REALIZE GOD THROUGH LOVE - Swami’s Discourse on 25-12-1996

[Guest guest]

Om Sri Sai Ram

REALIZE GOD THROUGH LOVE

Swami’s Discourse on 25th December 1996 at Prashanthi Nilayam

 Asthiram Jivitham Loke (Life in the mundane world is impermanent). Life in this

phenomenal world is not permanent. Asthiram Yawanam Dhanam. Youth and wealth are

not lasting. They are like passing

clouds. Asthiram Daaraputraadi. Wife and children and other relatives are liable

to vanish like white mist in a moment. Dharmam Keerthi Dwayam Sthiram.

(Righteousness and fame endure for ever). In human life, righteous living and a

good reputation are the two that are everlasting.

In the history of mankind several religions arose to promote the moral

advancement, the prosperity and the welfare of humanity.

Vaishnavites have esteemed Vishnu as the SupremeSaivites have given the highest

place to SambhuThe worshippers of Ganapathi accord the highest place for

Ganesha;Saraswathi is adored as the Supreme by the seekers of Knowledge;Muslims

regard Allah as the Supreme LordWhile Christians hail Jesus as the

SaviorBuddhists worship Buddha as the Supreme Enlightened One;Jains accord the

highest place to Mahavira;Parsis adore ZoroasterSikhs deem Nanak as the Supreme

teacherBaba devotees adore Sai as the SupremeThe wise regard all of them as

equal.All religions should be revered equallyBecause God is one and the same

God for all of them.God is Truth. He is Righteousness.He is peace. He is the

embodiment of Love.[Telugu

poem]

Embodiments of Love!

It is essential to realize and act on the basis that the purpose of religion is

to promote unity in diversity, banish divisive tendencies and make human beings

lead ideal lives.

THE COMMON ESSENCE

The essence of all religions, the message of all scriptures and the destination

for all mankind is the same. But because of selfishness, narrow-mindedness and

concern for self-interest, religion is used as a pretext for promoting

differences and conflicts. All religions teach only what is good if they are

studied intelligently. If your mind is good, what religion can be bad?  [Telugu

poem]

Morality and integrity, righteousness and charity, truth and tradition,

forbearance and non-violence are basic tenets of all religions. These basic

truths are common to all religions. But over the years men have forgotten these

truths and have fostered divisive tendencies in the place of unity. As a result,

respect for human values has gone. It is essential to recognize the Divine unity

that suffuses all the diversity in human existence.

[bhagawan gave a brief account of the Jewish concept of the creation of the

cosmos and referred to the birth of Jesus as the son of Mary and Joseph].

As the name and fame of Jesus spread, opposition to him developed among a

section of Jews. After his father's death, young Jesus considered it his duty

to help his mother and revere her as divine. Jesus preached the primary

obligation of everyone to show ones gratitude to the parents. Jesus came with

his mother to Jerusalem when he was eleven years old. His mother was worried

about the activities of Jesus. Jesus was critical of the ways of the Jews in

the temple in

10pt">Jerusalem. He came out against the harmful practices in the temple and

preached the Omnipresence of God in all living beings. He exhorted the people

not to cause harm to anyone.

What he preached was in accord with the basic teachings of all religions. He

engaged himself in a mission of mercy to the sick and the poor. He offered food

to the hungry. Seeing his acts of love and kindness, people declared that he was

a Messenger of God. Jesus constantly referred to God as the father. Later he

declared: I and my Father are one. Jesus dedicated his life to the propagation

of faith in one God who is common to all mankind.

Men today celebrate the birthdays of great holy men but they do not follow the

teachings of the masters. There is nothing great about the celebration of

birthdays. People must resolve to uphold their ideals and act up to their

teachings.

A UNIQUE BOOK

[swami referred to a book compiled in Britain around 1530 AD containing all the

information about Jesus gathered during the preceding centuries. The Russians

condensed all this material in a small book which they preserved in a place on

the Black Sea coast. Swami produced the little book by a circular wave of His

hand and held it

before the audience].

He said: This is the book. You can see the cross on the cover page. The book was

designed to demonstrate the common features of all religions. What is contained

in this book is not to be found even in the Bible. It contains an entirely new

account of the life of Jesus.

It is not open to all to understand the ways of the Lord. To know about God one

has to develop godly feelings. In this book, there are book-mark threads which

distinguish every faith by a Sloka relating to it. There is one page which

contains the Sloka from the Bhagavad Gita in which Krishna exhorts Arjuna to

give up all beliefs and take sole refuge in Him and assures Arjuna that

thereafter he will absolve Arjuna of all the sins.

The essence of all creeds is one and the same thing. Mans primary duty is to

surrender to God. Surrender means attaining the state in which the devotee

feels he is one with God. This feeling arises out of the conviction that the

same divinity is present in all. Bodies of human beings are varied like bulbs,

but the current passing through them is the same. The color of the bulbs or

their wattage may vary. But the current activating them is the same.

This book contains the Vedic saying: Ekoham bahusyaam. The same God dwells in

all beings. There is no justification for differences on the basis of religion.

