Swami teaches... Part 2. Divinity is in everyone

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Light and Love Swami teaches... Part 2. Divinity Is in Everyone

 

In science, when one door is opened, and a passage is revealed, ten doors are discovered in that very passage, and each one of them has to be opened in turn. Science transforms things, rearranges them, studies their composition, r their pans, and releases the energy that lies latent in them. Religion begins where science ends. Desire is a storm, greed is a whirlpool, pride is a precipice, attachment is an avalanche, egoism is a volcano. Keep these away so that, when you recite the name of God or do meditation, they do not disturb the equanimity. Every human and every creature is an embodiment of Love. All the birds, animals, and insects aspire to attain happiness just as human does. They also enjoy happiness. Nevertheless, there is a difference between the happiness they enjoy and the happiness human enjoys. Birds, animals, and insects are neither elated by happiness nor depressed by sorrow. They accept happiness and sorrow with equanimity. Human being, as a rule, lacks such sense of equanimity. Human feels elated when the desires are fulfilled and frustrated otherwise. Rapacious desire for material or wealth and power over other human beings, and anger are like pests that destroy the tree of human life. One who is filled with anger will find differences and starts developing hatred. The flames of anger, pride, hatred, and envy are more devastating than other fires; they arise in the mind stealthily and in spurts; they are ever demanding more and more to feed upon. In the Gita fire is called anala, what means "not enough!" Fire never says, "enough" or "I am satisfied." You dread fire when it leaps at a distance; what then is to be said when it is inside your very self? How to put out these awful flames? The besetting evil in human is the sense of mine, the acquisitive and possessive feeling. This is the cause of all other evils.

Human's wicked thoughts are responsible for the agitation and unrest you find in the world today. In the daily newspapers, you can find many news items that speak volumes about the anger, hatred, and jealousy in and among humans. These evil tendencies are the bitter enemies of humans. People are worried about the harmful effects of certain planets. In fact, desire and anger are the two planets that cause the greatest harm to humanity. By all means, desires are essential for human. However, excessive desires wreak danger. Without discipline, there can be no well-being. Desires should be under limit. Never translate your thought into action in haste. Take time and enquire whether what you want to do is right or wrong. /In order to get rid of evil thoughts, you should run away from bad company in the first instance. You can pacify hatred and anger that is prevailing in this world by your pleasant talk. You should consider that viswasa (faith) is your true swasa (life-breath)/.

There is bound to be a result for every yours action, however small and insignificant it may be. Suppose that you are mending your clothes with the help of a small needle and thread. The needle may be small, but if itpricks your finger, the result is instantaneous in the form of bleeding. In this case, action and result take place almost simultaneously. The seed that you sow takes a minimum of one week to grow into a sapling. In the same manner, some actions yield result in a few months, a few years, or a few births. Whoever you are, you have to face the consequences of your actions. However, you do not need to be depressed and dejected, thinking that you cannot escape from the results of your past evil deeds. You can certainly escape from them if you win the grace of God by developing Love in your heart. You have to undertake sacred activities in order to sanctify your body. First, you should sow the seeds of sacred thoughts within yourself. Human has to develop the consciousness that he/she is Divine. The breath which human inhales and exhales 21,600 times a day conveys the message of "So-ham" (I am He) - the truth about human's Divine reality. After the rise of Christianity in Rome, the Romans gave a distinctive name to Jesus Christ in recognition of His divinity. He was called "Persona," meaning one who is Divine. The English word "Person" is derived from "Persona." The Indian term Vyakti is related to the term "Person." Vyakti means the one that makes manifest the unmanifested. What is it that is unmanifest? That is the Atma (the Cosmic Spirit). Human is described as the sacred embodiment of the Divine because he/she manifests the Divinity inherent in him/her.

