Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-15 and 16

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Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-15

THE PANCHA KOSAS (FIVE LIFE SHEATHS)

Maha Shivarathri day – 4th March 2000 – Prashanthi Nilayam

Embodiments of Love!

One who has recognized the truth that the same Atma exists in all, is always in

union with God and experiences Divine bliss, be it a renunciant or a

householder, and whether one follows the path of action or not. Merely going

through the Vedas and sacred texts or listening to the discourses cannot

understand the principle of Atma. Just as a gigantic tree originates from a

tiny seed, so also the entire universe has its origin in the principle of Atma.

 

Embodiments of Love!

You are verily the embodiments of bliss and happiness. Is it not sheer ignorance

on your part to search for bliss and happiness in the external world when they

are very much present in you? True spiritual transformation lies in

understanding one's own real nature. The present and former Vice Chancellors of

our Institute have prayed to Me (in their speeches earlier) that I should

explain in detail the Pancha Kosas (five life sheaths). The physical body,

which is temporary in nature, is referred to as the Annamaya Kosa (sheath of

food). The Vedas have given this gross body a name, Viswadu, as it is

associated with the senses of perception and action. As this body is involved

in various external activities, it is also known as Vyaavahaarika. Thus the

Vedas have given various names to the physical body. The food

sheath i.e. the physical body is known as Sthula Sareera, (gross body). The

combination of life sheath, mind sheath and wisdom sheath is referred to as

Sukshma Sareera (subtle body) as they are not visible to the naked eye. It is

referred to as Praathibhasika. Mind in its subtle form is all pervasive. That

is why it is said, Manomoolam Idam Jagat (mind is the basis for the entire

world). Anandamaya Kosa (bliss sheath) refers to the Kaarana Sareera (causal

body). One should go beyond all the five sheaths in order to experience bliss.

This state is known as Turiya or Maha Kaarana Swarupa (supreme causal aspect).

This comes after Sushupti (deep sleep state). This is also referred to as

Paaramaarthika. The bliss experienced in the state of Turiya is the true bliss.

This bliss cannot be obtained through senses, mind or intellect. There are five

types of Kleshas (obstacles), which come in the way of experiencing this bliss.

They are: Avidya Klesha, Abinava Klesha, Asthitha Klesha, Raaga

Klesha and Dwesha Klesha. Man is unable to have the vision of Atma and

experience Atmic bliss due to these five Kleshas.

One who has excessive attachment to the body suffers from Avidya Klesha, which

leads to various desires and diseases and makes one's life miserable. The

Abinava Klesha arises when one does not exercise control over one's mind. Man

gives undue importance to the body and gets carried away by the vagaries of the

mind and as a result is put to suffering. The Asthitha Klesha arises out of

interest in worldly pleasures. The Raaga Klesha results from attachment towards

wealth and material objects. The Dwesha Klesha arises when one's desires are not

fulfilled. Some devotees worship God expecting something in return. They are

happy if their desires are fulfilled or else they will start hating even God.

The do not enjoy the fortune on hand. On the contrary, they desire for

something more which they do not deserve. As a

result, they are subjected to restlessness. In order to understand the principle

of Paaramaarthika, one should get rid of the mind or at least have control over

it and gradually give up body attachment.

The body is made up of five elements and is bound to perish sometime or the

other.But the indweller has neither birth nor death.He does not have attachment

or bondage.Truly speaking, the indweller is God Himself.(Telugu poem)

One cannot realize the indwelling divinity unless and until one gives up body

attachment. Body attachment is an obstacle in the path of spirituality. Just as

a gigantic tree is contained in a tiny seed, likewise the five Kleshas are

ingrained in body attachment in the subtlest manner. Attachment to the body is

the main cause for man's misery and restlessness. One should consider the body

as an instrument and lead a life of truth keeping in view the indwelling

divinity.

The entire world has a primordial basis. Here is a silver plate and a silver

tumbler. Silver is the basis for these. The name and form of the object can be

changed, but silver remains the same. Likewise, all names and forms are bound

to change, but the primordial basis remains changeless.

The principle of Atma is ancient and eternal.It has neither birth nor death,

neither beginning nor end.(Telugu Poem)

It is the primordial basis for the body, the mind and the life principle.

The water of the ocean becomes vapor due to sun's rays. The vapors in turn

become clouds. The clouds come down in the form of rain flowing down as rivers

and streams, which ultimately merge in the ocean. Nadinaam Saagaro Gathihi.

Just as the rivers, which originate from the ocean, ultimately become one with

it, so also all the living beings and objects, which originate from Divinity,

will ultimately merge in it. This in Vedantic parlance is called Mukti

(liberation). Even the Bhagavata says, it is but natural for all living beings

to go back to their place of origin. The life principle has originated from

Divinity. It is bound to merge in it.

