July 30th

July 30th, 2006

“One Into Many”

OM…OM…OM…

Sai Ram

With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

THE SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. JACK

I am very pained and unhappy to have to share with you the tragic news of the sudden death of Jack, our video man. Jack was the tall man who made a video of each Sunday’s talk. His services were invaluable. He made many videos and DVDs and supplied them totally free of charge all over the world. Totally free! It was really a selfless work. Jack was a perfect gentleman, and apart from his dedication, he had nothing else. He settled in Prashanti Nilayam, leaving behind his kith and kin. I really feel very sorry about his death and miss him a lot. I pray to Bhagavan to bless his soul to be in bliss and peace at His Feet.

As to how he left, well, that was also quite grand. He was not bed-ridden, not even for an hour. He was just talking when he fell down from his chair and breathed his last. That was all! According to tradition, that kind of end is the most glorified, the most solicited, blessed, and prayed for. He just left this planet, saying good-bye, without any struggle or strain, and without putting anybody to inconvenience. We all pray for his soul. Thank God for the gift of Mr. Jack who gave such a wide coverage of our Sunday satsangs! May his soul rest in peace.

ONE INTO MANY

I was thinking of the subject for this morning. Last time we had the topic, “As You Think, So You Become” which we discussed on two consecutive Sundays. This Sunday, we are going to take the subject “One Into Many”. Baba says this quite often in His discourses: “Ekoham Bahushyam”, “One Into Many.”

Why should I take up this topic? What is the interest in it? Because, my friends, we are run by diversity. We become divided because we think that we are many; and because of that, we fight with each other. The struggle for existence has been going on since time immemorial. So the feeling of diversity, the psychology of plurality, the sentiments of multiplicity lead to conflict, confusion and chaos; whereas the feeling of unity and harmony, the sentiment of synthesis, and the experience of oneness is Unity.

UNITY IN DIVERSITY IS NECESSARY FOR EVERY SPIRITUAL SEEKER

As Baba said in one sentence, “Unity is Divinity.” So long as we feel that we are divided, we will compete with each other. So long as we do not agree on any point at all, the ego will dominate. There will be no scope for any spiritual awareness and no chance of any religious experience. Therefore my friends, unity in diversity is absolutely necessary for every spiritual aspirant or seeker.

GOD IS IN EVERYONE

Let us understand history from the religious point of view. On Judgment Day, the Lord will separate the sinners from those who are meritorious. The group that does meritorious deeds goes to heaven. The group of very sinful people will be condemned to death.

On facing the Lord, the people ask Him, “Oh God! Why do you punish us like this? What are our misdeeds? What are the mistakes we have committed?”

Then the Lord replies:

“When I was hungry, you never fed Me.

When I was thirsty, you never gave Me water to drink.

When I was sick, you never took care of Me.

When I was in difficulties, you never said any words of solace and comfort.

When I was naked, you never gave Me any clothes to wear.”

Then the people ask Him, “God, when were You thirsty, when were You hungry, when were You in difficulty? When did You fall sick, my Lord? When did we deny You? When did we desert You? When were You sick?”

Then, as written in the Holy Bible:

“Whosoever came to you hungry in the past, understand it was I at your door step.

Whosoever came to you thirsty, understand it was I who came to you.

Whosoever you came across who was sick, realise that it was I who was sick.”

“I am there among the sick. I am there among the hungry people. I am there among the thirsty.” So declares the Lord.

So the Holy Bible also clearly establishes that One manifests into many, that the One God is present in everybody. It is not the monopoly of anybody to say, “God is in me”, as if the other man has no God in him. That is total and utter ignorance. God is in everyone--the same God manifest in many. In this way we can understand and interpret the Lord’s teachings in respect to the Judgment Day.

LORD KRISHNA MANIFESTED HIMSELF INTO MANY

Then if we just go further, in the Krishna story there were many gopis, cowherd girls, not one or two, but sixteen thousand girls! And Lord Krishna danced with each and every one of them!

Somebody said, “Since Krishna had sixteen thousand girls, why should I not have a couple of women? (Laughter) Why should I accept monogamy? Why not polygamy? Krishna had eight wives and sixteen thousand girl friends! Why not I?”

The other man said, “Yes, why not! You can have double the number! (Laughter) Have fifty thousand, if you are also capable of becoming sixteen thousand or more Krishnas! (Laughter) But I cannot multiply myself into as many as I want.”

