MUSINGS ON AWARENESS

Part-09

his series is based on the Awareness Course that is incorporated at the post-graduate level

programs of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. Its author is this niversity!s former "iceChancellor #rofessor $. "en%ataraman& who has been closely connected with the formulation& content and delivery of this program for more than a decade now. The series was first broadcast over 'adio Sai in response to re(uests from many listeners see%ing clarifications on many spiritual dilemmas faced in daily life. It was therefore presented in a simple format suited for anyone who wishes to live life in a state of Awareness as prescribed by the Supreme Teacher )hagavan Sri Sathya Sai )aba. The present article& the ninth tal% in this series& has been adapted appropriately and supplemented with apt illustrations for ease of understanding.

PROF. G. VENKATARAMAN
Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. In this article I wish to give you a detailed review of what I have said in my previous eight articles in the Awareness series.

You may recall that I started by reminding you that Awareness means being conscious of the mnipresence of !od and ad"usting one#s actions $in all their aspects%& to be in tune with this Reality. 'he idea that !od is present everywhere might seem a bit odd to many& especially when one is focussed very strongly on the human form of !od& namely the Avatar. 'his is a wrong notion. 'o dispel this I pointed out the following(

1. 'he individual is the microcosm while Society is the macrocosm.

).

3. Since *ivinity is latent in the individual& *ivinity is latent also in Society& in fact on a macro scale. 4. If the individual does not allow his or her *ivinity to manifest& then there is a slim chance of a macro
manifestation of *ivinity in Society.

5. And if *ivinity is prevented by individuals from having its full play in Society& then Society would be in all
+inds of troubles& as in fact it presently is. So you see& whether we li+e it or not& practical Spirituality has everything to do with not only the individual& but also the relationship of the individual to Society and to Nature. It is to stress this important fact that Swami often tells ,is students that we are what we are because of Society and that we therefore owe a lot to Society& indeed much more than what we thin+ Society owes to us. 'his is what I pointed out after my general introduction. Since !od is present in everything& everywhere& all the time& almost all our actions ac-uire a spiritual undertone. In fact& stressing this& Swami once told me( ./verything is Spiritual01 In the old days& Swami used to describe a man who owned a bulloc+ cart. 'his man was very cruel in treating the bull and yet when he visited the local Siva temple& this

very same man would worship reverentially the idol of Nandi located at the entrance of the temple. Nandi whose idol always adorns the entrance of every Siva temple is the bull that serves as Siva#s vehicle. Swami says( .Is it not an irony that this man worships a stone idol of the bull but is very cruel to the living bull that he owns21 'hat is the type of contradiction that creeps into the life of practically every person who claims to be a devotee of !od in general and Swami in particular but ignores the mnipresence of !od. And this contradiction manifests because the person concerned simply refuses to come to terms with the mnipresence of !od. You might recall that I went into great details concerning this& using a concept called 3'he !olden 'riangle#.

'he -uestion now is( .,ow do we become so insensitive to the obvious21 'hat is related to our gunas& which grow from our natural tendencies shaped in earlier births. 'hese latent tendencies encoded in earlier births are called vasanas& and they form the seeds for the gunas one sees in the present life of the person concerned. Gunas will develop partly controlled by latent vasanas and partly by environment in which a person lives. ,owever& a person can& with determination& actually shape and modify his gunapattern so as to help him or her to advance spiritually.

The Cosmic Angle of uman !ife

'he whole issue of developing complete Awareness boils down then to the following(

1. 4an must be first aware of his 5osmic rigin.

2. Ne6t& man must be aware of his 5osmic 5onnection. ,e does not simply e6ist in isolation& free to do what he
wants& the way he wants& and when he wants. 'his is not true. 7rishna ma+es that very clear& and Swami has added clarifications relevant to this day and age 8 all this I have pointed out.

3. 9ecoming aware of one#s 5osmic 5onnection brings with it 5osmic Responsibilities. In practical terms& one
cannot act in ways that harm Society and or Nature.

4. :inally& man must be aware of his 5osmic *estiny& which is that life is a blessing given so that man can
become permanently reunited with his 5reator. So there are these four 5osmic aspects to human life( 5osmic rigin& 5osmic 5onnection& 5osmic Responsibilities& and 5osmic *estiny. As Swami says& the purpose of life is to go bac+ to where we came from. :rom !od we have come& and to !od we must return. 'hat is really the goal of life& and no one is e6empted& repeat& N N/0

7& let us say that we become aware that 5osmic mnipresence pervades the whole of 5reation. ;hat ne6t2 I pointed out that this 5osmic mnipresence actually pervades the <niverse at three distinct levels. 'he first is the gross& the second is the subtle and beyond these both is the 5ausal. 'o put it differently& !od is present in atoms as atomic energy that physicists have studied with such thoroughness. As all of us +now that atoms are present everywhere in the <niverse& which means !od is certainly mnipresent at the gross level. Ne6t& 5osmic /nergy operates in living systems as the mysterious .life force1= we of course call it Praana. Scientists can describe life forces in terms of biochemistry and all that but none of them can say"here this Life :orce comes from. 'hat is because they do science& shutting their eyes to !od. 'o be perfectly accurate& I must mention that careful scientists say( .Science wor+s within the framewor+ of space and time alone and e6cludes everything else& including 5onsciousness. ,owever& while as scientists we say nothing about !od& we #o believe in !od at the theological level.1 'here is also a higher and a third level of mnipresence& very important I must add& at which !od is present in human beings. I told you that this level of presence of the *ivine is uni-ue to humans& which is why Swami reminds us repeatedly that human birth is a priceless gift. 'his is the level of 5onsciousness. ,uman 5onsciousness itself has

many strata. At the lower end it ma+es one conscious of beauty& for e6ample. 'hus it is that you and I are able to en"oy the sight of a beautiful sunset unli+e say a tiger or a crow. At a slightly higher level& human 5onsciousness awa+ens us to the sufferings of others and enables us to reach out to them with help. At a still higher level& we are able to cognise that there e6ists a !od whose children we all are and from whom came everything. Rising up one notch& we become aware that that !od actually resides in our ,eart and is ever ready to spea+ to us as well as advice us as the >oice of 5onscience. f course& for this to happen& we must +eep the communication channel in good wor+ing condition& which is to say that our Buddhi ?discrimination@ ought to be in top form. And when one rises to this level& it is one short step $but a difficult one I must warn you%& to realise that the same !od dwells in all beings& and indeed in all entities in creation.

The $i%ine Em&e##e# in is E%er' (par)

nce you grant that 5onsciousness pervades the entire <niverse and is also the source of all feelings as well as of all energy& both inanimate and animate& we "ust cannot afford to ignore it. Rather& we had better be constantly aware of it& and tune our actions accordingly. I stated two rules in this connection and let me recall them once more. Rule ne( Act in the transient world& but according to eternal guidelines and in harmony with the permanent basis of creation.

Rule 'wo( See the <niversal in the particular and the particular in the <niversal. Let me summarise all that I have said thus far both in this tal+ and in earlier ones in a slightly different set of words(

1. I started by stating that I am trying to discuss the mnipresence of !od. 2. 'his mnipresent !od I am tal+ing of is the Abstract& :ormless !od. 3. In the manifested <niverse& !od is present in three distinct aspects. 4. :irstly& !od is present as the power immanent in the atom. Since atoms are to be found everywhere in the
<niverse& !od too is immanent everywhere in the manifested <niverse.

5. Scientists may be able to give a physical e6planation for the presence of energy in the atom= but& according
to me& the -uestion remains& .;here did that energy originally come from21 'his is where !andhi#s observation about an 3indefinable mysterious power# pervading the <niverse becomes very pertinent.

6. 'he mnipresence that I "ust mentioned is common to inert as well as living beings. In living beings& !od is
present or immanent at a still higher level also& that of Praana or the Life :orce.

A.

8. 'here is a still higher level& which is the level of Pure 5onsciousness. 'his is present in an active form in
humans. It is this that enables humans to see !od& if they want& both within and without.

9. Pure 5onsciousness is Supreme& which means it can e6ist all by itself. Stated differently& when the <niverse
disappears& it dissolves into Pure 5onsciousness& as 7rishna e6plained to Ar"una.

10. ne should not imagine that when the <niverse is created& the primordial bac+ground of <niversal
5onsciousness disappears. 'he latter continues to e6ist& acting as a bac+drop in the manifested <niverse.

11. I hold that this bac+drop acts rather li+e a physical field driving evolution of living species in the direction
where 5onsciousness flowers fully& li+e a fruit bud growing and ripening into a sweet fruit.

12. ;here evolution of life is concerned& that fruit is the human being.

Suppose one grants all this& what is the bottom line2 According to me& it is the following( Man must be aware that he is a spark of the Divine, and that this Divine is Omnipresent in the manifested Universe in every single entity, both inanimate and animate in many different forms. 'his subtle and universal presence of the Lord is not very obvious at first sight& which is why we often lose sight of ,im. ,owever we should not& and we must ensure that every single act of ours does not cause harm to our spiritual progress& does not harm Society and finally does not either contradict or disturb Nature in any way. If we do this regularly& meticulously& and consciously& +eeping !od in our mind all the time& then we are in fact adhering to our duties.

*n#i%i#ual Conscience an# +ni%ersal Consciousness

'he -uestion that is often as+ed is( .If !od is actually within everyone all the time& how come man so easily forgets !od21 'his is an old -uestion and the short answer to it is that this forgetfulness is all due to the gunas. Gunas& if not properly shaped and managed& can easily lead us astray& especially in today#s world which is so full of distractions meant to deliberately trap us in self indulgence and sensuous living.

If we must avoid the haBards& we must pay attention to the warning signals that come from the >oice of 5onscience. As I mentioned earlier& our 5onscience is the >oice of !od spea+ing from within. 9eing soft& this voice can easily be drowned out by the constant chatter of the 4ind. In turn this means that one who wants to hear !od spea+ing from within had better learn to a@ +eep his mouth shut most of the time& and b@ e6tend that by training his 4ind to dwell on !od most of the time. 'hat in turn means that we must +eep the pipeline called Buddhi in top condition. nceBuddhi is spar+ling clean and ready for business& then we can dial the 5onscience anytime. 'his is the first step& becoming aware of the presence of !od within and learning to consult !od on all matters of Sathyaand Dharma ?'ruth and Righteousness@. I now wish to say something about 5onsciousness& since that is very crucial where humans are concerned. You might recall that in my earlier articles I used two terms 8 Individual 5onscience and <niversal 5onsciousness. 4aybe I

should redefine these for your benefit. ;hat e6actly are these and what is the connection between them if any2 nce we understand this& the -uestion of what awareness is all about would become immediately clear. Individual 5onscience is an aspect of !od specific to individuals& and acting as an internal as well as a personal advisor. ;here did this 5onscience come from2 :rom <niversal 5onsciousness. 'here are billions of individuals and each one has his or her own Individual 5onscience. ,owever& this does not mean that each person has a #istinct 5onscience that has no connection with that of others. 7rishna ma+es it very clear that there is only ONE <niversal 5onsciousness and that a bit of it functions in each individual to guide that one particular person. 9ut once an individual realises that all soCcalled different 5onsciences really are parts of one universal whole& then one#s perspective of creation changes completely. 7& so we agree that the 5onscience present in different individuals may appear individualCspecific but it is all a part of N/ <niversal 5onsciousness& from which our <niverse and everything in it came into e6istence. Realising this is what awareness is all about. In other words& Individual 5onscience and <niversal 5onsciousness are one& and synonymous with !od. 'hey pervade everything& all the time. ,owever& while Individual 5onsciousness has meaning only when there is diversity& i.e.& after 5reation& <niversal 5onsciousness e6ists all by itself even when 5reation is dissolved. 'o put it differently& Individual 5onsciousness is the micro aspect while <niversal 5onsciousness is the macro aspect. f course& when there is no 5reation& there is only Absolute neness. I am sure you are wondering whether this thing I am referring to as <niversal 5onsciousness is the same as Atma= indeed it is and that is precisely what the Upanishads also declare. A few more points. A -uestion often as+ed is( .Is there !od in a murderer2 If so why does he commit murder21 A related -uestion( .If !od is mnipresent& why is there so much evil21 In a sense I have already dealt with this issue. 9asically it is all about being disconnected with the ,eart. 'hat by the way is why cruel people are often described as 3heartless#.

Individual 5onsciousness has meaning only when there is diversity& i.e.& after 5reation& <niversal 5onsciousness e6ists all by itself even when 5reation is dissolved. 'o put it differently& Individual 5onsciousness is the micro aspect while <niversal 5onsciousness is the macro aspect. f course& when there is no 5reation& there is only Absolute neness.

I thin+ it might help if I offer a summary again.

1. !od being /ternal& e6ists both when there is a <niverse and when there is none. 2. ;hen there is no 5reation& ,e e6ists in the form Pure& Abstract neness& that is not easy for us humans to
describe& bound as we are by the e6perience of Space and 'ime. 9ut sages have recognised this Supreme State of /6istence through their meditations& and 7rishna has confirmed !od e6isting as the <nmanifest *ivinity.

3. ;hen !od creates the <niverse& it is not as if ,e disappears from the state of <nmanifest /6istence to
come down to the <niverse and hides ,imself there in various forms and aspects. ,e now e6ists in two states= that of <nmanifest *ivinity as usual& and as the immanent !od in 5reation.

4. I then pointed out that in creation& !od is present everywhere in gross matter& as the energy of the atoms. 5. In living beings& ,e is present in an e6tra aspect as the *ivine lifeCforce. 6. In human beings& ,e is present in a still higher aspect as the 5onscience.
;hat is the meaning of a person being disconnected with his ,eart2 'hat happens when the 4ind becomes entirely subservient to the senses. bviously& this is also related to discrimination becoming totally blunted.

!o"er Min#, Mi##le Min# an# igher Min#

You might recall that I discussed the issue of the 4ind in one of my earlier articles. I pointed out then that to start with& what we call the 4ind is really a continuum& e6tending from the Lower 4ind at one end to the ,igher 4ind at the other& with the 4iddle 4ind tuc+ed in between.

'he Lower 4ind performs essentially the functions we normally associate with the senseCbrain combination. 'o be e6plicit& the senses collect information from the outside world and transmit it to the brain. 'here it is processed and action to be ta+en by the body is determined by the brain. And& depending on the decision of the brain& signals then go to the senses and the limbs of the body to guide its further action. I also pointed out that this +ind of hardCwiring is present in animals too& and !od has built this in for reasons of survival. Since we have evolved from animals& it is not surprising that these functions are present in humans also. In passing& I also pointed out that this conclusion& which is based on the findings of modern science is also the finding ofVedanta. nly& Vedanta uses different "argon& dividing the activity in terms of perception& and cognition.

4oving beyond the Lower 4ind& I then too+ you into the realm of the 4iddle 4ind& which is the home of immense creativity. 'he 4iddle 4ind is no doubt very fertile but also capable of trapping man into ego& which is the slippery slope connecting to disaster. !od did not hardCwire the 4iddle 4ind but left it free to either function independently or be guided by the ,igher 4ind. Naturally& man is responsible for the choice he ma+es0 At this point& I pointed out that humans inherit three distinct +inds of genes. 9io genes from their parents and bodily ancestors& mental genes from earlier births 8 please note that onecannot blame the mental genes on ancestors 8 and finally& *ivine !enes& which all of us get as a wonderful blessing from !od. I then pointed out that the mental genes& which by the way are better +nown as Vasanas& play a crucial role in deciding the way the person shapes. Another topic that I discussed is the soCcalled PCN cycle& where P stands for Prasaadam or the gifts that !od bestows on every individual while N stands forNaivedyam or the offerings we ma+e to !od. 7& so we understand what P and N stand for. ;hat about the soCcalled PCN cycle2 ;ell& it means that in life we receive innumerable gifts from !od& and that in turn implies that all these gifts must be used in such a manner that whatever we do becomes an offering to !od.

After discussing the PCN cycle& I pointed out how the 'rusteeship concept ma+es the PCN cycle automatic. 9y the way& 'rusteeship concept allows all members of Society to simultaneousl' adopt this scheme. I also pointed out that the 'rusteeship concept is best understood by analysing how the living human body wor+s.

The

uman -o#' . An Epitome of Mo#el -eha%iour

Let me remind you what Swami says about the manner in which the different organs of the body wor+. Swami ma+es the following points(

1. 'he human body is a comple6 biological system made up of cells.

2. 5ells ma+e up the various organs of the body li+e eyes& stomach& liver& etc. 3. 4any organs lin+ together to form a system. /6amples include the respiratory system& the digestive system&
the circulatory system& and so on.

4. In a healthy human body& the systems do not function arbitrarily and in a dis"ointed fashion. Rather& they
wor+ in perfect harmony and synergy. :or e6ample& when a person runs& the heart pumps faster and blood is circulated more rapidly to the muscles of the legs particularly. Similarly& after a heavy meal& blood circulation to the brain is reduced because more blood has to be diverted to the stomach to deal with digestion. In fact& that is why one tends to feel a bit sleepy after a heavy meal0

5. In short& it is a case of all for one and one for all. 'he cells wor+ harmoniously through the organs and
various systems to +eep the body going& and the body for its part ta+es care of the organs and cells. It is this symbiosis that enables the body to be healthy.

All this becomes relevant in the conte6t of how Society O+G T to function. In days bygone& Swami often drew attention with the remar+( The Proper Study of Mankind is Man. In practical terms& it all boils down to the 'rusteeship principle which is based on the empirical $and perhaps not accidental% fact that Society is a replica of the living human body. ;hile the cell is the basic unit of the human body& in the case of humanity& it is the individual who plays the role of the basic unit. :rom there& if we proceed step by step and carefully analyse the two systems& viB.& the human body and humanity& we would see an almost oneCtoCone correspondence. I too+ you through all that earlier. ;hat emerges in the end is that selfless action forms the basis of the life of every single individual& and without this& Society& which is "ust a macro replica of the individual& would be full of defects. It would not function well& and ma+e life for the individuals difficult& and indeed miserable for many. 'hat precisely is what is happening now and the way

out of it is for every single individual to say& .I am a servant of !od. All the gifts !od has mercifully bestowed on me& be it health or wealth& or worldly +nowledge or whatever& belong really to !od= this body cannot claim any ownership. At best& I am a 'rustee acting for and on behalf of !od and my duty is to use all the resources that !od has placed at my disposal to serve humanity at large in the best possible manner. 'his I do by consciously loving all and serving all. All means not only all humans but indeed all living creatures.1

'hat briefly is what the 'rusteeship principle is all about and I hope that the above recall would bring all the details I gave earlier. It is time to wind up and so let me start the closure formalities. I have said many things= but ta+en together& what do they mean2 In brief& they tell us where individuals of today have to go= it is really a road map. If every individual follows it meticulously& then he or she as the case may be& would be actually following Mama Dharma& which is the essence of the Gita. 9ut of course& hardly any one is doing that and when billions violate Mama Dharma there sure can be trouble& big trouble& as in fact we are finding out presently.

'he state of today#s Society can be summarised as follows(

1. 'he pressure for soCcalled progress drives Society towards comple6ity. 2. In turn& comple6ity generates more and more sectors& that is& it introduces diversity. 3. /ach sector inevitably has its own priorities& and the priorities of the different sectors often tend to clash. 4. As the number of sectors increase& the clashes become more pronounced= they even tend to get violent at
times.

5. /ven ape6 bodies li+e the <N where all are supposed to come together for common good& gets caught up in
conflict and rivalries between different sectors or politica groups.

!i%ing &' is Teachings . The Nee# of the our

I hope I have said enough for you to appreciate that the time has come for each and everyone of us to ta+e Swami#s teachings far more seriously that we do at present. No doubt we routinely say& .,elp ever& ,urt never1& .Love All& Serve All&1 and things li+e that. 9ut do we pause to en-uire what e6actly they mean2 ;hat happens when we hurt others2 ;hat happens when we serve but with selfish ends2 And so on. ;ithout a deeper understanding of what e6actly Swami#s teachings imply& our approach to devotion& seva& etc.& would be utterly superficial. Swami#s teachings are meant to ma+e us better individuals no doubt= but they are also intended to help us mesh better into Society. 'he important point about Swami#s teachings at the present "uncture is that we can no longer

think of ourselves as individuals dis onne ted with So iety. Nor must we labour under the illusion that our obligations& if any to Society have nothing to do with !od. It is precisely that disconnect that has landed us in so much trouble. It is amaBing how the Gita has pac+ed in all these teachings as far bac+ as five thousand years ago. 5ountless scholars have commented on it& but it is only Swami who has repeatedly drawn attention to the relevance of Society and Nature in the conte6t of total devotion to !od. You do not have to accept what I say but please do spend sometime thin+ing about to it. Dai Sai Ram.

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MUSINGS ON AWARENESS 07
-/ PROF. G. VENKATARAMAN This series is based on the Awareness Course that is incorporated at the post-graduate level programs of the Sri Sathya Sai niversity. Its author is the Sri Sathya Sai niversity!s former "ice-Chancellor #rofessor $. "en%ataraman who has been closely connected with the formulation& content and delivery of this program for more than a decade now. The series was first broadcast over 'adio Sai in response to re(uests from many listeners see%ing clarifications on many spiritual dilemmas faced in daily life. Therefore& it was presented in a simple format suited for anyone who wishes to live life in a state of Awareness as prescribed by the Supreme Teacher )hagavan Sri Sathya Sai )aba.

In the present article& one of these radio tal%s has been adapted appropriately and supplemented with apt illustrations for ease of understanding.
'he issue of gunas and their management is an important factor that shapes our lives. /ach human being is a composite of three distinct entities& the gross body& the subtle mind and the causal heart. 'he body helps us to act in this world= the mind assists us to decide& while the heart& if only we would allow it& guides the mind. 'hat word 3if# is an important +ey that opens our vision to solution for most of the world#s problems today. Some of our actions are instinctive= for e6ample& when we sense danger we run and try to protect ourselves. /6perts say that we perform many actions in this manner because Nature or !od& call it what you will& has hardCwired us to do so& that is to say& the brain and senses are so tied together that such soCcalled instinctive functions are performed automatically without our ever thin+ing about them. n the other hand& many of our actions are based on conscious decisions. :or e6ample& when a person wants to buy a house and has many options to choose from& that person carefully thin+s about the pros and cons of each and every choice& and then ma+es a particular decision that seems advantageous from one or more angles.

*ntellect5 the ("or# of $iscrimination

!od has thus given man a mind that enables him to decide his course of actions in many matters. 'his discretionary ability has to be used carefully& especially when it comes to actions involving moral principles. Thebuddhi is the

faculty that enables proper 4spiritual5 discrimination& and Swami reminds us that buddhi& which connects us to our heart& the seat of the indweller& would be in good wor%ing condition only if we ta%e the trouble to maintain it properly. #roper maintenance of thebuddhi calls for regular and efficient sense and mind control.

Mental Genes *nfluence Character Traits

'here are actually two parameters that shape the mind. 'he first of these is the vasanas or mental genes which represent the essence of tendencies ac-uired in earlier births& li+e a disposition to be miserly& selfish& devout& caring and so on. ;e come into the world with a huge baggage of vasanas pic+ed up in the earlier part of our long "ourney to !od& and in this life& these that act li+e seeds and grow into plants called gunas& conditioned of course by the e6ternal environment. 'he e6ternal influence is the second of the two parameters that shape the mind. :or e6ample& a person born with a tendency to be greedy& when e6posed to corrupt business practices becomes even more greedy and ambitious and does not stop at anything to ac-uire huge wealth.

The purpose of l fe s to !o "a#$ to Go%& 'ro( Go% )ou ha*e #o(e a+% to Go% )ou (ust retur+& Th s (ea+s that )ou (ust l *e )our l fe su#h that t al,a)s ta$es )ou to,ar%s Go%- a+% +e*er + a+) other % re#t o+&.

All this shows that we need guna management if life is to be a "ourney towards !od. 'o drive a car properly& we need a proper steering wheel and good bra+es= otherwise& there can be disaster. In life#s "ourney& guna management is li+e handling the steering wheel properly& while sense and mind control is li+e using the bra+es "udiciously as and when re-uired. !iven these two& the driver can proceed safely in his "ourney.

P6N C'cle

ur travel through life#s "ourney can be smooth if we drive safely& steer the car well and handle the bra+es properly. 'o be more e6plicit& let us view the e6perience through the prism of the PCN cycle. ,ere the letter P stands forprasaadam while N stands fornaivedyam. :or the benefit of those who are not familiar with these terms&prasaadam means a gift of !od whilenaivedyam means an offering to !od. Incidentally& you might have come across names li+e 7rishna Prasad& for e6ample. 'he person bearing that name has been so named by his parents because when he was born& the parents felt the child was a gift of Lord 7rishna. Surely& it has not escaped your attention that we all receive prasaadam at the end of every Sai function. In life& we receive innumerable gifts from !od and that implies in turn that all these must be used in such a manner that whatever we do becomes an offering to !od.

Fin#ing !ife7s Purpose

;hat is the basic purpose of life2 4ore than ten years ago& one evening some of us were assembled in Swami#s presence in 'rayee 9rindavan& after the evening bhajan session. 'he proceedings commenced with Swami as+ing the -uestion& 89hat is the purpose of life:; Students attempted many answers but Swami +ept on sha+ing ,is head as if to say& .No& that is not the correct answer.1 It was then the elders# turn and they too drew a complete blan+. Swami then gently smiled and said& 8The purpose of life is to go &ac) to Go#. From Go# 'ou ha%e come an# to Go# 'ou must return. This means that 'ou must li%e 'our life such that it al"a's ta)es 'ou to"ar#s Go#, an# ne%er in an' other #irection.; 'he PCN cycle is a convenient strategy for achieving that goal. 4ost people live under the delusion that !od is least bothered about them& that ,e has given them hardly any worthwhile gift and that if at all !od has given anything it is a whole lot of problems. 'his is the common perception but in reality& nothing could be farther from the truth.

Creator7s Compassion for Creation

Life bestows two things on us& gifts from !od and problems to be sure. 'he goodies all come from !od& while 8 and you might not believe this 8 problems are gifts we give to ourselves0 4any might protest this and I will come to this shortly& but before that let me -uic+ly start enumerating some of the gifts of !od. 'he first of course is the gift of life& human life in particular. You might disagree strongly& citing in support the innumerable problems you might be facing

in daily life. Yes& we all face problems& who does not2 9ut in the midst of all this& you would surely agree that there are moments we are happy when something good happens to us. All those are gifts of !od.

All Gifts Come from Go#

Let us ta+e a simple and almost trivial e6ample. Say there is an old woman who is desperately poor and all alone. She is hungry and has gone without food for almost two days. She begs fervently but there is no one to hear her pleas. She has become wea+ and losing hope lies by the roadside feeling utterly crushed. Along comes a young man who stops& notices her condition& rushes to a nearby shop to buy something to eat& which he then gives to the starving woman. 'he woman loo+s up& sees a young man smiling at her +indly and offering some hot food. She smiles& accepts the food& than+s the young man and blesses him. 'he young man then leaves his heart full of happiness. Not a great story I admit& but a touching one nevertheless and by the way not uncommon. Let us loo+ a bit behind the scenes.

Passers by might have seen a young man full of +indness& offering help= yes& those are the worldly facts. 9ut who motivated that young man2 ;ho put that feeling of compassion in the heart of that young man2 ;ho made him stop and ta+e notice of this starving woman2 It is the !od within& residing as the Indweller of the heart.

In simple terms& the man coming to the help of the hungry woman& bringing her some food was all a case of $od coming to her help in the disguise of a %ind young man. 1henever we receive some love or help or %indness from a person& it is actually $od who is behind that act6 the person doing the delivery is& if I might say so& rather li%e the postman who delivers mail.
In addition& there are some facts that you will be compelled to agree with(

1. ;e breathe air all the time& from birth to the moment when we give up the body. /very single person on
earth does it& including Avatars. ;ho has given us that air to breathe2 You cannot deny that it is !od who has done so= and remember& ,e does not charge us anything for it.

2. ;e all have to drin+ water& in fact several times a day. As Swami often reminds us& we can go without food
for several days but without water& it becomes very difficult to survive beyond a few hours= we would die of dehydration. 'he water we drin+ and ta+e so very much for granted& where did it come from2

It is $od who put water on earth in the first place6 and having done so& $od in His mercy has also many agents to transport that water as well as store it for our use later. Thus it is that we have socalled natural phenomena li%e rain& rivers& and so on& as also la%es and ponds.

-arrel of cru#e oil < =>?

I can go on for hours& but I do not have to. ,owever& I do urge you to thin+ about these matters for sometime at least& so that you do not get the impression that having created us& !od simply wal+ed away& abandoning us all= not at all. I mean& these days& the transportation industry is so very heavily dependent on oil. ;here does this oil come from2 :rom the crude oil lying below the surface of the earth. ;ho put it there in the first place2 *o I have to tell you2 And by the way& has !od ever charged us for all that huge -uantity of oil2 Not even a cent till date0 ;e on the other hand pump millions of barrels out of the earth every single day and ma+e billions of dollars of profit. ,ow much of this astronomical profit is ploughed bac+ into society for humanity#s benefit2 Precious little.

Whate*er ,e %o- ,e (ust (a$e sure ,e are true to Go% a+% use the ! fts /e has "esto,e% upo+ us for the "e+ef t of hu(a+ t) a+% for the re*ere+#e- suste+a+#e a+% the prote#t o+ of Nature& All th s ,e ha*e %o full) #o+s# ous all the t (e that Go% s our 0or%- that ,e are %o +! all th s to please / (- a+% ,e %o th s "est ,he+ ,e offer our a#t o+s to / ( , th lo*e&

If you thin+ along these lines& I am sure you can spend hours& lining up e6amples& one after another. Ta%e

watermelon as another instance6 so many (uench their thirst by eating this wonderful fruit. $od has not only given us water but even pac%aged it so sweetly 4yes& the pun is intended75 in the form of watermelon and coconuts. How thoughtful of Him7 There are trees almost everywhere& including a few in deserts.

,any trees do not yield fruits we can eat but birds feed on them6 and these trees& li%e the stately banyan tree for e8ample& have provided shade to millions over the years. !ife7s Gifts are from Go#, Trou&les from the @Rs
Swami tells the story of how one day when 7rishna was young and grew up under the loving care of Yashoda& he was playing near a spot where ladies were collecting water in pots for ta+ing home. ,aving filled her pots& Yashoda was struggling to get them on her head& and seeing 7rishna near by& she called& .,ey 7rishna& come here and help me load these pots on my head.1 7rishna turned& loo+ed at her& smiled and simply ran away. 4umbling and grumbling& Yashoda sought the assistance of other gopikas nearby to get the pots on her head& and slowly made her way to her home. ;hen she came near her doorstep& she saw that 7rishna was standing there. ;ith a huge charming smile on ,is face and without even so much as a hint from her& 7rishna rushed forward to help Yashoda bring down the heavy pots from her head and place them on the ground. After it was all over& Yashoda loo+ed hard at 7rishna and as+ed& .7rishna& there is something I simply do not understand. ;hen I as+ed You earlier to help me place the pots on my head& You did not oblige but here You are helping me to bring them down& without my even as+ing You. ;hat is the reason21

7rishna replied& with ,is everCcharming smile of course& 9,other& that is not a mystery6 I do not ever place

burden on people!s heads6 I only remove them7:

;hat a wonderful story& and full of meaning& is it not2 Yes& $od only created man and blessed him with many

gifts. )ut He did not place any burden on man6 all the difficulties that humans e8perience in life are the direct result of their own actions of the past& reacting through the inevitable law of 'eflection& 'eaction& 'esound& as Swami often refers to it. In short& gifts are from $od while problems we give to ourselves.
If the purpose of life is to go bac+ to !od& how then do we live life so that we go bac+ to !od2 *oes it mean cutting off ties from society2 *oes it mean we must wear sac+cloth and smear ourselves with ash2 *oes it mean giving up the family2 *oes it mean we cannot engage in business& or pursue science and things li+e that2 'he answer is none of the above0

1hatever we do& we must ma%e sure we are true to $od and use the gifts He has bestowed upon us for the benefit of humanity and for the reverence& sustenance and the protection of 2ature. All this we have do

fully conscious all the time that $od is our Lord& that we are doing all this to please Him& and we do this best when we offer our actions to Him with love. P6N C'cle Protects the (anctit' of the (oul
:ollowing the PCN cycle ma+es it a breeBe to follow such an ideal scenario. Let#s ta+e the e6ample of a person with good musical talent. 'his person has the opportunity to ma+e millions by .mar+eting1 his or her talent but refuses to do so. ,e or she as the case may be& sings for !od and by doing so brings "oy to millions. 'his is not to say the person must not accept salary or payment needed for sustenance= not at all= what one e6pects is that the person does not mortgage their soul in order to ma+e millions. Particularly where music is concerned& there are any number of e6amples& indeed from all cultures that one can give to illustrate the above point. 'here is& to start with& the famous case of 'yagara"a& the incomparable devotee of Lord Rama& who spent his entire life singing for Rama#s pleasure. In the process& 'yagara"a created a vast treasure of superb and soulful music& which forms the very bac+bone of traditional South Indian music& popularly +nown as 5arnatic music.

ne day& 'yagara"a#s brother decided he would try to cash in on his brother#s talent and persuaded the local +ing to invite 'yagara"a to his court and sing for him. Agreeing to the proposal& the +ing sent his servants to 'yagara"a#s house& carrying the customary gifts with the royal invite. ;hen these servants arrived& offered the gifts and presented the invitation from the +ing to sing in his court& 'yagara"a sang& . mind& tell me whether wealth would bring great happiness or being in Rama#s presence21 'hrough this poignant song& 'yagara"a clearly delineated the two basic choices before man( .;hich is preferable& ephemeral pleasure derived from the transient world or eternal "oy derived from being one with !od21 'he options before man have seldom been more clearly delineated. 'his option constantly presents itself in some form or the other to almost everyone& every single day= and yet how many of us ta+e the time to thin+ about it and ta+e the proper decision2 I recall seeing many years ago a '> documentary film on the atom bomb& in which :reeman *yson ma+es some comments.

As you may recall& *yson was born in /ngland& studied physics there& wor+ed as a brilliant analyst during ;orld ;ar II& then went to America where he did some monumental wor+ on -uantum electrodynamics that made him famous. A man blessed with a raBor sharp mind and the ability to thin+ brilliantly& for a time he wor+ed in the Los Alamos laboratory in the <S developing advanced and efficient hydrogen bombs using the principle of radiation compression. 'his made the hydrogen bomb -uite small& which delighted the military no end for they could now pac+ many such bombs into one missile and shoot that missile to any part of the world. All this was hailed as an enormous technical feat that it no doubt was. 9ut reflecting on all that later& *yson admitted that by doing this sort of research& he had sold his soul to the devil0 'oday& wherever we loo+& +nowledge& wealth& talent& and even things that !od has given us li+e water& land& endless resources are being misused to the point of committing big crimes against humanity and society. 'a+e cyber crimes& for e6ample. 5yber crimes are committed by very intelligent people with enormous computer s+ills. 5orporate crimes too are committed only by very sharp people. *id !od give intelligence to be misused in this manner2

-lin)ers to A%oi# the Goal of !ife

'oday& when our creative abilities are at their highest& we are almost blind to the obvious. ;hy2 ;e simply do not want to see the truth0 'o see the truth and accept it would mean we would have to give up the trash and the trivial.

f a perso+ s r #h- he %oes +ot sa)- I ear+e% all th s ") () har% la"our a+% the s,eat of () "ro,& Rather- t s a "less +! ! *e+ to (e ") Go%& Go% has #hose+ (e to hol% th s part of / s ,ealth for / s use- a+% ! *e+ the 1o" of us +! that (o+e) for Go%2s ,or$ to (e&.

;e may reason instead& .;hy should I& when I get such a +ic+ out of all this21 'hat is how the drug addict and the alcoholic got on to the slippery slope but can we say drug addiction and being an alcoholic are wise choices2 If this is told to the brash and the aggressive they would simply say& .4an& you simply do not +now anything about en"oying life01 9y saying so the person might pat himself on the bac+ about having come forth with a smart repartee but the fact of the matter is that such persons are all blind to the main purpose of life.

,ow many times has Swami as+ed in ,is *iscourses( .,as !od given you life and blessed you specially with the human form so that you can fritter it away in routine e6istence li+e birds and animals do2 Should you not use this life to be conscious of your divine roots and go in search of your true home21 If we accept that the purpose of life is indeed to go bac+ where we came from& then adoption of the PCN cycle as a practical way of life becomes automatic.

(imple is (traightfor"ar#
'he idea behind the PCN cycle is not very complicated really. In fact Radio Sai itself represents a very beautiful e6ample. ;orldSpace#s *r. Noah Samara came to Swami many years ago. ,e was at that time& "ust launching his scheme of digital satellite radio broadcasting. At that time& it was a pioneering concept but since then& it has become common in many parts of the world. After having Swami#s darshan& *r. Samara offered to Swami a radio channel e6clusively for spreading 9hagavan#s universal message of love and harmony& and the offer was graciously accepted by the 5entral 'rust.

Dr Michea! Nobe! "!e#t$ speaks on the Day o# the %nauguration o# &adio Sai G!oba! 'armony in November ())* A few months later& on )Hrd November )FFI& while participating in the formal inauguration ceremony& *r. 4ichael Nobel& 4ember of the ;orldSpace 9oard said that what prompted his company to come forward with the offer was the fact that the divine message of love would spread across the continents so much faster if it were done via the radio. *r. Nobel noted that he was personally amaBed how& by mere word of mouth& the Sai movement had spread across oceans and continents= how much -uic+er it all would be& said *r. Nobel& if the dissemination could be done via the radio.

Indeed his e6pectations have come true= the very fact that Radio Sai is able to connect with millions of listeners all over the world day after day& and wee+ after wee+& bringing you its services through ,), eC"ournal& three streams of broadcasting& )JKA& Saicast video streaming& daily Sai messages via email& among other services& is proof enough. 'he Radio Sai e6ample is fine e6ample of illustrating the effectiveness of the PCN cycle. *r. Samara had no obligation to offer a free channel to us= but he felt that !od#s gift of satellite broadcasting must be made available for !od#s wor+ and that is how he came to ma+e the offer. 'oday& spiritual see+ers around the globe feel connected to Prasanthi Nilayam& the spiritual capital of the universe because of *r. Samara#s adherence to the PN 5ycle. 'he vision of the ;orldSpace board is helping many to stay focused on their purpose in life.

Gi%ing -ac) to (ociet'

4any of you must have heard the famous heartCtransplant surgeon *r. Deevanandam of 5hicago being interviewed on Radio Sai. *r. Deeva feels blessed by Swami and has decided therefore to render service in Swami#s ,ospital here as often as possible& which in fact he regularly does. You do not have to be worldCclass surgeon to engage in PC N cycle. ;e have the classic e6ample of a person from the middle class in 7erala& 4r. !eorge= many years ago& he underwent heart surgery in Swami#s hospital here.

,r. $eorge feels that he is alive today entirely because of Swami6 and so& he ma%es time every year to spend at least ten days in Swami!s hospital& offering his voluntary services& as needed.
All of us are -ualified to participate in the PCN cycle in our own way& provided the urge is there. Please note that in the PCN cycle& there is an implied value addition. !od gives us some gift= we process it a bit further& add value to it& and offer it bac+ to !od via society. ffering bac+ to !od via society is& T E most important part of the PCN cycle.

Mr George Me!kay came to SSS%'MS+ PG #or the #irst time as a patient but has #o!!o,ed this up ,ith more than *- annua! visits as a happy vo!unteer 'he PCN cycle idea is more profound than it might appear at first sight. It is closely connected with another important concept called trusteeship. ;e shall discuss this concept in detail later but in brief& it revolves around the following ideas(

1. /very single individual& no matter to what strata of society he or she belongs& accepts the notion that
whatever assets the person might have& actually belong to !od and that the person concerned is merely a trustee of !od who holds that asset for and on behalf of !od.

2. 'hus& for e6ample& if a person is rich& he does not say& .I earned all this by my hard labour and the sweat of
my brow. Rather& it is a blessing given to me by !od. !od has chosen me to hold this part of ,is wealth for ,is use& and given the "ob of using that money for !od#s wor+ to me.1

3. Adopting this spirit& the person then spends the money for the benefit of society in every possible way.
4any -uestions might arise. .,ow is the person supposed to live2 After all& he wor+ed hard and earned that money= should he not have access to that money2 5an he not spend it as he li+es21

!i%ing !ife as a Trustee

M+(*NG( FROM PRA( ANT * N*!A/AM !"#D$%&%'S S"()OD"*" + ,-./"(- /O( ".. &' Prof. Ven)ataraman
This is the te0t of ' Musings /rom Prashanthi #ilayam' whi h was aired on (adiosai a few days ago .

Loving Sai Ram& and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. Recently& a conference of economists was organised in the Institute here& on the initiative of Prof. >ishwanath Pandit& a leading economist in the country who "oined our faculty a couple of years ago& after serving with distinction for many decades in the famous *elhi School of /conomics of *elhi <niversity. Prof. Pandit shares with me the teaching of the Awareness 5ourse to our postCgraduate students here& and since I +now him very well& he as+ed me to give an evening lecture during the conference. 'oday& I am going to tell you something about what I said during my tal+. 'he title of my tal+ was( SAR> *AYA : R ',/ )IS' 5/N'<RY( IS I' A' ALL P SSI9L/2 Since most of you might not be aware of what Sarvodaya means& I should perhaps start by telling you something

about it. 'his word became a part of the Indian vocabulary than+s to 4ahatma !andhi& who translated it as( ;/L:AR/ : R ALL. I would add& welfare for all based on a moral philosophy relating to the principle of 'rusteeship. o" Gan#hi Foun# the Sarvodaya *#ea I shall e6plain shortly what this means& but before that I ought to tell you two things. :irstly& !andhi came upon this idea in IGFJ. At that time& he was in South Africa& and once when he was travelling by train from Dohannesburg to *urban& he started reading Dohn Rus+in#s boo+& Unto the .ast. About this e6perience& !andhi later wrote(

% cou!d not get any s!eep that night % ,as determined to change my !i#e in acco // % !ater trans!ated the book into Gujarati+ entit!ing it+ Sarvodaya+ the ,e!#ar !andhi introduced the idea of Sarvodaya to the Indian public when he became involved with the freedom struggle. ,e as+ed himself& .;hen India becomes free& what +ind of a country should it be21 'hat was when he made his views on Sarvodaya widely +nown. In short& !andhi wanted Independent India to have a Sarvodaya Society. f course& things did not wor+ out that way at all. Instead& India went on the path of what might be called Scientific Socialism with a strong emphasis on heavy industries and all that. It was propelled on this path by Dawaharlal Nehru& the first Prime 4inister of India& the man whom !andhi himself declared was his successor. ;hy on earth did Nehru then distance himself from the 4ahatma#s cherished dream2 'here is a historical reason for this. 9efore I come to that& I should mention that a few of the remar+s I would be ma+ing shortly might be considered by some people as .negative1. I hope I would be pardoned for this& but there is a reason behind my statements. I am here discussing problemCsolving and not trying to give a cosy tal+. ;hen we want to get rid of malaria or cholera& we must start with factors that cause malaria or cholera in the first place. 'hen alone can one plan a good strategy that would solve the problem. Please +eep this in mind and bear with me for a while. Gan#hi an# Nehru . $i%ergent Paths, Common Goal Let me get bac+ to the Indian scene. 5ontinuing on what I was saying earlier& both !andhi and Nehru were deeply pained by the massive poverty in India. 9oth wanted India to be rid of ab"ect poverty= only& their recipes for achieving this differed. !andhi preferred the philosophy of Sarvodaya& while Nehru was attracted to the economic policy followed by the Soviet <nion of those days. Nehru saw in mighty Russia a concrete e6ample of a Society that had rid itself of poverty& and had provided all its citiBens with employment& shelter and food. f course& Nehru did not accept Stalin#s cruel dictatorship but he as+ed& .;hy can#t I combine Russia #s economic philosophy with democracy21 'hus was born what is nowadays referred to as Nehruvian Socialism. Nehru passionately believed that Science and 'echnology alone could solve the massive problems of India. Nehru died in IGLJ& but Nehruvian Socialism survived him and had a long innings up to almost IGGF. After Nehru%ian (ocialism, No" American Capitalism So what happened in IGGF2 People wo+e up to the fact that Nehruvian Socialism had not delivered the goods. 'hey then went shopping for a new economic philosophy. In the shopping mall of economic theories& there was the mar+etCoriented philosophy that America had pioneered& and that 5hina appeared to have shown to be a wonderful model for a developing country to adopt.

'hus& willyCnilly& India has swung from the idealistic but nonCwor+able Scientific Socialism of Nehru to the new 4ar+etC oriented 5apitalism of the ;est& with !lobalisation coming in tow. India has been e6perimenting with this new philosophy for about IM years now& and one might as+& .;hat is the score card li+e21 'he answer you will get would depend very much upon the person whom you are as+ing. 'here are many who would say things are much better& in fact 3simply wonderful#= that#s because these people can now readily buy goods in the Indian mar+et that fifteen years ago were unthin+able& especially consumer goods of various +inds. 'hese people sing praises because they have the means to purchase. 'he list of things we can now buy here is in fact -uite impressive 8 everything from cars to '>#s& refrigerators& air conditioners& down to perfumes& designer clothes and what not. Add to them such goodies li+e computers& cell phones& digital cameras& etc.& and it loo+s li+e a real dream. /arlier& most of these things were simply not available and such things as foreign li-uor and tape recorders could be obtained only in the smugglers# mar+et. Yes& today we can even get imported cheese& imported biscuits& and all the rest of it. As if this is not enough& we have hamburger "oints& piBBa parlours etc.& to ma+e the cup of ."oy1 full. And for those who can afford& there is the Rolls Royce too0 The Curses of Capitalism 9ut there is a flip side to all of this. :irstly& than+s to heavy importing& a good bit of manufacturing has had to close down& leaving hundreds of thousands unemployed. In !u"arat & which used to hum with manufacturing& hundreds of factories have closed down. And this has not only thrown factory wor+ers on to the streets& but also left truc+ operators etc.& who moved the industrial products& high and dry. 'here are more serious problems& caused by a strong shift to the soCcalled mar+etCoriented economy. Nowadays& everything has a high price tag& from medical services to education. 'he way things are right now& I am afraid most young men in the future would not be able to get college and professional education. 'hat would leave all these millions barely employable& e6cept in lowCgrade tas+s. Thus, "hile for the ha%es it is a "on#erful change, for the ha%e6nots, things are not so goo#A in fact, in man' respects, it is "orse. 'o put it in a nutshell& the way things are going& soon the world over& especially in the very rich countries and in countries with huge populations li+e 5hina and India& there would be basically two categories of people 8 one that is rich and can afford& and the other that is poor and cannot afford. Once there is a sharp gra#ient in income le%els, man' social e%ils automaticall' surface. 'hus& the more aggressive in the disadvantaged group ta+e to crime that includes e6tortion& +idnapping& drugC peddling etc. At the other end& many of the rich either cheat the law in such matters as ta6es& or simply ignore the law by engaging in mighty corporate frauds and shady deals of various +inds. In addition& there are bright people who try to get a big +ic+ out of cyber crimes& hac+ing& generating computer viruses and so on. In short& anything for +ic+s or money or both. In between are caught millions who feel highly insecure and do not +now which way to turn. Let me restate the two different perspectives on the present scenario.

What the Supporters of Consumerism Say The supporters of the consumerist economy, globalisation and all that say:

Listen, there is no alternative to freemarket economy, coupled with freedom of choice, freedom of the press etc. The human mind will always seek pleasure and be driven by greed. Greed is not all that bad. It is the fuel that drives the engine of modern

What the Opposers of Consumerism Say Let me now turn to the negative side of this scorecard that appears so glittering on one side. ou know the old saying ! all that glitters is not gold" that applies very much in this case. #ere is the way I see it:

es, superficially, things do appear better in India now, thanks to the free market, globalisation and all that. However, it is better largely for those who have managed to move up.


economy.

es, those with drive and initiative come out at the top. $hat they have earned is through hard work and diligent use of their skills. $hat%s wrong with that& '(, they have accumulated wealth but their )uest for wealth and pleasure also generates so many *obs. Thus, there is a trickle down of wealth to lower levels, and you cannot dismiss it.

