(No subject)

[Guest guest]

'The Role of the Avatar' - by Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Extracts from talks, August 14, 1990 - Krishna Janmasthami Day

 

The Lord has a myriad heads, a myriad eyes and a myriad feet. The

entire cosmos and every living being in it are reflections of the

Divine.

 

Oblivious to the presence of this sacred Divinity within himself, man

embarks on the quest for God. He behaves like a man who goes to his

neighbour for milk, forgetting the wish-fulfilling cow in his

backyard.

 

Avatars are of two kinds: One, Amsaavatar; two, Poornaavtar. All

human beings are Amsaavatar; partial incarnations of the Divine.

 

" A part of My eternal soul Self has become the Jiva_the individual

soul_in the world of living beings " , says Krishna in the Bhagavad

Gita.

 

These partial incarnations, caught up in Maya (illusion), develop

egoism and possessiveness and lead worldly lives. The Poornaavatars,

however, subduing and transcending Maya, manifest their full divinity

to the world in their lives. The Poornaavatar may behave, according

to the circumstances, as if He were subject to Maya, but in fact He

is free from Maya at all times.

 

In the Treta Yuga [over 10,000 years ago], Rama came as the very

embodiment of Sathya (Truth) and Dharma (Righteousness). In the

Dwapara Yuga [over 5,000 years ago], the Lord incarnate as Krishna,

the embodiment of Santhi (Peace) and Prema (Love). Today the Avatar

has come as the embodiment of all the four_Sathya, Dharma, Santhi and

Prema.

 

In the understanding of the role of Avatars, the easiest, and the

sweetest means was revealed by Krishna Avatar to the largest extent.

This does not mean that other Avatars are irrelevant. Each Avatar is

appropriate for the time of its advent. This may be illustrated by a

small example: When there is a petty quarrel in the street, a

policeman's intervention is enough. When there is riotous crowds, a

Police Inspector may be necessary to deal with it. In an insurgency,

the Inspector-General of Police will have to take charge of the

situation.

 

When Righteousness was showing signs of decline, Rama appeared to

protect dharani (the earth), dharma patni (his consort) and dharma

(righteousness). It was for these three-fold purposes that Rama

Avatar took place.

 

By the time of Krishna Avatar, the forces of wickedness had grown to

greater proportions. Krishna was not concerned much about the earth

or the wife. His main concern was with dharma. When dharma is firmly

established, the earth and the dharma patni are also duly protected.

 

In this context, Rama is described as Maya maanusha vigraha (illusion

in human form). In the story of Rama, it is related that Rama

lamented over the loss of Sita. In Krishna Avatar the picture is

different. Women were in distress for the sake of Krishna.

 

In Rama Avatar, Rama was provoked to take arms against evil doers. In

Krishna Avatar, Krishna provoked the conflict and fought the evil

doers. In Rama Avatar, duty came first and joy later. In Krishna

Avatar, joy came first and then duty.

 

There is a vast difference between Divine bliss and momentary

pleasure. What is called happiness is incidental to a situation and

is not permanent. But ananda (bliss) is different. It is lasting.

When you are hungry, you go to the canteen and feel happy after

taking food. But that does not last long. Permanent happiness can be

got only through devotion to the Divine. Avatars make their advent

only to confer Divine bliss to mankind.

 

Every Avatar is an amazing phenomenon. Not to recognize the Avatar is

equally a matter for amazement. Even more astonishing is the

incapacity to experience the presence of the Avatar. Most astonishing

of all is to be in the presence of the Lord and feel miserable. To be

in the proximity of the Avatar, to move about with the Avatar, to

sing and sport with the Avatar and yet fail to understand the truth

of the Avatar is indeed a remarkable phenomenon! When the Avatar

principle is understood, you experience real bliss.

 

When you have faith in the Divine, life becomes a victorious journey.