Honor the Plighted Word

Embodiments of Divine Love! In the world today, the number of intellectuals who are engaged in breaking up the One into the many and fostering divisive forces is on the increase. On the other hand, the number of those who recognize unity in diversity is on the decline. In a world bristling with disunity, disorder, and chaos, it is only the sense of unity underlying the multiplicity that can bring about peace. The world sorely needs people imbued with this feeling.

The unity that subsumes the multiplicity will become apparent if an objective, pure, and selfless enquiry is made. Historically, socially, biologically, and scientifically, it is evident that food and drink are common to all human beings. “Food may vary but hunger is the same for all” is a Telugu adage. A rich man may appease his hunger by a wide range of delicious dishes. A beggar satisfies his hunger by whatever he can get. Hunger, however, is common to a millionaire and a pauper.

Equally common for all human beings are sleep and fear. A rich man may sleep in comfort on a luxurious couch. A beggar may sleep soundly on hard ground. The place of sleep may vary, but sleep itself is common to both. More than all these, the most important experiences that are common to all are birth and death. This is an index of the unifying principle for humanity.

The millionaire does not descend from the sky. The pauper does not emerge from the bowels of the earth. Both are born from their mother’s womb. This process of birth is common to all human beings. Likewise, death comes to everyone, whether in a forest or a town, whether one is on the top of a mountain or at the bottom of a valley. Birth and death thus point to what is common in what is diverse.

Human existence is a journey

This principle of unity in diversity is clearly expounded in the Kathopanishad (part of scriptures). This Upanishad has compared the human body to a chariot and the atma (indwelling spirit) to the charioteer and pointed out that human existence is a journey in this chariot. The body and the Spirit are integrally related to each other. But man in his ignorance has separated the one from the other and developed divisive tendencies.

For all man’s joys and sorrows, difficulties and enjoyments, his own thoughts are responsible. His happiness and distress are related to his actions. As he thinks, so he becomes. When the thoughts are misconceived, the results also go astray. Hence, the primary goal of man should be to develop right thinking.

Two forces are operating within man.  One is the demonic impulse; the other is the divine impulse. Man, by misusing his God-given capacities (mind, status, wealth, and position) and falling a prey to evil tendencies like desire, hatred, greed, etc., reduces himself to the level of the animal. He ruins himself and causes harm to the world. The one who strives to make the right use of his endowments manifests his divine nature.

The secret of real happiness

“Mamethi paramam duhkham; na mamethi paramam sukham”—meaning, the feeling of ‘mine’ is the cause of great sorrow; the absence of possessiveness is the cause of supreme happiness. Real happiness lies in giving up acquisitiveness, surrendering to God, and experiencing atma–ananda (the bliss of the spirit).

Men should strive to achieve this kind of happiness by shedding narrow ideas, developing a broad outlook and realizing the Divinity that sustains everything. Contemplation on the Divine is the key to all happiness and prosperity. Man should dedicate to God all thoughts and actions at all times and in all situations. “Whether one is immersed in yoga or physical enjoyment, in society or in solitude, if he devotes his mind to the Supreme, he experiences ecstasy alone.” (Swami recited a stanza from the teacher Adi Sankara’s song, “Bhaja Govindam.”)

When one enquires into the reality earnestly and objectively, he will realize that Divinity pervades everything. God is eternal and bliss incarnate. Among the myriad names of the Lord, the most significant is sat-chit-ananda. This means that the cosmos is the embodiment of sat-chit-ananda (being-awareness-bliss) and vice versa. They are inextricably united.

Divine is the unified form

Everything in the universe, from an ant to the Absolute, is a manifestation of sat-chit-ananda. Sat is that which transcends the three categories of time: past, present, and future. Chit refers to total awareness. Where these two are shining in unison, there is the bliss divine. Hence, ananda (bliss) is not something separate from the other two. They cannot be trisected. The One is radiant in the three as an integral expression. For instance, fire has three qualities: heat, light, and redness. These are not separate from each other. Likewise, the Divine is the unified form of sat-chit-ananda.

Today, men who have read the scriptures or listened to the discourses of scholars imagine that sat-chit-ananda abides in some special place. This is the root cause of their ignorance of the Real. You are the embodiment of sat-chit-ananda. Everything around you is a manifestation of sat-chit-ananda. Forgetting his own true nature and separating himself from the Divine, man becomes a prey to numerous troubles.

A blind man knows that the world exists but is unable to see it. Likewise, people believe from the teachings of the scriptures and of the learned ones that sat-chit-ananda exists, but very few have direct experience of the Divine. They must strive for such direct experience. This is the primary goal of man. The Upanishads have declared that what does not exist cannot be made to exist. What exists cannot be wished away. Hence, man has to accept what exists and base his life on it. Sat-chit-ananda is the essential nature of everyone. Realization of this calls for spiritual endeavor.

True devotion is…

Most people today have no real idea of what is devotion and what is spiritual discipline. Different forms of worship, pilgrimages, meditation, and the like are equated with devotion. These are not the indices of bhakti (devotion). They are all actions that can confer some mental satisfaction. To realize your inner nature, your efforts must be directed internally. As long as you think God is somewhere outside you, you cannot qualify for Divine grace. The true mark of devotion is to recognize that God is within you and around you, everywhere. You must develop the faith that you are a manifestation of God. The scriptures call upon everyone to find out, “Who are you?”

There is no other path than that of dedication to God and complete surrender to the will of the Divine. The Emperor Bali was an exemplar of this doctrine of sharanagati (total surrender) to God. Despite the protestations of his preceptor Shukracharya, Bali felt that it was his duty to offer everything to the Lord. Acting against the advice of his guru, he made a gift of all he had to the Lord who had come in the form of vamana (the young celibate). In making an offering to God, there is no need to abide by the instructions of the preceptor. The Lord is the supreme preceptor manifest in every divine form.

Emperor Bali adhered to two resolutions. The first was to give to anyone whatever he sought, the second was never to go back on the plighted word (Bali held that there was no greater sin than the latter). He firmly declared that even if it cost him his life, he would not go back on his promise. Thereby, Bali became a glorious upholder of truth.

Who is a real emperor? He is not the one who has conquered many countries and ruled over a vast empire. Once, Adisankara summoned his disciples and put them the question: “Who is a real conqueror?” The disciples gave various answers. Sankara told them that the real conqueror is the one who has subdued his mind. Of what use is it to accomplish many things without mastering the mind? This was precisely the question that Prahlada put to his father, Hiranyakasipu, who had acquired control over even the elements but had not acquired mastery over his senses.

Truth is life-breath of spoken word

Men should learn to honor their promises. They should never go back on their word. Truth is the life-breath of the spoken word. Many ancient rulers were prepared even to give up their lives for honoring their plighted word.

Emperor Bali was truth incarnate. Always devoted to the well-being of his subjects, he constantly strove to lead them in the path of truth and to ensure prosperity in his realm. Bali’s grandfather, Prahlada, had the same noble qualities.

Once there was an argument between Prahlada’s son, Virochana, and the son of the sage Angirasa. Angirasa’s son said that the debate should be conducted before a judge who would decide the winner of the argument. He said Virochana’s father, Prahlada, should be the judge. Both went to Prahlada. They agreed that whoever lost in the debate should forfeit his life to the winner. Prahlada listened to the arguments impartially and declared that Virochana, his son, had lost and that Angirasa’s son had won. Recognizing Prahlada’s total commitment to justice, without any concern for his relationship with his son, and admiring his sense of justice, Angirasa’s son told Prahlada that he was giving back Virochana’s life that had been forfeited to him.

It is an illustration of the supreme value attached to truth in ancient times. Truth was esteemed as the very form of God. It is the foremost duty of man to uphold truth, lead the good life, and share his joys with others.

Bali’s reaction to preceptor’s warning

Embodiments of divine love! Uphold truth even at the cost of your lives. That was what Emperor Bali did when he had to honor the word he had given to Vamana. His preceptor Shukracharya warned Bali that the dwarfish Brahmin lad was none other than the Lord Vishnu Himself, and that it would be disastrous for Bali to give the gift sought that Vamana sought. You must note how Bali reacted to the preceptor’s warning.

He declared that when the Lord of the universe had Himself come to him with an outstretched hand, seeking a gift, what greater good fortune could befall him (Bali) than to make the gift? “The palm that showers its grace on the whole world, the palm that can rid men of all their grief and pain, that holds within it the entire process of creation and dissolution, the palm that holds out freedom from fear to every devotee, is now held out before me seeking a gift. My hand has been giving generously to all. How fortunate am I that it is now held over the palm of the Lord! The coming together of the two hands signifies the union of the individual soul with the Omni-self. Guruji, this is a supremely auspicious occasion. Hence, I will not go back on my word, despite anyone’s opposition.”

Emperor Bali was the embodiment of sacrifice. He was the repository of all good and noble qualities. He explained the significance of the advent of the avatar on earth: “Out of love for the people, God descends to their level on earth. Together with His Divine consciousness, He maintains His human consciousness.” Bali declared that he had discovered that day this sacred truth.

Bali was supremely happy when the Lord sought a gift from him. Today people would turn the other way if the Divine sought anything from them. God needs nothing from this world. Krishna declared in the Gita: “There is nothing that I need from the three worlds. Nevertheless, I do my duty.”

Avatars promote devotees’ welfare

Why am I engaged in various activities? Why am I concerned so much about the devotees? Why have I established so many institutions? This is my duty (as Krishna declared to Arjuna). To promote the welfare of devotees is the duty the Lord has taken upon Himself. I am undertaking so many activities for their sake. But people do not recognize this fact. And owing to this failure, they are missing their good fortune. The reason is their selfishness. At least in the days ahead, they should try to experience happiness and prosperity by leading meaningful lives. They should sanctify their thoughts, because “as they think so they become.”

Bali’s daughter Ratnavali developed a maternal feeling toward Vamana on seeing his beauteous form as a boy. Later, when she recovered from a trance and found the foot of the Lord—as Trivikrama—on Bali’s head, she was seized with rage and rushed to kill Him. Bali warded her off. Ratnavali was reborn as Puthana, the ogress, during the Krishna Avatar, when she first fondled Krishna and then sought to kill him. The moral from this episode is that one’s thoughts have their consequences sooner or later.

Hence, it is essential to have good thoughts and do good deeds to escape from the cycle of birth and death. This was what Emperor Bali sought from the Lord.

Today insane violence is prevalent

Everyone should be prepared to offer all his actions to God. The cosmos should be regarded as the all-pervading form of God. Only by realizing the feeling of unity in diversity can the individual and the nation be redeemed. Today divisive tendencies are rampant. There is discord between man and man. The world is turning into a kind of madhouse. All nations seem to be afflicted with some kind of lunacy. To kill one man they are prepared to sacrifice a hundred lives. They have no regard for life.

Men desire the fruits of good deeds, but do not perform good deeds. Men want to avoid the consequences of sinful actions, but are engaged in sinful deeds. How is this possible? It is not easy to escape from the consequences of one’s actions. But there is no need for despair. If one earns even a grain of grace from the Divine, a mountain of sins can be reduced to ashes. If one feels genuinely penitent, seeks God’s forgiveness and takes refuge in God, all one’s actions will get transformed. But without heart-felt penitence, this will not happen.

Follow Emperor Bali’s example

The glorious qualities of Emperor Bali are rightly praised. But how many are cultivating even a few of these qualities? Bali promised his subjects that once a year he would appear before them.

The Onam celebration is intended to rejoice in the appearance of Bali in their midst by observing this day as a festive occasion. Sweet dishes are prepared on this day. But it is not Bali who consumes them. What should be offered to him is the sweet feelings in your heart. That is the right way to celebrate Onam. You have to manifest your genuine love for Bali. You must practice the ideals for which he stood. Look at the many ways in which he served the Lord. He was utterly dedicated to the well-being of his people. Develop the quality of love. Eschew differences of caste, creed, and nationality. Promote unity among all people. Regard all as the children of one God.

Source: Excerpted from Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 24