|
Anil Kumar's Sunday Satsang at
Prasanthi Nilayam
July 20, 2003
The Sunday Talk Given by Anil Kumar
“Questions from America” - Part II
July 20th, 2003
OM… OM… OM…
Sai Ram,
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I am extremely happy to be back once again amidst you this morning
after a gap of about 4 months or so. With Bhagavan’s blessings, I
visited the U.S. in the months of March through May. I left on the
4th March and returned on the 20th May. I want to share with you
some questions asked of me when I was in the United States.
Bhagavan blessed me with an opportunity to participate in several
retreats. On 6th of April, I participated in a study circle
meeting held at Milwaukee in the State of Wisconsin. On 20th of
April 2003, I participated in the retreat organized by Region 10,
in Texas. During April and May, I met with members of Sai
Organization in San Antonio, Texas, Chicago, Illinois and Los
Angeles, California. At San Jose, California, they held Easwaramma
Day and Mother’s Day meetings. Again on 11th of May, I met with
devotees of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin center.
They asked me many questions, which will be of general interest to
everybody. To avoid duplicating in future, I want to deal with
those questions here this morning. For the purpose of analysis, I
have categorized these questions under different headings:
questions regarding my personal life; social aspects; spiritual
aspects, and so on.
I had the privilege of meeting some Sai devotees who were kind
enough to share their personal experiences with me. To be very
honest with you, I don’t know why, but I was more devoted there
than here. Over there I could see more of the manifestation of
Sai, the miracles of Sai, the glory of Sai.
Due to the limited period of time, it was not possible to meet
many devotees. I met with some who shared their experiences with
me, and I want to share those with you before I go on to the
question and answer session.
Submit To Bhagavan
This story may look rather silly and
simple, but it is not so when once we submit to Bhagavan. A young
couple wanted to own a car, but they did not buy it the moment
they decided. The young bride, an ardent devotee, refused to buy
the car that was available. She prayed to Swami, “Bhagavan, if You
will that we should have a car, see to it that we have the latest
car.” (Laughter)
Bhagavan is the latest God! He will never give you archived or
outdated things. The couple was so fortunate that the offer came
to their doorstep, and they purchased it immediately! The wife
told me, “This is not a coincidence, Mr. Anil Kumar. Swami told me
that He is going to give me the latest car. I could see the car in
my dream, and the color of car. That car is what I see here now!”
That is Swami.
I usually don’t dream -- the waking stage is enough torture for
me. (Laughter) So it was good to hear their dream experience.
Person With Heart Problem - Swami’s Infinite Grace And Mercy
I met another devotee who said that he was admitted to the
hospital recently for a heart problem and the situation was quite
critical.
A critical heart problem is always critical, whether we are
healthy or admitted into the hospital. Because the heart will take
people directly to the other planet (Anil Kumar jokingly speaks of
death here) without one month’s notice, as is commonly done in
service (or work). It takes you directly (e.g. immediately) -- a
direct flight without any stopover!
The gentleman’s family prayed to Swami. The devotees at the Sai
Center also prayed and gave him some vibhuthi, which is a
wonderful antibiotic! Today that gentleman is quite hale and
healthy and he tells me that his total cure is because of Swami’s
infinite grace and mercy. I was happy to hear that.
Non-devotees Turning Into Devotees
I was introduced to a family in the
Sai Center who were not devotees. I was curious to know why they
were there.
I stopped the man and asked, “You are not a devotee. Then, what
made you come here?”
That gentleman said, “My son made me a devotee.” Swami has His own
way of baptism or evangelisation
“Very good. How did your son influence you?” I asked.
The father and mother told me that their son’s friend was a Bal
Vikas student and wanted their son to attend Bal Vikas too. They
had no idea what Bal Vikas was. Nevertheless, their son started
attending Bal Vikas classes.
After a month, he started praying at home every day and offering
the food at the dining table with the prayer, “Brahmarpanam,
Brahma Havir…”. They never thought such a change would take place
in him. They watched, as the child grew more disciplined. They
wanted to know more about Sai and so they were there at the
Center.
Bhagavan brings people into His fold through the agency of
children. Sometimes, the most popular agency is the housewife, and
the poor fellow cannot escape! (Laughter) Ninety-nine percent of
the time, this is true all over the world. I was happy to meet
this couple.
