SRI SATHYA SAI TEACHINGS AND PHILOSOPHY 9

                                           

Like the Eternal Charioteer—Sanathana Sarathi  who declares to doubting  Arjuna his real identity and presents him the eye of Jnana  to witness His mighty form—Viswarupa, Swami declares to his sincere devotees the salient features of His  avatar. “ There  can be no limit for Sai Shakti, no hindrance, no opposition or obstacle.You may believe it or you may not, but Sai Shakthi can transform earth into sky, the sky into earth. Only there is no call for that transformation. This divine behavior is far distinct from the mean exhibitionistic tricks of the inferior shakthis.”  Swami continues and says, “  I do not depend on outer manifestation and actions; I am related to you through the  inner principle of Love.” Swami proclaims that he does not require any advertisement. “  This is the splendor of the Sun,” says Swami and affirms, “ it will itself command attention. No one need be invited to notice it.” Swami finally tells those that doubt Him, “ you must observe in action my teaching and follow me. Then, certainly My Divine Reality will be revealed to you.”

       It is indeed our fortune  and  ‘ poorva punya’ that we are all contemporaries of Swami. In the words of Swami, “  For, during no previous age did Man have this unique chance. No organization of this nature was established, no conference of this character was held in the presence and no opportunity was given then to derive ananda through  such close association, through conversation and singing together. Undoubtedly, you are all singularly fortunate.’ (  SSS Vol 7 pp 355-356)

        Yes! All of us are singularly fortunate. Let us not let this rare opportunity slip through our hands! Let us hold fast and make the best of it with steady faith and devotional fervor! Let us tread the path shown us by SWAMI—the Sanathana Sarathi  in this Kali Yuga---“ and reach the goal of realizing the REALITY.”

      ( concluded)

SRI SATHYA SAI TEACHINGS AND PHILOSOPHY 8

                                           

“  Thought” according to Swami, ‘ is a veritable mischiefmonger. In order to get liberation from material bondage or salvation one has to destroy ‘thought. So, unless all trace of ‘thought’ is destroyed, the form will sprout and grow and decline; that is to say, birth and death are inevitable.” (SSS Vol pp336) Swami illustrates this idea from the stories of Ahalya and Ravana. But for her thought Ahalya would not have regained her original form at the touch of Rama’s feet. Ravana, in spite of his colossal achievement, scholarship, wisdom and spiritual sadhana was unable to control his senses. He could  not  ‘sublimate his sensory urges’ Swami very clearly analyzes and gives us an opportune admonishment! Says Swami, “ A bullock that does not yield to the yoke, a horse that resists the reins, a car without brakes and a person who knows no self control are all leading  towards disaster.” ( SSS Vol  7 pp 336)

      Swami explains the meaning of the word BABA. He humorously calls himself a double graduate.    (with two Bas). The letters BABA mean Being—sath; A means awareness—Chith The second B stands for Bliss—ananda and  the  second  A  means atman. In other words, Swami is sathchidananda  Swarupa! The Sai avatar has realized this eternal principle whereas all of us are unable to do so.

       Swami clears a few doubts regarding Vedanta. It is often mistaken for high and dry philosophy full of technical and high sounding words that cannot be understood. On the other  hand  Vedanta is a trend setter for the achievement of ‘ananda.’  Swamy says. “  The achievement of ‘ ananda’, through prema, of the highest bliss through the highest Love, this is the teaching of Vedanta; Vedanta for which all seekers compliment the sages of the land’ ( SSS Vol 7 pp 435) According to Swami Vedanta prescribes “ right living, balanced living, true living … Vedanta is Love, limitless Love the philosophical basis for that Love.” ( SSS Vol  7 pp 436)

       Blessing his devotees on the occasion of UGADI—Telugu New year’s day, Swami exhorts his audience to take to NAMASANKIRTAN. Man was  ordained to practise dhyana  in the Kritha yuga, dharma in Threta yuga, archana in Dwapara yuga and Namasmarana  during the Kali yuga. It is not easy to remember God as it involves giving up all acts  that interfere with the constant  remembrance of God. Like the Eternal Charioteer--- Sanathana Sarathi Lord Krishna,  Swami inspires us all with the very same ideas that inspired Arjuna  on the battle field! Man has to strive his best with desireless  action—Nishkama Karma and has no authority to expect result! It should be left to the will of God! “ Take everything  that happens to you as the gift of Grace. Of course, on your part, you must act with all the skill and devotion you are capable of.  Do this with as much sincerity as you worship God.  Then leave the result to the all powerful All knowing all m

Merciful God! Let whatever  ensues ensue!  Why  do you hold yourself responsible?  HE prompted it, HE got it done through you;  He will give whatever result he feels he must!

        (Continued)

      

       

SRI SATHYA SAI TEACHINGS AND PHILOSOPHY 7 SWAMI"S MISSION

                                     

                                                               

Swami has explained time and again his mission and purpose of taking the human form. During a Dasara festival Swami addressed his audience thus: “This body of mine is  named  ‘Sathya ‘ Truth;  The principle that is in this body is also Truth. Truth enclosed in Truth has been rendered the Truth of Truth. “ (Sathyasya Sathyam)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ” This form has been assumed, in order to lead mankind from untruth to truth.” Is Swami different from us? What are his habits and customs and other particulars? Swami himself clarifies, “  I eat as you do, move about as you do, talk in your language and behave as you can recognize and understand for your sake—not for my sake!  Again I am active and busy, all the twenty four hours of the day. Every day the mail brings me thousands of letters and you hand over to me, personally hundreds more. Yet I do not take the help of anyone else even to open the envelopes. For, you write intimate details of your personal problems, believing that  I alone will read them and having implicit confidence in me……..I never seek another’s help; I offer help, never receive it. My hand always gives; it never takes. Conclude from this that this must be Divine, not human power.’  (SSS Vol 7 pp 304-305)

      Are Women eligible for spiritual progress? According to Swami all are candidates for the spiritual adventure---women as well as men. “ Sex  is but a vesture worn by the soul for the role of life on earth. It does not affect the life of the spirit, which is eternal and on the supra sensory plane.” Remarks Swami on this point. Swami never tires of saying that man is himself God----“ aham brahmasmi”  He is the wave and also the ocean. To realize this, man has to transcend the three layers out of the five in which he is encased.

