No.7 : Questions put to Prof. Anil Kumar and answered by him. 97-109 (total 228 Q & A* )

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

 

*Questions & Answers * 97-109109 “I am suffering. How is it that Bhagavan is

not able to respond to my prayers? What's wrong with Him? Is He on vacation?”

That is the question put to me.

 

“How is one supposed to pray to Swami when everything goes wrong? How come

nowadays every Sai devotee I meet is going through a hard time? Is Swami on

vacation? (Laughter) Is Bhagavan on vacation?” Very good! Because we have a

vacation, let us try to give Him a vacation. But the problem is, when He is on

vacation, we will have problems!

 

The answer is simple: When everything is going wrong, I should be thinking that

there might be a mistake in my approach. There may be some mistake in my

procedure. There may be some mistake in my intention. There may be some mistake

in my motives. Perhaps I may not be deserving of what I want. I may be

undeserving; I am simply desiring. Perhaps I should find out know whether I am

deserving or not? It may be because of my mistake; it might be because of wrong

procedures; it could be because of my bad motives or because of my

undeservedness.

 

Above all, let me learn a lesson that when I am wrong every time, that it is a

lesson for me. Let me look to God's guidance. Let me see what Bhagavan is

telling me. Let me pray to Him. What intuitive feeling does He give me? How is

He awakening my intellect and asking me to proceed in the direction of success?

 

Instead of complaining that I am going wrong, let me inquire within, ‘Why am I

wrong?’ If one is always wrong, there must be something wrong somewhere. I must

enquire in depth. Outwardly, I should be more competent; I should be more

talented; I should be more skillful. Inwardly, I should be more investigative.

I should enquire more and more from within, and pray for God's help, so that I

will be successful. God is never on vacation!

 

Bhagavan always said, “At least you have Sundays as holidays. I don't have any

Sundays.” Our good Lord has more work on holidays, more work on Sundays. He has

no holiday. He is never on vacation.

 

108 “What are your views on dreams?”

 

Let me be very honest. I do not dream much, and the dreams I have are not worth

mentioning. They are not worth sharing. This life itself is enough torture! Why

dream as well? (Laughter) Why more dreams?

 

But I do not deny nor do I reject dreams concerning Swami. Swami appears in our

dreams when He decides to appear. In that case, those dreams are true. However,

some people make their own psychological projection and interpretation of the

dream.

 

I am ashamed to give you an example of a person who went to a lady and said,

“Swami appeared in my dream and wanted me to marry you.” Oho. (Laughter) That

fool.

 

That lady said to me, “Sir, Swami appeared in my dream and wanted me to marry

this man.” Oho. She had a dream and that fellow had a dream.

 

Both of them came to me and said, “Sir, in the dream it appeared that we should marry.”

 

“I don’t deny what you say. Yes, Swami told you. Where? In your dreams. So

please get married there, in Dreamland. (Laughter) Get married in Dreamland,

not on this land. Understand?”

 

Therefore, my friends, psychological projections are different from Bhagavan

appearing in our dreams. The unfulfilled desires project themselves through the

dream and we think they are real. No, no, no!

 

Bhagavan appears at a time when you don’t think of Him at all. Bhagavan appears

at a time to give you direction when you badly need it. Bhagavan gives you kind

of a support, kind of an anchor when you are lost in the waves, in the tossing

of the ocean’s waves. When you are there in the turbulent ocean, when the ship

is tossing, Bhagavan appears: “My dear child, don’t worry. I am by your side.”

 

When you are helpless, when you are forsaken, when you are given up by

everybody, Bhagavan appears and tells you, “My dear child, I am by your side.

Why fear when I am here?” That is a Baba dream and not just a psychological

projection.

 

107 “We women, whom should we follow? Should it be Sita, the wife of Rama, who

accompanied her husband into exile, or should it be Urmila, the wife of a

brother of Rama, who remained at home?”

 

We know the story of Sita and also that of Urmila in the Ramayana, the story of

Rama. One went along with her husband, Rama, while the other one allowed her

husband to follow Rama. (Laughter) Whom should we follow, Sita or Urmila?

Should we follow our husbands like Sita, or be like Urmila, allowing them to go

and remaining behind?

