Light and Love
Swami teaches... 7 - 8 Dec. 2006
The Divine within you
Part 1
When people listened to Swami's discourses and conversations year after
year, they have come out of the coils of material desires and have now only
one desire: to win mental peace, through a course of strict sadhana. So,
they come again and again, to draw inspiration and win instruction for
spiritual success. "Discover your own path to enlightnment with diligence,"
Buddha has said. Swami's Divine illumination and His Teaching are helping to
discover the personal spiritual paths for everyone.
However, the strong rule exists: before beginning any spiritual action there
is a need to clear the mind of all thoughts which disturb person.
The all-pervading Cosmic Consciousness is termed as Divinity. But, there is
none who has seen that omnipresent Divinity. It is only a human being who
can contemplate on and realise the Cosmic Person. In fact, human life itself
is the manifestation of the Divine power.
There is no one in this world in whose heart God does not dwell as the
indweller. Therefore, is meditation required to visualise such an
all-pervading and omnipresent God? There are many who teach different
techniques of meditation today. However, meditation is meant to acquire
purity of the spiritual heart, for, without attaining purity of the heart,
the seat of awareness, God cannot be realised.
It is essential to note that from the moment television
and other virtual entertainments made its appearance, the mind of human has
become more polluted. Acts of violence were not so rampant previously,
especially among youth. Today T.V. is installed in every hut. For instance,
people watch the T.V. even while taking food. The result is that all the
foul things seen on the T.V. are being consumed by the viewer. Concentration
on the T.V. affects one's view of the world. The scenes, thoughts and
actions displayed on the T.V. set fill the minds of the viewers.
Unknowingly, agitations and illfeelings enter their minds.
Without discipline (inner and outer), the mind of human is turned into a
wild elephant in rut. You have to catch it young and train it so that its
strength and skill can be useful and harmless to life around.
Discipline comes to the rescue, during crisis, when the
world flows towards you, as a dark flood of hate or derision, or when those
in whom you put your trust shun contact and shy away. At this period of
life, when you are in the flush of youth with your physical, intellectual
and mental equipment in perfect trim, you must resolve to keep it running on
right; lines, and not injuring itself, or the operators. Discipline must be
welcomed; it should not be enforced by an outside agency. It must be
spontaneously sought after, and sincerely practised.
Discipline and the exercise of authority must be there,
but, modified by Love. Without a certain amount of restraint and some use of
authority (to press good things on unwilling minds), no progress can be
made. (The child has to be persuaded much against its will to eat rice and
curry, when it has to be familiarised with them. The sick man has to be
reprimanded, if he refuses the drug that can cure him).
Love is not something that waxes and wanes. It is unchanging. It must spread
wider and wider till it becomes all-embracing. Such Love is the Divine.
We should realise that one who has given us this human birth may be expected
to take care of us in one way or another. It is needless to aspire after
wealth, position, fame or power. If you do your duty, all these will come to
you of their own accord. Enthrone in your heart the love of God.
Only if there is water in the tank, you can get water in the tap. If the
tank is dry, how can you get water from the tap? If you fill the tank of
your heart with the Divine Love, you can have love towards everyone and
receive love from everyone.
Once that love is enshrined in you, the whole world will be yours. If you
are a slave of desire, you are the slave of the world. If you have conquered
desire, the world will be at your feet.
Recognise the truth and pursue your studies on this recognition.
Whatever learning one may acquire,
Whatever degrees one may flaunt,
Whatever power or position one may wield,
Whatever japa or worship one may perform,
One cannot achieve awareness
Unless one has deep Love of God.
Love is everything. Truth and Love should be regarded as the two eyes of
every person. Truth and Love can be regarded as the distilled essence of all
the Sastras. Love is the quintessence of all the Dharma Sastras; it is the
goal of all religions. If we drink nectar of Love and Truth, we do not need
anything else to sustain us. Love and Truth cannot be taught by gurus or
learnt from books. They may be set forth in granthas (books), but you will
not experience their gandham (fragrance). They can be acquired only by
living them in life.
