SATHYA SAI SPEAKS [Volume I (Ch.16, 17, 18, 19)]

[Guest guest]

Dear Sai brothers and sisters of the worldwide '' family,

In view of the ensuing glorious event of the 80th Birthday of the Divine Lord

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we propose to start posting of all the Divine

Messages titled as 'Sathya Sai Speaks' for the benefit of our members and all

the Sai devotees the world over. We request you to pass on/forward/spread these

Divine messages to your Sai circle so that they also derive spiritual benefits

and bliss from them. These Divine Messages are not only for Sai devotees, they

are for the entire HUMANITY. Lord Krishna taught humanity the ways and means of

salvation for mankind in 'Bhagavad Gita' in Dwapara Yuga. 'Sathya Sai speaks' is

the Bhagavad Gita of Kali Yuga. - With Sai love, Sai brothers -

''

***

Om Sri Sai Ram

SATHYA SAI SPEAKS [Volume I (Ch.16, 17, 18, 19)]

16. SHIKSHANA

UNTIL about an hour ago, the organisers of this function were nervous that I

might not come. They had reconciled themselves to the disappointment in store

and they were feverishly engaged in making alternate arrangements, for they had

heard that the Godavari was in high floods and that I was at Rajahmundry. So

they feared that I might not be able to cross the floods and come south in time

for this engagement. From the fact that I had permitted them to announce My

arrival for the function, they could well have inferred that the floods would

subside and that I would be in their midst, for, once My word goes forth, it

must happen accordingly. Do not doubt it. The furious waves calmed before Rama;

the floods went down in time for Me. We left Chebrole last night at 11 p.m., and

reached Nuzvid at about dawn. From there we motored throughout the day, without

as much as a halt on the way, not slowing down even when the Kumaararaaja and

others accosted Me near the bridge on the outskirts of this town, for I was

determined to be here at 5 p.m., as promised. Let me reveal to you that the

organisers were caught a little unawares; they were confused by rumor that I

was held up and that I could not be reached by post or telegram or telephone.

They asked Me for some time, about two hours they said, for hastening with the

arrangements! Believe Me, nothing can hamper Me; My will must prevail. Those

who spread stories that I was held up by the floods were ignorant of my

Reality.

Reason for naming persons with God's Names

Nothing can hold Me up or agitate Me or cast a shadow on Me come in this Human

Form; be certain of that. Forces of calumny or distrust or ignorance can touch

not even a hair. My Sankalpa (resolve) must prevail; My task must be

accomplished. My mission will succeed. I have come to illumine the human heart

with the Light Divine and to rid man of the delusion that drags him away from

the path of Shanthi (peace), the perfect equanimity born of Realisation. This

School is associated with the late brother of the Raja Saheb, a person who

dwelt on My name even in the last moments of his life, and that was why I

agreed to inaugurate it. I find that his name which is a long compound of a

number of fine appellations of God, each redolent with the Divine Glow, has

been shortened into a string of single letters, which has no fragrance, flavour

or significance. This is not proper. Why deprive a name of its halo, by

amputating it or wiping out all its aura? This distorted list of letters that

you have now substituted for his full name, probably for the sake of greater

convenience, seems to Me even more complicated than the original name, which

though long, reminded one of the magnificence and splendor of the Lord. That is

the reason why such names were recommended for men in the Sasthras (spiritual

scriptures), so that whenever they are mentioned, some one picture of the Lord,

sweet and splendid, might appear before the mind's eye. It is indeed good that

the girls of this town have now a High School; I appreciate the efforts of all

of you to start it and I see that the building and the equipment are quite

satisfactory. I bless that the girls studying here as well as everywhere else

(for all schools are Mine, whether I inaugurate them personally or not) may

cultivate faith in Dharma (righteousness) and have sympathy towards all.

