PROF. ANIL KUMAR - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [26 TO 50]

[Guest guest]

PROF. ANIL KUMAR - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [26 TO 50]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

33.“What is the harm in killing an animal? Because, when you pick a fruit, you’re also killing it. By picking the fruit, the plant becomes handicapped. Doesn’t the plant suffer pain? So, this is pain and that is pain. So, what’s the difference?” (05.01.2003)

Baba has said something about this. You must know by now that I tell you right away any of Baba’s answers to questions already posed. Those questions where the answers are left to my imagination, I openly confess. There’s no hypocrisy or duplicity here. I do not claim to be an intellectual, certainly not! I don’t even want to be one. I can only repeat what our good Lord has said.

So, what did He say about this? Plants don’t have the same kind of emotions or feelings as animals do. Although Jagadish Chandra Bose in his experiments with plant physiology demonstrated that plants do have feelings and emotions -- at least we can agree on this -- they do not have as many feelings as animals do.

Animals also have feelings and sentiments, although not as many as man. This means that consciousness will find its expression more and more in man as compared with the lower forms of creation. Mineral matter also has consciousness, expressed at the lowest ebb. The plant world has consciousness at a higher level, the animal world at a superior level, and the human race at its maximum. So, it is all-relative.

Therefore, you cannot say, “What is the difference, after all, if I pick a flower or a fruit, or kill an animal?”

You cannot equate them like that. There is a wide gulf of difference because the level at which consciousness expresses itself differs in the course of evolution from low to high. That’s what I can tell you on this subject.

34.“Why should I have the goal of liberation or Self-realisation? After all, why? What is the harm if I am reborn? What is the harm if I'm to die again? Why not? Then in this birth, I can enjoy life. In liberation, where is the enjoyment because you are one with God?” (05.01.2003)

Good! This is a genuine question, a very genuine question. As a man in the company of God, I can enjoy nearness and I can enjoy dearness. In liberation, is there anything like ‘dearness’ and ‘nearness’ and bliss? This is a genuine question indeed!

The answer is this: Instead of loving God, if you become Love itself, it is a million times greater than the process of loving. I think that’s clear. Instead of trying to be blissful in the company of God, if you are bliss itself, what else is left in this world? And the experiences of pain and pleasure, success and failure, blame and praise -- these are all due to the dualism of life. Once you go beyond dualism, where there is no positive or negative, that is the state of liberation, Moksha or nirvana.

So, one aims for liberation in order to remain in the state of bliss, not just to have blissful moments. Intermediate, blissful moments are different from the state of bliss itself. So, this permanent bliss is coveted very much. People deeply pray for liberation on the spiritual path because with liberation you find eternal bliss. In life, you have momentary bliss or blissful moments. So, in ordinary existence you are dual, whereas in liberation you are non-dual. Therefore, liberation is the ultimate.

Instead of being a lakhshapati (having hundreds of thousands) or a crorepati (having tens of millions), instead of being the owner of billions, if you are wealth itself, what more do you want? Or, instead of having water tanks, if you are the ocean itself, what more do you need? So, the fullness, the totality is liberation, while existence is fragmentary, segmented, in pieces, bit-by-bit. Therefore, one prays for liberation.

35.“What is known about the Golden Age that Swami often talks about? When will it begin?” (05.01.2003)

This is like a person getting up at 8 o’clock asking, “When did the sunrise start? What time is the sunrise?”

He got up at 8 o’clock, already two hours late! (Laughter) Am I right? So, when did it start? When will the Golden Age start? The Golden Age started 77 years ago! (Applause) The Golden Age began when Bhagavan took birth.

Then, why am I not aware of it? I got up at 8 o’clock. (Laughter) I got up at 9 o’clock. I have not been awake all these years. I have been spending time in sleep and slumber. The reason is that the Golden Age was my dream. If the Golden Age had been my vision, then I would have been awakened by this time. That Golden Age should have already kindled in my heart the light of wisdom within me, awakening the third eye of vision.

36.“Why man? Why are we here? Why are we created?” (05.01.2003)

Good question! Why man? Man is a special creation of God. The Holy Bible says that God made man in His own image. Krishna is so happy to see Himself in Arjuna. Rama is so happy to be followed by Lakshmana because He finds Himself there.