So what is the meaning of Krishna manifesting into so many gopikas? It is that He is “One Into Many.” He is one with everyone. That is the underlying principle behind it. Our epics or Puranas relate many symbolic stories. We cannot take them all literally. Let us understand their meaning figuratively.

Every Incarnation is put to a test. Brahma, the Creator, was jealous of Krishna. Oh! Oh! Why not? You are also jealous. And because I am jealous, I can say God is also jealous. It is only my own reflection. Humans wrote the Puranas and naturally we see our own reflection there.

Brahma cannot be jealous, but as per the Puranas, He was jealous, and He wanted to test Krishna. What did He do?

Brahma successfully kidnapped all the cows and the cowherd boys. So kidnapping is not something only happening today. (Laughter) It is not merely limited to human beings. (Laughter) Ravana did it and Brahma did it. So Brahma kidnapped all the cows and the cowherd boys in order to see how Krishna would behave. But Krishna, in His own inimitable Divine style, manifested Himself into many cows and cowherd boys - the same number as before! Poor Brahma lost the game and had to accept defeat. This is an episode which tells you that God, the One, manifests and expresses into many.

Though appearing to be many, there is only One, the underlying Unity behind all. The electric current is one, but fuses are many. Light is one, but it has seven colours. Therefore, One into many is quite natural; but we are not able to accept that in reality.

I cannot accept that God is in you, no, no! He can be in me only. If you say that He is in you also, I will claim that He is a little more in me than in you! (Laughter) Sixty percent of God is in me, forty percent is in you. (Laughter) This kind of claim--that ‘God is more in me and less in you’ or ‘I am closer to God, whereas you are not so close’--these are gimmicks, the totally absurd play of the mind. It certainly ruins us spiritually. It was in the Bhagavad Gita (“The Song of God”, the holy teachings of Lord Krishna) that it says, ”Let us be cautious about that.”

SPIRITUAL FALL LEADS TO TOTAL RUIN

The Bhagavad Gita says that a spiritual fall leads to total ruin with no recovery. If there is a financial loss, you can recover sometimes; if there is a political loss of power, you may regain that sometime later. Any loss can be recovered. But spiritual defeat, loss or fall is beyond recovery. Therefore, we have to be extra careful in this field. There are many, many chances of being lost in maya, confusion or delusion. This can happen when we start feeling superior, and that is most unfortunate. That is how we can understand the Day of Judgment.

GOD CAME IN THE FORM OF A DOG

So, my friends, the same God manifests into many. That is how we have to understand the Bhagavatam (a sacred book on the Glory of God), where Krishna manifests into innumerable, infinite numbers of forms.

One day the good God said to a lady, “I will come to your house tomorrow for lunch.” The poor lady believed it (Laughter) and prepared all the cookies and sweets, ready to receive the Lord. But the Lord didn’t turn up. He didn’t keep His promise.

The next day, the lady came up to Him and said, “Oh, good God! I understand that we humans bluff, but do You also bluff? Do You also break Your promises? Do You also speak lies? Like a God, You said that You would come, and I was waiting to receive You, but You didn’t turn up!”

Then this good God said, “I came, my dear child.”

“You came? No!”

“Yes, I came.”

“How?”

“I came in the form of a dog and tried to taste the food that you had ready for Me. Instead of giving the offering, you beat Me with a cane. Here are the scars on My back which you can see.”

What does it mean?

SHIRDI SAI CAME IN THE FORM OF A BUFFALO

Well, Lord Shirdi Sai once told a lady that He would come to her house. He made that promise. This lady also believed it. She thought she would be more devoted, making extra sweets so that He would keep His promise and be sure to come. She was ready with all the extra sweets, puddings, and all that. But Shirdi Bhagavan didn’t turn up.

The next day, she went to Swami and asked, “Swami, why did You not come?”

Shirdi Bhagavan said, “I came in the form of a buffalo, but you beat Me! Here are the marks on My back.”

What does it mean? One Into Many.

BABA CHOSE TO COME IN THE FORM OF A MONKEY

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba told His own sister, Venkammagaru, that He would come to her house on Thursday and present her with His photograph. Poor lady, she was waiting for Him on Thursday. It is difficult even for God to change His old habits, as old habits die hard. God is no exception! (Laughter)

So He didn’t turn up at the appointed time. But around 1 o’clock or 2 o’clock in the afternoon, a monkey jumped through the window into the room, dropped the photograph and jumped out. Baba chose to come in that form.

