March 5th, 2006
“Questions and Answers”
OM…OM…OM…
Yesterday evening, some of my friends met me and said that they would like to have the chance to ask some questions. I don’t know whether they are here or not, but it’s over to you if you have any questions. Are there any questions, please?
"LEAVE ALL YOUR BURDENS HERE, TAKE BLISS FROM ME"
Did Baba say, “Give all, take nothing?”
I remember Baba saying, “Leave all your burdens here, take bliss from Me. Take everything from Me.” That is what I remember.
NEGLECTING THE BODY IS NOT SPIRITUALITY
When we start on the spiritual path, we become more body conscious, doing exercises, and so on. Is that attachment to the body?
The question is relating to the attachment to the body. What does Baba say about it?
Attachment to the body is considering that the body is the ‘be all and end all’, that the body is everything and there is nothing beyond. A human life centered on the body, lived for the body, beginning and ending with the body, that is body attachment.
Body attachment does not think of the principle which is eternal, immortal and essentially Divine. Body attachment is limited to food, raiment, and shelter. To have food to eat, a place to live, and clothing, is enough satisfaction. To aim for every comfort and convenience, all luxuries and pleasures, also describes body attachment.
On the spiritual path, one has to grow beyond that, but not to the total neglect of the body. Some people think that spirituality requires us to neglect the body. Certainly not! They are totally mistaken. Looking shabby or unclean, starving the body, these are not signs of spirituality.
One has to maintain the body. The body is a vehicle or an automobile of transport and is an effective instrument gifted to man to realise the ultimate. In other words, the body is a means to an end but not an end in itself. This kind of awareness will help us to go beyond the limitations of the body and beyond the attachment to the body; but we should never utterly neglect the body.
THE PURPOSE AND DUTY OF LIFE
Could you please tell us what is the purpose of life? What is the most important duty in the life of every human being?
Two beautiful questions have been put to us. The first part of the question is, “What is the purpose of life?” To a man of mundane interests and worldly pursuits, the purpose of life is to be rich, or to be an intellectual, or to be in a position of authority, or to wield influence in society; if possible, to also dominate in any way possible. These seem to be the objectives of many worldly people.
The purpose of human life is to merge in God
But spiritually-speaking, the purpose of life can be briefly stated like this. To quote Bhagavan, I will give an illustration. The sun heats the waters of the ocean, which in turn become vapour rising to the sky to form clouds. Clouds come down to earth as rain, creating rivers and lakes. The rivers flow continuously, through different areas, and their purpose is to ultimately merge back into the ocean from where they were born.
So the river is brought out of the ocean and the purpose of the river is to ultimately merge in the ocean. Until then, the river is very restless. It flows in different areas and directions, each with its own name, form and taste. But once the river merges in the ocean, it loses its form; it loses its name, and loses its taste. It is as good as the ocean itself. So in the beginning, it was the ocean, now it is the river, and in the future, it is going to be the ocean once again.
The awareness that one is born out of this ocean of Divinity, is leading the life of the river of individuality, and that one has to merge back into the ocean is the purpose of human life. The purpose of human life is to merge in God. Since he was born in God, he has to merge in God. Where is he between these points? He is in God again, but unaware of this. He thinks he is out of God, but he is in God. So he has to merge in God, of whom he is not aware.
Our main duty is to realise the Centre of our Being
And the second part of the question is, “What is our main duty?” The main duty (as Bhagavan said) is to get out of that which we are not. What do I mean by that?
Essentially, we are spirit. Basically, I am consciousness, but consciousness in identification with the body leads away from reality. Consciousness in identification with the mind goes still further from reality; and consciousness in identification with the intellect goes even further away from reality.
So the reality is far distant from us. We have gone away from the centre of our very being. The centre of our very being is consciousness or spirit or Atma. But we have skipped over that centre and are groping in the darkness of the periphery. We are in the periphery of the body, the periphery of the mind, and the periphery of the intellect.
So our main duty is to realise the centre of our being, which happens to be the same as the universal centre. The individual centre is not different from the universal centre. The centre of my life is same as your centre; the centre of our very being is the same as the universal centre.
