DASSERA (DAY 1) DISCOURSES

[Guest guest]

I would like to share with you the divine discourses of our SWAMI during

Dassera. This discourses went on for 6 days, which I will be sharing with you.

Sairam

Bharadhwaaj P R

DASSERA (DAY 1) DISCOURSES

GOD IS THE INDWELLER

(Text of the Divine Discourse delivered by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Sai

Kulwanth Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam on 9th October 2002 on the occasion of

Dassera. Day 1). "The entire universe is under the control of God. God is

governed by Truth. Noble souls are the guardians of Truth. Such noble souls are

verily the embodiments of Divinity. " (Sanskrit Verse) People undertake

various spiritual practices to attain Divinity. One may be evil-minded, yet

with the blessings of elders and in the company of noble souls, one can easily

get rid of evil tendencies and develop virtues. The life of Ratnakara, the

highway robber, bears ample testimony to this. His life was transformed as he

came into contact with the Saptharishis (seven sages). He gave up his evil ways

and unwaveringly followed their teachings and ultimately became the Sage

Valmiki. He set an ideal to mankind and composed the great epic, Ramayana.

Prahlada, the son of demon king Hiranyakasipu, constantly contemplated on Lord

Narayana and chanted His Name. As a result, he had the same divine effulgence

of Lord Narayana Himself. Likewise, Charles Darwin resembled his master Henslow

in all respects as he continuously thought of him and followed his teachings.

Similarly our ancient sages and seers always contemplated on God constantly and

adhered to His dictat! ! es. As a consequence their faces radiated divine

brilliance. Lord Krishna has said the same in the Bhagavadgita, Mamaivamso

Jeevaloke Jeevabhuta Sanathanah (the eternal Atma in all beings is a part of My

Being). He said, "Arjuna, it is My Divine effulgence that shines forth in all."

God is all-pervasive. He is present in all elements and in all beings in the

form of radiance. When God is ever present within, why does man suffer? Some

people say that they are facing hardships and are leading a miserable life. It

is foolish on their part to say so. God, the indweller, has absolutely no

sorrow and worries. He is the embodiment of supreme bliss. Is it not a sign of

foolishness to think that you are haunted by misery when God is installed on

the altar of your heart? God says, "I am present in you. You are but a spark of

My Divinity." Such being the case, how can one be affected by difficulties and

sorrows? When you enquire on these lines, you will realise that t! ! he demonic

and bestial tendencies in you are responsible fo! r this. You will not be able

to experience the truth Mamaivamsho . unless and until you give up evil

qualities. Though God is present within, man behaves as if he is under the

influence of a demon. First of all, he should realise that he is a spark of

divinity and that no evil spirits can control him. God says that He resides in

your heart. Heart is a single seat. There is room for one only. So, God only

should be seated in your heart and none else. Today man is failing to

comprehend that he is an aspect of divinity. He is unaware of the fact that God

is within and deludes himself that there is none to care for him. Everyone is

endowed with a heart which is divine and by nature full of compassion. God

dwells in such a heart. But today man has become hard-hearted as he has lost

this natural compassion. Such a person cannot be called a spark of the Divine;

he is verily a demon. The assertion Mamaivamsho . does not apply in such case.

There is a spark of divinity in the heart of everyone. It is because of bhrama

(delusion) that man is unable to realise his divine nature. In the first

instance, man should make efforts to overcome this delusion and realise that

God is always with him, in him, around him, above him and below him. Delusion

causes evil feelings to arise in your heart and mind. They are sheer

imagination and have nothing to do with divinity. God is present in the

heart of one and all. He does not have a particular form and is not confined to

a particular place. He is present in your heart and is all-pervasive. Sarvatah

Panipadam Tat Sarvathokshi Siromukham, Sarvata Sruthimalloke Sarvamavruthya

Thishthati (With hands, feet, eyes, heads, mouth and ears pervading everything,

He permeates the entire universe). Such effulgent divine principle of the Self

is termed as Atma. Krishna has asserted, this Atma is a part of His own

aspects. There cannot be any defects or imperfections in such divine principle.