Saved From Litigation
I am not making any disparaging
remark, but it is a fact that in the United States there is
maximum awareness of the law. When there is any lawlessness or
anything that pertains to individual freedom, they certainly take
it to the court. Attorneys receive the most money there. Another
couple shared their experience with me:
An old couple was traveling in car. They met with an accident and
the wife died on the spot. The police caught the poor husband.
There were no witnesses. Therefore, the court was under the
contention that the husband intentionally killed his wife. How
could such an old man, 70 to 80 years old, turn into a murderer?
Since there were no witnesses, nothing could be done. The whole
family was very disturbed. They had to spend huge amounts of money
on lawyers to defend their case.
They kept praying to Swami and got out of the case. The family
said it was all because of Swami. The old man was already in
prison under suspicion and it would not have been possible to get
out of it. That’s how Swami saved that family from litigation. See
how Swami works.
Relationship Among Sai Devotees
I met another man who is quite
active. I was given to understand that he was a very big man and
director of a very big company. As ill luck would have it, he was
admitted to the hospital with some problem of blood clots. He was
to be operated upon. But the doctors could not control his
condition. They were helpless. The Sai center devotees visited him
everyday and started chanting Sai Gayathri.
My friends, you will all agree that there is no other closer
relationship than that among Sai devotees. The blood relationship
is secondary, as Sai bondage is thicker. It is eternal,
unconditional and selfless. As these devotees started chanting Sai
Gayathri, believe it or not, next morning, though the doctors had
given up hope, the gentleman was fine and had no problem. When all
doors are closed, a window is kept open for us to escape. This
miracle he shared.
He suddenly pointed to another man in the dining hall and said,
“You see, Mr. Anil Kumar, he was suspected of having cancer, and
nobody thought that he would recover. But today, you find him very
smart, quite active and back to duty. He believes that it is only
Swami who kept him out of danger.”
Sometimes Negative Events May
Also Be Miracles
I should also share with you another
experience. When things turn to our advantage, we consider them to
be miracles. But sometimes even negative events can turn out to be
a miracle for our own advantage. The earlier we can develop this
kind of attitude the better. Even negative things, the worst
tragic situation like that of death, may ultimately turn to be
positive. This is also a miracle.
I was informed of a child in a hospital whose condition was very
critical. The doctor informed the parents that either the child
would be handicapped or the child would die. If the child were to
survive after the operation, the child would remain handicapped.
Having been left with no other option, they went on praying to
Swami. Sai brothers and sisters joined in chorus, repeating Sai’s
holy Name, that matchless Name. The child died. The child died!
Look at the attitude of the parents: They said, “Thank You,
Swami.”
Why? Had the child survived, the child would have grown up
handicapped until death. They felt that perhaps Bhagavan thought
it was better to take the child, instead of the child living
handicapped. The parents are active workers in the Sai
Organization. They wanted to participate in service activities and
could not have been home to take care of the child. Look at their
temperament. This kind of attitude is absolutely essential.
I wanted to give you a few glimpses of what I saw, though not all.
I shall seek another opportunity to share some more stories with
you later.
First category: Questions Related To Personal Life
The first set of questions is
related to my personal life, which I usually don’t share with
anybody. But these are of general interest.
“How Did You Become The Translator For Baba?”
Question 1: “How did you become the
translator for Baba?” (Laughter)
What can I say? My answers are already on record and are subject
to verification. I cannot give a different answer from what I said
in the United States -- all the audiocassettes are in circulation!
I said, “I did not become a translator. I was made a translator.
Bhagavan willed that I should be a translator. I made no effort,
no attempt and I never dreamt of it either. I spent seven years of
probation, sitting in the 40th and 50th row! I never dreamt of
anything like this.”
So, if you ask me, “How did you become the translator?” I can only
say, “I did not become; Bhagavan willed it so.” That is all. And
moreover, it is even more surprising if you look into my
educational background. I hail from a small town, not from a city.
I did not study in any public school or in a convent. Until tenth
grade, I studied in the Telugu medium. I am myself surprised to be
in the capacity of a translator.
“Who Translates In Your Absence?”
Who helped Swami with the
translation while I was away here in the US?
Some people might have expected that I would mention one or two
names. I am not a fool to say that. I said that if Bhagavan wills
it, anybody could do it. If He picked up a stick and asked it to
do it, it would be able to!
No one can take credit. No one is indispensable in the Sai
Organization. It is only a chance given to you. If you don’t take
it, another person will. Please understand: every person is a
better substitution. If you don’t avail of the opportunity, you
are the loser.
