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6th
MAY 2007 |
Divine Discourse on Easwaramma Day in Kodaikanal - |
KODAIKANAL |
by
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Note:
Discourses of Sri Sathya Sai Baba
at SBOIwebsite/group are unedited, authentic & only
sourced from the official Sai baba Org.
Photos & report:
Kodaikanal - Easwaramma Day 6th May 2007
MAKE YOUR MIND THE MASTER OF DESIRES
Embodiments of Love!
Easwaramma Day is held to commemorate the day when Easwaramma 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. Body is ephemeral, evanescent and
impermanent. Whatever is born is transient only. Whatever is there is this
world is bound to perish. Only one thing remains forever and that is the
mind. But many people call it monkey mind. 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 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. But many people do
not give due importance to it. One who consider 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. (At this point of time, 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. Everyone should try to know this truth.
As is the Feeling, so is the Result
At the time of my departure for East Africa, Easwaramma 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 round 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. Bisons 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 also will look at us
with love. Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavathi (as is the feeling, 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 the road. Some
were suckling their young ones, some others were eating the meat of an
animal brought 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. You can see, 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.
Do not develop body attachment
Meanwhile, Easwaramma 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 everyday 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, Easwaramma used to describe to the people all that
happened during these visits and exhorted them to follow the ideals set by
Swami.
Once the Summer Course in Indian Culture and Spirituality was being
conducted at Bangalore. At that time, Easwaramma 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 the 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 called back saying, “I am coming, I am
coming, I am coming.” The she asked Me to come quickly and I came to her
immediately. She caught hold 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, immediately I 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. 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 Easwaramma. 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 Easwaramma!” 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 Iswarchandra Vidyasagar who fulfilled
the noble desires of his mother and set an example of service to society.
He also taught the lesson of humility and selfless service to an I.C.S.
officer by carrying his suitcase from the railway station to the place
where Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar himself was to deliver his speech.)
Easwaramma 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 sattwic food. When I am in Puttaparthi, I always
eat Ragi Sankati with groundnut Chutney. Sometimes, I take Sankati with
Totakura Dhal instead of Chutney. I do not relish any other item. I do not
touch spicey items like Kurmas, Burmas! I do not even like the smell of
Kurma. My only dietary requirement is Sankati with Chutney. 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
completing 81 years. 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.
Source: sssbpt.org
***SBOI***
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