Sathyam Sivam Sundaram - Part III [4]

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Sathyam Sivam Sundaram - Part III [4]

Sat, 3 May 2003 15:00:06 +0530

Om Sri Sai Ram

 

Mukuruni Pillaiyar

The most famous and most important Vinaayaka Moorthy in the

Meenakshi-Sundareshvara Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

AUMEKADANTÂYA VIDMAHEVAKRATUNDÂYA DHÎMAHITANNO BUDDHIH PRACHODAYÂT

SHREE GANESH VANDANAChuklam Bharadaram Vishnum Shashi Varnam Chaturbhujam

Prasanna Vadanam Dhyayeth Sarva Vighnopa Shantaye Agajanana Padmargam Gajanana

Maharnisam Aneka Dantam Bhaktanam Eka Dantam Upasmahe

******Sathyam Sivam Sundaram

Part III [4]The Life of the Divine Avathar Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai BabaWritten

by N. Kasturi M.A., B.L.

"Sign and Signature"

When Baba called, "Roll up your bed and follow Me", very few realized that the

call was for Nagarsankirtan! At the World Conference, Baba advised His devotees

to wake up at 4 or 4.30 in the morning (the Brahmamuhurta as it is called), and

move along the streets singing the Glory of God, awakening people into the

awareness of the Divine. Sankirtan of this type was a common feature of village

life in the past, but due to apathy and ridicule, the habit is fast

disappearing. After Baba's command, people who had never seen the sunrise,

since they arose from their beds only when it was high up in the heavens, have

started moving out into the cool, refreshing air to join their brothers and

sisters in rendering the new day a happy event to themselves and to others.

When Baba said, "Follow Me", it was clear that He meant He, in any one of the

Infinite Forms that God assumes, and with any one of the Infinite Names that

God can be remembered. As a matter of fact, Baba has announced that hymns on a

variety of these Forms and Names have to be sung, and that no portrait of

either Himself or of any other Forms of Divinity be carried when the Bhajan

party moves on. "Follow God", that is His call.

The intricate mysteries of metaphysics are beyond the ken of the common man;

even those who can delve into them, do it for the pleasure of disputation or

dialectic gymnastics; they do not intend to practice even an iota of the

principles of life underlying them. The abstruse labyrinth of rituals, with its

armory of do's and don'ts, create only apprehension in him. Mere Jnana,

(knowledge) can make you a good logician or a debater capable of indulging in

hair-splitting sophistry. But if it is lived through, or in other words,

implemented, then you become a Jnani (a wise man). Sadhana or practice helps

you to achieve the goal of life. Baba has restored faith in the Name and the

efficacy of the Name "Call on Me in your distress; it is your right to invoke

My Grace."

Dr. D.J. Gadhia, of the H.H. Agha Khan Dispensary, Arusha, Tanzania, writes: "In

May 1971, Mr. Jamnadas M. Patel became seriously ill. When this poor soul was

called to attend on him, there was no breathing; the heart-sounds had

completely stopped. The pulse could not be felt. The heart was massaged with

sacred Vibuthi, with sincere prayers. He recovered miraculously. When Mr.

Jamnadas visited Puttaparthi, Baba told him, "I gave you new life, as your

doctor called Me at the right time." Devotees of Baba know the unfailing power

of the Name to bring forth the Grace of Baba. They need no elaborate argument

to convince them that Sankirtan is the shortest and the sweetest means of

winning His Grace.

But, there were some who had their fears! Will people get up so early? What

about the rich, the officers who wield authority over the area? Will the

neighbours permit singing in the early dawn? Will the police keep quiet? What

about dogs, will they not bark us out or even inflict a bite? Many who felt

they should not be seen singing in the streets, but who wanted to observe

Baba's command, started at 3 a.m. when the streets were empty and all were

sleeping soundly, and came home quickly before they could be discovered! But

soon the atmosphere changed. A wave of wholehearted enthusiasm swept over the

land from one end to another. Neighbours welcomed the melodious tonic! The

police themselves joined, to imbibe delight! The dogs were no problem at all.

>From one day in the week the Kirtan was increased in frequency to two or three,

and in some places every day in the week. The distances covered increased, the

number in each group multiplied. Soon each section of the town or city had its

own Nagarsankirtan party. They usually met in a temple and proceeding from

there, ended up in another temple.

