PROF. ANIL KUMAR – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [51 to 75]

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PROF. ANIL KUMAR – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [51 to 75]

51.“Does spiritual evolution continue after death? (19.01.2003)

I have not met anybody who has returned after death, telling me, “I have evolved.” (Laughter) No, I have not come across anybody like this.

But the scriptures clearly say this: “There’s no death at all.”

Understanding death will help you to understand that there is no death. That is the reason why we have to understand what death is -- in order to be deathless. So, there’s no death. There can only be death if there is birth; but there’s no birth either. No birth and no death is the reality -- even though it is so difficult to believe -- because the soul or spirit is eternal, immortal. Swami always says:

Sunwantu Viswe Amrutasya Putraha.

The real Divinity in you is beyond birth and death.

The so-called birth is only the appearance of the body, and the so-called death is only the disappearance of the body. To quote Bhagavan here: “You move from one room to another room. That does not mean that you are already dead in the next room and you are going to be born again in this adjoining room. Certainly not! You are moving from one room to another. The whole thing belongs to you.”

In a similar way, birth and death are only a change of dress. This is why, when He was on the cross, Jesus Christ told His mother Mary, “Death is the dress of life.” That’s what I can say.

And what is spiritual evolution? Spiritual evolution is the feeling that a drop belongs to the ocean. The drop is not separate. The drop and the ocean are one and the same. The spark and the fire are one and the same. The foam, the wave and the water are all one and the same. The clay and the pot are one and the same. The gold and the jewels are one and the same. This kind of experience is a culmination in the evolution of this organic world.

Well, that brings us to the end of the questions submitted to me. I thank you very much for having been here with me this morning and for listening to the talk with rapt attention. May Bhagavan be with you forever and ever more!

52. “Before He took a body, was Bhagavan aware of bliss and Love to the same extent that He is now?” (02.02.2003)

Ah ha, very good. (Laughter) My friends, He need not be aware of bliss. He need not be aware of His Love. This has nothing to do with before or after taking of the body. No. He is awareness Itself. He did not become aware. He is awareness Itself. Please, understand. Similarly, Bhagavan does not need to acquire wisdom. He is wisdom Itself. He does not need to become knowledgeable. His is knowledge Itself. Therefore, is He aware? The question doesn’t arise because He is awareness.

But let me give you further clarification. A question was put to Swami regarding how much food He eats. After all, He eats very little. I don’t know how many of you have noticed, but He eats only two or three spoons of food, that’s all. It can be very embarrassing for others to sit with Him during meals. (Laughter) But we are helpless because He feels very happy when we eat more and more. (Laughter) The more we eat, the happier He is. But He eats very little. (Laughter)

When I asked, “Swami, how are You so energetic with only two spoons of food?”

He said, “You get energy from the food that you eat. I don’t get energy from the food I eat because I am energy.”

Bhagavan is energy Itself. (Applause) He doesn’t need to get energy from food. Please understand. Therefore, is He aware of Love? This question isn’t necessary because He is Love. Is He aware of bliss? No, because He is bliss Itself. That is the answer.

53.“When He separated Himself from Himself into many, was there any reduction in bliss? Was His bliss reduced? Is His bliss now divided, separated? Does He experience less bliss?” (02.02.2003)

Here’s a simple example. When I have a thousand rupees and I distribute it among ten people, I am left with only ten rupees. Similarly, if Bhagavan has one hundred percent of bliss to begin with, what happens when He divides Himself by ten percent, and then ten percent again, and so on? Is He left with only ten percent? (Laughter) I’m sorry. I’m sorry because He is whole. You are whole. You are total. You are full, not a fraction.

Poorna mada. Poorna midam.

That is full. This is full.

So, there is no question of reduction or decline in bliss. There was no change in the percentage of bliss when He divided Himself into many. That answer I can tell you from His discourses.

54. “How do we know that we are realised?" (02.02.2003)

Very good. How do we know that we are realised? How do I know that I am rich? I can look in the passbook. I can go to the bank and the cashier will tell me. (Laughter) How do I know that I am educated? I have diplomas and degrees, yes.

How do you know that you are realised? When you forget this ‘I’, you are already realised. (Laughter) If you say, “I know I am rich. I know I am educated. I know I am realised,” then you are not realised because ‘I’ is still there. When you do not exist, then there is realisation, that’s all. Realisation is you. You are the realisation. So, how can you say that you are realised? No, you can’t say that.

