Divine Discourse on 10th February 2005: Elders are a source of wisdom and strength. Revere and respect them

[Guest guest]

Text of the Divine Discourse delivered by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 10th

February 2005 (Bheema Rathi Shanthi), at Prashanti Nilayam, Sai Kulwanth Hall

Embodiments of Love! The elderly couples who participated in the "Bheema Ratha

Shanthi" celebrations held today have experienced inexplicable joy and bliss.

In this context, you must understand the underlying meaning in naming this

ceremony as "Bheema Ratha Shanthi". It does not mean that all these couples

must be physically strong and courageous like Bheema, the Mahabharata hero.

Bheema was the son of Vayu (air), which is all-pervasive. The wind by nature is

a very strong and powerful element, which can uproot even a mighty tree. There

are certain traditional rules for the performance of this Bheema Ratha Shanthi.

But there is no age restriction as such for this ceremony. By God's grace,

everyone has Sath Sankalpa (good thoughts). Normally, married couples celebrate

the Shastyabdha Poorthi ceremony when the husband attains the age of sixty

years, hoping to lead a peaceful and happy

married life. They also celebrate when the husband attains the age of 70 years.

Generally, people believe 70 years of age as the deadline in the life-span of

an individual. But, there are other milestones like 80, 90 and 100 years also

to be crossed in life. When an individual crosses these important milestones in

his married life these blissful occasions are named and celebrated as "Bheema

Ratha Shanthi". Unable to understand and appreciate the importance of these

holy occasions, the children in this Kali Age are sending their parents away

when they cross 60 years in life, under the mistaken notion that they should

not lead a married life and they are fit only to be Sanyasis (renunciants).

This is a serious mistake. On the other hand, children should take greater care

of their parents when they attain sixty years of age and beyond. Generally,

children are under the impression that people beyond the age of 70 years are

useless and a burden to the family as well as to

the society. But, the truth is otherwise. In fact, the enthusiasm, encouragement

and mental strength increase after a person crosses 70 years. It is only after

70 years that the mental faculties and Atmic strength express themselves in

full measure. Prior to that, they also behave like other human beings. They

will not specially strive to set an example to others. The mental faculties,

divine force and the will power in a person will manifest fully after 70 years

and prompt him to set a new goal in life. As a result, such elderly persons

will be contemplating upon and exploring the secrets of life. The divine force

latent in these elderly persons is beyond the reach of the youth. It manifests

in ever-so-many ways in their actions. Today, we find several youngsters

talking ill of their parents and making fun of them. This is a grave mistake.

Instead, if one can analyse carefully their actions, every action of theirs

will prove to be purposeful and divine in nature. If the youth of

today wish to receive proper training to face the challenges in life, they must

live with their parents and constantly observe the noble qualities that

manifest in the actions of their parents. In fact, no one can match their

systematic life and strict discipline. The blossoming of their intellect and

the divine qualities in them will herald a new and meaningful life for

humanity. You just observe their life closely and you will be thrilled at the

changes it can bring about in your own life. Embodiments of Love! These days,

we are ignoring these elders, considering them to be not useful to society.

This is not correct. In fact, the strength and energy latent in these elders

are not to be found in the youth. When you wish to undertake any new activity,

it will become fruitful only when you take the guidance of the elders and walk

in their footsteps. Nowadays, a human being is unable to recognise the

qualities of a fellow human being. The

term "Manava" (human being) means a person who can make the quality of humanness

blossom. People generally tend to describe the physical strength of body,

whenever a mention is made of Bheema, the younger brother of Dharmaraja, the

Pandava King. But, that is not the real strength. The real strength of elders

lies in their wisdom and noble thoughts. The ideals set by these elders for the

younger generation are most valuable. Unable to understand their value, people

ignore them as useless folk. Today, a lot of value is attached to the retired

scientists. None can match their intelligence and passion for new inventions.

But, their services are not made use of properly for the benefit of society and

they are being wasted. The world can benefit a lot from these elderly people.

There is immense power in these elders that can be harnessed for the good of

society. Today, we are making an effort to reveal the strength and great

spiritual power latent in the ancient Rishis. These

elderly people reflect those great ideals. Hence, we should not neglect them.

Every thought that emanates from these elders is noble and most valuable. The

youth cannot produce even a minute fraction of thoughts and ideas in

comparison. Hence, we must nourish and nurture these valuable assets and take

good care of them. Unfortunately, nowadays the younger generation grudges even

to provide one square meal a day to their elders. They think it is an avoidable

expenditure. Do not by any means let this happen. Even if you put them on a

sustenance diet, they will maintain the dignity and reputation of your family

as if they are well fed. The concern and enthusiasm displayed by these elders

in bringing up the children in a proper way is not found in others unrelated.

In the ancient times, kings and nobles made use of the great wisdom of the

Rishis by seeking their advice regularly. Even to this day, the great treatises

on spiritual and temporal matters compiled by the great Rishis

of yore are an authority to the younger generation. Unfortunately, they are not

able to understand the great truths expounded in those treatises. It is Swami's

advise that from now on we must popularise this great ancient tradition of

Bheema Ratha Shanthi. It has great significance and value for the coming

generations. The ritual of Bheema Ratha Shanthi signifies nourishing and

nurturing the quality of humanness by undertaking spiritually powerful and

noble activities. During the Mahabharata war, after the gruesome massacre of

the young Pandava children, Arjuna tracked down Aswatthama, the perpetrator of

the atrocity and dragged him before Droupadi. Instead of cursing the evil doer

and pronouncing the punishment for him, she fell at the feet of Aswatthama, the

son of her husbands' most revered Guru and said: "It is at the feet of your

father Dronacharya that my husbands have learnt all that they know. Being the

son of Dronacharya, was it proper on

your part to kill my children? How could you have the heart to kill them, who

were unarmed, young, quietly asleep, were not having any grudge against you and

were not contemplating any harm to you?"(Telugu poem) When Droupadi was praying

like this, Bheema could not bear to see this. Exploding in anger, he roared:

