PROF. ANIL KUMAR – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [101 to 125]

[Guest guest]

PROF. ANIL KUMAR – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [101 to 125]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

109 “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. (030803)

“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.

110 “Is there anything wrong in praying to Swami for our wants, for our needs?”

There is nothing wrong with it. We have no other to ask. We have none to fall back on other than God. The Bhagavad Gita also gives this sanction: Artho Jignasu Artharthi. Artho - the one who yearns for His Grace, Artharthi – the one who wants money, Jingnasu - the inquirer, Jnani - the one of wisdom.

From all directions, you can reach for His Grace. British Airways, Indian Airlines or Lufthansa - all these different airlines take you to JFK Airport in New York. Similarly, you can pray to God for anything. ‘O God, I want this… I want this’, but with the preparedness to accept whatever He gives. With preparedness, ‘O God, whatever You give is my good luck.’

Once Swami said, “Debbalu Kottina nee Manchike.” “Even if God hits you, beats you, it’s for your good. Even if He denies you, even if He does not grant you your desire, it is for your good.” That’s what Bhagavan has said.

111 “Swami repeatedly says, ‘My life is My message.’ Could you please share your thoughts on its basis for the benefit of the devotees in the Bay Area?”

“My life is My message” refers to the life of Love, the life of sacrifice, the life of truth, the life of righteousness. That should be enough guidance for everyone. That’s how the devotees will benefit. The life of Swami in itself is His Divine message.

112 “In a family, how is it that one or two are devotees, while the rest are not Sai devotees? Why?”

What can I say? (Laughter) There are three people in the family. One person gets a university degree. The next one gets through the University examination. The last one successfully fails! (Laughter)

How am I to answer? In respect to spirituality, it depends upon one’s own fate, one’s own destiny. After all, life is just a moment. That’s all. Out of a series of lives, the present life is a just a moment. The present is a speck. Everyone passes through a number of lives. Life is a continuous journey to eternity. This life is just a moment; it’s just an incident.

Actually there is no death whatsoever. Death is a useless word. Death is a meaningless word. Death actually refers to the disappearance of the body. The appearance of the body is birth. The disappearance of the body is death. There is neither birth nor death. I am not mad. I am not making you mad either! (Laughter) Actually, there’s neither birth nor death. We are eternal. We are immortal. When we think of life in that way, we can certainly understand. Some people have this awareness and some do not have it.

So, why is it that some are devotees and others are not? It only means that God has chosen you. God’s Grace makes you devoted. God's Grace makes you more faithful. Those who are denied His Grace…well, they will get it slowly. If not this flight, they can catch the next flight. All are sure to reach the destination. Some people miss the flight, but they make arrangements with the airlines to go on the next flight!

So, if not now, then the next life. Coming next to the Sai family is the communist. (Laughter) A communist is not an atheist; a communist is not a non-believer. He comes next, so ‘come you next’ = communist. Therefore, some children are devoted and others are not devoted, because ‘come you next’. That’s the answer I can give!

113 “What is the difference between surrender and merger?”

Surrender or merger is one and the same. Merger is said to be at the physical level. Surrender is the spiritual, technical term for the merger.

114 “Would you please explain a little bit more about the three R's - reaction, reflection, resound?”

When man is Divine, what is the problem then? When man is Divine, what is the fun of reaction, reflection, resound? Because I do not know that I am Divine, I think in terms of reaction, reflection and resound. Once I know that I am God, there is no question of reaction, reflection and resound.

A simple example: I am in front of the mirror, and therefore, I see my reflection. When there is no mirror, there is no reflection. Because I feel that that I am a person, because I feel that I have a body, because I feel that I am an individual, there comes the problem of reaction, reflection and resound. Once I am convinced that I am Divine, there is nothing to be seen of the three R's.

115 “I am from Lebanon and I am a Jordanian Christian. My people accept all that is related to Christianity, but not Baba. What should I do?”

