He Has Come. The Lord Sathya Say Baba - V

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Om Sri Sai Ram

Om Sai Jai Sai Jai Jai Sai

 

HE HAS COME - THE LORD SATHYA SAI BABA - V

 

By Patrick Gallivan,

 

 

CHAPTER NINE

 

There are many references, in Sathya Sai Baba's statements, relating

to His "previous body" as Sai Baba of Shirdi, which are vouched for

by those who were devoted to the saintly Shirdi Baba, and who are now

convinced Sathya Sai is a reincarnation.

 

The Raja of Chincholi was an ardent devotee of Shirdi Baba, and had

spent some months each year at Shirdi, as well as other holy places.

When he died, his wife, the Rani, was surprised to hear of the Lord's

incarnation as Sathya Sai Baba, at Puttaparthi, and she made it a

point to visit there, to meet the then fifteen year old Baba. During

her stay she persuaded Sathya Sai to accompany her back to Chincholi

and Hyderabad. Baba mentioned a number of changes that had taken

place at her home since His "previous body", as He frequently

referred to it; that a tree had been uprooted, a well that had been

filled in, a newly built line of shops, etc. During His stay in the

Rani's home He asked about a small stone statuette which had been

given to the Raja, but, alas, the Rani was unaware of its existence.

Sathya Sai found it for her! He also said that there must also be a

picture of Shirdi Baba, and that too was discovered.

 

Some years later the Rani came across a drinking vessel, used by

Sadhus*, which had a distinctive shape and artistic design. She had

been rummaging in a hugh store room in her home for suitable items

for display throughout the house. She instructed the servants to

clean and polish it, and upon examination, she found that to fill the

vessel, the water had to be poured through a slit in the handle, and

the spout had been shaped into a cow's head. It was displayed in the

drawing room of the Rani's Hyderabad home. The following day they

found a cobra coiled around the vessel and the Rani decided to ask

Sathya Sai about this unusual drinking vessel, on her next trip to

Puttaparthi. When she entered the ashram, Baba sent word to ask her

to come up "with my drinking vessel!" No sooner had He had it in His

hands, He showed to devotees nearby, the letters SAA followed by a

pair of short vertical lines, BAA with two more lines. SAA indicating

Sai, and BAA for Baba!

 

To this day the connections between Shirdi Sai, and Sathya Sai, are

portraits in two life-size oil paintings displayed in the Prayer Hall

at Prashanthi Nilayam. Both figures are shown standing with both

hands crossed over the other; Shirdi holding His right hand with His

left hand, and Sathya holding His left hand with His right. The

artist had difficulty in portraying the details of Shirdi Sai's

clothing, whereupon Baba waved His hand and produced two small

pictures ready for the artist to work from, with all the correct

clothing details.

 

Some years ago a devotee from Delhi, stated in a letter to the

biographer, N. Kasturi, that he had the greatest of difficulty in

accepting Sathya Sai Baba as an incarnation of his beloved Shirdi

Baba, until the following event occurred.

 

One evening while the devotee was cycling home along a deserted road

between Old Delhi and New Delhi, he was deeply in thought

contemplating his financial situation. Although devoted to Shirdi

Baba, he was drawn to Sathya Sai, and had just returned from

Puttaparthi, still with the doubt heavy on his mind. "Finished the

work for the day?" a voice suddenly asked from behind. Turning, he

saw a burly individual, pedaling quickly to catch up. He wore a broad

smile and had a pleasant manner. Our Delhi devotee earned his

livelihood by teaching music to children and occasionally playing the

violin at concerts. He assumed the stranger had seen him at concerts

or in some friend's home, and replied, "Yes, I am going home now," in

the Tamil dialect, corresponding to the dialect the stranger spoke in

his question. The burly stranger pleaded, "Then can you come along

with me to that old temple, yonder? I will not keep you long."

Leaning their bicycles against the shaded temple wall, they sat

facing each other as the stranger sought from our Delhi friend, the

source of his problems.

