Swami teaches... Keep in line with the Divine all through. Part 1

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

 

Light and Love

 

Swami teaches...

Keep In Line With the Divine All Through. Part 1

 

The motto

The Sai name is proclaimed by trees when they wave their heads. The birds in their chirping call upon people to remember Sai's name. The flowers in spreading their fragrance declare the glory of Sai. The bees when they hum announce the bliss in Sai's name. "Sai!" is the sound that reverberates from the sky and earth. Sai can be experienced everywhere. "Sai" is not one's name. "Sai" is the Indweller reclining in the heart of everyone.

 

The beasts held a World Conference to confabulate on the authenticity of human's claim to be the acme of creation and the monarch of all that walks the earth. The Lion presided over the deliberations. The tiger questioned the claims of human; the leopard seconded the resolution of emphatic protest. It made a devastating speech. "Human is a standing disgrace to animals everywhere. Human manufactures and drinks merrily fatal poisons and is proud of own utter foolishness. Human cheats own kind and spends all energies and resources in devising diabolical weapons to wipe out his sisters and brothers; human prods horses and dogs to run in desperate haste and gambles earnings away, while they gallop along the track; human is cruel, greedy, immoral, insatiable and unashamed. Human sets a bad example to the animal world. Though endowed with superior emotions and intelligence, their behaviour is disgusting and demeaning," he said. "We do not know if and where we will get our next meal; we have no sure place of rest. We have nothing to wrap round ourselves, except the skin. But, yet, the least of us is a far worthier child of God than this monster called human," he concluded.

The fox rose and added, "We have a season when we mate, but human, I am ashamed to say, has broken all restraints and cares for no rules. Human is a law unto own self and a disaster to the rest." The Lion rose, to sum up the arguments. He agreed with the general trend of the tirade against human, provoked by his undeserved claim to supremacy. But he refused to tar all with the same brush. He distinguished between people who are bestial and worse, and people who have transcended their bestial past, by the proper use of the special gifts of discrimination and detachment. The latter, he said, ought to be revered by all beasts as Masters, while the former deserved severe reprisals and condemnation.

 

Human is the noblest of all animals, the final product of untold ages of progressive evolution; but, human is not consciously striving to live up to own heritage.

Each human being has struggled upwards from the stone to plant, from plant to animal, from animal to human.

Do not slide back into the beast; rise higher to Divinity, shining with the new effulgence of Love. The Divine is the energy that animates, the urge that circulates the blood in your veins, that transmits knowledge and experience through the nerves, that correlates and collects for storage the impressions your senses gather, the conclusions your intelligence garners.

The great universal power, the Divine energy, Shiva-Shakthi is the conjunction of jada (insentient or inert) and chith (awareness). For example, this also the conjunction of the wire with the current, which activates all the instruments - fan, stove, bulb and radio. The fire-fly too has some power of illumination; it also emits light. We have oil lamp, the electric bulb, the petromax lamp, the Moon, the Sun - all emanate light what we can see..

However, the unseen is the basis of the seen. In spite of the warnings administered by countless saints and teachers through the centuries, human has today in this land of Bharath and other lands forsaken the unseen for the sake of the seen. The unseen alone can confer contentment and courage to face fortune as well as misfortune. Ignoring it has caused the discontent and distress prevalent in every heart and home today.

 

Once a man lost in the jungle was asked to move on in a certain direction; then, after some time, he saw a village; now, that village did not emerge for his sake, just then. He saw what was already there, that is all. So also, Adwaitha (nondualism or monism, the Vedantic doctrine that everything is God) shows you the way to something that is already there, but which you did not recognise so far - namely, your being the unlimited, illimitable Brahman.

Adi Shankara (celebrated ancient philosopher, preceptor of non-dualistic Vedanta. Defeated all religious opponents in debates throughout India) declared, "Brahma Sathyam; Jagath mithya" - Brahman alone is Real; the world is false. But he did not therefore discard the world as beneath notice. He continued the work of Kumarila Bhatta, harmonised the various schools and sects of those days, established mutts (missions) for the propagation of the Adwaitha doctrine in the four corners of India and then left when he was 32 years old.

