Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-9 and 10

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Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-9

SERVICE, LOVE, AND SACRIFICE

Maha Shivarathri day – 7th March 1997 – Prashanthi Nilayam

The individual self is always the Eternal Self (Sivam)Sivam is the ever

indwelling Spirit in the individual;The one who is aware of this onenessIs

verily the knower of the Self, none other

Embodiments of Divine Love!

Only the one who realizes that there is no difference between Siva and the

individual is a true knower of the Self (Atma-Jnani).

Scientists are seeking to explain the mystery of creation in various ways. The

Science of spirituality has also been explaining creation in various ways.

Whatever any one may say, what is perceived by us is the atom. Without the atom

there can be no universe. Rocky mountains, wooded forests, the waters of the

ocean, the mud of the earth and the flesh and bones of the body are all

composed of atoms. No object will be perceivable without the presence of atoms.

The food you eat, the water you drink, the objects you see and the earth you

tread upon are all made up of atoms.

When you enquire into the nature of the atom, you realize that the whole world consists of atoms.

The Veda described the Divine as "subtler than the subtlest atom and vaster than

the vastest object" (Anoraneeyaan mahatho maheeyaan).

Many regard the atom as something, which is not visible to the eye. This is

wrong. The atom consists of particles, which are not visible.

The ancient sages considered that the Divine was immanent in the atom. "Oh Lord!

You are extremely subtler than the atom and vaster than the vastest object. You

are said to be manifest in the 84 lakhs of species in the universe and declared

to be omnipresent throughout the cosmos. How can we hope to recognize you?"

[swami sang a song in Telugu].

For a thousand years scientists have been trying to explore the nature of the

atom. But a long time ago, the young lad Prahalada, knew that God was immanent

in the atom and proclaimed that truth. He stridently told his father: "Do not

have any doubts as to the presence or absence of the Divine from one thing or

another. The Lord is all-pervasive. You can find Him wherever you seek Him!"

[Telugu poem]. Young people should realize the superiority of spiritual power

over the power of technology.

SCIENCE AND THE VEDA

The Pranava mantra (Om) contains within it the powers of Siva and Shakthi. These

two powers, Siva and Shakthi, correspond to what scientists call electron and

proton (the two constituents of the atom). Proton forms the nucleus of the

atom. The electron is moving at great speed round the proton. The Veda has

described the phenomenon in different ways. It has declared that Siva and

Shakthi are inextricably associated with each other. This corresponds to the

relationship between the electron and the proton. Anterior to the electron and

proton is the particle known as neutron. This corresponds to what the Veda has

called "Sath". In common parlance "Sath" is regarded as something effulgent.

This is not correct. "Sath", in fact, means darkness. Out of this darkness is

born light. Out of the darkness called "Asanthi", comes the effulgence

of "Prasanthi". Thus darkness is called "Thamah". One meaning of "Tha" is

"nectar". The other meaning is "garbha" or womb. The scientists call this womb

as "space". The second syllable "mah" means poison or Time. Thus the word

"Thamas" encompasses space and Time, which are the determinants of the human

predicament.

THE HUMAN SAGA

What is the origin of man? At the beginning there is "garbha" or space. In this

garbha (womb or space) human life originates and has the form of a bubble on

the seventh day. On the 15th day it takes the form of the embryo. On the 30th

day it becomes foetus. On the 60th day, the head starts taking shape. On the

210th day, the foetus quickens with life. On the 240th day, the full body is

formed. On the 270th day the child comes out into the world. The Veda declared

that space and time are essential factors in human birth.

Instead of understanding the miracle of human existence, men are wasting their

lives in the pursuit of transient worldly pleasures.

Although superficially it may appear as if there are differences between the

findings of science and the declarations of the Vedas, essentially there are no

differences. The Veda has revealed many truths not discovered by science.

Science has not yet found many of the truths declared by the Vedas.

People should try to find out how much of the powers of the Divine are present

in man. The individual (Jivi) and God are not different from each other. The

individual, however, by his attachment to the body, is leading a mundane

existence. The day man develops love of Spirit; he will realize the oneness of

the individual and the Divine.

Men should understand the true relationship between the external phenomenal

world and the world of the Spirit inside. The external world is a reflection of

the inner being. All the happiness that he seeks from external objects is within

himself.

