Role of the Avatar in the Cosmic Play
Like oil in the thil [sesame] seed
Like ghee [clarified butter] in milk,
fragrance in a flower,
Juice in a fruit, fire in wood,
Divinity is everywhere.
Embodiments of the Divine atma! From ancient times, the questions, “Where is God?” and “How does He appear?” have been agitating the minds of people. The answers have been sought by different ways of investigation. The believers, non-believers, those with doubts, and others have not been able to get clear answers to these questions. To comprehend the truth, one should look within oneself. This cannot be learnt from textbooks or from teachers. Chaitanya (consciousness) is there in the mind and pervades everywhere. The power of vision in the eye and of taste in the tongue are derived from this chaitanya. People are using the sense organs but do not know the source of the power that activates them.
Chaitanya cannot be comprehended by the physical vision. It is within everyone in very close proximity. People undertake external exercises and spiritual practices in vain to find it. The entire creation is a manifestation of the Divine Will; prakriti (nature) is the manifestation of God. Man is also part of prakriti and thus has the Divine power in him.
Chaitanya is the seed of entire universe
A seed germinates and grows into a plant and then into a tree with branches, leaves, flowers, etc. The seed of the entire universe is chaitanya (pure consciousness). It is sat-chit-ananda [truth, consciousness, bliss]. It grows in full bloom in the human being and blossoms into the flower of awareness. Thus, God incarnates in man. To understand this truth is the goal of human life. It is the mind that stands in the way of this realization. The mind is perverted when it is centered on the ego (body consciousness) of a person, but when it is directed toward the atma it becomes sublime. One puffed up with ego forgets divinity. Thinking on the physical plane and looking at the external world, man is not able to understand the divinity within him.
It is wrong to think that spirituality has nothing to do with worldly matters. The physical world also reflects divinity. There are two entities, swabhava and prabhava, the former emanating from the true inner Self and the latter from worldly pursuits. Because man forgets his true divine nature he is wallowing in troubles and tribulations. He is reflecting only animal qualities in his actions. Only when one enquires within, one has the chance of realizing divinity.
Today we are celebrating Ganesh Jayanti, the birthday of Vighneshvara. Who is He? What is His greatness? What has He taught to the world? We celebrate the Jayanti but do not make any effort to understand the tatwa (principle) behind it. His supreme teaching by His own example is oneness of the universe. When He was asked to go round the universe to get a prize from His parents, He just circumambulated His parents Lord Shiva and Parvati and claimed that He had completed the trip around the universe by going around them, as Lord Shiva and Parvati represented the universe.
Unity in the family is the basis of unity in society
The vehicles of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Subrahmanya and the objects worn on their bodies all get on harmoniously though they are in their original nature antagonistic to each other. Take the examples of the lion, the vehicle of Parvati, living in peace with the elephant, the form of Ganesha; [take] the bull, the vehicle of Shiva, the peacock, the vehicle of Subrahmanya, bearing no enmity toward the snake, the garland of Shiva.
Unity in a family is the basis of unity in society. Though there are lots of common features among mankind, people are not able to visualize their unity, but promote only their differences. The cause for the lack of peace in the world is the absence of harmony in thought, word, and deed in everyone, which is reflected in the lack of unity among different individuals.
Spiritual values have been given up, resulting in the turmoil that we see today. Ganapati taught that one should respect one’s parents and thereby win their grace and secure bliss.
The form of Ganapati cannot by any human standards be termed as handsome. He has a small head, big stomach, and uncouth form. But still we are captivated by His form and like to see Him more and more and worship Him. Beauty does not lie in the akara, the external form, but can be experienced even in vikara (apparent uncouthness). Ganesha sacrificed His own tusk and used it as a pen to write down the Mahabharata to the dictation of Vyasa for the benefit of humanity. Man worships God only for selfish purposes. No one is prepared to sacrifice anything for getting divine bliss, while men are prepared to go to any length for worldly pleasures. Your mind and heart should be rendered pure to worship Divinity. You should see unity in diversity.
Role of the Divine in the cosmic drama
In the cosmic drama, the Divine has His own role to play. When one takes up a role in a drama, he should act according to the role and not according to his state in real life. Behind the screen he comes into his own. You should understand this truth clearly. A man may take up the role of Rama in a drama. Then he must adhere to the principles of sathya, dharma, shanti, and prema [truth, righteousness, peace, and love] that governed all Rama’s actions, though in actual life the actor may not be righteous. Similarly, God assumes a role in the drama of the world in human form. He must behave as a human being only. This should be clearly understood by all.
Avatar will not transgress rules and regulations
Krishna was Paramatma (supreme power) and sarvajna (all-knowing). Though He was very close to Draupadi, at the time when she suffered humiliation in the court of Duryodhana, who ordered that she be disrobed, Krishna made an endless supply of saris to protect her honor. Some persons ask why Krishna did not punish Duryodhana on the spot when he was perpetrating such a heinous crime against a noble woman who was so devoted to Krishna. No doubt Draupadi was highly devoted to Krishna, and Krishna had also the power to punish Duryodhana. But in this drama, several more scenes had to be enacted. Duryodhana was predestined to be killed by Bhima in the war that was yet to come. So Krishna could not interfere.
Kamsa’s life was in the hands of Krishna, and Ravana’s life was in the hands of Rama. Both Rama and Krishna are forms of Vishnu. But each had to play His specific role in His incarnation. For every incarnation there are certain rules and regulations that the Avatar will not transgress. Mere mortals cannot understand the ways of the Divine.
In the Divine family of Lord Shiva, we should understand that Shiva represents energy and Parvati represents prakriti (world of matter). Buddhi (intellect) and siddhi (fulfillment) are symbolic of Ganapati and Subrahmanya, their sons. They are all one, though conceived in different forms. All the five fingers in the hands are not alike but different in size and shape. But when you do any work, they join together to give maximum effect. If all are of equal size, it will not be conducive to effective functioning. This is one of the secrets of God’s creation.
Realize the wisdom of the Divine
There was a mathematician taking rest under a tree. He wondered why a pumpkin creeper bore such a huge fruit, while the huge banyan tree over his head bore only tiny fruits. He doubted the sense of proportion of God. During his sleep some fruits from the banyan tree fell on his body. On waking up he realized that if the huge tree that attracted people to take shelter under its shade had big fruits like pumpkins, their fall would be harmful to those resting under it. This experience made him realize the wisdom of the Divine.
You should try to have complete knowledge of anything. Partial knowledge is dangerous. You should study the nature of the heart. God thinks of Loka-Shreyas (the welfare of the whole world). He has a broad vision, while human beings have a narrow selfish outlook.
You should also expand your heart—not the physical heart, which may call for surgery if it expands. I am speaking about the spiritual heart. It is called Hridaya, meaning one that is filled with daya (compassion). It is all pervading. If you think of America, your heart goes there at once. The physical heart is like a machine with limited scope. The heart with daya (compassion) is Daivam (God). If one has no daya his nature is devilish. Compassion is the most essential quality of a human being. Without compassion, man is inhuman. A compassionate heart reflects divinity.
God has no birth or death. He remains an eternal witness. How to realize such an entity who is aprameya and apramana (beyond description and beyond proof)? He responds only to prema. You should understand God through love and spend your life with love.
Source: Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 26
You have been born for one purpose: to die. That is to say, to kill the “I”. If bhrama [illusion] dies, you become Brahmam, or rather you know that you are Brahmam. All literature, all effort, all yajna (sacrifice), all teaching is just to hold a mirror before you so that you may see your Self.
~Baba