Don’t force them. Let the Christian follow the Christian faith. Let the Muslim follow the Muslim faith. To proceed in your own faith is the nearest and surest way to reach Baba. To follow your own faith is the easiest path to reach Baba. Baba will never accept any conversion, nothing whatsoever. That's the answer I gave.

116 “When I have to suffer my own karma, what sort of help does Baba extend?”

Very logical: When I have to suffer my own karma, why should I come here? Karma cannot be avoided. (Laughter) Why waste money on reservations, inconveniences and mosquito bites? (Laughter) Why all this? A very reasonable question.

You have to suffer your karma. There is no way out of it. However, coming to Baba, you will have the courage to bear the suffering. When the anesthetic is given, you don’t feel the pain. Although there is suffering, you don’t feel the pinch because of coming to Baba. You are not escaping the karma, but you don’t feel the pinch. That is the advantage of coming here.

117 Now to the last question: “Why should one desire liberation when he has no idea of it?” (Laughter) Very good question.

Some people say, “Sir, I want Moksha…but why?” He does not know why. (Laughter) It is neither sweet nor hot. It is neither whiskey nor beer. Why? Why do you want Moksha? Why do you need liberation?

People think that it is something elsewhere. No! The place is non-dualism: that is the place where there is no pain or pleasure, the place where there is neither suffering nor ecstasy. It is place where you are in a blissful, non-dual state. It is beyond want and beyond desire. It is a place or a situation where there is an attitude of equanimity, a balanced state of mind - that is called liberation.

Why do I want it? So that I don’t have to suffer. Why do I want it? So that I don’t have to face the pain. Why do I want it? So that I don’t have to pass through the chain of duality. To be non-dual, to rise above, for my own comfort. My friends, that was the answer given.

I thank you very much for being here and for the extra time. It took longer because I wanted to complete the whole thing. With this third talk, I have completed all the questions put to me in the United States by the devotees, which I really wanted to share with everybody.

I thank Swami for having given me this golden opportunity. Moreover, I thank you very much for being with us this morning, and for next week. Thank you very much.

118- What is Swami's opinion about Jyothisha? Horoscopes? (140903)

My friends, I don't remember that Bhagavan said anything on this aspect. But I can tell you some points related to this. Somebody once said, “Swami, there are texts like the Nadi Grandha, a text which contains the details of all of our lives. People go there and spend some money. The readers go through that Nadi Grandha, and tell you all the details.”

Bhagavan said, "The Nadi Grandhas, the books that contain the bio-data and biographical details of all the people, are correct so far the past is concerned. But the future need not necessarily be valid."

Why? Saints like Bhrughu wrote the Nadi Grandhas. Bhrughu is a sage who wrote the Bhrughu Nadi. Sages and saints wrote them all. So, to be understood and to be interpreted correctly, we need a saintly man -- not a man who takes Rs. 100 to interpret them! The saints cannot be brought down to the level of 100 rupees, no. So, the readers cannot interpret it correctly, so far as the future is concerned. Well, no one can do it. So, I don't condemn the horoscopes; I don't deny it. But we don't have genuine interpreters. Therefore, we are often misled.

And in my humble opinion, it is better we don't know the future. (Laughter) It’s better, because there is nothing you are going to get out of it. On the other hand, you lose the thrill of life. You lose the beauty of life. Let the suspense be maintained by God, so that we can enjoy the drama of our life, the mystery of life. That's what I personally feel about it.

119 - How can we transmute our energy in the chakras? (140903)

Bhagavan gave one full discourse in the year 1978 on Shad Chakras, the six chakras in our body. The primal energy at the bottom of the spine will start moving upwards in a zigzag movement called Kundalini. It is the movement of primal energy in an upward direction, passing through the six chakras. The one at the base is Mooladhara, the first chakra, and the last one is Sahasrara. So, the primal energy is on the ascent, and reaches Sahasrara. This is called Kundalini Yoga. This is what Bhagavan explained, to the extent I remember.

