Make Your Mind The Master Of Your Desires
Embodiments of Love!
Eashwaramma Day is held to commemorate the day when Eashwaramma left her physical body.
The body is made up of five elements,
and is bound to perish sooner or later,
but the indweller has neither birth nor
death.
The indweller has no attachment whatsoever
and is the eternal witness.
(Telugu poem)
Understand The Importance Of The Mind
People are deluded by body attachment. The body is ephemeral, evanescent and impermanent. Whatever is born is transient only. Whatever is there in this world is bound to perish. Only one thing remains forever and that is the mind. However, many people call it the monkey mind. No, no. You belong to mankind and have nothing to do with monkey mind. The mind, in fact, is of the nature of the Self. You should make befitting efforts to understand its true nature. Only those who have control over their mind can be called human beings. There are many in this world who are highly educated. There are also many who have mastered various forms of knowledge and are engaged in mighty tasks. But they cannot be called human beings in the true sense of the term if they have no control over their mind. All kinds of good and bad thoughts occur in the mind. Keeping the mind away from all that is bad, you should accept only that which is good. Never allow your mind to associate itself with anything that is bad.
Goddess Lakshmi always chants “_Narayana, Narayana_” only. The principle of Atma originates from Lord Narayana. You may say Atma or mind or Hridaya; they are all one. The Atma means Narayana only. The mind is also Narayana. And so is the heart. Narayana is called Hridayavasi (indweller of the heart). We should give utmost importance to the mind. However, many people do not give due importance to it. One who considers his mind as the basis of his life is a true human being. One who leaves his mind to its whims and fancies is, in reality, a monkey and not a human being. You should make your mind the centre of your awareness. Leaving the mind to its arbitrary ways is like leaving your life principle itself. Hence, make your mind the basis of every aspect of your life. (Here Bhagawan materialised a gold medallion).
This medallion has the image of Lakshmi at its centre with precious stones all around it. The precious stones represent the desires, over which presides Lakshmi who is true, eternal and permanent. You should make your mind the master of desires like Lakshmi. Manah Eva Manushyanam Karanam Bandha Mokshayo (mind is the cause of bondage and liberation of man). Everyone should try to know this truth.
As Are The Feelings, So Is The Result
At the time of My departure for East Africa, Eashwaramma tried to dissuade Me from going, saying, “Swami! I hear there are many fierce animals in those forests and the place is full of all kinds of dangers. Therefore, You should not go there. Whatever You will, all that will come here. Then, why do You want to go there?” I told her, “I am not going to see the wild animals there. I am going in response to the loving prayers of My devotees.”
When I went there, the devotees of East Africa arranged small aeroplanes. I went around the forest in one such plane. There were thousands of wild elephants in the Kampala forest. It looked as though the entire forest was full of elephants. I had taken bananas with Me and gave one each to some of them. All of them enjoyed eating it. Bison were also seen in thousands. We saw lions lying on the road here and there. Even when we drove our jeep over their tails, they did not react. Even fierce animals will not harm us if our mind is good. They will attack us only when we try to harm them. When we look at them with love, they will also look at us with love. Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavati (as are the feelings, so is the result). Our thoughts are the cause of their enmity or trust.
As we went forward, looking at the animals, we saw fifteen lions lying near a road. Some were suckling their young, some others were eating the meat of an animal brought down by them. I said to Dr. Patel and others who accompanied Me, “When we do not harm them, they also do not harm us.” Taking a camera from one of those who accompanied Me, I went near the lions and took their photographs. All of them were happy to see Me. None of the lions did any harm to us. When you approach them with the evil intention of harming or killing them, they will also try to kill you. We should never go to them with such wicked thoughts. In fact, we should not look at any being with evil intentions.