This Droupadi is a stupid woman, for she pleads for this wretch's freedom. She

feels no anger against this murderer of her sons.(Telugu poem) Meanwhile,

Arjuna was seething with anger and was about to kill Aswatthama. Droupadi fell

at his feet and reasoned with him thus: Arjuna! Will my sons be revived by

killing Aswathama? His mother too would experience the same kind of sorrow that

I am undergoing now at the loss of my sons. Having studied the Vedas and

Sastras, how is it that you are not able to maintain your tranquillity?(Telugu

poem) Droupadi further pleaded with Arjuna to forgive Aswatthama for his

heinous act. Arjuna replied, "You are preventing me from keeping up my vow." To

this, Droupadi said, "Tonsuring his head and removing the crown jewel from his

head is equivalent to killing him." As per Droupadi's advice and as a token of

punishment, Arjuna took the crown jewel from the head of Aswatthama and shaved

off the hair with his sword. In ancient times, the Rishis were not shaving off

their hair, since the hair was considered very sacred and powerful,

spiritually. This body (pointing to Himself) is nearly 80 years old. Still, the

hair on My head remains very strong and powerful to this day. I will tell you

more about the power of the hair on My head, later. Once, Droupadi was alone as

her husbands had gone out. She took out one strand of hair from her head and

dropped it in the water, chanting some Mantras. That single hair with the

potency of Mantras could bind all the hills around. Later on, a number of yogis

assembled together and enquired as to how a single hair

could bind all the hills around. They concluded that it was the strength of the

hair of Droupadi, and her will power that could perform this stupendous task.

It is difficult to comprehend such latent divine phenomenon. Unfortunately,

today man is unable to realise his innate divinity. Man, who is heir to the

humanness is forgetting the very quality of his humanness. He is cultivating

demonic qualities. Dear students! You have to avoid acquiring such demonic

nature and allow your natural humanness to blossom. Develop humanness and from

there rise to the level of divinity. Always remember three things – unity,

purity and divinity. Unity implies the oneness of human race. When there is

such unity in humanity, divinity manifests. Once, I went on a countrywide tour.

During that tour I went to the river Sindhu along with a saintly person.

Linguists know that some people pronounce Sindhu as Hindu. I stayed in Goa in

the Raj Bhavan when Nakul Sen was

the Lt. Governor of that State. His wife's name was Indu. I slept in the front

hall of the Raj Bhavan. Nakul Sen and his wife slept in their bedroom. There

was a window in their bedroom from where they could see what was happening in

the front hall. After I slept, Nakul Sen's wife saw through the window a

brilliant light emerging from My body. Unable to bear the effulgence of that

brilliant light, she tried to wake up her husband. Nakul Sen would not like to

be disturbed at that hour. He admonished her not to disturb him and to sleep

peacefully. But, she insisted that her husband should wake up and witness that

brilliant light emanating from Swami. At last, Nakul Sen woke up and had the

divine darshan of that effulgence.

In the early years of the advent of this Avatar, a great devotee by name Karnam

Subbamma used to serve Swami. Her devotion to Swami was unparalleled. In those

days, caste differences were widely prevalent and observed strictly in

Puttaparthi. Especially, the Brahmins used to keep distance from the Harijans.

Since, Subbamma was an orthodox Brahmin, she used to meticulously observe these

practices. One day, I informed Subbamma that I would be visiting the

Harijanwada. Subbamma felt very unhappy and tried to dissuade Me from going to

that place saying, "Oh! Swami! Why should You visit that place?" I asked her,

"Why should I not go? Why should I not eat the food offered by the Harijans? I

will certainly go there." So saying, I started for the Harijanwada. However, as

she was a great devotee of Swami and was very much attached to Him, she

followed. The people living in the Harijanwada were very poor. They had no

chairs or mattresses to

make Me seated comfortably. They spread an old dhoti on the floor and requested

Me to sit on that. In the meantime, I felt drowsy and fell asleep. Thereafter,

a big sound emanated from My navel, as though the roof over the building was

being blown off. The people in the house trembled in fear, on hearing that big

sound. All of them ran helter-skelter. Thus, the Divine power manifests from

the bodies of the Avatars, saints and yogis in many different ways. Long ago,

when I went to some African countries on tour, the devotees there presented Me

with a comb made of iron. However, I had no necessity for it. I do not use a

comb. If ever I put the brush on My hair, it will get stuck. My hair is so

thick and strong. Even if one wants to pull out one hair, it is not possible.

This is the nature of the hair of divine personalities. Not only Myself, every

individual has certain divine powers, which he should try to nurture. Today,

the youth are not making any effort to protect the

God-given power. They are frittering away the divine power in ever so many ways.

They waste a lot of power daily with the result they lose their energy and

become prematurely old. Especially, the head is the seat of all power. Hence,

one has to carefully protect the head. Embodiments of Divine Atma! You are all

men and women of noble qualities and strong in body and mind. But,

unfortunately, you are frittering away your energies in vain pursuits. You

become weak by wasting your energy. When I clench My fist not even ten persons

can prise it open. Even at the physical level the Divine power is immeasurable

and beyond description. All of you should try to realise this innate Divinity

in you, not for the sake of the physical strength, but to enjoy the divine

bliss. Embodiments of Love! The divine power latent in a human being has no

limits. Whether it is fine arts like music or any other human endeavour, when

it is suffused

with divine power, it reaches great heights. Hence, sanctify that divine power

by dedicating all your efforts to God.

Source: http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/BheemaRatha_Discourse.htm

 

 

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