MEDHA  SUKTAM

SUKTAM is an ode or a prayer to a god or goddess requesting his or her grace and bestowing of benefits. The word SUKTAM is split as ‘sustum uktam’ that which is well spoken or said. Thus SUKTAM is a prayer addressed to a god  or goddess that connects us to the supreme power that is Almighty! If DHARMA is considered as a road, suktas are the stones or bricks that pave the way for it! Thus we have a number of suktas like the Purusha,Sri,Bhu,Medha, Durga, Vishnu and other suktas.Medha sukta is from the Yajur Veda and it is also found in the Rig and Atharva Vedas. Medha sukta is a prayer  for Medha or retentive power and concentration addressed to goddess Saraswathi, the presiding deity of all knowledge, wisdom and concentration.In the Sikshavalli of Taittiriya Upanishad the student of the Vedas propitiates the Almighty with the mantra  “yas chandasamrushabho viswarupaha….He praises the Absolute through hymns as ‘ Purushottama’-greatest of Purushas, Viswarupa- the form of the entire universe and the one who has emerged from the pure Veda suktas! “ Let me attain immortality. Let me obtain physical and mental powers. Let my word be sweet and reach its height. Let my ears  hear good teachings always. Oh, Paramatma! you are the sheath of the Absolute I request your Grace so that I can retain and remember these mantras for ever!”

                                                                                               

                                                                                             Medha Suktam

“ Medha Devi jushamana-------

Let the omnipresent goddess Saraswati, the bestower of everything good, including happiness, grace us with Her presence. O Devi, earlier we wasted our precious time in worthless and useless talk. Now, with your benign grace we have become wise and obtained the capacity to discuss lofty truths along with our good children and disciples.

Twaya jushta rushir bhavati devi--------

O Devi! One who has your Grace flowers into a rishi- a sage. He becomes a Brahma Jnani-- one who realizes the Brahman and prosperous in all respects. Oh, goddess Saraswathi, kindly grant us riches and all round  prosperity.

Medham ma Indro dadhathu medham Devi Saraswathi

Let Indra, king of God's and goddess Saraswathi grant me intellect! Let the Aswini Devas bedecked with lotus garlands grant me intellect!

Apsara suchaya medha gandharveshu cha yan manaha

Let me be granted the same intellect innate in the Divine damsels- apsaras and the mind of the Gandharvas! Let that intellect which revealed itself as the Vedic knowledge and spreads like sweet fragrance be granted to me!

Aa mam medha surabhir Viswarupa-.....

Medha-- Intellect grants inner wisdom, spreads like sweet fragrance, can examine and research all things in the universe, glitters like gold and is everlasting! It should be realized by the seekers of Truth! Let Medha-- Devi who brings me up with milk and other riches take me into her fold with her radiant face and bring me safety and renown!

Mayi Medham mayi prajam mayyagnis thejo…..

Let Agni, the god of Fire grant me intellect, progeny, the radiance from the recitation of the Vedas along with the strength of the indriyas! Let Surya, the Sun god grant me intellect, progeny and the power to terrify the minds of my enemies!

WHITHER OUR SOCIETY

WHITHER  OUR SOCIETY?

The brutal murder of Swathi, of Infosis, Chennai, on the platform at Nugambakkam railway station, poses a number of questions! It was a broad daylight murder in the presence of a large number of passengers.  Even as they saw, the person slashed Swathi’s neck, jumped the platform even as the train approached and fled! The precious life of the young woman was snubbed out in three minutes.The people who were witnesses to the bloody murder caught the train that arrived and went to their respective places of work! None dared to approach the murderer or chase and catch him. It appears from the statement of the person who saw the incident that two persons chased the man and one of them threw a stone at him. But the man escaped!

