YOUR TRUE NATUR IS BLISS - REALISE IT - Swami's Sankaranthi discourse

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YOUR TRUE NATUR IS BLISS - REALISE IT

The sun appears serene and peaceful. The days have become shorter. The sweet

festival of Sankranthi has come filling our homes with the newly harvested

grain. (Telugu Poem)

Sankranthi is the most important of all festivals. Practically, very day is a

festival day for humanity. But, people out of their ignorance have earmarked a

few days as festival days and the rest as ordinary days. Many celebrate this

festival without actually knowing its significance. On this day in this part of

the world, people pay their respects to cows and bulls. Bulls are decorated

daintily with a variety of ornaments and clothes and taken round the streets.

They are called Gangireddulu (sacred bulls). Not merely this, a symbolic

marriage is performed between the cows and the bulls. The person who takes

round the decorated bulls is called Gangireddudasu. He wears a special dress on

this occasion. The very sight of Gangireddudasu fascinates children. The elder

brother lovingly calls the younger brother to go along with him to see the

sacred bull and its master.

'Oh my dear brother, here comes the Gangireddudasu. Come, let us go and see

him. He wears a silver medallion and a waist belt. He carries a decorated staff

and wears special marks on his forehead. He brings with him the richly

caparisoned sacred cow and bull and performs their marriage. Let us see the

marriage ceremony and offer our gifts.' (Telugu Poem)

He brings with him a cow and a bull and calls them Sita and Rama respectively.

They are trained in such a way that they respond to his questions according to

the movement of this stick in his hand. He asks the cow, 'oh Sita! Do you like

Rama?' As per the training given, the cow shakes its head in disapproval. Then

he asks the bull, 'oh Rama! Do you like Sita?' the bull also answers in the

negative. In this manner, both of them disapprove initially and later on agree

for the marriage. Then the Gangireddudasu performs the symbolic marriage of

Sita and Rama.

The festival of Sankranthi bestows immense joy on even animals and birds. It is

a very important festival for farmers. This is the day he brings home the newly

harvested crop and enjoys the fruits of his hard labour. Thus, right from a

farmer to the king, everyone celebrates this festival joyfully. Names may vary,

but this festival is celebrated by one and all irrespective of religion and

nationality. It marks the beginning of the sacred time of Uttarayana (sun's

movement towards North). It confers bliss on one and all.

Everyone aspires to attain bliss. In fact, that is the very purpose of human

life. Life has no meaning if one cannot experience bliss. Bliss is your goal.

Nityanandam, Parama Subhadam, Kevalam Jnanamurtim, Dwandwateetam, Gagana

Sadrisham, Tattvamasyadi Lakshyam, Ekam, Nityam, Vimalam, Achalam, Sarvadhee

Sakshibhutam, Bhavateetam, Trigunarahitam (God is the embodiment of eternal

bliss, He is wisdom absolute, the one without a second, beyond the pair of

opposites, expansive and pervasive like the sky, the goal indicated by the

mahavakya Tattvamasi, the eternal, pure, unchanging, the witness of all

functions of the intellect, beyond all mental conditions and the three gunas of

Sattva, Rajas and Tamas).

In accordance with the tradition, the newly married sons-in-law visit their

in-laws' house to celebrate this festival.

As Sankranti is the festival of festivals, Oh newly married bridegroom, visit

your in-laws' house, Come, spend your time in fun and frolic with your

brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, The entire household and the neighbourhood

will welcome you with love and affection. (Telugu Poem)

Even those who have not visited their in-laws' house for a number of years will

be eager to go for Sankranthi festival. The in-laws extend all hospitality to

the son-in-law and make efforts to please him. They even go to the extent of

borrowing money in order to give him new clothes and serve him delicious food.

The entire household spends their time blissfully. But, today that spirit of

Sankranthi celebrations is not noticed anywhere. The son-in-law, instead of

giving joy to his in-laws, quarrels over petty matters with them.

Sankranthi confers joy on human beings, birds and animals alike. Not only

Bharatiyas, even the people of other countries celebrate this festival, but

with different names. This is the season when cool winds blow and the farmer

brings home the harvested crop. He spends his time in a relaxed manner free

from all worries and anxieties. There is a saying in Telugu: 'One who is free

from chinta (worry) will be able to sleep peacefully even in a santha

(marketplace).