The free-market economy is basically built on the philosophy of profit for one or at best a limited number of people that own stock in a particular corporation or business or whatever. It is really not bothered about the welfare of the public at large. If it creates some *obs, that is purely incidental ! all that the company wants is money, money and still more money. #ere is an e-ample. The big tobacco companies ra e in huge amounts. !ut do cigarettes do any good to anybody" .illions die on account of lung cancer. /y the way, in the globalisation era, *obs have been made mobile. If tomorrow country / offers lower wages compared to country 0 and therefore gives greater scope for profits, orders would go from country 0 to /, leaving thousands in country 0 *obless, literally overnight. #reed not only causes havoc to human Society $ by promoting obesity and %uvenile diabetes, for e&ample $ but also ravages the environment. The rapid growth in carbon dio-ide levels in the atmosphere is one e-ample.

In short, this is the best system one can think of, and it has come through trial and error and a long process of evolution. To re*ect it would be the height of stupidity. I have given you a very weak summary but if you hear the advocates of the free market philosophy, you would find that they really go to town with their suave presentation.They will convince almost everyone that this is T#+ thing one must go for ! marketing at its best I would say,

I won#t ma+e a long song and dance of it all. As I see it& during the last hundred years or so& many political and economic philosophies have been tried& and most of them have floundered. Some may appear to be successful but when one e6amines deeply& it is a different story. I would say that there is nothing really worth choosing from amongst the socioCeconomic philosophies offered thus far. There is one common reason for this collecti%e failure . an# that is the' all lac) a serious moral &asis. You see& my point is very simple really. Let me ta+e the 5ommunist philosophy& which Stalinist Russia swore by. As a philosophy it is un-uestionably idealistic= but in practice2 'hat is a different matter altogether= that is why one intellectual whose name I do not remember said( 8A man is a fool if he is not a Communist at the age of t"ent', an# he is a fool if remains a Communist at the age of fort'?; 7& now what happened in the Russia of those days2 No doubt the essential wants of the people were provided& but the tyranny of the State eventually led to a collapse. 9asically& the system had no moral engine to drive it. Let me now turn to the other e6treme& namely 5apitalism& especially as it is being advocated these days. ;hen there is a lot of space for everyone& 5apitalism does appear 7= and indeed& it was because of that hundreds of thousands floc+ed from /urope to America in the latter part of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century. America was truly the land of opportunity. The $e%ious Philosoph' of Capitalism 9ut lately 5apitalism has become global& and its philosophy mostly appears to be( ' ,/LL ;I', S 5I/'Y. 4A7/ PR :I' 9Y , 7 R 9Y 5R 7. People may accuse me of gross oversimplification but you +now this in fact is what many people say even in America& 9ritain& :rance etc. 'a+e the pharmaceutical industry& for e6ample. Recently& the 995 ran a documentary serial entitled( PILLS& PA'I/N'S AN* PR :I'. In that serial& the broadcast "ournalists

e6plored in detail why lifeCsaving drugs cost so much. It is largely because of the desire of the corporate sector to ma+e as much money as possible. 'here are any numbers of such e6amples I can give& including of the inhuman desertion of the victims of the 9hopal !as 'ragedy& but I shall not. I shall ma+e "ust one simple point. As I see it& the current glo&alisation mantra is all a&out securing profit for a fe", namel' the sharehol#ers. 'his might create "obs but that is incidental. Profit is the main motive& and if securing profits means "obs have to be cut& people have to be pushed to poverty etc.& that is "ust unfortunate but that is the way the coo+ie crumbles. In short& it is all about wealth for a few at the e6pense of many. There is, on the part of the &ig corporations, onl' passing concern for the sufferings of large sections of humanit', an# much less for the en%ironment. Dust to give you two e6amples& ta+e a loo+ at the way gambling casinos are multiplying the world over. ften& governments aid and abet this process. In the gambling business& the owners of the casinos never lose money= on the contrary& they ma+e tons of money. 9ut if you loo+ at the people lured by gambling& many of them go bro+e= and the tragic part is that most of these are people with limited means. Incidentally& this is what is happening in the rich countries0 ,ere then is a clear e6ample of ta+ing gullible people for a ride in the name of ma+ing money. 4ercifully& we do not have the big casinos& at least as yet. Similarly& if you loo+ at the increase in the carbon dio6ide content of the atmosphere& you would find that it is many of the rich countries that have failed to stand by the 7yoto protocol that calls for measures that would bring about a sharp decrease in the emission. (ar%o#a'a of Mahatma Gan#hi It is time to bring in Sarvodaya. Let me start by placing before you some of the things that !andhi said. !andhi was -uite clear that one can not factorise life and say this is political& that is spiritual and so forth. :or him& life was always one indivisible whole. It "ust could not be cut and parcelled as one wishes. ,e says( 0he ,ho!e gamut o# man1s activities today constitutes an indivisib!e ,ho!e 2ou cannot divide socia!+ economic+ po!itica! and pure!y re!igious ,ork into ,atertight compartments % do not kno, o# any re!igion apart #rom human activity It is often said that !andhi was against machines& industrialisation and all that. It is true he started off li+e that and it is e-ually true that he was always uncomfortable where machines were concerned. ,owever& over the years& he reluctantly conceded that machines did have a place but within limits. 'his is how he e6pressed this idea once( % do visua!ise e!ectricity+ ship bui!ding+ iron ,orks+ machine making and the !ike e3isting side by side ,ith vi!!age handicra#ts 'itherto+ industria!isation has been so p!anned as to destroy the vi!!age and vi!!age handicra#ts %n the State o# the #uture+ it ,i!! sub serve the vi!!ages and their cra#ts ;hy was !andhi so distrustful of machines2 'here were many reasons& one of them being that they tend to produce unemployment. Mechanisation is good ,hen the hands are too #e, #or the ,ork intended to be accomp!ished %t is an evi! ,hen there are more hands than re4uired+ as is the case in %ndia Another reason why !andhi was concerned about machines was that they tend to produce a monopoly that worsens the state of the poor. 'his can be clearly seen in the case of medicines and drugs. Protected by patents& IPR and all that& the big pharma companies today charge a very high price for the antiCretroviral drugs $AR>% that ,I> infected patients must ta+e regularly if they are to save themselves. And who are those that need these AR>#s2 4ostly the poor& especially in Africa. 'hus it is that !andhi said( % have no consideration #or machinery that is intended to enrich a #e, at the e3pense o# the many // % hate privi!ege and monopo!y 5hatever cannot be shared ,ith the masses is taboo to me

First Moralit', then Machines !andhi was always very clear about one thing. !ife is gi%en to man &' Go# for going on the spiritual path. So he always as+ed himself(65i!! machines de#!ect me #rom the spiritua! path78 !iving e6pression to his concerns& he once wrote( As a moderate!y inte!!igent man+ % kno, that man cannot !ive ,ithout industry 0here#ore+ % cannot be opposed to industria!isation But % have a great concern about introduction o# machine industry 0he machine produces much too #ast+ and brings ,ith it a sort o# economic system % cannot grasp % do not ,ant to accept something ,hen % see its evi! e##ects+ ,hich out,eigh ,hatever good it brings ,ith it % ,ant the dumb mi!!ions o# our !and to be hea!thy and happy+ and % ,ant them to gro, spiritua!!y 9nce ,e have shaped our !i#e on Ahimsa+ ,e sha!! kno, ho, to contro! the machine Yet another of his concerns was about the manner in which technology leads to an unnecessary multiplication of wants. ,e +new very well about the wea+ness of the 4ind and its infinite capacity to delude itself. 'hus he wrote( 0he Mind is a rest!ess bird+ the more it gets the more it ,ants and sti!! remains unsatis#ied 0here#ore+ the idea o# creating an un!imited number o# ,ants and satis#ying them seems to be a de!usion and a snare :ivi!isation in the rea! sense consists+ not in the mu!tip!ication o# ,ants but in the de!iberate and vo!untary reduction o# ,ants ;hen I see what is going on today& I find !andhi#s warning prophetic. I mean "ust loo+ at what they are doing with mobile phones and video games. 'he people who produce these giBmos give fancy names li+e convergence and all that& but it is a lot of rubbish really. None of these things do anything for the soul of man. As I see it& they are devil#s instruments. And this precisely is what !andhi himself said& long before anyone +new that devils toys would be available in hundreds of millions. % do not be!ieve that mu!tip!ication o# ,ants and machinery contrived to supp!y them is taking the ,or!d a step nearer its goa!/ % ,ho!e; hearted!y detest this mad desire to destroy distance and time+ to increase anima! appetites and go to the ends o# the earth in search o# their satis#action %# modern civi!isations stands #or a!! this+ and % have understood it to do so+ % ca!! it satanic 7& !andhi was against all the things that we now ta+e for granted& li+e '>& for e6ample. 4aybe they have problems. 9ut what are we to do2 ;here do we go from here2 Is there any alternative to a philosophy and a way of life based on consumerism& globalisation and all that2 'hat#s what I shall deal with ne6t. 9here $oes Consumerism Culminate: 'han+s to heavy brainCwashing& there is a mindset amongst most educated people that there is no alternative to a consumerist economy& globalisation and all that. All these passionate advocates would forcefully point out to the success of 5hina and indeed of India. 'hey would say( .Listen& are you not aware how people are tal+ing of 5hina and India as the potential Superpowers of the )I st century21 and so on. I don#t wish to get deeply entrenched in this +ind of argument 8 I do not have much time for it anyway. 9ut there are a few points I would li+e to place before you concerning where rec+less consumerism can and does lead. Firstl', the forces that promote consumerism "ant e%er'one to spen# . the more "e spen#, the happier the' are &ecause the' can ra)e in huge profits. Ne6t& consumerism leads to a lot of waste. People may say& . h& that#s no problem we can always recycle.1 'hat is all more easily said than done. Right no", the Bo& of #ismantling ol# ships, ol# computers, ol# mo&ile phones etc., is &eing Cuietl' #umpe# on the so calle# Thir# 9orl# , an# lea#ing to a lot of pollution there. I heard a 995 radio documentary dealing with dismantling computers and mobile phones. 'he 995 reporter went to a flat in a crowded part of *elhi where a large number of smallCscale industries were located. 'he owner of this small shop was tearing down computers and all that& with absolutely no safety provisions& and was unaware that he was discharging dangerous metals li+e beryllium& lead& mercury& cadmium& into the environment. 'he reporter as+ed this fellow& .*o you +now

what a dangerous "ob you are doing2 *o you +now you can die21 'he man doing the dismantling replied in a philosophical manner( .I am going to die anyway= this "ob at least gives me something to eat while I am alive.1 I can go on and on& but the simple point is that consumerism lea#s ultimatel' to gra%e #anger to the planet. And when the planet is in danger& ALL are in danger& />/RY;,/R/. ne cannot simply hide oneself inside an impregnable fortress. As someone said& . ne cannot live in an island of lu6ury in an ocean of misery.1

*s Going Nuclear the Ans"er: *ear listener& please spend some time thin+ing deeply about the longCterm conse-uences of all that modern consumerism implies. If you do& then you would come to the inevitable conclusion that there can be such a thing as too much. ;hen Dames ;att invented the steam engine roughly two hundred years ago& he un+nowingly ushered in the famous Industrial Revolution. 'rue the Industrial Revolution has conferred a lot of benefits but it has also left us with a heavy price tag. 'he carbonCdio6ide pollution of the atmosphere and the danger of the greenhouse gases is the price tag. 'his is the burden that the generations of the past two centuries have left for the present. And now what is happening2 People are saying go nuclear= go for atomic power stations= everything would be 7= no carbon dio6ide problem any more. I can say something about nuclear electricity& having lived for IH years right ne6t to a nuclear power station near 4adras & where two reactors were pumping electricity into the local grid. Yes& with a nuclear power plant& we do not have the carbon dio6ide emission problem. 'here is of course the safety problem& and after the famous 5hernobyl accident& people do have a reason to be deeply concerned. -ut let us sa' that the reactors of the future operate acci#ent free. That #oes not let us off the hoo) for there "oul# still &e the pro&lem of "hat to #o "ith highl' toDic ra#ioacti%e "aste generate#. In simple terms& we have to thin+ deeply about whether we can have limitless growth in a finite world. 'o put the problem in perspective& "ust consider the following facts( EF The amount of fresh "ater a%aila&le to humanit' is fiDe# an# limite#. 4F The amount of culti%a&le lan# too is fiDe#A in fact, #ue to misuse, the amount of ara&le lan# is actuall' #ecreasing. @F The population of the "orl#, on the other han#, is increasing rapi#l'. N</S'I N( ;hat do we do about water in the future& especially as the consumption of water is rapidly increasing than+s to demands from the industry2 ;hat do we do about food in the future& considering that agriculture also needs water and added to that land2 You may at this point say& .Listen& we have heard all this sort of thing so many times from you. 9ut what is the alternative2 In fact& is there an alternative21 'hat is the -uestion I shall now deal with.

The (oli# an# (ole Alternati%e . (pirit of Trusteeship 'he alternative we have& and in my opinion the only sane alternative is Sarvodaya . You might immediately ob"ect saying& .Listen& when even !andhi could not get Sarvodaya started& do you thin+ you can do it2 4oreover& remember& this is the internet age. 4uch has happened since !andhi died. 9e realistic man01 4y reply would be the following( firstly& I am not trying to implement Sarvodaya. I am merely recommending it. Secondly& I am not for a moment arguing that we try to implement !andhi#s blue print in toto& with :harka ?spinning wheel@ and all. Not at all. Nor am I suggesting that we get rid of Science and 'echnology= that would be& to use an American idiom& li+e throwing the baby with the bath water. I am merely saying we must ta+e a serious loo+ at the SPIRI' of Sarvodaya& and implement that spirit& +eeping in mind all the modern factors and parameters. ;ell& what e6actly is that spirit2 It is the spirit of 'rusteeship. I have mentioned 'rusteeship in many of my tal+s& but on this occasion& I would li+e to ma+e some brief remar+s in the conte6t of the new economic order that I am advocating. Trusteeship is "hat * "oul# call Moral (ocialism or (ocialism "ith a Conscience. ;hat has been tried out earlier by so many people in so many countries is what !andhi refers to as Scientific Socialism. It is a philosophy based on idealism no doubt but without

any reference to individual and collective morals. 'he philosophy tries to see+ e-uality and welfare for all& by sheer economic planning. 5itiBens are e6pected to be patriotic& idealistic& ethical and so forth. In practice& this has not wor+ed on a sustained basis. 'a+e& for e6ample& the erstwhile Soviet <nion. It started off on a wonderful idealistic note and indeed abolished poverty in a sort of manner. Nobody starved& everybody had employment of some sort& and everybody had access to education as well as health care& and so forth. 'here was& as one scholar put it& a +ind of arithmetical e-uality. Yes& there was a guarantee of employment& housing& etc. 9ut since the system lac+ed a moral bac+bone& the leaders and those who e6ercised administrative and bureaucratic control& decided they would be more e-ual than others. Nuic+ly& this led to a gross system aberration& followed by mass discontent. System collapse inevitably followed. ;hat comes out strongly from the e6perience of various countries is that unless there is honesty across the board& unless people decide to be uniformly unselfish& there is always trouble.

The Philosoph' of (ar%o#a'a 7& so what is the alternative2 Let us go bac+ to Sarvodaya and e6amine what e6actly it implies. 'he Sarvodaya philosophy does not see+ any arithmetic e-uality. It recognises stratification in Society& and tries to ad"ust to it in a spiritual way. ,ow2 >ia the principle of 'rusteeship. The starting point of the Trusteeship principle is that e%er'thing &elongs to Go#. 9y the way& this is not my declaration= Swami ,imself has said this many& many times& starting from the 7rishnaAvatar. 4y ne6t point is that every one of us is blessed in some way or the other. !od may have blessed us with material wealth& good health& intelligence& etc. All these are to be regarded as assets belonging to !od& and the individual must simply regard whatever he has as !od#s property& of which he or she is "ust a 'rustee. Let us say there is a brilliant scientist. ,e ma+es all +inds of wonderful discoveries. 9ut the scientist is humble and regards all the +nowledge resulting from his discoveries as belonging to !od. ,e does not patent his discoveries& shares his +nowledge with all& and engages only in wor+ that is beneficial to Society and is not harmful. In particular& he avoids unethical research li+e poison. You may say& this will not wor+ in this day and age. 'hat is what we would thin+& conditioned as we are by the constant propaganda about IPR or intellectual property right etc. 9ut are you aware of something called open source software2 'his is a remar+able concept and it is amaBing it is wor+ing so well in this fierce globalisation age. I will not go into all the details& but mention the +ey concept( :R// S :';AR/. ;hat it means is that the person using it has the freedom to modify the programme obtained as free software and the freedom to distribute copies& either gratis or for a fee. 5losely related is the concept of 3copyleft# ?opposite of copyright@. 'he central idea of copyleft is that the one who uses the source programme ?obtained free@ and modifies it& must ma+e the modified versions available free. 'his is how the entire community is supported and encouraged to grow. 9ut does this not go against the fundamental principles of business2 Not -uite. ;hat has happened is that since +nowledge is available for free& lots and lots of people are able to download and develop their own products and promote software growth. 'his enables system costs to come down= hardware can now be bundled with free software& and that also promotes economic growth. :or e6ample& right now& in India we can get a P5 with Linu6 for a much lower cost than a P5 with ;indows.

The True Trusteeship (ociet' Let me get on with the 'rusteeship idea& for time is running out. You see& in a true 'rusteeship Society& everyone owns minimal wealth 8 all the rest belongs to !od& and is administered for and on behalf of !od. Yes& the doctor would need some e6tra money to maintain his clinic& and so on= but that is not contested. No one ever grudges legitimate per+s. :or e6ample& even in a 5ommunist Society& people were reasonable enough to accept that the ,ead of State would need a special aircraft to travel= one "ust cannot e6pect the ,ead to come in the -ueue and boo+ his tic+et on a commercial flight. ;hy was there this acceptance of the per+2 9ecause of two reasons.

In a true Trusteeship Society, everyone owns minimal wealth $ all the rest belongs to #od, and is administered for and on behalf of #od....The

important point is that everyone is busy wor ing for others for that is their duty.
:irstly& the ,ead does not own the aircraft and secondly& the ,ead is not flaunting any personal wealth of his. In the same way& in a true modern Sarvodaya Society& no one would grudge legitimate .per+s1 coming with some category of "obs. The important point is that e%er'one is &us' "or)ing for others for that is their #ut'. ;hen one is busy in this manner and is committed to a moral and simple life& it automatically means that individual desires would come down& there would be less of consumption& especially of unwanted and undesirable goods& less of energy consumption and therefore less of pollution& and so on. 'his& many would complain& is an unrealistic proposal and will not wor+ in practice. 'o rebut this idea& Swami cites the e6ample of the human body. It is really a beautiful e6ample. I have no doubt mentioned this on earlier occasions but in the present conte6t& the human body provides an unmatched e6ample. The -est Mo#el 6 The uman -o#' You see& in the human body& we have& to start with many systems li+e the respiratory system& the circulatory system& the nervous system and so on. /ach system is made up of subCsystems and so on& and when we come down the hierarchy ladder& we reach the organs& li+e the heart& the brain& the liver& the stomach& the pancreas and so on. If we go further down& and we can& we eventually reach the level of the cells. In a sense& the cells are the basic building bloc+s of the human body. Now what has the human body got to do with social problems& economics and all that2 'hat is what Swami has e6plained beautifully. ,e says that Society is a comple6 system built by man using the individual as the building bloc+& "ust as !od has built the human body using cells. Li+e the body& Society has systems& subsystems etc. performing different functions. 'he body lives& and so does the Society. 7& so far so good. 'here are many analogies. So what2 Swami says that man must not "ust see analogies. Instead& man must try to understand the principle on which the human body wor+s. 'o use "argon& what is the perating System that governs the body2 9elieve it or not& it is the principle of 'rusteeship& that is& every organ wor+s for the common benefit of the entire body0 *on#t believe2 Dust consider what Swami says( ,e says that when we have fever and the doctor gives a bitter medicine& does the tongue spit it out2 No& bitter or not& it swallows. ;hy2 So that the body may get better. r say the doctor wants to give an in"ection2 *oes the arm say& .No way0 ;hy should I suffer the pric+ for the sa+e of the body21 Similarly& does the brain loo+ down upon the +idney for doing lowCclass wor+2 Not at all. In fact& !od has given us two +idneys& a spare one& which alone ought to show how important the +idney is. I can go on and on but I shall not. * #on7t thin) it ta)es much intelligence to appreciate that Go# has gi%en the perfect Operating ('stem for the human &o#'. ("ami as)s "h' then #oes not man simpl' cop' this s'stem "hen it "oul# sol%e all our pro&lems: 'he answer is simple. ,umans want room for selfishness& and the 'rusteeship system does not allow any room for that. People would argue& .9e reasonable& who can be unselfish21 and so on.

*s +nselfishness Possi&le: . ("ami (ho"s the 9a' ;ell& if we want to cling to selfishness& then we have to pay the price for it 8 there is no such thing as a free lunch. Dust watch Swami at wor+. Is there any trace of selfishness2 Absolutely not. 'hat is how ,e has been able to establish a worldCclass hospital that offers free treatment to all who come. Dust ta+e a moment to digest this. ,ere in Puttaparthi which was until recently a bona fide village in a developing country& Swami has set up such a big hospital that offers advanced medical treatment completely free. Such a thing cannot be found even in a rich country. 'hat is what Love and selflessness can achieve. People would say& . h come on& be reasonable= we are ordinary humans= we cannot be selfless li+e Swami.1 Possibly true but we can try to be li+e 'rustees at least to some e6tent. ;e can cut down our desires& share what we have in good measure with

the haveCnots and so on. ;e can curb anger& "ealousy and hatred at least. ;ill that not start improving our world2 ("ami7s 9a' 6 The (implest Route to (ar%o#a'a You +now something2 Swami has given the simplest route to achieving Sarvodaya ,e says L >/ ALL& S/R>/ ALL. Spend five minutes and analyse carefully the implications of this profound teaching of Swami. If you do& you will find& as I have& that this seemingly simple formula if adopted by all at least to some e6tent& 5AN indeed bring a good measure of welfare to a good many. And& as a result& a good many of the world#s problems would also get solved in the process. 4aybe we will not have IFFO Sarvodaya, &ut e%en G>H "oul# gi%e us a far &etter "orl#? I hope you would agree that my earlier reference to the problems of the world was not out of place. 4any people are of the view that devotion is all about the relationship between the individual and !od. 'hat is indeed true. o"e%er, it must &e realise# that Go# is not to &e seen merel' in the ph'sical form that e #ons "hen e #escen#s as an "vatar. As ("ami constantl' remin#s us, "e must see Go# e%er'"here in e%er'thing, all the time. In other words& especially in today#s world& we must be conscious of our relationship to Society and to Nature& which are aspects of !od Almighty. ;hen we fall sic+& do we not ta+e steps to get cured2 ,ow then can we disassociate ourselves from the problems of Society and the ecosystem and not bother about finding solutions2 'his is what we are e6pected to stress as teachers here= this is what I do in my classes all the time& and it is on account of that I choose to discuss some of the issues facing us to& not to scare you but to stress that Swami#s teachings are the only solution for humanity#s problems. 'hat is what 7rishna taught& that is what !andhi understood and tried to popularise& though he was laughed at. !andhi was not saying anything original= on the contrary& he was merely detailing the principles enunciated by Lord 7rishna. Swami is giving us the same lesson directly& to each one of us& all the time. Should we not pay serious attention to it2 'hin+ about it0 Sairam.

'he answer in the 'rusteeship philosophy would be& .Yes you did wor+ hard& but remember& it is !od who blessed you to convert all that hard wor+ into wealth. 'here are millions who slave all day from sunrise to sunset but they do not even get enough to eat. So do not thin+ that "ust because you have invested hard wor+& all that money came to you entirely because of your effort alone.1 'he person might retort& .4ister& it is not hard wor+ alone= don#t forget I invested my brains= don#t compare to me to an ordinary labourer.1 Yes& the person did invest a lot of intelligence but where did that sharpness come from2 ;as it not !od#s grace that e-uipped him with a fine brain and an opportunity to receive e6cellent education& 49A degree from a brand university and all that2 So& if we thin+ hard and are honest to ourselves& we would have to accept that our success is really the result of !od#s !race. In almost all cases& every asset we possess& be it good health& or wealth& or s+ill or +nowledge& has been bestowed upon us by !od. 7eeping that in mind& one then goes through life using that asset for the benefit of society in every possible way& while at the same time using some of the proceeds for one#s own up+eep and sustenance. !od does not ob"ect if one uses some of the money earned to have a house& transport& etc C all these are in fact needed for efficient wor+ing. ;hat is not acceptable is using that money for improper goals li+e selfCgratification.

E*er)o+e of us re#e *es ! fts fro( Go%- start +! , th the ! ft of l fe a+% the hu(a+ for(& So(e of us ( !ht feel that Go% has "ee+ u+1ust to us ,h le /e has "ee+ part al to others3 that s a ,ro+! +ot o+- "ut that apart- +o o+e #a+ sa)- Go% has ! *e+ (e 4ero ! fts.&

'he trusteeship idea is nothing new= it has been in e6istence for centuries in some form or the other in most tribal societies. ,owever& with .progress1 the trusteeship idea got relegated to the bac+burner. !andhi tried to revive it but did not have ta+ers. 'oday& more than ever& there is a great need for this concept. 'he following is a summation of our discussion in this chapter(

1. /veryone of us receives gifts from !od& starting with the gift of life and the human form. Some of us might
feel that !od has been un"ust to us while ,e has been partial to others= that is a wrong notion& but that apart& no one can say& .!od has given me Bero gifts1.

2. All the blessings of !od must be carefully recognised and used for !od#s wor+. 'a+e a thing li+e time=
everyone receives )J hours in a day& from the +ing to the pauper. 'hat time is a gift of !od. Are we using that time for !od#s wor+ or do we use it in useless pursuits2

3. Some might say& .I am a visually impaired person& what can I do for society when I myself am dependent so
much on society21 Superficially& that argument might appear to be true but the fact is that all& no one e6cepted& have the treasure of !od#s love within. Nothing prevents everyone& people with disabilities included& from spreading love.

4. A person may be bedCridden= but even such a person could +eep on praying& . !od may all everywhere be
happy. Please shower Your blessings on all& especially those in distress01 'hat too is a service and that too is !od#s wor+.

In short& if we reflect& all of us would have to agree that each of us can& in some form or the other& be engaged in the PCN cycle. ;hen we do that& we transform life itself into worship= and that is what !od wants& does ,e not2 'hin+ about it0 Dai Sai Ram.

$ear Rea#er, #i# this article help 'ou in an'"a': Please share 'our feelings "ith us &' "riting toh4h<ra#iosai.org mentioning 'our name an# countr'. Than) 'ou for 'our time.

MUSINGS ON AWARENESS 05
.
Th s ser es s "ase% o+ the A,are+ess 6ourse that s +#orporate% at the post-!ra%uate le*el pro!ra(s of the Sr Sath)a Sa U+ *ers t)& Its author s the Sr Sath)a Sa U+ *ers t)2s for(er 7 #e-6ha+#ellor Professor G& 7e+$atara(a+ ,ho has "ee+ #losel) #o++e#te% , th the for(ulat o+- #o+te+t a+% %el *er) of th s pro!ra( for (ore tha+ a %e#a%e +o,& The ser es ,as f rst "roa%#ast o*er Ra% o Sa + respo+se to re8uests fro( (a+) l ste+ers see$ +! #lar f #at o+s o+ (a+) sp r tual % le((as fa#e% + %a l) l fe& Therefore- t ,as prese+te% + a s (ple for(at su te% for a+)o+e ,ho , shes to l *e l fe + a state of A,are+ess as pres#r "e% ") the Supre(e Tea#her 9ha!a*a+ Sr Sath)a Sa 9a"a&

I+ the prese+t art #le- o+e of these ra% o tal$s has "ee+ a%apte% appropr atel) a+% supple(e+te% , th apt llustrat o+s for ease of u+%ersta+% +!&

9) Prof& G& 7e+$atara(a+

'he PCN cycle suggests that life must be a case of converting the gifts or prasaadam given to us by !od into offerings to !od or naivedyam. A corollary to this is the concept of 'rusteeship.

Trusteeship5 Completing the P6N c'cle

'he Sri Sathya Sai 4edical 'rust& li+e many other such entities& receives donations and utiliBes them for running Swami#s ,ospitals. 'he 'rust is& of course& managed by a duly nominated group of 'rustees. 'he world is full of such 'rusts& sometimes called :oundations& and in each case& its members loo+ after the properties and assets of the 'rust and manage it such that its ob"ectives are properly and satisfactorily fulfilled. 'he important point is that every 'rustee does not ever act li+e an owner but as a responsible servant serving the public in a manner intended by the :ounder or :ounders of the 'rust. 'he service the 'rustee renders is always supposed to be selfless. Society is li+e the 'rust& !od is the :ounder of the 'rust and as members of society& each one of us is supposed to be a 'rustee& acting for and on behalf of !od.

uman -o#' an# (ociet'

Swami says( .'he proper study of man+ind is man.1 In the past& I have heard this several times and in the beginning it was very difficult to understand= until one day I made bold to as+ Swami& whereupon ,e gave ,is e6planation. In brief the idea is the following( 5onsider first the human body. Swami ma+es the following points(

'he human body is a comple6 biological system made up of cells.

5ells ma+e up the various organs of the body li+e eyes& stomach& liver& etc. 4any organs lin+ together to form a system& the e6amples of which include the respiratory system& the digestive system& circulatory system and so on.

In a healthy human body& the systems do not function arbitrarily or in a dis"ointed fashion.

Rather& they wor+ in perfect harmony and synergy. :or e6ample& when a person runs& the heart pumps faster and blood is circulated more rapidly& to the muscles of the legs particularly. Similarly& after a heavy meal& blood circulation to the brain is reduced because more blood has to be diverted to the stomach to deal with digestion. In fact& that is why one tends to feel a bit sleepy after a heavy meal0

In short& this is the case for one and all. 'he cells wor+ harmoniously through the organs

and various systems to +eep the body going& and the body for its part ta+es care of the organs and cells. It is this symbiosis that enables the body to be healthy. 'hrough its actions& the body is sending us a strong message as to how we ought to manage society2

ealth' Cells Ma)e ealth' -o#'

Swami points out that there is a very good oneCtoCone correspondence between the human body and the society. If the cell is the basic unit of the body& the individual human being is similarly the basic unit of society or humanity. Dust as the body has organs& society too has units li+e schools& hospitals and so on& each of which is an entity given shape by the people associated with it or wor+ing for or managing it. 'he body has systems li+e the respiratory system= so does society& with systems li+e the educational system& the financial system and so on. 'he various

organs of the body perform various functions= so do the various systems of society. 'he human body and human society therefore have strong parallels. ;hile it is fairly common to find people healthy& these days& society is far from healthy. ;hy does a society become sic+2 Dust as the body is ill when its organs don#t function well& society becomes sic+ when the systems of which it is made start malfunctioning. 5onsider for e6ample& public administration. 'his& you would agree& is one of the vital systems that form a part of society. Suppose the public administrative system is highly corrupt& as is often the case these days in more than a few countries. ;e would then say that the system is sic+& and when you have a diseased system what can you e6pect but a hoard of problems2 Swami says& . man& ta+e a good loo+ at a healthy body and study how it wor+s= understand fully its operating system& and ta+e hints from it01

Trusteeship . the Cure for (ocial *lls

'a+ing a very -uic+ glimpse at the evolution of early systems in human society& we can go bac+ in time to the period when man first appeared on earth. Not only was he -uite primitive but in those farCoff days& man also lived almost entirely by himself. If he wanted food& he had to hunt for it. If he felt thirsty& he had to go in search of water. If he wanted shelter& he loo+ed for a tree or a cave& "ust as animals do even now.

(ocial Groups $ri%en &' (ur%i%al *nstincts

,umans however were blessed by !od with enormous intelligence. 'hey rapidly developed methods of using the gifts of Nature to meet their various needs. As an important part of this process of advancing and improving their lives& people learnt to come together with other human beings and form associations of various +inds. :irst there was

the family& then the tribe& the community& followed later by countries& nation states and so on. 'oday& we have gone even further by having many international bodies from the <N to the ;, .

*ncrease# CompleDit' in uman (ociet'

'he gradual growth of comple6ity in human society thus became inevitable. ;ith this growth of diversity and comple6ity came first the division of labour and then organisation of society into various functional sectors. Simultaneously& where living species are concerned& they too have gone up the ladder of comple6ity. 'o start with& living forms were -uite elementary& "ust unicellular organisms. In due course& these beings became increasing comple6& ac-uired various senses and organs& and so forth. :or instance& some of the primitive living forms could not see= it was only later that creatures ac-uired nose& eyes& ears& etc. 'he comple6ity in human society led to the emergence of different sectors li+e the farming& manufacturing& trading& and ban+ing sectors. And this precisely is where all the trouble slowly started. 'he various sectors of human society are li+e the different systems of the human body. ,owever& whereas in the human body the different subCsystems and systems wor+ in perfect harmony& in human society& this is what is precisely lac+ing because each sector wor+s for its own advantage.

Pan#ering to Veste# *nterests

Sometime ago& the <.S. !overnment& in order to please its national steel industry& hi+ed the customs duty on steel imported from overseas. 'his of course delighted the steel industry in America but the automa+ers in that country were far from happy. Already& they were facing stiff competition from automobiles imported from Dapan& 7orea& etc.& and now& than+s to the hi+e in import duty& they were forced to buy local steel& that is steel made in America& which was e6pensive. 'his greatly enhanced the cost of American cars& ma+ing them even more unattractive to prospective buyers. It is not therefore unusual for different sectors to clash with each other as each sector is driven by its own agenda and priorities. In general& the greater the comple6ity& the higher the pull and push between the different sectors. It may be pointed out that such tensions are inevitable since each sector would li+e to get the ma6imum advantage for itself from society. 4aybe so but what happens when conflicts snowball to the point of being a threat to the whole of humanity2 ;hether you li+e it or not& we are rapidly reaching that state.

CompleDit' A##s to the Po"er (truggle

In the past many have e6pressed their concerns about the great issues and problems facing humanity and indeed planet earth itself. 'a+e for e6ample& the <nited Nations& founded in IGJJ& even as the Second ;orld ;ar was drawing to an end. /ven before the atom bombs were dropped& leaders of the world were an6ious that humanity must never again be e6posed to the scourge of deadly wars and with that ob"ective in mind they created a global institution& with much hope of course. 9ut "ust loo+ at what has happened since then0 In short what has happened in human history can be stated simply as follows(

Glo&al 9arming an# Fossil Fuels

Let us ta+e the case of global warming that is very much in the news these days. 4an+ind is spewing out every year& millions of tons of carbon dio6ide into the atmosphere& most of this coming from the burning of what are called fossil fuels. 5oal and oil form the two ma"or components of these fuels.

Coating the Atmosphere "ith ToDic EDhaust

People no longer burn coal for coo+ing or heating houses as they once did but hundreds of power stations today use this fuel for generating electricity and all the carbon dio6ide emitted by these power plants is thrown directly into the atmosphere. :urther& there are close to a billion vehicles li+e cars& truc+s& scooters& motorcycles& autoCric+shaws& etc. and all of them emit obno6ious e6haust fumes containing gases harmful to the atmosphere. 'his happens every single day. 'han+s to all this massive emission of fumes& the heat coming from the Sun is trapped by the carbon dio6ide in the atmospheric layer surrounding the earth li+e an onionCs+in. ;hen the carbon dio6ide burden of the earth#s atmosphere was low& the heat radiated by the surface of the earth could easily escape bac+ into space& but if this heat is trapped as is in fact happening now& then the temperature of the planet would go up and all +inds of terrible things can happen.

Glo&al 9arming an# Conflict

Some years ago& all the leading nations met in 7yoto& Dapan to discuss global warming. 'hey then decided that it would be most desirable to bring down emission of carbon dio6ide immediately. A protocol named the 7yoto Protocol was drafted and all countries were as+ed to ratify it. 4ost countries did but a few who contributed the most to the carbon dio6ide burden of our atmosphere& did not wish to. ;hy2 9ecause if they did& it would mean they would have

to consume less oil& produce less electrical energy& drive fewer cars and ma+e new cars far more fuel efficient& stop selling coal& and do all that it ta+es to fulfil a moral commitment to living more environmentally responsible lives. In short& all these measures meant more e6penditure and less profit for their industries and that was not acceptable to the countries that did not li+e the 7yoto Protocol. So they told the world& .Dust loo+ at 5hina and India. ;ith their huge populations and stunning rates of growth& they are the ones you should be warning01 5hina and India pointed out that all these days& it was the rich countries that did all the polluting and "ust when the two of them are starting off their economic flights& the big bullies on the world stage want them to apply the bra+es on development while they choose to remain deafeningly silent about their own increased consumption. !od forbid if anyone suggested any ceiling on their runaway desires and need for unbridled energy consumption0

So on the debate goes. At present& the different sectors of modern society almost always tend to compete with each other& and that compounds the problem. In short& at some point the analogy between society and a healthy human body seems to brea+ down. Instead& we have a good comparison with a sic+ human body& rather than a sound body0 'he -uestion then becomes( .Is there any way to fi6 the problems of society so as to ma+e it resemble a healthy human body21 Yes of course there is and that is e6actly what Swami has been trying to tell us for year after year. In effect ,e says(

.Listen *ear ne& the problem with today#s society is not its comple6ity or having many sectors. 5omple6ity is inevitable in a large Society= after all& the human body indeed has so much comple6ity and diversity. 'he issue is the unhealthy and selfish competition between the different sectors. Dust loo+ at the human body. If you have malaria and the doctor gives a bitter medicine& does the tongue say 3Yu+& this is horrible0 ;hy do I have to put up with this bitter stuff2# and spit the medicine out2 r when there is severe congestion in the lungs and the doctor wants to give an in"ection& does the arm say& 3;hy should I ta+e the pric+2 Let the doctor give the in"ection directly to the lungs0# and things li+e that2 No0 In the human body& the cells& the organs and the different subCsystems as well as systems may perform different functions but they wor+ in perfect harmony& do they not2 Suppose you are wal+ing bareCfoot in the "ungle and a thorn pierces your foot= do the hands say& 3Not my problem= let the legs deal with this#2 Instead& do not the hands come to the rescue of the foot by pulling the thorn out2 !od has given the perfect perating System for the healthy human body. All that man has to do is to copy this wonderful system and apply to it human society. If he does this& all the problems of society you are complaining of would vanish instantly. And by the way& unli+e you humans I do not claim any copyright0 'he S is there for you to copy any number of times01

$esigning the Operating ('stem along Trusteeship Mo#el

Swami does not put it -uite that way& but I have done so in order to drive home the point. If you have followed carefully what I have "ust said& you would immediately realise that the perating System governing the healthy human body is based entirely on the principle underlying the 'rusteeship model I am advocating. People with wealth would not say& .Let me use this to ma+e more and more money for myself1. Instead& they would thin+ of finding ways of using their wealth for common good.

9ealth (haring 6 American Mo#el

As recently as about a hundred years ago& many in America& yes America& actually thought this way. 'here was for e6ample& Andrew 5arnegie whose family came to America from Scotland. 5arnegie entered the steel business= that was the time when America was developing very fast and needed millions of tons of steel for construction& for the auto industry& and other sectors. Andrew 5arnegie was a tough businessman and gave his competitors a tough time& ma+ing tons of money along the way. 9ut in the end he said& .I am going to leave as much of this money as possible bac+ into the society. It was this country that enabled me to become rich& and I am now going to pay bac+. 4y children can find their own way to wor+ hard and ma+e money. 'his country offers plenty of opportunities for that.1 So saying& Andrew 5arnegie wor+ed hard to give away the wealth he had earned and in the process he benefited education. 'oday& the 5arnegieC4ellon <niversity in Pittsburgh owes much to him. ,e also funded the famous 5arnegie ,all in New Yor+ among other landmar+ philanthropic wor+ that he initiated. 4ore recently& through the !ates :oundation& 4elinda and 9ill !ates are not only giving away billions of dollars but also articulating all the time the debt we owe to society& something that Swami fre-uently reminds ,is students about. In fact& there are many such people in America and to their eternal credit one must say that many of them give away anonymously& which is often rare with donors.

(haring (uccess Ke' to Trusteeship

'he 'rusteeship idea is neither new nor un+nown. Not so long ago when the slogan !R//* IS ! * was un+nown& people shared far more than they care to do these days. n the other hand today people are not willing even to share a bit of their time. 'he story is told that when 4other 'eresa once went to the <nited States to receive an honourary Ph. * degree from the ,arvard <niversity& she tal+ed about poverty being present everywhere& including in America despite it being the richest country in the world. .4ay be there is no poverty of money here but I can see there is much poverty of Love01 She said.

(er%ing Go# through (er%ing (ociet'

'he 'rusteeship idea revolves almost entirely around caring and sharing. ,ere every individual thin+s his life is for doing !od#s wor+ using& all the time& the talents and wealth he has& for a higher purpose. ,ow does one do !od#s wor+2 9y wor+ing for society= one sees !od in society and then gives as much of oneself for the sa+e of society as possible& each according to his or her capacity. 'he capital re-uired for this is not money but the spirit of compassion& love and sacrifice.

Me#ia Focus on (leaIe, not (acrifice

'oday#s media hardly bothers to narrate touching stories relating to compassion and sacrifice but in reality& there are many& some of which we try to disseminate through ,),. Still& a torrent of Love is yet to ma+e headline news. If that is somehow unleashed& then the problems of humanity would be simply swept away li+e a huge tsunami sweeping everything ahead of it. nly& in this case& at the end of it& there would be peace and "oy everywhere& instead of misery& death and destruction. In a society where the feelings of 'rusteeship are wellCentrenched& pharmaceutical companies would not be shy of developing drugs and vaccines needed for poor people= drugs that are available in the mar+et would not be prohibitively e6pensive and the manufacture of their less e6pensive generic forms would not be bloc+ed by soCcalled patent laws& which I believe are highly immoral& though they might be held to be legal by selfish societies. /ducation would not be a commercial commodity commanding obscene prices and available only to the very rich or those who are prepared to borrow rec+lessly= In short& it would be &ama &ajya Literally translated& &ama &ajya means rule of Lord Rama but what it really means is a society in which there is not merely rule of manCmade laws but 4oral Law.4ahatma !andhi often spo+e about it. In &ama&ajya& people would not be corrupt& not because of the law or fear of punishment& but because corrupt behaviour would hurt !od. In other words& &ama &ajya would be the natural conse-uence of love for !od& fear of sin and a climate of morality in society that Swami often tal+s about.

The

ierarchical Relationship

'he individual& whom Swami refers to as vyashti& is a part of society& which Swami refers to as samashti. Society in turn is a part of nature called srishti by Swami and srishti of course owes its e6istence to !od or parameshti. Swami adds that human beings must so act that their actions do not harm society and nor go against Nature. It is only such actions that would be pleasing to !od. In the Gita& 7rishna briefly touches upon humanity#s 5osmic rigin and his 5osmic Nature as well as his 5osmic 5onnection& adding that it is our duty as human beings to maintain and preserve this cosmic lin+age in all its aspects.

Cutting the Cosmic Connection

'hese days people do not care about such connections any more. 'hey are most selfCcentred and care only about themselves. 'hey want society so that they can feed from it and prey on it& but when it comes to paying off their debt to society& it is a case of what has society done for me2 It is here that visionaries li+e Andrew 5arnegie and 4elinda and 9ill !ates ought to be admired. 'heir heart is in the right place and their priorities socially responsible. As Swami fre-uently reminds ,is students that we are what we are because of Society and therefore owe it a lot. ;e must discharge our debts to society& Nature and !od in appropriate ways. 'he 'rusteeship principle enables "ust that. ;hen everyone lives for the others seeing the soCcalled others as part of their own larger 5osmic Self& then e6ternal differences disappear. 4an is torn between his lower self that relates him to the e6ternal world and his inner or higher self that lin+s him to !od. If the lower self dominates and wins& then there are problems galore. 'he stress is on differentiation& with people tending to view themselves as different at all possible levels. In the family& it is father against son& brother against brother& husband against wife. Amongst the tribes& it is one tribe against another. In the community& it is one sector against another. In the mar+et place& it is one company against another. In politics it is one party against another& and in the process& the whole of humanity trying hard to come apart at the seam in every possible way.

As a result our society has reached a boiling point. If you have seen water boiling& you would have noticed that there is a turbulent state C bubbles form& some of them "oin to become bigger& but inevitably all of them are shortClived. 'oday& the different sectors& be they ethnic& religious& commercial& racial or whatever& are trying to form bubbles of security based on narrow considerations of selfCinterest. 'his security is illusory and always shortClived. So what is the alternative2 'rusteeship0

Trusteeship Ke' to (ocial (ta&ilit'

;e are not trying to overCsimplify the issue as we are well aware of the many wellCintentioned efforts made by the <N and its various bodies& the N! s of all hues already in place. In the year )FFF& top leaders of the world met in New Yor+ to come up with the 4illennium *eclaration but at the end& all such efforts invariably come to naught. /ver wondered why2 4ost of our problems are created by the head and it is futile to try to solve them using the head& which is what man+ind always tries to do. Alternatively& why not allow the heart to be the guide for a change0

ea# %ersus the eart

It is the very nature of the head to see+ to differentiate and when differences are stressed& conflict is inevitable. 'he heart& on the other hand& sees unity underlying diversity& and when that happens& we see ourselves as parts of a whole& in fact a cosmic whole. 'he individual no longer sees himself or herself as an individual& but rather as a part of society even as the cell merges its individual identity for the common cause of sustaining the entire body.

'here are two important angles to letting our lives be dictated by the heart. As individuals 8 though at the level of theAtma or the universal soul& we all are one& at the level of the body we are different 8 each of us owes a responsibility to society. 'his is li+e the cell of the human body doing its "ob with respect to the needs of the body. :or its part& society too has an obligation to its component units& namely the individuals. In today#s society& which essentially has been hi"ac+ed by vested interests in almost all communities and countries& macro society e6ists only in name& catering in practice to vested interests who manage to get their "ob done using lobby power. It is as a result of this that education has become a commodity& that people are lured into overCeating and become obese& etc. As for medicine& its costs are generally so high that the element of compassion has more or less vanished from the medical profession. In &ama &ajya& things would be different because there& society would care for its citiBens& the individuals would scrupulously follow dharma 'o demonstrate through personal e6ample how society would care for its citiBens in &ama &ajya& Swami has set up a <niversity that offers free and valueCbased education& hospitals that offer even tertiary care totally free to one and all& and drin+ing water systems that cater to about ten million people.

