A VISION COMES TRUE

A VISION COMES TRUE

One night in 1910, M B Rege, ex-Judge of the Indore High Court had three successive trance visions or dreams. In the first, he found himself in the lying down posture that is, in bed and noticed a change. The body lay separate from him and he stood out and looking on the body. So, he was not the body and in front of him the gracious Vishnu Narayana figure was standing. This suggested that by the grace of Vishnu to whom he prayed, the first essential step in one’s spiritual progress, namely, getting over the delusion that we are the body, Dehatma Buddhi had started.

An hour later, he had the next experience. Again, his body lay on the bed, and he was still standing outside it. Vishnu Narayana also was standing in front of him. But this time, there was another figure standing next to Vishnu Narayana and Sri Vishnu pointing to that figure told him, ‘This Sai Baba of Shirdi is your man; you must resort to him.’ This was the introduction of the first great step in all progress, namely, the securing of a Guru. Strangely enough, by God’s grace he was getting over the Dehatma Buddhi, but at the same time to make it ripen and lead him to the fullest success, the Guru was pointed out to him, the Guru who was to seize him for life. And here the second vision ended.

The third started an hour or so later. Here the first feeling he had was that he was travelling somewhere, evidently in the air. He came to a village and asked some one what that village was. He learnt that it was Shirdi. Then, he asked, ‘If it is Shirdi, is there a Sai Baba here?’ He was told, ‘Yes; go and see’. He was taken to the Mosque, and there he saw Sai Baba sitting with legs outstretched. In the vision, at once he approached and reverently placed his head on Baba’s feet. But Baba got up and said, ‘Do you take my darshan? I am your debtor; I must take your darshan’. And Baba placed his head on Rege’s feet. These visions ended.

They produced a powerful impression. Sai Baba began to grow up in his soul. He felt a strong impulse to go to Shirdi. But he was still a student. After some time, he did succeed in going to Shirdi; Rege went and prostrated, placing his head on Baba’s feet. Baba said, ‘What! Do you worship a man?’ At once, the rebuff struck Rege, and struck him keenly. He retreated and went to the mandap and sat there. How long he sat, he did not know. He was simply stunned. No doubt he had, as a student, caught the modern and stoic idea that a man should not be worshipped. He was puzzled. His dream told him Baba was to accept him and be his Guru. But there he was getting a rebuff. It is true that his idea on the subject of man worship had not become quite clear and crystallized. But what was he to do? He was determined, as he had come to Shirdi to see whether Baba would accept him or not. So, he sat on dazed till the entire crowd dispersed.

Suddenly he opened his eyes and saw that Baba was alone at the Mosque and there was no one with him. That was in the afternoon. The rule is, in the afternoons Baba is alone, and nobody should disturb him. Though the rule was that nobody should approach Baba during that time, he still thought that this was his only chance. If Baba should strike him, he would not care. So, he approached Baba gradually. Baba saw him approaching and beckoned him to come to him. So, he went up, and again placed his head upon Baba’s feet. Baba embraced him at once, made him sit close to him and then said, ‘You are my child. When strangers are in the company, we keep the children off.’ Then he understood why he had not been accepted till then. The words, ‘You are my child’ showed that he was really this Guru’s Ankita sishya. So, the vision was true. Vishnu had granted him his destined Guru, Sai Baba, and Rege should stick to that Guru for ever.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

ORIGIN AND APPROVAL OF SAI NAMA JAPA

ORIGIN AND APPROVAL OF SAI NAMA JAPA

Baba told M B Rege to go and be with Ramakrishni, also known as Ayi who was a real mother to him. She loved him as if he was her own son. Baba sent her one roti to her as prasad, and he sent two rotis on the days when Rege was at Shirdi. This Ayi had dedicated her love and all to Baba. She lived only for Sai Baba, and her delight was to do everything he wanted or what was needed for his sansthan. So, she had plenty of work to get done for Baba, and people like Rege, Purandhare and others were constantly given this Dasya Seva by her, for Baba. But Seva was not the only item or step for his religious improvement. Being fairly advanced, Ayi had developed certain powers in addition to her bhakti. Her concentration had evidently produced results.

Her concentration was helped very much by her command of music. She had a good voice and could play the sitar. Rege also had a good voice and was versed in music. They would compare notes and they agreed that, for their spiritual progress, secrecy about their efforts was necessary. So, they would compare notes and made resolutions and kept them secret.

In accordance with Kabir’s motto, ‘Jinne Kamaya Unne Chupaya’ what one has gained, he conceals, they both agreed that songs and hymns were very good for increasing bhava. Yet for actual manolaya, they attracted too much attention of the outside public and, therefore did not suit them. So, they determined that the proper step for manaolaya, was Japa. And what Japa should they make? She said that many used the name of Ram, Vittal and that so far as she was concerned Sai was her God. So, Sai was quite sufficient for her. Rege naturally adopted the same. So, they went on making Sai nama japa and, luckily for Rege, Baba asked him soon afterwards what he had been doing in the morning. He answered Japa.

Baba: Japa of what name?
Rege: of my God.
Baba: What is your God?
Rege: You know it.
Baba: That is all right.

So, Sai Nama Japa was approved from the very beginning by Sai Baba also. Japa is a sadhana. What is the sadhya or goal then? For this again, they gained light from Baba. The goal was patent from everything that Baba said and did. The goal was that through laya to reach God, especially in the form of the loving Guru-God; and intense and passionate love was alike the sadhana and sadhya. For love at its perfection is Bliss and Bliss is God. Baba’s wonderful love stamped its impress upon both Ayi and him. Their sadhya and sadhana were love.

About sadhana, Baba gave him a hint. Religious books are generally regarded as very important sadhana for the beginner. On Guru Poornima day, the devotees usually go to Baba, and place a book in his hands, so that they might get it back with his Ashirvada and that they might study it with profit and benefit.

On one Guru Poornima day, all had taken books. Rege was there. He had not taken any book. Then Baba looking at him and said, "These people want to find God, that is Brahma in these books. There is however Bhramh, that is, worldly confusion or delusion in these books. You are all right. Do not read books. But keep me in your heart and if you unify or harmonize head and heart, that is enough’.

Of course, study of books is not ruled out. On the other hand, religious study is very useful and Baba recommended Eknath’s Bhagavata, Bhavarta Ramayana and Jnaneswari. He recommended these to Kaka Dixit, B.V. Dev, Chandorkar and others. He also made Chandorkar read the Bhagavad Gita. But on the whole the usual tendency to over emphasize the need of books was discountenanced by Baba. The Guru is the only sadhana of the pupil in Baba’s school, and the Guru’s knowledge and power sink into the sishya by the intensity of faith and love of the sishya. For that purpose, to promote faith and love, Baba gave ample and almost perpetual proof of his omniscience, omnipresence and other divine qualities. So, Rege was getting constant proof of these qualities and love from Baba.


Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

AT EVERY STEP OF YOURS, I AM TAKING CARE OF YOU

AT EVERY STEP OF YOURS, I AM TAKING CARE OF YOU

From 1907 onwards S. B. Dhumal paid repeated visits to Baba and got into contact with him in every conceivable matter. When asked about his experiences, he said, "It is difficult for me to sort out in what matter I am having experiences. Every act of mine, every event in my life, is moulded and directed by Him." He says the one memorable statement of Baba which is the basis of his contact – was Baba’s telling him, "At every step of yours, I am taking care of you". Baba added, "If I did not, what will become of you, God knows". The occasion for that statement was very interesting.

S. B. Dhumal was sleeping in his own quarters at Shirdi and in the morning, when he went to see Baba, the later remarked, "Bhav, the whole of last night I had no sleep." Dhumal asked, "Why so Baba?" Baba said, "I was thinking and thinking of you all night." S. B. Dhumal was for one thing a young man, full-blooded, with a good practice with plenty of funds and, was a widower without children. Therefore, the thoughts of a person in such a position would run riot and easily lead him astray so as to injure both body and soul. Baba had to look after his thoughts and control them. So, Baba said, "If I do not do so, God knows what will happen to you".

Dhumal had certain physical ailments, which also rendered a bachelor’s life very necessary and important from the point of view of his welfare. After his wife’s death in 1909, his father-in-law, Rao Bahadur Kinkhede, wanted him to marry again and noting that unless Baba gave permission, Dhumal would never agree, he went to Baba. As he approached Baba, Baba’s eyes sparkled with anger showing how determined Baba was to repel the idea of marriage. So, he came back and reported that Baba was distinctly against any marriage for S. B. Dhumal.

Baba’s love for Dhumal was very great and covered both his temporal and spiritual welfare. Numerous instances throughout his life bear out this proposition. In point of fact, his contact with Baba was right through all the hours of the day and night and all the days of the year. Dhumal says, "There is no incident or event in my life which I do not connect with Baba, however trivial it may appear to be. I firmly believe that everything in my life is swayed by Baba.’

