THE PROBLEM OF TRANSFORMATION

THE PROBLEM OF TRANSFORMATION

“The world will change only when the individual changes.” declares Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba. Is it possible for a person or a group to change the world? Definitely it is impossible. “ Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself” says Leo Tolstoy. Albert Einstein says, “ The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” “ Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” Says RUMI. “ Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only create sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” remarks Lao Tzu. The world as well as our life is a series of changes or transformation. From the womb to the tomb we undergo a number of changes! The formation of the foetus to its full development as a child in the mother’s body is a wonderful transformation dictated by Divine nature! There is a change every second in the development of the baby though it is invisible. Growth and change  are the signs of life which are indispensable. “ The old order changes yielding place to new.” Says the poet Tennyson. Shakespeare speaks of the seven stages of man on the stage of Life.

From the dawn of creation, many civilizations have come and disappeared in the womb of time undergoing rapid changes. From the Old stone age and the New Stone Age man has come a very long way and calls himself a civilized human being! The flowering of his mind, his intellectual acumen and enquiring spirit resulted in the industrial revolution which transformed the life of mam entirely. Life became easy, comfortable, and even luxurious. Scientific advancement and explosion of technology made even impossible things possible. It has now come to a stage when we debate whether science is a boon or bane for mankind! We are on the top of a nuclear pile that can annihilate the entire universe! A slight faux paus on the part of some megalomaniac can finish every thing on earth! Gross materialism has overtaken spiritualism and man has become a slave of the machine and a worshipper of Mammon! Basic moral and human values are given the go by. Greed, fraud, miserliness,  hatred, lust, violence, revenge and other evil qualities have taken deep root in human nature. The very existence of a superior power directing and regulating the universe is being questioned! Atheism has gained a good ground. Man thinks he is the creator himself.

Despite the phenomenal transformations since the ages, M.an’s inner nature has not changed but remained constant! His basic animal nature has revealed itself blatantly! His selfishness has increased. He does not understand others and has no respect for other languages and religions. He has become a fanatic and does not hesitate to kill any one that he does not like! It is high time that man contemplates on these issues and find a way to make his life happy, contented and peaceful.  There must be a profound change that should come over man. Man is not born to live some how and die one day. He has a purpose and mission in life. Spirituality is the panacea for all the ills of society and the means for the elevation of man!

“ What is required today is transformation, which can be effected by questioning oneself ‘ who am I?'says Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba.What is the identity of man? In total ignorance he thinks that he is the body.  He is not conscious of the spirit that is embedded in the body. The aim and purpose of human birth is to realize that you are not the body but the immortal eternal soul. This soul or ‘ atma’ manifests in all the living creatures of the universe. Our Sasthras say, ‘ ekah paratma bahu deha varthi’-- there is only one soul and it manifests in many bodies. Bodies many be different but the atmic principle is the same.  The same soul is to be recognized in all animals like the dog and donkey too! Spiritual practices assist man to develop  this essential  quality of transformation. When man understands that he is not just the body with blood and bones but the indestructible soul, his ideal transformation begins!

It is then he sees himself in every living creature! He is no different from them except in body.  He recognizes the common universal soul in it. He understands and loves it. So there is compassion for the sorrows and difficulties of other human beings and animals! Your heart goes out to help them. You start to be kind to them instead of thinking that you are separate  and different from them. You mix and mingle with all and get good company and try to alleviate the suffering of millions of others! You cannot remain aloof as they feel the pain and want to relieve them from suffering! You radiate Love and peace and make yourself and others happy. Self Realization does not mean retreating to the forest or remaining far from the madding crowd and performing tapas! It is to serve the suffering and deserving humanity. The mantra for Self Realization is thus  ,” Love All Serve All!