ON SIN OF BEING BORN

ON THE SIN OF BEING BORN

Birth is considered as “ adhi vyadhi”-original disease! Spirituality and philosophy  do not speak highly of birth. It is considered as a misery. Why are creatures born in this world? Philosophy argues that it is because of one’s karma or deeds good or bad.A person or a creature is born with the consequence of the deeds of his previous birth. He continues to perform deeds and accumulates the effect of his good and bad deeds which form the basis of his future birth and  its happiness or suffering. Thus birth is the result of “ prarabda, sanchitha and agami “ karmas. there is no escape from this cycle! That is what Adi Sankara points out: “ Punarapi jananam Punarapi maranam Punarapi janani jatare sayanam.” Is man satisfied in his birth? The answer is no! Under the influence of illusion or Maya he considers life as permanent and forgets  the purpose of his life on earth totally! Krishna was once asked what was the most miraculous thing in all creation, and he replied that a man should wake each morning and believe deep in his heart that he will live forever even though he knows that he is doomed!

His ‘ mamakara’ or attachment to his wife, children, property and kith and kin leads him to intense misery and the various vicissitudes of samsara or family life. More and more insatiable desires torment him and there is no escape from the resulting agony! Every second he loses his longevity, youth deserts him, days lost never return, time swallows up the whole universe, wealth blows up like the bubble on the waves of the sea and life itself is like the momentary flash of lightning! The sea of Samsara is fathomless and abysmal. It is shoreless. It is infested with alligator like wife and children who drag you down further! “ Life and death are illusion. We are in a constant state of transformation.” says a  writer! “ Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides” according to Lao Tse. According to Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher, “ The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our separate ways, I to die and you to live. Which of these is better only God knows.”

It follows, therefore, that birth is the  result of the sin or the punya that one has  accumulated! Is it possible to live without doing anything to avoid birth? Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that it is impossible. If there is no karma there is no birth! If the body is at rest the mind is active! Mental activity is also karma and that has its effect. As such man is caught in the inescapable grip of the cycle of birth and death! When can man release himself from this everlasting cycle? It is only after innumerable births and deaths after experiencing the effects of all previous births. After all this experience emancipation is granted as per the Sasthras  and philosophy. But that stage is very far and the chances are remote since karma and its effect is continuous and unstoppable!

Man should realize that the world he lives in is unreal! It is an illusion, a make believe. It weaves a web in which we are caught and think it is real! It is like the silver in the seashell. For a look it shines like silver but there is no silver in it! The shell is real but the shine of silver is deception! But we are carried away by the shine of silver and think it is real.  This feeling is also similar to a dream. So long as we dream we feel it is real. We sometimes laugh and cry, feel sad or happy. But the moment we open our eyes the realization dawns that, after all, it was a dream! We still live in this dreamy world imagining it to be real! The world itself is of temporary existence and is it not foolish to think that we would live forever?

How to avoid birth? It is impossible to stop karma or escape from the ordeals of experiencing its gruelling effects! Janmarahitya -- birthlessness can be achieved by an attempt to achieve the aim and purpose of our earthly existence!  We are born not to live to eat. We eat to live. The purpose of our birth is to realize ourselves!  We are the Indestructible 'atma’, a chip of the block of the Paramatma or the Brahma the Supreme Reality! We are not the body with which we identify ourselves! we are not the small i but the big I which is the Infinite! In that constant thought we release ourselves from all our attachments and entanglements. We grow spiritual, detached, meditate on the Supreme Reality, attain Jnana and eventually merge with the Supreme Being! This is called emancipation or salvation or mukti when birth is annulled!

SRI ANANDA PANCHAMUKHA VINAYAKA PANCHARATNAM

Sri Ananda Panchamukha Ganapathi Pancharatnam

This is a composition by KrishnamurthyYayavaram on Sri Panchamukha Ganapathi describing

the glorious attributes of the Lord with Five faces!  The stotra is in Sanskrit and can be easily read since it is transliterated into English for those who do not know Sanskrit.The Stotra is set to chandas and can be read for parayana daily.The meaning is given below each sloka for the benefit of the readers.

Omkara rupa' pranavatmaka varanasyam hunkara maatra vinivarita vighna megham

Hrinkara murthi Bhavatharini mukhya sunum sanchintayami Gananayaka panchavaktram

I contemplate on the embodiment of Omkara, the elephant faced God who dispels the clouds of obstacles by his  very hunkara; He is the  important son of Bhavatharini the form of Hrinkara!

