Gurupurnima Discourse: The Form of God is Love

[Guest guest]

Bhagawan's Divine Discourse on 2nd July 2004

Gurupurnima Discourse:

The Form of God is Love

Forbearance is the real beauty in this sacred land of Bharat. Of all the

rituals, adherence to truth is the greatest penance. The most nectarous feeling

in this country is the feeling of love towards one's mother.

(Telugu poem)

Embodiments of Love!

In this sacred land of Bharat, forbearance is the real beauty. The modern man

has no idea of what forbearance is. He is not able to realise that forbearance

is the real beauty in this sacred land. One bereft of forbearance is no human

being at all. We should have sympathy and forbearance towards the poor and the

physically challenged. But the modern man shows disgust towards such

unfortunate people. In fact, Sahana (tolerance) is the most valuable and sacred

Mantra of the Bharatiyas. But man, out of his ignorance, has given up such a

sacred Mantra and is carried away by Yantra and Tantra.

The foremost quality expected of a devotee is forbearance. What is Bhakti

(devotion)? Several people are under the mistaken notion that worshipping some

idols, observing certain vows and performing some rituals is Bhakti. It is not

as simple as that. The foremost duty of a devotee, especially of the

Bharatiyas, is observing the quality of forbearance in practice.

Adherence to truth is the real thapas (penance). Man, today, has forgotten this

principle. Forbearance is a quality which inspires people to undertake noble

deeds. This noble quality is to be taught to others as well, to enable them to

imbibe it.

The nectarine feeling in this country is the feeling of love towards one's

mother. Today, people overlook the most important duty to look upon every woman

as one’s own mother. There is nothing greater and sweeter than this motherly

love in the world. One who has cultivated such noble feeling is most fortunate.

It is not a quality that can be purchased or hired. This motherly feeling flows

from the natural love that one has for one’s own mother. The people of Bharat

are forsaking such noble qualities and are trying to imitate and cultivate

alien culture sand traditions today. In fact, they are running after alien

culture with excessive enthusiasm, treating it as their very life breath.

Embodiments of Love!

You cannot find anything more sacred than love in the world. Today, you will

find worldly and physical love everywhere. But, it is very difficult to find

love suffused with Atmic bliss.

Embodiments of Love!

Love is not merely that which exists between two individuals at the physical

level. True love is that which exists between two hearts. Bharatiyas today are

neglecting such sacred and noble love. It is only the love towards God that has

sustained and protected the people in this sacred land of Bharat since ancient

times, just as the eye lid protects the eye. This divine love permeates the

entire universe. Wherever you look for, it is present. There is nothing in the

world, except divine love. All other types of love are only mere passing

infatuation. Real love emerges from the depth of one’s heart. Cultivating such

divine love and sharing it with others is most pleasing to Me. Today, you find

worldly and physical love for achieving selfish ends everywhere. But, you

cannot call it real love. Real love which is sacred, divine and selfless has to

spring from one’s heart.

Embodiments of Love!

Cultivate and strengthen such divine love. When you cultivate such love, you

will not be lacking in anything. It is only when you cultivate such noble love,

you will be entitled to be called “Embodiments of love”. God is omnipresent. Who

is God? In fact, you are verily God. You must strive to attain that state.

Though God is present everywhere, you should not forget the divinity immanent

in you. Some people think that God exists separately in some distant place.

Prahlada, the child devotee of Lord Vishnu declared:

Never doubt that God is here and not there. Wherever you search for Him, He is there.(Telugu Poem)

This is the real culture of Bharat, which we are not able to perceive today.

Everyone chants the name of God. But, where is God? In fact, you yourself are

God. You and God are not separate. Man forgets the divinity latent in him and

runs after trivial and mundane things.

Embodiments of Love!

Under all circumstances, do not give up love. Love is your greatest treasure.

One who forgets this treasure, is not a human being at all! We love our father,

mother, brothers, sisters, etc. All these relationships are but mere roles in

the Divine Drama. You must try to apprehend true love. In fact, it is always in

us. You need not search for it outside. Unfortunately, today we are going after

things which are not real and permanent. (Showing a flower …) What is this?

This is a flower. Everybody says so. But, the truth is, it is a manifestation

of Divinity. There are several petals in it which represent Divinity. If the

petals are taken out one by one, it cannot be called a flower. Similarly, if

there is no love in a human being, he cannot be called an “Embodiment of love”.

The source and sustenance for the entire universe is love. This quality of love

takes different shapes in different individuals, say between father, mother,

brothers and sisters, but you refer to it all as love. All these individuals

together constitute a family. It is not enough if you limit your love to the

family members. The entire universe must live like a family. Whomever you see,

offer your Pranams. Say “Namaskar! Namaskar!” Can you come across a nobler

feeling than this? All the forms you come across in this world are embodiments

of Divinity. There is nothing in this universe which is not divine. You

consider the different objects in the universe as mere objects. No! No!