 

Urmila and Sita are two characters representing two different situations. There

may be an occasion where you have to act like Sita. There are times when you

have to act like Urmila.

 

Here is a simple example involving the same person. The husband is working in

the army. He is an army general. In times of war, the husband, being an army

general, has to go to the front. He has to go to the battlefield. Then the wife

would not say, like Sita, “I will follow you.” (Laughter) She has to be like

Urmila - stay behind and encourage her husband to go and fight.

 

Later the husband becomes a government employee and he is transferred to another

place. That place is in a remote corner of the jungle. The poor fellow has to

manage on his own. Then the wife would follow him and say, “Don't worry. I am

here. Never think that you are alone. It may be a new place. It may be a forest

area, but as long as we are together, the place is like a garden to us. It’s no

longer a wild forest, no. I am here by your side.”

 

When your husband needs your support, you act like Sita. When the husband is

duty-bound, you are Urmila. Urmila and Sita represent two different situations.

You have to identify the actual situation. Then you will know whether you should

follow your husband or stay back.

 

You should not say, “My husband is a surgeon. He is in the operating theatre. I

will be like Sita. I will follow him!” (Laughter) No, no, no! You have to stay

back.

 

“My husband is sick. He has been admitted to the hospital. I will be like Urmila

and stay at home.” No, no! (Laughter) You should then be Sita. You should follow

him. You should go to the hospital. We must use our sense of discrimination.

 

106 “What is surrender?”

 

This question is asked because surrender has not been achieved. A simple

example: Here is a glass of water. I mix one spoon of sugar into it completely.

Where is the sugar? The sugar has dissolved in the water. There is no sugar now.

Even if you ask, “Oh sugar, please let me see you! I want to see you,” it will

say, “Sir, stop asking. I am one with the water. I am dissolved in the water.”

 

Similarly, once you have surrendered, you don't ask, “What is surrender?” The

sugar will not say, “Where am I?” because it has become one with the water. So,

the one surrendered will not ask this question, “What is surrender?”

 

He is going towards surrender. He is in the process of surrender. Surrender

means accepting His Will unconditionally. Surrender means forgetting the

individual self. It means being One with the Supreme Self, the Cosmic Self,

being One with Brahman (the Universal Absolute). That is true surrender.

105 “How to earn His grace?”

A simple thing: the sun is shining here, yes! If you go in the opposite

direction, there will be a shadow in front of you, right? Turn towards the sun

and walk towards it; the shadow will be behind you. When you turn away from the

sun, the shadow is in front of you. When you walk towards the sun, the shadow is

behind you.

 

Similarly, when you think of God, you are earning His Grace. When you are

walking towards the world, you are denied His Grace. That’s all. Sun is God!

Walk towards Him. That is Grace - more and more light. If you turn against or

away from Him, you have to follow your own shadow. This shadow is the illusion,

delusion, mistaken identity, super imposition, Maya or whatever you may call it.

 

104 “I am not satisfied with my spiritual progress. Why? How to be satisfied?”

 

My friends, satisfaction and dissatisfaction are two states. I am satisfied with

this blue file made in the USA. Good. (Laughter) Aha, when I don’t have this, I

am dissatisfied. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction are two states of experience.

When I possess, I am happy. When I do not have, I am unhappy.

 

In spirituality, there is no question of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. There

is no question of happiness and unhappiness, because you are already that

(Divinity)! You are not getting anything more in the spiritual field. You are

not going to get any extra. You already know what you are. You think you are

only the body; you think you are only the mind; you think you are the

individual. No. You are God! You are Divine!

 

In spirituality, the word satisfaction can be defined as the true realisation of

the Self. Dissatisfaction means the non-realisation or ignorance of the Self.

Ignorance of the Self is dissatisfaction. Awareness of the Self is supreme

satisfaction. I think that is the way we have to take it. Spiritual progress

means awareness of the Self. Spiritual failure means non-awareness of the Self.

That is the answer given on that day.

 

103 “What explanation would you give to a person who does not believe in past

life, and who is as good as one can be, in regard to the pain and suffering he

goes through?”

It seems a person is going through pain and suffering. He doesn’t believe in

past life. What explanation can be given to him?

 

I can give him only one explanation - continue to suffer. (Laughter) Continue to suffer.

