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Divine Discourse on
Christmas, 25th Dec 2008 |
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Prasanthi Nilayam - Kulwant Hall |
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CONTEMPLATE ON GOD, THE
REAL HERO, FOR VICTORY
Bharat is the motherland of many
noble souls who earned great name and fame in all the continents of the world. This
is the land of valorous people who vanquished the foreign rulers in the battlefield
and attained independence. This is the land that excelled in music, literature, and
other fine arts. Having been born in this great land of Bharat, oh boys and girls,
it is your sacred duty to protect its rich cultural heritage (Telugu poem)
Embodiments of Love!
What can one say about Jesus Christ that has not been said already! Today is
Christmas, the holy day on which Jesus Christ was born some two thousand years ago.
You all know about it.
All that we see, hear, and do are like dream scenes, which will disappear soon. They
are, of course, true as long as you sleep. The moment you wake up or slide into deep
sleep, they just disappear. Similarly, all that you see, hear, and do in the
objective world are also like dream scenes. They are unreal and subject to constant
change. The Atma Tathwa (Atmic Principle) is the only entity that is permanent in
all the three periods of time, namely, past, present, and future as also the waking,
dream, and deep sleep states. This Atma Tathwa is love. In fact, love is born out of
Atma only. If only you cultivate love, the entire world will come under your
control.
Do not hurt anyone. “Hurt never, love ever.” You have to constantly remember love,
which is the eternal truth. You are not one person, you are three: (1) the one you
think you are, (2) the one others think you are, and (3) the one you really are.
That is your real nature. You say “this is my body, this is my mind, this is my
intellect, this is my chitta (mind., memory)”, etc. But who is this “my”?
Unfortunately, no one today puts this question to them self. When you say “my body,”
you are separate from your body. You say “this is my house”. But who are you? You
have to find the answer to this question.
How long is this house, which you say is yours, going to last? It is sure to
dilapidate sooner than later. All these worldly objects are subject to change and
destruction.
There is only one entity that is changeless, that is Brahma Tathwa (Brahma
Principle). This is love. If only you get hold of it, everything else will come
under your control. Wherever you look today, there are only desires, desires, and
more desires. You have to put a ceiling on these desires. Only then will your mind
become steady. You say “I want this, I want that,” etc. Thus, you develop many
wants. But they are all like passing clouds. Why should you multiply your wants for
these passing clouds? Ultimately, nothing accompanies you at the time of your
leaving this mortal body.
Great kings and emperors ruled over this world. They conquered several countries and
accumulated boundless wealth. Even Alexander the Great, who conquered several parts
of the world. could not take with him even a miniscule part of the wealth he had
accumulated. He had to leave this world with empty hands. In order to demonstrate
this truth, he instructed his ministers to take his dead body in a procession
through the streets of his capital, keeping both his hands in a raised position
pointing toward the sky. When the ministers were curious to know the reason for this
strange request, he replied “I have conquered several countries and accumulated so
much wealth. There is a vast army under my control. Yet, none is accompanying me at
the time of my leaving this body. I am going with empty hands. This has to be
demonstrated to all people.”
Embodiments of Love!
People should, of course, have some comforts for this physical body and fulfill some
desires that are necessary for their daily life. But, unfortunately, these desires
are reaching to a point of insatiability. You may live for a few years or a full
hundred years in this physical world. One day or other, the body has to be cast off.
Hence, do not cultivate unlimited desires.
Some people have intense desire to have the vision of God. Where is God? You are all
embodiments of Divinity. God is not separate. Men are more valuable than all the
wealth in the world. In human form is God.
We see three kinds of beings in the world: tame animals, wild beasts, and human
beings. One has to analyse for oneself whether one belongs to the category of
animals or beasts or human beings. If you think you are a human being, then you
should cultivate human values, lead a human life, and develop human thoughts.
First and foremost, truth is a human value. Truth does not undergo any change in all
the three periods of time —past, present, and future. Truth is always Truth. You
have to develop faith in that Truth. All others undergo change. You say ‘I am
peaceful today.’ What about tomorrow? No peace! All pieces, pieces! Hence, this
state of peace also undergoes change!
“Love is God; live in love.” In fact, your entire life is nourished and nurtured by
love. When truth and love go together, nonviolence is the result. Where there is
love, people will not quarrel among themselves, they don’t get angry against
someone. When you develop love, you consider all people as your brothers. Suppose
you meet someone and say “hello, brother,” even your enemy will respond by saying,
‘hello brother.’