Dhumal adds that he does not care whether the outside world believes it or not. However, noting that B. V. N. Swami was not a disbeliever, he narrated to him many instances of his life, showing how Baba dealt with him and also gave some hints which may be useful for an earnest reader in trying to get more out of Baba. The best way of understanding Baba is to experience him oneself, he says. "Where is Baba gone? He is still alive and active." This, S. B. Dhumal said in October 1936 and added, "Baba is more active, if that were possible, than he was before Mahasamadhi." Anyone in downright earnest can get in touch with him today and at once. But if one will not do that, but wants only second-hand, third-hand or fifth-hand experience, one will get poor stuff.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

BABA’S TEACHING TO CHILDREN

BABA’S TEACHING TO CHILDREN


Thus far we have examined the motive for and manner of Baba’s teaching. We may next examine more fully what his actual teachings were. None can pretend to give an exhaustive account of his teachings. He never wrote or dictated his teachings. He was mostly conferring his help on those who came to him in numerous ways, which did not contain any apparent teaching. But there was hardly a simple instance of his help, however, which did not actually educate and raise the recipient of such help. In numerous cases, he seemed to give advice to particular individual in particular circumstances. But these cases, when examined and studied closely, embodied valuable lessons. Students of case law would appreciate the deduction of principles from their cautious application to different sets of circumstances, with modifications suited to each set. Lovers of Baba note with joy how the advice and help given by Baba to particular persons suit others in similar circumstance-making; of course some allowance for points of difference. In a very few cases Baba has given express teachings, in the regular moralists style. Gathering together whatever is available of all such teachings, we may note (1) What Baba taught different sets of persons, e.g., children, adults, females and males, rustics and the learned, the scoffers and believers, Hindus and Moslems; and (2) on different subjects of morality, religion and worldly wisdom.


Taking up the subject of children and boys, one expects very little of teaching to this class; and none will expect higher spiritual teachings or help. Yet, Baba has given such teaching and rendered help for their sadgati. Here are a few instances. These may all be brought under Baba’s general principle, which cannot be better expressed than in the words of Gita:


Swe swe karmani abhiratah
Samsiddhim labhate paraam


That is, each one should attend to the duties that appertain to his or her lot – i.e., his or her age, position, caste, community etc., Baba thus addressed Bapu Rao, the younger son of Nana Saheb G. Chandorkar, "Hearken to the words of your parents. Help your mother in her task. Speak truth and truth alone." Baba, however, did not confine himself to the enunciation of principles. The principles of truth, filial love and obedience are of such vital importance that Baba had several occasions to impress them upon his devotees in other ways also.


A rich man had adopted a young boy and hoped to get love, obedience and regard from the latter. The young, however, was little disposed to pay any regard to his rich father or to his wishes, and indulged in smoking. Once, the old man started by train to Shirdi along with the boy. Instead of travelling with his fond parent, the young went away to a different compartment where he could smoke freely. Arriving at the Shirdi mosque, the youth felt the moral restraints of Baba’s Asram so much that he resolved to decamp, giving no intimation of his flight to the poor unsuspecting father. But there was another Father, the Argus-eyed Sai, who was watching him from within. When the boy made his resolve, Sai Baba issued out his order in loud tones that cowed down the boy. "No one" said Baba, "should leave this place without permission from me." The boy discovered that his secret plans were known to the great wizard Sai and dared not disobey Sai with impunity, whatever he may dare to do towards his adoptive father. He confessed his designs and thus Baba gave a much needed correction to such impetuous youths that they should hearken unto their parents.


Baba’s own example, in his previous lives, was full of such implicit and obedience to parents; and he occasionally narrated reminiscences.


In one birth, Baba had a grandfather, who had advanced leprosy. That old man lived outside the family house staying under a tree mostly. Baba, as a little boy, attended upon him and gave him constant help.


In another life, Baba’s father wedded a barmaid, who misbehaved. Worms developed on her feet. As she was his father’s wife (and his own step mother) Baba tended her feet and cured her.


In another life, Baba pleased his father, a weaver, by assiduity in weaving shawls. The father was immensely pleased with him and gave him presents. Like these, Baba would narrate many in inspiring incident of his past lives.


But Baba, though severe with himself, wanted young ones to be treated leniently. He rebuked the mother of Daulatshah (Nana Saheb D. Rasane of Ahmednagar and Poona) when that lady beat the boy. The boy, who was massaging Baba’s legs, was naturally attracted by Baba’s distribution of sweets to other children and slightly relaxed his efforts at massage, and his mother beat him and said, "You are thinking of sweets and neglecting the service of Baba". But Baba interposed on his behalf and said, "You, old woman! Why do you beat the boy?" The mother answered and said that the boy should be inspired by Baba with a love of service to Baba. "Yes", replied Baba, "The boy will serve me well. God will endow him with pure desires. Do not fear, do not beat him".


As to how Baba corrected young men, who were developing drunkenness and other evil habits, mention will be made on a later occasion.


But before closing this very brief account of Baba’s education of children and boys in good ways, we may note how he gave actual sadgati to a little child of a year or two. It is commonly believed that children have hardly any souls to lose or save. But most Hindus believe that souls are born into this world and die very young because they have only very little more of poorva karma or rinanubandha to clear off. In reference to the rare cases, where young children give an account of their past lives; the explanation is offered that they were advanced souls in their previous births and that power of remembering pre-natal incidents was one of their accomplishments. In any case, Baba gave spiritual help even to such tiny individuals for their sadgati and here is an instance of it.


Says the esteemed North Indian Judge in Part I of "Devotees Experiences": -


"In August 1916, I lost my first son aged two years; When the child was in the womb and when my wife and I went for darsan, Baba said, "You have one of my gifts with you". Later when we took the child, Baba caressed it and said, "Is he mine or yours", "Yours" I replied. Baba then said, "Keep him with you, as a charge from me." A year and half later, the child got pneumonia and just when the doctors thought the danger was over, started sinking. I took the child to the worship room and prayed to Baba that since the child was His, He may take it and give the soul a rest in Him, and that having given it its worldly existence, I would undertake the responsibility for its karma. I put my palm on the head of the child. There was a smile on its face, a last gasp; and the crown of the head was drawn in with a hiss-the child going the real way of yogis."


"A couple of months later, I was at Shirdi. One afternoon, Baba pointing to me, asked "Who is he and where does he live?" People who know me gave my name and mentioned the place where I lived. "You are wrong", said Baba. "He is always here and I am with him." "Has he any children?" asked Baba next. The reply by others was that my child died recently. "Dead" Baba said, "No, I shall tell you what happened. The child was mine, and this man (pointing to me) agreed to keep it. One day, he said "You keep him with you and I shall take up his karma. I took him and kept him here (pointing to his heart) and he shall here eternally."


Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

Let there be no attraction

Let there be no attraction

Baba said, "Let all the senses and mind be ever devoted to the worship of the Lord, let there be no attraction for any other thing" in Sri Sai Satcharitra Chapter VI.

Do not pride yourself on your spiritual practices. Devote yourself heart and soul to meditation and repetition of His Name as a behest from His sake, but do not allow any sense of your being a spiritual Sadhaka to enter your mind.

Have firm faith in God. The more you acquire this faith, the nearer you will come to God.

Faith in God is the only strength of true devotee. Surrendering themselves completely to God, they spend their life only in His remembrance.

The more your faith grows the more vivid will be your vision of Divine Grace.

Remember; there is no one so benevolent, kind and loving as God and no one can stand comparison with him in Beauty and Glory. He is your constant companion. He is always ready with outstretched arms to press you to His bosom.

All that you see in this world belongs to Him; not only that, it is He who has assumed all these forms. Whatever is happening before you, is nothing but his pastime. He is sporting with Himself.

This mystery will remain a sealed book to you so long as you do not surrender yourself completely to Him. Giving up all pride and self-esteem take shelter under Him, have unshakable faith in His grace and, renouncing all fear and anxiety, offer everything at the altar of His feet.

Keep your mind engaged in His thought. Gladly accept whatever He may be pleased to ordain for you; carry out willingly all His behest and placing your absolute reliance upon Him give up the very tendency to ask for boons and gifts.

To ask from Him is to be a loser. For, our own intellect can never consider our interest as deeply as He, who is our greatest friend and well-wisher.

Courtesy: Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar in Wavelets of Bliss.

BABA'S ADVICE ON RAMA NAMA JAPA

BABA’S ADVICE ON RAMA NAMA JAPA

The use of God’s name for eradicating sins from one’s nature, we find that Valmiki and other authors of great works Ethics, ancient and modern, stress the importance of the constant recall to the mind of God and his qualities, especially through japa, japa being so holy as to make the mind get drowned in God so as to justify the remark of Lord Krishna:-

Yajnanam Japa Yajno Asmi

that is , "Of all yajnas, I am the yajna consisting of Japa". Japa is the sankirtanam above referred to. When the name is uttered, the guna and karma above referred to follow immediately into the mind of the japa karta by the law of association of ideas. That is why people are content to begin with a repetition of the holy names even when not attended with perfect realisation of the holiness of the name as in the case of the hunter who repeated "Mara Mara" and became the Rishi Valmiki.

Many a man goes on repeating like a parrot the names he finds either in a book or uttered by some other persons. But gradually as the repetition goes on, the sacred influence pours in especially if he has the good fortune of having the company of the other person or persons who are inspired by that holy influence and if the surroundings as in a temple or bhajan hall are specially favourable. That is why Baba asked Das Ganu to take up Vishnu Sahasranama and retreat from the crowds of the Dwarakamayee and go to a sequestered temple like the Vittal temple in the village and go on there with frequent recitals or repetitions of Sahasranama.

Baba’s advice in this matter was not confined to Das Ganu. He gave similar advice to Shama and in fact took away a Ramadasi’s Sahasranama and handed it over to him so that he may have the advantage of the Sahasranama japa, though poor Shama did not know how to read Sanskrit, the conjunct consonants of which defy the poor skill of villagers like Shama to read or make them out.

The Vishnu Sahasranama is so vast and the import of the thousands of Namas is so great that any one who goes through them carefully with the help of Sankara or other Bhashya thereon must be struck by the fact that powerful material imbedded in Vishnu Sahasranamam must suffice for the purification of any soul. The experience of thousands justifies them in the belief that what is claimed in the Vishnu Sahasranama stotra itself is right. That stotra says at the end that a person making parayana thereof will obtain issue if he is issueless, wealth if he has no wealth, power, fame, glory and success if he is without these and, it adds that sin of ages would be washed off. In order to give the benefit of the Sahasranama to those who have unfortunately not the time nor the opportunity to repeat, the bare repetition of one name contained therein, namely, the name ‘Ram’ would be equivalent to the merit of repeating all the thousand names.

