Sri Bala charanam

Daily Theme Corner: Right Kind of Sail to reach Bala

Extracts from Daily Diary Theme Dated April 16th,2021

Asha Amma on different kinds of sailboats:

Here is my take on today's theme. The ocean that you see around is the universe, vast,
unpredictable, cold, lonely, and lively. The boat seen is the physical body of the jiva. It can be
long, short, huge, small, but the purpose is the same, to float on water like the physical self
which can be tall, short, black, white, or brown. It has to fulfill its karma in this universe like the
boat on water.
Some boats have rudder/oars, some have the sail, some are motor ridden etc. They represent
the soul in our body, which directs the self to move forward, backward, side ward etc.
The sail is the bhakthi in the self, if it is turned upward and outward, pointing towards the sky, it
connects with Bala. The boat gets to know the directions and it will set sail in that direction.

(a) (b) (c)

The one with the oars (a) are like people who struggle with worldly experiences and trying to
take help from this world, it can float for short distances but the ones with sails (b) can travel for
long distances.
The motorboat (c) is like the ones who perform pooja for only benefits, the pooja is like the
petrol or diesel as long it is there it will go with full speed, the moment it is over it will stop again.
They have to go for re-fueling.
So, one needs to decide whether they want to be like a boat with a sail, or a boat with the
rudder or a motorboat.

Interactions based on this Topic:

 Question 1: Amma, could you explain about this sail with oars concept? What did you
mean by “Floating for short distances?” Is it like using the worldly help, they survive for
some time and then what happens?
Asha Ma: Yes, some people will do this. Then they get tired of rowing, they become
directionless, and then leave it to the waves to take them along. They have no clue where the
waves will take them. If there are no waves, they just float doing nothing. Tired, hungry,
clueless, their spirits will be down and nothing to look forward to. Their friends, relatives, family
all deserted, no one in sight is the state of such people. Then, they realize that they should have
sailed on a boat with the sails.

Question 2: Wow so deep an answer, to imagine it is scary. When we go on a cruise, let’s

be careful to pick the right sail now onwards.
Does long sail mean Bala’s grace is protecting us throughout the journey making us face
the ups and downs in life?
Asha Ma: Long sails are bhakthi, devotion. You open it, set it pointing upwards reaching out for
Bala. She sits on the top and guides the sail according to the wind direction.

Question 3: Oh my God! so much to think before entering the waters?

Asha Ma: The soul does before entering the world called ocean

Question 4: But do we have a say in choosing the type?

Asha Ma: No your karma does.
Souls are strong in their behaviour. They know why they are being born again and again. They
understand their karma, once they leave the body. It is mind with its limited knowledge, tries to
decipher things and tries things from known to unknown.
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Question 5: See, then we are helpless until a rescuer comes. Should we Surrender to
Bhavani!!!!!
Asha Ma: Yes, She takes you across
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Question 6: What is the guru’s role here? Setting the sail right?

Asha Ma : To teach which boat to choose, how to set the sail and how to sail away even in high
tide.
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Question 7: Also Amma, we are conditioned in mind with our desires isn’t it? We can’t love
Bala deeply because it comes in way!
Asha Ma: Yes, we are, the problem is we learn the wrong way. So, it becomes difficult for us,
because first you need to unlearn and then learn.

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Funny Snippets

Comment 1: Also reminds me of the rhyme Row, Row, Row the boat gently down the
stream , merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream!!

Asha Ma : Decide whether you are going to “sail the boat or row the boat”
I am reminded of Aasaiye Alai Pole, Naam Ellam Adhan Mele
Odam Pole Aadiduvome, Vaazh Naalile (song from movie “Thai pirandhal vazhi pirakkum” )
Comment 2 :Ha ha let me change it to sail sail sail the boat
Asha Ma : in our excitement we should never take the eye away from our goal
Comment 3 : Amma you said let the goal be hers.
Asha Ma: goal of setting sail ma
Comment 4 : Oh, I missed this. I thought the final goal.
Comment 5: Next time from US to India, let me take the long sail boat.
No motor boat or cruise ship nor flight,
Only Bala will know when I will reach

Asha Ma :the boat is yours, journey is yours why not?

then don't your trust her?

Comment 6 : Of course let her take me in a day or a year, it’s her choice

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General question and answer session

Q1: So, it is the mind which is the cause of new karmas ?

Asha ma: yes, the soul wants experience, but it is always pure, it gets the experience through
the senses and the manam and bhuthi.
It is the mind which makes you believe that it is getting tarnished, but in reality it is not. The soul
is just watching you have desires, you tasting food, wearing beautiful clothes etc. It is not doing
anything, because it is an onlooker. It is considered to have participated in the event and so it
carries the karma for the act.
if you eat something for the body to be nourished it doesn't add karma, but if you overeat your
body is punished, isn't it? like that only!
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Q2) Oh ok. But the decision to do puja etc. also is decided by the mind is it?
Asha Ma : Yes.the role of the soul is to abide within the body until it remains in the body
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Q3) Do we realize that soul is an onlooker, pure and not touched by mind as a part of our
journey along with experiencing our karma ?

Asha Ma : Soul carries the sanchita (whatever we have reaped from past lives)karma to the
body, delivers it and watches as things unfold.
It is just a vehicle to carry karmas from one body to the other and to keep the cycle moving.
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Q4) From Vinay : With regards to Pooja,how do we differentiate between doing it for gain
vs doing it for the purpose of doing it—for example, if doing poojas helps us connect and
feel bhakti, and brings us to a more intimate relationship with God, is it ok? Or
sometimes, we do poojas like nithyakarmas as a means to discipline ourselves no?

Sri : My input is desireless devotion . We can do all this with only goddess in mind. Not for any
desire.

Asha ma : There you go, sri vidya has answered your question Vinay
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Q4) So when does this cycle end? When the mind gets absorbed?
Asha Ma : No when the net karma = 0 ie . gained karma = used karma(Balance Sheet Tally)
Since we don't know how much gained karmas we have, we struggle, so our elders gave us a
simple solution, don't do pavam (sins) or go against dharma in this life, this will continue in every
life isn't it !!
you should always go from known to unknown, so Bala is showing us the known examples and
taking us to the unknown concepts of life,struggles, pavam, puniyam etc
That was my punch line for the day.
FROM KNOWN TO UNKNOWN

Sri Bala Thunai