In Sathyavada, it was found that some mysterious person knocked at the doors of

sleeping members and asked them to wake up and join the party. In Chembur,

Bombay, they noted that on no day, even during the most furious monsoon days,

was the Nagarsankirtan party disturbed or bothered by even a drizzle. At

Gauhati, Assam, Sri Dutt Gupta moved on along the usual route at the usual

time, with the name of God on his lips and the group behind him. A cyclonic

wind was raging and roaring, bringing "cats and dogs" with it; on the way, the

chaprasis and watchmen of the State Treasury warned them to take shelter from

the oncoming calamity, but they sang and stepped as slowly as usual, to the

place where they generally end the Bhajan and perform Aarti before they

disperse. The rain did not fall upon the road, the drizzle did not wet their

clothes, and the wind did not disturb their hair! People unable to walk without

a stick have, after attending a few of these matinal Bhajans, thrown off the

stick and walked majestically along. I know of an invalid in Channarayapatna,

Mysore, who earned Grace in this manner. Baba has said that the Nagarsankirtan

is Bhagavatha in practice. When the senses are still dormant after the night's

sleep, before they get too loudly involved in the pursuits of the busy day, you

should move along the quiet streets in the cool, thrilling pre-dawn silence,

bringing God into every ear, radiating the fragrance of the Divine Name through

every open door and window. This is self-help as well as social service of the

highest order. It is a tonic to the body and a shake-up to the mind. Every song

cuts the knot of laziness that is infecting someone. You remind your neighbours

to offer thanks to God for the gift of another day; it is a mission of love. It

is a purificatory Yajna, for it disinfects the air fouled by slogans of anger

and cries of pain and pride. It helps to remove inner and outer pollution.

Several such groups operating in different parts of Hyderabad converged towards

the Lotus Feet of Bhagawan. The sight and sound of Bhajan was a feast for the

eye and ear; Baba blessed the participants and granted them further impetus to

continue their Sadhana.

An Akhand Bhajan (singing the Names of God continuously for 12 or 24 hours) was

arranged on 25th July by the Bhajan Mandalis of Bangalore at the famous Lal

Baug gardens in the glass house. The inscription at its entrance "The garden of

flowers is the temple of God" appeared so apt during the singing of Bhajan in

the Divine Presence of Baba. Baba lit the lamp to mark the inauguration of the

Bhajan, and when it came to an end, He sprinkled on the heads of the thousands

attending, the water sanctified by the holy hymns. In the evening when Baba

arrived to give His discourse it was raining. Baba does not like anyone

suffering in sun or rain. His heart is moved with irrepressible compassion. He

moved amongst the people, made them sit inside the building, lifted an iron

chair for Himself from behind the table on the dais and placed it in a position

from where all could have Darshan, and thereafter commenced His Discourse.

Krishna Jayanti 1968 was celebrated at Prashanthi Nilayam for 3 days. Many

Samithis call it Sai Krishna Jayanti; they have converted it into a children's

festival, when children are given new clothes, trained to enact small plays and

sing Bhajans. At Prashanthi Nilayam Bhagawan gave three discourses on Krishna

and the significance of the Leelas. Dwelling on the value and validity of the

Name, He said that the root of the Name Krishna implies power to attract, to

enchant. Krishna is the personification of the Divine principle that is born in

the umbilical region of the body (Mathura), which is conveyed to the mouth

(Gokulam), and there fostered by the tongue (Yashoda), who alone knows the

sweetness. "Foster Krishna on your tongue", He advised. "Just as the poison

from the hoods of the serpent Kalinga was ejected when Krishna danced upon

them, bad thoughts from your system will evaporate if you recite the name of

Krishna," He said.

His interpretation of Krishna-Avatar as a consummation of Yogamarga reveals that

this Avatar has come to coordinate and collate the apparently differing paths to

God. The three systems of philosophy - the dualist promulgated by Madhawacharya,

the qualified non-dualist promulgated by Ramanujacharya and the non-dualist

promulgated by Shankaracharya - are all emphasised by Him as adjusted to the

needs and capabilities of seekers and listeners.