Sri Rama Rama Rameti

Rame Raame Manorame

Sahasranama tattulyam

Ramanama Varanane

That is, ‘One who repeats only the name of Rama will obtain the merit of repeating the Sahasranama itself’. We must note also that Sankaracharya gives the advice.

Geyam Geeta Nama Sahasram

Dhyeyam Sripati Rupam Ajasram.

This means, ‘What you have to recite is (1) the Gita and (2) the Vishnu Sahasranama, and what you have to think of in your mind all the time is the form of Lord’. That is, the repetition of Sahasranama or Rama Nama is best, if it is accompanied by a mental figure of the Lord as no doubt the mental figure of the Lord helps in removing all sin and raising one to the heights of spirituality or Godhead. That may explain why Baba advised so many of his bhaktas to repeat Sahasranama or Rama Nama.

For example he gave the advice to Mrs. G.S. Khaparde, who was massaging him and whom he massaged in turn, "Say ‘Rajaram, Rajaram’, constantly; that would remove all troubles and take you to the Lord." Baba also told N. R. Sahasrabuddhe that he was to repeat Ram Nam into which he had already been initiated. Also he told M. W. Pradhan that he must repeat the 13 lettered mantra into which he had already been initiated, namely, ‘Sri Rama, Jaya Rama, Jaya Jaya Rama’.

Baba was not content with merely giving advice. He preached only what he himself practised, and he told H.S. Dixit that he had been going on with Hari Nama Japa constantly as a result of which Hari (God) appeared before him, and thereafter his giving of medicines was needless, for his bare giving of udhi with remembrance of Hari would suffice to cure all ills. He also said that he had heart disease (literal or metaphorical?) and that he kept Vishnu sahasranama close to the heart and that Hari descended from the Sahasranama and cured the trouble.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

DAS GANU’S OBSTACLES DUE TO POORVA KARMA

DAS GANU’S OBSTACLES DUE TO POORVA KARMA

Das Ganu has been helped in numerous other ways, but it is sufficient here to note that Baba gave him the assurance that he would provide for his temporal welfare (Yogakshema) so that he might bravely and calmly start his spiritual career. And Baba kept his word. Baba always keeps his word. Baba thus provided completely for the temporal welfare of a man without any employment and any property. When he thought there was nothing for him to depend upon, Baba provided everything, and Das Ganu had always been very well off temporally. He has got properties though he has transferred them to his adopted son.

As for the spiritual uplift, it is impossible to conceive of any greater benefit than wrenching one away from the two great ropes that were dragging Ganpat Rao downward namely, the lewd village dramas which Ganpat Rao was playing in and the soul destroying police work, the wickedness of which would be heightened by the ambition to rise to Sub Inspectorship in double quick time. The way in which Baba responded to prayers and saved him, time and again, from dismissal or punishment would quite suffice to impress the mind of Ganpat Rao with the fact that Baba is omnipotent, is everywhere watching and attending to his prayers, and is ever looking after him. Baba watched him at every place to which he went and took the appropriate measure that was urgently needed for his welfare. What else can be God except that which watches us everywhere and further takes adequate steps to see that harm does not befall us but real benefit is conferred on us? What is God except that which hears and grants prayer?

Baba naturally did his very best for this Das Ganu but, unfortunately, (as we see in the cases of most devotees contacting Baba) there are obstacles due perhaps to Poorva Karma which prevent one responding in the correct way to such high influences as Baba’s. Even after so much of proof of Baba’s omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, and miraculous help for Ganu’s benefit. Ganu did not fully derive the idea that Baba was God. So many others for whom Baba did even less were full of the faith that Baba was God. No doubt Ganu sang of Baba that he was God in fine terms set to music. But Ganu’s conviction was superficial and not deep.

Das Ganu’s faith being very poor and very weak in Baba’s Divinity, Baba desired to impress on Ganu, His (Baba’s) Godhead and to make him and his other disciples realise him (Baba) properly. For that purpose, he exhibited chamatkars, one of which is as follows. On a certain occasion, Das Ganu wanted to go for a bath to the Godavari river, which in ordinary parlance is termed ‘Ganga’ (the Ganges, the most sacred river). That river is four or five miles away from Shirdi, and when Ganu asked for permission to go to ‘Ganga’, Baba answered, "Why go there? Is not Ganga here? Ganu felt very much dissatisfied. Ganu was the author of the Arati song which runs as follows and which was even being sung at Baba’s puja.

Shirdi Maje Pandaripura
Sai Baba Ramavara

This means, ‘My Pandharpur or place of pilgrimage is Shirdi and the God that sanctifies that place (Vittal) is Sai Baba; that is, Sai is Mahavishnu from whose feet Ganges is perennially flowing. This song is sung by many and at least a few really think in their hearts that Sai Baba is really Maha Vishnu: For, what is Maha Vishnu? Maha Vishnu is the protecting form of God. God has three functions, namely creation, protection and final withdrawal, which also is a form of protection. The protecting aspect of God is called Maha Vishnu. So Sai Baba, the person who has protected Das Ganu and innumerable others, and who is doing it even today on a vast scale from one end of the country to the other, is certainly exercising the functions of Maha Vishnu All Divinity in one. Call it or Him by any name and carry on your worship according to any religion and adopt any set of doctrines or metaphysical or philosophical basis for your ideas and actions, the end reached is the same, the one pure and perfect Bliss. When the goal is reached by the most advanced souls of any country or sect, the experience is the same. But before the end is reached, the modes adopted and the explanations given by sets differ so greatly sometimes as to cause religious differences of a bitter sort – and quarrels, battles or wars are waged on account of religious or sectarian zeal.

The common run of men look to externals alone and the inner kernel of all religion is beyond their grasp. Sri Das Ganu on account of his poorva karma of former births and even the karma of his present earlier life could not rise to this view. Baba had to refine his nature and wash away the effects of birth and past habits.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

WHO IS DEVOTEE?

WHO IS DEVOTEE?

Baba said, "Renounce worldly honours. Try to get Lord’s grace and blessings and be honoured in His court. Do not be deluded by worldly honour" in Sri Sai Satcharitra Chapter VI.

He alone is a devotee whose heart having been freed from all sins and afflictions has become an eternal abode of his object of worship, the Paramatma.

When the heart of a devotee is free from all tinge of sin, how can there be any possibility of sin in the activities of his body? He who regards himself to be a devotee even though indulging in sin all the twenty four hours does so with a view to deceiving the world, or he is himself deluded by his intellect which is incapable of sound judgment.

One should actually become a devotee or a saint rather than be called as such. One who aspires to become a devotee for reputation alone is duped by sin. Such a person falls an easy prey to hypocrisy in the first instance.

Devotion is cultivated for the happiness of one’s own soul and not for demonstration before the world; where there is a sense of display, there is artificiality.

Sinful persons alone either to extenuate their sin, or as an apology for carrying on sinful activities, indulge in fanciful interpretations of the scriptures and exploit them.

The grace of God descends in the form of wrath on those who are given to artificially, and in the form of mercy on those who are free from artificiality. Grace in the form of anger purifies the soul by tormenting and subjecting it to suffering, while grace in its tender form descends only on the soul thus purified.

One who aspires to be a devotee of God should purify one’s heart in the first instance, and should daily offer this pitiful prayer to Him in seclusion; "Lord, be pleased so to ordain that seeing You constantly present within my heart, no sinful propensity may ever arise or stay there; let Yourself then be permanently enthroned in that purified heart, so that, beholding You every moment, I may continue to be thoroughly immersed in supreme ecstasy."

Courtesy: Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar in Wavelets of Bliss

SADGURU HH PUJYASRI B. V. NARASIMHA SWAMIJI - THE LAWYER TURNED SAINT

SADGURU NARASIMHA SWAMIJI

THE LAWYER TURNED SAINT


Sri Bhavani Narasimha Iyer was born in A.D. 1874 on Friday, the 21st August, in the Hindu cyclic year of Bhava in the bright half of the lunar month of Ashada, on the 9th day, and on the 7th day of solar month Leo (Avani) at about 11 a.m. when the constellation of Jyeshta was ruling and when the chief period of Mercury was to rule over him for fourteen years, one month, and 3 days from that date. This was horoscope drawn at the birth of our Swamiji.

Sri Narasimha Iyer was born in the Coimbatore District in an orthodox Brahmin family, and his parents were Sri B. Venkatagiri Iyer and Smt. Angachiammal. It is said that Angachiammal took a vow and performed pooja at the holy shrine of Lord Sri Narasimha at Sholingur, and immediately there after she was blessed with this illustrious son, and was named after that great deity. The parents moved to Salem where Sri B. Venkatagiri Iyer practised as a Second Grade Pleader. He had great success at the Bar, and his house was one of the biggest in the Second Agraharam at Salem. Sri Narasimha Iyer had a brilliant educational career. He graduated from the Madras Christian College and the B.L. examination from Madras Law College. He straightaway joined the Bar at Salem and began practice. Very soon by his brilliant and analytical presentation and arguments, he became the foremost leader and remained so till 1925, when he himself gave up the profession.

