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Date : 21 February 2001 --- Occasion : Shivaratri --- Place : Prasanthi Nilayam
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THE NATURE OF ATMA
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One may be able to repeat Vedas and Shastras.
One may be able to sing verses melodiously.
If one does not have a pure heart, one will surely be ruined.
The word of Sai is the truth.
Embodiments of Divine Atma!
All earthly beings are classified into four categories:
Andaja, that which is born out of an egg
Pindaja, that which is born out of the
mother's womb
Uthbhija, that which is born out of the earth
Swedaja, that which is born out of sweat.
Under each category, there are twenty-one lakh types of species. Hence, it is said that there are eighty-four lakh species in God's creation. These eighty-four lakh species have three types of sufferings, viz., adibhoutika, adidaivika, and adhyatmika. Adibhoutika refers to the diseases that are caused by man's attachment to the physical world. It also refers to the diseases that are caused by insects like mosquitoes, flies, etc. Adidaivika is the suffering caused by natural calamities like earthquakes and floods and epidemics like cholera and plague. Adhyatmika is the suffering that results from wrong food and bad habits. It also indicates the suffering caused by cruel animals and wicked people. What is the remedy for these three types of sufferings? One should have strong faith in the Self. What is the panacea for all suffering? One should strive to experience Atmic bliss, for which nine paths of devotion are prescribed: sravanam (listening), kirtanam (singing), Vishnu smaranam (contemplating on Vishnu), padasevanam (serving the Lotus Feet), archanam (worship), vandanam (salutation), dasyam (servitude), sneham (friendship), and Atma nivedanam (Self-surrender). Man can get rid of his afflictions by taking to any of these nine paths.
Before the commencement of the Kurukshetra War, Duryodhana and Dussasana prostrated before their mother Gandhari, seeking her blessings. Gandhari, being of pure heart, steady mind, and selfless love, blessed them saying, "Yatho dharmah thatho jayaha (victory is where dharma is)." Then they went to their preceptor, Dronacharya, to pay their respects. He blessed them saying, "Yatho dharmah thatho Krishnah, yatho Krishna thatho jayaha (Krishna is where righteousness is, wherever there is Krishna, victory is bound to be there)."
You are born as a human being, but do you follow the dharma prescribed for a human being? If you do so, your dharma will certainly protect you.
Man today is subjected to hardship because he has forgotten his origin. The fish is born in water. It cannot survive even for a while without water. It is happy only when it is in water, the place of its origin.
What is the source of man's origin? Lord Krishna declared in the Gita, "Mamaivamsho Jeevaloke Jeevabhuta Sanathanaha (the eternal Atma in all beings is a part of My Being)." From this it is evident that man is a spark of the Divine. He originated from the principle of Atma. Born of the Atma, man should always contemplate on it. He will become restless and face hardship if he forgets the Atma. So, never forget the Atma, the place of your origin. Have faith in the Atma. Respect and revere it. Treat the Atma as the basis of your life. This is the Dharma to which man should adhere.
You may occupy positions of authority, you may have wealth and prosperity but none of them can protect you. Only faith in the Self can protect you. You may involve yourself in any work you like, but you should have unwavering faith in the Atma.
When a mother goes to the river to fetch water, she leaves her child in the cradle. On her way back, she may converse with other ladies while carrying a potful of water on her head. But her mind will constantly be focused on her child. She would want to get back home as quickly as possible, lest her child should wake up and start crying.
Likewise, your mind should be constantly focused on the Atma in all your activities. That should be your aim.
You participated in the bhajans throughout the night. While taking part in bhajans, you may sing various songs with different tunes and beats, but your mind should constantly be fixed on the Atma. All your actions must be done with the sole purpose to please God.
Arjuna asked Lord Krishna how he could fight in the war if he had to constantly think of God. Krishna replied, "It is your body and the senses that are involved in the warfare. Such being the case, you can always focus the mind on God."
Direct your mind on God instead of directing on the senses. As I pointed out yesterday, senses are responsible for both merit and sin. If you put them to misuse, you will incur sin. If they are used in a proper way it results in merit. Speak softly and sweetly and cultivate a good mind. Only then will you earn the respect of others. You cannot always oblige, but you can always speak obligingly.
Cultivate the right vision. The look of evil will put you in danger. Keechaka cast his evil looks on Draupadi, which eventually led to his death at the hands of Bhima. Do not listen to evil talk. Kaikeyi paid heed to the evil words of Mandhara, which ultimately led to Rama's exile, whom she had loved much more than her own son, Bharata.
Today, do you find any women with the name Kaikeyi or Mandhara? No. Society will not respect those who indulge in evil talk and listen to evil. So, you should always speak well and listen to good words. If you happen to hear something evil, do not share it with others. What is the purpose in causing unrest to others by telling them something that has caused unrest to you? There are people today who not only lend their ears to evil talk but also spread the same to the rest of society, causing a great deal of unrest.