 

The stranger asked how our Delhi friend could doubt that Sathya Sai

was not also Shirdi Sai. "See!" he said, extending the palms of his

hands, and there could be seen, as if painted in full colour, the

portrait of Shirdi Sai on one palm, and on the other, the shining

face of Sathya Sai!

 

"I could never forget those twin faces, lighting up the palms of that

reverend old man," our Delhi friend said. It was the answer that

cleared all doubts and gave him a new lease of life, as he meditated

on the twin images of his beloved Sai. As he watched, the stranger

cycled away swiftly, and to his consternation, saw the stranger

suddenly melt into thin air!

 

On another occasion a lady in Madras, placed her child in front of

Shirdi Sai's picture, as the child was seriously ill. Years later,

she went to see Sathya Sai with her son, now a tall muscular young

man. As soon as Sai saw her He said, "You had placed this boy under

My care, fifteen years ago, isn't that so?"

 

Thus, Baba gives the positive proof of His identity, we need. Baba

speaks the same consoling words, the same words of courage and

enlightenment, to all who doubt or question. The same Baba, then and

now. The same mission, the same message.

 

The same spirit, the same power, is embodied in Sathya Sai, that had

been in Shirdi Baba, at the turn of this century, and in Krishna

almost 6,000 years ago, and in Rama 15,000 years ago.

 

As Sai Baba said, "Rama, Krishna and Baba appear in different dress,

but it is the same entity, believe Me...I am new and ever ancient. I

come always for restoration of Dharma, for tending the virtuous and

ensuring them conditions congenial to progress, and for educating

the 'blind', who miss the way and wander into the wilderness."

 

The difficulties one may have in accepting the identities of both

Babas was explained by Sathya Sai Baba at the All-India Sai Samaj, at

Madras in January 1959, "The Avatars of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna are

so different in the various incidents of their earthly careers; they

also emphasized different aspects of ethical behavior and

philosophical belief; they differed in methods of teaching and

uplifting; it is all a difference in emphasis rather than in basic

things. It is difficult to get convinced that Sri Rama is Sri

Krishna, but few have any doubts on that score. So, too, those who

can delve deep into My mysteries can understand that the Power has

now assumed, another human form."

 

Sai Baba is imbued with great energy to enable Him to fulfill His

Glorious Mission. He once stated that He is Saura Shakti, which is an

ancient description for the Primeval Energy, otherwise known as

Cosmic Energy or Cosmic Christ. So, although the Lord Maitreya is

referred to as the Planetary Christ, Sathya Sai Baba is seen as the

Overlord, or God of all. There are those who await the Messiah, the

Christ, the Lord Maitreya, and claim His appearance is imminent. Why

concern ourselves, I say, now that the Father is here and has been

for the last 70 years!

 

At a Christmas Day discourse in 1972, Sathya Sai Baba announced to

the large congregation, that Jesus said, "He who sent Me, will come

again," and that Jesus was referring to Baba. He said Jesus actually

said, "His name will be Truth (Sathya). He will wear a red robe. He

will be short, with a crown of hair." Baba admitted to being the One

who sent Jesus and to being the Cosmic Christ.

 

When Dr. Hislop, the author of many books on Sai Baba, asked "Are you

God?" Baba replied, "Let us just say, I am the switch."

 

Sai Baba never ceases to remind us that everything is God. So also

are we Divine. Indeed man is a much greater being than he cares to

believe. With a great destiny and a far greater and more important

role, which is now opening-up for mankind? It is as if man is

the "chosen one", above all other beings in the universe, chosen for

a very special universal role, in which man will surpass anything

his "space cousins" have achieved up to now. We must not see

ourselves in terms of duality; seeing God as separate from us.

Mankind and God are One. We should see ourselves, instead, as the

Totality. We are presently locked into a state of illusion. "This

life is illusion," Sai Baba says, and this includes the universe

overall. It is as if we are existing within a dreamlike state that we

have created for ourselves. But, as we move away from this third

dimension to the next, and then to the next again, we are moving away

from that illusion, towards the True reality, - our own Divinity.

