Ugadi Divine Discourse on 30th March 2006: Atma is the Nameless, Formless Divinity

[Guest guest]

the entire assembly fell into a stunning silence. The Pandavas were also present

incognito in this assembly. Krishna, who was also present, looked at the

Pandavas and smiled. At that point of time, the Pandavas spoke to each other in

whispers. Soon after this, Arjuna walked majestically towards the Matsyayantra,

smiling all the way. He was totally calm and composed. Looking at the

reflection of the fish in water, he shot an arrow. When it hit the target

successfully, the entire assembly went into raptures. All the people looked at

Arjuna in admiration with great delight. Handing over a garland to his daughter

Draupadi, Drupada asked her to garland Arjuna. At that time, the Pandavas were

staying in the house of a potter. When they went to their house along with the

bride, their mother Kunti was inside the house. Even before entering their

house, they announced to their mother that they had earned a very valuable

fruit. Their mother replied from inside the house that

they should share the fruit equally between themselves. The Pandavas always

obeyed the command of their mother and honoured every word that she uttered.

They went inside and offered their salutations to their mother and vowed to

follow her command religiously. In this way, Draupadi became the wife of all

the five Pandavas. The Pandavas dutifully accepted the command of their mother.

But, how could the world accept this? It is the duty of the children to obey the

command of their parents, irrespective of the fact whether the world accepts it

or not. People, however, accepted this in view of the intimate relationship

that existed between the five brothers. How can one consider somebody as one's

wife? Not merely because one is married to her. One can call her as wife only

when one considers her as half part of his body. Many people questioned Krishna

how Draupadi could be called a Pativrata (chaste wife) when she was the wife of

five husbands. Then Krishna described

her qualities which earned her this noble ideal. She dutifully obeyed the

command of her husbands. She would never say to any one of them that she had no

time to serve him. She was satisfied with whatever she got in life. She was the

supreme example of chastity and none could match her in this respect. She never

asked for anything beyond the means of her husbands. A true chaste woman is one

who conducts herself according to the condition of her husband. The husband

should also recognise the qualities of his wife and have equal concern for her.

Only then can both of them lead a virtuous and noble life. Looking at her

virtuous conduct and her power to control the five senses, Dharmaraja told

Draupadi, "You do not merely belong to us; you are the embodiment of primal

energy." Her father Drupada had also held this view and considered her as the

embodiment of divine energy. Only those who achieve control over the five

senses and the five elements can rule the world.

Only such people can know the reality of the world and conduct themselves in a

righteous manner. One who has complete control over one's senses can achieve

the greatest heights in life. Draupadi was endowed with great power of

discrimination and she could discriminate between who was good and who was bad.

Both good and bad are present in this world just like darkness and light. She

encouraged all those who were virtuous and imparted sacred teachings to

evil-minded people to transform them. Not only she had control over the five

senses and five elements, she had thorough knowledge of Pancha Koshas (five

sheaths of the soul) and Pancha Pranas (five life-breaths) also. She could

differentiate between Atma and Anatma (Self and non-Self). Thus, she set an

ideal to the world and earned a good name. Draupadi taught that one should do

one's duty with dedication. She exhorted all to exercise control over their

desires and discriminate between good and bad, imbibing

all that was good and giving up all that was bad. One should never forget to

perform good actions and discharge one's duties, she advised. Everyone should

discharge his duty with dedication and should not interfere in the duties of

others, she counselled the people. "You may have wife and children. It is your

duty to fulfil your responsibility towards them, but at the same time all your

desires should be directed towards the path of goodness and righteousness", she

said. Thus, she became an ideal to the world and showed the path of truth to one

and all. One can attain Dharma only by following the path of Sathya.

Sathyannasti Paro Dharma (There is no Dharma greater than adherence to truth).

