Develop Devotion, Surrender And Faith To Realise God

Your Every Breath Repeats, “I Am God”

Religions are many but goal is one. 
Clothes are many but yarn is one.
Jewels are many but gold is one. 
Cows are many but milk is one. 
Flowers are many but worship is one. 
Beings are many but Atma is one. 
Unable to understand this reality out of his ignorance, 
Man has become a victim of many troubles 
For the sake of his mundane existence. 
What else is to be conveyed 
To this assembly of noble souls?

(Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Divinity!

The unique culture of Bharat has been imparting highest lessons in morality and spirituality to mankind since time immemorial. First and foremost, it has taught man to realise divinity present in the mother and the father. Its sacred texts proclaim, Matr Devo Bhava, Pitr Devo Bhava (revere your mother and father as God).

Recognise Your Inherent Divinity

Truly speaking, human life is full of sweetness. Bereft of sweetness, it is a mere waste. Man is running after worldly, mundane and sensual pleasures. But the sweetness that is present in the love of the mother is much beyond all these. This is the priceless gem of the culture of Bharat. It is the mother who sacrifices everything to foster, nurture and protect the child. The sweetness that is there in motherhood cannot be found in anything else in this world.

Forbearance is the real beauty in this sacred land of Bharat. Of all the rituals, adherence to truth is the greatest penance. The nectarine feeling in this country is the feeling of love towards one’s mother. Character is valued far higher than the very life itself. People have forgotten the basic principles of this great culture and are imitating Western culture. Alas! The Bharateeyas are not aware of the greatness of their cultural heritage just as a mighty elephant is not aware of its own strength.

(Telugu Poem)

It is most essential for one and all to recognise the divinity of the mother. When Lord Rama was leaving for the forest, He said to Sita, “Oh Bhujata (born from earth)! There is no God greater than mother and father on earth. The mother knows our mind, knows our likings and constantly struggles for our welfare. If we do not recognise the divinity of the mother who is right in front of us, how can we know God who is beyond our comprehension and beyond the reach of speech and mind? Therefore, it is essential for us to recognise mother and father as God. Hence, it is My bounden duty to obey My father and fulfil the promise given by him.”

To understand Divinity, which is beyond human level, man should also rise to that state which is beyond human level. First of all, man should live like a true human being by practising human qualities and recognising his inherent divinity. Who is Manava (human being)? Is he the body or the mind? No, no. Manava implies the Atmic principle which is sacred and divine. A true human being has unshakeable faith. But today, unfortunately, man’s faith is not firm. Faith is like the eyes of man. But man today has become blind because he has lost the eyes of faith. Where is the need for man to search God? Offer service to mankind and receive love of God. This is the right path. The best way to love God is to love all and serve all. As I told you earlier, even though divinity is the same in everyone, the capabilities and potentialities of individuals vary, depending on their level of evolution, merits of their past lives and the background of their parents. A child inherits the broadness of mind and heart of its parents. Man’s daily conduct reflects the broadness or narrowness of his heart.

Take Refuge In God To Overcome Maya

It is necessary for man to perform good actions constantly in his daily life. As the proverb goes, “If you go on singing, you can sing well; if you go on chewing neem leaves, even they will taste sweet; if you go on rubbing stone, it will become smaller”. The value of a diamond increases after grinding and cutting. Similarly, divinity shines forth in a person, after passing through trials and tribulations, and upon constant practice. Fire is produced when two logs of wood are rubbed against each other. Soft butter comes out by churning of curd. Similarly, man can attain divinity by constantly thinking of God. It is said, the more you rub the sandal log on stone, the more is the fragrance it gives. When you crush the sugarcane hard, it gives only sweet juice. When gold is put on fire, it sheds all its dirt and shines brilliantly. Similarly, a spiritual aspirant should face all problems and difficulties, develop the spirit of renunciation and sacrifice and experience divinity. He should learn from the mother how to endure sorrows, blames, losses and hardships and realise his divinity by emulating her.

How can you think of God that is beyond human level? What is it that God loves? What is it that God expects? How should you conduct yourself, so as to be acceptable to God? If you want to have the power beyond your level, if you want to have the strength beyond what you have, you should take refuge in God who is beyond everything. Man may have enormous wealth and great power and position. But Maya (illusion) has much more power than him. In order to overcome Maya, man has to take the help of God who has higher power than Maya.

