What is Your True Name?

Sri Sathya Sai at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Auditorium on June 7, 2007

Suppose there is a person who is called ‘Giri’. It is the worldly name given to him. It is the name given to him by his parents. It is not the one he got for himself. He is not born with the name. It is only the body that was born to his parents. The name is given and not born. Body is negative. To make use of the negative, the body, a name, the positive is used. Because of this name - Giri, when you call him, he will get up and come. That same name, Giri is not given to everybody. It is not possible for every body to get up when once ‘Giri’ is called. Bodies are different, names are different, but the indweller or the Self that is present in every one is one and the same. When you want to contact anybody, you say, so and so and you call him by name. When any one asks you your name, you should say, “I am I”. In fact, you do not represent the name that you are given. Anyone may call in anyway. But it is the same Self that is present in every one. “Ishavasyam Idam Sarvam” - God dwells everywhere. “Ishwarah Sarva Bhootanam” - God dwells in all beings. What name can you give to the God who is present in all beings? In the world, names are given for the purpose of identification. We should not consider the name as being so significant. 

All the knowledge and education that we have learnt over a period of time did not come with us. Sometimes, we fail to write clearly what we have learnt. To a certain extent, all that has been learnt is artificial. Some speak English in good pronunciation. Who can decide that it is correct pronunciation? All the pronunciation that you have is what you have learnt; the true pronunciation comes from God. That is ‘Atma’. Therefore, when you are asked, “Who you are?” you say, “Atma or I”. 

Students! In spite of all the worldly knowledge that you learnt, any number of PhDs you get, you should not forget your true name. Without the Educare as the basis you cannot achieve anything in this world. Educare is fundamental. You cannot leave the fundamental and take the worldly things as the basis. When you get some doubts on this, Bhagavan will explain the meanings of some of the things. Each word has a different meaning. Today, in this world, we are making use of this worldly knowledge, but no one is bringing forth the ‘Atma Tatva.’ In fact, the inner knowledge is not something apart. It is not a language at all. It is ‘Inner Vision’. It is the vision that unifies all aspects. Inner vision is beyond the norms of language and letter. This ‘Inner Self’ will respond “Yes!”, when you call Rama and “Yes!” when you call Krishna. For everything He is ready. Even if you call Him ‘mad cap’, He will respond. When you say, “You are a mad boy!” you get the reply, “Yes! I am a mad boy”. I am mad because I have forgotten my reality. 

Therefore, in everything we find Satya, the Truth as the basic ingredient. All this nomenclature is based on the whims and fancies of the individual, but that is not the reality. In this hall there are so many people. But there is only one fundamental principle present in every one. ‘All are one, be alike to everyone’. It is the same ‘Atma Tatva’ or the principle of Self that is present in everyone. Nobody can live without that. Therefore, you have ample scope in the future to acquire the ‘Atma Tatva’. It does not mean that you should neglect the worldly education in pretext of this. The world expects from you excellent worldly knowledge. It does not bother about the spiritual knowledge. You should keep in mind the spiritual knowledge while you acquire the secular knowledge. 

You are the Embodiments of Divinity

Students! Students speak in several ways. Students also converse about Bhagavan in several ways. All that you speak is your imagination and not reality. You are all Divine and forms of Divinity. As Lord Krishna declared in the Gita, “Mamaivamsho Jeeva Loke Jeeva Bhoota Sanatanaha”. You are the sparks of the Divine. The individual and the Supreme are eternal. Consider yourself as embodiments of God. Do not consider yourself as mere human beings. Make every effort to know the human values. Do not neglect human life in just eating and sleeping. If you neglect human life, you will be leading an animal existence. What is human life? Human life is the one that tells you how to behave - where, how, when, why and how. If you neglect this and just involve yourself in filling your stomach, it is like leading an animal life. Therefore, we must understand and classify - Divinity, Humanity and Animality (animal nature). No one should follow animality. By doing so, you will be wasting your time. Animals also waste a lot of time. When an animal is full of hunger, it even resorts to unjustifiable means. Therefore, if you do not control yourself, your life will also become an animal life. So Students! Understand the exact Truth. When once you understand this Truth, you will never tread the path of untruth.

Source: Discourse 13, My Dear Students Volume 2; Divine Discourse on June 7, 2007 at Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Auditorium.