 

Sathya Sai Baba brings us back to the fundamental reality, when He

says; "What is man's journey? Where is he going? Why is he

continuously reborn? In order to seek the right path and knowledge of

Truth. What road should one seek? You should return whence you have

come. That is seeking. You have come from the Divine Essence, from

God, and you must return to Him. Do not expect to find happiness in

the other world; that world too is impermanent. Once you have

exhausted your merits, you will again be cast out of it. Even in

politics, candidates are elected for a term that expires after five

years. Each year that passes shortens the right he earned through the

election. In the same way, the duration of your 'paradise' will

depend upon your merits. When these are used up, you will have to

return to the earth."

 

Science/Technology is not the way forward towards that greater goal.

It's a trap, a web of our own making, and we are both the spider and

the fly! Referring to science, and scientific investigation, Baba has

said, "Science does not even know the truth of chemistry and physics.

Each ten years or so, the old truths are discarded or modified

because of research results...Science is just hit and miss."

 

"How can science, which is bound to a physical and materialist

outlook, investigate transcendental phenomena beyond its scope, reach

or comprehension?"

 

Man's position in creation is, according to Sathya Sai Baba, even

higher than particular Biblical passages suggest. While the Psalm 8

says that man was created "little less than a god," Sai Baba's

discourses states that man has the status of a god, but is totally

ignorant of the great wealth lying within, and He continues, he is

likened to a beggar sleeping on a safe full of diamonds! All he has

to do is wake up and discover those riches and begin to use them, for

his benefit and the benefit of mankind.

 

"Man is Divine; he has the Lord dwelling in his heart, yet he is

bound, miserable, limited, weak, agitated. Why? He is ignorant of his

reality. He imagines himself weak, limited, bound and he is so shaped

by the mind, which is the source of that imagination." Further, He

said, "Man is unaware of his glory. He is the Divine poured into a

human mould, just as everything else alive or inert is, but it is the

privilege of man alone to be able to become aware of this precious

truth!"

 

Saint Paul declared as much, when he stated, "Everyone moved by the

Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of

slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons,

and it makes us cry out, 'Abba, Father!' The Spirit Himself and our

spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are

children, we are heirs as well: heirs of God and co-heirs with

Christ, sharing His sufferings so as to share His glory."

 

I suppose if you were to repeat "I am a sinner," often enough, you

condition yourself to believing it, particularly when those who have

the responsibility of guiding your spiritual destiny, convince you

that it is so, and that it is scandalous to think otherwise. They

would argue, to suggest otherwise, that that is the origin of

Original Sin; man boastfully claiming to be God. Whereas, the

opposite could be the truth, by insulting Him who made us, and

causing Him great displeasure by insisting that we are sinful,

foolish and good-for-nothing! Have we forgotten the parable of the

Prodigal Son? By choosing to call yourself a sinful wretch, this

makes you forget and cloak-over your Divine origin, that keeps you in

a state of suffering. Know the truth of your reality, and be happy!

 

Sai Baba never ceases to remind us, in His discourses, how blessed we

are to be born into human form. "To be born as a man is a very sacred

thing. That is, among all the animals that are born, to be born as a

man is something very difficult and very sacred. Even Devas (angels,

gods) at one time want to have a human birth. One must make the

determination to use all the organs in the body for sacred purposes."

 

And finally, "Man is essentially Divine."

 

CHAPTER TEN

 

"Swami," asked the young man at an interview, "Why do You only

manifest inanimate objects?" With the customary circular movement of

His hand, Sai Baba then drew both hands together in a cup-like

position, as if holding a precious treasure between His palms. As He

slowly drew His hands apart, the room-full of witnesses could detect

a furry object, growing larger as the hands parted. Suddenly, a brown

monkey leaped from His hands and to the howls and screeches from

those present, it went around the room. Baba noticed one of the

visitors had some bananas with him, and suggested one be given to the

monkey. Having eaten, the monkey leaped back on to the hands of Baba,

and bringing them together again, the monkey disappeared!

