Swami teaches... Part 3. Take part in the Divine Play with awareness

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Light and Love Swami teaches... Part 3. Take Part in the Divine Play with Awareness Swami is as the mirror in which we can see the reflection of ourselves. Our passions and worldly desires to obtain property, wealth, riches, and power, are as stormy waves without ruler, which bother to see clean reflection of own Self and to act in harmony with Sathya and Rita.

 

The Gopikas declared: "Oh Krishna! How can we know your true nature? You are subtlest among the subtle and vaster than the vastest. You are omnipresent. How can we know you?"

 

It is not easy to understand the ways of the Lord. The Lord's Leela - the Nithya-vibhuthi (the ever-lasting Glory of the Divine) is the support of the Leela vibhuthi (the scene of the ever-changing ever-fresh sport of God). The sea is the base on which joyful, dangerous and illuminative waves happen. When Leela entices the Lord, it takes eight forms: Shuddha Brahmamayi (the absolutely pure), Chara-charamayi (the moving and the non-moving), Jyothirmayi (the luminous), Vangmayi (the vocal), Nithyaanandamayi (the ever-blissfull), Parathpa-ramayi (transcending this world and the next) Mayamayi (enrapturing by its delusive charm) and Shrimayi (resplendent with wealth). For understanding the ways of the Divine Play, the ancient sages practiced and preached silence. They felt that the Lord's ways are inscrutable and that His attributes are beyond reckoning and praise. The sages, probing the mystery of the Divine, concluded that God is everything and no one can claim anything as one's own. By this attitude, they were able to realize the Divine. The flower is karma (work, deeds), the emerging fruit is bhakti (worship), and the ripe sweet fruit is jnana (wisdom). It is one continuous and spontaneous process, this spiritual fulfillment of the spiritual seeker. They are like childhood, youth and old age, each imperceptibly growing into the succeeding stage. What knowledge is essential for spiritual aspirant?

Swami indicates that in Vedantic vocabulary, chith and a-chith are two terms set against each other, comprehending between themselves, the Created Universe. Chith means 'intelligent' and a-chith means 'non-intelligent.' There are no two opposites like this. There are grades, slowly passing from one to the other, from the less intelligent to the fully intelligent. Buddhi commonly understood as mere intellectual ability. Nevertheless, it is intelligence, in which Rita and Sathya are combined with zeal and steadfastness. Buddhi includes Yoga* and Maha-thathwa (Supreme Principle; Cosmic intellect) also, which have a purifying influence on the buddhi. Buddhi is thus, not only the capacity to think. Nor is it only the power of deliberation or the discriminating faculty. Beyond all these, it is the power of deep enquiry and judgment.

Nevertheless, in real there are three grades, not only chith (intelligent) and a-chith (non-intelligent).

1. The Shuddha-thathwa is what Christ referred to as the Kingdom of God. It is far beyond the reach of Mind, it is the realm of pure equanimity. It is spoken of as the Nithya vibhuthi. 2. Mishra-thathwa is this earthly kingdom, alternating between repose and activity, sloth and adventure, thamas and rajas. It is spoken of as Leela vibhuthi. 3. The region of inactivity, ignorance and inertia, the thamoguna. This is where your narrow selfish will takes charge of you, and enslaves you. Vasana (inclination, impression of anything remaining in the subconscious mind from past action) is the ingrained force of eons of enslavement to the senses. The root causes of human's bondage are abhimana (attachment) and ahamkara (ego), the possessive sense of "Mine," and the arrogance of egoism. These feelings in much are caused by the kind of food that is consumed, (as has already mentioned in previous part).

Below is an example. In the Mahabharata the grandsire Bhishma was expounding all aspects of Dharma to the Pandavas from his bed of arrows. At one stage, Draupadi burst into laughter. The Pandava brothers were upset by Draupadi's unaccountable levity. Understanding their distress, Bishma told them that Draupadi was an exemplary woman in every respect and there must be a good reason for her laughter. He asked Draupadi to explain her reason. She said: “Grandsire! The lessons which you should have taught to the evil-minded and wicked Kauravas, you are now teaching to my righteous husbands. This appeared to me ironic and futile." Bhishma explained that he had been serving the Kauravas and living on their bounty. "Consuming the food received from such unrighteous and evil-minded persons, my blood got polluted. Arjuna's arrows have drained away all that bad blood. And the dharma which was deep in me is now coming forth." You have to realize how important food is in determining one's thoughts and actions.

