“How Long?”
August 19th, 2007
OM… OM… OM…
Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Last week’s topic was “No More” and this morning’s topic is “How Long?” This question appears at every moment and step in our life. How far is your college from here? How far is the Mandir from here? How long will it take for a total cure? I am talking medicine now. How long do you want me to take it? This question relates to the time needed for the cure of a disease. How long will it take to reach there from this point of time?
So we would like to know how long it will take, how much time do I need, how long should I wait, or how long before Swami will take a look at me. How long? This has been a question which bothers everybody in every field of life. How long will it take to get a degree? Three years. How long will it take to get a PhD? Four years.
Similar questions are put in the spiritual field; this is a thing we cannot deny. Just as modern people run after instant solutions, just as we have instant food and instant coffee, we want ‘instant’ God to stand in front of us. Everything should be ready or ready-made. That’s what the modern trend seems to be. So let us consider “How long?” as a question that applies to the spiritual path. Let us try to find an answer.
Somebody asked Bhagavan Baba, “Swami, how long will it take to be liberated? Will it take one or two years, or one or two lifetimes? Is it something like light years? How many lives? How long will it take?”
On the other hand, somebody else already has some kind of biased view: “Swami, I have been here for a long time. I am in darkness. How long will it take to receive the light? How long will it take to get liberated, to reach nirvana or heaven? How long? Is it possible in a year? Is it possible in half a year?”
Lately there are some people who assure you to gain liberation within one month, provided you pay more! (Laughter) There are some people who assure you of reaching the samadhi state, provided you pay the specific amount. They will give you a receipt also! (Laughter) No problem. Liberation . . . in four months. A contract! That’s it. They give receipts . . . moksha receipts and liberation receipts. So this is the thing going on everywhere, all in the name of religion. But this is a tragedy, the worst tragedy that can ever happen.
So the question was put to Swami: “How long will it take for liberation?”
Swami put another question back to him: “How long do you think?”
“Swami, a couple of lives.”
“Oh! No, no, no — don’t get frustrated so much.”
“Swami, at least fifty or sixty years.”
“I am going around Ganesha one hundred and eight times every day. How long should I do it? I do puja every day . . . how long should I do it? I read the scriptures daily. How long should I continue reading?”
We ask the same stuff again and again. How long? Why? It is quite natural. Nowadays, most children will never be satisfied with our answers — no, no! You can no longer say, “For as long as you can.” If a little grandson asks you, “How long, grandpa?” and grandpa says, “As long as you can”, he will answer, “Thank you, but no more!”
My dear friends, pay attention to what Swami has said, because many of us put this question to ourselves of ‘how long?’ So, what does Baba say about it?
Swami laughed and gave this answer: “You can get liberated here and now.” Not there and then. No question of where. Here and now you can get liberated.
This man thought to himself, ‘This is absurd. We have been here for so long, how can He say here and now?’
Swami gave an example. There are caves like the Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, and Battu Caves in Malaysia. Within a cave, it is completely dark. No light will be within a cave; it’s pitch dark. One person happened to see that cave, and he found it very dark. He called another fellow there, one man passing by.
“Come here, it is so dark inside.”
“Is it so?”
“Yes sir, it is dark. How long has it been dark?”
“I do not know. Ever since I have been seeing it, it was dark.”
“Oh!”
“From the time of my father also, it was dark. Sure. Even from the time of my grandfather, it was dark. So the cave has been full of darkness for hundreds of years. I do not know exactly how long!”
Then the first man asked, “Can you tell me, can you estimate the darkness? Is it completely dark, or partially dark, or totally dark or pitch dark?”
Then the other man said, “I have some work to attend to; please leave me alone!” (Laughter)
No one can measure darkness. However, anybody can measure light. Light can be measured in terms of light intensity, but darkness cannot be measured. So this man thought, “What to do?”
Suddenly he saw one seeker, an aspirant, a yogi, passing by. He asked, “Sir, I came to know that this cave is absolutely, totally dark. It has been dark for hundreds of years. How long will it take to remove the darkness from the cave?” This sadhu, a pious man, laughed, “It can be removed right here and now.”
“Darkness existing for hundreds of years can be removed here and now?”
“Yes sir.”
“How?”
“Bring a matchbox.”
The matchbox was brought and he struck the matchstick. When there was light, there was no more darkness. The darkness that had been there for hundreds of years was dispelled by simply lighting the match. So, how long will it take to remove the darkness? One can do it here and now. Similarly, to get liberated, to attain nirvana or moksha, how long will it take? Right here and now.
FOLLOW ME
King Janaka put a question to his scholars in an open court, where there were great seekers and experienced personalities. He put the same question: How long will it take to get liberated?