 

If you see that the suffering is from a past life and for one’s own

transformation, then you won’t feel the pain of suffering. Seeing this, the

pain of suffering can become less and less, negligible if possible.

 

The talk about a past life will be kind of a solace. It will be sort of a

comfort. It will give sort of an explanation. That’s the reason why, in this

country, in India, there is no demand for psychiatrists. (Laughter) There is no

demand for psychoanalysts. There is no demand for the treatment of mental

illnesses or ailments. No, nothing! No demand. No one turns mad as in many of

the other countries.

 

Why? We have accepted the suffering. ‘I am suffering. All right, I accept it,

come what may. This suffering is because of a past life. OK. That keeps me sane

and comfortable, at least conversant, at least amicable and friendly with

others.

 

Suppose I don’t believe that, and I am suffering. ‘My suffering should be cause

for the whole world to suffer, OK?’ (Laughter) ‘My suffering is an

international problem, you understand?’ ‘The kind of suffering I am going

through, no one else has ever gone through.’ Your suffering is world suffering.

Ultimately, you go on suffering so much, you are fighting within yourself so

much, that you are unable to keep yourself in one piece. Ultimately, you turn

mad, and then pay money to a doctor for treatment, and finally become normal

again. (Laughter) Why all that?

 

Moreover, suffering can be taken as a lesson. Let us take this period of

suffering as a period of meditation. Let this suffering turn into prayer. We

cannot turn pleasure into prayer. No, because pleasure, I think, is my own

making. Pleasure is my own doing. So, pleasure makes me egoistic.

 

In fact, both pleasure and pain can be turned into prayer. When pleasure is

turned into prayer, it is gratitude. When pain is turned into prayer, it is

meditation. Why not? Therefore, my friends, pleasure and pain can be

transformed into prayer. Suffering is for one’s own elevation, for one’s own

transformation, for one’s own advancement, and not a matter of punishment -

certainly not! That's what I say.

 

102 “How do you distinguish between the true inner voice and the mind's whisper?”

 

The true inner voice! I am glad that you have accepted the existence of the

inner voice. I am also glad that you know there is a mind's whisper separate

from the inner voice. How to distinguish them? Very simple.

 

When can we hear the inner voice? The inner voice can be heard when the outer

noise stops. The outer noise should cease for the inner voice to be heard. Just

as there is an undercurrent of water, all the boulders must be removed, the

pebbles must be removed, the sand must be removed to touch the flow of water

beneath. Similarly, when all the outer noise is gone, when all the outer

actions are withdrawn, when one turns inwards, one is able to listen to the

inner voice.

 

Next, how do you separate it from the mind's whisper? The mind's whisper is

always for your convenience. ‘Why can't I go now?’ Mind's whisper.

 

‘Don’t go! Stay until the lecture is over.’ That’s the inner voice. (Laughter) Clear.

 

‘I went there this morning, but Swami did not come this way. Why not sit some

place outside for an extra half hour, and then come for darshan, and come for

bhajan when it suits me.’ That’s mind's whisper.

 

‘Keep quiet! Be there by 2:30. Swami may come anytime. You can have His darshan

at least. You can see Him.’ That’s the inner voice.

 

‘It’s not possible to see Him again and again. You have come all this way. Why

don’t you go visit some other place?’ Mind’s whisper.

 

‘Keep quiet. Be there by 3 o’ clock.’ OK? Inner voice.

 

The mind's whisper: ‘You can sleep tonight. Why not stay on for half an hour more?’ (Laughter)

 

So, the mind's whisper is always for your convenience. The inner voice is

conviction. The mind's whisper is dual, giving you a choice: to be or not to

be; to go or to stay back; to do or not to do. The mind's whisper gives you a

choice.

 

The inner voice is choicelessness. Choicelessness.

 

‘Speak the truth.’ The inner voice.

 

The mind's whisper: ‘Not everybody speaks the truth.’ (Laughter)

 

‘Why should I speak the truth, after all? Not necessary.’ The mind's whisper. I think I am clear.

 

‘Love everybody.’ The inner voice.

 

‘How can you love everybody when those fellows hate you? (Laughter) When those

fellows are harming you, how can you love everybody?’ Mind's whisper.