Swami says that when the Lord came as Rama& ,e not only demonstrated how the individuals must sustain dharma& but as /mperor Rama ,e also set norms for how the State must care for its people. 'he same two lessons& one at the micro level and the other at the macro level are now being imparted by Swami to us all the time. In summary& thus far& humanity has moved forward largely on the basis of sheer worldly intelligence. ;hile this has enabled us to ta+e giant leaps forward in terms of greater creature conveniences& it has also landed us in a huge mess. It is time to move over from the era of sheer brainpower and intelligence to the era of the heart. 'hat means anchoring both individual life and social e6istence as a whole on basic human and spiritual values. And the perating System that we refer to as 'rusteeship is a convenient way of doing that.
THE COSMIC DRAMA It is often said that the Universe is a stage and Creation is Gods Cosmic Drama. Further, according to Baba, it is God Himself Who dons all the various costumes, la!ing all the different roles. "t first sight this might seem a far#fetched idea, and not eas! to acce t. Be that as it ma!, let us e$amine this sub%ect. &et us first consider the Creation and the subse'uent evolution of the Universe from a urel! scientific oint of vie(. )he (idel! acce ted vie( at resent is that the Universe originated in (hat is referred to as the *Big Bang+ that occurred about fifteen to t(ent! billion !ears ago. Both , ace and )ime came into e$istence at the instant of the Big Bang, and the Universe subse'uentl! e$ anded. Into this s ace emerged gross matter made u of electrons, rotons, neutrons etc. )he neutrons, rotons and electrons formed (ithin a fe( seconds after the Big Bang but it too- much longer, about .//,/// !ears before atoms as (e -no( them started forming. " vast amount of rimordial h!drogen and helium formed in the Universe, and almost all the ob%ects (e see in the Universe toda! 0including ourselves1 came basicall! out of this rimordial h!drogen and helium. From 2insteins theor! (e -no( that matter must come onl! from energ!. It follo(s that at the time of the Big Bang, there (as enough of an initial de osit of energ!, to start the rocess of matter formation in the Universe. B! the (a!, this initial de osit (as a mind#boggling amount3 "ll that has been tersel! mentioned here has been s elt out in detail b! science and (ell corroborated b! unim eachable e$ erimental evidence. 4ne 'uestion that ,cience does not discuss is5 (here did the initial de osit of energ! come from6 &et us no( turn to 7edanta or ancient s iritual (isdom as enshrined in the 7edas that Baba so often refers to. Unli-e ,cience,7edanta is s arse on the technical details but, though it gives onl! an overvie( of Creation and evolution, it fills in (ith some crucial details that are missing in the icture ainted b! ,cience. )he most im ortant of these are5 *Wh! is there the Universe6 Wh! does it e$ist6+ )hese 'uestions are beyond ,cience, (ith good reason. For the ans(er, let us turn to ,(ami. He sa!s5 )here (as no one to -no( (ho I am, till I created the (orld at 8! leasure (ith one (ord. Immediatel!, mountains rose u 9 immediatel!, rivers started running9 earth belo( and the s-ies overhead9 oceans, seas, lands and (atersheds9 ,un, 8oon and desert sands s rang u from no(here to rove 8! e$istence. Came all forms, human beings, man-ind, beasts and birds fl!ing. , ea-ing, hearing and all o(ers (ere besto(ed u on them under 8!

orders. )he first lace (as given to man-ind and 8! -no(ledge (as laced in mans mind. &et us tr! to understand the above (ith the hel of an analog!. We -no( that (ater va our that is resent ever!(here can manifest in different laces in various visible forms such as rain (ater, la-e (ater, icebergs, etc. In the same (a!, God manifests in the h!sical Universe in diverse forms basing on His t(in as ects of Consciousness 0,iva1 and 2nerg! 0,ha-ti1. ,ince God (ho embodies these t(in as ects of Consciousness and 2nerg! is &ove, ever! entit! in Creation is also based on &ove. )hus, there is a divinel! ordained force of &ove that e$ists bet(een all the entities in Creation, (hose a arent difference is urel! su erficial. 0Incidentall!, it is this Divine force of &ove that dra(s devotees irresistibl! to Baba.1 In other (ords, God created the Universe as a stage (herein the different entities can visibl! e$ ress their &ove for each other. )hese different entities are nothing but God Himself, la!ing out the different roles3 8an! 'uestions arise at this oint, one of (hich is5 *It is understandable to sa! that a living being has Consciousness. But does a stone have Consciousness6+ )he ans(er according to 7edanta is that a stone doeshave Consciousness. Indeed the famous stor! of the (ee ing saris that Hislo has recorded roves recisel! this oint9 namel! that even so#called inanimate ob%ects ossess a certain measure of Consciousness. " ne( 'uestion no( arises5 *In that case, (hat is the difference bet(een a iece of roc- and a living erson6 ,urel! there is an enormous difference3+ :es indeed, that is in the *'uantum+ of Consciousness energ! 0Consciousness also can be loo-ed u on as a form of Divine energ!1 and the *t! e+ of Consciousness energ!. )he *'uantit!+ and the *'ualit!+ are such that the animate entit! has a manifest sense of self#a(areness. We can see that a living being -no(s about its e$istence. For e$am le, (hen a cat a roaches a rat, the latter runs for its life. )hat is because it knows it e$ists and it (ants to rotect its e$istence. )his ca acit! for self#a(areness is associated (ith (hat is called the ;raana < Baba often refers to it. It is this ;ranaa that e$its (hen a erson dies. )hereafter, (hatever Consciousness is left in the cor se is %ust the *inert+ t! e of Consciousness that is resent in all atoms. In the icture ainted above, the emergence of life through an evolutionar! rocess is li-e a nuclear reactor becoming critical and starting to generate energ! on its o(n, (hen there is a critical mass of uranium in it. In terms of this analog!, death occurs (hen the Consciousness energ! becomes sub#critical follo(ing the e$it of the ;raana. In a similar manner, for the first fe( (ee-s, the fetus that gro(s in the (omb is %ust a mass of flesh but, as Baba has ointed out, (hen ;raana enters the fetus 0around the fourth month or so1, it becomes a living entit! of its o(n (ith its o(n distinctive Consciousness < the *mass of flesh+ no( attains criticalit!, to use the reactor terminolog!. )o understand ho( this is related to the Cosmic Drama (e have to first a reciate that the Universe is inherentl! diverse. )hus, su erficiall!, the constituent entities of the Universe all a ear ver! different. In fact, one cannot even find t(o blades of grass that are identical. :et, behind all this be(ildering diversit! there is an underl!ing unit!. It is to call attention to this t(o#sided nature of Creation that Baba often reminds us5 *BU&B, "=2 8">: BU) CU==2>) I, 4>2+. :es, in an illuminated building one (ould see man! different bulbs of different colours and different levels of brilliance9 !et the! all shine on account of the same current that asses through all of them. In the same manner, though (e ma! see stars, lanets, mountains, ele hants, tigers, sna-es, lants and humans of all shades and colours, the! all are embodiments of one God and carr! the Divine s ar- in them. )hat is the ?unit! in diversit! to (hich Baba directs our attention. God is la!ing all the roles in this drama9 that of the good gu! as (ell as the villain. )his (ould be most m!stif!ing to most of us and (e (ould (onder5 *>o( (h! on earth does God do this6+ Before (e consider that, let us remind ourselves that little children (ho la! all b! themselves often do this. )he! s ea- to themselves, la!ing man! roles3 God is li-e a child and He does this to amuse Himself and to e$ ress His &ove for Himself 0via the various forms1. )hat is (h! ancients in India referred to Creation as a Gods&eela or His s ort. ;la!ing this game, God can love Himself through His various forms. 4ne ob%ection to this ro osition might be5 *&isten, this is all (rong. In this (orld, there is more hatred than love. )here is something (rong (ith this h! othesis+. )herefore, let us e$amine further. Gods Drama is not a sim le one but a rather com le$ one. Would an! creative dramatist (rite a na@ve la! (here nothing reall! ha ens6 >o. In the same (a!, God has scri ted His la! (ith a lot of s ice3 He has thro(n in some good gu!s and lots of bad gu!s, setting in motion a endulum as it (ere. "t times the endulum s(ings to(ards evil and at times it s(ings to(ards good. In fact, to ma-e the endulum s(ing to(ards good, God sometimes has to ut in a ersonal a earance as an "vatar3 In short, the entire Universe is b! God, for God and of God3 )hat is (h! Baba often tells us *:ou are God.+ In that case, (h! dont (e behave li-e God (ould6 )hat is because (e have forgotten our true nature and that is recisel! (h! ,(ami often tells us to as- ourselves5 *WH4 "8 I6+ " man (ho does not -no( that he is God is li-e an actor (ho is lost in his role and has forgotten his true identit!. But one (ho -no(s his real#ID is not onl! a(are that he is God but also that ever!one else he sees is God. )hus, (e are reminded often that life is a drama so that (e begin to see God in all. In an act of e$treme -indness, Baba taught this lesson to Hislo in a uni'ue (a!. )his is ho( Hislo tells it5 "fter I had been going to ;rasantinila!am for about three !ears, coming bac- to "merica, as I got off the lane, I felt that ,(amis head and shoulders (ere su erim osed on mine. I felt that (a!. I (as a(are of the hair. ,o I said, *Well, (elcome to "merica, ,(ami3+ )hat feeling lasted for three !ears. 2ver! lace I (ould go, there (ould be ,(ami standing in the room. When I (ould tal- to eo le at the Centre, ,(ami (ould be standing behind every person in that room! Behind ever! erson (ould be ,(amis head. When I loo- at the (all there (ould be a ro( of

,(amis standing along the (all. )hat vision finall! came to an end, and I told ,(ami, *,(ami, that henomenon has come to an end no(.+ ,(ami said, *Hislo , dont !ou -no( that all henomena come to an end6+ He added, *:ou have had that vision of ,(ami (ithout an! effort on !our art (hatsoever. >o( !ou have to deliberatel! see ,(ami (herever !ou loo-3+ ,o I do that. " relevant doubt might be5 *4A, God is in all, but (hat about the a arent evil one sees all around6 Ho( does one deal (ith it6+ )he ans(er is, *Bust as in a la! t(o eo le la! the role of the good and the bad gu! res ectivel!, but neither is evil. Ho(ever, as far as the la! is concerned, one acts li-e the bad gu! and the other appears to deal firml! (ith the bad gu!. But in all this there is no hatred or anger.+ In other (ords, (e la! our roles as (e are called u on to but witho t an! malice, hatred or anger. In the same s irit, (e go through life as the )rustee of God. )hat is, nothing that (e might seem to have is rea!!y ours, be it (ealth, or intelligence or even h!sical strength. 2ver! form of (ealth belongs to God, a ortion of (hich has been given to us for *safe custod!+. )hus, if a erson is rich, he does not thin- that the mone! (ith him is his9 instead he regards it as Gods mone! given to him in trust, and s ends that mone! as God (ould li-e him to. ,imilarl!, if a erson is ver! intelligent, he uses that intelligence for service to humanit!. " minor additional clarification and that is the relationshi bet(een the vie( of Creation as resented b! ,cience and the vie( as resented b! 7edanta. )his relationshi is indicated in the diagram belo(5 We see from the above the follo(ing facts5 CD ,cience gives a good and detailed icture of (hat ha eneda"ter the Big Bang, but it does not e$ lain why the Big Bang occurred, nor (here the initial de osit of h!sical energ! came from. ED 7edanta on the other hand sa!s that God (illed Creation (hereu on the energ! of Consciousness filtered do(n through various la!ers to the h!sical level to rovide the initial de osit of energ! for the Big Bang to occur. .D ,cience is able to describe the evolution of gross matter from the time of the Big Bang but can onl! s eculate (here the origin of life is concerned. FD 2ven if ,cience can e$ lain ho( the first living molecule emerged from the rimordial sou that filled the earth four billion !ears ago, it cannot e$ lain the blossoming of Consciousness in man. GD 7edanta comments on this b! sa!ing that the evolution of living s ecies actuall! occurred against a revailing bac-ground of Consciousness that filled the entire Universe from the beginning. 8ore Consciousness (as laced into the higher s ecies as it (ere, triggering *criticalit!+ in man, giving him the ca acit! to realise that He is God. When a erson realises he is God, he leaves the stage ermanentl!, (hile the others continue. "nd the la! goes on, even as the endulum of fortune s(ings all the time from the side of Dharma to "dharma and bac- again. ADDITIO#A$ %OI#TS RE$ATI#& TO THE A'O(E

;oets have described the (orld as a stage and life as a drama, but (e generall! dismiss all that as %ust beautiful meta hor. 4n the contrar!, the Universe is a Divine stage, and life is a art of the Cosmic Drama. 2ver! drama or la! must have a la!(right, a roducer, a director, lus of course actors, etc. In the Cosmic Drama, God la!s all the roles3

)his is a s ort of the &ord, rather li-e the games that little children sometimes la!, (here the! engage themselves in elaborate la!acting on their o(n. )hat is (h! this articular s ort is called a &eela of God.

Wh! does God do this6 We cannot reall! sa!, but ,(ami has given us a clue. He sa!s God la!s this game so that His different as ects manifesting as different entities in Creation can sho( love to each other. ,o, in a manner of s ea-ing, it is a game of &ove (herein God in one articular form sho(s His &ove to another articular form.
We mortals fail to see or understand this. We are so immersed in e$ternals, that (e see onl! the outer differences, failing to recognise the Inner unit!. )hat is (h! ,(ami re eatedl! tells us5 *=emember, (hen !ou abuse another erson !ou are reall! abusing God3+ &i-e(ise, (hen His bo!s (ent out to serve in the villages, He told them, *Dont thin- !ou are serving others9 !ou are in fact serving !our o(n self3+ )his is %ust another (a! of sa!ing that the same God resides in all. If God is trul! the core of all beings, ho( come (e fail to see that, and erceive onl! the difference6 )his is due to the la! of the Gunas, an im ortant as ect of ;ra-riti or >ature. But at the core, all are s ar-s of the Divine. ,cience also concedes that all entities in Creation are constituted of the same building bloc-s, and in that sense at least there is a thread of unit! running across the entire Universe. )he tiger, the mountain, the lanets are all so different. :et all of them are made u of molecules and all these molecules are made u of atoms of h!drogen, carbon, nitrogen, o$!gen and so on. Further, the ancestr! of all these atoms can be traced all the (a! bac- to the Big Bang3 )hus, even according to ,cience, the one has become man!. )his is not all. " lant has life, a fish has life, an ant has life, a (hale has life, an ele hant has life, and man too has life. )hough su erficiall! all these s ecies are ver! different from each other, the core of the &ife rinci le is the same in all. 4nce again, there is a common connecting thread. Ho(ever, ,cience is not able to offer an! e$ lanation for the reason (h! such a thread e$ists or the cause for it. For that, one must necessaril! turn to s iritualit!. ;eo le in ancient India believed that (hile the core rinci le reflected the Divine undercurrent, the

e$ternal diversit! (as im osed b! >ature to facilitate the Cosmic Drama. "fter all, can there be a la! (ith %ust one erson and no other characters6

)hus, ancient Indians acce ted diversit! in da! to da! life9 but at the same time, the! never forgot the underl!ing Cosmic thread of unit!, the Divine undercurrent. )hus, the! (ould never deliberatel! hurt another s ecies, al(a!s declaring, *)hat being is also a Biva,+ meaning that the other entit! also contained the same Divine &ife ;rinci le. In short5 2ver!thing in the h!sical Universe has come from the rimordial *Cosmic sou + that e$isted at the time of the Big Bang. Diversit! in >ature is due to the la! of the Gunas. Ho(ever the core rinci le is the same. In articular, in the living s ecies, the "tma manifests also as the &ife ;rinci le. In life, one must have a balanced a roach ta-ing cogniHance of the core rinci le and the e$ternal diversit! at the same time. In this conte$t, it is useful to -ee in mind (hat ,age =ama-rishna once told his disci les. He said, *It is said the tiger also is God, but it is ractical to maintain a res ectable distance from it, es eciall! during its lunch hour3+ "ll this is fine but (hat is the ractical im lication of sa!ing that all that ha of a Cosmic Drama6 What does it reall! mean6 ens in the Universe is a art

)o understand this, let us su ose there is a drama com an! (hich is staging ,ha-es eares la! Bulius Caesar. )he la! features characters li-e Caesar (ho is stabbed to death, Brutus (ho artici ates in the assassination, and Cassius (ho masterminds the lot. )here is also 8ar- "nthon! the friend of Caesar, (ho (ants to avenge the death of his -ing. "ccording to scri t of the la!, Cassius hates Caesar, and in the drama s ea-s lines that conve! his hatred. "gain, according to the scri t, Brutus stabs Caesar. But (hat reall! ha ens (hen the la! is enacted6 )he man la!ing the role of Cassius ours venom (hen he s ea-s his art of the dialogue but reall! he does not hate the man la!ing Caesar. ,imilarl!, Brutus has no hatred and merel! a ears to stab Caesar. In fact, after the curtain finall! comes do(n, it is 'uite li-el! that all these actors (ho acted as if the! (ere enemies 'uietl! en%o! a cu of coffee together3 )his is the lesson that one must carr! over into life. )he life of &incoln rovides an e$am le. He had to (age (ar against the Confederate ,tates, but he did so (ithout malice or hatred. Gandhi fought against British Im erialism, but he had no hatred for the British eo le. )hese e$am les teach us ho( to go through life erforming routine functions, but (ith an e$traordinar! attitude that is (ithout anger, malice, %ealous!, hatred, greed, avarice, etc. )he follo(ing doubts can arise5 *Ho( can (e ta-e all this seriousl!6 What about rotecting m! honour6 What if I am insulted6+ Well, as regards these matters, one must function in a (orldl! manner, (ithin bounds of course, but in the s irit mentioned. For e$am le, even Gandhi agreed that self defence is acce table, rovided ones life is threatened. >ot ever!one can be li-e a Bnani (ho is ever read! to sho( the other chee- or even give u his life (ithout the least struggle. But all that is done must be done in the s irit of the Cosmic Drama. 4ne might still argue5 *But it is all so confusing3 What is the big deal6 Wh! on earth must one go through life as if it (ere a Cosmic Drama6+ )he ans(er to this is5 *&ife is a Cosmic Drama, (hether (e li-e it or not3 4nce (e realise it, (e (ould be able to go through life loo-ing u on ever!one as God in disguise < that is the real oint. 4nce one sees God in ever! being, including the lo(er forms of life, one has arrived3+ Finall!, (hen the bod! is shed, the individual merges (ith the Divine, and %ourne! is over at last3 )he ur ose of life is full! served. In short, realising that life is a Cosmic Drama is an im ortant com onent of the ur ose of life. 4ne might still argue5 *It is one thing to theoreticall! declare that life is a drama, and 'uite another to actuall! go through it that (a!. Is there an! clear rescri tion for all this6+ )here is and that is (here the )rusteeshi rinci le that Gandhi strongl! advocated a lies. )he idea is not ne( at all, and is a art of the ancient Indian heritage. )he idea is sim l! that ever!one no matter to (hat station of life the! belong is anemp!oyee o" &od as "ar as work is concerned and a tr stee o" &od where reso rces are concerned) "s far as being a trustee ertains (e can ta-e the e$am le of a -ing. While from a (orldl! oint of vie( he is loo-ed u to, the Aing for his art must feel that he is a servant of God. )his is not as re osterous as it might sound. In India, Government 4fficials are su osed to be ;ublic ,ervants. In this sense, the ;resident is not merel! the First CitiHen but actuall! the First ,ervant. In fact, man! !ears ago, Baba declared to a ,eva Dal conference that He (as the First ,eva Dal3 When everyone feels that he or she is a servant of God doing his or her (or- for and on behalf of God, 0and does it diligentl! in a manner that (ould actuall! lease God31, then half the (orlds roblems are

solved right a(a!.

)he other art, trusteeshi , relates to relin'uishing *o(nershi +. It starts (ith ones children. 4ne goes through life (ith the attitude that one is actuall! a foster arent, loo-ing after Gods child, given as a trustee. Aasturi describes ho( his arents too- him as a tin! bab! to a ,iva tem le and, after than-ing the &ord, too- a ledge to discharge their duties as foster arents. In this s irit, ever!thing is o(ned b! God < health, (ealth, -no(ledge, ro ert! etc. 4ne is merel! a trustee using that articular resource for and on behalf of God. 4nce u on a time, the )rusteeshi conce t (as (idel! revalent in Indian societ!. 8a!be (hole societies can no longer revert to such an attitude in this da! and age, but certainl! individual see-ers can ver! (ell ado t such an attitude. In fact the! must, and that is (hen la!ing a ro er role in the Cosmic Drama becomes eas!. For e$am le, a man ma! have to (ear an e$ ensive costume in a la!. He does not (ear it believing that it belongs to him9 he -no(s that (hen the curtain comes do(n, he must return the dress to the ro ert! de artment3 &i-e(ise, a man acting the art of a -ing merel! acts the role and does not strut about behind stage li-e a monarch3 In short, (ith the right attitude, going through life in the s irit of an actor in a Cosmic Drama is not an im ossible tas-. %OI#TS TO %O#DER O(ER )he conce t of )rusteeshi has %ust been discussed. Basicall!, it amounts to cultivating the feeling that one o(ns nothing, not even the bod!3 2ver!thing belongs to God, and is used for and on behalf of God. Indeed, even eating is to be regarded as an act intended to sustain the bod! that is Gods instrument. )he last remar- ma! sound craH! but there is a stor! that underscores the idea. )he Go i-as, the village girls (ho lived in Brindavan during Arishnas time (ere once tr!ing to cross the =iver :amuna. But the river (as in s ate and there (as also no boat in sight. Ho( to cross6 Bust then ,age 7!asa ha ened to come that (a!. )he Go i-as then a ealed to 7!asa sa!ing, *4 venerable ,age, lease hel to go across someho(.+ )he ,age agreed but on one condition. He told them, *:ou must all give me a little of the fresh butter that !ou are carr!ing.+ )he girls agreed and gave him some their butter. )he ,age ate it all (ith great relish. "fter (i ing his hands, he then (ent to the river and said, *4 8other :amuna, if it is true that I have been fasting toda!, then lease sto the (ater flo( so that (e all can easil! cross and go over to the other side.+ &o and behold, the flood (aters began to subside immediatel!, and ever!one (as able to cross the river (ithout an! difficult!. 4n reaching the other side, the Go i-as than-ed 7!asa rofusel! and then said, *4 ,age, (h! did !ou tell 8other :amuna that !ou had fasted after eating all that butter6 "nd she seemed to believe !ou3 What is the m!ster! behind all this6+ With a smile 7!asa re lied, *4 !oung ladies, !ou all thought that it (as I (ho (as feasting. >o, that is not so. )oda!, I am observing a fast. But I merel! ut all that butter into m! mouth to des atch it to Arishna. It (as He (ho reall! ate all that butter3+ "ll this might be ver! difficult for us in this hard#boiled age to s(allo( but such (as their faith in those da!s. )his e$am le is an illustration of ho( a trustee o erates. 4nce again the standard 'uestion5 *Ho( (ould !ou e$ lain this im ortant but difficult conce t of the Cosmic Drama to children6+ )hin- about it. S*AMI+S O'SER(ATIO#S O# THE COSMIC DRAMA "ll living beings are actors on the stage called the (orld. )he! ma-e their e$it (hen the curtain is rung do(n or their art is over. 4n this stage, one ma! la! the art of a thief9 another ma! be cast as a -ing9 a third ma! be a clo(n and another a beggar. For all these characters in the la!, there is 4ne that gives the cue. Here, some oints have to be understood clearl!. )he rom ter in (orldl! drama (ill not come u on the stage and give the cue in full vie( of all. If he does so, the drama (ill lose interest. )herefore, standing behind a screen at the bac- of the stage, he gives cue to all the actors, irres ective of the role, be it dialogue, s eech or song, %ust (hen each is in need of some hel . In the same (a!, the &ord is behind the stage of ;ra-riti, giving the cue to all the actors for their various arts. ,o, ever! actor must be conscious of His ;resence behind the screen of 8a!a. )he actor must be an$ious to catch the faintest suggestion He might give, al(a!s (atching Him out of the corner of his e!es, and having his ears rimed to catch His voice. Instead of this, if a erson forgets the lot and the stor!, 0that is to sa! the (or- one is su osed to do and the dut! one has to discharge1, and neglects to (atch the ;resence behind the screen, and sim l! stands dumb on the stage, the audience (ill laugh at his foll! and accuse him of s oiling the sho(. Hence, ever! actor (ho has to la! the role of man on the (orld stage must first learn the lines (ell, and then, remembering the &ord behind the screen, a(ait His orders. Both as ects must receive due attention. :ou are onl! actors on the stage before the footlights. )he Director Who -no(s the la!, Who gives the cue, Who calls !ou in and uts !ou on is behind the curtain. :ou are a u et9 He holds the stringsI.. ;lace !ourself at His dis osal. He -no(s. He has (ritten the la!, and He -no(s ho( it (ould go and ho( it

(ould end. :ours is but to actI.. ;ra! that !ou ma! act (ell and earn His a

reciation.

Do all action as actors in a la!, -ee ing !our identit! se arate, and not attaching !ourself too much to !our role. =emember that the (hole thing is a %ust la! and that the &ord has assigned !ou a art. "ct !our art (ell. )here ends !our dut!. He has designed the la! and He en%o!s it3 Do not feel that !our role is lo( and that of the other erson is high. &i-e(ise, do not feel roud (hen !ou get a high role. Do the best !ou can, (hatever the role9 that is the (a! to earn Grace. )hought, (ord and deed must all be filled (ith belief that it is His la!. )hat is the genuine ath. )he (orld is a stage. "ll human beings are actors in this (orld#drama. "ctions are motivated b! the Will of God Who controls mans Immortal ,oul and erishable bodies. We must la! the game (ithout dis la!ing an! sort of (ea-ness or timidit!.

THE COSMIC DRAMA It is often said that the Universe is a stage and Creation is Gods Cosmic Drama. Further, according to Baba, it is God Himself Who dons all the various costumes, la!ing all the different roles. "t first sight this might seem a far#fetched idea, and not eas! to acce t. Be that as it ma!, let us e$amine this sub%ect. &et us first consider the Creation and the subse'uent evolution of the Universe from a urel! scientific oint of vie(. )he (idel! acce ted vie( at resent is that the Universe originated in (hat is referred to as the *Big Bang+ that occurred about fifteen to t(ent! billion !ears ago. Both , ace and )ime came into e$istence at the instant of the Big Bang, and the Universe subse'uentl! e$ anded. Into this s ace emerged gross matter made u of electrons, rotons, neutrons etc. )he neutrons, rotons and electrons formed (ithin a fe( seconds after the Big Bang but it too- much longer, about .//,/// !ears before atoms as (e -no( them started forming. " vast amount of rimordial h!drogen and helium formed in the Universe, and almost all the ob%ects (e see in the Universe toda! 0including ourselves1 came basicall! out of this rimordial h!drogen and helium. From 2insteins theor! (e -no( that matter must come onl! from energ!. It follo(s that at the time of the Big Bang, there (as enough of an initial de osit of energ!, to start the rocess of matter formation in the Universe. B! the (a!, this initial de osit (as a mind#boggling amount3 "ll that has been tersel! mentioned here has been s elt out in detail b! science and (ell corroborated b! unim eachable e$ erimental evidence. 4ne 'uestion that ,cience does not discuss is5 (here did the initial de osit of energ! come from6 &et us no( turn to 7edanta or ancient s iritual (isdom as enshrined in the 7edas that Baba so often refers to. Unli-e ,cience,7edanta is s arse on the technical details but, though it gives onl! an overvie( of Creation and evolution, it fills in (ith some crucial details that are missing in the icture ainted b! ,cience. )he most im ortant of these are5 *Wh! is there the Universe6 Wh! does it e$ist6+ )hese 'uestions are beyond ,cience, (ith good reason. For the ans(er, let us turn to ,(ami. He sa!s5 )here (as no one to -no( (ho I am, till I created the (orld at 8! leasure (ith one (ord. Immediatel!, mountains rose u 9 immediatel!, rivers started running9 earth belo( and the s-ies overhead9 oceans, seas, lands and (atersheds9 ,un, 8oon and desert sands s rang u from no(here to rove 8! e$istence. Came all forms, human beings, man-ind, beasts and birds fl!ing. , ea-ing, hearing and all o(ers (ere besto(ed u on them under 8! orders. )he first lace (as given to man-ind and 8! -no(ledge (as laced in mans mind. &et us tr! to understand the above (ith the hel of an analog!. We -no( that (ater va our that is resent ever!(here can manifest in different laces in various visible forms such as rain (ater, la-e (ater, icebergs, etc. In the same (a!, God manifests in the h!sical Universe in diverse forms basing on His t(in as ects of Consciousness 0,iva1 and 2nerg! 0,ha-ti1. ,ince God (ho embodies these t(in as ects of Consciousness and 2nerg! is &ove, ever! entit! in Creation is also based on &ove. )hus, there is a divinel! ordained force of &ove that e$ists bet(een all the entities in Creation, (hose a arent difference is urel! su erficial. 0Incidentall!, it is this Divine force of &ove that dra(s devotees irresistibl! to Baba.1 In other (ords, God created the Universe as a stage (herein the different entities can visibl! e$ ress their &ove for each other. )hese different entities are nothing but God Himself, la!ing out the different roles3 8an! 'uestions arise at this oint, one of (hich is5 *It is understandable to sa! that a living being has Consciousness. But does a stone have Consciousness6+ )he ans(er according to 7edanta is that a stone doeshave Consciousness. Indeed the famous stor! of the (ee ing saris that Hislo has recorded roves recisel! this oint9 namel! that even so#called inanimate ob%ects ossess a certain measure of Consciousness. " ne( 'uestion no( arises5 *In that case, (hat is the difference bet(een a iece of roc- and a living erson6 ,urel! there is an enormous difference3+ :es indeed, that is in the *'uantum+ of Consciousness energ! 0Consciousness also can be loo-ed u on as a form of Divine energ!1 and the *t! e+ of Consciousness energ!. )he *'uantit!+ and the *'ualit!+ are such that the animate entit! has a manifest sense of self#a(areness. We can see that a living being -no(s about its e$istence. For e$am le, (hen a cat a roaches a rat, the latter runs for its life. )hat is because it knows it e$ists and it (ants to rotect its e$istence. )his ca acit! for self#a(areness is associated (ith (hat is called the ;raana < Baba often refers to it. It is this ;ranaa that e$its (hen a erson dies. )hereafter, (hatever Consciousness is left in the cor se is

%ust the *inert+ t! e of Consciousness that is resent in all atoms. In the icture ainted above, the emergence of life through an evolutionar! rocess is li-e a nuclear reactor becoming critical and starting to generate energ! on its o(n, (hen there is a critical mass of uranium in it. In terms of this analog!, death occurs (hen the Consciousness energ! becomes sub#critical follo(ing the e$it of the ;raana. In a similar manner, for the first fe( (ee-s, the fetus that gro(s in the (omb is %ust a mass of flesh but, as Baba has ointed out, (hen ;raana enters the fetus 0around the fourth month or so1, it becomes a living entit! of its o(n (ith its o(n distinctive Consciousness < the *mass of flesh+ no( attains criticalit!, to use the reactor terminolog!. )o understand ho( this is related to the Cosmic Drama (e have to first a reciate that the Universe is inherentl! diverse. )hus, su erficiall!, the constituent entities of the Universe all a ear ver! different. In fact, one cannot even find t(o blades of grass that are identical. :et, behind all this be(ildering diversit! there is an underl!ing unit!. It is to call attention to this t(o#sided nature of Creation that Baba often reminds us5 *BU&B, "=2 8">: BU) CU==2>) I, 4>2+. :es, in an illuminated building one (ould see man! different bulbs of different colours and different levels of brilliance9 !et the! all shine on account of the same current that asses through all of them. In the same manner, though (e ma! see stars, lanets, mountains, ele hants, tigers, sna-es, lants and humans of all shades and colours, the! all are embodiments of one God and carr! the Divine s ar- in them. )hat is the ?unit! in diversit! to (hich Baba directs our attention. God is la!ing all the roles in this drama9 that of the good gu! as (ell as the villain. )his (ould be most m!stif!ing to most of us and (e (ould (onder5 *>o( (h! on earth does God do this6+ Before (e consider that, let us remind ourselves that little children (ho la! all b! themselves often do this. )he! s ea- to themselves, la!ing man! roles3 God is li-e a child and He does this to amuse Himself and to e$ ress His &ove for Himself 0via the various forms1. )hat is (h! ancients in India referred to Creation as a Gods&eela or His s ort. ;la!ing this game, God can love Himself through His various forms. 4ne ob%ection to this ro osition might be5 *&isten, this is all (rong. In this (orld, there is more hatred than love. )here is something (rong (ith this h! othesis+. )herefore, let us e$amine further. Gods Drama is not a sim le one but a rather com le$ one. Would an! creative dramatist (rite a na@ve la! (here nothing reall! ha ens6 >o. In the same (a!, God has scri ted His la! (ith a lot of s ice3 He has thro(n in some good gu!s and lots of bad gu!s, setting in motion a endulum as it (ere. "t times the endulum s(ings to(ards evil and at times it s(ings to(ards good. In fact, to ma-e the endulum s(ing to(ards good, God sometimes has to ut in a ersonal a earance as an "vatar3 In short, the entire Universe is b! God, for God and of God3 )hat is (h! Baba often tells us *:ou are God.+ In that case, (h! dont (e behave li-e God (ould6 )hat is because (e have forgotten our true nature and that is recisel! (h! ,(ami often tells us to as- ourselves5 *WH4 "8 I6+ " man (ho does not -no( that he is God is li-e an actor (ho is lost in his role and has forgotten his true identit!. But one (ho -no(s his real#ID is not onl! a(are that he is God but also that ever!one else he sees is God. )hus, (e are reminded often that life is a drama so that (e begin to see God in all. In an act of e$treme -indness, Baba taught this lesson to Hislo in a uni'ue (a!. )his is ho( Hislo tells it5 "fter I had been going to ;rasantinila!am for about three !ears, coming bac- to "merica, as I got off the lane, I felt that ,(amis head and shoulders (ere su erim osed on mine. I felt that (a!. I (as a(are of the hair. ,o I said, *Well, (elcome to "merica, ,(ami3+ )hat feeling lasted for three !ears. 2ver! lace I (ould go, there (ould be ,(ami standing in the room. When I (ould tal- to eo le at the Centre, ,(ami (ould be standing behind every person in that room! Behind ever! erson (ould be ,(amis head. When I loo- at the (all there (ould be a ro( of ,(amis standing along the (all. )hat vision finall! came to an end, and I told ,(ami, *,(ami, that henomenon has come to an end no(.+ ,(ami said, *Hislo , dont !ou -no( that all henomena come to an end6+ He added, *:ou have had that vision of ,(ami (ithout an! effort on !our art (hatsoever. >o( !ou have to deliberatel! see ,(ami (herever !ou loo-3+ ,o I do that. " relevant doubt might be5 *4A, God is in all, but (hat about the a arent evil one sees all around6 Ho( does one deal (ith it6+ )he ans(er is, *Bust as in a la! t(o eo le la! the role of the good and the bad gu! res ectivel!, but neither is evil. Ho(ever, as far as the la! is concerned, one acts li-e the bad gu! and the other appears to deal firml! (ith the bad gu!. But in all this there is no hatred or anger.+ In other (ords, (e la! our roles as (e are called u on to but witho t an! malice, hatred or anger. In the same s irit, (e go through life as the )rustee of God. )hat is, nothing that (e might seem to have is rea!!y ours, be it (ealth, or intelligence or even h!sical strength. 2ver! form of (ealth belongs to God, a ortion of (hich has been given to us for *safe custod!+. )hus, if a erson is rich, he does not thin- that the mone! (ith him is his9 instead he regards it as Gods mone! given to him in trust, and s ends that mone! as God (ould li-e him to. ,imilarl!, if a erson is ver! intelligent, he uses that intelligence for service to humanit!. " minor additional clarification and that is the relationshi bet(een the vie( of Creation as resented b! ,cience and the vie( as resented b! 7edanta. )his relationshi is indicated in the diagram belo(5 We see from the above the follo(ing facts5 CD ,cience gives a good and detailed icture of (hat ha eneda"ter the Big Bang, but it does not e$ lain why the Big Bang occurred, nor (here the initial de osit of h!sical energ! came from. ED 7edanta on the other hand sa!s that God (illed Creation (hereu on the energ! of Consciousness filtered do(n through various la!ers to the h!sical level to rovide the initial de osit of energ! for the Big Bang to occur. .D ,cience is able to describe the evolution of gross matter from the time of the Big Bang but can onl! s eculate (here the origin of life is concerned.

FD 2ven if ,cience can e$ lain ho( the first living molecule emerged from the rimordial sou that filled the earth four billion !ears ago, it cannot e$ lain the blossoming of Consciousness in man. GD 7edanta comments on this b! sa!ing that the evolution of living s ecies actuall! occurred against a revailing bac-ground of Consciousness that filled the entire Universe from the beginning. 8ore Consciousness (as laced into the higher s ecies as it (ere, triggering *criticalit!+ in man, giving him the ca acit! to realise that He is God. When a erson realises he is God, he leaves the stage ermanentl!, (hile the others continue. "nd the la! goes on, even as the endulum of fortune s(ings all the time from the side of Dharma to "dharma and bac- again. ADDITIO#A$ %OI#TS RE$ATI#& TO THE A'O(E

;oets have described the (orld as a stage and life as a drama, but (e generall! dismiss all that as %ust beautiful meta hor. 4n the contrar!, the Universe is a Divine stage, and life is a art of the Cosmic Drama. 2ver! drama or la! must have a la!(right, a roducer, a director, lus of course actors, etc. In the Cosmic Drama, God la!s all the roles3

)his is a s ort of the &ord, rather li-e the games that little children sometimes la!, (here the! engage themselves in elaborate la!acting on their o(n. )hat is (h! this articular s ort is called a &eela of God.

Wh! does God do this6 We cannot reall! sa!, but ,(ami has given us a clue. He sa!s God la!s this game so that His different as ects manifesting as different entities in Creation can sho( love to each other. ,o, in a manner of s ea-ing, it is a game of &ove (herein God in one articular form sho(s His &ove to another articular form.
We mortals fail to see or understand this. We are so immersed in e$ternals, that (e see onl! the outer differences, failing to recognise the Inner unit!. )hat is (h! ,(ami re eatedl! tells us5 *=emember, (hen !ou abuse another erson !ou are reall! abusing God3+ &i-e(ise, (hen His bo!s (ent out to serve in the villages, He told them, *Dont thin- !ou are serving others9 !ou are in fact serving !our o(n self3+ )his is %ust another (a! of sa!ing that the same God resides in all. If God is trul! the core of all beings, ho( come (e fail to see that, and erceive onl! the difference6 )his is due to the la! of the Gunas, an im ortant as ect of ;ra-riti or >ature. But at the core, all are s ar-s of the Divine. ,cience also concedes that all entities in Creation are constituted of the same building bloc-s, and in that sense at least there is a thread of unit! running across the entire Universe. )he tiger, the mountain, the lanets are all so different. :et all of them are made u of molecules and all these molecules are made u of atoms of h!drogen, carbon, nitrogen, o$!gen and so on. Further, the ancestr! of all these atoms can be traced all the (a! bac- to the Big Bang3 )hus, even according to ,cience, the one has become man!. )his is not all. " lant has life, a fish has life, an ant has life, a (hale has life, an ele hant has life, and man too has life. )hough su erficiall! all these s ecies are ver! different from each other, the core of the &ife rinci le is the same in all. 4nce again, there is a common connecting thread. Ho(ever, ,cience is not able to offer an! e$ lanation for the reason (h! such a thread e$ists or the cause for it. For that, one must necessaril! turn to s iritualit!. ;eo le in ancient India believed that (hile the core rinci le reflected the Divine undercurrent, the e$ternal diversit! (as im osed b! >ature to facilitate the Cosmic Drama. "fter all, can there be a la! (ith %ust one erson and no other characters6 )hus, ancient Indians acce ted diversit! in da! to da! life9 but at the same time, the! never forgot the underl!ing Cosmic thread of unit!, the Divine undercurrent. )hus, the! (ould never deliberatel! hurt another s ecies, al(a!s declaring, *)hat being is also a Biva,+ meaning that the other entit! also contained the same Divine &ife ;rinci le. In short5 2ver!thing in the h!sical Universe has come from the rimordial *Cosmic sou + that e$isted at the time of the Big Bang. Diversit! in >ature is due to the la! of the Gunas. Ho(ever the core rinci le is the same. In articular, in the living s ecies, the "tma manifests also as the &ife ;rinci le. In life, one must have a balanced a roach ta-ing cogniHance of the core rinci le and the e$ternal diversit! at the same time. In this conte$t, it is useful to -ee in mind (hat ,age =ama-rishna once told his disci les. He said, *It is said the tiger also is God, but it is ractical to maintain a res ectable distance from it, es eciall! during its lunch hour3+ "ll this is fine but (hat is the ractical im lication of sa!ing that all that ha of a Cosmic Drama6 What does it reall! mean6 )o understand this, let us su ens in the Universe is a art

ose there is a drama com an! (hich is staging ,ha-es eares la! Bulius

Caesar. )he la! features characters li-e Caesar (ho is stabbed to death, Brutus (ho artici ates in the assassination, and Cassius (ho masterminds the lot. )here is also 8ar- "nthon! the friend of Caesar, (ho (ants to avenge the death of his -ing. "ccording to scri t of the la!, Cassius hates Caesar, and in the drama s ea-s lines that conve! his hatred. "gain, according to the scri t, Brutus stabs Caesar. But (hat reall! ha ens (hen the la! is enacted6 )he man la!ing the role of Cassius ours venom (hen he s ea-s his art of the dialogue but reall! he does not hate the man la!ing Caesar. ,imilarl!, Brutus has no hatred and merel! a ears to stab Caesar. In fact, after the curtain finall! comes do(n, it is 'uite li-el! that all these actors (ho acted as if the! (ere enemies 'uietl! en%o! a cu of coffee together3 )his is the lesson that one must carr! over into life.

)he life of &incoln rovides an e$am le. He had to (age (ar against the Confederate ,tates, but he did so (ithout malice or hatred. Gandhi fought against British Im erialism, but he had no hatred for the British eo le. )hese e$am les teach us ho( to go through life erforming routine functions, but (ith an e$traordinar! attitude that is (ithout anger, malice, %ealous!, hatred, greed, avarice, etc. )he follo(ing doubts can arise5 *Ho( can (e ta-e all this seriousl!6 What about rotecting m! honour6 What if I am insulted6+ Well, as regards these matters, one must function in a (orldl! manner, (ithin bounds of course, but in the s irit mentioned. For e$am le, even Gandhi agreed that self defence is acce table, rovided ones life is threatened. >ot ever!one can be li-e a Bnani (ho is ever read! to sho( the other chee- or even give u his life (ithout the least struggle. But all that is done must be done in the s irit of the Cosmic Drama. 4ne might still argue5 *But it is all so confusing3 What is the big deal6 Wh! on earth must one go through life as if it (ere a Cosmic Drama6+ )he ans(er to this is5 *&ife is a Cosmic Drama, (hether (e li-e it or not3 4nce (e realise it, (e (ould be able to go through life loo-ing u on ever!one as God in disguise < that is the real oint. 4nce one sees God in ever! being, including the lo(er forms of life, one has arrived3+ Finall!, (hen the bod! is shed, the individual merges (ith the Divine, and %ourne! is over at last3 )he ur ose of life is full! served. In short, realising that life is a Cosmic Drama is an im ortant com onent of the ur ose of life. 4ne might still argue5 *It is one thing to theoreticall! declare that life is a drama, and 'uite another to actuall! go through it that (a!. Is there an! clear rescri tion for all this6+ )here is and that is (here the )rusteeshi rinci le that Gandhi strongl! advocated a lies. )he idea is not ne( at all, and is a art of the ancient Indian heritage. )he idea is sim l! that ever!one no matter to (hat station of life the! belong is anemp!oyee o" &od as "ar as work is concerned and a tr stee o" &od where reso rces are concerned) "s far as being a trustee ertains (e can ta-e the e$am le of a -ing. While from a (orldl! oint of vie( he is loo-ed u to, the Aing for his art must feel that he is a servant of God. )his is not as re osterous as it might sound. In India, Government 4fficials are su osed to be ;ublic ,ervants. In this sense, the ;resident is not merel! the First CitiHen but actuall! the First ,ervant. In fact, man! !ears ago, Baba declared to a ,eva Dal conference that He (as the First ,eva Dal3 When everyone feels that he or she is a servant of God doing his or her (or- for and on behalf of God, 0and does it diligentl! in a manner that (ould actuall! lease God31, then half the (orlds roblems are solved right a(a!. )he other art, trusteeshi , relates to relin'uishing *o(nershi +. It starts (ith ones children. 4ne goes through life (ith the attitude that one is actuall! a foster arent, loo-ing after Gods child, given as a trustee. Aasturi describes ho( his arents too- him as a tin! bab! to a ,iva tem le and, after than-ing the &ord, too- a ledge to discharge their duties as foster arents. In this s irit, ever!thing is o(ned b! God < health, (ealth, -no(ledge, ro ert! etc. 4ne is merel! a trustee using that articular resource for and on behalf of God. 4nce u on a time, the )rusteeshi conce t (as (idel! revalent in Indian societ!. 8a!be (hole societies can no longer revert to such an attitude in this da! and age, but certainl! individual see-ers can ver! (ell ado t such an attitude. In fact the! must, and that is (hen la!ing a ro er role in the Cosmic Drama becomes eas!. For e$am le, a man ma! have to (ear an e$ ensive costume in a la!. He does not (ear it believing that it belongs to him9 he -no(s that (hen the curtain comes do(n, he must return the dress to the ro ert! de artment3 &i-e(ise, a man acting the art of a -ing merel! acts the role and does not strut about behind stage li-e a monarch3 In short, (ith the right attitude, going through life in the s irit of an actor in a Cosmic Drama is not an im ossible tas-. %OI#TS TO %O#DER O(ER )he conce t of )rusteeshi has %ust been discussed. Basicall!, it amounts to cultivating the feeling that one

o(ns nothing, not even the bod!3 2ver!thing belongs to God, and is used for and on behalf of God. Indeed, even eating is to be regarded as an act intended to sustain the bod! that is Gods instrument.

)he last remar- ma! sound craH! but there is a stor! that underscores the idea. )he Go i-as, the village girls (ho lived in Brindavan during Arishnas time (ere once tr!ing to cross the =iver :amuna. But the river (as in s ate and there (as also no boat in sight. Ho( to cross6 Bust then ,age 7!asa ha ened to come that (a!. )he Go i-as then a ealed to 7!asa sa!ing, *4 venerable ,age, lease hel to go across someho(.+ )he ,age agreed but on one condition. He told them, *:ou must all give me a little of the fresh butter that !ou are carr!ing.+ )he girls agreed and gave him some their butter. )he ,age ate it all (ith great relish. "fter (i ing his hands, he then (ent to the river and said, *4 8other :amuna, if it is true that I have been fasting toda!, then lease sto the (ater flo( so that (e all can easil! cross and go over to the other side.+ &o and behold, the flood (aters began to subside immediatel!, and ever!one (as able to cross the river (ithout an! difficult!. 4n reaching the other side, the Go i-as than-ed 7!asa rofusel! and then said, *4 ,age, (h! did !ou tell 8other :amuna that !ou had fasted after eating all that butter6 "nd she seemed to believe !ou3 What is the m!ster! behind all this6+ With a smile 7!asa re lied, *4 !oung ladies, !ou all thought that it (as I (ho (as feasting. >o, that is not so. )oda!, I am observing a fast. But I merel! ut all that butter into m! mouth to des atch it to Arishna. It (as He (ho reall! ate all that butter3+ "ll this might be ver! difficult for us in this hard#boiled age to s(allo( but such (as their faith in those da!s. )his e$am le is an illustration of ho( a trustee o erates. 4nce again the standard 'uestion5 *Ho( (ould !ou e$ lain this im ortant but difficult conce t of the Cosmic Drama to children6+ )hin- about it. S*AMI+S O'SER(ATIO#S O# THE COSMIC DRAMA "ll living beings are actors on the stage called the (orld. )he! ma-e their e$it (hen the curtain is rung do(n or their art is over. 4n this stage, one ma! la! the art of a thief9 another ma! be cast as a -ing9 a third ma! be a clo(n and another a beggar. For all these characters in the la!, there is 4ne that gives the cue. Here, some oints have to be understood clearl!. )he rom ter in (orldl! drama (ill not come u on the stage and give the cue in full vie( of all. If he does so, the drama (ill lose interest. )herefore, standing behind a screen at the bac- of the stage, he gives cue to all the actors, irres ective of the role, be it dialogue, s eech or song, %ust (hen each is in need of some hel . In the same (a!, the &ord is behind the stage of ;ra-riti, giving the cue to all the actors for their various arts. ,o, ever! actor must be conscious of His ;resence behind the screen of 8a!a. )he actor must be an$ious to catch the faintest suggestion He might give, al(a!s (atching Him out of the corner of his e!es, and having his ears rimed to catch His voice. Instead of this, if a erson forgets the lot and the stor!, 0that is to sa! the (or- one is su osed to do and the dut! one has to discharge1, and neglects to (atch the ;resence behind the screen, and sim l! stands dumb on the stage, the audience (ill laugh at his foll! and accuse him of s oiling the sho(. Hence, ever! actor (ho has to la! the role of man on the (orld stage must first learn the lines (ell, and then, remembering the &ord behind the screen, a(ait His orders. Both as ects must receive due attention. :ou are onl! actors on the stage before the footlights. )he Director Who -no(s the la!, Who gives the cue, Who calls !ou in and uts !ou on is behind the curtain. :ou are a u et9 He holds the stringsI.. ;lace !ourself at His dis osal. He -no(s. He has (ritten the la!, and He -no(s ho( it (ould go and ho( it (ould end. :ours is but to actI.. ;ra! that !ou ma! act (ell and earn His a reciation. Do all action as actors in a la!, -ee ing !our identit! se arate, and not attaching !ourself too much to !our role. =emember that the (hole thing is a %ust la! and that the &ord has assigned !ou a art. "ct !our art (ell. )here ends !our dut!. He has designed the la! and He en%o!s it3 Do not feel that !our role is lo( and that of the other erson is high. &i-e(ise, do not feel roud (hen !ou get a high role. Do the best !ou can, (hatever the role9 that is the (a! to earn Grace. )hought, (ord and deed must all be filled (ith belief that it is His la!. )hat is the genuine ath. )he (orld is a stage. "ll human beings are actors in this (orld#drama. "ctions are motivated b! the Will of God Who controls mans Immortal ,oul and erishable bodies. We must la! the game (ithout dis la!ing an! sort of (ea-ness or timidit!.

