ON DHYANA OR MEDITATION

Along with Pranayma and other practices, Dhyana or Meditation is one of the “ Ashtanga Yogas” practiced by our ancient sages. Meditation is being resorted to by a number of people today to obtain peace of mind. But it is doubtful if they really get what they desire. Meditation is not such an easy thing as they imagine. It requires a system of discipline that has to be in place before one starts to meditate. Involved in this mundane world and its multifarious activities, man is unable to sit in one place, close his eyes for long and concentrate and meditate on God! It is at the very moment that he is obsessed with various thoughts and feelings that crisscross his mind and disturb him! How can he be free from these? In fact, there are some who sleep away during the process of meditation! In meditation one has to over come all physical and mental urges and impulses! Is it possible? There area few who strike at the mosquitoes that pester them! Real meditation is being absorbed in the thought of God as the only goal. “ As long as he knows he is meditating, one is not meditating. In the absorption in God one puts aside every form and merges in God. In the process the mind naturally stops” declares Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai baba. (SSS Vol 5) Purified mind is the first requisite for meditation. Peace of mind can be obtained by  shedding unnecessary desires like envy, jealousy, hatred, anger and lust.

Dhyana doesn’t mean sitting erect or remaining silent. It is also not remaining without movement. It is the merging of your entire feelings and thoughts in God. In other words the mind has to lose itself in God! The Lord's declaration in the Bhagavadgita amply clarifies what Dhyana is. “ ananyas chinta yanto mam ye janah paryupasathe”—the persons who worship Me, without any other feeling or thought -that should be the aim of the meditator. All responsibilities of such an individual are taken over by the Lord Himself! It is very rare to find people who can meditate on such lines. Many can go through external exercise only. Often Dhyana is interrupted by anxiety and worry about one's kith and kin and various other personal problems. Thus they fail in winning God's Grace. Dhyana is not mere control of breath, inhaling and exhaling or fixing attention on an image. After the experience of peace and joy, people lapse into normal routine of worldly affairs. In short, Dhyana has become a pastime or habit instead of being the very essence of spirit! It is not as if you perform Dhyana a few times and discontinue later. It is a continuous process that fills the individual with Divine sweetness.” The mind must be rid of bitterness, and be charged with nectar of universal love.” (SSS Vol 6)

If the mind is to be calm and balanced, Dhyana should be taken up as a Sadhana. “ Dhyana is the process by which the positive and negative aspects of the mind are regulated out of existence. Man enjoys unlimited bliss when the stage of “nirvikalpasamadhi” is reached. A taste of this is offered to man during his deep, dreamless sleep, when no wish or want, no desire or denial can disturb him.” (SSS Vol X) This was the type of samadhi that Sri Rama Krishna paramahamsa granted to Narendra when he wanted to see God personally! He became Swami Vivekananda later. Time is very important for Dhyana. The best period is between 3am and 6am which is called “ Brahma Muhurtha.” It should be done at the same time every day. Meditation should be done in 'Padmasana.'  Trousers, and modern dresses are not fit for Meditation. You should avoid  sitting on the bare ground. A mat or a wooden plank with a piece of clothing over it may be used. This will prevent the attraction of the earth from disturbing your meditation. Man has to be insulated from the earth as it drains away his strength. That is the secret of our ancients in suggesting a wooden plank for meditation!

 Three requisites are absolutely essential for meditation. They are 1 time,2 a process, and 3 place. Place may change as people may not remain at a particular place permanently. But it is very important that time for meditation does not change. If Dhyana is done regularly at the fixed appropriate time whole heartedly, God is sure to accept it and grant you happiness! Your prema or love from within the heart shall evoke the same response from God in showering happiness! Contemplation is in the border area between  concentration and meditation. It is here that one should break away from all worldly attachments. Breaking through this area one enters into the region of Meditation. How to destroy the mind? Just as a piece of clothing can be destroyed by pulling of its various threads, the mind, a bundle of desires, can disintegrate if desires are totally destroyed!


When do you realize that your Dhyana is a success?  It is when you ‘love more and talk less' and 'serve others more earnestly.' It is your conduct and character that indicates your progress. What is the usefulness or the reward that one gets through meditation? “ By means of Dhyana you can realize that I am the resident in all hearts, the urge, the motive, the guide, the goal. Yearn for the vision, that awareness and make it your priceless possession.” (SSS Vol 7) Man can purify himself by Dhyana into perfect Divinity! It may be slow and steady progress in Spirituality and Dhyana. Dhyana has to be done at regular intervals. To cure mental ills accumulated over time a long spell of Dhyana and prayer are indispensable. “ Meditation is a function of the inner man; it motivates deep subjective quiet, the employing of the mind and filling oneself with the light that emerges from the Divine spark within. This is a discipline that no text book can teach and no class can communicate.” (SSS Vol 7A &B)

