The Prana is being offered (ahuti) by a person for the improvement of the condition of the aspirant. This raises a few questions given below:

Is such a help necessary?

It is the practical experience of those who tried to meditate, that mind seems to be without control and it leads from one set of thoughts to another and the control of mind has always been felt as very difficult.

Bodhayanti Parasparam Volume I - page 119

Is such an extraneous influence justified?

Each one of us is an expression of the Divine and have our own parts to play and destinies to realise is well known. Our relationship with the Divine is unique and is not shared by any other. This is a one to one relationship with the Divine that we have. We have our own past karmas that are being enjoyed and it is unalterable. How can any person infer here and change our destinies? Granting that some other person has such capacity, is it moral? These are all the questions one has to address himself to and arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.

Usually a person thinks about himself, his problems etc. All his actions are generally motivated by some selfish considerations. It is only when his consciousness grows beyond his self, the questions and problems of others gains importance in his consciousness. Therefore, when the task of Pranahuti is considered, it is essential that the person who offers Pranahuti is above the normal level of consciousness and one who is capable of considering doing good to another without any consideration of self interest. The normal individual who lives in the level of Pinda is not capable of this ahuti. It is necessary that he is of higher level, atleast a person who has access to the Brahmanda consciousness. Then he is not confined himself to his body and the structure has no capacity to confine or limit him. His consciousness expands to cover a vaster sphere which includes others also. He is capable of percolating his consciousness through others for the benefit of others. When such a consciousness develops, ahuti is no more interference with others and is essentially to be considered as betterment of the state of consciousness prevailing. Therefore, the question of interference is not there. As a matter of fact this is the most desirable thing that should happen. If the number of persons who are capable of such ahuti increase the possibility of having a better world of harmonious human beings comes true.

The role of an extraneous person in sadhana then becomes one soul trying to uplift another as a fraternal obligation and duty towards the Divine. In as much as such a service cannot be selfish, the concept of extraneity does not fit into this scheme of things. For one who sees everything as his own, who is the self and who is the other? Further, it is to be understood clearly that the extraneous help received is like a fulcrum which is used as a support to perform a difficult task. The role of the supporter is to give sufficient base for the person to attend to an uphill task. Or we may treat the assistance as that of a catalyst.

Whether, in reality such a possibility exists or that really Pranahuti happens is a matter to be experienced rather than debated upon.

Bodhayanti Parasparam Volume I - Page 120

It may however be seen that when a person crosses the Pind Desh and enters the Brahmand, the service rendered can no longer be called as extraneous help. When there is expansion of the individual self, beyond the boundaries of the body, the akasa of the Vyashti merges or collapses into the Samishti. This is Yoga or Union or Laya when the individual (atman) merges into the collective (Brahman).

Vedic seers have described Akasa as one of the forms of Brahman. Brahman means, that which grows forever. It is not static. Growth is the fundamental characteristic of consciousness or Brahman. Life grows. Matter doesn’t. Akasa is vast and therefore vastness is a characteristic of Brahman. It has no limit. Therefore limitlessness is a characteristic of Brahman. Persons who meditate understand these as states of consciousness.

Looking at the part-whole concept, the part or the individual (Vyashti) is particularized whereas the whole (Samishti) is generalized. For instance, the Akasa in a pot is individualized (Vyashti) but when the pot is broken, this Akasa merges in Samishti. Basically, when the boundaries are shattered in the case of the material pot or when the boundaries of the body are transcended in a person, there is no difference in the Akasa in the Vyashti and the Samishti. This is what we mean by going beyond the generic level. This is to say that an individual consciousness (Pind) transcends to cosmic (Brahmanda) consciousness. Then he is not confined himself to his body and the structure has no capacity to confine or limit him. His consciousness expands to cover a vaster sphere which includes others also. He is capable of percolating his consciousness through others for the benefit of others.

Since the start of creation, the individual has lived many lives and has accumulated many attachments. These are the samskaras. In case of man, this is the content of his Chit consciousness. Chit is connected with movement. Achit is one, which doesn’t move. Chaitanya comes from chit. Sir Jagdeesh Chandra Bose, the famous botanist has proved that there is consciousness in matter too. Trees also cry. Trees have consciousness. Metals have consciousness. Man is the only being who is conscious of his movement. Man can stop or alter his movement. A cat when senses danger, runs away. That is, when there is a stimulus, there is a definite response and the cat cannot help but react in that manner. Man has an option. He can alter the movement. He can alter the response. He can choose not to become wild. That is, he has control. This is the beginning of Masterhood. He has mastery over the stimulus. He need not follow the Stimulus-Organ-Response laws. Man has freedom of response. This characteristic of freedom, man shares with Brahman.

