Swami teaches....Part 11
Link to Swami Teaches....Part
10 Sai Ram Light and Love
Swami teaches.... (18 February 2005)
"In All Places, His Hands, His Feet" Says Geetha
The Cosmic
consciousness illumines everything. Like the thread that
runs through a necklace of gems.
It is the duty of everyone to
realise the purpose of life and utilise time in the
performance of the duties to sanctify his existence.
The greatest cause of human
bondage is the failure to know him/herself. A person who is
not aware of the true Self cannot escape from sorrow.
One source of sorrow is Asath
(the unreal). The second cause is Thamas (the darkness of
ignorance). The third cause is death. In this context the
Vedanta mentions three categories: Prakruthi (nature),
Jivaatma (the individual soul) and Parmamaatma (the Cosmic
Spirit).
Let the petty wishes for which you now approach God be
realised or not; let the plans for promotion and progress
which you place before God, be fulfilled or not; they are
not so important after all. The primary aim should be to
become Masters of yourselves, to hold intimate and constant
communion with the Divine that is in you as well as in the
Universe of which you
For that what has to be given up is Jagath-bhaavam
(the fascination for the world). The reason is the world
is not different from God. "Eashaavaasyam idham jagath"
(God dwells in the Universe). "Viswam Vishnu-swaroopam."
(The entire cosmos is the embodiment of the Supreme).
Disregarding this profound and sacred truth, person is
becoming a prey to grief by his worldly attachments. The
world should not be treated as merely physical, but should
be looked upon as a Divine manifestation. The Divine
Master illumines the entire cosmos and the cosmos shines
in the Divine.
The second that has to be given
up is Jiva Bhaava (the feeling of separate individuality).
Who is a Jiva? Jiva is God. "The Jiva (the individual
self) resides in the body. God dwells in the heart." They
come together and engage in mutual sport. The Jivaatma
(the individual self) and the Divine principle are not two
distinct and separate entities. When the Divine nature of
the cosmos is understood, human being is free from the
delusion of separateness.
The destination that human
should attain is the awareness of one's own true Self.
Hence the human's destination is the realisation of his
divinity (the original source). This realisation must come
through the Vedantic process of exclusion ("Neti, neti" -
not this, not this).
God as the embodiment of Time,
is worshipped by the name Samvathsara (year). God is also
known by the name Kaalaathmaka (the Time Spirit). The name
Samvathsara represents the cosmic manifestation of the
Divine. The Upanishad describes God as "Narayana who is
inside and outside and pervades everything." He is the One
who willed to become the Many.
Sarvathaah paani paadham - "In
all places, His Hands, His Feet" says Geetha. The Purusha
Suuktah of the Vedhas says: Sahasra Seershaa, Purushah,
Sahasraakshah, Sahasrapaadh - "The Supreme Sovereign
Person has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes and a
thousand feet."
In the Geetha, the Lord has
declared, Beejam maam sarva bhoothaanaam - "I am the seed
for all beings." The tree is a broad spread of leaf and
flower, fruit and green. It is a fanned, out system of
trunk, branches, twigs! All have grown out of one single
small seed! And, every fruit of that tree has seeds of the
same nature inside it! So too, contemplate for a while on
the magnificent
Person who is the embodiment of the
immortal Spirit, falls a prey to worldly desires. How can such
a person be a true devotee of God? Such a person is only a
devotee of Prakruthi (the phenomenal world of Nature). If you
regard even Prakruthi as Divine, it will be a good thing. But
even here, ones separate the Paramaatma (Divine) from
Prakruthi (Nature). As long as this sense of separation
exists, all forms of japa and worship, performed even over
many lives, are of no avail.
In general, people have specialised
in the various methods of worshipping God; there is a host of
rites, ceremonials, hymns, festivals, fasts, vows,
pilgrimages; but, the best form of worship, the one
Make your lives simple; fill the
daily tasks with love and mutual co-operation; be tolerant
towards the errors and failings of others; look upon them
with sympathy and understanding; be calm and without
agitation, under all conditions. God is not involved in
either rewards or punishments. He is the Eternal Unaffected
Witness! You decide your own fate.
In the
human body, there are two important organs. One is the heart
and the other is the head. All the actions in the world, all
their consequences, originate in the head. The Vedas have
declared that all things that originate in the head relate
to the Pravritthi Marga (the External Path) and those that
arise from the heart relate to the Nivritthi Marga (the
Inward Path). All that you think, all that you do, all your
achievements, gains and losses, are all related to the head
(to thoughts) and relates to Prakruthi (the phenomenal
world), grows from it and ultimately merges in it. But,
feelings like peace, kindness, compassion, forbearance and
love emanate from the heart.
When Love has filled the heart, it
has really been transformed into Divinity. It is this Love,
and the compassion that flowed from it that made the great
saints of India and of other countries, like Kabeer,
Tukaaraam, St. Francis, Raamakrishna, immortal.
Swami teaches.... (17 February 2005)
Dharma on the Arena of the Divine Play
The presence of this Dharma
cannot be established by sense of perception or through
inferential deduction. It transcends the canons of logic.
Dharma (Righteousness) and
Moksha (Liberation) are transcendental - beyond the
intellect and sense perceptions. Even the Vedas are not
competent to provide direct access to Dharma and Moksha.
That is why the Vedas have declared: "Naa Karmanaa, Na
Prajayaa Dhanena Thyaagenaike Amrutatvamaanasuh" (Not by
meritorious deeds, progeny or wealth can immortality be
attained. It can be experienced only through
renunciation). But the Vedas show that through good deeds
and practices, one can acquire the competence to realise
Dharma and Moksha.
Dharma is a term which is all
embracing. What is the need, it may be asked, for
propagating Dharma when it encompasses everything. The
reason is that, though Dharma is present everywhere, it is
covered by ignorance and pride, like fire that is covered
by ashes or water by moss. These coveting elements have to
be removed so that the true nature of Dharma may be
revealed to the world. Dharma Prachar (the propagation of
Dharma) is needed only for this purpose.
Propagation of Dharma does not
mean spreading knowledge about something that is not
known. Only those who practice Dharma are qualified to
propagate it. A human is judged by the nature of his
actions. One's qualities and actions are interdependent.
Actions reveal qualities and qualities determine actions.
Hence, everyone should strive to reform himself by
developing good qualities. Qualities like kshama
(forbearance), dhaya (compassion), truth, love and
sympathy are not associated with any particular nation,
faith or community. They are spiritual qualities and are
essential for people anywhere, at all times.
Among the qualities human
being has to develop the foremost is Kshama - forbearance
or forgiveness. It is supreme among other virtues.
It is acquired by practising four
kinds of purity:
Purity of mind;
Purity in speech;
Purity in action, purity of body.
Everyone in the world is the
creature of one or the other of these three gunas. One's
actions are based on these gunas. The phenomenal
universe that we perceive is the product of the three
gunas (Satwa, Rajas and Tamas). The gunas are the
life-breath of the Cosmos. They are responsible for all
that happens in the Cosmos.
To practice of Dharma one has
to transcend the three gunas and experience Right
conduct what constitutes Dharma.
The general advises to this are
following:
You see things only through the
illumination of the Aathma; you love only because the
Aathma is Love; you know because the Aathma is knowledge.
You have shaanthi, for the Aathma is the source and
repository of shaanthi. The subtle effect of manthras
(mystic formulae) mentioned in the Vedhas cannot be seen
or heard by the senses; they have to be experienced in
Repeat the Gaayathri - a
universal prayer. It has three parts, dhyaana---meditation
on the Glory of God as the Illumination immanent in the
worlds, upper, middle and lower (Om Bhuhbhuva- swah; thath
savithur varenyam); it has Smarana or picturisation of the
Grace (bhargo devasya dheemahi) and Praarthana, prayer for
compassion for the sake of liberation, through the
Manthras are as person's
protectors and subtle power generators on the way to
experience and practice Dharma.
Don't deny the validity of your
own experience. Stand on your strength. Be unmoved, either
by adulation or denigration. Follow My lead: I am
unaffected by either, I march on, alone, undeterred and of
My own accord. I am My own Guide and Witness, have full
faith in this.
If you have confidence in your
strength and skill, you can draw upon the inner springs of
courage and raise yourselves to a higher level of joy and
peace. For, confidence in yourselves arises through the
Aathma, which is your inner Reality. The Aathma is peace.
It is joy, It is strength. It is wisdom. So, it is from
the Aathma that you draw all these equipments for
spiritual progress to perform your Dharma on the arena of
the Divine play.
All Avathaars teach, the first
step in the long road of Spiritual discipline or exercise,
self effort (Sadhana), is the giving up of attachment. In
the Threthaayuga, the Yoga-Vaasistha taught the same rule.
In the Dwaparayuga, Krishna taught Arjuna to give up
Vishaya-Vaasana (attachment to the objective world).