A Tamilian (from Tamil Nadu), whose mother tongue is Tamil, was
asked by Bhagavan to translate His talk into English. Bhagavan
gave His discourse in Telugu. The Tamilian translated His
discourse into English. I was a witness to this incident.
My place would be in a lunatic asylum if I felt that Bhagavan was
left with none other than me. If not me, He will find a better
person.
I also happily recall another situation. There is a place very
close to Bangalore called Tumkur. The director of Tumkur granite
factory invited Bhagavan to visit the factory. Bhagavan went there
and I followed him. There was a big central hall with a round
table, well decorated, highly prestigious. I saw people from
different countries seated there: one from Germany, one from
Japan, one from France. They were members of the board of
directors. Swami sat among them.
I wondered if I should go in or stay back -- to be or not to be?
(Laughter) ‘What am I to do?’
If I do not go in, Swami might say that I was shirking my
responsibility. If I go in, He might say, “Why did you come? I did
not ask you.” (Laughter) What is to be done? So I stood there at
entrance with my face showing now and then. It was like
hide-and-seek. If He asked me to come in, I could run. If He did
not see me, I can slip off. That was the situation.
I saw Swami talk to the devotees from Japan, France and Germany.
At the end, Swami slowly came very close to me and said, “Come
here.”
I went to Him. He said, “I know all the languages.” (Laughter)
Then I said, “Swami, why did You call me here? Why am I here?”
He said, “I know all the languages, but you should know that I
know them all! Therefore I brought you here.” (Laughter) That is
Bhagavan for you.
I will share another incident. Bhagavan was in darshan line
talking to a person whose mother tongue was Hindi. Next to him was
a boy from Orissa, whose mother tongue was Oriya. This boy did not
know any Hindi at all. Swami was talking to the Hindi man in
Hindi, and he was replying. But the Oriya fellow also started
smiling. We did not understand why he was smiling.
When Swami left, the Hindi gentleman asked the Oriya man why he
smiled and nodded his head, even though he did not know Hindi.
”Are you mad?” he asked. The Oriya man said that Swami spoke in
Oriya and not in Hindi!
He knows all languages. He can communicate in one language, while
speaking in another! That is language beyond language -- the
language of the heart!
Leading A Detached Life
The next question was a request for
me to share my experiences about leading a detached life, yet
attached to Swami. The questioner expected an authentic answer
from me, and was already under the impression that I was an
example to emulate.
I said that there was no doubt about the second part of the
question -- that we all are attached to Swami. Not only me -- all
of us. Sai devotees all over the world are equally attached to
Swami. No one is more attached or less attached. Comparisons have
no meaning in spirituality. Only brainless people measure
attachments in kilos, tons, milligrams and degrees. All are
equally attached. There are no parameters. There is no yardstick
to measure spirituality, because it is immeasurable - avyasta,
aprameya - beyond all known measure. Never measure; never try to
estimate; never judge. All are equally attached.
Regarding leading a detached life, I told them directly that I was
a poor example. I am not leading a detached life. I am attached to
good rest. I am attached to the first cup of hot coffee, very much
attached to hot pickles -- spicy things. So I cannot speak with
authority on how to lead a detached life.
Do not keep me on a high pedestal. Never think that I am an
example for you to emulate and copy, certainly not! We are all
fellow pilgrims. We are all fellow seekers. We are all traveling
towards perfection. No one is more than another. I cannot say that
I am holier than you. No body should say that. It is for Bhagavan
to say that you are good. And that He will not say in front of
you, I am sure. (Laughter) Therefore, I cannot stand as an example
for a detached life.
I am sure they appreciated the frank, direct answer rather than my
giving answers that are polished, which I never do.
“How Can We Get In Touch With You?”
“As members of the Sai family, how
can we get in touch with you, from wherever we are?”
I said, “Don’t get in touch with me. Not only that. Don’t get in
touch with anybody. Be in constant touch with Bhagavan within you.
That is most essential. ”
Establishing contact with people, being in touch with people, is a
useless thing that we are supposed to do. It is meaningless to be
in touch with anybody. If you are to be in touch with anybody, it
should be with Bhagavan. We should always be in touch with
Bhagavan. That is called ‘Constant Integrated Awareness’.
God Is Not A Person
“It is really a different experience
to be in physical proximity. How would you handle or lead your
life if you were not in the physical proximity of Bhagavan?”