The individual soul in the waking state is known as Viswa, as it is associated

with Karmendriyas and Jnanendriyas. In the dream state, it is called Taijasa

(the effulgent one), as it is associated with the effulgent principle of

Antahkarana (inner instruments). In deep sleep state, it is known as Praajna.

It is associated with the sheath of bliss. What is the reason for dreams? Some

attribute dreams to their thoughts and feelings. But actually speaking, sleep

is the main cause for dreams. You will understand that this world is but a

dream. Once you wake up from the sleep of ignorance. All that you experience in

the waking state get imprinted in the Antahkarana in the form of Samskaras

(tendencies).

Embodiments of Love!

Spirituality does not mean a life of solitude. True spirituality lies in

understanding the unity of the entire humanity, giving up the sense of

attachment and hatred. The principle of Atma is the same in everyone. What is

the form of Atma? Sugar has a form, but can anyone describe the form of

sweetness? Sweetness can only be experienced, it cannot be explained. Similar

is the case with Atmic principle too. It is ancient, eternal, attributeless,

formless, pure, unsullied and immortal. The sweets such as Mysore Pak, Gulab

Jamoon, Barfi, etc may vary in name and form, but sugar is the same in all.

Likewise, names and forms are different, but the principle of Atma is one and

the same. Today, man undertakes various spiritual practices such as Sravanam

(listening), Keerthanam (singing), Vishnusmaranam (chanting)

Padasevanam (serving the Lotus Feet), Vandanam (salutation), Archanam (worship),

Dasyam (servitude), Sneham (friendship) and Atma Nivedanam (self-surrender),

only for temporary satisfaction. As long as one gets sleep, it hardly matters

where one sleeps, be it on a hard rock or on a cozy bed. Similarly, one should

have purity of mind whatever may be the spiritual practice one undertakes. Once

the mind is pure, one can achieve anything in life. In order to purify the mind,

one should develop the principle of love. The light of love can never be

extinguished. Once you develop the principle of love, you will transcend the

three states of Viswa, Taijasa and Praajana and attain the ultimate bliss.

Amarasimha, the scholar par excellence, composed many verses describing the

principle of divinity. But some people unable to understand his sacred nature

put him through hardships. They set all his books on fire. Of all his works,

only Amarakosha could be retrieved due to the timely intervention of

Sankaracharya. The works of Amarashimha can be compared to the Vedas.

Unfortunately, people are not making any effort to understand the teachings of

the Vedas and sacred texts. They are drowned in ignorance and have forgotten

their true Self.

The nights you experience on other days are ordinary nights. They are nights of

darkness. But Sivaratri is an auspicious night. How is it auspicious? There are

sixteen aspects for the mind. The moon is the presiding deity of the mind. Of

the sixteen aspects of the moon, today, fifteen are absent. The remaining one

aspect can be merged in the Divine by diverting the mind towards God. If you

sing his Glory throughout the night wholeheartedly, even the remaining one

aspect can also be merged with the Divine. On this day it is possible to get

full control over the mind by contemplating on God. Hence it is considered as

an auspicious day.

Unfortunately, in this Kali Age, people observe the vigil of Shivarathri by

seeing cinema shows all through the night or playing cards. This cannot be

called Shivarathri. Every moment of the night should be devoted to the thoughts

of God and chant His name wholeheartedly.

God has thousands of names. Of all those names, 'Satchitananda' is the most

important and significant. 'Sath' stands for the changeless eternal principle

and 'chith' denotes total awareness. The former can be compared to sugar and

the latter to water. When sugar and water are mixed, what results is syrup.

Likewise the combination of 'Sath' and 'Chith' results in Ananda. Fill your

heart with love and chant the Divine name. Only then can you attain Divinity.

Perform all your activities with love. Love would originate from the source,

i.e. the heart and not by force. Today people chant the Divine name, not from

source, but out of force. No benefit accrues from chanting the Divine name

unless it is done wholeheartedly. Chant His name wholeheartedly at least for

half a minute, that is enough. One teaspoon of cow's

milk is better than barrels of donkey's milk. God is interested in quality, not in quantity.

Man should travel from the food sheath to the life sheath. Life sheath is

referred to as vibration as it is responsible for the movement of the body.

What is mind sheath? Mind is all pervasive. Mind can travel any distance in a

trice. Man has death but not the mind. Mind will follow man life after life.

