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Not Two, But One
Not Two, But One
Vol. 1
!
Discourse 1 (Pranti Nilayam, Vijayadasami, 1953)
Men
are
like
that;
loko
bhinna
ruchih
(tastes
of
people
differ).
The
Jnaani
says,
"Sarvam
Brahma
mayam:"
In
God
is
All;"
another,
a
yogi,
says
all
is
energy;
a
third,
who
is
a
bhaktha,
says
all
is
the
play
of
Bhagavaan
(the
Lord).
Each
according
to
his
taste
and
according
to
his
progress
in
saadhana
(spiritual
practice).
Do
not
hurry
or
ridicule
them,
for
they
are
all
pilgrims
trudging
along
the
same
road.
This
I
will
tell
you,
there
is
no
escaping
it;
all
creatures
have
to
reach
God
some
day
or
other,
by
the
long
route
or
by
the
short
route.
The
Lord
is
a
Mountain
of
Prema
(Love);
any
number
of
ants
carrying
away
particles
of
sweetness
cannot
exhaust
His
Plenty.
He
is
an
Ocean
of
Mercy
without
a
limiting
shore.
Bhakthi
(devotion)
is
the
easiest
way
to
win
His
Grace
and
also
to
realise
that
He
pervades
everything;
in
fact,
is
everything!
Man
must
be
yoked
to
samsaara
and
broken;
that
is
the
training
which
will
teach
that
the
world
is
unreal;
no
amount
of
lectures
will
make
you
believe
it
is
a
snake
unless
you
actually
experience
it.
Touch
Oire
and
get
the
sensation
of
burning;
there
is
nothing
like
it
to
teach
you
that
Oire
is
to
be
avoided.
Unless
you'
touch
it,
you
will
be
aware
only
of
its
light.
It
is
light
and
heat
both;
just
as
this
world
is
both
true
and
false,
that
is
to
say,
unreal.
!
Discourse 3 (Pranti Nilayam, Guru Poornami, 1/8/1956)
!
In
this
world
which
is
impermanent
and
ever
transforming,
the
Immanent
Power
of
the
Lord
is
the
only
permanent
and
Oixed
entity.
In
order
to
realise
the
eternal
and
the
true,
one
has
perforce
to
attach
oneself
to
that
Source
and
Sustenance.
There
is
no
escape
from
this
path.
It
is
the
destiny
of
one
and
all,
irrespective
of
age
or
scholarship,
clime
or
caste,
sex
or
status.
While
proceeding
along
the
road,
you
can
watch
your
shadow
falling
on
mud
or
dirt,
hollow
or
mound,
thorn
or
sand,
wet
or
dry
patches
of
land.
You
are
unaffected
by
the
fate
of
your
shadow,
is
it
not?
Nor
is
the
shadow
made
dirty
thereby.
It
does
not
worry
in
the
least
where
it
falls
or
what
it
wades
through.
We
know
that
the
shadow
and
its
experiences
are
not
eternal
or
true.
Similarly,
you
must
get
convinced
that
'you'
are
but
Page 1 of 268
the
shadow
of
the
Absolute
and
you
are
essentially
not
this
'you'
but
the
absolute
itself.
That
is
the
remedy
for
sorrow,
travail
and
pain.
You
see
many
things
in
dreams
and
many
things
are
acquired
by
you
during
dreams:
power,
pelf,
status,
reputation.
But
when
you
awake,
you
do
not
weep
over
the
loss,
even
though
for
the
duration
of
the
dream
all
that
was
very
real
and
gave
you
real
satisfaction
and
joy.
That
was
a
'dream',
you
tell
yourself;
what
prevents
you
from
treating
with
similar
nonchalance
the
possessions
gathered
during
the
waking
stage
of
your
life?
Cultivate
that
attitude
and
you
can
depart
with
a
smile
whenever
the
curtain
falls
on
this
dreamland
stage.
In
order
to
bring
conviction
to
you
in
all
this,
it
is
best
you
approach
a
Guru
(spiritual
preceptor)
who
knows
the
Truth
by
experience
and
whose
daily
activities,
words
and
thoughts
reOlect
this
realisation.
The
Guru
is
called
so
because
the
letter
GU
signiOies
Gunaatheetha---one
who
has
transcended
the
three
gunas
(qualities)---the
Thaamasik,
the
Raajasik
and
even
the
Saathwik
(ignorant
passionate
and
virtuous);
and
the
letter
RU
signiOies
one
who
is
Roopa
Varjitha
(one
who
has
grasped
the
formless
aspect
of
God-head).
Of
course,
he
could
come
to
that
stage
only
through
the
sublimation
of
the
lower
into
the
higher
qualities
and
the
steady
and
conscious
ignoring
of
the
part
played
by
mere
name
and
form.
The
Guru
has
very
often
to
tell
you
that
you
have
forgotten
your
real
name
or
that
you
have
lost
the
most
precious
part
of
yourself
and
yet
are
unaware
of
the
loss.
!
!
The
mission
on
which
every
individual
has
come
is
to
merge
the
individuality
in
the
Universal.
The
life
that
each
being
is
leading
is
saturated
with
the
Divine;
Existence
or
Sath
is
derived
from
the
source
of
all
Sath,
Brahman
(Supreme
Reality)
Itself;
Consciousness
or
Chith
is
derived
from
the
source
of
all
Chith,
Brahman
Itself.
Bliss
or
Aanandha
is
derived
from
the
source
of
all.
Aanandha,
Brahman
Itself.
You
are
all
Sath-Chith-Aanandha
swaruupa
(embodiments
of
Existence
-
Consciousness-Bliss);
only,
you
are
unaware
of
it
and
imagine
yourself
to
be
this
individual
or
that,
and
subjected
to
this
limitation
or
that!
This
is
the
myth
that
must
be
exploded
in
order
that
Divine
Life
may
start.
It
is
the
Divine
that
inspires,
that
activates,
that
leads
and
fulOils
the
life
of
each
being,
however
simple
or
complex
its
physical
structure
may
be.
From
the
Anu
(atom)
to
the
Brihath
(Universe)
every
single
entity
is
moving
towards
the
estuary
where
it
merges
in
the
sea
of
Bliss.
Divine
Life
is
the
very
breath
of
all
beings;
it
consists
of
Sathya,
Prema
and
Ahimsa
(Truth,
Love
and
Non-injury).
For,
how
can
any
one
be
false
to
another
when
there
is
no
other
at
all?
Falsehood
comes
out
of
fear.
When
there
is
no
second,
there
is
no
fear
at
all.
No
one
is
loved
more
than
the
Self:
so,
when
all
is
the
self-same
Self,
all
is
loved
as
the
Self
is
loved.
As
for
himsa,
who
is
to
injure
whom,
when
all
are
but
one?
Every
struggle
to
realise
the
Unity
behind
all
the
multiplicity
is
a
step
on
the
path
of
Divine
Life.
You
have
to
churn
the
milk
if
you
wish
to
separate
and
identify
the
butter
that
is
immanent
in
it.
So
too,
you
have
to
carry
on
certain
processes
of
thought
and
action
in
order
to
get
to
the
hard
core
of
faith
that
this
world
is
a
funny
mixture
Of
Sathyam
and
Asathyam
(real
&
unreal),
that
it
is
mithya
(false),
in
fact.
The
Divine
Life
does
not
admit
of
the
slightest
dross
in
character
or
delusion
in
intellect.
So,
people
dedicated
to
it
must
emphasise
this
by
precept
and
example.
Page 2 of 268
!
!
!
Ignorance
is
just
a
mistake,
mistaken
identity
of
the
body
as
the
Self!
!
A
mere
Oive-minute
inquiry
will
convince
you
that
you
are
not
the
body,
or
the
senses,
the
mind
or
the
intelligence,
the
name
or
the
form,
but
that
you
are
the
Aathma
Itself,
the
same
aathma
that
appears
as
all
this
variety.
Once
you
get
a
glimpse
of
this
truth,
hold
on
to
it;
do
not
allow
it
to
slip.
Make
it
your
permanent
possession.
The
greatest
defect
today
is
the
absence
of
Aathma
vichaara
(the
inquiry
into
the
nature
of
the
Self).
That
is
the
root
cause
of
all
this
ashaanthi
(restlessness).
If
you
are
eager
to
know
the
truth
about
yourself,
then
even
if
you
do
not
believe
in
God,
you
will
not
go
astray.
The
pots
are
all
of
mud,
the
ornaments
are
all
of
gold,
the
clothes
are
all
of
yarn.
There
is
unity
where
one
saw
only
diversity;
the
basic
substance
is
one
and
indivisible.
That
is
Brahman
(Supreme
Reality),
that
is
the
Aathma,
which
is
your
own
basic
substance
too.
This
Aathma
vichaara
is
best
found
in
the
Upanishaths.
Just
as
a
river's
Olow
is
regulated
by
bunds
and
the
Olood
waters
are
directed
to
the
sea,
so
too
the
Upanishaths
regulate
and
restrict
the
senses,
the
mind
and
the
intellect
and
help
one
to
reach
the
sea
and
merge
individuality
in
the
Absolute.
Study
the
Upanishaths
with
a
view
to
act
accordingly,
to
put
the
advice
into
practice.
The
secret
is:
you
should
'be',
but
not
be
as
in
sleep,
when
you
are
aware
deep
down
within
you,
that
you
are.
Only,
sleep
is
enveloped
in
Maayaa
(Delusion).
Awake
from
that
delusion,
but
immerse
yourself
in
this
sleep
that
is
real
Samaadhi
(Super-
conscious
state
of
Bliss)
Flying
hither
and
thither,
higher
and
higher,
the
bird
has
at
last
to
perch
on
a
tree
for
rest.
So
too,
even
the
richest
and
the
most
powerful
man
seeks
rest,
shaanthi.
Peace
can
be
got
only
in
one
shop,
in
inner
reality.
The
senses
will
drag
you
along
into
a
mire,
which
submerges
you
deeper
and
deeper
in
alternate
joy
and
grief,
that
is
to
say,
prolonged
discontent.
Only
the
contemplation
of
unity
can
remove
fear,
rivalry,
envy,
greed,
desire---all
the
feelings
that
prompt
discontent.
Every
other
avenue
can
give
only
pseudo-
contentment;
a
day
will
come
when
you
will
throw
away
all
these
play-things
and
toys
and
cry,
"Lord!
grant
Me
unrufOled
peace."
While
studying
other
things,
you
should
learn
the
secret
of
Shaanthi
also.
This
opportunity
should
not
be
missed,
for
that
is
the
wisdom
that
will
save
you.
The
present
system
of
education
aims
at
making
you
bread-winners
and
citizens,
but
it
does
not
give
you
the
secret
of
a
happy
life;
namely,
discrimination
between
the
unreal
and
the
real--,which
is
the
genuine
training
you
need
The
cultivation
of
viveka
(dis-
crimination)
is
the
chief
aim
of
education;
the
promotion
of
virtuous
habits,
the
strengthening
of
Dharma,
these
are
to
be
attended
to;
not
the
acquisition
of
polish
or
gentlemanliness,
or
collection
of
general
information
and
the
practice
of
common
skills.
!
!
!
Page 3 of 268
First,
be
Oixed
in
the
consciousness
that
yourself
is
the
immortal
Aathma,
which
is
indestructible,
which
is
holy,
pure
and
divine.
If
you
look
upon
nature
and
all
created
objects
with
the
insight
derived
from
the
Inner
Vision,
then
attachment
will
slide
away,
though
effort
will
remain;
you
will
also
see
everything
much
clearer
and
with
a
glow
suffused
with
Divinity
and
splendour.
The
Lord
is
the
Immanent
Power
in
everything;
those
who
refuse
to
believe
that
the
image
in
the
mirror
is
a
picture
of
themselves,
how
can
they
believe
in
the
Lord,
when
He
is
reOlected
in
every
object
around
them?
The
moon
is
reOlected
in
a
pot,
provided
it
has
water;
so
too,
the
Lord
can
be
clearly
seen
in
your
heart,
provided
you
have
the
water
of
Prema
(Love)
in
it.
When
the
Lord
is
not
reOlected
in
your
heart,
you
cannot
say
that
there
is
no
Lord;
it
only
means
that
there
is
no
prema
in
you.
!
Discourse 7 (B.Z. High School, Chittoor, 3/3/1958)
!
When
that
prema
is
Oixed
on
the
Lord,
your
mental
make-up
will
slowly
and
steadily
undergo
a
revolutionary
change;
then,
man
will
share
in
the
sorrows
and
joys
of
his
fellow-beings;
thereafter,
he
contacts
the
very
source
of
the
bliss
that
is
beyond
the
temporary
gains
and
losses
of
this
world.
Prema
(Divine
Love)
directed
to
the
Lord
is
called
bhakthi
(devotion)
and
it
is
the
easiest
of
all
the
paths
to
realise
the
goal.
The
easiest
way
of
grasping
the
basic
reality
is
to
see
the
Lord
in
every
creature,
the
Lord
sporting
in
all
this
multiplicity,
as
the
underlying
reality
of
all,
the
Sarvabhuutha
antharaathma
(Indweller
in
all
Beings).
You
might
wonder
and
even
doubt
how
it
is
possible
for
the
Lord
to
dwell
in
every
being.
But
have
you
not
seen
one
single
mango
seed
grow
into
a
tree
which
gives
thousands
of
fruits,
in
each
of
which
there
is
to
be
found
a
seed
identical
to
the
one
which
was
Oirst
planted?
!
!
Ask
for
bhakthi
(devotion)
and
for
jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom)
and
I
shall
be
happy.
Many
do
not
crave
for
such
things
now;
it
is
their
misfortune.
They
are
merely
wasting
their
precious
chance.
There
is
no
living
being
without
the
spark
of
love;
even
a
mad
man
loves
something
or
somebody
intensely.
But,
you
must
recognise
this
love
as
but
a
reOlection
of
the
Premaswaruupa
(the
embodiment
of
Love),
that
is
your
reality,
of
the
God
who
is
residing
in
your
heart.
!
Discourse 9 (Gokhale Hall, Madras, 25/3/1958)
!
He
who
is
Oirmly
Oixed
in
the
faith
that
this
world
is
a
mirage
of
the
mind,
he
alone
is
the
swami
You
must
have
heard
the
Kaalidhaasa
story.
He
said
that
he
would
get
liberation
"as
soon
as
I
go,"
that
is
to
say,
as
soon
as
the
ego
disappears,
for
then
he
shines
in
his
native
splendour,
as
Brahman
(as
the
indestructible
Aathma).
The
T
when
crossed
out
becomes
the
symbol
of
cross;
so,
what
is
cruciOied
is
the
ego,
remember.
Then,
the
Divine
nature
manifests
itself
unhampered.
Page 4 of 268
!
Discourse 10 (Guudur, 22/7/1958)
Well,
Man
is
Divine,
take
it
from
Me;
he
is
really
here
on
a
holy
mission,
for
a
divine
purpose.
To
consider
him
as
mean
or
weak
or
sinful
is
a
great
mistake.
That
is
itself
a
great
sin.
Man
must
earn
his
birthright,
namely,
shaanthi
(peace).
Ashaanthi
(restlessness)
is
for
him
an
un-natural
state.
His
real
nature
is
shaanthi.
To
recover
his
heritage
of
shaanthi,
man
tries
various
methods:
acculumation
of
riches,
maintenance
of
health,
mastery
of
knowledge,
cultivation
of
the
arts.
But
these
are
not
fundamental.
Three
basic
wants
still
remain
after
all
these
methods
have
been
tried:
the
need
for
reality,
for
light
and
for
immortality.
It
is
only
when
Sath,
Jyothi
and
Amritham
(Existence,
Divine
Light
and
Divine
Nectar)
are
won
that
Shaanthi
will
be
stabilised.
!
Silence
is
the
only
language
of
the
realised.
!
There
are
three
types
of
buddhi,
according
to
the
predominance
of
one
or
other
of
the
three
gunas:
the
thamas,
which
confuses
sathyam
(truth)
as
the
asathyam
(untruth)
and
takes
the
asathyam
as
the
sathyam;
the
rajas
which
like
a
pendulum
swings
from
one
to
the
other,
hovering
between
the
two,
unable
to
distinguish
between
them;
and
the
sathwa,
which
knows
which
is
sathyam
and
which
is
asathyam.
Bring
your
thoughts
constantly
back
to
the
Aathma,
which
is
the
substance
of
all
the
objective
world,
the
basic
reality
behind
all
this
appearance.
The
Oirst
step
in
Aathma
vichaara
(enquiring
about
the
Self)
is
the
practice
of
the
truth
that
whatever
gives
you
pain
gives
pain
to
others
and
whatever
gives
you
joy,
gives
joy
to
others.
So
do
unto
others
as
you
would
like
them
to
do
unto
you;
desist
from
any
act
in
relation
to
others
which
if
done
by
them
will
give
you
pain.
Thus,
a
kind
of
reciprocal
relationship
will
grow
between
you
and
others
and
gradually
you
reach
the
stage
when
your
heart
thrills
with
joy
when
others
are
joyful
and
shudders
in
pain
when
others
are
sad.
This
is
not
the
kind
of
affection
towards
those
who
are
dear
to
you
or
those
who
are
your
kith
and
kin.
That
is
a
sign
of
delusion;
but
this
sharing
of
joy
and
grief
is
automatic,
immediate,
universal.
It
is
a
sign
of
great
spiritual
advance;
then
the
wave
knows
that
it
is
part
of
the
ocean
and
that
all
waves
are
but
temporary
manifestations
of
the
self-same
sea
having
the
same
taste
as
the
ocean
itself.
The
others
are
part
of
yourself;
you
need
not
worry
about
them;
worry
about
yourself;
that
is
enough;
when
you
become
all
right,
they
too
will
be
all
right,
for
you
will
no
longer
be
aware
of
them
as
separate
from
you.
The
mirror
of
Prema
reOlects
the
Aathma
in
you
and
reveals
to
you
that
the
Aathma
is
universal,
immanent
in
every
being.
The
educated
man
must
be
able
to
distinguish
between
the
momentary
and
the
momentous,
the
lasting
and
the
effervescent.
He
must
not
run
after
glitter
and
glamour
but
he
must
seek
instead
the
good
and
golden.
He
must
know
how
to
keep
the
body
in
good
trim,
the
senses
under
strict
control,
the
mind
well
within
check,
the
intellect
sharp
and
clear,
unhampered
by
prejudices
and
hatreds,
and
the
feelings
untouched
by
egoism.
He
must
know
the
Aathma
too,
for
that
is
his
very
care;
that
is
the
effulgence
which
illumines
his
inner
and
outer
selves.
This
Page 5 of 268
knowledge
will
ensure
joy
and
peace
and
courage
for
him
throughout
life.
Students
also
must
cultivate
vinaya
(the
art
of
avoiding
the
inOliction
of
pain
on
others).
The
mind
seeks
sukha
(happiness);
it
feels
that
happiness
can
be
got
in
this
world
from
fame,
riches,
land
and
property,
from
other
individuals
or
relatives;
further,
it
builds
up
pictures
of
heaven
where
there
is
more
intense
happiness
for
a
longer
time;
at
last,
it
discovers
that
eternal
undiminished
happiness
can
be
got
only
by
dwelling
on
the
Reality
of
one's
own
Self,
which
is
Bliss
Itself.
The
jeevathathwa
(the
life
principle)
is
like
the
grain
covered
up
in
the
husk
of
maayaa
(delusion),
as
the
rice
is
enveloped
in
the
paddy.
The
maayaa
has
to
be
removed;
thejeevathathwa
has
to
be
boiled
and
made
soft
and
assimilated
so
that
it
might
add
to
health
and
strength.
The
softened
rice
can
be
compared
to
Paramaathma
(Supreme
Soul).
The
mind
has
to
be
used
for
this
process.
It
has
to
be
Oixed
in
the
Sathyam
(Truth)
and
the
Nithyam
(Everlasting).
To
remove
the
husk
of
delusion,
viveka
(discrimination)
is
an
instrument.
Develop
the
power
of
discrimination
and
Oind
out
which
is
permanent
and
which
is
not,
which
is
beneOicial
and
which
is
not.
Even
in
selecting
a
Guru,
you
should
use
your
viveka.
Not
all
clouds
are
rain-bearing.
A
real
teacher
will
be
able
to
attract
seekers
from
afar
merely
by
his
personality.
He
need
not
be
talked
about
in
glowing
terms;
his
presence
will
be
felt
and
aspirants
will
hurry
towards
him,
like
bees
towards
a
lotus
in
full
bloom.
!
Moksha
lies
in
the
suukshma"
they
say---"Liberation
can
be
achieved
by
subtle
means."
!
!
Women
are
called
"weak"
because
they
yield
to
anger
and
sorrow
much
more
easily
than
men;
so
I
would
ask
them
to
take
extra
pains
to
overcome
these
two.
Naamasmarana
is
the
best
antidote
for
this
and
if
only
men
and
women
take
up
to
it,
the
Lord
will
come
to
their
rescue.
That
will
instil
the
faith
that
everything
is
God's
Will
and
teach
that
you
have
no
right
to
exult
or
despair.
Become
conscious
of
your
kinship
with
the
Lord.
That
kinship
is
not
a
mere
fancy
or
a
faked
theory.
It
has
come
down
since
ages,
from
the
beginning
of
Time
itself.
It
will
persist
till
the
very
end
of
Time,
or,
in
other
words,
till
the
end
of
Time
so
far
as
you
are
concerned.
There
is
in
every
one
a
spark
of
truth;
no
one
can
live
without
that
spark.
There
is
in
every
one
a
Olame
of
love;
life
becomes
a
dark
void
without
it.
That
spark,
that
Olame
is
God,
for
He
is
the
source
of
all
Truth
and
all
Love.
Man
seeks
truth;
he
seeks
to
know
Page 6 of 268
the
reality
because
his
very
nature
is
derived
from
God
who
is
Truth.
He
seeks
Love,
to
give
it
and
share
it,
for
his
nature
is
of
God
and
God
is
Love.
Meditate
on
the
truth
and
you
will
Oind
that
you
are
but
a
sparkling
bubble
upon
the
waters;
born
on
water,
living
for
a
brief
moment
on
water
and
dying
upon
its
breast,
merging
in
it.
You
owe
your
birth
to
God:
you
subsist
on
God
and
you
merge
in
God.
Every
living
thing
has
to
reach
that
consummation;
why,
every
non-living
thing
too.
You
may
be
'unafraid,'
you
may
not
fear
anything
else,
but
you
have
to
fear
Truth.
There
is
nothing
so
awe-inspiring
as
Truth;
your
Truth,
for
example,
for
your
Truth
is
the
Truth
of
the
Universe.
He
is
everywhere,
everything
is
His,
His
gaze
is
on
all.
If
God
was
not
all
this
how
could
they
shine,
or
exist
even
as
much
as
they
do
now?
!
Discourse 14 (Mirthipadu, 2/9/1958)
!
Be
like
lions
in
the
spiritual
Oield,
rule
over
the
forest
of
the
senses
and
roam
fearlessly
with
full
faith
in
victory.
Be
heroes,
not
zeros;
for
Maanava
(man)
is
of
the
nature
of
Maadhava
(God);
he
is
the
imperishable
eternal
Aathma!
In
the
night
of
Vyaamoha
(utter
delusion),
the
Lord
can
be
seen
only
by
the
light
that
He
himself
is,
namely,
the
light
of
pure
prema
(love).
He
is
Sathyam
and
Nithyam
(Truth
and
Eternal)
and
so
He
is
beyond
the
categories
of
mithya
or
jagath
(falsity
and
change).
!
"I
am
you
and
you
are
all
I"
!
The
leaders
of
the
people
must
have
faith
in
their
own
Aathma
and
the
conOidence
born
of
that;
then
they
can
lead
others;
then
they
will
not
lead
them
astray,
for
they
will
feel
kinship
with
the
basic
Aathma
in
all.
!
Understand
yourself
and
that
will
reveal
Me
to
you,
for
I
am
you
and
you
are
all
I.
!
There
is
no
need
to
retire
into
a
forest
or
a
cave
to
know
your
inner
Truth
and
to
conquer
your
lower
nature.
My
mission
will
succeed.
I
have
come
to
illumine
the
human
heart
with
the
Light
Divine
and
to
rid
man
of
the
delusion
that
drags
him
away
from
the
path
of
shaanthi
(peace),
the
perfect
equanimity
born
of
Realisation.
Divinity
is
inherent,
immanent
in
every
jeevi
and
the
process
of
reminding
man
of
that
fact
began
with
the
very
dawn
of
human
history.
What
has
to
be
done
to
lead
the
Divine
Life
is
just
the
removal
of
the
fog
which
hides
the
Truth
and
makes
man
imagine
he
is
something
else;
something
inferior,
evanescent,
material,
momentary.
All
are
holy,
pure,
part
of
eternity.
But
these
things
shine
in
each
in
proportion
to
the
saadhana,
just
as
Page 7 of 268
bulbs
spread
illumination
according
to
the
wattage.
There
is
no
body
which
is
not
sustained
by
the
Absolute;
there
is
no
name
that
does
not
indicate
the
Universal.
All
objects
are
suffused
by
that
Principle;
all
names
are
attributes
of
its
Glory.
But
the
Bliss
that
one
gets
when
he
dwells
on
the
Aathma,
the
source
and
spring
of
all
joy,
is
unbounded
and
imperishable.
That
is
the
real
joy.
No
one
can
liberate
you,
for
no
one
has
bound
you.
You
hold
on
to
the
nettle
of
worldly
pleasure
and
you
weep
for
pain.
The
kite
is
pursued
by
crows
so
long
as
it
carries
the
Oish
in
its
beak;
it
twists
and
turns
in
the
sky
trying
to
dodge
the
crows
who
seek
to
snatch
the
Oish;
tired
at
last,
it
drops
the
Oish.
That
moment
it
is
free.
So
give
up
the
attachment
to
the
senses,
then
grief
and
worry
can
harass
you
no
more.
The
kite
sits
on
a
tree,
preening
its
wings,
enjoying
its
happiness.
You
too
can
be
so
happy,
provided
you
drop
the
Oish
you
have
in
your
beak.
!
!
To
see
the
Lord's
own
loveliness
in
the
lovely
scenery
around
you
requires
not
the
outer
eye
but
the
inward
eye.
If
you
develop
that,
walking
over
the
land
or
voyaging
over
the
waters
is
itself
a
pilgrimage
through
holy
land,
giving
you
glimpses
of
God
in
every
speck
of
cloud
or
patch
of
green.
But
all
this
Sundharam
(Divine
Beauty)
must
lead
man
to
Sathyam
(Truth)
and
all
this
Sathyam
to
Mangalam
(Goodness).
That
is
the
natural
path.
The
beauty
of
the
Lord's
handiwork
leads
man
on
to
the
glow
of
the
Lord;
the
picture
makes
you
curious
about
the
Painter.
The
Lord,
when
His
Truth
is
grasped,
confers
Bliss
which
is
auspiciousness
itself.
Like
underground
water,
the
Divine
is
there,
in
every
one,
remember.
The
Lord
is
Sarvabhuutha
antharaathma
(Indweller
in
all
beings),
Sarvavyaapi
(All-pervading).
He
is
the
Aathma
(Soul)
of
every
being.
He
is
in
you
as
much
as
in
every
one
else.
The
waning
of
the
Moon
is
the
symbol
for
the
waning
of
the
mind;
for
the
mind
has
to
be
controlled,
reduced
and
Oinally
destroyed.
All
Saadhana
is
directed
towards
this
end.
Manohara---the
mind
has
to
be
killed---so
that
Maayaa
may
be
rent
asunder
and
the
reality
revealed.
Just
as
Om
is
the
verbal
symbol
of
God,
the
Lingam
is
the
symbolic
form
of
the
Godhead.
It
is
just
a
form.
Everything
is
maayaa
(delusion)
and
to
grasp
it,
you
must
deal
with
maayaa.
Otherwise
you
cannot
realise
the
Maayaa
Shakthi
(Deluding
Power).
God
is
as
immanent
in
the
Universe
as
life
is
immanent
in
the
egg.
The
chicken
is
in
every
part
of
the
egg;
so
too,
God
is
in
every
part
of
the
world.
I
prefer
the
description
Sarvaantharyaami
(inner
ruler
of
all)
to
the
description,
Sarvabhuutha
antharaathma
(Inmost
soul
of
all
beings).
All
are
in
this
Hall,
each
one
has
no
Hall
in
him,
is
it
not?
In
the
same
way,
all
are
in
Him;
which
is
better
than
saying,
He
is
in
all.
Do
not
tell
me
that
you
do
not
care
for
that
Bliss,
that
you
are
satisOied
with
the
delusion
and
are
not
willing
to
undergo
the
rigours
of
sleeplessness.
Your
basic
nature,
believe
Me,
abhors
this
dull,
dreary
routine
of
eating,
drinking,
and
sleeping.
It
seeks
something
which
it
knows
it
has
lost---shaanthi
(inward
contentment).
It
seeks
Page 8 of 268
liberation
from
bondage
to
the
trivial
and
the
temporary.
Every
one
craves
for
it
in
his
heart
of
hearts.
And
it
is
available
only
in
one
shop---Contemplation
of
the
Highest
Self,
the
basis
of
all
this
appearance.
If
you
acquire
prema,
then
you
can
dispense
with
the
Shaasthras,
for
the
purpose
of
all
the
Shaasthras
is
just
that:
to
create
the
feeling
of
Sarvajana
samaana
prema
(equal
love
for
all);
and
to
negate
egoism
which
stands
in
the
way.
Reason
too,
if
it
comes
in
the
way
of
this
love,
is
to
be
discarded
as
'perverted'.
No
one
need
do
anything
positive
to
discover
the
Aathma;
when
the
'cover'
of
illusion
is
denied
and
destroyed,
it
will
reveal
itself
in
all
its
glory.
What
is
needed
is
the
removal
of
the
fog,
the
cloud,
the
miasma,
and
the
casting
off
of
all
the
clinging
curtains
that
limit
the
self
into
the
body
and
its
adjuncts.
The
world
is
an
illusion
and
all
is
Brahman
only
for
one
who
has
reached
the
ultimate
goal;
but
until
Realisation
dawns,
one
has
to
wait
patiently,
hoping
and
preparing.
So
real
shaanthi
is
to
be
got
only
in
the
depths
of
the
spirit,
in
the
discipline
of
the
mind,
in
faith
in
the
One
Base
of
all
this
seeming
multiplicity.
When
that
is
secured,
it
is
like
having
gold,
you
can
have
any
variety
of
jewels
made
from
it.
It
is
all
a
matter
of
one's
own
experience.
And
the
joy
of
that
experience,
the
profound
exhilaration
which
accompanies
it
cannot
be
communicated
in
words.
All
shravanam
and
keerthanam
(hearing
and
singing
God's
Names)
is
to
take
you
nearer
that
experience.
Thejeevi
(individual
soul)
has
come
to
this
birth
in
order
to
reveal
the
splendour
of
the
spark
of
Godhead
which
It
is.
You
should
see
and
wonder
at
the
nithyam
(eternal)
in
all
this
anithyam
(temporary).
This
drama
has
only
two
actors
jada
and
Chaithanya
(the
insentient
and
the
Supreme
Consciousness),
who
play
a
million
roles.
Just
as
Violinist
Chowdiah
here
who
played
ten
ragas
(musical
tunes)
now
and
can
play
400
ragas
on
the
four
strings,
jada
and
Chaithanya
together
play
all
these
roles.
Out
of
a
mere
26
letters
of
the
alphabet
all
the
words
in
the
dictionary
are
formed
and
millions
of
books
get
written,
read
and
understood.
But
you
should
see
through
this
drama
and
discover
the
Director
who
is
none
else
than
God.
Bhakthi
has
to
be
developed
by
several
means
or
indeed
by
all
means.
The
mind
and
the
intellect
have
to
be
trained
and
controlled,
that
is
the
aim.
They
can
take
you
as
far
as
the
Visishtaadhwaitha
(qualiOied
dualism);
later
,
adhwaithic
(non-
dualistic)
experience
depends
upon
His
Grace;
the
Saayujyam
(merging
in
the
Absolute)
is
in
His
Hands.
It
is
to
clear
the
path
of
spiritual
progress
of
Man
that
the
Avathaar
(Divine
Incarnation)
has
come.
The
ashaanthi
(restlessness)
in
which
man
is
immersed
has
to
be
curbed.
That
is
what
is
meant
by,
parithraanaaya
saadhoonam---"the
saving
of
Page 9 of 268
saadhus,"
the
saving
of
all
good
jeevis
(individual
beings)
from
the
tentacles
of
ashaanti
(grief)
caused
by
want
of
knowledge
of
the
relative
unimportance
of
worldly
things.
Prahlaadha
was
shivering
at
the
Narasimha
(Man-Lion)
Form
when
it
appeared
from
the
pillar
and
when
the
Lord
asked
him
why,
he
replied
that
it
was
due
not
to
fear
at
the
form
of
God,
for
as
he
said,
all
forms
of
His
are
lovely
as
they
are
Divine;
it
was
due
to
fear
that
the
Form
might
soon
disappear
and
he
might
lose
the
splendid
Vision
of
the
Lord.
All
the
joy
you
crave
for,
is
in
you;
but,
like
a
man
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.
!
Discourse 22 (Thirupati, Thyagabrahma Utsava, 11/7/1957)
!
Discourse 23 (Budili Village, 9/9/1959)
!
Discourse 24 (Madakasira, 25/11/1959)
God
is
the
moving
force
in
every
one.
He
is
behind
all
good
impulses
and
useful
attitudes,
you
are
all
separate
beads
strung
together
on
that
one
thread,
God.
So
hatred
is
ugly,
unnatural
and
inhuman;
it
is
against
the
very
core
of
love
that
is
in
every
one.
Let
me
tell
you
that
you
cannot
understand
Me
and
My
Secret
without
Oirst
understanding
yourselves.
For,
if
you
are
too
weak
to
grasp
your
own
Reality,
how
can
you
hope
to
fathom
the
much
grander
Reality
of
My
advent?
To
grasp
My
meaning,
you
have
to
tear
into
tatters
the
doubts
and
theories
you
now
have
and
cultivate
Prema,
for
the
embodiment
of
Prema
can
be
understood
only
through
Prema.
I
am
telling
you
out
of
the
fullness
of
Prema,
on
the
basis
of
the
right
I
have
to
chastise
you
and
direct
you
along
the
path.
If
only
men
knew
the
path
to
permanent
joy
and
peace,
they
will
not
wander
distracted
among
the
bye-lanes
of
sensual
pleasure.
Just:as
the
joy
felt
in
dreams
disappears
when
you
wake,
the
joy
felt
in
the
waking
stage
disappears
when
you
wake
into
the
higher
awareness,
called
jnaana.
Page 10 of 268
Use
the
moment
while
it
is
available,
for
the
best
of
uses,
the
awareness
of
the
Divine
in
all.
When
you
die,
you
must
die
not
like
a
tree
or
a
beast
or
a
worm,
but,
like
a
Man
who
has
realised
that
he
is
Maadhava
(God).
That
is
the
consummation
of
all
the
years
you
spend
in
the
human
frame.
There
are
four
things
in
which
every
man
must
interest
himself.'
"Who
am
I?
Wherefrom
have
I
come?
Whither
am
I
going?
How
long
shall
I
be
here?"
The
four
Vedhas
give
the
answers
to
these
four
questions.
All
spiritual
inquiry
begins
with
these
questions
and
attempts
to
Oind
out
the
answers.
Suppose
there
is
a
letter
put
into
the
post
box
without
the
address
to
which
it
should
go
or
the
address
from
which
it
has
come.
It
will
not
reach
anywhere.
It
is
a
waste
to
have
written
it.
So
too,
it
is
a
waste
to
have
come
into
this
world,
if
it
is
not
known
wherefrom
you
came
and
whereto
you
go.
The
letter
will
go
to
the
dead
letter
ofOice!
The
jeevi
(individual
soul)
will
be
caught
in
the
cycle
of
birth
and
death
and
can
never
Oind
itself.
For
this,
Aathma
vichaara
(enquiry
about
the
Self)
and
for
the
successful
arrival
at
the
correct
answers,
saadhana
(spiritual
discipline)
is
essential.
The
answers
must
become
part
of
your
experience.
In
every
one
of
you,
God
is
the
moving
spirit,
the
very
Soul;
how
then
can
you
be
evil,
when
you
are
here
for
fulOilling
God's
purpose,
according
to
his
Will,
His
plan,
His
law?
In
your
own
heart
you
have
the
entity
which
is
beyond
time
and
space;
and
if
you
go
on
contacting
it
by
the
Pranava
or
by
any
other
symbol,
the
wild
thoughts
and
impulses
will
not
dare
to
approach
you.
Prema
(Love)
is
the
weapon:
vichaara
(enquiry)
is
the
wheel
which
must
be
revolved
perpetually
to
get
the
light
of
prema.
All
the
taste
and
all
the
forces
and
roar
of
the
Wave
are
derived
from
the
Ocean
and
they
disappear
into
the
Ocean
itself.
The
disappearance
of
the
wave
form
and
the
wave-name
is
called
Moksha
(Liberation):
that
is,
merging
of
the
wave
in
the
ocean
from
which
it
seemed
to
differ.
De-individualisation
is
in
other
words,
Moksha.
Baaba
meant
that
a
spiritual
seeker
should
be
(1)
full
of
devotion,
(2)
prepared
to
enjoy
suffering,
(3)
free
from
the
attachment
to
the
transitory,
(4)
eager
to
serve
the
Lord,
(5)
of
correct
conduct,
(6)
charitable,
(7)
having
an
unsullied
reputation,
(8)
with
no
blemish
on
his
character,
(9)
fully
content,
(10)
endowed
with
good
qualities,
(11)
equipped
with
all
the
virtues,
(12)
equipped
with
the
fruits
of
learning,
(13)
ripe
in
Page 11 of 268
wisdom,
(14)
self-controlled,
(15)
adorned
with
commendable
social
traits,
(16)
full
of
humility
and
fully
surrendered
to
God.
If
he
has
these
virtues,
(here
Baaba
quoted
the
last
line
of
the
song
he
had
just
composed,
"vaade
nenoudhu,
nene
vaadoudu"---"He
is
I,
I
am
He".
When
you
carry
on
such
effort
unbroken,
the
Lord
Himself
will
come
as
your
Guide.
When
Madhurakavi
was
doing
thapas
(penance),
he
saw
a
big
pillar
of
Light
in
front
of
him
reaching
up
to
the
sky
and
he
saw
Dakshinaamurthy
in
that
Light.
Then
the
pillar
moved
on
and
on
so
that
he
could
follow
it
and
at
last,
the
Light
led
him
on
to
Nammaalwaar
who
agreed
to
be
his
Guru
(spiritual
preceptor)!
The
Guru
later
made
him
realise
the
Reality.
Pray
to
Him
and
He
reveals
Himself.
He
is
the
yarn
in
the
cloth,
the
gold
in
this
seeming
variety
of
jewellery;
he
is
the
mud
in
all
this
pottery;
he
is
that
water
that
sustains
all
these
waves.
Once
you
have
realised
this,
you
will
be
Oilled
with
love
and
respect
for
all,
for
all
are
the
same
Form
as
the
Lord
Himself.
Vemana
Then
the
idea
suddenly
struck
him
that
if
the
picture
could
cause
sorrow
in
him
and
bring
tears,
the
image
too
can
evoke
joy
and
bring
tears
to
those
who
know
the
beauty
and
the
glory
of
the
Lord.
The
image
was
just
a
reminder
of
the
Presence
of
the
Lord
everywhere
and
in
everything.
You
have
been
born
because
you
did
not
pass
in
certain
subjects;
there
is
some
balance
of
experience
which
you
must
acquire
to
complete
the
course.
If
you
get
convinced
that
your
true
nature
is
the
Aathma,
then
you
have
Oinished,
the
course
and
'passed'.
For
reaching
that
stage,
you
should
start
with
the
cultivation
of
the
"feeling
of
kinship
with
all
beings",---Sarvasamaanabhaava---
as
it
is
called.
It
is
very
difOicult
to
get
it;
but
that
is
the
only
way
to
see
the
Aathma
that
is
in
all.
For
example,
a
person
with
that
bhaava
(sincerity
of
feeling)
will
not
be
happy
at
the
killing
of
animals
for
food
or
even
hunting
them.
Why
should
you
go
seeking
the
animal
to
its
den,
lie
in
wait
for
it
and
lay
traps
for
it,
so
that
you
may
derive
pleasure
by
killing
it?
Prema
should
be
cultivated
towards
all
beings,
in
order
that
you
may
see
the
Sarvabhootha
antharaathma
(Inmost
Self
in
all
beings).
The
Aathma
is
Omnipresent;
do
not
think
it
is
found
only
in
persons
belonging
to
certain
castes
or
colours
or
creeds;
or
that
it
is
of
a
big
size
in
fat
people
or
of
a
brilliant
nature
in
rich
people.
It
is
consistently
Sath,
Chith
and
Aanandha
(Being,
Awareness,
Bliss
Absolute)
in
every
being.
Saadhana
has
to
go
a
long
way
to
win
this
outlook.
The
sammoha
(confusion)
of
Arjuna
was
the
feeling
of'I'
and
'Mine.'
All
of
a
sudden
he
began
to
feel
that
he
was
the
killer,
that
he
would
be
responsible
and
that
they
were
his
teachers
and
elders
and
relations.
This
Mamakaara
(feeling
of
mine)
has
to
go,
the
'I'
has
to
be
crossed
and
all
words,
deeds
and
thoughts
have
to
be
dedicated
to
the
Lord.
your
identity
separate
and
not
attaching
yourself
too
much
to
your
role.
Remember
that
the
whole
thing
is
just
a
play
and
the
Lord
has
assigned
to
you
a
part;
act
well
your
part,
there
all
your
duty
ends.
He
has
designed
the
play
and
He
enjoys
it.
Aathma
is
the
ocean,
Prakrithi
(Nature)
is
just
a
wave
of
that
vast
ageless,
boundless
ocean
and
the
deevi
is
just
a
drop
of
that
wave.
You
cannot
give
up
the
wave
or
the
sea.
You
can
only
merge
the
name
and
form
of
the
drop.
Once
you
enter
the
depths
of
the
sea,
it
is
all
calm,
it
is
all
peace;
agitation,
noise,
confusion---all
are
only
on
the
outer
layers.
So
also
in
the
innermost
recesses
of
the
heart,
there
is
a
reservoir
of
Shaanthi
where
you
must
take
refuge.
Thirumalaachar
called
this
attitude
Aathma-arpana
(offering
of
the
Self),
but
the
Aathma
is
He
Himself;
and
so,
what
do
you
mean
by
offering
Him
to
Himself?.
What
you
would
offer
at
His
Feet
is
your
egoism,
your
aham-kaara!
Offer
all
the
pride,
all
the
separateness,
all
the
delusion,
all
the
attachment
that
the
egoism
has
proliferated
into!
That
is
the
worship
you
have
to
do.
Bring
to
Me
all
the
evil
in
you,
and
leaving
it
here
take
from
Me
what
I
have,
viz.,
Prema;
learn
Sarva
sama
bhaavana---the
capacity
to
see
all
as
'moved
and
motivated
by
the
One
Paramaathma
(Supreme
Reality
or
Self)'.
You
forgot
that
you
are
the
Aathma
and
now
you
remember
that
you
are
the
Aathma.
That
is
all
the
progress
you
have
to
achieve;
it
all
looks
so
easy,
but
it
is
one
of
the
hardest
of
assignments.
The
ear
is
so
near
to
the
eye;
but
it
can
never
see
it
direct!
As
he
said,
I
am
the
inspirer
and
it
is
for
your
beneOit
that
he
has
summarised
My
Teachings
in
this
way.
It
is
said
"Ekam
Sathyam,
vimalam,
achalam"---"the
One
Truth
is
pure
and
unshakable."
That
is
the
genuine
Geetha,
this
lesson
of
Sharanaagathi.
Increase
faith,
walk
in
the
path
of
a
Dharma,
get
rid
of
Vyaamoha
and
Ajnaana
(delusion
and
ignorance),
cleanse
the
chiththa
vrithhi
(agitations
of
the
mind),
and
know
that
He
is
the
Aathma
and
that
you
too
are
the
Aathma.
You
will
have
noticed
that
Uddhava,
who
looked
upon
Krishna
as
his
Guru,
beneOitted
more
than
Arjuna
who
looked
upon
Him
as
a
sakha'
(a
friend).
If
you
have
faith
that
He
is
God,
He
will
be
God
to
you;
if
you
dismiss
Him
as
mere
man,
He
takes
on
that
role
and
becomes
useless
for
you.
Search
for
Him
with
the
heart,
not
with
the
eye
for
externals.
The
superpower
has
to
be
sought
in
the
super-state
itself,
not
in
the
lower
states.
Then,
if
you
have
the
eyes
that
are
Oit
to
see
and
the
wisdom
to
understand,
you
will
Oind
Him.
Vishnu,
Shambhu,
Shaaradha,
Allah
are
all
different
degrees
of
human
understanding
of
the
One
Unsolved
Mystery,
the
Fathomless
InOinite
and
Absolute.
You
should
not
seek
variety,
seek
unity.
Do
not
enter
into
quarrels
about
higher
and
lower;
when
the
same
person
is
honoured
by
different
titles,
why
should
you
quarrel
over
the
superiority
or
inferiority
of
the
title.
They
all
fall
short
of
His
Total
Glow.
Your
attempt
should
be
to
attain
and
become
the
Nithyam
and
Sathyam
(Eternal
and
Truth).
Sathyam
is
that
which
is
the
same
in
the
past,
present
and
future;
the
same
in
the
waking,
dreaming
and
deep
sleep
stages:
and
which
is
unaffected
by
Thamoguna,
Rajoguna
and
Sathwaguna
(qualities
of
sloth,
passion
and
serenity).
Page 13 of 268
There
is
no
need
to
exhaust
yourselves
in
the
search
for
the
Lord;
He
is
there
like
butter
in
milk,
like
the
chicken
in
the
egg,
immanent
in
every
atom
of
creation.
He
does
not
come
from
somewhere
or
go
somewhere
else.
He
is
there,
here,
everywhere.
From
the
anu
(atom)
to
the
ghana
(great),
from
the
microcosm
to
the
macrocosm,
He
is
everything.
There
are
two
duties
to
be
done
by
man;
the
one
along
the
Dharmamaarga
(path
of
righteousness)
for
this
world
and
the
one
along
the
Brahmamaarga
(path
of
Supreme
Reality)
for
eternal
liberation.
The
Dharmamaarga
is
the
left
hand,
and
so
it
can
be
left.
Why,
it
will
leave
of
itself
after
the
fruit
becomes
ripe.
That
is
why
it
is
called
'left'!
Leave
it
and
do
not
grieve
over
it.
But
hold
on
to
the
right,
the
Brahmamaarga;
for
it
is
'right'
that
you
should
do
so.
I
am
not
inOluenced
by
anybody,
remember.
There
is
no
one
who
can
change
My
course
or
affect
My
conduct
to
the
slightest
extent.
I
am
the
Master
over
all.
If
by
acting
your
role
well
you
develop
Love
towards
fellow-
actors,
that
is
more
important
than
getting
devotion
for
God.
If
you
acquire
Shaanthi
(Peace),
that
is
a
more
valuable
success
than
acquiring
jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom).
For
Bhakthi
is
the
seed
of
Prema
and
Jnaana
is
the
seed
of
Shaanthi.
Prema
that
thrills
and
Oills
the
mind
with
joy
and
hope.
Pothana,
Nandhanaar,
Jayadheva,
Gouranga,
Thukaaraam,
Meera,
Purandharadhaasa,
Thyaaga-raaja
and
others
were
thrilled
so
much
at
the
very
thought
of
the
Lord,
because
they
had
the
Prema
in
such
a
pure
and
overpowering
form.
I
have
now
fallen
into
your
grasp,
the
very
Treasure
that
you
have
been
searching
for,
because
our
relationship
is
Aathmic,
not
secular
or
trained.
In
all
other
places,
your
are
Oleeced;
for
the
relationship
is
based
on
the
purse.
In
some
places,
it
is
based
on
caste
or
scholarship
or
some
other
incidental
trait;
here,
it
is
the
attachment
that
the
Naaraayana
has
for
Nara,
the
Ocean
for
the
stream,
the
Universal
for
the
Particular.
Here,
every
one
must
become
unlimited,
escaping
from
bonds
that
limit
him.
In
order
to
get
an
idea
of
a
mountain
it
is
not
enough
if
you
show
a
stone
and
say,
"The
mountain
is
a
million
times
the
size
of
this."
You
will
have
to
see
an
actual
mountain,
at
least
from
a
distance.
The
"beyond"
is
very
incomprehensible.
Science
is
like
the
letter
C,
always
with
a
gap
in
the
middle,
with
a
gap
that
is
unOilled.
Religion
alone
has
Oilled
that
gap,
for
it
knows
the
Reality
that
persists
in
the
three
stages,
in
the
three
tenses
and
in
the
three
worlds.
So,
religion
is
the
three
O'sh
a
full
circle,
which
may
enlarge
as
you
know
more
and
more
of
the
glory
of
the
Lord,
but
which
is
ever
Full
and
complete.
At
the
end
of
it
all,
we
are
at
the
beginning
again.
That
Reality
can
be
demar-cated
only
by
the
criterion
of
"Not
this."
Brahman
is
posited
and
described
by
a
process
of
negation
or
elimination,
'nethi,
nethi'
('not
this,
not
this').
In
this
artiOicial
world,
all
is
an
artiOicial
mixture
of
name
and
form,
which
are
both
artiOicial
too.
To
get
the
conviction
that
this
created
world
is
mithya
(a
mixture
of
truth
Page 14 of 268
and
falsehood)
is
very
difOicult
indeed.
When
your
head
knocks
against
a
wall,
it
is
difOicult
to
believe
that
the
wall
is
half
false,
that
its
name
and
form
are
a
Oiction
of
the
deluded
imagination
and
that
its
real
truth
is
the
basic
Brahma!
But
this
Jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom)
every
one
has
to
achieve
some
day
or
the
other.
It
can
be
got
through
Bhakthi
or
Karma
or
Raajayoga.
These
three
are
only
different
names
for
the
process
of
churning
the
milk
for
getting
the
butter
which
is
immanent
in
it.
Once
the
butter
has
been
got
and
rolled
into
a
ball,
it
can
be
kept
separate
and
un-
impaired
in
the
liquid
where
it
was
all
the
time.
Similarly,
the
Jnaani
(liberated
person)
can
continue
in
the
world
free
from
attachment,
once
he
has
realised
that
he
is
of
the
same
substance
as
the
Immanent
Brahman.
When
that
Brahman
is
seen
through
Maayaa,
it
appears
as
Saguna
(endowed
with
qualities)
and
is
referred
to
as
Lord
or
Bhagavaan.
You
are
also
of
the
same
nature
as
the
Aathma
with
Mahaashakthi,
but
like
the
Prince
who
has
fallen
into
a
den
of
robbers
and
is
growing
up
there,
the
Aathma
has
not
recognised
its
true
identity,
that
is
all.
Though
he
does
not
know,
he
is
nevertheless
a
Prince,
whether
he
is
in
the
palace
or
in
a
forest
or
in
the
robber's
cave.
Very
often,
the
Prince
will
have
got
intimations
of
his
real
status,
a
craving
for
the
Aanandha
that
was
his
heritage,
a
call
from
his
inner
consciousness
to
escape
and
become
himself.
That
is
the
hunger
of
the
soul;
the
thirst
for
lasting
joy.
You
are
all
like
the
man
who
has
forgotten
his
name.
The
hunger
of
the
mind
can
be
appeased
only
by
the
acquisition
of
Jnaana.
!
When
the
mind
is
eliminated,
then
Jnaana
shines
forth
in
its
full
glow.
!
After
the
experience
of
Sarvam
Brahmaath-makam,
that
is
to
say,
after
the
realisation
that
everything
is
basically
and
completely
Brahman,
life
cannot
be
sustained
for
more
than
21
days.
Such
a
person
is
no
longer
in
Mithyaloka
(this
deluding
world);
so
he
cannot
have
any
desire
or
activity.
Even
food
and
drink
become
meaningless.
How
can
Brahman
need
Brahman
and
Brahman
recognise
Brahman
as
food
and
Brahman
as
drink?
All
the
nuts
and
bolts
will
fall
away;
the
heart
will
dry
up
and
the
body
will
collapse.
Saadhana
is
just
holding
the
mirror
before
the
self;
the
mirror,
if
it
is
clean
and
polished,
reveals
the
Self
and
that
is
Aathma
saakshaatkaara
(Realisation
of
the
Self).
All
have
Aathmic
uniformity,
the
truth
of
every
one
is
the
same.
As
a
result
of
Jnaana,
Thirumalaachaar
said,
Maayaa
goes,
but
Maayaa
does
not
'come'
and
Maayaa
does
not
'go.'
When
a
light
is
brought
into
this
hall,
you
say
that
light
has
come
and
darkness
has
gone,
but
where
has
it
gone?
Put
out
the
light,
it
is
dark!
The
darkness
does
not
come
from
where
it
had
gone,
suddenly,
through
the
doors
and
Oill
the
hall.
It
is
there
all
the
time.
It
did
not
go.
Only
the
hall
was
lit
and
light
prevaiIed.
So
also,
when
the
Grace
of
the
Lord
is
won,
Jnaana
will
prevail
and
the
delusion
of
separateness
is
powerless.
Prahlaadha
never
called
upon
his
father
or
mother,
as
children
do,
when
he
was
tortured;
he
did
not
appeal
to
the
torturers
to
save
him;
he
saw
in
those
cruel
henchmen
the
Naaraayana
he
adored.
Everything,
everybody,
was
Naaraayana
for
him.
Adhwaitha
(non-dualism)
in
practice,
the
culmination
of
Bhakthi,
Sampuurna
Jnaana
(fully
realised
spiritual
knowledge),
liberated
him.
The
vision
of
this
Ekathwa
(oneness)
is
the
highest
reward
the
Adhwaithin
(the
non-dualist)
seeks.
Page 15 of 268
The
jnaani
will
not
look
upon
Me
as
wearing
this
dress,
yellow
gown
today
or
pink
gown
tomorrow;
he
will
penetrate
to
the
Thathwa
(real
nature)
behind
this
Form
and
know
that
this
Body
is
but
a
dress
worn
for
a
purpose.
The
coming
Avathaar
of
this
Thathwa
will
have
another
dress.
You
get
full
Jnaana
by
the
analysis
of
the
knowledge
of
the
Sell
Unless
you
know
yourself,
you
cannot
know
Me.
To
reach
the
stage
when
even
"Sarvam
Brahma
Mayam"
(All
is
Brahmam)
is
realised
as
an
understatement
(because
that
statement
postulates
two
entities:
Sarvam
and
Brahman,
and
the
experience
of
Brahman
alone,
IS),
you
have
got
to
go
a
long
way.
!
The
Grace
of
the
Lord
is
needed
for
the
dawn
of
Jnaana
also.
!
Discourse 33 (Puttaparti, 23/11/1960)
It
is
just
the
gold
in
all
the
jewels,
the
base
and
the
substance,
however
many
forms
and
whatever
shapes
the
jewels
may
have.
To
become
a
particular
jewel
is
to
lose
the
Universal
nature
or
rather
to
limit
it.
To
lose
the
name
and
form
of
gold
and
become
a
jewel
is
to
feel
separate,
to
forget
the
One.
The
Aathma
does
not
change,
no
one
can
transform
it.
The
jewel
must
know
it
is
not,
it
was
not,
it
will
not
be
oval
or
square
or
Olat
or
round,
or
anklet
or
necklace
or
ring
or
bangle.
It
must
yearn
to
know
its
real
nature
and
become
aware
of
the
basic
truth,
apart
from
the
unreal
appearance.
When
it
becomes
gold
again
or
rather
when
it
ceases
to
think
of
itself
as
anything
but
gold,
it
can
be
said
to
have
attained
Bliss.
Because
you
have
taken
residence
in
this
body,
you
cannot
call
the
body,
I.
When
you
sit
here
in
this
Hall,
you
do
not
call
Hall
I;
you
know
you
are
separate
and
that
you
are
here
only
temporarily.
When
you
move
about
in
a
tonga
(horse-cart),
you
do
not
say
that
the
tonga
is
you,
do
you?
You
do
not
take
the
tonga
inside
when
you
step
down
from
it
on
reaching
home.
So
also,
you
have
to
drop
this
body
when
you
reach
home.
The
T
in
you
is
Paramaathma
(Supreme
Being)
Himself.
T
is
the
tiny
wavelet
that
plays
with
the
wind
for
a
movement,
over
the
deep
waters
of
the
sea.
The
wave
gives
you
the
impression
that
it
is
separate
from
the
azure
and
timeless
ocean
below.
But
it
is
just
an
appearance,
a
creation
of
the
two
ideas
Name
and
Form.
Get
rid
of
the
two
ideas
and
the
wave
disappears
in
the
sea;
its
reality
Olashes
upon
you
and
you
know
Paramaathma
reveals
Its
Glory
as
Prema
(Love)
in
man
All
these
(Prema
appear(ing)
in
various
forms)
are
sparks
of
the
same
Olame
and
the
Love
of
the
Universal
is
the
highest
expression.
This
Prema
cannot
be
cultivated
by
reading
guide-books
and
made-
easies
and
learning
the
steps
by
rote.
It
has
to
begin
with
a
great
yearning
for
the
Light,
an
unbearable
agony
to
escape
from
the
Darkness
and
see
Light,
as
in
the
prayer,
Thamaso
maa
jyothir
gamaya.
The
yearning
itself
will
draw
down
the
Light.
The
Love
will
grow
of
itself
and
by
its
slow
and
inevitable
alchemy
turn
you
into
Gold.
There
is
nothing
so
grand
and
so
sublime
as
the
Lord
in
whom
you
Oind
refuge.
Call
on
Him
by
an
Name
or
speak
of
Him
as
the
Nameless
one.
It
is
both
Sa-aakaara
and
Nir-
aakaara
(with
Form
and
Formless).
The
ocean
takes
the
form
of
the
vessel
which
contains
a
part
of
it.
When
that
is
done,
the
Formless
takes
Form;
the
Absolute
is
Page 16 of 268
reduced
to
the
Particular.
You
will
Oind
out,
however,
that
all
the
joy
is
derived
from
the
Form-full
aspect
of
God;
the
Formless
causes
no
joy
or
grief;
it
is
beyond
all
duality.
The
Bhaktha
sails
on
an
even
keel;
he
has
inner
peace,
a
spring
of
joy
which
sustains
him
and
keeps
him
together.
You
must
tread
the
spiritual
path
with
an
uncontrollable
urge
to
reach
the
Goal;
you
must
cultivate
the
yearning
for
liberation
from
all
this
encumberance.
Satya
(Truth)
is
that
which
is
Nitya
(eternal).
Falsehood
is
poison;
truth
is
nectar.
Truth
alone
confers
splendor
or
Divyatvam
(divinity).
As
I
said,
Indra
insulted
Durvasa
and
invited
upon
himself
the
anger
of
that
sage
because
of
the
ignorance
of
his
fundamental
reality,
his
ajnana
(ignorance),
which
plunged
him
in
pride.
What
should
be
done
to
restore
him
to
sanity
is
to
re-teach
him
the
Atmic
(universal
spiritual)
basis
of
all
the
pomp
and
pageantry
of
ofOice,
the
evanescence
that
is
immanent
in
all
created
things.
The
only
reality
is
the
twin-bird
on
the
tree,
the
Jivtm
(individual
soul)
that
tastes
the
fruits
and
suffers
and
the
Paramtm
(Supreme
Soul)
that
sits
unmoved
and
merely
looks
on.
Mans
duty
is
to
achieve
unity
with
the
Shiva-Shakthi
for
he
is
but
a
spark
that
has
emanated
from
it;
he
is
but
a
Olame
of
the
Eternal
Fire.
The
Bhaktha
is
humble
and
bides
his
time;
he
knows
that
there
is
a
higher
power
that
knows
more
and
that
it
is
just
and
impartial.
In
the
light
of
that
knowledge,
the
Bhaktha
will
communicate
his
troubles
and
problems
only
to
his
Lord;
he
will
not
humiliate
himself
by
talking
about
them
to
all
and
sundry,
for
what
can
a
man,
who
is
as
helpless
as
himself,
do
to
relieve
him?
It
is
only
those
who
have
that
implicit
faith
in
God,
who
will
deign
to
communicate
only
with
the
Lord
and
none
else,
who
deserve
Amrita
(nectar
of
immortality).
Come
to
Me,
eager
to
learn,
to
progress,
to
see
Yourself
in
Me,
and
I
shall
certainly
welcome
you
and
show
you
the
way.
The
thirst
has
to
be
like
that
of
the
creeper
for
the
tree-trunk,
of
the
magnet
for
the
iron,
of
the
bee
for
the
Olower,
of
the
waters
for
a
fall,
of
the
river
for
the
sea.
The
pangs
Page 17 of 268
of
separation
must
gnaw
the
heart;
the
entire
being
must
yearn
for
union
Ceaseless
contemplation
of
the
Lord
will
give
ceaseless
taste
of
Amrita
to
you.
What
you
have
heard
and
seen
must
be
spoken
out,
without
exaggeration
or
abridgement;
that
is
Satya
(truth-speaking).
Of
course,
when
the
mind
is
controlled,
the
intelligence
is
sharpened
and
puriOied;
you
see
the
One
everywhere,
in
everything,
at
all
times;
then
that
One
becomes
the
only
truth,
which
yousee,
hear
and
speak
of
---
for,
there
is
nothing
else
to
see
or
hear.
!
!
!
!
!
Vol. 2!
!
So
too
all
discussion
whether
this
Sai
is
that
Sai
or
that
Sai
or
this
Sai,
is
irrelevant.
The
same
sugar
is
poured
into
different
moulds
to
prepare,
several
types
of
sweets.
So
also,
Rama,
Sai,
Satya
Sai
all
are
the
same
sugar;
that
is
enough
for
the
aspirant;
he
will
realize
the
truth
in
good
time
There
is
no
one
in
this
world
who
does
not
belong
to
me;
all
are
Mine.
They
may
not
call
out
My
Name
or
any
Name,
but,
still
they
are
Mine.
The
Chairman
said
that
the
world
is
becoming
Saimayam
(full
of
Sai),
that
Sainamam
(name
of
Sai)
is
on
every
ones
lips.
I
want
that
it
should
go
deeper.
And
I
do
not
insist
that
it
should
be
the
Name,
Sai.
The
world
must
become
Paramtm-mayam;
that
is
all,
however
many
Names
and
Forms
that
Paramtm
(Supreme
Soul)
may
have
on
the
lips
of
people
and
before
their
mental
eyes.
It
is
the
same
substance
poured
into
different
moulds.
Like
sugar
dolls
which
children
seek,
cats
and
dogs,
cows
and
horses,
they
are
all
of
the
SELF-same
sweetness;
this
child
prefers
this
shape
and
this
name;
the
one
weeps
for
another
doll.
You
know
that
the
dream
world
is
a
fantastic
world
of
nonsense,
where
Oifty
years
are
compressed
into
Oive
minutes
and
where
weird
incidents
and
things
are
taken
as
actually
present
and
experienced.
But
let
Me
tell
you
from
the
stage
of
Realisation,
even
the
waking
stage,
when
you
analyse
the
dreams
and
declare
them
as
invalid,
is
equally
without
validity.
Therefore,
have
a
sense
of
values,
a
scale
of
values
rather;
give
everything,
everyone,
its
worth
or
his
worth,
not
a
whit
more.
Baba
is
beyond
the
keenest
intellect,
the
sharpest
brain.
Why
even
the
Sapta
Rishis
failed
to
grasp
the
Sublimity
of
Godhead.
Mahlsapati,
Das
Ganu,
Mudolkar,
Kaka
Saheb
saw
but
the
fringe;
Dada
has
just
a
glimpse.
So,
do
not
try
to
delve
into
me.
Page 18 of 268
Bhakti,
Jnana
and
Vairagya
are
the
three
stages
of
spiritual
progress.
Bhakti
(deoviton)
is
the
Primary
school
stage;
it
leads
one
on
to
Jnana
(sacred
knowledge),
the
High
School
stage;
by
means
of
Jnana,
everything
is
cognized
as
Brahman
(Supreme
Reality)
and
the
attitude
of
Vairagya
(non-attachment)
is
established.
That
is
the
College
stage
of
the
Education
of
the
Self.
You
are
born,
you
grow,
you
live
and
you
merge,
all
in
Anandam
(Bliss);
that
is
the
Truth,
though
very
few
know
it.
Develop
faith
in
the
tm
and
in
the
Sastras
they
are
the
two
eyes
which
will
help
you
to
gain
the
Vision.
Once
a
person
came
to
Me
and
argued
that
there
was
no
God
and
he
was
not
prepared
to
believe
ino
ne.
Well,
I
asked
him,
Have
you
faith
at
least
in
yourself
Which
is
your
Self?
Your
self
is
God.
You
have
faith
in
your
judgment,
your
intelligence,
your
ability,
because
God
within
you
tells
you
not
to
falter
or
fear.
That
assurance
wells
from
within,
from
your
basic
truth,
which
is
otherwise
called
God.
!
!
Discourse 4
But
reading
all
this
(predictions
for
year
ahead
regarding
economy
and
agriculture)
only
increases
your
worries,
your
restlessness.
Take
things
as
and
when
they
come.
Take
care
of
the
Panchangams
(Oive-limbed
almanacs)
within
you;
that
is
more
vital.
The
panchangams
within
you
are
the
Oive
senses;
educate
the
mind
to
hold
them
in
check
then
you
can
have
peace
of
mind,
whatever
the
rise
in
the
market
rates
or
the
quantity
of
rain.
You
will
have
observed
that
when
your
train
is
stationary,
another
train
moving
along
another
line
gives
you
the
feeling
that
it
is
your
train
that
moves.
If
you
watch
your
coach,
Oix
your
attention
on
your
train,
you
know
the
truth.
Similarly,
as
long
as
your
attention
is
turned
on
the
other,
the
outer,
your
knowledge
is
based
on
illusion.
Once
you
divert
the
attention
to
yourself,
you
can
discover
the
truth,
viz.,
though
the
world
moves,
you
are
still.
The
ocean
drops
rose
as
vapour,
joined
the
congregation
called
cloud,
fell
on
the
earth,
Olowed
along
the
ravines,
and
at
last
reached
the
ocean.
Reach
like-wise
the
ocean
you
have
lost.
Start
on
that
journey
and
travel
quick
and
light.
Of course, all the Worship carried out with the idea that the idol is life-less wood or stone
or bronze, is so much waste of time. but if it is done in the full confidence that the image or
idol is alive, saturated with consciousness and power, then, image worship can bestow the
Realisation of God-head itself.
Page 19 of 268
The moment he realised that the ideal was full of Chith (consciousness), he got the
Realisation he was struggling for. Therefore, the saadhaka should see, not the stone which is
the material stuff of the idol, but the Power that is inherent in it, that is symbolised by it, the
same Power that is inherent in his own heart and that pervades and transcends all creation.
Athaatho
Brahma
Jijnaasa
-
After
this
the
discussion
on
the
nature
of
Brahman
-
says
the
Brahmasuuthra
(aphorisms
on
the
Supreme
Reality).
After
what?
After
the
cultivation
of
Viveka
and
Vairaagya,
naturally.
How
can
they
be
implanted?
By
the
Oirst
three
Purushaarthas
(primary
goals
of
life)
-
dharma,
artha
and
kama
(righteousness,
wealth
and
desire
-
fulOilment)
the
practice
of
dharma
is
the
Art
of
Living.
That
is
why
in
the
Geetha,
Krishna
taught
Arjuna
Karmasanyaasa
(giving
up
the
fruits
of
action),
not
Dehasanyaasa
(giving
up
the
body).
Shankaraachaarya
said
that
an
alligator
had
grasped
his
legs,
meaning
that
the
world
or
samsaara
had
caught
him
in
its
coils;
he
told
his
mother
that
the
alligator
would
release
its
hold
only
if
she
agreed
to
his
becoming
a
monk!
Strange
alligator,
that!
It
only
meant:
if
he
renounced
all
bonds,
he
would
be
free
to
proceed
to
the
Truth.
Steading
perseverance
alone
will
tame
your
mind;
and
it
is
only
through
a
tamed
mind
that
you
can
experience
God.
How
are
all
equal?
Because
they
have
all
the
same
Divine
Chaithanya
within
them.
When
the
sun
rises,
not
all
lotuses
in
the
lake
bloom;
only
the
grown
buds
opens
with
their
petals.
The
others
await
their
time.
It
is
the
same
with
men.
Differences
do
exist
because
of
unripeness,
though
all
fruits
have
to
ripen
and
fall
some
day.
Ever
being
has
to
reach
the
Goal,
however
slow
they
walk
or
however
circuitous
their
road.
You
need
not
escape
into
a
forest
to
gain
silence
and
the
chance
of
uninterrupted
spiritual
practice.
You
can
make
the
place
where
you
are,
a
citadel
of
silence;
shut
off
the
senses,
let
them
not
run
after
objects.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
if
you
go
deeper
into
the
Ramayana,
you
will
Oind
that
Rama
is
the
universal
Aathma,
the
Aathma
in
every
being.
On
the
day
when
Raama
was
crowned
Emperor
at
Ayodhya,
every
personage
got
some
present
or
other
before
leaving
the
city.
Hanuman
alone
refused
any
material
gift.
he
asked
Raama
to
explain
to
him
the
mystery
of
His
Life,
which
he
had
failed
to
understand
inspire
of
the
length
and
loyalty
of
his
service.
Raama
then
asked
Seetha
to
slake
the
thirst
of
Hanumaan
and
reveal
to
him
the
secret
of
their
careers.
Seetha
announced
that
she
was
the
Muula
Prakrithi
(the
Primal
Nature),
the
Maayaa
Shakthi
(the
Energy
which
agitates
in
all
Matter),
which
transforms
and
transmutes
it
into
all
this
variety
that
binds
and
blinds.
Rama
is
the
eternal,
unchanging
Purusha
(Spirit).
The
Aathma
in
every
being
is
Raama;
hence
the
name
Aathmaraama.
Raama
is
eternal
and
so
the
Raamamanthram
is
said
to
have
been
taken
by
Shiva
Himself.
Raama
means
that
which
showers
Aananda
(bliss),
that
is
all.
Now
what
can
give
greater
Aananda
than
the
Aathma?
Raama
is
Aanandam
Page 20 of 268
!
Hanuman
understood
from
Seetha
the
formless,
nameless,
sweetness
of
Rama.
!
Raama,
the
Purusha,
accepts
Prakrithi,
Seetha,
and
enacts
the
play,
Raamaayana.
Seetha
is
Brahma-chaithanya,
(Consciousness)
for
Prakrithi
or
Maaya
activates
the
Pure
Existence
of
Brahman.
Now
see
what
happens!
Brahmajnaana
(knowledge
of
Supreme
Reality)
is
lost
and
Raama
wanders
about
in
the
jungle,
wailing
for
Her.
Of
course,
Lakshmana
or
manas
(mind)
is
always
with
Him,
for
tManas
is
the
instrument
with
which
Liberation
has
to
be
achieved.
Vaali
is
the
spirit
of
despair
and
he
has
to
be
overcome
with
the
help
of
discriminatory
wisdom
or
viveka,
viz.,
Sugreeva.
You
see
it
is
viveka
that
sends
emissaries
to
the
various
corners
to
discover
where
Brahmajnaana
is
available.
Hanumaan
is
Courage.
Courage
won
through
unOlinching
faith,
that
alone
can
penetrate
the
darkness
and
bring
the
good
news
of
the
Dawn.
Then
Raama
crosses
the
sea
of
illusion;
He
destroys
the
Demon
of
Thamoguna
(quality
of
inertia),
namely,
Kumbhakarna;
the
Demon
of
Rajoguna
(emotional
quality)
named
Raavana;
and
He
installs
on
the
throne,
the
Sattvaguna
(quality
of
goodness),
Vibheeshana
(*Bheeshana
means
fear
(from
Brahmananda
Valli,
maybe
Vibheeshana
stands
for
without
fear,
i.e.
Abhayam).
After
this,
Raama
meets
and
receives
Seetha,
who
has
become
now
Anubhavajnaana
(knowledge
derived
from
experience),
not
merely
Brahmajnaana.
That
is
represented
by
the
Pattabhisheka
(Coronation).
Do
not
exaggerate
the
importance
of
things
that
have
but
material
utility,
they
fade,
even
while
you
grasp
them
by
the
hand.
Search
for
the
Sath
-
that
which
suffers
no
change.
Search
for
the
Chith
-
the
state
of
consciousness,
which
is
unaffected
by
gusts
of
passion,
which
is
pure,
which
is
free
from
egoism
or
the
desire
to
possess.
Then
alone
can
you
experience
the
Light,
and
illumine
the
Path
for
others.
Search
for
Aananda,
the
Aananda
that
emanates
from
Prema,
Love
with
no
blemish
of
attachment.
Be
like
bees
hovering
on
the
Olower
of
the
Glory
of
the
Lord,
sucking
the
sweet
nectar
of
Grace,
silently
and
joyfully.
You
do
not
wait
with
folded
hands
for
the
cup
of
coffee
to
cool
down
to
the
required
warmth;
you
ask
for
an
extra
cup
and
you
start
pouring
the
coffee
from
one
cup
to
the
other,
is
it
not?
The
same
anxiety,
the
same
saadhana
has
to
be
shown
in
spiritual
matters
also,
to
take
in
the
beverage
of
Divine
Grace.
These
three
(asatho
maa
sath
gamaya,
tamaso
maa
jyotir
gamaya,
mrithyor
maa
amritham
gamaya)
can
be
got
only
by
spiritual
sadhana,
by
following
the
path
of
Love
and
Truth.
Bhakti
brings
about
the
Jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom)
that
there
is
nothing
besides
the
Lord
and
that
one
is
oneself,
Brahman,
and
so,
one
is
liberated.
i.e.
gets
Mukti.
The
Purushasuuktha
speaks
of
the
Brahmin
being
the
face,
the
Kshathriya
the
hands,
the
Vaishya
the
thighs,
and
the
Shuudhra,
the
feet
of
the
Cosmic
Purusha.
Apart
from
the
Oigurative
meaning
that
the
passage
obviously
carries,
when
God
is
one
uniform
sweetness
and
wisdom
and
grace,
any
part
is
as
sweet,
as
effulgent,
as
graceful
as
every
other.
A
sugar
doll
is
sweet
all
through;
the
limbs
are
as
much
sugar
as
the
head.
The
trouble
comes
and
the
quarrel
starts
only
as
a
result
of
the
want
of
Prema
towards
sugar.
Once
you
are
established
in
Prema,
you
will
not
notice
these
differences
any
more;
they
will
appear
silly,
stupid
and
meaningless.
For,
every
living
being
has
some
day
or
other
to
tread
the
right
path
and
get
merged
in
the
Grace
of
God.
The
purpose
of
the
Geetha
is
to
remove
the
moha
(delusion)
which
overwhelmed
Arjuna
and
made
him
feel
that
he
was
the
doer,
whereas
the
truth
is,
he
was
but
an
instrument.
So
Krishna
asks
him
at
the
very
end
of
the
discourse,
Has
the
delusion
born
out
of
ajnaana
(ignorance)
been
fully
destroyed
in
you?
For,
like
a
good
teacher,
Krishna
is
evidently
quite
willing
to
resort
to
some
other
means
or
to
discourse
a
little
longer,
in
order
to
make
the
pupil
understand
the
teaching.
But
Arjuna
is
a
good
student;
he
declares,
Destroyed
is
the
delusion
(Nashto
Mohah).
I
have
gained
recognition.
Now
what
is
the
recognition
he
has
gained?
The
recognition
of
the
Self
or
Aathma.
He
has
seen
himself
as
basically
Aathma,
and
he
has
seen
the
world
and
all
objects
as
superimpositions
on
the
Aathma,
due
to
ignorance
or
Maaya.
An
emperor,
while
sleeping,
dreams
that
he
is
a
beggar;
he
wears
tattered
clothes
and
cries
piteously
before
other
peoples
doors
for
a
morsel
of
food;
no
one
listens
to
his
clamour;
he
can
no
longer
contain
his
sorrow.
He
weeps
aloud
and
wakes
up
his
mother.
She
comes
and
wakes
him
up
from
that
dream.
Now,
the
mother
need
not
tell
him,
Listen
to
me,
you
are
the
emperor.
You
are
not
a
beggar.
He
knows
it
as
soon
as
he
awakes.
The
recognition
of
the
Self
happens
as
soon
as
the
delusion
goes,
the
delusion
that
this
dream-world
is
real!
A
prince
who
falls
into
the
hands
of
a
forest
tribe
while
yet
a
child,
and
behaves
like
one
of
them,
does
not
thereby
lose
his
prince-
hood.
Rescue
him
and
he
knows
he
is
a
prince.
So
too,
Arjuna
says,
Smrithir
labdhvaa
-
I
got
back
my
memory,
I
have
gained
recognition.
I
know
Myself;
I
am
Thyself
!
The
study
of
the
Geetha
must
end
in
this
result.
Awake,
arise
and
stop
not
till
the
goal
is
reached,
it
is
said
-
Uththishtatha,
Jaagratha,
Praapyavaraan
Nibodhatha.
But
one
need
not
march
towards
the
goal.
It
is
not
some
place
where
you
have
to
go.
It
is
just
the
opening
of
the
eye,
the
removal
of
the
veil,
the
waking
from
the
dream,
the
lighting
of
the
jnaana
deep
(light
of
spiritual
wisdom).
To
get
this
fruit
of
Geetha-paaraayana
(discourse
on
Geetha),
ekaagratha
(one-pointed
concentration)
is
essential.
Page 22 of 268
As
a
matter
of
fact,
once
the
Geetha
is
made
the
guiding
star
of
your
life,
the
way
you
act
will
be
Karma
Yoga,
the
way
you
feel
will
be
Bhakti
Yoga,
the
way
you
reason
will
be
Jnaana
Yoga.
It
will
become
automatically
so.
What
you
do
must
be
in
line
with
dharma;
what
you
feel
must
foster
prema;
what
you
think
must
reveal
Sathyam.
Then
this
Sathsang
will
be
blessed
with
Shaanthi,
with
even
Prashaanthi.
Success
comes
when
your
effort
and
His
Grace
both
complement
each
other.
How
can
Grace
enter
when
you
do
not
seek
it?
Open
the
door
of
endeavour;
the
Merciful
Lord
will
then
come
in,
with
the
Crown
of
Success.
Badri
is
the
place
where
the
Nara-Narayana
bond
is
established
and
commemorated.
That
you
can
establish
here
itself.
If
you
get
rid
of
delusion,
you
become
Narayana
(God);
if
you
are
sunk
in
delusion,
you
continue
to
be
Nara
(human);
that
is
all.
There
is
no
place
to
which
I
have
not
gone;
there
is
no
place
without
Me
therein.
So
the
Bhaktas
who
came
with
Me
were
journeying
to
the
Abstract
with
the
Concrete,
with
the
Pratyaksha
to
the
Paroksa!
That
was
their
good
fortune.
!
Truly,
all
Kshetras
(places
of
pilgrimage)
and
all
yatras
(pilgrimages)
are
in
yourself.
!
Your
consciousness
is
a
lamp.
Pour
into
it
the
oil
of
Grace;
trim
the
wick
of
self-control.
Keep
in
position
the
chimney
of
Naamasmarana,
so
that
the
gusts
of
Joy
and
Grief
may
not
put
out
the
Olame.
Light
the
lamp
with
a
Maha-vaakya
(Vedic
dictum)
like
Aham
Brahmaasmi
(I
am
the
Absolute
Reality).
Then
you
will
see
Light
and
you
will
shed
Light.
The
inner
motive
Force
is
God,
and
when
tie
is
dwelling
in
the
heart
of
man,
He
is
called
jeevi.
The
jeevi
is
not
recognised
as
God
because
of
the
darkness
of
delusion.
You
mistake
a
stump
for
a
man
in
the
darkness;
in
the
same
way,
the
jeevi
is
mistaken
to
be
a
separate,
changing
individual.
The
Jeevatvam
(principle
of
the
individual)
is
given
more
importance
and
the
Devatvam
(divine
principle)
or
tmtatvam
(principle
of
inOinite
consciousness)
is
ignored
on
account
of
the
darkness.
So,
the
lights
have
to
be
switched
on
in
the
antahkarana
(inner
consciousness
of
man,
rather
than
in
the
house
where
the
image
of
the
Lord
is
installed
and
worshipped.
Though
they
are
so
far,
the
Himalayas
are
very
near
to
spiritual
aspirants.
If
you
see
only
the
splendour
of
the
light
and
if
you
do
not
feel
the
warming
effect,
it
only
proves
that
you
are
far;
this
is
true
of
your
relation
with
Me
also.
All
these
years,
you
who
are
Page 23 of 268
so
near
have
been
seeing
the
light
only;
you
did
not
beneOit
by
the
warmth;
that
only
shows
that
you
are
yet
far;
though
so
near.
The
Divine
Power
is
there
in
you;
it
need
not
come
from
somewhere
outside
you.
Only,
you
have
to
prepare
the
ground,
so
that
it
may
manifest
itself.
Your
nature
is
divine;
what
has
happened
is
that
delusion
has
covered
it
with
dirt.
The
washerman
does
not
make
your
clothes
white;
they
are
white
already;
what
he
does
is
to
manifest
the
whiteness
by
removing
the
dirt
that
has
hidden
the
genuine
native
colour,
white.
The
washerman
must
have
two
good
things
to
bring
out
the
basic
whiteness;
soap
and
water.
Both
have
to
be
good;
you
cannot
manage
with
only
one
of
the
two.
In
the
case
of
the
mind
and
removal
of
the
dirt
therein,
the
soap
is
neeti
and
the
water
is
nishta.
The
plight
of
Indians
is
like
a
person
who
with
butter
in
hand
is
running
about
for
ghee.
Here
you
have
the
technique
of
attaining
nti
developed
as
nowhere
else;
yet
you
are
running
after
all
kinds
of
amateurs!
Well,
now
that
the
lights
have
been
switched
on,
those
who
come
to
this
temple
will
see
the
shrine
more
clearly;
I
bless
them
that
they
may
also
see
their
own
selves
more
clearly.
Light
is
the
source
of
Joy
and
Knowledge.
I
shall
switch
on
the
electric
lights,
in
a
few
moments
but,
remember,
it
is
not
the
Lord
within
the
Temple
that
needs
illumination,
it
is
the
worshipper
The
lighting
up
of
this
structure
is
but
the
symbol
of
the
illumination
of
the
heart,
the
destruction
of
the
darkness
of
ahamkara
and
ajnana
(egoism
and
ignorance)
so
that
the
Lord
might
be
revealed
in
all
His
Glory.
Bharat
has
known
how
to
exploit
the
mine
of
Divine
Bliss
which
lies
in
the
heart
of
man.
The
seers
had
said
that
if
the
Bhoomata,
Gomata,
Nijamata
and
Vedamata
(mother
land,
sacred
cow,
real
mother
and
Vedas)
are
revered
and
used
as
best
as
one
can,
then
one
would
have
happiness
here
and
liberation
from
the
cycle
of
birth
and
death.
Mysore
City
has
earned
fame
by
its
devotion
to
music,
sculpture
and
other
Oine
arts.
But
there
is
an
art
Oiner
than
all
these:
the
Art
of
Living..
The
boulder
has
to
suffer
all
that
hard
chiselling
in
order
to
become
the
Image
of
God;
so
too,
you
should
cast
off
all
the
impediments,
all
the
encumbrances
that
drag
you
down
and
make
you
a
boulder
instead
of
a
Bhakta
(devotee)
and
a
Paramahamsa
(ascetic
of
the
highest
order)
or
even
Paramtm
(Supreme
Being).
Praising
the
doctor
or
worshipping
him
might
induce
him
to
take
pity
on
you,
but
your
illness
can
be
cured
only
by
your
taking
the
drug
and
obeying
the
restrictions
on
food
and
drink
and
on
your
habit.
Know
that
waking
from
sleep
is
but
birth
and
going
into
sleep
is
death.
On
waking,
pray
every
morning
of
your
life,
Oh
Lord,
I
am
born
now
from
the
womb
of
sleep.
I
am
determined
to
carry
out
all
tasks
this
day
as
offerings
to
Thee,
with
Thee
ever
present
before
my
minds
eye.
Make
my
words,
thoughts
and
deeds
sacred
and
pure;
let
me
not
Page 24 of 268
inOlict
pain
on
any
one;
let
no
one
inOlict
pain
on
me;
direct
me,
guide
me,
this
day.
And
when
you
enter
the
portals
of
sleep
at
night,
pray,
Oh
Lord!
The
tasks
of
this
day,
who'se
burden
I
placed
on
you
this
morning,
are
over.
It
was
You
who
made
me
walk
and
talk
and
think
and
act;
I
therefore
place
at
Thy
Feet
all
my
words,
thoughts
and
deeds.
My
task
is
done.
Receive
me,
I
am
coming
back
to
you.
Adopt
these
as
your
daily
prayers.
The
best
thing
is
to
have
your
own
Self
as
the
source
of
Light,
as
the
Guru.
The
Inner
Intelligence,
the
Inner
Guru
will
reveal
the
Truth.
This
prayerful
attitude
will
so
educate
your
impulses
that
the
Inner
Intelligence
will
be
fully
revealed.
Do
not
be
like
gramophone
records
singing
some
one
elses
song,
ignorant
of
the
genuine
thrill
of
music.
Sing
from
your
own
experience
of
the
Glory
and
Grace
of
the
Lord.
If
you
win
the
Grace
of
the
Lord,
even
the
decrees
of
destiny
can
be
overcome
The
Guru
is
one
who
shows
you
the
Path
for
getting
that
Grace.
Joy
is
a
subjective
feeling,
it
is
not
inherent
in
the
objective
world.
You
are
the
witness,
separate
from
the
scene;
you
are
the
seer
not
the
seen
-
drasta
not
the
drik
or
the
drisya.
The
Screen
is
the
sathya
(truth)
and
the
images
that
Olit
across
it
are
mithya
(false);
when
you
see
the
Oilm
you
do
not
see
the
screen
as
screen;
you
forget
its
existence
and
you
think
that
there
is
just
the
picture
and
nothing
else
as
its
base.
But
the
screen
is
there
all
the
time
and
it
is
only
the
screen
that
makes
you
experience
the
picture.
Narayana
is
the
screen
and
Prakriti
(objective
world)
is
the
Oilm;
when
the
play
is
on,
the
screen
is
the
Adhara
(base)
and
Prakriti
(objective
world)
becomes
Narayanamayam
(God
all-pervading).
The
Screen
is
Satyam;
the
story
is
samsaram
(worldly
life),
for
it
has
only
some
saram
(essence).
One
day,
Krishna
revealed
(to
Surdas)
that
he
was
the
Hero
of
his
Heart
He
then
declared
that
he
did
not
care
to
see
other
things
with
the
sight
vouchsafed
to
him;
he
said
the
inner
eyes
were
enough.
The
puriOied
inner
vision
gives
lasting
joy
and
therefore,
unfailing
health.
Get
into
the
habit
of
living
in
the
light
of
God.
It
is
the
habit
that
rehabilitates
the
fallen.
Have
the
attitude
of
Sharanagati
(seeking
refuge
at
the
feet
of
the
Lord),
or
else
your
destiny
will
be
Shara-gati
(movement
of
an
arrow).
That
is
why
Krishna
said
Man
Manaa
Bhava
-
Let
your
mind
be
absorbed
in
Me.
By
all
means,
worry
about
success
or
failure
in
achieving
the
real
purpose
of
life.
And
then
you
will
get
as
many
years
as
needed
to
fulOil
that
desire.
Yearn,
yearn,
yearn
hard;
and
success
is
yours.
Page 25 of 268
You
say,
I
have
got
fever.
But
where
did
you
get
it
from?
Kali?
Gaya?
It
came
from
within
you,
not
from
anywhere
outside
you.
When
you
developed
jaundice,
everything
appears
yellow.
Egoism
too
is
a
jaundice,
which
warps
your
vision
and
makes
you
see
things
wrong.
It
is
due
to
inner
impurity,
inner
defects.
Get
rid
of
that
egoism
and
all
will
be
Love,
Peace,
Unity,
One.
God
likes
such
pure
souls
who
come
gladly
to
merge
in
Him
My
hand
stretches
out
for
receiving,
only
when
a
pure
heart
full
of
Prema
(Love)
is
offered;
on
all
other
occasions,
it
gives,
never
takes.
The
Lord
is
Premaswarupam
(Divine
Love
personiOied),
believe
Me.
The
earthly
father
or
mother
will
show
love
only
so
long
as
you
obey
them;
start
going
against
their
wishes
and
they
will
go
to
the
extent
of
even
disowning
you!
The
Lord
will
never
disown
you,
for
He
is
your
very
core,
your
very
basic
Reality.
You
derive
from
Him
the
fruit
of
your
labour,
of
your
dhyanam,
japan
and
pooja;
faith
will
grow
into
thyaga
(sacriOice);
you
will
feel
that
you
are
instruments
with
no
individuality
save
as
prompted
by
Him.
!
Verily,
he
who
has
the
Lord
as
His
Servant,
he
is
the
real
Prabhu
(Lord)!
!
Do
not
become
a
slave
to
others;
no,
not
even
to
God.
Test.
Test,
examine,
experience
and
then,
when
you
Oind
God,
demand
as
of
right.
But
before
you
get
that
right,
you
should
for
the
examination
and
pass,
is
it
not?
!
Divine
Sankalpa
must
be
fulOilled!
!
As
for
Me,
My
nature
is
distinct;
I
do
not
identify
with
anything.
Those
who
have
neither
authority
nor
adeptness
have
to
heard,
study,
analyse
and
judge.
Authority
is
the
right
of
the
tm
alone.
It
is
the
tm
that
can
command.
Bhava
(innate
disposition)
gives
beauty
or
as
they
say
in
Telugu,
Andham.
That
is
why
I
often
say,
Andham
is
Anandam
(Beauty
is
Bliss);
you
cannot
have
one
without
the
other.
Andam
and
Anandam,
beauty
and
truth,
harmony
and
ecstasy
are
found
in
Ekatvam
(Oneness),
the
discovery
and
experience
of
Unity.
Unity
must
be
as
symbolised
by
the
experience
of
the
unity
of
mud
and
gold;
the
sight,
the
seen
and
the
seer.
That
is,
the
search
and
the
success.
Ramakrishna
prompted
this
yearning,
promoted
this
agony
in
Vivekananda
and
the
others
who
came
to
him.
Try
with
all
your
strength;
test
with
all
Page 26 of 268
your
doubt,
earn
it
the
hard
way
and
enjoy
the
fruit
of
your
exertions:
that
was
the
teaching
he
gave.
Jealousy
and
anger
are
the
twins
born
of
the
Mother
Ahamkara.
Destroy
the
twins,
and
take
the
kaaram
(meaning
in
telugu,
the
hot
taste)
of
the
Ahamkaram
and
keep
it
simply
as
Aham
(I),
so
that
you
can
get
the
thrill
of
Aham
Brahmasmi
(I
Am
Brahman)
with
that
instrument.
That
is
the
stage
to
be
reached,
the
height
to
be
scaled.
The
kaaram
in
the
Aham
is
like
the
single
seed
which
if
allowed
to
sprout,
multiples
a
thousand-fold
and
produces
many
bags
of
seed.
It
has
to
be
crushed
in
the
very
Oirst
instance.
Then
the
analysis
of
the
Aham
starts
and
ends
in
the
conclusion:
Ayam
tm
Brahma,
-
this
Aham
is
the
tm,
which
is
Brahma.
The
two:
That
and
This,
Tat
and
Twam,
are
identiOied
and
This
is
found
to
be
only
That,
when
Tat
Tvam
Asi
(Thou
Art
That)
is
realised.
Well.
What
is
the
thing
called
Tat,
the
That?
What
is
Brahman
in
other
words?
The
fourth
Mahavakya
declares:
Prajnanam
-
the
Highest
Wisdom
-
Unity,
One.
All
these
Mahavakyas
(sacred
statements
of
Supreme
Truth)
relate
to
the
Glory
of
the
One,
which
is
a
veritable
Ocean
of
Grace.
The
vapour
rising
from
it
is
Prajnanam
Brahma,
the
cloud
is
Ayam
tm
Brahma;
the
shower
of
rain,
Tat
Tvam
Asi,
the
river
is
Aham
Brahmasmi.
Prajnanam
Brahma
is
symbolised
by
Andapinda
Lingam
-
the
vision
of
the
one
entity
in
all
the
manifold
entities,
the
expansion
of
the
individual
into
the
universal,
the
enlargement
of
the
I
into
the
vastness
of
the
He
and
We.
When
you
knock
at
anothers
door
and
a
voice
from
inside
accosts
you
with
the
question,
Who
is
it?
you
automatically
answer,
It
is
I.
That
does
not
satisfy
the
questioner.
So,
another
question
eliciting
further
information
follows.
Then
only
will
the
door
open.
The
door
of
Liberation
can
also
open
only
to
those
who
can
explain
who
the
I
truly
is.
This
reveals
to
the
jeevi,
I
am
in
the
Light.
The
second
Mahavakya,
Ayam
tm
Brahma,
tells
him,
The
Light
is
in
Me.
Slowly
the
truth
dawns
on
the
mind!
The
Light
which
I
imagined
as
enveloping
me,
the
Prajnanam
which
I
identiOied
as
the
basis
of
all
this
appearance,
that
illumination
is
in
me,
too.
My
innermost-truth
is
also
that
Prajnanam,
that
Light.
This
is
represented
by
Sadashiva
Lingam
(the
vision
of
the
Eternal
Shiva).
The
sadhaka
sees
in
his
sadhana
that
Light
which
dispels
the
darkness
of
ages.
He
is
told
that
He
is
that
Light
and
nothing
else,
Tat
Tvam
Asi,
That
Thou
Art.
He
then
becomes
immune
to
spasms
of
ignorance
which
make
him
forget
his
nature.
Just
as
a
beginner
learning
the
violin
lapses
easily
into
grinding
out
distressing
sounds
from
the
strings,
the
sadhaka
also
grinds
out
discordant
notes,
of
discontent
and
grief.
When
pain
becomes
unbearable,
a
person
faints
and
loses
consciousness;
that
is
a
consolation.
Beyond
a
certain
limit,
you
are
not
to
suffer
pain.
Similarly,
when
this
identity
feeling
is
established,
no
more
activity
is
possible.
One
becomes
unconscious
of
the
world,
or
rather,
one
passes
beyond
the
realms
of
consciousness
-
un,
sub,
and
even
super;
the
river
has
reached
the
sea.
Tat-tvam-asi
is
symbolised
by
the
Jnana-
Lingam
(vision
of
enlightenment).
Aham
Brahmasmi,
the
last
of
the
Mahavakyas,
is
associated
with
the
tm-Lingam.
The
fourteen
higher
worlds
and
the
fourteen
lower
worlds
(??)
cannot
be
shown
and
demonstrated
in
models;
they
are
symbolic
of
the
levels
of
consciousness
in
the
geography
of
the
spirit
and
in
the
journey
of
the
mind
towards
the
Goal.
There
are
no
books
that
can
teach
you
the
topography;
the
journey
is
the
best
teacher,
each
step
Page 27 of 268
making
the
next
one
easier.
Radha,
Meera,
Sakku,
Surdas,
Ramakrishna
-
all
followed
the
guidance
of
their
own
inner
call.
The
angam
(body)
is
the
Sangam
(meeting
point)
where
spirit
and
matter
meet,
the
jangam,
the
moving
phantasmagoria
where
spirit
and
matter
meet,
is
in
Sangam.
From
this
Sangam,
one
has
to
evoke
the
Lingam
(Divinity
in
its
aforesaid
four
forms,
one
after
the
other.
The
Lingam
is
just
a
sign:
a
sign
of
endeavour,
a
sign
of
success.
For
example,
the
Andapinda
Lingam
signiOies
the
egg-shaped
universe,
which
is
how
it
is,
even
according
to
experts
in
science.
The
outer
cover
is
the
anda
and
the
inner
rasa
or
matter
is
the
pinda.
They
are
both
dependent,
one
on
the
other.
You
are
all
basically
the
Andapinda,
with
the
outer
shell
of
materialism
and
the
inner
core
of
Divinity.
The
body
is
a
vessel
to
contain
the
Chaitanya
or
effulgence
of
Divinity.
The
sentiment,
Aham
Brahmasmi
explicit
in
the
Mahavakya,
gives
a
sense
of
kinship;
as
when
this
Linga,
confronted
by
that
Linga
proceeds
to
aalingana
(embracing).
That
sense
of
belonging
has
great
psychological
value:
when
you
hear
a
child
cry
and
Oind
on
enquiry
that
it
is
your
child,
you
get
far
more
anxious
than
when
you
are
told
it
is
anothers
child.
The
attachment
will
lead
to
merging
(for
the
Andapinda
Lingam
is
this
body,
this
nature
which
we
see)
and
imbibing
and
building
into
our
consciousness.
even
God,
when
He
comes
with
human
body
or
as
materialised
form,
is
Andapindam,
whether
it
is
Maha
Vishnu,
Shiva,
Rama,
Krishna
or
Satya
Sai
Baba.
Jnanalingam
symbolises
the
jnana
that
you
are
Sarvabhuta
(the
totality
of
all
beings)
and
the
Sarvabhuta
is
in
you.
The
jnanam
(divine
wisdom)
itself
is
Brahmam;
Jnana,
is
not
a
quality
of
Brahmam-
it
is
Brahmam
itself,
for
Brahmam
has
no
quality.
The
Jnani
(the
liberated
person),
though
in
the
world,
has
the
Inner
Vision
which
makes
him
fall
away
from
the
twig
as
the
dried
leaf
which
has
no
more
need
of
attachment.
tmlingam
(the
vision
of
form
of
the
Self),
the
ultimate
phase,
is
the
stage
of
gold,
when
the
names
and
forms
of
gold
jewels
have
been
subsumed.
Water
freezes
into
ice;
tm
freezes
into
the
individual.
The
tmlingam
is
just
the
pot
that
contains
sea-
water,
immersed
in
the
self-same
sea.
Both
are
identical,
only
he
name
and
the
form
are
different.
You
can
realise
your
truth
by
following
the
path
which
will
lead
to
that
knowledge.
When
you
listen
to
my
story,
you
forget
the
story
of
the
world
and
live
only
in
My
story,
until
there
is
no
separate
story
for
you
to
relate
or
live.
Well,
to
make
you
story-less
is
the
scheme
of
My
story.
Sadashivalingam
indicates
the
person
who
is
ever
of
the
Svarupa
(form)
of
Shiva.
Here
and
everywhere,
night
and
day,
in
joy
and
grief,
he
is
Shivam:
happy,
auspicious,
graceful;
Anandam
is
his
breath,
his
motive
force,
his
demeanour,
his
inner
and
outer
expression;
Sada
-
always
and
for
ever,
Shivam
-
auspicious.
Install
Sadashivalingam
in
the
consciousness
and
all
things
will
be
revealed
to
you,
step
by
step,
by
the
Grace
of
the
Divine
Indweller.
The
Lord
is
Natansutradhari
-
He
who
pulls
the
strings
in
the
play
of
puppetry.
It
looks
as
if
the
dolls
dance
of
their
own
accord
and
play
out
a
plot
of
their
own,
that
there
is
Page 28 of 268
no
one
behind
the
drama
to
direct
it,
that
the
dolls
are
alive
and
full
of
activity.
The
strings
are
invisible
to
you.
It
is
the
mind
that
deceives
you
thus.
I
never
call
upon
people
to
worship
Me,
giving
up
the
Forms
they
already
revere.
I
have
come
to
establish
Dharma
and
so
I
do
not
and
will
not
demand
or
require
your
homage.
Give
it
to
your
Lord
or
Guru,
whoever
He
is;
I
am
the
Witness,
come
to
set
right
the
vision
tmshakti
(power
of
the
Self)
can
function
only
when
prompted
by
Mayashakti
(power
of
illusion).
That
is
why
Maya
was
born
just
previous
to
Krishna.
If
Maya
is
absent,
how
can
the
drama
be
put
on?
Anti
(lack
of
peace)
of
some
kind
or
the
other
brings
you
to
this
place,
naturally;
but
having
come,
do
not
concentrate
on
objective
gifts
only;
gather
also
the
valuable
advice
given
for
inner
development.
You
should
pray:
Asato
maa
sat
gamaya
-
From
the
Unreal
lead
me
to
the
Real.
When
the
sun
rises,
all
the
buds
of
lotus
in
the
lake
will
not
open
out
in
full
bloom.
Only
those
which
are
full
grown
can
blossom
so;
the
rest
have
to
bide
their
time
and
grow.
His
Grace
is
the
right
of
all,
but
it
can
be
won
by
sadhana
only.
Why
worry
so
much
at
not
being
able
to
touch
these
feet?
My
Feet
are
within
your
reach,
at
all
times,
wherever
you
are.
Sarvatah
Pani
Padah
-
Hands
and
feet
everywhere.
If
you
wail
in
agony,
Dont
you
hear
me?
My
Ears
are
there
to
listen;
if
you
pray
from
the
depths
of
your
heart,
Dont
you
see
my
plight?
My
Eyes
are
there
shedding
Grace
on
you.
Get
out
of
Maya
and
become
Prema;
then
you
get
Prema
only
from
Me.
The
Bhakta
must
ignore
his
identity
and
separateness
and
merge
with
the
ideal;
what
individually
has
the
servant
got?
He
has
nothing;
no,
not
even
a
trace.
The
Master
is
All.
If
you
stare
at
the
sun
for
a
second
and
then
turn
you
eye
to
other
things
around,
you
will
Oind
that
there
is
a
dark
patch
over
them
and
you
cannot
recognise
them.
Similarly,
once
you
get
a
vision
of
the
Purusha
(God),
who
is
more
effulgent
than
a
thousand
suns,
you
can
no
longer
recognise
the
multiplicity
called
Prakriti
(Nature).
The
world
is
black,
it
is
blocked;
indeed,
you
can
no
longer
recognise
or
deal
with
variety
once
you
have
had
a
vision
of
the
basic
Unity.
Take
the
screen
in
the
cinema
theatre.
When
the
Oilm
is
on,
you
do
not
see
the
screen,
you
see
only
the
play;
when
the
show
is
over,
you
see
just
a
screen,
a
screen
that
has
no
message
-
neither
voice
nor
name
nor
form
nor
colour
nor
creed.
That
is
Brahman.
The
entire
rope
gives
the
appearance
of
a
snake
in
the
dark;
here,
the
entire
screen
was
lost
in
this
picture.
Brahman
is
Satyam;
Jagat
(Universe)
is
Brahman.
That
is
Sat
(Being),
this
is
Chit
(awareness).
Knowing
this
and
dealing
with
both
is
Anandam.
I
was
asked
once
how
any
one
can
accept
the
two
seemingly
opposite
statements:
Brahma
Satyam
Jaganmitya
and
Sarvam
Vishnumayam
Jagat
-
Brahman
is
Truth,
World
is
false
and
World
is
full
of
Vishnu.
This
was
My
reply:
The
powers
of
man
are
limited
by
his
experience
and
his
knowledge.
He
is
just
a
Pinda
(part),
while
the
Lord
is
Anda
(whole),
the
Force
pervading
the
entire
Universe.
The
Anda-Pinda
Lingam
Page 29 of 268
symbolises
this
Body-Limb
relationship,
the
Part-Whole
aspect
of
Madhava
and
Man.
The
Sadashivalingam
represents
the
ever-auspicious
tm,
which
is
beyond
all
dual
aspects
and
concepts,
immanent
in
all
beings
and
everywhere.
It
is
not
negated
by
time;
it
is
Sada
(always)
Shivam
(beneOicial
and
auspicious).
The
Jnanalingam
is
the
sign
of
the
attainment
of
Jnana
(spiritual
wisdom),
when
the
last
vestige
of
the
delusion
of
I
is
wiped
off;
even
the
feeling
I
know
is
gone;
then
ou
are
the
tm,
pure
and
whole,
entire
and
enduring
-
then
your
condition
is
best
represented
by
the
symbol
of
the
tmlinga.
You
have,
each
one,
the
tremendous
Shakti
(Power)
of
the
tm
(InOinite
Consciousness)
in
you.
Some
are
able
to
draw
upon
it,
others
just
know
it
is
there;
others
are
unaware
of
the
methods
of
tapping
it
or
even
of
its
existence.
It
all
comes
in
time,
through
steady
sadhana.
A
real
Guru
must
be
like
Sada
Shivalingam,
full
of
Ananda
welling
up
from
the
consciousness
of
the
Divinity.
So
long
as
you
are
in
Avidya
(ignorance),
so
long
as
you
are
untrained
and
lacking
in
knowledge,
you
cannot
taste
the
Bliss;
you
cannot
attain
it.
You
are
still
bound
by
the
three-corded
rope
-
the
black
cord
of
Tamas
(inertia),
the
red
cord
of
Rajas
(passion)
and
the
white
cord
of
Sattva
(equanimity).
Deny
that
you
are
noun;
the
rope
falls
away?
Hence,
regulate
your
life
in
such
a
way
that
you
do
not
harm
your
inner
nature.
!
!
Whoever
has
tasted
that
Joy
will
thenceforward
crave
for
that
only.
How
can
the
Jeevi
(individual
being)
stoop
to
something
else?
How
can
the
Truth
be
grasped
when
you
are
steeped
in
falsehood?
How
can
a
Oish
experience
the
sky?
How
can
Nectar
and
Poison,
Day
and
Night,
God
and
the
Devil,
be
together?
Radha
was
the
greatest
devotee
of
all;
she
saw
all
foot-prints
as
Krishnas
own,
including
even
hers!
Really,
is
there
any
one
who
is
not
He?
Any
Form
that
is
not
His?
Any
Name
that
does
not
connote
him?
For
the
sorrow
and
fear
of
today,
the
same
prescription
also
holds:
See
Him
of
the
Shiva-svarupa
(Form
of
Shiva)
in
all;
then
all
will
yield
joy
and
peace.
That
is
the
truth.
The
rest
is
false.
Yama
comes
with
delusion;
Shiva
is
seen;
then
Light
dawns.
!
Prema
will
destroy
the
roots
of
the
ego.
!
Vedhana
(suffering)
can
be
overcome
only
by
the
Aa-vedhana
(yearning
for
the
Lord).
You
must
yearn
to
be
free,
to
be
rid
of
the
chains
that
are
binding
you
now;
the
iron
chain
of
poverty
or
the
golden
chain
of
riches.
Yearn
as
helplessly
as
a
baby
which
cries
for
its
mother,
as
desperately
as
a
calf
mooing
for
the
cow,
as
pitifully
as
a
starving
beggar
prays
for
a
morsel
of
food.
Let
the
cry
come
from
the
depth
of
the
heart,
a
heart
that
cannot
bear
the
chain
of
attachments
any
longer.
The
Lord
will
not
be
drawn
by
noisy
pomp
or
empty
show.
He
will
yield
only
to
the
claim
of
kinship,
the
call
of
tm
to
Paramtm
(individual
soul
to
the
Supreme
Soul).
Page 30 of 268
When
a
house
is
to
be
certiOied
as
habitable,
the
engineer
tests
the
foundations.
the
Lord
too
tests
the
foundations
whether
Faith
is
true
and
deep.
Siruthondar,
a
devotee
of
Shiva
was
also
similarly
tested
by
Shiva
who
came
as
a
jangama
(ascetic).
When
Siruthondar
showed
that
he
had
no
attachment
to
the
world,
Shiva
revealed
Himself
and
said,
Worship
Me
as
your
own
Self.
Then
Siruthondar
demands,
Reveal
to
me
your
Immanence
in
all
Creation
and
then
I
shall
worship
Me,
for
then
I
can
know
that
I
am
really
You.
Shiva
blessed
him
and
he
saw
all
as
Light.
The
vision
was
the
Oinale
of
his
career
in
maaya.
He
merged
as
light
merges
in
light,
without
noise
and
without
announcement.
Even
his
body
became
a
streak
of
light
which
rose
up
into
the
depths
of
space.
!
Be
aware
of
Him,
who
is
the
eternal
Witness;
He
sees
and
knows
all.
!
Discourse 21 (Pranti Nilayam, 24/10/1961)
Man
can
reach
the
height
of
Madhava
only
by
trampling
down
the
mind
and
making
it
ineffective.
Narayana
is
the
Lord
of
the
Naaram
(water)
in
the
Nayana
(eyes),
who
is
won
by
tears
of
repentance
and
who
rewards
you
with
tears
of
joy.
Win
Him
and
then
He
becomes
as
visible
as
all
this;
in
fact,
He
is
all
this,
only
you
do
not
see
it
so.
That
is
why
in
the
Geeta,
karma
sannyasa
(renunciation
of
action)
and
not
the
other
types
of
sannyasa,
is
prescribed.
Karma
Sannyasa
leads
to
Mano-sannyasa
(mental
renunciation).
Just
as
every
breath
reminds
you
of
Om,
every
little
act
is
an
act
of
worship,
remember.
Every
tiny
thought,
every
faint
whisper
has
to
be
so
directed
that
it
may
curb
the
vagaries
of
the
mind
and
help
in
guiding
it
Godward.
The
mystery
of
Avatar
is
beyond
the
reach
of
intelligence.
It
can
be
grasped
only
by
means
of
genuine
faith.
It
cannot
be
reached
by
logic;
the
karmendriyas
and
the
jnanendriyas
(sense
organs
of
action
and
perception)
are
useless
instruments;
for
the
body,
mind,
intelligence
all
are
of
the
category,
Seen,
but
not
of
the
category,
Seer.
To
see
the
Seer,
the
inner
vision
has
to
be
cultivated.
So
long
as
you
feel
you
are
separate,
you
cannot
see
the
whole.
Vyakti
(individual)
can
never
see
the
Shakti
(Supreme
Power).
Do
not
develop
attachment
to
this
body.
Why,
attachment
to
any
bod
is
not
desirable.
This
hand
gives
you
things,
but,
My
Hand
is
that
which
creates
all
this.
That
is
My
Body.
My
coupe
is
unique,
different
from
all
that
you
know.
I
do
not
identify
Myself
with
anything.
Ice
is
water,
water
is
ice.
Saguna
is
Nirguna,
Nirguna
is
this
Saguna.
The
Lords
Form
can
be
perceived
only
by
means
of
the
eye
of
prema
or
the
eye
of
janan
or
the
eye
of
yoga,
not
the
eye
of
sensual
activity,
the
Karmanetra.
Page 31 of 268
You
have
no
hunger.
If
you
have
genuine
hunger
I
will
not
keep
you
suffering
from
it.
Churn
the
mind
and
collect
the
butter
and
melt
it
in
the
yearning
of
the
heart.
When
the
butter
has
not
melted,
the
reason
is,
the
warmth
of
the
yearning
is
insufOicient.
!
Demand
from
Me
as
of
right,
the
removal
of
your
sufferings.
!
Rama,
Krishna,
Shirdi
Sai,
Sathya
Sai
Baba;
that
form
is
so,
this
form
is
thus
-
why
all
such
misgivings
and
doubts?
The
body
is
the
same,
only
the
dress
worn
is
different.
Do
not
be
led
away
into
the
morass,
by
others.
Do
not
slander
or
abuse
others
or
your
own
selves,
as
weak,
sinful,
wicked
or
low;
when
you
do
so,
you
are
slandering
or
abusing
Me,
who
resides
in
them
and
you.
All
are
of
the
Divine
Nature
of
the
tm;
all
are
pure
and
holy.
Take
the
Form
you
like,
the
Name
you
love
and
do
japam
and
dhyanam
and
no
evil
though
will
arise;
wicked
thoughts
will
Olee.
When
they
have
Oled,
what
remains
is
the
tmsvarupa.
You
have
come
into
this
world
to
reach
the
Lord.
Ignorant
of
that
purpose,
you
have
hoisted
on
your
head
the
weight
of
illusion
and
you
are
struggling
to
unload
it,
suffering
under
its
weight.
What
is
the
use
of
running
after
external
pleasures
and
temporary
joy?
So
long
as
you
are
caught
in
this
Avidya
(ignorance)
you
can
never
taste
the
Bliss
of
Realisation;
you
cannot
even
recognise
it,
much
less
attain
it.
!
Do
not
delude
yourself
that
you
are
the
body,
or
be
fascinated
into
an
attachment
for
it.
!
Remember,
it
is
the
person
who
goes
beyond
the
externals,
that
wins
the
victory.
!
Therefore,
do
not
ask,
for
the
fulOilment
of
paltry
desires;
ask,
Make
me
eternal,
absolute,
Nityam
and
Satyam.
Life
is
a
football
game;
you
can
kick
the
ball
of
Samsara,
with
as
much
gusto
as
you
can
command
provided
you
remember
that
if
it
crosses
the
lines
of
Brahma
marga
and
Dharma
marga,
you
are
out
and
the
ball
has
to
be
brought
in
again.
They
set
the
limits
within
which
you
can
play
the
game,
remember!
(When
even
the
bhakta
(devotee)
should
get
over
the
likes
and
dislikes
of
kith
and
kin
in
order
to
deserve
the
Grace
of
God,
how
can
any
one
talk
of
the
Gods
themselves
being
entangled
in
these
low
knows?
These
only
drag
Divinity
down
to
the
dirty
of
your
sensory
minds.)
To
ascribe
the
material
relationships
of
the
human
family
to
Godhead
is
sheer
nonsense.
The
Lord
who
is
beyond
Time
and
Space
prior
to
the
beginning
and
subsequent
to
the
end
can
never
be
described
in
terms
of
the
mushroom
memories
of
man,
the
temporary
phenomena
of
human
family
and
human
society.
Such
descriptions
cannot
make
any
sense
to
those
who
have
experience
the
Glory
that
is
God.
Take
the
Lord
to
be
your
father
or
mother,
but
only
as
a
Oirst
step
to
your
overstepping
that
relationship
and
merging
in
the
Absolute.
Do
not
stop
on
the
steps;
enter
the
Mansion
to
which
they
lead.
The
tmsambandha
(connection
with
the
Soul)
is
the
everlasting
unchanging
sambandha
(association).
Page 32 of 268
Do
not
come
to
Me
with
your
hands
full
of
trash,
for
how
can
I
Oill
them
with
Grace
when
they
are
already
full?
Come
with
empty
hands
and
carry
away
My
treasure,
My
Prema.
Worship
is
just
a
means
of
education
the
emotions.
Human
impulses
and
emotions
have
to
be
guided
and
controlled.
When
the
fruit
is
ripe,
ti
will
fall
of
the
branch
of
its
own
accord.
Similarly,
when
vairagya
(renunciation)
saturates
your
heart,
you
lose
contact
with
the
world
and
slip
into
the
lap
of
the
Lord.
Do
not
fritter
away
the
time
allotted
to
you
for
sojourning
on
each
in
foolish
foppery
and
fanciful
foibles
which
always
keep
you
outdid/outside.
When
are
you
to
walk
indoors
into
the
warmth
and
quiet
of
your
own
interior?
Retire
into
solitude
and
silence
now
and
then;
experience
the
joy
derivable
only
from
them.
Since
you
cannot
swim
across
the
Olooded
stream,
you
board
a
raft.
So
also,
since
you
cannot
master
the
Nirguna
(Formless),
you
resort
to
the
Saguna
(Form
with
attributes)
and
struggle
to
swim
across
to
the
Nirguna
through
Aradhana
and
Nirguna
(worship
and
contemptlation).
But
it
is
not
advisable
to
remain
ever
on
the
raft,
amidst
the
currents
and
whilrpools,
is
it
not?
He
who
conquers
the
world
is
a
hero;
but
the
hero
of
heroes
is
he
who
conquers
himself;
he
is
mighty;
he
has
prowess
beyond
compare.
!
Fill
every
deed
of
yours
with
the
vision
of
the
Spirit,
the
outlook
of
the
Super-Self.
!
To
grasp
the
signiOicance
of
the
Omnipresence
of
the
Lord,
believe
that
there
is
no
name
which
is
not
His;
no
body
or
thing
which
is
not
His.
!
He
who
is
steady
in
Wisdom
stands
closest
in
the
company
of
the
Lord.
!
Release
from
bondage
to
inborn
impulses
is
the
real
Liberation.
!
When
a
person
has
renounced
the
fruit,
whatever
activity
he
engages
in,
that
is
Samadhi
itself.
Let
the
mind
die,
let
buddhi
(intellect)
be
destroyed,
let
the
body
disintegrate,
remember
nothing
can
harm
you,
the
indestructible
tm.
Use
a
little
common
sense
and
you
will
know
that
the
body
is
not
your
own
Self;
it
is
liable
to
decline
and
death;
that
is
the
Oirst
step
for
Nara
(man)
to
become
Narayana
(God).
The
I
to
which
reference
is
made
is
not
the
body,
it
is
the
Paramtm
(Supreme
Self);
trying
to
realise
this
is
tapas
(penance).
The
world
must
be
made
the
abode
of
love;
Oirst,
cultivate
love
for
yourself;
then,
Oill
the
village,
where
you
are
with
love;
later,
spread
the
love
to
the
district
and
then
let
it
cover
the
entire
world.
The
idea
of
Brahman
is
beyond
the
capacity
of
those
who
have
no
control
over
the
agitations
of
the
mind;
the
natural
afOlictions
of
the
causative
world
will
cease
only
Page 33 of 268
when
the
idea
of
Brahman
is
well
established
in
the
mind;
the
delusion
of
the
causative
world
must
disappear
if
one
must
get
the
Joy,
Atmic
Bliss.
The
birds
taking
shelter
for
the
night
awake
and
Oly
away
to
the
four
quarters
at
sunrise;
so
too,
the
wife
and
children,
the
fortune
and
wealth,
all
Oly
away
without
as
much
as
even
a
farewell
notice.
Establish
yourselves
Oirmly
in
this
fact;
make
immediate
efforts
to
achieve
the
eternal,
the
permanent,
the
unchanging.
If
there
are
two
or
more
kings
or
states,
there
is
bound
to
be
greed,
envy,
jealousy,
hatred
and
anger
on
one
side,
and
fear,
ambition
and
vengeance
on
the
other.
no
one
can
then
know
the
joy
or/of
perfect
peace.
Similarly,
so
long
as
you
feel
the
reality
of
the
many,
so
long
as
you
take
them
to
be
outside
you,
separate
from
you,
you
have
fear,
hatred,
greed
and
all
the
rest
of
the
pests.
When
you
know
that
the
many
is
a
Oigment
superimposed
on
the
One,
by
your
own
ignorance,
you
become
master,
sole
Monarch,
and
all
fear
vanishes.
That
stage
is
Mukti:
Liberation
from
the
thraldom
of
Samsara
-
worldly
life.
But,
the
joy
you
get
today
is
only
a
reminder
of
the
eternal
full
joy
that
is
in
store
for
you,
in
fact,
for
all
mankind.
That
joy
is
your
birthright;
this
momentary
bliss
is
but
a
drop
of
that
ocean;
to
get
that,
you
must
dedicate
yourself
to
sadhana,
continuous
and
conscious
sadhana
(spiritual
practice).
The
symbol
of
the
Pranti
Flag,
the
symbol
that
is
put
up
in
concrete
form
in
front
of
the
Nilayam,
has
therefore
to
be
clearly
understood
by
every
one
of
you.
Conquer
lust,
anger
and
hatred,
roam
in
the
expanse
of
equal
and
impartial
Love
to
all
created
things
and
then,
you
are
Oit
for
yoga
(inner
communion
with
Divinity),
which
will
open
the
petals
of
your
heart.
Then,
from
the
fragrance
and
beauty
of
that
Lotus
will
emerge
the
Flame
of
Jnana,
illumining
maya
into
destruction
until
you
and
the
Jyoti
become
One.
Today,
at
this
meeting,
as
members
of
this
gathering
you
are
all
overwhelmed
with
joy,
I
can
see
that.
But,
this
is
momentary,
this
will
not
last.
You
are
all
entitled
to
broader
realms
of
joy,
deeper
springs
of
joy
and
joy
that
is
eternal.
Your
real
dharma,
the
purpose
for
which
you
have
taken
human
birth,
is
to
earn
and
enjoy
that
Bliss,
which
no
external
contact
can
change
or
diminish.
To
earn
it,
is
quite
easy;
it
can
be
done
by
every
one,
who
just
sits
calmly
and
examines
himself
and
his
mind,
unaffected
by
likes
and
dislikes.
Then
he
discovers
that
life
is
a
dream,
and
that
has
a
calm
refuge
of
peace
inside
his
own
heart.
He
learns
to
dive
into
its
cool
depths
forgetting
and
ignoring
the
buffets
of
luck,
both
good
and
ill.
Investigate
fearlessly
and
with
care;
and
you
will
Oind
that
while
your
basic
nature
is
Bliss,
you
have
falsely
identiOied
yourself
with
the
temporary,
the
frivolous
and
the
paltry
and
so,
that
attachment
brings
about
all
the
sorrow.
You
have
to
realise
that
both
joy
and
sorrow
are
passing
phases,
like
white
or
dark
clouds
across
the
blue
sky,
and
you
have
to
learn
to
treat
both
prosperity
and
adversity
with
equanimity.
Just
as
a
Oish
can
live
only
when
it
is
immersed
in
water,
when
it
feels
the
element
all
around
it,
so
too
man
is
an
animal
that
can
live
only
when
immersed
in
ananda;
he
must
have
ananda
not
only
at
home,
in
society
and
in
the
world
but,
more
than
all,
in
the
heart.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
the
Ananda
in
the
heart
produces
Ananda
everywhere;
the
heart
is
the
spring
of
joy.
Page 34 of 268
Pray,
as
the
performance
of
a
duty
for
your
very
real
existence,
as
the
only
justiOication
for
your
coming
into
the
world,
as
man.
Mine
and
Yours:
these
attitudes
are
only
for
identiOication;
they
are
not
real;
they
are
temporary.
His
-
that
is
the
truth,
the
eternal.
In
spite
of
all
this,
let
Me
tell
you,
the
Mystery
of
Avataras
is
beyond
your
understanding,
beyond
any
ones
understanding.
How
can
those
in
maya
grasp
something
that
is
beyond
it?
The
body,
buddhi,
chitta,
manas,
hridaya
-
all
are
in
maya
and
operate
only
through
maya.
But
the
disappearance
of
maya
is
a
fact,
not
a
delusion.
In
algebra
the
symbol
X
is
used
for
the
unknown
quantity.
When
its
identity
is
discovered,
as
it
eventually
is,
the
symbol
X
disappears
from
the
equation.
In
the
same
way,
God
is
X,
the
entity
you
have
to
discover.
When
the
man
lived
in
the
name
of
God
and
had
no
other
thought,
the
rolling
had
ceased;
the
Name
and
the
chain
of
Destiny
cannot
exist
together.
Prarabda
will
melt
away
like
fog
before
the
Sun
when
namasmarana
is
done.
Just
reOlect
on
this
for
a
minute:
How
did
man
forget
his
Divinity?
How
did
he
fall
into
this
delusion
of
littleness?
then
you
will
know
that
it
must
be
as
a
result
of
the
mind
running
after
momentary
pleasures.
What
then
is
the
remedy?
The
answer
is
just
one
word
-
Worship.
Do
everything
as
worship.
Yad
Bhavam
Tad
Bhavati
-
You
become
that
which
you
feel.
You
can
get
the
feeling
for
the
Divine
only
if
you
have
a
taste
of
the
Prema
of
the
Divine.
When
Rama
enters
the
mind,
kama
has
no
place
therein.
Desire
ceases,
when
God
seizes
the
mind.
In
fact,
since
desire
is
the
very
stuff
of
which
the
mind
is
made,
it
becomes
non-existent
and
you
are
free.
This
stage
is
called,
manonigraha,
manolaya
or
manonashana
-
the
death
of
the
mind,
the
merging
of
the
mind
or
the
killing
of
the
mind.
For
example,
this
marble
image
is
only
a
container.
The
thing
contained
is
Sai
Tatva
(essential
nature).
Just
as
a
cup
is
the
adhara
(base
support)
and
the
milk
in
it
is
the
adheya
(supported),
you
pour
Sai
Tatva
in
this
Form
and
you
call
it
Sai
Baba;
you
pour
it
in
another
vessel
of
a
different
form
and
call
it
Srinivasa,
or
Shiva
or
Krishna
or
Rama.
The
Prema
of
Sai
is
the
prema
characteristic
of
the
Father
and
the
Mother;
not
the
earthly
Father
and
mother
but
of
the
Father
and
Mother
who
are
the
Witness
of
every
thought,
word
and
deed
in
every
being.
Learn
to
instal
the
unseen
Lord
in
your
heart
by
installing
the
see-able
image
in
the
mandir.
Proceed
from
the
sthoola
(gross)
to
the
sukshma
(subtle).
Page 35 of 268
The
Divinity
you
have
as
the
core
of
your
being,
you
ignore;
at
the
same
time,
you
seek
it
in
others.
That
is
the
tragedy.
Your
Satya
can
be
discovered
by
you
by
a
little
exercise
of
viveka.
Born
in
delusion,
breathing
in
delusion,
grovelling
in
delusion,
man
is
unaware
of
his
heritage
and
feels
incapable
of
attaining
it.
He
is
desperate,
seeing
no
means
of
escape;
every
effort
to
achieve
nti
entangles
him
further
and
tighter
in
the
coils
and
of
anti.
Like
Olowers
of
variegated
hue,
each
redolent
with
fragrance,
men
are
all
basically
of
the
same
genus
of
Brahmam.
The
fragrance
arises
from
the
Divine
Essence,
which
is
the
real
reason
for
existence;
for
every
one
has
to
realise
that
Essence
and
thus
end
the
series
of
births
and
deaths.
Like
a
student
leaving
college
once
the
degree
is
awarded,
once
the
Truth
is
realised,
man
has
liberation.
He
can
leave
his
college
and
his
study
and
all
that
bother.
There
are
even
today
great
sages
in
the
Himalayas,
I
know,
who
are
Witnesses
of
everything
and
whose
Prema
embraces
the
whole
of
Humanity
but
that
does
not
help
you;
you
have
to
trek
the
path
alone
and
rely
on
your
own
resources.
So
too,
it
is
inevitable
that
you
have
to
return
to
the
place
from
where
this
journey
through
birth
and
death
started,
namely,
Brahman.
There
is
only
Sun,
but
he
is
reOlected
in
a
million
tanks
and
wells
and
pots.
Paramtm
(God)
is
One
and
His
reOlections,
are
the
Jeevis,
each
with
the
tm
apparent
therein.
There
are
lakhs
of
people
here
now
and
in
each
one
of
you
now,
Swami
is
shining
in
the
heart.
That
is
the
real
tmnandam
(Soul
full
of
Bliss).
Keep
it
fresh
for
ever
and
foster
it
carefully.
That
is
the
secret
of
nti.
Discourse 28 (25/12/1961)
The
name
Sanathana
that
you
have
adopted
for
your
Workers
Co-operative
Industrial
Institute
is
strange,
even
for
the
Department
over
which
the
Minister
who
is
here
presides.
But
it
is
that
name
which
has
brought
Me
here.
You
are
all
Sanathana
(eternal),
though
you
appear
noothana
(new),
on
account
of
this
new
dress
you
are
wearing.
The
educated
have
no
iota
of
the
peace
that
the
uneducated
have!
They
live
in
greater
discontent
and
misery
and
are
tossed
about
without
a
rudder
in
a
sea
of
troubles.