 

Every human being is burdened with one body and four births. The parents endow with the material body, the deha. Your mother bore you in her womb for nine months, gave you birth, and brought you up facing several hardships. How grateful you must be toward your mother for all that she has done for you. In the same manner, your father sacrificed his own comforts and looked after you with love and care. (Your children will treat you in the same manner as you treat your parents).

A child has no sense of cleanliness or definite ideas of right and wrong. By the rite of initiation into spiritual life, when child is taken as a pupil by a guru (teacher), who takes up the responsibility of leading to the goal of human life, pupil becomes dwija, twice born, entering into the second chapter of human career. The guru points out the dweller within the body, the dehi. So, pupil is entitled to be honored as a God, say the Vedas. When pupil has studied the scriptures by guide of guru, pupil becomes a Vipra (the wise); at last, when as a result of those practices and experiences, pupil visualizes Brahman as immanent in all and becomes Brahmana. A Vipra attains Brahmajnanam and becomes a Brahmana. The first step is the most important step, in the process of self-realization. To make gold more amenable to the operations attendent on ornament making, it is alloyed to add a little silver or copper; so too in order to manifest the multiple variety of Nature, the Brahmathathwam (essential nature of Brahman) is converted into an alloy, with the addition of a little egoism or Mamakaaram. The guru teaches you to regain the pure unalloyed Brahmam by the processes of sravanam, mananam, and nididhyaasa (listening to, recapitulating and concentrating on God's glories) in the crucible of the intellect. The essential nature of the Self and Brahman are then clearly understood as facets of the same entity. Sanathana Dharma (the ancient spiritual code) has certain extinguishers tested by experience and guaranteed by sages. They are Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema. Saturate your heart with these and you are rendered fireproof. A clean Consciousness is as a lamp; pour into it the oil of the Divine Grace; place in it the wick of Self-control; keep in position the chimney of Namasmarana, so that the gusts of Joy and Grief might not scotch the flame. Light the lamp, with some Mahavakya (Great Statement), like Aham Brahmasmi (Self is Brahman) or Thath thwam asi (Thou art That). Then, you will not only have Light; you will be a source of Light. Swami calls to light your own lamps. Aspirant has to pull across the sandy waste of Desire, up the blood-red steps of Anger and Hatred, through the cool green spaces of Bliss, to attain the vast silence of Yoga (union with God). "Sathatham Yoginah" (Always remain as Yogis), it is said. You must strive to cultivate such Love and experience the joy of sharing that Love with others. There is nothing more powerful than Divine Love. Change your vision and the world will appear accordingly. Let the eye be charged with the Divine, it will see all as God. It is foolish to try to shape the world. Shape yourself as the embodiment of Peace, Love, and Reverence. Then you will see all as Love, Compassion, and Humility.

 

Occasionally one's devotion cools off when one's desires are not fulfilled. Devotion should not be related to physical needs. It is concerned with the heart and should not be affected by vicissitudes relating to the body and the mind. Such devotion has described as Parama Bhakti (Supreme devotion). It may also be described as Ananya Bhakti (one-pointed devotion). A real devotee is eager to experience the Divine Love and does not seek pomp and show. On days set apart by tradition for the contemplation of one's own innate Divinity, you must examine your own equipment and decide on what to discard and what to retain. All qualities, attitudes, habits that remind you of the Absolute into which you have to merge, have to be retained and developed; all that draw you away into therelative world of Time and Space, have to be discarded or at least recognized as having but temporary value. (As if the frog caught and held in the mouth of a cobra, which, unaware of its fate, flicks its tongue at a fly, you too are unaware of Death, which holds you in its fangs. You seek joy and earn pain, hunt for pleasure and bag grief. You attach yourselves to the body that decays and let go the God that lasts. Of course, a thousand wise people have poured this into your ears, but their words have fallen on hard ground and refused to sprout. Had they fallen on the soft soil of your heart and been watered by the tears of contrition, certainly they would have germinated and grown).

