Swami teaches... Part 2. First for the mother...

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Light and Love Swami teaches... Part 2. First for the Mother... Four ideals have placed before human. Each one quality being sublimated and subordinated to the next - dharma, artha, kaama, moksha. Artha or material happiness to be won by dharma (virtuous living), moksha (liberation) to be held as the only desirable kaama or goal. It is mothers’ role to teach these ideals to her children.

There have been many mothers in the world who have sought, by their strenuous endeavors, noble thoughts and sacred practices, to bring up their children in the path of righteousness. In Calcutta lived a mother and his son. For the education of the son, the mother made many a sacrifice. She, however, impressed on the son one lesson: "Dear son, do not be concerned about worldly education. Through scholarship, one learns only to engage himself in controversy but does not acquire complete wisdom. One should study that which frees him from death. Only spiritual knowledge can lead to immortality. For earning one's livelihood, worldly education is necessary. But this education should be acquired only to lead an independent life, with limited desires. Therefore, dear son, while pursuing studies, embark also on the spiritual quest." Human life should be utilized for service and sacrifice. The mother taught her son in this manner the true aim of education. The boy completed his education and took up a small job. One day, in that village, there was a folk festival. The womenfolk of the village donned their best clothes, and jewelers to attend the festival. The mother also went with tattered clothes. The son could not bear to see that sight. He said, "Mother, you have no good clothes or any jewelers. Please let me know what ornaments you wish to have, mother!" The mother replied, "This is not the right time. I shall let you know at the proper time."

 

Thanks to the good behavior and diligence of the lad, he rose to higher positions in service. Once again, he returned to his mother and asked what ornament she desired. "I shall get them as far as I can," he said. The mother told him that she wished, three ornaments, but she would disclose what they were later on. The son in the course of years reached a very high position. Once again, he entreated: "Mother, I have now some money. Please let me know what jewels you would like. I shall get them for you." The mother said "Dear son! I am now not in a state when I can wear jewels. However, there are some ornaments in which I am interested. Drawing the son nearer to her, she said, "In our small village, I am grieved to find that the children have to go to distant places for education. My first ornament I desire is that you should set up a primary school in the village. Secondly, our people have no facilities for medical relief even for small ailments. I spend sleepless nights thinking about their plight. If you set up a small hospital for the village folk, that will be your second ornament for me. The third ornament is something, which you have to do by yourself. If anybody asks "who is your mother?" you may mention my name. Your conduct must be such that you will uphold your mother's name. You must share with others the benefits of the education you have received. Do not go after wealth. The worshipper of mammon will not yearn for God. The seeker of God will not seek for wealth. Observance of this is the third ornament I desire from you." The young man who heard these words from his mother, later became famous, and earned the people's esteem was none other than Eeshvar Chandhra Vidhyaasaagar. He earned a great name in Calcutta.

 

Once he was proceeding to a neighboring village to deliver an address. People used to gather tin large numbers to listen to his lectures. A young officer, who wanted to listen to Eeshvar Chandhra Vidhyasaagar's lecture, got down from a train with a suitcase to go to the lecture-hall. Eeshvar Chandhra Vidhyaasaagar also got down from the same train. The young officer was calling for a porter to carry his suitcase. Eeshvar Chandhra went to him and said, Can't you carry your suitcase yourself and save the money?" He replied. "It is not in keeping with my dignity to carry my suitcase. I am an educated person." Eeshvar Chandhra told him: "The hall-mark of education is humility, not pride. If you cannot carry your own bag, how are you carrying your body? If, however, you cannot carry your bag, Ishall do so." In addition, Eeshvar Chandhra carried the officer's bag. He acted on the motto: "Plain living and high thinking." Eeshvar Chandhra left the bag where the officer got off. The young man wanted to offer money to his "Porter". Eeshvar Chandhra told him. "To serve you is my reward." The young officer left and was later proceeding to the venue of the meeting. There people were offering garlands to Eeshvar Chandhra Vidhyaasaagar to welcome him to the meeting. The young officer realized that the man who had offered to carry his bag at the station was none other than the respected lecturer of that evening, Eeshvar Chandhra Vidhyaasaagar. He felt ashamed that he had made such a great man carry his bag. He reflected: “What is his education and what is mine? I am like a glow-worm before the Sun." Eeshvar Chandra's mother shed tears of joy when she realized the great fame her son had achieved. "Having begotten such a son, my life has been redeemed. It does not matter what happens to me hereafter," she said to herself. In some rare cases, through the grace and intervention of the Divine, some children are rescued from going astray and are guided on the right path despite the desires of their parents. For instance, King Shuddhodhana adopted many methods to prevent his son Siddhartha (who became The Buddha) taking to the path of renunciation. However, he could not prevent it. This is due to the Will of the Divine. It is when human effort and Divine Will are in unison that the great consummation takes place. When there are good mothers, good sons, and daughters will the nation be free from troubles. What the nation needs today is not material prosperity and wealth. It needs men and women of character.