Sri Narasimha Iyer never believed in unnecessary litigation. He insisted upon facts and critically examined each case. He even brought clients together and discouraged fissiparous litigation. He rendered justice, and in the law courts, he was very much feared as he was a lion among all, and his advocacy of truth and justice was unparalleled. Not only he was the leader at the Bar, he had a lot of social work to his credit. He became the Chairman of the Salem Co-operative Bank, and for some time served as the Chairman of the Salem Municipal Council. He became an active member of the Literary Society, where he used to play tennis and billiards. He would stop playing at 6 p.m. everyday when he would go home to offer his evening prayers and puja. His prominent contemporaries were Justice Sundaram Chettiar (who was his classmate), Sri. C. Rajagopalachariar, the first Indian and last Governor-General of India, and Sri Muthukrishna Iyer. He was a fiery nationalist and espoused the cause of freedom and became a leader in the Home Rule Movement. He was an admirer of Bala Gangadar Tilak, and he was considered to be an extremist. He became an elected Member of the Madras Legislative Council in 1914. He was again elected in 1920 and was the first Council Member to speak in Tamil, expousing the Freedom struggle and he challenged the British Might. He was an active participant in the Home Rule struggle started by Mrs. Annie Besant and he was one of the three members of a mission that went to Britain to propagate the right of India for freedom and self-government. Sri John Joseph of Madurai and Sri Manjeri Rama Iyer were the other members. The British feared the oratorical prowess of Narasimha Iyer and detained all the three at Gibraltar and sent them back to India after 15 days detention. Sri Narasimha Iyer offered non-cooperation in 1920.

When he was in the peak of politics, there was a sudden stroke of tragedy that changed the life course of Sri Narasimha Iyer. When he was performing the Sraddha ceremony of his first son, even before the ceremony was over, a terrible tragedy occurred in the loss of his two children, who accidentally fell into the well in his bungalow and died. This tragedy changed the entire outlook of Sri Narasimha Iyer; then and there, he wished to renounce all worldly pursuits. He decided to turn spiritual and serve God and humanity.

The Divine call was perceived by Sri Narasimha Iyer. The double tragedy conveyed a singular message. His only object became the Realisation of what is ‘Self’ and God. He resolved to give up everything mundane to which he was attached. He resigned from the Legislative Council and stopped taking part in politics. He returned the Vakil Sanad to the High Court. He completed the work of reconstruction of the Lakshminarayana temple in Second Agraharam at Salem and left pilgrimage to various centres to seek Truth.

His first trip was to Tiruvannamalai, and stayed in one of the caves observing silence for 3 years and concentrated on the study of Vedanta. He closely observed Sri Ramana Maharishi’s life, and wrote out a book in English styled "Self Realisation". This gave a deep insight into the life and work of Sri Ramana Maharishi. This book resulted in many seekers from Europe and America to flock to Tiruvannamalai. With the blessings of Sri Ramana, Sri Narasimha Swamiji resumed his pilgrimage to various centres.

Sri Narasimha Swamiji, inspite of his meeting various saints and religious leaders, was still unsatiated. He was in search of a Master who could fully possess him and clear all his doubts. One saint told him that his failure was due to subjective causes in that he had not surrendered all vasanas, subjugate his penchant for criticism, develop docile submission to superior wisdom and superior goodness. Narasimha Swamiji had not until then got the immense good fortune of meeting a Godman who could transform him fully.

Hence in such a search, he once resolved to meet the famous Datta Upasaka – Sri Narayana Maharaj of Khedgaonpet, which is 40 miles from Poona. This Narayana Maharaj was a great Datta Upasaka who rendered many miracles. Swamiji sat in meditation before Datta shrine. He saw some sparrows there and, closing his eyes, he prayed that if Datta is going to bless him, a sparrow should sit on his head and go away. With this thought he prayed. Lo! The sparrow did sit on his head and flew away. Swamiji could then have the conviction that Sri Dattatreya installed in the shrine and Sri Narayan Maharaj were having really superhuman powers. Sri Narayana Maharaj blessed Swamiji that he will get the ‘precious gem, which he is seeking’.

Sri Meher Baba (disciple of Upasani Baba), met at Nasik Sri Swamiji, and followed his advice, went to Sakori to meet Upasani Baba. Sri Upasani Baba advised him to follow the Bhakti Margas and lead a life of a holy ascetic – Akinchana. Somehow his life at Sakori near Upasani Baba was not to his liking, as he felt that there was something ‘missing’ and decided to leave Upasani Baba. He returned to Madras and planned a pilgrimage to Dwaraka. Meanwhile, Sri Upasani Baba was commenting "Where would this Madrasi Swami go" and he would be drawn to him (Upasani Baba) again. Somehow as Providence willed it, (just as Sai Baba’s akarshana was powerful in drawing Upasani Baba to Himself), here also Upasani’s akarshana was powerful. Because of a sadhaka’s insistence for settling him in a proper religious place (a devotee at Hubli met Narasimha Swamiji at the Siddharuda Mutt), Sri Narasimha Swamiji had to take him to Sakori. At this time, much against his plans, Narasimha Swamiji had to meet Upasani Baba, who prevailed upon him to stick to Bhakti Marga, Sri Narasimha Swamiji reasoned that if Upasani was so great, his Master Sri Sai Baba must indeed be the rarest gem in spiritual advancement.

Sri Sai Baba drew Narasimha Swamiji unto him through Upasani Baba and the light dawned upon Narasimha Swamiji that indeed Sri Sai Baba was really a Divine Avatar like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, and thus he found in Sri Sai Baba his Gurudeva – the Guru God – who changed his entire life for the benefit of mankind. In grateful acknowledgement of Upsani’s place in the Divine order of things, Sri Narasimha Swamiji wrote the book ‘Sage of Sakori’ paying his high tributes to the life and services of Sri Upasani Baba in the spread of Sai Baba Message. Swamiji got the full Sakshatkar of Sri Sai Baba while praying to Sri Sai Baba at the Samadhi Mandir. Then Swamiji began his research work of meeting various devotees of Sri Sai Baba who had personal contacts who could give an account of the life and teachings of Sri Sai Baba and their experiences. The book ‘Sage of Sakori’ reflects the great sadhana of Sri Upasani Baba under the guidance of Sri Sai Baba who bade him to ‘sit quiet and that he (Sri Sai Baba) will do the rest.

In 1936 he had an invitation from a great devotee (Sri M. B. Rege Maharaj) and through him was able to meet Sri P.R. Avaste, Judge, Gwalior. Sri M.B. Rege, the ankita child of Sri Sai Baba, was working as sub Judge, and knew Sri P.R. Avaste, intimately. Sri Narayana Avaste was one of the important guests at the AISS during 1968 Bhagavata Sammelan and at Poona, he took us to his abode and special Mandir.

Sri P.R. Avaste helped Swamiji to read Sri Sai Satcharitra (Marathi), Sai Leela Masik, and other Marathi publications and so we can describe Sri. P.R. Avaste Maharaj as tool ordained by Sri Sai Baba himself to enable Narasimha Swamiji to get detailed information. Narasimha Swamiji could read Marathi works himself, and this is indeed Sri Sai Baba’s Grace and blessing.

In 1934 to 1936 – was the period of this search and collection of devotees’ experiences and statements. 1936-37 saw the inspiring articles published by Swamiji in Sunday Times – 30 or 40 issues (20,000 copies) of that journal. This sparked off the Sai Torch. This Torch has illuminated many thousands of devotees all over India in Sai Faith and Sai Worship.

Swamiji wanted to bring together the sum and substance of these accounts by devotees and build the edifice of Sri Sai Baba for future generations to understand. This he did by cementing the various bricks and presented an authoritative account through his books on the life of Sri Sai Baba in four volumes. This was monumental publication, which Swamiji completed as his final act of Atma nivedana.

Just as Sri Ramakrishna appealed to Kali Matha, Swamiji fervently appealed to Sri Sai Baba to reveal Himself.

‘Introduction to Sai Baba’ in November 1938 was the first book penned by Swamiji. Three editions were brought out within a year. such was the demand. This work was translated in the languages of the South – Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. Devotees’ Experiences’ then followed, ‘Glimpses of Sai Baba’, ‘Sai Ashtothram’ and ‘Sai Sahasranamavalli’, ‘Wondrous Saint Sai Baba’, ‘Charters and Sayings’, Sai Mananam, Khaparde’s Diary, etc., all these publications came one after another as waves of Sai Bhakti. These books from Swamiji are priceless treasures from the Ankita Apostle of Sri Sai Baba, and it is our duty to reprint these books (All books of Swamiji are not protected under copy right act and can be published by any interested devotees without changing its original contents) and make them available to devotees in all major languages. This is a great Guru Seva awaiting us.

Total Surrender of Tan, Man, Dhan is the only way to achieve Guru’s Grace, the Divine Grace of Sai. Every one can become Sai’s Ankita child. Should not every one of us get Sai Bliss? The doors are open. Let us step in with full faith and determination. Swamiji will bless us all.

JAI SAI RAM

Author: Sri Kesava Rao,
Source: Sai Sudha, Golden Jubilee Issue Special Number June 1990.
Published by: All India Sai Samaj (Regd), Mylapore, Chennai-600004, India.
Our thanks to: Sri. K. Ramaswamy, Past President, AISS. for his continuous support to our Sai Prachar Seva.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - Who Maintains the Record of Sins and Virtues?

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

Who Maintains the Record of Sins and Virtues?


A verse in the scriptures states that a suppressed conscience takes one to hell and an awakened conscience leads to heaven. This statement explains the enigma of Heaven and Hell i.e. an individual himself is responsible for creating heaven and hell in his life.


Scriptures (Garura Purana) describes this phenomenon metaphorically. It is mentioned that in the astral world (Yamlok) there lives a deity named Chitragupta, who maintains the record of good and evil deeds of a sentient being. When a living being dies and its soul enters the astral world, this deity presents the record of its good and evil deeds and, based on this account, the soul is assigned to live in heaven or hell. Common sense would not accept existence of a deity like Chitragupta.


