Swami teaches... Offer service, glorify God's name and receive Grace

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Sai Ram Light and Love Swami teaches...

Offer Service, Glorify God's Name and Receive Grace

Life sustained by food is short; life sustained by the Atma (Divine Spirit)

is eternal. Do not lay claim to long life, but to Divine life. Do not pine for

more years on earth, but for more virtues in the heart. The Buddha knew and

made known to the world the truths:

Everything is grief.

Everything is empty.

Everything is brief.

Everything is polluted. So the wise person has to do the duties cast upon

with discrimination, diligence and detachment. Play the role, but keep your

identity unaffected. Have your head in the forest ashram (retreat), unaffected

by the aimlessly rushing world. But you cannot escape duty, fully engage

yourself in your work, unconcerned with loss or gain, failure or success,

slander or praise.

Sit quiet for a few minutes and ponder over the fate of those who run

towards the mirage. Are they happy? Have they the strength to bear distress and

distinction, with equanimity? Have they a glimpse of the Beauty, the Truth, the

Grandeur of the Universe, the Handiwork of God? Have they the vision of

themselves as the centre of the Universe?

It is your own Divine Reality which you can cognise in the silence of your

own dhyana (meditation), when you shut out of your awareness the distraction of

the senses, the mind and the ego. You can take refuge in the calm coolness of

your heart where He has installed Himself as the Charioteer.

Before you were born, there was no world for you. After you die, there is no

world of which you are conscious. To get this jnana (knowledge) fixed, you have

to pass through the preparatory schools of karma and upasana. Karma (dedicated

activity) helps to cleanse the heart of egoistic impulses; upasana

(contemplation) helps to focus attention on the Universal and the Absolute.

Then jnana emerges.

Karma and upasana depend upon the dharma of the particular stage of life, as

well as the guna that rules you. (Even amritha will be harmful to life, if it is

drunk through the nose). There is a way of life, a method of uplift, a path of

progress, distinct for every seeker, different from those of others.

By Vedic wisdom the Karma Kanda (rituals) is primary. It has its origin in

Brahman. The Rishis receded the Vedic intimations and propagated their message.

The second stream is the scriptural heritage of the Puranas. In this Duty is

paramount. The Rishis acquired them and spread their message. Both these

streams are of equal validity. The goal of Karma is Jnana and for Jnana,

Karma is the base. To combine the two in practice constitutes Seva. Good

conduct is the right source of strength to a human. Good qualities like

forbearance and sacrifice lend fragrance to the life. Through right conduct,

the mind is puttied and a pure mind leads to Atmic bliss.

Hence, the duties that are enjoined on one have to be discharged. The

foremost duty of human is to do good deeds with a pure heart. It is not right

to entertain the slightest desire for enjoying the fruits of these actions.

Egoism and desire are the cause of bondage to Karma. Desire is the barrier

between the pure mind and devotion to the Self.

Karma yoga teaches how actions should be performed. It enjoins duty for

duty's sake. It enables human to recognise the image of the Divine within.

The underlying truth of Karma Yoga is the demonstration of the unity that

subsumes the diversity in the universe. Nishkama Karma (desireless action)

demonstrates and promotes the Love principle. The tendency to distinguish

between the spiritual path, the path of service and the path of knowledge and

regard them asseparate is wrong. The three are not distinct; they are one. Seva

(service) is spiritual knowledge. Seva is the primary means to acquire Divine

Grace. Without being a devoted follower you cannot become a worthy leader.

Without being a Kinkara (one who is ready to do any work) you cannot become a

Sankara (The Divine). Service to society is the highest good. Without putting

into practice the decision taken, what is the use of endless debates and long

resolutions? Conferences of such a nature are a waste of time and money. (You

must try to implement at least one or two of the decisions).

Sathya Dharma, Shanthi, Prema and Ahimsa (Truth, Right Conduct, Love, Peace

and Non-violence) are in us like the pancha pranas (five vital airs). We think

that the five pranas (Prana, Apana, Udana, Samana and Vyana) are protecting this

body. But it is Truth, Right Conduct, Love, Peace and Non-violence which give

real happiness to the body. These are the real Pancha Pranas.

Render service to society with these principles in your mind and with

broad-minded dedication to the well-being of all.

Practise what you preach. Act according to what you say.

Don't preach what you do not practice.

Vyasa has said: "If you cannot do what you talk about, that is sin. To do

what you say is putty." The Vedic injunction, given through the sages, is

"Sathyam vada; Dharmam chara" - Speak the Truth; walk in the path of Virtue. No

one has right to advise others, unless one is already practising what he/she

preaches. World welfare and peace cannot be achieved without selfless service

to mankind.

 

There must be harmony between what is said and what is done. All spiritual

exercises are efforts to control the mind and prepare it for the journey to the

Divine. Knowing the way is not enough. The path must be traversed to reach the

destination. That journey is service to the society. This service must be done

with the awareness that the Divine dwells in every heart, in every individual

and in every living thing.

