My Divine Master – By Dr. Sanjay Mahalingam Sri Adi Sankara, in his Viveka Chudamani attributes a human birth, the desire for liberation and the protective care of a perfected sage to God’s grace (Daivanugraha Hetukam). But when the Lord, the supreme transcendent principle in a human garb Himself assures protection and care, it is not just shower of grace, but a torrent of Divine compassion. Blessed are those who have been recipients of that Divine love, on contact with which all the flux of the heart is removed, all the wounds healed and all miseries dissolved, just like overnight mist before the rising sun. Not only does Swami love us like none has ever before and none will hereafter, but He also labours incessantly and resolutely to make us understand how much He loves us. The redemption of man lies in knowing the love of God and an Avatar comes to show Man how much God loves him. One night, due to some reason, I could not get sleep till late at night. After long struggle the Goddess of sleep finally gave me her restful embrace. The next morning Swami called me for an interview. Before I could say anything, Swami said, “You know, yesterday night I could not sleep properly for a long time”. I asked “Why Swami?” Swami almost casually remarked, “When you did not get proper sleep, how can you expect Me to sleep soundly”. I was too choked with emotions to say anything, but I thought within myself that why should the Almighty Lord, the Cosmic person that Swami is, be bothered about such a trivial, issue as the soundness of my sleep. Swami, as if divining my thoughts, most tenderly said,“Bangaru! You are My property and I, yours. All your pain is My pain and all your joy is My joy.” What is sleep, or the lack of it, for the One who is ever awake to the absolute reality of His glorious Self! But the point being driven home is that Swami never misses an opportunity to drench us in the shower of His unfathomable and unconditional love. Only the Divine Mother in the fullness of Her Divine love can make such a statement. It is said that fortunate are those who get to enjoy a mother’s love in their earthly sojourn. How is it possible then to express in words the blessedness of those who bask in the love and grace of the Divine parent? Swami once asked me what I planned to do after my MBA. I promptly replied that I wanted to serve Swami. Swami said, “Serve Me, but I do not need servants. I am everybody’s servant. You are all Masters.” I vehemently protested saying that Swami was the only Master and all of us are His servants. Swami was in no mood to give in and stuck to His point. I too was not prepared to buckle down before the ‘Divine blasphemy’. Points and counterpoints were exchanged. Finally Swami came up with an irrefutably sound piece of logic. He said, “I always keep doing whatever you want. My only concern is to give you joy. But do you all always do what I want? No. Now tell Me, who is whose servant?” I was left speechless, struck by the profundity of Swami’s statement. Here is love incarnate willing to do anything to ensure our peace and bliss. All that He asks is that one tiny step towards Him, which when taken, He assures that He will take a thousand towards us. There is a fundamental question that all of us have to ask ourselves though. Who is Swami? Is He this ochre robe-clad 5 feet 3 inches frame that walks in our midst filling us with joy supreme? Swami’s answer is a categorical “NO”. Once upon a time the great king Janaka, an earnest spiritual seeker, gathered all the great scholars of his kingdom in his court and asked them to reveal the ultimate truth that will appease his spiritual hunger. As the discussions were going on, a man entered the court. His looks were repulsive and his body was deformed at eight places. The entire court burst into laughter at the sight of this terrible looking man. A smile escaped even the lips of king Janaka. Seeing everyone laugh, the man, a sage named Ashtavakra burst out into laughter himself. On being asked the reason for his behaviour, sage Ashtavakra said that he was laughing at the plight of the king who expected to find the ultimate truth in this assembly of cobblers. This was more than the king could take, for nobody could get away after calling the most esteemed scholars of his kingdom cobbler. He demanded an explanation from the sage. Ashtavakra thundered back, “Oh King! Cobblers cannot see beyond leather and these so called scholars cannot see beyond this body, a leather bag full of bones, fat, blood and filth. They cannot see my reality as the ever resplendent, effulgent, undecaying Atman.” This struck a chord somewhere deep in the king’s heart and he immediately recognised Ashtavakra as a man of intense realisation and fell at his feet. What followed next was a wonderful exposition of the highest Advaitic principles that we today call the Ashtavakra Gita. The