Sai Baba Gita - A Wise Man never forgets the Atma

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A Wise Man never forgets the Atma

It is only when you keep the atma constantly in view, in everything you do, that

you will be able to reach the stage of true wisdom. A wise man is sometimes

thought of as having something to do with worldly people. This confusion comes

about because it has been said that, 'When everyone is awake, the wise man is

asleep, and when he is awake all the other people are sleeping.' According to

such a definition, you would conclude that those who work nightshifts, such as

the night watchman and the station master, who are awake at night when others

are sleeping and asleep during the day when others are awake, are all wise men.

But, obviously, this is not the correct meaning of the word.

All those people who base their lives on this impermanent world, will be fully

awake to this world and its objects. The wise man on the other hand, will be

asleep and indifferent to worldly objects. Ordinary people will not be alive to

the beauty of the atma; they will be sleeping through that. But when it comes to

this world and its sense objects they will be fully alert and awake. Therefore,

a wise man is one who is asleep to the principle of the world and who is fully

awake to the principle of the atma. A wise man is not one who has renounced the

world and gone to the forest. Krishna said, "Do your work in the world. Live in

the midst of the things which are necessary for your daily life. But keep your

attention and concentration constantly on the atma. That way you will gain

abiding wisdom."

Here, a doubt may arise. Why does such a wise person need to work at all? He

will have no interest in work nor have any ambitions regarding work. And yet

for the good of mankind he will take up work. If a wise man had the attitude

that he did not need to work, then he would not be able to inspire others to

work. The sage has to set an example for ordinary people so that they will be

able to follow him. "Therefore, Arjuna," said Krishna, "Become an ideal human

being. You are very close to Krishna. You are his relative and you are very

dear to him. Keep the inner significance of all these teachings in your heart.

I want to raise you as an example to the world. I will use you as my

instrument. You will be my instrument in doing many great things in the world."

Whatever Krishna has said is for the welfare of the entire world and for setting

an ideal example for mankind. All avatars undertake activities which are

absolutely sacred, but ordinary people will not be able to recognize these

activities as divine activities. In this context, Krishna told Arjuna, "Arjuna,

I have not accepted the job of being the driver of your chariot because I like

this task and want it so much. It is not for the sake of my love of horses

either that I'm doing this. Don't you think that I have chariots and horses of

my own? Do I need to drive your chariot and your horses? This

body-consciousness that you have saturates your whole being. It is in your

blood. I am enacting the entire play and I have taken on this task of driving

your chariot in order to see to it that you become permanently cured of this

disease of body-consciousness."

http://www.atmapress.com/saibabagita/saigita180.html

Sai Baba Gita, Compiled and edited by Al Drucker - Published by Atma Press -

http://www.atmapress.com - ISBN: 0963844903Online Edition:

http://www.atmapress.com/saibabagita/index.html

 

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