But my friends, there is a caution. If everybody takes up Kundalini Yoga, it is going to give negative results. There is going to be a nervous breakdown, and the lungs are going to be affected, unless an expert teaches you, unless a guru teaches you, where there is no monetary transaction.

Some say, “I teach Kundalini Yoga for five hundred rupees.”

No, no! Where there is a demand for money, there is no Divinity, please take it from me. Bhagavan has repeatedly said that where there is a transaction of money, there is no God at all. God has got nothing to do with money. The air is free, earth is free, and fire is free, whereas these people charge you! That's why our very faith in doctrine, in philosophy, is shattered. Therefore, my friends, though Kundalini is genuine, we do not have selfless experts to teach us. That's why we have negative results.

But why should we suffer? Why do you want to exert? Why do you want to strain yourself, when things are made so easy now? When a computer is there, why do you want to write? When a calculator is there, why do you want to strain? When things are delivered in the form of a capsule, why do you want to exert yourself? A capsule is given today, a nice package is given to humanity today, which is effortless, which is so simple and has no threat at all. There is no danger, no reversal, and no negativity. It is the easiest, simplest thing and we can do it anytime, anywhere. The easiest path is Namasmarana. Bhajan is a sure path to reach God. Why do you want to strain yourselves?

It is nothing but the exercise of the ego: “You know, I have done Pranayama.”

“I see. Do it next life also.” (Laughter)

“You know that I am specially trained in Kundalini?”

“Good, have an institute in your name.”

It's not that. The end is important, but the mind refuses to accept what is readily available. Yes, all of us are breathing now. I don't doubt anybody. Nobody feels proud that they are breathing. All are breathing -- nothing special about it. I experience a cool breeze; yes, all of us are experiencing it. But the air conditioner is a special qualification. “You know my residence has air conditioning?”

But don't have a conditioned mind, please. Man wants to be special. Man wants to achieve something. This is there, reflected in the spiritual field also. That is the tragedy. So let’s not strain. Let’s not exert. Things are easily available right at our doorstep.

120- I am a devotee of Swami and have been for the past four years. Does Swami know about me? Does He know of my love and devotion for Him?

Good. The answer is quite simple. Bhagavan Himself said, “Nobody can be here unless I will, unless I decide.” So, you have been here for four years, not because of your choice or because of your preference. No, no, no! We are all here because He wants us to be here, not necessarily that we wanted to be here. (Applause) Let us be very clear, because I can also put it this way if you’ll excuse me. We are here in spite of us! (Laughter) This is not a city. This is not a place of comfort. This is not a place of luxury. This is not a place of entertainment. Five star, super star hotels are not available here, no entertainment, nothing. This is not Las Vegas! (Laughter)

Then why are we here? My friends, we are here because He dragged us or brought us, and kept us here. (Silence) That’s all. (Applause) He silenced all of our emotions. He silenced all of our desires. He has switched off our mind, and made us live comfortably with the fellow mosquitoes all around. (Laughter) Sometimes every one of us begins to wonder how we are able to live here. (Laughter) We don’t meet people with a smiling face. Nobody will greet us. “Why are you here? Get up. Go there.” If you go there, “Come here.” (Laughter) What is all this? (Laughter)

My friends, we are still able to get along. (Laughter) We are here. We are still able to bear all this. Why? Sathya Sai, the spirit, is responsible, not the people around here. I’m very much sure about it. So, my friends, when you say that you are here for the last four years, that is enough of a guarantee to say that you are chosen, you are selected, not by your own will, but by Bhagavan Baba Himself. (Applause)

121 - The thought for the day of the 18th September, 2003 revealed: “Man has been given a hundred years of life and plenty of work to fill the years with, but you fritter the time with playful games, founding and fostering a family.” What does Baba mean, ‘We fritter the time in founding and fostering a family?’ Is there something wrong in founding and fostering a family?

