Date : 20 July 1997 Gurupoornima Discourse

Man, The Manifest Divine. - In His Gurupoornima Discourse Bhagavan focuses on the higher dimension in Man
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Every human being carries in him the divine principle. His physical existence, his parents who gave birth to him and the world in which he lives are all ephemeral. The ancient sages with their profound wisdom have asserted the glory of spiritual life, the greatness of the journey inward and the absence of any relationship that binds an individual.

A Sanskrit sloka upholds human values as the only relatives of man. The changeless eternal truth is the mother. The wisdom that reveals the non-dual nature of God in man is the father. Dharma or righteousness is the unwavering brother. Dharma is God himself. The ancients described Rama as the embodiment of Dharma. Daya or compassion is the constant companion. Whether a demon or an angel, an intelligent person or a moron compassion is sure to liberate. Shanti or peace is sacred as wife. Forbearance is the son, the chief instrument to help man in his liberation. All these qualities are only different ways of referring to God. In the Bhagawad Gita God is described as the mother, the father, the relative, the friend, knowledge, wealth and everything else.

The entire cosmos is the form of the divine. The principle of Brahman resides in every atom and cell. It is the underlying principle of the mighty mountains, gigantic trees, insects, birds, beasts, food,
water and air.

The sun, the moon, the heaven, nature, human life, the vast assembly of devotees gathered here in
Sai Kulwant Hall and the Sai who imparts to them the spiritual wisdom and universal truth are all manifest Brahman.

God is the potent power, that dwells in nature and every human being. God and the individual, God and nature are not different. They are one and the same.

Such being the truth, there is no need to follow any spiritual path to search for God. Man is ignorant of his own potential as his greatness remains hidden from him. He remains ignorant and does not recognize the greater truth he harbours. He is so steeped in his ignorance that he has come to accept his position as innocent and weak.

Scientists, after repeated experiments over thousands of years, propounded the atomic structure of all the things in the world. Spiritual savants thousands of years ago identified the unity of things, as they are all the embodiments of the divine. Only the names and approaches followed by science and spirituality are different. Both convey essentially the same truth.

Brahman is the energy that is all pervasive. What you identify as separate matter later transforms itself into energy. Energy remains unperceived by the senses or the mind. But it is the basis. Even in the human body this transformation of matter into electrical energy, light, radio and x-ray is now identified. Here is a tumbler placed on the table and the table is supported by the floor. One depends on the other. The essential basis for all forms of energy is God Himself.

Philosophers refer to the phenomenon as transcendental power; scientists speak of super, cyclotronic and biocosmic energy. Through the process of will power, concentration, meditation and samadhi we can understand the principle of this latent Atma.

Spiritual enquiry is to identify God as the unifier of every individual and material and all forms of energy and to merge in Him. One might raise a question, How can this be possible, when God is conceived as formless? The basic presumption in the objection is that only similar things can combine, as water with water and wind with wind. The same is true in the case of fire, mud etc. Applying this principle, if God is conceived as a formless entity , the devotee should also become formless. The implication is that he should forget his body consciousness. Through meditation he can shed body attachment and merge with God.

God is also described in eight different facets as sound, movement, light, speech, eternal bliss, superpower, illusion and wealth. In this paradigm if God is paranjothi then the individual, the light of life can get illumined through it and give out the light. On the eve of Dipavali - - the festival of lights - - the light of the super candle causes all other lights to be illumined. Investigate on this experience, understand the nature of God and merge in Him.

Bhajan, Japa, Meditation, Tapas, Yagna and rituals - - these are good physical activities. They do not exhaust the spiritual experience. True spirituality is a means of a heart to heart link that directly takes one to the non-dual identity with God. This is not to decry spiritual practices that are essentially ritualistic. They have positive results in the march from dualism to non-dualism. But more remains to be achieved.

The potential of the body requires some special attention. It is a generator. There are metallic components in the body in terms of the five elements. When acids like tamarind, lime, apple or orange are poured into the system, the body generator becomes activated and goes critical. There are radio systems and T.V.systems present in the body through which all communications are made possible.

The most recognised of the systems in the body is its magnetic system--the power of attraction. This explains all human relationships. The name of Rama originates from his power to attract, Ramethi Ramaha. If people have gathered here at Prasanthinilayam, they are attracted by the divine magnetism of Bhagavan. Honey bees are spontaneously drawn by the nectar in the flowers; plastic flowers cannot do it. The sweetness that attracts human beings is that of love.

A child born of its parents carries with it the appearance and qualities of its parents. An individual born in the ambience of nature has certain qualities gifted by it. Created by God; man manifests certain divine qualities. To express, manifest and share that divinity is most natural to man. Energy can be changed from one form to another, but can neither be created nor destroyed. For example magnetic energy gets converted into electrical energy, light, atomic energy etc. The greatness of the Divine energy is that it is changeless - - Brahman, Atma and atom are synonymous.

