No.2 : Questions put to Prof. Anil Kumar and answered by him. 17 to 32 (total 228 Q & A* )

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16 questions (total 228 Q & A* ) put to Prof. Anil Kumar and answered by him.

 

*Questions & Answers 17 to 32

32.“What is vegetarianism? Is it really eating leaves and tubers, or something more?” (05.01.2003)

Some people say that eggs are also vegetarian. Well, I don’t know which

particular items are exempted from the list. But anyway, to my knowledge,

vegetarianism is not merely limited to food. Vegetarianism is symbolic of a

tireless, sathwic nature. It is not limited to the food that we eat.

All the scenes that are around us are a type of food for the eyes. All the

sounds that we hear are a type of food for the ears. All the objects that we

touch are food for the skin. So, you can see that the five senses of perception

have their own level of ‘food’. All of the senses should be ‘fed’ sathwic or

vegetarian ‘food’.

The good scenes that I see are considered sathwic. The good music that I hear is

considered sathwic. The good fragrances that I smell are also considered

sathwic. All those good perceptions are ‘vegetarian food’ for the human body.

 

31.“Is there any significance behind Rama being sent into exile for fourteen

years? Why fourteen years? Why not thirteen? Why not fifteen, why? (Laughter)

What is so special about this number?” (05.01.2003)

To be very, very honest, I don’t remember Swami saying anything about the number

fourteen. Bhagavan has said several things about the number nine -- six being

the Divine qualities and three being the human qualities: 6 + 3 = 9. He has

said many things about the number nine. Why? Because the number nine is

changeless. For example, 9 x 2 = 18 and 1 + 8 = 9. Likewise, 9 x 3 = 27 and 2 +

7 = 9. So you can go on multiplying like that -- nine is nine. There are six

Divine features and three human qualities. So, He has spoken about the number

nine. But, I don’t remember Swami saying anything about the number fourteen.

But if you want me to speculate -- subject to correction, subject to your

acceptance -- if you want me to give an educated guess, then it could possibly

be the five karmendriyas or five senses of action and the five jnanendriyas or

five senses of perception – 5 + 5 = 10. Then the last four are manas, buddhi,

chittha and ahamkaara. Manas is the mind or thinking. Chitta is the feeling.

Buddhi is the intellect or decision-making capacity, and ahamkaara is the ego.

5 + 5 + 4 = 14. This might possibly be the nearest answer to this question, if

not the right answer.

 

30.“Are grace and blessings temporary or do they evaporate after a period of

time or after certain actions?” 15.12.2002

Here’s a simple example: When I don’t follow Swami’s teachings, well, I may not

be the recipient of His blessings, but I have His grace. When a son does not

follow the order or the advice of his father, the father will not bless him

with pocket allowances, but he has the grace of his love.

A student who does not do the homework will not have my blessings. If he fails

in the examination, he will not have my blessings. But he has the grace of the

teacher; who continues to love him until he gets through the examination. So,

grace is purposeless, meaning it is not goal or need-oriented; whereas,

blessings can be withdrawn depending upon our actions.

Here is another example. Out of courtesy, I will not disclose the name of the

person I am referring to in this example. This happened about 15 years ago. He

was a very big man -- both by virtue of his profession and by virtue of his

physique – who occupied a seat meant for four people!

Well, he came here. I knew him very well. He is no more of course, but back then

he had a very high post. I said, “Sir, very glad to see you. I hear that you are

in a very high position. What brought you here?”

He said, “I have come here for Bhagavan’s blessings to get married once again.”

(Laughter)

“Sir, how about madam?” I asked, referring to his wife, since he

was already married.

He said, “ This will be an additional wife.”

“Why an additional wife?”

“My current wife is into spirituality too much. She is spending too much time

here, so I need somebody to be in charge there.” (When the principal is on

leave, the vice-principal will be in charge of the position!)

Then I just said, “Sir, I thought you were a great man. I am sorry. I don’t find

fault with you. I find fault with myself for having thought that you were a

great man. You are no longer holding that place in my mind. Swami has said many

times, “Wife is knife.” Because of family, you are going to have entanglements

and many responsibilities. Bhagavan wants you to rise above these chains of

family life. Yet you want to get married for a second time, and you come for

Baba’s blessings while the first wife is still alive!”