 

‘Remain in peace.’ The inner voice.

 

The mind's whisper, ‘What will happen to my salary next month? What will happen

to my promotion next month? How will my business prosper next week?’

 

So, the mind's whisper is worldly. The inner voice is spiritual. The mind's

whisper provides choice; the inner voice is choiceless. The mind's whisper is

for convenience, whereas the inner voice is conviction. That’s how you can

certainly distinguish and differentiate. The inner voice stands for values,

whereas the mind’s whisper is always for personal gain. The mind's whisper is

egoistic. The inner voice is without ego.

 

101 “What is good company and what is bad company? Can't we change the bad into good?”

Whether we will be able to change the bad into good or not, let us be careful

that we don't change ourselves! (Laughter) First, we have to be very careful

that we are not changing ourselves.

 

Secondly, what is good and what is bad, is known by all. We don’t need to say

that this is good company…that this is bad company. We don’t need to tell

anybody. Everyone knows! In fact, good and bad are not outside. Let us go a

little deeper into the topic.

 

Bhagavan said…Abba! Really, I tell you that I forget myself when I think of

certain statements of Bhagavan. We should go into the depth of His statements,

and then we can forget ourselves. We are lost in the fathomless depths of the

content and the intensity of His expression, of His dicta, of His sayings, or

whatever we call His teachings.

 

Bhagavan said: "Bad and good are not outside. They are within you. Good and bad

are within you. When you entertain good thoughts within you, you are in good

company. When there are bad thoughts in you, you are in bad company."

 

I think I am clear. That’s why Baba said, “Everything is the reflection of the inner being.”

 

“I say that you are a bad man because…” How do I know that you are bad? The bad

quality in me identified the similar bad quality in you, and therefore I say

that you are bad. So, both of us are equally bad. (Laughter) Am I clear?

 

I say that you are a good person. Why? The goodness in me helped me to identify

the goodness in you. Therefore I say that you are good. Both of us are equally

good.

 

So, the good and bad are in me, and when I find this reflection externally, I

start branding; I start judging; I start classifying; I start fragmenting; I

start dividing. It’s all the expression of the inner being. So my friends, the

meaning of good and bad company is to be good for the sake of yourself.

 

My friends, after all, I am not prepared to mix with bad people simply because I

refuse to accept that bad which is within me. I am not able to excuse myself. I

am not able to bear myself. I don’t excuse myself. I don’t love myself.

Therefore I say, “They are bad, they are bad, they are bad!” First, I should

learn to excuse myself. I should learn to respect myself. I should learn to

love myself. Then I can accept everybody, good and bad. That is the answer.

 

100 “All good people suffer - why?”

 

First, why should you think that you are good? (Laughter) You cannot declare

yourself to be good. There should be someone else to say that you are good. You

cannot say, “I am so good; why am I suffering?” Oho! (Laughter) Maybe I should

ask by what standards you declare yourself to be good?

 

So, all good people suffer. Why? Last year, this question was put to Bhagavan.

 

(By the way, for the benefit of English-speaking people, I may say that by the

time of His Birthday, I would like to have all these questions published in

book form as well as those things spoken about by Bhagavan on the verandah. For

your benefit, I am in the process of getting them translated into English.)

 

This question was put to Bhagavan: “All good people suffer. Why?”

 

Bhagavan said, "You think that they are suffering. But they don't feel they are suffering."

 

Understand this point: You think that they are suffering, but they never feel

suffering. They don't think they are suffering at all. But they appear to be

suffering. As you know, Jesus Christ was on the cross, at the moment of tests

and turmoil, at a time of challenge, and heavily bleeding. He prayed, “God, O

God, O Father in Heaven, they know not what they do. Forgive them!”

 

He prayed for their pardon! “Let these people be excused. They do not know what

they do.” Is it possible for an ordinary man to pray for his executers, to pray

for those people who nailed Him on the cross? Is it possible? We think He was

suffering, but He was not suffering.

 

Gandhiji, a man who used non-violent means to bring about India’s independence,

was jailed. We think Gandhiji, the father of the Nation, was suffering, but he

never felt he was suffering. No, he never felt so.

