“The Inner Significance of the Birth of Jesus Christ…”

“The Inner Significance of the Birth of Jesus Christ…”

Christmas 1976 was celebrated at Brindavan. For the Christian devotees who were far away from their motherland, Christmas 1976 was a day of unique delight, bridging the gap between Bethlehem and Brindavan. Swami spoke about Jesus and Mary. He stated, “Jesus came to propagate the Omnipresence of God, His Might and Glory. Mary was the symbolic representative of the heart of human beings. Christ is the Ananda that arises in the heart. That is the reason why the idea of Immaculate Conception is laid down and Mary is pictured with the baby Jesus in her arms.” The devotees were overwhelmed when Swami materialised a medal with Mary and Jesus on the obverse, and Joseph on the reverse. He passed it around for all the devotees to have a glimpse.

Excerpts from the Divine Discourse given on that day:

“This day is a holy day, the day on which Jesus was born He announced himself as the Messenger of God. In fact, all humans are born as Messengers of God. The sole purpose of this human career is to propagate the Omnipresence of God, His Might and Glory. No one has incarnated for merely consuming quantities of food and catering to one’s senses. Human life is much more precious than that. That is why the capacity to appreciate beauty, truth and goodness has been endowed only on man.

To acquire awareness of the Divine, one need not journey to any special region or place. It is enough if the eye is turned inwards. In the Bhagavad Geeta, the inner reality, the Atman, is described as ‘resplendent like a billion suns.’ But man has not become aware of the Light and Power within; he still flounders in the darkness of ignorance. The scriptures proclaim that man is Amritasya Putrah (the child of Immortality). But man is unaware of this glorious heritage. He feels he is mortal, his end is imminent and his existence is temporary.

The scriptures also say that the Atman, the Real Core of the individual, is Ananda Swarupa (the very embodiment of bliss). But man being blind to this truth, invites sorrow and anxiety to hold mastery over him and discards the joy that awaits him. Every man is a messenger to fellowmen, entrusted with the task of spreading knowledge of the joy that is being missed. If he misuses this mission and fritters away his years in gratifying his senses, he only loses the chance and reduces himself to the level of beasts. He who announced Himself as the Messenger of God, developed, through the blossoming of Divinity and the expansion of compassion and service in Him, to a stage when he declared Himself as the Son of God. And then, finally, He rose to the status of ‘I and my Father are One.’

When Jesus declares that He is the Son of God, He becomes entitled to the paternal Majesty and Power. These He can claim only when He grows in the qualities that His Father has. As a result he attains Sayujya (mergence), which leads Him to assert, ‘I and my Father are one.’ The scriptures say, Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavati He who knows Brahman, becomes Brahman.

These three stages are referred to as Dwaita, Visishtadwaita and Adwaita in Vedic thought. Messenger and master, the two are basically separate, and so this stage is one of Dwaita (dualism). The son and father, though two separate entities, are bound by affection and kindred feelings and attitudes. They are like the whole and the part, the body and the limb. This stage is called Visishtadwaitha (qualified non-dualism). And when the Son and the Father are One, the stage is of Adwaita (non-dualism).

Even a child would be eager to pass from one class to the next higher one; he would hate being in the same class, vegetating for years. Then what can we say of persons with intelligence and discrimination, satisfied with the attainment of the lower steps? Jesus passed through the entire process and inspired all mankind by His example and teachings, to be generous and kind, detached and discriminating, and to bring Light and Love to all. He attracted people by His miracles and transformed them into apostles and exemplary servants of man.”

-Devotional India

The Inner Significance of the Birth of Jesus Christ