Here’s an example. Let’s imagine we have a toy made of sugar candy. To find out how deep the water level is, we put it into a water tank. We drop the sugar toy in, and wait to see it come back up. But what happened? We searched all around, but couldn’t find it. Why didn’t it come back to the surface? It didn’t return because it dissolved.

It is not a problem to solve -- it was just time for it to dissolve. Let us resolve to dissolve, not merely to solve. Therefore, my friends, how do I know I am realised? When the ‘I’ is gone, you are already realised. That is the answer I can give you.

Then in an interview, it was said that there was a lady outside who was already a realised soul, therefore Bhagavan could not give her an interview.

Oh? First of all, if Swami had said to that lady, “You are a realised soul, therefore I have not given you an interview,” that realised soul would not repeat this because realisation is Bhagavan. Bhagavan is realisation. You are realisation. What is the question? Where is the problem of Him saying, “I didn’t call you for an interview because you are realised”? It is gone. The very question is gone because Bhagavan and you are One. That happens to be realisation. That’s all. There’s no question of being called or not being called for an interview. There’s only the question of an inner view and not an interview.

I don’t recall Bhagavan saying to anybody, “You are a realised soul.” The simple fact that we are here means that we have yet to be realised. We have yet to be realised because a realised soul will be in a state of bliss. He does not see a second -- he’s only One-without-a-second, non-dual. Therefore, I don’t understand this problem.

55.“Why doesn’t Bhagavan cure Himself?” (02.02.2003)

Bhagavan said in one of His discourses, ‘If you pray, I will cure Myself.’ Why don’t we pray so that He can cure Himself?”

The question that has been asked has a problem. When there is a disease, there is a solution, a cure. But when there is no complaint, where is the question of a cure?

Baba said, “I never experience pain. I have not used any tablet, pill or injection until this day. I do not suffer, but it appears like I have been suffering.”

Am I clear? Is it true? Why not? We appear to be happy though we are not happy. (Laughter) This is because we are good actors. God is the Super Actor, so He can act better than all of us! (Laughter) Jagannatha Sutradhari, The Divine Actor. So we pretend to be happy, though we are not happy. If we can do this at the human level, then why can’t He act at the Divine level and pretend to be suffering?

If this is the case, then our question becomes, “Why should He pretend?” The reason He pretends is because He takes on our suffering. Why should He suffer for us? He does it in order to reduce the period of our suffering because we cannot bear the intensity of it. Therefore, Baba does not need to cure Himself because He does not suffer.

Then why did He say, “If you pray, I will cure Myself?” He said this so that at the very least we will pray for this reason. (Laughter) At least we should pray on these grounds because He wants us to pray one way or another. If you don’t pray, you become ‘prey’. (Laughter) Therefore, I don’t believe that He suffers because we see Him with all these external, so-called complaints, and yet He can get up and still speak.

There was one moment when He could not speak at all. His voice was so low that I could not hear it. It was like He was speaking from the bottom of a well. I could not hear Him.

He said, “Anil Kumar, My voice is like this. My voice is like this.”

What could I reply? He was to speak in ten minutes. He called me into the interview room and said, “I cannot speak.”

I thought to myself, “What should I say?”

Then He asked, “What shall I do?” (Laughter)

Well, I couldn’t do anything about it! (Laughter)

Then He said, “You speak.”

I said, “I want to live for a while longer. (Laughter) I can’t speak because people are expecting Your speech. If I go up there and start speaking, well I don’t think I will survive until tomorrow. People are anxious to see and hear You, not me. I can’t do that, Swami.”

“Then what shall I do?”

“You may do anything You like. (Laughter) You can ask somebody else to speak. Swami, I dare not speak for You because nobody can stand in on Your behalf – unless that fellow was just released from a mental hospital.” (Laughter)

It is impossible for anyone to represent Him. Nobody can represent Him on His behalf. No one can say, “He has given me all His powers.”

There are some people who say, “Baba has given some powers to me.”

Oh ho, He is not a distribution centre! (Laughter)

There are some who say, “Baba speaks through me.”

