Climb the Right Tree

In the following discourse, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba enumerates the various qualities required of a devotee and explains what real devotion is.

Know that your hunger has not been fully appeased even after listening to two excellent discourses from these Pundits (religious scholars) that radiate ananda (bliss). Both of them said that they had no claims to scholarship and that all that they were able to see and speak about were due to My grace. That is the way they have curbed conceit. Hanuman (foremost devotee of Rama in the monkey form) was unaware of his vast strength; he had cultivated that level of self‑effacement. Someone had to remind him of his enormous skill and prowess, and that elevated Hanuman to step up to the occasion.

It was also pleaded on your behalf that I should speak to you today as it has been a long time since I spoke to you at this place. I feel I must satisfy that desire of yours. You call yourselves bhaktas (devotees), so I shall talk to you about the dharma (righteousness)of persons who seek to acquire bhakti (devotion). No one can become a bhakta by calling himself so, or by others calling him so.

Bhakti involves dedication, with nothing held back; not even a wisp of ego should remain. His (Lord’s) command alone counts; His will prevails. Like a drunkard, the bhakta has no sense of honor, decency, pride, or conceit. He acts clueless, unconcerned with all that is unrelated to his ideal. He is deaf to the call of hunger and thirst; he misses steps in logic and miscalculates commercial dealings. Narada (a celestial devotee) says that those drunk with ignorance stumble when following the shadows of the world, while those drunk with nectar of wisdom never move away from the highest, discovering it as themselves.

Bhakti must soften the mind

You saw this in the case of this Shastry [the speaker] a few days ago when he came and sat in this hall for the first time, after 30 years of intense study of the Srimad Bhagavatha (Hindu scriptures). He felt that he had won the fruit of years of study and worshipful exposition. He lost all awareness, while some of you thought he had an attack of epilepsy or something akin to it. I knew that he was in the realm of ananda (bliss). That is why I did not encourage you to take him to the hospital. Even today, you must have noticed that as he started to describe the depth of Divine grace, he was overcome with joy.

The Lord broke His own plighted word in order to give the bhakta the credit for making Him do so! Bhishma (the elder in the Pandava/Kaurava clan) had said that he would force (Lord) Krishna to wield a weapon on the battlefield, contrary to His declared intention. Bhishma had said he would accept defeat only from the Lord! So Krishna strode toward Bhishma brandishing the chakra (discus). The Shastry was describing this when he broke down. Bhakti must soften the mind and keep it receptive to the higher emotions, the purifying impulses.

Every being is a pilgrim to reach God

Bhishma was a bhakta, and by winning the Lord’s grace he was clothed with more majesty and splendor than any earthly emperor. What majesty do these petty scepter‑holders have? They cannot claim to have inner peace and inner joy. They know not the joy of sharing love with all. Bhishma surrendered to the Lord when He challenged him with the Su‑darshana (auspicious divine vision). In other words, when He offers Su (good) darshan (vision), one must be wise enough to surrender and give up everything, and that is what Bhishma did.

Just like the kitten seeks the attention of its mother by mere mewing, bhaktas have to merely yearn and mew with the pain of separation to draw the Divine unto them. The fledgling crop in the fields thirsts for rain; it sees the heavy rain-clouds sail across the sky but it cannot rise up to that altitude and drink the life‑giving rain; nor can it bring the clouds down to the ground. Humanity, too, sizzles in the hot sun, the unbearable heat of ego and greed. It needs the rain of grace; only then can it flourish in peace and joy.

As the clouds form droplets and fall upon the fields that they choose to foster, the Formless Absolute individualizes Itself, assumes Form, and comes down in the midst of humanity to save and sustain. That is the secret of Madhava (God) coming down as manava (man), the cloud taking pity on the crop parching in the sun. Once the rains come, the sun has its uses! So, too, when the grace of the Lord is gained, then ego and greed can be directed via useful channels to be used profitably.

In past ages, Avatars (divine incarnations) rid the world of evil by destroying the few fanatics and ogres who wrought it. But now fanaticism and felony reign in every heart. The number of asuras (evil men) is legion; no one is free from that taint; all are wicked to some extent or other. Therefore, everyone needs correction; everyone has to be educated and guided onto the right path. Every being is a pilgrim destined to reach Madhava and merge in Him; but most people have forgotten the road. They wander like lost children, wasting precious time in the by‑paths. You can win Lord’s grace only by dharma.

Manava has to become Madhava.That is his destiny, the plan and purpose of his being armed, as no other animal is, with the sword of viveka (discrimination) and the shield of vairagya (renunciation). Man is the only animal that can picture a previous existence and existences in a series, with impressions accumulating from one to the other. What you see and feel in a dream has some basis on what you have seen and felt in the waking state. So, too, what you see and feel in the present life has as its basis what you have seen and felt in previous lives.

You can win the grace of the Lord only by dharma. Dharma induces the spirit of self-surrender and develops it. Without the training that the practice of dharma gives to your senses, feelings, and emotions, you cannot have steady faith and detachment. The Lord is dharma personified. Rama is known as vigrahavan dharmah (righteousness personified). If you step across the bounds of dharma and play foul, you cannot win the game of life.

Pursue your task with one-pointed effort

When Hanuman was speeding along the sky like an arrow from Rama’s bow, many temptations attempted to halt him. He did not delay or turn back. He sped on, intent solely on the task his Lord has set for him. When the Mynaka Mountain rose up to offer him a little rest, he trampled it down into the depths of the sea. The mountain rose again and pleaded for the chance of serving him for a while. It had decked itself with green orchards and fragrant flower gardens for his recreation and recoupment. When Indra (head of celestial beings) slashed off the wings of all the mountains in past ages, Mynaka had fled with the help of Vayu, Hanuman’s father, and it wanted to express its gratitude by granting hospitality to the son. But Hanuman pleaded that his master’s task brooked no delay.

A few moments later, a terrible monstress, Surasa by name, confronted Hanuman. Hanuman overcame her by skillful tactics and avoided further delay. Likewise, you should pursue your path to liberation with one-pointed effort.

The Shastry said that the Lord wishes that His bhakta should shine over non‑believers; that he should be happier, more contented, and courageous than the rest; Bhakti ought to make a man so. But the bhakta does not cultivate these traits deep enough. He lets the chance go to waste. If Shastry gives his sons a hundred acres each, one son may tend it well and reap golden harvests from it; another may allow it to lie fallow and himself sink into misery. The equipment each has brought from previous lives may be different; you cannot blame the father for this state of affairs. Even the blood of one son may be fatal when transfused into another son. Spiritual strength will be less in one, more in another, in proportion to the efforts of each, now and in the past.

Let the light within shine

The pity is that man is not eating the most relishing, nourishing fruit from this garden of nature. He is climbing the wrong tree and seeking to pluck the wrong fruits; so his appetite is ruined, his taste is vulgarized, and his health is destroyed. Only the glory of the Lord can satisfy the hunger of man for he is part of that glory.

Only experience can reveal the sweetness, sublimity, and purpose of that glory. Parashurama (a divine incarnation) came across (Lord) Rama and challenged him when he was returning to Ayodhya (capital of Rama’s kingdom) after his marriage. He had won Sita by bending and breaking Shiva’s bow, and thereby humbled the pride of all the royal heads that had come seeking Sita’s hand. But Parashurama was intoxicated with his own achievement in defeating the kshatriya [warrior class] rulers in 21 campaigns. That pride lowered the divine status of Parashurama and as a result Rama, who was to all appearance just a stripling, could fell him in a moment!

The Lord, it was said, punishes some and favors others. Let Me tell you: The Lord does neither. He is like the current in this electric wire. It rotates the fan and cools the environment; it operates the electric chair and makes one’s life shorter. It has no wish to allay the warmth of the atmosphere, nor is it eager to kill. The Lord’s grace is like the wind that blows. Roll up your sails and the boat lies limp and lame, unfurl them, it moves faster and faster. It is like light: one person does good using the illumination, another executes an evil plan with its help. Have an “inner day,” though an “outer night.” Let the light within shine. When you are unaware of the world though in it, heedless of its call for participation, you are having an outer night and an inner day. The Vedas [Hindu scriptures] teach you this truth and impart the discipline needed to attain this fortune.

The Lord is the Father of all in the world

The Shastry spoke of the value of the Vedic discipline. The Vedas declare that if a karma (act) is done in a definite way, a definite result will accrue. They give you a pen filled with ink, teach you how to write, and what to write. They are so kind. Vedamata [Veda as the mother] is full of maternal love (vatsalya as they call it). She repeats an injunction over and over again, just as I go on reminding you of the disciplinary rules of the Nilayam [Swami’ residence in India], on every possible occasion. So do not set aside the commands of the Vedas;they are the authentic voice of the Lord Himself as heard and recorded by purified intellects.

A father gives his wealth to the son who respects his wishes and obeys his orders, and not to the rebellious son who flouts him. The Lord is Loka Pita (Father of all). If you are an astika (a person who believes that there is a God and lives accordingly), then you will get the asti (wealth or property). If a person is an idiot, ignorant of his true interests, and unaware of his own downfall, then he is not entrusted with his own asti. Meantime, a guardian has to take care of his affairs until he is able to manage it with care.

Dwell always on the glory of God

It may take many lives for a man to prove that he knows what is best for him, that he is able to chalk out his own future without harming himself or others, and that he is aware of the pitfalls on the way. So it is best to trust the experience of sages who were filled with compassion and were moved by that compassion to illumine the path of liberation. This experience is enshrined in the Vedas. Faith in the Vedas irrigates the heart and makes it yield the harvest of Universal Love.

The Shastras warn you about false steps; they console you in times of stress; they strengthen you in distress, and they give correct interpretations of moral dilemmas. They prescribe the dress, food, manner of speech, social conduct, mode of mutual behavior, and lines of onward march. They are the conscience of society.

In this Prasanthi Nilayam, too, there are certain guidelines and modes of behavior as recommended by Me. All who come here, whether longtime residents or new arrivals, have to observe them. You have seen Me, and stayed here, and heard these discourses. Let Me ask, what is the gain? Are you going back unchanged and unaffected? Dogs do not chew sugarcane; they seek a bone instead. Ill‑fated mortals recoil when the talk is about God, goodness, sadhana (spiritual effort), and sakshatkara (vision of the divine). But you must pull yourselves up into the purer air of adhyatmik (spiritual) life, draw yourselves away from slums and by lanes, and travel on the highway to God. Dwell always on the glory of God, then you will shine in that glory. Adhere to truth as it is the surest means to remove fear from your heart. Prema (love) can grow only in the heart that is watered by truth.

What is Bhakti and who are Bhaktas?

Nagayya, even while he plays the role of Thyagayya, is always conscious that he is Nagayya. “Thyagayya is the role I am playing,” he would say. Now, let us go one step further. When asked who you are, you say that you are narayana‑swarupa playing the role of Pullayya or Thimmayya or Mallayya, or whatever your name is. So, too, every other person is a role played by Narayana (the Lord). Narayana washes clothes as the dhobi (washer man), shapes wood as the carpenter, forges iron as the blacksmith, and builds pots at the wheel as a potter. He is all this and more. His glory is inexhaustible. The Avatar(Divine incarnate) is another role He takes up for yet another purpose.

The Lord comes as the Avatar when saints and sages anxiously await him. Sadhus (the pious) prayed, and I have come. My tasks are three, or rather two, since dharmarakshana (protection of virtue) and Vedarakshana (protection of Vedic culture) are both practically the same. The two are, therefore, Vedarakshana and Bhaktarakshana(fostering of the Vedas and fostering of bhaktas (devotees). Now, what is bhakti (devotion)? Who are bhaktas? It [bhakti] is faith, steadiness, virtue, fearlessness, surrender, and absence of egoism. Puja (worship) done however elaborately and pompously is sheer waste of time and energy. Why pluck flowers and hasten their death? Some of you go around this Nilayam and satisfy yourselves that you have done so many pradakshinas (circum­ambulations), but, they can be called so only when your mind circles this place along with your feet.

Talk less and talk low if you must

I notice that while your feet are taking you around by force of habit, your tongues blabber about the faults of others, or the price of vegetables, or the dishes you propose to cook for lunch. Before you start on your rounds, which you call pradakshina, give your mind as dakshina (thanksgiving offering) to the resident of the temple, the Lord. That is the first thing to do, and perhaps the only thing to do. Pradakshina is not to be taken as prescribed for loosening the limbs or giving them some exercise.

This Prashanthi Nilayam should not be treated with scant reverence. Make the best use of your stay here. Do not treat this chance lightly. You come spending much money and put yourselves to much trouble to reach here; but you do not bloom as fragrant offerings at the Lord’s feet by learning the sadhana path. The senses have to be curbed into obedient servants of the spirit. For example, I insist on silence. Talk less, and talk low when you must talk.

Do not thrust your sorrows, needs, and problems on to the ears of those who have come here with their own bundle of such things. They are not interested in adding to their troubles. I am here to listen to you and console you. Do not by loudness of voice disturb those who are meditating, reading, or writing the name of God.

All ills are traceable to faulty living

Meditate, if possible, alone; read spiritual books if you can; write the name of the Lord in the quiet of your corner. If you cannot do these, at least do not disturb others who are doing these. Encourage one another to march along the path to God.

Become entitled to the honored title of bhakta. My glory is spread daily through those who call themselves My bhaktas. Your virtue, self‑control, detachment, your faith, and steadfastness—these are the signs by which people see My glory. Not that I want any such props, but it just happens so in this world where men estimate others indirectly rather than directly. Let Me tell you, such bhaktas are very rare. That is the reason why I do not address your gathering as, “Bhaktulara! (dear devotees)“.  You can lay claim to that name only when you have placed yourself in My hands fully and completely with no trace of ego that boosts your vanity.

All ills are traceable to faulty living. It is traceable to the ignorance of one’s real nature, ignorance so deep-rooted that it affects thoughts, words, and deeds. The drug that can cure it is patented under different names: jnana (wisdom), karma (good action), upasana (contemplation), and bhakti. They all have the same potency and curative powers. The difference lies only in the method of administration either as a fluid mixture, tablet, or injection.

Be confident that you will be liberated. Know that you are saved. Go and tell everyone that you had gone to Puttaparthi where you got the secret of liberation.

Source: Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 3

The mind must become the servant of the intellect, not the slave of the senses. It must discriminate and detach itself from the body. Like the ripe tamarind fruit, which becomes loose inside the shell, it must be unattached to this shell – this casement – called body.

Strike a green tamarind fruit with a stone and you cause harm to the pulp inside, but strike the ripe fruit and see what happens. It is the dry rind that falls off; nothing affects the pulp or the seed.

The ripe aspirant does not feel the blows of fate or fortune; it is the unripe man who is wounded by every blow.

~Sathya Sai Baba