Nobody could answer. Then Yajnavalkya came. Yajnavalkya was a guru. He said, “Oh king, I will give the reply.”
“Yes, Swami. How long will it take to get liberation or moksha?”
He said, “Oh king, as you jump and sit on the back of the horse, in the time it takes to shift your leg from one stirrup to the other, you will get moksha. In the moment you shift your leg on the back of the horse, within that gap of time, you will get moksha.”
“What, Swami! In such a short time?”
“Yes, provided . . . “
“Ah! Provided what?”
“You follow me.” Very simple.
“Okay,” the king said. “Swami, I will follow you.”
With the guru walking in front and King Janaka behind, they came out of the palace. They were roaming around the open streets of Mithila, the capital city. The guru said, “Oh king, sit down here.” He made him sit there. The guru left and the king remained sitting there.
Everybody was bothered by this sight. People started looking at him wearing the crown and yet sitting on the street. Just imagine any of us sitting near the bus stand, while your king is sitting there alongside too. All the people were very surprised to find the king seated there.
The ministers came to take him back. “Oh king, why are you sitting like this?”
He didn’t open his mouth.
“How long will you sit?”
No answer. So they returned to the palace, and sent the army chief to request the king to come back.
“Oh king, how long should we wait to receive you?” The king gave no answer.
Finally the queen came. She requested, “Oh king, I have been waiting for you. How long do you want me to cry like this? How long? Please, let’s go back.”
The king didn’t reply. All the people were crying, because the king was very much liked by everybody.
At that moment Yajnavalkya came back, and everyone shouted at him: “You are a fool! You are stupid! You made our king sit like this. You have insulted our king! You made our king strain a lot and made him exhausted. You should not have done it!”
Then Yajnavalkya said, “What is it I have done? I have not done anything. Please ask him why he is like that.”
Then everyone asked the king, “Here is your guru. He wants you to give us a reply. Oh king, why don’t you answer our questions? We have only two questions: How long are you going to sit here? How long we should wait here to receive you? Why won’t you answer?”
At the command of his guru, the king replied and said, “It is only now my guru asked me to answer. He has not asked me to answer till now. He just wanted me to walk along with him. He just wanted me to follow him. I followed him, and he made me sit here — and I sat. He didn’t instruct me to answer. He didn’t advise me to reply. He made me sit. Therefore I am just sitting. What else can I do?”
Then Yajnavalkya said, “Now you are liberated.”
What I want to say, my friends, is this: ‘How long?’ is the question that strikes our mind. The answer is – immediately, here and now — as and when we follow our guru, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The minute, the second, the moment we follow Him in letter and spirit, yes, we are liberated, here and now.
Another question is, “How long should I be miserable? How long should I feel sad?”
People are miserable. Yes, people are feeling sad. Some people know the reason; some people don’t know the reason. Some people want to find the reason for sadness. But sadness is common. We find long-faced, tense people. The reason for their sadness they themselves do not know. ‘How long should I suffer like this? How long should I be in sadness?’ That is their question.
The answer is this: So long as you are attached to your body, so long you are attached to your mind, you will continue to suffer. The moment you give up your attachment to the body, the moment you know that you are not the body, the moment you experience that you are not the mind, then and there you are liberated.
So, how long should I suffer? I will suffer as long as I have the body feeling and as long as I feel that I am the mind. Therefore, Swami says, “Be happy to attain liberation.” That is the answer to the question, “How long?” The answer is: The moment you give up your body identification and give up attachment to the mind, you are free. That is liberation, as Baba has explained.
“Swami, will you please make it clearer? You said to give up body attachment, to give up attachment to the mind. It is so nice to hear, so simple to write, but I do not get any direct answer out of it. Please make it clear.”
There are two points which will clearly explain whether you are attached to the body and mind or not. But in modern times, we have no patience. Today we have no time to hear good things, though we have a lot of time to listen to gossip. We have no time to pray, though we have ample time to waste.
“Come on Swami, tell me immediately how long, because the answer You gave is not very clear to me. You say, ‘Give up body attachment and give up attachment to the mind.’ Fine! How do I know that I am attached? How do I know that I am detached?”
Suppose I say, “I am not attached to the body, you know that?” You should believe this, because this has happened to me, my good friends. You all trust me. You think Mr. Anil Kumar has no body attachment. But if you serve me cold coffee or lukewarm coffee, you will see how much I am attached to the body. (Laughter) I want it at boiling temperature! (Laughter) So how can a fellow who insists on his coffee being at the boiling temperature speak on detachment? It’s horrible and ridiculous! (Laughter)
I may say, “I am not attached to the body.” But I want hot spicy stuff to eat. If I go to the foreigner’s canteen and say, “Please add more chilli powder” and then say I am not attached to the body, it is all drama. It is hypocrisy. Therefore my friends, how do you know that you have no body attachment? How do you know that you are not attached to your mind? How do you know? Swami gives us two points. It is very simple.