Shirdi Sai is in the form of God, and Sai is there in the dog also. One Into Many.

BABA IS SEEN IN DIFFERENT PLACES AT THE SAME TIME

While Baba was speaking in Brindavan, Bangalore, there was a sudden phone call from Kerala, saying that Baba was there, visiting. Baba was here speaking in Brindavan and He was there in Kerala on a visit.

How is it possible? Which is true? Both are true. He is here on the one hand in Bangalore and touring Kerala on the other. This is on record with dates and details. It is quite possible. Why not?

When Swami was speaking in the open auditorium, He gave darshan (direct vision or seeing the Lord) in the kitchen to those people who were working hard, making chapattis for North Indians. How? Yes, it is possible for God. One Into Many.

It was Sathya Sai Bhagavan who said, “I separated Myself into many in order to love Myself.” So all these forms, all 84 lakhs (one hundred thousand) of species in this universe, are nothing but One God into many. That is the meaning of Ekoham Bahushyam.

THE SPIRIT IN YOU AND ME IS ONE AND THE SAME

Another example is that of Adi Shankara, the teacher and propagator of Advaita (non-dualistic) philosophy during the 8^th century. Once he had a holy bath in the River Ganges and was proceeding along the way with his disciples. Suddenly there appeared a member of the untouchable caste, half-naked, uncivilised, horrible and stinking, followed by a couple of dogs. He was about to touch Adi Shankara.

Adi Shankara said, “Don’t touch me!”

He replied, “Why?”

“I have had a holy bath and my body is sacred now. So don’t touch me.”

The untouchable replied, “Oh, oh! Your body is sacred because of the holy bath. I see! But by evening, it has become unsacred and you must have another bath. Then it becomes unsacred by morning and you must have another bath. Any number of baths will never make the body sacred because the body is made of flesh and bones. So how can it ever be sacred?”

He continued, “Oh Master, understand this: My body is as sacred as your body, and your body is as unsacred as my body. Both are horrible and terrible! Therefore, there is nothing wrong in touching you. If you say that your spirit, Atma, is sacred, that spirit in you is the same as the spirit in me. The consciousness, that awareness, is the same in both of us. There is, therefore, no wrong in touching you.”

ADI SHANKARA REALISES THAT THE UNTOUCHABLE IS LORD SHIVA HIMSELF

Then Adi Shankara understood that the man was not an uncultured, unlettered fool. He realised that the man was a manifestation of Lord Shiva Himself. He had come to give this teaching to Adi Shankara in the form of an untouchable. Shiva also chose dogs as the forms which followed Him.

What does it mean? It means that there is no such thing as a superior being or an inferior being, whether animal, plant, rock, pebble, mountain, water, valley, or other. Whatever it is, everything is Divine. From the microcosm to the macrocosm, from an ant to the vast Brahman, the Creator God Himself is present in all. God is One in all, in everyone That is the lesson that Adi Shankara demonstrated for the whole of humanity.

SWAMI SAYS, “I AM EVERYWHERE”

Shirdi Sai granted a number of such experiences, and Sathya Sai Bhagavan is the contemporary reality today. He is experienced everywhere, because as He says, “Come on! I look to you if you look to Me.” And “Why fear when I am here?” What a great thing!

Somebody said to Bhagavan, “Swami, You came there and saved my life.”

Baba said, “I came there? No, no! I did not come; I was already there because I am everywhere. I am that that I am.”

This is what Ekoham Bahushyam means: “One Into Many”. As long as this kind of experience, this kind of feeling and conviction exist, every one of us will be aware of the reality, and will enjoy the Divinity.

RAMANA MAHARSHI AND THE DEVOTEE

A devotee said to Ramana Maharshi, “Good-bye, Swami, I am leaving tomorrow. I have been with you for two months, but I have to go back to the United States of America, I will miss you, Swami.”

Ramana Maharshi said, “Who came, and who is going?” (Laughter)

One might think, “This man is already mad. Such a reply means he must have become totally mad!” (Laughter)

But who came, who is going? Who is missing whom? If you and I are One and that One is in everyone, then there is no such thing as being separate from the other. So this kind of separateness, the ‘otherness’, is a weakness, a psychological dilemma. It is a dichotomy. ‘Otherness’ is conflict and war. Therefore, spirituality wants us to know the underlying Oneness, the unity of “One Into Many”.

THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITY IN DIVERSITY

Therefore, down the ages, all Avatars, all teachers of all religions, demonstrate this principle of unity in diversity: “One into many” and “One in many.” This has to be the goal and objective of our spiritual life. As long we consider ourselves as ‘many’, class conflict will continue to eternity.

We feel that we are many because of other attributes, plus the ego and the mind. When the attributes and the mind are withdrawn, multiplicity ceases to exist. The waves in the sea are many; but once the waves subside, the sea is one, the water is one. When the gold is cast as ornaments, there are names given to the many forms--like ear-rings, nose-studs, finger ring, wedding ring--whatever ring you may call it (until we are in the ring!) (Laughter) But, when all these jewels are melted, you find all is the same gold. Similarly, Ekoham Bahushyam, the One Into Many.

BABA SAYS THE REAL JNANA IS ONENESS

My friends, Bhagavan makes this point. We think that if we have some degrees, we are knowledgeable. Because of a little information, we think we are men of wisdom. To feel that I am a man of wisdom is 100% proof of my ignorance. To think that I am a man of knowledge is 100% proof of my foolishness. Knowledge is the ‘one’ that we acquire through learning; but intelligence, jnana, is the One born with you.

Unless I have eyes, how can I read? Unless I have ears, how can I hear? Similarly, unless there is someone with you who knows, how do you know what is written in the book? In the book is knowledge; the One who knows this is the Knower; that Knower is the One in everyone. Knowledge changes and is derived; knowledge is borrowed, or second-hand information. Whether I continue to read, whether I continue to know or not, the Knower is ever-existent and eternal. This is what is non-dualism, unity and oneness. Baba says this is the real Jnana.

What is real Jnana or wisdom? Not having a M.Sc., Ph.D., F.R.P.S., or M.R.C.P. certificate. That is acquired knowledge, no doubt; but what is the real knowledge? Advaita Darshanam Jnanam, non-dual experience is true Knowledge.

Advaita Darshanam Jnanam means the visualisation and experience of Oneness. It is all ego to do with scholarship when I feel proud that I have a M.Sc. and he has only a B.Sc., or I am a Ph.D. and he only has a M.Sc. Some songs, so beautifully rendered by our students on special occasions, were by a great composer called Annamacharya, who says that sunlight is seen by all, whether a scholar, an untouchable, or a dog. The sun sheds light uniformly on everybody—a pauper or millionaire, literate or illiterate, whatever is the nonsensical term which we use to categorise ourselves. Therefore this kind of uniformity, this sort of non-dualistic experience, this Oneness or non-duality, should be the aim of our life. Because if we do not have this non-dualistic experience, we are going to be miserable at some time or another.

THE OUTER EXPERIENCE SHOULD PROMPT YOU TO HAVE INNER EXPERIENCE

All right! A simple example. You will be happy if Swami gives you an interview. Very good. Tomorrow you don’t get an interview. So you are going to be unhappy. You get an interview in the morning, you are very happy. In the evening, you don’t get an interview. Unhappy! Tell me for how long are we going to be affected by this dualistic experience?. Our job is to taste the Divine nectar, the personal private conversation, to reflect and think on it, and to pray for similar, repeated experiences within. The outer experience should prompt you to have the inner experience.

Water taken from outside quenches the thirst inside. Am I clear? Here is the food outside, and I eat it. It appeases the hunger inside. So all outer things are for inner things. No? Sir, store the food outside in the almirah or cupboard, and you starve. Sir, the water is outside, keep it there and die of thirst. Arrey! Thirst! Therefore, my friends, all outer things are for inner satisfaction. Outer things prompt inner experience.

Seeing Swami outside should help you to see Him inside; Swami talking to you outside should help you to talk to Him inside. Let the experiences that you have be your inner experiences eternally. This is Advaita, non-dualism.

DUALISM IS MISERY

So long as you think that there is an outer, there is an inner. For instance, when I say that Swami spoke to me on that day, but the next day He didn’t talk to me; or when I say that I saw Him in the morning (meaning that I didn’t see Him in the evening), that is dualism. Dualism is always miserable. Dualism is to be condemned—dualism is to remain blind, blank. No, no, no! I should have that awareness and consciousness, that kind of experience to feel Him every moment.

