August 15th, 2004
“Independence Day”
OM…OM…OM…
Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
I offer you many apologies for the
inordinate delay, which happened for reasons beyond my control. This is
Independence Day and I had to rush to the college to make special arrangements
for a drama that will be presented this evening by the students of the Sri
Sathya Institute of Higher Learning at Sai Kulwant Hall. They are going to
incorporate the national heroes, the national fervour and the message - all duly
supported by Bhagavan’s quotations.
It is in that context that they
wanted me to see the play, thus forcing me to go. Swami may ask me beforehand,
“Have you seen it?” (Laughter)
If I say, “I have seen it, Swami,”
and I haven’t, then He will say, “You have not seen it.” One bluff!
If the drama does not go well, He
will say, “You said you saw it, and this is what you endorsed?” Double dose! I
did not want to take that Divine risk. Kindly excuse me for the delay.
Independence day HAS A DIFFERENT MESSAGE
Well, this being Independence Day,
let me convey my special greetings to all of you. The whole nation rejoices on
this occasion.
According to Bhagavan,
Independence Day has quite a different message from how we understand it.
According to most of us, the ‘independence’ is political independence. It is
freedom from foreign rule. But Swami puts it in a totally different way.
I would like to set it out as
points one, two, three, etc., as we have done before, because this is a
difficult subject to understand. After hearing
about the Independence Day celebration here, we should have more of an idea to
reflect upon back home.
Let me first say that Swarajya
is the true translation in both Sanskrit and Telugu, and in most of the Indian
languages, for the word ‘independence’. Bhagavan, in His infinite mercy and in
His own inimitable Divine and unique style, explained this word Swarajya.
What does it mean?
Swarajya
for most of the people here means political freedom. Everybody understands it as
'rule by the indigenous people'. That is, freedom from the chains of foreign
rule.
Swarajya – Independence of the Self
Bhagavan puts it this way: Swa
means the Self. Rajya means Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Self. Where is
the Kingdom of the Self? The Kingdom of the Self is within. The political
and geographical kingdom is outside. The foreign rule is outside. Yes, I am free
from foreign rule, which is outside. Still inside, I am enslaved. I am free
outside, but I am a slave inside. What do I mean by that?
I am free, if judged from the
viewpoint of the external world -- free from foreign domination and foreign
exploitation, free from foreign rule and administration. I became free on the
day called Independence Day, which I celebrate as Independence Day. This same
thing is done anywhere, in any country.
Yes, we are free! Okay! Yet, are
we free inside? We are not free inside. We are slaves because of our own
pitfalls. We are victims of our own weaknesses. We submit ourselves to silly
causes and get ourselves agitated, disturbed and worried.
Am I free from anger? No!
Am I free from lust? No!
Am I free from attachment?
Definitely not!
Am I free from hatred, avarice?
No!
Am I free from jealousy? Yes…NO!
I am not free from these inner
enemies. Anger, lust, greed, ego and jealousy dominate the inner kingdom. They
are ruling inside, so I am a slave to the rulers within.
What kind of rulers are they?
Horrible rulers! They are rulers, which in my lifetime, will never make me free.
They are rulers that will bring me defame, a bad name, unpopularity and ruin me
totally. The outer foreign ruler is much easier. Their influence is only
political, geographical, and financial (from the point of exercising a
franchise). But, the rulers ruling me inside are the inner enemies -- lust,
anger, greed, jealousy, avarice and hatred.
For several births, I have not
been able to be free from their inner rule. I have taken repeated births,
struggling hard to be free from their inner rule and inner domination. Life
after life, age after age, but I am not yet free from the inner rule. This is
the point that Bhagavan drives home with Swarajya.
One should have this inner
freedom. Once there is inner freedom, outer freedom will follow. Once there is
inner freedom, you can just go into the outer world and enjoy the benefits in
the true sense of the term 'Independence'.
