Sathya Sai Baba Geetha Vahini - Chapter 23

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Sathya Sai BabaGeetha Vahini

Chapter XXIII

The three Gunas, Sathwa, Rajas and Thamas, undergo various permutations and

combinations and modifications and become manifested as all this creation, this

universe, this Prakrithi. Therefore, this Prakrithi is subject to changes; it is

not fixed, true. But the Atma is Chaithanya which is Thejorupam, sheer

effulgence; and so it is not subject to blemishes or modifications. The body is

Prakrithi; Buddhi and Manas are also Prakrithi; for this reason, they too differ

according to the degree of excess or deficiency of one or other of the Gunas.

Sathwaguna is steady, pure, unselfish, light; so those who have this

characteristic will have no wish or want; they will be fit for the knowledge of

Atma. Those with Rajoguna will be engaged in acts tarnished with a tinge of ego.

They may have the urge to do service to others, but that urge will drive them on

to win fame and take pride in their achievements. They will yearn for their own

good, along with the good of others. Those who are endowed with Thamoguna are

overcome by the darkness of ignorance and so they grope about, not knowing what

is right and what is wrong.

Any one of these three Gunas makes the person unfit for the realisation of the

highest reality, which liberates the individual and merges him in the

universal. Since the person is embedded in Prakrithi, he fondly believes

himself to be experiencing the Gunas which form Prakrithi. But this is an

illusion. To destroy this illusion, inquiry into the nature and characteristics

of the Kshethra or Prakrithi has become necessary. For the beginner, the

Sadhaka, inquiry into knowledge and the known are essential; but the Jnani has

to pay more attention to these Gunas. The known is the reality, the experience

of the divine bliss of all.

Arjuna listened attentively to all this and at the end he asked, "O Lord! What

are the qualities that a Jnani should possess?" Krishna replied, "Partha! He

must have the twenty virtues in ample measure. You might ask what they are. I

shall tell you about them; listen. But do not conclude that the goal can be

reached when you have them all. The goal is immortality, Amrithathwam. That can

be reached only by Brahmsaakshathkaara, experiencing Brahmam, as Sarvam

Khalvidam Brahmam. When knowledge is full, the knower becomes the known."

"For this consummation, one has to be purified by virtues. Then the known can be

experienced and realisation reached. I shall, therefore, first tell you about

this. Virtue first, then victory. What a splendid path. To seek Brahmam without

first ensuring a moral and virtuous life is like desiring a flame without lamp

or wick or oil! Acquire all these three, then you light it and get light. So it

is with the light of Brahmajnana, or realisation of Brahmam."

There is one point here which Sadhakas have to note carefully. The lamp, the

wick and the oil must be proportionate. If the wick is too big for the lamp or

too small, if the oil is too much or too little for the wick, if the lamp is

too small or too huge for the oil or the wick, the flame will not burn brightly

and give light. Clear steady light can be secured only when all three are in

proper proportion. The three Gunas too must be in equilibrium to yield maximum

result, the result of liberation. The three Gunas are bonds; man is bound by

them, like a cow whose forelegs are tied together, whose hind legs too are

bound and whose neck and horns are bound by a third bond. The threefold Gunas

are such threefold bonds. How can the poor beast move freely when it is bound

so? The Sathwaguna is a golden rope, the Rajoguna a copper rope and the

Thamoguna, an iron rope; all three bind effectively in spite of the difference

in the cost of material. As bonds, all three are obstacles to

freedom of movement.

Arjuna asked, "O Lord! You said that twenty virtues are essential for becoming

entitled to Jnana. Which are they? Please describe them to me in some detail."

Krishna said, "Arjuna! I am delighted at your earnestness. Listen."

"The first virtue is A-maanithwam, pridelessness, humility. So long as you have

Maanam or pride, you cannot earn Jnanam. Man's behaviour should be like the

behaviour of water; whatever colour you pour into water, it absorbs it and it

never asserts its own colour. It is humble without conceit. But the behaviour

of man is quite contrary. When he does the smallest service or donates the

slightest amount, he is anxious that people should know about it. For this, he

himself goes about prattling or arranges to get it published. The absence of

such pride and ambition is what is recommended as A-maanithwam."

"Now for the second: A-dambhithwam, vanity-less-ness. This is a very great

virtue in man. It means the absence of pretence, pompousness, boasting that one

is great when one is not, claiming that one has power when one has nothing, that

one has authority when one has no such title." Here readers will note one point.

The world today is full of this false pretence, this hypocrisy. Whichever field

of activity you watch, whomsoever you observe, you discover this dire defect.

The governments of nations are in the hands of people who are pretenders to

power, authority and capacity. Those who have no knowledge claim to know

everything. Those who have no one even to help them at home, claim that they

have a huge following.

In every activity, this hypocrisy is the very first step. This ruins man in

every field, like a pest that destroys the crop. If this is wiped off, the

world will be saved from disaster. Pretence will make you lose this world and

the next. It is harmful at all times and places. It does not suit ordinary men;

how can it then be beneficial to the Sadhak?

