Tagged: T.D. Joseph
God, the Benefactor, is about to transform this world into a Land of Happiness. Want to know HOW? BY: BK. T.D Joseph
Article by: BK. T. D. Joseph, Bangalore, India tdjaum(AT)gmail.com – If you have questions or remarks about this article, please contact the author.
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As the world situation is worsening day by day, it is natural to feel: How long will be this decline? For a person who is a sincere follower of Brahma Kumaris’ teachings, this question does not arise as he believes that the world would soon be transformed in to a place of happiness and peace.
Let us see how this is possible:
The BKs [Brahma Kumaris] are told to always carry, with them, a symbolic trident—consciousness of God, Soul and Drama. (Murli 26.12.1979) Living in remembrance of these three realities means living with correct perspective with regard to them, not distorted by the dusty/faulty mirror of the world or of our own minds. It involves the following:
1) One is ALWAYS CONSCIOUS that God, the Supreme Soul, is his Father, and he experiences His love and protection.
2) One is ALWAYS CONSCIOUS that he is His child, a soul, (not body); and is the exact representation of His Father’s very being. He enjoys an ever-increasing intimacy with Him, without being affected by anything that happens around him.
3) One is ALWAYS CONSCIOUS that every one is acting out his role in the Drama. [Drama essentially—not in the literal sense—means we are all actors in this eternal world drama acting out our roles based on each one’s unique sanskar or personality traits] This enables one to view himself as an impassionate, impartial and detached observer of the scenes around him, not an object of other’s actions. This means he never feels that he/she did this to me, and never feels like asking how and why they behave this way! Instead he develops the virtue and power to love and accommodate others unconditionally.
Everyone is inevitably faced with two situations in life—situation we can change, and situation we can not change. There is no point in worrying about things we can change—we simply need to change them. Again, there is no point in worrying about things we can not change—we simply need to accept them! Yet BKs are in an advantaged situation as they know that even the situation we can not change is also going to be soon changed by someone else! For example, world situation is deteriorating day by day in all its aspects. Unrighteousness and irreligiousness have assumed a monstrous form everywhere with even more and more leaders becoming scam-ridden. Yet an eternal decline is logically not possible as there exists a hedge, the very basic nature of God. At some point, God will intervene which is implied in the very name of God.
There is something common between well-known names such as Jesus, Jehova, and Shiva. These historical names contain a profound truth: an awareness of the world’s cycle of decline and the eventual reversal! Catholic Encyclopedia says “The word Jesus is the Latin form of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew Jeshua, or Joshua, or again Jehoshua, meaning “Jehovah is salvation.” Jesus himself testifies: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing.” (John 5:19) He was simply imitating his Heavenly Father. He copied his Father’s zeal, and using a whip violently removed the hypocrites and exploiters from temple repeatedly, which is symbolic of what God Himself will do in the future globally.—John 2:13-17; Mathew 21:12; compare Daniel 2:44 and 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 11:18.
When God, in connection with a planned deliverance, appeared to Moses in a flame of light, He Himself explained the meaning of His name, Jehova, as “I am that I am.” (Exodus 3:13) This is very simple to understand! Let us use a contrast now. When defrauded by someone, we say “he is not what he was,” meaning a change has now occurred in his character. But if we know someone as always faithful, we say “he is what he is, we can trust him.” Hence when God defined His name as “I am that I am” it has to do with His very basic character that will ALWAYS be there. What is He basically? And what is in Him that will NEVER change? Interestingly, Bible itself answers: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) Thus He is the source of all goodness, The Supreme Benefactor, who will NEVER change.—Compare also Bhagavat Gita 11:32, 33; 14:27.
Therefore, God’s name means He is one who ALWAYS does good (JEHOVA in Hebrew, and SHIVA in Sanskrit). He is also called “Supreme Ruler of the Universe,” “the Father, Well-Wisher and the Friend of all beings” stressing further the basic character behind His illustrious name. (Bhagavat Gita 5:29; 9:17; 10:1). Being the Supreme Benefactor inherently carries also the idea of being “the guardian of eternal dharma [righteousness and religiousness].” (Gita 11:18) Hence God’s name presupposes that there can not be an eternal decline in the affairs of the world, but He WILL intervene at the right time.
This is the time God descends to teach, train, and guide His children. Irrespective of the innumerable religions that we have and the number of names that we have attributed to Him, He is just one: He is the Father of all the people on earth.
How fortunate we are as we are the generation that is going to see the switch-over to the Land of Peace and Happiness! Let us become alert and wise; let us follow the most elevated teachings of God and become His invaluable instruments in creating “Heaven on earth.”
Cyclic History—you can have your own proofs! – By: BK. T.D Joseph
Article by: BK. T. D. Joseph, Bangalore, India tdjaum(AT)gmail.com – If you have questions or remarks about this article, please contact the author.
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Godly gyan teaches that history repeats itself every 5000 years. A listener may object asking: Is history only 5000 years old? No, Godly gyan speaks about repetition of history, not about its age. When history repeats itself every 5000 years, its longevity is simply incalculable. Of course, one is always welcome to ask: How can I be sure that history repeats itself?
Turning to history books may not help as history writing itself began in the second half of the Kalpa (cycle of 5000 years) when mankind began to be ruled by “lust, anger and greed.” (Gita 16:21) This time-factor helps us to have a balanced approach to the written history. Often, history is written to suit the purpose of its writer or the Authority that appoints him for the job. When I studied history in the school, Aryan invasion of India [which had exerted tremendous influence on India’s social set-up] was part of our syllabus. Now it is learned that such a thing has never happened, it is a myth.This is true of other branches of science too. When some scientists presented Piltdown Man as the greatest proof for evolution theory, later other scientists proved it as hoax. Whatever the scientists say need not be scientific, just as whatever a joker says need not be a joke! You can see a list of HOAXES in any Encyclopedia.
Apostle Paul, a great Greek scholar—secular and religious—who wrote 14 New Testament books of the Bible, warns us against putting blind faith in whatever we hear or read: “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!” (Acts 20:29-31) If this is the case with religious writing, you can imagine how reliable it will be the so called secular history writing!
