There is always the lurking danger of ego growing up in persons with acquisition of new talents. This is particularly so with the acquisition of academic knowledge. The end result is a misfortune that such educated persons are only ‘elite but not noble’.

Swami cautions by saying;-

“A true scholar should not entertain egoism in his thoughts at any time. However, the misfortune is that scholars as a class are today afflicted with unbounded egoism. As a consequence, they follow incorrect ideals and take to wrong paths. They confer the benefits of education only on themselves and on their kith and kin. As a result, they forgo their position among sajjans (noble men) and the respect it can bring. One must grant generously to others the knowledge, skill and insight that one has acquired. If this is not done, human progress itself is endangered. In order to promote the best interest of mankind, one has to cultivate the holy urge of paropakaaram (service to others) and the attitude of sharing.”-Vidya Vahini, Chap 15

So who is sajjan?  Sajjans are good people. They are selfless servants of the needy. In Swami’s words they are noble people who have the holy urge to surrender their knowledge, bodily functions and faculties to serve others.

Sajjans use their thoughts, words, action and  acquired wisdom for the benefit of others as Yajna (sacrifice) and Tyaga (renunciation).They are living  examples of the dictum that says ‘Paropa kaaraartham (meant to serve others), idham shariram ( this body)’—‘purpose of this body is to serve others’.

We must note that the aphorism ends with idham Shariram. What does it signify?

It signifies that body per se devoid of selfishness and desire for anything in return is meant for and sufficient to serve others. Neither education nor wealth is a must.

A man takes up his birth only with Shariram …nothing more than that. Worldly acquisitions like education and wealth come to him subsequently in life.

What resources other than Shariram (body) are required:-

To look with an eye of compassion, when one is in distress?

To listen with concern, the tales of the deprived?

To give one in agony a loving touch?

To tell a word of encouragement, to one struggling to get over difficulties?

All that is required is just the holy urge within the God’s gift of our own body. Education, wealth and other facilities that may come into one’s possession later on in one’s life may indeed improve the dimension of Paropakaaram (service to others). However, the point is also that an education that does not inculcate this core principle of service is not a ‘noble’ education. When the education is noble the products come out of it will be noble.

Swami says:-

Education is rendered noble when the spirit of service is inculcated. The service rendered must be free of the slightest trace of narrow selfishness. That is not enough. The thought of service should not be marred by the desire for something in return. You have to perform the service as you would perform an important Yajna (sacrificial ritual). As trees do not eat their fruits but offer them to be eaten by others in an attitude of detachment; as rivers, without drinking the waters they carry, quench the thirst and cool the heat from which others suffer; as cows offer their milk, produced primarily for their calves, in a spirit of generosity born of Tyaga (renunciation), to be shared by others; so too you should offer yourself to others prompted by the motive of service and without consideration of selfish interests. Only then can you justify your status as sajjana (noble men)..Vidya Vahini, Chap 14.

To develop an urge to serve others is possible by education alone? No.

All that we need to do is to look for association with Sajjans. Like a piece of iron coming into contact with a magnet takes up the magnetic properties, association with Sajjans will help one to become a Sajjan. One must aspire for the constant association with and serve Sajjans to become a Sajjan. Thus, the fact of the matter is, by associating with Sajjans and serving them, one serves himself.How?

Efficacy of Sajjana sangam (association with noble people)

The association with sajjans is so powerful that it is considered as the sure path to free oneself from the ocean of birth and deaths.

Swami says: “Na thapamsi na theerthani,” – Not by penance, nor by pilgrimage – “na shastram japa nahi” – not by the study of scriptures, nor by continuous chanting – “samsara sagarothare sajjanam, sevanam Vina” – if you have the aspiration to cross the ocean of worldly existence – then you must serve the — Sajjans–the good people. (summer showers in Brindavan 1995 page 72).