They
do
not
know
anything
about
the
source
of
Peace
and
Ananda
that
they
carry
about
within
themselves;
they
allow
the
inner
consciousness
to
go
dry
by
neglect;
they
are
not
aware
of
the
means
to
irrigate
it
with
the
waters
of
prema
and
grow
therein
the
fruits
of
pranti
(tranquility).
For
example,
I
have
now
been
moving
around
this
Bangalore
and
other
places
for
more
than
22
years;
but
though
lakhs
of
people
have
seen
Me,
those
who
have
understood
My
Nature
are
very
few.
This
is
because
the
simple
exercises
of
shravana,
manana,
nidhidhyasana
are
not
practised
by
people;
they
do
not
know
how
to
recognise
Divinity
in
themselves
or
others.
In
India,
from
very
ancient
times,
the
Glory,
the
Divinity,
the
sanctity
of
man
has
been
proclaimed
and
the
way
of
recognising
it
has
been
taught.
Only
those
who
have
learnt
that
deserve
to
be
the
sons
and
daughters
of
this
land.
Others
are
like
the
kokil
birds,
the
cuckoos
that
are
born
in
the
nests
of
crows;
their
place
of
birth
is
India,
not
doubt,
but
they
are
basically
aliens,
of
a
different
species
altogether.
Page 36 of 268
The
Lord
is
prema;
prema
is
paramtm.
If
you
Oill
your
heart
with
prema,
hatred,
envy,
greed
and
egoism
cannot
enter
it.
Everyone
is
basically
God;
that
is
to
say,
basically,
you.
He
is
the
Inner
Motive
in
all.
Every
Indian
knows
this
in
the
depths
of
his
heart;
he
has
imbibed
it
with
the
mothers
milk;
that
knowledge,
and
action
according
to
that
knowledge,
are
the
hallmarks
of
the
Indian.
That
should
make
the
genuine
Indian
fearless;
for
the
tm,
which
he
really
is,
cannot
be
affected
by
pain
or
death
or
joy
or
accident
or
calamity.
What
is
the
use
of
searching
for
quiet,
available
only
in
the
silence
of
the
Inner
Awareness,
in
the
jungle
of
Prakriti?
It
is
like
searching
for
something
you
have
lost
in
your
room
under
the
street
lamp.
Your
self
you
have
lost;
search
for
it
in
you
-
that
is
the
path
of
wisdom.
Your
mind
too
is
like
jinn;
it
will
destroy
you
if
left
idle;
so,
order
it
to
move
up
and
down
the
pillar
of
Soham
-
He-I,
I
am
He,
I
am
That.
The
months
and
the
ayanas
(Suns
passage
towards
north
and
south
of
equator)
are
all
related
to
Prakriti
(subjective
world),
and
so
they
have
only
relative
value.
The
astronomical
Uttarayana
comes
to
you
whether
you
strive
for
it
or
not;
it
is
part
of
the
law
of
nature.
But
for
the
real
Uttarayana,
you
must
make
efforts,
tremendous
efforts.
Know
that
there
are
only
two
entities:
the
substance
and
the
shadow
(or
rather,
only
One,
and
its
appearance,
produced
by
ignorance),
the
tm
and
the
Antm
-
the
seer
and
the
seen,
the
rope
and
the
snake.
When
this
knowledge
becomes
part
of
the
mental
make-up,
it
liberates
you
from
maya
and
you
see
Kailasa
at
the
straight
and
hard
but
the
Goal
is
glorious;
it
is
nothing
less
than
illumination.
It
when
people
forget
this
Goal
that
the
Avatar
comes
to
save
them.
When
you
crave
for
the
thought
of
the
Lord
and
the
company
of
the
Godly,
then
you
are
in
Uttarayana.
Bhishma
too
was
in
that
mood.
He
prayed
Asato
Maa
Sad
Gamaya
-
from
this
transient
world
of
decay,
lead
me
to
the
everlasting
world
of
Bliss;
Tamaso
Maa
Jyotir
Gaaya
-
Give
me
the
effulgence
of
Thy
Grace
and
illumine
my
soul
with
Truth;
Mrtyor
Maa
Amritam
Gamaya
-
Save
me
from
the
torture
of
birth
and
death,
destroy
the
cravings
of
the
mind
which
produce
the
seeds
of
birth
and
lead
me
to
immortality.
That
prayer
and
that
yearning
of
Bhishma
gave
him
the
vision
of
Krishna
when
he
passed
away.
That
was
the
real
Uttarayana
for
him.
!
When
you
are
in
the
Kshetra,
think
of
the
Kshetrajna.
!
Concentrate
on
the
thing
you
have
come
for.
!
There
was
in
bengal
a
bhakta
named
Madhavadasa,
who
realised
when
his
wife
died,
that
he
had
lost
his
griha
(home),
for
his
grihalakshmi
(wife)
had
passed
away;
so
he
gave
all
his
riches
to
the
poor,
donned
a
gerua
(yellow)
robe
and
wandered
alone
as
a
pilgrim
to
the
Jagannatha
Shrine.
There
he
did
such
deep
penance
that
the
concrete
image
soon
became
the
Abstract
Reality
and
the
Abstract
Reality
became
a
Perpetual
Page 37 of 268
Vision.
He
lost
all
sense
of
time
and
space,
of
Chit
and
Achit
(awareness
and
ignorance).
Then
the
Lord,
with
Subhadra
(his
Shakti
aspect),
moved
towards
him
and
placed
before
him
the
gold
plate
used
by
the
priests
to
leep
food
in
front
of
Jagannatha
in
the
sanctum
sanctorum.
When
Madhavadasa
awoke
to
his
gross
surroundings,
he
saw
the
gold
plate
with
the
pile
of
delicious
food
upon
it;
he
ate
his
Oill
and
returned
to
his
inner
paradise
which
he
had
left
for
a
while.
Meanwhile
the
plate
was
reported
lost,
assumed
to
be
stolen,
and
discovered
by
the
seashore
near
Madhavadasa,
who
was
promptly
arrested
and
led
to
the
lock-up
by
some
very
efOicient
policemen.
He
was
beaten
mercilessly
but
did
not
seem
to
mind
it
a
bit.
The
chief
priest
that
night
had
a
dream
in
which
Jagannatha
asked
him
not
to
bring
food
for
the
Lord
again
into
the
shrine,
for:
You
bring
food
for
Me,
and
when
I
eat
it,
you
start
beating
Me!
Then
he
realised
that
it
was
all
the
Lords
Leela
to
demonstrate
the
devotion
of
Madhavadasa
and
teach
others
the
real
nature
of
Bhakti.
When
the
Paramtm
tatva
(principle
of
Supreme
Soul)
assumes
human
form
and
appears,
not
with
Maha-Shakti
and
Maha-Svarupa,
but
with
Maya
Shakti
and
Maya
Svarupa,
it
is
difOicult
to
comprehend
it,
especially
when
you
are
in
an
uncertain
vacillating
mood.
Once
you
understand
the
purpose
and
the
procedure,
all
doubts
will
cease.
Prema
is
the
characteristic
of
the
Lord;
the
love
that
you
bear
to
yourself
is
itself
the
love
that
is
the
nature
of
the
tm,
which
is
the
Lord.
That
is
why
I
place
all
emphasis
on
Prema,
in
its
various
forms
of
affection,
Oilial
piety,
brotherhood,
fraternalism,
philanthropy,
etc.
My
Message,
My
Mission
is
Prema,
Prema,
Prema;
nothing
else.
That
is
the
substance,
remember
of
the
Vedas
and
of
Dharma.
When
that
Oills
the
heart,
all
fear
and
all
vice
will
vanish.
You
are
so
accustomed
to
hear
people
speak,
that
if
you
do
not
hear,
your
ears
ache!
If
they
do
not
speak,
their
tongues
become
restless
and
even
restive.
They
are
both
so
used
to
activity
that
it
has
now
become
difOicult
for
you
to
sit
quietly
for
a
few
minutes,
communing
with
the
silence
within
you!
Have
you
yearned,
have
you
pined,
have
you
wept
for
the
Lord
as
Thygaraja
did,
for
example?
Have
you
shed
tears
of
contrition,
tears
of
exultation,
while
repeating
His
Name
so
full
of
sweetness
and
beauty;
while
visualising
His
Form
so
full
of
loveliness
and
charm?
A
little
child
sits
with
a
book
of
the
Upanishads
on
its
lap
and
turns
over
the
pages,
intent
on
the
printed
lines
and
watching
the
curious
types,
deliberately,
slowly
and
with
great
care;
a
sadhu
too
does
the
same.
Can
you
equate
the
two
and
say
they
are
Page 38 of 268
both
engaged
in
the
same
act?
The
boy
is
unaware
of
the
treasure
he
holds
in
his
hand;
the
sadhu
gets
into
immediate
contact
with
the
spiritual
power
the
lines
convey.
Why
argue
over
Me,
over
this
point
or
that
concerning
Me?
Who
exactly
is
the
Baba
you
discuss
and
debate?
What
does
it
matter
to
you
who
I
happen
to
be?
You
are
concerned
about
your
goal,
your
experience,
your
effort,
is
it
not?
When
then
worry
about
My
Origin,
My
Nature,
My
Mystery,
My
Miracle?
The
basic
thing
is
the
hand,
the
cup
it
holds
is
secondary.
The
Adheya
is
less
in
importune
than
the
Adhara,
the
Basic
Reality,
the
Pure
Existence.
When
you
cannot
reach
down
to
your
own
Basic
Reality,
why
waste
time
in
exploring
the
essence
of
Godhead?
As
a
matter
of
fact,
you
can
understand
Me
only
when
you
have
understood
yourself,
your
own
Basic
Truth.
You
cannot
discard
Name
and
Form
until
you
transmute
yourself
into
the
Nameless
and
Formless.
A
library
stacked
with
books
is
incapable
of
imparting
the
authentic
touch
of
the
living
guru.
You
will
learn
then
that
I
am
prema
itself;
that
I
give
only
thing,
Ananda,
through
the
Prema.
My
task
is
to
distribute
solace,
courage
and
nti.
That
is
to
say,
My
characteristics
are
the
ancient
authentic
ones;
only
the
Manifested
Form
is
new.
My
desire
-
if
I
can
put
it
in
so
many
words
-
is
this:
More
and
more
should
yearn
for
me.
The
desire
could
be
realised
only
if
I
assume
this
Form
and
come
among
you.
You
are
like
a
Telugu
audience
sitting
through
a
Tamil
picture,
or
vice
versa.
The
nuances,
the
subtler
signiOicances,
the
deeper
meanings
are
all
beyond
the
grasp.
My
language,
My
role,
My
career,
My
purpose
can
be
understood
in
a
general
way
only
by
sitting
through
the
entire
Oilm,
watching
earnestly
and
vigilantly
and
trying
to
get
at
the
meaning
of
every
word
and
act
with
patient
attention.
!
As
a
matter
of
fact,
language
is
an
impediment
in
dealing
with
Me.
!
I
only
ask
that
Truth
must
be
proclaimed,
regardless
of
the
company
you
have
fallen
into;
there
must
be
courage
of
conviction,
which
will
help
you
to
overcome
the
temptation
to
deny
your
cherished
joys.
with
the
pedlar
to
the
bathing
ghat.
He
saw
a
glorious
vision
of
Radhas
right
arm
above
the
waters,
the
bangles
dazzling
in
the
morning
sun.
He
knew
the
arm
was
raised
to
bless
him;
he
felt
it
was
call
him;
he
Olew
out
of
the
mortal
coil
into
her
Lap.)
You can worship even Prakriti (Nature); there is no harm, provided you realise that the Lord is
immanent in it, giving it name and form and value; that the cloth is just yarn, the pot is just mud, the
jewel is just gold. Why, you can worship your parents and realise the Lord through that sadhana.
They are your creators and guides and teachers and protectors and by idealising them, you can
grasp the Truth of the Lord, the Primeval Parent. !
Even if you are not able to conceive the idea of a Lord or a God, you must be able to know what
Love is by experience, is it not? You have experienced the love of your parents, of a friend, of a
partner or of a brother or sister, or towards your own children. That love is itself a spark of God,
who is all Love, who is all the Love in all the worlds at all times. !
Swami
Abhedananda
said
this
evening
at
the
meeting
that
he
would
prefer
to
be
called
Satya
Sai
Charanananda
and
that
he
had
written
to
Me
about
that
desire
a
fortnight
ago.
But
his
name
teaches
that
he
should
not
posit
any
distinction
between
him
and
Me.
It
must
be
an
abheda
(non-distinct)
relationship.
He
has
to
practise
unity,
non-distinction.
This
is
what
I
wrote
to
him;
Learn
the
Lesson
your
present
name
teaches,
that
is
enough.
The
discovery
of
Truth
-
that
is
the
unique
mission
of
Man.
Man
is
a
minute
of
Maya
and
Madhava;
the
Maya
throws
a
mist
which
aids
the
Madhava;
but
through
the
action
of
the
healthy
impulses
inherited
from
acts
performed
while
in
previous
bodies
or
through
the
cleaning
one
by
austerities
in
this
body
or
through
the
Grace
of
the
Lord
Himself,
Maya
melts
away;
for
it
is
just
a
mist
which
Olees
before
the
sun.
Then
Nara
is
transformed
into
Narayana
and
this
Bhuloka
(world)
is
elevated
into
a
Pranti
Nilayam.
The
illumination
of
viveka
will
remove
the
darkness
which
hides
the
Divine
essence
of
Man.
Today,
man
hopes
to
dispel
darkness
by
the
sword,
the
gun
and
the
bomb,
while
what
is
wanted
is
just
a
lamp.
how
can
darkness
be
swept
away
by
darkness,
hatred
by
hatred,
ignorance
by
deeper
and
vaster
ignorance?
The
very
lust
for
victory
promotes
darkness.
Leave
all
thoughts
of
conquest
aside;
strive
to
know
the
Truth
and
when
that
is
known,
false
notions
fondly
held
by
you
will
fall
off
of
their
own
accord.
!
Do
not
worry
about
Maya;
concentrate
on
Madhava;
you
are
certain
to
succeed.
!
The
dull-wired
man
runs
about
madly
in
pursuit
of
peace
of
mind;
trying
this
prescription
for
some
time
and
preferring
another
afterwards.
He
is
on
the
wrong
path;
the
path
of
catering
to
the
senses,
the
path
beset
by
Rupa,
Nama
and
Guna,
the
path
of
the
temporary
and
the
apparent.
But
the
mumukshu
or
the
seeker
after
Moksha
gets
that
Peace
quite
easily.
In
fact,
the
real
nature
of
man
is
Pranti
-
steadiness,
unshakable
resolution,
peace.
nature
is
a
great
store
where
all
things
which
help
you
to
grasp
the
truth
are
found.
That
truth
is
Oirst
cognised
as
Samam
Brahmam
Mayam
-
all
this
is
imbued
with
Brahman,
directed
by
Brahman,
composed
of
Brahman!
Then
seeker
rises
to
a
greater
awareness,
the
awareness
of
Sarvam
Brahman
-
all
this
is
Brahmam;
only
it
appears
as
something
else
for
a
time
to
the
unopened
eyes!
The
Oinal
state
is
one
where
there
is
not
even
a
Sarvam
to
be
posited
as
Brahman;
there
is
just
Brahman:
the
one
and
only.
Page 40 of 268
The
lesson
is
learnt
by
man
when
he
studies
nature,
analysing
it
and
trying
to
understand
it.
It
is
at
the
mothers
lap
that
the
child
learns
the
art
of
living;
so
also
it
is
Prakriti
that
teaches
man
how
to
succeed
in
the
hard
struggle
and
win
Pranti.
Break
the
laws
of
Nature
and
she
boxes
you
in
the
ear;
obey
her
commands
and
listen
to
Her
warnings
and
She
will
pass
on
to
you
your
heritage
of
immortality.
Let
the
dull-witted
man
hug
his
delusion
that
happiness
and
peace
can
be
secured
through
slavery
to
the
senses.
Those
who
know
that
the
world
is
a
mixture
of
truth
and
falsehood,
and
therefore
a
big
conundrum
or
mithya
(false),
will
leave
off
the
outer
attractions
and
concentrate
on
the
inner
joy
of
attachment
to
God.
If
you
are
declared
passed,
you
have
Peace;
if
you
are
declared
failed,
that
too
solves
the
problem
for
some
little
time
and
puts
a
stop
to
worry;
but
if
your
results
are
not
announced
but
withheld
(for
it
is
not
quite
certain
whether
you
have
passed
or
failed),
you
suffer
the
maximum
Anti
(restlessness),
is
it
not?
So
also,
this
world
which
is
neither
Satya
nor
Asatya
(unreal)
but
mitya
(false),
breeds
profuse
anti
in
the
mind.
Non-attachment
alone
can
grant
Pranti.
Satsanga
and
the
visit
to
holy
places
and
holy
men
promote
that
attitude
and
habit.
The
smarana
(remembering)
of
the
Self
(tm)
is
the
spring
of
joy;
the
smarana
of
the
Non-self
(Antm)
is
the
source
of
sorrow.
The
feeling
of
surrender
is
the
best
for
success
in
all
such
instances.
Let
His
will
be
done.
He
is
every
One.
Sharanagati
(surrender)
is
like
grass
on
the
ground,
unaffected
by
storms;
egoism
is
the
palmyra
tree
that
sways
in
the
wind
but
breaks
when
it
blows
suddenly
in
a
gust.
The
ways
of
the
Lord
are
inscrutable;
your
duty
is
to
submit
to
them
faithfully,
thankfully
and
joyfully.
!
The
human
body
has
been
given
to
you
for
a
grand
purpose
-
realising
the
Lord
within.
!
Discourse 33 (Pranti Nilayam, 7/3/1962)
Of
course,
what
the
Pandit
served
is
food
of
the
highest
quality;
but
I
see
you
are
all
still
hungry!
You
wish
to
hear
Me
also,
though
it
is
the
same
food
that
I
give.
The
rain
from
the
clouds
fall
on
the
roof
and
might
Olow
through
a
pipe
or
gargoyle
or
go-mukha
but
it
is
the
same
water,
whatever
the
shape
of
the
exit.
Be
attached
under
all
conditions
to
the
source,
substance
and
sum
of
all
power:
the
Lord
-
and
then
you
can
draw
from
that
source
all
the
power
that
you
need.
This
attachment
is
called
Bhakti.
Once
Jnanadev
and
Namadev
together
walked
across
a
forest
tract,
and
both
were
afOlicted
with
unbearable
thirst.
They
discovered
a
well,
but
they
found
no
rope
or
vessel
with
which
they
could
draw
the
precious
liquid
within
reach.
It
was
a
deep
well
with
no
steps
and
the
water
far
far
beneath.
jnanadev,
who
had
attained
Brahmajnana,
identiOied
himself
with
a
bird
that
Olew
down
the
well
and
drank
its
Oill.
His
thirst
was
quenched
that
way.
Namadev
called
upon
the
Lord
by
name;
the
Lord
answered,
the
water
in
the
well
rose;
yes,
rose,
until
he
could
reach
it
with
his
hands
and
slake
his
thirst.
Page 41 of 268
The
Lord
is
the
Adhara;
the
world
is
the
Adheya.
The
basis
is
in
oneself,
the
nearest
entity,
the
closest
companion,
the
very
breath
and
life
of
the
individual.
How
then
can
you
point
to
the
distance
when
you
are
asked
about
the
Lord?
Atheism
is
when
the
sun
of
jnana
has
set;
theism
is
when
it
rises;
tamas
is
ajnana;
tapas
is
jnana.
If
the
manas
is
neglected
and
allowed
to
run
wild,
tamas
or
dullness
will
hold
sway.
The
fact
is
that
you
should
have
a
guru
who
has
the
highest
spiritual
experience.
Otherwise,
you
will
be
misled
by
amateurs
who
prescribe
patent
remedies,
irrespective
of
your
personal
history
and
needs.
All
of
the
Yogas
lead
to
one
Goal;
Sharanagati
in
the
All-self
(Paramtm),
the
merging
of
the
river
in
the
sea.
Grief
is
the
feet
and
joy
the
head;
both
are
part
of
the
same
entity.
You
cannot
welcome
joy
and
reject
grief
at
the
same
time.
Polish
your
mind
and
the
Lord,
and
His
sublime
grandeur
will
be
reOlected
in
your
heart.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
do
not
cast
a
bad
word
on
man
or
beast;
for
He
is
in
all
Beings
and
your
harsh
abuse
strikes
the
Dweller
within.
The
Shastras
are
the
authority
for
the
dharma,
and
the
karma
based
on
dharma.
It
is
only
when
you
are
blessed
with
the
Grace
of
the
Lord,
which
is
earned
by
dharma,
that
you
can
have
nti.
A
Oish
can
have
nti
only
when
it
has
water
above
and
below
and
on
all
sides;
so
too,
you
must
have
Grace
all
around
you.
Really,
if
only
you
have
this
faith
in
the
Name,
you
need
not
struggle
to
secure
the
chance
to
detail
to
Me
your
desires
and
wants.
I
will
fulOil
them
even
without
your
telling
Me.
Why?
Did
Ramadas
take
his
seat
in
the
verandah
like
you
and
await
his
chance
for
an
interview?
The
Lord
carried
to
his
very
door
the
things
that
would
fulOil
his
innermost
wish.
Page 42 of 268
The
deers
which
stray
into
the
forest
where
the
hunter
is
waiting
for
game,
and
which
promise
to
come
later
and
be
his
prey
on
pain
of
incurring
the
penalty
for
various
heinous
things
are
teaching
a
Dharma
Geeta;
and
if
you
practise
those
virtues
and
avoid
those
things
you
can
attain
the
Ananda
Swarupa,
which
you
really
are.
The
Varnashrama
discipline
is
also
intended
for
the
gradual
Oixation
of
the
mind
on
ultimate
merger
with
the
inOinite.
Varnashrama
is
a
deep-rooted
tree,
the
shade
of
which
affords
shelter
to
all
the
various
communities
of
man.
Do
not
decry
that
discipline
or
the
ancient
scriptures.
They
are
your
authority
to
conOirm
My
Truth;
it
is
through
the
study
of
those
Scriptures
that
you
can
picture
the
grandeur
of
Divinity.
That
is
the
subtle
alchemy
of
the
surroundings
and
the
company.
Some
places
have
a
tremendous
impact
on
the
mind.
The
atmosphere
is
surcharged
with
the
Name
of
God
on
account
of
the
generations
of
bhaktas
who
assemble
there.
That
is
why
I
say
dharma-karma
is
the
best
discipline.
That
means,
action
surcharged
with
devotion.
That
will
itself
lead
to
jnana,
where
the
world
is
found
to
be
a
dream
and
the
only
reality
is
the
All-pervading
Grace
or
Power.
The
Nastika
(atheist)
is
blind,
ignorant
and
afOlicted
with
a
fever
that
spoils
his
sense
of
taste;
he
Oinds
everything
bitter.
The
astika
on
the
other
hand
is
able
to
feel
the
true
taste
of
everything:
bitter
as
bitter,
sour
as
sour,
sweet
as
sweet.
But
the
Yastika
(man
of
realisation)
tastes
all
things
and
all
experiences
as
sweet,
Oilled
with
the
sweetness
of
God.
Prahlada
was
a
Yastika;
he
was
beaten,
trampled
upon,
cast
into
Oire
and
water,
but
he
tasted
only
sweetness
at
all
times.
He
overcame
every
calamity
with
the
reinforcement
derived
from
the
Name
of
Narayana
in
the
heart.
There
is
a
secret
spring
in
the
heart
that
will
well
up
when
the
name
is
uttered
and
that
will
slake
your
thirst.
Once
the
Lord
entered
the
house
of
jnani
(practiser
of
jnana
yoga)
as
a
thief
and
when
the
master
of
the
house
caught
Him
and
argued,
You
are
a
thief;
I
have
caught
you,
the
Lord
said
in
reply,
So
longas
the
ideas,
you
and
I
inhere,
there
can
be
no
Jnana,
and
disappeared.
Sakshatkara
attained
by
any
one
of
the
means
is
of
the
same
Truth,
of
the
same
Grandeur;
it
means
the
same
Spiritual
Victory.
Idol
worship
is
not
a
sign
of
barbarism
The
idol
is
revered
as
the
Swarupa
of
the
Lord,
He
who
pervades
everything,
everywhere
is
invoked
and
visualised
in
the
idol
and
approached
reverentially
by
the
cleansed
mind,
anxious
to
efface
itself
in
the
Eternal
and
the
Universal.
This
attitude
is
called
Prapatti
-
Surrender
for
FulOilment.
!
Bhakti
will
foster
Prema,
because
it
is
born
of
Prema
itself.
!
Page 43 of 268
Install
truth
in
the
shrine
of
your
hearts
and
that
will
engender
the
wholesome
habit
of
brotherliness
among
all
men.
The
body
is
but
a
boat,
an
instrument
for
crossing
the
sea
of
change,
that
you
have
through
the
merit
of
many
generations.
When
you
have
crossed
the
sea,
you
realise
the
Dweller,
in
the
Dwelling.
That
is
the
purpose
of
the
body.
So,
even
when
the
body
is
strong
and
skills
even
while
the
intellect
is
sharp
and
the
mind
alert,
effort
must
be
made
to
seek
the
dehi
(dweller),
in
the
deha
(body).
Having
won
this
chance
(to
be
in
the
proximity
of
the
Incarnation
of
the
Lord),
strive
to
taste
the
sweetness
and
achieve
the
Bliss
of
Merging,
without
wasting
even
a
single
moment.
The
rays
that
emanate
from
Me
are
of
three
grades:
the
Sthoola
(gross),
Oilling
this
Pranti
Nilayam;
the
Sukshma
(subtle),
pervading
the
earth;
and
the
Kaarana
(causal)
coveting
the
entire
universe.
The
people
who
have
the
privilege
of
living
in
this
Nilayam
are
indeed
lucky,
for
they
are
nearest
to
the
Kirana
(rays).
The
Sthoolakirana
makes
a
mana
a
Sadhaka;
the
Sukshma
makes
him
a
Mahtm
(Great
Soul)
and
the
Karana
converts
him
into
a
Paramahamsa.
Keep
undimmed
before
you
the
main
goal,
the
task
for
which
you
have
come
into
this
school;
do
not
deviate
from
it,
whatever
the
attraction
that
tempts
you
to
stray.
Command
the
mind,
regulate
your
conduct,
so
that
the
goal
is
won.
Let
not
the
care
of
the
body
or
the
fostering
of
the
family
or
the
demands
of
pride
and
pomp
overwhelm
the
call
of
the
Spirit
for
Self-Expression.
Shiva
(Supreme
Reality),
Jeeva
(individual)
and
Prakriti
are
the
three
principles
that
confront
you;
the
world
has
to
be
utilised
by
the
individual
to
attain
Shiva,
which
is
the
fundamental
fact
in
both.
Until
you
get
tmnandam,
by
realising
Shiva,
the
world
will
press
on
you
with
its
weight
and
well-
nigh
suffocate
you.
After
that,
the
world
will
fall
off,
of
itself.
!
The
Name
is
the
spring
of
all
the
Chaitanya
that
you
get
by
Namasmarana.
!
Grace
is
showered
on
all
who
obey
instructions
and
follow
orders.
But
the
number
of
such
is
very
small.
Even
though
instructions
are
light
and
easy,
they
are
designed
to
make
you
go
beyond
Triputi
-
the
three-fold
distinction
of
the
Pilgrim,
the
Path
and
the
Goal;
of
Bhagavata,
Bhakta
and
Bhagavan,
of
Lover,
Loved
and
Love.
Realise
that
like
the
waves
of
the
sea
sukha
and
dukha
rise
and
fall;
they
are
like
the
inhalation
and
exhalation
of
the
breath.
If
you
attain
that
calm,
the
ground
whereon
you
stand
becomes
Kashi,
every
handwork
of
yours
gets
transmuted
into
the
highest
form
of
Shivapooja.
Roam
about
in
the
region
of
your
own
mind
and
understand
its
moods
and
mysteries
do
not
dream
of
wandering
in
foreign
lands
before
you
become
masters
of
your
own
kingdoms.
Self
Oirst;
help
next.
Know
yourself;
that
lesson
once
learnt,
you
can
know
others,
much
sooner
and
much
more
truly.
!
Inner
Purity
Oirst
and
outer
purity
later
-
that
is
the
natural
order.
!
You
are
not
to
live
like
earnest
sadhakas
just
to
please
Me;
it
is
a
duty
you
owe
to
yourselves
and
so,
you
must
adhere
to
those
rules
wherever
you
are.
Page 44 of 268
I
will
insist
on
strict
obedience.
I
shall
not
reduce
the
rigour
to
suit
your
level,
for
that
will
only
ruin
you;
I
pay
attention
to
your
ultimate
good.
Children
have
no
such
inhibitions.
They
believe
everybody
and
everybody
can
believe
them.
Their
hearts
are
like
gramophone
records;
they
get
impressed
by
whatever
tune
you
sing
to
them.
They
play
back
the
correct
tune,
without
any
distortion,
provided
the
needle
is
sharp.
The
needle
is
prema
and
it
must
be
one-pointed
and
direct.
Then
only
can
the
music
be
drawn
out.
In
the
case
of
elders,
the
needles
would
have
been
blunted,
but
children
have
the
gift
of
ekagratha
(one-pointed
attention).
The
gramophone
records
which
do
not
have
any
grooves,
because
they
have
not
been
used,
can
be
played
over
and
over
again,
with
the
needle
ekagratha
not
being
blunted
at
all;
for
the
grooves
blunt
the
point,
not
the
plate.
Prahladha
is
a
Oine
example
of
this,
for
he
had
no
egoism;
he
was
in
perfect
unaffected
calm.
So,
whatever
happened
to
his
physical
cloak,
he
never
felt
it.
The
needle
simply
rolled
round
and
round,
there
was
no
music;
there
was
just
silence.
Visha
and
amrita
(poison
and
nectar)
cannot
merge;
Sat
can
merge
only
with
Sat;
Prakriti
is
Brahma-mayam;
Brahmam
is
Prakriti-mayam.
Cloth
is
yam-mayam
and
yam
is
cloth-mayam.
One
is
meaningless
without
the
other.
The
childhood
stage
is
the
pure
Sat
stage
and
if
you
only
manage
to
live
on
with
that
innocence
as
Sags
Shuka
did
you
can
achieve
merger
quite
naturally.
Hence,
it
is
said
that
smarana
is
enough;
smarana
that
can
be
done
along
with
all
other
activities
of
living.
It
is
the
inner
purity
that
matters,
not
the
outer
movement
of
the
lips.
Smarana
being
an
inner
activity
helps
that
inner
transformation.
Your
Bhajana
Mandali
is
called
Niranjana,
after
the
Nirakara
Swaroopa
(Formless
personiOied)
of
the
Brahma
tatva.
Now
there
can
be
no
bhajana
of
the
Niranjana
-
the
unmanifested,
pure,
absolute
principle.
You
can
limit
by
name
and
form
that
Niranjana
Tatva
and
make
it
Sakara
(with
Form
and
Attributes)
for
the
sake
of
visualising
it.
Then,
by
slow
stages,
you
will
Oind
that
particular
Form
enclosing
all
beings
therefore
assuming
a
Universal
nature.
It
will
gradually
drop
its
boundaries
of
time
and
space
and
like
the
blueness
of
Krishna,
pervade
the
sky
and
sea
and
become
a
symbol
for
the
depth
of
Eternity.
Without
surrender,
there
can
be
no
liberation.
So
long
as
you
cling
to
the
narrow
I,
the
four
prison
walls
will
close
in
on
you.
Cross
out
the
I
and
you
are
free.
How
to
kill
the
I?
Place
it
at
the
feet
of
the
Lord
and
say,
You,
not
I
-
and
you
are
free
of
the
burden
that
is
crushing
you.
Associate
always
with
the
Niranjana
-
the
vast,
unlimited,
the
divine;
dream
and
plan
to
merge
with
the
Absolute;
Oill
your
ears
with
the
call
from
the
beyond
and
the
boundless.
Transcend
the
walls,
the
bars
and
bolts,
the
locks
and
chains.
you
can
do
so
easily
by
Oixing
your
mind
on
your
own
inOinity.
But,
in
the
Mental
Hospital,
you
will
Oind
sometimes
one
type
of
mad
man.
He
sits
in
a
corner,
resting
without
a
break,
watching
the
pranks
and
the
wildness
of
the
other
inmates.
The
doctors
will
be
thankful
to
him,
for
he
needs
no
care;
he
causes
no
trouble.
His
madness
may
be
melancholia
or
he
may
be
a
jnani
(realised
soul).
The
God-
bound
man
is
like
that.
he
is
the
only
sane
man
in
this
mad
world.
Page 45 of 268
For
Vyasa
is
the
Adiguru,
the
Muulaguru
(the
Oirst
and
the
source
of
all
spiritual
teachers).
He
recognised
and
declared
the
Truth
in
a
variety
of
ways
and
helped
in
opening
the
inner
eye
of
man.
He
described
in
beautiful,
simple
and
clear
terms
the
Glory
of
the
Lord
and
of
the
means
of
attaining
Him.
He
saw
that
unless
the
Mind
is
negated
or
destroyed,
the
Lord
will
not
be
manifest.
He
prescribed
the
paths
by
which
this
could
be
done.
So
he
is
the
Lokaguru
(world
teacher),
the
Paramaguru
(greatest
teacher).
Inner
prompting
to
see
the
light
must
send
the
aspirant
to
the
teacher
or
must
draw
the
teacher
to
wherever
he
is.
You
must
inquire
and
discriminate:
Do
objects
grant
happiness?
Is
any
one
happy?
How
can
one
be
happy
through
the
multiplication
of
desire
and
the
frantic
effort
to
feed
the
raging
Oire?
At
last,
you
will
by
your
own
experience,
discover
that
happiness
is
an
inner
gift,
a
spiritual
treasure
that
can
be
won
by
equanimity.
The
Moon
is
the
presiding
deity
of
the
mind;
it
must
shine
cool
and
comforting,
eternally,
in
fullness,
in
the
Hridaya-akasha
(inner
Oirmament
of
the
Heart).
The
mind
spins
a
cocoon
for
the
Jeevi
to
be
imprisoned
in.
Karma,
which
is
the
activity
of
Maya,
encloses
the
individual
in
its
grip;
it
is
the
husk
that
makes
the
paddy
seed
grown
and
yield
more
paddy
plants
and
more
grains
of
paddy.
Remove
the
hawk
and
there
is
no
more
sprouting.
Sri
Ramakrishna
had
to
cut
asunder
even
the
form
of
Kali
when
it
came
across
his
path
towards
the
realisation
of
the
Nirguna
(formless)
aspect
of
God.
The
Bhru-madhya
(centre
point
between
the
eyebrows)
on
which
you
are
asked
to
concentrate
is
not
the
point
where
your
eyebrows
meet
in
the
centre
of
your
forehead;
it
is
a
point
in
your
inner
awareness,
the
hridaya
(heart).
Between
you
and
Me,
it
is
not
the
relationship
between
Guru
and
Shishya
or
that
of
the
Guide
and
the
Pilgrim.
The
external
Guru
should
not
be
equation
with
the
Sarvantaryami
(innermost
soul
in
all
the
hearts).
When
you
know
that
nothing
happens
without
His
Sankalpa
(resolve),
everything
that
happens
has
a
value
added
to
it.
This
Nilayam
is
Pranti
Nilayam.
It
is
the
abode
of
the
highest
form
of
nti,
Pranti.
In
fact,
you
are,
each
one
of
you,
the
Nilayam
of
Pranti.
That
is
why
I
very
often
address
you
as
nti
Swaroopulara.
My
object
is
to
remind
you
that
your
real
nature
is
nti,
equanimity,
peace,
unrufOledness,
non-attachment.
You
cannot
draw
out
from
within
you
that
which
is
not
there,
is
it
not?
Therefore,
nti
must
be
there,
deep
down,
as
the
very
core
of
your
being.
It
is
the
ripeness
of
the
fruit,
the
sweetness
Oilling
the
ripened
fruit.
It
(nti)
is
an
ennobling,
elevating
experience
which
comes
when
one
attains
the
merger
with
the
very
source
of
ones
being.
It
is
the
stilling
of
the
waves;
the
calming
of
mental
activities
and
agitations.
Page 46 of 268
Crossing
the
sands
of
greed
and
lust,
the
wilds
of
anger,
climbing
the
heights
of
hatred
and
vengefulness,
the
spiritual
aspirant
comes
to
the
green
meadow
of
Prema.
You
can
see
that
circle
of
broad
green
grass,
attractively
embellished
with
good
thoughts
and
virtues,
which
refresh
and
satisfy.
Beyond
that,
we
have
the
broad
expanse
of
nti
(quiet),
where
all
agitations
cease
and
the
mind
is
at
rest
in
its
own
silence.
Now
is
the
chance;
establish
yourself
in
yoga
-
the
sadhana
of
spiritual
union
with
the
Universal
Power,
the
Absolute
Wisdom,
the
Eternal
Verity.
The
consciousness
ascends
through
the
six
centres,
marked
on
the
Yogadanda
(Yogic
Staff)
in
the
centre
of
the
circle,
and
then,
watch
what
happens.
The
Lotus
of
the
Heart
blooms,
the
petals
unfold,
the
fragrances
permeates
the
Universe,
the
rays
of
the
Sun
are
inhaled,
and
as
you
are
represented
here,
the
tmjyoti
(splendour
of
the
tm,
the
unsullied
effulgence),
illumines
you
and
everything
else
in
One
All-embracing
Olame.
Know
that
the
basic
reality
is
God,
Omnipotent,
Omnisceint,
Omnipresent.
Become
aware
of
it
and
stay
in
that
awareness
always.
Whatever
the
stress
and
the
storm,
do
not
waver
from
that
Faith.
Or
you
can
earn
that
awareness
by
reminding
yourselves
of
it
with
every
breath
of
yours.
A
Oish,
even
if
it
is
put
into
a
golden
bowl,
struggles
desperately
to
return
to
the
sea
from
which
it
was
pulled
up.
It
is
in
mortal
agony
until
it
reaches
its
primal
home.
It
wants
water
all
round
it
to
be
happy
and
alive.
Man
too
is
of
the
nature
of
Ananda;
he
cannot
survive
without
Ananda.
He
is
Amrita
swaroopa;
hence,
it
is
difOicult
for
him
to
imagine
that
his
body
will
fall
off
and
he
has
to
die
one
day.
For your inner joy, they are not the cause, nor is it, believe Me, even I. It is you yourself.
You
have
been
born
for
one
purpose:
to
die.
That
is
to
say,
to
kill
the
I.
If
Bhrama
(delusion)
dies,
you
become
Brahman,
or
rather,
you
know
that
you
are
Brahman.
All
this
literature,
all
this
effort,
all
this
yajna,
all
this
teaching
is
just
to
hold
a
mirror
before
you,
so
you
can
see
Yourself.
When
this
idea
was
Oirst
placed
before
Me,
some
one
objected
on
the
ground
that
I
was
asked
to
give
darshan
like
Maha
Vishnu.
He
did
not
like
the
idea
of
like.
I
have
also
an
objection
against
acting
in
a
drama.
But
I
was
so
moved
by
the
earnestness
of
their
request
that
I
agreed.
Really
speaking,
this
Avatara
is
itself
acting
a
part.
It
is
putting
on
a
function
and
assuming
a
role,
by
the
Function-less
and
the
Role-less.
I
give
what
is
Panakam
(sweet
drinks)
for
the
ignorant
and
what
is
Amrita
(nectar)
for
the
illumined.
To
cut
it
short:
sensual
life
is
adharma;
the
spiritual
life
is
Dharma.
Dharma
is
that
which
sustains,
saves
and
sanctiOies.
Man
is
born
and
is
given
a
lease
of
life
so
that
he
may
earn
the
knowledge
of
His
identity
with
the
InOinite.
Page 47 of 268
There
are
differences
between
the
limbs
of
the
body
but
they
all
belong
to
the
body;
it
is
foolish
for
them
to
imagine
that
they
are
unconnected
with
the
body.
The
Sun
sends
out
a
million
rays
but
they
all
belong
to
the
Sun.
The
Sun
is
reOlected
in
a
million
pots
of
water
but
though
they
are
all
tiny
images
of
the
Sun,
the
Sun
is
the
Truth
and
the
reOlections
are
all
relatively
unreal.
The
Vedas
and
the
Upanishads
which
form
the
Jnana
Kanda
and
the
Upasana
sections
of
Sanathana
Dharma
are
the
best
guides
to
the
path
of
dharma
for
mankind,
for
all
classes,
for
the
family,
for
society,
for
the
professional
group
and
for
the
individual.
There
was
a
bhakta
called
Sena
in
Delhi
at
the
time
of
Akbars
reign.
He
was
the
royal
masseur
at
the
Court
of
the
Emperor.
Every
morning
at
seven
the
Emperor
expected
him
at
his
side
and
had
ordered
that
he
should
massage
his
body
for
half
an
hour.
One
day,
Sena
entered
his
pooja
room
as
usual
and,
in
the
ecstasy
of
that
Vision
of
Beauty,
he
lost
all
sense
of
time!
His
wife
ran
about
in
panic
outside
the
closed
door,
for
she
had
no
mind
to
disturb
her
husbands
concentration.
Meanwhile,
Akbar
was
being
massaged
by
Sena
at
the
Palace
and
the
Emperor
was
praising
him,
Sena,
I
have
never
felt
so
happy
all
these
days;
your
Oingers
are
indeed
divine.
When
the
session
was
about
to
close,
Akbar
saw
in
the
cup
of
oil
on
the
teapot
in
front
of
him,
the
reOlection
of
the
masseurs
face
-
and
he
was
surprised
to
Oind
that
the
face
was
of
Krishna!
He
turned
to
examine
the
face
of
his
attendant,
but
he
was
no
longer
there!
!
The
Bhagavata
is
the
Vedasaara
made
available
for
easy
assimilation
by
all.
!
Just
as
juveniles
are
shown
pictures
and
made
to
learn
names
of
the
objects
which
they
represent,
the
Bhagavata
teaches
the
Akshara
(Imperishable)
through
the
Kshara
(perishable).
You
cannot
attain
the
subtle
without
experiencing
the
gross,
without
the
instrumentality
of
the
gross.
After
rising
to
the
heights
of
the
Chit,
with
jada
as
the
instrument,
you
have
to
also
make
the
jada
so
suffused
by
Chaitanya
that
the
difference
does
not
persist!
In
dhyana,
the
picture
Oirst
felt
has
to
be
transformed
into
the
picture
of
the
puriOied
imagination,
and
that
again
has
to
be
rariOied
into
the
subtle
abstract
principle
only.
Then
only
can
the
dhyeya
or
Form
meditated
on,
be
transcended
and
the
highest
Vision
of
Universal
beauty,
wisdom
and
strength
obtained.
The
Bhagavata
helps
in
this
spiritual
education,
taking
the
student
through
all
the
lessons
from
the
primary
to
the
post-graduate
levels.
You
have
to
trace
your
ancestry
and
be
proud
of
it.
From
Paramtm
Moola,
Prakriti
descended
with
the
emergence
of
maya;
and
from
the
stuff
of
that
illusion,
Akasha:
from
Akasha,
Vaayu;
from
Vaayu,
Agni;
from
Agni,
Jala
and
from
Jala,
Bhoomi.
By
a
combination
of
the
Oive
elements,
this
tabernacle
of
Paramtm,
that
is
you,
was
produced.
The
entire
ladder
has
now
to
be
climbed
up
in
order
to
reach
the
Paramtm,
the
Origin
of
All.
I
will
not
accept
if
you
say
that
you
are
an
atheist
with
no
faith
in
the
Lord.
For
what
is
the
root
of
that
faith
in
yourself?
Who
are
you
that
you
should
believe
yourself?
No.
You
believe,
yourself,
because
your
Self
is
God,
and
you
have
an
unshakeable
faith
in
God,
deep
down
in
you.
Faith
in
yourself
and
faith
in
God
are
identical.
Page 48 of 268
Everyone
has
to
go
from
where
when
the
provisions
he
has
brought
or
secured
have
been
spent.
But
by
that
time,
attain
the
purpose
of
all
this
bother
of
arriving,
travelling,
accumulating
and
spending:
the
realisation
of
supreme
happiness
by
ending
this
circle
of
birth
and
death.
!
I
am
not
getting
this
yagna
done;
I
am
He
who
receives
the
offerings
of
yagna.
!
Discourse 47 (Pranti Nilayam, 21/11/1962)
Of
course,
I
never
deviate
from
Truth.
Since
I
recline
on
Truth,
I
am
called
Satya
Sai;
Shayi
means
reclining.
The
name
is
very
appropriate,
let
me
assure
you.
The
Vedas
are
without
beginning
or
end;
they
are
eternal
messages
caught
by
developed
consciousnesses
in
the
silence
of
meditation.
Vedokhilo
Dharma
Moolam
-
The
Vedas
are
the
root
of
Dharma.
When
the
Vedas
remain
unharmed,
that
is
to
say,
when
the
Vedic
scholars
are
unharmed,
the
Veda
will
remain
ever-green
in
the
heart
of
man.
That
is
the
real
Dharma-sthapana.
But
I
want
to
tell
you
that
the
Pandits
and
Shastris
have
come
to
his
pass
(mostly
hungry,
ill-clad
and
homeless)
because
they
have
themselves
lost
faith
in
the
Vedas.
They
are
like
the
proverbial
cat
which
is
loyal
to
two
homes
and
is
denied
food
and
comfort
in
either.
The
Pandits
have
one
eye
on
secular
matters
and
secular
studies
and
another
on
the
spiritual.
Let
them
be
Oixed
in
that
faith,
faith
in
the
Vedas.
Then
the
Vedas
will
keep
them
happy.
(After
story
of
lady
from
Pahalgaon
living
in
Shirdi,
who
had
three
pots
from
three
separate
wells
in
her
house
which
she
named
Ganga,
Yamuna
and
Saraswati
and
used
to
mix
it
and
serve
as
Triveni
Tirtha
to
wayfarers
as
she
believed
the
three
wells
were
connected
underground.
Her
husband
had
a
golden
ring
from
his
mother
which
he
took
to
the
Manikarnika
Ghat
and
which
he
lost
in
the
Ganga.
On
returning,
the
wife
said
that
Ganga
would
not
steal
from
an
old
lady
and
would
only
accept
that
which
is
offered
with
love.
Then
she
went
to
the
pot,
prayed
to
Ganga
(the
pot),
and
found
the
ring
in
the
bottom)
It
is
faith
that
matters;
the
form
and
the
name
on
which
it
is
Oixed
do
not
matter.
For
all
names
are
His;
all
forms
are
His.
What
proOit
is
it
for
the
children
to
know
the
length
of
the
Mississippi
River
or
the
height
of
Vesuvius?
Why
load
them
with
information
they
may
never
require?
On
the
other
hand,
give
them
the
tonic
to
strengthen
that
spirit
-
the
tonic
of
the
Repetition
of
the
Name
of
the
Lord,
the
tonic
of
meditating
on
the
Glory
of
God,
in
the
silence
of
the
Heart.
Man
has
the
springs
of
joy
and
peace
in
his
heart,
even
as
a
child.
Cultivate
them,
give
them
the
fullest
freedom
to
gush
forth
and
fertilise
all
Oields
of
activity
-
that
is
the
real
purpose
of
education.
A
Brahmana
is
one
who
is
installed
in
Brahma
Tatva,
who
has
realised
Brahma
Satyam
-
that
Brahman
is
the
Truth
and
no
other
-
or
at
least
one
who
is
keenly
following
the
discipline
prescribed
for
attaining
that
knowledge.
The
Brahmin
is
the
instrument
by
which
society
has
to
excavate
the
treasure
of
Brahmajnana.
All
this
creation
and
all
this
history
is
His
Leela
or
rather,
Himself,
Brahma
Satyam,
also,
Jagat
Satyam.
Only
Jagat
is
relatively
real
until
the
distinction
between
Brahman
and
Jagat
disappears
and
then
even
Jagat
is
seen
to
be
Brahman,
felt
as
Brahman,
known
as
Brahman.
Then
you
know
Sarvam
Brahma
Mayam
(All
is
full
of
Supreme
Being).
To
be
more
correct,
there
is
no
separate
sarvam
(all)
to
be
recognised
as
mayam
(full
of).
Brahman
alone
is,
one
without
a
second,
Advitiyam,
Ekam,
Nityam,
Vimalam,
Achalam
(Non-dual,
Single,
Eternal,
Pure
and
Immovable).
Who
created
all
this
variety
from
that
Ekam
(Single)?
The
answer
is,
there
is
no
variety
at
all;
so
the
question
makes
no
sense.
No
person
or
force
or
urge
or
concatenation
of
circumstances
or
accident
produced
this
multiplicity.
There
is
no
multiplicity!
The
One
remains
as
One.
You
mistake
it
as
many;
the
fault
is
in
you;
correct
your
vision,
remove
your
delusion,
Brahman
did
not
change
into
Prakriti;
the
rope
does
not
change
into
a
snake.
Only
you
mistook
it
to
be
a
snake.
Brahman
is
Brahman
forever
and
ever;
your
ignorance
of
this
fact
makes
you
see
it
as
Prakriti.
The
world
stands
on
one
leg,
delusion.
Cut
down
that
leg
and
it
falls.
You
experience
the
disappearance
of
this
variety,
this
multiplicity,
this
Prakriti,
this
world
based
on
delusion,
every
day
but
you
do
not
hold
on
to
that
experience.
That
is
the
tragedy!
When
you
are
asleep,
what
happens
to
your
world?
In
what
are
all
your
manifoldnesses
subsumed?
What
is
the
source
of
feeling
of
joy
which
sound
sleep
brings?
Sleep
keeps
a
tiny
trace
of
ego
as
a
memento
of
the
world
and
so,
when
awake,
you
are
the
same
deluded
individual,
pestered
by
creatures
of
your
own
fantasies!
That
is
why
I
very
often
tell
you
not
to
identify
even
Me
with
this
particular
physical
build-up.
But
you
do
not
understand.
You
call
Me
by
One
Name
only
and
believe
I
have
One
Form
only.
Remember,
there
is
no
Name
I
do
not
bear,
there
is
no
Form
which
is
not
Mine.
Rama
is
the
embodiment
of
Truth
and
Dharma
and
so
there
is
a
sternness
about
Him
but
Krishna
is
Prema
and
His
story
confers
Ananda
quickly
and
spontaneously
to
one
and
all.
The
prema
in
the
human
heart
responds
to
the
call
of
that
Divine
Prema;
it
surges
up
and
overOlows.
The
Love
of
the
gopees
about
which
so
much
philosophical
speculation
and
analysis
was
made
before
you
is,
let
Me
tell
you,
Sahaja
prema
-
the
genuine
prema
that
is
beyond
physical
awareness,
that
is
unaffected
by
praise
or
blame.
The
gopees
had
no
other
goal,
no
other
ideal,
no
other
wish.
It
was
a
surrender
of
the
self
-
complete,
unquestioned,
unwavering.
!
Discourse 52 (Pranti Nilayam, 26/11/1962)
!
!
Page 50 of 268
Vol. 3!
Discourse 1 (Pranti Nilayam, 25/1/1963)
Bhakti
involves
dedication,
with
nothing
held
back;
not
even
a
wisp
of
ego
should
remain.
His
command
alone
counts;
His
Will
prevails.
Like
a
drunkard,
the
bhakta
has
no
sense
of
honour
or
decency,
pride
or
conceit.
he
is
a
mattha,
an
ummattha
(a
mad
person),
unconcerned
with
all
that
is
unrelated
to
his
ideal.
He
is
deaf
to
the
call
of
hunger
and
thirst;
he
misses
steps
in
logic
and
he
calculates
wrongly
while
dealing
in
the
market
place.
Narada
says
that
those
full
of
the
liquor
of
ignorance
stumble
after
the
shadows
of
the
world,
while
those
drunk
with
nectar
of
wisdom
never
move
away
from
the
Highest,
which
they
have
discovered
as
themselves.
Bhakti
must
soften
the
mind
and
keep
it
receptive
to
the
higher
emotions,
the
purifying
impulses.
Bhishma
was
a
bhakta
and
by
winning
the
Lords
grace,
he
was
clothed
with
more
majesty
and
splendour
than
any
earthly
emperor.
What
majesty
have
these
petty
sceptre-holders?
They
cannot
claim
to
have
inner
peace,
inner
joy;
they
know
not
the
joy
of
sharing
love
with
all.
Manava
has
to
become
Madhava;
that
is
his
destiny,
the
plan
and
purpose
of
his
being
armed,
as
no
other
animal
is,
with
the
sword
of
viveka
and
the
shield
of
vairagya.
You
can
win
the
Grace
of
the
Lord
only
by
Dharma.
Dharma
induces
the
spirit
of
self-
surrender
and
develops
it.
Without
the
training
that
the
practice
of
dharma
gives
to
your
senses,
your
feelings
and
emotions,
you
cannot
have
steady
faith
and
steady
detachment.
!
You
should
pursue
your
path
to
Liberation
with
one-pointed
effort.
!
Only
experience
can
reveal
the
sweetness,
the
sublimity,
the
purpose
of
that
Glory.
!
When
you
are
unaware
of
the
world,
though
in
it,
heedless
of
its
call
for
participation,
you
are
having
an
outer
night
and
an
inner
day.
The
Vedas
teach
you
this
Truth
and
impart
the
discipline
needed
to
attain
this
fortune.
Dwell
on
the
Glory
of
God;
then,
you
will
shine
in
that
Glory.
Adhere
to
Truth,
that
is
the
surest
means
of
removing
fear
from
your
heart.
Prema
can
grown
only
in
the
heart
watered
by
Truth.
Nagayya,
even
while
he
plays
the
role
of
Thyagayya,
is
always
conscious
that
he
is
Nagayya.
Thyagayya
is
the
role
I
am
playing,
he
would
say.
Now,
go
one
step
further.
When
asked
who
you
are,
say
that
you
are
Narayana
Swarupa,
playing
the
role
of
Pullayya
or
Thimmayya
or
Mallayya,
or
whatever
your
name
is.
So
too,
every
other
person
is
a
role
played
Narayana.
Narayana
washed
clothes
as
the
dhobi,
shapes
wood
as
the
carpenter,
forges
iron
as
the
blacksmith,
prepares
pots
at
the
wheel
as
a
potter.
he
is
all
this
-
and
more.
His
glory
is
inexhaustible.
The
Avatara
(divine
incarnate)
is
another
role
He
takes
up
for
another
purpose.
Page 51 of 268
Before
you
start
on
your
rounds,
which
you
call
pradakshina
(circumambulations),
give
your
mind
as
dakshina
(thanksgiving
offering)
to
the
Resident
of
the
temple,
the
Lord.
That
is
the
Oirst
thing
to
do,
and
perhaps,
the
only
thing
to
do.
All
ills
are
traceable
to
faulty
living.
And
what
is
that
traceable
to?
To
ignorance
of
ones
real
Nature,
ignorance
so
deep-rooted
that
it
affects
thoughts,
words
and
deeds.
The
drug
that
can
cure
it
is
patented
under
different
names:
jnana,
karma,
upasana,
bhakti.
They
are
all
the
same
in
potency,
and
curative
power.
The
difference
lies
only
in
the
method
of
administration
either
as
mixture
or
as
tablet
or
injection.
The
mind
must
become
the
servant
of
the
intellect,
not
the
slave
of
the
senses.
It
must
discriminate
and
detach
itself
from
the
body.
Like
the
ripe
tamarind
fruit,
which
becomes
loose
inside
the
shell,
it
must
be
unattached
to
this
shell,
this
casement
called
body.
Strike
a
green
tamarind
fruit
with
a
stone
and
you
cause
harm
to
the
pulp
inside;
but,
strike
the
ripe
fruit
and
see
what
happens.
It
is
the
dry
rind
that
falls
off;
nothing
affects
the
pulp
or
the
seed.
The
ripe
aspirant
does
not
feel
the
blows
of
fate
or
fortune,
it
is
the
unripe
man
who
is
wounded
by
every
blow.
The
Study
of
the
Vedas
is
the
highest
type
of
learning,
since
it
leads
to
the
conquest
of
Death.
All
other
studies
deal
with
the
means
of
living
or
the
surroundings
within
which
you
have
to
live;
they
deal
with
earning
and
spending,
deriving
a
little
pleasure
by
this
trick,
escaping
a
little
grief
by
that
other
trick.
The
Vedas
show
the
path
to
the
Realm
of
Eternal
Bliss,
whether
there
is
no
birth
or
death.
Man
can
acquire
the
sweetness
of
jnana
by
keeping
himself
in
satsanga
or
even
by
remaining
in
a
solitary
place,
all
by
himself
in
dhyana,
for
example.
But
by
whatever
means,
the
sweetness
(the
jnana)
cannot
be
injected
from
outside;
it
must
grow
from
within.
It
is
a
transformation
of
the
inner
nature,
won
by
a
struggle
with
inner
foes.
Everything
in
the
Universe
is
Divine;
it
is;
it
shines;
it
is
lovable.
It
is
asti,
bhati
and
priya;
it
is
Sat,
Chit
and
Ananda.
For,
it
is
the
same
as
the
Universal,
Eternal,
Absolute,
which
is
also
Sat-Chit-Ananda
(Being,
Awareness,
Bliss).
Upanayana
means,
near-leading,
leading
near,
leading
the
boy
to
the
teacher,
taking
him
to
the
teacher,
the
Guru,
for
his
Upadesha,
this
initiation.
The
Guru
who
can
give
this
Upadesha
must
himself
have
transcended
name
and
form,
the
relative
regions
of
worldly
ambitions
and
achievements;
he
must
have
experienced
the
Oneness
of
all
this
variety.
The
Guru
does
not
teaching
anything
new;
he
reveals
you
to
yourself.
He
trains
you
to
cleanse
the
mirror
of
your
heart,
so
that
you
may
be
reOlected
in
it,
without
warp
or
twist.
Use
your
fullest
powers
to
grasp
the
Truth.
Rely
on
your
own
skills,
your
own
force;
then,
they
too
will
develop
the
utmost
demand
you
make
of
them.
That
will
give
you
the
greatest
joy.
In
order
that
the
lotus
may
not
go
dry,
the
lake
has
to
be
full
of
water.
Prema
is
the
water
that
must
Oill
the
heart;
hatred
will
make
it
a
parched
waste.
Have
faith
in
your
own
tm;
that
is
the
medicine.
Page 52 of 268
Of
course,
you
only
talk
of
Sharanam
(surrender),
of
placing
all
at
the
Feet;
but
you
withhold
a
great
deal.
Your
minds
are
wayward
like
monkeys
that
skip
and
jump
from
bough
to
branch.
Give
them
to
Me;
I
can
make
them
steady
and
harmless.
When
I
say,
sit,
they
will
sit;
when
I
say,
stand,
they
stand.
That
is
what
Shankaracharya
offered
to
do,
he
told
Shiva
that
he
will
hand
over
the
monkey
that
was
his
mind
to
Him
so
that
it
might
be
tamed
and
used
for
His
delight.
But,
it
must
be
a
complete
handing
over;
no
reservations.
Man
comes
into
the
world
burdened
with
maya
and
its
instrument,
the
mind.
The
mind
expresses
itself
through
attraction
and
repulsion,
raga
and
dhvesha
(affection
and
hatred)
towards
the
external
world.
Raga
is
rajasik
(passionate)
in
its
effect;
it
can
be
used
for
ones
uplift,
as
Narada
used
it
to
Oix
attention
on
the
Lord.
Dhvesha
is
Tamasik
(negativistic),
as
Durvasa
expressed
it
in
his
dealings
with
Ambareesha
and
others.
Without
Raga
and
Dhvesha,
the
mind
cannot
function
at
all.
If
these
two
are
removed,
there
can
be
no
mind
and
no
maya,
and
you
get
Oixed
in
Jnana.
Let
Raga
and
Dhvesha
go
and
let
Rama
enter;
then
there
will
be
no
manas
or
maya
(mind
or
illusion).
Dasaratha
wept,
for
he
had
no
sons
to
offer
ritual
food
when
he
moves
out
into
the
next
world.
When
all
are
the
form
of
God
and
of
the
substance
of
God,
who
is
son
and
who
is
father,
who
is
to
offer
food
to
whom,
when
that
high
stage
of
wisdom
is
reached?
Kshama
(fortitude)
is
the
father,
Shantam
(peace)
is
the
mother,
Vairagya
(renunciation)
is
the
wife,
and
the
Lord
is
the
son,
the
centre
of
affection.
He
(man)
has
come,
imprisoned
in
the
go,
and
he
has
to
liberate
himself.
This
can
be
done
only
by
making
him
aware
of
the
Universal
basis
(Adhara),
like
a
man
sunk
in
poverty,
dwelling
in
a
hut
that
is
raised
over
a
vast
underground
treasure,
man
is
suffering,
with
a
spring
of
joy
inside
him,
of
which
he
is
unaware.
You
have
come,
most
of
you,
to
get
from
Me
tinsel
and
trash,
petty
little
cures
and
promotions,
joys
and
comforts;
very
few
of
you
desire
to
get
from
Me
the
thing
I
have
come
to
give,
viz.,
Liberation
itself;
and
even
among
these
few,
those
who
stick
to
the
path
of
sadhana
and
succeed
are
a
handful.
!
Do
not
hunger
for
comfort
or
riches;
hunger
for
Ananda.
!
No
one
can
liberate
you,
for
no
one
has
bound
you.
You
hold
on
to
the
nettie
of
worldly
pleasure
and
you
weep
for
pain.
The
kite
is
pursued
by
crows
so
long
as
it
carries
the
Oish
in
its
beak;
it
twists
and
turns
in
the
sky
trying
to
dodge
the
crows
who
seek
to
snatch
the
Oish;
tired
at
last,
it
drops
the
Oish.
That
moment
it
is
free.
So
give
up
the
attachment
to
the
senses,
then
grief
and
worry
can
harass
you
no
more.
The
kite
sits
on
a
tree,
preening
its
wings,
enjoying
its
happiness.
You
too
can
be
happy,
provided
you
drop
the
Oish
you
have
in
your
beak.
Of
course,
the
Ramayana
is
a
limitless
ocean,
from
which
any
number
of
canals
can
be
dug
and
water
drawn.
I
was
wondering
whether
at
least
today
some
one
will
refer
Page 53 of 268
Krishna
tatvam!
Not
that
one
gets
tired
of
Rama
Tatvam.
The
Tatvam
(Reality)
of
the
Lord
is
ever
fresh.
Every
life
is
a
new
chance,
a
fresh
opportunity
for
realising
the
Truth.
Yesterday
is
gone;
today
is
the
fresh
chance,
the
new
opportunity
is
now.
The
avatars
insist
on
dharma
it
is
declared
that
the
purpose
of
the
avatar
is
Dharma
sthapana;
but,
what
is
dharma
for,
if
not
for
liberation
from
the
bondage
of
ignorance?
You
were
told
that
Rama
showed
man
how
to
bear
suffering
while
Krishna
taught
him
how
to
overcome
it.
No,
Rama
was
all
Ananda
inside,
though
he
was
lamenting
outwardly
for
Seeta.
Rama
Tatva
is
known
only
to
Rama.
To
get
angry
is
but
the
effort
of
a
moment
but,
to
get
peace,
to
become
unaffected
by
the
ups
and
downs
of
life,
is
the
result
of
years
of
training
in
Vedanta.
It
can
be
well-
established
only
on
the
basis
of
the
belief
that
all
material
things
which
fall
within
the
range
of
sensuous
experience
are
fundamentally
non-existent.
They
are
maya,
products
of
illusion,
of
the
tendency
to
see
many
where
only
One
exists.
You
see
corpses
proceeding
one
after
the
other
to
the
graveyard,
but
you
move
about
unconcerned.
You
feel
you
are
eternal.
In
fact,
you
are.
That
is
the
real
you,
I
mean.
Just
as
the
water
you
drink
is
eliminated
as
perspiration,
the
karma
that
you
accumulate
is
eliminated
through
karma,
gladly
borne.
So,
bear
both
mirth
and
moan
with
equal
calm.
Like
the
akasha
(space)
in
the
pot
merging
with
the
akasha
outside
the
pot,
silently,
fully,
with
no
trace
of
separation
or
distinctness,
merge
with
the
Universal.
That
is
real
sharanagati.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
it
is
not
the
obedience
to
the
fathers
whim;
that
is
important;
it
is
the
adherence
to
sathya
and
dharma,
which
is
Ramas
forte.
Janaka,
for
example,
felt
that
all
was
His,
not
his.
Though
he
had
a
body
and
all
the
commitments
of
kingship,
he
felt
as
if
he
was
an
A-shareeri
(without
a
body)
and
A-
samsaari
(without
a
family).
The
senses
say,
Why
struggle?
Eat,
drink
and
be
merry,
while
you
can,
but
the
Guru
says,
Death
lands
on
you
without
notice;
overcome
its
fear
now,
before
he
calls.
Now
is
the
true
friend;
yesterday
has
deceived
you
and
gone;
tomorrow
is
a
doubtful
visitor.
Today
is
the
fastest
friend;
hold
fast
to
it.
Once
when
his
elder
brother,
Dharmaraja,
promised
to
a
mendicant
yogi
some
help
for
a
yagna
and
asked
him
to
call
the
next
day,
Bheema
ordered
all
drums
to
beat
and
all
Olags
to
Oly,
for,
My
brother
is
certain
to
live
until
tomorrow!
At
least,
that
is
what
he
believes
will
happen.
The
Olame
of
Jnana
can
reduce
to
cinders
the
impulses
inherited
through
many
births
and
many
experiences.
In
the
heat
of
that
crucible,
dross
is
burnt
and
precious
metal
is
isolated.
Unless
you
have
muscles
of
iron
and
nerves
of
steel,
you
cannot
contain
in
your
heda
the
tremendously
transforming
idea
of
Advaita,
of
your
being
the
Universal
itself,
the
Eternal
Reality
itself!
Page 54 of 268
To
see
the
Truth
as
Truth,
and
the
untruth
as
untruth,
clarity
of
vision
and
courage
of
vision
are
both
needed.
The
seven-walled
fort
-
mamakara
(feeling
of
mind
and
ones
own)
and
the
six
evil
tendencies,
kama
(lust),
krodha
(anger),
lobha
(greed),
moha
(infatuation),
mada
(arrogance)
and
matsarya
(jealousy)
-
has
a
garden
in
the
centre
and
a
lake,
where
the
hamsa
(divine
bird)
plays.
It
is
the
image
of
your
own
true
self;
become
aware
of
it
and
you
are
saved.
You
are
on
a
pilgrimage
to
the
beyond,
so,
you
cannot
long
dwell
in
this
beneath.
Some
time
or
other,
sooner
or
later,
this
birth
or
the
next,
you
have
to
realise
that
this
is
but
a
dream
you
took
to
be
true;
you
have
to
pack
up
and
march.
This
is
Asat
(non-Being);
go
towards
the
Sat
(Being).
This
is
tamas
(darkness):
this
is
the
realm
of
death.
Proceed
towards
the
Jyoti
(Effulgent
Light);
proceed
towards
the
realm
where
immortality
reigns.
Agastya
is
also
reported
to
have
drunk
off
the
ocean
all
in
one
sip.
That
is
to
say,
he
dried
up
the
ocean
of
samsara,
with
its
waves
of
grief
and
joy,
prosperity
and
adversity,
success
and
failure.
It
is
not
any
siddhi,
this
feat;
it
is
a
parable
explaining
that
though
he
was
a
grihasta
(a
married
man)
with
a
son
who
recited
the
Vedas
as
soon
as
he
saw
light,
he
had
conquered
all
attachments
of
the
world.
Be
attached
only
to
the
ideal
-
that
is
the
sign
of
the
sage.
No
pooja,
tapas,
no
vrata
can
equal
the
efOicacy
of
obedience,
obedience
to
aajna
(the
command),
given
for
your
liberation.
!
Individual
reconstruction
is
much
more
important
than
the
construction
of
temples.
!
Discourse 7 (Pranti Nilayam, Sparks from Discourses during
Shivaratri, Mar 1963)
If
any
one
challenges
you
to
show
them
one
text
where
the
principles
of
Sanathana
Dharma
(Eternal
Religion)
are
succinctly
stated
tell
them
about
the
Bhagavad
Gita.
It
is
the
essence
of
the
Vedas
and
the
Shastras
and
the
Puranas.
The
Sun
never
rises
or
sets,
it
appears
to
rise
and
appears
to
set,
on
account
of
the
revolution
of
the
dart!
What
happens
when
the
Sun
rises
is
that
avyakta
(invisible)
becomes
vyakta
(visible),
that
is
all.
This
series
of
udaya
(rising)
and
asthamana
(setting)
of
Sun
exist
only
for
those
who
feel
it
and
does
not
exist
for
those
who
deny
it.
The
duality
of
appearance
and
non-appearance
can
be
overcome
by
jnana;
so
also,
when
the
jnana-bhaskara
(sun
of
knowledge)
is
known,
it
is
experienced
as
shining
always
with
undiminished
lustre.
Lingam
means
simply
the
sign,
the
symbol;
it
is
just
a
mark,
which
indicates
merging
(laya);
that
is
to
say,
the
passing
away
of
the
mind
and
all
mental
agitations
and
all
mental
pictures,
which
means,
this
objective
world.
Shivaratri
is
the
day
on
which
the
Moon,
the
presiding
deity
of
the
Mind,
is
as
near
laya
as
possible
and
so,
just
a
little
extra
effort
that
day
leads
to
full
success:
the
sadhaka
can
thereby
achieve
Page 55 of 268
God
is
a
huge
Oire,
and
the
sparks
that
Oly
out
from
it
are
the
jeevis;
the
jeevis
are
inOinitesimal
fractions
of
the
same
effulgence,
having
the
same
splendrous
essence
as
their
base;
but,
the
wind
of
vasanas
sweeps
upon
the
sparks
and
puts
out
the
light
and
destroys
the
heat.
But,
the
same
wind
canont
put
out
the
Oire,
it
can
only
feed
it
further
and
cause
its
splendour
to
shine
forth
in
even
greater
measure,
for,
the
Sankalpa
of
the
Lord
can
only
add
to
His
Glory.
A
great
painter
once
came
to
a
Prince
and
offered
to
do
a
fresco
on
the
palace
wall;
behind
him
came
another,
who
declared
that
he
would
paint
on
the
wall
opposite,
whatever
painting
the
Oirst
one
drew,
even
if
a
curtain
hid
it
from
view
and
even
if
he
was
not
told
the
subject
of
the
fresco!
Both
were
commissioned
to
the
tasks
they
had
accepted.
The
second
man
Oinished
his
work
at
the
very
moment,
the
Oirst
one
announced
that
he
had
completed
the
task!
The
Prince
arrived
in
the
hall,
where
a
thick
curtain
partitioned
off
the
two
artists
and
their
paintings.
he
saw
the
fresco
and
admired
it
very
much.
Then
he
ordered
that
the
curtain
be
removed,
and
lo,
on
the
wall
facing
the
fresco,
there
was
an
exact
duplicate
of
the
picture
that
the
Oirst
man
had
so
laboriously
painted!
Exact
because,
what
he
had
done
was,
polishing
the
wall
and
making
it
a
Oine
big
mirror!
Make
your
hearts
too
clean
and
pure
and
smooth,
so
that
the
Glory
of
the
Lord
might
be
reOlected
therein,
so
that
the
Lord
might
see
His
own
Image
thereon.
The
players
do
not
derive
as
much
joy
as
the
onlookers;
so
develop
the
attitude
of
the
onlooker,
the
witness
(the
drasta).
The
batsmen,
bowlers
and
Oields
men
do
not
get
a
fraction
of
the
pleasure
that
the
fans
beyond
the
boundary,
derive.
They
note
each
fault
and
excellence
in
stroke
and
defence;
they
appreciate
the
Oiner
points
of
the
game.
So
too,
to
get
the
maximum
joy
out
of
this
game
of
living,
one
should
cultivate
the
attitude
of
the
onlooker,
even
when
one
has
to
get
embroiled
in
the
game.
I
will
not
bend
before
any
one
for
anything.
I
am
therefore
un-afraid.
I
bend
for
Prema,
I
bend
before
Truth,
that
is
all.
You
can
understand
it
(Krishna
Avatara,
any
other
Avataras
meaning)
only
when
you
become
lost
to
the
world
and
its
attachments
through
the
expansion
of
your
sympathies
and
the
puriOication
of
your
motives.
The
One
God-Head
was
experienced
by
the
gopees
as
immanent
in
every
being;
they
steadied
their
minds
and
installed
Him
therein.
Many
yogis
and
ascetics,
many
Rajas
and
Maharajas
among
whom
Krishna
moved
had
not
realised
that
Truth.
The
unlearned
simple
cowherd
and
cowherdesses
were
wiser.
When
you
too
feel
so,
affected
by
those
pangs,
you
can
understand
the
gopees,
not
till
them.
For
that
pain,
the
message
of
Krishna
is
the
antidote.
Your
grief
is
caused
by
your
limited
artiOicial
outlook;
you
take
Me
to
be
a
limited
bound
entity
and
so
you
feel:
I
am
far
away,
I
am
absent,
I
am
by
your
side,
etc.
You
are
hugging
a
delusion,
awake
to
the
Truth
and
establish
yourselves
in
joy.
The
One
does
not,
of
its
own
Free
Will,
desire
to
become
many.
It
has
no
desire.
It
has
no
likes
and
dislikes.
It
is
immanent
and
transcendent.
It
is
all
this
and
more.
What
then
Page 56 of 268
is
the
reason
for
this
manifold
appearance?
The
reason
lies
in
the
mind
of
a
Bhakta
(devotee).
You
declare,
Baba
appeared
before
me
in
this
Form;
I
saw
Baba
in
this
Form.
But,
what
happens
is
you
desire
that
vision.
I
do
not
change
into
that
Form.
The
Lord
is
sugar,
sweetness.
You
may
drop
it
into
tea
or
coffee
or
milk
or
water.
Into
whatever
thing
you
put
it,
it
will
make
it
sweet.
That
is
My
nature,
sweetness;
My
signature.
You
must
become
master
of
the
senses
and
attain
the
Mahaashakti
(Supreme
Energy)
from
this
basic
Mayashakti
(deluding
power).
In
short
you
too
must
rise
to
the
level
of
the
gopees.
Remember
ever
the
Name
of
the
Lord
with
agony
of
unfulOilled
search
and
remember
ever
the
beauteous
Form
with
the
agony
of
being
forced
to
be
away
-
and,
you
too
can
see
Krishna
in
your
midst.
That
yearning
must
be
there:
then,
the
result
is
certain.
Prahlada
was
immersed
in
that
bhava;
when
he
was
thrown
downhill,
trampled
by
the
elephant
and
tortured
by
the
minions
of
his
father,
he
paid
no
heed,
for
he
heeded
only
his
Lord;
he
needed
only
his
Lord.
The
gopees
too
when
they
listened
to
the
murali
lost
all
attachment
to
the
world
and
to
the
senses
and
to
the
manifold
objective
phenomenal
things;
they
yearned
for
the
sublimest
spiritual
merging
with
the
InOinite
that
was
always
calling
on
the
Oinite,
to
realise
its
Oiniteness.
The
Nara-Tatava
can
be
transformed
into
the
Narayana-Tatva,
for
both
are
basically
the
same.
Only,
you
have
to
switch
on
to
the
particular
wave-length.
Know
it,
adjust
correctly
and
the
all-pervading
will
be
grasped
clearly
with
no
distortion.
Rama is Ananda. Ananda is Rama. If it is not sweet, how can it be sugar? If Rama is suffering, He
cannot be Rama. !
The
Lord
always
weighs
only
the
feeling
behind
the
prayer
to
satisfy
and
please;
the
Saguna
form
visible
to
the
eye
and
cognisable
by
the
sense,
but
something
unapproachable
by
the
senses
(indriya
ateeta),
has
to
be
offered.
In
this
way,
karma
itself
becomes
Upasana,
by
the
addition
to
saturation
point,
of
dedication.
Rati
(attachment)
is
the
seed;
Bhava
(feeling)
is
the
sapling;
Prema
is
the
Tree;
Sat-Chit-
Ananda
is
the
fruit.
If
only
men
knew
the
path
to
permanent
joy
and
peace,
they
will
not
wander
distracted
among
the
by-lanes
of
sensual
pleasure.
Just
as
the
joy
felt
in
dreams
disappears
when
you
awake,
the
joy
felt
in
the
waking
stages
disappears
when
you
wake
into
the
higher
awareness,
called
jnana.
Use
the
moment
while
it
is
availbale,
for
the
best
of
uses,
the
awareness
of
the
Divine
in
all.
When
you
die,
you
must
die
not
like
a
tree
or
a
beast
or
a
worm,
but,
like
a
Man
who
has
realised
that
he
is
Madhava
(God).
That
is
the
consummation
of
all
the
years
you
spend
in
the
human
frame.
The
people
of
this
country
were
lost
in
the
pursuit
of
many
goals,
because
their
vision
was
blurred
by
darkness.
Shankara
taught
them
that
the
Vedas,
Upanishads
and
Shastras
had
but
One
in
view,
the
One-without-a-second,
Advaita.
Temples,
images
and
pictures
are
the
slates
and
boards
for
the
children
in
spiritual
progress.
But,
if
you
play
with
a
toy
elephant,
you
cannot
derive
the
experience
of
contacting
the
real
one.
The
Formless
can
be
conceived
only
when
you
have
transcended
Form.
Shankaras
Advaita
is
the
ultimate
Truth
and
so,
it
is
only
conOirmed,
not
shaken,
by
the
discoveries
of
science
or
the
Olights
of
intellect.
It
speaks
of
the
unity
of
matter
and
energy;
of
time
and
space,
of
the
Universe
being
but
Brahman
Seen
through
the
veil
of
Maya,
which
too
is
but
an
activity
of
the
Primordial.
Shankara
knew
that
Advaita
requires
intense
sadhana
which
will
remove
all
trace
of
ego,
all
idea
of
duality,
from
the
mind
of
man.
So,
as
a
preparatory
discipline
to
the
dawn
of
the
awareness
of
ones
real
unity
with
the
substance
of
the
Universe,
he
taught
the
rules
of
yoga,
bhakti
and
karma;
these,
according
to
him,
will
brighten
the
intellect,
cleans
the
emotions
and
purify
the
heart.
Advaita
is
the
awareness
of
the
Divine,
in
everything,
everywhere,
in
full
measure.
Shankara
suggested
satsanga
as
the
very
Oirst
step
in
sadhana;
the
company
of
the
wise
and
the
good
will
develop
into
detachment
and
love
of
silence
and
solitude.
That
will
promote
the
disappearance
of
moha
(delusion),
which
according
to
Arjuna,
was
the
fruit
of
listening
to
the
Gita.
When
that
happens,
one
is
established
steadily
in
the
Tat-
Tvam,
the
reality
of
this
and
that,
the
identity
of
this
with
that.
Well,
the
recognition
of
that
identity
is
the
attainment
of
Mukti
(liberation).
A
mere
Oive-minute
inquiry
will
convince
you
that
you
are
not
the
body,
or
the
senses,
the
mind
or
the
intelligence,
the
name
or
the
form,
but
that
you
are
the
tm
itself,
the
same
tm
that
appears
as
all
this
variety.
Once
you
get
a
glimpse
of
this
truth,
hold
onto
it;
do
not
allow
it
to
slip.
Make
it
your
permanent
possession.
The
Formless
God-head
can
be
understood
by
you
only
when
you
have
rendered
yourself
Formless!
When
you
are
in
the
world
of
gunas,
you
have
to
attach
yourself
only
to
a
Saguna
Lord.
Even
a
thief
does
not
like
being
called
thief
He
gets
ashamed
or
angry
when
he
is
called.
Why?
Truth
is
his
real
nature
and
his
true
nature
revolts
against
the
appellation.
The
tm
is
always
Shivam
(auspicious
and
holy).
So
it
protest
vehemently
when
the
vehicle
where
it
resides
is
called
amangalam
(inauspicious),
Shayam
(dead).
The
tm
is
alo
Sundaram
(beauty).
A,
U,
M
is
the
Ahamkara
(egoism)
of
Paramtm;
it
has
no
vikara
(ugliness,
change)
in
it.
So
it
is
always
Sundaram
(beautiful,
charming,
lovely).
That
is
why
when
it
is
described
as
ugly,
deformed,
disgusting,
etc.,
he
lowers
his
head
in
shame,
for
something
revolting
to
his
true
nature
is
being
imputed.
Satyam,
Shivam,
Page 58 of 268
Sundaram
is
yourself;
you
have
not
realised
it
because
of
delusion,
ignorance
and
false
inference.
Get
rid
of
these
and
merge
in
your
real
self.
Yesterday,
when
I
came
into
the
Hall,
I
could
see
the
agony
you
all
felt.
That
was
because
you
identiOied
Me
with
this
body,
that
was
having
the
illness.
If
you
had
known
My
truth,
you
would
not
have
been
sad;
in
fact,
if
you
known
your
Truth,
that
would
be
enough.
There
is
no
Satyam,
without
Shivam;
there
is
no
Shivam
without
Sundaram.
Truth
alone
can
confer
Mangalam
and
Mangalam
alone
is
the
real
beauty.
Truth
is
beauty;
Joy
is
beauty;
falsehood
and
greif
are
ugly,
because
they
are
unnatural.
Buddhi,
Chittam
and
hridayam
-
these
are
the
three
centres
in
the
individual
where
reside
jnana,
karma
and
bhakti.
The
effulgence
of
Satyam
will
reveal
Shivam;
do
karma
which
is
approved
by
the
higher
wisdom,
not
karma
which
is
born
of
ignorance.
Then,
all
karm
will
be
Shivam.
The
experience
of
that
Shivam
is
what
is
called
Sundaram;
for
it
confers
real
Ananda.
That
is
my
Reality.
That
is
why
My
Life
is
named
Satyam
Shivam
Sundaram.
!
Do
Karma
based
on
jnana,
the
jnana
that
all
is
One.
!
First,
you
start
with
the
idea,
I
am
in
the
Light,
then
the
feeling
the
light
is
in
me
becomes
established.
This
leads
to
the
conviction,
I
am
the
Light.
That
is
the
Supreme
Wisdom.
See
yourself
in
all;
love
all
as
yourself.
A
dog
caught
in
a
room
whose
wall
are
mirrors
sees
in
all
the
myriad
reOlections,
not
itself
but
rivals,
competitors,
other
dogs
which
must
be
barked
at.
So,
it
tires
itself
out
by
jumping
on
this
reOlection
and
that,
and
when
the
images
also
jump,
it
becomes
mad
with
fury.
The
wise
man,
however,
sees
himself
everywhere
and
is
at
peace:
he
is
happy
that
there
are
so
many
reOlections
of
himself
all
around
him.
That
is
the
attitude
you
must
learn
to
possess,
that
will
save
you
from
needless
bother.
Though
there
is
no
particular
reason
for
this
evenings
gathering,
Kompella
Subbaraya
Shastry
tried
to
discover
one
and
he
concluded
his
speech
with
a
reference
to
the
Varalakshmi
Pooja
that
is
generally
done
in
Hindu
homes
today!
This
search
for
causes
is
another
of
the
delusions
that
pester
man;
he
is
out
to
seek
the
cause
of
everything
and
in
that
confusion,
he
forgets
to
derive
the
full
beneOit
of
the
result
which
is
before
him.
Shiva-Shakti
is
the
conjunction
of
jada
(insentient
or
inert)
and
chit
(awareness),
the
conjunction
of
the
wire
with
the
current,
which
activates
all
the
instruments
-
fan,
stove,
bulb
and
radio.
Shiva
Shakti
is
in
all,
not
only
in
Me.
Page 59 of 268
When
the
mind
thus
follows
the
outward
bound
senses
and
forgets
the
Reality,
when
the
individual
revels
in
the
dream-world
of
false
fantasy,
this
Shivathayi
(Divine
Mother)
pats
the
child
and
wakes
it.
There
is
then
no
more
need
to
tell
them
anything
else
The
fruit
juice
is
prakriti
around
us.
Taste
its
sweetness,
namely,
the
Divinity
that
is
immanent
in
it;
that
is
the
purpose
and
rationale.
Prakriti
is
just
the
leela
of
the
Lord,
set
before
you
so
that
you
may
become
aware
of
His
Glory,
His
splendour.
Your
right
is
to
realise
Vishvaswarupa
(cosmic
nature);
so,
dont
play
about
forever
in
the
dehabhava
(thought
of
the
body),
the
consciousness
that
you
are
just
this
Oive-foot
body;
transcend
the
attachment
to
the
family,
the
home,
the
village,
the
community,
the
district,
the
state,
the
nation.
You
must
acquire
not
the
Independence
denoted
by
the
political
fact
of
Svarajya,
but
the
freedom
of
the
spirit
called
Svaraajya
(dominion
over
oneself).
The
same
person
speaks
differently
at
different
times
about
the
acts
of
the
Lord.
So,
the
fault
lies
in
you,
the
excellence
that
you
praise
is
in
you.
You
see
yourself
in
the
outside
world;
what
you
like
or
dislike
is
your
own
self!
Brahma
Satyam,
Jagat
Mithya
is
the
essence
of
the
Shrutis
(holy
scriptures).
That
truth
can
be
cognised
by
minds
trained
through
Dvaitic
(dualistic)
worship
of
the
personal
God,
and
Visishtadvaitic
emphasis
of
a
jeevi
as
the
limb
of
the
Absolute.
One
batch
of
students
after
a
while
should
be
passing
out
of
a
college
while
batch
after
batch
is
joining
the
Oirst-year
class.
So
too
more
more
people
must
take
up
Bhakti-
Karma
(devotional
activity)
and
slowly
ascend
to
the
stage
of
full
Jnana;
then
only
can
humanity
achieve
the
goal.
A
man
lost
in
the
jungle
was
asked
to
move
on
in
a
certain
direction;
then,
after
some
time,
he
saw
a
village;
now,
that
village
did
not
emerge
for
his
sake,
just
then.
He
saw
what
was
already
there,
that
is
all.
So
also,
Advaita
shows
you
the
way
to
something
that
is
already
there,
but
which
you
did
not
recognise
so
far
-
namely,
your
being
the
unlimited,
illimitable
Brahman.
Worship
Lakshya,
I
shall
appreciate
you!
Keep
the
lakshya
(the
goal)
of
expanding
your
love
till
it
embraces
all
beings,
till
it
sees
every
being
as
your
own
self
-
keep
it
every
steady
before
your
minds
eye;
then,
Lakshmi
will,
of
her
own
accord,
favour
you
to
the
extent
necessary
for
realising
the
Goal.
The
gopees
had
that
one-pointed
prema
(love),
unwavering,
clear
and
pure.
The
relationship
between
the
gopees
and
Krishna
as
depicted
in
the
Bhagavata
has
been
Page 60 of 268
unfortunately
judged
by
persons
who
have
not
regulated
and
controlled
their
Vrittis.
This
subject
is
beyond
the
comprehension
of
such
people.
Only
Brahmacharis
of
the
most
ardent
and
ascetic
type
like
Shuka
Maharishi
who
described
it
to
King
Parikshit
and
in
recent
years,
Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa,
can
appreciate
that
relationship
and
pronounce
upon
its
uniqueness.
All
the
rest
are
apt
to
see
in
it
only
the
reOlection
of
their
own
failings
and
their
own
feelings.
The
language
of
samsara
is
the
only
language
they
know;
the
regions
of
Turiya
-
beyond
the
regions
of
wakefulness,
dream
and
deep
sleep
-
to
which
those
experiences
relate,
are
not
within
their
reach.
So,
they
drag
the
subject
down
to
their
own
level
and
claim
that
they
have
mastered
their
mystery.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
the
Inner
Eye,
the
Inner
Senses
are
needed
to
grasp
the
meaning
of
this
relationship.
Oruganti
has
shown
that
it
has
eluded
the
grasp
of
most
interpreters,
for
it
is
closely
allied
to
the
Advaitic
experience
of
Nirvikalpa
Samadhi
itself.
The
mind
has
to
be
the
master,
not
the
slave,
of
the
senses,
if
the
interpretation
has
to
be
just.
They
saw
in
every
gesture
and
gait,
every
word
and
phrase
of
Krishna
the
Divine,
not
the
human
at
all.
They
had
no
occasion
or
chance
to
be
agitated
by
a
secular
vritti;
all
vrittis
were
awakened
by
Divine
promptings
and
urges.
Like
the
magnifying
glass
which
catches
the
rays
of
the
Sun
and
directs
them
all
to
one
spot,
thus
concentrating
the
heat
on
one
point
and
helping
it
to
ignite,
the
hearts
of
the
gopees
collected
all
the
virtues
and
concentrated
them
and
caused
the
illumination
and
the
Olame.
The
Olame
burnt
all
dross;
the
illumination
revealed
the
Truth.
!
Discourse 19 (Pranti Nilayam, Gokulashtami Day, 12/8/1963)
!
Discourse 20 (Pranti Nilayam, 2/9/1963)
You
must
have
the
goal
of
Sayujya
(merging
in
the
Absolute)
always
in
view;
do
not
give
it
up
or
forget
it.
Be
like
the
river
that
Olows
slowly
to
the
sea.
Brahman
alone
is
Sat
(real);
Prakriti
is
Asat
(unreal).
Be
in
this
awareness
always,
that
is
the
highest
sadhana.
Seek
Sudarshanam
(vision
of
the
Divine).
Some
persons
feel
intoxicated
by
the
emotions
or
they
get
near
mad,
on
account
of
the
devotion
they
have.
But
such
overpowering
emotions
have
to
be
mastered.
One
has
to
transform
bhakti
in
jnana
and
become
stronger
thereby.
There
is
no
living
being
without
the
spark
of
love;
even
a
mad
man
loves
something
or
somebody
intensely.
But,
you
must
recognise
this
love
as
but
a
reOlection
of
the
Premaswarupa,
that
is
your
reality,
of
the
God
who
is
residing
in
your
heart.
Without
that
spring
of
Love
that
bubbles
in
your
heart,
you
will
not
be
prompted
to
love
at
all.
Recognise
that
spring,
rely
on
it
more
and
more,
develop
its
possibilities,
try
to
irrigate
the
whole
world
with
it,
discard
all
touch
of
self
from
it,
do
not
seek
anything
in
return
for
it,
from
those
to
whom
you
extend
it.
Ishavasya
Upanishad
mentions
that
ajnana
is
the
greatest
sin.
The
Kaarpanyadosha
that
the
Geetha
mentions
is
another
name
for
the
same
ajnana.
Geetha
is
the
speciOic
for
this
fell
disease,
which
afOlicts
the
majority
of
mankind.
You
must
all
study
the
Geetha
daily.
Read
a
few
shlock's
and
meditate
on
the
meaning
yourself;
it
will
dawn
on
you
in
the
silence
of
your
heart.
You
need
not
read
elaborate
commentaries.
Each
word
in
the
Geetha
is
a
gem.
So
long
as
you
are
entangled
in
the
sensual
world
you
cannot
distinguish
the
real
from
the
unreal,
But,
you
have
to
discover
the
real,
through
discrimination;
there
is
no
avoiding
that
responsibility;
you
have
to
do
it,
now
or
later.
Power,
status,
wealth,
authority
-
these
are
useless
in
this
adventure.
Alexander,
during
his
campaigns
in
the
Punjab,
was
anxious
to
see
a
celebrated
sage;
he
went
to
the
cave
where
the
sage
was,
and
expected
that
he
would
be
received
most
thankfully
and
with
demonstrations
of
welcome.
But
the
sage
simply
asked
him
to
move
aside
and
go.
He
was
not
interested
in
the
famous
world-shaker,
the
Greek
conqueror.
Alexander
was
very
angry;
he
threatened
to
kill
the
sage
and
drew
his
sword.
But
the
sage
said
calmly,
with
a
laugh,
I
do
not
die;
I
cannot
die.
That
put
some
sense
in
Alexander
and
he
put
his
sword
back
into
the
scabbard.
The
mind
is
ever
unsteady;
it
has
to
be
educated;
its
quicksilver
quality
has
to
be
curbed;
it
is
really
Chaitanya-swarupam
and
it
will
become
steady
only
when
it
is
merged
in
Chaitanya,
that
is,
the
Divine.
There
may
be
ice
on
a
lake;
the
ice
is
jada;
but,
move
it
all
to
one
side,
press
it
aside
and
the
sahaja
swarupam
(natural
form)
of
water,
the
Chaitanya
reveals
itself.
That
Chaitanya
has
no
joy
or
sorrow.
It
is
ever
in
perfect
equilibrium
I
am
That.
I
am
not
affected
by
either.
Mine
is
Samadhi
-
intelligence
which
is
sama
(steady),
unaffected,
unchanging
Wisdom.
Remove
the
cataract
and
the
vision
becomes
clear.
So
too,
remove
the
feeling
of
inferiority
that
dwarfs
you
now;
feel
that
you
are
tm-swarupa,
Nitya-swarupa,
Ananda-swarupa
(Absolute,
Eternal
and
Blissful);
then
every
act
of
yours
becomes
a
yagna
(sacriOice),
a
pooja
(ritual
worship).
The
ear,
the
eye,
the
tongue,
the
feet
all
become
tools
for
your
uplift,
not
traps
for
your
destruction.
Transform
tamogunam
into
tapogunam
and
save
yourself.
I
declare
that
I
am
in
every
one,
in
every
being.
So
do
not
hate
any
one,
or
cavil
at
any
one.
Spread
prema
always,
everywhere.
That
is
the
best
way
of
revering
Me.
Do
not
seek
to
measure
Me
or
evaluate
Me.
I
am
beyond
your
understanding.
As
Subbaraaya
Shastri
said,
the
deja
has
to
be
used
to
ascend
the
ladder
of
the
three
gunas,
from
tamas
to
rajas
and
from
rajas
to
sattva,
so
that
Oinally,
you
may
get
beyond
the
ladder
into
the
heights
above.
The
deja
is
the
root
of
all
the
grief
and
all
the
disquiet
which
is
now
the
lot
of
man.
Why?
The
deja
was
acquired
by
means
of
the
good
and
bad
Page 62 of 268
that
was
done
in
the
previous
birth.
They
are
called
collectively,
karma.
Karma
is
caused
by
attachment
and
hatred,
affection
and
disaffection.
They
are
the
products
of
sheer
ignorance,
ignorance
of
the
unity
of
all
creation
including
oneself.
This
jnana
can
be
removed
only
sujnana
(good
knowledge).
When
a
man
suffers
from
stomach-ache,
the
best
treatment
will
be
salts
or
a
hot
water
bag
applied
to
the
stomach,
and
not
medicated
collyrium
for
the
eye!
Ajnana
can
be
removed
by
acknowledging
the
universality
of
God
and
the
merging
of
your
individuality
in
the
Universal.
First
practise
the
attitude
of
Nenu
neevadu
(I
am
yours,
in
Telugu).
Let
the
wave
discover
and
acknowledge
that
it
belongs
to
the
sea.
This
Oirst
step
is
not
as
easy
as
it
looks.
The
wave
takes
a
long
time
to
recognise
that
vast
sea
beneath
it
that
gives
it
its
existence.
Its
ego
is
so
powerful
that
it
will
not
permit
it
to
be
so
humble,
as
to
bend
before
the
sea.
I
am
Yours.
You
are
the
Prabhu
(Master).
I
am
a
dasa
(servant).
You
are
sovereign,
I
am
bound.
This
mental
attitude
will
tame
the
ego,
make
every
activity
worth-while.
This
is
the
religious
outlook
named
Marjala-kishora
-
the
altitude
of
the
kitten
to
its
mother,
mewing
plaintively
for
succour
and
sustenance,
removing
all
trace
of
the
ego.
The
next
step
is
Neevu
Naavaadu
(You
are
mine
in
Telugu)
where
the
wave
demands
the
support
of
the
sea
as
of
right.
The
Lord
has
to
take
the
responsibility
of
guarding
and
guiding
the
individual.
The
individual
is
important,
worthy
to
be
saved,
the
Lord
is
bound
to
fulOil
the
need
of
the
Bhakta.
Surdas
said,
You
are
mine;
I
will
not
leave
you;
I
shall
imprison
you
in
my
heart;
you
shall
not
escape.
The
next
stage
is,
Neevu
menu
(You
are
I
in
Telugu)
-
I
am
but
the
image,
You
are
the
Reality.
I
have
no
separate
individuality;
there
is
not
duality.
All
is
One.
Duality
is
but
delusion.
Anger
and
hatred
can
be
used
to
ward
off
the
evil
that
stalks
the
spiritual
aspirant;
be
angry
at
tilings
that
hamper
you,
hate
the
habits
that
brutalise
you.
Cultivate
jnana
and
visualise
the
Lord
in
all
things
and
activities.
That
makes
this
human
birth
worthwhile.
Bharat
is
the
land
where
Bha
or
Brahmavidya
(knowledge
of
Brahman)
has
attracted
the
rati
(attachment)
of
its
people,
where
the
people
have
a
natural
attraction
towards
spiritual
sadhana,
where
the
call
of
the
InOinite
is
listened
to
with
keenness.
An
intellect
that
is
moved
only
by
Truth
and
a
Consciousness
that
will
not
tolerate
the
impurity
of
meanness
or
vice
-
these
two
are
the
prerequisites
for
the
fulOilment
of
that
ideal.
This
is
the
aasthi
(wealth)
that
will
make
a
person
an
Asthika
(believe
in
God)!
The
intellect
must
investigate,
as
far
as
it
can,
the
fundamental
problem,
why
this
birth,
whither
this
life,
whence
this
adventure,
what
the
effect
of
human
actions
is
on
this
life
and
on
future
lives,
etc.
Consciousness
must
dive
deep
into
the
Divinity
that
underlies
it.
Now,
people
are
apt
to
go
by
the
appearance,
rather,
than
the
reality
of
things.
There
was
a
man
once,
who
was
such
an
ardent
devotee
of
Ganesha
that
he
used
up
all
his
riches
to
make
golden
images
of
that
God
as
well
as
of
the
Mouse
which
is
His
vehicle,
besides
an
umbrella,
a
seat,
and
other
appurtenances,
all
of
gold.
Later
he
fell
on
evil
days
and
so
he
had
to
sell
all
these
loved
things.
The
merchant
who
offered
to
purchase
them
started
weighing
each
item
and
declaring
the
price
it
would
fetch.
When
he
said
Page 63 of 268
that
the
Ganesha
would
fetch
as
much
as
the
mouse,
for
both
were
of
equal
weight,
the
man
got
enraged
and
complained
that
he
was
being
let
down.
Ganesha
must
fetch
more
than
the
Mouse!
That
was
because
he
forgot
the
reality
and
attached
value
to
the
appearance,
Form
and
the
Name,
and
not
to
the
substance.
That
study
is
the
best
which
teaches
you
to
conquer
this
cycle
of
birth
and
death,
which
gives
you
the
mental
equipoise
that
will
not
be
affected
by
the
prospect
of
death,
that
will
not
be
disturbed
by
the
blessings
or
blows
of
fate.
That
study
begins
where
this
study
of
yours
ends.
When
this
material
world
is
studied
and
analysed,
you
realise
that
it
is
just
a
conglomeration
of
good
and
bad
and
you
aspire
for
something
beyond
this
duality.
The
light
will
dawn
on
you,
only
after
you
have
acquired
Satya,
Dharma,
nti
and
Prema.
The
root
cause
is
that
the
basic
thing
is
not
known
or
experienced.
How
then
can
lasting
peace
be
got?
You
can
learn
more
by
observation
and
meditation
than
by
conning
over
the
pages
of
books.
The
really
valuable
things,
you
can
learn
from
the
Vedas
and
the
Upanishads
and
religious
scriptures.
There
was
a
murderer
who
was
sentenced
in
court,
but,
while
arguing
his
defence,
he
pleaded,
I
am
the
tm
(Pure
Self),
as
the
Geeta
declares.
How
can
I
kill
or
the
deceased
be
killed?
The
Judge
answered,
Do
not
worry.
You
will
not
die
when
you
are
hnaged,
nor
can
I
get
you
executed.
It
is
all
tm,
undying,
unkilling,
everywhere,
in
all.
Dharma
is
applied
by
such
people
only
when
it
suits
them;
otherwise,
they
do
not
care
for
its
commands.
The
knowledge
of
the
tm
as
the
very
basis
of
all
beings
is
now
forgotten
and
that
is
the
cause
of
Anti
-
all
the
unrest,
the
confusion,
and
the
moral
crisis
of
today.
It
is
to
awaken
the
sleeping,
and
communicate
to
them
this
Message
that
I
have
come.
The
journey
of
every
man
is
towards
the
cemetery;
every
day
brings
you
nearer
to
the
moment
of
death.
So,
do
not
delay
the
duty
you
must
carry
out
for
your
own
lasting
good.
Recognise
that
you
are
Shiva,
before
you
become
a
shava;
that
will
save
you
from
further
deaths.
If
the
individual
is
deluded
into
believing
that
he
is
saving
others,
then
woe
be
to
him,
for,
there
is
no
other
at
all.
All
are
One,
one
mans
sorrow
is
every
ones
sorrow.
The
fundamental
Olaw
is
the
ignorance
of
man.
If
only
he
was
wise,
he
would
have
known
that
all
individuals
are
waves
on
the
surface
of
the
self-same
ocean.
Once
you
feel
that
all
are
waves
on
the
self-same
sea
you
will
no
longer
use
the
word,
A-
natha
(helpless
orphan),
which
I
found
in
the
report
that
was
read.
In
one
sense,
there
is
no
A-natha
at
all;
all
are
Sa-naatha
(protected
by
a
guardian),
for
the
Lord
takes
care
of
all.
he
is
the
Pasupati,
pass
meaning
individual
jeevas.
There
is
only
one
Purusha
(masculine)
in
creation;
all
the
rest
are
sthree
(feminine).
There
is
no
fool
too;
that
is
only
a
role
played
by
that
particular
manifestation
of
the
jnana
swarupa,
which
is
Paramtm.
Nagayya
might
play
the
role
of
Thyagayya,
in
the
Oilm
on
Thyagaraja,
but,
all
the
while
his
Nagayya
is
the
truth,
the
reality.
The
Thyagayya
is
a
temporary
role
in
the
drama
of
life.
Page 64 of 268
You
must
tread
the
spiritual
path
with
an
uncontrollable
urge
to
reach
the
Goal;
you
must
cultivate
the
yearning
for
liberation
from
all
this
encumbrance.
Remember
that
you
have
to
dwell
in
a
house
built
on
four
stout
pillars:
dharma,
artha
kaama
and
moksha
(righteousness,
wealth,
desire
and
liberation);
Dharma
supporting
artha,
and
moksha
being
the
only
kama
or
desire.
However
much
you
may
earn
wealth
or
strength,
unless
you
tap
the
springs
of
Ananda
within
you,
you
cannot
have
peace
and
lasting
content.
It
is
the
architecture
of
the
mind
that
matters.
If
the
needs
of
the
modern
age
require
a
change,
change
the
non-essentials.
Do
not
dilute
the
truth
so
much
that
it
loses
its
genuineness.
All
the
joy
you
crave
for,
is
in
you;
but,
like
a
man
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.
For
example,
you
say
that
you
fall
ill,
that
you
are
in
good
health,
etc.
That
is
because
you
feel
that
the
body
is
you,
whereas
you
are
really
only
the
tm,
with
the
Oive
sheaths
which
you
have
super-imposed
on
it.
This
is
the
result
of
the
system
of
education
now
prevalent
which
teaches
that
the
Ananda
one
derives
from
the
senses
is
all
the
Ananda
that
one
can
get.
It
does
not
disclose
to
the
individual
the
eternal
source
of
Ananda
that
he
has
within
himself.
There
is
no
training
in
the
art
of
acquiring
mental
peace.
No
one
is
told
the
secret
of
attaining
the
state
of
equanimity,
amidst
the
confusion
of
modern
civilisation.
Everyone
is
induced
to
Oloat
with
the
current
that
drags
humanity
down
to
fear,
anxiety
and
despair.
Life
today
is
similar
the
situation
when
the
master
of
the
house
is
restricted
to
a
tasteless
regimen,
while
the
members
of
the
family
revel
in
a
banquet.
The
senses
revel
without
limit
but
the
tm
is
ignored.
!
Do
not
conOine
Me
to
these
few
acres
round
the
Pranti
Nilayam.
!
The
King
of
Death
does
not
bring
a
noose
when
he
comes
to
drag
people
to
his
abode;
the
noose
is
made
by
the
victim
himself
and
he
has
it
ready
round
his
neck,
awaiting
the
arrival
of
the
end.
It
is
the
Karma-pasha
(noose
resulting
from
action)
which
each
manufactures
and
winds
round
himself
that
ultimately
drags
him
away.
Become
aware
of
your
reality
and
you
will
lose
the
sense
of
identiOication
with
the
body.
That
will
make
you
disease-free.
You
will
have
perfect
ease.
This
is
quite
easy,
understanding
that
you
are
not
the
body.
For,
you
are
practising
this
truth
every
day
for
at
least
six
hours,
ever
since
birth!
If
that
cannot
teach
you,
I
wonder
which
can.
Every
day,
when
you
sleep,
where
are
you?
Who
are
you?
Your
senses
are
in-operative,
your
intelligence
is
in
abeyance:
your
mind
creates
a
world
of
its
own
and
after
playing
in
it
for
sometime;
it
lapses
into
inactivity.
That
is
sleep,
the
nearest
you
reach
in
your
journey
to
Samadhi.
Live
in
the
tm
Tattvam
(true
nature
of
Self);
that
will
ensure
nti.
With
the
poison
of
Raga
and
Dhvesha
inside
you,
how
can
you
be
pronounced
healthy?
If
you
experience
the
tm
Tattvam,
you
become
Bhagavan
(Divinity)
Himself.
That
is
why
I
do
not
address
you
as
Bhaktulara!
You
are
not
Bhaktas
(devotees);
you
are
more
than
that
-
Page 65 of 268
you
ought
to
become
Bhagavan;
each
one
of
you
can
become
Bhagavan
by
merging
your
separate
individual
jeevas,
in
the
Ocean
of
the
Universal
tm.
Know
Thyself
-
not
the
Sun
and
Moon
-
is
the
speciOic
for
mans
ills.
Watch
the
mind,
just
as
you
watch
the
cable
through
which
the
current
Olows.
Do
not
establish
contact
with
the
mind;
it
is
as
bad
as
contacting
the
cable.
Watch
it
from
a
distance;
then
only
can
you
derive
Anandam;
search
for
the
cause
of
Ajnanam
just
where
it
resides.
Then
you
will
Oind
that
the
Mind
in
association
with
vishaya
(sense
objects)
is
the
cause.
Cut
it
off
from
the
vision
of
vishaya
and
jnana
dawns.
One
meaning
of
Karma
which
is
popularly
accepted
is
that
it
is
ones
destiny,
or
fate,
the
inescapable
writing
on
the
brow,
which
has
to
work
itself
out.
There
is
no
escaping
it.
But
people
forget
that
it
is
not
written
by
some
other
hand.
It
is
all
written
by
ones
own
hand.
And
the
hand
that
wrote
it
can
also
wipe
it
off.
The
husk,
with
which
the
paddy
is
born,
can
be
removed
by
effort;
the
Maya
which
persuaded
you
to
write
all
that
destiny
can
be
conquered
in
an
instant
and
then,
the
entire
page
can
be
wiped
away.
Well,
the
dharma
that
you
have
to
follow
is
to
be
what
you
profess
to
be.
This
is
an
easy
and
intelligible
test.
If
you
feel
and
believe
that
you
are
a
Brahmin,
then
you
have
to
follow
the
dharma
as
laid
down
for
a
Brahmin.
If
you
feel
and
are
convinced
that
you
are
the
tmn,
then
your
dharma
is
the
tm
Dharma.
If
you
feel
and
are
certain
that
you
are
the
body,
then,
the
Deha
Dharma
is
the
Dharma
for
you.
But,
every
one
must
imbibe
higher
values
and
consider
himself
as
tm
and
follow
the
tm
Dharma.
That
is
the
mission
for
which
I
have
come.
Become
the
soldiers
of
Pranti,
to
drive
away
the
Chinese
from
your
hearts
(during
time
of
potential
Chinese
invasion),
those
who
are
undermining
your
awareness
of
the
tm.
Honouring
them
(Pandits
of
Vidvanmahasabha
-
newly
inaugurated)
is
honouring
Me;
neglecting
them,
is
neglecting
the
Vedas
and
Shastras
and
it
is
as
foolish
as
neglecting
Me.
Man
has
known
about
everything
else,
except
death.
Why
should
a
person
die?
Of
what
beneOit
is
it
to
die?
Why
does
he
die?
The
answer
is
in
order
that
he
may
not
die
again.
He
is
born,
so
that
he
may
not
get
born
again.
Having
been
born,
man
earns
and
acquires
land,
riches,
materials,
grain,
articles
of
comfort
and
luxury,
which
he
feels
will
give
him
happiness
and
which
therefore
become
the
objects
of
his
struggle.
But,
the
object
of
realising
God
is
forgotten.
children
are
born
and
die
because
they
are
creditors
who
have
come
to
realise
old
debts
incurred
in
previous
births,
etc.,
etc.
But,
when
you
lose
a
child
of
your
own,
you
do
not
console
yourselves
by
the
same
arguments.
They
are
only
for
the
consumption
of
tohers.
I
go
round
the
whole
world
alone,
with
no
paraphernalia
and
no
publicity,
because
I
am
established
in
My
own
Glory,
in
My
own
Truth.
I
have
Atmic
relationship
with
all,
and
so
I
am
always
succeeding.
If
you
asks
me,
I
will
say
that
the
Geeta
is
like
a
balance,
scale,
needle
and
all.
The
scale
on
the
left
is
shloka
7,
of
the
second
chapter,
speaking
of
Karpanya
dosha.
The
fulcrum
is
the
22nd
shloka
of
the
ninth
chapter,
beginning
with
Ananyaschintayanto
Maam"
and
the
scale
on
the
right
is
the
shloka
in
the
eighteenth
chapter,
speaking
of
Sarva-
dharman
parityajya.
See
how
apt
the
fulcrum
shloka
is;
it
speaks
of
single-minded
attention,
steady,
like
the
needle
of
a
well-adjusted
balance!
Really,
the
Geeta
begins
with
two
scales
and
a
fulcrum,
the
two
armies
of
Righteousness
and
Unrighteousness,
with
Krishna
the
Teacher
in
the
middle!
We
have
the
two
scales
of
Loukika
and
A-
loukika
(worldly
and
non-worldly),
clamouring
for
attention
and
respect,
jnana
alone
can
remove
the
ajnana
of
Arjuna,
that
is
the
Sankalpa
of
the
Lord.
The
Jnana
has
to
be
put
into
practice.
Otherwise,
it
is
useless?
Once
the
deer
of
the
forest
gathered
in
a
great
assembly
and
discussed
their
own
cowardice
in
the
face
of
the
pursuing
hounds.
They
argued,
Why
should
we,
who
are
equipped
with
Oleeter
feet
and
sharp
antlers,
be
afraid
of
these
insigniOicant
dogs?
At
last,
a
resolution
was
moved
and
passed
that
no
deer
should
henceforth
Olee
before
hounds
but,
even
while
the
cheering
was
going
on,
they
heard
the
distant
baying
of
the
nouns
and,
not
one
stayed
there;
all
had
Oled
as
fast
as
their
legs
could
carry
them!
The
resolution
could
not
be
put
into
practice!
The
art
of
engaging
in
karma
without
getting
involved
is
the
thing
that
has
to
be
learnt,
Karma
has
to
be
done,
because
it
is
part
of
ones
nature,
not
out
of
any
external
compulsion.
Surya
(Sun)
is
a
Sahaja
Karmachari
(worker
by
nature),
He
draws
the
vapours
of
water
high
up
to
form
clouds
which
pours
back
as
rain;
no
one
taught
Him
to
do
this.
When
you
do
the
sahaja
karma
(action
dictated
by
nature),
it
wont
be
a
burden.
It
is
when
you
go
contrary
to
it
and
do
something
out
of
the
way
that
you
feel
the
misery.
The
police
constables
life
is
not
sahaja
(natural;
so,
he
feels
happy
when
he
comes
home,
and
dofOing
his
uniform,
gets
into
ordinary
clothes.
When
the
baby
wails,
all
rush
towards
the
cradle
because
its
sahajakarma
is
to
smile
and
be
contentedly
happy.
So
Page 67 of 268
too,
karma
done
for
the
proOit
arising
therefrom
accumulates
consequences
which
bind
a
man.
It
increases
in
size
like
a
snowball,
but
karma
done
without
any
thought
of
the
fruit
therefrom,
keeps
on
diminishing
and
levels
you
free
from
all
consequence.
The
Geeta
teaches
the
lesson
of
Sharangati;
wish
for
his
Will
to
prevail,
not
your
wish
to
succeed.
That
is
what
Krishna
meant
when
He
said,
Be
a
Sarvaramba
parithyagi
(one
who
renounces
all
beginnings)
Again,
there
are
some
crooked
men
who
refuse
to
believe
in
a
previous
life,
because
they
cannot
recollect
the
events!
These
people
cannot
recollect
the
events
of
one
particular
Magha
Shuddha
Dashami,
say,
5
or
10
years
ago,
though
they
are
certain
they
were
alive
on
the
Dashami!
Forgetting
the
events
of
that
day
does
not
mean
that
they
were
not
alive
at
all;
it
only
means
that
they
did
not
pay
any
special
heed
to
them,
they
had
no
lakshyam
(objective)
or
special
reason
to
keep
it
in
memory.
When
Krishna
knew
that
Brahma
had
taken
away
and
hidden
the
cows
and
calves
and
the
cowherds
and
boys,
the
whole
lot
of
them
that
had
gone
out
of
their
homes
into
the
pastures,
he
created
anew,
the
same
number,
the
same
types,
the
same
persons,
cattle
and
all,
and
nobody
suspected
for
one
full
year
that
the
genuine
was
hidden
and
that
it
was
the
duplicate
that
was
in
the
village
everywhere.
All
that
was
thus
created
was
Krishna
Tattva
(true
nature
of
Krishna),
just
as
all
that
was
hidden
by
Brahma
was
also
Krishna
Tattva.
You
too
are
Krishna
Tattva;
what
other
Tattva
is
there,
really?
Nara
is
limited
and
deluded;
when
that
limit
is
crossed
and
when
that
delusion
is
gone,
he
is
Narayana
and
he
shines
in
his
Tattva.
Every
one
must
be
conscious
of
this
Tattva,
which
is
his
reality.
To
make
each
one
conscious
of
it
is
the
aim
of
those
who
come
for
Dharmasthapana.
Whatever
you
are
asked
to
do,
the
Oirst
question
is,
How
much
will
be
the
proOit?
This
greed
for
labha
(proOit)
has
made
you
sink
in
lobha
(greed)!
The
highest
proOit
is
the
arrival
through
this
road
back
at
the
place
where
you
came,
your
Svasthana.
Brahma
who
was
born
in
the
lotus
that
arouse
out
of
the
navel
of
Vishnu
wondered
how
he
came
to
be
there
and
it
seems
he
searched
and
searched
for
the
place
from
where
he
came.
He
could
not
trace
it
at
all.
But,
by
some
little
thought,
you
can
know,
from
where
you
came,
or,
rather,
what
your
real
nature
is.
Then
what
remains
is
the
attempt
to
attain
it.
That
is
what
is
meant
by
Liberation,
or
Moksha.
Simple
faith
in
the
words
of
the
wise
is
more
proOitable
than
years
of
study
and
discussion.
Meditate
on
such
a
Mahavakya
as
Tat-Tvam-Asi
(That
Thou
Art)
and
as
you
go
on
revolving
it
in
your
mind,
meanings
will
dawn
upon
you,
without
the
help
of
any
commentary.
Commentaries
only
tend
to
confuse
you.
Think
of
the
Tat
(Divinity;
analyse
the
Tvam
(yourself);
and
then,
you
will
be
convinced
that
asi
(is-ness)
is
the
only
solution.
You
are
in
the
Light;
the
Light
is
in
you;
you
are
the
Light
-
these
are
the
steps.
You
do
not
see
your
breath
or
weigh
it;
but,
breath
is
the
very
sustenance
of
life.
The
unseen
is
the
basis
of
the
seen.
If
you
are
caught
up
in
the
meshes
of
the
seen,
you
cannot
know
the
importance
of
the
unseen.
The
greatest
wonder
of
all
is
that
nobody
knows
himself,
nobody
struggles
to
know
about
himself,
even
among
those
who
spend
their
lifetime
in
knowing
about
others.
Your
Self
is
something
subtler
than
water
or
air
or
even
akasha
(space).
It
must
go
into
the
eye
so
that
you
may
see;
it
must
move
into
the
hand
so
that
it
may
hold;
it
must
move
into
the
feet
so
that
you
may
walk.
The
senses
are
inert
materials;
the
i
must
operate
so
that
they
may
function.
That
I
is
Brahman,
mistaken
to
be
separate!
The
Ghata-akasha
(space
in
the
pot)
and
the
Matha-akasha)
are
identical
with
the
Maha-akasha
(Vast
sky
space);
only
the
upadhis
(disguises),
ghata
and
matra/matha
keep
up
the
illusion
of
separateness.
The
senses
are
the
villains,
they
instil
the
delusion
that
you
are
the
upadhi
(body).
Curb
them
as
the
bull
is
curbed
by
the
nose-ring,
the
horse
by
the
bit
in
the
mouth,
the
elephant
by
the
goad.
When
the
Pandavas
were
traversing
the
Himalayas
towards
the
end
of
their
careers,
Dharmaraja
was
still
affected
by
mental
anxieties
and
so
he
prayed
to
Krishna
to
spend
some
time
with
them.
On
His
departure
from
their
dwelling,
Krishna
gave
Dharmaraja
a
note,
which
he
was
to
read
to
himself
whenever
he
was
affected
by
joy
or
grief.
The
note
read:
Eppudu
undadu
(This
will
not
last).
That
is
one
method
by
which
mental
agitations
can
be
calmed.
All
life
is
a
yajna;
when
does
the
yagna
meet
in
samapti
(conclusion)?
I
shall
tell
you.
Sama
means
Brahman;
aapti
means
praapti,
attainment,
reaching.
When
Brahman
is
attained,
that
day,
that
moment,
the
Yagna
which
is
Life
can
be
said
to
have
ended,
not
until
then.
The
parents
and
the
brother
and
all
the
relatives
objected
but,
an
individual
is
born
to
work
out
his
destiny,
not
to
act
a
role
in
some
one
elses
drama.
One
is
born
to
serve
out
ones
sentence;
when
the
sentence
ends,
one
is
free.
You
shall
not
remain
in
prison,
on
the
pretext
that
a
dear
comrade
is
still
in!
Just
think
of
this
fact:
Rukmini
had
not
met
Krishna
before;
there
was
no
preliminary
wooing.
The
soul
yearned
and
it
won.
The
had
met
in
the
realm
of
the
spirit.
They
speak
of
two
types
of
Karma:
Daihika
and
Daivika
(physical
and
spiritual).
But,
this
division
is
absurd
and
even
dangerous.
All
acts
and
activities
are
spiritual,
the
body
is
but
an
instrument
for
spiritual
progress
and
attainment.
Modern
educetion
emphasises
the
physical
and
neglects
the
spirit,
which
is
crucial.
It
teaches
that
joy
derived
from
the
senses
alone
are
worth-while;
it
does
not
give
even
a
glimpse
of
the
Page 69 of 268
deeper
and
more
lasting
joy
derivable
through
the
spirit
which
is
your
real
self
and
it
is,
in
essence,
ananda,
nti,
jnana
-
Satyam,
Shivam,
Sundaram
(bliss,
peace,
spiritual
knowledge
-
Truth,
Goodness
and
Beauty).
You
must
have
noticed
that
I
never
address
you
as
Bhaktulara
for
how
can
you
be
only
that?
You
are
Bhagavan,
you
become
that
by
just
shedding
the
avidya
that
makes
you
imagine
that
you
are
limited.
That
is
why
I
address
you
either
as
nti
Swarupulara,
or
Ananda
Swarupulara,
or
Divytm
Swarupulara.
That
is
your
real
nature,
but,
you
are
not
even
told
who
you
are.
Your
misery
is
traceable
to
this
failure
to
know
yourself.
There
are
certain
dire
possibilities
which
I
want
all
social
workers
to
guard
against.
First,
cleanse
your
own
minds
and
then
start
advising
others.
Earn
mental
peace
and
strength
for
yourself
and
then
try
to
secure
them
for
others.
Learn
the
secret
of
lasting
happiness
yourself
and
the,
endeavour
to
make
others
happy.
Seek
the
real
limb,
not
the
artiOicial
limb.
get
the
doctor
who
would
assure,
hereafter
you
will
not
fall
ill
and
not
the
doctor
who
gives
some
relief
to
the
present
attack.
More
than
food
for
the
stomach,
man
needs
food
for
the
spirit.
The
anna
(food)
that
Annapoornadevi
(Goddess
of
Nourishment)
gives
is
not
the
food,
rice
and
curry.
The
bhiksha
(alms)
that
She
is
asked
to
give
is
Jnana
bhiksha,
not
the
handful
of
rice
that
you
think
it
means.
It
is
Jnana
bhiksha,
Prema
bhiksha,
Bhakti
bhiksha,
Anugraha
bhiksha.
Seek
Her
Grace
to
get
more
jnana,
more
prema,
more
bhakti
and
more
of
Grace.
Do
not
lower
the
standard
of
service
when
serving
pilgrims
in
this
holy
place;
place
emphasis
here
on
bhakti,
vairagyam
and
jnana.
Satya,
Dharma,
nti
and
Prema
are
the
four
pillars
of
Sanathana
Dharma,
the
four
faces
of
the
Ancient
Teaching.
Of
course,
these
words
are
on
the
lips
of
every
one,
but,
what
they
mean
is
something
quite
shallow
and
ineffective.
To
describe
an
incident
just
as
you
saw
it
happen,
is
truth;
to
give
water
to
the
thirsty
and
food
to
the
hungry
is
Dharma;
to
suffer
calamity
in
silence
is
nti
and
to
nourish
wife
and
children
is
Prema
-
that
is
the
General
Interpretation!
But
this
is
all
wrong.
Truth
is
something
that
is
not
modiOied
by
time
or
space
or
characteristic.
It
must
be
the
same
forever,
unaffected
and
unchanged.
Dharma
is
a
body
of
principles
that
are
fundamental
to
social
stability
and
individual
progress.
There
are
various
branches
of
Dharma
-
Kartavya
Dharma,
Vama
Dharma,
Ashrama
Dharma
(obligatory
duty,
duties
pertaining
to
status
and
stages
of
life),
etc.,
but,
the
aim
of
all
is
to
help
man,
stage
by
stage,
towards
liberation
from
grief
and
from
the
chain
of
birth
and
death.
See
how
grand
the
conception
of
each
is;
compare
this
with
the
common
meaning
that
has
been
so
far
given.
Then,
take
the
quality
of
nti.
It
denotes
the
capacity
to
bear
success
and
failure,
joy
and
misery,
defeat
and
victory,
with
perfect
equanimity.
And,
Prema
is
the
quality
of
Sarvasamaanata
(equality
of
every
one),
of
not
only
Ahimsa
(non-violence)
but
the
conscious
acceptance
of
the
duty
of
love,
because
every
being
is
a
spark
of
Divinity,
as
much
of
a
spark
as
you
yourself.
You
do
not
remember
that
you
are
really
and
genuinely
nti
and
Ananda,
that
you
are
fundamentally
Satya,
Nitya
and
Nirmala
(Truth,
Eternal
and
Pure).
The
anxiety
and
fear
Page 70 of 268
which
haunt
you
now
are
caused
by
this
loss
of
memory.
The
intention
of
the
Lord
is
that
you
should
have
nti
and
ananda,
every
moment
of
your
life;
but,
you
forget
the
springs
that
well
up
within
you,
that
have
their
Source
in
the
Divinity
enshrined
in
your
hearts,
and
pine
for
what
you
feel
you
have
not.
Your
ofOicer
here
gave
Me
a
garland
of
Olowers
just
now;
it
is
made
up
of
two
things
-
Olowers
that
were
buds
yesterday,
that
blossomed
today,
and
will
fade
before
morn;
and
the
thread
that
was,
is
and
will
be.
The
Olower
is
anitya
(impermanent);
it
represents
the
jeevi,
that
is
subject
to
birth,
growth
and
decay;
the
threed
is
nitya,
it
is
Brahman,
on
which
all
Jeevis
are
strung
-
sutre
mani
ganaa
ira/iva.
The
jeevas,
like
these
Olowers,
are
of
different
characteristics
and
natures
and
vasanas
(past
impressions),
but
the
string
is
one
uniform
consistent
base,
the
Brahma
Sutra,
that
binds
all
together,
in
one
common
creation.
Dwell
upon
that
unity
for
some
time
at
least,
every
day,
and
that
will
save
you
from
all
types
of
anti
(agitation).
Without
the
control
of
the
senses,
man
is
like
a
horse
without
blinkers,
like
a
bull
that
refuses
to
yield
to
the
yoke;
his
sadhana
is
a
waste
of
time
and
energy.
The
special
feature
of
mans
composition
is
that
he
has
discrimination,
detachment
and
synoptic
intellect;
he
can
discover
Truth
and
be
Oixed
in
it,
and
gain
unshakeable
peace.
Of
what
beneOit
is
all
this
burden
of
information
that
you
seek
to
carry
in
your
head,
this
knowledge
of
the
various
regions
of
the
world,
without
a
knowledge
of
the
region
of
your
own
self,
the
centre
of
all
the
interest
that
you
evince?
It
is
no
good
wandering
all
over
the
world,
contacting
men
of
various
races,
and
getting
engrossed
with
earning
and
spending
without
being
able
to
known
your
own
identity!
Vigilance,
care,
circumspection
-
these
are
very
important
for
the
sadhaka.
Yoga
is
often
turned
into
roga,
for
lack
of
continuous
self-examination.
A
man
weeping,
because
he
has
been
bitten
by
a
cobra
in
his
dream,
can
be
cured
by
just
being
woken
up!
No
doctor
is
needed.
So,
too
when
Arjuna
who
was
suffering
from
ajnana
was
given
jnana,
he
recovered
and
did
his
duty.
The
pain
and
the
snake
will
both
disappear
if
the
dreamer
is
awakened.
He
is
only
imagining
that
a
snake
bit
him.
Upasana
leads
to
the
knowledge
that
He
is
in
all;
when
you
experience
that
there
is
no
second,
that
is
jnana!
Sundaramurthy
and
his
friends
and
coworkers
are
happy
today
because
of
the
Silver
Jubilee.
It
is
a
festival
for
the
Institute:
but,
I
consider
the
Festival
of
the
tm
to
be
more
magniOicent.
The
tm
has
an
eternal
festival!
It
is
Anandaswarupa.
It
is
beyond
time
and
so
does
not
calculate
the
passage
of
time.
How
can
man
celebrate
a
festival,
let
me
ask,
while
he
is
afOlicted
by
dehabhranti,
indriyabhranti,
manobhranti
and
lokabhranti?
He
believes
the
falsehoods
(bhranti)
that
are
named
the
body,
the
sense,
the
mind,
the
world!
He
pursues
them
and
tastes
joy
and
grief;
and,
when
a
certain
number
of
years
is
passed
in
the
pastime,
he
celebrates
a
festival!
This
is
maya
within
maya.