There can be no Dharma without truth. It is the path of truth that leads one to

God. Follow the Path of Sathya and Dharma Everyone should perform his duty

meticulously and adhere to Dharma. Even an ant follows its Dharma. Wherever it

finds food, it carries it to its

place and consumes it. It does not harm anybody nor does it steal anything from

anybody. All the birds and animals follow their natural Dharma and conduct

themselves accordingly. The path of Dharma is the same for the Cheema (ant) and

Brahma. The same principle of truth is present in both. This truth was

propagated by Draupadi. She also taught that one should not become a victim of

the six inner enemies, namely, Kama (desire), Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed)

Moha (attachment), Mada (pride) and Matsarya (jeaslousy). Anger is the greatest

enemy of man. One with anger cannot follow the path of Dharma. This is contrary

to human nature. One should not unnecessarily show anger towards others. One

with anger will not be successful in any of his endeavours. He will commit sins

and will be ridiculed by one and all. His own people will

abandon him. He will lose all wealth and respect. His anger will ruin him

completely. (Telugu Poem) Hatred is another great enemy of man. Whom should

you hate? Should you hate those who oppose you or those who have harmed or

those who dislike you? No; none of these. You should hate only the evil

qualities. You should extend your love and support to those who follow Sathya

and Dharma. If you hate Sathya and Dharma, you are not a human being at all.

Truth is the basis of all virtues. By following the path of truth, Draupadi

could experience peace and love. She taught that one should restrain from

violence. One should not indulge in violence through one's actions, words and

even thoughts. By following the path of truth, Draupadi set the greatest ideal

to the world. As you Sow, So you ReapBy exercising sense

control, man can achieve great heights in life. Damayanti was a woman of great

virtues like Draupadi. She earned this name as she was endowed with Dama (sense

control). The senses are wayward by nature, and it is difficult to control them.

Man should, however, do his best to control them and put them to right use. Why

has God given you ears? Is it to hear vain gossip? Never listen to anything

that is bad. Listen to all that is good. Why has God given you tongue? It is

not merely to satisfy your sense of taste. It has been given to sing the glory

of God. Just as the tongue accepts all that is tasty and palatable and rejects

all that is bad and unpalatable, man should accept all that is good and reject

everything that is bad. People think that it is God who is the cause of their

happiness and sorrow. But it is not really so. Each one is responsible for his

actions and reaps their consequences, good or bad. God is the eternal witness

and does not interfere in this. He

neither gives happiness nor sorrow. If you talk endearingly to someone, he will

also speak to you in the same loving manner. But if you talk in an arrogant

way, you will get a similar response. As is the action, so is the reaction. The

reaction, reflection and resound are based on your own thoughts, words and

actions; God is not responsible for them. If you stand before a mirror, you

will see your own reflection. In whatever way you speak to others, you will

have the resound in the same way. Whatever thoughts you have in your mind, they

will be reflected back to you. It is therefore essential for man to know whether

his thoughts and actions are good or bad. Whatever good or bad you experience is

the result of your thoughts, words and actions. When any bad thought comes into

your mind, give it up immediately. If you conduct yourself in this manner, you

will become a true devotee of God and achieve liberation. Everyone has to face

the consequences of his actions,

whoever he may be. No one can know what lies ahead for him in future. But this

much is sure that everybody has to reap the consequences of his actions. Even

the mighty Rama suffered the pain of separation from His wife and cried like an

ordinary person. (Telugu Poem) Young Men!Good and bad coexist. It is not

possible for anyone to separate them. When you cultivate more of goodness, the

bad in you will become absolutely insignificant. There is no need to use any

force to drive all that is bad. When you forget bad, goodness will develop in

you in full measure. This is the message I would like to give you on this day.

