Swami teaches... Paths to realise the Divine Power in the labyrinth of life

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

Light and Love

Swami teaches.... (1-4 September 2005)

Paths to Realise the Divine Power in the Labyrinth of Life

Once upon a time the demons were present in small numbers. But today it

is difficult to tell who is a demon and who is a human being. Today, instead of

gratitude we have cruelty. People do not hesitate to do harm to those who have

done them good. Instead of trying to do good even to those who have done them

harm, how wicked it is to do harm to those who have done good to them? The

whole world is ravaged by unrest and fear. Today people mainly suffer from two

bad qualities which are undermining their humanness. These are envy and hatred.

A beautiful tree with rich foliage can be destroyed by a pest operating at its

roots. Envy is such a pest. Envy is a self-consuming malady. It is incurable.

People have to consider seriously the root cause for the chaos, the injustice,

the falsehood and the disorder in which the world is caught up today. Seeing

bad things, listening to bad things, bad speech, bad thoughts and bad deeds -

energy is being wasted in all these five ways.

The old are lost in brooding over the past and lamenting the passing of "the

good old days." The young are concerned about planning their future, their jobs,

manage, family and so on. Both are ignoring their duties in the present. They do

not realise that the present is both a product of the past and the seed for the

future. Decide to do your duty in the present.

 

Brahmasri Mudigonda Pichayya Shaasthry called life a labyrinth, from which

few can escape, though all have entered it easily. The labyrinth was

constructed by Kumbhaja, which means, one born in intelligence, Brahman Itself,

for, Brahman is the Supermost Wisdom. Through the pure mind alone can the chain

be broken, the tangle cleared. The pure mind reflects the Reality clearly, the

Reality of God that is the basis of One - Self as well as the objective world.

That vision gives immeasurable, inexpressible bliss. Of what avail is all

the loud chanting, praying, singing and wailing, when the heart is soiled by

egoism and selfish desire? A person behaving so might be taken by ordinary

mortals as highly devoted to the spiritual path; but, deep in disturbed

consciousness, person will be tormented by anxiety and fear. On the other hand,

a person might appear poor, distressed, and depressed, to ordinary mortals; he

might not have the exterior demonstration of devotion. But, God would be ever

installed in his heart, guiding and guarding him.

 

Very often it seems, in spite of all efforts, the Divine Grace has forgot

human beings. The fault lies in the belief that things happen as a result of

human effort and planning, human intelligence and care. No one can succeed in

any venture without Divine Grace.

This reminds a story. A poor simple villager made his first rail journey. He

purchased a ticket and entered a compartment; he found it occupied already by a

few passengers who had kept their boxes, bundles and odd items of luggage on

the racks or under the benches on which they sat. They were unconcerned with

the extra effort that the engine would have to make to dragalong those boxes

and bundles. How cruel of them, the villager thought. The engine has to pull

along their weights, and now they are imposing on the train, this additional

burden too. He for one was not going to inflict this extra trouble on the poor

thing; so he kept his box on his shoulder and his bundle on his head. He

believed that he was carrying his box and bundle along, and not the engine.

Most people behave in the same silly fashion, ignoring the fact that human

being is an instrument in the Lord's hands and can dedicate all the actions to

Him. Faith in this fact is the key to peace and joy. (However, if you give up

forbearance and forgiveness, and you have any noble qualities of character, you

will have no peace).

 

Where the six qualities of zeal, determination, courage, intelligence,

ability and heroism are present, there Divine help is manifest. In any

field, at any time, for any person who is endowed with all these six precious

qualities, success is assured. All success attends on one with these six

qualities. However, these qualities confront various difficulties from time to

time. They are stepping stones to one's high achievements. These trials are in

the form of losses, troubles, pains, sufferings and calumny. One has to

overcome these troubles with courage and self-confidence and go ahead. Without

self-confidence the six qualities cannot be acquired. It may be asked: "What

is the benefit one derives from these six good qualities?" The answer is that

you will secure both worldly and spiritual benefits from these qualities.

