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Sai Pearls of Wisdom - 26
March 3, 2004
Professor Anil Kumar has presented
this talk as an extra satsang. He has selected important messages
Baba has imparted to the students gathered around Him during the
afternoon sessions on the verandah at Prashanti Nilayam. These
talks will continue.
ANIL KUMAR'S SATSANG:
BABA'S CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS
"Sai Pearls of Wisdom"
Part 26
March 3rd, 2004
OM…OM…OM…
Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
THE ETERNAL TEACHER ADDRESSES THE TEACHERS
Swami addressed teachers from the Anantapur campus on 25th January
2004. The members of the faculty from the Anantapur campus had
training there for three days. Bhagavan graciously permitted them
to have their valedictory function here, in Prashanti Nilayam, so
they all came here. Suddenly, I got the intimation that I was to
make my appearance for my professional duty as a translator.
The most important points, which He informed the teachers of, will
certainly be useful to all the devotees, in particular, those in
the teaching profession. I would like to share what He said.
One: A teacher should love his profession. A teacher should love
his students. With that, he will be able to discharge things
expected of him to the best of his ability. Unless there is love,
he cannot please anybody and his teaching will also be useless.
Goods are better delivered with the spirit of love.
Two: The teachers have to teach the students the spirit of
oneness. All are one; we are not divided on grounds of religion,
colour and nationality. We belong to the caste of humanity. We
should never allow ourselves to be divided. This point has to be
made clear. With gold, you can make a ring. The same gold can be
melted and you can make it in the form of an earring. The name and
the form of the jewels change, but the gold is the same.
Similarly, we may be different nationalities and different for
several reasons. But, basically we belong to the human race and
the human community. This oneness has to be taught to the
students.
Three: The spirit of patriotism should be inculcated into students
committed to our care. They may be from any country. Americans
should be taught to love America. Germans should be taught to love
Germany. You should love your country. You should love your
culture. You should be committed to your country. The teachers
should include the spirit of patriotism in the minds of the
students whenever an opportunity comes. This is very essential.
Four: Unity is very necessary because all teachers, students,
parents, management and administration, all sections have only one
goal; that is the dissemination of knowledge. We watch our
children's progress, their advancement and their character. There
should be a unifying factor. Under no circumstances, should we be
divided.
"I want you"
Then Bhagavan said, "I love you very much. If you start doing your
duty, I am ready to give you anything that you want. Anything! I
take care of you, your families and your health. Swami will
always support you. Remember this point!"
This gives us a conviction and courage to stand by our own selves
with the support of God, because that day, Bhagavan gave His
assurance.
Then someone asked, "Bhagavan, how is Your health now?"
He said, "Nothing had happened to Me. I am fine! I am fine!"
Someone else asked, "When will You come to normal walk?"
"I am walking. I am fine," He said.
He says nothing had happened to Him. He says that He is fine.
Then somebody said, "Swami, we want You."
Baba replied, "I want you! I want you!"
Bhagavan also conveyed one thing to the teachers, which I want to
bring to your notice. When He was just about to leave the
interview room, He said, "Understand that God is in everybody in
the form of 'I'."
When I say, "Who are you?" you reply, "I am so-and-so." Everyone
says 'I'. This 'I' is Divinity in you. This 'I' is common to
everybody. Once we understand this commonness of 'I' in everyone,
we stand united.
Bhagavan also said to those teachers, "For three days, you have
had a conference on education in human values. Do you think that
you are importing values from anywhere? Where are the human
values? Are you learning them? You are a human being, right! So,
you were born with human values. A tree is not acquiring the
quality of a tree. An animal is not learning the quality of an
animal. So, also a human being need not learn human qualities,
because he is already born with them."
What we are trying to do in a teacher's conference is just remind
ourselves of these human values, which are latent in us, which
have been there all along. That's all! The job of a teacher is to
bring out those values, which are already present in the children.
Bhagavan also said, "This is the task for which I have come - to
remind you of your value, to remind you of your Divinity. Whoever
does this job will have My bounteous blessings." These are the
things that Bhagavan told the teachers that day.
Bhagavan's wedding gift for a student's sister
I am also happy to let you know that Bhagavan did two important
miracles that day. Having come out of the interview room,
suddenly, He called one boy. Then, He just looked at him and took
the wedding card he had for his sister.
The boy said, "Swami, this is my sister's wedding card."
"OK," He said and told the boy to go and sit.
The boy went and sat in the tenth or fifteenth row, which was his
seat that day. At the end of arati, he finds there in another
cover, the Mangalasutra, the sacred knot or the golden chain,
which is given to the bride on the wedding day. The boy was
thrilled and he told me.
I was very excited to hear this. I have been sharing this with as
many groups as possible because you must have understood my
temperament. I cannot be at peace unless I share whatever I know
with everybody. Yes, it is the greatest delight!
Another Vibhuthi wonder
I can also share with you another miracle. There is a district by
the name Khammam about a fifteen hours drive from here. There is a
very small village close to Khammam by the name Chilukuru. Our
seva dals went there and started doing some service. They noticed
a Hanuman temple there, which was dilapidated and neglected. There
was no priest, no daily worship, nothing whatsoever. So, the seva
dals cleaned the whole premises; they whitewashed the whole
temple. While they were there, they kept Baba's picture.
From Bhagavan's picture, vibhuthi started flowing continuously.
Those seva dals were immensely happy for the kindness of Bhagavan,
approving and accepting their service to Hanuman. In doing this,
Swami was establishing that He and Hanuman are one and the same.