BABA ON BHAKTHI

   Bhakthi or devotion is defined in many ways by many people. Generally it means love for some thing. Too much of attachment to some object  is called devotion.  If the attachment to God is great it is called Bhakthi. As ordinary mortals we have our own ideas of Bhakthi or devotion. Performing japa or chanting the name of a chosen form of God is considered as Bhakthi by a few people. Recitation of hymns and stotras for the Grace of God is also taken for devotion or Bhakthi. In all these attempts there is an element of selfishness on the part of the individual.  According to Vyasa, the highest form of worship is service to man. The right royal path to the grace of God is to share one's joy, wealth, and knowledge with the less fortunate! It is quite interesting and instructive to know what Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba, the epitome and embodiment of Divine Love has to say on this topic of Bhakthi. According to him Bhakthi has two body guards viz wisdom and detachment. It must be based on wisdom that finally leads to detachment from the mundane world!

According to Swami the synonyms for Bhakthi are ‘faith, steadiness, virtue, fearlessness, absence of egoism and surrender. “ Bhakthi is love for God”. Swami explains the term Bhakthi in an entirely different angle which is interesting and which none had defined so, so far. “ The word Bhakthi is a combination of ‘bha' in the word Bhagawan (God) and ' kthi' in the word ‘anurakthi’ (love).  Other features like 'Virakthi' (renunciation) and ‘Mukthi’ (liberation) come in the travail of Bhakthi. Love for God should be the very life breath of man.” (SSS Vol 4)  Bhakthi can be described as genuine devotion to the Lord. It is only a form of discipline to reach the Goal. All forms of Bhakthi finally reach the same God who is called by different names in different religions. “ akasath patitam toyam yathagacchati sagaram sarvadeva namaskaram Kesavam pratigacchati.”—like the waters falling from the sky finally reach the ocean, obeisance to all Gods reach Lord Kesava or Vishnu. More than the love for the Lord, the bhaktha should concentrate on the Grace and love of the Lord that he could attain. Real Bhakti is to engage oneself in activities pleasing to the Lord. All acts of the bhakta should be directed to gain the Grace and pleasure of God!

Bhagawan categorically states that Bhakti or devotion does not mean merely doing bhajans or performing puja. Real Bhakthi is constant contemplation of God. Bhaktas or devotees can be classified into four divisions. First are those who worship when they are in distress. They forget God soon after their wishes are fulfilled.  The second type of devotee seeks worldly things and does not depend on others. The third  prays for others and considers others' welfare as his own welfare. The fourth and the highest form of Bhakti is complete or total surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord and offering all actions to the service of the Divine. Bhagawan calls this last type of worship “ Ananya Bhakthi.” Bhakti should not depend upon fulfillment or non fulfillment of desires. Pain or pleasure, sorrow or happiness must be treated as the gift of God and only for good. “ Bhakthi is not a uniform to be worn on Thursday evenings to sing bhajans. It must mean the promotion of an attitude of humility, of revering parents, teachers,  elders and others; it is a mental outlook, an attitude that is ever present.” (SSS Vol 7) “ God is ignored in sunshine; he is wanted only when there is Night. Bhakthi or Devotion must persist and flourish, unaffected by time, place or circumstance.” (SSS Vol 9)

What is the effect of Bhakthi on the individual? Swami says that it has the power of destroying the ego or “ Ahankara”  of the person. He is made to feel humble. “ Ego is most easily destroyed by Bhakthi  (devotion); by dwelling on the magnificence of the Lord and by humility surrender to the Divine will on the path of devotion the Lord himself guides us to our goal.” (SSS Vol 1) Bhakthi, in any way shall lead the person to the cherished destination. Swami says, “ Bhakthi is the through—carriage. Though it may be detached from one train and connected to another, if you get into it,  you need not worry; so long you stick to your place, it is bound to take you to your destination.” (SSS Vol 3)  Bhakthi , according to Swami, has different stages similar to that of the body’s growth. “ The tender fruit is love, the grown is devotion, and the ripe fruit is surrender.” (SSS Vol 7)  The bhktha should not yearn for  silly worldly things from God when He is ready to grant his Grace that fulfills all his desires. The Bhktha should see God in everything in the universe. The Unborn manifests in different forms! “ ajayamano bahudha vijayathe” says the Veda- (Purusha Suktha) Swami says, “See God in stone; do not change God into stone. That is the vision highly desirable. The stone must be visualized as Divine, suffused with God, which it really is.”
Bhakthi can compel God into your presence! Incidents galore are present in our Puranas where the Lord descended in a huddle impressed by the devotion of His bhakta. Child Dhruva, Prahlada, Markandeya are brilliant illustrations who surrendered themselves to His will! The sages too realized God through their single minded devotion and tapas. Even the rakshasa, like Ravana could compel God through his  severe penance to accord him rare boons and invincibility from everything! Is bhakthi easy to develop?  No, says Swami. It is much more difficult than Jnana as that implies total unconditional surrender to His Will! “ God first; world next; myself last. This is the legitimate sequence for the devotee. But man has reversed it and made it 'myself first, the world next and God last'! Hold fast to God then you will be safe” says Bhagawan. (SSS Vol 7B)  Swami wants Bhakthi to be simple and sincere. Let there be no ostentation and show. “ It is sheer waste of money to burden the pictures and idols in the shrines and altars of your homes with a weight of garlands and to parade costly utensils.” declares Swami! How can Bhakthi be effective? Swami says, “ Bhakthi, to be effective, must be regularized through self discipline; It should not be allowed to grow wild and untended!”