The Truth that is in all beings is also in you. Search for that; discover
that unity; that source of courage, of love, of wisdom. When the Truth is
known, faith is rendered firm. When the truth is known that it is a rope,
faith in its harmlessness is made firm, and fear that it is a snake
disappears. Let people know the Truth; they will then grow in faith and the
faith will endow them with great energy and enthusiasm. The rest will
follow, and dharma (righteousness) can flourish in this land as well as in
the world.
The Gita declares that the Atma residing in all beings is one and the same.
Nor is that all. It also declares that all human beings in the world are a
fragment of the Divine.
Today the Bhagavad Gita is being preached from street to street. It is
revered as a sacred book. Similarly the other sacred books are worshipped as
spiritual texts. But is anything being done to practice what the sacred
books teach?
(Many eminent persons have declared their belief in the fatherhood of God
and the brotherhood of Man. The Brotherhood of Man is considered a great
ideal. The Gita has presented a higher ideal. But we know how brothers fall
out, take their differences right up to the Supreme Court and ruin their
families. How can the mere fact of being brothers be considered a great
virtue in itself?
How many are aware of this truth and how many are living up to this
pronouncement? Very few, indeed. In spite of the prodigious propagation of
the Gita, how many are practising its teachings? How many are leading
exemplary lives? Few. In this situation, it is enough if you adhere to one
thing).
I repeat once more: Swami asks thousands times through different aspects to
develop the universal outlook that the Spirit that dwells in all beings is
one and the same Cosmic Spirit (Cosmic Consciousness). When this
consciousness of oneness is realised by all, the world will experience peace
and prosperity.
Swami often reiterates that He is God. But, He also reminds that you are
also verily God. You should not give scope for any confusion and difference
of opinion in this regard. Everyone of you are embodiments of divinity in
reality. When you develop such a firm conviction, you can visualise God in
every human being. It is only in keeping with this concept that the
expression Yad bhavam tad bhavati (as is the feeling, so is the result)
asserted in the scriptures. To speak the truth, real Atma Sakshatkara (Self
realisation) is the merging of the individual self (Jiva) with Brahman
(Supreme Self). Anyone you come across, is verily God. How can there be
human beings without such omnipresent divinity?
Thus, all relationships in this world are in fact, Atmic relationships only.
The worldly relationships have pictorially born from these relationships.
Without Atmic unity diversity cannot exist.
God is pure and attributeless. He assumes a particular form and serves the
human beings in many ways. Right from now, realise this truth that all names
and forms are His. You can see God anywhere and everywhere.
Whoever it may be, whether one is a devotee or a believer, an aspirant or an
unbeliever, his/her actions will determine what rewards or punishments
person gets in life. You sometimes think: "The Lord has protected me in this
manner or punished me in this way." It is not directly the Lord who has
protected you. It is not the function of the Divine. It is your prayer that
has protected you. Your good actions have saved you.
Hence, whatever happens to human, good or bad, it is the result of own
deeds. God is a witness. God is the cause of creation, protection and
mergence.
(Current is flowing in an electric wire. When you switch it on, the light
burns, when you switch it off, the light goes. But it is not the light that
is coming or going. It is the operation of the switch which brings the light
or turns it off. The current is one, but the uses are many and diverse.
In all these ways it discharges a creative function. It also gives
protection in various ways through light, fan, etc. But, if out of a
mistaken sense of gratitude, you touch a live wire, it will give you a
shock, which may even prove fatal).
God acts as creator, protector and destroyer. You must show your gratitude
to God by your actions, not by words. You have to learn how to make proper
use of the things provided for you. Your good conduct, in the form of God,
gives you protection. He is present in you as Prajna (Constant Integrated
Awareness). The Vedas have declared: "Prajnanam Brahma," (Consciousness is
Supreme Reality).
The Lord who is within you is giving you protection (by digesting the food
you eat and nourishing the entire body). If you act against the dictates of
your heart and conscience, God will punish you. All that you see outside is
only the reflection of your inner being. The good or the bad you experience
are the reflection of your feelings. Do not delude yourselves that by merely
offering worship in a temple, you have earned the grace of God. If you
worship God, but harass the people around you, will you earn the Divine
grace? Your prayers earn a plus for you in your spiritual balance sheet. By
causing harm to people you earn a minus. The result of this plus and minus
is zero. It is, therefore, of primary importance that you should develop a
consciousness of the divinity present in all beings.
