PROF. ANIL KUMAR – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [126 to 150]

May 22, 2006

126 - “If death is the dress of life, which means we should not be afraid of death, then what do we do with the Mahamrutyunjaya mantra? Should we chant it or not?”

Mahamrutyunjaya mantra is the mantra that is to be chanted to be deathless. The aim is correct, but that does not mean that those who chant the Mahamrutyunjaya mantra will never die. (Laughter) In the beginning, I said that we never die because we were never born. As I was never born, who is going to die? Nobody! When there is no birth, there is no death.

Therefore, my friends, Mrutyunjaya mantra will help you to know that your consciousness or your spirit is deathless. It is not insurance for your body to be eternal! (Laughter) Even if our body were eternal, it would be useless. It would be a curse because we could not walk, we could not eat and we could not sit. We would have to lie down like a vegetable. Would you like eternity like that? (Laughter) No, I don’t want it. So long as I am alive, I want to be active and I want to be smart. Let me go to the other world like this and not totally bed-ridden.

Therefore, the Mrutyunjaya mantra helps you to know the Divinity within. It also ensures that there is no untimely death. When the flight is to be there at 12 o’clock in the afternoon, if the flight reaches two hours earlier, at 10 o’clock, we are not happy because we expected it to arrive there at 12:00 noon.

There may be some people who get ‘promoted’ even before. When God has granted a hundred years of life to some, others die at a young age. Well, they have already reached their destination. Mrutyunjaya mantra is chanted so that there would be no untimely death. It is chanted to know eternity, not to remain deathless. A second-hand body would be hopeless. It is not worth it. (Laughter)

127 - “Why has Swami recently begun Vedic chanting? Is there a particular reason why this is done at this particular time? Music can have a great pacifying influence on people.”

Others may have questions like this. Sometime back, Swami had only music programs. The music college students, little fellows, used to sit and sing daily. Why did no one ask this question then, “Why is there music everyday?” It is only a question today: “Why Veda now?” (Laughter)

My friends, the first thing we have to do is to forget this question, “Why?” Let us forget this question of why. “Why should He call you? Why not me? Why should you get an interview? Why not me? Why should you be given a ring? Why not me?”

‘Why’ should be forgotten! ‘Why’ is worldly; ‘why not’ is worldly. Acceptance is surrender, and spirituality calls for total acceptance.

As far as our thought can stretch forward, Veda chanting may be required more than ever before. If you go through the newspaper and watch TV, you know why the chanting is in great demand. Individually, we are not at peace. In our family, we are not at peace. In our community, we are not at peace. At the level of the world, there is no peace. Therefore, there needs to be a process of correcting or overhauling us, in order to control the body and mind. Vedic chanting is a process of overhauling.

128 - “In this time, what is the most healing music for the western over-stressed and disturbed mind? Could singing a mantra or reciting one be more beneficial?

A disturbed mind is disturbed whether it is a western mind or eastern mind. (Laughter) An agitated mind is agitated whether it is an eastern mind or western mind. A peaceful mind is in peace whether it is eastern or western. Eastern or western is geographical. It is not that eastern are human and western are super-human. It is enough if we are not demons! (Laughter)

The so-called eastern or western is only geographical. Some people from the east may settle in the west. Tell me, are they eastern or western? (Laughter) Or, some from the west may settle in the east. East and west are only directions. Let us not be bothered about it. No!

129 - “Why can’t we sing Sanskrit songs? Why sing some other songs? The world council has sent a circular that we should sing in our own language.”

I am glad that at least you want to sing Sanskrit bhajans or bhajans in your own language. Good! That’s at least a positive attitude. My friends, it is not the language that matters because there is only one language: the language of the heart. It is important whether you are singing with your heart, not whether you are singing in Telugu or Sanskrit. No, no, no! God knows all languages.

I don’t believe it is out of context if I tell you a note from my personal life. I was talking to my father and said, “Daddy, I am sorry that I don’t know Sanskrit.”

