Promote The Welfare Of Others

Trees bear fruits for the benefit of others. 
Water flows in the rivers, for the benefit of others. 
Cows yield milk for the benefit of others. 
Human body has been gifted for the service of 
humanity.

(Sanskrit Verse)

Embodiments of Love!

Body Is Meant to Serve Others

In this vast world, all trees bear fruits. Do they do so for their own sake? If you enquire, you will know that they bear fruits for the benefit of others. They do not eat their own fruits, however tasty they may be. Likewise, rivers do not drink their own water and cows do not drink their milk. Cows give milk for the sustenance of others. We must realise as to why we have been endowed with this human body. Just as trees, rivers and cows do not consume what they yield, the human body has been gifted to man not merely for his own pleasure but for engaging it in the service of others.

Thoughts, philosophies and attitudes may vary, but the same Divinity shines forth in all its splendour in all human beings. Names and forms may vary, but the five elements in all the bodies are the same. Pots are many, but the clay is one. The same clay is used in making different types of pots. Gold is one, but the ornaments made out of it acquire different names and shapes. Cows differ in colours and forms, but the milk of all of them is white. Similarly, bodies differ from one another but the same Divinity resides in all of them. We see the superficial aspect of the bodies but fail to see the basis.

No object can exist without a basis. The table is the basis for the tumbler which in turn is the basis for the water it holds. A vessel is required to drink water. Our body is like a vessel. Like the insipid water in the vessel, the pleasures experienced by the body are tasteless and transient. But people have a misconception that the happiness derived by this body is of a permanent nature. It is not true.

Realise Your Indwelling Divinity

What is this body? What is the basis of its indwelling Divinity? Take a vessel containing water and add some sugar in it. The sugar remains at the bottom of the tumbler. The sweetness of sugar does not pervade the water in the tumbler if you do not stir the water thoroughly. You taste the water at the surface and conclude that the entire water is tasteless and you feel dejected. It is only when you use a spoon and stir the water that the sweetness of sugar pervades the entire water and you enjoy it. Divinity too is similar to this sweetness which can be experienced only by using the spoon of discrimination. Indeed, Divinity does reside in every heart. Sadhana can make one understand this great truth and help one realise that the indwelling divinity is one and the same in all.

What are the primary functions performed by the sense organs? A tumbler contains sweet syrup but it is not aware of it. Likewise, this physical body is full of sweetness; but it is unaware. Put a straw in the tumbler and drink the syrup. But the straw does not know how sweet the syrup is. The tongue, after tasting it, sends it to the stomach without keeping it with itself. The stomach enjoys the syrup and after digesting it, sends it to the different parts of the body. The body is similar to a vessel; it is filled with sweetness of Divinity. With the help of the straw, the tongue is able to taste the sweetness of the syrup. In the same manner, the sense organs (straw) enable wisdom (tongue) to experience Divinity (sweetness). Buddhi decides as to whether the food is sweet or bitter. If it is bitter, the tongue rejects it, and if it is sweet, it sends it to the master.

Who is the master? People pray for varied reasons. Students invoke Brahman before having food by reciting Brahmarpanam and offering it to the Lord. Who is the God they refer to? This God is the fire of hunger who replies from within, “I am the fire of hunger residing in your stomach. By digesting food, I grant you strength and satisfaction.” Prayer is the native land of the inner senses where Divinity resides. So, Divinity is enshrined within us. One need not look for it outside. What is more important is realising this indwelling Divinity. We need a mirror to see our face, as it is not possible to see it otherwise. Likewise, with the help of the mirror of wisdom, we can experience the Divinity that resides within us. Oh man, before using the mirror, you must wipe off the dirt over it. You hold the mirror in front of others and see their faces but not yours. Rather, you should hold the mirror of wisdom to see your own face. Man should know his own truth. He undertakes all kinds of spiritual practices but fails to know his self. How can such a person know the world? He is busy enquiring, “Who are you?” but he never asks the question, “Who am I?” If you are unable to give the answer, when you are asked “who are you?”, you will be considered a fool. Hence, be ever engaged in self-inquiry, “Who am I?” “Who am I?”

Know Who You Are

Socrates was an optimist. Once while walking along a lane, he was engaged in self-inquiry as usual. A retired officer who was coming from the opposite side happened to dash against him. He was apparently engrossed in his family problems. Problems faced by man may differ, although the path undertaken is the same. The enraged officer asked him, “Who are you?” Socrates said, “That is what I am pondering over. Kindly tell me who I am.” We are forever trying to understand our real inner nature. All the time, Socrates was contemplating on “Who am I?” “What am I doing?” “What am I seeing?” “What am I thinking?”

Propagate Divinity. Do not waste your time in the pursuit of petty desires. The purpose of human birth is to attain Divinity and bestow happiness on others. Do not forget this truth. Always remember that your ultimate aim is to attain oneness with God.