 

Sai Baba demonstrated to those present His amazing power over

creation, by not only producing a live animal but, as if to prove the

point, had the monkey eat as will.

 

Other examples of His magnificence were displayed as on the occasion

of another interview, when a young Australian was asked if he had a

watch. Feigning surprise, that he had none, Baba produced a fine

wristwatch for the stunned young visitor. However, the young man

explained, with embarrassment to Baba, that the Australian customs

officials might request a receipt of purchase. Whereupon Sai Baba

went behind a curtained-off small annex in the interview room, and

returned moments later with the requested receipt. Noting that the

receipt had the name and address of a jeweller in his home town, the

young devotee decided upon a visit when he returned home. "Yes, I

sold that watch," responded the jeweller to the enquiry, " To an

Indian gentleman. In fact, I recall, he returned moments later to ask

for a receipt"!

 

His ability to transmute an object from one property into another was

dramatically demonstrated to an Indian geologist, Dr. Rao; not the

first man of science to be confounded by Sai Baba's power over the

elements. Baba picked up a piece of granite to ask Dr. Rao what it

contained. The geologist listed a number of minerals, but Baba pushed

His enquiry further, "I don't mean those, but something deeper!" Rao

answered: "Well, molecules, atoms, electrons, protons..." Baba still

wasn't satisfied: "No, no, no, go deeper still!" Dr. Rao had to

profess ignorance, then Baba took the piece of granite from the

geologist, blew on it, and handed it back. Rao was astounded to see

that the rock had been transformed into a statue of Krishna playing

the flute. Baba admonished him, saying: "You see, beyond your atoms

and all, God was in the rock. And God is sweetness and joy. Break off

Krishna's foot and taste it." Rao found no difficulty in breaking the

granite foot from the statue only to find, upon

tasting it, that it was now sweet candy!

 

No wonder Dr. Rao stated later to others: "Science gives but the

first word; the last word is known only to the great spiritual

scientists like Sai Baba."

 

The circular movement of the right hand, palm down, has become a

familiar gesture, by Baba, to those at Darshan, or to those who have

viewed it on videos. One devotee, seated on the floor, at an

interview, close to Baba's seat, could see under His hand, and was

able to observe the circular movement associated with His creativity.

He clearly saw a circular vaporous impression appear, which quickly

developed into a jelly-like substance, swirling beneath His hand and

solidify, within seconds, into yet another precious gift for a

fortunate devotee! All done so quickly, but none-the-less quite

visible to the observer seated beside Him.

 

We also have the recorded account of Baba's Omnipresence from "Ruth"

who had a teaching job in Mexico. She was active in her local Sai

centre, in Santa Barbara, which she used to drive back and forth,

every Thursday, to attend Bhajans. Despite this weekly commitment she

was skeptical. Health problems had been tormenting her for a long

time, with bouts of extreme pain for several days at a stretch. One

evening, in her little room, she suffered a severe attack of pain and

in desperation cried out, "Oh, is there someone to help me? Anyone?

Why am I suffering this? What shall I do? Oh, help!" Suddenly she

felt a gentle touch on her arm, she stopped shouting and as she

turned, she saw Baba standing beside her bed. "Don't shout so," He

said, "I'm always here!" Then He disappeared, and along with Him went

her pain!

 

The comforting words of Sathya Sai Baba to all those in pain

are, "There is only one God and He is Omnipresent. He has no favorite

dwelling place or chosen followers or special groups of devotees.

Call...He answers, He manifests, He blesses."

 

CHAPTER ELEVEN

 

Sathya Sai Baba has been credited with a vast number of fantastic

miracles, but none more "mind-blowing" than bringing those who had

died, back to life! Resurrection!