Every nation depends on three sections of its people for its progress - the producers, the protectors, and the preceptors. All three are equally important and closely interdependent. Prosperity rests on this tripod. Love is a seat placed on the three legs and the nation can be happy and peaceful if all the three sections work together in mutual love for the nation.

Every being is entitled to partake of God's Prema (Love), irrespective of gender, nationality, color, creed or status in society. When God and God's Love are activating every atom, who dare say, 'Stand out' to any one? By legend Chaithanya, the son of Satheedhevi, once went to Puri and had dharshan of Lord Jagannaath. He worshipped Jagannaath with these words: "Oh Lord! You are not merely the Lord of the Earth. You are the Lord of the Universe! You are the Lord of Love! Swami! I do not need wealth or vehicles. Even less do I seek devotion, wisdom, or renunciation. I do not aspire for worldly pleasures or possessions. It is enough if I am endowed with the Love to love you. If I have that Love, all other things will come of their own accord. The only thing I seek is Love towards you. Grant me this boon." Chaithanya declare, "My property is not 'Shri' but Hari. I value not Lakshmi (the Goddess of Wealth), but the Lord of Lakshmi (Vishnu)." There is no greater wealth than Love of the Lord. Revere the mother as the Lord. Once Rama told Sita, while they were staying on the Chithrakootha Mountain, that as few could comprehend the subtle principle of Divinity, people should adore their parents as the visible embodiments of God. From ancient times, the relations between mother and children have been hallowed as a result of the purity, the virtue and the integrity of the children. The relationship was full of love, mutual esteem, intense devotion, and nectarine sweetness. However, today the many children have no respect for the mother. Mothers have also little concern for the children. With the result, the Kali Age has become Kalaha Age the age of discord. Who are responsible for this situation? The mothers are the root cause. It is because of the pampering of the children in all sorts of ways by the mothers that the children tend to go astray. What is it the mothers ask for today? Not compassion, good character, integrity and such virtues they ask. They want their children to get educated, secure a big job, marry a wealthy girl or boy and lead a comfortable life. "Many mothers today are behaving like Kalakanthi (the woman who had Chandhramathi's son bitten by a serpent).

Mothers should impress on their children to use their wealth in righteous ways, develop compassion, and lead a just and moral life. They have to explain to their children that the act of service is not to be judged according to the cost or publicity it entails; it may be only the offering of a cup of water in the depth of a jungle. But, the need of the recipient, the mood of the person who offers - these decide whether the act is gold or lead. Children who misbehave should be severely dealt with. (Such high-minded mothers have become rare these days. Integrity and morality are going down day by day). Many fathers today are behaving like Dhritharashtra (the father of the wicked Kauravas). In Mahabharatha the wicked Kauravas brought ruin upon their entire clan by their evil ways). The Mahabharatha epic, which Vyasa collected and composed teach quite emphatically and clearly the evanescence of wealth, authority, power, physical prowess and all that is considered desirable by human on Earth. Vyasa taught dharma in the Mahabharatha, bhakthi in the Bhagavatha, and shanthi and prema in the 18 Puranas. He taught the knowledge of "knowledge, knower and the known" in the Brahmasuuthra. He emphasized that harming others is the seed of sin and serving others the seed of merit. That is the lesson of Prema i.e. Love, pure and simple. Due to the effect of Kali Age, bhakthi (devotion) and the Divine Love have become artificial. People are trying to please others, but not God. Vedic scriptures have prescribed nine paths of devotion. Sravanam (listening), Kirtanam (singing), Vishnusmaranam (contemplating on Vishnu), Padasevanam (serving His Lotus Feet), Vandanam (salutation), Archanam (worship), Dasyam (servitude), Sneham (friendship), Atmanivedanam (self-surrender).