Paropakara punyaya papaya parapeedanam
One attains merit by serving others and commits sin by hurting them.
Let your tongue utter words that will give joy to others. This is precisely what you have done the whole night. You sang the name of God, which gave joy to everyone. When you think of God, there will be no scope for criticism or talking ill of others. But there is a type of prayer in which the devotee reminds God of those who troubled Him. Once, Vidhura prayed to Krishna thus, "O Krishna, why don't you come to my house? Never did I try to harm you the way Kamsa did. Never did I abuse you the way Sisupala did. Then why don't you visit my house?"
You may be aware of how Sisupala hurled abuses at Krishna in the open court, questioning the latter's credentials to receive the grand offering made by Dharmaraja at the conclusion of Rajasuya Yaga. He said, "O Krishna, what makes you think that you deserve this grand offering more than the others in this Court? Is it because you played pranks with the Gopikas as you pleased? Do not brag about yourself; shut up."
Since Sisupala had crossed his limits, Krishna took the plate used for offerings and hurled it at Sisupala, which in a trice beheaded him. Everybody appreciated what Krishna did. Many people are under the wrong impression that Krishna used His chakra (discus) to kill Sisupala, but it was only a plate. When time is not favourable, even a stick in the hand will turn into a snake. On the other hand, if it is favourable, even if you stamp on a snake, it will remain harmless like a stick.
To always have a good time, you must fill your heart with sacred feelings. The history of Bharat (India) is replete with many examples that bear testimony to this truth. People forget such sacred history today, resort to unrighteous means and set bad examples. Learn the sacred lessons that the history of Bharat teaches. Cultivate sacred feelings. Let your ears listen to sacred stories. Let your tongue articulate sacred words and let your hands perform meritorious deeds. Do you know why God has given you hands? Is it merely to feed your stomach? No. They must be used in the service of society. Do you know why has He given you the feet? They are not to wander in the streets like a vagabond, but to visit sacred places.
The evil effects of Kali Age cannot shake the one whose heart is filled with compassion, whose speech is suffused with truth and whose body is used for serving others.
People today are prepared to listen to vain gossip, but when the sacred stories of the Lord are narrated; their ears are clogged. People are never tired of seeing films, but their eyes find it very difficult to concentrate on the beautiful form of the Lord even for a minute.
People see anything and everything with their eyes wide open, but when they visit a temple, they close their eyes while standing in front of the beautiful image of the Lord. What an irony! Senses can lead you to either sin or merit. It is your duty to put them on the right path and earn merit. Then God will fulfil all your wishes. There is no need to ask Him.
Do not ask, O Mind, do not ask.
The more you ask, the more you will be left out.
God will certainly grant you what you deserve without your asking.
Did He not grant the wish of Sabari, who never asked?
Did He not redeem the bird, Jatayu, who sacrificed his life for His cause
but never asked?
First, make your heart pure. Only purity attracts Divinity. If the iron filings are rusted, even the most powerful magnet will not attract them. The iron filings may blame the magnet, saying it has no power. However, the magnet tells them, "You may think as you please, I am not bothered. Get rid of the rust and become pure. Only then will I attract you." In the same manner, how do you expect God to attract your mind, which is rusted with evil thoughts? See good, listen to good things, speak good and pleasant words, undertake sacred activities. If you act in this manner, without your asking God will certainly bestow His grace on you.
Last evening at 6 o'clock, the most auspicious time arrived, during which the emergence of the Linga took place. Why is Shivaratri considered auspicious? The reason is this. The moon has sixteen kalas (aspects) and so too the mind. On the day of Shivaratri, fifteen are merged and only one remains. If the sixteenth aspect is also merged, one attains Divinity. This total merger will take place only when one chants the divine name continuously and wholeheartedly. Of all the senses, the tongue is very important.
O tongue, you know what is taste and are very sacred.
Speak the truth in the most pleasing manner.
Chant the divine names of Govinda, Madhava and Damodhara
incessantly.
This is your foremost duty.
When the tongue tastes sweet delicacies, it sends them to the stomach. But if the food is bitter, the tongue at once spits it out. Not merely that, the tongue conducts itself in the most respectful manner. It does not step out of its house (the mouth) under any circumstances. It does all its work without crossing its limits. While all other senses perform only one function each, the tongue alone has the capacity to perform two types of functions, namely to taste and to speak. That is why one has to exercise proper control over the tongue, lest it indulge in sinful activities like talking ill of others. In times of anger, observe silence. Our ancients taught: talk less, work more. The less you talk, the purer your heart remains.
Contemplation on God is the only means to keep the senses pure. But today people have no control over their senses. Even the animals have a reason and a season, but not the modern man. He faces innumerable difficulties, because he has not kept the senses under proper control. All spiritual practices are meant to exercise control over the senses.
