Shiva Bala Yogi Virtual^* Darshan
* (Virtual: non physical, but being such in essence or in having the power or practical effect)

Shivabalayogi: YOGI

Shivabalayogi used the word “yogi” very specifically to refer to only those who completed tapas and attained bhagavat (God) or atma (Soul) sakshatkara (vision or realization). Swamiji considered God realization and Self realization to be the same.

Today, the term yoga is being used popularly to refer to exercises involving the physical body — asanas. Swamiji never used the word “yogi” to refer to such people, or to those who were simply practicing meditation.

A Yogi Is One Who Has Completed Tapas

What is the real meaning of “yogi”?

“A yogi is one who has actually completed tapas. By comparison, a spiritual leader is one who reads and gets knowledge from books. That is the difference.”

Must one complete tapas to be a yogi?

“Yes. For example, Vasishta and Vishwamitra are great sages in Indian history and they are written about in the Ramayana. Both were very powerful but neither one could go to God because they both believed they were God. Vasishta thought he was God and therefore he could not go to God. Even Vishwamitra thought he was God because he prayed a lot. He was a hatha yogi and had lots of kundalini powers. Both had much ego and thought themselves to be God. Finally they had to do tapas and go to God. They had to do tapas for many thousands of years because they had so much ego.”

What chance do we have if these great yogis had problems after thousands of years of tapas?

“Those yogis are doing tapas for the people, not for the sake of obtaining powers for themselves.”

Is it more difficult to complete tapas for the world?

“Yes.”

Some yogis say that once they have seen God in samadhi, they see God everywhere in the physical world and that there is no place where God is not.

“That is a stage in tapas. You have to cross that stage to reach God realization.”

Do we all become yogis, sooner or later?

“It depends upon God; whomever God chooses.”

Perhaps Swamiji would speak to us about what tapas really is.

“You should read his history. Tapas is when a person has done a lot of practice and has God’s darshan. This is God realization. Then that person comes down to serve the people. Such a person would look at all religions with an equal mind.”

Many Yogis

Do yogis have lineages in which each yogi becomes the next yogi’s guru?

“All yogis belong to a single line. They are all the same and they are all connected together. They do not have lines or branches or anything like that. They are all the agents of God and whichever agent is sent by God, that agent comes forward to do service. They come from time to time.”

Is there a fixed number of yogis?

“God has an infinite number of agents. How many agents does the United States president have?”

How many fully enlightened masters like Swamiji are there on earth?

“There are many people like that.”

Are there any American masters?

“There are Self realized people in America, but they will not come out and reveal themselves to the public. They are among the natives of this land, the Native Americans.”

Will these Native American yogis reveal themselves publicly?

“If you bring them out, they will come out. You brought Swamiji, which is why he is here. Otherwise he would not have come. If you go and beg them to come here, then they will come. They are not interested for themselves. What interest does Swami have to come here?”

Is there any difference for a woman to become a yogi?

“There are many such yogis in India today. Historically, it has been more difficult for a woman to become a yogi because of marriage. The husband ties down the wife and keeps her from undertaking spiritual practices.”

Swamiji said that teachers like Christ, Buddha and others would be coming physically to help the world. When will that happen?

“They are coming. Many are born already and still others are going to be born. All these agents will have to come and protect the people. The people are in a lot of danger.”

Tapas for a Limited Purpose

What is the difference between God realized and God?

“If a person does tapas with a desire in mind and attains God realization, then that person can become God. Swamiji did not do tapas with any desire for himself. He was made to do tapas so he did not have any desire in mind when he had God realization. Under such circumstances, the person who does tapas becomes an agent of God and can serve all the people. Swamiji is an agent of God. He was chosen by God to be his agent and God trained him to do God’s work. Swamiji should remain an agent of God and serve the people.”

“If a person does tapas and declares that he or she is God, then that person’s devotees will also declare that they are gods. If Swamiji declares himself to be God, then those of you who are near him would say that you are the direct devotees of Swamiji so you are also gods. You cannot do that now because Swamiji does not declare himself to be God, but later on you will start doing it. Swamiji should work within the culture of the guru and disciple instead of declaring himself to be God. Otherwise all the spiritual leaders will become gods. If everyone becomes a God, who will be left to serve the people?”

Swamiji as Yogi

If a yogi incarnates, does the yogi have to start again? For example, Swamiji said he completed tapas in other lifetimes, yet he had to do it again this time. Do you have to start again when you incarnate?

“One does whatever one is given to do. This time God sent Swamiji to be as a yogi, so he is a yogi. The next time Swamiji is sent for some other duty, he will do whatever is required. He has to do whatever God says. This is called the cycle of births [karna janma].”

“For example, one of you devotees here is a lawyer. Just like a lawyer, Swamiji is an advocate going to God asking him for suggestions and coming back. What a lawyer does for human beings, Swamiji does for God.”

Is a part of your own mission to help?

“Yes. Swamiji is also an agent like them. He will have to work along with those people.”

Swamiji is spending so much time in samadhi. Does he enjoy the physical creation?

“When you reach the state of samadhi and go into the presence of God, you no longer have any interest in returning to this world. Yogis have to do their duty, so they have to come down. They have to obey God and do the work God assigns to them because they are the agents of God. Swamiji has to do the work of an agent of God. He would not have to do such work if he remains the light and does not incarnate.”

“Yogis like Swamiji are always doing work for the world. His mind is forever roaming throughout the world helping people. A yogi is like a king who serves all the people in his care. But when a king dies, a new one is immediately installed. When a yogi dies, the world has to wait several hundred years before another completes the work.”

When I am sitting in your presence I see a bright halo around Swamiji and I feel an energy in me. What is it?

“That is what a yogi is. If you meditate, you will come to understand. If you meditate, the energy and happiness that you now feel will continue forever.”