He said, “God knows your Telugu and English. It is enough.” (Laughter)

God knows your language. In trying to learn Sanskrit, let me not unlearn my mother tongue. My friends, the best way is that which is spontaneous. Because I want to please God, if I start learning Veda and start making it ugly, as awful as possible, God will have to plug His ears. (Laughter)

A group of villagers was granted an interview. Baba told them, “Nowadays, I am plugging my ears with cotton because your tunes are off. Abba! I am not able to listen! They are horrible songs because they are artificial, out of tune, out of beat and out of rhythm.”

They wanted to sing the glory of God in a particular pattern. God is not a pattern. God is not a schedule. God is not a program. He cannot be put in a computer disk or on a floppy disc. Impossible! I am sorry to say that we have become mechanical everywhere.

At home, we are mechanical. With God, we want to be mechanical, too. We have become machines. That’s why our lives are dull and tasteless. We have castor oil faces (Laughter) with no smile, machine smiles. We also refuse to smile because our life has become mechanical.

So, my friends, the best way to pray to God depends upon your mood at that moment: your feelings, your emotions, your condition, your state of mind at that moment. Just be spontaneous! Being instantaneous at that moment is prayer.

A prayer that is programmed, a prayer that is designed, a prayer that has a pattern, is no prayer at all. A prayer that is an outburst, a spontaneous outpouring of one’s own heart, is prayer. Please remember that the instantaneous, spontaneous outpouring of a human heart is a prayer; it is not repeating something that has been said before.

130 - “The Sai organisation is seen as a sect because of Hinduistic influence. Does Swami want to comment on this?”

Baba is not a Hindu. Baba is not a Christian. Baba is not a Muslim. Baba is beyond. Religion is dogma; religion is fanatic; religion is lunatic; while religiousness is Divine. So, if I want to talk about Baba, Baba is the combination of all religions. Baba is the essence of all religions.

If you say it is Hinduistic, better you stop it and do it in the way you like it. Swami wants a Christian to be a better Christian and a Hindu to be a better Hindu. It is not a matter of conversion. Sathya Sai is not conversion. Sathya Sai is transformation. That’s what we have to remember.

131 - “Who is the next Avatar?” (Laughter)

I see! (Laughter) Have you completed the quota of the present Avatar? (Laughter) “I don’t know” means, “I am disappointed now. I hope to meet Him in the next Avatar.” (Laughter)

The next Avatar comes after my present life, so let me put this question in the next life and (Laughter) not now. My friends, these kinds of futuristic questions based on astrology, based on the time, are meaningless spiritually-speaking. Religion is not future. Religion is not past. Religion is here and now! Please understand. Here and now is religion! God is here and now! God is not the past! God is not the future! Let us not ask questions like this.

132-A “Once we merge with God, is it forever? Will it mean that we won’t ever take any form again, even if God wills it?”

When you are one with God, you are God, and you no longer exist. You are not there. Once you are merged with God, just as the river that merged into the ocean no longer exists, you no longer exist. Am I correct? So once you are with Brahman, coming back does not exist. ‘I’-ness is God. That is called merging. Am I clear on this yet?

132-B. How many sons did Shiva have? (Laughter)

I am sure not as many as I have! (Laughter) As far as the mythological story goes, He had two beautiful sons -- Ganesha and Subrahmanyam. But they are not the sons of our imagination. Shiva was not human; please understand this is necessary first to beget children. (Laughter)

We have sufficient problems with our family and children. (Laughter) We have sons who turn out to be prodigal. Let not Shiva also repent for begetting such sons. (Laughter)

To begin with, Shiva was not human. Shiva is Divine. Shiva is a phenomenon. Shiva is cosmic. Shiva is infiniteness. Shiva is vastness. It is a philosophy; it is an ideology; it is energy; it is not human.

Then, what about the two sons? One represents energy. The other represents fulfilment. Effort is Subrahmanyam, the second son. Its realisation is Ganesha, the first son. So, effort is not enough; fulfilment of effort is required. Effort is Subrahmanyam; fulfilment of the effort is Ganesha. Human action is Subrahmanyam; without any obstacles is Ganesha. They are different facets of approach. They are different angles of perception. They are different views of cognisance and experience. They are not sons in the normal sense.

133. “What about merging with Brahman at the end of all creation and returning in the next creation in another human form?”