What is wisdom sheath? It is not connected with material world. The material

world is associated with reaction, resound and reflection. For example, you hit

the table with your hand. Then the table also hits you in turn. As is the action

so is the reaction. This is the principle of Praathibhaasika. That which is

related to Praahibhaasika is only worldly and secular knowledge. It cannot be

termed as wisdom. True wisdom lies in understanding the constant integrated

awareness. It leads to the changeless eternal

bliss. This can be experienced only after transcending the five sheaths, viz,

Annamaya (gross form), Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya (subtle form) and

Anandamaya (causal form). Then you reach the state of Turiya (supreme causal

state). In order to attain this state one should understand very clearly the

nature of five sheaths. I have explained all this to you at length because our

present and former Vice-chancellors requested Me to enlighten the boys about

the nature of five sheaths.

Students!

You should understand that body is but an instrument and Atma is the doer and

the enjoyer. Give up body attachment. What are you studying for? You want to

earn money and lead a happy life. But, are you getting happiness from your

studies? No. After your studies, you want a lucrative job, then a promotion and

so on and so forth. There is no end to your desires. Then how can you expect to

be happy? True and permanent happiness cannot be attained in the physical

world. It can be experienced only in the state of Turiya.

One day, Adi Sankara, along with his thirteen disciples was going to the river

Ganga for a holy dip. He came across a Brahmin sitting under a tree and

repeating the rules of Panini grammar, Dukrunkarane, Dukrunkarane... Sankara

asked him what he would gain by repeating the rudiments of grammar? The Brahmin

replied that he would become a great scholar, join the royal court and earn

money. Then Sankara questioned him, how long would the wealth ensure him

happiness? The Brahmin said, he can lead a happy life till his death. Then

Sankara asked him what would happen after death. The Brahmin replied he did not

know. Sankara sang the following verse:

Bhaja Govindam Bhaja GovindamGovindam Bhaja MoodamatheSampraapthe Sannihithe

KaleNahi Nahi Rakshati DukrunkaraneOh foolish one, when the hour of death

approaches,Rudiments of grammar will not come to your rescue.So chant the name

of God.

Only God's name will protect you in all periods of time and under all

circumstances. Everything in this world is like a passing cloud. Only bliss and

love are permanent. Love is God. God is Love.

Students!

Youth is very sacred. Do not misuse it by indulging in limitless desires and

building castles in the air. Pursue your education keeping God uppermost in

your mind. Do not get entangled in unnecessary activities and bondages, which

will cause restlessness. Today people are in search of peace. But peace cannot

be found in the external world. You find only pieces! Peace is in you. You are

the embodiment of peace, you are the embodiment of truth and you are the

embodiment of love. So first of all know thyself. Only then you can be blissful

always. Modern students are acquiring various degrees. But what is the use?

In spite of his education and intelligence, a foolish man will not know his true

self and a mean-minded person will not give up his wicked qualities. Modern

education leads only to argumentation, not to total wisdom.

What is the use of acquiring worldly educationIf it cannot lead you to

immortality?Acquire the knowledge that will make you immortal.(Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Love!

Love all, do not hate anybody. This is the teaching of our ancient culture. Sage

Vyasa gave the essence of 18 Puranas thus: "Help ever, Hurt never." It is enough

if you put this into practice. Along with worldly education, spiritual education

is also essential. It is said, "Adhyatma Vidya Vidyanaam." Spiritual education

is the true education. That alone can confer the knowledge of Brahman, which

transcends dualities and the three attributes, namely, Satwa, Rajas and Thamas.

Only God is permanent. Everything else is temporary. Today people have faith in

the world, but not in God. Do not take pride in your youth and physical beauty.

 

"What will happen to you when you become a decrepit old man,When your body

becomes weak,Legs stagger and vision failsAnd you are no better than a leather

puppetAnd the children laugh at you calling you an old monkey?"(Telugu Poem)

How long will the youth last? Just as bright lightning is followed by pitch

darkness, likewise, youth is followed by old age. The flower that blossoms in

the morning fades in the evening. Such is the nature of human body. Have

control over your body and mind. Do not depend on others. Will your hunger be

satiated if someone else partakes of food? No. Self-effort is very essential in

order to progress in the path of spirituality. If you want to remain young

always, you should have control over your senses. Swami is the direct proof of

this. I have all powers in Me. There is absolutely no weakness whatsoever in

Me. Even now I can run fast. Can anyone imagine that Swami is seventy-five

years old? What is the secret behind Bhagawan’s youthful look? Purity, patience

and perseverance are mainly responsible for this.

Swami's feelings are always pure and steady. Try to emulate Swami in this

regard. You claim yourself to be Swami's devotees. Then is it not your duty to

cultivate at least a fraction of Swami's purity? You do not have the patience

to give a proper answer if someone were to ask you for some information. But I

talk to thousands and yet remain peaceful and blissful always. I am engaged in

multifarious activities. None can describe the job I do. I do the work of all

departments. All departments are Mine.

