Sai Baba Gita Reading for Today - Within the Body is Pure Consciousness

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Sai Baba Gita Reading for Today

November 7, 2003

 

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Within the Body is Pure Consciousness

 

Since the body is the temple of the Lord, it is not proper to be

indifferent towards it or to neglect it, or to use it in an

inappropriate or unrighteous manner. The body must be used only to

perform activities which are sacred and selfless. You must take good

care of the body and sanctify it by using it to do holy tasks. The

body is inert no doubt, but within it lives the principle which is

pure consciousness. This body may be compared to a boat which will

help you cross the ocean of worldly existence. This body was not so

easily obtained by you. Because of innumerable merits and numerous

births in other forms, you have been able to obtain this human body.

To use it improperly is to waste all the merits you have earned in

all those countless lives.

 

It is your extraordinary good fortune to have been able to get this

birth as a human being. Therefore, this sacred boat which can take

you to your destination, has to be used very carefully so that you

can cross the ocean of worldly existence safely. In this ocean there

are terrible crocodiles and all kinds of terrifying creatures which

are very harmful to you. These menacing crocodiles are the six inner

enemies of man, in the form of lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride

and jealousy. They inhabit this unfathomable ocean of worldly

existence at every level.

 

The water of this ocean of world existence which supports all these

horrendous creatures, is made up of a mixture of opposites like joy

and grief, attraction and repulsion. When you are in this ocean of

life it is very difficult to say when you will obtain happiness and

when you will suffer pain. When you are beset with so many

crocodiles, the very best means for completing this journey safely

is to see the unity in everything. You have to firmly believe that

the divine principle, the godhead in the form of the self-effulgent

flame, resides in everybody and in every thing. Once you recognize

the presence of God dwelling in everyone, once the unity is

recognized in all this apparent diversity, then you will no longer

be able to hate anyone. That is why in the Gita the injunction, show

no hatred towards any being is given first place.

 

The various acts of ritual worship, such as singing devotional songs

and repeating the holy name, which at one time may have seemed so

important to you, will seem very small in comparison, once you

recognize this principle of God dwelling in every heart. It is only

when you are ignorant of this great truth, that you consider the

various devotional practices as paramount in your spiritual life.

However, until you have mastered the art of swimming there is a need

to use various flotation-aids for support. Once you have learned to

swim, these aids will no longer be necessary. In the same way, all

the various ritual practices are necessary until you truly

understand the meaning of the Gita. Once you have comprehended the

sweet essence of the Gita, all these rituals will appear quite

trivial.

 

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

 

Source:

http://www.atmapress.com/saibabagita/saigita039.html

 

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Sai Baba Gita

Compiled and edited by Al Drucker - Published by Atma Press

http://www.atmapress.com - ISBN: 0963844903

Online Edition: http://www.atmapress.com/saibabagita/index.html