I would like to draw your attention to an interesting question that was passed on to me this morning. The question concerns the process of merging with Brahman at the end of all creation and returning in the next creation in another human form.

My friends, there is a very simple answer. Merge means ‘no return’. A simple example: a spoon of sugar is mixed in water. It becomes totally immersed, totally dissolved. Now I say, “Oh, sugar, come on, come on out!” I cry. I do penance. I sing Bhajans. Still, I do not get the sugar. It is impossible!

To merge is total. Merging is not partial. Once you are merged in Brahman, there is no question of coming back. There is no other creation possible. You have become one in Brahman.

The other day, Bhagavan gave an example: You find a river. Rivers have different names and forms. As they flow, they pass different cities; they travel down the valley, up the hill and finally they merge in the ocean. Once a river merges in the sea, if you stand in front of the sea and say, “I want my river, I want the Mississippi River and so on,” the sea will say, “Oh fool, go back!” Once a river merges in the sea, there is no return. That is the answer I can give you. To merge means ‘no return’!

134 - What does He do with the lingams?

I know Swami has presented lingams to some devotees who do regular worship. The Shiva lingam requires a specific ritual to be followed. There are some people who are ritualistic, who are orthodox. Swami may present a lingam to them.

Other times, the lingam disappears. When we asked Swami where the lingams are, Bhagavan answered, “They have gone back to the place where they came from. They went back to their source.”

Both possibilities are there. That is the answer.

135 - “Sathya Sai Baba produced three Atma-Lingams as part of Lingodbhava on Friday, February 18th. What did He do with the Lingams? Did He use them for something? Did He create them for somebody or for the world?”

“What did He do with the lingams? Ah! Ah!” (Laughter) My friends, what did He do with the lingams?

First, let us know why He creates the lingam. Bhagavan has said that the lingam is present in everybody. But the lingam that is present in Bhagavan emerges in solid form because of His Will.

The lingam is present in everyone near the navel. That gold, which is near the navel, is in a liquid form. But in Bhagavan, it takes a solid form and emerges during what we called Lingodbhava, occurring on Shivaratri. When the Shiva lingam emerges, a terrific heat is produced within the body. This is necessary for the liquid to take the solid form. (These are all the words of Bhagavan, not my imagination. Please be aware of that.)

When the heat is generated, the body appears to shiver, the body appears to have fallen sick, and the body appears to have become weak. These are all the signs of the liquid turning solid by the heat generated there.

Swami has said, “Nothing can ever happen to me. The lingam is the finest symbol of Divinity, like a national flag.” The symbol for lingam is the origin of creation. Lingam is that into which all creation will finally merge. Lingam is the origin and the end of all creation.

136 - “How does one get Swami’s Grace?”

A good question. “How does one get Swami’s Grace?” My friends, it is not a thing to be got. You cannot go to the store and buy it. How do we get bread? We go to the bakery and buy it. How do we get ice cream? There is an ice-cream parlor here. How does one get God’s Grace? It is not to be got.

“Oh! I see! Why not?”

“It is already there. God’s Grace is not to be got. It is already there!”

“Oh, I see! Then why don’t I know it?”

Swami gave this example: When you want to hold water in your hands to drink, what should you do? You go to the tub of water. If you hold your hands down, you cannot hold water from the tub. If you cup your palms together, you can hold water and then drink it. There is water and there is the tub. Water is flowing continuously, but in order to retain it, you need to hold your palms upward and cupped together.

Similarly, Grace is always there, like the continuous flow of the water; but if your heart is turned upside down, you cannot experience the Grace. Grace is already there. That is the example that Bhagavan has given and that I want to share with you.

Bhagavan, let us be convinced that Your Grace is already there with us. We should turn our hearts towards You to collect the rain of Your Grace, to retain the rain of Your Grace. Let our hearts be positive. That is what we should do.

137 - “How does one settle in Prashanthi Nilayam?”

First, let me ask you this question: “Where is Prashanthi Nilayam? Is this place here Prashanthi Nilayam?” No! Prashanthi Nilayam is in your heart. Where there is shanti, where there is peace, where there is bliss - that is Prashanthi Nilayam. If I am annoyed, if I am agitated, if I am disturbed, if I am nervous, if I am angry and harsh with everybody, how can this be Prashanthi Nilayam, or in fact how can I claim to be in Prashanthi Nilayam? Prashanthi is a state of mind!