But, I am never restless. I am always blissful. During the birthday

celebrations, some devotees wish Me Happy Birthday, but I tell them, "You do

not need to wish Me Happy Birthday because I am always happy. Give happiness to

those who are not happy." Happiness is union with God. If you have the firm

conviction that God is in you, with you and around you, you will never face any

hardship or misery in your life. People talk of worries and misery. But, I do

not know what they are. They do not come near Me because of My purity. Only

those with bad thoughts and bad character are affected by misery and worry. So,

 

See no evil, see what is goodHear no evil, hear what is goodThink no evil, think

what is goodDo no evil, do what is goodThat is the way to God.

When you are faced with difficulties do not get disheartened. Consider that they

are for your own good.

You would have noticed Swami talking to a devotee on this platform a few minutes

back. His name is Narayana. He is from Madras. Last week he developed heart

problem. His son, who is a student our college, telephoned to his father asking

him to come to Puttaparthi immediately. He came here and doctors who examined

him told Me that the four valves of his heart were blocked and it was difficult

to perform operation on him. Three doctors who have come from America examined

him. In fact, they were surprised to find him alive with such a serious heart

problem. Narayana told them that he had no pain and he was very happy as Swami

was with him always. But the doctors were not satisfied. They performed

open-heart surgery on him for five hours. Four bypasses were done. This

operation was performed day before yesterday and

today he has come to Mandir. In the normal course, after a bypass surgery, a

patient has to be on the bed for at least ten days. But Narayana walked three

hundred steps yesterday itself. This is incredible. Doctors served him idlis

also. Today he has come here wearing pant and shirt, looking like a college

boy. I told him your faith is responsible for this. Right from the beginning,

he has been saying that Swami is with him and that He will take care of him. He

feels the heart problem, which he had was good for him in the sense that it

brought him to the Abode of Swami. He said our hospital is not just a hospital,

but a temple of healing. His operation was performed day before yesterday.

Yesterday he had food and today he has come to Mandir for Swami's darshan. Is

it humanly possible? Ask any doctor; they will give an emphatic 'No' as an

answer. Such is the nature of human body, but God can change even the nature of

the body and grant a bright future.

God can transform earth into sky and sky into earth but you should have firm

faith in Him. Today man has become blind, losing the eyes of faith in himself.

He does not have faith in himself, then how can he have faith in God? How can

he who does not know himself, know Divinity? First know thyself, and then you

can easily understand Divinity. Have faith in God. There is nothing that God

cannot do. One with proper eyesight can see even the small glowworm. But a

blind man cannot see even the resplendent Sun. Likewise, one without the

spiritual eye will find only darkness all around him.

The Age of Kali has become the Age of Kalaha (quarrels). Students should resolve

to eradicate hatred and restlessness. I love everybody. Everybody loves Me. But

sometimes students feel that Swami is not talking to them because He is upset

with them. I am never angry with anybody. But in order to correct you,

sometimes I may feign to be angry. When one falls sick, one needs to be given

medicine. Also one has to follow dietary regulations. Only then sickness can be

cured. Similarly, to cure your mental diseases, Swami gives you 'medicine' in

his own inimitable way. In order to bring about transformation in you. I remain

quiet and do not talk to you. Otherwise, you will become uncontrollable. Do not

give scope for hatred, greed and jealousy. You know what happened to

Hiranyakasipu, Ravana and Duryodhana who

developed hatred towards God. The Pandavas led a happy life as they had immense

love for God. They were subjected to innumerable difficulties, yet their love

for God did not diminish. So develop love for God. The more you develop love,

the more you experience happiness and the closer you go to ultimate Bliss.

Bhagawan concluded the discourse with the Bhajan, "Prema Mudita Manasa Kaho..."

*****

Recollections of Swami’s Shivarathri Divine messages-16

SANCTIFY YOUR LIFE WITH SACRED FEELINGS

Maha Shivarathri day – 5th March 2000 – Prashanthi Nilayam

The sunlight illuminates the entire world and helps the people to carry out

their tasks. But the sun has nothing to do with the pleasures and pains of the

human beings. Likewise, the innumerable problems man faces are related only to

his senses and the mind; his consciousness has nothing to do with them. It is

said that the devotees search for God. But there is no need for a devotee to go

in search of God as He is everywhere. In fact, God is in search of a true

devotee whose heart is filled with the spirit of oneness.

Foster Divine Thoughts

When you touch a hot iron ball, you say that your hand is singed by it. But it

is not the ball that singed your hand. The fire present within the ball singed

your hand. The world, like the iron ball, is not the cause either for the pain

or for the pleasure you experience. The Divine power is present within you. You

do not recognize that power and wail over your sufferings and difficulties.

