Divine Discourse on Makara Sankranthi, 14, Jan 2009

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Money comes and goes; but morality comes and grows

 

Bharat is the motherland of many noble souls who earned great name

and fame in all the continents of the world. This is the land of

valorous people who vanquished the foreign rulers in the battlefield

and attained independence. This is the land that excelled in music,

literature, and other fine arts. Having been born in this great land of

Bharat, oh boys and girls! It is your sacred duty to protect its rich

cultural heritage.

(Telugu poem)

Dear students! Be prepared to uphold the honour and glory of this country of Bharat! You are sure to come out victorious in this effort.

 

Today, people are able to achieve great progress in secular and

scientific fields, but they are unable to march forward in the field of

spirituality. One has to progress in spirituality more than in other

fields. People used to give great importance to progress in the

spiritual arena in the ancient times. In fact, it used to be the goal

of their life. However, there is a decline in the spiritual outlook of

people in recent times.

 

In these days a lot of effort is made to achieve progress in secular,

physical, and worldly matters. Whatever achievements made in these

areas are only temporary and transitory; they are not permanent. While

people are able to make giant strides in secular areas all over the

world, there is decline in the importance given to spiritual and moral

progress. This tendency is in sharp contrast to the culture of Bharat

in ancient times.

This

land of Bharat has given birth to many noble women like Savitri, who

brought her dead husband back to life; Chandramati, who extinguished

wild fire with the power of truth; Sita, who proved her chastity by

coming out of blazing fire unscathed; and Damayanti, who reduced an

evil-minded hunter to ashes with the power of her chastity. This land

of piety and nobility attained plenty and prosperity and became the

teacher of all the nations of the world because of such women of

chastity.

(Telugu poem)

 

Savitri, a great woman of chastity, brought her deceased husband back

to life by the power of her chastity. Such women brought great name and

fame to the country of Bharat. Can you find parallels to her anywhere

in this world? No doubt, whoever is born must die, but is there a woman

in any country in the world who could bring her dead husband back to

life, except in Bharat? The whole world is falling to abysmal depth due

to transgression of the righteous path, lack of character, and bad

behaviour.

 

Once Arjuna was narrating to King Dharmaraja a few strange incidents he

observed while going on a tour of the Kingdom. A farmer reported to

Arjuna, “Swami! Yesterday I left the implements in the field itself

after ploughing, since it was getting dark. Today when I went to the

field to pick up those implements, they were not to be found there.â€

 

On another occasion, he noticed some ladies locking their houses and

going out. On enquiry they informed him, “Swami! We wanted to go out on

some work, and unless we lock our houses, our belongings won’t be

safe.â€

This

was stunning news to Arjuna, since no house in the kingdom used to be

locked in those days, unlike in present times, and people were able to

move very freely without any worry. Later, when King Dharmaraja himself

went on a stroll, he observed a lady talking to a man in public

standing in the middle of the road. Such type of behaviour went against

the custom prevailing in the country.

 

Dharmaraja was taken aback at these developments and felt that the age

of Kali had begun. He therefore decided that it was time that the

Pandavas leave for their heavenly abode. Ladies and gents engaging

themselves in conversation in full view of the public was a taboo in

those days.

 

Bharat is a land where noble thoughts and feelings are cultivated right

from childhood. In fact, Bharat is the spiritual teacher for the entire

world. Even now, you will find that Bharatiyas do not go astray in

their behaviour, as it is happening in some other countries in the

world. They are decent and courteous in their behaviour, at least in

public. Even an aged son dare not talk to his mother standing in front

of her.

In

the earlier days of Swami’s Avatarhood, the Raja of Venkatagiri used to

visit Puttaparthi. He used to bring the heir apparent and his other son

along with him. Before their departure, the sons used to take the

blessings of their mother, who used to sit behind a screen and stretch

her legs for her sons to offer their obeisance to her. Such were their

noble feelings and exemplary character.

 

Today, you will find boys and girls moving together even in public

places. If someone makes enquiries, they reply that so and so was their

classmate. Such acts in the old days were considered as highly

improper. In fact, the term “classmate†itself is a wrong expression.

Do not use the word “classmateâ€. Say, “a fellow student in the classâ€.

 

The rules of conduct in the earlier times were very strict. The

situation has changed now. Boys and girls visit each other’s houses

without any inhibition and even dine together. This is highly improper.

Before doing such things, one has to ask oneself, “Am I a human being

or an animal or a beast?†Animals have animal qualities, but you are a

human being. Hence, you should possess human qualities. You say you are

a human being. Therefore you have to ask yourself, “Do I possess human

qualities?â€

 

What are those human qualities? Never hurt anyone. Do not speak harsh

words against any individual. Have compassion and a charitable

disposition. Only such a person can be said to be a human being.

Sathya (truth), dharma

(righteousness), santhi (peace), prema (love), and ahimsa (nonviolence)

are the five qualities a human being should possess. Giving a go-bye to

sathya and dharma, people pray for santhi. Is it possible? Can

anyone get peace outside? Peace is a state of mind that is very much

inside one’s own self. It emanates from one’s heart. People are now

searching for peace in the outside world.

 

There is reaction, reflection, and resound for everything in the world.

Only when you develop the quality of hatred in yourself will you see

hatred in others. Even when no one causes any harm to you, you try to

hurt others. Whatever you do to others, surely you will experience the

result of that action. Whatever you hear or experience is all due to

the reaction, reflection, and resound of your own actions and feelings.

Others are not responsible for it.

 

You forget this simple truth and lament, “so and so is accusing me; so

and so is causing pain to me; so and so is hurting meâ€, etc. No one is

responsible for either your good or your bad actions. Neither is it

God’s creation, for God is nirgunam, niranjanam, sanathana niketanam, nitya, shuddha, buddha, mukta, nirmala swarupinam (God is attributeless, unsullied, final abode, eternal, pure, enlightened, free, and embodiment of sacredness).

 

You go on fighting with others and try to hurt them. Then you are not a

human being at all! Always help others, never hurt anyone. “Help Ever,

Hurt Never.†It is said, Paropakara punyaya, papaya parapeedanam (one attains merit by serving others and commits sin by hurting them), Sarva jiva namaskaram Kesavam pratigachchhati (whomever you salute, it reaches God), and Sarva jiva tiraskaram Kesavam pratigachchhati (whomever you criticise, it reaches God).

 

You think you are accusing someone or making fun of someone. It is all

your illusion. In fact, you are accusing yourself and making fun of

yourself in the process. Everything has reaction, reflection, and

resound. You yourself are responsible for either good or bad. If you

wish to enjoy good things in life, do good to others in the first

instance.

 

Today’s education is information-oriented. It is bookish knowledge. It

is not real education. It is not this type of education that you should

pursue. You have to pursue “Educareâ€.

 

Educare manifests in one’s own heart. Education relates to gathering

information by reading several books and storing them in your brain.

Whatever you remember out of that knowledge, you will reproduce in your

examinations and acquire degrees; that you call education. That is not

real education.

 

You have to follow your inner voice. That is real education. In the

recent sports day, you played many games, displayed beautiful gymnastic

skills, and sang several songs. All these activities relate to the

body, which is the result of your past karmas (actions).

However, do not repose absolute confidence in the physical body. The

body is given to you for discharging your duty as a human being. Do not

misuse your body.

 

It is the responsibility of teachers, headmistress, principals, vice

chancellors, and chancellors to teach the students the value and

purpose of human birth.

 

Your duty is to follow your conscience. Your conscience helps you

manifest noble qualities. But you do not pay heed to the voice of your

conscience and go against the human values. Hence, never ignore your

conscience. Your conscience is your most valuable property.

You do not have to do japa (soft repetition of the name of God), tapa (penance, severe austerities), dhyana (meditation), or yoga. You will achieve a lot of progress in your sadhana

(spiritual practices) if only you listen to your inner voice. Whatever

comes from the depth of your heart will do good for you. Whatever goes

against the dictates of your conscience is worldly, whereas inner voice

or conscience is spiritual. “Help Ever; Hurt Never,†is the cardinal

principle of spirituality. Whoever follows the inner voice will always

be safe. Never go against that inner voice. That is true spirituality.

 

Spirituality does not mean just conforming to worship and meditation.

These practices have degenerated into several undesirable activities

these days. The underlying principle and the purpose of these sadhanas are totally forgotten.

It is said, Manasyekam vachasyekam, karmanyekam mahatmanam (Those

whose thoughts, words, and deeds are in perfect harmony are noble

ones). Unless there is perfect accord between your thoughts, words, and

deeds, you are not a human being at all!

 

You get very angry against someone and slap them. But think for a

moment; it is a great sin to hurt others. In the process, you are

hurting not your enemy but God, verily! All are divine. Hence, never

hurt anyone. It is natural to help those who help you, but you should

be able to help even those who harm you. There is nothing great in

helping those who have helped you. The noble ones are those who help

even those who have harmed them.

(Telugu poem)

 

It is only Sai in this world who helps even those who try to harm Him,

ignoring their faults. I never mind the harm done to Me by others. We

must always be calm, serene, and peaceful under all circumstances. If

only you maintain the quality of peace, you can achieve anything in

life. Wherever you see in the outside world, it is only pieces and

pieces! Do not hurt the feelings of others, come what may.

 

Always treat your parents with love and respect. In fact, your parents

are your first teachers. Respect them. Any amount of your good work

that inconveniences your parents is of no avail. That cannot be

considered good work at all. Though it may appear to be yielding some

benefits temporarily, the end result of all this work will turn out to

be very bad. Hence, ensure that you do not cause any inconvenience or

suffering to your parents. The more you inconvenience them, the more

you will suffer.

 

With regard to charity, the more you give in charity to others, the

more benefit you will receive later. Therefore, try to help others,

always. Do any kind of seva (selfless service) that you are capable of. When you thus go on helping others, you will be progressing in the path of truth.

As you travel in the path of truth, dharma will automatically follow. Where sathya (truth) and dharma (righteousness) go together, santhi (peace) will reign there. Then prema

(love) will follow. Where there is love, there hatred cannot be. You

will not have enemies then. It is only when the spring of love gets

dried up in your heart that you will try to cause suffering to others.

Hence, develop love for all. Sathya, dharma, santhi, prema, and ahimsa are human qualities.

 

Today, there is rampant violence everywhere in the world. People are

afraid to stay alone even in their houses. Several changes are taking

place all over the world. Earlier, the United States of America was

considered to be a super power and a wealthy country, but now, all that

glory is gone. As a result, people who were going to their workplaces

in cars earlier are now walking.

 

We think money and wealth can do anything. But money is not important;

your mind is important. If only you can control your mind, everything

will turn out to be good for you.

Dear students!

Whatever work you undertake, do it with a sense of dedication to God. Sarva karma Bhagavad preetyartham

(do all actions to please God). Always remind yourself that God is the

doer and you are just an instrument in the hands of God. You can

achieve anything in life only when there is the Will of God. Perform

your duty and remain a witness to all that goes in the world.

It is said, “Paropakarah punyaya papaya parapeedanamâ€.

Always follow the principles of “be good, do good, and see good.†Let

your tongue speak only the truth. Let all your deeds be helpful to

others. Whoever undertakes service in society with such a motto will

always be happy.

 

Pride, jealousy, etc, are all bad qualities. They drive away good

qualities. They do harm to you as well as to society. Hence, be good

and do good to others. If someone is in a difficult situation, go all

out to help them even at the cost of your own work. This is the

foremost duty of a human being. “Help Ever, Hurt Never†should be your

motto. It is enough if you remember these two commands always.

 

Do not cause harm even to your enemy. Hurt never. Do not cause even the

slightest inconvenience to others. This is true education.

 

You make your parents suffer in the house, come to the office and show

your egoistic power on your subordinates, and draw a huge salary for

your so-called work and responsibility. This is a great mistake. As you

go up in your career and life, your ego and jealousy must come down.

Then only will you earn respect from one and all.

 

Always remember society and its welfare. You are a member of the

society and therefore you have a social responsibility. You owe your

very existence to society. Similarly, society is not separate from you.

Individuals make a society. You and society are inseparable and

mutually dependent. Only when fellow members of the society prosper

will you also prosper.

Dear students!

You all have done well in your studies, getting good marks and securing

ranks. You brought good name to the Institution in the fields of

education, sports, and cultural activities. Yesterday, you witnessed a

play on Bhakta Potana. He did not feel bad, in spite of criticism and

belittling from his brother-in-law Srinatha, also a great poet. Since

Potana was a great devotee of Rama and surrendered himself totally to

the Lord, Rama Himself composed the great epic Bhagavatam on his

behalf. Potana always believed that his poetry, his life, and even his

very existence were all the gift of Lord Rama. He was a true devotee.

 

When Potana was suffering from acute poverty and finding it very

difficult to make both ends meet, his brother-in-law advised him to

dedicate his works to the King and make a comfortable living with the

money and jewellery gifted by the King. Potana refused to do, so saying

that he would take refuge only in Lord Rama. Instead, he decided to

live by cultivating his small piece of land.

 

One day, while Srinatha was going by the side of the fields in a

palanquin, he saw his brother-in-law Potana working in his field. He

derisively passed a comment on Potana, addressing him as “haalika!â€, meaning, “Oh farmer! Are you Ok?â€

 

Potana gave an apt reply saying, “how does it matter if I am a farmer?

I feel it is better and nobler to make a living by farming than

dedicating my poetry to earthly kings and living upon their charity.

That gives me great satisfaction!â€

 

The earth is the basis for all objects and activities in the world.

Whoever reposes his faith in the land will never undergo any

difficulties. Hence, I advise students to develop faith in their

motherland and pursue their vocations in this great land of Bharat

itself, instead of dreaming to go to other countries like America and

earn lakhs and lakhs of rupees. Earn name and fame in your motherland

itself.

 

Earning money is not something great. Even a beggar can earn a lot of

money. “Money comes and goes, but morality comes and grows.†Cultivate

that morality. Whoever has morality will never undergo any difficulty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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