(By B.Ramanadha Rao Madras, as Published in
Sai Leela December 1976 and January 1977)
1. Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi helps those who
help themselves with faith in HIM independently surrender, dedicate and
meditate on HIM with purified devotion.
2. Every one knows that a man or woman, born
or dropped into this universe, is from an atom of Brahman, the GREATER. But what for? You should know it is only to
think of HIM, meditate on HIM and surrender to HIM with purified devotion, so
that you can go back to HIM. Yes, to go
back and rejoin HIM is the purpose for which you have come into this mundane
world. To pray HIM and reach HIM back,
you should pray. To pray, you should
possess sufficient physical energy, strength and concentration to meditate and
dedicate and thus surrender at HIS LOTUS FEET.
To obtain this strength, you should eat but not live to eat. To eat you should have food and to get food
you should earn. To earn you should
toil hard honestly.
3. Thus you have been given a test in the
world to see how far you are firm and faithful to Brahman, and to see how you
stand the vigour of test-an acid test - indeed and how you can attain the goal
by vanishing or killing temptation for material benefit without any attachment
to the mundane objects. That is the
cause of your birth but not to forget this purpose and get lost in the mundane
world, manifest with the illusion shadowing around with a veil, challenging you
with all wicked forces dragging and drifting you away from good. Thus make a victim of situation,
circumstances and environments in the filthy atmosphere for worldly desires of
amassing illgottom wealth. Power,
pomp, false glory and lust with an ego, which is transient are mainfest in man.
4. Man least realises, though he is endowed
with the power of realisation and discretion that the mundane objects and
acquirements are illusion and that the body decays and dies (the Atom leaves)
or the Atom casts off its Kavacba or covering and takes a new form or creation
according to its past Karma. Your
possessions and your self perish but not the INNER SOUL, THE ATHMAN, which is
ever glowing Sacred, sublime and supreme light, since the Athman is from
Brahman, which is ever existing and never ending; and so, the Athman seeks to
go back and join the Brahman, when its mission is finally over in the
world. Like the water of the sacred
rivers, where much of impurity is mixed, but their water remains pure.
5. What is the mistery behind the man's birth
- everyone knows, but no one realises - just imagine that out of a drop of
Dhatu Bindnu, a liquid fluid drop - a figure is carved out of a human feminine
body as also other creatures in the universe with different shapes, description
- all but a mass of flesh with bones and nerves, suiting different climates,
food and conditions in water, land and air. The figure of a man is shaped and
set with different organs, each to function its duty independently with nine
outlets. Each organ is endowed with
separate exclusive power to function on its own without any inter-linking or
inter-dependence between them. What one
organ does, the other cannot. They are
of course connected to each other by instinct to one central box - the brain,
which is endowed with the power of thinking, discriminating and directing.
6. Who on earth can tell, may not even
the latest advanced modern Scientist, with all his exhaustive research for
space and atom, what this miracle is. Take the organ "THE EYE" which
is also out of the same dhatu bindhu - has the power to see - only good things
- but not bad ones-so is the case with every other organ.
7. Could the modern advanced Scientist, a
Research Scholar, a Moon goer or an atom blaster make a human form with the
functioning of the organ from any other material, chemical liquid or
fluids? He must be first born, created
by God and by accident of birth as ordained by the Lord, man can then become a
Scientist and carry on research on the Moon, Star or
any planet or even go nearer to Sun, blast an atom or a Hydrogen bomb and
destroy the world, but can he win God? Become God himself? That is the divine
Supreme and super-power the creator - the Brahman - a mystery - since one
cannot see or know where and how it is.
8. A man of flesh developed into a body with
bones, nerves, lungs, heart etc. etc. with joints to facilitate movement as
desired and this structure covered to shape the body with skin with no fire or
grinder inside; but the food, solid or liquid, you take is ground and some part
of it is changed into blood and marrow, to give strength to the body and thus
automatically pump it with its own mysterious God made mechanism - a wonder -
but once it stops functioning no one can revive it and that is the end of a
human being. Even the body does not
retain any excess food but rejects the same as excreta and water (urine).
9. The Supreme Power - the universal Divine
Power - God has not made the human being only from the sexual mating or by
congugal bliss, but has also made several millions of creatures on the earth,
in different ways even under water and air by His Supreme power of creation,
with conditions suited to their areas.
10. Now it should be accepted without dispute,
by common sense that God is above man.
