TOTAL SURRENDER

TOTAL SURRENDER

Of the nine types of bhakthi or devotion the most important and the most difficult is total surrender or ‘saranagati’. -The! devotee totally resigns himself to the will of God! He throws all his responsibility on the Providence and involves himself in His meditation day in and day out. He has no other attachment to the material world. He puts himself into the protection of God and in turn God takes over the task of looking over the total welfare of the Bhaktha! The bhaktha is totally devoid of his ego which is the root cause of all entanglements in life. The story of Gajendra in the Bhagavata is a  classical example of how total surrender impels the Lord to run to the rescue of his bhaktha in dire distress! In the beautiful Trikuta range of mountains there was an orchard with a variety of fruits and a captivating lake with crystal clear water. Gajendra

came to the lake with his female elephants and began to play with them by splashing water on them and disturbing the stillness of the cool lake! Rudely shaken by the commotion created by Gajendra, the crocodile in the deep waters grew furious and caught one of the legs of  Gajendra!

Gajendra struggled to extricate itself from the firm clasp of the crocodile. But in vain.In it's arrogancce of power it tried it's best but the more it tried the stronger grew the hold of the crocodile since water was its natural habitat! The tug of war went on for many years and gradually Gajendra grew hopeless. He then thought of God and prayed to Him for succour! There was no other alternative but to pray for the grace of God! Now he resigned himself to the will of God and praised Him with great faith and devotion. He surrendered himself totally to the grace and will of the Almighty! “ You are the creator,protector, and destroyer of the universe. You are the sea of compassion! All creatures finally merge into you at length! The world is full of avidya! In ignorance I thought I could win with my strength and now realize the futility of my effort! I want to get rid of the cycle of birth and death! Save me from the jaws of this monstrous crocodile! I entirely depend on your Grace! O Lord! kindly come to my rescue!” said Gajendra in his pathetic plight.

Potana, the celebrated Telugu poet describes the reaction and response of Lord Vishnu to the sincere prayer of Gajendra very beautifully! He was reclining in Vakunta in the company of Lakshmi Devi when he heard the prayers of Gajendra. Suddenly He got up and started to run! He did not release himself from the apron of his spouse! He did not summon Garuda his mount! He did not care to take the famous conch and the Sudarsana Chakra? Lakshmi wondered at the haste with which her Lord ran! Soon she followed him and with her the conch, Chakra and other Devas amazed at the anxiety and speed of the Lord! Gajendra saw his saviour, Lord Vishnu and lifting his trunk presented Him a lotus as an offering! The Lord was pleased and with the Chakra he killed the ferocious alligator and released Gajendra from its deathly grasp! Lo! Behold! From the dead body for the crocodile emerged a form bright and radiant with heavenly glow!

The form that came out of the dead crocodile was that of Huhu, a Gandharva who was cursed by the sage Devala! He dragged the toe of the sage while he was performing penance standing in water! Huhu apologized for his mischief and requested the sage for relief from the curse.The sage said that when Lord Vishnu comes to save Gajendra, he would be free from the curse and regain his original form! Gajendra in his previous birth was the Pandya King Indradyumna. He was pious and a devotee of Lord Vishnu. He was in deep meditation when sage Agasthya came. The king, in his thoughts on God, did not notice the sage and receive him with due honor! The sage took this attitude as the quality of ‘thamasa’ and cursed him to be an elephant! With the benign touch of the Lord the elephant transformed into the King Indradyumna! Though he became an elephant he remembered his previous birth because of his devotion to the Lord! Thus Indradyumna attained mukti and Huhu regained his Gandharva form!

So long as man believes in his physical and mental strength and becomes proud and arrogant God does not help him. It is only when he throws up his hands in despair and hopelessness and prays sincerely for his Grace, does God respond! In the Kaurava court, while Draupadi was being disrobed Krishna did not come to her rescue immediately! When she gave up all her attempts to save her own chastity and called upon the Lord sincerely did Krishna grant her His Grace and a never ending series of saris to protect her! There are many instances of total surrender in the lives of our ancient saints like the Azwars and the Nayanmars who lived in God and never cared for themselves. It was God himself who cared for them and demonstrated that he takes over all the responsibilities of his devotees if only they surrendered to Him in true faith and devotion!

SACRIFICE - The Story of Dadhichi

SACRIFICE --THE STORY OF DADHICHI

“ Nakarmana naprajaya na dhanena thayge naikena amrutatwa manasuhu” - Neither through deeds or progeny or money can one become immortal. It is only through sacrifice that one  can attain ‘amrutatwa ‘or immortality.This is nowhere established than in the story of the renowned sage DADHICHI who sacrificed his life for the sake of the general good of the Devas. As per legend, Indra in his pomp and pleasure disrespected his mentor Brihaspati and the sage vanished with displeasure! When Indra realized his mistake and went to apologize, the sage could not be seen. In his absence the demons invaded Swarga and defeated all the Devas. On approach, Creator Brahma advised Indra to take the help of Viswarupa, son of Thwashta. He gave Indra ‘Narayana Kavacha’ by repeating which Indra vanquished the demons and regained his lost kingdom. Partial to the demons,Viswarupa gave the sacred offerings to asuras during the yagna. Noticing the fraud,Indra cut off Viswarupa’s three heads and was afflicted with the sin of 'brahmahatya!’

To avenge the death of his son Viswarupa, Thwashta performed a homa to invoke a form that would kill Indra! Soon a terrible and fierce form, dense like the dark clouds, emerged from the homa! It's hair and eyes were of the color of copper. They generated intense heat like that of the rays of the noontide sun! It had the trisula or the trident in its hand! Looking at this terrible form all ran in fear of their lives! This demon was Vrutrasura who defeated the Devas once again and drove Indra away from Swarga! Dejected and humiliated by the successive defeats, Indra and the Devas approached Lord Vishnu for succor. The protector of all Gods,Vishnu directed them to the great sage Dadhichi whose bones alone could save them and kill the fearful demon Vrutrasura. Accordingly the Devas approached the sage DADHICHI and requested him to  sacrifice his life and offer his bones to be made into a weapon that could kill the demon.

Dadhichi had three boons from Lord Siva. He could be never humiliated and his bones would beA as hard as the diamond.The relationship between Indra and the sage was not good but he heard the request of the Devas and decided to give up his life for the sake of the well-being of Indra and the Devas! He wanted them to wait for a while so that he could bathe in the waters of the holy rivers and return. In order not to waste time, Indra caused all the rivers to come to the famous place of Naimisaranya! Dadhichi finished his ablutions and went into deep meditation and his spirit left  the body! It is said that the heavenly cow Kamadhenu licked the body to secure the bones of the sage! Thereupon,the bones of the vertebral column of Dadhichi were made into the invincible and very strong ‘Vajrayudha’ that became the main weapon of Indra. It was Viswakarma that hammered all the bones into that wonderful weapon ‘Vajrayudha’!

