Sathya Sai Vahini - Chapter 5

[Guest guest]

Sathya Sai Vahini

 

Chapter 5

Sathya Sai Vahini - Chapter 5

Basic Belief

 

The Sanathana Dharma had to meet the determined opposition from Islam

for centuries; political subjection to Muslim dynasties added to the

problems. The cry, 'Allaho-Akbar' rose to the skies, and challenged

the very existence of the Bharathiya Culture that had been fostered

since ages by seers. No other nation suffered so long and so deep

from such fear. But the eternally fresh and vital Dharma of this land

has stood the test and even today, Sanathana Dharma is as potent and

valid as ever. It is ready to meet any challenge from any new

quarter. From the signs of the times, it is evident that this Culture

is today dominant and powerful; why, it is prepared even to march

forward and expand its area of constructive influence. Expansion is

the sign of 'life', isn't it?

 

This day the principles and practices laid down in Bharathiya Culture

and the attitudes and feelings enshrined in it, are not lying low

within the boundaries of this sub-continent. Whether we like it or

not, they cross over to other lands and establish themselves there.

The main ideas, the essential outlooks, penetrate the literatures of

those peoples and permeate their thought processes. In some lands,

among some peoples, they have won even dominant roles, with no

opposition. For, Bharath is offering as its contribution to the peace

and prosperity of the World, an invaluable body of spiritual wisdom.

This contribution is more elevating than that from any other country.

It is more necessary,more basic and more precious than what any other

nation can give. This fact is becoming clearer to all mankind.

 

The ancients of this land were not averse to the examination of other

problems too. They tried, like other peoples, to unravel the mysteries

of external Nature. And, this amazing nation achieved even in this

field, results, through the exercise of their sharp intellect, which

are beyond the fondest dreams of men in other countries.

 

The supreme end of education, the highest purpose of instruction, is

to make aware of the 'universal immanent Impersonal'. This is the

truth that is loudly proclaimed in the Vedas. The seers and sages of

Bharath courageously entered upon this adventure. The ever-changing

aspects of Nature, the appearance and disappearance of its working,

may be a fine subject for study. But, the ancients of Bharath

proclaimed that the science of the Transcendent Principle that

permeates the Universe, the Unchanging Eternal, the Embodiment of

Everlasting Everfull Ananda, the Residence of Unaffected Undiminished

Peace, the Ultimate Refuge for all Time of the Individual Jivi, that

Science is the highest Knowledge that man must gain.

 

The knowledge of the principles governing objective Nature can at best

provide man with food and clothing; it teaches man ways and means of

gaining them; it leads to the exploitation of the weak by the strong.

If the people of Bharath had bent their energies towards the

discovery of the secrets of the world, they could have easily

acquired mastery.

 

But, very soon, the people of Bharath recognised that this search was

but secondary and that the prime position should be assigned to the

spiritual. They decided that pursuing the secrets of external Nature

was not the real sign of Bharathiya. This resolution brought glory to

this nation. Others cannot even approach the fringe of this problem.

Like Prahlada, of the legends, Indians have been able to survive

ordeals of fire and escape unhurt the torture of ages. Those who had

no spiritual out-look or aspiration were not reckoned as Bharathiyas.

Many in foreign lands believed that Indians were more politically

minded, an inference that was misleading; they felt that only a small

fraction of Indians was spiritually oriented. But, Bharath always

insisted that a spiritually directed way of life was the first and

foremost duty of every Indian. Whenever the chance offered itself,

after discharging this duty, Indians felt that they should collect

and confirm the spiritual potency that they had. This was exactly

what happened in the past.

 

National integration meant in those days the concentration and

commingling of all the spiritual forces and urges that were scattered

among seekers all over the land. The word, 'nation', meant in India

the grouping together of hearts that beat time to the same song and

that respond, by similar vibration, to the same spiritual call. The

basic truths that this faith expounded were as broad as the sky, as

eternal as Creation. Those Truths were described in many subtle ways

and commented upon very close and deep. But, as a result of the very

breadth of the vision that discovered them, and laid them down, it

was inevitable that many faiths emanated on the basis of the beliefs

they encouraged.

 

Diversities in attitudes and practices are natural and ought to be

welcomed; there is no need for an iron-clad hard Faith. Only, there is

no place for one over-all Faith. Rivalry among those following

different paths cannot bring peace and prosperity to any country.

Without the freedom to adopt faith, the world cannot progress. India

taught that a small group can never command the inexhaustible

resources of the world,that for the effective functioning of the

community it is necessary to divide the work of the community among

sections of the people, and allot the task of contributing its share

of the common good to each section of community. This gave facilities

for diversities and for mutuality. Diversities were approved for the

sake of the practical application of spiritual powers and

potentialities; so, there is no need for factionalism and fights. The

diversities too are but superficial; they are not really real. There

is an entrancing sense of mystery that can explore these diversities

and discover the key to visualise the One that underlies the many.