CLOUDS, RIVERS AND THE OCEAN

Take the example of the ocean. The water that turns into vapour from the ocean

assumes a different form and quality. It acquires purity and sweetness and

returns to the ocean in another form. Look at the changes it goes through in

this process. Going up as vapour, becoming a cloud, coming down as rain,

flowing as rivulets, it joins the ocean as a river. The change into vapour is

"Sathya" (Truth). The formation of the cloud is Dharma (Right Conduct). Coming

down as raindrops corresponds to drops of love. When the drops join to become a

river, there is the flow of Ananda (Bliss). This stream of bliss merges in the

ocean of Grace.

Sometime or other what has come from the Divine has to merge in the Divine. This

is the natural destiny of all living beings. Taking birth as a man, leading a

godly life, one ultimately merges in the Divine.

Considering the Divine as formless, some scholars have raised controversies

regarding this process. The truth is that there is no object in the world,

which is formless. Even the minutest sub-atomic particle has a form. Only the

ignorant can think otherwise.

It was for this reason that the ancient sages adored the Divine in various

forms. Holding that all forms are made up of atoms, they recognized the Divine

in all forms.

HOLINESS OF SIVARATHRI

"Shivarathri" has a variety of meanings. "Rathri" implies the darkness of night.

But "Shivarathri" connotes not darkness but the special sacredness of this

night. There is darkness in this night also. But this darkness is invested with

auspiciousness. The reason is on this Chathurdasi day (l4th day after the Full

Moon), the moon, who is the presiding deity for the mind, has shed fifteen of

his sixteen digits. This is an auspicious time for having proximity to God.

[bhagawan sang a Telugu song to extol the days when good people gather to

meditate on God, when kith and kin fraternize in the home, when hospitality is

extended to strangers and when the needy are helped. They alone are real days,

all other days are indeed days of mourning].

The Upanishads refer to the attributes of the Divine as "Sathyam, Sivam,

Sundaram". Plato regarded Truth, Goodness and Beauty as the attributes of the

Divine. "Sivam" represents the principle of auspiciousness. It is associated

with Truth on the one side and beauty on the other.

The ancients regarded “Shivarathri” as a sacred day. Experiencing bliss on that

day they offered it to the world.

People should realize the impermanence of worldly pleasures and the transient

nature of youth, wealth and progeny. People should turn their minds towards the

eternal Divine.

GOOD AND EVIL

It may be asked if the Divine is present in all things, is there no difference

between good and bad, truth and falsehood?

For the person who has the conviction that the Divine is present in everything

there is no good or bad. He sees the Divine equally in all things. Good and

evil exist for the one who looks at these things in terms of these differences.

 

In the Gita, Krishna pointed out to Arjuna how he was the active force behind

all events and Arjuna should consider himself as an instrument of the Divine.

When anyone acts out of the firm conviction that he is an instrument of the

Divine and dedicates all his actions to the Divine, he will see no distinction

between right and wrong. It is attachment to the body that produces the

illusion of individual doership. When that attachment goes, there is

realization of oneness with the Divine.

No doubt the body is necessary for certain purposes. But it should be regarded

as an instrument and all actions should be performed as offerings to the

Divine.

BELIEF IN GOD

Divinity is present equally in all, irrespective of their beliefs. The believers

should conduct themselves on the basis that the Divine is present in them and

redeem their lives by acting up to the injunctions of the Divine.

Some scientists may deny God, but they do not realize that the powers of the

electron and proton are derived from the Divine. God may be called by any name,

but God is one. The atheists may adore something without calling it God, but

nonetheless the Divine is present in it.

Once some persons approached Buddha and put to him questions about God. Buddha

told them: "Why are you wasting your time on these futile controversies? If you

were told about God, you will not believe. Why should you waste my time on this

matter? The basic requisites for life in this world are Truth, Righteousness

and Non-violence (Sathya, Dharma and Ahimsa). Regard Truth as God. Adhere to

truth. You will realize everything:'"

Some people ask "How are we to believe in God when we have no notion of his

form?" This is sheer folly. Here is a flower. It has a form, but the fragrance

emanating from it has no form. Can you deny the reality of the fragrance

because it has no form? Fragrance has a form, but that form is manifested in

the flower.