Students must be trained in ancient disciplines also

Bharath has to take up once again the role of the teacher for the whole of

humanity and so every boy and girl of the land must attain unblemished

character and lead a life of strict moral discipline. Bharath is a word derived

from Bhagawan and Rathah (the constant attachment to the Lord), and the word

connotes a people who are dedicated to the service and uplift of the Divine in

each. So, along with the schooling that you get under present conditions in

such institutions, a schooling which helps some of you to earn a living and

which gives all of you a certain 'polish' and 'glitter,' you must also undergo

training in the ancient discipline which tames the instincts, controls the

impulses and assures steadiness of character. But these things are necessary

for your own sake, not to speak of the role Bharatha has to play. Shikshana

(training) is a process in which the teacher and the taught co-operate and it

must be a pleasant experience for both, a useful and heartening endeavor.

Kshana means "a second" and I want that you must learn a good lesson every

second of your school life. For example, when the teacher enters the classroom,

children should salute him; that is a lesson in humility, in respecting age and

scholarship, in gratitude for service rendered. The teacher too should decide

to deserve the salutation of the children entrusted to his care by sincere work

and selfless service. The student should not respect the teacher through fear,

but be moved more by love. The teacher should avoid all methods that frighten

or terrorize. Education is a slow process like the unfolding of a flower, the

fragrance becoming deeper and more perceptible with the silent blossoming,

petal-by-petal, of the entire flower.

Example, not precept, is the best teaching aid

The unfolding will be helped if the teacher is a fine example of Viveka, Vinaya

and vichakshana (discrimination, humility and clear-sightedness), rather than a

person engaged in the task of mere repetitive teaching and coaching for

examinations. Example, not precept, is the best teaching aid.

The value of character has to be emphasized here, for this is a School for Girls

and traits like modesty and devotion to God are the real jewels for womankind.

Women preserve the traditional values of our culture and keep the nation on an

even keel. If they fail, it would be famine, not prosperity, believe Me. So

base all educational efforts on building up the character of the students and

then you can confidently think of raising on it the super-structure of

curricula, etc. Pupils must know the secret of a happy life and of happy

cooperation with other members of the community. There are duties to oneself,

one's family and one's society, which must be carried out intelligently and

joyfully. Then only can life be harmonious and fruitful. I declare that this

task of renovating and recasting education is a part of My Mission and

before long you will find Me engaged in it and chastising those who simply talk

loud and long, of reconstruction and the preservation of spiritual values.

Girls are the makers of the homes of this land and so this school is a very

basic institution, essential for this town. Woman is honored in this land as

the Lakshmi of the Home, as the Dharmapathni or companion in the pilgrimage

towards God and self-realisation, and as the Mistress of the House.

Girls should dread of sliding into moral error

If the women of a country are happy, healthy and holy, the men of that country

will be hardy, honest and happy. Thyagaraja has sung that even the strongest of

heroes are Kaanthadhaasas (swayed by the wishes of women) and hence, every woman

has a very crucial role to play in individual and social uplift. Therefore, I

will not burden girls with the study of the geographical minutiae of America.

Australia or Germany. I would rather they knew the technique of mental calm and

social harmony and service and economic contented-ness. Let them develop a dread

of falsehood, of sliding into moral error; that is more important than even the

development of the dread of God. Let the girls also know something of the joy

that service to those in

distress can give, service without a thought of the benefits that may follow

from the sympathy shown. Let them learn to lay aside the egoism that poisons

the Seva of even veterans in the field, who go about extolling themselves as

founders and promoters, for the service of the poor and the maimed, of this

institution and that. The joy of the Seva is the act itself. The fruit of the

Seva is the removal of egoism, not its multiplication.

Attitudes to be developed by children

The students of this school will take up later the most glorious and the most

responsible role of Motherhood and so the teachers in schools for girls have a

great big task before them, the shaping of the future history of this country.

The mother is the pillar of the Home, of Society, of the Nation and so of

Humanity itself. Mothers should know the secret of mental peace, of inner

silence, of spiritual courage, of contentment, which is the greatest wealth,

and of aadhyaathmic (spiritual) discipline, which gives lasting joy. The mother

should teach the children the value of Namasmarana (remembering God), and of

mental and physical

cleanliness. She should be like the mother in the story told by Vivekananda, who

advised her son to call upon Krishna in the woods, while going to school alone

and helpless. The father and the mother must supplement at home the training

given by the teacher at school. They must acquaint themselves with the lesson

the child receives at the school and see that their conduct and advice do not

conflict with what the child learns from the teacher whom he adores. Teachers

and parents must see that children learn certain good habits and attitudes

during these formative years. What is read from books must be contemplated

upon, thought over in quietness, reflected upon in silence. This is a very good

exercise in intellectual development and in the acquisition of mental peace. The

instinct to quarrel and fight over all misunderstandings must be regulated and

sublimated. Children should not enjoy the infliction of pain or be allowed to

suffer physical pain or mental anguish. They must have a sense of

responsibility at least for the safe custody and proper upkeep of their books.