Lord Sankara in his illuminating Bajagovindam song says that Sajjana Sangam (Association with noble and good people) is the boat for crossing the ocean of birth and deaths.

kaate kaantaa dhana gatachintaa
vaatula kim tava naasti niyantaa
trijagati sajjana samgatiraikaa
bhavati bhavaarnavatarane naukaa

Vaathula::     O distressed mind!

Kaate kantha:: Where is wife? Relationship between husband and wife is considered the closest and strongest relationship as there is no secret kept between them…so other relationships are not highlighted but included.

dhana gatachintaa::the wealth etc. that has been constantly thought of.

kim tava naasti niyantaa:: is there no one to guide or who can command out of these thoughts? (while carrying the life’s course to end)

Trijagati::in all the three worlds…heaven-earth-lower regions (just to lay emphasis).

sajjana samgatiraikaa::Association with good people alone.

Bhavati::can serve to secure safely.

Bhava arnava tarane naukaa::to cross the sea of change (birth and death) as a boat.

The mind always worries with the thoughts of losing close relationships and wealth. When one reflects rationally on the relationships like husband and wife etc., and the myth about the security what wealth can provide, one can easily understand that these are just transient and binding in nature. When prana (vital air) leaves the body, these persistent thoughts about relationships and wealth will bind one to rebirth to enjoy the unfulfilled desires. The seeker should constantly strive to grow over sense-gratification and uplift one’s thoughts by conscious remembrance of the Lord.

Steadfast association with– sajjana–who are endowed with clear vision about the purpose of life, alone, can help to acquire the discrimination and dispassion while living in the midst pleasures and pains. The mind, in earlier stages, may resist any attempts of associating oneself with self-controlled people, but it will get tamed over a period, to change from the old way of thinking.

Summing up all we discussed above, if we realize that the education we received has not taught us to become a sajjan this far, let us look for Sajjana sangam (association with good people) to change our way of life to serve others and get liberated.

Love to all,

Venkat

“Every thing changes with the passage of time. It is only the Atmic principle which is true and eternal. It has neither birth nor death. You should therefore repose faith only in the ATMA and nothing else. Man passes through different stages like childhood, youth, old age, etc.  Only the body undergoes these changes but the individual remains the same. The entire creation has emerged from the principle of the ATMA, which is changeless. We should have total faith in this changeless principle of the ATMA. A true human being is one who is steady and unwavering on this understanding”

(Excerpts from Bhagwans’s discourse on 21^st Feb. 2009-sanathan sarathi march 2009 page—105/106)

1. Message of change

We generally understand that change means a material difference in the form, state or condition of a thing by the transformation to another form, state or condition that is different from what it was.Changes in creation arouse our curiosity to know the basis for the modifications.Change in the form of matter needs the support of a background principle to perceive the change taking place. For example we perceive the movement of clouds because of the stationery sky behind. We are not as serious to perceive the relative static nature of sky holding the clouds. However, with the changes in creation as a pointer, we try to perceive the principle that should be changeless  and yet holding the creation with its changes. Evolution and dissolution as changes take place in the realm of a principle that is eternal, changeless, called ATMA.

2. Change is pointer to unseen life principle and beyond.

Change gives semblance to life principle. Movements of a man indicate that he is alive. Corpse and carcasses do not move, indicating that the life principle which was in them before is no longer there. Continuous experience of a sequence of change in creation lends meaning to the life principle. Most importantly, change is an indicator to the existence of a changeless principle that sustains and projects the perceived changes.

3...Change lends meaning to the concept of time

What ever is there in the objective world is not going to be in the same state or form in the future. In other words, ingredients collectively giving form to creation will all change with the efflux of time (kala)–if not within hours, days, months, years, but certainly over centuries. We learn from earth sciences, drifting in the earths crust formed new continents, oceans swelled or dried up to erase advanced human civilizations –all as part of the law of inevitable change in creation. These changes from evolution to dissolution lend credence to the concept of time (kala).Where there is no change –there is no meaning for time.

