His Presence Today | PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE
Examples of how devotees are working to make Shivabalayogi’s blessings available to the public HERE.
“It should be left to each devotee as to how they see Swamiji and what they believe.”
Shivabalayogi: Successors Are Spiritual Leaders
Shivabalayogi repeatedly rejected any notion that yogis start lineages or named successors. Spiritual leaders, not yogis, talk in terms of successors. For example, when Swamiji was asked about lineages like that of Nityananda, Muktananda and Gurumayi, he insisted that such lineages had nothing to do with yogis. He said that Nityananda is a yogi and those who promote their lineage to him are spiritual leaders.
“You are asking about a spiritual leader and the continuation of his mission right down with another spiritual teacher, and after him another spiritual teacher. He is not talking about that. That has no relation with the connection that yogis have. The yogi himself has nothing to do with the spiritual leaders.”
Disciples claim authority on the basis of their meditation, but even someone who has successfully completed tapas can have ego and act like a spiritual leader. Swamiji explained that even if one successfully completes tapas, if it was undertaken with a goal in mind, only that goal is attained. In 1991, after Shivabalayogi’s body almost died, a disciple who had successfully completed tapas came to visit Swamiji. The disciple privately asked him to be appointed successor.
“He came to ask for Swamiji’s ashrams. He is a devotee who knows how to sit in tapas, so he could do tapas to help his guru. But instead of wanting to serve his guru, he wants to succeed him.”
Read about what Shivabalayogi said about tapas in You Find the Self You Seek and Successors, both in Quotes from the Source.
Empowering Disciples
Shivabalayogi explained that yogis do bless their disciples
and give them powers. See Quotes from the Source,
Yogis & Spiritual Leaders and
Successors. For
example, Swamiji explained that Bhagavan Nityananda gave powers to ten
disciples, of whom only one is known in the West. On one occasion, before
scores of devotees in the Bangalore meditation hall, Swamiji said he would give
power to two hundred people around the world.
“Yogis do bless their disciples and they get spiritual powers from that. They train some disciples. Some come to this country to teach what they learned from their guru, the yogi. There may be many more such disciples than are publicized in this country. Such disciples teach meditation, just like the yogi taught.”
Shivabalayogi Has No Successor
Shivabalayogi designated no successor. Instead, he empowered many people to do work for devotees, and each devotee he blessed has his presence. In this sense, all devotees are his successors.
“Swamiji will not forget you. Not even if you turn your back on me for lifetime after lifetime, Swamiji will never forget you. Swamiji will always be there with you.”
Some are attracted to Shivabalayogi and for them, the relationship is with Shivabalayogi. Others will feel a strong connection with a disciple. Each person’s connection and devotion must be respected.
For those who love Shivabalayogi, it is disrespectful for someone to claim the privileges of Shivabalayogi, whether they claim to be a successor, or a spiritual son, or Shivabalayogi in a new body, or they set up their own dais in a Shivabalayogi ashram. When disciples expect or accept the same treatment as Shivabalayogi in the master’s own ashram, it offends Shivabalayogi’s devotees and suggests that the disciple is acting like a spiritual leader. Shivabalayogi’s disciples have their own devotees, but in Shivabalayogi’s ashram, they should respect Swamiji’s devotees who are not drawn to the disciple.
“You are with Swamiji now and know the truth, but after he is gone people can say whatever they want about Swamiji.”