Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-1 & 2

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Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-1

Om Sri Sai Ram

LIFELONG BHAJAN

Maha Shivarathri day - 24 Feb 1971 – Prashanthi Nilayam

Throughout last night, you have sung Bhajans and kept vigil, as part of the

Shivarathri celebrations. This Aarati (waving lights before an image) marks the

end of that Bhajan sessions; but, only of the outer, congregational, vocal part,

not of the inner solitary silent Bhajan that must be the very breath of your

existence. The Vedanta persuades you to investigate the function of the senses

and of the mind, which is activated by its capacity to reflect the Atman

within. All the inner instruments of knowledge and the inner witness in man are

promoters of the highest wisdom, though they are misused, in ignorance, to

confound and ruin man's progress. Those who are aware of their being only the

indestructible Atman, encased in temporary sheaths, in a ramshackle dwelling

house bearing a name and presenting a form, they are unaffected by anything

that happens to the sheath or house. Prahalada was one such. However inhuman the

torture they inflicted on him, he was calm and unruffled; for, he was

established in the Narayana, that was his genuine truth.

It took Arjuna a long time to realise this. In fact, it was only after the

ascension of Lord Krishna that it was brought home to him, in a dramatic form.

Krishna, while rolling up the curtain of the Avatar drama, had asked him to

take the women, children and some old men of the Yadava clan orphaned by his

departure, to the safety of Hasthinaapura, away from Dwarka which had been

swallowed by the sea.

The Mind hides the Prompter and the Power within

Arjuna led the disconsolate community through lands infested by wild tribes,

confident that the bow, which had won him the Kurukshetra battle against the

array of gigantic heroes, will ensure safety and success. But, when some

barbarian hordes fell upon the Yadava remnants, Arjuna sought to string his bow

and fix an arrow upon it - in vain! He could not recall the formula which could

send the arrow on it mortal mission! He had to witness the debacle, the

kidnapping of the women whom he had vowed to guard! When Krishna had finished

His mission, he too had ended his mission; there was no more breath in him too.

Krishna was his life, his might, his archery, his mastery, his heroism, his all.

That truth was made patent to Arjuna by the shame of defeat, not by the paean of

victory!

The mind plays many tricks with you, the chief of which is to foster the ego and

hide the prompter and the power within. You must have heard of an accountant in

the court of the king of death, Chithraguptha, by name. He maintains a register

of the good and the bad, done by each living being, and on death, he brings the

books to the court and strikes the balance between debit and credit. Yama, the

king then metes out the punishment that can expiate and educate. This

Chithraguptha has his office in the mind of man, all the time, awake, alert.

The word means 'the secret picture;' what he does is to 'picture' all the

secret promptings that blossom into activity; he notes the warning signals as

well as the occasions when those signals were ignored or wantonly disregarded.

You must see that the warning of the divine against the merely human, or

even the bestial inclinations is heeded.

Bhajan encourages Man to dive into himself

Bhajan is one of the processes by which you can train the mind to expand into

eternal values. Teach the mind to revel in the glory and majesty of God; wean

it away from petty horizons of pleasure. That is all that Bhajan or Pooja or

Vratha can do. Bhajan induces in you a desire for experiencing the truth, to

glimpse the beauty that is God, to taste the bliss that is the Self. It

encourages man to dive into himself and be genuinely his real self. Once that

search is desired, the path is easy. One has only to be reminded that he is

divine, for, the malady is, its being thrust out of recognition.

Chaithanya once had very high fever, the temperature rising to 105º, to 106º He

refused to administer upon himself any drug other than what the Sastras have

prescribed; he asked for the dust of the feet of a Brahman, water consecrated

by washing his feet! They could only get hold of a Brahmin who was not

following correctly the disciplines laid down for that high caste, which

entrusted with heavy responsibilities like leading the community along the

spiritual path to self-realisation. But, Chaithanya asked that they need not be

very strict in scrutinizing his credentials, for, a Brahmin is holy, however

fallen he may be. He belongs to a line, which has soaked itself through many

lives in Vedic lore and Sadhana.

However rickety a cow has become, milk can be got only form her; she has to be

fed, fostered, fondled and revered. Thus, Chaithanya reminded the Brahamana of

his great role in society and encouraged them to live up to the high

expectations that history has fastened about them. Man too has come for a great

destiny, on a sacred mission, endowed with special skills and tendencies to help

him on; but, he fritters these precious gifts and crawls on earth form birth to

death, worse than any animal. Exercises like Bhajan elevate the mind and exhort

the individual to seek and find the source of eternal joy that lies within him.

Grace is not something that is given or taken

When I directed that groups of people belonging to our Samithi should go along

the streets in the early hours of the morning, singing the glory of God as

summarized in the names with which they are identified, some ask me, "Is this

also included in Bhakti? Should we sing aloud in company while on the streets?"

The question arises from false conceit. Bhajan, which is part of

Nagarasankeerthan, gladdens the singer and showers joy to those who listen; it

cleanses and purifies the atmosphere by its vital vibrations. It inspires and

instructs; it calls and comforts.