Society has failed to save and protect a precious member! Swetha's father was full of remorse and regret as none of the passengers came to her help. Members of our society are found lacking in civic consciousness and very rarely we come across one or two who volunteer to help the needy at the nick of the moment.  people are afraid that they would be drawn into needless troubles by the police. This tendency has to be given up. We should be compassionate to our own brethren, show our love and sympathy especially during situations like this. Why do people turn cruel, desperate and go to the extent of murdering others? What provokes them to indulge in these heinous crimes? Is humanity so beastly as to demolish whatever it dislikes? The fact is that man, in spite of advancement of civilization, science and technology has not lost his basic animal nature! He is the slave of his passions, emotions and desires! Anger, arrogancce, greed and hatred have made him their slave. Having controlled almost everything in the world, Man has lost control over himself. Morality and ethics are at their lowest ebb and people are not bothered about the consequences of their actions.

Most of these heinous crimes are the outcome of disappointment in love affairs! There is confusion in the mind of the Young man. He confuses love with lust. Love is noble; lust is ignoble. Love is compassionate; lust is cruel and beastly. Love is selfless; lust is selfish. Love is eternal; lust is ephemeral. Love is largeheartedness; lust is narrow minded.  Love is not possessive; lust is possessive. Love is not for physical satisfaction of the Senses; lust is only for the physical satisfaction of  the Senses.The ideal lover wants the well-being of his lady love wherever she is and even when she marries another person. The person infected with lust can never tolerate another possess his fiancee! Thus lust is mistaken for love and it has lost all its meaning and significance! Love involves supreme self sacrifice whereas lust murders and destroys! The incident of Nirbhaya’s gang rape is a classical example of what lust is in all its implications.

Why do these things happen? It is because animal instincts in man have gained the upper hand! Man has become selfish and highly materialistic! He has forgotten the purpose for which he is born-- to realize himself. He has lost his moors and has strayed into dangerous waters. He has totally forgotten the very essence of happy and contented life-- human values    namely truth, righteousness, peace, love and nonviolence that form the bedrock of human existence. The world is tormented by violence everywhere. There is no peace in any part of the world. There is dishonesty, fraud and falsehood all over the world. He is mad, mad, and mad after money and is ready to die for it as if it will give him salvation. It is a pity that modern society is drowned in the mire of materialism

How can this worsening situation be altered? “ Spirituality alone will take man to the sacred path leading to his destiny! Spiritual wisdom is not something received from others. It has to blossom from within. For man to acquire peace he has to activate thyaga (sacrifice) and get rid of the sense of dualism. True spirituality consists in the elimination of all animal instincts in man and manifesting the Divine light within.” remarks Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba!!! He should have fear for sin and love for God.-- “ Papa bhiti Daiva priti”.He should recognize the atmic principle in every creature on earth for God manifests himself in every creature as the atmic principle or Spirit. It is not impossible for man to change but it requires a concerted effort on his part. Only when there is a transformation to this effect, in man, society  stands the chance for redemption !!!

ON BEAUTY

ON  BEAUTY

It is very difficult to define the word Beauty! Several people have described beauty according to their experiences and reactions. This depends upon their sensibilities and inner perceptions. According to John Keats, the illustrious Romantic poet “ A. Thing of beauty is a joy for ever

It's loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness”

That was his perception of beauty. Can this be the final definition of beauty? Can this thing of beauty remain constant and unchanged for ages to come? Does its loveliness increase day by day? These are debatable questions.The baby is beautiful and innocent. As the baby grows it loses its beauty as well as it's innocence. Youth brings in beauty to individuals. But as age advances beauty declnes, folds appear,and the person becomes senile. He can only reflect on his beauty and see his past beauty only in photo albums! It is physical beauty that does not last for ever as man has to pass through various stages of life from childhood to old age and final exit! “ Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bones.” according to Dorothy Parker. “ Just because something is beautiful doesn't mean it is good” says Alex Flinn. When life itself is transient how can beauty of the body be permanent? It is natural that people are attracted to the colour and complexion of the body. Black color repels while fair skin attracts but both are impermanent. They do not reveal the inner tendencies of the individual! “ That always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they are pretty. It is like picking your breakfast cereals based on color instead of taste”says John Greene. Thus physical beauty, by its very impermanence, cannot be termed as ideal beauty though it is preferred and desired by all

“ Beauty is not related to the body, it originates from character and purity” says Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba. Beauty cannot be related to the body alone. It has much to do with the character and purity in individuals of exceptional caliber. It is the beauty of steadfastness, ability to weather many storms and tempests that put them apart from other individuals. “ The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen” says Elisabeth Kubler Ross.l individuals of such beautiful traits appear rarely in society. Their beauty is in their purity and character. “ Beauty is not in the face; it is a light in the heart” says the renowned writer Kahlil Gibran.