Everyone should make efforts to overcome worries and enjoy everlasting

happiness. This is the message of Sankranthi. People may interpret it in their

own way, but few understand its true significance. Amongst the variety of

festivals, the womenfolk accord a special place to this festival. The happiness

that one enjoys during this season is unique.

Man makes varied efforts to experience happiness. You can find few in this world

that do not want to be happy. But one must understand that happiness cannot be

acquired from outside. It originates from the heart. Heart is the source of

bliss. The happiness we enjoy in the external world is only a reaction,

reflection and resound of the happiness within. Very few are to understand this

truth. The apparent joy that one experiences today is artificial and temporary.

Only the happiness that springs from the heart is permanent. Students!

Behave so as not to cause hindrance to anyone. Festivals are meant to experience

happiness and share it with others. Happiness cannot be purchased in a market

nor can it be acquired by worldly means. It should manifest from within. It is

not the nature of Bharatiyas to hurt the feelings of others for their own

pleasure. One should respect others' feelings and act appropriately. One should

share his happiness with his fellowmen. You should welcome the arrival of the

bounteous month of Pushya and celebrate Sankranthi in the true spirit by

manifesting your inner joy and sharing it with others. The word 'Kranthi' means

change. It signifies a change from misery to happiness, from restlessness to

peace and from pain to pleasure. Sankranthi bestows joy on everyone equally.

That is why everyone eagerly awaits the arrival of Sankranthi with enthusiasm.

Even birds and animals are happy with the arrival of

Sankranthi. When the farmer brings home the harvested grain, birds partake of

them and express their joy by chirping merrily. The neighbours congratulate the

farmer for the rich harvest he reaped as a result of his hard labour. Students!

It is most essential that you understand the significance of every festival and

celebrate them in the true spirit. As we do not deep into their significance,

we are unable to enjoy true happiness. One should be prepared to sacrifice his

body to have the experience of eternal bliss. Body is a combination of five

elements and the mind is merely a bundle of thoughts. One should neither be

attached to the body. One should neither be attached to the body nor follow the

vagaries of the mind. Drive away the evil qualities of kama, krodha, lobha,

moha, mada and matsarya (desire, anger, greed, infatuation, pride and jealousy)

and manifest your inner peace and bliss. Instead of developing peace and bliss,

man is destroying them. He is giving scope to unrest even in trivial matters.

Neither Asanthi (unrest) nor Prasanthi (supreme peace) is acquired from

outside. People say, 'I want peace.' Where is peace? Is it present outside?

If peace were to be found outside, people would have bought it by spending any

amount of money. But outside, we find only pieces! The real peace is within.

Whether you boil it hard or dilute it with water, milk remains white. White

symbolizes purity. In the constant manner of milk, your heart should always

remain pure, bright and peaceful in spite of trials and tribulations. We should

subdue sorrow, keep the evil qualities of anger, hatred and jealously under

check and manifest our innate bliss. When your desires are not fulfilled, you

become angry. Hence, desires are the root cause of anger and they should be

controlled in the first instance. Embodiments of Love!

Everlasting bliss is the goal of everyone. You should derive happiness even from

what seem to be troubles. One need not search for happiness elsewhere. It is

always with you and in you. You are unable to experience it as you have not

understood the true meaning of happiness. You are under the illusion that

happiness lies in money, wealth and material comforts. Once you have the taste

of true happiness, you will not crave for worldly possessions. True happiness

springs forth from the depths of one's heart. When milk is boiled in a vessel,

its level starts rising gradually. The milk level subsides when you sprinkle a

few drops of water over it. It is because of its association with water that

milk loses its value. Likewise, man loses his value when he associates himself

with bad company. One will a always be blissful if one is in good company.

Before making friendship with an individual, one should enquire into his

character.

You may or may not be aware; I am always in a state of bliss. I have no worries

or difficulties whatsoever. Some people ask, 'Swami, do you have any worries?'

I do not know what worry is. I have never experienced it. I am always blissful.

You should always think of bliss. Then you will see bliss everywhere. The

experience of bliss is sweeter than sugar, tastier than curd, sweeter indeed

than honey. People feel sad when they are faced with difficulties and at the

bereavement of their near and dear ones. But at no point of time do I feel

sorry about such happenings. They come and go like passing clouds. Happiness

and sorrow follow one another. When you contemplate on bliss, there will be no

scope for sorrow. Embodiments of Love!