4. Progressive change indicates the power of renunciation and service.

The unchangeable truth about creation is change. But all change is not growth; all movement is not forward. We are concerned only with progressive change. Transformation of matter from solid-to liquid- to gas- stands as an example for progressive change. Matter when infused with energy renounces its lower forms with its associated properties to progress towards higher, powerful and subtler forms. A stationery solid block of ice stays where it is. But when heat is applied to it, ice renounces its solid state to transform to liquid (water) form which starts   flowing. When the liquid (water) is further heated, renounces its liquid state to transform to gaseous (steam) form which rises up to merge in the atmosphere. This progressive change gives more latent power to matter as they progress to subtler forms.  Inert form of ice transforming to a state of steam serves to pull a heavy load of train!!

5. Compulsive change in human personality for progressive use

Swamy says:-

“All things in creation are subject to change and man too is subject to this law. But, man should use the law for progress and not for sliding down the scale.

(Sadhana-The inward path) Aphorism 62, page 74)

In conformity with the law of inevitable change in creation, man’s bodily (gross) features, mind and intellect (subtle inner) faculties also change. Childhood changes to adolescence, adolescence changes to adulthood and adult hood changes to old frame of body. Finally body drops dead. Can any one avoid or evade bodily changes of old age, decay and death? Surely, passage of time will weaken ones faculties and make them unworkable for progress.

However, the various stages of change in a man’s personality we talked above, relate bodily growth along with the development of his mind and intellect factors also. Harmonious development of body, mind and intellect gives a balanced personality to man so that he will be able to assign appropriate values and progressively renounce objects of lower values to those of higher values in life. A child prefers a tiny piece of sweet to a more expensive toy. This behavior of the child is quite understandable based on the child’s age and development of its mind and intellect. But, a man of 70 years of age, if  unable drop his desire to play with toys to having interest to read meaningful literatures, he will be looked at curiously by others, for he has not dropped his childhood  values in consistence with the growth of his personality from childhood to his present age. We will say that his mind and intellect have not progressively changed along with his body!! He will be considered a mentally challenged person!!

Man, as part of creation belongs to the animal category. When imbued with spiritual energy he renounces the animal propensities to become man. With further infusion of this energy and selection of values from within, he transforms to human. Applying those selective human values in life’s course to selfless service his humanness sublimes to Divinity. Man should learn from the law of inevitable changes in creation to use his personality to progress and not to slide down from his spiritual goal—to realize the changeless…ATMA.

Love to all,

Venkat

For political or other reasons, some persons are arrested and kept in detention in order to preserve law and order of the country. They are kept confined in big bungalows and given special treatment as befits their status and provided meals and also luxury articles as commensurate with their grades in social and political life. However, around the bungalow and the garden, there are always policemen on guard.  Whatever be the standard of life enjoyed by the prisoner, he is not a free man. So too, a  person confined in the ‘prison’ of the world should not be feel elated over the sensual comforts he/she can enjoy. He/she must not feel proud of their friends and kinsmen around but must recognize and keep in mind that he/she is in prison.

- Vidya Vahini, Chap 9.

A perspective:

Swami describes the nature of our conditioned life in the world. It is useful, if we try to comprehend the significance of the above message from yet another perspective.

Supposing a person is handed down a prison sentence for a crime committed, most of us feel pity about the convict   for the hardships he has to bear with in prison. This sense of pity emanates in us   from our deluded thinking that we are free people. A person under restrictions on movement and communication with outside world is constantly forced to feel that he is in some sort of a prison. Whereas, our relative freedom to move with friends and relatives deludes us to imagine that we are not in any sort of prison.

Are we really free? Is the question.

Swami cautions us to realize, in the first place, that essentially we are all prisoners in this world due to our own past actions (karmas). As long as we continue to eulogize our ephemeral relationships with our body, our feeling of our freedom in this objective world is only a delusion. The feeling that we are free beings because of the relative ease with which we indulge in material comforts of the world is only a myth. We are prisoners in an enlarged space called ‘world’, even if , not confined within an articulated four walled space called ‘jail’.