"The third virtue is Ahimsa. This also is an important virtue. Himsa (violence)

is not simply physical; it means even more: the mental pain that is inflicted,

the anxiety and worry that are caused to others by your actions and words. If

you desist from causing physical pain to others, you cannot claim to have

A-himsa. Your activities must not cause pain, must be unselfish; your thoughts,

words and deeds must all be free from any motive to cause such pain."

"Then we have Kshama as the fourth. This is called Kshanthi, as well as Sahana.

It means that you should consider as unreal, the evil that others do unto you,

the loss that you suffer through them, the hatred they evince towards you.

Treat these as you treat a mirage. That is to say, you must develop that degree

of patience or fortitude. It is not the helpless putting up with the evil that

others do because you are powerless to retaliate. It is the expression of the

peace that reigns in the heart, this outer behaviour or Kshanthi. True, many

people put up with injury that others inflict because they lack physical,

economic or popular support; their suffering cannot be honoured as real

Kshama."

"Next, let us consider the fifth; Rjuthwam, straightforwardness, integrity,

sincerity. It means the harmony of action, speech and thought; this applies to

secular and spiritual activity. This is a facet of the fourth virtue,

A-dambithwam."

"The sixth is Aacharyopasana: the reverential service rendered to the spiritual

teacher. This will promote affection for the pupil and so he will benefit a

great deal. But the Guru who has no goal will only mislead the disciple into

perdition. The Guru must shower grace on the disciple as freely and as

spontaneously as the mother cow feeds the young calf with milk. The teaching of

the Guru is the source and sustenance for attaining God and acquiring

liberation."

"The seventh virtue is Soucham, or cleanliness - not merely outer cleanliness

but inner cleanliness. And what is inner cleanliness? The absence of affection

and hatred, of desire and discontent, lust and anger; and the presence of Daivi

(good i.e., godly) qualities. Water cleans the body, truth cleans the mind;

knowledge cleans the reasoning faculty; the individual is cleaned by penance

and discipline."

"The eighth virtue is called Sthairyam: steadfastness, fixity of faith, the

absence of fickleness or waywardness. The Sadhaka must hold fast to what he has

once fixed his faith upon as conducive to his spiritual progress. He should not

flit from one ideal to another, changing the goal from day to day. This is also

referred to as Deeksha. Fickleness is the product of weakness, a weakness that

has to be scrupulously avoided."

"The ninth in the list is Indriyanigraha: the control of the senses. Be

convinced that the senses have to subserve your best interests, not that you

should subserve the interests of the senses. Do not be the slave of the senses;

rather make them your slaves."

"Next, the tenth virtue, Vairagyam: detachment, renunciation, loss of appetite

for sound, touch, form, taste, smell etc. The senses run after these, for they

titillate them and give them temporary joy. But the senses are not interested

in Dharma-artha-kama-moksha of the sublime type. The Atma can be discovered

only through the pursuit of the sublime."

"The eleventh virtue is Anahamkara, absence of egoism. Egoism is the breeding

ground of all vices and faults. The egocentric individual pays no regard to

right and wrong, good and bad, godly or wicked; he does not care for them, nor

does he know about them. He is completely ignorant of Dharma and morals. He

will not conform to justice. To be devoid of this poisonous quality is to be

endowed with Anahamkaram. Egoism is a foe in the guise of a friend."

"The next virtue is called Janma-mrthyu-jaraa-vyaadhi-dukha-doshaanudarsanam,

which means only this: the awareness of the inevitable cycle of birth and

death, of senility and disease, of grief and evil and other signs of the

temporariness of this created world, and life in it. Though people see these

things happening to them as well as others, they do not investigate the reasons

for these and the methods of escaping from them. That is the greatest mystery,

the wonder."

"If only you go to the root of the problem, you will realise that whatever else

you may escape, you cannot escape death. What man conceives as happiness now

is, in reality, only misery in the guise of happiness. So understand the truth

of these things, reflect upon the flaws in the reasoning which delude you.

Then, as a result, detachment is strengthened and through that, you attain

Jnana. Therefore, O Arjuna! liberate yourself from Janma (birth), Mrithyu

(death), Jaraa (senility), Vyadhi (illness) and Dukha (grief)." Thus spoke

Krishna exhorting Arjuna, with a great deal of affection.

Then He spoke of Asakthi, or Anaasakthi: the withdrawal of desire from objects,

the absence of yearning. The greed to possess things that you see is caused by

egoism. "I must have this,I must be the proud owner of this valuable thing,"

this is how egoism prompts one. It is a strong cord that binds you to objects.

Withdraw the mind and treat all as manifestations of the Lord's glory. Love all

things as expressions of His glory, but do not delude yourself into the belief

that possessing them will make you happy. That is an illusion. Do not dedicate

your life for their sake; use them for your needs, as and when necessary, that

is all. That kind of impulse activating you will be a great handicap in your

progress towards liberation. Whatever you may acquire as property will have to

be given up some day. You cannot take with you on that last journey even a

blade of grass or a pinch of dust. Keep this fact ever before the mind's eye

and then you can realise the reality.