The seva dals also did bhajans there in the temple premises. They
saw Baba's face in the photo, full red in colour. Normally,
Hanuman's face is smeared with the red colour (vermillion), as
most of us must have seen. They noticed the same thing on Baba's
face. I also wanted to share this had happened.
Spiritual conversations
Now, I want to bring to your attention to an interesting
conversation I had with some friends on 7th February 2004. I was
so happy to talk with them, and after it, I informed Swami about
it. He was very happy. He heard all that I said, and at the end He
said, "You learn from them. They are far better than you." I was
happy to hear those comments from Bhagavan because it is so nice
to be corrected.
Bhagavan always says, "Those who are under the lamp cannot see the
light because they are standing under the shade. The lotus
flower will be able to attract bees from a long distance. Yet,
the frogs and snakes surrounding the flower do not know its
value. Similarly, those of you who are staying with Me, you do
not know My value. Foreigners coming from long distances, they
know My value more than all of you."
This is not simply a compliment to foreigners. It is
hundred-percent truth. I know because the places I visited abroad
and the people that I talked with certainly certify what Bhagavan
said.
As I said earlier, I do not mind repeating: No one is a foreigner
here in Prashanti Nilayam. No one is a foreigner. It is the wrong
thing to say. Those who have not come here are foreigners. Those
who have not seen Baba are foreigners. We all belong to Him. He is
our Father. How can you say that they are foreigners? I do not
accept it.
Moreover, the Self in you, the spirit in you, the consciousness in
you, the Atma in you is very much the same in everybody. We belong
to the kingdom of spirit, the kingdom of heaven. How can there be
a foreigner in the kingdom of heaven? We are all one. That's what
I sincerely believe.
In this context, a funny thing happened. I met some devotees from
different countries. Somehow, I was just passing by them for my
usual evening walk. Suddenly they said, "Anil Kumar, why don't you
spend some time with us?" Naturally, I went there.
I asked them, "If you allow me, I would like to interview each one
of you. Would you like to answer my questions?"
They said, "Why not? We will happily do it."
Mind you, I informed Swami of these things. That's why I am
sharing this with everybody here. The questions I put to our
friends and the answers that they gave, I am sure, will be highly
profitable to everybody.
I have nothing to ask - Fathima
The first devotee belongs to Brazil. Her name is Fathima. She is a
school administrator. She runs some of the educational
institutions there in Brazil. I asked her some questions and she
gave wonderful answers. Swami was very happy to hear those
answers.
The following are the questions and the answers:
Anil: "Is this the first time that you have come
here? Would you tell me your experience please?"
Fathima: "Yes! This is my first visit. If you ask me to give my
experiences, one experience is this: When I have Bhagavan's
darshan, I feel as though I am receiving energy from Him. I am
very energetic now. I am very enthusiastic after having had
Bhagavan's darshan."
(When I told this to Swami, He was immensely happy. My conclusion
to this answer is this: We should also be ready to receive that
energy. We should be sensitive. We should be receptive. We should
be prepared to receive. That lady, a great devotee, was so
sensitive with an open mind and heart that she could receive
Bhagavan's energy. That's really fantastic.)
Anil: "What desires do you have to place in front of Bhagavan if
you are given the chance?" (Look at this. Ah! What an answer she
gave!)
Fathima: "Truly speaking, Mr. Anil Kumar, I don't desire
anything." (I don't think there is at least one in ten thousand
who would say that.)
"I have nothing to ask; I am desire-less. And I do not even
desire an interview. No! What I do desire is this – to improve
the spirit of love within me, and share that love with everybody
around. That's what I want. Nothing more is required."
(When I said this to Swami, He said, "See, those people don't have
desires. You fellows are full of desires. There is no end at all.
That is the level of their devotion.") (Laughter)
Anil: "Being this is your fist visit here, what are taking from
here, Prashanti Nilayam?" (Oh! What a wonderful answer she gave!)
Fathima: "The sweet Name of the Lord and His
beautiful Form, His wonderful teachings and a number of books on
Sai literature. I am taking these things with me. That's all. I
do not want anything else."
Anil: "Going back to your place, what do you want to
do there? You have been here in Prashanti Nilayam for quite some
time. You say that Bhagavan very well influenced you. What is it
that you propose to do back in your native place?"
Fathima: "Mr. Kumar, I am very anxious to take to the process of
meditation. I want to spend a long time in meditation. I am very
much determined to transform myself. I have realised that I need
purity of mind. I will work on myself. I have determined to turn
my mind inward so that I will have the experience of my
consciousness or Atma. I want to do this back in my native
place."
That is the level of a devotee, I tell you. Really I was
wonderstruck! I know that each and every one of you also is of
that standard. This is only a random sample, which I am giving.
You are also great. (Laughter)
Anil: "How are you feeling meeting me here now? This
is North 5 block evening time. We are sitting under the tree. It
is nice meeting you. How do you feel here now?"
Fathima: "Mr. Anil Kumar, I feel I am light; I am
unburdened; I have no more worries and anxieties; I am very
happy. My only wish is have this spirit of being light in
weight, without carrying a head-load of worries. I want to
experience the same thing at my native place. Let me be as light
as possible even there also."
Anil: "What are the things that you have observed
here which you want to implement there?"
Fathima: "Two things I have learned, which I want to faithfully
implement there. One is faith in Swami, unwavering faith, steady
faith in Swami. The other is love. These two things, I want to
implement there. I want to share them with my colleagues all over
the country. I want everybody to realise that we are all bound by
Divine energy. We are all united by Divine energy; therefore, we
should never be divided. Divine energy unites us. We should be
conscious of this fact. This is the true relationship. Having been
united by Divine energy, we are all one. This has to be realised
and experienced by everybody."