Consider them as “Embodiments of Divinity”. Unfortunately, today we have become

foolish and are searching for God in some distant corner. Wherever you see,

there is God. Therefore, it is the noblest feeling to consider everything in

the universe as “Embodiments of Divinity”. The universe is but a form of God!

God is manifest in all forms. Consider such an omnipresent divinity as God. Do

not give credence to the outward form of any object, but firmly believe in the

divine power that is immanent in that object. We are not experiencing anything

other than Divinity in our day-to-day activities. For example, we are thirsty.

Thirst is a fire manifest as divinity. We quench our thirst by drinking water,

which is another manifestation of the divine.

Thus all the five elements in the universe, the five senses, five sheaths and

the five vital breaths in the body, are all manifestations of divinity. Today,

we are misusing our senses. This is an act of grave sin. All the senses are

pure, sacred and selfless. The senses have no distinction of caste, creed,

religion, nationality, etc. Keeping such noble qualities in our own self, we

are searching for Divinity in the outside world. What a great pity! What do you

think the human values are? They are nothing but divine qualities. God has no

attributes separately. Divinity itself is the sole attribute. We are deluded to

see the attributeless Divinity as God with attributes.

Embodiments of Love!

Whatever I speak, it is only love. I do not know any other word. There is no

other quality greater than love. Hence, we have to love that quality of love,

which is God.

The different ways by which we describe God such as Nirgunam, Niranjanam,

Sanathana Niketanam, Nitya, Shuddha, Buddha, Mukta, Nirmala Swarupinam (God is

attributeless, pure, final abode, eternal, unsullied, enlightened, free and

embodiment of sacredness) are only for our satisfaction. They cannot, however,

describe God in full. In fact, God is beyond description. The only word by

which we can describe God is “love”. Nothing better can describe Him.

Embodiments of Love!

You are all the “Embodiments of love”. Your form is love. God’s form is also

love. I am very much distressed to see those physically challenged children

seated on the tricycles. They are, in fact, “Embodiments of Divinity”. To look

down upon those divine children with contempt is a great sin. In fact, there

are no lowly people in the world at all! That low thinking is in us only. It

cannot be attributed to God. God has only one attribute, which is love. That is

His form. When someone converses with Me lovingly, My joy knows no bounds. If

people employ empty rhetoric without love to describe My qualities, I am not at

all pleased or impressed. Talk to Me with a loving heart. Pray to Me with a

love-filled heart. Whatever you pray for with a loving heart, I will readily

respond. You call Me “Sai” with love; I will readily respond saying “Oyi”. Any

amount of prayer devoid of love cannot move Me. If you call Me with love, I

will respond immediately, wherever I am. There is nothing greater than love.

Therefore, if you wish to have the Darshan of God and experience Him, pray to

Him lovingly. You may have any amount of wealth and virtues, but they are no

match to the quality of love. The sweetness inherent in the word Prema is not

to be found anywhere else in the world. The more you cultivate and practise it,

the sweeter will be your personality. Therefore, cultivate love as the foremost

quality in you.

Love is your sole refuge wherever you may be, in a forest, in the sky, in a city

or a village, on the top of a mountain or in the middle of deep sea. (Telugu

Poem)

Love is not confined to any particular place or residence; it is universal.

Therefore, cultivate such universal love. Such a universal love cannot be

purchased with any amount of money. It can only be attained with a heart filled

with intense love. Man has, therefore, to cultivate such pure and selfless love.

In order to cultivate such pure love, Bhakti (devotion) is prescribed as a

means. Bhakti is not somewhere in some distant corner. Prema (love) is Bhakti

(devotion). Devotion without love is deep ocean. And how is that ocean? It is

full of salt water, whereas devotion with love is like sweet water. Love is a

nectarous feeling. Love is verily bliss. Love is a wonderful feeling. It is

unfathomable. Therefore, such a nectarous, sweet, blissful and unfathomable

love, you should never give up.

Embodiments of Love!

Instead of making hollow claims of Bhakti, keep Prema as your goal to be

attained. There is nothing greater than this Sadhana. There is nothing that can

liberate you easily than pure and selfless love. There are four words – Mukti

(liberation), Bhakti (devotion), Rakti (attachment) and Anurakti (attachment or

love towards God). But, love is the undercurrent in all these things. On this

auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima, love is the most valuable gift I hand over

to you. This is my most precious gift to you. Devoid of love, whatever other

gifts I may give, they will be of no use. My love is pure, sacred and most

precious. You also cultivate such love.

Bhagavan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan, “Prema Mudita Manase Kaho…”

sourced: http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Trust/Updations.htm