JIVA AND DEVA

Is Jivatma different from Paramatma? Many consider that they are different. Some opine that there is no difference between them. There is discussion and arguments. How can the Jiva in the body be compared to the eternal, infinite, formless Brahman or Paramatma? The fact is that we are all chips of the same block. Just as the chip is exactly similar to the block in all its qualities and properties, Jivatma has all the attributes of the Paramatma.  Atma , enshrined in our mortal body, is the miniature of that effulgent, indestructible Brahman or Paramatma variously described by the Vedas and the Upanishads. “Ayamatma Brahma” This Atma is Brahman in itself says the Veda-.One who knows or realizes the Brahman becomes Brahman says the Upanishad. “ Brahma vid Brahmaiva bhavati”. It is because of the presence of Atma, in its invisible nature, that all creatures including man carry on their activities. The body is described as the temple where the Jiva is enshrined. He is said to be Sanatana. “ Deham devalayam proktwa Jivo Devas sanatanaha.” This Atma like the Brahman is Existence, Awareness and Bliss otherwise called “ Satchidananda.” Adi Sankara, in his “ Sivamanasa Puja” stotra clearly states that Lord Siva is his Atma! Siva is none other than the Brahman or Paramatma! Man has the strain of Divinity in him which is very often neglected and forgotten! If everyone remembers this fact much of the evil in the world would come down!

Body is the precious container of the eternal Atma. This has to be carefully protected and used properly to foster the latent Divinity. The intellect or Buddhi is the guide that leads man further in the right direction. Sankara points out that his intellect is “ Girija” or Parvati , consort of Siva, the embodiment of Divine dynamic energy. She Herself is considered as the Brahman the primordial Shakti that motivates everything in the universe! As we go higher we understand that everything is Brahman! It manifests in various forms performing different activities. Sankara points out that his friends are the five “ Pranas.” “ “sahacharapranah” What are these? These are the five winds that move through our body and allow us to live. First and foremost is ‘Prana' our life breath in the heart. The second is 'Apana' managing our excretory and renal systems near our anal point. The third is 'Samana' which is situated at the navel. The fourth is  ‘Udana' centered at our neck and enabling us to talk. The last is ‘Vyana' that moves all over the body supervising the other winds. It is Jivatma that is involved in these very important acts. Sankara points out that that the enjoyments , material accumulations etc are the worship that he offers to the Lord! The deep sleep that he enjoys is the stage of ' Samadhi' that he has achieved! In shortly, he is totally diverted in the illusory world and unable to concentrate on God or Brahman! Hence he tells the Lord that whatever acts he commits through his ‘Jnanendriya and Karmendriyas' knowingly or unknowingly are the worship that he offers to the Lord or Paramatma! His walking in the world is the ‘parikrama' that he offers to the ‘Deva' in the innermost recess of the heart!

Sankara, the architect of Adwaita school of thought tells through this Stotra that all our actions should be dedicated to God! It is only then that the result will not affect the person. Man in his arrogance and ego thinks that he is the doer and imagines he is the achiever. But when he submits to the will of God and offers everything to God, his actions, good or bad do not affect him. Man has to realize himself! He should question himself “Who am I?” Caught in the web of inscrutable maya, he is under the illusion that he is the body! It is very difficult for him to recognize the Atma or Jiva within. In the Bhagavadgita Krishna disabuses the mind of Arjuna when he puts down his bow Gandiva and the quiver of arrows. He becomes despondent on looking at his own kith and kin, mentors standing in line for fight. For a moment he is sad and tells Krishna that he doesn’t want to fight. He is not ready to kill the Kauravas and his teachers and eat the bloody meal! He is ready to take to asceticism and go to the forest instead! In other words Arjuna is obssessed with attachment or “mamakara”- the feeling of ‘mine.' This attachment blinds Arjuna and he refused to do his duty as a Kshatriya!

Krishna, now persuades Arjuna to give up his dependency. He has to perform his duty of destroying evil and the Kauravas, the embodiment of evil. They deserve death by their very acts. He should not weep for something that can never be killed! Is Arjuna feeing sad for killing the body that cannot exist for ever or is he sad for the Atma that can never be destroyed? The Kauravas are already killed says Krishna because He has killed them! Killing the Kauravas is similar to killing a dead snake says the Lord! Krishna tells Arjuna that after all Arjuna is only an instrument in His hands. Later KRISNA describes the nature of Atma and the physical body.

