PROF. ANIL KUMAR’S INSPIRATIONAL TALKS – Part 5 [Concluding part]

[Guest guest]

Om Sri Sai Ram

PROF. ANIL KUMAR’S INSPIRATIONAL TALKS – Part 5

Anil Kumar's Sunday Satsang at Prashanthi Nilayam - December 8, 2002

 

The College Declared A Holiday

That is how my trip went. After my return, I was obligated to go around to

different Rotary clubs in India and share my experiences. Many people don’t do

that because they don’t travel everywhere here. But I wanted to go everywhere

because that gave me an opportunity to share the Grace Bhagawan Baba showered

upon me with everybody, along with spreading Sai’s message everywhere.

It so happened that I was invited to speak by the Rotary Club in Nagpur. Eduljee

was the Rotary governor. I addressed Nagpur University and the official Rotary

Club and shared my experiences.

I began my return journey. I was traveling by Dakshin Express, which was to

connect with another express. Due to my bad luck, Dakshin Express was running

late. I could not report to the college in time -- that was the magnitude of

the emergency.

The Principal had been very angry with me because I had gone against his wishes.

I was expecting that he would be ready with a dismissal letter. I was thinking

and praying to Swami, "You have sent me on this trip, so You cannot kick me out

of the college, which is my only means of livelihood."

Having arrived back home, I heard that the college had declared a holiday that

day because our students had won the state-level cricket match. I congratulated

the students, not for their performance, but for getting the day declared a

holiday! (Laughter) I wanted all the players of the college to play like that

and win many times so that I could have a holiday -- so I could go on my trips

like this, sharing the message of Sai Baba with as many people as possible.

Questions

Within the time left, let me cover some questions given to me, as those who have

asked questions will be anxious about the answers. I shall try to deal with some

of the questions to the best of my ability within the rest of the time.

"What Is The Origin Of The Mind?"

One question sent to me is this: "What is the origin of the mind? The answer is

simple. There is no mind, so there is no origin! If there is a mind, you have

to trace out its origin. The mind is non-existent. The mind is only a bundle of

thoughts. The mind is only a bundle of desires. In the deep sleep state, there

is no mind at all. The mind is there in the dreaming state; the mind is there

in the waking state. But the mind is non-existent in the deep-sleep state.

When thoughts are withdrawn, when desires are given up, there is no mind.

Withdrawal of the mind or annihilation of the mind is called amanaska or

manolaya. So, the question of the origin of the mind does not arise at all.

"What is The Significance Of New Moon And Full Moon?"

Another question: "What is the significance of the new moon and full moon?"

Whether it is a new moon, a blue moon, or a full moon, a moon is a moon.

(Laughter) The answer is: The moon is the presiding deity of the human mind.

That’s the reason why on a full moon day, mad people are full of activity!

(Laughter) On the dark night, they will also full of activity. They may even

resort to violence. So, the moon controls the mind. The mind and the moon go

together.

But spiritually speaking, there is another interpretation. The full moon stands

for wisdom, knowledge and awakening. It was on the full moon day that Buddha

was born. It was on the full moon day that Buddha was enlightened. It was on

the full moon day that Mahavira was enlightened. Poornima is the full moon day,

which is the day of enlightenment. Moonlight is like the awakening of the inner

Self. The full moon represents the knowledge of the Self. That is the meaning.

"Has Not My Karma Been Cleared?"

Another question asked of me is this: "You said," (he meant me) "the very

Darshan of Bhagawan will clear you of your karma. But I'm still suffering from

my karma. Has not my karma been cleared?" (Laughter)

That is the question. The answer is this: One will be cleared of karmic effects

if there is deservedness, if there is eligibility.

When I look at Bhagawan -- when all of us look at Bhagawan, all of us will not

have the same feelings. There are many people who tell me that when Bhagawan

passes by, they receive some vibrations. There are many people who tell me that

they are charged with energy. There are many people who tell me that they feel a

cool breeze when Bhagawan passes by. So, experiences differ based on the nature

of the individual, their devotion or path and the intensity of their Sadhana.

Therefore, I may not be cleared of karma because I'm not ready. I have not done

enough work. Though the teacher is excellent, when the student is not able to

follow the lesson, it only means that the student has not done enough homework.

The student has not the required foundation to receive and appreciate the

knowledge given to him in the classroom, even though the teacher is an expert.

In order to be cleared of karmic effects, we should do some homework.

What is that homework? Intense devotion, total faith, complete surrender and the

Sadhana of service – these four are sufficient physical practices on the

spiritual path. Doing (practicing) these four is sufficient homework for us to

get ourselves ready and prepared, so that we can be free from the karmic

effects.

"Are Countries Also Bound By Karma?"

Then I received some more questions: "Karma, is it individual? Are countries also bound by karma?"