According to Confucius everything has beauty but not everyone sees it! Marcus Aurelius says, “ Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars and see yourself running with them”. There is nothing more beautful than Nature, the grand manifestation of God! Magnificent mountains, silvery streams, gurgling rivers, brilliant colourful trees, the blue sky and the azure oceans and seas, brambles and bushes, varieties of animals and plants--what an impressive beautiful sight! William Wordsworth was so enchanted withe the beauty of Nature that he glorified it through his poetry!

“ One impulse from vernal wood

May teach you more of man

Of moral, evil, and of good

Than all the sages can.”

He concludes by advising, “ Let Nature be your teacher”. According to Edgar Allan Poe “ There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in the proportion.” This beauty we see mostly in the breathtaking scenes of the mountains, waterfalls and valleys!

Beauty is not without its dangers! “ Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold” says the Stratford bard Shakespeare! It is because of this obsession in man that rapes, abductions and other heinous crimes are committed.Man has an inborn weakness for her physical beauty! Legend and history are replete with the names of great men who met their doom by falling in love with the beauty and charm of women. The great sage, Viswamitra, who gave us the Gayatri mantra, was himself the victim of Menaka’s viles! Indra, king of Gods, fell for the most beautiful Ahalya, wife of sage Gautama. Ravana, king of Lanka was down to dust by aspiring for the wife of Sri Rama! Mark Antony was ravished with the beauty of Queen Cleopatra when he exclaimed, “ Age cannot wither, nor custom steal her infinite variety”. Wherever there is beauty there is the possibility of danger! “ But he who dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose” says Anne Bronte. The sandalwood tree by its fragrance invites the serpent to its presence!

Spiritual beauty is to be preferred to physical beauty! “ No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty are written across her face, she will be beautiful” remarks Eleaner Roosevelt These qualities of heart, love, compassion, simplicity, forbearance, and above all sacrifice are far more beautiful than the transitory and glamorous  shades of physical beauty! The human body is considered as the best work of God. Emerson says that as we grow old, the beauty steals inward. According to him love of beauty is taste while the creation of beauty is art. “ Beauty is the shadow of God on earth. We should never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful as a writer qpoints out that beauty is God’s hand writing --a wayside sacrament. As Keats says in his Ode on the Grecian Urn, “ Beauty is truth, truth beauty-- that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know”. That which does not change and remains everlasting is called the truth. Similarly beauty should last for ever without change due to the ravages of time.Then that beauty becomes truth and the changeless truth transforms into beauty! It is this universal principle that mankind should realize! 

THE NEED FOR HUMAN VALUES

THE NEED FOR HUMAN VALUES

To be born as human being is a rare opportunity provided by God! It is mainly because of one’s purva punya or the good deeds performed during the previous births! But unfortunately man does not remember his past  and spends his days in gross ignorance of his noble nature. He indulges in material comforts and luxuries and wastes his time and energy!  Man is a combination of the qualities the human and the Divine. He has to a certain extent asuric or the qualities of demons and animals. Involved in the cycle of samsara he is prone to develop the asuric and animal nature rather than the Divine. As the  highest evolved creature in the universe, he is expected to understand the aim and purpose of his life and act accordingly. As everyone agrees, living is not important but the way in which we live is important! Animals also live, reproduce and die. Man is provided with reason and intellect and has to follow the most important values that can raise him to the level of the Divine.