I
have
not
come
to
announce
to
you
that
this
Institute
has
Oinished
twenty-Oive
Page 71 of 268
years
of
existence.
I
am
concerned
with
the
spiritual
arts,
the
Oinest
arts,
rather
than
the
Oine
arts.
I
want
that
Sundaramurthy
should
depict
in
dance
spiritually
elevating
subjects,
like
Radha
and
Krishna
and
their
sublime
relationship
that
is
beyond
the
ken
of
man.
The
proof
of
the
rain
is
in
the
wetness
of
the
ground;
the
proof
of
bhakti
is
in
the
nti
the
bhakta
has,
nti
which
protects
him
against
the
onslaughts
of
success
as
well
as
failure,
fame,
dishonour,
gain
and
loss.
Bhakti
is
the
river
Ganga.
Vairagyam
is
the
river
Yamuna
and
Jnana
is
the
river
Sarasvati
of
this
spiritual
Triveni
(conOluence
of
three
rivers).
Jnana
is
the
through-train;
you
just
board
it,
that
is
enough;
it
takes
you
direct
to
the
destination.
Bhakti
is
the
through-
carriage;
though
it
may
be
detached
from
one
train
and
connected
with
another,
if
you
get
into
it,
you
need
not
worry;
so
long
as
you
stick
to
your
place,
it
is
bound
to
take
you
to
the
destination.
Karma
is
the
ordinary
train;
if
you
board
it,
you
have
to
disembark,
climb
in
and
climb
out
at
every
junction,
load
your
luggage
and
unload
it,
and
do
a
good
lot
of
work
to
reach
your
destination.
Bhakti
alone
is
enough,
even
to
acquire
Jnana.
It
ends
in
Samadristi
and
it
destroys
egoism.
Jnana
too
gives
you
these.
!
Develop
a
love
for
God,
then
you
can
recognise
Him
very
near
you,
in
your
own
Self.
!
Discourse 42 (Pranti Nilayam, Dec 1963)
Your
reality
is
tm;
your
quality
is
Ananda.
What
does
it
matter
to
you
if
the
Narakasura
of
the
Puranas
is
killed,
by
Krishna
or
Satyabhama.
For
you,
Krishna
is
Paramatama
and
Satyabhama
is
the
jeevi.
Paramtm
destroys
the
evil
propensities
with
the
active
collaboration
of
jeevi:
jeevi
defeats
evil
with
the
active
Grace
of
the
Lord.
India
which
is
Annapurna
swarupa
(the
granary
of
the
earth),
ha
snow
to
go
about
with
begging
bowl
for
food
for
her
children.
this
tragedy
is
caused
by
ill-discipline,
by
want
of
self-control,
by
what
can
be
called
A-sva-rajya
(the
absence
of
Self-Government,
Government
of
the
Self).
Satyanarayan,
when
he
acted
the
role
of
Satyabhama
in
the
drama,
remembered
always
that
he
was
Satyanarayana,
though
he
was
also
aware
that
he
had
a
part
to
play
in
the
drama
and
he
played
it
well.
It
would
be
a
failure
if
he
forgets
either
his
Satyanarayana-
hood
or
his
Satyabhama-hood.
So,
too,
act
in
the
world
but
remember
your
genuine
Self.
You
have
heard
the
story
of
Gajendra
Moksha,
the
elephant
caught
and
dragged
by
the
crocodile,
appealing
helplessly
to
the
Lord
and
the
Lord
sending
down
the
Sudarshana
Chakra
(discus)
to
slay
the
tormentor
and
save
the
beast.
The
story
has
a
deeper
meaning,
which
has
universal
appeal.
The
wild
elephant
is
jeevi,
full
of
sensual
greed
and
blind
with
delusion.
It
enters
the
tank
of
samsara
of
the
objective
world.
There
the
crocodile
of
egoism
grasps
its
leg
in
the
vice
of
its
teeth
and
pulls
it
down
deeper
and
deeper
into
the
mire
of
Samsara.
The
individual
struggles
by
itself
for
a
long
time
until
pride
is
exhausted
and
its
faith
in
its
own
powers
is
spent.
Then,
it
appeals
in
complete
sharanagati
to
the
Lord
and
what
does
the
Lord
send?
Sudarshana.
Mark
that
word,
Page 72 of 268
what
does
it
mean?
Sudarshana
-
Good
sight!
BeneOicial
outlook!
A
vision
that
is
correct,
conducive
to
lasting
joy,
namely,
the
inward
look,
away,
from
the
sense
objects,
Aavritta
Chaksu.
As
soon
as
that
sight
is
cultivated,
egoism
is
destroyed
and
the
jeevi
is
freed.
Vol. 4!
Discourse 1 (Pranti Nilayam, 1/1/1964)
Admit
the
highest
wisdom
of
the
scriptures,
the
wisdom
culled
out
of
the
crucible
of
experience,
called
anubhavajnanam.
The
rope
is
mistaken
to
be
a
snake
and
the
perceiver
Olees
in
fear.
The
truth
is,
it
is
not
the
organ-eye
that
sees;
there
are
many
whose
eyes
are
good,
so
far
as
doctors
can
discover,
but
they
cannot
see!
The
eye
sees
because
it
is
illumined
by
a
microscopic
spark
of
the
rays
of
the
Sun.
The
scripture
says:
Chaksos
surya
ajayata.
For
the
eye,
Surya
was
born.
The
soul
is
the
motive
force
of
all
the
senses;
the
eye
is
but
a
window
through
which
the
soul
peeps
out
at
the
external
world.
Of
what
use
is
the
eye,
when
the
vision
is
not
correct?
That
is
to
say,
when
you
have
no
Samadristi.
Samam
means
Brahman,
the
Absolute
Reality;
Samadrishti
means,
seeing
only
Brahman,
the
One,
in
all
things
at
all
times.
This
Ekatvam
(oneness)
is
the
basic
truth.
All
other
experiences
are
partial,
distorted,
false.
Dwell
on
that,
in
your
meditation.
Fix
it
in
your
inner
consciousness.
That
is
the
path
of
Liberation,
which
you
must
start
treading
and,
today
is
as
good
a
day
as
any,
for
deciding
to
do
so.
You
have
meditated
too
long
on
riches,
status,
salary,
children,
relatives,
fame
and
the
standard
of
living.
They
are
all
of
minor
interest,
momentary
value,
dubious
proOit.
Meditate,
Oix
your
urge
on
the
Nitya,
the
Satya,
the
Nirmal,
the
Nischala
-
the
Eternal,
the
Real,
the
Pure
and
the
Immovable.
There
are
two
birds
sitting
on
one
tree,
the
Upanishad
says:
the
jeevtm
and
the
Pararmtm
-
the
individual
soul
and
the
Supreme
Soul
-
on
the
three
of
this
body,
this
World.
One
bird
eats
the
fruits
of
that
tree,
while
the
other
simply
looks
on,
as
a
witness.
But,
the
wonder
is,
the
two
birds
are
really
one,
though
they
appear
as
two;
they
cannot
be
separated,
since
they
are
two
aspects
of
the
same
entity.
Steam
in
the
air
cannot
be
seen;
it
has
no
shape
or
form;
but
it
is
of
the
same
as
ice,
which
is
hard,
heavy
and
cold.
Nirakara
and
Sakara
(without
and
with
Form),
are
just
two
ways
in
which
the
One
manifests
Itself.
The
minute
hand
of
the
clock
is
the
individual
soul,
the
bird
that
eats
the
fruits.
It
goes
round
and
round
but,
the
hour
hand
moves
silently
and
slowly,
with
a
certain
dignity.
The
hour
hand
can
be
said
to
be
the
Supreme
Soul.
Once
an
hour
the
two
meet,
but,
the
individual
soul
does
not
get
that
consummation
Oixed
for
ever.
It
loses
the
precious
chance
and
so
has
to
go
round
and
round
again
and
again.
Liberation
is
when
the
two
merge,
and
only
one
remains.
When
the
obstacles
in
the
path
of
truth
are
laid
low,
deliverance
is
achieved.
That
is
why
moksha
is
something
that
can
be
won,
here
and
now;
one
need
not
wait
for
the
dissolution
of
the
physical
body
for
that.
Action
must
be
felt
as
a
burden,
for
that
feeling
is
a
sure
sign,
indicating
that
it
is
against
the
grain.
Page 73 of 268
On
the
banks
of
the
river
near
Lucknow,
there
was
a
sage
who
addressed
dogs,
crows
and
men
equally
as
God;
he
had
realised
the
unity
of
all
in
the
Divine
Essence.
That
is
the
result
of
Divine
knowledge,
or
intense
Bhakti,
where
you
do
not
see
anything
other
than
your
Ishtadevata
(chosen
deity)
wherever
you
turn.
Be
ever
in
that
Divine
Bliss,
the
bliss
that
comes
from
God-consciousness,
always
and
everywhere.
That
is
the
eternal
bliss
(nityananda)
which
the
wise
enjoy.
Weakness
is
born
of
accepting
as
true
a
lower
image
of
yourself
than
what
the
facts
warrant.
You
believe
you
are
the
husk,
but,
really
you
are
the
kernel.
That
is
the
main
mistake.
All
spiritual
practice
must
be
directed
to
the
removal
of
the
husk
and
the
revelation
of
the
kernel.
So
long
as
you
say,
I
am,
there
is
bound
to
be
fear,
but,
once
you
say
and
feel,
Aham
Brahmasmi
(I
Am
brahman),
you
get
unconquerable
strength.
The
body
is
the
Oield
(kshetra)
of
the
Master
who
knows
all
kshetras.
One
day,
when
Vivekananda
was
in
his
room,
at
night,
sleepless
because
he
was
tossed
about
by
conOlicting
thoughts,
Ramakrishna
who
was
asleep,
was
talking
as
if
in
a
dream
but
his
talk
was
clearly
heard
by
Vivekananda.
He
said,
O
Manas!
(O
Mind)!
O
Manasa
Rajahamsa
(Royal
Swan
of
the
Mind)
O
Nitya
Ananda
Rasika
Nilaya
(Repository
of
Eternal
Bliss
only)!
You
are
Divine
in
nature
-
Daivaswarupa.
Sport
in
the
pure
lake
of
meditation
of
the
Divine;
instead,
why
do
you
crave
for
the
dirty
pond
of
sensual
pleasure!
That
was
the
advice
of
the
Guru
to
Naren.
Naren
immediately
resolved
to
take
that
advice
to
heart.
This
Nagayya
when
he
acted
the
part
of
Thyagayya
in
the
Oilm,
never
forgot
that
he
was
Nagayya.
If
he
forgets
that,
the
Oilm
will
fail.
So
too,
never
forget
that
you
are
the
InOinite
Consciousness
(tmn);
with
that
consciousness,
you
can
play
any
role
on
the
world
stage.
This
fact
will
get
stabilised
in
you,
if
you
read
the
Geeta
in
the
light
of
Krishnas
actions
in
the
Bhagavata
and
the
Mahabharata.
If
God
is
implanted
in
the
heart,
you
will
see
only
God
everywhere,
even
in
the
objective
world.
For,
Sarvam
Brahmamayam
is
a
fact.
Freedom
is
independence
from
externals.
Perfect
freedom
is
not
given
to
any
man
on
earth.
Lesser
the
number
of
wants,
the
greater
is
the
freedom.
Hence
perfect
freedom
is
absolute
desirelessness.
What
are
problems?
Whatever
they
are,
they
are
all
transient
in
relation
to
eternity
and
of
no
lasting
consequence.
Page 74 of 268
grief and the acquisition of joy, then, it is easy. What you have to do is to place all your burdens on
God; that makes you care-free, grief free. Then, when you take everything as the Leela (Divine
Play) of the Lord you love, you clap your hands in bliss whatever may happen, for it is all His
Divine Play and you are as happy as He is, when His Plans are going through!!
Ishvara Sarvabhootanam Hriddeshe Arjuna Tisthati - O Arujuna, the God resides in the heart of
all beings, says Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita. He is not to be found specially in cities like
Amarnath, Kashi, Tirupati, Kedaram or Gokarnam. Just as every drop of the ocean has the salty
taste the composition and the name of the ocean, so too every single being has the divine taste
and composition, and the name of the Lord. Only you do not realise it so clearly. The river
Godavari realises itself by reaching the Sea; man realises himself by merging in the Absolute. That
which merges with the goal is Linga: Liyate gamyam iti lingam. !
The space encased in the pot must become one with the Space that traverses the entire Universe,
by the negation of the attachment, which is just an artificial creation of the deluded mind. That
attachment must disappear; that inferior status of manhood that now satisfies him must give place
to the status of Reality of God (Madhavatvam) which is the genuine status. That is the task for
which Sai is calling you; that is the work for which I have come. A judge of the Supreme Court may,
while at home, play with his grandchild and bend on all fours for the little fellow to mount his back
and then He may crawl on the floor when the child cries Holla; but, all the while his status as
judge does not suffer diminution, nor does he forget it. So, you too must always be conscious of
the high calling on which you have come; you should not disgrace it by any mean or meaningless
act or word or thought. I have come to give you the courage to conceive yourself as the Supreme
Truth (Paramtm) you really are; to give you the intellectual power (dheeshakti) to grasp the
reality. That alone can destroy the delusion born of ignorance. !
Shiva,
it
seems,
laughed
when
He
took
a
good
look
at
the
Chariot
that
was
provided
for
Him
when
He
started
out
to
slay
the
Tripura-asuras,
the
demons
of
the
three
bodies,
Sthula,
Sukshma
and
Karana
-
the
Gross,
the
Subtle
and
the
Causal.
Vishnu,
the
Charioteer,
was
mostly
in
Yogic
Sleep
(Yoganidhra),
the
stable
Earth
was
the
Chariot,
and
the
two
wheels
were
the
Sun
and
the
Moon,
two
sphere
which
never
revolved
in
unison!
That
laughter
laid
the
demons
low;
there
was
no
more
need
to
proceed
against
the
demons.
How
did
the
evil
forces
that
dwelt
in
the
three
bodies
die?
They
could
not
exist
where
there
was
Divine
Bliss;
for,
they
are
products
of
grief.
Develop
Ananda;
then
evil
impulses
and
tendencies
will
vanish,
for
they
will
not
get
any
foothold
int
he
heart.
When
I
direct
you
along
a
line
of
action,
reOlect
on
My
advice;
you
have
full
liberty
to
do
so;
in
fact,
I
shall
be
happy
if
you
do
so;
I
do
not
like
slavish
obedience.
If
you
feel
that
it
will
help
you
to
reach
the
goal,
follow
it;
if
not,
go
to
some
other
place;
but,
let
Me
tell
you
one
thing:
Wherever
you
go,
you
meet
only
Me.
I
am
everywhere.
Have
you
heard
the
story
of
the
rabbit
that
had
borrowed
from
Mother
Earth
four
nays
paise?
She
thought
that
if
she
moved
into
a
new
region
she
would
be
free
from
the
obligation.
So,
one
day
she
ran
as
fast
as
her
legs
could
carry
her
and
went
far
far
away
from
the
place
where
the
amount
was
originally
received.
At
last,
she
sat
down
in
great
relief
and
said
to
herself,
Now
no
one
will
ask
me
to
repay.
What
was
her
surprise
when
from
the
ground
underneath
she
heard
a
voice,
Mother
Earth
is
right
under
your
feet,
here.
You
cannot
escape
from
me,
however
far
you
run!
So
too,
you
cannot
run
away
from
Me.
What
exactly
is
the
aim
and
purpose
of
all
the
Shastras
(scriptures),
the
Bhagavatam,
the
Puranas,
these
discourses
and
the
Harikatha?
Just
try
to
answer
that
query.
It
is
to
tell
man
the
truth
about
himself.
Man
does
not
realise
that
the
end
of
this
cycle
of
birth
and
death
is
in
his
own
hands.
The
tree
came
from
the
seed
and
the
seed
from
the
tree
and
so
on,
from
the
beginning
of
time.
Yes;
you
may
not
know
which
came
Oirst,
tree
or
seed;
but,
you
can
easily
put
an
end
to
the
cycle,
by
frying
the
seed.
It
wont
sprout
again.
Strive
to
acquire
Grace;
Grace
is
the
reward
for
spiritual
practice;
the
highest
spiritual
discipline
is
to
follow
the
instructions
of
the
Master.
Life
is
only
relatively
real;
until
death,
it
appears
to
be
real,
that
is
all.
For
the
procession
of
the
bride
and
groom,
the
father
of
the
bride
had
brought
an
elephant
or
rather
the
model
of
an
elephant,
correct
to
the
minutest
detail;
the
model
was
taken
by
all
who
saw
it
to
be
alive.
Then,
while
all
were
admiring
the
wonderful
work
of
art
and
arguing
that
it
was
alive,
it
exploded,
shooting
forth
lovely
little
stars
and
snakes
of
light
that
gleamed
through
the
sky.
It
was
Oilled
with
Oireworks
and
when
it
was
lit,
the
entire
stock
Oilling
the
inside
emerged,
with
a
burst
of
noise
and
a
brilliant
riot
of
light
and
colour.
Man
is
like
that
elephant,
true,
until
the
explosion!
Before
that
explosion
happens,
man
must
realise
himself.
The
Oireworks
are
desire,
anger,
delusion,
pride
and
jealous
etc.,
and
they
now
Oill
this
artiOicial
animal,
useful
only
for
the
show.
Man
is
saved
from
such
calamity
by
Vedanta,
which
is
like
the
roar
of
the
lion;
it
gives
Courage
and
Enterprise;
it
makes
man
a
hero.
It
does
not
whine
or
howl
or
cry.
It
drives
cowardice
away;
instils
the
highest
types
of
Self-conOidence.
It
is
the
strongest
armour
against
the
arrows
of
fate.
It
acts
like
a
waterproof
against
the
hailstorms
of
sensual
pleasure.
It
is
a
curtain
keeping
out
the
mosquitoes
of
worry,
which
would
otherwise
rob
you
of
sleep.
With
Vedanta-saturated
heart,
you
are
a
rock
on
the
shore,
unaffected
by
the
waves
of
temptation.
Vedanta
challenges
your
spirit
of
adventure,
your
own
reality.
Get
into
the
train
of
spiritual
discipline
now;
station
by
station,
you
will
reach
the
terminus,
which
is
jnana
of
you
and
of
all
this.
The
comparison
(of
superiority
or
difference
in
Avataras)
itself
diminishes
the
integrity
of
the
inquirer.
If
he
has
any
reverence,
he
would
not
attempt
an
intellectual
estimate;
he
would
try
to
get
an
intuitive
experience,
as
Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa
did;
and,
then
he
would
realise
that
one
is
as
sweet
as
the
other.
I
am
here
since
three
hours
and
you
are
having
sight
of
Me
(darshan)
so
long;
but,
yet,
as
soon
as
I
go
up
into
My
rom,
you
rush
to
the
Nilayam
to
get
another
darshan,
as
I
come
out
into
the
verandah!
What
greater
sign
of
devotion
is
needed
than
this
yearning
for
darshan?
But,
this
love
alone
is
not
enough.
In
fact,
it
does
not
mean
much
at
all.
What
is
wanted
is
the
regulation
of
that
Love,
in
the
form
of
virtue
and
service.
If
you
achieve
that,
then
there
is
none
to
equal
you,
in
this
age.
As
the
seed,
so
the
sapling;
as
the
status,
so
the
behaviour;
as
the
teacher,
so
the
students;
as
the
food,
so
the
belch.
Here,
renunciation
and
divine
love
form
the
atmosphere,
and
silence
is
the
discipline.
The
play
is
His,
The
role
is
His,
The
Lines
are
written
by
Him.
He
directs,
He
designs
the
dress
and
decoration,
the
gesture
and
the
tone,
the
entrance
and
the
exit.
You
have
to
act
well
the
part
and
receive
His
approbation
when
the
curtain
falls.
Page 76 of 268
That
is
the
main
aim
of
culture,
to
cultivate
mental
calm,
mental
courage,
to
make
every
one
feel
kinship
with
every
one
else.
You
are
born
with
the
cry,
koham
(who
am
I?)
on
your
lips;
when
you
depart,
you
must
have
the
declaration,
Soham
(I
am
He)
on
your
smiling
face.
This
is
the
message
of
the
Dharma
with
Krishnadevaraya
fostered.
Take
that
lesson
home
from
this
meeting.
You
are
now
seeing
with
the
eye
-
a
three-lettered
physical
apparatus,
the
three
letters
representing
the
three
qualities:
Sattva,
Rajas
and
Tamas.
See
with
the
clariOied,
unprejudiced,
unattached
I;
then,
you
see
only
One,
though
you
see
yourself
you
are
indeed
everything
that
refers
itself
as
I.
It
is
because
this
single
aim
(lakshya)
has
been
given
up,
that
all
this
confusion
(avalakshana)
has
come
about!
I
always
exhort
people
to
win,
not
the
titles
that
come
to
those
who
canvass
support,
but
the
title
that
the
Upanishads
proclaim
as
the
highest
decoration
for
spiritual
aspirants:
Amritasya
Putrah,
Children
of
Immortality.
Of
what
use
is
it
if
a
man
boasts
that
his
grandfather
was
a
great
scholar?
Manuja,
the
Sanskrit
word
of
Man,
implies
a
noble
ancestry,
from
Manu
Himself.
Boast
of
your
inner
Divinity
which
is
your
greatest
treasure.
Penukonda,
the
town
that
derives
its
name
from
the
mountain,
has
been
too
long
a
heap
of
stones,
albeit
a
huge
heap.
Your
hearts
must
become
kondas,
that
is,
huge
mountain
peaks,
and
on
the
top,
as
in
Arunagiri,
the
Jyoti
(light)
of
knowledge
must
shine
like
a
beacon.
It
does
not
matter
a
bit
if
you
have
no
faith
in
Me
or
God.
Have
faith
in
yourselves,
that
is
enough.
For,
who
are
you,
really?
Each
of
you
is
Divinity,
whether
you
know
it
or
not.
Every
ones
heart
is
a
a
Dharmakshetra
(scene
of
Mahabharata
war)
where
the
battle
between
the
forces
of
good
and
evil
is
fought.
Why,
the
whole
country
is
Dharmakshetra.
So,
the
mothers
and
children
of
this
land
must
be
devoted
to
Dharma,
above
all.
The
Gita
begins
with
the
word,
Dharmakshetre,
and
ends
with
the
words,
Sarva
Dharman
Parityajya;
through
Dharma,
you
have
to
transcend
Dharma.
He
is
able
to
gather
information
about
all
kinds
of
things
from
all
corners
of
the
world,
but
he
is
unaware
of
what
happens
in
the
corners
of
his
own
mind.
He
knows
who
is
who
among
all
the
rest,
but,
he
does
not
know
the
answer
to
the
simple
question,
Who
Page 77 of 268
am
I?
The
fact
is,
he
has
to
ask
it
himself
and
seek
out
the
clue
to
the
enigma
himself.
He
has
not
felt
that
it
is
essential
to
know
the
answer;
he
is
content
to
move
about
blindly
in
the
world,
groping
his
way
in
the
dark.
Without
knowing
who
he
himself
is,
he
is
rashly
judging,
labelling
and
even
libelling
other
men!
This
is
the
fundamental
reason
for
the
hollowness
of
human
life
today,
for
the
hate
and
fear
that
stalk
the
world.
The
Vedas
and
Shastras
of
India
have
the
key
to
that
answer;
they
can
teach
you
the
process
by
which
you
can
discover
it
for
yourself
if
you
are
so
inclined.
There
are
only
twenty-six
letters
in
the
English
alphabet;
yet
by
combing
them
in
various
ways,
thousands
of
books
are
written.
So
too,
the
ideas
and
hints
given
in
the
Vedas
may
be
a
few,
their
application
explains
the
entire
literature
of
Akshara,
which
means
both
letter
and
indestructible.
Every
person
born
in
Bharat
must
be
an
exemplar
of
these
disciplines;
for,
Bha
implies
splendour,
prakasham,
the
splendour
that
is
encased
in
man,
and
Rati
implies
the
desire
to
manifest
it,
to
taste
it.
Live
up
to
that
glory
and
you
will
all
be
transformed
into
fullness.
You
are
the
Formless
(Nirakara)
come
in
the
form
of
Man
(Narakara),
the
InOinite
come
in
the
role
of
the
Oinite,
the
Formless
InOinite
appearing
as
the
formful
inOinitesimal,
the
Absolute
pretending
to
be
Relative,
the
tm
behaving
as
the
body,
the
Metaphysical
masquerading
as
the
merely
physical.
The
Universal
tm
(Self)
is
the
basis
of
all
being.
The
sky
was
there
before
houses
were
built
under
it;
it
penetrated
and
pervaded
them
for
some
time;
then,
the
houses
crumbled
and
became
heaps
and
mounds;
but,
the
sky
was
not
affected
at
all.
So
too,
the
tm
pervades
the
body
and
subsists
even
when
the
body
is
reduced
to
dust.
The
same
inexplicable,
invisible,
electric
current,
when
it
enters
a
bulb,
a
fan,
a
stove,
a
cooler,
or
a
sprayer,
activates
each
one
of
them
or
all
of
them
together.
Similarly,
Ishvara
sarva
bhootanam
the
Divine
Principle
activates
all
beings.
That
is
the
inner
core,
the
Divine
Spark,
more
minute
than
the
minutest,
more
magniOicent
than
the
most
magniOicent.
You
must
tackle
this
problem,
straight
from
where
it
starts.
Ignorance
can
be
cured
only
by
knowledge;
darkness
can
be
destroyed
only
by
light.
No
amount
of
argument
or
threat
or
persuasion
can
compel
darkness
to
move
away.
A
Olash,
that
is
enough;
it
is
gone.
Prepare
for
that
Olash
of
illumination;
the
light
is
there
already,
in
you.
But
since
it
is
heavily
overladen
by
repressing
factors,
it
cannot
reveal
itself.
The
liberation
from
night
which
happens
when
the
light
is
revealed,
is
called
Moksha.
Every
one
has
to
achieve
it,
whether
he
is
striving
for
it
now
or
not.
It
is
the
inevitable
end
to
the
struggle,
the
goal
to
which
all
are
proceeding.
But,
please
do
not
be
afraid
of
treating
the
goal
of
liberation
(Moksha)!
Do
not
conceive
that
stage
as
a
calamity.
It
is
the
end
of
calamity.
It
is
death
to
all
grief;
the
birth
of
joy
-
a
joy
that
knows
no
decline,
the
death
of
grief,
grief
that
will
never
more
be
born.
Well,
how
do
you
prepare
yourself
for
the
stage?
I
must
tell
you
that
the
answer
is
in
that
very
word
Moksha,
itself.
It
is
self-
explanatory.
Mo
indicates
Moha
(delusion;
being
deluded
by
the
scintillating,
the
gaudy,
the
transitory,
the
temporary
trash)
and
ksha'
means
kshaya
(decline;
disappearance,
destruction).
It
requires
you
to
keep
the
Olights
of
your
mind
away
from
these
deluding
attractions,
and
on
the
straight
path
towards
liberation.
You
yourselves
create
the
illusion
of
which
you
are
the
slave;
deny
it,
dont
give
it
a
change
to
lord
over
you,
then
it
will
not
harm
you.
Someone
was
told,
There,
inside
that
well,
lies
your
shadow.
He
said,
No;
it
cannot
be.
But,
he
decided,
nevertheless,
to
go
and
verify
the
fact.
He
walked
up
to
the
well
and
peeped
in.
And,
lo,
he
found
it
was
true.
The
well
had
his
shadow
inside!
Poor
fellow,
he
did
not
know
that
the
shadow
would
be
there
only
when
he
looked
in!
Do
not
test
Maya.
Try
to
locate
it,
it
will
present
Page 78 of 268
itself.
You
can
avoid
it
only
by
denying
it;
you
can
escape
only
by
concentrating
on
the
substance;
do
not
attach
any
value
to
the
shadow,
whether
inside
the
well
or
outside
it.
For,
after
all,
it
is
just
a
shadow!
Do
not
respect
who
are
caught
up
in
the
tangle
of
the
senses.
Give
respect
according
to
the
knowledge
each
possesses
of
himself,
i.e.
of
the
Immanent
and
the
Transcendent.
How
do
you
Oix
the
price
of
cane?
According
to
the
sugar
content,
is
it
not?
You
evaluate
oranges
in
proportion
to
the
juice
they
contain,
is
it
not?
So
too,
a
man
is
worthy
of
honour
in
proportion
to
the
knowledge
of
the
Self
he
has
acquired.
This
knowledge
alone
can
confer
steadiness
and
strength.
Without
it,
all
profession
of
renunciation,
all
pretence
of
devotion,
all
performance
of
charity
are
but
tongue-deep
or
skin-deep!
Ravana
craved
for
Prakriti
(Sita)
discarding
the
Purusha
(Spirit)
which
gave
it
values
and
meaning,
viz.
Rama.
If
you
crave
for
Prakriti,
the
objective
world,
you
degrade
yourself,
you
deny
your
reality,
and
you
join
Ravanas
brood.
Do
not
also
imagine
that
the
Lord
is
outside
Prakriti,
or
even
of
you,
who
are
really
a
part
of
the
objective
world.
He
is
in
you,
behind
you,
beside
you,
before
you.
He
is
the
eye
of
your
eye;
the
I
of
your
I.
Yearn
for
the
yoga
or
union
with
Him,
through
the
unwavering
awareness
of
His
being
the
real
You.
Live
in
the
consuming
conviction
that
you
are
the
tmn.
That
is
the
hard
core
of
the
Eternal
Teaching.
The
tm
it
is
that
sees
through
the
eyes,
hears
through
the
ears,
handles
through
the
Oingers,
moves
through
the
feet.
That
is
the
basic
you.
That
you
is
not
elated
by
praise
or
deOlated
by
blame.
When
some
one
carps
at
you,
reason
out
thus
within
yourself:
Is
he
casting
aspersions
on
my
body?
Well,
why
should
I
be
worried?
He
is
doing
just
what
I
should
myself
do,
casting
out
the
attachment
to
the
Olesh,
this
paltry
prison.
Or,
is
he
throwing
them
at
the
tm?
Nothing
can
affect
its
purity,
or
tarnish
its
glory.
So
remain
calm
and
unperturbed.
You
may
ask,
what
happens
then
to
the
strings
of
abuse?
Like
the
letter
sent
by
post
and
refused
by
the
addressee,
it
returns
to
the
sender!
Your
duty
is
to
concentrate
on
the
development
of
the
Divinity
latent
in
you;
once
you
do
that,
all
hate
and
all
pride
will
disappear;
you
will
become
humble
fellow-pilgrims
with
the
Brahmins
to
the
same
goal,
though
along
parallel
paths.
The
cottage
and
the
castle
are
both
built
on
the
earth:
so
too,
all
faiths
and
religions,
all
disciplines
have
the
Veda
as
the
basis.
The
special
feature
of
Indian
culture
is
that
here
the
dress
and
demeanour,
the
language
and
literature,
the
manner
and
mode
of
living,
the
ideals
and
institutions
are
all
attuned
to
the
spiritual
progress
of
man,
emphasising
as
they
do
the
superiority
of
the
spirit
over
the
body,
the
subtle
over
the
gross.
Everything
is
subordinated
to
that
supreme
task.
The
body
should
be
fed
and
kept
free
from
disease.
Why?
So
that
it
may
be
Oit
for
spiritual
discipline.
Spiritual
discipline
for
what?
For
the
realisation
of
the
truth
about
oneself.
The
subtle
is
the
basis
for
the
gross;
the
Divine
is
the
basis
for
the
Human.
Indian
Culture
turns
your
eye
to
the
basis,
not
to
what
is
built
upon
it.
Page 79 of 268
Remember,
freedom
is
your
birthright.
Concentrate
on
that
and
practise
the
means
of
attaining
it.
Remember
that
with
every
step,
you
are
nearing
God.
And
when
you
take
one
step
towards
Him
God
takes
ten
steps
towards
you.
There
is
no
halting
place
int
he
pilgrimage!
It
is
one
continuous
journey,
through
day
and
night,
through
tears
and
miles,
through
death
and
birth,
through
tomb
and
womb.
When
the
road
ends
and
goal
is
gained,
the
pilgrim
Oinds
that
he
has
travelled
from
himself
to
himself,
that
was
long
and
lonesome;
but
God
that
lead
him
unto,
was
all
the
while
in
him,
around
him,
with
him
and
besides
him.
He
himself
was
always
Divine.
Vedas
yield
Ananda;
Veda
Mata
(Mother
of
Vedas)
is
the
Ananda
Mata.
They
provide
the
answer
to
the
Question
of
questions:
Who
am
I?
Every
one
of
you
has
to
know
that
this
question
has
to
worry
you
sooner
or
later.
And,
every
one
has
to
discover
the
answer.
The
senses,
each
specialising
in
one
small
Oield
of
cognition,
are
powerless
to
give
the
answer,
they
at
best
are
very
inadequate
even
in
their
own
specialised
provinces;
there
are
sounds
the
ear
cannot
hear;
there
are
colours
the
eye
cannot
take
in
and
interpret
to
us
and
tastes
beyond
the
ken
of
the
buds
of
the
tongue.
They
are
imperfect
instruments
for
the
study
of
the
external
world.
How
can
they
serve
to
teach
us
about
the
intangible,
invisible,
inner
world
of
the
Self?
The
Vedantic
vision
alone
can
reveal
to
you
the
smaller
than
the
smallest,
the
bigger
than
the
biggest
(Anoraneeyan
mahato
maheeyan).
When
you
are
boring
and
Oixing
a
pipe
to
draw
the
water
up,
you
have
to
take
good
care,
lest
water
or
air
gets
into
the
pipe
and
spoils
the
creation
of
the
vacuum
that
is
needed.
So
too,
if
you
desire
success
in
your
effort
to
unravel
the
truth
of
your
inner
Self
you
have
to
take
good
care
that
the
outer
self
does
not
enter
and
spoil
the
concentration.
You
have
to
prevent
thoughts
of
the
outer
world
from
entering
the
mind.
The
senses
are
positive
handicaps
in
that
Oield
of
research.
If
you
can
inquire
deeply
and
reason
fearlessly,
you
can
appreciate
the
Indian
point
of
view
that,
instead
of
seeking
a
lower
standard
of
ananda
by
feeding
the
senses,
one
can
get
lasting
Ananda
by
training
the
mind
to
be
ever
in
the
eyes
of
the
Cosmic,
the
Universal,
the
Lord,
as
it
is
called,
when
you
impose
a
Name
and
a
Form
upon
it,
to
enclose
it
in
your
Consciousness.
Why
does
man
get
Ananda
when
he
contemplates
the
Cosmic
and
the
Universal?
Because
he
himself
is
the
Cosmic,
the
Universal!
It
is
the
tvam
(thou)
called
to
the
Tat
(That);
the
Tat
responding
to
the
kindred
voice
of
the
Tvam.
Man
is
basically,
essentially,
fully,
Immortal;
he
is
Amritaswarupam.
But,
yet
he
is
afraid
he
would
die!
He
is
Anandaswarupam;
but,
yet
he
is
it
that
weeps
that
he
is
miserable.
He
is
ntiswarupam;
yet,
everywhere
he
is
overlaid
with
anxiety.
This
absurd
self-deception
is
the
root
of
tragedy
from
which
the
world
suffers
today.
A
business
magnate
from
the
West,
Mr.
Kilman,
came
to
Puttaparti
and,
during
the
discussion
on
various
spiritual
problems,
he
asked
Me,
Why
build
temples,
when
what
we
want
are
wells,
dams,
hospitals
and
factories?
I
told
him
to
Oind
out
from
the
well-
fed
and
well-employed
whether
they
are
happy,
whether
they
have
inner
calm!
The
tm
alone
is
the
source
of
inner
strength,
it
is
the
fountain-spring
of
Joy
-
joy
unaffected
by
reverses
or
victories.
Page 80 of 268
You
may
ask,
How
do
you
know,
or
rather,
how
are
we
to
know
that
there
is
an
entity
called
the
tm?
Well,
how
do
you
know
that
today
is
the
24th
day
of
February?
The
Sun
did
not
rise
today,
after
an
announcement
from
the
skies
that
it
is
the
twenty-
fourth
day
of
the
month
called
February.
Some
person
whom
you
respect,
said
that
today
is
the
24th
February,
that
is
all.
You
accepted
their
word
and
you
were
glad
that
your
acceptance
made
things
smoother
for
you.
Similarly,
when
the
Vedas
and
the
Scriptures
declare
that
you
are
tmn,
instead
of
mistaking
yourself
to
be
the
gross
body,
accept
it
and
Oind
in
it
a
great
source
elf
peace
and
step
by
step,
the
truth
will
be
revealed
to
you
in
your
own
unmistakable
experience.
From
illusion,
you
must
get
interested
in
the
Author,
the
Master,
the
Lord.
Once
you
see
the
world
as
the
arena
of
His
activity,
the
stage
for
His
play,
then,
you
will
never
more
be
misled;
you
will
not
be
deceived
by
any
tricks
of
the
play
or
of
the
stage-effect;
you
will
not
be
distracted;
you
will
not
be
led
to
believe
it
as
genuinely
real.
It
is
valid
so
long
as
it
lasts,
and
you
are
in
the
theatre.
Take
the
base
(Adhara)
as
more
real
than
the
structure
(Adheya);
the
Lord
as
more
real
than
the
world.
This
is
the
basic
lesson
of
Indian
thought.
Among
all
the
principles
of
Vedanta,
this
is
a
pearl.
The
world
is
like
a
mirage;
the
mirage
does
not
originate
from
any
rain;
nor
does
it
reach
any
lake
or
sea.
It
was
not
there
before
the
Sun
shone,
nor
will
it
be
there
when
evening
falls.
It
is
just
an
intervening
phenomenon;
it
is
best
left
alone.
The
Pandits
are
not
with
Me
to
extol
Me;
nor
is
there
any
need
to
extol
Me
or
them.
I
have
no
other
purpose
than
this:
to
lead
you
to
the
path
of
Ananda.
I
have
no
special
attachment
to
the
Vidvanmahasabha
because
I
have
established
it.
All
Sabhas
and
Sangas
(Associations)
and
individuals
that
do
this
same
task,
according
to
their
capacity
and
means,
are
dear
to
Me.
I
do
not
call
upon
you
to
cultivate
Faith
in
Me
or
worship
Me.
I
want
only
that
you
should
cultivate
faith
in
yourselves,
and
worship
the
Lord
who
is
utilising
you
as
His
instrument.
!
Realise
that
your
essential
core
is
the
tm.
!
Of
course,
I
love
all;
those
who
come
to
Me,
as
well
as
those
who
stop
coming;
those
who
stay
at
the
Nilayam,
as
well
as
those
who
stay
away;
those
who
praise,
as
well
as
those
who
blame.
For
no
one
is
beyond
the
boundary
of
My
love.
Hold
your
right
palm,
spread
it
vertically
before
you!
You
Oind
that
the
thumb
points
towards
you
and
is
keeping
apart
from
the
other
Oingers.
That
represents
the
Paramtm
which
is
aloof
and
unaffected.
The
foreOinger
is
the
jeevi,
the
self
attached
to
the
three
gunas,
the
three-stranded
complex
of
the
objective
world.
It
seeks
to
mix
with
this,
that
and
the
other,
to
show
this
and
mark
out
that;
it
is
ever
busy
identifying
objects
and
so
it
gets
the
company
of
only
the
three
qualities
(gunas).
But,
once
let
it
turn
towards
the
Paramtm,
let
it
achieve
Sameepya
(proximity)
with
it!
Then
it
will
lose
the
contact
with
the
tunas;
it
and
the
thumb
will
form
the
Chin-mudra
-
the
sign
of
the
Poorna
(full),
the
completed
Consciousness.
I
bless
you
that
your
attention
and
activity
be
always
focused
on
the
Self
within
you;
that
is
the
purpose
for
which
the
Pranti
Vidvanmahasabha
has
been
established.
Devotion
is
Divine
Love,
unsullied
by
any
tinge
of
desire
for
the
beneOit
that
Olows
from
it
or
the
fruit
or
consequence
of
that
love.
It
is
love
that
knows
no
particular
reason
for
its
manifestation.
It
is
of
the
nature
of
the
love
of
the
soul
for
the
Oversoul;
the
river
for
the
sea;
the
creeper
for
the
tree,
the
star
for
the
sky,
the
spring
for
the
cliff
down
which
it
Olows.
It
is
sweet,
in
bad
times
as
well
as
good.
It
is
not
like
pepper
or
salt
with
which
you
savour
your
dishes;
it
is
the
very
bread
and
butter,
the
essential
substance
itself.
It
is
not
the
pickle,
which
only
lends
a
twang
to
the
tongue
and
helps
you
to
consume
a
little
more
of
the
food.
It
is
an
unchanging
attitude,
a
desirable
bent
of
the
mind,
standing
steady
through
joy
and
grief.
For
the
Divine
Bliss
comes
through
knowledge
of
the
Self;
the
Devotee
is
the
true
witness.
Wavering
and
indecision
affect
you
in
the
realm
of
Dharma
when
you
are
not
stabilised
in
the
knowledge
of
the
Self,
which
gives
you
a
correct
sense
of
proportion
and
also
a
sense
of
direction
and
achievement.
That
is
why
the
Gita
lays
so
much
emphasis
on
the
necessity
to
know
both
the
kshetra
and
the
kshetrajna.
Know
both,
and
then,
you
are
entitled
to
the
title,
Amritasya
Putrah
:
Children
of
Immortality.
Other
titles
are
burdens
on
the
head
that
wears
then.
Of
what
beneOit
are
they,
those
that
vanish
in
a
whiff,
and
do
not
deceive
any
one,
for
more
than
a
few
years?
Through
devotion
to
God
alone
can
that
knowledge
be
attained.
Bhakti
puriOies
the
heart,
elevates
the
feelings
and
universalises
the
vision.
It
also
brings
down
the
Grace
of
God;
for,
the
clouds
have
to
come
over
the
Oields
and
pour
rain;
the
plants
cannot
rise
up
to
drink
the
life-giving
Oluid.
The
mother
has
to
bend
to
the
cradle
to
fondle
the
child.
Bhakti
has
that
power,
to
bring
the
Lord
down.
That
is
why
I
condemn
all
signs
of
weakness
and
call
the
sense
of
weakness
itself
a
sin,
an
unpardonable
sin.
It
is
an
insult
to
the
heritage
of
Immortality,
the
title
Amritasya
Putrah,
which
mankind
deserves
and
must
earn.
Weakness,
vacillation,
despair,
all
these
bring
dishonour
on
Him
who
conferred
on
you
the
honour
of
child
of
Immortality;
you
are
Bala-swarupa
(of
the
nature
of
strength).
Whenever
accosted,
you
must
declare
yourself
so,
and
not
otherwise.
Do
not
bend
and
cringe
and
barter
your
self-respect.
Do
not
believe
that
you
are
this
little
lump
of
body.
You
are
the
indestructible,
immortal
tm,
of
the
same
nature
as
the
Absolute
Reality,
Brahman
itself.
When
people
do
not
place
faith
in
the
Self
but
pursue
the
senses
only,
the
danger
signal
is
up
and
the
Lord
sends
a
Messenger
or
comes
Himself
if
a
great
big
step
in
reconstruction
has
to
be
taken.
Life
is
a
mirage;
it
comes
from
no
visible
rain;
it
falls
into
no
recognisable
sea.
There
was
a
man
once
who
was
pestered
by
a
host
of
relatives
when
he
was
dying.
Parents,
wife,
children,
brothers,
sisters
-
all
surrounded
his
bed
during
his
last
moments
and
wailed.
They
asked
him
What
is
to
happen
to
us?
The
dying
man
lifted
his
head
a
little
from
the
pillow
and
asked
in
return,
What
is
to
happen
to
me?
I
am
now
interested
in
Page 82 of 268
that
problem,
than
being
worried
about
what
is
to
happen
to
you.
Well,
it
is
better
every
one
asks
that
question
even
now
and
equips
himself
with
the
answer
rather
than
wait
until
it
is
too
late.
What
am
I
For?
What
ought
I
to
do?
These
questions
you
must
pursue,
and
arrive
at
the
answers.
You
nature
is
Sat,
Chit
and
Ananda,
believe
Me.
That
is
why
you
behave
in
the
way
you
do.
You
desire
to
exist
for
ever;
you
enjoy
continuing
to
live;
you
avoid
all
talk
of
your
own
death.
That
is
enough
evidence
to
conclude
that
you
are
Reality
in
essence
(Sat-
swarupa).
Then,
again,
you
are
Oilled
with
wonder
and
curiosity
and
a
desire
to
know
the
world
around
you.
You
ask
continuously
what,
why,
how
and
when,
about
all
and
sundry.
This
is
the
prompting
that
is
given
by
the
Consciousness
(Chit)
that
is
in
your
make-up.
Lastly,
you
are
always
seeking
joy,
through
some
means
or
other.
You
try
to
avoid
grief,
you
try
to
taste
joy
instead.
It
is
the
nature
of
man
to
do
so.
For,
he
is
essentially
of
the
nature
of
Bliss
(Anandaswarupa).
When
he
seeks
Ananda,
it
is
like
the
call
of
the
deep
for
the
deep.
When
some
one
asks
you,
How
do
you
do?,
and
you
answer,
Quite
well,
thank
you,
he
does
not
stop
to
enquire
why
you
are
well.
It
is
only
when
you
answer
that
you
are
ill,
he
stops
and
expresses
concern
and
probes
into
the
causes,
symptoms
and
cure
of
the
illness.
Well-ness
is
natural;
ill-ness
unnatural.
Anxiety
is
caused
by
the
unnatural
only.
So,
you
are
happiness
in
essence
(sukhaswarupa)
also.
Sat,
Chit,
Ananda
are
the
attributes
of
the
tm
and
you
are
the
Self
not
the
body.
There
was
a
king
who
had
an
abiding
faith
in
astrology.
So,
when
his
son
was
born
on
a
day
when
the
Moola
Nakshatra
(star)
was
in
the
ascendant,
he
feared
that
the
child
would
bring
calamity
to
the
line;
he
therefore
asked
his
soldiers
to
slay
it
and
throw
the
carcass
in
the
jungle.
The
servants
were
so
overcome
by
pity
that,
instead
of
killing
the
child,
they
just
cast
it
away
in
the
jungle
and
came
away.
The
child
was
discovered
and
fostered
by
a
washerman
for
many
years.
The
boy
was
engaged
in
washing
the
clothes
and
spreading
them
out
to
dry,
when
one
day,
the
king
lost
his
way
and
strayed
into
the
village
where
the
washerman
lived
with
the
Prince.
While
resting
in
the
washermans
house,
the
king
discovered
that
the
boy
who
washed
the
clothes
was
his
own
son.
He
took
him
back
and
crowned
him
Yuvaraja.
Now,
even
when
the
boy
was
with
the
washerman,
he
did
not
lose
his
status
as
a
Prince.
Only
he
did
not
know
his
reality.
You
are
all
in
the
same
plight:
Princes,
misled
into
believing
that
you
are
washermen,
souls
ignorant
of
the
magniOicence
of
the
status,
but
declaring
that
you
are
only
he
shortlived,
easily-destroyed
bodies.
Your
time
in
school
has
to
be
used
not
only
in
the
task
of
collecting
information
and
earning
certain
skills
that
will
give
you
an
income
on
which
you
can
live;
it
must
also
be
used
to
acquire
the
art
of
being
content
and
calm,
collected
and
courageous.
You
must
also
cultivate
at
school
an
ardent
thirst
for
knowing
the
truth
of
the
world
and
of
your
own
self.
I
want
you
also
to
read
such
books
as
will
prompt
you
to
ask
and
answer
questions
about
your
Self.
The
Vedas,
Upanishads
and
Shastras
are
like
trafOic
signs
on
the
road;
if
they
are
removed,
the
journey
is
rendered
slow
and
difOicult,
replete
with
accidents.
We
cannot
afford
to
destroy
them.
We
have
to
restore
them
in
the
interest
of
humanity
itself.
Caste
(Jathi)
has
to
be
determined
on
the
basis
of
Gunas
though
a
man
belonging
to
a
caste
Page 83 of 268
can
be
judged
Oit
or
unOit,
on
the
basis
of
his
Karma.
If
Jathi
(Caste)
has
to
be
decided
on
the
twin
bases
of
Guna
and
Karma,
as
evidenced
by
the
character
and
activities
of
the
individual,
a
person
will
have
to
be
labelled
differently
every
hour
or
every
minute
of
his
life!
It
is
only
in
pitch
darkness
that
the
ground
appears
level;
day
reveals
the
heights
and
hollows.
So
too,
it
is
only
ignorance
that
makes
people
talk
of
equality;
knowledge
reveals
basic
differences
in
health,
equipment,
attitude
and
tastes!
I
want
that
the
knowledge
embodied
in
the
Upanishads
should
be
handed
down
to
every
one.
Bhakti-directed
education
must
take
precedence
over
the
Bhukti-directed
(enjoyment-directed)
schooling
that
prevails
today
in
most
countries
of
the
world.
Bhakti
is
the
Aashakti
or
yearning
which
goads
you
on
to
the
spiritual
discipline
which
will
endow
you
with
that
Jnana.
Have
both
faith
and
steadiness
-
and
you
will
win.
!
For
the
Wisdom
of
the
Sages
is
the
Heritage
of
Humanity.
!
Discourse 16 (Brindavan, 15/4/1964)
There
was
a
gopee,
for
example,
called
Suguna,
who
had
no
other
thought
than
those
related
to
Krishna.
Now
every
evening,
it
was
the
usual
routine
in
Brindavan
for
every
housewife
to
light
the
lamp
from
the
Olame
of
the
lamp
at
the
house
of
Nanda;
they
believed
that
getting
light
from
the
Olame
of
the
lamp
of
the
eldest
and
highest
is
auspicious.
Suguna
went
with
the
lamp
of
Nandas
house
and
when
she
reached
the
house,
her
mind
was
lost
in
the
thrill
and
joy
of
seeing
the
very
house
where
Krishna
spent
his
childhood
days,
to
which
his
pranks
and
prattle
drew
all
the
cowherd
boys
and
girls.
She
stood
there
with
her
unlighted
lamp
for
a
long
while,
near
the
big
oil
lamp,
illuming
the
central
hall.
She
was
holding
the
lamp
near
the
Olame,
but
not
near
enough.
She
had
her
Oinger
right
over
the
Olame.
She
was
not
aware
that
her
Oinger
was
being
scorched
by
the
Olame;
she
was
too
full
of
Krishna-consciousness
to
be
aware
of
the
pain.
It
was
Yashoda
who
saw
her
plight
and
woke
her
from
the
reverie,
or
shall
we
say,
vision?
For,
to
her,
the
house
was
alive
with
Krishna
wherever
her
eyes
turned.
That
is
the
tanmayatvam
(identiOication)
one
must
achieve.
There
is
no
use
if
the
Oledgling
stays
in
the
nest;
it
should
develop
wings
and
Oly
into
the
sky.
There
is
no
use
if
man
grovels
in
the
dust;
he
should
take
to
his
wings
and
Oly.
The
Shastras
direct
you
to
the
Reality
easily
and
without
hesitation.
You
have
heard
people
pointing
to
the
faint
crescent
moon
in
the
sky
and
saying,
There!
Right
on
top
of
that
mango
tree,
a
yard
from
the
lightning-conductor
on
that
spire,
to
the
left
of
it.
Page 84 of 268
That
is
just
the
kind
of
help
that
the
Shastras
give
about
the
Universal
and
the
Absolute.
You
have
to
run
your
eye
along
the
tree,
the
spire
and
the
lightning
conductor,
and
see
the
moon
yourself.
Shastras
guide
you
to
the
truth
and
lead
you
to
it,
in
easy
stages.
It
is
a
hard
job
to
know
about
your
own
Self.
Take
the
case
of
the
food
that
you
eat
with
your
own
mouth.
You
feel
it
in
your
stomach
and
after
that,
you
do
not
experience
what
happens
to
it
at
each
stage.
How
then
can
you
know,
without
acquiring
the
special
means
for
it,
the
Truth
that
lies
behind
the
sheaths
that
encase
and
enclose
you
-
the
Annamaya,
Pranamaya,
Manomaya,
Vijnanamaya
and
Anandamaya?
Clear
your
intellect
or
intellectual
power
(dheeshakti)
of
the
cobwebs
of
the
ego,
the
dust
of
desire,
the
soot
of
greed
and
envy,
and
it
becomes
a
Oit
instrument
for
revealing
the
Swarupa
-
the
Inner
Truth.
Know
yourself,
know
the
Inner
Motivator,
the
Antaryamin
-
that
is
the
exhortation
of
the
scriptures
of
all
faiths.
For,
unless
you
are
armed
with
that
knowledge,
you
are
like
a
ship
without
a
compass,
sailing
on
a
stormy
sea.
You
may
ask
-
Where
can
we
Oind
the
Lord?
Well,
he
has
given
His
address,
in
Chapter
18,
Shloka
61
of
the
Bhagavad
Gita.
Turn
to
it
and
note
it
down.
Ishvarassarvabhootanam
Hriddeshe,
Arjuna,
Tisthati
-
O
Arjuna,
the
Lord
resides
in
the
heart
of
all
beings.
Now,
after
knowing
that,
how
can
you
look
down
any
living
being
in
contempt
or
how
can
you
revel
in
hating
him
or
indulge
in
the
pastime
of
ridiculing?
Every
individual
is
charged
with
the
Divine
Presence,
moved
by
Divine
attributes.
Listen
to
the
primeval
Pranava
AUM
resounding
in
your
heart
as
well
as
in
the
heart
of
the
Universe.
When
someone
ridicules,
you
should
argue
like
this
within
yourself:
Is
he
ridiculing
my
body?
Well,
he
is
doing
what
I
myself
would
wish
to
do;
for,
I
too
want
to
escape
out
of
this
attachment
of
this
body.
Is
he
ridiculing
the
tm?
Well,
he
is
doing
the
impossible,
for,
the
tm
is
beyond
the
reach
of
words
or
thought;
it
is
unaffected
by
praise
or
blame.
Say
to
yourself,
My
tm
Tattva
is
Nischala
(immovable),
it
is
Nirmala
(pure),
and
carry
on.
Reason
out
and
get
convinced
of
the
Truth,
Sarvam
Brahmamayam.
You
know
there
are
Oive
elements
or
bhootas,
which
constitute,
by
their
permutations
and
combinations,
the
world
called
Prapancham,
the
Five-constituted.
Prithivi
or
the
Earth-element
has
Oive
qualities,
the
maximum,
and
so,
it
is
the
grossest.
It
has
its
own
special
characteristic
of
gandha
(smell),
as
well
as
the
characteristic
of
the
other
four,
namely,
sparsha,
rasa,
rupa
and
shabda
(touch,
taste,
form
and
sound).
The
next
one
Jala,
the
water-element
has
only
four,
its
own
special
one
-
taste
and
touch,
form.
So
it
is
subtler
than
the
Earth-element.
Agnis
is
subtler
still,
because
apart
from
its
special
characteristics
of
form,
it
has
only
two
others,
sound
and
touch.
Vaayu,
the
Air-element
Page 85 of 268
has
touch
as
its
special
and
one
more
quality,
sound.
Finally
the
lightest
and
subtlest
of
all
the
Oive,
Akasha,
the
Sky-element,
has
only
one
characteristic,
its
own,
namely,
Shabda.
Now,
God
is
subtler
than
even
Akasha
and
so
He
is
all-pervading,
even
more
than
ether
or
anything
more
pervasive
than
that.
His
nature
is
beyond
all
human
vocabulary,
beyond
all
human
mathematics.
Have
this
conviction
well-stabilised
in
your
intellect.
Be
steady
in
spiritual
practice,
and
never
hesitate
once
you
have
decided
on
it.
When
the
bus
is
moving
on,
the
dust
will
be
Oloating
behind
as
a
cloud:
it
is
only
when
it
stops
with
a
jerk
that
the
dust
will
envelop
the
faces
of
the
passengers.
So,
keep
steadily
engaged
in
the
practice.
Then,
the
cloudy
dust
of
the
objective
world
will
not
cover
your
face.
Through
Bodha
(knowledge)
alone
can
Dharma
be
saved
in
the
modern
Kali-age.
That
is
why
I
am
engaged
in
bodha
(imparting
knowledge),
in
this
task
of
re-constructing
through
upadesha
(instruction).
When
you
pour
oil
from
one
tin
to
another,
the
hand
that
pours
must
be
steady
and
the
tin
from
which
it
is
poured
must
not
shake;
nor,
should
the
tin
that
receives
shake,
for,
that
will
also
make
the
oil
spill
on
the
ground.
You
should
be
nischalam
(not
moving);
then
only
can
you
accept
the
Bodha
(imparting
of
knowledge)
straight
into
your
hearts.
Now,
there
are
some
who
say
that
Jeevi
will
be
jeevi
and
Deva
will
be
Deva
(God)
and
the
two
can
never
be
the
same
or
merge.
If
that
was
true,
then,
what
is
the
use
of
Japam,
Dhyanam,
Sat-karma
and
all
the
other
varieties
of
Sadhana
recommended
by
the
Shastras
and
the
sages?
There
is
no
doubt
that
Nara
can
become
Narayana;
Tvam
can
become
Tat.
That
is
the
doctrine
of
the
Upanishads
and
the
experience
of
the
saints.
Once
a
quarrel
ensued
between
the
Advaitin
who
said
that
the
jeevi
is
really
God
who
falsely
identiOies
himself
with
the
limited
Name
and
Form
which
he
appears
to
have
assumed,
and
the
Dvaitin
who
said
that
the
jeevi
is
distinct
from
the
Deva.
When
the
quarrel
boiled
over,
the
Dvaitin
said,
See,
even
this
dhobi
knows
that
Advaitism
is
wrong.
The
Advaitin
said
that
the
dhobi
too
is
subject
to
the
ajnana,
the
delusion
that
he
is
the
limited
Upadhi
(adjunct)
of
name
and
form,
which
are
but
temporary
adjuncts
of
the
personality.
The
knowledge
of
the
Kshetra
and
the
Kshetrajna
will
alone
help
to
overcome
that
delusion.
Kshetra
is
the
Oield,
the
Oield
of
the
senses,
the
Oield
of
the
dualities,
and
the
Kshetrajna
is
he
who
knows
the
Oield
and
is
its
Master.
Well,
this
Prakriti
or
Nature
is
also
just
svabhava
of
the
Lord,
his
Sankalpa
(Will),
a
manner
of
His
manifestation.
All
this
is,
as
Kasturi
said
in
his
speech,
while
quoting
some
experiences
of
Bhaktas,
His
Hands
and
Feet,
His
manifestation.
That
is
why
it
is
said
that
Sarvam
is
Brahmamayam.
With
just
a
little
paint
and
a
piece
of
white
paper,
the
painter
can
draw
a
frightening
picture
of
a
demon,
or
a
charming
picture
of
a
smiling
baby
or
an
inspiring
picture
of
a
yogi
meditating
on
the
Absolute.
All
those
different
reactions
are
the
result
of
the
combinations
of
colours;
the
basic
reality
is
just
colour.
So
too
in
the
picture
house,
the
screen
is
the
stable
substance,
the
shadows
come
and
go.
When
the
picture
is
being
Page 86 of 268
Olashed
on
the
screen,
the
screen
is
not
noticed;
it
is
the
base,
the
foundation,
the
whole
of
it
has
become
the
picture.
Sarvam
Vishnu
Mayam
Jagat.
Every
one
calls
himself
I,
is
it
not?
Now,
who
gave
that
possession?
Was
it
any
company?
Or,
did
you
get
it
as
part
of
the
dowry?
Or,
from
the
rulers?
Or
from
some
organisation?
You
say
it
is
your
birthright;
well,
let
it
be
so.
That
I
is
the
entity
which
is
posited
as
Brahman
in
the
Mahavakya,
Aham
Brahmasmi
-
I
Am
Brahman.
When
the
One
became
many,
when
the
One
manifests
as
Prakriti
composed
of
the
Five
Elements,
do
not
imagine
that
its
value
is
affected
thereby.
When
a
rupee
is
changed
into
ten-naya
paise
coins,
its
value
is
not
decreased
at
all.
So,
see
Nature
as
Supreme
Soul,
not
as
multiplicity
of
sense-impressions
and
sense-attractions.
Wherever
your
eye
turns,
whatever
your
eyes
hear,
your
Oingers
touch,
your
tongue
tastes,
and
your
nose
smells,
whatever
has
form,
sound,
touch,
taste
and
smell,
take
that
also
to
be
God-Oilled.
Do
not
allow
the
mere
sound,
the
mere
taste,
etc.
to
captivate
your
senses.
See
the
divine
in
each,
welcome
and
accept
only
that.
Vyaasa
is
the
Lokaguru:
he
is
Divine
Effulgence.
Even
Vyaasa
can
only
show
you
the
road.
YOU
have
to
traverse
it
alone.
You
pray,
not
for
grace,
but
fore
petty
impermanent
pleasures;
you
do
not
try
to
know
the
ordinances
of
God
and
decide
to
follow
them.
Look
at
Dhruva.
He
started
his
penance,
with
the
low
aim
of
getting
mastery
over
his
step-mothers
son;
but
as
he
progressed,
he
saw
that
he
could
get
something
far
higher
than
even
imperial
honours,
namely,
the
grace
of
God.
Learn
to
appreciate
the
tm
and
to
detach
your
mind
from
that
which
is
not
tm.
Become
wise
and
discriminating.
Once
you
have
secured
a
Guru,
leave
everything
to
him,
even
the
desire
to
achieve
liberation.
He
knows
you
more
than
you
yourself
ever
can.
He
will
direct
you
as
much
as
is
good
for
you.
Your
duty
is
only
to
obey
and
to
smother
the
tendency
to
drift
away
from
Him.
You
may
ask,
how
are
we
to
earn
our
food,
if
we
attach
ourselves
to
a
Guru
like
this?
Be
convinced
that
the
Lord
will
not
let
you
starve;
He
will
give
you
not
merely
money
but
even
Amrita,
not
only
food
but
the
nectar
of
immortality.
If
you
have
daya,
dhama
and
dharma
(compassion,
self-control,
righteousness),
that
will
take
you
beyond
the
realm
of
the
three
tunas;
there
is
no
need
then
for
getting
a
Nama
from
the
Guru
and
repeating
it.
The
aajna
of
the
Guru
or
the
Lord
is
even
more
important
than
the
Name
of
the
Guru
or
the
Name
of
the
Lord.
Of
what
use
is
the
repetition
of
the
Name,
without
at
the
same
time
purifying
the
impulses
by
the
observances
of
His
commands.
Maya
itself
has
caused
multifarious
forms.
This
is
a
clever
stage-play,
a
kind
of
fancy-
dress.
The
objective
world
or
Nature
assumes
many
forms
through
the
manipulation
of
Maya,
the
deluding
urge.
The
Shabda,
the
Pranava
are
all
very
important
keys
to
bliss;
the
Vedas
are
to
be
heard
and
recited.
They
are
Shruti,
that
which
was
heard,
in
moments
of
supra
conscious
ecstasy,
by
puriOied
scholars
doing
sadhana.
You
can
give
Ananda
by
your
speech,
only
if
you
have
attained
the
state
of
Ananda
yourself.
A
lamp
burning
under
a
pot
with
Oive
holes:
that
is
the
symbol
of
man,
who
has
the
Flame
of
Wisdom
shining
through
Oive
sense.
Cover
the
pot
with
a
thick
cloth
and
no
light
emerges.
The
cloth
is
the
cover
of
ajnana,
of
tamas.
Remove
it;
it
shines
feebly
through
the
sense,
that
is
the
symbol
of
rajas.
Remove
the
pot
itself,
that
is
to
say,
remove
the
identiOication
with
the
body
(dehtm
buddhi);
then
the
tmjyoti
(light
of
the
Self)
shines
full
and
bright.
The
jyoti
or
Ananda
is
ever
there
but,
it
was
obstructed
by
the
pot
and
the
cloth.
Ananda
is
your
native
character,
your
real
stamp,
your
very
reality.
The
patient
must
himself
drink
the
drug.
There
is
no
vicarious
cure.
The
balm
must
be
applied
where
the
pain
is.
The
cause
of
the
illness
and
of
the
misery
is
in
your
mental
vision,
for,
you
see
many,
when
there
is
only
One.
You
say
My
God,
Their
God,
Your
Baba,
as
if
there
are
so
many
Gods
existing
to
help
you
quarrel
and
riot
among
yourselves.
Discover
your
holiness,
your
divinity,
your
truth.
You
may
have
doubts
which
is
dharma,
which
is
satya,
which
is
prema,
etc.
I
admit;
but,
you
can
have
no
doubt
about
yourself,
is
it
not?
So,
Oind
out
who
you
are
and
be
Oixed
in
that
truth.
That
is
enough
to
save
you,
to
give
you
everlasting
joy.
That
is
why
the
Vedas
and
the
Upanishads
teach,
what
the
sages
and
the
saints
experienced,
what
these
Pandits
remind
you
in
their
discourses.
They
are
afraid
of
being
alone;
they
avoid
silenced
as
something
detestable!
But,
you
can
discover
your
own
truth
only
when
you
are
alone
with
yourself
and
there
is
silence
all
around
you.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
there
are
no
atheists
at
all
but,
only
ignorant
people.
They
do
not
know
that
God
is
their
innermost
core.
They
deny
God
because
they
do
not
know
that
their
very
breath
is
God.
It
is
like
Oish
denying
the
existence
of
water.
You
have
to
pity
them
for
their
colossal
ignorance,
not
get
angry
with
them
for
saying
things
you
do
not
like.
God
dwells
in
you
as
Ananda;
that
is
why
you
seek
Ananda
automatically,
always,
in
every
object
around
you.
To
become
as
full
of
ananda
as
Radha
or
as
Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa
or
as
Vivekananda,
you
have
to
sacriOice
your
ego
and
saturate
yourself
with
the
consciousness
that
the
Lord
is
your
very
being.
Page 88 of 268
So
long
as
you
have
a
trace
of
ego
in
you,
you
cannot
see
the
Lord
clearly.
That
is
the
thera
(curtain)
which
Saint
Thygaraja
prayed
Lord
Venkateshvara
to
remove
from
his
mind.
Egoism
will
be
destroyed
if
you
constantly
tell
yourself,
It
is
He,
not
I.
He
is
the
force,
I
am
but
the
instrument.
!
Mother
is
Love.
Worship
the
Mother
as
God.
Father
is
Truth.
Worship
the
Father
as
God.
!
Discourse 23 (Madras, 14/8/1964)
But, develop the thirst for Krishna, you discover the cool spring of Ananda within you.
You
may
ask,
If
we
engage
ourselves
in
this
pastime,
how
can
we
earn
our
livelihood?
Well,
let
me
assure
you,
if
you
have
pure
and
steady
faith
in
the
Lord,
He
will
provide
for
you,
not
merely
food,
but
the
nectar
of
Immortality.
You
have
that
mighty
potentiality
in
you,
to
discover
the
Lord
within
and
compel
Him
to
grant
you
that
nectar.
Dharma:
What
is
dharma,
why
should
it
be
followed,
what
does
it
allow,
what
does
it
condemn,
etc.
-
these
have
to
be
clearly
known.
The
Gita
is
the
best
text
on
Dharma:
the
Oirst
word
in
it
is
Dharma
and
the
last
word
is
Mama
(mine).
So,
it
teaches
each
student
what
exactly
he
should
consider
as
the
dharma
which
is
mine!
Each
one
must
evolve
his
own
dharma
based
on
tmdharma,
the
faith
that
the
tm
is
his
true
reality.
Bhakti
is
like
a
king,
who
has
two
aides-de-camp
called
jnana
and
vairagya.
Without
these
two
bodyguards,
bhakti
is
never
secure
or
safe.
Bhakti
must
be
built
upon
the
foundation
of
jnana;
it
must
Olower
as
detachment
from
the
world.
The
jnani
is
the
sthita-prajna
(conscious
of
His
position),
unshaken
by
the
storms
of
fortune,
good
or
bad;
the
vairagi
is
the
person
who
has
rid
himself
of
the
three
tunas;
and
the
bhakti
is
he
who
is
all
prema.
Bhakti,
jnana
and
vairagya
are
three
peaks
of
the
same
Himalayan
range.
Prema
creates
daya;
vairagya
induces
dams;
and,
jnana
leads
you
along
the
path
of
dharma.
Join
the
company
of
the
good,
the
striving,
the
yearning
sadhakas
and
you
will
soon
reach
the
stage
of
peace
within
and
harmony
without.
The
three
tunas
have
to
be
transcended
one
after
the
other;
tamas
being
transmuted
into
rajas
and
rajas
into
sattva
and
sattva
too,
at
last
into
characteristiclessness.
The
gunas
bind
man
and
leave
impressions.
Tamas
is
like
the
worm
that
creep
and
crawl
in
offal;
Rajas
is
like
the
Oly
that
sits
on
foul
things
as
well
as
fair;
Sattva
is
like
the
bee
that
visits
only
fragrant
Olowers.
But,
all
three
are
drawn
towards
objects,
whereas
one
should
be
free
from
all
traces
of
attachment.
The
Guru
must
have
the
awakening
touch
and
the
sishya
must
have
the
eagerness
to
awake.
The
relationship
should
not
be
like
the
snake
with
a
frog
in
the
mouth,
the
frog
too
weak
to
escape,
the
snake
too
full
to
swallow.
The
Guru
must
be
able
to
save;
the
sishya
must
be
ready
to
be
saved.
The
Lord
cares
for
ekagratha
and
chitta-shuddhi
(concentration
and
purity
of
mind).
You
need
not
feel
that
you
are
physically
away
from
Him.
He
has
no
near
and
far.
Page 89 of 268
While
in
Dandakaranya
forest,
Rama
was
once
reclining
with
His
head
on
the
lap
of
Sugreeva
and
the
vanara
leaders
were
around
Him.
The
moon
was
shining
overhead
in
full
glow,
but,
there
was
the
tell-tale
spot
which
marred
the
fullness
of
the
effulgence.
Rama
asked
each
one
of
them
what
the
spot
indicated.
Each
one
gave
a
different
explanation;
the
reOlection
of
the
sea,
one
said;
a
deep
pit,
said
another;
a
mountain
range,
said
a
third;
but,
Anjaneya
said,
It
is
your
reOlection
I
see
on
the
moon,
your
colour,
nothing
else.
That
was
the
measure
of
his
devotion.
He
saw
everywhere,
every
time
only
Rama.
Man
is
a
pilgrim
towards
Dharmakshetra,
the
pride
of
Dharma,
which
is
the
abode
also
of
nti;
but,
on
the
way,
he
is
led
into
the
by
lanes
and
alleys
of
objective
pleasure
by
the
senses
to
which
he
has
become
a
slave.
Man
is
eager
to
know
about
all
kinds
of
trivialities,
like
the
details
of
other
lives
and
other
places,
but,
he
has
no
keenness
to
know
about
himself
or
the
place
from
where
he
himself
has
come.
Man
is
sunk
in
ignorance
about
himself,
his
source
and
substance,
his
goal
and
fate.
He
reduces
himself
to
just
one
individual;
he,
the
inheritor
of
unlimited
wealth
and
fortune,
feels
himself
a
pauper.
Remove
this
ego
boundary;
then
only
can
you
recognise
the
vastness
of
yourself.
!
Egoism
is
a
tough
enemy
and
it
requires
constant
vigilance
to
conquer
it.
!
Pride
raises
its
head
in
every
stage
and
state.
Like
grass
which
covers
the
earth
with
a
green
carpet,
as
soon
as
the
rains
fall
even
in
places
which
appeared
dry
waste,
pride
thrives
upon
opportunity.
Shikadhvaja,
the
King,
got
a
feeling
of
extreme
renunciation
and
left
for
the
forest
for
ascetic
practices.
His
queen
Choodala
had
the
spirit
of
detachment
in
greater
measure,
but,
she
did
not
make
a
show
of
it
as
her
husband
did.
The
queen
put
on
a
male
attire,
wore
ochre,
spelt
a
rosary
and
sought
him
in
the
jungle.
Discovering
him
at
last,
she
asked
him
who
he
was.
The
king
replied
that
he
was
the
ruler
of
the
realm,
that
he
had
given
up
his
riches,
his
treasure,
his
army,
his
court,
etc.
For
the
sake
of
what
did
you
give
up
these?
asked
Choodala.
For
the
sake
of
peace,
replied
the
king.
But,
he
had
to
confess
that
he
had
not
attained
it.
Then,
CHoodala
taught
him
that
the
giving
up
of
things
will
bear
no
fruit,
that
the
desire
for
things,
the
pride
of
possessing
things,
of
having
once
possessed
them,
has
to
be
given
up,
that
one
must
be
detached
from
the
objective
world
so
that
he
might
turn
his
eyes
inward
and
conquer
the
foes
of
the
inner
realm
and
become
a
master
of
himself.
You
must
develop
the
devotion
of
the
gopees,
of
Radha,
of
Uddhava,
of
Hanuman.
Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa
did
intense
sadhana,
transmitting/transmuting
himself
into
the
attitude
of
Hanuman
and
even
his
physical
attributes
changed
to
suit
the
role.
When
a
mother
is
feeding
her
child,
you
can
see
her
with
the
child
on
her
hip
and
the
plate
in
her
hand,
inducing
the
child
to
eat,
by
means
of
harsh
words
or
a
smile,
a
joke,
Page 90 of 268
a
threat
or
a
story,
diverting
its
attention,
showing
the
child
a
dog
or
a
Olower
or
the
moon.
I
have
also
to
adopt
the
same
tactics
to
make
you
listen
and
assimilate
the
valuable
food
that
is
so
necessary
for
your
growth.
That
is
the
reason
why
I
relate
stories,
sing,
recite
poems,
etc,.
in
My
discourses!
Birth
and
death
are
two
high
cliffs
between
which
the
river
of
life
Olows.
The
force
of
tm-shakti
is
the
bridge
that
scans
the
chasm,
and
for
those
who
have
developed
that
force
and
faith,
the
Oloods
are
of
no
concern.
With
tm-shakti
as
their
safe
support,
they
can
reach
the
other
bank,
braving
all
dangers.
The
gods
once
imagined
that
they
were
able
to
get
victory
over
the
demons
because
of
their
own
process.
When
they
were
celebrating
the
victory,
a
deity
appeared
before
them
and
cast
a
blade
of
grass
on
the
ground.
It
asked
Agni
to
burn
it;
but
it
could
not.
It
challenged
Vayu
to
lift
it,
but
he
could
not.
It
provoked
Varuna
to
wet
it,
but,
in
spite
of
his
best
efforts,
he
could
not.
Then
when
their
pride
had
been
pricked,
the
deity
taught
them
the
Brahma
Vidya,
which
reveals
the
inner
source
of
all
strength.
This
is
no
ordinary
story;
Agni
is
the
presiding
deity
of
vaak
(speech)
and
so
it
tells
us
that
speech
has
to
be
humble,
that
it
derives
its
power
only
from
the
basic
Universal
Principle.
Vayu
is
Prana;
Indra
is
buddhi.
Arjunas
vishada
(dejection)
is
also
a
case
of
Oinely
disguised
egoism,
which
revealed
a
fault
in
his
make-up.
He
was
a
dheera
(hero)
until
he
came
on
the
battleOield
and
was
transformed
into
a
bheeru
(coward).
It
was
all
a
case
of
I
and
Mine.
I
will
go
to
hell,
I
would
rather
beg.
I
will
not
Oight
my
Guru,
my
uncle,
my
cousin,
etc.
I
and
Mine
are
two
poison
fangs;
they
have
to
be
removed
to
make
man
harmless.
Krishna
told
Arjuna,
I
am
surprised
that
you
should
weep
so,
for
you
are
Gudakesha,
the
conqueror
of
sleep,
of
ignorance.
You
do
not
kill,
dont
be
so
conceited
as
all
that;
nor
do
they
die,
they
have
many
more
things
to
do,
and
the
real
they
are
deathless.
The
sentence
of
death
has
been
already
pronounced
on
their
bodies
by
Me
and
you
have
but
to
carry
out
My
orders.
Therefore,
the
Pranti
Vidvanmahasabha
has
been
established,
and
Pandits
have
been
entrusted
with
the
task
of
revitalising
the
dry
sources
of
nti,
by
the
teachings
contained
in
the
Shastras.
The
Vedas
tell
you
those
things
that
cannot
be
known
by
anything
else.
The
word
Veda
means
knowledge,
knowledge
that
cannot
be
acquired
by
the
senses
or
the
intellect
or
even
by
unguided
intuition.
Advaita
is
something
that
no
one
in
the
dual
world
can
understood.
It
is
aprapya
manasa
saha
-
beyond
the
reach
of
even
the
mind.
In
fact,
intellect
and
mind
must
each
be
transcended,
before
one
can
grasp
the
magniOicence
of
that
Unity.
If
dvaita
has
to
be
taught,
why
should
the
Vedas
take
up
that
task?
Dvaita
-
the
seer
and
the
seen,
the
creator
and
the
created,
the
good
and
the
bad,
the
right
and
the
wrong
-
this
is
the
daily
concrete
experience
of
every
one.
Prakriti
is
patently
dualistic.
The
Vedas
endeavour
to
open
the
eyes
of
man
to
the
falsity
of
dualistic
experience,
the
reality
of
the
only
One,
Advaita.
They
proclaim
it,
loudly
and
with
enthusiasm.
Page 91 of 268
It
is
only
through
action
that
devotion
can
be
deepened.
Action
cleans
the
mind
and
makes
it
Oit
for
spiritual
knowledge.
Sravana
is
a
tamasik
act,
maana
is
rajasik,
while
nidhidhyasana
is
Sattvik.
When
you
are
simply
listening,
quietly
receiving
without
responding,
you
are
just
dull
(Satvik);
when
you
turn
it
over
in
your
mind,
attempting
to
assimilate
it,
then
you
are
active
(Rajasik);
when
you
are
sunk
in
the
sweetness
of
experience
in
dhyana
you
have
pure
exultation
(Sattvik).
That
is
the
fruit
of
Bhakti,
this
nidhidhyasana.
There
is
no
need
to
Oight
against
the
fundamental
delusion
of
deha
bhranti
(attachment
to
body)
with
overwhelming
force
and
argument!
As
Agnihotram
Ramanuja
Thattachariar
said
now,
the
delusion
will
disappear
only
if
one
sits
quietly
for
a
minute
and
analyse
for
himself
the
world
and
his
experience
of
the
world.
Jnana
is
not
Aprapta-
prapti,
something
new
that
is
acquired,
like
gifts
by
some
one,
of
money
that
the
donor
had,
but
which
the
recipient
did
not
have.
it
is
prapta-prapti,
like
some
one
giving
you
a
ten-rupee
note
which
you
had
kept
between
the
pages
of
a
book
you
were
reading.
You
had
lent
him
the
book;
when
you
needed
a
loan,
you
asked
him
for
a
tenner;
and
he
gave
you
back
your
own
note.
That
is
how
jnana
reveals
to
you
your
own
glory.
The
Guru
gives
you
from
out
of
your
own
hridaya-pustaka
(heart-book)
the
treasure
which
was
there
unrecognised
by
you.
You
are
afraid
because
you
have
forgotten
your
own
strength.
Agnihotram
Thatachariar
said
that
the
Lord
had
Sarvatah
Pani
Padam:
His
hands
and
feet
are
everywhere.
It
is
through
him
that
you
are
able
to
see;
your
eye
required
His
eye
in
order
to
function.
It
is
the
reOlection,
the
tm
in
the
antahkarana,
that
activates
it
and
makes
it
Olow
through
the
senses
towards
the
objective
world.
Liberation
is
attained
when
the
tm
shines
in
its
own
glory;
it
is
not
a
clonoy
or
a
suburb
where
aristocratic
residents
have
secured
good
sites
in
paradise.
It
is
the
condition
of
the
jeeva
which
has
shed
delusion.
When
delusion
is
shed,
grief
gets
destroyed;
joy
is
established:
dukha
nivritti
(removal
of
grief)
and
ananda
prapti
(attainment
of
bliss)
both
happen
at
the
same
time.
The
mind
is
the
villain;
it
is
another
name
for
desire;
the
texture
of
the
mind
is
just
desire;
both
warp
and
woof
are
desire
and
nothing
else.
If
desire
goes,
the
mind
disappears.
When
you
pull
out
all
the
yarn
from
a
piece
of
cloth,
you
have
no
more
cloth.
So
too,
pull
out
desires
from
the
mind,
it
disappears
and
you
are
free.
Grief
and
joy
are
the
obverse
and
reverse
of
the
same
experience.
Joy
is
when
grief
ends;
grief
is
when
joy
ends.
When
you
invite
a
blind
man
for
dinner,
you
must
set
on
the
table
two
plates,
for
he
comes
along
with
another
man
who
will
lead
him
in.
Grief
and
joy
are
inseparable
companions.
For
like
the
body
which
passes
through
childhood,
boyhood,
adolescence,
middle
age
and
old
age,
bhakti
too
has
stages
in
its
growth.
The
tender
fruit
is
love,
the
grown
one
is
devotion
and
the
ripe
fruit
is
surrender.
This
ananda
that
you
experienced
here
now
iso
not
something
that
came
from
outside;
it
was
your
own
ananda
that
you
experienced;
you
are
Anandaswarupa;
and
so
it
welled
up
from
inside
your
own
heart.
Page 92 of 268
Today
this
Saptaha
celebrates
its
Samapti
(conclusion).
That
word
means,
according
to
most
people,
the
Oinal
function;
but
it
has
a
profounder
meaning
too.
Samapti
means,
the
attainment
(Aapti)
of
Samam
(Brahmam).
That
is
the
Oinal
fruit
of
sravana,
maana
and
nidhidhyasana
of
spiritual
lessons
and
discourses.
In
the
worldly
sense,
it
means
the
conclusion
of
a
period
of
time;
in
the
spiritual
sense,
it
means
transcending
time.
What
is
the
sum
and
substance
of
all
these
discourses?
It
is
that
man
has
to
give
up
his
pursuit
of
sensory
objects
if
he
seeks
lasting
peace
and
joy.
Material
wealth
brings
along
with
it,
not
only
joy
but
grief
as
well.
Accumulation
of
riches,
multiplication
of
wants
-
these
lead
only
to
alternation
between
joy
and
grief.
Attachment
is
the
root
of
both
joy
and
grief;
detachment
is
the
Saviour.
Ashakti
(attachment)
is
maaraka
(death);
anashakti
(non-attachment)
is
taaraka
(saviour).
A
millionaire
pays
income-tax
with
tears
in
his
eyes;
a
headmaster
joyfully
gives
up
the
furniture
and
laboratory
appliances
of
his
school
when
he
is
transferred
to
some
other
place.
Why?
Because
the
headmaster
knows
that
he
is
only
the
caretaker,
not
the
owner.
He
is
not
attached
to
these
articles;
he
knows
that
they
belong
to
the
government.
So,
too,
feel
that
your
family,
your
house,
your
Oields
your
car,
are
all
the
Lords
property
and
that
you
are
only
the
trustee;
be
ready
to
give
them
up
without
a
murmur
at
a
moments
notice.
Thyaga
does
not
mean
that
you
should
not
value
things;
you
may,
even
care
for
them.
But,
remember
always
that
they
are
transient,
that
the
joy
they
give
is
trivial
and
temporary.
That
is
to
say,
do
not
develop
moha
towards
them.
Know
their
real
worth;
do
not
over-estimate
them.
This
objective
world
is
as
ageless
as
God.
Who
knows
when
god
resolved
upon
the
Universe?
It
is
as
anadi
(beginningless)
as
God;
we
cannot
determine
when
it
came
into
being
but
we
can
determine
when
it
will
end,
at
least
for
each
of
us.
When
you
look
into
the
well,
your
reOlections
is
always
there;
so
far
as
you
are
concerned,
your
reOlection
can
be
removed
from
the
well
moment
you
decided
you
will
no
more
seek
the
well,
or
pay
attention
to
it.
While
speaking
of
God
as
guarding
you,
I
am
reminded
of
a
note
that
some
has
sent
Me
from
this
gathering.
The
note
wants
Me
to
explain
why
I
have
not
mentioned
Sai
Baba
in
any
one
of
my
discourse
so
far,
though
I
bear
the
name
as
the
avatar
of
Sai
Baba.
Evidently,
the
writer
of
the
note
had
in
the
mind
the
people
who
engage
themselves
in
publicity
work
of
Rama
or
Krishna
or
Sai
Baba.
For
those
who
know,
Sai,
Rama,
Krishna,
Vishnu,
all
are
One;
the
distinction
is
only
in
the
Upadhi
(the
form
and
the
name).
The
power,
the
glory,
the
mission,
the
message
are
all
the
same,
though
the
particular
achievements
may
be
different,
according
to
the
needs
and
purposes
of
the
age.
That
is
why,
though
you
believe
that
Rama
and
Krishna
are
the
same,
you
do
not
approve
when
some
one
says
that
Rama
lifted
the
Govardhanagiri
or
that
Krishna
broke
the
Shivadanush
(Shivas
bow).
I
do
not
appreciate
in
the
least,
the
distinction
between
the
various
appearances
of
Godhead,
Sai,
Rama,
Krishna,
etc.
I
do
not
proclaim
that
this
is
more
important
or
that
the
other
is
less
important.
There
are
many
attempts
to
construct
mandirs
for
Me,
and
people
go
about
collecting
donations
for
the
same.
I
do
not
like
this
enthusiasm.
Worship
in
any
temple,
any
form,
Page 93 of 268
under
any
name.
You
neglect
the
ancient
temples
of
your
town,
and
start
building
new
ones.
And,
very
soon,
the
new
ones
too
will
be
neglected,
when
you
discover
reasons
for
building
newer
ones.
No
bhukta
can
be
a
bhakta
;
that
is
to
say,
he
who
has
an
eye
on
the
proOit
he
can
derive
from
service
to
God,
cannot
be
a
true
devotee.
Those
who
declare
that
Sai
Baba
is
great
and
others
are
small,
do
not
know
the
elements
of
spiritual
discipline.
They
are
unOit
for
entering
the
Oield
of
spiritual
service.
Health
is
sought
by
man,
not
for
its
own
sake;
he
tries
to
cure
his
illness,
for
illness
means
grief;
he
tries
to
secure
health,
for
health
means
joy.
he
is
after
Ananda.
At
all
times,
through
all
acts,
he
seeks
only
Ananda.
A
Oish
thrown
on
the
bank
of
the
lake
wriggles
and
struggles
to
enter
the
water
again.
Mans
struggle
to
get
back
into
Ananda
is
also
of
the
same
nature;
he
was
in
Ananda
and
he
has
been
thrown
into
misery.
His
native
element
is
Ananda.
He
was
calm,
experienced,
concord,
nti
and
Prema,
when
he
was
in
the
realm
of
Ananda.
Now,
this
Ananda
has
to
be
won
back,
each
for
himself.
No
other
can
get
it
for
him.
The
minister
described
how
the
Plan
is
providing
food,
clothing
and
shelter
for
all.
But,
even
those
who
have
these
three
in
ample
measure
are
not
free
from
misery;
they
have
not
been
restored
to
Ananda.
Ananda
is
an
inner
treasure,
won
by
detachment
and
discipline.
We
must
have
a
plan
for
Ananda,
a
plan
for
nti
and
Santosha.
!
Have
faith
in
the
Lord
or
the
tmtattva;
it
will
vitalise
you.
!
Emperor
Janaka
was
listening
to
the
soothing
strains
of
music
in
the
Darbar
Hall,
and
he
fell
asleep
on
his
throne.
Slowly
and
silently,
the
courtiers
and
musicians
slid
out
of
the
hall
leaving
him
to
himself.
He
had
a
dream.
His
kingdom
was
invaded,
over-run,
pillaged.
He
was
captured
and
imprisoned.
But
he
escaped,
he
was
wandering
alone,
in
enemy
territory,
overcome
with
hunger
and
thirst.
The
jungle
was
dark.
He
groaned
aloud.
The
queen
heard
the
groan
and
woke
him!
He
saw
himself
as
Emperor
on
the
throne,
surrounded
by
servants.
Then,
a
doubt
started
haunting
Janaka:
Which
is
true,
that
or
this?
While
dreaming,
the
dream
was
as
true
as
the
experience
of
the
palace
when
awake.
This
is
true,
while
awake;
that
was
true,
while
dreaming.
Each
has
only
relative
value,
while
at
that
stage.
Nothing
is
absolutely
true,
really
real.
The
waking
experience
is
as
unreal
as
the
dream
experience.
When
you
are
in
deep
sleep,
there
is
no
world
at
all.
When
you
attain
the
super-conscious
fourth
stage,
the
I
alone
remains,
the
Universal
I,
which
was
mistaken
even
in
the
sleeping
stage
as
limited
and
particular.
A
few
minutes
of
quiet
thought
will
convine
you
of
this.
Samskriti,
the
word
for
culture
and
cultivation,
is
derived
from
the
word,
samskara,
which
means
the
dual
process
of
removing
the
dust
and
dirt
and
vice
and
planting
the
virtues
of
Satya,
Dharma,
nti
and
Prema.
Samskara
is
also
the
name
for
certain
obligatory
rites
of
initiation
and
puriOication
prescribed
the
Vedas
for
the
spiritual
upliftment
of
man.
Their
number
is
forty-eight
in
all;
but,
they
could
be
reduced
to
ten
and,
if
needed,
even
to
one;
the
Oinal
and
FulOilling
One,
of
recognising
ones
identity
Page 94 of 268
with
Madhava
or
Shiva
or
Brahmam.
Nara
is
but
Narayana;
Jeeva
is
Brahman,
seen
through
the
limitations
of
primal
ignorance.
Though
the
tongue
of
the
penitent
might
repeat
the
shloka,
Paapoham
Paapakarmanam
(I
am
a
sinner,
committing
sins)
the
inner
Dweller,
as
the
real
You,
will
not
agree
to
the
description
and
that
self-condemnation!
Hence,
you
turn
around
in
anger
when
you
are
accosted
as
a
sinner
(paapi).
In
your
heart
of
hearts,
you
know
that
you
are
the
Pure,
the
Full,
the
Eternal.
You
are
the
limitless,
timeless,
spaceless
tm,
the
changeless,
characteristic
less
Self.
That
tm
persists
in
your
dreams,
in
deep
sleep,
in
the
varied
activities
of
the
waking
stage.
It
persists
during
childhood,
youth,
middle
age,
old
age
and
senility.
It
is
the
entity
which
declares
itself
as
I:
I
slept,
I
dreamt,
I
awoke,
I
was
a
child,
I
am
too
old
to
walk
erect,
etc.
My
eye,
my
word,
my
idea,
my
plan,
my
resolution,
my
experience,
you
say;
thereby,
you
announce
that
you
are
not
any
of
these.
You
are
separate
from
these,
but
yet,
you
are
involved
with
them.
!
Develop
close
association
with
Him
and
He
will
reveal
Himself
to
you.
!
If
the
place
you
must
reach
is
very
near,
you
can
just
step
across;
if
the
distance
is
more,
you
may
need
a
vehicle,
bullock-drawn
or
horse-drawn;
for
longer
distances,
you
may
require
a
car
or
a
plane.
But,
the
Lord
is
nearest
to
you.
Slide
ajar
the
door
of
delusion;
part
the
curtain
of
ignorance;
open
the
closed
eye;
He
is
right
there,
before
you!
The
fog
of
sensual
pleasure
is
hiding
Him
from
you.
Switch
on
the
light;
the
darkness
disappears
and
He
becomes
visible.
You
heard
the
Bhagavata,
portions
of
it,
today.
All
the
teaching
you
need
for
liberation
from
grief
and
worry,
you
can
get
in
that
one
book.
Whichever
the
book,
whoever
the
guru,
whatever
the
peetam
(institution),
the
goal
is
the
same.
The
path
is
the
ancient
one,
laid
down
by
the
saintly
pioneers.
Prema
is
the
motive
power
in
Karma
Yoga;
it
is
the
very
breath
of
Bhakti
Yoga.
It
is
universal
and
inOinite,
in
Jnana;
it
sees
the
Lord
everywhere
and
in
everything,
when
vairagya
has
been
achieved.
The
Bhagavata
is
saturated
with
the
sweetness
of
Prema.
The
sweetness
of
Krishna
is
Oilling
this
Nature
or
objective
world
and
Radha
is
tasting
it
and
being
thrilled
by
it.
Who
is
Radha?
She
is
Nature,
the
Prakriti,
the
Maya
Shakti,
the
Hlaadini
Shakti
(power
of
joy)
of
Krishna
Himself,
His
Mahabhava
(Great
State).
She
has
stolen
and
treasured
in
her
heart
the
Ananda
of
Krishna
which
manifested
as
prakriti
and
so,
like
the
owner
who
roams
round
and
round
the
house
of
the
thief
until
he
gets
back
his
property,
Krishna
too
is
ever
around
Radhas
residence,
seeking
His
Ananda.
Intensify
the
prema
that
is
within
you,
as
a
sacred
grift.
Expand
it
so
that
all
beings
can
share
in
it.
Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa
had
that
prema;
when
someone
around
him
was
sad,
he
felt
sad;
when
some
one
was
glad,
he
felt
glad:
He
made
himself
one
with
all,
in
his
great
prema
bhava.
Have
your
prema
Oixed
on
the
Lord,
whether
your
petty
wishes
are
fulOilled
or
not.
Do
not
let
slip
the
treasure,
on
some
silly
excuse
or
other.
The
mistake
is,
you
give
the
brain
more
value
than
it
deserves.
The
Paratattva
(Supreme
Truth)
is
beyond
the
reach
of
the
brain;
standing
on
the
rock,
you
cannot
lift
it!
Standing
in
Maya,
you
cannot
discard
it.
Page 95 of 268
Moksha
means
liberation
from
bondage
to
both
joy
and
grief,
which
are
the
obverse
and
reverse
of
the
same
coin.
Moksha
is
the
recognition
of
the
truth;
but,
though
it
is
so
simple,
it
required
the
cultivation
of
viveka,
vairagya
and
vichakshana
(discrimination,
detachment
and
ability)
to
know
the
Truth
and
escape
from
the
temptation
to
hug
falsehood.
Viveka
is
necessary
to
decide
what
is
dharma
-
the
very
Oirst
of
the
Purusharthas.
Each
one
must
decide
for
himself
the
dharma
he
must
choose
for
his
uplift;
this
required
viveka,
the
recognition
of
the
permanently
beneOicial
source
of
pure
and
lasting
joy.
It
is
for
the
sake
of
jnana
that
dharma
has
been
laid
down.
Bhakti
and
karma
are
the
two
feet
and
the
head
is
jnana;
walk
on
with
the
help
of
these
two.
You
cannot
get
liberation
by
merely
coming
here;
you
cannot
get
it
even
by
darshana,
sparshana
and
sambhashana.
You
will
have
to
follow
the
instructions,
the
Aajna
and
the
directions:
You
will
have
to
follow
the
path
of
Radha,
Meera,
Gouranga
and
Tukaram.
You
must
feel
an
inseparable
afOinity
with
the
Lord,
as
inseparable
as
the
wave
and
the
sea.
You
are
really
of
the
same
essence,
the
same
taste,
the
same
quality
as
the
sea,
though
you
have
the
name
and
form
of
the
wave.
The
Lord
is
the
Saguna
aspect
of
the
Paramtm,
that
is
the
Universe.
Butter,
when
in
the
milk,
is
immanent
in
it,
has
not
separate
name
and
form;
but,
take
it
out
and
it
has
a
name
and
form
which
makes
it
distinct
from
milk.
Ghee
too
when
liquid
has
no
particular
form,
but
when
it
hardens,
it
has
a
form.
So
to,
Madhava-tattvam
when
it
assumes
a
form,
is
Manava.
When
you
are
immersed
in
yourself,
you
are
happiest.
The
child
in
the
womb
is
in
Soham
(I
am
he);
but
when
it
is
born
in
the
world,
it
starts
the
question,
Koham
(Who
am
I?).
For
it
forgot
its
truth;
it
identiOies
itself
with
the
body
and
the
senses.
Until
it
becomes
a
jnani,
it
will
never
regain
in
Soham
knowledge.
There
was
a
man
living
in
a
ramshackle
hut
when
a
huge
big
storm
came
along
threatening
to
scatter
it
to
the
far
corners,
he
sat
inside
and
prayed
to
Vayudeva.
O
Vayu!
Abate
thy
fury,
but
the
storm
raged
wild
and
furious.
He
prayed
to
Hanuman,
the
son
of
the
wind
god,
Vayu.
O
Hanuman,
soften
the
fury
of
your
father
and
save
this
poor
fellows
shelter,
and
the
storm
blew
with
even
more
ferocity.
Then
he
prayed
to
Rama
to
command
His
servant,
Hanuman,
to
persuade
the
wind
god
to
reduce
His
overpowering
sweep.
he
found
that
too
had
no
effect.
So,
he
came
out
of
the
hut
and
coolly
said,
Let
it
be
pulled
asunder
and
lifted
by
the
storm
out
of
sight.
I
do
not
care.
Thus,
he
got
his
peace
of
mind
back.
The
eagle
is
pestered
by
crows
so
long
as
it
has
a
Oish
in
its
beak.
They
swish
past
that
so
they
could
steal
the
Oish
out
of
its
mouth.
They
pursue
the
bird
wherever
it
sits
for
a
little
rest.
At
last,
it
gives
up
the
attachment
to
the
Oish
and
drops
it
from
its
beak;
the
crows
Oly
behind
it
and
leave
the
eagle
free.
So
leave
off
sense
pleasures
and
the
crows
of
pride,
envy,
malice
and
hatred
will
Oly
away,
for
they
want
only
carrion.
The
snake
moves
in
curves,
not
in
a
straight
line;
man
too
when
he
is
following
the
senses
has
to
move
in
a
crooked
path.
he
has
greater
poison
in
him
than
the
snake;
his
venom
is
to
be
found
in
his
eyes,
his
tongue,
his
hands,
his
mind,
his
heart,
his
thoughts
-
whereas
the
cobra
has
it
only
in
its
fangs.
The
cobra
raises
its
hood
and
sways
in
joy
when
it
hears
music;
so
too
man
when
he
realises
the
stage
of
Nirvikalpa
-
steady
unchanging
establishment
in
the
Ultimate
Reality
-
dances
in
heavenly
bliss.
Page 96 of 268
You
must
realise
the
Dehi
in
the
deha
and
the
Nami
by
the
Nama.
There
was
a
wife
who
got
bangles
of
gold
made
when
she
became
a
widow
-
for,
she
argued,
her
husband
had
now
become
indestructible
like
gold,
whereas
he
was,
while
alive,
breakable,
like
the
glass
bangles
she
wore
then.
He
had
merged
in
the
Akshara
Brahman.
But,
I
never
care
for
praise
or
blame;
I
just
discard
both.
I
am
ever
intent
on
the
task
for
which
I
have
come,
the
laying
down
of
Satya
Marga,
of
Dharma
and
the
spread
of
the
knowledge
and
practice
of
Dharma.
This
aged
Shastry
is
a
sweet
fruit,
ripe
with
age
and
experience;
he
knows
and
has
actual
experience
of
the
life
laid
down
in
the
Gita.
When
I
asked
him
to
share
his
wisdom
with
the
world,
he
was
indeed
happy
beyond
words.
He
is
exulting
over
the
opportunity
he
has
got
to
partake
in
the
revival
of
Vedic
scholarship
and
in
the
re-
establishment
of
Dharma.
He
knows
and
I
know,
and
no
one
else
knows,
the
intensity
of
his
joy
at
the
chance
he
now
has
secured.
He
has
but
one
desire
in
him
now,
a
very
sacred
desire:
to
see
the
era
of
Dharma
established
on
earth
through
My
Sankalpa.
What
a
rare
relationship
is
this,
between
him
and
Me!
It
is
Sanatana
Sambandha;
hence
he
got
Me.
The
prema
of
the
gopees
towards
Krishna
was
super-physical,
the
love
of
the
soul
for
the
Over-soul,
of
the
river
for
the
sea.
Persons
deep
in
this
type
of
love
see
nothing
else,
hear
nothing
else;
they
behave
like
made
persons,
as
the
world
goes.
You
may
know
that
the
Lord
of
the
Holy
Shrine
Srishailam
is
called
Mallikarjuna,
the
white
jasmine;
and
the
Goddess,
the
Consort,
is
called
most
appropriately,
Bhramaramba,
the
Bee!
For
the
bee
is
drawn
inescapably
to
the
Olower
and
it
forgets
itself
while
tasting
the
Glory
of
the
Flower.
The
union
of
Jeeva
and
Brahman
is
of
the
same
signiOicance
as
the
union
of
Krishna
and
Trishna
-
Krishna
and
the
Thirst,
the
Lord
and
the
Love.
!
Dvaita,
Vishistadvaita
and
Advaita
are
also
only
three
stages
in
spiritual
awareness.
!
Somashekhara
Shastry
spoke
of
the
Dvaita
and
Advaita
attitudes
which
colour
peoples
outlook
in
every
Oield.
But,
they
are
not
distinct;
they
are
stages
of
mental
transformation.
The
fruit
is
the
same;
the
soul
and
the
sun
make
it
reach
the
ripe
stage,
through
the
intermediate
stages
of
tender
fruit
and
mature
fruit.
When
you
realise
that
the
Lord
is
at
the
address
that
He
has
given
towards
the
end
of
the
Gita
in
the
61st
sloka
of
the
18th
chapter,
namely,
Ishvarassarvabhootanam
hriddeshe
Arjuna
tishtati,
that
He
is
in
the
heart
of
every
being,
then
you
know
the
one,
with
no
other.
To
realise
the
Lord
in
every
being,
you
must
cultivate
Prema
and
drive
out
the
bats
that
infest
the
dark
caverns
of
your
heart,
the
bats
of
hate,
envy
and
malice.
Let
the
light
of
Prema
illumine
your
thoughts,
your
words,
your
movements,
your
activities,
your
judgments.
When
you
become
transmuted
into
Prema,
the
Lord
who
is
Premaswarupa,
will
reveal
Himself
to
you,
and
play
on
the
Flute,
awakening
your
higher
consciousness
in
the
Olood
of
Universal
Love.
You
must
be
devoted,
as
devoted
as
a
boy
who
studied
in
the
ashram
of
Dhoumyarishi.
When
the
guru
was
conducting
his
lesson
assiduously,
the
rain
came
in
torrents
and
the
boys
ran
helter-skelter
to
roll
up
their
beds
or
collect
their
clothes
or
save
their
kusa
Page 97 of 268
grass
bundles.
But,
one
boy
reasoned
out
within
himself;
we
had
heavy
rain
last
evening
too,
so
this
downpour
will
certainly
damage
the
dike.
So,
to
save
the
two
acres
of
land
that
the
guru
owned,
he
went
and
laid
himself
across
the
breach.
You
must
so
act
that
the
heart
of
the
Guru
melts
at
your
devotion.
Only
that
will
cleans
the
mind
of
evil
and
vice.
If
you
develop
devotion
and
steady
faith
you
will
achieve
the
Glory
of
Self-
Realisation.
After
long
searches,
here
and
there,
in
temples
and
in
churches,
in
earths
and
in
heavens,
at
last
you
come
back.
Completing
the
circle
from
where
you
started,
to
your
own
soul,
and
Oind
that
He,
for
whom
you
have
been
seeking
all
over
the
world,
for
whom
you
have
been
weeping
and
praying,
in
churches
and
temples,
on
whom
you
were
looking
as
the
mystery
of
all
mysteries,
shrouded
in
the
clouds,
in
the
nearest
of
the
near,
is
your
own
self,
the
reality
of
your
life,
body
and
soul.
Sristi,
Sthiti
and
Laya
are
the
three
forms
of
the
Divine
will;
you
have
to
penetrate
the
inner
meaning
of
Sristi,
by
means
of
Karma
Yoga;
you
have
to
grasp
the
signiOicance
of
Sthiti,
by
means
of
Bhakti
Yoga
and
when
you
master
the
Jnana
Yoga,
you
arrive
at
the
experience
of
Laya,
of
manifoldness
in
the
One.
Bhakti
makes
you
aware
of
the
Lord
who
sustains
and
supports
every
being;
it
is
Prema,
which
is
Nitya,
Satya
and
Nirmala;
that
is
to
say,
Love
which
is
unchanging,
sincere
and
pure.
There
is
no
one
who
is
devoid
of
bhakti;
deep
down
in
his
core,
every
one
has
the
feeling
of
kinship
with
all
creatures.
The
jnani
too
has
to
do
karma,
but,
like
swans
coming
out
of
the
water,
they
can
swish
their
feathers
and
wings
and
be
as
dry
as
when
they
entered
it:
karma
will
not
affect
them
at
all.
They
do
it
with
no
ego,
with
no
desire.
It
is
their
nature
to
wish
well
of
the
world
and
to
engage
in
work
that
promotes
the
welfare
of
the
world.
When
a
woman
who
is
pregnant
is
widowed,
she
does
not
immediately
rid
herself
of
the
marks
of
a
married
woman,
for
she
can
discard
the
nose-screw,
the
ear-rings,
the
mangala
sutra,
etc.,
only
after
the
child
is
born!
Until
then,
though
she
has
the
outward
marks
of
a
woman
happy
with
her
husband,
she
knows
she
is
a
widow.
The
jnani
is
also
of
the
same
type;
he
knows
that
he
is
free,
but,
to
the
world
he
appears
bound.
Frothy
youth,
suffering
from
the
fever
of
cynicism,
laugh
at
jnanis
and
treat
them
with
dishonour.
There
is
no
use
blaming
them,
either.
The
elders
set
the
example
and
what
else
can
they
do?
The
Lord
can
be
understood
only
if
you
approach
Him,
develop
attachment
for
Him,
have
faith
in
Him,
and
maintain
unswerving
loyalty
to
Him.
He
is
understood
only
when
you
feel
that
you
are
but
the
instrument
and
that
He
wills
every
little
movement
everywhere.
Who
is
there
so
bold
that
he
can
say,
the
Lord
must
wear
only
this
dress,
the
Lord
must
act
only
in
this
manner?
Who
can
limit
His
Glory
or
set
its
direction!
He
is
immanent
in
all
beings
and
He
gets
done
all
activities
through
them,
just
as
electricity
makes
the
bulb
shine,
the
mike
to
transmit
the
voice,
the
stove
to
cook,
the
refrigerator
to
cool.
Page 98 of 268
Cross
the
ocean
of
death
and
birth
and
be
children
of
immortality,
(Amritasya
Putrah)
every
moment
of
your
lives.
Once
you
rise
to
the
higher
level
of
consciousness
and
live
at
that
level,
all
those
events
cease
to
have
the
same
meaning
and
so
have
less
and
less
effect
on
you.
Instead,
you
remain
happy
and
calm
at
al
times,
merely
observing
events
as
they
come
and
go,
for
that
is
what
they
do.
If
you
are
drawn
towards
pleasure-giving
objects
and
other
material
gains,
you
are
in
for
unending
worry,
fear
and
anxiety,
anti
in
fact.
The
happiness
they
contribute
is
as
unreal
as
the
happiness
you
derive
from
similar
things
in
your
dreams.
The
experience
of
the
waking
stage
is
as
unreal
and
Oleeting
as
the
dream.
The
seen
is
a
dream;
the
unseen
is
the
real.
There
is
a
mixture
of
reality
and
unreality
in
the
variety
of
the
universe.
That
is
why
it
deludes;
that
is
why
joy
and
grief
are
Oleeting.
It
is
dedication
to
the
Lord
that
sanctiOies
all
activities.
He
is
the
raison
dtre
for
activity.
He
is
the
prompter,
the
executer,
the
giver
of
the
required
strength
and
skill,
the
enjoyer
of
the
fruit
thereof.
So,
dedication
must
come
naturally
to
you,
for,
all
is
His
and
nothing
yours!
Your
duty
is
to
believe
He
is
the
impeller
of
your
activities,
and
draw
strength
from
that
belief.
Until
the
wound
heals
and
the
new
skin
hardens,
the
bandage
must
protect
the
place.
So
too,
until
Reality
is
realised,
the
balm
of
faith,
of
holy
company,
and
holy
thoughts
must
be
applied
to
the
ego-affected
mind.
This
ajnana
is
imported
from
outside;
what
is
native
to
man
is
Jnana.
His
Jnana
is
fogged
by
the
smoke
of
delusion,
which
makes
things
appear
many
or
confused.
Man
has
burdened
himself
with
information
on
a
multiplicity
of
things;
he
has
acquired
a
variety
of
skills,
but,
he
has
no
vision
to
see
things
as
a
whole,
to
see
the
basic
unity
of
the
objective
world.
Moreover,
he
has
no
equipment
to
live
lovingly
with
others,
to
recognise
the
humanity
of
all
men,
to
feel
that
the
same
Lord
activates
each
of
them.
Do
you
say
that
the
Lord
appeared
from
the
pillar
in
the
palace
of
Hiranyakashipu
though
He
was
not
there?
Or
do
you
say
that
He
appeared
there,
since
He
was
there?
He
was
there;
He
is
everywhere.
But
since
Hiranyakashipu
said
He
was
not
there,
he
could
not
see
Him;
since
Prahlada
said
that
He
was
there
He
could
be
seen
there.
If
you
are
blind,
how
can
you
see
Him,
though
He
may
be
right
in
front?
You
are
blind
to
his
Omnipresence;
how
then
can
you
see
Him
everywhere?
When
the
magnet
does
not
attract
the
needle,
the
fault
lies
in
the
dirt
that
covers
up
the
needle.
When
the
Lord
does
not
approach
the
devotee,
the
fault
lies
in
the
heart
of
the
devotee;
it
is
not
pure
enough.
The
scholarship
which
revels
in
the
number
of
texts
mastered
is
of
no
use;
one
may
know
the
Shastras
and
the
Upanishads
upside
down;
he
may
have
all
the
seven
hundred
shlokas
of
the
Gita
in
his
head,
but,
if
cra
and
vicra
are
non-existent,
it
is
a
burden
which
is
best
avoided.
cra
means
application
in
practice.
vicra
means
continuous
self-examination.
Religious
institutions
must
make
people
aware
of
God
and
of
their
own
evanescence.
But,
these
create
a
paraphernalia
of
ofOicers,
various
grades
of
members,
a
secretary,
a
treasurer,
a
president
and
a
batch
of
committee
members,
who
strut
about
with
their
badges
and
revel
in
their
own
assumed
greatness.
A
society
named
after
God
must
help
in
the
removal
of
jealousy,
envy,
vanity,
egoism
and
greed;
but,
these
foster
them
and
allow
them
to
grow
wild.
Real
Bhaktas
will
never
crave
for
such
positions;
they
will
avoid
them
as
traps
which
could
lay
them
low.
If
you
deny
God,
it
is
as
if
you
deny
yourself.
There
is
no
God,
you
declare;
but,
you
assert
that
I
exist.
Well,
who
is
that
I
that
exists,
that
exists
throughout
the
varying
stages
of
growth,
physical
and
mental,
in
joy
and
grief?
That
I
is
God;
believe
It.
For
that
I
sees
with
eyes,
tastes
with
the
tongue,
walks
with
the
feet,
argues
with
the
intelligence;
but,
all
the
while,
it
is
conscious
that
it
is
separate
from
all
these.
When
you
afOirm
There
is
no
God,
you
Oirst
assert
and
then
declare
the
absence
of
that
entity.
You
assert
the
non-existence
of
something
that
is.
That
I
must
be
conceived
as
a
wave
of
the
ocean
of
God,
not
as
the
Oirst
person
singular.
To
describe
the
inOinite
aspects
in
terms
of
limited
words
and
limited
experience,
is
not
possible.
The
Maharishis
who
were
well
versed
in
the
Vedas
and
Mantras
realised
that
it
is
not
possible
to
explain
and
describe
the
aspects
of
Brahman
in
terms
of
words,
and
they
were
only
indicating
by
their
silence.
The
Shastry
elaborated
on
the
assurance
given
in
the
Gita,
Yogakshemam
Vahamyaham.
This
does
not
mean
that
the
Lord
will
ensure
for
you
sukham
and
santhosha
-
but,
it
means
that
the
Lord
will
endow
you
with
steady
unshakeable
peace,
inner
equanimity.
Yoga
means
the
acquisition
of
that
which
you
do
not
have
and
kshema
means
the
preservation
of
that
which
you
have
acquired.
So
the
assurance
means
that
the
Lord
will
ensure
that
you
acquire
the
nti
that
you
do
not
have
and
create
conditions
under
which
you
can
preserve
that
nti.
For
the
greatest
happiness
is
nti,
inner
peace.
How
do
you
get
it?
By
knowing
that
you
are
the
tm,
which
has
no
birth
or
death,
no
joy
or
grief,
no
up
and
no
down.
Just
as
underground
water
is
the
sustenance
of
all
trees,
the
tm
is
the
underlying
source
of
all
the
Ananda
that
the
jeevi
experiences.
You
bring
that
subterranean
water
up
by
the
process
of
boring;
steady
hitting,
digging,
thumping
through
a
pipe,
which
contains
and
directs
the
drill.
The
borers
have
to
take
care
that
they
do
not
allow
air
to
go
into
the
pipe;
for,
then
the
drilling
cannot
succeed.
So
too
in
the
japam
that
you
do,
the
drilling
the
Ram,
Ram,
Ram,
you
must
be
very
careful
not
to
allow
vishayavasana
to
enter
and
interfere
with
the
smooth
working
of
the
chill.
If
you
do,
the
tm
cannot
be
experienced.
Many
people
say
that
Bhakti
Mrga
is
much
easier
than
Jana
Mrga;
but
jna
is
easier.
For,
it
comes
in
a
Olash
to
those
who
can
just
sit
quiet
for
a
few
minutes
and
analyse
themselves.
You
must
reach
the
terminus
where
ignorance
dies
and
jna
is
born;
then,
there
is
no
more
journey.
Do
not
seek
more
and
more
sukham;
seek
more
and
more
jnam.
The
mind
is
a
fertile
Oield
for
ignorance.
Wipe
out
all
traces
of
the
mind
(Man
Nanam)
-
that
is
the
task
of
the
Jni
(man
of
realisation).
How
to
destroy
the
mind?
It
is
easy
once
you
know
what
it
is.
The
mind
is
stuffed
with
desire.
It
is
a
ball
Oilled
with
air,
like
a
football.
Puncture
it
and
it
will
not
move
from
place
to
place.
Nirvn
means,
without
air.
In
a
square
Oilled
with
water
from
an
irrigation
canal,
it
appears
square;
if
the
Oield
is
circular
or
oblong
or
rectangular
or
triangular,
the
sheet
of
water
that
Oills
it
will
have
some
geometrical
shape.
The
mind
takes
on
the
form
of
the
desire
that
Oills
it.
To
take
another
example,
it
is
like
a
piece
of
cloth,
the
warp
and
the
woof
being
the
yarn
of
desire.
The
texture,
the
colour,
the
durability,
the
feel,
the
shine
of
the
cloth
will
depend
upon
the
desire
that
constitutes
the
warp
and
the
woof.
Remove
the
yarn,
the
warp
and
the
woof,
one
by
one
-
the
cloth
disappears.
That
is
the
technique
of
man
nanam.
Vsudeva
Sarvamidam
does
not
mean
that
all
this
is
just
Krishna,
the
son
of
Vasudeva.
It
means
that
all
this
is
God,
by
whatever
name
he
is
known.
So,
if
you
decry
any
one,
you
are
decrying
God,
that
is,
His
real
core.
If
you
become
aware
of
the
God
in
you
and
the
God
in
all
else,
there
is
nothing
to
equal
the
peace
and
joy
that
you
get.
I
bless
you
that
you
may
attain
that
bliss.
Of
course,
you
will
get
faith
in
God
only
when
you
have
yourselves
discovered
that
the
universe
must
have
a
creator,
a
protector,
an
agency
for
both
evolution
and
involution
or
a
power
that
exercises
all
these
three
functions.
To
grasp
that
idea,
the
heart
must
be
pure,
the
mind
must
be
clear.
For
this,
karma
is
very
important.
The
Karmaknda
(section
dealing
with
rituals/actions)
in
the
Veds
is
the
major
part
of
the
ruti,
for
jna
is
but
the
Oinal
stage
of
karma.
The
army
will
have
many
soldiers
but
only
just
a
handful
of
ofOicers;
so
too,
karmas
are
many,
and
they
all
obey
the
jni.
Of
the
hundred
parts
of
the
Vedas,
80
will
be
karma,
16
upsana
and
4
jna.
Karma
has
to
be
done
for
educating
the
impulses
and
training
the
feelings.
Then,
you
develop
the
attitude
of
upsana,
of
humility
before
the
great
unknown,
and
Oinally,
you
realise
that
the
only
reality
is
you,
which
is
the
same
as
He.
The
mind,
the
body,
the
word
-
all
three
must
work
in
unison.
By
such
disciplined
karma
the
senses
will
be
sublimated
and
pranti
won;
then,
out
of
this
pranti
will
arise
praknti
(the
great
light),
and
from
that
will
emerge
param-jyti.
That
illumination
will
reveal
param-tm,
the
Universal.
The
Olag
represents
the
spiritual
discipline
I
have
laid
down
for
you:
conquest
of
km
and
krdha,
achievement
of
prem
and
the
practise
of
japa
yoga,
leading
to
the
blossoming
of
the
lotus
of
the
heart
and
the
emergence
of
the
jyoti
of
jna
therein.
Seek
the
basis
for
the
seen,
in
the
unseen.
The
tall
skyscraper
has
a
deep
base
reaching
into
the
earth.
This
seen
world
has,
as
its
base,
the
unseen
Paramtm;
your
body
is
but
the
vehicle
through
which
you
can
search,
investigate,
and
discover
that
base.
!
The
easiest
path
to
self-realisation
is
the
surrender
of
the
ego,
aragati.
!
Do
not
pit
your
tiny
ego
against
the
Almighty;
leave
it
to
His
Will
and
you
will
have
lasting
peace.
You
complain
that
God
is
invisible;
but
the
fault
is
yours,
not
to
recognise
God
in
all
His
various
manifestations.
You
are
yourself
manifestation
of
God.
but
you
do
not
know
it;
you
call
yourself
a
sinner,
worm
born
in
sin,
wallowing
in
sin,
essentially
wicked.
But,
let
some
one,
who
takes
you
to
your
word,
call
you,
Hello
sinner!
-
you
resent
it!
Why?
Because
your
real
nature
is
purity,
peace,
joy.
Manas,
Buddhi,
Cittam,
Ahakra,
indriya
-
these
are
like
the
bricks,
iron
rods,
cement,
wood,
etc.,
that
go
to
make
up
a
house
for
the
tm
to
live
in.
They
are
jewels
that
the
tm
wears.
They
are
not
you;
they
are
only
incidental.
The
real
you
is
the
tm.
This
can
be
learnt
only
by
constant
meditation,
by
moving
in
good
company,
by
listening
to
the
talks
of
realised
men,
by
following
some
prescribed
course
of
discipline.
That
is
why
I
lay
so
much
emphasis
on
discipline.
You
feel
that
there
is
something
behind
and
beyond
all
this
Oleeting
fantasy;
something
that
persists
through
all
the
successes
and
defeats,
all
the
tears
and
smiles,
all
this
mirth
and
moan;
but,
you
are
unable
to
grasp
it
and
realise
that
it
is
the
same
entity
that
underlies
the
entire
universe.
You
are
one
with
the
most
distant
star
and
the
least
little
blade
of
grass.
You
shine
as
dew
on
the
petal
of
the
rose;
you
swing
from
star
to
star;
you
are
part
and
parcel
of
all
this
manifestation.
The
astrs
teach
you
this
truth
through
many
a
parable
and
story,
and
even
directly,
supported
by
the
experience
of
sages
and
mystics.
Mud
existed
before
plates
and
pots;
pots
and
plates
are
mud;
mud
there
will
be
when
plates
and
pots
are
no
more.
The
plate
and
the
pot
must
be
aware
of
their
being
always
mud;
that,
in
other
words,
is
self-realisation.
When
that
is
achieved,
wherever
your
eyes
are
cast,
you
Oind
yourself;
wherever
your
attention
is
directed,
you
Oind
your
reOlection.
Begin
to
feel
for
it
now,
this
very
moment.
Life
is
a
game:
Play
it.
Life
is
Love:
Share
it.
Life
is
a
challenge:
Meet
it.
Life
is
a
dream:
Realise
it.
How
did
this
fatal
ignorance
enter
into
your
makeup?
Well,
there
was
once
a
huge
mirror
inside
a
room
in
a
rural
home.
They
wanted
to
take
it
out,
but
the
door
was
found
too
narrow
and
too
short!
Some
suggested
that
the
wall
be
broken
open
while
others
said
that
the
mirror
itself
be
cut
into
two!
How
did
they
place
it
in
this
room,
one
shrewd
villager
asked.
Yes,
how
did
it
get
in?
If
they
only
knew
that,
they
could
manage
to
take
it
out
too.
Before
the
room
was
ready,
the
mirror
had
got
in.
So
too
,
ere
this
body
was
formed,
ignorance
had
established
itself;
it
is
a
product
of
the
sloth
of
previous
lives.
Do
not
worry
about
the
house,
and
the
mirror
will
cease
to
be
a
problem.
Give
up
the
idea
that
you
are
the
body
and
ignorance
will
vanish.
you
can
see
yourself
in
the
light.
The
miasma
that
makes
you
miss
these
points
and
drags
your
imagination
into
the
mire
is
called
My.
Identify
it
as
a
false
enchantress
-
that
moment
she
will
vanish
and
you
are
free.
First
save
yourselves
and
then
save
others,
or
try
to.
Being
yourselves
caught
by
the
wily
slush,
how
can
you
pull
another
out?
Have
the
tmic
experience;
only
then
can
you
understand
the
Bhgavata
and
explain
it
to
others.
When
the
Gops
pleaded,
Krishna!
Is
it
dharma
for
you
to
treat
us
thus?
Krishna
replied,
My
act
is
not
adharma;
but
yours
is,
for
body-consciousness
is
against
the
highest
spiritual
dharma.
Vys
once
asked
some
persons,
who
came
to
him
for
advice
to
cross
the
Yamuna
near
his
rama,
to
bring
him
milk
and
fruits
and
after
eating
his
Oill,
he
told
them,
Well!
If
I
have
maintained
my
vow
of
fasting
go
now
and
the
Yamuna
will
make
way
for
you!
They
said,
Then
we
are
lost;
for,
we
saw
you
eat
your
Oill
with
the
things
we
ourselves
brought
you.
But,
Vys
said,
I
did
not
eat
them.
I
offered
all
to
Krishna;
I
have
no
body-delusion.
I
am
the
tm
dwelling
in
this
body.
His
tm-consciousness
was
so
well
grounded
that
he
could
assert
that
he
had
not
broken
his
vow!
What
is
realisation?
The
moment
you
see
your
own
beauty
and
are
so
Oilled
with
it
that
you
forget
all
else,
you
are
free
from
all
bonds.
Know
that
you
are
all
the
beauty,
all
the
glory,
all
the
power,
all
the
magnitude
of
the
Universe.
This
Nature
is
but
an
inOinitesimal
fraction
of
His
Glory;
yet,
you
feel
content
with
the
pleasure
it
gives,
the
knowledge
you
gather
about
it,
the
wonder
it
reveals.
The
reOlection
of
Shivam
in
the
mirror
of
Prakriti
is
jv.
Look
ingot
he
mirror
and
see
your
own
image;
you
assert
-
That
image
within
is
mine;
but,
I
am
different.
So
too,
the
jv
is
iva
but
iva
is
not
jv.
The
image
of
the
Sun
in
the
water
shakes,
though
the
Sun
is
steady,
up
above;
that
is
the
nature
of
water,
not
the
Sun;
so
too
Prakriti
is
changing,
but
Shiva
is
steady,
unchanging,
ever
the
same.
You
do
not
believe
that
dreams
indicate
reality,
because
the
dream
is
negated
on
waking.
When
you
get
knowledge,
the
waking
experiences
will
also
be
negated.
Until
then,
you
will
take
all
this
as
real;
after
that,
you
will
Oind
that
this
has
only
relative
value.
People
attach
more
value
to
the
many
and
they
forget
the
One;
they
do
not
seek
the
One
Persistent
Truth;
they
follow
the
ever-changing
falsehood
and
so,
naturally,
fall
into
grief
and
resentment.
Take
the
simple
act
of
namaskram
-
the
folded
palms
with
which
you
great
reverentially
elders
and
others.
What
does
it
signify,
that
gesture?
The
right
palm
is
Tat
and
the
left
palm
is
Tvam.
When
the
two
palms
are
brought
together
and
kept
in
contact,
the
One-ness
of
that
and
this,
of
all
that
is
outside
you,
and
all
that
is
in
you,
is
emphasised
and
demonstrated:
Aham
Brahmsmi
in
fact.
What
greater
and
grander
greeting
can
human
aspiration
discover
and
prescribe?
You
greet
the
other
with
as
much
joy
as
you
would
greet
yourself;
no
man
loves
another
more
than
himself;
all
are
loved
for
the
sake
of
the
self.
Be
like
the
tortoise
that
is
able
to
withdraw
its
feet
under
its
shell;
withdraw
into
yourself
the
outgoing
senses
and
be
happy
in
the
contemplation
of
your
reality.
Vednt,
really
practised,
makes
you
fearless,
like
the
lion
in
the
forest.
You
roar
and
they
Olee
in
terror.
The
Brahma
Tatvam
expounded
in
Vednt
will
make
you
master
of
the
universe.
Page 103 of 268
But
the
giving
of
Bhakti
in
exchange
for
mukti
is
the
most
proOitable
business
of
all;
and
I
am
interested
in
telling
you
about
that
only.
Yes;
the
Lord
has
a
thousand
names.
In
fact,
all
names
are
His;
there
is
no
name
that
is
not
His.
Krishna,
Srnivs,
Sai
Bb
-
all
are
names
of
the
same
entity.
The
body
is
worn
by
the
jv
in
order
to
realise
God,
the
source
from
which
the
jv
came.
India
has
been
announcing
this
Truth
to
the
world
since
ages;
this
is
the
land
where
hoody
personages,
divine
personalities,
saints
and
sages,
avatars,
carrying
the
authentic
stamp
of
God,
have
demonstrated
that
nothing
else
can
give
man
the
peace
and
joy
that
the
contemplation
of
the
Universal
tm
can
give.
What
exactly
is
a
dram?
It
is
a
dream
within
a
dream.
It
is
a
dream
which
unfolds
before
you,
even
while
you
are
awake,
another
dream.
It
tries
to
shed
some
light,
some
joy,
some
courage,
some
faith,
some
hope,
some
meaning
on
the
dream
called
life.
Naturally,
man
has
to
seek
all
means
of
discovering
the
meaning
of
life.
Do
not
be
content
merely
with
being
in
satsanga
or
thinking
of
God,
or
listening
to
such
discourses;
they
are
but
preliminaries,
helping
to
awaken
interest
in
farming.
Many
people
spend
all
their
time
in
fencing;
they
have
little
time
left
for
attending
to
the
crop
which
the
fence
is
designed
to
protect!
What
is
the
jna
that
you
should
achieve?
It
is
the
giving
up
of
deha,
the
escape
from
the
belief
that
you
are
the
body.
You
say,
My
hand,
My
foot,
just
as
you
say,
My
watch,
My
shoe;
but,
yet
feel
you
are
the
body.
Examine
th
reality
of
the
bdy,
and
escape
from
this
false
identiOication;
that
is
the
hallmark
of
Jna.
The
I
that
sees,
experiences,
feels,
knows
-
that
I
is
the
Paramtma.
