PROF ANIL KUMAR'S SATSUND CONTINUE FOR KERALA GROUP-2

November 13, 2008

Questions and Comments Are Welcome

Q: What is the result of living a spiritual life? Anil Kumar: What is the result of a spiritual life? It is the secret of magic, it is not an additional income, and it is not professional prospects. The result of spirituality is a positive attitude; the temperament of readiness and acceptance. The Christian prayer goes; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We accept Gods will joyfully and unconditionally. This is surrender. The outcomes of spiritual life are positive attitude, acceptance, surrender, and seeing the situation we are in only for our own good. This is the result of spirituality. Not to win in a lottery or promotion immediately all this is secondary.

Another advantage is that we get to know ourselves; the most important is not the opinion of others. We will be capable of seeing ourselves as we are, not as others think about us. Finally I can say that spirituality is for transformation. A man who knows he has an immortal soul has a deeper commitment to existence itself, to God himself. When we come closer to the truth, a great desire to share it with people arises. To live is to live in God, to breathe is to breath in God, where else can we be? This is the supreme magic! Once the higher heart has started functioning, it is a magical miracle that happens; all confusion disappears, clarity arises and life becomes transparent, we simply do that which has to be done.

Q: A vegetable is also living, is it a sin to eat vegetable? Anil Kumar: A rock has consciousness which is passive, the consciousness in a plant is a little more and the awareness and consciousness is again a little more in an animal while in a man the consciousness is in its climax added with impulses, sentiments and feelings. Therefore when you kill an animal which has more consciousness than a plant, it is killing and it is violence; whereas in the case of vegetables, which God has provided for our sustenance, it is not violence. When you kill an animal it dies completely and everything is lost. When you cut a few vegetables the bush or vine won¢t die. In a plant it is not total loss of life. If you go to a place where they grow up animals for selling as food you would cry and never eat meat again. The treatment of animals in these live stock farms is a

terrible sight and violence in every aspect we can think of. It is hard to digest. If I collect two fruits the tree will not die that is the difference. Q: Swami is saying that desires leads to disappointment. Can we live without desires? Anil Kumar: Let us have only one desire and that is to be desire less. Let us desire to be equanimous even if our desires are not fulfilled. Let us have a higher desire rather than a lower desire, when the higher comes, the lower always bows down, it rules only when the higher is not present. Simple example: we have Akandha Bhajans and a cricket match going on at the same time; which desire do you want to fulfill? If you give place for higher desires such as service and singing the glory of God, your Sadhana will prosper. Desire for the Divine has a greater quality than desires for mundane and material things and the result will be different. As we spoke earlier, we reap the fruit we sow, it is our choice. We have to exercise the sense of discrimination, discretion and judgment. Baba says: desires are decided by personal prejudices and fancies, they are momentary urges demanding immediate satisfaction.

Instead of having thousands of desires lets us have one classical desire. A simple example: a King asked his first wife I am going abroad what can I bring to you? I want jewels my dear. The King asked the second wife the same and she wanted the best saris in the world. The last wife said she wanted only the King to come back safe and secure. When the King returned home, he gave jewels to the first wife, saris to the second and went straight to his third wife with all the gifts he could imagine she would like and because she only wanted him, he stayed with her from there on. If we catch the feet of the Lord we will have all the gifts that we want.

God is a wishful filling tree, God will fulfill our desires; having this human life which is so precious the aim is to visualize and experience Him. If you desire God only, all your desires will be fulfilled.

Q: You said before that our present life is controlled by our past karma. Is it possible for Sai Baba to interfere and save us from bad karma?

I understand the experiences of past life can be really painful. We need some refuge and a method to understand and to resolve past karmic situations.

Simple example: a person is guilty after having committed a theft; he was put in jail for 10 years. In the jail he was very well behaved, highly obedient, making others happy and cheerful influenced the other inmates to be disciplined. The police of authority was satisfied with him and sent his file to the government for recommendation. That day happened to be independent day in India and some of the prisoners are relieved by recommendation that day and his name was on the list so his time was cut short by 5 years for his well behavior.

Suppose I have a business and I have to pay one lakh in tax. I go to a chartered accountant to help me and he will give me advice what to do to reduce my tax payment in a legal way. If I paid money to a charity trust, some tax will be reduced; also, if I have a car in my business and it had to be repaired some tax will be reduced and so on and so forth.

Similarly out of 100% karma we can reduce its negative effect by singing Bhajans and participate in service activity. Going to listen to Satsangs and participating in study circles will reduce the effect of your karma as well. All spiritual Sadhana will help you to live through your karma in a balanced and conscious way. We cannot fully escape to our karma but instead of a big accident we will have to experience a small accident, we break one leg or arm not the back or the neck; we lose small money not all we have, we burn one finger not the whole body.

This is the grace of the Guru and the effect of the spiritual work you do for yourself in this lifetime. Our present life can correct past mistakes by spiritual work and heart connection with a Master. It is in Baba¢s hands, so my friends don¢t accumulate more suffering in this life by negative thinking, judgment, anger, greed, attachment, and abnormal behavior. Surrender your pain to Baba, follow His teaching, sing His name and have His Darshan; it will purify your soul, soften your heart, strengthen your understanding and you will encourage others to expand in life not shrink anyone¢s vision or creativity. By the Grace of God you will not even know that you are suffering. He will make you pass through hard times very smoothly and securely. Bhajans, service and Sadhana is like a painkiller. I can tell you a number of Baba devotees who passed through unbelievably hard times but still they are smiling and still in a balanced frame of mind. In fact they have added an important quality and that is to be humble and thank full for what they have.

I told you this morning about Charles Penn from America, who died and his wife came to Swami in Kodaikanal three days after. Swami asked her how are you and she said I am fine Swami; my husband has not gone anywhere he is at your lotus feet. That is true spirituality: to accept anything without losing the ground of firm faith. Ram ChuganiKobe, Japan