Bhagavan says, “Swarajya
means the Rule of the Self, by the Self, for the Self.”
It is not "Government of the
people, by the people, for the people," which happens to be the definition of
the term 'democracy' as defined by Abraham Lincoln.
Therefore, outer freedom means
"Government of the people, by the people, for the people." Inner freedom has
this rule: Government of the Self, by the Self, for the Self. That is inner
freedom.
Self Effort for Freedom
So, my friends, the Independence
Day celebration on 15th August is not limited to Indians only. Indians may
celebrate it; they may rejoice with fun and frolic, with banquets, platform
speeches, decorations, the illumination of the capital and the tricolour flag
fluttering. These are all expressions of joy and jubilation, celebrating
Independence Day.
But independence concerning the
inner world, the kingdom within, is a long struggle. It is a struggle, which I
take upon myself alone. It is not a mass movement. It is not following a leader.
I must work for my own emancipation. I must see that I am free from all
the enemies within.
How can I be free from the ruler
of anger? You cannot help me. I must find the way.
How can I be free from the ruler
of jealousy inside? I must find the way by myself. No one is going to help me.
To be free from the inner domination of mankind’s weaknesses, one has to work
for oneself.
TWO POINTS FOR INNER FREEDOM
First point: To be free from the
inner enemies of lust, anger, greed, jealousy, avarice and hatred is the
Independence Day celebration for all spiritual seekers.
Second point: Each person has to
work for his own Self to be free within. One’s own Self has to do it. It is not
a mass movement. It is not a freedom struggle under the leadership of anybody.
You are a leader unto yourself. You are an emancipator unto yourself. You are a
liberator unto yourself. This is a second point to which I want to draw your
attention.
POINT ONE: freedom from body attachment
What does freedom mean
spiritually? The great Ramana Maharshi of Arunachala emphatically stated what
freedom means and what it is. Bhagavan repeatedly gives this meaning of
spiritual freedom in His Divine discourses. Perhaps in the future, we will not
miss this point in His discourses. What is this important point?
We all have this body attachment.
We identify ourselves with the body. As Baba puts it - Deha Abhimana.
Deha is body; Abhimana is attachment. We have Deha Abhimana,
an attachment to the body. Because of it, several things follow. It is the main
reason, which has made us a slave in the past and a slave in the present. If we
continue to identify with the body, we will continue to be a slave.
Because I identify myself with the
body, I have this body feeling of Dehabuddhi. Deha, the body, and
Buddhi, is thinking that way. The whole process took this direction
because I started saying, “I am the body.” Because of body identification, I
suffer a lot.
Let me work out a way to be free
from body attachment. What is the way? How can I to be free from this body
attachment? That is the real freedom!
The first method - realise that the body is temporary
Bhagavan suggests an important and
easy way for all Sai devotees. The body necessarily carries with it a feeling of
ego. It is a dominant feeling in us.
Baba always says, “You should try
to be free from body identification.” This is His often-repeated quote: “The
body is a water bubble.”
Once I am convinced of the fact
that the body is a water bubble, I will never feel that it is eternal. I will
never entertain the thought that it is immortal. I will not confer full
attention on the body and its maintenance.
So much time is spent on adorning
and maintaining it. Well, I do not mean that the body has to be neglected. No,
but the body is not the be-all and end-all.
Bhagavan said, “The body is the
temple of God.”
Yes, I have seen the temple, thank
you. However, we should not leave it at that. Going to the temple is not enough.
We must go inside.
Body is the temple of God, so it
has to be maintained in a pure and clean condition because God is residing
inside. God, in the temple of the body, is the consciousness, the soul or the
spirit (Atma or Chaitanya). It is the Self within me. The Divine
resides in the body. Therefore, we have to take care of the temple, for it to be
a fitting residence for God. That’s all.
Therefore, my friends, we have to
be free from body attachment and not merely have the freedom from the policy of
foreign rule and political domination. No! Independence Day requires us to be
free from body attachment.