PS: Related contribution: Swami teaches... (25 January
2005)
Dharmic Path of Life Guided by Character and Karma
Swami teaches.... (16 February 2005)
Methodological Aspects of Education
Though the earth is revolving at
a speed of several hundred miles an hour, we are not aware
of its motion at all. It is simultaneously moving in orbit
round the sun at 66,000 miles an hour, carrying with it
all things on earth. The earth seems firm and unmoving,
while the sun and planets and stars appear to be going
round the earth.
The entire creation is a
conglomeration of subatomic particles. These particles are
waves of energy. All of them emanate from the same source
of energy. Even the scientist who knows all about
electrons does not seek to find the primary source of all
energy-the Paratathva (the Supreme Principle).
Different combinations of atoms result in objects of
different kinds like copper, gold or oxygen, which have
varying utility and value. But the primary energy which
manifests itself in different kinds of atoms and objects
is one and the same. The Vedas indicated this truth when
they declared: "Ekoham Bahusyaam" ("The One willed to
become the Many"), "Ekam Sath Vipraah bahudhaa Vadanthi"
("The Reality is one, the wise call it by many names").
To acknowledge it, one should
recognise the cosmic basis of education. However,
scientific knowledge alone does not constitute the content
of education. Education enables you to score marks, but
you also need elevation of your personality. Qualities
contribute to elevation. Education and elevation combine
to develop the human personality.
Education should be the
life-breath of human beings. By converting education into
a means of earning a livelihood, people are forgetting the
meaning of life. Character determines life. Of
course, knowledge of the natural sciences may be firmly
required. But together with this it is essential to
acquire knowledge relating to human values.
We are today concerned with
education in Human Values. Whoever tries to understand the
human values of Truth, Righteous conduct, Peace, Love and
Non-violence properly, who practises these values and
propagates them with zeal and sincerity can alone be
described as a truly educated person.
The body demonstrates the
organic unity of every limb and organ. If we fully
understand the workings of this human workshop. Every
limb or organ has done its duty in harmony with the
others. Our senses and limbs demonstrate these human
qualities and serve as excellent teachers for us.
Together with worldly
education, is important to cultivate the human values and
undertake spiritual discipline.
There are two kinds of learning in the educational
system today. One relates to information about various
subjects. The other relates to the rectification of the
individual's life. The first relates to the physical.
The second relates to the spiritual. The former is
concerned with earning a living.
In the first type of education, you have
opportunities to investigate various matters, and arrive
at scientific truths. For instance, you find out that
water is composed of two parts of hydrogen and one part
of oxygen.
This enhances your scientific knowledge. But what is
relevant from the social and spiritual point of view is
how to ensure fair distribution of water among all
people.
A complete education is
that which makes a student compassionate. The true form
of knowledge is humility. The students today have a
two-fold duty: One is to face the challenges of modern
civilization, the other is to protect and preserve the
ancient spiritual and cultural heritage of the country.
Society, community, or nation
can be safe, secure and happy only when the individuals
comprising it are mutually helpful and bound together in
skillful and sincere service. Every generation has to
receive education and training in such intelligent
cooperation and service. Or else, the world has to face
confusion and chaos.
Today the eternal verities
proclaimed in the scriptures have assumed bizarre forms.
Sacred nature is divorced from humanity. The ancient
wisdom is in eclipse. Perverted knowledge is growing.
Education is mostly based on mechanical skills.
Education today is not inculcating in the students the
spirit of compassion and kindness. Once Gandhiji told a
foreigner that he was feeling sad because education was
making students heartless and lacking in fellow-feeling.
They have no sense of gratitude. Of what avail is such
an education?
Today every step of human is
marked by unrighteousness. His thoughts are not free
from evil. All his desires are rooted in selfishness.
Caste and religious conflicts are rampant. Parochialism
is growing. In short, humanness has reached its nadir.
In such a situation, how can
ethical and spiritual values appeal to youth?
The entire educational system
should be changed. The true purpose of education should
be understood. Students should strive to promote
blossoming of the heart together with development of the
intellect.
Swami teaches.... (15 February 2005)
Faith and Dedication - Basis of Education
There are people who dispute
among themselves whether God is Saguna or Nirguna, (with
or without attributes), Saakaara or Niraakaara! (with form
or formless). Are you Saguna or Nirguna? Are you Saakaara
or Niraakaara? Of course you are Saguna and Saakaara,
because you are with body. So long as you feel you are
with body, you cannot transcend the Saguna, and realise
the Nirguna. When you liberate yourselves from bondage to
this limitation, you become Nirguna. That happens in a
flash. There is no more fear or hate or even love. All are
subsumed into the One without a Second.
If you trust in inert matter,
life becomes inert; trust in the active principle and
life is activated.
Death stalks you at every
step. Before he mauls you mortally, know the Truth and
be blessed. The Name of the Lord is the rifle which
guards you against beasts of prey in the jungle of life.
Nowadays, people laugh at the
idea of Naamasmarana and Naamasankeerthana (remembering
and singing God's holy Names). They ask, what is in a
Name? It is just an assortment of sounds. My words too
are assortments of sound, but, when they enter your
hearts, you feel content, you feel encouraged, is it
not? Words have tremendous power; they can arouse
emotions and they can calm them. They direct, they
infuriate, they reveal, they confuse; they are potent
forces that bring up great reserves of strength and
wisdom. Therefore have faith in the Name and repeat it
The boy had full faith in his
mother's words. Another day the boy was returning home
from school late at night in the darkness. He shouted:
"Anna Krishna" (Brother Krishna). After a few moments
Krishna appeared before the boy in the form of a lad and
told him - "Why do you fear when I am here? I shall
escort you home." He accompanied the boy to the village
outskirts and disappeared.
When you have full faith, God
will surely help you and make you fearless. You need not
search for God. It is God who is searching for a real
devotee. God has to act in different ways in different
situations. When He takes human form He has to act as a
human.
Faith to God (Almighty,
Absolute) and dedication are the basis of human existence
and consequently the basis of whatsoever education
system connected with spiritual roots.
It is not enough if a student is
endowed with scientific and worldly knowledge. He should
have essentially moral and spiritual knowledge also. The
aim of education should be to bring about an all-round
development of the personalities of the students.
Education should make all virtues emerge and shine forth
in students. Indian culture essentially aims at developing
human beings with such a personality. The Raamaayana,
Bhaagavatha and Mahaabhaaratha are like three important
life-breaths for Indian culture.
Education should promote
culture. Culture promotes refinement. It is termed as
Samskaara which consists of Sadhguna (good character),
Sadhaachaara (good practices) and Sadbhaavana (good
feelings). For a person to be deemed educated, his
behaviour should be good, his actions useful to society
and his feelings should be compassionate and kind. "Sarvabhuutha
Hithe Rathah" (One should have concern for the welfare of
all beings).
It would be wrong to call it
education if it merely teaches the meanings of words. The
basic aim of education is to make men of character and
virtue. Education without humility, action without
discrimination, scholarship without wisdom, words without
truth, friendship without gratitude, music without melody,
politics without morality and integrity can never shine in
society. One's personality blossoms only when one has
humility along with knowledge.
Education should inculcate in
students the spirit of self-reliance and self-confidence.
The first thing in life is self-reliance, second is
self-confidence, third is self-sacrifice, fourth is self-realisation.
What is it that made Raama God? It is imbibing of the six
qualities, namely character, compassion, non-violence,
control of the mind, control of the senses and fame.
Knowledge without action is
useless. Action without knowledge is foolishness.
Aathma-Vidhya (Spiritual knowledge), is the basis of all
education. It is like the ocean while all other types of
education are like rivers which must merge in the ocean.
The essence of spiritual education is faith and
dedication. It is the absence of spirituality which is
responsible for all the problems, violence, agitation and
strike.
Sai Sankalpam is to bring
together once again the Paalakas (Rulers) and the Pandiths,
the guardians of the welfare of the people in the secular
and the spiritual fields. That is why the ministers and
the legislators are here on this platform, along with
Pandiths and Shaasthris. Without the cooperative
functioning of these two, there can be no progress, no
success in the attempt to build up a new world.
When plans are laid by the
rulers for the uplift of the people and for training the
children of the land, I want that the ancient wisdom of
this land, still preserved and practised by these Pandiths,
must be consulted. I want that the knowledge embodied in
the Upanishadhs should be handed down to every one.
Bhakthi-directed education must take precedence over the
Bhukthi-directed (enjoyment-directed) schooling that
prevails today in most countries of the world.
(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol.
4, "Sai Sankalpam. Scriptures are like traffic signs,"
Chapter 15 and "Are words mere sound," Chapter 44. Sathya
Sai Speaks, Vol. 27, "The power of faith," Chapter 15 and
"Education and culture," Chapter 30).
Namaste - Reet to be continued |