With the new weapon Vajrayudha and resurgent vigour, Indra and  his forces attacke Vrutrasura and his army of demons! lt was a fierce encounter and the demon's generals Namuchi, Sambara,Puloma and others were killed. Indra and Vrutrasura met face to face and exchanged various weapons in fight! Suddenly Vrutrasura opened his monstrous mouth and swallowed Indra along with his elephant Iravata! But Indra was safe because of the ‘Narayana Kavacha' given by Viswarupa! At this a turning point takes place and Vrutrasura  becomes non attachched and philosophical! He lost all interest in material existence. He desires to get released from Maya or illusion. He calls upon Indra to use his ‘Vajrayudha’ and kill him! Indra smites him with the weapon killing Vrutrasura! A radiant light emanated from his body and merges into the Lord!

The sin of 'brahmahatya’ chases Indra and he tries to save or hide himself! Finally he takes refuge in the lotus stalk in Manasarovar where he will be unaffected as the lake is the abode of Goddess Lakshmi! It is said that Indra  remained there for a thousand years! In his absence   king Nahusha became the Indra and ruled Swarga! The supreme sacrifice of sage Dadhichi thus resulted in the destruction of evil in the form of Vrutrasura and made life easy for all Devas. There cannot be a greater sacrifice than one’s own life for the sake of the good of society!

APPEARANCES ARE DECEPTIVE

Appearances Are Deceptive

Though we say the face is the index of mind, appearances are deceptive! A rough exterior may conceal the milk of human kindness! A pleasing personality can be as hard as a stone within! One who laughs always can hide in himself the worst of villainy! It is very difficult to judge people by their outward  appearances. The story of Jada Bharata is a classical example of one who was mistaken for a foolish and stupid person good for nothing. Born into the clan of sage Angirasa, to Rishabha, Bharata was highly reserved and detached in everything. He proved to be a problem child and he was taken to be deaf and dumb! But Bharata had the knowledge of his previous existence. He did not bother about the opinion of others. After the death of his disappointed father, he was tortured by his step brothers and treated like a cooley! But he never complained and ate whatever was provided to him by his brothers!

A robber chief, desirous of a son, wanted to sacrifice a person and sent his men to procure a suitable man. They went in his search and found Bharata guarding a field. With matted hair, and body strong and full of dirt, he was considered fit for sacrifice and brought bound hand and feet to the robber chief.The men were surprised at his nonchalance and absence of any objection while being bound! As per the instructions of the chief, Bharata was bathed, given food and prepared for sacrifice.  They beat drums and placed Bharata before Goddess Kali. The Archaka raised his sword to kill Bharata when there arose a terrible radiance from his face that affected the Goddess herself. She grew angry and sent her servants who chased and killed everyone present there! The Goddess blessed Bharata. Meanwhile king Rahugana of Sindhu was traveling on his palanquin and the bearers wanted some assistance. Spotting Bharata, they took him in, to share their burden. Once again, Bharata, without offering any resistance, silently joined them. As he could not keep pace with them the palanquin tilted. The king grew furious and questioned the bearers why that happened when they pointed to Bharata. When this happened for the second time the king threatened to punish him.

At this, Bharata stared at the king and said that the body is impermanent! People identify the body with the soul. The real ‘l’ is different from the body. Humiliation, shame, and punishment are for the body, not for the soul. The Soul has no form or attributes.” ajo nityaha saswaatoyam purano” It is eternal, imperishable,very old, has no beginning or end! Differences are in the bodies, not in soul!! Hence there is no difference between the king and the servant. Bharata said that he has attained self realization! He may appear as foolish and stupid! But he is totally unattached and the king can never punish the Soul which is  Bharata’s self! The King was amazed at the enlightenment of the seemingly ordinary and lethargic Bharata! He fell at his feet, craved pardon and requested Bharata to initiate him to Brahma vidya!

Bharata was glad that the king had realized his mistake. He accepted him as his disciple and taught him the principles of the Supreme knowledge! “ mana eva manushyanam Karanam bandha mokshayoh”- it is the mind the reason behind attachment and detachment. Man has to win over the ‘ arishadvargas- the six inner enemies and attain Jnana. The Jiva can only be liberated after that! Until that state he has to take rebirth! The dense jungle of Samsara is terribly frightening. This fear can be overcome by total surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord!

The innate three Guna's, Satwa, Rajas,and Thamas induce man to commit good and bad deeds resulting in his punya and Papa (sinful deeds). Man is enveloped in ‘maya’ or illusion. As a result he considers the real as unreal and the unreal as real! He is drawn away from God and spirituality. Bharata suggested to the king to abandon everything and fix his mind on God. He has to maintain pure heart and be kind and compassionate to all beings. This shall go a long way in crossing the shoreless sea of samsara and can even result in birthlessness or  ‘janmarahitya’! The king realized that appearances are deceptive. He wondered how he took the great Bharata as a very ordinary person without realizing  jnana that was embedded in him! We have to be very cautious in judging people by their outward appearances!!!

EFFECT OF GOD'S NAME

EFFECT OF GOD’S NAME

Totally immersed in the shoreless sea of samsara, man has no time to think of God! His attachment  to his wife, children, property and other things leads him astray. But in this Kaliyuga the best way to attain salvation is to repeat the name of God. Unless he cultivates and practices bhakthi from his early life it is impossible for him to utter the name of God! It is all the more difficult to think of God and call out to God in the terminal stage when man is afflicted with disease and loses his consciousness! That is why Kulasekhara Azwar says that he has, in the beginning, offered his heart and soul at the lotus feet of the Lord! The name of God is capable of warding off all sins of man if uttered before one breathes his last! The Bhagavata Purana establishes this fact in the story of a brahmin and how he was emancipated through calling out the name ‘Narayana’, though it happened to be the name of his dear son!

In the land of Kanyakubja lived a brahmin, Ajamila. But he went astray, forgot all the righteous ways in which a brahmin has to conduct himself, and lived with a low caste woman! He indulged in sinful deeds, became a gambler and a thief also! He had ten sons of whom the last was named Narayana. Ajamila was extremely fond of him and never wanted to be separated from him. In fact he doted on him, ate with him and did everything in his company! As days passed he grew old, senile and death scared him! Even then, he did not think of God or feel sorry for the evil life he had spent. All his thoughts were on his last son. In his indescribable attachment to his last son, he called “Narayana, come to me” and breathed his last! Soon the kinkaras of Yama,the God of Death came to take him away to their world for punishment! He had to suffer  in hell for his evil life on earth. But they were shocked to see divine beings who had come to take Ajamila to heaven.

The Yama kinkaras argued that Ajamila did not deserve heaven as he was unrighteous and led a sinful life. He was a slave to his passion and lust and lived with a low caste woman. He had deserted his wife and aged mother to satisfy his lust and indulged in sinful deeds. He was a drunkard, and a thief also! Hence he should be subjected to severe punishment. But those from heaven contradicted their statement. Ajamila was absolved of all his sins as he had called out to  Lord Narayana even as he breathed his last! Though he called out to his dear son, that happened to be the Lord’s name Narayana. That name is capable of annihilating all the sins accumulated during the previous births! Hence the effects of his evil karma have melted away  like the snow that dissolves after sunrise! It is immaterial whether the name is uttered knowingly or unknowingly!  They asked the Yama Kinkaras to seek clarification from their Lord Yama Dharmaraja on this point.