Once I realise and sincerely
believe in what I say, not allowing myself to be carried away by imagination,
hallucination, or whatever may be, once I realise the fact that the body is a
water bubble, I shall never be arrogant. I will never be egoistic. I will never
spend a hundred percent of my time, energy or resources on the maintenance of
the body.
THE Body is just a Medium
We know many people with a sound
body who have a miserable, castor oil-like look on their face. Why? The body is
fine, the personality is quite handsome, but the mind is sick. The body is the
township; its ducts carry waste garbage. It is
not that we do not have a body. It is just a mistake if we think that the body
is the be-all and end-all.
Therefore, my friends,
Independence Day calls for freedom from attachment to the body, Dehabiman.
The first method is to realise fully that the body is temporary. It is just a
water bubble.
Another way to help dispel body
identification is this: Bhagavan always says, “This body is only a vehicle, a
channel or a pipe, or you may compare it to electrical wire. Electricity flows
through the wire and water flows through the water pipe. The body is a medium.
The body is only a vehicle, a means of transport to reach the destination, or
the goal, as the case may be.”
Bhagavan gives another beautiful
example. You have a car. Why? Not to keep in the garage and not simply to tell
everybody, “I own the latest model of the most expensive car on the market.” Why
do I have a car if I only keep it in the garage? If it is kept there, it gets
more and more rusted and it loses resale value. Likewise, this body is not for
being kept in the garage. Neither is it for going to the workshop for repairs
because of frequent sicknesses.
THE Body and Mind affect each other
The body has to be strong. It is
something like the car, which should be in a fit condition to drive. The body
should be in a fit condition to undertake spiritual practice, or what is called
sadhana. Spiritual practice requires a healthy, strong body.
The body and mind are interrelated
in what is called a psychosomatic relationship. A psychosomatic relationship is
the relationship that exists between the body and the mind. One affects the
other.
A simple example: Suppose I am
very worried, mentally depressed and frustrated. Although physically strong, I
look depressed. I am very sick because mentally I am upset. The mind affects the
body.
In recent times, doctors say that
many diseases have a psychological cause. There are also examples where people
have overcome diseases by the use of a strong will. Even advanced cases of
cancer have been cured by a strong will. These cases are on record. Therefore,
my friends, the body affects the mind and the mind affects the body. It is a
two-way channel. The body has to be strong!
The SECOND method - SERVICE
Baba tells us the second method to
overcome body identification. It is service, Karma Yoga. In the
rendering of service, the path of action, well, at least I will not have 100%,
total body identification.
Karma Yoga
is prescribed for Chitta Sudhi (purity of the mind). Purity of the mind
is possible by the process of Karma Yoga. Karma is action, action done by
the body for purity of the mind. Do you understand this? Purity of the body as
cleanliness is easy. Any number of times, you
can have a shower with hot or cold water, whatever you may like, and with any
soap of your choice. That will not help us achieve purity of the mind. By taking
this body to action, Karma Yoga, it ensures Chitta Sudhi, purity
of the mind. We have to understand that this body is meant to serve.
Bhagavan has given many examples:
One - The tree bears fruit, not to
consume the fruit itself, but for humanity to eat.
Two - The river flows ceaselessly.
It doesn’t drink a drop of its own water; the water is for society.
Three - The milk of the cow is for
everybody. The cow doesn’t drink its own milk, does it?
My friends, the cow, the tree, the
river, the mountains, all give us a beautiful lesson of service.
Life is an opportunity
Life is gifted to us to give
service to others. Life is a boon. Let us understand that life is an
opportunity. If we take life as an opportunity, it is a blessing. Then there is
every reason to take life as a celebration.
If anyone says that my life is a
drag, that will not be a life well spent. It is a total waste of God’s
investment, that’s all. If you deposit some money in the bank and you don’t get
any interest out of it, it is a waste. Don’t you think so? Similarly, if we
don’t enjoy life, if we don’t spend our life happily and blissfully, it is an
investment in vain by God Himself, the biggest and greatest eternal investor and
banker. He expects something useful out of His investment.