!
The
truth
can
Olash
only
in
a
mind
clear
of
all
blemishes.
!
Then,
there
are
people
who
dispute
among
themselves
whether
God
is
Saguna
or
Nirguna,
Skra
or
Nirkra!
Now,
who
are
you,
among
these?
Are
you
Saguna
or
Nirguna?
Are
you
Skra
or
Nirkra?
Of
course
you
are
Saguna
and
Skra,
because
you
are
with
body.
So
long
as
you
feel
you
are
with
body,
you
cannot
transcend
the
Page 104 of 268
Saguna,
and
realise
the
Nirguna.
When
you
liberate
yourselves
from
bondage
to
this
limitation,
you
become
Nirguna.
That
happens
in
a
Olash.
When
the
Truth
dawns,
all
is
Light.
There
is
no
more
darkness.
There
is
no
more
fear
or
hate
or
even
love.
All
are
subsumed
into
the
One
without
a
Second.
You
do
not
know
the
gem
shining
inside
you,
the
Divinity
whose
effulgence
is
your
intellect,
whose
reOlection
is
the
Prema
you
evince.
You
know
many
other
things
other
than
this,
but
not
this
essential
thing.
You
must
recognise
the
Higher,
the
Highest.
Death
stalks
you
at
every
step.
Before
he
mauls
you
mortally,
know
the
Truth
and
be
blessed.
There
is
a
deep
urge
in
man
to
visualise
the
One
behind
the
many;
scientists
seek
to
Oind
a
law
that
will
explain
all
sources
of
energy
and
all
forms
of
matter.
You
can
also
know
that,
which,
if
known,
all
else
can
be
known;
only,
you
have
to
get
immersed
in
the
Bliss
of
Atma.
In
the
grindstone
the
base
is
steady,
unmoving;
the
upper
grinder
moves;
but
both
are
stones.
So
too,
the
chara
and
the
achara,
the
base
and
the
superstructure,
are
all
Brahman.
Prakriti
moves;
Brahman
is
steady;
both
are
inextricably
inter-related,
the
one
with
other
in
Avinbhva-sambandha
(relationship
of
interdependent
existence).
When
people
forget
the
One
and
run
after
the
Many,
Dharma
declines;
for,
there
can
be
no
love,
no
sacriOice,
no
detachment
in
human
affairs
then.
What
is
the
basic
teaching
of
the
Vedas?
It
is
that,
to
whichever
economic
or
social
or
intellectual
group
you
belong,
you
are
Child
of
Immortality,
Amrtasya
Putr!
It
says
that
man
is
not
a
product
of
slime
or
mud;
man
is
one
who
manages
to
live
with
viveka,
so
that
he
is
able
to
attain
the
Divinity
latent
in
him.
M
means
Ajna,
a
means
Page 105 of 268
without.
He
who
is
without
ignorance,
who
is
wise,
who
knows
himself,
who
knows
that
he
is
immortal,
is
Man.
Once
you
have
tasted
Amrit,
can
you
relish
any
other
food?
India
has
once
tasted
the
Amirt
of
Santana
Dharma;
how
foolish
is
it
then
to
run
after
foulness
and
frivolity?
The
Olowers
of
this
garland
were
buds
yesterday;
they
bloomed
this
morning;
they
have
started
to
fade
now
and
tomorrow
they
will
rot
and
dry.
But,
the
string
that
holds
them
together
interpenetrating
them,
is
not
subject
to
such
change;
It
was
string
yesterday,
it
is
string
now
and
it
will
be
string
tomorrow.
The
unchanging
Atma
and
the
changing
body
-
analyse
them
thus
and
be
convinced
of
the
eternal
universal
core
of
your
being.
As
a
thinking,
discriminating
human
being,
it
is
your
responsibility
to
discharge
this
duty
to
yourself.
And
also
to
your
country!
For,
India
deserved
the
honour
of
the
World
Teacher
because
her
people
always
insisted
on
this
great
responsibility
and
tried
to
discharge
it.
But,
when
Indians
neglected
this
and
attached
value
to
physical
comfort
and
social
status,
the
land
fell
into
the
morass
of
competitive
struggle.
You
have
come
from
your
villages,
so
many
thousands
of
you,
to
this
place
to
see
Sai
Baba
and
to
hear
Him,
is
it
not?
Well,
over
and
above
those
two
aims,
you
must
have
a
third
one
too.
You
must
also
see
yourself
and
hear
your
inner
voice,
urging
you
to
discover
your
own
truth.
I
am
prompting
you
to
discover
your
Reality.
That
is
My
Mission.
You
are
born
for
your
own
sake,
not
for
the
sake
of
any
one
else.
You
have
to
cure
yourself
of
the
disease
of
ignorance,
just
as
you
have
to
cure
yourself
of
the
disease
of
hunger.
No
one
else
can
save
you
from
both.
Uddharet
Atma
na
Atmnam
-
Save
yourself
by
yourself.
God
is
in
you,
but
like
the
woman,
who
fears
that
her
necklace
has
been
stolen
or
lost,
recognises
that
she
has
it
round
her
neck
when
she
passes
a
mirror,
man
too
will
recognise
that
God
is
in
him,
when
some
Guru
reminds
him
of
it.
The
joy
that
you
then
get
is
incomparable.
Every
Indian
must
realises
that
the
science
of
self-discovery
is
self-
heritage.
He
must
value
it
and
earn
it.
!
Seek
jnam,
which
is
the
seat
of
sweetness.
!
Be
a
true
Bhakta
and
become
so
small
that
you
wriggle
out
of
the
shackles
of
the
senses
or
be
a
true
jni
and
become
so
huge,
that
you
escape
by
breaking
the
shackles.
Every
being
needs
Prema
inhales
and
exhales
Prema,
for
Prema
is
the
basic
breath;
everyone
is
the
embodiment
of
Prema.
Love
knows
no
fear,
so
love
needs
no
falsehood
to
support
it.
Love
seeks
no
reward;
love
is
its
own
reward.
The
most
chronic
disease
of
man
is
Ajna
-
ignorance
of
the
undying
Atma
within
him.
On
emus
know
the
reason
why
he
caught
this
aphasia
and
try
to
get
cured.
The
general
cause
of
this
illness
is
infatuation
for
the
objective
world
and
subservience
to
senses.
There
is
even
a
deeper
cause
-
the
undue
prominence
given
to
the
body,
imaging
it
to
be
the
touchstone
fo
value.
The
body
is
like
a
temporary
shelter
where
you
reside
for
a
short
while,
on
your
journey.
The
gamyam
is
kaivalyam
-
the
goal
is
liberation.
Liberation
gives
the
highest
Bliss.
!
Have
faith
in
the
Ocean,
not
the
wave;
believe
in
the
Lord,
not
in
little
things.
!
Discourse 49 (Vyaasashram, Yerpedu, 17/12/1964)
The
Vedas
have
to
be
practised;
that
is
the
purpose
of
these
revelations.
Merely
learning
them
by
rote
is
of
no
use.
The
Uttarammmsa
section
provides
the
knowledge
necessary
to
liberate
oneself
from
bondage
and
blindness.
That
is
called
Brahmajna,
for,
when
one
reaches
a
certain
stage
in
sdhana,
he
realises
that
all
this
is
identical
with
Brahman,
which
is
cause
and
effect,
being
and
becoming,
both.
They
(Karma
and
Upasana
Kanda)
say
that
He
is
known
by
many
Names
and
appears
under
many
Forms.
Ekam
sat,
they
say:
only
One
exists;
but,
Vipr
bahudh
vadanti
-
but,
the
same
One
is
known
and
described
in
many
different
ways
by
the
wise.
TO
know
that
you
are
that
One,
and
therefore
Immortal,
is
your
right,
your
heritage,
that
is
why
the
Vedas
acclaim
man
as
Amrtasya
Putr:
Children
of
Immortality.
The
generality
of
people
are
unaware
of
the
Glory
and
Grace
of
God;
the
Malayala
Swami
made
every
one
who
came
to
him
understand
the
Real
behind
the
Unreal.
He
had
known
it
by
study
and
sdhana.
The
Guru
is
the
teacher
of
Atma-vidya;
he
dispels
darkness,
like
the
Sun.
Every
one
should
be
prompted
by
reverence
to
the
Guru
which
means
not
worshipping
his
photograph,
but
acting
according
to
his
orders,
his
commands,
his
ja.
Here
I
must
tell
you
something
about
Myself,
like
leaving
a
visiting
card,
here.
My
task
is
not
merely
to
cure
and
console,
remove
individual
misery.
It
is
something
far
more
important.
The
important
task
of
the
mango
tree
is
to
produce
mango
fruits.
The
leaves,
the
branches,
and
the
trim
of
the
tree
are
useful,
in
their
own
way,
no
doubt;
but
the
main
aim
is
the
fruit.
So
also
from
the
plantain
tree,
the
fruit
is
the
main
gain.
The
leaves,
the
edible
core
of
the
stem,
these
are
all
incidental.
So
too
the
removal
of
misery
and
distress
is
incidental
to
My
Mission.
My
main
task
is
the
re-establishment
of
Vedas
and
strs
in
the
heart
of
Bharatavara
and
the
revival
of
knowledge
about
them
in
the
people.
We
are
beggars
living
in
a
house
of
gold.
The
fact
that
it
is
precious
metal
that
surrounds
us
is
unknown.
Discover
it
and
you
are
saved!
This
is
called
Prpta-prpti
(attaining
the
already
existing).
This
mike
was
purchased
from
a
shop;
it
was
not
in
the
possession
of
the
man
who
wanted
it.
But,
peace
and
joy
are
not
like
this
mike.
They
are
not
available
in
shops;
they
are
in
the
possession
of
the
very
men
who
are
in
need
of
these.
Page 107 of 268
!
The
Guru
reveals
the
treasure
within.
!
More
than
the
Guru,
the
Guri
(goal)
is
essential
for
attaining
the
Divine.
!
The
body
is
the
tabernacle
of
God,
the
chariot
in
which
He
is
seated
in
all
majesty.
Do
not
identify
yourself
with
it
and
its
modiOications
and
transformations.
You
are
the
Atma
and
so,
you
are
above
these
affections
of
the
body.
The
Lord
is
everywhere,
in
the
house,
outside
it,
before,
behind,
beside
the
bhakta;
but,
men
do
not
recognise
Him
or
realise
the
value
of
so
recognising
Him.
The
Lord
is
the
unseen
foundation
on
which
your
life
is
built.
He
is
the
source,
sustenance
and
strength.
Without
His
Will,
no
leaf
can
turn,
no
blade
of
grass
can
quiver.
What
Oirmer
foundation
can
you
desire
than
this?
Once
you
know
that
the
Lord,
the
Omnipotent
Power,
is
the
mainspring
of
your
life,
there
will
be
no
fear
any
more.
Know
the
Atma
which
is
your
reality;
know
that
it
is
the
same
Inner
Force
of
this
Universe.
Let
your
intelligence
penetrate
into
the
truth.
Analyse
yourself
and
discover
the
several
layers
of
Consciousness
-
the
physical,
the
sensory,
the
nervous,
the
mental,
the
intellectual
-
and
arrive
at
the
very
core
of
even
the
last
layer,
the
layer
of
joy.
The
Oive
sheaths
have
to
be
transcended,
so
that
you
may
attain
your
truth,
which
is
Atma.
The
Atma
can
be
grasped
only
by
a
sharpened
intellect
and
a
pure
mind.
How
to
purify
the
mind?
By
starving
it
of
the
bad
food
it
runs
after,
namely,
objective
pleasures,
and
feeding
it
on
the
wholesome
food,
namely,
thought
of
God.
The
intellect
too
will
be
sharp
if
it
is
devoted
to
discrimination
between
the
transient
and
the
eternal.
Let
your
thoughts
be
concentrated
on
God,
His
Name
and
His
Form;
you
will
then
Oind
that
you
are
always
with
the
Pure
and
Permanent;
you
will
then
derive
pure
and
permanent
joy.
That
is
the
reason
why
I
attach
so
much
importance
to
Nmasmarana
as
a
Sdhana.
!
He
who
tells
you
of
this
all-pervasive
God
is
the
real
Guru.
!
Whatever
God
grants
is
for
your
good,
for
your
liberation,
not
for
your
fall
or
bondage.
Page 108 of 268
Vol. 5!
Discourse 1 (Prashanti Nilayam, 13/1/1965)
The
heart
full
of
sattvaguna
is
the
ocean
of
milk.
The
steady
contemplation
of
the
Divine,
either
as
your
own
reality
or
as
the
ideal
to
be
reached,
is
the
Mandara
mountain
plated
in
it
as
the
churning
rod.
Vsuki,
the
serpent
that
was
wound
round
the
churning
rod
as
a
rope,
is
the
group
of
the
senses,
emitting
poisonous
fumes
during
the
process
of
churning
and
nearly
frightening
the
Asuras
who
held
the
head.
The
rope
is
held
by
the
good
and
the
bad
impulses
and
both
struggle
with
the
churning
process;
eager
for
the
results
which
each
has
set
its
heart
on.
The
Grace
of
God
is
the
Tortoise
incarnation,
for
the
Lord
Himself
comes
to
the
rescue,
once
He
knows
that
you
are
earnestly
seeking
the
secret
of
Immortality:
He
comes,
silently
and
unobserved,
as
the
tortoise
did,
holding
the
manana
process
unimpaired
and
serving
as
the
steady
base
of
all
spiritual
practice.
many
things
emerge
from
the
mind,
when
churned,
but
the
wise
wait
patiently
for
the
appearance
of
the
guarantor
of
Immortality,
and
seize
upon
it
with
avidity.
That
is
the
lesson
of
the
legend.
It
is
a
summary
of
Atmavidya.
There
are
many
who
ridicules
these
yogis
(God-centred
men)
and
scoff
at
them.
They
call
them
selOish,
anti-social,
self-centred
idlers
who
run
away
from
their
obligations
and
seek
asylum
in
solitude
and
silence.
but,
being
near
does
not
ensure
usefulness.
Being
far
does
not
imply
hatred
or
fear
of
company
or
uselessness.
Viruses
enter
the
very
blood
stream
and
surely,
nothing
can
be
nearer
to
you;
yet,
they
are
mortal
enemies.
Members
of
the
same
family
are
envious
and
suspicious
of
one
another;
those
born
as
brothers
or
sisters
Oight
in
courts
of
law
and
Oill
the
pockets
of
lawyers.
Even
twins
seldom
love
each
other.
it
is
not
being
near
that
counts.
These
yogis
moved
out
into
lonely
spots
and
sought
teachers
of
the
inner
path,
much
as
young
technicians
do
today,
going
to
Japan
or
America
or
Russia
in
order
to
learn
skills
that
will
help
to
build
a
better
India.
They
do
not
gee
up
kith
and
kin
and
all
chances
to
make
a
fortune,
because
they
are
afraid
of
facing
the
hard
realities
of
life;
they
do
not
Olee
from
loss
or
defeat.
They
go,
to
seek
the
secret
of
eternal
joy;
they
win
it
for
themselves;
and,
but
heir
lives,
they
inspire
others
to
win
the
precious
secret,
by
treading
the
path
they
have
found
useful.
No
one
calls
the
man
who
has
gone
abroad
to
equip
himself
better,
as
an
engineer
or
doctor,
selOish;
why
then
should
the
man
who
undergoes
greater
deprivations
to
equip
himself
better
as
an
engineer
of
the
mind,
utilising
its
undoubted
powers,
not
for
bondage,
but,
for
liberation,
be
tarred
as
ego-centric?
This
only
shows
ignorance
of
true
values.
There
are
isolation
hospitals
where
patients
suffering
from
chronic
infectious
diseases
are
treated
and
cured.
The
hermitages
in
the
forests
are
such
hospitals,
where
people
who
want
to
be
cured
of
the
infection
of
worldly
life
can
undergo
the
treatment
and
come
out
free
in
order
to
serve
other
patients.
Man
too
is
the
child
of
immortality;
that
is
the
reason
why
he
cannot
force
himself
into
the
conviction
that
he
would
die.
he
sees
his
neighbour
die,
but
believes
that
he
would
somehow
escape
it.
The
man
of
realisation,
however,
is
ever
ready
to
cast
off
this
encumbrance
and
escape
from
the
prison
of
name
and
form.
Emperor
Janaka
was
such
a
person
of
realisation.
He
never
lost
the
consciousness
of
the
Oneness.
Once,
Sulabha,
the
celebrated
woman
dialectician,
visited
his
court
and
during
the
discussion,
she
challenged
Janaka
to
treat
her
also
as
his
queen,
for,
as
a
jni,
you
should
make
no
difference
between
persons,
as
men
of
realisation
see
the
same
self
in
all.
But,
janaka
retorted,
As
a
jni,
you
should
recognise
Oneness;
there
is
no
validity
in
talking
of
men
and
women
as
distinct.
Thus,
he
taught
her
real
Jna,
the
highest
wisdom.
Page 109 of 268
Everything
that
is
born
must
die;
everything
that
is
constructed
will
disintegrate.
But
you
can
escape
death,
by
not
being
born
again.
When
you
know
that
you
are
the
limitless
atman,
then
you
are
no
longer
subjected
to
the
limitation
of
birth.
That
is
the
secret.
But,
what
is
the
real
core?
It
is
not
the
particular
religious
belief
or
the
name
or
the
language
that
one
has
learned
from
the
mothers
lap.
It
is
the
Absolute
Reality
which
you
are.
You
know
in
the
very
depths
of
your
being
that
you
are
and
will
be,
that
is
the
characteristic
of
Sat.
All
beings
have
it.
You
are
also
eager
to
know,
to
expand
by
knowledge,
to
reach
out.
All
beings
have
it,
this
urge
for
expression.
That
is
the
characteristic
of
Chit.
You
seek
joy;
all
beings
do
so.
That
is
the
characteristic
of
Ananda.
The
Ananda
is
you
seeks
its
kin
everywhere,
in
everything.
That
is
why
it
is
said,
Sat-Chit-Ananda
is
the
link
between
Tat
and
Tvam,
the
particular
and
the
universal.
Everything
is
asti
(exists),
for,
it
is
sat;
it
is
bhati
(expressing
itself),
because
it
is
chit;
it
is
priya
(pleasant)
because
it
is
ananda.
If
you
are
able
to
equip
your
mind
with
this
consciousness
you
are
a
Person
of
Realisation.
The
seer
should
not
attach
himself
to
the
seen;
that
is
the
way
to
get
free.
The
contact
of
the
senses
with
the
object
arouses
desire
and
attachment;
this
leads
to
effort
and
either
elation
or
despair;
then,
there
is
the
fear
of
loss
or
grief
at
failure
and
the
train
of
reactions
lengthens.
With
many
doors
and
windows
kept
open
to
all
the
winds
that
blow,
how
can
the
Olame
of
the
lamp
within
survive?
That
lamp
is
the
mind,
which
must
burn
steadily
unaffected
by
the
dual
demands
of
the
world
outside.
Complete
surrender
to
the
Lord
is
one
way
of
closing
the
windows
and
doors,
for,
then,
in
that
stance
of
arangati,
you
are
bereft
of
ego
and
so,
you
are
not
buffeted
by
joy
or
grief.
There
are
two
kinds
of
accomplishments:
aprpta
prpti
and
prpta
prpti.
The
acquisition
of
something
which
you
did
not
have
is
aprpta
prpti;
if
you
do
not
have
a
mike,
you
go
and
purchase
one
or
hire
one.
It
is
prpta
prpti
if
you
become
aware
of
a
thing
that
you
had
with
you,
but
imagined
that
you
did
not
have.
A
friend
comes
and
asks
a
loan
of
ten
rupees
from
you,
you
are
sorry
that
you
have
not
got
the
tenner
and
that
you
are
not
able
to
come
to
his
rescue
when
he
is
in
dire
need.
An
hour
later,
when
you
sit
down
and
open
the
pages
of
the
Gta,
you
discover
a
ten
rupee
note
that
you
had
placed
between
the
leaves
long
ago
and
forgotten.
How
happy
you
are
at
this!
The
ten
rupees
are
so
good
as
newly
earned.
The
Guru
asks
you
to
search
between
the
leaves
of
the
book
of
your
heart,
and
lo,
the
treasure
is
there
ready
to
render
you
rich
beyond
compare.
The
aspiring
disciple
must
have
an
inkling
already
of
the
Truth;
or
else,
he
cannot
master
the
secret.
The
telegram
is
sent
in
the
Morse
Code;
so
the
man
who
sends
as
well
as
the
man
who
receives
must
be
aware
of
the
code.
The
disciple
washes
the
clothes
of
the
guru
and
they
were
hung
for
drying
on
a
line
in
the
hermitage.
The
guru
wanted
them
dried
quickly,
but
the
disciple
could
not
avoid
delay!
He
had
hung
them
folded
into
four;
human
intelligence
must
have
inspired
him
tot
hang
them
in
single
fold,
so
that
they
would
have
dried
quicker.
Likewise,
one
should
use
his
intelligence
in
the
spiritual
Oield
and
carry
on
his
spiritual
practice
unimpaired.
After
all,
the
quickest
way
to
dry
clothes,
the
best
way
to
prepare
a
tasty
dish,
these
are
secondary
skills;
the
primary
one
is
the
skill
to
overcome
the
Page 110 of 268
temptations
of
the
senses,
to
journey
inward
into
the
region
of
the
impulses
and
give
them
a
higher
purpose.
Of
what
use
is
it
to
cleanse
and
polish
the
exterior
of
a
drinking-cup?
Cleanse
the
interior,
instead.
Remembrance
of
the
Lords
Name
is
the
best
detergent
for
the
mind.
It
is
the
means
of
crossing
the
sea.
The
Name
is
the
raft
that
will
take
you
safely
across.
The
Name
will
remove
the
veil
of
illusion,
that
now
hides
the
Universal
from
the
Individual.
When
that
veil
fades
out,
man
Oinds
Himself
before
himself;
he
beholds
the
Universe
that
he
is.
Man
has
inOinite
power
and
inOinite
potentiality,
for
he
is
a
wave
of
the
Ocean
of
InOinity.
You
can
be
aware
of
this,
if
you
only
dare
reason
a
bit.
There
was
a
grandchild
once
who
sat
on
the
lap
of
his
grandfather
and
asked
him
the
very
plain
query,
Grandpa,
do
you
love
me?
and
the
old
man
immediately
replied,
I
do.
The
child
asked
next,
Do
you
love
God?
for
which
too
the
old
man
said,
Yes.
Then,
the
child
retorted,
If
you
love
God
also,
then,
you
cannot
be
loving
me;
if
you
love
me,
you
cannot
be
loving
God
at
the
same
time,
or
to
the
same
extent.
That
is
true.
You
have
to
choose.
Love
Nature
and
you
have
to
ignore
God;
love
God
and
you
will
realise
the
Nature
is
but
His
Raiment.
Above
all
get
convinced
that
life
is
as
unreal
as
a
dream;
do
not
get
attached
to
it
beyond
reasonable
limits.
A
man
once
suddenly
gave
up
heart
and
home
and
went
out
of
the
village,
because
he
was
too
poor
to
maintain
his
wife
and
children.
On
his
leaving,
conditions
became
even
worse
and
the
poor
woman
had
to
witness
the
death
of
their
little
child,
due
to
starvation.
The
next
day,
the
husband
happened
to
come
back
and
when
the
wife
reported
the
sad
news
and
wept;
he
said,
Woman!
Last
night,
I
slept
in
a
choultry
and
I
had
a
dream.
I
was
a
very
rich
man,
with
a
Oine
bungalow
and
a
happy
family
of
six
buxom
children;
I
had
Oine
swings
and
posh
chairs
in
the
garden,
plenty
of
servants
to
order
about.
When
I
woke
up,
I
lost
all
of
them.
For
whom
am
I
to
weep
now?
For
the
six
children
I
lost
in
the
morning
or
the
child
that
was
lost
yesterday?
Those
six
will
never
play
again;
this
one
too
cannot
run
about.
When
I
dreamt,
the
child
was
non-existent;
when
I
awoke
those
six
are
non-existent.
What
exists
is
only
the
perceiver
of
both
the
dream
and
the
waking
state,
the
I.
Know
that
I,
know
that
I
is
the
same
as
He.
Like
the
tadpoles
tail,
the
ego
will
fall
away
when
one
grows
in
wisdom.
It
must
fall
away;
if
it
is
cut,
the
poor
tadpole
will
die.
So,
dont
worry
about
the
ego;
develop
wisdom,
discriminate,
know
the
ephemeral
nature
of
all
objective
things;
then,
the
tail
will
no
longer
be
evident.
Each
one
from
ego
takes
his
birth
and
clad
in
ego
dies
and
comes
and
goes,
gives
and
receives
and
earns
and
spends
and
deals
in
lies
or
speaks
the
truth,
in
ego
all
the
while
Those
who
do
away
with
their
ego
attain
salvation.
Remove
the
roots
of
egoism
from
the
Oield
of
your
heart.
That
is
enough.
The
Lord
will
manifest
Himself
only
when
the
pillar
is
split
in
twain,
with
the
sword
of
yearning,
Hiranyakashipu
did
it
and
immediately,
the
Lord
appeared
from
within
that
pillar.
He
had
not
hidden
Himself
there,
anticipating
the
contingency.
He
is
everywhere;
and,
so,
He
was
there
also.
The
lesson
that
Hiranyakashipu
learnt
was
that
the
deha-
tattva
must
be
split
as
under
if
the
dehi-tattva
must
reveal
itself.
That
is
to
say,
the
I-
Page 111 of 268
Bhakti
or
jna
or
karma
must
all
lead
to
the
achievement
of
equanimity;
otherwise,
they
are
simply
pseudo.
Detach
yourselves
from
the
senses;
then,
only
can
the
Atma
shine.
The
mind
must
be
withdrawn
from
its
present
comrades,
the
senses;
it
must
be
loyal
to
its
royal
master,
the
intellect
or
buddhi.
That
is
to
say,
you
must
separate
the
grain
from
the
chaff,
through
the
exercise
of
viveka
and
then,
Oix
your
desire
on
the
things
that
last
and
nourish,
rather
than
on
things
that
are
Olashy
and
corroding.
The
Shastry
said
that
Yashoda
reached
the
place
where
the
child
Krishna
had
hidden
himself,
by
following
the
footprints
he
had
left
behind
him,
with
his
curd-besmeared
feet.
He
could
not
be
caught
when
she
attempted
to
tie
a
rope
round
his
waist
and
drag
him
to
herself.
That
rope
was
the
rope
of
ego;
how
can
the
Lord
be
bound
by
your
ego?
It
was
found
to
be
always
short,
two
Oinger
breadths
short,
every
time!
What
does
that
indicate?
It
means
that
there
were
two
virtues
short
-
and
that
explains
why
every
rope,
however
long,
was
too
short.
The
two
virtues
were:
Dharmania
and
Brahmania.
Advaita
means,
all
this
is
Atma;
then,
why
this
apparent
variety?
Variety
is
the
picture
drawn
by
the
delusion
that
you
are
the
body,
that
you
are
the
character
the
dram
has
cast
on
you!
In
the
drama,
you
sing
and
speak,
weep
and
laugh,
always
aware
that
you
are
yourself
and
not
what
the
apparel
and
acting
make
you
appear
to
be.
Chandramathi
bursts
into
tears
when
her
son
dies
of
cobra
bite;
the
spectators
weep
at
her
plight,
but
the
person
who
acts
so
well
is
untouched
by
grief.
Do
not
yield
to
grief
because
the
reOlection
is
broken;
it
is
due
to
the
weakness
of
the
medium,
water.
So
too,
when
you
think
you
are
the
body,
which
grows
and
withers,
is
elated
or
disheartened,
you
see
the
reOlection
as
broken;
but
the
genuine
thing,
the
Reality
is
unaffected.
You
must
have
heard
the
beggar
at
the
door
calling
out
in
his
crude
jargon,
I
am
andi
meaning
I
am
antha.
He
wants
to
tell
you
that
he
has
none
to
support
him
but,
his
words
mean,
I
am
beginningless.
Yes,
he
is
revealing
to
you
the
Great
Mystery
that
makes
all
beings
his
kin!
And
then,
when
he
says,
Bhikm
dehi,
you
take
him
to
mean,
Give
me
alms.
Just
consider
the
word
he
uses
for
give.
He
calls
out
dehi
meaning
also,
he
who
is
the
owner
of
this
body,
he
who
resides
in
this
body,
the
Atma.
He
is
teaching
you
that
you
are
really
the
Atma,
wearing
the
apparel
of
the
body
and
so,
you
and
he
are
one.
Discriminate
before
you
develop
attachment.
If
you
have
attachment
towards
wife
and
children,
land
and
buildings,
bank
accounts
and
balances
and
when
these
decline,
you
will
come
to
grief.
Develop
attachment
towards
the
Universal
and
you
too
will
grow
in
love
and
splendour.
Always
have
the
meaning
and
purpose
of
life
in
view.
And
experience
that
purpose
and
that
meaning.
You
are
That;
that
is
the
truth.
You
and
the
Universal
are
One;
you
and
the
Absolute
are
One;
you
and
the
Eternal
are
One.
You
are
not
the
Individual,
the
Particular,
the
Temporary.
Feel
this,
know
this.
Act
in
conformity
with
this.
Some
one
Page 112 of 268
came
to
Ramanamaharshi
and
asked
him
thus'
"Swaami!
I
have
been
doing
intense
dhyaana
for
the
last
18
years;
but
I
have
failed
to
realise
the
Ideal
on
which
my
dhyaana
is
concentrated.
How
many
more
years
should
I
continue
thus?"
Ramana
answered,
"It
is
not
a
question
of
a
certain
number
of
years.
You
have
to
continue
dhyaana
until
the
awareness
that
you
are
doing
dhyaana
disappears.
"Forget
the
ego;
let
it
melt
and
merge,
with
all
its
layers
of
consciousness.
There
are
some
who,
while
meditating,
strike
at
the
mosquitoes
that
pester
them!
No,
Immerse
yourselves
in
dhyaanam
until
you
transcend
all
physical
and
mental
urges
and
impulses.
Vaalmeeki
was
covered
by
the
ant-hill
that
grew
over
him;
people
discovered
him
by
the
sound
of
Raama
naama
that
emanated
from
that
mound.
Ignore
the
deha
(body)
so
that
you
may
discover
the
dehi
(indweller);
do
not
get
engrossed
in
outer
Oinery
but
delve
deep
and
discover
the
inner
splendour.
You
can
be
really
healthy
and
happy
only
when
you
are
immersed
in
the
Universal.
If
you
are
in
aathma
thathwa
(essential
nature
of
the
Self),
you
will
be
fresh,
happy
and
healthy.
When
you
separate,
and
feel
that
you
are
in
deha
thathwa
(principle
of
body),
you
start
declining.
!
!
Take
the
hymn
that
describes
Krishna
as,
"Kasthuri
thilakam".
Outwardly,
it
delineates
the
beautiful
form
and
describes
the
ornaments
and
appurtenances
of
the
Lord.
But
each
of
these
words
has
a
deeper
signiOicance
which
should
not
be
missed.
The
thilakam
or
dot
of
kasthuri
or
musk
on
the
forehead
of
Krishna
is
the
symbol
of
the
Eye
of
Wisdom,
the
Inner
Eye,
the
inward-directed
vision,
like
the
third
eye
on
the
forehead
of
Shiva.
Kasthuri
means
jnaanam
or
supersensual
knowledge
or
wisdom.
Then
the
hymn
speaks
of
kowsthubha
gem
on
the
chest.
It
indicates
the
aananda
in
the
heart,
the
untarnished
aananda
of
the
Lord
who
is
Aananda
swaruupi
(bliss
personiOied).
Next
in
the
poem
is
the
shining
pearl
on
Krishna's
nose-ring.
Well,
the
Navamoukthikam
on
His
naasaagra
(nose-tip)
is
indicative
of
the
success
that
attends
one-pointed
concentration
on
His
Glory
for
which
the
tip
of
the
nose
is
considered
by
adepts
in
yoga
as
a
point
of
help.
And,
the
pearl
is,
in
Hindu
mythology,
produced
out
of
the
rain
drop,
from
the
Oirst,
pure,
unsullied
showers
that
is
swallowed
by
the
oyster
that
has
been
waiting
long
for
the
precious
gift
from
the
heavens.
It
indicates
the
transforming
effect
of
yearning
and
the
natural
thirst
for
the
pure
and
the
true
which
irks
the
human
heart.
You
should
cultivate
an
attitude
of
inseparable
attachment
to
the
Lord,
who
is
your
very
self.
If
He
is
a
Olower,
you
should
feel
yourself
a
bee
that
sucks
its
honey;
if
He
is
a
tree,
be
a
creeper
that
clings
to
it;
if
a
cliff,
then
feel
that
you
are
a
cascade
running
over
it;
if
He
is
the
sky,
be
a
tiny
star
that
twinkles
in
it;
above
all,
be
conscious
of
the
truth
that
you
and
He
are
bound
by
Supreme
Love.
If
you
feel
this
acutely,
not
with
the
gross
intelligence,
but
with
the
subtle
intelligence,
then,
the
journey
will
be
quick
and
the
goal
can
be
won.
The
sthula
buddhi
(gross
intelligence)
keeps
you
walking
but,
the
subtle
intelligence
Olies
you
to
the
destination.
The
gross
is
too
much
weighed
down
by
the
body;
the
subtle
transcends
the
body
and
lightens
the
burden.
The
Shastry
mentioned
the
axiom,
Ekamevaad-witheeyam,
One
only,
not
Two.
If
it
is
not
two,
it
may
be
three;
so,
it
is
deOined
also
as
One
only.
It
is
the
inner
motivator
of
all
(Sarvaantharyaami),
like
the
string
running
through
all
the
beads.
If
it
is
inside
all,
why
is.
it
not
observable
in
all,
you
may
ask.
Picture
a
rosary
of
several
types
of
beads'
coral,
Page 113 of 268
pearl,
tulsi,
rudraaksha,
crystal
or
conch,
etc.
The
string
passes
through
each
and
holds
all
the
beads
together,
no
doubt;
but
it
is
only
in
the
transparent
beads
that
it
is
visible.
So
too,
you
have
to
make
yourself
transparent,
free
from
wish
and
will,
that
hide
or
befog:
then
only,
can
the
Inner
Motivator
be
seen.
You
cannot
argue
that
since
it
is
not
seen,
it
is
not
there.
To
earn
transparency,
purity
of
intention,
impulse
and
instinct
is
essential;
that
is
achieved
by
systematic
and
sincere
spiritual
discipline.
Guard
the
wisdom
gained
from
the
snares
of
attachment
and
aversion---this
must
be
the
theme.
For,
where
there
is
duality,
there
is
fear,
there
is
decline
and
death.
Winnow
the
real
from
the
apparent.
Look
inside
the
event,
for
the
kernel,
the
meaning.
Dwell
over
on
your
Aathmic
reality;
you
are
pure,
you
are
indestructible;
you
are
unaffected
by
the
ups
and
downs
of
life;
you
are
the
true,
the
eternal,
the
unchanging
Brahmam,
the
entity
which
is
all
this.
A
mere
Oive-minute
inquiry
will
convince
you
that
you
are
not
the
body,
or
the
senses,
the
mind
or
the
intelligence,
the
name
or
the
form,
but
that
you
are
the
Aathma
Itself,
the
same
Aathma
that
appears
as
all
this
variety.
Once
you
get
a
glimpse
of
this
truth,
hold
on
to
it;
do
not
allow
it
to
slip.
Make
it
your
permanent
possession.
The
best
way
to
get
rid
of
weakness
is
to
strike
at
the
very
taproot
of
the
tree---the
mistake
that
you
are
the
body,
with
this
name
and
this
form,
these
senses,
this
intelligence
and
this
mind.
These
are
all
the
luggage
you
carry.
Don't
you
say,
my
nose
my
mind,
my
hand,
my
reason,
just
as
you
say,
my
book,
my
umbrella?
Who
is
this
T
that
calls
all
these
'mine'?
That
is
the
real
'you'.
It
was
there
when
you
were
born,
when
you
were
sleeping
forgetful
of
all
else,
forgetful
even
of
your
body
with
all
its
equipment,
internal
and
external.
That
T
cannot
be
harmed;
it
does
not
change,
it
knows
no
death
or
birth.
Learn
the
discipline
that
makes
you
aware
of
this
Truth
and
you
will
be
ever
free
and
bold.
That
is
real
vidya,
the
Aathmavidya,
which
the
sages
have
gathered
for
you.
The
thousands
who
come
to
Puttaparthi
are
coming
there
for
this
precious
wealth;
you
too
must,
one
day
or
the
other,
learn
this
and
save
yourselves.
All
men
have
to
reach
the
goal,
travelling
along
the
path
of
wisdom.
!
!
It
is
dedication
to
the
Lord
that
sanctiOies
all
activities.
He
is
the
raison
d'etre
for
all
activity.
He
is
the
prompter,
the
executor,
the
giver
of
the
required
strength
and
skill,
the
enjoyer
of
the
fruit
thereof.
So,
dedication
must
come
naturally
to
you,
for,
all
is
His
and
nothing
is
yours.
Your
duty
is
to
believe
-
He
is
the
impeller
of
your
activities,
and
draw
strength
from
that
belief.
Until
the
wound
heals
and
the
new
skin
hardens,
the
bandage
must
protect
the
place.
So
too,
until
reality
is
realised,
the
balm
of
faith,
holy
company
and
holy
thoughts
must
be
applied
to
the
ego-affected
mind.
If
you
have
prema
towards
Me,
you
will
have
prema
towards
all,
since
Sai
is
in
every
one.
You
sing
at
the
bhajana
(congregational
chant),
Anthaa
Sayi
mayam;
ee
jagamantha
Sayi
mayam---"All
this
is
Sayi-full;
this
World
is
Sayi-full".
So,
how
can
you
have
love
for
this
Sai
alone?
You
have
on
the
walls
of
this
Prayer
Hall
many
pictures
of
Swaami;
you
revere
the
pictures;
you
take
each
of
them
to
be
Me.
If
someone
speaks
ill
of
any
of
them
you
do
not
like
it,
do
you?
You
stand
before
the
picture
and
exclaim
in
Page 114 of 268
joy,
"O!
Swaami!"
Remember
every
human
being
is
My
Picture.
Why,
every
being
is
Me.
Anthaa
Sayi
mayam,
isn't
it?
So,
when
you
treat
any
one
harshly,
you
are
treating
Me
harshly.
When
you
are
insulting
any
one,
you
are
insulting
Me.
It
is
only
those
who
identify
themselves
with
the
body
that
are
exulted
or
pained;
you
must
feel
that
you
are
the
dehi,
not
the
deha
(the
self,
not
the
body),
that
will
give
you
the
strength
to
serve
best.
At
Thirupathi,
when
you
stand
before
the
Venkateshwara
idol,
if
you
think
about
the
stone,
its
colour,
its
geological
structure,
its
weight,
etc.,
there
can
be
no
Venkateshwara
in
your
mind;
Oill
yourself
with
the
thoughts
of
the
Lord
of
the
Seven
Hills,
and
then,
there
is
no
stone
before
you!
So
also,
see
everywhere,
in
this
carpet,
this
towel,
this
vessel,
this
wall,
the
basic
Brahmam
(the
Eternal
Absolute),
and
you
will
be
Oilled
with
spiritual
knowledge,
jnaana.
There
will
be
no
attachment;
this
is
the
"Sarvam
Brahmamayam"
(All
Oilled
with
Brahmam)
Oinale
of
all
saadhana
(spiritual
practice).
Do
not
despair;
practice
it
from
now
on,
step
by
step;
at
least
see
everything
as
His;
offer
everything
to
Him;
do
everything,
as
for
Him,
leave
everything
to
Him.
Be
an
instrument;
an
instrument
has
no
likes
and
dislikes;
be
just
a
tool;
be
an
efOicient
tool.
Every
man
is
burdened
with
one
body
and
four
births!
He
is
born
a
Sudra;
for,
as
a
child
he
has
no
sense
of
cleanliness
or
deOinite
ideas
of
right
and
wrong.
By
the
rite
of
initiation
into
spiritual
life,
that
is
to
say,
when
he
is
taken
as
a
pupil
by
a
guru,
who
takes
up
the
responsibility
of
leading
him
to
the
Goal
of
Human
Life,
he
becomes
dwija,
twice-born,
entering
into
the
second
chapter
of
his
human
career.
When
he
has
Oinished
the
spiritual
disciplines
and
studied
the
scriptures,
he
becomes
a
Vipra
(the
wise);
at
last,
when
as
a
result
of
those
practices
and
experiences,
he
visualises
Brahman
as
immanent
in
all,
he
is
a
Braahmana.
A
Vipra
attains
Brahmajnaanam
and
becomes
a
Braahmana.
This
is
therefore
the
Oirst
step,
but
the
most
important
step,
in
the
process
of
self-realisation.
The
parents
endow
you
with
the
material
body,
the
deha;
the
Guru
points
out
to
you
the
Dweller
within
the
Body,
the
dehi.
So,
he
is
entitled
to
be
honoured
as
a
God,
say
the
Vedhas.
Maathru
Devo
bhava,'
Pithru
Devo
bhava;
Aachaarya
Devo
bhava
(Honour
mother,
father,
teacher,
each
as
God).
To
make
gold
more
amenable
to
the
operations
attendent
on
ornament
making,
it
is
alloyed
by
the
addition
of
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
jeevathathwam
and
the
Brahmathathwam
(essential
nature
of
the
self
and
Brahman)
are
then
clearly
understood
as
facets
of
the
same
entity.
The
aim
of
all
human
effort
is
to
achieve
this
One
(Ekam),
that
lies
behind
all
this
plurality.
Without
achieving
it,
man
can
have
no
peace,
within
or
without.
Gaayathri
means
'that
which
saves,
when
repeated'!
It
is
the
torch
of
jnaana,
given
into
the
hands
of
these
lads
venturing
into
the
regions
of
intellectual
inquiry
and
sensory
restrictions.
As
paddy
is
treated
to
a
process
of
pestling
and
winnowing
and
cleaning
in
order
to
get
rice
that
can
be
cooked
and
eaten,
these
boys
have
to
de-husk
the
individual,
discover
the
Aathma
hiding
inside
the
Oive
sheaths
of
physical
matter,
vital
energy,
mind,
intelligence
and
bliss
(Annamaya,
Praanamaya,
Manomaya,
Vijnaanamaya
and
Aanandamaya
Kosas).
This
samskaara
is
fast
losing
its
signiOicance;
the
recital
of
the
Gaayathri
and
the
performance
of
the
Sandhya
rite
are
both
being
neglected;
so,
they
have
to
be
restored
to
their
pristine
glory.
This
is
an
important
step.
Until
you
see
the
Akshara
(the
Unchanging),
you
must
practise
the
kshara
(the
changing),
which
helps
you
to
transcend
it.
When
once
you
are
able
to
pronounce
'cat',
you
can
give
up
reading
the
word
as
'c-a-t'.
The
Gaayathri
will
help
you
to
reach
the
Akshara;
practise
it,
three
times
a
day,
in
the
Sandhya
rite.
All
the
joy
you
crave
for,
is
in
you;
but,
like
a
man
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.
A
clean
Consciousness
is
as
a
lamp;
pour
into
it
the
oil
of
Grace;
place
in
it
the
wick
of
Self-
control;
keep
in
position
the
chimney
of
Naamasmarana,
so
that
the
gusts
of
Joy
and
Grief
might
not
scotch
the
Olame.
Light
the
lamp,
with
some
Mahaavaakya
(Great
Statement),
like
Aham
Brahmaasmi
(Self
is
Brahman)
or
Thath
thwam
asi
(Thou
art
That).
Then,
you
will
not
only
have
Light;
you
will
be
a
source
of
Light.
Shivaraathri
is
the
day
on
which
Maheshwara
takes
up
the
Linga
form
for
the
beneOit
of
spiritual
seekers;
what
they
have
to
seek
from
Maheshwara
is
Jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom).
"Jnaanam
Maheswaraa
dhichched."---
It
is
jnaanam
that
makes
manifest
the
Divinity
latent
in
man.
It
is
the
Oinal
achievement
of
all
thapas
(penance),
all
yoga
and
yaaga.
You
cannot
get
that
joy
or
even
a
fraction
of
that
joy,
pursuing
earthly
pleasure.
To
cure
you
of
the
bite
of
a
cobra
in
a
dream,
you
have
to
be
awakened,
that
is
all.
'Waking'
is
the
acquisition
of
jnaana.
That
jnaana
(knowledge)
is
got
by
ceaseless
dhyaana
(meditation)
of
the
glory
and
potence
of
the
Almighty.
It
was
said
by
Shastri
that
sages
retired
into
the
silence
of
the
forest
and
by
means
of
hard
mental
toil
won
for
mankind
the
great
treasure
of
spiritual
experience
and
inspiration.
He
gave
many
examples
of
such
seers;
but,
there
are
some
who
condemn
Page 116 of 268
this
retirement
from
the
jostling
crowds
and
call
these
heroes,
cowards
afraid
to
face
the
stern
demands
of
life!
They
label
them
as
selOish,
desirous
of
their
own
salvation,
regardless
of
the
rest.
The
real
reason
for
their
taking
refuge
in
lonely
places
is
to
learn
the
secret
of
liberation
for
the
beneOit
of
humanity.
It
is
like
the
young
man
who
goes
abroad
now
for
higher
technical
training;
you
cannot
condemn
him
as
a
coward
or
socially
useless
individual,
when
the
very
purpose
is
to
sharpen
and
deepen
experience
and
become
more
useful!
The
purpose
of
the
sages
is
only
to
keep
the
senses
away
from
things
that
delight
and
deviate,
to
escape
the
infection
that
will
damage
the
springs
of
joy.
The
Aathmavidya
that
they
specialise
in
when
they
are
in
the
ashramas
and
thapovans
(hermitages)
of
the
forest
brings
salvation
to
all
those
who
later
come
in
contact
with
them.
Their
calmness
and
joy
will
inspire
others
too.
You
Oind
fault
with
them
for
leaving
you;
but
what
good
does
the
man
who
stays,
achieve?
People
behave
in
the
same
family,
though
living
together,
as
snakes
and
scorpions
to
each
other.
Many
a
home
reminds
you
of
a
menagerie
rather
than
a
cosy
abode
of
joy
and
peace!
This
morning,
I
spoke
of
anger,
hatred,
envy
and
pride
as
Olames
of
Oire
consuming
the
mind.
Now,
the
Shastri
from
Delhi
said
that
such
passions
are
only
apparent
and
that
the
real
You
are
not
bothered
by
them!
This
reminds
Me
of
a
story.
A
boy
offered
to
label
the
names
of
the
articles
contained
in
tins
and
cans
and
pots
in
the
kitchen
of
his
house
and
his
mother
agreed;
he
wrote
and
pasted
correctly
on
all
except
the
sugar
tin.
Upon
that
he
placed
the
label,
RED
CHILLIES!
When
reprimanded,
the
boy
said
it
was
only
to
deceive
the
ants,
which
will
not
swarm
over
a
red
chillies
tin!
SuperOicial
Vedhaantha
(Vedic
philosophy)
will
not
keep
the
Oire
away.
Cultivate
jnaana
(Supreme
Knowledge)
and
visualise
the
Lord
in
things
and
activities.
That
makes
this
human
birth
worth
while,
Do
not
seek
faults
in
others;
for
the
others
are
but
manifestations
of
the
Lord
you
are
seeking
to
realise.
It
is
your
own
fault
that
you
see
in
others.
There
are
only
two
things
in
this
world,
one
apparent,
the
other,
real;
the
kshethra
and
the
kshethrajna.
The
kshethra
is
the
deha
(body)
and
the
Kshethrajna
is
the
Dehi
(Self).
The
loka
(world)
is
the
Form
of
the
Lokesha
(Lord
of
the
world);
the
World
is
the
Body
of
God.
You
are
awake
when
you
feel
that
you
have
full
knowledge;
but,
when
awake,
you
are
aware
only
of
the
many,
not
of
the
One.
It
is
only
when
you
are
in
deep
sleep
that
all
the
multiplicity
vanishes;
then
you
are
not
aware
of
the
world
and
of
your
deluded
picture
of
it.
Examine
even
while
awake
the
stages
of
dream
and
deep
sleep
and
realise
that
wakefulness
is
a
handicap
to
the
seeker
of
Truth;
the
senses
are
deceptive;
they
are
inefOicient
instruments.
Do
not
die
in
spirit,
though
the
body
may
fall
away.
Know
that
the
real
"You"
is
deathless;
make
death
a
sublime
act
of
liberation.
Such
knowledge
can
come
only
through
a
life
devoted
to
Dharmanishtha
(steady
pursuit
of
the
moral
code)
and
Karmanishtha
(steady
devotion
to
the
duties
of
one's
stage
of
life).
These
two
must
end
in
the
evolution
of
a
third
Nishtha
like
Oire
and
Water
producing
steam
to
haul
the
train
of
wagons,
or,
like
oil
and
air
producing
gas
in
the
engine
to
haul
the
car.
The
third
Nishtha
is
Brahmanishtha---the
steady
contemplation
of
the
One
Basis
of
all
this
seeming
multiplicity,
namely,
Brahmam.
The
Nishtha
becomes
steady
by
practice
that
your
separate
individual
existence
is
merged
in
the
great
Deluge
of
Wisdom,
which
merges
you
in
Him,
restores
you
to
Him,
rather.
Enter
into
prayerful
silence
and
be
blessed
by
the
Great
Vision
of
the
Emergence
of
the
Aathmalinga.
Mind
does
not
have
any
powers.
The
only
power
is
Aathma
Shakthi,
the
power
of
Aathma.
Mind
has
no
form.
Mind
can
be
said
to
be
woven
of
desires.
The
Aathma
shines
on
the
heart,
whether
the
heart
be
pure
or
impure.
If
the
heart
is
puriOied
and
if
the
strongest
desire
is
for
God,
that
is
the
best.
Truth
that
is
won
by
one's
own
struggle
with
untruth
will
be
lasting
treasure;
the
struggle
strengthens
one
to
treasure
the
treasure,
for
not
all
can
bear
the
revolutionary
consequences
of
that
possession.
A
king
was
once
out
hunting
in
the
forest
and
while
pursuing
a
Oleeing
stag,
he
fell
into
a
forsaken
well
which
was
very
deep,
No
one
of
his
retinue
knew
of
his
plight,
for
the
stag
had
taken
him
far
away
into
the
woods,
before
his
men
could
get
trace
Of
him.
Luckily,
even
as
he
fell,
he
grasped
the
root
of
a
tree
that
was
hanging
aloof
from
the
side
of
the
well,
and
thus
escaped
the
death
that
yawned
underneath.
After
a
few
agonising
hours,
he
heard
some
one
reciting
aloud
the
names
of
the
Lord,
near
the
mouth
of
the
well.
It
was
a
holy
man
and
when
he
caught
the
faint
echo
of
the
unfortunate
king's
cry,
he
let
down
a
rope
and
called
out
to
the
King
to
hold
on
to
it
tight,
so
that
he
might
be
pulled
up
into
safety.
The
question
now
before
the
King-was
Root
or
Rope?
Of
course
the
root
helped
him
to
survive,
but,
it
had
value
only
until
the
rope
was
offered.
It
would
be
folly
to
stick
to
the
root
even
after
the
rope
was
ready
to
save.
The
root
must
be
appreciated,
but,
thankfulness
should
not
be
exaggerated
into
attachment.
Samsaara
or
worldly
existence
is
like
the
root;
the
rope
is
the
secret
of
liberation,
through
some
Mahaavaakyaa
(sacred
utterance
of
Truth),
that
discloses
in
a
Olash
the
Truth.
Liberation
is
just
the
awareness
of
Truth,
the
falling
off
of
the
scales
of
delusion
from
the
eye.
It
is
not
a
special
suburb
of
select
souls;
it
is
not
a
closed
monopoly
of
expert
saadhakas.
Like
the
Godaavari
losing
its
form,
its
name
and
its
taste
in
the
sea,
liberation
dissolves
the
name
and
form,
aptitudes
and
attitudes.
You
are
no
more
a
separate,
particular,
individual.
The
rain
drop
has
merged
in
the
sea,
from
where
the
drop
arose.
Of
course
there
was
no
bondage,
at
any
time,
and
no
prison;
there
was
only
a
Oixation
in
the
mind
that
one
was
bound,
that
one
was
in
prison,
that
one
was
limited
and
Oinite!
No
one
can
liberate
you,
for
no
one
has
bound
you.
You
hold
on
to
the
nettle
of
worldly
pleasure
and
you
weep
for
pain.
The
kite
is
pursued
by
crows
so
long
as
it
carries
the
Oish
in
its
beak;
it
twists
and
turns
in
the
sky
trying
to
dodge
the
crows
who
seek
to
snatch
the
Oish;
tired
at
last,
it
drops
the
Oish.
That
moment
it
is
free.
So
give
up
the
attachment
to
the
senses,
then
grief
and
worry
can
harass
you
no
more.
The
kite
sits
on
a
tree,
preening
its
wings,
enjoying
its
happiness.
You
too
can
be
so
happy,
provided
you
drop
the
Oish
you
have
in
your
beak.
Why
do
you
immerse
yourselves
in
distractions
like
building
houses,
piling
bank-
balances,
celebrating
picnics,
contesting
elections?
Engage
yourselves
rather
in
things
Page 118 of 268
that
will
make
you
immortal,
serve
your
best
interests
by
service
to
the
world.
Seek
your
own
reality?
That
is
what
a
wise
man
should
do.
The
body
is
the
temple
of
the
Self;
the
world
is
a
structure
raised
on
one
strong
pillar,
"I".
For,
when
this
"I"
is
dormant
during
deep
sleep,
there
is
no
world,
so
far
as
you
are
concerned.
You
are
alone,
when
you
sleep.
Before
you
were
born,
there
was
no
world
for
you.
After
you
die,
there
is
no
world
of
which
you
are
conscious.
To
get
this
jnaana
(knowledge)
Oixed,
you
have
to
pass
through
the
preparatory
schools
of
karma
and
upaasana.
Karma
(dedicated
activity)
helps
to
cleanse
the
heart
of
egoistic
impulses;
upasaana
(contemplation)
helps
to
focus
attention
on
the
Universal
and
the
Absolute.
Then
jnaana
emerges.
This
is
what
the
Shastri
referred
to
as
the
conjunction
of
three
rivers,
in
the
poem
he
read
now.
Once
you
win
that
jnaana,
you
are
the
equal
of
the
wisest,
for
there
is
nothing
more
to
know.
Today,
the
Sanaathana
Dharma
which
is
the
robe
of
Bhaaratha
maatha
(Mother
India)
is
sought
to
be
taken
away
by
her
unworthy
and
deluded
sons
and
so,
the
Lord
has
come
to
grant
solace
and
strength.
You
will
see
splendid
saris
pouring
into
her
lap
from
every
door
of
the
Durbar
Hall,
where
she
is
being
insulted.
You
will
witness
this
great
miracle,
by
the
Avathaar
(God
incarnate)
come
to
protect
her
honour,
her
heritage
of
Aathmic
treasure.
Finally,
when
you
realise
that
your
true
'Nature
is
the
Aathman,
you
become
a
jnaani.
But,
this
is
an
arduous
path
and
so,
many
who
are
attracted
to
it
leave
off
and
lose
themselves.
Then,
like
the
winner
of
a
cash
prize,
who
revels
in
some
city
like
Calcutta
or
Poona
or
Madras
or
who
dwells
in
some
place
of
pilgrimage
like
Shirdi
or
Rishikesh
until
the
entire
prize
money
is
spent,
later
they
are
harassed
by
the
police
for
loitering
in
public
places
for
want
of
a
place
to
rest
their
heads.
Heaven
too
is
like
this'
a
place
where
you
can
stay,
until
your
last
pie,
but
only
until
then!
Moksha
alone
is
unchanging,
eternal.
When
you
say,
Thath
thwam
asi
(Thou
art
that),
you
must
have
the
traits
of
that
which
you
claim
to
be.
You
say,
"that
and
this"
are
the
same;
then,
reviling
that
or
revering
'that'
is
the
same
as
reviling
'this'
or
revering
this.
The
four
Mahaavaakyas
(great
truths)
which
the
Vedhas
proclaim,
announce
that
all
this
is
Brahmam,
one
unitary
uniform
substance,
appearing
only
to
the
diseased
eye
as
many.
Aham
Brahmaasmi---"I
am
Brahman"---you
must
assert;
then,
you
transmute
yourself
into
sons
of
Immortality;
(Amrithasya
Puthraah);
now,
since
you
bleat
aham
dehaasmi---I
am
the
body
(the
combination
of
Oive
elements,
that
one
day
splits
into
those
elements)---you
degrade
yourself
into
Amrithasya
Puthraah---sons
of
Illusion.
Dharma
is
the
path
by
which
the
Mahaasakthi
in
the
temple
of
your
heart
can
be
tapped,
experienced
and
realised;
without
adherence
to
dharma,
it
can
never
happen.
He
has
forgotten
his
unity
with
all
men,
all
beings,
and
all
worlds.
The
contemplation
of
that
unity
alone
can
establish
.world
peace,
social
peace
and
peace
in
the
individual.
All
other
efforts
are
like
pouring
sweet-scented
rose
water
on
a
heap
of
ash,
ineffective
and
foolish.
I
bless
all
efforts
made
by
each
of
you
to
build
shaanthi
(peace),
on
this
foundation
of
Aathmajnaana,
knowledge
of
Aathmic
unity.
Gatherings
like
this
must
be
arranged
to
spread
the
message
of
the
Prashaanthi
Vidwanmahaasabha
in
order
that
you
may
know
the
truth
about
yourself
and
seek
to
experience
it.
There
are
only
two
entities
at
Oirst:
"I"
and
"You",
Thath
and
Thwam,
Aham
and
Brahma.
But
a
third,
this
Prakrithi
(world),
has
come
between,
or
rather
deludes
us
as
being
in
between.
You
know
some
people
who
go
about
carrying
proposals
of
marriage,
the
middlemen.
They
go
to
the
bride's
parents
and
suggest
a
certain
groom
and
they
praise
him
to
the
skies
and
create
a
desire
for
securing
him
in
marriage
for
the
daughter;
then
they
move
on
to
the
bridegroom's
village
and
persuade
that
party
to
insist
on
a
large
sum
as
groom-price
before
agreeing
to
accept
the
daughter
of
the
Oirst
party;
when
at
last
the
marriage
is
concluded,
they
disappear.
Prakrithi
is
like
this
middleman.
When
"I"
and
"You"
have
united,
Prakrithi
disappears.
Its
role
is
to
reveal
the
"you"
to
the
"I"---that
is
all.
As
a
matter
or
fact,
the
"I"
is
of
the
same
nature
as
"You,"
like
the
river
and
the
sea,
or
like
the
wave
and
the
sea.
That
is
the
reason
why
I
always
address
you
as
Amritha-
swaruupulaara---You,
whose
nature
is
immortality!
Prema-swaruupulaara---You,
whose
nature
is
Love?
Shaantha-
swaruupulaara---You,
whose
nature
is
Tranquillity!
Dharma
supporting
artha,
and
moksha
being
the
only
kaama
or
desire.
However
much
you
may
earn
either
wealth
or
strength,
unless
you
tap
the
springs
of
aananda
(bliss)
within
you,
you
cannot
have
peace
and
lasting
content.
There
is
Sathyathwa,
Nithyathwa
(reality
of
truth
and
eternity)
in
you;
you
need
not
earn
them
from
any
one
else.
The
four
pillars
of
Purushaartha
(goals
of
human
effort)
are
made
Oirm
and
stable
by
Oixing
them
on
the
bedrock
of
the
Nithya
Sathya
Thathwa
(reality
of
eternal
truth)
in
every
man,
the
Divine
in
fact,
on
which
the
human
is
superimposed.
You
must
have
heard
of
people
seeking
moksha
(liberation)
and
getting
moksha;
many
may
be
under
the
impression
that
it
is
some
rare
honour
that
only
a
few
secure
or
that
it
is
some
area
like
Paradise
or
a
Colony
of
the
Elect
or
a
Height
that
some
heroic
souls
alone
can
climb
up
to.
No;
moksha
is
something
which
all
must
achieve,
whether
they
are
heroic
or
not;
even
those
who
deny
it
have
to
end
by
realising
it.
For,
every
one
is
even
now
seeking
it
when
he
seeks
joy
and
peace;
and,
who
does
not
seek
joy
and
peace?
Moksha
is
when
you
have
lasting
joy
and
lasting
peace.
Tired
with
temporary
joys
and
transient
peace,
man
will
at
last
endeavour
to
know
the
secret
of
permanent
joy
and
peace,
that
is
to
say,
of
Moksha,
Liberation
from
the
cycle
of
birth
and
death.
If
only
men
knew
the
path
to
permanent
joy
and
peace,
they
will
not
wander
distracted
among
the
bye-lanes
of
sensual
pleasure.
Just
as
the
joy
felt
in
dreams
disappears
when
Page 120 of 268
you
wake,
the
joy
felt
in
the
waking
stage
disappears
when
you
wake
into
the
higher
awareness,
called
Jnaana.
So,
the
Upanishads
say,
"Get
up,
arise,
awake";
time
is
Oleeing
fast.
Use
the
moment
while
it
is
available,
for
the
best
of
uses,
the
awareness
of
the
Divine
in
all.
When
you
die,
you
must
die
not
like
a
tree
or
a
beast
or
a
worm,
but,
like
a
Man
who
has
realised
that
he
is
Maadhava
(God).
That
is
the
consummation
of
all
the
years
you
spend
in
the
human
frame.
This
essential
teaching
is
absent
in
modern
curricula;
men
and
women
live
many
years
without
knowing
the
secret
of
joyful,
peaceful
living.
The
educated
are
today
more
discontented
than
the
uneducated,
whereas
they
ought
really
to
be
calmer
and
less
subject
to
agitations
of
the
mind.
Education
today
is
a
thin
veneer
that
heightens
egoism
and
hypocrisy.
!
Never
be
afraid
of
death.
Never
forget
God,
Never
take
this
World
as
real.
!
Discourse 15 (Samara, 26/3/1965)
If
you
plan
to
give
joy
to
others,
you
will
yourself
be
joyful.
Who
are
these
others?
Even
when
the
Lord
has
come
with
a
deOinite
human
body,
all
human
beings
that
you
come
across
are
but
parts
of
His
glory
and
His
splendour.
lshwarassarvabhuthaanaam
hriddese
Arjuna
thisthathi---"O
!
Arjuna,
the
Lord
dwells
in
the
region
of
the
heart
in
all
beings",
says
the
Lord
in
the
Bhagavad
Geetha.
You
may
claim
to
be
a
devotee
and
declare
yourself
as
such,
when
you
speak;
but,
unless
your
egoism
has
gone
and
you
love
all
equally,
the
Lord
2will
not
acknowledge
your
devotion!
Nor
is
the
message
I
bring
anything
new!
It
is
the
message
of
the
Vedhas,
tested
by
time
and
guaranteed
by
the
experience
of
many
who
put
it
into
practice.
The
special
feature
of
man's
composition
is
that
he
has
discrimination,
detachment
and
synoptic
intellect;
he
can
discover
Truth
and
be
Oixed
in
it,
and
gain
unshakable
Peace.
The
Vedhas
have
three
sections
Karma,
Upaasana
and
Jnaana.
Karma
is
the
section
dealing
with
the
activities
that
strengthen
and
purify
faith
and
devotion;
Upaasana
is
the
section
dealing
with
worship
of
the
personal
God,
the
dedication
Of
all
acts
to
the
Highest,
the
Inner
Witness,
the
surrender
of
all
skills
and
experiences
unto
the
Immanent
Power---these
two
endow
man
with
one-pointedness,
ekaagratha.
As
a
result
of
these
two,
consciousness
is
able
to
recognise
in
a
Olash
jnaana
(knowledge)-
--
the
fact
of
its
being
Divinity
itself.
All
these
three
stages
have
to
be
gone
through.
No
one
stands
Oirm
for
they
have
not
found
the
rock
of
the
Aathma;
they
have
no
knowledge
of
their
Aathmic
reality.
The
teaching
of
all
the
scriptures
and
of
all
the
sages
and
saints
is
to
recognise
the
Aathma
within
and
to
build
life
upon
that
bedrock.
What
is
required
for
the
discovery
of
that
bedrock?
You
must
be
able
to
withdraw
into
yourself
and
meditate
on
your
own
true
nature,
and
the
truth
of
Nature.
It
is
the
privilege
of
every
child
of
India
to
know
the
science
of
this
inquiry
and
to
practise
it.
It
is
the
right
of
every
seeker
from
every
land.
There
are
no
short-cuts
in
the
spiritual
Oield.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
bhakthi
is
even
more
difOicult
than
jnaana;
for,
to
get
the
attitude
of
'Thou"
not
"I"
one
has
to
surrender
Page 121 of 268
completely
to
the
Higher
Power,
personiOied
as
the
Lord.
The
ego
has
to
be
fully
curbed;
the
faith
that
"not
even
a
blade
of
grass
can
shake
in
the
wind
without
His
being
aware
of
it
and
thus
having
caused
it".
has
to
be
implanted
in
the
mind.
Bhakthi
is
not
a
leisure
time
job.
Erase
sensual
desire;
clear
the
heart
of
all
blemish;
then,
the
Lord
will
be
reOlected
therein
as
in
a
mirror.
You
may
ask
why
the
burden
of
the
consequences
of
acts
done
in
previous
births
cannot
be
easily
brushed
away;
no,
they
can
be
destroyed,
as
a
heap
of
cotton
is
burnt
by
a
spark
of
Oire.
Jnaanaagni
dagdha
karmaanam---the
spark
of
jnaana
will
destroy
the
effect
of
karma,
in
a
trice.
These
consequences
are
like
the
cloud
of
dust
that
follows
a
bus,
when
it
runs
on
a
fair-weather
road;
when
the
bus
reaches
the
gravel
road
or
the
metalled
road,
the
dust
is
less,
but
it
is
still
there.
When
at
last
it
enters
the
tarred
road
there
is
no
dust.
The
mud
track
is
karma;
the
metalled
road
is
upaasana;
the
tarred
dust-free
road
is
jnaana.
By
human
skill
and
effort
it
is
possible
to
reduce
the
burden
of
past
karma.
Life
is
a
market.
In
life,
giving
and
taking,
bargaining
and
speculating,
is
a
part
of
the
game.
Life
has
its
ups
and
downs,
its
proOits
and
losses,
its
joys
and
sorrows,
depreciations
and
appreciations
and
balance
sheets.
But
the
giving
of
bhakthi
(devotion)
exchanging
for
mukthi
(liberation)
is
the
most
powerful
business
for
all.
Your
aananda
is
My
aahaara
(food).
I
do
not
feel
like
talking
to
you
at
all,
for
I
desire
only
to
communicate
to
you
My
Joy
and
to
get
into
communion
with
your
Joy.
This
mutual
fulOilment
is
the
essential
thing;
talking
and
listening
are
subsidiary.
There
is
no
living
being
without
the
spark
of
love;
even
a
mad
man
loves
something
or
somebody
intensely.
But,
you
must
recognise
this
love
as
but
a
reOlection
of
the
Premaswaruupa,
(the
embodiment
of
Love)
that
is
your
reality,
to
the
God
who
is
residing
in
your
heart.
Without
that
spring
of
Love
that
bubbles
in
your
heart,
you
will
not
be
prompted
to
love
at
all.
Recognise
that
spring,
rely
on
it
more
and
more,
develop
its
possibilities,
try
to
irrigate
the
whole
world
with
it,
discard
all
touch
of
self
from
it,
do
not
seek
anything
in
return
for
it
from
those
to
whom
you
extend
it.
!
Be
in
the
World,
but
let
not
the
world
be
in
you.
!
The
same
God
who
revealed,
out
of
His
Grace,
the
Vedhas,
has
to
come
again
and
again,
whenever
people
seek
to
pitch
their
petty
intelligences
against
the
Eternal
Intelligence.
The
petty
intelligences
are
but
the
bond-slaves
of
the
senses;
they
lead
man
astray,
fascinated
by
the
'will-
of-the-wisp'
of
sensual
pleasure.
The
Vedhas,
on
the
other
hand,
beckon
them
towards
eternal,
undiminishable
joy;
but
man
does
not
pay
heed.
He
wanders
in
the
dark,
seeking
in
the
outside
world
what
he
has
lost
in
the
inner
world
of
the
spirit!
As
a
child
is
fed
on
breast
milk
for
some
months
and
then,
on
cow's
milk,
and
later
given
bread
and
crisp
bitable
bits
when
the
teeth
have
grown---so
too,
man
is
given
by
the
Vedhas
spiritual
food
suited
to
digestive
development.
In
the
early
stages,
the
jnaana
of
the
Unity
(which
is
misread
as
Diversity)
cannot
be
grasped.
So
bhakthi
or
upaasana
is
recommended.
Bhakthi
comes
naturally
for
it
is
only
the
expansion
of
the
Page 122 of 268
love
that
is
inherent
in
man.
To
get
grounded
in
bhakthi,
good
activity,
good
company,
good
listening
and
good
behaviour
are
essential.
All
the
senses
are
self-centred,
egoistic.
They
must
be
educated
to
be
"inward-directed",
towards
the
Aathma
which
is
Universal.
That
is
gained
by
trusting
to
Go-paala
by
entrusting
the
senses
to
Him.
Every
one
must
pass
through
sath-karma
or
good
deeds,
into
the
realm
of
expanding
Love
and
from
Love
he
learns
the
lesson
of
sacriOice,
of
dedication,
of
surrender
to
the
One
Overlord.
This
takes
him
on
to
faith
in
the
supremacy
of
Godhead,
everything
else
being
but
His
shadow,
His
being
the
One
and
Only
Reality.
Struggle
to
realise
Aathma
to
visualise
God,'
even
failure
in
this
struggle
is
nobler
than
the
success
in
other
worldly
affairs.
You
know
from
experience
that
deep
sleep
gives
you
maximum
happiness.
Think
over
it
for
a
while;
have
you
ever,
in
the
waking
stage,
experienced
that
degree
of
calm;
of
quiet,
of
equanimity,
of
happiness?
That
is
why
nidhra
is
said
to
be
the
nearest
approximation
to
samaadhi.
If
even
the
impulses
and.
instincts
and
thought-waves
dormant
during
sleep
disappear,
then,
the
joy
becomes
perfect
and
full.
This
happens
when
the
Sun
of
jnaana
illumines
you.
That
drives
away
even
the
minutest
speck
of
darkness;
in
fact,
darkness
is
just
the
absence
of
light.
There
are
three
principles
that
have
to
be
overcome
before
knowledge
(jnaana)
can
dawn:
the
Physical
(Dehathathwam);
the
Sensory
(Indriyathathwam)
and
the
Mental
(Manasthathwam).
Even
the
mind
has
to
be
overcome
before
the
One
can
be
cognised;
for,
the
mind
seeks
variety
and
change;
it
revels
in
the
contact
with
the
objective
world
called
vrittis.
The
prevention
of
these
vrittis
in
the
mind,
of
the
ever-widening
circles
in
the
Maanasa-
Sarovara
(the
Lake
of
the
Mind),
whenever
a
wish
or
thought
or
a
resolution
is
dropped
into
it---that
is
the
function
of
the
science
called
Yoga,
Union.
Union
of
what,
with
which?
Union
of
"Thath"
with
"thwam",
of
you
and
the
rest,
resulting
in
the
One,
without
a
Second.
You
do
not
see
your
breath
or
weigh
it;
but,
breath
is
the
very
sustenance
of
life.
The
unseen
is
the
basis
of
the
seen.
If
you
are
caught
up
in
the
meshes
of
the
seen,
you
cannot
know
the
importance
of
the
unseen.
All
the
thousands
of
individuals
here
before
Me
now
are
so
many
thousand
Olowers,
strung
on
that
one
thread,
Brahman.
In
Brahman,
you
all
Oind
unity,
the
unity
you
have
missed,
because
you
were
engrossed
in
your
own
separateness.
That
is
the
truth;
all
else
is
delusion;
you
have
let
this
unity
go
un-noticed,
because
the
men
who
know
it
are
neglected,
their
declarations
are
dismissed
as
depraved!
There
is
no
dearth
of
sustaining
spiritual
food
in
our
country;
but,
yet,
we
have
this
pitiable
spectacle
of
a
people
starving
in
the
midst
of
plenty.
here
are
disciplines
suited
for
each
of
them
in
the
Sanaathana
(ancient)
scriptures:
Bhakthi,
Jnaana,
Karma,
Upaasana,
Yoga,
etc.
The
milk
in
which
butter
is
immanent,
implicit
in
every
particle,
in
every
molecule,
is
the
One.
The
curd
into
which
it
is
broken
by
fermentation
has
the
butter
separate,
but
yet
2s
part;
that
is
the
One,
with
the
Second,
as
an
integral
part
of
it,
Vishishta
-
adwaitha
(qualiOied
non-dualism).
The
churning
separates
the
butter
clearly
and
it
is
rolled
into
a
ball,
it
is
kept
Oloating
in
the
liquid
from
which
it
has
been
taken.
The
two
have
become
clearly
distinguishable;
they
are
spoken
of
as
two,
dwaitha
(dualism).
These
are
but
three
names
for
three
stages
of
the
same
substance.
The
One
is
the
reality.
It
is
not
to
be
found
exclusively
in
one
place
only,
however
hoary
the
place.
Neither
Arunachalam,
nor
Thirupathi
nor
Kedaaram
can
claim
to
be
the
place
where
It
is
to
be
found.
Its
address
is
given
in
the
61st
shloka
of
the
18th
chapter
of
the
Bhagavad
Geetha:
"in
the
heart
of
all."
Pandits
who
are
versed
in
the
sacred
scriptures
of
this
land
are
the
real
leaders
of
the
people,
for,
they
can
show
the
path
of
self-realisation,
which
is
the
highest
duty
of
man.
The
string
of
the
rosary
is
patent
only
in
the
sphatika
or
the
crystal
beads,
not
on
the
coral
or
rudraaksha
beads.
Though
the
string
runs
through
these
latter
also,
it
can
be
seen
only
by
splitting
those
beads;
that
is
the
meaning
of
the
story
of
Hiranyakashipu
who
split
the
pillar;
when
he
did
that,
he
could
see
for
himself
the
Lord
who
is
the
core
of
every
object
and
being.
Some
people
have
their
minds
and
senses
like
cotton
balls
and
a
spark
of
jnaana
will
set
them
ablaze
and
they
achieve
victory!
Some
others
have
them
like
dried
faggots;
they
take
longer
time,
but,
victory
is
certain.
Most
have
minds
and
senses
like
green
fuel
and
even
the
raging
Oire
of
jnaana
may
be
put
out
by
the
onslaught
of
the
moisture
contained
in
them.
God
can
be
felt
and
experienced
only
in
the
deepest
silence.
All
noise
must
subside;
then,
His
Voice
can
be
heard
clearly.
Cultivate
the
heart
and
garner
the
grain
of
Aathma-aananda.
That
aananda
is
your
heritage;
it
is
yours
for
the
asking.
But,
you
do
not
know
how
or
whom
to
ask.
Ask
grief
to
quit
and
aananda
is
patent,
as
the
very
basis
of
your
"I-ness",
your
Sath
(existence)
and
Chith
(consciousness)
It
is
very
simple.
Grief
will
disappear
as
soon
as
you
discover
its
real
origin,
for
it
has
arisen
out
of
ignorance
only.
What
you
have
heard
and
seen
must
be
spoken
out,
without
exaggeration
or
abridgement;
that
is
sathya
or
truth
speaking.
Of
course,
when
the
mind
is
controlled,
the
intelligence
is
sharpened
and
puriOied;
you
see
only
the
one
everywhere,
in
everything,
at
all
times;
then
that
one
becomes
the
only
Truth,
which
you
see,
hear
and
speak
of---for,
there
is
nothing
else
to
see
or
hear.
"Sathyaannaasthiparo
dharmah"---"There
is
no
duty
higher
than
Truth."
Arjuna
was
overcome
by
human
sympathy
when
he
refused
to
slaughter
his
kith
and
kin
and
seek
regal
luxury
through
such
sinful
means;
he
preferred
being
a
mendicant.
Then,
Krishna
had
to
remind
him
of
other
levels
of
dharma,
which
override
the
purely
Page 124 of 268
natural
dharma.
They
were:
(i)
the
Varnadharma
of
a
Kshatriya,
which
insisted
on
his
Oighting
the
forces
of
evil
and
which
branded
withdrawal
from
the
battleOield
as
a
heinous
sin;
(ii)Aathmadharma,
which
urges
you
to
concentrate
on
the
Aathmic
reality,
and
not
worry
about
defeat
or
success,
fame
or
dishonour,
but
be
an
instrument
in
the
hands
of
the
Lord.
The
Vedhas
have
three
sections
karma,
upaasana
and
jnaana.
Karma
or
activity
engaged
in
with
a
dedicatory
attitude,
regardless
of
the
beneOit
it
may
result
in,
builds
up
purity
of
mind.
Upaasana
or
systematic
worship
of
God
contemplating
on
the
glory
and
splendour
and
His
manifold
expressions
equips
you
with
concentration.
These
two
lead
to
a
clear
grasp
of
the
Reality,
that
is
to
say,
you
acquire
jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom);
the
veil
of
delusion
drops
and
glory
stands
revealed.
Now,
these
three
are
neglected
and
even
scoffed
at.
Know
that
no
object
is
per
se
pleasing
or
joy-giving.
It
is
you
that
Oind
it
so,
the
joy
is
in
you.
You
pour
it
on
the
object
and
ascribe
it
to
the
object,
by
the
trick
of
projection.
If
an
object
itself
is
capable
of
producing
joy,
it
must
be
welcomed
by
all
at
all
times
and
places.
This
is
not
the
case
so
far
as
any
object
is
concerned;
the
joy
is
only
projected
on
it
by
the
mind
of
the
individual.
Delusion
has
to
die;
then
only
does
the
cycle
of
change
end.
Then
only
is
man
liberated
from
the
bonds
of
birth,
life
and
death.
Call
it
saayujyam
(reaching
the
goal,
or
merging
in
the
Absolute
or
Universal),
or
Brahmasaakshaathkaaram
or
Aikyaanusandhaanam
(becoming
one
with
InOinite)-
--
the
names
may
differ,
but
the
Oinish
is
the
same'
Every
mortal
must
attain
immortality;
for
he
is
Amrithasya
puthrah,
a
child
of
Immortality.
Be
like
the
seed
in
the
ripe
fruit;
feel
that
you
are
unaffected
by
the
blows
of
fate;
when
you
get
the
jnaana
that
you
are
not
the
body
(deha)
but
the
Self
(dehi),
then.
no
blow
can
hurt
you.
Earn
the
riches
of
jnaana,
as
Janaka
did,
through
association
with
the
great
sages
of
the
day,
as
Dasharatha
did
from
Vasishta.
!
Life
is
just
a
chance
to
see
for
yourself
your
beginning
and
your
end.
!
Discourse 24 (Rajamundry, 31/3/1965)
Grief
is
caused,
as
joy
is
caused,
by
the
attachment
of
the
senses
to
objects;
once
you
know
that
you
are
not
the
senses
or
the
mind,
but
He,
who
operates
the
senses
and
wields
the
mind,
you
cross
the
bounds
of
pleasure
and
pain.
The
President
of
India
had
a
recent
domestic
bereavement;
but
he
did
not
import
that
grief
into
his
role
as
President,
did
he?
No.
The
duties
of
the
President
were
performed
without
any
hindrance
or
loss
of
interest.
Separate
yourself
from
the
grief;
you
are
the
President
of
your
Realm.
The
senses
and
the
mind,
with
all
the
attendant
impulses,
desires,
attitudes,
etc.,
are
your
servants,
instruments
that
have
to
carry
out
your
orders.
Once,
as
part
of
a
marriage
procession,
an
elephant
was
also
pushed
along:
a
wicker-
elephant,
life-size.
People
looked
at
it
in
wonder
and
some
even
dared
to
Oind
fault
with
it,
saying
the
legs
were
too
short,
the
ears
were
inadequate,
etc.
But,
the
thing
was
Oilled
with
crackers
and,
in
a
few
moments,
when
it
was
lit,
the
whole
contraption
exploded
in
a
blaze
of
brilliantly-coloured
shooting
stars
with
a
tremendous
bang.
Why
should
Page 125 of 268
there
be
so
much
criticism
of
a
thing
which,
like
the
body,
will
soon
go
up
in
Olames?
The
body
is
but
an
instrument
for
a
high
purpose,
the
realisation
of
the
Glory
that
Oills
the
Universe,
of
which
you
are
a
fraction!
You
Oind
now
a
number
of
people
who
open
their
mouths
wide
in
admiration
of
Western
countries
who
prepare
rockets
to
travel
to
the
moon
and
go
round
the
earth.
They
may
circle
lakhs
of
miles
in
space,
but,
they
know
not
how
to
proceed
half
an
inch
more
towards
their
neighbour,
or
brother;
they
do
not
dare
explore
their
inner
reality,
though
they
are
eager
to
explore
the
outer
illusion!
Know
that
which,
if
known,
makes
known
everything
that
has
to
be
known.
This
was
the
advice
given
to
Uddalaka
by
his
Guru,
as
mentioned
in
the
Upanishads.
You
are
the
core,
the
centre
of
your
world.
Without
you
there
is
no
world
for
you.
Unless
you
know
yourself,
you
cannot
know
the
world
which
is
your
creation.
Now,
you
ask
every
one
you
meet,
"How
do
you
do?"
But
have
you
ever
asked
the
question
to
yourself,
"How
do
I
do?"
You
ask
every
third
person,
"Who
is
he?"
But,
have
you
asked
the
Oirst
person,
"Who
am
I"
and
searched
for
the
answer?
That
is
what
the
Vedhaantha
teaches,
that
is
what
these
Pandits
are
eager
to
tell
you.
That
is
why
I
want
you
to
read
the
Bhagavad
Geetha;
this
learning
of
the
Geetha
is
like
learning
eetha
(swimming).
Eetha
saves
you
from
drowning.
Geetha
saves
you
from
drowning
in
the
trecherous
Olood
of
worldly
desire.
The
Geetha
is
the
real
purpose
for
which
the
Avathaara
of
Krishna
was
undertaken.
Some
people
carp
at
Vedhaantha
and
say
that
it
makes
men
lazy
and
encourages
them
to
run
away
from
their
responsibilities;
but,
the
Oirst
responsibility
of
every
one
is
to
himself;
he
is
the
source
and
centre
of
all
his
attention.
If
you
yield
to
alpabuddhi
(inferior
thoughts),
you
will
be
losing
the
akhanda-thathwa
(principle
of
the
Universal).
A
volcano
throws
up
its
lava
on
the
screen
of
the
picture
house;
a
dam
bursts
and
the
Olood
waters
it
had
impounded
roar
along
towards
the
sea,
submerging
vast
states;
but
the
screen
is
not
burnt,
nor
does
it
get
wet
in
the
least.
The
screen
is
the
truth;
the
Oilm
is
an
illusion,
however
realistic
it
was,
however
genuine
the
feelings
it
aroused.
Know
this
and
so
direct
your
life
that
this
knowledge
is
the
background
of
all
your
actions.
Thus,
you
will
have
great
peace
and
great
joy.
There
was
a
bhaktha
coming
to
the
previous
sarira
(body)
called
Raadhika
at
Shirdi;
he
was
always
suffering
misery,
but,
only
for
those
who
observed
his
external
movements.
At
heart,
he
was
supremely
happy.
Develop
that
inner
joy;
it
is
everlasting,
full.
You
will
be
wrong
if
you
thought
I
am
having
all
these
Pandits
about
Me
and
that
I
am
going
from
place
to
place
with
them
to
get
publicity
for
Myself
or
for
them.
I
do
not
need
any
publicity,
nor
do
they.
They
have
to
know
themselves
and
they
have
to
help
you
to
know
yourselves,
that
is
all.
The
Vedhas
and
the
Shaastras
speak
only
of
this.
There
are
two
statements
in
the
Geetha,
both
complementary:
Shraddhaavaan
labhathe
jnaanam
(the
man
with
steady
faith
wins
wisdom)
and
samsayaathmaa
vinasyathi
(he
Page 126 of 268
who
doubts
perishes).
The
doubt
that
overpowered
Arjuna
was
removed
by
the
teaching
of
Krishna
and
the
necessary
shraddha
was
inculcated.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
the
Geetha
is
a
conversation
between
the
jeeva
and
Brahman,
the
limited
or,
rather
'the
idea
of
the
limited',
with
the
Unlimited.
The
dehavasthra
is
worn
by
the
dehi:
the
body
is
but
a
vesture
of
God,
who
is
eternal
and
permanent.
Seeing
one's
own
reality
is
the
opening
of
the
doors
of
liberation;
for
this,
the
mirror
of
the
heart
has
to
be
prepared,
by
coating
the
back
of
the
heart
with
sathya
and
dharma.
Otherwise,
the
image
will
not
appear.
In
every
act
of
yours,
if
you
observe
truth
and
justice,
then
you
can
see
your
own
reality
revealed.
You
may
say
that
the
burden
of
past
acts
and
their
inevitable
consequences
have
to
be
borne;
but,
the
Grace
of
the
Lord
can
burn
that
burden
in
a
Olash;
the
revelation
of
reality
will,
in
a
Olash,
save
you
from
that
burden.
If
you
see
yourself
in
all
and
all
in
you,
then,
you
have
known
the
reality,
says
Krishna
in
the
Geetha.
Therefore,
you
have
to
develop
the
same
quantity
and
quality
of
Love
that
you
have
for
Me,
towards
all
others.
When
you
are
the
Universal,
where
can
you
say,
your
street
is
or
your
house
is?
You
are
then
no
longer
an
individual;
you
are
the
Universal.
Get
that
idea
Oixed
in
your
mind.
I
am
sorry
these
Pandits,
who
are
great
scholars,
did
not
speak
longer
because
they
wished
Me
to
address
you
for
a
longer
time.
Whether
they
speak
or
I
speak,
the
subject
is
essentially
the
same;
liberation
from
delusion
and
escape
from
darkness,
by
the
recognition
of
the
light
that
is
effulgent
within.
Of
what
avail
is
all
the
long
years
spent
in
this
body
if
you
have
not
discovered
the
answer
to
the
essential
question:
"who
am
I?"
Know
that,
become
masters
of
your
own
realm,
the
realm
of
the
senses,
the
intellect,
the
feelings,
the
impulses,
the
instincts,
the
attitudes,
the
prejudices.
Then
only
can
you
claim
to
have
Swaraajya.
When
in
your
own
household,
the
sons
rebel
against
the
parents
and
brother
harbours
hatred
against
brother,
how
can
you
call
yourself
'master'?
So,
too,
when
your
senses
drag
you
in
one
direction
and
your
intellect
in
another,
how
can
you
claim
to
have
Swa-
raajya?
The
body
that
is
sustained
on
food
which
will
not
keep
fresh
for
even
a
few
hours,
how
can
it
be
fresh
for
long?
That
which
is
made
and
marred
cannot
for
that
very
reason
be
truth;
for,
truth
cannot
be
made
and
marred.
It
is,
was
and
will
be,
without
any
modiOication.
Discover
the
immortal
'I'
and
know
that
it
is
the
spark
of
God
in
you;
live
in
the
companionship
of
the
vast
measureless
Supreme
and
you
will
be
rendered
vast
and
measureless.
When
you
hold
a
currency
note
in
your
hand
and
say
proudly,
'This
is
mine"
that
note
laughs
at
you,
for,
it
says,
"O,
how
many
thousand
persons
have
I
known,
who
have
prided
themselves
like
this!"
The
body
is
but
a
tent.
Don't
fondle
that
delusion;
pant
for
the
dehi
(indweller),
He
who
resides
therein
and
makes
it
active,
makes
it
ponder
and
conclude
and
act.
Discriminate;
discriminate
all
the
time;
use
viveka
and
vijnaana
(spiritual
knowledge)
and
experience
of
the
waking
stage,
the
dream
stage
and
the
stage
of
deep
sleep.
In
the
Page 127 of 268
dream
stage
the
senses
are
negated;
buddhi
(intellect)
does
not
work;
only
the
mind
is
the
master:
it
creates
its
own
'world'.
A
tiger
mauls
you
in
the
dream;
a
snake
strikes
deep
into
your
leg.
You
feel
all
the
pain
and
all
the
fear.
How
do
you
cure
the
unhappy
man?
There
is
no
need
to
bring
a
doctor
or
a
magician
with
his
charms.
Wake
him;
he
is
cured!
He
knows
that
there
was
no
tiger
or
snake
or
bite
or
pain.
So
too,
jnaana
will
immediately
remove
all
the
dual
experiences
of
joy
and
grief,
derived
from
these
non-
real
objects.
You
say,
"I
was
awake,"
"I
dreamt,"
"I
slept
soundly".
Now
who
is
this
"I"?
Who
is
this
"I"
that
has
none
of
the
three
stages,
that
persists
from
birth
to
death,
that
deals
with
the
body
and
all
the
organs
and
senses,
all
the
various
feelings,
impulses
and
experiences
as
'its',
'its
possessions',
'its
instruments'?
That
'I'
is
the
thing
to
be
known
and
once
known,
you
must
not
allow
your
mind
to
stray
away
from
it.
Contact
your
own
reality
in
the
silence
that
you
create
by
quietening
the
senses
and
controlling
the
mind.
There
is
a
Voice
that
you
can
hear
in
that
silence.
The
true
witness
of
your
having
listened
to
that
Voice
is
your
behaviour.
A
tree
is
held
and
fed
by
the
roots
that
go
into
the
silent
earth;
so
also,
if
the
roots
go
deep
into
the
silence
of
your
inner
consciousness,
your
spiritual
blossoming
is
assured.
You
are
the
whole,
the
inOinite,
the
all.
You
as
body,
mind
and
soul
are
a
dream;
but
what
you
really
are
is
Existence,
Knowledge
and
Bliss.
You
are
the
God
of
Universe.
You
are
creating
the
whole
Universe
and
drawing
it
in.
f
you
take
pleasure
in
the
pain
of
others,
you
only
scotch
the
divinity
in
you
and
bring
to
light
the
demonic
nature.
"Ishwarassarvabhoothaanaam"---the
Lord
resides
in
all.
He
is
in
you
as
much
as
in
the
'other'
whom
you
try
to
harm.
Know
this
and
give
up
all
efforts
to
ruin
others.
You
cannot
help
another;
you
can
only
help
yourself
by
that
act;
you
do
not
harm
another,
you
harm
yourself
by
that
wicked
act.
The
attachments
are
different;
but
the
inner
reality
is
the
same
in
you
and
"other."
If
you
are
established
in
Aathmatha-thwam
(Reality
of
Self),
you
need
not
fear.
Page 128 of 268
The
rishis
or
sages
struggled
with
themselves
and
elevated
themselves
into
the
purer
regions
of
thought,
to
discover
their
own
truth.
They
felt
the
thrill
of
that
discovery
and
sang
of
the
freedom
they
gained.
These
songs
serve
as
sign-posts
and
all
who
derive
beneOit
therefrom
have
to
acknowledge
the
debt.
How
to
repay
the
rishi-rna,
the
debt
of
the
rishis?
By
study,
by
reOlection
on
what
they
have
sung
of
their
liberation,
by
practising
the
saadhana
they
adopted,
by
proving
them
right
out
of
your
own
experience.
Dive
deep
into
your
own
divinity.
The
crocodile
is
happy
and
unharmed
and
it
is
undefeatable,
in
the
depths
of
the
lake
or
river.
Once
it
sprawls
on
land,
it
becomes
the
plaything
of
man,
an
easy
target
for
death.
The
depths:
they
are
your
refuge;
the
source
of
your
strength.
Do
not
stray
into
the
shallows
or
the
sands.
You
know
that
the
Garuda
bird
feeds
on
snakes.
Well,
once
the
Garuda
went
to
Mount
Kailasa
to
pay
respects
to
Shiva,
who
wears
snakes
on
His
head,
arms,
wrists,
neck,
waist
and
ankles.
When
the
snakes
saw
Garuda,
they
were
unafraid;
they
even
dared
put
out
their
forked
tongues
at
Garuda
and
challenged
it
to
come
near
them.
That
was
the
extent
of
the
courage
lent
to
them
by
the
place
where
they
had
established
themselves.
So,
establish
yourselves
in
the
Aathma;
no
worry
or
grief
or
pride
can
harm
you
then.
Several
types
of
prema
were
spoken
about
today,
but
all
types
are
based
on
the
'I'
feeling;
it
is
like
a
drama
in
a
Oilm
story,
a
plot
within
a
plot.
You
must
feel
that
all
this
is
just
a
passing
show,
that
you
are
the
central
Oigure,
the
only
Oigure,
the
entire
Oigure.
Thathwam
asi:
That
thou
art.
That
is
this.
The
external
world
is
fundamentally
One,
is
really
Brahmam,
appearing
as
many.
Thwam
is
you,
yourself.
And,
what
does
the
experience
of
all
the
sages
tell
him?
What
is
the
profound
discovery
embodied
in
the
wisdom
of
the
Vedhas?
Thath
is
thwam,
thwam
is
Thath;
there
is
no
second,
there
is
only
One.
If
you
act
or
feel
or
talk
contrary
to
your
nature
you
demean
yourself;
you
deny
your
reality.
The
Brahmathathwam
(Reality
of
Brahmam)
is
Vimalam,
Achalam--.Pure,
Unshakable;
be
pure
and
unshakable.
It
is
thriguna
rahitham,
devoid
of
the
three
qualities:
dull,
active
or
balanced;
it
is
pure
consciousness.
You
too
must
not
be
agitated
by
the
storms
of
feeling,
or
the
fog
of
dullness
and
sloth.
Play
your
role,
as
a
puppet
does;
the
unseen
Director
unfolds
the
drama,
which
He
has
willed.
Also,
train
your
hands
to
do
acts
that
serve
the
Lord
that
is
shining
in
every
being.
All
men
are
He;
He
shaves
as
the
barber,
He
makes
pots
as
the
potter;
He
starches
and
irons
clothes
as
the
dhobi.
He
prompts,
He
inspires,
He
devises,
He
fulOils.
You
take
a
sheet
of
paper
on
which
My
Form
is
printed,
as
Myself;
you
revere
It;
you
fall
to
the
ground
before
It
in
reverence;
why
cannot
you
then
revere
all
human
beings,
believing
that
I
am
in
each
of
them,
in
an
even
clearer
Form?
It
will
surely
help
you
to
achieve
the
goal.
Every
religion
looks
for
God
and
they
look
far
and
wide,
but
man
should
know
that
God
is
Omnipresent
and
resides
in
the
heart
of
man.
You
are
eager
to
spot
the
lighthouse
that
will
show
you
where
the
harbour
lies,
to
take
refuge
from
the
stormy
sea.
That
light
is
the
Aathmajyothi
(light
of
self)
which
the
sages
proclaim
as
existing
in
every
one.
Some
deep
visual
defect
has
hidden
that
light
from
men
and
so
they
struggle
in
the
darkness.
Leave
these
gurus
to
themselves
and
concentrate
on
the
task
of
uplifting
yourself.
When
you
are
earnest
about
it,
the
Lord
Himself
will
guide
you,
either
from
within
or
from
without,
through
some
one
He
will
send
or
through
illumination
from
within.
Repeat
Soham
(I
am
He),
with
every
breath:
'So'
when
you
take
in
and
'ham',
when
you
exhale,
'So'
means
He
and
'ham,'
means
I
and
when
you
complete
the
inhalation
and
exhalations,
feel
that
'So'
namely,
the
Lord,
and
'ham',
namely,
'I'
i.e.,
(you)
are
One.
Later,
after
long
practice,
the
idea
of
He
and
I
as
two
separate
entities
will
disappear
and
there
will
be
no
more
So
and
ham.
Those
sounds
will
be
reduced
to
O
and
M,
that
is
to
say,
it
will
be
Om
or
the
Pranava.
Repeat
that
sound
afterwards
with
every
breath
and
that
will
save
you
from
bondage
to
birth
and
death,
for
it
is
the
Pranavopaasana
(contemplation
on
Pranava)
recommended
in
the
Vedhas.
Do
not
pay
more
attention
to
the
outside
world
than
necessary;
but,
concentrate
more
on
the
inner
springs
of
joy.
In
a
car,
the
wheels
that
are
underneath
are
the
outer
wheels;
pay
more
attention
to
the
wheel
inside;
the
wheel
that
guides
and
turns
the
outer
wheels!
The
driver
of
the
car
is
inside;
you,
too,
must
care
more
for
the
inner
motivator.
If
you
are
master
of
your
feelings
and
impulses,
you
can
be
anywhere,
engaged
in
any
profession.
You
will
have
peace.
If
you
see
yourself
as
really
the
undefeatable
Aathma
and
others
as
reOlections
of
yourself,
as
the
Shaastras
declare
them
to
be,
then
there
can
be
no
provocation
to
get
krodha
or
anger.
What
you
must
resolve
upon
for
the
New
Year
is
to
manifest
your
reality,
more
and
more;
that
is
to
say,
to
reveal
your
Divinity
more
and
more.
Karma
is
the
seed
out
of
which
the
individual
emanates;
the
jeevi
feels
separate
and
limited,
on
account
of
the
illusion
created
by
karma
or
activity.
As
the
karma,
so
the
consequence.
Whatever
else
you
may
or
may
not
do,
do
at
least
this:
know
the
Lord
that
resides
in
you.
Recognise
Him,
let
Him
manifest
Himself
in
and
through
you.
This
is
what
Vaaranasi
Subrahmanya
Shastri
meant
when
he
spoke
of
punya
and
dharma---good
deeds
and
right
conduct.
Fundamentally,
the
fault
lies
in
not
understanding
that
this
body
and
all
things
connected
with
it
are
not
permanent.
When
Bharthrhari
the
King
was
lamenting
the
death
of
his
queen,
and
weeping
over
her
grace,
an
old
man
appeared
before
him
in
great
distress,
weeping
as
loud
as
the
King
himself.
His
tragedy
was
that
a
mud
pot
he
had
with
him
for
long
had
broken.
Bharthrhari
told
him
that
there
was
no
use
weeping
over
a
broken
pot;
no
quantity
of
tears
would
ever
make
it
whole.
The
old
man,
who
was
no
other
than
his
Chief
Minister,
said
that
a
person
who
believed
that
weeping
could
bring
the
dead
back
to
life
had
no
right
to
tell
him
that
his
pot
would
not
be
made
whole
again.
This
drove
some
sense
into
the
King's
head
and
he
became
sane
again!
When
you
weep
for
the
dead
you
are
only
announcing
your
colossal
ignorance.
Though
in
principle
all
is
Brahmam,
in
dealing
with
them
in
the
Vyaavahaarik
stage
(day-to-day
activity),
you
cannot
follow
the
adhwaithic
line.
There
should
be
Bhaava-
adhwaitha,
not
Karma-
adhwaitha,
that
is
to
say,
the
underlying
faith
should
be
in
the
Unity
of
all,
though
the
outer
activity
may
be
different
for
different
entities.
The
activity
must
not
leave
any
scar
on
the
faith
in
Unity.
There
is
no
scar
on
the
sky,
though
clouds
and
stars,
the
sun
and
moon,
all
appear
to
steak
across
it.
So
too,
let
a
thousand
ideas
steak
across
the
mind;
but,
let
it
remain
unaffected
and
serene.
Raama
was
wakening
Bharatha
from
the
sleep
of
ignorance;
the
poor
fellow
was
overcome
by
his
own
grief,
as
if
the
father,
mother,
brothers,
kingdom,
power
and
position---
these
mattered,
as
if
they
were
real,
eternal.
Raama
reminded
him
that
they
are
all
but
instruments
one
must
utilise
for
the
exercise
of
dharma.
In
spiritual
matters,
faith
is
the
very
essence.
Doubt
shakes
the
foundations
of
saadhana
and
is
therefore,
to
be
avoided.
Have
faith
in
the
wisdom
of
the
ancients;
do
not
pitch
your
tiny
little
brain
against
the
intuitions
of
the
saints
and
their
discoveries.
It
is
only
after
you
place
a
morsel
on
your
tongue
that
you
discover
whether
the
salt
in
it
is
enough
or
whether
it
has
not
been
salted
at
all.
Pappu
(dhal)
requires
uppu
(salt);
that
is
to
say,
the
boiled
dhal
must
have
salt
in
it
for
taste.
So
too,
it
is
only
when
you
have
moved
in
the
world
and
taken
a
share
in
its
activities
according
to
a
moral
code,
you
discover
that
without
the
salt
of
jnaana,
it
does
not
taste
well;
take
it
with
a
sprinkling
of
the
salt
of
jnaana,
the
knowledge
that
you
are
not
the
body
but
the
resident
of
the
body,
that
you
are
but
the
witness
of
the
ever-
changing
panorama
of
Nature
and
you
feel
happy
and
peaceful.
Slowly,
step
by
step,
conOirm
yourself
in
the
thought
of
the
Unity
of
the
World
in
Brahman.
Then,
even
without
praying
and
pleading,
everything
worthwhile
will
be
added
unto
you.
To
dwell
in
Raama
thathwa
(Raama
principle)
constantly,
one
has
to
be
vigilant
about
food
and
drink
consumed
by
both
body
and
mind.
Raama
thathwa
is
essentially
Page 131 of 268
Aananda
thatwa.
Raama
means
"He
who
pleases",
"He
who
Oills
with
Aananda",
"He
who
is
the
spring
of
Aananda
in
every
heart."
So,
when
you
repeat
Raama
naama,
you
are
but
touching
the
very
source
of
Aananda,
the
Aathmaa-Raama
(God
as
self).
Just
as
you
have
come
by
various
routes
from
various
villages
and
towns,
all
persons
have
to
reach
that
Source
for,
there
alone
can
they
get
the
Aananda
without
which
there
is
no
peace.
Out
of
the
long
churning
of
this
milk
of
the
world
comes
butter,
and
this
butter
is
God.
Men
of
heart
get
the
butter
and
the
buttermilk
is
left
for
the
intellectuals.
Man
is
a
mixture
of
two
strands
of
the
same
substance,
maaya
and
Maadhava,
moha
and
Raama,
deha
and
dehi,
jada
and
chith,
sareeram
and
sareeri,
jeeva
and
Brahmam
(Divine
illusion
and
God,
delusion
and
God,
body
and
soul,
inert
matter
and
consciousness,
body
and
the
embodied,
individual
soul
and
the
Supreme
Soul).
Like
the
two
circular
stones
of
the
grinding
mill,
the
Brahmam
one
is
stable,
the
Jeeva
one
is
revolving.
The
stable
is
the
base;
the
revolving
is
the
'dependent'.
The
Guru
is
the
Teacher
who
removes
the
fundamental
ignorance,
which
hides
the
knowledge
of
this
truth
from
us.
The
secret
is,
discover
the
fountain
of
joy
within;
that
is
a
never-failing,
ever-full,
ever-
cool
fountain,
for
it
rises
from
God.
What
is
the
body?
It
is
but
the
Aathma
encased
in
Oive
sheaths,
the
Annamaya
(the
one
composed
of
food),
the
Praanamaya
(the
one
composed
of
vitality),
the
Manomaya
(the
one
composed
of
thought),
the
Vijnaanamaya
(the
one
composed
of
intelligence)
and
the
Aanandamaya
(the
one
composed
of
bliss).
By
a
constant
contemplation
of
these
sheaths
or
koshas,
the
saadhaka
attains
discrimination
to
recede
from
the
outer
to
the
inner
and
the
more
real.
Thus,
step
by
step,
he
abandons
one
kosha
after
another
and
is
able
to
dissolve
away
all
of
them,
to
achieve
the
knowledge
of
his
unity
with
Brahmam.
Man
cannot
afford
to
forget
who
he
is
and
for
what
purpose
he
has
come.
He
must
know
the
answer
to
the
questions'
"Kasthwam,
koham,
kutha
aayaathah?"
as
Shankara
said.
"Who
are
you,
who
am
I,
where
am
I
going,
where
did
I
come
from,
what
is
the
nature
and
purpose
of
all
this
movement
and
change,
is
there
any
stable
base,
any
goal
or
aim,
direction
or
director?"--these
questions
cannot
be
brushed
aside
from
the
mind
of
man.
They
come
to
him
and
harass
him,
when
he
is
alone
with
something
grand
and
awe-inspiring
in
Nature,
or
with
some
incident,
terrible
and
shocking,
in
his
own
experience.
It
is
not
wise
to
forgo
these
precious
moments
and
turn
once
again
to
the
humdrum
of
life,
without
pursuing
the
inquiry
to
which
one
is
prompted.
But,
man
forgets:
he
ignores.
He
mistakes
the
unreal
to
be
the
real.
He
is
deceived
by
appearance;
he
does
not
peer
behind
the
veil.
The
baby
sucks
its
thumb
and
derives
immense
satisfaction
and
joy
therefrom;
we
know
that
it
has
no
taste,
no
sweetness.
But,
the
baby
weeps
when
the
thumb
is
pulled
out.
The
sweetness
in
the
thumb
was
imposed
on
it,
by
the
baby
itself.
So
too,
the
happiness
that
one
derives
from
the
world
is
not
the
nature
of
the
world;
it
is
subjective;
it
is
only
the
projection,
upon
the
world,
of
the
happiness
the
Aathma
(the
self)
is
capable
of
deriving,
of
which
it
is
the
source
and
goal.
The
baby
imagines
the
thumb
to
be
an
external
object
which
is
providing
it
with
pleasure;
but,
it
is
only
itself.
One
has
to
practise
detachment
at
every
step,
or
else,
greed
and
miserliness
will
overpower
the
Oiner
natures
of
man.
That
nature
is
Divine,
because,
God
is
the
very
substance
of
which
man
is
but
a
name
and
form.
To
realise
it,
one
has
to
possess
and
develop
the
discrimination
between
the
unchanging
and
the
changing,
the
permanent
and
the
temporary.
Saadhana-Chatushtaya:
Nithyaanithya
Viveka
i.e.,
knowing
that
the
Universe
is
constantly
subject
to
change
and
modiOication
and
that
Brahman
alone
is
unmodiOied;
Iha
amuthra-phala-bhoga-viraaga--
detachment
from
the
pleasures
of
this
world
as
well
as
the
pleasures
obtainable
in
Heaven
after
attaining
the
conviction
that
they
are
evanescent
and
fraught
with
grief;
Sama
damaadi-shatka
sampaththi---
attaining
the
six
desirable
qualiOications'
the
control
of
external
and
internal
senses
and
sensory
promptings:
fortitude
in
the
midst
of
grief
and
pain,
of
joy
and
victory;
uparathi---
withdrawal
from
all
activity
that
brings
about
consequences
that
bind;
shraddha---Oirm
faith
in
the
Teacher
and
the
Texts
that
he
expounds;
samaadhaanam---
even
contemplation
on
the
basic
Brahmam,
without
being
disturbed
by
other
waves
of
thought.
Though
milk
is
under
formation
throughout
the
body
of
the
cow,
you
have
to
resort
to
the
four
teats,
in
order
to
get
it;
so
also
these
four
saadhanas
or
teats
have
to
be
pressed
(into
service)
if
spiritual
knowledge
is
to
be
gained.
This
world
is
'unreal',
in
the
sense
that
a
dream
is
unreal.
You
sleep
in
the
verandah
of
the
Mandhir
(temple)
here
and
you
dream
you
are
in
Kasi,
bathing
in
the
Ganga.
You
feel
the
cool
comfort,
the
holy
satisfaction.
It
is
very
real
at
the
time.
But,
when
did
you
actually
go?
And
how
did
you
transport
yourself?
The
Jnaani
(the
liberated
person),
from
his
more
genuine
awareness,
asks
the
same
question
about
the
experiences
of
your
waking
state!
Perfect
freedom
is
not
given
to
any
man
on
earth.
Lesser
the
number
of
wants,
the
greater
is
the
freedom.
Hence
perfect
freedom
is
absolute
desirelessness.
Provided
your
intellect
is
sharp
and
free
from
prejudices
and
predilections,
the
Reality
will
reveal
itself
to
you
in
a
Olash,
for
it
is
quite
a
simple
thing.
Only,
it
must
be
capable
of
seeing
the
problem
in
its
basic
essence,
apart
from
all
the
jumble
of
irrelevancies.
The
Gopees,
however,
are
a
class
of
devotees
by
themselves.
They
reached
the
highest
peak
of
devotion.
They
had
no
consciousness
of
anything
other
than
the
Lord;
they
had
renounced
the
consciousness
of
the
senses
and
the
body.
They
were
attached
only
to
the
Principle
of
Krishna
that
was
resident
in
that
body.
They
were
eager
to
know
the
"other",
not
to
experience
"this".
When
King
Pareekshith
asked
Sage
Shuka,
who
was
relating
to
him
the
wonderful
tale
of
the
Gopees
and
their
love
towards
Krishna,
about
the
nature
of
that
love,
Shuka
replied
that
since
they
had
no
body-consciousness
they
were
always
immersed
in
God-consciousness
only;
therefore
there
was
no
touch
of
the
gross
or
material
or
physical
in
their
love
towards
the
Lord.
It
is
the
identiOication
with
the
body
and
the
slavery
to
the
senses
that
it
breeds
that
cause
all
the
cruelty,
injustice
and
violence
that
stalk
the
world.
Holy
company
such
as
this
helps
to
arouse
the
desire
to
know
oneself,
to
know
the
true
nature
of
the
world
around
us
and
to
know
how
best
we
can
discover
and
experience
the
Unity
of
both,
expressed
in
the
Vedhic
dictum
(Mahaavaakya),
Thath-thwam-asi,
"That-thou-art".
The
Oinal
victory
is
for
those
who
have
faith
in
the
invincible
Aathman,
Reality.
Such
men
will
have
no
hate
in
their
hearts;
they
will
only
be
sad
that
others
are
greedy
and
envious
and
their
prayers
will
be
for
the
granting
of
wisdom,
humility
and
love
to
their
opponents:
"O
God,
grant
them
sad-buddhi,
discrimination,
the
power
of
cool,
calm
judgement."
Now,
the
mind
Olutters
about
and
squats
on
all
and
sundry
objects
in
the
Universe.
It
refuses
to
stay
only
on
one
idea,
God.
Like
the
Oly
that
sits
on
fair
and
foul,
but
denies
itself
the
pleasure
of
sitting
on
a
hot
cinder,
the
mind
too
Olees
from
all
thought
of
God.
The
Oly
will
be
destroyed,
if
it
sits
on
Oire;
the
mind
too
is
destroyed,
when
it
dwells
on
God,
for,
the
mind
is
but
a
pattern
of
desire
woven
with
the
warp
and
woof
of
the
same
material.
When
Raama
enters
the
mind,
kaama
has
no
place
therein.
Desire
ceases,
when
God
seizes
the
mind.
In
fact,
since
desire
is
the
very
stuff
of
which
the
mind
is
made,
it
becomes
non-
existent
and
you
are
free.
This
stage
is
called,
mano-nigraha,
mano-laya
or
mano-naashana---the
death
of
the
mind,
the
merging
of
the
mind
or
the
killing
of
the
mind.
You
can
get
real
urge
and
inspiration
to
serve
others
only
when
you
get
rid
of
the
identiOication
with
the
body.
When
a
man
suffers
from
acute
stomach
pain,
his
eyes
water.
Why?
Because,
the
various
organs---eye,
stomach,
etc.---are
all
of
the
same
body.
So
too,
when
one
man
suffers,
your
eyes
must
shed
tears
and
you
must
be
urged
to
alleviate
it.
This
will
happen
if
you
know
that
you
and
he
are
limbs
of
the
self-same
Divine
Body.
The
idea
of
difference
(bheda
bhaava),
arises
on
account
of
the
ignorance
of
the
Truth.
When
people
get
angry,
they
gnash
their
teeth,
but,
they
take
care
not
to
bite
the
tongue,
for
the
tongue
is
theirs;
if
by
chance,
the
tongue
is
bit,
they
do
not
knock
the
teeth
out,
for
the
teeth
is
theirs.
So
too,
the
sick
man,
the
poor
man,
the
suffering
man,
the
illiterate
man,
the
wicked
man,
are
all
limbs
of
the
same
body,
of
which
we
too
are
parts.
The
same
current
activates
all.
To
realise
this
and
to
merge
in
that
Unity
is
the
purpose
of
this
life
in
the
human
body.
For
this
consummation,
the
seeds
of
vishaya
vaasana
(attachment
to
sense-objects)
have
to
be
scrupulously
got
rid
of.
A
Oield
may
look
barren
and
dead;
but
the
Oirst
shower
of
rain
will
convert
it
into
a
green
carpet;
the
seeds
of
grass
in
the
soil
sprout
at
the
touch
of
dampness.
So
too,
at
the
Oirst
contact
with
temptation,
the
vishaya
vaasana
of
people
sprouts
and
prevents
the
growth
of
spiritual
discipline.
To
visualise
the
Lord
as
resident
in
all
and
as
responsible
for
everything
(for
He
is
the
Director
of
the
Play)
is
the
hall-mark
of
devotion.
In
the
sathya,
there
is
no
mithya;
but,
in
the
mithya
jagath
(illusive
world)
you
have
to
search
for
sathya
(truth)
and
experience
it.
You
can
do
it
if
you
rid
your
mind
of
all
modiOications
and
modulations.
Let
it
be
transformed
from
its
present
complex
confusion
into
something
like
the
sky,
which
does
not
bear
any
mark
though
millions
of
birds
Oly
through
it
and
thousands
of
planes
move
across
it.
Be
unaffected,
untouched,
unattached.
That
is
the
spiritual
discipline
which
will
reveal
the
Reality,
and
which
will
ensure
both
physical
and
mental
equanimity.
Man
must
understand
that
the
journey
to
his
own
inner
realm
and
the
discovery
of
its
treasures
are
far
more
important
than
these
engineering
feats.
That
inner
journey
spreads
love;
this
outer
journey
infects
continents
with
fear.
!
!
Discovering
that
there
is
nothing
the
matter
with
one,
is
the
illumination
one
gets,
with
the
dawn
of
spiritual
knowledge.
Just
as
there
are
four
stages
in
the
life
of
everyone---
boyhood,
youth,
middle
age
and
old
age---
there
are
four
stages
in
his
acquisition
of
jnaana
(knowledge
of
Supreme
Being),
contemporaneous
with
these
stages.
Jnaana
is
the
ripeness
of
the
fruit;
which
is
the
consummation
of
a
long
process,
from
the
Oirst
appearance
of
the
Olower
in
the
tree.
The
Oirst
stage
is
the
apprentice
stage:
being
Page 135 of 268
trained
by
parents,
teachers,
elders;
being
led,
guided,
regulated,
warned,
reprimanded.
The
second
stage
is
the
junior
craftsman
stage:
eager
to
establish
happiness
and
justice
in
society,
eager
to
know
the
world
and
its
worth
and
values.
The
third
is
the
craftsman
stage:
pouring
out
energies
to
reform,
reconstruct,
remake
the
human
community.
The
fourth
stage
is
the
master
stage'
realisation
that
the
world
is
beyond
redemption
by
human
effort,
that
one
can
at
best
save
oneself
by
trying
to
reform
the
world,
that
it
is
all
His
Will,
His
Handiwork,
His
World,
Himself.
Along
with
this
dawn
of
jnaana,
there
must
also
dawn
the
will
to
direct
all
activity
in
the
light
of
that
vision.
When
you
realise
that
He
is
the
innermost
Reality
of
all,
you
can
worship
one
another,
with
as
much
fervour
as
you
now
employ
when
you
worship
an
idol.
But,
since
the
worship
of
an
idol
is
more
feasible,
this
is
recommended;
but
the
attitude
must
be
that
He
who
is
in
the
idol
is
also
equally
found
in
all.
Have
the
sense
of
equality
feeding
all
your
activity,
but
do
not
make
all
your
acts
equal
with
all,
and
for
all.
When
the
mind
of
man
is
unattached
to
the
ups
and
downs
of
life,
but
is
able
to
maintain
equanimity
under
all
circumstances,
then
even
physical
health
can
be
assured.
The
mental
Oirmament
must
be
like
the
sky,
which
bears
no
mark
of
the
passage
through
it
of
birds
or
planes
or
clouds.
Illness
is
caused
more
by
malnutrition
of
the
mind
than
of
the
body.
Doctors
speak
of
vitamin
deOiciency;
I
will
call
it
the
deOiciency
of
Vitamin
G,
and
I
will
recommend
the
repetition
of
the
Name
of
God,
with
accompanying
contemplation
of
the
glory
and
grace
of
God.
That
is
the
Vitamin
G.
That
is
the
medicine;
regulated
life
and
habits
are
two-thirds
of
the
treatment,
while
the
medicine
is
just
one-third
only.
The
mind
has
to
be
brought
under
your
grip;
then,
the
servants
will
fawn
at
your
feet.
The
mind
is
the
monarch;
the
senses
or
indriyas
are
the
soldiers;
the
soldiers
are
now
ruling
the
king,
because
he
lends
his
ears
to
them
and
not
to
buddhi
(intellect),
who
is
the
Prime
Minister.
Let
buddhi
take
charge;
in
a
moment,
the
senses
will
be
forced
back
into
camp
and
the
mind
can
save
itself.
The
Aathma
is
the
Sun
in
the
Oirmament
of
the
Heart.
Now,
the
light
of
the
Sun
is
obstructed
by
the
thick
clouds
of
vishaya-vaasana
(desire
for
sense
objects
and
objective
pleasure);
let
the
strong
wind
of
paschaath-
thaapa
(repentance
and
resolution)
scatter
the
clouds,
so
that
the
Aathma
may
shine
forth
brilliantly.
The
truth
of
Thath-thwam-asi
must
lead
to
Bhaava
Adwaitham
(nonduality
of
self),
not
Karma
Adwaitham
(duality
of
action),
for,
when
you
come
down
into
the
Oield
of
karma,
duality
is
inevitable.
Saguna
and
Nirguna
(with
Form
and
Formless)
aspects
of
God
create
the
same
doubt
in
the
minds
of
saadhak,
whether
they
can
both
be
true.
It
is
like
hardened
ghee
and
liquid
ghee.
Ice
and
water
are
the
same;
water
takes
the
form
of
the
vessel
which
contains
it.
It
is
formless.
But,
yet,
there
is
no
distinction
between
ice
and
water.
In
saadhana,
the
saguna
worship
and
the
nirguna
meditation
are
like
the
right
and
left
feet
for
the
journey.
During
the
saguna
worship,
the
basic
nirguna
aspect
of
God
has
to
be
sustaining
the
mind;
no
description
can
exhaust
the
Glory,
no
word
can
approximate
the
Majesty.
During
the
nirguna
meditation,
the
faith
that
God
does
not
diminish
His
Glory
or
Majesty
by
being
with
Form,
attributes
and
name
must
be
the
sustaining
force.
The
Oinal
step,
however,
must
be
the
right
foot,
considered
auspicious,
the
nirguna
step.
Page 136 of 268
The
jeeva
(individual
soul)
is
destined
to
lose
its
separate
Name
and
Form
and
merge
in
the
formless
and
the
nameless.
All
must
Oind
their
ultimate
destiny
in
the
nirguna.
But,
there
are
some
who
say
that
since
the
jeeva
is
caught
up
in
birth
and
death,
it
can
never
attain
the
merger
with
the
Eternal;
it
has
to
be
eternally
separate
and
distinct.
The
jeeva
is
born
in
sin,
immersed
in
sin,
revelling
in
sin
and
so
it
can
at
best
be
granted
only
admission
to
the
presence
of
the
Lord.
A
person
who
held
this
opinion
once
went
to
a
village
and
gave
a
discourse
on
the
impossibility
of
man
attaining
merger
with
the
Absolute
and
the
Universal.
One
adwaithin
(non-dualist)
who
was
in
the
audience
got
up
and
said,
this
declaration
is
being
made
by
even
the
most
illiterate
ryot
here;
why,
our
washerman
will
make
it.
He
called
the
washerman
in
and
asked
him
"Who
are
you,
tell
me,
truly."
The
fellow
got
frightened
at
this
sudden
invitation
to
announce
his
nature.
He
said,
"I
am
a
low
mean
sinner."
Turning
to
the
Pandit
on
the
platform,
the
adwaithin
said,
"If
you
can
tell
us
something
more
than
what
this
washerman
can
tell
us,
then,
speak
on."
Man
must
strive
to
break
the
bonds,
to
cleanse
the
sin,
to
regain
lost
glory,
to
attain
to
the
highest
majesty.
That
is
the
goal
worth
striving
for,
with
all
the
equipment
he
is
provided
with.
God
is
Truth,
Truth
is
Goodness,
Goodness
is
beauty.
Truth,
Goodness,
Beauty,
Sathyam,
Shivam,
Sundaram
is
yourself.
Be
yourself.
The
potter
takes
clay
and
makes
pots
and
pans;
they
are
mrnmaya---of
the
earth,
earthy.
The
potter,
Brahma,
makes
men;
they
are
chinmaya---of
the
nature
of
Aananda,
Sath
and
Chith---
absolute
bliss,
existence,
consciousness.
Note
the
difference
and
shape
your
activity
accordingly.
Act
in
accordance
with
what
you
profess
to
be;
that
is
the
real
Dharma.
Man's
dharma
is
to
cultivate
his
faculties
for
the
great
adventure
of
realising
his
oneness
with
the
basic
substance
of
the
Universe,
a
substance
that
is
attributeless,
but,
yet
is
mistaken
to
have
attributes
like
names
and
forms
and
functions.
This
is
declared
in
the
Mahaavaakyas
(Vedhic
Dicta)
enshrined
in
the
Vedhas
and
elaborated
in
the
Upanishads.
To
get
the
mind
and
the
intelligence
Oixed
in
that
oneness,
man
must
meditate
on
them
in
silence
and
solitude,
under
the
guidance
of
a
Guru.
Practising
meditation
in
silence
and
solitude,
one
can
in
due
course
establish
silence
and
solitude
in
the
heart,
even
in
the
busiest
thoroughfares.
Now,
the
puja
room
or
domestic
shrines
are
invariably
found
next
to
the
kitchen;
there,
the
smells
of
cooking
attack
the
nostrils,
the
sounds
of
frying
and
boiling
attack
the
ear,
the
mind
is
distracted
by
voices
and
noises.
How
can
concentration
grow
in
such
an
atmosphere?
Silence
has
to
be
started
with
oneself;
that
is
to
say,
one
must
talk
less,
and
think
more
deliberately,
more
discriminatingly.
One
must
try
to
empty
the
mind
of
impulses
and
prejudices
and
preferences.
Thus,
man
must
strive
to
reach
down
to
his
real
nature
or
dharma,
which
is
Divine,
Dharmaswaruupa
(righteousness
personiOied).
This
sahaja-
swabhaava
(innate
nature)
is
to
be
found
in
children;
at
that
stage
man
is
untouched
by
the
pulls
and
stresses
of
the
senses.
So,
he
revels
in
his
own
reality,
that
is,
in
joy,
in
shaanthi
and
in
prema.
Make
that
stage
steady,
so
that
you
may
lead
a
dharmic
life.
That
is
the
swadharma
of
Man.
This,dharma
saves
those
who
rely
on
it.
To
discover
one's
reality
and
to
dwell
in
that
Divine
peace,
one
need
not
give
up
the
world
and
take
to
asceticism.
There
was
a
guru
who
advised
one
seeker
to
go
to
the
Page 137 of 268
forests
and
live
there.
"Go,"
he
said.
"How
can
you
have
peace
in
the
market-square?"
To
another
seeker,
he
said,
"Stay
where
you
are".
The
two
seekers,
later
met
and
compared
notes.
"How
is
it
that
he
gave
such
contradictory
advice?
Perhaps,
we
did
not
hear
him
correctly",
they
said
and
returned
to
him;
but,
he
said,
that
his
advice
was
based
on
the
attainments
of
each
of
them
and
what
was
best
for
each.
Detachment
is
the
crucial
gain;
one
cultivates
it
either
in
the
jungle
or
at
home.
There
is
no
one
higher
than
a
bhaktha
whose
mind
is
Oixed
in
the
Truth.
He
is
more
than
an
emperor.
As
Ramana
Maharishi
used
to
tell
every
one
who
went
to
him,
"Know
who
you
are".
When
asked,
"Who
are
you?"
you
invariably
give
the
name
that
some
one
Oixed
on
you
as
a
label.
But,
who
are
you,
really?
Have
you
tried
to
know
that
correctly
and
well?
There
are
some
who
write
and
speak
as
if
they
have
known
Me,
all
that
is
to
be
known
of
Me.
Well;
I
can
only
say
this'
they
can
never
know
Me
and
My
nature,
even
if
they
are
born
and
reborn
a
thousand
times.
To
know
Me
one
has
to
be
like
Me,
rise
to
this
height.
Can
ants
discover
the
depth
of
the
Ocean?
Establish
the
status
of
the
mother
in
the
home,
as
the
upholder
of
spiritual
ideals,
and,
therefore,
the
Guru
of
the
children.
Every
mother
must
share
in
this
effort
the
expansion
and
steady
manifestations
of
the
God-Consciousness
latent
in
every
child.
All
the
scriptures
that
are
revered
in
all
lands
and
climes
proclaim
that
love
alone
prevails,
detachment
alone
is
the
lasting
wealth,
unity
alone
is
the
truth,
God
alone
is
the
goal.
Ice
and
water
are
but
one
in
two
names
and
forms;
hard
ghee
and
liquid
ghee
are
one
and
the
same;
so
too,
the
Nirguna
(Formless)
and
the
Saguna
(with
Form)
aspects
are
both
the
same
Godhead.
But,
yet,
man
uses
this
simple
problem
for
perpetual
argumentation
and
dispute.
Even
about
Me,
there
are
some
who
have
had
a
glimpse
of
the
Truth;
there
are
others
who
have
not
been
able
to
achieve
even
that.
But,
My
prema
is
showered
equally
on
all;
I
do
not
reveal
or
refuse;
it
is
for
you
to
discover
and
decide,
derive
divine
bliss
by
diving
into
the
depths.
How
can
an
ant
calculate
the
depth
of
the
sea?
How
can
a
man
on
the
ground
describe
the
features
of
the
pilot
of
a
plane
in
the
sky?
Unless
you
rise
to
the
heights,
by
following
certain
disciplines,
you
cannot
experience
Godhead.
Once
you
do
that,
all
judgements,
all
disputations
and
even
sense
of
victory,
disappear.
People
may
laugh
at
you
for
going
on
pilgrimages
or
coming
to
Puttaparthi,
especially
if
you
are
young
and
have
no
problems
of
illness
or
no
crisis
in
fortune.
They
cannot
appreciate
the
urge
for
liberation
or
for
everlasting
joy;
they
cannot
sympathise
with
those
who
long
to
answer
the
call
of
the
vast
magniOicence
that
surrounds
them.
They
try
to
scotch
the
beginnings
of
spiritual
yearning
in
children,
not
knowing
that
they
will
grow
into
a
strong
armour
for
them
in
future
years.
They
are
afraid
their
children
may
become
monks
in
later
life
and
leave
their
homes.
So
they
try
to
plunge
them
deeper
into
pleasures,
so
that
by
developing
their
own
type
of
madness
they
may
be
cured
of
divine
madness!
Page 138 of 268
Above
all,
insist
on
the
senses
obeying
you,
when
you
command
them
to
desist
from
dragging
you.
Or
else,
you
are
like
a
horse
without
a
bit
in
the
mouth,
a
car
without
a
brake.