Prashanthi is a state of mind. Prashanthi is an attitude. Nilayam is the center. So, Prashanthi is in the mind and the heart. To be settled in Prashanthi Nilayam is to be constantly thinking of Swami, constantly praying to Him, constantly reading His literature, constantly repeating His Name. Only then, can you be in Prashanthi Nilayam.

I may be in Prashanthi Nilayam doing business. I may be in Prashanthi Nilayam with my mind full of politics. What for? That is only the physical Prashanthi Nilayam. The real Prashanthi Nilayam is in the mind. It is in your attitude. You are already there.

Instead of asking questions about how to settle in the physical Prashanthi Nilayam, let us ask the question, “Why am I unsettled?”

A child is in Prashanthi or supreme peace. Let us watch a child sleeping Ah! Bliss! If you watch an elderly person sleep, it is often disturbing. If he snores, he looks like an animal from the zoo. Why? Because his mind is full of desires and attachments, so he cannot have a good sleep.

Prashanthi Nilayam is in the mind, the human heart, and in one’s attitude. So we are already settled. The reason that we feel unsettled is because of desires and attachments. Because of these things, I am unsettled. The moment I am separate from these things, I can go back to my original place of peace.

That is why Bhagavan continually addresses us as “Embodiments of Love, Embodiments of Divine Atma, and Embodiments of Peace.” It means that we are peace itself.

Unfortunately, we have reduced this peace to pieces. We already are bliss, but we have made life miserable. So, let us question why we are unsettled. The reasons for our state of being unsettled are our attachments, possessiveness, pride and ego. Once we are free from these, we are already in Prashanti Nilayam!

138 - “Baba says that He does not transfer His power to anybody. In a few places, we find Vibuthi manifested and some people who are able to materialise Vibuthi and the lingam, etc. Is this not a transfer of power?”

My friends please be attentive. Anybody may materialise Vibuthi; anybody may materialise a lingam. However, Baba creates Vibuthi to make you more spiritual, to make you detached, to make you desireless, to encourage you to perform Sadhana, to make you noble, to improve you. That is the purpose of Vibuthi.

Baba materialises the lingam to show you your place of origin and the place where you will ultimately merge. That is the final goal of existence. Let us not talk about others; let us not think of others. Let us only think of Bhagavan.

That does not necessarily mean that I should not go to a certain other place. I may find some other person that is as beautiful as my mother, but I cannot call her mother. Isn’t that true? God wants unalterated, unpolluted and single-pointed, steady devotion. Please remember this: Let us not be carried away by anything that we come to know, or by anything that we hear. God wants us to be single-minded. God wants us to have an unwavering mind. In this context, let us not think about others.

139 - Will Baba show the whole world that He is God in His present body, or in the body of Prema Sai? Will Baba show that He is God now? Or, will He show this as Prema Sai, the next Incarnation?

My friends, the answer is straightforward. He need not show that He is God because He is God. Showing is only necessary when one is not that. I give a show that I am God, as people do not experience that I am God. Showing indicates a division. Showing is artificial. Showing is pompous. Showing is self-praise. Baba need not show that He is God because He is already God. Am I clear? He is already accepted as God, as there is no country, no island, no place where He is not known. Everybody knows him. He is materialising everything. He is manifesting His Divinity.

140 - ”Will Baba transfer His powers to somebody?”

If it happens, we are the first applicants. (Laughter)

If He transfers His powers, to what? Will we have our chair by the side of the Hanuman statue there in the Hillview Stadium, giving interviews and charging money? (Laughter) There is nothing like the transfer of powers. There is nothing like the delegation of powers. You are the power.

Baba has said, “You are powerful! The power in Me is patent. While the power in you is latent and hidden, the power in Me is exposed.”

Therefore, there is no need for Him to transfer powers. You are the power. He has given you all the power. You are God!

Still, I want powers. Suppose you find a rich man begging near the railway station, what do you say? “He is a rich man; so why should he be begging there?” Similarly, when you are powerful, nobody needs to transfer power to you!