One is raga, the other is dwesha. Raga is attachment or likes, while dwesha is hatred or dislikes. I say I have no body identification, but the moment I see my people, I will get up and hug them. How can I say that I am not attached to the body? What is this relationship? So where there is attachment, there is this body consciousness. Where there is psychological bondage, mental bondage, we are in bondage both physically and mentally. If we have attachment towards our near and dear, attachment to any object, any material, any institution or any individual, this is attachment.
In fact, somebody has gone a step further. If you are attached to a name and form, it is also attachment. Attachment to a name, attachment to a form is attachment. You cannot say ‘detached attachment’ or ‘attached detachment’. (Laughter) Juggling words! Therefore, we are not supposed to be attached to any form spiritually. When all forms are His, why do you say that I am attached to this form? When He says, “All names are Mine”, why do you say I am attached to this name only? Attachment is attachment.
So, what is the solution? If you find the name that you love in every other name, then that is detachment. When you find the form of your liking in every form, then that is detachment. But to limit that name and form to a size, height and weight is attachment. I think I am clear. Therefore my friends, this is body identification. Identification of the mind can be discovered by the first symptom of the disease — attachment. Like typhoid, like a high temperature, this is the first symptom.
The second point is dislike or hatred. We may dislike or hate those who don’t agree with us. We may dislike or hate those who don’t sail with us. We may dislike or hate those who don’t belong to us. We may dislike or hate those who don’t praise us. We may dislike or hate those who don’t clap whenever we speak on a platform. (Poor fellow, he does not understand that clapping also means for the fellow to get out!) (Laughter) We hear the claps on both occasions — one in praise and one saying, “Thank you, but time to go!” (Laughter) Therefore, all these kinds of reactions are due to dislike or hatred.
After all, spiritually-speaking or philosophically-speaking, when I am alone here in this hall, I do not say, “I hate someone here.” Nobody is here and the doors are locked; so how can I say, “I hate somebody here”? If I do say that, when I open the door, I will find a medical doctor ready to treat me! So, this dislike or hatred is also a kind of attachment.
The thought of hatred comes into the picture only when there are two individuals; when there is just one, the question won’t arise. Therefore, my friends, to know whether I have body identification or attachment to my mind, just look to see if these two points are there: attachment or hatred, raga or dwesha.
The moment I have no attachment, the moment I have no hatred, that is the moment when I know that I am the One-in-the-many. The One in you is very much the same as the One in me. The One in you, in me, in everyone is only that One. That One is present in everyone. There is no second. So, when there is no second, there is only One. Whom do you love, whom do you hate? When there are two, love and hatred come in. If there is only One, there is no question of likes or dislikes, love or hate. Therefore my friends, it is quite easy to see this, whether there are likes and dislikes.
Some people are half-baked philosophers. They say, “You know, Mr. Anil Kumar, from the moment I came to Prashanti Nilayam, I have no attachment.” Oh, I see. But I have not asked you, yet still you are telling me, showing you are attached to your thought. (Laughter)
Suddenly we find this man talking endearingly, with all smiles. His face is fully bright. If you enquire, you will find this man has found a person from his native place, whom he met only now after five years. “Ah! How are you? How are you?” After that, he says, “Mr. Anil Kumar, I have no attachment.” (Laughter) How am I to believe that? Is it true? It is not so.
So, where there is attachment, coming close together on the grounds of blood relationship, community, country, profession, whatever it may be . . . when there is attachment on these silly grounds, we have no authority to say that we are not attached to the body. It is a political comment, that is all. Only when I don’t have any attachment, only then I can say I am not attached to the body.
The second point is having dislike or hatred. When you hate somebody, you cannot say that you are above the mind.
Some people say, “Mr. Anil Kumar, I have gone beyond the mind.”
Oh, oh, oh! Beyond the mind! First let me know where your mind is. Then let me know where your mind is when you go beyond. Please find out where your mind is. Go beyond, and tell me what is happening there. I want to know what is happening when you are below the mind, then when you are within the mind, and finally what is happening beyond the mind. Find out. I will meet you later.
How do you know when you are not the mind? When you don’t dislike or hate anybody, you are beyond the mind. When you are not attached to anybody, you are beyond the mind. These are the two symptoms. With all our attachment, with all our hatred, to say, “I am above the body and beyond the mind” is too big a statement. It is rubbish.
