumbai. So the way would be the route which leads us to Mumbai. And the means would be car or bus or train or plane we take to reach the destination. There may be many ways to reach Mumbai but we should choose the one which is shortest and safest. It becomes very tedious and also time consuming, one if we do it on ourselves. So we take the help of the one who has already found the way to reach the destination. He can be none other than God Himself, who has come in the form of Guru (Master). Acceptance and willingness to travel with him is necessary. So, our journey begins with the association and training from that capable Guru.

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5. How do you describe ways and means in spirituality?

In spirituality, it is the Guru who gives the knowledge of ways and means to reach the goal. He gives the method to proceed towards it. Disciple is to practice the method given.
On studying the philosophy of creation we find that everything began from ‘Nothing’. Hence our goal is to reach that Nothingness or Total Negation. The way would be the method of self-dissolution and the means would be through mind and its power.

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6. Can there be many ways in spirituality to reach the destination?

Theoretical (lack of experience) reply for this would be, there are many ways. But practical (based on experience), reply would be only one way.

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7. What are the main obstructions which one faces on his way?

Non-stop desires which creep in, is the main obstruction in our way. It affects our actions. And also it brings about sufferings and misery.

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8. When can we get rid of desires?

One strong desire i.e. to realize the Highest will make all other desires vanish. This itself is viveka (power of discrimination). This indicates mind coming to harmonious state or balanced state. This is possible through meditation.

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9. Is only meditation enough to harmonize mind?

No doubt, meditation brings about balanced or harmonious state but alone this is not sufficient. We should maintain the condition developed during meditation by keeping it clean or by not allowing any dirt to enter in it. The pious idea should always remain alive in our heart so that we are always connected to That and we should submit ourselves to That.

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10. Some scriptures say to practice Viveka and Vairagya. Do we need to practice it?

Viveka and Vairagya is the outcome of Meditation, need not be practiced. One making a firm determination to realize the goal of life is Viveka and discarding everything else is Vairagya.

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11. Why some of the religious teachers say about controlling the mind or suppressing the mind?

Some of them think mind to be the worst enemy because of its wandering nature. They think it to be the cause of all evils and advise people to crush it or suppress it and not to follow it. No doubt everything originates from mind but same mind leads us to virtue and helps us to realize our highest Self. So what is actually required is to train the mind from its defective moulding and not suppress it or crush it.

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12. What factors help a practitioner to proceed quickly towards his goal of life?

Factors that help the practitioner are:

• Powerful will made at the very first step to reach the goal.
• Self confidence in our capacity and power.
• Constant Restlessness and impatience to achieve the goal.
• Love, devotion and faith on the objective.
• Family life (Grahastashram).
• Cultivating moderation in external habits.
• Submitting everything to God.

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13. What is nishkama karma?

Nishkama Karma is doing the duty for the duty’s sake. If one thinks himself as the doer, he spoils his own system as well as the cosmos. Nishkama karma refers to a state wherein the individual protects his system from getting spoiled and at the same time prevents the cosmos from pollution through one’s action as well as thought.

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14. Why and how Samskaras (solid impressions) are formed?

The process first begins with attraction and interest towards matter. Repeated thinking about it develops desire. It forms a network. And later on this network solidifies and becomes Samskars which one has to undergo bhog.

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15. What is bhog?

Undergoing the effects of our past actions is bhog. It also means passing through the process of unfolding the intricacies of the point which we have already arrived at.

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16. What is meant by the saying “God helps those who help themselves”?

There is answer hidden in the saying itself. God helps the one who helps one-Self.
Self Realization is God Realization.

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17. What should one sacrifice in his spiritual practice?

One should sacrifice his belongings i.e. ‘Me and mine’ mind-set. Then only he can proceed in spirituality.

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18. How do desires obstruct progress?

Mostly desires are sensual based. Whatever we perceive through senses tends to form impressions on our heart. It blocks our mind to turn towards higher and subtler side of our existence. One desire when fulfilled gives rise to another one in its place and this process goes on continuously. Desires cause impression on heart and repeated thinking of it deepens the impression to form solidity or samskars which we have to undergo bhog, thereby obstructing our progress.

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19. What is ‘Will’?

Will is a thought made once which does not come across opposing thought elements which may create derangements. It acts quickly to the extent it is pure and free from doubts. In spiritual sense, it means that one is awakened to the thought of recognising the Self.

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20. Why is it said that Will, confidence and faith are progressive factors towards goal?

To reach the goal we need to orient towards it with full force. And full force comes only when we proceed towards it in single channel. Will, confidence and faith, creates single channel of purity and shows its cumulative effect and increases the force needed to reach the goal.

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21. What is restlessness? How it speeds up journey to our destination?

When the goal is in view always and the feeling of being at a distance away from it, will develop restlessness in the aspirant. This restlessness when it reaches the saturation point, produces heat. This heat burns the individuality creating vacuum. There is inflow of Divinity. Though 100% vacuum is not possible for man, permanently being in this Divinity itself is our destination. Calendar of events:

1. Concept of goal
2. Will power
3. Sincere attempt
4. Creating interest
5. Habit formation
6. Inclination leading on to the condition of restlessness

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22. Some say that Grahastashram (family life) becomes an obstruction in the path of spirituality? Is it so?

Absolutely no. Most of the Saints and Sages of yore were Grihasta. How can the natural tendency given by God become an obstruction in the path of spirituality. In fact it helps the aspirant from all angles.

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23. How Grahastashrama (family life) helps one to reach the goal?

The atmosphere and surrounding which a Grahasta lives in can cultivate the following in him:

• Expansion of love from individual to all others.
• Thinking of the welfare of others first and then of oneself.
• Learning to endure calmly to the adversities of household life.
• Learning to forget and forgive wrongs done by others.
• Being indulged in all activities remaining free from its effect.

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24. What kind of practice one should opt for?

One should opt for the practice:

• which is not mechanical.
• which brings in dynamism.
• which is convenient suiting to the present lifestyle.
• which is simple, natural and easy.
• which develops the inquisitiveness to attain real Self.
• which develops introvertedness.
• which has the strong support of the Guide at every step.

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25. When does practice become mechanical?

Practice becomes mechanical:

• When one does not have clarity regarding goal of life.
• When one practices without grasping the spirit (essence) of it.
• When one has some material goal in view.
• When there is extrovertedness.
• When one develops rigidity.
• When one does not opt for training from a worthy guru.
• When one doesn’t develop acceptance and willingness in one’s guru.
• When there is lack of faith in Reality, faith in Master (Guru), faith in Method.

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26. When is practice said to be dynamic?

Practice becomes dynamic when it brings about constant evolution in thinking and transformation in life style. One should maintain studentship always because our goal is Infinite.

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27. What is extrovert and introvert?

Extrovert is related to physical and material aspects of the world which is perceptible through senses. Introvert is related to inner aspects of our being i.e. mind and soul through thoughts.

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28. What is meant by rigidity in spiritual practice?

Rigidity refers to adamancy and thinking one’s thought to be correct and final. It is the sign of stagnation.

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29. How to assess the correctness of one’s practice?

Assessment can be in 3 levels. They are:

• Physical : Comparing oneself with the Ten maxims given by Malik-e-Kul.
• Mental: Viveka and Vairagya,
  • Getting rid from lobha, moha, madha, matsara,
  • Regulation, moderation and balanced state of Mind.
• Spiritual: Points, Knots, Circles, Region as quoted by Malik-e-Kul,
  • Peace and calmness,
  • Being in Constant remembrance without its awareness.

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