Yama pointed out that namasmarana is otherwise called Bhakthi yoga. There is nothing superior to it on earth. It is the name of Hari alone that brings salvation to man! “ Harair nameiva nameiva nameiva mama jivanam kalau nasthaiva nasthaiva nasthaiva gathi ranyatha.” If by repeating the Lord’s name once can get man salvation, what about those who perform japa always?  Yama said that Lord Narayana is the Supreme Absolute on whose mandate he and all other Gods perform their duties! He admonished his men and directed them not to approach the devotees of Lord Narayana henceforth!

Bhakthi or devotion and spirituality cannot come to a person suddenly or by magic! It has to be cultivated assiduously even from childhood. It depends upon the bringing up that the child has. Moving in good company, association with the wise and saintly and the pious will go a long way in developing spirituality and devotion among children! Sathsang is very important for everyone. As Adi Sankara says there is no point in memorising grammatical rules with one foot in the grave! The thought of God does not come to man in his last moments as his attachments are innumerable. He is worried about his wife, children, property and so many things at the moment of his demise! He has not contemplated on God seriously during his lifetime! How can the name of God come to him suddenly in his last moments? We have to think seriously about this so that the Lord’s name is always on our lips!

       

THE DANGER OF ATTACHMENT

DANGER OF ATTACHMENT

Attachment to worldly things is dangerous and the main stumbling block for the emancipation of  man! The more we are attached the greater is the fall! But it is very difficult to to be detached. This ‘mamakara’ did not spare even Arjuna when he stood in front of his kith and kin on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Krishna counsels Arjuna about the danger of this attachment and persuades him to fight the Kauravas. The feeling of My and Mine is the root cause of all troubles and difficulties for mankind! Even saints and sages find it difficult to free themselves from this sense of attachment! The story of Bharata is a classical illustration of how attachment  resulted in his rebirth as a deer and subsequent release from that birth!

Bharata was the son of Rishabha and ruled his country righteously. Our country is called  ‘Bharata Varsha’ after him. After a long rule he retired to the ashram of sage Pulaha at Haridwar. Bharata was a great devotee of Lord Narayana and spent his time in meditation on the bank of the holy river Chakra. One day as he sat for meditation, he saw a deer that came to drink water. Suddenly there was a roar of the lion that terrified the deer. In its fright, to escape from the lion, the pregnant deer jumped to cross the river. Unfortunately the child slipped into the river while the mother deer died on the other side of the river. Bharata, who was a witness to this ghastly sight, grew compassionate and took the baby deer to his ashram and began looking after it like his own child. Day by day his attachment increased until he could not live without it! He now spent all his time with it. He was very much afraid of its safety and couldn't do anything until it  returned safe from its wanderings in the ashram.

His attachment was so total and complete that he forgot his daily meditation and even his daily routine. Thoughts of this deer came crowding round him as he sat for meditation! It would gently rub itself against his body and he would offer it some grass. Like a parent enjoying the pranks and play of his child he was delighted at every movement of this deer. He would touch it and spend hours talking to it! In short, he forgot all his devotional fervor and lost himself in the obsession for this tiny deer. He did not think of Lord Narayana whose great devotee he was hither to!

Days and years passed and there was no decrease in his love and affection and obsession for the deer! He grew old and inexorable death neared him. He was much worried about the future of the deer and who would look after the young deer after his demise. Final day of his existence arrived and with thoughts on the deer he shuffled his mortal coil! As a result of his excess  attachment to the deer, Bharata was reborn as a deer! But because of his devotion and compassion, he was blessed with the knowledge of his previous birth! Now Bharata, in the form of the deer, remembered his past and felt sorry for wasting away his precious life in attaching himself to the deer. He didn't wish to waste this birth and kept good company and moved in spiritual ambience. He went to a place called Saligramam where the rishis lived, grazed the grass nearby and drank the pure water of the river. Thus he lived and died and got rid of his animal birth!

We see that attachment is irresistible and we should be very careful  in our life in dealing with it! Excessive attachment to anything, even to our parents, children,  house, property and wealth is detrimental to our spiritual progress. That can lead us astray and ruin us! It is said the person is reborn according to what he thinks at the time of his demise! Bharata always and at the time of his death thought about his deer! Hence he was reborn as a deer! Noble thoughts lead to noble and good birth! But such thoughts do not come suddenly. Man should cultivate good company and develop spirituality even from early childhood. Devotion to God and faith contribute to the  type of life that one gets later!

DRAUPADI 'S COMPASSION

Draupadi’s Compassion

The great Mahabharatha war ended with the annihilation of the Kaurava clan. The survivors were Krupacharya, Krutha varma and Aswatthama. He wanted to wreak vengeance on the Pandavas and went to their Camp at night. But they were not present there. He saw Draupadi’s five children and her brother whom he killed mercilessly. Not satisfied with this dark deed, he set fire to the camp. Draupadi and the Pandavas were shocked and petrified at this ghastly murder of the five children at one stroke. Draupadi’s sorrow knew no bounds. Arjuna vowed to kill Aswatthama and bring him to fall on her feet. Meanwhile Aswatthama ran for his life but Arjuna pursued and captured him.

Still in his frenzy to root out the Pandavas, Aswatthama invoked the terrible astra' Brahmasirsha’ and released it. The entire sky reddened under the effect of the astra. Arjuna felt it's unbearable heat all over his body and asked Krishna for guidance. The Lord suggested that Arjuna should send the same astra to attack the one sent by Aswatthama as there was no other alternative. Arjuna did as he was bid. It appeared that the whole world  would be destroyed by the clash of the two deadly weapons. Alarmed at this sudden development, renowned sages came down from their abodes and asked both the warriors to withdraw their astraslest there may be the deluge or Prajaya dissolving the entire universe. They said that the two astras should never clash against each other. Arjuna, heeding the words of the rishis withdrew his weapon but Aswatthama could not do so. Instead he directed the astra towards the child in the womb of Uttara, the wife of Abhimanyu!

Having captured Aswatthama, Arjuna bound him hand and foot and dragged him along to Krishna. Krishna directed Arjuna to to kill Aswatthama without any conscientious scruple in the same way as he killed the five children mercilessly. But Arjuna hesitated. Aswatthama was his friend and the son of his mentor Dronacharya. He took him to Draupadi and the other Pandavas and asked her to decide the punishment and fate of the merciless murderer Aswatthama. Draupadi had not yet recovered from the terrible tragedy that had befallen her. She did not know what to do when confronted with this sudden situation. Bheema was very angry and the others too were highly emotional. They wanted drastic punishment for the perpetrator of this heinous crime.

