Foster Morality To Uphold Humanness

With ears deaf for the good and the true, all ears for evil and gossip, how can such people hope for the divine? Such is the truth. This is the truth that is being conveyed.

(Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Love!

The need of the hour is that young men and women should develop and foster moral values. It is their bounden duty to uphold values. However, today the youth are unable to understand what morality is and what its values are, leave alone practicing them. Consequently, they are subjected to untold hardships. It is said, one who lacks Néti (morality) is worse than a Koti (monkey). The term Néti is no ordinary word. It is highly valuable and sacred. How can one who does not foster morality, uphold humanness? Humanness lies in leading a life of morality. The modern youth have no idea as to what life is and what its goal is. Morality is referred to as paurusham in Sanskrit. In fact, Jesus taught the importance of morality to the leaders in the Roman kingdom. Consequently, they named their kingdom after Jesus and called it the kingdom of God. The true meaning of morality lies in cognizing and manifesting the latent divinity in humanity and propagating the same to the entire world. The English word ‘person’ has its origin in the Roman word ‘persona’. The Romans used this word to describe Jesus as he manifested his divinity and attracted everyone. The word ‘persona’ symbolizes the divinity latent in man. Similarly, vyakti is the equivalent word in Telugu for ‘person’. A vyakti is one who has the capacity to manifest the avyakta (hidden) divinity. The words ‘persona’ and vyakti point to the truth that divinity lies in a hidden way in everybody. Man should make every effort to express the divinity that is hidden in him. Only then can he be called a vyakti or a true human being. Though divinity is latent in him, he considers himself weak and helpless, as he is unable to recognize and manifest this divinity.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, Bharat was ruled by several kings. Thousands of years before the advent of Christ, Sri Ramachandra incarnated on the earth, and earned the appreciation of all as an ideal emperor. Emperor Akbar and emperor Shivaji were also held in high esteem. They followed the spiritual path expressing their innate divinity. Every man must endeavor to express his innate divinity. The modern man has no knowledge of what vyakti means. He should give up ego and attachment, contemplate on divinity and cultivate sacred feelings. He should develop theistic values and follow the spiritual path. What is spirituality? Spirituality means giving up of animal tendencies and expressing the innate divinity. But modern education has robbed man of his humanness. Consequently, he is forgetting his innate divinity and cultivates bestial temperaments. People have forgotten the very meaning of humanness. That is why for the last fifteen years, we have taken up the propagation of human values in a big way. What are the human values? People say truth, righteousness, peace, love, and non-violence are the human values. But true humanness lies in subduing the animal tendencies completely and contemplating on the Divine all the time.

The Upanishats have described man as a sacred being. The one with a good mind (manas) is a true human being (maanava). Goodness lies in leading an ideal life, expressing the aatmic principle and enjoying infinite bliss. Today good men are found one in a million. What is the inner meaning of the word MAN. He alone is a man in the true sense who overcomes maaya (illusion), has the vision of the aatma and attains nirvana (liberation). Today man is immersed in maaya. He has forgotten the aatma. How can he then attain nirvana? First of all, one should vanquish maaya. Maaya means taking the non-existent entity as real. Maaya makes man forget his reality, subjects him to misery, and takes him away from the goal of life.

Our ancients have prescribed the worship of Maha Kali, Maha Durga, and Maha Saraswati during these Navaratris (nine nights). Durga is the embodiment of all powers. Durga represents the combination of all the powers of body, mind, and soul. Maha Kali symbolizes the destruction of evil with the help of these powers. Maha Kali and Maha Durga are not elsewhere. They reside in every man. When the mind and the senses, instead of following the dictates of conscience, follow wicked qualities, man becomes a slave to evil habits and turns wicked. The main purpose of the celebration of Navaratris is to annihilate cruelty and wickedness in man and to bring forth the principle of the aatma in pristine form. When man reads, hears, and does wicked things, how can he expect to foster goodness? It is nothing short of bhrama (delusion) if he thinks that he is leading a good life. Brahma (Divinity) eludes one who is under the influence of bhrama.