“ Man can rise from the level of the human to the Divine only by practising human values. One with compassion, love, forbearance, sympathy and sacrifice alone is a true human being” declares Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba. What are these human values? Are human beings devoid of these human values altogether today? To a great extent it is a fact that many are not bothered about these human values. Satya or Truth, Dharma or Righteousness, Santhi or peace, Prema or Love and Ahimsa or Nonviolence are the cardinal principles that form human values. By  practising these virtues it is possible for man to raise himself to Godhead!  But not many understand the significance of these values and are satisfied with the humdrum life of a work a day world!Truth is the first value to be cherished and practised. ‘ satyameva jayathe' say our Shastras.The Vedas proclaim “ satyam jnanam anantam Brahma”- Truth,verily, is Brahman, the absolute Brahman. It is to be true to his word that the great king Harischandra suffered untold miseries! It will be very difficult but it is worth living for truth! A life of falsehood is the worst that one could live. We also say ‘God is Truth!’ which signifies the value of truth.

Practice of Truth leads to Dharma or Righteousness A life according to the dictates of our Sastras, Scriptures, morals and ethics is called dharmic life.There shouldn't be a conduct that strays away from the accepted principles of ideal human behavior. The most important mandates of the Vedas “ satyam vada, dharmam chara, matru devo bhava, pitru devo bhava,acharya devo bhava” and others have to be followed discreetly. Speak the truth, follow Dharma, consider mother, father, teacher and the unexpected guest as God are the imperative dictates to be practised by all! But they are more followed in the breach than in the observance! Truth is displaced by falsehood and dishonesty, dharma by adharma! Father, mother and the teacher are no more respected and adored.On the other hand they are disrespected, mistreated and subjected to humiliation and cruelty.

Shanti or peace is the outcome of a life of truth and rectitude. When we follow the ordained tenets of truth and dharma we  experience peace or calmness in mind. Mind and heart are totally at peace since our actions and thoughts are in conformity with the time old principles. Peace reigns in the absence of falsehood, dishonesty, fraud and other evil qualities. Peace of.  mind has become scarce in the present because of greed, violence, revenge, and lust and other wicked deeds. There is violence everywhere in the world and the whole generation is much agitated This is because of the neglect of the other two human values.The barbaric atrocities being committed by the ISIS and the terrorists have made life in the world dangerous and peaceless! How can internal peace be present where there is raging violence everywhere? Unfulfilled desires of man have robbed him of this invaluable peace of mind.

“ Love is of permanent importance among the human values. It is in us right from the time of birth.” says Sri Satya Sai Baba. Divine love transcends human love and is causeless whereas human love is selfish and very often conditional! Paternal, maternal,fraternal love is personal and selfish. Man should love all others equally so that it becomes ideal and all encompassing. “ Love thy neighbor as thyself” says the Bible!” Universal love should be the goal of man. “ Love is born in the womb of seva” says Sri Satya Sai. It transforms into service to humanity. Relieving the suffering of the less fortunate, the poor and the downtrodden is the greatest form of universal love. According to Sri Satya Sai love is the fan which will make you  glow with Divine effulgence.By serving others you serve yourself and get rid of your ego.You raise your level of spirituality. All service should be done without expectation of any reward. Then only it can be called “ nishkama karma’”. Service to man is service to God. Hence love occupies a dominant Part in the life of man. In fact love is God!

The next human value is Ahimsa or Nonviolence in thought, word and deed. No creature should be injured wantonly. This is a rare quality exhibited by the Jain community. Generally we are not conscious about this and indulge in harsh thoughts, words and deeds that hurt others. Harsh words are worse than the poisoned arrows that pierce the hearts of people! We must cultivate the habit of talking softly and gently and pleasingly. The Sastras say, “ Ahimsa Pramo Dharmah” -non violence is the best way of life.Violence begets violence for which we have examples plenty in the present.The clashes between Israel and Palestine, ISIS murders and atrocities, Pakistan terrorism  and turmoils in other parts of the globe have made life insecure. These propensities indicate the animal and asuric qualities of man over which he has no control.Man has controlled almost everything on earth but lost control over himself! The need for these human values is more now than ever before for the benefit of humanity.

     

          

    

THE PROBLEM OF TRANSFORMATION

THE PROBLEM OF TRANSFORMATION

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

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

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

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

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