QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 14 Jan 2017– Afternoon

Written Questions Submitted For Reply

Ashok :
We’ll commence with the question-answers.

Question :
First question is — Is there a difference between the ahamkar as part of the antahkaran, and the ahamkar as one of the five thieves. Or is it one and the same?

Babaji :
These are two different things. The ahamkar, which is part of the antahkaran, is when we have a thought, and we have visualized in our chit on that thought, then we start identifying with that thought. And we keep thinking and intellectualizing on that. That is ahamkar. And ahamkar is one of the five thieves, as you pointed out.

Question :
Do the sun, moon, planets, and stars have any spiritual power or influence?

Babaji :
There is an influence of the sun, moon, planets, and stars. And each one plays a role in this entire world, in terms of the Creation. All of these have an influence. And, even in terms of influencing us also, there is an influence of stars. But, in spirituality, in Sant Mat, there is no importance given to this influence. Because, when we are doing our Simran and Dhyan, then we are redeeming a lot of our deeds also, and these do not have an influence then. So, importance is not given to these influences. On a worldly note, where people, non-satsangis, it has an influence, and it does influence their lives. For a satsangi, the Masters sometimes change the influence of our deeds also, change the deeds also for Their disciples. That way, there is no importance that is given to astrology and Puranas and the Scriptures. So, those things, which an astrologer tells us are, really, not of much significance to satsangis.

Question :
The next question is — When the soul leaves the body, does the soul go right away, or does the soul need three days before the body can be burned?

Babaji :
The soul immediately leaves the body at the time of death and, immediately afterward, the soul goes to the Lord of Judgment. And then, there is an account of all the karmas, etc., that it has to give there. But, that is a separate thing. The soul, so far as the body is concerned, leaves it immediately.

Question :
The next question is — If an egg is unfertilized (the hens do not live with a rooster), then it has no life. Why are we told not to eat these eggs as well?

Babaji :
Any egg, in terms of the fertilization* of that egg, it has a male and female element, and therefore, there is an influence of life in it. And therefore, one should refrain from eating it.

*Scientifically, chicks have been produced from unfertilized eggs (much like a clone) and the fact that egg-born creatures having 3 active tattwas (vs. 2 active tattwas, as a carrot would have, for example) means more karma is incurred by eating it.

Question :
The next question is — As you are also a farmer, please tell us what to do with the insects, or little animals, who can cause damage or diseases in our farms or gardens. And then, what about the karmas?

Babaji :
In this life, one cannot do without karmas. So, if you are doing farming and there are insects, or there are rodents, or there are animals, you have to do that pest control. Needless to say, those karmas, you will be assuming. Because, when you kill those insects, you are going to assume all of those karmas. But, when you do your Bhajan Simran, you are also addressing, or redeeming part of those karmas. So, you will be assuming that karma, but it is a part of that occupation or livelihood to do it because, if you are not doing it, then you will not get your crop, and you'll not fulfill your objective of getting a good crop and providing food to others.

We assume these karmas according to the animal that we are harming or killing. For example, in a tree, there is one element. And so, when we cut a tree, or we cut a plant, or we consume a vegetable, we are assuming that karma for one element. Likewise, insects have two elements and, accordingly, the karmas that we are assuming when we kill an insect are higher than what we do when we kill a tree or a plant. Likewise, when we kill a bird or a chicken, in that family, then we are assuming three elements. Therefore, the karmas are more. And, for these four-legged animals, the karmas are even higher, because they have four elements. And the highest karma that we assume is by killing a human being, who has five elements.

It's like, for example, if you are driving a car and you take the car over an insect or a scorpion or a snake. Nobody, typically, stops you and asks you to pay for it. But then, if you kill a chicken, or something like that, a hen or something, then you have to, perhaps, pay forty or fifty rupees. And you also stop to see what happened. Then, like that, if you kill a buffalo, or a cow, or something like that, then you have to pay a higher amount. You have to stop and pay a few thousand rupees. And, if you kill a human being then, besides that paying, you may end up in jail. You will end up having a court case brought against you, and there are lots of other implications. So, that way is akin to that. So, as the elements increase in the animal that you are harming or killing, your karmas and deeds are increasing.

Question :
The next question is — Masters say that if we criticize others, those people get the benefit of our meditation. What about when we ourselves are being criticized, or even slandered? Do we get any benefit from that?

Babaji :
If someone is criticizing you, or you are being slandered, then your karmas are being transferred to that person. So, slandering is the same. Whether someone does it against you, or you do against somebody, it is the same thing. So, accordingly, those karmas will get transferred. It is said that slandering is not good for anybody. Even if the person is our enemy, we should not engage in slandering. In slandering, the karmas keep increasing, and we don't even come to know about it. So, people who have this habit of slandering, they very naturally start building up karmas. And they are not even aware that their karmas are continuing to build up.