Self-confidence is helpful to secure advancement of the individual, but it

is not enough to promote the welfare of the society or the world. A whetstone

is used for sharpening the razor and nor for making the stone smoother.

Similarly good qualities have to be fostered for refining one's nature. These

qualities are essential like the different limbs in a body for its well-being

as a whole. Good qualities enable one to lead a good life. But even for the

good life a price has to be paid. That price is good conduct what is most

essential. Morality is based on good conduct. (People without morals perish. It

is the decline in morality that is responsible for many troubles over the

planet. Morality cannot be had from the books or from the market. It has to

come from the heart). This means that you derive the happiness that results

from a good conduct when you discharge your duties. Pleasures are of two kinds:

temporary and lasting. Permanent happiness can be got only by performing your

duties. First do your duty and then enjoy the fruits.

When human fills the mind what is a bundle of good and bad thoughts with

good and pure thoughts, he/she becomes pure and leads a pure life. Sacred, pure

and helpful activities constitute right conduct. It is such conduct that is

conducive to the blossoming of human excellence. The protective grace of the

Divine Will free people from fear. The only method which you can adopt to

escape from the coils of the mind is the cultivation of pure intelligence. This

is the sum and substance of all spiritual discipline. And, the intelligence gets

cleansed of all partiality and prejudice, hatred and greed, only by the

adoration of God through love poured out to all the beings created by God and

standing witness to His Glory and Beauty. The mind should escape from the

grips of the senses and yield to the reins of the reasoning faculty, and obey

unquestioningly its dictates. The senses are inert, so long as the Self keeps

away from inducing the mind to accept the information submitted by them. The

eye that sees is inert; all objects 'seen' are inert; only the seer is

'intelligent.' And, the current of intelligence is supplied by the Atma, which

is your Reality. Mind has to function with the help of the Divine Consciousness

within.

The mind has to be watched vigilantly, and warned against its own tricks. It

is a clever actor, embroiling you in many a close adventure. Remember also, the

mind is a very talkative imp, it can never keep quiet even for a second. The

mind has been holding conversation with itself, when it is supposed to be

silent. Give it perpetual tasks. Ask it, to climb a pillar and slide down it,

whenever it has no other work. The pillar is Soham, (I am Thath), a manthra

that the breath is repeating from birth to death, 'So' when you inhale and

'ham' when you exhale. When that chirp does not emanate from the breath, the

body is a corpse. You might forget any other saadhana (spiritual discipline)

or any other duty to yourself - but, the breath never.

Philosophy tells that the mind decides, not merely the goodness or badness

of a thing or experience, it creates all things and all experiences. Without

the mind, there can be no object or feeling or emotion. That is why the mind is

helpless when meditation has to be done on the nameless and the formless. Mind

clings ever to name-form.

But, God is beyond Name and Form; He is all names and all forms and yet,

incomprehensible and mysterious. How then can God be apprehended by means of

dhyaana (meditation) on name-form? This is a legitimate question. It can be

answered by means of a simile. Water drowns and also helps human to swim. In

the same way, name and form which appear to be limitations and handicaps can

serve as instruments and helps to transcend Name-Form and realise God.

 

Everyone has five advisers in life. They are who; when, where, what and how.

Before undertaking any action, answers should be got for these five questions.

When the correct answers are got, the actions based on them will be the right

one. All the instruments for this purpose are available to everyone in

hisorgans of perception and action. In every limb and organ there is a divine

power. There is no need to search for the Divine outside yourself. All your

powers are Divine potencies. Without understanding own Self, how can one

understand the world or achieve anything worthwhile?

You must base your lives on truth and righteousness and should be prepared

to face any challenges with courage and confidence. One who is always blissful

will overcome all difficulties.

Life is a game, play it! Life is a challenge, meet it! Life is a

dream, realize it! Life is love, enjoy it!

 

Society and the world need the inspiring examples of ideal leaders. There

are, no doubt, individuals who are exemplars in their particular fields. But it

is rare to find any one person who is an ideal in every respect. It is possible

for God alone to be such an ideal. For example, Lord Sri Krishna stands out as

a unique ideal figure, exemplifying the highest qualities in every respect -

social, political, ethical and spiritual.