A simple example: Every one of us, without exception, when standing in front of a mirror considers himself or herself to be very, very handsome or beautiful, though someone may tell that is it is not so. (Laughter) “Please, no! You keep quiet!” (Laughter)

God separates Himself because He loves Himself. God separates Himself into many in order to love Himself. I look into the mirror to know how handsome I am. So God separated Himself:

Ekoham Bahusyam…

One into many…

God has manifested into many. He finds His beauty in you. He finds His splendour in you. He finds His individuality in you. He finds His personality in you. That is:

Sahasra Seersha Purushah

Sahasraksha Sahasra Paad.

The whole universe is like a myriad of mirrors, in which He finds His own reflection. He feels so happy. It is all the play of God, what we call the ‘Leela’ of God, the Will of God.

It is not the game of God, please understand! Game is human, while play is Divine. Please understand this. In a game, there is winning and losing. In a play, there is none of that. It is bliss. A game is commercial, while a play is spiritual. A game has rules and regulations, while a play is beyond rules and regulations. In a play, a fellow may die at the age of 30 or the fellow may not die though he’s 104. So it is all God's play – the Divine leelas of God.

And therefore my friends, why man? It is the play of God. Why are we here? We are here because of the play of God, the Will of God. It is all a creation for His own delight.

37.“There are so many ages like the Thretha Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga. Are they different periods of earth’s evolution, or are they something different?” (05.01.2003)

As I understand it, it is all the course of earth’s evolution, like the Palaeozoic period, like Mesozoic period, or the Carbonizoid period. They are different periods of time. Even if you go through anthropology texts, they clearly tell us that ancient man was seven feet tall. Now, gradually, pygmies and dwarfs have come!

When Bhagavan materialized a ring of this size, He said, “This is Rama’s ring.”

It was large enough to serve as my waist belt! (Laughter)

“Swami, is this Rama’s ring?”

“Yes, it is!”

“Is it so big?”

“Why not? He was not so small like you. He was a large man.”

Then He materialized a gold chain of Ravanasura’s. It was a big chain, full of Siva lingams. Yes. At the centre, there were three big crystal lingams of yellow, blue and gold, with gold Siva lingams all around -- such a big chain.

“Swami, is this..?”

“Yes, it is Ravana’s!”

From seeing that, you can imagine his size!

Therefore, they belong to the earth’s evolution, but they are not earthly. Please understand. Being on earth is different from being earthly, as being a child is different from being childish. I am not a student of literature. I am a student of botany. But to my knowledge, one can be like a child, but never be childish. Am I clear? If you are child-like, you are Divine. If you are childish, you must be put under check. (Laughter)

Similarly, it is the course of earth’s evolution, but it is not earthly. What do I mean by that? Jesus of those times had a message for these times. Rama of those days had a message for these days. So, though they are of earth, they are simply not earthly, as they had no lesson to learn. They are terrestrial, but with a celestial mission in life. So, those ages have a message for this age. That is the answer I have.

38.“Why does God come so infrequently? Why only every 500 years or 1000 years? Why not regularly, like a train? Why not? (Laughter) Had He been here throughout, arriving year-after-year, then all our weaknesses could have been prevented and we would never run away from the path of righteousness -- we’d never run astray. God could control us if He appeared frequently and regularly. It would make His job lighter and easier.” (05.01.2003)

My friends, with no publicity or sense of ownership, with no feeling of pride and ego, not even in the wildest of my dreams, I humbly urge you to go through the two volumes of Satyopanishads, Volume One and Volume Two. These books contain 272 questions asked of Swami in Kodaikanal. They cover all these questions, giving His Divine answers. These are answers given by God, over which I have no claim. (If there is any confusion, I am ready to take the blame, to improve upon the book and revise it for the next edition.) Please go through those two volumes of Satyopanishad. Those books have the answers to many of these questions.

What is the question here? “Why doesn’t He appear frequently?” The answer given there in Satyopanishad is this: When five people are fighting, the elder member of the village will come and say, “Don’t fight.” He will resolve the problem. When two groups of 50 people fight with each other, a police constable is necessary to settle the problem. When two groups of 100 people fight, a Circle Inspector needs to be there. When villages fight with other villages, the District Superintendent of Police needs to be there. When states fight with states, an army is needed. So, it depends upon the intensity of the problem.