Essentially ‘jivi’ of the prisoner and us are all ‘born prisoners’ under constant surveillance. From birth to death we have encased ourselves in bodies owing to the effect of good and bad karma of past lives.

What is that “freedom” Swami wants us to achieve?

That is the “freedom from rebirth in bodily encasement”.

How are to we to gain that freedom?

Our unique faculties (to think and act) if used intelligently while we live in this world should set us free. we should realize that this world we live in is only a correction facility to exhaust our carried over impressions of our past actions and not to indulge in frivolous pursuits to acquire more impressions.We have to use our body through to the end of its life in this correction facility to neutralize our past Karmas. We must realize that the net balance of Karma even if good will sweetly be imprisoning in nature to rebirth again in decorated prison like bungalows with gardens.

The faculties to think and act are indeed a boon given only to us human beings amongst all living beings.

Goats do not have capacity to think of their impending destiny! They will still pull to grab grass found on their way to the slaughter house!!

But we as men must make use of our unique faculties (to think and act) intelligently while we live in this correction facility—world—to get out of the World and never to return.

And Swami says:- (Sadhana-The inward path..page 54)

“The law of karma holds out hope for you. as the karma so the consequence. Do not bind yourself further by seeking the fruits of karma; offer the karma at the feet of God. Let it glorify Him; let it further His splendor. Be unconnected with success or failure  of the endevor. Then death have no noose to bind you with. Death will come as a liberator, not a jailor”.

How shall we live and act in this world to achieve that freedom?

Swami  says:- (Sutra Vahini,  Aphorism 1, “Renunciation alone confers immortality)

“Acquisition of positions of authority and power, of skill and intelligence which can manipulate people and things, of fame and supremacy, of personal charm, of good health and happiness or of a large family with many children or wealth… none of these can confer liberation. You cannot attain liberation by undertaking sacrifices, vows, charities, pilgrimages or donations to holy projects. Though the objective world appears real, you must be aware that it is deluding you.  You must give up yearning for deriving pleasure from the objects that appear and attract – both here and hereafter. Renunciation alone can lead to immortality. You will be liberated as soon as you renounce your attachment and desire.”

In short, we learn that “righteous actions renouncing their fruits to Swami is the key to freedom— virtuous life with ‘faith in and devotion to Him’ alone will liberate us through mortal death, i.e. from worldly prison hood to eternal knighthood. ‘Mrthyomam Amrtam Gamaya’.

Love to all,

Venkat

In our posting dated 19^th May 2010 under the caption “Devotion and Devotee”we saw what is Bhakthi (devotion), who is a Bhaktha(devotee) and how dear a Bhaktha(devotee) is to Lord as follows:-

“Thoughts, words and deeds pleasing to Lord when expressed and executed continuously as a way of living, becomes Bhakthi (devotion). Lord Himself will then proclaim such an aspirant a  bhaktha (devotee), draw and hold him as very dear to Him.”

We have to explore what  is that qualitative way of  living through which we can become  dear devotees of Lord?

Swami says:-

It is the Dharmic way of life that should be ones breath (as important as breathing which is continuous and involuntary). Those who walk along it are dear to the Lord. He dwells with all who are truthful, whose deeds spring from Dharma. To practice this atmic dharma one has to develop certain qualities which are delineated in verses 13 to 19 of the chap XII of the Geetha….Dharma Vahini..page 16

Let us see the prescribed qualities:-

1.He who is free from malice towards all beings, friendly and compassionate, rid of feeling of  ‘I’ and ‘mine’, balanced in joy and sorrow, forgiving by nature, ever contented and mentally united with Me, with subdued mind, senses and body, has a firm resolve and has surrendered his mind and reason to Me…that devotee of Mine is dear to me.

2.He who is not a source of annoyance to his fellow creatures and who in his turn does not feel vexed with his fellow beings and who  is free from delight and envy, perturbation and fear is dear to Me.