THE AVATAR ON AVATAR

“Parithranaya sadunam vinasayacha dushkritam Dharma samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge” declared the Lord in the Bhagavadgita. When Dharma declines and is in danger, the Lord takes avatar to re-establish Dharma and destroy the perpetrators of evil. During the Kruta, and  Treta Yugas demons or rakshasas were not many. In Dwapara yuga these demons multiplied beyond our comprehension. Sisupala, Dantavaktra, Jarasandha and Kamsa dominated the Yuga with a host of other smaller devils who tormented mankind. Their torture exceeded to such an extent that the Lord had to take avatar to establish Dharma and destroy the evil doers. We are now in Kali Yuga where Dharma now stands on one leg only, highly unstable and likely to deteriorate further. It was alright that one Kamsa, Dantavaktra, Jarasandha and a host of other minor rakshasas were killed by the Lord in Dwapara Yuga. But what about Kali Yuga where there are too many Kamsas, Dantavaktras and Jarasandhas who exist in the form of human beings? If the Lord were to destroy evil in Kali Yuga, almost  three fourths of humanity has to be destroyed!  So, in Kali Yuga, killing or destroying the evil doers  cannot be contemplated. That is the reason why the Lord has taken avatar as the darling of Eswaramba in Puttaparthi, a small hamlet in the district of Anantapur in Andhra pradesh! He has taken up the onerous task of reformation and transformation of the evil propensities in every individual in society.

What is the stand of the Avatar on avatar?  How does he think about it? It is very interesting and instructive to hear what Swami says about avatarhood in general. “ God is not a separate entity. Man is the image of God. ‘Daivam manusha rupena' declare the scriptures. It means that God appears in human form…It is to show humanity how human !Ife can be divinised that avatars come from time to time.” Swami says that it is not the task of the Avatar to relieve the sorrows and troubles of mankind. They suffer or enjoy as a result of their good or bad deeds in their previous innumerable births. In other words they are caught in the web of their own Karma that chases them relentlessly. When the Avatar comes down in human form, is he not bound by his Karma? The answer is that the Lord has no Karma at all! He is “ Karmatheeta”—one who is beyond Karma and transcends it. Swami says that avatar takes place due to the sincere yearning of devotees and the righteous as well as the wicked deeds of the evil doers as in the case of the child devotee Prahlada and his cruel father Hiranyakasipu. The Avatar's mission is solely to save mankind. “ HE is the Master of Creation. He knows the past, present and the future of all. 'HE'  leads and liberates.” (SSS Vol 7) The advent of the Avatar is not recognized even by the parents and kith and kin except a few sages!  Not many knew  that Sri Rama and Krishna were avatars! The Avatar envelopes then in His Maya or illusion!

What is the real nature of the Avatar?  He is “ Ananda Swarupa” always overflowing with the spirit of delight and joy.  Swami says, “ Just as the ocean rises and surges up when there is full moon in the sky, in the same way when I look at the devotees, My heart overflows with limitless, boundless love for them.” (SSS Vol 3) Is the Avatar inaccessible to the ordinary man? Certainly not. The Avatar behaves in a human way to make mankind feel friendship. But at the same time He rises to superhuman heights inspiring man to reach those heights. Why human form? It is because only human being can understand God in the form of a man. The object of the Avatar is to open the path of Divinity and shower His grace on humanity! There is another important reason for the advent of the Avatar. A few inherent qualities of man have to be utilized properly. “ God seeks to come in human form so that He could utilize the intelligence, discrimination, detachment, etc. that the human body alone is capable of exercising.” The Avatar may exhibit a part of his glory or come with His full Divinity. “ The Avatar might manifest only that part of Divine glory as is essential for the task which brought the form, or He might exceed the limited purpose for which He came and shine in full grandeur.” (SSS Vol 4)

Swami speaks of different forms in which he appears when he transforms himself. They are 1 Nityavataram 2 Viseshavataram 3 Aviseshavataram 4 Leelavataram and 5 Poornavataram which is also called Amsavataram. The first three avatars have only five to nine aspects or kalas. It is only the Poornavataram that has all the sixteen aspects or kalas of the Divine. God , when he comes as an Avatar chooses the time, place as well as the clan and family for his advent. Thus Krishna was born at night to Devaki and Vasudeva of Yadava clan in the prison. The Bhagavata Purana describes how the Lord was born with four hands and full glory! But immediately with his astonishing Maya he became an ordinary innocent child in her arms!