So, is the situation hopeless? No, the same Bible authorizes us to do something in parallel: “Test them all; hold on to what is good [originally kalos, Greek, meaning inherently and intrinsically good], reject every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 22) Hence we are under obligation to take only what our REASON concludes as something inherently and intrinsically good. For example, we may read in Evolution & History books that homo sapiens appeared on earth lakhs of years ago. Here we need to use our reason: How many years needed for a couple to have 4 children? 8 years. Let us give 150 years! First couple produced 4 children in 150 years, and they died. These 4 children [or 2 couples] produced 4 children each in another 150 years. If we calculate like this, it would take only 4800 years to reach more than 8.5 Billion population, which is more than the current population of the whole Earth.
Let us see what happens in front of our eyes, and use the power of our reason to arrive at a firm conclusion. We will do something like ocean-examination—by tasting some drops from here and there, we conclude its water is salty. Similarly, let us take some samples of human behavior:
1) Everyone knows that possession is an illusion; and this is the most-attested truth in the world. One has to die leaving behind everything he thought as belonging to him—assets, relatives, fame etc. Yet, people go on repeating the same old habit of accumulating to their maximum capacity, and believe they own them.
2) Everyone knows prevention is better than cure. Yet people, in general, prefer cure. This explains why the number of diseases and hospitals are increasing! This is true of even Governments who know how to prevent wars, yet prepare themselves to win the war through fighting it out at any cost! Both the rulers and the ruled have been repeating this wasteful act.
3) Everyone knows happiness comes from helping others without expecting anything in return. The more unselfish one is the happier he will be. Yet we find individuals and nations repeating exploitation of others. Golden Rule is replaced with another rule: ‘Those who have gold rule.’
4) People love blaming others when something goes wrong, yet hate receiving it. Experience has taught everyone that it is futile to try to change others whereas it is very much feasible to change oneself. Yet people repeat the folly of blaming others and trying to transform others.
5) Even when ideal persons appear on the world scene, people still want to continue with their old habits. For example, Buddha, who was born to a king, understood the valuelessness of pursuing power and pleasure. And we have modern examples of billionaires who turn philanthropists later. Yet majority want to repeat their materialistic passion.
6) Whenever someone, with good-intention, tried to change the corrupt system, he has been shaved off from the face of the earth. Killing the messenger if message is not liked is being repeated with no let-up.
7) Religions have correctly identified egoism as the opposite of spirituality. Yet they are not prepared to merge and become one world-religion for the whole humanity, making the worship simple and thus avoiding all confusion and colossal wastage. This means religions themselves have become a BIG EGO, doing everything within its power to safeguard its identity, which is the very essence of ego! Thus all religions have been repeating this irony of asking their members to fight ego while they themselves remain fostering it!
Don’t these samples of human behavior prove that history repeats itself?
So, what would these attitudes of human-beings lead to, once again? We will inevitably cause/ invoke another world war and catastrophe that will bring us back to the beginning of the next cycle of time. History repeats itself!
Is God REALLY omnipresent? By: BK T.D. Joseph
Article by: BK. T. D. Joseph, Bangalore, India tdjaum(AT)gmail.com – If you have questions or remarks about this article, please contact the author.
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There are many people who believe that God is omnipresent. Is He really present everywhere? If yes, can the following questions satisfactorily be answered?
1.If He is omnipresent, how will He distinguish Himself and others—inanimate and animate?
2.If He is omnipresent, where will evil or sin exist, as He is the source of all goodness and holiness?
3.When hard-core sadists enjoy inflicting pain on others, or carnivorous animals hunt and eat innocent animals like lambs, what happens to His presence in the pain-giver and the recipient?
4.If God is omnipresent, before breathing his last why should Jesus cry out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Father, into your hands I commit my spirit”? (Mark 15:33; Luke 23:46)
5.The English word ‘religion’ comes from Latin word ‘religare’ which means to re-unite. Religions are helping people [who were separated from God] to re-unite with Him. How can the separation and re-union with God be possible, if He is omnipresent? Hence can religions really teach He is omnipresent?
Bible says God resides in a particular place (Mathew 6:9). So does the Quran (Surah al-Mulk 67:17) God is quoted as saying He is “the minutest of the minute,” and yet He is the “Supreme Divine Being” residing in “Supreme Abode.” – Gita 8:9, 10, 21.
This is a fact supported by our experience too. Supreme Soul, our Heavenly Father is “SPIRIT,” declare the Bible and the Bhagavat Gita. (John 4:24; Gita 14:3, 4) Hence we, His children, are the exact representation of His very being, and are spirits or souls in this costume called bodies. (Gita 8:3) Just like the Supreme Soul resides in a particular place, our souls too reside in a particular place, something that everyone can feel for themselves. Close your eyes and be aware of your true Self. You can easily experience the body as the human (container) where the Being resides.
The Being, which is YOU, situated just above and behind the eyes (center of the forehead) within the brain. This is like driver’s seat from where You do your thinking, analyzing, and directing every movement of the vehicle—your body—through the 5 physical sense organs. You are the POINT OF CONSCIOUSNESS within the body, which is called by many names: Soul, Spirit, Atma, Inner-Self, Pure-Consciousness … etc. Thus what is true of our Heavenly Father is true of us also—He is not present everywhere in the macro universe, just as one’s soul is not present everywhere in his body, the micro universe.
Still, why do some people believe that God is omnipresent? This and variant of this teaching Tat Tvam Asi [Sanskrit] which means “You are THAT (God),” may have originated from an innocent desire to fight egoism and to help people to view everyone equally, and thus to instill in them compassion towards one another. However, was that extreme assertion really necessary as others too—including atheists—can show compassion towards fellow humans? These teachings may have helped a very few.
However, their unforeseen results eclipse all their benefits. Look at the opposite fruitage of these teachings on those who believe it. These teachings obviously imply that God and sin are INSEPARABLY connected. ‘If God is omnipresent, or I am THAT, then sin should also exist in God, just as it does in me,’ one may feel. Hence instead of feeling motivated to fight against vices, one may feel licentious to do whatever he feels like! This may also be fanned by stories of gods whose lust and greed make interesting reading. As a result, people go casual about everything, and become self-centered, which is called “sin.” (Gita 3:13) If God resides within everyone, how can one [in whom God resides] perform wicked acts against another human [in whom too God resides]?
Any belief should be tested by the fruits it produces. The above two teachings are prevalent in Bharat. What have they produced? Very few may have become more spiritual believing God is everywhere or they are Gods, whereas vast majority are gone opposite. For example, Bharath is synonymous with over-population. At the root of over-population lie lust, instant gratification and utter disregard for the welfare of others / future generation. If LUST is not fulfilled, ANGER arises; if it is fulfilled GREED arises. And it is these three vices—“lust, anger, and greed”—that Holy Lord calls as “gate of hell.” —Gita 16:21.