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Krishna explains that Atma is eternal. It has no birth or death. It is indestructible. It cannot be made wet. Air cannot dry it. No weapon can cut it! Fire cannot burn it! The body on the other hand is brittle. It is easily made wet. It can be dried and cut by weapons. It is liable to be burnt! The wise will never feel sad for the death of the body. Krishna tells Arjuna that he talks like a jnani but his sorrow belies that position. It is the duty of every individual to understand this basic spiritual truth and act accordingly. Thus the body is not important but the Atma or Soul is all important. As described earlier the Divine spark embedded in the body is more important than the outward sheath of body! It is the purpose and bounden duty of man to realize this truth. It should be his endeavor to see no difference between the Jiva and Deva!

SRI ANJANEYA DASAkAM

This Stotra on Sri Anjaneya was composed by Krishna Murthy Yayavaram on the occasion of the sacred Kumbhabhishekam of the temple of the Swami at Nanganallur, Chennai, Tamilnadu.

Aditvanvaya Ramachandra Prabhu sevasaktha bhakthagranim
Vedadhisa Virinchi Sakra sura sanvedya prabha bhasuram
Adityadbhuta sishyavarya kavirat audarya silam kavim
Adivyadhiharam Samira thanujam Sri Anjaneya bhaje

I worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the son of the wind God, the foremost among the servants of Sri Ramachandra of Suryavamsa, the effulgent, recognized by Brahma, the Lord of the Vedas, Indra and other Devas, the best and astonishing student of Surya, the king of poets, and the vanara!

2 Sridam Sankara Rupa Teja vibhavam Sita Sati pranadam
Modatita vilina yoga niratam putatma samvardhana
Khedatita manoprayukta charitam kridabhiramam ghanam
Adivyadhiharam Prabhanjana sutam Sri Anjaneyam bhaje!

I worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the son of Vayu, the bestower of everything good, always the embodiment of the radiance of Lord Siva, the life giver of Sita, one who transcends the blissful yoga, one who promotes holy persons, one whose mind is far above sorrow, one who is playful and great!

3 Sri Ramarchana namra hasta yugalam, Sri Rama chintonmadam
Sri Ramankita manasambuja varam Sri Rama dhyanotsukam
Sri Ramanuja Mythili priyatamam Sri Rama praneswaram
Adivyadhiharam Samira thanujam Sri Anjaneyam bhaje!

I  worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the vanara son of Vayu, the messenger of Sri Rama with his bent palm and humble in the worship of Sri Rama, mad in the thought of Sri Rama, who has dedicated his lotus heart to Sri Rama, one interested in meditating on Sri Rama, the beloved of Lakshmana and  Mythili and the very life breath of Sri Rama!

4 Vaidehi hita bhashanam Dasamukha sampidanam bhishanam
Chandoddhanda subahu thanda yugalam sakhamrugam bhikaram
Sugrivadi hariswaragra sachivam susthairya sampathkaram
Adivyadhiharam prapanna saranam Sri Anjaneyam bhaje!

I worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the refuge for his bhaktas, who spoke  consolingly to Vaidehi, who was terrible and tormented the ten headed Ravana, one with terribly strong pair of shoulders, and moving among branches, one who was the minister to Sugriva and others, and who grants stable prosperity to all!

5 Srimath Tharakanama mattha madhupam sringara rupojvalam
Hemadri pratibhasamana ruchiram hemambaralankrutham
Kshemalokana divyanetra yugalam Sri Lanka murthim prabhum
Adivyadhiharam madarthi haranam Sri Anjaneyam bhaje!

I worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the remover of my sorrows, the bee drunk deep in the Tharakanama, dazzling in his beauty, bright as the Hemadri, decked in golden dress, with eyes that bring wellness, the very form of Iswara, and the Lord!

6 Nanasastra visaradam uranutam Mynaka sampujitam
Nana vruksha phalanuraktha rasikam nanastra siddheswaram
Nana danava darpa nasaka kapim nanartha sampathpradam
Adivyadhiharam Maruthsutaharim Sri Anjaneyam bhaje!

I worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the son of Vayu, the scholar in all Sastras, the one worshipped by Mynaka, the enjoyer of the fruits of many trees,  one who has the secrets of all Sastras and astras, the vanara that destroyed the arrogance of many asuras, and the one who grants all-round prosperity!

7 Sri Ramanuja pranadata manisam Bhashpambu siktananam
Ghorakara vikara danavasati pranapaharoddhatam
Aramadhbhuta sunndaronnata Puri  Lankapuri dhwamsakam
Adivyadhiharam Prabhanjana sutam Sri Anjaneyam bhaje!

I worship Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the son of Vayu, the savior of the life of Lakshmana, whose face is wet with tears, who is fierce in taklng away the lives of ugly and horrible asura women, the one who ignited and destroyed the beautiful and great city of Lanka!

8 Sitanveshana tatparam manahitam, langula sitanalam
Ghosharbhata vibhedyasatru hrudayam guhyam, yatim kovidam
Kalatita vichitra jivana dhanam Kanjaksha samsevakam
Adivyadhiharam Prabhanjana sutam dhairya pradatham bhaje!

I worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the son of Vayu,  bestower of courage, immersed in the search of Sita, the one that sooths the heart, the one that has cool fire on his tail, one who shatters the hearts of enemies by his terrible cries, the ascetic and the scholar, the one blessed with the wealth of eternal life and the servant of the lotus eyed Rama!

9 Srimath Panchamukha prabhasa vadanam mantrartha yantratmakam
Ugram viravilasa sambhramacharam vyomolla samlanghanam
Agrahyadbhuta yogatatwaniratam vaksatwa sandhayakam
Adivyadhiharam Samira thanujam kirthi pradatham bhaje!

I worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the son of Vayu and the bestower of renown, the one with bright five faces, the indweller of mantras and yantras, the furious, the one with heroic movements,  the one who soared on to the sky, one with inscrutable yoga and the one that grants the ability of speech!

10 Nana duhkka nivaranam Kali mala pradhvamsanam nirmalam
Nanabhakta bhayarthinasa machalam nanartha siddhipradam
Nanabhuta pisacha sikshana gurum matpapa sokapaham
Adivyadhiharam Samira thanujam Sri Anjaneyam bhaje!

I worship Sri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya, the son of Vayu, the remover of all sorrows, the destroyer of the evil of Kaliyuga, the pure, the remover of the fear and sorrows of his devotees, the imperturbable, the one who grants many Siddhis, the Guru who punishes the evil spirits and Pisachas and the one who wards off all my sins and sorrows!
                                      ri Adivyadhihara Anjaneya Dasakam Sampurnam

ON BHAJANS

  Bhajans have become very popular now a days. It is also called “ Nama sankirtan.” It is a way of singing the glory of God by chanting His innumerable names or describing His attributes through simple songs called ' Namavali.’ Bhajan has come down to us from time Immemorial. It has become a part of our culture handed down by our Sanatana Dharma. Bhajans have become so common and frequent that they have lost their true significance in society! People take these bhajans very lightly and consider them as occasions to while away their time. Bhajans can be called as the first step for initiation into Spirituality. It is through bhajans that one can develop eternal values. The mind is taught to enjoy the glory and Majesty of God. It encourages man to go into himself and try to recognize his inner Self! It is significant to note what Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba says: “ Bha” in the word ' bhajan' means that which is ‘bhavyam' (sacred or holy). What is bhavyam? The Atma Tatwa ( principle of Atma) which is divyam ( self effulgent). The letters ‘ja' in the word Bhajan connotes japa ( chanting of the Lord's Name). Hence, Bhajan and Japa are one and the same” (SSS: Vol X)

Bhajans are sung with a lot of musical instruments like drums, cymbals, violins and others. More than the actual Bhajan, too much of instrumental noise is produced during the bhajans. The most essential things for an ideal Bhajan like feeling, emotion, yearning, sincerity and faith are lost and covered up by sounds produced by the accompanying instruments! In group singing the evil qualities of envy, competition, pride, and factionalism raise their heads! It is, therefore best to do bhajans to the Lord in our homes. Bhajans can be sung on as many days as possible or at least once a week. It can be on any convenient day on Thursdays or Sundays. Is there any fixed time for the Bhajan? No. It can be done always, in the waking state or while bathing, walking or eating! How should you sing the Bhajan? It must be done as a felt experience. It is immaterial what effect it creates on the listeners. It should be sung in such a way that it has its effect on God. If there is a sincere yearning for God, the raga and tala shall surely be correct and pleasant. Bhajans should be sung by persons with good voice and musical talent. The Bhajan song itself must be pleasant and not jarring to the ear. Those who cannot follow should repeat the namavali in their mind but not disturb the melody.

Bhajan is the only and the easiest way to get to the Proximity of God in the present world. The Sastras too emphasize this point. “ Kalau kalmasha chittanam papa dravyopa jivinam vidhikriya vihinanam gatir Govinda keertanam.” For evil minded people in the Kali Yuga who live with Ill gotten money and who violate all mandates of the Sastras and the Vedas, Govinda kirtanam is the only recourse! God's Name acts as the effective tonic and a remedy for all illnesses. There are a few doubting Thomases who decry bhajans and laugh at them saying that it is all a mere show. On the other hand bhajans in a group diminishes the egoism of the individual. You are kept away from distracting thoughts. Singing in praise of God purifies the atmosphere. Unfortunately man is compelled to breathe the air polluted by the sounds of violence, hatred, cruelty and wickedness. The vibrations of namasankirtan or Bhajan purify and cleanse the ambience making it calm and ennobling. A clean environment free from evil vibrations tends to develop love and simplicity. Bhajan and sankirtan should be spontaneous and from the heart, not from the lips or tongue. Every organ of our body should be for the service of God says Sri Kulasehara Azwar. “ Jihve kirthaya Kesavam Mura ripum cheto bhaja Sridharam”  O Tongue! Sing the glory of Kesava, O Mind! Worship Sridhara”

“ For the busy age of fear and anxiety, the remembrance of God and the repetition of His Name is the one means of liberation that is accessible to all……….But in the effort to gain the Grace of God, they do not evince even half the interest,” deplores Swamy in his discourse. SSS: (Vol X). Namasmarana is the right royal road for attaining God's Grace. Short cuts like Pranayma and Hatha Yoga are difficult and dangerous. People are enamored of costly and widely advertised drugs and remedies. They are not for simple and easily available medications! Developing faith in the Name shall fulfill all wants and desires of man. Faith in God cannot come suddenly especially in this modern age. It has to be cultivated and nurtured very carefully from the early years of the individual. Parents themselves are a hindrance sometimes since they dissuade their children from joining Bhajan and namasankirtans. This is a Sadhana that has to be performed continuously throughout one's life.

Mechanical recitation of the name of Rama and systematically reading the Ramayana as per a fixed time table or worship the images of the Lord with pomp and paraphernalia shall not help the individual in his progress! There should be purity of thought and intention as well as an urge to serve and compassion. Namasmarana and Bhajan helps in building up these qualities. God's name should be recited with ' awe and wonder'. “ The bow has to be drawn full before the arrow is released, then it will Pierce the target. Feeling is the force that draws the string taut and makes the name reach the ' nami', the bearer of the name”. ( SSS: Vol 4) Man has time to do everything but not Bhajan or namasmarana! It is a false excuse and cannot be entertained. “ The Grace of the Lord is always flowing like an electric current. Attach a bulb and the current will illumine your home to the extent of the voltage of the bulb. The bulb is the spiritual practice in which you engage; the home is your heart.” Let this Spiritual practice of Bhajan or Namasmarana bring in an evolution and elevation in man!