God takes Avatar only when the anguish of his great devotee reaches His ears! That is how HE ran towards Gajendra without his spouse Lakshmi Devi and the other train! Similarly, when Prahlada told his father  that Lord Vishnu is omnipresent, He was ready in every object in the world awaiting Hiranyakasipu! The Avatar has no attachment or hatred for any one. He is the embodiment of pure Love for all. His mission is to protect and re-establish Dharma. He supports the righteous and admonishes the wrong. The greatness and speciality of Swami is that He is a mighty Transformer! He has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of erring mortals and showed them the path of Spirituality. Drunkards have turned over a new leaf and smokers have kicked the butt! Non vegetarians have become vegetarians and others have taken to meditation and yoga! Above all Swami’s inspiring curt sayings “Love All, Serve All, Help Ever, Hurt Never” and many others are the “Taraka Mantras” that shall liberate the entire humanity! The Seva ideal introduced by Swami has revolutionized the society and a new era of Love and selfless sacrifice has come into being! This Sai Avatar has achieved what no other avatar has attempted or done!

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SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY

  Our's is the age of tremendous advance of science and technology. Man is trying to colonize Mara and Moon! Life has become more easy and comfortable. Rationalism has grown to the extreme and man has started to doubt the very foundations of his existence. He has no belief in God and sometimes he considers himself as God! Science has made him extremely powerful and he controls almost every thing in nature. He has brought into being terrible devices that could annihilate the entire humanity in a trice! We wonder whether this amazing advancement of science and technology is a boon or bane for mankind. Side by side with this development of science and technology, morality and ethics have dived down to their bottommost point. Materialsm has grabbed man in its tightest grip. Spiritual side of man has been totally neglected with the result that man has lost peace of mind essential for his existence! What is science and what is spirituality? Let us try to understand the difference between them and  why a mere scientific and rational minded society is dangerous.
 “Scientists can weigh, measure and analyze materials that already exist and covert them into different forms. But they cannot create anything new. That can happen only through the will of God.” declares Sri Sri Bhagawan Satya Sai Baba in his Divine discourse. In fact, scientists discover the truths of nature and its intricacies. Gravity has existed from the beginning of creation. Newton did  not invent it. He formulated laws governing gravitation. He cannot invent nature! Science is a co-operative endeavor. It is not the work of any single individual. Many, scientists have contributed to the wonderful development of science and technology. The basic difference between science and spirituality is that the former is more concerned with examining the external phenomenal universe. On the other hand spirituality is  concerned more about exploring the inner workings of the Divine. In other words, the scientist has the external vision. One who has the internal vision is the spiritual person or a saint or sage. Bhagawan quotes from Isavasya Upanishad to explain the difference between the scientific and the spiritual truth. “ Poornamadah, poornamidam poornath poorna mubuchyathe poornasya poorna madaya poorname avasishyate.” It means—That is Full. This is Full. The Full has come from the Full. When the Full is taken out from the Full, the Full still remains.” The Full Circle is spirituality where the end and the beginning are the same. In science it begins at one point and ends at another.
Bhagawan prescribes three remedies for turning spiritual. They are: “ Bend the body, mend the senses, end the mind.” The first step is to eschew your ego and prevent it from dominating  you. You should be humble and carry out your duties sincerely. You should not be proud and arrogant. You should not be haughty headed. The second is more difficult than the first remedy. You have to  study the behavior of the senses. Senses, according to the Upanishads, are horses that tend to gallop and throw the rider down if not controlled properly! It is through the intellect or ‘Buddhi' that one has to stop them from going astray. Vacillation and change is the quality of the mind. Mind should evolve towards  Divine consciousness before merging into universal consciousness.
In the present state of rationalism and loss of faith where evil forces are reigning supreme it is absolutely necessary to acquire spiritual strength. Otherwise there is every possibility of being blown away by the storm of fear and anxiety! Bhagawan stresses on the role of women,their contribution and service to society. They are required to bring up children with faith and belief in God so that their lives would be fruitful!
“ Man should seek the gift of spiritual knowledge that can bring fulfillment of life.” (SSS Vol 3)  Though Vedic study is prevalent no body carries for its  mandates and injunctions. It is imperative that those rules and regulations are for guidance and practice. Science offers only transitory relief and comforts. Spiritualism alone can grant permanent bliss. It is necessary that, at the height of civilization at present,  there should be a higher level of thinking, feeling and action leading to mental peace and balance.  “Spiritual life of man must also become more culture and civilized, is it not?” (SSS Vol X)