TRUTH BEHIND FORMS

Take, for instance, Prema (love). What is the form of love? It is your fault if

you do not recognize its form. Love has a form derived from the persons who

exhibit love. Without someone expressing love, love cannot exist, just as

fragrance cannot exist without a flower. So, in these examples we can see the

inextricable relationship between what appears to be formless and the source of

its form.

To take another example: Here is a person whose form can be described in terms

of various physical features. But does this description in terms of height,

weight reveal anything about his internal qualities like forbearance,

peacefulness, compassion, love and sacrifice. Are not these qualities very real

and significant? He is prized mainly for these qualities, not for his physical

features. To judge him only in physical terms is meaningless. His formless

virtues are more important. When one is judged in respect of his qualities, the

form is irrelevant.

ASHTAVAKRA TEACHES A LESSON

Sage Ashtavakra to the learned Pundits in Emperor Janaka’s court demonstrated

the utter ridiculousness of judging a person solely on the basis of his

physical form when all of them laughed on seeing the crooked figure of

Ashtavakra. The sage laughed even louder at all of them. When they asked him

for an explanation, Ashtavakra told them that the scholars who laughed at his

uncouth figure were no better than cobblers who judged things by the nature of

the skin. Ashtavakra told them that the truly wise person sees the Divine in

all beings. ("Pandithaah Samadarsinah"). Those who judge by the external form

are no better than cobblers. "I laughed at all of you because I wondered how

the Emperor happened to esteem you all as scholars."

This means that those who judge anything on the basis of the external form are

utterly foolish. No purpose is served by trying to explain to a blind person

the nature of something he cannot see. Likewise, how can anyone speak about God

to a person who has no intimacy with the Divine or yearning for God?

WORSHIP OF FORMS

Your conscience is the Divine. God dwells in the heart as a witness. This is the

truth about the omnipresence of God. To experience the Divine within you, you

have to cherish godly feelings. To acquire such feelings you have to perform

certain spiritual exercises.

The formless Divine has to be worshipped in the form of Rama, Krishna or other

forms according to one's preference. Just as air or water assumes the form of

the container in which it is kept, God acquires the form in which the devotee

worships Him. All forms are His.

To worship God as immanent in every atom or cell in the body is the highest form of worship.

WAYS OF THE DIVINE

Embodiments of Love! Through love you can achieve anything. A man without love

is as good as dead. Serve all with love. The Divine is both the lover and the

beloved. He is the director of the play and He is also the actor. [swami sang a

song in Telugu about the double role of the Divine in human affairs].

He will bring tears to your eyes;He will wipe away your tears.

How does He do it? When you are immersed in worldly affairs he brings tears to

your eyes. When you are immersed in spirituality he wipes away your grief.

He will drive you crazy.He will drive away your madness.Verily He is the ever-blissful Sai

He makes the devotee crazy about Swami and makes him cry: "Swami! Swami! Swami!"

He rescues the devotee from the crazy attachment to the world.

He will make the hedonist miserable;He will make the miserable happy

An affluent pleasure seeker is rendered miserable. A miserable person is made

happy. When a man becomes affluent he gets afflicted with the disease of

worldly attachments.

THE WORLD'S SEVEN MALADIES

Today the world is afflicted with seven kinds of diseases. First: business

without morality. This is a major malady afflicting the world. Second: Politics

without principles. Third: Education without character. Fourth: Sustenance

without sacrifice. Fifth: A harvest without labour. Sixth: Humanness without

virtue. Seventh: devotion without faith.

What is the use of devotion without faith? What is the use of claiming to be a

man without human qualities? How can you expect a crop without cultivation?

What is the use of education without character?

Three things are most essential today. One: There must be morality in business.

Politics with principle ("nijaayathi"). Education with character.

Today the above mentioned seven diseases are causing all the troubles to the

nation. Wherever you turn, there is disorder, misery and fear. Everyone should

resolve to rid the country of these seven grievous ills.

LOVE IS THE PANACEA

How are these diseases to be got rid of? Love is the only means. Love is God.

Live In love. When love is developed, hatred will have no place. Injustice will

be out of bounds. People will not indulge in falsehood. They will not resort to

wicked ways. People will follow the right path.

Therefore, deem love as God. Buddha declared: Ahimsa is the foremost virtue.

