Quest For AtmaJnana

For the progress of a family or a society or a nation, unity is most essential. In this Kali age sangha shakthi (the power of unity in society) is most essential to succeed in any task. What is society? Diverse people with diverse attitudes and feelings coming together and living by some common accepted codes. Bharatiya samskruthi (the culture of Bharath) has always given importance to samishti (collective) over the vyashti (individual). Where there is disunity there is dissatisfaction. Where there is unity there is satisfaction. One blade of grass cannot do harm to even a single ant. But tied together, grass blades can be made into a rope which can bind even an elephant. One should follow the ideal set by Dharmaraja who said that if there are any quarrels amongst the brothers we are five and they are hundred. But if any outsider comes fighting against us we are all one hundred and five. This culture is One. Students should develop this sense of Nationalism.

The Divide and Rule policy has contributed to the downfall of our culture. We have become dispirited and dejected due to lack of unity. Students, as future citizens you should understand the importance of unity for progress and set an example in staying united. We may be individually brilliant but where collective action is required we always fail. Why? because of our ego and jealousy. It is not mere Vigyana (scientific knowledge) that is important. More importantly we need Viveka (discrimination) and aacharana (practice of what we have learnt). Knowledge without action is useless and action without knowledge is foolish. Use viveka to determine what is good and what is bad and do good.

Who is selfless in this world? Only God can claim that. Only God is selfless. Sometimes people feel God is selfish as when He saved Vibhishana and not Ravana, Prahalada and not Hiranyakashipu. There is no greater foolishness than this. It is not God who protects but your good deeds and it is not God who punishes but your bad deeds. God dwells within the individual and man's actions carry Punya or paapa (sin) with them. God is just a witness.

Once in Dwarakamayee, Shirdi Baba was counting coins and transferring them from one hand to another. So many people came for His darshan but He was just continuing to ignore them and going on with his play. Dama, who was very close to Baba approached Baba and prayed to Him that many devotees were waiting and asked what was it that Baba is so seriously involved in. Baba replied "Dama! see these coins. I am seeing if any of these coins are useful. Some are defaced, some are broken, some are deformed. None of these are useful for Me. These devotees are also like these coins. Some come for job, others come to pass in their exam, still others come for marriage and children - not one comes for Atma jnana (wisdom of the Self). Look at that mango tree. How nice will it be if all the flowers on it become ripe fruits. Does it happen like that? Some of them fall away at the stage of flower itself. Some fall after becoming unripe fruits. Some are eaten away by the birds and some more are blown away by the wind. Very few remain to become ripe mango fruits. These devotees are like that".

Yogi Vemana once said "If all rocks are Gods, won't all the kings swallow them". Similarly all those who come here (to Prasanthi Nilayam) are not devotees. If that was so, this Prasanthi Nilayam cannot bear so many people. I am searching. I am still searching for a true devotee. One should not get carried away by appearances, only virtues are true measure of a person. You are all studying with hopes of getting into good positions and earn money and fame. People consider Dhanamoolam Idam Jagat (the world revolves around Money). Shastras say Dharma Moolam Idam Jagat. But Sai considers "Daya Moolam Idam Jagat". Compassion towards fellow being is very important. The heart which does not have compassion is no heart at all. Hrudaya (heart) is a combination of Hruth + Daya, i.e. one with compassion.

In Shirdi there used to be a devotee Laxmi Bai who used to clean the roads wherever Baba used to go. Although she was very rich, she stayed on in Shirdi for the love of Baba and used to look after the comforts of the devotees of Baba. Once when Baba was coming along the road she took the paadanamaskar of Baba. He asked her for food since He was hungry. Those days Baba used to eat quite an amount of food. The chapathis used to be rolled up and in one gulp he used to eat them. Hearing the words of Baba, Laxmibai rushed to her home and prepared a few chapathis along with curry. She brought them back thinking God is about to have food cooked by her. Baba was talking and in the meanwhile a black dog came and in front of their eyes started eating the chapathis. When it finished eating Baba told her that His hunger was satiated. Laxmibai who could not understand the significance of this was feeling bad that instead of Baba all the food was eaten by a dog and asked Baba how He could allow this. Baba then said "Why are you taking every thing in a narrow sense. Develop broad mind. The dog which has eaten the food is Me. I am the indweller of all the insects, all the birds and animals. I am present in all the living beings. Offering food to any living being is like offering food to Me. Take every action as God's will and always follow God's command". Bhakthi (devotion) should have only Atma Jnana (knowledge of the Self) as its goal.

Once a Patel came to see Baba in Shirdi. His pockets were full of five rupee notes. He started asking Baba for Self realization and Baba said He would show him the Self. He called Dama, asked him to go to a trader in the village and get Rs 5/-. Dama returned empty-handed. So Baba sent him back to another person. This happened quite a few times and Dama had to visit several people. Meanwhile this Patel was pestering Baba for Self realization, Atmajnaana. Baba then pointed out "See you have two bundles of Rs 5/- in your pocket. You have been watching Me sending Dama all over the place for mere Rs 5/-. You could not give even a single pie. Such a miser like you can never get self realization. Unless you get rid of these qualities of kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and maatsarya you will not be qualified for even the first steps in spiritual learning".