|
All Are Bound by the Law of
Karma
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
at
Prashanti Nilayam during the Shivarathri Celebrations 2005
Text of the Divine Discourse
delivered by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on the evening of 9th March 2005
(Shivarathri), at Prashanti Nilayam, Sai Kulwanth Hall
Everyone has to face the
consequences of one's own karma. Who has made the bats to hang
from the branches of a tree with their heads downwards? It is
their fate. Likewise, nobody can escape from the consequences of
karma.
(Telugu poem)
Every human being, insect, bird, beast or animal, nay, every
living being in this world is bound by destiny. None can escape
from the result of karmas, good or bad. It is natural for
every living being to obey the laws of nature and the law of
karma. For example, the bat hangs from the branches of a
tree heads downwards. That is their nature. That is how they are
born to live. Every human being in this world thinks that he is
undergoing suffering, even though he had not done anything bad.
He feels, "I have not done anything wrong! Why then am I
undergoing this suffering?" But, the fact is otherwise. Whatever
pleasure or pain undergone by a living being is certainly the
outcome of the karmas (action) performed by it. Every
human being performs karma and enjoys its fruit as a
consequence. Nevertheless, it is not clear to him till today
whether it is a natural consequence of his actions or by any
unknown reason. Not only the human being, even bacteria, birds,
insects, beasts and animals are experiencing the consequences of
their karma.
In support of this inevitable law of karma, I would like
to narrate certain incidents that happened long ago. These
incidents explain how certain births took place, just to
demonstrate this truth. There used to be a great devotee by name
Subbamma in Puttaparthi. She was very rich. She had no children.
Whatever she had, she used to give in charity to one and all
with a feeling, "I am only sharing my god-given wealth with my
fellow human beings." She was leading a pious and noble life
with a sense of equanimity. She had, however, one desire. She
used to pray, "Swami! At the time of my departure from this
earthly sojourn, You should quench my thirst by pouring a few
drops of water into my mouth with Your Divine hands." I promised
her that I would do so. Six years after I gave that promise to
her, I had to go to Chennai once to fulfil My engagement in a
devotee's house. That was the time of Second World War. Once in
every hour, there used to be an air raid precaution siren and
the streets would become empty in no time. I stayed there for
three days and started My return journey straight to Bukkapatnam
from Chennai in a car. Meanwhile, Subbamma fell seriously ill
and was taken to Bukkapatnam from Puttaparthi. That was her
parental home. There she died. Her relatives started making
certain sarcastic remarks, "Sai Baba gave word to her that He
would pour water into her mouth at the time of her last moments.
Did He come? Where has He gone?" Subbamma's brothers and
relatives made all arrangements for taking her body for
cremation. In those days, it was not easy to procure firewood to
cremate a dead body, especially in the villages. However, they
procured some firewood and kept everything ready. While passing
by the house of Subbamma, I noticed several people gathered
there. I enquired, "Who is going to be cremated?" Washerman
Subbanna was there. He replied, "Swami! Subbamma is dead." I
enquired again, "Is it? When did she die?" "Three days ago,
Swami", he replied. I went into her house where her body was
kept. Her relatives were about to take her body out for
cremation. Her sister saw Me and started wailing. She told Me,
"Baba! She longed for Your arrival. She yearned that You should
pour water into her mouth before she breathed her last. At last,
she died without her wish fulfilled." I told her that there was
no possibility of such an eventuality and asked her to fetch
some water in a tumbler. I put a basil leaf in the water. I
removed the cloth that covered her face. Ants were crawling all
over her body. I gently called her name, "Subbamma!" She opened
her eyes and saw Me. She held My hands and wept. She enquired,
"When did You come Swami?" I replied, "I came just now." I wiped
her tears gently with a towel. I told her, "Subbamma! Look
here." I then poured a few drops of the sacred water into her
mouth and said, "Now, close your eyes peacefully. Subbamma drank
that water from My hands and breathed her last. Thus, I kept My
promise to Subbamma. While this strange phenomenon was going on,
all her relatives and the doctors who attended on her were
watching the happenings with awe. They could not believe their
eyes. They were wondering, "How come! Subbamma died three days
ago. There was no breath in her body. How is it that she opened
her eyes now and spoke to Swami? Perhaps it is a divine miracle
of Sai Baba." Subbamma was constantly worried during her
lifetime that Swami was always on the move visiting several
places and perhaps her last wish might not be fulfilled. But, I
kept My promise made to her long ago. At last, the dead body of
Subbamma was cremated by her relatives as per their family
custom. She was a Brahmin lady. I started returning to
Puttaparthi. A bullock cart was kept ready for My return. Myself
and the brother of Griham Ammayi (Easwaramma) sat in the bullock
cart and were returning to Puttaparthi. His name was
Chandramouli (Swami's physical body's maternal uncle). We saw
smoke emanating from the cremation ground where Subbamma's
mortal remains were being consigned to flames. Chandramouli
enquired, "Swami! You were with Subbamma's dead body till now.