Perhaps like ‘wholesale’ and ‘retail’? This gentleman must have been a top

businessman! (Laughter) Very good!

Kind friends, do not misunderstand me -- I'm just joking. I don’t mean any

disrespect to those who have asked these questions. I really bow down in all

humility to the people who have asked these questions because they are all

spiritual seekers. They are exemplary. They are noble and role models for me in

particular because these questions help me to go into detail, into the depth.

So, I thank them very much.

The question is this: Are countries bound by karma? In the Holy Bible, there is

a mention of two cities -- Sodom and Gomorrah. The inhabitants of these two

cities mentioned in the Holy Bible were drowned. The inhabitants were totally

punished by God. That’s what the Holy Bible says. When people are unrighteous,

naturally the whole place is condemned.

A country is not only a geographical location. A country is not only dust, mud

and sand. A country is a collection of people. When the people are

unrighteous…For example, just think of Afghanistan, where ancient Buddha

statues of 200 or 300 feet in height were bombed and totally demolished by

dynamite. So many Buddha statues were demolished there in Afghanistan. What

later happened to Afghanistan? You all know that. When people are unrighteous,

naturally they will have to face the reaction. That’s the answer I can give

you.

"What Shall I Do To Dine With Bhagawan?"

The next question: "What shall I do to dine with Bhagawan? To sleep in the room

very close to His bedroom? (Laughter) To go with Him in His car? To have a

peaceful end of life, like His mother and grandfather had? "

These are the questions put to me. Here is the answer, brother. Going in His

car, dining with Him or sleeping in the room next to Him are all physical

activities. You have the driver also in the car. I don’t think the driver is a

saint or a sage. There in the dining room, you also find cooks and servers. I

don’t think they are saints and sages. I don’t think so. In the building, there

is the watchman. I don’t want to bow down to his feet.

So, these are all physical acts of Grace. They are privileges. They are grand,

golden opportunities. I don’t underestimate them. But if they lead to pride, if

they make you egoistic, if they are acts of publicity or advertisement, they

will really take you to doom. No! If these help you to be more spiritual, if

these help you to do Sadhana with higher, greater or deeper intensity, then

that is a boon. But if it turns you into an egoistic man, then that is a curse.

These physical acts should take you to a psychological (mental/emotional) level

of togetherness with Bhagawan all through your life, wherever you may go.

If you feel that the next man is Baba, it is living with Him. If you offer

prayer to God and start eating, it is dining with Him. If you listen to Baba

Bhajans as you travel in your car, you are traveling with Him. Baba said,

"Wherever My glory is sung, I install Myself." Whenever we sing Bhajans, we are

with Him. Whenever we think of Him, we are by His side. Whenever we offer food,

we are dining with Him. That is the spiritual, psychological, metaphysical,

mystical experience one should have or one should crave for. (Applause)

"The Wife Is An Obstacle -- What Should the Husband Do?"

Another question: "The husband is very much interested in Baba, but the wife is

not. The wife is an obstacle. So, what should the husband do?" He also has

given three alternatives: (Laughter) "One -- should he get divorced from his

wife? Number two -- should he continue along the spiritual path? Number three

-- should he give up the spiritual path? (Laughter) These are the alternatives

– maybe it is like a multiple-choice question. (Laughter)

My friend, this is an exceptional case! A husband finding his wife a problem

along the spiritual path is an exception. Usually the husband is the problem

for every wife! (Laughter) 90% of Sai devotees are here because of their wives.

Let all husbands be ashamed to declare it in public. This humble self (Anil

Kumar refers to himself) is also one and the foremost. So, this case is not a

matter to be ashamed of. It is a matter to feel proud of. If the wife is an

engine, very good -- the family will be very fine, peaceful and there’ll be no

problem. But here is an exceptional case where the wife seems to be the

problem. Wife or husband -- one of the two partners will not totally agree with

the other. So, what

is to be done?

My friend, the answer is simple. If one is totally worldly and if the other is

totally spiritual, we’llbe nowhere. But in co-existence, one takes care of the

family, while the other takes care of the spiritual end. The wife taking care

of the family is the root. The husband thinking of God is the fruit of the same

‘family tree’. The one (wife and mother) thinking of the family is the root,

while the other (husband and father)

thinking of God is the fruit of that same tree of life. So, let us not consider

the life partner as an opposition party leader! (Laughter) Certainly not!

Certainly not!

To give you my own tale -- for 25 years, I went around the whole state of Andhra

Pradesh. I visited thousands of Sai centres -- at least thrice on the average --

spread over those 25 years. My wife stayed back at home, taking care of the

children, my in-laws and my parents, ours being a joint-family (an extended

family, all living under one roof together). Suppose that she had also become a

competitor. What if she had said, "If you go towards the north, I’ll go towards

the south! (Laughter) If you go and start addressing people in the east, I’ll

have audiences in the west." Then the children would be on the streets!