When there is so much confusion, when the human race is threatened with extinction from this planet, then it is a serious enough case for the ‘Divine Surgeon’ to come down and operate. (Laughter) Like in appendicitis, any further delay would lead to the collapse of the patient! So, an operation is not needed for a simple stomach-ache. It may ache so much, but it doesn’t call for an operation -- some syrup is enough. If I fast tonight, that should be enough. So, He decides the condition of the patient; I cannot decree it myself.

So, why doesn’t God incarnate more frequently? He doesn’t find it necessary. When and if He finds the necessity, then He incarnates at His own behest, according to His own Will. That’s the answer that Baba gave in this context.

39.“Is there any evidence of life on any other planet?” (05.01.2003)

We have a sufficient population problem here on this earth – well, how about the other planets? (Laughter)

I don’t know, I don’t know! I didn’t ask Swami this question. If there is an appropriate time for me to ask, I’ll see what He says.

40.“As the day in the Kali Yuga is 24 hours, what was the duration of the day in the Dwapara Yuga, or even before in the Thretha Yuga?” (05.01.2003)

I find time is running short now itself, so how about Dwapara Yuga? (Laughter) Anyway, it is a question indeed. The epics have an answer. The Shastras have an answer: So many years constitute a moment or a minute for Brahma. So many years constitute a day for Brahma, and so many decades constitute a half-day or a month for Brahma. There is a calculation. I vaguely remember having heard from a priest in a temple during my childhood days that there is an answer to this, but I do not remember it just now.

But my advice is this: Let us be conscious of this time right now. What is life, my friends? Life is not the past, no. Past is death. Life is not the future. Why? It is uncertain. So, what is life? Life is here and now. I repeat: What is life? Life is here and now, that’s all. So let us think of the life here and now. The life here and now is with God. It is eternal; it is immortal.

41.“What does Bhagavan say about telepathy? Some people are gifted with telepath. What does Bhagavan say?” (12.01.2003)

I don’t know what Bhagavan has said about telepathy, but I have complete sympathy towards that man. (Laughter) Why? Because certain achievements like telepathy, certain achievements of forecasting, certain achievements like controlling another man’s mind or reading the mind of another person, are not the ultimate goal.

For example, if you take a flight to New York, there may be other places, like Bombay and Frankfurt, where you have to land and disembark before you finally arrive at JFK Airport. So, when getting off at Frankfurt, you don’t say, “I want to settle here.” No. You continue on to New York -- you can't settle there in Frankfurt, can you?

Likewise, there are certain intermediate stages in spirituality. On the spiritual path, we have certain achievements, certain simple things, but they are our greatest obstacles.

Speaking of the future - horoscopes and what lies ahead of you, there are some people who want to read some Nadi Grandha books. Suppose some books or horoscopes tell me that I am going to be a king next year. (Laughter) So, I will have to be waiting throughout this year. It may turn out that I may not be a king, but the waiting is a certainty. (Laughter) Suppose the books tell me that I'm going to be a beggar next year. I become a pauper starting right now. (Laughter)

So, there is no point in learning the future. It is not necessary! Not necessary. So my friends, let us not be bothered about telepathy.

42.“Bhagavan Buddha left his family. But wasn’t it His duty to take care of His family? Is it justifiable that He left his child and wife like that?” (12.01.2003)

It’s a question of priorities in life. There are some people who sacrifice everything for political ends. There are terrorists -- they leave their families to kill somebody else. It is a question of priorities. (Laughter) Is it necessary to leave your family to kill somebody? Yes, if it is a priority. Bin Laden -- what has he done? He left everything to finish off somebody – his priorities in life.

For Buddha, God was uppermost, and all the rest were obstacles along His way. Buddha was a realised soul. Buddha was an Incarnation.

For your information, I will share with you what Baba has said: “If it is a matter of choice between father and God, you should choose God and not the father. An example of this is Prahlada. If it is a matter of choice between a husband and God, choose God, not the husband – an example is Meera. If it is a choice between a brother and God, choose God, not the brother – an example Is Vibhishana.”

If it is a choice between father and God, choose God, not the father, as was the case with the boy Prahlada. So, with regard to our relations and God, we should choose God, and none else.

But, I don’t think we choose God first, no. In order for us to choose God first, He has to be part of our family. (Laughter) “God, help my family. God, help my community.” So, the priority is never God. If anyone prays like this, it is for the benefit of the family only.