To worship this Supreme Self residing in all beings and to experience this

Self no separate temple or shrine is necessary. The eternal Self resides in

this temple of the body as the Divine that sustains the individual Jiva (Self).

 

The path to Self-realisation lies through Love and Service. Cultivation of

Love is the first step. Faith is the basis for Love. Self-confidence is the

basis of Faith. When Faith and Love are combined Peace is attained. In Peace

resides Truth. Truth reveals the power of Thyaga (sacrifice), which holds the

key to immorality.

Seva must be done hand in hand in comradeship. This will demonstrate the

unity of the Cosmic Being. The heart does not blossom out through the mere

study of books or by listening to discourses. It is only the cultivation of

Love that breaks the knots binding the heart.

 

Swami's philosophy does not lie in encouraging devotees to sit in a comer,

control their breath andgo on uttering, "Soham! Soham! Soham!" "Oh, Sadhak!

Arise! Plunge into social service!" This is Swami's message. No room should be

given for laziness and indifference. A life not dedicated to service is like a

dark temple. It is the abode of evil spirits. (Do not waste your time in

profitless talk. Of what avail is it to mouth expressions such as: the Lord

isAll-knowing, Omnipresent and Omnipotent? You clap your hands when these

epithets are used, delving pleasure from simply hearing them).

In creation, in the objective world, no one article is like any other. No

two human beings are similar in every respect; there is some twist or turn

which distinguishes one from the rest. Each has own peculiar experiences.

Immense diversity prevails. Nor is an individual the same for any length of

time. The infant changes into a child, then into a boy/girl, an adolescent, an

adult, and soon becomes middle-aged, old, decrepit and, finally, senile.

But it is the Absolute Reality which you are. (In Atmic Reality are no two

distinct entities or categories called material and spiritual. All distinctions

are apparent, not real. Atma, Self has no death, no birth). You know in the

very depths of your being that 'you are and will be,' that is the

characteristic of Sath (Existence Being). All beings have it. You are also

eager to 'know', 'to expand by knowledge,' 'to reach out.' All beings have it,

this urge for expression. That is the characteristic of Chith (Awareness). You

seek 'joy'; all beings do so. That is the characteristic of Ananda (Divine

Bliss). The Ananda in you seeks its kin everywhere, in everything. That is why

it is said, Sath-Chith-Ananda is the link between Thath and Thwam, the

particular and the universal. Human must seek refuge in the changeless, the

Paramatma (Supreme Reality), from which all variety emerges, and into which it

merges. Then only can be secure peace and contentment. The past is past; do not

lose time looking back on the road you have traversed. Look forward, deciding to

march on with confidence and courage. Take the first step NOW. Tomorrow may be

too late.

 

You may have the best of vegetables, you may be the most capable cook, but,

if the copper vessel in which you prepare the vegetable soup is not tinned, the

concoction you cook will be highly poisonous. So "tin" your heart with Sathya,

Dharma, Shanthi, Prema and Ahimsa, it will then become a vessel fit for

repeating holy name or symbols, meditation, religious vows, pilgrimage,

ritualistic worship and the other dishes that you prepare in it. However, the

quest for God does not mean doing japa, singing bhajans, perform other kinds of

worship. These are merely means for achieving mental concentration and subduing

desires and aversions. Why cry out, asking: "Where is God?" He resides in the

heart. Thereby experience the bliss of Self-realisation.

The name of the Lord has been glorified in many different ways all over the

world. Remembrance of the Lord's name is the method of crossing over the ocean

of the worldly life for this age. It is impossible to describe the sweetness

and sacredness of the name of the Lord. The intensity of the devotion with

which you repeat the name of the Lord will yield commensurate benefits and

confer joy on you. You may doubt whether such a small word like Rama or Sai or

Krishna can take you across the boundless sea of worldly life. People cross

vast oceans on a tiny raft; they are able to walk through dark jungles with a

tiny lamp in their hands. The Name, even the Pranava (Om) which is smaller, has

vast potentialities. The raft need not be as big as the sea.

The Lord is Anandamaya (of the nature of Bliss); He is also Ananda (the

Divine bliss), which is to be tasted through the Name. It is Sath-Chith-Ananda

(Being-Awareness-Bliss Absolute).

 

Today, the Kali Yuga has become Kalmasha Yuga alias the age of impurity.

Today people spend most of their time watching the TV and Video screens. Is it

any surprise if children born in these circumstances are TV products? In olden

times, when a woman was enceinte, she used to hear stories about Prahlada,

Rama, Krishna and other noble characters. The child in the womb was influenced

by such stories.

Life today is filled with sorrow, it is beset with fear and despair. The

only time you can forget these thoughts and strengthen yourself to meet the

hard times is when you contact the Source of all strength, God. You cannot get

that peace and joy while you bend under the burden of daily life. You are

carrying a huge load of worry all day; keeps that aside for an hour every

evening and spend that time with God who can make your shouldersstrong and your

burden light.

