Make God The Charioteer Of Your Life

You Can Achieve Everything By God’s Grace

Bereft of truth, righteousness, peace and love,
the value of all your education is zero;
Bereft of truth, righteousness, peace and love,
the benefit of all your acts of charity and 
kindness is zero;
Bereft of truth, righteousness, peace and love,
the utility of all your positions of power is zero;
Bereft of truth, righteousness, peace and love,
the result of all your good deeds is zero.
Truth, righteousness, peace and love are the very
foundation of human life.
What else is there to be conveyed to this assembly of 
noble souls?

(Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Love!

 Human life is endowed with great divine power. Some people perform noble and sacred deeds and earn great name and fame in society. On the other hand, some others earn bad name by their unsacred and evil deeds, even if they might be possessing glittering riches and all comforts of life. Through good deeds, one’s name, fame and credibility gets enhanced in society. The contrasting causes and effects pertaining to these two categories of people have been beautifully depicted in the great epic, the Mahabharata.

Good And Bad Coexist In The World

It is said, Yanna Bharate, Tanna Bharata (what is not there in Bharat cannot be found anywhere else). The Pandavas performed noble deeds and earned great fame by adhering to sacred and righteous path of life; whereas the Kauravas took to evil path and indulged in unrighteous, unjust and wicked deeds. In fact, the Kauravas became unwittingly instrumental in enhancing Pandava’s fame.

It is said, Na Sukhat Labhate Sukham (one cannot derive happiness out of happiness). When sorrow is mitigated, one gets happiness. Pleasure is an interval between two pains. Could the Pandavas be reckoned for the righteousness in the absence of contrasting wicked deeds of the Kauravas? One’s good qualities are highlighted when juxtaposed to the negative qualities of others. The Kauravas were beset with evil qualities of lust for power, ostentation and jealousy due to which they were destroyed. By being in proximate contrast, the salubrious qualities of the Pandavas have been described by people as glorious. There can be no distinction for light when there is no darkness. Happiness and sorrow follow each other in the rigmarole of life.

Many people today lack humanness. However, there are some very good people also in the world. But their goodness does not become visible because of their shortcomings. This is a matchbox. If you dip it in water and try to strike a matchstick, will it produce fire? You may use it only after drying it in the sun. Man has the fire of Jnana (knowledge), the fire of divinity and the fire of sacredness in him. With constant practice or Sadhana, this sacred fire has to be made manifest.

Sadhana Without Renunciation Is Useless

People do meditation, Bhajans, Satsangam, etc., and read sacred texts like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata, etc. In spite of all this, why does not their inherent divine power become manifest? The reason is that their mind is mired in the transient objects of the world. In this condition of the mind, however much one may pray, there cannot be any use. It is like striking a wet matchstick on a matchbox. When the matchstick is kept in brilliant sunshine of renunciation, then only will the fire be produced. Without renunciation, all spiritual practices will give only temporary satisfaction, not the bliss of eternal truth. External prayers and practices will not yield positive results as long as the mind is craving for temporary worldly joys. The Vedas say, Na Karmanä Na Prajayä Dhanena Tyägenaike Amrtattva manashuh (immortality is not attained through action, progeny or wealth; it is attained only by sacrifice). Without cultivating the spirit of renunciation, no one can attain peace and spiritual effulgence. After eating food if you do not discard the waste, your health will be spoiled. After inhaling air, if you do not exhale, your lungs will be spoiled. You should renounce all that you accumulate; otherwise, you will lose peace of mind.

All Powers Are Useless Without Divine Power

Karna was endowed with great strength and valor, but he lacked the grace of God. Despite being so mighty, what was the fate of Karna at the end? This is the truth I am explaining. You must try to understand the power of humanness. Duryodhana wielded great power, enjoyed great wealth and ruled over a vast kingdom. All mighty warriors like Bhishmacharya, Dronacharya, Kripacharya and Ashwatthama were on his side; and Karna was also with him. What was the use of all Aacharyas when Krishna, the Aacharya of all Aacharyas, was on the other side? What is the use of so many Aacharyas bereft of God’s grace? What is the use of other switches when the main switch is put off? This is what happened in the Mahabharata war.

When both Duryodhana and Arjuna approached Krishna to seek His support in the war that became inevitable, Krishna enacted as if He was asleep. Krishna, despite being the playful director of the drama of the world, having donned the vesture of human body, enacted the role of a kingmaker. He never desired to be a king even though he had great influence and support from all people. The Upanishads describe Him as Puranam (ancient), Anushasitaram (having the absolute power of ruling), Aditya Varnam (having effulgence like the sun) and Tamasah Parastaat (beyond the realm of darkness). Krishna had come to crown good people as kings and to destroy the wicked. So, Krishna easily grasped the respective intentions of these two relatives. He laid himself on the bed pretending sleep. Duryodhana entered the room first. With all his pomp and arrogance, he thought it below his dignity to sit near the feet of Krishna. So, he pulled himself a chair and sat near the head of Krishna. Meanwhile, Arjuna came, and reverentially bowed to sleeping Krishna and sat in a chair at the feet of Krishna. What was Krishna doing? He was pretending as if in deep sleep. Krishna was neither in sleep nor in a state of wakefulness; but in a state that was in between. Can anyone awaken Him in such a condition? This was what the Gopikas said about Him.

After a while, Krishna got up and naturally looked at Arjuna first because he was sitting near His feet. Duryodhana felt angry because Krishna did not look at him. While Krishna was conversing with Arjuna intimately, Duryodhana’s anger grew plus plus and plus. It is said, Yad-bhaavam Tad-bhavati (as are the feelings, so is the result).

Mind alone is witness to the mind. It is a constant witness to the body as well as thoughts. So, Duryodhana’s foolish mind became a foolish witness. At last Krishna turned towards him. After hearing Duryodhana’s plea for help, Krishna asked him to choose either Him as standing alone, or His entire army. Foolish Duryodhana was happy to choose Krishna’s army as a support in war. And Arjuna insisted that he needed nobody other than Krishna and His grace. God is like the engine to the train, while all other forces are like compartments. What is the use of so many compartments without an engine?

Krishna told Arjuna what was going to happen in future. He said, out of the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, none of them would survive to perform his last rites because the Kauravas were after wealth, pomp and pelf, forgetting God and Dharma totally. Krishna said to Arjuna, “Righteousness would be the winner. All mundane objects are nothing but reaction, reflection and resound; there is only one reality, that is God. When God is on your side, you can achieve anything. So, be courageous and go”.

The Mahabharata provides wonderful ideals of life. In the constant struggle between good and bad forces in the world, God always stands by the good. Krishna is Parthasarathi. Who is Partha? Partha is the son of earth. So, God is the charioteer of all people on earth. He leads everyone from within. All are the sparks of the Divine.

Develop Love for God in Your Heart

Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti (truth is one, but the wise refer to it by various names). Ishvarah Sarva Bhutanaam (God is the indweller of all beings). Ishavasyam Idam Sarvam (the entire universe is permeated by God). When the Lord of universe is with you, why do you crave for worldly objects of no value? Food, shelter, etc., are no doubt basic necessities of life. But if you develop faith in God, will He not look after you? Oh man! You crave for comforts from dawn to dusk. But what is it that you have achieved? Man has the responsibility to sanctify his body and time. But, unfortunately, people today are fighting for rights, forgetting their responsibilities. Rights and responsibilities are like two wheels of a vehicle. Kartavyam Yogamuchyate (performing your duty properly is indeed Yoga). After performing his family duties, will any son demand wages from his father? He who works for wages is a servant. The one who serves with a feeling of responsibility is the master. The master has right over the valuables of the house, and a servant has no right.

Ekatma Sarva Bhutantaratma (one Atma dwells in all beings). You must endeavour to become a master. When you understand the truth, you will realise your true nature. Then there would be no need to search for God. Does anybody search for himself outside? God is in you, around you, above you, below you and He is everywhere. Antarbahi ischa Tatsarvam Vyapya Narayana Sthitah (That all-pervasive God is present within and without). You need not extend any special invitation to Him to visit you. He Himself will come to you when you develop love for Him in your heart. When the flower blossoms, it does not invite bees; the bees gather on their own in order to enjoy its nectar. Heart is the flower. Fill it with the nectar of Divinity. The Gopikas expressed their feeling to Krishna, saying,

Were You a tree, growing upwards,
I would cling to You like a creeper;
Were You a blossoming flower,
I would hover over You like a bee;
Were You the mountain Meru,
I would cascade like a river;
Were You the boundless sky,
I would be in You like a star.

(Telugu Poem)

This is how the Gopikas expressed their feelings of unity with God, who appears in diverse forms. They said, “You and I are one, we and we are one”. God is there in rivers, in oceans, in mountains, in trees and everywhere. Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavati (the knower of Brahman becomes verily Brahman himself). The Gopikas were the living examples of this Vedic dictum. This is the quality of total surrender that was naturally displayed by the Gopikas. That is unity in diversity. But today devotees say, “You are You and I am I”. Then how can you realise unity? We should say, “You and I are we; we and we are one”. Here, there, everywhere only One exists.

Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Yamuna, Saraswati – all rivers flow with different names and forms. Ultimately, they merge in the ocean. Having merged in the ocean, where is Godavari? Where is Kaveri water? Where is Ganga? Where is Saraswati? Everything becomes ocean water. Everything becomes one. It will have the form of the ocean, the name of the ocean and the taste of the ocean. First, we have to sacrifice our name and form. We should merge in that divine form and name. That is true enquiry. However, we have to discharge our duties. Whatever you do, say, I am doing for God’s sake. Go to office, do business, do your duty, do many actions. No need to stop. Whatever you do, take it as Lord’s action. Then work will be transformed into worship. Swami never said,’ leave your work and go to the forest’. What is it you get there in the forest? That is not forest, it is for – rest. Do your duty sincerely. Rest is rust and dust. Divinity is shining all the time in every human being. Therefore, think of the Lord all the time. Offer all your actions to please Him. Have the feeling that God is everywhere with you.

Always engage yourself in reciting God’s Name. The radio waves emanating from Delhi station are reaching Kodaikanal instantly. That is sound. That is Shabda Brahman (Brahman in the form of sound). God is called Shabda Brahmamayi, Characharamayi, Jyotirmayi, Vaangmayi, Nityanandamayi, Paratparamayi, Mayamayi and Shreemayi (embodiment of sound, mobility and immobility, light, speech, eternal bliss, perfection, delusion and wealth). God has all these eight Aishvaryas (wealth). All these divine powers are present everywhere. Do your duty sincerely and offer all to God. He will take care of all your responsibilities. Chitti Babu said, “You are everywhere. You make me speak. You make me listen. You make me think. Everything is You”. But, he said, “The good and bad to You, not to me. Bad also goes to You. Even good also goes to You”. When anyone comes to that stage of evolution, God will take care of everything. But today that sincerity and devotion are not to be found. If man achieves success, he will credit himself for it. When he has failure, he attributes it to God. No! Consider success and failure, good and bad as equal. To reach that state of equanimity, sense control is needed.

Sense control is possible only by love. Think of the Lord with love.

– Bhagawan’s Discourse in Sai Sruthi, at Kodaikanal on 24th April 1993.