M+(*NG( FROM PRA( ANT * N*!A/AM <rom the ta!k given by Pro# G Venkataraman on &adio Sai

!oving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam 0

'he eightieth 9irthday of Swami is fast approaching& and we in the Studio are very busy with all sorts of pro"ects aiming to b Swami#s Love and 4essage to devotees everywhere. 'his has given me a lot of opportunity to reflect deeply on many aspe 9hagavan#s 4ission& and today I would li+e to share with you some of those perspectives. *uring the last four decades& Swami has launched many pro"ects dealing with healthcare& drin+ing water supply& and of cou education. In this tal+& I shall confine myself to education& reserving the other missions to later tal+s perhaps. ;here higher education is concerned& Swami first founded the 5ollege for ;omen in Anantapur. :ollowing that came the 5 for men in 9rindavan& and after that the 5ollege in Puttaparthi. :inally& in IGPI& the three 5olleges were neatly blended into <niversity& the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of ,igher Learning. ld timers would ta+e great delight in telling stories about how& many years prior to this& Swami tal+ed of a <niversity in Puttaparthi& how even devotees supposedly close to Swami and who missed no opportunity to hail ,im as the mnipresen mnipotent Lord& shoo+ their heads in disbelief& and so on. thers would prefer to wa6 elo-uent on the free education that adistinctive feature of Swami#s <niversity. In short& there are many points of view conc Swami#s Schools and 5olleges. All these points of view are no doubt valid but I would li+e to go somewhat deeper. 'o understand better Swami#s 4ission in the area of education& I believe we must go bac thousands of years to the time when India was steeped in the >edic tradition. 'he pur +nowledge was then a serious matter& and the !uru who in his ashram collected disci and groomed them& considered the sustenance and the propagation of the >edas as h prime duty and a sacred mission. 'he disciples and the !uru lived together& and instru was continuous& not being restricted to the formal sessions alone. Living with the !uru true education in those days. In every respect& the !uru was !od#s pro6y in human form. 'he !uru did not e6pect a payment& and accepted with humility what was offered to him by students and patrons 7nowledge was not only freely shared but it was the duty of those who possessed spi +nowledge to pass it on to as many people as possible. ;hat I have here tried to do here is to give a brief portrait of a school of the >edic age school was called !uru+ulam. ,owever& to understand its full significance& one must p the !uru and his !uru+ulam against the bac+drop of >edic Society. I shall attempt tha shortly.

9oys were accepted as disciples in the !uru+ulam at the tender age of five& after they had gone through the ceremony of <panayana then spent many years with the !uru& and typically they would leave when they attained the age eighteen or so. nce out of the !uru and in the world& the graduate& shall I say& would get married and settle down to lead the life of an ideal householder& as en"oined in th scriptures. At this point& I must bring in the structure of >edic Society. 'his was organised into strata& often referred to as the >arna System. In the 7rishna declares that it is ,e who created the >arna System. In later years& the >arna System came to be +nown as the 5aste System than+s to the many evils that contaminated the 5aste System& it earned a very bad name. In fact& many social and political activists of have a dim view of Lord 7rishna because& according to these critics& it was 7rishna who started all the trouble. It is useful to spend a few minutes chec+ing out all this. :irst of all& what e6actly is the >arna System& and what precisely did 7rishna m when ,e said that ,e is the one who created the >arna System2 4y view is this. 'he >arna System merely says that people are born different aptitudes. 'his is another way of saying that there is diversity in human nature. 'hus& according to me& 7rishna was merely s that all diversity in 5osmos& including in human beings& originated from ,im. ;hat#s wrong with that2 I mean let us ta+e a country li+e& say& !ermany. 'hey have no caste system there& right2 And yet in this very same !ermany& some pe have a passion for sports& some are dedicated to music& some "ust love business& some are deep into science and so on& right2 ,ow All this happens because different people have different aptitudes and tendencies= and this is simply a reflection of the diversity of hum nature. Seen in this manner& the >arna System is a mere formal codification of the stratification of human nature that already e6ists. 'oday& in practically every country there are intellectuals& captains of industry& artists& scientists& men of the armed forces& and so on. People do different things based on their natural instincts and inclinations. 'his reflects nothing but the stratification of that particular country. No says it is wrong& unethical& or immoral to have such stratification. 'his +ind of natural stratification e6isted even in the 5ommunist coun and the 5ommunists too+ it in their stride. So let us be clear about this. *ifferent people have different aptitudes and that is -uite natural. Such stratification always e6isted and a will. Nobody can condemn or criticise this. I +now some of you who are listening might "ump and say( .9ut hey& wait a minute. You are distorting everything0 You have got it all wrong01 I +now e6actly what your ob"ections are going to be= please be patient and I myself sh

bring them up. 7& what is going to be the first ob"ection2 It would be that the >arna System institutionalised stratification& that the son of a 9rahmin w 9rahmin while the son of Sudra was a Sudra. Agreed. 9ut you +now what2 If you go bac+ say a thousand years& in all societies& activi people pursued were largely hereditary. A hunter#s son would be a hunter& a farmer#s son would be a farmer and so on. 9y the way& ha noticed how many /nglish names are associated with trades li+e& !oldsmith& 9a+er& Ironmonger& 5arpenter& and so on2 So you see& i >edic times a 9rahmin#s son was a 9rahmin& a >aisya#s son was a >aisya and so on& it was in +eeping with what was common in thos in all societies= nothing wrong in that. You might at this point argue( .;e are not complaining about the hereditary business but the stigma attached to the lower castes in th System and the indignity and humiliation the lower castes had to suffer.1 I must admit that you have a point there. You +now somethin ;hen I was young& my friends and I were all hopping mad about the in"ustices of the 5aste System as it was then being practiced. If y recall& even !andhi fought against the evils of the system. 'al+ing of !andhi& I must bring up one important point here. After I entered service& I was too preoccupied with Science to bother abou 5aste System and all that. I began to thin+ about it seriously only after coming here. I found to my surprise that Swami supported the System. I tried to read everything Swami had said on the sub"ect 8 and believe me ,e has indeed made many comments. I recall that occasion& ,e e6plained the system in great detail to ,islop. In spite of all this& I had many doubts. 'hat was when I turned to !andhi.

It so happens that I have a boo+ entitled 'he !ita According to !andhi. 'his boo+ is by 4ahadev !andhi& and is essentially an /nglish translation of a boo+ that !andhi had written earlier in !u"a comments e6tensively on the >arna System and the 5aste System. Interestingly& !andhi praises condemns the 5aste System. 9ut are not the too the same2 Not -uite= what we had to start with later became was the degenerated 5aste System. 'hus it is that !andhi supported the >arna Sy 5aste System. You thin+ there is a contradiction2 Let us e6amine. You see& >arna System was born when the Scriptures formalised natural stratification by declarin divided into four castes composed of the 9rahmins& the 7shatriyas& the >ysyas& and the Sudras. 9rahmins would be 9rahmins& people born to 7shatriyas would be 7shatriyas& and so on. 'he du also specified. 'hus& 9rahmins would be models of humility& concerned mainly with the preservat people on how to lead their lives in accordance with what the Scriptures say. 'he 7shatriyas wou >ysyas would be concerned with trade and commerce& while the Sudras would ta+e care of what the service sector. 'his was how it was when the System got started= all nice and smooth& and everything hun+y dor America. 9ut systems have a way of getting corrupted and atrophied if one is not careful and tha to the >arna System. People in the soCcalled upper castes started becoming selfish and greedy a below& especially the Sudras. 'hat is when the entire System went haywire and remained so for c years. It is this aberration that !andhi fought against tooth and nail& and N ' the original System 7rishna had said it was ,e who had ordained the >arna System& !andhi went out of the way to d Some of you might wonder. I was supposed to say something about Swami#s educational program the >edic age and all that. ;hat has the >edic age got to do with Swami#s <niversity2 /verything coming to. /arlier& I described what the members of the different >arnas were supposed to do. 'here was so

have mentioned but did not= I shall ma+e up for it now& especially since it is a very important poin individual was supposed to act always for the benefit of Society. Selfishness was taboo& and ever of !od& and for !od. 'his is an important point and needs some e6planation. Let us ta+e 9rahmins. 'hey were the custodians of Scriptural 7nowledge. 'his 7nowledge was a benefit of Society. :or e6ample& 9rahmins advised 7ings on how to rule and 7ings accepted their service to 7ings was rendered as a duty and not for any payment or reward. 'he 7shatriyas li+ew because it was their duty to do so. In fact& if you remember& that is e6actly what 7rishna tells Ar"u fight to protect *harma& and not -uit giving lame e6cuses. 'he long and short of it& when everyone wor+ed for Society and scrupulously observed *harma& Nobody loo+ed down upon anybody and there was no e6ploitation either. Problems appeared on become selfish and selfCcentred. Dust to illustrate my point& imagine how different life would be if especially on lifeCsaving drugs. 7nowledge is !od#s gift and we have no right to appropriate it and ;e now come to the central point about stability in Society. 'he -uestion is( ,ow to maintain stab stratification2 ;ill there not be e6ploitation2 4y answer is as follows( 'here will be no e6ploitation they are the 'rustees of the Lord and discharge their duties accordingly. 'his in fact is the +ey point& that of 'rusteeship. /ach one of us is blessed by the Lord with uni-u different& and that is why there is a natural stratification. ne person may be rich= his wealth is a g supposed to handle that wealth as a 'rustee of !od. Another person may be very intelligent= that intelligence as a 'rustee of !od. And so on. If every one acts this way& stratification cannot lead t Let me now bring all this together so that you do not get the impression that I have strayed away about. I started with the !uru+ulam and how the !uru carefully nursed the disciples so that they >edas but spread its message. Ne6t& I pointed out that deriving from the >edas& a formal >arna S Society. 'here were four strata& and while their roles might have varied& there was nothing inferio particular caste= that aberration crept in later. 'he >arna System was based on heredity. 'his did of any caste a disCadvantaged person. 'hat was because every person belonging to every caste

At this point& let me clarify once again what the 'rusteeship concept implies. According to this& no everything belongs to !od. Let us say there is a surgeon who has ac-uired high s+ills. ,e may fe become what he has. ,owever& the truth of the matter is that !od has given that surgeon all the o would not be where he or she is. Seen in this light& the +nowledge and the s+ill that surgeon poss of !od#s treasure& given to this particular person to manage and loo+ after. And how does this pe +nowledge and person solely in !od#s service. f course when the surgeon serves Society& it me serving !od& since& as Swami has often told us& Society itself is !od.

It is this +ind of training wherein one regards everything as belonging to !od and dedicates one#s !uru of old really imparted. 9y the way& those of you who have read 7asturi#s wonderful boo+ L that when he was born& his parents too+ the baby to the local Siva temple& placed the child there prayed( . Lord& you have entrusted us with the responsibility of bringing up Your child. Please b so.1 'hus& even children were supposed to belong to !od& parents being mere careta+ers. 7& but what has all this got to do with today#s world& Swami#s Institute& etc.2 'hat is your -uestio for a few minutes and that would become clear. 'he first thing we must note is that Swami#s Instit !uru+ulam. I describe the Institute thus because it beautifully and seamlessly blends the best of modern re-uirements. 'he style of living in the residential ,ostels and discipline that the students but the sub"ects studied by students are mostly modern. Let me amplify.

According to the >edas& man is a combination of the body& the 4ind and the Atma. Swami has to strictly spea+ing& all three components of the human being must receive proper nourishment and 5olleges provide& in balanced proportion and in a disciplined manner. 'he day begins with Supra etc.& after which students have a bath& eat brea+fast and go to 5ollege. In the 5ollege& the day al this the classes& where maths& physics& chemistry& biology& computer science& etc.& are taught. In assemble in the 4andir& where& in innumerable ways& often -uite subtle& Swami grooms them. *i all activities& and in the ,ostel& most support activities are managed by students themselves. 'he run the ,ostel Library& do all the welding etc.& needed for the huge structures they put up at Spor needed for dramas& and so on. I was amaBed at the sort of training they get in selfCreliance= they repair& to plumbing. I don#t thin+ students elsewhere ever get this +ind of training. 'his again is re where the disciples played a +ey part in ;hen the academic year begins& there is& in country& a strange and barbaric initiation supposedly a function during which the 'hat is only on paper= in practice& ragging and obscene but also dangerous. In fact& but strangely the authorities do not seem to >ice 5hancellor or 5hairman of <!5 raise a custom& which is totally unCIndian and alien where ragging is absent is Swami#s even been heard of here. n the contrary& begins in the most civilised manner possible& Indian 5ulture and Spirituality. I am sure you Summer 5ourse. Life in the ,ostel is Spartan. No individual on the floor. Living together breeds a strong brotherly feeling& and it is always share and care. It is not readily apparent but a careful e6amination would show that in many respects& Swami#s ed of the past and the present. 4any misguided people thin+( . h& Swami#s boys may be goody& goo comes to real life& they are not at the top.1 Let me tell you that during the recent !A'/ e6aminatio hundred thousand college students all over the country& our students not only had a high success came really at the top with one of them securing the AllCIndia first ran+. I hope that silences those opinion of our students. :or those of who do not +now& !A'/ stands for !raduate Aptitude 'est f common entrance e6am for students with Post !raduate degrees& who want to pursue higher stu degree in engineering sciences. I might also add that many of our students are doing very well as elite Indian research establishments but also in graduate schools abroad. 9y the way& it is the un students who are studying for Ph.* etc.& abroad& that their hostel training has stood them in good since they +now how to space out. *isciplined life can ma+e a hell of a lot of difference& I tell you. Dust to place all this in conte6t let m news item that a friend in America sent me. It appears that the ,arvard 4edical School has done students of universities in America and discovered that on the average& each student spend QM&M is shoc+ing and shows what damage the lac+ of discipline and self regulation can cause. Recently& newspapers in India went gaga about the achievements of business school graduates elite institutions. 'hey went gaga because many soCcalled big companies were hiring these stude boy was being offered Q IMF&FFFKC or so and many others were being offered salaries in the rang per annum. And many of these "obs were in America. So the papers gushed( 'his is what brand n All this may sound great& and that e6actly is what it is. You might wonder what#s wrong with that2 mention that the companies that offer such fat salaries also e6pect a tremendous lot and it won#t minute to sac+ a person. I +now a person in the <S who held a high position in a prestigious com half a million dollars. 'he top management of that company changed and within one day this man that he did anything wrong= it was simply that the new management wanted its own crew in0 Dust young graduates would be sub"ected to. 9ut more than that& I want to as+ a fundamental -uestion. ;hich is truly better2 'o be great or to search for the answer= Swami has given it. SoCcalled greatness belongs to the e6ternal world while goodness belongs to the Inner world& the you to "ump to the conclusion that our graduates are Beros in this world. :ar from it. 'hey may no

+now how a good many top 5orporate e6ecutives simply adore our students. ;hy2 9ecause our players& wor+ hard& and are scrupulously honest. All this flow naturally from good character. 5ont teacher in a business school in America said after the recent rash of corporate scandals. ,e as+e oldCfashioned ideas about truth and honesty21 ;ell& in the name of training managers to be aggre values "ust got thrown out& that#s all. Allow me to recall here an incident that too+ place in the summer of IGGL when a Summer 5ours 9rindavan. I was the >ice 5hancellor then. ne afternoon& the main drainage got bloc+ed and gu bac+ flow into the ,ostel +itchen. If that happened& we would have had a ma"or disaster on our ha +itchen that food was being coo+ed for about two thousand people including the students. 4any stood around the drain wondering what to do. 'here was no dearth of suggestions of cours cannot handle this. ;e must call the Sanitation *epartment.1 n paper this might have been a go it was not. :irstly& the *epartment was in the city& and it would ta+e hours for them even to registe never happen in a hurry in these departments& even if there is a crisis. 'hat was when something ne of our students who was attending the Summer 5ourse& a student of our business school& si Sai Ram& and entered the manhole. Imagine that. 'his was real gutter and this boy entered it to f nec+ deep in sewage. :eeling with his hands& he located the bloc+age. ,e grasped what was obs hard. In a minute& the obstruction gave way and flow of sewage started immediately. I as+ you( 5ou!d any o# these toppers #rom the brand institutes about ,hom so much is being ,r reminds me of a nice story. It appears that an American tourist once went to 5alcutta and there s dying man from the gutter& cleaning him and all that. 'he tourist was shoc+ed and e6claimed& .!e am given a million dollars.1 4other 'eresa turned to the American& smiled and said .I would not to even if offered two million dollars.1 'he American was puBBled and said& .9ut you are doing it01 4 said& .Ah& this I am doing for !od.1 'hat is perhaps a story but what I narrated is a real incident. Let me wrap up. 'here are so many wonderful things about Swami#s Institute. :irst of course is th uni-ue. Ne6t is the intense personal attention that Swami gives to the students. 'hen comes the lead their lives after they leave. A -uic+ word here about !rama Seva. *o you +now that many of the students ta+ing their postCg would have gone through five !rama Sevas& which adds up in all to about fifty days of intense se university in India can claim to have given such training2 It is not "ust discipline and honesty in the wor+ place that ma+es them uni-ue. *o you +now how girls are involved in Seva after they leave2 'hey are doing Seva all the time& all over the world& :or e6ample& a few months ago& during *ecember& when it was getting chilly at nights& our old bo 9hagavan#s *arshan spontaneously went out at night to the neighbouring town of Penu+onda an sleepers as possible with blan+ets. I as+ you( ,ow many alumni of the big universities across the about that. In the ultimate analysis& man+ind& if it really w mess& which& by the way& is caused almost en greed& can do so only when individuals develo happen on a large scale& the world needs hun universities li+e Swami#s Institute. And when s receive what I would call true education for life automatically act in the spirit of 'rusteeship. ; manCmade problems would disappear and the better and holier place to live in. I maintain that without character& one simply c improvement in Society. 5haracter is moulded educational institutions. ;here education is c the best e6ample in the whole world. ;hen th young men and women go out into Society wi for sure lead a *harmic life. 'rue *harmic life calls for selflessness& and actions performed in the in all wal+s of life and even organisations follow that principle& then the !olden Age that we all dre People may shrug their shoulders and dismiss all this as a wild pipe dream. It cannot happen& the ;ILL happen if we want it to. If you tell an educator who does not +now anything about 9aba to s Swami#s he will say it is not possible. 9ut Swami has done it. thers can do it too but only if they boils down to( Are we really serious about changing this world or we want someone else to do it f

we can be sure that nothing would ever happen. If a person is hungry& then that person has to ea that person. It is as simple as that0 I don#t +now if you would agree with the things I have said. You do not have to. 4y intention is to I have raised. I would of course love to hear your comments. As always& we invite you to write to( 0hank you and =ai Sai &am Pro# G Venkataraman

REFORM( 9*T A +MAN FACE7 Reflections by *r.!.>en+ataraman Sai Ram& and greetings. 'his is probably the last article I shall be writing from 9rindavan this summer& since Swami is li+ely to leave soon& bac+ for the base. f course speculation is heavy as to when e6actly ,e would leave& and I don#t +now if there is betting as well. People sometimes can be very craBy& and I would not be surprised if there is some of that too but I sincerely hope not. As it is we are given to too much trivialiBation of *ivinity and we don#t need this e6tra bit= to use a corny phrase( .;e need such betting as badly as we need a hole in the head.1 'hat opens up a topic& namely gambling& but I shall not deal with it this time. Instead& I would li+e to deal with something that has been happening here after the recent general elections. Suddenly we are beginning to hear the phrase .reforms with a human face1. Actually& the meaning of this is very clear to those who have been reading the newspapers carefully and yet& a devotee who undoubtedly reads the papers every day& as+ed me& .;hat is the meaning of reforms with a human face21 'hat is the topic I would li+e to deal with today& especially because this topic has a deep spiritual undercurrent. 'he word reform as applied in the Indian economic and political scene refers to the streamlining of economic philosophy& political institutions and the laws of the land to enable free enterprise to thrive and to allow free play to mar+et forces. In short& it means that everything must be done to help business prosper and businessmen to thrive and ma+e money& lots of it. 'he general idea is that if business thrives& money would be generated in plenty& and when money is plentifully generated and businessmen become wealthy& some of that wealth would tric+le down and help the upper middle class to come within an inch of being rich& the lower middle class to climb up towards the upper middle class brac+et& and the poor to become less poor. 'his is the famous tric+leCdown theory that has been heavily promoted since the seventies by the advocates of mar+et forces& as they are called. In principle all this sounds fine and the tric+leCdown theory even appears to wor+. /6perts would tell you how country R introduced mar+et reforms and prospered= how country Y has now banished poverty& and so on. Some of the statistics that they dish out are factual and cannot be denied. And yet& in many of these successCstory countries& huge problems have also surfaced. 'he problems are of varied +ind but they are there all the same and cannot -uite be swept under the rug. You might at this point wonder( .;hat on earth has all this got to do with Spirituality2 ;hen did ,), turn into a business or economics "ournal21 Please wait0 I shall come to the spiritual aspects after completing the re-uired preamble. 'o get bac+ to what I was saying& there was this tric+leCdown theory that was invariably trotted out to convince one and all that once wealth is generated in the country& all would get rich& all would prosper& and poverty would be a dim memory of the past. 'he governments of the world were told( .'he business of government is to get out of business01 'here is a saying that you can fool some people for some time but not all people all the time. So one fine day& many pundits wo+e up and challenged the tric+leCdown theory. 'hey said& .,ey wait a minute0 'he rich are getting richer but the poor are at the same time getting poorer. 9esides& the number of poor people is also increasing. 'he tric+leCdown theory is li+e the 3/mperor#s new clothes#= it is fiction01 'he business community then went on a counter attac+ and the debate was now in full swing. Dust before the elections& there was a lot of support for economic reforms as they are called and the rich had itgood. 9y the way& actions that aid the business community are called reforms because the earlier policies were unduly restrictive. In effect& what had happened was that the economic pendulum had swung from one e6treme to the other. /arlier there was e6cessive state control and now the move was to have the state do little or nothing at all= the mantra was that the magic of the mar+et place would sort out all problems and ta+e care of everything. 7& all this was before the elections and when the elections came there were& as I "ust said& many parties that challenged the economic reforms and wanted to go bac+ to state control. 'he entire debate now too+ a different turn and finally some sort of compromise was sought to be evolved. 'he compromise formula is( .Yes& we must have economic reforms but that must not hurt the poor people.1 'his almost sounds li+e having the ca+e and eating it too& but I shall not go into all that here. 'he point

simply is that many people said& .Reforms must go on because otherwise the !*P will crash. ,owever& we must effect the reforms in such a manner that no hardship is caused to the wea+er sections of the Society.1 And thus came into e6istence the catch phrase( Reforms with a ,uman :ace. I hope you have got the general hang of it. At this point I should ma+e one thing very clear. I am not ta+ing any sides. 9asically I have said there were three points of view. :irst there was the e6treme left& and then came the e6treme right and now some people are saying we need a balance 8 that is all I am trying to convey. I now wish to go away from the debate and loo+ at the soCcalled tric+leCdown theory. 'he pundits in all countries who actively promoted the mar+et forces said it would wor+. It has not wor+ed in countries& which& to start with& had wide disparity in income. In India& it certainly did not. ;hy2 :or a simple reason. 'he tric+leC down theory totally ignored human nature. It was based on the assumption that when the rich become very rich they would start spending their money heavily and this would generate a lot of "obs etc.& which would help an allCround growth and benefit the poorer sections. 'hat is what did not -uite happen and that is because the authors of the tric+leCdown theory ignored human psychology and the tendency of humans to be e6tremely selfish. In spiritual language& they ignored the power of the !unas. Yes& when the upper strata people got more money they did begin to spend heavily but the money spent went to the wrong poc+ets. In India& lots of the upper strata people started buying imported goods and so all that money spent went to foreign countries. 'hey started travelling abroad on vacations and so that money also went abroad. And so on. 'his is one side of the story. 4any spent on lu6uries within the country= for e6ample& people go to a seven star hotel and blow money li+e anything. You +now something2 *uring the recent elections& a lot of rich people did not stay at home to watch the results on television. 'hey formed groups& hired a room in a big hotel and spent the time there watching the results. ;hy2 9ecause they could drin+ while watching and commenting0 Dust the other day& I was reading in the newspapers that a rich Indian businessman settled in the <7 is getting his daughter married in Paris and is spending only :I:'Y 4ILLI N * LLARS on the marriage0 Imagine that& this man is spending on his daughter#s marriage an amount that is almost what Swami spent to bring drin+ing water to nearly a million people in Anantapur *istrict0 Swami says money is !od& do not waste it. <nfortunately this man has not heard of that. If you loo+ around& there is plenty of this +ind of stuff going on. As one of my colleagues& a professor in economics& once told me& in life we have vital necessities $air& water& food%& essentials $clothes& house& education& "ob% important needs $water supply& sanitation& lighting& transportation%& needs related to comfort $fan& fridge%& and even lu6uries $air conditioners%. 9ut even beyond that is conspicuous consumption 8 the flaunting of wealth. If you thin+ about it carefully& there is a lot of that going on right now. :or e6ample& there is& I am told a 9entley car that costs a little over Q I million in India. All the fifteen cars imported in the first batch have been sold out and there is a waiting list for MF0 So one side of India wants to live li+e this while we have on the other side an India that we see during !rama Seva& and so on. 'his brings me to the -uestion of poverty. As+ a rich man and he will say& .'he poor deserve to be poor. 'hey are laBy& and they are idle. Loo+ at me. ,ow hard do I wor+0 *o you ever see me idle for a minute2 It is all due to laBiness.1 Superficially this argument may seem correct $at least is seems so to many% but if you loo+ deep& you would come to another conclusion. 'rue& there are the rags to riches stories but in most cases& the person who is now rich started off with some advantages. In some countries& it was the advantage of race. In others& it was that of community. So it is in every country. Let us loo+ at this business of laBiness. I would li+e you to travel with me to the interior part of the State of 4adhya Pradesh. 'his State has a lot of tribals who live today more or less li+e their ancestors did two hundred years ago. 'hey live deep in the "ungles and +now "ust how to survive living off the land. 'hey have no education and do not even +now there is such a thing called school. Nobody has bothered about them and most did not even +now that these tribals e6isted. 'hen how come they have suddenly hit the headlines2 'hat is because of a big dam that is coming up in that State. 'his dam will submerge a lot of forestland and that is going to leave about three hundred thousand tribals homeless. According to a ruling of the Supreme 5ourt& these people who are displaced must be resettled but no one has bothered about that ruling. 'hese poor people have no clout and only a few sensitive individuals are battling for their cause. 4ost of Society does not lose sleep over their problems. Incidentally& many dams have been built and almost in all cases the displaced persons had to fend for themselves. No such thing as compensation etc. All on paper may be but nothing in practice. 'a+e resettlement. Suppose the tribals are resettled in some other place. 5an they survive2 'hey cannot= they +now only how to live in a forest and not in a village. 'hese people simply do not count. 'hat is certainly heartless of Society. 9ut those who are in a hurry for progress are usually bothered only about themselves and do not hesitate to trample on others. 'his is what is called progress without a human face. 'hose who tal+ of reforms with a human face are saying essentially( .9y all means streamline the economy so that industries grow and so on but let not such progress benefit only the businessmen& leaving the wea+er sections high and dry.1 Incidentally& one of the slogans of the reform crowd is( .!overnment must cut down e6penditure. It is spending too much& and such e6penditure is unproductive.1 7& let us accept this for a moment. Now let us ta+e software. As you +now there is a lot of piracy and 4N5s complain all the time about piracy. Now who is

supposed to tac+le piracy2 ;ho is supposed to conduct raids& arrest the pirates and put them in prison2 'he !overnment. 5an the !overnment do all this= pay for the police& the Dudiciary& the prison staff and so on without e6penditure2 ;hat I am trying to drive at is that at some point there are social costs to be paid and it is the !overnment or Society that is as+ed to pic+ up the tab. ,ow can the !overnment do all that by cutting down on ta6es etc.& which is what businessmen want2 In short& everybody wants a free lunch& even though there is supposed to be no such thing as a free lunch. 'his brings me to the sub"ect of social costs. 'he advocates of free enterprise& mar+et reform& etc.& avoid mentioning this sub"ect because it is most inconvenient. 'a+e a thing li+e mobile phones. I am told that there are today over fi%e hun#re# million mobile phones. 4any regard this as a tremendous progress and what not. Let us leave that aside. *o you +now what happens to old mobile phones2 Since fashions are changing fast& people "ust trade in their old phones and go for new e6otic models with camera and what not. 'he millions of discarded mobile phones& P5s etc.& end up in countries li+e India and >ietnam& where there are smallCscale industries that dismantle these "un+ items. I heard in a 995 program an interview with a person doing P5 dismantling in *elhi. ,e admitted it was a very haBardous "ob and might even endanger his life. 9ut he added in a philosophical manner& .Anyway& I have to die some day. 'his "ob at least gives me some money to ta+e care of my family while I am alive.1 'his is what I mean by social cost. 'he big companies ma+e money by selling millions of computers and mobile phones& and introducing newer and newer models all the time. 'hey are least bothered about the pollution they create and do not spend one cent of their huge profits for dealing with the haBardous waste. Somebody buys the waste and e6ports it& and the country that originally made and sold the hiCtech products is spared of pollution& etc. 'he cost in lives is paid by someone else. 9ut who cares2 All progress has a price tag= only& the price is often paid by those who never got any benefit of the progress. 'hat is the reason why social costs are seldom considered. 9ut believe me that even rich countries cannot go scotCfree for ever. ;hen progress ta+es place too fast& even in rich countries people get shunted and discarded. :or e6ample& many advanced factories employ robots& which mean fewer "obs for people. 'hus it is that these days we have what is called "obless economic growth. Profits increase but so does unemployment. ne is beginning to see more and more of it in the advanced countries. I have no e6cuse to postpone any further a discussion of the spiritual aspects of all that I have said so far. 'here are two points I would li+e to mention and discuss. 'he first is the hierarchy in 5reation that Swami often mentions. ,e says the hierarchy is( >yashti& Samashti& Srishti& and Parameshti& meaning& the individual& Society& Nature& and !od. 4an must first realise that he is a part of Society& that Society is a part of 5reation& and 5reation is something that has come out of the 5reator. If man always +eeps this perspective in view& then his actions would be proper. ne who forgets this is li+ely to indulge in wrong action. 'a+e a simple thing li+e plastic bags $about which I wrote recently%. Shops give practically everything in plastic bags& with least concern for the pollution they create. ;ho is affected by such pollution2 Society. 9esides Society& the environment or Nature is also affected. And by being indifferent to Nature we are actually insulting !od 8 few realise that. ,owever& one who has understood the lin+s pointed out by Swami would not act in that way. ,e would& if he were a merchant& offer paper bags instead of plastic bags. Incidentally& if only we were to limit our desires a bit& there would be much less of these plastic bags floating around. 'hus& both ceiling on desires and the hierarchy mentioned indicate how the -uestion of social costs is related to spirituality. If the individual were not spiritual& then he would be forcing Society to pay a price. And one fine day& he would end up by paying a part of that price himself. 'his is actually happening to the rich& as Swami often tells them. 'hey the rich are busy amassing wealth& in the process trampling on many. ;hen the wealthCdivide increases& so does crime. And one fine day& the rich find that they are the targets of +idnapping& e6tortion etc. 'his is one aspect of the spirituality business. 'here is another aspect that is seldom discussed and worth mentioning. I have touched upon it earlier and so shall be brief= and that relates to the trusteeship concept. Rich people thin+ the wealth they have accumulated is theirs because they have .slogged1 for it. ,owever& do they ever consider the fact that if there were no Society& they could not have earned one cent2 'hey cannot hide from that fact and must realise that they are what they are on account of Society& which means that they must show at least some degree of social responsibility. In what way2 9y regarding their wealth as !od#s property and themselves as the 'rustee of !od. If only this man who is spending close to MF million dollars on the marriage of his daughter felt he was a trustee of !od0 9y the way& material wealth is "ust one of the many types of wealth that !od bestows on us. Some receive the !race of !od in the form of talent 8 that talent too is wealth. Some are very intelligent 8 intelligence too is wealth. 'hus& all of us in some manner or the other are trustees of !od and we have to ta+e care of everything !od gives us& including our body& our eyes& our brain etc.& using them only for sacred purposes. If only people did that& there would be no pornography& no cheating& no swindling& etc. Impossible2 ;hy should it be2 All one has to do is to start by being a bit less selfish. ne can always be a bit less selfish but one does not want to 8 that really is the problem. 9y the way& when I was discussing this reforms business with a learned devotee& he said( .'ransformation accompanied by the rise of humanness will automatically lead to reforms with a human face01 I thought that summed up the issue neatly.

*o you agree2 ;hy don#t you write and let us +now what you thin+2 Dai Sai Ram. !.>/N7A'ARA4AN

>olume C ) Issue C I)

-' Prof. G. Ven)ataraman

All is One
Awareness means living in the +nowledge of the omnipresence of !od at all times and under all circumstances. :ailing to do so& people tend to conveniently forget the divine factor permeating through every aspect of creation and end up doing whatever they please. :or e6ample& a politician may come to Prasanthi Nilayam to visit 9hagavan Sri Sathya Sai 9aba& fall repeatedly at ,is feet in the interview room& conduct himself in a respectful and reverential manner in Swami#s physical presence.

9ut the moment he crosses the ashram gate in his lu6ury car& he switches to different style and mode= !od is no longer on his radar screen. 'he divine omnipresence is forgotten and it no longer influences him as he goes about his routine wor+. !od& wor+& the business of politics are set apart in different compartments in the person#s priorities.

Cosmic ierarch' Swami never tires of reminding us of our place in the cosmic hierarchy. The four words are; Vyashti& meaning individual& Samashti& meaning society& Srishti& meaning nature of creation and finally Parameshti& meaning $od. Swami says& $od created nature6 so nature is a part of $od. 2e8t& in this vast cosmic e8panse called the universe& planet earth is a tiny spec& and living on planet earth is entire humanity6 and humanity is made up of individuals.

;e are thus a part of a huge chain& coming right at the bottom. 'hat does not mean we are not important. ;e are as crucial to !od#s creation as is the cell to the human body. 'he individual is a part of society& which is a part of creation& which is a part of !od 8 that is how Swami describes this divine chain.

Cells $efine the Organism

Stic+ing to the analogy of the human body& "ust as every cell has a specific function to perform to +eep the body healthy& so also& every individual has the obligation to ma+e sure that his or her action would not harm society& would respect nature and be in harmony with the individual#s intrinsic divinity. 'his is a close and intimate connection between the individual and society that needs to be properly understood& especially in the conte6t of contrary ideas often being aired these days. :or e6ample& 4rs. 4argaret 'hatcher 8 the thrice Prime 4inister of 9ritain and a very powerful lady 8 once famously said( 8There is no societ'A onl' the in#i%i#ual.; 4rs. 'hatcher was well +nown for many of her oneCliners such as& 8the &usiness of Go%ernment is to get out of &usiness,; and so on. In effect& she was a great champion of the conservative point of view& and did a lot to steer 9ritain away from the ;elfare State& created by 5lement Atlee around IGJL& when he defeated 5hurchill& the great wartime hero& in general elections.

9hat is not (piritual:

All fields of life& including politics bear a direct relationship to spirituality. Let#s go bac+ to the days of the Ramayana& a spiritual te6t dear to millions. 'here is the instance when 9haratha goes to the forest searching for Rama& who has "ust gone on e6ile. 9haratha meets Rama at 5hitra+oot and even before 9haratha could e6change pleasantries& Rama gives him a long lecture on governance.

!ood and dharmic governance was and continues to be very much in the province of spirituality. 9y the way& that is why 4ahatma !andhi never forgot spirituality while being fully immersed in politics. If one does that& one ends up with politics without principles& so very common today.

All life e6periences can be viewed through the prism of spirituality. 4any years ago when I was serving as the >ice 5hancellor of Swami#s <niversity& Swami used to go the college every Sunday morning to address the 49A students. If Swami had a course on 9usiness 4anagement in ,is <niversity& it means that 9usiness is not out of the purview of spirituality. nce& during ,is discourse& Swami materialised a gold Schaeffer#s fountain pen. ,e then too+ the pen apart and e6plained how a product is priced0 Later& ,e graciously gave me the pen& which naturally made me very happy. I was very careful about the pen and used it only for ta+ing down notes during Swami#s discourses. :or my regular office wor+& I used a normal ball pen that I always carried. ne afternoon after the darshan and interviews were over& Swami called me inside to tell me something. ,e loo+ed at me& noticed the ball pen in my poc+et& and as+ed& 89here is the pen * ga%e 'ou:; I replied& .Swami& I use that for only spiritual wor+.1

Swami loo+ed hard at me and after a pause said& 8E%er'thing is (piritual?; I hope with that digression I have convinced you that it is not e6actly irrelevant to mention politics& economics& finance and business while discussing the individual and hisKher relationship to society. After all& Swami ,imself has said that politics without principles& business without scruples& etc.& are harmful to humanity.

Crime an# Punishment 6 A Vicious C'cle

'o highlight how individuals do need to consider society and its problems& let me refer briefly to a study carried out a few years ago in 9ritain about "uvenile offenders who were sent to prisons. Normally& such offenders are supposed to be detained in separate facilities meant for minors but more often than not& these +ids were thrown in along with much older and hardened criminals. 'here& these "uveniles were sub"ected to all sorts of indignities and brutalised so much that when they were released after the detention period& these young people& barely seventeen and eighteen& had themselves become pretty hardened. After they were released& they indulged in crime and soon were bac+ in prison. 'hereafter& their life was one of crime& prison sentence& release& more crime& detention again& and so on endlessly. 'he 5ommission was deeply disturbed that society was& through its indifference& simply breeding only more crime by not helping young people to be educated and trained while in prison& so that they could be rehabilitated and become lawCabiding& productive citiBens when they were released. In other words& not only was crime being bred but also& society was paying a hefty bill to promote more and more law and order problems.

(ocial Price of +r&an (Cualor

'here are many such problems that lin+ individuals and society in a tightlyCcoupled manner. 5onsider children. !od has made children such that they li+e to play. 'his they do all over the world and have been doing this for thousands of years. Play is needed for a number of reasons. It brings children together= it ma+es them happy which is good for their physical and mental health. f course& everything must be done in moderation.

A+# e+t (a+ ,ho re*eres +ature a+% respe#ts t or (o%er+ (a+ ,ho th +$s he o,+s +ature a+% s #aus +! har( to t , thout real s +! he s #aus +! har( to h (self:.

Now there if you loo+ at cities li+e 9ombay or 4umbai if you prefer& it has a population of IM million and is horribly crowded. A good percentage of this IM million is made up of children. !o around 4umbai and try to see if there are any open spaces where these +ids can play. <rbanisation has stolen every bit of open space for shopping malls& apartments& restaurants& and what have you. 'he rest is used by slums. So you have these millions of +ids with absolutely no place to play. ;hat do they do for recreation2

Ne"s from (ri (ath'a (ai *nternational Center 'he Sri Sathya Sai International 5entre in *elhi began the New Year with a lecture on Hrd Danuary& by the *alai Lama. Lt. !en.*r.4.L.5hibber& *irector of the 5entre welcomed the !uest of ,onour and *r. 7aran Singh& eminent philosopherCstatesman& who presided over the function. 'he auditorium was pac+ed to capacity& even though it was one of the coldest days of this winter. ,is ,oliness the *alai Lama spo+e for JM minutes& after which *r. 7aran Singh& delivered his presidential remar+s. 'he *alai Lama opened with the remar+ that the +ey to peace lies in nonCviolence and tolerance& which is a AFFFCyearCold tradition in India. ;e can have peace only if we are able to bring about an attitude of respect for religions& faiths and belief systems other than our own. 'here is an interesting fact to be noted about the great world religions. At the level of philosophy there might be apparent differences among them= but at the level of practice there is no difference. ;hen we study the ethics or the practice advocated by the various faiths& there is not much difference. 'hey all believe in certain core human values li+e 'ruth& NonC violence& 5ompassion& Love and Peace. ne of the important values is 'ruth. 'ruth lies in perceiving Reality as it is. Reality can be e6perienced in its fullness& only if one harbours positive emotions and not negative emotions. It would not be correct to say that we should have no emotions. A person without emotions is a person without feeling. ,e is apt to be dry& distant& cold& friendless& negative and vicious. 'he important thing is not to harbour negative emotions. Negative emotions are emotions that are immature& narrow and cloudy. :or e6ample& attachment and hatred are two such negative emotions. ;hen a person sees the world through the prism of attachment& he would conclude that whatever he does is IFFO right. And when he sees someone else through the prism of hate& he would conclude that whatever the other person does is IFFO wrong. Nothing in Nature is IFFO right or wrong. Such a perception is merely a mental pro"ection& that distorts our appreciation of Reality& creating more problems. Positive emotions are mature emotions because here emotion is combined with intelligence. 'he application of intelligence leads to analysis and investigation. Analysis leads to conviction. 'he disciplining of emotion leads to a holistic vision of Reality. /verything is interconnected. If one fails to see the interconnectedness and interdependence& then it is a distorted vision. /6amples of positive emotions are faith and 5ompassion& which can be imbibed only through a training of emotions. 7nowledge leads to conviction. 5onviction leads to determination. *etermination leads to familiariBation. :amiliariBation leads to change of emotion. 'he main attempt must be have a clear vision so that we can see Reality as it truly is. nly then can we solve the problems of life. 5ultivation of positive and noble emotions leads one towards 5ompassion& 5ontentment& :orgiveness and SelfCdiscipline& in turn producing a calmness of 4ind. ;hen there are no ripples in the 4ind& it remains clear in its vision of Reality. It sees a problem as it really is and is able to solve it easily. Problems would then be unable to disturb Peace of 4ind. 9ut if the 4ind is wea+& if it is assailed by fear and doubt or too much of unbridled emotion& it would find it difficult to face the arduous problems of life. Life is bound to be full of problems. /ven if there are no other problems& one#s own body suffers from the problems of illness& decay and death. If problems are an integral part of our e6istence& we have to be fully prepared to face these with calmness& placidity and fortitude. In this process of nurturing your inner self& it helps if you continue to remain in the spiritual and religious tradition in which you have been born. I am happy to see that Sathya Sai 9aba has said that his mission is not to convert people to other traditions. ,e would li+e a 9uddhist to be a better 9uddhist& a 4uslim to be a better 4uslim and a ,indu to be a better ,indu. ne should be serious and sincere towards one#s own faith. 'his generates a calm atmosphere both in the individual and the society. ur inner e6periences reach a deeper dimension. Nuite often& I get the feeling that I am reciting verses that were taught to me by my mother and teacher in my childhood. n certain days& it seems to me that I am reciting the verses by rote and not with my full heart and soul in it. 'he recitation then becomes something of a burden. 9ut later I realiBe that such daily practice& although it appears to be monotonous and repetitive& it silently and effortlessly builds my inner resources and strength and help me to become a true follower of the 9uddha. In this audience there is a plurality of faiths. 'his reality has to be accepted. India has always believed in ahimsa in terms of acceptance of other faiths. !andhi"i is a great e6ample of interC religious harmony. ,e was a staunch ,indu& but he had a deep respect for other faiths. 9uddha was also a true Indian in this sense. ,e studied the faiths prevalent in India in his time and practised a number of ,indu paths. After his enlightenment& he taught the four noble truths.

9uddha#s philosophy of interdependence is his uni-ue contribution to world philosophy. 'he concept of interdependence is e-ually true in the fields of economy& politics& defence and so on. 'his gives a wider& holistic picture of any problem and brings us closer to reality. 9uddha believed in the human value of truth. ,e e6horted his followers to follow the truth. ;hen he enunciated the four noble truths& he also analyBed the cause of suffering. ,is conclusion was that all suffering was due to ignorance. ,e accepted the practice of Samadhi. ,e also innovated the vipassana system& which can be a very effective method for reducing attachment. ,e had great respect for the other traditions. 'his ideal of religious tolerance is still alive in India at the village level. 'here the followers of different faiths have lived together in peace and harmony for the last several centuries. 4ultiCculturalism and religious tolerance is practised in their daily lives. It is only in recent times that some politicians have created problems due to their low level of awareness. 'hey have too much attachment& which leads to a narrowness of vision and a +ind of shortsightedness. It is important that these few people are not allowed to destroy the rich AFFFCyearCold tradition of tolerance and harmony. ;e can all live together and wor+ together at individual and community levels. In his presidential address& *r. 7aran described the *alai Lama as a uni-ue combination of a natural sense of humour& compassion& wisdom& and an infectious childli+e laugh. ,e demonstrated by his living e6ample that Spirituality did not necessarily mean a prissy& acidic outloo+ on life. n the other hand& SpirituallyCadvanced souls were full of Ananda& which often bubbled over into their conversation. 'he *alai Lama was also the epitome of 5ompassion. 5ompassion was the essence of 9uddhism. ,e had deep insight into the nature of the world and man. ,e had nurtured 'ibetan *iaspora all over the world and helped them to organiBe themselves into dynamic communities. 9ut apart from being the apostle of 'ibetan 9uddhism& he had ta+en the 4essage of Love& 5ompassion and Peace to the people of the world. ,e could be described as a great ;arrior of Peace. ,is services to the world community had been recogniBed through the award of the Nobel Peace PriBe. 'oday the world was divided and split apart by fanaticism& hatred and war. Against these demonic forces& we were sorely in need of a countervailing coalition for Peace& led by personalities li+e 9hagawan Sri Sathya Sai 9aba and the *alai Lama. In order to strengthen the forces of Peace& it was necessary to first accept the fundamental fact that no religion could claim a monopoly on 'ruth. Nor could we wage wars& crusades and religious conflicts in the twentyCfirst century& in order to compel others to adopt our point of view. 'oday& war meant a nuclear conflict& which could easily result in the disappearance of humanity from the face of the globe. ;e find ourselves in an imperfect world and we have perforce to learn the art of living together in peace and harmony. India had always nurtured religious harmony through the ages. ur seers had declared long ago that 'ruth was ne and the sages simply called it by different names. ;e needed to remember these insights that had served this country through the millennia of its e6istence. *escribing the discourse of the *alai Lama as illuminating& *r. 7aran Singh e6pressed his happiness at the large presence of young people in the audience. ;ith so much of misinformation around& it was refreshing to drin+ from a healing spring of +nowledge& insight and wisdom.