Why should He speak through others – as if He cannot speak for Himself? (Laughter) These are all utterly ignorant, idiotic, stupid claims, and we should never fall prey to them. Do not allow yourself to be preyed upon by these people. No one ever represents Him. No one will receive special powers, or a special delegation to start a branch office. He does not need any medium to speak through because He is in you, with you, above you, below you and around you. He and you are One! Where is the question of a third person?

When Baba says, “I and you are One,” if you say, “I want somebody else to tell me this”, well all right, hang yourself. Nobody can help you. When He’s there in you, why do you want a separate medium? We’re not able to find Him in us; therefore we are confused.

My friends, I can only answer these questions this way, but I’m happy that you have come forward with some questions. I’m grateful to all those who have sent these questions because they are all intellectual and thought provoking. They help me to dive into the depths of Reality and to remember everything Bhagavan has said. I thank them all. I thank all of you for having listened to the talk in rapt attention.

56. It seems Swami said another prayer: “Annam Brahmaa, Raso Vishnu, Bhoktho Devo Maheswara.” The question is this: Shall I say “Brahmaarpanam Brahmahavihi” before eating food, or shall I say, “Annam Brahmaa, Raso Vishnu, Bhoktho Devo Maheswara” -- this prayer or that prayer? (09.02.2003)

My friend, this prayer or that prayer, after all, it is only a prayer. This sweet or that sweet, they are still sweets. Right? Similarly, “Brahmaarpanam Brahmahavihi” is the usual prayer that we offer before we partake food. Nothing wrong with it. We don’t need to substitute it with this “Annam Brahmaa, Raso Vishnu, Bhoktho Devo Maheswara”. That’s not necessary. Both mean the same: The food is Divine. The one who partakes of the food is Divine and the essence is Divine. That is the meaning.

You can call it water or aqua.

“Shall I say ‘aqua’?”

“Good.”

“Shall I say ‘water’?”

“Why not?”

Both mean H2O. There’s no change in its content. That’s the answer I can give you.

57.“Why was Rama commanded to spend 14 years in exile?” (09.02.2003)

I am very grateful to this devotee who gave an interpretation. “Why was Rama commanded to spend 14 years in exile?” He provided an answer to this question. I am very grateful to him. I will just read out the answer that he gave from Sai literature. One question was asked some weeks back: “Why 14 years? Why not 13? Why not 12?” Then my answer was, “Why bother about 12 or 13? When He could not be in society, when He could not be in Ayodhya, the capital of His kingdom, after all 10 or 12 years, what does it matter?” That’s what I said, of course in a jovial way. But this is the correct answer given by Bhagavan, which was sent to us by e-mail from a friend. I will read it to you now.

“There was a question regarding why the number 14 years was given for Sri Rama’s exile. Swami did mention why it was 14 years. During Sri Rama’s time, it was considered that if a husband and wife live separately for 13 years, then the marriage is considered null and void. So, Mandhara wanted Kaikeyi to ask Dasaratha to banish Sri Rama for 14 years so that His relationship with the throne was destroyed. Even now Indian law says that if anyone rents your house for more than 12 years, we don’t need to ask him -- he owns it! (Laughter) So that is the point.”

58. “How did you become the translator for Baba?” (20.07.03)

What can I say? My answers are already on record and are subject to verification. I cannot give a different answer from what I said in the United States -- all the audiocassettes are in circulation!

I said, “I did not become a translator. I was made a translator. Bhagavan willed that I should be a translator. I made no effort, no attempt and I never dreamt of it either. I spent seven years of probation, sitting in the 40th and 50th row! I never dreamt of anything like this.”

So, if you ask me, “How did you become the translator?” I can only say, “I did not become; Bhagavan willed it so.” That is all. And moreover, it is even more surprising if you look into my educational background. I hail from a small town, not from a city. I did not study in any public school or in a convent. Until tenth grade, I studied in the Telugu medium. I am myself surprised to be in the capacity of a translator.

59. Who helped Swami with the translation while I was away here in the US? (20.07.03)

Some people might have expected that I would mention one or two names. I am not a fool to say that. I said that if Bhagavan wills it, anybody could do it. If He picked up a stick and asked it to do it, it would be able to!

No one can take credit. No one is indispensable in the Sai Organization. It is only a chance given to you. If you don’t take it, another person will. Please understand: every person is a better substitution. If you don’t avail of the opportunity, you are the loser.