        They are 1 Annamaya kosa or gross with its sensory equipment 2 the Pranamaya or subtle with its  vital  airs and nervous system 3 the Manomaya kosa or the causal with its desires, motives etc both positive and negatives 4 the Vignanamaya kosa the layer of intuition and 5 finally Anandamaya kosa the sheath of bliss. Swami points out that man is not in a position to go beyond the first three sheaths. He does not venture deep beyond the Vignanamaya kosa.  Swami   refers to the  famous  ‘ anuvaka’ from the Taittiriya Upanishad and makes the dry philosophic utterances interesting and intelligible.

        How to escape from human bondage? Swami affirms that human bondage is inevitable as long as he is a slave of the senses. The senses are an obstacle for man’s journey into the inner consciousness   and spirituality. Of all the creatures in the world, man alone is endowed with an insatiable thirst for spirit and God. Swami says, “ But, of this, be certain; kama  or desire  is a perpetual foe.  The more we yield to this foe, the more dominant it becomes, the more you are enthralled and enslaved. ( SSS Vol  7 pp315) All rational knowledge, the knowledge derived from the senses is illusory. It is very difficult and impossible to know or realize the Infinite with the help of the finite materials of knowledge.

          Is the world ‘Real’?  Pointing to the idea that the world is real, Swami compares it to a dream one has in his sleep. As long as he dreams, the dream is real. When he opens his eyes he realizes the unreality of his dream. “ Sleep  causes dreams;  the ‘maya’ ( the deluding power) of the Divine has caused this creation. This universe is as unreal as the dream. It is only relatively real  It is not absolutely real.” explains Swami.”  

    

continued

       

                                                                                               

SRI SATHYA SAI TEACHINGS AND PHILOSOPHY--6

                                                 

                                  God seeks His Bhakta or Devotee :  on Changing the world.

It is not only that the devotee seeks the Lord but God also seeks his ardent devotee! Francis Thompson,  in  his  mystical  poem  “ The Hound of Heaven” considers God  as the Eternal Hound that chases MAN endlessly! In his foolishness and ignorance man tries to escape from God and is terrified  at the  following  footsteps. He tries to take shelter in all the objects of the universe, but is mercilessly rejected by them.  One who does not accept and love God  is  disqualified  from the love of  all other  objects and creatures. The relentless  chasing love of the Almighty tells Man that he will never be accepted or recognized by others except by God who is his Father, Mother and well wisher! Swami refers to the Bible which says that the pious seekers  seek  God  and also the statement of Dr Annie Besant that God  too seeks the pious seeker, the pure heart that longs to reach Him

      Swami ridicules the modern methods of devotion. He is sorry for the theatrical content that has crept into spiritual and religious realm. The concentrated, real, ideal effort is significant by its absence. Swami points out, “  The world is reduced to a theater by man, for, devotion to God has become a  histrionic performance. You find people weeping in their heart of hearts, but, laughing their lives away. We find people who laugh in their heart of hearts, but to all observers weeping profusely over their fate. Worship is more for effect, a play acted with the pit in view; there is no sincerity.” ( SSS  Vol 7 pp 207)

       Swami’s mandates to his devotees are very simple, straightforward and at the same time the valued utterances of the Vedas,  the Upanishads  and the age old  Puranas that have an eternal appeal. No one else other than the Avatar, can counsel his followers like the way Swami does! To quote Swami, “  Make  your lives simple; fill the daily tasks with love and mutual cooperation; be tolerant towards the errors and failings of others; look upon them with sympathy and understanding; be calm and without agitation under all conditions. Then you can be happy. Your sentiments will be unselfish  and  your  emotions tender. Envy, hatred, and vindictiveness can gain no entrance into the stronghold of your mind, where mercy, benevolence and indulgence stand guard.” ( SSS  Vol 7 PP212)

        Is it humanly possible to change the world and the propensities of the ordinary folk? Swami narrates the story of a rich man who was advised by a monk to concentrate on the green color. The rich man took the advise  very seriously and began painting everything on earth with green color in order to cure himself. When the monk returned,  the  rich man’s men surrounded  to paint him green.  The monk rebuked the rich man for his utter foolishness and stupidity. The rich man could have avoided all this by wearing green glasses.  Swami says that Man has to change his vision as the monk has suggested in the story. Swami exhorts, “ Let  the eye be charged with the Divine,  it will see all as God. It is foolish  to  try  to shape the world,  shape yourself, as the embodiment of peace, love and reverence. Then, you will see all as love and compassion and humility.”  ( SSS Vol 7 pp227)

           Swami explains the cardinal principle of Sankara’s  Adwaita  in his easy, inimitable language. “When you feel you are a Jiva, you are separated from God:  When you feel you are a Deva, you are one with Him. Seeing the rope as a snake makes you shiver; seeing it as a rope you lose fear and start playing with it. It is yours for the grasping. The snake did not arrive or depart;  the rope did not arrive or depart.  Light appeared and darkness disappeared. Ignorance fled, knowledge dawned---- all in a trice-“ (     SSS Vol  7 pp 263)