>olume C ) Issue C P

'he +ids of rich people stay at home and play e6pensive video games. 'he +ids of middle class people spend hours watching '>& mostly programs unsuited for their age and mental& emotional and spiritual wellCbeing. 'he children of lower middle class people are driven by their parents to spend time doing homewor+& and the slum children mill around and watch crime in action. In some sense or the other& this is happening not only in 4umbai but in 4e6ico 5ity& and may be 5hicago& 9ang+o+ and elsewhere in many other medium siBe cities all over the world. 5an you imagine what an impact all this can have on the future of man+ind2 :ortunately& in the Sai family& we have programs li+e the Sathya Sai /ducation or SS/ and 9al >i+as but thin+ of the rest of humanity= what a huge problem the world is going to face "ust because individuals are too preoccupied with themselves and hardly about society.

*n#i%i#ual an# Nature

*uring a 'rayee session in 9rindavan& Swami said& .4odern man refers to our ancients as superstitious and ignorant people. S,e ridicules them for worshipping mountains& rain& s+y& animals and even sna+es. 3;hat stupidity0# he says in derision.1 Swami continued& .9ut loo+ at what modern man is doing. ,e is not "ust cutting trees but wiping out whole forests.

<He is not .ust %illing animals but wiping out whole species. $od gave man pure air to breathe6 but what is today!s man doing= #olluting it hugely.
!od gave man water to drin+= but what is modern man doing2 ,e is not only wasting water but also polluting it li+e craBy. Now who is better2 Ancient man who reveres nature and respects it or modern man who thin+s he owns nature and is causing harm to it without realising he is causing harm to himself21

One Mother Earth, E> -illion Chil#ren to Fee#

'wo thousand years ago& the population of the world was very small compared to what it is now. 9ut today& the population has swelled to L.) billion and they say by )FMF it would be about ten billion0 Imagine the implications of that0 ,ere are some things we ought to be deeply concerned about. :ood for instance does not drop li+e manna from heaven. 4an has to wor+ and slog to get food. Land and water are the prime basis for all the food people eat& both vegetarian and nonCvegetarian. :or a moment& consider meat& especially beef. 9eef is very popular these days& not only in the ;est but in Dapan and many other countries.

All +inds of arguments are made about why beef is very good for the body& while Swami#s devotees would argue e-ually vehemently that meat is bad for one on the spiritual path& -uoting Swami. Apart from the spiritual reasons& conservationists have done some practical calculations and have come up with a very compelling earthly reason why man+ind simply cannot afford to eat meat. 9elieve it or not& it has all to do with land and water0

Vegetarianism5 A Case for Efficient !an# an# 9ater +sage

,ave you ever wondered how much water is needed for growing say one +ilo of rice& wheat and sugar2 It has been calculated that if we go to a grocery store and buy one +ilo of rice and one +ilo of wheat& we are literally carrying about half a ton of water& for that is the amount of water needed to grow those two +ilos of rice and wheat0 9eef is eaten e6tensively in America and is produced by first growing corn& and feeding it to cattle. It turns out that at the end of it all& to get one +ilo of beef& one has to use a hundred times more water than is re-uired to produce one +ilo of wheat. Not many would +now that even amongst crops& some consume more water than others. In India& about fifty years ago& not much rice was eaten. 4ost of the people were poor and they usually ate cereals grown in arid land C cereals that did not re-uire much water for cultivation. 'hese cereals& li+e millet for e6ample& were loo+ed down upon but they were very nutritious. Subse-uently& rice and wheat eating became popular among even the soCcalled poor people because a lot more of these cereals began to be produced.

,owever& this has meant using much more water. 9ut the time has come& especially with growing demands for water on the one hand and galloping population on the other& to wonder& whether India as a whole should reconsider its eating tastes& going bac+ to less waterCintensive crops.

Rules of the Game Remain the (ame

'his is a good "uncture to consider the relationship of this series of tal+s on Awareness with the Gita. 'he Gita begins with 7rishna advising Ar"una not to -uit& not to abandon his duties as a soldier& committed to fight for the protection of dharma. Now why did Ar"una want to drop out2 According to Ar"una& it was because he thought war was not worth

it& especially when it meant +illing +ith and +in& his near and dear. 7rishna points out that Ar"una#s reasoning is all flawed. The !or# eDplains to ArBuna that actions must al"a's &e &ase# on consi#erations of the permanent rather than the temporar'. Ar"una#s hasty decision was based on considerations of the body= he was worried about his grandfather& gurus& cousins& and so on getting +illed in the battle. 9ut man is not "ust the body& which is a mere covering for something permanent namely the Atma or the immortal spirit within. 9odies may die but the Atma never dies& being eternal. Ar"una must decide giving priority to the Atma rather than the body= moreover& dharma was at sta+e.

If a,are+ess (ea+s total u+%ersta+% +! that Go% s + e*er)th +!- e*er),here- all the t (ethe+ for us the %e*otees of S,a( - t (ea+s that ,e (ust see S,a( + e*er)th +!e*er),here- all the t (e&

Ar"una was wondering what e6actly was his duty& and he was trying to resolve his doubt by loo+ing at matters superficially. In the !ita >ahini& Swami has e6plained in detail that while we certainly must be engaged with the present& we must& while ma+ing decisions& +eep two important rules in mind( (ule One1 Act in the transient world& but according to eternal guidelines and the permanent basis of creation. (ule Two1 See the universal in the particular and the particular in the universal. 'hat is 7rishna#s teaching distilled down to two simple golden rules. ,ow do these relate to the Awareness series discussion2

If awareness means total understanding that !od is in everything& everywhere& all the time& then for us the devotees of Swami& it means that we must see Swami in everything& everywhere& all the time. Let us try to relate this to the two golden rules "ust enunciated& with particular reference to Ar"una and his dilemma.

The first rule says act in the transient world but according to eternal guidelines and %eeping the permanent basis in view. >rishna e8plains6 He says& 9Ar.una& the eternal guideline is dharma& and the permanent basis is the Atma. 3ou are the Atma and not the transient body. 3et an action by this transient body is needed right now6 and that action shall be the protection of dharma& because protection of dharma is the eternal guideline.: See Go% e*e+ + the s(allest +se#t a+% the ato(- a+% at the sa(e t (e- real se that all these for( a part of the #os( # +ature of Go%&

;hat about Rule 'wo& which says& see the universal in the particular and the particular in the <niversal2 'his is a beautiful teaching of Swami and in effect it means( See !od even in the smallest insect and the atom& and at the same time& realise that all these form a part of the cosmic nature of !od.

Recognise the (acre# Connection in E%er'thing

'here is an intimate connection between the micro and the macrocosms& and this interconnection should never be forgotten in anything that we do. ;hen man +ills tiger for sport and its body parts& he fails to see !od in the tiger= e-ually& he fails to see that the tiger plays a delicate role of its own in maintaining the ecoCbalance. 'hus& the unwanted slaughter of the tiger must be avoided for both micro and macro reasons 8 that is what total understanding is all about and that also is the lesson that 7rishna taught Ar"una. Anyone can parrot the Gita but when it comes down to practical life& few implement its teachings= that is because few understand what the teachings really mean. Swami has e6plained the teachings in pitiless detail but then who has the time these days to read all that2 'hat is the single great tragedy of modern times. ;e have !od wal+ing in our midst who is telling us so many things several times& over and over again. *o we care to pay attention2 9esides who has the time between the cell phones& the television and the internet0 In the Gita& the Lord tells Ar"una that ,e has to incarnate again and again to teach the same lesson. As if this is not enough& Swami has said on many occasions that ,e tal+s about the same thing in all ,is discourses because people refuse to learn what ,e is teaching. 'he -uestion then becomes( .;hy does man refuse to learn and even if he has learnt& why does he forget so easily21 Swami has ,imself raised this -uestion and answered it& as ,e did even when ,e came down as 7rishna. :rom our point of view& the -uestion is( .;hy do we lac+ a sense of Awareness or why do we fail to have total understanding of the divine presence in all forms of life21

Three (ources of $NA

Swami has told us many times& each human being is really a composite of three distinct entities& the gross body& the subtle mind& and the causal Atma. Interestingly& from each source& we get a special gene. 'he gene for the gross body comes from the biological parents and this gene includes traits of our ancestors too. 'hus it is that there are many similarities between the genes of humans and mon+eys. ;hat about the mind2 *oes it have any genes associated with it2 'he subtle genes that shape our mind is a subtle entity called vasanas or inherent tendencies. 'hese vasanas are nothing but the traits of the person ac-uired in earlier births. ,ence each of us has mental genes that determine our predisposition since the time of our birth= these come from our own previous births and they thus are determined by us and not our biological parents or their ancestors. ,aving established that the body has its genes and so apparently does the mind in the form of the vasanas+ what about the heart2 It has genes too C divine genes0 ;e have three distinct sets of genes and our personality is determined by a comple6 interCmi6 of all these three. ;e come into this wide world with these three genes& and thereafter our environment starts impacting us ma+ing its own impression. ur nature may be what we came with but our nurturing will impact what it blossoms into. :or e6ample& a person might have been very greedy when young& a trait inherited from earlier births. 'his might have been the inherited vasana. ,owever& in this birth this person might have come into contact with a good person& and

the latent goodness might have got tic+led& ma+ing the person less selfish. So there could be an improvement= e-ually& there could be deterioration. ;e have an opportunity to improve spiritually or become worse. 'he traits we develop in this birth are called gunas. 7rishna has told many things about gunas and guna management to Ar"una.

s,a( sa)s- 0ea*e "eh +% o+e "a% ha" t "efore )ou !o fro( here3 that s (ore tha+ e+ou!h for Me&.

As part of our Awareness development& we had better do some smart guna management by reducing desires and enhancing purity so that buddhi or intelligence is sharp and helps us to stay connected with our conscience. In short& our gunas or traits could play a big role in buddhi or our intellect staying sharp or becoming blunted. In case of the latter scenario we fail to develop proper awareness. Net result of being in a state of such ignorance is that we often fail to see !od in other people& in society& in nature and conduct ourselves in the state of delusion& fracturing the golden triangle of life. ur undisciplined gunas can ma+e us pretty dull spiritually. :or e6ample& many people claim that they have no time for reading spiritual literature but somehow find enough time to read mar+et news in great detail& every single day. 'hey might argue this is vital for their profession but as devotees of Swami& they must have sat through many of ,is discourses wherein ,e has made e6tensive reference to the first hymn of Bhaja Govindam& in which Shan+ara chides man for spending too much time on worldly learning& when it will not come to his rescue in the last moment.

No Free !unches "ith Go#

If !od is a causal affair& ,is !race will also come to us only rarely. 'here is such a thing as eligibility& and unless we become eligible& how can !od help us2 Sorry but even in the spiritual world there is no free lunch0 It is sheer ignorance to thin+ that one can write che-ues and win !od#s grace. 'his is an unfortunate and mista+en impression. Go# "ants our lo%e an# not our mone'A "h' "oul# e "ant our mone' "hen e is the source of all "ealth: This is not to sa' e "oul# #isappro%e of our %oluntaril' gi%ing mone' for social uplift "ith a genuine passion to help those less fortunate. That is #ifferent.

,owever& any deal ma+ing with !od T we had better thin+ twice about that. let us not be under the impression that !od is desperate for our money.

ut of compassion !od might help but

,ow many times have we heard Swami say&8!ea%e &ehin# one &a# ha&it &efore 'ou go from hereA that is more than enough for Me.;

To recapitulate& the purpose of the Awareness Course that is given to the students of the Sri Sathya Sai niversity is to ma%e them realise that unless we ta%e Swami!s teachings very seriously and do something by way of following them& humanity would be in deep trouble6 and remember& when the ship of humanity sin%s& all of us are li%ely to go down together.
n the other hand& by thin+ing of the Lord& we would be saved& and by doing the Lord#s wor+& we would help to save others also.

3uell Violence "ith !o%e

Dust loo+ at the amount of violence around. 'a+e a minute off to en-uire why it is there2 4ostly& it is due to anger& misunderstanding& greed& in"ustice and hate. 'o sustain violence& a lot of money is spent= and to protect themselves from violence& people spend a lot of money. :ew appreciate how much money is involved in all this.

All of us are a part of #reat o+ a+% to that e;te+t ea#h of us has a #os( # #o++e#t o+ , th the 6os(os a+% the 6reator of the 6os(os- as +%ee% %oes e*er)th +! fro( the t +) ato( a+% +se#t to the !ala;)& 0 fe (ust "e l *e% , th full a,are+ess of th s #os( # #o++e#t o+ a+% the #os( # respo+s " l t es t (pl es& That s reall) ,hat a,are+ess (ea+s& It s th s a,are+ess of the

+ter#o++e#te%+ess that <r sh+a #o((u+ #ate% to Ar1u+a f *e thousa+% )ears a!o a+% the sa(e a,are+ess that S,a( s tr) +! to #reate , th + us throu!h / s t reless a#t o+s a+% % s#ourses&

Recently& a '> channel from America came to 9angalore and interviewed *r. Safaya about Swami#s Super Speciality ,ospitals that offer tertiary medical care absolutely free of cost. 'he interviewer said& .'his hospital is very nice of course& but it is too difficult to replicate it elsewhere as the pro"ect is too e6pensive.1 *r. Safaya replied& .*o you +now how much a sophisticated fighter plane li+e the :CIL costs& complete with all the armaments and the training e6penses2

?o you %now how many such planes are there in the world today= +or the cost of every such fighter plane& we can have one hospital li%e this. 1hich is better= To have hundreds of such planes meant to attac% or hundreds of hospitals li%e this=: 'he interviewer would not give up and shot bac+& .You are oversimplifying things
doctor. ,ave you not heard of threats to peace& of terrorism& etc.21 *r. Safaya coolly replied& .I am from 7ashmir& and I +now more about terrorism than you do= I have seen it first hand. 9ut let me also tell you= beyond a point& arms and weapons cannot help. *t is time "e tr' the alternati%e of lo%e an# un#erstan#ing. 9ithout tr'ing it seriousl', "e are #ismissing it. *s that correct: Thin) a&out it?;

Let us ta%e a minute off and thin% about what Swami is doing& and the lessons that His life teaches us. He reminds us about the duty we as individuals owe to society and the responsibility that society has towards individuals.
;e may be individuals who are doctors& or pilots or businessmen or e6ecutives& or whoever. All of us are a part of creation and to that e6tent each of us has a cosmic connection with the 5osmos and the 5reator of the 5osmos& as indeed does everything from the tiny atom and insect to the gala6y. Life must be lived with full awareness of this cosmic connection and the cosmic responsibilities it implies. 'hat is really what awareness means. It is this awareness of the interconnectedness that 7rishna communicated to Ar"una five thousand years ago and the same awareness that Swami is trying to create within us through ,is tireless actions and discourses. Let us pay heed& do as ,e says& uplift ourselves& and in the process help humanity too. 'hin+ about it& please. Dai Sai Ram.

-' Prof. G. Ven)ataraman

Awareness means since every human being is a spar+ of !od& people must live their lives deeply conscious of the fact that they are divine at the core. ;e must ensure that all our actions are guided by the truth that !od is present at all times& in all beings and in all inanimate entities too.

$ichotom' of Realit'
:orgetting this reality& man violates the !olden Rule. ,e first factorises creation in respect to !od and Society& and then adopts convenient standards of behaviour for dealing with !od on the one hand& that is if he believes in !od& and dealing with his fellow human beings and Nature on the other. 'his fragmented approach ma+es it possible for human beings to easily adopt double standards. ;e freely e6press love to !od but when it comes to dealing with our fellow human beings& we sometimes behave in an abominable manner& totally oblivious to the presence of the same divinity in the other person. In short& this convenient fragmentation& gives one a split personality. If one ignores the immanence of !od in fellow human beings and indeed in all living creatures& then it opens the possibility for cheating& treachery& in"ustice& etc.& all of which are responsible for many of the problems faced by humanity today. 'his discussion now progresses to another related concept 8 the soCcalled limb hierarchy. If we e6amine carefully& the purported !olden 'riangle and the limb hierarchy are closely related. Actually& Swami ,imself drew attention to it a few years ago& and there was a period when ,e stressed it constantly& both in private and in ,is public discourses.

!im& ierarch'
'he limb hierarchy goes li+e this( 4an is a limb of Society= ne6t& Society is a limb of Nature= and finally& Nature itself is a limb of !od.

'o start with& we have four entities C the individual& Society& Nature and !od. Swami uses the terms Vyashti for individual&Samashti for Society& Srishti for creation or Nature and Parameshti for !od. So we have& Vyashti& Samashti& Srishti and finally&Paramaeshti& each being a limb of the other. 'o appreciate the concept& we may consider a simple analogy. Let us start with a finger. 'he finger is a part of the hand. 'he hand in turn is a part of the forearm. 'he forearm does not stand by itself because it is a part of the full arm& which is a part of the body as a whole. So we have here a practical e6ample of a hierarchy in relation to the body of man. Now what is Swami#s point in mentioning this particular analogy2 5an you ever envisage a situation where the hand would deliberately in"ure or harm the arm and the body2 No sane person would ta+e a +nife in his hand and try to in"ure himself& would he2 In the same way& every human who is true to his or her nature cannot harm Society and Nature.

It ,oul% "e a (a1or #o+tra% #t o+ f ,e pra) to Go% a+% #heat fello, "e +!s- as t ,oul% the+ a(ou+t to for!ett +! that Go% s prese+t + fello, "e +!s .

'wo important sets of words have been used here= first there is the phrase( a person "ho is true to his natureA then there is the word harm. Let us deal briefly with who is a person true to her or his nature.

9ho Am *:
In a recent boo+& Nobel PriBe winning Professor Amartya Sen wrote that each of us has multiple identities. Sen says he is a 9engali& an Indian& a Professor& an economist& an academic T all at the same time. ,e thus has multiple

identities and could not be straightC"ac+eted into one category alone. Sen was airing this view to challenge the theory of conflict of civiliBations now being intensely discussed in some intellectual -uarters in the ;est. 'he basic idea is that the current soCcalled war on terror is really a conflict between ;estern 5hristian civiliBation and Islamic ideology& which& according to the proponents of this theory& was essentially fundamentalist. Sen said that it was too simplistic to say one was a 5hristian and the other was 4uslim and the two have to be opposed to each other. n the other hand& says Sen& each person is the sum of many personalities& with the different components being evident at different times.

Professor Sen#s hypothesis has been hotly contested and falls outside the purview of this discussion. Suffice to say that from our point of view& each one of us #oes have different identities= and there is one particular identity that Sen ignores but we shall not and cannot= and that is the divine component of our total being. At the bodily level& we are the son or daughter of so and so. ;e have to accept this as a fact of life. 'ry applying for a passport declaring !od as your father& instead of giving the name of the biological father0 Ne6t& there is the emotional personality or identity a person has by virtue of his or her behavioural characteristics. ,ere& parentage and such family details recede to the bac+ground= instead& the person is described by various terms such as +ind& compassionate& helpful& cruel& mean& stingy& miserly T as appropriate.

Go# * Am
Now there is one more identity that all of us have but few recognise& and that is our divine identity. At the spiritual level& this is the identity that reall' matters. And it is to remind us of this very important identity of ours that Swami always begins ,is divine discourses with the words& Divyatmas,aroopa!ara or Premas,aroopa!ara& meaning respectively& embodiments of the divine spirit or Atma and embodiments of love aimed at conveying emphatically the importance of being aware of our true identity which is pure divinity.

Moral -in#ing %ersus !egal Compulsion

An individual is bound to relate to Society differently a@ when the individual does not feel there is divinity latent within& and b@ when the individual feels that there is !od within her or him. 'here would be an enormous difference between the two approaches. Some years ago& there was a famous case of a stoc+bro+er in India named ,arshad 4ehta& who employed ingenious shortcuts to amass huge wealth. 'he scam was discovered and the person concerned was duly arrested. ;hen charges were framed& ,arshad 4ehta pointed out that he had violated no law= unfortunately& what he claimed was true. ;hat ,arshad 4ehta had done was to carefully e6amine the comple6 rules of financial and ban+ing transactions& and identify loopholes= sure enough& there were plenty. ,e then devised a scheme whereby he could systematically e6ploit the loopholes to ma+e all the money he wanted. ;as ,arshad 4ehta guilty according to the law2 Probably not& at least that is what I recall many legal pundits saying at that time. In any case& he died before there could be a trial. ;as ,arshad 4ehta morally guilty2 No -uestion about that.

(ocial $ishonest' Violates (anctit' of the (elf

Life is not "ust about manCmade laws= rather& it is about adherence to morality under all circumstances. 'he case of ,arshad 4ehta illustrates that people often thin+ in terms of action purely along legal lines. Such people do not bother to recognise that !od is very much in Society. 'hat is why they do not bat an eyelid while swindling Society. ;hen one realises that !od is within us and also in all of us& then one has to accept that !od is very much in Society also. If !od is immanent in Society& how can one say

one loves !od and at the same time cheat ,im by cheating Society2 No one who realises that Society is an embodiment of !od would dare to hoodwin+ Society.

Society is nothing strange or apart from us. It is "ust an entity that represents all of us put together. If each one of us were good& then Society& which is the collection of all of us& would also be manifestly good. If& however& we were divine only in a latent sense& then the divinity of Society would also be dormant. 'his relationship between the characteristics of the individual and the Society must be carefully understood. 'his se-uence of thought follows that(

1. 'he individual is the microcosm while Society is the macrocosm. 2. Since divinity is latent in the individual& divinity is also latent in Society& in fact on a macro scale. 3. If the individual does not allow his or her divinity to manifest& then there is a slim chance of a macro
manifestation of divinity in Society. 'his brings us to the -uestion( .;hat precisely do we mean by a macro manifestation of divinity in Society21

(ocial Priorities
In a Society where divinity is manifest& it would care for its citiBens& especially the poor and the helpless. ;hat are the poor desperate for2 :ood& shelter& clothing in the first instance& and then health care& education and oldCage security. 'oday& as we loo+ around& there is hardly any Society that is bothered about these. :or e6ample& where energy security is concerned& much has been said about the oil problem& all aspects of it in fact& ranging from the political to the environmental. If one goes to the root of the oil problem& one would find it has much to do with oil addiction& especially by the advanced countries. In brief& the oil story is as follows(

FrenI' of EDcessi%e Consumption

'he growing demand for lu6ury goods has fuelled the energy consumption of humanity. ;e find that individuals want more energy because they want more cars& air conditioners and what not. 4oreover& the number of individuals wanting all these is rapidly increasing. 4eanwhile& manufacturers are rushing in to meet the increasing demands for cars& '> sets& etc. 'o cater to the demand created by the e6plosive growth in gadgets& more electricity is being produced using coal and oil. !overnments the world over have done little to give incentives to promote the development and use of alternate forms of energy because economists say that one should not subsidise energy production but allow mar+et forces to dominate. And what do we find at the end of it all2 ;e supposedly get lowCcost electricity but end up paying a lot for healthcare. /lectricity companies are happy about the profits they have made& economists are satisfied that mar+et forces are prevailing but everyone is cho+ing with polluted air. 'his is the +ind of modern maya or illusion we are being suc+ed into because we do not use our discrimination properly and thin+ things through carefully. In short& we simply do not bother to appreciate that the individual& Society and the environment have a strong interconnection& which if violated& brea+s the sacred !olden 'riangle0

Gree# $ecimates the Gol#en Triangle

/veryone is tal+ing about increase in energy demands and the need to find more energy resources. 'he more pertinent -uestion we ought to be as+ing ourselves is whether we really need all that e6tra energy2 Instead& why do we not thin+ in terms of a simpler lifestyle and place a lid on e6cessive and wasteful consumption2

People do not want to do that= and even if they did want to& profitCma+ing corporations await with multiCmillion dollar advertising budgets to brainwash them with attractive advertisements& trapping them into limitless consumerism. And this precisely is where Swami#s teachings become hugely important and compellingly relevant.

Promoting an Attention6$eficit Culture

Swami has told us umpteen times about the need for practicing ceiling on desires. ;hat effort do we ma+e to follow that2 'a+e a thing li+e cell phones. 'oday& people "ust do not seem to be able get along without it. It has become an ugly addiction. 4any people may dismiss this observation as being unrealistic& out of step with the times. Notwithstanding the urgencies of modern times& compulsions of business and such& are we aware of the brain damage that cell phones cause2 Never mind the possible damage to the neurons in the brain caused by microwaves& people allow their precious time to be robbed by their overdependence on cell phones. As a result of this cell phone culture& people do not have enough time for selfCdevelopment through -uality family time& study& observation of Nature& -uiet introspection and so on. 'his is the more deadly strain of brain damage plaguing our Society at the present time CC the damage caused by not allowing the brain to flower as !od intended it= instead& the brain is being washed and dragged along the path of increased consumerism by vested interests. 9arring professional needs of doctors and such& others can always remind themselves of the need to live without their cell phones at least at certain times. verdependence on cell phones changes one#s mindset. ne becomes more of a shortCterm focus person. Attention span becomes very restricted and when that illness sets in& it becomes difficult to tread the path of spirituality.

'he Prasanthi *igital Studio is currently in the process of producing a comprehensive documentary& an epic depicting the story of the Sri Sathya Sai Avatar. !iven the vastness of the sub"ect& the pro"ect is e6tensive and will ta+e some time more to complete but occasionally& preview screenings are arranged for select audiences. ;hile most viewers have been moved& many have suggested that the film be shortened. *oesn#t that ma+e you wonder why people can#t spare an hour for !od when they willingly stay awa+e all night to watch a world cup match2 Yet& spending one hour watching a film on Swami seems to be a sort of sacrifice of time. 'his is the mindset that is a matter of concern and not the cell phone per se. 5ell phone culture breeds a culture of shortCterm priorities and a desire for instant nirvana.

Swami +eeps reminding us to pose ourselves the -uestion& .;ho am I21 ,ow can we contemplate on this profound -uestion if we are "umping from moment to moment to different things2 It is no use claiming that this is the way modern life is. 'hat is not really true. ;hat is happening is that we are allowing modern life to envelope us and then to swallow us. If we really want& we can prevent that by ma+ing a serious effort to place a ceiling on desires.The less #esires "e ha%e, the more time "e can ma)e for Go#. 'his is an important spiritual truth we ,A>/ to digest. 5eiling on desires is the way to responsible and reasonable consumerism. Reduced consumerism would lead to lower energy demands& which in turn would lead to a significant reduction in the burning of fossil fuels. Less burning of fossil fuels would lead to less carbon dio6ide in the atmosphere. Less carbon dio6ide in the atmosphere would mean we all would have cleaner air to breathe. 4ore of clean air would mean lesser respiratory problems& better health and fewer medical bills& a healthier Society and so on.

Veste# *nterests $ri%e Pu&lic Polic'

;here does Society come into this picture2 'hese days the word democracy is bandied about a lot& and the government is supposed to be of the people& by the people and for the people. Nice words& but all that is on paper. In reality& given the fact that elections cannot be fought without money& lots of it actually& a ne6us soon develops

between the soCcalled elected representatives and those who fund the elections. It#s a +nown practice and the moneybags that support politicians do so with a clear agenda.

There s "e)o+% (a+-(a%e la,s- a+ (pl # t so# al #o+tra#t "et,ee+ the +% * %ual a+% So# et) that +*ol*es %ut es a+% respo+s " l t es o+ "oth s %es& Th s s +atural "e#ause the +% * %ual a+% So# et) are 1ust t,o s %es of the sa(e #o +&

'hus& soon after elections& even in soCcalled democracies& the financiers move in to cash. And they do so by getting the government to lay down policies that favour them rather than the public. In the process& the government often ceases to represent Society= instead& the government wor+s to meet the demands of lobbyists. 'his has started happening almost everywhere. As a result& there is a strong disconnect between what is really good for the public and what they get.

Society can e6ist and prosper only if there is a social contract between the individual and Society& based on a moral foundation. And what is this Society with which one is supposed to have a contract2 It is not merely the government but theentire community inclu#ing nonCgovernmental organisations $N! s%. :or e6ample& the movie industry must give the public only films that promote goodness in the community. If in the name of portraying realism& films show e6cessive violence and sleaBy material& the producer and director are ta+ing Society for a ride. 'he director may wa6 elo-uent about freedom of e6pression but he wants the public to pay for his freedom without any return of responsibility. Li+ewise& the producer wants Society to multiply his wealth& without bothering about the dangerous conse-uences his films might bear upon the viewers.

*n#i%i#ual an# (ociet' *ntrinsicall' -oun#

'here is beyond manCmade laws& an implicit social contract between the individual and Society that involves duties and responsibilities on &oth sides. 'his is natural because the individual and Society are "ust two sides of the same coin. In ancient Indian Society this organic lin+ between the micro and the macro was clearly understood but in recent times& attitudes have changed. 'o put it differently& there is& whether one li+es it or not& a moral law that governs the <niverse& Society and individuals= and it is in our own best interest to become aware of this overarching moral law.

In today#s comple6 and tightly +nit world& everyone has a role to play CC the individual& the local communities& the corporations& all the way up to the government. ,owever& there must be a careful and delicate meshing of the roles and responsibilities of the various entities involved. 'his is possible only if they share common ob"ectives and concerns. 'he responsibility of the national government is particularly important& as it has to be an impartial moderator as well as a strong regulator so that social balance and e-uilibrium are not unduly upset.

*nterconnecte#ness of All !ife

'he factorisation of the !olden 'riangle enables man to brea+ up creation into segments that allow him to forget !od while dealing with either Society or Nature. Let us also not forget that man is a limb of Society& which is a limb of Nature& which in turn is a part of !od. ,ence& if man becomes disconnected and fails to see !od in Society and Nature& then his acts can actually disturb if not harm Society.

I+% * %uals (ust "e ho+est "e#ause truthful+ess a+% +te!r t) s the r true +ature& 'or ts part- So# et) (ust respo+% ") pro* % +! the # t 4e+s , th all the prote#t o+ that s the r %ueespe# all) + the (atter of "e +! ho+est&

'hat is not at all desirable because if everyone starts doing that then there would soon be anarchy in Society. In fact& there would not be any perceptible Society& only a loose collection of groups acting against each other& each in its own self interest. 4ost tragically& we actually see many such e6amples of failed states& which are at best a collection of tribes dominated by feudal chiefs and warlords.

It is rather easy to be undisciplined and disrupt order and regularity. It is very common in cities to see two people riding scooters and driving in opposite directions stopping to chat right in the middle of the street& each person on his own scooter. 'hey both would be causing a great obstruction to traffic. 'his might seem a small matter but "ust imagine a person with such a mentality being in a position of importance= he would not bat an eyelid to abuse his power and authority. Such selfCcentredness is what breeds insensitivity. A disconnect soon develops between the ordinary people and those in positions of power and inevitably& it leads to conflicts of various +inds. A civilised person would hate to hurt another person. If one saw !od in others& it is unli+ely the person would create problems for others& including by inconveniencing them. :ew realise& both here and elsewhere& that unless the individual and Society are strongly lin+ed with a moral basis& there could be all +inds of problems. ne thing clearly emerges from all this. Individuals must be honest because truthfulness and integrity is their true nature. :or its part& Society must respond by providing the citiBens with all the protection that is their due& especially in the matter of being honest. 'hus& whether we li+e it or not& the fate of the individual and Society are intimately tied

together. If individuals fail to be true to themselves& then widespread fraud and cheating is inevitable and one would end up with a failed Society. 'o some& this discussion may appear -uite far removed from what might be called conventional spirituality. 9ut then this is practical spirituality and is more important than theoretical spirituality.

E;te+% +! th s u+%ersta+% +!- ,e (ust +ot o+l) "e ho+est- $ +%- a+% #o(pass o+ate to fello, "e +!s "ut also "e *er) #areful to see that our a#t o+s %o +ot affe#t or har( So# et) as a ,hole&

'o summariBe the discussion on Awareness so far& the highlights are as follows(

1. 'his series is based on the Awareness 5ourse taught to the students of the Sri Sathya Sai <niversity but
adapted for a much wider audience and without the rigour that college courses demand.

2. Swami defines Awareness as 'otal <nderstanding. 3. In practical terms& it means seeing !od in everything& everywhere& all the time.
J.

5. 'he -uestion arises( ;hy is this necessary2 6. If we are all the time conscious of !od#s omnipresence& then we would be very careful in our actions. 7. 'he !olden 'riangle is a golden rule of life that must not be violated. If we drop our guard& then we would
deal with !od in one way and fellow beings and Society at large in another way.

8. It would be a ma"or contradiction if we pray to !od and cheat fellow beings& as it would then amount to
forgetting that !od is present in fellow beings.

G.

10. /6tending this understanding& we must not only be honest& +ind& and compassionate to fellow beings but
also be very careful to see that our actions do not affect or harm Society as a whole.

11. ;hy& you might as+ should we bother about Society when we have so many problems ourselves2 'he
answer is that Society is in a sense a reflection of our own self. If we are selfish and ignore Society& then Society too would turn the other way when we desperately want help from it. 'his is the law of reflection& reaction& resound that Swami often tal+s about.

12. 'here is another reason also why we should bother about Society& other than the fact we do not want to
come to any harm. Society is !od. 'hat is the main reason why we should not harm Society and not merely because Society can get bac+ at us.

13. :urther& we should also be careful about Nature. ;e should not do anything that would consciously or even
unconsciously harm Nature. !od is immanent in Nature too. 4oreover& Nature is li+e our mother& the great provider. If we harm Nature when she is giving us so much selflessly& it would be a traitorous act of ,imalayan magnitude.

14. And to stress all this& Swami often mentions the divine connection running through the individual& Society
and Nature& all the way to !od. Practical spirituality has everything to do with not only the individual& but also the relationship of the individual to Society and to Nature. It is to stress this that Swami often tells ,is students that we are what we are because of Society and we owe a lot to Society& much more than what we thin+ Society owes to us. You might wonder that all this appears to be very new. 'he Gita& for e6ample& does not say all this. 'hat impression& though common& is unfortunately wrong. 'he Gita implies all this but does not dwell on the implications in detail. In

small and increasing doses& Swami is beginning to spell out these deeper implications& until now not much commented upon. You might as+ why has all this become important now2 ;hat is different now compared to say >edic times2 ;hy did not the >edic seers tal+ about all this2 'he answer is very simple and Swami has e6plained this to students many times. In >edic times& the population of the earth was only about a thousandth of what it is now. 'oday& about L.M billion humans inhabit the same planet& and than+s to technology humans are not only devouring its renewable resources at a devilish pace& but far worse& are polluting the planet almost to the point of destruction because of the unchec+ed play of evil forces lur+ing in the senses and the mind.

In >edic times& sense and mind control was important primarily in the conte6t of individual purity and salvation. 'oday& they have a greater urgency& to save humanity and the planet itself. 'hese implications are not spelt out at all by any Guru= Swami alone is cautioning us day in and day out. And we had better pay serious attention to ,im before it becomes too late. Dai Sai Ram.

,/A>/NLY !AN!A& ',/ :ARA77A 9ARRA!/ AN* I'S A'R 5I <S A:'/R4A',...
Reflections, !essons, an# 3uestions
Mr. 0atin . $esai

Mr. 0atin $esai is the Co6foun#er an# CEO of The $e(ai group &ase# in Connecticut, +(A. A seasone# &usiness eDecuti%e, stra a#%isor, an# a coach for senior lea#ership teams, his firm has among its clients man' of the Fortune E>>> companies. 0atin has "ritten papers, a##resse# numerous conferences, an# con#ucte# training "or)shops for corporate eDecuti%es on man' su&Bec inclu#ing !i%ing "ith uman Values an# (piritualit' in the 9or)place. More importantl', he has &een a #e%otee of -haga%an -a since EJKG an# has &een an acti%e office &earer at the local an# regional le%el of the (ai Organisation in the northeast region o A##itionall', 0atin also gui#es 'oung chil#ren as a teacher in the (ath'a (ai E#ucation program in +(A e%er' "ee). Originating high up on the sno"6cappe# imala'as, the hol' ri%er of a &illion *n#ians, the relentless Ganga mean#ers through mountains, hills, #ales, plains an# a #elta, tra%ersing an astoun#ing 4G>L )ilometers &efore merging in its final #estination 6 the of -engal. To#a', this e%er6flo"ing an# al"a's changing ri%er has come to s'm&oliIe a sacre# point of constant reference for &illions of li%es since earliest recor#e# histor'. Along its "a', the ri%er Ganga acts as a %ital lifeline, a lo%ing an# forgi%ing mother, a cleansing an# cathartic agent, a ruthless tormentor in her moments of fur', an# a teacher of man' profoun# lessons.

Rechristene# the Ganges &' the -ritish, the Ganga flo"s across the *n#ian su&6continent, passing through *n#ia1s most populo state, its most la"less state, its holiest cit' an# Kol)ata, the countr'1s cultural capital an# latest aspiring technolog' hu& pro%i# sustenance to more people than the population of the entire +nite# (tates of America?

This feature highlights some lessons the ri%er Ganga offers on perils of en%ironmentall' unsustaina&le economic #e%elopment o%erloo)s the la"s of nature, ignoring the natural rh'thm in our ecological s'stem an# the #e%astation such m'opic planning eDtracts on human li%es an# the #elicate c'cle of life on the "hole. The #iscussion stri)es a #eepl' personal chor# for the author Mr. 0atin $esai "ho %ie"s it in light of the core teachings of (ri (ath'a (ai -a&a, emphasiIing that the eDternal phenomena is merel' a proBection of the infinite uni%erse "ithin us.

The pollution of the ri%er Ganga, the %iolation of its sanctit' an# pristine nature, its force# course #igression is not #isconnecte from the processes of inner %iolation going on "ithin each of us, of our true nature, that (ri (ath'a (ai -a&a #escri&es as unsu infinite an# Bo'ful. *n this &ol#, #aring an# philosophical eDposM, Mr. 0atin $esai raises some incon%enient truths that must &e &' humanit' &oth in#i%i#uall' an# collecti%el', for the sa)e of our planet an# its health, upon "hich our %er' sur%i%al is #epen#

>ol L Issue FM C 4AY )FFP

-est %ie"e# in *nternet EDplorer 6 E>4N D KLO resolution.

$ TM! Menu &' Mi

he )hagawad $ita was delivered by Lord >rishna to the warrior prince Ar.una on the battlefield of >uru%shetra as an antidote to the dilemma that arose in him. It was not a choice between right and wrong& rather it was dilemma between the @apparently@ right and @absolutely@ right. +ive thousandodd years later the wisdom of the $ita is still not lost in conte8t in modern times. In fact it is more relevant and needed now than ever.

2o wonder then that when the Lord incarnated again as )hagawan Sri Sathya Sai )aba He did not fail to emphasise the importance of this spiritual treatise. Apart from giving us an entire volume of commentary on the )hagawad $ita in the Gita Vahini& )aba also has delivered a number of discourses on this classic te8t. +or instance& during AugustASeptember BCDE& )aba gave a series of FE discourses on The )hagawad $ita inside the )ha.an Hall in #rasanthi 2ilayam Gthese have been aired on 'adio Sai several timesH. #resently we bring you this musing series by #rof. $. "en%ataraman which is on the @*ssence of the $ita@. In this modern age of rationalism we tend to refuse to accept anything that is not offered on the platter of scientific approach. And that is what ma%es this presentation by an eminent scientist a wor% of un(uestionable relevance. He has infact authored a comprehensive boo% on the $ita; 6o+*ersat o+ 9et,ee+ Go% a+% Ma+& which is popular as much for its profundity as its lucid and simple-to-understand conversational style. The current series of articles is actually an adaptation of a radio series that was produced and aired on 'adio Sai on the re(uest of our listeners. In these episodes too #rof. $. "en%ataraman has dealt

with the teachings of the $ita in a practical& scientific and thematic manner which ma%es for interesting reading and easy understanding. The Message -egins

Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. 'his is my second musings article in the series on the /ssence of the Gita. 'he first was in the nature of a general introduction. :rom now on& we shall plunge into the Gita and drin+ as much of its essence as possible. In going through this e6ercise& I shall not be going s!oka by s!oka and chapter by chapter. ,owever this does not mean I shall do a random wal+ across the chapters= by no means. :or e6ample& today I shall be dealing with mainly 5hapter ). 9hate%er * am #"elling upon, * shall generall' focus on the main theme of the chapter concerne# an# tr' to eDplain ho" the' all are connecte# to Mama DharmaA that is &ecause Mama Dharma is the true Essence of the !itaA * am not ma)ing this upA that is "hat ("ami has tol# us. *uring this guided tour I shall& of course& cite some of the +ey s!okas involved& "ust to assure you that I have not pushed the Gita proper into the bac+burner. I hope you get the general idea. Now although this article would deal mostly with the Second 5hapter& I simply cannot plunge into it right away= I have to set it up with a brief reference to 5hapter I. As you might be +nowing already& the Gitaopens with San"aya& specially gifted with distant vision& describing to the blind 7ing

*hritarashtra& the father of the 7auravas& the scene in the battlefield in 7uru+shetra "ust prior to the commencement of the battle. As a part of this running commentary& San"aya tells the blind +ing that 7rishna who is acting as Ar"una#s charioteer& is ta+ing the chariot to the middle of the battlefield& positioning it right between the two opposing armies. 7rishna does this because Ar"una wants ,im to. And why does Ar"una want that2 So that he could survey the two armies. Loo+ing at the two armies& especially that of the 7auravas& led by the grandCold patriarch 9hishma& Ar"una who till then was itching to wage war& begins to have misgivings. Ar"una tells 7rishna that his heart was sin+ing at the prospect of having to fight and slay close blood relatives& including cousins& uncles& grandfather and his Gurus. :ar better it is& says Ar"una& to beg for a living than to win a +ingdom by +illing one#s near and dear. A crestCfallen Ar"una then lets his bow slip out of his hands& symbolising his reservations and despondency. 7rishna then turns to Ar"una and at first reprimands him. 'hen begins the *ivine *iscourse that we call the Bhagavad Gita. Sankhya *oga 2 the Path of $iscrimination 'his reprimand and the *ivine teaching commence in the Second 5hapter& +nown as the Sankhya 2oga. 9y the way& every one of the eighteen chapters is called a 2oga. The "or# *oga means union "ith Go#A thus e%er' chapter contains some lesson a&out the roa# to Go#. Sankhya *oga means the *oga of $iscrimination an# 9is#om. Ar"una was refusing to fight because his "udgement was getting clouded. 9y what2 9y ignorance. ;hy is ignorance having its say2 9ecause Ar"una is not e6ercising his power of discrimination. ;hat e6actly does this discrimination help us to do2 It aids us to distinguish clearly between the permanent and the impermanent. ;hy is such discrimination necessary2 9ecause observing and adhering to MamaDharma re-uires us to discharge our duties +eeping in mind the permanent and not be fooled by the impermanent& which the world is full of. Incidentally& when I use the word discrimination& what I really mean is Spiritual *iscrimination. You might well as+( .Listen& what has all this discrimination business got to do with Ar"una#s basic problem2 ,e did simply not want to fight and +ill his grandfather& Guru+ etc. 7illing one#s Guru& for e6ample& is a pretty heinous crime. 'hat#s why Ar"una did not want to fight. ,is argument is pretty clear. ;here is the lapse in logic& where is the lac+ of discrimination& and how can one say that +illing one#s blood relative is a violation of one#s Dharma2 Is it one#s Dharma to +ill relatives2 ;hat +ind of twisted logic is that21 'hat is the beauty of the way 7rishna set it all up0 In life& we often face these +inds of dilemmas and we usually choose a path that helps us to avoid difficult options= but in ma+ing such a choice& we also often s+ip the observance of Mama Dharma. It is the collection of such failures that ultimately leads humanity to sin+ into a morass. ;e thus see here a beautiful aspect of the *ivine *ramatist= ,e sets up what seems li+e a blac+ and white situation and ma+es us mista+e blac+ for white and vice versa. ,aving done so& 7rishna tells us& . man0 You are fool0 'hings are not what they often seem to be. You are deluded because of lac+ of discrimination. I will tell you how e6actly to go about your business01 So that is how the Lord sets up the Sankhya 2oga= brilliant opening& is it not2

And now a few general remar+s about this 5hapter& after which I shall ta+e you through a rapid tour of it. ,ere are the points( 1. 'he crisis or moral dilemma that Ar"una faced related to action. ;hat e6actly should he do& confronted as he was with two options& both of which appeared to have their own merits2 2. Ar"una#s dilemma illustrates the problem of ma+ing a choice when confronted with difficult options= this is sometimes calledDharma Sankhatam. 3. In life& we fre-uently have to ma+e a choice amongst many alternatives. :or e6ample& while dressing to go to wor+& you may wonder which shirt to wear= there are many possibilities and you have to ma+e a choice. :ortunately& -uestions of Dharmado not enter here. ,owever& you may be confronted with a situation where you may be called upon to pay a bribe to get a certain thing done. Should you simply pay up and get the "ob done -uic+ly or not pay the bribe2 If you do not pay bribe or speed money you might have to wait for eternity. Is that 72 Should one "ust wait forever& for Dharma to wor+2 4. ;henever there is a choice related to purchase& "ob selection& etc.& the normal procedure followed is one of critical analysis& then evaluation and finally ma+ing a firm decision. At the root of it all is discrimination. 5. /veryone must have the ability to discriminate and ma+e the proper choice& be it in relation to family matters& business& or nation building.

6. ,owever& when it comes to matters of ethics and morality& often the choices are not so easy to ma+e. ;hat should one do2 ,ow e6actly should one proceed2 ,ow does one build up this faculty of proper discrimination2 ;hat happens if one fails to do that2
Krishna *nstructions on o" to $iscriminate

'hat is the lesson that 7rishna teaches Ar"una& after creating first a situation in which Ar"una finds himself confronted by a moral dilemma. People often imagine that Krishna tol# ArBuna to get up an# fight an# that reall' is "hat the 3hagavad !ita is all a&out. This is not correct. Krishna tal)e# to ArBuna not so much a&out fighting &ut a&out #oing one7s #ut' properl'. 7rishna goes about this in the Second 5hapter in the following manner( 1. First, Krishna as)s ArBuna to ma)e a clear #istinction &et"een that "hich is permanent an# that "hich is temporar'. *n mo#ern parlance, one coul# loosel' interpret that as ma)ing a #istinction &et"een the long6term an# the short6term aspects of the pro&lem. 2. Krishna then sa's that life is a seCuence of actions, an# &efore performing an' action, "e must &e careful to ma)e sure it is a proper action. As a first step, one must learn to i#entif' the short an# long6term implications. 3. a%ing i#entifie# the t"o main sorting &ins comes no" the pro&lem of ma)ing a proper choice. For this, sa's Krishna, one nee#s #iscrimination, (piritual $iscrimination to &e more precise. The "or# Krishna uses is 3uddhi. 4. o" #oes one &ring 3uddhi into pla': 3uddhi "oul# not start functioning Bust li)e that. To get it starte#, one must prepare the groun#. 5. That means one must first practice some internal #iscipline %ia sense an# min# control.

6. Onl' a person that has his senses an# min# un#er control can thin) calml' an# ma)e a #etache# Bu#gement.

In other words& the Second 5hapter is all about proper action& how engaging in right action re-uires first identifying clearly the options& and then discriminating wisely. 'he latter would not be possible& unless one practices a certain amount selfCdiscipline via sense and mind control. Let us -uic+ly see how all this is relevant in the case of Ar"una#s problem. Ar"una did not +now whether he should fight as he had earlier sworn he would. 'he -uestion thus was( .;hat was the path of action he must pursue& to fight or not to fight21 'o help him to decide& Ar"una tries to analyse the conse-uences of the two options in terms of death& destruction& etc. 'his& 7rishna says is a mista+e. ,e says one must first distinguish between the permanent and the impermanent.Thus it is that Krishna sa's, 8ArBuna, 'ou are #oing the anal'sis in terms of the &o#', that is, in terms of #eath an# life. This is "rong. Ma)e the "tma the &asis of 'our Cuestion an# anal'sis, an# not the &o#'.; After this comes a definition of proper action& discrimination& etc. So that is the way we must try and follow the se-uence of the ideas. ;hen we do that& we would realise that one way or the other& everything that 7rishna says in the Gita relates to Mama Dharma Let us get bac+ to the basic -uestion( .,ow do I perform my duty21 'he simple answer is( .Always perform the right action.1 ,owever& +nowing what e6actly is the right action is a bit tric+y& and that is where the Second 5hapter offers an incomparable tutorial.