The story of Sugriva in the Ramayana is a good example in this regard. The elder brother of Sugriva was Vali, who was endowed with great strength, far superior to that of Sugriva. There was enmity between the two brothers. Knowing that he might be killed by Vali in a combat, Sugriva was looking for someone mightier than Vali as support. One day, Sugriva noticed two persons walking towards Rishyamuka mountain, where he was hiding for fear of Vali. In apprehension, Sugriva sent his minister Hanuman to find out the intention of these two people who were looking like great warriors. Rama and Lakshmana were very much pleased with Hanuman’s noble demeanour and scholarly talk, despite being a monkey. Hanuman explained Sugriva’s plight to Rama and offered to take them to Sugriva on his shoulders, as they looked tired due to long trek. Rama thought it was not proper to use Hanuman as a vehicle. But one has to act in accordance with circumstances, using proper discrimination. Soft butter can be cut with a finger, but a hammer is required to beat an iron block. Rama and Lakshmana got on to Hanuman’s shoulders and reached Vali. After duly testing Rama’s abilities as warrior, Sugriva fell at His feet and placed the services of his army of monkeys at His command.

In this episode, Sugriva sought Rama’s friendship as He was more powerful than Vali. Similarly, man has to seek the power of God in order to conquer Maya. Until then, Maya makes man dance to its tune. Maya can be compared to a Nartaki (dancer). When you gain full control over this Nar-ta-ki, your life becomes a Kir-ta-na (the reverse of the word Nartaki). Chanting of the Divine Name is the best means of man’s liberation in Kali Yuga.

Combination Of Sat And Chit Is Ananda

One may seek the help of God through any one of the three paths propounded by great saints – Advaita (non-dualism), Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism) and Dvaita (dualism). Adi Sankaracharya propounded the path of Advaita which enunciates that Divinity is present everywhere like juice in sugarcane. What do you mean by non-dualism? Ekam Sat Viprah Bahudha Vadanti (truth is one, but the wise refer to it by various names). Truth is only one, not two. There is no second. But we see two. Not two, we see two lakh! Not two lakh, two crore! Then how can we find oneness? For this, here is a very good example. Keep 1 at one place and 9 at a different place. Out of these two, which is bigger? Naturally, we say nine is bigger. No! One is bigger. One, plus one, plus one, plus one, plus one, plus one... will make a big number. Ekoham Bahusyami (the One willed to become many). It is only unity that manifested into multiplicity. It is only One that exists, but it manifests into many. This unity in diversity, this oneness, is non-dualism. You collect many sugarcanes. When all the sugarcanes are crushed, you get the same sweet juice. Sugarcanes are many, but sweetness is one. Beings are many, but breath is one. Nations are many, but earth is one. Jewels are many, but gold is one.

Advaita tells that Divinity is present everywhere like juice in sugarcane. But, how long does the juice last? It cannot last long. Sugarcane juice could be converted into a different form, so that sweetness could be enjoyed in different ways. That was the theory of Vishishtadvaita of Ramanujacharya. He said, sugarcane juice can be converted into sugar. Juice is non-dualism. Sugar is qualified non-dualism. What is the use of sugar? Sugar can be mixed with rice flour, wheat flour or Dal. Then the flour does not have the taste of flour. When the flour and sugar are mixed together, you will be able to prepare several sweets like Laddu and Jilebi.

So, sugarcane juice is non-dualism, sugar is qualified non-dualism and sugar mixed with flour is dualism. Sankaracharya stands for non-dualism, Ramanujacharya for qualified non-dualism and Madhvacharya for dualism. They were great Acharyas who spread spirituality in the entire world. However, the sweetness of divinity is present in dualism, qualified non-dualism and non-dualism. Divinity is one, but bodies are different. However, there is non-dualism in the realm of feelings, not in action. There is God in tiger and there is God in man. But you cannot hug or embrace a tiger. No! You should give appropriate place to the tiger. You should have your own position. But have full faith, that divinity is one and the same in everyone.

Divinity has three aspects: Sat, Chit, Ananda. Sat means Being, that which is changeless; that which has no change in all the three periods of time. That is Divinity. Chit means Awareness. It is all-comprehensive awareness, not fragmented awareness. (Swami demonstrates holding a handkerchief and showing only a tip of it). If a small thing (tip of handkerchief) is shown, you will say this is a piece of cloth. It is not total awareness. You have to unfold the handkerchief. Then you will say it is a handkerchief. (Swami shows the whole handkerchief to the audience). The Awareness is that which proves and demonstrates complete, comprehensive, total knowledge. That is Chit. The combination of Sat (Being) and Chit (Awareness) is Ananda (Bliss). This Bliss is changeless. Brahmanandam (supreme bliss) – It is like sugar, the sweetness of which does not change.