Divinity is present in all. It has to be manifested. Just as man extracts various metals like copper, silver, etc., from mines, one should manifest sacred qualities from the mine of divinity, i.e., heart. On listening to the teachings of Jesus, the people of Rome realized that divinity is present in every human being in a hidden way. Not merely that, divinity is all-pervasive in the form of chaitanya (consciousness). There is no place where this chaitanya is not present. But man denies the existence of consciousness, as it is not visible to the naked eye. One should have the firm conviction that divinity is immanent in everything.

The mind is not like a white cloth; it bears the impressions of all that is seen and experienced by man in this world. The effects of the acts of previous lives are imprinted on it. The mind is a conglomeration of conflicts, disturbances, and desires. The desires make man forget his true nature. One who forgets his humanness is no human at all. Purification of the mind is the real spiritual practice that one has to undertake. You will have the right to call yourself a human being only when you have a pure mind. Out of His infinite love, kindness, and compassion when Swami tells good words, people are not prepared to listen to them. But they all have ears to hear evil things.

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)

Vinasakalé Viparéeta Buddhi (when one’s time is bad, his mind gets perverted). One should listen only to sacred words which are beneficial to one and all. The words you utter should not cause pain to others. They should be suffused with love.

Today is the first day of the Veda Purusha Saptaha Jñana Yajnam. Purusha does not mean one who wears a pant and a shirt. God alone is purusha. One with paurusham is purusha. Understand that all worldly feelings are negative in nature. Divinity alone is positive. It is within you. It is not subjected to change.

Embodiments of Love!

Modern students are not making any effort to cultivate moral values. One who lacks morality is no human being at all. True education is that which inculcates moral values. All your worldly achievements are of no avail, if you lack moral values. You may amass wealth, build mansions, and hold positions of authority, but without morality, all these are of little value. Morality is latent in the human heart. Man has to make every effort to manifest it, but he is engrossed in worldly matters.

God cannot be attained by wealth, position, and power. He submits Himself only to morality and integrity. So, men and women should uphold morality and integrity. They should have daiva preeti, papa bheeti and sangha néti (love for God, fear of sin, and morality in society). Unfortunately, man is cultivating paap preeti and daiva dvesham (love for sin and hatred towards God). Daiva dvesham is the worst of all sins. Love all. Understand the fundamental principle, ekatma sarvabhootantaratma (one aatma is present in all beings). Love is the common principle to all. One bereft of love is like a corpse. So, cultivate love. Only through love can you realize your true nature. Just as one strives hard to earn money through various means, one should spare no efforts to cultivate love by treading along the spiritual path. Just as anicuts are built across the rivers for irrigation purposes, man should have the anicut of sense control across the river of his life and direct his love for the benefit of society. He should conduct himself keeping in mind the welfare of society as his own welfare.

Students!

As today is the first day of the yajna, I have given you guidelines for the future course of action in a simple manner. First of all, develop morality and purify your mind. The mind by nature is pure, but it is being polluted because of its association with evil qualities. Repent wholeheartedly for the mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly. That would atone for your sins and purify your mind. Once you realize your mistake, repent wholeheartedly and see that you do not repeat that mistake.

Embodiments of Love!

Your life is truly sacred. You are fortunate in the sense that you have chosen the spiritual path. Do not fritter away this opportunity by associating yourselves with evil company. Tell me your company I shall tell what you are. Your thoughts and actions are decided by the company you join. As is your company, so you become. The good and bad of the world are based on man’s conduct. Man’s conduct is based on his thoughts. Thoughts are based on desires. Desires depend on the company you associate yourselves with. So, join good company. Good company gives rise to noble thoughts. Noble thoughts are the royal road to divinity.

Embodiments of Love!