There is love in each one of you, but you are directing it on worldly

relationships. You have not tasted true love. Love God wholeheartedly. That is

true love. People may come and people may go, but God neither comes nor goes.

He is always present. When you are engulfed in sorrow, think of happiness. You

will certainly experience happiness.

Bliss is very much immanent in the human being. Wherever we are, whatever be the

position we occupy, our essential nature is bliss. People ask me sometimes

'Swami! Did You ever experience sorrow?' I am amused at this question. In fact,

why should I experience sorrow? Should I feel sorry about the body? Not

necessary. This body is always healthy and active. The nature of the human mind

is fickle. The body is like a water bubble; mind is like a mad monkey. Don't

follow the mind; don't rely on the body since it is like a water bubble. After

all, why should one feel sorry about the body and mind, which are transient? In

fact, bliss is our essential nature, which is permanent. Embodiments of Love!

Cultivate love that will help you to experience bliss. 'Start the day with Love;

fill the day with Love; end the day with Love - that is the way to God.' If you

can achieve this, you will not be disturbed by sorrows and difficulties. The

heart is the seat of bliss. True bliss flows from a pure and loving heart. Try

to experience such bliss. All other forms of happiness are momentary.

Embodiments of Love!

Children are always happy and cheerful. They do not have any inhibitions. When

somebody smiles at them, they will also smile innocently. They experience bliss

that is the inherent nature of all human beings. There is a difference between

happiness and bliss. In common parlance, 'happiness' is momentary. It comes ad

goes. Bliss is something that wells up from within. It emerges from the heart,

as a result of one's union with God. If one feels separate from God, one cannot

experience bliss. Embodiments of Love!

You have to experience such bliss in abundance in the days to come. Let me

remind you once again that neither age nor position nor for that matter

anything in this physical environment can bring about such bliss. It is only a

pure and loving heart that is the source of bliss. They holy festival of

Sankranthi signifies change of transformation of the heart. It is experiencing

bliss arising out of the realization of the changeless, Eternal Principle.

Divinity is the only principle that is changeless. God is ever blissful. In

fact, he is the Embodiment of bliss.

For example, this is a white cloth. It is only when this cloth is dipped in or

painted with colour, it acquires some colour. Similarly, your essential nature

is bliss. If you are experiencing sorrow, it is because you have immersed

yourself in sorrow. Wherever you are, you must always be happy and blissful.

For example, people wish me 'Swami! Happy Birthday!' I would like to ask one

que3stion in this context. Is there real happiness in celebrating birthday? I

am always happy. Then, where is the question of celebrating a particular day in

a year as 'Happy Birthday!' This is only an expression in borrowed words. in

fact, bliss is our true nature. We camouflage our true nature with artificial

expressions and feel satisfied as though it is real bliss. This is not the

correct approach. Embodiments of Love!

You are full of Love. In fact, your hearts are overflowing with Love. But, you

are preventing your love from flowing and expressing it outwardly. Otherwise,

love has no barriers and hurdles at all! Constantly contemplate on God. Then

you will always be happy - physically, mentally and spiritually. Unfortunately,

nowadays you are losing such a divine quality of bliss due to various desires.

If you can keep these desires away from you, you will always be blissful. For

example, this is a white cloth. Whiteness is its nature. But it acquires dirt

because of constant usage. Similarly, your heart is always pure, bright and

blissful. But it gets polluted because of desires.

Therefore, cultivate Love and keep your heart always pure. Then you will be

blissful every moment of your life. But, you have forgotten your innate nature

of bliss and are always immersed in sorrow and unhappiness. When someone

enquires, 'how are you?' you reply 'so, so'. This is not the correct way. We

must reply, 'I am happy'. It is possible that we may encounter some ups and

downs in life. But, they should not affect our essential nature, which is

bliss. Did you observe me carefully? How blissful I am! Not only now, I am

always blissful and overflowing with bliss. In fact, you can also experience

such bliss in My presence. However, if you approach me with an evil mind, evil

thoughts and desires, you cannot experience this bliss. These are human

weaknesses. You must, therefore, try to correct them. Dear Students!