This is what the ancient texts proclaim as the most precious

revelation. " Ekam sath, vipraah bahudha vadanthi " (The One

alone exists; wise men describe It in manifold ways).

 

Therefore, it can be asserted that the Faith of the Bharathiyas is the

one Faith that accepts and reveres all Faiths. When we shelter

factionalism and fanaticism in our hearts, in relation to our own

specific faith or the faith of others, we, as descendents of those

fathers are bringing disgrace on ourselves. Whether we are adhering to

the classical Vedantic faiths or whether we are adopting recent trends

in that Vedantic thought, we have to bear in mind certain basic

universally accepted truths. All those who bear the name, Hindu, have

to believe in them and shape their lives accordingly. May they have

the will to do so.

 

The first of these is: " Bharathiyas do not insist that everyone has to

be bound to one attitude; or that every one must abide by one

interpretation or commentary only, to the exclusion of other possible

explanations or points of view, or that the way of life with all its

implications has to be the one approved by some one individual or

group " . The Bharathiya culture lays down that it is a heinous sin to

exercise force upon any one, in matters of the spirit.

 

2. Next: " The Eternal Universal Dharma or Religion is taught by the

Vedas. The sacred body of teachings, referred to as Vedic, is coeval

with Creation, without ascertainable beginning or end. With it, all

inquiry into the spirit and the ramifications of faith have to find

fulfilment and close. One cannot escape this conclusion, if he studies

and practises the Vedas. For all problems involving differences in

spiritual attitudes and aspirations, we can get solutions that are

convincing, from the Vedic texts themselves. The viewpoints differ

about what portions of the Vedas are authoritative for each; persons

affiliated to one sect might regard some portions of the Vedas as

holier and more sacrosanct than others. Inspite of this, all are

brothers and co-sharers of the teachings and the lessons imparted by

the Vedas. All that is elevating and beneficial for us today, all

that is holy and sacred to us, all that is pure and ennobling, have

been made available to us from and through these wondrous texts of

old. So long as we hold to this latter belief and proclaim it aloud,

what can little differences of opinion over matters of minor

importance do to cause rifts? For this reason, we have to announce

these lessons and principles so that they spread beyond all horizons.

 

3. The Vedas are concerned with and they expound the Supreme Person,

the Iswara who created this Universe, who fosters it, in whom It

merges in accordance with the process of time, and in whom is again

manifest as His Form this amazing Universe. We might have diverse

beliefs about the nature and characteristics of this Iswara. One

person might picture Him as having human nature and characteristics.

Another might believe that He is the embodiment of non-human

attributes, formless, Iswara. Every one of these can find in the

Vedas declarations supporting his viewpoints. It is a fact that,

though they hold diverse views, they all have faith in Iswara, the

Godhead. That is to say, they believe that there is undoubtedly One

transcendent eternal Power and that all this has originated from It,

and that all this has to merge in It again. This belief is the hall-

mark of a Bharathiya; he who has not acquired this belief is not

entitled to the name, Bharathiya. He does not deserve to

be called a Hindu.

 

Of what nature, with what characteristics, is the Iswara you teach?

This question is irrelevant to us. It is not so important. Let us not

dispute about the various points of view that divide persons. Enough

for us if Iswara is accepted and emphasised. For even though one

description and delineation might be better and clearer than another,

no delineation and description can be 'bad'. One declaration would

be 'good'; the second one would be 'better' and the third

one, 'best'. But in the stream of Bharathiya spiritual Adventure, no

description or picturisation can be pronounced 'bad and

unacceptable'. That is the reason why, Iswara confers Grace on all

those who teach any Name and any Form that can attract and inspire

man, as sacred and valid. May this faith grow from more to more. For,

it brings more spiritual progress, the more it is acted upon. Only,

the aspiration must be related to God or Iswara.

 

4. For spiritual exploration and discovery, there can be no

qualification like wealth or disqualification like poverty. This truth

has to be handed down to the children by Bharathiya parents. They have

to grow up with this broad feeling.

 

5. Bharathiyas do not accept the belief, held by persons belonging to

other countries, that the Universe was manifested a few thousand years

ago and that it will be destroyed finally and for ever, at some future

date. Bharathiyas will not accept the theory that the Universe arose

out of Nothing. They believe that the Universe or this objective

Creation is beginningless and end-less, and that, according to the

laws of evolution in time, it will recede from the gross into the

subtle stage and, after being in that stage, for some period, it will

again recede into the causal stage from which It emerged. From the

One into which it merges, it will gradually manifest itself as Many,

through the subtle and the gross stages of expression.