The number of human beings inhabiting this earth itself is in billions. If we take into account the other living beings of millions of non-human species, the total number would be beyond mathematical calculation. It would be an impossible task for an individual to work day and night without rest for millions of years maintaining records of each moment of life of innumerable beings of the cosmos. Impracticability of maintenance of such a stupendous record puts a question mark on the very existence of Chitragupta.


Modern science, however, substantiates the reality underlying the metaphorical descriptions given in the scriptures. Science has now established that all mental, verbal and physical activities carried out by an individual having a discriminative mind leave subtle impressions on the deeper levels of the psyche. In this way, like the compressed audio-visual recordings of events on a microchip of the computer or compact disc, all good and evil deeds are being recorded in the secret chambers of the sub-conscious mind.


This record, like a C.D remains in storage till it is required to be played at a desired moment through an appropriate mechanism. Since time immemorial, enlightened persons in India have wondered about the role of fate in human life. Sanskrit and Hindi literature has abundant references to the “footprints of Karma” (Karma Rekha), which it is said, cannot be erased by any degree of intellectual endeavour.


In Indian spirituality, karma stands for any physical, verbal, mental or social activity. It means that each karma produces an imprint (Rekha), which cannot be erased before creating a reaction (Karmaphal). There is a belief that the Creator (Lord Brahma) inscribes the destiny on the forehead of a human being and this Divine Inscription cannot be erased by anyone (Vidhi ke likhe ko metanhara). Let us examine this concept from a scientific point of view. Microscopic examination shows innumerable furrows in the grey matter all over the brain. Medical science has not so far come to know the biological implications of these indentations. Comparative microscopic research studies have shown that density of these crenulations in the grey matter of highly evolved persons and thinkers is much more, than in the case of common masses. It shows that these microscopic lines in the grey matter of the brain are nothing but compact subtle impressions created by external activities, which we take as imprints of mental, vocal and physical actions. This record of activities (good and evil deeds) on the neurons of grey matter proves the existence of an intelligent mechanism, which Hindu Mythology refers to.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - WHO ARE YOU?

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

WHO ARE YOU?


Each individual has different identities for different roles in life. This identity depends on the relationship with the person with whom he/she interacts. For mother he/she may be an object of maternal affection, for father an obedient child, for the teacher an intelligent pupil and for friends a dependable good-humoured buddy. Wife looks at a man as her beloved darling, whereas his son relates to him as his father. The same person appears to his enemy as an adversary; to the shopkeeper as a customer; to the servant as a master; to the horse as a rider; to the caged bird as the jailor. Bed bugs and mosquitoes find him as nothing else but a source of delicious blood. If one could visualize the various mental images, which people have for an individual, it would be found that each person has one’s own peculiar concept and none of these conform to the other. Besides, none of these images identifies the whole individual accurately. Everyone conceptualizes an individual according to the particular bend with which they are mutually related to each other. It is even more amusing that man himself lives confused in his multi-personal bends. Throughout life he lives with multiple self-identifications.


Various thoughts like “I am an adulterer”; “I am wealthy”; “I am old”; “I have no family”; “I am ugly”; “I am popular”; “I am unhappy”; “I am surrounded by vile persons”;……….keep on changing and churning his ideosphere. As other persons form an image about an individual according to their interests, the individual too builds an eccentric lop-sided image of himself based on perceptions of his sense organs. Like a drugged person he keeps on hallucinating in his numerous momentary identities. If he could truly identify with his own inner self, he would be surprised to know how far he has strayed away from Truth.
(Read, “What am I” by the author).


Man always lives in a make-believe world created by his own imagination. In this dream world, one man builds castles in the air, the other fights with the windmills like Don Quixote and yet other derives pleasure of embracing and kissing his beloved while fondling his pet dog.


Deluded by ignorance, we are all hallucinating in an imaginary world. One thinks that he is living in a palace. The other trembles because of imaginary fears. Yet another daydream of being engaged to the most beautiful damsel in the world. Some insane person is found rejoicing in showing off wealth and ‘kingdom’. This world is like a mental asylum where we find all types of mad caps. Each has one’s own eccentricity.


Everyone considers himself as the most intelligent person. Go to a mental asylum and observe the fantasies of the long-term inmates. You will find a close parallel to the daydreamers of this world, who very much consider themselves as sane and sober.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - WELCOME THE SUFFERINGS

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

WELCOME THE SUFFERINGS


Distress is an unwelcome phenomenon. Its immediate experience is bitterness.


Nevertheless, ultimately it is meant for the well-being and happiness of man. Distress is an extraordinarily effective mechanism provided by God for rectification of evil traits and augmentation of positive values. Life is a blissful and self-enlightened spark of the Supreme-Being. He/She has self-created this world which is intrinsically blissful. The brief interludes of unhappiness in life are provided to give the needed momentum to the progressive evolution of the soul, by reminding the being about the true purpose of life, which is awakening to its original nature as a Spark of the Divine. Events producing unhappiness in life are few and their impact is self-evident. Nevertheless, we must remember that whatever little suffering we come across, is the result of our own forgetfulness of our Divine Source. Being a spark of the Blissful Supreme Being, the soul is intrinsically blissful. Nor is there any natural unhappiness in the basic structure of the cosmos, which is orderly and harmonious.


Do not be afraid of the misfortunes, which create unhappiness. Do not loose your mental equilibrium. Face misfortunes boldly. Instead of getting worried or uneasy, be prepared to sail through them. Embrace misfortune as though it were an ill-mannered but warm-hearted friend, who uses foul language, makes unpleasant criticism. Nevertheless, when it (misfortune) goes, it leaves behind the gift of a large treasure of wisdom and insight.


Like a brave soldier, face misfortune defiantly and say, “O oncoming misfortunes! you are like my children. I am your creator. Therefore, I welcome you with open arms. You are my legitimate offspring. Therefore, I won’t disown you. You are free to play in the courtyard of my life. I am not a coward. I won’t shed tears in desperation on meeting you. I am not morally so bankrupt as to avoid paying for my own misdeeds. Being a creation of That Supreme Being, I am a Spark of That Absolute Truth, Absolute Benefaction and Absolute Virtue. Come ugly products of my ignorant karmas. Come! I have courage to accommodate you in my life. I don’t need help from anyone. You have arrived to test how courageous I am? I am prepared to face you.”


Friends! Don’t commit blasphemy. Don’t ever say this world is bad, wicked, unvirtuous and full of unhappiness. In this world, created by God, each elements masterpiece.


Nothing is bad in the holistic view of creation. If you blame the creation, you are also casting aspersions on its Creator. Saying that the pot is badly-made means commenting on the proficiency of the potter. How dare you underrate the qualification of your Omnipotent Father/Mother? When you say that this world is full of misery you are casting aspersions on the integrity of God. In this celestial creation, there is not an iota of unhappiness. Our ignorance itself is the cause of our bad karmas and consequent miseries.


Come! Let us cleanse and purify our inner selves of our evil thoughts and wickedness so that we are totally and finally released from our miseries and acquire ultimate deliverance.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - The Three Types of Agonies and their Causes

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

The Three Types of Agonies and their Causes


Sudden happenings of good fortune and misfortune are part of life and there is no escape from them. Saint-poet Soordas has rightly stated that the effects of actions (Karmas) cannot be avoided even with the best of guidance from an enlightened and experienced person. In spite of having Maharshi Vashishtha as his Guru, Sri Ram had to undergo the agony of the death of his father, abduction of his wife, Sita, and subsequently her forced banishment to rishi Valmiki’s Ashram. It would not be proper to assume that misfortunes are punishments given by an angry God to chastise an erring person. The Epic Ramayana says that each individual is himself personally responsible for his happiness and miseries (“Kahu na kowoo dukha-sukhkar data| Nij nij karm bhog sab bhrata||”). All beings reap the fruits of their own karmas. They rejoice or wail, weep and suffer because of their own doings. With each living being, God has provided an unerring and intelligent mechanism, which determines fruits of his actions. Like a fish swimming in the water of a snake moving on sand, we leave behind footprints of our own karmas. These impressions are known as “samskars” in spiritual parlance. Evil deeds generate distressful samskars, which in course of time sprout as sufferings, like self-growing thorny bushes.


Now we shall discuss the three categories of karmas, their characteristics and consequences. Happiness and peace is the natural state of mind. Man is instinctively inclined to act for welfare of self and others, which naturally results in peace and joy. He suffers only when he is mentally disturbed. He dreads mental turbulence, sorrow and grief. Hence it would be useful to discuss about the causes of unhappiness. As the medical science has two independent streams, one for promotion of health and another for treatment of diseases, there are two branches of spiritual effects – one for promoting happiness and the other for unhappiness. Righteous living is essential for inner peace and happiness just as nutritional food is for health. In therapy it is necessary to first have a diagnosis and then look for treatment. The same holds true for unhappiness. By discarding the karmas, which produce bad Samskars, we can get rid of the resultant suffering and pain.


Let us now discuss the three types of sufferings in detail. As mentioned earlier, misfortunes influence a person by creating three types of adverse reactions: (1) Mental suffering, (2) Physical pain and (3) Distress caused by natural disasters. In spiritual parlance these are known as “Daivik”, “Daihik” and “Bhautik”- Dukhas.


Mental Sufferings

(Daivik–Dukhas)


All types of sorrows, mental suffering, are results of ‘Mental Sins’. Worry, anxiety, anger, humiliation, animosity, separation from a beloved one, fear, grief, etc. are signs of divine justice for mental sins. Mental sins are those willful karmas (deliberate acts) of mind, which are carried out under the influence of strong negative emotional stimuli.