You should never feel dejected. Supposing you fail in an examination sometime,

you should not feel dejected. Reconcile yourself that perhaps you did not write

the examination well and therefore you have failed. But never get depressed and

dejected that you have failed in the examination. Similarly, you enquire into

yourself the reason for your sorrow. You will yourself realize that your own

thoughts are responsible for the present situation. Hence, correct them. You

will be happy once again. Sorrows and difficulties are like passing clouds. You

should never attach importance to them. You must always be happy and cheerful.

Peace and happiness are your qualities. In fact, your true nature is bliss.

Embodiments of Love!

Today is the holy festival of Sankranthi. In fact, this year is particularly

important than the previous year. Last month several people suffered untold

misery and suffering on account of a Tsunami. It is only man's evil deeds that

are responsible for such a calamity. I, therefore, advise you not to indulge in

wrong actions and evil deeds. It is possible that more troubles may occur during

this year, compared to last year. However, we must move forward unmindful of

those troubles. These are all passing clouds and you need not be perturbed by

these occurrences. Be bold and courageous to face them. The calamity of Tsunami

that occurred last month was in fact, man-made. It was not Divine Will at all!

But, man feels that God thrusts all such calamities upon man. Never! God always

provides happiness to man. He has no anger or hatred. His nature is love. The

question arises why these sorrows and difficulties in the world? Strictly

speaking,

happiness will not have any value without sorrow. Man cannot experience

happiness without undergoing some difficulty or the other. Both happiness and

sorrow are intertwined. One cannot exist without the other.

Pleasure and pain, good and bad co-exist; none can separate them. You cannot

find pleasure or pain, good or bad to the exclusion of the other. Pleasure

results when difficulties fructify. (Telugu Poem)

God does not cause pain to any living being in His creation. All sorrows and

difficulties are man-made only. God is the protector of all living beings. He

provides peace and happiness to one and all. Lokah samasthah sukhino bhavanthu

(May all the people of the world be happy.) This is the Will of God. How then

can God cause sorrow to a human being? Unable to understand His Divine Will,

you accuse God of causing sorrow. If you can fathom the Divine Will, you will

realize that everything is for your good only. We are embodiments of bliss.

Day-in and day-out you experience that bliss and share it with others. Then

only it will increase. Embodiments of Love!

This Sankranthi is Prema Sankranthi and Ananda Sankranthi. Hence, welcome this

Sankranthi festival. Welcome God who is the embodiment of bliss. God is not

satisfied with the appellations like 'Karunanidhi' (the treasure house of

compassion) and 'Premaswarupa' (embodiment of love). God is always blissful.

You should not pray to God to fulfill your umpteen numbers of desires. Just

pray 'oh! God! Share Your bliss with me. Make me blissful!' never deride God as

'Nirdaya' (one without compassion). Whatever God does is for our own good. Even

the sorrows and difficulties we experience are for our own good. They are

preludes to happiness and bliss. If you cultivate such positive outlook, you

will always be blissful. Share your happiness with all. Contrary to this, man

today is keeping happiness to himself and distributing sorrow to others. This

is not what we should do. 'Suppress your sorrow and manifest inner

joy' - this is the spiritual sadhana one has to undertake. When you encounter

any difficulty or sorrow or restlessness - do not mind it at all. Ignore them.

You are always embodiments of bliss. If you constantly contemplate on this

reality, nothing will bother you. Embodiments of Love!

May this festival of Sankranthi, which is a symbol of change, bring about a

transformation in your heart and provide bliss to one and all, so that you may

always lead a happy, prosperous and cheerful life. In fact, the very name of a

human being is Anandamaya (full of bliss). Manavattva (humanness) is meant for

rising to the level of Daivattva (Divinity). Students!

All your dramas and play-lets that you have enacted here are good. If you

analyze properly, where does the bad lie? It lies in your mind. Do not think

badly and share your bad thoughts with others. Bliss is the real food for a

human being. One should always be hungry to partake of that food of bliss. Let

your faith in God be firm and unshakable. It is only God's Love that is

eternal. If you can secure that Love, all other forms of happiness will

automatically come to you.

(Bhagavan concluded His divine discourse with the bhajan 'Hari bhajana bina

sukha santhi nahin, Hari naama bina ananda nahin….')

Sent with Sai love, Sai brothers - ''

Source: http://www.vedamu.org/forum/SankranthiJan14.asp

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