The World is on Fire
Part 1

Extract of a book which Baba started to write together with Swamiji in 2000. It will be later published by Hariharananda Publishing.

The whole universe is fire. Guru-fire.

The tree is fire, but it does not know it. Your body is fire, but you do not perceive it. If you put your body in the fire, it immediately becomes fire. If you put it in water, it does not become water. If you put it the air, it does not become air. So the body is made of a hidden fire. What is this fire?

In the Indian scriptures it is said that there are seven fires in the seven chakras (sapta agni). Similarly in the Holy Bible St. John speaks of the seven golden candlesticks (Revelation 1:12), the seven stars (Revelation 1:16), or the seven lamps (Revelation 4:5), etc. These seven holy fires symbolize the presence of the Almighty Who is activating all our processes in the microcosm (our body and senses) and in the macrocosm (our mind, i.e. the manifested universe).

1. Fire of the South

Om dakshina agnaye swaahaa—oblation to the fire in the south.

This first fire resides in the bottom of the spine, referred to as the "south" (dakshina) of the spinal axis—the top of the head being the "north" (uttara). The first fire is the fire money, of survival. You know how money burns through the hands of the materialistic person.

2. Fire of the Family

Om grihapati agnaye swaahaa—oblation to the fire of the family.

This second fire rules all activities relating to the family life—procreation and raising a family. A family is born in fire: boy touches girl, and their whole body are on fire. This activation of the metabolism and libido ensure the continuation of creation.

3. Fire of Digestion

Om vaishwanara agnaye swaahaa—oblation to the digestive fire.

In the Bhagavad Gita, 15th chapter, it is written: "I am the vaishwanara (navel) fire in the stomach of each human being. I eat food through the mouth of every person, and I remain in the food." It is because of God's fire in the stomach that we are able to assimilate the nutrients contained in food. If you put food in a dead person's mouth or stomach, he cannot digest it, because God's energy-fire is no longer there.

4. Fire of Emotions

Om ahavaniya agnaye swaahaa—oblation to the "welcome" fire.
Emotions are fire—they consume all our relationships. Only the sage who has mastered his or her breath can master his emotions.

In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika 2:2 it said,
cale vaate calat cittam nishcale nishcalo bhavet
yogi sthaanuttvam aapnoti tato vaayu nirodhayet
"When the breath is restless, the mind is restless. When the breath is still, the mind is still. By breath-control, the yogi becomes realized. Therefore control the breath."

5. Fire of Religion and Communication

Om samidbhavanama agnaye swaahaa—oblation to the fire of religious ceremonies.

Samidbhavanama: in this word is found the root samid which means "a short distance". This short distance refers to the bottleneck of the throat, where words are burned, preventing one from telling the truth. If the fire of emotions below (in the fourth chakra) is out of control and flares upward, all our words of sweetness and truth are burned in our throat before we can even utter them; instead come out words of deceipt, bitterness, and inflamed passion.

6. Fire of the Soul

Om brahma agnaye swaahaa—oblation to the Soul fire.
Here is the brilliance of the soul-fire can be perceived through the practice of meditation and introversion of the senses. It is a sight that will purify the mind and guide us to seek the Supreme Fire.

In the Isha Upanishad verse 18 it said,
agne naya supatha
"O soul-fire, please guide me along the royal road!"

In the Gospel of Thomas, Logion 82, Jesus said,
"He who is near Me is near the fire, and he who is far from Me is far from the Kingdom."

7. Fire of the Cosmic Form

Om vishwarupa mahaagnaye swaahaa—oblation to the fire of the Cosmic Form.
This is the Supreme Fire pervading the whole universe, the light which gives light to all light.
In the Bhagavad Gita 15:6 it is said,
"Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor even fire can illumine that supreme Self-effulgent state, attaining to which they never return to this world. That is my supreme abode."

The sun, the moon, and fire give illumination through the direction of the supreme almighty father. In the Katha Upanishad (2:2:15), Mundaka Upanishad (2:2:10), and Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6:14), it says that neither sun, moon, nor star can give any illumination, nor can even lightning or the spirit of electricity. How can a little light or fire illumine Him, who is the source of all light? "O Supreme One, You illumine everything. I bow to Thee."