Certain qualities can be omnipresent, but their source need not be all-pervasive. Sun, even while it is not omnipresent, its qualities such as heat and light are pervasive in all direction. Similarly, God is not omnipresent, but His qualities are omnipresent. For example, His wisdom is seen in all His works; His power is seen in each and every atom; and His justice is seen in never-failing mechanism, Law of Causation, functioning everywhere in Nature. Knowing this can make people responsible-minded, not licentious!
What makes you SMART, even SMARTER – By BK T.D Joseph
Article by: BK. T. D. Joseph, Bangalore, India tdjaum(AT)gmail.com – If you have questions or remarks about this article, please contact the author.
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Once King Yadu asked a hansome young man, named Avadhūta, who showed extra-ordinary practical wisdom: “I see that you are not engaged in any practical religious activity, and YET you have acquired a most expert understanding of all things and all people within this world. Kindly tell me, sir, how did you acquire this extraordinary intelligence, and what is the cause of the great ecstasy that you are feeling within yourself?” The young man replied: ‘I have gained the necessary wisdom from the whole creation, through 24 Gurus.’ In other words he was copying the priciples which sky, sun, moon, sea etc. were displaying.—Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Canto 11:7.
If this is the case, we are actually flooded with gurus. Taking a cue from him we will shortlist some five familiar things around us that can make us smart, such as Sun, Moon, Ant, River & Tree (the first letters of which make the word SMART).
SUN is the supporter of all living beings on earth giving them light and heat to everyone alike. Hence sun is a guru teaching us silently that whatever we say or do must be enlightening to others and be providing warmth to them—something Jesus too stressed in his sermon on the mount. (Mathew 5:13, 14) Talking about our disappointments and distress would make others gloomy and weak, hence it reflects lack of love on our part as all are overwhelmed by some distress some way or other. Before speaking to someone, we need to examine whether what we are going to say is “non-offensive, truthful, pleasant, and beneficial.” (Gita 17:15) If not, the best course of action is to be “silent” which will save us energy and spare much distress later.—Gita 12:19.
MOON, reflecting sun’s light, helps us in the night. Earth and moon rotate on their axis, yet we always see only one side of the moon. Because the rotational period is exactly the same as the orbital period, the same portion of the Moon’s sphere is always facing the Earth. Moon thus teaches us that our action should always reflect the qualities of the Soul as we are all souls, the children of the Supreme Soul, and we should never let our other side (the egoistic, selfish side) of our personality be seen by others.
ANTS are very small in size yet it is wiser than human rulers. “It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8; 30:25) They teach us to be prudent, acting with care and thought for the future—something that humans are yet to learn. If human rulers were prudent, we would never have even heard of poverty. Take the latest news! European leaders spent their resources recklessly; and now they force what they call AUSTERITY MEASURES on people. Even US Government is no exception as it too plans Austerity Measures for the next 10 years for the same reason! We have pollutted air, water and land making virtually impossible for the next generation to live. Present world population is 6.8 billion, and 870 million (more than the populations of USA and the European Union combined) people do not have enough to eat, while the bulk of the rest suffers from obesity!
RIVER flows continuously till it reaches ocean. It is not interested in the pleasant or unpleasant sights on its way. When met with with obstacles such as rock on its path, it still flows by its side or over it. Hence river is the symbol of non-attachment. It quenches the thirst of many living beings, and cleanses those taking bath in it. Then there is subtle lesson too: “You can never step into the same river; for new waters are always flowing on to you,” says Heraclitus of Ephesus. This is typical of what happens with the cells in our bodies, sanskar, values, experiences and circumstances, all of which keep changing. This helps us to treat others always fresh, not under the influence of their past behaviour to us. Again, it is a symbol of consistency: whether it experiences turbulent times or peaceful times, it keeps flowing. What great lessons for us to copy!
TREE is a true symbol of God, the Benefactor. It silently works to produce fruits which are to be enjoyed by others who may appreciate the tree or not. While itself being in the hot sun, it provides refreshing shade to other beings. What better lesson can we have on the principle of ALTRUISM, “taking delight in the welfare of all beings” which is the very basis of spirituality, also called “eternal duty” (sanatana dharma). (Gita 12:4, 20) Take the case of trees like mango. It produces seed in which countless future generations of that tree remain protected [SAT=truth]; then it covers the seed with flesh which will be a deliciously beneficial treat for other beings [SHIVOM=benevolence]; and finally it presents it to us in attractive/appealing colors [SUNDARAM=beauty]. Thus they display God’s cardinal qualities also.
If you can practice the above principles, symbolized by those very familiar things around us, you will be amazed to be found SMART by others, and also always be successful in whatever field you put your hands on. Why stop at that? You can even become SMARTER at both spheres—Materialistic and spiritual—getting an inheritance of even 21 births in a very ideal surroundings! This requires that you need to be at the right place, at the right time, with right people and doing the right thing. Let us see how:
Before seeing how, we need to have some back-ground information. Sociology presents, among other theories, what they call SOCIAL CYCLE THEORY which states that “events and stages of society and history are generally repeating themselves in cycles.” Interpretation of history as repeating cycles of Golden and Dark Ages was a common belief among ancient cultures. Bible too confirms that history passes through four different stages with 2nd to 4th steadily decling in quality; and it symbolizes each stage with metals such as pure gold, silver, bronze and iron respectively. (Daniel 2: 31-44) History of the righteous will be “like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day,” then it become dimmer and dimmer to become “deep darkness” at the end. (Compare Proverbs 4:18, 19) Thus history is broadly divided into “Day,” a period when people would live by the light within, and to NIGHT, a period when people would live selfishly. (Compare John 9:4; and 11:10, and 1 John 1:6) And NIGHT will climax when people will perfect their selfishness in all its forms. (2 Thimothy 3:1-5) This classification of DAY and NIGHT suggests that history repeats itself just like day and night do.
When the wicked are more and the righteous are very few, who will effect the switch-over from NIGHT to DAY? Remember the three major roles God plays, as taught by virtually all religions: GOD = Generator, Operator, and Destroyer. What does he generate, operate and destroy? He is the Generator of Heaven on earth, Operator of the heavenly kingdom of Vaikund (literally means no kunta or obstacle, a place where there is total auspiciousness, beauty and peace as opposed to what we see here on earth now), and Destroyer of this old degenerated world (hell) on earth, which was a heaven in the beginning. His supreme quality, BENEVOLENCE (on the basis of which He has the most appropriate personal name as Shiva), will not allow Him to force people to change their ways. He can only provide the right knowledge, and right atmosphere. Thus, His teaching program and subsequent replacing the hell on earth with heaven are in conformity with the very core of His personality—BENEVOLENCE. (compare Gita 4:7; Isaiah 2:2-4) This will transform some ordinary people into holy ones, whose integrity and beauty will be like that of a diamond, who will be the foundation of the golden age to come on this earth.
