|
Siddhartha
was a prince. He renounced his kingdom
to become Gautama Buddha –the people
poisoned him. Prophet Mohammed was
chased, thrown stones at and had to stay
away from society for quite a while.
Jesus was crucified. The world is
willing to accept any person on the
street but not a saint.
Our senior most saint Kanchi
Sankaracharya led the life of a real
saint for 88 years. He used to travel on
foot instead of going by car. His
contribution to our Ancient Vedic
Heritage was great. Take Tamil Nadu
today; there would be hardly 5000 people
who remember him. This is the fate of a
real guru. He sacrificed his life for
the people, yet not even five years
since he passed away and people have
forgotten him. Whereas worldly
celebrities like politicians and cinema
stars are remembered much longer.
Of late, my message is only this: A
saint is a person who renounces worldly
possessions for the people. A saint does
not crave for your respect when he
establishes hospitals and schools. Bill
Gates has contributed more
philanthropically than any saint today.
Birla has made greater education centers
and IIT centres which are much bigger
than Prasanthi Nilayam or my campus.
These are all the duties of the welfare
department of the Government. However,
we saints do build hospitals and
education centres, only because people
seem to understand this language only.
My view is, saints should be respected
as they lead a simple life, inculcate
normal human values like love, are
beyond prejudice, have clear thoughts
and make themselves accessible to
everyone. A normal person is unable to
imbibe these qualities whereas saints
are able to do so. These qualities of a
saint should be imbibed. A saint is not
a mere photo or a statue. He is a living
example, a living force. One should
think, ‘If he can love everyone, why
cannot I?’ ‘If he can be so impartial
why cannot I?’ If he has conquered
anger, why have I not?’
It is like Mathematics. There will be a
model sum. The rest of the sums you have
to solve on your own. Like that the 1st
chapter is Rama, 2nd chapter is Buddha,
3rd chapter is Adi Shankara, 4th chapter
is Jesus Christ, 5th chapter is Mohamed
Nabi, and so on. The remaining sums you
should solve. Whether you have solved
them rightly or not is a result you will
verify at the end of each chapter, after
you have attempted the sums. The answers
are at the end of each chapter. Whether
the riddle of life has been solved, only
time will tell and that too when x or y
dies. Our result will be known in the
end and until such time we have to keep
on working out the sums.
Religion is misconstrued to be
Economics, Medical Science and
Psychiatry. Religion is Dharma, the way
of Life. Religion teaches you about
renouncing the world mentally and
working towards reunion with God but
unfortunately, the present day concept
of life that most people harbour is just
to live and focus on worldly pleasures
only..
The inner bitterness or inhibition
towards saints is because of two
reasons: one’s nferiority complex and
selfishness.
Inferiority complex is due to the fact
that one has not understood one’s divine
potentiality. People assume that only
bank balance is important but do not
know that they can be successful in so
many other things. Each one has inner
talents which can be put to better use.
My institution functions with educated
middle class people. Human resource with
humanitarian consideration is the
formula I have adopted, and it has
produced results. It gives the
satisfaction and an avenue to come out
with the best for the interest of the
society at large. I do not have the
backing of Tata or Ambani or Birla
behind my institution, but I am very
successful. I am not a politically
powerful man where the world’s economy
is in my hands or that any influential
person is behind me or the institution.
Not even the press supports me. But I
have achieved much more than most of the
other saints. How does that become
feasible? Because I believe in God and
do my best, and He takes care of
everything for me.
If you say you believe in God, believe
totally as Draupadi did, who threw up
her hands seeking the protection of Lord
Krishna. If at that time, help does not
come forth, then one might as well
demolish all the temples. But trust me,
God does come to help. He never ever
lets anyone down.
People’s faith is half baked and that is
the reason why they are not getting
results. When you have 100% faith in
God, then HE takes over.
By sitting here quietly, if I think this
should happen, it will happen for I have
given up everything for the sake of God.
He Knows His responsibilities. This is
my experience. Whatever I seek, God
Fulfills. To reach this stage, you have
to undergo many trials, many ordeals God
Gives you; you must surmount over life’s
various obstacles gracefully. You will
get results in due course.
If P.T. Usha runs 100 metres race in 10
seconds, it becomes possible only after
many years of arduous practice. She did
not come to this level in one day. Start
doing small things first, bigger things
will follow in logical order.
Training in my institution is not to sit
and meditate. People learn to polish the
shoes and sandals of visitors; they wash
toilets, they look upon everyone and
everything as God. The day they can
carry out that task to meticulous
perfection, ultimately they can do
bigger things to perfection as well. If
you start to dismiss something as too
small a task and only focus on doing
bigger tasks, then you will never
progress.
For example, Mahatma Gandhi was always
working on his spinning wheel; it was
just to have mind control. His aim was,
if he could achieve spinning flawlessly
doing Rama Nama Japam then he could one
day see Rama. Without this beginning how
could one reach the end? If you cannot
do a small thing physically, how can you
attain something mentally, like Yoga?
Yoga is an art of trying to achieve
perfection in small things and then
moving on, till one day you can use the
same perfection to achieve bigger
things. I do not want anyone to forsake
their job or vocation or family or
whatever he is doing. I became a saint,
yet personally, I sought nothing out of
this. I do not expect anything from
anyone. I have truly renounced
everything in my mind, and am all the
time leading a crystal clear life,
working for God only, and keeping
nothing other than God in my mind. You
too should become like this.
The next question is ‘How?’
If you are a doctor, be a good one, if
you are an engineer, be an expert; be a
dedicated teacher, a meticulous gardener
and so on. That is what the society
requires. This is how it can exist. My
equation is very simple: whatever you
are doing, continue in the same path and
excel in it. Do not ever try to become a
saint per se. There is no such thing as
‘vocation of a saint’, anyone and
everyone can lead a saintly life and
hence you need not ‘become’ a saint.
Lead a normal life. There is no need for
all the garbs, aping or trying to look
like a saint. Everyone is equally close
to God. God wants performers and not
just witnesses. What is the point if
everyone sits around chanting Rama Rama
Krishna Krishna. The whole world belongs
to God. Your home is a branch office of
God. First you look after God’s branch
office that He has entrusted to you:
take care of your spouse and children
and God will be happy because one of His
responsibilities is taken care of. Once
you achieve perfection in His branch
office then He will promote you to the
regional office, and then to the head
office. If you are unable to manage four
people, then how will it be possible for
you to manage 400 or 4000 people?
In seeking God, initially I left my
family but was instructed to rejoin
them, fulfill my responsibilities to
them, after four years of sadhana. Only
after I did so, was I allowed by God
into full-time spirituality. Now I have
cleared that karma and feel nice about
it. If not, at some point of my life I
would have felt guilty. They are now
very well settled. If I had not obeyed
His Decree, I would have to take another
birth to live with them.
If you really believe God is with you,
protecting you and walking your every
step, who can ever knock you down? This
is my philosophy of life.
(
Baba's replies to other questions
continues next week....)
<<<Previous
|