The Atma is -e'on# -irth, $eath an# Change

After that long preamble& may be we should get started. Let me begin by -uoting some of the s!okas relating to the Atma. 'his is what 7rishna tells Ar"una( The -lesse# !or# sai#5 8Thou mournest for them thou shoul#st not mourn, an# utterest %ain "or#s of "is#om. The 9ise sorro" neither for the li%ing nor the #ea#. P4.EEQ For ne%er "as * not, nor thou, nor these )ingsA nor "ill an' of us cease to &e hereafter. P4.E4Q As the em&o#ie# One P"tmanQ successi%el' eDperiences in the present &o#' infanc', 'outh an# ol#6age, e%en so e #oes "hen passing on to another &o#'. P4.E@Q The "tman is neither &orn nor #oes it #ieA nor once ha%ing &een "ill it e%er cease to &e. +n&orn, Eternal, Ancient, *t is not #estro'e# "hen the &o#' is slain. P4.4>Q As a man casts off "orn6out garment an# acCuires others that are ne", e%en so the *n#"eller casts off "orn6out &o#ies an# enters others that are ne". P4.44Q 9eapons cannot cut *t, nor can fire &urn *tA "ater cannot "et *t nor can "in# #r' *t. P4.4@Q So much for a few invaluable tips about our true nature. Incidentally& we all have heard Swami often raise the -uestion U;, A4 I2U in many of ,is *iscourses. 'he ne6t time you hear that& please let your mind go bac+ to the above verses& which contain the answer. 'he answer is( .I may have a body that carries a name given to me by my parents. 'hat is the name by which the world might +now me. ,owever& that is not the real me= the real me is the Atma within.1

The -est 9a' to Perform Actions

'he ne6t point= what about the right action or the right duty2 In this conte6t& the followings!oka becomes very important. Action alone is th' pro%ince an# not the fruits thereof. (ee) not the fruits of action nor shoul#st thou a%oi# action. P4.NKQ 'his is an oftC-uoted s!oka and heavily interpreted too& but we shall try and ta+e a loo+ at it in the conte6t of Mama Dharma. It says effectively( . man0 Your actions& whatever they are& fail to -ualify to come under the categoryMama Dharma if the action is performed with a selfish motive. 'he lowerC self is given to attachment and selfishness& and actions performed to gratify the lowerCself in one way or the other means that importance has been given to the body& which is impermanent rather than to the Atma& which is permanent. In short& avoid actions related to selfCadvantage. Instead& focus on selfless actions& because they are always rooted in and flow from your true nature& the Atma.1 ;e often tal+ about how selfless Swami#s actions invariably are. 'hat is so& because all actions of all Avatars on all occasions always reflect the true nature of the Avatar& namely the *ivinity that the Avatar personifies. 'his brings us to matter of ma+ing the right choice& which is where Buddhi enters the picture. 'he following are some of the s!okasrelated to the e6ercise of Buddhi while discriminating properly and ma+ing the right choice where action is concerned.

Act thou O $hananBa'a, renouncing attachments, e%en6min#e# in success an# failureA %eril', eCuili&rium is *oga. P4.NOQ For moti%ate# action, O $hananBa'a, is far inferior to #esireless actionA see) thou refuge in eCuanimit'. 9retche# are the result see)ers. P4.NJQ 'he +ey words in the above s!okas are( attachment and e-uanimity. Let us pause a bit and try to understand what they imply. Attachment is a characteristic of the bodyCmind combination that is a part of the human personality. 'he senses& colluding with the mind& ma+e a person go after the attractions of the world. 'he -uestion arises( .;hy do people develop attachments and desires& which the Lord says are not good for man21 'his needs a bit of e6amination. In brief& there are si6 evil tendencies that humans can be corrupted by. 'hey are >ama+ >rodha+ .obha+ Moha& Mada andMatsarya ?lust& anger& greed& attachment& pride and "ealousy@. Swami has cited them so many times that I really do not have to add a detailed e6planation of these si6 deadly enemies. 'hese are the si6 traditional deadly sna+es luring inside and waiting to stri+e. Swami adds two more to the list= they are& ahamkaram and mamakaram& meaning& ego and pride arising out a sense of 3mine#& which also leads to a +ind of possessiveness.

7rishna tells Ar"una that all these sna+es hide in the crevices& noo+s and corners of the mind. ,ow e6actly do they operate and how come they are so successful in trapping man2 Swami has e6plained that beautifully. 9asically they drag the senses to the outer world& which is full of .attractions1& li+e gambling& for e6ample. 'he senses then tempt the mind& which if it succumbs& then leads the body on the wrong path and ma+es it perform incorrect actions. 'his being a crucial point& let me go over it slowly and once more. 'he vices kama& krodha+ etc.& are li+e agents or touts. 'hey try to sell various worldly attractions to the senses. 'he senses which report to the mind 8 remember& the mind is the boss of the senses 8 try to ma+e the mind get hoo+ed on to the pleasures and attractions of the world& li+e gambling& drin+ing& and so on. 9osses are of two +inds& wea+ and tough. If the mind acts li+e a wea+ boss& it follows the senses into outer world along the treacherous paths sold by the touts to the senses. 'hen follows disaster. People as+( .*oes that mean that senses are bad2 In that case& why did !od endow man with senses2 Is !od not being very unfair21 A valid doubt& but at the same time it is the result of superficial thin+ing. !od has endowed not only man but also animals with senses. 'hey too can smell& hear& see& etc. Go# has en#o"e# li%ing &eing "ith senses for sur%i%al an# protection against #angers in the eDternal "orl#. :or e6ample& when a tiger feels thirsty& it can& than+s to its eyes loo+ for water. Similarly& when a deer hears suspicious noises in its neighbourhood& it suspects the presence of tiger nearby. In fact& many animals have very sensitive capacity for smell and can literally smell danger. 'hus than+s to the senses& animals can protect themselves against peril. Man too nee#s similar protection, "hich is "h' the compassionate Go# has gi%en him fi%e senses. The pro&lem is that man misuses the senses for getting attracte# to the pleasures of the "orl#. e is not suppose# to #o that &ut he #oes, an# that is the starting point of all pro&lems. The Min# an# the (enses (ilentl' Clou# One1s $iscrimination

4ay be you thin+ I have strayed far from Ar"una and his moral dilemma= not at all. Let us start from the beginning. Ar"una did not want to fight. 'hat was because he was confusing wrong for right and right for wrong. ;hy did Ar"una#s thin+ing process stray li+e this2 9ecause his mind was wea+. ;hy was his mind wea+2 9ecause it had been corrupted by attachment. ;herefrom does attachment arise2 It arises when one immerses oneself too much in the e6ternal world. Swami describes Ar"una#s problem beautifully. ,e says( 8ArBuna, )no" that all the people 'ou are so concerne# a&out are onl' chariots. The' ma' &e gran#fathers, or &rothers, or cousinsA "hose%er the' ma' &e, the' are all onl' chariots. /our %ision is clou#e# &ecause 'ou are all the time loo)ing at an# thin)ing onl' a&out the &o#ies 'ou see. /ou must instea# concentrate on the *n#"eller "ho is seate# in e%er' &o#'. Then onl' "oul# 'our %ision &ecome sacre#. The unchanging o&Bect is the Atma, "hereas the eDternal &eauties of the &o#ies an# all the thoughts, feelings an# &eha%iours eDhi&ite# &' these &o#ies are Bust images. The' are onl' sha#o"s "ithout real su&stance. At present, 'ou are still li%ing "ith so man' attachments. 9hen 'ou are so &oun# up, ho" can 'ou #e%elop eCuanimit': Recognise the Truth "hich is permanentA attach 'ourself to $i%init'.;

In the Gita& the words that 7rishna uses are( *welling with the mind on sense ob"ects develops attachments. And as Swami points out& attachments can cloud "udgement. So you see& the Lord is not merely giving a command to Ar"una to get up and fight. If all that 7rishna wanted was Ar"una to

get up and fight& ,e could have "ust used a stern tone and commanded him to do so. /es, Krishna #i#"ant ArBuna to fight. o"e%er, fighting "as not the important part &ut performing action that "as in conformit' "ith Mama Dharma. 7rishna being the perfect 'eacher& +nows how to coa6 ,is student. ,e does this by e6plaining in full the reason behind ,is advice. And 7rishna does it for a more important reason which is that ,e wanted the Gita to become the manual of life that would guide all humans at all times along the path of Dharma& so that they can eventually become one with !od. I am sure it must have been a heavy dose and so I shall stop here. Ne6t time& I shall continue from where I have left off in this article. I still have a few more things to say about the teachings of the Lord in the Second 5hapter. Let me remind you once more that my focus is always on Mama Dharma that Swami says is the essence of the Gita. If you have followed closely what I have discussed in this piece& you would appreciate that 7rishna presents ,is teachings with detailed e6planations so that we can clearly understand how they are relevant for all times for all people& no matter where they are. 'han+ you. Dai Sai Ram. The )hagawad $ita was delivered by Lord >rishna to the warrior prince Ar.una on the battlefield of >uru%shetra as an antidote to the dilemma that arose in him. It was not a choice between right and wrong& rather it was dilemma between the @apparently@ right and @absolutely@ right. +ive thousandodd years later the wisdom of the $ita is still not lost in conte8t in modern times. In fact it is more relevant and needed now than ever.

2o wonder then that when the Lord incarnated again as )hagawan Sri Sathya Sai )aba He did not fail to emphasise the importance of this spiritual treatise. Apart from giving us an entire volume of commentary on the )hagawad $ita in the Gita Vahini& )aba also has delivered a number of discourses on this classic te8t. +or instance& during AugustASeptember BCDE& )aba gave a series of FE discourses on The )hagawad $ita inside the )ha.an Hall in #rasanthi 2ilayam Gthese have been aired on 'adio Sai several timesH. #resently we bring you this new musing series by #rof. $. "en%ataraman which is on the @*ssence of the $ita@. In this modern age of rationalism we tend to refuse to accept anything that is not offered on the platter of scientific approach. And that is what ma%es this presentation by an eminent scientist a

wor% of un(uestionable relevance. He has infact authored a comprehensive boo% on the $ita; 6o+*ersat o+ 9et,ee+ Go% a+% Ma+& which is popular as much for its profundity as its lucid and simple-to-understand conversational style. The current series of articles is actually an adaptation of a radio series that was produced and aired on 'adio Sai on the re(uest of our listeners. In these episodes too #rof. $. "en%ataraman has dealt with the teachings of the $ita in a practical& scientific and thematic manner which ma%es for interesting reading and easy understanding. Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. :or -uite some time& I have been receiving mails as+ing me to give a series of tal+s on the !ita. In my earlier musings& I have no doubt touched upon matters discussed in the !ita& but giving an entire series is a different matter altogether. It re-uires time and concentration of a type I am no longer able to afford= too much wor+. And yet& the pressure has been mounting all the time. So I have finally decided to yield to the pressure& treating this also as a part of my regular wor+. :irst things first and let me begin by offering this entire series& every word of it& to Swami& who is the sole 4otivator and the Inspirer. Ne6t a word of caution to you dear reader& who has been with me all these years 8 I shall try and do my best but please do bear with me for blemishes which are bound to creep in. ;ith this caveat& let me ta+e the plunge0

,y Introduction to and Iourney with The $ita

I do not e6actly remember when I first heard about the !ita= it sure must have been when I was very young. In some manner or the other& strange as it may sound& there has always been a bit of !ita in the air of this country. And since !andhi was very much alive when I was young and since he always swore by the !ita& I am sure in some vague way& I +ept on absorbing now and then a bit of the !ita& both directly as well as indirectly. ,ere I must rush to caution that the !ita must not be thought of as a te6t apart from the rest of ancient Indian tradition and spirituality. 'he Ramayana& for e6ample& is a wor+ed e6ample of the !ita and it came before the !ita was actually taught to man0 'hat is amaBing& is it not2

Anyway& to get bac+ to my ramblings& till I retired and came to Swami#s Lotus :eet to spend the rest of my life in Puttaparthi& my +nowledge of the !ita was less than a smattering. It is only here that my curiosity was aroused& mainly by Swami#s discourses and ,is famous 'rayee sessions= since then& the !ita has always been with me. I first studied it in some detail and began to thin+ about it. 'hen I discovered that Swami was teaching us the very same lessons& far more elaborately and with innumerable e6amples. 'his inspired me to pay close attention to ,is discourses. After that I read the Gita Vahini and discovered new treasures= and the discovery goes on. 'he beauty is that as one#s e6perience accumulates& the nuances of the !ita and of Swami#s teachings become more and more evident. 'hus these days& I am able to see far more clearly than ever before how much the !ita is relevant to human society at the current "uncture. 4ore about this later& but here I might mention that this series intertwines with my other series on Awareness. In a sense& the two series are li+e the two strands of the *NA& same message but presented in a complementary fashion. I guess I have said enough by way of an opening statement& and let me now really get started.

The #rimal /uestions

'he !ita is !od#s message to man and therefore it is useful to start with the -uestion( .;ho is man21 'his is not as stupid a -uestion as it might sound. In the 5osmos that spans everything from the tiniest atom to incredibly huge gala6ies& the human being occupies a very special place. 'he reason is simple. As Swami says& man is PMO *ivine and only IMO contamination. ,owever deluded by the

illusory attractions of the world& humans allow the impurity aspect to dominate& mas+ing the latent *ivinity. ften this eclipse becomes near total& ma+ing individuals wonder whether they are really *ivine& though Swami often reminds them they are. Occasionall' some people su##enl' "a)e up an# realise that there is an entit' calle# Go# an# start going in search of im. Goo#, &ut the' #o not )no" ho" to search an# "here to search. Gita is the manual that helps in that Bourne' of #isco%er' 6 that is the first teaching of ("ami. Ne6t& how do we go about searching for !od& and how do we budget time for it2 *o we& for e6ample& say& . 7& I will loo+ for !od once a wee+ on Sunday& or when I ta+e my annual vacation21 Nothing of that sort0 You may not li+e to hear it& but according to Swami& our entire life must be a -uest for !od. Now don#t blame me= that is what !od says0 9ut listen& do not "ump into a well of frustration= it is not as bad as it might seem and there sure is a beautiful reward if we ma+e life a "ourney to !od.

;hich brings me to the important -uestion( .;hat is the purpose of life21 'his -uestion has got etched into my memory because of one particular 'rayee session. :or those of you who are not familiar& the 'rayee session refers to the intimate sessions Swami had with the boys when ,e was in 9rindavan. After evening darshan is over& the boys run to the 'rayee building and assemble in the

circular veranda there. At one end of this veranda there is a swing& and after boys are all gathered Swami gently floats in and ta+es ,is seat.

At first there is small tal+ about this and that& after which the more substantive part gets underway& if that is what Swami wants 8 I mention this because some days& it is chitCchat all through0 n this day& Swami as+ed( .;hat is the purpose of life21 All sorts of replies were given& first by the boys and then by some of the elders gathered. Swami +ept on sha+ing ,is head as if to say UNo0U :inally& everyone gave up and there was silence. ("ami then slo"l' sai#5 8The purpose of life is to go &ac) to Go#. From Go# 'ou ha%e come an# to Go# 'ou must return.; In the Gita Vahini& Swami gives e6pression to this by saying( Man is &orn so that he nee# not &e &orn again. An# "hen he #ies he ne%er shoul# ha%e to #ie again. ;hat it means is that we ma+e sure that at least this lifetime& we use our stay on earth to get bac+ to our true home& ! *. 9y the way& the Gita Vahini is a must read and it is readily available in our boo+store here. 4ore on this theme of rebirth& etc. later.

The *ssence of the $ita

Let me ta+e you bac+ to 'rayee 9rindavan and recall another particular session. n this day Swami as+ed& .;hat is the essence of the !ita21 4any replies were given but Swami simply remained silent. bviously the correct answer was yet to come. Swami then changed ,is approach by as+ing& .;hat is the first stanBa of the !ita21 'his time& many came forth with the correct answer. 'he same happened when Swami as+ed& .;hat is the last stanBa of the !ita21 Swami smiled and now as+ed& 89hat #o 'ou get "hen 'ou com&ine the last "or# of the last stanIa "ith the first "or#

of the first stanIa:; 'hat was easy and the boys in a chorus shouted( 8Mama Dharma?; Swami nodded ,is head and said& 8That is right. Mama Dharma is the real essence of the Gita.; ;hat ,e meant was that leading one#s life according to the principle of Dharma is what the !ita is all about. 'hat would be the constant theme underlying this series& understandably so.

I am sure you all +now that 7rishna taught the !ita to Ar"una "ust before the start of the epic war between the Pandavas and the 7auravas on the battlefield in 7uru+shetra. Surveying the two opposing armies waiting to slaughter each other& Ar"una has deep misgivings about the usefulness of war and wants to -uit. 'hat is when 7rishna begins ,is advice to Ar"una. 7rishna began with what seemed li+e a pep tal+. 9ut as ,e went along& 7rishna gave detailed "ustification for why ,e wanted Ar"una to fight and not -uit. 'his is a very important point and needs deep reflection. ArBuna argue# against "ar sa'ing that it "as not "orth "inning a )ing#om after )illing one7s o"n )ith an# )in, etc. On the face of it, ArBuna7s point appears Cuite con%incingA &ut there "ere nuances that ArBuna ignore# an# Krishna pointe# out that there "as much more at sta)e than "inning &ac) a )ing#om that the Kaura%as ha# gra&&e# &' #eceit. ne might even say that 7rishna had engineered the whole thing& including the sudden misgivings of Ar"una. The "ar "as not a&out a )ing#om &ut a&out Dharma%ersus "dharma. Ar"una who had earlier sworn to fight on the side of Dharma was& at the last minute& giving all +inds of reasons and trying to -uit. 7rishna said& .No way& you can#t duc+ duty&1 and that is what Mama Dharma is really all about.

In ,is elaboration& 7rishna points out that in life one gets constantly entangled by the tussle between good and evil. 'his struggle is a neverCending one and humans must never remain neutral or duc+. 'hey always have the responsibility to fight for the cause of Dharma= upholding Dharma C that is what duty really boils down to. :ighting does not mean ta+ing up arms and waging war but standing up toAdharma ?unrighteousness@ and not letting it get away. Seen in this manner& we all have to admit that 9hagavad !ita is needed more now than ever before. ;hich also is why Mama Dharma so very relevant in this day and age. Thus, in this series, * shall stressMama Dharma at e%er' concei%a&le opportunit', something that is not usuall' #oneA &ut then * am Bust tr'ing to follo" ("ami.

How the $ita 'evolutionised Spiritual Thin%ing

4oving on& the !ita really caused a change of attitude in society. Prior to 7rishna& see+ing *ivinity was something that rishis ?sages@ alone attempted. 'hey would retire to the forests& meditate intensely& and see+ !od= ordinary people on the other hand lived their life as usual. 'he !ita changed all that. 7rishna ensured that ,is 4essage was delivered under dramatic circumstances and in a forceful manner so that it would reach all and also be remembered for a long time. The &eaut' of the Gita is that it allo"s people to see) Go# in #ifferent "a's &est suite# to them, &ut mo%ing in a general #irection, the #irection of Dharma. *n particular, the Gita opene# the #oor to ma)ing or#inar' life a gate"a' to Go# &' &len#ing 3hakti R#e%otionF "ith life. 'hus& reaching !od was no longer the e6clusive prerogative of the rishis= more about this later on. 'here is one thing I ought to mention at this point. I said a little while ago that 7rishna manipulated events so that ,is 4essage could be delivered under dramatic circumstances& that is to say "ust before the famous 7uru+shetra war began. 5ommenting on this& Swami says( The fiel# on "hich the &attle "as fought "as calle# $harma)shetra. istoricall', this "as a hol' place "here sacre# an# auspicious acts "ere performe#. At the same time, historicall' it "as also the place "here the "ic)e# offsprings of Kuru, the #'nastic famil' of Kaura%as li%e#. (o it "as also calle# Kuru)shetra. 9hen a &o#' is &orn, it is pure an# un&lemishe#. (uch a &o#' is a $harma)shetra. As the &o#' gro"s, it goes on collecting #ifferent t'pes of &a# Cualities li)e Bealous', hatre#, attachment an# so on. 9hen these ten#encies #e%elop, the same &o#' &ecomes Kuru)shetra. Thus the same &o#' is &oth $harma)shetra an# Kuru)shetra. Goo# an# &a# are &oth encase# in 'our heart. The "ar &et"een the Pan#a%as an# the Kaura%as #i# not last for more than EO #a's, &ut the "ar &et"een the forces of goo# an# e%il continues throughout 'our lifeA it has no en#. The "ar is fought on the fiel# of $harma. I hope you are getting the point. In brief& sloshing within the same person are forces of both good and evil. As Swami says( Life is a battlefield& a *harma+shetra& where duties and desires are always in conflict.

'hat is right. Sometimes the forces of good dominate while at other times& it is the other way. 'he -uestion is which one has the upper hand generally2 'he answer to that depends entirely on the tendency of the person concerned. If man allows himself to be guided purely by the instincts of the senses& he would descend to the level of an animal. If he follows the body and the 4ind& he would be transformed into a demon. Man7s onl' option is to follo" the eart, un#er all circumstances. 'hat is the reminder that 7rishna gave to man+ind& when ,e spo+e to Ar"una. And the essence of that reminder is Mama Dharma= and that is the reminder that Swami is giving us0 In view of the above& my presentations on the !ita would be different from the conventional ones. 'he standard operating procedure is to go through the !ita + S!oka by S!oka& with comments& illustrations& etc. I would be doing it differently. * shall &e ta)ing either one chapter or a cluster of chapters "ith a common theme, #ra" attention to the highlights, an# then tr' to eDplain ho" all this is connecte# "ith Mama Dharma. In other words& li+e the planets all moving around the Sun& I shall ta+e you along different orbits& but always loo+ing at the central theme& which

is Mama Dharma. 'hat is what would ma+e this series a bit unusual= and I adopt this approach not merely because Swami has declared that Mama Dharma is the essence of the !ita but also because Mama Dharma is indeed the crying need of the hour. I strongly believe that is why Swami has forcefully called attention to it& and my tas+ is to reinforce that call. I hope I have made my point of view clear.

+acets of the $ita as 'evealed by )hagawan

A few comments ne6t& before I wrap up this introductory tal+. 'he boo+ U9hagavad !itaU that we all buy and read has about seven hundred S!okas ?stanBas@. 4any have had this doubt( .Seven hundred S!okas2 *id 7rishna really sing ,is way through all these seven hundred verses right in the middle of the battlefield& while two armies facing each other and itching to fight patiently waited for 7rishna to finish21 9elieve it or not& a curious person even ventured to as+ Swami that -uestion. Swami smiled and replied that 7rishna spo+e to Ar"una only for a few minutes. Later& Sage >yasa ?himself considered to be an aspect of >ishnu& whose incarnation 7rishna is supposed to be@ amplified what 7rishna said to Ar"una into seven hundred and odd verses& pac+aging them into eighteen chapters that the world now +nows as the !ita.

'here are also a couple of other points that Swami has made that are relevant in the present conte6t. :irst point( .;hy did 7rishna give the advice to Ar"una21 ;e seldom as+ this -uestion but Swami has raised and answered it too. n the face of it& the eldest brother Yudhishtra& who was always meticulous about following Dharma seems more -ualified. 'hat being the case& why Ar"una2 Swami has clarified( There "ere man' no&le souls at that time. There "as $harmaraBa, the personification of all Dharma an# %irtues. There "as -hima, the po"erhouse of ph'sical strengthS. 9hat is the

special merit that ArBuna possesse# an# others #i# not: ArBuna )ne" he "as morall' inferior to his &rother $harmaraBa an# "ishe# to )no" "h' he "as more #eser%e#. e as)e# Krishna "ho replie#5 8-hishma, the tenacious "arrior an# %enera&le scholar )no"s that Bustice is on the si#e of the Pan#a%as. e has e%en ma#e a pu&lic proclamation of this. -ut he is lea#ing the Kaura%a arm', "hich means that his #ee#s #o not correspon# to his thought an# "or#s. armon' of thought, "or# an# #ee# is the greatest %irtue, an# its a&sence is h'pocris' an# "ic)e#ness. 8$harmaraBa is su&Bect to the common failing of repentance rather than prior consi#eration. Though a no&le soul, he lac)s foresight an# is guilt' of remorse for his past mista)es. On the other han#, -hima "ho has tremen#ous ph'sical pro"ess an# is #eDtrous "ith his might' clu&, unfortunatel' has a #eficienc' of intellectual strength, the greatest strength of all. A man "ithout the po"er of #iscrimination cannot a&sor& this su&tle teaching.; ;hat a beautiful passage0 5an you find the li+e of that in the writing of any scholar in the five thousand years that have passed since the !ita was first taught to man2 9esides admiring Swami#s simple but remar+able e6position& I want you to note that ,e is drawing attention to( 'he importance of harmony of thought& word and deed or 0rikarana Suddhi as Swami sometimes refers to it. 'he importance of discrimination. 'hese two -ualities are vital for following Mama Dharma.

ne other remar+ I would li+e to ma+e is the following. 'he !ita is often portrayed as a delineation of three beautiful 2ogas& the >arma2oga& the Bhakti 2oga and the =nana 2oga. Later& I shall e6plain what e6actly these mean. 9ut here I must call attention to a simple yet amaBingly beautiful insight that Swami has given concerning these. Swami says that ;or+ must be transformed into ;orship& whereupon it would lead to ;isdom. In the language of the !ita what it means is( 8(tart "ith 4arma *oga, a## 3hakti an# then automaticall' 'ou en# up "ith &nana or 9is#om an# &ecome unite# "ith Go#, "hich is "hat the "or# *oga means . union "ith Go#.; ;e seldom pause to reflect on the sheer beauty and simplicity of Swami#s teachings. ;e are all in such a tearing hurry all the time& sending useless S4S messages. Rama+rishna Paramahamsa says that !od alone can e6plain complicated things in such a simple manner that even a child can understand. ,ere is the Avatar who has spent so much of ,is time trying to give us the gift

of Atma Vidyaor the 7nowledge of the Self& and we waste our time doing inconse-uential things0 'he purpose of these tal+s is mainly to ta+e you bac+ to that pristine source of /ternal 7nowledge0 !od& give me strength to do that0

Sreyas vs Preyas
!etting on& I must& before I conclude this tal+& ma+e a reference to a few other points. 'he first concerns Sreyas versus Preyas. Swami used to ma+e fre-uent reference to this in the old days but these days ,e seldom does. Perhaps ,e has got tired because few seem to be paying attention. Since the point is very important& allow me to e6plain what it is all about. Preyas refers to the pleasures that the eDternal "orl# so o&ligingl' an# so rea#il' offers "hile Sreyas refers to the &liss that comes "hen one eDplores the #epth of the *nner 9orl#. 4an is so much immersed in and involved with the e6ternal world& he is all the time in -uest of Preyas. ;hereas Preyas appears nectarine and deludes& soon pleasure turns into pain& as people who have become drug addicts or alcoholics would readily testify. 7& agreed Preyas is bad medicine= can we therefore simply cut off from the e6ternal world2 Is that at all possible in this day and age2 Swami has the answer. Let me e6plain that answer using modern idiom. 'hese days& millions and millions not only have a computer but are also connected to the Internet. Now the Internet is full of viruses waiting to attac+. So what do smart people do2 'hey e-uip their systems with firewalls that bloc+ viruses. 'hat is what we must do while going through life. Yes& we must be in society and be involved in its activities as a doctor& lawyer& teacher& pilot or whatever. ,owever& at the same time& the 4ind must be suitably protected with a .firewall1. 'he !ita describes the firewall system that we must install. Swami described this beautifully during one Summer 5ourse. ,e said& when we wal+& we use both feet& the right and the left. In the same way& we must go through life by being in the outer world and also by spending time in the Inner ;orld. It is li+e this= we go out and play a vigorous game of tennis say. ;hat do we do when we come bac+2 ;e ta+e a shower& do we not2 In the same way& we must set some time apart so that we can retreat into the Inner ;orld and periodically ta+e spiritual showers0 'hus& a balance is re-uired.

Swami all the time recommends balance. ,e does not want us to withdraw. ,e did not want Ar"una to -uit. ,e wanted him to go out there and fight. 9ut fight +eeping Mama Dharma in view. Similarly& as Swami says& our hands must be in society while our heads must be in the forest 8 a beautiful metaphoric e6pression of the fact that life must be a balance between a -uest for Preyas& and a search for Sreyas.

1e are a #art of Creation

Ne6t& a few words about man and his position as well as role in 5reation. 'his is a very important point and merits a few words. 4an is a part of 5reation& which e6ists because !od created it 8 this we all accept. Now !od in ,is infinite compassion and mercy has pac+ed the <niverse with all +inds of goodies& and man generously helps himself to it 8 for e6ample& oil below the ground. !od has no ob"ection to man using that oil. In fact& man sells the oil he pumps out and ma+es huge profits but does not offer one cent to !od= but !od does not mind. ;hat is worse& man does not even spend a moment than+ing !od for all that ,e has provided so that man may live and prosper. 'ell me& how many of us ever ta+e a second off in a day to than+ !od for air& so vital for the sustenance of life2 ;e hardly do. Instead& man+ind today is constantly polluting air in a thousand different ways& by smo+ing& by using cars that emit horrible gases& by building huge steel plants that pump hundreds of thousands of tons of sulphuric acid into the atmosphere. 'his is "ust a sample of the deep ingratitude of man.

The Gita re%eals that the +ni%erse re%ol%es using a #elicatel' constructe# chain of sacrifice, an# that man is an integral part of that chain. ,e simply cannot dissociate himself from that chain of sacrifice& as he is presently trying to do. If he does so& there is a heavy price to pay. 'he way things are going now it loo+s li+e the writing may in fact be on the wall0 'he !ita& let it be +nown& made clear five thousand years ago& how man must live in harmony with 5reation& which means being true to his *ivine origin& being compassionate to fellow human beings& not harming Society and being in harmony with and respectful to 4other Nature. If he fails to do that& all his profession of love for !od would be empty and without any meaning. 'wo more points and I am really through= firstly& a -uote from !andhi. I simply cannot resist from ma+ing the occasional reference to !andhi because he made the !ita come alive in aspects of life that we normally consider to be far from Spirituality& li+e politics& for e6ample. !andhi says( Man is not at peace "ith himself till he has &ecome li)e unto Go#. The en#ea%our to reach this state is the supreme an# the onl' am&ition "orth ha%ing. An# this is self6realisation. This self6realisation is the su&Bect of the Gita, as it is of all scriptures.The Gita has &ecome for us a spiritual reference &oo). As we go along& I would be saying many things but at the core of them all& would be the following ta+eChome lessons(

So Mama Dharma is the essential core of the 4essage of the !ita& and understanding it means understanding the five ta+eChome lessons I "ust listed. 'hat about brings me to the end. I hope I have not lost you on the way. I have lots more to say in the future tal+s. In all these& I shall always try and stay close to the central theme of Mama Dharma& rather than laboriously dragging you through the seven hundred and odd s!okas. I am not e-uipped to do that& and there are many wonderful and scholarly te6ts already available that can ta+e you on that +ind of a tour. I want to give you a helicopter ride& pointing out all the time to the beautiful earth below& called Mama Dharma0 ffering my gratitude to 9hagavan& I shall stop here. 4ay !od be with you always. Dai Sai Ram. Loving Sai Ram and greetings once again from Prasanthi Nilayam. It is truly a wonderful feeling and a blessing at the same time& to bring to you the essence of the 4essage of the Lord& which is ?Mama DharmaU. 'his is a word that ought to rule our lives= yet almost everyone on earth is ignorant about it. 'he Lord came down earlier as 7rishna and now again in the physical form of our beloved Swami& simply to remind us to follow MamaDharma and never deviate from it. Nevertheless& we are hardly aware of what it is& which is why Radio Sai has decided to offer this series. ;e hope you li+e and are able to understand what we are trying to convey. ;ith that introductory note& let me resume from where I left off last time. Ma)ing the Right Choice . The Essence of Sankhya *oga In the previous episode& I had started with you on my tour of the Second 5hapter of the !ita& entitled Sankhya 2oga& meaning the ?2ogaof *iscrimination and ;isdomU. Dust to recap& Ar"una who had earlier decided to fight for the cause of Dharma& was& at the last minute& trying to -uit. :ighting for Dharma is not easy and most of us tend to chic+en out when the price seems to be high. It is because most of us abandon Mama Dharma for some reason or the other& that the world today is beset with all +inds of problems. And finding ourselves in a huge mess& we as+ stupid -uestions li+e( .;hy did !od create this world with all these problems2 ;hy does not !od appear and sweep away all these problems with ,is *ivine powers21 Not for a moment do we say( .'his is a mess we created& and that is because we systematically chose to ignore the lessons so mercifully given by the Lord not only via sages and prophets& but also during ,is personal appearances on earth as an Avatar.1 Since it is a mess that we have created& it is evident that it is we who must clean it up= we simply cannot pass the buc+ and as+ !od to sweep the chaos that is our ma+ing= that would be li+e adding insult to in"ury0 4an going astray is nothing new& and that is why way bac+& Lord 7rishna told Ar"una where he was going wrong and what he had to do by way of midCcourse correction& especially in terms of ma+ing the right choice. Ma)ing the right choice is "hat the (econ# Chapter calle# the *oga of $iscrimination an# 9is#om is all a&out.

Let me now -uic+ly recall the important points I made last time& before we proceed further. I said the following( Ar"una was confused about what e6actly his duty was. ,e had two options before him and reasoning in a particular way& he thought it was best for him not to fight. ,e conveyed his an6iety and doubts to 7rishna and sought refuge in ,im.

'he Lord began by chiding Ar"una and then told him that he was ma+ing a wrong choice. 7rishna added that the wrong choice was the result of Ar"una not being able to discriminate properly. 'he Lord then pointed out that discrimination would fail when there is attachment. The (inister Mala#' of Attachment 'he -uestion now becomes( .,ow does this attachment arise21 7rishna has the answer in the following S!oka(

$"elling the Min# on sense o&Bects #e%elops attachments. Attachment lea#s to #esire an# #esire &ree#s anger. P4.L4Q 7rishna continues( From anger rises #elusionA #elusion promotes confusion of the Min#A confusion generates loss of reasonA an# finall', loss of reason lea#s to complete ruin. P4.L@Q e attains peace "ho conCuering #esires li%es "ithout the feeling 8*; or 8mine;. P4.KEQ It is important to spend some time digesting the above observations of the Lord. Let me start with attachment. Attachment is a feeling entirely connected with this world. ;e get attached to things we li+e and to people we li+e. Among other things& Ar"una was attached to his grandfather& his !uru and his relatives. ne might argue& that is but natural. Yes& in a purely worldly sense& attachment is perfectly natural and is to be e6pected. ,owever& attachment has its dangers= in particular& it can cloud one#s "udgement. Let me give some e6amples of how attachment can and does cloud "udgement. 'a+e the case of the blind 7ing *hritarashtra. ,e was so attached to his sons& that he invariably overloo+ed their faults. 'hat was then& and it happens to be so even now. ,ow fre-uently we hear of political leaders who are blind to the faults of their family members who e6ploit the position of the leader concerned.

5onsider ne6t a surgeon whose child is very sic+ and has to be operated upon. 4edical ethics re-uire that the surgeon should not perform the operation. ;hy2 9ecause& his attachment may ma+e him lose his cool& as result of which& he could ma+e serious mista+es. In the "udicial world& a "udge cannot preside when one of his relatives appears before the court in a case& especially a criminal one. Similarly& a teacher cannot set a -uestion paper for a public e6amination for which his son or close relative is appearing. 'his would be a case of conflict of interests. ;hat I am trying to say is that prevailing social norms and customs already admit the fact that attachment can cloud "udgements. 'hat is what the Lord pointed out thousands of years ago& and in a larger as well as deeper conte6t. The point is simpleA attachment springs from &o#' consciousness an# lea#s to "rong conclusions an# #ecision6ma)ing. *n general, attachment arises from gi%ing importance to the transient, "hile ignoring the permanent. 'hus far& I have considered the immediate conse-uences of attachment= in the !ita& 7rishna ta+es us much further. ,e reminds us that attachment can plunge one into disaster. 'hat precisely is what happened in the case of the 7auravas. You will recall that the 7auravas were greedy and "ealous. 'hat clouded their "udgement and prevented them from seeing the difference between the transient and the permanent. Net result( I@ 'hey did everything possible to dispossess the Pandavas. )@ 'hat in turn led to the war. :inally& they all perished because the end and the means were both wrong. $ealing "ith Attachment . The Right 9a'

As I said earlier& since we are all worldly creatures& attachment is to some e6tent inevitable. ,owever& we must at least strive to +eep it to a minimum& and at crucial moments +eep it at bay& so that our "udgement can be clear. In short& we must learn to be calm. 9eing calm& coolCheaded and having an attitude of e-uanimity is no doubt a virtue in management circles. /-uanimity is a must for worldly leaders also& so that they can thin+ calmly when confronted with crises and disasters. In the Spiritual world too it is vital& because& as 7rishna says& it helps one to withstand the ups and downs of life. Swami tells us that worldly forces would always try to batter us& even as powerful waves crash on the roc+s on seashores. ,owever& "ust as the roc+s don#t budge& our 4inds too must remain steady and calm. 'his comes via sense and 4ind control that Swami reminds us about& so often. In the !ita& 7rishna gives the first introduction to that topic in 5hapter )= the theme is elaborated upon later. So what does 7rishna have to say about e-uanimity2 'his is what ,e declares( En#o"e# "ith eCuanimit', one frees oneself in this life from goo# an# e%il ali)eA therefore #e%ote th'self to /ogaA %eril', "or) #one to perfection is *oga. P4.G>Q

Please note what 7rishna says about doing whatever it is that we do& to perfection. Go# is perfection, an# e lo%es to see perfection in our "or). I would at this point& also li+e to -uote a Sufi poem that beautifully describes the attitude of a perfectly detached person. At night prisoners forget their prison, At night )ings forge their po"er, No sorro", no &roo#ing o%er gain an# loss, No thought of this person or that, This is the state of the !i&erate# person, E%en "hen he is a"a)e. Notice the word 3liberated# that occurs in this poem. 'his word conveys the idea that a person who is always calm and unruffled& is free from mental disturbances that the ups and downs of life can cause. 9y the way& 7rishna describes such a person as Sthithaprajna. /laborating further& 7rishna says( 9hat is night for all &eings is for the enlightene# one #a'A an# that "hich is #a' for others is to him "ho #"ells in the (elf, night. P4.LJQ

7rishna refers to the Sthithaprajna as the enlightened one. ;hy2 9ecause such a one is able to clearly distinguish the difference between that which is permanent and that& which is temporary. ,aving understood the difference& such a person immerses himself in the contemplation of the Inner Self or the Atma& and is least bothered about the tornadoes of life. It is to highlight this difference that 7rishna says that what is night for others is day for him and so on. 5ommenting on this& Swami says that people misunderstand this to mean that he who is awa+e at night when the world sleeps is aSthithaprajna. Swami adds that if that were true& then all night watchmen would -ualify to be Sthithaprajnas0 'hat is not what 7rishna meant. 9hat the !or# meant "as that "hat or#inar' people thought "as real "as to him unreal, "hile "hat people too) to &e unreal "as in fact real. I hope that is clear.

At this point& I am sure many would be ready to -uit saying that what 7rishna as+s for is most unrealistic. ,ow can one deliver the moon& all of us would tend to as+2 In fact& at one point& Ar"una ,imself raises this issue& and 7rishna answers the -uery. ;e shall come to all that later but here I would li+e to say that with discipline& such a control 5AN be achieved. It is "ust that we are not prepared to pay the price for achieving selfCdiscipline. 'his is not to say that people would not go to great e6tent to attain worldly ambitions. Dust loo+ at the number of people who are ready to die "ust to become movie stars or sports stars or politicians& and so on. Some people go the e6tent of doing absolutely craBy things "ust to get into the !uinness 9oo+ of Records. 'here are people who ta+e great delight in growing fingernails that are one meter long& beards that are two meters long& and so on. 'hey go to enormous e6tent to spend a month or so in a glass cage in the company of hundreds of scorpions& etc. In other words& if people really want& they can do very difficult things.

(o it all &oils #o"n to "ill po"er. 9hile man' eDert themsel%es to achie%e all sorts of "orl#l' am&itions, "hen it comes to mental #iscipline for achie%ing (piritual goals, then su##enl' it all &ecomes so %er' #ifficult an# impossi&le. Swami says& as you are so you become. If you want to be ac+nowledged as a great one in the world& you would become great by much effort. Similarly& if you want to be really good& you can achieve that goal also through much effort. It is "ust that most people do not want to do the latter& dismissing that ob"ective as worthless. People often yearn for peace. ,owever few realise that peace which really means mental calm& will not drop li+e manna from heaven. It comes only through a systematic effort to cultivate detachment.

And when one is able to become detached& one would really en"oy great inner peace. 5ommenting on this& 7rishna says( e attains peace "ho conCuering #esires li%es "ithout the feeling 8*; or 8mine;. P4.KEQ ighlights of the (econ# Chapter of the Gita I thin+ I should start wrapping up this tal+ by summarising for you what the Second 5hapter is all about. 'his is the chapter where Ar"una surrenders to 7rishna and see+s the Lord#s guidance. In the !ita >ahini& Swami describes this scene as follows( Ar"una& there are many reasons for your sorrow but the most fundamental one is your ignorance. <naware of your true nature& you have been overwhelmed with grief. 9ut now you have cried out for !od and Dharma.The moment 'ou cr' out for Go#, it &ecomes *oga. 9hen 'ou cr' for Me, * "ill ta)e care of 'ou an# gi%e 'ou e%er'thing 'ou nee#. Ar"una says that he would not fight because people would be +illed. Swami points out that it is not +illing that ma+es Ar"una have doubts. As a warrior& he had earlier +illed many in battle. ;hat made him have doubts now is the fact that the people who might now die would be his blood relatives. In other words& the feeling of 3mine# was beginning to dominate in him. 'hat and not +illing per se& was the source of his doubts. Recognising this& 7rishna tells Ar"una that his problem was in not being able to distinguish properly between the real and the unreal& between the transient and the permanent& between 'ruth and untruth. Krishna then points out that the onl' thing eternal is the all6per%a#ing Atma. 'he people we see around us& indeed allCliving creatures are nothing but the embodiments of the Atma. ;hen a person dies& only the e6ternal casing called the body dies while theAtma within remains intact. 'hat is not surprising since being *ivine and /ternal& the Atma is beyond all destruction by the most powerful of worldly forces. 7rishna tells Ar"una not to be a fool and weep for that& which is eternal. 7rishna follows this up by e6plaining to Ar"una why he is so confused= it was all because his Buddhi ?intellect@ had become blunt. 9hen3uddhi fails to operate, one gets #ro"ne# in (piritual ignorance, no matter ho" smart one might &e on the "orl#l' plane.'hat precisely was what had happened to Ar"una. So the -uestion now becomes( .,ow to get rid of Spiritual ignorance21 7rishna tells Ar"una& for that to happen& a prere-uisite is e-uanimity. ,ow does one achieve e-uanimity2 ;ell& for that one has to practice sense and 4ind control. 'ough it might be& it is not so tough if one who perseveres is disciplined and cultivates patience. Remem&er ("ami telling us a&out the three P7s 6 patience, perse%erance an# purit': That a#%ice "as first gi%en &' im to ArBuna fi%e thousan# 'ears ago.

So in reverse order& we must first try to become pure through perseverance. ;e would then achieve e-uanimity. In turn& that would enable us to discriminate properly and ma+e all the right choices when it comes to right action. And in a sense& right action is really what Mama Dharma is all about. Are 9e Practising Mama Dharma: All this becomes pretty obvious when e6plained but not so obvious when we read about it in the !ita. I am able to e6plain in simple terms because Swami has done it earlier in so many different ways on several occasions. Let us ta+e a minute off to than+ Swami for that. 'hese days modern man imagines himself to be damn smart "ust because he has invented '>& Internet& the mobile phone and what not./es, the Medha Shakti or the "orl#l' intelligence of mo#ern man has ena&le# him to split the atom an# tin)er "ith the genome &ut, as ("ami sa's, of "hat use is all that "hen man cannot recognise Go# "al)ing on earth:

I must not omit to point out the importance of the following S!oka& to which I have made reference earlier. Action alone is th' pro%ince an# not the fruits thereof. (ee) not the fruits of action nor shoul#st thou a%oi# action. P4.NKQ 'his Slo+a which is often cited as the basis of >arma 2oga& is also the gene of Mama Dharma. I shall have more to say about this later in the ne6t episode& when I shall be discussing the 'hird and the :ourth 5hapters. 9ut here I would li+e to mention the following( Normally& when we do something& we generally tend to as+& .;hat#s there in it for me21 Such a -uestion is born of selfishness and selfCinterest. :or e6ample& these days& everybody complains heavily about adharma& corruption and what not. 9ut who lifts his little finger to do anything about2 If the -uestion were to be raised& people would shrug and say& .9e practical. 5orruption cannot be fought by a small person li+e me.1 'hat is another way of saying& .;hy should I struggle to fight corruption2 It is a than+less "ob. ;hat is there in it for me21 'his is the standard way of duc+ing the difficult "ob of protecting Dharma. Ar"una too was running away from his "ob of protectingDharma& though he was not -uite aware of it. 7rishna shoc+ed him by drawing attention to things that matter more than the transient affairs& to which we normally give so much importance. So you see& one way or the other& it all boils down to Mama Dharma. 'he roots of Mama Dharma may be in the Spiritual world& but its trun+ and branches are in the real practical world. A few final thoughts about the Second 5hapter. Swami says( The (econ# Chapter is an eDtremel' important part of the GitaS /ou ha%e to ta)e this Chapter stanIa &' stanIa an# spen#, if nee# &e, t"o to three #a's on concentration, tr'ing to un#erstan#S Each "or# of each %erse in this Chapter can &e consi#ere# a rare Be"el. *t is onl' "hen 'ou can completel' un#erstan# the nature of Sankhya *oga that 'ou "oul# &e a&le to un#erstan# the Gita in full. ne more remar+. ;e all +now that !andhi dran+ constantly and deep from the !ita. 5oncerning this& Swami says( Mahatma Gan#hi use# to rea# the Sankhya *oga t"ice or thrice, "hene%er his Min# "as restless an# pertur&e#. *t restore# his peace of min#. The Sankhya *oga is the life of the Gita.

So you see& the Sankhya 2oga teaches us how e-uanimity would help us to overcome mental restlessness. 'hese days& it is fashionable for people in the 5orporate sector to go in search of !urus who teach meditation and so on. All this is nice up to a point. 9ut the real basis for all this is the Sankhya 2oga. I do not +now how much 5orporate managers of today would li+e to hear about Sankhya 2oga. 4odern managers might not be interested but 7rishna made sure ,e devoted an entire chapter on 2oga of 4editation. 'hat would come later. *n summar', "hat * ha%e trie# to stress to#a' is the importance of #etachment an# eCuanimit' in stic)ing to Mama Dharma. 'he -uestion might be as+ed( .,ow it is possible to be so detached and yet so active in this practical world which is so full of all +inds of distracting forces21 'his is an important -uestion that we shall

consider later. 9ut here I would li+e to say that interestingly& the answer was given in the famous Yoga >asishtam& taught by Sage >asishta to Lord Rama much earlier. I hope I have not lost you0 Please do write bac+ your reactions and comments to the usual address 8 h)hVradiosai.org 'han+ you and Dai Sai Ram. Loving Sai Ram and greetings once again from Prasanthi Nilayam. 'his is my fourth tal+ in the series on the /ssence of the !ita. 'hus far& we have navigated through the second chapter& entitled Sankhya 2oga. I hope you have not entirely forgotten all that I said before. ;hile dealing with the Sankhya 2oga& I pointed out the following(

7rishna told Ar"una that his difficulty was arising from a lac+ of sufficient discrimination. 7rishna pointed that the -uestion was not about +illing one#s relatives but about whether to do one#s duty or to abandon it. 7rishna continued( ./veryone has duties to perform& and no one is e6empt from duties 8 from +ings to paupers to even saints.1

7rishna then turns to the -uestion( .;hat e6actly is duty21 *uty involves actions& and to perform the right action& one must first be clear as to whether the proposed action is based on considerations of the temporary or the permanent. RecogniIing the Nature of the -attle an# Choosing the Right si#e 7rishna told Ar"una that he was trying to decide his course of action on the basis of body consciousness. 'hat meant that Ar"una was giving importance to the temporary. Ar"una was saying he would not fight because his grandfather& !urus and so on were in the opposing army. 'hereupon& 7rishna e6plains that bodies are temporary& born to perish. 'he issue was not one of 9hishma versus Ar"una but adharma versus Dharma ?<nrighteousness >s Righteousness@. As a soldier and warrior& Ar"una had a duty to protect Dharma. 9hishma& etc.& were on the side of adharma. 'hat being the case& how could Ar"una chic+en out& especially at the very last moment2 All human beings are the embodiments of the Atma& the body being a mere outer dress of sorts. ;hile the body is temporary& the Atmais eternal. Thus, the nature of actions that one performs must &e gui#e# &' consi#erations of the permanent or the "tma, rather than of the transient or the &o#'.