A Tamilian (from Tamil Nadu), whose mother tongue is Tamil, was asked by Bhagavan to translate His talk into English. Bhagavan gave His discourse in Telugu. The Tamilian translated His discourse into English. I was a witness to this incident.

My place would be in a lunatic asylum if I felt that Bhagavan was left with none other than me. If not me, He will find a better person.

I also happily recall another situation. There is a place very close to Bangalore called Tumkur. The director of Tumkur granite factory invited Bhagavan to visit the factory. Bhagavan went there and I followed him. There was a big central hall with a round table, well decorated, highly prestigious. I saw people from different countries seated there: one from Germany, one from Japan, one from France. They were members of the board of directors. Swami sat among them.

I wondered if I should go in or stay back -- to be or not to be? (Laughter) ‘What am I to do?’

If I do not go in, Swami might say that I was shirking my responsibility. If I go in, He might say, “Why did you come? I did not ask you.” (Laughter) What is to be done? So I stood there at entrance with my face showing now and then. It was like hide-and-seek. If He asked me to come in, I could run. If He did not see me, I can slip off. That was the situation.

I saw Swami talk to the devotees from Japan, France and Germany.

At the end, Swami slowly came very close to me and said, “Come here.”

I went to Him. He said, “I know all the languages.” (Laughter)

Then I said, “Swami, why did You call me here? Why am I here?”

He said, “I know all the languages, but you should know that I know them all! Therefore I brought you here.” (Laughter) That is Bhagavan for you.

I will share another incident. Bhagavan was in Darshan line talking to a person whose mother tongue was Hindi. Next to him was a boy from Orissa, whose mother tongue was Oriya. This boy did not know any Hindi at all. Swami was talking to the Hindi man in Hindi, and he was replying. But the Oriya fellow also started smiling. We did not understand why he was smiling.

When Swami left, the Hindi gentleman asked the Oriya man why he smiled and nodded his head, even though he did not know Hindi.

”Are you mad?” he asked. The Oriya man said that Swami spoke in Oriya and not in Hindi!

He knows all languages. He can communicate in one language, while speaking in another! That is language beyond language -- the language of the heart!

60.The next question was a request for me to share my experiences about leading a detached life, yet attached to Swami. The questioner expected an authentic answer from me, and was already under the impression that I was an example to emulate. (20.07.03)

I said that there was no doubt about the second part of the question -- that we all are attached to Swami. Not only me -- all of us. Sai devotees all over the world are equally attached to Swami. No one is more attached or less attached. Comparisons have no meaning in spirituality. Only brainless people measure attachments in kilos, tons, milligrams and degrees. All are equally attached. There are no parameters. There is no yardstick to measure spirituality, because it is immeasurable - avyasta, aprameya - beyond all known measure. Never measure; never try to estimate; never judge. All are equally attached.

Regarding leading a detached life, I told them directly that I was a poor example. I am not leading a detached life. I am attached to good rest. I am attached to the first cup of hot coffee, very much attached to hot pickles -- spicy things. So I cannot speak with authority on how to lead a detached life.

Do not keep me on a high pedestal. Never think that I am an example for you to emulate and copy, certainly not! We are all fellow pilgrims. We are all fellow seekers. We are all traveling towards perfection. No one is more than another. I cannot say that I am holier than you. No body should say that. It is for Bhagavan to say that you are good. And that He will not say in front of you, I am sure. (Laughter) Therefore, I cannot stand as an example for a detached life.

I am sure they appreciated the frank, direct answer rather than my giving answers that are polished, which I never do.

61. “As members of the Sai family, how can we get in touch with you, from wherever we are?” (20.07.03)

I said, “Don’t get in touch with me. Not only that. Don’t get in touch with anybody. Be in constant touch with Bhagavan within you. That is most essential. ”

Establishing contact with people, being in touch with people, is a useless thing that we are supposed to do. It is meaningless to be in touch with anybody. If you are to be in touch with anybody, it should be with Bhagavan. We should always be in touch with Bhagavan. That is called ‘Constant Integrated Awareness’.

62. “It is really a different experience to be in physical proximity. How would you handle or lead your life if you were not in the physical proximity of Bhagavan?” (20.07.03)

The problems arise when you take Swami as a person -- if you take Swami as an individual. If you take Swami as a phenomenon, if you consider Sai as a Presence, not as a person, you will certainly behave in the same way as you would behave near Him. God is not a person. I am very fond of this statement.

If you consider God as a person, you can be near Him for some time. You also have to be necessarily away from Him later. But, because He is within you, you can never be near or away. You cannot be away from your Self. It is foolish to say that I am near my Self. You are what you are and you are where you are.

Therefore, God is an eternal Presence. He is within you. So this problem of being away from Him or being near Him does not arise. God is not an object to be bought, to be owned, to be purchased or to be manufactured. He is neither an object nor a person; He is a phenomenon. ‘Person’ is the term given to God for practical purposes. He is cosmic energy, Divine. Divinity is awareness. What is His nature? Energy. That is all. You can give that energy any name, but in spirit this is the reality.

63. “Iron kept near the magnet acquires all the magnetic power of the magnet. You live in close proximity to Bhagavan. Have you acquired magnetic power too?” (20.07.03)

I said, “I could have acquired magnetic power, but this iron still has some dust. Until the dust is totally removed, it cannot be drawn towards the magnet, let alone becoming a magnet -- which is a later development. It has not yet been cleansed totally. I cannot claim any magnetic power as of now.”

64.“People say, ‘Give up the ego.’ Tell us in simple terms how to drop ego?” (20.07.03)

In simple terms? (Laughter) It is a Herculean task -- not an easy task!

When you say you want to drop the ego, it means you know that it is unwanted stuff. You also know ego is not to be solicited; ego is dangerous for any spiritual seeker; ego is to be dispensed of, has to be gotten rid of. When you know that it is dangerous, what should you do it?

Baba gave one example. If you pick up a rope in the dark and suddenly switch on your torchlight and recognize that it is not a rope but a snake you are holding, what do you do then? You drop it immediately. As long as it is your impression that it is a rope, you will continue to hold and play with it. The moment you are aware that it is not a rope, but a snake, what would you do -- you drop it and run away.

Similarly, this rope-like ego is so nice and so comfortable to play with. With the light of awareness, you understand that it is not a rope but a snake, so you have to drop it immediately. If you continue to hold it, it means you are comfortable with it. It means there is no trace of awareness and you do not know the danger involved. Therefore to drop the ego, awareness is required.

65. “Does Baba speak all languages?” (20.07.03)

‘Mother tongue’ is a familiar phrase. He, being the Mother, can speak all the languages.

66. “Does Swami get upset, angry? Is He emotional?” (20.07.03)

I cannot say ‘no’ because I have been the victim. To say that He is emotional questions the very Divinity. What shall I say?

I always pray, ‘Swami, bless me with one characteristic: to say what You said and not manipulate, imagine or speculate things, but just quote You. And when I really don’t know, let me be able to plainly say so. If answers do not strike my mind, let me admit it and ask for more time.’ I have been doing this for the last several years.

So this question was put to me: “Is He ever angry, upset, emotional?”

This is an example given by Swami: “I pretend to be angry; I pretend to be emotional. Actually, I am never emotional, never angry. It is only in order to correct you that I pretend to be angry. That too, I change my tone, that's all. I change my voice into a stern voice. This pretension is only to correct you. That is all. The hailstones may hit you, but they melt away very soon. Similarly, I may be harsh, but I melt very soon.”

Swami gave another example: The five Pandavas asked to be protected by a sage, Durvasa. Durvasa was known for his anger and temper. He could be head of the department for people who lose their temper quite often! (Laughter) But he lost his temper for the benefit of humanity, while we lose our temper to benefit our doctor.

Krishna approached Sage Durvasa and said, “Oh Sage, let these five Pandavas, five pious people, be under your protection…just for one day. “

He asked, “Swami, against whom?”

“Against anybody. You must hide them somehow.”

But the sage said, “Oh God, I will safeguard them. I can hide them in some safe place. But I shall never utter a lie. If I am asked where they are, I will tell their address. (Laughter) I will never utter a lie.”

Then Krishna said, “Look here, Durvasa! Will I ever ask anybody to speak lies? No, no. You manage somehow. They will be under your protection.”

“Oh God, I shall do all I can, but I shall never utter a lie.”

Sage Durvasa dug a deep and wide pit. He made the Pandavas sit there and put wooden planks covering them. He then sat on the wooden planks.