My friends,
Paropakarartham Idam Shariram!
Paropakarartham
is service.
Idam Shariram is this body is for
service. By service and by understanding that the body is temporary, we can get
over body identification. This deha buddhi, the body feeling, can be
dispelled.
The THIRD method - praying to God
To be free from body attachment,
think of God!
Bhagavan has said, “The one who is
after rewards, awards, recognition, cheers, applause, name, fame, financial and
monetary gain is just an animal.” That’s all.
Furthermore, Bhagavan says that if
you have green grass in your hand, the cow will come close to eat that grass.
When something precious is offered, man rushes forward to grab it. As Bhagavan
puts it in Telugu: Iche vaadu unte sache vaadu goda leche ustadayya annaru,
which means, "If anyone is prepared to give, even a dead body will rise to
receive." (Laughter)
The temperament of the body is to
always receive and grab, enchanted by the attraction of food, raiment, shelter,
conveniences and comforts. Suppose there was another hall with air conditioning.
I am sure that all of you would move over there. Here, I would have to address
the carpet. (Laughter) The body always wants comforts and conveniences.
Bhagavan wants us to understand
that when we do service, when we recite His Name, we can become free from
attachment to the body.
HOW TO be free from actING like AN ANIMAL
The body has this taint: the
temperament, behaviour and habitual attitude of being like an animal. If you
hold a stick, the cow will run away. If you show it grass, it will come close.
If we are in front of a task master, we try to avoid him. If Swami distributed
as many chains and rings as there are queues, I am sure He would have to spend
the rest of His lifetime distributing only those things. This attitude to be
closer to the benefits and run away from any threat, loss, punishment, struggle
or pain is just the quality of an animal.
Pashu
means animal. So Pashu is to be fundamentally an animal. When I call
myself, “Animal,” it may look silly, but when I say, “Man is a social animal,”
that is acceptable. Jantu naam nara janma durlabham - "Among
beings, the human life is the rarest." That is acceptable.
However, we do share these
fundamental basic traits with animals: food, hunger, appetite, thirst, sleep and
procreation, Aharam, nidramai, guranja, kaman eka
pashuva nara. So, the body is
pashu or animal.
To be free from body attachment,
what should I do? I should think of the person in charge of the animal. If I am
a friend to you, your dog will not bite me, because you know how to control the
dog. To be free from this body feeling, which acts like pashu or animal,
I should approach the master in control of the animal, Pashupathi.
Who is Pashupathi? Lord
Shiva Himself! When I pray to Lord Shiva, the leader of the animal kingdom,
naturally He will help me to get over dehabuddhi, body attachment, and
develop Atma buddhi, attachment to the Self. At present, I am attached to
the body, but by praying to God, I can become attached to the Self, Atma
buddhi or Shiva buddhi. I think I am clear.
Therefore, my friends, the true
Independence Day celebration calls for freedom from body identification and body
attachment. That is the foremost point.
POINT TWO: Freedom from THE Mind
What do I mean by freedom from the
mind? It is not that one has to be without the mind, or that one has a perverted
mind, or that one is narrow-minded or broad-minded. We have so many words
meaning that the mind is not right. A misdirected mind is a perverted mind. A
mind which is centred on the family only is a narrow mind.
The mind which is universal is a
broad mind. The mind that thinks of the superior Self is an overmind. The mind,
which identifies itself with everybody, is a super mind. Generally, we do not
think of the mind as having these different levels, and we simply say, “Mind.”
Never mind! (Laughter) It is not so, my friends.
The mind is a bundle of desires and thoughts
What does freedom from the mind
mean? What do we have to understand? The mind is nothing but a bundle of
thoughts. The mind is nothing but a bundle of desires. It is similar to a cloth
made from interwoven threads. When the threads are removed, the cloth does not
exist. The cloth is there only because of threads.