With
the
senses
under
control,
your
intelligence
will
become
clear
to
reOlect
the
Glory
of
God
that
pervades
the
Universe.
That
is
the
teaching
of
the
Vedhas
and
of
Vedhaantha.
A
man
or
an
institution
is
to
be
judged
by
his
its
integrity,
whether
acts
are
according
to
the
principles
professed
The
mind,
the
body,
the
word
all
three
must
work
in
unison.
By
such
disciplined
karma
the
senses
will
be
sublimated
and
prashaanthi
won;
then,
out
of
this
prashaanthi
will
arise
prakaanthi
or
the
great
light,
and
from
that
will
emerge
Param-jyothi,
the
suprasplendour
of
illumination.
That
illumination
will
reveal
Param-aathma,
the
Oversoul,
the
Universal.
The
body
is
the
temple
of
God;
He
is
resident
in
the
heart;
buddhi
(intelligence)
is
the
lamp
lit
in
that
altar;
now,
every
gust
of
wind
that
blows
through
the
windows
of
the
senses
affects
the
Olame
of
the
lamp
and
dulls
its
light,
threatening
even
to
put
it
out.
So,
close
the
windows;
do
not
keep
them
open
for
dire
attraction
from
objects.
Keep
buddhi
sharp,
so
that
it
may
cut
the
mind
like
a
diamond
and
convert
it
into
a
blaze
of
light,
instead
of
being
a
dull
pebble.
Discrimination,
(Nithyaanithyavasthu
viveka),
is
an
important
instrument
of
spiritual
progress.
The
reasoning
faculty
must
be
employed
to
distinguish
between
the
limited
and
the
unlimited,
the
temporary
and
the
Eternal.
That
is
its
legitimate
use.
Shankaraachaarya
names
his
work
on
the
principles
of
Adhwaitha
as
"Viveka-chudaamani",
for,
he
wanted
to
emphasise
the
value
of
Viveka
for
the
realisation
of
the
evanescence
of
life
and
the
Oneness
of
the
Universe.
Naamasmarana
saved
Prahlaadha
from
the
agony
of
torture.
He
was
a
Raakshasa
boy,
but,
somehow,
he
learnt
the
sacred
name
and
knew
how
sweet
it
was.
He
repeated
it
and
imbibed
its
nectarine
taste.
Even
when
the
enraged
elephant
rushed
towards
him,
he
did
not
cry
out,
"O
Father",
or
"O
Mother",
to
persuade
his
physical
parents
to
rescue
him;
he
had
no
consciousness
of
their
existence
at
all;
he
called
on
Naaraayana
and
no
one
else.
If
your
thoughts
centre
round
the
body,
you
will
have
worries
about
pains
and
illnesses,
real
or
imaginary;
if
they
are
centred
on
riches,
you
will
be
worried
about
proOit
and
loss,
tax
and
exemptions,
investment
and
insolvency;
if
they
roam
round
fame,
then,
you
are
bound
to
suffer
from
the
ups
and
downs
of
scandal,
calumny
and
jealousy.
So,
let
them
centre
round
the
seat
of
power
and
love
which
deserve
willing
submission
and
let
your
whole
being
surrender
to
it.
Then,
you
will
be
happy
for
ever.
For
the
sages
of
the
Vedhic
culture,
the
rishis,
the
Name
of
the
Lord
was
the
very
breath;
they
lived
on
the
sustenance,
which
contemplation
of
the
glory,
inherent
in
it,
provided.
In
fact,
the
truth
regarding
God,
man,
nature,
etc.,
is
so
simple
that
a
few
minutes
of
quiet
contemplation
can
reveal
it
to
any
one
of
ordinary
intelligence.
Everyone
will
admit
that
anything
which
undergoes
change
cannot
be
truth.
Truth
must
remain
as
truth,
in
the
past,
present
and
future.
Now
the
world
and
all
objects
of
nature
are
constantly
being
subjected
to
change---building
up
or
breaking
down,
evolving
or
mutating,
Olowing
or
festering,
growing
or
dying.
How
then
can
it
be
true?
The
subjective
feelings,
attitudes,
impulses,
beliefs
instincts,
intuitions---these
too
are
changing;
they
are
pleasant
one
moment,
unpleasant
the
next
moment;
the
same
thing
is
welcome
at
one
time,
repulsive
at
another
time;
malaria
makes
sweet
things
turn
bitter;
jaundice
turns
all
things
yellow.
So,
there
must
be
something
stable
and
permanent
and
eternal
as
the
background,
the
base,
the
foundation,
for
this
changing
scene
to
appear
on.
Appearance
is
untrue;
reality
is
eternal.
Again,
a
few
minutes
of
investigation
will
convince
any
one
that
he
is
not
the
body
which
he
carries
about
with
him,
as
the
snail
carries
its
home;
he
is
not
the
eye
or
ear
or
tongue;
he
is
not
the
mind
or
intelligence
for,
he
refers
to
them
as
"my
mind
is
not
in
it"
etc.,
meaning
that
he
is
separate
from
his
mind;
"my
intelligence
failed
me",
meaning
that
he
is
different
from
his
intelligence.
He
is
a
witness;
it
is
the
body
that
dies;
he
survives;
he
is
reborn
when
he
takes
on
a
new
body.
Physical
beauty
is
just
a
matter
of
health;
a
couple
of
days
of
fever
or
purging
makes
an
angel
a
scarecrow.
Insanity
pounces
upon
a
genius
some
day
and
reduces
his
talk
to
unintelligent
blabber.
When
the
mind
is
deranged,
the
eyes
see
strange
sights
that
are
not
there;
the
ears
hear
eerie
noises
that
never
were.
It
is
only
when
man
discovers
the
ultimate
unchanging
base
that
he
can
derive
permanent
peace;
until
then,
he
too
will
have
to
swing
and
sway
in
the
changing
world,
between
joy
and
grief.
Like
Vivekaananda
and
Naagamahaashaya,
people
must
be
urged
by
the
thirst
to
know
the
Creator
behind
Creation,
the
person
behind
the
puppets.
Naagamahaashaya
started
from
the
attitude
of
Daasoham
(I
am
the
servant),
and
he
made
himself
so
small
by
shrinking
his
individuality
that
he
was
able
to
wriggle
out
of
the
shackles
of
delusion
and
escape
into
the
Universal
Eternal
Truth.
Vivekaananda,
on
the
other
hand,
started
from
the
attitude
of
Soham
(I
am
He);
he
made
himself
so
vast
and
grand,
that
he
broke
the
shackles
and
merged
with
the
Supreme
Sovereign
Truth.
When
you
have
earned
that
jnaana
of
the
identity
of
your
reality
with
the
reality
behind
the
Universe,
Maaya
(illusion)
cannot
affect
you.
The
Oly
sits
on
all
objects,
fair
and
foul;
but,
it
does
not
sit
on
Oire,
for,
it
will
be
scorched
to
death.
There
are
many
who
have
stacked
libraries
in
their
brains;
who
have
visited
and
venerated
all
the
holy
places
between
the
Himaalayas
and
the
Cape;
who
have
sat
at
the
feet
of
every
one
of
the
contemporary
sages
and
saints;
who
have
performed
all
the
rites
prescribed
in
the
sacred
texts,
but,
who
do
not
know
the
answer
to
the
simple
question:
"How
to
bring
about
the
union
between
jeeva
and
Brahmam,
the
individual
Page 140 of 268
and
the
Universal?"
Or
rather,
they
do
not
set
about
the
practice
of
what
they
have
heard
or
learnt.
The
erection
of
temples,
the
installation
of
images
or
idols,
the
pomp
and
show,
Oireworks
and
fanfare,
processions
and
pedantries---these
are
helpless
in
the
realm
of
jnaana.
When
a
seeker
went
to
a
Guru
for
some
Upadesh
(instruction),
he
inquired
what
he
had
read
so
far;
when
the
man
said.
"I
have
read
the
Sundarakaanda
of
the
Raamaayana,
the
Bhagavad
Geetha,
and
the
Yogavasishta",
the
Guru
said,
"Why
then
do
you
want
upadesh
from
me?
If
Sri
Krishna
speaking
through
the
Geetha
has
not
succeeded
in
creating
faith
in
you,
what
can
poor
I
do?"
and
sent
him
off.
When
a
man
has
known
that
he
has
no
desh
(native
land),
why
should
he
crave
for
upadesh?
Man
does
not
belong
to
anywhere
except
to
God.
That
is
the
desh.
Journey
to
His
desh
or
his
native
land,
is
his
mission
in
life.
The
best
upadesh
(spiritual
instruction)
is
the
Pranava,
the
sacred
syllable
OM,
which
summarises
many
principles
of
theology,
philosophy
and
mysticism.
Little
children
just
learning
to
toddle
about
are
given
a
three-wheeled
contraption
which
they
push
forward,
holding
on
to
the
cross-bar.
The
OM
is
such
a
'vehicle'
for
the
spiritual
child.
The
three
wheels
are
a,
u
and
m,
the
three
components
of
the
manthra.
OM
is
the
primal
sound
inherent
in
the
lifebreath.
Every
time
we
breathe,
we
say
Soham;
'so'
when
we
inhale
and
'ham'
when
we
exhale,
meaning
"He-I",
instilling
into
ourselves
the
conviction
that
"He"
who
is
all
this
external
world,
is
"I"
who
is
all
this
internal
world,
the
convinction
of
Unity.
During
deep
sleep,
when
the
senses,
the
brain
and
the
mind
are
dormant
and
defunctionalised,
the
"He"
and
the
"I"
are
not
cognised
as
separate;
the
So
(He)
and
the
ham
(I)
both
fade
and
the
sound
Soham
is
transformed
into
OM,
indicating
the
merger
of
the
external
with
the
internal
into
one
Truth.
OM
has
also
many
other
signiOicances
and
the
meditation
on
the
OM
is
a
valuable
saadhana
for
the
seeker
of
reality.
It
is
like
the
seven
colours
of
the
sun's
ray
merging
into
one
colourless
(white)
brilliance.
The
best
saadhana
is
to
discover
your
Aathmic
reality
and
to
recognise
your
kinship
in
the
Aathmic
fold
with
all
others.
Praise
and
blame
are
but
twists
of
verbiage,
the
magic
of
words
in
the
clever
hands
of
Olatterers
or
traducers.
Treat
both
with
a
grand
indifference;
then,
your
real
worth
will
become
patent.
A
person
may
appear
strictly
orthodox,
but
his
heart
may
be
Oilled
with
the
poison
of
hatred
and
envy.
Has
he
realised
that
God
is
the
God
of
all,
that
He
is
present
in
every
being---Sahasraseersha-sahas-raaksha-sahasrapaad---(thousand-headed,
thousand-
eyed,
thousand-legged),
as
He
is?
This
Vedhic
description
means
that
God
is
Omnipresent,
not
that
He
has
just
a
thousand
heads
only.
In
that
case,
He
should
have
had
two
thousand
eyes
and
two
thousand
legs,
at
the
rate
of
two
per
head.
The
statement
is
not
as
mathematical
as
all
that;
it
is
intended
to
convey
the
truth
of
God
being
immanent
and
transcendent
at
the
same
time.
God
is
the
unseen
ever-present
immanent
energy
in
all
things;
this
has
to
be
realised
by
every
aspirant,
or
else,
his
aspiration
can
never
be
fulOilled.
Reasoning
by
itself
will
lead
one
to
this
conclusion
of
the
unity
of
all
matter
and
of
all
energy.
Page 141 of 268
Vishwaamithra
was
upset
that,
inspite
of
years
of
asceticism,
his
great
rival,
Vasishta,
addressed
him
only
as
Raajarishi,
and
not
by
the
coveted
appellation,
Brahmarishi;
so,
he
crouched
stealthily
behind
the
seat
of
Vasishta
one
moonlight
night,
when
he
was
teaching
a
group
of
disciples,
determined
to
kill
him
with
the
sharp
sword
he
had
taken
with
him.
He
sat
unseen
amidst
the
bushes
for
a
moment
to
listen
to
what
Vasishta
was
telling
them.
What
was
his
surprise
when
he
heard
Vasishta
describing
the
charming
moonlight
and
comparing
it
to
the
heart
of
Vishwaamithra,
cool,
bright,
curative,
heavenly,
universal,
all-pleasing!
The
sword
fell
from
his
grasp.
He
ran
forward
and
prostrating
at
the
feet
of
his
rival,
he
held
the
feet.
Vasishta
recognised
Vishwaamithra
and
accosting
him,
"O
Brahmarishi,
rise
up",
he
lifted
him
on
to
his
own
seat.
Vasishta
explained
that
be
could
not
be
styled
Brahmarishi,
so
long
as
the
ego
persisted
in
him.
When
the
swelling
of
the
head
disappeared
and
he
fell
at
the
feet
of
his
rival,
he
became
entitled
for
the
honour
he
no
longer
coveted,
and
so
deserved.
Earthly
domain,
earthly
riches
are
powerless
before
spiritual
domain
over
the
senses,
spiritual
riches
of
self-knowledge
and
self-conOidence.
Man
goes
out
into
space
with
his
rockets
and
space
ships
and
sputniks,
only
to
acquire
superior
striking
power
over
his
rivals
on
earth.
Man
must
know
the
Universe
as
basically
Brahmam
and
so
as
fundamentally
knowledge
and
love
and
peace.
He
and
the
Universe
are
one;
they
are
subsumed
in
the
same
unique
entity.
The
cosmic
vision
can
be
acquired
either
by
watching
the
Universe
or
one's
own
inner
Cosmos.
Man
has
only
to
discover
himself.
In
the
citadel
of
the
body,
there
is
the
lotus
temple
of
the
heart,
with
subtle
aakaasha
(space)
within.
In
it
are
contained
heaven
and
earth,
Oire
and
air,
sun
and
moon,
stars
and
planets---all
that
is
in
the
visible
world
and
all
that
sustains
it
and
all
into
which
it
submerges.
Instead
of
rotating
round
the
earth
in
the
higher
realms
of
space
and
planning
to
land
on
the
moon
or
Mars,
if
only
man
plans
and
prepares
himself
to
travel
into
his
own
inner
realm,
what
sublime
joy
and
peace
he
can
attain!
His
attainments
at
present
in
the
vast
silence
of
outer
space
are
all
prompted
by
fear
and
spread
only
further
fear.
Truth
is
one's
real
nature
and
when
you
are
yourself,
there
comes
a
great
Olood
of
joy
welling
up
within
you.
Devotion
and
faith
ensure
the
gift
of
knowledge
of
the
Spirit---the
great
prize
for
the
great
adventure
of
birth,
life
and
death.
When
the
mind
weds
pravrithi
(worldly
activity),
the
progeny
is
bondage;
when
it
weds
nivrithi
(spiritual
renunciation),
the
progeny
is
freedom.
Bhakthi
cannot
come
into
man
from
outside
him;
it
has
to
be
grown
from
within
by
an
effort
to
cleanse
the
mind,
to
know
the
nature
and
origin
of
man
and
the
universe,
to
grasp
the
relation
of
man
with
all
the
external
objects
which
now
fascinate
and
foil
him.
Janaka
was
such
an
indefatigable
enquirer.
Though
the
ruler
of
a
vast
kingdom,
he
held
court
mostly
to
be
in
the
midst
of
scholars
and
sages
and
learn
from
their
discussions
the
many
facets
of
Truth.
He
confronted
every
scholar
who
came
to
him
with
the
question,
(which
he
put
to
Yaajnavalkya,
for
instance),
"With
what
object
have
you
come?
Desiring
some
cattle,
or,
some
questions
for
subtle
decisions?"
And,
most
of
them
answered
like
Yaajnavalkya,
"Both,
indeed
O
Emperor.
The
Brihadaaranya
Upanishad
devotes
many
sections
to
these
discussions
in
Janaka's
court
and
to
the
part
played
by
Yaajnavalkya
in
clarifying
many
philosophical
issues
by
his
mastery
of
spiritual
science,
in
theory
as
well
as
practice.
Once
Janaka
performed
a
sacriOice
during
which
he
gave
away
a
large
number
of
gifts.
He
had
set
apart
a
thousand
cows,
with
gold
jewels
on
the
horns
and
hooves,
as
a
special
prize
for
the
person
acclaimed
by
the
assembly
of
scholars
as
the
most
learned,
the
greatest
scholar
in
the
science
of
Brahmam.
As
soon
as
he
came
to
know
of
this,
Yaajnavalkya
who
was
singularly
conscious
of
his
unbeatable
scholarship,
asked
his
pupil,
"Drive
these
cows
home,
my
son".
The
Brahmins
were
enraged
at
this
impudence
and
they
challenged
him
to
answer
the
questions
they
showered
on
him,
in
order
to
justify
his
driving
away
the
cows.
The
priest
in
charge
of
the
sacriOice
asked
him
about
the
effects
of
Yajna.
Questions
were
asked
about
the
sense
organs
and
objects
and
the
relationship
between
them;
some
scholars
like
Bhujyu
tried
to
puzzle
him
and
overpower
him
by
suggesting
a
superhuman
source
for
knowledge.
Others
moved
on
to
the
subject
of
the
Aathma,
as
Sarvaantharyaamin.
The
most
formidable
of
the
intelocutors
was
a
woman,
Gaargi
who
had
a
plentiful
sheaf
of
arrows
to
let
go
at
Yaajnavalkya.
At
last
she
rose
from
her
seat
and
declared:
"I
shall
now
ask
him
two
questions.
If
he
answers
those
two
satisfactorily,
then
none
of
us
can
ever
defeat
him
in
expounding
Brahmam.
"What
is
it
that
pervades
like
the
warp
and
the
woof,
that
which
is
above
heaven
and
below
the
earth,
that
which
is
heaven
and
earth,
and
between
them
both,
that
which
was,
is
and
will
be?"
Gargi
asked
and
Yaajnavalkya
answered,
"Aakaasha".
Gaargi
appreciated
the
answer.
Then,
she
asked
again,
"What
pervades
the
Aaakaasha
as
warp
and
woof?"
And
Yaajnavalkya
replied,
"It
is
the
Akshara,
neither
sthula
nor
anu,
neither
short
nor
long,
neither
air
nor
ether,
without
eyes
or
ears,
with
neither
exterior
nor
interior.
It
is
never
seen,
but
it
is
the
Seer;
it
is
never
thought,
but
it
is
the
Thinker;
it
is
never
known,
but,
it
is
the
Knower."
And,
Gaargi
accepted
that
he
was
supreme
and
undefeatable.
Janaka
grew
wise
as
a
result
of
such
deliberations
and
discussions
in
his
court.
While
in
my
previous
body,
I
told
Naanaasaheb
that
I
am
in
ants,
insects
and
animals,
besides
all
men.
When
a
dog
ate
off
offerings
intended
for
Baba,
it
was
declared
to
have
reached
Baba,
for
he
had
eaten
it
in
that
form:
"Naanaa
says
he
is
giving
me
food;
but
when
I
go
in
the
form
of
a
dog
he
drives
me
off'.
TO
believe
that
God
is
manifest
only
in
one
place
or
location,
and
to
journey
thither
is
a
superstition
much
to
be
deplored.
He
is
everywhere,
in
everyone,
at
all
times.
He
is
the
energy
that
Oilled
space
and
time
and
he
is
the
energy
that
manifests
as
causation.
The
science
of
mind-control
called
Yoga
has
been
developed
here,
since
ancient
times,
and
thousands
in
every
age
have
practised
it
with
success,
until
they
have
achieved
its
Page 143 of 268
fruit,
self-realisation.
One
result
of
this
self-
realisation
has
been
the
recognition
of
every
one
else
as
but
the
reOlection
of
oneself---the
true
basis
of
the
Unity
of
mankind.
The
lesson
that
Sanaathana
Dharma
has
been
holding
forth
is
"the
unity
of
all
created
beings,
of
all
sections
of
the
human
community,
in
One
Cosmic
Body
which
is
God."
(Ishaavaasyamidham
Sarvam,
Vaasudevassarvamidam)
,
The
query,
"Who
belongs
to
whom?"
is
alien
to
Indian
thought.
Each
belongs
to
all,
all
belong
to
ONE---
this
has
been
the
daily
diet
of
India
since
the
beginning
of
Time.
I
Oind
that
you
use
the
word
'Antharjatheeya'
for
indicating
that
there
is
an
inter-
national
body.
Anthar
or
Inter
shows
that
yours
is
an
inter-connection,
an
anthar
or
inner
link,
a
wire
that
supplies
current
to
all,
an
inner
motivator
which
operates
and
oversees
every
part
or
limb,
not
only
in
the
body---the
dwelling
place
of
the
individual---but
in
the
world
which
is
the
temple
of
God.
The
Lord
has
declared
in
the
Geetha
that
He
is
Sarvabhuutha-antharaathma---"the
Inner
Reality
of
all
beings."
Try
to
be
ever
in
the
awareness
of
this
Unity
in
God;
this
is
the
one
truth
that
has
to
be
seen,
experienced
and
announced;
this
is
the
soundest
basis
for
individual
and
social
life.
This
will
serve
as
an
unshakable
foundation
for
your
international
outlook.
I
asked
your
president
what
the
ideal
of
Rotary
International
was
and
he
told
me
that
it
was,
in
one
word,
paropakaaram---"Doing
good
to
others."
For
this
ideal,
India
is
a
very
congenial
country,
since
you
will
Oind
willing
co-operation
from
the
people
and
plentiful
opportunities
for
exercising
the
talent,
the
skill
and
the
urge
for
doing
good
to
others
and
helping
others.
But
I
would
like
to
remind
you
that
there
are
no
para
(others)
to
receive
the
upakaaram
(favour)
from
you;
the
'para'
persons
are
your
own.
your
very
selves.
All
are
waves
heaving
and
falling,
rolling
and
receding,
on
the
ocean
of
which
they
are
integral
parts.
Therefore,
who
can
help
whom?
Who
does
whom
a
favour?
Whose
is
the
helping
hand?
All
help
is
to
oneself,
from
oneself.
The
pain
that
another
suffers
from,
which
you
seek
to
assuage,
is
really
your
own
pain;
when
you
stop
his
pain,
it
is
your
pain
that
stops.
Service
can
be
effective
only
when
the
feelings
of
'I'
and
'Mine'
give
place
to
'God'
and
'God's'.
It
is
only
when
your
attention
is
monopolised
by
the
body
and
its
needs,
that
egoism
will
grow
in
strength.
When
you
direct
your
attention
to
the
Anthar-
aathma
(Inner-self)
which
is
God,
then,
you
Oind
the
same
God
in
all
and
a
Olood
of
reverence
Oills
you
and
fertilises
every
act
of
yours.
Saadhana
is
needed
for
redirecting
the
attention
from
the
deha
to
the
dehi---body
to
the
soul.
All
beings
are
as
Olowers
that
bloom
and
fade
before
the
day
is
over;
but,
like
this
garland
you
offered
Me
when
I
came
amidst
you,
they
are
strung
on
one
eternal
indestructible
thread,
the
Suuthra
that
is
called
Brahmam.
Establish
this
Bhaava-
adwaitham
(non-dual
attitude)
in
your
mind;
it
will
render
your
service
more
enjoyable,
more
fruitful,
more
sweet
and
pleasant
to
the
recipient.
Without
that
attitude,
paropakaaram
becomes
help,
doled
out
to
lesser
men
and
poorer
folk,
by
superior
persons.
All
such
help
will
be
suspected
and
resented;
it
is
contaminated
at
the
source
as
well
as
at
destination.
Of
course,
one
should
not
treat
all
equally,
have
the
same
prescription
for
all.
Serve
each
according
to
the
speciOic
need
and
capacity
to
beneOit
by
the
help.
The
Antharaathma
is
the
same
in
all,
but,
you
should
not
give
a
knife
into
the
hands
of
a
mad
man,
or
a
gold
necklace
to
a
child.
The
child
will
cast
it
away;
the
man
may
gash
some
one's
throat.
Shaanthi
comes
from
within;
contentment
is
a
mental
condition.
Do
not
feed
the
roots
of
attachment
to
worldly
comforts
more
than
is
absolutely
necessary.
They
lead
only
to
Page 144 of 268
anxiety
and
fear;
they
can
never
satisfy
the
innermost
craving
of
man.
Lead
them
into
the
path
of
devotion
and
dedication;
for
them
that
will
be
the
path
of
contentment
and
joy.
Emphasise
the
universal
Aathma
thathwam---essential
nature
of
the
Self;
encourage
prayer,
meditation,
quiet
contemplation
of
the
grandeur
and
glory
of
God,
reOlected
in
Nature;
repetition
of
the
Name
of
the
Lord;
encourage
silence
and
solitude,
for
the
sake
of
introspection
and
contact
with
the
springs
of
joy
inherent
in
man.
Everything
is
held
together
by
God's
strength.
God
is
present
everywhere.
You
are
only
a
means
through
which
God
is
seeing
every
one
in
this
world.
You
are
only
imagining
that
you
are
seeing
with
your
eyes,
but
you
are,
in
fact,
seeing
with
God's
eyes.
First
thing
to
do
is
to
Oind
who
you
are.
But,
man
needs
things
much
more
satisfying,
much
more
essential,
than
comfort.
He
must
have
faith
in
himself,
so
that
he
may
respect
himself.
This
Aathma
vishwasa
(trust
in
the
Self)
lies
at
the
very
root
of
joy.
In
India,
the
education
that
leads
to
the
knowledge
of
the
Aathma
and
faith
in
the
Aathma
has
been
perfected
since
ages.
That
education
teaches
a
proper
sense
of
values;
giving
the
Vishayas
(the
objective,
world),
relative
importance
for
temporary
periods,
for
transient
ends
and
encouraging
man
to
hold
fast
to
disciplines
that
confer
inner
peace.
The
Aathma
thathwa
(principle
of
the
Self)
grants
Amritha
(Immortality).
The
deha
thathwa
(principle
of
the
body)
is
anritha
(invalid),
and
so,
cannot
give
absolute
Bliss.
Man
is
not
an
improved
type
of
monkey;
he
is
a
child
of
this
Immortal
Entity.
That
is
why
he
refuses
to
accept
that
death
is
his
end.
That
is
why
he
strives
to
perpetuate
himself
for
ever.
The
hunger
for
escaping
death
is
strong
in
man;
he
does
not
believe
that
he
is
a
bubble,
that
can
be
pricked
out
of
existence
by
chance.
The
system
of
education
has
to
be
recast
in
order
to
allow
the
children
of
this
land
to
grow
up
as
the
seers
and
sages
of
this
land,
to
hand
over
to
the
sons
and
daughters
of
Bhaarathamaatha
the
precious
heritage,
which
the
world
too
is
anxious
to
share.
The
signiOicance
of
yajna,
dama
and
thapas
(sacriOice,
self-control
and
penance);
of
sahana,
saadhana,
samyama
(forbearance,
spiritual
discipline
and
sense
restraint);
of
the
great
Mahaavaakyas
(Vedhic
dicta)
enshrined
in
the
Vedhas;
of
the
three
Yogas---bhakthi,
karma
and
jnaana---as
elaborated
in
the
Geetha;
of
the
Daivi
and
Asuri
(godly
and
demonic)
natures---all
these
and
many
more
of
the
fundamentals
of
Indian
culture
have
to
be
taught
to
the
children
in
schools
and
colleges.
They
must
be
encouraged
to
practise
them,
for
their
own
as
well
as
for
the
country's
good.
The
neglect
of
the
study
of
the
Sanskrit
language
and
literature
is
denying
our
students
the
spring
of
wisdom,
from
which
generations
have
imbibed
courage
and
conOidence
to
face
life.
Consider
Oirst
things
Oirst---that
is
the
message
of
the
Shaastras.
The
true
culture
of
India
can
be
experienced
only
then.
Bhaarath
is
the
only
country
where
the
process
of
exploiting
God
is
omnipresent;
He
is
immanent
in
every
being
in
equal
measure.
So,
man
must
visualise
Him
equally
in
himself
and
in
others.
That
is
to
say,
he
sees
only
God
in
all.
So,
how
can
he
injure
others
or
fear
that
he
will
come
to
harm
through
others?
This
is
the
basis
of
the
Indian
ideal
of
Ahimsa.
We
have
such
world-transforming
truths
embedded
in
the
ancient
texts,
but
having
them
there
or
even
inside
the
heads
does
not
help;
they
have
to
be
put
into
practice,
steadily
and
with
faith,
You
are
happy
when
you
have
a
watch;
you
are
happy
when
you
have
a
transistor
radio
hanging
round
your
neck;
the
happiness
is
due
to
the
fact
that
you
have
them
and
that
others
have
no
right
over
them.
The
sense
of
possession,
the
sense
of
'mine'
(mamaakara),
that
is
at
the
root
of
the
joy.
The
thing
by
itself
is
powerless
to
evoke
joy;
for,
if
the
thing
itself
was
the
source,
every
one
having
it
must
derive
the
same
quantity
of
joy.
When
a
neighbour
gets
a
transistor,
you
do
not
feel
happy
at
all;
you
might
even
feel
it
a
nuisance.
Analysis
will
show
that
all
joy
is
in
us,
for
us
and
from
us.
And
it
is
but
a
reOlection
of
the
boundless
joy
that
the
Aathman
is.
So,
instead
of
scattering
attention
in
many
directions,
man
must
endeavour
to
attain
that
Aathmic
joy
while
here,
with
body.
The
moon
that
shines
in
the
waters
of
a
million
lakes
is
one;
the
shine
in
the
lakes
is
due
to
the
reOlections;
look
up
and
know
the
truth.
Do
not
be
deluded
that
inside
each
lake,
there
is
a
distinct
moon.
The
bodies
are
many
but
God
is
reOlected
in
every
one
of
them.
Establish
contact
with
that
Almighty
Power,
that
Omniscience,
that
Omnipresent
Entity
and
all
things
will
be
added
unto
you---power,
wisdom,
vision,
liberation.
The
main
plank
of
the
programme
of
saadhana
is
the
overcoming
of
the
ego,
the
feeling
of
"I"
and
"Mine".
That,
in
a
nutshell,
is
Aathma
vidya.
Bhakthi
merges
in
Jnaana
and
becomes
identiOied
with
it.
Bhakthi
ripens
into
Jnaana,
so
do
not
speak
of
them
as
different.
At
one
stage,
it
is
called
Bhakthi,
at
a
later
stage,
we
refer
it
to
as
Jnaana.
Once
it
is
cane,
later
it
is
sugar.
The
search
for
truth
must
become
your
daily
spiritual
discipline;
every
moment
must
be
used
for
this
primary
duty.
Truth
can
reOlect
itself
in
your
intelligence
only
when
it
is
cleaned
by
thapas.
The
Olag
contains
the
picture
of
the
emblem
that
is
represented
in
concrete
shape
in
front
of
the
porch
here;
it
is
the
summary
of
the
progress
of
the
pilgrim
to
the
throne
of
the
Lord
in
the
altar
of
his
heart.
The
pilgrim
must
traverse
and
overstep
the
vast
wastes
of
worldly
desires
(kaama)
and
overcome
the
thick
slushy
growths
of
anger
and
Page 146 of 268
hate
(krodha)
and
negotiate
the
cliffs
of
hatred
and
malice
(dwesha),
so
that
he
might
relax
on
the
green
pastures
of
concord
and
love
(prema).
Having
thus
become
master
of
his
inner
foes,
he
has
to
rest
in
the
silence
of
his
own
heart,
as
a
Yogi,
with
all
the
agitations
of
his
inner
realm
stilled.
That
is
the
meaning
of
the
six-ringed
pillar
in
the
centre
of
the
circle
here;
the
six
rings
are
the
six
chakras
(centres
of
energy)
of
yogic
discipline
in
the
central
spinal
naadi
(nerve
current)
of
man.
Fixed
in
the
undisturbed
calm
of
his
deepest
consciousness,
man
Oinds
that
the
lotus
of
the
heart
blooms
into
a
thousand
petals
and
then,
the
Olame
of
awakening
into
the
truth
lights
itself,
as
Prashaanthi.
That
moment,
the
seeker
knows
that
he
and
all
else
are
One,
that
the
One
is
Brahmam.
This
progress
that
every
one
has
to
make,
today
or
tomorrow,
in
this
life
or
in
the
next,
is
outlined
as
a
clear
picture
in
the
symbol
on
the
Olag;
so,
when
it
Olutters
above
this
Prashaanthi
Nilayam,
resolve
to
hoist
it
on
your
heart
too.
Every
man
is
engaged
in
searching
for
something
lost.
Life
is
the
chance
afforded
to
him
to
recover
the
peace
and
the
joy
that
he
had
lost,
when
last
he
was
here.
If
he
recovers
them
now,
he
need
not
come
again.
But,
he
loses
them
through
ignorance
of
their
value
and
of
the
means
of
retaining
them.
If
only
he
would
stay
in
the
consciousness
of
Shivoham---"I
am
Shiva;
I
am
immortal,
I
am
the
source
and
spring
of
Bliss"---he
would
be
supremely
content;
but,
instead
of
this
correct
evaluation
of
himself,
this
recognition
of
his
innate
reality,
man
goes
about
weeping
at
his
helplessness,
his
inadequacy,
his
poverty,
his
evanescence.
This
is
the
tragic
fate
from
which
man
has
to
be
rescued.
Man
must
demonstrate
his
superiority
over
the
animal,
by
conquest
over
the
senses.
He
must
wriggle
out
of
his
animal
shackles
and
assert
his
"humanity",
which
is
essentially
"divinity".
When
Emperor
Bharthrihari
gave
up
his
throne
and
went
into
a
hermitage
in
the
forest,
the
subordinate
rulers
who
were
his
tributaries
laughed
at
the
stupid
step
and
asked
him
how
he
got
the
idea
and
what
he
gained.
Bharthrihari
replied,
"I
have
now
gained
a
vaster
empire,
a
richer
and
more
peaceful
empire;
I
gave
in
exchange
a
poor
barren
torn
empire;
see
what
proOit
I
have
made."
You
talk
of
international
understanding,
but
it
can
come
only
when
the
idea
of
difference
and
separateness
inherent
in
the
word
"nation"
disappears
and
when
man
sees
the
Lord
in
all
men.
When
a
thorn
pricks
your
foot,
you
get
tears
in
the
eye.
For,
they
are
of
the
same
body;
so
too,
when
a
worm
is
crushed,
your
heart
must
react
to
its
pain.
This
must
be
cultivated
as
a
saadhana
and
practised
until
it
becomes
one's
nature.
A
parrot
taught
to
utter
Raam
Raam
Raam
was
caught
by
a
cat
and
when
the
cat
dug
its
teeth
into
it,
it
forgot
Raam
Raam
Raam,
it
screeched
like
any
parrot
when
it
is
in
great
pain.
Raam
Raam
Raam
was
forgotten!
So
too,
all
talk
of
the
unity
of
mankind,
of
the
immanence
of
God
and
the
pervasiveness
of
the
Divine
is
forgotten,
when
self-interest
demurs!
The
eye
scatters
your
vision
in
a
hundred
directions;
the
ear
drags
your
mind
to
many
false
melodies;
the
hands
hanker
after
hundred
Olimsy
acts.
They
degrade
and
demolish
man.
Man
being
divine
must
have
the
divine
all
around
him
all
the
time,
in
order
to
be
alive;
like
Oish,
he
must
have
the
water
of
divine
joy
all
around
him.
Instead,
he
is
now
seeking
to
keep
himself
alive
by
artiOicial
respiration
and
borrowed
blood.
He
is
himself
Page 147 of 268
Above
all,
recognise
this
truth:
Sai
is
in
all.
When
you
hate
another,
you
are
hating
Sai;
when
you
hate
Sai,
you
are
hating
yourself.
When
you
inOlict
pain
on
another,
remember
that
the
other
is
yourself,
in
another
form,
with
another
name.
The
proof
of
the
rain
is
the
wetness
of
the
ground.
Likewise,
the
proof
of
true
devotion
is
in
the
peace
of
mind,
that
the
aspirant
has
been
able
to
attain,
the
peace
which
protects
him
against
the
onslaught
of
failures,
the
peace
in
which
he
is
unrufOled
by
loss
and
dishonour.
An
aspirant
after
spiritual
realisation
went
off
into
a
jungle
and
was
plodding
across
the
infested
region,
through
the
thick
undergrowth,
when
he
heard
the
angry
roar
of
a
lion;
he
climbed
a
tree
to
escape
from
the
beast,
but
the
lion
saw
him
among
the
branches
and
roamed
round
and
round
the
trunk
in
terriOic
rage.
On
the
tree,
he
was
attacked
by
a
bear
and
so,
he
slid
down
the
roots
that
descended
from
one
of
the
branches
of
that
banyan
tree.
Luckily,
there
were
two
roots
hanging
from
the
branch,
so
that
he
could
hang
on
in
mid
air
clinging
to
them,
one
in
each
hand.
Just
then,
he
saw
two
rats,
one
white
and
the
other
black
which
were
gnawing
at
the
base
of
the
roots,
endangering
his
life
with
every
bite.
While
in
this
perilous
state,
a
honeycomb
which
was
full
of
sweet
nectar
situated
on
one
of
the
top
branches
leaked
a
few
drops
which
fell
his
way;
so,
the
unfortunate
man
put
out
his
tongue
to
catch
a
drop
so
that
he
may
taste
the
delicious
honey,
But,
no
drop
reached
his
tongue.
In
despair
and
terror,
he
called
on
his
Guru,
"O
Guruji
come
and
save
me."
The
Guru
who
was
passing
by
heard
his
appeal.
He
sped
to
the
rescue;
he
brought
bow
and
arrows
and
slew
the
lion
and
bear,
frightened
off
the
rats
and
saved
the
disciple
from
the
fear
of
death.
Then,
he
led
the
man
to
his
own
Aashram
and
taught
him
the
path
of
liberation.
This
is
the
story
of
every
one
of
you.
This
world
is
the
jungle
in
which
you
roam;
fear
is
the
lion,
which
drives
you
up
the
tree
of
samsaara---worldly
activities.
Anxiety
is
the
bear
that
terriOies
you
and
dogs
your
steps
in
samsaara;
so,
you
slide
down
into
attachments
and
binding
deeds,
through
the
twin
roots
of
hope
and
despair.
The
two
rats
are
day
and
night,
which
eat
away
the
span
of
life.
Meanwhile,
you
try
to
snatch
a
little
joy
from
the
sweet
drops
of
egoism
and
'mine-
feeling'.
Finding
at
last
that
the
drops
are
trivial
and
out
of
reach,
you
shout
in
the
agony
of
the
renunciation,
calling
on
the
Guru;
the
Guru
appears,
whether
from
within
or
without,
and
saves
you
from
fear
and
anxiety.
Service
is
best
built
on
the
strong
foundation
of
Thath-thwam-asi---That
and
This
are
the
same;
That
is
This;
This
is
That.
There
is
no
Other;
there
is
only
One.
Kites
Oly
high;
but
all
are
lifted
and
kept
high
by
the
same
air,
the
same
wind.
The
kites
have
no
separate
wills.
The
pots
of
water
in
which
the
Sun
is
reOlected
may
be
many,
but
the
Sun
is
One
and
unaffected,
when
the
pots
break
or
the
water
is
dried
up.
All
help
you
give
is
therefore
help
given
to
yourself;
all
service
is
to
the
Self
alone.
When
another
is
poor,
you
cannot
be
rich;
when
another
is
in
distress,
you
cannot
have
joy.
The
same
current
runs
through
and
activates
all.
Isaavaasyam
idam
sarvam---
all
this
is
God;
Vaasudevassarvam
idam---all
this
is
Vaasudeva
(God),
nothing
more,
nothing
less.
The
most
reliable
source
of
strength
is
in
you,
not
in
money,
or
kinsmen,
or
physical
acumen,
but,
in
yourself,
the
Aathman.
Know
it;
delve
into
it;
draw
sustenance
from
it;
see
it
in
all;
serve
it
in
all.
Vol. 6!
Discourse 1 (Uttarayana Day, 11/1/1966)
A
king
became
insane;
he
imagined
he
was
a
beggar,
that
he
was
ill,
that
he
had
become
decrepit,
and
he
wept.
Now,
how
is
he
to
realise
that
he
is
a
king?
You
have
to
restore
his
reason;
that
is
the
only
way.
So
too,
the
Immortal,
Blissful,
Invincible
imagines
himself
to
be
limited,
and
little.
He
blames
himself
and
calls
himself
a
sinner,
born
in
sin
and
revelling
in
sin,
praying
on
his
knees
to
be
saved.
Of
course,
if
he
knows
he
is
divine,
he
will
never
stoop
to
sin
or
vice
or
weakness.
So
many
thousands
of
you
have
come
here
to
the
Prashaanthi
Nilayam
for
the
festival.
In
most
homes,
guests
and
relatives
are
welcomed
only
when
it
is
known
that
their
stay
will
be
short.
But,
here,
however
often
you
come,
however
long
you
stay,
the
joy
you
derive
is
undiminished;
for,
the
kinship
is
not
worldly,
it
is
Aathmic.
And,
Aathmic
Bliss
knows
no
decline
or
change.
The
relationship
with
the
Lord
is
described
as
developing
from
Saalokya
(in
the
vicinity)
to
Saameepya
(nearness),
and
from
Saameepya
to
Saaruupya
(Form
of
the
master)
and
then
on
to
Saayujya
(absorption
into
the
Form).
You
can
understand
this
clearly,
if
you
take
Saalokya
to
mean,
being
in
the
kingdom
ruled
by
the
Lord
as
monarch,
or
as
a
servant
in
the
palace
where
He
dwells.
You
are
under
His
pari-paalana
(fostering
care);
you
are
aware
that
it
is
He
who
sustains
you.
In
the
saameepya
stage,
you
feel
you
are
a
personal
attendant
on
the
Lord,
in
His
entourage,
privileged
to
be
near
Him
and
to
be
called
upon
by
Him
when
occasion
arises,
for
some
personal
service.
You
have
neared
the
principle
of
Godhead,
intellectually;
you
feel
His
presence
ever,
emotionally--that
is
Saameepyam.
Then,
the
Saaruupya
stage
is
reached
when
the
devotee
is
so
near,
so
kin,
that
he
wears
the
"royal
robes"--a
brother,
for
example,
can
wear
the
same
robes.
So
he
has
the
same
ruupa,
he
has
the
splendour,
the
glory
that
bespeaks
the
full
blossoming
of
the
Divine
that
is
latent
in
him.
Lastly,
when
you
are
the
son,
the
Heir
Apparent,
the
Kumaara
Raaja,
you
approximate
as
much
as
possible
to
the
Royal
Power
and
so,
you
can
say,
"I
and
My
Father
are
One."
That
is
Saayujya,
becoming
One--Retainer,
Attendant,
Kinsman,
Heir.
These
are
the
stages
of
the
soul's
journey
to
Realisation
of
the
Oversoul.
The
Lord
is
described
in
the
Purusha
Shuktha
scripture
as
thousand
headed;
it
does
not
mean
that
He
has
just
thousand
heads,
no
more,
no
less.
It
means
that
"the
thousands
of
heads
before
Me
now
have
just
one
heart,
which
gives
life
and
energy
to
all,
and
that
heart
is
the
Lord.
No
one
is
separate
from
his
neighbour;
all
are
bound
by
the
one
life-blood
that
Olows
through
the
countless
bodies.
This
is
the
special
teaching
of
Sanaathana
Dharma
(Eternal
Religion),
which
the
world
needs.
And
this
one
precious
message,
the
children
of
Bhaarath
have
unfortunately
forgotten.
Brihaspathi,
the
teacher
of
the
Gods,
was
one
day
asked
by
his
son
whether
he
had
no
means
of
liberation
from
the
recurring
pain
of
birth
and
death.
He
replied
that
he
had;
Page 149 of 268
only,
he
must
earn
and
practise
and
win
it
himself.
Many
begin
with
a
weakening
want
of
faith:
Will
I,
can
I,
succeed?
How
long
will
I
have
to
spend
in
the
task?
But,
sathya,
dharma
and
prema
(truth,
virtue
and
love),
if
practised,
will
give
the
strength
needed
to
win
the
shaanthi
that
comes
of
liberation.
Then,
the
son
asked
what
he
has
to
do.
The
father
told
him
that
complete
renunciation
of
all
worldly
attachments
(sarvasanga-
parithyaaga)
alone
can
endow
him
with
freedom.
He
was
happy
that
he
had
a
son
who
sought
these
higher
things
of
life.
He
was
quite
different
from
the
fathers
today,
who
invite
their
sons
to
play
cards
with
them
and
waste
the
precious
hours
in
trivial
games.
If
such
a
question
is
asked
by
a
son
today,
the
father
will
conclude
that
the
son
has
gone
mad
and
he
will
become
prey
to
all
kinds
of
wild
fears;
he
will
start
thinking
of
frantic
remedies.
That
is
the
tragedy
of
our
country.
The
son
went,
far
from
hearth
and
home,
and
after
eight
years
of
ascetic
practice,
he
returned
with
a
victory
over
hunger
and
thirst.
The
father
put
him
to
test.
Tests
must
be
welcomed,
for
they
alone
can
give
conOidence.
When
you
drive
a
nail
into
the
wall,
you
try
to
shake
it
a
little,
to
ascertain
whether
it
has
been
driven
Oirm.
Tests
are
essential
everywhere
and
more
so,
in
the
spiritual
Oield,
where
success
is
often
deceptive
and
short-
lived.
The
son
admitted
that
he
had
not
earned
peace
of
mind,
unshaken
fortitude.
The
father
said
he
ought
to
acquire
sarva-sanga-
parithyaaga.
The
son
went
again
into
the
forest
and
spent
one
full
year
there,
without
caring
whether
it
was
shade
or
sun,
hot
or
cold.
When
he
came
back,
the
father
was
still
not
happy,
for
he
had
not
discarded
the
one
fundamental
attachment,
the
attachment
to
the
ego.
He
was
still
involved
in
the
mesh
of
I
and
mine.
Once
the
ego
is
suppressed,
that
very
moment
two
consequences
follow:
freedom
from
grief,
acquisition
of
joy.
To
see
your
own
eyes,
you
need
a
mirror;
to
see
yourself
in
your
native
grandeur,
you
need
a
guru
(preceptor).
In
the
past,
Shankaraa
strove
to
re-establish
in
the
heart
of
man
the
faith
that
he
is
the
Limitless
Almighty;
he
tried
to
remove
vicious
traits
that
had
taken
residence
there,
so
that
man
can
move
towards
his
Reality.
When
he
has
even
a
glimpse
of
that
reality,
man
becomes
free
from
ego,
free
from
pride
and
despondency,
so
that
praise
does
not
please
him
or
abuse
sadden
him.
He
is
rendered
stable
and
secure,
like
a
mountain
peak,
which
no
storm
can
shake.
Like
the
screen
in
the
cinema
hall,
he
is
not
affected
by
the
Oire
of
calumny
or
the
rain
of
extolment.
Many
of
you
are
pained
by
the
calumny
that
some
papers
are
indulging
in
regarding
Me.
Many
are
urging
that
something
should
be
done
about
it.
But,
I
am
holding
every
one
back,
for,
that
is
the
best
way
to
deal
with
both
praise
and
blame.
The
ocean
knows
no
overOlowing
or
drying
up.
It
is
ever
full,
ever
majestic,
ever
unconcerned.
When
you
are
immersed
in
the
aanandha
of
the
Lord,
you
are
master
of
all
the
lesser
aanandhas
also.
When
you
dive
in
the
sea,
you
must
seek
pearls;
when
you
go
to
the
Kalpavriksha
(the
wish
fulOilling
tree)
ask
for
the
Highest
Bliss.
Do
not
crave
for
the
smaller
when
the
vastest
is
available,
for
just
a
little
more
effort.
There
is
a
natural
craving
in
man
to
become
one
with
the
vast,
the
supreme,
the
limitless,
for,
in
the
cave
of
his
heart,
there
resides
the
self-same
Supreme.
It
is
like
the
young
calf
pining
for
the
cow.
Each
calf
knows
its
mother.
You
may
have
a
thousand
calves
and
a
thousand
cows.
Let
loose
the
calves
and
each
will
Oind
its
own
mother.
So,
too,
you
must
know
where
you
get
your
native
sustenance
and
support.
They
are
available
only
with
God,
from
Page 150 of 268
whom
you
came.
There
must
be
a
sense
of
urgency
in
you
when
you
take
to
the
spiritual
path.
For,
death
is
lying
in
wait
to
snatch
you
off.
Sugar
dolls
are
valued
for
the
sugar,
not
the
shapes
they
are
given
by
the
manufacturer.
Their
sweetness
makes
men
purchase
them.
Elephant,
dog,
cat,
rat,
jackal
or
lion
,it
does
not
matter.
That
is
a
matter
of
individual
fancy.
Each
is
sweet,
that
is
the
essential
thing.
The
sweetness
draws
the
maanava
(man)
towards
Maadhava
(God):
the
pravrriththi
(deed)
towards
nivriththi
(dedication),
the
aanandha
(joy)
towards
Sath-
chith-aanandha
(Bliss
in
the
awareness
of
the
Supreme
Being).
When
the
appetite
for
these
grows,
all
low
desires
and
hungers
cease.
Sugar
dolls
are
valued
for
the
sugar,
not
the
shapes
they
are
given
by
the
manufacturer.
Their
sweetness
makes
men
purchase
them.
Elephant,
dog,
cat,
rat,
jackal
or
lion
,it
does
not
matter.
That
is
a
matter
of
individual
fancy.
Each
is
sweet,
that
is
the
essential
thing.
The
sweetness
draws
the
maanava
(man)
towards
Maadhava
(God):
the
pravrriththi
(deed)
towards
nivriththi
(dedication),
the
aanandha
(joy)
towards
Sath-
chith-aanandha
(Bliss
in
the
awareness
of
the
Supreme
Being).
When
the
appetite
for
these
grows,
all
low
desires
and
hungers
cease.
Practise
the
attitude
of
offering
every
act
at
the
Feet
of
God
as
a
Olower
is
offered
in
puuja.
Make
every
breath
an
offering
to
Him.
Do
not
upset
by
calamities;
take
them
as
acts
of
Grace.
If
a
man
loses
his
hand
in
an
accident,
he
must
believe
that
it
was
the
Lord's
Grace
that
saved
his
life.
When
you
know
that
nothing
happens
without
His
sankalpa
(resolve),
everything
that
happens
has
a
value
added
to
it.
You
may
be
neglecting
a
creeper
in
your
back-yard,
but,
if
a
sage
passes
by
and
says
it
is
a
rare
drug
that
can
cure
snake
poison,
you
erect
a
fence
around
it
and
do
not
allow
children
to
pluck
its
leaves
even
for
fun!
When
you
know
that
the
Lord
is
the
cause,
the
source
of
all,
you
deal
with
everyone
in
a
humble
reverent
manner.
That
is
the
path
which
will
lead
you
quick
to
the
Goal.
Service
in
all
its
forms,
all
the
world
over
is
primarily
spiritual
discipline,
mental
clean
up!
Without
the
inspiration
given
by
that
attitude,
the
urge
is
bound
to
ebb
and
grow
dry,
or,
it
may
meander
into
pride
and
pomp.
Just
think
for
a
moment:
Are
you
serving
God?
Or,
is
God
serving
you?
When
you
offer
milk
to
a
hungry
child,
or
a
blanket
to
a
shivering
brother
on
the
pavement,
you
are
but
placing
a
gift
of
God
into
the
hands
of
another
gift
of
God!
You
are
reposing
the
gift
of
God
in
a
repository
of
the
Divine
Principle!
God
serves;
He
allows
you
to
claim
that
you
have
served!
Without
His
Will,
no
single
blade
of
grass
can
quiver
in
the
breeze.
Fill
every
moment
with
gratitude
to
the
Giver
and
the
Recipient
of
all
gifts.
The
recognition
of
one's
innate
Divinity
and
the
regulation
of
one's
daily
life
in
accordance
with
that
Truth
are
the
guiding
stars
for
those
who
are
caught
in
the
currents
and
cross
currents
of
strife
and
struggle
in
populous
cities
like
this.
Without
that
Aathmajnaana,
life
becomes
a
meaningless
farce,
a
mockery,
a
game
of
fools.
It
is
the
acquisition
of
that
awareness
that
makes
life
earnest
sweet
and
fruitful.
Man
is
not
aware
of
the
grand
goal
of
his
pilgrimage.
He
is
straying
into
wrong
roads
which
lead
him
only
towards
disaster.
He
puts
his
faith
in
things
outside
himself
and
plans
to
derive
joy,
from
and
through
them.
He
does
not
know
that
all
joys
spring
only
from
the
spring
that
is
inside
him;
he
only
invests
the
outer
things
with
his
own
joy
drawn
from
inside
himself;
he
envelopes
the
outer
things
with
his
own
joy
and
then,
experiences
it
as
though
from
that
other
thing--that
is
all!.
Page 151 of 268
When
you
try
to
prepare
a
meal,
you
may
have
with
you
all
the
materials
you
need:
rice,
dhal,
salt,
lime,
spices,
vegetables.
But,
unless
you
have
the
Oire
in
the
hearth,
you
cannot
get
the
edible
meal.
So
too
with
life
Jnaana
(of
your
own
reality,
as
just
a
wave
of
the
ocean
of
divinity)
is
the
Oire
which
makes
the
material
world
and
the
external
activities
and
experience,
edible
and
tasty,
assimilable
and
health-granting
and
joy-
giving.
That
joy
is
called
Aanandham;
it
is
uplifting,
it
is
illuminating,
it
is
constructive.
Life
'here'
is
for
the
sake
of
reaching
'there'.
That
is
to
say,
iha-nivaasam
is
for
para-
praapthi.
And,
let
me
tell
you
this.
You
cannot
attain
sukham
through
sukham.
That
is
to
say,
the
joy
of
release
can
be
won
only
through
travail
and
trial.
Through
pain
is
achieved
by
woman
the
bliss
of
mother-hood.
Through
toil,
the
coveted
grain
is
earned
by
the
farmer
from
the
Oield.
Through
long
days
and
nights
of
steady
swatting
is
the
examination
passed
and
the
Diploma
won
by
the
student.
Deprive
yourselves
luxury
and
even
comfort,
detach
yourselves
from
what
you
hold
dear
and
near
through
sheer
ignorance
of
what
is
the
thing
most
dear
and
most
near
to
yourself;
pine,
struggle,
strive
ceaseless-ly---and,
then
you
are
blessed
with
the
inexpressible
Bliss
of
merger
with
the
Universal,
of
Saakshaathkaara.
It
is
grief
that
makes
joy
worth
while,
a
precious
possession;
it
is
the
pitch-dark
night
that
prompts
the
seeker
of
light;
it
is
death,
that
lends
zest
to
life.
Each
one
must
proceed
from
the
place
where
he
is,
at
his
own
pace,
according
to
own
light.
But,
if
each
has
caught
a
glimpse
of
the
Aathmic
Reality,
of
the
source
from
which
he
has
emerged
and
the
goal
into
which
he
is
to
merge,
then
all
will
reach
the
goal
of
the
journey,
sooner
or
later.
Once
that
glimpse
is
received
either
through
grace
or
through
a
Guru
or
through
some
other
means,
the
fascination
for
the
body
and
the
senses
which
dominate
it,
and
the
world
which
feeds
the
senses,
the
fascination
for
the
vainglorious
adventures
in
search
of
fame
and
fortune,
will
become
meaningless
and
will
fade
away;
man
will
then
have
instead
of
the
deha-bhraanthi
(yearning
for
body)
which
now
torments
him,
the
yearning
to
know
and
be
established
in
the
Dehi,
the
Divine
Indweller.
For
that
yearning
and
the
pursuit
that
is
impelled
by
it,
the
Oirst
equipment
that
is
necessary
for
the
individual
is
'a
rigorous
self-examination'
to
remove
all
evil
from
oneself.
Do
not
try
to
cover
up
the
defects,
the
down-dragging
tendencies
and
habits.
When
people
go
to
a
shop
to
purchase
cloth
to
have
dresses
prepared
for
themselves,
have
you
noticed
that
they
prefer
coloured
materials
to
white?
The
answer
they
will
give
when
you
question
them
why
they
choose
coloured
materials
is,
"It
will
not
reveal
dirt"!
So,
you
see
how
anxious
people
are
to
hide
their
defects,
instead
of
striving
to
remove
them.
They
are
so
much
attached
to
physical
comfort
and
objective
pleasure.
Really
speaking,
the
body
has
to
be
treated
as
a
wound
that
has
to
be
washed,
bandaged,
and
treated
with
medicated
ointment,
three
or
four
times
a
day.
That
is
the
real
purpose
of
food
and
drink
and
raiment.
Thirst
is
the
disease;
drink
is
the
drug.
Hunger
is
the
disease;
food
is
the
medicine.
Craving
for
pleasure
is
the
disease
for
which
detachment
is
the
medicine.
Once
the
Aathma
is
cognised,
all
is
Unity;
you
will
Oind
that
all
is
really
One.
This
is
the
goal
prescribed
by
the
ancient
scriptures
of
this
land.
But,
the
children
of
this
sacred
land
have
neglected
the
path
and
they
are
today
struggling
in
the
quagmires
and
cesspools
of
faction
and
fear.
When
the
four
bulls
that
grazed
in
the
jungle
were
united
and
watchful
of
each
other's
safety
(for
they
felt
they
were
all
One)
the
tiger
dared
not
approach
them;
but,
when
discord
broke
them
and
created
out
of
the
One,
four
Page 152 of 268
separate
individuals,
they
were
attacked
one
by
one,
and
destroyed
by
the
tiger.
That
is
the
fate
of
those
who
feel
separate.
Know
that
though
vyakthis
(individuals)
may
be
separate,
the
shakthi
(power)
is
one;
that
Shakthi
is
the
Param-aathma-
thathwa.
The
Vedhas
and
Shaasthras,
since
they
were
won
by
penance
and
travail
by
sages
and
seers
who
were
interested
only
in
the
welfare
of
humanity
and
the
liberation
of
Man
are
the
greatest
repositories
of
hitha.
They
advise
that
Man
must
regulate
his
'out-look'
and
develop
the
'in-look';
the
inner
reality
is
the
foundation
on
which
the
outer
reality
is
built.
It
is
like
the
inner
wheel
in
the
car,
which
directs
the
outer
wheels.
Know
that
the
basic
reality
is
God,
Omnipotent,
Omniscient,
Omnipresent.
Become
aware
of
it
and
stay
in
that
awareness
always.
Whatever
the
stress
and
the
storm,
do
not
waver
from
that
Faith.
Among
all
the
millions
who
were
taught
the
Geetha,
Arjuna
alone
had
the
Vishwaruupa
Darshana,
the
realisation
that
this
Universe
is
but
a
partial
manifestation
of
His
immeasurable
glory;
why
is
it
that
these
great
Pandiths
had
no
such
experience?
Realisation
of
that
reality
can
come
only
to
the
aspirant
who
deserves
it.
Arjuna
had
reached
the
highest
stage
of
surrender
when
the
teaching
started
and
during
the
process,
he
had
unexcelled
Ekaagratha
or
concentration.
No
wonder
he
was
blessed.
Unless
one
has
the
same
degree
of
surrender,
the
same
yearning
and
the
same
concentration,
how
can
one
expect
the
result
that
Arjuna
attained?
It
is
no
easy
path,
this
path
of
Sharanaagathi,
of
Prapaththi,
that
the
Geetha
lays
down.
The
seed
that
is
dried
in
the
sun
will
sprout
when
planted
in
the
soil;
it
has
janana
(birth)
and
marana
(death);
the
cycle
of
birth
and
death
cannot
be
got
rid
of
by
study
and
scholarship.
Most
saadhakas
are
like
the
dried
seed
only.
But,
Arjuna
was
not
a
dried
seed;
he
was
a
fried
seed.
He
was
gudaakesha,
who
had
mastered
the
senses.
He
had
repelled
the
advances
of
Uurvashi,
whom
he
defeated,
by
his
attitude
as
a
son
towards
his
mother.
For
all
who
seek
to
cleanse
the
mind
and
climb
upwards
to
the
realm
of
spiritual
bliss
where
'this'
and
'that'
are
discovered
as
ONE,
the
uninterrupted
remembrance
of
the
Name
is
the
most
effective
saadhana.
The
primary
aim
should
be
to
become
Masters
or
yourselves,
to
hold
intimate
and
constant
communion
with
the
Divine
that
is
in
you
as
well
as
in
the
Universe
of
which
you
are
a
part.
The
knowledge
of
the
Aathma
is
the
Light
which
will
disperse
the
darkness
as
well
as
the
doubts
and
diversiOies
which
it
creates.
Without
this
knowledge,
man
is
lost
in
the
wilderness;
he
behaves
as
if
he
has
lost
all
memory
of
himself,
as
if
he
has
forgotten
his
name,
native
place
and
the
place
to
which
he
is
proceeding.
He
evokes
pity
among
the
wise!
Awareness
of
his
identity,
of
his
being
Aathma,
is
the
sign
of
wisdom,
the
lighting
of
the
Lamp
which
scatters
darkness.
That
Aathma
is
the
embodiment
of
Bliss,
of
Peace,
of
Love
but,
without
knowing
that
all
these
exist
in
oneself,
man
seeks
them
from
outside
himself
and
exhausts
himself
in
that
disappointing
pursuit.
Birds
that
Oly
far
from
the
masts
of
a
ship
have
to
return
to
those
very
masts,
for
they
have
no
other
place
to
fold
their
Oired
wings
and
stay.
Devoid
of
this
jnaana,
all
efforts
to
seek
spiritual
bliss
and
peace
are
futile.
You
may
have
rice,
dhal
(lentils),
salt,
vegetables
and
tamarind;
but,
without
a
Oire
to
cook
them
soft
and
palatable,
they
are
as
good
as
non-existent.
So
too,
japam,
dhyaanam,
puuja,
pilgrimage---all
these
are
ineffective,
if
the
knowledge
of
one's
Page 153 of 268
basic
Reality
and
Identity
is
not
there
to
warm
up
the
process.
The
Aathma
is
the
source
and
spring
of
all
joy
and
peace;
this
has
to
be
cognised
and
dwelt
upon.
Without
this
cognition,
human
life
is
an
opportunity
that
is
lost.
Man
suffers
from
the
fever
of
the
senses
and
he
tries
the
quack
remedies
of
recreations,
pleasures,
picnics,
banquets,
dances
etc.,
only
to
Oind
that
the
fever
does
not
subside.
The
fever
can
subside
only
when
the
hidden
virus
is
rendered
ineffective.
That
virus
will
die
only
when
the
rays
of
jnaana
fall
upon
it.
Arjuna
became
entitled
to
the
Geetha
Upadesh
(spiritual
instruction)
from
the
Lord
Himself,
because
he
evinced
the
vishaada,
the
vairaagya,
the
sharanaagathi
and
the
ekaagratha---essential
to
assimilate
the
Great
Message.
When
the
yearning
for
Liberation
has
become
intense
beyond
expression,
man
can
set
aside
all
social
conventions,
worldly
norms
and
codes
of
conduct,
that
do
not
subserve
that
high
purpose.
Then,
Prahlaadha
can
give
up
his
father,
Bheeshma
can
counter
his
Guru,
Meera
can
desert
her
husband
and
Shankaraachaarya
can
play
subterfuge
with
his
mother.
Bhaarathamaatha
is
the
mother
of
Vaamadeva,
who
knew
his
identity
with
the
Universal
Parabrahmam
from
the
moment
of
his
birth;
of
Prahlaadha,
who
from
the
day
he
lisped
uttered
the
Name
of
Naaraayana;
of
Shuka,
who
had
the
unique
Adhwaithic
Realisation
even
while
a
boy;
and
a
Shankaraachaarya,
who
mastered
the
intricacies
of
Vedhaantha
even
while
in
his
teens.
She
is
the
mother
of
heroes
like
Bharatha,
who
gambolled
with
lion
cubs,
Arjuna
who
could
wield
his
undefeatable
bow,
in
either
hand;
of
Shivaji,
who
faced
fearful
odds
to
fulOil
the
smallest
wish
of
his
Guru
Samartha
Raamadaas.
Among
her
children,
we
have
men
like
Shibi,
Harishchandra
and
Karna
who
are
shining
examples
of
the
spirit
of
renunciation
and
women
like
Seetha,
Saavithri
and
Damayanthi
who
are
brilliant
stars
in
the
Oirmament
of
virtue.
No
wonder
India
rose
to
the
position
of
the
Guru
of
the
Globe,
the
Teacher
of
all
Humanity.
This
heritage
is
fast
being
forgotten
and
India
started
a
journey
away
from
her
legitimate
direction.
The
mano-naasana
(extinction
of
the
mind)--with
all
its
likes
and
dislikes,
its
Olowing
out
into
the
objective
world
in
search
of
joy---can
be
effected,
if
the
senses
are
rendered
ineffective.
Then,
like
the
faggots
on
which
the
corpse
is
cremated,
in
the
process
of
cremation,
the
corpse
as
well
as
the
faggots
both
become
ashes.
Sensory
activity
is
the
warp
as
well
as
the
woof
of
the
mind;
when
that
ceases,
the
mind
vanishes.
It
starves
and
dies.
Constant
practice
with
full
faith
will
transmute
Nara
into
Naaraayana,
Maanava
into
Maadhava
(man
into
God);
for
Naaraayana
is
your
real
nature,
Maadhava
is
your
real
essence.
You
are
but
a
wave
of
the
sea;
know
it,
and
you
are
free.
This
mother
has
given
birth
to
Vaamadev,
who
had
realised
that
he
was
no
other
than
Brahmam,
even
in
the
womb;
to
Prahlaadha,
who
recited
the
holy
Name
of
God
even
as
a
child,
who
revelled
in
the
midst
of
unbearable
torture
in
the
recitation
of
the
sacred
manthra,
Om
Namo
Naaraayana
(Salutations
to
God
Naaraayana,
the
Supreme);
to
Shukadev,
the
unexcelled
anchorite,
unattached
to
the
world
of
the
senses
from
childhood;
to
Shankaraachaarya,
the
supreme
ascetic
and
interpreter
of
the
Vedhas
and
Page 154 of 268
Upanishads
and
the
two
other
basic
texts
of
Sanaathana
Dharma,
the
Geetha
and
the
Brahma
Suuthras,
the
Master
who
revived
Bhakthi
and
sang
in
praise
of
every
great
Hindu
shrine;
to
Prince
Bharatha
who
played
as
a
child
with
a
gambolling
lion
cub;
to
Arjuna,
the
greatest
bowman
who
could
shoot
arrows
with
both
his
hands,
the
disciplined
disciple
of
the
Lord
who
won
from
Him
the
sublime
teaching
of
the
Bhagavad
Geetha;
to
Shivaji,
the
devoted
servant
of
Samartha
Raamadas,
who
built
an
empire
where
Sanaathana
Dharma
reigned;
to
Shibi
and
Karna,
unique
examples
of
selOless
renunciation;
to
Seetha,
Saavithri,
Dhroupadhi,
Shabari,
Meera,
Andaal
and
many
other
women
who
proclaimed
the
supreme
signiOicance
of
Dharma
to
purify
and
liberate
the
mind,
who
gladly
entered
the
raging
Olames
rather
than
suffer
the
ignominy
of
disloyalty
to
the
ideals
of
that
Dharma;
to
Empress
Chandramathi
and
Dhamayanthi
who
welcomed
every
disaster
as
but
one
more
example
of
the
loving
interest
that
the
Lord
had
in
their
progress
towards
His
Feet.
Really
speaking,
nothing
new
has
happened
today.
It
is
not
the
year
that
is
new;
it
is
the
second
that
follows
this
present
second
that
is
really
new.
Do
not
wait
for
the
celebration
of
something
new
in
Time
until
the
minutes,
the
hours,
the
days,
the
months
add
up
to
a
year.
Celebrate
the
immediately
succeeding
second
by
an
honest
effort
to
get
lasting
joy.
There
is
no
touch
of
meanness
in
trying
to
get
joy
or
aanandha.
It
is
only
the
means
that
make
it
unworthy
and
futile.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
it
is
to
Oill
himself
with
aanandha
that
man
has
come
to
this
world,
equipped
with
mind
and
intelligence,
memory
and
speech,
courage
and
conscience.
Spiritual
discipline
is
based
on
faith
in
the
unity
of
all
beings
on
the
basis
of
the
all-
pervasive
immanent
indwelling
Aathma.
There
are
thousands
here
before
Me,
listening
to
My
words,
but
fundamentally
they
are
all
One;
for
they
are
but
a
thousand
waves
on
the
face
of
a
single
underlying
Ocean.
Food
earned
by
all
the
limbs
and
organs
of
the
body
making
co-operative
effort
to
procure
it
and
make
it
ready
for
consumption
is
converted
by
the
stomach
and
other
organs
again
by
co-operative
effort
into
strength
which
is
shared
by
all
the
limbs
and
organs.
Not
one
part
is
neglected.
You
are
all
the
limbs
of
that
One
Cosmic
Body,
the
Purusha,
who
is
far
more
expansive
than
the
Universe,
this
Universe
being
but
a
small
fraction
of
His
Splendour.
Individuals--as
individuals--may
be
deluded
into
the
belief
that
they
are
different
from
the
rest.
But
the
Aathma
in
each
is
the
Aathma
in
all.
In
this
garland,
quickest
to
strike
the
eyes
are
the
Olowers,
while
the
thread
upon
which
they
are
strung
has
to
be
inferred;
it
is
not
so
patent.
But,
without
it,
they
will
all
fall
off.
So
too,
without
that
bond
in
Brahmam
(the
Supreme
Absolute),
you
will
fall
off
as
unrelated
entities;
in
fact,
you
are
entities
on
account
of
the
Divine
spark
within,
the
Divine
current
that
Olows
through
each
and
activates
each,
On
that
Ekam
(one),
all
this
anekam---is
strung
(many);
On
the
One,
the
many
secure
support.
It
is
the
mind
that
weaves
the
pattern
called
the
'I'.
The
way
in
which
it
establishes
this
ego
and
elaborates
it
into
a
multitude
of
shackles
is
called
Maaya
(deludious
force).
The
mind
prompts
the
senses
to
project
into
the
outer
world
of
objects,
for
it
builds
up
notions
of
pleasure
and
pain,
of
joy
and
grief
and
constructs
a
whole
array
of
urges
and
impulses.
It
resists
all
attempts
to
escape
into
the
Eternal,
the
Universal,
the
Absolute.
It
protests
when
the
individual
is
eager
to
become
conscious
of
his
identity
with
these;
but
when
it
Oinds
determined
opposition
to
its
tactics,
it
surrenders
and
disappears.
Page 155 of 268
Or,
keep
yourself
surrounded
always
by
persons
devoted
to
the
higher
life;
persons
who
will
encourage
you
to
move
forward
along
the
road
towards
the
goal.
By
these
means,
you
can
achieve
chiththa
shuddhi
(
cleansing
of
the
mind),
so
that
the
Truth
can
be
clearly
reOlected
therein.
Sath-sanga
(company
of
pious
and
holy
men)
leads
gradually
to
withdrawal
from
the
entangling
activities.
When
a
cold
bit
of
coal
is
placed
in
the
midst
of
glowing
cinders,
and
when
the
Oire
is
fanned,
the
coal
too
gets
glowing
with
Oire.
Jnaana-agni
or
the
Fire
of
Wisdom
operates
similarly.
The
disciple
or
pupil
should
not
Olatter
the
Guru,
nor
should
the
Guru
Olatter
the
pupil
or
disciple.
The
relationship
should
be
like
that
of
father
and
son.
If
the
son
Olatters
the
father
or
if
the
father
fawns
upon
the
son,
it
would
be
ridiculous.
In
ancient
times,
the
voice
of
the
teacher
was
supreme.
Even
emperors
did
not
interfere
with
the
freedom
of
the
teachers
to
train
and
punish
their
sons.
The
son
was
handed
over
to
the
teacher
and
they
supported
him
in
all
his
efforts
to
instruct
and
improve
him.
They
never
sided
with
the
son
against
the
teacher.
But
now
the
children
are
the
masters;
they
dictate
terms;
if
they
get
poor
marks,
the
parents
declare
war
against
the
unfortunate
teacher
who
cannot
inOlict
even
the
slightest
punishment
on
the
pupil.
That
is
why
the
standard
of
teaching
and
learning
has
fallen
so
low
today.
If
you
deny
God,
it
is
as
if
you
deny
yourself.
There
is
no
God,
you
declare;
but,
you
assert
that
I
exist.
Well,
who
is
that
"I"
that
exists,
that
exists
throughout
the
varying
stages
of
growth,
physical
and
mental,
in
joy
and
in
grief?
That
"I"
is
God;
believe
it.
For
that
"I"
sees
with
the
eye,
tastes
with
the
tongue,
walks
with
the
feet,
argues
with
the
intelligence;
but,
all
the
while,
it
is
conscious
that
it
is
separate
from
all
these.
When
you
afOirm
there
is
no
God,
you
Oirst
assert
and
then
declare
the
absence
of
the
entity.
You
assert
the
non-existence
of
something
that
is.
That
"I"
must
be
conceived
as
a
wave
of
the
ocean
of
God,
not
as
the
Oirst
person
singular.
Ishaavaasyamidham
sarvam.
He
is
the
base
and
the
superstructure,
the
material
and
the
manner,
the
inner
motive
and
the
outer
movement.
The
child
has
its
tongue
and
the
mother
has
hers.
The
mother
keeps
the
child
on
her
lap
and
pronounces
the
words
so
that
the
child
may
learn
to
speak.
However
busy
the
mother's
tongue
may
be,
the
child
has
to
speak
through
its
own
tongue.
The
mother
cannot
speak
for
the
child
and
save
herself
all
the
bother!
The
Guru,
too,
is
like
that.
He
can
only
repeat,
remind,
inspire,
instruct,
persuade,
plead;
the
activity,
the
disciple
must
himself
initiate.
He
must
jump
over
the
stile
himself
No
one
can
hoist
him
over
it.
Those
who
study
the
Vedhas
and
understand
the
principles
direct
from
them
are
called
Shrothriyas
and
Naais-thikas.
They
are
the
highest
grade
of
seekers.
Those
who
understand
them
from
the
popular
texts
like
the
Puraanas
and
base
their
conduct
on
that
knowledge
are
of
the
middle
grade.
They
get
inspired
from
some
excellent
poems
and
dramas
also
and
they
follow
the
dharma
that
is
sought
to
be
explained
through
those
media.
Thus,
Hindus
have
tried
to
spread
the
principles
of
their
culture
through
various
means
among
the
masses.
Bhaaratheeya
culture
teaches
not
merely
the
truth
about
the
visible
objective
world;
it
lays
bare
the
truth
of
the
subjective
invisible
world
of
the
spirit
also.
This
is
the
task
of
Sanaathana
Dharma
or
Vedha
Dharma.
This
religion
has
in
it
the
principles
of
all
contemporary
religions.
Those
who
doubt
this
should
examine
the
scriptural
sources
in
an
impartial
spirit.
Hindu
culture
is
the
pillar
and
support
of
the
nation;
it
is
the
backbone
of
the
spiritually
adventurous;
it
grants
both
this
world
and
the
next
to
all
beings.
It
is
really
World
Culture,
the
culture
that
the
world
needs.
Other
cultures
assume
various
forms
in
various
climes.
But,
the
culture
of
Bhaarath
has
asserted
eternal
values,
values
for
all
times
and
all
climes--like
dhaya,
dharma
and
dhama
(compassion,
virtue
and
self-
control).
It
has
not
bent
before
the
pressure
of
patronage
or
persecution.
The
impact
of
Western
civilisation
has
given
rise
to
certain
new
sects
that
attempt
to
re-form
and
modernise
Hindu
religion.
Hindusim
has
the
strength
to
correct
their
egoism
and
establish
concord.
Hinduism
is
the
one
religion
that
proclaims
the
truth
that
there
is
nothing
separate
from
God
and
it
proves
it
too.
Because
people
are
not
able
to
understand
this
fundamental
integrating
principle,
hatred
and
malice
have
grown
in
the
followers
of
other
faiths.
The
chief
purpose
of
religion
is
to
make
man
aware
of
his
relationship
with
God.
Every
person
has
full
rights
for
worshipping
God
and
winning
His
Grace.
But,
whatever
the
Page 157 of 268
road,
whichever
the
path,
the
Goal
is
the
same.
Vedhic
religion
will
not
permit
you
to
quarrel
with
any
other
religion,
or
hate
it
or
decry
it.
It
insists
on
tolerance
and
respect.
If
you
seek
to
develop
love
towards
all
men
and
the
spiritual
outlook
that
will
sustain
it,
you
will
have
to
follow
the
discipline
laid
down
in
the
Shaasthras,
for
your
stage
and
state.
Religion
has
to
confer
knowledge
of
the
Self;
that
is
its
real
purpose,
not
providing
matter
for
club
conversation
or
coffee-hotel-debates.
Every
one
has
to
strive
to
know
his
own
truth
and
experience
it.
That
striving
is
the
heart
of
religion;
it
is
the
goal
of
life.
Without
it,
life
is
as
bad
as
death.
Only
when
superOicial
activities
are
transcended
does
true
religion
begin.
It
leads
to
Brahmaanandha,
through
the
awareness
of
one's
identity
with
Brahmam.
Bhakthi
is
the
foundation
for
all
religions.
Of
course,
japa
or
homa
or
offering
of
Olowers,
or
going
on
pilgrimages
to
holy
places
cannot
be
taken
as
bhakthi!
They
are
good
acts
that
help
promote
bhakthi.
True
bhakthi
opens
the
door
of
jnaana.
Faith
in
God
and
His
Glory
and
His
Grace
must
be
supplemented
by
discrimination
of
the
Real
and
the
unreal
and
the
control
of
the
senses.
Those
who
argue
whether
bhakthi
or
jnaana
is
superior
for
God-realisation
are
travellers
in
the
dark,
for,
they
argue
from
ignorance.
The
unripe
fruit
and
the
ripe
fruit
have
different
tastes,
but,
they
are
the
same
fruit;
the
unripe
fruit
becomes
later
the
ripe
one.
Discourse 15
There
is
a
story
about
Kaalidaasa
which
illustrates
this
point.
It
is
said
that
the
other
poets
and
scholars
in
the
court
of
Emperor
Bhoja
were
green
with
envy
at
the
quick
rise
to
fame
of
Kaalidaasa
and
at
the
largesses
that
the
Royal
patron
showered
upon
him.
So,
they
poisoned
the
ears
of
the
Emperor
against
Kaalidaasa
and
when
he
challenged
Kaalidaasa
to
disprove
the
allegations
he
was
alone
and
helpless
against
his
traducers.
Kaalidaasa
could
appeal
only
to
his
other
patroness,
Kaali
maatha,
Mother
Kaali.
He
told
the
king
that
they
could
all
come
to
the
temple
of
Kaali
and
when
he
prayed
to
Kaali,
to
stand
witness
to
his
integrity,
they
could
hear
the
answer
that
the
Goddess
would
give.
He
had
such
faith
in
his
Mother.
The
entire
court
was
present
next
morning
at
the
Temple;
Kaalidaasa
prayed.
Then,
in
the
tense
silence,
they
all
could
hear
a
Voice..."Kavirdhandee,
Kavirdhandee,
Bhavabhoothisthu
pandithah"
(Dhandi
is
a
poet,
Dhandi
is
a
poet;
Bhavabhoothi
is
a
Pandith).
That
was
all.
No
reference
was
made
to
Kaalidaasa,
when
all
that
was
wanted
was
a
judgement
about
Kaalidaasa
and
his
merits.
Naturally,
Kaalidaasa
was
enraged.
He
forgot
himself
in
his
rage
and
shouted
Koham
rande?
(Who
am
I,
you
slut?").
Kaali
kept
calm;
Her
temper
was
not
roused.
After
a
mo-
ment
she
replied,
'Thwamevaaham,
thwamevaaham,
thwameva
aham,
na
samshayah"
(You
are
Myself,
I
am
thyself,
undoubtedly").
That
identity
is
the
destiny
of
man.
You
are
born
as
a
consequence
of
the
activities
you
were
engaged
in,
in
past
births.
When
a
bus
is
speeding
along,
a
cloud
of
dust
follows
it;
when
it
halts,
the
passengers
get
the
dust
all
over.
But,
how
far
can
you
travel
without
bringing
the
bus
to
a
halt?
The
one
consolation
is:
you
need
not
always
speed
along
the
mud
road;
better
roads
are
in
store.
The
mud
road,
the
fair
weather
road
is
the
Samithi
Road;
the
metalled
road
which
comes
later
is
the
Zilla
Parishath
Road;
at
last,
you
get
on
into
the
asphalt
road,
the
road
of
the
Highways
Department,
where
the
bus
will
not
drag
behind
it
any
cloud
of
dust.
The
mud
road
is
the
Karma
maarga
(road
of
activity),
the
metalled
road
is
Page 158 of 268
Upaasana
maarga
(road
of
worship,
contemplation)
and
the
asphalt
road
is
Jnaana
maarga
(road
of
divine
knowledge,
wisdom),
join
the
Jnaana
maarga
soon;
then,
there
will
be
no
dust.
It
is
as
if
Oire
has
forgotten
its
capacity
to
burn
or
water
its
nature
to
wet;
man
has
forgotten
his
nature
to
reach
out
into
Godhood,
his
capacity
to
seek
and
secure
the
Truth
of
the
Universe
of
which
he
is
a
part,
his
capacity,
to
train
himself
by
virtue,
justice,
love
and
sympathy
to
escape
from
the
particular
to
the
Universal.
He
can
attain
the
consummation
and
climax
of
merging
with
the
unchanging
that
is
behind
all
this
change.
It
was
Vyaasa,
whose
memory
is
enshrined
in
this
Festival
of
Vyaasa
Poornima,
who
held
before
erring
man
this
destiny
and
this
discipline,
in
the
various
texts
that
bear
his
name.
Kaalidaasa
knew
of
only
one
Person
who
was
free
from
jealousy
and
pride
and
that
was
Kaali,
the
Mother.
So
he
went
to
the
Kaali
temple
and
prayed
before
the
Mother
to
assure
him
of
high
status
among
poem.
After
a
long
time
spent
in
intense
prayer,
Kaalidaasa
heard
a
Voice
emanat-
ing
from
the
shrine
and
it
extolled
Dhandi
and
Bhaava-bhuthi
as
great
geniuses
and
scholars.
There
was
not
even
a
whisper
about
his
attainments!
So,
he
got
hurt
and
even
enraged;
he
gave
vent
to
his
ire
in
harsh
words
and
insisted
that
She
should
declare
the
truth,
however
unpleasant.
Then
the
Voice
announced,
Thwamevaaham,
thwamevaaham,
thwamevaaham,
na
samshayah"---
"You
are
Myself,
you
are
Myself,
you
are
Myself,
without
doubt!"
What
greater
status
did
Kaalidaasa
need
than
this?
That
is
the
reply
that
every
seeker
will
get,
for
that
is
his
truth,
his
reality,
his
prize
and
consummation.
By
imbibing
the
teachings
of
the
Bhaagavatha,
your
thamo
guna
(quality
of
inertia)
will
be
raised
into
rajo
guna
(quality
of
restless
activity)
and
puriOied
into
sathwa
guna
(quality
of
poise
and
serenity).
It
is
like
the
fruit
growing
by
the
combined
inOluence
of
the
earth
and
sun
Oirst
into
full
sourness,
then
to
partial
sweetness
and
Oinally
complete
sweetness,
in
three
stages.
Man
too
by
the
twin
forces
of
the
Grace
from
without
and
the
yearning
from
within,
grows
into
the
complete
sweetness
of
aanandha
and
prema.
By
an
inordinate
attachment
or
raaga
to
the
seen,
man
has
become
an
alien
to
the
realm
of
the
unseen.
But
the
unseen
is
the
basis
of
the
seen;
the
thing
that
gives
stability
and
value
to
it,
the
thing
that
is
true
and
valid.
In
spite
of
the
warnings
administered
by
countless
saints
and
teachers
through
the
centuries,
man
has
today
in
this
land
of
Bhaarath
forsaken
the
unseen
for
the
sake
of
the
seen.
The
unseen
alone
can
confer
contentment
and
courage
to
face
fortune
as
well
as
misfortune.
Ignoring
it
has
caused
the
discontent
and
distress
prevalent
in
every
heart
and
home
today.
There
was
a
merchant
who
asked
the
sailor
about
his
grand-father
and
father.
It
seems
they
both
died
on
the
sea.
So
the
merchant
asked
the
sailor
whether
he
was
not
afraid
of
sailing
on
the
sea.
The
sailor
asked
the
merchant
where
his
forefathers
had
died.
He
was
told
that
they
had
all
died
in
bed,
so
he
too
asked
the
merchant
whether
he
was
'not
afraid
to
go
to
bed!
Death
comes
to
all,
somewhere,
somehow;
but
the
wise
man
achieves
the
Vision
ere
the
end.
The
Geetha
speaks
of
bhakthi,
jnaana,
karma,
as
yogas
and
by
yoga
is
meant
what
Pathanjali
intended
it
to
mean:
chiththa
vriththi
nirodhah,
that
is,
the
stilling
of
the
agitations
of
the
Mind-
stuff.
The
poets
used
to
ask
for
patronage
with
the
word,
dehi,
which
Kaalidaasa
once
interpreted
as,
They
are
not
asking
you;
they
are
addressing
you
as
'dehi',
'the
one
with
the
body',
'the
One
who
has
encased
Himself
in
this
physical
equipment',
'the
Aathma,'.
They
are
reminding
you
that
you
are
essentially
the
dweller
in
the
body,
not
the
body
with
which
you
are
likely
to
identify
yourself.
That
other
Bank,
dealing
with
spiritual
accounts,
has
also
a
safe
deposit
vault.
Surrender
your
jewels
of
intelligence,
cleverness,
capacity
to
serve
and
the
gem
that
you
most
value,
namely,
your
EGO
to
the
care
of
God;
then,
you
can
be
happy.
Maam
ekam
sharanam
vraja,
He
invites.
Surrender
to
Me
alone.
Then,
He
assures
Maa
suchah:
You
need
not
grieve
at
all.
Arjuna
is
called
by
the
Lord
in
the
Geetha,
'Dhananjaya';
people
explain
the
word
dhanam
to
mean
booty
gathered
by
him
from
the
kings
whom
he
defeated.
Dhanam
means
'any
valued
possession,
an
object
of
affection'.
The
most
valued
possession
is
self-knowledge.
Arjuna
has
earned
this;
so
he
is
called
Dhananjaya.
Three
quarters
of
your
attention
should
be
paid
to
the
dehi---the
occupant
of
the
deha
or
body---
who
always
speaks
of
the
body
and
its
components
as
'mine'.
For
this
body
and
all
experiences
which
one
gains
through
it
are
as
unreal
as
dreams.
You
have
now
seen
and
experienced
the
procession
through
the
streets
of
your
village
of
Swaami
and
the
Minister;
you
have
seen
Me
and
heard
My
speech;
but
when
you
go
to
bed
within
a
few
hours
and
dream
during
sleep,
you
are
not
aware
of
all
this;
you
see
and
experience
a
new
set
of
events,
which
at
the
time
are
as
real,
as
impressive,
as
signiOicant
as
these;
and
when
you
have
deep
sleep,
nothing
is,
except
probably
the
inner
consciousness
that
you
are
you.
When
you
dream,
the
dream
is
real;
when
you
wake,
the
waking
experience
is
as
real
as
the
dream
was.
The
fact
is,
it
is
all
a
dream,
a
creation
of
the
mind
when
the
aathma
(the
true
self)
is
reOlected
in
it.
Remove
that
Mind,
have
nothing
on
which
the
aathma
reOlects
and
then
the
aathma
shines
in
its
own
splendour
in
its
own
solitariness.
Once
you
attain
this
jnaana,
the
waking
experience
of
Oifty
years
will
appear
as
of
Oive
seconds
only,
as
in
a
two
seconds
dream
one
passess
from
childhood
to
grandparenthood
and
experiences
passage
of
50
years
of
time!
Jnaana
is
as
passing
from
swapna
(dream)
stage
to
the
jaagrath
(waking)
stage
which
judges
the
dream
stage
as
unreal.
Seek
the
springs
of
aanandha
(bliss)
within
you
and
happiness
will
be
your
lot,
here
and
for
ever.
Believe
that
the
aanandha
within
you
is
derived
from
God
who
is
your
Reality.
A
man
dreams
that
he
is
a
boy,
he
grows
and
marries,
he
fondles
his
children
and
his
grandchildren:
the
story
of
Oifty
years
is
telescoped
to
a
period
of
two
'waking
moments'.
This
is
within
the
experience
of
all.
The
dream
was
'real'
experience
during
the
dream;
it
'lasted'
for
Oifty
years
but,
when
judged
from
the
point
of
view
of
the
'waking'
it
lasted
but
two
minutes.
So
too,
from
the
point
of
view
of
the
'fully
awake',
the
jnaani,
even
the
waking
stage
is
ephemeral,
illusory.
That
is
why
jnaana
is
declared
to
be
so
illuminating;
it
reveals
the
Truth
that
all
this
is
only
'relatively'
real;
the
Absolute
Reality
is
the
Brahmam.
Even
while
foes
are
surrounding
this
country,
there
is
wild
hate
between
one
State
and
another,
claiming
'this
bit
of
land
is
mine',
'that
bit
of
land
cannot
be
yours',
forgetting
that
both
are
limbs
of
the
same
body.
Similar
is
the
fate
of
nations
also.
Integration
of
hearts
can
come
about
only
through
the
recognition
of
the
Oneness
of
All,
and
the
renunciation
of
sensory
pursuits.
Tolerance
is
very
essential.
Get
the
Olower,
and
you
have
its
beauty
and
fragrance.
In
colour
see
harmony,
in
light
see
joy.
In
outward
form
and
in
the
depths
of
things,
behold
your
Self.
You
are
the
Truth.
Dwell
also
on
the
supreme
prema
(Love)
of
the
Gopees,
their
surrender
of
everything
gross
and
subtle,
of
ego
and
egoistic
attachment
at
the
feet
of
the
Sovereign
Purusha
or
the
Purushottama,
the
Supreme
being.
They
spoke
no
word
except
prayer;
they
moved
no
step
except
towards
God,
they
saw
and
heard
only
Krishna;
they
spoke
only
of
Him,
to
Him,
whoever
might
have
been
near
them;
Krishna
had
Oilled
their
hearts.
He
transmuted
them
into
the
most
self-effacing
group
of
devotees
that
the
world
has
seen.
As
the
shadow
that
you
cast
is
reduced
bit
by
bit
with
every
step
that
you
take
towards
the
Sun,
until
the
Sun
shines
right
on
the
top
of
your
head
and
the
shadow
crawls
under
your
feet
and
disappears,
so
maaya
too
becomes
less
and
less
effective
as
you
march
towards
jnaana.
Then
it
is
well
established
in
your
understanding
and
maaya
falls
at
your
feet
and
is
powerless
to
deceive
you
further;
it
disappears,
so
far
as
you
are
concerned.
Though
you
cannot
know
while
in
this
dual
world
how
maaya
originated,
you
can
know
how
it
can
be
terminated
and
can
succeed
in
exterminating
its
effects.
Maaya
has
no
beginning
but
it
has
an
end,
for
him
who
wins
the
light
by
which
the
darkness
can
be
negated.
A
merchant
had
four
wives;
he
had
to
go
to
Bombay
once
on
business
for
a
long
stay;
he
posted
letters
to
them
asking
them
what
they
wanted
him
to
bring
from
Bombay
when
he
returned.
The
Oirst
wife
(symbolic
of
thamas
or
dullness)
wrote
for
some
effective
drugs
which
would
ameliorate
her
physical
illnesses;
the
second
wanted
him
to
bring
fashion
saris
and
choli
pieces
as
well
as
jewels
of
Bombay
design.
Her
behaviour
marks
her
out
as
a
symbol
of
the
raajasik
temperament.
The
third
wife
(the
saathwik
type)
wrote
that
he
should
bring
her
some
good
books
like
Dhyaaneshwari,
Sai
Sathcharitha,
etc.
The
fourth
wife,
however,
(the
jnaani,
who
had
gone
beyond
the
three
gunas)
wrote
"I
require
nothing,
I
want
only
you."
Of
course,
every
one
of
them
got
what
they
had
asked
for;
the
fact
one
became
the
happiest
of
all.
Have
no
desire,
empty
your
mind
of
all
cravings,
become
hollow
and
straight--be-come
a
Olute
and
Krishna
will
breathe
through
you
sweet
melody
to
still
the
agitation
of
the
world.
Discourse 24 (Madras)
No
person
afOlicted
with
lust
or
envy
or
greed
or
attachment
or
egoism
can
pronounce
judgement
on
the
ethereal,
formless,
nameless
principle
that
concretised
as
Krishna.
Krishna
is
described
as
blue
in
physical
colour,
for,
He
is
as
deep
and
inscrutable
as
the
sky;
the
blue
is
the
colour
which
the
eye
comprehends,
though
the
sky
has
no
colour
at
all.
So
too,
Krishna
has
no
colour
or
attributes
but,
in
order
to
comprehend
Him,
the
mental
eye
attributes
a
colour.
No
person
afOlicted
with
lust
or
envy
or
greed
or
attachment
or
egoism
can
pronounce
judgement
on
the
ethereal,
formless,
nameless
principle
that
concretised
as
Krishna.
Krishna
is
described
as
blue
in
physical
colour,
for,
He
is
as
deep
and
inscrutable
as
the
sky;
the
blue
is
the
colour
which
the
eye
comprehends,
though
the
sky
has
no
colour
at
all.
So
too,
Krishna
has
no
colour
or
attributes
but,
in
order
to
comprehend
Him,
the
mental
eye
attributes
a
colour.
Discourse 25 (Poona)
It
speaks
of
the
reality
aspuurnam
(fulOilled),
and
of
this
world
too,
as
fulOilled,
puurnam.
From
the
full,
this
full
has
manifested.
It
does
not
posit
any
incomplete,
unsatisOied
vaccum
or
discontent.
For,
it
taps
the
very
spring
of
eternal
Joy
and
Strength
and
Wisdom.
That
is
the
path
of
spiritual
discipline,
steady
intellectual
and
moral
discipline.
That
is
the
basic,
the
essential
study.
The
cultured
person
is
the
person
who
has
cultured
the
spirit,
not
the
person
who
caters
to
the
senses
and
enslaves
himself
to
their
attractions.
Our
thoughts
now
build
up
only
castles
in
the
air;
our
plans
are
like
bubbles
on
the
surface
of
the
waters.
They
are
ephemeral,
because
they
have
no
grounding
in
the
permanent,
the
eternal
base.
Our
thoughts
now
build
up
only
castles
in
the
air;
our
plans
are
like
bubbles
on
the
surface
of
the
waters.
They
are
ephemeral,
because
they
have
no
grounding
in
the
permanent,
the
eternal
base.
Life
on
this
world
is
a
bubble
that
is
formed
in
a
second
and
bursts
the
next
second.
It
is
a
fair,
that
lasts
a
portion
of
a
day.
The
entire
career
of
a
person
starts
and
Oinishes
in
a
matter
of
two
hours.
All
the
pomp
and
paraphernalia
that
man
seeks
and
Olourishes
are
of
the
stuff
of
dreams.
Which
among
these
is
true?
Which
among
these
lasts
for
all
time,
without
degenerating
or
declining
or
dying?
You
are
all
present
now;
you
are
seeing
Me
and
listening
to
Me;
you
feel
now
that
this
is
true.
But,
how
long
is
this
true,
how
true
is
all
this?
This
is
real
experience
for
you,
so
long
as
you
are
in
the
waking
stage.
This
night,
when
you
lie
down
in
bed
and
start
dreaming,
the
dream
is
as
real
to
you
as
all
this.
This
waking
stage
and
all
this
experience
are
then
unreal.
You
experience
fears,
delusions,
joys
and
pleasures
in
the
dream
and
they
are
all
true,
so
long
as
you
dream.
But,
wake
up;
and,
the
dream
is
negated!
Both
are
dreams,
a
night
dream
and
a
day
dream.
Only
one
idea
is
permanent,
throughout
the
dream,
the
deep
sleep
and
the
waking,
the
idea
of
the
'I'--I
dreamt,
I
slept
and
I
woke.
That
'I'--the
I
behind
all
the
manifold
millions--that
I
is
the
Truth
and
nothing
else.
The
question
may
arise,
if
there
is
only
one
'I',
which
is
the
Eternal
and
the
Absolute,
why
do
all
the
individuals
have
different
experiences?
The
newly
educated
worry
themselves
with
such
questions.
But,
they
are
due
to
a
false
cleverness,
not
deep
inquiry.
For,
the
same
current
activates
the
fan
and
gives
air,
illumines
the
bulb
and
gives
light,
heats
the
stove
and
cooks,
moves
the
wheel
around
and
works
the
machine.
The
instruments
are
different,
but,
the
inner
energiser
is
the
same.
Some
bulbs
are
40
watts
and
some
60,
or
100
or
1000
watts.
The
current
is
the
same,
but
illumination
is
Page 163 of 268
different.
Have
a
powerful
bulb,
and
the
light
is
strong.
Change
it,
it
is
dim.
Name
and
form
are
not
essential;
the
inner
current
is
the
truth.
Take
the
body;
that
itself
has
the
hand
as
a
limb;
the
hand
has
Oingers,
the
Oingers
have
nails,
in
their
turn.
Through
every
part
of
every
limb
Olows
the
same
life
force.
So
too
in
this
Universe
which
is
the
Body
of
God,
every
being
is
a
part
of
a
limb,
that
is
sustained
by
the
same
divine
essence.
Discourse 26
Why
should
the
body
be
kept
in
good
trim?
Why
should
man
be
fed,
clothed
and
housed
comfortably?
Why
should
man
live
well
or
rather,
live
at
all?
Who
is
exactly
deriving
happiness?
Is
it
the
sense
or
mind
or
intelligence
or
consciousness?
Who
is
this
I
that
seeks
happiness
and
is
happy
or
is
not
happy?
Try
to
think
of
answers
to
these
questions.
After
knowing
who
this
I
is,
you
must
try
to
know
what
this
outside
world
is.
You
see
these
Olags
Oluttering;
now,
what
is
it
that
Olutters?
Is
it
the
cloth,
or
the
rope
or
the
wind?
You
know
it
is
the
unseen
wind
that
causes
that
Olutter.
So
too,
you
see
the
effect,
not
the
cause,
when
you
observe
Nature
around
you.
The
bungalow
is
seen,
not
the
foundation
under
the
earth;
the
tree
is
seen
with
all
the
crowning
glory
of
leaf
and
blossom
and
fruit
but,
the
roots
that
grip
it
and
feed
it
are
not
visible.
You
cannot
therefore
deny
them.
So
too,
for
everything
that
can
be
seen,
heard,
smelt,
tasted
and
touched,
God
is
the
cause.
Man
is
born
as
man
because
he
is
to
realise
this
truth,
and
feel
the
presence
of
God
in
all
beings
and
things.
When
the
seven
colours
of
the
spectrum
revolve
together,
the
effect
is
"no
colour";
when
they
stop
revolving,
the
seven
colours
can
be
separately
identiOied.
When
the
three
blades
of
the
electric
fan
revolve
fast
and
no
blade
is
separately
noticeable,
they
give
cool
comfort.
So
too
when
the
different
qualities
of
Sathwa,
Rajas
and
Thamas
are
unrecognisably
integrated,
then
only
is
man
happy.
Supaari
is
brown;
pan
is
green;
chunam
is
white,
but,
when
these
three
are
together
chewed,
the
colour
is
red!
When
the
three
gunas
are
equated
in
saadhana
(spiritual
practice),
the
result
is
shaanthi.
The
lamp
is
the
sathwa
guna,
the
wick
is
the
thamo
guna
and
the
oil
is
the
rajo
guna.
When
the
three
are
integrated,
they
give
the
Light
of
jnaana
which
illumines
all
problems.
The
essential
attitude
that
one
should
cultivate
is,
to
engage
in
all
activities
that
are
one's
duty
without
getting
attached
to
the
work.
As
the
sky's
clear
blue
is
not
affected
by
the
clouds
or
rainstorms,
lightning
or
thunder,
but,
remains
the
same
in
spite
of
those
temporary
disturbances,
the
mind
of
man
too
must
be
clear
and
clean,
in
spite
of
all
the
storms
and
stress
of
life.
Edison,
the
great
scientist
and
inventor,
used
to
be
in
his
laboratory
for
hours
and
even
days
together,
concentrating
on
some
experiment
on
which
his
whole
attention
was
bent;
milk
or
bread
or
tea
was
pushed
through
the
door,
but,
they
were
all
untouched
by
him.
So
great
is
the
concentration
that
science
demands.
Consider
then
how
much
more
should
the
saadhaka
be
Oixed
in
ekaagratha
(single-mindedness),
in
order
to
achieve
success
in
the
subtler
and
more
slippery
sphere
of
spiritual
conquest.
By
simply
shouting
Shivoham,
you
cannot
become
Shiva;
develop
the
qualiOies
of
Divinity
like
Universal
Love,
absence
of
attachment,
etc.
Then,
you
will
be
entitled
to
assert
Shivoham,
though
you
may
not
assert
at
all,
for
you
will
have
no
aham
feeling
then!
I
am
Nataraaja
The
King
of
dance-masters.
I
know
the
agony
of
teaching
you
each
step.
Bear
all
and
do
nothing;
hear
all
and
take
nothing
serve
all
and
be
nothing.
Prakrithi
(Nature)
is
in
essence
Divinity
itself,
lshaavaasyam
idam
sarvam:
all
this
is
divine.
Vaasudevassarvamidam:
all
this
is
Vaasudeva,
God.
At
last,
when
man
is
about
to
leave
the
world,
as
leave
he
must,
he
is
surrounded
by
his
wife
and
children
who
lament
loudly,
asking,
"What
is
to
happen
to
us
when
you
leave?";
but
the
poor
fellow
is
confronted
by
a
more
urgent,
a
more
personal
problem:
"What
is
to
happen
to
me?"
And
he
has
no
more
time
to
discover
the
answer
or
to
prepare
for
something
good
to
happen.
In
fact,
if
he
had
tried
he
could
have
known
the
reality
and
gone
with
a
smile,
instead
of
a
groan
or
a
whine.
Be
free
from
desires
that
drag
you
down;
have
only
the
yearning
to
come
face
to
face
with
the
Truth.
That
Truth
is
shining
inside
you,
waiting
to
be
discovered.
Like
the
dhobi
(washerman)
in
knee-deep
water
dying
of
thirst,
man
too
suffers
with
the
panacea
in
easy
grasp.
God
is
the
antharyaami
(Indweller),
and
so,
when
He
is
sought
in
the
outer
world
He
cannot
be
caught.
Love
Him
with
no
other
thought;
feel
that
without
Him
nothing
is
worth
anything;
feel
that
He
is
all.
Then
you
become
His
and
He
becomes
yours.
There
Page 165 of 268
is
no
nearer
kinship
than
that.
Fifty
others
may
be
peeping
into
the
kitchen,
hungry
and
expectant,
but
if
you
are
the
child
of
the
master,
you
will
be
served
Oirst.
The
mind
is
the
villain;
it
is
another
name
for
desire;
the
texture
of
the
mind
is
just
desire;
both
warp
and
woof
are
desire
and
nothing
else.
If
desire
goes,
the
mind
disappears.
When
you
pull
out
all
the
yarn
from
a
piece
of
cloth,
you
have
no
more
cloth.
So
too,
pull
out
desires
from
the
mind;
it
disappears,
and
you
are
free.
Every
being
needs
prema
(Love),
inhales
and
exhales
prema.
For
prema
is
the
basic
breath;
every
one
is
the
embodiment
of
prema.
Love
knows
no
fear
and
so,
love
needs
no
falsehood
to
support
it.
It
is
only
fear
that
makes
people
warp
the
face
of
truth
to
make
it
pleasant
for
those
whom
they
fear.
Love
also
seeks
no
reward;
love
is
its
own
reward.
That
is
the
sole
gain,
the
joy
of
loving
and
being
loved.
When
it
is
directed
to
God,
it
is
called
bhakthi.
Who
would
not
love
God
when
once
he
is
aware
of
His
Glory,
Majesty,
Might
and
Mercy?
Love
removes
all
egoism;
the
self
is
forgotten,
it
is
superseded,
it
is
transcended.
Any
trace
of
greed
for
gain,
vishaya
vaasana
as
it
is
called,
degrades
prema
into
a
bargain
over
the
counter.
Whatever
the
Loved
One
does
or
gives
is
satisfying
to
the
Lover,
the
Adorer.
Take
the
ups
and
downs
of
life
as
natural;
they
are
incidental
to
the
world
of
compounds
and
components.
A
sanyaasin
(ascetic)
named
Raamakrishnaswamy
was
informed
by
a
disciple
who
rushed
into
his
presence
that
his
son
had
died.
The
Swamy
sat
unmoved;
he
only
said,"Water
Olows;
Oire
burns;
the
wind
blows",
meaning
that
the
corn
pound
of
Oive
elements
has
some
day
to
disintegrate.
The
Swamy
laughed
at
the
concern
of
others;
he
was
brave
because
he
knew.
Those
who
know
are
called
guru:
heavy,
weighted.
They
will
not
be
moved
by
storms;
the
leaf
on
which
no
dish
is
served
tends
to
rise
up
in
the
wind
and
Oly,
but
when
it
is
weighted
by
servings
of
food,
it
will
remain
unshaken.
When
you
have
attained
true
wisdom,
you
will
Oind
that
good
fortune
should
not
be
gloated
over,
nor
bad
fortune
grieved
over.
The
hero
treats
both
with
equal
unconcern.
They
are
breezes
and
storms
that
cannot
affect
the
depths
of
the
ocean
of
bliss
in
the
heart
of
man.
When
his
son
completed
his
education
and
came
home,
a
father
asked
him
various
questions,
eager
to
discover
whether
he
had
used
his
years
of
study
to
the
best
advantage.
The
son
made
him
exceedingly
glad
by
his
answers.
At
last,
he
asked
him
to
describe
the
glory
of
God.
The
boy
sat
silent
and
did
not
answer.
In
spite
of
hours
of
sweet
persuasion,
and
even
threats
of
drastic
punishments,
the
boy
was
adamant;
he
did
not
open
his
mouth.
The
father
lamented
his
fate
in
having
a
son,
who
though
proOicient
in
many
branches
of
learning,
had
turned
out
to
be
an
atheist.
When
he
was
Page 166 of 268
on
the
point
of
bursting
into
tears
at
the
calamity
that
had
overtaken
him,
the
son
said
that
he
was
answering
his
question
in
the
best
manner
possible---by
silence;
for
how
could
words
describe
His
Glory?
That
son
was
a
remarkable
son;
the
father
too
by
his
question
and
by
his
reaction
to
the
silence
of
the
son
demonstrated
that
he
was
a
remarkable
father.
When
the
Poorna
(full)
is
subtracted
from
the
Poorna,
Poorna
is
found
to
be
the
balance.
*
*
Ishaavaasya
Upanishad
says:Poomasya
Poomamaadaaya
Poomamevaavasishyate:
From
the
Full
(Brahman)
proceeds
this
Full
(Universe).
That
(Brahman)
remains
Full,
even
though
this
(Universe)
has
come
out
of
it.
He
also
announced
that
he
had
decided
on
improving
the
road
that
leads
to
Prashaanthi
Nilayam.
I
am
not
too
enthusiastic
about
this
amenity
because,
when
you
improve
the
means
of
access
and
make
them
easy
and
quick,
the
really
earnest
seekers
will
be
swamped
by
others
who
are
actuated
more
by
curiosity
or
the
urge
for
a
new
type
of
week-end.
Wen
pilgrims
had
to
ascend
the
steps
up
the
Seven
Hills
to
have
the
darshan
(audience)
of
Lord
Shrinivasa
they
pinned
their
faith
on
God;
they
called
out
'Govinda,
Govinda'
so
that
they
may
have
strength
and
stamina
added
to
them
by
His
Grace.
Now,
when
cars
and
buses
go
up
in
a
matter
of
minutes,
the
Hills
do
not
resound
to
the
name
of
God.
The
mind
is
not
cleansed
by
that
discipline
of
physical
endurance
before
the
pilgrim
stands
infront
of
the
shrine
to
offer
his
heart
to
the
Lord.
But
I
do
not
stand
in
the
way.
Provide
only
such
facilities
as
will
complement
the
atmosphere
of
this
place---that
is
My
suggestion.
When
the
veil
is
removed,
God
can
be
experienced
everywhere
in
full.
When
some
one
told
Socrates
that
he
could
not
see
God
in
the
sky
or
the
upper
regions
of
space,
which
were
pointed
out
by
men
as
the
dwelling
place
of
the
Deity,
he
said
that
He
can
be
seen
only
by
wearing
a
three-fold
lens
over
the
eye:
bhakthi
or
prema
or
adoration;
viveka
or
discrimination;
and
vairaagya
or
renunciation.
Prahlaadha
wore
these
lenses
and
he
saw
Him
everywhere,
in
pillar
and
plant.
His
father
had
bandaged
his
own
eye
with
cynical
doubt
and
so
he
could
not
see
Him.
Ghandikota
Shastry
said
just
now
that
I
gave
him
a
Shivalinga
for
puuja
with
the
remark
that
it
was
My
Swaruupam.
I
do
not
like
this
contribution
to
publicity;
I
want
publicity
for
the
teachings
and
the
message.
I
want
thathwa-prachaara,
not
vyakthi-
prachaara---publicity
to
principles,
not
to
individuals.
That
is
more
important.
About
Me
there
is
no
need
to
talk.
!
Discourse 34 (22/10/1966)
!
Discourse 35 (23/10/1966)
Karma
(action)
and
Upaasana
(contemplation),
the
two
stages
of
saadhana
devoted
to
the
attainment
of
God-realisation,
can
be
noted
and
seen;
but
jnaana
the
stage
of
ripeness
cannot
be
seen.
The
karma
symbolised
by
the
Yamuna,
and
bhakthi
(devotion)
symbolised
by
the
Ganga,
meet
at
the
point
where
the
jnaana
or
Saraswathi
Olows
unseen.
But
today,
people
have
lost
the
enthusiasm
for
karma,
the
exultation
for
bhakthi
and
the
eagerness
for
jnaana.
The
true
vidhya
is
that
which
reveals
the
aathma
(the
true
self)
to
man.
When
these
facts
are
neglected,
the
Avathaara
(incarnation)
takes
place
to
re-teach
the
duty
of
man,
the
dharma.
What
is
the
dharma
(the
moral
code)
that
has
to
be
re-established
today?
It
is
Sanaathana
Dharma
(the
eternal
law),
nothing
less.
A
student
approached
a
guru
and
asked
for
the
road
for
shaanthi.
He
replied
that
he
must
develop
sahana
(tolerance)
towards
all
men
and
all
things
and
all
events.
Nothing
should
arouse
interested
reaction,
disgust
or
desire.
The
highest
alone
must
be
sought;
God
alone
must
be
desired.
In
one
of
the
poems
read
today,
the
question
was
raised
why
God
should
give
eyes
that
look
outward
and
then
blame
when
they
wander
in
the
outer
world.
No,
the
eyes
do
not
wander;
it
is
as
the
messenger
of
the
mind
that
the
eye
wanders.
If
the
mind
orders
them
to
keep
aside,
the
eyes
have
to
obey.
The
poet
also
charged
God
for
equipping
man
with
an
insane
mind;
no,
the
mind
is
not
insane;
it
can
be
used
for
tightening
bonds
as
well
as
for
loosening
them.
Bandha
and
moksha
can
both
be
effected
through
the
mind.
You
have
the
choice.
It
is
an
in--merit
for
either.
Condemn
the
use,
not
the
tool.
It
is
part
of
human
nature
that
man
desires
to
reach
the
presence
of
the
Almighty,
see
Him
and
be
ever
with
Him,
for
deep
within
the
human
heart
is
the
urge
to
reach
the
place
from
which
he
has
come,
to
attain
the
joy
he
has
lost,
the
glory
which
he
has
missed.
Man
is
himself
divine
and
so
it
is
a
matter
of
the'
deep
calling
unto
the
deep,
of
the
part
calling
for
the
whole,
of
the
sky
in
the
pot
yearning
for
the
sky
surrounding
it.Attempts
to
reach
the
presence
have
to
be
made
quick
and
fast,
for
death
lies
in
wait
to
snatch
man
away.
Birds
soaring
in
the
sky
can
see
carrion
on
the
ground;
but
they
do
not
see
the
net
laid
to
catch
them.
So
too,
man
is
able
to
see
far
into
the
future
by
means
of
his
intelligence,
but
when
it
comes
to
the
Oinale
of
death
which
awaits
him,
he
is
blind.
The
mind
fancies
that
it
can
get
joy
from
the
objects
around,
about
which
the
senses
give
it
information.
The
mind
can
be
mastered
by
jnaana
(Supreme
knowledge),
that
all
Page 168 of 268
is
Brahmam
or
that
all
is
His
Play.
To
realise
that
the
world
is
but
the
Lee/a
of
God
and
that
you
are
but
a
puppet
in
His
hand,
you
must
learn
bhakthi
from
the
Gopees.
They
were
so
saturated
with
the
attitude
of
surrender
that
they
lost
all
body-consciousness
and
had
only
one
Form
before
their
eye,
one
thought
in
their
mind,
one
song
in
their
hearts,
that
of
Krishna.
Their
bhakthi
was
not
a
superOicial
pose,
an
escapist
stratagem,
or
a
temporary
aberration.
It
was
the
very
breath
of
their
life;
the
very
reason
for
their
existence.
When
thieves
like
egoism
slyly
try
to
rob
you
of
the
gem
of
jnaana
that
you
have
treasured
in
your
anthahkarana
(inner
consciousness),
seek
His
help
to
overcome
them.
And
help
will
be
rendered.
The
mind
is
the
enchanter,
the
usurper
who
has
established
sovereignty
over
you.
During
a
marriage
festival
in
a
certain
town,
there
came
into
the
house
an
elderly
lady
whom
the
bride's
people
revered
because
they
believed
her
to
be
the
kins-woman
of
the
groom,
and
the
groom's
people
honoured
her
because
they
took
her
to
belong
to
the
bride's
party.
She
managed
to
enjoy
the
hospitality
of
both
parties
for
weeks,
until
someone
with
a
sense
of
curiosity
started
an
enquiry
into
her
bonaOides.
Each
party
disowned
her
and
as
soon
as
the
enquiry
started,
the
lady
disappeared.
The
mind
too
will
disappear
as
soon
as
the
enquiry
starts,
for
it
is
like
cloth
composed
of
the
warp
and
woof
of
yarn.
Each
yarn
is
a
desire,
a
wish,
an
attachment.
Remove
them
and
the
cloth
vanishes.
Delusion
is
the
cotton,
desire
is
the
yarn,
mind
is
the
cloth.
Through
vairaagya
(detach-
ment),
the
warp
and
the
woof
can
be
pulled
out.
The
saadhaka
(spiritual
aspirant)
must
have
as
his
security
personnel,
viveka
(wisdom)
and
vairaagya.
Then
he
can
move
through
the
world
unharmed.
Give
the
world
only
secondary
importance;
the
primary
place
should
be
reserved
for
loosening
its
coils.
The
Jagadjanani
(Mother
of
the
Universe)
will
hurry
towards
you
and
caress
you
only
when
you
cast
off
the
dolls
and
cry.
Yearn
from
the
very
depths
of
the
heart,
yearn
with
your
whole
being.
Leave
no
sesham
(balance)
of
attachment
in
the
mind;
then
only
can
you
get
the
grace
of
Sesha-saayee
---He
who
reclines
on
the
Supernal
Psychic
Serpent.
So,
when
you
read
about
the
prema
of
the
Gopees,
remember
that
all
beings
are
'feminine'
and
the
Lord
alone
is
the
Purusha.
It
is
only
through
prema
that
God
can
be
persuaded
to
reveal
Himself
and
jnaana
earned.
Now
I
must
stop;
because
these
devotees
from
Bangalore
have
put
up
a
Oloral
jhoola
(swing)
and
they
are
insisting
that
I
should
sit
in
it
and
swing.
I
do
not
appreciate
this.
How
happy
I
would
be
to
swing
in
the
jhoola
of
your
hearts!
In
the
jhoola
of
Omkaara,
to
swing
to
the
tune
of
That-
thwam-asi
(thou
art
that)
rising
from
the
hearts
of
living
beings
from
all
the
seven
worlds--how
magniOicent
that
would
be!
You
seat
on
the
jhoola
set
up
in
your
hearts,
not
Maadhava
(God)
but
manas!
That
is
why
mankind
is
denied
peace
and
joy.
The
Olood
Olows
from
the
heights
to
the
depths;
only
the
Olames
of
Oire
do
ever
rise
from
the
depths
to
the
heights.
That
is
why
we
say,
jnaanaagni,
the
Fire
of
Wisdom
or
Realisation.
There
are
millions
of
stars
scattered
all
over
the
Oirmament,
but
we
have
only
darkness
at
night;
during
day,
the
sun
which
is
a
minute
dot
of
light
when
compared
to
most
of
Page 169 of 268
those
stars
gives
us
brilliant
illumination.
The
reason
is:
the
stars
are
far
far
away;
but
the
sun
is
near.
The
star
of
jnaana
is
far
far
away;
we
do
not
bring
it
near,
nor
attain
nearness
to
it.
We
are
content
with
the
dusk,
that
information,
skill,
scholarship
and
intelligence
provide.
We
do
not
seek
the
magniOicent
vision
that
intuition
clariOied
by
saadhana
can
confer.
A
lion
saw
its
image
in
the
limpid
lake;
it
grew
envious
of
another
lion
as
strong,
as
young,
as
Oierce
as
itself;
it
essayed
to
destroy
it,
by
jumping
upon
it
and
tearing
it
to
pieces.
It
was
drowned
in
the
process;
that
is
the
fruit
of
envy.
Others,
who
are
our
own
images,
arouse
envy
and
lead
to
disaster.
Bhakthi
or
the
attitude
of
devotion
and
dedication
makes
you
humble
and
kills
envy;
jnaana
or
the
awareness
of
your
being
an
integral
part
of
God,
who
is
all
this,
makes
you
kin
with
all,
and
there
is
no
place
for
distinction,
which
breeds
envy.
To
remove
the
darkness
of
ignorance,
light
the
lamp
of
the
heart
with
the
oil
of
devotion,
the
wick
of
the
Name
of
the
Lord
and
ignite
it
with
a
Mahaavaakya
(great
Vedhic
dictum).
Let
devotion
help
in
leading
you
to
God,
in
removing
ignorance
of
His
Glory
and
Omnipresence.
Use
it
as
oil
for
the
lamp
of
aanandha.
!
!
The
butter
the
Lord
covets
is
the
fruit
of
yoga,
the
Oinal
product
of
the
churning
of
the
mind
by
viveka.
He
loves
to
feast
upon
it;
and
He
moves
away
with
it
into
the
solitude
of
self-realisation.
We
too
can
discover
the
Lord
through
His
Footprints,
which
can
be
discovered
everywhere,
provided
sincere
search
is
made
with
trained
eyes.
You
can
Oind
the
footprints
wherever
there
is
beauty,
virtue,
humility,
justice,
truth,
love
and
peace.
The
eye
has
to
be
trained
to
discover
the
footprints
of
God;
in
this
process,
the
mind
has
to
be
mastered.
The
mind
is
the
pivot
of
thoughts
and
feelings.
The
mind
is
the
thinking
aspect
of
Brahmam,
the
Absolute
Consciousness.
The
Absolute
Self
manifesting
itself
in
imaginative
activity
is
Mind.
However,
instead
of
turning
towards
the
Absolute,
it
turns
outward
and
starts
using
the
senses
as
its
instrument;
it
forgets
its
source,
the
Aathma.
How
and
why
this
happens
is
inexplicable;
we
know
that
this
happens
and
that
it
can
be
avoided
and
prevented.
The
intellect
cannot
grasp
the
secret
of
worldly
delusion,
which
is
called
maaya,
for
it
too
is
bound
by
it.
One
has
to
transcend
the
intellect
in
order
to
understand
it.
That
is
a
fact
and
the
fact
has
to
be
faced.
The
mind
is
the
background
for
the
world.
If
thoughts
and
activites
of
the
mind
are
sound,
healthy,
non-violent,
Oilled
with
love,
morally
harmonious,
then,
Peace
is
near
at
hand
and
Brahmam
(Supreme
reality)
can
be
attained.
That
is
why
saadhana
is
to
be
strictly
pursued
to
train
the
mind
inward,
towards
God,
its
source.
Remember
the
God
in
whom
you
move,
the
God
who
makes
you
move,
the
God
who
is
all
this
vast
universe,
every
atom,
every
huge
star.
Select
some
Name
and
Form
for
this
all-pervasive,
immanent
God
and
keep
those
on
your
tongue
and
before
your
mental
eye.
That
is
what
is
called
japasahita
dhyaanam
(meditation-cum-
recitation
of
the
Name).
Discourse 38
Seek
refuge
at
the
Feet
of
the
Lord
even
before
the
life-breath
Olies
out
of
the
cage
of
the
body.
It
is
an
open
cage!
Any
moment,
the
bird
may
Oly
into
the
outer
regions.
That
is
the
fact.
The
ignorant
do
not
realise
this;
they
beat
their
drums
and
proclaim
proudly
how
rich
they
are
or
how
happy
they
are,
surrounded
by
their
sons
and
grandsons.
Alas,
the
very
physical
frame
which
is
so
carefully
nourished
since
birth
rots
and
falls
Page 170 of 268
aside.
What
then
shall
we
say
of
those
who
feel
that
these
other
things
are
"mine"?
Theirs
is
but
the
delusion
of
an
insane
mind.
Everything
is
untrue,
everything
is
impermanent;
castles
in
the
air,
constructions
in
dreams.
Contemplate
on
this
Truth
When
the
clouds
that
hide
the
face
of
the
moon
are
wafted
by
the
winds,
the
moon
shines
clear
and
cool;
so
too,
when
the
clouds
of
egoism
are
wafted
away,
the
mind
of
man
will
shine
pure
and
full,
with
its
own
native
light.
That
is
the
stage
of
Bliss.
When
that
is
attained,
there
is
no
more
grief.
Where
there
is
the
lamp,
there
darkness
cannot
exist.
The
lamp
of
jnaana
once
lit
never
dies,
never
fades,
never
Olickers.
The
aanandha
and
the
shaanthi
too
never
fade,
never
Olicker.
But
the
aanandha
and
the
shaanthi
that
men
seek
from
the
objects
of
the
world
prompted
by
their
senses
Olicker
fast
and
fade
and
die.
They
satisfy
for
a
moment
a
foolish
craze.
They
are
attained
through
lust,
anger,
hate
and
envy
and
so,
they
are
false
and
Oickle.
Control
and
conquer
these;
then
only
can
you
acquire
real
Aanandha
and
Shaanthi.
You
can
not
only
acquire
these,
you
can
become
these.
You
should
not
be
ever
entangled
in
the
meshes
of
this
world
and
its
problems.
Try
to
escape
into
the
purer
air
of
the
spirit
as
often
as
you
can,
taking
the
name
of
the
Lord
on
your
tongue.
The
joy
one
has
lost
has
to
be
recovered
from
the
inner
consciousness
which
has
been
covered
by
the
darkness
of
ignorance.
How
can
the
bangle,
lost
in
the
Oield
where
dhal
(lentil)
was
grown,
be
recovered
from
the
vessel
in
which
the
dhal
is
being
boiled?
Search
for
the
joy
in
the
inner
vision;
set
it
right
and
you
can
discover
it
there.
Smarana
must
be
the
unseen
spring
of
every
activity
of
man,
every
minute
of
his
waking
life;
then
it
will
become
the
spring
even
during
dream
and
will
help
the
'I'
during
deep
sleep
to
merge
in
the
'He',
for
ever.
Like
the
mother
whose
attention
and
anxiety
are
centered
on
the
baby
in
the
cradle,
whether
she
is
near
the
well
or
in
the
cow-shed,
in
the
kitchen
or
the
temple,
man
too
has
to
keep
his
mind
at
the
Feet
of
God,
wherever
his
body
may
be.This
state
of
constant
remembrance
can
come
only
through
long
practice;
it
will
not
be
acquired
suddenly.
So,
strive
for
it
steadily.
A
priest
who
was
employed
in
a
Shiva
temple
had
to
go
to
some
village
some
day
and
so
he
asked
his
son
to
do
the
puuja
(ritual
worship)
and
perform
aarathi.
The
son
was
a
novice;
while
doing
aarathi,
he
has
to
wave
in
a
circle
the
lighted
camphor
cube
with
his
right
hand
and
at
the
same
time
ring
a
bell
vigorously
with
his
left
hand.
But
both
his
hands
automatically
made
the
same
movements;
both
waved
round,
or
both
shook
vigorously.
A
little
practice
is
wanted
to
succeed
in
coordinating
the
two
different
movements.
So,
too,
a
little
practice
will
teach
you
to
hold
fast
to
the
Feet
of
God,
while
roaming
about
in
the
world
doing
all
duties
and
carrying
all
responsibilities
as
dedicated
to
Him.
That
sense
of
real
value
must
inOluence
every
choice
that
you
make.
The
lakshya
(goal)
is
God-
realisation,
the
realisation
of
the
reality
over
which
all
this
is
but
appearance.
That
should
not
be
allowed
to
fade.
Reference
was
made
to
the
bond
of
prema
which
binds
you
to
this
place.
Your
prema
towards
Me
and
My
vaathsalya
(affection
of
mother
to
the
child),
these
two
are
the
bonds.
I
have
no
desire
to
keep
you
here
at
the
Prashaanthi
Nilayam;
I
know
you
have
Page 171 of 268
duties
and
obligations
to
individuals
and
institutions
who
depend
on
your
service.
They
are
also
Mine.
I
also
want
to
give
you
the
experience
of
My
being
everywhere,
not
restricted
by
time
or
space,
or
causation.
Discourse 40
I
am
amused
when
I
see
man
behaving
like
this.
He
is
like
the
bird
that
sees
the
lump
of
Olash
and
hops
towards
it,
unaware
of
the
net
which
is
laid
to
trap
it.
Man
is
unaware
of
the
trap,
of
his
being
bound.
Through
the
contemplation
of
the
Name
of
the
Lord,
he
can
escape
from
the
net.
But,
for
the
Name
to
liberate
him,
his
heart
must
be
rendered
pure.
Otherwise,
like
the
untinned
copper
vessel
which
turns
food
cooked
in
it
into
poisonous
stuff,
the
vicious
heart
will
turn
all
discipline
into
springs
of
dire
pain.
People
read
the
Raamaayana
from
beginning
to
end
continously
for
50
or
60
years,
but
they
do
not
evince
even
an
iota
of
the
devotion
of
Hanumaan.
They
make
no
attempt
to
bring
the
Raamaayana
into
their
daily
life.
They
discourse
on
the
bhakthi
of
Hanumaan
or
of
Raadha
or
they
talk
loud
and
long
on
Chaithanya,
but,
of
what
they
speak,
they
do
not
practise
a
bit.
They
sing
songs
on
the
glory
and
the
grace
of
God.
Even
radio
receiver
sets
do;
and
tape
recorders
also
sing.
God
seeks
sincerity
and
steady
faith,
not
outer
pomp
and
show.
Saadhana
is
essential
because
the
effects
of
karma
have
to
be
removed
by
karma
alone,
as
thorn
is
removable
only
by
another
thorn.
You
cannot
remove
it
by
a
knife
or
a
hammer,
or
even
a
sword.
