How Can the Soul Attain Siddhi Even While Performing Duties?

A brief discourse of revered Maharaj Ji — to listen to the complete version, please watch the video above.

The Complete Discourse

There was a great sage named Kashyap who was performing tapasya under a tree, engaged in intense austerities for many days. A heron was sitting on the branch above. When it defecated on him and fell upon him, he became very angry. In his anger, through his tapasya power he burned it to ash. Now he regretted that his tapasya had become such a burden—he had destroyed the bird.

Then he went begging. A faithful woman came out to give him alms. She bowed. "Maharaj, we need food, we are hungry." She said "Please wait a moment. I will prepare something and bring it."

She went and told her husband at the main door, and her husband came from the other entrance.

Now her primary duty is the dharma of pativratan. Immediately she seated the sage, gave him water, and said "A guest has arrived at our home. There is a sant at the door. If you permit, I should give him alms."

He said "Of course, of course! Why didn't you tell me before? Go at once!"

She gave him the alms. But the sage was standing there angry. He said "Don't you know? How could you delay me so much?"

She replied "Maharaj, our husband arrived. What do you mean by patidev?"

Then she said "Maharaj, do not think of me as that heron from the branch." The sage trembled, for this was something private.

She continued "Do not think of me as the heron from the branch—something you could not know through tapasya alone. Through serving my husband I have become one who knows all three times. I sit here and see what is progressing and what is not progressing in you. You are not yet a pure ascetic because anger has arisen in you. Go to a butcher who cuts and sells meat. Go and bow at his feet."

"He will teach you, and then you will understand." The sage's senses were shaken. He thought "Through dharma I have attained this. I know the three times."

He went to where he was sent. The butcher was conducting his business—"Give one kilo, give two kilos"—cutting meat. It was quite remarkable.

"He cuts meat. What knowledge will he give us?" The sage was leaving when the butcher said "Wait, Maharaj! That faithful woman from such-and-such village sent me—there were no mobile phones in those days."

Now the sage's senses were even more shaken. Look at his conduct—he cuts meat. His knowledge lies in this. Then the butcher said:

"This is my inborn duty. I was born into a butcher family. But I worship God. Sit for a while."

From all these examples it becomes clear: if you are performing your duty, what is prescribed for you, and you are doing bhajan of God while doing it, then you are a sadhu.

This text is taken from the auto-generated captions of the video — there may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for the authentic teaching.

Original video: Bhajan Marg (YouTube)