Strange is the nature of modern man today. He thinks something and speaks

something else. He laughs outwardly to conceal his inner wickedness. He appears

to be weeping outwardly but inside he really laughs. His outward appearance is

that of a human being but his mind is that of a monkey. Such hypocrites and

wicked people can never find God. God expects that human beings should live

like human beings devoid of such animal qualities. Pure and pious qualities are

immanent in man. He should manifest these inherent pure feelings and not the

animal and artificial qualities. But man today is going downhill morally. With

all these contrived situations, the world has become a morose and lifeless

place.

If money is lost, it can be earned again. If health is lost, it may be possible

to regain it. But if time is lost, it can never be regained. So, man should

utilize the time at his disposal in the right manner. Money decreases only when

you spend it. But man's life span decreases on its own with the passage of time.

Every individual should be aware of the sharp scimitar called time hanging over

his head ever ready to strike. You should not become its victim. You should be

careful. If time is wasted, it cannot be regained. It is not like health and

money, which can be regained.

Embodiments of Love!

To sanctify time, you should take up virtuous actions. Good actions are the

result of good feelings only. You should cultivate such pure and divine

feelings. The sun causes clouds, but these very clouds overshadow it. Likewise,

the clouds of thoughts, which originate from the heart, cover the heart. So, the

source is overshadowed by the elements that emanate from it. That which

originates from Brahman cannot be anything else but Brahman. What is the source

of this creation? It is the splendor of the Divine. It is the Will of the

Divine. As the Divine Will is the cause of man's existence, he should have

divine feelings only. The creation born out of the Divine Will is called

Nature. So, man being the product of Nature should manifest the qualities of

Nature. He should not possess qualities alien to Nature.

Desire, anger, avarice, attachment, arrogance and jealousy originate from the

food you consume. They are also the consequence of the Samskaras of your past

lives. They are not your natural qualities.

You introduce yourself as 'I'. That 'I' is the foremost name of the Divine; all

the other mystical words originated later. In the Vedic proclamation Aham

Brahmasmi (I am Brahman), the letter 'I' stands for Brahman. So, the first name

of Brahman is 'I'. The second name is 'Atma'. The third name is 'Self'. 'Brahma'

is the fourth. 'God' is the fifth. These five are the different names of one

Divinity. You should understand the true meaning of these words. Where did this

'I' come from? It is the very form of the Self and the Divine. But, man is

putting it to much misuse by associating it with physical body. It should be

put to sacred use.

Recognize Your True Nature

Embodiments of Love!

You should try to know the ways and means to adhere to truth in daily life.

Without recognizing the path of truth, people undertake spiritual practices

like prayer, meditation and Yoga. But this is not enough. In addition to the

spiritual practices, you should also nurture good feelings. Good qualities,

good feelings, good acts and good thoughts should manifest in you. These are

natural divine traits. Despite the truth that Nature is your origin, you are

discarding the qualities of Nature and are adopting artificial behavior. You

should not lead such an artificial life. You should speak what you think and do

what you speak. The Vedas say, Antar Bahischa Tatsarvamvyapya Narayana Sthita

(That all-pervasive God is present within and without). The proper study of

mankind is man. Who is this man? The one who

maintains harmony in his thought, word and deed is the true human being. He

alone can be called man. God is in search of such a true human being. He is not

searching for the one who is a human being merely in appearance.

Man has been granted sacred intellect so that he can recognize his true nature.

The intellect is pure and unsullied which can be compared to a mirror. On the

rear side of the mirror, a chemical is applied. Without this chemical, you

cannot see your reflection in the mirror. You can see the objects that exist

behind the mirror and cannot see the objects that exist in front of it.

Likewise, if you want to recognize your true nature, you should coat your

intellect with the chemical of love. Today you keep the mirror without the

coating of love and try to see your reflection and fail in the attempt. God has

given the mirror of intellect to man to see his own form. But modern man today

is not at all trying to recognize his true form with the help of this mirror.

He is holding the mirror before the faces of others.

Likewise, every individual is using his intellect to know the world outside.

People question the whereabouts of others, but they do not try to find out

their own whereabouts. Hence, stop asking others, "Who are you?" and start

questioning yourself, "Who am I?"

The intellect has been granted to you to enable you to look at yourself, not to

look at others. Man is forgetting his true nature as he is associating himself

more and more with worldly affairs. Everyone, from a child to an adult, is

immersed in worldly affairs. Man today is not satisfied with the affairs of the

world only; he is trying to probe the space and stars also. He is turning

towards everything else but he is not turning inward. He is traveling lakhs of

miles into the space but is not traveling even half an inch into the inner

recesses of his heart. So, his feelings are taking an ugly turn. We find only

selfishness in him. He is not attempting to realize his true nature.