The problems arise when you take Swami as a person -- if you take
Swami as an individual. If you take Swami as a phenomenon, if you
consider Sai as a Presence, not as a person, you will certainly
behave in the same way as you would behave near Him. God is not a
person. I am very fond of this statement.
If you consider God as a person, you can be near Him for some
time. You also have to be necessarily away from Him later. But,
because He is within you, you can never be near or away. You
cannot be away from your Self. It is foolish to say that I am near
my Self. You are what you are and you are where you are.
Therefore, God is an eternal Presence. He is within you. So this
problem of being away from Him or being near Him does not arise.
God is not an object to be bought, to be owned, to be purchased or
to be manufactured. He is neither an object nor a person; He is a
phenomenon. ‘Person’ is the term given to God for practical
purposes. He is cosmic energy, Divine. Divinity is awareness. What
is His nature? Energy. That is all. You can give that energy any
name, but in spirit this is the reality.
“Have You Acquired Magnetic Power?”
“Iron kept near the magnet acquires
all the magnetic power of the magnet. You live in close proximity
to Bhagavan. Have you acquired magnetic power too?”
I said, “I could have acquired magnetic power, but this iron still
has some dust. Until the dust is totally removed, it cannot be
drawn towards the magnet, let alone becoming a magnet -- which is
a later development. It has not yet been cleansed totally. I
cannot claim any magnetic power as of now.”
“How To Drop Ego?”
“People say, ‘Give up the ego.’ Tell
us in simple terms how to drop ego?”
In simple terms? (Laughter) It is a Herculean task -- not an easy
task!
When you say you want to drop the ego, it means you know that it
is unwanted stuff. You also know ego is not to be solicited; ego
is dangerous for any spiritual seeker; ego is to be dispensed of,
has to be gotten rid of. When you know that it is dangerous, what
should you do it?
Baba gave one example. If you pick up a rope in the dark and
suddenly switch on your torchlight and recognize that it is not a
rope but a snake you are holding, what do you do then? You drop it
immediately. As long as it is your impression that it is a rope,
you will continue to hold and play with it. The moment you are
aware that it is not a rope, but a snake, what would you do -- you
drop it and run away.
Similarly, this rope-like ego is so nice and so comfortable to
play with. With the light of awareness, you understand that it is
not a rope but a snake, so you have to drop it immediately. If you
continue to hold it, it means you are comfortable with it. It
means there is no trace of awareness and you do not know the
danger involved. Therefore to drop the ego, awareness is required.
I Am Not A Singer
I am an extrovert and I cannot keep
anything to myself. So I will talk about this question: “Mr. Anil
Kumar, your singing is extremely inspirational. (Laughter) Could
you please give us a cassette of your songs?” (Laughter)
I said it was the joke of the century because I am not a singer by
any standard. Perhaps they have not been exposed to better
singers…and that is why I inspire them.
“Does Baba Speak All Languages?”
“Does Baba speak all languages?”
‘Mother tongue’ is a familiar phrase. He, being the Mother, can
speak all the languages.
“Does Swami Get Upset?”
“Does Swami get upset, angry? Is He emotional?”
I cannot say ‘no’ because I have been the victim. To say that He
is emotional questions the very Divinity. What shall I say?
I always pray, ‘Swami, bless me with one characteristic: to say
what You said and not manipulate, imagine or speculate things, but
just quote You. And when I really don’t know, let me be able to
plainly say so. If answers do not strike my mind, let me admit it
and ask for more time.’ I have been doing this for the last
several years.
So this question was put to me: “Is He ever angry, upset,
emotional?”
This is an example given by Swami: “I pretend to be angry; I
pretend to be emotional. Actually, I am never emotional, never
angry. It is only in order to correct you that I pretend to be
angry. That too, I change my tone, that's all. I change my voice
into a stern voice. This pretension is only to correct you. That
is all. The hailstones may hit you, but they melt away very soon.
Similarly, I may be harsh, but I melt very soon.”
Swami gave another example: The five Pandavas asked to be
protected by a sage, Durvasa. Durvasa was known for his anger and
temper. He could be head of the department for people who lose
their temper quite often! (Laughter) But he lost his temper for
the benefit of humanity, while we lose our temper to benefit our
doctor.
Krishna approached Sage Durvasa and said, “Oh Sage, let these five
Pandavas, five pious people, be under your protection…just for one
day. “
He asked, “Swami, against whom?”