So long as we are caught between these two poles of attachment and hatred, we can never get out of it. That is Swami’s reply. So long as we have these two feelings, we can never attain liberation. That is what Bhagavan said.
“Swami, what should I do? So long as I have these two poles of attachment and hatred, there is no hope of liberation, and there is no promise for the attainment of nirvana. So what should I do?”
Bhagavan says, do self-audit. Just as a businessman maintains his daily accounts, profit and loss, let us self-audit. Let me know how far I am attached, to what extent I have hatred within me. Have I gone beyond the body or not? Have I understood the nature of mind? Have I understood myself first? This is possible with self-audit.
This self-audit is a self-evaluation, or self-assessment, self-enquiry or self-examination. In Sanskrit, it is called mimamsa or vicharana. By this self-audit or self-examination, I will know where I stand. Then I will understand and I will know how long it will take to attain liberation. It is an answer that I should find myself. I should not ask anybody else. I don’t have to.
Somebody asked me, “Mr. Anil Kumar, Swami said that eleven seconds is enough to meditate. I am doing this for one hour, so how many times will I get moksha or liberation?”
I told him, “You will get moksha to the power of one hundred!” (Laughter)
“Then, why did Swami say eleven seconds?”
That is the question put to me. What would you say if you were in my position? I said simply, “It only means that you find it difficult to concentrate even for eleven seconds. You find it impossible to concentrate even for eleven seconds. And that joy, that thrill you will get within the eleven seconds by total concentration and complete meditation, gives you enough bliss, even if you do it for hours and hours.”
If a student asks me, “Sir, how long should I read?” what should I say? “Read until you understand, until you remember, until you memorise.” If a child asks his mother, “How much should I eat?” mother will answer, “Eat as much as you can, until you want no more.”
Similarly, how long will it take until we find ourselves above the body and the mind? This travel above the mind and body are understood, evaluated, and measured from time-to-time by the process of self-enquiry.
Somebody asked another question: “How long will it take to acquire wisdom or jnana?”
In our regular courses, there is a syllabus. There is a particular period of time to receive instruction and training. I can say that it is a three-year course, or a two-year course to get a degree. But, how long will it take to get spiritual wisdom?
Bhagavan said, “Wait! How many years have you taken to get a degree?”
“Three years.”
“Oh! How many years you have taken to get a doctorate?”
“Four years.”
Then, how do you expect wisdom now? For worldly knowledge, for secular knowledge, when you study day and night, do you expect wisdom to come all of a sudden? Why do you expect it suddenly? You seem to have lost your common sense!
But here is one point. With wisdom, there is not anything really like a time factor. It is more a factor of being totally in your being. When you are totally in your being, then that is wisdom. But we are not totally in our being. We are like the pendulum of a wall clock, oscillating from that end to this end — being at one end and becoming at the other end. Therefore, we neither become, nor remain in being. We are just confused. So the point is that wisdom is obtained, is experienced, the moment we are at the centre of our life . . . just in being.
But we are more interested in doing. Doing is more important to us. I do the morning yoga exercises, I do meditation, I do worship, and I do bhajans. These are all our doings. However, being is more important than doing. So the moment you are at the centre, that is the state when you can say, “I have wisdom.”
Then Bhagavan makes another point. In a simple way, Swami explains how long it will take to attain peace. That is the question put to Him. Swami laughed and said that the person asked that question because it is quite evident that they have no peace now. So first, find out why you have lost peace. First, find out why you have no peace.
You have no peace for two reasons: One reason is ego or personal identity, I-ness. I am that, that, and that. And the second is desire. I-ness and desire are the two causes for the loss of peace. The moment I-ness and desire are gone, it is not that you are going to get peace . . . you are peace. That’s all. You are peace.
That is what Swami means when He says, “Embodiments of Peace, Embodiments of Bliss, Embodiments of Divinity, Embodiments of Love” — you are that peace. You are not going to get peaceful. If you get peaceful now, you may be peace-less the next moment. But once know you are the peace, you can never again be peace-less.
So, let me know the cause for my lack of peace. Let me know the reason for my restlessness. The first cause is I-ness or ego identity, and the second is desire. The moment you give up these two, you are peaceful. You are peace. That is what Bhagavan has said.
“WHAT IS MY DUTY?”
Then somebody asked another question: “Swami, what is my duty?”
“Why do you ask that question, My child? Don’t you know your duty?”
As a teacher, I should teach you. That is my duty. As a doctor, you should treat your patients. That is your duty. As businessmen, yes, maintain your business satisfactorily, successfully. That is your duty. Why do you ask that question?
“No, Swami. I want to know the answer from the spiritual dimension. I know the answer from the worldly point-of-view. I want You to give me an answer from the spiritual perspective.”