Sathya Sai declares: Love alone is the form of the Divine.

Love all. Love is God's only property. It does not belong to man. It is not a

purchasable commodity. It issues from the heart. It alone can be said to be

divine.

Divine love is different from human attachments. It is timeless. It is

omnipresent. Make it your sole ideal. It is inherent in you. Manifest it in the

proper way. If there is sugar at the bottom of a tumbler filled with water, you

can make the whole water sweet by stirring the sugar and dissolving it in the

water. Likewise, your heart is a tumbler. At the bottom, there if Divinity.

Take the spoon of Buddhi (intellect). Stir the heart by the process of Sadhana.

Then, the Divinity in the heart will circulate through the entire body. Then,

every action of yours will be sweet, your speech will be sweet, your walking

will be sweet, your looks will be sweet, your thoughts will be sweet. You will

be sweet all over.

Realize that that sweetness is within you. Turn your intellect inwards and

discover that sweetness by filling the intellect with love.

SWEETNESS OF RAMA'S NAME

Saint Ramdas proclaimed the same truth when he sang his song calling upon all

devotees to share the sweetness of the Rama Nama. [swami sang the song in

Telugu in an appealing voice)]. "Here is the sweet of Rama's name. Eat it and

enjoy bliss. Do not go after any other silly things sold in the bazaar. This

sweet has been made out of the flour of the Vedas, mixed with the milk of the

Mahavakyas, and is offered to you by the ancient sages. They made it with the

sugar of inward contemplation and the ghee of pure thoughts, removed the taint

of falsehood from it." The chanting of Rama's name costs you nothing. Why do

you go after bad things, paying a heavy price for them?

The blissful name of Rama contains the essence of the Vedas, is the goal of all

spiritual endeavors and is the essence of all spirituality. All things can be

accomplished by chanting the Lord's name.

ELIMINATE THE EGO

Do not look upon Shivarathri as only an annual festival. Deem every night as a

Shivarathri (holy night). Wherever and whenever you entertain sacred thoughts

and contemplate on God, you have Shivarathri then and there.

"Sivam" means auspiciousness. It calls for the eschewing of egoism. Those who

know Telugu can see how the letter "Sa" becomes "Si" by the shortening of the

mark at the end the letter "Sa" .The elimination of the ego makes all the

difference between "Sivam" and "Savam" (a corpse).

Every human being should strive to destroy the ego (Ahamkaara). Unless the ego

is eradicated, Divinity cannot be realized.

Consider this example. Here you are, devotees who have come from distant parts

of the world at great expense and trouble. Who sent you any invitation? Why

have you come here? You have come to experience the love of Swami. Swami is

moving amongst each of you with joy and laughter and filling you with

happiness. It is because of Swami's abundant love that you are drawn to this

place. If ego prevailed here, none of you would come here. It is the total

absence of ego that attracts you to Swami. This was the feeling that animated

the Gopis of Brindavan. Their only desire was to be near Krishna at all times

and in any condition. [swami sang a song describing the gopikas' longing for

Krishna's company, whatever the form in which he may appear.]

This is the true relationship between the individual and God. But people are

forgetting this and wasting their time. They should be prepared to make any

sacrifice to realize God, which is the primary purpose of human birth.

ADVICE TO STUDENTS

Students! Whatever may be your parents' plan for you or your own plans for your

future, never give up meditating on God. Serve your parents. Follow the example

of Rama, who became adorable as a God by his exemplary life. He sacrificed

everything to uphold the plighted word of his father. Doing your duty is true

yoga. Your duty as a student is to respect your teachers, revere your parents

and earn a good name in society. After you get married, you must lead a

virtuous and purposeful life in society. This is the culture of Bharat. It

calls for a life of purity in thought, word and deed.

SEVA, PREMA, THYAAGA

This is the primary message of Shivarathri. I am giving you three maxims, which

you have to bear in mind: "Seva, Seva, Seva". Never forget the duty to serve.

For this you have to develop love. To develop love, you have to promote the

spirit of sacrifice. Service will become meaningful when it manifests love that

issues from sacrifice. Consider service as conducive to your own spiritual

development. "Be good, do good".

[bhagawan concluded His discourse with a series of Bhajans, beginning with the

song, "Siva, Siva, Siva anaraada".]

Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-10

BHAJANS AND BLISS

Maha Shivarathri day –8th March 1997 – Prashanthi Nilayam

The Goddess of prosperity walks in the wake of truth;Fame follows

sacrificeKnowledge follows diligence;The intellect is governed by actions

[sanskrit sloka]

Sathyaanusaarini Lakshmi. As long as people adhere to Truth, prosperity will

attend on them. Truth is that which is valid for all the three categories of

Time - past, present, and the future. Truth is Divine. The one who adheres to

Truth will lack nothing in the world.

Thyaagaanusaarini Keerthi. Fame will follow the man who has the spirit of sacrifice.

In the world today both truth and sacrifice are rare. These two are the proper

goals for human existence.

Abhyaasaanusaarini Vidyaa. Knowledge is gained by the extent to which it is

diligently pursued. Diligent study is essential for the acquisition of

knowledge. The Gita has declared that earnest practice leads to success in

meditation. Meditation helps to promote the spirit of sacrifice. Peace is

secured from sacrifice. Hence, diligence is essential for achieving anything.

All actions in one's life are performed well through constant practice

(Abhyaasa).

ACTIONS AND THE MIND

Buddih Karmaanusaarini. (Actions determine the course of the intellect). In the

actions performed by a person, there are two types: the proper and the

improper. Man's intellectual tendencies depend on the nature of his actions,

good or bad. Bad actions pollute the intellect. Good deeds purify the

intellect. Hence, the condition of the intellect is determined by one's

actions.

To ensure that one's actions are good, one has to cultivate good company.

Association with the good influences the intellect in the right direction. Your

company shows what you are. It is, therefore, necessary to cultivate the company

of good people and foster good qualities.

In this world, who is a true preceptor?

One's heart is the true preceptor. Time is a true teacher. The world is the best

guidebook. God is the ideal friend.

Hence, there is no need to search for a preceptor. The heart is your conscience.

When you consult your heart or conscience, it tells you what is right. It is the

right preceptor. It will not let you go astray.

Then you have Time. It is going in the right direction. In any circumstances you

cannot go against Time. Teachers are of two kinds: the painful and the

illuminating. Time belongs to the type of teacher who illumines. Time is the

devourer of all things in due course. But the Lord (Easwara) is master over

Time itself. Therefore, one should act according to the needs of the Time, with

full faith in the Lord. This is the proper way to act.

THE COSMOS AS TEACHER

People read all kinds of sacred books: the Gita, the Bible, the Quran, the

Granth Saheb and others. All these books confine their teachings to specific

subjects. They do not cover other subjects related to the physical, the social

etc.

But the cosmos itself constitutes the most comprehensive textbook, covering all

subjects, the physical, the mundane, the ethical and the spiritual. The cosmos

is therefore the best text. There is nothing you cannot learn from the

universe.

However intelligent a man may be, he learns all that he knows from the world

around him. Without the world knowledge cannot exist.

In the distant past, the world was enveloped in darkness. For millions of years

the world was covered by a heavy mass of clouds. Then started a downpour, which

lasted for thousands of years. This was followed by the formation of oceans,

mountains, rivers and forests on the earth. The dissolution of the clouds

gradually dispelled the darkness enveloping the world. Then, the sun and the

stars became visible from the earth. Man has to learn many things from the

phenomena-taking place in the universe.

GOD IS THE BEST FRIEND

Next, there is the question: Who is one's best friend in the world? There are

any numbers of fair-weather friends. Who is a lasting friend, who will stand by

you in weal and woe, who is pure and unselfish? God alone is such a friend. When

you make God your friend, you will be free from all troubles. Your worldly

friends may desert you any moment. But God will always be with you, above you,

around you. Your dearest and unfailing friend is God alone.

All of you were engaged in Bhajans the whole of last night. They appeared to be

largely a kind of ritual (Vyavahaarikam). What is the origin of this worldly

ritual? It has come from the spiritual (Paaramaarthika). This shows that there

is an element of spirituality even in worldly actions - whether it be the

practice of a profession, or a business or the pursuit of knowledge.

Association with spirituality sanctifies worldly activities.