I

ON DIVINE GRACE

Man is an embodiment of ego or ahamkara! He thinks that he is the achiever and gloats over his successes! He is ecstatic over his wonderful victories but at the same time depressed and disappointed at his failures and reverses. He does not realize that there is a power above that supervises and looks after every single act of man. We know the adage, “ Man proposes but God disposes.” We may plan meticulously our plans according to our dreams, exult over our possible success but If God does not will, all our plans shatter into pieces. Instances galore are in history where great rulers with their mighty armies tried to conquer the world but failed miserably with their dreams going dkown to dust. What happened to Alexander the great? Trying to conquer India, he had to face rebellion from his own forces and retreat! What happened to the megalomaniac Napoleon who wanted to overrun the entire Europe? His ambition to conquer Russia proved disastrous and finally he had to accept defeat at the hands of the British. Hitler’s dreams too evaporated into thin air! It is human nature to think high of himself and believe that whatever he desires should end in success! Even the Devas are not exempt from this Ahankara or ego! The Kenopanishad describes how they were elated by their victory over the asuras and celebrated the event. Shakti or Uma wanted to teach them a lesson. She placed a blade of grass before them and bade Vayu, the wind God to blow it off! Vayu tried his best but couldn’t move it even by a fraction of an inch! Then Agni, God of Fire tried to burn it but again he failed miserably! They were all shell shocked at their discomfiture! Then Uma revealed Herself and declared that it is her Grace that had enabled them to score victories over the asuras! The Devas were all humbled and  realized their real position.


It is very clear, therefore, that there is a third something that has control over our actions! Without the will of God all our attempts shall end in failure. Grace or the will of God is absolutely required for the success of all our attempts. “ Grace will set everything right. Its main consequence is ' self realization', but there are other incidental benefits, too, like a happy contented life here and a cool courageous temper, established in unruffled equanimity…This is the nature of Grace. It fulfills a variety of wants.” (SSS Vol 6). Divine Grace has the quality of overriding all human and even supernatural impediments. It is compared to the shower of rain or sunlight which is open to all. The only condition is that one should be ready for and deserve it through Sadhana which is the door for the sunlight! The most desirable wealth is the Grace of God. It shall guard you as the eyelids guard the eye! Man can, without doubt, rely on the Grace of God. He should earn it through his single minded devotion and treasure it for he can weather any severe storm in life and come out unscathed. Real wealth is not money, gold or other material objects but Divine Grace which grants all material and Spiritual longings of man.

Is it possible to earn the Grace of God easily? No. It requires unshakable faith and imperturbable devotion. One has to reform his habits, reduce his wants and desires and refine his higher nature. Having done this step by step, it is possible to progress on the spiritual journey with confidence and enjoy Divine Grace. It is not as if you can win God's Grace late in life. Dedication and faith do not develop suddenly whenever we want! Serious attempt has to be made to control the senses even during the early years for attaining Divine Grace. “The Grace of God cannot be won through the gymnastics of reason, the contortions of Yoga or the denials of asceticism. Love alone can win it, love that needs no requittal, love that knows no bargaining, love that is offered gladly as tribute to the All-loving, love that is unwavering.” (SSS: Vol 7, & X)

Markandeya was destined to die young in his sixteenth year. Knowing about it very late and to wipe out the sorrow of his parents, he sat in penance propitiating Lord Siva. When Yama, Lord of Death came to take him, Markandeya embraced the Siva Linga and prayed. The pasa or the rope thrown on the devotee lad fell on the Linga! Infuriated at this act of Yama, Lord Siva appeared and warned him not to take the life of Markandeya! The Lord blessed him for his devotion and granted him eternal life! It was Divine Grace that warded off the inevitable death that he faced. Prahlada was saved from the torments and torture of his Father Hiranyakasipu by Divine Grace. He was thrown down from the mountain, trampled upon by the elemphant, and bitten by snakes. But he survived. Desperately, Hiranyakasipu forced him to drink poison, all because of the child’s intense Bhakthi for Lord Vishnu, his sworn enemy! Even that attempt failed and the child came out unscathed! What is all this if not Divine Grace?

Divine Grace has the exceptional nature of totally obliterating the 'Prarabdha Karma' of the individual! As mortals we are bound by the effect of our own actions good or bad in our previous births. It is impossible to escape from the consequences of our actions and that is why we suffer or enjoy during our life time. But God's Grace can nullify the effects of our past karma and rejuvenate our life. Thus God's Grace tests the faith and Bhakthi of the devotee in the crucible of intense suffering! “ Those who suffer, have my Grace, says Swami, “ Only through suffering will they be persuaded to turn inward and make the inquiry, and without turning inward and making inquiry, they can never escape misery.” (SSS: Vol 4)  Divine Grace is similar to the Morphine injection that suppresses the pain though you go through it. The pain is not felt at all. The malignity of  karma that one has to undergo is eradicated once and for all!

WHERE IS GOD?