Adwaitha (Oneness) is expressed in three forms: Bhava-Adwaitha (oneness in mental attitude); Kriya-Adwaitha (oneness expressed in action); Padartha-Adwaitha (oneness as seen in all objects). Only when oneness is experienced in all these forms can Divinity be understood.

In Bhava-Adwaitha, the unity of the basic substance constituting the Cosmos is perceived as the underlying Reality. In Kriya-Adwaitha, every action is regarded as an offering to the Divine and is thereby divinised. Padartha-Adwaitha implies recognising that every being or every object in the Universe is composed of the same five elements (ether, air, fire, water and earth) which are divine in their origin. As every being is constituted too by these five elements, all beings are essentially one, though having different forms and names. Human equality is based on the oneness of the Divine essence of all human beings.

Each person has a different conception of God and of goodness, according to upbringing and the state of purification of his/her impulses. All such conceptions are valid; when water is let into the fields, you will find sheets of different shapes - circular, rectangular, oval, square, according to the shape of the fields. The fertility or the quantity of the crops harvested do not vary according to the geometrical correctness of the shapes. How far, how fast you have established attachment to the Lord, that is the test. The rest does not matter.

The cry of equality now being used as a slogan is a vain and meaningless cry; for, how can people, inheriting a multiplicity of impulses, skills, quailties, tendencies, attitudes, and even diseases from their ancestors and from their past be all of the same stamp? And in spite of all this advertisement for the supposed equality, you find more misunderstandings and factions now than at any previous period of history. Those who promote inequality are those who most loudly proclaim this modem doctrine of equality. There is a need to repeat that humans equality based on the oneness of the Divine essence only and not on the other whatsoever worldly factors, qualities and activities. What we must seek to experience today is unity in diversity..

Each person has a different version to give, if you ask whether person is happy and why. The same person speaks differently at different times about the acts of the Lord. You see yourself in the outside world; what you like or dislike is your own self.

 

Shankara's known statement "Brahma Sathyam, Jagath mithya" (see above) is the essence of the sruthis (holy scriptures). That truth can be cognised by minds trained through dwaithic (dualistic) worship of the personal God, and visishta-adwaithic emphasis of the jivi as the limb of the Absolute. More and more people must take up Bhakthi-karma (devotional activity) and slowly ascend to the stage of

full jnana (knowledge of the Supreme One).

The ancient sages indicated in the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras, how this Oneness of the Divine is to be realised. (Unfortunately, these texts came to be interpreted in contradictory and confusing terms, with the result that their basic truth has been forgotten).

 

Oneness must express itself in universal Love. Harmony in thought, word and deed is the highest human value. Sathya, Dharma, Santhi and Prema (Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Love) are not mere words. They are fundamental values to be practised in thought, word and deed as far as possible. (It is the divorce between thought, word and deed which is at the root of all the troubles in the world today).

It is not necessary to undertake all kinds of sadhanas (spiritual exercises) to recognise the Divine. If the happenings in daily life are properly enquired into, the Atma principle can be recognised easily.

The conquest of the senses and of the passions and emotions is a hard process and a slow process, which will be crowned by success only by systematic endeavour.

Take anger, for example.

There was once a huge big wrestler who was strutting along a street, proud of his physical strength and his victory over many rivals. As he passed, a middle-aged woman tittered at his size and appearance. The wrestler gnashed his teeth in anger and lunged towards her. The woman ejaculated, that what type of strong man are you, who cannot take a woman's laughter calmly? The wrestler had to hang his head in shame. Sahana (forbearance) is the best sadhana, fortitude is the foremost sadhana.

Life is a battlefield, a Dharmaksethra, where duties and desires are always in conflict. Smother the fiery fumes of desire, of hatred and anger that rise up in your hearts, it is sheer cowardice to yield to these enemies that turn you into beasts. When obstacles come, meet them with courage. They harden you, make you tough.