I said, “Sir, you better catch the next bus, or take a taxi and leave because He

may seek the help of Seva Dals to see you out!” (Laughter) There will be no

blessings for such silly requests, I tell you.

On the other hand, if you say, ”I am tired of my life and I have dedicated my

life to service. I want to spend the rest of my life serving You, my Lord. Help

me to grow in detachment and renunciation.” Then yes, you will have His

blessings.

If you say, “I want to get deeper and deeper into family life” -- there may not

be any blessings. Nevertheless, His grace is still there, waiting for you so

that one day or the other, you will work for your redemption. That is the

answer.

 

29.“What is the difference between ‘grace’ and ‘blessings’?” 15.12.2002

A very good question. We may pray, “Baba, bless me on my birthday” or

“Bhagavan, bless my business attempt” or “Bless us on our wedding anniversary

day.” Blessings you need and blessings you ask for, as and when you need them.

You ask for blessings when you feel it is necessary, or as and when you feel you

run short of them, something like running out of household provisions. Is that

clear? So, blessings are what you seek and what you ask for on certain special

occasions.

A blessing is what you need when you are not sure about something, whereas grace

is infinite. Grace need not be solicited or asked for or sought after. Grace is

abiding, without any demand. God’s grace is like sunlight, which is available

to us everywhere and to everyone equally. Similarly, grace is continuous. Grace

is eternal. Grace is not to be sought after or searched for as it is always

there.

28.“Why do we need to say a manthra repeatedly?” 15.12.2002

I remember a joke. A patient came to the doctor and asked, “Doctor, I have

consumed three bottles of syrup so far over a period of three months. How long

should I continue to take this?” The doctor said, “Until you die.” (Laughter)

 

Similarly, how long should you repeat the manthra? Until you forget the feeling

that you are repeating the manthra: “’Sai Ram, Sai Ram, Sai Ram’. How many

times should I repeat it?” “Oh, say a hundred times or more.”

That’s all nonsense. You should go on repeating Bhagavan’s Name until you have

forgotten the number of times that you have repeated it. Bhagavan gave a

beautiful example here. I tell you, no one can explain it like He does: A boy

said, while going to bed, “Mother, please wake me up when I am hungry.”

(Laughter) The mother said, “Useless fellow! You yourself will get up when you

are hungry. I don’t have to wake you up.”

Similarly, “How long should I say a manthra?” The answer is that we should

repeat it until the purpose is realised or until the goal is achieved. “Then

why do I have to repeat it so many times or for a stipulated number of times?”

I may say ‘Sai Ram, Sai Ram, Sai Ram’. I may say this 108 times. But my mind

may concentrate on the manthra only here and there for a brief period, while

the rest of the time it may be engaged in thoughts about an airline

reservation, a job, the mosquitoes, the canteen -- that’s it. (Laughter)

Hence, though I repeated the Name 108 times, the mind concentrated on it only

thrice. So, how many times is that? Only three times! So the rest of 105

repetitions were a waste. It is only for calculation and income tax purposes,

not for this. (Laughter)

So my friends, we are asked to repeat things any number of times. How many

times should I breathe? Until I find my name in the newspaper under the

obituary column. (Laughter) It’s quite simple. So we should keep on repeating

the Name.

 

27.Why do we have to go through this or any life to get Self-realization? Why

didn’t we arrive already Self-realized? Have you found anyone who is? Also, once

you have blessed something, or asked for something, or chanted a manthra, why do

we have to do it over and over again? 15.12.2002

Very good! This is a question to be asked in this computer age. As I told you

last time, I am not making fun of these questions. I am not underestimating the

calibre and the spirit of the person who has asked this question. I have the

highest respect and reverence towards them and thank them from the bottom of my

heart because they help me to go through Sai literature time and again.

Now the question is this: “Why do we have to go through this or any life to get

Self-realization? Why?” The answer is simple. We find many people sitting in

front of the TV, watching serials these days. I don’t know about television

serials abroad, but here in South India particularly, some of the serials go on

for 500 episodes or more!

There is even a joke about it. It seems that an old man wrote a letter to the

television director saying, “I may die any moment. Let me know how the story

ends so that I may die peacefully. (Laughter). Since I do not know how long it

will continue, I may have to be born again! Why all this? Tell me the ending of

the story!”