Meanwhile, Eashwaramma kept thinking about Me with great concern and did not even eat her food properly, with the result that she became quite weak. I kept her informed every day morning and evening by phone from Kampala, saying, “I am quite all right.” Hearing this, she used to be somewhat comforted. When I came from Kampala, she was very happy. She came near My car and garlanded Me, saying, “Swami, You look very happy and healthy.” She took Me inside and rotated a coconut in front of Me to ward off the effect of evil looks of others. She was beside herself with joy and said, “Swami, I never imagined that Your trip would be such a grand success.” She shared her joy with one and all in Puttaparthi also. Whenever we visited other places, on our return to Puttaparthi, Eashwaramma used to describe to the people all that happened during these visits and exhorted them to follow the ideals set by Swami.
Eashwaramma’s Request To Swami
Once the Summer Course on Indian culture and spirituality was being conducted at Bangalore (now Bengaluru). At that time, Eashwaramma had also come with Me. As long as she was alive, she always desired, “Swami, wherever You go, I should go with You.” She asked Me to give her a promise that I would not leave Puttaparthi. I gave her this promise. “Wherever a tree is planted, it should be allowed to grow there only. If it is pulled out and planted at different places, it cannot attain proper growth,” she used to say and pleaded with Me, “Swami, You should always reside at the place of Your birth.”
One day, after her breakfast, she had a cup of coffee. Suddenly, she shouted “Swami, Swami, Swami.” I said, “I am coming, I am coming, I am coming.” Then she asked Me to come quickly and I came to her immediately. She caught hold of My hands and placed them on her head and breathed her last. Where was the need to keep the body which had no life in it? Therefore, I immediately sent her body to Puttaparthi. I sent Ramabrahmam with the body after giving him necessary instructions. Those who were present there said, “Swami, You should also go with the body.” But I refused to go.
Do Not Develop Body Attachment
Summer classes were in progress and students had come from many countries. The students thought, there would be no classes on that day as Swami would be going with the body of Mother Eashwaramma. But the classes were held as usual and I went to the second class. The students wondered, “How has Swami come! He was supposed to go with the body of Mother Eashwaramma!” Why should I go with the body? The body goes as it comes. I did not come with her body; I came separately. Therefore, I sent her body to Puttaparthi in a car with the instructions to make a Samadhi for her.
Many people in Puttaparthi also wondered, “Why Swami has not come with the body!” The body comes alone and goes alone only. Everyone comes alone and goes alone. Ekameva Adviteeyam Brahma (God is one without a second). After the completion of summer classes, I went to Puttaparthi. I told everybody there, “It is natural for the body to have birth, growth and death. All bodies are like that. Therefore, nobody should have body attachment.”
(Here, Swami told the life story of Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar who fulfilled the noble desires of his mother and set an example of service to society. Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar also taught the lesson of humility and selfless service to an I.C.S. officer by carrying his briefcase from the railway station to the place where he himself was to deliver a speech.)
Simple Food Habits Of Swami
Eashwaramma was happy that I ate only simple food. She would say, “Swami, You should let the world know about Your food habits.” I said, “I would certainly do so.” Right from those days, I have been emphasising on the need to have simple and satvika food. When I am in Puttaparthi, I always eat ragi sankati (gruel made of a coarse grain) with groundnut pacchadi. Sometimes, I take sankati with totakura dal (a preparation made of a leafy vegetable) instead of pacchadi. I do not relish any other item. I do not touch spicy curries like kurmas, burmas, etc. I do not even like the smell of kurma. My only dietary requirement is sankati with pacchadi. But when I visit other places, people in those towns do not know what sankati is. So, I eat whatever the devotees prepare for Me. I conduct Myself in accordance with the time, situation and circumstances. However, I never deviate from My practices; I strictly adhere to them. Let people think what they want. I never imitate the practices of others. In this manner, this body is entering its 82nd year. But none can say that I look like an 82-year-old person.
May you sanctify your time in the service of Swami! May you put into practice the principles of service that I have taught you! With this, I bring My Discourse to a close.
Eashwaramma Day 6-5-2007, Sai Sruthi, Kodaikanal.