Science has but touched the fringes of human knowledge. With this little knowledge it questions the validity of the greater revelation experienced in the field of spirituality. Long before the present cycle of Yugas began, Prahlada knew and propounded this wisdom of the unity of God.

He said "It can never be said God is here and not there. He is everywhere. He is in the microcosm and the macrocosm." With this great understanding and awareness of God he remained perennially enjoying the bliss of divinity. He was absolutely fearless. Neither rolling from the mountain, nor facing a charging elephant had any effect on him. A poisonous snake was a garland for him. He had risen above the body attachment and remained absolutely fearless.
Gopikas evinced a similar wisdom, though they had neither secular nor spiritual education. They sang about Krishna, "You are subtler than an atom, bigger than the biggest. Manifest in 84 lakh species, how are we to comprehend you !" They have realised the latent power within them. The proper use of this energy multiplies. Once you draw water from the well, the water springs are activated. Once water flows, fresh water continuously replaces it. It is stagnant water that breeds worms. Money and knowledge when shared in charity keep growing.

Modern man has lost sight of his latent energy. It must now be patented. There is no energy without God. To bring out the hidden energy external sadhanas like meditation, penance and charity are not enough. He should learn to withdraw himself from the attachments of body and mind. He should take the miseries and happy events of his life with an equal mind. He should neither be jubilant over his achievement nor depressed about his loss.

Today is Guru Poornima. What do you understand by the word Guru? Guru is not one who teaches you subjects like maths, physics, chemistry etc. They are your teachers. Nor is he the one who teaches you Manthras; nor the one who removes your ignorance. He is all these and more. The root Gu means beyond attribute and the second syllable Ru means formless. So only God is Guru in this sense. He is one who shows the goal; Himself pious and pure.

Teachers of other kinds of knowledge will not qualify to this high merit. In the Indian tradition there are atleast two Acharyas who fall short of this high recognition. They are Sukracharya and Dronacharya. They were no doubt scholars, endowed with deep insight and understanding. In Krita Yuga when Bali tried to pledge to Vamana, an Avatar of Vishnu what He asked for, Sukracharya, Bali's teacher intervened and warned him of the impending danger. But Bali, who knew his guest to be Narayana Himself, refused to be persuaded from his promised gift to Vamana. He turned a deaf ear to his teacher's worldly-wise counsel.

In Dwapara Yuga Dronacharya the teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas had a special liking to Arjuna and conferred the best of his knowledge only to Arjuna, and none else. Thus he was partial to Arjuna. During one of his outings in the forest, Arjuna identified a tribal archer who killed an animal, just by aiming an arrow in the direction from which he heard the animal's sound. Arjuna was mystified at his great proficiency He was Ekalaiva, who declared that he learnt his archery by imagining and propitiating Drona as his Guru. On Arjuna's persuasion, Dronacharya asked the thumb of Ekalaiva as Guru Dakshina, as his tuition fees, thus incapacitating an able archer. Drona's allegiances to the Pandava prince made him behave in an unbecoming manner. Due to practical considerations, he strayed away from the wisdom of the spirit. God alone qualifies to the exalted status of Guru and so surrender to God.

Guru Poornima is dedicated to saint Vyasa, who is considered Vishnu incarnate. He by his diligent scholarship classified the four Vedas, wrote Bhasyas for the scriptures and composed a number of puranas to present the wisdom of the scriptures in an easily understandable form. He is supposed to have brought his mission to a happy fulfilment on this auspicious day, thousands of years ago. He is venerated by all as Guru.

Poornima is the day on which the moon shines in its full splendour without any deficiency. Moon is ever a presiding deity of the mind and so let this day fill all of you with pure thoughts and sacred feelings.

Saint Ramadas once described human life as fortified by 7 forts that are the seven weaknesses of man as anger, greed, jealousy etc. God is seated at the centre of the human heart. The best way to get into the garden and reach God is to let go our hold on the branches of the tree and free ourselves from the bondage of desires.

God is not separate from you. So experience the non-duality or unity of God. Bhakta Meera considered her own heart as the temple of God. The temple built by Rana, her husband was not important nor did she counsel pilgrimages to holy shrines. Your body is the temple of God; light of non-dualism, love and bliss are all in you. There is no need to fear, hold fast to God. Whatever you do, do it for God. Your conscience is God and so long as you go by its guidance you will never go wrong.

God is your Guru, though he is known by different names and forms in different regions. According to temperaments of the people, He forms and assumes different shapes. But the divinity that informs them all is one and the same. As with the tasteless flour, you add sugar and prepare a variety of sweets, by associating with God, redeem yourselves and do good.

Gurupoornima Discourse
July 20, 1997.