Yad bhavam tad bhavati (as the feeling, so is the result). Hence, you have to
develop noble feelings. Good and bad arise only from your thoughts. If something bad
happens, it is not something that others have done to you. Nor has God a role to
play in this. You are bad to yourself! Your thoughts have done harm to you!
Suppose you are happy —even that is not caused by God. That too is on account of
your own thoughts. Hence, you have to purify your own thoughts, first and foremost.
When you develop pure thoughts, your life will be happy and peaceful. Where there is
purity, there Divinity is. Unfortunately, today, Divinity is being divided and
differentiated in the name of religion. Where unity, purity, and divinity go
together, life will be happy.
God is not responsible for either your good thoughts or your bad thoughts. Only you
are responsible for both. If you have bad thoughts, that is your own making. All are
one’s own making. The same is the case with good thoughts.
Look! How beautiful are these lights in this hall! Who made them? Only human beings.
Hence, there can be no Divinity without humanness. Humanness must be sanctified.
Human beings must cultivate human values. Only then can they attain Divinity.
The senses create a lot of unsteadiness in us. They lead us to bad ways in many
ways. However, when our mind is pure, they lead us on the noble path. Hence, keep
your mind fresh and pure always. It should not be allowed to waver, which leads us
to ups and downs.
It is said, Manomoolam idam jagath (the entire world is permeated by the mind). Do
not think that God is separate from you. You are confused because you think you are
separate from God. Not only are you confused, but your ‘”use” is also blown, meaning
you are engulfed in darkness. Your faith in God must always be steady and
unwavering.
Today, the world is facing a lot of unrest. People are indulging in criminal
activities. What then is your role in the present situation? You need not do
anything else. Just do namasmarana (contemplating and chanting the name of God)
incessantly. Contemplate upon your inner Self. You need not use any kind of bombs
and weapons. Remain calm and unperturbed at all times. Maintain the attitude that
whatever happens is only for your own good. On the other hand, if you constantly
brood that so and so did this and so and so did that, you will only develop hatred
against others. Instead, constantly contemplate on God with a calm and steady mind.
Never lose your courage and fortitude. If you maintain courage and fortitude, the
worldly worries cannot trouble you in the least and cause fear and anxiety in you.
The physical body is susceptible to birth and death. It is its nature.
The Atma is eternal, without birth or death. It has no beginning, middle, or end. It
is omnipresent and the eternal witness. (Telugu poem)
Today, we indulge in negative thoughts relating to the body. Never entertain
negative thoughts. The physical body is like a water bubble. The mind is like a mad
monkey. The body is bound to perish sooner or later. Hence, do not trust the
physical body. Do not believe your mind.
Of course, you should take proper care of your body as long as you live; for the
body enables you to lead your life. Later, it drops down of its own accord. No one
lives in this world permanently. There is only one entity in this world that is
permanent: the Atma.
People say, “my self, my self” and “I, I”. This single letter “I” is the real Atma
(Self). A person with two minds is said to be confused and ignorant. “A man with
dual mind is half blind.” Hence, develop single-minded faith and devotion. Once you
develop faith in anything, it should last till your death.
Unfortunately, people change their faith every now and then. If they are in
difficulties, they respond in one way. If they are passing through better times,
their behaviour will be altogether different. This should not happen. Love, love,
love — that is the only changeless quality. One should cultivate such changeless
love.
Whatever happens, it is as per God’s will. You think you are the doer, out of your
ego. You are not the doer. Where are you? You are not there, really. It is your
inner Self, your inner voice that really responds to situations. Hence, “you” means
your Atma (Self).
Faith in the inner Self is the basis for everything in this world. Jesus was
crucified on the cross. Mother Mary could not bear that scene and wept inconsolably.
Jesus then remarked, “Why do you cry? This is natural. Whatever has to happen will
happen. Hence, do not shed tears.”
Jesus helped the fishermen in many ways. He gave them bread. Once, the fishermen
could not catch even one fish. Jesus then called Peter and said, “Peter, bring the
fishing net and follow me.” He directed the fishermen to cast the net at a
particular place. There was such a huge catch that even all the fishermen could not
pull the net to the shore. Thus, God can do anything at His Divine will.