In the meantime, some fellows came there in search of the five brothers. They said “Oh, Durvasa, where are the five Pandavas?”

Durvasa decided to speak the truth. But he changed his tone and said (roughly), “They are here!” (Laughter) Being afraid of his tone, they ran away. So Durvasa spoke the truth, but the very truth made them run away. Therefore, you can certainly be truthful. Hold on to the principle of truth. As Bhagavan says, just change your voice. Change your tone to correct people.

Bhagavan is never emotional. I can give you another example. A VIP was asked on the previous day not to sit in his usual place. According to that individual, VIP means ‘Very Important Person’. In front of God, he is a very insignificant person. Who is a VIP before God? I believe that everyone is a VIP. All are equal in the sight of God.

Bhagavan told that VIP person, “Don’t sit there tomorrow. A very important guest is coming. He is a king of a country. You sit at the back.” But as this person was an old man, he might not have heard what Bhagavan said clearly, so he sat in his usual place. The guest of honour came and he also sat there. You should have seen the drama that went on! (Laughter)

Swami looked at the king and said, “How are you? When did you come? How are your children, and is your wife here?”

Then He looked at the other fellow and said, “Why are you sitting here even though I told you not to sit here?”

He said this simultaneously. You try to do such a thing -- you cannot. You will laugh at the wrong place. Bhagavan can manage both the situations at the same time - the Divine actor, the Divine dramatist. So, He is never emotional. He just pretends to be emotional.

67. “How do we pray to Swami when we are in difficulty and our life disturbs our balance?” (20.07.03)

What shall I say? In times of success, prayer comes out naturally with all the sense of gratitude and with all the spirit of thankfulness.

In situations of failure and when we are tested, during challenging moments of life, you pray with deep agony, right from the inner recess of your heart, crying for help. You don’t need to be specially taught. So, there is no special prayer to be offered in difficulties or special prayer to be offered in times of pleasure. It is only the feeling that makes the difference.

When someone comes out of the interview room, watch his style…(Laughter) as if to say, “I am the only selected man in this world. (Laughter) No one else on this earth got the interview.”

When asked about the interview he says, “Yes, you know, Swami was not scheduled to come out this morning, He came purposefully to call me for an interview.”

The happiness, the intensity, is like that. We don’t blame him.

But the situation is different when Swami does not look at him. When you speak to him -- anticlimax!

“How are you, Sir? ”

“I am busy.” (Laughter)

Earlier, he had stopped the entire traffic to say that he got an interview. Now he simply says, “We will meet later.” (Laughter) The same situation, same person.

68. “What does it mean when Baba stands in front of you during Darshan, waves His hands and looks into your eyes, blesses you and walks away without saying anything?” (20.07.03)

They wanted me to interpret the meaning of this. But I told them never to ask for interpretation, as no man can interpret. Please avoid anyone who interprets on behalf of Swami. It is the job of Swami to see to it that the message is conveyed to you. He will see to it that the message is conveyed to you directly, by way of waving His hands, His postures, His gestures, and the dialogue in the interview room, and so on.

Don’t ask anybody to interpret. Can anybody interpret Swami’s words? Impossible! How does one know what Swami meant? The relationship between you and Swami is direct. There is no mediator. Some people may ask innocently about what Swami meant. Please tell them that they will know it by themselves. Who are we to interpret Swami’s words?

When you want to know Swami’s message, what He meant, what He wanted to convey to you, the best thing is to think and sit in silence. Reflect within, close your eyes and meditate, then you will get the message. You will be confused if you kept talking to everybody. Please pray and meditate. Swami will let you know what He meant. Swami has made it very clear that there is no mediator between the devotee and Himself.

69. “What is a typical day and what are the challenges you face, being so close to God?” (20.07.03)

What is a typical day? I think all of you will agree with me that every day is typical in its own way. Every day is typical; every moment is typical. Nothing is repetitive in existence; nothing is repetitive in this creation. Everything is new. Sunrise is not a repetition. Sunset is not a repetition. The blossoming of a rose is never repetition. The smile of a baby in the cradle is not repetition. Life is not repetitive.

If you feel that life is repetitive, we are very close to doomsday! It only means that we have lost the charm of life, the beauty of life.

This morning’s Darshan is different from yesterday’s. Today is different from yesterday. Tomorrow is going to be different from today. No day, no moment, is repetitive.

