Swami teaches.. How is possible to understand the infinite Divinity?

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram Light and Love Swami teaches... 1 - 2 January 2006

How Is Possible to Understand the Infinite Divinity?

The Lord of the Universe permeates the entire Cosmos Remaining invisible

in the visible Universe, The Cosmic Consciousness illumines everything

The phenomenal world that is perceived by us is called Vishvam (the cosmos).

This Cosmos is Kaaryam (action or effect). Every action is preceded by a cause.

This cause is God. Hence, God and the Cosmos are related as Cause and Effect.

The relationship is interdependent and inseparable. There is no specific

proof for the Divine. He is called Aprameya (immeasurable). For such an

infinite being Time is the proof and Time is the basis. God is adored as

"Samvathsaraya Namah.Samvathsara" means Daivasvaruupam (the form of the

Divine). The mere passage of 365 days does not amount to Samvathsara.

Samvathsara refers to one who is the Kaalaatma (Time-Spirit). Spirit means

Brahman (the Supreme Absolute, Atma). The Brahman Principle refers to the

Chaithanyam (Cosmic Consciousness), that is omnipresent. Brahman (Atma) has no

specific form. It is present in all human beings as Consciousness.

How is the Brahman (Atma) experienced? It is the consciousness that is

experienced in the interval between one sankalpa (thought) and another. This

may be illustrated by an example. Once, a person holding a time-piece in hand

and listening to the endless tick-tick of the second-hand, asked the time-piece

whether it has any rest at all. The time-piece announced: “You simpleton! I have

all the rest I need. It is the interval between one tick and another!" The

"rest" is' given by the "Rest watch.Watch" means "look out." Seeing the

watch, you have to look at the "rest" indicated by it. This is the way lessons

are learnt in their spiritual journey.

To recognise the Brahman, human has to comprehend the nature of that which

transcends Time. Time is consuming the body. God is the Consumer of Time

itself. Hence, the Vedhas have declared that Time is powerless against those

who have taken refuge in the Over-Lord of Time. Time has no relations or

friends. Time is not subordinate to anyone. All are subject to Time. Hence, if

one has to realise the Divine, who is the Lord of Time, one has to carry out

His injunctions. God looks with love only at such a person. One has to have a

broad mind in order to understand the infinite Divinity.

 

Texts on devotion dwell at great length on the worship of the Personal and

the Impersonal God,or of the Form-full and the Formless God. This problem too

is considered and solved in the Bhagavad Gita. So long as human is afflicted

with the delusion that he/she is the body and so long as he/she is attached to

it and attracted by it, he/she cannot conceive the abstract, impersonal and

formless entity. Nor can human stay without interruption on the Personal as the

ultimate basis. Human has need for both the Form and the Formless. They are as

the two wings for a bird, the two wheels for the cart and the two legs of the

human being. Both are valuable and valid for the devoted seeker, though

Personal is not as lasting as the Impersonal.

 

A pictorial example. In order to make a child understand that the word

'chair', you have to draw the picture of a chair and write the letters

underneath. When once a child has learnt to identify the the temporary form,

the chair with the the formless eternal - the word, the picture is eliminated;

the word remains. The word, hence forward, represents the thing, the concrete

material visible thing. If no chair existed, the word chair could not have

emerged. (The objection may be raised that words like sky-flowers or

castles-in-the-air do not denote any concrete tangible reality. But these are

not words, they are compounds, artificial strings of words). The word God

emerged to indicate an entity that was experienced. A 'nothing', 'nonexisting

being' needs no name. The name is evidence of the thing. The word God is

evidence of the Divine Phenomenon.

Consider another example of Form and No-form. Take this pillow. You described

it as cotton enclosed in a cloth bag. I disclose that the cloth too is cotton.

The shapeless, formless cotton has become yarn and by dealing with the yarn as

warp and wool the cloth has put in form for the bag and the pillow. From

the Form to the Formless, from the Formless to the Form both processes are

possible and progressive. The Personal God is an expression, a symbol, a

representation of the Impersonal God. The Impersonal does personate and assumes

Form and Attributes. This is the very Nature of the Divine.