"Become one with Me; be devoted to Me; sacrifice unto Me; bow down to Me.
Thus having made thy heart steadfast in Me, taking Me as the Supreme Goal,
thou shalt surely come to Me," the sacred ancient text declares.
Once, thieves broke into the Krishna temple. When Ramakrishna and
Mathuranath, known scolar came by there and discovered that Krishna's idol
was absolutely bare and that every jewel had been stolen, Mathuranath fell
into a rage and began blaming Krishna Himself. "You are adored as the
Guardian of the fourteen worlds, but you cannot guard even the jewels on
your own body," he said. Ramakrishna reprimanded him soundly for this
sacrilege, saying, "Krishna has Lakshmi as His Consort, and for Him your
gold and gems are as cheap as dust. What is gold but dust in another form?"
He made Mathuranath repent for his silly outburst, making him aware of the
true nature of God-head.
If only you surrender your wish and will, your fancies and fantasies to God,
He will lead you aright and give you peace and joy.
Leave everything to God; accept whatever happens, as His Will.
(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 11.
"Thirst and quest," Chapter 5 and "Mind'irs, not mandhirs," Chapter 16;
Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 14. "Sneha," Chapter 10; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 21.
"Conquest Of Desire," Chapter 14; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 24. "The human
predicament and the Divine," Chapter 16; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 29. "Triple
transformation : Sankraanthi's call," Chapter 3; Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai
Baba. The Divine Discourse "Purity of the Heart is True Sadhana." 9th
October 2005, Prashanti Nilayam).
Namaste - Reet
Light and Love
Swami teaches... 9 -10 Dec. 2006
The Divine Within You
Part 2
Develop firm faith in the principle of unity in all that you come across in
the world. If you do not develop firm faith in this principle, it is
possible that you will worship one form of God and hate another. If you are
not able to develop such faith, ignore it and do not make it a matter of
dispute and strife. Do not ever attribute duality to God. God is always one
and only one. When you are able to understand and develop firm faith in the
oneness of God, your life will go on smoothly.
You may not be able to understand this principle of oneness of divinity, but
in due course when you are able to recognise the principle with a mature
mind, you will understand that truth is one, not two. For instance, there
are thousands members of Sai virtual groups. Each single member appears to
be different. But, they are all members of Sai virtual groups.
For realization the Atmic unity people need different positive and negative
experiences in infinite diverse forms (shapes), connections and actions. The
realization that Atmic unity is pictorially an endless fractal (by the
modern science) what carries on the human existence on the arena of life.
Human is born helpless, and is laid on the lap of society. Society gives
him/her a name and a form, a personality, an individuality, an armour of
beliefs, a playground of doubts and diversions. Human is the only animal
that knows it has to die, and that yearns to survive death or by pass the
fangs of death.. Human alone has the strange thirst after the nectar, that
confers immortality. That is human's special quest, the quest for the Truth
that emancipates.
This birth has been undertaken by every human being for the special mission:
the mission of crucifying the ego on the cross of compassion. An opportunity
to be of some service to fellowmen comes to you as a gift from God. Serve
with that sense of gratitude, for it is God who accepts it from you.
Lead simple lives; do not develop an attraction for high life, gaudy
outlandish dress and manners; invite the reverential attention of those who
need service. Emphasise simplicity and sincerity, more than pomp and show.
Make the mind, the shrine. Have at first mind'irs, then mandhirs. Try to
utilise the temples and halls that already exist. Let the temples that are
fast being depleted of pilgrims become once again centres of spiritual
vibration.
Decorations and detonations tend to draw the mind away from the essential;
people indulge in these things more to show themselves off and impress their
importance on the public. During the festivals and celebrations, or even in
daily life, people should not indulge in exhibitionistic display.
Stir well the sugar of God in the tasteless water of worldly affairs, and it
becomes drinkable. Have faith that it is adoration of Swami that you are
doing, through the work allotted to you; then, it becomes sadhana (spiritual
practice) through which you can win Grace.