Everything is God’s gift only. One has to realise this fact and develop faith
accordingly. If you are enjoying good times, it is God’s gift. On the other hand, if
you are passing through difficult times, it is also God’s gift. You should develop
such steady faith. If you are suffering from malarial fever, you will be given
bitter pills. That is also for your good.
Good and bad coexist, none can separate them. You cannot find good or bad to the
exclusion of the other. (Telugu poem)
Bad is not there separately, in a distant corner. Good and bad exist together. It is
only a difference of time. Hence, accept everything as God’s gift. If we encounter
bad, we express disgust and say, “I don’t want this!” Do not do that. There is good
even in bad. There is good in bad and bad in good. Good and bad are like the obverse
and reverse of the same coin. Only the time at which they occur differs.
Suppose you ate nice, tasty food consisting of sweets, bread, etc., tonight.
Tomorrow morning it turns into excreta. The good food has turned into bad matter.
Thus, good and bad occur at different times, not at the same time.
What we have to do in the present-day world is constant prayer to God. If only you
develop faith in your own self, everything will accrue unto you. If you do not have
that faith, all your wealth and property is a mere waste. We hanker after worldly
possessions with ego and arrogance, but they lead us to nowhere. They are sure to
land us in peril one day or other. Hence, always conduct yourself with humility and
faith in God thinking, “everything is God’s gift; God is the doer of everything.”
Where is God? This is the question skeptics often raise. God is in you, with you,
above you, below you, and around you. He is your Hridayavasi (indweller of your
heart). Your Atma is none other than God, verily. Hence, you need not search for God
elsewhere.
You repeat the names of Rama and Krishna, thus identifying Divinity with a
particular name and form. That which is beyond the body, that which is beyond the
name is real Divinity. Divinity has nothing to do with the physical body. The
physical body may subsist only for a limited period. It constantly undergoes change.
At the time of birth, you call it a “child”. As it grows, you call it a “boy”. After
some time, you call it a “man”. Thereafter, when it becomes old, you call it a
“grandfather”. The child, boy, man, and grandfather are all one only.
Though God has come in human form and is acting as a human being now, never forget
to realise Him as God. Since we are in human frames, let us know God in human form.
Devoid of your physical body, you can never realise God. Hence, you have to
experience God only in human form.
People develop ego on the basis of their physical and intellectual capabilities,
wealth, and property. It is also common to see ego showing its head in positions of
power. All these will vanish in no time. Even your body will perish.
Unfortunately, these days, people consider the ephemeral worldly possessions as
permanent while ignoring the really permanent things. Hence, realise the true nature
of Atma Tathwa.
People flock to this place in thousands and lakhs to have the darshan of this
physical body. The more important thing to realise is that the physical body points
to the eternal Divinity. Divinity is beyond the body. Hence, do not treat the
physical body as permanent. However, keep up the health of the physical body as long
as you live. Do not neglect it, thinking that it is bound to perish one day or the
other. You have to look after the welfare of the body till your last breath. It is
not your concern what happens to it later.
Embodiments of Love!
You need not go in search of the Atma. It is omnipresent — behind you, with you,
around you, and above you. People do not repose their faith in such an omnipresent
Atmic consciousness; they hanker after ephemeral things. Hence, first and foremost,
you have to enquire which is permanent and which is not. Ask yourself, ”Who am I?”
The answer comes “I am a human being.”
If you consider yourself a human being, you must have human qualities. An animal
like an ox or a he-buffalo ploughs the land, eats grass, and does some hard work in
the fields. Similarly, the nature of a beast is to pounce upon all creatures and
cause them harm, including killing. We are not animals or beasts. We are human
beings.
Hence, we have to cultivate human qualities. What are they? Truth, peace, love and
nonviolence. To develop the quality of nonviolence, you have to cultivate love
first. Where there is love, there nonviolence will be. Similarly, love, peace, and
truth are all interdependent. When love and truth go together, peace is the result.
Truth is an innate divine quality.
This is not bookish knowledge; this is the manifestation of the inner Self. There is
no human in this world in whom truth is not present. However, one conceals that
truth and makes it appear as untruth. Sadly we are more interested in falsehood than
truth, today.
You might have witnessed a number of dramas and playlets on the theme of love. Rama,
Krishna, Sita, and Radha are all mythological characters. Rama and Sita, Krishna and
Radha are shining examples of Prema Tathwa (Love Principle). Hence, they are
referred to as Sitaramulu and Radhakrishnulu.
