A Dialogue with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba (This Jagath is GOD's Magic)

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Excerpt

from: Dialogue 3. “SANDEHA NIVARINI”CLEARANCE OF SPIRITUAL DOUBTS A Dialogues

withBhagawan Sri Sathya Sai

Baba

Swami: .... This Nama-Roopa (name-form) Prapancham, this Jagath is like

Indrajala or magician’s work, real only as long as you see it. So too the world

is real only so long as you experience with your Indriyas or senses.

That is to say, anything not experienced in the wakeful stage is taken as non-existent.

Under such circumstances, we say “Sath” for existence and “Asath” for non-existence.

Therefore, what do you say of this world? Is it “Sath” or “Asath”?

Bhaktha: It exists in experience in the wakeful stage, and so it is “Sath”; it

does not exist in the deep sleep stage and so it is “Asath.”

Swami: Oh! Sath, Asath, did you say? When these two words are added, we get

Sadasath, isn’t it? This is what is spoken of by us as Maya, do you know?

Bhaktha: Is that Maya similar to magic?

Swami: Is it not? “Indrajalam idam Sarvam”; all this is the magician’s work.

That is what the Rishis have been saying since ages.

Bhaktha: Then, there must be a performer of all this Indrajala, isn’t it?

Swami: Certainly, there is. That magician is God. He is endowed with countless

auspicious attributes.

The Maharshis have formed a name on the basis of each attribute and a form on

the basis of each name and attained Realisation meditating on those forms,

making the Attributeless Attributeful and the Formless Formful?

Is it not their experience that is being proclaimed through a thousand tongues?

In the Sastras, Vedas and the Upanishads have they not declared how they have

realised God in their Dhyana Samadhi, each in his own way, according to his

attitude and devotion and worship; how each has been blessed with the Vision of

the Lord and the actual consummation of Union with him?

Bhaktha: Yes Swami! I have understood that. But you said that name and form are

based on attributes. Kindly explain this to me.

Swami: Certainly. We must now pay attention to such important topics only

because the others are beyond your powers of imagination. Listen carefully.

Since the Lord pleases all, He is known as Rama. So also He is Premaswaroopa,

the embodiment of Love. He is Bhaktavatsala, full of affection to His devotees.

He is Krupasagara, Ocean of Mercy. In each such name and form, He has vouchsafed

Sakshathkaara (Direct perception of God) to Bhakthas and blessed them with

Sayujya (Merger in the Divine).

The Formless God assumes all forms in order to bless Bhakthas.

Bhaktha: I am happy. I am indeed so happy, Swami! Through Your Grace, I am

understanding quite clearly.Just one doubt: The Formless Paramathma, you said,

has countless names. Are all names and forms equal? Is there any difference?

Swami: What a question! All names and forms are certainly equal. Whatever name

and form are worshipped, the Lord is of that Unique Real swaroopa (Embodiment)

only. It is possible to realise Him through that name and form. But the Bhaktha

should pay attention to one matter. In whichever form the Lord is worshipped,

the favour prayed for the purpose must be one.

Bhaktha: What type of purpose, Swami?

Swami: Mumukshuthwam. Desire for Liberation. The Lord alone should be loved,

nothing else. Love That.

Meditate on That. That should be concretised. Finally, resolve that you be

merged in That. That type of acute desire alone one should have.

Bhaktha: True, Swami! I have understood well. As you said, I have heard many

stories from the Bhagavatha and the Ramayana of people who asked the Lord all

kinds of favours and brought about their own ruin.

Hiranyaksha, Ravana and Bhasmasura and others are remembered for their ways from

that day to this. You have said it clearly. It is something which Bhakthas

should carefully consider.

Swami: Well! There is no use simply nodding the head for everything, relishing

them as “true,” “true.” If it is firmly fixed in your heart that this is true

and this is good, thereafter it is necessary to put it into practice.

If you say that it is true so long as I speak and forget when you go away, this

listening itself is useless.

The food that is eaten is to remove hunger, not for being kept on the tongue,

away from the stomach. Then hunger will start again. So also, listening and not

acting accordingly, is useless.

Bhaktha: So far, you have told some important things, (1) The External World (2)

The Internal World (3) Bhagawan, the Lord.

Are these then separate entities, like cause and effect? Or are they connected one with the other?

Swami: Think about it yourself! For this I have already sent the reply in Prema

Vahini. It must have reached you today itself. Look into that. Look closely at

what is said there of the relationship between “he that serves,” “he that is

served,” and “the wherewithal of Service.”

Bhaktha: Swami, You said also Ksharam Aksharam; Nithyam Anithyam. Are there any other names too?

Swami: These two are known as Purusha (God or the Supreme Being) also.

They are said to be Chethana (super consciousness) and Achethana (nonconsciousness).

They are referred to as Jiva (“I” consciousness, individual) and Jada (Insentient, inert) also.

The Kshara Akshara Purushas are named in another context as Para (higher) and

Apara (lower)- prakritis (nature, sensory world).

If you contemplate with a clear intelligence you will find that only names

change. The Thing does not change.

Bhaktha: Then, Swami, just as Kshara Akshara have as synonym Purushas, has

Bhagawantha, the Lord, any such synonym?

Swami: Why? Bhagawan is well known by the very appropriate name, Purushotthama,

since He is the Highest of the Purushas.

Bhaktha: Oh! How sweet! What a sweet name! Did thePurushas originate from the Purushotthama?

Swami: Here comes the big problem. Once before also you asked, did it originate?

We must use correct words. Otherwise, we get wrong meanings. We should not say,

“originating” from Purushotthama. In Him they shine. I told you before that

these Purushas are indicated by the words, Para-Apara Prakriti, Jiva-Jada. This

word Prakriti gives the sense of Swabhava (nature, reality) and Sakthi (divine

energy), isn’t it?

Bhaktha: It does. I understand Purushotthama is one, His Prakriti is the second.

Swami: No. You are mistaken. Think again. Is there any difference between a

thing and its nature? Is it possible to separate and see the nature apart from

the thing? Still, you said “two.”

Bhaktha: ’Tis a mistake, Swami. It is wrong. No one can separate them. The two are one.

Swami: In current speech we say: sugar is sweet, the sun gives light, it is hot, etc.

Sweetness is in sugar, light is in the Sun. They are not separate; they are one.

Sweetness cannot be known unless sugar is placed on the tongue.

Without seeing the sun, light and heat cannot be known.

Thus, Bhagawan has two characteristics; when we speak of them as two, they are

referred to as Purusha and Prakriti; but they are really one.

Prakriti in the Bhagawan (this is what is known by the name Mahamaya) is

unmanifested and inseparable, like sweetness in sugar.

Avinabhaavasambandham means just this relationship. By mere Willing, this Maya

envelopes Bhagawan and manifests in the form of Cosmos or Brahmanda. This is

what is called Samashti-Viswaroopa, or Absolute-Full-World-Form.

It is this Absolute that expresses itself as Jagath, through the power of Avidya

(ignorance) according to the Divine Will.

Bhaktha: What is this, Swami? It was all so clear so far, but this word Avidya

newly used has upset my train of thought! I didn’t understand anything. Please

explain.

Swami: Don’t be in a hurry! Have you heard the word Vidya? Do you know its meaning?

Bhaktha: Certainly. Vidya means study!

Swami: Vidya means knowledge, Jnana. When “A” is added, it becomes Ajnana,

Ignorance. Though one, Ignorance takes multifarious forms.

Bhaktha: Yes, Swami. How did this Avidya come about? Where did it come from?

Swami: You know, don’t you, of light and darkness. Do they both exist at the same time?

Bhaktha: There can be no darkness when there is light nor light when there is darkness.

Swami: When there is light, where does darkness exist? When there is darkness,

where does light exist? Think well.

Bhaktha: This subject is very difficult, Swami! Still, I shall reply as best as

I can. Pardon me if I am wrong. Darkness must be in light; light must be in

darkness; how else can it be?

Swami: I will ask another small question. Answer me. This light and this

darkness; are they independent, or are they dependent on anything else?

Bhaktha: They are dependent on the Sun. When the Sun rises, it is light. When

the Sun sets, it is darkness.

Swami: Well, my boy, Vidya and Avidya are dependent on Bhagawan. Vidya has

another name, “Chith.” I shall describe to you all that, if you come next

month. If within that time all this is fully digested and practised, I shall

tell you the rest gladly.

Bhaktha: I shall use the power and knowledge You have endowed me with, as much

as possible, without any waste. Beyond that, it is all my Destiny and Your

Grace. I shall take leave with your permission.

Swami: Placing your burden on Destiny and keeping quiet means diminution of

effort. With effort and prayer, Destiny can be attained. Without effort and

prayer, Destiny and Grace are not gained. Start the effort! Well, my boy, go

and come gladly again.

Excerpt

from: Dialogue 3. “SANDEHA NIVARINI”CLEARANCE OF SPIRITUAL DOUBTS A Dialogues

withBhagawan Sri Sathya Sai

Baba