The first steps in sadhana are to practise silence. Then, you can more
easily recognise the galloping of the mind behind worldly happiness.
Restrain its movements; turn it inside, into the calm lake of bliss that
lies deep in the heart. Get over fear, by establishing your mind in the One,
for fear can arise only when there is another.
The different kinds of sadhana like fasting, meditation, etc., would help to
develop one's faith in the omnipresent God who, resides as the indweller in
you. People generally think that God gave darshan to such and such person.
But the truth is God never gives darshan to people who have no purity of the
heart. The moment you attain purity of the heart, the omnipresent God will
manifest right in front of you.
There is no need to undertake any complex system of meditation. One can
undertake the simple sadhana of constant contemplation on the omnipresent
God. Few teach such simple methods nowadays. People listen to and read about
several intriguing kinds of meditation and start their sadhana that catches
their interest or imagination.
There are three doorways to hell for people: kama (lust), krodha (hatred)
and lobha (greed). Desires tend to get out of bounds. Hence it is essential
to try to curb them as far as possible. The process of controlling desires
is called sadhana.
The literal meaning of sadhana is the effort you make to achieve the object
you desire or to reach the goal you have in view. Sadhana is thus the
primary means to realise your aim or objective. A second meaning of the term
is sa-dhana, that is wealth that is associated with Divinity.
Dhana is described in three ways as aiswarya (treasure), sampath (wealth,excellence,
virtue) and dhana (material wealth). All of them refer to the same thing.
The wealth will not accompany us when we give up the body. If wealth is
lost, it can be regained. If strength is lost, it may be recovered. But if
life is lost it cannot be got back.
Hence, while life still remains, one must strive to acquire the Divine
wealth that is imperishable and everlasting. Your conduct constitutes this
Divine wealth. It is only by the way we live that we can acquire this Divine
wealth.
Good conduct alone is our real wealth. Good qualities alone constitute our
real aiswarya. An unsullied character, expressing itself in a pure and
perfect life, constitutes the most precious riches one can possess. But
people today have given up these three and are seeking worldly goods and,
immersed in their own concerns, are imagining that they are leading pious
lives. The Divine cannot be attained through such delusions.
What great things are you going to achieve during your waking hours, merely
for earning a living, while forgetting God?
(Keep the mind busy with these, for once it strays into the by lanes of the
world, it will get infected with evil).
Give up pride of your status, wealth, scholarship, or official position.
"Can't a big officer, a rich merchant, a great scholar, a highly respected
person in society descend to this level of clubbing with this sorrowing
human?" Do not ask such silly questions. These qualifications of which you
boast will disappear with death or sometimes sooner. The Ananda that you
give and the Love that you share will be your lasting possessions.
Guard the tiny flame of sympathy with suffering, from the gusts of cynicism
and miserly greed. Service to others is the duty you owe to society, which
has given you the culture you fed on the breath you live on the warmth you
crave for, and the security you seek.
Understand the deep significance of service; it will lead to your becoming
ideal leaders, who are in great need today, all over the world. You fulfil
yourselves, by sharing; you empty yourselves by grabbing.
Your eyes give you away easily; look upon all without the guilt of lust or
scandal; speak to all, of all with love blooming out of adoration; let your
hands give never take what is not yours. Treat the distressed, the diseased,
the old, the helpless, the child with great respect, and intelligent
consideration.
Every day, when the lady of the house measures the rice for preparing lunch
or dinner, let her place a handful in a separate pot, kept for the purpose,
with the words, 'For God;' at the end of the week, let her cook that rice
separately and give it to as many poor people as the quantity justifies.
That will be a daily act of dedicatory service.
(There are many who come forward when there is a call for social service;
but, most of them crave for publicity, seeking cameramen whenever they help
others and very disappointed when they are not mentioned in newspapers. Such
people push themselves forward, and climb into positions of authority, just
to parade their importance before the public. They forget that service is
worship, that each act of service is a flower placed at the feet of the
Lord, and that, if the act is tainted with ego, it is as if the flower is
infested with slimy insect pests).