“Against anybody. You must hide them somehow.”
But the sage said, “Oh God, I will safeguard them. I can hide them
in some safe place. But I shall never utter a lie. If I am asked
where they are, I will tell their address. (Laughter) I will never
utter a lie.”
Then Krishna said, “Look here, Durvasa! Will I ever ask anybody to
speak lies? No, no. You manage somehow. They will be under your
protection.”
“Oh God, I shall do all I can, but I shall never utter a lie.”
Sage Durvasa dug a deep and wide pit. He made the Pandavas sit
there and put wooden planks covering them. He then sat on the
wooden planks.
In the meantime, some fellows came there in search of the five
brothers. They said “Oh, Durvasa, where are the five Pandavas?”
Durvasa decided to speak the truth. But he changed his tone and
said (roughly), “They are here!” (Laughter) Being afraid of his
tone, they ran away. So Durvasa spoke the truth, but the very
truth made them run away. Therefore, you can certainly be
truthful. Hold on to the principle of truth. As Bhagavan says,
just change your voice. Change your tone to correct people.
Bhagavan is never emotional. I can give you another example. A VIP
was asked on the previous day not to sit in his usual place.
According to that individual, VIP means ‘Very Important Person’.
In front of God, he is a very insignificant person. Who is a VIP
before God? I believe that everyone is a VIP. All are equal in the
sight of God.
Bhagavan told that VIP person, “Don’t sit there tomorrow. A very
important guest is coming. He is a king of a country. You sit at
the back.” But as this person was an old man, he might not have
heard what Bhagavan said clearly, so he sat in his usual place.
The guest of honor came and he also sat there. You should have
seen the drama that went on! (Laughter)
Swami looked at the king and said, “How are you? When did you
come? How are your children, and is your wife here?”
Then He looked at the other fellow and said, “Why are you sitting
here even though I told you not to sit here?”
He said this simultaneously. You try to do such a thing -- you
cannot. You will laugh at the wrong place. Bhagavan can manage
both the situations at the same time - the Divine actor, the
Divine dramatist. So, He is never emotional. He just pretends to
be emotional.
“How Do We Pray To Swami?”
“How do we pray to Swami when we are
in difficulty and our life disturbs our balance?”
What shall I say? In times of success, prayer comes out naturally
with all the sense of gratitude and with all the spirit of
thankfulness.
In situations of failure and when we are tested, during
challenging moments of life, you pray with deep agony, right from
the inner recess of your heart, crying for help. You don’t need to
be specially taught. So, there is no special prayer to be offered
in difficulties or special prayer to be offered in times of
pleasure. It is only the feeling that makes the difference.
When someone comes out of the interview room, watch his
style…(Laughter) as if to say, “I am the only selected man in this
world. (Laughter) No one else on this earth got the interview.”
When asked about the interview he says, “Yes, you know, Swami was
not scheduled to come out this morning, He came purposefully to
call me for an interview.”
The happiness, the intensity, is like that. We don’t blame him.
But the situation is different when Swami does not look at him.
When you speak to him -- anticlimax!
“How are you, Sir? ”
“I am busy.” (Laughter)
Earlier, he had stopped the entire traffic to say that he got an
interview. Now he simply says, “We will meet later.” (Laughter)
The same situation, same person.
“What Does It Mean?”
“What does it mean when Baba stands
in front of you during darshan, waves His hands and looks into
your eyes, blesses you and walks away without saying anything?”
They wanted me to interpret the meaning of this. But I told them
never to ask for interpretation, as no man can interpret. Please
avoid anyone who interprets on behalf of Swami. It is the job of
Swami to see to it that the message is conveyed to you. He will
see to it that the message is conveyed to you directly, by way of
waving His hands, His postures, His gestures, and the dialogue in
the interview room, and so on.
Don’t ask anybody to interpret. Can anybody interpret Swami’s
words? Impossible! How does one know what Swami meant? The
relationship between you and Swami is direct. There is no
mediator. Some people may ask innocently about what Swami meant.
Please tell them that they will know it by themselves. Who are we
to interpret Swami’s words?
When you want to know Swami’s message, what He meant, what He
wanted to convey to you, the best thing is to think and sit in
silence. Reflect within, close your eyes and meditate, then you
will get the message. You will be confused if you kept talking to
everybody. Please pray and meditate. Swami will let you know what
He meant. Swami has made it very clear that there is no mediator
between the devotee and Himself.