Good question. Swami will never say that to lead a family life is wrong, no. I’ll put it this way. “Be in the world, but not of the world.” Be not worldly. Swami gave an example: A boat is on the surface of the water, but the water is not in the boat. If the water is in the boat, it will be in the next day’s newspaper: ‘Fifty Fellows Drowned’. (Laughter) Am I not right? Similarly, we are on the surface of the waters of family life, but above it, over it. So you can be in the world, but yet out of the world.

Another example: The lotus flower is born in the mud, surrounded by water, but the flower is above the surface of the water, untouched by the water and mud as well. That’s the exemplary example that Bhagavan has given all of us. Be in the world, yet above the world. You can be in the world, but you cannot be of the world. That is what Swami said. Condemnation of life, negativity about life is not spirituality. Spirituality is life affirmative. Spirituality is life positive. It is not life negative, no!

122 - “What does Baba say about Vastu? Vastu Sastra is a special science that speaks of the engineering constructions, where such a building has to be constructed in the north or something like that.”

I don’t have enough information about what Baba has said about Vastu. I have no information, but the experts and experienced people tell me that all the constructions here totally agree with the science of Vastu. Vastu is a science that tells where the kitchen should be, where the dining hall should be, where the bedroom should be. People say that all the Prashanthi constructions are in perfect agreement with Vastu, but I have no knowledge to quote Swami here right now about what He has to say about this particular topic.

123 - “Sir, we all agree that all human beings, irrespective of cast and creed, are in search of the so-called unknown in the physical world, which is peace or universal Love, or Self- realisation. We also agree that Swami has incarnated in the world for this very purpose, to help or lead of us on the path so that we can reach the destination. Now, sir, you are in the proximity of the physical form of the Avatar, and also on constant physical talking terms, more than anybody else in the world. Do you feel that you have come to the end of the search, or feel that you have accomplished the task of this life, or do you feel fulfilment can be attained in the near future? What exactly is your inner feeling? Sorry, sir, for asking a personal question, but this is out of curiosity. (Laughter)

The answer is this: You and I are very close to Swami. We are talking to Him every day. Does it mean the end of the search? Does it mean that we have accomplished what we should do? Should we declare that we have reached the end of our journey? No sir, because when I say, “I achieved,” ‘I’ is the barrier. Until ‘I’ is gone, ‘I’ am yet to go. (Laughter) So as long as ‘I’ is there, there is still a long way to go.

If you say, “I have come to the end of the journey”, no, you have made but a beginning, because ‘I’ is still there. You have not come to the end. In fact you are still at the beginning. (Laughter) If you say, “I have accomplished”, you have not! You are yet to accomplish. You are here to know what is to be accomplished because, my friends, when once this ‘I’-ness is gone, there’s nothing to be achieved. There is nothing to be accomplished, because it is already here! It is already here.

There is a curtain there, but the board is here. The curtain is there just in front of it. Because of the curtain, you are not able to see the board. Because of the curtain, you are not able to see the letters. Now, remove the curtain! Take it off. You can see the board.

Similarly, there is the spirit, the Divinity, the Prajnana, the awareness, within you. The curtain of ‘I’-ness, of ego has got to be lifted, that’s all. It is not the beginning of the road or the end of the road, because this road is the beginning and the end. It is the beginning and the end, because it is already there. I do not know. When I begin to see that is the beginning, when I experience that it is the end, it is the beginning and the end, too. (Laughter) The only thing is it is unknown at one time and known later.

I really appreciate those who have put those questions. Thank you very much. May Bhagavan bless everyone in your families on the happy occasion of sacred Deepavali. Thank you very much. (Applause)

124 - “Why does Swami stare at His devotees during car Darshan? It happened to me twice.”

Swami staring at you has become a trouble here! (Laughter) Swami not staring at you has become a trouble elsewhere! (Laughter) “Why is Swami looking at me?” is my problem. “Why is Swami not looking at me?” is another man’s problem! So, what should He do now? Look at you or not look? (Laughter)

Swami looking at you is an act of mercy. Swami staring at you is an act of grace. Swami staring at you is an act of compassion. Swami staring at you is recognition. “Hi! How are you?” He does that so you do not feel ignored.