This divine teaching program happens during the last generation of the iron-age. Thus God, the Supreme Father, prepares a pure generation in parallel to the hard-iron-aged generation. Hence the present time is a Diamond Age for those who take advantage of the Heavenly Father’s teaching program, whereas it is the climax of iron age for the rest of the humanity. You can be SMARTER by finding yourself in this Diamond Age which means you are in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, and doing the right thing. Let us see how:
Those who want to live in DAY of righteousness, the heaven on earth, have to live by SHRIMAT (dictates of God) which means walking with God. Greatest Shrimat of God is that we should be SOUL-conscious, which involves having a “maximum time in loving remembrance of God the Father as the Supreme Soul” and having loving kindness towards all humans as fellow souls. (Murli 18.06.1969) Thus you have first step (S) of being SMARTER. You climb the second step of (M) when you attend His MURLI class daily in the morning. This is a class after the morning meditation where His Shrimat is explained through which we develop an intoxication towards our Heavenly Father.
We know that happiness depends on the quality of our thoughts. But quality of our thoughts depends on the people with whom we choose to associate. Hence we act in our own best interest when we associate with quality people, pure ones, who walk with God. Thus Association becomes the 3rd step (A) of being SMARTER. When you are among the pure ones (whose soul is the ruler of their senses), you return the Rulership from ego-intellect-mind combination to its rightful heir—Soul—to rule over your senses. Thus you have the 4th step (R) of being SMARTER. Now with the ego taking the back-seat, you have right perspective that you are not the doer. You begin to see “inaction in action, and action in inaction” and so many invisible causes operating behind one’s action (Gita 4:18; 5:14) The cause you perceive will only be a tip of the ice-berg. Thus you come to a firm conviction that you are a tool in the hands of God, who is like a Drama Director. On becoming Tool-consciousness, you “neither rejoice on obtaining what is pleasant, nor grieve on obtaining the unpleasan.” (Gita 5:20) Thus you have the 5th step (T) of being SMARTER.
Once you have firm foot on the above principles, you completely exit from false sources of security: your body, your objects and your relatives, all of which appear, remain for a while and disappear after some time. This Exit makes you step on to the 6th step (E) of being SMARTER. With all the above steps being right, you happen to be on the right place, at the right time, with the right people, and on the right road, doing the right things. This helps you to take right decision at the right time which you will never have to regret later. Thus you are always right. This is the last step (R) of being SMARTER.
You may wonder if this is possible for you! That is because we are used to simply living rather than choosing. We seldom realize that we have enormous power to choose. For example, when someone introduces a subject you don’t like to discuss, you often change the subject. This shows you have control over your thoughts and are also innume to other’s influence. There may be many people who feel like murdering others for some reason, yet very few only do so. That vast majority refrain from killing others thinking of the consequences. Even a habitually angry person controls his anger when he is with his employer or high police officials. All these show that we have control over our thoughts and actions. We can have control even over our destiny as it is the result of habit which is nothing but our repeated action.
Now taking this a little backward, we touch the larger picture! Our gross body depends on the quality of our subtle body. Quality of our subtle body depends on the quality of our Causal Body. Quality of our Causal Body depends on the quality of our sanskar (or vasanas, literally smell or fragrance, hence stands for latent tendencies in one’s nature), which means things we look forward to do or enjoy doing, carried over from our previous birth/s. If vasana is chosen, all the resultant actions are fixed or determined. Vasana and its development are like seed and tree. From seed starts the tree, and its picture is complete only when see the invisible (seed + roots) and the visible (trunk, branches, leaves and fruits).
No wonder that Shiva Baba consistently asks us, through all Murlies, that we need to build a sanskar of remembering Him. “Fill yourself with the sanskar of Satyug. As you fill your sanskar, so your reward is fixed.” (Murli 14.01.1982) Once a sansakar is chosen, its results are automatically fixed or determined. It is like what happens when you hear words such as friend, sister, wife, mother etc. Instantly various attitudes are formed/chosen in your mind, which are like seed [cause] which later matures into action [effect]. Thus free-will and pre-determination are like two sides of the same coin. Greatest proof for this is your own life: you know your present is the result of choices you made in the past. Hence your future will be the result of choices you make in the present. Hence you can choose to be SMART, even SMARTER. The firmer you cling on to our Heavenly Father, higher the chances that you “will be able to claim a number at the front,” and “filling up your treasure-store of all attainments for all time.”—Murli 12.11.1979 & 14.12.1983
“You Can Drive Out Evil Spirits” By: BK T.D Joseph
Article by: BK. T. D. Joseph, Bangalore, India tdjaum(AT)gmail.com – If you have questions or remarks about this article, please contact the author.
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When harshly criticized by Pharisees (literally means “the separated ones) even for the good he was doing, Jesus did not take it personally, but simply reiterated the LAW OF CAUSATION [Karma principle] saying: People act good or evil according to the good or evil they have “stored up” [sanskar] in them. “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Mathew 12:33) However, nothing will go unaccounted—you will have to reap the consequence for even an “empty word” you utter. (Mathew 12:37) Then, he made the following comparison:
“When an impure spirit [sense of duality] comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits [vices] more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”—Mathew 12:43-45.