Ananda Dayaka Maheswara bhavya Putram Herambha lamba jataram Guha sodaragram

Arambha karyaVijayaprada mekadantam sanchintayami Gananayaka panchavaktram

I contemplate on the great son of Maheswara, the bestower of bliss; he is Herambha,with a large belly, the elder brother of Lord Subramanya!

Ananda Panchamukha bhushana malya yuktam Ananda Chandra sakalojvala phaladesam

Bhanu prabha jita virajita pada pitam sanchintayami Gananayaka panchavaktram.

I contemplate on Sri Ananda Panchamukha Vinayaka decked with ornaments and garlands and the blissful crescent moon on his forehead; his feet at the pedestal put to shame the brilliant radiance of the Sun!

Panchana nonnata sukhasana maprameyam modasya modaka suhasta prasasta murthim

Vedokta mantra Paripujita punya silam Sanchintayami Gananayaka panchavaktram.

I contemplate on Ananda Panchamukha Vinayaka seated comfortably on the great Lion; he is Aprameya, with a cheerful face and the modaka in his renowned hand; He is of holy character and worshipped by the Vedic mantras!

Buddhi pradam sakala siddhi karaika daivam vriddhi pradam sakala saukhya mananta kirtim

Jnanadhi daivata masesha visesha lilam sanchintayami Gananayaka panchavaktram!

I contemplate on Ananda Panchamukha Vinayaka the bestower of intellect and all the mysterious Siddhis! He grants prosperity and endless fame! He is the presiding deity for Jnana or Knowledge. His Divine sports or Leelas are innumerable!

WORLD AS AN ILLUSION

WORLD AS AN ILLUSION

Jacques the melancholy philosopher tells the Banished Duke, in Shakespeare’s As You Like It that all the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players! They have their exits and entrances and each plays many parts. He describes the seven ages of man starting from his birth and ending with death. Philosophy has different perceptions of the mundane world and it's existence. Vedanta considers the world as illusion! “ Brahma satyam jagan mithya”. Supreme Reality is the truth. The universe or the world is illusion or Maya. The world appears as real because of ‘avidya’ or ignorance. It is like stepping on a rope in darkness and screaming in fear that you have stepped on a snake! Actually there is no snake but the similarity of the rope to snake and the darkness create an illusion to frighten you! When there is illumination or Knowledge the reality is known.

Maya can be described as the play of the Supreme consciousness of the Providence. This results in projecting things and forms temporarily phenomenal and retain the illusion of oneness and permanence! It is similar to a marvellous dream of a person who is awake! Illusion is unreality distinct from the reality represented by God or the Brahman. Ma means source or the cause. Ya means that which proceeds, goes, walks or spreads out.  Ma also represents universal mother. It is the Leela or play of God engendered through his creative and dynamic energy or force or shakti. Maya also refers to Prakriti or Nature which is the manifestation of God. Thus in illusion things appear differently from what they are actually!

Everything in the universe is in constant motion but we think we live in a stable world! The sky has no color but it appears blue because of reflection of light. Day and night and seasons change regularly.There is unperceived change in our body but we are not conscious about it. As Adi Sankara points out in his classic Bhaja Govinda “ Dina yaminyau sayam prataha sisira vasantau punarayataha.” Constant change is the essence of life and world but we are not aware of it.The world is considered as unreal as a dream! As long as you experience it, it appears real. But the moment you open your eyes you realize that it is, after all, a dream but not a reality! When we have terrible nightmares we want them to be unreal; but when we experience good dreams we want them to be real!

In the cinema theater we are under an illusion that what happens on the screen is real! Characters flit across the screen on the stage.The hero is applauded and the villain cursed by the audience.The heroine is loved as she is your favourite! You feel happy over a love sequence and an item number! Under the emotional impact of the story and dialogue you sometimes breakdown in the cinema theater and wipe your eyes with handkerchief! Why is that reaction? Because you think it is real for the time being --for about two to two and half hours! Knowing that to be unreal, you force yourself to think it is real. This is called suspension of disbelief! Under its influence you enjoy the film and come out. Otherwise, if you think that there is no point in seeing imaginary characters on the white screen, you cannot see or enjoy the picture at all!

The difference between enjoyment in the cinema theater and life in the world is that we do not consider the world as unreal though it is so! There is a web of deception woven by the great Spider God to envelop the world in delusion! His creative glory of man and Nature has enthralled humanity and has made it a permanent prisoner!  However much he tries it is impossible for him to release himself from this illusion or Maya! Lord Krishna himself points out  to Arjuna, “mama Maya duraratyaya.” It is really difficult to think that the body is unreal though everyone knows it. To consider this fascinating world as unreal is much more difficult. Detachment from family, wife, children, kith and kin and wealth is practically impossible! The little and brittle pleasures are mistaken for happiness! Thus man is drowned in the shoreless sea of samsara and caught in the cycle of birth and death! It requires proper realization and  tremendous concentration to know that the world is unreal and illusory!

JNANI AND BHAKTHA

                                                                

Jnani and Bhaktha are the two words that are very frequently used in spirituality and Vedanta. Can jnani be a Bhakta and Bhaktha be a Jnani? Jnani concentrate on the supreme being through meditation and tapas where as the Bhakta loses himself in his extreme love for God in some form or other! Jnani is after the formless Absolute that has no beginning, middle or end. On the other hand the Bhaktha propitiates  God with attributes. One is a worshipper of ‘Nirguna Brahman’ while the other is a lover of ‘ saguna Brahman” There is a kind of ego or ‘ahankara’ in the Jnani. But the Bhaktha is docile and submits himself totally to the will of the Supreme Being!  Sri Rama Krishna offers a beautiful example ! In the janana, where Muslim women are present, the husband cannot enter without permission! But children have a free access to the Janana. The Jnani is like the husband while the Bhaktha is similar to the child that is welcome to the mother! Children are innocent and god like!

         The distinction between the Jnani and the Bhakta  can be explained by the two’ nyayas’ called “markata kisora nyaya and “ “marjara kisora nyaya”. The young one of the monkey clings to its mother. and  has to depend on its own strength. The mother is least concerned about it. If the young one loses its hold it falls down and is injured. In other words the Jnani has to believe in his own strength of meditation and the path he has taken to realize the Absolute. But on the other hand, the kitten is helpless and stays where it is kept. There is no risk for the kitten since the mother cat, gently catches it in its teeth and places it in different places.  The Jnani has to depend upon his own effort to achieve salvation. The Bhakta throws all responsibility on God by his selfless love for the Supreme Being!  In true Bhakti there is total and utter surrender to the will of God.

           The Jnani says proudly that he is God himself, the spotless atman! The Bhakta says that every   thing in the universe is His glory. Realization of God can happen when you reach an attitude ‘ All this am I ‘ or ‘ All this art Thou” or “ Thou art the Master and I am the servant”. Devotees of Siva tend to be Jnanis and we see in them the belief that Brahman is real and the world an illusion---“ Brahma satyam Jagan mithya”. The devotees of Vishnu tend to be ardent Bhaktas with faith. To the Jnani the whole world is a dream. He lives in his own Self. The Bhaktha’s love for God moves in different directions.  In his ecstasy or madness for his God, the Bhaktha laughs, weeps, sings and dances! He wants to merge himself in God’s presence  and in that ocean of bliss! “According to the puranas”, says Sri Ramakrishna,  “the devotee is separate from God. Man is one entity and He is another.”  While the body is the vessel,   the mind, intellect and  the ego are similar to water in it and the Brahman is the Sun who is reflected in the water! But to the Vedanti  or Jnani  Brahman alone is the reality and everything else is Maya or illusion. It is like the stick of “ I “ that separates the water into two divisions. When the stick is removed   there is one undivided sheet of water!

            Jnanis need not remain aloof. They can do immense good to humanity by treading the path of Bhakthi. Narada and other sages are examples of Jnanis who did  good to the world though they were realized souls. Says Sri Ramakrishna, “ Jnani is like a man and Bhaktha is like a woman. Knowledge has entry only up to the drawing room of God, but Love can enter His inner apartments.” Sri  Ramakrishna gives a beautiful example of the attitude of the Jnani and the Bhaktha. While passing through a jungle, a jnani and a Bhaktha happened to see a tiger! In his usual way, the Jnani said that they need not be afraid of it and flee from it. The Almighty God will definitely save them. The Bhaktha disagreed with the Jnani and said they should run away. He questioned why they  should  trouble the Lord when they could  achieve a thing by their own effort!

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