Anil: "Madame, after you go home, what will be the
first noticeable change that could happen in your lifestyle?"
Fathima: "I have one maid servant. She does a lot of
work, cleaning and cooking. She is a caretaker; she does all the
work. After having come to Swami, I have decided to love her, to
have some sympathy, to have some kind of forbearance, to have
the spirit of tolerance for her and co-operate with her. I have
decided that I should help her more than I have been and I
should also serve her now and then. She has been serving me. I
should also serve her. This is what I will be doing immediately
after going there."
Anil: "You appear to have learned many things here. We are very
happy about it. But let me ask you one plain question. What is the
thing that you observed, which will be difficult to practise
there? Out of all that you learned, what is it that will very
difficult to practise there at your place?"
Fathima: "To get rid of my ego. It is the toughest
problem."
Anil: "How do you know?"
Fathima: "I had an opportunity to serve in the
Westerner's canteen. I was serving and suddenly we came to know
that Swami's car was coming to that side. I left my work and
came out of the canteen, so that I could look at Swami and Swami
could look at me. However, He did not turn His face towards me.
He turned His face the opposite direction, as if I was a
non-entity. For the first time, I learned that I should be
egoless."
(She also confessed that it is the ego that stands between God and
herself. To break this ego is a tough job.)
Anil: "I may be wrong, but I think, your country is
full of people who are worldly, materialistic. Do you think that
there is an over-dosage of spirituality in Prashanti Nilayam?
How are you going to balance the extra dose of spirituality here
and the over-dosage of materialism there? How will you establish
balance?"
Fathima: " Mr. Kumar, I do not think that
materialism and spirituality are contradictory. I don't think
they are opposite. They are complimentary. They go together,
hand-in-hand."
She gave one example from her life. She has three daughters. She
holds a very big position, with status and she is quite rich, with
no idea of what service is. Unfortunately, when she was travelling
by car, she met with an accident and she was hospitalised for six
months. Everybody served her. Her three daughters served her most
faithfully and affectionately.
She told me, "It was the first time that I realised the value of
service. Everyone needs to serve because later we may need to be
served. The need of service, the importance of service, I have
learned here. Furthermore, I am also convinced that if I serve,
Bhagavan will take care of my family. If I serve Him, the Lord
will take care of everything else. Therefore, if we move in the
world with God in our heart, we will not find anything
contradictory in His world. We will not find materialism and
spirituality running in opposite directions. They are not
opposite polarities. No! They are just parallel, running
hand-in-hand."
I see Him in my heart - Jovan
Then I talked to a second person sitting there. His name was
Jovan. He is a geologist. He hails from a place close to Croatia
by the name Serbia. I also shared with Swami the answers he gave
to my questions.
Anil: "Brother, how many times have you visited
Bhagavan?"
Jovan: "This is my third visit. I feel like visiting
this place again and again because I am drawn, I am attracted by
His magnetic Love. I believe that I could visit this place
repeatedly because of His grace. I pray to Him that He will
bless me with many more opportunities of being here in the
future as well."
Anil: "All right! Congratulations for having made
three successful trips to this place. You are really a chosen
devotee. Undoubtedly, you are quite a lucky one. But, I am
inquisitive to know what had happened at the end of every visit?
How were you benefited by each visit?"
Jovan: "The first time I looked at Bhagavan, I saw my father in
Him. I felt as though my father had been waiting for a long time
to receive me. I felt that my dream had been realised. In fact,
the first time I saw Bhagavan's photo, tears started rolling on my
face. I did not know how it happened! I could not control this
until I made my trip to Prashanti Nilayam. That was my first
experience here."
"In the second trip, I had the blessing of being granted an
interview. Swami gave me an interview and I had padnamaskar seven
times!" (This man counted also! Good!) "My joy knew no bounds that
I could have that infinite happiness. How can I experience all
this? During my second visit, I saw Baba as my mother. I
experienced all the love, concern, care, everything."
"At the end of my third trip, I developed a feeling that no
anxiety, no worry, nothing whatsoever would bother me. There is
someone to rely on, someone to depend on and someone to take
care of my life. At the end of the third visit, I am so happy."
Anil: "Well, OK! How do you experience Baba at your
native place, Serbia?"
Jovan: "Again and again, Swami appears in my dreams.
He conveys messages to me, giving me direction and guidance
whenever I need it. He solves many of my life problems. In fact,
I have no words to thank Him for all the guidance, for all the
direction that He has mercifully given to me. I also remember
one statement that Baba made to me, which is ringing in my ears
until this date."
Anil: "What is that?"
Jovan: "'Long life is not important. Divine life is
important. It is not important how long you live. It is more
important how spiritually you live, how religiously you live,
how you practise your sadhana during this life span. That is
more important.' Since then, I decided to practise His teachings
both in word and deed."
(Swami was telling me, "See how those people are reacting. Because
of their devotion, they are getting such wonderful feelings. You
fellows are empty.")
Anil: "Sir, if there is no objection, would you like
to share one of your experiences with us?"
Jovan: "Once I had to land at Frankfurt to catch my
next flight. As you know, Frankfurt is a very big airport with
so many gates and so many flights just going and coming, like
mosquitoes over here. Believe me, the gate I had to go to
happened to be 108. This thrilled me. Then another time, I
missed my flight and I could not have my baggage with me. I
missed my baggage. It took two days and Lufthansa Airlines paid
me some amount towards the delay. They paid in Deutschemarks,
108 again! Well, I was speechless. Then I joined a new company.