DESIRE STORMS

                                                                         

Despite the amazing scientific and technological advancements and the comforts and ease of living, man has no peace of mind. Society has lost its moorings and morality and ethics have dived downwards to the extreme! Man has totally drowned himself in stark materialism and become the worshipper of Mammon! He has controlled everything on Earth, has every knowledge on the tip of his fingers! He gloats over his achievements in physical, chemical and natural sciences. He has established his stamp and right in space. He is even contemplating to settle there with a number of people! These things may appear astounding on the face of it. But the tragedy is that while controlling everything, he has lost control over himself and the capacity to remain happy and peaceful! He is tensed all through his life! He is capable of destroying his enemies and even annihilating the entire universe! What is the reason for this pathetic state of man? He is incapable of suppressing or at least keeping in check the six dreadful enemies that are embedded and deep rooted even from his birth. These enemies, the very cause of all sufferings and troubles of man are called “ Arishadvargas.” A band of enemies. It is as if God has thrown up a challenge to humanity to see if anyone can take up the challenge. Invariably man fails in his attempts to  win over or have a check on these formidable and invincible adversaries.
The first enemy is Kama or desire. Desire can be for something good or bad. But materialistic man chooses only the bad under illusion. If the choice is for the good, he is elevated. Otherwise he is doomed. Desire for God makes him spiritual and devoted but wish for material benefits plunges him into misery and struggle! In his ignorance he opts for silly and transient things in life. The word Kama denotes another bad thing viz lust! Unfortunately man becomes a victim of this very often. Even sages, saints and great people have ruined themselves on account of this base quality. Sage Viswamitra fell for the bewitching beauty of the heavenly damsel Menaka! Losing all his power of penance he had to start from  scratch! Ravana, king of Lanka is another classic example of one destroyed by lust. He was a great devotee of Siva, could please the Lord with his Samagana! He could even shake Kailash, the abode of the Lord! But of what use? His lust for women sealed his fate. It is said that he abused every woman he saw including the 'apsarasas'- heavily women! He incurred curses from all of them and finally that brought about his downfall! Kama or desire is a storm that can blow you away if you do not choose wisely and properly!
“ Desire is storm, greed whirlpool, pride is precipice, attachment is avalanche and ego is volcano. Discard these, and you will be liberated.” Counsels Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba. Easier said than done! Since generations or yugas mankind is known to have failed miserably in following the wise counsels of our ancestors and sages. ‘Pride goeth before a fall.' History is full of individuals undone by pride and arrogance. It was Adi Sankara who said, “ma kuru dhana Jana yauvana garvam harati nimeshat Kalam sarvam”-Do not be proud of your riches, people, and youth for Time kills them in a minute! The great king Nahusha performed a hundred “ Aswamedha Yagas” and qualified himself for becoming Indra, the king of Heaven! He was being borne on the palanquin by the great seven sages as was the custom. In his pride, arrogance and ego he prodded one of the Maharshis with his foot saying “ Sarpa, sarpa.” and directed them to move quickly. The sage, growing furious at the humiliation, cursed Nahusha to become a snake immediately! The word ‘sarpa' means a snake! Thus the dream of Nahusha to occupy the throne was shattered to pieces and he fell from the precipice!
 Attachment is otherwise called “mamakara” the obsession for one's kith and kin and wealth. It is impossible for man to take these things with him when he leaves the world. But his attachment to them is so great that he cannot reconcile himself to leave them! Lord Krishna tells Arjuna to get rid of this mamakara for the Kauravas and his teachers Bhishma, Drona and Kripacharya! Seeing them on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna vacillates and has second thoughts on killing them. He even drops down his Gandiva and the quiver of arrows and tells the Lord that he would rather become a sanyasi! He would not like to have a bloody meal and enjoy the kingdom! Attachment is like a huge stone tied to your neck that brings you down irrespective of your wish. A businessman was on his death bed. All his relations were around him. “Where is my first son?” he asked. He was shown. “Where are my second and third sons and my wife?” he questioned. They were all shown to him. He exclaimed in one gasp, “ If all of them are here, who is going to look after the shop and business?” and breathed his last! Such is the attachment for mundane things! It is a herculean task to get detachment. Like an avalanche,  attachment or 'mamakara' buries you under it never to see the light of the day!
Ego or “ Ahankara” is like a volcano that erupts and destroys itself and the others nearby! It is the sense of “ I”. It corresponds to the quality of arrogance also. The person thinks that he is great and all others are inferior to him. He looks down on all others around him. He feels that his word is absolute and does not care for the opinion of others. We can call ego or arrogance and extreme  form of pride that doesn’t  tolerate other 's feelings or opinion! It is the opposite of humility that is the quality of an ideal person. Ego arises out of power, position, and wealth! The person feels that none is equal to him in these fields. He doesn’t understand that there may be persons better and greater than him! Ravana was puffed by his ego and thought there was none to beat him. But poor Ravana was given a dressing down by the Vanara chieftain Vali long before Sri Rama killed him! Similarly, the ego of Vali was demolished by Sri Rama when he killed him and made Sugriva, his brother, the king of Kishkinda. Greed is the whirlpool that swallows up anyone that comes to its proximity. Kauravas are the best illustrations. The greed for kingdom, for Dhritarashtra, was so overpowering that he never prevented his son Duryodhana from his evil intentions and deeds! The word “Dhritarashtra” means one who has a firm grip over the nation. At last, the clan of Kauravas was decimated as covetousness and greed dominated them! Let us be guarded against these invincible inner enemies! As far as possible, let us try to avoid or keep them under control and live a happy and contented life!!