Sat (Being) is sugar. Chit (Awareness) is water. When you mix them together, it is not sugar, it is not water. It becomes syrup. That is Ananda (Bliss). Therefore, Being-Awareness-Bliss is Divinity. Names and forms are momentary. The form of the tiger is momentary. The form of the snake is momentary. As names and forms are momentary, take them as such. However, the principle of non-dualism should not be misconstrued. In your pocket, you have a pen. The other man has also a pen in his pocket. You cannot take other man’s pen from his pocket. Is it proper? No! At worldly level, your pen belongs to you, My pen belongs to Me. If you slip, you sustain a fracture of your leg. Then you may have bandage. Your mother has intense love for you. Your mother may feel sad, because you are suffering. But it is not possible for her to have the bandage on her leg. Individuals are different but the pain may be same to both. You will have the pain of a fracture; your mother will have the pain that you are suffering. But mother is not having pain of the fractured leg. Mother is feeling sad because of the suffering of the son, not of the fracture. So, you can follow non-dualism in feeling, but not in action.

Though Sankaracharya propagated the principle of non-dualism, he also prescribed the worship of God. Why should he prescribe worship of God? The reason is that different people have different levels of awareness. One has to follow a path that suits one’s level of awareness. Until you reach higher level, worship is necessary. Until you reach the level of Sankaracharya, you must discharge your duties. You may be highly educated; you may be a man of high position, an I.A.S. But when you teach A, B, C to your son, you have to come down to the level of your son. Right from that level, you should start teaching. Similarly, until one reaches the level of Sankaracharya, one should have all forms of Upasana, all forms of worship. Therefore, Sankaracharya also propagated prayer and worship. He composed many Slokas on the worship of God. Sankaracharya stands for non-duality, but we should not go along for that reason. We should know our position and start practising from that level.

Consider Faith As Your Very Breath

A disciple should have full faith in his Guru and a devotee should have full faith in God. But disciples today follow their Guru on the basis of their needs and convenience. This is the effect of Kali Yuga. When they are not satisfied, they go away from their Guru. When their desires are fulfilled, they go on extolling him. When their desires are not fulfilled, they go on accusing him. This is not good. Whether the desires are fulfilled or not, one should not lose faith in the Guru and God. A disciple should always desire “I wholeheartedly desire that merger. I should never allow this love to waver.” Love will never change at any time. Love always gives, never receives.

So, let us receive, whatever God gives. Whatever He gives, it is for our good. We should have that strong faith. Krishna wanted to test the faith of Arjuna before the Mahabharata war. One day, while going to a forest, Krishna pointed towards a bird perched on a tree and asked Arjuna, “Arjuna, on that tree, what bird is that? Is it a peacock?” “Yes, Krishna, it is a peacock”, said Arjuna. “No, no! It is a crow”, said Krishna. Then Arjuna also said, “Yes, Swami, it is a crow”. Krishna then said, “Oh mad man, you say ‘yes, yes’ to whatever I say. Don’t you have discrimination?” “Swami, what is the use of my discrimination in front of You? If I say, it is not a peacock, You may transform it into a peacock. Whatever You say, it is the truth.” Then Krishna said, “Now you deserve”! Only then Krishna imparted the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna. Therefore, God’s teaching begins with faith. What is it that Arjuna ultimately said? He said, “I obey Your command”.

You should have strong Vishvasa. It is not Vishvasa (faith), but your Svasa (breath). With every breath, you repeat So’ham, So’ham (That I am). Have this firm faith that you are God. So means God. Ham means I. Your every breath repeats, I am God, I am God, I am God. I am no different from God. When you have that feeling “I am God”, you become God. Tat-tvam-asi (That Thou Art). That is wisdom of Brahman. I am wisdom, I am Brahman. That is the vision of non-duality.

But man does not realise the secret of non-dualism. He practises duality. He thus goes far away from truth. Not only truth, he goes far away from society as well. What do you do with the material that is tasteless, that is not palatable? You throw it out. Similarly, when you do not act appropriately, society will reject you. So, you should be one with society. That is the first step towards unity. When there is unity, then you will have purity within. When purity is established, only then will you have divinity. Therefore, the divine teaching in human life is the combination of these three: unity, purity, divinity. It is love alone that brings unity in everyone. When there is love, there will be no differences on grounds of race, nationality, etc. Where there is no love, there is hatred. When there is hatred, there can be no relationship even between the child and the mother. When there is love, there is no difference of mine and thine. So, through love we can accomplish everything.

As said by Sinclair, they could have all those experiences because of love, faith and strong divine feelings. Without love, without strong faith, you cannot have any experiences. Bhakti, Prapatti, Vishwasa (devotion, surrender, faith). These are the three steps. All these are necessary. Then only can you have experiences. Transcendental experiences are based on devotion, surrender and faith.

– Bhagawan’s Discourse in Sai Sruthi, at Kodaikanal on 26th April 1993.