Sai Ram

Light and Love

Swami's mission is to raise the human's consciousness to a level at which one neither rejoices nor mourns over anything. In that supreme state, one is going through rebirth and redeath each moment, for these acts are one and the same, emerging from the formless into form, merging from the form into the formless. Then, there is no success or adversity, no joy or pain. When the devotee attains this Oneness, he/she will be with Swami's Cosmic Form endlessly in whatsoever place of the planet. For your mission you may choose any form of worship or pursue any spiritual path you like. Follow the dictates of your conscience, fill your hearts with Love and immerse yourselves in the bliss of the Divine.

A mother has four sons. The first son asks her for red colour juice, the second for green colour juice, the third for black colour juice and the fourth for white colour juice. Then what does the mother do? Being an intelligent mother, she pours the same juice in red, green, black and white colour glasses to satisfy her sons. Our bodies are like those glasses. We should realise the oneness of the spirit within. The cups and colours may be different but the juice (Atma) is the same in all.

The same was taught by Jesus. The fishermen wanted Jesus to fulfill their worldly desires. Jesus told them to give up hatred and to love all. He exhorted them to develop faith in the principle of unity. The body has death, not the life principle. The Spirit is immortal and non-dual. To realise the non-dualistic nature of the Spirit was true wisdom, said Jesus. Perception of the One without a second is true wisdom. Of course, as you are endowed with a physical body, you have to discharge your duties diligently. So long as you have a body, you have to take care of it. But you should not be unduly attached to it or worried about it. Ignorance is the root cause of worry. Whatever has to happen will happen. So, never give scope to worry. Develop faith in the principle of Atma. This was the main teaching of Jesus.

Jesus calls for service and for love to all. Compassion, morality and integrity are essential elements in the message. In propagating this message faith in God should be promoted. Love should be the watchword. Love exists for Love and nothing else. A heart filled with Love is boundless. Just as rivers with different names and forms merge in the ocean and become one with it, Love in many forms enters the ocean of the heart and gets identified with it. In reality human cannot lead a totally independent life. Person has to depend on society. Jesus said that the life of an individual was useless if he/she did not realise the duties toward society. People should recognise the intimate and inseparable relationship that exists between unity, purity and divinity under light of the Divine Love. Love can conquer anything. Human's primary duty is to understand the truth about the Love principle. The various contexts in which the word 'love' is used today have no relation to the true meaning of this word. True Love has neither a beginning nor an end. It exists in all the three categories of time - past, present and future. That alone is true Love which can fill human with enduring bliss. One who is filled with Divine Love transcends praise or censure being unaffected by criticism or flattery, joy and sorrow, profit and loss, victory and defeat. (It is not easy to experience such Love. It is easy to blame God but difficult to realise God). Jesus considered spreading the gospel of Divine Love as His foremost task.

In those days, people used to sacrifice pigeons in the temple of Jerusalem thinking that God would be pleased. Jesus sought to put an end to these cruel practices. Like Buddha, he preached non-violence. He went to the place where pigeons were sold and let them all free. The affected persons turned against him. But Jesus carried on regardless of their hostility. Jesus taught to convert anger and hatred into Love.

The Romans addressed Jesus as 'persona' meaning one of sacredness. The English word person has been derived from this. The very self is called 'persona'. There is no life principle without divinity.

Many disciples of Jesus interpreted His teachings in their own way. Mathew was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He was an income tax collector by profession and used to meet the fishermen to collect taxes. Jesus used to impart sacred teachings to the fishermen every day. Mathew noted down all His teachings and wrote the Holy Bible. Later on, many others wrote the Bible based on their own feelings. Nowhere has Jesus ever stated that he was God or the Master. He always addressed God as his Father.

The Bible and the Quoran contain many sacred teachings. But foolish people who do not understand their teachings are taking to wrong ways. He who is known as Allah by Muslims, As Jehovah by Christian aspirants, As the Lotus-eyed Lord by the worshippers of Vishnu, As Sambhu, by those who revere Siva, Howsoever He is worshipped, He gladly responds, grants the grace of fame and fortune and showers happiness and joy. He is the One, The Supreme Self. Know Him as Paramatma.

