People die in all sorts of ways but it is nothing to be upset about; they are born again and again in different gross bodies. But during one's lifetime, one should do whatever one honestly feels without getting attached to actions.
Changing bodies between lifetimes is similar to changing a coat. Some die young, such as those who died at the time of [India's] Partition; some live long lives. They do not change their coats often, like Gustadji.1 But when Gustadji was with me on the recent trip to the West, he became well dressed and maintained a neat and clean appearance.
Baba continued:
The masti [divinely intoxicated state] of masts neutralizes heat, cold and disease. This is an established fact. Masts do not worry about keeping their bodies healthy, yet they possess strong physiques. It is because in such cases the power of Vidnyan [Knowledge] that vibrates the universe sustains their bodies and looks after them. The infinite power of Vidnyan descends of itself to mano-bhumi [the mental planes] to help such souls. However, if the slightest thought of retaining the body or bodily strength crops up, the reception of this power stops. In a way, the mast is really dead. The same stands true for a majzoob or bal-unmant-pishash [a God-realized soul with childlike habits]. Majzoobs have no connection with this world, and in this sense "the corpse eats up death."
It is impossible for scientists to know about this power. They have discovered ether, electrons and protons, but they have not and cannot reach even the fringe of the subtle world.
Vedanta says, those on the gross plane live in anna-bhumi [gross plane]; those on pran-bhumi [subtle plane] live on energy; those from mano-bhumi live in Akash [heaven, sky, space]; and those from vidnyan-bhumi live in the Suraj [Sun].
One whose soul is united with the Oversoul lives in the Sun. Qutubs and the Avatar live in the Sun, but not the sun that you see in the sky. It is an altogether different Sun. It is the Source of infinite power, infinite bliss, beauty, sound, knowledge, et cetera. Every attribute of this Sun is infinite. The infinite Tej [divine fire, effulgence] that exists eternally first passes through the mental planes, and then through the subtle planes until it reaches the gross plane.
Footnotes
- 1.Gustadji was in the habit of wearing a tattered old coat with patches, and was reluctant to change his clothes.