Every employee has a number, and my number is 108! I do not
think all this is a matter of coincidence. No! It is all
Bhagavan's will. That's what I believe."
Anil: "Sir, would you tell me your first change or
transformation after being here?"
Jovan: "Look here, Mr. Anil Kumar, the first change
was that small mistakes in me started appearing as big,
gigantic. The big mistakes of others started looking very small.
I also learned how to pardon everybody. I learned that in every
need I should transform and reform myself."
Anil: "You look so happy. I am so happy to see you.
Good! If one cannot be happy here, where else can anyone be
happy? Impossible! This is the place of bliss. I am so happy you
are in a blissful mood. I have one small question. If you don't
mind, please answer. Do you ever feel frustrated and depressed?"
Jovan: "Why not? I am also a human being. There have
been many moments of depression and frustration, but one thing
makes me feel very much pain."
Anil: "What is that problem? What causes you pain?"
Jovan: "Every year, I make so many resolutions, so
many decisions. Each time, I fail to implement even one. I feel
so bad about this. In spite of so many resolutions and
decisions, I am not able to implement even one. This is really
painful! I think it is a sign of mental weakness. This point
frustrates and disappoints me."
I want a lasting change - Dubravka
Then I met the third person, a man by the name Dubravka. He hails
from Croatia and he is a businessman with vast experience.
Anil: "Sir, I don't think you have come here for the
first time. As I look at you, I think you are a senior devotee.
You must have come here many times. Would you please let me know
how you came to know Swami?"
Dubravka: "Yes! This is my second trip. It is all
Swami's grace and His will. In Croatia, I participate actively
in Sai centres. There I have heard many of Bhagavan's cassettes.
I have heard several of Bhagavan's discourses. I am familiar
with Sai literature. I have also seen many of Bhagavan's videos.
As I watch those videos, I feel as though I am transported to
Prashanti Nilayam. These things really amaze me. These things
have drawn my attention quite a lot. Bhagavan's service to
humanity is unimaginable, beyond all dimensions. His spirit of
sacrifice attracted me."
Anil: "Sir, would you please tell me one important
personal experience?"
Dubravka: "Mr. Anil Kumar, I do not know whether you are going to
believe me, but what I am telling you is a fact. In Croatia, as we
sit in the bhajan centre, immediately after one bhajan, I see
Prashanti Nilayam in front of me and Baba giving darshan to
everybody. I see the whole of Prashanti Nilayam at the end of
the first bhajan, just as you see any film projected on the
screen."
"Another thing has also happened. After returning from bhajans,
I wanted to visit one of my relatives. When I decided to go, I
saw His form right in front of my eyes. Then the next morning,
as I was about to go and visit him, what happened? When I opened
my door, I saw this relative at the doorstep. I did not need to
go to him. He already came to see me. All these things happened
because of Bhagavan's grace. I think it is all His will. I could
narrate many experiences that you might not believe. In fact, I
am quite astonished and surprised at my own experiences."
"I will tell you, something else. My life partner is a Muslim and
she had no faith in Bhagavan. She had no idea of ever visiting
this country, but slowly she too has become a devotee. She started
desiring to visit this place and have Bhagavan's darshan.
This is Sai's miracle!"
Anil: "When you saw Bhagavan for the first time, how
did you feel?"
Dubravka: "Somehow, I felt nearness. Not only that,
when I saw Swami, I felt cosmic energy coming into my body. I
felt that I was as strong as an elephant. Yes, I feel very
strong now. I feel that my intellect is awakened. I feel an
outburst of my devotion. I also feel a sense of detachment and
discrimination within me. This is all because of Bhagavan's
compassion and mercy."
Anil: "After going home, how will your influence
here in Prashanti Nilayam manifest?"
Dubravka: "Mr. Anil Kumar, you may call it anything
– self-evaluation, self-assessment or self- enquiry. I want to
audit my own life. I want to evaluate my own life. I want to
proceed along the path of self-enquiry. That's what I have
decided. I pray that I should be kinder and more compassionate,
that I show concern for everybody. From this day, I want to talk
more sweetly and softly than ever before. I am just examining
what change could be possibly brought within me, having been
here. I should strive hard for spiritual advancement, not for
worldly things."
"As I see many of our devotees, I find a change in them which is
temporary, which is momentary, which is emotional. I do not want
such a change. I want an everlasting change in me, a change that
will be permanent, so that I can be an evolved soul. My
immediate concern is how to be free from this bondage? How to
attain liberation? How to mould my life in accordance to these
ambitions of mine?"
Anil: "What each of you has said is true. Everything goes as per
Bhagavan's will. Yet, we have our own plans; we have our own
ideas. Don't you think that we should also put in our own effort?
Don't you think so? For our effort, we pray for His grace." One
more question, "When would you like to come back to Prashanti
Nilayam?"
Dubravka: "Mr. Anil Kumar, that thought does not
arise in my mind at all. Why? I experience Swami in my country.
I experience Swami there at my residence. I experience Swami in
my heart. So, the thought of my next trip does not arise.
Everywhere, I feel Divine vibrations more powerful than
electro-magnetic waves. We are all experiencing them. To tell
you honestly, we experience nearness there more than here. I
cannot estimate the Divine energy that we receive from Swami.