 

There is another story from another aspect. Adi Sankaracharya, during his victorious philosophical travels through Bharat met Sri Mandana Misra (the famous sage) and had a debate with him on Medha Shakti (intellectual ability). Both of them agreed on Ubhaya Bharati, a high-souled scholar, pure-hearted and utterly selfless, as one most competent to decide, who the victor in the debate was. Ubhaya Bharati was none other than the wife of Mandana Misra. The choice was unique in many respects. That Sankaracharya was willing to have as judge in the debate his opponent's wife was remarkable. It was the greatest testimony to his faith in the utter impartiality of Ubhaya Bharati. Sankaracharya knew that the discriminating power of the buddhi was superior to the intellectual ability of the Medhas. Ubhaya Bharati decided in favour of Sankaracharya and against her husband. She declared that Sankaracharya had the better of the argument in the debate. This decision is based on Sathya and Ritam. Ubhaya Bharati then declared that in accordance with the understanding between the two disputants before the debate started, Mandana Misra, as the vanquished, should take to sanyasa and become a disciple of Sankaracharya. At the same time, as the devoted wife of Mandana Misra, acting upto the ideals of Indian womanhood, according to which the wife should follow the husband in weal and woe, Ubhaya Bharati decided to become a sanyasini herself. Although she was under no obligation to adopt a monastic life, she decided to do so to set an example to the world. After that, she established an ashram in which she wanted to show to the arrogant scholars, who relied on mere intellectual acumen, that it was inferior to the intelligence that was associated with Sathya and Rita.

 

One day when she was going to the river for a bath with her women disciples, she saw an ascetic, who had renounced everything in life, sleeping on the wayside, resting his head on a hollow water jug, using it as a pillow and at the same time ensuring that nobody took it away. Ubhaya Bharati spoke within his hearing the following words to one of her disciples: "Look at that ascetic, who has ostensibly renounced every kind of attachment. But he has not given up his attachment to his water jug!" On hearing these words, the ascetic got enraged. He thought, "Is a mere woman entitled to teach me how I should behave?" While Ubhaya Bharati was returning from the river, the ascetic threw the jug at her feet and said, “Now, see what my renunciation is?" Ubhaya Bharati remarked, "Alas! You are not only filled with attachment but you are also filled with ego." On hearing these words, the ascetic ran up to her, fell at her feet and pleaded for forgiveness of his faults. Devotion has nine paths to adore the Divine. These nine paths begin with shravanam (listening to the glories of God) and end with Atma nivedhanam (complete Self-surrender). Six forms of devotion are santham (tranquility), sakhyam (friendship), dasyam (service), vatsalyam (maternal love), anuragam (loving feeling) and madhuram (ecstatic devotion). Bhishma, Arjuna, Hanuman, the Gopikas, Yasoda and Radha are examples of the different forms of Bhakti.

Bhishma manifested devotion in the santha form. Lying on a bed of arrows for 56 days, awaiting the advent of the auspicious moment for giving up the body, Bhishma devoted his thoughts to God with a serene sweetness and calm mind. Arjuna is the exemplar of sakhya bhakti. All his life he was devoted to Krishna, enjoying the relationship as brother-in-law, but always adoring Krishna as his divine mentor. Arjuna's devotion was based on kinship. Krishna, for the same mason, protected Arjuna as a kinsman. Hanuman's devotion to Rama exemplifies dasya bhakti (service as a form of devotion). Hanuman's only thought was to serve Rama always, be near to him and wait for his commands. Once Rama called Hanuman and asked him: "Hanuman! How do you love me?" Hanuman replied: "In terms of the physical, I look upon you as my Lord and regard myself as your servant. In terms of the mind, you are the object and I am your image. Spiritually, You are I and I am You. I am experiencing you in these ways. As long as I have the body consciousness, you are the Lord and I am your servant." Anuraga bhakti (loving devotion) is exemplified by the Gopikas. Whatever work they might be doing, their thoughts were centered on Krishna and they were always yearning for Him. When work is done in this way, it is transformed into worship. Every action is dedicated to the Divine and is performed as an offering to the Divine. With this attitude, the Gopikas were prepared for any kind of trials and tribulations from husbands and mothers-in-law. They worshipped Krishna without any feeling of rancor and bitterness against those who treated them harshly. Krishna was firmly implanted in their hearts. (In worshipping Krishna, devotees have their own individual partiality for certain names. Meerabai always hailed Him as "Giridhara Gopala." Sakkubai always called Him "Ranga! Ranga!" Yasoda was attached to the name "Gopala.)" Yasoda exemplified vatsalya bhakti - loving the Lord as a mother loves a child. Despite the numerous miracles performed by Krishna and in spite of witnessing manifestations, Yasoda regarded Krishna as her son and loved Him with maternal feelings. Even when Krishna showed to her all the fourteen worlds in His open mouth, Yasoda imagined that it was only her own imagination and Krishna was just a child. Even when Krishna was performing wonders in Mathura, Yasoda was worried about Him as any mother would and made anxious enquiries about her Gopala.