 

We thought that Prahlada, the saintly son of the king of the three worlds, was

suffering. Actually, he was laughing and singing. If there were any suffering

there, perhaps it was for God, as He had to rescue him everywhere. God had to

save Prahlada.

 

If there is anybody suffering, it can only be God, because He has to save us all

the time. We commit so many mistakes. He has to excuse us, and He has to save us

from all possible threats and dangers. So we don't need to suffer, because He is

there to take care of us.

 

Therefore, when you say that all good people suffer, it is only your

imagination. Their goodness lies in bearing that suffering. Their goodness lies

in resisting that suffering. Their goodness lies in still holding on to their

principles and convictions very firmly, even at the time of suffering. That is

their greatness.

 

99 “Explain harmony in thought, word and deed in terms of its inner meaning.”

 

In terms of its inner meaning - thought, word and deed, yes! The words that I

speak and spell out, those acts are visible. The thought is entertained in the

mind. The thought will find its expression by word and action. I cannot speak

without thought. If thought does not produce the word, I am a mad man. We say

that he doesn't know what he is saying. What does it mean? When there is no

thought behind it, one is mental, psychotic. If there are no thoughts behind an

action, the actions are going to be foolish. The actions will land you in total

failure. Thought is the promoter of word and action.

 

Then, what is the source of thought? The source of thought is the Self, the

Atma. The source of thought is Self, Consciousness. Awareness is the source of

thought. Once we are aware of the Awareness, the thought comes out of it. This

thought produces speech. This thought directs, reflects, manifests, by way of

action.

 

Because we are not aware of it, because we do not know the source of thought, we

are confused. When we speak, we are not conscious of our speech. When we act, we

are not sure of our actions. Sometimes, our motives are questionable. Once we

know that the source of thought is the Self, these things are neatly solved.

 

Then, no thought or thoughtlessness is Divinity. Thoughtlessness is Divine.

Withdrawal of thought is Amanaska, ‘no mind’. The withdrawal of thought, mano

laya, merging of the mind in the Absolute, this annihilation is Divinity.

 

>From that no-thought state, we come to the individual self. After all, there are

two states: one, the Cosmic Self, and the other, the individual self. The Cosmic

Self is no thought. The individual self is the seed of thought. Then the thought

expresses in word or action. I think I am clear. The Cosmic Self is something

like a thermal power station. The individual self is like a transformer. The

mind is like a meter. The body is like an electric light bulb. The electricity

is the action.

 

Therefore my friends, the source is the Cosmic Self, which is thoughtless, which

manifests and proceeds into this world in the form of individual self, out of

which thought is born. This expresses itself by way of word and deed.

Therefore, the unity from within can be established by being aware of the

Cosmic Self, the Paramatman - the Universal Soul, the Parabrahman - God.

 

98 “How is the spiritual heart connected with the mind in the body, in terms of

feeling, thinking and action? How do I connect them for a better life?”

“The mind and heart, how are they to be linked?” Swami gave the answer a long time ago.

 

We should know the distinction between the mind and the heart. The memory, the

intelligence, knowledge, recapitulation, and all secular knowledge, all the

information of the outer world, all this is in our head. The head is the seat

of learning. The head is the seat of knowledge. The head is the centre of

worldly information.

 

The heart is the seat of wisdom. The heart is the centre of intuition, not

intelligence. The heart is the centre of awareness. The heart is the birthplace

for human values in life, like truth, sacrifice, peace and compassion. They all

arise in our heart. The memory, intelligence, statistics, data, computer - that

is the head; whereas compassion, love and peace, these are found in our heart.

 

So, the heart and the head - I have told you the difference between the two.

Now, how to link them? It is quite simple.

 

When the heart prompts, when the heart dictates, the mind executes. When the

mind executes, when the mind acts on the dictation, acts on the command of the

heart, the life is in perfect harmony, in perfect unison, in perfect unity, in

perfect co-ordination, in complete integration.

 

If the mind does not agree with the heart (consciousness or awareness), if the

mind declares independence, “Let me act in my own way! (Laughter) I am quite

independent. Keep quiet, heart!”… when the mind goes on acting in its own way,

what happens? Accidents.