Hold fast to the God you believe in, despite trials and tests, the ups and downs

of life. This day is the New Moon day, when the moon starts growing into

fullness, but, as soon as he has come full circle, he starts waning, until he

almost disappears and the earth is plunged in darkness; yet, all is not lost;

the thin curve grows steadily into the full moon again. Fortune too is like the

moon. Nothing can be fixed or fragile forever, in this fickle world, born out of

the fancy of the Lord. The Lord is eternal, absolute, unchanging. My name is

truth, I am the truth, and since I am in every one of you, you too are

everlasting truth. Do not doubt this and descend into distress. Strive to be

endowed with the unwavering eye, the unhesitating mind.

Call out the Lord who is within your Heart

Now, you will all be given Prasadam (eatables offered to God) and so, sit

silently in rows. Of course, I mean by Prasadam the cooked offerings that are

given this day at the conclusion of the Bhajan. Prasadam, also means grace,

which flows from God when He is propitiated. My grace is ever with you; it is

not something that is given or taken; it is given always and accepted by the

consciousness that is aware of its significance. Win the grace of your own

subconscious, so that it may accept the grace of God which is ever available.

God does not deny any one; it is only you, who deny God. When the gift if

proffered, you have to do only one little act, so that you may earn it - you

have to extend your hand to receive it. That is the grace or the subconscious;

win it, by teaching it the value of the grace of God. My grace is showered

wherever you are through My infinite love, without even calculating or

measuring the readiness of your subconscious to receive it and benefit by it.

The grace itself will confer on you the faith and the strength, the wisdom and

the joy. I am in your heart all the time, whether you know it or not.

Dhroupadhi called out for the Lord of Dwarka, Shri Krishna, when the wicked

cousins of her husbands cruelly insulted her, and so, the Lord responded after

a little delay. He had to go to Dwarka and come from there to Hasthinaapura

where she was! He

told her that she could have got Him in the fraction of a second, had she called

out, 'O dweller in my heart', for He dwells there too, as everywhere else!

The Maha Shivarathri festival is over; but the message of the day is yet to

fructify in your behavior, conduct, thinking and activity. Do not rest content

with a nightlong Bhajan. Make it a lifelong Bhajan, of adoration, of pilgrimage

to the Lord within.

*****

Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-2

TEACHER OF TEACHERS

Maha Shivarathri day – 5th March 1973 – Prashanthi Nilayam

Shivarathri is observed every month, on the fourteenth night of the dark half;

for the moon which is the presiding deity of the human mind, has only just one

night more to be a non-entity, with no influence on the agitation of the Mind.

In the month of Magha, the fourteenth night is named Maha (Great) Shivarathri,

for, it is sacred for another reason too. It is the day on which Siva takes the

Linga Form, for the benefit of seekers. Siva is revered as the form, which is to

be adored for the acquisition of Jnana of Wisdom. Jnana Maheswaraad Icched, as

the Vedas advise. Pray to Siva for enlightenment, through wisdom. So, do not

treat this day lightly, and reduce the disciplines prescribed by the sages for

its celebration, such as fast and vigil and uninterrupted recital of the name

of God, into a routine ritual, or

a change for picnic, revelry, rivalry or factious fun. Contemplate this day and

this night, on the Atma Linga, which emanates from Siva, the Jyothi Linga, the

symbol of the supreme light of wisdom, and be convinced that Siva is in every

one of you. Let that vision illumine your inner consciousness.

A fence is necessary to protect growing crops; but, when no crop is growing, why

spend time and money on a fence? The orange is covered by a rind which is not

very tasty, in order to protect it from too early consumption. Outer ritual is

prescribed to shelter the inner message from being tampered with. Shivarathri

too like all other holy days in the Hindu and other religious calendars has

many such outer ceremonial observances and a deep core of inner significance.

But, human nature prefers the easier path of outer formality to the path of

inner discipline and direct experience.

Visiting Siva shrines, arranging for worship through priests of Siva Lingams,

pouring sanctified waters, potfuls of them over consecrated idols, fasting,

vigil and such other activities are resorted to on this day. But, these are not

quite relevant to the real purpose of the festival. To fulfill these rites and

vows, one need not wait one full year and consult the astrologer and his

calendar of holy days. When man takes in food four times a day, in order that

his body may keep functioning efficiently, is it too much to ask him to feed

the mind with good thoughts and godly acts, at least once every day. The mind

too needs clean and sustaining food.

Iswara, a Name of Siva, means that He has all the glory that is associated with

Godhead. Sankara, another name of Siva, means that He causes by His Grace, Sam

that is, Ananda on the supremost level. Siva is the embodiment of Ananda; hence

the Thandava dance, which He enjoys so much, with the cosmos as His stage. To

set apart just one day among the 365 for the worship of this universal

Omnipresence is an insult to His majesty and mystery.

Consider the significance of the form that Siva has assumed for human adoration:

In His neck, He has the holocaust---producing poison, Halahala that can destroy

all life in a trice. On His head, He has the sacred Ganga River, whose waters

can cure all ills, here and hereafter. On His forehead, He has the eye of fire.