In a sense& that is the touchstone one uses to ma+e the correct decision when caught in a moral dilemma. :or e6ample& the situation may arise when one might feel that there was an urgent necessity to pay a bribe so as to get something done. n the other hand& paying a bribe amounts to supportingadharma. ne might argue that if the bribe were paid& some good would result. 'hat might be so but the !ita ma+es it very clear that it is not enough for the ends alone to be good= the means also must be good& as the last slo+a proclaims.That is "hat Mama Dharma is all a&out . choosing that course of action that is &ase# on consi#erations of the permanent rather than the temporar'. If that is done& there would be no conflict between the means and the ends. Later& I hope to offer many illustrations so that the concept becomes clearer. So the first point we have to appreciate is that Ar"una#s problem was not one of to fight or not to fight but one of performing an action guided by considerations of the permanent $namely the Atma% rather than the temporary $that is& the body%. 'he /ternal is !od& and actions performed +eeping the /ternal in mind would be pleasing to !od. ,ence& we must always choose that course of action that Swami would approve of& that is to say& actions that are !odCoriented. 'he -uestion now becomes( .,ow to find out if Swami would approve of what we are planning to do21 7rishna gave the answer over five thousand years ago. ,is formula is simple( +se 'our po"er of #iscrimination, (piritual $iscrimination that is, to chec) out if 'our propose# action is #esira&le or not Pin the sense * ha%e eDplaine#Q. 9ut remember& the faculty of Spiritual *iscrimination or 9uddhi would not wor+& if you are in the grip of your internal enemies. 'hat means& internal purity is a must& if *iscrimination or Buddhi is to wor+ properly. 'his internal purity is what Swami often refers to as 0rikarana Suddhi or harmony of thought& word and deed& in the pursuit of goodness. 4ore about this internal purity later. Role of (ense Control in $ecision Ma)ing

:or the present& let us note that 7rishna has stressed the importance of sense and mind control& in order to +eep Buddhi in shape. ;ithout the control of the senses and the mind& Buddhi would be blunted. If Buddhibecomes blunt& Spiritual *iscrimination would automatically fail. And when that happens& one can easily delude oneself and ma+e all +inds of wrong "udgements leading sometimes to great disaster. ,istory is full of e6amples where this has been proved true. ;e are now ready to consider 5hapters H and J& dealing mainly with>arma 2oga and some of its aspects. Actually& 7rishna gives a brief hint about >arma 2oga in 5hapter ) itself but elaborates further in the chapters "ust mentioned. Now why is >arma 2ogaimportant2 9ecause it is the practical aspect of Mama Dharma. 'he headlines as far as 5hapter H is concerned are the following( None can remain perfectly inactive= action is inevitable. ,owever& the action must be meaningful in the sense it must be in the spirit of >arma 2oga= otherwise& it is tantamount to inaction& in a spiritual sense that is. Action must &e performe# "ith perfect #etachment. :urther& one must accept the position one has been placed in by *estiny& and do the very best one can while in that position& in the spirit of a >arma 2ogi.

>arma 2oga is not e6actly easy= desire is its main foe& which means that if one aspires to be a >arma 2ogi& then one must burn all feelings of desires within. And now& a -uic+ loo+ at the S!okas related to the headlines above& after which brief comments on them. Free#om from action is the culmination of 4arma *oga, an# that free#om #oes not come "ithout first entering upon action. Nor can one reach perfection . the culmination of Sankhya *oga . merel' &' refusing to act. P@.NQ *n#ee#, none can e%er remain inacti%e e%en for a momentA for e%er'one is relentlessl' an# helplessl' #ri%en to action &' one7s intrinsic nature or !unas. P@.GQ e "ho claims to &e inacti%e merel' &' &eing motionless &ut nonetheless &roo#s on sense o&Bects is a #elu#e# fool an# in fact a h'pocrite. P@.LQ On the other han#, superior is he "ho engages in action &ut "ith full control of the min# an# the senses. P@.KQ Therefore, #o th' #ut' as prescri&e#A for #ut'6&oun# action is superior to inaction. Forget not that action is reCuire# e%en to maintain the &o#'. P@.OQ Actions normall' fetter the human &eing &ut not "hen the' are performe# as acts of sacrifice. Therefore, O Kaunte'a, act an# perform th' #ut' "ithout attachment an# in a spirit of sacrifice. P@.JQ Kno" that all action originates from the (upreme One "ho is *mperisha&le an# All6 per%a#ing. An# in all sacrificial action, this (upreme (pirit is consciousl' present. P@.EGQ Partha, one "ho #oes not re%ol%e "ith the "heel of sacrifice &ut see)s instea# mun#ane pleasures through the gratification of the senses li%es in %ain. P@.ELQ One7s o"n #ut', though seemingl' #e%oi# of merit, is superior to that of another, e%en if "ell performe#. *t is prefera&le an# honoura&le to #o one7s #ut'A un#erta)ing another7s #ut' is fraught "ith #anger. P@.@GQ $esire is the 9ise man7s eternal foe, O Kaunte'a an# is li)e an insatia&le fire. P@.@JQ So much for the +ey Slo+as and now for some comments. ;e hardly realise how important the spirit of >arma 2oga is for the good of society. The Real *mport of Seva I got a good lesson of that in 4arch IGGG& from a discourse that Swami delivered while visiting *elhi. As everyone +nows *elhi is the capital city of India& synonymous with politics& government& and government offices galore. In ,is discourse& 9hagawan said that seva or service did not mean that one ought to pic+ up a broom and start sweeping villages. No doubt that +ind of wor+ did -ualify to be called seva. ,owever& said Swami& doing one#s "ob properly in the true spirit of >arma 2oga also -ualified to be described as seva= in fact& that constituted about GFO of >arma 2oga. Addressing pointedly the government officials who had come in thousands for 9hagawan#s darshan& Swami said that avoiding wor+ while drawing a salary was a sin. 'his is very similar in spirit to slo+a $H.P%.

On the other han#, "or)ing sincerel' "ithout an' concern for the salar' recei%e# "as real seva. It was seva because all government wor+ was in principle directed towards public welfare. Swami added that these days& people draw a salary of ten thousand rupees and do not perform even a hundred rupees worth of wor+0 As one who has had a ringside view of the way the governmental system wor+s& I +now how true this is. Let us reflect on this for a moment. In the old days& government officials in India were +nown as Public Servants& and with good reason too= they were employed by the people& for serving the people. If& however& the officials come to office& waste their time discussing office politics& and spend the rest of their time currying favour with higher ups& or in ma+ing personal phone calls and so on& then is it not a crime against society2 ;hat is the point of such people then reporting for Sevadal duty& wearing a scarf and going through some wea+ motions of alleged seva2 In this particular discourse& Swami was sending a clear signal that doing one#s wor+ diligently while at one#s wor+ station and serving society thereby was also seva. Seva is not "ust wearing a scarf and sweeping villages& as many thin+ it is. >arma 2oga stresses emphatically that doing one#s duty in the situation destiny places one in life is far superior than see+ing some other duty and trying to perform it. I shall give two e6amples& though they are obvious.

EDample one5 'here is a young couple with a small child. 'he aged parents of the young man live with the couple. 'he young couple leave their +id with the elders& as+ing them to do babysitting and rush off wearing scarves to do seva. Is this real service2 Such things are common in high society also. In India& many wives of senior army officers leave their +ids with nannies and push off to do social service. Swami has& in the old days& drawn pointed attention to such aberrations& saying such actions spring from an ignorance of what service is all about. 'hey are the result of the lac+ of proper discrimination. EDample t"o5 'here is a doctor who is very moneyCminded in his profession. Yet& because he is a Sai devotee& he wears a scarf during wee+ends and attends medical camps. ne wonders what e6actly his attitude would be while rendering so called service in those camps. In short& >arma 2oga and Mama Dharma are not really far off from daily life& and we need not imagine that they become relevant only in e6treme& crisis situations. As Krishna emphasises, life is a seCuence of actions in man' of "hich, the application of #iscrimination &ecomes important. An# to sharpen the )nife of (piritual $iscrimination, the #iscipline of sense an# min# control is %ital. A person with good sense and mind control would always be calm& be able to analyse situations dispassionately and ta+e the right decisions. It is because the concept of >arma 2oga is so intimately interCtwined with human life that the !ita has been described as an indispensable manual of life= and that also is why !andhi constantly consulted it& in relation to almost everything he did.

A#herence to One1s Dharma is an EDpression of the *nnate $i%init' Slo+as $H.IM% and $H.IL% also clarify the place of man in the 5osmos& and the role he is e6pected to play. Scholars hardly ever draw attention to these s!okas& but these assume special importance in the conte6t of some of the discourses of Swami in which ,e has drawn attention to an important hierarchy that goes from the individual to society to Nature and finally to !od. 'his is a topic that would occupy a lot of our attention later. Slo+a $H.IM% tells us that !od is the very embodiment of sacrifice. -' the "a', the li%es of the A%atars offer an' num&er of eDamples of supreme sacrifice, an# one reall' #oes not ha%e to loo) &e'on# ("ami for proof. That is point num&er one. Point num&er t"o is that if an in#i%i#ual sacrifices, that act of sacrifice "oul# &e in perfect harmon' "ith the $i%ine (par) "ithin. Point num&er three "hich is %er' important, is Krishna7s specific call that e%er' in#i%i#ual must sacrifice an# not a&an#on that practice.

I shall have more to say about this later but here let me "ust say that every entity in Nature receives as well as gives. ,umans being a part of Nature must do the same but unli+e other living species that are hardCwired to maintain the balance between receiving and giving& humans can dodge giving& even while they are receiving. In other words& they can cheat deliberately. 'hat& says 7rishna& is unacceptable. 'his remar+ is very important since these days& there is a large amount of cheating going on. 9y the way& it is interesting to note that out of all the entities in the 5osmos& it is humans alone who are not hardCwired and therefore capable of going against dharma& or their intrinsic nature. A stone& for e6ample& cannot go up a slope on its own. It can only roll down= that is its dharma. 4an& however& can create choices& and act according to his fancy= and there starts all the trouble. Let us move on and now ta+e a brief loo+ at 5hapter J by focussing on a few crucial s!okas relevant to us. 'hey are the following( e "ho sees action in inaction an# inaction in action is enlightene# among menA %eril' he is a *ogi an# one "ho has #one all he nee# to #o. PN.EOQ The act of offering is 3rahman an# the offering is 3rahmanA the one "ho offers is 3rahman an# the sacre# fire into "hich the offering is ma#e is also 3rahman. e

alone attains 3rahman "ho, in all his actions is full' a&sor&e# in 3rahman. PN.4NQ (ee) enlightenment &' ser%ing an# prostrating &efore illumine# soulsA an# learn through re%erential Cuestioning. PN.@NQ And now for some comments. Let me start with s!oka $J.HJ% that I "ust -uoted. 'here is an interesting story behind it that goes as follows( ne day when Shirdi 9aba was in the Masjid $where 9aba usually spent a lot of time%& ,is devotee Nanasaheb 5handor+ar was massaging 9aba#s legs and at the same time muttering something. A conversation then ensued( -a&a( Nana& what are you mumbling to yourself2 Nana( I am reciting a s!oka in Sans+rit. -a&a( ;hat s!oka2 Nana( :rom the 9hagavad !ita. -a&a( 5hant it fully. Nana( 0adviddhi pranipaatena pariprashnen Sevaya+ Upadekshyantim 0e =nanum =naninatsatt,adarshninah -a&a( Nana& do you understand it2

Nana( Yes. -a&a( In that case& e6plain it to 4e. Nana( It means( 9y prostrating before the !uru& -uestioning the !uru& serving him& learn what =nana is T.. -a&a( Nana& stop0 I do not want this collective translation. /6plain the stanBa to 4e word by word. ;hen Nana tries to a give word by word e6planation of the s!oka& 9aba chastises Nana at every stage& ma+ing Nana loo+ silly. Nana then realised that 9aba appearing li+e an ignorant person was a putCon typical of Avatars. As Swami sometimes says& man +nows nothing but acts as though he +nows everything. !od& on the other hand& +nows everything but often acts as though ,e +nows nothing. 'hat precisely is what happened on this occasion. :urther& 9aba e6plained an important truth. !urus do not teach =nana. 'his might seem strange but the fact is& as Swami has e6plained& &nana or (piritual 9is#om is latent in e%er' human &eing since e%er' person is an em&o#iment of the "tma. &nana comes "ith the in#i%i#ual right at &irth. 9hat happens is that the Guru, through his teachings, remo%es a5nana or spiritual

ignorance.;hen ignorance is scrubbed away& =nana& which until then was covered or eclipsed by ignorance& stands revealed. True Action an# True (ilence Let me ne6t consider the s!oka that deals with action and inaction. 'his remar+ of 7rishna is particularly relevant in this >a!i Age when everyone seems so very busy and is going around furiously appearing to do this and that. 7rishna is telling us that in !od#s view& that action alone is worthwhile which is spiritually meaningful. A rich businessman might& for e6ample& be hyper active wheeling and dealing& "etting across continents& being in 4elbourne one day and in 4oscow on the ne6t& buying up companies& sewing up contracts and whatnot. All this may be good for the tycoon#s business& but since it all springs from the businessman#s ambitions and desire to be rich and powerful& the actions have a low rating in the spiritual world. n the other hand& there might be a saint who is lost in meditation who thus appears inactive= that would be the worldly view. ,owever& where !od is concerned& such a man is highly active. You might as+& .,ow is that possible when the man is so inactive physically21 ;ell& I can do no better than cite the e6ample of Ramana 4aharishi& whose name must be familiar to many. Ramana spent most of his life& withdrawing into himself. People would go to his Ashram wanting not only his darshan but with many -uestions to as+. ,owever& Ramana hardly gave any opportunities for devotees to as+ -uestions= he sat mostly in silent meditation. ne day& a devotee who had camped there for nearly a month and had come with many -uestions to as+& finally got so frustrated that he bro+e all the local rules of eti-uette and burst out crying& . Sage& I am waiting here for nearly a month with many -uestions to as+& -uestions of vital importance to me& and you are not even bothering to spea+ to me01 Ramana opened his eyes and gently replied& .Son& I have already answered all your -uestions.1 'he devotee was shoc+ed and muttered& .,ow can that be2 'his is the first time you have actually spo+en to me. 'hus far& you have remained silent01

Ramana smile# an# sai#, 8(ilence 6 that is m' ans"er to all 'our Cuestions. (ilence 'our min#, an# all 'our pro&lems "oul# &e sol%e#.; 'hat silence that Ramana tal+s about has been brought to our notice by Swami also with the words& .It is only in silence that the >oice of !od can be heard.1 ;hat is this silence that Ramana and Swami are tal+ing about2 Not the silence that results when we shut off our vocal chords but silence of the mind& which results in the -uelling of thoughts. ;hen the ceaseless chatter of mind comes to a halt& the gentle whisper from within the ,eart can always be heard. It is to remind us of this that 9hagawan sometimes gives a diamond ring to a few devotees& adding that the diamond is meant to remind them of the command& *I/ 4IN*0 Now when Swami says 3die mind# ,e really means 3let your lower mind die#. It is in the lower mind that the famous si6 enemies hide& constantly trying to lead humans away from the path that leads one bac+ to !od. 7& let us suppose that the useless chatter in the lower mind is shut off. ;hat happens then2 >ery simple. 'he >oice of !od or our 5onscience can spea+ to us via the 3pipeline# called Buddhi. If Buddhi had operated& it would have told Ar"una& . Ar"una& you are falling into a trap set by the lower mind. You are analysing this war entirely on a worldly basis. No& you must not do that. Remember& before you underta+e any action& especially one that might involve -uestions of ethics

and morality& as+ yourself a few basic -uestions li+e( 3Is this good or is it bad2 Is it right or is it wrong2 Is it selfish or is it unselfish2# !ood& right& and selflessness are all based on your permanent aspect& namely the Atma. 'he other choices are all based on the lower aspect& namely your transient body. Always choose that course of action that is based on the permanent and not on the transient. 'hat should always be your duty. 'hat is your dharma or Mama Dharma.1 'o be technically correct& the !ita uses the wordS,adharma but that is the same as what Swami refers to as Mama Dharma. The Gol#en Rule thus is5 89hen in #ou&t, al"a's s"ear &' Mama Dharma, al"a's. Ne%er e%er "a%er?;

Is it any wonder that Swami repeatedly tells us( .Always follow your 4aster0 Your 5onscience is your real 4aster01 >ery true& because what we casually refer to as the 5onscience& is really the >oice of the !od resident within us. 'here on the battlefield& 7rishna gave a oneCtime advice to Ar"una. 9ut that same !od is also within us& all the time& )JKA. ,e travels with us wherever we go& to London or 'imbu+tu or whatever. ,e never sleeps. nly& we hardly allow ,im to spea+ to us. If only we allow ,im to do that0 'his leaves me with the famousBrahmaarpanam S!okam $J.)J%& that we are all supposed to chant before every meal. 9asically& it is a reaffirmation of the fact that !od is not only everywhere all the

time& but in fact !od is everything= there is nothing else0 'his is a profound 'ruth& and I can hardly do "ustice to that in this tal+ since it is time to end. I shall ma+e amends some other time. In summary& in this tal+& I have basically said the following( >arma 2oga e6pounded in the !ita is essentially a practical manual for following Mama Dharma. Action must be meaningful in a spiritual sense= otherwise& it amounts to inaction in the conte6t of Mama Dharma. ;e do not have to ac-uire Spiritual 7nowledge= it is already latent in us. ,owever& it is hidden by a thic+ layer of spiritual ignorance. ;hen that ignorance is scrubbed away& following Mama Dharma becomes easy. Actions are a must and diverse= but they all become pointless unless they form a part of the fabric of Mama Dharma. A careful study of the lives of various saints would give us plenty of clues about how to convert inaction into spiritually meaningful action. And in this conte6t& +eeping 9uddhi sharp is a must. 'hat is all for now. Dai Sai Ram. Submitting my humble Pranaams at 9hagavan#s Lotus :eet& I also offer my greetings to you. I am really grateful to you all for being with me in this "ourney of e6ploration through the greatest Spiritual treasure of man+ind.

'his is my fifth tal+ in the series 4usings on the !ita. You will recall& I am not giving you the usual landCtour if I might call it that. Instead& I am offering a helicopter ride& pointing out all the time to Mama Dharma& from a certain height& if I might put it that way. 'hus far& we have flown over& shall I say& four chapters. 'oday& a -uic+ flight over 5hapter M& after which I would li+e to pause and do a bit of review. 'o start with& there are "ust about half a doBen S!okas from 5hapter M that I would li+e to call attention to. 'hey are as follows( The 4arma *ogi "ho offers all his actions to Go# an# performs them "ithout an' attachment "hatsoe%er, remains untouche# &' sin, e%en as the lotus leaf is not "ette# &' "ater. PG.E>Q +sing the &o#', the Min# an# the senses, the 4arma *ogi constantl' performs actions in a #ispassionate manner as a means of purification. PG.EEQ 9orl#l' pleasures, though seemingl' enBo'a&le, are %eril' a source of pain. -esi#es, such pleasures are fleeting an# transient. Therefore it is, O Kaunte'a, the 9ise man shuns "orl#l' pleasures. PG.44Q

e "ho, &efore he she#s his mortal coil, transcen#s the urges of &oth lust an# anger, is %eril' a *ogiA an# he alone is a trul' happ' person. PG.4@Q e "ho is happ' "ith the (elf "ithin, enBo's "ithin himself the #elight of the (oul an# in "hom the *nner !ight shines . such a one attains Eternal -liss an# &ecomes one "ith3rahman. PG.4NQ The 9ise "ho are totall' a&o%e lust an# anger an# "ho ha%e su&#ue# their Min#, eDperience 3rahman an# Eternal -liss e%er'"here. PG.4LQ Now for some comments on the above. 5hapter M is entitled >arma Sannyasa 2oga& and it also is largely about duty. ,owever& it adds important nuances& highlighting two different ways of becoming one with !od. Remember&2oga means becoming one with !od and also that the purpose of life is to become one with !od. 5hapter M says that some achieve this union through >arma 2oga while others follow the path of Sankhya 2oga= two roads but same destination. ;hat then are the differences2 4arma *oga 6 Sankhya *oga 'he >arma 2ogi is fully involved with the world. Such people get married& raise a family& and so on and yet are involved in 2oga or see+ing union with !od. 'hen there are others& the Sannyasis& who

are supposed to have renounced the world and have become a recluse. 4any of them often spend hours in meditation. 'he world admires such souls and reveres them too. It would thus appear that there are two distinct categories of people& the holy and the ordinary& shall I say2 n the face of it& the holy man might appear superior. *oes that mean we write off all the soCcalled ordinary Does2 *n the Fifth Chapter, the !or# gi%es the assurance that "here e is concerne#, e #oes not "rite off an'one. :or ,im& both categories merit ,is attention and !race& providedTT

Ah0 As always& there is a fine print0 ;hat is that fine print2 'hat is what we shall now e6amine. 'he first thing we must appreciate is that the world is after all the Lord#s creation= so there is no meaning in dismissing it as useless etc. 'he Lord does not e6pect everyone to withdraw to the forest and meditate on ,im. 4ind you& ,e does not rule that out either. ,e says& .Son& if you want to go to the forest and meditate& by all means do so. 9ut that does not e6empt you from 4ind and Sense control& and give you the license to ignore your higher nature.1 *n other "or#s, it is rising a&o%e the senses an# the Min#, an# &eing true to one7s nature that is reall' important, an# not "hether 'ou follo" this path or that. 'he choice of path is largely a matter of convenience and of circumstances. 'hat is the beauty of the !ita= everyone has a chance to follow 4ama *harma& each according to his or her level and circumstance.

'here is a beautiful <panishad story that e6emplifies this point. It goes li+e this( 'here lived in the forest a 2ogi. /very morning& he used to go to river to have his bath there. 'his river being near a village& would also have many residents of the village coming to it to have a dip. ne day& a villager saw a strange sight. A scorpion had slipped from the riverban+ into the river and was struggling. 'he holy man who was bathing& saw the struggling scorpion& pic+ed it up with his fingers to rescue it. /ven as he did so& the scorpion stung him. <nmindful of that& the man gently deposited the scorpion on the riverban+ and resumed his bath. <nfortunately for the scorpion& it slipped once again and began struggling for life. nce more the holy man pic+ed the scorpion and returned it to the riverban+& and even as he was doing so& the scorpion stung him once more. Interestingly& this happened& three or four times. 'he villager who saw all this was simply stunned. <nable to contain himself& the villager as+ed the Sage& . holy one& why are you repeatedly saving the ungrateful scorpion that goes on stinging you21 'he holy man smiled and replied& .'here is nothing strange about that. 'he scorpion is doing what is natural to it& and I am also doing what is natural to me& that is all.1

'his story tells us a lot& and I would urge you strongly to spend some time thin+ing about what that story conveys. It is a reminder that man must act in full awareness of his true nature. f course& in

this case the Yogi was doing it his way= and that is the real point of the story& and not that you must get repeatedly stung by a scorpion0 *f 'ou thin) a&out it, &eing true to our REA! nature is reall' "hatMama Dharma is all a&out5 To #o one7s #ut' in the situation one is place# in life, )eeping the permanent in %ie" al"a's . that is the &ottom line. 'he 2ogi in the <panishadic story is above body consciousness and therefore always returns good for evil. 9hat is *mportant is to Raise A&o%e -aser *nstincts 'he story has a message no doubt but we should not "ump to the conclusion that one should necessarily retreat to the forest to overcome lust and anger. ;hat the !ita teaches us is that one does not have to be a formal Sannyasi to act in that manner. 'he bottom line is to give up attachment and overcome lust and anger. 'hat& one can do anywhere& not necessarily in a forest. In fact it is much better to do it while immersed fully in soCcalled active life. 'hus one can be a doctor& a lawyer& an accountant& an airline pilot& or whatever& and still practice the basic human values of Sathya& Dharma etc. If one always does one#s duty selflessly and strictly adheres to these values& then one is in fact adhering to Mama Dharma. ;hat 7rishna tells Ar"una in 5hapter M is that the >arma 2ogi as well as the Sannyasiare both dear to ,im because both have risen above the senses= that is to say& both have their senses and 4ind under control. 'here may be a difference in their action styles but what really matters to the Lord is sense and 4ind control& and rising above baser instincts. If you remember& Desus went into meditation when the *evil tried its best to trap him. 9ut he resisted& came out absolutely pure& and then preached the famous Sermon on the 4ount. !etting bac+ to 5hapter M& as I told you& the >arma 2ogi does not lead the life of a recluse= on the contrary& he is very much in Society. ,owever& he is perfectly detached& especially where wor+ is concerned= that is to say& he is concerned solely with the discharge of his duty and not with either reward or even success. :urther& while doing his duty& he sees !od in the persons he serves. ,e does his wor+ with "oy in the belief that he is doing it to please !od. ffering all his actions to !od& he rests content in the belief that whatever happens is !od#s will entirely and always for the good& though that might not always be apparent. 'he Sannyasi& on the other hand& leads the life of a recluse& mostly loo+ing inwards& focussing on the Indweller. *oes that mean he shuns Society2 Not really= in fact& when necessary& he guides ordinary people on Spiritual matters= in that sense& the Sannyasi too discharges duty. 'his illustrates how Mama Dharma wor+s in practice. 'he two people are in very different situations= one is very much immersed in Society while the other is a recluse. o"e%er, "hen it comes to action, &oth are #etache# an# perform their actions for Go#7s pleasure, meaning the' #o "hat the' ha%e to, )eeping the permanent in %ie" rather than the transient. 'he bottom line is the same& though the procedures adopted might vary according to circumstances 8 that is an important aspect of Mama Dharma that we must always +eep in mind.

9h' $oes the !or# *ncarnate Leaving 5hapter M behind& I would now li+e to touch upon two points that I have so far not given much attention to& both of which relate to 5hapter J. 'he first concerns the incarnation of !od as an Avatar while the second is about the 5osmic nature of man and his 5osmic connection with the 5osmos itself. As far as I +now& 5hapter J is where !od directly declares for the first time why and when ,e incarnates. 'his is an important point. 'he 7rishna Avatar was certainly not the first Incarnation of !od as an Avatar& but it is certainly as 7rishna that the Lord e6plains why ,e incarnates and when ,e does so. Naturally& the pertinent S!okas are -uoted often. ,owever& these S!okas by themselves do not tell the full story. It is Swami who& over the years& has drawn attention to many of the subtle nuances of !od coming down in human form. Some of these were recently compiled and offered to you by our Sai Inspires service& in one of its Sunday Specials. ,ere I would li+e to draw particular attention to some aspects of !od coming down in human form& especially because of some common misconceptions. ;e all +now that Swami has often declared that ,e is !od. ;hen we hear this for the first time& it comes as a shoc+. 'here is no surprise in this but on the other hand& if we thin+ about it& one wonders why we should be shoc+ed. I can understand the sense of shoc+ say a westerner e6periences= such a person is after all from a different culture& used to believing that !od& if ,e e6ists& is something .remote1& out of this world& a Super Natural 9eing& very powerful no doubt but often doing things very unreasonable. ;hether such an opinion about !od is at all reasonable is a different matter and I shall deal with it separately. All I am trying to say is that westerners are not

used to Avatars and therefore are entitled to feel doubtful about the statement of Swami that I "ust -uoted. 9ut consider an Indian devoted to Rama or 7rishna for that matter. Rama had a human form and so did 7rishna. 'hey both lived thousands of years ago. None of us have seen them= and yet so many of us are ever ready to accept that Rama was !od and so was 7rishna. ,owever& when it comes to our Swami& the world is full of people who argue& .,ow can this man declare ,e is !od21 'his is the -uestion that 7rishna leaves unanswered& but Swami has dealt with that -uestion head on. It is time we pay serious attention to that. I lay particular emphasis on this because in a recent tal+ show on a leading '> channel in India& many people spo+e sarcastically about Swami wryly remar+ing& .,e says ,e is !od0 Imagine that001

Let us start with Swami#s remar+ and go over it bit by bit. Yes& Swami has declared at times that ,e is !od. Those "ho Cuote this remar) in%aria&l' fail to Cuote the rest of the statementA ("ami sa's, 8* am Go# &ut then 'ou also are Go#. The onl' #ifference is that * )no" * am Go# "hile 'ou #o not.;In fact& it is to lay emphasis on +nowing our true and intrinsic *ivine nature that Swami often discusses in ,is *iscourses the -uestion( .;, A4 I21 Now all the great Pundits& selfCstyled scholars and rationalists who are ready to scoff at Swami conveniently -uote ,im out of conte6t& and that too only a part of Swami#s statement. 4oreover& these critics ma+e no effort to understand the full import of Swami#s remar+s. ,ow then can one call it ob"ective criticism2 In view of the widespread ignorance about the whole business of Sai 9aba supposedly describing ,imself as !od& I wish to devote some time to that topic.

:irst and foremost& we must appreciate the fact that everything in the <niverse is a reflection of !od. 'his is what Vedanta declares and to give weight to that Swami on occasions goes to the e6tent of asserting that there is only !od and nothing but !od 8some of you might have heard Swami saying that in a few of ,is *iscourses. People& especially hardCboiled sceptics& might sha+e their heads and say( .If we loo+ around& we see trees& houses& people& animals& clouds& mountains& stars& etc. ,ow can we say all this is !od21 9elieve it or nor& the first time Swami >ive+ananda heard this from Rama+rishna Paramahamsa& he too felt he was being ta+en for a ride0 >ive+ananda describes all this& but that is a different story. Supposing I tell you that all that you see around you& above you and below you& the people& the animals& the mountains& the rivers& the stars& gala6ies& and the earth below& the oil underground& etc.& is made up of atoms. You can#t say I am wrong& can you2 *n the same "a', "hen ("ami sa's that e%er'thing is Go#, "hat e reall' means is that the source of e%er'thing in Creation is Go#, meaning that e%er'thing came from the Creator. That is point num&er one. 7& agreed everything came from !od= so what2 'he answer to that is that "ust as every living being carries genes from its parents& every entity in <niverse carries what I would call a *ivine Spar+& meaning a subtle but a definitive imprint of *ivinity. In the !ita& 7rishna e6plains that everything came from ,im& and that ,e is in fact the seed of all that is in the manifest <niverse. 7rishna further adds that the wonders that one sees everywhere all spring from ,im and reflect ,is !lory. ,e then goes on to say that not only miracles in the human body& for e6ample& but even !oodness spring essentially from ,im. 'hus& where !oodness shines in the form of noble virtues li+e Selfless Love& 5ompassion& :orbearance& NonCviolence& etc.& there may be seen ,is Radiance. Putting all this together& we can say the following( E%er'thing in the manifest +ni%erse has the imprint of $i%init', or $i%ine Genes, if "e "ant to use mo#ern Bargon. These genes, ho"e%er, are su&tle an# not ma#e up of atoms an# molecules. Ne%ertheless, the' can an# #o ma)e their presence felt un#er appropriate circumstances. $ut' as Means to Attain the +ltimate Goal

,umans alone have the capacity to cognise the latency of *ivinity within= that capacity comes from the *ivine !enes that I "ust mentioned. Indeed& humans have the duty of recognising !od within& and that in fact is why !od gives the blessing of birth in the human form. 'o put it bluntly& human life is not meant to be frittered away by having a ball& as many thin+ they should. Rather& it is meant to first recognise *ivinity within& and then ma+e that latent *ivinity to become the guiding star of one#s life. Incidentally& ma+ing the latent *ivinity patent& and finding e6pression in human life through acts of nobility& pure love& compassion& etc.& is really what /ducare is all about. ;hen Swami raises the -uestion( .;, roots and act accordingly. A4 I21 what ,e is doing is to ma+e us reCe6amine our real

'urning for a moment to the !ita proper& that precisely is what 7rishna as+ed Ar"una also to do. ,e

said $effectively%( .Ar"una& life is a succession of actions. You must be careful while engaging in actions& especially those that are related to your duty. If you do not discriminate properly& you can end up imagining you are doing your duty& when actually you are not. o" to #iscriminate properl': 9ell, as) the Cuestion5 T*s m' propose# action consistent "ith m' intrinsic nature or triggere# &' &aser instincts lur)ing in m' Min#:7 'hat should not be difficult to decide on& provided your Buddhi is fully functional. And Buddhi would be in top condition if you practice purity. So& be pure& maintain your Buddhi in good condition& discriminate properly& and you would have no problem in ensuring your action is consistent with the true basis of 5reation& rather that with transient considerations& that the 4ind in collusion with the senses can pro"ect as being relevant and pertinent.1 Tr'ing to +n#erstan# One1s True Nature is itself a (er%ice to the (ociet' I hope it is all clear. ;hen ignorant people ta+e ob"ection to Swami declaring ,imself to be !od& they simply do not understand the nuances. It is to remind humans of their intrinsic *ivine nature that Swami says& 8* am Go# &ut so also are 'ou. The sooner 'ou realise the &etter it is for 'ou an# for humanit'.; 'a+e a minute off to appreciate this last remar+ of mine. Suppose there were a million persons on earth today with say IFO understanding of their true nature. You +now how much of Love power that would release2 *o you realise how much misery and sadness it can wipe out2 5an you imagine how much comfort it can give to those who are suffering and feel helpless2 ;hen someone comes une6pectedly and helps them& it would ma+e them realise that it is !od in human form that has come to help. *ear Listeners& I am not ma+ing this up. Dust go to ,), and read some of the stories coming out of Swami#s ,ospitals. ,ow many people have been not only miraculously cured but also wonderfully transformed0 You +now& when soCcalled rationalists get on tal+ shows and sling mud at Swami they hardly +now about these things. 9ut why blame them2 I am painfully aware how little Sai devotees +now about such matters= what hurts even more is that they do not ma+e much effort either. Dust to give an e6ample& our Studio brought out at the time of the PFth 9irthday& a special gift set of five volumes& each ILF pages& with hundreds of precious and rare photos of Swami and ,is various 4issions. It was offered at less than the cost price. 9ut not many were interested. 'hese people would readily spend three times that price on a 9Cgrade mobile phone that they would throw away after three years& but found investing on a Sai Souvenir .not affordable1. Imagine that0 Something that they could proudly give as a treasure to their children and grandchildren= and yet it was not important or relevant. 'his souvenir set has so much information about Swami#s drin+ing water pro"ects= but who cares. 9ut when somebody gets on a tal+ show and says& .So what has Sai 9aba done2 ,e has given some water through some pipes01 we merely e6claim& .4y !od0 ;hat a monstrous understatement01 Yes& it is a gross understatement but then how many devotees +now what the facts actually are2 I am sorry to say& very few. nce upon a time& humans e6pressed gratitude to !od every single day but in this age of .progress&1 we are hardly able to spare a moment for !od to than+ ,im for life& for air& water and land= and yet have the time to stay up all night to watch soccer matches or whatever. ,owever& we do not even have the time to +now what e6actly the Avatar has done for man+ind& let alone be grateful. *o we bother to realise that while we are so immersed in selfCindulgence& the Avatar& cannot and will not ta+e one day off2 !etting bac+ to the !ita& you will notice that all that I said earlier once again boils down to a stress on Mama Dharma. 'hat is inevitable since the bottom line of the !ita is "ust two words 8 Mama Dharma. Let me now turn to the other point that I promised& and that concerns the 5osmic nature of man& the 5osmos and the 5osmic connection between the two& that is& between man and the

5osmos. As it would turn out& this two is lin+ed to Mama Dharma0 Yes& there is no escape from Mama Dharma00

The Cosmic Connect 7& what is all this about the 5osmic nature of man& etc.2 >ery simple really. !od created the 5osmos& !od created man as a part of the 5osmos& and therefore& not only both man and the <niverse share common genes& but also have a uni-ue relationship. It all might sound very strange& but that is because we seldom thin+ about such matters. 'hat is why Swami has given this topic much attention in recent times. You might protest and argue that Swami has not referred to the 5osmic nature of man& etc. I agree that ,e did not use the words that I have used= Swami has instead used the words( Vyashti+ Samashti+ Srishti+ and Parameshti& meaning Individual& Society& 5reation and !od respectively. If you thin+ about it& the words I have used and the words Swami has used are closely related. ;hat e6actly has Swami said concerning Vyashti+ Samashti+ Srishti and Parameshti2 ,e says that the individual#s actions must first be such that they do not harm Society. ;hy2 9ecause Society is !od0 Anything else2 f course= Swami says man#s actions must also not harm Nature. ;hy2 9ecause Nature too is !od. If you thin+ about it& both these caveats essentially tell us that our actions must +eep the permanent aspect& namely !od& always in the foreground. And isn#t that what Mama Dharma is all about2 f course= and Swami is stressing these ideas because these days& than+s to technology and high population density etc.& actions of the individual can harm Society= and often also harm Nature. ,ere is an e6ample& these days an oftC-uoted one.

Let us say I have a car that spews out a lot of smo+e. bviously& the smo+e would pollute air and harm people who are forced to breathe that air. In short& my driving a "un+ car that pollutes causes considerable harm to Society. In addition& the carbon dio6ide emitted in profusion by my lousy car also contributes to global warming that hurts both Society and planet /arth. So you see& the terse comments of 7rishna made five thousand years ago& have been e6panded and placed in a modern conte6t by Swami. If we read Swami#s *iscourses carefully& we would find how beautifully ,e ma+es ancient teachings so very relevant to modern times. Indeed it is in this spirit that 9hagawan says that ,igher Learning must teach students to see+ the Atma in Society and in Nature and act accordingly. *n other "or#s, as far as ("ami is concerne#, e has esta&lishe# is *nstitute not merel' for gi%ing free e#ucation an# a"ar#ing #egrees li)e M.Tech an# Ph.$ &ut more so for ma)ing is stu#ents to learn Mama Dharma. 'his 5osmic 5onnection between the 5osmic nature of man and the 5osmos merits further remar+s& which I hope to ma+e later. :or the present& let me wind up with the observation that Mama Dharma boils down to spending every minute of our life connecting with our *ivine roots& and guiding our actions in accordance with that. In practical terms& it boils down to the following simple rules( -efore "e #o an'thing, "e must first loc) on to our intrinsic nature, that is to sa', &e conscious of the $i%ine spar) "ithin. NeDt, using the pipeline of 3uddhi, "e must consult our Conscience to ma)e sure that our

propose# action is free from selfishness etc. 9e must then engage in the action concerne#, ma)ing it a lo%ing offering to Go#. If we march through life in this manner& always +eeping !od on our radar screens& then we can be assured that ,e would always be with us. ,ow do I +now2 9ecause ,e ,imself has given this guarantee. 'hat comes in 5hapter G. I hope you would be with me at least till then& to +now more about this irresistible deal offered by !od0 'han+s for listening. Dai Sai Ram. 'he idea of doing one#s duty has e6isted from ancient times and in all societies& though in varying degrees. 'hus +ings had their duties and so did ministers& administrators& soldiers etc.& down the line. And so it is that we find in London the famous statue of Lord Nelson who declared that /ngland e6pects every man to do his duty. 'he beauty about the 9hagavad !ita is that it defines duty in the larger conte6t of the *ivinity latent in us humans. Not merel' that, the Gita also "ants us to ma)e sure that e%er'thing "e feel, thin), sa' or #o, also has the fla%our of the $i%init' latent in us. That is the important pointA that is the essence of the Prema Tathwa or !o%e Principle that ("ami #iscourse# on so man' times, in#ee# o%er K> long 'ears. Let me attempt a very -uic+ recap of what Swami taught us. And the simplest way is by going bac+ to the *iscourse 5lip that was screened here on R#mas evening ?)FI)@ 8 those of you who were tuned to the live streaming would have seen this clip. Swami#s essential point was about the way man searches for !od. ,e said that man is going all over the place loo+ing for !od& without realising that !od is there right within him. Swami then as+ed( 89oul# 'ou go loo)ing aroun# in search of 'ourself: 9oul# 'ou as) someone 'ou meet on the "a', T(ir, ha%e 'ou seen me an'"here: *f so, please can 'ou tell me "here 'ou sa" me:7 To #o so "oul# &e utterl' ri#iculous, &ut that precisel' is "hat most #e%otees are #oing all the time?; ;hat Swami was driving at was that all our speechCma+ing& pilgrimages& soCcalled sadhana camps& service programs and so on are bereft of meaning unless every feeling& thought& word and deed is intimately lin+ed to the fundamental fact that at the core& all of us have *ivine Spar+. I have heard any number of *iscourses but hearing this one again after a long time& this particular sentence was& to me& absolutely electrifying0 Allow me please to e6plain why. 'hroughout& Swami has always hammered in the following truths( B. +irst realise that there IS a Spar% of ?ivinity in you. -. 2e8t& appreciate that this same ?ivine Spar% is present in every single entity in Creation& which automatically means that $od obviously is also in all fellow beings. F. 'emembering that $od is Love and Love is $od& ma%e sure that when you go out into the world A and you cannot escape this A your feelings& thoughts& words and actions are not tainted by any undesirable trait that could range from anger all the way to .ealousy& ego& selfishness and selfinterest. E. All traits ta%e root in the mind before manifesting as actions and words. Hence& you must be very careful about safeguarding the mind from spiritual infection. J. The best protection is the constant chanting of $od!s 2ame. The choice of the 2ame is left entirely

to you. However& as a line in the bhajan& @Govind bolo, Gopal bolo@ stresses& ma%e sure you always call out the 2ame of your choice with #ure Love and deep feeling7

It is pertinent to offer a few remar+s on the above as they are very important. And this I shall do by going bac+ to the I)th 5hapter of the !ita& where there is a discussion between Ar"una and 7rishna regarding the best way to worship !od. 7rishna says that there are basically two ways= one is to directly go inwards and the other is to "ourney to the inward via an outward path. In practical terms& the first choice boils down to worship of !od without :orm& while the second choice begins with the worship of !od with :orm& and thereafter slowly graduating to the worship of the :ormless !od. 7rishna then adds& .Ar"una& for you the latter path is preferable.1 'o put it differently& the former is the soCcalled Inward path and is referred to as =nana 2oga while the latter or the outwardCtoCinward path is nothing but a suitable mi6 of >arma 2oga and Bhakti 2oga& the mi6 being tailored to suit the individual. If we +eep all of the above in mind& along with what Swami said in the *iscourse played on R#mas day& we can paraphrase the essence of what Swami says as follows(

)angaru7 'emember& a sprinter who is doing a BKK meter dash is totally focussed on the finish line& right from the moment when he gets set on the starting bloc%. Li%ewise& you too must never forget for a moment that your goal is $od& and also that $od is already in you6 indeed& I have called attention to that in ,y ?iscourses& times without number. 2ow it follows that if $od is in you& He is in all others too. Hence& when dealing with others be careful with your thoughts& words and actions. 3ou may not be aware of it& but even thoughts can cause harm for they are very powerful. Thoughts are e8tremely potent because they are born in the mind which has been bestowed with enormous power by $od. +ew appreciate the fact that no other living being on earth has been given this incredible blessing and power. That is why birth with the human form is a rare blessing.

2ow why has $od given humans a mind with so much power= So that you may realise that behind the seen lies the unseen. In other words& though $od cannot be directly seen around you be assured that His power is immanent in every single bit of Creation& from the atom to the gala8ies& from the

ant to the elephant. Sadly& people fail to appreciate this and instead allow their minds complete freedom to thin% the way it wants& especially in a negative manner. Avoid that. If a sprinter ma%es a bad start he is doomed to lose the race7 In spirituality& however& even if you have started rather hesitantly& it does not matter& as long as you (uic%ly develop faith in ,e. 1hat e8actly is the meaning of having faith in $od= It means that you must earnestly believe that not only am I in you but also in every single entity in Creation A that is essential point about having total faith. Lnce you realise that $od is indeed Lmnipresent and never forget that truth for even a moment& your life would change completely. Lften I tell you two things; B. Help ever and hurt never& and -. Love all and serve all. *veryone claps loudly but fails to loo% carefully at the fine print6 and believe ,e& there is a lot of it7 Hurt never means; ?o not ever cause hurt in any form to anybody at any time& including via thought. +ollowing that instruction would be a very good start. Having started on the right foot& try ne8t to help whenever you can. It does not have to be a great piece of help& but if you offer that help with a radiant face and a good smile& that little help would always go a long away. The ca%e may be big but have you noticed that the icing is always a thin layer= )ut what a difference that icing ma%es7

Hence& always serve the other person with respect and Love& constantly telling yourself that Swami is in that person and that your service is actually reaching ,e. #eople routinely repeat the phrase& 9Love all& serve all:. )ut it is ama0ing how (uic%ly those very same people who give this advice soon become bossy& rude and bureaucratic when they are doing seva7 ?o you %now why this happens= )ecause they do not see Swami in the person or persons they boss over. 2obody tal%s to Swami li%e that. They are always very loving and respectful but when it comes to seva including Narayana Seva& what often happens is that tas%s are routinely performed 2arayana or the Lord is seldom seen in those who are served nor is He served the way He ought to be. This is a clear symptom of dehabhimaanam or body-consciousness which& in practical terms& manifests as a feudal attitude. Is that what I as%ed of you= 1hatever happened to the humility that was a part of the fine print= I +now Swami has never said all that in any single *iscourse. ;hat I have done is to bring together teachings of Sai from many places to ma+e a coherent argument in the present conte6t. In other words& what I have said above is a comprehensive paraphrase of the many things Swami has said at various times& mostly when tal+ing about duty. Since duty is so vital for leading a useful and spiritual life& allow me please now to ta+e a few more minutes to ma+e some pertinent comments.

In the !ita& 7rishna uses the term S,adharma while referring to duty= the word itself translates as 3Dharma of the self.# 'echnically this is an acceptable translation but problems arise when one tries to understand the term 3self#. Such a difficulty arises because in spirituality there are really two different entities associated with the word 3self#. :irstly there is the lowerCself which is nothing but the individual wrapped up in ego due to spiritual ignorance or ajnana& and secondly there is the ,igher or Realised Self& which is the individual who has a body but has shred bodyCattachment or dehabhimaanam. -o#'6attachment goes "hen a5nana or spiritual ignorance is scru&&e# a"a', follo"ing "hich the in#i%i#ual acCuires a ra#iance that emanates from True 9is#om or &nana latent "ithin. The much tal)e# a&out sadhana is all a&out spiritual scru&&ing or refinement that ele%ates one from the lo"er6self to the igher (elf. :or operational convenience& people often use the lower case 3i# to refer to the egoCself and the upper case 3I# to refer to the ,igher Self or Realised Soul. Ramana 4aharishi would be a good e6ample of a Realised Soul.

