An Historic event between Heartfulness Institute and Tukdoji Maharaj Sanstha

at Gurukunj Ashram, Amaravati, Maharashtra. October 2019

Bulletin No: 2019.63 - Saturday, 30 November 2019

As a result of the ongoing relationship between Heartfulness Institute and Tukdoji Maharaj’s organisation, Kamlesh Patel (Daaji) was invited to join Rashtra Sant Vandaniya Tukdoji Maharaj’s Shraddhanjali annual event at Gurukunj near Amaravati, Maharashtra state, where more than 150,000 followers of Shri Tukdoji Maharaj have gathered participating in various programs in his memory.

On Friday 18 October, reporters from Lokmat interviewed Daaji about spirituality and the Heartfulness Way, in which he said:

“Meditation is a technique to stabilise a fickle mind. The mind first becomes serene, and then it needs to be given a direction. What do we do after the mind has become settled? A student will focus on studies, a business man will focus on making money, but the most worthy utilisation is the Realisation of God, to attain Brahma Vidya. Even Lord Krishna says that meditation is an excellent thing to do. It’s only through meditation that we can excel in every endeavour.”

And later:

“Loneliness is the cause of so many problems. People may be married but they still feel lonely. The loneliness epidemic is society's biggest problem today. When we are going towards God, we don't face this problem because we see God in everyone. We feel it so there is no need to speak about it. Everyone knows that God is omnipresent, but when this thought becomes reality then something can really happen. Superficial knowledge is of no use.”

It was 3:00 p.m. when Daaji started for Gurukunj. As his car turned off the highway, there were throngs of people walking towards the event, following the tradition of Pallakki. Daaji stopped the car, and walked with them to the meditation hall.

A large group had gathered to receive him, so Daaji conducted meditation for the assembled gathering. Then he spoke: “This is a very joyful day, as the two currents that are progressively moving, Heartfulness and Tukdoji, have merged as one. Heartfulness is available for all. Whoever wants and seeks for it from the heart will keep on receiving it.”

On Saturday, 19 October, Daaji was up early to participate in the Tukdoji Maharaja Punyathiti, reaching the venue around 5:15 a.m. Several thousands had gathered in a very orderly way in the meditation hall, and the program started at 5:30 a.m. Following bhajans and slokas from the Bhagavad Gita, Daaji was introduced and he gave a talk in Hindi. Here are some excerpts:

"On this day of paying homage to respected Tukdoji Maharaj, we are all present here at his holy feet.

"When Arjuna asked Lord Krishna, ‘Oh Lord, you have shown me your Vishwaroopa, but how will the common person reach you?’ Lord Krishna replied, ‘Hridyam pashyasi,’ meaning, ‘See me in your heart.’ But how to see? In the Ashtvakra Gita, King Janaka also asks the same question to Rishi Ashtavakra: ‘How to gain Brahma jnana (supreme knowledge)? How to attain renunciation? How to attain moksha (liberation)?’ He replied, ‘Adopt these five things – truth, surrender, contentment, compassion and forgiveness.’ After adopting these virtues, we can go towards Him. But again another question arises, how to do it? How to become contented?

"People have assumed that the mind is our enemy, but, in fact, there is no friend better than the mind. How can we pray without the mind? How can we be devoted without the mind? How can we make resolutions without the mind? We cannot reach anywhere without making resolutions. Without meditation, resolutions will never yield results.

"Everyone wants happiness. Who wants sorrow? No one. When can we be happy? When the mind becomes contemplative. When can we contemplate? When the mind rests on one thing after making a resolution. It becomes focused. And when can the mind become focused? When it is regulated. And when will it be regulated? When we meditate. Now connect the statements above. Is happiness possible without meditation?

"In Heartfulness, due to Transmission or pranahuti, meditation becomes very simple.

"Liberation is possible only when we are devoid of samskaras, when our consciousness is pure. This pure condition, serene condition, kaivalya condition, is simple with the aid of pranahuti. There is also a yogic method called Heartfulness Cleaning. And the process for calming down this fickle mind is Meditation. When the mind is calm, children can study well, business can be done better, and even farming becomes more efficient, whereas when the mind wanders, nothing can be done well. So the first step is to calm the mind. And after the mind is calm, it is to be connected with God. It becomes very easy with pranahuti.

"We have done many experiments with youngsters, meditating without pranahuti, and later on with pranahuti. They are all able to meditate and go into the state of Samadhi with pranahuti.

"I thank you all. I would like to say wholeheartedly that you all have accepted us and considered us to be your own. I am not able to hug you all, but I greet you all from my heart and bow to His feet that we have the feeling of brotherhood with each other and we have all become one. Tukdoji Maharaj also wanted this.

"People say that they want to achieve something through meditation. If I tell you the truth, there is nothing to achieve through meditation. We dissolve ourselves through meditation. When you are dissolved, it is like a drop of water merging with the ocean. It becomes the ocean itself. Will it have desires? Will it have ego? Nothing will be there, when we merge with Brahman. So how to end desires? How to end ego? It is very easy: Meditate in the morning for half an hour, and gradually increase it to one hour.

"And the heart is to be cleaned in the evening. While your heart is impure, whatever you receive from the Lord will also become impure. So cleaning of the heart, purity of the heart, is very important. We also have to be alert. There are many tests in life, and these tests are to strengthen us. Problems also come to strengthen us. As we move ahead from one problem to another, the Guide’s Grace also keeps on increasing. But it is not possible without sadhana.

"People say, ‘We don’t get time,’ but when we meditate we experience something different. I started meditation in 1976. At that time, I was a student in a pharmacy college, and we were 25 friends who meditated together every day. The results were such that, even without studying much, we were moving ahead. So many things happen through meditation. When I completed my studies, I started business in USA. I continued meditation for 30 years there also. And my business also flourished, family life also improved. Everything was as Lord Krishna said, ‘Yogaha Karmashu Kaushalam.’

"Whatever a person does in a meditative state will be successful. But the greatest success we can achieve is to become merged in the Master. We do this by meditation. Dhyana is for the material world and dhyana is for attaining God too. And with pranahuti, when a thousand people are sitting for meditation, everyone will experience Samadhi.

"Pranahuti is something magical. You need to experience it. Please visit our Ashram in Kanha, otherwise we have many trainers here who will initiate you. That doesn’t mean you leave Tukdoji Maharaj. We all go together. We will learn some things from you. You will learn some things from us. The journey will go on. My salutations to all of you. Thank you."

Overall, the followers of Shri Tukdoji Maharaj were deeply touched when Daaji said he was accepted by all of them without any question, and they made him their own. It was a moment where tears were rolling from many eyes. Most people were touched by the simplicity of Daaji and the way he comprehensively presented his thoughts so simply.

Over a 1,000 visitors attended introductory meditation sessions at the Heartfulness stall, and most found themselves immersed in Dhyana in the first session itself. Shri Tukdoji Maharaj’s followers were left in awe at the selfless-service rendered by our volunteers gathered from various places for this event.

Many who came to know about Daaji, Heartfulness and Kanha want to visit Kanha in the coming times. Also, some have observed a distinctly different environment during Daaji’s presence which was inexplicable but which they could feel was a result of Daaji’s presence. Some have started relating the work of Daaji with what Shri Tukdoji Maharaj taught.

Overall, Daaji made a great impact on many hearts.