Whatever defects you think you see are purely the result of your imagination.

God is the embodiment of virtues. Hence, man too should lead a life of virtues.

Evil propensities are impediments to the spiritual path. For a start, man should

distance himself from all evil actions and undertake good deeds. Only then will

he have the right to call himself a human being. Human life is highly sacred.

The Upanish! ! ads consider human life to be verily divine. Man considers

himself to be a weakling because he has forgotten the principle of The Self

which is beyond all attributes. His evil qualities, wicked deeds and misconduct

have brought him down to this sorry state. As is the company, so are the

thoughts. Hence, it is said, "Tell me your company, I shall tell you what you

are." Your friendship influences your nature. Ratnakara became Sage Valmiki

because of his association with the Saptharishis. Prahlada was the son of a

demon, yet he was always in the company of noble souls. Sathsangatwe

Nissangatwam, Nissangatwe Nirmohatwam, Nirmohatwe Nischalatattwam,

Nischalatattwe Jivanmukti (Sanskrit Sloka) (Good company leads to detachment,

detachment makes one free from delusion, freedom from delusion leads to

steadiness of mind and steadiness of mind confers liberation.) What is the

inner significance of Devi Navaratri? People worship the Triune Goddesses Durga,

Lakshmi and Saraswathi during these nine days. Who is Durga? She is the

embodiment of all powers. Saraswati is the presiding deity of speech and

wisdom. The Gayatri Mantra begins with "Om Bhur Bhuvah Suvah." 'Bhuh' means

materialisation. It represents matter which is subject to change. Bhuvah

represents life principle, i.e., vibration. Savitri is the presiding deity of

life principle. You must have heard the story of Savitri, who restored her dead

husband back to life with the power of her devotion and surrender. Saraswati is

worshipped as 'Jnana Devata' as she confers good intellect and wisdom. This is

described in the Vedas as Prajnanam Brahma. Prajnana does not mean worldly

knowledge. It is Constant Integrated Awareness, which is changeless and

eternal. The divine mother has three names: Gayatri, Savitri and

Saraswati. Gayantham Trayathe Iti Gayathri (Gayatri protects those who sing her

glory). Gayatri, being the presiding deity of our senses, helps us to master the

senses. Savitri, being the presiding deity of the life principle, protects our

life. Saraswati bestows on us the changeless and eternal wisdom. Gayatri,

Savitri and Saraswati are present in every man, but he is not able to

understand and experience their presence. Consequently, he is giving room to

wicked qualities and indulging in evil deeds, thereby ruining his life. His bad

habits are responsible for his downfall. First of all, man has to develop good

habits and transform himself. How could Savitri revive her dead husband back to

life? She transformed the vibration in her into divine vibration by

contemplating on God incessantly. That led to the resurrection of her husband.

When you develop divine feelings, nothing is impossible for you. An! ! y mighty

task can be accomplished through pure and selfless love. Love develops

divine power in you. There is nothing that love cannot conquer in this world.

Sages perform penance in dense forests infested with wild animals. They do not

possess any weapon for self-protection. The weapon that protects them is their

intense love and yearning for God. They tame the wild beasts with their power

of love and transform them into docile beings. Man's character gets transformed

into good or bad depending his company. Noble company bestows noble feelings and

bad company gives rise to evil traits. Your speech and conduct are based on your

feelings. You deserve to be called a human being only when you develop good

feelings. Form alone does not constitute a human being. A true human being is

one who embodies good habits, helps ever and hurts never. You should not merely

be an Aakara Manava (human in form); you should become an Aachara Manava (human

in practice). Speak good, see good, do good and be good. Divinity will manifest

in you! ! only when your conduct is good. God is not somewhere in a distant

land; He is very much in you, with you and around you, guiding you and guarding

you. Develop divine feelings and listen to the divine voice from within. Human

body can be compared to the musical instrument Veena. You can enjoy the divine

melody only when it is tuned to divine feelings. The divine melody will bestow

bliss on you and make you forget yourself in ecstasy. On the other hand,

Profane feelings will give rise to discordant notes. Hence, let your thoughts,

words and deeds be suffused with sacred feelings. Do not hurt others.