It may be noted here, as you all know, that a frog lives within a solid rock
- how it breathes -where is the air, water and food for this creature -
particularly a creature mostly inclined to live in water. Can man make such creations? Is it possible for our revered and learned
scientists to do such things? No - it
is impossible. Apart from such living creatures, there are forests, vegetation,
plants, food products for human beings and other creatures to exist, in
addition to water, air and heat the necessities without which no living being
can or will survive. If it is not God -
the Omnipotent, the Omnipresent -who can do these miracles?
11. Here lies the hidden Secret - the mystery -
the miracle of man's birth, which we should ponder over, since this cannot be
realised, known or revealed by any one.
It is only here that one should realise the existence of God - the
Unseen Power. It is sheer accident of
birth ordained by the Lord according to one's past Karma that we are born in
different environments, society and status and as such are we not bound to be
indebted, to be grateful to realise and repay our gratitude to that Almighty –
God - Omnipotent and Omnipresent The
Brahman? Should we not therefore struggle, strain, exert and endeavour to get
back to HIM our father - from where we came humans endowed with sense organs, with
discretionary powers, as loyal and dutiful children of God the Universal
Father?
12. The Law of evolution and revolution is a
fundamental principle in anything and everything. Any object, creature or man that moves from one particular
place, should in the natural routine course go back, rejoin, or reach the
starting point or place. That is the
law of nature. To quote a simple example - a man goes out on work from his
house, a bird from its nest, a beast or an animal from its dwelling place for
food etc. will naturally return to its dwelling place by night. Even the planets, the Sun, Moon and
Stars appear according to their set
times disappear and reappear. Similarly
in our birth, we came from Brahman and
we should go to HIM. Unless and until one knows and realises this theory he cannot understand the purpose
of his existence or the goal of his life and birth-
13. Are the
mundane, materialistic and artificial objects illgot wealth, power, prompts ego-and status eternal and
permanent? No, not at al.l In your
existence in the world, eternal or the mundane
objects, you love, adore and admire do not come with you, when you leave this
world. Those are materially acquired, artificially got by wicked and foul means
by egoism, selfishness, hatred, pride and threat by brutal and barbaric acts of
violences as a wild and ferocious beast pouncing on an innocent weak creature
for its prey. Man is endowed with some
sense of understanding and discretory realising and feeling capacity. He is not supposed
to resort to such acts for acquiring
temporary glory, pomp, power and status - which is nothing but ego.
14. Granting that a man has acquired all,
is he to enjoy, possess them eternally and do they accompany him when he dies?
Why should they be acquired at all? How far and what for is this temporary
desire? It is on the contrary. The more one possesses, the more worries,
anxiety, mental agony, bodily ills will haunt him. So that is not worth
possessing. Why should one possess that and what for?
15. To quote an example - take the case of a
materialistic, great, big or rich man and a spiritually disposed great saint
or seer. Both are men. Both
live - the former in a mansion with all luxuries, the latter all alone,
solitary, secluded and isolated in an Ashram - a hut - with no luxuries or men to attend on him -all % self
help - self served. The former wades
through in the storm of wicked world with all vicious surroundings, thoughts,
desires, deeds with no goal in sight for salvation or God realisation - for
Moksham or Mukti. Only this man's
name and fame will echo in public, only for a temporary period so long he is in
lime light with some position or status.
The moment he is pulled down from his position or status, none will
recognise or even look at him. He dies
a miserable death with all wicked
ideas, thoughts and deeds of past, surrounding him. Some may die in harness. Although they might have lived a luxurious life with pomp and power
and some even a most exciting life still what a contrast? The same man if he were a saint, a seer,
spiritually devoted, dedicated, living and meditating in an ashram (hermitage)
away and unconcerned of the wicked and vicious world, detached from the mundane
objects, surrendered to the LOTUS FEET of the ALMIGHTY for God
realisation, salvation, Mukti
or Moksha contented and satisfied, with his hermitage life,
he is loved and revered and
respected by all. This saint or seer is enemy to none. He is striving to guide the people and
steering them to the path of divinity.
This saint or seer has no anxieties, worries or ambitions. His food even is restricted. His only aim in life or the goal is to reach
Brahman from where he came. To that
place he seeks to go back. That should
be the aim of a man. Only such soul
finally reaches the goal by rejoining Brahman and gets rid of the wretched
birth in the world again, not to live a tempting, dodging, deceitful,
purposeless and vicious worldly life.
16. History repeats itself. Great men come and go. Their greatness is inscribed on their
epitaphs - none to read - men who conquered the world materially for pomp and
power and there is none among them who conquered HIM - the Almighty. But those saints, sages and seers with no
pomp or power, left behind them, the Vedic rituals, philosophy religious and
scientific teaching for people, to attain Moksha, Mukti or salvation to spread
in the world are remembered. A sacred
task, for man's salvation is performed by them for which we have to express
gratitude, feel grateful and bow to such seers in reverence.
17. Should every one observe or follow
this path or principle? This world will not be as wicked as existing. That
depends on them - as a test by the Creator - of course all cannot acquire and
pass as in the School examination - some fail and some pass.
18. But should a man with moral binding, integrity and mental
firmness seek this path of dedication, devotion, meditation and surrender to
the Almighty, atleast, sooner or later after his Gnhasthasrram, in this mundane
world, after attaining maturity of mind and body by gaining worldly experience
in this material life, there is the chance to get the status, power and sense
of realisation, provided his change towards salvation is firm, realising and
repenting for his past actions, when the Almighty will certainly pardon and
give him remission as in the imprisonment to a prisoner with a view, henceforth
to purify him, from further misdeeds or sins, from this mundane world and thus
grant him salvation, Mukti or Moksha.
19. Who on earth can say that a drop of Dhathu
Bhindu will make or mar a man's career? It all depends on his past karma and
accident of birth. It lies in him to make the best of himself with his
discriminary and discreteful powers endowed to him and brought into the world -
and as such he is not to get lost in the dark woods of the world, forgetting
the very object and the purpose he has to fulfil. He should therefore strive,
strain, exert every nerve to attain Moksham, Mukti or Salvation or God
realisation.
20. Here again a man by mere reading, preaching,
propagating or advocating (without himself adhering) gospels of vedanta,
spiritual scriptures hymns and slogans, without the inner voice and sense
(Glow) set firmly for spiritual attainment seriously and sincerely with all his
heart, will not, cannot and shall not attain Mukti as it would only be a show
or imitation, with his ego and pride for false fame and honour, in the garb of
a saint or philosopher by dress and talk.
21. The saints or sages in jungles or in
Himalayan mountain caves, who do tapas or meditation, do not know or like to
know the mundane world. They never go out for any preaching or propagating the
God-cult. They strive and strain to solve their own
problems of attaining Moksha - as the proverb goes charity begins at home-each
man for himself and no man for any man. But since the saint or the sage is a
pure and holy man, while his prayers are for himself, they are for all too,
since his is a selfless service and sacrifice, without any show, egoism or
worldly false fame or notion. Since,
such a change in the mind will only scumble, tumble and perish one's own
progress towards attaining Moksha or Mukti, he is away from it.
22. The
illustration given below will explain a man's lust, craze and greed for power,
pomp and prosperity and material glory, which are all unreal and transitory
illusions as a mirage in a sandy scorching desert, as compared and equated to
the action of a man as said hereunder.
23. A frog interested and concentrated in its attention on
its prey in front of it, is unaware of the fate awaiting ahead of it, where a
snake concentrating in swallowing the frog is closely following, crawling at
its back. The snake in its turn is ignorant of its fate ahead, while a vulture
or a kite howering over in the sky is closely following the snake. The bird
concentrated in carrying away the snake, is ignorant of its fate ahead while a
hunter, down below, with his arrow set at the bird is waiting to shoot it down,
and this hunter in his turn is ignorant of the fate ahead of him, where a snake
under the grass is crawling across to bite him. The hunter lets his arrow out
and hits the kite which falls dead, at the same time the hunter, bitten by the
snake, falls dead to the ground. Thus neither the kite nor the hunter survive
in this chain as the destiny rules. It is interesting to note here that each
one did not know- its own fate but was only anxious to attain its object, meet
its own, end foolishly, blindly and ignorantly trying to conquer for its individual benefit, least
realising where how and when its end comes.
24. From this illustration, it could he seen
similarly that a man veiled by ego, pride and haughtiness, foolishly, blindly
both in mind and eyes though placed in high position and status, for acquiring
worldly benefits, pleasures, fame and honor (which are transitory illusions),
drowned in the storm of mundane world, stoops to such vicious and nefarious and
wicked acts, by destroying and distressing the innocent and weak persons
without allowing them to live in peace and comfort. In ripe time when it cannot
be tolerated by the Almighty, the egoism of a proud man meets its end.
To quote narrow-minded, wicked, jealous and selfish a man is,
although born for a superior magnanimous, sacred and selfless service and how
he is bent upon in such nefarious activities by his egoism, emotion with the
mind set at acquiring power, pomp fame, prosperity and false honor stoops to an
act of disgrace and disrepute brutally instead of expanding his mind with his
ideals with morals for puritv, sincerity and honesty with cherished ideals
towards the uplift of humanity, is well depicted and explained in the following
quotation.
An eagle, a far sighted bird (an eagle-eye) though
gifted fly so high in the sky, from
such a high level, only casts its eyes on ugly, stinking carcasses and corpses
but does not set its attention on superior and good things with its sharp
eyes, thus misusing the, gifted sight, towards ugly things instead of lofty
high ideals.
The curiosity of the nature created by the Almighty is
in that how ugly, wicked and unwanted creatures and things are more abundantly
made in the world, than useful and good things which are comparatively far and
few, is explained by the realistic fact that in the jungles ferocious,
ravaging, and wild beasts like tiger, cheeta, jackals which live on other weak,
innocent and harmless creatures like deer, stag, hare etc. are more in number, only to terrorise,
frighten and destroy the beauty and calm of the jungle, filled with pretty,
pleasant and harmless creatures. So is
the man with his ill-got wealth and power, who destroys the weak and innocent
persons.
These timers and cheetas etc. bring forth three or
four young ones at a time, what for, only to destroy the innocent not to speak
of the pigs in towns, bringing forth dozens at a time ugly, nasty ones - the
natural scavengers. You may see a wide contrast here that the good, pretty,
pleasing, entertaining, beautifying and useful creatures like pigeons,
peacocks, parrots etc. and the swan of course a rare specimen are not as
abundant as those unwanted ones - to make a particular mention of a
quadruped cow, worshipped as sacred and
holy Kamadhenu- a most vital and useful cow to mankind by its milk, so
essential for humans, whose usefulness is beyond description as ordained by the
Lord, delivers only one calf at a time. He or she - both equally useful for
mankind.
25. From the above narration, it could be judged
and a conclusion drawn, how evil is abundant in this mundane world and how
limited and few are good ones. This also reflects on the theory that good men
are few and the bad are more. That is the creation of the Almighty for the man
to realise and discriminate between good and bad and to choose the right path
for his salvation and pious living-this path he should seek to live and lead
both to help the humanity and himself attain salvation or Mukthi.
26. It will be
interesting to note how a generous, pious, good man and a wicked and jealous man
are compared, is illustrated by the fact that a lion-the jungle king-though
living on the ground-not like birds in air looks forward for its hunger, an
elephant for its prey but never stoops low to ugly and meek creatures, as the
vulture or a kite though high in the sky, with its sharp sight droops down upon
ugly and nasty carcasses, corpses etc. but not at good and superior things.
27. In just manner endowed with decretory and discriminating power
between good and bad and blessed with the position and status occupying highest
pedestal in life, instead of viewing things broad-mindedly and magnanimously
with sympathy and reason and redress the grievances and problems on
humanitarian grounds, by uplifting the poor and needy and thus follow the path
of give and take policy -forget and forgive - the mother of virtue of an ideal
man realises and feels the pulses and difficulties of others as his own; but
not develop paired with narrow selfish, ugly jealous mind, only aiming at
individual self progess and prosperity, pomp, power and fame acquired by
ill-got wealth and honour at the cost of others which are transitory illusions
not eternal. He should have perspective view on higher ideals with a bent of
mind and a determined effort to help humanity, as Abobenatham said, "Love
your fellow men and I will love you - as service to man is service to God or
humanity is servitude."
28. From this narration it could be seen and it
is evident that all scriptures of all religions will speak alike. One theory,
one philosophy which lead to one and the same goal and for the whole universe
the Almighty is one and that there is that Almighty. Different saints at
different times and in different parts of the world made their own individual
scriptures on philosophy and religion to their own group of followers with a
perspective idology as inspired in them by God but all leading to one and the
same goal.
29. That is LIFE- That is BIRTH- living and aim, the beginning and the end. That is
man's living and aim, the beginning and the end.
30. I am Saidas the writer or the author of this
article - an insignificant man-an atom of Brahman brought into this world by
HIM with a purpose to fulfill my mission and thus made to seek HIS LOTUS FEET,
to meditate, dedicate and surrender to HIM to attain salvation, Mukthi or
Moksha.
31. With the intuition given by HIM, the power
and strength to write (by Shirdi Sri Sai Baba), I place these few lines for the
information, guidance, if need be, of Sri Sai Devotees and those like-minded
persons, Bhaktas and devotees which is open for corrections, suggestions,
wherever felt necessary.
32. This is the EYE of the man. This miracle of
birth or creation which cannot be artificially or scientifically done.
B. Ramanadha
Rao
Madras, Tamil Nadu,
Pin Code 600 011