In Bharat there is a belief that Divinity exists in the three forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. No one has seen these deities in their different forms. These forms have been conceived to develop faith in certain ways. The Trinity are symbolically present in everyone. The heart (spiritual heart of course) has been equated with Easwara. It symbolises the Atmic principle in human and represents divinity as well as the Love principle. The mind has emanated from the heart. It is all-pervading, the basis of the Cosmos and symbolises Vishnu. The word Vishnu means that which pervades everything in the Universe. As the mind has emanated from the heart, the Vishnu principle has come from the Easwara principle. Brahma is said to have emerged from Vishnu. So, the heart is Easwara, the mind is Vishnu and the "I" is Brahma. When you regard the Self as Brahma, your thoughts and actions will not go astray.

Six schools of Indian Metaphysics (the Shat-darsanas) have been offered to us by the great seekers of the past. Although the spiritual paths indicated by these different Darsanas appear to be different, their goal is common and the ultimate truth proclaimed by them is one and the same. There also are notable differences among the seekers of Truth. These differences do not affect the nature of the Universe. These differences must be viewed as different stages in the understanding of the Cosmic process.

The Vedas declared that the Supreme Cosmic Principle has no limits. It is infinite. Mankind has also no bounds or barriers. In fact, there are no barriers between humanity and every other species of living beings like birds, beasts and insects and even trees. All of them belong to a single family of living beings.

It is Chaitanya (consciousness) that activates Jada (matter) and not matter that gives rise to consciousness. Modern technology has produced fantastic devices, harnessed new sources of energy and turned out spacecraft for exploring the Moon and other planets in outer space. Behind them lies human ingenuity and intelligence.

It is this consciousness that makes the machines move and it is indisputably clear that inert matter cannot create consciousness. Human is the highest object in creation and should become a master of Nature. Human being should progress from the Nara (human) to the Narayana (Divine).

The Cosmos is a projection of the Eternal, Infinite Reality (Brahman i.e. Atma) and is not separate from It. Every tree is a Kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling tree). Every place of work is the shrine of the Divine.

Many imagine that they are engaged in spiritual exercises to realise this sense of oneness with the Divine. Various spiritual exercises or different forms of worship may give some feeling of personal satisfaction, but will not result in God-realisation. All the spiritual exercises one does or rituals one observes in offering worship can serve only to purify the mind and eliminate the ego. When the mind becomes pure, the divine is experienced spontaneously.

The Divine is not separate from you. God is ever new. This ever new effulgent God takes the form of human, and is called Avatar. Actually, every new human birth is an Avatar as God resides in each heart as the Atma. There is no living body without Atma. The body and soul are interdependent. The body should be maintained strong and healthy to experience the divine bliss. This conviction must grow in you. In the beginning you regard yourself as a mere human being. Then, you reach the stage when you realise your potential divinity. Finally you reach the stage when you realise your divinity.

Faith, Daring, Courage and Intelligence,
Energy and Valour - wherever
These six qualities exist
Divine protection is assured.

In any age or at any place or in any circumstance, these six good qualities are essential. These six qualities cannot be acquited by education nor can they be imparted by any preceptor. Nor can they be inherited from one's parents. These qualities are secured only by Atma-vishvasaam (Self-confidence).

The first among the six qualities is faith. Today in every field, faith is essential for every activity in life.

The ancient sages accomplished many great things by their faith. Their achievements are cherished by people today, even after thousands of years.

Jesus sacrificed His life and poured out his blood to instil Love and Compassion in the heart of humans, so that they may be happy when others are happy and sad when others are sad. It is not by festivity and fun that you should celebrate Christmas. Celebrate it, rather, by resolving and putting into practice at least one of the ideals He enunciated, or endeavouring to reach at least one of the goals that He placed before human.

The Divine manifests Himself in many forms. Ornaments are varied but gold is one, religions are varied but their basic spiritual truth is the same. The primary duty of human beings is to recognise that the paths indicated by different religions have the same goal. Love, sacrifice, compassion, morality, integrity and similar qualities are common to all religions in their basic teachings, But few people try to understand the inner importance of religions. Out of a narrow feeling that one's own religion is superior and other faiths are inferior, members of different religions are developing hatred towards members of other faiths and acting like demons.