Why did You not wait till the cremation was over?" I told him,
"Chandramouli! I am not a person who goes back on his word. I
gave a word to Subbamma that I would be present by her side
during her last moments and pour water into her mouth. That I
fulfilled. I advised her to depart from this world peacefully. I
kept My promise and I am now returning to My abode."
Chandramouli felt very happy. In fact, Subbamma was held in high
esteem by the entire village. She was the head of the village,
being the wife of the Karanam. The entire property of the
village was in her name. However, since she came into the fold
of Swami, she had no other interest in life, except Swami. Right
from early morning till she went to bed, she was constantly
engaged in Swami's work only. On certain occasions I used to
retire into the caves of the nearby hills without informing her.
Poor lady! she used to go round the hills in search of Me. She
used to pack upma, dosa, vada, idli, etc., in a tiffin carrier
and come in search of Me. At last, when she could find Me, I
used to enquire teasingly, "Subbamma! What did you bring for
Me?" She used to reply, "Swami! I brought the items of Your
taste." Then I used to tell her, "Give Me dosa." She then served
dosa in a plate and handed it over to Me. I used to tease her
further saying, "Subbamma! I don't like this dosa. Give Me idli,
upma, vada, etc." Poor lady! She used to serve Me all those
items. From morning till evening, she used to prepare a number
of items and wait for Me. Yet, she was anxious to know what more
did I need. Once I told her "Subbamma! You need not fear. I
don't need anything. I have put so many questions to you asking
for this and that to make your devotion and surrender known to
the world." Subbamma then requested Me, "Swami! I am happy that
I have been able to serve You food. I am also happy that You ate
these items with love and affection towards me. I will be happy
if You can kindly put a small quantity of this stuff in my mouth
with Your Divine hands." Then, I took a small piece of idli from
the plate and put it in her mouth with a little chutney. She
felt extremely happy. Thus, Subbamma experienced great bliss in
the divine proximity of Swami till her last breath.
Chandramouli, who was a witness to My showering love and grace
on Subbamma on a number of occasions, observed, "Swami! How
compassionate You are towards the devotees! We don't have words
to express Your love and compassion towards devotees, especially
Subbamma." True! Words fail to describe Swami's love and
compassion towards Subbamma. The devotion of Subbamma towards
Swami surpassed even that of Prahlada.
People had by now realised that Swami had fulfilled the promise
given by Him to Subbamma. They felt that Subbamma's life was
sanctified. Taking cue from her example, several elderly people
used to visit Me with the request, "Swami! Please give a word
that You will pour sanctified water into my mouth with Your
Divine hands at the time of my departure from this world." I
used to tell them, "My dear ones! All people cannot get this
great boon. If you are destined to get it, you will certainly
get it. I will come at the appropriate time and pour sanctified
water in your mouth." Kondama Raju used to observe these people
coming to Swami with such requests. He also developed a yearning
for this Prapti (deservedness). One day, he approached Me and
requested Me, "Swami! You are born in our family, in our
lineage. You have upheld the honour and glory of our lineage.
But, I also have a request to make to you. I wish and pray that
my birth in our family should be sanctified. I therefore request
you to please pour some holy water into my mouth with Your
Divine hands during my last moments of life." I assured him that
I would certainly fulfil his request. He felt very happy, for,
he knew that once Swami had given His word, He would certainly
stick to it. He lived for 112 years. Every morning, he would
walk from the village to the New Mandir to have My Darshan. One
day I asked him, "Why do you walk all the way from the village
to the Mandir and back. There may be cattle on the way and if
they attack you, you will fall down and get injured. Won't you?"