 

The wife, of an Indian devotee who had died, requested Baba to join

her and the family, in prayers for her husband. Baba responded that

He would. However, He did not arrive that day, though it is customary

in India to bury or cremate the dead, usually on the same day a

person died. On the following day a further message was despatched,

with the same response, "Yes, I will come." By this time the body was

beginning to smell badly with decomposition, but still He did not

arrive, to the dismay of the family, who were now pressuring the wife

to proceed with the funeral rites, and not wait any further. But she

resolutely refused, insisting upon waiting, as Baba had said He would

come. The third day came, and so did Sai Baba, but by then the corpse

was not at all pleasant to be near. Baba asked to be left with the

body in the room, while everyone waited outside. Some three minutes

later Baba came out and instructed the wife to take some liquid in to

her husband, whom she found well and

sitting up in bed!

 

Another case, with dramatic results, was related to Indra Devi, a

long-standing devotee of Baba. She conducted classes in meditation

and Yoga, and talks on Sathya Sai Baba, in Venezuela. Troylan Orozco,

of Mexico, used to attend the lectures about Baba, and went with the

group to India and was happy beyond words to have had an interview

with Him. Upon his returning home to Mexico, Troylan enthusiastically

started a Sai Baba Centre, and gave talks about Baba to all his

friends and customers.

 

One day, his wife took a friend and her small baby for a drive. Only

a few minutes passed when people came running to him with the news

that there had been a crash and his wife and the friend's baby were

killed. While rushing to the scene he was crying out for Sai Baba's

help, and immediately applied Vibhutti to their lifeless bodies and

lips.

 

Three hours later the baby came back to life, much to the amazement

of those present, and five hours later Mrs. Orozco also opened her

eyes, not being sure where she was. She later related what occurred

during those minutes after the crash; she found herself traveling

down a dark tunnel, and coming out into a beautiful place so full of

light. She saw Sai Baba there, having recognised Him from photographs

and films. Realizing she had died, she beseeched Him to return her

back to her small boy who would need her care. Seeing her dead body,

she re-entered it and returned back with a smile on her Vibhutti-

coated lips!

 

The other well-documented account of "life after death", was the case

of an American called Walter Cowan, who had been pronounced dead by

two doctors, and resurrected on Christmas Day 1971. A fellow

American, Sai devotee, Dr. John Hislop, was witness to this

extraordinary drama. On the day in question, Dr. Hislop went to the

Connemara Hotel, in Madras, upon learning of a fatal heart attack

suffered by Walter Cowan. Cowan's wife Elsie confirmed to Hislop that

her husband had indeed died. She prayed to Sathya Sai Baba for help,

but in the meantime the body was removed by ambulance to hospital.

The body was examined by a doctor upon arrival at the hospital and

pronounced dead. It was covered and removed to an empty room. Elsie

Cowan and a friend arrived at the hospital, only to find that Sai

Baba had already been there. To their utter astonishment they found

Walter Cowan alive!

 

Later that day, Baba informed devotees that He had indeed brought

Walter back to life. He did this, He said, because He did not want

Elsie to suffer the distress and difficulties of transporting the

body back home to the United States.

 

The following is Walter Cowan's own account of his apparent death and

resurrection, under the Grace of Sathya Sai Baba.

 

"Two days after arrival at the Connemara Hotel, in Madras, I was

taken ill with pneumonia. Gasping for breath, suddenly all the body

struggle was over and I died. I found myself very calm, in a state of

wonderful bliss and Lord Sai Baba was by my side. Even though my body

lay on the bed, dead, my mind kept working throughout the entire

period until Swami brought me back. There was neither anxiety nor

fear, only a sense of well-being, for I had lost all fear of death.

Sai Baba then took me to a very large hall where there were hundreds

of people milling around. It was the Hall where the records of

previous lives were kept. Baba and I stood before the Court of

Justice. The person in charge knew Baba very well and Swami asked for

the records of all my lives. He was very kind and when the records

were bought Sai Baba interpreted them and after what seemed like two

hours, they finished reading the armloads of scrolls, the Lord Sai

Baba said I had not completed the work I was born to do

and He asked the Judge that I be turned over to Him to complete my

mission of spreading the Truth. I left with Baba to return to my body

although it was like stepping into a cesspool to return to it, but I

knew it was best to complete my mission. The instant I stepped back

into my body it started all over again, trying to get my breath,

being sick as I could be and still be alive. I opened my eyes and

looked at my wife."

