Loka Kalyaanam

Discourse of Sathya Sai Baba, Prashanthi Nilayam, 21 October 1963
Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust
Web posted at Jan 13, 2001

One meaning of Karma is popularity accepted is that it is one's destiny, or fate, the inescapable "writing" on the brow, which has to work itself out. There is no escaping it. But people forget that it is not written by some other hand. It is all written by one's own hand. And the hand that wrote it can also wipe it off. The husk, with which the paddy is born, can be removed by effort; the Maayaa (worldly illusion power) which persuaded you to write all that destiny can be conquered in an instant and then, the entire page can be wiped away.

Men are spinning cocoons for themselves; they suffer because they are unable to come out of it into the world of light. They are like the monkeys caught by the wandering beggar, dancing at the end of the rope and begging paisa from those sitting round the ring. Shankara said that he would willingly offer the monkey (mind) to Shiva so that He may teach it tricks which please Him and use it for getting alms for Himself. That is to say, Shankara proposed to fill his mind with thoughts of God, so that the monkey would be tamed and made to serve God's purpose. You too must make the mind the servant of God, not the slave of the senses.

Criterion to determine the Dharma of each Person

You must have watched a bird sitting on a branch that waves in the wind. It is unafraid. Because it has more confidence in its wings than in the branch; it knows that any moment, it can take to its wings and leave off the perch, the uncertain perch. The branch is Prakrithi (objective world) and the wings are the Anugraha (grace) of the Lord. Develop strength of wing and sit on any tree. You won't come to harm. But, if you trust Prakrithi and rely only upon the protection it gives, you fall.

Mullapoodi Naaraayana Shaasthri and Vaajapeyam Venkateshwara Avadhaani both spoke now of the difficulty of demarcating what exactly is Dharma (duty) and what the criterion is to determine the Dharma of each person. Well, the Dharma that you have to follow is to be what you profess to be. This is an easy and intelligible test. If you feel and believe that you are a Brahmin, then you have to follow the Dharma as laid down for a Brahmin. If you feel and are convinced that you are the Aathman, then your Dharma is the Aathma dharma (divine-oriented duty). If you feel and are certain that you are the body, then, the Deha dharma (body-oriented duty) is the Dharma for you.

But, every one must imbibe higher values and consider himself as Aathma and follow the Aathma dharma. That is the mission for which I have come. That is the work of the Vidhwanmahaasabha. Wherever the ants may be, sugar will be placed near the entrance leading to their colonies. All men are Mine; so the whole world has to be saved from the consequences of ignorance or limited knowledge. I will get all My people near Me, for they are Mine and I am theirs. Then I will start teaching and training them, until they become entirely ego-free.

Devotees seldom know what is good for them

For the last 25 years, it has been sweetness, kindness, soft persuasion; hereafter, it will be different. I will drag them, place them on the table and operate. That is to say, I have no anger or hate; I have only love. It is love that prompts Me to save them, to open their eyes, before they get deeper into the morass.

The Organisation that was inaugurated yesterday will approach the people, those who are as yet ignorant of the great teachings of Vedha and Vedhaantha, who have not enough capacity to digest it and assimilate it into their system; so it will be given in small easily assimilable doses, with love and sympathy. Each one of those Pandiths will contribute some share to the eradication of Ajnaana. The watchword will be "Thamaso maa jyothir-gamaya," - "Lead me from darkness to light" - the ancient Vedhic prayer. It will be lighting the lamp in village after village, lighting little lamps from these big lamps.

This work has to be done; but the rulers won't take it up, nor do the ruled ask that it will be done. Unless the child starts wailing, the mother will not feed it. But, this mother is different. She knows that the child must be fed and when it is to be. The advent itself was according to My Sankalpa (resolve); every step in this Avathaara is due to My own Sankalpa; not due to the prayer or petition of devotees. The devotees seldom know what is good for them.

Foster the Vedhas and ensure World Prosperity

Since Brahmins are the custodians of the Vedhas and the Shaasthras, fostering the Brahmin will foster the Vedhas and the Shaasthras and ensure Loka Kalyaana (world prosperity). There are some who say that the Brahmin has monopolised the Vedhas and Shaasthras and that he is misusing that monopoly for his aggrandizement; it is said that the Vedha is a huge conspiracy by a clique of Brahmins for promoting the wealth of that community. This is very far from truth. Look at all the rules and regulations, the prohibitions and denials which the Brahmin has to observe; they were all laid down for the Brahmin by Brahmins themselves. Eating, drinking, moving about, sleeping, conversing, working, giving, receiving, earning, spending - all the various activities of living are controlled by hundreds of restrictions. This does not convey the impression of a clique bent upon enjoying at the expense of the rest of the community. Moreover, the regulated life of the Brahmin and the rites, vows, fasts, and Japam which he undertakes as part of his duty are intended to benefit the whole world, for securing Loka Kalyaanam. As a matter of fact, you must encourage more and more Brahmins to keep up the traditional way of regulated life. That is also one of the purposes of the Vidhwanmahaasabha.

Goddess Bhavaani gave a sword to Shivaaji and sent him on Her work of restoring Dharma (righteousness). This Shiva-Shakthi is giving into the hands of these Pandiths the sword Dhairyam (courage) and asking them to go forth in order to re-educate our people and remove their Ajnaana. Shivaaji's sword was always used on behalf of Dharma only. Once, when Shivaaji with his army paid a visit to the Aashram of Samartha Raamadhaas, his soldiers invaded the field opposite and plucking the sugar cane; they ate off the entire crop. Besides, when the owner protested, they beat him off with the cane itself. Shivaaji heard about this and he not only punished the soldiers for the theft but, on the recommendation of his Guru, he made the land of the peasant tax free for all time!

These Pandiths know the medicine for the Bhavaroga (worldly disease); learn it from them and begin taking it. Attend the meetings which they will address in the village wherever your District Committee arranges. Accept whatever good they give. Become the soldiers of Prashaanthi, to drive away the Chinese from your hearts, those who are undermining your awareness of the Aathma. Honouring them is honouring Me; neglecting them, is neglecting the Vedhas and Shaasthras and it is as foolish as neglecting Me.