On His head, He has the cool comforting moon. On His wrists, ankles, shoulders

and neck He wears deadly cobras, which live in life--giving breath of air. Siva

lives in the burial ground and the burning ghat, the Rudrabhumi, as it is

called--the land of Siva or Rudra. The place is no area of dread; it is an

auspicious area, for all have to end their lives there, at the close of this

life or a few more lives. Siva is teaching you that death cannot be shunned or

frightened away. It has to be gladly and

bravely met.

Siva, again, is said to go about with a begging bowl. He teaches that,

renunciation, detachment, indifference to good fortune or bad, these are the

paths to attain Him. Siva is known as Mrtyunjaya, He who vanquishes death. And

He is also the Kaamaari, the destroyer of desire. These two names show that he

who destroys desire can conquer death, for desire breeds activity, activity

breeds consequence, consequence breeds bondage, bondage results in birth and

birth involves death.

Iswara is also symbolized in the Linga Form, Lings is derived from the Sanskrit

root, Li, and means Leeyathe, 'merges'; it is the form in which all forms

merge. Siva is the goal who blesses beings with the most desirable gift of

meaning in the universe. That is the end, the death, which one should strive

for, the end which Siva can vouch-safe.

Realize the God in you first; then, if you involve yourself with the material

world, no harm can come to you, for you will recognize the objective world as

but the body of God. But, if you try to involve yourself with the objective

world first, and then try to discover God who is material only. Again, you can

direct your spiritual efforts in either of two ways: endeavor to reach you.

Follow the commands of God, and He will be pleased to raise you up. Follow the

path of inquiry and discover where He resides, and realize Him there. You can

follow either means. But, reaching Him is the inescapable task of man.

Siva means, graciousness; auspiciousness; Mangalam. He is all graciousness, ever

auspicious, Sarva Mangalam. That is the reason why the epithet, Sri, which

indicates these qualities, is not added to the name Siva, Sankara, lsvara etc.

It is added to the number of Avatars, for they have taken on perishable bodies

for a specific purpose. They have to be distinguished from other humans, by the

epithet, Siva is eternally gracious, auspicious, mangala and so the epithet is

superfluous. Siva is adored as the teacher of teachers, Dakshinamurti. The form

of Siva is itself a great lesson in tolerance and forbearance.

The Halahala poison is hidden by Him in His Throat; the beneficent moon which

all welcome, He has worn on His Head. This is a lesson for man to keep away

from others all harmful tendencies and to use for their benefit all useful

tendencies that he can command. If one uses his skills for his own advance, and

his evil propensities for putting down others, he is only taking the road to

ruin.

Man is inherently Divine; he ought therefore demonstrate in thought, word and

deed the Divine attributes of love, tolerance, compassion and humanity. God is

Truth; man too must live in Truth. God is Love; man too must live in Love,

eschewing anger. Master hatred through Love; master anger through sweet

tolerance.

There are many who bargain with God, and offer Him gifts of money or articles if

He would confer Grace. If one believes that the gift of a coconut or a purse of

116 rupees can mollify God, I wonder what kind of God he has in his mind? Is

his conception of God so mean, so contemptible? Those who plan to have their

desires granted through riches can never deserve the name, devotee. Those who

encourage the payment of money for spiritual gains or for gaining Divine favor

are also to be condemned. This is the reason why the Gita lays down that God

will be pleased by offering leaf, flower or fruit or even a drop of water. But

even these four articles are materials.

The Gita does not intend that you should pluck a leaf or flower or a fruit from

some plant or tree and place it before God. Nor does it ask you to bring water

from a well or river or the roadside tap. The leaf is your own body, which like

the leaf, sprouts greens, fades, and finally falls off from the branch. The

flower is the heart freed from the insect pests of lust, anger, greed,

attachment, pride, hate etc. The fruit is the mind, the consequence of its

yearnings, which have to be dedicated to God. The water is the stream of tears

that flow from the eyes when one is in ecstatic Bliss at the contemplation of,

God's glory. Giving these four is the real act of surrender, Saranagathi. The

offering of leaves or flowers or fruits or river water is at best a way of

helping the plant or tree or river to secure

a little merit.

There are some who declare glibly, "O, I have surrendered my body, mind,

intellect, my everything to God". These people have no control over their minds

and the emotions and passions they are filled with They have no mastery over

their reason. They are not even able to regulate their bodies. So, it is indeed

ridiculous for them to claim that they have offered them to God. How can they

give to God what is not theirs? What right have they? How can any one accept

the gift of something which does not belong to the giver'?

In fact, you need not surrender anything at all. Love all beings---that is

enough. Love with no expectation of return; love for the sake of love; love

because your very nature is love; love because that is the form of worship you

know and like. When others are happy, be happy likewise. When others are in

misery, try to alleviate their lot to the best of your ability. Practice love

through Seva. By this means, you will realize unity and get rid of the ego that

harms.

Sent with Sai love

Sai brothers – ‘’

 

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