I will explain only one shloka. You’ve heard so much regarding Shiva and Párvatii. Párvatii was the spouse of Shiva. What is Tantra? In Tantra there are two portions, Ágama and Nigama, just like the two wings of a bird. Nigama is the philosophical questions and Ágama is the practical cult. The cult side is Ágama and the philosophical side is Nigama. These are just like the two wings of a bird, and the bird is Tantra. Ágataḿ Shiva vaktebhyaḿ Gataḿ ca girijá shrutam Mataḿ ca vásudesvaya Tasmád ágama ucyate. Párvatii asked and Shiva gave the reply. One question of Párvatii was, “O Lord, what are the secrets of success? Many people do many things, but not all are successful in their lives. What’s the secret of success?” Shiva said, “There are seven secrets”: Phaliśyatiiti vishvása siddherprathama lakśańam Dvitiiyaḿ shraddhayá yuktaḿ Trtiiyaḿ Gurupújanam Caturtho samatábhávo Paiṋcamendriya nigraha Śaśt́haiṋca pramitáhárah Saptamaḿ naeva vidyate. “‘I must be successful in my mission.’ This firm determination is the first factor.” This firm determination is the first requisite factor out of these seven factors. And what is this firm determination? Nindantu niitinipuńah yad vá stavantu Lakśmii samávishatu grahaḿ gacchatu vá yatheśt́ham Adyaeva marańamastu yugántare vá Nyáyát pathi pravicalanti na dhiirah Prárabhyate na khalu vighna bhayena niicaeh Vighnavihitá viramante madhyo Vighnaer muhur muhur api pratihanyamánáh Prárabhya uttamaguńo na parityajanti. What am I going to do regarding the mission of life? If logicians and philosophers condemn me, saying, “That is a very bad man,” let them say this. Or if, due to my movement towards my goal, a certain portion of society appreciates my action, let them appreciate it – it won’t affect me. I won’t be assailed by such appreciations. And if, due to my action, Lakśmii (Lakśmii is the mythological goddess of riches) comes and resides in my house, it is good. If Lakśmii says, “No, I will quit you forever, I won’t remain with you.” that is, you will have to suffer from poverty, let Lakśmii quit my house: And if, due to my course of action, du to my ideology, Pluto, that is, the god of death, comes and says, “I’ll take you,” let Pluto do it! I don’t care! Or if, due to my course of action, due to my ideology, I am forced to live here for an indefinite period, I am ready to live here. You know life becomes boring if one lives for a long period, but I am ready to undergo that boredom, that monotony, for the sake of my ideology. I know that among human beings there are three categories. The third category won’t undertake any responsibility for fear of being defeated. And in the second category, they undertake the duties and responsibilities, but when they face the reactions, when inimical forces come forward and harass them, they drop the work. They are the second category of people. And in the first category, that is, the best category, they say, “Once I have undertaken the duty, I will do it. I will get the work fully complied. Before that I won’t take any rest.” So this is firm determination. It is the first requisite factor, as Lord Shiva said. “Phaliśyatiiti vishvása siddherprathama lakśańam.” “Dvitiiyaḿ shraddhayá yuktam.” A man must have Shraddhá for his ideology. What is Shraddhá? “Shraddhá” is a very old Vedic term. “Shrad” means “recognized status of veracity”, and “Dhá” means “movement towards.” That is, when the ideological goal has been accepted, all my might, all my propensities, should move unto that goal. This is Shraddhá. Trtiiyaḿ Gurupújanam. I must have reverence for the Guru. What is the Guru? “Gu” means “darkness”, that is, darkness in the psycho-spiritual sphere. And “Ru” means “dispelling agent.” That is, he who dispels darkness from my psychic and spiritual body is the Guru. “Gu” means “darkness”, “Ru” means “dispeller”. “Trtiiyaḿ Gurupújanam.” That is, you must have respect for the Guru. “Caturtho samatábhávo.” And the fourth requisite factor is that you must maintain a mental equilibrium, rather, a mental equipoise; you must not suffer from any sort of inferiority complex, or superiority complex, or defeatist complex, or complex of hopelessness or despair. That is, your mind should always be in a balanced condition. “Caturtho samatábhávo.” This is the fourth factor, fourth requisite factor – you must not suffer from an inferiority complex or from a superiority complex. “Paiṋcamendriya nigraha.” You must have self-restraint. Without self-restraint, nothing concrete can be done. You should remember these factors. “Śaśt́haiṋca pramitáhára,” that is, balanced diet, balanced food. You must not take this much [stretches arms far apart], you should take this much [holds hands closer together]. But the food should be substantial. And not only that, it should be good for your body, mind and spirit. Meat and other animal products may be good for the body, but not good for the mind and spirit. So yours should be a careful selection of food. It is called “Pramitáhára” – “Pramita” means “balanced”, “Áhára” means “food”. “And the seventh”, Lord Shiva says – He said there are seven factors, now He says, “Saptamaḿ naeva vidyate – ‘There is no seventh factor.’” You should remember these seven factors. These are the secrets of success. [To a devotee] What is the seventh factor? [Devotee] Bábá, there is no seventh factor. [Bábá] No seventh factor [laughs heartily, all laugh]. You should always remember these seven secrets of success. 21 May 1979 evening, Timmern, West Germany Via Gokul Dev