OUTER EXPERIENCES ARE DUALISTIC-- INNER EXPERIENCES ARE NON-DUALISTIC

Then the next step is this: When you feel Him within, you will feel Him without. Please follow me: When I feel Him as outside, I may not feel Him inside. Am I clear? Once I feel Him inside, I will feel Him on all sides. Therefore, inner experience is more important than outer verbal communication or expression That which comes from the outside should reach the interior.

Then from this inner awareness or experience, whomsoever you meet will be Divine. Whatever you say will be friendly; whatever you do is born out of the fathomless depths of Love. Then there is no question of inner and outer. When I am limited to the outer, there is outer and inner. Once I have the inside experience, I find Him inside and also outside, and that is non-dualism. Outer experiences are dualistic, while inner experiences are non-dualistic, because the wall between the inner and outer is totally removed and gone.

Baba gives this simple example: Here is one hall, there is another hall. The wall between the two halls separates them. When the wall is removed, there are no longer two halls. So, once I say outer, there is an inner. There are two—dualism. When I experience inside, there is no inner and outer because I see everything as One—non-dualism. Advaita Darshanam Jnanam, non-dualism, is true Knowledge.

In reference to the sayings of Bhagavan, my friends, please understand that I am capable of only quoting them. After all, I am a student of botany. I only prepare by reading His books just as I read botany and teach it to my students. I read His literature and share these things with you. It is not that I am extra perfect. No, no! This much perfection is enough for this lifetime. Why extra? (Laughter) This is enough headache! Why more?

JNANA CAN BE ACQUIRED BY THE GRACE OF GOD

All right! In the world, can you experience non-dualism? Yes, I am in this world. I am working at the university; you are working in the bank or you may be an engineer or a banker or a doctor. How can you acquire the spirit of non-dualism, whatever your profession? Or is non-dualism on sale anywhere? (Laughter) Is non-dualism presented in nice packets, on sale in U.S. department stores for 50% off? (Laughter) No. There is only one place where non-dualism is available. Where is it?

Jnanam Maheswaraditye.

The true experience of non-dualism is Jnana.

The Grace of God can bestow this kind of non-dualism. It is in the hands of the Divine. That is the second point. When I pray to Him, I can experience it. That is the reason why Adi Shankara composed many songs in praise of God, though He is the champion of non-dualism. See that!

NON-DUALISM SHOULD NEVER MAKE YOU ARROGANT OR EGOISTIC

Ramana Maharshi honoured many people who visited pilgrim centres. One lady came to Ramana Maharshi, and he asked her from where she came.

“Swami, I come from Madurai. The Meenakshi Temple is there.”

Ramana Maharshi asked her, “Have you brought any prasadam (consecrated food offered to devotees) for me?

So non-dualism should never make you arrogant, egoistic, or make you feel superior. In fact, those are the opposite of non-dualism. When all are one, where is the idea of you being more than the other? When all are one, there is no question of ego or arrogance.

PEOPLE WITH HALF-KNOWLEDGE OF NON-DUALISM ARE HALF-BLIND

It is Baba who said, “All those with half-knowledge of non-dualism are half-blind.”

Half-baked bread, half-boiled rice, all are unfit for consumption. Similarly, non-dualism which is half-understood, half-interpreted, half-deliberated, and half-argued is nothing but the symptom of half-blindness.

EVERYTHING IS DIVINE COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS.

There are certain basic statements repeated very often by Bhagavan which establish Oneness, this non-dualistic philosophy.

Sarvam Kalvidham Brahma.

Everything is Brahman. Everything is Divine Cosmic Consciousness.

Beejam Mama Sarva Bhootanam.

I am the seed for all other beings.

Beejam – seed

Mam – I, I am the seed

Sarva Bhootanam - for all other beings.

An example: The seed of a banyan tree is so small and tiny. When this small seed is sown, it grows into a gigantic tree, with thousands of leaves, hundreds of branches, thousands of flowers, thousands of fruits, all out of one seed.

Beejam Mam Sarvabhootanam.

I am the seed of the whole creation.

I am the seed of the whole life.

I am the seed of the whole organic cosmos.

This establishes “One Into Many”, Ekoham Bahushyam.

EXISTENCE IS ONE

There is another statement. These are all from the Vedas, often repeated by Bhagavan in His discourses.

There is only One. Existence is one, while expressions are many. Sugar is one, while sweets are many. It is not that one sweet is from brown sugar or another from black or yellow sugar. That is all colour blindness. All sweets are made from the same sugar. Similarly, existence is One, but the manifestations are many.

