Question:

In AG13 – Fear is like salt, Ashtavakra says a little bit of fear is needed to maintain orderliness and protecting life. Beyond that it engulfs the mind and body. Main fear is to lose this body. So in essence, realizing that we are not the body will enable us to see that fear is rising elsewhere, and help us move through it. So be fearless, and observe the fear as an emotion. How does one apply this knowledge, living in war torn areas? I can’t imagine being a person in many Iraqi cities, constantly living in fear of getting killed by ISIS militants or other local militia. Those people live in fear of getting killed every moment.

Answer:

Karma is extremely fair! As you sow, so shall you reap! Bitter as it may sound but everyone receives what is due to him or her…..not a breath extra, not a word extra, not a moment extra! Karma is extremely fair. Everything that you experience is what you have attracted by your own raaga and dvesha. For Niyati there is no partiality and 1 + 1 = 2 always!

Having understood this underlying principle for the Universe in action, it is evident that if someone is in a difficult situation like war, natural disaster, etc they have attracted it to themselves. Nevertheless this must have happened because of a strong raaga or dvesha from the past life. Niyati brings to you what you deserve whether you remember it or not, even if you are a good person in this life and don’t do anything wrong now. Niyati clearly does not care like the Upper management of a corporate company Forget-fullness of your past life is nature’s way of protecting you but Niyati does not forget!

Niyati is not wicked, Niyati is just extremely FAIR. Niyati also devised the principle of Sakshi Bhava. When one is witnessing everything that is happening like it’s happening somewhere else, then one is in Sakshi bhav! When one starts to recognize that I have attracted all that is happening through my raaga and dvesha and takes a step back and just observes and willingly goes through what is without getting involved, then he is in Sakshi Bhava!

Only an extremely wise and intelligent one can break into this secret of Sakshi Bhava. It was devised by Niyati itself to help protect us. Once you understand and grasp the skill of being a witness, there is nothing in this Universe that can touch you, not even Karma. So fear is far too insignificant.

One who is in knowledge will be able to practice Sakshi Bhava even amidst the biggest crisis. There have been several examples like:

• Mansoor said that “I am God”. The people even told him to take back his word otherwise he would be killed. He was unafraid of death and said, “How can I lie and say that I am not God. I am God and that is the truth!” Even when he was being hung to death, he kept shouting “An-al-haq” – “I am Truth/God”.
• Jesus Christ was crucified too because he said that he is the Son of God. He must have experienced extreme pain and his witnessing/being a sakshi was what provided the strength to bear that pain.
• Sant Gnyaneshwar also experienced similar torture from people and in his sakshi bhava wrote the Gnyaneshwari.

There are so many unknown people too who practice sakshi bhava and experience body-lessness! Recognizing that you are not the body, you are not the mind, you are beyond the intellect and ego, and establishing in the silence is Sakshi bhava!