“What Is A Typical Day?”
“What is a typical day and what are
the challenges you face, being so close to God?”
What is a typical day? I think all of you will agree with me that
every day is typical in its own way. Every day is typical; every
moment is typical. Nothing is repetitive in existence; nothing is
repetitive in this creation. Everything is new. Sunrise is not a
repetition. Sunset is not a repetition. The blossoming of a rose
is never repetition. The smile of a baby in the cradle is not
repetition. Life is not repetitive.
If you feel that life is repetitive, we are very close to
doomsday! It only means that we have lost the charm of life, the
beauty of life.
This morning’s darshan is different from yesterday’s. Today is
different from yesterday. Tomorrow is going to be different from
today. No day, no moment, is repetitive.
Let us pray, “Oh God, let us enjoy this world in all its
freshness. Let this existence be one of beauty. Let us enjoy this
whole creation, this universe, in its ecstasy and in its entire
splendour. Let us not take it for granted, because nothing is
repetitive.”
Second Set: Organizational Questions
The second set of questions is based
on the organization. There are some of our friends here who attend
Sai centers. There are some here who are organizers. I will share
these questions as they may have some relevance to you.
Who Is A Non-Devotee?
A funny question: “I am new to the
Sai Organization. As my husband is a devotee since childhood, I
follow Sai. I like the good work of the Sai Organization. But I am
not able to accept Swami as God, like Rama and Krishna. How do you
accept Him as God?”
This was a question from a housewife. This is a very interesting
question as usually the question is the other way around: “My wife
is a devotee…what am I to do?”
I meet many people like that. But here is a wife who is
complaining about her husband being a devotee.
The answer is simple. It is immaterial whether the husband is a
devotee or the wife is a devotee. How do you say one is a
non-devotee? Who is a non-devotee? I have not met a non-devotee.
Even an atheist is a devotee. Because he believes that there is no
God. He is devoted to that concept of the non-existence of God, so
he is also a devotee, believing in the absence of God. Theist is a
devotee, believing in the concept of believing in God. So all are
devotees.
If you are devoted to your husband, then you are also a devotee.
All are devotees -- some are devoted to the office, and some are
devoted to computers. All are devotees.
“You say you are not able to accept Him as Rama and Krishna. I
doubt if you have total faith in Rama. Then you have not
experienced Krishna. Why do I say that? Because a devotee who has
total faith in Krishna sees Bhagavan in Him -- Krishna appeared as
Bhagavan. A true devotee of Krishna observes non-duality. A true
devotee of Rama observes non-duality. A true follower of Christ
sees Bhagavan as Christ. If you are a staunch follower of Rama, a
true devotee of Rama, you will find that Baba and Rama are one and
the same. Because you are not truly devoted, because you don’t
have the true experience, thus you entertain this doubt.”
The wife appeared to be convinced.
“Does Bhagavan Want Us To Sing English Bhajans?”
“Since we live in America, does
Bhagavan want us to sing English bhajans?“
I said, “English bhajans or Telugu bhajans or German bhajans or
Japanese bhajans -- bhajans are bhajans.”
The other day we heard some Japanese bhajans. Everybody started
clapping. The tunes were familiar. I heard many people singing
equivalent songs, Prashanti bhajans, in the same tune. That is
Baba.
You are not a stranger anywhere. No language is alien to you,
because Sai is the common bondage. Sai is the connecting link. You
will be comfortable in any language. So if people want to sing
English bhajans, yes, they have every liberty to sing. No language
should be imposed upon anybody.
Sarva Dharma Symbol Is For Organizational Use
Next question: “We are in the
process of opening a new business. We would like to have the Sarva
Dharma emblem prominently displayed at the entrance of our store
with Baba’s quotation. Is it OK?”
I said, “No.”
Why? The symbol of the Indian government is three lions. You must
have seen this on the stamps and on currency. Can I have it in
front of my house? No, because it belongs to the government, for
use of the government, for the use of all communication at the top
levels, not for private individuals.
We cannot have the national flag on the top of our houses or on
our cars. The flag carries authority that has some status, some
specialty. You cannot have national symbols on your letterhead: I
cannot have ‘K. Anil Kumar’ with three lions.
Therefore, the Sarva Dharma symbol is an organizational symbol; it
is not for individuals. It is for the use of office bearers for
the purposes of transactions and communications, but not for
everybody.
So far as Swami’s quotations are concerned, nobody has any
copyright. No one has the copyright to the Holy Bible.