This is the answer Swami gives.
First: Let things happen as they should. Let things unfold naturally. Don’t have specific plans.
A simple example: I will have darshan when and as Bhagavan gives it. You cannot say, “Swami, be here at eight o’clock. I want to have Your darshan. Do You understand me?” Well, that is not the way. Be ready to see Him at any time. Be ready, ever ready to see Him. Your duty is to let go. Take it easy. Let things go. Be ready to receive, be ready to accept. Don’t say, “Swami tomorrow is the deadline! It’s high time that You shower Your Grace on me.” (Laughter) You cannot do that.
Therefore, our duty is to be ready. “Well,” you may ask, “am I not ready?” You are ready by compulsion, you are ready by force, and you are ready as there is no other option. But that is not readiness at all. Readiness enforced is not a sacred duty.
What is our duty now? Take it easy, lightly: “As You will, Swami, so is Your Grace.” That is all. “I am ready, I am unconditional. If You choose to look at me, yes, I am fine! If You decide it is better not to look at me, it is equally fine. If You choose to avoid me, yes, I know it is for my own good.” This is our duty.
It is not to push people; not to ask people sitting in the front to go back. Shhh! Shhh! That is all another duty, at the ordinary level. The highest level of duty is, from the spiritual perspective, readiness to accept whatever God does, whatever God gives, joyfully. To do it joyfully is our duty, our moral obligation, our religious duty. Total unconditional acceptance is our duty.
And the second duty — there are only two duties . . . Swami does not give us too many duties because He knows that we do not do even one! (Laughter) Yes, the second duty that He allots us is to develop Self-awareness, awareness of the Self. Who am I? What is my true nature? Where am I going? In which direction? What am I, after all? Being aware of the Self is our second duty.
In doing these two, we should have an uncomplaining attitude. What do I mean by an uncomplaining attitude? Suppose I am asked to distribute water. I should not respond, “Water? I am not here to distribute water! I am here to issue checks, do you understand? Not water.” Or if I am asked to sit somewhere and I say, “Is this the place I am supposed to sit? Don’t you know that I should be there, right at the door?”
We complain about seating, we complain about our meeting, we complain about individuals. To cultivate an uncomplaining attitude is our duty. If we have this uncomplaining attitude, it is not that you are going to attain peace. You are the peace. You are the peace. I do not complain. Yes. Every one of us should be able to say, “This is God’s grace.” When God designs, how He does things for us, we do not know.
At one time, there was the inauguration of that Srinivasa Guest House near Ganesh — most of you must have seen it, where the V-VIP’s stay — that big building. It was the inauguration of that building.
Swami went inside. I also wanted to go and see. But I had no invitation. I had not been asked to come. When you are not asked to come, there are many to push you out. We have a powerful spiritual regimental army here – the seva dal! (Laughter) Out! They will push you out! (Laughter) So I knew where I stood. Only Baba may ask me to come in, for there are many people asking me to get out! I knew the risk involved. But I was feeling so sorry for not being able to attend.
Then suddenly somebody came and said, “Please inform Swami that we need some more clothes for distribution.” I went there, because now I had some cause to go in. I went and said, “Swami, some more clothes are needed . . .”
“Keep quiet! No more clothes; there are enough. I just made you come here because you wanted to come.” (Laughter and applause)
So the situation was created by Him — a person to call me in, a plea and an excuse to get me in as a messenger. These are all selected by Him.
A similar thing also happened in the negative way. Somebody said, “Swami wants you in the interview room.” Many students told me, “Swami called you, sir”. I was not sure, but many boys told me, so what to do? I went inside.
Swami looked at me. He didn’t ask me, “Why are you here?” Thank God, thank Baba! (Anil Kumar laughs.)
When He started talking to everybody, He looked at me and said, “Go and call a person by the name of Radhakrishna. Call him.”
I asked, “Where is he, Swami?”
“He is there outside. You call him.”
I went out, and went straight to the car shed and asked the driver, “Where is Radhakrishna?”
Then he placed the chair there for me, asked me to sit on that chair, and offered me a glass of water. (Laughter) “Take this, sir, and sit down. Radhakrishna is already inside. (Laughter) Swami does not want you there, so He asked you to call a man who is already there inside. (Laughter) You are not wanted there.” (Laughter)
So He will find out. It is all the Divine Technology . . . D. Tech. We only know B. Tech and M. Tech. Bhagavan Baba uses D. Tech . . . Divine Technology. (Laughter) He knows. So He will create a situation, He will find a way to take you in or to drive you out. So, what should I do? Be ready. I am ready. Without complaining, I am here.