                                                                         

“ Anoraniyan mahato mahiyan” proclaims the Upanishad describing the omnipresence of God! There is nothing in the universe without the principle of Divinity! He is the smallest of the small atom and the biggest of the big! The Vedas, Sastras and Puranas declare God as omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient! But the modern scientist and the rational human being questions the existence of God. He wants to see God personally. Otherwise he cannot believe in God. He wants proof and direct experience to recognize God. He is under the impression that God is a commodity that can easily be seen or experienced!  If God is omnipresent, why is He invisible to all? The question appears to be logical.

 But one should remember that man is mortal while God is immortal. How can man, a mortal, see Immortal and Infinite God with his ignorance and naked eyes? It is not as if God can never be seen by man. Surely, God can be perceived by the Eye of wisdom and that too through His Grace. Spiritual aspirants are mocked at as idle visionaries in search of something that cannot be weighed and valued! Man fails to recognize that many things exist though they are not seen. Do you see your breath or calculate its weight? Can you live without it? “Some ask, where is God to be found?” God can be realized only after a long process of cleansing and at the end of systematic disciplined preparation. Without learning the alphabet how can anyone dare condemn the classic?” argues Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba. (SSS Vol X)
The word 'God' is known to all but that does not mean that they know God! Our universe is but a manifestation of God. The blue sky, the magnificent mountains, fauna and flora, winding rivers with crystal clear water, and every object of creation is His manifestation. The earth, the sun, the stars and the planets and Galaxy too are His creation. They obey the rules of Nature and carry on their duties perfectly without any respite! Under whose directions do these perform their duties? How do Night and Day and the different seasons alternate regularly? It is only at the behest of God! Like the electric current that activates the bulb and the fan, invisible God can be inferred through His manifestations. The Vedas state “ ajayamano bahudha vijayathe”---the Unborn manifests in many forms. Swami gives an interesting explanation to the person who says “God is Nowhere.” With a little change in the position of the letter ‘W', the statement changes to “ God is now here.” Despite living in this world amidst wonderful Nature, man is unable to recognize it as the reflection and manifestation of the Almighty! In short, Creator, and Creation, Nature and God are one and the same, not separate. It is like the relationship between the waves and the sea, inseparable. It is also similar to the bubble born and lost in water! Swami says, “ Nara (the human) is the bubble. God (Narayana) is the sea. Recognize the truth as the bubble cannot be conceived without positing water.” (SS 1972)

The principle of God can never be seen outwardly! He is the 'antaryami' -the indweller in every object in the universe including man and animal! He is Like the oil latent in the til seed, like ghee latent in milk, like the fragrance latent in the flower, like the juice latent in a fruit, and like the fire latent in a faggot. The Divine is immanent in every human being.” Swami says, “ You are God; that is why you are able to  talk and act. To know Divinity you should know the sacredness within you. Only by washing your mouth and getting rid of salt, can you taste sweet. Worldly desires are like salt. Discard them Then you can realize Divinity.” (SSS: Vol 7A) God is ready to respond to the sincere yearnings of his bhaktha. What he requires is a pure heart. You should be ready to receive Him. You should be free from the inner enemies like lust and greed, envy and hatred. All hurdles and objections in realizing God should be bypassed. Thus Prahlada rebelled against his father; Vibhishana went against his brother Ravana;  Parasurama had to kill his mother; Meera disobeyed her husband! The Oneness of God is the very foundation of religion. Brahman and God are one and the same. He is called by several names in several religions. In the same way as the same person is called father, son, uncle, grandfather, brother, cousin, nephew and husband.

From time immemorial God has been called by different names without demonstrating the truth about the Divine. He is Omnipresent and how can such Omnipresence of the Divine be demonstrated? Is it possible to prove something as Brahman and something else as not Brahman? God is embedded in a human being as a seed. The seed requires soil, and water for growth. Only then it can wear blossoms that fill our hearts with bliss. For the Divine seed in man Bhakthi and Sraddha are the needed soil and water! In other words, God has to be experienced within. “ The human estate is the manifestation of the infinite of the Divine. ” Surely, God is everywhere and we can see Him if only we know that He is the indweller of all. “ God appears before him as a blind beggar, an idiot, a leper, a child, a decrepit old man, a criminal or a mad man. You must see the Divine Sai behind all physical veils and worship Him through service. All names are His, all forms are His, including yours. ………See him, serve Him and let mankind be happy.”