We may call mental sins as corrupt functions of mind like jealousy, perfidy, deception, annoyance, cruelty, etc., which pollute the environment around the inner psyche. Mental sins do not provide any physical gratification. Like a smoke-filled room, an environment created by pollutants of mind suffocates the soul. The soul, being a portion of the omnipresent Divinity, is intrinsically pure. It does not permit accumulation of sinful thoughts around itself and is always eager to push out of pollutants in someway or the other, in the same manner, as the body expels the harmful food. The soul is meticulously careful about its purity. The moment it finds the mental sins polluting its environment, it feels uncomfortable and immediately reacts to discard the pollutants. Though our external conscious mind is hardly aware, the inner, subtle mind is always seeking the opportunities to throw off this burden. Sometime, somehow, from somewhere, it involves man in situations, which neutralize the samskars created by mental sins through such reactions as humiliation, failure, disrepute, etc.


Death of a beloved person, loss in business and property, public-defamation, poverty etc. are also mental agonies. Such situations bring out the inner pain to the surface and the aggrieved person weeps, wails and is reminded of the futility of worldly attachments and impermanency of material things. Situations creating acute unhappiness bring out a greater awareness of the need for righteous living. Man is motivated to refrain from committing sinful deeds in future and follow an upright path in life. While attending funerals, people are reminded of the urgency of living a purposeful life. When suffering from financial loss man seeks God’s help. On being defeated and becoming unsuccessful, vanity is deflated. When the intoxication is over, the drunk begins to talk sense.


The only purpose of mental distress is to cleanse the mind of garbage of mental pollutants such as jealously, ingratitude, selfishness, cruelty, heartlessness cunning, hypocrisy and egoism. Through suffering, the intelligent divine mechanism ensures removal of samskars created by Prarabdha Karmas (discussed later). Pain and anguish spring forth to wash out the deleterious samskars generated by Prarabdha Karmas.


Apparently, sins like theft, burglary, robbery, adultery, kidnapping and violence are committed physically, but since these are basically outer manifestation of mental stimuli such acts fall in the category of mental sins.



Physical Sufferings

(Daihik Dukhas)


The cause of congenital deficiencies and genetic diseases is misutilisation of the corresponding organs in the previous life–cycles. After death, the soul discards the physical body but carries forward the astral body (Sookchma Shareer) to the next life. In the succeeding birth, the new body is shaped by this astral body. The astral body carries with it nuclei (seeds) of samskars of earlier physical existence to the next reincarnation.


The corresponding components of physical organs, which are immorally used in the previous life, lose their vitality in the astral body but manifest as malfunctioning of those organs in the physical body of the next birth. Thus it is possible for a sexually indulgent person to be born with congenital impotence or with imperfections in sexual organs in the next life (Note that Roman Catholic Church defines indulgence as “a partial remission of the temporal punishment that is still due for sin after absolution). Giving exemplary punishment for over- indulgence in this manner, the divine justice also provides the being an excellent opportunity for self-upliftment.


The temporary period of non-function or malfunctions of the affected faculty serves the purpose of caution as well as rejuvenation for the next life. That is to say whichever organ of the body is recklessly misused for sense gratification is deemed to be engaged in a physical sin. In the next life that organ is either found missing or appears as a congenital defect. Thus congenital physical deformities or diseases are for remission of sins. (ref. Absolution –Roman Catholic Theory.) The compulsive rest rejuvenates the organ of the body and also relieves the burden of sin from the mind through repentance.


When a mental sin is intermixed with a physical sin and it has not been neutralized in the present life by punishment by the state, society or by atonement, it is also carried over to the next life.


However, if the sin is basically physical with little or no input of mental sin (deliberate intention), the biological system immediately takes care of it. For instance man gets intoxicated and deranged on taking drugs, falls sick because of dietary irregularities or dies on consuming the poison. This is a physical punishment for a physical sin. The body cleans itself of the small physical sins speedily and these are neutralized in this very life. On the other hand, as mentioned earlier, serious physical vices, which are also associated with mental stimuli, are carried over by the astral body for being worked out in the next life.


Suffering Resulting From Natural Calamities

(Bhautik Dukhas)


Of late, science has begun to appreciate the impact of lop-sided human activities on pervasive global life-sustaining elements of nature. Indiscriminate use of chloroflouro carbons by some developing countries is damaging the global atmosphere for entire humankind by producing the greenhouse effect. Reckless deforestation in certain parts of the world is creating worldwide ecological imbalances. Such examples illustrate that basic elements of nature are globally interdependent and local changes in them have universal implications. The following observations bring out this eternal truth.


“Pran”- the universal life force, is one of the vital elements of nature, which is an integral constituent of all animate beings. The entire human race is inter-connected with this all-pervasive element. Each spark of life in the individual animate being, which is known as “Atma” in spiritual parlance, is part of the omnipresence of THAT universal life force.


The science of spirituality maintains that karmas and samskars of all living beings are mutually interactive. In social milieu these reactions are quite prominent. A criminal brings shame to his parents and family as well. The latter too suffer disgrace since disregarding their responsibilities by not performing the right karmas; they did not exert enough influence to make the person a good citizen. The responsibility for spiritual development of the child (a virtuous karma) lies with the parents and other adults of the family. Hence, though in the material world only the offender receives the punishment from the law enforcers and the society, the souls of the parents and other family members too have to suffer partially for this dereliction of duty, which the divine jurisprudence considers as a sin. When the neighbour’s house is on fire, you cannot remain a silent spectator, since soon you may also become a victim. If in spite of being capable of preventing, one looks on at acts of theft, burglary, rape, murder etc. indifferently, the society would look down upon such a person contemptuously and the law would also not spare him. The laws of divine justice too follow a similar norm.


Divine law expects man to abide by time-tested moral codes of conduct and also make maximum possible endeavor to prevent others from violating them. If some country or community or race does not make an effort to prevent or dissuade others from committing wrong deeds, in spite of being in a position to do so; or does not promote morality and ethics despite having the means to do so, the former too has to suffer its consequences. Such collective sins of inactivity or indifference invite combined punishment from divine justice.


Earthquakes, deluge, drought, famine, world wars are consequences of collective sins of humanity, in which karmas for vested interests were given priority and welfare of the rest of the humanity was ignored. Examples are - spread of AIDS, drug abuse and alcoholism, disintegration of families, juvenile delinquency, terrorism, environmental pollution etc. The developed countries are suffering consequences of their smug indifference towards the welfare of the underprivileged masses elsewhere.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - THE THREE CATEGORIES OF ACTIONS (KARMAS) AND CONSEQUENT SAMSKARS

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

THE THREE CATEGORIES OF ACTIONS (KARMAS) AND CONSEQUENT SAMSKARS


We shall now proceed to correlate the three categories of karmas and their samskars with the three types of miseries suffered by man. Samskars are produced by each of three categories of karmas, known in spiritual parlance as – (i) Sanchit Karmas (ii) Prarabdha Karmas and (iii) Kriyaman Karmas. Let us keep in mind that as Chitragupta, the inner conscience of man, which is impartial, pure and wise, goes on recording each and every good and evil deed for dispensing justice of high integrity.


Sanchit Karmas

(Involuntary Mental Karmas)


Unknown to the conscious mind of the individual, association with good and bad company leaves some impressions on the psyche. Unless willingly and consciously accepted, samskars produced in this process are faint, week in potency and feebly reactive.


The karmas, which produce such week samskars, are known as Sanchit Karmas. These
samskars remain stored in some odd corner of the inner consciousness, buried in dormant state. Then there are karmas unwillingly, reluctantly performed under compulsion or in a state of helplessness. If one is forced to carry out such karmas with revulsion and these are not made into a habit, these too fall in the category of Sanchit Karmas.


Being extremely feeble, the samskars produced by Sanchit Karmas may remain in a dormant state in the psyche for thousands of years through successive births. These
samskars generally remain inactive, but if a suitable stimulant is provided to them by deliberate, strong, conscious repetition of similar deeds, these, too become active. In the company of strong healthy horses, a lame horse too begins to trot.


With good soil and adequate rains even rotten seeds germinate. Association with identical samskars makes the week samskars gain strength, whereas if the past samskars repeatedly come in contact with the opposite type of samskars, the former are completely wiped out. If for a long duration evil samskars face a long continuous inflow of good samskars, the latter destroy them totally. As a matter of fact, the good as well as bad Sanchit Samskars bear fruit in favourable environments and are destroyed when confronted with an adverse milieu. Pilgrimages and rituals recommended in religious practices are meant to wipe out the weak, evil samskars accumulated as Sanchit Karmas.



Prarabdha Karmas

(Karmas done with strong emotional involvement):


Mental karmas, which are voluntarily, deliberately performed under strong emotional stimuli, are known as Prarabdha Karmas. Being motivated by intense emotions, such karmas produce powerful samskars. Reactions of violent acts like murder, robbery, betrayal, felony or immoral passionate acts like adultery are very strongly felt by the inner conscience. Its innate spiritual purity is ever eager to get rid of this extraneous deleterious impurity at the earliest opportunity.


It has already been mentioned that our inner conscience keeps a constant watch over each of our karmas and determines greater or lesser punishment for each offence according to the nature of the act. A mental chastisement for a mental offence is however not possible without the help of other means. For giving an appropriate punishment, the inner conscience waits for a suitable environment in the subtle world (Sukshma Lok in spiritual parlance, where the divine system correlates samskars and creates environment for justice).


Occasionally this process is spread over a long time. For instance, for redemption of a mental sin of treachery, the sinner is required to be punished by grief. Chitragupta evaluates the grade of treachery to decide the degree of sorrow required for atonement.