They must not take delight in showing off their dress or ornaments or status or

wealth before less fortunate children of the school. They have to be taught

sensible habits of personal cleanliness and more important than all, the habit

of prayer at regular hours.

Importance of prayer at home and school

They may be encouraged to go to bed regularly every day at 9 p.m. and wake up at

5 a.m. and after washing the face and cleaning the eyes and teeth, they may be

induced to pray or even to meditate. Do not think that there is a time enough

for prayer later on in life, during old age perhaps. The time to lay the

foundation for the habit is now. At school too, the day's work should start

with prayer for five minutes, which should be taken seriously by one and all,

and not reduced to the mere formality or farce that it has become in most

schools. The slightest sign of neglect shown by the school while arranging the

prayer sessions will react on the minds of the children and they will see

through the humbug quickly. So treat the prayer as the very foundation of the

entire edifice of schooling. When the last bell of the day is rung, make the

pupils stand up in the class quietly and let them observe silence for a minute

or two and then disperse. There is nothing like silence to still the waves of

your heart. The teachers must tell the children inspiring tales of our saints

and heroes and plant the love for spiritual literature. If this school grows up

along these lines, then the money so generously offered and so gladly devoted to

the establishment of the school, is well spent; and I am sure this school will

develop into a very useful institution in a short time.

Venkatagiri Town, 9-9-1958

Man can be happy with much less equipment than he seems to think essential. When

some article is with you for some little time, you feel it is indispensable and

you do not know how to live without it. Like the silkworm, you weave a cocoon

for yourself, out of your fancy. Do not allow costly habits to grow, costly

from the monetary as well as the spiritual point of the view. Watch your likes

and dislikes with vigilant eye and discard anything that threatens to encumber

your path. - Shri Sathya Sai

17. GUNAS AND MONEY

I FIND that you have simply mentioned that Sathya Sai Baba will be present at

the Conference; you have not assigned Me any speech and so I can as well be

silent. But so far as I am concerned, there is no need for formality or

announcement. I am yours; you are mine. I do not await even an invitation; our

relationship is not external; it goes deeper into the realms of the spirit. I

am with you and in you; so I need no welcome nor previous request. The Divine

Life Society endeavors to remind man of the Divine that is his basic reality;

Divinity is inherent, immanent in every Jivi and the process of reminding man

of that fact began with the very dawn of human history. What has to be done to

lead the Divine Life is just the removal of the

fog which hides the Truth and makes man imagine he is something else; something

inferior, evanescent, material, momentary. All are holy, pure, part of

eternity. But these things shine in each in proportion to the Sadhana, just as

bulbs spread illumination according to the wattage. There is no body, which is

not sustained by the Absolute; there is no name that does not indicate the

Universal. All objects are suffused by that Principle; all names are attributes

of its Glory.

Turn to the path of inner content and joy

Every one must join this Sangha (association) which harps on this fundamental

fact and feeds the craving for immortality deep-seated in man. We were told by

the Secretary who read the Report that the membership of the Organisation is

open to all who pay "four annas" (former Indian coin equal to a quarter of a

rupee) a month. I would suggest that membership should be thrown open to all

who can contribute not four annas, but four Gunas, instead! Those who have

Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema

14.0pt">(Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Love) are eminently fitted for

membership. Insist on Gunas (qualities) and do not look for annas (money). Man

always seeks happiness by trying to satisfy his desires and if a desire is

fulfilled, he feels joy and when it is not, he feels grief. But the trouble is,

desire is a bonfire that burns with greater fury, asking for more fuel. One

desire leads to ten; and man exhausts himself in trying to exhaust the demands

of desire. He has to be turned back from this path of never-ending desire to

the path of inner content and joy. That is the task of the Divine Life Society.