He used to tell Me very boldly, "Swami! When You are protecting
me and constantly standing by my side, which animal could attack
me?" One day, early in the morning he came to the Mandir and had
My Darshan. He returned home and lay down. After a while, he
told Easwaramma to go near Sathyabhama Temple and see whether
Swami was coming that side. She went there, returned and told
him, "Yes, Swami is coming in His car." Swami had a small car
then. Kondama Raju said, "Easwaramma! Get a tumbler of water and
put a Tulasi leaf in it." She did accordingly. He held the
tumbler in his hand and was waiting for Me. He knew that his end
was near and that I had come there to keep My promise. None else
knew this. Holding the tumbler, he said, "Swami! I am ready." I
replied, "I am also ready." As I poured the water into his
mouth, he passed away peacefully. Before passing away, he said,
"What a great fortune it is to drink water from Your Divine
hands before departing from this world! Even King Dasaratha who
performed great penance and sacrifice, did not have such a
fortune. My life is redeemed." Saying thus, he closed his eyes.
With this incident of Kondama Raju, it was once again revealed
to the whole world that Swami would certainly keep His word,
come what may! The lives of Subbamama and Kondama Raju were thus
redeemed. I manifest My Divine Leelas in many ways to fulfil My
word. I go to any extent to fulfil My promise. However, some
devotees act contrary to their words.
I was taken to Kamalapuram for higher education. The elder
brother of this body, Seshama Raju was very intent on My
pursuing higher education. Therefore, he took Me along with him
to Kamalapuram and admitted Me in the school. In those days, I
was struggling very much to prosecute the education due to
paucity of funds. Often times I had to manage with empty
pockets. Hence, I used to make use of My poetic skills to earn a
few coins to meet My personal needs. In the same village, there
used to be a businessman by name Kotte Subbanna. He used to run
a provision shop in which some Ayurvedic medicines were also
sold. Once a new Ayurvedic medicine by name "Bala Bhaskara" was
introduced for sale in his shop. It was a new and very
efficacious medicine. It could fetch him a good profit if
popularised. He therefore, requested Me to shoulder the
responsibility of making propaganda for his new medicine. I
agreed to his request, but asked for some more information about
the medicine. Then, I composed a song about the efficacy of the
medicine and gathered a few children of My age to go round the
nearby villages with placards in their hands and sing the song
composed by Me. The song ran thus:
There it is! There it is! Oh,
children! come, come!
There is the medicine Bala Bhaskara;
Be it an upset stomach or a swollen leg;
Be it a joint pain or flatulence;
Be it any ailment, known or unknown;
Take this Bala Bhaskara for an instant cure!
If you wish to know where it is available:
There is the shop of Kotte Subbanna;
It is in that shop that you can pick it up.
Come here boys! come here!
It is an excellent tonic
Prepared by the famous physician Gopalacharya himself,
Come here boys! come here!
(Telugu song)
By the time we completed our
propaganda tour of the nearby villages, all the stock of
medicines in Subbanna's shop were sold out. He felt very happy.
Then he called Me and offered a pair of knickers and a shirt
stitched for Me. But, I flatly refused them saying, "Subbanna! I
did not compose that song for the sake of new clothes. I don't
need them. I won't touch them. Please take them back. If you
thus offer some money or articles in return for My services, I
will not even step into your shop." He realised My sincerity and
strong feelings. From then onwards, he used to say, "Raju! I
don't want anything in this world, except Your love."