In spite of her indescribable sorrow, Draupadi managed to control herself. She was sorry to see Aswatthama bound hand and foot and in a pathetic condition. She thought about his mother who would lose her only son if he is killed. As a mother she realized the pangs of another mother at the loss of her son! She did not like to see Aswatthama bound hand and foot. She asked Arjuna to set him free. With a heart full of compassion she asked him to go away to any  distant place he liked. Arjuna was amazed at the tolerance and mercy of Draupadi. Though surprised at the verdict of Draupadi, Yudhishtira and others appreciated her decision. But Bheema was seething with anger.

Aswatthama remained with his head bent down. He was crestfallen and humiliated! He had already lost his radiance due to his unholy acts.  Arjuna plucked out the precious stone from the head of Aswatthama which was equal to beheading him! This disgrace was to him worse than death itself. Arjuna freed him and let him go. Thus Draupadi returned love and compassion to the most cruel and heartless Aswatthama and set an example to others! It is compassion and love that elevates man to Divinity. Even the inveterate enemy has to be shown mercy and love!

SAGE NARADA's PURVA JANMA

Sage Narada 's Purvajanma

On the pleasant banks of Saraswathi river sage Narada met the sage Vedavyasa who looked depressed and sad. He told Vyasa that after codifying the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Puranas and the itihasas he is still dissatisfied. That is because he has not written on the effect and greatness of bhakthi or devotion to the Lord. Sage Narada himself had experienced the efficacy of intense devotion that brought a very great metamorphosis in his previous birth! Vyasa was wonderstruck at this and wanted Narada to describe his experience during his previous birth. Narada explained that there is nothing greater than undiluted intense devotion to the Lord!

Narada recounted his story during the previous kalpa. He was the son of a sudra woman working in the ashram of sages. A number of rishi came to the ashram to stay there for 'chaturmasya’-a period of four months to perform austerities.The boy, 5 years young, was deputed to look into the needs of the sages. He was unlike the normal children. He was not playful but highly reserved. He endeared himself to the sages by his conduct and care that he bestowed on them. An incident that changed his course of life happened at this stage! One day he ate the remnants of the food left by the renowned sages. To his astonishment his heart become pure and all his sins vanished! He lost himself in the stories narrated by the sages. He became mad after Lord Narayana. He realized the impermanence of the physical body. He contemplated on the Lord day in and day out.Thus through this meditation he got rid of the two qualities of rajas and tamas the impediments to spiritual progress. All the sages,having completed their four months of ‘chaturmasya’ left the ashram.The boy could not bear the separation from the sages and broke down shedding tears profusely. Being compassionate, they taught him how to reach the truth and be an ideal disciple.They advised him to offer all his acts to God. He should perform all actions without expecting any reward. He should always fix God in his heart and follow the bhakti marga.

After a few days, while working in the ashram, his mother was bitten by a snake and died. But the boy did not feel sorry. He was free now. He thought that the impediment for his  spiritual progress was removed! He  left the ashram and went northwards crossing dense forests and mountains. Totally tired and thirsty, he drank the sweet waters of the river nearby and sat in padmasan for meditation. In that deep meditation he had a vision of Lord Narayana for a split second. He lost himself in that great bliss and soon came back to his own self.Then he heard a very friendly and sweet voice which said  “you cannot see me in this birth but you will reach me finally. You have loved me with pure heart because of the good company of the sages.You can live with me for ever. You shall remain even after Pralaya or the deluge. You are dear to me.” From then he started singing on the Lord and wandered from place to place.

Time for his departure came and he shuffled his mortal coil. He went towards the Lord sleeping on the ocean. Along with the breath of Brahma, he entered him. When the creation started he was born with Marichi and other sages as the creator’s son. The Devas presented the Veena Mahati by name. From that time Narada  travelled all over the world singing the glory of the lord.” I see the Lord’s form whenever I sing in his praise. I enjoy indescribable bliss in seeing his form”  said sage Narada to the astonished Vyasa who listened to him with rapt attention!

DOES GOD LOVE YOU?

DOES GOD LOVE YOU?

We visit temples and think we love God. We perform religious rituals and imagine we are virtuous and love God. We go on pilgrimages , bathe in holy rivers and think that we he have washed off all our sins because we love and offer worship to God! But even as we do these seemingly pious acts our minds are elsewhere without concentrating on the deity. Our ego does not leave us. It is as if we are on picnic to holy places to spend some pleasant time. We pat on our own back and call ourselves devotees of God! Is this a correct assessment? It cannot be. “ It is not all that important how much you love God; what is more important is how much God loves you!” Declares Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba. It is only when you are dear to God and he runs to you at your call you can call yourself a real devotee!

On an occasion creator Brahma, Indra and other devas visited Vakunta. Indra asked Lord Vishnu who was the Lord’s favorite devotee. The Lord replied that Rantideva, son of Sanskriti was dearest to him. Brahma and others were shocked and surprised at this and thought that they were all belittled in spite of their devotion to the Lord. The Lord explained that the way of Rantideva’s devotion was extraordinary. Not satisfied with the remarks of the Lord, Brahma, Indra and other devas wanted to test king Rantideva’s devotion. Soon famine engulfed the kingdom of the king. Rains became scarce. People suffered without food and water! The king opened up his palace and treasury for the use of his subjects! Seeking the grace of Lord Vishnu, the king decided to fast and meditate on the Lord.He became lean and emaciated after 48 days of fast. His ministers and others persuaded him to break his fast and secured some food and water. The King agreed reluctantly to end his fast.

Just at that moment came a man tottering and requested for some food. Kind and compassionate, the king gave a portion of his food to the man who thanked him and went away! As the king prepared to eat the rest of the food, a man with tattered clothes approached him and and collapsed before him.Rantideva gave him a share of the remaining food and saved him. Surprisingly, a third person came with his dogs and demanded food for him and his dogs! The King gave away the last portion of the food he had and sent the person satisfied. There was now water alone for the king to drink! Rantideva was extremely satisfied that he had helped people in great distress!

Then came a chandala of very low caste and said that he was dying of thirst! Without a second thought, the king gave away the little water he had, to save the life of the man! But he said that he was an untouchable and unfit to get water from the king! King Rantideva said that all are children of God and that he saw Lord Vishnu in him! The moment the king uttered these words, creator Brahma, Indra, Varuna and Yama, the God of death stood before king Rantideva! They were struck at the compassion he showed to the poor and the downtrodden. They wondered at the selfless sacrifice he had made to save the lives of the needy and the deserving!

They now understood how Rantideva was one of the best devotees of Lord Vishnu and why the Lord loved him dearly!The first three people who pleaded for food were devas! The God of death came as a chandala to test whether the King would accept him! God loves only such people who are selfless, kind and compassionate to all living creatures”ekahparatama bahudehavarthi”-  The atma is one but manifests in all creatures in the world! One should see God in every object in the universe! Lord Vishnu granted moksha to Rantideva for his ideal qualities of a true devotee!