All of our experiences and the miracles in our country are
strengthening our faith day-to-day. We are stronger in our faith
than ever before. Would you please tell me where Swami is not in
existence? Swami is everywhere, whether it is Croatia or
Malaysia. He is everywhere! The moment I start singing His
glory, I immediately feel Him. What more do I want?"
He is already there in me - Feverin
Then I met the fourth person, a man by the name Feverin. He hailed
from Slovenia. He was a young man and very much reserved. While
all others had been laughing, enjoying and joking, this man was
quite serious, quite reflective, meditative and contemplative. Oh!
I thought he might not like me to put more questions.
When I turned to him, he said, "Sir, I don't feel like talking
much. Please don't put too many questions. My desire is to learn
from the devotees here and from this place. That's all. My only
sadhana is to recapitulate, to remember, again and again, the
happy moments of my stay here. That's all."
I said," All right! But, I'll just ask a few questions, not many;
don't worry!"
Anil: "Young man, what you said is quite right. You
say that you do not feel like talking much. Swami wants us to
work more and talk less. Swami really appreciates that. You are
really following Swami's teachings. I can understand. In fact,
as I look at you, I feel that you are practising Swami's
teachings more than all of us put together. I am very happy to
note that. But, out of curiosity, I want to know your spiritual
experiences, briefly, if you don't mind."
Feverin: "I have been visiting this place for the last ten years."
(He was quite a young man! Wow! Good!)
"There in Slovenia, I saw Bhagavan's video. On the video, we could
watch Bhagavan doing Abhisheka, the pouring of vibhuti
on the Shirdi idol from days gone by. I also watched Swami
materialise kumkum (vermillion) and turmeric and shower it on
the Shirdi idol. That scene drew my attention. That brought me
to Bhagavan the first time."
"Then I developed interest in spirituality. I wanted to know
spiritual truths. I read almost all the books of Bhagavan. I
have heard His messages and I actively participate in Sai centre
activities. I necessarily visit Prashanti Nilayam every year. I
have been doing this most religiously for the past ten years."
(Since he said that he had read Baba's literature and had been
visiting this place for ten years, I could understand that he was
on a different level. Then, I wanted to put another question.)
Anil: "Would you please let me know how Swami entered into your
life?" (See the answer; he said it like a bullet. I could not open
my mouth after listening to it. You know what he said?)
Feverin: "Mr.Kumar, you ask me how Swami entered my life! No!
Swami was already there in me. Where is the question of Swami
entering into my life? He is already there." (It was almost an
electric shock to hear that answer from him. Hats off to his
intellect! May Baba bless him!)
"When Swami is inside and outside, when Swami is everywhere,
your question is out-of-question, because He is everywhere. It
was wartime and we had to shift our family. Swami protected all
the members of our family. We are very grateful to Him; we are
highly indebted to Him. If we are safe and secure today, it is
because of Bhagavan's grace, because we had to run away from our
homes during the war. In those challenging, testing moments,
Swami came to our rescue. I personally feel that Swami is
guiding me. Every day, He is leading me."
Anil: "Young man, I know, in the beginning itself,
you said that you were not prepared to answer many questions, so
this is the last one. Please answer me. What are your future
plans?"
Feverin: "I want to practise and experience all that
I have read until now, so as to be nearer and closer to
Bhagavan. What is it that takes me closer to Him? What is it
that makes me feel Him? What concerns me now is that more and
more, I want to develop Sai-awareness, Sai-consciousness."
"In fact, in Sai darshan, there are so many advantages. You just
think that you had darshan this morning, but you do not understand
the real depth and the significance in Swami's darshan. I feel
that we are not richly benefited by His darshan because of our own
faults, deficiencies and mistakes. We should be pure so that we
will be one-hundred-percent benefited by His Divine darshan. Our
attachment, our ego, our possessiveness, hatred and envy are all
there in our head. Therefore, we are not totally benefited by
Bhagavan's darshan. That's my opinion. Our immediate
sadhana is to get rid of these faults, and I have already
started on the job."
"Finally, I would like to conclude with a note: Until now, many
people have interviewed me - journalists, radio and TV people,
but I have never interviewed anybody. How could I meet a person
from Bosnia, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia, who were kind enough
to have responded to my questions? I sincerely trust that it was
Bhagavan's grace and Bhagavan's will that made this possible."
Ego – the worst enemy
Because of all that I heard, I have come to some conclusions. The
first conclusion is this: To think that I am a great devotee is
nothing but illusion; it is a big mistake! Moreover, to hear
others' experience is nothing but a great epic, like the
Bhagavatha. The Bhagavatha is filled with stories of devotees.
When you let me know your experiences, I am privileged to hear
Bhagavatham, stories of God. This is my conclusion. It was
Parikshith from the Bhagavatha, who attained liberation through
the sage Suka by listening to the experiences of devotees.
I understand that life is a long, continuous journey; that life is
an eternal journey, and that we have to advance and advance. I am
fully convinced of the fact that Swami may convey His message
through anybody here. Anyone whom I meet, anybody whom I come
across, may have some message to convey to me, which is Swami's
inspiration and Swami's will.
Therefore, the idea that I had achieved something, better be given
up immediately. We have to try to remove all the obstacles along
our journey, along our spiritual path. Even in our dreams, let us
not consider that we are superior to anybody or that we are more
knowledgeable than anybody. That ego is our worst enemy. These are
the lessons that I learned talking to these Sai brothers and
sisters.