Before one's birth, one has no relationship with this world and its material

objects. After death, they and all kith and kin disappear. This sojourn is just

a game played in the interval. Getting fascinated with this three-day-fair is

foolish indeed. Desire tarnishes the mind and makes man unfit for higher

pursuits. The Sadhakas who seek liberation and realisation must rid themselves

of desire, for, like grease, it sticks and is difficult to remove once it is

contacted.

After this, attention has to be paid also to another virtue, Samathwasthithi:

the state of equanimity, of undisturbed calm during joy and grief, prosperity

and adversity, happiness and misery. This is the fifteenth virtue of a Jnani.

Being elevated or depressed by success and defeat, profit and loss, honour and

dishonour, is an activity that is futile. Accept all equally as from the grace

of God, His Prasada. As you wear shoes to tread over thorny places, or hold an

umbrella to escape getting wet in rain, or sleep inside a mosquito curtain to

escape the stings of insects; so too, arm yourself with an unshaken mind that

is confident of the Lord's grace and bear with equanimity praise or blame,

defeat or victory, pleasure or pain. To live bravely through life, this

Sama-chiththathwam is declared essential.

Next is Bhakthi without any other thought or feeling, Ananya-bhakthi. When grief

overtakes you, you run to God. When Sankata overpowers, you take refuge in the

Lord of Venkata. When joy is restored, you throw Him overboard. When you are

down with fever and your taste is ruined and your tongue is bitter, you crave

for some hot pickle; but when the fever subsides, you are normal again, you do

not relish the same pickle. Bhakthi is not a temporary slave. It is the

unbroken contemplation of God without any other interposing thought or feeling.

Whatever the activity, or recreation or talk, it must be saturated with the love

of God. That is Ananyabhakthi. Thereafter comes Ekanthavasam, dwelling in

solitude. One must be fond of being alone. This does not mean keeping the body

in some solitary place, far from the haunts of men. There must be solitude and

silence in the mind; all its occupants must be forced or persuaded to quit. The

mind should be Nir-vishaya, contentless, turned away from the objective world.

The eighteenth virtue which helps to promote Jnana is mentioned as absence of

interest in the company of men; that is to say, absence of the desire to mix

with people engrossed in affairs that concern the objective world. One can

attain equanimity even in the midst of wild animals; but it is difficult to win

it while among worldly-minded men. Sadhana will be affected by the company one

keeps. Good men keep you good; bad men drag you away into badness.

Of course, it is hard to find out who are good and who are bad and then settle

among the good. So, it is advisable to avoid people and concentrate on Sadhana.

The human mind is like iron; if it falls in mud, it rusts and disintegrates; if

it falls into fire, it loses dross and becomes pure. Therefore, if a man joins

the company of Jnanis, it is better than being in solitude. Note how Narada,

who was the son of a housemaid, became a Rishi because he fell in the company

of good men; Rathnakara who was a cruel hunter got the company of the seven

Rishis and so he was transformed into the first among poets, the Adikavi. Evil

company is highly detrimental. A red hot iron ball is capable of causing more

damage than a flame of fire; a sinful man is more to be avoided than sin

itself. Sadhakas have to be vigilant about the company they keep.

The nineteenth virtue is the "awareness of the distinction between Atma and

Anatma." Fix your consciousness always on the Atmic reality and discard the

body and the senses as unreal and impermanent. Atma is the eternal; so

establish yourself only in that and not in the transient non-Atmic illusions or

objects. Life is a struggle to achieve victory over the illusion which haunts:

"I am the eternal Atma in you and in all. So fix the mind on Me and engage

yourself in the struggle, confident of victory."

The twentieth and the last qualification one has to earn is

"Thathwajnanadarsanam", the vision of the true nature of "Thath" (that), the

universal principle of which the particular is but a shadow. It means that the

Sadhaka should have a keen desire to visualise the universal.

Of the above-mentioned twenty, if honest efforts are made to earn even two or

three, the rest will come naturally to the seeker. No special effort is needed

to earn them. As progress is made on the path, one acquires not only the

twenty, but even a larger number of virtues. The twenty are mentioned here

because they are the outstanding ones, that is all. Sadhana, based on these

virtues, takes one easily to the goal. That is why Krishna emphasised these.

Equipped with these, one can realise the self; there need be no doubt on that

for they lead to the knowledge that the body, the senses, the intelligence, the

inner consciousness - all are affiliated to the Prakrithi aspect. And He who is

distinct from all this is the Purusha. Purusha is He who is aware of the

Kshethra and the Kshethrajna. When one is able to distinguish between Purusha

and Prakrithi or which is the same thing, between Kshethra and Kshethrajna, he

becomes the witness and is free from all touch of want or wish.

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