WHY RELIGION?

 What is the need for religion? Will it not be possible for man to live without religion? Some times we ask these questions. The answer is that without religion man is likely to drift without proper direction! Religion is the link or bridge between God and man. Unfortunately religion has become the cause for many conflicts, wars and much destruction in the world. The noble principles of religions have been distorted, twisted, by the followers to cause violence, and hatred among others. The religious wars or ‘Jihads' between the Muslims and Christians for Jerusalem ended in a holocaust! Hundreds of thousands of innocent people were killed. The conflict between the Church and the State in England is too very well known. Modern society is in a confused state and is still uncertain about the usefulness of religion and its merits. The question arises whether religion is a boon or bane to the society. Different religions were established to foster unity, brotherhood and devotion that constitute the sacred qualities of mankind. Religion brings in the fundamental guidelines for right living as well as development of human personality. “ It provides a link between the individual and Divinity. Love, sacrifice, service and righteousness are the four limbs of religion” says Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba. (SSS Vol 7B)

All religions preach unity for the well-being of society. The mandates of all religions  are: 1 to stick to the path of Truth and 2 encourage development of good qualities. The essence of all religions is one and the same. Is religion the cause for all the conflict, violence and bitterness in the world?  No. It is because of the selfish  followers and their narrow practices that religions have turned into narrow creeds. There is a feeling among people that religion is a bunch of principles and of strict do's and don’ts ordained for being followed. This is a wrong conception. The aim of religion is to remind man of his Divine source and assist him to return to his origin God. “ Like trailing clouds of glory do we come from God who is our home” says William Wordsworth the Nature poet.  There is an inter relationship between all faiths since the principles they teach and the disciplines they recommend are one and the same. “ The Vedic Religion was the first in time; Buddhism which appeared about 2500 years ago, was its son; Christianity, which was influenced much by the Orient was its grandson. And Islam, which has the prophets of Christianity at its base, was the great grandson. All have Love as the Fundamental Discipline of the Mind, in order to chasten it and merge man with the Divine.” (SSS Vol X)

All the great religions of the world are different ways to reach God in the same way as all the rivers  reach the ocean. No religion can be declared as the only one. It is ignorance and foolishness to consider one religion as superior to another religion. Like the mother, dear to the individual, every religion is dear to the follower of that faith. It is religion that forms three forth character! Merely following or observing the sacraments shall not make man religious. He should exhibit what religion demands viz  uprightness and compassion. None can be blamed for the neglect of the cardinal principles of religion. We are responsible for our own false sense of values as a result of our weak faith. Sacred qualities of unity and fellow being and devotion are absolutely essential for every human being. Thus came in to being the great religions of the world, established by some great souls. Religion is a step towards development of human personality. There is no basis for differences between religions as their essence is one and the same, ‘the scriptures proclaim the same truth and when the goal of all human effort is one.'

 Religions direct us to love all and live in harmony with everyone in society. Christianity and Islam have this as their basis. The great Sikh Guru Nanak preferred community prayers to isolated individual prayers. Congregational prayers would melt the heart of the Almighty. At least, one pure heart's prayer would reach God! Thus community bhajans and prayers became popular. Why is it that religion has become the cause for conflict and violence? It is because of man’s obsession for power, position and success. Religion, thus, came to be used as an instrument of torture and persecution. Instead of uniting people it divided them into mutual warring camps. Man gloats over his advancement and civilization but he has utterly and miserably failed in understanding religion! Religious animosity is still flaring all over the world!

No religion should decry other religion or faith.  All religions are great in their own way and strive for the salvation of man. It is religion that reveals the sublime feelings in man and makes him serve the society. It brings out all that is great, blissful and good in men and demonstrates the unity of mankind. In this context, what Swami has said is very significant! “ There is only one religion, The religion of Love; There is only one caste, The caste of humanity; There is only one language, The language of the heart; There is only one God; He is omnipresent” (SSS Vol 8) Until society realizes this universal principles of unity of religions and the oneness of God and the sacred quality of Love, there cannot be peace and tranquility in the world torn by religious conflicts! Let us hope good sense would prevail among humanity!