So our main duty is to be away from that which we are not. In other words, to be free from the peripheral dictates of mind, body and intellect, and to live in the very centre, to be fully aware, to be fully alert, awake to the centre of our very being. This is our duty.
Any other questions? To the extent of my knowledge, I will certainly give the answers and if I do not know them, then I sincerely apologise and will wait for the opportunity to ask Bhagavan for a reply. Till then for as long as promised, and as long as He wills, I will respond to your questions.
The symbolic meaning of the lingam
I want to know about Mahashivaratri and the significance of the lingam materialised by Bhagavan.
This is a question relating to Mahashivaratri (a very important spiritual celebration – ‘the night of the God Shiva’), and the lingam (a small oval-shaped object usually of gold or stone) which sometimes is materialised by Bhagavan.
First point: The meaning of the lingam is a sign or a symbol. The national flag is a sign or a symbol of our nation. Likewise, the meaning of lingam is a sign, a symbol or a mark. That is the first point I want to make clear.
Second point: Lingam means ‘the One who is the origin, the One responsible for sustenance and the One into whom all the created objects merge back’. So the lingam represents three principles: creation, sustenance and annihilation -- birth, growth and death. That is what it signifies.
Third point: Lingam represents the light of knowledge, jyotirlingam. It means the light of wisdom or the light of knowledge.
Fourth point: Lingam represents the Atma or the Self, or we can say Atma lingam. It represents the being. The lingam represents the eternal blissful state of our awareness or consciousness. We are living in a dual world. We are passing through dualistic experiences. But truly speaking, we are non-dual, eternal, immortal and blissful. That’s what we really are. So the eternal, nectarine, unpolluted Self or consciousness is the lingam, and that is termed Sada Siva lingam. Sada means ‘eternal’, Sivam is ‘that which is auspicious, immortal’ and linga is sign or symbol.
Fifth point: Lingam also represents our body. The body is made up of five elements. Water and fire are internal; that is why we have a normal body temperature of 98.4º. When fire is absent, the next step is a gathering in honour of the departed soul. (Laughter) There is fire and water in the body; there is air in our breath. The muscles are the earth; and then there is the space within which the different systems are contained, as we keep our luggage in a suitcase. So the five elements are present in the body. The five elements are Divine, as Bhagavan said the other day. That’s what is meant by Anda-Pinda-Brahmanda lingam. Anda-pinda lingam means ‘the body which is made of the five essential elements’.
The body is composed of limbs and organs. These are called anga. They are all linked. My hand is not different from my head (unless amputated). All are as one, and therefore the body is in existence. The angas (limbs) are connected. That is called sanga. The anga is in perfect harmony or unity in sanga; because of the sanga, there is activity -- the mind thinks, the legs walk. This is all due to the Atma or inner consciousness and is what we call linga. Therefore, there is anga that gets unified (sanga), which leads to the activity of sanga due to the entity linga.
Linga is always upwards, meaning the consciousness is upwards and universal. Our mind is always downwards. That’s the reason why people are narrow-minded. The spirit is never narrow, it is universal and expansive. So linga is always upwards. It is limitless.
significance behind materialistion of linga
Now for the second part of the question about the linga materialised by Bhagavan: Swami said the linga is present in everybody. He manifests that linga from within for us to see that it is there. So our business from now on is to think of linga being present in everyone of us. It is not exclusive; the Divinity is present in every one of us. Bhagavan demonstrates this so that we can see, realise, .and finally experience linga or the consciousness within each one of us. That is the significance behind the materialisation of the linga.
Can you please share some of your experiences about Swami's omnipotence?
Let me postpone this question. I have had a number of experiences and once I go into them, this present opportunity to answer other questions will be lost. I shall certainly cover it, at some time.
Swami wants us to learn spiritual surrender
We all know that Swami is Brahmanda nayaka. He is able to control everything. All the devotees are praying with heart and soul to see Him walk as He did before. What does He want to teach us? There must be some lesson for us to learn here. Can you please tell us?