Man grieves because he has developed attachment towards the unreal. He

cultivates an unreasonable affection for wealth; but he is prepared to

sacrifice the riches in order to save the lives of his children, for attachment

to children is stronger than to the wealth he has earned! He

stoops so low as to neglect his children when the choice is between his survival

and the children's welfare! But the Bliss that one gets when he dwells on the

Atma, the source and spring of all joy, is unbounded and imperishable. That is

the real joy. The orange has a rind which is not very tasty, but it protects

the fruit and preserves it. To get the sweetness of the orange, you must peel

and throw off the rind. Such is the fruit of the tree of life; it is protected

by a bitter rind, of course, but the wise man does not try to eat the rind; he

gives it the consideration due to it and proceeds to throw it off; he then

tastes the sweetness.

Every Indian has to live the life taught by sages

In order that this wisdom may dawn on persons most in need of it, the elders

must set an example of Viveka and Vairagya (discrimination and detachment). If

they run after sensory pleasures with feverish excitement, how can the younger

generation be blamed for their selfishness and greed? The elders must practice

what they preach, show how Divine life can confer joy, mental poise,

contentment and real happiness. They must spend at least some time every day in

the recital of the Lord's Name or in meditation on the Lord and then the

children too will imbibe that atmosphere and acquire the sure means of gaining

Shanthi for themselves. You say that there is nothing as sweet as the name of

the Lord but you do not repeat it at all. You have spoilt the road by neglect

and wanton destruction, but you advise the children to walk along it. They will

discover the hoax; they will ask you to travel on the road yourself and give

them the lead. So the responsibility of the members of the Divine Life Society

here is very great. As a matter of fact, the responsibility of any person who

holds forth an ideal is great, for he has to attempt to reach it himself while

advising others to adopt it. That is why the responsibility of an Indian is so

great, for in this land have been born saints and sages who have taught the

world the highest truths of spiritual uplift; and any one claiming to be an

Indian has to live the life taught by them, in order to deserve that ancestry

and the admiration of aspirants all over the

world.

Physical hunger must first be appeased

Divine Life is based on Sathwa guna (quality of calm serenity), which must be

cultivated. This Guna can be built only upon Saathwik (natural) food, which

promotes health, strength, lightness of spirit and earnestness of endeavor.

There is no use distributing Adhyaathma rasa (juice of spirituality) to

underfed and weak people; give Anna rasa (rice juice)

first; make them strong enough to entertain strong beliefs and contain strong

ideals; physical hunger must first be appeased by simple Saathwik food. Then,

try to repeat the name of the Lord, the name that appeals to you most. Do not

treat the Name lightly; respect it even if you hear it from the lips of a

beggar who uses it to procure aims. Though the person who utters it is bad or

though his motive in uttering it is bad, do not ill-treat the Name; for its

purity can never be harmed. Thank them for reminding you of the Lord and go

your way. Above all, do not laugh at and discourage those who call on the Lord.

What right have you to substitute misery where there was joy and doubt where

there was faith? Prema (love): practice that; develop that; spread that; and

all the hatreds and jealousies of

today will disappear. That is the duty of the Divine Life Society, here as well as elsewhere.

Arkonam, 14-12-1958

No one can liberate you, for no one has bound you. You hold on to the nettle of

worldly pleasure and you weep for pain. Crows pursue the kite so long as it

carries the fish in its beak; it twists and turns in the sky trying to dodge

the crows that seek to snatch the fish; tired at last, it drops the fish. That

moment it is free. So give up the attachment to the senses, then grief and

worry can harass you no more. The kite sits on a tree, preening its wings,

enjoying its happiness. You too can be so happy, provided you drop the fish you

have in your beak. -Shri Sathya Sai

18. EDUCATION AND PEACE

THE Governor, Dr. Ramakrishna Rao, spoke now so feelingly about the urgent need

to cultivate spiritual values. When economic progress is made without modifying

the spiritual background, then egoism, competition and greed bring the community

to grief. Here in Thiruvananthapuram, there is no forgetting the spiritual

background. The temple of Padmanabh dominates the town as well as the daily

life of the people, not only of this place but of the entire State. Kerala is

itself a holy land, and its holiness has increased by the advent of

Sankaracharya and his teachings. The land is very beautiful, as I saw when I

came from Coimbatore all the way to this capital city. The scenery formed by

the backwaters and the coconut groves

stretching from one end of the State to the other was like a vast painting by a

great artist on a huge canvas. The Lord enjoys these things as a painter; He

appreciates His own handiwork, standing before His own painting or sculpture.

To see the Lord's own loveliness in the lovely scenery around you requires not

the outer eye but the inward eye. If you develop that, walking over the land or

voyaging over the waters is itself a pilgrimage through holy land, giving you

glimpses of God in every speck of cloud or patch of green. But all this

Sundaram (Divine Beauty) must lead man to Sathyam (Truth) and all this Sathyam

to Mangalam (Goodness). That is the natural path. The beauty of the Lord's

handiwork leads man on to the glow of the Lord; the picture makes you curious

about the Painter. The Lord, when His Truth is grasped, confers Bliss which is

auspiciousness itself.

Kerala is ancient repository of spiritual wisdom

I found also that the people here are very hardworking and industrious. From one

end of the State to the other, people were busy on the roadside, in the shops

and fields, in the gardens and the canals. Another thing that attracted the

attention of all those who were with Me was the stream of children hastening to

the schools, with cadjan leaves or slates or bags of books slung on their

shoulders, boys as well as girls. The percentage of literacy here is, I know,

the highest in India. Besides every family has a number of highly educated men

and women. Thiruvananthapuram is the centre of many great educational and

cultural institutions. In spite of all the ancient traditions of spiritual

victory, all the granary of spiritual lore, all the activity and all the

industry, all the passion to get educated and all the opportunities that are so

gladly grasped, I find here a great deal of Ashanti (unrest). There is no 'inner

peace' prevalent here, where one would expect to find it in large measure. Of

course, as the saying goes, "An aged tiger still has the stripes." Let Me tell

you that the breath is still there but strength has gone from this ancient

repository of spiritual wisdom, which once taught the secret of Equanimity and

Shanthi to all. Gramophone records are all made of the same material. So too

are all hearts, of the same Chaitanya (Supreme Consciousness). The grooves

carved in them appear the same in all the plates. The grooves carved upon the

hearts by grief and joy are also more or less the same. It is the needle, which

runs over the groove that produces through the sound box and the amplifier good

music or bad. The needle is the manas (the mind), the mind that runs over the

happiness and the misery and translates or exaggerates the response and makes

you feel elated or dejected. If the needle is sharp, the music is a pleasure to

the ear. If it is blunt or broken, then the sound becomes a screeching torture.

The education man must first secure

The mind is the wind that brings to us the smell, foul or fragrant, of the

world. When the mind turns to the foul, it makes you disgusted; when it turns

towards the fragrant, you are made happy. The wind gathers the clouds from the

four quarters; similarly the mind brings into your consciousness the

disappointments of many hopes. Again, it is the mind that, like the wind,

scatters the clouds that darken it or make it feel lost in the night of doubt.

Control the mind and you remain unruffled. That is the secret of Shanthi; that

is the education that man must first claim and secure. We find today that, the

man who is most highly educated is the very person who is most discontented and

unhappy. Then, what is the gain from all the study he has made of books and of

men and things? To gain this equanimity, you have to do not reading, but

systematic Sadhana (spiritual effort). Then, you can be happy whether you are

rich or poor, appreciated or rejected, prosperous or unlucky. That is Armour

without which it is foolish to enter the arena of life. If the arena is entered

just for getting sensory joy, you are in for all kinds of trouble. It is like

sailing in a tiny boat on a storm-tossed sea, without a rudder. So, enter upon

the path of spiritual discipline now itself.

Meditation will teach the mind to be sharp

You have each one of you a great deal of concentration; you know the art, for

every task requires it and everyone benefits by it. The carpenter, the weaver,

the clerk, the boatman, all have it in a greater or lesser degree. Use it for

this task also; direct the mind towards its own working, examines it and train

it to restrict itself to good company, good thoughts and good deeds. Practice

meditation on any Form of the Lord and repeat, with the awareness of the

sweetness, any Name of the Lord. That will teach the mind to be sharp and

produce good music out of the joys as well as the grief that are incidental to

life. Like underground water, the Divine is there, in every one, remember. The

Lord is Sarvabhuutha antharaathma (Indweller

in all beings), Sarvavyaapi (All-pervading). He is the Atma (Soul) of every

being. He is in you as much as in every one else. He is not more in a rich

being or bigger in a fat being; His spark illumines the cave of the heart of

every one. The Sun shines equally on all; His Grace is falling equally on all.

