
Maharaj: Once the body comes to an end, it mixes with the five elements, the vital breath mixes with the air, and the consciousness mixes with the universal consciousness. Thereupon the consciousness which was subject to the three gunas in the body becomes free of them, becomes Nirguna. The idea of rebirth is a concept, because for something to be reborn something has to die. What is dead? Nothing is dead. Who is to be reborn? No one was born.
Whatever education you have received has been on the basis of the body-mind, so whatever concepts you have will only remain concepts. But once the body mixes with the five elements, breath mixes with the air, and consciousness be- comes universal consciousness, the concepts will have no stand, no support. Therefore, where will they go?
Universal consciousness doesn't come from anywhere; it is universal. It exists in a latent form in the totality of the food. It does not come from anywhere, it is already latent, and, as soon as the form is created, automatically the life force and the consciousness are exhibited in it simultaneously.
In an infinitesimal seed the whole tree is already present in a latent state; in due course it will grow and proliferate. This seed, this chemical, this beingness, contains the whole universe of yours. Ask questions from this beingness of yours and not from what you have heard or collected.
This beingness has its own latent qualities to manifest itself into this manifestation. How does it behave in the world? Through mechanical properties; it has its own mechanical way as to how it will perform in the world. These properties are latent in the chemical principle. Take a worm, or an insect, or a rat: they make their own holes to live in. Similarly, human beings work in their own fashion. From where does it spring? It comes out of their own beingness.
Questioner: But there is only one beingness; there are not lots of individual beings.
M: Just as space is one, air is one, fire is one, similarly, consciousness is also one.
This is the outcome of the integrated combination of the five elements. Thus beingness is a product of the food essence which has come out of the five elemental flow.
At the time of conception this beingness principle—this chemical—takes a photograph of whatever the situation is. That chemical emulsion which is on the photographic film receives the impressions.
That principle has unknowingly taken the photograph. At that stage it has no intelligence; then the principle becomes mature enough and attains its very purpose, the purpose of the fetus. What is the purpose? To know itself as “I Am." That gets manifest in due course in the child.
I am telling you your true nature—you are Nirguna, like Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna was the Unborn, the Nirguna principle, just as you are.
This universal consciousness gives birth every moment to so many forms, insects, animals, human beings, all the species; and people tell us that we have had many births. Do they remember all those births? Knowingly I have no knowledge about my birth, but I am charged with being born. Actually you accept those concepts because you are afraid of death.
One who is completely rid of coming and going, and, finally, one who is completely rid of one’s very own concept that “I Am", is completely liberated.
In India the sadhana is reciting the sacred name of God. Without name or title you cannot get on in the world. You are given a certain title or name for God; that name is your very own name. When you recite the name, it will proliferate and give you all the knowledge. It is your own true nature. That recitation should not be given up; whether the body lives or dies, you should continuously recite that name. Even if a stupid person recites the sacred name his eternal nature will be opened up. So when such a thing happens people will troop to him to offer their obeisance or reverence.
In India this recitation of the sacred name is very important, but in foreign countries the emphasis is placed on the intellect, with the result that foreigners are very proficient in their worldly life. This recitation of the sacred nama-mantra is a tradition of my Navanath Sampradaya. Those great Sages were not educated—they were rather naive persons; nevertheless they attained the highest.
Many people after reading I Am That visit my place, but when I am among the crowd they are not able to locate me, because I don't have a wonderful, splendorous personality. Finally when I go and sit on that little elevated seat, they think, “Oh, this must be the guy." But at first they look at me and through me.
Q: Since Maharaj negates the idea of previous births can samskaras be interpreted as being in this life?
M: Yes, but your friends in this birth will try to tell you that they are from previous births.