Page 11 - Journey to Infinity

would often direct his followers not to believe their manas in this regard. Accordingly to him, the slave of women and a greedy person could never perform acts of paramarth. To him, show was disqualification. Stating a bare truth was always good in his opinion. He was very firm in his conviction that the real discipline and etiquette were simply that the tongue should utter only that which was in one’s heart. The inner and outer condition of an abhyasi had to be same.
Display of miracles was extremely disliked by him. If someone attained siddhis in his sadhana, he at once removed that state. Ego was likewise never allowed to grow. He advocated that the aspirants should always remain away from siddhis until they reach their goal and the discipline is perfected. When the sadhak reaches his goal, all his actions automatically become miracles. He held the opinion that the great miracle of a saint was to transform an animal man into a perfect man. There is no denying of his full command over siddhis, but he never used those powers.
Sri Lalaji considered spiritual perfection to be based on three things. 1) love for the Master 2) satsangh with the Master and 3) obedience to the Master.
He was against idol worship. Though he allowed his photo to be kept by his followers, he never allowed them to worship it. Self praise was so much disliked by him that he did not allow people touch his feet in order to pay respects to him. Excess of tapa and japa was not liked by him. He considered love to be the greatest tapas. He preferred the middle way and regarded the meditation on the heart as the real sadhana. He attached great importance to prayer, but it was not to be for material gain. He himself constantly prayed for the soul of this world. Sri Lalaji was very particular regarding conduct. He announced in unambiguous terms that realisation of self was not possible without adhering to the standard moral code of conduct. He even forbade association and satsangh with immoral persons. He insisted that company should be kept only with those persons whose hearts are brimming with love for God and with those who could influence others with it.
He considered three things necessary for a saint 1) permanent bodily ailment 2) financial stringency and 3) nindak - one found fault with.
The real sadhana is to balance the mind.
Eat less and earn a honest living. Without taking honestly earned food, spiritual experiences often go wrong. Once he wrote - “it is good to be put to worries. The home is the training centre for submission and endurance, etc. It is the greatest form of penance and sacrifice.” At another place he wrote “As for afflictions and worries, I too had mine which might perhaps be shocking to another. Often I had nothing for my meals. I had a number of children and