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| Sri Sathya Sai interacting with Students in the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Hostel |
A song which can only be sung, not seen, has various tunes (Raga). There is a unique structure for each tune (Raga). Art is one but there are various aesthetical tastes or emotions. These art forms are called ‘Chatush Shashti Kalas’. This science comprises 64 art forms. Even if celestial singers such as Narada or Tumbura sing in the same tune all the time, the audience will be displeased. Hence God, the personification of the aesthetic nature, takes various forms. The Upanishads proclaimed God as “Raso Vai Saha”. God is the personification of aesthetic qualities. He modifies the aesthetic qualities in mysterious ways.
Nature, which is composed of the three Gunas – Satva, Rajas and Tamas is one. But it comprises a variety of colours, tastes, fragrances and sounds. All these are the attributes that emanated from the one nature. God, who is such a personification of Rasa, is beyond description. Hence the Shrutis (Vedas) declared, “Yatho Vacho Nivartante, Apraapya Manasa Saha”, which means, ‘Words fail to explain Him. Even the mind is incapable of it’. Hence the Shrutis declared the impossibility of describing the Lord either through words or the mind. If one wants to attain that Divinity, God’s name (Nama Smarana) alone is the boat.
Change the Mati (Mind), Not the Mata (Religion)
There are many great people who keep chanting the name of the Lord. There are people who did not transform even a little despite their chanting the name for hours and days together. The demonic nature of Ravana, Bhasmasura and Kamsa did not diminish even a little despite their chanting the name of the Lord. What could be the reason for this? Their minds were engrossed in the thought “Aham Dehosmi”, I am the body. They did penance for a very long duration. They did penance with body consciousness “Aham Dehosmi”. Despite years of penance, if they could not transcend body consciousness, then how can there be any transformation within? People practice various forms of worship and rituals following their family tradition and culture. However, they do not get transformed even a little in spite of the time they spend in their spiritual practice. They change the name they are chanting from one to another because they are tired of waiting for the results. They not only change the name but also their religion. One cannot attain God’s grace if one takes up some other religion. One has to transform the mind. None can imbibe the qualities of God by changing the external appearance. One has to change one’s virtues and qualities. Only the one who transforms his mind attains Divinity.
In a drama, for instance, in the first scene a person enacts the role of a beggar. The same person, in the second scene, acts as a king. In yet another scene the same person plays the character of a minister. The audience interprets the same person differently as the beggar, the king and the minister. The reason is that different roles are played by the same person. The audience captures only the action and the attire of this person and not the person as such. The dog in the house recognises the owner. The dog recognises his master despite his wearing evening dress, office dress, night dress or morning dress only by the sound. It does not recognise the dress. Today dogs seem to have reached greater heights of reality than humans! The reason is that it captures ‘Shabda Brahma’ – the primordial sound of Divinity. But man today tries to recognise only by form and name. The name and form are just imaginations. But the sound is eternal. One who reckons this fundamental principle of sound sees the manifestation of Divinity in the Nama (God’s name). But those who believe in the nature, see only the form as the one composed of the 5 elements. An impure man is the Mrunmaya Rupa (composed of the 5 elements). Hence we have to find the difference between the Chinmaya Rupa (the eternal form) and Mrunmaya Rupa (the ephemeral form). There is Divinity in humanness. Despite the Divinity innate in man, he is bound to the world because of his sensory allurements.
It is a known fact that God is the personification of love. God can be bound by the string of love. It is only when this love is spread for the sake of love, can the Lord’s grace be won. He can’t be won when one prays to Him for petty worldly objects. You should yearn only for love. Hence you should transform yourselves into embodiments of love. You should not be like a ‘lover’. Being a ‘lover’ you love or admire only a single person. If you transform yourself into an embodiment of love itself, you can love the entire universe. One should always remember that the same Divinity pervades all beings.
A Leader has to set an Ideal Example
Once Lord Krishna, in His childhood, ran inside the house and caught hold of the Sari of His mother. He told His mother that He would accompany the cowherds to the forest. Mother Yashoda told Him, “Son! The forest is not an ordinary place to go. There is no road and the path is full of stones, thorns, scorpions and snakes. I shall arrange for a pair of sandals for you today and tomorrow you may go into the forest wearing them along with the cows.” In those days sandals and shoes were not readily available as they are in these days. The cobbler would be sent for and depending on the size of the person the sandals would be made. As Yashoda spoke these words, Krishna replied, “The cows are also walking barefoot!” Yashoda replied saying that the cows are animals and Krishna is a human. Then Krishna explained, “Mother! Don’t be under the impression that these cows are just animals. They turn their blood into milk, forsake their calves and provide milk to people. They feed on grass and give us milk. Even after their death they serve mankind through their skin so that sandals and shoes can be made. Humans don’t have the affection and gratitude which the cows have. They shed tears if I don’t go to see them even for a single day. I have observed many times that they feel happy and gaze at Me the moment they listen to My voice. Not only the cows but also the young calves stop taking milk and look at Me! Even you don’t have the love which those cows and cowherds have for Me.” Gopala is the one who has been a leader – leader of the cows. One can be a class leader, room leader, party leader or a leader in the society. Krishna thus transformed the mind of Yashoda by telling her that a leader has to set an ideal. Everyone has to prove himself to be an exemplar. It is only then that we can do some good to the society and derive happiness for ourselves.
Cultivate your Heart and sow the Seeds of Love
Man is not bestowed with the human birth for no reason. We should realise that this birth is very valuable. The human body is not meant for wasting time. “Jantunaam Nara Janma Durlabham” (Human birth is the rarest and most precious of all). Having taken the noble birth as human beings, if you can’t live as human beings there is no way you can understand the humanness. How do we realise the importance of humanness? A farmer, if he has to cultivate a piece of land, has to do a number of other activities beforehand. First of all he has to soften the entire piece of land, then plough it and sow the seeds. After the crop has grown to a certain stage, he uses fertilizers and removes the weeds regularly. Only after all this is he able to bring home the food grains. This is exactly what we have to do with our hearts. The heart is like a piece of land to be cultivated. We have to cultivate it with utmost care and concern. It has to be filled with the water of love. It has to be ploughed with the plough called enquiry. The seed of the name of God has to be sown. It has to be guarded with the fence called caution and care. You have to protect it with egolessness. It is only then that you can receive the fruit of love.
Students! There is the fruit of love in the lives of all people. To enjoy this fruit one has to remove the outer skin. Only when this outer skin is removed can we savor the juice of the fruit. Take the orange as an example. First of all, we have to peel out its skin. Then we have to remove the bitter seeds inside it. After the juice is extracted the pulp also has to be discarded. We partake only the sweet juice. This is “Raso Vai Saha” (the true essence).
One should reckon the fact that this body has been given to us by God only to relish the sweetness of love. One should first of all peel away the skin of ego and ostentation. Remove the seeds of evil intentions, thoughts and deeds. Discard the pulp of belongingness. It is only then that you can enjoy the juice of love. Thus we have to engage in a spiritual practice of this sort. Every individual is like a farmer. Every heart is like a piece of cultivable land. We should not waste this land. There is no point in having an uncultivated land. This heart is a pure land. As we are not involved in the right spiritual practice, this is turning out to be barren. There is no use whatsoever if we sow seeds in barren land. The heart is an expansive land. No one can ever estimate quantitatively the area of this land. If we are not able to harvest the desired crop, what is the use of possessing acres of land?
In spite of his education and intelligence
A mean-minded person will not give up his evil qualities.
What is the use of having ten acres of barren land?
It is enough even to have a small area of fertile land.
It is enough if there is even a little of pure, untainted, eternal and selfless love. It is enough if you have the slightest gratitude for having received true Ananda (bliss). Hearts devoid of such gratitude and love are indeed barren. Hence what is it that we have to try and aspire for? We should try to cultivate the expansive and valuable heart gifted to us. You have the requisite energy and capability to cultivate it. Students often say before the speech, “Swami! Please bless me with the energy and capability to experience and live in accordance with your command.” They think that they do not have such strength. This not something which has to be given or bestowed. All the strength is within you. But you are unable to see it the way it has to be seen. What is the reason for this? Your vision is not focused on that. If you have your vision focused on that, you will by any means try to utilise it in the best way possible. Human nature is truly meaningful only when you understand a person or an object in its true sense. You have to thoroughly enquire about what you are aspiring for. Then you have to work towards experiencing it.
Source: Seek The Treasure Within, Discourse 4, My Dear Students Volume 3, Divine Discourse delivered on June 21, 1989 at Sri Sathya Sai Hostel, Prasanthi Nilayam
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