Most of our samskaras are at the Annamaya and the Pranamaya levels. We have taken series of lives and are continuing to put our efforts to liberate ourselves from bondages. The form that we take is a development over the previous form. We take one form, grow out of it and shatter the boundaries to get into another form. The logic of one form is different from that of the other. The logic of water is different from that of ice. A different order develops and the controlling factors vary. The controlling factors of Annamaya and that of Pranamaya are different. The complexity of the form or the structure is a function of the controlling factors of that form. The endeavour is to liberate the consciousness from this form.

A liberated person is evolved. Rituals do not liberate us, they bind us. The ritualistic person does not appreciate freedom. Man also develops samskaras connected with Manomaya. He has rigid notions and has unyielding attitude towards others viewpoints.

The Heart or Mental plane consists of two parts - The lower (L) and the higher (U). Lower mind is connected with urges, instincts, body centered ego etc while higher mind deals with aspirations, goal, etc.

If a person stays at L, he cannot give Pranahuti to others. He is self-centered. He can talk good words to transact with others. A person, who stays at U level, has Sat-Sankalpa and has goodwill for others. A person is said to be stabilised in the U level, if he possesses the following 5 characteristics in full:

Satya: Truthful Speech, Thought and Action.

Ahimsa: Non-injury

Astheya: Non-covetousness

Aparigraha: Non-stealing

Brahmacharya: To become pure, to expand.

We achieve purity through control of Sex. Movement with Brahman is Brahmacharya. To move with Brahman, we have to put down the lower self.

A Rishi is a good man who has control over the above 5 things. He follows the Rta. Sun rises at the correct time and there is no deviation. This is Rta. The movement of Moon, Earth other planets and, the stellar movement etc follow the Rta. This is regularity (punctuality). There is regularity in Nature and we too should be regular. Therefore, we are in tune with Nature.

A Rishi can bless others. "Satamanam-Bhavathi, Sarveh-Janah-Sukhino-Bhavantu" etc are blessings only. But he cannot transmit.

From here, through practice and blessings of the Master we move to Atma Chakra. Now the Rishi becomes a Maharishi. At this stage, the man feels that all are one and there is no difference between him and others. He has concern for others, not out of selfishness. He feels that the other man is himself. The happiness and unhappiness of others are his own.

This is the lowest level of resonance with Ultimate. He can offer Pranahuti to others at this stage. So, the minimum requirement is that the man should be stabilised in U and should be at Atma Chakra. Only then the Pranahuti is not interference. Anything else amounts to interference and has gross effects.

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Is Pranahuti similar to hypnotism or mesmerism?

This leads us to the question whether this is not similar to hypnotism or mesmerism. Pujya. Babuji puts this question himself while explaining the system. He stated that after transmission one feels calm and collected while after hypnotism people feel heavy and dull. He also has stated that hypnotism is materialistic in nature compared to the spiritual nature of Pranahuti. It may be clarified that the purpose of the process of hypnotism is essentially trying to help in ascertaining causes hidden in the deep core of consciousness and assist in the curative processes. It is definitely not oriented towards the Realisation of self as such. It has its goal in the materialistic sphere. Pranahuti is essentially a spiritual tool for spiritual purposes.

Bodhayanti Parasparam Volume I - Page 115

The main difference between Pranahuti and hypnotism is that the aspirant is never put into a morbid passive condition before giving suggestions. The suggestions are not at verbal level at all and are given from the original thought level itself. While it is a prerequisite to put a person in passive receptive condition to hypnotize him and then give suggestions for his alleged improvement; in Pranahuti, the trainer does not make any such effort and works with the full confidence that there is no barrier between him and the aspirant and the existence is one only and works out his suggestions for the inner development of the sadhaka. This is no extraneous interference with the will of the aspirant but it is one aimed at improving the quality of mental life of the sadhaka and increasing his will power. It is not subjecting one to another’s will but is aimed at improving the will of another through one’s own.

Bodhayanti Parasparam Volume I – Page No.126