 

Both good and evil have the right to exist. The evil has to be used for the purpose for which it is suited. The bitter green skin of the unripe orange protects the fruits during the ripening period. The skin too gradually takes on some of the sweetness and flavour of the ripening orange; so too, evil has to be slowly transformed into good by the subtle influence of association.

 

Once, to remove the doubts entertained by Dharmaja (eldest of the Pandavas), Krishna explained why He allowed the souls of the vile-minded Sisupala and Danthavakra to merge in Him after he had killed them. Krishna said: "Dharmaja! Your doubts are from your delusion. Praise or blame, good or bad, relate to the body and not to the Atma. Because of identification with the body one experiences troubles. As the body-consciousness grows, the Atma-consciousness declines. Only the mind is responsible for hatred and attachment, for joy and grief. If the mind is transformed, anyone (regardless of his past) can attain me."

It is the inevitable destiny of everything ultimately to go back to the source from which it came.

The body, arising from matter, goes back to matter. The Atma (Spirit) issuing the Divine, goes back to the Divine. The Spirit is pure Consciousness. It ever remains as Consciousness. It is embodiment of Love and Light.

Another example where evil was mixed with good.

Ravana carried away Sita; many wonder why, when he did that nefarious deed, the flames of Divine wrath did not reduce him to ashes, or why the anger of a chaste woman did not consume him. But the consequence of all the penance he had gone through and the boons he had won from the Gods stood as an armour for long.

Ravana must meet his doom through his own folly and wickedness. The Lord is but a witness; He is above all hate and anger, of attachment derived from mine and thine.

 

The rakshasas (demons) of Lanka were adepts at yagas (sacrificial rites) and yajnas (ceremonies in which oblations are presented); every home in the island was under a canopy of holy smoke emanating from the sacred fires lit for ritual worship. That was the karma-path for blessedness, but that path without dharma (right action, truth in action, righteousness, morality, virtue, duty, the dictates of God, code of conduct) led Ravana and other demons to destruction also back to the source from which they come.

(The main thing is the control and the sublimation of the senses. Letting them have their way, by directing them on the objective world of tastes, smells, shapes, melodies and softnesses is to fall into a bottomless pit. It is like locking up the treasure in a golden box with a golden lock).

 

This world is a combination of kala (time), karma (action) and karana (cause). Every action has a reaction. Thus, the time gap between action and reaction may vary depending on the nature of action. But, know for sure that none can escape the consequences of their actions. It is impossible to say when, how, and where one will face the consequences of one's actions.

Why should one pray, meditate, contemplate on God or engage in good actions when one is anyway bound to face the consequences of one's actions? You may not be able to see the transformation that comes within you by your good actions and prayer. You may not even be able to visualise it with your

mind. Yet, this transformation in you is sure to attract God's grace. The benefits derived from prayer or good actions may not be visible to the naked eye. Yet the benefits do accrue in the form of God's grace.

 

For every happening in this world, kala, karma, and karana (time, action, and cause) are essential. God acts after taking into consideration the three factors of kala, karma, and karana.

Some noble truths as examples from the ancient scriptures of Bharat.

1. Once the demon Dundubhi challenged King Vali for a duel. Vali killed Dundubhi and, in a fit of rage, threw his battered and bruised body at a distance. It so happened that the bleeding body landed on the Rishyamuka Mountain, splashing blood on sage Mathanga, who was deeply engaged in meditation there. Enraged, Mathanga cursed Vali thus: "Whoever is responsible for this reprehensible act will have his head splintered into pieces if he were to set his foot on this mountain."

Who was responsible for all this? It was Vali himself. He could have stopped with the killing of Dundubhi. Instead, he flung the body away, driven by his anger, ego, and hatred. These three evil qualities were responsible for his ruin.

 

2. Ekapada was a great and diligent teacher. But he was a hard taskmaster, too. He would not permit his students to relax at any point of time. His wife was in the family way. The babe in the womb of his wife questioned his father, "Father, how is it that you go on teaching the students without giving them any break for rest?"

