22 December 1983 - at a pre-Christmas fire ceremony

[Karma Yoga]

22 December 1983 - At the Hawankund on the gufaside of the ashram, at a pre-Christmas fire ceremony

When most of the seats at the Hawankund had been taken and the ceremony had started, a foreign man came to the Hawankund and looked for a place to sit.

Babaji asked: "Have you washed your hands? Wash your hands and come and sit."

The chanting of the mantras stopped while the devotee washed his hands and sat down. Then Shri Babaji, looking around the Hawankund at all the foreign faces, said: "I want to tell you the meaning of the Yagya (havan ceremony)." He called out "Roiyo," calling for Om Shanti to come and translate.

"Havan it is that brings rain, which brings grain. The origin of Creation stems from the havan. The havan is the real form of the Gods; whatever we offer to the havan goes directly to the Gods who are being invoked.

"By doing havan, people gain happiness and all the pleasures of life; they all have good thoughts and love for each other. By the smoke form the havan the harmful germs in the atmosphere are destroyed and the good bacteria, useful to life, grow in it. This increases the plenty and prosperity of the world.

"Before starting any work, you should first know the significance of it. You may be wondering why these people are burning the fire and 'wasting' things by throwing them into the fire. I has great significance: Creation originated from this.

"I will take two minutes more of your time. Do you have any objection?" (A chorus of "no's".)

"The original Kailash is this one. (He pointed above, up the hill of the Kumaon Mount Kailash). Mahadeva (Lord Shiva) appeared there and performed the first havan there. Now we turn toward the other Kailash, where (the lake) Mansarovar is (in Tibet). Another Yagya was performed at Mansarovar Kailash.

"When the original Manu (the first man) was born/created, and when Mahadevaji ordered him to extend the creation, this Manu performed a Yagna at Mansarovar. That is why that place was named Mansarovar, from the root name of Manu.

"By Manu's strong determination and the power of the havan, Creation started to expand. Jai Mahamaya ki jai!

"Did you all understand something?" ("Yes, yes!")

Here Shri Babaji used an Urdu phrase to say: "I want to utter a few more words."

"Did you understand?" ("Yes; no.")

"If you have not understood, I will explain it to you. But if you have understood, what more should I say?"

"Did you understand?" ("No; yes.")

Baba continued, laughing: "If you understood, what more can I say?"

To Om Shanti: "What do they say?"

Om Shanti: "Some say yes; some say no."

Babaji, with eyes twinkling: "Those who understood can explain to those who did not understand. Bhole Baba ki jai!"

A devotee said: "Nobody has understood anything."

Babaji, with laughter: "If you are so stupid that you have not understood, then how can I explain it?!"

And the havan got under way again.