The
knowledge
that
the
world
is
unreal
was
itself
spread
by
Shankaraachaarya
by
means
of
activity
in
the
unreal
world,
the
establishment
of
mutts
and
the
writing
of
books,
the
partaking
in
disputations.
You
cannot
desist
from
karma;
only,
you
have
got
to
take
care
that
it
is
saturated
with
prema
and
promotes
the
welfare
of
the
world.
Discourse 41
Man
is
the
child
of
immortality.
All
men
are
brothers,
for
all
are
speaks
of
the
same
Divine
Flame.
All
the
fundamentally
Aathman;
the
love
for
the
Aathman
and
the
endeavour
to
realise
it
are
the
birthright
of
each
individual.
There
must
be
mutual
love
and
there
must
be
universal
aanandha,
resulting
from
this
mutual
love.
Well;
the
world
itself
is
a
mystery
to
man.
It
is
beyond
the
reach
of
human
intellect
and
imagination.
And,
each
man
is
a
fragment
of
that
mystery.
Of
course
there
are
some
who
have
seen
through
the
nature
of
the
world
and
have
succeeded
in
realising
its
true
condition.
But,
man
neglects
such
sages.
What
then
can
be
do,
to
live
in
peace
upon
it?
Eat,
and
then
you
know
the
taste.
Enter,
and
then
you
know
the
depth.
Consult
them,
and
then
you
get
a
true
sense
of
values.
The
wheel
of
time
revolves
relentlessly
with
no
interval.
The
evil
of
one
day
emerges
as
the
good
of
another
day;
the
morals
of
one
sect
becomes
in
the
eyes
of
another,
immoral.
What
is
right
for
one
is
wrong
for
another.
One
man's
foe
is
another's
friend.
Caught
in
this
trap
of
duality
man
swings
like
a
pendulum,
unaware
of
the
underlying
unity;
he
struggles
with
many
a
fall,
many
a
blind
search,
stumbling
along
the
track
of
life.
He
weeps
and
laughs,
he
rejoices
and
regrets,
he
halts
and
hastens---since
the
beginning
of
his
history.
This
is
the
tale
of
man's
sojourn
on
this
world.
But,
however
hard
the
track,
he
must
sooner
or
later
reach
the
Summum
Bonum,
the
Parampadha
that
is
the
inescapable
destiny.
Samsaara
has
only
some
saara,
that
is
to
say,
a
little
reality,
a
microscopic
quantity
of
truth.
It
is
called
in
the
Bhagavad
Geetha
a
tree
named
Aswattha,
a
name
which
means
'that
which
will
not
exist
another
day'.
This
appellation
brings
out
the
fact
of
illusion,
which
is
mistaken
as
lasting
and
real.
But
being
a
huge
big
tree,
it
can
be
destroyed
only
by
the
axe
of
jnaana
or,
as
the
Geetha
says,
by
jnaana-agni
(Oire
of
spiritual
wisdom).
Prema
is
enough
to
realise
the
Supreme.
Prema
is
the
absence
of
hate,
absence
of
dislike
and
prejudice;
it
also
means
the
positive
virtues
of
sympathy
and
affection,
so
that
you
grieve
when
others
grieve
and
exult
when
they
are
happy.
God
has
four
qualities
and
it
is
only
when
you
cultivate
them
that
you
can
understand
Him.
They
are-
Divine
love
(prema),
Beauty
(soundarya),
Sweetness
(maadhurya),
and
Splendour
(shobha).
The
development
of
prema
is
enough
to
add
unto
you
the
other
three.
When
you
are
so
full
of
love
for
the
divine
in
all
creation,
that
stage
is
beauty;
when
you
are
immersed
in
the
sea
of
Universal
Love
you
reach
the
acme
of
sweetness;
when
your
mind
loses
its
identity
and
merges
in
the
Universal
Mind,
then
there
is
splendour
indescribable.
Whatever
you
do
in
the
spiritual
Oield,
you
should
do
it
as
a
spiritual
exercise,
with
full
knowledge
of
its
signiOicance
for
progress.
Many
people
do
not
know
that
Om
or
Pranava
is
the
merging
together
of
three
sounds,
A,
U,
and
M.
When
you
write
GOD,
you
do
not
pronounce
it
jeeohdee,
you
voice
it
as
GOD.
So
too,
AUM
is
pronounced
Om.
Om
has
a
sequel,
of
a
fading
M
sound
which
Oinally
tapers
into
silence,
a
silence
that
is
felt
and
experienced.
The
pranava
was
taught
to
every
child
as
the
very
Oirst
sound,
when
it
was
initiated
into)
the
alphabet.
We
call
letters
akshara---the
unchanging.
Om
is
the
symbol
of
the
unchanging,
eternal,
universal,
supreme
God.
So
that
was
the
very
Oirst
letter
taught
to
the
children
of
India.
Now
Om
has
given
place
to
A,
B
and
C.
Om
is
the
sound
of
the
movement
of
the
stars
in
the
Oirmament;
it
is
the
sound
that
manifested
when
the
dawn
of
creative
Will
stirred
the
Niraakaara
(the
Attributeless)
into
activity.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
every
little
disturbance
of
equilibrium
produces
sound,
however
minute.
The
meeting
of
the
eyelids
when
the
eye
winks
results
in
sound,
however
faint.
There
are
inOinitesimally
faint
sounds
which
no
ear
can
hear.
So,
you
can
understand
that
when
the
Elements
originated
and
Creation
started,
the
sound
Om
was
produced.
That
sound
is
the
primal,
the
primeval
One.
When
you
are
in
the
dual
world-Ting
to
overcome
the
duality,
you
identify
'Him'
with
'yourself'
by
the
japam
of
soham;
when
the
'I'-consciousness
and
the
'He'-
consciousness
disappear,
you
repeat
only
Om,
that
is
to
say,
Soham
minus
Sah
(He)
and
aham
(I).
In
the
Geetha,
the
Lord
has
assured
that
the
person
who
dies
with
the
Pranava
Oilling
his
last
breath
is
sure
to
be
liberated.
Of
course,
mere
calling
to
memory
is
of
no
beneOit.
The
sound
'OM'
will
not
help
when
the
mind
is
Olitting
from
one
desire
to
another;
and
weeping
over
the
imminent
departure
from
the
world
and
shivering
at
the
world
to
come,
how
can
the
sound
help?
The
glory
of
OM
has
to
be
apprehended
throughout
life,
if
it
is
to
stand
out
before
the
mind
at
the
moment
of
departure.
Krishna
too
does
not
say
that
whoever
among
men
who
pronounce
the
Pranava
at
the
moment
of
death,
etc.
The
word
He
uses
is,
whoever
without
any
qualiOication
of
sex.
He
does
not
say,
whoever
who
is
authorised"
or
whoever
among
the
deserving.
The
clear
intention
of
the
Lord
is
to
encourage
women
as
well
as
men
to
take
up
Pranava-
upaasana
(contemplation
on
OM).
You
will
have
seen
that
I
do
not
discourage
any
one
from
the
upaasana.
It
is
the
royal
road
to
spiritual
victory,
which
all
are
entitled
to
use.
Page 173 of 268
Once
man
is
free
from
undue
attachment
to
the
body
and
its
appurtenances,
he
is
liberated
also
from
the
pulls
of
joy-grief,
good-bad,
pleasure-pain,
etc.
He
is
Oirmly
established
in
equanimity,
fortitude,
undisturbed
balance.
Then
man
discovers
that
the
world
is
one
kin,
in
God;
that
all
is
Joy,
Love,
Bliss.
He
realises
that
he
himself
is
all
this
apparent
world,
that
all
the
multifarious
manifestations
are
the
fantasies
of
the
Divine
Will,
which
is
his
own
reality.
This
expansion
of
one's
individuality
to
cover
the
ends
of
the
Universe
is
the
highest
leap
of
man.
It
gives
supreme
aanandha
(bliss),
an
experience
for
which
sages
and
saints
spent
years
of
prayer
and
asceticism.
Discourse 44
Devoid
of
the
principle
of
Godhead,
no
activity
can
be
worth
while.
Brahmam,
the
Universal
Absolute,
is
all
this;
It
is
the
source,
the
substance,
the
sense;
it
is
as
cotton
in
the
cloth,
mud
in
the
pot,
wood
in
the
chair,
the
basic
substance.
One
must
be
established
in
the
awareness
of
this
fundamental
Unity,
not
simply
be
carried
away
by
the
apparent
multiplicity
of
Name
and
Form.
The
multiplicity
is
unreal.
It
is
temporary,
evanescent.
Is
man
a
bundle
of
the
senses?
Is
he
just
the
physical
frame?
Is
he
the
mind?
Or
is
he
consciousness,
with
all
it
levels?
Where
did
all
these
come
from?
Where
are
they
journeying
to?
How
far
can
one
decide
the
shape
of
one's
journey?
These
are
the
questions
to
seek
answers
for.
Now
you
run
about
asking
every
one
you
meet,
"Who
are
you?"
but,
you
seldom
stop
to
ask
yourself,
"Who
am
I?"
You
are
drawn
by
the
news
of
the
world,
not
by
news
of
your
own
inner
world.
Of
what
avail
is
all
the
knowledge
you
gather,
if
the
knowledge
about
yourself
is
absent?
The
truth
is:
man
has
emanated
from
the
Aathma
thathwa,
the
Brahmam;
he
has
to
rejoin
I.
As
the
waters
of
the
sea
evaporate
and
form
clouds
to
fall
as
rain
and
Olow
as
streams
and
rivers
to
rejoin
the
sea,
so,
man
too
must
reach
the
source,
after
all
this
peregrination!
Now,
man
is
unaware
of
the
"From
address"
and
of
the
"To
address"!
He
knows
only
the
address
where
he
is.
One
can
know
the
two
addresses
only
by
contact
with
the
good
and
the
godly.
Attach
yourself
to
the
good
and
earn
detachment;
detachment
will
liberate
you
from
illusions;
that
will
make
you
steady
in
the
faith,
in
the
Principle;
that
faith
will
liberate
you.
So,
certain
disciplines
have
to
be
followed
to
realise
the
truth
about
oneself.
This
is
emphasised
in
Sanaathana
Dharma.
But,
due
to
political
and
cultural
forces,
Sanaathana
Dharma(Eternal
Religion)
itself
is
being
neglected.
The
goal
of
life
should
be
the
earning
of
Aathmic
faith.
That
alone
confers
great
joy,
that
alone
is
true
religion.
People
glibly
say
that
religion
too
is
a
convention
of
man,
fashioned
for
the
moment.
Page 174 of 268
No,
religion
is
much
more
useful
than
that,
much
more
established.
It
is
rooted
in
intelligence,
individual
discrimination.
It
insists
on
unity
of
all
this
in
one
basic
principle,
Brahmam.
It
does
not
advocate
or
preach
difference
and
manifoldness.
The
question
may
arise,
why
then
all
this
distinction,
this
superiority
and
inferiority,
when
all
are
activised
by
the
same
Brahmam:
That
is
a
question
dealing
with
the
outer,
the
exterior
aspects
of
man.
In
the
basic
substance,
there
is
no
high
or
low;
the
difference
is
caused
by
difference
of
the
instrument,
the
upaadhi
(the
container).
The
current
is
the
same,
but
the
wattage
of
the
bulb
differs
and
causes
the
difference
in
light.
People
say
that
the
body
is
real,
that
it
is
permanent,
that
the
senses
give
correct
information,
that
the
emotions
are
real.
The
mind
has
to
be
Oixed
on
any
object
so
that
it
can
be
seen
or
heard
or
become
the
target
for
any
sense.
The
eye
for
example
is
the
bulb
in
the
torch
(body);
the
switch'
is
concentration;
if
the
mind
does
not
concentrate,
the
eye
cannot
see.
No
object
has
any
particular
taste;
the
malarial
tongue
feels
all
sweet
things
bitter.
The
ajnaana---afOlicted
mind
will
feel
objects
to
be
pleasurable
and
permanent.
The
ajnaana
has
to
be
overcome
by
means
of
spiritual
discipline.
Sanaathana
Dharma
teaches
us
the
method;
but,
we
have
started
ridiculing
our
own
culture
and
extolling
other
systems
and
faiths.
Really
speaking,
there
is
no
other
system
or
faith.
All
religions,
all
faiths
are
but
phases
or
facets
of
the
same
Universal
Faith
and
Discipline.
It
is
like
the
seven
blind
men
who
examined
the
elephant
and
described
it
to
others.
The
man
who
held
the
tail
in
his
hand
saw
it
as
a
snake;
the
man
who
felt
the
leg
said
it
was
a
pillar;
the
man
who
examined
only
the
ear
swore
that
the
elephant
was
like
a
winnowing
basket.
This
story
has
a
deep
inner
meaning.
The
Aathma
is
one,
but,
each
one
sees
a
fraction
and
judges
it
differently.
It
is
the
integrated
sum
of
each
of
these
facets
of
reality.
We
must
strive
for
this
victory.
People
boast
that
they
know
much,
but,
of
what
use
is
all
that
knowledge
if
they
do
not
put
into
practice
and
win
peace
and
contentment?
Fundamentally,
the
inquiry
that
makes
living
worth
while
is,
"Where-from
have
I
arrived?
Whither
am
I
going?"
King
Janaka
used
to
gather
many
rishis
in
his
palace
and
take
delight
in
discussing
with
them
about
spiritual
problems;
he
was
a
great
adept
at
saadhana
and
he
attained
the
highest
stage
of
samaadhi
through
Raaja
yoga.
One
day,
while
in
the
midst
of
the
court,
with
the
Queen
and
the
maids,
even
while
he
was
conversing
with
them,
he
fell
asleep.
He
had
a
dream,
during
that
sleep.
He
dreamt
that
he
was
deprived
of
his
kingdom,
that
he
was
roaming
half-mad,
hungry
and
deserted
in
the
jungle,
begging
for
food
from
whoever
he
met,
that
he
came
upon
some
men
washing
dishes
and
vessels
after
a
feast
which
they
had
shared,
that
he
ran
towards
them
seeking
some
crumbs,
that
they
gave
him
some
little
quantity
of
rice
scraped
from
the
vessels,
that
he
was
about
to
put
it
into
his
mouth
when
a
big
bird
Olew
in
and
swooped
it
out
of
his
grasp;
so,
he
yelled
in
pain
and
grief,
and
the
Queen
heard
it
and
she
woke
him
up.
Of
course,
when
he
woke,
he
knew
he
was
the
King.
He
remembered
that
a
second
previously,
he
was
a
beggar.
"which
is
real?
This
or
that?"
he
wondered.
He
questioned
within
himself,
which
is
real,
this
or
that?
To
every
one
who
inquired
what
the
matter
was,
he
put
the
same
question.
"Am
I
a
king
or
a
beggar?"
He
wanted
each
one
to
tell
him
which
was
real.
The
queen
and
others
were
frightened
at
this
behaviour;
they
sent
for
the
ministers
and
with
them
came,
Ashtaavakra,
the
preceptor.
He
discovered
the
situation
as
soon
as
he
saw
the
King;
so,
to
the
question
that
the
King
put
him,
he
answered,
"Raaja!
This
is
unreal;
that
is
unreal;
you,
who
experienced
this
as
well
as
that,
you
alone
are
real."
You
too
have
spent
this
day
in
various
activities
and
now
you
are
listening
to
My
words
and
feeling
happy.
How
long
is
this
real?
Only
until
you
go
home,
spread
your
beds
and
sleep.
The
waking
stage
is
real
until
the
sleeping
stage;
the
sleeping
stage
is
real,
until
the
waking
stage.
But,
both
are
unreal,
because
one
cancels
the
other.
So,
why
take
life
so
seriously,
so
frantically?
All
efforts,
all
talk,
all
pleasures
end
with
the
graveyard.
Every
step
takes
man
nearer
to
that,
not
farther.
Then,
why
revel
while
living,
believing
this
to
be
real
and
lasting?
Devotion
implies
faith
in
God.
Without
that
faith,
man
lowers
himself
to
the
level
of
birds
and
beasts;
he
does
not
live
up
to
the
faculties
that
he
is
endowed
with.
A
tiny
bird
that
perches
on
a
bough
is
not
scared
when
the
bough
sways
in
the
gale.
Why?
Because
it
relies
not
on
the
bough,
but,
on
its
wings.
You
on
the
other
hand
rely
on
the
grip
you
have
on
the
branch
of
samsaara,
or
the
world
and
its
ramiOications;
you
do
not
rely
on
the
Aathma
or
the
God
within,
who
buoys
you
up.
That
is
the
reason
why
any
little
shake
in
the
bough
frightens
you.
Have
faith
in
your
Divinity,
in
Divinity
as
such,
and
nothing
can
harm
you.
That
is
the
crucial
skill
you
must
develop.
A
man
was
crossing
the
Ganges
in
a
boat;
he
asked
the
boatman
if
he
had
no
watch
and
when
he
laughed
at
it,
the
man
said,"
No;
need
or
no
need,
whether
you
know
how
to
consult
a
watch
or
not,
unless
you
own
a
watch,
a
quarter
of
your
life
is
as
good
as
having
gone
into
the
Ganges."
Sometime
later,
he
asked
the
boatman
whether
he
had
a
radio
receiver
and
when
he
learnt
that
he
did
not
possess
one,
he
said
that
another
quarter
of
his
life
can
as
well
be
considered
sunk
in
the
Ganges.
'"You
are
not
up-to-
date
at
all;
every
one
worth
anything
has
a
barber's
box
contrivance
called
transistor
hanging
round
his
neck
at
the
end
of
a
strap."
A
few
minutes
later,
he
asked,
whether
he
read
any
newspaper
and
when
the
boatman
apologised
for
his
illiteracy
and
his
lack
of
interest
in
news,
the
man
squarely
said
that
another
quarter
of
his
life
can
be
pronounced
to
be
liquidated
in
the
waters
of
the
Ganges!
Just
then,
the
overcast
sky
became
dark
and
furious
and
forks
of
lightning
threatened
a
thunder-storm
and
a
heavy
downpour
of
rain;
it
was
now
the
turn
of
the
boatman
to
ask
a
question.
He
said,
"Do
you
know
swimming?"
and
when
the
man
pleaded
that
he
did
not
have
the
skill,
the
boatman
replied,
"In
that
case,
your
whole
life
is
as
good
as
liquidated.
Learn
the
art
of
swimming
across
the
sea
of
life,
with
its
waves
of
success
and
failure.
That
is
the
real
skill
to
acquire.
Discourse 45
The
wise
hold
that
there
is
another
gain
which
is
far
more
desirable---attaining
the
Presence
of
God,
merging
in
the
Supreme
Bliss
that
God
is,
liberating
oneself
from
the
little
pleasures
which
divert
us
from
the
pursuit
of
the
highest
pleasure,
Divine
Bliss
To
slake
your
thirst,
you
do
not
crave
for
all
the
waters
of
all
the
rivers;
a
glassful
sufOices.
Similarly,
one
lime
act
of
surrender
is
enough
to
win
His
Grace
for
ever.
Years
of
asceticism
or
study
or
saadhana
are
not
called
for.
"You
and
nothing
else,"
Oix
this
in
the
mind
and
live
in
that
conviction.
That
will
transmute
all
your
acts
into
worship
invaluable
puuja.
First,
self-assurance
that
you
are
dhaasoham
(I
am
his
instrument);
then,
through
the
winning
of
His
Grace,
the
consciousness
that
you
are
Shivoham
(I
am
Shiva)
or
Soham
(I
am
That)
will
become
your
unshakable
experience.
To
grasp
this
grand
truth
of
the
immanence
of
Godhead
(Sarvam
Vishunumayam
Jagath),
the
Oirst
path
is
bhakthi
(devotion).
For,
generally
through
bhakthi,
when
it
is
intensiOied,
one
sees
in
all,
the
Page 176 of 268
form
of
God
that
he
reveres.
It
is
difOicult
to
understand
the
Adhwaithic
conception
that
"My
reality
and
the
Reality
of
the
Universal
are
the
same."
"I
am
That";
this
can
be
realised
only
through
the
sharp
intellect
and
clear
discrimination.
This
cannot
be
established
in
the
consciousness,
by
external
argument
or
efforts.
One
has
to
be
an
adept
in
dhyaana
and
vichaara
(meditation
and
enquiry).
Once
the
illness
of
a
rich
lord
was
diagnosed
by
stranger
monk
as
a
defect
in
the
eye
and
he
was
advised
to
cast
his
eyes
on
a
single
colour
only.
The
lord
collected
all
the
paint
he
could
get
and
all
the
painters
of
the
region
and
daubed
everything
green---walls,
roofs,
fences,
roads,
tree
stumps.
When
the
monk
returned
after
some
months,
he
was
surprised
at
the
stranger
appearance
of
the
town.
He
asked
the
lord
the
reason
for
this
and
he
was
told
that
it
was
in
accordance
with
his
own
prescription!
The
monk
chided
him
for
taking
all
that
trouble
and
spending
all
that
money,
for,
he
could
have
gained
the
same
end
by
putting
on
a
pair
of
green
glasses!
When
the
vision
is
clariOied
into
Brahma
thathwam,
then,
all
will
be
seen
as
the
One
Basic
Brahmam.
No
amount
of
external
asceticism
or
attire
can
instill
that
conviction.
The
basic
Brahmic
unity
makes
every
one
equal;
this
equality
can
be
realised
only
at
that
high
level
of
experience.
Until
then,
all
talk
of
treating
all
as
equal
to
one
another
is
more
self-deceit.
Why,
even
such
a
simple
thing
as
the
advice
to
speak
the
truth
leads
to
complications
which
can
be
resolved
only
by
compromise.
There
are
people
who
complain
that
their
devotion
to
the
Lord
is
limited
and
shaped
by
the
wordly
bonds
that
bind
them.
It
is
not
the
world
that
binds
them;
it
is
they
who
bind
themselves
to
the
world!
People
trap
monkeys
by
placing
big
pots
with
small
mouths
in
the
gardens
and
putting
some
groundnuts
inside
them.
Then
they
wait
nearby.
The
monkeys
come
and
put
their
hands
inside
the
pots
and
Oill
their
Oists
with
the
nuts.
Now,
they
Oind
that
the
hands
full
of
nuts
cannot
be
taken
out
of
the
pot,
for
the
mouth
is
too
small
for
the
Oists.
In
this
helpless
condition,
they
can
be
caught
easily.
They
fall
a
prey
to
the
trappers.
If
only
they
drop
the
nuts,
they
could
escape
from
the
burden
of
the
pot
and
get
free.
But
the
attachment
to
the
nuts
spelt
disaster
to
them.
So
too,
man
gets
attached
to
sense-objects
which
he
is
loth
to
give
up
and
so,
he
gets
entangled
in
the
world
forgetting
the
purpose
for
which
he
has
come.
This
is
the
supreme
ignorance.
You
must
try
to
make
the
best
use
of
the
time
allotted
to
you.
You
do
not
try
to
Oind
out
what
you
were
before
birth,
after
birth,
and
after
death.
The
potter
digs
up
clay
to
make
his
pots;
that
creates
a
pit
but,
before
his
house,
the
clay
has
become
a
heap.
And
after
the
process
on
the
wheel,
they
become
pots,
which
become
clay
again,
when
they
break
and
disintegrate.
Clay
persists
in
the
pit,
the
heap
and
the
pots.
The
pots
are
short-
lived
and
so,
they
represent
the
jeevas,
the
individuals.
Clay
is
the
Brahmic
substance,
which
underlies
all
creation.
Know
this
and
get
established
in
the
Absolute.
Vol. 7!
Discourse 1 (Sri Sathya Mandali, Guindy, Madras)
But
if
you
only
ponder
for
a
minute,
you
will
realise
that
every
second
is
new.
Every
second
marks
a
new
birth;
it
is
a
fresh
chance
for
achieving
a
new
victory.
For,
the
goal
as
envisaged
by
Indian
culture
is
the
realisation
of
the
Aathma
by
the
individual,
not
the
acquisition
of
wealth
or
scholarship
or
fame.
The
chief
duty
of
man
is
investigation
into
Truth.
Truth
can
be
won
only
thorough
dedication
and
devotion.
And
they
are
dependent
on
the
Grace
of
God,
which
is
showered
only
on
hearts
saturated
with
Love.
Page 177 of 268
The
question,
"Where
does
God
exist,"
is
often
trotted
out
by
people
nowadays.
By
unceasing
recitation
of
the
Name
of
God,
Prahlaadha
knew
that
God
is
everywhere;
it
is
not
correct
to
assert,
"He
is
only
here"
or
that
"He
is
not
there."
The
realisation
of
this
Truth
can
come
only
after
intense
saadhana
(spiritual
practice).
You
may
see
all
kinds
of
attractive
articles
in
a
departmental
store;
they
cannot
be
yours
merely
for
the
asking.
Only
those
articles
for
which
you
pay
the
price
can
be
secured
by
you.
Realisation
may
be
an
attractive
article
for
you
to
carry
home
with
you;
but,
you
have
to
pay
the
price.
It
cannot
be
yours
if
you
have
only
argument
of
appeals
in
your
possession.
Of
course,
you
have
to
be
in
the
world,
but
you."
need
not
be
of
it.
The
attention
has
to
be
Oixed
on
God,
the
God
within.
In
the
Kannada
country,
there
is
a
festival
called
Karaga.
The
central
Oigure
of
this
holy
rite
keeps
many
pots
on
his
head,
one
over
the
other,
and
moves
in
the
procession,
keeping
step
with
the
music;
he
has
also
to
sing
in
tune
with
the
rest
and
keep
time
to
the
beat
of
the
drum.
But,
all
the
while,
he
has
his
attention
Oixed
on
balancing
the
precarious
tower
on
his
head.
So,
too,
man
must
keep
the
Goal
of
God-realisation
before
him,
while
engaged
in
the
noisy,
hilarious
procession
of
life.
People
boast
that
they
are
interested
only
in
inquiry
and
reason,
that
they
follow
only
the
path
of
jnaana
(spiritual
knowledge).
They
aspire
to
be
jnaanis
(liberated
persons
possessing
spiritual
knowledge)!
But
jnaana
cannot
be
won
without
a
pure
mind.
He
must
discover
who
he
is,
before
he
ventures
upon
the
inquiry,
"Who
is
God?"
Once
he
has
discovered
who
he
is,
there
is
no
need
to
know
who
is
God,
for,
both
are
the
same.
When
you
come
to
know
that
God
is
in
you,
you
will
value
yourself
much
more,
for
when
a
man
knows
that
the
piece
of
'glass'
he
has
picked
up
is
a
diamond,
he
will
keep
it
in
an
iron
safe,
for
better
security.
When
a
boulder
has
been
carved
by
a
sculptor
into
a
charming
idol
of
God,
it
will
be
prized
high
and
installed
in
a
magniOicent
temple
and
worshipped
with
ritual
ceremony
by
generations.
It
is
Maayaa
(illusion)
that
makes
man
take
the
Naama
and
Ruupa
(the
name
and
the
form)
as
real.
Attachment
is
born
out
of
this
Maayaa
only.
It
acts
like
a
veil
to
hide
the
reality
behind
all
this
multiplicity.
Maayaa
is
the
vesture
of
Maadhava
(God);
he
who
believes
it
to
be
true
is
Maanava
(Man).
By
saadhana,
a
man
can
escape
from
the
enticement
of
Maaya
and
realise
that
it
is
all
false,
for
it
does
not
subsist
for
all
time.
Thyaaga
(renunciation)
alone
can
grant
the
immortality
of
merging
in
God.
You
must
be
unaffected,
ever
in
calm
joy,
in
the
inner
depths;
it
does
not
matter
if
the
waves
play
on
the
top,
heaving
and
falling,
for
that
is
but
the
action
of
wind
upon
water!
Do
not
lose
the
inner
equanimity;
maintain
it
with
all
your
strength.
How
long
can
you
stagnate
in
the
same
class?
Have
you
no
wish
to
get
promoted
to
the
next
higher
class?
In
Bhakthi
(devotion),
there
are
two
classes,
Sahajabhakthi
and
Viseshabhakthi.
Sahajabhakthi
is
satisOied
with
worship,
bhajan,
naamasmaran,
vratha
(group
singing,
remem-
brance
of
Lord,
vow-keeping),
pilgrimage,
etc.
Viseshabhakthi
craves
for
purity
of
character,
suppression
of
impulses,
practice
of
daya,
prema,
shaanthi,
ahimsa
(compassion,
love,
peace
and
non-violence),
etc.,
and
inquiry
into
the
why
and
wherefore
of
man.
It
is
a
matter
of
shame
that
people
stick
to
the
same
class
year
in
and
year
out.
Then
there
is
another
higher
class
named
Paraabhakthi,
too.
Four
friends
once
started
dealing
in
cotton.
They
had
a
godown
for
the
storage
of
the
bales;
Oinding
that
the
cotton
seeds
attracted
rats
into
the
godown,
a
cat
was
introduced
by
them
to
scare
the
rodent
throng.
They
tied
jingles
to
her
feet
and
since
they
loved
it
much,
the
jingles
were
of
gold!
Once,
when
the
cat
jumped
from
the
top
of
the
pile
of
bales,
it
started
limping
on
one
foot.
So
they
applied
some
balm
and
tied
a
long
strip
of
bandage
round
the
injured
foot.
The
bandage
got
loose
and
the
cat
unaware
of
the
long
narrow
cloth
she
was
trailing
behind
her,
sat
near
the
Oireplace.
When
the
cloth
began
to
burn,
she
ran
helter-skelter
and
Oled
into
the
godown
itself,
where
the
entire
stock
of
cotton
was
reduced
to
ashes
in
a
trice.
The
four
friends
had
assigned
to
themselves
each
one
of
the
feet
of
the
joint
cat
and
the
injured
foot
belonged
to
one
Of
them;
so
the
other
three
charged
him
with
the
damages
which
they
claimed
from
him.
The
matter
went
to
court
and
after
hearing
arguments
on
both
sides,
the
judge
said,
"The
injured
leg
has
no
responsibility,
for
it
was
taken
into
the
godown
with
the
trail
of
Oire
by
the
three
healthy
feet.
So,
damages
have
to
be
paid
by
the
owners
of
the
healthy
feet
to
the
owner
of
the
limping
foot."
What
may
thus
appear
correct
at
Oirst
sight,
might
prove
wrong
on
second
thoughts.
There
is
a
correctness
from
the
worldly
point
of
view
and
a
correctness
from
God's.
Find
out
what
the
point
of
view
of
God
would
be,
by
association
with
godly
men;
they
can
give
you
proper
advice.
You
should
seek
and
not
avoid
good
men.
Let
His
Will
be
done---this
should
be
your
guide-line.
The
Emperor
of
the
Cholas
sought
to
visit
the
Shrirangam
Gopuram
Temple,
of
which
he
had
heard
much.
He
got
his
chariot
ready
and
moved
forward
many
times
in
six
months;
but
every
time
a
recluse
in
ochre
robes
with
a
rosary
round
his
neck
and
a
halo
around
his
head
intercepted
the
vehicle.
When
the
emperor
alighted
to
honour
him,
he
kept
him
engaged
in
conversation
which
was
so
enchanting
that
he
forgot
his
journey
and
its
goal.
One
day,
when
he
lamented
over
his
failure
to
Oill
his
eyes
with
the
glory
of
Shrirangam,
the
Lord
appeared
before
him
and
said.
"Why
do
you
lament?
I
am
the
Master
who
came
to
you
so
often
as
soon
as
you
set
out
for
Shrirangam;
recognise
Me
in
all,
that
is
the
genuine
pilgrimage
to
Shrirangam."
Consider
all
whom
you
meet
as
the
Lord
of
Shrirangam,
your
Master.
Show
untarnished
Prema
towards
all
who
come
to
you.
Just
as
you
prescribe
minimum
qualiOications
for
every
profession,
the
minimum
qualiOication
for
Grace
is
surrender
of
egoism,
control
over
senses
and
regulated
aahaara
and
vihaara
(food
and
recreation).
There
are
two
roads
to
fulOilment'
Praarthana
and
Dhyaana---Prayer
and
Meditation.
Prayer
makes
you
a
supplicant
at
the
Feet
of
God;
meditation
induces
God
to
come
down
to
you
and
inspires
you
to
raise
yourselves
to
Him.
It
tends
to
make
you
come
together,
not
place
one
in
a
lower
level
and
the
other
on
a
higher.
Dhyaana
is
the
royal
road
to
liberation
from
bondage,
though
by
prayer
too,
you
earn
the
same
fruit.
Page 179 of 268
Meditation
needs
concentration,
after
controlling
the
claims
of
the
senses.
You
have
to
picture
before
your
inner
eye
the
Form
on
which
you
have
elected
to
contemplate.
Or,
as
Indhra
Devi
has
said
now
and
as
she
is
teaching
her
pupils
in
the
West,
you
can
elect
to
meditate
on
a
Flame,
a
steady
straight
Flame
of
Light.
Picture
it
as
spreading
on
all
sides,
becoming
bigger
and
bigger;
enveloping
all
and
growing
in
you,
until
there
is
nothing
else
except
light.
In
the
glory
of
that
all-enveloping
Light,
all
hate
and
envy,
which
are
the
evil
progeny
of
darkness,
will
vanish.
Know
that
the
same
jyothi
or
light
is
in
all.
Even
he,
whom
you
were
treating
as
your
worst
rival,
has
the
selfsame
light
in
his
innermost
heart.
When
you
see
in
a
house,
on
the
walls
of
the
shrine
room
a
picture
of
Mine,
do
you
not
feel
a
wave
of
reverence
and
kinship,
surging
within
you?
You
may
not
like
him
for
any
other
reason,
but
this
picture
will
bring
him
closer
to
you
though
the
owner
of
the
house
may
be
your
rival
in
the
professional
Oield.
So,
too,
know
that
every
other
person
has
in
his
heart
of
hearts
a
picture
of
the
God
you
revere.
Invitations
are
sent
out,
bands
strike
music,
Olags
are
hung,
guests
are
fed,
announcements
are
made---all
with
the
intention
of
having
many
witnesses
for
the
marriage
of
the
groom
with
the
bride.
Similarly,
festivals,
holy
days,
vows,
rites,
pilgrimages,
fasts
are
to
invoke
the
blessings
of
the
good
and
the
godly
upon
the
marriage
of
the
soul
with
the
Oversoul.
The
fundamental
rite
is
simple;
the
recognition
by
the
soul
that
it
is
the
Oversoul
overcome
by
the
illusion
that
it
is
not.
That
is
the
stage
of
Samaadhi,
equal
awareness,
equipoise,
levelness
of
consciousness
devoid
of
ups
and
downs.
Merge
yourself
with
the
whole
of
creation;
allow
the
whole
of
creation
to
enter
the
portals
of
your
mind
in
one
happy
joyful
family
re-union.
Envy,
which
like
a
mistletoe
saps
vitality
out
of
all
Saadhana,
can
creep
in
only
when
you
feel
your
neighbour
as
different,
distinct,
disturbing.
You
do
not
feel
your
hand
as
a
nuisance,
because
it
is
yours,
a
part
of
you.
Your
neighbour
is
also
as
much
you.
All
men
are
lamps
lit
from
the
same
Olame
which
is
God.
From
one
tiny
seed,
the
giant
banyan
tree
bearing
billions
of
tiny
seeds
is
born.
God
alone
knows
the
secret
of
His
mighty
Majesty.
Out
of
the
one
seed
called
Brahma,
all
this
Universe
has
emanated,
with
each
country
as
its
branches
and
each
individual
as
one
single
seed.
That
is
why
it
is
said
that
Ishwara
resides
in
the
region
of
the
heart
in
all
beings.
The
seed
is
hard
inside
the
fruit;
when
the
fruit
gets
rotten,
the
seed
does
not
rot.
The
Aathma
is
unaffected
by
changes
in
the
complexion
of
the
body.
Man
has
come
with
a
deOinite
allotment
of
time
to
engage
himself
in
activities
which
will
award
him
Liberation
and
merge
him
in
the
Universal
of
which
he
is
a
drop.
Remember
this
mission.
If
for
any
reason,
say,
a
train
journey,
you
are
Unable
to
keep
to
the
schedule,
remember
at
the
same
hour
Prashaanthi
Nilayam,
recall
to
memory
the
thrill
of
dhyaana
there
at
that
hour
and
Oill
yourselves
with
the
holiness.
That
will
give
as
much
joy
as
real
dhyaana
at
Prashaanthi
Nilayam.
Know
that
the
external
is
only
the
reOlection
of
the
internal.
The
bimba
(object)
is
inside
and
the
external
world
is
but
its
prathi-bimba
(images).
See
the
Lord
within;
see
the
world
as
the
reOlections
He
casts.
This
jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom)
alone
grants
liberation--
-Jnaanaath
eva
thu
kaivalyam.
The
aspirant
who
goes
along
the
path
of
bhakthi
Oinds
at
the
gate
of
the
mansion
of
the
Lord,
the
Mastiff,
maaya,
blocking
his
entry.
He
has
to
cry
out
in
his
helplessness,
"Swaami,
come
and
take
me
in,"
so
that
the
Lord,
out
of
His
divine
pity,
comes
down,
pushes
the
Mastiff
aside
and
gives
him
lasting
refuge
in
His
Presence.
The
jnaani
Page 180 of 268
(liberated
person),
on
the
other
hand,
overcomes
the
Mastiff
by
becoming
himself
the
same
as
the
Master.
Indhra
Devi
said
that
when
you
meditate
on
the
Lamp
and
the
Flame,
you
must
visualise
that
the
Light
spreads
and
illumines
the
parents,
kinsmen
and
later,
friends
and
even
enemies.
There
is
no
need
to
remind
yourselves
of
physical
relationships,
which
are
causal;
convince
yourselves
that
the
light
within
you
is
spreading
all
around
you,
encompassing
all,
lighting
millions
of
lamps
in
all
lands
and
climes.
Remove
the
hardness,
the
imperviousness
that
hides
and
smothers
the
light
inside
you;
that
is
the
most
difOicult
and
the
most
essential
task
for
the
aspirant.
The
Aathmajyothi
(Light
of
Self)
will
shine
only
when
the
Dhehabhraanthi
(false
idea
of
body)
is
absent.
How
can
the
Aathma
shine
when
you
identify
yourselves
with
material
encasement?
The
reality
is
Param-aathma
(Super
Consciousness)
only.
It
had
the
Oirst
inkling
of
desire
Ekoham
bahusyaam---"Being
One,
let
many
become";
and
all
this
manifested
from
It,
of
It,
by
It.
For
there
was
nothing
other
than
It.
This
body
is
like
the
earthen
lamp,
in
which
the
impulses
inherited
from
previous
births
are
the
oil
and
the
ego
is
the
wick.
When
Jnaana
lights
it
up,
the
oil
is
consumed
more
and
more
quickly
and
the
lamp
burns
brighter
and
brighter.
Finally,
when
all
the
oil
is
exhausted,
the
wick
too
is
burnt
out.
The
earthen
lamp
is
then
thrown
away
and
becomes
dust.
Do
not
try
to
start
as
an
adept
in
social
service
unless
you
have
won
this
Aanandha
and
Shaanthi
yourself.
First
self;
then,
help.
Love
is
God;
live
in
Love.
People
ride
on
elephants
into
wild
life
sanctuaries
to
watch
elephants!
Being
on
elephants
they
seek
elephants
somewhere
else.
So,
too,
man
being
himself
the
residence
of
God,
seeks
God
outside
himself,
in
the
complex
entanglements
of
Nature.
Yoga
is
chiththa
vriththi
nirodha---the
cutting
off
of
all
agitations
on
the
lake
of
one's
inner
consciousness.
Nothing
should
cause
a
wave
of
emotion
or
passion
on
the
calm
surface
or
in
the
quiet
depths
of
one's
awareness.
This
state
of
equanimity
is
the
hall-
mark
of
Jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom).
Saadhana
(Spiritual
discipline)
is
the
drug
and
Vichaara
(Inquiry)
is
the
regimen
that
will
cure
man
of
all
waywardness
and
agitation.
The
process
of
meditation
on
the
Light
of
the
Lamp
which
Indhra
Devi
has
told
you
has
to
be
understood
thus
Oirst
feel
that
you
are
in
the
Light;
then,
proceed
to
the
realisation
that
the
Light
is
in
you;
later,
become
aware
that
you
are
the
Light,
no
more,
no
less.
But
it
is
easier
and
better
to
project
the
light
which
you
Oirst
visualise
within
you,
to
the
outside
world,
illumining,
more
and
more
of
the
world,
and
visualising
them
all
as
soaked
in
the
Divine
Glory
that
is
in
you
too.
When
you
feel
you
are
all
Light,
you
will
have
no
weight;
everything
will
be
bright.
That
is
why
on
the
Prashaanthi
Flag,
the
Aathma-jyothi
is
represented
as
emanating
from
the
Hridhayakamala
when
the
Lotus
blooms
at
the
Oirst
touch
of
the
rays
of
the
Sun,
Jnaana.
You
can
have
other
things
besides
Light
to
overcome
the
darkness.
Anything
that
awakens
the
awareness
of
the
Universal---the
InOinite,
the
lmmanent,
the
Transcendent,
All
pervasive,
Vast,
Brahman---is
beneOicial.
You
can
have
some
Form
of
the
Universal,
like
Krishna
whose
blue
colour
is
redolent
with
the
vast
deep
sky
or
sea.
Contemplate
on
that
Form,
picture
it
in
your
mind,
spend
time
slowly
and
with
full
attention
on
that
holy
picturisation
....
peacock
feather,
the
kasthuuri
(black)
dots,
the
brows,
the
eyes,
the
nose,
the
nose-stud
of
pearl,
the
mouth,
lips,
teeth,
the
Olute-Oh,
you
can
spend
hours
painting
Him
on
the
canvas
of
your
heart.
(Your
attention
will
wander
far
in
the
initial
stages,
but
do
not
lose
heart).
It
is
a
very
proOitable
exercise
to
sublimate
your
thoughts
and
feelings.
Every
minute
spent
in
this
dhyaana
will
take
you
one
step
nearer
Liberation,
nearer
Mokshapuri,
the
'City
of
God,'
of
Freedom
from
Bondage.
You
are
forsaking
your
real
mother
and
attaching
yourselves
to
the
aayahs
(maids)
who
fostered
you.
Your
real
mother
is
Sai,
who
has
affection
untouched
by
ego.
That
is
why
Raamakrishna
cried
out
for
Her
and
for
Her
grace.
There
is
in
every
one
an
inner
urge
goading
him
forward
to
the
merger
in
his
own
reality,
as
a
river
is
led
along
to
the
sea
by
the
compulsion
of
the
Olow.
The
pendulum
will
swing
from
Oight
to
left,
only
when
you
wind
the
clock.
Leave
off
winding,
it
will
come
to
a
halt.
So
too,
the
mind
will
waver
from
Oight
to
wrong,
from
mirth
to
moan,
only
when
you
urge
it
on
and
encourage
it.
Desist
from
winding
the
mind;
it
will
cease
its
antics.
Disappointments
and
distress
are
like
the
skin
of
the
plantain,
to
protect
the
taste
and
allow
the
sweetness
to
Oill
the
fruit.
In
such
dire
straits,
let
your
mind
dwell
on
the
splendour
of
the
Aathma
and
its
majesty;
that
will
keep
you
alert
and
brave.
The
antics
of
the
senses
and
the
mind
can
be
arrested
by
the
whip
of
Aathmajnaana
(wisdom
of
the
true
Self).
Do
this
concentration
of
your
reality
every
day
in
Dhyaana.
When
the
mind
of
man
is
unattached
to
the
ups
and
downs
of
life,
but
is
able
to
maintain
equanimity
under
all
circumstances,
then
even
physical
health
can
be
assured.
The
mental
Oirmament
must
be
like
the
sky,
which
bears
no
mark
of
the
passage
through
it
of
birds
or
planes
or
clouds.
You
may
ask,
"Swaami!
When
you
Oind
a
person
behaving
wrongly,
viciously,
how
can
we
love
him?
How
can
we
revere
him,
as
you
want
us
to?"
In
such
a
situation
consider
one
thing:
Who
is
it
who
committed
that
wrong?
What
is
it
that
prompted
the
act?
Who
did
the
deed?
The
body
did
it.
What
prompted
the
body?
The
mind.
Why
was
he
forced
to
do
it?
Through
the
inOluence
of
his
karma,
the
cumulative
effect
of
his
activities
and
attitudes
through
many
lives
in
the
past.
The
Aathma
in
him
is
unattached,
to
any
deed
or
motive.
That
Aathma
is
Divine;
love
that,
revere
that.
That
is
My
answer.
To
put
in
simpler
terms:
you
observe
a
big
portrait
of
Swaami
over
the
entrance
of
a
house,
as
you
walk
along
the
road.
You
Oind
that
it
is
the
house
of
a
person,
who
is
your
relentless
foe!
But,
do
you
revere
the
portrait
any
the
less,
because
the
owner
of
the
house
does
Page 182 of 268
not
deserve
your
love?
Of
course,
you
love
the
portrait,
you
revere
it,
wherever
it
is.
Is
it
not?
So
too,
revere
the
Aathma
in
every
one;
it
is
the
God
residing
in
each.
Practising
meditation
in
silence
and
solitude,
one
can
in
due
course
establish
silence
and
solitude
in
the
heart,
even
in
the
busiest
thoroughfares.
The
state
of
the
Indian
nation
can
be
summarised
in
the
proverb:
"Father
is
happy
with
his
second
wife;
children
miserable
with
their
step-mother."
The
technological
civilisation
of
the
West,
the
culture
that
places
the
standard
of
living
in
a
more
honourable
place
than
the
means
by
which
that
standard
is
attained,
the
culture
that
Olies
to
the
moon
but
is
afraid
to
peep
into
the
mind,
has
become
the
favourite
wife;
the
children
who
are
to
be
fed
on
mother's
milk
of
Sanaathana
Dharma
(the
eternal
religion),
are
miserable,
for
they
have
no
training
to
secure
it.
Born
to
a
rich
heritage,
the
children
are
growing
up
destitute
and
helpless.
Each
one
is
the
repository
of
Divine
Might,
of
the
Imperishable
Aathma.
Contacting
this
Reality
is
the
prime
purpose
of
life.
But,
this
is
neglected;
precious
days
are
spent
in
inferior
pursuits.
Raamakrishna
Paramahamsa
bewailed
every
night
that
one
more
day
had
gone
by
without
His
being
able,
by
His
prayers,
to
visualise
the
Mother
as
a
living
Mother.
That
is
the
yearning
that
man
must
cultivate,
not
the
competitive
greed
for
sensory
pleasures
that
are
false
and
Oleeting.
Life
is
a
short
and
fast-Olowing
chance;
you
will
have
to
put
every
minute
to
the
best
use:
that
is,
the
discovery
of
your
own
Reality,
which
gives
you
the
highest
joy.
Do
not
spend
time
inquiring
about
the
whence
and
wherefore
of
others.
Inquire
about
yourselves.
What
is
the
sanctity
of
Shivaraathri?
You
answer,
"Linga
emerges
from
Swaami's
Udhara
(abdomen)."
In
fact,
the
Linga
is
in
every
one
of
you.
In
the
Angam
(body)
there
is
Jangam;
(in
the
body
composed
of
limbs,
there
is
always
the
movement
of
the
mind
towards
the
external
objects);
in
Jangam,
there
is
Sangam
(through
this
movement,
there
arises
attachment);
in
Sangam
there
is
Lingam
(through
attachment
and
consequent
suffering,
the
individual
learns
the
need
for
and
the
efOicacy
of
the
Linga,
or
God,
who
is
His
innermost
core).
Witness
the
Aathma
Linga
(Spirit
of
the
Soul)
that
emerges;
derive
bliss
therefrom.
But,
make
yourself
worthy
for
deriving
it.
WHEN
the
word
'Lamp'
is
uttered,
darkness
does
not
vanish;
when
a
patient
is
told
of
the
properties
of
a
drug,
his
illness
is
not
cured
by
attentive
listening;
when
a
man
suffering
the
agonies
of
penury
is
told
of
the
various
ways
in
which
funds
can
help
him
to
overcome
it,
he
does
not
feel
a
bit
relieved;
a
hungry
man
is
hungry,
even
after
hearing
a
tasty
description
of
a
magniOicent
banquet.
If
Sanaathana
Dharma
(the
eternal
religion)
is
extolled
to
the
skies,
as
the
cure
for
all
the
individual,
social
and
national
discontent
prevalent
among
mankind,
the
discontent
will
not
decrease
a
bit.
You
must
extol
it
with
faith;
extol
it
out
of
the
depth
of
your
experience.
You
have
to
experience
it
and
stand
witness
to
its
validity;
you
have
to
attain
the
state
of
perfect
and
lasting
joy.
Instead,
you
have
ignored
the
cure
and
thus
heightened
the
disease.
For
what
end
is
all
this
effort
in
life?
You
spend
great
effort
in
inviting
your
kith
and
kin,
in
decorating
home,
in
preparing
a
feast,
in
providing
music
and
dance,
all
for
the
Page 183 of 268
marriage
of
the
bride
and
the
groom
so
that
they
may
live
together
happily
ever
afterwards,
isn't
it?
So
too,
all
the
earning
and
spending,
all
the
yearning
and
sighing,
all
the
reading
and
reciting,
are
for
the
individual
to
be
wedded
to
the
Universal,
from
which
it
has
broken
away,
so
that
it
may
have
bliss
for
ever.
The
Universal
can
be
cognised
in
the
wink
of
an
eye;
the
Bliss
is
available
within
a
Olash;
but,
you
have
to
know
the
technique.
But
God
cannot
be
won
by
tricks
or
through
short
cuts.
He
can
be
won
only
by
the
hard
way
of
straggle,
detachment
and
tough
discipline.
Yearn
desperately
for
Him,
cling
steadfastly
to
Him,
Oill
your
mind
with
His
Form,
His
Majesty,
His
Glory
and
His
Grace.
Man
is
innately
Divine;
the
Divine
comes
automatically
into
his
consciousness.
But
the
curtain
of
maaya
(illusion)
prevents
that
thrilling
contact,
that
illumining
revelation.
This
maaya
is
also
a
Divine
ArtiOice,
it
is
a
vehicle
or
Upaadhi
of
the
Lord.
There
is
a
story
that
once
the
Lord
got
angry
with
maaya
and
wanted
'her'
to
disappear,
for
people
are
being
led
astray
by
her
wiles.
Maaya
said,
it
seems,
"I
am
the
veil
that
you
wear;
I
am
the
fog
that
has
arisen
out
of
your
own
will;
I
am
as
widespread
as
You
are;
I
am
wherever
You
are;
give
me
a
place
where
You
are
not;
I
shall
take
refuge
there."
Each
one
of
you
can
tear
the
veil
by
attaining
the
knowledge
of
the
Reality
of
God;
or,
you
can
plead
by
prayer
to
the
Lord
Himself
to
lift
it
a
little
so
that
you
may
have
a
vision
of
His
Reality.
Move
about
in
the
world
like
an
actor,
but
be
conscious
all
the
time
that
you
are
on
the
way
home,
to
be
with
the
Lord
from
whom
you
have
come.
Whenever
the
feeling
that
the
drama
is
real
enters
the
mind,
deny
it
Oirmly.
Do
not
identify
yourself
with
the
role
that
you
play.
Such
identiOication
will
retard
your
progress.
You
must
learn
and
practise
what
is
called
Vibhaaga-yoga
in
the
Geetha.
What
does
Vibhaaga
mean
as
in
the
Geetha
expression
Kshehtra-Kshethrajna-Vibhaaga-Yoga?
Vibhaaga
means
division,
differentiation,
discrimination,
separation
of
one
thing
from
another.
Understand
the
distinction
between
the
Kshethra
(the
body,
the
Oield)
and
the
Kshethrajna
(the
Knower
in
this
body),
He
who
is
aware
of
all
that
happens,
who
is
witness,
the
Dehi
(the
embodied)
who
is
above
all
the
dualities
of
pleasure
and
pain,
good
and
bad.
Man
feels
that
he
is
the
master
of
the
Universe
and
that
the
Universe
is
existing
only
under
his
sufferance.
How
then
can
he
have
peace?
This
conceit
will
bring
about
his
fall;
man
must
be.
humble
and
realise
that
he
knows
so
little;
even
about
himself.
Without
the
knowledge
of
his
own
self,
What
is
all
the
lumber
now
Oilling
his
brain
worth?
Make
yourself
humble,
pure,
useful
for
others.
That
way
lies
peace
and
joy.
In
the
Oirmament
of
the
heart,
the
Names
of
God
must
shine
as
stars
and
the
conOidence
arising
out
of
the
knowledge
of
Aathma
must
shine
like
the
Moon
when
it
is
full
and
bright.
The
highest
awareness
to
which
all
spiritual
effort
leads
is:
"Brahma
sathyam,
Jagan
mithya"---
"Brahman
is
real,
the
world
is
mythical."
Every
atom
and
cell
is
a
bundle
of
energy,
expressing
the
Divine
will.
Matter
and
energy
are
not
really
separate.
It
is
all
one
Will
concretising,
pervading,
prompting
and
continuing.
To
experience
the
world
as
such,
one
must
transcend
all
dual
categories
and
reach
the
unique,
unitary
base,
identifying
It
and
establishing
oneself
in
It.
When
the
eye
is
Oilled
with
Jnaana
(Vision
of
God),
the
world
will
be
seen
as
Brahman
(the
Eternal
Absolute).
Then
the
world
and
Page 184 of 268
the
entire
complex
of
being
and
becoming
will
assume
one
colour,
the
Brahman
colour,
and
you
will
have
perfect
equanimity,
unaffected
by
any
modiOication.
No
mirror,
no
image!
There
is
only
the
Person,
the
Bimba,
alone.
Yearn
to
reach
that
stage
of
perfect
unshaken
Bliss.
This
stage
can
be
known
and
appreciated
only
when
you
strive
to
be
in
the
company
of
Saadhakas
(spiritual
aspirants)
and
Saints.
When
a
sandalwood
tree
is
felled
by
an
axe,
the
axe
edge
too
smells
of
sandal!
That
is
the
nature
of
the
good:
they
bless
even
those
who
harm
or
malign
them.
It
is
the
height
of
foolishness
to
lose
faith
in
God
when
some
one
you
cared
for
dies.
The
sentence
that
he
earned
is
over
and
he
is
released.
No
one
is
born
and
allowed
to
live
for
the
sake
of
another.
Life
is
a
battle;
the
battle
is
fought
until
victory.
The
goal
of
victory
is
the
'Crown'
of
Aathma,
the
'Sovereignty'
of
the
Realm
of
Liberation.
That
is
attained
and
won
by
the
process
laid
down
in
Vedhaantha.
Vedhaantha
is
the
consummation
or
the
Oinale
of
the
Vedhas.
Milk
when
curdled
is
rendered
separable
into
butter
and
whey,
and
butter
when
melted
and
clariOied
becomes
ghee;
ghee
is
the
Oinale,
the
anta
(the
Oinal
stage)
of
milk.
So,
do
not
call
yourself
as
a
Dheena
(weak
person);
how
can
you
be
a
dheena
when
you
are
endowed
with
dhhee?
(Dhhee
indicates
Intelligence,
Discrimination).
With
this
dhhee
as
support,
start
your
saadhana,
without
wasting
precious
time
in
wails.
That
is
the
highest
duty
you
owe
to
yourselves.
The
saadhana
can
be
to
realise
God
as
Formless
(Nirguna)
or
with
Form
(Saguna).
When
one
walks,
the
right
foot
and
left
foot
are
both
necessary,
you
cannot
hop
long,
on
one
foot!
The
Saguna
Saadhana
and
the
Nirguna
Saadhana
are
as
the
two
feet.
When
the
pilgrimage
is
over
and
the
shrine
has
to
be
entered,
place
'the
right
foot
forward!
The
right
foot
is
towards
the
Nirguna
Saadhana--
the
Formless
aspect
of
God.
Sow
in
the
Oield
of
your
heart
the
seeds
of
good
thoughts,
charged
with
humility;
irrigate
it
with
the
waters
of
Love;
protect
the
growing
crop
with
the
pesticide
called
Courage;
feed
the
crop
with
the
fertiliser.
Concentration;
then,
the
'bhakthi'
(devotional)
plants
will
yield
the
harvest
of
jnaana,
the
eternal
wisdom,
that
You
are
He,
and
when
that
revelation
comes,
you
become
He,
for,
you
were
always
He,
though
you
did
not
know
it
so
far.
In
spiritual
matters,
faith
is
the
very
essence.
Doubt
shakes
the
foundations
of
saadhana
and
is
therefore,
to
be
avoided.
Have
faith
in
the
wisdom
of
the
ancients;
do
not
pitch
you
tiny
little
brain
against
the
intuitions
of
the
saints
and
their
discoveries.
THIS
land
of
Bhaarath
is
indeed
a
holy
country.
Here
the
sages
have
sought
to
discover
the
means
of
peaceful
life,
of
happy
life
in
communities
of
men,
of
a
type
of
life
that
will
put
an
end
to
grief.
They
discovered
and
taught
the
Aathmavidhya
(Science
of
the
Self),
the
chief
component
of
which
is
Prema
or
Love.
God
is
.where
Love
is---Love
expressed
as
sympathy,
charity,
reverence,
affection,
sacriOice.
God
is
Love,
Premamaya,
Premaswaruupa,
Premabhaaskara
(full
of
love,
Embodiment
of
Love,
Sun
of
love),
as
He
is
described
by
those
Who
have
realised
Him.
So,
He
can
be
attained
only
through
Love.
Page 185 of 268
I
always
advocate
deep
inquiry
to
strengthen
the
foundations
of
faith.
Inquiry
will
only
reinforce
the
springs
of
Love.
Can
there
be
anything
more
lovable
than
God,
who
is
Beauty,
Strength,
Glory,
Fame,
Splendour,
Wisdom,
in
their
fullest
bloom?
Love
of
God
creates
in
man
the
love
for
all
examples
of
His
majesty,
His
mercy,
His
magniOicence,
His
manifoldness.
Raamakrishna
saw
in
a
Olower
His
charm;
He
saw
everywhere
His
grandeur;
heard
from
every
throat
His
melody,
His
Flute
song.
Even
Oilth
and
wickedness
are
loved,
for
God
allows
them
to
be!
The
great
men
and
women
of
this
land
did
not
waste
their
lives
into
the
pursuit
of
earthly
possessions,
but
cast
them
off
as
encumbrances
hampering
progress
on
the
path
to
God.
They
abdicated
thrones
and
kingdoms,
renounced
war,
learnt
philosophy
on
battleOields
and
trekked
far
and
wide
in
search
of
spiritual
guides.
Like
men
who
had
forgotten
their
names,
they
asked
the
wise
who
they
were,
until
they
knew
their
identity.
They
did
not
ask
all
whom
they
met,
as
most
men
do,
"Who
are
you?,"
but
inquired
from
all
the
wise
men
they
met,
"Please
tell
me
who
I
am."
That
is
the
way
to
acquire
full
content
and
peace.
The
I
is
the
foundation
on
which
you
build
your
Divinity
and
the
Mansion
of
Dharma
(righteousness).
This
truth
can
be
known
through
Karma
and
Upaasana
(activity
and
dedication,
deeds
and
devotion)
which
purify
and
clarify.
Just
as
water
and
Oire
get
transformed
into
steam,
which
moves
a
locomotive
and
drags
heavy
wagons
along
the
rails,
Karma
and
Upaasana
generate
Jnaanam
(spiritual
knowledge),
which
moves
man's
life
smoothly
along
the
rails
of
Peace
and
Joy.
Karma
and
Upaasana
create
detachment;
they
teach
the
true
sense
of
values;
man
learns
that
peace
can
be
won
only
by
withdrawing
the
mind
from
the
objective
world,
not
by
allowing
it
to
graze
in
the
poisonous
meadows
of
sensual
pleasure.
The
teachings
of
these
ancient
seekers
attracted
the
respect
of
men
like
Dhara
Shukoh,
the
brother
of
Aurangzeb,
as
well
as
women
like
his
sister,
Zebunnissa
Begum.
Dhara
had
the
Upanishadhstranslated
into
Persian;
he
adored
them
as
the
highest
wisdom.
Zebunissa
was
also
an
ardent
student
of
the
same
culture.
One
day,
when
her
maid
was
holding
the
mirror
to
her
while
combing
her
hair
after
her
bath,
it
slipped
and
broke.
She
was
morally
afraid
to
be
near
her
mistress
and
stood
shivering
in
dread
of
her
anger.
But
the
Princess
consoled
her
saying,
"Why
worry
over
the
damage
to
the
mirror?
Even
the
body
to
which
all
these
articles
cater
is
liable
to
damage
and
destruction."
Like
a
bird
that
sees
a
lump
of
Olesh
in
the
far
distance,
but
does
not
notice
the
net
spread
over
it
to
catch,
man
too
sees
but
the
charms
of
material
objects;
he
does
not
notice
the
entanglements
which
they
cause.
You
say,
"Seeing
is
believing;
I
believe
in
God
only
if
I
see
Him,
but
are
all
things
seen
or
heard
or
touched
or
tasted
as
real
as
they
seem?
Is
it
the
eye
that
sees?
Your
eye
may
be
open
and
turned
in
that
direction,
but
if
your
mind
is
wandering
elsewhere,
you
will
not
notice
anything
at
all.
You
see
things
only
through
the
illumination
of
the
Aathma;
you
love
only
because
the
Aathma
is
Love;
you
know
because
the
Aathma
is
knowledge.
You
have
shaanthi,
for
the
Aathma
is
the
source
and
repository
of
shaanthi.
All
the
manifold
rules,
regulations,
limitations,
directions,
do's
and
donts,
have
just
this
aim:
to
merge
the
soul
with
the
Oversoul---the
Jeevaathma
with
the
Paramaathma.
The
Shaasthras
prescribe
yama
(various
forms
of
abstention
from
evil-doing),
niyama
(disciplined
observances),
aasana
(physical
posture),
praanaayaama
(control
of
breath),
prathyaahaara
(withdrawal
of
the
mind
from
sense
objects),
dhyaana
(meditation)
and
samaadhi
(super-conscious
state
of
absorption
in
the
Aathman),
etc.,
as
limbs
of
Yoga;
besides
japam
(repetition
of
Lord's
name
or
mystic
formulae),
shravanam
(listening
to
God's
glory),
mananam
(recapitulation
of
what
was
heard),
nidhidhhyaasana
(constant
musing
on
God's
glory),
etc.---all
with
this
one
end
in
view---
of
merging
the
Jeevaathma
with
Paramaathma.
Spiritual
saadhana
is
like
a
duel
with
a
tiger,
maaya;
it
is
like
playing
with
Oire,
maaya.
By
means
of
the
hammer
strokes
of
joy
and
grief,
the
iron
piece
is
shaped
into
a
hollow
vessel,
so
that
it
may
not
sink
in
the
sea
of
maayaa
(world
illusion).
Mix
honey
and
sea
water;
the
concoction
will
be
undrinkable.
In
the
same
way,
do
not
mix
the
nectarine
Grace
of
the
Lord
with
the
greed
for
sensual
pleasures.
Develop
Prajnaana---the
pure,
unsullied
vision
of
Reality;
then
you
can
visualise
the
One
that
is
appearing
as
this
Many.
Prajnaanam
Brahma,
says
the
Vedha;
"the
constant
integrated
awareness
is
Brahma."
It
is
that
by
which
the
intelligence
integrates,
that
by
which
the
senses
co-operate
in
bringing
about
workable
conclusions.
The
physical
body
and
the
Prajnaana
are
related
through
the
senses
and
the
intelligence.
When
man
and
God
operate
together,
like
the
positive
and
the
negative,
Prajnaana,
the
current,
is
generated.
It
is
this
Prajnaanam
that
establishes
in
you
the
conviction,
Aham
Brahmaasmi,
I
am
Brahman;
not
that
there
are
two
entities,
Aham
and
Brahman,
but,
as
in
syrup,
where
water
and
sugar
have
merged,
Aham
has
merged
in
Brahman
and
there
is
only
one
entity,
Brahman.
The
Saama
Vedha
has
the
great
statement,
Thath
thwam
asi
(That
thou
art),
meaning
'What
which
is
beyond
Ruupa
and
Naama
(name
and
form)
is
you,
who
now
pitiably
differentiate
yourself
and
feel
distinct,
by
means
of
name
and
form,
two
transient
changing
insignia
of
individuality."
Contemplation
on
these
grand
expressions
of
the
Truth
Oills
one
with
inexplicable
joy.
Not
being
aware
of
these
and
their
sweetness,
man
misses
the
great
opportunity.
The
Prashaanthi
Vidwanmahaasabha
is
designed
to
bring
this
rich
treasure
to
the
door
of
every
one
in
this
world,
for
every
one
is
entitled
to
it.
Not
only
these;
the
Geetha,
the
Raamaayana,
the
Mahaabhaaratha,
the
Bhaagavatha---these
too
contain
the
message
of
God;
they
should
also
be
taken
to
the
doors
of
every
man.
He
must
be
fed
on
it,
so
that
he
may
grow
in
health
and
strength,
courage
and
conOidence;
because
this
is
something
which
once
you
get,
you
can
never
lose'
Jnaana
(Self-Knowledge).
There
is
another
thing
which
if
you
once
lose,
you
can
never
get
back;
that
is,
maaya.
There
is
a
third
thing,
which
you
can
never
get,
for
it
is
You
yourself;
you
can
never
lose
also,
for
it
is
You
yourself
that
is
Brahman.
He
said
that
Sathya
Sai
Baaba
knows
all
that
happens
in
all.
That
is
because
I
am
in
every
one---Ishwarah
sarvabhoothaanaam---as
the
scriptures
say.
This
current
is
in
every
bulb;
only,
some
are
of
low
wattage,
some
of
high
wattage.
There
is
no
fundamental
difference
between
Jeevaathma
and
Paramaathma.
The
Upaadhis
(vestures)
or
bulbs
have
differences
in
power,
depending
on
the
Oilament
and
its
strength.
The
cow
eats
grass;
the
pig
eats
offal,
the
lion
eats
Olesh.
That
is
the
speciality
of
the
Upaadhi;
how
can
there
be
any
comparison
or
competition
between
these?
This
world
is
the
jungle
in
which
you
roam;
fear
is
the
lion,
which
drives
you
up
the
tree
of
samsaara---worldly
activities.
Anxiety
is
the
bear
that
terriOies
you
and
dogs
your
Page 187 of 268
steps
in
samsaara,'
so,
you
slide
down
into
attachments
and
binding
deeds,
through
the
twin
roots
of
hope
and
despair.
The
two
rats
are
day
and
night,
which
eat
away
the
span
of
life.
Meanwhile,
you
try
to
snatch
a
little
joy
from
the
sweet
drops
of
egoism
and
'mine-feeling.'
Finding
at
last
that
the
drops
are
trivial
and
out
of
reach,
you
shout
in
the
agony
of
the
renunciation,
calling
on
the
Guru;
the
Guru
appears,
whether
from
within
or
without,
and
saves
you
from
fear
and
anxiety.
All
the
sufferings
of
man
today
can
be
traced
to
this
false
sense
of
values.
First
things
must
come
Oirst.
First,
self;
then,
help.
Nowadays,
people
start
helping
others
on
the
spiritual
path
without
traversing
that
path
themselves.
So
both
the
guide
and
the
led
fall
into
the
pit.
Serve
yourself
Oirst,
that
is
to
say,
understand
who
you
are,
whither
you
are
going,
whence
you
came
and
why
you
journey.
After
having
discovered
the
answers
to
these
questions
from
the
scriptures,
the
sages
and
one's
own
undisputed
experience,
man
can
dare
lead
others.
People
also
are
not
trained
to
recognise
the
true
from
the
false,
the
temporary
from
the
eternal,
the
right
from
the
wrong,
the
socially
beneOicial
from
the
socially
harmful.
They
dismiss
all
old
customs
and
manners,
old
texts
and
rites,
as
useless
simply
because
they
are
old;
they
adopt
new
customs
and
fashions
simply
because
they
are
new.
Time
is
a
good
tester;
things
that
have
stood
the
criticism
of
centuries,
the
blows
of
many
alien
cultures,
the
attractions
of
strange
fancies---
these
must
have
an
essential
core
of
truth
and
validity.
How
can
this
stage
of
yoga
be
attained?
The
Geetha
proposes
to
teach
just
this.
Its
Oirst
word
is
Dharma
and
its
last
word
is
mama
(mine).
It
teaches
every
one
who
studies
it
mama
dharma---
"my
dharma,"
"my
duty,"
"my
responsibility
to
myself."
And
what
is
that?
Yoga.
How
is
this
yoga
to
be
attained?
By
surrendering
to
God,
dedicating
every
word,
thought
and
deed
to
God,
by
effacing
one's
will
and
accepting
His
Will
and
leaving
all
initiation
of
activity
to
His
Prompting,
all
execution
to
His
Direction
and
all
consequences
thereof
to
His
Plan.
"Give
up
all
'right'
and
'wrong'
and
surrender
your
will
to
Me.
I
shall
save
you
from
falling;
I
shall
guard
you
against
grief'---this
is
the
assurance
the
Geetha
gives,
that
is
the
prop
you
need.
Surrender
can
be
effected
only
after
the
perfection
of
detachment
from
sensual
pleasures,
accompanied
by
discrimination
between
the
real
and
the
unreal.
The
taints
of
"I"
and
"Mine"
have
to
be
removed
by
rigorous
saadhana;
chief
among
the
disciplines
being
Naarnasmarana,
because
when
you
dwell
on
the
names
of
the
Lord,
His
Majesty,
His
Grace,
His
Potency,
His
Pervasiveness,
these
get
Oixed
in
the
consciousness
and
one's
own
capacities
and
capabilities
get
eclipsed
in
the
Divine.
So,
humility
increases
and
surrender
is
possible
quite
easily.
This
is
the
very
purpose
of
human
existence,
to
Page 188 of 268
see
God
and
merge
in
His
Glory.
All
other
victories
are
futile.
The
Vedhas
proclaim
this
to
be
the
Oinal
goal
of
man.
The
Upanishadhs
declare
the
path.
The
Geetha
illumines
it.
The
saints
and
sages
proclaim
its
grandeur.
Avathaars
come
when
people
stray
from
it
and
get
lost
in
the
wilderness
and
the
wastes.
The
Lord
does
not
insist
on
all
men
following
one
path
and
accepting
one
discipline.
There
are
many
doors
to
His
Mansion.
The
main
entrance
is,
however,
moha-kshaya
(the
overcoming
of
attachment).
This
is
what
Krishna
exhorted
Arjuna
to
achieve.
Arjuna
lost
heart
and
allowed
the
bow
to
slip
from
his
hand,
because
he
was
overwhelmed
by
a
deluding
type
of
attachment.
Krishna
had
to
demonstrate
to
him
that
the
kinsmen
whom
he
dreaded
to
kill,
the
teachers
whom
he
wished
to
live,
those
whom
he
loved
and
hated,
all
were
but
instruments
of
His
Will,
puppets
pulled
by
His
Hand.
This
destroyed
his
attachment
and
he
resumed
his
task,
without
any
attachment
to
the
consequences.
That
made
him
the
recipient
of
the
greatest
lesson
in
history.
This
lesson
is
valuable
for
the
theist
as
well
as
the
atheist,
for
both
have
attachment
to
the
consequences
of
their
tasks,
an
attachment
which
will
colour
their
eagerness
and
double
the
distress
when
disappointed.
Moha-kshaya
is
necessary
for
both
Aasthikaas
(theists)
and
Naasthikaas
(atheists),
in
order
to
secure
lasting
joy.
When
the
tree
of
life
sends
its
roots
into
the
Aathmic
reality,
the
unchanging,
eternal,
universal,
immanent
entity
of
which
the
individual
is
but
a
spark,
it
will
Olourish
grandly,
yielding
fragrant
blossoms
of
loving
service,
sweet
fruits
giving
nourishment
and
joy
to
all,
the
sweetness
of
virtue
rendering
every
bite
and
chew
delightful.
This
does
not
mean
that
you
have
to
renounce
hearth
and
home
and
Olee
to
the
forest.
There
is
no
guarantee
that
the
hearth
and
home
will
not
follow
you
into
the
silence
and
solitude
of
the
forest;
for,
if
your
mind
clings
to
worldly
desires,
you
cannot
escape
them
by
simply
putting
some
distance
between
you
and
them.
You
may
be
in
the
jungle,
but
your
mind
may
wander
in
the
market
place.
Similarly,
you
may
be
in
the
market
place,
but
by
Saadhana
you
can
still
secure
a
patch
of
peace
in
the
heart
in
the
midst
of
the
busiest
thoroughfare.
But
do
not
believe
that
you
can
by
means
of
Seva
re-form
or
re-shape
the
world.
You
may
or
you
may
not.
That
does
not
matter.
The
real
value
of
Seva,
its
most
visible
result,
is
that
it
reforms
you,
reshapes
you.
Do
Seva
as
a
Saadhana;
then
you
will
be
humble
and
happy.
Do
not
strut
about
that
you
are
improving
others;
improve
yourself.
Make
Seva
an
extension
of
your
Japam
and
Dhyaanam---Japam
and
Dhyaanam
put
into
practice,
so
to
say.
How
can
any
one
contemplate
on
a
God
who
loves
the
poor
and
the
grief-stricken
and
yet
be
cold
when
the
poor
and
the
stricken
are
around
him?
External
beauty
and
charm
are
Olimsy,
they
are
ephemeral.
Real
beauty
consists
in
virtue,
self-
control
and
selOlessness.
Sundaram
(beauty)
arises
from
Shivam
(goodness)and
Shivam
from
Sathyam
(Truth).
Be
guided
by
this
rule.
A
sevak
must
be
neither
elated
nor
dejected;
he
must
adhere
to
the
middle
path.
When
Raama
asked
Hanumaan
to
proceed
towards
the
Southern
region
and
described
the
dangers
of
the
route,
he
was
not
dejected;
when
He
gave
him
the
ring
to
be
handed
over
to
Seetha,
he
was
not
elated
that
he
had
been
chosen
for
the
supreme
task
and
given
the
glorious
chance.
He
just
obeyed.
SufOicient
unto
him
was
the
order
of
his
Master,
Page 189 of 268
"Go."
Hanumaan
is
the
ideal
volunteer;
efOicient,
humble,
silent,
serviceable,
intelligent,
eager,
devoted.
Sanaathana
Dharma
is
the
only
religion
that
declares
that
there
is
no
religion
that
can
be
labelled
'one
and
only.'
It
says
that
all
religions
are
but
facets
of
the
'one
and
only.'
It
says
that
all
Names
are
names
of
God,
that
all
Forms
are
but
His
Forms.
No
religion
can
claim
to
represent
fully
the
Universal,
Eternal,
Truth.
This
is
the
teaching
of
Sanaathana
Dharma.
Therefore,
if
any
one
Oinds
fault
with
another's
faith,
he
is
casting
a
slur
on
his
own
faith.
If
any
one
defames
another
religion,
he
only
reveals
his
ignorance
of
the
nature
of
religion
and
the
glory
of
God.
It
(Education)
is
the
process
by
which
man
makes
the
best
of
his
own
inner
equipment,
his
Anthahkarana
(inner
consciousness),
to
know
himself.
It
should
open
his
inner
eye,
more
than
his
outer;
the
outer
must
reveal
the
glory
of
God,
the
inner
must
reveal
the
God
within.
Food
must
contribute
to
the
development
of
the
head;
the
head
must
discover
the
existence
of
God
everywhere.
Faith
in
the
God
within
him
who
makes
him
say,
I,
I,
I,
when
referring
to
what
he
was
made
to
say
and
act
and
do
by
the
prompting
from
within---
faith
is
the
sustenance
on
which
Love
and
Courage,
Contentment
and
Joy
grow.
Children
can
be
easily
made
aware
of
this
inner
I,
which
has
the
body
as
its
apparel;
they
will
grow
in
mutual
love
and
cooperation
with
all
men
of
all
lands,
when
they
Know
that
colour
and
caste
are
but
apparel
which
do
not
affect
the
real
Reality.
The
education
of
the
emotions
and
the
control
of
passions
are
both
included
in
the
deOinition
of
Yoga,
the
spiritual
discipline
that
puriOies
the
intelligence.
To
penetrate
the
thick
fog
that
ignorance
spreads
over
Reality,
the
intelligence
must
be
built
on
the
basis
of
virtue.
When
Karma
(action)
is
done
as
dedication
and
Upaasana
(worship)
is
done
as
the
essential
for
very
life,
the
Intelligence
is
clariOied
so
much
that
the
fog
disappears
and
the
truth
is
revealed.
Karma,
when
engaged
in
as
dedicated
to
God,
loses
its
deleterious
effects
for
the
doer,
leaves
the
consequence
to
God;
moreover,
he
considers
every
act
as
an
act
of
worship
and
so
does
it
to
the
best
of
his
ability.
Karma
thus
becomes
transmutted
into
Upaasana.
Upaasana
starts
with
some
concrete
image
or
idol
or
Name
and
Form;
then,
as
the
signiOicance
of
the
Name
and
the
Form
sinks
into
the
consciousness,
all
names
are
seen
to
be
God's;
all
forms
are
felt
to
be
God's.
Gradually,
the
truth
that
the
worshipper
too
is
the
same
entity,
deluding
himself
as
separate,
because
of
a
separate
name
and
a
distinct
form,
labelling
the
upaadhi
(the
bodily
encasement),
becomes
evident;
this
is
the
dawn
of
jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom).
The
fog
is
egoism,
which
hides
the
Universal
and
induces
the
belief
in
distinctness;
it
is
a
cloud
of
dust,
that
smothers
the
truth.
People
now
love
the
fog
and
the
cloud,
they
make
no
effort
to
remove
them.
When
you
enter
a
shop
and
select
cloth
for
pants
or
bush
shins,
you
ask
for
black;
and
the
reason
why
you
prefer
that
colour
and
dislike
white
or
light
shades
is
that
the
black
will
not
reveal
dirt!
The
desire
is
not
to
remove
the
dirt,
but
to
hide
it
from
gaze.
This
has
become
a
universal
weakness.
People
are
not
ashamed
of
dirt;
they
do
not
seek
cleanliness
in
the
heart.
When
Maithreyi
was
given
by
Yaajnavalkya
vast
wealth
in
the
shape
of
gold
and
cattle,
when
he
left
hearth
and
home
on
his
spiritual
quest,
she
asked
him
whether
they
Page 190 of 268
would
be
of
any
use
for
her
in
her
quest.
When
her
husband
replied
that
they
were
transient
and
cheap
when
compared
to
the
wealth
of
spiritual
experience,
she
cast
them
off
and
sought
the
precious
wealth
of
thapas
and
shraddha
(penance
and
religious
faith).
She
got
eternal
joy
through
them.
You
must
see
Nature
as
Oilled
with
God,
shaped
by
God,
as
God,
in
those
shapes
and
smells
and
sounds.
We
see
the
image
in
the
mirror
because
the
light
rays
are
reOlected
back
from
the
surface
of
the
mirror.
You
are
the
reOlection
of
the
rays
of
God
from
the
mirror
that
is
Nature.
If
that
mirror
were
not
there,
the
Jeevi
(individual
soul)
does
not
exist
as
a
separate
entity.
Remove
the
mirror,
then
'you'
merges
in
'He,'
and
there
remains
We.
It
is
Prakrithi
(Nature)
that
induces
the
belief
that
you
are
the
body,
the
deha.
You
feel
you
too
are
Name-Form
like
Prakrithi.
This
identiOication
has
led
to
an
inordinate
degree
of
attention
to
the
body
and
consequently,
worry
and
misery.
The
principle
that
food
is
only
a
drug
to
cure
hunger
is
ignored
and
man
is
enslaved
to
the
tongue.
All
the
twenty-four
hours
are
spent
in
attending
to
the
care
of
the
body,
the
prevention
of
disease,
the
promotion
of
health,
the
development
of
muscle,
etc.
No
care
is
spent
on
the
dehi---
the
God
resident
in
this
physical
tabernacle,
who
has
to
be
recognised
and
revered.
The
weighing
machine,
on
which
you
stand
and
read
your
weight
with
pride,
laughs
at
you
for
the
silly
exaltation.
It
sneers
at
your
conceit
over
physical
victories;
it
warns
you
against
too
much
concern
over
paltry
gains.
It
knows
that
death
is
lying
in
wait
to
snatch
you
away,
however
heavy
you
may
grow.
Develop
dhrishti
(vision),
not
deha
(body).
Concentrate
on
the
Maker,
not
the
'made.'
During
the
battle
at
Lanka
against
the
Raakshasa
(demonic)
hordes,
a
boy
sitting
on
the
hip
of
an
ogress
was
wounded
by
a
chance
arrow.
The
mother
dropped
the
child
and
Oled.
Lakshmana
pointed
her
out
to
Raama
and
said,
"See,
how
hard-hearted
are
these
ogresses;
they
have
no
love
in
their
hearts
even
for
their
own
children."
Raama
replied,
"Brother,
do
not
condemn
them
so
harshly.
She
may
have
other
reasons
for
running
away."
Raama
asked
him
to
Oind
out
for
himself.
She
told
Lakshmana
that
not
all
ogres
were
hard-hearted.
"Do
you
not
know
Vibheeshana,
who
serves
Raama
so
devotedly?
Are
there
no
ogres
among
you,
men?
Do
not
damn
all
indiscriminately.
Listen.
I
know
that
when
it
is
a
question
of
salvation,
each
is
a
distinct
unit.
Mother
and
child
may
go
along
different
paths
and
reach
the
goal,
soon,
or
late;
each
in
his
or
her
own
time.
I
must
seek
my
own
good.
I
felt
that
if
I
Olee
and
keep
alive,
Raama
may
take
me
captive
to
Ayodhya
and
grant
me
the
dharshan
(audience)
that
will
save
me
from
this
recurring
fate."
She
had
faith
in
Raama's
Divinity
and
her
own
ultimate
liberation.
When
Bhasma
(holy
ash)
is
given,
doubt
haunts
some
people
whether
Swaami
is
wishing
that
the
recipient
should
be
a
Shaivite
(devotee
of
Shiva)!
It
is
a
symbol
of
the
indestructible
basic
substance
which
every
being
is.
All
things
become
ash;
but
ash
remains
ash,
however
much
you
may
burn
it.
It
is
also
a
sign
of
renunciation,
of
sacriOice,
of
Jnaana
which
burns
all
karma-
consequence
into
ineffective
ash.
It
is
a
sign
of
Ishwara,
and
I
apply
it
on
your
brow,
to
remind
you
that
you
too
are
Divine.
It
is
a
valuable
Upadesha
(instruction)
about
your
identity.
It
also
reminds
you
that
the
body
is
liable
any
moment
to
be
reduced
into
a
handful
of
ash.
Ash
will
be
a
lesson
in
detachment
and
renunciation.
Prahlaadha,
when
chastised
by
his
father
for
disobeying
his
orders,
replied,
"He
alone
is
entitled
to
obedience
as
a
father
who
orders
his
son
to
bow
to
Hari,
and
to
merge
in
Hari---not
others."
The
Aathma
which
can
confer
eternal
joy
is
ignored
and
man
rushes
wildly
under
the
sea
or
out
into
space
to
cater
to
his
craving
for
pride
and
pomp.
Some
persons
have
to
step
forward
boldly
now
to
declare
from
their
own
genuine
experience
that
the
joy
of
reaching
the
moon
is
as
nothing
when
compared
to
the
joy
of
reaching
the
inner
moon
of
Aanandha,
and
the
source
of
all
Aanandha,
the
Aathma.
You
are
allotted
the
task
of
bringing
once
again
to
the
homes
of
the
people
the
message
of
Aathmic
strength
and
Aathmic
unity.
Transmuting
'man'
into
'God'
and
experiencing
that
Aanandha
(Bliss)
is
the
one
and
only
achievement
for
which
life
is
to
be
devoted.
The
Universe
is
the
Body
of
God;
in
the
Body,
the
Unity
Consciousness
is
Bhaarath,
the
Eka-
bhaava
(feeling
of
Oneness).
"Ekam
Sath,"
(The
Reality
is
One)
the
Vedhas
declared
aeons
ago!
That
is
the
heart-beat
of
Bhaarath
today.
This
is
the
reason
why
sages,
saints,
Divine
personages
and
Incarnations
of
God
appear
here
and
proclaim
their
message
to
mankind
from
this
land.
Inner
transformation,
which
is
the
fruit,
can
be
acquired
only
when
these
are
done
with
faith.
Faith
can
grow
only
from
the
root
of
inquiry.
Faith
is
made
Oirmer
by
inquiry.
You
must
encourage
inquiry
by
the
members
whom
you
contact
and
welcome
their
efforts
to
gain
Oirst-hand
experience.
The
mind
is
the
instrument,
the
Oly-wheel,
the
thickest
comrade
of
man.
Through
it,
one
can
either
ruin
oneself
or
save
oneself.
Regulated
and
controlled,
channelised
properly,
it
can
liberate;
wayward
and
let
loose,
it
can
entangle,
and
bind
fast.
Try
to
Oind
out
when
exactly
man
is
having
peace,
full
undisturbed
peace.
You
will
see
that
he
is
at
Page 192 of 268
peace
only
during
sushupti
(deep
sleep).
For,
at
that
time,
the
senses
are
inactive,
the
mind
is
inert
and
unattached
to
the
senses
or
their
targets.
So,
when
senses
are
made
ineffective
to
drag
the
mind
out,
man
can
attain
peace.
That
is
the
real
saadhana,
the
basic
saadhana:
the
withdrawal
of
the
senses
from
the
objective
world
(Nivritthimaarga).
Train
the
mind
to
dwell
on
the
inner
equipment
rather
than
the
outer
attractions.
Use
the
mind
to
cleanse
the
feelings,
impulses,
attitudes,
tendencies
and
levels
of
consciousness.
Let
it
not
accumulate
dirt
from
the
outer
world
and
deposit
them
within
itself.
If
it
is
attached
to
work
(Pravritthimaarga)
the
consequences
of
work
get
attached
to
it.
Unattached
work
is
the
purest;
it
does
not
encumber
the
mind
with
elation
or
disappointment.
'I
did
it,'
'This
is
mine':
these
are
the
two
fangs
that
make
the
individual
poisonous.
Pull
out
the
fangs,
the
snake
can
be
handled
and
played
with
as
a
pet.
These
organisations
must
be
vigilant
to
see
that
egoism
and
the
sense
of
personal
possession,
pride
or
achievement,
do
not
invade
them.
That
is
the
goal
to
be
kept
in
view.
Service
has
become
a
word
of
common
currency,
but
its
value
is
very
much
reduced
by
the
hypocrisy
of
the
users.
Really
speaking,
only
those
who
are
afOlicted
with
agony,:
equal
agony,
at
the
sight
of
pain
and
suffering,
distress
or
disease,
have
the
Oight
to
offer
service;
for,
they
are
not
serving
others,
they
are
serving
themselves,
serving
to
remove
as
fast
and
as
intelligently
as
they
can,
their
own
agony.
Service
to
others
is
the
medicine
one
needs
to
alleviate
the
distress
which
Oills
one
at
the
sight
of
distress
in
another
being.
Feel
that
you
are
serving
yourself,
that
you
are
curbing
your
own
ego.
Otherwise
service
heightens
your
self-esteem
and
develops
a
sense
of
superiority,
which
are
both
harmful
spiritually.
A
spiritual
organisation
is
really
above
all
rules
and
regulations;
the
realm
of
the
Aathma
is
beyond
the
limits
of
regulations.
In
this
sense,
rules
are
either
meaningless
or
superOluous
in
Sathya
Sai
Organisations.
But
at
least,
to
satisfy
the
law
of
the
land
dealing
with
associations
of
this
kind,
some
rules
have
to
be
adopted.
Another
point
I
want
to
emphasise
is
this:
There
are
many
other
organisations
with
spiritual
objectives
in
this
land,
run
under
different
names,
attached
to
other
Names
and
Forms
of
God,
like
Raama,
Krishna.
You
know
that
Indian
culture
insists
that
you
should
offer
reverence
to
all
the
names
and
forms
of
the
One
God-head.
In
your
organisations,
there
may
be
some
who
insist
that
only
Sai
Bhajan
should
be
sung,
only
the
Name
and
Form
of
Sathya
Sai
be
used.
This
is
a
great
mistake.
You
are
thereby
dishonouring
Sai.
If
you
attach
yourself
to
Sai
and
detach
yourself
from
Krishna,
you
get
a
plus
there
and
a
minus
here;
the
resultant
gain
is
zero.
In
this
matter
do
not
develop
fanaticism
or
sectarianism.
Others
may
have
these,
but
that
is
no
reason
why
you
should
meet
them
with
the
same
failings.
Try
your
best
to
avoid
such
infection.
When
the
other
organisations
require
help,
go
and
help
them.
This
will
make
them
realise
the
loving
universal
nature
of
your
attitude.
If
you
offer
all
activities
at
the
feet
of
the
Lord
and
free
them
from
any
trace
of
egoistic
attachment,
the
consequence
will
not
bind
you:
you
are
free,
you
are
liberated,
you
have
Moksha.
Silence
has
to
be
started
with
oneself;
that
is
to
say,
one
must
talk
less,
and
think
more
deliberately,
more
discriminatingly.
One
must
try
to
empty
the
mind
of
impulses
and
Page 193 of 268
prejudices
and
preferences.
Thus,
man
must
strive
to
reach
down
to
his
real
nature
or
dharma,
which
is
Divine,
Dharmaswaruupa
(righteousness
personiOied).
Three
texts
are
considered
authoritative
by
the
seekers
of
this
land:
the
Upanishadhs,
the
Bhagavadgeetha
and
the
Brahmasuuthras.
These
three
teach
the
essentials
for
the
higher
life
of
the
spirit.
In
order
to
make
the
teaching
clear
to
the
uninitiated,
three
great
commentators,
one
after
the
other,
wrote
elaborate
interpretations
of
these
texts,
and
since
each
of
them
had
one
particular
viewpoint,
the
three
saw
in
the
selfsame
texts
three
different
but
not
divergent
paths
to
the
goal
of
liberation.
Shankaraachaarya
elucidated
them
from
the
Adhwaithic
(non-dualistic)
point
of
view,
Raamanujaachaarya
from
the
Visishthaadhwaithic
(qualiOied
dualistic)
and
Madhwaachaarya
from
the
Dhwaithic
(dualistic)
point
of
view.
Dhwaitha
philosophy
or
the
dualistic
point
of
view
declares
that
the
Jeevi
(individual)
is
Jeevi
and
Dheva
(Universal)
is
Dheva
and
the
twain
shall
ever
be
only
two.
The
Adhwaitha
school
of
philosophy
declares
that
there
is
only
one
Entity
(Dheva)
and
that
the
Jeevi
is
a
false
improvisation
which
ignorance
conceives,
because
it
is
not
able
to
realise
the
Universal
which
alone
exists.
There
are
no
two;
Adhwaitha
means
'No-two.'
Visishthaadhwaitha,
special
or
peculiar
'no-two-ness,'
declares
that
Jeevi
is
a
limb
of
the
Universal,
a
component,
but
a
distinct
component
of
the
One.
All
three
are
genuine
paths
to
the
same
goal;
and,
those
who
follow
one
cannot
change
over
to
another
all
of
a
sudden.
A
car
cannot
change
over
to
another
all
of
a
sudden.
A
car
cannot
Oly
in
the
air,
nor
can
a
plane
taxi
along
the
road
to
the
destination.
'I
am
the
Son,'
'God
is
My
Father,'
'I
and
My
Father
are
one'---these
declarations
of
Christ
are
signiOicant
in
this
context.
As
one's
vision
gets
clearer
and
sharper,
one's
knowledge
of
oneself
and
the
Universal
in
which
he
is
involved
becomes
clearer,
sharper
and
truer,
until
it
becomes
the
very
breath,
the
very
core
of
his
existence.
A
hermit
was
one
day
bathing
in
the
Ganga,
when
he
saw
Oloating
downstream
on
a
piece
of
wood
a
scorpion.
This
is
God
encased
in
the
scorpion
form
and
name,
he
felt;
he
wanted
to
save
the
scorpion.
So,
he
took
it
on
his
palm;
but,
when
it
stung
him,
he
dropped
it
on
the
waters.
Then
he
was
stricken
with
remorse
and
so,
he
lifted
it
up
again.
Thus
is
stung
him
Oive
or
six
times;
but,
he
persisted
in
his
mission
of
mercy
and
at
last,
managed
to
drop
it
on
dry
land
so
that
it
could
go
its
way,
alive
and
happy.
Many
people
watched
his
efforts
and
laughed
at
him
for
his
stupidly
exaggerated
sympathy.
The
hermit
told
them
that
the
scorpion
had
taught
him
a
lesson
and
he
was
thankful
for
it.
They
asked
him
what
it
was.
He
said:
"Stick
to
your
innate
nature,
whatever
may
happen---that
is
what
it
has
taught
me."
Its
nature
is
to
sting;
it
stung,
regardless
of
whom
or
when.
Man's
nature
is
to
achieve
Jnaana;
Aanandha
is
man's
essence.
Love
is
the
bloodstream
that
sustains
him;
peace
is
the
vision
that
guides
and
directs
him.
That
is
the
reason
why
he
is
addressed
as
'Amrithasya
puthra,'
in
the
Upanishadhs---he
is
the
son
of
immortality;
he
is
eternal;
he
has
no
birth
nor
death.
In
the
Geetha,
Krishna
declares
that
among
the
mountains,
He
is
Himagiri,
the
Himaalayas.
From
this,
you
should
not
infer
that
Krishna
was
a
patriot
who
spoke
a
good
word
about
a
physical
feature
of
His
mother-country.
To
reach
the
Himaalayas,
the
abode
of
the
pure,
white,
cool,
snow
(symbol
of
the
Saathwik
virtues)you
have
to
pass
through
Haridhwar
(the
gate
way
of
God-awareness)
and
through
Hrishikesha
(control
of
the
senses).
Then
only
can
you
be
the
liberated
soul,
which
is
of
the
same
essence
as
He.
That
is
the
inner
meaning
of
this
statement
by
Krishna.
Unless
you
know
the
inner
and
the
correct
meaning,
faith
will
be
uncertain
and
practice
spasmodic.
The
consequence
of
avoiding
the
knowledge
and
practice
of
Vedhaantha
is
the
increase
of
three
tragedies:
Paapam,
Thaapam,
Ajnaanam
(Sin,
Suffering
and
Ignorance).
The
Name
usually
given
to
the
Reality
that
you
are,
namely,
Raama,
is
the
cure
for
all
three.
Aathma
is
known
as
Aathmaaraama
because
Raama
means
that
which
pleases
and
nothing
confers
such
vast
inexhaustible
joy
as
the
Aathma.
So,
the
word
Raama
means
the
Aathma.
That
word
consists
of
three
components:
Ra,
and
ma.
'Ra'
is
the
mystic
representative
of
Agni
(Fire)
principle;
it
burns
sin
into
ash,
'a'
is
the
symbol
of
Suurya
(Sun)
principle;
it
destroys
the
darkness
of
ignorance.
'Ma'
is
the
symbol
of
Chandra
(Moon)
principle;
it
cools
the
Thaapam
or
heat
of
suffering.
So,
'Raama'
overcomes
all
the
three
tragedies
and
reveals
the
Truth,
the
Beauty
and
Goodness.
Repeat
the
Name,
Raama
with
this
signiOicance
in
mind
and
you
can
feel
its
effect
very
soon.
Man
is
Aathmaswaruupa
(of
the
nature
of
Aathma),
which
is
Truth,
Beauty,
Goodness,
Peace
and
Love.
But
he
craves
against
his
nature,
for
the
false,
the
Oleeting,
the
crude,
the
inert
and
the
chaotic.
This
is
demeaning
and
disgraceful.
Man
must
turn
his
face
away
from
these
and
seek
in
himself
the
source
of
strength
and
joy.
He
must
always
have
in
view
God,
of
whom
he
is
an
expression,
when
he
does
any
act.
The
Karmakaanda
of
the
Vedhas
which
prescribes
Yaagas
and
Yajnas
(Vedhic
rituals
of
sacriOice)
is
designed
to
secure
for
man
the
Grace
of
God
and
not,
as
is
often
assumed,
a
happy
life
in
Paradise.
The
prompting
should
arise
not
from
desire
for
Paradise,
but
from
desire
to
obtain
Grace,
to
dedicate
the
Yoga
to
God,
leaving
the
beneOits
therefrom
to
the
will
of
the
Bestower.
Nachiketa
taught
his
father
this
superior
outlook
on
the
subject
of
Yaaga
and
Yajna.
The
emphasis
must
be
not
merely
on
ritual
correctness,
but
unconditional
surrender
to
the
God
who
is
invoked
and
propitiated
in
these
rituals.
When
you
go
to
a
shop
to
provide
yourself
with
something
you
need,
you
know
that
you
cannot
get
it
without
paying
its
price.
You
have
come
here
in
order
to
get
some
inspiration,
or
information,
or
some
glimpse
of
the
inner
treasure
that
you
possess
and
of
the
means
of
beneOitting
by
it---call
it
Aathmasaakshaathkaara,
Moksha,
Aathmathathwa
or
Liberation,
Nirvaana
or
anything
else.
You
have
come
to
this
shop
for
it;
we
are
selling
the
thing
you
need.
But
you
are
hesitant
to
pay
the
price.
'The
mouth
is
closed
tight
when
the
bit
and
the
bridle
are
brought;
it
opens
wide
when
gram
or
grass
is
brought"
is
said
of
horses.
It
should
not
be
said
of
men.
So,
when
you
come
to
gatherings
like
this
you
must
come,
aware
of
the
precious
ware
that
is
here
available,
and
anxious
to
assimilate
as
much
as
possible.
Eager
attention
now,
reOlection
later
on
what
has
been
heard---that
is
the
price
you
have
to
pay.
If
you
are
told
that
Nachiketa
did
this
or
Svetaketu
said
that,
of
what
avail
is
it?
Unless
you
adopt
them
as
your
ideals,
exemplars,
guides,
these
Upanishadhs
and
scriptural
texts
are
only
fairy
tales!
Try
to
understand
their
steadfastness,
their
faith,
their
sense
of
values,
their
virtues
and
their
uprightness.
And
yearn
to
acquire
them.
They
only
can
we
have
another
Nachiketa
and
another
Svetaketu.
Or
else,
in
the
entire
course
of
human
history,
there
will
be
only
one
Nachiketa
and
one
Svetaketu!
A
celebrated
sage
once
advised
an
aspirant
that
he
could
get
God-realisation,
in
thirty
days,
if
he
spent
all
the
twenty-four
hours
in
the
contemplation
of
God.
He
went
to
his
place,
did
as
he
was
told
and
after
thirty-six
days
(he
continued
for
six
more
days!)
he
hurried
to
the
sage,
in
great
rage,
for
he
was
sadly
disappointed.
The
sage
asked
him
for
an
account
of
his
daily
schedule
of
activity
during
the
thirty-six
days.
The
disciple
said,
"Well,
I
rise
from
bed
at
four
o'clock
wash
and
get
ready
for
Dhyaana
by
Oive,
meditate
until
six,
move
about
until
eight,
have
something
to
eat,
doze
off
for
a
few
minutes,
read
a
few
pages,
converse
with
friends
for
a
while
on
the
happenings
in
the
world,
bathe
Page 195 of 268
and
drink
something
hot
afterwards,
etc.,
etc.,
with
Raamanaama
now
and
then,
in
the
intervals."
The
sage
answered,
"Wonderful
indeed!
I
did
not
anticipate
you
will
behave
so
crudely.
I
directed
you
to
use
all
the
twenty-four
hours
in
the
contemplation
of
God,
without
wasting
a
single
moment.
I
did
not
lay
down
any
other
schedule.
Spend
as
much
time
as
there
is
in
thirty
days,
in
the
unalloyed
contemplation
of
God;
you
will
attain
liberation.
The
best
method
of
carrying
out
the
sage's
direction
is
to
believe
that
this
body
is
the
residence
of
God;
that
the
food
you
take
is
the
offering
you
make
to
Him;
your
act
of
bathing
is
the
ceremonial
bathing
of
Him
who
is
in
you;
the
ground
you
walk
on
is
his
domain;
the
joy
you
gain
is
his
gift;
the
grief
you
experience
is
His
lesson.
Remember
Him
ever,
in
sun
and
rain.
day
and
night,
asleep
and
awake.
That
is
the
unalloyed
contemplation
he
advised
the
pupil
to
do.
Children
are
happy
since
they
have
not
yet
got
involved
in
such
activity.
They
scatter
joy
and
enthusiasm,
innocence
and
conOidence.
How
comes
it
that
they
are
so
fresh
and
gay?
Their
minds
are
free
from
the
infection
of
sense-pleasure-seeking.
They
are
ravelling
in
the
untainted
joy
of
their
own
innate
nature.
That
is
the
reason
why
Christ
fondled
a
child,
and
advised
all
the
grown-
ups
to
become
children,
so
that
they
may
be
saved.
How
sweet
is
the
smile
of
the
babe
in
the
cradle
or
of
the
child
playing
in
the
garden?
That
is
the
genuine
nature
of
man
which
he
tarnishes
foolishly,
year
by
year,
as
he
grows.
The
stage
of
life,
the
status
in
society,
the
profession,
the
company
into
which
you
are
ushered,
the
recreation
you
like---all
these
are
to
be
used
by
you
for
cleansing
the
inner
mirror,
so
that
God
may
be
reOlected
clearly
therein.
Grihasthaashrama
(the
householder
stage
of
life)
is
a
step
in
the
ladder
to
God-realisation.
You
do
not
settle
down
on
a
step,
or
stay
on
a
rung,
or
build
a
home
on
a
bridge.
Move
on,
climb
ahead,
cross
over,
towards
the
goal
of
God.
From
Iham
(this
world)
you
proceed
to
Param
(the
world
beyond);
through
the
practise
of
the
Dharma
(code
of
virtuous
conduct),
pertaining
to
life
in
the
world
as
a
member
of
the
human
community,
you
transcend
it
and
earn
the
right
and
the
qualiOication
to
know
about
the
Dharma
of
the
beyond,
the
Nature
and
Glory
of
the
Divine.
Iha
dharma
gives
Aanandha;
but
Paradharma
reveals
to
you
the
source
of
Aanandha
and
merges
you
in
that
source.
The
Lord,
who
incarnates
to
restore
Dharma,
Himself
advises
the
renouncing
of
all
Dharma
for
the
sake
of
the
ultimate
Liberation
or
Moksha
and
in
the
same
Bhagavadgeetha
He
recommends
in
the
last
chapter
the
giving
up
of
even
the
craving
for
Moksha
or
Liberation,
for
there
is
in
reality,
"no
bondage
and
no
release."
It
is
only
a
delusion
born
of
ignorance,
which
disappears
when
the
Light
of
knowledge
is
allowed
to
illumine
the
place
where
Darkness
prevailed.
You
can
Oind
God
if
only
you
look
into
yourself
and
understand
yourself.
He
can
be
realised
only
after
a
long
process
of
cleansing
and
at
the
end
of
a
systematic
disciplined
preparation.
Without
learning
the
alphabet,
how
can
any
one
dare
condemn
a
classic?
The
culture
embedded
in
the
ancient
texts
promoted
the
composure
and
mental
poise
that
is
needed
to
delve
into
the
depths
of
one's
being.
It
is
concerned
with
making
every
one
aware
of
the
Aathma,
the
basic
Truth,
the
only
entity
of
which
everything
else
is
a
by-product.
You
can
pluck
a
few
leaves
off
the
tree
or
chop
off
a
few
of
its
branches,
but
the
Tree
of
Religion
is
deep-rooted
in
the
human
heart;
it
can
never
be
destroyed
or
ignored.
The
Page 196 of 268
fact
that
the
body
is
but
a
shaky
receptacle
that
is
liable
to
crash
any
moment,
that
the
senses
are
imperfect
instruments
of
knowledge,
that
objects
are
not
per
se
sources
of
pleasure
or
happiness,
that
the
sense
of
'I'
persists
in
deep
sleep
too--these
cannot
be
denied
by
decree
or
by
swearing
them
off.
Like
all
attainments,
the
attainment
of
self-
realisation
also
involves
hard
discipline
and
concentrated
effort.
The
price
has
to
be
paid!
Let
us
suppose
you
are
abused,
reviled,
and
grievously
hurt,
in
a
dream!
Though
you
are
pained
at
that
time,
when
you
awake,
you
are
not
aware
of
what
has
happened
so
realistically
a
few
minutes
ago.
So
too,
when
you
awake
into
the
higher
consciousness
of
Jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom),
all
the
grief
and
joy,
the
pleasure
and
pain
you
experience
in
the
waking
stage
are
found
to
be
as
ephemeral
as
dreams.
Report
to
the
police
that
you
killed
a
person;
they
will
throw
you
into
the
lock-up.
Tell
them
you
killed
him
in
your
dream,
they
will
brush
you
aside
as
a
nuisance.
Having
come
upon
the
world
stage
as
'man,'
one
should
act
the
role
effectively.
The
tree
is
known
by
the
fruit.
The
human
body
is
the
temple
of
God.
He
is
installed
there.
Yearn
for
the
realisation
of
this
Truth,
seek
to
discover
It
and
derive
Bliss
therefrom---that
is
Bhakthi
(Devotion,
the
path
of
Love
to
God).
Love
the
Highest,
Love
the
most
Lovable;
do
not
love
anything.
I
shall
give
an
example
from
the
Raamaayana,
which
will
make
this
point
clear.
When
Dasharatha
the
Emperor
died,
there
was
no
one
at
hand
to
perform
the
obsequies
and
so,
they
sent
word
to
the
younger
sons,
Bharatha
and
Shathrughna,
who
had
left
for
their
kinsman's
capital.
They
were
not
informed
of
the
death,
and
when
they
came
and
saw
the
body,
they
were
too
shocked
at
the
inert
silence
of
their
dear
father,
that
they
ran
to
Kaushalya,
the
Queen,
their
step-mother.
She
burst
into
tears
when
the
two
boys
ran
into
her
apartments.
They
were
shocked
at
this
and
inquired
why.
It
was
then
that
she
broke
the
sad
news
of
the
death
of
their
father.
Bharatha
was
plunged
in
grief
at
this
tragedy;
he
wept
aloud,
beating
his
breast.
It
was
inconsolable
agony.
Then
amidst
the
distress,
he
said,
"Mother,
how
unfortunate
I
am.
I
had
no
chance
to
nurse
him
in
his
illness,
during
his
last
days.
Alas,
dear
brother,
you
too
lost
the,
precious
chance
of
service,"
he
said,
patting
Shathrughna
on
the
head.
After
some
moments,
he
continued,
"Mother,
how
fortunate
are
Raama
and
Lakshmana.
They
were
with
him.
They
nursed
him
and
ran
on
little
errands
for
him.
They
were
with
him
when
he
breathed
his
last.
Since
we
were
far
away,
did
father
leave
any
command
for
us?
What
was
his
last
wish
regarding
us?
Did
he
remember
us,
ask
that
we
should
be
sent
for?"
Kaushalya
said,
"Son,
he
had
only
one
word
on
his
lips,
one
form
before
his
eye;
that
word
was
Raama,
that
form
was
Raama."
Bharatha
looked
surprised.
He
asked,
"How
is
it
that
he
uttered
the
name
and
craved
for
the
form
of
Raama,
who
was
by
his
bedside,
and
did
not
yearn
for
me
who
was
far
away?
O,
how
unlucky
I
am?
Have
I
lost
the
affection
of
my
dear
father?"
Kausalya
replied,
"Well,
if
Raama
was
by
his
bedside
or
near
him,
he
would
not
have
passed
away.
Bharatha
ejaculated,
"Mother,
where
had
Raama
gone?
Why
was
he
away?
Where
is
he
now?
Did
he
go
a-hunting
to
the
forest?
Was
he
on
a
pleasure
trip
on
the
Sarayu?"
The
mother
said,
"No,
no.
He
went
into
the
forest
for
fourteen
years."
Bharatha
Could
bear
it
no
longer.
"Alas,
what
an
outrageous
tragedy,
this?
What
crime,
which
sin,
did
Raama
commit
to
deserve
this
exile?
Why
had
he
to
go?"
"Your
mother
wished
that
he
should
go,
and
so
he
went:"
said
the
Queen.
When
Bharatha
heard
this,
the
grief
that
he
sustained
on
heating
of
the
death
of
his
father
paled,
and
the
grief
that
arose
at
his
mother
sending
Raama
into
exile
for
fourteen
years
supervened
overwhelming
all
else.
The
greater
grief
scours
off
the
smaller.
So
too,
the
greater
yearning
will
dominate
and
deluge
the
lesser.
So,
yearn
for
God,
and
all
lesser
yearnings
will
disappear.
Loss
or
gain,
honour
or
dishonour,
health
or
ill-
Page 197 of 268
health,
joy
or
grief---
keep
the
mind
steadily
pointed
towards
God;
that
is
the
goal;
that
is
the
prize,for
the
race
of
life.
Overcome
all
obstacles
by
means
of
that
faith,
treat
the
obstacles
as
ineffective
and
futile
and
have
the
goal
alone
in
view.
Visualise
God,
seek
God
and
merge
in
God---that
is
the
duty
of
man.
Peace and joy can be secured only by realising that they are one's own real nature.
The
bhaktha
must
be
a
daksha
(an
expert),
with
the
knowledge
and
skill,
the
know-
how
of
controlling
the
senses
and
sublimating
the
mind.
In
the
Puraanas
there
is
mention
of
a
Daksha,
a
supreme
sovereign,
who
had
a
daughter,
Sathi.
Yes;
if
you
are
such
an
expert
in
the
science
of
spiritual
progress
you
can
call
Sathi
(the
wisdom
relating
to
the
Aathma)
your
own.
Sathi
is
wedded
to
(Shiva)
God,
according
to
the
Puraana
story.
Yes;
Aathmajnaana
is
wedded
to
God
and
so,
one
can
merge
in
God,
if
one
has
the
knowledge
of
the
discipline
and
one
practises
them.
A
person
who
has
not
acquired
this
skill
is
merely
a
human
biped;
he
does
not
deserve
any
higher
nomenclature.
He
is
as
unimpressive,
as
inglorious,
as
insigniOicant,
as
purposeless,
as
a
chariot
without
axle,
as
skimmed
milk;
as
a
moonless
night;
as
a
lotus-less
lake.
The
mind
Olutters
about
and
squats
on
all
and
sundry
objects
in
the
Universe.
It
refuses
to
stay
only
on
one
idea,
God.
Like
the
Oly
that
sits
on
fair
and
foul,
but
denies
itself
the
pleasure
of
sitting
on
a
hot
cinder,
the
mind
too
Olees
from
all
thought
of
God.
The
Oly
will
be
destroyed,
if
it
sits
on
Oire;
the
mind
too
is
destroyed,
when
it
dwells
on
God,
for,
the
mind
is
but
a
pattern
of
desire
woven
with
the
warp
and
woof
of
the
same
material
Life
is
a
long
garland
of
blossoms,
fair
and
faded,
fragrant
and
futile.
They
are,
so
to
say,
the
good
and
bad
of
life.
Man
recognises
only
the
blossoms,
happy
over
some,
unhappy
over
most;
he
does
not
see
the
string
on
which
they
are
bound
together,
the
Brahmasuuthra,
the
lasting
fade-
less
Brahma-principle
that
gives
stability
to
the
short-
lived
Olowers.
Just
as
sparrows
during
a
storm
Oly
towards
a
warm
shelter.
Man
too
must
take
shelter
in
the
Divine
Principle
to
escape
from
the
storms
of
life.
He
will
be
welcomed
by
the
Divine,
only
when,
as
Jesus
said,
he
becomes
a
child.
Allow
the
children
to
come
to
me,
he
said.
Children
have
no
strong
wishes
to
run
after;
they
have
no
overpowering
passion
of
hate
or
greed;
so
they
are
embodiments
of
Peace.
When
children
grow
older,
egoism,
pride,
envy,
malice,
hatred,
anger
begin
to
enslave
them
and
they
are
overcome
by
anxiety
and
fear.
So,
one
must
recapture
the
years
of
childhood,
to
be
in
Prashaanthi
(tranquility).
Saadhana
(spiritual
practice)
can
accomplish
this
seemingly
impossible
transformation.
Of
course,
the
snake
inside
will
not
die,
if
you
rain
blows
on
the
mound
under
which
it
lives.
You
will
have
to
forego
sleep
and
rest
and
food---that
is
to
say,
be
content
with
what
you
get---and
follow
the
discipline
prescribed.
Then
only
can
you
know
yourself,
and
know
that
you
and
the
Universe
are
one.
This
the
Naaraayanathathwam
that
is
in
man;
it
is
that
thathwam
(reality-principle)
that
urges
you
to
discover
it,
through
the
guide-lines
laid
down
by
Vyaasa
and
others
who
came
after
him.
You
may
become
a
master
of
all
the
texts
Vyaasa
composed,
the
Mahaabhaaratha,
the
Bhaagavatha
and
the
18
Puraanas,
the
Brahmasuuthras,
etc,
but,
if
you
have
no
Prema
welling
up
in
your
heart,
you
cannot
hope
to
contact
the
Premaswaruupa
(embodiment
of
Love),
the
Lord.
To
confer
on
Man
this
Jnaana,
God
in
His
InOinite
Mercy
comes
down
as
man,
or
else,
man
will
degrade
himself
to
the
level
of
beasts.
Unless
he
learns
to
surrender
his
ego
with
full
satisfaction,
in
complete
sincerity,
with
no
reservations,
to
the
Lord,
he
cannot
realise
Him,
though
He
is
resident
in
his
own
heart.
The
anguish
that
Oills
the
penitent
seeker
will
move
the
Lord
to
manifest
Himself.
In
the
ecstasy
of
that
moment,
man
will
experience:
I
am
Thou,
Thou
art
I.
It
is
not
a
remarkable
achievement
to
earn
two
meals
a
day
and
have
a
roof
over
the
head.
Vyaasa
grouped
the
Vedhas
into
four.
The
Olower
of
the
Vedhic
Tree
is
Vedhaantha
(the
concluding
essence)
and
its
Fruit
is
Aanandha-phala.
To
recognise
that
fruit,
to
crave
for
its
taste
and
to
discover
the
means
of
winning
it,
the
mind
has
to
be
trained
and
disciplined.
The
mind
is
an
extrovert
instrument;
when
it
Olees
into
the
mesh
of
the
outer
world,
do
not
accompany
it,
let
it
go
alone.
Watch
it
struggling
and
suffering.
Do
not
attach
yourselves
to
it.
Then,
it
will
surely
come
back,
chastened
and
cleansed.
This
spiritual
discipline
will
certainly
control
the
mind
and
make
it
an
instrument,
not
for
bondage,
but,
for
liberation.
Dedicate
yourself
to
Him.
That
is
the
meaning
of
the
Lord's
injunction
in
the
Geetha:
Maamekam
sharanam
vraja.
Surrendering
to
His
Will
is
the
only
duty
you
need
accomplish,
the
only
task
you
have
to
carry
out.
If
you
do
that,
He
assures
you
that
no
harm
shall
approach
you."Maa
suuchah--do
not
grieve;
He
says.
This
does
not
mean
that
God
is
anxious
that
mankind
should
fall
at
His
Feet;
man
should
cleanse
his
mind;
he
must
worship
the
Grand
and
the
Glorious,
the
Supreme
and
the
Universal;
he
must
merge
his
will
with
the
Divine
Will,
which
is
what
is
meant
by
surrender.
That
Universal
Grandeur
is
Naaraayana;
Vyaasa
revealed
the
Naaraayanathathwam
in
all
its
Glory
through
his
Bhaagavatha
and
so
the
world
must
be
ever
grateful
to
him.
Choose,
not
Kaama
but
Raama,
the
Aathmaaraama;
meditate
on
that
and
draw
bliss
therefrom.
Or,
practise
meditation
according
to
a
Oixed
time-table,
until
you
overcome
the
need
to
remember
the
time-table,
until
you
are
not
even
conscious
that
you
are
engaged
in
meditation.
Whenever
you
are
serving
another
and
relieving
his
distress,
remember
it
is
your
own
distress
that
you
are
relieving.
A
cow
was
caught
in
a
bog
and
it
was
Oloundering
helplessly.
A
throng
of
idlers
was
watching
its
struggles
with
great
relish.
A
Sanyaasin
Page 199 of 268
(monk)
passing
along
the
road
saw
the
unfortunate
animal;
he
removed
his
shin.
He
threw
away
his
head
cover;
he
jumped
into
the
slush,
and
lifted
the
cow
on
to
the
bank,
in
spite
of
its
kicks
and
frantic
movements.
The
throng
laughed
at
his
bravado
and
weight-lifting
prowess
and
some
one
asked
him,
"Why
could
you
not
go
your
way,
unconcerned?
The
Sanyaasin
replied,
'The
picture
of
that
cow's
agony
cut
into
my
heart;
I
could
not
go
one
step
further.
I
had
to
get
rid
of
the
pain
in
my
heart.
This
was
the
cure
for
that
pain.
I
did
it
to
save
myself,
not
so
much
to
save
the
cow."
You
serve
yourself;
you
harm
yourself,
when
you
gloat
on
the
harm
you
have
inOlicted
on
another.
There
is
no
ANOTHER!
Only
those
who
have
reached
that
stage
of
spiritual
progress
have
a
right
to
advise
on
service.
If
you
have
attachment
to
sense-objects
(Raaga)
you
can
never
be
free
from
disease
(Roga).
Thyaaga
(renunciation,
detachment)
alone
can
ensure
true
bhoga
(joy,
bliss).
This
does
not
mean
that
you
can
Olee
from
the
world;
you
can
never
do
that.
The
world
will
always
be
with
you.
While
in
this
world
of
A-shaanthi
(turmoil
and
agitation)
you
must
win
Pra-shaanthi
(the
highest
type
of
equanimity).
Jnaana
is
the
treasure
that
man
has
to
accumulate,
so
that
he
can
so
realise
and
merge.
Cows
may
be
of
different
breeds,
or
colours
or
sizes;
but,
the
milk
they
yield
is
the
same,
the
world
over.
So
too,
all
religions,
whatever
their
origin
or
extent
of
inOluence,
are
all
means
to
teach
man
this
process.
Struggle
to
realise
the
Aathma,
to
visualise
God;
even
failure
in
this
struggle
is
nobler
than
success
in
other
worldly
attempts.
The
buffalo
has
horns;
the
elephant
has
tusks.
But
what
a
difference.
To
live
in
the
body,
with
the
body,
for
the
body
is
the
life
of
a
worm;
to
live
in
the
body,
with
God,
for
God,
is
the
life
of
man.
You
have
to
proceed
from
the
known
to
the
unknown.
Then
the
love
expands
in
ever
widening
circles,
until
it
covers
all
nature,
until
even
plucking
a
leaf
from
a
tree
affects
you
so
painful
that
you
dare
not
injure
it.
The
green
vitality
of
the
tree
is
a
sign
of
the
Divine
Will,
which
sends
its
roots
deep
into
the
soil.
The
roots
keep
the
tree
safe
from
storms,
holding
it
fast
against
the
violent
tug
of
the
wind.
So
too,
if
the
roots
of
love
in
man
go
down
into
the
spring
of
the
Divine
in
him,
no
storm
of
suffering
can
shake
him
and
crash
him
into
disbelief.
approach
It
and
adore
It.
He
might
even
revere
It
as
Full,
but,
how
can
a
fraction
be
Full?
How
can
a
facet
be
the
entire
Diamond?
Consider
each
fraction
as
a
value,
as
valid;
do
not
deride
it
as
incomplete.
It
is
impossible
to
experience
the
Complete
and
communicate
the
experience.
Fractions
too
are
facts.
They
share
the
splendour
and
glory;
they
are
sustained
by
the
same
spring.
When
the
Full
is
seen
as
a
part,
the
Fullness
does
not
suffer
dimunition.
Raama,
Krishna,
Vishnu,
Shiva---these
are
Names
and
Forms
of
the
many-faceted
One;
when
you
pay
attention
to
one
facet,
the
rest
are
not
neglected
or
negated.
When
the
devotee
dives
into
the
Olood
of
Bliss
that
the
one
Name-Form
confers,
he
is
diving
into
the
same
Ocean
of
Bliss
that
the
Full
IS.
The
waters
of
the
Ocean
are
not
separated
by
lines
drawn
on
them
to
demarcate
this
God's
region
or
that
God's.
Plunge
anywhere;
you
are
plunging
into
the
self-same
Bliss.
All
this
variety
is
the
play
of
Name
and
Form;
without
the
multiplicity
of
names
to
distinguish
one
from
the
rest
and
the
vast
phantasmagoria
of
form
to
identify
and
cognise,
knowledge
of
the
many
is
impossible;
then,
all
will
be
seen
and
felt
and
experienced
as
One,
which
it
really
is.
To
remind
man
of
this
fundamental
Unity
so
that
he
may
not
get
lost
in
the
conOlicts
and
complexities
of
manifoldness,
the
One
assumes
Name-Form
and
comes
as
Avathaara
(Divinity
incarnated
in
human
form)
among
men.
Then
man
is
drawn
towards
the
Avathaara
by
means
of
Grace
and
Prema,
and
led
into
the
path
that
will
give
him
the
vision
of
the
Full,
the
One.
The
One
can
best
be
deOined
as
Prema,
Love;
for,
all
Nature
is
immersed
in
Love,
all
beings
are
bound
by
Love,
all
are
drawn
by
Love.
Love
is
in
all,
Love
is
of
all.
Love
is
all.
his
dearly
beloved
wife;
how
he
pursued
wicked
Raavana
who
had
played
this
trick
to
get
Raama
out
of
the
way,
came
to
the
hermitage
at
that
time
and
carried
her
away
to
his
island
kingdom!
As
she
said
this,
the
child
seemed
to
be
terribly
angry.
It
held
forth
Its
hand,
and
cried,
"Lakshman!
Give
Me
My
bow
and
arrow."
The
mother
remembered
that
Lakshmana
was
the
brother
who
accompanied
Raama
to
the
forest
and
she
was
convinced
that
He
who
was
Raama
had
come
as
Krishna
to
the
world
again.
All
Avathaars
teach,
as
the
Oirst
step
in
the
long
road
of
Saadhana,
the
giving
up
of
attachment.
In
the
Threthaayuga,
the
Yoga-Vaasistha
taught
the
same
rule.
In
the
Dwaparayuga,
Krishna
taught
Arjuna
to
give
up
Vishaya-Vaasana
(attachment
to
the
objective
world).
The
rulers
who
frame
and
foster
the
educational
system
of
the
country
are
responsible
for
the
discontent,
disillusionment
and
consequent
delinquencies
and
disturbances
of
the
students.
They
pay
attention
only
to
the
physical
and
intellectual
training
of
the
youth;
they
forget
the
attention
must
also
be
paid
to
mental,
moral
and
spiritual
development,
so
that
an
integrated
personality
can
emerge.
Now,
a
child
is
put
to
school
so
that
years
later
he
may
get
a
cushy
job!
Schooling
is
for
gaining
a
living,
not
for
gaining
the
ultimate
in
life.
In
all
countries,
it
is
the
same.
Nowhere
is
youth
trained
to
earn
Shaanthi
(equanimity,
peace);
everywhere,
the
aim
is
a
comfortable
life,
not
a
life
of
peace
and
undisturbed
joy.
Comfort
is
a
passing
phase;
it
is
a
relative
stage,
between
two
discomforts.
The
search
for
comfort,
for
riches,
for
fame,
for
power
over
others---these
will
make
a
man
so
egoistic
that
he
is
a
danger
to
himself
and
others.
The
only
safe
path
is
to
seek
Aanandha
within
oneself,
not
in
or
through
others.
!
Discourse 27 (Prashanti Vidvanmahasabha, Anantapur, 31/7/1967)
!
Discourse 28 (Prashanti Nilayam, Guru Poornima, July 1967)
GOD
is
Premaswaruupa;
God
is
in
every
being;
so,
the
fruit
of
every
life
is
full
of
the
sweetness
of
that
Prema.
Like
the
bitter
skin
of
the
fruit
which
is
sweet
which
casts
the
cover
of
ignorance
over
the
precious
juice
within,
so
too
the
bitter
skin
of
envy,
egoism,
hate,
malice,
greed,
lust
and
pomp
does
not
allow
the
sweetness
to
be
patent
to
all.
Every
being
is
entitled
to
partake
of
that
Prema,
irrespective
of
nationality,
colour,
creed
or
status
in
society.
When
God
and
God's
Prema
are
activating
every
atom,
who
dare
say,
'Stand
out'
to
any
one?
Ishaavaasyamidham
sarvam---
All
this
is
God,
is
Prema.
The
lights
that
Vyaasa
lit
to
reveal
this
great
reality
have
become
dim;
no
one
is
pouring
oil
into
the
lamp;
all
are
interested
in
pursuing
false
ideals
and
Oleeting
pleasures.
Vyaasa
taught
Dharma
in
the
Mahaabhaaratha,
bhakthi
in
the
Bhaagavatha,
and
shaanthi
and
prema
in
the
18
Puraanas;
he
taught
the
knowledge
of
"knowledge,
knower
and
the
known"
in
the
Brahmasuuthra.
He
emphasised
that
harming
others
is
the
seed
of
sin
and
serving
others
the
seed
of
merit.
That
is
the
lesson
of
Prema,
pure
and
simple.
The
person
who
has
delved
into
his
depths
and
discovered
his
inner
reality
is
the
embodiment
of
shaanthi.
Prema
is
the
Amritharasa
(essence
of
nectar)
which
Oills
the
Upanishadhs.
When
man
realises
the
inefOiciency
of
the
senses,
the
mind
and
the
intellect,
to
grapple
with
the
Page 202 of 268
Reality
and
know
the
inner
core
of
his
truth,
then,
he
discovers
he
is
the
Aathma
which
is
Sathya,
Dharma,
Shaanthi
and
Prema.
Or,
He
realises
that
there
is
God
who
is
the
basis
of
all
this
superstructure,
who
has
designed
and
contrived
all
this
and
he
surrenders
his
ego
to
Him.
"Let
Your
will
prevail,"
he
proclaims
and
resigns
himself
fully
to
His
plan.
That
moment
is
a
supreme
moment
of
joy,
Aanandha.
Troubles,
miseries,
handicaps,
grief
and
pains
that
were
hitherto
causes
of
distress
suddenly
take
on
a
new
and
magniOicent
r01e:
they
are
"His
handwork,
His
gifts,
His
Grace."
They
are
no
longer
unwelcome;
they
are
as
welcome
as
the
successes,
the
pleasures,
the
happiness
are.
Both
are
His
Will.
When
you
go
to
a
new
place,
you
seek
out
a
friend
and
hand
over
to
him
all
the
money
you
have
for
safe
keeping;
but,
if
you
start
suspecting
him
later,
you
will
have
no
peace.
Have
faith
in
him;
you
are
free;
you
have
no
worry.
So
too,
give
all
your
desire-driven
activities
to
God;
have
faith
in
Him
and
be
unconcerned
for
ever.
Sarva
dharmaan
parithyajya,
(giving
up
all
your
desire-driven
activities
through
various
codes
and
regulations)
maam
ekam
sharanam
vraja
(give
everything
to
Me
and
have
full
faith
in
Me).
Prema
too
is
of
three
kinds,
depending
on
the
guna
(quality)
that
predominates
in
the
individual.
Thaamasik
Prema
conOines
itself
to
"me"
and
"mine,"
it
does
not
Olow
beyond
that
little
circle.
The
Raajasik
Prema
Olows
only
towards
those
in
power,
or
have
wealth,
or
to
those
who
will:
give
it
a
spectacular
effect.