A FEW THOGHTS ON TRUTH

Everyone feels that he knows what Truth is but it is not the truth! “ Truth is something that is not modified by time or space or guna (attributes). It must be the same for ever, unaffected and unchanged, then alone it is truth. It should not be proved false by subsequent event or knowledge” says Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba. In other words anything that changes according to time, place and space cannot be called truth. The world is ever changing and hence can never be called real or true! Not only that, world and society is affected by many changes according to various factors and hence are far from truth. “ Truth is the property of no individual but the treasure of all men” declares Ralph Waldo Emerson. All truth has three stages. First it is ridiculed. Second it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self evident. The mandate of the Vedas and the Upanishads is to speak the truth and follow Dharma and righteousness. The student entering life after his studies is ordained to follow this royal road, “ Satyam vada Dharmam Chara” (Taittiriya Upanishad).

All things in the world seem to be true but they are not! When the world itself is not true how can worldly things be true? Then what is really true? The Vedas proclaim that the Brahman is true! It is described as “ Satyam Jnana manantham Brahma”—It is truth, eternal, unchanging, indestructible, and knowledge. We are aware of speaking the ordinary truth and falsehood in life but there is Absolute Truth called the Brahman in Vedantic parlance. This is also identified with Atma or soul embedded in our bodies. Plato, the great philosopher of Greece attached great importance to Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. It is felt that it is impossible to live in the world without speaking falsehood. It is a mistaken belief. If one sincerely attempts to speak the truth, it is possible. Speaking truth is natural to man but no serious effort is made to do so. There is the Inner Voice in him which always tells him what is true and false and right and wrong. But man brushes it aside deluded by material wants and desires!

Truth is unpalatable! It creates more enemies than friends. People don’t want truths to be told of them. “ Implementing truth into action is dharma. There is no Dharma higher than truth” says Bhagawan Baba in his Divine discourses. “ Truth cannot be made or marred; it is, was, and will be without modification. (SSS Vol7B) It may seem that Falsehood will win but finally it is truth that triumphs. “ Satyameva Jayathe.” Truth cannot be hidden or suppressed. In one way or another it will come out. Truth should not be misused to please unworthy or undeserving people. Flattering to please others is to be avoided. The Sanskrit dictum is “ Satyam bruyath priyam bruyath na bruyath Satya mapriyam”-speak the truth sweetly, don’t speak the unpleasant truth. “ Both unpleasant truth and pleasant untruth have to be avoided.” (SSS Vol 6)

“Truth is like surgery. It hurts but cures. Lie is like a pain killer. It gives instant relief but has side effects for ever.” The naked truth is always better than the best dressed lie. “Stand for what is truth even if that means standing alone.” The very purpose of man’s existence on Earth is to know the truth about himself. He should realize that he is different from the body. He is the chip of the same eternal Atma enshrined in every creature! Unfortunately he is deluded by the illusion and caught in the morass of the material world! Spirituality and meditation shall enable him to realize that step by step. Man has to be very alert to avoid temptations and deviations in the same way as a driver who has to pass through smooth highways as well as the rugged and rough bends and turns.