 

Radha is an example of madhura bhakti. Radha completely identified herself with Krishna. Her devotion to Krishna was on an inseparable relationship. The Radha-Krishna relationship is that of Prakriti and Paramatma (of Nature and God).

People pay a water tax to the authorities who make available water at their dwelling from a distant source. Likewise, people have to pay dues for the electricity supply, which they receive.

What do you pay for the heavy downpour of rain that you get from providence? God fills the tanks and rivers with water. He provides human with the life-giving oxygen. The Sun illumines the whole world. What is the tax we pay for all these services? The arpitham (offerings we make to God) is the tax. In making such an offering, Emperor Bali was supreme. He was dedicating his entire life to God. (He was the grandson of Prahlada. Bali's father, Virochana, was also a godly ruler. Thus from Prahlada to Bali the whole line of rulers were filled with love of God. Originally Prahlada's father,Hiranyakashipu, was Lord Vishnu's gate-keeper). Bali told the Preceptor, "Guruji, what is the use of my possessing anything which is not of use to God? The seeker is God Himself. God has really no desires. However, to redeem us from the consequences of our past deeds He creates situations, which call for offerings. When the infinite Divine appears in the role of the seeker of favors, what greater blessing can there be than making the offering to the Divine? I am ready to offer my mind, my body and my life itself to God."

Bali recognized that not a blade of grass moves without the power of the Divine in it. "No oneknows the supreme power of God's will. He permeates everything in the Cosmos from an ant to Brahman,” he declared. A synonym for the word thyaga (sacrifice) is Bali. The term ‘Bali’ has several meanings such as offering, dedication, sacrifice and a tax levy. However, the proper meaning of Bali is recognition of the Divinity in human. It means offering one's Self to the Divine. This is the meaning of surrender.

God does not ask for any offering of wealth or position. God is said to be pleased if a sincere devotee offers a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water. (The flower to be offered-to God is a pure heart free from all taints and evil tendencies like lust, anger, and pride. The fruit to be offered is a mind free from all bad thoughts and feelings. The water to be offered is the water that flows from the eyes out of joy in experiencing God).

The Lord tells you "My dear! The body does not belong to you. It is precious gift from God. It is inert like a leaf." Gayatri mantra begins with words: "Om! Bhur-Bhuvas-Suvaha". In this mantra, 'Bhu' refers to the body, which is made up of material substances. 'Bhuvah' refers to that which activates the inert body. That Prana (Life Force) operates as vibration. 'Suvah" What is the basis for the Life Force? It is Prajnana. The Upanishad declares, "Prajnanam Brahma." The Prajna operates through radiation. 'Suvah' refers to this power of radiation. Humanness is made up of these three constituents' radiation, vibration, and material inertness. (Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 13. "Full minus full," Chapter 16; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 21. "From Annam To Ananda," Chapter 9; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 23. "Lessons of a debate," Chapter 17; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 26. "The juice, the sugar and the sweets," Chapter 15; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 28. "Offer everything to God," Chapter 24).

* Yoga

1. Union of the individual Self or Atma with the Supreme Being or Universal Self.

2. A spiritual discipline or exercise aimed at control of the senses.

3. Science of Divine communion.

4. Pantanjali's Yoga-sutras define yoga as a series of eight spiritual steps leading to union with God.

5."The eightfold path of yoga" given by Swami in "Prasanthi Vahini."

Namaste - Reet