All of you have to give up differences of every kind and give no room for narrow parochial and national loyalties. Consider yourselves as the children of one God. The observance of holy days like Christmas is an occasion for realising the importance of love and harmony among human beings. (The one without principle of love in heart is neither a Hindu nor a Christian nor a Muslim nor a Sikh. Such person is no better than a demon).

What we must strive for today is not a new religion or a new society or a new code of morality; they are there already, in each race and country. We need persons who have attained purity in all levels of consciousness. We need persons who can recognise and relish the recognition of the kinship and the identity between human beings, as well as between one society and another. They have to move beyond the bounds of the limited 'I,' to break loose from the entanglements of the senses. They have to jump over the battlements of the fort called 'body,' and enter enthusiastically the wide world beyond.

When a drop of water falls into the ocean, it loses its narrow individualities, its name and form, and assumes the form, name and taste of the ocean itself. If it seeks to live separately as a 'drop,' it will soon evaporate and be reduced to non-existence. Each one must become aware that he/she is part of the one Truth that encompasses everything in the Universe. Love wears the mantle of Truth. And one wedded to Truth is ever young and vigorous. The Upanishads have declared that the votary of truth will not know old age. The Bible declares that the body gets fortified by adherence to truth. Truth should not be confined to speech. It must express itself in action. Buddhism also lays down that everyone, irrespective of sex or country, must live up to truth.

Once when Buddha was travelling, he was confronted by a demoness with a sword in hand. "Oh Buddha! Your Love must submit today to my envy. Your life will end today." Buddha answered her, with a smile: "I will not submit to envy or hatred. I am not affected by praise or blame or ridicule. I love even you who bear such illwill towards Me." When the demoness heard these words, she turned into a dove and vanished.

The sole purpose of this human career is to propagate the Omnipresence of God, His Might and Glory. No one has incarnated for merely consuming quantities of food and catering to one's senses. Human life is much more precious than that. Although in terms of physical form, human beings appear different, in terms of the Spirit they are all one - this is the truth propagated by Christianity.

Body is a thing of matter - Annamaya. Life is based on Prana (lifebreath) - Pranamaya. Mind is subtle - Manomaya. In all, human is enveloped in five sheaths - Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijanamaya and Anandamaya kosas. The first two are gross and the last three are subtle. When we speak of human, we should consider individual as the combination of body, mind and Atma.

"Human being" implies three things: doing, knowing, being. It is when the body, mind and the Atma are present in union that a human being can be said to exist. When the body alone acts without regard to the mind and Atma, that person is said to be in the state of Pasutvam (animal state). When the mind alone acts in association with the body, without regard to the Atma, that condition is described as Danavatvam (demonic). When the Atma functions according to its true nature, without concern for the body and the mind, that state is described as Daivatvam (oneness with the Divine).

The Vedas have declared that the Sun emerged from the eyes of Virat Purusha (the Cosmic person). The Sun's radiance illumines the eyes of a human being. The illumination is unveiled and clearer in the company of the Divine Love.

In the pursuit of the good and godly life, one may encounter many difficulties and disturbances. Many doubts and questions crop up. It is only when these difficulties are faced squarely and the troubles are borne with patience and fortitude that we can understand the true nature of Reality. You must have faith. Have confidence in yourself and strive to understand the nature of God's love. To secure that love is the sacred goal of human life.

More than two thousand years ago, in Palestine, a province of the Roman empire, there were Jews professing Judaism. The Jews believed in one God called Yehovah. They believed that God would send a messiah for the people of Israel. Jerusalem was the sacred city of the Jews and continued to be so even under the Romans.

This was the time when Jesus* was born. At this time three wise men followed a star to reach his place of birth. Three kings from the East came to see Him at the time of His birth. One of them, on seeing the child, felt that he would be a lover of God. Another felt that he would be loved by God. The third king felt that he would one day declare his oneness with God. The first one's thought indicated Jesus's role as a "Messenger of God." The second one's thought indicated that he would be the "Son of God." The third person's thought indicated that the child would indicate one day that "I and my Father are one." He who announced Himself as the Messenger of God, developed, through the blossoming of Divinity and the expansion of compassion and service in Him, to a stage when he declared Himself as the Son of God. And then, finally, He rose to the status of 'I and my Father are One.' This status signifies the true nature of the individual. Every human being is a messenger to fellowmen, entrusted with the task of spreading knowledge of the joy that is being missed.

We must make our hearts sacred so that either we merge in Jesus or Jesus merges in us. When we merge, it is called Bhakthi; to have Jesus awakened in us is the path of Jnana. Jesus was a Messenger of God; but note this also: everyone should regard him/herself too as a Messenger of God. Jesus was not the only Son of God; we are all His children. Jesus and His Father are one. You and God are also one and you can be aware on it. From today, "as messengers of God," you have to demonstrate to the world the purity, the Truth and the Love that the Divine symbolises.

Jesus's identity with divinity was evident from His boyhood. Jesus conveyed His message in simple and convincing terms.

Realising from His early years that the discharge of one's duties was the primary obligation of a human being, Jesus used to help his father in his work as a carpenter. The father passed away in Jesus's twelfth year. For a while he carried on his father's work, but in due course he set out his ministry in the service of the people. Jesus passed through the entire process and inspired all mankind by His example and teachings, to be generous and kind, detached and discriminating, and to bring Light and Love to all. He attracted people by His miracles and transformed them into apostles and exemplary servants of human.

In his twelfth year, Jesus and his parents, Joseph and Mary, happened to go to a Jewish festival in Jerusalem. In the jostling crowds Jesus got separated from his parents. After a frantic search, Mary found him in a temple listening to a speech of the High Priest. When Mary told Jesus about the anxiety that they felt when they missed him, Jesus replied: "Why should you worry about me? When I am with God, who is my Father, why should you have any fear on my account?"

Jesus grew up at Nazareth till he reached thirty. After Joseph's passing, Jesus sought his mother's permission to embark on his Divine mission. He got baptised by John, the Baptist, and spent forty days in penance in a forest. During the penance, he prayed to God for three things.

One - He should be blessed with the quality of loving equally everyone.

Two - He should have the strength and forbearance to suffer patiently any indignity or persecution that he might be subjected to by anyone.

Three - He should be enabled to use his God-given body wholly in the service of God.

After forty days Jesus emerged from His penance with the faith that His prayers had been granted. Jesus encountered the fishermen, at Galilee, who became His first disciples. He told them that He had come to establish the reign of love on the Earth and that they would be His helpers in this mission. He spoke to them about the preciousness of human birth and urged them to seek the Kingdom of God.

Christ told them the following parable: In a river the water is flowing in a swift current. But even the tiny fish are able to swim in it and move about merrily. In the same river, a huge elephant caught in the rapids, is likely to get washed away or drowned in spite of its enormous size. Whatever the speed of the current, the small fish are able to swim freely in the river and enjoy themselves. But an elephant is unable to survive in it. You need for survival in a river the ability to swim. Likewise human who is caught up in the ocean of worldly existence, needs not so much metaphysics, scholarship or detachment, as the grace of Divine love.

Jesus taught that God is Love. St.Paul, who was originally an inveterate critic of Jesus, was transformed by Christ's Love into the greatest apostle of Jesus. (Instead of recognising this basic truth, people are allowing hatred, envy and other evil qualities to pollute their love).

Two different characteristics are to be found among pwople. One characteristic, which is rather common, is for one to delude him/herself that person is a good, with many virtues, intelligence and talents. The other quality which is rare, is recognition of the good quality in others, their merits, abilities and good deeds and appreciate their ideals. Jesus belonged to the second category. He saw the good qualities in others, rejoiced over their virtues and shared his joy with others. Jesus Christ taught that the body should be used for recognising the Indwelling Spirit.

Christ's basic teachings were related to promotion of compassion, sympathy, love, sacrifice and fellowship among human beings. Jesus was named the Christ as he was regarded as the "chosen" Messenger of God. The growth of Christianity in the Middle Ages culminated as it were in its acquiring the status of a State religion under Emperor Constantine.

However, changes in time, place and circumstances bring about changes in religious ideas and institutions. With the growth of Christianity, schisms also developed in the religion. The growth of schisms often results in a decline in spirituality. As people develop worldly desires, religious faith declines. But in spite of all every human human being is seeking peace in mind as reflection of own Atmic Reality, True Self. Only the Divinity within is the basis of peace Jesus taught.

PS: The irony of the present situation is that, on the one side, governments are piling up monstrous lethal weapons, indulging in demonical actions and promoting conflicts among nations, while at international gatherings they proclaim their desire for peace. Is there any meaning in this?

What is the inner purpose of life? Vedanta (the final part of the Veda in which the true principle of God is described) called upon each one to discover the truth about him/herself. Self-knowledge is the key to all knowledge. (If you are not prepared to undertake this self-enquiry, cultivate faith, if not in God, at least in your own Self).

Hence, through the Vedas people have to understand the sacredness of the human birth. It is the essence of all that has to be known. The Veda enjoins harmony in thought, word and deed.

Some examples from the past. Das Ganu who was a police officer came to Shirdi Baba on account of his good luck. That visit transformed him. Moreover, Baba accosted him as Das Ganu as soon as he saw him, and this stunned him. He asked Baba that some parties that were opposed to him might be put down and that he might get promotion in his official career. Baba invited him to remain in Shirdi itself and escape all bother. He told him: "Do not wonder why I am suggesting this, when you craved for something else."

Later, when promotions came, he ignored Baba and his promise to come away as soon as his honour was vindicated by official promotion. So, Baba had to bring about circumstances which compelled him to come at last, as per Baba's plan. He composed a number of songs and hymns; he began performing Harikathas on Baba everywhere and he was instrumental in bringing the news of the advent of Baba to thousands in the land. His life was spent in and through the Lord.

The Omnipresence Divine Energy is dormant or latent or patent, but it is everywhere at all times. It exists in a piece of cloth or in a sheet of paper. It is the Truth of all that is. Everything that disintegrates loses energy; everything that 'originates' exemplifies energy. This tumbler is a bundle of latent energy. The Upanishads declare it has temporary form and a temporary name. But, its reality is Sath (existence), Chith (knowability), Ananda (capable of contributing to the joy of awe and wonder). Ananda is as light, the source of Joy and Knowledge. Everything in the Universe is vibrant with Sath, Chith and Ananda. We (Sath) are intelligent (Chith) and blissful (Ananda). These three are attributes of Divinity, which is our dormant but dominant force. Ignorant of this truth, structures are built up and paraded on other bases. Mankind suffers from fear and hatred, on account of this fundamental defect in their search for Knowledge.

Since Dharma is the sustainer of the entire world and the Universal Law realized through circulation of energy regulates the Universe, Vedas have universal validity. There are latent as well as patent forces (expression of energy) that urge every particle or wave in the Cosmos. When they are operating in coordination, all is well. But when they are unbalanced and operate without equilibrium, disorder and disaster are caused. When the environment is disturbed or distorted, danger is imminent.

Science and technology boast of their achievements in conquering the five elements - space, air, fire, water and land. They are dealing with them as if they are playthings amenable to their whims. They do not deal with them as means for the peace and prosperity on the Earth, for all its inhabitants.

Their attempts to analyse and take advantage of the five elements are resulting in fatal pollutions and natural disasters like droughts and even earthquakes. However, today, that reverence has disappeared in the greed for exploitation.

Why is asanthi (absence of peace) harassing the world? Because of attachment, hate and infatuation. These are born out of ignorance, which cause delusion. Anxiety and fear have contaminated even the very food one eats. These negative qualities are too clear expressions of unbalance the natural circulation of energy in human society.

In the old days, when a person arrived at a village, the first question was, "Have you a temple here?" Now, perhaps, the question of the new-comer would be, "Is there a hotel here?" or, "Is there a cinema, a theatre here?"

(Negative tendencies is caused by lack of spiritual knowledge. Things seen in darkness cannot be clear; they are mistaken for something else. A rope is mistaken to be a snake; a stump is mistaken to be a thief. A piece of glass may be coveted as a diamond. This mistaken notion, this indistinct light, must go).

The Vedas laid the greatest emphasis on action, as different kinds of physical, or/and mental, or/and spiritual energy. The Vedas tell you those things that cannot be known by anything else. The word Veda means 'knowledge', what cannot be acquired by the senses or the intellect or even by unguided intuition. Adwaita (the non-dual One) is something that no one in the dual world can understand. It is beyond the reach of even the mind. In fact, intellect and mind must each be transcended, before one can grasp the magnificence of that Unity.

You are the Cosmic Consciousness, God, the spark (holographic pattern) of carrier the Divine energy temporarily in the role of 'I'. The bodymind-complex is the instrument to be utilised for that role, Use it for furthering God's purpose, executing God's will. This is the message of Rg Veda**.

The Rg Veda is primarily concerned with karma and is part of the Karma kanda (devoted to the performance of prescribed rites to attain the Absolute). The Karma kanda is its most important part. There are three stages in the soul's journey to its source: Karma, Dharma and Brahma. Karma is the sincere discharge of one's duty, as laid down in the scriptures and as beneficial to our standard and status. Through karma done for some benefit in view, human progresses towards karma with no benefit in view, so that he does it as a rightful obligation, undeterred by defeat or unaffected by success. One does karma, regulated by dharma (virtue). Then, one's consciousness is purified and elevated and can help to become aware of own Reality as the Self which includes all, Brahman (Omni self).

A pictorial example. The coconut chutney has four ingredients: salt, chillies, tamarind and the kernel of the nut. To procure all these, clean and pure, in the required quantities, is karma, the path of action. To put them together and press them into a paste is also karma, part of the Path. Then, you put a little on the tongue to discover whether it tastes aright, as the genuine chutney. This is the Path of dharma. When you find that if a sprinkle of salt would make it authentic, you add it, at this stage. Or, if it is more, you mix with it some more saltless paste, until it is just right. And, you derive delight, as a reward. That is the stage of joy, of contentment, the end of desire, Brahman.

Being born, brought up and grown in age is karma; we realise that to live for oneself is not the way to happiness. We take to the path of dharma or virtue, sacrifice, service. But we discover that involvement with problems does not give lasting joy. We turn towards the ever-lasting Source of Peace, Harmony and Delight - Brahman, God.

The hymns of the Rg Veda have been used down the ages to sanctify widely different events and experiences of human, spiritual and apparently secular. The distinction is artificial, for all of life has to be spiritualised. When the boy is initiated into Vedic studies or the recitation of the Gayatri and other mantras**, when some one has to be blessed on some happy occasion, when a wedding has to be ceremoniously performed with the invocation of God, and when the body is buried or burnt after the soul has left, the Rg Vedic hymns are chanted. They have great potency and arouse beneficial thoughts on reciters and listeners.

Rg Veda poined to the significant role of serenity. Serenity is a divine virtue, as somekind potency of the Divine energy.

All the Vedhas are intent on helping human to become aware of Divinity within and all around him/her. Picture for yourselves the peace that seers gained by that awareness, and yearn to learn the lessons the Vedas treasure, for all mankind irrespective of caste, creed, race or nationality.

For example Dasaratha should not be regarded as merely the emperor of Ayodhya. Allegorically, the name symbolises the human body, endowed with the five sense organs and the five organs of action. Rama, Lakshmana, Bharatha and Satrughna represent four Vedas. Rama, who is the embodiment of Dharma, represents Yajur Veda. Lakshmana, who revels in reciting the name of Rama, represents the Rg Veda. Bharata, who rejoices in singing the name of Rama at all times, represents Sama Veda. Subduing the internal and external enemies and carrying out the commands of his three elder brothers, Satrughna symbolises Atharvana Veda.

Rama and his brothers are said to belong to the Surya Vamsa (solar race). The Sun exists as an objective physical phenomenon. The Earth has come from the Sun. The Moon has come from the Earth. Both the Earth and the Moon have come from the Sun. They are fragments of the Sun. When you enquire deeply, you will realise that without the Sun the world cannot exist; there can be no birth or death. Nothing can exist without the Sun. Elements of the Sun are present in every human being. Everyone has originated from the rays of the Sun. The light within each one is derived from the Sun. As the Sun's light is present within us, we are a fragment of the Sun.

Please do not be under the delusion that God needs light and that He requires illumination. He is the Divine Light personified with the splendour of a thousand suns; He is the Force which makes light shine; and He is above and beyond the thejas (lustre) that Nature can supply. It is the temple that you are carrying about with you, the body, that must be fitted with lights.

The body is said to be the temple, and in that temple is installed the Jivi (indweller) who is the "timeless" God. The inner motive Force is God, and when tie is dwelling in the heart of human, He is called Jivi. So, the lights have to be switched on in the inner consciousness of individual, rather than in the house where the image of the Lord is installed and worshipped. But today people attach value to the body and not to the Jivi within. It is like placing the cart before the horse. Likewise, human is carrying on life's journey placing the body in the forefront and giving a backseat to the Spirit.

This is the Yajna (sacrifice) which every human has to do every moment of life. Yajna does not mean merely performing a ritual sacrifice with priests and offering oblations in the fire. The evil tendencies in human are the result of differences based on physical distinctions. The mind is the villain; it is another name for desire; the texture of the mind is just desire; both warp and woof are desire and nothing else. If desire goes, the mind disappears and the divinity that is present in everyone will be recognised. Liberation is attained when the Atma shines in its own glory; it is not a colony or a suburb where aristocratic residents have secured good sites in paradise. It is the condition of the Jivi which has shed delusion.

Action cleanses the mind and makes it fit for spiritual knowledge. When you are simply listening, quietly receiving without responding, you are just dull (thamasic); when you turn it over in your mind, attempting to assimilate it, then you are active (rajasic); when you are sunk in the sweetness of experience in Dhyana you are having pure exultation (sathwic). It is only through action that devotion can be deepened. Detachment is a kind of spiritual/mental action what leads to the recognition the Jivi within.

There was a man from Puttaparthi who lived in a solitary hut on the banks of the Ganga, some miles above Haridhwaar. He was engaged in severe thapas (ascetic practices) and was greatly admired by other monks. One day, while bathing in the river, he overheard a party of pilgrims who had alighted from their bus at that site, talking among themselves in Telugu. His attachment to the mothertongue dragged him thither; he asked them where they came from. They were from Penukonda Thaluk, Puttaparthi itself. So, that monk was very happy; he asked them about his lands, his family, his friends and when he was told that a few of them had died, the poor fellow started weeping like a fool. All his years of sadhana had come to nought. They broke down before the onslaught of language-attachment. He was so bound to his mothertongue.

Practise detachment from now on; practise it little by little, for a day will come sooner or later when you will have to give up all that you hold dear. Do not go on adding to the things which bind you to them. Bind yourself to the great liberator, God.

As we see, the state of Bhakthi*** is very difficult to acquire. It is even more difficult than Jnana (spiritual knowledge, wisdom), for it means complete surrender, full contentment whatever may happen.

There is no need to fight against the fundamental delusion of attachment to body with overwhelming force and argument. The delusion will disappear only if one sits quietly for a minute and analyse the world and his/her experience of the world. Jnana (spiritual wisdom) that is acquired, like gifts by some one, of money that the donor had, but which the recipient did not have. It is like some one giving you a ten-rupee note which you had kept between the pages of a book you were reading. You had lent him the book; when you needed a loan, you asked him for a tenner; and he gave you back your own note. That is how Jnana reveals to you your own glory.

For, like the body which passes through childhood, boyhood, adolescence, middle age and old age, Bhakhi too has stages in its growth. The tender fruit is love, the grown one is devotion and the ripe fruit is surrender. There is a type of karma which will melt the heart of the Lord. It is the type which does not inflict pain on any one.

*Mantra means "words that save those who meditate on them." So, whatever is uttered with such intention becomes holy, charged with love for fellow-men, for the world, for the elements.

**The Rg Veda (Rig Veda), the first among the four, has come down to us in exactly the same way that it was recited in the past. It is a far-spreading tree, with many branches. Of the 25 that once existed, only two are now available.

**** Bhakthi - reverent adoration, devotion. Adoring the Supreme with the greatest possible Love.