Truth and righteousness are twins. They are the bedrock of human existence. One cannot exist without the other. Man is not much concerned about these two as he is carried away by his obsession for mundane affairs! It is like being interested in the fruits without caring for the roots of the tree! Itoo is because of water and manure that the tree bears the fruit. Man can enjoy the fruits of life only after watering the roots of truth and Dharma  that nourish the tree of life! “ Have faith that truth will save you in the long run. Stick to it regardless of what might befall.” (SSS Vol 1)

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REFLECTIONS ON "DHARMA"

                                                             

The word DHARMA is interpreted in different ways by different people. It has various meanings and does not mean duty pertaining to a single individual. It is an eternal concept common for all everywhere. It can be named as a body of principles that are fundamental to social stability as well as the progress of the individual member of society. Dharma includes a few duties, regulations and obligations over one's words actions and conduct. Elders and the youth have mutual obligations between themselves. It is interesting to note that according to DHARMA even war has to be waged on certain rules of decency and humanity! The Vedas and the Upanishads glorify DHARMA vociferously. The Taittiriya Upanishad instructs the young student leaving his Gurukulavasa, to follow certain rules as he starts his journey in life. The first mandate is to speak the truth and follow DHARMA. “ Satyam vada DHARMAM Chara” These two are considered as the cardinal principles for a successful and peaceful life. The Ramayana describes the hero, Sri Rama, as the very embodiment of DHARMA. “ Ramo vigrahavan dharmaha.” It is because of the dharmic rule that the reign of Rama is called “Rama Rajya.” Principles of DHARMA cannot be changed according to the whims and fancies of individuals. “ It is like a mother to be accepted and not like a wife, whom you can choose or discard. DHARMA is the' maryada or boundary, the limit that intelligence lays down for the passions, emotions, impulses of man. It is the task for the priests to explain their importance and application to daily life” explains Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba in his Divine discourses. (SSS Vol V1)

The principles propounded by the Vedas and the Upanishads handed down to us from time Immemorial is called SANTANA DHARMA. The Bhagavadgita is the final authority on the DHARMA and how it should be followed. Everything in the universe has it’s DHARMA or obligation. Movement is the Dharma of water even as burning is the Dharma of fire. Attraction is the Dharma of the magnet. The Solar system is another illustration of how the planets revolve around the Sun in their individual orbits. Plants and  birds and Trees carry out their specific Dharma irrespective of the lapse of time. Unfortunately it is Man who has  slipped and is heading downwards. The wisdom and experience of our ancestors embodied in the Sastras is neglected and new rules and principles are being followed!

What is DHARMA? To preach what you practice, doing as you say it has to be done, practice in lives, aim virtuously, earn piously, ' live in the fear of God, live for reaching God' is DHARMA. Baba describes what Dharma is beautifully in his Dharmavahini discourse—” DHARMA is characterized by holiness, peace, truth and fortitude. DHRMAA is Yoga, union, merger; it is Satya (truth), its attributes are justice, sense control, sense of honor, love, dignity, goodness, meditation, sympathy, Non violence; Such is DHARMA that persists through the ages. It leads one on to universal love and unity.”  The “ Purusharthas” – the aim of humanity on Earth give pride of place to DHARMA. Among the four namely DHARMA, Artha, Kama, and Moksha, DHARMA occupies the first and preeminent place! All thoughts and actions should be righteous. It is through dharmic or righteous ways man should earn Artha or money. Kama or desire is not only for what you wish but for Moksha or emancipation—escape from the cycle of birth and death. Thus the bedrock of human existence is DHARMA!

The sustenance of mankind is DHARMA itself. It includes the three unities viz the unity of thought, word and deed. Dharmic acts are those that exhibit these triple unities. Unlike other rules and regulations that change according to time and place SANTANA DHARMA is changeless and constant. DHARMA is the dynamic force that binds society together by prescribing duties and functions for one and all. This triple unity of thought, word and deed is otherwise called “ Trikarana Suddhi.” Why is DHARMA neglected and ignored many times? It is because of the snare of ego and false values. Adharma happens because of an attempt to satisfy lower desire. Like a thief at night, desire overtakes man silently and stealthily! Man should be alert for ever against temptations!

DHARMA is for practice, not for mere learning and knowledge. It is a code of morals and the experience of our ancient sages. It is a discipline that checks the mind and the senses.  DHARMA can be classified into four divisions. The first is called “ Vyakthi Dharma”. It has controls and checks affecting the individual. Restrictions and rules prevent the person from going astray.  The second is “ Sahaja Dharma” that controls the nature of man. It educates him on his real nature and his obligation to the society at large. The third is “Ashrama dharma” where controls are exerted affecting each stage of life like the celibate, grihastha or the house holder and the ascetic or sanyasi. The fourth division is “Varna Dharma” that details the duties of the limbs of the community like the Brahmana, kshatriya Vaisya and Sudra. Kruta Yuga was Dharma Yuga. DHARMA delined in Treta Yuga and stood on three legs! In Dwapara Yuga it declined further and stood on two legs, shaky and unstable. It is to buttress declining Dharma that the Lord took avatar as Krishna and killed a number of demons who tormented mankind. We are now in Kali Yuga where DHARMA stands on one leg, extremely unstable and likely to fall at any time! Adharma and all its ramifications are in full sweep in the present world and only another avatar is expected to save the world! It is said to be that of the advent of Kalki!  Let us try to follow DHARMA as far as possible and be true to ourselves and our fore fathers who followed Sanathana DHARMA!