It is only you that erect obstacles that prevent the rays of His Grace from

warming you. Do not blame the Lord for your ignorance or foolishness or

perversity. Just as underground water wells up in a gushy spring when a bore is

sunk down to that depth, by constant Ram Ram Ram Ram Ram, touch the spring of

Divinity and one day it will gush out in cool plenty and bring unending joy.

Nothing can give unmixed joy

Life is a pilgrimage to God; the holy spot is there, afar! The road lies before

you; but unless you take the first step forward and follow that step with

others, how can you reach it? Start with courage, faith, joy and steadiness.

You are bound to succeed. The mind and the intellect are two bullocks tied to a

cart, "the inner man." The bullocks are not used to the road of Sathya, Dharma,

Shanthi and Prema and so they drag the cart along the road familiar to them,

namely, falsehood, injustice, worry and hatred. You have to train them to

take the better road so that they may not bring disaster to themselves, the cart

they are yoked to and the men inside it. Your child gives you great joy by its

play and prattle but when it interferes with your work or teases you when you

are otherwise engaged, you get very angry about it. It is a source of joy as

well as grief. There is nothing, which can give unmixed joy; even if there is,

when it is lost, it brings about sorrow. This is in the very nature of things;

so try to correct the very source of joy and sorrow, the mind; control it and

train it to see the real nature of the objective world, which attracts and

repels you by turns. That is the real fruit of education.

Thiruvananthapuram, 20-12-1958

19. THE MOON AND THE MIND

THERE are many different stories given in the Sasthras to explain the origin of

the Shivarathri (The Night of the Emergence of Linga form of Shiva) Festival.

The persons who spoke to you related some of them now. Another stow is that

this is the day on which Shiva danced the Thaandava (cosmic dance) in His

Ecstasy, with all the Gods and Sages taking part in the Cosmic Event. When He

consumed the Haalahaala (death-dealing) poison that emanated from the ocean of

Milk, in response to the prayers of the Worlds, which it threatened to destroy,

the heat of the fumes was well nigh unbearable, even for Him. So, it is said,

Ganga was poured uninterruptedly on His matted locks---this is the explanation

for the Abhisheka (ceremony of pouring consecrated water, oil, milk, etc., on

the idol), which is offered in all Shiva temples for hours on end, and in some

places, uninterruptedly---but Shiva was only partly relieved. So the cool Moon

was placed on the head; that gave some relief. Then, Ganga was placed on the

matted locks. That was of great help. After this, Shiva danced with all the

Gods, the

14.5pt">Thaandava dance. That is the story but all this did not happen on a

particular day and so Shivarathri cannot be said to commemorate that day. Some

say that Shiva was born on this day, as if Shiva has birth and death like any

mortal! The story that a hunter sat on a Bilva tree on the look-out for animals

to kill and without intending any worship, unknowingly, dropped the leaves of

that tree, which happened to be a Bilva, upon a Lingam beneath, and so attained

salvation, explains only the importance of this day; it does not explain the

origin! Besides we have not only Mahaashivaraathri. We have every month a

Shivarathri, dedicated to Shiva worship. Again, what is the significance of the

Raathri (the Night)?

The close affinity between mind and the Moon

Well, the Moon dominates the night. The moon has 16 kalas or fractions; and each

day when it wanes a fraction is reduced, until it is annihilated on New Moon

night. After that, each day a fraction is added, until it completes itself on

Full Moon night. The Moon is the presiding deity of the Mind; Chandramaa manaso

jaathah---"Out of the mind of the Purusha (Godhead), the Moon was born." There

is a close affinity between the manas and the Moon; both are subject to decline

and progress. The waning of the Moon is the symbol for the waning of the mind;

for the mind has to be controlled, reduced and finally destroyed. All Sadhana

is directed towards this end. Manohara---the mind has to be killed---so that

Maya may be rent asunder and the reality revealed. Every day during the dark

half of the month, the Moon, and symbolically its counterpart in man, the

manas, wane, and a fraction is diminished; its power declines---and finally, on

the fourteenth night, Chathurdashi, there is just a wee bit left, that is all.