Those were the questions passed on to me for this week. Thank you so much for being here this morning. I appreciate your time. (Applause)

141 - “It seems that the state president issued a list of ninety Bhajans with a directive that no other Bhajans be allowed to be sung in the Bhajans mandali. The list does not contain the old and new Bhajans sung in Prashanthi Nilayam. What shall we do?”

I don’t think that there is a prescribed list of Bhajans. I don’t know. In a hotel, you will have a list of items prepared. You can eat any item. There is nothing like a list of bhajans.

A simple example: Suppose you are in a reflective, meditative mood, so you sing to yourself, “Dina Bhandava Sri Sai Deva.” Suppose you are in a jovial, happy mood; then you sing “Gopika Maala Haari Pyaari, Maayi Meera Mana Vihaari, Madana Mohana Murali Dhaari, Krishna Jai.”

No one can say: “This is the list of bhajans you should sing now.” A person cannot cry and sing a happy bhajan. It is not possible! It depends on your mood and the place where you are.

Many of our friends are abroad. Some are too busy; others stay alone at home. A person might sing Devaki Tanaya Dayanidhe, Dayanidhe….Kripanidhe. He thinks of God to feel His nearness - Darshan Deejo Deva Deva, Dinanatha Sai Natha, Devaki Tanaya Dayanidhe.

When you are alone at home, when you think that nobody is there for you, that nobody cares for you, the husband and children are away and the night is dark, what do you do? You cannot be joyful. You cannot sing a song with a fast beat. You sing a song to contemplate Him, to make Him feel very close…very close. Suppose someone near and dear to you has died; you cannot sing a song in a happy mood.

Naturally as a boy said,

Punarapi Jananam Punarai Maranam

Punarapi Janani Jatare Sayanam

Iha Samsare Bahu Dustare

Kripaya Pare Paahi Murare.

In that mood, he will understand the momentary nature of life.

No one can say, “This is the list of Bhajans you should sing.” We are not dictators like Musharaff and Bin Laden. We cannot do that; we should not do that.

142- “Whatever happened to me was for my own good. I killed a person for a minor provocation. Is that also for my own good?”

Yes! It is also for your own good, if you face the punishment with the same spirit.

A simple example: It seems a fellow committed a murder and was brought to the court. The judge gave his pronouncement: “You are a culprit and a criminal. Since you committed a murder, you will be kept in prison for a lifetime.”

The prisoner was a philosopher, so he said: “Your majesty, a humble suggestion. I am not the body. I am not the mind. So, how can I kill? I am not the killer. How can you give me a punishment?”

The judge said, “I am not giving a punishment. I am not the judge. The punishment is to your body. This body is giving punishment to that body. You have not killed, and I have not punished you.” (Laughter)

This is the Vedanta vernacular. Therefore my friends, if you kill somebody, is it for your own good? Yes! It is for your own good if you face the punishment. This idea of whatever happened to me is for my own good is a principle that will withstand the test of time.

143 - “Will Baba show the whole world that He is God in this body, or in the coming body, that of Prema Sai?”

This fellow believes in the future also. (Laughter) Will Baba show that He is God? Showing is something different from what He is. Is that clear? I show my book. I am different from the book. Right? I show my glasses. I am different from the glasses. Baba shows that He is God. That means He is separate. But He is not. He is God! What is the fun in showing? It is not a question of showing, because if He shows now, then He is not God after the show. It is something like a magic show. He is not God after the show.

So my friends, He is God and He need not show. Will the sun show that it is the sun? It does not need to show. The sunlight shows that it is sun. Will the flower show that it is a flower? The very smell shows that it is a flower. Will gold show that it is gold? No! The very shine, the glitter itself, is proof that it is gold. Will Baba show that He is God? He is God because His life is godly - His form, all His actions, His words and His thoughts. So He is God. Am I clear? That is the way we have to take it.

144 - ”We cannot forget and forgive everybody so easily because we are human beings. But Swami says to forget and forgive. Swami can smile in all situations. We cannot. Can you show the right way towards life, or should we say a spiritual life? How to smile in all situations?”