It is attachment to the body which accounts for religious differences. Do not

regard the body as permanent. It is a water bubble. The mind is a mad monkey.

Don't follow either of them. Follow the conscience. That is the main message

contained in this little book. The culture of Bharat has experienced this truth

in the concept of Sath-Chith- Ananda (Being- Awareness-Bliss).

Today people read all kinds of books and go after all sorts of great persons.

They do not enquire about what constitutes greatness. Realize that there is no

one greater than each of you. But you have not discovered the real truth about

yourself, like an elephant that does not know its own strength. A mahout with a

goad is able to control it.

Recognize the fact that the whole universe is within you. You have all the

powers in you. They are derived from the Divine Spirit within you. It is the

Divinity which endows you with a Free Will. Forgetting the supreme power of the

Spirit, people place their reliance on the powers of the body, the mind and the

intellect.

Embodiments of Love! If you want to realize God, if you wish to experience the

Divinity within you, if you want to know your true self, you have to develop

pure, unsullied love. It is this love that binds all people. It is described as

the tether of love (Premapaasam).

Today there are numerous sects within Christianity all of which are engaged in

propagating their respective doctrines. While this preaching goes on, there is

very little of practice in daily life.

Practice is most important. People may be entitled to propagate their creed. But

that does not achieve anything lasting. Only practical example matters. When you

practice what you preach, others will be inspired by your example. No one will

care for the teaching of a person who does not practice what he preaches.

I have often told the students that of all forms of knowledge, the one that is

most beneficial is practical knowledge which is relevant to everyone. You have

to act on the conviction that the same Divine Spirit dwells in one and all.

Oblivious to this truth, man is immersed today in selfish pursuits. This

selfishness is degrading man to the lowest levels. To develop true humanness,

everyone has to foster the feeling of spiritual oneness. This sense of oneness

constitutes true religion. Religion means realization of your true self.

Develop the love of God. All other forms of love are not love at all, but only

fleeting and impermanent attachments. Man's biggest folly is forgetting his

divinity. All should realize that they come from God. All are children of God.

Everyone should seek to get nearer and nearer to God. That is Sadhana. You must

feel that God dwells in your heart (Hridayavaasi). You must develop compassion

in the heart, because without it the heart is only a stone.

That is the message of Jesus - the message of love. Love is God. Live in love.

Start the day with love. Spend the day with love. End the day with love. This

is the way to God. Only the person who is filled with love will be dear to the

Lord.

This book contains the declaration: Yo Madhbaktah. The devotee who is filled

with love of God is dear to me, says the Lord (in the Gita). God alone is your

unfailing friend in weal and woe. You must acquire His friendship.

There are many devotees from overseas here today. They should be firm in their

devotion whatever changes in the situation they may face.

You may begin worshipping God with specific form and name (saakaara). But when

you are faced with difficulties you experience God as a helper. When you have

some desires, you pray to God for fulfilling them. You are then an arthaarthi

(seeker of favors). In these different ways the devotee has to develop his

relationship to God.

[To illustrate how God responds to the prayers of devotees, Swami related the

story of a rich man with four wives, who expressed what they wanted him to get

for them during a trip abroad. The first wife, who was spiritually enlightened,

prayed for his safe return. The second wife wanted him to bring some sacred

books. The third wife, who was ailing, wanted him to get some medicines. The

fourth wife, who was modern asked him to get her saris and jewelry. The

merchant on his return gave the three wives what they wanted and stayed with

the first wife because she had no other desire except to have him back. Drawing

the lesson of this story, Swami said:]

HOW GOD RESPONDS

God responds to devotees in the same manner. To those who aspire for wealth, He

gives wealth. Those who seek knowledge, He will help them to acquire it. Those

who are ailing and who pray to God will get the relief they pray for. God

builds hospitals for their treatment. Those who pray to God for oneness with

Him, will realize Him. This is the way God responds to the four kinds of

devotees.

The devotees should consider God alone as important and not other mundane

desires. If you have God with you, all other things are got easily. So, God is

your real wealth. Real health is God.

Men should strive for God-Realization because they came from God and should go back to Him.

Today there are devotees here from many countries - Germany, Japan and others.

Whatever happiness you may have experienced here, you will have to go back to

your countries when your money is exhausted or your visa expires. Your aim must

be to acquire a permanent visa to stay here permanently. That is got by

God's grace. You can get it through love and love alone. When you have that

love, your proximity to God is ensured for ever.

Embodiments of Love! There is love in every one of you. Develop that love. Share

it with others. When you have this love there is no need for you to go in search

of ashrams. There are some foolish persons who go on hopping from one ashram to

another. This is sheer folly. There is no need to go anywhere. The Divine is in

your heart. Adhere to one belief firmly. Do not change your faith from day to

day. Follow one path with firm faith. That is the Love principle.

[bhagawan concluded His discourse with the Bhajan, Prema muditha manase kaho, in

which the thousands gathered in the Mandap joined with fervor.]

Sent with Sai love

Sai brothers – ‘’

 

 

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