The demon king Ravana confined Sita in Lanka for ten months. He used to coax her
frequently to become his queen. However, she flatly refused to submit herself to his
overtures, saying “you are in no way comparable to Rama, the embodiment of Truth and
Righteousness.” She never even looked at his face. She pulled out a blade of grass
and threw it on the ground saying, “You are like this blade of grass. Your might and
power cannot be compared to that of Rama.” Such was her intense faith in Rama.
One has to develop such strong faith in Divinity. There are a number of terrorists
operating in various parts of the world. But none of them can cause any damage to
you if you develop faith and love in God. God is everywhere. You should repose firm
faith in that omnipresent God. Any number of bombs cannot cause the least damage to
your body. God is in you, with you, around you, above you, and below you.
Unfortunately, people repose more confidence in temporary and palliative measures,
which are like ‘peppermints’, than developing firm faith in the omnipotent and
omnipresent Divinity. Do not take Divinity lightly. Divinity is the only Chief for
the entire universe. Develop faith in that Chief. Call Him by any name — Rama,
Krishna, Jesus, or Allah; God is only one. Ekam sath viprah bahudha vadanti (truth
is one, but the wise refer to it by various names).
Put the single digit 1 and any number of zeroes thereafter, and the value of that
number increases by leaps and bounds. But remove the 1 and the value of the number
comes to zero even if you put one hundred zeroes one after the other. God is the
only Hero, while all others are zeroes. Hence, keep God in the front always. If you
contemplate on God, the real Hero, you can achieve victory in all fields.
The so-called bombs and other powers cannot do any damage to you. The human power is
not comparable to any other power. After all, who made the bomb? Only the human
being. Then, who is great? Is it the one who made the bomb or the object itself?
Undoubtedly, the human being is great. A human being should realise their innate
strength and greatness.
Vedanta (philosophy) exhorts the human being to realise their true nature by a
process of enquiry into themselves. If you enquire into yourself by putting the
question, “Who am I?”, back comes the reply, Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman). You have
to constantly remind yourself, “I am not a human being, I am God verily.”
As far as the physical body is concerned, you are a human being. When God is with
you, in you, around you, why should you have to fear man-made bombs? Develop
self-confidence. Develop faith in the Atma Tathwa. The Self in you is the Supreme
Self. When that Supreme Self is present in your body, why should you have to fear
anyone? Even if the body becomes weak, the power of that Supreme Self drives you to
march forward. It will help you.
Hence, may all people contemplate on God incessantly!
Do not get confused with names. You can contemplate on any name. Many varieties of
sweets are prepared with sugar, which is the basic ingredient. You may eat any sweet
of your choice. But, all sweets taste sweet only.
Everything is God. Do not entertain any doubts in this regard. Doubts create
confusion in you. If a human being is to live the life of a real human being, all
doubts have to be removed. The sooner the better, for, as long as doubts persist,
they work like slow poison. Develop faith in yourself. That is called self-faith. If
only you possess self-faith, none can cause any harm to you. Even bombs cannot do
any damage. Many people develop a fear complex these days that that area is attacked
with bombs, this area is attacked with bombs, etc. We need not entertain any such
fear.
Embodiments of Love!
You have all gathered here with great devotion, love, and faith. Keep up that
feeling of love. Constantly remind yourself, “I am God! I am God!” with a feeling of
love for God. If anyone asks your name, do not reply, “I am so and so.” Instead,
reply, “I am God.” Not only I, you are also God! Everybody is God. Develop such
confidence.
(Bhagawan sang two bhajans, “Prema mudita manase kaho …” and Hari bhajan bina …” and
then continued His Discourse)
You all say, “I want peace, I want peace, I want happiness.” Where is this peace and
happiness? They are available in Hari bhajana only (singing the glory of God). You
will get peace and happiness only by singing the glory of the Divine Name. They
cannot be obtained from any shop. “Hari bhajana bina sukha santhi nahin …” Peace and
happiness have to well up from the inner spring of your own heart. If you wish to
have peace, happiness and bliss, contemplate on the Divine Name in your heart. Be
happy.
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source:
www.sssbpt.org / webpage layout:
www.saibabaofindia.com |
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Christmas 2008 Divine Discourse