For punishing a murderer, the divine system will associate the soul of the sinner with the soul of an individual who, according to its own karmas, can inflict the same degree of pain and grief on the sinner, which latter has caused to the aggrieved person. For instance, Chitragupta may plan birth of a son or daughter in the family of the sinner, who (the new born) is destined to die at a young age according to its own past karmas. The inner conscience of the killer will wait for grief-producing event when the son/daughter meets death by disease or accident. In this way, for samskars carried over to next life, divine justice creates an environment for punishment equivalent to the sin.


It is obvious that this process is not unilateral. Divine justice makes souls of both the sinner and the sinned interact in complementary environment. This complex process at time takes several cycles of life and death. We know that in this world, too, it requires a long time and consideration of numerous factors before two individuals become life partners as husband and wife. (The popular saying that “Marriages are made in heaven” indirectly refers to the coincidence of samsakars of the bride and the groom. The pain of separation in a divorce, too, is a consequence of sinful karmas of past lives.)


We may further try to understand the course of divine justice by an analogy in a natural phenomenon. A shrub in Africa called Venus grows to a height of about three meters. Out of its branches spread out thin thread-like offshoots. These keep on growing and swaying in the air till they meet another shrub and they become mutually intertwined. Sometimes these shrubs meet each other barely after a growth of a few centimeters, whereas the others succeed in doing so after growing for a few meters. This is the way the fruits of karmas ripen for interaction over different spans of time.


The punishment for the exclusively physical sins is physical and is given without much delay. (Consumption of poison results in immediate death.) Mental chastisement, on the other hand, is neither instantaneous nor is it unilateral. For instance, if, because of his cruel nature, someone commits a murder and is caught red-handed, the state awards a death sentence. On the contrary, if the killer commits the offence secretly, the inner conscience does not punish him immediately. It would wait for an environment for creating in his psyche an aversion for violence, by making the sinner feel the same degree of pain, which was felt by his victim. That is why, at times, morally vile persons are found rejoicing and righteous ones suffering in life. The enforcer of Divine Law takes time in preparing an appropriate environment for dispensing just rewards and punishments.


Is the Prediction of Future Events Possible?


At times, yogis having paranormal powers make accurate predictions about the future events. It should not create the misconception that life is strictly bound by rigid predestination. The future course of life undoubtedly depends on past karmas. By virtue of paranormal powers the futurologists and seers are able to foresee the ultimate outcome of the Prarabdha Karmas. In this world, too, we can often predict the probable future on the basis of a comprehensive data. On learning details of legal proceedings an experienced juror may foretell the judgment to be delivered. It does not mean that there is no relevance of prosecutors, defendants, evidence, lawyers and cross-examinations.

Foretelling of events also does not mean that certain events can be correlated to some particular past Prarabdha Karmas. In fact, fate and self-effort (Taqdeer and Tadbeer) are two faces of the same coin. Self-efforts (karmas) are given the name of destiny when they beer fruit.


We may compare the current karma with any raw fruit, which is going to ripen in future as destiny. The fate of today is the karmas of the past. If karma stands for an infant calf, Prarabdha is the state acquired by it late in life as an aged cow. The word Prarabdha is frequently misunderstood as predestined though Prarabdha Karmas and Prarabdha (fate) are two names given to the same phenomena- with a time lag in between.


God is Not Vindictive


Misfortune occurs in life in a particular order and according to a well-defined process of divine justice, but people reconcile to their inevitability by believing in so-called “Wrath of God”, “God’s Will” or “Natural woeful state of this world”. As a matter of fact, God neither creates any good fortune nor misfortune for anybody, nor He/She (God is not gender-specific as a biological being) desires to put anyone in distress. Nor is this world wholly full of woes. A spider gets confined and entangled in its own self-woven web.


Similarly, man himself makes his mind vicious, undisciplined, corrupt and sinful and when the evil mind works to create a distressing situation, he weeps, wails and blames others- including God. Here it should be clearly understood that the fruits of Prarabdha are always received as abrupt unprecedented events. (e.g., unexpected death due to disease or accident, collapsing of a house, winning a jackpot, injury due to accident, accidental loss of limbs or cessation of vital functions of body.)


God does not involve other beings directly in enforcing divine justice for a couple of reasons. One: The person enforcing divine punishment on behalf of God would create resentment against his own self- thus beginning a chain of counter reaction between himself and the person being punished. It would increase turbulence of mind. Two: The enforcer would have to be unnecessarily involved in the complex process of cause-effect by committing undesired karmas and reaping their fruits.


Here, we may once again recapitulate the characteristics of Sanchit Karmas and Prarabdha Karmas. Whereas Sanchit Karmas bear fruits only on coming across a suitable environment or otherwise get destroyed in a counter environment, the Prarabdha Karmas invariably bear fruit, though it may take a period of several life cycles. The current activities being knowingly carried out are Prarabdha Karmas, whereas the unexpected, sudden happenings are the fruits of past Prarabdha Karmas. Any failure in life due to indolence is definitely not due to Prarabdha Karmas of the past. Unlike the Prarabdha Karmas, the physical Kriyaman Karmas (discussed hereafter) bear definite fruits within a short time.


Kriyaman Karmas

(Physical Karmas)


Physical actions fall in the category of Kriyaman Karmas. These produce co current results. Consumption of drugs is followed by intoxication. Death follows consumption of poison. Human body is made up of five natural basic elements. Interaction between these natural elements produces immediate reaction. As soon as we touch fire, fingers are burnt.


Laws of nature govern interactions between natural elements. Defiance of these laws invites almost constant punishment by nature.


When the physical body is compelled to live on foods and habits incompatible with its physiology, there is an immediate disturbance in the natural balance of the body, which results in disease, and weakening of the harmonious working of the biological system.


This is nature’s mechanism for rectification. (Vegetarianism is meant for human species, since contrary to the physiology of the carnivorous man has been provided with smaller canine teeth and larger intestine as compared to carnivorous. The smaller intestines of the carnivore do not let accumulation of residual toxins of animal fat in the body.


Besides, the flesh-eating animals are provided with long tongues. The vegetarians use their lips for consuming liquids). Physical Karmas are mechanically carried out by the body without any emotional involvement unlike Sanchit and Prarabdha Karmas, they produce fruits in a short time.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - The Secret of Unexpected Good Fortune and Misfortune

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

The Secret of Unexpected Good Fortune and Misfortune


There is a saying in the scriptures that the factors responsible for mental-physical agonies and natural disasters (Daivik-Daihik-Bhautik Dukha) are self-generated. We often come across phenomena, which appear quite contradictory to the known laws of nature, creating doubts about the impartiality of divine justice. For instance, an honest, duty conscious, morally superior person is suddenly struck with a great misfortune in life as though he/she was being punished by God for a great sin. On the other hand, we find persons engaged in worst type of corrupt practices living in peace and prosperity. An idler wins a jackpot or inherits a fortune from unexpected quarters, whereas a hard working intelligent person is found suffering endlessly for want of basic necessities. One person achieves great success with little effort, whereas another does not succeed in spite of his best efforts. Such phenomena are popularly ascribed to the role of the fate (prarbdh, bhagya, etc). Similarly, unprecedented natural calamities like famine, epidemics, tornadoes, deluge, and damage by lightning and earthquake and ‘untimely death’ are commonly attributed to the ‘Will of God’ and known as predestination (bhagya). Such unexpected happenings as financial loss, accidents, sudden mental/physical disability and physical separation from a dear one are also attributed to fate.


Such unexpected adversities are rare, but they do occur in life. At times, they leave such deep imprints on the psyche, that it is not possible to ignore them. Those who are not familiar with the mysteries of divine justice become very much perplexed by such phenomena and form opinions, which are extremely dangerous for life. Many become resentful towards God, blame and abuse Him for an unjust injustice. A few even become atheists, considering the futility of worshiping God who does not respond to prayers in distress, despite their prolonged adherences to religiosity. Then there is a class of devotees who serve the saints and worship deities in expectation of some material gains. However, it they are visited with some unfavourable phenomena coincidentally, their adoration changes to contempt or disbelief.


There are quite a few “Believers” in this world who correlate people, places and things with good and bad luck Such superstitions have caused extreme miseries to innocent persons. The root cause for such irrational behaviour is the belief that whatever come to pass is predestined by God and the beings created by Him have absolutely no role in shaping their own destiny. Quite a few persons in this world forsake their responsibility in the mistaken belief that the gain and loss being predestined, there is no necessity of personal effort. They mistakenly believe that they cannot change the Will of God who is supposed to have programmed their life beforehand. We often hear expression like – “Whatever is destined cannot be changed” or “Who can change the fate predestined by God?” or “It was the Will of God”. As a matter of fact man uses such expressions when he finds himself helpless, disturbed and confused while undergoing adversity.


In the absence of an understandable cause, the agitated mind finds a scapegoat in the Divine Will. Nevertheless, such outbursts do have an advantage. The help in releasing the stress of the disturbed mind, which would have otherwise done incalculable harm to the person concerned. There are however many mature persons who shirk their responsibility of self-effort to meet a given challenge under the pretext of inexorability of Divine Will. Because of their influence, the less knowledgeable younger persons around them too begin to feel helpless and despaired because of the so-called “inevitability of fate”.


Readers would appreciate how ignorance of the real causes of unexpected calamities creates ridiculous concepts, which distort and vitiate the value-system of life. Since times immemorial, man has been attempting to correlate human activities with events of life over which he has no control. Research in deeper spirituality has discovered ways and means to find answers to such problems of life. In the following section, we shall discuss how mental and physical actions of individual and collective activities of the society become responsible for good fortune and misfortune of individuals and the community.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - YOUR WORLD – A REFLECTION OF YOUR MIND

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

YOUR WORLD – A REFLECTION OF YOUR MIND


In this world, we find people complaining about many types of misfortunes and feeling euphoric on insignificant occasions of pleasure. There are habitual pessimists blaming everyone for everything. Expressions like “This world is very bad”; “Times are bad”; “Honesty is a virtue of the past”; “Religion has been buried for good”- are very commonly bandied about. If someone is in the habit of repeating such phrases, he is expressing only the impressions of his mind and you can safely assume that he himself is a cheat and dishonest person.