Somebody asked, “We want to translate your book into our language.
Would you give us your permission in writing?”
I said that suppose you want to quote the Bhagavad Githa. Should
you get permission from Krishna? It is foolish! No one has got any
copyright on sacred texts.
Bhagavan’s message is universal. Getting a copyright, etc., is the
personification of ego. They are Bhagavan’s words -- that is all.
Who am I to say? But my job is to see that you don’t misrepresent,
to see that you don’t misquote, to see that you don’t misuse them.
Bhagavan Has No Representatives
“Is it not the bounded duty of the
Sai Organization to actively and resolutely campaign against
people who use the name of Sai and indulge in methods of treatment
like vibhuthi and run temples by collecting money?”
This question is related to the organization. My friends, I do not
know why we want to be foolish -- why we want to continue to live
in foolishness. How much longer? All these years, umpteen numbers
of times, Swami has made it clear that “fund raising, fund
collection, has got nothing to do with Me.”
Bhagavan has also said in Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 1: “I have no
representatives. I don’t transfer powers. I don’t possess anybody.
I have no secrets. I have no secretary. No one is delegated on
behalf of Me to function in this way.”
Bhagavan has stated this very clearly. Sanathana Sarathi also
notifies to be careful of people who collect funds in the name of
Sai.
But alas, it is most unfortunate that we still get carried away by
intermediary people. When Bhagavan is available, His name is so
miraculous, when so many people have so many mystical experiences,
why do we want a third person? The moment we think of Him, He
appears in our dreams or conveys some message or gives some
direction by way of intuition or inspiration. When we read a book,
we find a relevant passage; when we look at Swami’s picture, we
get some indication. Why do we run after other people like that?
Speakers At Retreats And Their Interview Experiences
“Speakers always tell us about their
interviews and how badly they feel if Swami ignores them in one
darshan. Most of us have had no personal interviews. Swami tells
us not to seek interviews, but inner-views, so why do most of the
speakers at the retreats tell us about interviews, but not about
inner-views?”
This is a very genuine question. It is a frank question and I like
it. Most of the speakers speak about personal experiences they had
with Swami. That is really damaging. As I have repeatedly said, I
could not be close to Swami anywhere in the vicinity for 7 long
years.
What did I do during that period of exile, that period of long
probation? What I did was, immediately after my return from a
visit to Swami, I avoided Sai devotees for 15 days. Why? Every
devotee used to come close and say, “Did you get an interview? Did
you get padanamaskar?”
People say different things like, “I got vibhuthi.”
“Baba gave me this ring.”
A person who failed an examination was told, “I got a gold medal.”
People who do not get these things say, “So you got it. Why did
you tell me? I did not get it. So I am worried. Why do you add
fuel to the fire?"
This kind of advertisement and ‘show business’ should be avoided.
Bhagavan blesses you with gifts of grace, but not for publicity.
It is absolutely personal. But we do it because of our ego. Ego
damages the organization. This is not the purpose. Personal things
are not to be shared with everybody unless they have got a message
behind it. If your personal experience has got some message, yes,
please share it.
People say these things because they have nothing else to say.
They are not familiar with His message; they are not familiar with
His vision. So they go on speaking of their personal experiences.
“Please excuse them, Father, for they know not what they do.
Forgive them.”
That is the prayer we can say. I was myself like that for a long
time and I know it now.
Spirit Of Traveling Together
“Explain the spirit of traveling
together. Recently about 300 devotees from Region 10 of Sathya Sai
Organization in the States of Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas
visited Bhagavan in Bangalore. When I was in Dallas, they were
making preparations.”
Traveling together is not mere travel -- it is a pilgrimage. When
you all go together to Prashanti Nilayam, the only objective is
Bhagavan. You don’t speak of anything else. Everyone speaks about
Swami. Everyone shares his or her experiences. Swami is the center
of attraction. Bhagavan is the center of discussion. Therefore, it
is a holy pilgrimage. It is sadhana, a spiritual practice. As
Swami is the unifying factor, it is a process of unity.
When we think of Swami, personal things do not arise. It is one of
purity, as Swami is the only goal and objective in our path
towards Divinity. So traveling together is one of unity, purity
and Divinity.
So far, so good -- we will take up the rest of this next week.
Thank you very much for being with us this morning.
OM…OM…OM…
Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya
Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya
Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ji Ki Jai!
Thank you!
|