Any mighty task can be accomplished if you have morality. Tomorrow, I will dilate on this topic of néti and nijayati (morality and integrity). Néti is the basis for maanava jaati (human race). There is only one father for the entire humanity, and He is God. Jesus addressed God as his father. At the time of crucifixion, he prayed, “Oh father, what sin have I committed? Why do you make me suffer? Please help me.” Then an ethereal voice spoke to Jesus thus, “My dear son, why do you worry? All are your brothers. You are thinking that you are being put to suffering by your own brothers. In fact, it is not suffering. Whatever happens is good for you. So, accept it cheerfully.” Jesus attained the state of tranquility and quietly closed his eyes. He declared, Death is the dress of life. Just as you change your dress, likewise the soul takes a new body after death. The aatma has no death at all. The body may change, but the aatma is immortal. You are eternal; you never change. The body changes, the mind changes. So, you are not the body or the mind or the intellect, you are the aatma. The aatma has no form. It is called consciousness. The five elements are the forms of the aatma. Distance yourselves from anritattvam (falsehood) and attain amritattvam (immortality).

Today man is ruining his life with bhraanti (delusion), which is giving rise to limitless desires. It is said, Less luggage, more comfort make travel a pleasure. Your journey of life will be smooth and peaceful once you reduce the luggage of your desires. What is it that you brought with you at the time of birth? What is it that you are going to take with you at the time of death? You have come to this world empty-handed and will go empty-handed. Understand that everything is a passing cloud. Your body has undergone changes; mind also keeps changing. So, you are neither of them. You are the changeless eternal aatma. At the time of birth, you were a baby, after 10 years, you are called a boy. At the age of thirty, you are called man and at 75, you become grandfather. These changes are related to the body (pravritti). However, the innate aatmic principle remains the same at any point in time. Therefore, aatma is your true Self. Develop aatma-vishwasam (Self-confidence). Anything can be achieved with self-confidence. So, one should develop faith in oneself. One who does not believe in oneself cannot believe in God. Today man is reading various books, but what is the use? What is the use of acquiring worldly education if it cannot lead you to immortality? Acquire the knowledge that will make you immortal. To the extent possible, help everybody. Paropakaarah punyaaya, paapaaya parapidanam (Serving others is meritorious and hurting them is a sin). Hands are given to serve others, ears are given to listen to stories of the Lord, Truth is the true necklace that one should decorate oneself with. The evil effects of Kali cannot harm a person whose heart is filled with compassion, who speaks truth and whose body is always engaged in the service of others.

Today man is all the time immersed in worldly pursuits. He is being carried away by momentary joys and pleasures. One day or the other all worldly wealth and comforts will desert you. God alone is always with you. Even if you forget Him, He will never forsake you. So, think of God always. All your chintalu (worries) will disappear in the chintana (contemplation) of God. To be born is a worry, to be on the earth is a worry; the world is a cause of worry and death too; entire childhood is a worry and so is the old age; life is a worry, failure is a worry; all actions and difficulties cause worry; even happiness is a worry in disguise. Oh people, at least from now onwards chant the Divine Name incessantly and wholeheartedly. That alone will end your worries.

(Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Love!

God is not separate from you. You are God. But you do various sadhanas to attain God, thinking that He is separate from you. Constantly remind yourselves that you are God. Be blissful always. Some are worried about examinations and some are worried about their parents’ sickness, but will worrying help them in any way? Can anyone escape from experiencing difficulties merely by worrying about them? No. Whatever has to happen will happen. So, never give scope to worry. Be happy always. Happiness is union with God. You will be blissful only when you are in the company of God. It is impossible to attain bliss if you think that God is separate from you. Think of God whenever you find the time. Develop noble thoughts. Take to the sacred path. Never give room to mean and wicked feelings.

Bhagawan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan,

Hari Bhajan Bina Sukha Shaanti Nahin…

20-10-2001, Prasanthi Nilayam