Let us pray, “Oh God, let us enjoy this world in all its freshness. Let this existence be one of beauty. Let us enjoy this whole creation, this universe, in its ecstasy and in its entire splendor. Let us not take it for granted, because nothing is repetitive.”

70. “I am new to the Sai Organization. As my husband is a devotee since childhood, I follow Sai. I like the good work of the Sai Organization. But I am not able to accept Swami as God, like Rama and Krishna. How do you accept Him as God?” (20.07.03)

This was a question from a housewife. This is a very interesting question as usually the question is the other way around: “My wife is a devotee…what am I to do?”

I meet many people like that. But here is a wife who is complaining about her husband being a devotee.

The answer is simple. It is immaterial whether the husband is a devotee or the wife is a devotee. How do you say one is a non-devotee? Who is a non-devotee? I have not met a non-devotee.

Even an atheist is a devotee. Because he believes that there is no God. He is devoted to that concept of the non-existence of God, so he is also a devotee, believing in the absence of God. Theist is a devotee, believing in the concept of believing in God. So all are devotees.

If you are devoted to your husband, then you are also a devotee. All are devotees -- some are devoted to the office, and some are devoted to computers. All are devotees.

“You say you are not able to accept Him as Rama and Krishna. I doubt if you have total faith in Rama. Then you have not experienced Krishna. Why do I say that? Because a devotee who has total faith in Krishna sees Bhagavan in Him -- Krishna appeared as Bhagavan. A true devotee of Krishna observes non-duality. A true devotee of Rama observes non-duality. A true follower of Christ sees Bhagavan as Christ. If you are a staunch follower of Rama, a true devotee of Rama, you will find that Baba and Rama are one and the same. Because you are not truly devoted, because you don’t have the true experience, thus you entertain this doubt.”

The wife appeared to be convinced.

71. “Since we live in America, does Bhagavan want us to sing English Bhajans?“ (20.07.03)

I said, “English Bhajans or Telugu Bhajans or German Bhajans or Japanese Bhajans -- Bhajans are Bhajans.”

The other day we heard some Japanese Bhajans. Everybody started clapping. The tunes were familiar. I heard many people singing equivalent songs, Prashanthi Bhajans, in the same tune. That is Baba.

You are not a stranger anywhere. No language is alien to you, because Sai is the common bondage. Sai is the connecting link. You will be comfortable in any language. So if people want to sing English Bhajans, yes, they have every liberty to sing. No language should be imposed upon anybody.

72. “We are in the process of opening a new business. We would like to have the Sarva Dharma emblem prominently displayed at the entrance of our store with Baba’s quotation. Is it OK?” (20.07.03)

I said, “No.”

Why? The symbol of the Indian government is three lions. You must have seen this on the stamps and on currency. Can I have it in front of my house? No, because it belongs to the government, for use of the government, for the use of all communication at the top levels, not for private individuals.

We cannot have the national flag on the top of our houses or on our cars. The flag carries authority that has some status, some specialty. You cannot have national symbols on your letterhead: I cannot have ‘K. Anil Kumar’ with three lions.

Therefore, the Sarva Dharma symbol is an organizational symbol; it is not for individuals. It is for the use of office bearers for the purposes of transactions and communications, but not for everybody.

So far as Swami’s quotations are concerned, nobody has any copyright. No one has the copyright to the Holy Bible.

Somebody asked, “We want to translate your book into our language. Would you give us your permission in writing?”

I said that suppose you want to quote the Bhagawad Gita. Should you get permission from Krishna? It is foolish! No one has got any copyright on sacred texts.

Bhagavan’s message is universal. Getting a copyright, etc., is the personification of ego. They are Bhagavan’s words -- that is all. Who am I to say? But my job is to see that you don’t misrepresent, to see that you don’t misquote, to see that you don’t misuse them.

73. “Is it not the bounded duty of the Sai Organization to actively and resolutely campaign against people who use the name of Sai and indulge in methods of treatment like Vibuthi and run temples by collecting money?” (20.07.03)

This question is related to the organization. My friends, I do not know why we want to be foolish -- why we want to continue to live in foolishness. How much longer? All these years, umpteen numbers of times, Swami has made it clear that “fund raising, fund collection, has got nothing to do with Me.”