 

If we act according to the mind, completely neglecting the heart, it means that

we are giving expression to our ego. The mind is the ego, individual

consciousness or individual identification. On the other hand, the heart is

cosmic; the heart is universal; the heart is spiritual. If the mind acts

without the background of the heart, the mind naturally diverts, deviates,

digresses and misdirects. This digression, this misdirection, this wrong

perversion is responsible for all the chaos in our lives. When we are directed

by the mind, our life is full of chaos and confusion.

 

On the other hand, if the heart commands, and the mind acts according to the

command of the heart, life will be peaceful. Life will be spiritual. That’s why

Baba says, "The body is a water bubble. Don't follow the body. The mind is a mad

monkey. Don't follow the mind. Follow your conscience!" That is what your heart

is. That is what the heart is. That is the answer to the question.

 

97 “I really do not know why I start crying while singing bhajans. Can you

please tell me why this is happening?”

 

This is happening to the questioner and I have to give a solution. Well, I am

glad about one thing. The question is put to me this way: “Why am I crying

during bhajans?” Good. If you cry at home over something else, I have no

answer. (Laughter) Those answers are purely private and personal, but this

crying during bhajans is a welcome feature. It's positive. Don't say crying.

No! They are tears of joy, Ananda, bliss. In fact, everyone should cry while

singing. Yes! This shedding of tears of joy is not the shedding of tears of

grief. They are not the tears of sadness. They are tears of joy in singing the

glory of God. This is a welcome feature. You can't help it once you become

absorbed in the singing.

 

Usually, when bhajans are going on, your thoughts will be on the singer: ‘Who is

singing?’ (Laughter) Why are you interested in the singer? When you are

interested in the singer, there won’t be tears of joy. Some people are

interested in the instruments. ‘How nice! Who is playing?’ (Laughter) ‘The

tabla is nice’, as if the harmonium is awful! (Laughter) Or, ‘The harmonium is

nice’, as if the tabla is bad! So, when you concentrate on the singer, when you

think of the instruments, when you think about that sort of song…No!

 

When you think of the song, singer or instrument, naturally you cannot identify

with the bhajan. You should be the song. You should transform yourself into the

song, such that you are the song. The song is not different from you. You are

the rhythm, you are the beat, you are the melody and you are the bhajan. Bhajan

is not separate from you.

 

Once you identify yourself with that process of bhajan, tears of joy start

rolling unnoticed. You think of Lord Krishna: ‘Giridhar Gopala, Giridhar

Gopala, O Lord Krishna!’ You think of Him, so naturally tears of joy will

start. But if you think of the singer, the instrument or the song, the joy is

gone.

 

Think of the content; think of the meaning. Be a song onto yourself. Be a melody

to yourself. Be the music. Then you can identify. Then you will understand what

bliss is during a bhajan session. We don't experience bliss during bhajan

because we are separate from the bhajan. I am separate from my bhajan because I

am watching who is sitting around me. I am watching my group or some other

group. But I have not come here for groupism! (Laughter)

 

Some people say, “Sir, we don't allow them because they don't belong to our

group.” I want to know to which second-rate group you belong! (Laughter) So,

you belong to that group of second-rate fellows. Let’s not concentrate on the

groups. Chi! Unity is Divinity. Groupism is not worth it at all.

 

Sitting for bhajans, I am conscious of my environment. I am aware of the people

around. I watch and others are watching me. So where is the question of tears

of joy? (Laughter) Close your eyes and understand. Get into the meaning of the

song, the melody. Picture yourself with all the content and the meaning of the

bhajan. Then you become the song itself. You become the music itself. Then the

tears of joy come. That's the answer.

[Guest guest]

Group Post wrote:When all goes wrong and one is suffering, Baba

has said so many times...Welcome! Welcome!

Welcome all that comes to us, joy, suffering, happiness , sadness.

Swani is trying to encourage us to Give Thanks for everything. A

simple prayer that helps me is....

Welcome, Welcome, I let go of my need to

control...(whatever it is)

Welcome , Welcome, I let go of my need to change...

Welcome, Welcome, I let go of my need to understand.

I think the secret is simply to Trust...The Christian

Scriptures remind us...When you suffer, give Thanks, for this is

an opportunity for you to grow in faith and trust.

Let us pray for each other that we can Accept and Embrace whatever our

Loving Baba permits.