Embodiments of Love!

To realize one's real nature, one's innate disposition, is the foremost aim of

spirituality. This aim is not confined to spiritual practices alone. Man should

realize his true nature in every field of activity - temporal, ethical, physical

and secular. You are enthusiastic in finding the faults of others but you are

not trying to know your own faults. You will be able to improve yourself when

you try to know your own faults. Such a man will become an ideal human being.

He alone is the true human being. If you behave like a monkey, who will treat

you like a human being? At the most, people may show respect to you just for

the sake of courtesy. But in your absence, they may criticize you in many ways.

So, you should not tread that path. You should act according to your conscience.

You should follow the sacred path

and put the divine qualities present within you to right use.

Embodiments of Love!

You need not go in search of the innumerable aspects of the world. You should

strive to know your true nature. Yesterday, I explained to you the nature of

the five sheaths. The body is physical and gross. It is the cause of

innumerable troubles. With the increase of attachment towards the body,

attachment towards the Self declines. Without the Self, the body cannot

survive. You should take care to reduce your attachment towards the body

gradually. If your attachment towards the body increases, desires and avarice

too will increase.

The subtle body constituted by the Pranamaya, Manomaya and Vijnanamaya Koshas is

called Taijasa. How did it get the name Taijasa? It got this name because it is

associated with the resplendent inner thoughts and feelings. You should

recognize this divine aspect of your being. The innumerable worldly affairs you

indulge in give you ephemeral pleasures only and cannot give true, everlasting

bliss. So, you should develop inner vision. External vision is the vision of

the animals. You should not go down to their level. This is not the true nature

of man. You should purify your inner feelings. You should develop pure,

unwavering and selfless intellect. Only then will you be able to love all and

serve all. But modern man has no faith in himself. This is the main mistake of

man today. First, he should have faith in

himself. That is self-confidence. Self-confidence is the foundation of the

mansion of life. You can raise the walls of self-satisfaction on this

foundation. Self-sacrifice is its roof. Supreme bliss of self-realization can

be attained in this mansion.

Develop Inner Vision

Embodiments of Love!

Do not try to find others' faults. First identify your own faults. But you will

not be benefited if you simply see good in others without cultivating good

qualities in you. Nurture pious feelings. You should not hate anyone. Why?

Sarvata Pani-padam Tat Sarvathokshi Siromukham Sarvata Sruthimalloke

Sarvamavruthya Thishthati (with hands, feet, eyes, heads, mouth and ears

pervading everything, He permeates the entire universe). Divinity is immanent

in every being.

Today, it is necessary to develop broad outlook. Narrow-mindedness and

self-centered feelings should be annihilated. You should give up selfishness

and self-interest. The size of the eye is not even one inch. But this small eye

is able to see the magnificent stars in the sky. It is able to see far off

objects. That is the power of the eye. You can see even greater things if you

develop inner vision. So, you should have broad-mindedness. Many foreigners

call it broad heart. It may denote heart enlargement. Such hearts are treated

by the doctors and not by the Divine. Develop broad-mindedness in which broad

feelings manifest.

Students!

You are born in this vast universe. You are living in this vast world. So, you

should have broad feelings. Man living in this vast world should not have

narrow feelings. It is wrong to find faults with others. There may be faults in

them. But do not see their faults, see their good qualities. Then the entire

universe becomes one family. This is the spirit of the brotherhood of man and

fatherhood of God. Such feelings promote universal brotherhood. Mamaivamsho

Jeevaloke Jeevabhuta Sanathana (the eternal Atma in all beings is a part of My

Being). The Divine is the source of the entire creation. He is the creation,

the Creator and the director of the universe. Divinity is invisible. It cannot

be understood. Recognize that you all are the reflections of the Divine. Then

you will not hate anyone or feel jealous of

anyone; you will be free from egoism.

Embodiments of Love!

Cultivate love. Love is God, live in love. That should be the aim of your life.

There is no God greater than love. If someone questions you, "Where is God?",

you should tell him that He is immanent in every being. What is His form? Love

is His form. You should recognize that form of love and tell it to others with

full conviction. It is not enough if you say 'love,' 'love,' 'love'. You should

express it through your conduct. Only then can you command respect and honor.

That is the real attainment of true human nature.

Find Fulfillment in Serving Your Country

Students!

You are young and possess great energy. You have all the powers of the mother

earth. Despite possessing all the powers of the earth if you feel that you are

powerless, it is a sign of your weakness. Whenever any calamity occurs at any

place in the country, you should rush there and help the people. You should not

treat them as different from you. Do not harbor the feelings of separateness.