If the Sadhak makes a little extra effort that day,

14.0pt">even that bit can be wiped off and Manonigraha (mastery of the mind)

completed. The Chathurdhashi of the dark half is therefore called Shivarathri,

for that night should be spent in the Japa and Dhyana of Shiva, without any

other thought either of food or sleep. Then success is assured. And, once a

year, on Maha Shivarathri Night, a special spurt of spiritual activity is

recommended, so that what is

shavam (corpse) can become Shivam (God) by the removal of this dross called manas.

Symbolic meaning of words used in scriptures

This is the purpose of Shivarathri and so it is foolish and even harmful deceit

to imagine that "keeping awake" is the essential thing in its observance.

People try to escape sleep on this night by playing cards, attending non-stop

cinema shows or watching plays or dramas. That is not the Sadhana, which should

be intensified on Shivarathri. That is a travesty of the vow of 'sleeplessness.'

It vulgarises you and encourages evil and sloth, wickedness and hypocrisy. On

Shivarathri, the mind must become Laya (reduced into nothing). Lingam means

that in which this Jagath attains Laya--- leeyathe; that into which this Jagath

goes---gamyathe. Examine the Linga; the three Gunas (primordial qualities) are

represented by the three-tiered Peetha (platform); the Lingam above symbolizes

the goal of life. Lingam means "a symbol", the symbol of creation, the result

of the activity of the three Gunas and of the Brahman (Supreme Reality), which

permeates and gives it meaning and value. When you worship the Lingam, you

should do so with faith in this symbolic significance. Every word, every Form

used in the Sasthras

has a symbolic meaning, which gives it value. The word "prapancha" which you use

so freely to indicate this "created world" means, "that which is composed of the

panchabhuuthaas---the five elements of earth, fire, water, wind and ether." Take

the word 'hrudhayam' used for "the heart". It means hrudhi (in the heart) ayam

(He). That is to say, it means not the organ that pumps blood to all parts or

the body, but the seat of God, the altar where Shiva is installed,

the niche where the lamp of Jnana is lit. Again, Shiva does not ride on an

animal called in human language, a "bull!" The bull is only a symbol of Dharma

standing on the four legs of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema.

Lingam is the symbolic form of the Godhead

The three eyes of Shiva are the eyes, which reveal the Past, Present and the

Future. Shiva alone has all three. The elephant skin which forms His cloak is

just a symbol for the elemental bestial primitive traits which His Grace

destroys; He makes them powerless and harmless; in fact, he tears them to

pieces, skins them so to say, and makes them ineffective. His four Faces

symbolize Santham, Roudhram, Mangalam and Uthsaaham (Peace, Fierceness,

Auspiciousness, Determination). In this way, realise while worshipping the

Lingam, the inner sense of the many attributes of Shiva. Meditate thus on Shiva

this day, so that you may get rid of the last

lingering vestiges of delusion. Just as Om is the verbal symbol of God, the

Lingam is the symbolic form of the Godhead. It is just a form. Everything is

Maya (delusion) and to grasp it, you must deal with Maya. Otherwise you cannot

realise the Maya Shakti (Deluding Power). God is as immanent in the Universe as

life is immanent in the egg. The chicken is in every part of the egg; so too,

God is in every part of the world. I prefer the description Sarvaantharyaami

(inner ruler of all) to the description, Sarvabhuutha antharaathma (Inmost soul

of all beings). All are in this Hall; each one has no Hall in him, is it not?

In the same way, all are in Him; which is better than saying, He is in all. It

is Maya, which binds and limits man; all Sadhana is to conquer Maya. A bit of

iron will sink in water but if beaten and made hollow, it will float. So beat

the mind and make it hollow. Then it will float on the sea of Samsara

14.0pt">(worldly life). Above all, have Viveka and do not be led into taking any false step.

