Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

IN THESE days, when the black clouds of hatred are spreading from state to state and poisoning the relations between man and man, spiritual discipline and spiritual illumination alone can serve as a beacon light. People feel helpless before the flood of falsehood, injustice and violence. They can be saved only by the four-fold refuge of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema. They are infused in man by the religious scriptures and by the stories of the saints and sages in the Puranas which depict their search after God. The enthusiasm which is aroused by the study of these books should not fade away, like the boiling over of milk on the stove. After a few minutes of bubbling over, the milk starts cooling off. When one reaches home, after listening to a discourse, the fervour derived from the message fades into nothingness and one slides back into the fateful routine. This is called Purana-vairagya - the gust of renunciation that one gets when he hears a religious discourse, which soon passes off into the realm of neglect. The Sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) must crave for deeper impression; the Mahavakyas (Vedhic Statements of Truth) he hears, the visual experiences he gains, have to be imprinted on the heart.

All the manifold rules, regulations, limitations, directions, do's and don’ts, have just this aim: to merge the soul with the Oversoul - the Jeevatma with the Paramatma. The Shasthras prescribe yama (various forms of abstention from evil-doing), niyama (disciplined observances), asana (physical posture), pranayama (control of breath), prathyahara (withdrawal of the mind from sense objects), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (super-conscious state of absorption in the Atman), etc., as limbs of Yoga; besides japam (repetition of Lord's name or mystic formulae), shravanam (listening to God's glory), mananam (recapitulation of what was heard), nidhidhhyasana (constant musing on God's glory), etc. - all with this one end in view - of merging the Jeevatma with Paramatma. Spiritual sadhana is like a duel with a tiger, maya; it is like playing with fire, maya. By means of the hammer strokes of joy and grief, the iron piece is shaped into a hollow vessel, so that it may not sink in the sea of maya (world illusion).

Mix honey and sea water; the concoction will be undrinkable. In the same way, do not mix the nectarine Grace of the Lord with the greed for sensual pleasures. Develop Prajnana - the pure, unsullied vision of Reality; then you can visualise the One that is appearing as this Many. Prajnanam Brahma, says the Veda; "the constant integrated awareness is Brahma." It is that by which the intelligence integrates, that by which the senses co-operate in bringing about workable conclusions.

The physical body and the Prajnana are related through the senses and the intelligence. When man and God operate together, like the positive and the negative, Prajnana, the current, is generated. It is this Prajnanam that establishes in you the conviction, Aham Brahmasmi, I am Brahman; not that there are two entities, Aham and Brahman, but, as in syrup, where water and sugar have merged, Aham has merged in Brahman and there is only one entity, Brahman.The Sama Veda has the great statement, Thath thwam asi (That thou art), meaning 'What which is beyond Ruupa and Nama (name and form) is you, who now pitiably differentiate yourself and feel distinct, by means of name and form, two transient changing insignia of individuality." Contemplation on these grand expressions of the Truth fills one with inexplicable joy. Not being aware of these and their sweetness, man misses the great opportunity.

The Prasanthi Vidwanmahasabha is designed to bring this rich treasure to the door of every one in this world, for every one is entitled to it. Not only these; the Geetha, the Ramayana, the Mahabharatha, the Bhagavatha - these too contain the message of God; they should also be taken to the doors of every man. He must be fed on it, so that he may grow in health and strength, courage and confidence; because this is something which once you get, you can never lose' Jnana (Self-Knowledge). There is another thing which if you once lose, you can never get back; that is, maya. There is a third thing, which you can never get, for it is You yourself; you can never lose also, for it is You yourself that is Brahman. Use your intelligence and you will arrive at the correct interpretation of the manifoldness of the Universe. Science is fast approaching the view that basically the Universe is One. Only, intelligence has to be rid of prejudice and cleverness. A sanyasi (monk) had a bear which he fondled as a pet and took around with him in his wanderings. One day in the midst of the thick jungle, he commissioned the bear to keep watch over him and went to sleep. The bear saw a fly sitting on its master's nose; it tried to whisk it away; but it came back again and did not move away. Incensed as its audacity, the bear brought a big stone and threw it at the fly on the nose. Needless to say, that stone killed the master. One must have discrimination, not simply a fund of ideas.

The speaker who is the President, referred to Mahatmas and Divine personages, whose vision is of a universal order. But it is difficult for ordinary intelligence to grasp their meaning and mystery. Each of them has his task, his standard, his area and his method or bhava. He said that Sri Sathya Sai Baba knows all that happens in all. That is because I am in every one - Ishwarahsarvabhoothanam - as the scriptures say. This current is in every bulb; only, some are of low wattage, some of high wattage. There is no fundamental difference between Jeevatma and Paramatma. The Upadhis (vestures) or bulbs have differences in power, depending on the filament and its strength. The cow eats grass; the pig eats offal, the lion eats flesh. That is the speciality of the Upadhi; how can there be any comparison or competition between these? A hathayogi had earned many strange skills and he found people gathering in large numbers around a person whom he could not gauge. That person had characteristics which no skill can bring about; Shamham, Sathyam and Prema (Equanimity, Truth and Love). If one's passions and emotions have come under the control of his higher nature, then the Lord will assume responsibility for his progress towards Him. Otherwise, he will have to wait. Do not moan that you have no Natha (Guardian). God is the only A-natha (Guardianless person). All the rest have Him as the Natha. He is ever beside man, within him as Conscience, without him as Companion and Guide.