I see! In all situations, we can only smile when we smile at ourselves. Please understand. We can laugh at others only if we smile at ourselves. How?

A simple example: Somebody said to me, “Has Swami given you anything?”

“Has Swami given what?”

“Anything. A ring or a watch?”

I told him, “When I am not permanent, do you think the watches and rings that He gives are permanent?” I don’t think so. I am not permanent. The ring He gives cannot be permanent.

Then that man asked me, “Then, why does He give?” A very good question!

“He gives as a token of Love. He gives as a token of Grace.”

It is not that a ring can be permanent. Some people say, “Sir, you may lose your shoe, but the polish will last. The shine on the shoe lasts even if you lose the shoe.” It is something like that.

I smile at myself whenever I consider silly things so important. When Swami talks to you and I get jealous, I should smile at myself and think what a fool I am! He may talk to you tomorrow; He may talk to you the day after tomorrow; He may not talk to you after that. It is up to Him! Why should I feel bad about it? Therefore, we can smile if we can witness and see our own life!

I always tell my friends, “Arrey! Please be convinced of this. When everybody says, ‘Sai Ram! Sai Ram! Sai Ram! You are a great man,’ do not think that you are great. You are great because you are near Swami. When you are away from Swami, the moment you cross the gate, then you will know just how great you are! You are not at all great.” Because we are here with God, all the devotees are godly and they respect and love us for that. That’s all. The credit goes to Bhagavan and not to any of us.

Similarly, when you want to smile, be a witness to your own life. Why am I jealous? Why am I worried about simple things? If somebody sits where I usually sit, I say, “It is my place.” Thousands sat there before I came! (Laughter) However, since I started to sit there, I claim it is my place. If somebody sits there, I feel so bad. (Laughter)

Now I should smile at myself. Why? Having left family, friends, and properties…all in the name of God…now I want to fight for that place, that stone surface on which I sit. Is this worthwhile at all? What a fool I am that I want this seat. Arrey…arrey…rey!

Let us fight for a seat in the heart of Sai, not for a seat on the floor of the auditorium. It is foolishness. So, we can smile at our own whims and vagaries, at our own silly stupid attitudes. After all, what is all this? When Swami starts praising somebody, we feel so bad and think, “Is he so great? I am greater than him. Perhaps He does not know.” (Laughter) Swami praises so that you can become better. Swami praises to encourage you. Swami praises to correct you. Why don’t you think of it like that?

Suppose every father says, “You know, Mr. Anil Kumar, my son is pacca…a man of discipline,” When you start talking about his discipline, he will be disciplined for that day, at least. Next, he will claim, “My son is very intelligent, you see. He reads regularly.” But the fellow never touches a book. So, the father goes on speaking, sending positive signals, with the effect that the son will start reading from that day on.

Therefore, we cannot interpret these things. Be happy and smile at your own self (ego) for all its silly ideas. This is possible only if you consider yourself a witness. That’s what I can say.

145 -Is there a realised soul?

Baba said there are many realised souls. One gentleman asked Swami in the interview room, “Swami, are there realised souls?” Swami said, ”Yes! There are many.” A young man asked me this question,

“Have you seen a realised soul?”

The answer came from Bhagavan. All of us are along the path of realisation. We cannot say 50% are unrealised souls, and 50% are realised souls. That counting may be alright for the sole of a shoe! But not for this. No! We are all along the path of realisation. Nobody is backward; nobody is forward. We are just walking, hand-in-hand. That is what Swami said.

Sahana Bhavatu,

Sahanou Bhunaktu, Sahaviryam Karvavahi.

Journey together. A journey to eternity. A journey of friendship and amity. A journey in perfect comprehension, understanding and cooperation.

So, have I come across any realised souls? Yes! I come across them every day. In what form? I see people going along the journey of realisation, along the path of enlightenment. Am I clear? That’s my answer.

146 - “I work in the Indian Navy. During an interview, Bhagavan told me not to think negatively. He also gave as an example about the construction of the building where we see the walls being built and the roof being laid. Please explain this analogy.” (070304)

I think this analogy is self-explanatory. Baba gave this analogy: “Positive thought is nothing but Self-confidence. This Self-confidence, the positive thought, is the foundation on which walls are erected, Self-satisfaction. Upon that, the roof is laid, self (ego) -sacrifice. Then the light is switched on, Self-realisation. So, Self-confidence is the positive thought where one needs to start.”