An Avatar appears from age to age whenever Dharma is on the decline so as to

reaffirm faith in right conduct. Chitha-shudhi leads to Jnana-Sidhi, that is,

goodness leads to Godliness. The Avatar will guard and guide and fill with

Divine bliss, all those who have Sathvic pure virtues. This declaration is

addressed to a dualist. From the "qualified non-dualist" point of view, Jiva

and Deva are the two rails, along which the engine, Manas, is dragging the

coaches of Vishaya Vasana. Each coach contains items of luggage viz., Buddhi,

senses etc. Atma is the driver of the engine; if the coupling with the engine

is not well tightened, the coaches will be left loose on the line. Bhakthi and

Shraddha are the coupling, they should be tightly fixed. It is 'absolute

non-dualist' philosophy when the seen (Drisya) world is superimposed on the

undivided, indivisible Brahman. It can only be as real as the turrets and

bastions of a city among the clouds. Can anyone build castles in the air and

live therein? The turrets and bastions are fantasies and creations of your own

fancy, ephemeral and meaningless. So too, in this Akash-like Parabrahmah, this

Jagath is superimposed; it is baseless and false. Everything is only the

Chaitanya of the non-dual, unequalled, bliss-pervaded Parabrahmah. According to

Bhagawan, what others think you are is the dualist view; what you think you are

is the qualified non-dualist view; what you really are is the non-dualist

Truth!

Dasara 1968! It was remarkable for more reasons than one. Baba made it clear

that He is the Sanathana Sarathi as well as Parthasarathi ('the charioteer of

the earth'), while addressing the volunteers.

"I too have certain vows to fulfill, they have been mentioned in the Bhagavad

Gita. I have to uphold the supremacy of Dharma; I have to bear the Yogakshema

(acquisition and maintenance of welfare) of those who are immersed in thoughts

of Me alone. The best way to please Me is to see Me in all beings and serve

them, just as you yearn to serve Me."

Elaborating a declaration about Himself that He had made in the Gita, Baba said,

"I have none to compel Me to work, nor do I profit by work. Still, I work

without intermission, in order to guide and teach and set things that are awry.

If I remain inactive, how can the wheels of the world revolve? I have no

manager, secretary, aide or assistant. I attend even to the minutest detail,

here and everywhere. I do everything Myself. I need no other food than the

Ananda of beings. I am Anandaswarupa, My nature is Ananda; Ananda is My sign

and signature."

On another day, He announced,

"Shall I tell you exactly when I feel restful, relieved and content? When I know

that you are having Ananda, through the cultivation of detachment and the

spiritual discipline of Seva. I am ever engaged in some activity or other for

your benefit. There is none to question Me if I do not act; there is nothing I

would lose, or could gain. Although I have no urge to be active, yet you see Me

ever active! The reason is, I must be doing something all the time in order to

inspire and instruct you or to set an example for you. I am engaged in

activity, so that you may learn to transmute every minute into a golden chance

to elevate yourselves into Godhood."

Clarifying another statement made in the Gita, Baba said in one of the Discourses,

"When the Gita directs you to give up all Dharma, it does not ask you to give up

all Karma! For you cannot escape that obligation. But, when you do Karma for

God, through God, and knowing that He is the doer, not you, every Karma becomes

Dharma, leading to Grace. No Karma can then be tainted by sin or sacrilege. The

Gita assurance is therefore not an invitation to licentiousness, sloth or

inactivity, it is a call for the surrender of the ego and dedication to God of

all that it 'is' and 'does'."

Dharma is the inner voice of God, in the individual and community. It is the

voice of history; the conscience that has shaped itself like a cocoon, to

protect the caterpillar so that it may take wings and fly into the Bliss that

is its heritage. And on the last day of the seven-day long Yajna, when the

Valedictory Offering of silk, gold, sandalwood and 'the precious gems He

creates for the oblation' were placed ceremonially in the significance of that

act, He said,

"You have to pour into the flames that rise up to destroy, (for they are the

flames of revelation, purification, discrimination) the limited vision, that

sees nature as different from the divine. The divine created all this through

the divine and with the divine substance."

"Sarvam Brahma Mayam": All this is Brahman. The offering is Brahman, the fire is

Brahman, the offerer is Brahman, the goal is Brahman. Transmute every trifle

into God; everything in the objective world is the divine, appearing to the

limited, the myopic, the ignorant vision as different. In a silver idol, the

crown is silver, the clothes are silver, the pedestal is silver, the flesh is

silver, the face is silver, the eye is silver. Know the silver and declare:

"Sarvam Brahma Mayam"

In another discourse, Baba integrated the three paths of Karma, Bhakthi and

Jnana, in a very illuminating manner, so that the world could follow them with

proper understanding.

"When someone asks your name, you do not give your real name; you fob him off

with the name by which your body is identified as separate from other bodies in

this life. You do not give the name that has been with you life after life, that

has survived many deaths and births, namely, Atma! That name is ignored by you,

since it is overlaid by three veils - Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana; Mala is the

dirt of vice, wickedness and looseness. Karmamarga, the observance of selfless

activity dedicated to high purpose, and with no tinge of pride or pomp or sense

of ownership so far as the fruits of that activity are concerned, removes this.

