Cheppinattu Chestara???

Cheppinattu Chestara???

Decades ago, as young Sathya, Bhagawan staged a drama of value-oriented message titled ‘Cheppinattu Chestara’, asking the ‘worldly’ around, as to whether they follow their words with appropriate deeds, practising Trikarana Suddhi, unity in thought, word and deed. Time and again during His sojourn on earth Bhagawan would send timely reminders for the man to follow suit.

Every human being has a heart. This heart is filled with love. With how many are you sharing the love in your hearts? …With none at all. What, then, is the use of that love if it is not shared? You must share with all the love in your hearts, not with humans alone, but with all beings in creation. Love, which is the gift of God, has to be shared with everyone in the world.

All human troubles arise out of the failure to share this love with one and all because of selfishness. Everyone repeats the benediction: “Lokaas-Samasthaas-Sukhino Bhavanthu!” (Let all the people of the world be happy). To how many are you giving happiness? You are repeating the words mechanically, but are you praying from your hearts for the well-being of the world? …No, not at all. You are concerned only with your selfish interests. The day you root out selfishness from within you, Divinity will blossom in your heart.

People talk about Sakshatkaram. What is it? It is not something external. Sakshatkaram is contemplation of the Divine at all times and in all states within one’s self. “Sarvadhaa Sarvakaleshu Sarvathra Hari Chinthanam” (Thinking of God at all times, in all places continuously). People do recite the Name of Rama incessantly. But will liberation be got by this repetition? To gain liberation, to win Rama’s grace, it is not enough to repeat His Name; you have to act up to Rama’s principles.

Rama sacrifised everything for the sake of Dharma. You have to make a similar sacrifice. Keep Dharma as your ideal. Engage yourself in righteous activities. Only then will Rama shower His grace upon you. If, on the contrary, you perform no Dharmik acts but only repeat Rama’s Name, it is tantamount to abusing Rama.

Likewise, there is no meaning in repeating Krishna’s Name. What the devotee should do is to experience the ecstasy of Krishna Consciousness. …Nor is that all. You should develop the equal-mindedness of Krishna. Krishna maintained the same serenity of mind whether He was in a Yoga- Bhumi, or a Yuddha-Bhumi (battlefield) or Smashana-Bhumi (a cemetery). He was always in a state of bliss. You should aspire to experience such bliss; only then can you be said to experience Krishna Consciousness. Whatever deity you may worship, you should experience the lessons of the deity within you.

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

Cheppinattu Chestara??? -A Loving Call to Practice Divine Words

Cheppinattu Chestara is a simple question, yet it carries deep spiritual weight. It asks, “Will you do as you are told?” In the path of devotion, this is not a command filled with pressure, but a loving reminder from the Divine to transform listening into living. Many people hear noble teachings, appreciate them, and even repeat them beautifully, but the real test begins when those teachings must be practiced in daily life.

A devotee may attend satsangs, read sacred books, sing bhajans, and speak about love, truth, peace, and service. All these are valuable, but they remain incomplete if they do not change conduct. Cheppinattu Chestara reminds us that spiritual wisdom is not meant to decorate the mind; it is meant to purify life. What we know must slowly become what we do.

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba often emphasized that devotion should be visible in character. If we say we love God but hurt others through anger, pride, or harsh speech, our devotion needs deeper reflection. If we pray for peace but create disturbance through ego, the prayer has not yet entered the heart. True spirituality begins when words, thoughts, and actions move in the same direction.

Cheppinattu Chestara becomes especially important because human beings often know what is right, yet delay doing it. We know that truth gives strength, yet we sometimes choose convenience. We know that forgiveness brings freedom, yet we hold on to bitterness. We know that service brings joy, yet selfishness pulls us back. The question is not whether we have heard the message. The question is whether we are willing to obey it with sincerity.

The Divine does not ask for impossible things. The path begins with small steps. Speak gently at home. Do your duty honestly. Help someone without expecting praise. Avoid gossip. Respect elders. Feed the hungry when you can. Control anger before it becomes speech. These may look ordinary, but they are powerful forms of sadhana. A life becomes sacred when simple actions are performed with purity.

Cheppinattu Chestara also teaches discipline. Love without discipline can become emotion, and knowledge without discipline can become pride. A seeker must train the mind to follow what the heart knows to be true. This training is not always easy. Old habits return. Ego resists correction. The tongue reacts quickly. The mind looks for excuses. Yet every sincere effort matters. Even one moment of self-control can become a victory on the spiritual path.

A child who loves the mother tries to follow her guidance, not out of fear, but out of trust. In the same way, a devotee follows the Divine word because it comes from love. The Divine sees dangers that we do not see. Sometimes we are attracted to things that appear sweet but later bring pain. Divine teachings protect us from such hidden traps and lead us toward lasting peace.

The message of Cheppinattu Chestara should not remain only in prayer halls or spiritual gatherings. It must enter kitchens, offices, classrooms, markets, families, and friendships. If we are honest only in temples but careless in business, there is a gap. If we speak sweetly outside but wound our family at home, there is a gap. Spiritual life asks us to close this gap with awareness and effort.

One of the greatest signs of obedience to divine teaching is compassion. When we see suffering and respond with kindness, we are living the message. When we forgive instead of taking revenge, we are living the message. When we choose humility instead of showing superiority, we are living the message. The Divine does not need our words alone; the Divine asks for a heart that has become softer through practice.

Cheppinattu Chestara is also a mirror. It helps us examine ourselves honestly. Are we only admiring the teachings, or are we applying them? Are we only collecting spiritual thoughts, or are we becoming better human beings? This self-questioning should not make us feel guilty. It should make us alert, humble, and ready to improve. Every day offers another chance to begin again.

In the end, the beauty of devotion lies in transformation. The best offering is not only flowers, songs, or rituals, but a life shaped by divine guidance. When a person lives with truth, love, discipline, and service, their life becomes a silent answer to the Divine question. Cheppinattu Chestara then becomes not just a phrase, but a promise: “Yes, I will try to live what You have taught.”

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