Another incident had happened while I was studying in
Kamalapuram. I attended a scout camp in a nearby village called
Pushpagiri where a big fair was being held. I was away from the
house for a few days and there was nobody to fetch water from a
distant well for household purposes. Hence, the wife of Seshama
Raju had to shoulder that responsibility. By the time I returned
from the scout camp, Seshama Raju was angry that there was
nobody in the house to help his wife. He was then drawing lines
in a notebook with the help of a wooden ruler. As soon as he saw
Me, he shouted at Me, "Hey! Come here. There is no one in the
house to fetch water for the last few days. Your sister-in-law
had to attend to that job also, besides her normal domestic
chores." So saying, he took the ruler and beat Me angrily. The
ruler broke into three pieces. My hand was swollen and it was
giving Me a lot of pain. I did not give a reply nor revealed the
incident to anybody. I tied a bandage Myself to My hand with a
wet cloth. The next day, Seshama Raju's son died. He gave a
telegram to Pedda Venkama Raju (Swami's father). Venkama Raju
immediately rushed to see Seshama Raju. He started from
Puttaparthi and reached Bukkapatnam and from there to
Kamalapuram. The Griham Abbayi (Swami's father) enquired from
Me, why I was having a bandage on My forearm. I tried to explain
away very casually as if nothing had happened. I told him there
was a slight pain due to a blister on the forearm and therefore
I put a bandage on it. There was a lady belonging to the Vysya
community in the neighbouring house, who used to make her living
by preparing dosas and selling them. She tried to reason with
Griham Abbayi saying, "What! Venkama Raju! I know you are
sufficiently well-off so as to get Raju educated at your place.
Why should you put Him to so much trouble by keeping Him under
the care of His elder brother at such a distant place? You do
not know how much suffering the poor boy is undergoing here. He
has to fetch drinking water from a distant place carrying two
big pitchers with the help of a Kavadi on his young shoulders
daily." Thus, she narrated several incidents where I had to
undergo physical strain and suffering. Griham Abbayi was deeply
moved on hearing My plight and immediately called Me and said,
"My dear son! You start immediately and come along with me. Let
us go back to Puttaparthi." All the family members loved Me. He
therefore lamented, "I have come to know that the injury to your
forearm was due to your elder brother's beating. I myself never
beat You till date. You are undergoing so much suffering here.
Come! Let us go back to Puttaparthi." At the time when this
incident happened, Griham Abbayi made a comment which still
rings in My ears even today: "Sathyam! If one is alive, one can
make a living even by selling salt. I can no longer put You to
such an ordeal. Can I not provide for Your living even with my
meagre income?" So saying he shed tears. From then onwards, He
did not send Me with anyone. My formal education stopped with
the high school. I did not attend any college. Nevertheless, I
have been continuing My Mission as a Sathya Bodhaka (Teacher of
Truth), making Puttaparthi My headquarters.
I composed a beautiful poem depicting the glorious history of
Puttaparthi, which reads as follows:
Encircling which town the
sacred river
Chitravathi flows in all its pristine beauty;
Around which town there are beautiful
Mango groves symbolising auspiciousness;
Standing guard on the four sides of which town
are the deities of Parvati and Parameswara constantly
protecting;
Firmly installed in the midst of which town is the
effulgent Lord Vishnu in all His splendour;
That world famous town is Puttapuram or Puttaparthi
with its fresh water tank built by Chikkavadiyar
standing as an everlasting monument
to the glory of Bukkaraya.
(Telugu poem)
I built a residential colony in
commemoration of the great love and devotion Subbamma had
towards Me and named it as Karanam Subbamma Nagar, which is next
to Gokulam. I also purchased some cows and engaged some people
to look after them. Some of these people were accommodated in a
few of those houses in Karanam Subbamma Nagar. Thus, I made
efforts to see that the name of Subbamma is remembered for ever
by devotees.
A few years ago, I started a project by name "Deenajanoddharana
Pathakam" to adopt some orphan children to provide food,
clothing and education to them so that when they grow up they
will be able to lead a life with honour and dignity. I am
looking after these boys with all love and care. You must have
seen these boys when they come for Darshan every Thursday and
Sunday. I also built living accommodation for these boys so that
they may stay comfortably in those houses. Besides their normal
education, they are now acquiring proficiency in extra
curricular activities also. Thus, there are so many service
activities that I have undertaken right from My childhood. If
they are all to be narrated now, it can go for hours together.
Dear Students!
I have great love for you. I wish that all of you should come up
well and earn a good name. I love such boys who earn good name.
In fact, I give Myself to such boys. I will give you whatever
you want.
Source:
http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/Shivarathri_Discourse_09-03-05.htm |