My Fellow Travelers
Bisu Sohani was the guest speaker at the Manhattan Center guest night on Thursday, the 2nd of December 1993. This is an edited version of his talk.
Sai Ram. One of the most frequent questions asked when I talk about Sathya Sai Baba is. Do you believe He is God? No! I don’t believe so, I know so. Who is Sathya Sai Baba? To some He is a man, to others a holy man, still to others a great sage, and to some like me, He is God. How do I know? It is in my heart and not in my head. I know by the incredible experiences He has allowed me to feel, and to see some amazing events that have happened in His presence. According to Webster’s dictionary, the definition of mythology is “The myths dealing with God, Demi-Gods and legendary heroes of a particular people.” The most popular Gods in Indian mythology are Rama and Krishna.
Thousands of years ago, Rama fought against Ravana, who was an evil man and who had stolen Rama’s wife, Sita. Rama and his army fought and defeated Ravana and got Sita back safe and sound. Rama in His army also had monkeys and bears who fought for him. A few thousand years later, Krishna lifted a whole mountain to protect a village, and also fought and defeated a huge serpent that was killing everything in the surrounding area.
A few thousand years later, God again came and walked amongst humans, accepting their letters and asking them “what do you want?” Imagine God saying, “I will give you what you want, so that you may want what I have to give.” How does it feel to be a part of mythology? We are all a myth, not real, a dream. “Life is a dream, realize it.” Swami, or Krishna, lifting a whole mountain! Even more fantastic, God walking around accepting letters, asking “What do you want?’
Are you beginning to realize the incredible stroke of luck to be walking the earth at the same time as the Avatar? To know Him, to see Him, talk to Him. But then the dream will soon vanish. A thousand years from now, spiritual aspirants will ask “who were these super souls the Lord brought down with Him. They must have been pure Love and compassion they must have been pure heaven on earth. The Sai Baba centers must have been pure heaven on earth. How blessed were these souls for God to give them so much grace!
What are your wants and worries? You live in a country where all your wants are satisfied. Your only worries are what to wear, or about your weight, need a new car, etc. Look at the world around you. Wars and famine everywhere! Look at how much you have, He brought you in, let you recognize Him, gave you comforts. This is a free ride you have earned. What does He want from you? Be happy, be joyous. He brought you in for one purpose; make someone happy, make someone smile, sing songs to the Lord, let your heart dance. He also says don’t preach about me for you don’t know a thing about me. Let your actions do the talking. Do service but do it quietly. Do service because you feel pain to see suffering, do service because all you are is pure love. Don’t do service because you want your friends or organization to say, what a great devotee he is, he is doing so much service. Swami says, in this age there are a lot of people running around asking “Where is God?’ And God is running around asking where are the devotees?
One of my favorite lines in a bhajan is “Daya Sagara Ram” that means Ram, who is the ocean of mercy. And he proved it to me. One year sitting in Puttaparthi, I saw a man who had brought his son who was paralyzed. After two days Swami stopped and told the man to take his son home, as Swami would look after him, adding that the doctors don’t know what they are doing. Then Swami stood and looked at the boy. The next year, the same man was there with his son, only this time the son was also sitting with his father, waiting for Swami. A mother will never hurt her child, and Swami Mummy had lovingly removed the pain from both her children. Swami says you cannot even thank him, for it his nature to give joy and happiness. So be happy, kiss the Lord’s feet in the morning as you get up, this way you are free for the rest of the day. When you go out, ask yourself, if this was my last day on earth, how would I think and act?
Out of five billion people on earth, you were chosen to hear about Him, to know Him and to believe in Him. He made you in His image, an image of pure love. Doubts may come, is this really true? Am I so blessed? Many will try to sow seeds of doubt. Remember who you are, you are the ones history will talk about, the ones who sat and talked with the Lord. No one I mean no one has ever had this opportunity like you have. So, don’t be a sheep. Roar like a lion, “I am, I am love, I am unstoppable.” Nothing or no one can deny me what I have rightfully earned! Only you, yourself can deny yourself what is truly yours. He gave you difficulties so that the world may learn from your actions on how to live. You, who have heard the Lord speak to you and guide you on how to live—the world will learn from you. How dare you then deny them this teaching, this heritage. You have no right to act contrary to Swami’s wishes. For all ages, mankind will look at you and learn from you. You all are a legend in your own time. March on then into the heart of Sai, for I will surely meet you there.
Jai Sai Ram
~Bisu Sohani
Manhattan, New York, USA