To set an example in humility and reverence to the world, the Lord Krishna

engages Himself in apparently trivial activities and teaches the lessons to be

learnt from them. On occasions, the Lord (in human form) can be harsh and

relentless. He will declare the truth without mincing words.

Below is a short story about the Lord Krishna's actions on this aspect.

Dharmaja wanted to perform Rajasooya Yajna (sacrificial ritual for

Paramountcy). Krishna told Dharmaja that if he wanted to perform the this

ritual he should first conquer these powerful rulers. (Misinterpreting the

purport of Krishna's advice, some people characterised him as an instigator of

wars. Krishna did not call on Dharmaja to go to war. All that he told him was

about the qualifications required for performing the Rajasooya Yajna). Then,

Dharmaja took counsel with his brothers and effected the conquest of powerful

rulers Sisupala, Jarasandha and others. When the Rajasooya Yajna began, each of

the brothers was allotted a specific function. Krishna also approached Dharmaja

respectfully and pleaded for some function to be assigned to him, saying: "As

the world sees it, you (Dharmaja) are the Overlord and I am the subject. Hence,

please assign to me some task in this Yajna." Dharmaja answered: “I owe

everything to you. You are the ruler and I am only your servant." Krishna

replied: “What you have said as a devotee is true. But from the worldly point

of view, as a king you have to respect the obligations prescribed for the king.

You must distinguish your obligations to God and your secular duties as a

ruler." This distinction is as true today as it was in the olden days.

Individual Freedom and Fundamental Law are distinct things. Krishna urged that

he should be allotted a specific task. Dharmaja said, "Krishna, you take up any

assignment that you like." Krishna retorted: “For taking up any assignment of my

choice I need not ask you. I wish to do what you would like me to do." The

argument between the two went on for a long while and ultimately Krishna said

he would like to be responsible for receiving the scholars and the priests who

would be attending the yajna, washing their feet and doing all honours to them.

Here is an illustration of how Krishna set an example in the elimination of

the ego. Why should Krishna, who was such a great and powerful personality,

take upon himself such a humble task as washing the feet of pandits? The moral

is clear. One who aspires to be a leader should show qualities of leadership in

every field. It was to serve an example to the world in every sphere that

Krishna undertook many tasks and never considered anything as too small or

trivial. One should understand the ideals set for humanity by God in His human

incarnation and live up to them.

 

Living in society, you have to understand the interaction between the

individual and society. It is a continuous process of give and take. The

individual contributes to society and derives benefits from the society. This

interaction may be understood from an episode from the life of Einstein.

In the ward in which Einstein was living, there was a girl who was weak in

mathematics and was repeatedly failing in that subject. A friend suggested to

her that if she went to Einstein, the greatest living mathematician, he would

help her to learn the subject well. The girl approached Einstein and he readily

agreed to give her tuition everyday. The girl's mother, who had observed her

daughter going to the great mathematician for tuition everyday, felt that the

little girl was wasting Einstein's time by asking him to teach her elementary

mathematics. She went one day to Einstein and apologised to him for her

daughter's intrusion on his valuable time. Einstein told her: "Do not think I

am just teaching mathematics to her. I am learning as many things from her as I

am teaching her." Einstein was conscious that people who might excel in some

subject might be lacking in general knowledge or common sense and knowledge of

worldly matters. Even though he was a great scientist, he did not disdain to

learn quite a few things from a young school girl. This readiness to learn from

any person or source is the real mark of greatness. The greatness of any

individual depends upon the reform of his character. It does not depend upon

his power, money or position. (Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol.

12. "The Labyrinth," Chapter 50 and "The mind stuff," Chapter 54; Sathya Sai

Speaks. Vol. 20. "Become beacon-light," Chapter 17 and "The Avatar as the

Ideal," Chapter 18; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 30. "Let Prema and Thyaaga be your

ideals," Chapter 1).

 

Namaste - Reet