Paropakaraya Punyaya, Papaya Parapeedanam (one attains merit by serving others

and commits sin by hurting them). Hence, the Vedas teach, Help ever, hurt

never. The Vedas emphasise on the need to cultivate sacred feelings. In fact,

the sacred feelings are within, but man has forgotten them. Human being is the

repository of divine energy. Durga (goddess of energy), Lakshmi (goddess of

wealth) and Saraswati (goddess of wisdom) are present in the human. Man is not

poor in any sense. He is not weak or forlorn. He has all the capacity to

experience divine bliss. In spite of being endowed with all powers, man is

weak. This is the effect of evil company. You should not take it amiss, but the

fact is that the modern system of education is ruining the lives of many. Modern

education is leading to agitation instead of elevation. It is giving rise to

evil qualities like anger, greed, desire, jealousy, etc. In fact, people who

are unlettered have th! ! e virtues of humility, obedience, love and peace.

Humility is the hallmark of education. One may acquire high qualification, but

all his knowledge becomes useless if he lacks humility. "In spite of his

education and intelligence, a foolish man will not know his true Self and a

mean-minded person will not give up his wicked qualities. Modern education

leads only to argumentation, not to total wisdom. What is the use of acquiring

worldly education if it cannot lead you to immortality? Acquire the knowledge

that will confer on you immortality." (Telugu Poem) True education is that

which fosters truth, morality, integrity and culture. Education should develop

human values in you. You should respect elders and serve your parents. People

talk of friendship but we do not find true friends anywhere. Today friendship

is tainted with wickedness and self-interest. Tyaja Durjana Samsargam; Bhaja

Sadhu Samagamam; Kuru Punyam Ahorathram; Smara Nityam Anityatham (shun bad

company; seek good company and perform righteous deeds the whole day;

discriminate between permanent and ephemeral). This is what you are supposed

to do. Some people appear to be good and talk sweetly, but their minds are

filled with wicked feelings. Beware of such people and keep them at a distance.

It is because of such people abound that present-day society is in turmoil.

Prahlada was the son of a demon king, yet his thoughts were always centred on

Lord Narayana. He repeated His Name always. His father and his teachers tried

their best to divert him from spiritual path and infuse demonic traits in him.

Once Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada what he had learnt from his preceptors.

Prahlada replied, "The teachers have taught me many things. I have learnt the

principles of Dharma and Artha (righteousness and wealth) and studied sacred

scriptures. In fact, I have learnt the very essence of all knowledge."

Hiranyakasipu was overjoyed to hear all this. He said, "Oh son! Let me have the

pleasure of listening to that great knowledge." Prahlada said, "Oh father, the

Name of Hari will destroy all our sins. Of what use is one's education if one

does not contemplate on Lord Hari and attain liberation?" Hiranyakasipu became

furious on hearing this. He pushed him from his lap. But Prahlada was least

perturbed. He conti! ! nued to chant the name of Lord Narayana. Hiranyakasipu

subjected him to various ordeals. He made elephants trample upon him and set

poisonous snakes to bite him. Prahlada's unflinching faith in Lord Narayana

protected him from all these dangers. Prahlada felt the mighty elephant to be

as light as feather and the poison turned into nectar by the power of his

devotion. Such things can be understood only by experience and not by mere

description. Though he was young, Prahlada was firm in his resolve.

Hiranyakasipu was overcome fury. He roared, "Oh madcap, you talk very high of

your God, where is He?" Prahlada very calmly replied, "Father, never doubt that

God is here and not there. In fact, He is present wherever you look for Him."

(Telugu Poem) "If God is all-pervasive, can you show Him in this pillar?", he

challenged Prahlada. "Yes, I can", pat came the answer. Such was Prahlada's

faith and devotion. One can attain divinity only with conf! ! idence. Where

there is confidence, there is love; Where there is love, there is truth;

Where there is truth, there is peace; Where there is peace, there is bliss;

Where there is bliss, there is God.