All the joy you crave for is in you; but, like a human who has vast riches in the iron chest, but, who has no idea where the key is, you suffer. With proper directions, dwelling upon them in the silence of meditation, it is possible to secure the key, open the chest, and be rich in joy. People speak about Karma, Yoga, Jnana, and Bhakti in relation to spiritual practice. These are inextricably inter-related. All these forms of Karma are fraught with certain difficulties. To perform sacrifices one must be acquainted with the Vedic texts. The first among spiritual paths is Karma Marga (the path of action). The votary of this path performs manyactions for the welfare of the world. He/she participates in yajnas and yagas (ritualistic sacrifices) and is engaged in service and charitable activities.

The Jnana Marga (the path of knowledge) calls for knowledge of the scriptures and several other kinds of knowledge, which together lead to Atmajnana (Knowledge of the Self). Jnana has defined as the awareness of the One Cosmic Consciousness. It means recognizing unity in diversity. The path of Yoga, which is concerned with control of the mind, is equally difficult. It calls for rigorous control of the senses. One has to overcome many difficulties, trials, and tribulations. Very few have the mental and spiritual strength to face these difficulties and ordeals. The path of Yoga is thus beset with many hurdles. Bhakti (the path of devotion) is the easiest path for all. It does not call for mastery of the scriptures. It does not enjoin performance of rituals and sacrifices. The elusive quest for unity in diversity is avoided. By cultivating Love for God, the senses come under natural self-discipline. True devotion is an expression of gratitude to God for all that He has given us - the human body with its various capacities, the intelligence we are endowed with and the many natural amenities made available to us such as air, water, sunlight, etc. Contemplate the Atma-linga (spirit of the soul), the Jyothi-linga (the effulgent form); be convinced that the Linga is in every one of you, for it is a mark of the Shiva that resides in the shava (body shell). Allow the vision of the Atma-linga to enter into your inner consciousness and elevate it into Divine heights. The indweller is Atma, which is your true identity. Hence, do not be worried about your body. If someone were to criticize you, do not be agitated. If he criticizes you loudly, it will vanish into thin air. If he criticizes within him/herself, it will affect him/herself. Neither praise nor censure will come to you. You should not be affected by either. In this manner, you should transcend the dualities of life. You will become a true human being only when your mind is fixed on the true and eternal Atma. This is your true sadhana. All other sadhanas will prove futile if you do not give up body attachment. Some people keep telling the beads in a mechanical way and say that they are doing sadhana. The rosary will be revolving in their hand and the mind will be roaming in the market. Can this be called japa (chanting)? While doing meditation, your body may be steady, but the mind will be wavering. What is the use of such a sadhana? A true spiritual aspirant is one who has a steady mind and an unwavering vision. People offer prayers to God. Prayers should not mean petitioning to God for favors. The object of prayer should be to establish God firmly in one's heart. Aim at linking yourself to God and not at seeking favors. Aspire for earning the Love of God. That is real penance. That is why it is said: Looking ahead is Tapas (penance); looking backward is Tamas (ignorance). Tapas does not mean giving up hearth and home and retiring to a forest. It means giving up all bad qualities and striving to live ceaselessly for God's grace. Love is the primary factor in this process. How can anyone attempt to reveal the form of the Formless Absolute? The Atma is the Eternal Formless Illumining the entire Cosmos. Brahman is Love incarnate Love can be realized only through Love. The Principle of Love is the greatest unifying force, which unites all spiritual practices, all creeds, and all goals of life and all scriptures. The foremost path for the spiritual aspirant is the path of complete surrender to the Lord for earning His Love and Grace. (Reet's Compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 2. "Shiva sankalpa," Chapter 16; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 5. "Recruits for my Army," Chapter 7 and "Shiva in shava," Chapter 8; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 22. "From love : to love" Chapter 5; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 36. "RISE ABOVE BODY CONSCIOUSNESS," Chapter 6). Namaste - Reet