Once a disciple of Socrates stood up to ask a question. He asked Socrates, “God has given man a lifespan of a hundred years which may be divided into four parts. The first 25 years of the lifespan are spent in sports and enjoyment. During the next 25 years, he has to shoulder the family burden. Responsibilities towards his children and their future consume the next 25 years. During the last 25 years, one is worried about his bank balance. Thus, man has no time to think about God. If God would give man another 25 years, he could think of Him.” Socrates was sitting silent listening to this. He wanted to give him the practical lesson. So, he pretended to cry. “What is the reason for your grief?” asked the disciple. Socrates replied, “Three-fourths of this earth is covered by ocean water, and the remaining portion is made up of mountains, forests, cities and villages. There is no place for me to stand, since the whole earth is covered.” The disciple said, “Sir, when there are crores of beings living on earth, can you not find a place to stand?” Then Socrates gave him a sharp reply, “When you have 100 years as your lifespan, how is it that you have no time to think of God? This is nothing but laziness.”

Forgetting The Body Is Meditation

Do you need a special time to think of God? You can think of God all the time you are discharging your duties. Let your every thought be of God. See all work as God’s work, feel every place you go to as the temple of God. If you think like this, you will have no need to worry about time. Time itself is God, so salute time. Time is also man; man has time as his Atma. Everything is time. If you have an Atmic principle within, you do not need a separate time to think of it.

Once a devotee asked Ramana Maharshi, “How long should we meditate – five minutes, half an hour or one hour?” Ramana Maharshi replied, “As long as you think you are meditating, you have to continue to meditate.” Forgetting the body is meditation. You sit for half an hour but you cannot control your mind even for half a second. What is meditation? Walking is meditation, talking is meditation, eating is meditation, everything is meditation. Without concentration, one cannot perform any action. In order to study, we need concentration. Meditation is not separate; daily life is meditation. When you offer all your actions to God for His pleasure, that is meditation.

During meditation, even if a fly sits on your nose, you are disturbed. Is it meditation on the fly or on God? What is the patience of man? What is the nature of the fly? The fly comes again and sits on the same place. So, you try to kill it; you are fighting with a fly. Man has become very weak. If he cannot tolerate even a fly, how can he control the senses? When you sit in meditation, forget the body, direct the mind to God, and offer your mind, body and senses to Him.

When you sit in your car, you give the responsibility to the driver and sleep without worry. Offer the responsibility for your life to God who is driving your life chariot, and He will look after everything. The rich man sleeps thinking the watchman will protect him and look after his house. When you go to a barber, you give him the responsibility to hold your head and cut your hair, but you cannot bend your head before God. You surrender your clothes to the Dhobi, your house to the watchman, your head to the barber, your car to the driver, but you cannot surrender to God. This is the weakness of man today. When you offer everything to God, He will take over your troubles and worries. Man does not have faith. Develop faith in God and recognise the truth that the same Divinity exists in everyone. Troubles do come; confront them. Think, “The Divine is within me, so troubles cannot harm me.” This willpower is there in every person. You are able to work, study, talk and do everything because of willpower. Willpower is truly God.

Develop Universal Outlook

There are two things in the world, matter and energy. Energy gets converted into matter, and matter into energy. The body is the matter and Atma is the energy. The union of consciousness and the physical body enables us to perform all actions just as light is produced when positive and negative charges are connected. Whenever negative thoughts, depriving you of peace, raise their ugly hood, you must overcome them by drawing positive energy from the wellspring of joy hidden in your heart. Be blissfully immersed in the thoughts of the Atman while doing any work. Swami never asks you to remain idle, for work, in itself, is worship. In India, people perform many types of Puja. But there is no synchronisation between what is said and what is done. You utter Namah and Netram Samarpayami (I offer my eyes) while offering a flower. But you are not offering your vision to the Lord; whereas it is your vision that is to be offered to Him. You have a sacred vision but you use it to enjoy the pleasures offered by the mundane world. Rather focus your vision inward.

Today people are prepared to listen to vain gossip but when the sacred stories of the Lord are narrated, their ears get clogged. People are never tired of going to cinemas but their eyes find it very difficult to concentrate on the beautiful form of the Lord even for a minute.

(Telugu Song)

Today selfishness is prevalent everywhere in the world. You show great enthusiasm in locating your face in a photograph without bothering about others in it. While you are going through the examination results, you make sure your roll number is there in the list. While standing in a bus queue, you are anxious to reserve a comfortable seat for you in the bus, with no consideration for others, especially the elderly and the aged, who deserve priority.

Develop universal outlook. If you rejoice at the success of others, you too will be assured of success sooner or later. Gradually, you should try to get rid of narrow-mindedness and develop broad-mindedness. Developing a universal outlook will drive away your selfishness. This vast world will confer happiness on you only if you nurture generous feelings within you. Then the day will not be far when Divinity shines forth within you in all its glory!

(Bhagawan brought His Discourse to a close with the Bhajan “Govinda Krishna Jai…”)

– Bhagawan’s Divine Discourse at Sai Sruthi, Kodaikanal on
2nd May 1997.