Certainly you will relish the bhajans as you make it a daily function, like

eating and sleeping. Bhajan has been a part of Indian's culture, a part of the

Sanathana Dharma (Eternal Universal Religion) tradition. Great streams of

Higher Wisdom have been flowing in this land from ancient times.

Congregational singing of bhajans is the best. There is a big difference

between Keerthanam and Sankeerthanam. Keerthanam is an individual affair. It is

singing by an individual for the fulfilment of prayers.

(Through genuine prayer, mountains of evil can be pulverised and destroyed).

Sankeerthanam aims at the well-being of the whole universe. This is also

described as community singing. This method of singing bhajans was first

initiated by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Sankeerthana aims at

demonstrating unity in diversity. When all the participants combine to sing in

unison with one voice, it is described as Sankeerthana.

Sankeerthana is of four kinds: 1. Guna Sankeerthana applies to the kind

of bhajan in which the devotee recites the auspicious qualities of the Divine,

experiences oneness with the Divine, and acquires the Godly qualities. Gita

Govindam is a form of Guna Sankeerthana. 2. Leela Sankeerthana refers to

the enjoyment by the devotee of the sacred sport of the Divine in ecstatic

dancing and singing and being totally absorbed in it. This is exemplified by

the Gita Govindam of Jayadeva. 3. Bhaava Sankeerthana is illustrated by

Radha alone, who expresses her different feelings towards God and identifies

herself with the Divine in every mood of devotion. She expressed her devotion

in the five forms of Santha (Serenity), Sakhya (friendliness), Vaatsalya

(eternal love), Anuraaga (affection)and Madhura (sweetness). Radha and Meera

were the exponents of Bhaava Sankeerthana. 4. Naama Sankeerthana: Chaithanya

was the exponent of this form of Keerthana. "All names are yours. There is

nothing in this cosmos which does not bear the imprint of your name or form.

Chaithanya revelled in singingthe name of the Lord as signifying all that was

beautiful and glorious in the Universe.

The essence of Sankeerthana is to earn the love of God. Combining one's

voice, tune, feeling and rhythm to the appropriate beat of the song, the

devotee should immerse himself in the singing. Harmonising the feeling with

devotion and Love, the sacred words of the song should be an outpouring of love

towards God. Bhaava (feeling), Raaga (melody) and Thaala (rhythm) are the

essentials for proper singing.

Community singing ia a sacred devotional exercise. Even if you have no

musical ability, utter the names of the Lord with feeling and love. There is no

greater means of God-realisation in the Kali Yuga than chanting the names of the

Lord. Dhyana (meditation) in Kritha Yuga, Yajna (sacrifice) in Thretha Yuga,

Archana (worship of idols) in Dwapara Yuga and Naama Sankeerthana (Reciting the

name of the Lord) in Kali Yuga are the methods prescribed for realising the

Divine.

Many pandits recite the names as slokas (verse). When the names are sung

melodiously they appeal to the hearts of the singers and the listeners. Even

non-believers and agnostics nod their heads in appreciation when they listen to

devotional music. Everyone, whether one is well-versed in music or not,

should listen attentively to the singer and try to repeat the words of the song

with feeling.

Some persons attending bhajans do not move their lips at all. They may say

that they are singing the songs mentally within themselves. This is not proper.

If you have devotional feeling, it should be expressed by the tongue joining in

the bhajan. Only then can it be called Sankeerthana - singing in unison with

others.

The recitation of the names of the Lord are cleansing singers' minds and

will help to purify the atmosphere as a result of the sacred sound waves

getting absorbed in the atmosphere.

 

The Sastras describing the various forms of bhakthi (devotion) mentioned

that the bhaktha is like the needle which is always drawn towards the magnet.

But the needle has to be near enough; it has also to be clean enough. You stay

far away and complain that Grace has not come. You come near for some time and

stray away into the distance. It is not physical distance. You may be

physically far, but mentally by Swami's side. Swami does not measure distance

in miles or metres.

You come to Puttaparthi, secure a picture, and taking it home, begin

worshipping it every day or every Thursday; but, all that is simply sathkarma

(good activity). They won't take you far. You must develop sath-guna, virtues,

good habits, good attitudes, good characteristics, a good character. Realize

the nobler-goal of selfillumination, of lighting the lamp of love inside, and

sharing the light of that lamp with all around him/her.(Reet's compilation

from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 5. "Close the windows and save the lamp, Chapter

1and "Aspire for the nobler role," Chapter 11; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 13. "The

message of love," Chapter 19 and "Unbroken bliss," Chapter 26; Sathya Sai

Speaks. Vol. 18. "Practise what you preach," Chapter 22; Sathya Sai Speaks.

Vol. 25. "Purify The World By Sankeerthana," Chapter 8).

Namaste - Reet