Bhagavan has also said in Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 1: “I have no representatives. I don’t transfer powers. I don’t possess anybody. I have no secrets. I have no secretary. No one is delegated on behalf of Me to function in this way.”

Bhagavan has stated this very clearly. Sanathana Sarathi also notifies to be careful of people who collect funds in the name of Sai.

But alas, it is most unfortunate that intermediary people still carry us away. When Bhagavan is available, His name is so miraculous, when so many people have so many mystical experiences, why do we want a third person? The moment we think of Him, He appears in our dreams or conveys some message or gives some direction by way of intuition or inspiration. When we read a book, we find a relevant passage; when we look at Swami’s picture, we get some indication. Why do we run after other people like that?

74. “Speakers always tell us about their interviews and how badly they feel if Swami ignores them in one Darshan. Most of us have had no personal interviews. Swami tells us not to seek interviews, but inner-views, so why do most of the speakers at the retreats tell us about interviews, but not about inner-views?” (20.07.03)

This is a very genuine question. It is a frank question and I like it. Most of the speakers speak about personal experiences they had with Swami. That is really damaging. As I have repeatedly said, I could not be close to Swami anywhere in the vicinity for 7 long years.

What did I do during that period of exile, that period of long probation? What I did was, immediately after my return from a visit to Swami, I avoided Sai devotees for 15 days. Why? Every devotee used to come close and say, “Did you get an interview? Did you get padanamaskar?”

People say different things like, “I got Vibuthi.”

“Baba gave me this ring.”

A person who failed an examination was told, “I got a gold medal.”

People who do not get these things say, “So you got it. Why did you tell me? I did not get it. So I am worried. Why do you add fuel to the fire?"

This kind of advertisement and ‘show business’ should be avoided. Bhagavan blesses you with gifts of grace, but not for publicity. It is absolutely personal. But we do it because of our ego. Ego damages the organization. This is not the purpose. Personal things are not to be shared with everybody unless they have got a message behind it. If your personal experience has got some message, yes, please share it.

People say these things because they have nothing else to say. They are not familiar with His message; they are not familiar with His vision. So they go on speaking of their personal experiences.

“Please excuse them, Father, for they know not what they do. Forgive them.”

That is the prayer we can say. I was myself like that for a long time and I know it now.

75. “How can a wife develop self-confidence if she has to be submissive to her husband?”

These days we hear about the women's liberation movement. Women are trying to claim equal rights with men. The Indian government is also attempting to increase the percentage of seats in the Parliament and in the legislature for women. There is nothing wrong with it. There's an awareness among women. They will fight for their rights to be given as much salary as men get. There is no question of discrimination on grounds of gender.

Along this line, a question was asked: “How can a wife develop self-confidence if she has to be submissive to her husband?” (Laughter)

It is a sensitive question indeed. However, there are two aspects here. One is that of self-confidence; the other is about the submissive nature, submission and submissiveness. You have to clearly understand what both points stand for. Self-confidence has to do with individual character. Self-confidence relates to the individual, while submissiveness deals with an inter-relationship: I am submissive to you, or you are submissive to me. This sort of submissiveness has to do with an inter-relationship, whereas self-confidence is an individual characteristic. They are never contradictory.

How can an individual character contradict an inter-relationship? It's not possible. Both work in different channels. A simple example: I have total self-confidence that I will be able to discharge my duties to the best of my ability. That does not mean that I am, that I cannot be or that I should not be submissive to my boss. I think I am clear.

Before the vice-chancellor, I am submissive. In front of the principal, I am submissive. The submissive nature goes along with obedience, which is a code of conduct, which is a disciplined way of behaviour on the part of an employee towards an employer. But self-confidence is based on one's own ability, one's own capacity, one's own skills and competence.

Submissiveness will make you very humble. It will make you better. It will improve your inter-relationships: the boss will be pleased with you. Your self-confidence will help you to be more competent, more efficient, and more proficient. Therefore, a housewife can be both self-confident and submissive.

A self-confident person need not be arrogant. A self-confident person need not be headstrong. A self-confident person need not be rebellious. A self-confident person need not be a revolutionary. No. Self-confidence will improve your own personal ability. Submissiveness is an expression of your humility.

That is the answer I gave to this question.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Courtesy: http://www.saiwisdom.com

 

 

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