Of course, you should not plunge into action spurred by momentary impulse;
ponder deeply over the pros and cons; weigh the expected benefits against
the likely harm; then act so that you escape pain and you do not inflict
pain. This is true in worldly matters as well as it, the spiritual field.
Society is regarded as an assemblage of heads. This is not exactly so.
Society means the unified expression of the collective group. It implies
recognition of the duty by everyone in the community to live in harmony with
others. It must be realised that individual happiness is dependent on
society.
People today are trying to master every kind of knowledge, but they are
unable to discover their own true nature. This is what Prahlada told his
father Hiranyakasipu when he said that although Hiranyakasipu had conquered
all the worlds, he had not conquered his senses. By conquering the worlds
one may become the supreme sovereign over them. But one who has mastered the
senses is supreme over all rulers, the king of kings, the king maker.
The Taithiriya Upanishad (what is a section of the Krishna Yajur Veda)
contains significant message given to the disciples by the preceptor at the
end of their education in the preceptor's hermitage. In this message, two
paths are indicated: the Preyo-marga and the Sreyo-marga. The Preyo-marga
relates to practices which will give pleasure to the senses from time to
time. These are momentary, impermanent and unreal. Most people prefer this
path of Preyas. Very few seek to follow the Sreyo-marga (the sublime path),
which confers permanent and unchanging good. The reason is it takes time to
yield the benefits.
People usually are eager to get quick results and does not want to wait.
People, as a rule are in a hurry all the time. Even their desires are
confined to immediate results. They desire a good name, a good environment
and an enjoyable life. They do not seek good knowledge, good conduct or good
sense, which are the requisites for following the Sreyo-marga. The path of
Preyas (the mundane path) is concerned with achieving temporary name, power
and position.
Summoning all the students, the ancient preceptor would address them thus:
"Dear students! What is the primary aim of education? It is the cultivation
of humility. Character is the life-breath of education." Among them
were injunctions such as "Worship the mother as God. Worship the father as
God." They were enjoined not to give up truth in any circumstance and not to
forsake righteousness at any time.
Through these teachings, the students of those days were filled with high
ideals and were inspired to lead exemplary Godly lives.
Do not hesitate to practice humility and obedience, discipline and
compassion. Humility will bring out the true qualities of an educated
person. Reverence for elders, loving regard for parents, discriminating
between right and wrong, adoring the Lords - these are the hallmarks of
humility in an educated person. It is the fragrance of human life.
The another significant message of the Taithiriya Upanishad is the
following.
Among the necessities of life food comes first. But a full stomach does not
fully satisfy the mind. Person cannot merely rest on a satisfied appetite.
Person has to move about and engage him/herself in work. While doing work,
one has to ask: "What am I doing? Why am I doing and how am I doing? When
one enquires into these questions, he/she can derive meaning and joy from
the work. In this way, person recognises the purpose and value of what he is
doing.
Realising what is good in own actions, person makes it a part of personal
life. Person experiences the joy derived from the actions and shares that
joy with others. Starting with food, attaining bliss is the final goal of
life.
There is a remarkable feature of this Upanishad. The other Upanishads are
relevant to specific categories of people. But the Taithiriya Upanishad is
valid for celibates, householders, renunciants and ascetics equally in its
message and its practical application. It has thus an appeal and relevance
for every human being. Its teachings are essential for persons in the four
asramas - stages in life. Everything in it is in the form of a mantras -
sacred statements.
Mantra does not merely mean pronouncements like "Om Namassivaya" or "Om Namo
Narayanaya." Mantra is that which redeems by contemplation and gets
established in the mind by the process of contemplation on it. Mantras are
as the spiritual tools which help to solve the difficulties and problems by
the help of the Divine within and by the help of the faith to God. In this
Upanishad, every utterance has the import of mantra. Every word in it is
filled with the power of mantra.
"Sathyam vada. Dharmam chara" (Speak the truth; practise righteousness).
"Om iti Brahma" (Om is Brahmam).
"Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantham Brahma" (Truth, knowledge,
all are Brahamam).
"Ekam Sath; Vipraah bahudhaa vadanthi" (The Real is
One; the wise call it by many names).
"Ekoham bahusyaam" (I am One; let me become many).
"Eko vasi sarvabhutha antharaatma" (The One is the
Indweller in all beings).
These aphoristic pronouncements acquired the form and power of mantras
spread throughout the world and generated bliss among people by raising
their consciousness. Swami's Teaching serves the same purpose for
individuals who have faith in Swami, in His omnipresent Cosmic Form.
(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 11.
"Thirst and quest," Chapter 5 and "Mind'irs, not mandhirs," Chapter 16;
Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 14. "Sneha," Chapter 10; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 21.
"Conquest Of Desire," Chapter 14; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 24. "The human
predicament and the Divine," Chapter 16; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 29. "Triple
transformation : Sankraanthi's call," Chapter 3; Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai
Baba. The Divine Discourse "Purity of the Heart is True Sadhana." 9th
October 2005, Prashanti Nilayam).
Namaste - Reet
Light and Love
Swami teaches... 11 - 12 Dec. 2006
The Divine Within You
Part 3
People often use two terms 'Deva' (God) and 'Jiva' (individual being). In
fact, there is no Jiva at all. All are embodiments of Divinity only.
Since there is no entity other than Brahman in this Universe, is the Vedic
declaration. The Upanishads explain our true nature in the Mahavakya
Tattwamasi (That Thou Art). In another Mahavakya, they declare Prajnanam
Brahma (Brahman is Supreme Consciousness). To whom shall this declaration
refer? Again, it is to that God Absolute. Thus, all the Vedas and the
Upanishads proclaim the non-dual concept of Jiva and Deva as one and only
one.
People often ascribe distinctions between different forms of divinity, for
example Rama, Krishna, etc. Since they try to identify themselves with a
particular form, they entertain feelings of difference. By doing so, they
move away from God and remain as jivas only. All such differences exist in
the individuals only. He is in you, you are verily God. If it is not so, why
should the Vedas declare Tattwamasi? You develop the firm conviction that
you and God are only one. When you attain such a firm conviction, you become
one with God and worshipping and praying to God with great love. Continue to
love God and develop faith in Him. Only then all your doubts will be cleared
and you will be able to understand the nature of divinity in full. Doubt
implies duality, that is, a feeling of separation between you and God. In
fact, there are no two entities ? God and you. However, when you wish to
entangle yourself in worldly matters, duality comes.
There is nothing wrong in studying the scriptures. But you have to put into
practice the teachings which you value and obtain different experiences.
Confusion results from studying the views of different authors. Hold fast to
one belief and adhere to one path. If you persevere in this manner, divinity
will manifest itself spontaneously in due course. It is wise to choose Swami
for this author. Not only the power of His Teaching and words but also the
Divine power of His Cosmic Form guides the spiritual aspirant as his/her
faith to Swami, as the Divine Oneness in the heart of seeker the Divine
Light.
The right cause for human is to pursue the path of God-realisation - Oneness
with Cosmic Consciousness. (If person is unable to do this, he/she should
strive at least to behave as a human being).
There is no human being without desire and thirst. It is natural in daily
life to have a desire for certain necessities and comforts. Among the
necessities for daily living, three are most essential food for sustenance,
garments to wear and shelter for dwelling.
The desire for these is natural. Even in this there are two kinds of
desires: One is natural. The other is excessive and misdirected desire. "I
want a house" is a legitimate desire and one should seek it. But it is
greedy to possess two or more houses.
Today greed is more prevalent among people than desire for necessities. With
the result that human is afflicted with grief and worry and has become a
stranger to contentment.
Whenever one is thirsty one has to drink water. When will this thirst end?
Thirst will not end as long as life lasts. Even at the moment of death
people feel thirsty. But how is the thirst for material things to be
quenched? It is possible through the efflux of time to get rid of iron
shackles when they get rusty, but it is not easy to get rid of thrishna
(desire and thirst).
Thrishna is the cause of limitless desires. If desires are fulfilled, one's
ahamkara (ego) gets inflated. If they are not realised hatred develops.
By Upanishad according to thrishna and actions human beings are classified
under four categories: daiva (Divine), manava (human), danava (demonic) and
pasutva (animal)*. (The description of these categories have explained in
previous serial article several months ago. Therefore here they are shortly
noted as 'PS').
In these human's categories less or more five kinds of Fire-Principle are
present. They are: Udara-Agni, Manda-Agni, Kama-Agni, Soka-Agni and
Badavaa-Agni.
Udara-Agni refers to the burning sensation caused by hunger (Fire in the
stomach).
Manda-Agni refers to the burning feeling caused by excessive eating
resulting in indigestion.
Kama-Agni is the burning agony in the mind caused by
numerous desires and passions.
SokaAgni does not refer only to consuming grief caused
by worldly disappointments and losses. It pertains also to the burning
sorrow felt by one who is yearning for God thirsting for experiencing
oneness with the Divine.
(In the Bhagavad Gita the first canto is titled Vishada-Yoga
(the Yoga of Despondency). What is this Vishada? Does it relate to any
worldly concerns? Is it despondency about the fate of kinsmen and friends?
Can such a grief be described as a form of yoga. Clearly this grief is not
associated with worldly desires or human relationships? Arjuna's grief arose
from out of a concern for dharma (duty) and for God. He realised that in the
war (that was about to be waged) many would die. As a consequence of their
death, Dharma (righteousness) will suffer a mortal blow. There will be
confusion of castes. It was because of his concern for Dharma and his faith
in God that Arjuna was grief stricken, his grief turned into a form of yoga
(quest for communion with the Divine). Likewise, this Soka-Agni is not
consuming sorrow over the lack of worldly possessions. It is a grief felt
for the sake of dharma and God).
Badavaa-Agni is the burning feeling caused in a person
by dire diseases and death.
All these five types of "fire" are related to physical conditions. They have
no relation to the Atma (Spirit).The Atma is a witness to all the
experiences resulting from these five forms of fires.
The chief quality that distinguishes a human from an animal is awareness of
the Atma and wisdom the power of discrimination as to what is permanent and
what is transient. When does a human lose this capacity? When he/her is
self-centred. It is because social obligations have lost their hold.
Morality and integrity have reached their nadir. People are wasting their
lives without any awareness of what is society, what is spirituality, what
is faith and devotion, what is true friendship, alias sneha, etc.
The word sneha - what is the eighth of nine stages of bhakthi (devotion)
described in the Bhagavatha, Bhagavad Gita and other texts - is usually
translated as friendship, a term that has been understandably vulgarized by
application to certain transitory relationships between living beings.
Friends come together as a result of a variety of
reasons and circumstances which are mostly of worldly and temporary
interest. People who have ample resources gain friends quickly, as do also
those who have a great deal of patronage in their hands or can distribute
favours. Those in authority also gather friends, who, of course, stay on
during fair weather but disappear when the authority fades.
Proverb tells that when the lake is full there are also
frogs in plenty, but when it runs dry not a single croak is heard.
Friendship ought to be a spiritual bond, a heart to heart kinship based on
full understanding of and pure dedication of one to another. Genuine
friendship can only be possible between one Atman and another, that is to
say, between two persons who have each realized that Atman is the core of
their being. (Nowhere on the mundane plane can you get the genuine sneha
which is declared as the penultimate stage to total surrender and dedication
to God, among the trivial, transitory friendships of worldlings).
Below are some examples of sneha from the Great Epics.
Arjuna and Krishna had this genuine sneha between them. Arjuna saw Krishna
as his sakha (friend). The two often ate meals from the same plate, and were
ready to help each other under all circumstances. Do not be under the
impression that Arjuna was insidiously overpowered by Krishna. He was mature
in character, well-versed in the Vedic lore and a redoubtable warrior and
bowman full of courage and heroism. Krishna was the Supreme Being, Arjuna
the naroththoma (best human). It was a friendship between the embodiment of
the highest and the embodiment of the best. Krishna was the Avataric
(incarnated) person; Arjuna was the Anandic (blissful) person.
Arjuna was often addressed by Krishna as Kuru nandhana.
This name has a deep significance. Kuru means act, activity, karma. Nandhana
means happy, delighted. Kuru nandhana, therefore, means he who is delighted
while engaged in activity. Throughout the eighteen chapters of the Gita,
Arjuna is alert and active, participating vigilantly in every turn of
argument.