147 - “Did Baba say anything about the heavenly Ganga and the four Vedas?”(070304)

Swami has said a lot, but one piece of information is enough. Ganga is a symbol and does not mean the river in Benares. You can easily catch the Ganga Cauvery express train for Benares. Ganga is symbolic. It stands for water. Water is life. One can live without food for some time; no one can live without water. That is why the Vedas say, “Rasovai Saha. Raso levayam labdyavandhim bavathi “ Water itself is life. What did Baba say about Ganga? “Ganga is water - the sustainer of life.”

What did He say about the four Vedas? Swami said, “One refers to the spiritual aspect; one refers to the ritual aspect; one refers to the medical and mineral aspects; the other refers to the musical aspect. The four Vedas refer to four different aspects of human existence. They are for the sustenance of human society. Humans did not compose the Vedas; they were not human utterances. They all came from the celestial Voice, from the ethereal Divine Voice, from nowhere, from emptiness. Rishis, saints and seers heard them within. The Rishis, by regular recapitulation, passed the Vedas on to humanity as sacred texts for guidance and Divine direction.“

148 - “When Swami asked me, ‘what do you want?’ I expressed the wish to dance the Cosmic Dance with Him, thinking of Divine music and the joy of Divine rhythm. Above all, the Divine Dance is bliss, unison with Lord Shiva.”(070304)

A good wish indeed! Just one more step is required. You are almost near the goal. You have come out of the periphery. No, I won’t say come out. You are no longer at the circumference. You are closer to your centre. Just one step is required.

Don’t say, “I want to dance with Shiva.” You are already dancing because you are Shiva Himself. The whole world is a stage; all your walking on Earth is a dance; all your words are beautiful music; all of your dance stretches are that of a Divine Cosmic dance. So, it is not a wish to be fulfilled; it is already going on. The whole world is a continuing cosmic celestial dance. My friend, I can tell you that.

149 - “Why is there an increase in population?” (070304)

The body is perishable, but not the Atma (spirit). This so-called birth is just the appearance of the body. The increase in population is because of human indulgence. When there is no more indulgence, when we reach the stage of transcendence, the population problem will be resolved. Man has come down to the level of the senses. If he could transcend the level of the senses, he could go to the level of his being, which is the core of his life. Then there would be no population problem. It is also an expression of the lack of control of man over his body. It also speaks of the lack of the contemplative capacity of human society. If human society could rise to the level of the contemplative, meditative state, awareness and consciousness, this problem would be solved.”

Well, that brings us to the close of this morning session. I thank those who have sent us questions. I can also tell you that all the programs that the students presented will be available on the Internet for the benefit of everybody. Thank you so much for being here this morning.

150 - Every time I try to do some seva or join in some good deeds, there are always obstacles that prevent me from doing so. How can you explain this? (01.08.04)

They are not obstacles. They are tests. Suppose you know that you are going to get a promotion tomorrow, and $500 extra. You also have an appointment with your friend at the same time. Which do you prefer? Your friend will be there tomorrow, or is the $500 more important? (Laughter) So, you go there.

Your priorities are indicated. On occasions like this when you have to make a choice between the two, what is the priority? Should I spend a week in Las Vegas or should I spend a week in New York doing a service activity.

These are not obstacles; they are tests. They are there to indicate your priorities. If you emerge successfully, it naturally speaks of your Love for Bhagavan. So don’t consider them as obstacles. No! They are indicators, symbols, and signs.

A simple example: On Shivaratri Day (a celebration in honour of Lord Shiva), your relative is being married at your place. At Puttaparthi, on Shivaratri Day, there is the emergence of the lingam, an elliptical stone manifested by Bhagavan, which is the symbolic form of Godhead. Which one do you want to attend? Lingodhbhava or the wedding at home? Is it a test? No! It is not a test. It speaks of the priorities in your life, that’s all.

Your yardstick in judging priorities should be: God first, others next, ‘I’ at the end.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Courtesy: http://www.saiwisdom.com

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