When Pisiraandhaiyaar (a saint) was asked, ‘How is it possible for you to be in a constant state of bliss?’ he replied, ‘I flow along with life, wherever it takes me. I am not affected by anything. I am content with whatever life has to offer me.’

          The reason why you grumble is because you did not get what you anticipated. Learn to accept whatever life offers you. If you are forced to eat nothing but sweet delicacies, you will soon tire of it. Change is the law of life. You cannot relish joy much if you have not already experienced misery. You will not appreciate rain unless you have felt the scorching heat of summer. And if the rain persists, you will soon start hoping that the sun will shine.

            A judicious blend makes a whole world of difference to your experiences. When you have understood this truth, you have become a Gnaani. Armed with this umbrella of wisdom, you will realize that nothing affects you thereon. Fear no more the heat of the sun, nor the furious winter’s rages, (to quote Shakespeare). The umbrella of devotion protects you from the raging rains of pleasure, from the scorching sun of pain.

          Spirituality is the subject that bestows this equanimity of mind. It is not something that feeds your monetary desires, or sets your health problems right or attends to psychological problems. You are confusing spirituality with materialism, psychology and medical science. Spirituality aims at conferring on you, an umbrella that will see you through the summers and winters of your life. This is the language of spirituality. This is the language Siva Shankar Baba speaks. A true Gnaani does not get disturbed by anything that happens in life.

          It is you who are holding on to this world, not the other way round. Gnaanam (wisdom) is being able to concentrate on the task ahead without being disturbed by any bondage, like King Harichandra’s steadfastness to truth. He was able to see the corpse as a corpse and not as his son. This is the definition of a Gnaani.

          If you are steadfast in your commitment to attain wisdom, then you will attain it. What you need to understand immediately and retain forever is that spirituality guides you to who you are, by imbibing this wisdom in you, by granting you equanimity of mind.

          Human beings are more comfortable with shortcut methods; so they seek the help of tantrics or astrologers. I am not blaming you; I know that this is what has been made out to you over the years as spirituality. What I want to clarify to you is that spirituality has nothing to do with this. It focuses on the Absolute Truth, the knowledge of what God is, and how to attain God who is within you.

          There is nothing called rich or poor or healthy or sick. Life is a big drama and all of us have a variety of roles to play.

          If God is able to do good for you, will He not care for those beggars you meet in plenty at pilgrim centres? But He decides the right time. Each one to his experience, and no experience is to be glorified or negated. Some persons like sweets, and some others relish hot food. Each one to his taste. Just accept everything as an experience.

          It is the projection of the mind that flashes objects on the screen. Once you switch off the projector, you do not see anything on the screen. The same is true of life too. Switch off your mind and become blank, you will reach a state of no-thoughts.

          No person has been totally happy or absolutely sad. Learn to laugh at life without getting too much involved in it. It is this vehicle of human life that is transporting you to salvation. How can you distance yourself from it? Everyone of us is destined to attain salvation, in various forms, in various ways and at various points in time, spanning across several eons. You are not what you presume yourself to be.

            The answer (in Tamil: vidai) for all your questions is He (Avan) who is within. [ Lord Siva is known as Vidaiyavan, Vidai meaning ‘bull’, which is His vehicle. ] So Vidai (Answer) is Avan (HE) : Vidaiyavan.

          Life is a fertile field for reaping the harvest of mixed experiences, and these experiences will guide you to the Truth. You need not plan anything.

         You are not the performer; you are only the witness. You have nothing to perform; you have nothing to plan. Everything will happen of its own accord.

          Arunagirinatha did not dream of enlightenment. Siva Shankaran, the son of a teacher, born in North Arcot district, never thought he would become the enlightened Siva Shankar Baba.

          It is our ignorance that leads us to believe that we are the doers; and this is the reason for the strife and discord in this world. When you free yourself from your focus on the results, you gain the freedom of a bird and fly through life in absolute bliss. Have you noticed that none of the animals or birds seeks counselling for any “problems” it faces? Only human beings are caught in the warp of illusion and struggle to find a way out of it, trapping themselves deeper in the tricky situation that life poses.

         There is a Supreme Force that has conceived such a beautiful world, caring for each one of His creations. What makes you assume that He will not take care of you and attend to your needs? It is only when your plans fail, that you deceive yourself with the idea that nothing happens as per your will and that life is a misery.

          I am not concerned about anything that happens to me. I float along with the current. So whatever I think happens.

          I am talking from experience. Even in a wild forest, whatever I think, happens. On one of my pilgrimages to Mahendragiri forest, when I was resting near a Sivalinga installed by Sage Agasthiyar, I thought how good it would be to have a lighted lamp nearby the linga. Sometime in the night, I felt a light flashing on my face and woke up to find two persons telling me, ‘It seems you had asked for a lamp. We are sorry for being late, we had to walk seven miles across to reach you’. They requested me to light that lamp. And I woke up the following morning to see that there were no persons, but the lamp was very much there, glowing serenely.

          How does this happen?  My thoughts reach across to a Siddhar who must be at the Podigai hills, and the Siddhar responds by inspiring his disciples to trek seven miles to bring me the lamp. I have several such experiences. So I do not doubt the Presence of God. If you are on the right track, God implements your every thought. That is why I maintain my cool.

          I was inclined to visit Sabarimala before the pilgrimage to Kailash. And suddenly a Samratchana devotee who is a government officer requested me to accompany him to Sabarimala. And we went by flight and returned the same day. What I wished was to go to Sabarimala, and see the comforts God arranged for me. I accept everything as God’s decree. I do not look on anyone as a mortal being. I value everyone as God Himself. Whatever anyone tells me, I take to be God’s words.

          I have toiled in my quest for God. I have observed severe fasting. During my quest, when I was on fasting on a Purattasi Saturday (auspicious to Srinivasa Perumal) I went to a restaurant to buy coffee. A seven-year-old boy sat opposite me and asked me to buy him a dosa. And he said something incoherently about his name being Srinivasan and residing in Kamakshi Amman street, working in Annamalai and Co.. And he added ‘Everything is the same, only the painting has been done differently’. The way I looked at it was Perumal Himself gave me company that day.

          One of my experiences in Kailash is of a four-year-old boy giving me pebbles asking me to construct a citadel in the name of his father. From where did that boy appear and why must he talk in Tamil? I take him to be Muruga, who is instructing me to construct a spiritual empire in the name of his father Siva. Do not assume Muruga to appear always with a Vel (lance) attired in rich silks. He is Light and will assume any form to interact with you.

          During a pilgrimage undertaken in 1984, I was taking a dip at the Ganga. A five-year-old girl in a green dress, asked me in Hindi, ‘Uncle, why did it take so long for you to come here for a dip?’ For me, it is the river Ganga herself who is asking me why it took so long for me to visit her.

          Every day has an experience waiting for me. I do not seek experiences; they come to me. I am not interested in anything.  If God appears in His Cosmic Form, I will not ask Him for anything. This is the pinnacle of spirituality: a state of no-wants. That is why I formed this quotation: A person who has wants, worships; A person who has no wants, is worshipped. So go beyond wants and you will also become worthy of worship some day. This is spirituality. So go beyond desires, and you will gain wisdom.

(Baba's reply for other questions continues next week....)

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