The second veil is Vikshepa - ignorance which hides the truth, befogs the

intellect, confounds reason, and clothes falsehood with the tinsel that

attracts. This is removed by Bhakthimarga, steadily worshipping the source and

sustenance of all, Him, the True, the Good, the Beautiful, the Embodiment of

Love, Peace and Joy, in all, as all, for all, through all."

"The third veil is Avarana, the superimposition on the eternal of the temporary,

on the rope of the snake, on the noonday desert of the gleaming lake, on the

mother-of-pearl of silver, on the Sarvam-Brahma Mayam (Brahman that is the real

Reality of the Universe) of the multiform, multicolored, distracting, changing

world. This veil is removed by Jnanamarga, which reveals the Atma as all

pervading, all-inclusive, all sustaining. When the illumination of Jnana is

gained, the reality is experienced and man is free. He merges with the truth

from which he broke off aeons ago, on a long and arduous adventure into the

dark night of individuality."

Dasara is a Festival of Victory, of Power (Shakti), adored and celebrated in

three forms, for three days each – Maha Kali (the facet of Power as

anger, vengeance, adventure, audacity, the Thamasic nature), Mahalakshmi (the

facet of Power as wealth, authority, imperium, prosperity, the Rajasic nature),

and Maha Saraswathi (Power as self-control, vision, value, validity, knowledge,

keenness, discipline, justice, aspiration, adoration, the Satwic nature).

Dasara at Prashanthi Nilayam is for everyone who invests himself in it for

initiation, instruction and inspiration. Kindred souls come from all over the

world, and so one is bathed in the glory of Sai which each one brings in his

heart, treasured with loving care. Each person has a golden book of experiences

of Baba's Grace written in tears of gratitude. The scholars whom Baba encourages

to delve into the intricacies of philosophical speculation so that they may

ultimately gain the philosopher's stone, which transmutes distinctions into the

One Divine, speak in his Presence of the unfathomable mystery, and later Baba

unravels the same and renders it understandable by His sweet simple comments.

As the supreme educator of the Age, He leads us through song, drama and

discourse, through glance, gesture of gift, through word, wit or rebuke, into

the path, which leads through Love unto Light.

The Yajna, which is performed for seven of the nine days, is a lesson in

spiritual science, for we experience, while it is witnessed, the whole gamut of

bliss. The bliss of contemplating the formless, attributeless, cosmic principle

described in the Upanishads; the thrill of conceiving and adoring the solar orb

as the source of Light and Life; the joy of installing in our hearts the author

of this amazing adventure of Creation (Brahma) - Continuance (Vishnu) -

Destruction (Shiva) as emerging from the formless into form, or as merging from

the form into the formless (as the Linga or Spheroid) symbol which is worshipped

as part of the Yajna; the exhilaration one is filled with when the Shakti is

consecrated, praised and propitiated through an image into which she is invited

ritually to contain herself, the recalling to memory of the sweetness of Vedic

hymns, and the ecstasy of epic poetry - Baba uses every medium of expression to

convey to us the message of self-control to silence the clamor of the senses and

the mind.

Every Dasara He writes a play in which the children of the Vedasastra Patsala,

whom He trains for the purpose, pronounce spiritual truths. This Dasara, the

play was on Dhruva, the princely lad of five who went into forest to win by

austerity the Grace of God, so that he might be restored to the love of his

father. But, as the austerities cleansed his mind and sublimated his nature,

the wounded pride was healed and he prayed for the boon of mergence with God.

"People come to Me to get a chronic illness cured, but when they get to know Me

more, they clamor for more substantial boons which I am ready to grant," says

Narayana in the play, an echo of the experience of most of the pilgrims to

Baba's presence!

Twenty thousand heavy hearts left Prashanthi Nilayam after the Dasara

Celebrations, with these words of Baba ringing in their ears and booming in the

cavity of their hearts:

"Ponder over the ameliorate and curative advice I have given you out of the

fullness of My Love; try to cleanse your minds through repentance of wrongs

committed or contemplated; resolve with unshakable firmness to shape your lives

anew, rid it of deep-rooted deleterious habits of speech, thought and action,

and lead it in conformity with the divine plan, by which each will blossom into

the fully Divine."

 

 

To be continued

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