Long back, there was a minister. Swami announced that He would give about 150 crores for a water project. That gentleman is now no more. He was from the previous government of this state. That gentleman came here, followed by hundreds of people.
I was watching, and I asked these people, “Why is the minister here? Swami is ready to give the money, so why has the minister come?”
They said, “Sir, this minister has come to get that money from Swami, 150 crores.”
Very good. Let me see how big that bundle is! So that minister came, followed by hundreds of people.
I think it was Mr.Paritala Ravi, in those days of Telugu Desam. He was just coming in when our good God came out of the interview room. I wondered, “Is He going to receive him?” Baba made a tour around and then went into the Mandir. That gentleman was asked to be seated on the veranda. So he sat there.
Then our good God inspected all the students seated in Sai Kulwant Hall, all the two thousand people there. After distribution of clothes, padanamaskar began for two thousand people — from 3 pm till 5:30 pm. (Laughter) Then bhajans started, so Swami nicely entered the bhajan hall and then took arathi.
Hari Om Tat Sat! Everything was finished! (Laughter) That man had to go. Only He knows what it was all about. He knows how to dispose of people; He also knows how to draw people. So I may be disposed of in the morning, and I may be drawn in during the evening or the next morning. This happens so many times to us all.
So long as you are there, He will never ask whether you are there or not. The day you go to your native place, He’ll ask, “What happened to that man? Where is he?” (Laughter) Your presence is ignored, while your absence is registered. Disappointing, His D. Tech. So, what will I do? “Oh God, when I am here You do not look at me; the moment I go, You ask, ‘What happened to him?’ What shall I do Swami?”
So our duty is to have an uncomplaining attitude. Be ready to receive anything as His grace. This is our sacred duty. And also our sacred duty is to have this kind of awareness of the Self: that is a readiness, a living in the moment, and an uncomplaining attitude. That is what Bhagavan has said.
TRAVEL FROM THE IDOL TO THE IDEAL
Someone once asked, “Swami, I have a beautiful Rama idol that I worship everyday. How long should I do worship?” Somebody else added, “No, no, no! My Krishna statue is more beautiful! How long should I worship?”
Baba said, “So long as you have this body feeling, ‘I am this body’, continue to worship. The moment you grow beyond that, the moment you realise that you are not the body, you don’t need to worship any idols at all.”
Swami says we must travel from the idol to the ideal. But we are idle in between! (Laughter) so that is the tragedy. We are not supposed to be idle. Worship the idol and attain the ideal. That is what Bhagavan has said.
Many ask, “Why are there difficulties in life? How long will they continue?” There are some people we meet who say, “Mr. Anil Kumar, difficulties come one after another! What should I do? You have got one after another, but I have many after many. (Laughter) So, it is better you cry for me, and I will cry for you. Let us both cry in chorus.” A crying bhajan. (Laughter) It is not so. So, their question is, “For how long? Why are there all these difficulties?”
Difficulties are a sort of training ground or tough lessons. “Swami, can’t there be easy lessons? These lessons seem to be very painful.”
Bhagavan tells that when you learn to ride a bicycle, you fall many times. Nobody learns bicycle riding without falling at least once. You may not say that, but your mother knows better. Your grandmother remembers because she applied the bandage. Maybe mother had no time as she was employed. So, you will necessarily fall as you learn the art of riding a bicycle.
Similarly, you will pass through many bumps and jumps, lashes and flashes, ups and downs, tears and smiles until you learn the lesson. The moment you learn the lesson, you do not mind anything. “Oh! There is a big stone! (I am on the bicycle now.) Oh! A stone -- no, no, no!” You have learnt how to take a diversion. (Laughter)
I remember being just eight years old. I was riding somebody’s bicycle. I did not know how to push the bell. A lady was coming in my way. “Ah! Arre! Arre! Att! Att! Att!” I was shouting at her, so that she might get out of the way. (Laughter) The moment I knew how to press the bell and maintain balance, there was no further such problem.
Similarly, the moment we learn from our lessons, difficulties are no longer difficulties. Difficulties are no longer barriers, difficulties are no longer obstacles. They are easy . . . merely passing clouds. You do not get not serious about them, after all. That is what Bhagavan says regarding these things.
Why are there difficulties? The simple answer is this. Suppose I am sitting on the lawn in the evening. Only yesterday a gentleman came and said, “I find the lawn quite comfortable. It is like a cushion.” We were sitting there, talking happily and joking.
One of my students came and said, “Sir, two days back we saw two snakes around.” (Laughter)
“Two snakes!” I said, “I am surrounded by snakes in human form! (Laughter) Are these real snakes? Okay!” So how long should I stay there? Until I am bitten by the snake or what? I replied, “Thank you for warning me now! Thank you very much.” I left the place immediately.