Buddha kept God as His top priority, so He left His family. I don’t know how many of you know this, but Buddha, after attaining realisation, enlightenment, went back to the palace. He returned to His palace.

Suddhodana, His father stood there and said, “Oh, son! Where were you all this time, all these days? What happened to you? Come here!”

And Buddha replied, “Father, your son died long ago.”

“You are here, you are my son! Why do you say that my son died long ago?”

“No, your son, Siddhartha, died long ago. In front of you, you don’t see your son. You see Buddha, the Realised.”

And then He found Yashodara, His wife. Buddha wanted to avoid her because years earlier he had left at midnight, without informing her. He hoped to avoid her, but women are very clever. (Laughter) They never allow avoidance. It is their nature. So, this man was not successful in avoiding her either.

She immediately came and said to Him, “Oh Lord, please follow my words carefully.” Yashodara, wife of Buddha, spoke to Him like this, “Oh Lord, what is it that you had there in the forest that was not here in the palace? What is here in the palace, which was not available there in the forest? Do you consider the palace an obstacle? Did you feel that I would not have permitted you to do penance or tapas here in the palace?”

Buddha had no answer, just as Rama had no answer when Sita started questioning him. Sita started questioning Rama and He had no answer. That’s why Swami always says, “Woman is known for her intelligence, while man is known for his intellect.”

Intelligence and intellect are different. Intelligence is emotion. Intelligence is reaction. Intelligence is spontaneous. Intelligence is instantaneous, while intellect is logic. Intellect is rational. Intellect likes to reason. So, women symbolise intelligence. Before their intelligence, the intellect cannot stand. That made Rama fail. That made Buddha fail. They could not answer. And so, when I said Buddha left His family, it was not for any reason other than His choice was God. For Him, everything else was secondary.

43.“God is goodness. God is full of values, while man in contrast has no values. Man is brutal. He’s horrible. He’s crazy. What shall I do now?” (12.01.2003)

Man has become brutal and crazy due to his own actions. I have got a white kerchief with me. It has become dirty. Who is responsible? I am responsible. I used it and made that kerchief dirty. Similarly, man is pure. Man is not polluted. Man is Love, man is bliss; but he made it just the opposite. It is of his own making.

If I find a rich man begging near a bank, what should I tell him? “Hey, poor fellow! You are not a beggar. Go to the bank, check your entries in your passbook, and then you’ll know that you are a rich man. You don’t have to beg.”

Similarly, this kind of weakness is of our own making; it is not of God’s design. Why? Because of our selfishness. Why? Sensual pleasure. Why? Attachment. Why? Physical comforts and conveniences. When these things are gone -- the selfishness, arrogance, avarice, lust and desire -- when these things are gone, then you are pristine, pure, as fresh as a newly-born babe, as fresh as a newly purchased kerchief, so dry, and white. But I made it so dirty, with the passage of time.

44.“What do you mean by transformation? Does it mean controlling the senses or eliminating the ego? When there is Reality inside, what do you mean by transformation?” (12.01.2003)

This is a very good question. I do not mean transformation of the Self, no. I mean transformation of our attitude, transformation of our conduct, transformation in our behaviour, transformation of the information that we receive from all around. As Baba says, “News is nuisance.”

So, I mean transformation of the information, transformation of the human heart, which has been so tough and rough, and is not responding to the misery, woes and tears of our fellow men.

When I remove my coat, shirt and t-shirt, I see my chest. So, similarly, transformation is needed in order to see the Reality. Transformation is not different from what you are. Transformation of the worldly man into a spiritual man, transformation of the physical personality into someone who knows the true Self -- this word ‘transformation’ is used in that sense – not to mean something that is completely different.

45.“How can you pray with absolute faith when you have to sacrifice? Abraham had to sacrifice his son. Abraham had to kill his son, as per the command of God. Abraham was called by God and commanded to sacrifice his son. When I have such a costly sacrifice, how can I pray to God?” (12.01.2003)

Abraham was prepared to kill his son in response to the command of God. That is symbolic. It means you should be prepared to sacrifice your kith and kin. You should be prepared to sacrifice your near and dear, in preference for God. That’s what I mean. It doesn’t mean that everyone should bring his son here and kill him, no. Not that! (Laughter) It is symbolic; there is an inner significance behind it. You should be prepared to ‘kill’ your relationships, to ‘kill’ your attachment, to ‘kill’ your bondage. We should understand it in that sense.