EDUCTION-- WORLDLY AND SPIRITUAL

Education --worldly and spiritual

While knowledge and education in all fields is open to man,it is his interest and passion that leads to his choice of a particular field. It is of interest to know whether the education man has received so far has made him happy and wise! The way man has been living and behaving indicates to us that he is none the wiser for all the knowledge he has amassed! The so called civilized world is full of violence, deceit, hatred, greed,selfishness materialism and other negative qualities! Why is man, in spite of his knowledge and education, unable to free himself from these  evil propensities? It is because of the worldly education that he has been receiving continuously!” Worldly education makes man great, whereas spiritual education makes him good” declares Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba!

All branches of knowledge cater to the physical and material needs of man! “Udara Nimittam  bahukruta vesham” says Sri Sankara in his Bhajagovinda stotra. The very purpose of life is forgotten by man. No doubt, he has become great physically and mentally but has neglected his ethical, moral and spiritual side.He has learnt all about the earth, sky and nature but has forgotten to study his own real nature! Thus there is a lopsided development in man! All the ills of the present day world and society are because of this total involvement in material existence without any thought on the spiritual side. While attachment to the body is needed,excess of it is detrimental.True spirituality exists in ‘understanding the unity of the entire humanity and giving up the sense of attachment and hatred. Cultivating moral values and acting righteously and love for all are  absolutely essential for resolving the conflicts in the world.

What is this human life? It is ,’a combination of morality, spirituality and righteousness.’True education is expected to confer virtues, good intellect, duty, devotion and discipline. Mere accumulation of wealth, scholarship and intelligence is of no use. They become worthwhile only when utilized in the right way! Spiritual education can be cultivated personally. There is no need to join any college or university. Love is present in all of us but it is only selfish and showered on our children and kith and kin. If that love is enlarged and shown to every human being in the world it becomes spiritual. Love is the prime component in human values!

What are the other components of spiritual education? Service to humanity is the first and foremost requisite since the same eternal spirit or atma manifests itself in every living creature! ‘ ajayamano bahudha vijayathe’, ‘ekah paratma bahu deha varthi’-- are the golden words of our Vedas and the Upanishads! Spirituality does not require going to the forest abandoning all and performing tapas.It demands compassion, mercy, and pity for the suffering teeming millions in society. We should see God in every person or thing as service to man is service to God! In case we are unable to help others, at least we can express our sympathy for them. An aspirant for spirituality should be ready to sacrifice to save people in distress. He is expected to be totally selfless in doing his work. This will rid him of his ego and elevate him to higher plane consciousness.

There is serious moral degradation in the present society in the world. No amount of material comfort and pleasure can help man. One day or other he has to think about his spirit or soul. He should realize that he is not the body but the Indestructible atma or the spirit. There is nothing that he can take with him when he dies! It is the effect of his good and bad deeds that follow him. He should maintain ceiling on his desires lest he cannot free himself from the cycle of birth and and death.He can achieve spirituality by keeping company with devotees, chanting the glorious names of God,and reading scriptures. He should combine his daily duties with some of the cardinal principles of spirituality to avoid the stress and strain of this mundane world.Being a social and rational animal, he must realize the significance of spirituality in his life and conduct himself accordingly. Man bereft of spirituality is no better than the animal!

ANGER--ENEMY NUMBER ONE

ANGER-- Enemy Number one

Of the six inner enemies or ‘arishadvargas 'anger’ is the worst and the most dangerous.It is the root cause of the downfall of many a person and also many great men including the sages and saints. Is there anyone in the world who is not angry at any point of time? It is impossible. Even the child, when the toy is snatched away from it, grows angry and expresses its anger very clearly.A friend of mine noted for his calmness,and absence of anger broke into anger when I asked him a question repeatedly! Anger has the quality of upsetting even the most serene and calm person in life! probably God has granted these six inherent adversaries to MAN to test if he can manage this formidable foe. Anger to correct erring children seems good lest they may go astray. To be angry needlessly and for silly reasons is not correct.

Along with desire or ‘kama’ anger works havoc. Unfulfillment of a desire leads to anger. The angry man loses his temper and balance of mind. Lord Krishna warns of the effects of anger: “ krodhat sambhavati sammohaha sammohahat smruti vibramaha smruti bhramsat buddhi naso buddhi nasat pranasyati” (Bhagavad-Gita). From anger, complete delusion arises and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool. So stage by stage the person is deranged and is capable of maximum folly! Examples are not far to seek. Sage Durvasa had to fall at the feet of the great bhaktha Ambarisha to save himself from the remorseless Sudersan Chakra of Lord Vishnu. In his anger, he had deployed a demon to destroy the bhakta! King Parikshit, in a fit of rage, put a dead snake over the neck of sage Samika since he did not offer water to drink.The sage was immersed in his tapas! Thus the king invited death for himself when Srungi, the sage’s son, cursed him. We have to be wary of anger and its consequence but unfortunately most of us fail to do so.

Neeti Shastra classifies anger into three types! “ uttamam kshana kopsya”-momentary anger is the best! It disappears in a moment like the anger between the husband and wife or that of the lovers and children.

”madhyamamtu ghatika dwayam”--Moderate is the anger that prevails for two ghatis or about an hour like that of the parents and children.”adhamamtu ahoratram”-the worst type of anger is that which remains for the whole day! The anger that persists throughout one’s life till death is ’papishti'-most sinful! Anger doesn't solve or build anything but it can destroy everything! “Anger is like an acid that can do more harm to the vessel it is stored than to anything on which it is poured” says Mark Twain.

Can anger be right? “ Anybody can become angry --that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose and in the right way --that is not within everybody's power and is not easy” says Aristotle! Indignation for the right cause makes anger noble and lovable.”Satyagraha”righteous indignation by the Mahatma for Indian freedom thus glorified anger! Everything Aristotle said fits into what Mahatma Gandhi did against the British in India! This anger brought Independence to India without spilling a drop of blood! According to Benjamin Franklin “Anger is never without a reason  but seldom with a good one.”

How to deal with anger? Can it be controlled? A moment of patience in a moment of anger saves you a hundred moments of regret according to  the wise! Words are free. It's how you use them that may cost you! For every minute you remain angry” says Emerson,”you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” “When angry, count ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred” is the advice of Thomas Jefferson. “The greatest remedy  for anger is delay” counsels Seneca! Being silent when you are angry can solve many problems. “ mounena kalaham nasti” is the word of our elders! Let us ponder over these statements and conduct ourselves wisely!

THE STORY BEHIND THE BHAGVATA PURANA

The Story Behind the Bhagavata Purana

After codifying the Vedas and writing the Upanishads and the Mahabharatha sage Vyasa was not happy! Something ailed him and he sat depressed on the banks of the Ganges. Sage Narada visited him and knew the reason for Vyasa’s dejection. He said Vyasa, in spite of his voluminous and astonishing work, has failed to sing the glory and greatness of Lord Narayana which alone can lead man to his emancipation! He counseled the sage Vyasa to write about the Divine sports of Lord Narayana that would release mortals from the shackles of samsara and lead them to God. He stressed that Vyasa would be peaceful and satisfied only after doing this noble work.