 

Dr. John Hislop later asked Baba whether the experience was a real

one or an hallucination, Baba replied; "The experience was a real

experience, not an illusion. It was an experience occurring within

Mr. Cowan's mind and I myself was there directing and clarifying the

thoughts."

 

When we turn on our radios and televisions, it is unlikely we will

hear of a resurrection having taken place. Does that mean that they

do not occur? Should we choose to accept that resurrections do not

happen at the closing of the twentieth century, why then do we not

question those mentioned in the Old and New Testaments and other Holy

Scriptures? Perhaps they do occur today but are too "outrageous" to

be taken seriously by the proprietors of the media. Certainly, it

requires faith to believe in such events, and not reasoning powers.

Modern technology, and its vast potential, would be deemed miraculous

to those in a bygone age. To land a space-craft on a distant planet,

would be beyond the credibility of institutions in the middle ages,

who believed the world was flat, and in more recent times, to

scientists who believed that traveling at speeds in excess of thirty

five miles per hour, meant certain death. There must then be room for

believing the "impossible"!

 

Scientists today admit to knowing little of the mind and all its

complexities, and also its place in the causing of disorders, both

physical and mental. The fact that miracles happen, means that they

occur within the laws of Nature, as Nature does not work against

itself. In reality there are no miracles, only occurrences outside

our present understanding. As man's consciousness is raised, he

begins to perceive things today which he could not comprehend

yesterday. All major scientific and technological discoveries were

the results of this process. The perseverance and faith inherent in

man, continues to overcome obstacles in his search for truth, leading

him to greater and deeper wisdom, especially when his determined Will

to succeed is brought into play. It is as if his Will is itself a

point of energy; a source of power to help punch the search forward.

 

The most famous resurrection was that of Lazarus, who was brought

forth from his tomb, by Jesus Christ. But there had been others, as

referred to in the Acts of the Apostles; St. Peter raising a disciple

named Tabitha (meaning Dorcas or Gazelle), at Joppa (Jaffa). She had

fallen ill and died, and St. Peter was entreated to, "Please come to

us without delay." This he did immediately, and staying alone in the

room with her, he prayed and said, "Tabitha, rise!" She opened her

eyes and sat up.

 

The other resurrection, mentioned in the Acts, was that of a young

man named Eutychus, who had been seated on a window sill, at a

gathering, listening to a discourse by St. Paul. The young man sank

into a deep sleep, fell down from the third story and was pronounced

dead. When Paul was informed of the incident, he hurried to him, and

resuscitated him. Was the young man dead or in an unconscious state?

We can only accept that he was dead, as reported at the time,

otherwise it would put all such miraculous happenings, in the

scriptures, under question.

 

Jesus had suggested that we too would do greater things, in His name.

Sathya Sai Baba also says as much; that in time we will also

perform "miraculous" resurrections, materializations, and great

deeds. One must then presume that such Divine Beings as Jesus and Sai

Baba are the norm, in the human sense, while the rest of mankind is

wholly abnormal. Baba once remarked, that there are very few HUMAN

beings on earth at this time, as animal tendencies are dominant

within man, cloaking-over, as it were, the Divine state which is

man's true nature.

 

It is interesting to postulate that Avatars, like Baba and Jesus,

never perform miracles for themselves; for their own benefit or gain.

All such deeds are rendered on behalf of the people they serve. Their

entire lives are dedicated to the service of all peoples as well as

to the other kingdoms of Earth; i.e. mineral, animal, vegetable, etc.

In doing so they are setting examples for us to follow; for us to

have dominion over nature and our less-fortunate brothers and

sisters. The real meaning of the word dominion is to

have "responsibility for", and not mastery over, as some people

choose to believe.