Likewise, when thoughts are
interwoven and brought close together, that makes the mind. Thoughts and desires
constitute the mind. If you are desireless, you have gone past the mind. When
your thoughts subside, when they come to a halt, you have passed the mind.
Freedom from the mind, according
to Ramana Maharshi… I am very fond of Ramana Maharshi for the simple reason that
he gives us a path of enquiry to get to the Self, which is achievable for the
modern mind.
Today, I cannot ask the modern
mind to do rituals. “Come on, do some yaga, “(offerings for the Glory of
God). “Uncle, we will see you in three years. Okay!” (Laughter)
If I tell them do some yagna
(a ritual of spiritual practices prescribed for man), “I am sorry, I don’t have
the time or the resources.”
Or if I give you some rigorous
discipline, “Well, I are not looking for a lifetime of spirituality.”
The modern mind is sharp,
scientific and technical. The modern mind runs on the path of reasoning,
rationale and logic. I cannot give the blind path of faith. Ramana Maharshi
shows a beautiful way - the Path of Enquiry, Vicharana or Mimamsa,
enquiry into the Self.
The path of enquiry into the self
Quite often, Bhagavan says, “Ask
yourself a question Koham, Koham? Who am I? Who am I?”
“Aham Deham, I am the
body.”
“No! Naham Deham, I am not
the body.”
“Koham, who are you?”
“Aham jivosmi, I am the
mind. No! No! No!
“Koham, who are you?”
“Aham Bramhasmi, I am You.
I am God!
The path of enquiry is possible.
The first step is to give up body attachment. That is the first requirement.
We are so disturbed if anyone sits
in our usual place during darshan. We are so disturbed if anyone takes
prasad (food blessed by Swami), a minute before us. We are so disturbed if a
man wants to get before us in the canteen queue. Any simple thing will disturb
us. Any simple thing will agitate our mind. However, to control the body is not
as easy as saying it.
one desire satisfied will lead to a chain of desires
Once I control the body and have
freedom from body attachment, the second requirement is freedom from attachment
to the mind. The mind, as I said, is a bundle of desires and thoughts.
The third aspect of the mind is
its capacity to recollect, to recall. The mind is like a computer. It downloads
everything, making it heavy and burdensome. Therefore, a ‘computer virus’ may
affect the mind. A computer can operate for long periods without a download, but
we download unnecessary information all the time. So more frequently, viruses
enter the mind. That is the reason for the special provision on the computer -
Control, Alt, and Delete. This method can also get rid of nonsense material from
the mind. Delete it, so that the mind is free. Don’t allow those things to stay
there in the mind.
The one who is full of thoughts
will turn mad or crazy. The one who is full of desires can be a threat to the
peace of society because he is too ambitious. No one can fulfil all of his
desires in a lifetime. If anyone says, “I have fulfilled all my desires,” it
means he has no desire at all, or he does not know what desire is. The nature of
desire is something like a fire. The more oil you put on it, well, it burns more
and more brilliantly. My friends, one desire satisfied will lead to a chain of
desires.
You have one desire. “Let Swami
look at me.” He looks at you!
“No, one more desire, Uncle.”
“What is it?”
“He should smile at me.”
“Aha! Arey! You
accepted a look; that is not enough. Now, the occasion of a smile!”
“Oh, He smiled at you this
morning. Congratulations! Let us have a cup of tea together and celebrate!”
“No! No! No! I want to give Him a
letter.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Oh, yes, He received the letter!”
“Any other requests?”
“Yes, if possible, would you tell
me how to get an interview?” (Laughter)
“Arey! It’s not in my
hands.”
This morning someone asked me,
“Sir, would you please help me get an interview with Swami?”
I gave him one answer, only one
answer. “I cannot arrange it.”