You should cultivate the feeling of oneness and participate in social service.

The society is the principal limb of Nature. Just as hands, nose, eyes, stomach

and feet are the limbs of the body, the body is the limb of the society. The

society is the limb of humanity. Humanity is the limb of Nature. Nature is the

limb of the Divine. So, you should recognize this truth and participate in

social service with love. Only then does human life attain fulfillment. Limbs

like hands and nose belong to the body. But the body belongs to the society.

So, it should serve the society. You should work with the active participation

of all your limbs. You should identify the different needs of different people

and act accordingly so that they will be benefited. That is true social

service.

These days many people go to villages, sweep the roads, whitewash the temple

walls and feel satisfied that they have done social service. No, no. That

cannot be treated as service as it is your duty. What is true service? Find out

the main problems being faced by the people in the villages. What are the

unfavorable circumstances? What are their immediate needs? You should do your

best to fulfill their needs. Summer is the next season. Drinking water is not

available in some villages. Water is the very life of man. You should help them

out either by digging bore wells or by canalizing water through some other

source. When you take up such acts, which have utility value, you can claim

that you have done some social service. In fact, you should not treat this good

work as service. If you feel that you are doing

service to someone else that may promote egoism in you. You should feel that you

are serving your own people. All are human beings. All belong to one caste - the

caste of humanity. All belong to one religion - the religion of love. There is

only one language - the language of the heart. You should cultivate such broad

feelings. Only then the service you render becomes true service. In this way,

you should serve people and make your education and skills useful and

meaningful.

The purpose of education is not to go abroad and amass wealth. This is the

weakness of the Bharatiyas. The moment a student gets a degree in engineering

or medicine, he applies for a passport. Serve the people in your own country,

in your own village instead of going abroad. People are going abroad to earn

money but not to earn good qualities. You should foster your culture. Lord Rama

said, Janani Janma Bhoomishcha Swargadapi Gareeyasi (the mother and the

motherland are greater than even heaven). You chant the name of Rama

repeatedly. But are you emulating Rama while performing your duties? He

followed the command of his father, sacrificed his kingdom and spent fourteen

long years in the forest.

Your body, intellect and mind are the gifts of your parents. Your head, your

blood, your food and the money you spend are all the gifts of your parents. So,

you should show your gratitude to them. That is the true service of God. It will

give you the true feeling of peace.

Today man is shouting 'peace,' 'peace' while holding atom bomb in hand. Although

he has conquered space and reached the moon, he has no peace in his heart. How

can it be attained? Fill your heart with divine feelings. Throw the bomb away.

Then you can experience peace. Peace is the reflection of your inner being.

Everything comes from within.

Embodiments of Love!

You are good, highly educated and intelligent. But selfishness is destroying

your every other good quality. One drop of poison can infect the whole pot of

milk. So, you should eschew anger and hatred and serve the society with love.

You may be able to do service in a small way. Do not get disheartened if you

cannot do service in a grand way. Enter every tiny hamlet and identify the

needs of the people there. In case you do not have the required money or

capacity, do not worry about it. You students come together, join your hands

and work together. There is nothing in this world, which cannot be accomplished

with unity.

Nourish the Sacred Culture of Bharat

Today in Bharat, we find difficulties, sufferings, sadness and fear everywhere.

What is the reason? We attained independence but lost unity. Lack of unity is

the cause of all these sufferings. Even brothers fight with each other. First

achieve unity. That should be the aim of your life. Unity should underline the

tasks you undertake. Only then does all your learning become meaningful. You

say that you have passed MBA, MFM, M.Tech. Then you go abroad begging for jobs.

If you want to beg, do it here in your own country. Do not become a beggar in a

foreign land. As you are a beggar there, you are losing respect here also. Look

after the welfare of your own country. Your mother may be ugly. Still you call

her mother. She brought you up. Do you treat someone else's mother as your

mother just because she is more

charming and beautiful? You call your country a poor country. This is the

weakness of the youth. Know that India is not a poor country at all. What

cannot be found in India cannot be found anywhere else. India possesses all the

powers. This is the land of Yoga. This is the land of virtuous actions. These

days people are trying to convert such a great land into a land of ephemeral

pleasures. You should not crave for pleasures. They breed diseases. You should

dedicate everything to God through sacrifice. Bend your body and work hard.

Your hands should be busy in work and your mind should be filled with good

feelings. If you do so, there will be no greater man than you. Such a human

being is true human being. God is in search of such a true human being.

Devotees need not search for God. He is everywhere. Instead make every attempt

to make your mind pure and pious. You should become a good man and not a great

man. Is the world gaining in anyway from these so-called great

people?

Students!