 

CHAPTER TWELVE

 

"Scientists after long investigations, have discovered that the whole

universe is made up of atoms. The Vedantins, on their part, declare

that everything is permeated by the Divine. The terms used are

different, but the meaning is the same. Energy is Brahman and Brahman

is energy. The cosmos is filled with energy. All that you see, all

that you do is energy. You observe an object. You see an individual.

Both the object and the individual are manifestations of energy,"

said Sathya Sai Baba, at a discourse on July 20th 1997.

 

"What is this energy?" He continues, "It is something which you

cannot see or hear or conceive in the mind. Energy is energy alone.

It is Divine. Every physical object has a base. There is electrical

energy in man. Likewise, there is radiation energy in man. There must

be a basis for all these energies. You see that in the world every

object is based on some other object. God is the base for all the

energies in the cosmos. The Vedantins called this energy

Transcendental Energy. Scientists have termed it 'Super-power'. The

names used may vary, but the substance is one and the same."

 

He proceeds to state that all individuals have latent potencies of

which he is not aware. Scientists give different titles to different

energies, i.e. 'psychotronic' energy and 'bioplasmic' energy. Those

who in the past have studied the ancient texts of the Vedas would

give the blanket term, 'Transcendental Energy'. "How is the presence

of this energy to be recognised?", He asks. "The Vedantins described

the process of recognition as involving 'will-power', concentration,

meditation and deep awareness. By these four processes, one can

experience the power of the Spirit. This means that in the final

analysis every individual, every object, and every form of energy

becomes one with the Divine."

 

Sai Baba continues, "In this context one has to understand the

implications of oneness with the Divine. One desires to merge in God

and achieve liberation. How is this to be secured? God is formless.

He is the source of all energy. He is effulgent. Eight kinds of

potencies have been attributed to God. He is the source of all sound,

all motion, all light, all speech, all bliss, all excellence, all

illusion and all prosperity. How is one to realise such an omnipotent

Divinity? Water can integrate with water. Air can combine with air.

Fire can merge with fire. As God is formless, to become one with God,

we have to become formless. What does this imply? It means that we

have to get rid of the attachment to the body. This is achieved

through meditation. While retaining attachment to the body one cannot

hope to achieve oneness with God merely by praying for it. You have

to become formless to realise the formless Divine."

 

Merging with our own Divinity is the ultimate goal of all mankind.

Achieving this can only be done when we move from the dualistic

state; seeing ourselves separate from that source of Divine

effulgence, God. The light of all our lives comes from the supreme

source of all light, and that individual light should merge in the

Supreme Divinity from which all other lights emanate.

 

The practice of external worship, such as prayer, meditation, Bhajans

or spiritual songs, reciting the Lord's name, or other spiritual

exercises, do not promote, as Baba says, "...the exploration of the

internal spirit. They are good in themselves, but they are unrelated

to spirituality. Spirituality implies relationship of spirit to

spirit. All actions have appropriate consequences. Every act results

in its own reward. Good acts yield good results, but they do not

contribute to spiritual progress. Hence the good acts should be the

stepping stones for the spiritual journey."

 

He continues to impress upon us not to remain content with performing

the rituals and other acts of worship, or to be sanguine with the

dogmas of our respective religions. The spiritual journey does not

finish there. We must be prepared to embark on the grand spiritual

adventure; the excursion from dualism to non-dualism. To become the

knower of the Absolute, you have to experience the oneness with the

Divine.

 

Unfortunately, man today is too impressed with the technological

advances he sees around him. Scientific quests into outer space, and

medical discoveries, dazzle him into believing that they are all

important for his future well-being. Whereas the truth exists within;

that man has taken human birth to manifest the Divine within. He has

come from God, and can only take the return journey when he realises

that "He and I are One!" and that God is not separate from him, but

dwells within his heart, awaiting contact, and the final cognition of

that Oneness.

