God’s Address
A true devotee with conviction in the deep heart will repeat most optimistically that ‘He has seen God and He lives in Prasanthi Nilayam’. The same devotee when he climbs ladders of higher spiritual realms will vouch that ‘God Is Everywhere’. Is anyone interested in knowing The Address Of God? Once in Prasanthi Nilayam Bhagawan engaged His students in this topic, finally validating His OmniPresence. Read on Dr PV Shankar from the United States dwelling on the same. Extracted from his preface for the recently released book ‘Sai Antarvani’.
One evening in Prasanthi Nilayam, Beloved Bhagawan asked the students – “Is there anyone here interested to know God’s Address?” Many hands went up. Swami pointed to a boy who did not raise his hands – “Hey, aren’t you interested?” “Swami, I am already in the Abode of God that is You”, the boy replied. “But just this morning you fought with your roommate in the hostel? You also felt sad and bitter that your best friend deceived you? Does God’s Abode resemble such chaos and sadness?”
Then in general, He addressed the students – “You should not resort to sycophancy by trying to please Me with flowery words. I Am not impressed by your calling Me God which I already Am. Life is meant to realise your Innate Divinity.” Then He magnanimously said – “I will give you the address of God – “Yatcha Kinchit Jagat Sarvam, Drishyate Sruyate Pi Va, Antar Bahischa Tat Sarvam, Vyapya Narayana Stithah”, meaning Narayana manifests in all that is seen or heard in the world both inside and outside. Sathya Narayana permeates all the directions, above, below, inside, outside of you.”
Omnipresence is God’s personal signature or Swabha̅va. Narayana is not a name given to a Hindu God by a segment of humanity. It refers to One Who leads mankind or Nara on a flight or ayana towards its own True Self. Being deeply embedded beneath the layers of the Antahkarana consisting of Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahankara – the internal organs of mind, intellect, memory and ego, man is unaware of the perennial fount of bliss which is his innate nature and seeks it outside of him in sensual gratification. Bhagawan often teaches in the simplest of terms that when the nayana or eyes well up with the nara or waters of sublime devotion, we attain Narayana.
God’s Omnipresence transcends time and space and He manifests anywhere anytime in any form whenever humanity prays to Him fervently. His Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan meaning Vision, Touch and Speech are not limited to the physical sphere alone. He penetrates the subconscious and grants spiritual instructions to deserving people in their dream. He shows Himself in high mountains to ascetics absorbed in deep meditation. Unlike mortals who someday die and are quickly forgotten, He vividly lives in the thoughts and imagination of devotees – even those who have never ever seen Him in person, ages after He discarded His physical form. Isn’t this testimony that He rules Time beyond birth and death? And in these myriad planes of existence, He continues to guide mankind through Upadeshas and Anubhutis, spiritual discourses and experiences.
As I look back in time, I see a definitive pattern in my spiritual evolution. I began my search for God looking for Him outside of me and my roving mind led me away from myself till I was lost in the labyrinthine crowded corridors of life. At such times, He drew me physically so close to Him that I could smell His Divine fragrance and even touch His silken hair. Endearingly, He led me into personal discourses that had been preludes to what was to follow in the course of time. But when my search for Him turned inward, especially after He left His physical form and left me with no option other than ‘look within’, His discourses assumed a totally esoteric dimension mostly in the form of inner promptings. I am being trained by Him to still my thoughts to be able to listen to His Voice from within – His Antar Vani in the stillness of my Being. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is the Indweller of my heart and I do not see Him as different from myself. I am He and that is more felt and experienced than merely expressed in words.
Gods Address – A Sacred Search For The Divine Within The Heart
God’s Address is a beautiful spiritual theme that reminds us that the Divine is not found only in distant heavens, grand temples, sacred rivers, or holy mountains. These places inspire devotion and purify the mind, but the true dwelling place of God is the human heart. When the heart is filled with love, purity, humility, and compassion, it becomes a living temple of the Divine.
Many people spend their lives searching for God outside. They travel to pilgrimages, read scriptures, attend prayers, and perform rituals. All these practices are valuable when they help the seeker become inwardly pure. But if the heart remains filled with ego, anger, jealousy, and selfishness, the search remains incomplete. The outer journey must lead to inner awakening.
God’s Address teaches that God lives wherever love is practiced sincerely. A home where people speak gently, respect elders, care for children, and serve one another becomes sacred. A place where the hungry are fed, the sorrowful are comforted, and the weak are protected becomes holy. The Divine is present wherever selfless love flows.
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba often reminded devotees that the real temple is within. He taught that every human being is an embodiment of divinity. This truth changes the way we look at life. If God lives in us, then our thoughts must become pure. If God lives in others, then our actions toward them must become kind and respectful.
The address of God is not written on paper. It is written in conscience. Whenever we choose truth over falsehood, kindness over cruelty, forgiveness over hatred, and service over selfishness, we come closer to the Divine presence. The voice that guides us toward goodness is the sacred whisper of God within.
God’s Address becomes meaningful when we stop limiting God to one name, one form, one religion, or one place. The Lord may be worshipped as Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Devi, Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Sai, or by any other sacred name. Sincere devotion reaches the same Supreme Reality when the heart is pure and filled with love.
Prayer helps us discover this divine nearness. A sincere prayer does not need polished language or public display. Even a silent cry from the heart can reach God. The Divine understands what the tongue cannot express. He knows the pain behind silence, the hope behind tears, and the love hidden in a simple offering.
Service is another way to find the Divine. When we serve others without ego, we begin to feel that God is not separate from creation. Feeding someone with love, speaking a word of comfort, helping a student, caring for the sick, or forgiving someone who hurt us can all become sacred acts of worship.
God’s Address also reminds us that purity is necessary to feel divine presence. A mirror covered with dust cannot reflect clearly. In the same way, a heart covered with pride, greed, anger, and jealousy cannot easily feel God. Through prayer, namasmarana, meditation, good company, and selfless service, the dust of the heart is slowly removed.
The Divine can also be found in nature. The sunrise teaches hope, the river teaches movement, the tree teaches giving, the earth teaches patience, and the sky teaches vastness. When we look at creation with reverence, we begin to feel that the whole universe is filled with sacred presence.
God’s Address finally teaches that the closest path to God is love. Knowledge without love becomes dry. Worship without love becomes mechanical. Discipline without love becomes harsh. But when love fills the heart, every action becomes beautiful. A loving heart becomes the place where God is most easily felt.
A devotee should therefore keep the heart clean like a shrine. Harsh words, negative thoughts, selfish habits, and careless actions disturb the inner temple. Truth, compassion, gratitude, humility, and service decorate it. The Lord does not need costly offerings; He seeks a heart that is sincere, pure, and ready to love all.
In the end, God’s Address is not far away from us. It is found in the heart that loves, the hands that serve, the words that heal, and the life that follows truth. When we purify ourselves and see God in all beings, every place becomes holy, every action becomes worship, and every moment becomes blessed with divine grace.
God Is The Only Real Friend