Grow not only physically but also spiritually

You need not waste time in trying to discover Me and My Nature. Understand what

I teach, not 'who is the teacher, for I am beyond your intellect and your

Shakti. You will understand Me only through My work. That is why sometimes in

order to reveal who I am, I myself show you my 'visiting card,' something that

you call a miracle. Know the marma (the mystery) and carry out the karma (the

duty) I assign you. In the next fifteen years, a number of young people now

growing up will shine as devoted aspirants in the spiritual field; they know

that each of them is nithyam, Sathyam and pavithram (eternal, truth and pure)

and that they are amritha-puthraas (children of Immortality). They are growing

in Viveka and Vairagya and they are purifying themselves by Namasmarana. But

the elders are laughing at such boys because they have taken to the godly path.

Perhaps they will be happy if their children loiter in the streets in groups,

smoking and swearing, and staring at

posters. The elders should be elated that their children are on the royal road

to real joy and contentment and that they will be serving themselves and the

world much better. You do not know how to make an ornament out of gold; so you

give it to a gold smith. Why worry if he melts it and beats it and pierces it

and pulls it into wire and twists it and cuts it? Let Him who knows the art

shape the child into an ornament of society; do not worry. You must grow day to

day, not only physically but in the spiritual life also. How long are you

staying on in the primary school, writing down the letters of the alphabet? Get

up, demand an examination, pass, and move forward to the higher class!

The Jivi must master the inner world first

You are now sitting on the floor of the Hall; seek the means to see the top

floors too. Progress! Come forward! Then Shivarathri becomes a Mangala-raathri

(auspicious night) for you. Otherwise it is just another raathri wasted. Many

might discourage you and say that meditation and worship can be taken up after

you reach a ripe old age, as if they are the prerogatives of or special

punishments for the aged. Enjoy the world while you can and then think of the

next---that seems to be their attitude. The child takes its first few steps in

the

comparative safety of the home: it toddles about inside, until its steps become

firm, until its balance is perfected, and until it can run about unaccompanied

and without fear. Then only does it venture out into the streets and the wide

world beyond. So too, the Jivi (living being) must master the inner world

first; become impervious to temptations, it should learn not to fall when the

senses trip its steps; it should learn the balance of mind which will not make

it lean more to one side than to the other; and then, after mastering this

Viveka (discriminatory wisdom), it can confidently move out into the outer

world, without fear of accidents to its personality. That is why there is this

insistence on 'Sleeplessness’ or vigilance. You cannot claim to be

educated or grown-up unless you have mastered the science of self-control and

destroyed the root cause of delusion. It is not this night alone that you

should spend in the thought of Shiva; your whole life should be lived in the

constant presence of the Lord.

Man's basic nature seeks inward contentment

Do not tell me that you do not care for that Bliss, that you are satisfied with

the delusion and are not willing to undergo the rigors of sleeplessness. Your

basic nature, believe Me, abhors this dull, dreary routine of eating, drinking,

and sleeping. It seeks something, which it knows it has lost---Shanthi (inward

contentment). It seeks liberation from bondage to the trivial and the

temporary. Every one craves for it in his heart of hearts. And it is available

only in one shop---Contemplation of the Highest Self, the basis of all this

appearance. However high a bird may soar, it has sooner or later to perch on a

treetop, to enjoy quiet. So too, a day will come when even the most haughty,

the most willful, the most unbelieving and even those who assert that there is

no joy or peace in the Contemplation of the Highest Self will have to pray,

"God, grant me peace, grant me consolation, strength and joy."

Prashanthi Nilayam, Maha Shivarathri, 7-2-1959

The ills of the country are due to under-nourishment; not so much

under-nourishment of the body, but under-nourishment of the spirit, want of

spiritual exercise, neglect of spiritual regimen. Allowing the malady the

fullest scope, people are engaged in reciting the names of the drugs in the

pharmacopoeia! They do not make any attempt to take the drug in. The means of

conveying into every home and village the life-giving waters of the spirit have

all dried up or got choked up. That is the reason why under- nourishment, with

all its attendant symptoms of debility, nervous disorder and mania is so

rampant today. - Shri Sathya

Sai

TO BE CONTINUED...

With Sai love from Sai brothers ''

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