3.He who wants nothing, who is both internally and externally pure, is wise and impartial and has risen above all distractions renouncing the sense of doership in all undertakings—such a devotee is Mine and dear to Me.

4.He who neither rejoices nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires and who renounces both good and evil actions and is full of devotion is dear to Me.

5.He who deals equally with friend and foe, feels same in honor and ignominy, remain alike in heat and cold, pleasure and pain, free from attachment, taking praise and reproach alike, given to contemplation, contented with any means of subsistence available, entertaining no sense of ownership and attachment in respect of dwelling place ..that person is dear to Me.

6.Those devotees, however, who partake in a disinterested way of this nector of pious wisdom set forth above, endowed with faith and solely devoted to Me, they are extremely dear to me.

(Purport..of  verses 13 to 19 of the chap XII of the Geetha by Shri.Jayadayal.)

Swami says that the most important among  the above  is verse no 6 which reads in Bhagwath Geetha as below.

‘Ye thu dharmyaamritham idam yathoktham paryupaasathe

sraddhadhaanaa math paramaa bhakthaasthe atheeva math priyaah’

Swamy says those with above qualities(1 to 5), with trust in Him as the only ultimate goal, and with single minded attachment  to Him are dearest and nearest to Him. (dharma vahini …page 17)

So  trust in  and unwavering devotion to Lord (verse 6) should be the base on which we develop our living  principles (as per verses 1 to 5).

Lord will then consider us to be  most dear to Him.

Can we self examine how far away are we from Swami’s guide lines?

Love to all,

Venkat

Bhakthi(devotion) and  Bhaktha(devotee)

Geetha Vahini (Page 225 to 231)

A perspective

Bhakthi is generally understood as genuine devotion to the Lord.  But it connotes much more than this.

A bhaktha (devotee) should not pay so much attention to the devotion he has towards the Lord, but to the Love and Grace that the Lord bestows on him. He must always be eager to find out which behavior of his, what acts of his, will be most pleasing to the Lord, will fill the Lord with Anandam (appreciative disposition).

The bhaktha should inquire about that, yearn for that, carry out the things that will secure that objective  …be engaged in actions conducive to gain it. This is bhakthi(devotion).

The Karma (act) which pleases the Lord is superior to the Karma (act) which fulfills the yearnings of the devotee.

We can observe similar principle is applied in our relationships in day to day life.

Many of us are ‘devoted’ sons to parents (vice versa), ‘devoted’ husbands to wives (vice versa), ‘devoted’ friends among friends and ‘devoted’ employee to an employer.

We derive the title ‘devotee’ for our undertaking actions that are not necessarily pleasurable to or sometimes even impose hardships on us. We endeavor to carry out such actions to provide genuine pleasure/comfort to our parents/spouse/children/friends and employers yearning for their appreciation in return.

In short, in mundane life, we seek the appreciative gestures from others for our actions. We expect them speak about us as ‘devoted’ to them for our actions which are pleasing  to them. So, we do not proclaim ourselves as ‘devoted’ to so & so. Credentials for our actions have to come from those towards whom such actions have been directed. So in a way we are bhakthas at different levels according to our actions to our different relationships in mundane life.

The foregoing is just a crude example. In transient relationships our devotion and the appreciation therefor are neither constant nor continuous.

Affection towards offspring, infatuation towards mortally attracted, comradeship among equals, attachment to goods and possessions, reverence and humility to elders and teachers are all forms of love  …but they are all splinter rivers flowing towards the ocean of bhakthi. Some of them will change courses or may dry up.

However, in spiritual life, a bhaktha(devotee) is one who dedicates all his actions as easwareeya karma (actions for Lord’s sake). Thus he thinks only about the Lord, all through during his wakeful and sleeping stages of life. So, this is constant yearning at the inner consciousness to please the Lord at all times. With this yearning in his heart,  emanate his thoughts, words and actions. It is a selfless attachment to the lord and it wells up from oneself. It should flow uninterruptedly with same intensity at all times in the direction of Lord..that is bhakthi (devotion).