The lesson for us to learn is to bear anything that comes in our life with forbearance and patience, ungrudgingly, uncomplainingly, doing our work regularly, happily, smiling, without having a break from our duties. Swami in a wheelchair wants us to learn how to accept things. Let us not fight against things that happen. Once I am reconciled, accepting all, that is called ‘surrender’ in spirituality. So He wants us to learn spiritual surrender. We should learn to accept the reality given to us. But He is beyond and able to carry on.
How about us poor mortals? We should also be able to carry on. But we are disturbed by the slightest deviation from the normal routine of our life. A simple headache is enough to declare curfew at home. (Laughter) A rise of one degree in temperature will see no traffic on the street. A fight at home is enough to apply for casual leave from work. That is our situation.
"I don’t want anybody to watch TV because I have a headache." (Laughter)
"Nobody can go out to have pizza or porridge, a donut, a pie or an ice-cream. Don’t you know that I am running a temperature?" My temperature is a universal problem. My headache is the headache of the world! (Laughter)
That’s how we feel; but here is Bhagavan who is beyond. That’s the lesson we are supposed to learn. Suffer, but yet make everybody happy; accept unconditionally what is given to you. That’s how I see it.
spirit of service culminates in liberation
Baba preaches service to mankind as the highest priority for mankind. Baba also preaches that our ultimate aim is for liberation or moksha. What should it be? Attain moksha or serve mankind?
Your question is very genuine because you are from the land of West Bengal where the Indian renaissance movement took place. This question has two parts, service to humanity and desire for liberation. What should be our priority?
My friend, liberation will take care of itself; let’s not worry about it. Let us serve sincerely. Let us serve without the feeling of ‘I’m the doer’ (doership), or ‘I am the cause’. This ‘I’-ness should go. Let us do it without wanting enjoyment as the reward (enjoyership).
"You know what I have done? Let me tell Swami!"
"You know how things were when I was there. You can see how things have changed now!"
Expectation of credit, felicitation, compliments, appreciation, all reflect the spirit of ‘enjoyership’ or what we call bhogthruthva. I, the doer, is karthrthva. Let us serve by giving up two things: yourself as the doer and yourself as the enjoyer.
"I am not doing anything." Then does that mean you are not ‘doing’? Yes, you are, but only as an instrument in His hands.
“I am not the enjoyer.” Why? The credit or discredit then goes to Him. When I am the doer, I can be complimented or condemned. When I am not the doer, there is no one to receive the compliment or discredit.
So when we do service like this, without being the one who enjoys or the one who is the doer, you realise that God is everywhere. You realise that everyone represents Divinity and that name and form are only signs of identification. Basically, it’s all Divinity. That experience of oneness, universal consciousness which is beyond name and form, is called liberation. Liberation is nameless, formless, attribute-less, eternal, endless and without beginning, the permanent state of consciousness.
A young tender fruit gradually increases in size. When the fruit is fully ripe and ready, it falls to the ground. I just have to stand in front of the tree. I don’t have to pray. When the fruit is ready, it falls on the ground by itself. Similarly when the spirit of service is totally spiritual, Divine, selfless, pure, it culminates in liberation. Service is not at the expense of liberation. Our job is to serve; His job is to give.
Restoring the purity of heart is sadhana
Could you explain the meaning of Baba's words: “a pure heart is all sadhana (spiritual practice)?”
Without any reservation, whatever I communicate or illustrate here is only from Sai literature. I do not give my own opinion or thoughts on the subject under discussion. I am totally free of that; be sure of it. (Laughter) I quote from Swami's literature only.
So, what does Baba say about this? The heart is pure, but it becomes impure. A handkerchief is white when manufactured; but once it is purchased, it becomes dirty and marked with usage. So I give it to the washerman, who washes it thoroughly and then irons it, so that it becomes as white as before.
So the heart is pure, but it is made impure because of ambition, desire, lust and avarice. Due to all these pollutants, it has become dirty. Removing this dirt is through spiritual practice, sadhana.
Therefore, our sadhana is to remove the dirt and stains by washing with soap and water. Soap is the repetition of God’s Name, and the water is love. In that way, all the dirt accumulated because of excessive usage can be removed and the heart brought back to its original white (pure) nature. That’s what is meant by, “A pure heart is all sadhana.”
Never give up the Divine values
Swami's teachings are simple and profound, but sometimes I find when I try to apply them in my life, there is lot of resistance from the world. My heart says to do something which is right, but trying to implement those principles is difficult.
Suppose I am working with a team of 50 or so, and none agree with my point of view. My heart says that it is true, but I don’t have courage to implement or practice it. So what is my duty, in these instances?
A young and enterprising man as he enters the world will face such questions. I can understand your position.
The first point: If the whole world agrees with what you do and what you say, it is no longer sadhana. If everybody says "Good, whatever you say is fine, carry on," it is not sadhana. Doing something in spite of opposition or resistance is sadhana or spiritual practice.
The second point: The values you treasure are Divine. Naturally it is the duty of the Divine to see that others also join you in due course of time. Initially there will be opposition and some kind of conflict; but over time, people will come to agree with your line of thought. Cheap worldly values are immediately accepted, valued, and devalued. They do not retain their value. But the essential Divine values take time for everybody to first accept, and then it takes some more time return to that way of life. Never give up, and Swami will support you.
I will give you one example. I won’t give any names. There was a situation where a lecturer was served a three months’ notice to quit his job. He had to leave, and from the moment the notice was served, people ignored him. People notice you while you are in the notice of Bhagavan. Once away from that, we become non-existent in the sight of fellow devotees. That’s the experience of many people. So this man was served with the three months’ notice to quit. Everybody stopped talking to him and he was totally ignored.
He is still very much here but I am not mentioning his name. Two months passed, two months and fifteen days, twenty days. Everybody started asking when he would leave. Just three days before the last day, he got a letter saying that he could continue on at the university.
That’s what we call Divine intervention. He will never leave you. But our worry and anxiety is to test how strong is our conviction, how committed we are to the values that we cherish. Be patient. Patience, purity and perseverance are the three P’s which will ultimately make you a victor, triumphant. Take it that He is testing you. This is true with many people.
Realise the peace within you
I’m from Australia. I want to ask a question that has been on my mind for a long time. It’s about man torturing his fellow man. We see brutal torture in the newspapers and on television. I don’t feel that single prayers are enough. What can we do to change man’s thinking? Why is torture here on earth?
It’s equally torturous to hear about torture. What can we do about torture, man torturing his fellow man? Let me be very clear, torture does not necessarily mean only that done on the physical body. One can torture another mentally. One can be tortured intellectually. So torture is not only physical; it can be psychological or intellectual.
Suppose you don’t listen to me, so I feel tortured. When you ignore me, I am tortured. When you hit me, that is physical torture, which everybody can see. So torture can have several aspects.
There is torture within every individual. The intellect decides something and the mind does not agree. The senses desire things, but the intellect says ‘no’.
The intellect says, “Go to bhajans,” but the mind says, “Go to the cafeteria.”
The intellect says, “Stay on, Swami may come anytime,” but the mind says, “Have your breakfast. Swami will come later, don’t worry.” (Laughter)
So, my friends, torture is a process going on within every individual. Torture is also a phenomenon taking place between two individuals. Torture is a thing of domination, a process of insult, shame and humiliation. Torture is a sign of ego. Torture is violence and aggression. It is total brutal animalism, bestial.
What can we do? One nation wants to torture another nation; one group wants to torture some other group. It is going on everywhere, from the individual to an international level. What can I do? At least, let me try to live in peace within myself. Do not let me torture myself.
One: Suppose I don’t eat. The world will not suffer, but my body is tortured. You don’t eat; so what happens, you are torturing your body. You don’t sleep; you are torturing your body. So I should not torture my body.
Two: I torture my mind by allowing desires to multiply. Mind wants a bicycle; later it demands a scooter; then it insists on a car at least. Finally it craves for a Mercedes! So by just allowing the mind to behave like that, I am torturing myself. So don’t let me torture myself physically by over-fasting, or by neglect of the body. Don’t let me torture myself because of the vagaries and fancies of the mind, multiplying my desires.
Three: Don’t let me be tortured by the people around me. Sometimes people are also capable of torturing you.
When you are immersed in bhajans, somebody sits by and says, "Do you know what happened in 1980?"
The bhajan is on, so why don’t you keep your mouth shut! (Laughter)
Suddenly when we are sitting with eyes closed, somebody will come and ask, "Did you read this book?”
You go and read, why disturb me!
People want to speak about themselves and what they have done chronologically. "1970 was my first visit; December 15th,1975, my second visit,” and so on.
Ultimately we begin to feel like saying, “Swami, why did you allow him to visit You so many times because he is torturing everybody!”
Blowing one’s own trumpet means you are torturing someone else. The boastful pride and the ego serve as effective implements to torture others.
So let me not torture myself and let me not torture others. Let me live in peace within myself and pray to God:
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu.
Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthi.
May all the worlds be happy.
Om…Peace, peace, peace.
‘Let there be peace.’ That is the prayer that we can do at the individual level.
Say ANY NAME OF GOD to pacify the mind
Swami says so many things about the mind. He says the mind functions on several levels and that we can tame it or get over it, and slowly illuminate it. For mortals like us, even controlling some desires relating to the external world is really difficult. How can we do what Swami advises: “Practice slowly and reach that level where you go past the mind?”
The mind refuses to be controlled, just like a child. The mind is a mad monkey, as Swami says. Swami says so many things about the mind, and we say, "Never mind!" (Laughter) But to control the mind, knowing that it is uncontrollable, here is the technique we need:
That’s why Swami says:
Govindethi Sada Jnanam,
Govindethi Sada Japam,
Govindethi Sada Dhyanam,
Sada Govinda Keerthanam.
Oh mind, if I let you go, I know what you will do. You will not leave me till I am miserable.
You will not leave me until I feel absolutely suicidal, totally frustrated, and disappointed.
I know you do that, O mind.
Now I will give you an exercise to engage the mind. First, I will tell you a small story.
A beggar prayed to God. God appeared and asked, "What do you want?"
"Oh God, I have so many things to ask, please give me some time."
Then God said, "Ok, here is a devil. This devil will supply whatever you want, but on one condition: if you no longer make any requests, it will swallow you."
This fellow thought, "C'mon, I can do that. I have so many desires, more than sufficient for the devil.”
So he kept on commanding the devil, "I want food, I want a house," and so on. The devil went on supplying all that he wanted. The list was eventually exhausted. He had everything in this world. Then he started to run and the devil chased him.
He prayed to God, "Oh, God, save me now!"
God appeared and asked what he wanted.
"Swami, the devil is ready to swallow me."
"You wanted this. What should I do?"
“No, no, save me!"
Then God said, "Get a pole and ask the devil to climb up and down the pole until further orders."
Those orders are still in place and the devil is still moving up and down. It cannot travel elsewhere.
The mind is like that. The pole is the body, the devil is the mind. If you say, “So-hum, Hari Om” (or any Name of God), it will not swallow you.
So the best way to control the mind is to engage the mind. If the mind is not engaged, the thought at that moment needs additional energy. Thought is energy. By ruminating over that thought, it draws more energy; it becomes more energetic and causes the body to act. By that stage, we are finished.
So let us not give strength to the thought by ruminating or reflecting on it. When thought comes, say "Hari Om." If thoughts come in between, do it again. In that way we can pacify our mind.
But to control it is not easy. Trying to control the mind is something like trying to contain the ocean in a tumbler. Can you do it? It’s impossible. If anyone says, "I have controlled the mind," don’t believe him. He is a fraud. He doesn’t know what the mind is. Never mind him.
The mind can be engaged; it cannot be controlled. The children are making a lot of noise. When guests come, they are even noisier. (Laughter) We feel very embarrassed; what shall we do? Let them watch a children’s program on television, or some cartoons. They love it and it keeps them entertained. Now, you can talk amongst yourselves. (Laughter) But if you beat the children, it creates an additional problem. They will start crying and get into mischief. (Laughter) You cannot control them by force.
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
Jai Bolo Sri Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Babaji ki, Jai!