This comparison contains a great truth about how an individual becomes wicked and hints at the sequence. Further, Jesus observes that what happens to an individual happens to a generation too. To complete the picture, Siva Baba says that it has already happened to 63 generations that make up the 3rd and 4th ages [copper age and iron age] which are figuratively called NIGHT or hell on Earth, of which we are in the last generation. Let us now examine how an individual brings in seven evil spirits/vices into his life and their sequence:
In sanskrit, the word for vice is vikaar, which means deviation. From what does a person deviate? From being “whole” (Mathew 5:48), or from the true perception that God the Father is the Supreme Soul and all humans are individualized souls who share the same qualities with their Father! Jesus declared our heavenly Father is the SPIRIT (John 4:24). Hence we, his children, are the exact representation of His very being, thus we are also spirits or souls in a costume called body. Thus we have life before and after this life, and we only change bodies. (Compare Luke 16:30, 31; Mathew 6:19-24; 22:32; 11:14) “Just as a person puts on new garments after discarding the old ones; similarly, the soul acquires new bodies after casting away the old bodies.” (Gita 2:22) The only difference is that God is the Master Seed, or Supreme Soul, hence immutable and unlimited in qualities whereas we, His children, are limited in qualities. (1 Timothy 6:16; Gita 5:29) “As the Seed, so is its fruit.” (Murli 2.2.1970) So long as a person is in awareness that he is a soul having same qualities as his Heavenly Father, it is easy and natural for him to manifest spirit’s qualities such as wisdom, purity, peace, love, happiness, bliss and power. This is what to LIVE means, when one is in tune with his own nature. EVIL is opposite of LIVE, when one deviates from his very nature and goes away from it. EVIL, in the Bible, means worthless. (Matthew 7:17-19) Let us see how a person become evil or worthless.
Rally of evil spirits
When one forgets the fact that he is a soul, and thinks he is body, “an impure spirit” or an illusion of duality, develops, thus lives in body-consciousness (or lives to enjoy the physical senses; and due to this change in consciousness, the soul is no longer master of those senses. It is pulled by them and gradually becomes their slave), he begins to feel separated, EGO appears, (and WISDOM disappears).
In EGO, he feels more important; he wants to add pleasure/things, DESIRE [among desires, sex-lust is more dominant] appears, and (PURITY disappears).
When he sees others having what he desires, ENVY appears, (PEACE disappears).
If desire is met with obstacle, ANGER appears. In anger one shows utter disregard towards danger/loss to himself and to others (LOVE disappears).
If desire is fulfilled, GREED appears, (HAPPINESS disappears)
As he gains, ATTACHMENT appears (BLISS disappears)
In attachment, one feels FEAR of loss (POWER disappears)
Thus one illusion that I am the body, I am the doer, and I am the possessor (Gita 2:71; 3:27; 5:8; 18:53) brings vices one after the other. With those seven powers of soul becoming nil (or Tamo meaning darkness), life became tamopradhan (devoid of any good qualities). Besides, he seldom realizes that pleasure always comes with an attachment of pain. (Gita 18:38) Hence those vices are aptly called evil spirits.
After comparing that generation to a man having seven evil spirits, Jesus said something positive: “The light of the body is the eye: therefore when your eye is single, your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, your body also is full of darkness…. If your whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle does give you light.”—Luke 11:34-36.
Interestingly, Jesus here contrasts the evil spirit with eye that is single. He also says if your eye is not single, “your body also is full of darkness” or tamopradhan. Eye that is single means you see only the substratum, the spirit, [or “Spirit sees the Spirit”—Murli 25.01.1970], rather than the varied forms which appear, remain for a while and disappear after some time. It is like seeing the invisible artist rather than puppets or wires in a puppet-show. In other words, you live in awareness of the following:
(1) A supreme CONSCIOUSNESS behind the macro universe [or your heavenly Father the Supreme Soul],
(2) An individualized CONSCIOUSNESS behind the micro universe called your body [or your soul, the master of your senses] and
(3) A never-failing/meticulous mechanism of action and reaction behind all happenings [or the Law of Causation].
Such a single outlook of seeing the substratum of everything destroys “duality and sin.” (Gita 7:28, 29), and makes one’s whole body full of light, as there will be a rally of brilliant virtues, or good spirits. (Luke 11:34) God, the Supreme SPIRIT dwells in “LIGHT.” (Psalm 104:2; 1 Timothy 6:16) He is shown as sitting in a throne, in front of which there are “seven lamps” which are called “the seven spirits of God.” (Revelation 4:5) The Revelation, the last book of the Bible, written in signs and symbols (Revelation 1:1) equates lamps with spirits of God. Lamp is something that can be seen even from a distance, hence symbol of core qualities of God, which are, like heat and light of sun, inherently seen in his works or action. Let us see how a re-alignment of thinking brings in virtues one after the other.
Rally of good spirits
When you come out of forgetfulness, and remember that you are the child of God, hence a soul in a costume called body, the illusion of duality disappears (Gita 18:53-56; 5:17), you return to truth; WISDOM resurfaces. You begin to view every one as souls and “treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” (1 Timothy 5:1, 2) In such a wise course, PURITY appears. Purity is the mother of peace. (Mathew 5:8, 9) Thus PEACE appears. In peace, you are serene, and objective; hence feel the presence of same pure consciousness deep within yourself and within all others, and act/react accordingly, which is LOVE.
This makes you do good to others for the sake of goodness, not for anything in return. (Luke 6:32-36) In such an unselfish love, there appears HAPPINESS. “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” (Acts 20:35) When such happiness become stronger and stronger by repeated acts of selfless giving, you become benevolent like your heavenly Father, “taking delight in the welfare of all beings.” (Gita 12:4) You begin to experience soulful BLISS (Psalm 22:8; 37:11; Isaiah 58:14), which is, unlike happiness experienced through your 5 senses, mind and intellect. (Gita 5:24-26) In bliss, you experience POWER beyond what is normal as you are now linked to the Supreme Dynamo. (2 Corinthians 4:7). This is like building your house with “seven pillars.”
(Proverbs 9:1) With those seven powers of soul becoming dominant, life becomes Satopradhan (sato means seven; pradhan means bharpoor, or full), hence full with 7 powers.
When man forgot the Divinity within (Luke 17:21) and started seeking pleasure and happiness outside, he started a course of being extrovert—going further and further away from Divinity within and its inherent seven powers. The more he accumulated the more miserable he became. Hence the sensible course is to take a U-turn and come back to realize the Divinity within and to live accordingly, manifesting its fruitage. Such a course of life is called “following the wheel” as exemplified in King Janaka. (Gita 3:16, 20) It is compared to “coming to one’s senses” in the Bible.—Luke 15:11-31.
We are like long-lost children who have now found our Sweet Heavenly Father. Now reinforcing our love for Him is more important than anything else in our lives. For those who have already done, it is like more than a romance of superlative degree. “Each day, during the early morning hours of nectar, He gives blessings.” “Weakness can never come to those who continue to take these blessings.” (Murli 28.09.1981) “The more humble, the more successful you are. Humility means ego-less, considering yourself an instrument of God. Such an attitude helps one not to commit sin.” (Murli 13.02.1970; 26.10.1971; 27.09.1971.)
Living in soul-consciousness is at our best interest. Immediate benefit is that virtues produce positive chemicals in our body, and our immune system get strengthened, which ensures a life healthy and hale (in contrast to the vices that produce toxins which weaken our immunity). Ultimate benefit is that such ones, depending upon the degree of effort they put in, have the prospect of living in Golden Age and Silver Age as deities, becoming even world rulers—“BapDada is giving you an open offer.” (Murli 17.12.1979) This change-over is something that is going to happen in our generation.
The present Confluence age (the small period between the Iron age—hell on earth, and the Golden & Silver Ages—Heaven on earth), is the end of Time for all souls. A time to close/settle all past ‘karmic’ accounts of many births accumulated throughout the Copper and Iron ages, and start afresh on a clean slate, for a new show, a new act, a new beginning.
Who are stronger—men or women?
Article by: T. D. Joseph, Bangalore, India tdjaum(AT)gmail.com – If you have questions or remarks about this article, please contact the author.
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Who are stronger—men or women?
If we put the question: On what are we standing? Or what holds us? “Earth,” every one will say. But the correct answer is that we are held by gravity—everything on the earth are held by it! Similarly, if we put the question: Who are stronger—men or women? “Of course men,” most people will answer. Let us now examine this answer.
Jesus’s thinking
Let us consult an authority on the subject. Put this question to Jesus Christ? Once he took with him his most favored disciples—Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain. “There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them [souls of] Moses and Elijah [ancient prophets who lived centuries before], talking with Jesus. While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:1-13). Hence Jesus is an authority to whom we can put the question: Who are stronger—men or women? and “LISTEN” to his answer.
His answer will, more or less, be like as follows: “I personally trained twelve MEN for over three years, and performed many miracles—even resurrections—before their eyes. But when the time came, when I really needed their moral support, all of them chose to keep away/flee, leaving me alone, at the time of my most dire need when I was being tried on false charges and was being subjected to most cruelsome persecution before crucifixion, and one of them even disowned me saying ‘I do not even know him.’ However, at that great perilous time “MANY WOMEN” accompanied me ‘caring for my needs,’ and stood by me till I breathed my last.” (Matthew 27:55) Hence answer to your question is … you would definitely interrupt Jesus, and say: Oh Jesus, I got the answer!
It is no wonder that Jesus chose a Samaritan women (who was a victim of inhuman male domination, or in modern terms a victim of five divorces by callous husbands) to reveal great truth about “true worship.” (John 4:1-42) Again, it was to a woman, named Mary Magdalene, the resurrected Jesus gave the privilege of seeing him first as she was one among those MANY WOMEN who had taken the risk of caring for him during the time of his great affliction! (John 20:1-18). This gives a clue as to whom God will use again in the future, in our time, to restore the forgotten truths!
Hindu Concept
In the Hindu concept, woman is Parashakti, meaning ULTIMATE energy and power. The whole nature is reffered to as woman. We say Mother Earth. Rama is known as Sitapathi, and Shiva is known as Umapathi. Pathi in Sanskrit and in many other Indo-Iranian languages means “master” or “lord”. Interestingly, the reverse, i.e. Shivapathni and Ramapathni are not used. [Pathni means wife]. These show the importance of woman in ancient Hindu thought. Anusuya is quoted as the model of chastity. She was the wife of Atri Maharishi, a great sage and one of the seven foremost seers and sages. She was like a diamond which breaks the hammer that hits it, rather than getting broken. She proved stronger than even the gods who came, in disguise, to tempt her, transforming them into babies on account of the glory of her chastity. Take the two epics of Hindus: RAMAYANA highlights Rama’s war which was fought to recover Sita, His wife; and MAHARBHARATA war was fought for protecting the modesty and chastity of Draupathi, the wife of Pandavas. Education and learning are represented by Godess Saraswathi. Wealth is represented by Godess Mahalakshmi. Woman is a synonym for virtue, modesty, chastity, loyalty, sacrifice, forgiveness, endurance … etc. Even the banned practice of sati conveys a great truth about women power. Sati was originally started on good purpose. In ancient India, widows who were witnesses of abuse by the cruel men, on their own, decided to jump into the burning pyre of their husbands and safeguarded their chastity. [Later, this custom was abused by men folk by forcing all widows to commit suicide on the pyre of their husband, which brought a ban on this custom]. Interestingly, no man ever thought of jumping into the burning pyre of his wife in all those periods.
History
History books testify that whenever an opportunity was given women showed their real power: Hatshepsut (the famle pharoah of Egypt), Zenobia (Queen of Palmyra), Empress Wu of china, Queen Elizabeth I of England, Catherine the Great (empress of Russia), Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, Mrs Indira Gandhi of India, Mrs Gold Meyer of Israel, and Mrs Thatcher of England, Angela Merkle of Germany …, Helen Keller, Mother Theresa, Amrutananda Mayi, Joyce Mayor, Kalpana Chawla ….
In India, the decline came after the foreign invasions. Foreigners skillfully lowered the position of women in India, making them secondary citizens only to serve the men folk. In the modern time, movies, TV serials and advertising industry have taken up the job of those foreign invaders in destroying the chastity of women as they present women as simply a piece of flesh, as an object of a sensual pleasure. Yet the truth must and will prevail:
Sthree (woman) means three good qualities!
She Nourishes with CARE, all her creation
Endures COURAGEously all responsibilities
Showers all those around her with COMPASSION
A co-creator with God, she is woman (WOMB + man)
God gave her the Womb as a special gift
We owe our existence to her as a human
She makes her house as a home of the heart lit
She leaves the comforts of her Father’s home and hearth
Married into the new family of her husband
Serving her home and guests alike, her feet glued to earth
Never ending work always keeping her bound.
Yet world treats this Homemaker Extraordinaire as sub-ordinary
Calls her weak and assigns her a position secondary
Unaware that the inexorable Law of Karma is in action
It is time to deliver the lady from ungrateful subjugation.
God has now elevated them to a position of strength and valour
Using them worldwide for the righteous as an envoy
To realise the self and God, to change their demeanour
To attain their original state of purity, peace, love and joy.
He makes these gentle Homemakers into New World Makers
The holy women of God’s Army— The Brahma Kumaris!
The stone that builders rejected has become the cornerstone!
The woman has become the Wonder of the Wondrous One.