Saathwik
Prema,
on
the
other
hand,
always
Olows
towards
the
good,
the
pure,
the
detached,
towards
awe
and
wonder,
towards
God.
Just
as
the
sugar
that
your
eyes
can
see
and
your
hands
can
put
into
water
becomes
so
dissolved
in
it
that
neither
eye
nor
hand
can
cognise
it
again,
the
senses
and
intelligence
cannot
cognise
that
immanent
God;
chiththashuddhi
(cleansing
of
mind)
alone
can
recognise
God,
just
as
the
tongue
alone
can
recognise
the
sugar
that
has
dissolved
in
the
water.
Believe
in
that
Supreme
Paramaathma
and
engage
yourselves
in
the
practice
of
living.
You
will
then
Oind
that
you
can
manage
to
detach
yourselves
from
the
world,
though
you
are
in
it.
You
will
be
like
the
lotus
which
grows
in
water
but
which
Oloats
on
it
and
does
not
allow
it
to
wet
it,
like
the
tongue
which
is
unaffected
by
grease
though
it
may
eat
ghee
and
oily
articles.
The
chiththa
(the
mind-stuff)
should
not
be
contaminated
by
contact
with
the
sensory
objects,
that
is
the
means
of
saadhana.
Grasp
this
maaya
and
in
an
instant,
the
postulate
of
mind
is
seen
as
illusion.
You
can
know
the
'I'
principle.
When
this
"I"
is
not
cognised,
how
can
you
answer
the
query,
"Who
are
you?"
You
are
not
the
name
or
label
Oixed
on
your
material
body---Yellappa,
Raamappa,
Mallappa,
or
Lakshmanappa.
You
are
not
the
bodies
which
your
parents
named
so.
Your
genuine
name
is
different.
You
declare,
'This
is
my
leg,
my
head,
my
stomach;"
but
who
is
this
'I'
that
possesses
these?
Discover
who
this
'I'
is;
understand
that
the
'I'
is
not
the
body.
When
this
is
realised
as
a
true
fact,
it
follows
that
'I'
is
not
the
sense,
nor
the
mind.
So,
the
'I'
is
the
resident
of
this
body,
whose
residence
gives
all
these
their
validity
and
value.
That
is
to
say,
'I'
is
the
breath.
So
long
as
breath
resides,
there
is
no
death.
So
long
as
there
is
current
Olowing,
the
bulb
illumines.
When
the
current
does
not
Olow
there
is
no
light.
You
attach
importance
to
the
coming
and
going
of
the
light
in
the
bulb;
you
do
not
observe
that
the
current
is
ever
Olowing.
The
connection
is
broken,
that
is
all.
The
body
is
a
bulb;
when
the
current
Olows
through
it,
the
parts
inside
it
are
activated
and
function
effectively.
The
breath
is
the
current;
the
Page 203 of 268
breath
is
'I'.
The
Vedhas
rely
on
three
categories:
Direct,
Indirect,
Inferential;
but,
there
is
a
fourth
also:
Shabdha,
the
Sound,
the
authenticity
of
the
Sound.
The
breath
is
inhaled,
retained
and
exhaled
as
the
sound:
Soham
Soham,
Soham.
This
means:
I
am
Brahman,
I
am
Brahman.'
So,
you
are
not
a
jeeva
(individual
soul)or
a
deha
(body),
you
are
Brahman---the
Universal,
Eternal,
Unchanging.
The
illusion
you
are
now
hugging
that
you,
with
this
reality
of
Brahman
as
your
core
and
substance,
are
only
this
particular
body
bearing
this
particular
name---this
is
what
is
referred
to
as
Maayaa
(worldly
illusion).
That
is
the
effect
of
the
mind.
The
mind
has
no
special
individuality;
it
has
no
innate,
inherent
capability.
All
its
powers
of
mischief
are
activated
and
multiplied
by
man
himself.
It
is
agitated
by
the
winds
of
delusion
that
blow
on
it.
Now,
here
is
a
piece
of
cloth,
though
it
is
just
an
assortment
of
yarn.
Some
yarns
are
in
this
direction
and
some
are
in
the
other
direction,
and
so
the
cloth
was
created.
If
we
pull
out
the
yarns
one
by
one,
there
will
remain
nothing
of
the
cloth.
So
too,
the
desires
of
man
are
the
warp
and
the
woof
that
has
woven
this
new
thing
called
'mind'.
Remove
desire;
the
mind
disappears
and
is
no
more.
Look
at
the
trainers
of
wild
beasts.
They
bring
the
tiger,
the
most
ferocious
of
animals,
like
a
cat
into
the
circus
ring,
and
make
it
jump
through
a
hoop
of
Oire
or
lap
milk
from
a
plate,
face
to
face
with
a
goat,
sitting
on
a
chair!
They
are
able
to
subdue
its
ferocity
and
tame
it,
reduce
it
to
the
position
of
an
unassuming
toy!
How
could
they
do
it?
They
did
Saadhana,
they
made
the
tiger
also
go
through
a
regimen
of
Saadhana
and
they
succeeded!
If
you
could
succeed
with
the
tiger,
can
you
not
succeed
with
the
ferocious
denizens
of
your
mind?
You
can.
That
is
the
message
of
Navaraathri,
the
Nine
Days'
Festival
celebrating
the
victory
of
the
Primal
Energy.
That
energy,
when
it
is
manifested
in
its
Saathwik
(quiet)
aspect
is
delineated
as
the
Great
Teacher
and
Inspirer,
Mahaa-
Saraswathi;
when
it
is
Raajasik
(active
and
potent),
the
great
Provider
and
Sustainer,
Mahaalakshmi;
when
it
is
Thaamasik
(dull
and
inactive),
but,
latent
and
apparently
quiet
as
the
Great
Dark
Destroyer
and
Deluder,
Mahaa-kaali.
Since
Shakthi
is
all-
pervasive,
omnipotent,
inOinitesimal
as
well
as
all-comprehensive,
it
can
be
contacted
everywhere,
in
outer
nature
or
inner
consciousness.
Prahlaadha
told
his
doubting
father:
"Why
doubt,
discuss
and
delay?
Seek
it
anywhere;
you
can
see
It."
It
is
near
and
far,
before,
behind,
beside
and
inside
everything,
in
the
known
and
the
unknown
world.
People
dare
describe
Her
or
Him,
as
thus
and
thus;
that
reveals
only
their
faculty
to
guess.
No
description
can
picture
the
portrait
in
full.
When
direct
realisation
is
won,
the
tongue
is
rendered
dumb;
the
portrait
is
unlimnable.
It
is
beyond
the
reach
of
human
intelligence
or
imagination.
But,
man
seeks
to
picture
the
vast
magniOicance
within
a
limited
frame
and
locate
it
in
Ayodhya
or
Dhwaaraka
or
Madurai
or
Kanyaakumari
or
some
such
spot,
and
give
it
a
Name
and
a
Form,
so
that
he
can
approach
It
and
adore
It.
The
Name
and
Form
identify
It,
they
do
not
limit
It.
When
you
dive
into
the
Sea
at
one
place,
you
are
diving
into
the
Full,
not
a
Fraction,
for
the
ocean
is
the
same
everywhere.
You
cannot
separate
it
into
sections
by
drawing
lines
on
it.
Plunge
any
where;
you
are
plunging
into
the
self-same
Bliss.
The
Oire
of
detachment
will
fry
the
seed
of
desire,
down
to
the
last
trace
of
life
in
it.
Mere
transitory
Oits
of
renunciation
will
not
succeed
in
preventing
sprouting.
Detachment
has
to
be
supplemented
by
the
knowledge
of
the
hollowness
of
the
objective
world.
Page 204 of 268
When
one
of
your
Oingers
pricks
your
eye,
you
do
not
turn
against
it
and
retaliate,
do
you?
The
person
who
was
harsh
is
as
much
you
as
your
own
Oinger.
When
two
people
meet,
it
is
considered
good
manners
that
each
should
inquire
about
the
health
of
the
other.
This
is
true
of
the
peoples
of
both
East
and
West.
You
ask
each
other,
'How
do
you
do?'
regardless
of
the
fact,
that
both
are
every
moment
approaching
death,
nearer
and
nearer.
Really
speaking,
both
are
undergoing
kshaya
(decline),
not
kshema
(the
security
of
health)!
With
each
exhalation
of
breath,
a
fraction
of
life-span
escapes
from
our
hold.
So,
each
should
warn
the
:her,
remind
the
other,
instruct
the
other,
to
use
the
available
present
for
realising
the
God
within
the
Universe
and
within
oneself.
The
best
preventive
of
ill-health
is
the
Aanandha
that
comes
of
unconcern.
Look
at
Me.
I
have
come
with
this
body,
and
you
can
see
that
there
is
no
difference
between
this
body
and
any
other
human
body.
But
yet,
illness
has
never
affected
this
body.
It
cannot,
any
time.
Even
if
I
welcome
it,
it
cannot
approach
Me.
Nor
am
I
taking
any
precautions
against
it.
I
take
all
manner
of
foods,
at
all
kinds
of
places,
in
all
types
of
homes.
The
dhobi's
room
will
be
full
of
varied
assortments
of
clothes,
isn't
it?
My
dining
table
has
an
equally
varied
assortment
of
dishes,
brought
by
devotees
at
the
Nilayam
belonging
to
all
the
comers
of
the
world.
I
have
no
Oixed
menu
at
all;
I
do
not
care
for
one.
I
move
about
in
all
varieties
of
weather,
sun
or
rain,
summer
or
winter,
valley
or
plateau;
I
drink
water
from
one
well
today,
another
tomorrow.
But,
I
am
Aanandha-
swaruupa
(Divine
Bliss
personiOied)
all
the
time
and
so,
I
am
never
ill.
Nor
am
I
in
the
least
disturbed
by
either
the
praise
or
by
the
maligning,
that
people
pour.
When
I
am
spoken
of,
either
in
derision
or
in
adoration,
My
Aanandha
is
the
same.
A
wayside
tree
having
a
load
of
fruits
with
sweet
juice,
is
admired
by
some;
but,
most
people
are
tempted
to
throw
stones.
Even
lunatics
and
senile
old
men
will
cast
stones
at
it.
Man
must
know
the
way
to
attain
God,
must
be
led
and
guided
to
attain
Him,
must
be
educated
to
rid
himself
of
distractions
on
the
path,
must
know
that,
which
if
known,
all
else
is
known.
The
rest
is
all
secondary,
incidental,
unnecessary.
The
Vedhaantha,
meaning
"the
goal
or
Oinale
of
the
Vedhas,"
is
the
repository
of
this
knowledge,
the
knowledge
of
God
and
of
the
journey
which
leads
to
Him.
The
different
hypotheses
about
His
Nature
and
characteristics
and
how
to
test
their
validity,
the
different
disciplines
that
will
render
the
intellect
of
man
sharp
enough
to
grasp
the
Glory
of
God,
the
immeasurable
thrill
that
the
revelation
of
the
Glow
of
God
as
one's
own
inner
glory
will
confer,
all
these
are
indicated
in
the
Upanishadhs,
which
form
the
Vedhaantha.
Every
good
book
written
by
Man
is
acclaimed
so
because
it
has
a
vein
of
this
golden
glory
in
its
pages.
Vedhaantha
means
the
Oinal
product
of
the
fund
of
knowledge---liberation.
The
Oinal
product
of
milk
is
ghee---for,
when
milk
is
heated,
curdled,
churned
and
the
resultant
butter
is
clariOied,
ghee
is
secured
and
it
cannot
be
turned
into
anything
else.
That
is
the
end-product.
Vedhaantha
is
Jnaana---the
knowledge
that
reveals,
that
loosens
'the
knots
of
the
heart'
and
the
bondage
to
external
objects,
that
discloses
in
a
Olash
the
Unity
that
is
the
Truth
of
all
this
multifarious
Creation.
That
alone
can
give
shaanthi
and
sukha
(peace
and
happiness).
Man
can
be
happy
only
in
vastness,
in
overOlowing
into
greater
and
greater
power
and
magniOicence.
People
run
up
to
Nainital
or
Page 205 of 268
Kodaikanal
or
Mussorie
during
summer,
in
order
to
escape
the
heat
of
the
plains.
So
too,
people
seek
vastness,
in
order
to
escape
the
stufOiness
of
'individualised'
life.
They
want
the
Eternal,
the
Absolute;
not,
the
temporary
and
the
particular.
So,
books
must
deal
with
the
eternal
verities,
the
absolute
certainties,
the
vast
immeasurable
joys.
The
fascination
that
the
temporary
has
over
the
mind
is
called
Maaya
or
Delusion.
For
example,
under
the
delusion
that
white
or
greying
hair
is
something
to
be
ashamed
of
and
postponed,
men
and
women
dye
their
hair---though
for
all
other
purposes,
white
is
considered
more
desirable
than
black!
The
mind
is
never
still
Oixed
on
any
one
ideal.
It
is
ever
wavering,
Olitting
from
one
object
to
another,
hopping
from
one
satisfaction
to
another.
To
allow
oneself
to
be
led
by
the
mind
and
bypass
the
intelligence
is
the
folly
called
Maaya
(illusion).
The
world
is
a
labyrinth
in
which
man
has
become
entangled;
he
must
Oind
a
way
out.
The
mind,
however
is
no
guide,
for
it
is
an
aimless
wanderer.
INDIA
is
the
land
where
the
dichotomy
of
'that'
and
'this,'
of
'Creator'
and
'Creation,'
of
'energy'
and
'matter,'
was
resolved
in
one
grand
Unity,
by
both
theory
and
practice,
in
philosophical
schools
and
in
hermitages.
Indian
thought
afOirms
that
T
and
'He'
are
one;
that
all
is
integrated
in
the
composite
whole,
true,
good,
and
beautiful,
through
and
through.
Indian
thinkers
have
reached
the
dizziest
heights
of
speculation
and
the
clearest
depths
of
intuition;
they
have
found
that
the
experience
of
fundamental
unity
is
not
negated
by
most
rigorous
logic.
Therefore,
all
other
faiths
are
but
facets
of
this
supreme
Truth,
this
sublime
experience.
And,
each
little
duty
cast
upon
man
in
the
Hindu
Code
of
Morals
reOlects
this
awareness
of
Unity.
For
example,
it
is
laid
down
that
when
a
person
dines
without
Oirst
feeding
the
chance
guest
or
the
hungry
man
at
his
door,
he
is
committing
theft,
eating
a
meal
of
sin,
partaking
a
feast
of
foulness!
So
too,
India,
that
is
to
say,
Vedhamaatha
(the
mother
who
speaks
with
the
voice
of
the
Vedhas)
has
to
warn
the
nations
of
the
world,
sleeping
the
sleep
of
sense-satiety,
that
wildness
is
rushing
in
to
destroy
them.
This
is
the
role
of
Bhaarath-,--to
assert
that
God
is
a
present
and
persistent
factor
in
human
life,
in
every
atom,
in
the
Universe
and
that
God
is
Sath,
Chith
and
Aanandha
(Existense,
Conciousness
and
Bliss
Absolute).
She
must
nurse
the
tree
of
Dharma
and
garner
from
it,
for
the
welfare
of
the
whole
world,
the
fruits
of
Ahlaadha
(spiritual
exhilaration),
Aanandha
(bliss)
and
shaanthi
(calm
equipoise).
BIRTH
is
the
consequence
of
Kaama
(desire,
lust):
Death
is
the
consequence
of
Kaala
(Time,
the
lapse
of
Time).
The
God
of
Desire
(Kaama)
was
reduced
to
ashes
by
Shiva;
the
God
of
Time
is
Kaala
or
Yama.
He
was
subdued
by
Shiva.
So,
one
has
to
surrender
to
Shiva
(God)
if
one
has
to
escape
the
consequences
of
these
two
frightfully
fatal
forces.
If
between
Kaama
and
Kaala,
you
take
refuge
in
Raama,
then
you
can
escape
the
rigour.
For
Raama
is
the
Aathma
and
Aathma
(self,
inOinite)
has
no
Kaama
and
is
unaffected
by
Kaala.
Nature---both
outer
and
inner---is
ruled
by
the
Sovereign
Aathma,
the
Universal
Soul,
the
Paramaathma.
So,
if
you
earn
the
Grace
of
the
Paramaathma,
Nature
becomes
your
docile
instrument.
The
body
is
nature;
the
vital
air
is
Paramaathma.
Living
beings
are
pictures
moving
on
the
screen;
the
screen
which
is
unaffected
by
the
emotions,
the
Page 206 of 268
raging
Oire
or
roaring
Oloods
that
pass
over
it,
is
the
Paramaathma.
The
worldly
will
be
fascinated
by
the
pictures,
which
through
delusion,
appear
as
if
they
are
all
real
living
incidents;
the
wise
will
concentrate
on
the
screen,
which
is
pure,
white
and
clear.
When
water
is
poured
into
milk,
it
too
takes
on
the
nature
of
milk.
Nature
too
appears
to
be
capable
of
giving
us
stability,
joy
and
peace;
but,
these
are
really
the
qualities
of
the
Ultimate,
the
Paramaathma.
Like
the
water
mixed
in
milk,
these
qualities
do
not
belong
to
Nature
at
all.
The
Hamsa
(a
legendary
swan)
has
the
property
of
separating
the
milk
from
the
water
and
drinking
the
milk
only.
So
too,
Paramahamsa
(realised
person,
who
has
achieved
Truth)
can
separate
the
Illusory
from
the
Real
and
experience
the
Bliss,
communicated
only
by
the
Truth.
Raamakrishna
was
a
Paramahamsa;
he
knew
how
to
separate
milk
(Truth)
from
the
water
(untruth)
added
to
it.
When
he
was
suffering
from
cancer
of
the
throat,
unable
to
swallow
food,
his
disciples
entreated
him
to
pray
to
mother
Kaali,
that
the
cancer
may
be
cured;
they
felt
that
Kaali
will
certainly
answer
the
prayer
if
he
but
made
it.
But,
Paramahamsa
refused
to
ask
any
such
boon
from
God.
His
attention
could
not
be
diverted
to
any
such
low
desire.
"Why
pray?
If
it
is
Her
will,
it
will
happen;
if
not,
that
too
is
Her
will,"
that
was
the
reply.
There
is
a
great
deal
of
useless
discussion
and
controversy
about
the
paths
to
attain
God;
some
demarcate
three
paths,
Bhakthi,
Karma
and
Jnaana.
But
there
need
be
no
controversy
on
their
relative
efOicacy.
They
are
like
the
conOluence
of
the
three
holy
rivers
at
Prayaag,
the
Ganga,
the
Yamuna,
and
the
unseen
underground
Saraswathi.
Ganga
is
the
Bhakthi-maarga
(the
Path
of
Devotion)---surrender,
control
of
selOish,
sensual
pursuits;
Yamuna
is
the
Karma-maarga
(Path
of
ritual
and
ceremonial
worship,
of
dedicatory
acts)---engaging
in
activities,
irrespective
of
the
beneOits
therefrom,
doing
all
duties
as
worship,
eliminating
all
attachment,
all
pride
of
I-am-the-
doer
type;
Saraswathi
is
the
Jnaana-maarga
(the
Path
of
Knowledge;
of
acquiring
true
awareness
of
the
Reality)---cognising
that
ideas
of
bondage
are
all
delusion
that
One
is
ever
Free,
devoid
of
change,
full
of
Aanandha.
The
three
Paths
are
like
the
wheels
of
a
tricycle---
the
wooden
push-cart,
which
children
are
given,
to
train
them
to
take
the
Oirst
steps,
while
learning
to
walk.
Bhakthi
and
Jnaana
are
two
wheels
in
one
line
at
the
back
and
the
forward
one
is
Karma.
The
child
learns
the
steps
and
walks
towards
the
"City
of
Freedom
from
Fear
and
Illusion."
The
senses
are
the
prime
motive
forces
for
the
mind
and
the
illusion
it
suffers
from.
The
Five
Elements
have
each
a
characteristic
that
affects
and
attracts
one
of
the
Oive
senses:
Sound
(Ether),
which
fascinates
the
mind
through
the
ear;
Touch
(Air)
which
draws
the
mind
to
itself
through
the
skin;
Form
(Fire)
which
manipulates
the
mind
in
its
favour
through
the
eye;
Taste
(Water),
which
enslaves
the
mind
through
the
tongue
and
Smell
(Earth),
which
attracts
the
mind
through
the
nose.
Contact
with
the
external
world
is
maintained
by
the
senses
for
the
sake
of
these
experiences---which
yield
joy
or
grief.
In
order
to
escape
being
tossed
about
on
the
waves
of
joy
and
grief,
one
should
cultivate
unconcern
(upeksha),
an
attitude
of
welcoming
either,
as
a
sign
of
Grace.
Shri
Raamakrishna
said
that
if
you
must
avoid
the
sticky
Oluid
in
the
jack-fruit
from
contacting
your
Oingers
when
you
peel
it,
you
have
to
apply
a
few
drops
of
oil
on
them.
So
too,
said
he,
"if
you
do
not
want
the
world
and
its
reactions
to
stick
to
you,
have
a
few
drops
of
'unconcern'
applied
On
your
mind."
This
unconcern
leads
to
the
deepest
yearning
for
God.
Chaithanya
went
to
Brindaavan,
where
every
particle
of
dust
was
sacred
for
him,
since
Krishna
trod
that
soil
centuries
ago.
He
did
not
see
or
hear
or
touch
or
smell
or
taste
anything
except
Krishna
at
Brindaavan.
He
was
rendered
so
forgetful
to
the
world
around
him
that
he
ignored
the
demands
of
hunger,
thirst
and
social
etiquette.
He
yearned
for
the
consecrated
food
that
was
offered
to
Krishna
in
the
Temple.
But,
one
night,
the
Lord
appeared
before
him,
and
admonished
him
for
entertaining
that
one
desire
too!
When
at
last,
he
gave
up
that
desire
also
and
was
overwhelmed
with
the
thirst
for
Him
and
Him
alone,
Krishna
manifested
before
him,
from
within
him.
The
Divine
Chaithanya
(Consciousness)
illuminated
the
Chaithanya
in
human
form.
Learn
therefore
the
discipline
that
can
make
the
mind
settle
on
God
only
and
never
waver
therefrom.
You
must
know
your
own
Reality
before
you
die
and
merge
in
that
supreme
Joy.
Eat
just
enough
to
keep
the
body
in
trim;
use
the
body
to
discover
this
Reality,
namely,
God.
Mention
was
made
here
of
the
fear
that
the
childless
suffer
from;
the
fear
is
that
unless
you
have
a
son,
who
will
do
the
rites
prescribed
for
the
departed,
the
dead
parents
will
have
to
sperm
ages
in
a
special
section
of
hell!
This
emphasis
on
begetting
a
son
was
made
only
for
royal
dynasties.
Since,
in
the
absence
of
direct
successors,
the
kingdom
will
have
to
pass
through
strife
and
bloodshed.
Dhritharaashtra
had
a
hundred
sons;
not
one
of
them
survived
him
and
performed
the
rites
to
save
him
from
hell!
Suka,
the
incomparable
Sage,
had
no
sons;
can
you
say
that
he
missed
Moksha
(Liberation)
as
a
Page 208 of 268
punishment
and
spent
ages
in
hell?
Not
to
have
a
son
is
no
spiritual
disaster,
I
assure
you.
Some
worship
God
as
Shiva
and
call
Him
as
Pashupathi
(Guardian
of
cattle),
'pashu'
meaning
living
beings,
the
bound;
some
worship
God
as
Vishnu
or
Krishna
and
call
Him
as
Gopaala
(Protector
of
cattle),
'go'
meaning
living
beings,
the
bound.
And
these
two
sets
of
devotees
refuse
to
revere
each
other!
Shiva
is
extolled
as
the
Creator,
Preserver
and
Destroyer,
by
those
who
adore
Him.
Vishnu
or
Krishna
is
extolled
as
all
these
three
by
these
that
adore
Him;
but,
they
don't
take
the
next
step
of
recognising
that
there
cannot
be
any
legitimate
reason
for
their
differences.
You
must
welcome
all
Names
and
Forms,
though
you
might
have
a
personal
attachment
to
one
Name
and
one
Form.
You
have
to
admit
that
the
God
whom
you
adore
is
universal
enough
to
have
many
Names
and
many
Forms.
NO
other
human
community
has
gone
so
deep
into
the
problem
of
birth
and
death,
of
thoughts
after
death
and
the
continuity
of
the
consequences
of
thoughts,
words
and
deeds,
as
the
Hindus.
The
solutions
they
discovered
and
veriOied
are
so
universal,
so
convincing
and
so
beneOicial
for
individual
and
social
uplift,
that
they
have
stood
the
test
of
centuries
of
critical
assessment
by
scholars
and
sages
of
all
lands.
One
commendable
feature
of
this
investigation
is
that
reason
has
never
taken
a
second
place.
At
every
step,
the
saadhana
is
to
be
reinforced
by
reason.
The
saadhana
(spiritual
discipline)
is
the
drug,
the
intelligent
appraisal
of
the
results
and
difOiculties
is
the
regimen.
The
disease
o
Ajnaana
(spiritual
ignorance)
is
cured
by
the
'tablet,'
Prajnaana
(science
of
the
spirit);
that
is
to
say,
the
damaging
consequence
of
Ignorance
is
cured
by
the
Higher
Knowledge.
So
do
not
adhere
to
the
'aloners'
in
religion,
who
say
the
'He
alone
is
God';
change
over
to
the
'also-ers'
who
know
that
'He
also
is
God.'
Every
head
before
Me,
all
the
Oifteen
thousand,
is
My
Head;
for,
it
is
the
head
of
God,
as
mentioned
in
the
Vedhas.
Every
bulb
is
illuminated
by
the
same
inner-Olowing
current.
Let
not
the
bulb
think
that
it
is
shining
through
its
own
will;
let
it
be
humble
that
it
is
but
an
instrument,
used
by
the
current,
to
shed
light.
If
each
one
follows
his
own
nose,
there
will
be
chaos.
If
each
one
decides
to
pursue
his
own
wish
or
even
his
own
reason
(for
after
all,
reason
may
be
used
to
justify
one's
own
predilections
and
pet
prejudices),
man
will
descend
to
the
level
of
the
apes
or
worse.
So,
man
has
to
be
guided
by
the
wisdom
of
the
past,
the
bounds
prescribed
by
his
well-
wishers,
the
sages,
the
Shaasthras
or
moral
codes
laid
down
to
map
the
conscience
in
him.
The
Shaasthras
only
channelise
the
urges
that
arise
within
men.
Like
the
seed,
which
can
sprout
into
a
plant
only
from
under
the
soil,
all
the
various
emotions,
Page 209 of 268
feelings
and
impulses
sprout
only
from
within
the
mind
of
man.
If
the
mind
is
steady,
nothing
can
shake
you
into
indecision
or
indifference.
The
Jeeva
struggling
to
merge
with
Brahmam
wails
plaintively,
as
the
pilgrim
to
Thirupathi
wails,
"O,
Lord!
You
are
atop
the
Seven
Hills,
I
am
on
the
plains
below."
Therefore,
it
is
said,
the
Jeevi
must
either
rise
up
to
that
level
or
he
must,
by
his
prayers,
persuade
the
Lord
to
come
down
to
him
and
bless
him,
by
His
Presence.
This
is
a
wrong
inference.
The
Lord
is
neither
up
nor
down.
He
is
within,
not
seen
because
the
heart
is
unclean.
Engage
in
Karma,
until
this
cleansing
is
accomplished;
then,
when
the
Lord
in
you
is
cognised,
all
your
acts
will
promote
the
welfare
of
the
world.
The
Thaittireeya
Upanishadh
takes
the
student
from
the
gross
to
the
subtle,
step
by
step,
in
its
effort
to
teach
him
the
Divine
Principle.
When
Bhrigu,
the
son
of
Varuna,
approached
his
father,
saying,
"Teach
me
Brahman,"
he
was
told
in
a
general
way,
"Brahman
is
that
from
which
all
this
originates,
that
in
which
they
live,
and
that
in
which
they
enter
when
they
depart,"
and
he
was
asked
to
investigate
it
through
meditation
himself.
Bhrigu
declared
that
'Food
was
Brahman,'
and
when
asked
to
proceed
with
the
investigation,
he
proceeded
to
the
next
hypothesis,
that
Brahman
was
Praana
(life);
later,
he
found
that
Manas
(will,
sankalpa,
ichchaashakthi)
was
Brahman;
then
he
reached
the
stage
when
he
could
declare
that
Brahman
was
Vijaana
(intelligence);
the
next
step
was
reached
when
he
identiOied
Brahman
with
Aanandha
(bliss);
thus
the
Upanishadh
teaches
the
subtle,
supreme,
non-dual
Bliss,
hidden
in
the
cave
of
the
heart.
From
the
material
to
the
spiritual---that
is
the
process
of
Upanishadhic
teachings.
The
new
born
baby
does
'kevvu'
(onomotopoeic
word
in
Thelugu
for
baby's
wail);
the
dying
person,
as
a
result
of
his
experience
of
life,
must
do
'navvu'
(laugh,
in
Thelugu).
The
baby
wails,
since
it
does
not
know
its
name,
its
Reality;
the
dying
man
must
laugh,
since
he
should
know
it.
He
must
die
happy
that
his
life-work
has
been
accomplished.
Koham?
(whom
am
I)---the
question
with
which
he
emerged
into
this
world
has
been
answered;
he
knows:
Soham
(I
am
He).
He
is
born
ignorant;
he
dies
a
jnaani
(possessing
spiritual
knowledge).
Man
too
can
transform
himself
into
a
priceless
instrument
for
God-realisation
through
the
proper
use
of
his
mind
and
intelligence.
By
the
forceful
alchemy
of
the
mind,
he
can
attain
jnaana
(spiritual
knowledge)
and
see
the
Truth
that
satisOies
and
illumines.
We
feel
that
the
people
of
our
country
will
be
happy,
if
we
only
provide
them
with
food,
clothing
and
housing.
We
feel
that
they
are
suffering,
because
they
have
not
got
these
things
in
an
adequate
measure.
That
is
an
illusion,
for,
contentment
and
happiness
are
attributes
of
the
mind.
The
mind
must
be
trained
to
achieve
peace
and
acquire
joy.
Page 210 of 268
Ask
yourself
the
basic
question:
Is
there
something
that
can
be
called
sukha?
Can
it
be
attained
by
the
accumulation
of
material
things?
No.
Sukha
(happiness),
can
be
got
and
retained
only
through
Aathmajnaana
(the
knowledge
of
the
Self)
through
the
Aathma
which
is
the
source
and
spring
of
Aanandha.
We
delude
ourselves
when
we
argue
that
happiness
can
be
derived
from
things
outside
ourselves.
Life
as
man
is
the
chance
given
to
every
one
to
achieve
one
glorious
end,
namely,
realising
the
Aathma
and
its
Universality.
He
queries
every
one
about
his
name
and
whereabouts;
but,
does
not
know
an
iota
of
his
own
identity.
Who
are
you,
really?
You
are
not
the
body
or
the
senses
or
the
intellect
or
the
mind,
for
you
speak
as
if
you
own
them
and
are
different
from
them,
when
you
say,
my
body,
my
senses,
my
intellect,
my
mind.
He
who
is
the
master
of
all
these
is
the
'I',
the
'I'
that
makes
every
one
else
also
feel
similarly.
With
every
breath,
man
inhales
the
consciousness
that
the
Universal
eternal
Principle
that
pervades
and
persists
in
the
entire
Creation.
That
is
why
he
is
repeating
silently,
Soham,
with
the
inhalation
and
the
exhalation,
Soham.
During
deep
sleep,
two
ideas,
(the
very
duality)
disappear.
The
idea
of
"that"
and
the
idea
of
"this"
go,
leaving
only
the
sense
of
'I';
sa
and
ham
fade
out
leaving
only
Om,
in
the
sounds
soham.
That
is
the
seed
sound,
the
Pranava,
which
is
the
Praan
(breath).
Merge
in
that
Om,
the
Primal
Universal
Sound
and
you
lose
your
separateness
and
your
misery
and
pain.
That
is
the
ultimate
stage
of
man---his
Antha
Vedhaantha---the
Oinal
stage
of
man,
his
Vedhaantha,
his.
jnaana.
Man
starts
as
a
Brahmachaari,
a
student
of
the
Brahmic,
the
Aathmic
path;
he
enters
the
Grihastha
(householder)
stage,
the
stage
of
apprenticeship
in
the
joys
and
pleasures
of
the
world;
then
he
promotes
himself
into
the
Vaanaprastha
(recluse
in
the
forest)
stage,
of
detachment
and
discrimination;
that
leads
him
on
to
the
Sanyaasa
(ascetic)
stage,
of
intense
spiritual
exercise.
This
ends
in
the
consummation
of
Samyoga
(merging
in
the
Absolute),
like
the
river
merging
in
the
sea,
losing
in
the
process,
its
taste,
its
form
and
its
name.
He
who
knows
Brahman
becomes
Brahman;
the
river
that
enters
the
sea
becomes
the
sea.
The
person
who
serves
is
the
person
served;
you
serve
yourself
when
you
serve
another.
You
serve
another
because
his
suffering
causes
you
anguish
and
by
relieving
it,
you
want
to
save
yourselves
from
that
anguish.
Unless
you
have
that
anguish,
your
service
will
be
hollow
and
insincere.
We
say
'peace
of
mind';
but,
unless
the
mind
is
eliminated,
there
can
be
no
peace.
The
mind
is
but
a
pattern
of
desires,
warp
and
woof
of
wishes,
resolutions,
plans,
ambitions,
attempts,
attachments.
You
can
develop
detachment
by
dwelling
on
the
great
heritage
of
man;
then,
you
will
not
engage
yourself
in
low
deeds
and
thoughts.
Man
is
called
in
the
Indian
texts,
manu-
ja,
he
who
is
born
of
Manu,
the
great
exponent
of
Dharma-shaasthra.
So,
Dharma
(righteousness)
is
his
heritage;
he
has
no
right
to
deny
Dharma
or
act
contrary
to
it.
Contemplate
on
that
Dharma,
on
Sathya
and
Prema
which
are
the
foundations
of
that
Dharma,
and
then,
all
your
acts
will
be
in
consonance
with
real
Bharatheeya
culture.
See
your
self
in
all
and
in
yourself.
That
alone
entitles
you
to
be
a
sevak,
to
serve.
Meditate
on
the
God
who
Oills
the
Universe
and
transcends
it;
then,
that
glory
will
Oill
you
and
you
can
never
more
be
small-minded
or
mean.
Your
acts
and
words
will
echo
the
glory
of
God.
Seva
that
comes
from
such
experience
will
certainly
bear
fruit.
Page 211 of 268
Try
to
offer
people
your
Prema;
they
will
respond
with
lasting
gratitude.
Give
them
clothes,
houses---they
are
apt
to
lose
them.
Give
them
education;
they
may
or
may
not
use
it
for
their
good.
But,
give
them
Prema;
they
will
imbibe
it
gratefully
and
Oill
their
hearts
with
it
and
be
happy
as
never
before.
Do
not
imagine
that
this
is
a
temporary
responsibility
(being
a
Sevak),
which
you
shoulder
today
and
lay
down
in
a
few
days.
This
is
a
form
of
worship
into
which
you
are
initiated
so
that
your
hearts
may
be
cleansed
and
God
reOlected
therein.
This
training
as
a
volunteer
will
lead
you
to
see
the
bliss
of
Aathmaanandha
and
the
Light
of
Reality.
It
will
induce
you
to
search
for
your
own
inner
truth,
your
swa-swaruupa
(own
natural
form).
All
the
acts
you
perform
must
be
directed
towards
one
end:
drawing
down
on
you
the
Grace
of
God.
All
the
provisions
stocked
in
the
store-room
in
your
house
are
there
to
meet
one
purpose:
appease
your
hunger.
So
too
all
Karma
is
for
attaining
God.
But,
caught
in
the
darkness
of
Ajnaana
(spiritual
ignorance),
man
mistakes
the
purpose.
He
imagines
that
he
can
be
happy,
if
he
caters
to
his
senses;
this
is
only
self-
deception.
The
ego
is
not
the
cause
of
this;
the
real
culprit
is
the
darkness
produced
by
ignorance
of
the
goal
of
life.
Believe
that
God
resides
in
every
one
as
the
Aathma,
which
illumines
his
senses
and
the
vision.
Then,
the
darkness
will
disappear
and
Light
will
prevail.
Learning
the
process
of
getting
Oixed
in
that
faith
is
the
genuine
education.
The
others
are
lamps
that
have
no
Olame,
that
cannot
dispel
darkness.
They
may
be
designated
so,
but
that
name
is
misnomer.
When
you
call
yourself
a
Sevak,
offering
service
to
another,
have
also
reverence
in
your
mind
that
the
person
whom
you
serve
is
the
Lord
Himself
in
that
form.
This
attitude
is
very
helpful
for
the
Saadhak.
Maanava
seva
is
Maadhava
seva---the
service
of
man
is
service
of
God.
But,
when?
When
we
feel
in
the
depth
of
heart
that
the
person
whom
you
serve
is
a
wave
of
the
same
sea
from
which
you
derive
your
individuality,
your
taste,
your
name
and
form.
I
have
called
you
in
today
and
I
am
naming
you
as
"Volunteers"
in
order
to
give
you
an
opportunity
to
practise
this
Saadhana
of
Maadhava
seva
through
Maanava
seva.
Do
not
therefore
take
this
as
a
new
authority
conferred
on
you,
or
as
a
burden
landed
on
your
shoulders.
Acceptance
of
the
Will
of
God
has
its
own
advantage;
it
yields
rich
fruits.
Hanumaan
did
not
become
conceited
when
Raama
selected
him
for
the
crucial
southward
search
and
when
Raama
gave
into
his
custody
the
Ring
to
be
given
to
Seetha
(assuring
him
in
the
process
that
he
would
certainly
succeed
in
discovering
her);
nor
was
he
affected
by
fear,
at
the
tremendous
responsibility
that
was
heaped
on
him.
He
just
accepted
what
was
given;
he
was
neither
happy
nor
unhappy.
He
felt
that
Raama
the
Lord
knows
all
and
so
his
duty
was
only
to
obey.
You
must
cultivate
the
same
attitude
towards
my
commands
and
instructions.
Be
convinced
that
if
you
obey
them
strictly,
you
will
attain
victory.
One
evening
Krishna
took
Arjuna
far
out
of
Dwaraka
City
and
while
they
were
alone
together,
He
pointed
at
a
bird
Olying
over
their
heard
and
asked
him
"Arjuna,
isn't
that
a
dove?"
Arjuna
agreed;
he
said
it
was
a
dove.
Suddenly,
Krishna
turned
towards
him
and
said,
"No,
it
is
a
crow."
Arjuna
concurred
and
said,
"I
am
sorry,
it
certainly
is
a
crow."
Immediately,
Krishna
asked
him,
"A
crow,
no,
it
must
beazkite.
Is
it
not
so?"
and
Arjuna
promptly
agreed.
"Yes.
It
is
a
kite."
At
this,
Krishna
smiled
and
asked
Arjuna,
"Are
you
in
your
senses?
What
Page 212 of 268
exactly
do
you
see?
Why
you
say,
of
the
same
bird,
it
is
a
dove,
it
must
be
a
crow
and
it
is
a
kite?"
Arjuna
said,
"Who
am
I
to
dispute
your
statement?
You
can
make
it
a
crow
even
if
it
is
not
one,
or,
change
it
into
a
kite.
I
have
found
that
the
safest
thing
is
to
agree
with
you,
in
full
faith.
I
know
of
no
other
course."
It
was
only
after
this
test,
for
unOlinching
faith
that
Krishna
assured
himself
of
the
credentials
of
Arjuna
to
receive
the
Geetha
advice.
The
aged
have
accumulated
much
more
experience
than
you;
they
are
Oilled
with
sweetness,
like
ripe
fruits.
The
wise
men
or
Jnaanis
have
also
to
be
served
and
revered.
What
is
the
sweetness,
in
these?
It
is
the
quality
of
Shaantham,
of
being
unrufOled
at
the
ups
and
downs
of
life.
The
asceticism
that
you
have
to
adopt
is
just
this:
Obey
the
Aajna,
the
order
of
the
Lord.
You
have
no
need
to
fast
and
torture
the
body:
can
you
kill
the
snake
by
beating
the
mound,
which
has
it
in
its
hole?
Can
torment
teach
you
the
truth?
Control
thoughts;
divert
feelings;
canalise
the
currents
of
the
impulses.
The
pendulum
will
stop
its
swing
only
when
you
stop
winding
the
clock
with
its
key.
Stop
winding;
then
the
pendulum
will
remain
at
one
point;
the
mind
will
remain
at
the
Feet
of
God.
Wishes
can
never
win
peace;
a
wish
is
tiny
seed
from
out
of
which
a
huge
tree
emanates,
the
tree
in
its
turn
scatters
a
crore
of
seeds,
which
sprout
into
crores
of
trees.
Fry
the
seed
and
it
will
not
sprout
again.
When
wishes
multiply
quick
and
fast,
concentration
is
impossible;
when
water
is
poured
on
a
height,
it
Olows
along
the
inclines,
down
into
the
hollows.
Concentration
is
the
reverse
process:
rolling
a
rock
uphill.
This
requires
unintermittent
effort,
unbroken
attention,
and
ceaseless
striving.
Allow
conOidence
to
slacken
but
a
moment---the
rock
will
come
rolling
down.
You
have
another
great
responsibility,
too.
This
land,
Bhaarath,
has
to
guide
others
in
selOless
service,
in
the
development
of
an
attitude
of
detached
devotion
to
duty.
From
ancient
times,
India
is
famous
as
the
land
of
dedicated
Karma,
of
holy
living
and
thinking,
of
incessant
subduing
of
the
harmful
passions
surging
in
the
mind,
of
the
tireless
pursuit
of
the
goal
of
Peace.
But,
latterly,
Indians
too
have
been
infected
by
the
diseases
prevalent
in
other
parts
of
the
world;
they
have
started
spuming
holy
company,
sacred
books
and
spiritual
discipline.
This
is
a
tragedy;
once
again,
the
ancient
modes
of
life
have
to
be
revived;
the
ancient
attitudes
have
to
be
appreciated
and
adopted.
That
faith
in
the
imperishable
Aathman
(which
is
the
reality
of
both
the
individual
and
the
Universe)
has
once
again
to
vitalise
activities.
Karma
is
the
Olower
and
Jnaana
is
the
fruit.
The
Olower
becomes
the
fruit,
in
the
fullness
of
time.
Only,
one
has
to
guard
it
and
keep
it
free
from
pests.
Charcoal
is
wood
that
has
undergone
but
a
part
of
the
baptism
of
Oire;
let
it
undergo
that
baptism
to
the
full;
it
becomes
white,
light
ash
that
Olies
with
the
wind
into
the
four
quarters.
The
puriOication
of
mind
from
the
passions
have
to
be
taken
up
through
the
Oire
of
Jnaana
until
success
is
gained.
In
saadhana,
there
is
no
half-way
house,
no
resting
place.
accumulated
wealth,
but
only
by
"giving
up,"
Thyaaga.
You
have
to
give
up
all
attachment
to
food
and
recreation,
to
I
and
Mine
when
you
yearn
for
the
Lord.
In
the
silence
alone,
can
the
Voice
of
God
be
heard.
Serve
the
thousands
who
are
arriving
here,
in
this
spirit
and
with
these
objects
in
view;
that
is
the
way
to
obey
the
Will,
the
Aajna.
The
aajna
(command)
is
the
boat
that
will
take
you
across
the
Sea
of
Change,
into
the
Eternal
and
the
Absolute.
BHAKTHI
is
the
state
of
mind
in
which
one
has
no
separate
existence
apart
from
God.
The
Bhaktha's
very
breath
is
God;
his
every
act
is
by
God,
for
God;
his
thoughts
are
of
God;
his
words
are
uttered
by
God,
about
God.
For,
like
the
Oish
which
can
live
only
in
water,
man
can
live
only
in
God--in
peace
and
happiness.
In
other
media,
he
has
only
fear,
frantic
struggle,
failure.
The
Nandhi
(Bull)
is
the
lower
nature
of
man;
when
it
is
used
as
the
vehicle
of
God
it
secures
a
place
in
front
of
the
central
shrine
of
God
and
it
shares
some
of
the
adoration
offered
to
God.
It
is
only
association
with
the
Divine
that
can
confer
value
and
signiOicance.
The
mind
too
gets
illumined,
and
feels
joy,
peace
or
calm,
only
because
the
peace,
joy
and
calm,
which
are
the
native
characteristics
of
the
Aathma
(God)
within
are
reOlected
on
it.
There
is
no
attempt
on
the
part
of
man
in
recent
times
to
grasp
this
truth
and
to
gain
the
constant
Awareness.
When
Seetha
was
Oixed
in
the
Dharma
of
the
wife,
she
saw
Raama
in
all
beings.
Though
she
was
surrounded
by
frightful
female
monsters,
she
did
not
notice
them;
though
she
was
interned
in
a
charming
garden,
named
Garden
of
No-grief
(A-shoka),
she
did
not
see
any
Olower
around
her.
Her
eyes,
her
mind,
her
thoughts
were
Oilled
with
Raama
only.
This
is
the
condition
of
Prapatthi---surrender
of
all
faculties
to
the
Lord.
The
ego
has
to
sacriOice
itself
so
that
man's
divine
nature
can
manifest
itself.
"Mine"
is
death;
'not
mine'
is
immortality.
Renunciation
results
in
peace.
The
golden
key
of
non-
attachment
opens
the
lock
which
keeps
the
door
to
heaven
shut.
"Give
up;
I
shall
Oill
the
gap"
says
Jesus.
WHEN
Arjuna
plaintively
approached
Krishna
for
courage
and
consolation,
the
Lord
advised
him,
"manmanaabhaava"---"Fill
your
mind
with
Me.
Let
all
urges
be
for
Me,
let
all
acts
be
dedicated
to
Me."
The
mind
has
no
strength
of
its
own;
it
has
to
lean
on
some
person
or
thing
all
the
time.
It
is
like
the
stray
cow
that
trespasses
into
Oield
and
eats
off
growing
crops.
If
you
feed
it
well
in
your
own
farm
its
trespassing
habit
will
vanish.
Your
pet
dog
will
wander
in
the
bazaar
for
scrapings
from
dustbins,
if
you
do
not
feed
it
full
at
home.
Give
the
dog
a
nice
full
meal;
it
will
lie
under
the
porch
and
guard
your
house!
The
mind
too
can
be
weaned
away
from
vicious
desires
if
you
feed
it
on
good
thoughts,
good
resolutions,
tenderness
and
love.
Then
only
will
it
serve
your
best
interests.
Raamakrishna
Paramahamasa
told
an
addict
that
he
must
not
consume
more
than
a
given
quantity
of
opium;
he
gave
him
a
piece
of
chalk,
to
weigh
every
day
the
quantity
of
opium
he
can
eat---no
more,
no
less!
But,
he
imposed
a
condition,
whose
usefulness
Page 214 of 268
in
helping
him
to
conquer
the
bad
habit
the
addict
did
not
realise
then.
It
was
that
every
time
he
used
the
weight
he
had
to
write
on
a
slate,
the
Pranava
(Om),
before
putting
it
on
the
scale
of
the
balance.
The
fellow
obeyed;
the
chalk
was
reduced
in
weight
with
every
Om,
until
it
was
eliminated
in
full;
the
opium
habit
too
was
reduced
out
of
existence!
The
Om
also
helped
to
transfer
his
attachment
from
the
opium-
induced
tranquillity
to
the
everlasting
Bliss
of
God-intoxication.
You
should
also
gather,
grain
by
grain,
act
by
act,
the
wherewithal
to
build
a
secure
future
for
yourselves,
a
mansion
of
Dharma.
You
must
swallow
the
drug
that
will
render
drugs
unnecessary;
you
should
do
the
Karma,
which
will
make
further
Karma
unnecessary.
But,
the
drug
that
is
eaten
now
intensiOies
the
drug
habit;
one
Karma
leads
to
a
thousand,
in
order
to
cover
up
the
consequences.
The
Incarnation
has
come
to
point
the
way
out
of
this
vicious
circle.'
Hand
over
to
Me
your
hundred
thousand
paltry
Karmas
and
worries---each
one,
a
paisa.
If
they
are
genuine
and
sincere,
I
shall
take
them
all
and
give
you
a
thousand-rupee
currency
note
(Grace)
which
is
lighter
and
easier
to
keep.
Of
course
even
if
one
pain
or
grief
or
worry
or
fear
is
counterfeit,
the
Note
will
not
be
given.
The
Upanishadhs
were
not
composed
or
collected
by
persons
who
craved
fame
or
fortune;
nor
are
they
the
vapourings
of
idlers
and
scribblers.
They
have
the
true
ring
of
actual
experience.
They
arose
out
of
compassion
for
others
wandering
in
the
wilderness,
out
of
concentration
on
the
means
of
liberation
from
the
dual
chain
of
tears
and
triumph.
Care
kills
quicker
and
surer
than
disease.
Man
misuses
his
intelligence
and
memory
to
grieve
over
the
past
and
plan
far
into
the
future.
Thereby
he
loses
his
heritage
of
peace
and
joy.
Creation,
preservation
and
merging
are
the
three
forms
of
the
Divine
Will.
By
Karma
yoga,
you
grasp
the
meaning
of
creation
and
the
created;
by
Bhakthi
yoga,
you
understand
the
preserver
and
the
preserved;
by
Jnaana
yoga,
you
merge
into
the
principle
from
which
you
have
emerged
DIAMOND
cuts
diamond.
Thom
removes
thorn.
Karma
cures
Karma.
Karma,
derided
as
causing
the
dualities
of
grief-joy,
pain-pleasure,
birth-death,
also
brings
about
liberation
from
the
chain
of
duality.
Karma
causes
both
bondage
and
liberation.
The
sun
rises;
that
act
unfolds
the
petals
of
the
lotus
Olower,
but,
folds
the
petals
of
the
kumudha
Olower!
The
sun
sets;
that
act
makes
the
good
men
hurry
home
to
the
company
of
their
family,
but,
it
makes
bad
men
hurry
out
of
their
dens
to
the
places
where
they
revel
and
rob.
The
palm
falls
on
the
mridhuanga;
the
sound
is
pleasant
to
the
ear.
It
falls
on
an
empty
tin;
the
sound
grates
the
ear.
Karma
ruins;
Karma
saves.
What
is
the
nature
of
the
Karma
that
saves?
Holding
fast
to
Shivam
(God),
as
the
boy
Maarkandeya
did.
By
this,
you
can
foil
death
and
earn
eternal
joy.
What
is
the
nature
of
the
Karma
that
ruins?
Holding
fast
to
Shavam
(corpse).
By
this,
you
earn
endless
toil
in
slime
and
sorrow.
What
is
Shavam?
It
is
the
delusion
that
you
are
the
'body';
what
is
Shivam?
It
is
the
consciousness
that
you
are
the
Indweller,
the
Inner
Motivator,
the
Anthar-yaamin.
The
Name
must,
however,
Olow
in
the
mind
in
an
uninterrupted
stream.
Naamasmarana
is
a
yoga
(process
of
uniting
with
God);
that
is
to
say,
it
is
a
means
of
chiththa
viriththi
Page 215 of 268
nirodha---of
calming
the
agitations
of
the
mind,
subduing
the
waves
of
emotions
and
feelings.
The
Naama
(Name)
must
always
be
associated,
while
intent
on
the
smarana
(remembering,
recalling),
with
the
Naami
(the
Named
One).
It
is
not
a
mere
sound;
it
is
a
signiOicance,
the
symbol
of
a
Form,
of
a
Fact.
All
the
obligatory
as
well
as
optional
acts
pertaining
to
the
process
of
'living'
can
be
gone
through,
with
the
Name-awareness
as
the
inspiring
background.
The
mind
must
be
merged
in
the
Godhead;
it
must
be
transmuted
into
the
essence
of
Godhead.
When
the
branch
of
a
tree
rubs
against
another,
heat
is
generated
and
in
the
depths
of
a
forest,
Oires
are
started
when
this
heat
grows
strong.
Rub
a
stone
over
another;
heat
is
generated.
But,
the
process
must
be
without
break;
breaks
only
decrease
the
heat.
So,
the
repetition
of
the
Name
in
the
mind
must
be
without
break.
Then
the
Oire
of
Jnaana
(Realisation
of
the
Reality)
will
burn
out
all
weakness
and
delusion.
Indulal
Shah
spoke
to
you
now
of
the
World
Conference
of
Sathya
Sai
Organisations
to
be
held
at
Bombay,
1968.
Such
Organisations
have
been
established
and
are
working
in
many
countries
in
order
to
spread
Light
and
Hope
among
all
peoples.
For
me,
all
countries
are
equally
dear;
the
Universe
is
the
Body
of
God.
Ideas
like
my
country,
are
all
for
limited
minds,
intellects
that
are
bound
within
boundaries.
Discourse 45
ALL
acts
must
be
done
as
offerings
to
him,
dedicated
to
Him,
prompted,
planned,
executed
and
blessed
by
Him.
The
smarana
(remembrance)
of
the
Name
will
help
this
Saadhana.
The
name
has
to
be
repeated
with
the
heart
yearning
for
the
Named.
It
should
not
be
like
a
tape-recorder
reeling
off
the
names
of
a
gramophone
plate
that
has
stuck,
repeating
the
same
note.
Know
that
this
life
is
for
realising
Him,
not
for
winning
petty
triumphs.
Your
ideal,
your
determination
and
your
activity,
all
three
must
be
directed
to
the
same
consummation,
the
attainment
of
Supreme
Bliss.
The
Name
will
make
all
activity
as
welcome
as
worship;
it
will
add
witness
to
worship
itself;
it
will
concretise
the
Named.
It
will
confer
the
Wisdom
that
reveals
the
Truth.
Do
not
listen
to
people
who
canvass
for
one
particular
Name
and
cavil
at
others.
Do
not
be
misguided
by
people
who
make
pompous
polysyllabic
formulae
and
recommend
them
as
superior
to
other
similar
Names.
Vasudeva,
Krishna,
Gopaal,
Gopeevallabha,
Govind,
Giridhaari---all
these
indicate
the
Lord
who
is
known
to
most
as
Krishna.
But,
Meera
was
affected
most
by
one
Name:
Giridhaari.
That
gave
her
inexhaustible
joy,
more
than
any
other
name.
There
is
no
superior
or
inferior
grade
of
Names
so
far
as
God
is
concerned.
You
must
have
noticed
that
I
do
not
recommend
any
one
name
for
adoption
by
you;
no,
I
do
not
insist
on
the
Sai
Name,
either
of
this
body
or
the
previous
body.
All
Names
are
the
names
of
Sai
Baaba,
they
are
all
mine.
You
are
about
a
hundred
and
Oifty
in
number;
your
President
said
that
the
number
of
Organisations
is
still
small,
but
I
am
not
enamoured
of
mere
numbers.
For,
this
is
not
like
any
other
Organisation.
This
does
not
seek
to
establish
a
new
cult
or
sect,
a
new
type
of
Japa
or
Dhyaana,
a
novel
ritual,
an
initiation
that
separates
people
as
'disciples'
within
the
fold
and
'non-
initiates'
without
the
fold.
It
seeks
to
restrain
Thamoguna
(dullness,
ignorance,
and
all
the
evils
that
arise
from
these)
and
Rajoguna
(passion,
violent
emotion,
desire,
egoism
and
consequent
evils);
it
instills
in
men
the
Truth
that
all
are
kin
in
Aathma,
that
the
stranger
is
but
oneself
in
another
habiliment,
and
that
service
to
another
is
the
best
service
that
one
can
do
to
oneself.
All
are
limbs
of
one
body,
nourished
by
the
self-same
life-blood,
motivated
by
the
same
Will,
the
Will
of
God;
bound
by
the
same
Divine
Law.
That
is
the
Vishwaruupa
(Cosmic
Vision),
that
one
must
see
and
experience:
God
in
all,
God
everywhere.
That
endows
you
with
everlasting
Aanandha.
Feelings
of
hatred,
malice,
envy
and
pride
that
create
separation
between
men
who
are
kin,
arise
from
identiOication
with
the
body.
You
feel
and
believe
you
are
the
body;
you
know
your
body
is
separate
from
the
other
bodies;
your
hunger,
your
thirst,
your
comfort,
your
family,
your
community,
your
state--'thus,
you
create
bounds
for
your
love,
and
crib
yourselves,
treating
all
outside
the
bounds
as
enemies,
strangers,
competitors.
But
the
source
is
one,
the
sustenance
is
one:
God
the
Father,
mankind
the
children.
Pay
attention
to
the
Fatherhood,
more
than
to
the
brotherhood.
That
will
underline
the
brotherhood
more
and
more
in
your
heart
and
remove
the
poison
of
distinction
that
has
come
through
ignorance.
Don't
have
hypocrisy
or
crookedness
in
your
speech.
Both
unpleasant
truth
and
pleasant
untruth
have
to
be
avoided.
Sathya
is
God
Himself,
as
the
Shruthi
says,
Sathye
sarvam
prathishtitham---
"All
this
is
established
on
the
Oirm
foundation
of
Truth,"
say
the
Vedhas.
So,
see
that
no
trace
of
falsehood
contaminates
your
transactions
in
these
organisations.
Truth
is
My
nature,
My
Mission,
My
Message.
Organisations
bearing
My
Name
have
to
be
strictly
adhering
to
Truth.
Ahimsa
(non-injury)
is
another
phase
of
Sathya.
When
once
you
are
aware
of
the
kinship,
the
Oneness
in
God,
the
fundamental
Aathmic
unity---no
one
will
knowingly
cause
pain
or
distress
to
another.
Let
your
Organisations
promote
Love,
scatter
Love,
be
fragrant
with
Love,
and
preach
the
Gospel
of
Love,
through
example.
The
one
advantage
that
Man
has
over
lower
animals,
is
the
vast
treasure
of
human
experience
he
has
inherited
from
his
ancestors
through
language.
This
is
the
treasure
called
Shaasthra;
if
he
ignores
Shaasthra,
he
is
doomed
to
drag
out
an
animal
existence.
Gather
the
helpless
girls
and
try
to
provide
them
with
some
means
of
honourable
livelihood.
Sweeten
their
lives
with
bhajan
and
the
Saadhana
of
japa
and
dhyaana.
Women
too
have
a
right
to
know
that
they
are
the
Aaathma,
encased
in
human
form,
and
they
too
can
tap
the
strength,
the
joy
and
the
peace
that
the
Aathma
holds.
Inculcate
in
them
the
prayer
habit;
that
will
cleanse
the
mind
of
all
impurities,
and
make
God
shine
in
His
full
splendour.
A
healthy
body
is
the
best
container
for
a
healthy
mind;
illness
makes
the
mind
agitated
and
anxious.
The
material
and
the
spiritual
are
the
two
pans
in
the
balance;
they
have
to
be
attended
to,
in
equal
measure,
at
least
until
a
certain
stage
of
progress
is
attained
in
spiritual
development.
Service
to
man
can
be
done
in
either
of
these
ways;
but,
serving
him,
by
example
is
best
of
all.
Do
not
be
a
bad
example
to
your
neighbours
or
family
members.
Be
good
and
radiate
goodness.
That
is
why,
when
the
education
of
a
pupil
was
over,
the
teacher
in
ancient
times
exhorted
the
pupil
to
speak
the
truth
and
observe
righteousness
(Sathyam
vadha,
Dharmam
chara).
Because
after
the
period
of
study,
the
young
person
is
to
engage
in
works,
so,
he
has
to
be
given
the
most
beneOicial
advice,
at
the
appropriate
moment.
The
service
in
the
Hospital,
the
service
in
the
Bhajan
Group---all
have
to
be
done,
with
humility
and
reverence.
Then
only
can
they
yield
chiththa-
suddhi
(puriOication
of
mind
and
thought),
which
is
the
main
beneOit
derivable
from
Seva.
In
the
beginning,
the
Adored
and
the
Adorer
are
distant
and
different;
but,
as
the
Saadhana
becomes
more
conOirmed
and
consolidated,
they
commingle
and
become
more
and
more
composite.
For,
the
individual
and
the
Universal
are
one;
the
wave
in
the
sea.
Merging
fulOils.
When
merged,
the
ego
is
dissolved;
all
symbols
and
signs
of
the
particular
like
name,
form,
caste,
colour,
creed,
nationality,
church,
sect
and
the
rights
and
duties
consequent
thereon,
will
fade.
For
such
individuals,
who
have
liberated
themselves
from
the
narrowness
of
individuality,
the
only
task
is
the
uplift
of
humanity,
the
welfare
of
the
world
and
the
showering
of
love.
Even
if
they
are
quiet,
the
state
of
Bliss
in
which
they
are,
will
shower
bliss
on
the
world.
Love
is
in
all,
Love
is
of
all,
Love
is
all.
Vol. 8!
Does
Sai
speak
these
words
into
avid
ears
and
arid
hearts?
No!...
It
is
our
Mother
speaks,
caressing,
cajoling,
crooning
lullabies
to
relieve
the
pain,
bless
with
bliss,
Mokshayishyaami,
maa
suchah!
Don't
weep,
she
cradles
us!
She
leads
us
softly
along
the
road,
over
pebbles,
thorns.
When
the
path
is
bitter,
uphill,
hard,
she
sings
us
through
Yogakshemam
vahaamgaham---our
Mother
speaks.
Does
Sai
speak
these
words
into
tingling
ears
and
twinkling
.hearts?
No!
.....
It
is
our
Father
that
speaks,
reOining,
revealing,
reminding
our
Name
to
us,
long
forgotten,
long
begotten!
Abhayam
Sarva
bhoothebhyo!
Don't
fear,
He
armours
us.
Upward,
onward;
goodward,
Godward---guides
us,
guards
us.
When
the
path
is
tortuous,
twisted,
He
pulls
us
through.
Na
Sukhaal---labhyathe
sukham---our
Father
speaks.
Page 218 of 268
Does
Sai
speak
these
words
into
mazy
ears
and
crazy
hearts!
No!...It
is
our
Master
that
speaks,
advising,
admonishing,
Heating
us
crucibly,
treating
us
crucially,
leading
to
God
within.
Eesaavaasyam
idam
sarvam!
There's
no
two;
He
opens
the
lid
of
Divine
Box,
with
treasure
encased
in
koshas
Oive,
Sathyam,
Jnaanam,
Anantham
Brahma---the
Master
speaks.
Does
Sai
speak
these
words
into
searching
ears
and
seeking
hearts?
No!
It
is
God
that
speaks,
stilling
the
mind
of
waywardness,
Brahmavid
Brahmaiva
bhavathi!
Become
and
be,
He
wakens.
"Dear
wave!
emerging;
merge;
dear
ray!
run
back,"
He
calls.
Dear
spark!
re-enter
Oire;
You
are
I,
I
am
you.
Soham
loses
as
sa
and
ham;
Om
alone
is
He
and
We,
Ekam-eva-asksharam
BrahmanIsness---Om.
!
This
is
how
our
Sai
speaks.
!
-
Professor
N.
Kasturi
!
THIS
is
a
twice-blessed
day,
for
it
is
a
Thursday;
otherwise
called
Guruvaar
(the
day
of
the
preceptor,
the
guide
to
spiritual
Liberation);
it
is
also
the
day
on
which,
centuries
ago,
the
Geetha
was
taught
to
Arjuna
by
Krishna,
the
day
when
man
got
from
God
the
key
for
his
progress
from
falsehood
and
delusion
into
the
light
of
his
own
inner
reality.
Arjuna
was
directed
to
engage
in
battle,
win
back
his
share
of
the
Kingdom,
and
ensure
for
the
people
righteous
administration
and
atmosphere
wherein
they
can
strive
successfully
to
attain
salvation.
This
he
had
to
do
in
a
spirit
of
dedication
and
surrender
to
the
will
of
God,
irrespective
of
his
own
likes
and
dislikes
and
the
consequences
that
might
Olow
from
his
unselOish
activities.
Therefore
the
Geetha
advises
that
service
to
the
sangha
(society)
is
the
highest
seva
(service),
as
well
as
the
most
beneOicial
saadhana
(spiritual
discipline).
You
cannot
run
away
from
this
obligation;
you
have
to
use
the
community
of
men
wherein
you
are
born
for
sublimating
your
egoism
and
saving
yourself.
Seva
taken
up
as
saadhana
teaches
sahana
(fortitude).
Even
Avathaars
(divine
advents)
demonstrate,
in
their
lives,
the
supreme
importance
of
seva.
When
Dharmaraaja
performed
the
great
Raajasuuya
sacriOice,
on
the
advice
of
the
sage
Naaradha,
in
order
to
propitiate
his
deceased
father,
Lord
Krishna
attended
the
sacriOice
and
asked
to
be
allotted
some
service;
He
preferred
the
service
of
removing
the
leaves
on
which
food
was
served
for
the
thousands
who
were
fed
every
day!
Since
service
was
so
dear
to
Him,
He
was
revered
as
the
King-maker
of
the
Age,
the
Law-giver
for
all.
Today
being
Vaikuntha
Ekaadhashi,
many
of
you
are
yearning
to
get
Amrith
(nectar)
from
Me.
But,
of
what
beneOit
is
it
merely
to
swallow
a
few
drops
of
nectar
created
by
Me?
It
is
when
the
saathwik
(good)
quality
wins
and
subdues
the
raajasik
and
the
thaamasik
(passionate
and
ignorant)
qualities
in
the
battles
between
them
that
go
on
in
every
heart,
that
amrith
arises
therein!
The
amrith
that
confers
immortality
is
the
amrith
which
one
wins
through
one's
own
saadhana.
One
word
that
is
used
in
dhyaana
(meditation)
is
uurdhwa-dhrishti
(upward
vision)
to
indicate
an
exercise
in
which
the
two
eyes
are
directed
together
upwards,
to
a
point
between
the
eyebrows.
Uurdhwa
means
upward
and
dhristhi
means
look;
so,
the
word
means,
not
a
physical
exercise,
but
a
general
wholetime
effort
of
the
mind
to
avoid
lower
desires,
and
to
uplift
itself
to
Page 219 of 268
higher
values.
Such
an
effort
will
win
Amrith;
it
will
Olow
from
the
spring
of
the
heart!
Amrith
means
immortal;
it
does
not
follow
that
he
who
takes
in
amrith
will
live
eternally;
even
Avathaars
(Divine
incarnations)
cast
off
the
body
when
their
task
is
accomplished.
It
means
Oixing
the
mind
on
the
Reality,
becoming
aware
of
the
imperishable
entity
that
one
is
and
merging
the
consciousness
in
it.
Move
forward
step
by
step
as
beOits
persons
striving
to
realise
their
own
liberation.
Ask
Me
about
steps
in
spiritual
discipline,
not
petty,
trivial,
binding
desires.
The
time
is
fast
coming
when
the
whole
world
will
gather
here,
and
you
will
have
to
struggle
from
miles
afar
to
get
even
my
dharshan.
SHUKA
was
unattached
to
the
world
around
him
:he
was
aware
of
the
Immanent
Brahman
from
the
very
moment
of
his
birth,
and
he
was
steadily
Oixed
in
that
awareness
throughout
life.
He
can
be
said
to
be
the
greatest
jnaani
(spiritualist)
in
history.
Yet,
he
declared
that
the
story
of
the
Leelas
(Divine
sport)
of
Krishna,
the
Saguna
(endowed
with
divine
qualities)
incarnation
of
the
divine
principle,
gave
him
inexhaustible
joy.
He
said
that
the
Krishna-principle
was
beyond
the
ken
of
his
analysis;
it
could
only
be
experienced
and
tasted.
No
words
can
spell
it
out
to
another.
Rasa
(sweet
essence)--that
is
the
true
characteristic
of
the
Divine.
He
tastes
inexplicably
sweet,
everything
related
to
Him,
concerned
with
Him.
That
is
the
reason
why
Shri
Raamakrishna
declared
that
he
did
not
desire
to
merge
in
the
Divine;
he
was
content
to
taste
the
sweetness
of
the
Divine.
This
is
the
path
of
Bhakthi
(devotion).
Through
listening
to
the
glories
of
the
Lord,
you
become
avid
to
praise
Him;
serve
Him
and
His
devotees,
worship
Him
as
if
He
is
present
before
you,
and
be
in
His
company
all
your
life,
with
no
other
thought
than
that
Joy.
For
such
dedicated
seekers
all
else
will
seem
bitter
and
unattractive.
But,
I
must
tell
you
that
you
must
be
concerned
more
with
the
Sun
in
your
inner
Oirmament
than
in
the
depths
of
outer
space.
You
are
concerned
with
the
inner
illumination,
more
than
external
light
and
energy.
What
is
the
saadhana
that
will
send
the
inner
Sun
Godward?
God
is
hidden
and
obstructed
by
the
clouds
of
egoism.
Getting
rid
of
egoism
is
the
saadhana
to
be
practised.
Learn
a
lesson
from
the
tree.
When
it
is
heavy
with
fruits
it
does
not
raise
its
head
aloft
in
pride;
it
bends
low,
stoops,
as
if
it
does
not
take
any
credit
for
its
accomplishment
and
as
if
it
helps
you
to
pluck
the
fruit.
Learn
a
lesson
from
the
birds.
They
feed
those
who
cannot
Oly
far;
the
bird
relieves
the
itch
of
the
buffalo
by
scratching
it
with
its
beak;
they
help
and
serve
each
other,
with
no
thought
of
reward.
How
much
more
alert
must
Page 220 of 268
man
be,
then,
with
his
superior
skills
and
faculties?
Service
is
the
best
cure
for
egoism;
so,
engage
in
it
to
relieve
pain
and
grief
to
the
extent
that
you
can.
You
have
to
put
the
right
foot,
the
Brahman
step,
when
you
enter
the
region
of
realisation.
The
senses
have
to
be
conquered
by
then.
'Go'
means
'senses'
and
'Go-pee'
means
a
person
who
has
subdued
the
senses,
as
a
result
of
surrender
to
Go-paala,
the
master
of
the
Go
(senses).
Krishna
once
told
Arjuna
that
he
can
enter
Vrajamandala
(the
region
where
the
Gopas
and
Gopees
lived),
only
after
mastering
his
emotions
and
impulses
and
his
tendency
to
yield
to
the
senses.
Naaradha
saw
a
woman,
shining
as
a
star,
lost
in
meditation;
he
was
amazed
at
the
halo
of
splendour
around
her
crown.
Naaradha
wondered
whether
he
could
reach
that
depth
of
experience
any
time
in
his
career.
His
presence
awakened
her
and
when
accosted,
she
revealed
her
identity.
She
was
Brahma-Vidhya-dhevatha
(the
Goddess
of
the
Science
of
the
awareness
of
Reality),
the
truth
that
jnaana
reveals!
Naaradha's
amazement
was
doubled
by
this
revelation.
"What
need
have
you
to
meditate?
Why
this
intense
dhyaana
(meditation),
that
has
silenced
all
Nature
around
you?
What
are
you
meditating
on?"
he
asked.
She
declared,
"I
crave
the
supreme
joy
of
contemplating
on
the
Lotus
Feet
of
Krishna;
I
meditate
on
them,
making
myself
a
gopee,
who
has
surrendered
to
Him."
Such
is
the
sweetness
derivable
through
that
contemplation,
that
bhakthi
(devotion).
The
bhaktha
(devotee)
is
content
with
the
vision
of
a
part;
he
tastes
the
sugar,
grain
by
grain.
He
Oinds
no
joy
in
becoming
sugar,
or
merging
in
the
mountain
of
sugar
himself.
No
one
can
see
that
entire
region
of
the
sky.
For,
there
is
no
sky
at
all,
when
you
examine
it.
His
sky
is
limited
by
his
horizon.
From
each
point
of
observation
there
is
a
different
horizon,
but
no
one
can
see
beyond
it.
Limit
the
sky
and
enjoy
its
vastness
and
beauty.
That
is
what
the
bhaktha
(devotee)
does.
So
long
as
you
are
embodied,
you
can
picture
only
an
embodied
Divine.
You
must
have
observed
how
Dr.
Modi
was
conducting
so
many
operations
so
quickly
and
so
successfully;
it
is
the
result
of
concentration,
of
single-pointed
attention
on
the
work
on
hand.
Learn
to
have
ekaagratha
(single-pointedness).
Through
that
concentration,
it
is
possible
to
open
the
inner
eye
also,
clear
and
complete,
so
that
man
may
visualise
God.
By
taking
to
repeating
the
Name
of
God
and
picturing
in
the
mind
the
glory
of
God
who
has
that
Name,
as
well
as
a
thousand
others,
slowly
the
cataract
of
the
inner
eye
will
disappear
and,
man
can
see
the
God
who
is
in
his
innermost
heart,
installed
in
the
altar
therein.
Resolve
now
to
enter
upon
this
saadhana
(spiritual
practise)
from
this
moment
onwards.
Gain
internal
peace,
internal
joy;
that
can
be
done
only
when
you
act
without
an
eye
on
the
gain.
The
act
must
be
its
own
reward;
or
rather,
the
act
must
be
according
to
the
prompting
of
the
God
within,
so
that
its
consequence
is
left
to
Him.
Practise
this
attitude
consistently
and
you
will
Oind
great
Peace
welling
within
you
and
around
you.
Education
is
not
the
acquisition
of
burdensome
information
regarding
objects
and
men.
It
is
the
awareness
of
the
immortal
spirit
within,
which
is
the
spring
of
joy,
peace
and
courage.
Unless
each
one
is
respected,
whatever
his
status,
his
economic
condition,
his
spiritual
development,
there
can
be
no
peace
and
no
happiness
in
life.
This
respect
can
be
aroused
only
by
the
conviction
that
the
same
Aathma
(Self
Reality)
that
is
in
you
is
playing
the
role
of
the
other
person.
See
that
Aathma
in
others;
feel
that
they
too
have
hunger,
thirst,
yearning
and
desires
as
you
have;
develop
sympathy
and
the
anxiety
to
serve
and
be
useful.
Make
your
home
the
seat
of
virtue,
of
morality,
of
love.
Control
anger
and
greed.
That
is
the
sign
of
the
genuine
bhaktha,
not
unrestricted
speech
and
movements.
You
may
claim
to
be
a
devotee
and
declare
yourself
as
such,
when
you
speak;
but
unless
your
egoism
has
gone
and
you
love
all
equally,
the
Lord
will
not
acknowledge
your
devotion!
This
is
the
message
of
Sanaathana
Dharma
(Eternal
Religion),
the
goal
to
which
all
spiritual
endeavour
leads.
The
sages
of
India
gave
up
the
paths
of
superOicial
pomp
and
temporary
security;
they
sought
to
gain
inner
peace
and
lasting
joy.
They
discovered
that
these
can
be
gained
only
by
drawing
the
sap
of
life
through
the
roots
of
one's
own
inner
reality
called
Aathma
(soul).
Though
this
lesson,
that
was
revealed
to
them
by
God,
is
repeated,
elaborated
and
propagated
all
these
centuries
by
countless
scholars,
poets
and
speakers,
very
few
accept
it
as
the
basis
of
life.
Millions
all
over
the
land
recite
the
Name
of
God,
but
few
have
steady
faith;
few
seek
the
Aanandha
(bliss)
that
contemplation
on
the
Glory
of
God
within
the
Aathma
can
confer.
They
do
so
out
of
habit
or
for
social
conformity
or
to
gain
reputation
for
religiousness.
Therefore
the
japam
(recitation)
does
not
cure
pain,
grief
or
greed.
The
Aathma
does
not
die;
only
the
body
dies.
When
man
knows
this,
death
loses
his
sting,
death
is
not
feared,
death
is
but
welcome
voyage
into
the
known
harbour.
The
Organisations
named
after
Me
are
not
to
be
used
for
publicising
My
Name,
or
creating
a
new
cult
around
My
worship.
They
must
try
to
spread
interest
in
japam
(recitation
of
God's
Name),
dhyaanam
(meditation)
and
other
saadhanas
(spiritual
practices),
which
lead
man
Godward;
they
must
demonstrate
the
joy
derivable
from
bhajan
(devotional
group
singing)
and
Naamasmarana
(remembering
God's
Name),
the
Shaanthi
(peace)
that
one
can
draw
from
Sathsang
(good
company).
They
must
render
seva
(service)
to
the
helpless,
the
sick,
the
distressed,
the
illiterate
and
the
needy.
Their
seva
(selOless
service)
should
not
be
exhibitionistic;
it
must
seek
no
reward,
not
even
gratitude
or
thanks
from
the
recipients.
Seva
is
saadhana,
not
a
pastime
of
the
rich
and
well
placed.
Each
one
must
realise
his
own
truth.
That
is
the
purpose
of
all
the
teaching,
all
the
curing,
all
the
counseling,
all
the
organising,
all
the
advising
that
I
do.
I
have
no
special
attachment
to
any
one;
nor,
any
special
aversion.
I
am
like
the
electric
fan
that
you
see
here:
switch
it
on,
you
get
the
breeze;
switch
it
off,
you
get
no
breeze.
The
fan
has
no
attachment
or
aversion.
The
hum
of
the
bee
ceases
and
it
is
silent
when
once
the
drinking
of
the
nectar
begins.
Man
too,
sings,
extols,
argues,
asserts,
only
until
he
discovers
the
rasa
(sweet
essence).
That
rasa
is
prema-rasa
(the
sweetness
of
love).
Where
there
is
love,
there
can
be
no
fear,
no
anxiety,
no
doubt,
no
ashaanthi
(absence
of
peace).
When
you
are
afOlicted
with
Page 222 of 268
ashaanthi
you
can
be
sure
that
your
love
is
restricted,
your
love
has
some
ego
mixed
in
it.
The
experiencer
of
the
prema
(love)
is
the
inner
I,
which
is
the
reOlection
of
the
real
I,
the
Aathma
(soul).
When
the
senses
are
out
of
action,
that
I
will
shine
in
its
full
glory.
The
senses
are
one's
deadly
foes;
for,
they
drag
your
attention
away
from
the
source
of
joy
inside
you,
to
objects
outside
you.
When
you
are
convinced
that
they
are
at
the
bottom
of
this
conspiracy
to
mislead
you,
you
will
certainly
stop
catering
to
them.
The
angler
uses
rod
and
line;
that
line
has
a
Oloat
from
which
hangs
inside
the
water
a
sharp
hook
with
a
worm.
The
Oish
is
drawn
by
the
worm
to
the
hook,
the
Oloat
shakes,
the
angler
feels
the
pull
of
the
Oish
on
the
line,
and
he
draws
it
on
the
land,
where
it
is
helpless,
unable
to
breathe.
The
body
is
the
rod,
the
yearning,
the
eager
longing,
is
the
line,
intelligence,
is
the
Oloat,
discrimination
is
the
hook;
knowledge
is
the
worm;
Aathma,
the
Oish,
is
caught
thus
by
the
clever
angler.
When
you
get
(spiritual
wisdom),
Kaivalyam
(divine
status)
draws
towards
you.
Now,
you
must
take
the
lesson
of
the
symbol
of
the
Flag
of
Prashaanthi
(supreme
peace)
to
heart.
It
instructs
you
to
travel
beyond
the
realms
of
lust,
anger
and
hate,
reach
the
broad
green
region
of
love.
Be
seated
therein
in
concentrated
meditative
prayer,
and
open
the
petals
of
your
heart
through
yoga,
so
that
the
Supreme
illumination
may
be
gained.
Fix
your
mind
on
that
illuminated
Lotus
and
Prashaanthi
will
reign
in
your
hearts.
That
is
the
best
preparation
for
understanding
the
mystery
of
Lingodhbhava
(materialisation
of
Lingam).
Do
not
imagine
yourselves
as
Hindhus
for
the
reason
that
you
are
born
in
Hindhusthan.
You
are
too
entangled
in
the
rules
of
caste,
the
ceremonial
of
rituals,
and
the
coils
of
astrology
to
grasp
your
own
inner
reality.
You
do
not
realise
the
spark
of
divinity
in
you
and
try
to
raise
it
into
a
Olaming
Oire
of
Divine
Splendour,
reducing
your
pretty
'I'
into
ashes.
Sanaathana
Dharma
tells
you
about
that
spark
and
teaches
you
how
to
foster
it
and
develop
it.
When
you
ignore
this
Dharma
and
allow
science
to
entice
you,
you
are
bringing
disrespect
to
your
culture,
and
disowning
your
country.
The
Truth
that
there
is
perfect
identity
between
the
individual
and
universal
is
proclaimed
at
every
breath
by
the
silent
announcement
your
breath
makes'
Soham
(I
am
He).
Reason
is
a
bad
guide
in
spiritual
matters,
unless
it
is
rinsed
of
all
traces
of
ego.
Else,
it
discovers
arguments
to
support
the
point
of
view
that
is
pleasant
to
the
person.
A
merchant
had
a
Oierce
dog
in
his
garden,
to
guard
his
house
against
trespassers.
One
day,
when
a
traveller
was
passing
along
the
road,
the
dog
Olew
at
him
with
bared
teeth;
so
he
hit
it
on
the
head
with
the
thick
stick
he
was
carrying.
The
dog
gave
a
howl
of
pain
and
slunk
into
the
house.
The
master
was
enraged
at
this;
he
was
not
satisOied
with
the
explanation
of
the
traveller.
He
dragged
him
to
the
magistrate
where
he
charged
him
with
cruelty
to
his
pet.
"Why
should
he
hit
him
on
the
head?
He
could
have
Page 223 of 268
hit
him
on
the
tail,"
he
argued.
The
traveller
replied,
"He
jumped
towards
me
with
intent
to
bite
me
head
foremost;
if
he
had
threatened
to
bite
me
with
his
tail,
I
would
have
certainly
hit
the
tail."
The
magistrate
let
him
off.
God
resides
in
every
one
as
Lingam,
in
the
subtle
Form.
In
the
anga
(body),
there
is
sangam
(contact
with
the
outer
and
inner
world);
in
the
sangam,
resides
the
jangam
(the
moving,
traversing,
changing
place)
and
as
the
basis
of
the
jangam,
there
is
the
Lingam.
Linga
is
a
word
of
two
syllables;
Lin
and
ga,
Lin
means
"that
into
which
everything
merges
(li-yathe),"ga
means
"that
into
which
everything
goes
(gam-yathe)."
The
Linga
is
a
symbol
of
the
universal
into
which
all
particulars
merge,
from
which
all
particulars
emerge.
The
Linga
is
the
Swa-swaruupa
(the
real
Form
of
the
Reality).
God
is
to
be
recognised
in
all
that
exists,
all
that
is
charming,
or
suffering,
blooming
or
drooping.
He
is
Intelligence
in
the
insect,
Faithfulness
in
the
dog,
Latent
Energy
in
the
rock!
Vivekaanandha
announced
at
Chicago
that
Hindhuism
uncovered
the
upaadhi
(body
encasement)
and
sought
the
inner
core
of
the
Divine
in
all
things,
animate
and
inanimate.
A
gentleman
may
wear
morning
dress,
evening
dress,
dinner
coat
or
luncheon
slacks;
he
is
the
same
inside
all
these
dresses,
isn't
he?
Be
in
the
world
but,
do
not
let
the
world
be
in
you.
Work
disinterestedly,
content
to
do
your
duty
as
best
as
you
can.
Have
no
desires
to
place
before
God,
for,
whatever
He
does
with
you,
however
He
treats
you,
is
the
gift
He
likes
best
to
give
you!
Iron
and
Steel
are
produced
in
blast
furnaces,
where
ore
is
melted
and
other
components
are
added.
The
molten
iron
is
carried
in
pails
by
cranes
and
poured
by
ladles,
which
though
they
handle
heat
are
themselves
immune
to
heat.
The
crane
holds
other
materials,
but
does
not
hold
itself!
The
mind
is
like
that.
It
holds,
it
manipulates,
it
handles,
all
other
things;
it
cannot
carry
itself,
it
cannot
manipulate
and
transmute
itself!
The
mind
cannot
hold
the
holder,
that
is
to
say,
the
Inner
Motivator,
God.
So,
in
order
to
save
yourselves
from
the
waywardness
of
the
mind
and
its
minions,
you
have
to
hold
on
to
the
'holder.'
There
is
iron;
there
is,
also,
a
magnet.
The
magnet
will
draw
the
iron
to
itself;
that
is
the
destiny
of
both.
But,
if
the
iron
is
covered
with
the
rust,
the
grace
of
the
magnet
may
not
operate
strong
enough
to
draw
the
iron
near.
Greed
for
sensual
pleasure
will
certainly
act
as
rust!
It
acts
as
dust,
which
induces
rust;
the
rust
will
ultimately
burst
the
iron
itself
and
change
its
innate
nature.
So,
it
has
to
be
tested
constantly
and
dusted.
Page 224 of 268
Then,
when
it
contacts
the
magnet,
it
too
earns
the
magnetic
quality
and
it
gets
rest
from
its
quest.
That
achievement
is
the
best,
for
both
magnet
and
iron.
Sharpen
the
intellect,
then
the
Unity
in
nature
will
become
evident.
The
most
revered
and
the
most
popular
manthra
(prayer
clothed
in
ritual
formula)
in
the
Vedhas
is
the
Gaayathri;
it
seeks
the
grace
of
the
Source
of
all
Light,
to
foster
one's
intelligence,
and
for
nothing
more!
God
loves
those
who
have
the
self-
conOidence
and
the
courage
of
conviction
and
who
seize
every
opportunity
to
improve
their
spiritual
status.
I
do
not
accept
from
you
Olowers
that
fade,
fruits
that
rot,
coins
that
have
no
value
beyond
the
national
boundary.
Give
Me
the
lotus
that
blooms
in
your
Maanasa
sarovara---the
clear
pellucid
waters
of
the
lake---of
your
inner
consciousness;
give
Me
the
fruits
of
holiness
and
steady
discipline.
I
am
above
all
this
worldly
etiquette,
which
enjoins
you
to
see
elders
with
some
fruit
or
Olower
in
your
hand.
My
world
is
the
world
of
the
spirit;
there,
values
are
different.
If
you
are
happy,
with
faith
in
God
and
fear
of
sin,
that
is
enough
"service,"
enough
kainkaryam
for
Me.
It
pleases
Me
so.
The
instrument
through
which
he
is
able
to
master
nature
is
itself
not
really
understood
by
man.
When
once
that
is
understood,
all
that
is
understood
through
it,
will
become
plain.
This
is
what
the
sages
of
India
did;
they
sought
to
know
that
which
if
known,
all
else
can
be
known.
The
Upanishaths
lay
down
the
process
of
this
discovery.
The
expression
of
that
discovery,
in
practical
life,
is
Love;
for,
it
is
Love
that
creates,
sustains
and
engulfs
all.
Without
Love,
no
one
can
claim
to
have
succeeded
in
deciphering
God
and
His
handiwork,
the
Universe.
God
is
Love;
live
in
Love---that
is
the
direction
indicated
by
the
sages.
Venkataavaadhani
said
that
the
lamp
will
burn
clear
and
bright
when
you
pour
any
one
of
the
three
oils---bhakthi
(devotion),
jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom)
or
vairaagyam
(detachment).
No.
You
must
have
all
three;
they
are
all
components
of
one
lamp
only.
They
are
like
the
plate,
the
oil,
and
the
wick.
Devotion
is
the
plate,
detachment
the
oil,
and
spiritual
wisdom,
the
wick,
which
can
be
lit
by
striking
the
match,
shraddha
(steady
faith).
The
Sun
is
but
a
star
among
billions
in
space.
The
earth
is
but
a
speck,
rotating
around
the
Sun.
The
nation
to
which
he
belongs
is
but
a
fraction
of
that
spark;
his
village
is
a
microscopic
dot
in
that
fraction
and
he
is
but
one
among
the
thousands
or
lakhs
of
people
residing
therein.
He
struts
about
for
a
few
winks
of
the
eye
of
time,
and
prides
himself
most
stupidly,
as
if
he
is
the
lord
and
master.
But
his
real
title
to
joy
is
not
this.
Page 225 of 268
Individual
effort
and
Grace,
both
are
essential.
Shankara
says,
"Ishwara
anugrahaath
eva
pumsaam
adhwaitha
vaasana"---"through
the
Grace
of
the
Lord
alone
can
man
develop
a
desire
for
the
non-duality
of
the
Universe,"
for
the
One
without
a
second.
Seeing
only
the
One
is
jnaana
(spiritual
wisdom);
and
jnaana
alone
confers
kaivalyam
(liberation).
This
conquest
of
the
ego
is
a
very
hard
task;
years
of
persistent
effort
are
needed
to
get
success
in
this
endeavour.
For
getting
a
Degree
you
struggle
in
the
University
for
a
number
of
years,
poring
over
books
night
and
day;
how
much
more
difOicult
is
this
examination,
success
in
which
guarantees
lasting
happiness,
and
escape
from
the
weary
round
of
birth
and
death?
The
most
direct
method
of
spiritual
success
is
Nishkaama
karma
(desireless
action),
action
without
any
attention
or
attachment
to
the
fruit
therefrom,
action
as
duty,
action
as
dedication,
action
as
worship.
But,
action
and
the
fruit
thereof
are
not
two
separate
entities,
the
fruit
is
the
action
itself,
in
its
Oinal
stage,
the
climax,
the
conclusion.
The
Olower
is
the
fruit;
the
fruit
is
the
Olower;
one
is
the
beginning,
the
other
is
the
legitimate
end.
The
Olower
becomes
the
fruit.
The
action
becomes
the
consequence.
One's
duty
is
to
act;
act
well,
act
in
fear
of
God;
act
within
the
bounds
of
morality;
act
in
love;
continue
acting;
the
consequences
will
naturally
follow
as
the
fruit
follows
the
Olower
One
need
not
worry
or
exult.
Act
enthusiastically,
with
faith---success
is
yours.
Arjuna
acted
so.
Pravrtthi
(worldly
activity)
must
result
from
nivrtthi
(spiritual
detachment);
activity
must
result
from
the
awareness
of
detachment.
That
is
the
secret
of
a
happy
life!
The
controversy
about
the
adequacy
of
one
or
other
of
the
four
Yogas---Bhakthi,
Jnaana,
Karma
and
Raaja---is
needless
waste
of
breath,
for,
all
four
are
needed,
and
all
four
contribute
to
the
ultimate
victory.
Karma
yoga
is
the
earthen
lamp;
Bhakthi
yoga
is
the
oil
in
it;
Raaja
yoga
is
the
wick;
Jnaana
yoga
is
the
light!
Good
karma
will
lead
to
the
attitude
of
devotion
and
dedication,
seeing
God
in
all
beings,
witnessing
the
hand
of
God
in
all
happenings,
and
this
leads
to
worship;
as
a
result
of
worship,
breathing
of
the
vital
airs,
the
process
of
concentration---all
set
themselves
right;
and,
as
the
climax
of
all
this
saadhana
(spiritual
practice),
the
Reality
is
revealed
in
its
full
splendour.
Resist
the
temptation
to
satisfy
the
senses,
to
acquire
what
the
world
can
give,
to
accumulate
material
gains.
Set
limits
to
your
wants.
There
was
a
pupil
once,
in
the
kingdom
of
Raghu,
who
asked
his
preceptor
at
the
conclusion
of
his
studies
what
Dakshina
(thanksgiving
offering)
he
will
accept
from
him.
Dakshina
means
offerings
made
in
gratitude
for
service
rendered.
The
Guru
told
him
that
he
needed
no
other
dakshina
than
his
gratitude;
it
was
enough
if
he
lived
according
to
his
teachings
and
brought
honour
to
his
preceptor
thereby.
But
the
pupil
insisted
that
he
must
indicate
his
need
and
tell
him
some
sum
of
money
or
gifts
that
he
would
accept.
So,
just
to
ward
him
off
and
get
rid
of
him,
the
Guru
named
an
impossible
sum
of
money;
"You
learnt
sixteen
Vidhyas
(branches
of
knowledge)
from
me;
well,
bring
me
sixteen
lakhs
of
gold
nishkas
(coins)."
At
this,
the
pupil
went
off,
to
collect
the
sum.
The
disciple
went
to
Emperor
Raghu,
and
got
from
him
the
promise
that
he
will
fulOil
his
every
desire;
then
he
placed
his
petition
for
sixteen
lakhs
of
gold
nishkas
before
him.
Raghu
was
rendered
desperate
by
the
vast
sum
needed;
though
Emperor,
he
was
too
deep
in
austerity
to
have
the
sum
on
hand.
Still,
in
order
to
keep
his
plighted
word,
he
invaded
the
realm
of
Kubera
(the
God
of
wealth),
and
brought
back
as
loot
enormous
stocks
of
gold.
"Take
all
this
and
give
your
preceptor
what
he
has
asked
for;
keep
the
balance
for
yourself"
the
king
said.
The
pupil
refused
to
take
a
coin
more
than
what
he
had
to
offer
as
Dakshina
to
his
Guru.
"I
have
brought
them
for
you;
it
is
all
yours,
take
them,"
insisted
Raghu.
But
the
young
man
resisted
the
temptation
and
stood
his
ground.
That
is
real
heroism.
Asanthushtah
dhwijo
nashtah---"the
discontented
man
is
as
bad
as
lost."
Rely
on
the
Lord
and
accept
whatever
is
your
lot.
!
Saadhana
is
only
one-fourth
of
the
process;
vichaara
(enquiry)
is
the
other
three-fourth
!
To
get
the
attitude
of
surrender,
of
dedication,
you
must
have
Faith
in
God.
This
world
is
His
play;
it
is
not
an
empty
dream;
it
has
purpose
and
use.
It
is
the
means
by
which
one
can
discover
God;
see
Him
in
the
beauty,
the
grandeur,
the
order,
the
majesty
of
Nature.
These
are
but
shadows
of
His
Glory
and
His
Splendour.
Upaasana
(adoration
of
God),
leads
to
the
knowledge
that
He
is
all;
when
you
experience
that
there
is
no
Second,
that
is
Jnaana
(Spiritual
Wisdom)!
THE
mica
which
is
available
in
this
Gudur
region
has
to
be
dug
out
of
the
ground
after
separating
it
from
surrounding
rocks,
with
a
great
deal
of
effort.
The
exertion
adds
to
the
joy
of
achievement.
If
it
could
be
collected
from
the
surface,
perhaps,
it
would
not
provide
so
much
of
joy.
Through
effort,
Aanandha
(bliss)
is
won;
through
a
long
period
of
suffering,
of
insult
and
calumny
man
sees
the
reality
and
derives
supreme
joy.
God
is
above
all
gunas
(qualities);
He
has
no
Aagraha
(anger).
He
is
ever
the
embodiment
of
Love.
He
is
in
gunas,
but
gunas
are
not
in
Him.
There
is
clay
in
pots,
but
there
is
no
pot
in
clay.
One
should
not
fear
God;
One
must
love
Him
so
much
that
all
acts
He
disapproves
are
discarded.
Fear
to
do
wrong;
fear
to
hate
another;
fear
to
lose
Grace.
Yajnas
(ritual
sacriOices)
are
valid
so
long
as
you
feel
that
you
are
the
body
(Aham
dhehaasmi).
When
you
know
that
you
are
Brahman,
yajnas
lose
value.
Or,
when
you
perform
the
yajna
as
a
sacred
act
of
thyaaga
(renunciation)
dedicated
to
God,
regardless
of
the
fruit
thereof,
with
no
calculation
of
the
gains
therefrom,
then
the
yajna
is
worth
while.
Before
pointing
to
the
faults
of
others,
examine
yourselves
and
assure
yourselves
that
you
are
free
from
faults.
That
alone
gives
you
the
right;
but
the
wonder
is'
you
discover
Page 227 of 268
faults
in
others
only
when
you
have
faults
in
you.
Once
you
rid
yourselves
of
faults,
all
are
pure
and
good.
God's
Grace
is
as
the
shower
of
rain,
as
the
sunlight.
You
have
to
do
some
saadhana
(spiritual
practice)
to
acquire
it,
the
saadhana
of
keeping
a
pot
upright
to
receive
the
rain,
the
saadhana
of
opening
the
door
of
your
heart,
so
that
the
Sun
may
illumine
it.
Like
the
music
that
is
broadcast
over
the
radio,
it
is
all
round
you;
but
you
must
switch
on
your
receiver
and
tune
the
identical
wave-length
so
that
you
can
hear
it
and
enjoy
it.
Pray
for
Grace;
but
do
at
least
this
little
saadhana.
Grace
will
set
everything
right.
Its
main
consequence
is
Aathmasaakshaathkaara
(Self-realisation);
but
there
are
other
incidental
beneOits
too,
like
a
happy
contented
life
here
below,
and
a
cool
courageous
temper,
established
in
unrufOled
shaanthi
(peace).
There
was
a
Guru
(spiritual
preceptor)
once,
who
gave
back
to
his
pupils
the
fruits
offered
by
them,
with
the
direction,
"Take,
each
one,
what
he
likes
most."
One
pupil
did
not
take
any
fruit
but
sat
unconcerned,
in
a
comer.
The
Guru
asked
him,
"What
do
you
like
most?"
He
answered,
"Myself."
That
is
the
proper
attitude;
if
you
like
yourself
most,
make
the
most
of
your
sell
know
your
self
clearly
and
truly,
revere
your
self
deeply,
be
your
best,
make
fullest
use
of
your
talents
and
skills,
and
lead
yourself
into
lasting
peace
and
joy.
You
are
truly
the
embodiment
of
truth,
goodness
and
beauty.
But
you
have
misplaced
the
key
which
helps
you
to
tap
the
springs.
That
key
is
in
the
realm
of
your
inner
consciousness;
but,
like
the
old
woman
who
lost
a
needle
in
her
dark
hut,
and
searched
for
it
under
the
street
lamp
(because,
as
she
said,
there
was
a
patch
of
light
underneath
it),
man
is
searching
for
it
in
the
region
of
material
objects
in
the
outer
world.
The
strongest
foundation
is
ever-present
Faith
in
the
Almighty.
Some
may
ask,
"If
He
is
Almighty,
why
then
is
he
not
patent?"
Well,
He
reveals
Himself
only
to
the
person
who
yearns
for
the
answer,
not
the
one
who
puts
questions
out
of
impudence
or
ignorance.
He
will
be
patent
only
in
the
transparent
heart,
the
heart
that
is
not
clouded
by
egoism
or
objective
attachment.
When
asked
where
you
have
come
from,
you
quickly
reply,
"From
Delhi"
or
"From
Calcutta"
or
"From
Thiruvananthapuram;"
but
those
are
the
places
from
where
your
bodies
have
come
to
Bombay.
Within
the
body,
as
its
source,
sustenance
and
support,
there
is
the
dhehi
(the
embodied
one)
distinguishable
from
the
dheha
(the
body)
where
has
it
come
from.
That
is
beyond
your
ken.
Investigate
into
that;
discover
the
answer;
that
is
the
task
of
man.
You
will
be
released
from
this
role
only
when
you
have
Page 228 of 268
overcome
this
colossal
ignorance
and
realised
the
source,
the
sustenance
and
the
support
of,
not
only
your
seeming
individuality,
but
of
all
the
manifold
million-faced
sparks
of
that
one
Divine
Force.
Do
not
delay
any
further;
the
minutes
are
Oleeing
past;
be
inspired
by
the
yearning
to
drink
the
nectar
of
the
realisation
of
your
true
worth.
Knowledge
is
said
to
be
acquired
when
you
pursue
the
analytical
method
and
divide
things,
feelings,
experiences
into
categories,
pleasant
and
unpleasant,
harmful
and
beneOicial,
lasting
and
temporary.
The
higher
knowledge
however
uniOies,
it
makes
one
aware
of
the
one
which
appears
as
many,
it
reveals
the
truth,
on
which
falsehood
is
superimposed.
To
discover
this
truth,
the
classic
texts
have
laid
down
two
codes
of
discipline,
one
external
and
the
other
internal--the
outer
and
the
inner.
The
outer
is
Nishkaama-karma
(desireless
activity)---activity
that
is
engaged
in
as
dedication
and
worship;
or,
activity
that
is
gladly
carried
out,
from
a
sense
of
duty,
regardless
of
the
beneOit
that
may
accrue,
with
no
attachment
to
the
fruits
thereof.
The
inner
is
dhyaana
(meditation
on
the
splendour
of
which
one
is
but
a
spark).
Karma
(activity)
has
to
be
regulated
by
dharma
(righteousness)
then
it
will
lead
one
on
to
Brahman
(the
basic
truth
of
the
Universe,
including
oneself).
The
experience
of
the
Truth
alone
can
foster
Love;
for,
Truth
is
so
all-embracing
and
integrating,
that
it
sees
no
distinction.
Truth
is
the
current
and
Love
is
the
bulb,
it
has
to
illumine.
Through
Truth,
you
can
experience
love;
through
love,
you
can
visualise
truth.
Love
God
and
you
see
God
in
every
creature.
Or
you
can
start
with
the
individual,
and
widen
the
circle
of
love,
till
it
envelops
all
creation.
Let
the
mind
dwell
ever
on
God;
let
it
see
all
as
God.
That
is
what
is
described
as
one-
pointedness.
If
it
is
so
Oixed,
it
will
give
up
its
tendency
to
search
for
faults
and
foibles
in
others;
it
will
not
run
after
the
foul
and
the
frivolous;
it
will
not
accumulate
the
trivial
and
the
transient.
The
search
is
for
the
same
treasure;
the
summit
is
One,
the
tracks
leading
to
it
are
many;
the
guides
are
also
many;
they
clamour
and
compete
among
themselves.
Seven
blind
men
examined
the
elephant
and
imagined
that
it
was
what
each
one
was
able
to
touch;
each
one
interpreted
his
touch--they
could
not
get
a
complete
and
correct
picture
of
the
animal.
Hindhuism
is
the
stomach
of
the
elephant,
supplying
strength
and
stamina
to
all
other
faiths;
but
one
has
to
admit
that
the
stomach
is
not
all!
The
limbs
are
the
other
faiths.
The
greatest
formula
that
can
liberate,
cleanse
and
elevate
the
mind
is
Raamanaama
(the
Name
of
Raama).
Raama
is
not
to
be
identiOied
with
the
hero
of
the
Raamaayana,
Page 229 of 268
the
Divine
offspring
of
Emperor
Dasharatha.
He
was
named
Raama
by
the
Court
Preceptor
because
it
was
a
Name
which
was
already
current.
Vashishtha,
the
preceptor,
said
that
he
had
chosen
that
Name
since
it
meant,
"He
who
pleases."
While
every
one
else
pleases
the
selfs
nothing
pleases
the
caged
individualised
self
more
than
the
free
universal
Self.
The
Self
is
therefore
referred
to
as
Aathma-
Raama,
the
Self
that
confers
unending
joy.
The
Presidents,
Vice-Presidents
and
Secretaries
of
Sathya
Sai
Organisations
from
all
over
the
world
are
here.
You
are
OfOicers
of
the
Sai
Army.
How
can
you
lead
soldiers
into
the
fray
when
you
are
not
aware
of
the
intricacies
of
warfare,
when
you
are
yourselves
inefOicient
instruments?
You
can
attempt
to
lead
others
only
after
practising
the
disciplines
to
perfection.
This
is
true
of
all
Oields
of
human
activity.
Aanandha
(bliss)
and
Prashaanthi
(supreme
peace)
have
to
be
acquired
Oirst
by
you
and
then
can
be
communicated
to
others.
It
can
be
Madhurabhaava
(sweet
emotion)
as
Raadha
was
over-powered
with.
She
saw,
heard,
tasted,
sought
and
gained
only
that
sweetness
at
all
times
and
all
places.
Raso
vai
sah
(divine
sweetness
is
He).
She
made
no
distinction
between
Nature
and
Nature's
God;
it
was
all
God,
all
Krishna.
She
felt,
experienced,
and
knew
that
Krishna
was
ever
present,
in
the
waking,
dreaming
and
deep
sleep
stages.
She
realised
the
truth
of
the
Geetha
declaration
of
Krishna
that
His
hands
and
feet,
His
eyes,
face
and
head
were
everywhere.
Her
adoration
of
God
is
the
supreme
example
of
Madhura
Bhaava
Naamasamkeerthan.
I
am
emphasising
Raama-Naama
(the
name
Raama)
because
the
Raama
principle
is
the
Aathma.
Raama
means
that
which
is
pleasant
and
which
pleases.
Now,
the
Aathma
is
the
source
of
all
joy;
its
nature
is
bliss.
God
is
all
Names
and
all
forms,
the
integration
of
all
these
in
harmonious
charm!
Gods
designated
in
different
faiths,
adored
by
different
human
communities,
are
all
limbs
of
the
One
God
that
really
is.
Just
as
the
body
is
the
harmonious
blending
of
the
senses
and
the
limbs,
God
is
the
harmony
of
all
the
forms
and
names
that
man
gives
Him!
Only
those
who
are
ignorant
of
the
Glory
of
God
will
insist
on
one
Name
and
one
Form
for
his
adoration
and
what
is
worse,
condemn
the
use
by
others
of
other
names
and
forms!
Since
you
are
all
associated
with
Sathya
Sai
Organisations,
I
must
warn
you
against
such
silly
obduracy.
Do
not
go
about
proclaiming
that
you
are
a
sect
distinct
and
separate
from
those
who
adore
God
in
other
forms
and
names.
Thereby
you
are
limiting
the
very
God
whom
you
are
extolling.
Do
not
proclaim
in
your
enthusiasm,
"We
want
only
Sai;
we
are
not
concerned
with
the
rest."
You
must
convince
yourselves
that
all
forms
are
Sai's;
all
names
are
Sai's.
There
is
no
'rest';
all
are
He.
You
must
have
noticed
that
I
do
not
speak
about
Sai
in
My
discourses,
nor
do
I
sing
of
Sai
during
the
bhajan
with
which
I
usually
conclude
My
discourses.
And
you
must
have
Page 230 of 268
wondered
why.
Let
me
tell
you
the
reason.
I
do
not
want
the
impression
to
gain
ground
that
I
desire
this
Name
and
this
Form
to
be
publicised.
I
have
not
come
to
set
afoot
a
new
cult,
I
do
not
want
people
to
be
misled
on
this
point.
I
afOirm
that
this
Sai
form
is
the
form
of
all
the
various
names
that
man
uses
for
the
adoration
of
the
Divine.
So,
I
am
teaching
that
no
distinction
should
be
made
between
the
names
Raama,
Krishna,
Ishwara,
Sai---for
they
are
all
My
names.
When
I
know
that
I
am
the
current
that
illumines
all
the
various
bulbs,
I
am
indifferent
to
the
bulbs,
which
you
consider
so
important.
When
you
pay
attention
to
the
bulbs,
factions
arise,
sects
are
born.
Sathya
Sai
Seva
Samithis
should
not
encourage
discord
and
distinctions;
they
must
adore
the
One,
appearing
as
many,
the
basic
Divine,
which
illumines
all
the
bulbs.
I
have
not
got
the
slightest
intention
to
utilise
the
Seva
Samithis
(Service
Organisations)
for
propagating
My
Name
or
canvas
homage
for
My
Name.
No!
I
am
content
only
when
spiritual
endeavours
and
disciplines
to
elevate
and
purify
man
are
progressing
everywhere.
It
is
only
through
these
that
My
universal
reality
will
be
revealed.
So,
do
not
limit
Me
to
the
boundaries
of
any
one
name
and
form.
Your
aim
should
be
to
see
the
self-same
God
in
all
the
Forms
that
are
worshipped,
to
picture
Him
in
all
the
Names,
nay,
to
be
conscious
of
His
presence
as
the
inner
motivator
of
every
living
being,
in
every
particle
of
matter.
Do
not
fall
into
the
error
of
considering
some
to
be
men
worthy
of
reverence
and
some
unworthy.
Sai
is
in
every
one;
so,
all
deserve
your
reverence
and
service.
Propagate
this
truth;
that
is
the
function
I
assign
to
the
Seva
Samithis.
Of
what
avail
is
it
if
you
simply
worship
My
Name
and
form,
without
attempting
to
cultivate
the
samathwa
(equal
love
for
all)
that
I
have,
My
shaanthi
(unrufOled
equanimity)
My
prema
(love),
My
sahana
(patience
and
fortitude),
My
aanandha
(ever-
blissful
nature)?
You
elaborate
in
your
lectures
the
unique
powers
of
Sai,
the
incidents
that
are
described
as
'miracles'
in
books
written
on
Me
by
some
persons.
But
I
request
you
not
to
attach
importance
to
these.
Do
not
exaggerate
their
signiOicance;
the
most
signiOicant
and
important
power
is,
let
Me
tell
you,
My
prema
(love).
I
may
turn
the
sky
into
earth,
or
earth
into
sky;
but
that
is
not
the
sign
of
Divine
might.
It
is
the
prema,
the
sahana,
effective
universal,
ever-present,
that
is
the
unique
sign.
Since
I
move
about
with
you,
eat
like
you,
and
talk
with
you,
you
are
deluded
into
the
belief
that
this
is
but
an
instance
of
common
humanity.
Be
warned
against
this
mistake.
I
am
also
deluding
you
by
My
singing
with
you,
talking
with
you,
and
engaging
Myself
in
activities
with
you.
But,
any
moment,
My
Divinity
may
be
revealed
to
you;
you
have
to
be
ready,
prepared
for
the
moment.
Since
Divinity
is
enveloped
by
human-ness
you
must
endeavour
to
overcome
the
maayaa
(delusion)
that
hides
it
from
your
eyes.
anxiety
and
envy
will
cease
bothering
you;
the
bonds
of
'I'
and
'Mine'
will
break;
and
you
will
have
shaanthi
(undisturbed
peace).
Your
efforts
must
be
in
proportion
to
the
grandeur
of
the
gain
you
envisage,
isn't
it?
You
crave
for
bliss,
but
cling
to
smaller
pleasures
and
refuse
to
stake
as
much
as
is
needed
to
win
it.
Every
member
of
the
Sathya
Sai
0rganisation
has
to
be
a
saadhaka
(spiritual
aspirant),
one
who
is
practising
the
discipline
of
conquering
his
egoism
and
greed,
mamaakaaram
and
abhimaanam
(the
sense
of
'I'
and
'mine').
The
President,
Vice-President
and
Secretary
must
be
keener
than
the
members
in
this
endeavour,
and
must
be
examples
for
the
rest.
Samskrith
is
the
language
of
the
Shaasthras
and
the
sacred
texts
of
Sanaathana
Dharma
(eternal
universal
religion).
So,
Sathya
Sai
Organisation
must
provide
facilities
for
the
study
of
Samskrith,
by
elders
and
by
the
children.
This
is
one
of
the
Oirst
things
that
they
must
take
up.
Anger
and
hatred
can
be
used
to
ward
off
the
evil
that
stalks
the
spiritual
aspirant;
be
angry
at
things
that
hamper
you;
hate
the
habits
that
brutalise
you.
Cultivate
Jnaana
(Supreme
Knowledge)
and
visualise
the
Lord
in
things
and
activities.
That
makes
this
human
birth
worth
while.
The
car
can
move
only
when
the
fuel
of
vijnaana
(higher
knowledge)
is
poured;
the
tyres
are
to
be
inOlated
with
faith.
The
goal
is
liberation,
immortality
merger
with
the
Divine,
getting
immersed
in
the
inner
and
outer
glory.
Knowing
this
is
the
real
aim
of
man;
he
who
is
unaware
of
this
is
ignorant.
However
profound
his
scholarship
may
be,
he
does
not
know
the
answer
to
the
only
question
that
is
worth
asking:
"Who
am
I"?
He
may
travel
to
the
Moon,
but,
he
has
failed
to
explore
his
own
inner
Moon,
the
Mind.
When
he
knows
the
mind,
its
composition
and
behaviour,
he
can
know
all
about
the
Universe
too,
for
the
Universe
is
only
a
creation
of
the
mind.
Some
people
afOirm
that
the
bhajans
used
at
the
Prashaanthi
Nilayam
alone
should
be
sung;
but
God
is
omnipresent,
He
is
the
indweller
in
every
heart;
all
Names
are
His.
So,
you
can
call
on
Him
by
any
name
that
gives
joy.
Members
of
Sathya
Sai
Organisations
must
not
cavil
at
other
Names
and
Forms
of
God;
they
should
not
become
fanatics,
blind
to
the
Glory
of
other
Names
and
Forms.
They
should
join
the
Groups
that
honour
those
other
manifestations
and
demonstrate
that
all
Names
and
Forms
are
Mine.
They
should
contribute
to
the
joy
and
happiness
of
all
without
giving
up
their
faith.
Some
people
have
their
minds
and
senses
like
cotton
balls
and
a
spark
of
jnaana
will
set
them
ablaze
and
they
achieve
victory!
Some
others
have
them
like
dried
faggots;
they
take
longer
time,
but,
victory
is
certain.
Most
have
minds
and
senses
like
green
fuel
and
even
the
raging
Oire
of
jnaana
may
be
put
out
by
the
onslaught
of
the
moisture
contained
in
them.
Make
your
mind
and
senses
like
clean
Oinely
ginned
cotton.
YOUR
reality
is
the
Aathma,
a
wave
of
the
Paramaathma
(Supreme
Self).
The
one
object
of
this
human
existence
is
to
visualise
that
reality;
that
aathma,
that
relationship
between
the
wave
and
the
sea.
All
other
activities
are
trivial;
you
share
them
with
birds
and
beasts;
but,
this
is
the
unique
privilege
of
Man.
Man
is
endowed
with
two
special
gifts;
Viveka
(the
faculty
of
reasoning)
and
vijnaana
(the
faculty
of
analysis
and
synthesis).
Use
these
gifts
for
discovering
the
truth
of
yourself,
which
is
the
truth
of
every
one
else,
of
everything
else.
All
countries
are
borne
and
sustained
by
this
earth;
all
are
warmed
by
the
same
Sun;
all
'bodies'
are
inspired
by
the
same
Divine
Principle;
all
are
urged
by
the
same
inner
motivator.
The
Vedhas
are
the
earliest
testaments
to
the
victory
of
man
over
himself
his
discovery
of
the
underlying
Unity
in
all
creation
and
his
pulsating
contact
with
the
truth
that
uniOies.
They
declare,
God
is
Sarvabhuutha
antharaathma
(God
is
the
inner
Reality
of
all
beings),
Ishaavaasyamidham
sarvam
(All
this
is
enveloped
by
God),
Vaasudhevah
sarvamidham
(All
this
is
God,
Vaasudheva).
The
Divine
principle
that
is
in
every
one
is
like
the
electric
current
that
illuminates
the
bulbs
before
Me
here,
of
different
colours
and
different
candle
powers.
The
same
God
shines
in
and
through
everyone,
whatever
be
the
creed,
colour,
tribe
or
territory.
The
current
animates
and
activates
all
bulbs;
the
Divine
animates
and
activates
all.
Those
who
see
difference
are
deluded;
they
are
befogged
by
prejudice,
egoism,
hatred
or
malice.
Love
sees
all
as
one
Divine
family.
How
does
this
Aathma-principle
express
itself
in
Man?
As
Prema
(love)!
Love
is
the
basic
nature
that
sustains
him
and
strengthens
his
resolve
to
march
ahead.
The
Vedhas
teach
that
man
should
have
only
one
kaama
(desire),
namely,
for
moksha
(liberation);
this
too
is
not
respected;
man
is
drowning
himself
in:
the
maelstrom
of
desire,
the
fulOilment
of
that
desire
can
never
quench
his
deeper
thirsts.
How
can
a
prisoner
have
any
other
desire
than
liberation?
The
purpose
of
'living'
is
to
achieve
"living
in
God."
Every
one
is
entitled
to
that
consecration
and
consummation.
You
are
the
Truth;
do
not
lose
faith;
do
not
belittle
yourselves.
You
are
Divine,
however
often
you
slide
from
humanity
to
animality
or
even
lower.
Cultivate
Love;
share
that
love
with
all.
How
can
you
give
one
person
less
and
another
more,
when
they
are
both
the
same
as
you?
If
you
forget
the
basic
Divinity,
hatred
sprouts:
envy
rinses
its
hood.
See
the
Aathma
in
all
Love
sprouts,
peace
descends
like
dew.
You
are
prema-swaruupa
I
have
come
to
light
the
lamp
of
love
in
your
hearts,
to
see
that
it
shines
day
by
day
with
added
lustre.
I
have
not
come
to
speak
on
behalf
of
any
particular
dharma
(righteousness),
like
the
Hindhu
Dharma.
I
have
not
come
on
any
mission
of
publicity
for
any
sect
or
creed
or
cause;
nor
have
I
come
to
collect
followers
for
any
doctrine.
I
have
no
plan
to
attract
disciples
or
devotees
into
My
fold
or
any
fold.
I
have
come
to
tell
you
of
this
Universal
unitary
faith,
this
Aathmic
principle,
this
path
of
love,
this
dharma
of
prema,
this
duty
of
love,
this
obligation
to
love.
All
religions
teach
one
basic
discipline;
the
removal
from
the
mind
of
the
blemish
of
egoism,
of
running
after
little
joy.
Every
religion
teaches
man
to
Oill
his
being
with
the
Glory
of
God,
and
evict
the
pettiness
of
conceit.
It
trains
him
in
methods
of
detachment
and
discrimination,
so
that
he
may
aim
high
and
attain
liberation.
Believe
that
all
hearts
are
motivated
by
the
One
and
Only
God;
that
all
faiths
glorify
the
One
and
Only
God;
that
all
names
in
all
languages
and
all
forms
man
can
conceive,
denote
the
One
and
Only
God;
His
adoration
is
best
done
by
means
of
love.
Cultivate
that
Eka-bhaava
(attitude
of
Oneness),
between
men
of
all
creeds,
all
countries
and
all
continents.
GOD
is
the
source
of
all
Love;
Love
God,
Love
the
world
as
the
vesture
of
God,
no
more,
no
less.
Through
Love,
you
can
merge
in
the
Ocean
of
Love.
You
must
have
the
skill
to
swim
across
the
waves
of
joy
and
grief,
of
pain
and
proOit.
You
must
be
a
master
of
the
art
of
being
fully
at
ease,
perfectly
calm
and
unaffected,
whatever
may
happen
to
the
body
or
senses
or
mind;
they
are
all
inert
when
they
are
not
urged
by
the
inner
I,
which
is
Intelligence,
Awareness.
Learn
the
skill
of
achieving
and
maintaining
inner
peace,
the
art
of
being
ever
aware
of
the
aathma,
as
the
inner
Reality,
and
then
you
can
safely
gyrate
in
the
world,
as
fast
as
you
care.
Life
is
a
newspaper;
read
it
in
a
casual
manner,
headlines,
a
few
columns
that
catch
your
fancy
and
throw
it
aside.
Do
not
make
it
more
important
than
that.
Tomorrow,
it
is
'waste
paper.'
So
too,
life
is
worth
only
a
casual
perusal;
do
not
lay
it
aside
for
a
second
perusal.
One
birth
is
enough;
let
the
death
coming
to
you
be
the
last.
Those
who
carp
and
criticise,
and
ask
questions
like,
"If
there
is
God,
where
is
He?"
"How
does
He
look?"
have
not
proceeded
beyond
the
Oirst
letters
of
the
alphabet
of
spiritual
enquiry.
It
is
only
when
the
entire
alphabet
is
mastered
that
you
can
read
words;
then,
you
can
proceed
to
sentences,
paragraphs
and
books.
Unless
you
know
the
I,
how
can
you
know
the
I
of
all
Is--the
I
that
makes
every
I
experience
its
I-ness?
The
smog
of
ignorance
hides
from
you
this
I
behind
the
Is.
It
is
called
Maayaa
in
Hindhu
philosophy.
It
is
compared
to
an
enchantress,
a
danseuse,
a
wily
woman
who
entices
away
your
intelligence
by
her
dance,
a
Narthaki.
This
Narthaki
can
be
immobilised
by
Keerthan
(Singing
the
glory
of
God,
with
full
Faith
in
His
Grace).
Note
that
keerthan
is
but
Narthaki
transposed;
Wisdom
is
ignorance
overcome.
Keerthan
will
keep
the
vision
dear
and
direct
it
on
the
sublime
and
the
Supreme.
Just
as
when
you
awake
from
sleep,
you
know
that
the
dream
which
you
had
was
a
matter
of
minutes,
though
the
chain
of
events
dreamed
spanned
many
years,
this
life
will
appear
a
transient
affair
when
you
awake
into
jnaana
after
this
brief
'dream
of
life.'
Be
always
full
of
joy
so
that
when
death
calls,
you
can
quit
with
a
light
laugh,
and
not
whimper
in
grief.
I
bless
that
you
may
so
shape
your
lives
and
activities
that
this
supreme
joy
will
be
your
lasting
possession.
Man
is
born
for
a
high
destiny
as
the
inheritor
of
a
rich
heritage.
He
should
not
fritter
his
days
in
low
pursuits
and
vulgar
vanities.
His
destiny
is
to
know
the
Truth,
live
in
it
and
for
it.
The
Truth
along
can
make
man
free,
happy
and
bold.
If
he
is
not
prompted
by
this
high
purpose,
life
is
a
waste,
a
mere
tossing
on
the
waves,
for
the
sea
of
life
is
never
calm.
God
is
the
source
of
the
highest
joy.
People
yearn
for
joy,
but
they
accept
as
genuine
the
counterfeit
joy
given
by
the
senses.
No
one
knows
that
Nature
is
but
the
vesture
of
God.
There
is
nothing
real
except
He.
When
the
morning
Sun
is
above
the
horizon
and
you
walk
away
from
it
towards
the
west,
your
shadow
lengthens
and
struts
before
you.
That
shadow
is
Maayaa---the
primal
illusion,
the
basic
ignorance;
it
deludes
and
hides
truth
and
clothes
it
in
the
costume
of
falsehood.
To
discard
Maayaa
and
escape
from
its
shadow,
you
have
to
walk
sun-wards.
Then
the
shadow
will
fall
behind
you.
When
the
Sun
(the
source
of
reason
and
Intelligence)
climbs
higher
and
higher,
the
shadow
becomes
shorter
and
smaller.
Until
at
last,
when
he
is
right
on
top,
the
shadow
(Maayaa)
crouches
at
your
feet,
surrendering
to
you;
you
can
trample
on
it.
So
too,
when
your
Intelligence
is
supreme,
Maayaa
cannot
cast
her
evil
spell
on
you.
Bhakthi
is
also
a
yoga,
a
process
of
eliminating
the
mind
or
transforming
the
mind
into
an
instrument
for
realising
God.
Bhakthi,
however,
has
been
watered
down
into
a
routine
ritual---
like
turning
the
beads
of
a
rosary,
squatting
a
speciOied
number
of
hours
before
an
image,
offering
of
incense,
waving
of
lights,
ringing
of
bells,
dipping
in
holy
waters,
or
climbing
hills
to
reach
shrines.
These
are
acts
that
quieten
some
urges
and
quicken
others,
which
may
or
may
not
be
congenial.
Bhakthi
is
not
a
penitential
uniform
that
can
be
put
on
or
off,
as
occasion
demands.
The
constables
on
duty
here
wear
uniforms,
complete
with
ribbons
and
medals;
but,
when
they
reach
home
after
their
hours
of
duty,
they
take
it
off
and
wear
other
dresses.
Devotion
cannot
come
upon
you
during
stated
hours
and
fall
off
when
you
relapse
into
normalcy.
It
is
a
continuous,
constant
condition
of
the
mind,
a
conOirmed
attitude,
a
way
chosen
and
adhered
to
with
avid
attention.
The
true
devotee
is
deeply
aware
of
the
transitoriness
of
earthly
triumphs.
He
knows
that
death
is
the
Oinal
arbiter,
that
God
is
the
only
dispenser,
and
so,
he
is
Oirm
and
calm,
whether
it
is
foul
or
fair.
He
will
not
slide
or
climb
whatever
happens.
He
knows
that
the
God
whom
he
adores
is
the
indweller
in
the
blade
of
grass
and
in
the
most
distant
star.
God
gives
ear
to
the
prayers
that
rise
in
all
languages
and
even
from
the
silence
of
the
dumb.
He
has
no
trace
of
anger
or
worry.
You
too
have
no
reason
to
develop
anger
and
anxiety.
When
the
teeth
bite
your
tongue
do
you
get
angry
at
them
for
hurting?
Do
you
break
the
teeth
that
hurt
it
so?
No.
For,
teeth
and
tongue
are
both
yours,
both
you.
Similarly,
he
who
hurts
you
and
you,
are
both
limbs
of
the
same
Body,
God.
Feel
that
one-ness
and
avoid
hate.
God
is
on
the
look-out
for
his
inner
vision;
He
blesses
those
whose
hearts
are
so
vast
that
they
can
take
in
all
His
children.
How
can
He
be
pleased
when
you
are
so
selOish
and
narrow-minded
that
you
send
away
His
children
from
the
door-step
of
your
heart?
You
must
Oirst
have
a
clear
understanding
of
the
nature
of
the
Goal---God
or
Goodness
or
the
Universal
Absolute---whatever
the
name,
its
grandeur,
its
beneOicence,
its
magniOicence.
Then,
that
understanding
itself
will
prompt
and
urge
you
towards
it.
The
Universal
of
which
you
are
a
unit
is
pure,
true,
egoless,
unlimited
and
everlasting.
Contemplate
on
It
and
your
innate
egolessness,
truth,
purity,
and
eternality
will
manifest
itself,
more
and
more
every
day.
You
may
have
accumulated
riches,
acquired
deep
scholarship
and
achieved
health
and
strength.
But,
unless
you
have
gained,
in
addition,
a
vision
of
the
Supreme
Sovereign,
and
an
aspiration
to
be
ever
in
the
ecstasy
of
that
vision,
all
that
has
been
garnered
by
you
is
mere
lumber.
"Give
up
all
bonds
of
Oight
and
duty,
surrender
unreservedly
to
Me;
I
shall
guard
you
from
sin
and
liberate
you
from
that
sad
cycle
of
'entrances'
and
'exits'
on
the
stage
of
life.
You
can
remain
ever
in
your
own
Reality
of
Eternal
Calm,"
the
Lord
has
assured.
Freedom
and
Light
are
what
man
needs
more
than
anything
else.
He
needs
them
even
more
than
breath.
That
is
why
he
is
miserable
when
bound
and
in
the
dark.
Man
struggles
like
a
Oish
in
a
dry
bowl,
frantically,
to
return
to
God,
which
is
his
home,
and
Aanandha
(divine
bliss),
which
is
his
element.
He
seeks
God
or
Aanandha,
which
is
but
another
Name
of
God,
up
in
space,
down
in
the
bowels
of
the
earth,
alone
or
in
crowded
congregations,
in
silence
or
in
noise.
But
all
the
time
the
spring
of
aanandha
lies
in
his
own
heart.
He
can
tap
it
if
only
he
knows
how
to
delve
into
the
poise
of
deep
meditation.
I
shall
give
you
now
.the
most
universal
and
the
most
effective.
Set
aside
a
few
minutes,
every
day,
in
the
beginning
for
this;
later,
you
are
sure
to
extend
the
period,
when
you
experience
the
thrill
of
peace.
Let
it
be
the
hours
before
dawn.
This
is
preferable
because
the
body:
is
refreshed
by
sleep
and
the
peregrinations
of
day-time
have
yet
to
impinge
on
the
senses
and
distract
physical
and
mental
energy.
Have
a
lamp,
with
a
bright
little
Olame,
steady
and
straight,
or
a
candle,
before
you.
The
Olame
does
not
diminish
in
lustre,
however
many
lamps
may
be
lit
therefrom.
So,
the
Olame
is
the
most
appropriate
symbol
of
the
eternal
Absolute.