above story illustrates the folly of identifying oneself or others with the transient ephemeral body. Then, who is Swami? Swami says that He is the one Eternal Divine Principle, the real Self of all, the substratum of the entire universe, the one existence. Swami does not stop at that. He says again and again that the eternal Atman is not only His reality but ours too. In fact there is no ‘His’ or ‘our’. Swami repeatedly demolishes by His nectarine words and, on close observation, by His actions too, any idea of a separate individual existence. All that ever existed, exists now or will ever exist is the one universal consciousness. Swami see Himself everywhere. In fact, He never recognises anything other than Himself. He sees any misery anywhere

Sri Sathya Sai On: The Real Substance of Religion If we want to attain God, first we must understand that there is only one principle of Divinity. This one Divine nature reflects in all that we see. Each religion is like a vessel in which the sun’s reflection is visible. The vessels may have varied prices and values. But the sun that reflects in them has no variations in its worth. It remains the same. But the narrow-minded people of today think weirdly. A small illustration: there is a vessel filled with oil. The moon’s reflection is seen in the oil. Now what should be done to remove the moon’s image from that? Man tries to heat the vessel hoping that the moon will vanish. What does an intelligent person do? He analyses as to what is the basis of the reflection? It is the oil! So if oil is thrown out, the reflection of the moon will not be seen anymore. There is no use heating the vessel. Similarly, our body is a vessel. To sublimate what is reflected in this, we are putting the body through tortures and punishments. What kind of torture? Fasting! In the name of some vow to God, we stop eating food and weaken our bodies. Weakness of the body further leads to weakness of the mind. Why all this? “Aham Vaishva Naro Bhootwa Praninam Dehamashritah”. (I am within you as the fire principle.) Whatever you may consume, think you are feeding God. You shall be sanctified. Do not consume with the ego that it is you who eats and relishes. God Himself says, ‘I am Vaishvanara in each being’. So, if we maintain that feeling whatever we eat becomes an offering to God. It is God within the body that relishes what is fed. Who created the digestive system within this body? Who is responsible for birth and death? That distinguishes the man of reason.  Starting from the Ekadashi day or any festival day, some observe fast even for 3 to 4 days and later they eat double the quantity of food! In the Madhva sect, Bhishma Ekadashi is an important occasion. Bhishma Ekadashi is a rigorous vow. Just as Bhishma himself vowed and followed a rigorous lifestyle, people observe a rigorous fast on that occasion. They do not even swallow their saliva. It is that strict. This goes on for 3 days. On the fourth day, they eat sumptuously. Madhva’s sect has a peculiar philosophy: ‘Don’t give up and if you give up, don’t take up again.’ This is their staunch nature. It is fine if such things are followed meticulously. But, all religions have their weak points. They start the Bhishma Ekadashi vow. What do they do over the 3 days of fasting? Batter and prepare flour for Dosas and let it set nicely. After the three days, the Dosas will come out deliciously fluffy. That is why this custom is mocked at as, ‘What is observed is Ekadashi, what is eaten are 40 Dosas!’ If one is prepared to eat 40 Dosas why should one fast at all? Of course, not all are like that. Only some are like that. Similarly, take the case of the Vaishnavites. What is the meaning of Vaishnavism? The one who contemplates on the all-pervading nature of God (Vishnu) is a true Vaishnavite. Vishnu itself means all pervasiveness. He is in this world spreading infinite limbs. He is found everywhere. So, if they really believe in this philosophy, how can they entertain differences among fellowmen? Thus in all religions, some of the principles are believed by the followers, but no efforts are made to practise and experience them using their faculties of discrimination and reasoning. Students! Do not get into religious differences. There is only one God in all religions. Respect all religions with that feeling. Experience the essence of all religions in your own religion. Do not get into arguments. Do not criticise any religion. Such criticism is dangerous. You may undermine some other religion, but it ultimately amounts to undermining your own religion. Salute all beings for they are verily the forms of the Divine.  “Sarva Jeeva Namaskaram Keshavam Pratigachhati”   The salutations offered to anyone reach God Himself.  With such an equal attitude, foster love, believe in universality and attain the omnipresent Lord. This is the substance of true religion.