In short bhakthi (devotion) is the way we live yearning for the divine love. This love is the goal of ones life.

How do we derive this title “devotee”?

Thoughts, words and deeds pleasing to Lord when expressed and executed continuously as a way of living, becomes Bhakthi (devotion). Lord Himself will then proclaim such an aspirant a  bhaktha (devotee), draw and hold him as very dear to Him.

This Bhakthi ( the way of living with thoughts, speech and actions pleasurable to Lord) is what we should aspire to understand, observe and practice.

We have to be alert all the while to please the Lord leaving it unto Him to call us devotees at His pleasure.

Hence, when some one asks any one of us..are you a devotee of Baba??

Our apt answer will be—“well..my humble prayers to Baba to tell you so”.

with love to all

Venkat

Dear all,
Sairam

For those who could not read the ‘thought for the day’ posted on the 12th April 2010..it is reproduced below:-
————————-
“You may have outstanding physical beauty. You may have the sparkle of robust youth. You may be from a high and noble lineage. You may be a famed scholar. However, if you lack the virtues that only spiritual discipline can ensure, you will be reckoned only as a beautiful flower with no fragrance. You must live in accordance with the prescriptions from the Scriptures and perform actions with the attitude that is needed to preserve the status you have gained as the highest soul amongst animals and living beings”
———————————
A peacock may spread his feathers and dance most beautifully…he is like a flower to Swami in creation.
A lion is most daring and can kill other beasts much bigger than him.. he is just a flower to Swami in creation.
A swan is a gracious and noble bird.. still she is just another flower to Swami in creation.
A parrot can quickly learn to repeat scholarly words taught to him.. he is just like yet another flower in creation to Swami.
Similarly man, despite his unique discriminating faculty, if he lacks the virtues ordained by the spiritual discipline and is satisfied with his beautiful physical disposition, daring youth, gracious and noble lineage and objective knowledge.. he is no different from the above living beings ..peacock..lion..swan or a parrot.

But, a man… who leads a life of discipline according to scriptures remembering always his unique status among all living beings and also acts to preserve that status which has been denied to all other living beings . is not just a flower.. but a beautiful flower with fragrance to Swami.

We may not be lacking in all disciplines as contained in the scriptures…be it Bhagwat Geeta, Bible, Quran or Grant Sahib…according to our religious faith. But the virtues we lack we must know. The scriptures are very vast and interpretations are quite confusing many a times. we are not quite knowledgeable about them. So what shall we do?
Here, we have to seek ‘prescriptions’ from Swami.

Supposing we have stomach or head ache, What do we do? We do not seek admission to join a medical college to learn all about our sickness and the medicines to be administered on ourselves. Instead we consult a physician who has already studied medical sciences and obtain his “prescriptions” and act as per his instructions on ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts” on our daily routines with an interest to restore and maintain our health.

So too, we have to take the prescriptions from Swami for our spiritual deficiencies and perform virtuous actions with an attitude to preserve the status as the highest soul amongst animals and living beings

——————-

The above views were posted on our website on 30th April 2010.

To day Swami has given His Inspirational prescriptions:-

Kindly read below  what kind of  flowers should we be and what are His prescriptions to our medical chest to ward of disease of ignorance.

————————————–

Excerpts from  Sai Inspires dated 13th May 2010 (Vidya Vahini Chapter 8 )

In the garden of the Heart, you must plant and foster the Rose of Divinity, the Jasmine of Humility and the Lily (Champak) flower of Generosity. In your medicine chest, you must keep in readiness, the tablets of discrimination, drops of self-control and three key powders: Faith, Devotion and Patience. Through the use of these drugs, you can escape the serious illness called Ajnana (Ignorance).

————————————-

Love to all.

Venkat