Therefore, it is the pure and logical dynamics of life that one will be at the

‘grass roots’ while the other will be ‘in the air’. It happens like that.

Nowhere do the husband and wife agree 100%. They may agree before TV news

reporters. (Laughter) They may agree for the television reporters, but not in

reality. The family ‘Korean War’ certainly happens once in a blue moon, without

which there is no melody in life at all.

Let us not worry if the wife is not sailing along with the husband, or if the

husband is not sailing with the wife. The husband will make the wife follow him

one day. Just as husbands are following their wives, in such cases as this one,

the wives will also follow the husbands someday. It all depends upon one’s own

life example.

For example, in a crisis, if the husband is peaceful, the wife will learn from

him. If the wife is peaceful in the worst moments of life, the husband will

learn from her. By our example, we can certainly carry on with the other

life-partner without any sense of opposition or critical attack.

"Are All The People I See False?"

Another question: "I am a teacher of yoga. I know God is One. But do you think

all the people I see are false? Do you think it’s all maya, illusion? Do you

think they don’t exist? Do you say it is all a dream?"

The answer is simple: Yoga is a connecting link with God. The meaning of ‘yoga’

is ‘connecting or uniting with God’. So when you are connected with God, you

experience Oneness. You experience unity. You’ll see God everywhere -- in the

animals, in plants, in mineral matter. Everywhere you will experience God.

It will be just as Jesus Christ said, when He saw a dead, stinking dog on the

street. Everyone said, "Burn it! Take it away!" Jesus smiled and said, "How

bright the white teeth are! How bright are the white teeth of that dead dog."

It means you’ll see the best in the worst. If it is the true path of yoga,

you’ll see unity in diversity. Yoga should give you unity. But that does not

mean in practical life we can be untidy, no! In our practical life, diversity

is there.

Suppose a student comes to me and says, "Sir, please teach me."

I cannot tell him, "You are God, I am God. So, there’ll be no class today!" (Laughter)

Suppose a patient comes to a doctor and says, "Sir, I am suffering from excruciating pain."

Will the doctor say, "You are not a patient and I am not a doctor. You are God

and I am God. So there is no question of surgery!"

It is all nonsense! From a practical point-of-view, there is diversity. From an

ideological point-of-view, there is unity. Ideologically, let us experience

unity. Spiritually, let us experience unity. Physically, let us operate at the

level of diversity. It is necessary to be practical, to be fundamental, to be

realistic. That is the best answer I can give.

"Can I See Baba In Different Forms?"

There is another question from Canada: "Can I see Baba in different forms?"

Why not? Baba appeared in the form of a postman. Baba appeared in the form of a

watchman. Baba appeared in the form of a monkey to His sister. Baba appeared in

the form of a cat. Baba appeared in the form of a bird. Baba can appear in any

form. Why do we go to that extent? All forms are Baba’s only. We should pray

and try for that experience -- for the awareness of that experience.

Why should He appear in a separate form? All forms are His -- it only appears to

be many. It is something like a person in the midst of several mirrors all

around. That experience of seeing the One in the many (forms) is the

culmination of spirituality.

"What Are The Steps To Merge In Him?"

Next question: "What are the steps that I should take to merge in Him?"

There are not many steps. No! The steps are of our own making. The steps are

created in our own imagination. Merger happens at once.

What are the steps that you should take to mix sugar into a glass of water? How

many steps are there? No, no! One spoon and stir it – you get immediate

results!

Similarly, for an aspirant to merge with God, there are not many steps. Use a

spoon of Viveka or discrimination, plus a spoon of Vairagya or renunciation –

totally stir this, which is the process of Sadhana. That is enough for total

merger. There are no steps. "How many lives are required? How many years are

required?" No, no, no, no! Merger is immediate, all of a sudden, instantaneous,

spontaneous and natural. It happens in a

moment!

Merging is our original state. We only got ourselves separated. In fact, we were

all One, but we became separated. Example: here is fire. Out of this fire, many

sparks and pieces come. The pieces at a distance turn black and become coal.

So, originally it was fire. But at a distance, it becomes coal.

Similarly, originally we were One, but later we got separated. To know that we

are One (though appearing in different forms) is called realisation.

Realisation is nothing but thinking of our original Oneness -- getting back to

that original Oneness or unity with God. The reason that we separated from that

Oneness is only due to having taken a name and form. That is the secret of

merger with God.

I should not detain you further. I beg your pardon for keeping you for extra

time this morning because of the tempting questions. I hope you enjoyed those

questions too!

May God bless you!

Sai Ram!

Om Asato Maa Sad Gamaya

Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya

Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya

Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Jai Bolo Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ji Ki Jai!

Jai Bolo Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ji Ki Jai!

Jai Bolo Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ji Ki Jai!

Thank You!

CONCLUDED

With Sai love from Sai brothers –‘’

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