If anybody says he can do it,
don’t believe it. (Laughter) Swami is not a political chief. I can
arrange an audience with a district tax collector. I can arrange an audience
with the Chief Minister. It is impossible to take any person to God. That is how
it is with Bhagavan. If I ventured to do it, I would be taking a great risk.
There would be no return for me. (Laughter) No return!
The mind is full of thoughts and counter thoughts
Therefore, my friends,
identification with the mind means that we are full of thoughts, something like
a traffic jam, not knowing with which thought to proceed. One thought is to go
to the canteen; another thought to hear some more points from the talk this
morning; another is to make a flight reservation; another is about the afternoon
darshan. Which thought is permanent, which thought is important? Come on,
let the computer bullet those thoughts as one, two, three, four. No! They are
all number ones.
Therefore, my friends, we are very
worried because of the thoughts that rush in. We have thoughts and counter
thoughts. 'Shall I go? Or is it not necessary? Swami comes at 3 P.M. Is that
right? No! No! There is every possibility of Him being here at 2:30 P.M. as it
is Independence Day. With the boys being free, the enactment of the drama will
possibly start, so let’s go by 1:30 P.M.' (Laughter) Thoughts and counter
thoughts. That is the quality of the mind.
The quality of the mind is full of
desires. It is full of thoughts and counter thoughts. It has the capability of
recalling and recapitulation; it has a memory.
Ego is the quality of the mind
The fourth quality of the mind is
ego.
“You know, I have been here for
the last twenty years.”
“So what? So what?”
“You know, I have had one hundred
interviews.”
Then what!
The point is that one wants to
feel and to make others feel that he is better than the rest. This is called
ego. Ego is there in everybody. It ranges in percentage, 5%, 10%, 50%, 100%.
In the Bhagavad Gita
(The Song of God, containing the spiritual message of Krishna), it is
clearly said that a social or political fall is slightly injurious, but a
spiritual fall is a total loss. Therefore, we cannot engage in spiritually and
at the same time, entertain ego
thoughts.
A religious man is joyful, a spiritual man is blissful
I should be smiling, willing,
joyful and blissful, because when I say, “Baba is my God, Baba is my heart, Baba
is the Master,” how can I be serious? When Swami is blissful, can I be sad? When
Baba is in me, can I be mournful? With blissful Baba inside, can I be serious,
as if suffering from high blood pressure? No! No! No!
I do not tire of repeating this
any number of times. A religious man is joyful; a spiritual man is blissful. A
religious man is active; a spiritual man is dynamic. He is not passive, dull or
inert like a stone. Certainly not. The fellow whose days are numbered and
seriously sick may be like that, but not a spiritual man.
Take for example, Swami
Vivekananda. How active was he? Think of Jesus Christ! Because of courage, He
must have been prepared to sacrifice his life on the Cross. A timid man cannot
be religious. A coward cannot be spiritual.
So desires, thoughts, counter
thoughts, ego and memory are all the qualities of the mind. The more powerful
and strong the mind, the further away we are from God.
Yes! There is an easy way to reach
Prasanthi Nilayam from Kashmir, but not from the ego. A man from Argentina may
be able to reach Prasanthi Nilayam earlier than a man with ego. A man with ego
can never reach Swami. Physically, he may buy a ticket and stand in a line.
Physically, he may be in front of Him. But he will not have a place in the heart
of Sai.
If you really want to have a place
in the heart of Sai, psychologically and intellectually, then within the
firmament of the inner horizon of the human heart, one has to be free from
attachment to the mind. One has to be totally egoless.
WHEN the Mind COMES TO A REST, THE HEART IS REACHED
So the Independence Day
celebration calls for freedom from the mind. We have discussed the need to be
free from the mind. Okay! What will happen when you are free from the mind? That
is the next question.
Like on the computer, when
unnecessary thoughts are deleted and desires have ceased, the mind is subdued.