And secondly, something that is common to all the television serials in South

India in particular is that most of them make you cry. None of the serials make

you laugh.

There’s also a joke about that. It seems a young girl went to the TV director

and asked, “Sir, why don’t you give me a role? I want to act in your serial.”

The director said, ”Yes.”

He asked for a plastic bucket to be brought and put in front of her.

The director said, “Come on -- fill this bucket with your tears and after that I

will give you a role.” (Laughter)

So, one has to learn the art of crying, you know? We sit in front of the

television and we also cry. A few days ago, I got a phone call from my friend

in Hyderabad. He said that his wife and mother-in-law don’t go to bed unless

they have cried bitterly until 10 o’clock at night, and only then do they

retire. (Laughter) The crying starts at seven PM and goes on until 10 o’clock!

They are busy until seven, or else they would have started at five o’clock!

Why do we cry? We pay money and cry. (Laughter) Why do those actors cry? They

receive money and cry. So, we have got two categories of people who cry --

those who pay to cry and others who get paid to cry.

My friends, we cry. Why? Because we think that the hero in the television serial

is real. Or we think that we are in a difficult position, so we cry. Suddenly

the husband comes home from the office. He says, “I am tired from working and

you are crying here at home! Let me have a break.” Then the wife will come to

her senses.

So my friends, when I consider a television serial to be true, when I consider

the cinema to be a reality, it is because I am identifying with it and so I

cry. However, once I am aware that it is just a cinema or that it is just a

television serial, I am not disturbed. I am not perturbed.

Similarly, in life we pass through bumps and jumps, ups and downs, smiles and

tears, elation, jubilation and frustration. It’s like a pendulum that moves in

between two extremes. When you are praised, you are up in the sky. But when you

are pointed at, you are down, totally down. This is because of a lack of

realisation.

Realisation will help you to achieve equanimity and balance. Realisation will

help you to not feel proud of all the simple achievements or simple talents

that you have. Realization will never allow you to be depressed or frustrated

or create a situation where you need to consult a psychiatrist!

Therefore, Self-realisation is necessary for your own sake. In your own

interest, you should seek Self-realisation. Bhagavan has given a simple

example. It so happened that a small cub lost its way and started living among

some sheep. Suddenly one day a tiger was ready to attack the sheep.

When the sheep started running, the little cub also started running. “Don’t kill

me! Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!”

The tiger said, “Stop that! Don’t cry.”

The cub said, “We are sheep. I am a member of the herd. Don’t kill me.”

“No, no, no, you are not a sheep. You and I are one. Let us go to the river and

check out the stripes on our bodies. You roar and I roar. Our language is

common. The body is common. Why do you think that you are a sheep?”

Then the cub understood that it no longer belonged with the sheep. Similarly, we

think that we are sheep. We think that we are so cheap. We think that we are so

simple. We think that we are nobody, no, no, no. Shrinvantu Vishve Amrithasya

Puthraha. “You are the Son of Immortality.” “You are Divine.” When Bhagavan

addresses you as ‘Divyatmaswarupulara’, that means you are embodiments of

Divyatma. You are embodiments of the Divine. Why do you think that you are a

pauper? Why do you think that you are so simple? Certainly not!

It’s like the man who kept asking for loans. Then someone said, “There is one

lakh rupees to your credit. Why are you seeking more loans?”

He said, “Oh, I see. I forgot. That was long time back.”

He immediately went to the bank, utilised the money and no longer needed to ask

for loans. Similarly, when you have Self-realisation, you are beyond the

duality of good and bad, profit and loss, victory and defeat. You are in

equanimity and are perfectly balanced. It is for that reason that you need to

realise the Self.

 

26.We have many cockroaches moving around our house at night, creating not

only a health hazard, but also scaring us out of our wits at times. Can you

please advise us how to treat these creatures? How do we treat these invaders

with love? (Laughter) (15.12.2002)

Perhaps cockroaches have become an international problem. (Laughter) Well, I

have had that same problem and have become friendly with them because I cannot

get away from them anyway. To some, a mosquito is a problem, but to me the

mosquito is not the problem. It is the humming music of mosquitoes that I have

to get used to -- that keeps me from sleeping. (Laughter)

My friends, whether it is mosquitoes, scorpions, snakes or cockroaches, the

point is this: If you kill anything for joy, thrill, excitement or as a

pastime, then it is a sin. However, if you kill it to make yourself free from

suffering, then it is not a sin. If you kill it for the fun of it – say, like

hunting for excitement -- then it is not acceptable. Hunting used to be a

pastime for kings. Now that kind of thing is a crime. But if a tiger is going

to attack you, you can shoot it. How can I treat it lovingly, and allow myself

to be eaten by it? (Laughter)

There is a subtle difference between the two. If I am not killing anything for

the joy or pleasure, if I am doing it in order to save myself, then it is not a

crime. That is also treating things with love.