This may remind us about an important prophecy, made by Jesus Christ that was to be fulfilled in our time. There will appear, on the world scene, an organisation of “WISE VIRGINS” who will be “lamp-bearers” or spiritual guides for the whole humanity, with enough fuel-supply to accomplish the global teaching programme before the destruction strikes the world. (Compare Matthew 24:3; 25:1-13) One of their main characteristics is their practice of celibacy—something Jesus himself taught with his life, something Apostle Paul advocated even for married Christians: “The time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none.” (1 Corinthians 7:29) God is supremely just. He goes by fruitage (not by religion). For, He had already warned: “I TELL YOU THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU AND GIVEN TO A PEOPLE WHO WILL PRODUCE ITS FRUIT.”—Mathew 21:43.
This is not surprising. Even we accept, esteem and adore some school drop-outs who have accomplished great things for the society rather than those who successfully completed their school education and lead a life of convention. Because we are concerned only what great thing one did for the society, not his/her length of education in the school or college.
Does the Bible support the teachings of Brahma Kumaris?
Article by: T. D. Joseph, Bangalore, India tdjaum(AT)gmail.com – If you have questions or remarks about this article, please contact the author.
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Let us take some of the major teachings of Brahmakumaris and see what support we can find in the Bible, the holy book of the Christians.
1. Bible and Karma Principle
Science declares that “to every action there is ALWAYS an equal and opposite reaction.” Bible unequivocally states: “Whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) “EACH of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” (Romans 14:12) Jesus simply underlined this great truth when he said: “STOP sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14) Conversely, it implies: ‘START a life of purity, or a virtuous life, something better may happen to you.’ By this he clearly meant that man has to reap in proportion to what he sows—his good acts will bring good results, and his bad acts will bring bad results! Jesus was fully aware of the outworking of this (Karma) principle, hence declared John the Baptist is the re-incarnation of Elijah. Yet Jesus knew that many will not accept this important teaching of Cause and Effect or its extension—teaching of REINCARNATION, hence presented this teaching with this introductory verse: “if you are willing to accept it,” and closed it with a dispassionate note: “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 11:14, 15) By saying them he placed the truth of Karma or REINCARNATION beyond all disputes or arguments, and made individuals free to accept it regardless of their family beliefs or religious teachings.
Early Christians—including Church Fathers like Origin—believed in such a simple law of life, simple truth about man, that one must reap the consequences of his action immediately or later; in this life, or in the next. After all, it is not more surprising to have another birth than the present one. If this birth (which is a miracle) is possible, what is the difficulty for the same miracle to repeat itself? Not only our body (which is made up of billions of cells) is a miracle, but each cell, if viewed enlarged, is also a miracle with facilities and arrangements within it like that of a country’s capital city. Yet, these cells appear, remain for sometime and disappear after a while, hence are replaced every seven years, says the science. This means if you are 50 years old, you have lived through 7 different bodies, and now you are in your 8th body—whether you are aware or not, whether you agree or not. What happens in seven-year period happens at the close of one’s 70-80 years life-span also. Soul never stop existing—which makes it possible to reap what one sows. This knowledge would make every-one responsible-minded. Once convinced, one can never afford to engage in loose-conduct and presumptuousness, or take everything casually, but will act to the benefit of himself and others as he now knows that what he gives is what he is going to receive. It motivates him to change for the better as he is now convinced that he is the product of his past and the producer of his future.
2. Bible on our heavenly Father
Bible does not say God is omnipresent, but says he resides in a particular place (1 Kings 8:49; Matthew 6:9) and presents Him as ONE FATHER for all humanity. ALL humans are children of one and the only heavenly, supreme FATHER. (Compare Deuteronomy 10:17; Matthew 5:44; Romans 3:29) It is like there is only ONE ocean, even though people, depending upon the proximity, call it by different names like ARCTIC Ocean, ATLANTIC Ocean, INDIAN Ocean, and PACIFIC Ocean as if there are many oceans. God cannot divide people as His own and pagans as all are, in fact, His children. Jesus very well illustrated this point when he concluded the discussion on what one should do to get salvation, he declared compassion, as shown by the Samaritan, is the criterion for salvation. (Luke 10:25-37) This was a revolutionary concept Jesus introduced at a time when his contemporaries believed they were God’s chosen people, and others such as Samaritans are pagans, hence to be avoided. (Compare John 4:9) Jesus declared that God the FATHER looks for the FRUITAGE (not the religion of a person). (Compare Matthew 7:17-23; 21:43; Romans 2:12-16, 25-29). This revolutionary concept is already in practice among Brahma Kumaris organisation.
Jesus presents God as a BENEVOLENT FATHER and asked his listeners to manifest the same quality—doing good for its own sake (not for any reward in return). He said our Heavenly Father “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” And he added: “Be perfect [or whole], therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:44-48) He also said: “if you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give GOOD GIFTS!” (Matthew 7:11) “Every good gift and every perfect present comes from the Father of lights,” says another Bible writer. (James 1:17). This idea of God as being the epitome of GOODNESS (Shivam in Sanskrit), runs throughout the Bible: “How abundant are the GOOD things that you have stored up for those who fear you.” “Taste and see that the LORD is GOOD.” (Psalms 31:19; 34:8 also see Jeremiah 31:14) Then comes the shortest sentence in the Bible which is richest in meaning: “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) When it says God is love, it uses the Greek word agape for love, meaning principled/unselfish love, which is deep and constant, characterized by constant care, or “UNCONQUERABLE BENEVOLENCE, invincible goodwill,” says Greek Scholar William Barclay. This idea of benevolence is what becomes more pronounced when Brahma Kumaris and Brahma Kumars address God as SHIVA BABA, meaning our MOST BENEVOLENT FATHER. In Sanskrit SHIVA means “benign, kind, pure, auspicious,” and BABA means Father. I was too delighted to hear them calling God as Sweet Shiva Baba, and Him addressing them as my Sweet Children. They feel a oneness with their heavenly Father—a cherished condition for which Jesus himself prayed for his followers. (John 17:21) Yet, this is something Christians could never accomplish who even now remain divided into thousands of sects.
3. Bible on end of the age [or kali yug]
Brahma Kumari gyan teaches that just like in a day of 24 hours, man passes through wakeful state, dreamy state and deep-sleep state, history too passes through similar states. History repeats itself at every 5000 years, of which the first half (2500 years = 1250 years of GOLDEN age + 1250 years of SILVER age) could be figuratively called as DAY where humans live in soul-consciousness, doing virtues, and the other half as NIGHT (2500 years = 1250 years of COPPER age + 1250 years of IRON age) where humans fall into body-consciousness, into vices, dreamy first, and then asleep towards righteousness and sanity. Further it teaches that the present time is very special, it is the transitional stage (called the Confluence Age—a small period between iron age and golden age), and that Golden Age will become a reality here on earth very soon.