Do not think that the New Year will give you some new fruits. The fruits that

you earn will be based on your qualities and actions. All that you think will

be reflected back to you. Everything is the result of your thoughts. World is

Reaction, Reflection and ResoundOnce there was a cowherd who used to

take the cows for grazing to a place surrounded by three mountains. One day when

the cows were grazing, he sat down under a tree and started singing a song in

praise of God. As he sang the song, he heard its echo. He thought that someone

was imitating his song to tease him. Therefore, he shouted in anger at the

invisible intruder, and heard its resound in the same angry tone. In this state

of anger, he went home and did not even take his food. His mother asked him why

he was so upset. He narrated what had happened. Next day, his mother

accompanied him and came to know that it was his own echo which was the cause

of his trouble. In the same manner if you criticise or abuse anybody, all that

will come back to you. The world is nothing but reaction, reflection and

resound. Whatever you do will come back to you, and nothing else. This is the

divine law. Those who are full of love will see love everywhere. Those who are

full of hatred will see enemies all around. Therefore,

love and hatred do not come from outside. They have their origin within you. The

good and bad you experience arise out of your own feelings. God is not

responsible for any of these. God is Nirguna, Niranjana, Sanathana

(attributeless, pure, final abode). It is only your feelings that change. God

is changeless. Students!All your feelings are reflected back to you. Everything

is within you. Whatever you experience is the reaction, reflection and resound

of your thoughts and feelings. You see somebody laughing and you think that he

is laughing at you. But how can you conclude in this manner? Once a famous

wrestler was doing exercise on a road early in the morning. At that time, a

lady was coming from a village to sell milk and curd. When he looked at her, he

felt she was laughing at him. The wrestler became angry and said to the woman,

"How dare you laugh at me? Do you know who I am? Are you aware of my strength?"

The woman replied, "I am not laughing at

you. You are so strong that you can stop a speeding car with one hand. What is

the use of your physical strength if you lack forbearance?" All our notions are

based upon our deluded feeling. Be Good, Do Good, See GoodStudents!No doubt,

your innate feelings are good. But they undergo change depending upon what you

see and hear. It is the external impulses that are responsible for changes in

your thoughts and feelings. Truly speaking, there is no human form. In fact,

there is no form at all. It is because of your illusion that you see a form and

give a name to it. It is a sign of foolishness to think so. You may think that

you are highly educated and very intelligent. But how can you call yourself so

if you are ignorant of your true Self? You can be called truly educated only

when you know your real nature. If you do not know your own truth, how can you

know the truth of others? First of all, you should control your mind. Only then

can your worship

and prayer be fruitful. The mind is the root cause of the world. Manah Eva

Manushyanam Karanam Bandhamokshayo (mind is the cause for bondage and

liberation of man). It is comparatively easy to control the body, but not the

mind. When Pramila, the ruler of women's kingdom captured the Aswamedha horse

and defeated Arjuna in the battle, Arjuna told her that she could arrest his

body but not his mind. It may be possible to capture the whole world with army,

weapons and bombs, but it is not possible for anyone to capture the mind. When

you gain control over your mind, everything else will come under your control.

Therefore, you should make all efforts to control your mind. Then you are sure

to become an ideal and great person. First and foremost, you should know your

mistakes and try to rectify them. Only then can you aspire to become a Mumukshu

(spiritual aspirant). Knowingly or unknowingly you may have committed some

mistakes. Once you know your mistakes, you should have

repentance. Repentance is true atonement. This is the royal path which leads to

divinity. There is little use in performing Puja (worship), Vratas (rituals)

and Yajnas without repentance and atonement. Jantunam Nara Janma Durlabham (out

of all living beings, human birth is the rarest). It is not easy to attain human

form. Man is not a mere mortal. He is verily divine. Daivam Manusha Rupena (God

is in the form of a human being). If you do or think something bad, you are not

divine. First of all, you should become a good person. Be good, do good, see

good. This is the way to God. Develop the Qualities Exemplified by Rama and

SitaStudents!First of all, you have to control your mind. Offer your mind to

God. He can do everything for you. Have firm devotion to God with firm faith

that He is everywhere. Do not doubt that God is here and not there. Wherever

you search for Him, He is there. (Telugu Poem) Where is God?

