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Sri Sathya Sai Vratha Kalpam
(Procedure of
Worship of Sri Sathya Sai)
Index
Chapter 5
BODHA KAANDA (Swami’s Universal Teachings)
Sri Sathya Sai Bhagwan is deep as
the ocean of love and kindness, He is everything, full and complete, leaving
no vacuum, He is like father and mother to this world, He has no beginning,
no end, He is the personification of Parabrahma , He is Omniscient , He
encapsulates the entire corpus of gunas (characteristics) as well as the 64
fine arts /crafts (kalas) within himself. The thousand-hooded divine serpent,
Adhisesha, the master of all learning-nay, even a billion Adiseshas cannot
fully describe the innumerable leelas and mahimas of Sri Sai. One never gets
satiated whatever number of times one might hear the Divine story of the
Lord which is indescribably beautiful. Every move of His generates immense
happiness as well as wonderment in the onlooker. Even as He is busy
delivering his elevating message to the thousands of devotees who throng to
Him on the Maha Sivarathri day (on which day Lord Siva had taken form), He
simultaneously materialises Athma Lingas (i.e. self-generated emblems of
Siva) from his stomach which emanate from his mouth. And astonishingly there
is immense variety in the lingas so produced. Some are shaped like
saligramas, some are of natural crystal, some of gold and some are
jyothirlingas (of pure light). This manifestation is the grandest of His
endless leelas. Such a marvellous leela had never been witnessed during the
period of any previous Avtars . We can never gauge the measure of this
Avatar’s greatness but it is a fact that whatever words emerge out of those
Divine lips make the listeners bewitched, spellbound and enthralled. Our
hearts resonate in consonance with the tunes of the celestial Veena in His
hands. Whatever He does with His Divine Sakthi (power), every one of His
deeds is meant for the welfare and progress of the world. He has established
many an educational institution and set before them noble ideas and
objectives. One does not find in these bodies of learning, boys and girls
intermingling freely without let or hindrance doing whatever they please. On
the other hand, we meet children of both sexes imbued with deep spirituality,
disciplined conduct and abiding love of God, much in the time honoured
traditions of Bharat. The trainees learn to understand what the venerable
sages of this land had taught in regard to social conduct; and when they go
out, they are thus properly equipped to lead well-ordered and productive
lives by adhering to the noble principles of Sathya (truth) Dharma (duty),
Santhi (peace) and Prema (love).
Let us hear from the Lord’s own lips His message to
the students:
“You must first of all recognise
the essence of humanness (manavathva) before you choose the code of conduct
appropriate and well suited to it. One should intensly search for the Cosmic
Being who is the basic link between one’s self and creation. One should not
act just on his own whim and fancy wut within the counds of sciptures. Both
the field (kshetra) and the sower (kshethrajna) are but the sa,e Parabrahma;
and the same celestial principle (“Sarvam Brahma Mayam”) permeates the whole
universe. One should fully realise this absolute truth by unbroken and
unsparing practice. Man can achieve, through perseverance (i.e. sdadhana)
the cosmic exprerience of identity with the Supreme Being, and the resultant
supreme sense of bliss (anandam) which are both trancendental in nature, way
beyond and above the human mind’s range of physical senses. Students should
dedicate themselves to their duty in the single minded manner of Arjuna of
the Mahabharatha. Performance of one’s duty requires from faith and
undivided attention, which can be acquired through selfless service. Every
single person is entitled to raise himself and quality to occupy the throne
of the realm of the athma.
“Man has within him the capacity to
inspire great courage and enthusiasm in the hearts of those around him. The
noblest message from this land of Bharat to mankind is that man’s highest
virtue is absolute faith in himself. The educational system now prevailing
distances itself from the noble message and therefore deserves top be
discarded forthwith.
“ We urgently need to instal and
altogether different system. The new system should emphasise that truthful
conduct is itself a strict spiritual austerity (sadhana) which has to be
practised for attaining higher goals. The most sacred activity is to do good
to others. One’s Mother is God, so is one;s Father, one’s Teacher is God ,
so is one’s Guest – these are wonderful ideals deserving to be cherished
both in percept and practice. They would certainly lead to immense
collective happiness of humanity. Education is noe meant merely for the sake
of livelihood (jeetham); it is meant for the sake of life itself (jeevitham).Mere
temporal education devoid of spirituality can yield no peace or happiness or
welfare. Modern civilisation coarsens the human heart; it turns even the
finest brain to worthless clay and induces man to take to false and
incorrect ways in life. In the present educational system there is no
provision or programme capable of encouraging a student to strive for
physical, mental and spiritual well being. Wildly pursuing the means of
finding physical enjoyment man is losing sight of humanness (manavathva). It
is only in this sanctified land of Bharat that the techniques of spiritual
procedures of Sadhana have developed to reach very high levels. Therefore
the people of this land have the advantage of having, within their easy
reach, the highest principles of spiritual development and advancement. You
may have immense knowledge , knowledge of the physical world and everything
materialistic. But of what use is this knowledge if you do not know who you
really are, from where exactly you have come here, what ultimate destination
you are headed for? Is it not foolish to waste your entire life making no
effort to find satisfying answers to these vital questions – answers which
are vcertainly bound to benefit you enormously? Self-confidence, abiding
faith in one’s self, is the root of the tree of life; devotion is its flower,
anandam (bliss) is its fruit; good character is the sweet fruit juice. On
your shoulders rests the duty to defend, to protect and enhance the honour
of yourselves, of your country and of Sanathana Dharma (the ageless creed)”.
Those were the ringing words in
which Sri Sathya Sai Bhagwan couched his soul-stirring message to the young
scholars. Such exhortations were given not only to students but to those
engaged in other fields of activity too. He conveys his views and directions
in numerous ways; with both hands he bounteously distributes in valuable
gems from his inexhaustible treasure of jnan, bound in packages of Sanathana
Dharma. Everyone without exceptions receives these lovely tokens of tender
love. Sri Sai plants in the hearts of all the peoples of the world the seeds
of absolute faith in God, thirst for spirituality and keen desire to do
service; and he diligently waters those seeds with the sweet nectar of his
love and compassion.
Through in numerable samithis,
samajams, sanghams, mandalis and sabhas in every corner of the country, Sri
Sai is spreading his divine messages and exhortions (Updesh) for the benefit
of mankind. Resurrection of imperilled Dharma is the principal purpose of
his Avatar. For furthering his agenda, he desired to have a suitable focal
point. The choice fell on Mumbai, capital of Maharashtra, the state which
had been his field of action in the earlier avatar. The name he chose for
the proposed centre was “Dharma Kshethram”. Armed with his blessings members
of Mumbai Sri Sathya Sai Sewa Samithi took up the project. The foundation
stone was laid by Sri Bhagwan himself. Well ahead of schedule an imposing
edifice arose fully equipeped with every facility and complete in all
respects including guest rooms. Aall were happy and agreebly surprised at
the phenomenal progress of the project blessed as it was by the Lord himself
. They greatfully took it as another instance of Sri Sai Bhagwan’s
spontaneous demonstration of his love and leela. The structure was
christened “Sathya Deepam” (the lamp of truth) by Sri Sai. In Sathya Deepam’s
prayer hall, a lamp (jyothi) has been picturised. It has the capacity to
attract all the diverse thoughts of the devotees and turn them in one single
direction and to immerse the praying devotees in a tranquil sea of
concentrated meditation (dhyan). The celebrated line from the Upanishads,
“Thamasoma Jyothirgamaya”, meaning, “Lead me from the enveloping darkness
into Enlightenment”, fully reflects the agonised cry of the suffering
humanity. The merciful response to that prayer, the hand of compassion
reaching out to the desperate humanity of the world is the blessing of Sri
Sai in the shape of Sathya Deepam and the splenderous symbol of jyothi
incorporated therein. To the rear of the prayer hall, there is a cylindrical
structure which houses a winding staircase with marble steps. Sri Sai uses
this to reach the upper floor. The central pillar supports the upper
structure called ‘Eighteen Petalled Lotus’ (Ashtadasa dala kamala) is the
sanctified residence of Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan. Mumbai is India’s gateway.
Dharma Kshetram has been rightly established in this city. In this beautiful
building so aptly named “Sathya Deepam” the Lord himself resides in person.
Both idrectly and indirectly, Sri Bhagavan carries on His three-pronged
programme of preaching of Dharma (Dharma Bodha), resurrection of of Dharma (Dharmoddharama)
and installation of Dharma (Dharma Prathoshtapana). All the people of Bharat
offer their homage, with hearts overflowing with happiness and spiritual
zeal, to the Lotua Feet of Sai Bhagavan who is the inspirer of all these
fruitful activities.
Every single individual should
begin somewhere and gradually develop spiritual sadhana (practice). The
degree of his application to sadhana should be steadily enhanced. Supreme
Divinity lies dormant in every individual. One should endeavour to recognize
it. This is the message of Sri Bhagavan. He once declared, “Through this
Dharma Kshethram my message will get more widely spread throughout the
world”. To constantly think of God, to dedicate to God the fruits of one’s
labours, to be absolutely devoted to God at all times – these qualities can
achieve for man, genuine spiritual liberation from bondage. One’s life span
is to be utilised purposefully for doing sadhana to secure moksha (release
from the cycle of birth and death). On the other hand, man is squandering it
through indulgence of the physical senses. The heart of every human being is
his own working field, for the practice of Dharma. It is the Dharma
Kshethram (field of Dharma) as well as Kuru Kshethram (field of action) The
word “Kuru” means “do”, do Karma (action). One’s duty is therefore, to
follow the path of Dharma, to perform good deeds and to attain salvation. It
is wrong to turn to bad ways, commit evil deeds and thus lay one’s precious
life to waste. That is also the gist of the Bhagavad Gita. Right in the
first verse (sloka) of the Gita, there is a question from Dhritharashtra:
“In the field of Dharma Kshethram, which is Kuru Kshethram, what is being
done by Mamakah and Pandavah?”. Let us look at these words carefully.
Mamakah means ‘my people’, that is to say, an army enveloped by the veil of
Ahamkara (ego) and Mamakara (possessiveness). In other words, it an army
tainted by the deadly characteristics of thamasa (darkness, evil, impurity)
and of rajasa (insolence, passion, ambition). Contrast this with the other
word. Pandu means white. Pandavah are the untained ones, of placid,
unruffled sathvic disposition (of goodness, wisdom, purity). This battle is
truly the eternal battle raging in every age – the battle between the
sathvic forces and thamasic and rajasic forces. But it is the sathvic force
s which alone will ultimaterly triump, because they alone receive God’s
grace and give decisvie victory and finally salvation. A river takes its
birth really from the sea. Irrespective of every obstacle in its way and
overcoming all of them, it flows and flows on until it reaches the bosom of
its mother, the sea. In the same relentless manner, man should travel
single-mindedly towards his true origin, that is Madhavatathvam (the Supreme
Being), from he had taken his birth originally. Whoever adopts the sathvic
characteristics and strengthens them sufficiently, will be showered with
God’s grace as in the case of the Pandhavas and he will attain
completesuccess. This Sri Sai’s inspiring message.
Additional facilities like hutments
for the sadhakas, prayer halls, a bhajan hall to seat thousands of devotees
and also a printing press are being planned for Dharma Kshethram. To help
sadhaks from abroad there is a special package. These foreigners have a deep
thirst for devotion, cosmic consciousness (jyan) and detachment (vairagya).
They are eager to undergo arduous spiritual practices and austerities. (Sadhanas)
They want to imbibe deeply the nectar of Sri Sai’s preachings, which are
reputed to be trans-denominational and attain self-fulfillment at His Lotus
Feet. Now these eager seekers require to be properly received and housed,
given appropriate facilities, and preparatory instructions to help them in
their spiritual quest. so, an International Centre has been established
within dharma Kshethram. There, special devotional programmes are arranged
on festival days and religious occasions pertaining to all religions without
distinction, in addition to normal daily bhajans. On the day of inauguration
of Dharma Kshethram, in the palatial building of “Sathya Deepam”, Sri
Bhagavan, with His own Divine Hand, lit the eternal lamp (Akhanda Jyoti).
That lamp is meant to shine for ever and ever eternally giving out its light
all around. The flame diffuses the effulgence of spiritual jnan all over the
world and offers salvation to entire mankind. Devotees lit their own lamps
from that Akhanda Jyoti and carried them to far off lands. Those little
lamps are now installed in several Sri Sathya Sai Kendrams and Yoga Sadhana
Shikshana Kendras for the benefit of sadhaks, who practise Jyoti Dhyana
Abhiyas rituals prescribed by Sai Bhagavan. Sri Sai granted full permission
to install such subsidiary akhanda jyotis. While blessing their efforts, H
advised ; that every devotee’s heart should evolve into Dharma Kshethram (field
of virtuous action) and a Prasanthi Nilayam (Abode of Spiritual Tranquility);
that Sanathana Dharma, acclaimed by the Vedas, constitutes a sublime
doctrine which is trans-denominational (encompassing the predominant
precepts of all major religions) and that all people should learn it,
practise it and attain happiness.
To sump up, Sri Sai Bhagavan is
verily the Supreme Divine Being without a beginning or end. His Divine
sakthi (power) is boundless. How is it possible to enumerate and describe
His mahimas of immense variety and significance? “Anoraneeyaan, Mahatho
Maheeyaan”, goes a profound description: tinier than the tiniest particle,
vaster than the vastest. I have tried to put it down in words, to the best
of my limited capability. Sri Sai’s greatness, His supremacy has no
beginning nor end; it is extensive beyond imagination, outstripping the
farthest bounds of the Universe. Realising this and being aware of their own
limitations, devotees should worship Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavan to the best of
their ability and with sincere faith, love and devotion in their hearts. In
accordance with the prescribed procedure, they should perform this Sri
Sathya Sai Vratham and obtain fulfillment of their heartfelt desires. May
all devotees continue constantly, to perform good deeds which are worthy of
Sri Sai’s approval, affection and love, imbibe jnan and attain salvation.
End of chapter 5
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