Ekam Sat Vipraha Bahudavadanti.

Truth is One.

Existence is One.

We may interpret it in different ways.

Existence in Sanskrit is “Sat”

Ekam Sat - Existence is One

Vadanti - we interpret and we speak about

Bahuda - in many

Here is another statement from Bhagavan.

Vasudeva Sarvamithi.

Everything is Divine.

Mithi – This

Sarva – everything

Vasudeva – Divine

This statement Swami says quite often.

Vasudaika Kutumbakam.

The whole Universe is one family.

SADHU VASWANI, THE SINDHI SAINT

You must have heard of Sadhu Vaswani, the Sindhi saint, and a very great man. He was a man of compassion, and a modern saint. Do read his books or listen to his cassettes.

Vaswani says that a dog is your brother as much as is your own brother. The cat is your brother the same as your own brother. You have no right to kill them. All belong to His family of animals, plants, mountains, rivers, valleys and trees. They are all your family members. You cannot say that my family consists of three sons and two daughters. No, no, no! My family is countless and infinite; my family is indeterminate and abundant; my family is everywhere.

In this manner, we do not fight for water, we do not fight for atomic weapons, we do not fight for geographical claims, we do not fight for economy, domination, or have a security council (as if others should live in insecurity). Therefore my friends, I belong to this family of the Universe. ‘I am One in this cosmos’ is the underlying spirit of non-dualism, Advaita.

Baba makes another statement—these are all collections from Swami’s speeches.

Isavasyam Idam Sarvam.

Everything is Divine.

Idam – This

Sarvam – Everything

Isavasyam – Divine

You may say Isopanishad or Isavasyopanishad. You can put it any way. The other stanzas, I do not have to repeat.

All Holy Scriptures say the same thing. It was the Lord of the Holy Bible who said, “All are One, my dear son, be alike to everyone.” This is non-dualism, as we understand it.

BHAVA ADVAITA – NON-DUALISM AT THE LEVEL OF FEELING

Bhava Advaita is the term used when we have the feeling that we are all one. This is non-dualism at the level of feeling, a sentient, emotional, thought process. So if you have non-dualism in the background of the mind at the psychological level--if you have the emotional conviction of Oneness--you may call that Bhava Advaita. This is first, as Baba puts it.

KRIYA ADVAITA – NON-DUALISM AT THE LEVEL OF ACTION

Second: Action born from psychological Bhava Advaita is called Kriya Advaita, action-oriented. It is action based on non-dualism, or non-dualistic action. So there should be Bhava Advaita, at the psychological level, and there should be Advaita or non-dualism at the level of action, Kriya Advaita.

PADARTHA ADVAITA – NON-DUALISM AT THE LEVEL OF MATERIAL

Thirdly, Advaita or non-dualism can also be viewed from the materialistic point-of-view. Padartha, material; Advaita, non-dualism.

I will give you an example: Whenever Swami goes to Kodaikanal with a batch of students, every student wants to present Him with a gift, or all the students join together and give a gift.

When He is in Kodaikanal, Baba suddenly gives money to every one of them. “Buy something for your parents,” He says. “Buy something for your brothers and sisters. They will be so happy to receive these gifts. You have spent time with Swami here in Kodaikanal, so give gifts to your people.”

So that they can buy, Swami gives them money. Then these boys, out of gratitude, want to give a gift to Him. Someone gives a toy, a parrot, or some such thing.

You should see Swami! He will pick up the toy, “Abbah! Very beautiful! A toy!”

“Are you a child, Swami?” (Laughter) Vatapatrasai - the child Sai.

“Abbah! This toy is so beautiful! See its tail!”

It will not be worth more than one or two rupees, but He feels millions and millions of dollars worth of happiness. What does it mean? He sees your spiritual love, not the toy you present, or not the material value of whatever you present to Him.

A boy in primary school will draw some zeroes. Two zeroes for the eyes, one line for the mouth, two lines for the legs, and two lines for the hands.

Swami will be very appreciative: “Oh, very nice, very good! You look exactly like that!” (Laughter) He will be very happy. The boy put two lines there for the hands, two lines here for the legs, and one zero or circle for the head. Abbah! Swami is enjoying it, very nice!

Then a top-class painter may bring a beautiful painting and present it to Him. “Good!” (Appreciating) “Very nice. Very good.”