After the great Kurukshetra war and the demise of all the Kauravas and Pandavas and Lord Krishna, it was the rule of King Parikshit. He was the grandson of Arjuna and the son of Abhimanyu. He was saved from the terrible astra of Aswatthama by the grace of Lord Krishna! He ruled the country righteously and was full of devotion. On a particular day he went out for  hunting and chased a deer which eluded him. After a long chase he was very much tired and reached the ashram of the sage Samika who was in deep penance. He asked for water not realizing that the sage was in his tapas. He repeatedly asked for water to quench his thirst but the sage, in his deep meditation did not answer. Infuriated at the sage’s indifference, arrogant Parikshit lifted a dead snake lying by and put it round the neck of the sage in deep penance and left!

This matter was reported to shrungi, the son of sage Samika! He grew wild with anger at the misdeed of King Parikshit. He never expected the king to conduct himself in such an ignoble manner.This deserved the maximum punishment,thought Shrungi, and he cursed the king to die on the seventh day from that day! Meanwhile he went to his father, sage Samika and related about the curse. The Sage felt extremely sorry for what had happened and admonished his son for being too emotional and cursing such a great and noble king. But the damage was done and information regarding the curse was conveyed to king Parikshit. In the meantime the king cursed himself for the rash and instinctive act that resulted in the fatal curse

Soon king Parikshit prepared himself for the coming death. He crowned his son Janamejaya, released himself from all his family and royal obligations, and prepared to welcome death.Great sages like Viswamitra, Parasurama and even Vyasa Maharshi visited him.The king felt it was his fortune to have so many renowned sages in his company on the eve of his demise. It was at this juncture that the most revered sage Suka happened to come. King Parikshit was immensely delighted to see the Sage for  none was more competent than him to offer jnana and solace at the time of death. There was no second opinion on this and all others present approved.The king requested Sage Suka to narrate the Divine glory and the sports or Leelas of Lord Narayana within the deadline of his death on the seventh day according to the curse.

Thus began the great Bhagavata Purana as a spiritual and inspiring discourse for the benefit of not only king Parikshit but millions of mortals in future! Sage Suka narrated the glorious stories of the various avatars of Sri Hari and those of His dear bhaktas.Embedded In the Bhagavata are the stories of the child devotees Dhruva, Prahlada and that of Gajendra,the elephant king rescued from the crocodile by Lord Vishnu. The most important part of the Bhagavata is the tenth part or the Dasama Skanda where the Divine sports of Lord Krishna are described!  Various other narrations are also included and it is a compendium of spiritual Vedantic discourse at once interesting and inspiring! King Parikshit listened with intense faith and devotion to the Bhagavata even as the curse had its effect on the seventh day! The story of King Parikshit is also an illustration of one of the nine types of devotion or bhakthi, namely ‘sravanam.’ It indicates that by listening to the glories and Leelas of the Lord one can attain salvation or mukti as king Parikshit did!

GOD AS FRIENDj

GOD AS FRIEND

Bhakthi or devotion is defined as unalloyed and pure Love for the Lord! The devotee has different ways or methods to worship or meditate on the Supreme Reality. Bhagavata Purana demarcates nine varieties of  bhakthi that are prominent among the various bhaktas.It is not compulsory that God should be meditated upon in one particular way! The nine types bhakthi are: Sravanam- hearing the stories of God and his glory, Kirtana- singing his glory, Smarana- remembering His  greatness and glory, Padasevana- worshipping His lotus feet, Archana- worshipping Him, Vandana- bowing down to Him, Dasya - being obedient like a servant, Sakhya- being intimate like a friend and finally Atma- Nivedanam- total surrender unto His lotus feet! Bhakthas have realized the Divinity through all these nine types of devotion! A few emotional and ecstatic  states are also experienced by great devotees. They are Santha bhava, Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya, and Madhura Bhavas.

Foremost example of Sakhya or friendship with the Divine is the Pandava warrior, Arjuna. There is a link between Nara that is Arjuna and Narayana who is Krishna. Arjuna not only looked upon Krishna as a friend but as God also. Stationed in the midst of the two armies on the famous battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna is assailed by remorse and many doubts and refuses to fight! He is tormented at the thought of killing his own kith and kin, his gurus,and the grand old man Bhishma. He is  despondent and moved by 'mamakara or attachment! He has no interest in eating a bloody meal.  He is ready to beg rather than kill all his relations and rule the empty kingdom. His whole body trembles and he lays down his famous bow Gandiva,and the quiver of arrows and turns to the Lord to clear his doubts! Like a true friend, the Lord disabuses his mind and points out that it is his duty to kill his enemies as they, by all counts, are evil and deserve to be killed. This is the beginning of the Bhagavad-Gita. Arjuna asks searching questions on Karma, bhakthi, jnana, and various other aspects of life and like a preceptor, the Lord, explains and even grants him the vision of His ‘Viratswarupa’--the Cosmic Form. Can you ever imagine the Supreme Lord serve as the Sarathi--the driver of the chariot for an ordinary mortal though of royal origin? It is because of Arjuna’s inordinate bhakthi that has bound the Lord to his devotee. The Mahabharatha is replete with incidents to prove that

a friend in need is a friend in deed.

It is because of this Divine friendship that Draupadi’s chastity was protected while all the five brothers were mute spectators along with Bhisma and others. Arjuna married Subhadra, Krishna’s sister and thus he became the Lord’s brother in law! It was the presence of the Lord by the side of the Pandavas that saved them finally. During the course of the war, Arjuna's son Abhimanyu tore into the ‘ padma vyuha’ and fought fiercely. He was surrounded by the Kaurava warriors all at once and mercilessly killed! It was one Jayadratha that was responsible for Abhimanyu’s death. Infuriated at this, Arjuna vowed that he would kill him by the next twenty four hours. But the Kauravas, having known this, protected Jayadratha and did not allow him to come out until the sun set the next day! The battle continued and Arjuna was on the look out for his target! But Jayadratha was not to be seen! Arjuna was disappointed and was becoming desperate. Time was running out and he did not know what to do. The Lord was a silent witness to all the conflicts in the heart of his dear friend Arjuna!  The sun was about to set but not fully. That was the time that Krishna decided to help his friend.What can prevent when God wills it? Krishna sent his Chakra to hide the Sun to create  feeling that the Sun has set! Seeing the false sunset, the Kauravas were very happy that Arjuna had failed and that he would immolate himself according to the vow he has taken. Jayadratha came out in glee. Krishna bade Arjuna to aim and shoot even as he took back the Chakra and the Sun came out brightly. Arjuna caught the golden opportunity and beheaded Jayadratha! This is an illustration of the deep friendship between the bhaktha and God!

Krishna has been a friend, philosopher and guide not only to Arjuna personally but to the Pandavas as a whole as they were all righteous and protected Dharma. He volunteered to go as a messenger to the court of Dhritarashtra to prevent war. He saved the life of the only heir of the Pandavas, Parikshit in the womb of Abhimanyu’s wife Uttara! Aswattama had shot a terrible arrow to kill the child in the womb! The Lord once again showered his Grace on Arjuna, sent his Chakra to protect the!! foetus and saved the child who ruled the country after the Pandavas.To be neutral Krishna did not participate in war. When Duryodhana and Arjuna came to request help, cunningly he offered his army to the former and preferred to be the driver of the chariot of Arjuna! Foolish Duryodhana was more than happy as he thought that Krishna by himself would not be of much use.

When, in the last, Karna was grounded and the wheels of his chariot caved in and he remained unarmed Arjuna hesitated to  kill him. But it was krishna who goaded Arjuna to kill Karna! He reminded Arjuna how Karna and others conspired to kill Abhimanyu in the ‘ padma vyuha’. Arjuna could not have survived without the grace of his friend and guide Lord Krishna! The effect of the terrible sastras aimed at Arjuna by Bhishma, Drona Karna and others was so great that the chariot of Arjuna would have burst into flames! Arjuna got down from the chariot first, soon after the war. The moment Krishna came  down, the chariot burst into flames to the surprise and shock of all! Arjuna was saved by Krishna from the Nagastra that was sure to take his life. He pressed the chariot down a little to miss its aim. Thus at every step in life the Divine hand does not leave the bhaktha in the lurch. On the other hand it protects its friend and devotee all through his difficulties and troubles! Arjuna is really a blessed friend recognized by the Lord and what more can be expected better than this in life?

VYASA PURNIMA--ITS SIGNIFICANCE

VYASA PURNIMA-- ITS SIGNIFICANCE

The full moon day in the month of Ashada in the Indian calendar is  called Vyasa PURNIMA-- or GURU PURNIMA-- dedicated to the greatest of all the gurus that lived on earth! The word Vyasa means ‘ compiler’.  He codified the four Vedas, composed eighteen Puranas, wrote the great Mahabharata, Srimad Bhagavata and the Brahma Sutras to establish Santana Dharma. But for him we would have lost these great writings including the Bhagavad-Gita which forms a part of the Mahabharatha.These compositions are the bedrock of Indian culture and civilization.The Upanishads, Brahmasutra and the Bhagavad-Gita are called the “ prasthana thraya” which form the standard for criticism! No argument can be accepted unless it is accepted  by any one of these great works! This day is considered very important because Vyasa started writing the Brahma Sutras from the Ekadasi of the month and completed with tremendous speed on the full moon day!

Sage Vyasa was the son of Maharshi Parasara and the father of Suka Brahmam. He is also called ‘Badarayana’ and ‘Krishna Dwaipayana’. Sage Vyasa is considered as the avatar of Lord Vishnu.” Vyasaya Vishnu rupaya Vyasa rupaya Vishnave”. “ He is Brahma without four heads, Vishnu with two hands, and Shiva without his third eye” according to a sloka in Sanskrit! Hence sage Vyasa is the most revered GURU for all humanity! On this sacred day let us remember the significance of the term guru and what it stands for. The letter  'gu’ stands for darkness and ‘ ru’ for that which arrests it. So Guru is one who dispels darkness, the darkness of ajnana or ignorance from the mind of his disciple. A form of Lord Shiva -Dakshina Murthy is considered as the greatest among the Divine gurus. Seated underneath the banyan tree, and facing south he taught the greatest of the sages, Sanaka, Sanandana, sanatkumara and Sanatsujatha the very quintessence of Brahmavidya through silence! With his chin mudra he revealed the nature of Parabrahma to these oldest sages! “ Chitram vata tharormule vruddhas shishya gururyuva gurosthumouna vyakhyanam sishyas thu chinna samsaya”.

Today there are too many gurus and there is confusion regarding which guru one should follow! Ancient gurus were compendiums of knowledge and lived a simple unostentatious life educating their disciples. Gurus are also called “ acharyas”. Guru should practise the tenets that he preaches to his students.’ acharati iti acharyaha’ He should set an example to others lest he fails to impact society around him. He should be a realized soul, one who has the real knowledge of the Brahman for how can he impart that knowledge to his students? He must be kind and compassionate to his students because they may be found wanting in many things. The most important quality of the guru should be his aversion for earning money! India has the distinction of having a lineage of illustrious gurus like Yagnavalkya, Viswamitra, and Parasurama who were all realised souls! The  teachings of the Guru not only changed the life of the student but had its effect on society! Some of the great sages were not  only gurus but advisors to great kings and emperors. Sage Vasishta was a mentor for King Dasaratha of the Ramayana! King Janaka,had for his guru the renowned sage Yagnavalkya. Guru is said to be the incarnation of the trinity Brahma,Vishnu,and Maheswara. That is because he creates and inspires his disciple first, helps him to maintain that inspiration and finally destroy his ignorance or ajnana!

The contribution of the three great acharyas Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa in the South can never be underestimated.They were the pillars on which our Sanatana Dharma stood and spread.They resuscitated the sinking dharma from the attack of Buddhism and Jainism and established faith in the Sastras and God! Sankara established the six types of worship for different sections of society and composed several hymns in praise of different Gods. He established the Advaita school of philosophy. Ramanuja publicly taught the Narayana mantra to all people for their salvation and started the Visishtadvaita school of philosophy. Madhwa brought in his own Dwaita school of thought! Each had its own distinctive features. In other words, the teachings of these gurus and a few more, had far reaching influence on the society of the day and the religious practices in vogue. The North too had its famous gurus like Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Ramakrishna and others. They exercised a profound influence on the society at that time and continue to do the same even now.

We find the influence of Sadgurus like  Shirdi Baba and Sri Satya Sai Baba in the present day society. The latter is considered as the reincarnation of Shirdi Baba and has brought a silent revolution in society. His life has been his message. He radiated pure love all over the world and it's people and they to responded equally. He built schools, colleges, universities, fostered the Vedas and Sanatana Dharma and changed the lives of thousands  for the better! The service organization he started has encompassed the entire world irrespective of caste, creed, community and religion. His Super Speciality Hospital provides free medical aid and role model to all. His university is a pioneer in providing free education! His spiritual discourses have dispelled the of ignorance  of many a man! What more can be granted by a compassionate Sadguru? Let us remember them and lead a contented and peaceful life!

ON DEVOTION --ITS TRUE NATURE

ON DEVOTION--ITS TRUE NATURE

Many of us call ourselves devotees of God. Do we really understand what devotion is? We visit temples and think we are devotees. We go on pilgrimages and call ourselves devotees. We follow religious rituals and pat ourselves  as devotees!! why do we go to these temples, pilgrimages, and observe religious rituals? It is for the fulfilment of some desire or other. There is none in the world who enters the temple without a particular want or desire. Couples go to temples and pilgrimages praying for children.Patients ardently pray to God for relief from their diseases. Businessman wants improvement in his business and good profit. The Unmarried visit temples praying for a suitable match.Homas and other rituals are performed for the sake of  certain other desires. God's and goddesses are propitiated to appease them and to ward off the evil effects of some malefic planets. In short we are all selfish and to satisfy our  personal desires approach God, visit temples, and go on pilgrimages!

Can all these be called real devotion? “ Devotion has been defined as desireless love for the Lord.” says Bhagawan Sri Satya SaiBaba.It is doubtful if ever man visits temples if he is asked to worship the Lord without any desire! Temples may remain empty and all religious and pilgrim centers deserted! Man is a bundle of desires. In fact nothing moves on in this world without desire. Our life itself may come to a standstill if we have no desire. That is why KAMA or desire is given the first place among the inner enemies (arishadvargas). It is desire the root cause of all suffering, disappointment, defeat, and destruction. When a desire is unfulfilled anger takes over and wreaks havoc in the life of man. Entertaining a desire is not a fault or defect. The fault lies in what you desire. Our wants are silly, transitory, fading and momentary! Caught in the web of Maya and the cycle of samsara, we have forgotten our real nature and aspire for transient pleasures. If only man desires God  really and sincerely all his troubles and impediments will vanish. But this is precisely what man does not do! He knows that God grants everything, but in accepting what all God has given, forgets God conveniently.

Man has forgotten his relationship with God and hence his  fear, anxiety and suffering in society!  You will never fail in life if you have Love for God! A real and true devotee is one who loves God but does not ask for any favour. Pure and unadulterated passion or love is the quality of a true devotee. He does not yearn anything from God. He yearns for God himself. That is enough for him. When God is with you, you have everything that you desire. Hence by desiring God you satisfy all your wants material as well as spiritual! There is a heart to heart and love to love relationship  between a true devotee and God! Nothing else! Pure, unalloyed selfless love for God is the hallmark of true devotion. It is here the ordinary mortal fails whereas the true devotee wins! True devotion consists in obeying the command of the Lord and spreading his message.”There is none greater than a true devotee in this world” declares Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

True devotion is complete surrender to God. It cannot be a part time affair or taken on credit! Love is the seed from which sprouts of devotion spring! Is it possible to exhibit pure love for God? Yes. Many a devotee has immersed himself in true love for God without any selfish expectation. A classical example is the child devotee, Prahlada, in the Bhagavata Purana who doted on Srihari even from his birth. He converted his young friends to bhakthi by singing songs on Sri Hari and defied his mighty father who was the inveterate enemy of Lord Vishnu. God killed his father and showered his Grace on the child. The love of the Gopis for Lord Krishna is another example of pure unselfish love for God! They were ready to desert everything for the sake of the Lord and languished for his presence. In modern days we have Sri Ramakrishna paramahamsa  who pined for the vision of Goddess Kali, his chosen deity, and tried to kill himself since She  did not present herself before him. All the Azhwars and Nayanmars were true devotees who lived, loved and died for God! They are all deified today and are worshipped by humanity!

Thinna was a hunter devoted to the Vayu linga at Sri Kalahasti temple in Andhra Pradesh.Seeing the linga neglected,he brought water from the river Swarnamukhi nearby in his mouth and performed abhishekam. He offered swine's flesh to the Lord as naivedya. When the Lord, to test his devotion, made the temple tower crumble, Thinna covered the linga to protect it while others ran away in fright! Lord Siva was not satisfied. The Linga began bleeding from one of the eyes. A shocked Thinna immediately plucked one of his eyes with an arrow and placed it in the place of the bleeding eye! But soon the second eye too started bleeding. Thinna put his leg at the spot of the eye and was about to pluck out his second eye when the Lord appeared and blessed him by restoring his eyes! Thinna 's love was pure and spontaneous. The Lord always accepts whatever is done out of pure love. Thus Thinna became one of the sixty three Nayanmars and is called Kannappa Nayanar.This is true devotion and such devotees are dearer to the Lord more than anybody else

WHAT IS THE END OF LEARNING?

                                                           

Knowledge is gained through books and there is nothing that we cannot learn through books on different subjects. But most of the books we read are on subjects related to material and worldly things  They help us to make our life comfortable, happy and luxurious. Our life is intended for higher things and a proper understanding of the purpose of life is absolutely essential for every person. There are books of the hour which we read to pass our time and forget soon. There are also books of all time that we cherish, keep them at home and go back to them again and again, Books of the hour are worth their weight and are consigned to the paper buyer. But books of all time invite us to read them again and   again.This takes us to the question ‘what is the end o of learning.’

           In spirituality the end of learning is not mere knowledge. Knowledge itself, in the real sense, means knowledge of the self or a realization that we are not the external body but the inner, indestructible Self!  Books of all time, like the Vedas ,Upanishads, itihasas, puranas and other scriptures or sacred books tell us the only way to God. In other words they indicate the means for the realization of God. Man should not stop at that point.  The next step is to work his way to the realization of his goal. The ordinary knowledge we get is worldly and ephemeral. The enjoyment through such knowledge is not everlasting as our existence itself is limited and uncertain.

           Higher knowledge by which we know God is called PARA VIDYA. All else, mere scriptures, philosophy, logic, or grammar are a burden and confuse the mind! That is why Adi Sankara advises the man to think of Govinda in his last moments instead of memorizing the grammar rule” dukrunkarane” Books are good so long as they lead you to God. Otherwise they are mere knots creating difficulties. To say that we can know God only through books is wrong.  Hearing and seeing or realizing are far more superior to reading. Hearing through the Guru leaves a better impression and more than that seeing leaves the best and   after learning all sciences and scriptures  realize that they know nothing!

greatest impression on the mind. Our visit to any place is the best when we see it actually rather than hearing or reading about it. People who are not encumbered with learning, that is, people who do not borrow thoughts from others attain self knowledge. The second type are those who ,

             Book learning makes the person proud and arrogant. A sincere devotee even if takes a wrong path, is rescued by the Lord. The story by Sri Ramakrishna is very interesting. Two friends went to an orchard full of mango trees. The worldly wise man counted the number of mango trees, the number of mangoes in each tree and estimated the value of the orchard. The other friend went to the owner of the orchard, made friends with him, and with his permission plucked the mangoes and started eating them. Who is the wiser of the two? You can easily guess.  What is the use of counting trees and leaves and fruits and calculations? The man with learning or wisdom ‘makes friends with the creator and enjoys his gift of supreme bliss.

              Sri Ramakrishna speaks of Sri Chaitanya who came across a person shedding profuse tears on hearing a discourse on the Gita by the pandit. The devotee was totlay illiterate. He could not follow a single text of the Gita.  He was questioned why he was shedding tears. He agreed that he was an illiterate man. But he had an inner vision of Lord Krishna seated on the chariot in front of Arjuna on the battle field of Kurukshetra! Having that vision all the while and hearing the sublime thoughts of the Gita he could not but shed tears of joy!  This man,totally an illiterate, had the highest knowledge or learning as he had pure love for God and could realize Him

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