Chapter 10  ·  Contents  ·  Chapter 12

11. SECULAR AND SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE

Embodiments of Divine Love,

All knowledge is comprised of the material (secular) and the spiritual. Vidya means full knowledge of every thing. The ordinary type of knowledge teaches an individual the daily routines and how to use his limbs. Not only reading and writing, but everything one does from childhood until old age relates to vidya. All that one attends to from day to day using one's five senses of perception depends on vidya. However, true vidya comprises spiritual knowledge. Human beings can only enjoy the peace of the Atma (spirit) when they practice penance and develop wisdom.

To comprehend Atma Vidya one must practice self-inquiry and through inquiry see the special nature of the mind and the intellect. This special knowledge pertains to the spirit and the inner, subtle senses and feelings. A person is able to develop the power of renunciation due to the combination of mental and spiritual knowledge. By merely practicing penance alone without control of the senses one cannot realize anything fruitful. The relationship then between knowledge and penance is like the positive and negative; it is related to the inner subtle body guarding the outer physical body. Education relates to the body, penance to the Spirit. The body has been gifted for selfless good actions; one need not be highly educated to use his body for proper action. So, we need both spiritual and formal knowledge to lead a fulfilling, purposeful life.

What is the meaning of penance? Penance does not mean living in solitude in the forest practicing pranayama (breath control), fasting, etc. The ancients protected the body by eating fruits and the tubers so the state of the body was different than today. Today man's body is weak, his habits are all wrong, thus he does not realize his Divine power. Penance purifies the inner senses which are different from the aspect of the mind (chitta) which recapitulates, memorises, questions and enquires. Man is a bundle of thoughts, a combination of thoughts and counter thoughts.

Buddhi or intellect is another aspect of the mind, the faculty of discrimination. From the intellect one's ego develops and grows. All persons say "I" (the personal "I" is the ego sense). The antahkarana (the inner subtle equipment) is a combination of mind, intellect and ego. To attain purity of intellect one must undertake thapas (penance). True penance is sacrificing one's evil thoughts, habits and actions and cultivating harmony of one's thoughts, words and deeds and proper behaviour. The power of penance is demonstrated by one's food habits. The unnatural, artificial food we eat today leads to unsteadiness in meditation so our spiritual practices are in vain. If we wish to prepare idly and sambar (steamed rice balls and soup) we must purchase fresh vegetables, dhal (lentils), tamarind and spices such as salt and chili powder. All of these should be pure and clean including the vessels for the preparation of food. To know and practise these habits is knowledge (vidya). The cook may be an expert in preparing food but if the vessel is not tinned the food may become poisonous. For those on the spiritual path, purity of mind and thought, word and action are essential. Worldly knowledge is only one aspect of vidya. Any human being can stay in one position or stand for an extended period of time without much exertion but in order to run he has to exert himself far more.

This is natural for the body, but not for the mind. The mind is able to run fast naturally, but cannot remain stable or quiet for long. We should develop equipoise between the body and the mind. The mind should be stable but the body should run (perform exercise). One is able to gain experience of the Divine only through his body. Man truly has infinite power; he is like a generator. The body is like a powerful magnet full of Divine attraction. The body/mind is like a television or a radio in that it is able to tune into a multiplicity of events. All Divine powers in nature are within the human body which is a reflection of the Divine.

We are presently wasting the Divine powers within us by talking and listening too much to impure things which lead to mental agitation and emotional imbalance. When the radio is switched on, we hear the music due to some units of current being used. Time is wasted through listening to all the impure talks, and one's senses may become agitated. Also everyone around is affected by the radio broadcasts since light travels long distance in waves of Divine energy.

Divine magnetic attraction is present in all the five elements. This is demonstrated by the magnet's power to attract the iron and make the iron stick on as though they are one. One cannot hold back the attracted object. How can one separate himself from impurity? Do not listen to bad talk, don't indulge in bad talk, don't perform bad actions. One can escape from all of these and gain spiritual Bliss by running away from bad company and having limited talk.

The sage Vasistha was highly knowledgeable and full of wisdom and penance. On the other hand, Vishwamitra was full of wisdom and penance, but due to repeated fluctuations of his mind and emotions, he had to charge and recharge his energy very often. One day a competition was arranged to determine which of the two was greater; wisdom or penance. It was accepted that among all types of education, wisdom is supreme.