A student takes a photograph where all is hazy, where He cannot identify anybody. “Abbah! Good photo, very nice!” (So that he may improve and take better pictures next time.)

The meaning is that in front of Sai, there is nothing higher and nothing lower. There is no grading system.

So, non-dualism at the material level is Padartha Advaita, non-dualism at the level of the mind is Bhava Advaita, non-dualism in action is Kriya Advaita, as Baba says. The undercurrent is Advaita or non-dualism, which should exist as the basic principle, according to Baba.

BHAGAVAD GITA SECOND CHAPTER, 16TH VERSE

The Bhagavad Gita lays emphasis on this on different occasions, at different places. There is the sixteenth verse in the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. I am not going to repeat the whole sloka or verse in order to exhibit my scholarship, which I don’t have, (Laughter) (nor do I have any desire to acquire it). Already enough scholarship has made me sufficiently mad! The existing knowledge is enough.

It says this: “That which exists (something like this plate) is not true.”

“Ah! But I can see that plate. Why do you say it is not true? “

The plate was previously glass. This glass was melted and made into a plate. What is it now? A plate. Earlier it was glass, before that it was molten silica, so it goes on changing. Now, how can you say, “This is existence.” Existence should be changeless.

So that which you see is non-existent, and that which you think is non-existent, is actually the reality. Why?

“SAT” IS EXISTENCE, “ASAT” IS NON-EXISTENCE

You cannot see the electric current. Can I say because I do not see the current, it is non-existent? Electricity expresses as the mike. If it does not express, it is just current. The electric current expresses as light in the bulb. How can the current be non-existent? I don’t see air, so shall we say that air is non-existent? Good! The population problem will be solved! (Laughter) I say that the Earth is stable. But this is most unscientific, as it is revolving at a very high speed.

So that which you do not see, and so think is non-existent, exists; while that which you think exists, does not really exist. So that which is neither, that which is beyond, is consciousness or Atma. Reality is beyond existence and non-existence. Beyond! Am I clear, please? Reality, which is beyond existence and non-existence, is non-dualism. To say that non-existence is non-dualism is non-sense. It is both and beyond.

“Sat – Asat”. Sat is existence; Asat is non-existence. The Reality (Atma) is Sat, Asat and beyond. That is what the Bhagavad Gita says.

BHAGAVAD GITA SEVENTH CHAPTER, 7TH VERSE

The seventh sloka in the seventh chapter gives another good example. Baba always refers to it. There is a necklace. It has so many diamonds and so many pearls, but there is only one thread. A garland has so many flowers, but all the flowers are strung onto the same thread and then made into a garland. So that unifying principle is the non-dualistic Divinity. That is what the seventh chapter says.

BHAGAVAD GITA THIRTEENTH CHAPTER, 3RD VERSE

The thirteenth chapter, third sloka of the Bhagavad Gita says this. Understand that the I in everyone is the real I, God Himself. I am the Reality, saying I. The actual I is the actual Divine— I am in you and say I. So everyone may say I, I, I and that I is as high as God Himself.

Ask anybody, “Who are you?” He will say, “I am so-and-so from the U.S.” Okay! “I am an engineer”. Good. “I am a doctor.” “I am a professor”. Good. But everyone says I.

Nobody will say, “The American, I am.” “The Russian, I am.” I comes first. Your position, your nation, your age, your gender, comes only next. “I am a poor man”. “I am a class one officer.” I comes first. Do you understand that this is what the thirteenth chapter is saying?

BHAGAVAD GITA EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER, 20TH VERSE

What does the eighteenth chapter, twentieth sloka of Bhagavad Gita say? Ignorance is to think that he is different or they are different; separation into ‘those’, ‘that’, ‘this’, ‘white’, ‘black’, ‘yellow’, ‘blue’, ‘high’, ‘tall’, ‘dark’, ‘brown’, ‘fair’, ‘unfair’--blah! blah! blah! All this is called ignorance. One should understand that though all appear to be different, they are all actually one and the same. That is true knowledge or sathwic Jnana.

Sathwic Jnana, pious knowledge or true knowledge, is to understand and live by this basic principle of Unity in Diversity.

We will continue this next week. Thank you very much for your time, for being with us this morning.

May God bless you. Thank you very much. (Applause)

(Anil Kumar sang the bhajan, “Jai Jai Prabhu Giridhari…Natavara Nanadalala.”)

OM…OM…OM…

Asato Maa Sat Gamaya

Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya

Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya

Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti