Madhusudana The objective world, subject to the effects of time and conditioned by space, is but a projection of the Divine mind. If God is offered material gifts, He receives only things composed by His own mental projection. What must be offered to God is something genuinely yours, feelings without form, unadulterated unmixed emotions, like love. Pray to Krishna with open palms that grasp nothing material. Be in His hands the hollow flute. Have no restriction or constriction obstructing the melody of His breath that is animating you. Madhusudana is one of the names of Krishna. Pundits define the name to mean, ‘He who killed the demon, Madhu.’ But the name has a deeper significance. Madhu means honey, sweetness. And which is the sweetest and most desired object for everyone? Himself, the ego, isn’t it? Krishna destroys egoism. He is the sudana [destroyer] of madhu, the conceit in oneself. Unless that is killed, He will not be your charioteer, and you will not be blessed by your Bhagavad Gita.

God-Man, Man-God Sage Valmiki asked Sage Narada, “At the present time, is there a man who is full of virtues, possessed of heroic prowess, who knows the principles of righteousness, who is aware of the service rendered to Him and is grateful for the same, who is truthful in speech, who adheres to His resolutions without being agitated, who is established in moral conduct, who is friendly to all beings, who is full of knowledge, who is capable of undertaking any task, whose form is pleasing to all who see Him, who has subdued His senses and is conscious of  His atmic [divine] reality, who has conquered anger, who is endowed with  spiritual splendor, who is free from envy and fault finding, and who causes even the gods to dread His fury when he is provoked into battle?” The question apparently is about a man, a nara, but all the traits are found only in God! Narada responds in the same language. He says, “I shall tell you of a man (nara) who has all these qualities.  He is born in the Ikshvaku line [dynasty] as the son of Dasaratha [Rama’s father], as the promoter of the joy of Kausalya [Rama’s mother].”  He then gives Valmiki a short resume of the story of Rama. Thus, Rama is introduced as a nara, and seldom in the Ramayana is he explicitly spoken of as God.  Rama himself declares, “Aatmaanam maanusham manye, Ramam Dasarathaathmajam”—“Know that I am a man, Rama the son of Dasaratha.” This play-acting by God as man, of Narayana as nara, is based on the very need that brought about the advent of Rama. Brahma, who led the gods to the seat of Vishnu, prayed that He should incarnate himself as man, because Ravana, the rakshasa [demon] leader who by His ascetic achievements and spiritual loot had kept the Sun and Moon in bondage, the five elements in dread of His displeasure, and all morality at bay, could be killed only by a man! Thena Gandharva yakshaanaamDevathaanaam cha rakshasaamAvadhyo/smeethi vaagukthaaThathethyuktham cha thanmayaa. He prayed, “Let me prove incapable of being killed by the Gandharvas [demi gods], the Yakshas [benevolent nature spirits who are the custodians of treasures that are hidden in the earth], the devatas or the gods, and the rakshasas.” I uttered the words, “So be it.” Ravana had become so proud and overbearing that he cast off all respect for virtue and spiritual attainments.  However, there was one method and one only of destroying him. For, Naa keerthayad avajnaanaathThad raksho maanushaamsthadaaThasmaad Sa MaanushaadvadhyoMrythurnaanyo/sya vidyathe He did not mention human being in that list, because he was full of contempt for them.  Therefore, Ravana was capable of only being killed by a man.  Otherwise, there was no death for him! Therefore, Vishnu agreed to be born as man, and Rama played the role very consistently, declaring, “Aathmaanam maanusham manye.”  In spite of this, however, the Divinity of Rama is apparent at every step to any one who watches for deeper meanings and significances. The Ahalya episode is one example: The curse that was pronounced by Gauthama [a sage] on his [seemingly] unfaithful spouse, Ahalya, was: Iha varsha sahasraaniBahooni thwam nivasishyasi;Vaathabhakshaa niraahaaraaThapyanthee bhasmasayineeAdrayaa sarvabhoothanamAasramesmin vasisshyasi “You will reside here for many thousands of years, without food, living on air alone, lying on ashes, full of remorse, unperceived by all created beings.” ‘Nirahara’ means, as used in the Bhagavadgita, “without any of the senses being fed with what they crave for,” and the Gita says that those who follow that discipline will be rid of even the least trace of desire only when “they see Paramatma [Super soul]—Paramdrshtwaa.” (II-59) So, whom must Ahalya see for her nirahara discipline to bear fruit? Let Gauthama who dictated the discipline, give the answer: Yadaa chethadwanam ghoramRamo dasarathaathmajamAagamishyathi durdharshahThada poothaa bhavishyasi “When Rama, the son of Dasaratha comes into this dread forest, you will be rendered pure.” So, Rama is the param [eternal]. That is selfevident. But what did Rama do when Ahalya was freed from the curse and became visible? Since she is a holy rishipatni [wife of a sage], he “bowed to her feet in great joy,” and she in turn, remembering Gauthama’s words, offered padyam [food], argyam [water], and more according to the tradition of hospitality. Thus the playacting is continued throughout the entire Ramayana, God as man, man as God.

The Nishkama Karma Method The most direct method of achieving spiritual success is nishkama karma, action without any attention or attachment to the fruit there from—action as duty, action as dedication, action as worship. But, action and the fruit thereof are not two separate entities; the fruit is the action itself, in its final stage, the climax, and the conclusion. The flower is the fruit; the fruit is the flower; one is the beginning, the other is the legitimate end. The flower becomes the fruit. The action becomes the consequences. One’s duty is to act; act well, act in fear of God; act within the bounds of morality, act in love, continue acting, the consequences will naturally follow as the fruit follows the flower. One need not worry or exult. Act enthusiastically, with faith—success is yours. ~Baba

The Three Gunas The three gunas [qualities] play a crucial role in creation, in the cosmos, and in human nature. When they are equally balanced, there is no agitation and no movement, though there may be resolution and will. They are basic to the progress and the liberation of mankind. The three are called tamas [dullness/ignorance], rajas [passion/activity], and satwa [goodness/purity]. Persons in whom each dominates are named tamasic, rajasic, or satwic. The names carry significant connotations. The three dominate mankind one after the other. When man reaches fulfillment, the satwic nature is master. Each guna [quality] directs the thoughts and deeds of the person according to its own tendency, awarding the results in the same manner. Take as an example the mango. When it is a tender fruit in its infant stage, we attempt to eat it and the taste is very astringent. Later, when it is fully grown, we try to eat a mango and it tastes quite sour. But when it is fully ripe, we eat a mango with relish for the taste has changed to pleasant sweetness. The life of the mango is geared to attain the final stage of ripened sweetness. Similarly, man begins in the tamasic stage of sloth, inactivity, and indolence. But he must be aware of the goal—the consummation in store—and try to escape the insidious attractions of the tamasic stage. After the tamasic stage, he attains the rajasic stage, when he enjoys power over others, when he vigorously pursues the fancies of the senses, and when he prides himself on his selfish greed. At this time, he must be vigilant to remember the pitfalls before him and pull himself back in time, to gain control over his passions, emotions, prejudices, and desires. This alone can make him a ripe, wise, sweet personality, equipped with equanimity and fortitude strong enough to enable him to face the ups and downs of life. With a little introspection, one can judge for himself which guna is dominant in his life‑stage.  Each person can resolve to progress on to the next without delay. The mango is a highly valued species, but that does not make the tender fruit less astringent. You must not condemn it as an inferior species because of its taste. Its excellence will be manifest only when the fruit is fully ripe. The spiritual path alone can enable you, through the three-fold sadhana [spiritual effort] of work, worship, and wisdom, to achieve that fulfillment.

An Emperor’s Taste Bhagavan Baba in the following short story shows us the importance of controlling the vagaries of the mind. The Emperor of Delhi, the famous Akbar, was melancholy and depressed. His empire was prosperous and safe from enemies, both internal and external. The cause of his sadness lay elsewhere. It was the food he ate every day. Of course he had himself shown the preference; the cooks and Birbal, the Superintendent of the imperial kitchen, were not to blame. Nevertheless, he had developed disgust for meat, for it was meat, meat, and meat—morning, noon, evening, and night. So he called Birbal into his presence and commanded that the menu be changed soon. The command was obeyed. Birbal racked his brains for a long while and decided on brinjals [egg plant] for a change. He procured baskets of brinjals, fresh and fine. He had chutney salad, soup, cutlets, and sweet, savory, and bitter dishes all prepared from brinjal. Akbar relished every item and praised Birbal to the skies. It was brinjal breakfast, brinjal lunch, and brinjal dinner. Thus it went on merrily for a few days—but for a few days only! Akbar grew disgusted with brinjals, too. He poured his wrath on Birbal, and Birbal had to switch over to something else. Likes and dislikes are but fancies of the moment; the mind wavers, flits from one thing to another. One has to realize this and be steady, adhering to the good and avoiding the injurious. Establish mastery over the mind or the mind will ride you into ruin. The mind is a bundle of desires. Give up desire; the mind disappears. ~Baba

Praise or Abuse  In the Mahabharata when Shishupala abused Sri Krishna in Yudhishtira’s audience hall and after Shishupala was slain by Sri Krishna, a flame emerged from Shishupala’s body and merged in Sri Krishna. Yudhishtira was surprised at this phenomenon. He questioned Narada how a vile enemy of Krishna like Shishupala could have such a glorious end as the merger of his spirit in Sri Krishna. Narada explained as follows, “Abuse or praise relates only to the body and not to the atma. That being the case, who is the cavalier and who is it that is caviled? Who is a friend and who is an enemy? All are the same. The blood that constantly remembers God becomes an offering to God. (This is a reference to the blood flowing from Shishupala’s body to the feet of Sri Krishna). Whether out of hatred or jealousy or attachment, if the Lord’s name is remembered that is sufficient. Shishupala remembered Sri Krishna’s name more often than many devotees. Devotees remember the Lord at the time of worship alone. Shishupala in his intense hatred of Krishna had Krishna in his mind all the time, whether waking or sleeping. It was because of this constant remembrance of Krishna’s name that Shishupala’s soul could merge in Krishna.” Laymen look only at the superficial aspects of things. The Lord does not see things that way. He is free from hatred or envy, likes and dislikes. When these are attributed to the Lord they are only a reflection of one’s own feelings. God is like a mirror. What you see is only a reflection of your own action and posture. God neither punishes nor rewards any one. Punishment or reward is the outcome of your own actions. Hence, no one is entitled to question the actions of God, accusing God of favoritism or indifference to someone or the other. Who has the authority to prescribe to God how He should conduct Himself?

A Model Prayer to Mother Sai Mother Sai, We are all children within Thy womb. As the mother lovingly bears the hammerings of the embryo, Thou, too, in Thy supreme patience and compassion, dost put up with the painful knocks we give Thee by our misdeeds. Thou art the mother cheerfully doing everything only for our sake, Thy children. As Mother Durga, Thou dost drive away our difficulties and protect us; As Mother Saraswathi, endowest us with wisdom; As Mother Lakshmi, givest us the treasure of wealth in correct measure; As Mother Annapoorna, fondly dost feed us. Even without our entreaties, children that we are, Thou wilt bless us of Thy own accord, with the right things at the right time. However, for our own satisfaction we pray. Pray, feed us with the dishes of devotion for the heart and victuals of wisdom for the brain. Grant us the vision to realize that Thou art the one power immanent everywhere in everything. (A model prayer to Mother Sai given during Dasara by the ‘Mother’—Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)

The Tongue “Oh tongue, you are the one selected to enjoy the sweet taste; you speak truth that symbolizes sacrifice! You respect yourself and others. Without leaving your home, you attend to your work, without friendship or friction with your neighbours. How sweet are the words you speak? Oh noble one, you recite lovely poems and sing beautiful songs. When any tasty dish or fruit is given to you, you don’t retain it, but immediately send it down the gullet to the stomach. When anything bitter is given, you spit it out, saving the stomach from hardships. You are selfless, derive much joy in sharing and are the epitome of tolerance. You live amidst 32 sharp teeth, but intelligently and tactfully you conduct yourself without getting a single cut. Please don’t slip and utter inappropriate words at any time!” Thus, remind the tongue about its noble qualities and teach it never to lose its reputation by criticizing others.