As the time is up, since you have to go to the canteen and go for Darshan line, I will take leave of you. I have already taken extra time because those people who have sent questions should not be disappointed. After all, it is not just for fun that we are collecting questions. We need to answer them.

46.“How should youngsters behave, particularly when they are overwhelmed by images and news? How should they behave?” (19.01.2003)

Bhagavan says, “There isn’t anything on how youngsters should behave.” But, here is Bhagavan’s general guidance on this matter:

Start early, drive slowly, reach safely.

So, when a youngster starts his life, directed along the spiritual path at an early age, he’ll have the correct perspective, and know the right way of handling life and its situations. That is why Bal Vikas was introduced.

47.“How do we deal with rebirth or reincarnation? How does it reconcile with Adwaitha? What exactly is rebirth, if only God exists?” (19.01.2003)

How do we deal with rebirth? We cannot deal with it because it is not in our hands. None of us submitted an application to God before our birth to be born as a human being. Really, had application forms been given to us before our birth, we would probably have filled in volumes of columns at least, to make sure we’d be born as a millionaire. (Laughter)

“Oh God, at least see that I’m full of joy, fun and frolic forever. (Laughter) See that I won’t die next time.” (Laughter)

These would have been our expressions. So there is no question of dealing with rebirth because it is not in our hands. But, how do we reconcile it with Adwaitha? Adwaitha means, as you know, non-dualism -- only One exists, not two. As Baba says:

Ekam Eva Advithiyam Brahma.

Ekam Eva means ‘only one, not two’. So, how do we reconcile this with rebirth?

My friends, as long as I feel that I am separate from God, I have to be born again and again. Once I understand and experience that God and I are one, there’s no rebirth. So birth and rebirth are due to separateness or due to the feeling of a separate identity, due to one’s identification with the body, mind and intellect. Because of this separation from the Divine entity, one has to be born again and again. Once you experience and deeply identify with Divinity, it cuts short the chain of birth and death.

48.“How do you view depression in a civilised world?” (19.01.2003)

Civilisation necessarily makes you depressed (Laughter) because civilisation is nothing but the expression of the outer personality, comforts and conveniences, electronic gadgets, and so on. If I have the latest car, I’m sophisticated. If I have an air-conditioned home, well, I’m really civilised. Civilisation has no limits – the sky is the limit. In the name of civilisation, we have too many desires -- desires are multiplied and multiplied. There’s no end at all. So, civilisation will certainly take you to depression.

What we need is culture. Culture is based on values. Culture gives you satisfaction. Culture helps you to develop a balanced state of mind, whereas civilisation takes you to confusion. It is like a fire -- whatever you put into it, the fire consumes. So, civilisation goes on consuming your energy, sapping your time, leaving no time to rest, stand and stare. Thus, in a civilised society, we should learn how to be cultured. Keep civilisation ‘number two’ and culture at the top of our priorities. Then there’ll be no depression.

49.“There are many people who claim that they are the reincarnation of Jesus.” (Laughter) “Shall we follow him?” (19.01.2003)

If anyone calls himself the reincarnation of Jesus, before you decide to follow him, let the psychiatrist decide. (Laughter). There are many people who make claims like that. Let’s not go by false claims.

50.“We have very little time to work in the organisation. Baba, with all His compassion, is accelerating everybody’s karma. Please clarify.” (19.01.2003)

Acceleration of karma is not limited to organisational works. Please, be very clear -- our work in the organisation is not in any way different from our office work. It is the spirit that counts, not the work that matters. So long as I think I have done the work, whether it is organisational work or office work or domestic work or menial work, or whatever work I do - if I do it with a sense of ‘I-ness’, that is ridiculous. That is undesirable.

Without this ‘I-ness’, whatever you do -- whether office or personal work anywhere -- if it is done with the feeling, “Baba, You are the doer; I’m only an instrument in Your hands,” well, that will certainly accelerate everybody’s karma, leading to total annihilation, freeing you from bondage. So, this ‘I-ness’, the spirit, is more important, not necessarily whether it is organisational work or office work.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Courtesy: http://www.saiwisdom.com

 

 

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