Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

DURING the last thirty days, you have been listening to expositions of the meaning and significance of Vedhic words, like Brahman, Prajapathi, Vachaspathi, Saraswathi, and Brihaspathi; you have also been told the real significance of the name Bharath that this country bears. It is necessary that you should recognise, even when you are students, that the Vedas are the basis of the culture of this country; the guides for material as well as spiritual progress. When you understand the hymns, the dedicatory verses, the ritual directives, and the invocatory formulae contained in the Vedas, life would be rendered peace-filled and secure, against the winds of fortune, both fair and foul. It is natural for every being to seek happiness. Yet, each being must know that happiness does not emanate from the material things of the objective world.

You are students and so, I must tell you that the type of education that does not confer on you abiding happiness, the unshakeable sense of equanimity, the awareness of the Divinity behind every particle in the Universe, is not entitled to that name. Education must implant elevating ideals, and kindle the lamp of wisdom. Nowadays, education is aimed at providing a living; it is a bread-and-butter trade. But, do we not have millions who have not gone through this mill, wasting money and precious time in the process like you, but yet earning a decent living and enjoying peace and joy therein?

Though they have not gone through school and college, they have had the more valuable schooling in the University of Life. Any system of education that does not help you to discriminate between fight and wrong, that does not instil the fear of sin and the love of God, train you in the codes of humility and reverence, widen the horizon of your wonder, encourage you to worshipfully serve your parents, and inspire you to dedicate your skill and attainments to the progress of your family, village, community, country, language and nation stands condemned! The corruption and cruelty that are rampant in the country can be traced to this grave defect. Selfish greed, pomp and injustice are prevalent in every field. The nation has no peace and the sense of security is feeble. As science develops and technology advances, humility and mutual love should also develop to the same extent. Or else, man becomes a menace to man. Human sensitivity must be so high that no one can tolerate the misery of others. But, when one is not moved by the misery of even one's own-parents how can this trait be cultivated? Students! You are pure in heart. Do not slide down into such depths. Bring to mind the Glory of Indian Culture. Do not crave for the trivial pleasures of the senses; do not condemn yourselves to be lazy lubbers; be active, earnest; bear with all troubles and disappointments; strive on and march towards success, or else, the nation will weaken and decline.

You are a pin or bolt or nut or wheel in the huge machine called the Cosmos. If the pin is not in perfect shape, the entire machine will be hampered. Do not get disheartened and disabled; if you do, you are injuring the welfare of the whole world. Remember that Indian Culture is built on the faith Soham, 'I am that,' the undefeatable, majestic, mighty That. It is not built on the somari principle (the principle of laziness). True rest is ensured only by hard work. Sleep is the reward for hard physical labour. And, if sleep does not switch off the mind of man for some hours everyday, he would have spun out all sorts of wild fancies. Young people, that you are, work hard; serve the interests of your family and country, and be examples to others. Imagine how your forefathers during the Vedhic Age engaged themselves with no respite, in good deeds and beneficial acts, so that they could be happy and make others happy. But, alas, the descendants of those men have devised a system of education which does not ensure even a decent daily life. Education was then called, Swadhyaya: (Swa - one's own; adhyaya - study). Study for one's own best progress, (that is, spiritual progress) which gives peace and joy immeasurable. Today this type of progress has become a matter of ridicule; the run is all behind fame, sudden fortune and power over fellow-beings, and their fates. The Vedavidhs (men learned in the Vedas), had but one ideal - the discovery of the I which they felt they were. The Vedavidhs marked three stages in the life of man and assigned one aspect of God to preside over each stage. The first - where man is deep in activity of some sort or other in Karma - is presided over by Vasu. The second, under the protection of Rudhra, is filled with reverential worship of the God in all, discovered through the impact of Love. The third is the stage of jnana, the Supreme Wisdom, presided over by the source of Illumination, Adhithya or the Sun.

This is the genuine Bharatheeya Vision, to transform life into a pilgrimage towards the God resident in oneself, a steady march, along the straight path to Bliss. There is no such steadiness now. Fancy and fantasy rule the mind of man. You desire one thing in the morning; at noon, you change over to something else. That desire will not persist until evening. If your desire is fulfilled, you praise God and parade your devotion. But, if it does not prevail, you throw God overboard, and parade your unbelief! I am reminded of a story in this connection. A clever villager used to enter the village temple in the early hours of the day, and sit on, with eye closed, in the hope that people will honour him as a great devotee. Since he did not get up and go about his business until about midnoon, the temple priest was hard put to close the doors and go home for his daily tasks there. So he struck upon a plan to stop the nuisance. He knew that the closed-eye session of dhyana (meditation) was all a pretence. He hid himself behind the Idol of the Deity, and when the villager was well set in his pretence of deep meditation, he said, in an imposing sonorous voice, "Listen! Excellent Devotee! I am mightily pleased by your asceticism and your steadfastness. Come. I shall merge you into Myself." At this, the fellow ran fast out from the temple, leaving no trace where he had gone to!

The devotion and sense of surrender of men are similiar to those of this impostor. Faith is weak, discipline is absent; earnestness is lacking. But, do not forget or ignore God; do not be misled into attachment for the world; do not dread death; be happy with whatever you have and hold. Live ever in the remembrance of the Name of God. I wonder how you would follow this advice! For, I know you are reluctant even to repeat the Name a hundred times a day or twenty five or at least ten times. You wag and waste your breath for hours together, but, when it comes to the pronunciation of the Name of the God, you have neither the time nor the inclination. There was a son who was instructed by his aged father to repeat the sacred Gayathri exactly 108 times a day. The fellow promised to do so but, he-simplified the task by reciting it only once, and then, saying ditto, ditto, 107 times! The same boy secured a scholarship to study in America. The father took him to a temple near the airport from where he was to board the plane, and made him swear before the idol of Dhevi that he would adhere to Indian culture and tradition while abroad. But, he returned quite lost to all the values cherished in that culture and tradition. The astounded father took him to the same temple, and when the son stood before the Goddess, he accosted Her, "How do you do, mummy?" and moved forward to shake hands with Her. The father was so shocked at this impunity that he dealt him two severe blows on the spot. Fathers today do not treat their sons so; they appreciate outlandishness, brazenry, vices and foppery. In fact, they .are themselves even worse examples. The parents and the teachers have to learn and practise the values of Indian Culture. When the tank is full, the taps will yield water. But, when the tank is dry, how shall the thirsty quench their pang? Parents and teachers can earn My Grace only by becoming good and worthy examples to their sons and daughters, or their wards and students. You claim to have devotion to Me; but, you must examine and discover whether I am pleased with you. You must examine yourselves every moment whether you are observing the disciplines I have laid down, the programmes of service I have marked out. That is the way to earn My Love, Love others and serve them; then, you can win My Love.