You should not feel otherwise. Understand the truth properly. Educated people

are the cause of difficulties, losses and sufferings of this country as most of

them are motivated by self-interest. They are utilizing their learning and

skills to serve their own interests and not the interests of the nation. There

are many great intellectuals in India. They have brought the nation to this

sorry state. They are not at all selfless. If they had sacred feelings, the

country would have made giant strides on all fronts. They are utilizing their

intelligence for their personal benefit only. In our country, some people take

Rs. 10,000 as salary and do not do work worth even Rs. 10. How much is the

country losing that way? Question yourself. Do you put up the work in a month

worth Rs.10,000? But such people when they go

abroad work very hard. They even do extra work. They work at night also. If they

can work like that in foreign countries, why not in their own country? You

should express your love, sacred feelings towards your country with broad

outlook. This is true devotion. Devotion does not mean worshipping the photo of

God. Such activities can be treated as good actions. You should cultivate good

feelings. Without good feelings, good actions yield no beneficial results.

Embodiments of Love!

What is the significance of Shivarathri? Siva stands for auspiciousness. You

should sanctify your life with pious feelings on this day. You did Bhajan

throughout the night. It has given you happiness. But it is confined to the

external activity of listening and chanting only. The happiness should be felt

in the innermost recesses of the heart.

What is the use if you involve in positive and constructive activities with

negative thoughts in your mind? Get rid of negative thoughts first. Fill your

mind with positive thoughts. Then the entire world will flourish; the society

will flourish; your village will flourish and your home will flourish. Social

service should expand from the individual to the society and from the society

to the entire nation. Do not observe any differences while doing service. It

can be any organization. It does not matter. You go and participate. Service is

your aim; sacrifice is your aim. Nurture pious and divine feelings. Only then

will your life find fulfillment. Many youth waste their time and face

innumerable problems till they get suitable jobs after completing their

education. They blame the government for not providing

them employment. How many jobs can the government create? If it goes on giving

jobs this way, is it possible for it to run the country? Moreover, the

employees are asking for a hike in their salaries. But the treasury is empty.

There is no expected income. If the government imposes taxes, people blame it,

saying that it is harassing the public. If the government does not impose

taxes, how can it look after the welfare of the people? So, you should pay

attention to this viewpoint also. In our institution, no fee is charged from

the students, but in other institutions students object when the tuition fee,

exam fee, etc., are raised. They insist that the fee should be reduced whereas

the teachers demand that their salary should be raised. Wherefrom can the

government get the funds? It collects from the public and spends for their

welfare. If it does not impose taxes, it is not possible to pay salaries or to

spend for the education of the children. So, you should have a broad

outlook.

Indian culture preserved to posterity from ancient times spread to other lands

and attained great glory. But today the Indians themselves are looking at it

with indifference and thereby harming the nation and the world. No other

country had a culture of its own for such a long time. Others follow one

culture today and adopt another tomorrow. But for the Indians there has been

only one culture, which is eternal, pure and virtuous. This culture alone can

help you to cultivate the true nature of man. You should uphold this truth. You

should nurture human values. The process of development should not be restricted

to the fields of science and industry only. If you go on establishing more

industries, risk of environmental pollution will also go on increasing. So, you

should nurture sacred feelings in your heart to

your utmost capacity.

Embodiments of Love!

You are studying many branches of knowledge and are attaining degrees. When you

finish your studies and leave Prasanthi Nilayam, serve the villages with the

permission and help of your parents. Do not crave for government jobs. You

should yearn to serve the public. If you serve them, they will look after your

welfare. You do possess divine powers, but you behave as if you were powerless

and weak. Today you are trying to have friendship, wealth and strength. But you

are not fostering good character. What is friendship? It is just hello, hello.

If you eat well, you get physical strength. You can also earn a lot of money by

working hard. But are you living just for the sake of these things? These are

all passing clouds. Money comes and goes morality comes and grows. You should

cultivate virtues. You should respect

elders and officials and love your parents. You should have faith in your

teachers. You should nurture such sacred feelings. Humanness and human values

will unfold within you, which should be nurtured and developed. Without these

human values all your learning becomes useless. Contentment is the hallmark of

true education.

If you help others, you will be able to set an ideal to the world. The ideal

never dies. It does not get dissolved. It grows day after day. You should

foster such ideals and for that youth is the right age. It is the golden age.

This sacred age should not be put to misuse. You should utilize it in the right

way. Only then will all your learning become fruitful and valuable.

Embodiments of Love!

Cultivate love. Whatever you do, do it with the spirit of love. Without love,

all your actions become unsacred.

[bhagawan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan, "Prema Mudita Manase Kaho..."]

Sent with Sai love,

Sai brothers – ‘’

 

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