In the Epic Ramayana, Vasishta was the family priest. Once Dasaratha asked him why he should keep the position of a priest as he was not lacking anything and was full of penance. Vasishta after having experienced a Divine vision replied, "Oh king!, I have not come here for worldly position or status. I deserve nothing. I am working here because God will soon be born in this house and I wish to have His darshan (seeing), sparshan (touching) and sambashan (talking with, and spending time in His company)." Vasishta had knowledge and Truth. Vishwamitra, on the other hand, did penance but not the penance of the inner senses. Every sage acknowledged that Vasishta was a Brahamarishi, but no one called Vishwamitra a Brahmarishi. Vishwamitra was a Rajarishi (one who is emotional), though he desired to be a Brahmarishi (one who is Divine) like Vasishta.

In the competition between Vasishta and Vishwamitra, Adisesha (the snake), was chosen to be the judge due to His qualities. Adisesha bore the weight of the entire earth, had magnificent powers and penance, all knowledge and was one with Divinity. Adisesha agreed to be the judge on the condition that someone took His place to support the earth. Vishwamitra tried but he failed whereas Vasishta, due to his wisdom and penance could keep the earth in balance.

Only the devotee and his devotion and nothing else can bear the burden of the earth; devotion is the supreme state that man can attain. It cures all troubles, solves all mental problems and confers liberation. One who contemplates on God becomes God. To attain this state one must have unity of thought, word and deed. Vasishta conducted his life in this way but Vishwamitra was put to shame through anger and consequently lost his wealth and respect. Man today has largely lost his human qualities of Truth, Love and Peace, Right Action and Non Violence. Here is a bulb and a wire; current flows through the wire lighting the bulb. In the same way Divine power exists in all. If there is to be a garland, there should be someone to make it. You may have all of the materials like flowers, needle and thread but there should also be someone to make the garland. You may have gold, but there should be a goldsmith to make the jewellery. There may be a container, oil and wick, but there should be someone to light it. Similarly, in the body you have a mind and a heart, but it is the Divine current that illumines them. A light could be dim due to the wattage of the bulb; likewise the spiritual power in the body can become weak. Our inner Divine light should shine brightly and be developed through expressing more and more Love. When Love grows faith too grows. View all work as God's work and develop Love and faith. If one doubts, his faith will decrease. Penance is the combination of unity, trinity and Divinity.

But today man does not have steady faith. For example when one opens a tap there is an unending supply of water. God is the tank full of unending Bliss and Love and one's devotion is the tap. The Gopikas had a lot of devotion for Krishna and their leader Radha had continuous devotion for Krishna. She did not waste any of her energy but talked only of Krishna and heard only the melodious music of Krishna. One may consider that Radha's state is impossible to attain but it is easily reached through taking everything as God's work.

Many of you have come from different places such as Madras and Prashanthi Nilayam Each of you have travelled by different means of transport such as train, bus, plane or car, so each has taken a different amount of time to reach here depending on the mode of transport. While travelling in an ordinary train, one may have to shift compartments to reach his destination. This can be compared to the bhaktipath which involves nine forms of worship including listening to the glory of God, chanting His names, worshipping His feet, salutations, ritual worship, friendship, service, and surrender. In friendship we invite our old friends to our homes and offer them refreshments. God should be our oldest and closest friend. Tyagaraja considered God as his oldest and best friend; old is gold; have this type of friendship with God. Today's friendships often depend on status and power. God is in you, with you and around you whereas the worldly forms and events are like passing clouds.

Divinity neither comes nor goes. God is total Love. The following points are important to remember: in this world you and the world are temporary, but Truth and Love are permanent. Love is God so live in Love; Truth is God so follow Truth. Like the two wings of a bird, Truth and Love can make you fly to noble heights. Follow the greatest path, the path of Love.

Everything is God only, so spend your time in Divine sojourn. Take the example of a magnet and iron. They unite and the iron itself becomes one with the magnet. Likewise the knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. You are children of immortality; you are eternal; the relationship between God and you is eternal. The body changes through many births but the mind, deeds, etc. continue from birth to birth. Just as an auditor totals the accounts for the day and carries the balance onto the next page, our mind follows to the next life. We should be able to control that mind by first controlling the senses. Merge in Truth and experience Oneness.

April 16, 1996

Chapter 12