Through listening to the glories of God, you become avid to praise Him; serve

Him and His devotees, worship Him as if He is present before you, and be in His

company all your life, with no other thought than that joy. For such dedicated

seekers all else will seem bitter and unattractive. Such is the path of Bhakthi

(devotion).

But most devotees seek health, wealth, power and fame from God, which are

all trivial assets yielding momentary pleasure. Divine Grace can confer the

most precious gift of His Love. Human may assert with the pride of achievement

that he/she loves God. That takes him only half-way through. But how can human

become 'dear' to God? Does God respond with me priyo narah, (he is dear to me)?

Only then can human claim to have achieved Grace.

The true devotee has six qualities that is dear to God. It is such a

devotee whom God loves.

Anapekshah: In this world, human, with the body, senses and mind cannot be

free from desires. But how is to become Anapeksha (free from expectation)? When

one performs actions, regarding him/herself, as the doer, the actions become

fetters that bind person. All actions which are performed with the feeling that

they are intended as offerings to please the Divine, do not lead to bondage.

They become Anapeksha (desireless actions). One has to recognise that it is the

Divine principle in all beings which is getting all actions done through human

beings as instruments. As long as human regards as the doer and enjoyer one

cannot escape from the consequences of actions.

Shuchih: This refers to purity. For the proper enjoyment of all things,

purity of mind is essential. Whatever sacred acts you may do in the external

world, if you have no purity of mind and heart, all of them are valueless. The

food cooked in an untinned vessel will be spoilt even if all the ingredients

are good. Likewise, in the vessel of the heart, the inside must be purified by

Prema (love). Then, all that one consumes will be wholesome. Hence, purity is

vital for all aspirants. Actions done with an impure heart can only produce

undesirable results.Whatever good results you want to secure in the external

world, inner purity is the basis.

Dakshah: This refers to the determination that is needed to accomplish

anything. One must havethe fortitude and resoluteness to achieve one's purpose,

whatever might be the obstacles in theway. Daksha signifies this quality of

unwavering determination in the devotee.

Udhaaseenah: One who is unaffected by whatever happens. This means that one

should be totally free from selfishness. One must consider the performance of

duties as the sole purpose of existence. The human body is the result of past

actions. The body is the primary requisite for the performance of Dharma (right

action).Indifferent to fame or blame, not seeking power or position, one should

perform one's duties selflessly. Do not be swayed by any consideration other

than your duty. Whether it be in a political organisation or in regard to a

personal matter, or in relation to national issues, you should act according to

the dictates of your conscience, without any other concern.

(One can become a courageous leader only if he performs the duties in this

spirit. All actions must be donein a spirit of service. Only one who serves is

fit to become a leader).

Gathavyathah: Vyathah refers to anguish in the mind. Falling a prey to

mental anguish, human is totally confused. Human has a tendency to brood over

the past. Of what use it is to worry about what has happened? Nor should one

worry about the future which is unknown and uncertain. Bear in mind only the

present. The present is the product of the past and the parent of the future.

When you act properly in the present, the future will take care of itself. Do

what is appropriate for the present moment. If there are no expectations, there

will be no disappointments. This is the way to get rid of mental anguish -

Gathavyathah.

Sarvaarambha-parithyaagee: This means do not give room for ostentation in

any of your undertakings. The world today is immersed in ostentation and

egoism. What does it matter whether the world praises you or decries you? For

instance, why should a devotee show off the devotion to earn the approbation of

others? Devotion must be for pleasing the Lord and not for earning the approval

of the world. In the spiritual path, what matters is the inner joy you

experience. That is the key to self-satisfaction. Sarvaarambha parithyaagee

means one who is prepared to relinquish all his possessions and acquisitions

including wealth, knowledge and strength.

Human is redeemed by the six qualities mentioned in the above mentioned Gita

shloka. Without cultivating these qualities, without cherishing such pure

feelings, what is the use of immersing one's self in so-called devotion? It is

only a hallucination, which cannot lead human to the experience of the Divine.

