Sathya Sai speaks...

[Guest guest]

Although science and technology have made rapid strides, man has not acquired

the divine qualities. Technology is the child of science. But very much anterior

to science is the Veda. cience seeks to know all about creation, but the Veda

reveals the knowledge about the Creator. All the natural sciences are concerned

with knowledge about created things. But there is a Creator who is the source of

all of them. In the quest for understanding the objects in creation, man is

forgetting the Creator. By forgetting the Creator, man is failing to develop the

quality of love. Why? Because God is Love and Love is God. When we forget Love,

we forget God. When God is forgotten how can Love grow? Science has been

enormously helpful and has achieved many wonders. But, simultaneously, it has

done incalculable harm. Science as such is not to be blamed for this. It is the

wrongful use of science that is responsible. Science discovered for man the

secrets of nature and the

cosmos. But what is the benefit we delve from knowing these secrets? Knowledge

is one thing; its proper utilisation is a different thing. Of what avail is it

to know the power of the atom if we have not learnt how to put it to good and

beneficial use? The knowledge delved from science should be used for sacred and

righteous purposes.

 

Science is below the mind; spirituality is beyond the mindsaid Bhagawan Sri

Sathya Sai Baba. Never ending and ever ambitious explorations in the field of

science leads man to a never ending expanse of outer knowledge whereas

spirituality prompts man to delve deep into his inner self that yields him the

ultimate gift, Wisdom! Indias illustrious scientist, Dr. S. Bhagavantam,

formerly scientific adviser in the Ministry of Defence and Director General of

Defence Research Development Organisation, who had a long association with

Bhagawan, narrates his initial dilemma that often baffled the scientist in him.

He later convinced himself to look beyond science in order to understand

Bhagawan's reality. Read on... (source: Sanathana Sarathi June, 1967)

 

It is a rare privilege for anyone to be invited, in whatever capacity it may be,

to sit on the same platform as Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. It is a rarer

privilege to be asked to preside over the Prasanthi Vidwanmahasabha.

 

You have been told during the past two days that the tribe of scientists is a

peculiar one, that they have their vision extended outwards only, that they

forget the essence of life which is embedded in the spiritual make up of the

man, that they generally add to the misery of mankind rather than help to

alleviate it and so on.

Moreover, it has been made out that in general, the scientists are either

atheists or near-atheists and that they do not find a place in such gatherings.

One need not learn science to turn away from God. Others too, both learned and

unlearned, have turned away from God. Of course, the scientist asks inconvenient

questions and so is charged with conceit. An incident in regard to Oppenheimer,

who had succeeded in exploding the first atom bomb in 1945, would be appropriate

here. It was a terrible and awe-inspiring event. The pressmen asked Oppenheimer

what his reactions were and he replied that he was reminded of the sloka in the

Bhagavad-Gita by which Arjuna described the Viswarupa of the Lord as:

 

Divi Surya Sahasrasya

Bhaved yugapad uththithaa

Yadi bhaah sadrsee saa syaad

Bhaasasthasya mahaathmanaa

 

" That is the only way I can describe the magnificent brightness I have seen

now " , he said. The truly learned are aware of the wisdom of our ancient texts

and of the teachings of the Upanishads.

We were once sitting on the sands of the Chitravati River and it was a full moon

day. Bhagawan asked me, " Would you like to have a copy of the Bhagavad Gita? "

and took some sand into His hand. The sand instantly turned into a text of the

Gita and He put it into my hands! I was curious to know in which press it was

printed and later, I turned over the leaves to discover it; but, needless to

say, the name of the press was not to be found. I was a fairly lost person at

that time, for, all this was in utter denunciation of the laws of physics for

which I stood and I still stand. Subsequently too, He has been breaking one law

of physics after another, laws which I learnt as being inviolable. Having learnt

the laws of physics in my youth and having taught others for many years

thereafter about the inviolability of such lawsat least so far as any known

human situation is concernedand having put them into practice with such a belief

in them, I naturally

found myself in a dilemma which needed to be resolved. On one other such

occasion, He performed a surgical operation with instruments created by Him; I

was an eyewitness and my young son was standing by my side. What has science to

do with this or to say about this? Prof. Gokak said yesterday that Bhagawan

defies the laws of physics and chemistry. I would prefer to say that He

transcends the laws of physics and chemistry. He is a Phenomenon; He is

Transcendental; He is Divine; He is an Incarnation. I accepted that as His role,

for this is the right way and the only way to get out of the dilemma I referred

to a little while ago and in which I was placed. Today, I do not ask silly

questions, nor do I seek to discover what laws He is breaking or how. I speak

only of what happens and can happen under known laws.

 

Scientists have done many such wonderful things and added to their knowledge but

they are aware that knowledge is not the same as wisdom. While adding to

knowledge, we add more to our ignorance too. What we know is becoming a smaller

and smaller fraction of what we do not know. Wisdom has to be got from Bhagawan

and the likes of Him who come amidst us from time to time for this express

purpose.

We can borrow many things from the west; technology, materials, equipment,

instruments, books and even food, but, we cannot borrow character, culture or

tradition. The latter are to be derived from our own heritage, our own selves

and our own disciplined effort. Becoming good and godly is a very difficult

process; it needs hard discipline. It will take a very long time. I am speaking

not pessimistically, but, realistically. Bhagawan is our nearest kith and kin;

turn to Him for the Eternal Message. That alone can change us.

 

(speech given in Chennai, at the Prasanthi Vidwaan Mahasabha on April 24, 1967,

in The Divine Presence)

 

Ram Chugani

Kobe, Japan