The talk at Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur
On the 23rd February 2004, I went to Anantapur. Bhagavan asked me
to address the youth studying there in the Krishnadevaraya
University. I gave a talk for about an hour and a half, as
directed by Bhagavan. Naturally, if you carry Baba's banner, you
will be a successful speaker, a successful singer. You will also
have a good audience. Swami will take care of everything. The talk
was quite successful. They put some questions, which I want to
share.
After my return from Anantapur, Swami said, "Did you not ask the
following questions?" He went on telling me all the questions put
to me! Then He said, "What answers did you give?"
I said, "Swami, You know the questions and You know the answers
that I gave." (Laughter)
He said, "How do you know?" (Laughter)
"Swami, I know the answers because of Your discourses. I have
also gone through Your literature, sure that I would find more
answers there. You have dealt with all topics under the sun.
What could we run short of?"
He just pinched my cheeks and said," Good! Good!"
The key is with Him
At the end of the meeting, the Vice-chancellor of the
Krishnadevaraya University came to me. He told me, "Mr. Anil
Kumar, for the first time in the twenty-three years' existence
of this university, the students behaved in a very nice way, in
a disciplined way. Never do they listen peacefully to the talks.
Usually we find a pelting of stones, heckling, slogans, loud
talk and lack of discipline. For the first time, I am so happy
to notice silence in the auditorium!"
Then I said, "Sir, shall I tell you the secret?"
He said, "What?"
"We kept Bhagavan's six foot long picture on the dais. He will see
to it that nobody can open his mouth!" (Laughter)
"Everything was kept under lock and key. That's all. Tomorrow,
they will be normal again."
Then he said, "Sir, when His photo could control the whole
audience, can you imagine if He were here in physical form? What
an impact He would bring among the youth of this place?"
I said the same thing to Swami. He was very, very happy. Then He
said, "Anil Kumar, did the students behave properly? Did they hear
your talk in rapt attention?"
I said, "Swami, everybody heard my talk in rapt attention because
of the President of the meeting."
"President? Who presided over the meeting? Was it the
Vice-chancellor?"
"No! No! No! The President of this universe, Bhagavan Sri Sathya
Sai Baba, presided over the meeting!"
"Oh, that is a good answer," He said. (Laughter)
"Swami, I feel that You locked the lips and mouths of everybody
and kept the keys here in Prashanti Nilayam. Therefore, nobody
could open his mouth."
"Oh! You enjoyed it!" (Laughter)
"Yes, Swami! I felt Your Presence." He was so happy.
Questions
Now I want to share with you the questions that the audience put
to me there. These questions and answers have been brought to the
Divine notice. He, Himself, told me the questions in a sequential
order and endorsed my answers, so I am sure that you will also
appreciate them and be benefited by them.
These are questions from youngsters, post-graduate students and
research scholars. Some are students of Computer Science; some are
students of Business Management. Most of them were non-devotees,
who were exposed for the first time to a talk of this kind. Please
note that.
One person among the audience asked me, "What is the theme of your
talk?"
I responded, "The theme of my talk is: University to
Universality." Of course, Anil Kumar is known for talking. What I
said there, we can think about that later. The questions will be
of some interest to you.
Secret of happiness
Q: "Mr. Anil Kumar, we see you very happy. Please tell us how
to be happy, like you."
Anil: "Young man, I understand. Instead of asking me how to be
happy, please ask yourself, 'Why am I unhappy?' In my case, the
very same reason holds true for being happy. But, I am not going
to give you an escaping answer. No!"
"To be happy:
One: We should stop comparing ourselves with others.
Two: We should stop competing with others.
Three: We should not be egoistic.
Four: We should not be jealous of others.
Five: We should find some time for good humour everyday.
Six: We should find some time to make others happy.
Seven: We should be ready to accept anything given to us at any
point of time, not necessarily according to our preferences and
choices. Let us have this temperament to consider everything as
God's gift. Let us develop this choice-less awareness; it will
make us happy."
Because this applies to everybody, there was thunderous applause
to this answer.
Controlling anger
Q: (The second question came from a big man.)
"Mr. Anil Kumar, I have anger in me. I am angry with everybody.
It is very easy for me to loose balance. I am always an angry
man. Please tell me how not to be angry."
Anil: "The answers are all from our Bhagavan.
"The first point: When you are angry, stand in front of the mirror
and look at your own self. You will see how ugly you are."
(Laughter)
"The second: Drink one glass of cold water. That will pacify
you."
"The third: Come out of the house. Move freely in the open
space. Anger will be pacified."
"The fourth: Know the root cause for your anger. What is the
root cause for your anger? The root cause for your anger is ego.
You want everybody to follow you; you want everybody to listen
to you; you think you are right and the other person is always
wrong. You think that you are superior to everybody and that
others are inferior. This is ego. Once this is known, then you
will feel that there are times that you may be wrong. Once you
understand that others can also be correct; that others are as
good as yourself; that others are as decent as you, then there
will be no place for ego to exist. You will never be angry with
anybody."
"When you try to understand the other person, when you step into
his shoes, you will know his viewpoint. The best way to lose anger
is to think from the other man's point of view, not from your
viewpoint." What I said seemed to be widely appreciated.
How to deal with criticism?
Q: "Sir, many people criticise me. Many people make fun of me.
This really disgusts me. I am a Sai devotee. They make fun of me
saying how I am a Sai devotee in this modern age. When they
heckle me, well, I loose my balance. How do It tackle this
situation?"
Anil: "Young man, that is easy!"
"Point one: What did Baba say? When you receive a registered
letter and you do not accept it, but reject it, the post will go
back to the sender. Similarly, when anyone criticises you, if
you do not hear, if you are not affected, it will go back to
that fellow who is critical towards you."
"Point two: If that fellow criticises loudly, all of his words
will go into the air. If he criticises you silently, it will
apply to himself. Don't worry!"
"Point three: If his criticism is true, then correct yourself,
reform yourself. If the criticism is a false allegation, don't
bother yourself. Baba said, 'I will not be irritated, if anyone
calls Me bald-headed because I am not bald. If anyone says that
Baba has a mop of hair or a halo of hair, I am not insulted
because I have lots of hair!'"
"If what is said is not in you, you do not have to be disturbed.
If what is said is in you, even in that case, you do not need to
be disturbed. That's what Baba said."
True meditation
Q: "What is meditation? How to do it?"
"Point one: Eating, writing, walking, talking, reading --
everything is meditation, according to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai
Baba."
"Point two: The true sign, the true indication, the success of
genuine meditation, the result of meditation is arriving at a
thoughtless (thought-free) state. The withdrawal of the mind is
the result of any meditation."
"Point three: This meditation has to be taken in three steps.
The first step is concentration, the second step is
contemplation and the third step is meditation."
"Suppose you want to have a rose. What do you do? You go to the
garden. There are so many plants there -- jasmines,
chrysanthemums, dahlias and so many other flowers. Because you
want a rose, what do you do? You avoid all the rest of the
plants and walk straight to the rose plant. That is
concentration. Am I clear in this?"
"When you stand in front of the rose plant, what do you do? With
the help of scissors, you cut only the flower, avoiding leaves,
branches and thorns. That is contemplation."
"Then you collect the flower and enjoy its smell, enjoy its
beauty and you are lost in it. In watching the flower, you
forget yourself. That is meditation."
"We think that concentration is meditation. Wrong! We think that
contemplation is meditation. No! Meditation is forgetting
yourself."
Experiences are personal
Q: "Many people question my experiences. What shall I do?"
Anil: "Why do your share your experiences with everybody? I am not
here to share my experiences with everybody. No! Unless you are
genuinely interested, unless you want to know positively, why
should I share my experience with you? I am not supposed to
share my experiences with critics, with people who question me
or with people who doubt me, because that will damage my life.
That will weaken my faith. That will make me weak spiritually.
Therefore, we are not here to share our experiences along the
street with everybody. No! So, your mistake is to tell
everybody. Therefore, they are questioning you."
"Swami will send you a genuine man, who needs your support, who
needs your advice, who requires your personal experiences, so
that he will be enriched."
"Why are you sharing your experiences? Have you questioned
yourself? Is it for publicity? Is it an ego trick? Is it for
name and fame? Why do you do it?"
"Experiences are personal, while messages are universal. Share
the message with everybody, be it a devotee or a non-devotee,
because the message is universal,. Only share personal
experiences with another trusted devotee."
Correct yourself and the whole world will be corrected
Q: (From a young man, a research scholar) "Sir,
so many are dying in Kashmir. The whole of Afghanistan is washed
out. The whole of Iraq is bombed. There is continuous war
between Palestine and Israel. What is Baba doing? Why is He
silent?"
Anil: "First, Baba wants you to correct yourself. You are not
peaceful with yourself. How do you expect peace everywhere? You
are not happy with your own self. How can you find happiness
everywhere?"
"A simple example: A father brought a map of India for his son.
The son saw the map of India and started playing with it.
Unfortunately, he tore it to pieces. His father was very much
upset. He scolded his son like anything. After sometime, the son
brought back the map as-it-was. The father was surprised. He
asked his son, 'How could you bring this map back?'"
"He said, 'Dad, on the other side of the map, there is a picture
of a man. I put the first piece where the head should be. Then,
I put the two pieces where the hands are. I put the fourth and
fifth pieces where the legs are located. As I assembled the man,
the map was set right.'"
"So, if you correct yourself, the whole world will be corrected.
Don't worry about Iraq and Afghanistan. First, worry about
yourself."
All work is Swami's work
Q: "When I am busy with my research, how can I think of God
throughout? It disturbs my work. Is it possible to do?"
Anil: "Baba said one thing: 'Why do you consider that you are
separate from God? Why do you think that research is your work?
Why do you think business is your work? Why do you think
teaching is your work? There is nothing like your personal work.
Everything is God's work. Once you begin your day with a word of
prayer, everything is God's work!'"
"What are we doing now? This is Swami's work. Our friends are
recording. You are listening and I am speaking. This is God's
work. We are not making any business. We are not doing it for
any name and fame. We want to share the matters of devotion with
the world of devotees so that they will be happy. That's our
job. This is Swami's work. This is not our personal work. Once
you do your work in the name of Swami, that becomes God's work.
There is nothing like personal work verses God's work."
Remedy for negative thoughts
Q: "Sir, I have so many negative thoughts. What is the remedy?"
Anil: "When you know that your thoughts are negative, it is in
your hands to turn them into positive thoughts. You are
comfortable with negative thoughts. Therefore, they are coming
in sequence, all these years. Once you understand that negative
thoughts are dangerous, they will not come to you again. If what
you are holding is not a rope, if you know that it is a snake,
you will drop it immediately. You will not play with it. Is it
not? Similarly, once you know that negative thoughts are
dangerous, you will not entertain them."
"How do we give up negative thoughts? By developing positive
thoughts, negative thoughts can be given up, because God is
positive. Only a positive mind can experience God, never a
negative mind. When you are clicking my photograph, if I turn my
back, can you take my picture? Impossible! I should turn my face
towards the lens so that you can take my picture. Similarly, you
should turn towards the lens of God; that is the positive mind."
Think of God to remove ego
Q: "How to give up ego?"
Anil: "Say this sentence: 'Oh, ego! Let you go!' First, you say
that. Then, you can give up your ego by thinking of God. God is
greater than you are! God is mightier than you are! God is more
powerful than you are! God is omniscient! God is omnipotent! In
front of Him, we are nothing. When you think of God, you will be
humble. When you think of yourself, you will be egoistic. When
you walk towards the sun, your shadow will be behind you. When
you walk against the sun, the shadow will be in front of you.
Similarly, walk towards the sun, towards God. Then there will be
no ego at all. You are walking against the sun, against God, so
you are guided by your own shadow, the ego."
How do I become Baba?
Q: (This question is from a mischievous young man.)
"You say that everyone is God. You say that Baba is God. Now,
tell me, how to be Baba now? I want to be Baba!"
Anil: "Why do you say, 'how to be'? You are already Baba, but you
have not known it. How to know it?"
"A simple example: You are a post-graduate student. You are a
university student. Baba is giving free education there in
Prashanti Nilayam. You give free tuition, free tutorials to
children in the neighbouring villages. You are a Baba in
miniature. Baba is giving free medicine there. You organise
medical camps here. You bring doctors and you bring patients.
You help them. You are a mini-Baba. Baba loves everybody. You
start loving everybody. You are Baba. Baba is one of sacrifice.
In your own way, when you learn to sacrifice, you are Baba."
"By cultivating godly qualities, you are God. Being worldly, you
cannot know that you are God. So, cultivate Baba qualities. Then
you are Baba. You are not going to become Baba. You already are
Baba."
Let us live Sai
Q: "How to influence others?"
Anil: "You don't need to influence anybody. You cannot influence
anybody because influencing others is a political game.
Influencing others is a matter of business. Let us not influence
anybody. If at all you want to influence anybody, you should be
an example to others."
"In spite of all the problems, if you are still smiling, if you
are still happy, if you still maintain a balanced state of mind,
people are influenced by your example, not by your words. So,
how to influence others? Be the best example. Live the
principles of Sai, but do not preach the principles of Sai. Let
us live Sai, not speak about Sai."
Your heart is Prashanti Nilayam
Q: "Sir, is it possible for all of us to go to Prashanti
Nilayam and stay there? We are here in the university. Do you
expect all of us to come there?"
Anil: "Gentlemen, Prashanti Nilayam is not there. Prashanti
Nilayam is your heart. A peaceful heart is Prashanti Nilayam. A
blissful heart is Prashanti Nilayam. A heart of love and
compassion is Prashanti Nilayam. It is not just a geographical
place. You do not need to come there. Wherever you feel
peaceful, that is Prashanti Nilayam. Wherever you feel blissful,
that is Prashanti Nilayam. Don't think of shifting over there."
Give love and take love
Q: (This question is from a professor.) "Sir, I
am a Sai devotee and I saw you there a number of times. I saw
you talking to students and happily moving with all of them. How
are you able to control them and be close to them? You are
cheerful and very close to them. At the same time, how do you
control them in the classroom and teach them?"
Anil: "Sir, it is very simple! When your students know that you
love them, they will run after you. When your students know that
you are their well-wisher, they will be with you. Once students
know that you are sacrificing your life for them, they will be
ready to sacrifice their life. When students receive your love,
they love you in turn; everything is nothing but reaction,
reflection and resound."
God will always pull you out
Q: "Sir, are we in delusion? Have we pushed ourselves into this
delusion? Or has God pushed us into delusion?"
Anil: "This is the only spiritual question I have received until
now. I am glad that at least this session is ending with a
spiritual question!"
"God will never push you. God will take you away from bondage.
He will pull you out, but He will never push you in. Please
understand this. In fact, there is no delusion. Delusion is your
own imagination."
"When you stand under a tree, you find a shadow. There is no
shadow above the tree. Below the tree, there is a shadow. Why?
The tree has leaves (desires). The tree has branches
(attachment). Human life is a tree with branches of attachment
and leaves of desires. So, the leaves of desires and the
branches of attachment of the tree of life are responsible for
this illusion, for the shadow. Once, you come out from under the
tree, above the tree there is only light and no shadow.
Similarly, when you look up to God, there is no delusion. When
you look down toward the world, under the tree of life, you are
in illusion. So, you have gone; God has not pushed you. Instead,
He will pull you out!"
Swami expresses his happiness
When I said these things to Swami, He was immensely happy. I told
Him, "Swami, these are all the answers from Your Divine
discourses."
He said, "I am very, very happy."
At the end, He asked, "Where did you have your dinner?" (Laughter)
"Swami, I had dinner there in the Sai centre at Anantapur."
"Did they serve all the items you wanted?"
"Yes, Swami! They fed me very well. I am very thankful to them.
It was 12 o'clock by the time I returned home."
Bhagavan said, "At least it is good that you returned. I thought
you would settle there." (Laughter)
"No, Swami."
He was so happy.
The next morning He was also asking me, "How was the Anantapur
trip?" (Laughter)
"Swami, excellent, by Your grace!"
With that, I conclude this session. Thank you very much! May Sai
bless you!
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
Source:
http://www.internety.com/saipearls/03.03.2004(E)central.htm
© Anil Kumar Kamaraju 2004 - Here
reproduced for personal use of the devotees for the purpose of
seva.
Anil Kumar website:
http://www.internety.com/anilkhome/ -
http://www.internety.com/saipearls/
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