PROF ANIL KUMAR'S SATSUNG: BABA'S CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS.PART-6 A

May 27, 2008

ANIL KUMAR'S SATSANG: BABA'S CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS Professor Anil Kumar has presented this talk as an extra satsang. He has selected important messages Baba has imparted to the students gathered around Him during the afternoon sessions on the verandah at Prashanti Nilayam. These talks will continue. Part Six December 4th, 2002 OM…OM…OM… Sai Ram. With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan, Dear Brothers and Sisters! July 2002 Swelling On Swami’s Cheek Now we shall move on to more of Bhagavan’s conversations in July. Well, you know, during Guru Purnima, all of us noticed a swelling on the right side of Swami’s face. Most of you must have noticed it. He gave an explanation at the end of one of His discourses. The swelling was so bad -- very red in colour -- and we did not know how He was managing with it. We asked Bhagavan, "What is this? Why is it? What

can we learn from this experience? It is so painful to watch. How are You able to bear it?” Bhagavan said, "Any doctor will tell you that the pain is excruciating. It is terrible pain. It will last for 21 days and, if it gets really serious, it will also affect the brain." The severity of the problem He was experiencing was so great that we were not able to look at it. In spite of the swelling and the terrible pain, Bhagavan gave four or five discourses. How was that possible? I know that at one time, He could not open His mouth fully, but just this much. (Anil Kumar demonstrates by opening his own mouth just a little.) Nor could He eat. That was the

severity of the illness. So we asked, “Bhagavan, why don't You cure Yourself from the pain and the swelling? Why don't You cure Yourself?” Bhagavan answered, "I will never cure Myself. I will cure your problems. I don't cure any of My problems. But in response to your prayers, in response to your wish, in response to your yearning, I will cure Myself, but not until then." That is what Bhagavan said. "Don't You feel the pain, Swami? Isn’t it painful for You?" Bhagavan’s answer is very important. He said, "I don't consider Myself as the body. I am not this body. So, I don’t take any swelling or any complaint of this body seriously. It is not a source of pain for Me because I don't identify Myself with this body. Do you understand? I am not the body. So, I don't feel the pain at all." I would like to bring your attention to one or two points, which are mentioned in the Bhagavad Githa. In the Bhagavad Githa, it clearly states: "God is blemishless. God has no attributes, no pain whatsoever. God is in the body, but the body is not in God. All attributes function or operate because God is in them. But

these attributes are not in Him." How He carried out the day’s schedule, how He moved around the auditorium, talking to all the delegates who attended the conference, without eating any food, was amazing! We could not believe it. That is the secret of His Divinity. I would like to share an important point with all of you: After a few days, there was no more swelling on Swami’s face. Everything was perfect. Somehow I picked up the

courage to ask Swami: "Swami, are You OK now? I don't see any swelling. Very good, Swami! We are happy!" Do you know what Baba said? "Anil Kumar, look here. A small swelling slowly increased to the size of an orange. It was that big! Slowly, as the size increased, the pain also increased. But today, since it has subsided and is totally gone, see here -- there isn’t even a mark (or scar) of any kind! Whenever you have a boil, whenever there is any cut, you will still be left with a mark, even after it is healed. Though this was such a large swelling, now after it has healed, there is no trace of its previous presence." This is Divinity! This is Divinity! All of us were taken by surprise when Bhagavan explained that. The lesson is this: badha or pain is bodha or a teaching. God suffers to teach us. God’s apparent external pain is also a chance to communicate a lesson to the devotees. That is the underlying secret behind this suffering. Swami blessed him In July, a very important elderly person came to see Bhagavan. I don't need to mention his name, but the message is important. He was 83 years old. He said, "Swami, bless me. I am now 83. I want to go to my native place. Please bless me." Swami blessed him, presented him with some new clothes and even some money to cover the tailor’s stitching charges (Laughter)). He also gave his wife a new sari. Then Swami spoke about this gentleman to those present. Later that same day, another man said, "Swami, I will be

celebrating my 60th birthday." “Oh, I see.” He is also a very important person. Good! (We are all important. But that important person happened to be there that day. We important persons were not there on that day. We are available on other days!) (Laughter) So this person said, "Swami, I just completed 60 years and my birthday is next week." He was quite elegant, active and well-dressed, and did not look too old. Swami said, "Hmm. Take it." He presented him a very fine chocolate-coloured suit and 3,000 rupees for the stitching charges. He also gave him a beautiful new shirt. So I took a chance…I said, "Swami, my 60th birthday is also coming." Then He said, "Oh, there is still plenty of time. Don't worry!" (Laughter) “No One Knows My Age”

It is in this context that Bhagavan made a statement that will be of interest to all of you. He said, "Here is a man who said that he has now crossed 83 years old. Another man here says that he has just completed 60 years. But I can tell you that no one knows My age! No one knows My age!" Bhagavan did not comment any further on this statement. But I started reflecting on one of His earlier statements. In one of His poems, He said: "God has neither a beginning nor an end, neither birth nor death. He is non-dual. God is existence. There is nothing like appearance and disappearance for God.” So when Baba says, "No one knows My age", it means that He is infinite. His so-called November 23rd ‘Birthday’ is only the age of His body, not of His Divinity. That is one explanation. The second explanation is that He is 77 years old this year. However, in the previous Incarnation, He came as Shirdi; while in earlier ages, He came as Krishna and as Rama. So, who can say His true age? He has manifested from time-to-time, from age-to-age, in response to prayers and according to a designed, stipulated program for establishing Peace, Love, Truth and Righteousness. So, in this Sathya Sai form, in this current body, we know His age. But we cannot say His true age because He has taken so many different forms from age-to-age.

Therefore, Bhagavan is correct when He says, "No one knows My actual date of birth." It is because He was never born! Further I can also say, "Bhagavan is never born nor will He ever leave us." Instead of trying to figure out His age, we can put it this way: Bhagavan is a Cosmic visitor. He is here as a visitor, having neither a beginning nor an end. His statement about no one knowing His birth-date is an indirect way of communicating His Divinity to all of us. ---- ( LOVING IN SAI ) RAM. Ram ChuganiKobe, Japanrgcjp