25.What is the primordial factor that decides one’s gender in this birth?

Why are you a man? How can you afford to be a woman? (Laughter) So the question

here is what decides the gender in each life. Is it because of our past lives?

(15.12.2002)

The answer is simple, my friends. I quote from Sai literature. The real Self,

the reality, is neither a man nor a woman. The man or the woman — the

difference in the identity lies in the body, not in the spirit.

If someone knocks at the door and you ask, “Who are you?” they will answer, “I

am so-and-so.” No one would say, “I, the man, am talking to you” or “I, the

woman, am here”. Nobody would say that. ‘I’ is common to both men and women.

The second point is that Bhagavan has said, “All are women.” Hari Om Tat Sat.

(Laughter) My friends, do not mistake me. Try to settle any scores later.

(Laughter) All are women. So you don’t need to feel inferior. We have no reason

to feel superior. Why? The spirit in you is purusha or man. The Atma is

masculine, purusha, while the body is prakrithi or nature, which is feminine.

But the masculinity is of the spirit and not of the body.

Thirdly, He gave an example: If you go to the women’s college at Anantapur on

the annual college day, when they are staging a drama, you’ll find a girl in

the role of a king. You’ll find another girl in the role of a soldier and

another girl in the role of a servant. Because of their costumes, they appear

to be men; but in reality, they are women. Similarly, all are women. Some may

look like men (Laughter), but basically all are feminine. I mean the body

principle is feminine, prakrithi, meaning it is inert matter. This is

feminine, while the life principle is masculine.

I am very grateful to have these questions because it helps me to go back in my

memory to what Bhagavan has said over the years. Here is another example. You

must have heard of a great lady named Meera, who was a great devotee. Meera

wanted to meet the King. She came into the palace.

A soldier said, “Sorry, you cannot go in.”

She asked, “Why?”

The man said, “Women are not permitted to go in. Women are

prohibited from going into the palace.”

Then Meera said, “Where are the men here? I don’t see any men here.”

The soldier was surprised and must have been thinking, “Is something wrong with

me or with her?” (Laughter)

This is the truth. The body is feminine, inert matter, only. But the life force

is masculine. So all of us are a combination of both. When you ask, “What

decides the gender?” I say, “Why worry about it?” Whether the sugar candy is

in the shape of a rat or an elephant, the child eats it, right? Similarly, a

chocolate may be circular or rectangular or hexagonal; but after all, a

chocolate is a chocolate. Biscuits may be quadrangular or circular. Whatever it

may be, a biscuit is a biscuit.

So similarly, life is life, whether you are a man or woman. It is only external.

So let’s not question what it is that decides our gender. There is nothing

wrong. Men and women suffer equally. (Laughter). Oh, that’s right -- we blame

each other!

 

24.“What are the steps that I should take to merge in Him?” (08.12.2002)

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.

 

23.“Can I see Baba in different forms?” (08.12.2002)

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.

 

22.“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?” (08.12.2002)

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.

 

21.“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) (08.12.2002)

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’ll be 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.

 

20.“What shall I do to dine with Bhagavan? 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? “ (08.12.2002)

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 Bhagavan 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)

 

19.“Karma, is it individual? Are countries also bound by karma?” (08.12.2002)

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.

 

18.“You said,” (he meant me) “the very Darshan of Bhagavan will clear you of

your karma. But I'm still suffering from my karma. Has not my karma been

cleared?” (Laughter) (08.12.2002)

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 Bhagavan -- when all of us look at Bhagavan, all of us will not

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

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 Bhagavan 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.

 

17.“What is The Significance Of New Moon And Full Moon?” (08.12.2002)

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 Mahaveer was enlightened. Purnima 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.

 

source: www.saiwisdom.com