 

While one may desire to merge with God, and attain liberation from

the cycle of birth and death, we must begin our journey by detaching

ourselves from limitations of the physical body. This will release us

from the range of physical desires which act as chains, binding us

and restricting our freedom of spiritual advancement. This image was

depicted in an ancient painting showing a man chained to a great

rock, in deep water, struggling to release himself from his bonds,

and float gently to the sunlight above the surface. We too are bound

by our desires in the deep waters of the emotional body.

 

When modern man begins to accept the existence of a Supreme Reality,

or God, he seeks to find Him, to hold Him, as if the Creator of All

could be acquired like a piece of property: to have Him on hand in

case of emergencies, or at times of need.

 

To have God, one must realise God. When you realise God, you are One

with God, and your Spiritual Journey is at an end!

 

A deeper explanation of this thinking, was given in the Bhagavad

Gita, when Krishna told Arjuna, "Though you are highly educated,

though you have sense control, though you have accomplished great

feats and have developed many skills, you are, nevertheless,

experiencing many difficulties. This is because you have not been

able to understand the Divinity. As long as you have not been able to

understand the Divinity, you cannot be free from sorrow. If you want

to free yourself from sorrow and earn the grace of the Lord, you must

obey my commands."

 

"First of all, remember that you are not the body. These sense organs

have no connection with you; they are associated with the body. Use

the body for doing work, but do not identify yourself with the body

or the work. You have taken birth in this body as the result of your

past actions, your Karma, and you must use this body for performing

Karma. So, get up! Arise, Arjuna! Do your duty. Perform actions and

offer them all to me. Let me have the consequences of your actions.

Shun selfishness uphold justice, be fixed in faith! That is the

Dharma from age to age. If you obey my commands, I will take care of

you."

 

Krishna continued to advise Arjuna, "I want to tell you one other

thing, the blind father of these evil cousins of yours had 100 sons,

yet in the end there was not even one of them left to perform his

funeral rites. What is the reason for this? All these sons were the

children of God, but the blind king considered them as his. Arjuna,

you are also becoming a brother to him. You are deluding yourself

with the idea that this body is yours when it really is not yours at

all. By thinking that you are the body, you are developing the same

blind outlook. That is complete ignorance. Unless you drive away this

ignorance, you will not be able to realise wisdom. You have to

develop discrimination and self-inquiry in order for wisdom to enter

into you."

 

"Within your body is the spiritual heart, and within that heart is

God. Also, in your body is the individual soul. These two, God and

the individual, appearing to live separately inside the body, are

playing together, acting out their parts in a grand drama. They come

together and go apart again, as directed by the author who has

written this play. He assigns all the separate roles of good and bad,

virtue and sin. But, in truth, there is only the one Divinity that

plays all these parts."

 

"From the standpoint of the body, there is the individualized soul

manifested as this particular person of body and mind, and there is

God who is the indweller of the heart. As long as you have the

delusion of the body, these two, God and the soul remain separate

entities enjoying their play with each other. As soon as the delusion

disappears, they merge into the one all-pervasive Divine Principle.

When you remove the false delusion of body-consciousness, you bring

about the union of the individual and God. Then you are established

in Divine Consciousness and enjoy eternal bliss."

 

"Arjuna, always have the sense that everything which exists is one

and the same entity." Krishna said, "Do not allow the senses to pull

you away from this feeling of unity and equanimity. Let your heart be

free from sorrow and elation, attachment and hatred. Be unaffected by

censure or praise. Treat all people equally."

 

"When you firmly believe that everything in this creation is the

manifestation of divinity, then you will become steeped in wisdom and

freed from illusion. Then you will have realised the true purpose for

which you have been born as a human being. Arjuna! Carry out my

commands! See me everywhere! Know me to be your very self, the Atma!

Realise the Atma and be forever free!"

 

CONTINUED…

 

http://www.geocities.com/gallivanpatrick/hehascome/start.htm

 

Jai Sai Ram

Swamy Mahadevan

Bow to Shri Sai-Peace be to all

Baba Bless you ever!!!