Eat to the extent necessary. Do not overload your stomach. Divide the space of your stomach into three equal parts. Fill one part with food, another with water, and leave the remaining empty. But today, some people overload their stomach to such an extent that they find it extremely difficult to get up after their meals. Such people are bound to suffer from indigestion.
You may exercise control over your food, but you need not set any boundaries on your love. It should be given total freedom. Love everyone. Love transcends the senses. "All are mine. The life principle that exists in me exists in everybody." With this feeling of unity, share your love with everybody. Love alone can confer peace, which everyone aspires for.
Your vasanas (innate tendencies) depend on the feelings you cultivate in your heart. Here is a small example. Paper has no smell by itself. If it is used for wrapping pakodas (a fried snack), dry fish or jasmine flowers, it emits the smell of the item wrapped - good or bad. Your heart may be compared to a piece of paper. If good feelings are 'packed' in it, you will certainly develop good tendencies. See good, hear good, talk good, and do good. Then the evil effect of the Kali Age will have no impact on you. Do not allow the Kali Prabhava (effect of Kali Age) to overpower your swabhava (true nature). Today, the practice of dharma is fast declining, and consequently, the water level in the earth is going down. Humanness has become scarce. There is no purity in society, no morality in politics. Neethi (morality) alone can sustain manava jathi (the human race).
Embodiments of Love!
When you sing bhajans, take care that the words you utter do not convey negative meanings. Here is an example. Our boys sing many Hindi bhajans, in which they often use the word 'Tu', meaning 'you'. They sing 'Tu Rama', 'Tu Krishna', 'Tu Sai' (you are Rama, you are Krishna, you are Sai), etc. But in Telugu, the letter 'T[h]u' conveys a derogatory meaning. You may use 'Tu Hai' instead of 'Tu'. The bhajans you sing must convey sacred meanings. You should not give scope for the use of disrespectful words.
Yesterday, Raju spoke about Pothana, a great poet and devotee of Rama. Pothana was one with a pure heart. He was the one who composed the Bhagawatham in Telugu. He firmly believed that Lord Rama Himself wrote the Bhagawatham through him. His name, Pothana, has a profound inner meaning. 'Po' means 'to drive out' and 'Thana' means the feeling of 'his'. So, he had driven away the feeling of 'mine' and thus became a great devotee.
Srinatha, the famous poet from the royal court, had given his daughter in marriage to Pothana's son. Pothana's family used to eke out their livelihood through agriculture. Once, Srinatha came to see them in a palanquin. On the way, he found Pothana's son tilling the land. In a sarcastic tone, he asked him, "O farmer, how are you?"
Pothana's son was not upset by this sarcastic remark. In fact, he gave a fitting reply in the most loving manner thus, "Sir, it is better to take refuge in Bhumatha (Mother Earth) and Gomatha (Mother Cow) and lead a dignified life than to seek the refuge of a king, and be subservient to him."
Those who repose their faith in Bhumatha and Gomatha will never lack anything in life. Since times of yore, Indians considered Bhumatha and Gomatha as the very basis of their lives. But today, we find many people giving up agriculture and migrating to towns in search of money. They watch television day in and day out and aspire for a luxurious life. Since people are giving up agriculture and deserting the villages increasingly, there is scarcity of food. Having given up farming, how can you expect Mother Earth to feed you?
Villages are the very life breath of Indian culture. Even today, Indian culture is sustained only in villages, not in towns. Only people of villages are aware of the greatness of Indian culture. Because people have lost respect and reverence for Mother Earth, we experience earthquakes and such other natural calamities, causing untold destruction.
In the Bhagawatham, there is a story of Vishnu and His consort, Lakshmi, involved in a game of chess. Generally, women are more intelligent than men are. Though men are also endowed with high intelligence, they can never make full use of it, since their mind always wavers. Lakshmi, being one of intelligence, was able to arrest the movement of Vishnu's elephant in the chessboard. Suddenly, Vishnu stood up and said, "O Elephant, I will come to your rescue, don't worry." Lakshmi immediately said, "Impossible", thinking that Vishnu was referring to the elephant in the game.
In fact, Vishnu was thinking of Gajendra (king of elephants), who, by then, had totally surrendered to Him because his desperate attempts to wriggle out of the crocodile's grasp proved futile. Gajendra, being highly egoistic had utmost faith in his physical prowess. When he was exhausted, he realised that God alone could save him. He cried out, "O Lord, I have no refuge other than you. I surrender to you completely. Please forgive my sins and come to my rescue." Vishnu, the Compassion One, rushed immediately and saved Gajendra.
All the compositions of Pothana are steeped in sacredness. He composed the Bhagawatam with the sole purpose of describing the glories of the Lord, not to parade his own poetic skills. Unlike many ordinary poets, he was never after name and fame. Pothana's words contained the essence of the Vedas. The path shown by Pothana is the royal road to liberation.
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