Hiranyakasipu at once hit the pillar with a mace. Lo and behold! Lord

Narasimha emerged from it. What is the inner meaning of this? The body is like

a pillar. One can have the vision of Atma only when one breaks the manacles of

body attachment. You can develop Atmabhimana (love for the Atma) once you give

up Dehabhimana (body attachment). It is only Atmabhimana that will protect you

always. Learn the language of the heart. It can be taught only by divinity and

not by teachers. Students! What you need today is unwavering faith in

God. Faith alone can protect you. Under all circumstances, at all times,

consider God as the basis of your life. Give up evil qualities like anger,

greed, jealousy, etc. Anger can be compared to Ravana's pyre. It keeps burning

always. Desire is the cause of man's downfall. Hence, eradicate desire and

anger. You should manifest love and be embodiments of love. Love is God,

live in love. If you have love, you can achieve anything. Start the day with

love, Fill the day with love, Spend the day with love, End the day

with love, This is the way to God. Hence, develop the spirit of love.

Love is the most potent weapon that can win over anyone. What was the weapon

that protected our ancients who lived in forests? It was not hydrogen bomb or

atom bomb. It was love and love alone. So, one need not acquire atom bomb or

hydrogen bomb, it is enough if one has the weapon of love. You can conquer the

entire world with the power of love. People worship Durga, Lakshmi and

Saraswati during these nine days. Durga destroyed the demons. As the weapons

are no longer needed, people perform Ayudha Puja. When you pray to Durga

wholeheartedly, she will protect you in all your endeavours. You are not

able to understand the principle of divinity. Nobody in this world can help you

the way God helps you. Hence, surrender yourself to God and pray for His help.

Also devotion to God safeguards our ancient culture. People are haunted by

misery and grief as they have forgotten God. Control your emotions.

Develop love. Do not entertain evil thoughts. Nothing can confer the experience

of bliss that the proximity of God gives. Love all and all will love you. Share

your love with even dogs, monkeys and cats. You can see how they reciprocate

your love. Man lacks the sense of gratitude that even dogs have. We see many

foreigners having dogs and cats as their pets. When you love them, they too

will love you in turn. Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavathi (as you think so you become).

You are bound to experience the reflection, reaction and resound of your

feelings, be they good or bad. If you see bad in others, it is only a

reflection of your bad feelings. It is a mistake to blame others ignoring your

own faults. Purify your feelings in the first instance. Love even those whom

you consider as wicked. In fact, nobody is wicked in this world. It is because

of bhrama (delusion) that you consider some as good and some wicked. Develop

Sathya Sankalpas (noble f! ! eelings) and follow the path of truth. Do not

indulge in vain gossip. Instead, sanctify your time by chanting the Divine

name. There is nothing sweeter than Divine name. Remember what Shivaji

taught his minister. This body will be respected so long as there is life in

it. Once the life ebbs away, it will not have any value. The same was stated by

Duryodhana during his last moments. He said, "I was respected so long as I was

alive. Tomorrow crows and dogs are going to feast on me." Whatever has to

happen will happen. Lead a respectable life while you are alive. Develop divine

feelings in you. Only then you would have led a true human life. Today man is

leading a purely materialistic life. This is also necessary to a certain

extent. Remember that there is the transcendental principle even in this

secular life. Embodiment of Love! The divine vibrations that result from

the Bhajan you have just sung is spreading to all parts of the world. The

divine name that you chant purifies the hearts of many. Hence, do not entertain

bad feelings. Do not use bad words. Use only sacred words. Sing the glory of

God. By doing so, you would have rendered a great help to the whole world. Do

not hurt others. Help everybody. When you help others, you will certainly

achieve positive results. Make proper use of your time. Chant God's Name and

make your heart sacred. (Bhagawan sang the bhajan, "Hare Rama, Hare Rama."

and continued His Discourse).

U2 on LAUNCH - Exclusive medley &; videos from Greatest Hits CD