Until you direct your mind towards the Self, until you divert your mind towards Self-awareness, until you experience the bliss of the Self, until you are that being-ness, you have to continue suffering.
We continue to experience difficulties until we turn to God. I am alone; I do not know what to do. I am worried and frightened until someone tells me, “Don’t worry, I will take care of that.”
Last year or the year before, I was in the airport with my heavy luggage. I got into a particular room, thinking it was the lift. There was no switch in there. Nobody spoke English. Hari Om! What was I to do? I went on thumping the doors, because nobody was there and it was sound-proof. Heavy luggage, door shut, and I did not know how to open it. Nobody was coming in! (Laughter) What could I do?
Kshama Moorthi Sai Baba,
Prema Moorthi Sathya Sai
(Anil Kumar sings bhajan)
That was the prayer. We will be more religious in tension (Laughter), not in the bhajan hall. (Laughter) You will be more religious and spiritual when the doors are shut and no one is around — there are no switches anywhere! Hari Om! What is the next flight time? Nobody speaks English. What to do?
By Baba’s grace, somebody opened the door. The moment he came in, I pushed out. (Laughter) So similarly, difficulties are there. For how long? Until someone comes, opens the door and I get out. Similarly, difficulties continue until I direct myself, until I divert my mind, towards God.
I have some friends who will be leaving very soon, so it is justifiable to leave a couple of minutes for questions. The UK group is with us. I am very happy. Let us welcome them with a big hand. (Applause)
We have amongst us Professor Dr. Trivedi, who is working hard in the field of human values. She has done research, particularly with human values as applied to professionals. I pray to Bhagavan to shower His choicest blessings on her and her team. All the knowledge regarding human values is put in her website, for the benefit of Sai devotees all the world over.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Now, we have time for just one or two questions. Anybody please?
How long will it take for the Golden Age to come?
Oh! That’s great! It has already come. (Applause) This is like asking a question, “How long will it take for the flight to arrive?”, when the flight is already there. Why do I say that?
The Golden Age is not material; the Golden Age is not physical. The Golden Age is not secular; the Golden Age is spiritual. The Golden Age is psychological, the Golden Age is Divine, and the Golden Age is getting oneself introduced to human values.
The Golden Age is the age of co-operation. The Golden Age is unity. The Golden Age is one of the syntheses of religions, which is happening right now at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. (Applause) The Golden Age is when all religions are encouraged, when all paths of devotion are encouraged. The Golden Age is when all kinds of spiritual pursuits and endeavours are equally supported.
Karma yoga — the field of action, bhakthi yoga — the field of devotion, and jnana yoga — the field of knowledge – these are all equally encouraged. The Golden Age is what Baba has been doing. The Golden Age is when equality is always maintained. We are all equal in the sight of Bhagavan. We all enjoy that equality, equanimity and transcendence in the Divine presence.
Thank you very much, sir, for bringing to light this point: The Golden Age has already dawned. Next question, please.
How long will it take Swami to walk, please?
Evidently, you mean He is not walking. If He is not walking, how is it that my friends from Los Angeles, United States say, “I saw Swami walking in my room”? What answer should I give when I receive a letter from Kobi, Japan, when they say, “We saw Swami walking at our centre, in the bhajan hall”? What should I say?
So, He may not be walking here, but He is walking everywhere else! (Laughter) He is walking everywhere else. (Applause) So, this question can be revised!
How long will it take Him to walk here?
Then He may say, to make you feel better, “I am walking there; I am not walking here. And another thing: you may need feet to walk, but I do not need feet to walk, because I can walk foot-less, I can see without eyes, I can hear without ears. I am beyond the senses. So I can go, I can walk, and I can hear.”
Sarvatah Paanipadam,
Sarvatah Siromukah.
Thank you very much, sir. (Applause) Thank you both for bring to light a very good point, and a very important point. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
You are from? Croatia. Ah! A research mind, an investigative mind . . .
Having been invited by Baba to that building on the inauguration day, would you tell me what happened inside? (Laughter)
Croatia . . . scientific and technological, highly investigative. What happened was He took me round the whole building and started showing me every room, all the decorations there. I was thrilled and excited. I made one statement there to Swami.
The President of India stays in the building called Rashtrapathi Bhavan. It is like the White House in the United States; something like 10 Downing Street in London. In India, we have Rashtrapathi Bhavan, where the President stays.
I said, “Swami, this building is ‘Viswapathi Bhavan’, the building of God Himself!” (Applause) Thank You, because others are benefited by the house of God.