THE OCEAN, WAVES AND FOAM

>From the worldly activities arise what are called "Praathibhaasika" activities

(unreal reflections of the worldly activities): What is the relationship

between these three types of activities? The Paaramaarthika (spiritual) is like

the ocean. From this arise the waves of worldly activities. (Vyaavahaarika). The

main characteristics of the ocean are to be found in the waves also like

chillness, saltishness, etc. "Praathibhaasika" is represented by the foam

arising from the waves. The foam has all the qualities of the ocean. The

relationship between these three types has to be properly understood. Without

the ocean, there can be no waves. Without the waves, there can be no foam. It

is clear that without the Paaramaarthika (the spiritual) there can be no

Vyaavahaarika (worldly) phenomenon. Without the Vyaavahaarika waves, there can

be

no Praathibhaasika foam. Their interrelationship is comparable to a grandfather

(the ocean), father (waves) and son (the foam). The ocean is not diminished by

evaporation or swollen by the flow of river waters. This equanimity is

characteristic of the ocean. It is free from egoism and possessiveness.

THE SPIRITUAL AND THE WORLDLY

People, however, consider the three states (Paaramaarthika, Vyaavahaarika and

Praathibhaasika) as different from each other. This is totally wrong. The

worldly activities (Vyaavahaarika) should not in any way be divorced from the

spiritual (Paaramaarthika). Only then can peace be got from worldly activities.

What is the cause of sorrow in this world? It is the result of separating the

worldly activities from the spiritual-and considering them as distinct from the

other. The transient nature of worldly activities should be understood. It is by

associating them with the spiritual that they acquire sanctity. The spiritual

basis of all activity should never be forgotten.

SPIRITUALISE THE BHAJANS

The Bhajans these times were done in a ritualistic fashion. Greater attention

was paid to raaga, thaala, laya and sruti (the melody, the beat, the rhythm and

the tone). All these are conventional qualities (Vyaavaahaarika). To elevate the

Bhajans to a spiritual level what are required are true feeling and the ecstasy

of devotion. The songs should flow not from the lips but from the heart. When

the songs come out of the heart they will be blissful for the ears.

That heart is comparable to the ocean. Hence, the Lord is described as

"Hridayavaasi", the dweller in the heart. The heart is the seat of compassion

in man. Only when men are kind, you can call humanity "mankind".

Do not think that God dwells in some temple, shrine or place of pilgrimage. He

is omnipresent and His abode in man is the human heart.

When Narada sought to know from Vishnu what was His permanent abode, the Lord

replied: "Wherever my devotees chant my glories, I am present there". When God

dwells in the heart, why should devotee seek Him elsewhere?

Conduct your Bhajans with a pure unsullied heart, oblivious to all worldly

desires. When you chant the Lord's name with a pure heart, you will experience

the Divine. "If a man devotes one moment of the time devoted to thoughts of

family, friends, business and wealth, to thoughts on the Lotus Feet of the

Lord, he will have no need to fear the messengers of death". [swami sang a

Sanskrit Sloka]. Men's thoughts today are wholly concerned with acquisition of

material possessions, power and pelf. How much happier would they be if they

devoted a fraction of their time to contemplate the glories of God. Hours,

days, years are wasted in the pursuit of things of the world. One moment

devoted to thoughts of God will make all the difference.

What meaning is there in acquiring millions?

A contented man is happier than a millionaire. The poorest man in the world is

the one who has insatiable desires.

TRUTH AND SACRIFICE

Be content with what you get and carry on your duties. This is "Thyaaga", a life of sacrifice.

Today the world needs Truth and Sacrifice. What does sacrifice mean? Today there

are millions of people who consider themselves Sai devotees. There is no need to

go outside the Sai fold. If only the Sai devotees alone adhered to Truth and

Sacrifice, the entire world will be transformed.

If you wish to change the world, these two principles are the recipe. Truth

(Sathya) purifies the heart. Sacrifice (Thyaaga) transforms the physical

environment. By this double transformation the entire world is divinised.

How long will men continue to wallow in the mundane world, forgetting the

Divine? You must yearn for God and redeem your life.

Men desire to become millionaires. But how many of the millionaires have peace

of mind? Money can give many things that are conducive to comfort. But it

cannot give peace of mind.

It should be realized that the body and all the appurtenances of the mind have

been given to man to enable him to achieve spiritual peace (Atma-Santhi). If

spiritual bliss is not attained, all other physical attainments are worthless.

Man has been endowed with a body to practice righteousness. Man has to rise

above the level of birds and beasts. Dedicate your lives to the service of your

fellowmen. Do not lead an idle life. Bharat has any amount of land and water.

Why should people suffer from want? Because they are not engaged in the right

type of activities. Many are wasting their time. Time is God. Time wasted is

life wasted.

WORSHIP OF FORMS

In the worship of the Divine, there are two schools of thought - those who

worship the formless and those who worship the Divine in different forms. The

differences over this issue are fruitless. Water that is formless acquire a

form when it becomes ice. The formless water molecule and the ice block with

the form are one and the same. Vedanta has clearly pointed out the futility of

this controversy.

People get confused by the way some scholars deal with spiritual subjects on the

radio and the TV. The teachings are often based only on bookish knowledge

without any practical experience. Knowledge should be based on experience. For

instance, the saltish water from the ocean that is turned into vapour by the

rays of the sun becomes pure and sweet. It has no trace of salt in it. It has

been transformed.

The same process takes place when the grace of the Lord's rays falls on the

polluted mind of man and transforms his thoughts into pure and sweet feelings.

ACTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES

The importance of the mind in the process of transformation should be properly

understood because the mind is the cause of bondage or liberation. Your actions

are the cause of your happiness or sorrow. Do not blame others for your

condition. Every thought, every word and every action has its reflection,

resound and reaction. It is a sign of weakness to blame others for your

troubles. You have to bear with the consequences of your actions. If they are

unbearable, pray to God for relief. God alone can give relief in such cases. He

is all-powerful and therefore take refuge in Him.

Pray to God and draw from Him the magnet of His grace and offer to the world the

power of His electrical energy.

ENERGIES IN MAN

This is the energy which man can mobilize for the good of all. It is

all-powerful, because it is Divine. It is within you. What a pity that people

should be unaware of this and feel themselves powerless! All energy and all

bliss are within us. Because of ignorance people are resorting to all kinds of

useless exercises. They are unnecessary. Have full faith in your spiritual

power (Atma-Shakthi). Adhere to the truth of your faith, without criticizing

others.

Whatever you do, have the name of the Lord on your lips and faith in God in your

heart. Thereby work will be transformed into worship.

THE BLISS OF SILENCE

Today, you have to open your hearts and close your mouths. But people are doing

exactly the opposite. This is treason to God. Practice silence as far as

possible. Open your hearts as much as possible. The ancient sages practiced

"mounam" (absolute silence) as a spiritual discipline. Today people indulge in

excessive talk over the trivial and the important. When silence is practiced,

bliss will manifest itself. The one who talks much will do little. One who acts

will talk little.

I have been observing how the Bhajans are sung. When the girls sing, the boys do

not follow in chorus. When the boys sing, the girls do not respond. When both

are singing the Divine name, why should not they sing in unison? What is the

reason for this narrow separatism? This should be given up.

Once Emperor Akbar asked his court musician how he would account for the fact

that a wayside beggar's music moved him more profoundly than the music of the

state musician? The latter replied that while the beggar sang from his heart to

please God, his music was constrained by the desire to please the Emperor.

You should sing whole-heartedly with the desire to please God. God makes no

distinction between a proficient musician and a beggar in the street. It is the

devotion and sincerity that matter. Merge your soul in the Bhajans you sing.

Spiritualize your Bhajan singing. Then you will experience real bliss.

SWAMI'S TEACHINGS AND EXPEDIENCY

In following Swami's teachings people tend to follow them according to their

convenience. For instance, when Swami said that there is only one caste, the

caste of humanity, this statement is used as authority for uninhibited

marriages between any two persons. This is a travesty of Swami's teaching.

Caste differences are to be eliminated. But cultural differences should be

respected. Swami has emphasized that every cultural group should adhere to its

culture. Swami's teachings should be adhered to in their entirety and not

selectively according to one's convenience.

[swami concluded His discourse with a fervent appeal to all devotees to

participate in Bhajans with their heart and soul and make community singing a

blissful spiritual experience for one and all. Bhagawan sang the Bhajan,

"Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantham Brahma" before Aarati was offered to Him.]

Sent with Sai love,

Sai brothers – ‘’

 

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