Make your home the seat of virtue, of morality, of love. Control anger and greed. That is the sign of the genuine bhaktha, not unrestricted speech, and movements. (You may claim to be a devotee and declare yourself as such, when you speak; but, unless your egoism has gone and you love all equally, the Lord will not acknowledge your devotion). Only through hard striving, can the Divinity in human be realized, like the fire that emerges from the rubbing of two sticks and butter from the churning of butter-milk. Swami stresses that though the Divinity that resides in all human beings is one and the same, but the capacities and personalities of various individuals are different. Depending on the ripeness of their experience on the cultural practices they have pursued, on the nature of their spiritual disciplines, and on their parental background, these individuals have a wide or narrow outlook. The attitudes of individuals are determined by their day-to-day experiences. The Divine Love is the Amritharasa (essence of nectar) which fills the Upanishadhs. When human realizes the inefficiency of the senses, the mind and the intellect, to grapple with the reality and know the inner core of truth, then, human discovers he/she is the Atma. Or, human realizes that there is God who is the basis of all this superstructure, who has designed and contrived all this and he/she surrenders own ego to Him. "Let Your will prevail." Troubles, miseries, handicaps, grief, and pains that were hitherto causes of distress suddenly take on a new and magnificent rate: they are "His handwork, His gifts, His Grace." They are no longer unwelcome; they are as welcome as the successes, the pleasures, the happiness is. Both are His Will. Love is of three kinds, depending on the guna (quality) that predominates in the individual. Thamasic love confines itself to "me" and "mine," it does not flow beyond that little circle. Rajasic love flows only towards those in power, or have wealth, or to those who will give it a spectacular effect. Sathwic love, on the other hand, always flows towards the good, the pure, the detached, towards awe and wonder, towards God. When light of Love is absent in the heart; and, so, bats and nocturnal birds infest it and foul it. The bats are the evil qualities of hate and malice and greed. Love is the spring that feeds the roots of all the virtues. You must have seen paddy fields where the crop is drying, though the ground is wet and there is a thin sheet of water still under the plants. You must have seen also big trees, standing upon hard dry ground, but decked with a rich crown of green foliage. Have you paused to find out the reason for this contrast? The roots of the paddy plants do not go deep; the roots of the trees go down unto the very springs of underground water that are perennial. Desire is a storm; greed is a whirlpool; pride is a precipice; attachment is an avalanche; egoism is a volcano. Keep these things away, so that when you do japa or dhyana, they do not disturb the equanimity. Let love be enthroned in your heart. Then, there will be sunshine and cool breeze and gurgling waters of contentment, feeding the roots of faith with garland of Love or vice versa. Have faith and love towards your home, your village, your Motherland. However, that does not imply hatred of other countries. On no account should hatred or enmity or intolerance pollute your minds. Consider an example from the Ramayana. After the death of Ravana on the battlefield, Lakshmana asked Rama, "Brother! Our brother Bharatha has been ruling the kingdom of Ayodhya very well, for fourteen years. That kingdom, though poor, is happy under his role. Now, Lanka has come into our hands. I pray that you assume ruler over Lanka and reform the rakshasas." Rama smiled at this suggestion. He replied, "Does any son give up his mother because her features are ugly? My motherland may be poor but it is my mother. Can I adopt a woman as mother, if she is more charming then my own?" (Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 9. "Japa, Saadhana," Chapter 6; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 7. "Roots into the deep," Chapter 28; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 15. " Love of the Motherland," Chapter 44; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 26. "The juice, the sugar and the sweets," Chapter 15 and "What great mothers mean to the nation," Chapter 16; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 36. "LOVE AND RESPECT YOUR PARENTS AND SANCTIFY YOUR LIFE," Chapter 10). Namaste - Reet