Sit
in
the
padmaasana
(lotus
posture)
or
any
comfortable
aasana,
in
front
of
the
Olame.
Look
on
the
Olame
steadily
and
closing
your
eyes,
try
to
feel
it
inside
you,
between
your
eyebrows.
From
there,
let
it
descend
down
into
the
lotus
of
your
heart,
illumining
the
path.
When
it
enters
the
heart,
in
the
centre
of
the
chest,
imagine
that
the
petals
of
the
lotus
bud
open
out,
one
by
one,
bathing
every
thought,
feeling,
emotion
and
impulse
in
the
Light
and
removing
darkness.
There
is
no
space
now
for
darkness
to
take
refuge;
it
has
to
Olee
before
the
Olame.
Imagine
that
the
Light
becomes
wider,
bigger,
brighter.
It
pervades
the
limbs;
they
can
no
more
busy
themselves
in
dark,
wicked,
suspicious
activities.
They
have
become,
you
are
conscious
of
it,
instruments
of
Light,
that
is
to
say,
of
Love.
The
Light
reaches
the
tongue.
Falsehood,
slander,
bragging,
spite
vanish
from
it.
It
reaches
the
eyes
and
the
ears.
All
dark
desires
that
infest
and
infect
them
are
destroyed
by
the
brilliant
Light
of
Wisdom
and
Virtue.
No
more
puerility,
no
more
poisoning
of
the
ear.
Let
your
head
be
charged
with
Light;
all
wicked,
vicious
thoughts
disappear,
for,
these
are
denizens
of
darkness.
Imagine
that
Light
in
you
more
and
more
intensely--and
it
will
be
so.
Let
it
shine
all
around
you,
enveloping
you
in
the
brilliance
of
Love;
let
it
spread
from
you,
in
ever
widening
circles,
taking
into
its
fold
your
kith
and
kin,
the
loved
ones,
friends,
companions---nay,
strangers,
foes,
rivals,
enemies---all
men
all
over
the
world,
all
living
beings--all
Creation.
Do
this
every
day,
without
break;
for
as
long
as
you
enjoy
it;
do
this
deeply
and
systematically;
a
time
will
certainly
come
when
you
can
no
more
relish
dark
and
evil
thoughts,
no
more
yearn
for
dark
and
sinister
books,
no
more
crave
for
toxic
food
and
drinks,
no
more
handle
ugly
demeaning
things,
no
more
suffer
inOliction
of
infamy
or
injury,
no
more
formulate
evil
designs.
You
are
then
in
the
realm
of
the
Divine,
of
Peace
beyond
words.
Stay
on
in
that
thrill,
witnessing
Light,
being
Light,
everywhere,
for
all.
If
you
are
used
to
adoring
God
in
any
form,
visualise
that
Form
in
that
Light.
For,
Light
is
God;
God
is
light.
When
light
meets
light,
it
is
all
Light.
There
is
no
boundary
between
your
light
and
His
Light.
They
merge,
they
fulOil.
In
this
a-shaanthi
(peacelessness),
that
is
confounding
the
world,
you
must
seek
prashaanthi
(the
higher
spiritual
peace);
in
that
prashaanthi,
you
can
visualise
prakaanthi
(Supreme
Splendour)
and
in
that
prakaanthi,
the
all-embracing
Paramjyothi
(immanent
and
transcendent
splendour,
boundless,
benign)
is
experienced;
in
that
Page 236 of 268
Why
is
silence
said
to
be
golden?
The
silent
man
has
no
enemies,
though
he
may
not
have
friends.
He
has
the
leisure
and
the
chance
to
dive
within
himself
and
examine
his
own
faults
and
failings.
He
has
no
more
inclination
to
seek
them
in
others.
The
spiritual
laws
that
the
sages
of
India
have
discovered
and
laid
down
will
never
be
over-ruled;
they
stand
valid
for
ever.
Further
research
in
spiritual
laws
can
only
strengthen
and
conOirm
their
authenticity
as
further
facets
only
render
the
diamond
more
brilliant.
Bhaarath
has
contributed
to
the
world
the
priceless
gem
of
Truth:
"Eesvarah
sarvabhuuthaanaam
hridhese,
Arjuna,
thishthathi"---"God
is
the
resident
motivator
of
all
beings".
Until
this
fact
is
realised
by
the
individual,
he
will
be
tainted
by
traces
of
anger,
pride
and
hate,
for
he
sees
others
as
distinct
and
different.
Karna,
the
eldest
born
of
the
Paandavas,
did
not
know
that
he
was
the
brother
of
the
other
Oive.
Nor
did
the
Oive
brothers
know
this
fact.
As
a
consequence
of
this
ignorance,
Karna
was
saturated
with
hatred
towards
the
Oive;
he
longed
to
destroy
them;
he
prepared
himself
for
battle
against
them
with
unabated
vigour.
The
Oive
younger
brothers
too,
planned
to
destroy
him
and
behaved
towards
him
as
if
he
were
their
deadly
enemy.
When
Dharmaraaja,
the
eldest
of
the
Oive,
came
to
know---after
the
death
of
Karna,
which
they
effected
successfully---that
Karna
was
his
brother,
his
agony
knew
no
bounds;
he
was
struck
disconsolate
and
was
torn
by
despair.
If
only
Dharmaraaja
had
known
the
truth,
all
that
grief
could
have
been
avoided,
isn't
it?
So
too,
until
you
know
that
all
are
altars
where
the
same
God
is
installed,
all
are
moved
and
motivated
by
the
grace
of
the
self-same
God,
you
are
afOlicted
by
hate
and
pride;
once
you
know
it
and
experience
it,
you
are
full
of
love
and
reverence
to
all.
The
barbarous
remedy
of
war
will
be
given
up
when
this
basic
brotherhood
is
felt
in
the
deepest
core
of
man.
It
was
this
principle
of
Love,
based
on
the
recognition
of
Oneness
in
God,
that
was
planted
by
Me
in
East
Africa.
The
Aathma-thathwa
(which
is
the
wave-God
of
the
Ocean-God
that
is
in
the
hearts
of
all
men)
was
declared
by
Me,
at
Nairobi
and
Kampaala,
in
My
discourses.
You
do
not
wait
with
folded
hands
for
the
cup
of
coffee
to
cool
down
to
the
required
warmth;
you
ask
for
an
extra
cup
and
you
start
pouring
the
coffee
from
one
cup
to
the
other,
is
it
not?
The
same
anxiety,
the
same
saadhana
has
to
be
shown
in
spiritual
matters
also,
to
take
in
the
beverage
of
Divine
Grace.
Aathma-vidhya
(science
of
the
Self)
alone
can
Oix
the
mind
in
Dharma.
The
students
here
will
be
given
a
glimpse
of
that
Aathma-
vidhya;
they
will
develop
a
keen
desire
to
know
about
it---
knowledge
and
desire
that
will
stand
them
in
good
stead,
when
they
encounter
the
problems
of
life.
But
the
battle
between
Jeevi
and
Maayaa,
the
individual
and
the
fascinating,
deluding
wiles
of
the
really
unreal
Nature
with
its
enticing
multi-fariousness---this
battle
is
continuous
(compared
to
Kurukshetra
war
which
Swami
had
just
compared
it
to);
the
earliest
man
got
entangled
in
it;
the
last
man
on
earth
will
have
to
Oight
it.
It
can
bring
victory
to
the
Jeevi
(individual)
only
when,
like
Arjuna,
he
chooses
the
Lord
as
his
charioteer
and
surrenders
his
judgement,
his
desires,
to
Him.
Maayaa
can
be
conquered
only
by
allying
yourselves
with
the
Master
of
Maayaa,
Maadhava.
This
is
the
lesson
that
Aathma
vidhya
teaches,
this
is
the
lesson
that
children
in
India
have
a
right
to
imbibe;
children
from
all
over
the
world
can
beneOit
immensely
from
it.
Man
forgets
that
with
each
sunrise
and
sunset,
a
day
is
clipped
off
the
allotted
span
of
years;
he
leads
life
in
a
wobbling
line
from
the
cradle
to
the
grave.
He
denies
himself
the
Light
of
the
Spirit
when
struggling
through
the
trackless
jungle
of
matter.
That
light
will
reveal
the
Spirit
that
resides
in
every
thing
and
being;
it
will
deify
and
therefore,
unify.
With
or
without
Form,
It
is
Aanandha.
Welcome
It
into
the
heart,
as
Raama---He
who
is
joy
and
grants
joy---or
as
Krishna---He
who
draws
you
by
means
of
the
joy.
He
imparts---and
live
all
your
moments
with
It,
offering
It
your
dhyaana,
your
puuja,
your
japam.
That
will
open
the
doors
of
jnaana
(wisdom)
and
of
Liberation.
This
is
the
mark
of
the
wise,
while
those
who
are
otherwise,
wander
in
the
wilderness,
Oilling
their
moments
with
meaningless
triOles,
toys
and
geegaws.
Harischandra
sold
his
belongings,
sold
his
wife
and
son
into
slavery,
and
himself
served
as
a
watchman
in
order
to
scrape
together
the
amount
for
the
saint.
"Am
I
to
bewail
loss
of
the
empire
or
the
fate
of
wife
and
child
or
my
own
heinous
occupation?
No.
I
shall
weep,
I
shall
shed
tears
only
because
I
have
not
yet
realised
Him,
visualised
Him,"
he
cried.
"I
for
you,
You
for
me"---
that
is
all
one
needs,
one
need
pray
for.
Krishna
told
Uddhava
that
the
supreme
stupidity
is
"Dhehaathma
buddhi"
(the
belief
that
the
body
is
the
self).
That
is
the
fundamental
fault.
When
that
is
removed,
liberation
follows.
For,
sarva
dheva
namaskaaram
(obeisance
to
all
the
Gods)
which
is
declared
as
sufOicient
to
attain
God,
is
only
half
the
process;
the
other
hall
the
reverse,
is
the
sarva
jeeva
thiraskaaram
(detachment
from
all
beings).
Between
these
two
embankments,
attachment
to
the
Divine
and
detachment
from
the
mundane,
the
stream
of
life
can
Olow
unimpaired
in
speed
and
direction,
towards
the
Ocean
of
Divine
Grace.
See
yourself
as
Divine;
see
others
as
Divine.
Turn
away
from
all
else
in
you
and
in
others.
That
is
the
essence
of
saadhana.
Naaradha
asked
Vishnu
once:
The
Rishis
(sages)
who
had
attained
the
purest
Wisdom
relating
to
the
Universal
Aathma
could
not
win
your
Grace;
but,
the
illiterate
milkmaids
of
Gokul
who
were
charmed
by
Your
beauty,
Your
sport,
Your
music,
Your
prattle,
Your
sweetness,
Your
inscrutable
mystery---they
won
Your
Grace.
How
did
this
happen?
Page 238 of 268
Naaradha
himself
came
to
know
later
that
the
Gopees
had
Krishna
(the
Lord)
as
the
very
breath
of
their
lives,
as
the
very
sight
of
their
eyes,
the
very
sound
of
their
ears,
the
very
taste
of
their
tongues,
the
very
touch
of
their
skin.
While
tending
the
cows
and
calves,
attending
to
their
husbands
and
children,
doing
the
thousand
and
one
chores
of
worldly
life,
they
lived
in
Krishna,
with
Krishna
and
by
means
of
Krishna
only.
Sarvadhaa
sarva
kaaleshu
sarvathra
Hari
chinthanam---"Under
all
conditions,
at
all
times,
in
all
places,
their
minds
dwelt
on
Hari
(Krishna;
the
Lord)."
How
then
can
God
deny
them
Grace?
When
Naaradha
went
to
Gokul
and
called
the
Gopees
to
gather
around
him
so
that
they
can
listen
to
his
teachings
about
the
attainment
of
jnaana,
the
Gopees
gave
no
heed;
they
said
they
did
not
like
to
waste
precious
minutes.
"The
hours
of
day
and
night
are
not
enough
for
us
to
dwell
on
the
Name
of
the
Lord.
We
do
not
require
your
verbal
acrobatics
to
convince
us
that
God
is
Sath-chith-aananda-swaruupa;
we
know,
we
feel,
we
experience
the
Bliss
every
moment."
It
was
after
this
revelation
of
the
supremacy
of
Bhakthi
that
Naaradha
composed
the
Bhakthi
Suuthras,
which
have
become
the
guiding
lamps
for
the
aspirants.
From
the
inexhaustible
reservoir
of
Grace,
you
draw
joy
through
one
outlet,
Raama,
another
derives
the
same
delight
and
the
same
strength
from
another
outlet,
Krishna.
That
is
only
a
distinction
with
no
difference.
Through
work
Oilled
with
Dharma
you
progress
towards
worship
that
is
Oilled
with
the
consciousnes
of
Divinity
in
all
and
through
that
worship
you
attain
wisdom
when
you
experience
the
Divinity
that
Oills
all
this.
Work,
Worship,
Wisdom---fruitling,
mature
fruit,
juice-Oilled
fruit;
this
is
the
order
of
spiritual
progress
of
each
individual.
When
the
fruit
is
saturated
with
sweetness,
it
drops.
That
is
the
consummation.
Naaradha
once
asked
Krishna
the
secret
of
the
attraction
that
His
Olute-play
had
on
the
cowherds
of
Brindhaavan.
"Do
they
run
to
you,
or
do
you
run
to
them?"
he
queried.
"Among
us,
there
is
neither
I
nor
they;
how
can
a
picture
be
separated
from
the
cloth
on
which
it
is
painted?
I
am
imprinted
on
their
hearts
so
inseparably,
so
inextricably",
Krishna
replied.
You
can
be
free
from
fear
only
when
you
are
conOident
of
the
strength
of
the
foundation.
You
do
not
see
your
breath
or
weigh
it;
but,
breath
is
the
very
sustenance
of
life.
The
unseen
is
the
basis
of
the
seen.
If
you
are
caught
up
in
the
meshes
of
the
seen,
you
cannot
know
the
importance
of
the
unseen.
Only
those
who
are
engaged
in
puuja
(worship)
in
order
to
impress
others,
will
give
them
up
when
fortune
takes
an
adverse
turn.
The
rest
will
accept
whatever
comes
with
the
supreme
indifference
of
the
saint;
fortune,
good
or
bad,
is
for
them
only
the
observe
and
reverse
of
the
coin
of
Divine
Grace.
The
true
sign
of
a
Sai
Bhaktha
is
this
steadiness.
He
cannot
swerve
from
this
chosen
path
by
cynicism
or
the
call
of
luxurious
pomp.
He
puts
spiritual
teachings
into
practice
and
knows
the
immeasurable
gain
it
gives.
This
Prashaanthi
Nilayam
is
not
my
residence;
when
your
hearts
are
transformed
into
Prashaanthi
Nilayams,
they
are
My
residence.
Let
Me
tell
your
another
point
also.
Do
not
delay
any
more;
take
hold
of
this
unique
chance,
even
while
you
can.
Ask
Me
about
the
saadhana
you
should
adopt
for
your
liberation;
begin
practising
from
this
day.
Later,
it
may
be
difOicult
to
approach
Me
and
ask
Me.
!
My
name
is
Sathya
(Truth).
My
teaching
is
Truth;
My
path
is
Truth;
I
am
Truth.
!
The
heart
yearns
for
His
voice,
His
Form,
His
Olute.
His
smile,
His
sport
and
His
pranks.
That
is
the
thapas
(penance)
which
is
rewarded
by
His
grace.
The
yearning
is
so
deep
that
all
body-
consciousness
is
lost,
the
senses
are
ineffective,
and
the
mind
is
inactive,
the
intelligence
is
at
a
standstill,
ideas
of
duality
disappear.
The
individual
sees
before
him
only
step
after
step
of
Aanandha
leading
him
to
the
highest
bliss
of
merging
in
Him.
Some
one
asked
me
during
the
interview
he
had,
"Swaami!
May
I
ask
you
a
question?"
I
told
him
I
always
welcomed
questions,
for,
it
was
not
wrong
at
all
to
use
Me
for
solving
one's
doubts.
Then
he
asked
Me,
"Swaami,
can
I
know
from
you
who
you
are?"
I
answered,
"But,
Oirst,
you
must
know
who
you
are;
learn
Oirst
what
you
mean
when
you
say
I,I,I".
That
I
is
this
I.
The
I
in
that,
is
the
same
as
This.
The
difference
is
due
to
the
degree
of
manifestation
of
illumination,
to
the
difference
in
the
power
of
the
bulbs.
Of
course,
you
were
students
some
years
ago,
and
naturally,
as
teachers,
you
try
to
shape
your
methods
and
manners
on
lines
employed
by
your
teachers.
Perhaps,
they
do
or
do
not
approximate
to
the
ideals
I
now
spoke
about.
But,
your
duty
is
to
delve
into
the
Inner
Reality
and
discover
the
spring
of
joy
therein,
so
that
the
exacting
task
of
moulding
the
children,
into
"children
of
Bhaarath"
will
be
a
re-creating
job
for
you,
highly
refreshing
and
rewarding.
considered
as
a
teacher
of
Humanity.
She
has
to
take
up
that
ancient
role,
in
spite
of
the
apathy
of
the
people
and
the
short-
sighted
attitude
of
the
rulers.
The
God
who
dwells
in
the
dewdrop
and
the
star,
in
the
scientist
as
well
as
the
atom
he
studies,
can
be
visualised
only
by
a
puriOied
inner
consciousness.
The
tongue
alone
can
taste
sweetness,
and
that
too,
when
it
is
healthy.
So
too,
only
a
pure
consciousness
can
recognise
the
grandeur
and
glory
of
God.
Purify
this
through
the
constant
repetition
of
the
idea
of
Soham,
(He
is
I,
I
am
He),
so
that
He
and
I
will
merge
and
only
He
remains.
The
word
for
volunteer
used
here
is
"Swayam
Sevak"
(Servant
of
Myself)
meaning
that
you
have
chosen
yourself
to
be
the
servant.
Servant
for
whom?
Swayam...that
is
to
say,
of
yourself,
you
serve
your
own
best
interests
by
serving
others.
You
do
not
serve
others;
you
serve
yourself.
Harm
another;
you
but
harm
yourself
For,
there
is
no
another.
He
and
you
are
but
two
waves
of
the
same
Ocean.
The
same
God
that
is
in
you
is
in
him
too.
You
have
an
avidity
to
know
who
this
or
that
person
is.
And,
you
satisfy
your
curiosity
by
noting
down
their
names
and
addresses,
their
status,
their
condition.
But,
you
have
not
come
to
discover
this;
you
have
no
need
to
know
all
that.
You
need
know
the
answers
to
two
questions
only;
Who
is
Baaba?
Who
am
I?
And
the
answer
is,
I
am
the
reOlected
image
of
Baaba;
Baaba
is
the
original
of
which
I
am
the
reOlection.
That
is
the
relationship;
that
is
the
bond,
whether
you
know
it
or
not,
whether
the
image
is
distorted
or
correct.
Seva
is
the
adoration
of
the
Lord,
as
Vishwa-Viraat
swaruupa---as
having
the
multifaced
Form
and
Immanence
in
the
entire
Universe.
The
Vedhas
describe
Him
as
'thousand-
headed,
thousand-
eyed,
thousand-footed.'
The
thousands
of
hands
and
eyes
and
feet
that
have
come
here
for
the
Festival
are
all
His,
the
Lord's.
Worship
Him;
that
is
the
purpose
of
your
seva.
And
He
is
none
else
than
your
own
self.
Do
not
count
an
individual
as
just
an
individual;
he
has
God
in
him,
as
his
Reality.
Be
aware
of
that.
The
Lord
may
have
two
or
two
hundred
vows;
that
is
his
will.
But,
the
Bhaktha
need
have
only
one
vow,
to
save
himself---the
vow
of
total
surrender---of
Sharanaagathi.
If
you
have
full
faith
in
the
Divinity
of
every
being,
the
attitude
of
surrender
will
automatically
be
Oixed
in
you.
The
chief
causes
of
ill-health
and
death
are
fear
and
loss
of
faith.
If
one
concentrates
on
the
aathma,
which
has
no
change
or
characteristics,
no
substraction
or
senility,
no
decline
or
damage,
man
can
conquer
death.
Therefore,
the
most
effective
prescription
is
the
injection
of
aathma-vidhya
(knowledge
of
the
Soul
as
one's
real
Self).
Page 241 of 268
Earn
the
sword
of
jnaana
to
cut
as
under
the
veil
of
Maayaa.
Discriminate
between
the
real
and
the
un-real
early
enough,
during
the
journey
towards
the
Goal.
If
the
eye
is
not
helping
you
to
derive
the
unending
joy
of
visualising
God
in
everything
it
brings
before
your
mind,
then
it
is
far
better
to
be
blind;
if
your
ear
drags
you
into
the
realm
of
Oilthy
cacophony,
it
is
far
better
to
be
deaf.
The
senses
must
not
plunge
you
into
the
sensual;
they
must
serve
your
real
interests
and
sublimate
your
desires
and
appetites.
That
is
the
only
way
to
ensure
health
and
happiness.
The
narratives
and
descriptions
which
these
books
contain
purify
the
ichchaa
shakthi
(the
urge
to
desire)
latent
in
man,
and
sanctify
the
kriyaa
shakthi
(the
urge
to
act),
and
Oinally
invigorate
and
clarify
the
jnaana
shakthi
(the
urge
to
know).
By
this
process,
man
attains
chiththa
suddhi
(the
puriOication
of
the
consciousness).
It
is
only
in
the
consciousness
that
is
so
transformed
that
the
Aathma
can
be
reOlected
and
understood.
The
wise
will
not
give
place
in
their
hearts
to
covetousness
and
possessiveness.
They
know
that
there
is
a
kshethrajna
who
is
the
motivator
of
this
kshethra---a
knower-of-
the-Oield
who
is
the
master
of
this
'Oield.'
Be
like
the
tortoise,
which
can
live
in
water
or
land.
That
is
to
say,
cultivate
the
inner
calm
that
helps
you
to
be
with
the
thought
of
God,
whether
you
are
amidst
men
or
alone.
Ekaantha
(solitude)
is
when
you
are
not
aware
of
the
crowd
around
you.
It
is
what
you
create
out
of
the
solitude
of
your
own
mind.
Here,
for
example,
where
you
are
undisturbed
by
others,
each
of
you
has
perfect
Ekaantha!
MAN
is
endowed
with
many
skills;
he
is
offered
many
lives;
he
is
shown
many
paths.
The
purpose
of
all
these
gifts
is
to
develop
in
him
the
spirit
of
devotion
and
dedication
and
release
him
from
the
dual
dribble
of
joy
and
grief.
When
man
visualises
the
Universe
as
God,
its
capacity
to
colder
the
dual
experience
disappears;
he
knows
the
truth
and
is
calm.
God
is
One
and
Only:
'Ekam
eva
adhwaithiyam
Brahma'
(One
only;
without
a
second---Brahman),
which
is
the
transcendent
and
immanent
principle.
So
one
must
endeavour
to
know
God,
who
is
Truth.
A
soldier
is
honoured
and
welcomed
home
only
when
he
has
won
the
battle;
not
when
he
has
Oled
in
fear,
or
has
had
no
contact
with
the
enemy,
or
when
he
has
meekly
surrendered,
or
gladly
gone
over!
The
internal
foes
can
be
destroyed
by
the
light
of
jnaana
(the
illumination
that
accompanies
the
realisation
of
the
Reality).
To
acquire
that
illumination,
one
has
to
cultivate
the
spirit
of
impartial,
steady,
un-Oluctuating
inquiry,
based
on
the
revelations
made
in
the
Vedhas
about
the
nature
of
man
and
God,
and
the
relation
between
the
two.
The
Vedhas
have
to
be
studied
reverentially,
for,
they
give
us
the
key
to
this
jnaana.
The
Vedha
is
the
philosopher's
stone
that
turns
all
metals
into
gold,
all
students
into
saadhakas
and
all
saadhakas
into
sages.
Whoever
speaks,
whatever
is
spoken
about
the
vedhas
and
Vedhaantha
(the
concluding
metaphysical
part
of
Vedhas),
if
spoken
with
reverence
and
sincere
yearning,
is
worth
listening
intently.
I
notice
one
great
defect
in
you.
When
I
am
discoursing,
you
listen
to
every
word,
with
marked
avidity
and
enthusiasm.
But,
when
Pandiths
and
others
are
speaking
to
you,
on
subjects
that
are
valuable
to
you,
out
of
their
own
deep
study
and
saadhana,
though
you
sit
silently
and
dutifully,
I
do
not
Oind
the
same
avidity
and
Page 242 of 268
enthusiasm.
This
is
wrong.
Rain
water
is
rain
water
whether
it
falls
from
a
spout,
or
the
caves,
or
through
a
canal
or
sluice.
What
they
speak
is
also
authentic
and
beneOicial.
What
you
should
care
for
and
treasure
in
your
memory
is
the
"curative
property
of
the
drug,"
not
the
label
on
the
bottle
or
the
name
and
status
of
the
manufacturer
or
dealer.
!
BeneOit
from
the
drug;
cure
yourself;
become
illumined;
realise
your
Reality.
!
Discourse 37 (Prashanti Nilayam, 29/9/1968)
No
bird
casts
seed
on
land
to
grow
food
for
itself;
nor
do
beasts
plough
and
enclose
Oields,
claiming
'this
is
mine,
this
is
for
my
children
and
children's
children.'
Nishkaama-
karma
(selOless
action)
is
the
natural
face
of
activity
for
the
children
of
God,
the
progeny
of
Immortality.
They
sing
and
swim,
they
dance
and
dive,
they
talk
and
walk,
they
pray
and
pine,
because
they
must;
it
is
their
nature
too.
They
do
not
know
what
will
happen;
as
a
consequence,
they
do
not
care;
they
do
not
anticipate
any
result.
They
are
just
themselves,
when
they
do
these
things.
It
is
sahaja-lak-shana
(their
innate
nature)
their
inborn
characteristic.
A
man,
let
us
say,
has
three
wives;
when
he
dies,
all
the
three
become
widows
and
have
to
wear
widow's
weeds,
remove
jewellery,
and
put
on
the
outer
symbols
of
mourning.
That
is
the
convention.
But,
if
one
wife
is
pregnant,
this
convention
does
not
apply;
it
is
only
after
the
child
is
delivered,
that
she
can
be
declared
as
a
widow!
She
knows
until
then
that
she
is
a
widow,
but
the
world
will
think,
on
seeing
her
that
her
husband
is
alive!
This
is
the
position
of
the
jnaani
too.
He
knows
that
the
world
is
transient,
that
God
is
all,
that
dedicated
activity
alone
can
save
him
from
consequences
that
bind---but
the
world
thinks,
on
seeing
him,
that
he
is
one
like
themselves!
He
is
like
a
lotus
blossom
on
water,
wherein
it
grew,
above
the
mud,
where
its
roots
lie,
unaffected
and
untouched
by
either.
The
agony
to
know
God
is
the
jewel
to
be
proud
of
This
jnaana
is
not
an
attribute
of
the
Universal
Absolute
(Param-aathma);
it
is
Paramaathma
itself.
The
Upanishaths
declare;
Sathyam,
jnaanam,
anantham
Brahma
(Truth,
Wisdom,
inOinity
is
Brahman).
Jnaana
is
the
fulOilment,
it
is
the
goal,
the
consummation.
Man
is
as
ugly
as
a
noseless
face,
if
he
has
no
wisdom,
whatever
other
attainments
he
may
decorate
himself
with!
The
yearning,
the
agony,
the
endeavour,
to
know
Him
and
His
Might
and
Mystery
is
the
jewel
to
be
proud
of.
The
consciousness
that
God
is
the
Indweller,
who
prompts
and
executes
all
that
we
feel,
think
and
do,
that
gives
the
inspiration
to
surrender
the
strength
to
dedicate,
the
urge
to
be
but
an
instrument
in
His
Hands
for
His
purposes,
is
jnaana.
The
striving
must
be
alert
and
active,
until
the
goal
is
reached.
Some
one
asked
Ramana
Maharishi,
"How
long
am
I
to
engage
myself
in
dhyaana?"
The
Maharishi
replied,
"Until
you
lose
all
awareness
of
the
experience
of
dhyaana."
In
real
dhyaana,
you
soon
get
over
the
consciousness
that
'you
are
doing
dhyaana.
It
fact
every
moment
in
life
must
be
a
moment
utilised
for
dhyaana.
Some
people
raise
the
question,
"How
can
we
make
a
living
if
we
adhere
to
Truth?"
Well,
you
cannot
escape
death,
whatever
way
you
spend
your
days.
It
is
far
better
to
die,
adhering
to
Truth,
than
die,
sliding
into
falsehood.
Do
this
duty
to
yourself
Oirst;
then,
consider
the
rights
of
others.
THE
teachings
of
the
sages
and
seers
of
this
land
all
centred
on
the
way
of
life,
the
discipline
in
daily
are
practice,
the
modes
of
family
and
social
behaviour,
the
attitudes,
and
impulses,
the
obligations
of
community
life,
the
bonds
of
service
and
sympathy.
They
emphasise
practical
aspects
of
Vedhaantha;
in
fact,
there
is
no
other
Vedhaantha.
Its
purpose
is
to
cleanse
the
mind,
to
sharpen
the
intellect,
to
purify
the
emotions,
to
concentrate
the
thinking
faculty
so
that
the
reality
could
be
experienced
in
its
full
clarity.
Liberation
from
the
blows
of
joy
and
grief
can
come
only
through
the
realisation
of
that
reality,
which
is
One
and
Indivisible.
The
removal
of
the
moss
that
Oloats
thick
on
the
surface
of
the
lake
reveals
the
water
beneath;
the
removal
of
the
dust
that
lies
thick
upon
the
mirror
enables
you
to
see
yourself.
When
the
person
sees
himself
as
an
image,
it
is
only
partial
truth;
when
he
knows
he
is
the
person,
not
an
image,
it
is
the
truth.
The
bimba
(object)
must
know
itself
as
the
bimba;
the
I
must
become
aware
of
the
I;
that
is
self-realisation.
The
eye
can
see
the
star
that
is
billions
of
light
years
away;
but,
it
cannot
see
itself!
The
eye
must
see
the
eye,
so
that
it
can
claim
to
have
self-realisation,
a
vision
of
itself
as
it
truly
is.
Unless
you
know
yourself
you
cannot
know
Me.
When
you
see
a
plane
above,
you
know
that
it
must
have
a
pilot;
but,
if
you
want
to
see
him,
you
have
to
get
into
it
and
be
in
the
plane,
after
purchasing
the
requisite
ticket.
Earn
the
qualiOication;
win
the
visualisation.
Vivekaanandha
once
said
that
no
A-viveki
(a
person
devoid
of
discrimination
and
sharp
intelligence)
can
understand
him
and
his
mission.
The
students
in
the
medical
colleges
dissect
cadavers
trying
to
learn
about
the
living
body!
The
knowledge
gained
of
God
by
an
analysis
and
study
of
the
world
will
be
more
or
less
of
the
same
category.
When
the
doctor
handles
a
patient
and
treats
him,
and
the
patient
submits
himself
to
the
treatment,
both
do
not
know
that
between
them,
there
is
a
third
force,
more
capable
and
more
decisive.
Jnaana
(spiritual
knowledge)
alone
can
grant
the
vision
of
the
ultimate
Truth.
That
is
why
the
Gaayathri:
(a
Vedhic
prayer
to
the
light
that
Oills
the
Universe
to
illuminate
the
intelligence)
is
a
prayer
for
prompting
the
spirit
of
inquiry
and
illuminate
the
path
by
the
inner
light
of
the
spirit.
That
is
why
Krishna
says
in
the
Geetha,
"I
am
of
living
beings,
the
Intelligence."
WHEN
asked,
"Who
are
you?"
each
one
of
you
gives
out
the
name
some
one
gave
you
years
ago,
or
which
you
gave
yourself.
You
do
not
give
the
name
that
has
been
with
you
life
after
life,
that
has
survived
many
deaths
and
births,
the
Aathma
that
you
really
are.
That
name
you
have
forgotten;
it
has
been
enveloped
by
three
thick
veils---mala,
vikshepa
and
aavarana.
Mala
is
the
dirt
of
vice,
wickedness
and
passion.
Viksehpa
is
the
veil
of
ignorance,
which
hides
truth
and
makes
falsehood
attractive
and
desirable.
Aavarana
is
super-imposition
on
the
eternal
Of
the
transitor3
on
the
Universal,
of
the
boundaries
of
individuality.
Now,
how
is
man
to
wash
off
or
remove
these
three
layers
of
dirt?
By
soap
and
water,
certainly.
The
soap
of
penitence
and
the
water
of
cognition
will
remove
all
taint
of
mala.
The
wavering
mind
that
causes
the
frantic
search
for
happiness
from
sense
objects
and
external
appurtenances
will
be
transformed
by
Upaasana
(steady
application
in
worship)
and
adoration
of
the
source
and
sustenance
of
all.
The
Aavarana
veil
can
be
tom
off
by
the
acquisition
of
jnaana
which
reveals
the
Aathmic
essence
of
man,
the
Aathmic
Unity
of
all
creation.
Mala
is
therefore
removable
Page 244 of 268
by
karma,
vikshepa
by
bhakthi
(devotion)
and
aavarana
by
jnaana.
That
is
why
Indian
sages
have
laid
down
these
three
paths
for
aspirants.
There
is
no
short-cut
to
any
laudable
achievement.
Steady
struggle
alone
can
ensure
victory.
Things
that
are
gained
with
little
or
no
effort
are
not
worth
exulting
over.
The
process
of
yama,
niyama,
aasana,
pranaayaama,
prathyaahaara,
dhyaanaa
and
dharana
(control
of
the
inner
and
outer
senses,
regulation
of
posture
and
breath,
withdrawal
into
one's
inner
consciousness,
meditation
and
concentration)
is
hard;
but,
the
Oinal
stage
is
Nirvikalpa
Samaadhi,
the
condition
of
perfect
undisturbed
equanimity.
Whereas
the
pursuit
of
material
pleasures
will
be
"agre
amruthopamam,
parinaame
visham"
(like
nectar
at
Oirst
but
like
poison
at
the
end),
the
pursuit
of
equanimity
will
be
"agre
visham
parinaame
amrutho-pamam"
(like
poison
at
Oirst
but
like
nectar
at
the
end).
There
was
a
seeker
once
who
prayed
to
his
elder
brother
to
initiate
him
into
spiritual
life,
with
the
imparting
of
a
saving
manthra;
but
the
brother
said,
"It
is
always
a
hard
job
to
teach
one's
kinsman,
and
to
teach
a
brother
is
harder
still.
You
should
go
to
Dakshinaamuurthy,
who
is
Shiva
Himself
come
as
teacher."
The
brother
inquired
how
to
discover
that
preceptor.
Then
the
brother
said,
"He
who
considers
all
men
and
all
things
equal---he
is
the
preceptor
I
have
indicated.
So,
the
young
man
started
his
search.
He
went
among
the
hermitages,
with
a
gold
ring
on
his
Oinger;
he
interrogated
the
hermits,
what
the
metal
was.
Some
declared
it
was
gold,
some
brass,
some
copper,
others
said
it
was
tin
or
some
alloy.
So,
he
moved
on.
Then,
he
came
upon
a
young
ascetic,
with
shining
eyes.
He
asked
him
whether
it
was
gold;
he
said
'Yes.'
He
said,
'Is
it
not
brass?'
He
replied,
'Yes
it
is
brass.'
He
said
yes,
to
whatever
he
said
it
was.
He
could
not
recognise
any
distinction.
So
he
concluded
that
the
ascetic
before
him
was
Dakshinaamuurthy.
Equanimity
comes
as
a
result
of
the
awareness
of
unity,
not
otherwise.
Sanathkumaar
was
engaged
in
extreme
austerity
when
God
appeared
before
him.
He
asked
him
to
place
before
Him
his
needs.
But
Sanathkumar
said,
"You
are
my
guest
now.
You
have
come
to
this
place,
where
I
am
residing
for
some
time;
so
you
may
ask
anything
you
need;
I
am
bound
to
honour
the
guest,
granting
him
what
he
needs."
Having
known
Brahman,
he
had
become
Brahman
Himself.
So
he
could
talk
as
an
equal
to
God.
"I
am
you,"
that
was
the
stage
reached
by
Sanathkumar.
No
wonder
he
spoke
like
that.
He
is
ever
present;
I
is
born
only
after
the
Individual
separates
himself
from
the
He.
So,
with
the
birth
of
the
jeevi
(individual
soul),
the
idea
of
Dheva
(God)
must
also
be
born
in
the
mind.
That
is
the
sign
of
safety
and
success.
Embrace
the
Shivam
(God)
in
the
core
of
your
heart;
you
become
immortal.
Embrace
the
shavam
(corpse)
which
the
body
is
without
Him;
you
are
mortal.
The
spiritual
preceptor
has
to
emphasise
that
fundamental
lesson.
He
should
be
like
the
Drill
Instructor,
among
the
teachers
in
the
school.
The
others
step
into
the
class
and
instruct
and
leave.
The
history
master
holds
forth
on
his
subject
and
leaves.
The
science
master
does
the
same.
The
drill
instructor
has
himself
to
stand
before
the
pupils
and
swing
his
hands
Oight
and
left,
so
that
they
may
do
the
same.
He
has
to
bend
and
rise,
as
often
and
as
fast
as
he
wants
his
pupils
to.
The
Guru
has
to
be
Brahman
so
that
he
may
lead
others
to
a
knowledge
about
Him.
He
must
be
aware
of
the
Named
One,
and
not
merely
the
Name.
There
are
only
three
ways
of
saving
oneself-Pravritthi,
Nivritthi
and
Prapatthi.
Pravritthi
(action,
external
activity)
is
a
method
of
sublimating
the
instincts
and
Page 245 of 268
The
sole
object
of
Sathya
Sai
Seva
Samithis,
the
very
breath
on
which
they
thrive,
is
the
consciousness
of
unity,
of
all
as
One.
The
a-shaanthi
(peacelessness)
from
which
man
suffers
should
disappear;
man
should
attain
pra-shaanth'
(inner,
deep-
rooted
peace);
that
is
the
aim
of
the
institutions
initiated
by
Me.
First,
serve
the
self;
then,
help
others.
This
is
the
highest
form
of
selOhelp,
for
it
leads
you
to
God
and
you
will
be
a
good
example
to
others.
Dive
into
the
depths;
you
secure
the
pearls.
The
person
who
does
not
dive
secures
the
foam;
the
person
who
dives,
gets
the
truth.
Dive,
know
and
experience;
then,
you
have
the
authority
to
lead
and
guide,
not
otherwise.
The
coconut
tree
thrives
best
on
the
sea
coast;
the
tree
of
Brahma-thathwa
grows
best
on
the
soil
of
prema
(love).
The
region
of
the
heart
has
to
be
transformed
into
a
region
of
compassion.
Man's
native
characteristic
is
prema;
his
nature
is
prema,
his
breath
is
prema.
The
fog
of
desire
clouds
prema
and
distorts
it.
Like
the
dog
which
took
its
image
in
the
canal
as
another
dog
and
started
to
bark
it
off,
man
too
barks
at
his
own
image
(fellow-
men)
who
are
as
much
images
of
Brahman
as
he
himself
is.
To
separate
the
image
from
oneself
is
the
basis
of
conscience.
Fix
your
attention
on
the
identity,
not
the
difference.
That
is
the
road
to
peace.
Investigate
the
Truth
as
far
as
your
intellect
leads
you;
you
will
come
up
against
the
principle
of
love.
Yaajnavalkya
was
questioned
by
Janaka
about
the
basis
for
all
activity;
he
replied,
"It
is
Light."
When
the
Sun
sets,
the
Moon
sheds
light;
when
there
is
no
Sun
or
Moon,
the
ear
is
the
guide;
behind
the
ear
is
the
mind,
behind
the
mind
is
the
Aathma
(Supreme
Soul),
which
is
a
spark
of
the
Supreme.
The
Oinal
offering
in
the
sacriOicial
Oire
which
you
saw
is
called
Poornaahuthi
(the
full
offer).
It
is
when
the
Olames
rise
high
that
darkness
is
fully
destroyed.
Surrender
all
that
you
have---all
that
you
have
so
far
believed
to
be
valuable---in
the
sacred
Oire.
See
them
being
reduced
to
ashes
before
your
very
eyes;
look
on
it
without
a
quiver,
as
Janaka
saw,
when
Mithila
was
aOlame.
All
is
Brahman;
the
yajna
manthras
delineate
Him
in
various
ways;
they
declare
that
all
creation
is
Brahman;
it
is
not
something
different
and
distinct.
You
should
revere
Nature
as
Brahman;
Sarvam
Brahma-mayam
(all
this
Nature
imbued
with
Brahman,
is
Brahman,
is
immanent
Brahman).
It
is
to
cure
the
vision
that
perverts
Nature
as
'not-
Brahman'
that
yajna
is
ordained.
You
have
to
pour
into
the
Oire
the
limited
vision
and
earn
in
exchange
the
larger
vision.
The
yajna
is
saadhana
(spiritual
exercise)
in
sacriOice
and
surrender.
Believe
that
you
are
the
imperishable
pure
Aathma.
Then,
no
gain
or
loss
can
affect
you;
no
sense
of
humiliation
or
despair
can
torment
you.
Only
men
with
weak
foundations
can
dread
these.
The
strong
man
casts
them
away
without
any
regret.
When
the
senses
are
dominant,
equanimity
is
a
dream.
Be
their
master;
you
can
be
yourself
undisturbed
and
free.
The
experience
of
this
one
life
must
be
enough
to
show
you
that
there
is
no
joy
unmixed
with
grief,
that
both
grief
and
joy
are
short
lived
and
they
both
depend
on
the
mind
and
its
control.
You
do
not
require
the
experience
of
a
series
of
lives
to
grasp
this
patent
fact.
This
world
is
keeping
you
in
bondage;
it
is
a
prison
from
which
you
must
get
released;
you
should
not
plan
to
return
to
it
again
and
again.
The
means
of
this
permanent
release
are'
saadhana
(spiritual
effort),
sathkarma
(good
deeds),
bhakthi
(devotion),
upaasana
(worship).
All
these
help
you
by
reducing
your
wants,
by
curtailing
your
wishes,
by
teaching
you
detachment
from
sensory
pleasures.
These
are
the
shackles
which
bind
you
to
the
body
and
the
senses,
to
the
limiting
emotions
of
greed
and
hate,
to
the
blinding
passions
of
anger
and
lust.
Escape
from
them
and
you
will
have
lasting
peace.
The
eye
which
is
scarce
two
inches
long
can
see
millions
of
miles
into
space,
but
is
incapable
of
seeing
itself!
Man
too
is
as
shrewd
and
as
weak
as
the
eye.
He
can
analyse
others'
motives,
count
others'
faults,
map
out
others'
skills
and
capacities
but
he
is
powerless
to
analyse
himself
his
feelings
and
emotions;
he
is
unwilling
to
discover
his
own
faults;
he
cannot
assess
his
innate
skill
and
realise
his
inner
reality!
By
anga
(limbs),
you
cultivate
sanga
(company).
By
means
of
the
proper
use
of
the
body
with
its
limbs
and
senses,
you
are
enabled
to
be
in
the
midst
of
devoted
and
dedicated
persons.
Through
sanga,
you
become
jangam
(detached).
This
association
removes
attachment
to
worldly
things
and
you
become
a
wandering
mendicant
type
of
person,
a
jangam
not
rooted
to
any
spot
or
status
or
standard
of
life
or
any
family
or
group
of
kinsmen.
Through
jangam
you
discover
the
lingam
(the
subtle
form
of
God).
This
life
of
true
renunciation
promotes
spiritual
progress
to
such
an
extent
that
you
realise
the
formless,
attributeless,
absolute,
symbolised
by
the
linga.
You
seek
God
in
temples
and
light
lamps
there,
to
see
Him
more
clearly;
learn
to
see
Him
in
your
own
heart,
in
the
hearts
of
all
beings.
He
is
now
not
visible,
due
to
the
thick
dust-cloud
of
ignorance
and
egoism.
The
cow
ignores
the
health-giving
milk
it
has
in
its
own
udder;
it
craves
for
the
water
in
which
rice
is
washed!
The
boulder
on
the
hill
from
which
a
portion
has
been
blasted
away,
to
carve
an
idol
for
the
temple,
tells
the
idol,
Thath
thwam
asi
(You
and
I
are
the
same);
that
and
this
are
one
substance.
Yes;
of
one
substance---but,
what
a
difference?
The
hammer
and
chisel
have
made
one
a
thing
of
beauty
and
a
joy
for
ever,
an
inspiration
to
make
life
beautiful
and
holy.
You
too
must
subject
yourself
to
the
hammer
of
discipline
and
the
chisel
of
pain-pleasure,
so
that
you
become
Divine.
Take
My
own
instance.
I
never
exult
when
I
am
extolled,
nor
shrink
when
I
am
reviled.
Few
have
realised
My
purpose
and
signiOicance;
but
I
am
not
worried.
When
things
that
are
not
in
Me
are
attributed
to
Me,
why
should
I
worry?
When
things
that
are
in
Me
are
mentioned
why
should
I
exult?
To
reach
Shiva,
the
shira
(head)
is
the
maarga.
To
reach
the
Lord,
intelligence,
discrimination
between
the
false
and
the
true,
the
transitory
and
the
eternal,
the
unreal
and
the
real
is
very
essential.
That
is
why
the
Gaayathri
is
taught
to
the
boys
while
still
in
their
tender
age,
for,
it
appeals
to
the
intelligence
that
Oills
the
Universe,
to
illumine
the
lamp
of
the
little
child
and
to
enable
him
to
use
that
intelligence
more
and
more
usefully
for
his
liberation
from
the
bonds
of
the
senses.
You
are
not
engaged
in
social
service
through
these
organisations;
you
are
engaged
in
your
own
service.
All
the
items
of
work
are
aimed
at
expanding
your
heart
and
purifying
it.
That
is
the
call
of
the
sages
of
this
land
and
all
the
scriptures
and
texts.
Remember
each
person
has
three
sources
of
power
in
him'
as
an
individual,
as
a
child
or
limb
of
God
and
as
a
shrine
where
Aathma
is
installed.
You
must
have
read
that
Hanumaan
once
told
Raama,
"When
I
feel
I
am
this
body
You
are
my
Lord;
when
I
feel
I
am
distinct
jeeva
(soul),
I
know
I
am
the
reOlection
and
You,
the
Original;
when
I
know
I
am
the
Aathma,
I
know
I
am
You
and
You
are
I.
Be
ever
in
the
consciousness
that
you
are
but
the
shadow
of
God,
His
image.
Then,
no
harm
can
hamper
you.
God
walks
along
the
royal
road
of
truth;
the
shadow,
holding
on
to
Him
by
the
feet,
falls
on
hollow
and
hill,
Oire
and
water,
dirt
and
dust.
So,
if
you
hold
on
the
feet,
you
can
be
as
unaffected
as
the
shadow
by
the
ups
and
downs
of
life.
There
are
thousands
of
organisations
already
working
with
such
aims,
but
what
is
the
special
need
for
an
organisation
bearing
My
Name?
You
must
realise
Me
in
all,
and
serve
all
in
a
spirit
of
worshipful
dedication.
Sathya
Sai
Organisations
must
take
up
seva
(service)
as
saadhana
(spiritual
discipline),
must
see
Me
as
sarvaantharyaami
(inner
motor
of
all),
and
do
seva
as
puuja.
Men
who
were
together
are
drifting
apart;
Thath
and
Thwam
(that
and
this),
are
the
same;
but,
you
are
forgetting
it
and
becoming
distant
from
This.
When
you
approach
the
senses,
the
spirit
is
far;
when
you
approach
the
spirit,
the
senses
will
be
afar.
Attach
yourselves
to
the
sensory
and
the
worldly---that
is
to
say,
develop
Apeksha---and
you
bind
yourselves
with
the
chain
of
likes
and
dislikes.
Detach
yourselves
from
the
craving
for
fame
and
comfort---that
is
to
say,
develop
Upeksha---and
you
are
free!
Upeksha
alone
can
save
you
from
entanglement
and
reveal
the
ultimate
truth.
This
is
a
pot;
this
a
thatch;
this
a
house;
this
a
wall;
this
jungle;
this
a
hill;
this
the
ground;
this
the
lake;
this
the
Oire;
this
the
wind;
this
the
sky;
this
the
maker
of
the
day;
this
the
light
of
night;
these
the
stars;
these
the
planets;
these
the
inert,
these
the
vital;
this
is
he,
that
is
his
person;
these
are
all
distinct
from
Me;
this
material
world
is
different
from
Me---thus
as
a
witness,
I
cognise
all
this
and
Oill
each
with
the
principle
of
existence
without
the
help
of
any
disciplinary
process,
for
I
'am
above
and
beyond
all
this.
In
order
that
you
may
attain
the
only
goal
of
human
life,
namely,
realising
the
Divine
and
becoming
Divine,
the
Eternal
has
limited
itself
and
come
in
this
human
form.
It
will
reveal
the
ideals
again,
and
re-establish
it
among
all
men.
Your
devotion
to
God
is
best
expressed
by
achieving
the
control
of
the
senses.
For,
the
senses
rush
towards
the
temporary
and
the
tawdry;
thus,
they
foul
the
heart.
I
require
from
each
of
you
no
other
gift,
no
more
valuable
offering
than
the
heart
I
have
endowed
you
with.
Give
Me
that
heart,
as
pure
as
when
I
gave
it
to
you,
full
of
the
nectar
of
love
I
Oilled
it
with.
I
am
now
hoisting
the
Prashaanthi
Flag
on
this
Prashaanthi
Nilayam.
The
Olag
is
a
sign
that
is
signiOicant
for
each
one
of
you.
It
is
a
reminder
of
your
duty
to
yourself,
and
so,
when
I
hoist
it
on
this
building,
you
must
unfurl
it
on
your
own
hearts.
It
reminds
you
to
overcome
the
urge
of
low
desires,
of
anger
and
hate
when
your
desires
are
thwarted;
it
exhorts
you
to
expand
your
heart
so
that
you
embrace
all
humanity
and
all
life
and
all
creation
in
its
compass;
it
directs
you
to
quieten
your
impulses
and
calmly
meditate
on
your
own
inner
reality.
It
assures
you
that,
when
you
do
so,
the
lotus
of
your
heart
will
bloom,
and
from
its
centre
will
arise
the
Olame
of
divine
vision,
which
guarantees
prashaanthi
(inOinite
peace).
Vol. 9!
Discourse 1 (Prashanti Nilayam, 13/1/1969)
From
this
day
of
the
Tropic
of
Capricorn,
Makara
Samkramana,
as
it
is
called,
the
Sun
appears
to
move
from
South
to
North,
and
so,
this
Summer
Solstice
Day
is
celebrated
as
an
auspicious
festival,
since
ages.
But,
you
must
be
concerned
more
with
your
own
journey
which
is
nearing
its
end
with
every
sunrise.
You
are
engaged
in
an
incessant
struggle
with
the
Sun,
to
survive
the
onslaught
of
Time,
which
he
measures
with
His
steps.
You
yearn
to
escape
the
consequences
of
birth
and
the
aftermath
of
death.
You
desire
peace
and
joy;
for
this,
you
have
to
cleanse
the
mind
so
effectively
that
it
is
well-
neigh
eliminated.
This
is
possible
only
when
you
identify
yourself
with
the
Aathma,
rather
than
with
the
body,
which
is
the
casket
of
the
Aathma,
earned
as
a
reward
for
ones
activities
of
mind
and
body.
When
you
live
in
the
consciousness
of
the
omnipresent
Aathma,
you
live
in
love,
love
Olowing
and
Olooding
in
and
through
you,
and
all
else.
Every
morning,
as
soon
as
you
sit
up
in
bed,
ask
yourself
this
question:
"For
what
purpose
have
I
come
into
this
world?
What
is
the
task
set
for
me?
What
is
the
triumph
for
which
this
struggle
is
preparing
me?
Which
is
the
grand
victory
for
which
I
have
to
strive?"
You
must
have
witnessed
car
festivals
in
the
famous
pilgrimage
centres.
The
colossal
chariots
of
the
temple
will
be
gorgeously
decorated
with
Olags
and
festoons;
stalwart
bands
of
men
will
draw
them
along
the
broad
roads
to
the
music
of
blowpipes
and
conches;
acrobats,
dancing
groups,
chanters,
minstrels,
all
precede
it
and
add
to
the
exhilaration
of
the
occasion.
Thousands
crowd
around
the
holy
cars
and
line
the
streets.
Their
attention
is
naturally
drawn
towards
the
entertainments
provided,
but
they
feel
happiest
only
when
they
fold
their
palms
and
bow
before
the
Idol,
installed
in
the
chariot.
The
rest
is
all
subsidiary,
even
irrelevant
to
many.
So
too
in
the
process
of
life,
the
body
is
the
chariot,
the
Aathma
is
the
Idol
installed
therein.
Earning
and
spending,
laughing
and
weeping,
hurting
and
healing,
and
all
the
various
acrobatics
of
daily
life
are
but
subsidiary
to
the
adoration
of
God,
the
attainment
of
Aathma.
The
very
embodiment
of
Aanandha
(God)
is
in
you,
as
in
others,
as
in
all
else.
In
spite
of
a
multiplicity
of
containers,
the
contained
is
the
same.
That
is
the
principle
of
Sath,
Chith
and
Aanandha
(Being,
Awareness,
Bliss).
The
minutest
atom,
the
mightiest
star---
both
are
basically
one.
All
are,
in
truth,
Brahman,
Divine.
You
read
in
the
sacred
books
Page 249 of 268
that
Vishnu
(God
engaged
in
Preservation,
Protection
and
Fostering
the
Universe)
has
as
His
vehicle,
the
Garuda
(Eagle);
that
Shiva
(God
engaged
in
the
Mergence,
the
Disintegration
and
Destruction
of
the
Universe)
has
the
Nandhi
(Bull)
as
His
vehicle;
that
Brahma
(God
engaged
in
the
Emergence,
Evolution
and
Creation
of
the
Universe)
rides
on
a
Hamsa
(Swan);
Subrahmanya
(the
Generalissimo
of
the
Divine
army)
rides
on
a
peacock;
Shani
(the
God
who
directs
Saturnine
inOluences)
has
the
crow
as
his
vehicle.
Ganesha
(the
God
who
helps
in
overcoming
obstacles)
rides
on
a
mouse,
though
he
is
stupendously
corpulent
and
has
the
head
of
an
elephant!
This
does
not
mean
that
the
Gods
are
helpless
without
these
animals
and
birds
as
instruments
of
locomotion.
It
only
reveals
that
no
bird
or
beast
is
to
be
despised;
for,
the
Divine
is
using
each
as
His
vehicle.
Seen
as
deha
(body)
all
are
distinct;
seen
as
dehi
(the
embodiment),
Brahman,
all
are
One.
There
was
a
fellow
who
clamoured
for
Moksha
(Liberation)
the
easy
way.
He
approached
a
Guru
and
asked
for
the
quickest
means
of
attaining
it.
"Know
yourself,"
said
the
Guru.
"0,
that
I
know.
I
am
just
now
your
disciple.
So,
have
I
the
moksha
I
want?"
he
asked;
but
the
Guru
said,
it
was
not
so
simple
as
all
that.
He
was,
the
Guru
told
him,
behind
and
beyond
the
body,
manipulating
the
senses,
the
intelligence,
the
ego;
he
was
the
Aathma,
in
the
very
core
of
the
Oive
sheaths---the
Annamaya
(the
food
or
physical
sheath),
the
Praanamaya
(the
vital,
the
nerve-centred),
the
Manomaya
(the
mental,
imagination-centred,
symbol-dealing),
the
Vijnaanamaya
(intelligence
centred,
reason-based,
logical)
and
the
Aanandhamaya
(intuition-centred,
experience-
based,
blissful).
The
Guru,
however,
gave
him
a
tabloid
prescription:
"Repeat
the
Name
of
God,
from
the
hear[,
with
yearning
to
visualise
Him."
He
said,
"If
you
remind
yourself
continuously
of
God
being
your
innermost
Being,
this
awareness
will
come
to
you
in
a
Olash,
through
His
Grace."
The
fellow
shied
at
this;
he
queried
whether
he
cannot
employ
any
one
to
do
the
repetition
for
him!
At
this,
the
Guru
asked,
"Do
you
employ
some
one
to
eat
or
sleep
on
your
behalf?
When
you
fall
ill
do
you
get
someone
else
to
swallow
the
drug
or
take
the
injection?"
!
Discourse 2 (Sri Sathya Sai Convent School, Rajamundry, 19/1/1969)
!
Discourse 3 (Shivaratri Day, February 1969)
It
must
be
remembered
that
the
chief
aim
of
all
saadhana
(spiritual
striving)
is
to
eliminate
the
mind,
to
become
A-manaska.
Then
only
can
maayaa
(illusion)
be
rent
asunder
and
the
Reality
revealed.
During
the
dark
fortnight
of
the
month,
saadhana
has
to
be
done
to
eliminate
each
day
a
fraction
of
the
mind,
for,
every
day,
a
fraction
of
the
Moon
too
is
being
taken
out
of
cognisance.
On
the
night
of
Chathurdhasi,
the
14th
day,
the
night
of
Shiva,
only
a
fraction
remains.
If
some
special
effort
is
made
that
night,
through
more
intensive
and
vigilant
saadhana,
like
puuja
or
japam
or
dhyaana
(ritual
worship,
one-pointed
repetition
&
holy
names,
and
meditation),
success
is
ensured.
Shiva
alone
has
to
be
meditated
upon
that
night
without
the
mind
straying
towards
thoughts
of
sleep
or
food.
This
has
to
be
done
every
month;
once
a
year,
on
Mahaa-
Shivaraathri
a
special
spurt
of
spiritual
activity
is
recommended,
so
that
what
is
shavam
(corpse)
can
become
Shivam
(God),
by
the
perpetual
awareness
of
its
Divine
Indweller.
Just
as
Om
is
the
sound
symbol
of
God,
the
Linga
is
the
Form
symbol
or
the
visible
symbol
of
God,
the
most
meaningful,
the
simplest
and
the
least
endowed
with
the
appendages
of
attributes.
Lingam
means,
that
in
which
this
jagath
(world
of
change)
attains
laya
(mergence
or
dissolution),
Leeyathe.
All
Forms
merge
in
the
Formless
at
Page 250 of 268
last.
Shiva
is
the
Principle
of
the
Destruction
of
all
Names
and
Forms,
of
all
entities
and
individuals.
So,
the
Linga
is
the
simplest
sign
of
emergence
and
mergence.
Man
is
called
so,
because
he
has
the
skill
to
do
manana;
manana
means
inner
meditation
on
the
meaning
and
signiOicance
of
what
one
has
heard.
But,
you
have
not
yet
emerged
out
of
the
stage
of
Shraoanam
(listening)
!
All
the
joy
you
crave
for
is
in
you.
But,
like
a
man
who
has
vast
riches
in
the
iron
chest,
but,
who
has
no
idea
where
the
key
is,
you
suffer.
Hear
properly
the
instructions,
dwell
upon
them
in
the
silence
of
meditation,
practise
what
has
been
made
clear
therein;
then,
you
can
secure
the
key,
open
the
chest
and
be
rich
in
Joy.
Resolve,
on
this
Holy
Shivaraathri,
in
the
Presence
of
Shiva
Sai,
to
visualise
the
Shiva
as
the
inner
power
of
all.
With
each
breath,
you
are
even
now,
asserting
"Soham,"
"I
am
He,"
not
only
you,
but,
every
being
that
breathes,
every
being
that
lives,
everything
that
exists.
It
is
a
fact
which
you
have
ignored
so
long.
Believe
it
from
now
on.
When
you
watch
your
breath
and
meditate
on
that
magniOicent
Truth,
slowly,
the
I
and
the
He
(the
Sah
and
the
Aham)
will
draw
nearer
and
closer,
until
the
feeling
of
separateness
will
fade
away---and
the
Soham
will
be
transformed
into
OM,
the
Pranava,
the
Primal
Sound,
the
Fundamental
Formula
for
God.
That
OM
is
the
Swaswaruupa---the
Reality
behind
this
"relative
reality."
MAN
is
wasting
precious
time,
ignoring
his
status
among
all
living
beings,
his
equipment
for
the
grand
spiritual
pilgrimage
to
Divinity,
and
his
one
fundamental
task'
achieving
liberation
from
the
cycle
of
birth
and
death.
The
sages
of
the
past
have
realised
the
value
and
dignity,
the
worth
and
responsibility,
of
human
life
and
they
have
laid
down
disciplines
like
the
vigil
and
fast
on
Shivaraathri
Day,
in
order
to
inspire
man
and
instruct
him,
on
the
upward
path
to
God.
Shivaraathri
is
a
word
that
connotes
the
dual
nature
of
man
and
his
duty
to
discriminate
between
the
higher
and
the
lower.
Shiva
means
Jnaana
(the
Higher
Wisdom,
the
Unifying
Universal
Vision);
it
also
means,
the
lasting,
the
timeless,
and
the
beneOicial,
the
holy,
the
auspicious.
And
the
second
word,
raathri,
means
darkness
of
ignorance,
the
blind
pursuit
of
tawdry
pleasures,
the
bewildering
will-o'-the-wisp
of
sensory
joys.
It
also
means
the
transitory,
the
Oleeting;
it
connotes
the
maleOicent,
the
inauspicious,
the
sacrilegious.
So,
the
message
of
Shivaraathri
is:
discriminate
between
Shiva
and
raathri---the
Praana
(life
energy)
and
the
Body,
the
dehi
(indwelling
of
spirit)
and
the
deha
(body),
the
spiritual
and
the
material,
the
Kshethrajna
and
Kshethra,
called
in
the
Geetha
as
Vibhaaga-yoga
(the
yoga
of
discrimination
between
matter
&
spirit).
And,
Jaagarana
(Vigil)
!
It
means
keeping
awake,
shaking
off
the
sleep
of
the
senses
and
being
fully
aware
of
the
Light
of
Love,
that
is
the
Divine
essence,
in
all.
It
means,
shaking
off
the
drowsiness
and
laziness,
and
deep
concentration
in
meditation
and
saadhana.
Look
at
the
word
for
heart
in
Sanskrit:
hrudhayam.
It
means,
Hrudhi-ayam,
that
is
to
say,
"the
divine
heart";
the
place
where
He
resides,
where
He
is
installed.
By
vigilance
and
the
practise
of
the
constant
presence
of
God,
you
must
instal
Him
in
your
heart
and
see
Him
as
installed
in
all
other
beings
as
well.
That
is
the
main
purpose
of
these
holy
days
and
the
regulations
laid
down
for
their
observance.
falsehood)
and
starts
wailing
that
he
lacks
this,
that
or
some
other
comfort
or
contraption!
Thieves
who
rob
him
of
valuable
treasures,
like
peace
and
contentment,
equipoise
and
courage,
are
being
honoured
as
masters
and
masters
who
ensure
peace
and
happiness
are
treated
with
irreverence
and
disgust.
You
can
bolt
your
doors
and
windows
against
thieves,
but,
who
can
bolt
the
door
against
Death?
The
thieves---lust,
anger,
greed,
attachment,
pride
and
hate---are
honoured
as
welcome
guests
and
the
real
well-wishers
like
tranquillity
and
humility
are
shown
the
door!
THE
Glory
and
Majesty
of
the
Lord
is
immanent
in
the
Universe,
as
fragrance
in
the
air,
of
heat
in
Oire,
or
as
butter
in
milk.
He
is
the
string
that
passes
through
and
holds
together
all
the
beads.
To
know
Him
as
such,
to
realise
that
He
is
the
source,
sustenance
and
summum
bonum
of
all
this
Creation
is
the
end
and
aim
of
human
life.
That
is
the
sum
and
substances
of
the
teachings
of
all
the
scriptures
that
man
has
inherited
from
the
past,
in
all
languages
and
in
all
climes.
Sath-sangh
means
Meeting
the
Sath,
the
Sath
which
is
spoken
of
while
extolling
God
as
Sath-
chith-aanandha.
Sath
is
the
Existence
Principle,
the
IS
that
is
the
basic
truth
of
the
Universe.
Align
with
the
Truth,
the
Sath
in
you,
the
Sathya
(Reality)
on
which
the
Mithya
(false)
is
imposed
by
minds
that
do
not
see
light.
By
dwelling
in
that
Sath,
the
Olame
is
lit,
light
dawns,
darkness
Olees
and
Jnaana
Bhaaskara
(the
Sun
of
Realisation)
rises.
If
the
mind
is
stilled
and
free
from
waves
produced
by
the
wind
of
desire,
then
he
becomes
a
Yogi
and
the
Lord
is
the
highest
Yogi,
for
He
is
the
ocean
that
is
unaffected
by
the
waves
which
agitate
the
surface.
Krishna
danced
on
the
hood
of
the
serpent
Kaliya
and
forced
it
to
vomit
its
poison,
it
is
said.
This
is
only
another
way
of
saying
that
he
forced
sensual
desires
to
divest
themselves
of
pernicious
effects.
Yoga
of
this
type
is
the
best
means
of
attaining
the
Yogeeshwara
(the
Lord
of
yogis);
not
breath
control,
but
sense
control
is
the
prescription.
Transcend
anekathwa
bhaava
(the
consciousness
of
the
many)
and
cultivate
ekathwa
bhaava
(the
consciousness
of
the
One),
that
will
end
strife,
grief,
pain
and
pride.
See
all
as
but
expressions
of
the
same
God,
as
appearances
on
the
same
screen,
as
bulbs
lit
by
the
same
current,
though
of
manifold
colours
and
wattage.
Feel
that
you
and
they
are
able
to
talk
and
walk,
think
and
act
because
of
the
God
within.
Differences
that
strike
you
while
you
cast
your
eyes
are
illusory;
you
have
not
yet
developed
the
vision
that
makes
you
apprehend
the
unity
which
is
the
truth
of
all
the
seeming
diversity,
that
is
all!
The
fault
is
in
you,
not
the
world.
The
world
is
One;
Page 252 of 268
but,
each
takes
it
to
mean
what
pleases
him
most!
The
world
is
One,
but,
each
sees
it
from
his
own
angle
and
so,
it
appears
as
if
it
has
multiple
faces.
The
japamaala
teaches
you
the
Unity,
though
it
has
108
beads!
If
it
is
a
sphatika
maala
(garland
of
crystal
beads)
you
can
see
the
string
running
in
and
through
each
bead,
the
inner
reality
on
which
all
this
is
strung!
If
the
beads
are
not
transparent,
you
still
know
that
the
string
passes
through,
holds
together,
and
is
the
basis
for
the
maala
to
exist!
Why
108
beads?
108
is
the
product
when
12
is
multiplied
9
times,
12
is
the
number
of
Aadhithyas
(Luminaries),
that
reveal
the
objective
world,
and
so,
symbols
of
the
Sakaara
aspect
(the
world
of
name
and
form,
of
manifoldness,
the
seeming
variety,
the
Oleeting
pictures);
9
is
the
screen
on
which
the
pictures
appear,
the
basis,
the
rope
which
deludes
you
as
the
snake
in
the
dusk,
Brahman,
the
Nameless,
Formless,
Eternal
Absolute.
9
is
the
Brahman
Number,
for
it
is
always
9,
however
many
times
you
multiply
it!
It
is
immutable,
for
9
multiplied
by
any
number
Oinally
adds
up
to
9
only.
So,
when
you
turn
the
beads,
impress
upon
yourself
the
fact
that
there
is
both
truth
and
travesty
in
the
world,
that
the
travesty
attracts,
distracts
and
delights
in
deceiving
you,
diverts
you
into
devious
paths;
the
truth
makes
you
free!
The
thumb
represents
Brahman,
the
eternal
Absolute,
the
Immanent
Principle.
The
foreOinger,
the
index
one,
which
indicates
this
and
that,
you
and
other,
is
the
Jeevi,
the
Individual,
feeling
separate
and
distinct.
When
these
two
are
joined
at
the
tip,
held
in
that
position,
it
is
the
Jnaana
mudhra,
the
Gesture
of
Wisdom,
for,
wisdom
consists
in
the
Jeevi
becoming
One
with
the
Brahman,
the
Mergence
of
that
which
felt
that
it
had
emerged!
The
other
three
Oingers,
represent
Prakrithi
the
Objective
World,
which
is
negated
when
the
mergence
is
effected.
They
are
the
three
Gunas,
the
Saathwik,
the
Raajasik
and
the
Thaamasik
(qualities
of
purity,
passion
and
inertia),
that
by
their
interplay
create
the
phenomenal
world.
Hold
the
rosary
over
the
middle
Oinger,
keeping
the
three
Guna
Oingers
together.
This
means
that
you
are
now
transcending
the
world
of
attributes
and
qualities,
of
name
and
form,
of
multiplicity
that
is
the
consequence
of
all
this
transformation,
and
proceeding
towards
the
knowledge
of
the
UNITY.
The
Jeevi
Oinger
now
slowly
passes
each
bead
towards
the
thumb
(Brahman),
touching
the
tip
of
the
Brahmam
Oinger
when
the
bead
passes
over,
so
that
the
mergence
is
emphasised
with
every
bead
and
every
breath,
for,
while
the
Oingers
learn
and
teach
the
lesson,
the
tongue
too
repeats
the
manthra
(holy
formula)
or
the
Name,
with
the
Pranava
(the
primal
sound
of
OM).
SATHYA
and
Dharma
are
the
two
cardinal
principles
of
Sanaathana
Dharma
(ancient
but
eternal
spiritual
code).
They
are
the
goals
of
all
faiths,
the
teaching
of
all
saints,
the
core
of
the
achievements
of
all
sages,
the
under-current
in
all
scriptures.
They
spring
out
of
the
Aathmathathwa
(essential
nature
of
the
Self),
which
is
the
lesson
taught
in
the
Geetha.
The
Geetha
is
the
essence
of
the
Upanishadhs,
the
Vedhaantha
(the
concluding
essence
of
Vedhas).
On
the
day
when
you
are
celebrating
the
anniversary
of
the
Inauguration
of
Dharma-
kshethra,
it
is
necessary
to
remind
yourselves
of
this.
The
Vedhaantha
declares,
'Ihsaavaasyamidham
sarvam'
(All
this
is
enveloped
by
God),
and
so,
how
can
man
hate
or
deceive
another?
The
rules
and
disciplines
laid
down
in
all
religious
systems
have
as
their
aim
the
application
in
daily
life
of
this
great
Truth,
the
Immanence
of
God.
Karma
illumined
by
Jnaana
brings
about
success.
Jnaana
alone---the
discovery
that
God
is
all---
that
alone
can
win
the
Grace
of
God;
self-effacement
is
the
Oirst
criterion
of
the
saadhana
that
can
save
man
from
bondage.
Dhritharaashtra
was
blind,
because,
as
that
name
itself
implies,
he
held
on
to
the
raashtra,
held
on
to
all
things
that
were
not
'he'!,
the
real
'He,'
that
passes
from
birth
to
death,
and
again
gets
born
only
to
die,
unscathed.
Everything
that
is
not
'you'
is
an
object;
it
is
luggage
for
the
journey;
the
less
of
it,
the
more
comfortable
the
journey!
God
is
One;
there
are
not
many
Gods,
one
for
each
tribe
among
men!
Love
is
One;
it
transcends
caste,
colour
and
creed,
if
it
has
to
be
genuine.
Truth
is
One;
there
cannot
be
two.
For,
two
can
only
be
One,
occurring
twice.
The
Goal
is
One;
for,
all
roads
must
lead
to
the
One
God.
Why
then
should
men
quarrel
and
Oight
over
the
Eternal
and
the
Absolute?
Attachment
causes
pain
and
detachment
results
in
joy.
But,
you
cannot
easily
detach
yourself
from
activity;
the
mind
clings
to
something
or
other.
Make
it
cling
to
God,
let
it
do
all
things
for
God
and
leave
the
success
or
failure
of
the
thing
done
to
God,
the
loss
and
the
proOit,
the
elation
or
the
dejection.
Then,
you
have
the
secret
of
Shaanthi
and
contentment.
The
chief
means
by
which
you
detach
your
mind
from
distractions
and
attach
yourselves
to
the
search
of
God
are
Yoga
(communion
with
God)
and
Thyaaga
(sacriOice).
Kaama
(desire)
has
to
be
got
rid
of
by
Thyaaga
and
Raama
(God)
has
to
be
secured
by
Yoga.
Desire
discolours
the
intelligence;
it
perverts
judgement;
it
sharpens
the
appetites
of
the
senses.
It
lends
a
false
lure
to
the
objective
world.
When
desire
disappears
or
is
concentrated
on
God,
Intelligence
is
self-
luminous,
it
shines
in
its
pristine
splendour,
and
that
splendour
reveals
the
God
within
and
without.
That
is
the
real
Aathma
Saakshaathkaara
(Realisation
of
the
Self).
Remember
that
there
is
God
inside
your
heart,
as
well
as
in
the
hearts
of
all
rest.
He
hears
and
sees
all
things.
Do
you
not
say,
"My
head,
my
hands,
my
eye,
my
mind,
my
Page 254 of 268
idea."
Now,
who
is
this
I,
that
owns
the
body,
the
mind,
the
brain?
That
I
is
the
spark
of
God
that
is
in
you.
That
spark
is
in
every
one.
Seva
in
all
its
forms,
all
the
world
over,
is
primarily
saadhana---spiritual
discipline,
mental
dean
up.
Without
the
inspiration
given
by
that
attitude,
the
urge
is
bound
to
ebb
and
grow
dry;
or,
it
may
meander
into
pride
and
pomp.
Just
think
for
a
moment:
Are
you
serving
God?
Or,
is
God
serving
you?
When
a
pilgrim
stands
waist
deep
in
the
Ganga,
takes
in
his
palms
the
sacred
water
and,
reciting
an
invocatory
formula,
pours
the
water
as
an
offering
to
the
Deity,
or
Arpan
as
he
calls
it,
what
he
has
done
is
only
poured
Ganga
into
Ganga.
When
you
offer
milk
to
a
hungry
child,
or
a
blanket
to
a
shivering
brother
on
the
pavement,
you
are
but
placing
a
gift
of
God
into
the
hands
of
another
gift
to
God!
You
are
reposing
the
gift
of
God
in
a
repository
of
the
Divine
Principle!
God
serves;
He
allows
you
to
claim
that
you
have
served!
Without
His
Will,
not
a
single
blade
of
grass
can
quiver
in
the
breeze
Fill
every
moment
with
gratitude
to
the
Giver
and
the
Recipient
of
all
gifts.
THE
word,
Vishnu,
means
'That
which
pervades
everywhere,'
the
Omnipresent.
When
people
are
told
about
an
idol
of
Vishnu,
they
laugh
and
condemn
it
as
foolish.
But,
when
we
desire
to
drink
the
ambrosia
that
the
all-pervading
Vishnu
is,
we
require
a
spoon,
a
cup
or
a
vessel.
The
idol
is
only
such
a
contrivance,
by
which
it
is
possible
to
consume
the
bliss.
The
cup
can
be
of
any
shape
or
design;
the
joy
consists
in
the
nectar
that
it
is
able
to
convey
to
the
person
who
is
thirsty
and
anguished.
Raso
vai
sah---God
is
ambrosia,
sweet,
sustaining,
strength-giving.
You
can
imbibe
Him
through
a
cup
shaped
as
Nataraaja
or
Durga
or
Krishna,
or
Linga,
or
Ganesha,
or
Christ
or
any
other
Form
that
will
arouse
the
ardour
and
satisfy
the
agony.
These
are
days
of
strikes
and
bandhs.
Groups
of
persons
stop
work,
start
shouting,
or
desist
from
activity,
in
order
to
gain
some
end,
causing
loss
or
dislocation
to
others.
I
would
advise
you
all
to
declare
a
strike
against
the
mind!
Do
not
obey
its
vacillations
and
temptations.
Be
Oixed
in
your
own
determination,
to
pursue
only
what
your
discrimination
advises
you
as
beneOicent.
Ignore
the
mind;
respect
the
intelligence.
Make
the
senses
the
servants
of
the
intelligence,
not
the
overlords
of
the
mind.
Tell
them
that
the
mind
is
dethroned,
it
is
non-existent!
Sensuousness
is
a
disease.
It
denies
you
ease
and
peace.
The
roga
(disease)
can
be
cured
by
Yoga,
not
by
bhoga
(material
enjoyment).
Bhoga
means
catering
to
the
whims
and
wildness
of
the
senses;
Yoga
means
the
regulation
and
reform
of
the
impulses
of
the
mind
which
run
after
goals
laid
down
by
the
senses!
If
the
water
is
saltish,
how
can
adding
sugar
make
it
more
potable?
There
are
other
ways
to
make
hard
and
brackish
water,
harmless
and
tasty.
God
is
all-pervading,
but,
yet,
we
have
some
scientists
who
assert,
"We
have
searched
all
outer
space,
we
have
looked
for
Him
on
the
Moon;
no;
He
is
nowhere
to
be
found.
He
does
not
exist."
They
do
not
know
what
to
seek
and
where;
still,
they
have
the
impudence
to
assert
that
it
is
not
found.
Is
God
an
occupant
of
an
identiOiable
body
or
Form,
has
He
a
habitation
and
a
habiliment
that
is
traditionally
His?
God
is
all
this
and
more,
He
is
in
all
this
and
beyond.
He
is
the
inner
motivator
of
the
very
scientist
who
'denies'
Him!
Man
himself
is
God;
all
matter,
even
in
the
Moon,
is
suffused
with
the
Divine
Presence.
To
search
for
God
with
the
instruments
of
the
laboratory
is
like
trying
to
cure
pain
in
the
stomach
by
pouring
drops
into
the
eye!
There
is
a
technique
and
a
special
instrument
for
that
purpose,
which
the
pastmasters
in
that
science
have
developed
and
spoken
about.
Equip
yourselves
with
a
clear
eye,
through
detachment
and
love,
sharpen
your
sense
of
discrimination,
Viveka,
so
that
it
has
no
prejudice
or
predilection,
then,
you
can
see
God
in
you,
around
you,
in
all
that
you
know
and
feel
and
are.
The
doctor
asks
you
to
remove
your
shirt,
before
he
applies
the
stethoscope
and
tries
to
diagnose
your
illness.
You
have
another
shirt
covering
your
chest,
the
desires
that
surge
in
your
heart!
Remove
that
shirt,
so
that
your
real
nature,
that
is
Divinity,
can
be
revealed
to
you
and
all
who
seek
to
know
you.
All
men
are
caskets,
containing
Divine
Glory.
But
you
love
some
of
them
as
friendly,
hate
some
others
as
unfriendly,
and
divide
them
into
camps
and
companies.
When
a
man
is
good
to
you,
attribute
that
goodness
to
the
godliness
in
him;
when
a
man
is
bad
to
you,
be
happy
that
you
have
given
him
some
satisfaction,
by
becoming
the
target
for
his
attention!
If
he
harms
the
body,
sages
are
unaffected,
because
they
know
that
they
are
not
the
body!
If
they
try
to
harm
the
soul,
sages
know
that
it
is
impossible,
for
the
soul
is
ever
in
Bliss!
By
means
of
saadhana,
become
that
type
of
sage,
unaffected
by
pleasure
and
pain,
loss
or
gain,
victory
or
defeat.
Be
a
witness,
a
disinterested
witness
of
all
the
gyrations
of
fortune.
Vichaara
(inquiry),
will
reveal
to
you
that
they
are
Oleeting
fantasies
of
your
mind,
and
not
real.
By
means
of
Japa
and
Dhyaana,
you
can
attain
that
identity
with
the
Reality,
which
will
convince
you
of
the
unreality
of
all
except
Brahmam
(the
Universal
Absolute).
Gain
internal
peace,
internal
joy;
that
can
be
done
only
when
you
act
without
an
eye
on
the
gain.
The
act
must
be
its
own
reward;
or
rather,
the
act
must
be
according
to
the
prompting
of
the
God
within,
so
that
its
consequence
is
left
to
Him.
Practise
this
attitude
consistently
and
you
will
Oind
great
Peace
welling
within
you
and
around
you.
Heads
bloat
only
through
ignorance;
if
the
Truth
be
known,
all
men
will
become
as
humble
as
Bharthrhari.
He
was
a
mighty
emperor,
who
ruled
from
sea
to
sea;
his
decree
was
unquestioned;
his
will
prevailed
over
vast
multitudes
of
men.
Yet,
when
he
realised
in
a
Olash
that
life
is
but
a
short
sojourn
here
below,
he
renounced
his
wealth
and
power,
and
assumed
the
ochre
robes
of
the
wandering
monk.
His
countries
and
vassal
princes
shed
genuine
tears,
for
they
loved
and
adored
him.
They
lamented
that
he
had
donned
the
tattered
robe
of
the
penniless
penitent,
and
lived
on
alms.
"What
a
precious
possession
you
have
thrown
away?
And,
what
a
sad
bargain
you
have
made?,"
they
wailed.
But,
Bharthrhari
replied,
"Friends,
I
have
made
a
very
proOitable
bargain.
This
robe
is
so
precious
that
even
my
empire
is
poor
payment
in
exchange."
That
is
the
measure
of
the
grandeur
of
the
spiritual
path
that
leads
to
God.
Bend
the
body,
mend
the
senses,
and
end
the
mind---that
is
the
process
of
attaining
the
status
of
'the
children
of
immortality,'
which
the
Upanishadhs
have
reserved
for
man.
Little
children
are
trained
to
walk,
by
means
of
a
three-
wheeled
contraption
which
they
hold
and
push
along.
The
Pranava
is
such
a
contraption,
with
the
three
wheels
of
A
U
and
M,
the
Omkaara
Tricycle.
Holding
it,
man
can
learn
to
use
the
two
feet
of
bhakthi
and
vairaagya.
If
he
gives
up
his
hold
on
the
Omkaara,
he
plumps
down
on
the
ground
helplessly.
If
he
walks
on
with
the
help
of
the
Pranava
japa,
he
can
certainly
realise
the
glory
of
the
Brahmam,
which
is
the
very
substance
of
the
Universe.
Page 256 of 268
!
Discourse 13 (College of Home Science, Bangalore, 26/7/1969)
!
Discourse 14 (Guru Poornima, Prashanti Nilayam, 29/7/1969)
THE
seeker
has
to
be
very
vigilant
about
his
point
of
view,
the
things
he
seeks
to
visualise,
the
things
he
longs
to
cast
his
eyes
on.
For,
it
is
dhrishti
(the
view)
that
decides
attachment,
sorrow,
passion,
etc.
You
are
the
noblest
being
yet
created,
and
so,
you
have
to
develop
a
sight
that
sees
no
high
or
low,
that
sees
all
as
suffused
with
divinity,
and
therefore,
not
different
one
from
another.
Shankara
declared,
"Make
your
dhrishti
charged
with
jnaana;
then,
the
seen
will
appear
in
its
true
light
as
Brahman.
Such
sight
is
called
divine,
supernatural,
super-sensual
and
auspicious.
Each
body
that
you
see
before
you
is
a
mirror
in
which
if
only
you
open
your
eyes
you
can
see
the
image
of
God.
The
Go
in
you
is
in
each
of
them,
too.
Do
not
imagine
the
others
to
be
distinct,
they
are
only
you,
in
so
many
mirrors.
The
world
is
Oilled
with
your
kith
and
kin;
all
are
sparks
from
the
same
Olame.
The
Geetha
says,
"Pandiths
(the
learned)
see
Brahman
in
the
scholar,
the
sage,
the
venerable
and
the
venerator,
the
cow,
the
elephant,
the
dog
and
the
eater
of
canine
Olesh."
Such
Pandiths
are
very
rare
on
the
face
of
the
earth;
men
claim
to
be
Pandiths
on
the
basis
of
the
scholarship
they
parade,
not
the
vision
they
have
won.
Some
Pandiths
explain
the
Geetha
verso,
which
declares
that
God
incarnates
when
Dharma
(virtue)
declines,
in
this
way:
"Dharma
stood
on
four
legs
in
the
Kritha
(golden
or
fulOilled)
Age;
it
had
only
three
in
the
next
age,
the
Thretha;
(three
legged)
later,
in
the
Dhwaapara
(twin
based)
Age,
it
stood
precariously
on
two
and
now
in
the
Kali
(iron
or
harsh)
Age,
it
has
only
one
leg
to
stand
on!"
They
say
also
in
the
same
breath,
that
God
incarnated
as
Raama
in
the
Thretha
Age,
and
as
Krishna
hi
the
Dhwaapara
Age,
with
the
avowed
purpose
of
restoring
Dharma!
According
to
them,
when
Krishna
incarnated
Dharma
had
two
legs,
but,
when
His
human
career
was
dosed,
Dharma
lost
one
more
leg
and
had
to
suave
in
agony,
having
only
one
solitary
leg!.
Can
such
absurdity
be
ever
believed?
No.
The
Incarnations
of
God
have
always
fulOilled
their
tasks.
Dharma
has
always
been
restored,
in
full.
What
they
re-established
on
Oirm
foundations
is
Sathya
(Truth).
For,
as
the
Vedhas
(sacred
scriptures)
announce,
there
is
no
Dharma
higher
than
Truth.
Truth
gets
hidden,
appears
distorted,
is
declared
as
failing,
so,
the
Avathaar
(divine
incarnation)
asserts
its
validity
and
value,
once
again.
God
wears
Truth;
the
good
seek
Truth;
the
bad
are
rescued
by
Truth.
Truth
liberates;
Truth
is
power;
Truth
is
freedom.
It
is
the
lamp
that
illumines
the
heart
and
dispels
doubt
and
darkness.
The
effulgence
of
God
is
Truth.
Welcome
God
in
your
heart.
Install
Him
there
as
a
result
of
Yearning.
Be
always
concerned
with
Brahman;
then,
you
are
entitled
to
be
known
as
a
Brahmin;
if
you
are
concerned
with
the
skin
and
all
that
it
contains,
that
entitles
you
only
to
be
known
as
a
Chandaala,
who
works
on
leather
and
skin!
Yearning
was
rewarded
with
Grace.
Yearning
leads
to
surrender,
and
surrender
gives
the
highest
joy.
Leave
everything
to
His
Will,
accept
whatever
happens,
whether
pleasant
or
painful.
There
was
once
a
rich
merchant
in
Baghdad,
who
was
leading
a
virtuous
God-fearing
life.
He
had
a
daughter
whom
he
adored
greatly,
for
she
was
the
very
embodiment
of
virtue.
The
father
decided
that
he
would
give
her
in
marriage
only
to
a
young
man
who
was
intimately
devoted
to
God,
regardless
of
any
other
excellence
or
handicap.
He
searched
for
such
a
groom
in
caravanserais,
mosques
and
places
where
holy
persons
Page 257 of 268
were
likely
to
gather.
One
Friday,
he
noticed
in
the
mosque
a
fair
young
man,
on
his
knees,
even
after
all
else
had
left,
crying
out
to
God
most
endearingly
and
with
great
sincerity.
He
approached
him
and
asked
whether
he
would
marry
his
daughter.
He
said:
"I
am
the
poorest
of
the
poor;
I
have
a
leaky
roof
over
my
head,
and
a
gravel
Oloor
whereon
I
sit.
Who
will
wed
such
a
beggar?
I
shall
marry
if
someone
who
would
not
object
to
my
spiritual
saadhana,
consents
to
share
my
poverty.
The
merchant
felt
that
he
was
the
most
eligible
groom
and
the
wedding
was
celebrated
soon.
His
daughter
came
to
the
fakirs
(mendicant's)
residence
and
started
cleaning
the
Oloor.
She
was
happy
that
her
husband
was
of
her
own
heart;
she
too
was
pilgrim
on
the
road
to
God,
a
practioner
of
spiritual
exercises.
While
sweeping
the
Oloor,
she
found
in
a
corner
a
plate
with
a
piece
of
bread
on
it.
She
asked
her
husband
why
it
was
kept
there,
and
he
replied:
"I
kept
it
by,
lest
tomorrow
when
I
go
on
my
rounds,
we
may
not
get
enough
to
eat."
At
this,
the
wife
replied,
"I
am
ashamed
of
you.
You
have
so
little
faith
in
Allah.
He
who
gives
us
hunger,
will
He
not
give
us
bread
too?
I
shall
not
live
with
a
person
of
this
nature.
You
have
no
faith
in
Go
and
His
Compassion."
After
saying
this
she
left
the
fakir
to
himself.
The
Geetha
says
that
if
you
give
up
all
Dharma
and
take
refuge
in
Him
alone,
then
He
will
save
you
from
sin
and
wipe
your
tears.
Giving
up
Dharma
does
not
mean
that
you
can
bid
farewell
to
virtue
and
righteous
action;
it
means,
you
have
to
give
up
the
egoism
that
you
are
the
'doer,'
be
conOirmed
in
the
faith
that
He
is
the
'doer'
of
every
deed.
That
is
the
genuine
'giving
up.'
There
are
in
the
world
Bhojanaalayas
(hotels),
Vaidhyaalayas
(Hospitals),
Vilaasaalayas
(Homes
of
Entertainment,
Theatres),
Vihaaraalayas
(Places
of
sport,
gymkhaanas),
Vichith-raalayas
(Museums,
Palaces
of
Art,
etc.),
etc.
But,
however
they
are
named,
they
are
all
Duhkhaalayas
(Homes
of
Sorrow).
The
only
Aanandhanilaya
(Home
of
Joy)
is
the
Dhevaalaya
(Temple
of
God),
that
is
to
say,
one's
own
body
where
God
is
the
inner
Guide
and
Guardian.
On
this
Guru
Poornima
Day,
the
counsel
that
I
can
give
you
is
this:
Do
not
hate
anyone,
follow
the
Geetha
prescription
to
spiritual
health,
Adhweshtaa
Sarva
bhoothaanaam,
'without
being
inimical
to
any
being.'
The
reason
for
this
injunction
is
that
God
is
the
inner
Aathma
in
everything
that
exists.
So,
injury
inOlicted
on
any
being
is
sacrilege,
self-injury.
Love
is
transformed
into
poison
if
hate
contaminates
it.
Love
some,
but
do
not
hate
the
rest,
for
that
hate
will
foul
the
love
and
make
it
mortal.
Love
comes
automatically
to
the
realised
soul;
but,
the
spiritual
aspirant
has
to
cultivate
it
by
means
of
service
and
inquiry
into
the
unity
of
the
Aathman.
Love
must
Olow
not
from
the
tongue,
or
from
the
head
only,
but
chieOly
from
the
heart.
On
the
Guru
Poornima
Day,
people
generally
take
initiation
into
spiritual
life
from
some
Preceptor
or
get
directions
for
some
vow
or
fast
or
vigil.
These
preceptors
cannot
claim
the
status
of
the
Guru
as
delineated
in
the
sloka,
Guru
Brahma,
Guru
Vishnu,
Guru
Dhevo
Maheswarah;
Guru
saakshaath
Parabrahma,
etc.
The
Guru
extolled
therein
is
the
sage
who
has
transcended
Name
and
Form
and
is
beyond
the
effect
of
the
three
gunas
or
attributes;
he
is
neither
good
nor
bad;
neither
passionate
nor
dull;
neither
enthusiastic
nor
uninterested.
He
is
unaffected,
calm,
content.
He
is
the
Aathma,
having
realised
that
the
Aathma
is
the
One
and
0nly.
He
makes
you
cast
off
the
fear
of
death
and
birth,
he
renders
you
Oit
for
the
vision
of
the
eternal
absolute
Truth.
He
who
seeks
a
Guru
can
Oind
him
in
every
word
spoken
within
his
hearing,
in
every
incident
that
happens
around
him.
The
Deity,
Dakshinaamurthi
(primal
divine
teacher
of
eternal
spiritual
wisdom)
was
walking
along
a
wide
seashore
alone,
immersed
in
deep
meditation.
He
turned
towards
the
waves
and
watched
the
unending
succession
of
breakers.
He
saw
a
dry
little
twig
on
the
crest
of
a
wave
in
the
distance;
it
was
being
passed
on
from
one
wave
to
another,
from
trough
to
crest,
from
crest
to
trough,
until
it
Page 258 of 268
was
cast
on
the
sands
on
the
shore,
near
where
He
stood!
Dakshinaamurthi
was
astounded
at
the
egoism
of
the
Ocean
that
would
not
give
asylum
to
even
a
tiny
twig.
Sensing
His
reaction,
the
Ocean
declared,
in
words
that
He
could
understand,
"Mine
is
neither
egoism
nor
anger;
it
is
only
the
duty
of
self-
preservation.
I
should
not
allow
the
slightest
blot
to
deface
my
grandeur.
If
I
allow
this
twig
to
mar
my
splendour,
it
will
be
the
Oirst
step
in
my
downfall."
Then,
Dakshinaamurthi
smiled
within
Himself,
admiring
the
vigilance
of
the
mighty
Ocean.
He
pictured
the
incident
as
a
great
lesson
in
spiritual
endeavour.
The
slightest
twig
of
desire,
if
it
falls
on
the
mind,
has
to
be
immediately
lifted
out
of
the
pure
waters
and
thrown
off.
That
was
the
lesson
to
be
learnt.
Each
religion
exhorts
those
who
are
attracted
by
it
to
meditate
on
God
in
certain
Form
known
by
a
certain
Name;
but,
one
who
is
aware
that
He
is
all
Names
and
all
Forms
will
adopt
a
sound
which
is
profoundly
signiOicant,
which
summarises
all
Names,
namely,
the
Pranava
(OM)
sound,
the
Akshara
(Unchanging,
indestructible).
Through
the
changing
to
the
unchanging,
that
is
the
journey.
From
the
kshara
to
the
Akshara.
There
are
three
steps
or
stages
in
this
journey.
"I
am
YOURS";
"YOU
are
Mine!"
and,
Oinally,
"I
am
YOU!"
Every
saadhaka
has
to
walk
from
one
to
the
other,
and
reach
the
journey's
end.
Move
on,
don't
halt.
It
is
good
to
be
born
in
a
church,
but
it
is
not
good
to
die
in
it.
Grow
and
rescue
yourselves
from
the
limits
and
regulations,
the
doctrines
that
fence
your
freedom
of
thought,
the
ceremonials
and
rites
that
restrict
and
re-direct.
Reach
the
point
where
churches
do
not
matter,
where
all
roads
end,
from
where
all
roads
run.
Have
faith
in
the
Guru,
for
then
alone
will
your
steps
be
steady
and
Oirm,
on
the
path
to
Self-realisation.
Faith
in
the
Guru
should
bring
faith
in
the
Aathma
(free
Self),
or
else,
the
Guru
is
a
handicap.
THIS
day,
Guru
Pournami,
is
celebrated
by
people
as
thanksgiving
Day
for
their
spiritual
preceptors,
those
who
initiated
them
into
spiritual
disciplines,
manthra
recitals,
meditation,
japa
and
the
study
of
sacred
texts.
We
have
a
popular
saying,
"Without
a
preceptor,
all
learning
is
blind."
But,
this
refers
to
authentic
Gurus,
those
who
have
the
double
qualiOication
of
gu
and
ru:
gu
meaning,
devoid
of
gunas
and
ru
meaning,
devoid
of
ruupa---that
is
to
say,
those
who
have
transcended
Form
and
Flavour,
those
who
have
merged
in
God,
or
the
Aathma
Itself.
It
is
only
these
who
can
help
you
to
attain.
Take
the
example
of
Seetha.
She
was
the
daughter
of
the
greatest
jnaani
and
philosopher
of
the
age,
Janaka.
She
was
the
consort
of
the
Lord;
her
father-in-law
the
mighty
emperor
Dasharatha.
Nevertheless,
when
her
lord
was
exiled
and
sent
into
the
forest
for
14
years,
she
gave
up
all
the
luxuries
to
which
she
had
become
accustomed,
and
insisted
on
being
taken
by
Him
into
the
same
forest,
as
His
companion.
What
tremendous
detachment,
what
admirable
adherence
to
the
dictates
of
morality!
But,
when
she
saw
in
the
woods,
a
'golden
deer',
desire
entered
her
heart;
as
a
result
she
had
to
suffer
the
agony
of
separation
from
the
Lord.
That
is
the
tragedy
of
desire,
arising
from
the
senses
and
the
mind.
He
who
instructs
you
to
give
up
desire
is
the
real
Guru.
Each
religion
emphasises
one
name
and
one
Form
of
and
recommends
them
for
acceptance.
Some
even
insist
that
God
has
no
other
Name
or
Form.
But,
the
Reality
is
Page 259 of 268
beyond
name
and
form,
Akshara
(the
indestructible,
eternal)
as
the
characteristic
and
Om
as
the
Form.
You
reach
the
Akshara
stage---the
stage
of
attributeless
unity---in
three
steps
of
Saadhana:
(i)
I
am
Thine,
(ii)
Thou
art
mine,
and
(iii)
Thou
art
myself.
Through
Saadhana,
one
must
transcend
the
duality
of
I
and
You.
I
is
only
the
reOlection
of
You
in
this
body.
The
consummation
is
reached
when
duality
is
superseded.
That
is
why
it
has
been
declared,
"It
is
good
to
be
born
in
a
church;
but,
it
is
not
good,
to
die
in
it."
That
is
to
say,
before
life
ends
one
must
go
beyond
the
limits
set
by
institutionalised
religion
and
reach
the
vast
limitless
expanse
of
the
Aathman,
which
pervades
all.
By
declaring
that
man
shall
not
bear
ill-will
towards
the
entire
world
of
living
beings,
the
Geetha
is
positing
a
lesson
with
invaluable
inner
meaning:,
that
in
all
beings
and
even
things,
there
is
moving
and
revolving,
as
an
active
illumining
Principle,
the
Divine,
appropriately
called
as
Aathma.
The
Vedhic
assertions,
Ishaavasyamidham
Sarvam
(All
this
is
enveloped
in
God),
Sarva
Bhootha
antharaathma
(The
inner
core
of
all
Beings
is
He),
Vaasudhevah
sarvamidham
(All
this
is
God,
Vaasudheva)--Oirmly
establish
this
profound
Truth.
Until
you
become
aware
of
your
own
Divinity
(Devathathwa)
so
long
as
you
are
conscious
of
your
distinct
individuality
(Jeeva-thath-wa)---so
long
as
you
feel
you
are
you
and
God
is
God,
you
cannot
but
struggle,
with
some
attitudes
and
objectives.
This
is
the
stage
called
the
Saadhaka
stage.
Love
is
no
merchandise;
do
not
bargain
about
its
cost.
Let
it
Olow
clear
from
the
heart,
as
a
stream
of
Truth,
a
river
of
wisdom.
Let
it
not
emanate
from
the
head,
nor
from
the
tongue.
Let
it
emerge,
full
and
free,
from
the
heart.
This
is
the
highest
duty,
the
noblest
Godliness.
It
is
said
that
during
the
Kurukshethra
battle
which
lasted
for
18
days,
Vyaasa
had
his
mind
torn
with
contrition,
for
the
contestants
were
both
of
his
lineage.
So,
he
could
not
cast
his
eyes
on
the
fratricidal
carnage!
One
day,
he
was
so
overcome
by
remorse
that
he
hastened
beyond
the
blood-
soaked
plain,
where
another
day's
holocaust
was
about
to
begin.
Hurrying
along,
he
saw
a
spider
scurrying
forward
on
the
ground!
"Why
so
fast?"
inquired
the
sage;
the
spider
ran
off
the
road,
climbed
up
an
ant-hill
by
its
side
and
from
that
eminence,
it
replied,
"Know
you
not
that
the
war
chariot
of
Arjuna
is
about
to
pass
this
way!
If
I
am
caught
under
its
wheels,
I
am
down."
Vyaasa
laughed
at
this
reply;
he
said,
"No
eye
gets
wet
when
you
die!
The
world
suffers
no
loss
when
you
are
killed!
You
leave
no
vacuum
when
you
disappear!"
The
spider
was
touched
to
the
quick
by
this
insult.
It
was
shaking
with
rage.
It
ejaculated,
"How
is
that?
You
are
a
bloated
sage!
You
feel
that
if
you
die
it
will
be
a
great
loss,
whereas
I
will
not
be
missed
at
all.
I
too
have
wife
and
children
whom
I
love.
I
too
have
a
home
and
a
store
of
food.
I
too
cling
to
life
with
as
much
tenacity
as
you
folk.
I
have
hunger,
thirst,
grief,
pain,
joy,
Page 260 of 268
delight
and
the
agony
of
separation
from
kith
and
kin.
The
world
is
as
much
in
me
and
for
me,
as
in
and
for
human
beings
and
others.
Vyaasa
hung
his
head
and
moved
on
in
silence,
muttering
the
line,
"Saamaanyam
ethath
pasubhir
naraani"--for
man
and
beast,
these
things
are
common."
But,
he
told
himself,
"Enquiry
into
the
Ultimate,
yearning
for
beauty,
truth
and
goodness,
awareness
of
the
underlying
unity,
these
attributes
of
Wisdom
are
the
unique
treasures
of
mankind,"
and
went
his
way.
Through
this
wisdom,
man
can
see
the
indwelling
God
in
the
spider
and
in
every
being
that
exists
within
the
bounds
of
space.
The
receptacle
may
be
different,
but
the
Divine
content
is
the
same.
The
taste
of
sea
water
will
be
saline
whether
you
test
a
truck-load,
a
bowlful,
a
potful,
or
a
sip
or
a
drop
on
the
tongue!
The
taste
of
the
Divine
can
be
experienced
in
the
atom
or
the
cosmos,
the
friend
as
well
as
the
foe,
the
virus
and
the
Universe.
This
is
the
Realisation,
the
Liberation,
the
Illumination,
the
Revelation!
"Sarvam
Vishnumayam
jagath
(the
world
is
God
Oilled)."
This
sphere
of
change
is
surcharged
with
the
Omnipresent
Divine.
The
plan
and
purpose
of
the
ancient
religions
of
India
are
to
plant
the
seeds
of
Love
in
the
human
heart
so
that
they
may
sprout
into
saplings
of
endurance,
and
blossom
into
tolerance,
yielding
ultimately
the
fruits
of
Peace.
The
pinnacle
of
Indian
thought
in
Adhwaitha,
the
experience
of
the
One,
of
the
negation
of
duality.
Some
countries
proceed
towards
the
ideal
of
individual
freedom;
others
aim
at
State
sovereignty
and
the
suppression
of
the
individual
right
to
freedom.
But,
Bhaarath
has,
from
time
immemorial,
sought
to
infuse
in
the
individual,
the
lesson
that
he
can
be
free
only
when
he
realises
his
identity
with
all--not
just
the
inhabitants
of
his
own
state
or
those
who
use
his
own
language,
or
those
of
his
own
colour
or
creed,
but
all
mankind
and
all
beings,
alive
and
inert.
Expansion
is
the
key
to
happiness,
and
Love
is
the
unfailing
key
to
expansion.
Man
is
kin
to
all,
that
is
the
teaching
of
Sanaathana
Dharma
(eteral
religion).
You
have
the
unfailing
spring
of
Aanandha
in
the
Aathman,
which
is
your
reality;
why
then
ruin
your
health,
your
peace
of
mind,
running
after
senses
which
drag
you
through
the
objective
world
in
pursuit
of
trivial
transient
joys?
The
Prashaanthi
Flag
which
will
now
be
hoisted
is
the
symbol
of
this
consummation--
the
conquest
by
man
of
the
six
enemies
and
the
illumination
within
him
of
the
Flame
of
Wisdom,
installed
in
the
Lotus
of
the
Heart.
It
is
the
Flag
of
Swa-raaj
(Dominion
over
Oneself),
the
true
Independence,
when
you
can
genuinely
claim
to
be
master
of
the
realm
most
intimately
related
to
you.
It
is
the
Flag
that
Olutters
in
the
breeze
of
Aanandha;
the
Flag
that
announces
the
arrival
of
Inner
Splendour.
It
is
the
Flag
that
heralds
the
Dawn
of
the
highest
wisdom
and
the
deepest
peace.
Swa-raaj
means
full
mastery
over
your
senses,
mind
and
intelligence,
through
the
recognition
of
the
Aathma.
You
should
cultivate
an
attitude
of
inseparable
attachment
to
the
Lord,
who
is
your
very
self.
If
He
is
a
Olower,
you
should
feel
yourself
a
bee
that
sucks
its
honey;
if
He
is
a
tree,
be
a
creeper
that
clings
to
it;
if
a
cliff,
then
feel
that
you
are
a
cascade
running
over
Page 261 of 268
it;
if
He
is
the
sky,
be
a
tiny
star
that
twinkles
in
it;
above
all,
be
conscious
of
the
truth
that
you
and
He
are
bound
by
Supreme
Love.
If
you
feel
this
acutely,
not
with
the
gross
intelligence,
but
with
the
subtle
intelligence,
then,
the
journey
will
be
quick
and
the
goal
can
be
won.
!
Discourse 22 (Prashanti Nilayam, 14/10/1969)
!
Discourse 23 (Prashanti Nilayam, 15/10/1969)
He
can
derive
Aanandha
(Divine
Bliss)
through
the
contemplation
of
his
Divinity,
or
the
Divine
as
represented
by
all
that
he
sees,
hears,
tastes,
touches
or
smells
outside
himself.
"Sarvam
Brahmamayam"--
Brahman
is
immanent
in
all
What
an
inexhaustible
source
of
lies
inside
or
outside
you!
Only
you
have
to
develop
the
mind
that
will
respond
to
the
call,
that
will
recognise
the
Truth.
The
baby
in
the
cradle
is
the
very
picture
of
Aanandha;
when
it
cries
out
of
grief,
we
run
towards
it,
for,
it
is
against
its
nature
to
be
sad.
Man
too
is
essentially
Bliss.
Misery
is
alien
to
his
make-
up.
Recognising
the
immanence
of
the
Divine,
one
has
to
dedicate
all
acts
to
the
Divine.
What
is
the
act,
when
you
analyse
it
deeply?
It
is
the
manipulation
of
the
Divine
by
the
Divine,
for
the
sake
of
the
Divine
through
the
skill
endowed
by
the
Divine;
there
is
no
I
or
mine
in
it,
except
the
Universal
I
and
the
Divine
My.
Grace
is
showered
on
those
who
seek.
Knock,
and
the
door
shall
be
opened;
ask,
and
food
will
be
served;
search,
and
the
treasure
will
be
yours.
You
may
complain,
Yes!
Swaami!
We
have
been
knocking,
asking,
and
searching,
since
years...but,
the
door
is
yet
unopened,
the
food
is
still
not
forthcoming,
the
treasure
is
still
beyond
our
reach!
But,
let
me
ask
you
this.
You
have
been
asking
the
devil
not
the
deity,
knocking
at
the
devil's
door
and
digging
for
the
treasure
at
the
devil's
realm.
The
devil's
realm
is
the
objective
world,
outer
nature,
Prakrithi!
She
is
a
clever
enchantress!
You
have
been
propitiating
her,
believing
that
she
can
confer
peace
and
Aanandha!
She
tantalises
you
and
leads
you
from
one
disappointment
to
another.
She
enhances
your
ego
and
sense
of
achievement,
until
you
collapse
from
swollen
head!
You
are
knocking
at
the
wrong
door---the
door
of
hell,
which
is
ever
open!
You
are
searching
for
paltry
pleasure,
not
permanent
treasure!
You
tell
me,
"Swaami!
I
have
been
practising
intense
meditation
since
50
years,
but,
I
have
yet
to
gain
concentration.
This
is
a
shameful
confession.
Dhyaana
is
the
seventh
in
the
series
of
steps,
leading
to
the
eighth
Samaadhi
(conquest
of
the
Mind).
Unless
you
have
secured
a
strong
foothold
on
the
six
previous
steps,
you
will
slide
back
from
Dhyaana,
however
many
years
you
may
try
to
stick
to
it.
The
Oirst
step
is
the
control
of
the
senses,
the
second
is
the
control
of
the
emotions
and
impulses.
The
third
is
the
mastery
of
balance
and
equipoise,
the
fourth
is
the
regulation
of
breathing
and
movements
of
the
vital
airs,
the
Oifth
is
the
prevention
of
outer
inOluences
from
deviating
the
mind,
the
sixth
is
one-pointed
attention
on
one's
own
progress,
and
then,
we
come
to
real
Dhyaana---meditation
on
one's
Reality---which
easily
leads
to
its
realisation
in
Samaadhi.
Without
the
preliminary
rungs,
you
cannot
hop
straight
on
to
seventh!
And
then,
skip
on
to
the
eighth!
Reduce
the
luggage
you
carry
about,
when
on
the
journey
of
life.
Remember,
all
that
is
not
'you'
is
luggage!
You
are
not
the.
body.
So,
the
body
is
an
item
of
luggage.
The
mind,
senses,
the
intelligence,
the
imagination,
the
desires,
the
plans,
the
prejudices,
the
Page 262 of 268
discontent,
the
distress---
all
are
items
of
luggage.
Jettison
them
soon,
to
make
your
travel
lighter,
safer
and
more
comfortable.
The
Raama
Principle
is
the
Principle
of
Love,
that
descended
from
Heaven,
as
the
gift
of
the
Gods,
as
a
result
of
the
great
sacriOice.
Raama
means
Delight!
Nothing
delights
more
than
one's
own
innate
self,
and
so,
Raama
is
also
known
as
Aathmaa-Raama.
How
then
could
Bharatha
accept
to
usurp
the
throne,
of
which
Raama
is
the
rightful
heir?
The
Raamaayana
teaches
also
another
lesson.
The
search
for
Seethe
is
symbolic
of
the
secret
of
self-realisation,
in
the
Oield
of
experience.
Raama,
when
she
was
recovered,
recovered
the
wisdom
of
self-realisation,
now
conOirmed
by
experience.
Jnaana
had
become
Anubhava-jnaana.
The
Raamaayana
teaches
that,
when
a
person
is
yearning
for
the
precious
goal
of
self-realisation,
all
the
forces
of
Nature
and
all
Creation
will
help
him
and
render
all
assistance.
Monkeys,
birds,
squirrels,
and
even
bounders
and
rocks
were
his
comrades
in
the
task.
Aim
high,
resolve
on
the
supremest
adventure---
everything
will
be
set
right
to
lead
you
on,
to
the
goal.
In
fact,
you
are
urged
on
towards
this
adventure
by
your
very
breath,
which
repeats
21,600
times
a
day
Soham
(He-I),
emphasising
the
identity
of
the
Indweller
with
the
Principle
that
is
Immanent
in
the
Universe.
You
may
declare
with
your
tongue,
"There
is
no
God,"
but,
the
breath
repeats,
SO
as
it
goes
in
and
HAM
as
it
goes
out,
making
it
clear
that
the
He
who
is
Immanent
is
the
I
that
is
resident!
The
sages
discovered
the
truth
Thath
Thwam
Asi
(That
Thou
Art).
That
is
the
Divine,
out
of
which
all
this
arose,
of
which
all
this
is,
into
which
all
this
merges.
I
t
can
be
known
by
the
Bhakthi
maarga--the
path
of
dedication,
of
devotion
and
surrender
of
the
Self.
The
'thou,'
that
is
to
say,
the
Individual
can
be
understood
by
the
Karma
maarga--
the
path
of
selOless
activity,
of
the
abnegation
of
the
consequences
of
all
activity,
done
in
a
spirit
of
adoration
and
with
as
much
sincerity
as
an
act
of
worship.
Then,
the
process
of
identiOication
of
Thath
and
Thwam
(That
and
Thou)
called
the
recognition
of
the
Asi
has
to
be
consummated,
through
Jnaana
maarga--the
path
of
knowledge,
of
sharp
and
relentless
discrimination.
When
Bhakthi
and
Karma
merge,
it
leads
to
Jnaana.
Bhakthi
everything
as
Thath;
Karma
wipes
out
the
separateness
of
the
The.
So,
the
Asi
(identiOication)
process
becomes
easy.
For,
God
is
described
by
those
who
have
tasted
Him,
"Rase
vai
sah"
(He
is
nectar
itself)!
His
story
is
bound
to
be
sweet
beyond
words.
The
universe
is
sweet
on
account
of
Him;
it
gives
joy
because
it
is
He.
You
do
not
know
how
to
grasp
that
joy
and
hold
on
to
it;
so,
you
swing
between
joy
and
grief.
Acquire
it
to
the
full
and
for
all
time;
then,
there
is
no
birth,
no
death.
You
are
immortal,
you
are
Bliss,
Power,
Wisdom.
The
world
into
which
he
is
born
has
to
be
watched
and
studied
with
care
and
discrimination;
the
word,
'world,'
means
all
that
is
not
I,
everything
that
the
I
calls
mine:
body,
senses,
mind,
intelligence.
!
Discourse 27 (Prashanti Nilayam, 19/10/1969)
!
Page 263 of 268
The
texts
declare
that
you
are
not
Ramiah
or
Kamiah
or
Bheemaiah--the
name-labels
you
now
parade
as
your
own---but,
you
are
really
the
Aathma,
(the
Being)the
same
that
animates
all
Creation!
Geetha
teaches
this
very
truth:
he
who
knows
this
is
"Arjuna,"
he
who
does
not,
is
the
blind
King,
"Dhritharaashtra!"
Dhritha
means,
'holding
fast
to
and
raashtra
means
'the
state'.
The
blind
King
held
fast
to
the
state
and
refused
to
yield
even
Oive
villages
to
the
rightful
owners
of
half
the
kingdom!
He
was
so
tenacious
in
his
greed.
He
was
attached
to
something
that
was
not
'he';
and
that
brought
about
his
destruction.
Love
everything
as
you
love
yourself;
you
cannot
possibly
love
them
more
than
that!
For,
a
vessel
can
contain
only
its
full.
You
cannot
overOill
it;
you
love
yourself
best;
that
is
to
say,
'God,'
who
is
your
real
self?
The
poet
is
known
as
kavi,
a
word
pregnant
with
supreme
value
in
our
ancient
language,
Sanskrit.
Kavim
puraanam
anushaasithaaram---the
kavi
(seer-poet)
is
'timeless';
he
is
the
maker
of
laws
for
human
progress.
He
has,
by
means
of
his
heightened
intuitive
faculty,
realised
the
beginningless
and
endless
expanse
of
Time;
he
has
experienced
the
God
dwelling
within
him
and
others;
he
knows
the
Object,
the
Mirror
and
the
Image.
It
is
indeed
a
sovereign
role,
the
role
of
the
true
poet
in
the
human
community.
The
name
will
remove
the
veil
of
illusion,
that
now
hides
the
Universal
from
the
Individual.
When
that
veil
fades
out,
man
Oinds
Himself
before
himself;
he
beholds
the
Universe
that
he
is.
The
sages
have
laid
down
three
categories
which
comprise
the
knowable
world:
God,
Nature
and
the
I.
(Ishwara,
Prakrithi
and
Jeeva).
God
when
seen
through
the
mirror
of
Nature
appears
as
I.
Remove
the
mirror;
there
is
only
God;
the
image
merges
in
the
Original.
Man
is
but
the
image
of
God.
Even
Nature
is
but
an
appearance
of
God;
the
Reality
is
He
alone.
The
principle
of
appearance
that
deludes
as
multiple
manifestations,
is
maayaa.
It
is
not
external
to
God;
it
is
inherent
in
God,
just
as
all
powers
are
inherent
in
Him.
When
the
I
image
is
conceived
as
distinct,
we
have
dualism
or
dhwaitham.
When
it
is
recognised
as
only
an
unreal
image,
but
yet,
when
it
is
given
some
relevance
as
related
to
the
Original,
then
it
is
Visishtha-adhvai-tham
(QualiOied
Monism).
When
both
the
T
image
and
the
mirror
are
recognised
as
illusions
and
dismissed
as
such,
only
One
remains---this
is
the
Adhwaitha
Darshanam
(the
Vision
of
the
One,
without
a
Second).
The
search
for
the
one,
without
a
second,
is
the
search
of
India,
since
ages.
The
endeavour
has
always
been
to
discover
the
One,
which
when
known,
all
else
can
be
known.
The
knowledge
that
is
worth
while
is
the
knowledge
of
Unity
not
Diversity.
Diversity
means
doubt,
dissension,
dispiritedness.
The
seen
is
different
from
the
seer;
the
seer
in
everyone
is
the
same.
The
mind
that
does
not
know
the
One
is
a
dry
leaf,
rising
with
every
gust
of
wind,
and
falling
when
it
subsides.
But,
the
mind
Oixed
in
the
awareness
of
the
One
is
like
a
rock,
unaffected
by
doubt,
stable,
secure.
God,
as
amenable
to
worship
and
contemplation,
is
referred
to
as
Hiranyagarbha--Golden
Womb,
the
Origin
of
Creation,
the
Immanent
Principle
that
has
willed
to
become
manifest
and
multiple.
The
term
Gold
is
appropriate,
for
gold
is
the
One
from
which
multifarious
jewels
are
shaped
by
the
craftsman,
to
suit
the
needs,
fancy,
foibles
and
fashions
of
wearers.
God
too
is
shaped
by
human
imagination,
inclination
and
intellect
into
various
forms,
grand
or
grotesque,
frightening
or
charming.
Man
erects
these
images,
and
pours
out
before
them,
his
fears,
Page 264 of 268
fancies,
desires,
dreads
and
dreams.
He
accepts
them
as
masters,
comrades,
monarchs,
teachers,
as
the
moment
dictates.
But
whatever
man
may
do
with
God,
God
is
unaffected.
He
is
Gold,
which
subsists
in
and
through
all
the
jewels.
He
is
in
you,
and
it
is
He
that
has
prompted
you
to
project
Him
into
the
outer
world,
as
this
idol
or
that
image,
to
listen
to
your
outpouring
and
give
you
peace.
Really
speaking,
you
are
He;
not
this
body
which
you
are
carrying
with
you,
like
the
snail,
loaded
with
its
own
house,
the
shell!
When
the
fascination
for
the
body
goes,
the
Light
of
the
God
within
will
shine
and
illumine
your
thoughts,
words
and
deeds.
Krishna
says
in
the
Geetha
that
He
will
release
you
from
bondage,
the
moment
you
renounce
Sarvadharma--all
feelings
of
obligation
and
responsibilities,
of
rights
and
duties,
of
'from
me'
and
'to
me';
that
is
to
say,
He
requires
the
renunciation
of
the
identity
of
the
individual
with
the
Body.
That
is
the
Dharma,
the
Supreme
Duty
which
Krishna
had
come
to
teach.
Man
has
a
duty
to
himself---recognising
that
he
is
Divine,
and
nothing
else.
When
he
neglects
this,
and
strays
into
the
by
paths,
God
incarnates
and
brings
him
on
the
right
path
again.
If
the
ruler
bases
his
rule
on
the
faith
that
God
resides
in
all,
and
that
every
individual
is
to
be
seen
as
such,
then
them
will
be
no
discontent
or
discord.
That
is
the
Vedhaanthic
foundation
on
which
aspects
of
living
have
to
be
built.
The
Buddha
too
built
his
religion
on
the
Vedhaantha,
though
he
might
not
have
acknowledged
the
source;
the
Source
was
something
taken
for
granted,
it
was
never
disputed.
It
was
inescapable.
Discourse 30 (28/10/1969)
Learn
from
the
saints
and
sages
who
have
realised
the
Truth
about
the
path
you
shall
tread
and
the
goal
you
have
to
attain.
That
Goal
is
God.
He
is
beyond
all
notions
of
good
and
bad,
Oight
and
wrong.
These
are
earthly
measures,
by
which
the
temporary
is
weighed
and
judged.
He
has
no
form,
no
limbs,
no
dualities,
no
preferences,
no
prejudices,
no
predilections.
To
say
that
He
is
Sathyaswaruupa,
(having
the
characteristic
of
Truth),
Jnaanaswaruupa
(having
full
wisdom)
and
Aanandhaswaruupa
(full
of
Bliss)
is
also
not
correct.
For,
He
has
no
Swaruupa
or
Swabhaava
(individual
form
or
individual
nature);
He
is
Sathya;
He
is
Jnaana;
He
is
Aanandha.
That
is
the
experience
of
those
who
have
tasted.
There
are
no
pots,
in
the
clay;
but,
in
the
pots,
there
is
clay.
So
also
there
are
no
characteristics
in
God;
but,
in
the
characteristics
of
Sathya,
Jnaana
and
Aanandha,
there
is
God.
God
is
everywhere,
but,
no
spaceship
can
hit
against
Him,
no
space
pilot
can
espy
Him.
He
is
too
subtle
for
all
that
type
of
contact,
subtler
than
ether
(Aakaasa).
So,
do
not
lend
your
ears
to
people
who
swear
there
is
no
God.
God
is
too
vast,
too
far
above
the
reach
of
reason
or
imagination.
You
can
only
get
glimpses
of
the
Bliss
derivable
from
the
contemplation
of
His
MagniOicence.
The
child
has
his
tongue
and
the
mother
has
hers.
The
mother
keeps
the
child
on
her
lap
and
pronounces
the
words
so
that
the
child
may
learn
to
speak.
However
busy
the
mother's
tongue
may
be,
the
child
has
to
speak
through
its
own
tongue.
The
mother
cannot
speak
for
the
child
and
save
herself
all
the
bother!
The
Guru
too
is
like
that.
He
can
only
repeat,
remind,
inspire,
instruct,
persuade,
plead;
the
activity,
the
disciple
must
himself
initiate.
He
must
jump
over
the
stile
himself.
No
one
can
hoist
him
over
it!
Thath
(That)
is
a
word
that
refers
to
something
in
the
distance.
That,
means
something
far
away
to
which
you
point.
Thwam
(You)
is
yourself.
It
is
the
thing
nearest
to
you,
namely,
you
yourself.
You
know
yourself
most;
what
you
have
now
to
know
is
only
this:
that,
"you"
and
"that,"
are
the
same!
There
is
only
One
and
no
Two.
It
is
spoken
of
as
'buddhi
graahyam,
atheendhriyam'---
graspable
by
the
intelligence,
beyond
the
grasp
of
the
senses
of
touch,
hearing,
seeing,
taste
and
smell!
INDULAL
SHAH
informed
you
about
the
resolutions
adopted
by
the
various
sub-
committees,
suggesting
modiOications
and
additions
to
the
rules
already
current,
so
far
as
the
organisation
is
concerned.
The
main
purpose
running
through
all
these
regulations
is
known
to
you;
it
is
the
establishment
of
Sathsang
(Company
of
the
pious),
which
will
help
the
Realisation
of
the
Reality,
Aathma-Saakshaathkaara.
It
is
to
recover,
in
and
through
this
agitated
world,
the
peace
that
is
your
birthright,
and
utilise
that
peace
for
the
illumination
of
the
heart,
which
will
reveal
the
splendour
of
the
Aathma
which
you
really
are.
So
long
as
Arjuna
believed
that
he
was
the
doer
and
the
enjoyer
of
the
rewards
for
the
deed,
he
was
miserable.
But,
when
the
Lord
taught
him
and
demonstrated
to
him
that
he
was
but
an
instrument,
that
his
duty
was
only
to
surrender
to
the
Will
of
the
Lord,
that
those
whom
he
sought
to
kill
had
already
been
killed
by
the
Lord,
he
was
freed
from
grief;
he
was
Oilled
with
unspeakable
peace.
To
suppress
the
assertive
ego,
disciplines
have
been
laid
down
in
every
religion,
by
every
compiler
of
moral
codes,
by
every
educator
and
reformer
of
human
morals.
But
the
oldest,
and
most
effective,
and
the
most
successfully
practised
system
is
the
body
of
directives
laid
down
in
the
Vedhas
and
Shaasthras
of
India.
In
a
household,
when
the
wife
is
a
shrew,
there
can
be
no
joy
or
peace.
Or,
if
the
husband
is
a
drunkard
and
a
cruel
tyrant,
the
atmosphere
is
charged
with
hatred
and
grief.
So
too,
in
the
body,
when
the
mind
is
a
shrew
or
when
the
intelligence
is
a
tyrant,
there
can
be
no
peace.
The
master
of
the
household
is
the
Aathma
who
is
seldom
Page 266 of 268
recognised
or
identiOied
as
such.
When
the
Aathma
is
discovered
as
the
master,
and
recognised
as
such,
joy
reigns
undisturbed
in
the
home.
Now,
there
is
a
certain
T
used
in
speech
and
thought
as
possessing
the
body
and
the
limbs,
the
senses
and
the
mind
and
the
reasoning
faculty,
but
there
is
no
attempt
to
probe
into
the
idea
of
the
T
and
no
keenness
to
spot
out
its
whereabouts
and
characteristics.
This
is
what
is
called
Aathma-vichaara
(deliberation
on
the
Self);
every
unit
must
encourage
its
member
to
develop
this
Aathma-vichaara
and
not
be
content
with
the
conventional
items
of
club
activity,
like
the
unveiling
of
portraits.
This
search
for
the
Aathma
will
be
facilitated
by
a
study
of
the
Upanishadhs
and
the
Bhagavadgeetha,
which
is
but
the
essence
of
Upanishadhic
teachings.
Or,
it
is
enough
if
Prema
is
cultivated,
the
Prema
that
knows
no
distinction
between
oneself
and
another,
because
all
are
but
limbs
of
the
One
Corpus
of
God
Almighty.
Through
Love
alone
can
the
Embodiment
of
Love
be
gained.
Here,
no
scholarship
is
needed;
in
fact,
scholarship
will
be
an
impediment,
for
it
caters
to
egoism
and
it
breeds
doubts
and
the
desire
for
disputation
and
laurel
of
victory
over
others
preening
themselves
as
learned!
Repeat
the
Om
slowly,
contemplating
its
vast
potentialities.
The
A
emerges
from
the
throat,
the
U
rolls
over
the
tongue
and
M
ends
on
the
lips;
that
is
to
say,
Om
which
is
a
composite
of
A
U
and
M
is
the
sum
and
substance
of
all
the
words
that
can
emanate
from
the
human
tongue.
It
is
the
primordial,
fundamental
sound,
symbolic
of
the
Universal
Absolute.
After
the
M
there
must
be
the
unheard
resonance,
which
represents
the
attributeless,
formless,
Abstract,
the
Niraakaara
Parabrahman.
The
ascending
voice
of
the
Pranava
or
Om
must
take
a
curve
at
M
and
descend
as
slowly
as
it
rose,
taking
as
much
time
as
when
it
ascended,
disappearing
in
the
silence,
which
echoes
in
the
inner
consciousness.
Devotion
must
confer
peace
and
joy;
do
not
therefore
use
the
Mandalis
and
Sathsangs
of
which
you
are
members
to
disturb
your
peace
or
the
peace
of
others.
If
you
remember
that
the
one
goal
you
must
place
before
you
is
Aathma-saakshaathkaara,
and
if
you
enter
upon
Saadhana,
then,
such
tendencies
will
not
develop
in
you.
Some
people
have
their
minds
and
senses
like
cotton
balls
and
a
spark
of
jnaana
will
set
them
ablaze
and
they
achieve
victory!
Some
others
have
them
like
dried
faggots;
they
take
longer
time,
but,
victory
is
certain.
Most
have
minds
and
senses
like
green
fuel
and
even
the
raging
Oire
of
jnaana
may
be
put
out
by
the
onslaught
of
the
moisture
contained
in
them.
Make
your
mind
and
senses
like
clean
Oinely
ginned
cotton.
Yearn
to
realise
your
Reality;
that
yearning
itself
will
endow
you
with
steady
endeavour
and
the
Grace
of
God
which
will
remove
all
obstacles.
Bhakthi
cannot
come
into
man
from
outside
him;
it
has
to
be
grown
from
within
by
an
effort
to
cleanse
the
mind,
to
know
the
nature
and
origin
of
man
and
the
universe,
to
grasp
the
relation
of
man
with
all
the
external
objects
which
now
fascinate
and
foil
him.