How do I switch off this ego I-ness you are talking about?
You are from . . .? From Mauritius! We had one Prime Minister from there who addressed the convocation of the Sathya Sai University three years ago -- Mr. Anirudh Jaganath, am I right? So my memory has not failed? Good. Mauritius! Yes.
How to remove this I-ness or ego? That is your question. The point is that once we know the pain of ego I-ness, we will realise how beautiful it would be to be free from this ego.
A simple example: This I-ness is ego or the mind. When one praises, I am up, and when one criticises, I am down. I am happy at one time, but unhappy at another time. This kind of duality is because of this ego I-ness.
I don’t bother about it. I understand that the real I (the Self) in me is very much the same as the real I (the Self) in you. There is only one true I or Self. This I is only one in everyone. When we think like this, gradually our ego will be lost. This kind of ego reactivity, this over-sensitivity, will be lost. Like that, you grow into the state of non-dualism.
A simple example: While Lord Buddha was proceeding, many people gathered and started making fun of him. Lord Buddha was a handsome personality, tall and robust, with a shaven head, wearing the ochre robe, and walking along barefooted in the jungle. He looked like a mad cap to all the youngsters. So they started making fun of him. Buddha continued smiling. He didn’t react.
After some time he said, “My friends, better you stop now.” Why? “My followers are coming now to receive me. When they see you talking like this, they may manhandle you. You may be hurt, and you may suffer. So please stop. But I enjoyed your scolding me. Yes, I enjoyed your enjoyment. Your enjoyment gave me joy. Yes. My devotees are going to have enjoyment by praising me now. Let me enjoy their enjoyment. Your joy is my joy.” Thus spoke Lord Buddha.
Baba says that those who praise Him come to the height of a mountain, those who criticise Him come to the side of another mountain, and there is a centre in between blessing you both. That is how the one above ego can act. Am I clear? Thank you very much.
For whom is bhakthi meant, for whom is jnana meant?
My friend, bhakthi is love. That’s all. Bhakthi is not exhibition. Bhakthi is not ritual . . . not merely ritual, because those who believe only in rituals may not attend my next week’s meeting! (Laughter) So bhakthi is not merely a ritual; bhakthi is not merely attending a temple, mosque, church, synagogue or gurudwaja. No! Bhakthi is not merely worship; it is not merely fasting. Bhakthi is Love. Bhakthi is that intense love for God — that is bhakthi.
Jnana is something that takes you automatically to the next stage. When I say, “I love” it means that I am here and you are there. I love you. There are two things. If I say, “I love”, immediately you will ask, “Whom do you love?” You cannot simply say, “I love, I love.” (Oh! Oh! You do not know English! Every sentence should have subject, predicate and object, so you had better go to primary school and learn some grammar!)
So, with “I love”, whom do you love is the question which naturally follows. In bhakthi or devotion, you and God are both there. You love God. However, in jnana, you are not there. You do not exist. Only God is there. That’s all. Am I clear, sir? Thank you very much.
You said that we should be ready, that readiness should be there. Does that mean surrender?
Exactly! Surrender is our readiness to accept anything unconditionally. My readiness to receive anything that God gives to me is surrender. That is how I can explain what I meant by readiness. Am I clear? There are two parts in your question.
The second part is, since you are very close to Swami, do you see Him every day?
For this first part, “Since you are close to Swami” — this is doubtful, because I believe I told this a million times. I repeated this even a billion times . . . all are close to Swami. All are close to Swami. (Applause) Because when you say that Swami is God, He cannot be close to Anil Kumar and away from others. No! When you say that He is God, He should be close to everybody. If we say that some are close to Him, we have to doubt His Divinity. He becomes partial. No! God is total. He is not partial. So we should put it this way: All beings are close to Swami.
All beings are close to Swami, so we all see Him every day. We are all close to Him. That is my answer. Believe in it. You are as close to Swami as I am. He loves you as much as anybody, because that is Divinity. Am I clear, sir? Thank you very much.
What is the main point that Swami wants to convey in His Independence Day message?
The time is up, and as we depend on the time, let me finish off with this question relating to Independence Day.
The only message that Swami wanted to convey in His Independence Day message is that many of the patriots are forgotten by the people. True patriots, who sacrificed their lives, who sacrificed their time and their comforts, are forgotten by the people. We do not thank them. We do not even remind ourselves of their names.
Point two: Some of the true patriots were even driven out of the country, because the existing patriots considered them as an immediate threat to their position and influence. The third point is that these patriots were also spiritual. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was spiritual and highly patriotic. These are the points that you wanted to know. Am I clear?
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
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji Ki Jai!
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji Ki Jai!
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji Ki Jai!