The sneha (friendship) stage of Arjuna is the stage
when all distinctions between the devotee and God disappear and the two
friends are One. When this stage of utter trust, unshakeable faith, and
complete absence of doubt, fear and anxiety is reached, the next stage of
atmanivedan is natural and easy to cover. This is real friendship to which
the youth must aspire. See God in every being and then true sneha will
blossom, This type of true sneha can come only when you follow the advice of
Krishna. "He who has no trace of hatred towards any creature, who is
friendly and compassionate towards all, who is free from the bondage of 'I'
and 'mine,' who takes pain and pleasure as equally welcome and who is
forbearing in spite of provocation..."
Bhishma (the guardian and patriarch in Mahabharatha, remarkable for his
wisdom and unflinching devotion to God) adored Krishna even when He was
rushing towards him with His chakra. (disk; wheel; a weapon used by Krishna)
to take his life. His sense of saranagathi (total surrender to Divinity) did
not desert him at the point of death at the hands of the very person whom he
revered as God: "Kill me or save me, I shall not falter in my loyalty," he
said.
In the Ramayana, there is a following episode. Rama and Lakshmana were
combing the forests to discover where Sita was. They were tired and thirsty.
Suddenly, they came upon a clear pool and, while placing their bows on the
ground, dropped their arrows which partially sank into the wet bank. After
slaking their thirst they put the bows on their shoulders and pulled the
arrows out from the bank. Rama noticed a stain of blood at the tip of his
arrow and was curious to find out how it came there. Lakshmana discovered a
little frog that had been hit by Rama's arrow when he dropped it on the
ground.
Rama told the wounded frog, "Poor thing! Why did you
not cry out when you were hit?" The frog replied, "Whenever in trouble, I
cry out to you Rama. But, when Rama Himself inflicts pain, whom am I to cry
out to? I accepted it as His Grace."
Develop these qualities in you, for they are the signs of true sneha, for it
is only when you are proceeding on the Godward journey along the nine stages
of bhakthi.
*PS:
1. Of these four categories, the first is the divinely
human. "Daivam manusha roopena" the Divine in human form. This means that
the Supreme is present as Vishnu in the heart of the human being. The
"Divinely human" being is one who is conscious of the Divinity residing
within, who dedicates all the actions to the Divine, who recognises the
Divinity present equally in all beings and has love and compassion for all
living beings and devotes own life to the service of God.
2. Manava-manavatwa (human-humanness) calls for a life
dedicated to Sathya and Dharma. "Sathya Dharma Bhavo marthyaha" (A human who
is devoted to Truth and Righteousness). In this world of delusion, the one
who has the sights on Truth and Righteousness, preaches and practises the
two virtues and shows love and compassion to the fellow-beings in the
conviction that to be truly human is the mark of a human being, is a
humane-human being. Such a human engages in charitable activities,
harmonizes thoughts, words and deeds and leads a godly life even though
living as a householder. Performing his/her duties, such person stands out
as an example to the other human beings.
3. Manava-danavatva - the demonic human being.The demonic human is one who
is addicted to drink, who harasses people, inflicts pain on others for
selfish reasons, who is without love or compassion, and who is totally
immersed in selfish concerns.
4. The fourth category is the Manava-pasutvam
(bestial-human being). The human without wisdom is equal to an animal. What
is the animal nature? Governed wholly by the senses, considering sensual
enjoyment as the sole purpose of the life, leading a sensuous life from
birth to death, spending the time in eating and sleeping and forgetting the
basic human nature.
(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 11.
"Thirst and quest," Chapter 5 and "Mind'irs, not mandhirs," Chapter 16;
Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 14. "Sneha," Chapter 10; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 21.
"Conquest Of Desire," Chapter 14; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 24. "The human
predicament and the Divine," Chapter 16; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 29. "Triple
transformation : Sankraanthi's call," Chapter 3; Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai
Baba. The Divine Discourse "Purity of the Heart is True Sadhana." 9th
October 2005, Prashanti Nilayam).
Namaste - Reet
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