The Synthesis

Everyone’s life is governed by three urges: (1) Achara or Action, (2) Vichara or Thin­king, and (3) Vikaara or Emotion. In the ideal human life, all these three get sublimated and are cultivated as means for self-realization. They are the Yogas, known respect­ively as karma, jnana, and bhakti. Most Jnanis and Yogis do not concern themselves with human misery, nor do they preach the ways of overcoming it. Godmen on the other hand are immensely interested in the elevation of man and the redressal of his sorrows. Jnaneswar evolved a unique means of solving the problem of human misery ­that may be called Jivan‑yoga, as diffe­rent from Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, or Bhakti Yoga. This Yoga is a harmonious synthesis of the three traditional Yogas.

According to my understanding, after years of intimate contact and conversation, discussion, and observation of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Truth propagated by Jnaneswar is the core of Sathya Sai Baba’s Message to humanity today. I request you to pay special attention to this significant fact. When do the three Yogas get synthesized? The answer in the words of Jnaneswar is, “When one worships the Easwara dwelling in the hearts and offers Him with love and compassion blossoms of service.” Then, the devotee gets boundless joy. Here, in one breath, so to say, jnana, bhakti, and karma are taught as the one means to attain boundless happiness, the true fruition of life.

Bhagavan lays stress on this same syn­thesis. Faith in the omnipresent and omni­scient God, the Indweller in all hearts, in all beings, is the basis for worshipping Him in all; this is true religion—service done as worship. Mere faith cannot be named religion. He who kills a goat as an offering to God may have `faith’; but the act cannot be religious. Even human lives are offered to deities, in `faith’. That cannot be reli­gion, the act of bringing God and man to­gether. Again, there are people who are as gentle and good as the Pandavas when they visit a temple or holy place, on pilgrimage. But once they come back and resume their nor­mal avocations, they become as selfish and harsh as their opposites, the Kauravas! How can we call such people religious? Many a war has been fought to spread or support religion; how can the faith that revels in bloodshed be called religion?

So, the crucial point is that unless one admits the existence of God in all hearts and conforms his behavior and actions to this faith, he cannot be called a religious person. This Universal Truth is stated in numerous places in our Upanishads e.g., “Eshawasyam idam Sarvam”, the world is filled with God. Realization of this truth would remove barriers between different religions and make them all facets of one and the same religion, of Universal Love. This realization alone can open the eye of wisdom and lead us to the vision of God in all.

We have several saints who teach us to love God as Father, Mother, Friend, Master, and so on. But the faith and devotion that Sri Jnaneswar and Baba are preaching embraces the Universal God and has to be prized far higher, as it leads to the betterment and welfare of society. In this religion, service of man becomes the wor­ship of God. It raises all activities that come to one’s lot to the level of Bhajan, Kirtan, Puja, and so on.

I must say that of the numerous saints and seers I have come across in my life, none has made such deep impact on me as Sri Sathya Sai Baba, whose mission and message is Universal Love. The divine attributes that are indications of Divinity are Chamatkara, Sakshatkara, Nirahankara, Upkara, and Sanskara. Usually, a saint has only one or two of them. But Baba mani­fests all of them. His miracles “Chamat­kara” that he calls “Visiting Cards” are well-known and manifest His Omniscience, Omnipresence, and Omnipotence. His giving spiritual guidance, help, and experience (Sakshatkara) has been acknowledged by large numbers of devotees. Baba is asking nothing for Himself (Nirahankara) nor accu­mulating anything for Himself. All that He does is for the good of the humanity (Upkara). His sole objective is to confer good on other. Important is Baba’s mission of “Sanskara” or transforming the heart of mankind, particularly through the value-oriented education program. This syst­em of education will lead to the moral, cultural, spiritual blossoming of the child’s personality and give it a balance of growth of scientific knowledge as well as spiritual wisdom.

~T. S. Bharde
Sanathana Sarathi, Nov. 1976