The Gita also emphasises two qualifications: ever contented and with firm

resolve. Devotee has to be contented and cheerful always, without regard for

the changing tides of fortune. It should not be a pose, a passing phase, an

artificial, superficial show. The devotee therefore must desist from attempts

to earn joy or avoid grief and to be unconcerned with ups and downs.The devotee

welcomes gratefully whatever happens or is given to him/her by the Divine Will,

to which he/she has surrendered own will. Firm resolve is the other

requisite. Of course, all people possess this qualification; it is an asset

that assures survival, and secures popularity and pre-eminence. Those who climb

Himalayan peaks derive the tenacious courage, that sustains them, from the

firmness of their resolve not to turn back. Others exhibit their heroism in

crossing tumultuous oceans alone. Some others resolve on exploring fearful

forests. Firmness of resolution, bravery and skill are utilised even for

merciless torture of others to rob them of their riches. (Ignoring their

innerdivinity and setting aside their human-ness, some people descend to

demonic levels and becomefanatically cruel). We have to conclude that firm

resolve can serve good purposes as well as evil.

For example, Valmiki, when he was a robber Ratnakara, used his courage and

adventurousness in vicious and wicked ways. Contact with the Seven Sages and

their teachings made him direct the same qualities towards Rama. He was

transformed so completely that he became the author of the Ramayana.

In the pilgrimage of life Truth is, what is one and the same for all

countries in all periods of time. Sathya (truth), Dharma (righteousness), and

Thyaga (sacrifice) constitute humanness. Sathya is Neethi (morality), Dharma is

Reethi (code of conduct), and Thyaga is Khyathi (reputation). The combination of

all these three qualities of human race. When Neethi and Reethi declines in a

person, or a society, or a nation, that person, society or nation faces

destruction. The loss of morality may even result in the destruction of an

entire civilisation built up through centuries.

It is seva taken up as sadhana what teaches fortitude, humanity and

experience of human values equally in all countries. Krishna- Avatar

demonstrated the supreme importance of seva. He attended the sacrifice and

asked to be allotted some service. He preferred the service of removing the

leaves on which food was served for the thousands who were fed every day.

 

Nature sets an ideal to the entire humanity to imbibe the spirit of

sacrifice and lead a spiritual life. The world is temporary and full of misery,

so contemplate on God. Under these circumstances, why is human not able to

cultivate the spirit of sacrifice?

Since there is no end to desires, human is subjected to endless misery. In

order to get rid of his misery, human should follow the ideals of Nature.

Nature is the best preacher. Nature is endowed with two aspects. One is related

to the worldly view and the other to the spiritual view. All that you see, hear,

and think is related to the physical world. The unmanifest principle of the Atma

is the basis for this manifest Nature what is as mansion. You can see its

grandeur and beauty of Nature, but not its foundation. The body can be compared

to a mansion and the mind to its foundation. Just as the mansion is based on its

foundation, likewise the body is based on the mind. If the mind is steady, so

too is the body, and vice versa.

 

Every nation in the world has developed its institutions and way of life on

the basis of its cultural traditions, its system of values, and its historic

circumstances. These institutions and value systems cannot be transplanted to

other countries whose history, culture and circumstances are different. There

is no meaning in one country simply imitating or copying the management

practices of another. What is good or suitable for one country need not

necessarily be good for another. However, there are some things which are

common to all business organisations in any country. These relate to such

matters as accounts, production procedures, maintenance of statistics,

materials management and the like what in general concern to business ethics

and human relations.

(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 8. "Ask the right

question," Chapter 1 and "The Super-emperor," Chapter 2; Sathya Sai Speaks.

Vol. 19. "Near and Dear," Chapter 16 and "Give due place for Indian values,"

Chapter 17; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 26. "Purity - the path to Divinity,"

Chapter 1; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 32. Part 2. "Recognise the principle of

‘I’," Chapter 3). Namaste - Reet