Man has systematically built the image of his unhappy world by interacting with pessimistic people around himself. If someone is in the habit of complaining about lack of opportunities for work, widespread unemployment, failure of good industries and non availability of good jobs, take it for granted that his ideosphere is full of thick clouds of indolence, torpor and incompetence. This he finds reflected everywhere in the world. If someone sees this world as full of self-centered hypocrites or sinners or evil and uncivilized persons, infer that the individual himself has an abundance of corresponding negative attributes in his own self. This world is like a magnificent large mirror, which faithfully reflects your ideosphere. As mentioned earlier, elements of this world precipitate three types of qualitative attributes (Sat, Raj and Tam) in life. Whichever attribute dominates in the personality of an individual; it attracts its counterpart from the world at large.


Wherever a short-tempered person goes, he finds someone to quarrel with. One who has hatred in mind will always find out an object to be hated. To an unfair person everyone appears, ill-mannered, uncivil and worthy of punishment. Whenever an individual interacts with someone, he/she views the latter in the same light with which his own personality is coloured. A person of impeccable morality rarely comes across a woman of fallen virtue. Scholars do get avenues for right information. Seekers of truth always find opportunities for quenching their thirst for wisdom. Enlightened souls have always been living on this earth. Wherever they live, environment around them attracts virtuous persons.


However, it is not our intention to prove that there is absolutely no evil on this earth and whatever good or bad we find here is totally a reflection of our own field of view. It has been repeatedly stated that in this world, good, average and bad (Sat, Raj and Tam) coexist and one receives what one gets tuned into.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - PASSIVE ACQUIESCENCE BEFORE EVIL ACTS IS ALSO SINFUL

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

PASSIVE ACQUIESCENCE BEFORE EVIL ACTS IS ALSO SINFUL


It is seen that in a society the affluent and powerful exploiters suffer much less from natural disasters than the submissive, under – privileged masses. The brunt of excessive rains or droughts is mainly borne by the poor farmers. The laws of divine justice regard tolerance of a sin as a greater offence than its committal. There is a saying that “the father of a tyrant is a coward”. Cowardice and timidity tend to invite suppression and oppression from some quarter or the other. Big powerful fish is always on the prowl for the timid small fish. The latter may manage to escape from one but some other big fish will devour it.


Laws of divine justice consider cowardice, weakness and ignorance as grave sins. It is not surprising that these invite harsher punishments. Natural disasters should be taken as stealthy acts of divine grace. These are frequently manifested by the invisible Supreme Justice for removal of corruption from the society. Natural calamities are not aberrations of nature. Instead, these are reactions of out-of-tune actions of living beings themselves. It is like the process of refining in the blast furnace. Through such loud warnings, God mercifully tells us again and again to work for eradicating sins from the society. In the next chapter we shall discuss how and when divine justice gives rewards and punishments for the various types of good and evil karmas.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - MISFORTUNES ARE NOT ALWAYS RESULTS OF PAST MISDEEDS

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - MISFORTUNES ARE NOT ALWAYS RESULTS OF PAST MISDEEDS


For most of us misfortunes are unwelcome. These are popularly believed to be the result of past sins and displeasure of God. However, this view is only partially correct. It is true that one of the reasons for unhappiness is past sins, but all unhappy events do not necessarily have their roots in past misdeeds. It may appear paradoxical, that at times misfortunes also befall us because of the grace of God and accumulation of past virtues. Unhappiness may also be felt while undergoing hardships in course of virtuous activities.


When God shows His condescension towards a highly evolved soul and wills to release that soul from the bondage of sins of materialism, He creates distressful situations in life.


Such unhappy events jolt the individual out of his slumber and to realize the futility of attachment to worldly things. The shock of unhappiness in such cases serves as a Divine Wake-Up-Call.


Our addiction to worldly attachments, infatuations and passions is so strong and alluring that we cannot be easily de-addicted by a casual approach. There are fleeting moments of wisdom in life when man thinks that life is extremely valuable and must be used for achieving some lofty objective, but soon thereafter attractions of the world drag him back to the erstwhile lowly routine of animal-like existence. Through misfortunes, God exerts a strong pull to extricate the devotee from the self-created quagmire of ignorance. Mishaps wake us up from our slumber in ignorance and darkness.


Unpleasant, heartbreaking happenings, such as a near fatal accident or disease, death of an intimate friend or relative, sudden financial loss, humiliation, or treachery by a trusted friend, may occur to give a strong shock treatment so that one may correct the course of his life.


Sometimes, the virtuous samskars accumulated on account of our past karmas also produce unhappy events. Virtuous karmas also act as shields to ward off sinful temptations. The former do not permit the sinful tendencies to dominate and offer stiff resistance. Many a time, commitment of sin is foiled by some unforeseen obstacle. If a thief breaks his leg while goings for theft, it should be taken as a consequence of his past virtuous karmas.


Those who work hard for moral or social upliftment of the society and meticulously follow their course of duty, face stupendous problems, hardships and lack of resources. They also have to face antagonism of people who find such activities detrimental to their vested interests. Besides, they are tormented by unscrupulous in many ways. Persons treading the royal highway of righteousness have to face hardships at each step.


Misfortunes are like goldsmith’s furnace, in which the validity of past virtues and tolerance to hardships undertaken for virtuous deeds are tempered. After going through misfortunes, the character and personality of an upright person becomes all the more lustrous.


Hence while going through misfortunes, do not be under the impression that you are a sinner and a wretched person deserving Divine Wrath. It could be that the distress is a blessing in disguise, with hidden boons, which you are unable to foresee at the moment because of lack of clear vision.


Innocent persons may be found suffering because of unfair ideologies or oppression by others. Any one may become a victim of exploitation, suppression and injustice. The exploiter has to face the consequences of his karmas in due course of time, but the sufferer should not take such trials as outcome of his prarabdha.


A student has to face many hardships in course of his education. A mother suffers while bringing up the child. Ascetics, social reformers and righteous persons undergo unbearable hardships while working for reformation of the society and evolution of the human soul. Such voluntarily undertaken hardships, confrontations and problems faced in course of fulfillment of self-assumed responsibilities cannot be considered as consequences of past misdeeds.


It would not be proper to regard every “happy-go-lucky” person as a virtuous person in his past life or every sufferer as a sinner of his past birth. Such a concept would be unjustified and misleading. There is no reason for someone to have self-pity or feel remorseful on such a false premise. The course from karma to prarabdha follows an occult and mysterious process known only to the Creator.


We have to remain ever vigilant towards our duties and responsibilities and leave the rest to impartial Supreme Justice of God. Let us face the misfortunes and good fortunes of life with equanimity. God has made us responsible only for our duties as human beings. There could be many reasons for successes-failure and happinessunhappiness.


Only the Creator knows their purpose in His Absolute Wisdom. Let us entirely offer ourselves to the Divine to be used for the free and unobstructed flow of His Will through us.

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA - CREATE YOUR OWN WORLD

THE ABSOLUTE LAW OF KARMA

CREATE YOUR OWN WORLD

The physical cosmos, according to a philosopher, is made up of inert components, which can be moulded into any desired configuration. The doer, man, is animate, whereas elements of the cosmos are inert. The animate doer has the capacity to utilize an inert substance as needed. A potter has free choice to make any object of pottery out of raw mud. A goldsmith can make any ornament from gold. With the needle and thread, a tailor may make a shirt or a trouser. The material world consists of elements creating three types of ‘qualitative reactions’ in life. In spiritual parlance these ‘natural attributes’ of the world are known as Sat, Raj and Tam. Broadly speaking, Sat stands for the most refined cohesive and super conductive medium of the spirit; Tam for the most opaque, sluggish and perverted and Raj most perturbed and unstable in which both Sat and Tam coexist in continued disequilibrium. Man is free to choose any combination of attributes amongst these with the one predominant over the other two.

In a garden there is slush, filth as well as fragrance of flowers. Worms creep into the mud, flies find out the filth and the bees go straight to the flowers. Everyone receives things of one’s choice. Bats and owls can see even during the darkest of night.

Honeybees are able to detect fructose in the tiny flowers hidden in a thick bush and the poisonous snakes manufacture venom out of harmless organic substances. In this world, good and bad things, virtues and vices, morality and immorality exist everywhere. It is like that super cafeteria, where the customer has free choice to procure sweet, sour or bitter food.

The shelves of the super market of the world are stocked with stuffs of unlimited varieties. Customers enter the shop and purchase items of their taste. Our Supreme Mother has kept prepared dishes for everyone’s taste The Ideosphere (Personal Ideological Environment) of a thief is overwhelmed with thievery. This ideosphere will easily interact with the compatible ideosphere of other thieves. Be it a prison, society or house, everywhere a thief will find thievery being discussed. His family members will generally talk about thievery. Some will support his avocation others oppose it. When the thief moves in the society, persons known to him will pass good or bad comments about his profession. When he meets fellow thieves, they will talk only about the tricks of the trade. In a prison, thieves will flock together and immediately discuss their favourite subject. In this way a thief will find the entire world revolving around thievery. He will regard thievery as the most important trade and think very little of anything else. He will be indifferent to other things in life. Similarly an adulterer or adulteress will see an adulterant in each man and woman. He/she will collect and display erotic photographs, paintings and literature in the house. Friends and acquaintances having similar inclinations will be easily found. In his/her mind sex will become the most important issue in life. In the same manner drunkards and drug addicts create their own worlds. It is up to you to create the world of your choice.