Swami staring at you also can mean, “I know what you are doing. I also know what you are doing elsewhere!” (Laughter)

Or, “How saintly you are, how simple within! I know it all!”

Depending upon the individual, this staring has its own interpretation. Suppose a person is feeling neglected, as Swami has not looked at him. He feels horrible…oh la la! (Laughter) “What have I come all this way for, oh Lord? I am crying; I am desperate!”

Then when He stares at you, it is something like a shower of rain on hot summer. We welcome rain. When the raindrops touch the soil, there we find beauty. When Swami looks at you a feeling comes, which is beyond words, beyond narration, beyond all estimation, beyond all parameters and known measures.

Suppose Swami stares at you while you are thinking, “Oh Bhagavan, I am in deep problems! I am in trouble. I do not know what to do and what not to do. Bhagavan, right now I do not have mental peace.” When He stares at you, He is sending forth the fountain of peace, the fountain of joy.

Suppose I am full of complaints inside. “Swami, I deserve a better deal than what You are giving me! (Laughter) I should be given a higher post. Don’t You know that much? The present post You have given me is so low.” The heart is full of complaints, but I smile outside because society demands it. Let not others think that I am not a devotee. (Laughter) I want others to think that I am also a devotee, so I smile while having all sorts of complaints inside.

In that case, Swami stares at the inner complaint, and wonders at the outer smile! God looks into the inner, not the outer. That’s what His staring means. So, God staring at you depends upon your situation at that particular point of time.

Science can be generalised; mathematics can be generalised; but spirituality is wholly, totally individualistic. So I cannot interpret on somebody’s behalf. I cannot explain on somebody’s behalf. How hungry you are, I cannot say. How thirsty you are, I cannot say. What the particular stare you received meant, I do not know. What is in you, I do not know.

Anyway, this way or that way, Swami staring at us is really like moonlight. Swami staring at us is a cool breeze. Swami staring at us is as beautiful as sunrise. Swami staring at us is something like a cloud that passes by. It is so nice to look at. Swami staring at us is something like a mighty ocean, full of waves, turbulent waves. Swami staring at us is like a banquet, right in front of us, when we are very, very hungry. Swami staring at us is like a nice sleep that we experience after sleepless nights. It is the joy of joys. That’s what I can say about it.

125 - “There are 120 members in a Samithi and they want to organise into two groups. In one group, there are devotees with instruments, capable of singing. In the other group, they are not that talented. What should we do?” (Laughter)

My friends, we don’t go there just for music, do we? If it is for music, there are casinos elsewhere; (Laughter) there are restaurants elsewhere; there is pop music elsewhere, calling for attention like Michael Jackson’s music. Why not, (Laughter) right?

We go to a centre for peace. You are thinking, “Because a Sai centre has more singers, let me not go there.” It is not the singing that is important; it is the meaning of the song. So long you think of the singer, you are a sinner. (Laughter) When you speak of a song, yes, you are Divine. You should become a song, not a singer.

What is the difference between a singer and a song? Singer is conscious of the people listening to him. Singer is conscious of the previous singer. And the singer is also thoughtful of the next singer. The singer aims to be No.1 for that Bhajan session. (Laughter) He is just an ordinary singer. But a listener, who joins in chorus, singing in joy, not thinking of the singer at all, thinks of the song. He becomes the song himself. That is Divine. Be a song and not a singer.

Therefore, my friends, our preference is not for singers and instruments. Our preference should be towards vibration. When I am in the company of a knowledgeable man, I feel energetic; I feel dynamic; I feel active. Suppose I am in the company of a dunce, (Laughter), a worldly fellow, and an egoistic fellow. After some time, I feel exhausted. He doesn’t handle me; there is no resonance between us. Still, I feel very weak. Why? Vibrations!

Therefore, vibrations are more important. What kind of ‘vibe’ do you get? What kind of feelings do you get? The kind of commitment you feel is more important than the numbers and the talent.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Courtesy: http://www.saiwisdom.com

 

 

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