Sri Sathya Sai narrates Stories Galore - Bheema and Hanuman, Buddha and Rahul, Sita and Rama

Friday, June 21, 2002

Sri Sathya Sai at Prasanthi Nilayam

Today Swami came to Ganesh portico at around 3:15 pm. He then called a few students and asked them to bring mangoes. He went to the children sitting in the Mandir and distributed clothes to them.

Swami : (To a teacher.) Did you get mango? You did not get a ripe mango. (Swami asked another teacher to give ripe fruits.)

Warden : Swami, mangoes have been distributed to all the boys and devotees.

Swami : (To a teacher.) Do you know about the battle between Arjuna and Hanuman?

Teacher : No Swami, I heard about the battle between Bheema and Hanuman.

Bheema and Hanuman

Swami : The war between Bheema and Hanuman was totally different. One day Hanuman was sitting with his tail spread on the path and then Bheema came and asked Hanuman to remove his tail from the path. Hanuman told him that he was very old and did not even have the strength to get up and thus asked Bheema to move the tail so that he can proceed. Bheema tried to lift the tail with his left hand but failed. He tried again with his right hand and later with both hands. He could not move the tail. He realised that this monkey was very powerful. Hanuman was Bheema’s elder brother. They were both born to Vayu (Wind God).

Teacher : Swami, if both Hanuman and Bheema were brothers, then why was there such a difference in their strengths?

Swami : Though they were both sons of Vayu, Hanuman had greater faith and devotion.

Swami : (To a student.) Who was Bheema?

Student : Swami, he was one of the Pancha (five) Pandavas.

Swami : Who was Bheema’s brother?

Student : Hanuman, Swami.

Swami : Who told you?

Student : Swami, You told us just now.

Swami : Who was Rahul?

Buddha with his son - Rahul

Student : Swami, he was Gautam Buddha’s son.

Swami : What was Buddha’s actual name?

Student : Swami, Siddhartha.

Swami : When did he get the name Buddha?

Student : Swami, after Self-Realisation.

Swami : After Self-Realisation, there is no Buddha, only Atma exists. He said ‘I am Atma.’ Atma is everywhere. ‘I’ is everywhere. (Pointing to another boy.) What is your name?

Student : Swami, Mahesh.

Swami : What is the meaning of Mahesh?

Student : Swami, Lord Shiva.

Swami : (To Prof Anil Kumar) Once the five fingers started fighting amongst themselves about who was the greatest. The little finger said, “When we offer Pranams (salutations), I am the one in front, so I am the greatest.” The ring finger said, “I am the one who is decorated, so I am the greatest.” The middle finger said, “I am the tallest among all, so I am the greatest.” The forefinger said, “I am the one who indicates to all, so I am the best.” Finally, the thumb said, “Without me none of you can work, so I am the greatest.” Which is the greatest among them?

Prof A.K. : Swami, only if all of them are together, we can use the hand.

Swami : All are one, be alike to everyone.

Prof A.K. : Swami, when all is one, how does one progress? Unity in diversity and diversity in unity, aren’t these two mutually opposite?

Swami : They are like two sides of a coin. From a worldly perspective, you must see the diversity in unity. But from the spiritual point of view, you must see unity in diversity. You must realise the unity in creation. You say, “This is my leg, this is my hand”, but is anyone asking, “Who am I?” God is one and the world is zero. Only when you are beside God, will you have value, otherwise you are a zero. There is the number - ‘1’. If you add ‘1’ to it, it becomes ‘2’. If you subtract ‘1’ from it, it becomes zero. If you keep it beside itself it becomes ‘11’. But one is one and not eleven. ‘1’ is unity and ‘11’ is diversity. Light a candle. Keep a pot with 9 holes on that candle. Then, cover it with a Turkish towel. You cannot see any light. Remove the towel and you will see the light emanating from the 9 holes. Now, break the pot and you can see the one light from the candle. Likewise, this body is the pot with 9 holes. The candle is the Atma. Delusion is the towel. Remove the delusion and give up body attachment and then you can see the light of life. 

A husband doesn’t know his wife before marriage. They have no relationship with each other. The moment they are married, wife says that so and so is my husband. Not only that, she claims a right on his property too!

King Janaka offering Sita in marriage to Rama

During the marriage of Rama and Sita, Rama did not look at her. Janaka introduced Sita as "Iyam Sita, Mama Putri (This is Sita, my daughter). Then he told Rama that she was His wife. Still Rama did not look at her. Then, Vishwamitra asked Him why He wasn’t looking at her. Rama told him that since the wedding was not yet complete, she was still Janaka’s daughter and not His wife. One has no right to look at others’ property. Thus, Rama held the highest ideals.

Suppose there is a house. You won’t allow anyone to stick bills on the walls until the house is yours. Once you sell it, you will not bother about the house. As long as there is delusion (Bhrama), you cannot realise Brahma.             

Prajnaanam Brahma (God is pure awareness/consciousness). Tat Tvam Asi. (That thou art) Ayam Atma Brahma means I am Atma and Brahman. They direct you to unity in diversity. Bulbs are many, but the current that flows through them is one. Similarly, rooms are many, but the house is one. What separates each room is a wall. Remove the wall and there is no difference between the rooms. The world is like a big house. America, Pakistan, India, etc., are like the rooms. Remove the borders and there will be no more distinction between the countries and there will not be any more fighting. All are one; be alike to everyone. The differences between you all are like walls. They bring conflicts. Remove them. Give up the attachment. 

A mother calls her son - ‘my son’. This increases the attachment. As long as there is body, there is attachment. There is a 16-year-old boy. His mother is 40 years old. He addresses her as ‘Mother’. One day, she dies. The boy weeps on the dead body and cries, “Mother, you have left me.” But who has left? The body is still there. Even then, the boy says that she has left him. It is the light that has left the body. That light is the life of his mother. The body created the attachment towards his mother. As long as the body is there, there is attachment.

Prof. A. K. : Swami, then where does detachment come in?

Swami : You say that this is your shirt. If it is torn, will you throw it out or keep it with you? You have used it for a long time. Now, there is no relationship between you and the torn shirt. If it is useful, you claim the shirt to be yours. This attachment is delusion. For example, you are going towards the Hostel when it is pitch dark. On the way, you find a rope and mistake it to be a snake. You feel scared and fear comes in. Put on the torch and you will find the rope. All the time, it was the same rope. Only the feelings vary. Delusion is responsible for our fear. The body is only an instrument. Think thus and use it without getting attached to it. Do anything, but do it without being deluded. All these worldly pleasures are like passing clouds. Before marriage, there is no relation between the husband and the wife. After divorce, also there is no relation. All these relationships are like passing clouds. They are impermanent. Do your duty with detachment. Do not claim ownership of your body. The only owner is God.

Swami then retired, leaving one and all introspecting, after this enlightening session.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2001-2004)