It reaches the state of the heart. It goes into the depth of its origin or
birth. Ramana Maharshi calls it Moola Stalambu. Moola, which means
'base thought'. Moola Stalambu, the place, the birthplace, the
primordium. Am I clear?
When agitations, disturbances, the
turbulent waves of the mind come to a halt, you reach the heart, the very
foundation where there is bliss.
Some people ask, “Where is the
mind? Where is the heart? What is the line of separation between them?”
No! No! No! When the mind
subsides, the heart naturally comes forth.
What should I do to see the drama?
Should I push the actors onto the stage? No! No! No! Once the curtain is up, the
drama begins. Is it not so? Similarly, once the curtain of the mind is dropped,
the heart takes over. The heart takes over behind the curtain of the mind, the
mind being the delusion or illusion.
Therefore, my friends, freedom
from the mind is the message of Independence Day. It is freedom from desire,
freedom from thoughts, freedom from ambition and freedom from the feeling of
ego. That’s what it is.
Baba is FOR everybody
How to do all that? Baba
demonstrates a simple point. He is for everybody. The way He talks to Gokak and
Kamavadhani is different from the way He talks to the average person. The way He
talks to these people is different from how He communicates to primary school
children. Baba comes down to any level, because He is God to everybody. Still
the essence is the same; 25mg, 250 mg, 500 mg or 40 watts, 50 watts, 500 watts;
the voltage is the difference. The intensity and the method of communication may
be different, but the essence is the same.
What does Baba say? “Let the mind
know and let the ego understand that all I see now is a daydream, which is in no
way different from the night dream.”
The night dream is gone the moment
I wake up. How about the daydream? The daydream is gone once the mind is
withdrawn and settles at the centre - Mula Stalambu, the heart.
When the mind subsides, the
thoughts come to a total halt and the desires stop, that is the state when we
know that it is a daydream. The illusion of the night dream and daydream has to
be realised. This is done by constant enquiry, which helps to stop our
attachment to the body.
It is time to be free from body
and mind attachment, so that we will know that we are not the body, we are not
the mind, we are the true Self, the Atma, the spirit.
MBA, MA, A
I want to make a simple summary,
because I am coming to a close, and I am aware of running short of time.
We know MBA, right! Master of
Business Administration. MBA is easy to remember. M is for the Mind, B is for
the Body and A is for Atma. MBA, mind, body and Atma. All three
are equal to the waking state, the daydream or Jagrata.
I go to sleep and dream. Dreams
can provide the best platform for
all the wishes that are not fulfilled.
I can be the President of America in my dream, OK? (Laughter) Why not? In
my dream, I can see all of you there looking at me. Here, it may not be
possible, because you may not be looking at me. (Laughter) But, there in
the dream, I see you looking at me.
The waking state is MBA, the
dreaming state is MA, Master of Arts, a post graduate degree. Am I clear? The
final deep sleep is just A - Atma. That’s all.
What is common in all the three
states? In MBA, MA, A, the A is common. ‘A’ the consciousness, ‘A’ the
awareness, ‘A’ the Atma, soul or spirit is common in the three levels of
awareness. In all the three levels of experience is the Self, the Divine.
Therefore, Independence Day is the
realisation of the Supreme Self, the Atma, which is common in all three
levels of comprehension, all three levels of experience and all three levels of
visualisation. That is the real independence.
The Atma knows that, though
it is omnipresent in all the three states, it is independent of all. It is there
in MBA; it is there in MA; it is there in A, but it is independent of all three.
The rule of the Self, by the Self,
for the Self, that I am the Self is the true celebration of Independence Day.
Not only is it so for India, it is so for any country. Not only for you and me,
but also for everybody, for all of humanity. Rejoice in celebrating Independence
Day by being free from the body attachment and being totally free from the
attachment of the mind.
May Bhagavan be with you forever
and ever. Jai Sai Ram! (Applause)
OM…OM…OM…
Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya
Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya
Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti