The Moon in the Inner Sky
Following is an excerpt from a discourse by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s in which He asks His devotees to stick to one name and form and not waver between various forms. He asks us to be disciplined and regular in our sadhana [spiritual practice].
The day [which falls on July 29th this year] is called Vyasapoornami or Gurupoornima, though there is nothing specifically authentic about Vyasa happening on this day. It is dedicated to the worship of the guru, and Vyasa is the adiguru [the ultimate teacher], the traditional composer of the Vedas, the Vedanta, and the Puranas, including the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata [all scriptural texts]. You must pay attention to the poornima [full moon] aspect, for whether it is Vyasa’s or the guru’s, it certainly is poornima today.
The moon is the presiding deity of the mind, and the mind must shine in eternal fullness in the hridaya-akasa [the firmament of the heart]. The external, material moon wanes and waxes but the manas [mind] is forever bright, cool, and unchanging, free from agitation and ups and downs. This is the result of sadhana and the disciplined life. Vyasa pointed out in his works the glory of the Lord and the way of attaining Him by the destruction and negation of the mind. Thus, he is really the guru of humanity itself, for all men have to reach the goal one day or other, and the only means for attaining it is the conquest and control of the mind and the ever-present illumination of the manas in the hridaya-akasa.
You must know that the aim of life is to get your mind fixed on the goal and then the guru can help you. The guru is like a skilled gardener who tends the plants and waters them properly, and he applies the needed manure in time and protects the plants from drought or pests. Once the sapling of mumukshutwa (the desire for liberation), puts forth its shoot, then the guru can help; but, if you have no urge for the higher life, for the true understanding, he is of no use. Truly the urge itself will bring a guide either in human form or as the voice within.
Man is called manuja, “the progeny of Manu,” the Manu who was born of Brahma, out of the body of itself. Swayambhuva Manu is called swaraat [emperor], since he was the first emperor. So, your heritage is that of an emperor, a person who knows no master. Win that heritage now, and do not run after paltry tinsel and riches. You too can become a swaraat by concentrating on spiritual sadhana.
It is the husk that makes the paddy grain sprout and yield more grains, more paddy plants, and then more grains. Remove the husk and it cannot sprout and multiply. The husk is karma [action], which makes the jivi (individual) sprout again and again, birth after birth, to undergo the balance of samskaras (purifications) and vasanas (predisposed tendencies).
Karma is the activity of maya (illusion); it is like the ghost of a tribal woman that possessed a pundit once in the silent Himalayan hermitage where he lived and did penance. The unfortunate pundit sang and danced like a pahadi [mountain] woman; he swore and cursed in their paisachi [language], and acted for 24 hours exactly like one of them. Then, when the ghost was exorcised, the pundit became his real self and knew nothing about the wild pranks that he had played while under the ghost’s influence. Man, too, is like this when possessed by maya.
The mode of escaping from maya, of reducing the karma that binds, of removing the husk that makes the seed sprout, is learned from the guru or the Gita [the celestial song]. Yogis are fascinated by dhyanam (meditation), while bhaktas [devotees] by gaanam (song). That is the reason why the teachings of Krishna are called “Gita,” a song. To draw bhaktas to the right path, the Lord ‘sings’ His message.
Do not change the name and the form, that you use for japam (repetition of God’s name) and dhyanam, for then the plant cannot grow. Engage yourself in steady unbroken discipline; don’t do it off and on, with intervals of enthusiasm and despair. It will be like watering a plant for some time and uprooting it later, only to be planted again after a further lapse of time.
Today, here, between you and Me, it is not the relationship between the guru and shishya [student], the guide and the pilgrim. The guru should not be raised to the status of Shiva, for he only shows the way to Shiva. Give him the honor, the respect, the gratitude that is his due, but have Shiva Himself—that resides in your heart—as the nijaguru [personal guru]. The external guru cannot be equated with the inner sarvantaryami (all-encompassing spirit).
An ant will reach the goal if it steadily moves along, but even Garuda (Vishnu’s vehicle—the eagle) cannot attain it, if he never spreads his wings. So, move on, that is the immediate task. Start the process of analyzing and discriminating, with a sincere desire, and light will be shed by the grace of the Lord. The Lord is there to help you.
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, August 1962