Sarvatah Panipadam Tat Sarvathokshi Siromukham, Sarvatah Sruthimalloke

Sarvamavruthya Tishthati (with hands, feet, eyes, head, mouth and ears

pervading everything, He permeates the entire universe). Ordinary people are

not able to recognise this truth. God is present in all beings, be it a small

insect like an ant or a big animal like an elephant or a lion. He is present in

a particle of sand and also in a particle of sugar.Discharge your duty earnestly

with devotion to God. Put your knowledge into practice and earn a good name. I

never prevent anyone from pursuing his studies. But along with acquiring

secular knowledge, you should acquire spiritual knowledge also. Proper enquiry

of the mind and purity of heart are very essential. Students!You have completed

one academic year, and you will now go home for vacation. You will be looking

for your results and searching your roll number in the list of successful

candidates. More than searching your

roll number, search your heart. If you have really written well, you are sure to

find your roll number. On the other hand, if you have not written your

examination well, you should not be delighted even when you find your roll

number in the list of successful candidates. It is not the number of marks that

are important. What is important is that you should become number one man (loud

applause). This morning our students sang the song conveying the message that

one should have a son like Rama and a daughter like Sita. You may aspire to

have a son like Rama and a daughter like Sita. But, how is it possible when you

have the demonic qualities of Ravana and Surpanakha? If you want a son like

Rama, you should follow Dharma like Him. If you aspire to have a daughter like

Sita, you should have the virtues as exemplified by Sita. Whatever form you

aspire for, you should cultivate the same type of qualities corresponding to

that. Only then can you attain harmony, tolerance

and peace. Where is peace? Peace lies in the control of the senses. If you are

not able to control your senses you cannot attain peace; you will get only

pieces. If you want to be peaceful, you have to imbibe the qualities of

quietude and composure. Let anybody criticise, abuse or hit you; you should

maintain your composure. When someone criticises you, do not take it to heart.

Think that his tongue has produced some sound. You have nothing to do with it.

If you receive the abuses hurled at you, you will be affected by them.

Otherwise, you will not be disturbed. Even if somebody beats you, think that he

has beaten your body and not you. In fact, none can ever harm or hurt you,

because you are not the body. If you have such a firm conviction, then you will

not have anger or hatred towards even those who abuse or assault you. Therefore,

firm conviction is most essential for peace. Offer your Heart to God in

PrayerDraupadi had deep devotion for Krishna. She

prayed to him, "Oh Krishna! I worship You day and night. Oh Lord! Be

compassionate and protect me. If You are compassionate towards me, then I will

not be bothered about any other thing in life." Draupadi faced many challenges

and ordeals in life, but her devotion towards Krishna remained unaffected.

Thyagaraja said, Oh Lord! I have been praying to You incessantly, why are You

depriving me of Your love and compassion? What is that I have not offered to

You? I have surrendered my wealth, my family and even my soul to You. Now,

please come to my rescue. I seek refuge only in You. (Sanskrit Sloka) Mere

words are not enough when you pray; you should offer your heart to God in

prayer. Man has a name and a form, but the Atma transcends both. It has neither

a name nor a form. People like some particular names and forms. One cannot have

faith in many names and forms, but one can surely have faith in the formless

principle of the Atma which is present in all.

Na Atma Sakshi (my Atma is the witness) is a common saying, which shows that

people have faith in the Atma. That is why Atma is the common name for all.

Some may pray to Rama, others may pray to Krishna. Names and forms are many,

but Divinity is one. Atma is the nameless, formless divinity. When you worship

such a formless and nameless divine principle, you will certainly attain

Divinity.(Bhagavan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan, "Prema Mudita

Manase Kaho …") Source:

http://sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/shivaratri_06_Discourse.htm Bhagavan

Sri Sathya Sai Baba's Divine Discourses: http://www.saibaba.ws/discourses.htm