The Divine Voice

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

Narakaasura is present in every one as Kaama, Krodha, Lobha (lust, hate, greed) and as Bhaya and Dhukha (fear and grief), which are against the very nature of man. Just as an umbrella with inferior cover cannot protect you from rain, but only one with a waterproof cover, so too in this stormdriven world incessantly flushed by torrential rain, an umbrella with Kaama-proof and Krodha-proof covering is required. The five Bhuuthas (fire, earth, water, ether and wind) cannot harm one who is equipped with such protection. The five Durgas (fortresses) in which Narakaasura is said to have taken refuge are the five elements. There is great Avyaktha shakthi (latent power) inherent in every one and when that Shakthi is made Vyaktha (explicit), man deserves to be called Vyakthi (individual). When that is made manifest, the Asura (demon) will automatically be destroyed. Your reality is Aathma; your quality is Aanandha. What does it matter to you if the Narakaasura of the Puraanas is killed, by Krishna and Sathyabhaama. For you, Krishna is Paramaathma (super or omni self) and Sathayabhaama is the Jeevi (individual self). Paramaathma destroys the evil propensities with the active collaboration of Jeevi; Jeevi defeats evil with the active grace of the Lord.

Make Kaama the servant of Raama

India is the repository of spiritual power; but now, scarcely any one practises the disciplined life which is the mark of that power. Even now, millions go on pilgrimages; millions of copies of sacred texts and spiritual lore are bought and read; thousands of ascetics and Gurus are scattered over the land and they receive the homage of the people. But yet there is no peace in the heart, no food in the stomach, no clothes to keep the cold off the body. India which is Annapoorna-swaruupa (the granary of the earth), has now to go about with begging bowl for food for her children. This tragedy is caused by ill-discipline, by want of self-control, by what can be called A-swaa-raajya (the absence of self-government, government of the self).

Sathyanaaraayana, when he acted the role of Sathyabhaama in the drama, remembered always that he was Sathyanaaraayana, though he was also aware that he had a part to play in the drama and he played it well. It would be a failure if he forgets either his Sathyanaaraayana-hood or his Sathyabhaama-hood. So, too, act in the world but remember your genuine Self. When humanity forgets that this is a play and starts assuming it real, the Lord comes down to remind them of it. Otherwise, when the execution scene is enacted, heads will fall; when Lanka is set on fire in the drama, the theatre itself will be consumed. Do not take the world more seriously than it deserves.

There is space for only just one throne in your heart. But, now you are inviting too many to sit on it or you try to put two thrones there, one for Raama, and one for Kaama; or, when you find it difficult, you are inviting Raama and Kaama to squeeze themselves into that one seat! Or, you install Kaama and want Raama to sit down below as his henchman! No wonder Raama deserts you. Make Raama the deity on the throne and utilise Kaama as His servant - there is no harm.

Cultivate the inward Look

The mother-cat, it is said, takes hold of the new born kitten and shifts it from place to place, seven times, within few days of its birth, so that its eyes might open and it might see! The kitten gets proper vision after going through seven transfers but, man does not get the vision (viz., that he is in reality the deathless, birthless, infinite Aathman) even after he is shifted from womb to womb a million times! This is the tragedy of ignorance and sloth.

You have heard of the story of Gajendhra moksha, the elephant caught and dragged by the crocodile, appealing helplessly to the Lord and the Lord sending down the Sudharshana Chakra (discus) to slay the tormentor and save the beast. The story has a deeper meaning, which has universal appeal. The wild elephant is the Jeevi (the individual), full of sensual greed and blind with delusion. It enters the tank of Samsaara (flux), of the objective world. There the crocodile of egoism grasps its leg in the vice of its teeth and pull it down deeper and deeper into the mire of Samsaara.

There is definite Process for God-Realisation

The individual struggles by itself for a long time until pride is exhausted and its faith in its own powers is spent. Then, it appeals in complete Sharanaagathi (surrender) to the Lord and what does the Lord send? Sudharshana. Mark that word. What does it mean? Sudharshana - Good sight! Beneficial outlook! A vision that is correct, conducive to lasting joy, namely, the inward look, away, from the sense objects, Aavriththa Chakshu. As soon as that sight is cultivated, egoism is destroyed and the Jeevi is freed.

Live and act in the world, by all means; but, deal with Samsaara as you apply collyrium to the eye. The eye is not blinded by the collyrium, it is rendered more efficient, more charming, that is all. So too, Samsaara (world life) must make your Saadhana (spiritual effort) more efficient and more pleasing to yourself and others. Be like the lotus which though born in mud rises higher, through the waters, on the region of sunlight. It requires both mud and water for its existence but, it knows their real value; so it does not allow itself to be contaminated by either.

A great sage once fell in with a gang on non-believers in an atheist settlement. They crowded around him and plied him with impertinent queries and insisted that he must show them the God in whom he believed. The sage promised to do so, but, asked for some milk, before he could demonstrate God. The vessel of milk was brought; he sat silent for a long while, stirring the milk with his finger. The crowd got exasperated at the delay and at his silence. They asked him what he was at; he replied that he was only trying to spot out where the butter was, top, middle or bottom? The crowd shouted that it was everywhere, in every drop of milk and that he could see it only when the preliminary process of churning was done. Then, the sage answered, "Well, the Lord too is immanent in every atom of this universe. He can be preceived and experienced only when the preliminary spiritual exercises of Saadhana are done. There is a definite well-known process for God-realisation also, just as there is a definite well-known process for butter realisation.