ON MORALITY AND VIRTUE

                                                         

Morality in modern society has reached such a low level that we doubt whether it exists at all! Old values that strengthened society are no longer practiced. Actions are invariably indiscriminate, immoral and fraudulent. Man has become so selfish and greedy that he does not care for the means and ends of attaining his desires! He has become a slave of money and power and position! He is ready to attain his aim by hook or crook violating all moral and ethical principles. No wonder, the world is in commotion and confusion by the very unprincipled actions of men. How can society be peaceful and ideal if Man, the rational animal himself, is irrational and immoral?  Much thought has to be bestowed on the absolute need for morality and virtues that would make life worth living, ideal and peaceful! Immorality and resorting to vices is the greatest danger that any society can face. That danger is imminent and if not arrested as early as possible society shall be seriously polluted and degenerate beyond repair!

What is morality? “ Morality is virtuous character. These are the very foundations of progress, the very basic needs. They grow in the realm of spirit. But today the spirit is neglected, physical and animal needs are catered to. They are accepted as the end of living; all efforts are directed to these.” laments Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba. Morality does not consist in the observance of certain rules and regulations in the workaday world. It is the adherence to the ' the straight and sacred path of right conduct. Morality is the blossoming of good conduct' ( Sanathana Sarathi-Jan 1985). Worship with pomp and paraphernalia cannot be considered as devotion. A follower of the moral path is one whose speech  and action are one and the same. One who is compassionate and partakes in other's joy is a better devotee! It is not enough if economic and material values are valued and followed. Moral and spiritual values have to be honored equally. Life has to be a homogeneous mixture of these values with an emphasis on moral strength. “ The honor of a nation depends on the morality of that nation, a nation without morality will be doomed.” Observes Sri Sai Baba in one of his Divine discourses. (Summer Showers,1972)

Morality also consists in cultivating virtues that increase joy an not habits and customs that ruin one's health. Evil habits are also a drain on your money and bring g down the reputation of the individual concerned. It is human conduct that is responsible for either joy or sorrow. When man practices virtue he attains inner peace and his conscience is clear and clean. The pages of history are full of men and women who set an example to others by their virtues. Renowned religious teachers Jesus, Muhammad, Zoroaster, Buddha, Sankara, Ramanuja Madhwa and various others are revered and remembered even today because of the purity of their conduct as well as action. They have become immortal and have a permanent place in our hearts. “ Man must saturate his daily life in truthful speech, virtuous acts and holy thoughts.” (SSS Vol X) Many gloat over their property, others over their wealth and affluence. But the real greatness is cultivation of virtue. This is the royal road for the Grace of God and everlasting happiness or bliss.

It is the great sages Vyasa who said, “ Paropakara punyaya papaya para pidanam” helping others is the highest virtue or punya and harming others is papa or condemnable sin. Virtue is the very breath of life even as character becomes the backbone. No act will produce results without virtue. A man without character is a pot with many holes useless either for carrying or storing. “Virtues or sadgunas are like cows yielding health giving milk. Vices are tigers that fall upon the cows and tear them to pieces. If you build a barricade of NAMA, a fort with the name of the Lord, the tiger cannot harm you or your virtues.” (SSS Vol 4) Vice is the breeding ground for all diseases, bad thoughts and habits, bad company, and bad food. Not only the body but the mind is infected by  evil habits like greed. Justification for the existence of man on Earth is only to live with virtue! All meditation, penance, attempt to realize oneself and understand the eternal Atma shall be futile and fruitless without virtue.

“ Be moral, be virtuous. Be sincere in thought, deed and word. Be honest to yourself. Money comes and goes. But morality comes and grows” says Bhagawan advising devotees. Our educational system and institutions have neglected the most important teaching of morality to the children and youth of the nation. While all possible subjects are taught in detail moral education has been severely neglected! The result is immediately reflected in the conduct and character of people! The youth of the country are drifting without proper direction. Respect for law, women is significant by it’s absence! Deceit, fraud, smuggling, robbery, murder, tax evasion, rape and other horrible acts have become the order of the day! Man has totally forgotten the purpose for which he has taken birth on Earth! He is not interested in escaping the terrible cycle of birth and death through his virtuous and ideal living! Until man learns to live virtuously there is no salvation for him. He has to suffer the consequences of his evil acts without any respite!

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