To this Ekapada replied, "Students should never be given free time, for an idle mind is a devil's workshop. It leads to many perversions."

Furious at the impudence of his son, Ekapada cursed him, "You have the audacity to question my acts! May you be born as Ashtavakra (one with eight bends in the body)." Ashtavakra had to blame himself for this unfortunate situation because he questioned the propriety of the acts of his father without understanding

the reasons behind them.

 

3. Vinatha and Kadru were the two wives of sage Kashyap. While playing a game, they entered into a competition. The terms of the competition were that the loser and her son would serve the winner and her son for the rest of their lives. Kadru emerged victorious. As per the terms of the competition, Vinatha and her son served Kadru and her son.

One day, Kadru told Vinatha, "You are like my sister. I will make you free if you procure the amritha bhanda (vessel of nectar) from heaven." Unable to bear the sufferings of his mother, Garuda undertook this stupendous task and brought amritha bhanda from heaven, thus freeing himself and his mother from bondage. Pleased with the devotion of Garuda, Lord Vishnu showered His grace on him by making him His vehicle.

What was the reason behind Garuda becoming the vehicle of Lord Vishnu? It was sathsankalpa (noble resolve) that earned him proximity to the Divine.

 

4. King Shanthanu, father of Bhishma, wanted to marry Sathyavathi, daughter of Dasaraja. In order to fulfil the desire of his father, Bhishma approached Dasaraja and requested him to give Sathyavathi in marriage to his father. Dasaraja agreed on the condition that only the one born to Sathyavathi would be made the crown prince. Consequently, Bhishma took a vow that he would remain unmarried. He earned Divine grace by his devotion to his father.

 

Human's right is to realize own Vishwaswarupa (Cosmic nature); so, don't play about forever in the dehabhava (thought of the body), the consciousness that you are just this five-foot body; transcend the attachment to the family, the home, the village, the community, the district, the state, the nation. You must acquire the freedom of the spirit called Swarajya (Self-rule, dominion over Self).

Vishnu, the Preserver in the trinity of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu, and Shiva (the Destroyer) is the very picture of peaceful calm, though reclining on a thousand-hooded serpent; the snake being the symbol of the objective world with its poisonous fangs. Being in the world but not of it, not bound by it - that is the secret.

/The poets used to ask for patronage with the word, dehi, which Kalidasa (Sanskrit dramatist and poet ca 5th century A.D.) once interpreted as, they are not asking you; they are addressing you as 'dehi', 'the one with the body', 'the One who has encased Himself in this physical equipment', 'the Atma,'. They are reminding you that you are essentially the dweller in the body, not the body with which you are likely to identify yourself/.

 

There should be complete harmony in thoughts, words, and deeds. That is what we mean when we say, "The proper study of humanity is human." Axioms like "Work is Worship," and "Duty is God," are not of modern origin. These were the teachings of our ancient seers, though they used different terms for these.

The Vedas have described the Divine as the One enveloping the Cosmos i.e.. the Universe and existing beyond it. Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara are aspects of the manifestation of Nature. Nature is made up of the three gunas - sathwa (purity, calmness, serenity, joy, strength, goodness; associated with colour white), rajas (passion, activity, restlessness, aggressiveness; associated with colour red), and thamas (dullness, ignorance, delusion, inactivity, passivity, inertia, sloth; associated with colour black) in their myriad combinations.

In the invocation to the Guru, he is described as Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara and Parabrahma. Brahma who is hailed as the Guru, is the Creator of the Universe. The One who creates, sustains and dissolves the Universe is the Parabrahma (the Omni-Will). (Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 3. "Lakshya puuja," Chapter 17; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 6. "The bottomless pit," Chapter 18; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 9. "Mirror and comb," Chapter 12; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 22. "Love all : Serve all," Chapter 23; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 32, part 2, "Develop intense devotion," Chapter 4).

Namaste - Reet