Interestingly, Jesus referred as DAY to a period where people would live by the light within, and NIGHT to a period where people fall from elevated spiritual standards with sanity in the world dwindling. (Compare John 9:4; and 11:10, and 1 John 1:6) Also, Bible says God’s DAY is not literal 24 hours. It informs that God, after creation, rested on seventh DAY. (Genesis 2:2) Later writings, written after a few thousand years, says God’s seventh DAY had been still continuing. (Psalm 95:11 and Hebrews 4:3, 4) Then NIGHT began when people began to do “fruitless deeds.” (Ephesians 5:11; Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:5). And the NIGHT will climax when people loose their sanity and become “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) This same period will also witness even world-wars [these have already been happened in 1914-1918, and 1939-1945] and great tribulation [this is yet to happen]. (Mathew 24:3-7, 21) Then comes a drastic turn of events when God Himself brings destruction to “those ruining the earth” and ushers in a new age, a GOLDEN age of virtuous or paradisaical life.—Daniel 2:44; Revelation 11:18; 21:1-4.
This Biblical concept of history passing through an entropy and again being set right as golden age is another important teaching which Brahma Kumaris presents with absolute clarity and with a precise time-table.
4. Bible on Brahma Kumaris organization
Interestingly, Bible also speaks of a positive development taking place in juxtaposition while global moral break-down reaches its climax. It simply foretells the following two prophecies:
(1) There will appear, on the world scene, an organisation of “WISE VIRGINS” who will be “lamp-bearers” or spiritual guides for the whole humanity, with enough fuel-supply to accomplish the global teaching programme before the destruction strikes the world (Matthew 24:3; 25:1-13),
(2) and they will have their world-head quarters on a mount where they will receive spiritual feeding program from their heavenly Father. (Isaiah 2:2-4).
These two prophecies fit perfectly with the Brahma Kumaris organisation. Because they are internationally known for their practice of celibacy (1 Corinthians 7:29), and their head office is situated on a LITERAL mount (Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India) to which people from ‘all the nations stream.’ A group of over 25,000 people from all over the world come here on rotation, stay and take in advanced spiritual feeding program for a week. FIGURATIVELY too, these people are on an exalted mountain because of their high moral standards and purity (Psalm 73:1) resulting from their vice-less living—something far more difficult than literal mount-climbing. The prophecy also says: “they will not take up sword against nation”—including the nation of animals. (Isaiah 2:4) This prophecy too finds its 100% fulfillment among Brahma Kumaris, because (1) they practice non-violence (Matthew 9:13), and (2) to satisfiy their sense of taste, they do not slaughter animals on the altar of greed, as they are pure vegetarians.—Philipians 3:19.
Appearance of this holy people on the world scene is of historic significance! When the iron age reaches its peak, situation is like that of an old tree that can continue no further. “It is at this time, the seed, God the Supreme, appears. The Seed incarnates on earth and through His teachings, lays the foundation for a new tree. Out of the old tree comes the foundation of the new tree, and the sapling for the new world is planted. Those who are the leaves of the old tree, the souls of iron age [Kaliyug], experience transformation and become THE FOUNDATION FOR THE NEW WORLD. This comes about through a change in consciousness, and then a change in sanskaras [the personality traits].
But the destruction of the old tree must also take place at the same time, so that on one hand, there is the foundation of the new tree through the message of the Supreme, and on the other the destruction of the old tree. This occurs in different ways. The old tree goes through great upheaval due to natural calamities: earthquakes, floods, and great violence in nature. There is confusion amongst human beings and this leads to anarchy and civil strife, signs of which are already apparent. Then the tree is finally made to topple with the power of nuclear weapons. Once the old tree has fallen the sapling, which has already been established, begins to bloom.” A recreation, a new world, a golden age, a new tree, begins again.—Compare Genesis 1:27-31; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1.
5. Bible on New Personality
Bible commands: “Put off” old personality as you would put off an old suit of clothes. And “put on” the new personality, which is created according to God’s will in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:23, 24) These wordings “put off” and “put on” suggest that one can make any changes in his life style as easily as he changes his clothes, and does not require months or years. When values change, life-style too changes. Kids keep on changing their toys, and eventually lose their attachment towards toys themselves when they grow up, and this can never be reversed. Take another situation. One may conclude that his maximum running speed is 25 km per hour, yet his speed will suddenly increase into 30 or 35 km per hour when chased by a hungry lion, or he may even climb a thorny tree with ease even though he has never climbed a tree before. From where does he get this strength and knowledge? He feels the need, and he does it. He is a child of the Almighty. This ability to bring instant change is available in the realm of spirituality too, as the above-mentioned Bible verse claims.
This is exactly what Shiva Baba too says in Murli (23.10.1970): “When the Marshal says “RIGHT” soldiers turn RIGHT in one second, because he is on the battle-field. Similarly, you are at war with MAYA (the attraction of this world— your attraction towards your body, assets and relatives as your true security). If you are with Shiva Baba, if you have made Him your companion, and taken His hand, you will not be knocked out by Maya rather there will be destruction of MAYA. The more you invoke divine virtues, the more the offering of the defects will be burnt (just like crackers being burned during Diwali festival). Adopt the new costume of the new sanskar, die a living death with regard to your old sanskar, and adopt the new sanskar of the new life. This is possible if you keep the “beautiful scenes of the Golden Age in front of your eyes.” (Murli 29.10.1970) Sanskars are our own creation, hence can be undone just like a path is made when we walk over grassland, and disappears when we no longer walk over it. “Pay constant attention to yourself as you pose for a photograph being careful not to make any movement. Consider that your photograph is being taken at every second.” (Murli 5.11.1970) “If you constantly remain cheerful, there wil be no attraction to MAYA. THIS IS BABA’S GUARANTEE.” (Murli 22.10.1970) There are countless people among Brahma Kumaris organization, who made instant changes (or “put on” new personality) and are able to show visions of Shiva Baba to others through manifesting His qualities.
One can find among Brahma Kumari organisation a systematic expression of all the above mentioned Biblical concepts found scattered in the Bible. Interestingly, my familiarity with the Bible made it easier for me to accept BK gyan.
Exploring the Depth of Living 