7eeping this in mind& let us return to 7rishna#s use of the wordS,adharma. :or ,im& the prefi6 S,a automatically meant the ,igher Self. In other words& when 7rishna as+ed Ar"una to perform his duty& the subte6t was that Ar"una ought to perform his duty in the spirit of a RealiBed Soul or the ,igher Self. 4ost commentators appear to miss this point and have given lengthy commentaries relating duty to the lowerCself& which clearly is incorrect. You might at this point "ump in to say( .Listen& GG.GGGGTO of us are N ' realised souls. ;hat we want are guidelines about how to do our duty even as we are trapped in the lowerCself.1 !ood point and that is where 7rishna#s teaching of >arma 2oga and Bhakti 2oga come in. Via is a#%ice T!o%e all an# ser%e all7, ("ami ga%e us that %er' same recipe that "oul# gui#e us from the lo"er or ego6self to the igher (elf. *n other "or#s, ("ami7s Tformula7 is thus nothing &ut a &eautiful amalgam of 4arma *oga an# 3hakti *oga, tailore# for this #a' an# age. :or the sa+e of completeness let me also mention that Swami has& on various occasions& used the terms Atma Dharma andMama Dharma ?meaning my duty@ in place of what 7rishna referred to as S,adharma= stated differently& these three words are interCchangeable. nce again( Swami does not want us to become recluses or ochreCrobe wearing wandering mon+s. ,e allows us full freedom to serve ,im in any wal+ of life& all the way from the President of a country and a super 5/ to a simple fireCfighter& school teacher& a "anitor and even a loving homeCma+er. ;e in the world ma+e all sorts of distinctions between these and similar categories of people. :rom an outward point of view& certain protocols AR/ necessary& which Swami ,imself observed as re-uired. ,owever& when it came to dealing with these people as individuals I have seen Swami giving the most charming smile to a very poor person& even as ,e ignored a tycoon who had shown up mainly to beg for favours0 :or Swami it was always very simple& and ,e made this point succinctly in the !ita >ahini. ,e says ?paraphrase@( Life has to be lived on earth A there is no escape from it. And our feelings& thoughts& words and actions are mostly shaped and conditioned by what happens on earth and how they affect us. Lur actions are perforce a response to all this& which is to be e8pected. However& and this is very important& the motivations for the actions should 2LT be based on worldly considerations alone. 'ather& they should spring from within and must be rooted firmly in eternal values namely& Sathya&Dharma& Shanti& Prema and Ahimsa. Since these values are nothing but manifestations of the various aspects of the Atma& duty performed in this spirit is nothing but Atma Dharma. In other words& your actions must always reflect the nature of the Atma. That would happen only if you stay constantly tuned to ,e. 3our actions would then carry the fragrance of the blossoms of Heaven. If& however& you allow your mind to guide you& your actions would reflect the ego-self6 and understandably& they would then carry the foul odour of selfishness and self-interest. I thin+ I have said more than enough. I apologiBe once more for ma+ing this a bit long= but then& there were so many things to share with you. I than+ you all for your patience that is if you have been with me this long0 Please do share your thoughts and comments with us for they are always helpful& including when they are critical0

ffering this tal+ at the Lotus :eet& I now bring it to an end. !od bless and Dai Sai Ram.
t the outset& I would li+e to offer my humble pranaams to our most beloved 9hagawan. Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prasanthi Nilayam. 'oday I would li+e to reflect on a topic that receives very little attention these days& although now is when we should be fully charged by it= and that topic is SA5RI:I5/.

4ost people regard sacrifice as a bitter pill to swallow& even if it has a sugar coating. ;hat we fail to realise is how much the life of every one of us depends on sacrifice. I am here tal+ing of the difficulty and pain that all mothers go through before giving birth. /ven in the case of normal birth& the last stage of pregnancy is always a bit tough and demanding for the e6pectant mother& because of one simple physical fact. 9e all )no" that &reath is the %er' essence of life. 9here the eDpectant mother is concerne#, she has to actuall' &reathe for t"o, for her o"n self an# for the &a&' she is carr'ing. Initially& the demands of the growing baby for o6ygen are -uite modest and the mother is able to manage reasonably well. 9ut towards the end of pregnancy& the e6pectant mother finds that breathing for two becomes increasingly difficult= that is why she often gasps while wal+ing and at times& even while tal+ing. Indeed& birth is the mechanism by which Nature e6pels the baby out into the world almost saying& .Listen& enough is enough= your mother has sacrificed enough for you and from now on& you are going to breathe for yourself01 Incidentally& it is +eeping this in mind that Swami used to say bac+ in the old days that the very word 3parent# sends a signal that every person owes 3rent# to his or her mother& for giving accommodation during a difficult period0 I hope I have said enough by way of introduction. ;hat I now want to do is to e6tend the discussion to a higher dimension& where all of us are called upon to sacrifice for common good& even if an individual strongly believes that

he or she is entirely selfCmade and owes absolutely nothing to nobody. ;hy am I ma+ing such an emphatic and rather authoritarian statement2 'here is an important reason& which would get revealed shortly. 9efore I get down to "ustifying the provocative remar+ I "ust made& let me first loo) aroun# in Nature, all across the Cosmos, spanning &oth space an# time, in#ee# all the "a' to the -ig -ang. 9hat one fin#s then are t"o stri)ing facts, firstl' that e%er'thing is connecte# to e%er'thing an# secon#l', almost all entities not onl' recei%e &ut also gi%e, al&eit unconsciousl'. Now what do I mean by that2 Let me try to give a few e6amples starting with bioCmolecules& which is what all our bodies are made of= that is to say& from head to toe& we are nothing but a huge collection of all +inds of comple6 bioCmolecules& no doubt arranged and pac+ed in a very specific way.

I am sure you are aware that molecules are made up of atoms= what it means is that atoms have to give up their 3individual freedom# in order to come together as huge "oint families to form bioCmolecules. 7& but do these bioC molecules have a ball doing what they please2 ,ardly= they too have to come together to ma+e cells& which combine to form organs& which again come together to form systems li+e the circulatory system& the nervous system and so on= finally& the various systems unite synergistically to ma+eCup a living body. I +now many of you might wonder if I have gone bon+ers. I assure you that I have not& and that I +now pretty well what I am tal+ing about= bear with me for a while and you would understand what I mean. Sure& the bioCmolecules do what they are meant to and do not +now anything about sacrifice. Same is the case with neutrons and protons which come together to form nuclei& purely as the result of nuclear forces= that story plays out once more when nuclei and electrons come together to form atoms& than+s to the electromagnetic force= and so on it goes& all over the place. If that is the case& what on earth do I mean by bringing inert entities li+e atoms and molecules into a discussion on sacrifice2 ,ere is my answer& which is actually what 7rishna told Ar"una& more than five thousand years ago. 'he s!okas I am now going to -uote are all from the 'hird 5hapter of the Gita. Listen carefully to what 7rishna says(

+ostered by sacrifice& the deities of 2ature will& unas%ed& bestow on thee all the en.oyment thou couldst possibly desire. )ut he who en.oys the gifts of the gods without offering sacrifice in return& is verily a thief. All beings are products of food& food is nourished by rain and rain ensues from sacrifice6 and sacrifice is the noblest form of sacrifice. >now that all action originates from the Supreme Lne who is Imperishable and All-pervading. And in sacrificial action& this Supreme Spirit is consciously present.

L #artha7 Lne who does not revolve with the wheel of sacrifice but see%s instead mundane pleasures through gratification of the senses& lives in vain.
7rishna then goes on to add(

#artha& there is nothing at all in the three worlds that I am re(uired or obliged to do& nor is there anything for ,e to attain6 and yet& I am constantly engaged in action. If I were not to act& men would blindly copy ,e and great havoc would result. Indeed& if I cease to act& these worlds would perish. 2ay& I would prove to be the cause of confusion and possibly even the destruction of humanity. L )haaratha7 *ven as the unwise act with attachment& so should the 1ise Lne& see%ing the welfare of the world& act , thout attachment.
And finally the warning0

The virtuous who parta%e of the food that remains after the sacrifice is offered& remain free from all sin6 but the selfish who eat alone 4without sharing their food with others5 are& in fact& feeding on sin7
;ell& there you have it0 I hope you paid careful attention to 7rishna#s profound observations& and the rest of what I am going to say would be a follow up to that. Incidentally& almost every word of what 7rishna said then has been

repeated by Swami in ,is numerous discourses in umpteen different ways& and so I stand on firm ground with respect to the comments and remar+s that follow. At this stage& I am faced with a big difficulty= 7rishna has opened up so many leads that I am not sure which one I should start with and follow. Anyway& submitting to ,im& let me start by recalling a beautiful scene I once saw in a documentary film on wild life in the Serenghetti National Par+ in 7enya& which brought out beautifully the interC connectivity between the different species of wild life. All the carnivores there compete fiercely for animals they can feed on& herbivores of course. 'he latter depend largely on grass& and after a while the grass is almost gone while water becomes scarce. At this stage when the situation becomes difficult for almost all animals& the rains come to save the day& and Rift >alley turns lush green once more.

A G!*MP(E OF !*FE *N T E (ERENG ETT* NAT*ONA! PARK

The Sere+!et ecosystem is a geographical region located in north-western Tan0ania and e8tends to south-western >enya s(. %ms. and hosts the largest mammal migration in the world. Appro8imately MK larger mammal and some JKK avifauna because of the presence of diverse habitats ranging from riverine forests and swamps to grasslands and woo

This is the scene during the summer; the entire region turns brown almost desert-like.

The animals long for food, water and nourishment during the rain-starved months

Once the rains arrive, the view of Sereng dramaticall ; what was dr and brown no and is full of life

4uch of this return of the greenery is made possible by a few littleCnoticed creatures& each of which& in its own way& contributes to enriching the soil by feeding it with nutrients. :irst there are the dung beetles. 'hey come in thousands from underground and go in search of animal dung& available in thousands of tons. 'hey then patiently ma+e balls out of them& roll them down and bury them. 'he beetles of course feed on some of the dung they have stashed away& but most of it forms manure for the soil= that is how the beetles contribute.

!uge "uantities of animal dung disa##ear in minutes thanks to the diligent dung-beetles

$ swarm of dung-beetles break the mass of dung into small balls

'hen there are two other species that brea+ down the bones in the thousands of s+eletons littered all over. A special +ind of larvae bore deep into the bones in order to feed upon them and in the process brea+ down the bones into fine pieces& which subse-uently get mi6ed up with the soil= once again& rich nutrients are added to the soil. 'here are also porcupines which& though being vegetarians& help to tear up the bones and brea+ them down. ,ow come2 ;ell& the porcupines use bones to sharpen their teeth and that is how0 AmaBing& is it not2 In other words& in the "on#erful an# intricate #rama scripte# &' Nature, e%er' species gets something for itself &ut, in the process of recei%ing, it also silentl' "or)s for common goo#. Such interconnectivity e6ists all across the 5osmos and there is empirical evidence for it. :or e6ample& without supernova e6plosions& it is not possible to have heavy metals li+e gold and uranium. !od made the Laws of Nature such that gold& uranium& etc.& could come into e6istence in the manner described& and when humans appeared on the scene& !od gave them the ability to mine& refine and use these metals in various ways. In other words& there is a subtle undercurrent that pervades throughout evolution& which not only operated in the preClife era of the earth& but also in the era after the emergence of life but before the appearance of humans.

Thus it is that for hun#re#s of millions of 'ears, creatures roaming the earth ha%e, in their o"n respecti%e "a's, &een engage# in acti%ities apparentl' moti%ate# &' their o"n self6interest &ut implicitl' in%ol%ing larger goo# also. *nci#entall', it is once again than)s to the forces of Nature an# some of these creatures that "e no" ha%e coal an# oil. 9here "oul# "e &e to#a', "ithout these t"o primar' sources of energ':

You don#t believe me about how Nature silently interlin+s species and ma+es them contribute for larger good2 ;ell& then consider& for e6ample& a simple thing li+e bees. ;e all thin+ of bees in terms of the honey they provide us& but in truth& what !od has done is to offer nectar to the bees so that they can help in pollination& so vital for plants to yield fruit& grain& etc.= this& by the way& is how plants propagate. An agnostic may say it is all a part of the way Nature wor+s& but& as Swami as+s& 89here #i# this Nature come from:; ,e then -uotes Saint Purandarasa who as+s& among other things& 89ho is it that put a re# &ea) on a green parrot:; At this stage& let us go bac+ to the s!okas I -uoted earlier& in one of which 7rishna refers to the fact that in sacrificial action the Supreme Spirit& meaning !od& is consciousl' present. ;hat does this mean in relation to flowers& bees& pollination and plants as well as trees bearing fruit2 ;ell& the bees go to the flowers see+ing nectar. !od lets them have the nectar= but un+nown to them& ma+es them help plants to multiply via pollination. In other words& !od ma+es the bees sacrifice& shall I say& for larger good. There is an important point to &e note# here. -ees #on7t )no" an'thing a&out the "a' Cosmos is interlin)e# an# therefore Go# ma)es them #ounconsciousl' "hat the' are suppose# to #o. This Tunconscious pa'ment7 in return for goo# goes on all the time amongst li%ing species. /arlier& I referred to dung beetles un+nowingly fertilising the entire Rift >alley without being aware of it.

(9AM* *N AFR*CA, EJLO

There is another such e8ample that comes to my mind& which was pointed out by Swami Himself to #rof. >asturi& during H BCND. As some of you might be aware& during that trip& the host namely& ?r. #atel did his best to offer Swami a glimpse of A natural beauty by ta%ing Him all over the place. Lne such outing involved a boat ride& with #rof. >asturi seated ne

As the boat chugged along members of the party& Swami included& were loo%ing on both sides to absorb scenes of wild life a glory. Suddenly Swami told >asturi& 9Loo% at the crocodile there. ?o you notice that the croc is opening its mouth wide a entering it fearlessly= In fact& it is sitting there and pec%ing at the teeth of the animal. Ama0ing& is it not=: 9Indeed Swami Swami then as%ed& <astur - hu(a+s ,oul% "e afra % to !o a+),here +ear the #ro#o% le a+% )et th s l ttle #o(forta"l) +s %e the ope+ (outh of the #ro#o% le ,h le the latter s +ot (a$ +! a+) atte(pt to " te t or I2ll tell )ou& The l ttle " r% s a#tuall) #lea+ +! the teeth of the #ro# ") eat +! all the t +) foo% part #les st #$ I+ other ,or%s- t s ! * +! free %e+tal ser* #e a+% the #ro# s retur+ +! the fa*our ") +ot eat +! t= That s h help +! a+% (pl # t sa#r f #e operate + Nature& O+e spe# es s !ett +! foo% "ut + retur+- t re+%ers se u+$+o, +!l)=.

:rom animals& let us now turn to humans. In this case& the game play is somewhat different. !od has given humans a mind that is e6tremely powerful= in fact it is so powerful that 7rishna gives a gentle reminder to Ar"una that the power

of the mind comes entirely from ,im and nowhere else. 'hus if man ma+es a great discovery or invention& it is !od to whom he ought to be than+ful instead of thumping his chest proudly and proclaiming& .I did it01 7& humans have this powerful mind& using which they secure plenty of advantages for themselves& not necessarily by evil means. :or e6ample& humans discovered agriculture and over centuries perfected it to the e6tent of feeding billions of people. So far so good. 9ut they have also misused the mind in ways that are far too many to be discussed here. ,owever& one or two e6amples must be cited& "ust to give an idea how& driven by selfishness& humanity is almost about to commit haraC+iri. Let#s go bac+ to pollination and bees. ;e all +now that pollination is a must for plant multiplication& etc.& and that bees and wind are among the most important agencies responsible for pollination& with bees holding the number one position. 'here are& of course& many different types of bees& but whatever it is& if the bee population is to remain healthy then there are certain conditions that must be met. A recent study shows that during the last several years& a significant percentage of the bee population in the <.S. has perished due to starvation& disease and pesticide= I am sure this has happened elsewhere also. In all cases& humans have to carry the responsibility& either directly or indirectly. 4aybe& I should add some amplifying remar+s. Let#s start with trees.

'hese days& trees are being felled all over the place& in cities& towns and rural areas too. I still remember how beautiful 9angalore used to be way bac+ in IGMF when I saw it for the first time= it was so green and so full of trees& most of which were of the flowering type. 'oday& it is not easy to see trees in the city proper= when trees go& so do the flowers that the trees bear and with them also the bees. ne may say& .Loo+& that is the price one has to pay for urbanisation& which is an inevitable part of modernisation.1 7& let us accept that& even if it is painful. Now drive out of 9angalore city and you would see the influence of urbanisation e6tending out to thirty or forty +ilometres. ;hat it means is that tree cutting is restricted not only to the

metro but e6tends over a much bigger region around it. <nfortunately village after village is growing rapidly& e6periencing its own little wave of urbanisation& resulting in widespread destruction of the original green landscape. ;hen you connect the dots& it all starts adding up= that is when the impact of massive urbanisation is felt in many different ways& the disappearance of bees being one e6ample. :rom India& let us revert to America. If you go to the 4idC;est famous for its huge stretches of corn fields& one does not find too many trees& which in turn means a bee problem. All of the above brings me bac+ to the point I started ma+ing earlier namely& that while !od made sure that lower species would receive but also unconsciously pay bac+& where humans are concerned& !od simply says the following $effectively that is%(

O man! I give you all the goodies you want, absolutely free. Use them for your good but in a responsible manner, without polluting, damaging and destroying what Nature has given you as a gift. And remember, to whom much is given, from him much is also expected! In as much as I have given you so much for your benefit, I also expect you to voluntarily pay bac!" shall I say, your debt to Nature. #on$t ever forget that at the end of the day, there really is no free lunch. If you thin! you can fool Nature, well then expect a hefty bill. %other Nature is extremely patient, but when aroused, her fury can be awesome!
'hose are not e6actly the words that 7rishna used in the s!okas that I -uoted earlier& but Swami has been far more forthright in many of ,is discourses. 4aybe I shall come bac+ to all that some time in the future& but for the moment& I leave you to dig into Sai literature and find out all about that yourself.

Let me ne6t ta+e you to the year IGJH. ;orld ;ar II was nearing its pea+ then. ;hile people were dying in large numbers in /urope not only on the battle fields but also due to bombing and in the gas chambers& India was free from direct war& although on the eastern frontier& the fighting was as close as 9urma. 'here was& however& a huge famine

in 9engal in which over a million people died in a little over a year. As a school boy& I remember being involved in collecting :amine Relief :und in far away 7arachi where I lived then. 'he Dapanese had driven out the 9ritish from 9urma& drastically reducing rice availability in the eastern part of India which used to import a lot of rice from 9urma. Prices went up. 'he rulers of the day& i.e.& the 9ritish& made sure that price was controlled and that rice was available in the main cities& particularly 5alcutta= but they hardly bothered about rural areas. 'he supply having dwindled substantially& prices went through the roof and the poor "ust could not afford to buy food= no wonder people soon began to die li+e flies. If you have the time& please go to the net and ta+e a loo+ at some of the horrifying images. 'he famine could have been prevented& but for the 9ritish& war was a greater priority than saving lives& even if it meant millions of them. I am mentioning this "ust to give an idea of how indifferent and even callous people can be become& once selfCinterest grips them. It has always happened and continues to happen to this day& almost all over the world. Let me give a recent e6ample.

In September )FFP& there was a disastrous flood in rissa that swept away tens of thousands of homes= almost all of the people affected were the poorest of the poor. rissa is a bac+ward state but richly endowed with natural resources. Not surprisingly& there are several big corporations out there& engaged in mining and what not& ra+ing in huge profits. 9ut when disaster struc+& these corporations hardly bothered= their head-uarters were thousands of +ilometres away& and insulated as they always were& they hardly bothered that tens of thousand of people were suffering. It was different with Swami. ;hen pictures of the seva done by the Sai rganisation during the flood were shown to ,im& 9hagawan as+ed& 8Are there not rich people in Orissa:; Senior devotees who were showing the seva photos replied& .Swami& the people of rissa are mostly poor. ,owever& many rich companies are operating there. 'hey are all from outside.1 8$i# the' not offer an' help: After all, it is from the "ealth of Orissa that the' are ma)ing profits.; .No& Swami.1 8No: This is a cr'ing shame. The' ma' forget the poor &ut ("ami ne%er #oes. $ra" up

imme#iatel' a program to &uil# houses to pro%i#e permanent shelter to as man' of the poorest of the poor as possi&le.; And that#s how the rissa ,ousing Pro"ect came into e6istence. f course& rushing to the help of the poor and the afflicted has always been the way of Swami& as anyone who is familiar with the service aspect of the Sai Avatar would +now. 9ut unfortunately& so focussed are we on the soCcalled .miracles and e6perience1 lore that we totally forget that Avatars come mainly to give a 4essage as well as to live it. Remember what 7rishna told Ar"una2 Let me repeat it here& for it is in conte6t and has direct relevance. ,e said(

#artha& there is nothing at all in the three worlds that I am re(uired or obliged to do& nor is there anything for ,e to attain6 and yet& I am constantly engaged in action. If I were not to act& men would blindly copy ,e and great havoc would result.
Alas& in this 7ali Age& while !od in human form is constantly setting e6amples of action& few pay serious attention. 'his brings me to my favourite topic namely Swami#s ,ospitals. 'hese days& the ,ospital regularly features in some form or the other in almost all the danceCdramas that are performed in the *ivine presence as a part of the Yathras or group pilgrimages. 'here is always a nice bac+ drop and there are tearC"er+ing scenes& but not many ta+e the trouble to go beyond the superficial aspects to understand how deep and profound is the 4essage that Swami is sending to humanity via ,is 'emples of 4ercy. In the present conte6t& it is the following(

O (a+- as$ +ot ,hat Go% #a+ %o for )ou& Go% has alrea%) "lesse% )ou , th so (u#h a+% )et- +ot pa) +! atte+t o+ to t- )ou are #o+sta+tl) as$ +! for (ore a+% (ore= E*e+ so- I a( al,a)s rea%) to "less )ou , th all that )ou are as$ +! for a+% perhaps (ore& 9ut shoul% )ou also +ot "e as$ +! ,hat )ou #a+ %o for Me: I perso+all) %o +ot ,a+t a+)th +!- "ut s +#e Sa s + all- )ou shoul% %o so(eth +! for those ,ho are less fortu+ate tha+ )ou&

I am aware that there would be a flood of protests from readers telling me that I am living in a bubble& that I am totally ignorant about the huge amount of seva that devotees are doing all the time& all over the world& etc. *ear reader& let#s not get into an accounting battle. ;e are here tal+ing about !od in human form who comes less fre-uently than the proverbial 9lue 4oon. ,e is not as+ing us to spend hours of our time doing something in the form of seva but conduct ourselves in such a manner such that a@ there is a manifest transformation in our outloo+& attitude and behaviour& and b@ that we become true e6emplars of ,is 4essage. ,as ,e not said again and again that our lives should be ,is 4essage2 Let#s be honest= how serious are most of us about this aspect of 9hagawan#s 5ommand2 Agreed that not everyone can spend )J hours on seva li+e Swami can= and -uite obviously& one cannot as+ for that either. 9ut what surprises me is that even people who come here often +now very little about the monumental contributions Swami has made to society& the li+e of which cannot be found in any record boo+. 'hat of course should not come as a surprise since !od always does ,is service wor+ silently. 9ut some do ta+e ,is 4essage -uite seriously& and since I made a reference to Swami#s ,ospitals let me ma+e a specific mention of "ust one doctor who can be held out as shining e6ample of a 'rue 4essenger of Sai. M' eDample for the #a' shall &e that of late $r. -hat, "ho &ecame a legen# in his lifetime. I don#t have enough time to say all that I would li+e to about *r.9hat= however& a fullClength story about his life and invaluable contributions as well as service to Swami is under preparation& and you can read all the details there. 9ut this I will say& and most emphatically too. E%en "hen he "as close to ninet' an# on a "heel chair, not onl' "as $r. -hat7s &rain as sharp as e%er, &ut he also too) a #eep, #etaile# an# personal interest in e%er'one of the #ifficult urolog' cases that came to the ospital. Not merely that= time and again he would signal to me after evening Darshan and tell me& .You must drop everything and come tomorrow. I will show you a patient and tell you all about that amaBing case& and how a life was saved through a most complicated surgery. It is all Swami#s !race of course& but the story is "ust astounding= you must hear it.1 'hat is how he would draw me to the ,ospital many a time. n other occasions he would& after Darshan was over and people were dispersing& open a plastic bag& show me a huge +idney stone& smile and then say& .;ant to hear the story of this stone2 4eet me tomorrow01 ;henever I went to the ,ospital I would see him ta+ing a round in the ward on his wheel chair& or tal+ing to postCgraduate students about the comple6ities of the surgery they would soon have to perform. ,e was so passionately committed to his wor+. Not only that= on many occasions& he has told me stories of courageous doctors of the nineteenth century& who too+ upon themselves comple6 diseases "ust in order to learn about it= that is to say& in the cause of advancing medical science& they were ready to become guinea pigs and suffer pain. $r. -hat7s commitment to his profession an# his passion for ser%ice to the poor "ere most hum&ling an# a"esome to "atch. The "on#erful thing is that ("ami7s ospitals are full of such inspiring figures.

Now why did I bring the ,ospital in2 'o highlight the point that even though ,e has no duties to perform& Swami engages in action all the time. ;hat is the fall out2 Plenty. Not only are tens of thousands of patients given a new lease of life every year but& more importantly& so many doctors are inspired to render service on a scale and at a level that they never dreamt of. 'hat produces a chain reaction. *octors inspire nurses both of whom inspire the sevadals. And believe me& seeing such loving and selfless service& many patients get inspired and come bac+ to do seva in the hospital& besides engaging in seva wherever it is that they live. 'rue& not all doctors serve in a purely honorary capacity= but the -uality of service they render is far beyond the call of duty. 9y moving to private hospital& everyone of them can earn a fabulous salary= but they are not willing to. ;hy2 9ecause over here& they can serve Swami. 'hat#s e6actly the point that both 7rishna and Swami ma+e. *t is not "hether 'ou recei%e a salar' or not that ma)es the #ifference. *t is "hether 'ou ma)e "or) into "orship or not that #eci#es "hether 'ou &ecome #ear to Go# or not. And believe me& wor+ can be transformed into worship by everyone everywhere& without having to be a part of a particular Sai rganisation or unit& because !od is mnipresent& and any good wor+ done anywhere can be directly offered to ,im. 'hat is what 7rishna says and not me0 Since this is the month of Sivarathri& it is only appropriate that before I conclude& I ma+e at least some reference to Lord Siva& especially since ,e is hailed as 'yagara"a or the 7ing of Sacrifice. 'he scriptures say that once upon a time& the devas ?angels@ and the asuras?demons@ together decided to churn the celestial cean of 4il+ or >sheerasagara+ as it is referred to. 'heir idea was to produce& through the churning process& Amrith or *ivine nectar& which& when consumed& would confer immortality. ,owever& the first thing to come out of the ocean was not Amrith that was sought but a deadly poison +nown as ha!a ha!a. Absolutely terrified& the devas and the asuras prayed to Lord Siva. 9eing the 4ost 5ompassionate ne& Lord Siva appeared and in a moment understood what the problem was. Instantly& ,e scooped up the poison in the palm of ,is hand and swallowed it without a second thought= that is how the devas and the asuras were saved. It was an act of great sacrifice& and in recognition Siva came to be +nown as 'yagara"a. 'o complete the story& Lord Siva did not allow

the poison to go down below the throat. Remaining froBen there& it created a dar+ blue spot on the nec+& as a result of which Siva got the name Neela+anta or the 9lueCthroated ne. It is said that this Puranic incident is a reminder of the fact that when people get together in large numbers to do good& in the beginning there is always some negativity& born of the ego that is widely present. 'he only way to get rid of it is for all to pray intensely& whereupon the Lord would intervene& fill people with love& wipe out all negativity and allow the good wor+ to continue.

'hat brief reference to Lord Siva inevitably brings to my mind an incident that occurred long ago when I served briefly as the >ice 5hancellor of Swami#s <niversity= I guess it was around August or September of IGGL or it might have been even IGGA= those days& Swami often used to call me inside the Interview Room to give all +inds of instructions. >inaya+a 5hathurthi was "ust around the corner and Swami was telling me various things& when I noticed that the nail of the middle toe in one of the feet was blac+. Alarmed I said& .Swami& there seems to be an in"ury to that toe.1 Swami replied& 8/es, * stu&&e# M' toe against the #oorstep 'ester#a', an# that7s "hat cause# the hurt.;<nable to believe that such things could happen to !od even if ,e was in human form I continued& .It must be very painful& Swami.1 Swami loo+ed me steadily in the eye for a moment and said& . f course= what else do you e6pect21 ,esitantly I then said& .Swami& tomorrow we would be celebrating >inaya+a 5hathurthi. As You come wal+ing into the Sai 7ulwant ,all& people would be falling all over You& grabbing Your feet to do Padanamaskar. Your robe is so long that the in"ured toe would be hidden from view& and it would be an utterly painful e6perience since you wal+ all over the ,all. Shall we -uietly send the word to the public to refrain from rushing to ta+ePadanamaskar21 Swami loo+ed at me sternly and replied& 8$on7t 'ou #are #o an' such thing?; .9ut SwamiT.1 8(hut up, an# no &uts. * ha%e come for #e%otees an# /ou are as)ing Me to #o something that "oul# pain them: M' foot is not important, their Bo' is?; It was seemingly a small incident& but that sort of thing happens all the time& although the world at large hardly +nows about any of them. 'his particular incident reminded me of one s!oka in the celebrated hymn S%VANANDA .A'%&% composed by the famous Adi Shan+ara. In translation that s!oka reads(

I recall a version of the translation cum comment that I read many years ago& according to which Adi Shan+ara not only complains in the above manner but also worries that Siva#s :eet& already tired after the 5osmic *ance& were being actually hurt by the crowns that the devas were wearing. ;hat the commentator was indirectly hinting at was that when one goes to worship the Lord& one must first shed all traces of ego. Shan+ara as+ed the Lord& . Lord& why are You bearing all this suffering21 Adi Shan+ara as+ed that -uestion& but I do not +now if he got a reply. I did and got the reply& though I am not even a spec+ compared to the great Adi Shan+ara0 You +now& sometimes& the 7ali Age is not all that bad0
Home ' (rasanthi )iary '

Octo&er Est 6 @r# 4>>O5 (tart of $asara

Octo&er Gth 6 Oth 4>>O5 $asara Cele&ration Continues

Octo&er Jth 4>>O5 The ViBa'a#asami $a'

Octo&er E, 4>>O . $asara in Prasanthi Nila'am ;ith the beginning of the new month on ctober I& the whole of Prasanthi Nilayam shifted gears in preparation of the *asara 2agnam >eda Purusha Saptaha Dnana Yagna which was to start on ctober H. 'he 7alasa Pu"a had already begun inside the Prasanthi 4 previous day. 9y ctober I& almost all the students had become ac-uainted with the Rudram after the )F days of intensive coaching. It was about M(IM Swami arrived for darshan and was welcomed with the chants of the Rudram. ,e did not ta+e the full round and used the detour after l and went straight to the 9ha"an ,all. Not very long after& Swami too+ a round in the 9ha"an ,all& and then moving via the upper portico& to the main stage. ,e sat listening to the >edas being chanted. ,e was +eenly observing as to who were chanting confidently and who were sha+y& sti /ven if we do not consider ,is divine allCseeing eye& SwamiUs observation and sight are so perfect that ,e immediately spots those w confident. And when ,e does so& it is actually to inspire them and breathe confidence into them. ,e sat swaying ,is hands and everyone= it was a wonderful e6perience. All the students in the front few rows were stretching out their hands with letters to the f wanting ,im also to stretch IF times more and receive them0 9ut on some occasions Swami "ust chooses to loo+ at all of them noncha rela6ed manner.

Man' letters collecte# an# pro&lems resol%e#?

After a while however& ,e began calling boys from the front rows in a 3random# manner. ;ell& events in Swami#s presence may seem 3

he Athi Ru#ra Maha /agnam

A PO9ERF+! PRA/ER FOR +N*VER(A! PEACE

8The lan# of -harat is li)e a teacher to all the countries in the "orl#. 9here else "oul# !or# (hi%a incarnate, eDcept in such a sacre# lan# as -harat:... This /agna is &eing con#ucte# for the "elfare of the "orl#. There is a %er' important aspect of this /agna. The Athi Ru#ra Maha /agna protects an# fosters the #i%ine nature in the human &eings, "hile reBecting an# #iminishing the #emonic Cualities. Thus, it "or)s for the "elfare of humanit'.; 'his is what Swami emphatically declared to the large concourse of devotees who had assembled for what was to be an unprecedented and supremely e6alting spiritual e6perience 8 the Athi Rudra 4aha Yagnam ?the Supreme Sacrifice to Lord Shiva@ on the Gth of August )FFL. 8*t is the ighest Form of 9orship; . ea# Priest (ri -.(. NanBun#a $iDit 'ime and again in the history of human evolution& there come watersheds that redirect humanity towards the ultimate goal. A+in to the loving hands of the mother that support and steady the faltering steps of her toddler& !od grants us a glimpse of ,is !randeur and what ,e holds in store for usT with "ust a small in+ling being given in such instances as this. In the words of the ,ead priest of the Yagnam& >eda 9rahma Sri 9.S. Nan"unda *i6it& 8The Athi Ru#ra Maha /agna is the highest form of "orship of !or# (hi%a. At present the same Athi Ru#ra is &eing performe# in the presence of Ru#ra imselfSit is a uniCue opportunit' for e%er'one to enBo' the &lessings of -haga"an, as this 'agna is for the spiritual progress of humanit' as a "hole. At the same time it is the #ut' of each one of us to eDpress our gratitu#e for our eDistence an# also to sprea# the message of lo%e an# peace, highlighte# &' -haga"an so that is #ream of esta&lishing a Nation of umanit' is realiIe#.; 8*t 9as Priceless, ea%enl', Re%italisingS; . A /outh from Cana#a 'he yagnam stood for .<niversal Love and Peace1. 'housands who had filled literally every inch of the richly decorated Sai 7ulwant ,all felt themselves bathed in these two emotions as they watched the sevenC tongued flames& leap and dance& accepting the oblations offered into the eleven homa kundas $fireCaltars%& delivering the prayers from thousands of yearning souls to the divine.

The Most Potent Form of !or# (hi%a

As the sanctified plumes from the altars entered the being of everyone presentTan overwhelming sense of purity pervaded the mind& heart& frame of one and all. It is not selfCeffort that brings one to such a momentous occasion& it is something far beyondTas one youth& from 5anada e6pressed blissfully& 89hen * contemplate &ac) on the Athi Ru#ra Maha /agna, "or#s li)e priceless, hea%enl', re%italiIing an# auspicious come to min#. The hours spent in lines to sit in the (ai Kul"ant hall an# the earl' mornings "ere all "orth it. As * sat amongst #e%otees from all noo)s an# corners of the "orl#, * "as o%ercome &' a uniCue sensation. * felt at peace #uring the chanting of the Ve#as. The Ve#as seem to ha%e an eDceptional cleansing an# energiIing propert' containe# "ithin them. Although, in all honest', * ha# little i#ea of "hat "as &eing chante#, the hairs on m' arms seem to stan# an# chills ran #o"n m' spine at times. Perhaps it "as the ancient h'mns R"hose origin is that of m'sticismFA or perhaps it "as the fact that the Maha /agna, in praise of !or# Ru#ra, "as &eing performe# in the mi#st of Ru#ra himself: The series of -haga"an7s #i%ine #iscourses onl' ma#e the eDperience s"eeter. *t "as the cherr' on the ca)e. ("ami remin#e# us that "e are %eril' Go# 6 that "e are spar)s of #i%init'. All "e ha%e to #o is realiIe it.;

An A"e6*nspiring (pectacle 8M' E%er' air an# Folicle 9as Charge#; . Ms. (harmila, +K You would have found the similar sentiments on the lips of everyone present for the glorious occasion. 'a+e for instance& 4s. Sharmila Pari+h from <7& 8The atmosphere "as charge# "ith spiritual %i&rations that * felt through each hair an# follicle of m' frame. ROne "as remin#e# of anuman . anuman7s e%er' hair resoun#e# Rama7s nameF. The magnitu#e of the /agna is a memor' to &e cherishe# fore%er an# more. EDperiencing -haga"an7s !o%e an# &as)ing in the &liss an# is glor' for the #uration "as an incre#i&le treatA * felt li)e a chil# of Go# recei%ing s"eet prasadam t"ice #ail'.; In the presence of !od even the greatest& oldest and wisest of all feels li+e a child. It is with awe and admiration that we loo+ upon ,is handiwor+ as the 4aster wor+s on the masterpiece.

8* a%e Come To Foster The Ve#as an# $e%otees; . -haga"an -a&a 'he Athi Rudra 4aha Yagnam is yet another milestone in the unfolding grand mission of 9hagawan and as significant and farCreaching in its influence as any other= be it the ,ealth mission& or the /ducare mission& or the Sociocare mission. In a landmar+ discourse in the year IGLH at Prasanthi Nilayam& Swami declared& 8The !or# comes as an A%athar "hen e is anDiousl' a"aite# &' saints an# sages. The pious pra'e# 6 an# * ha%e comeSM' tas)s areS )eda (akshana an# 3haktha (akshana 6 fostering of the Ve#as an# fostering of #e%otees.; An +nforgetta&le EDperience That (tunne# M' (oul; . $r. Ven)at (a#anan#, +(A 'o limit >edas to any particular religion& philosophy& sect or culture is li+e limiting the ocean to a bowl0 >edas are <niversal in nature. 'hey are for the good of all man+ind. It is for the whole humanity to benefit from this great treasure of energy. A Yagna incorporates various aspects of the 3fostering of the vedas#. It is a+in to an ultraCwide spectrum antibiotic. 'hrough the tremendous positive energy that it generates the Yagna elevates consciousness to a higher level.

1The pious pra'e# 6 an# * ha%e come.1

8(piritual energ' is not #iscerni&le &' our fi%e senses. -ut it ren#ers an unforgetta&le eDperience that stuns an# eDhilarates the soul. The spiritual energ' present #uring the /agna "as high an# each in#i%i#ual present at the time "as trul' &lesse# "hen, out of pure lo%e, -haga"an infuse# the lingam "ith Prana Pconsecrate# the lingam personall'Q.; 'hese are the words not of a philosopher& but of *r. Sadanand& a neuroCsurgeon wor+ing in <SA who e6perienced the Yagna for "ust one day. Also rea# the supplementar' article to this co%er stor', UThe Profoun# (ignificance -ehin# The Po"erful (acrificeU for an in#epth insight into this great spiritual eDercise. A Great (piritual ('mphon' 'he Yagnam was a great spiritual symphony in perfect harmony which merged the whole congregation into one entity reaching out to the divine. Recalling his unforgettable e6perience& 4atthew& a youth from /ngland& says&

89hile "atching the E@4 priests offering o&lations into the fire an# mo%ing in perfect s'nchronicit'A an# hearing their chanting, all uttere# in unison, creating a s'mphon' of #i%ine mantras, * felt transporte# &e'on# m' or#inar' self. The flames aglo" from the ele%en altars, the &eautiful ro&es of the priests, an# their "on#erful %oices, the entire scene "as so electrif'ing, * "as lost in &liss.A&o%e all, "hen the !or# imself "as presi#ing, * "as o%ercome "ith #i%ine %i&rations, so much so that * felt fille# to o%erflo"ing . surel' this "as a taste of hea%en. A Ve#ic (acrifice Performe# Par EDcellence Other highlights "ere the times "hen the hea# priest "oul# offer the hol' fire to the !or# an# then all "oul# mo%e their han#s &ac) an# forth ta)ing in the %i&rations coming from this sanctifie# act 6 this again "as a tangi&le feeing of Bo', another gift of grace. (ometimes, there "oul# &e one priest reciting the pra'ers aloneA in%aria&l' his %oice "oul# &e most &eautiful to hear an# on one occasion * "as spell&oun# at the spee# of recitation "hich still maintaine# a great sense of sanctit' an# holiness. Then at the en# of the #a', at least half those present "oul# form "ell6or#ere# lines sitting on the floor. The' "ere all "aiting patientl' for the hol' abhishekam "ater an# after Cuite some time the' "ere re"ar#e# "ith this &' #esignate# se%a #als. (urel' e%er'one left the Kul"ant all in an eDalte# state, ma'&e eDperiencing feelings the' ha# ne%er felt &efore. * am so grateful to ("ami for allo"ing me to &e present at the 'agna an# * am alrea#' pra'ing to ("ami to organiIe the neDt one?; It may be as+ed that though the >eda Purusha Saptaha Dnana Yagna has been performed right from IGLI during *asara celebrations& what was the necessity for Swami to perform another Yagnam on such a grand scale at this point in time2 Swami clarified this on the final day of Yagnam when ,e said& 8The /agnam #one #uring $asara is !yana /agnam, "hile this is an "dhyatma /agnam;& meaning& this Yagnam is for the spiritual health of the whole world and much wider in scope and purpose than the Yagnam performed during *asara which is related only to the .mental principle1. T(ee 9hat * 9ill Ma)e Out Of *t7 6 ("ami /very effect has a cause and every purpose& an instrument. 'he chosen instruments for this grand spectacle were the Sai Youth of 7arnata+a. Sri >inay 7umar who led this dynamic team of youth e6ceptionally well& recalled the very initial days of this sacred pro"ect saying& 8On the E@th of 0une, "hen * su&mitte# this hum&le pra'er at the !otus Feet to allo" us to perform this /agna, on the same #a', ("ami sai#, 8/ou "atch "hat * "ill #o. /ou are &ringing it as this small proposal, an# no" 'ou see "hat * "ill ma)e out of it.; 'rue to ,is word& !od made things happen. ;ith cloc+wor+ precision& every single piece of the massive "igsaw puBBle fell into place perfectly. It was absolutely amaBing to see how such a mammoth pro"ect was e6ecuted to perfection.

(ri Vina' Kumar 6 One of the !or#1s *nstruments

More than a thousan# fresh lotuses e%er' morning, tons of tone# san#al"oo# an# neem "oo#, seamless coor#ination an# communication in e%er' le%el from the transport of massi%e Cuantities of mil), ten#er coconut "ater, cur#s, hone', ghee, sugar, nine t'pes of grains an# a&o%e all, "aters from the nine ri%ers from their %er' sources #isperse# across the countr' . e%er'thing "as carrie# out as smoothl' as a gentle &reeIe.

In the words of Prof. Ramaswamy& a founder director of the prestigious Indian Institute of 4anagement C 9angalore& 8SThis organiIation, this Athi Ru#ra Maha /agna is a super& eDample of organiIation management of the highest perfection. As a teacher for the last G> 'ears * ha%e not seen an'"here such #ecorum, #iscipline, #emeanor 6 perfection. 9h': This is &ase# on spiritualit', ethics, morals, me#itation, la" of or#er, la" of )arma, etcS.m' tri&ute an# m' a#mirationSto Mr. Vina' Kumar an# his group of %olunteers, the ritwiks an# all those "ho "ere &ehin# him "ho ha%e sacrifice# e%er'thing the' "ant "ith"nanda R&lissF, "ith a spiritual pro%ocation, strength "hich 'ou cannot fin# e%en in professors "or)ing un#er me "ho get t"ent' thousan# rupees per hour.;

Prof. Ramas"am' 6 full of Praise for the Karnata)a (ai /outh ("ami Arrange# the Entire /agna So& it was the *ivine manager who was at wor+. Recalling the level of involvement of Swami& Sri >inay 7umar& said& 8S The #ates for the /agna "ere fiDe# &' ("ami, %er' meticulousl', the location of this (hi%alingam, right here in the centre of this hall "as is #irectionSOut of is merc', e sai#, 8E%er' person in this all, e%er' in#i%i#ual, the last person sitting in the hall shoul# also &e a&le to "itness the "bhishekam &eing performe# to the !ingam.;S E%er'$omakunda Pfire6altarQ "hich is put up here, the la'out of this *agashala Psacrificial enclosureQ, "as personall' #eci#e# &' -haga"an. The colouring of the homakundas, the selection of the lingam, the metho#olog' for setting up this mantapam, it "as all personall' a#%ise#, instructe#, #irecte# an# put into action &' im. 9e of course ha%e &een fortunate to &e use# as is "orth' instrumentsS For the first time, pro&a&l' in the histor' of this A%atar, e release# an in%itation in the Sanathana Sarathi, in%iting people for this /agna. e comman#e# an# ensure# a#%ertisements "ent through ne"spapers, all o%er the countr', in%iting them for the /agnaS.U

8Each time * too) some aspect of planning relate# to the /agna to ("ami, e "oul# sa', 1/ou #on7t ta)e an' tension on 'our hea#. /ou remo%e all the "orries from 'our hea# an# transfer it to me. * "ill ta)e care of e%er'thing. * "ill ensure that e%er'thing goes through smoothl'. /ou #on7t "orr' a&out an'thing.1 An# ("ami too) care of e%er'thing.U U(ri NanBun#a $i)shit, in an inter%ie" grante# &' -haga"an mentione# that the Athi Ru#ra Maha /aBna "oul# gi%e a lot of Trupti RsatisfactionF to !or# (hi%a. -haga"an then imme#iatel' sai#, 1-ut * ha%e a lot of Trupti, M' Trupti is in 'our Trupti.1 An# continue#, 1*f 'ou listen to "hat * sa', then * "ill ha%e a lot of Trupti.1U

-haga%an chec)e# e%er' #etail

-haga"an casuall' ga%e us a glimpse of "ho e is an# ho" fortunate "e are? (ri Ru#ram . A Potent Pra'er 'his brings us to a -uestion. ;hat is this good fortune2 ,ow is this Athi Rudra 4aha Yagnam significant2 ;hat is it in the Rudram that ma+es it so powerful2 Let us turn to the ancient scriptures to understand the beauty and ma"esty of this timeless hymn& &udram. Sri &udram& also +nown as &udraprasna& is a hymn devoted to Lord Shiva. It is part of the 7rishna Ya"ur >eda and one of the greatest of the >edic hymns for all round benefits and to remove all maladies and obstacles. Sri &udram is in two parts. 'he first part& is +nown as Namakam because of the repeated use of the word SNamoS in it. In this sacred hymn the devotee repeatedly salutes the Lord who pervades the animate and the inanimate& tangible and intangible& visible and invisible aspects of creation. 'he devotee prays to Lord Shiva thus(

*O +ord of ,ount -ailash of the .edas/ We pray to attain you by our auspicious words. We as that for all our days, this entire world will be free from ills and discord, and that we may live in amity and concord.0 *Salutations to Him who was before all things and who is foremost. Salutations to Him who pervades all and moves swiftly.0 *Salutations to Him who is the source of happiness here and hereafter. Salutations to Him who is inherently of the nature of conferring happiness directly in this world and the world hereafter. Salutations to Him the auspicious one, who is more auspicious than all others.0

'hese are "ust a few of the myriad e6pressions of the Namakam through which the Lord is propitiated. 'he Namakam concludes with the most potent Mrutyunjaya stotram. 0ryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushhtivardhanam Urvarukamiva bandhananmrityormukshiya maamritath
*He who has divine fragrance, He who ma es men powerful and full of plenty, Him even we worship, the three1eyed 2udra. +i e a ripe berry from its stal , release me from death, and let me not turn away from immortality and enlightenment.3

!or# (hi%a1s Resplen#ent Form

'he second part of the &udram& is +nown as 5hamakam because of the repeated use of the words S:ha meS. 'he devotee prays to the Lord for blessings and benefits both in this world and beyond. :or instance C

*+et +ord Shiva grant us happiness in both worlds on 4earth and heaven5. 6ll the materials dearer and attractive and worthy of possession in heaven and endearing relations.0 *#rant me, +ord, the capacity to discriminate what to hear and what not to hear. ,ay my mind be lit up with clarity to understand things properly.0 *,ay I be blessed with the capacity to protect and retain what I have already earned. ,ay I be granted courage and determination to face tough situations in life. ,ay I win goodwill, respect and honour in this world.0

The !ingam &eautifull' arra'e# 'he 6Shanti patha8 ?invocation for peace@ in the concluding part of :hamakam begins with& .%daa devahuurmanuT1 meaning(
*+et my pleasant thoughts bring forth pleasant actions and the resultant en%oyable fruits. +et my %oyous offerings bear fine and worthy speech and my words please the divine. ,ay men lend their ears to gladden me and may the #ods enlighten me and ma e my words powerful. ,ay my forefathers feel %oyful over this and bless me to perpetuate it.0

For a #etaile# report of the Athi Ru#ra Maha /agnam "ith all its rituals an# their significance, go to the Prasanthi $iar'. The $i%ine -lessings of Chanting (ri Ru#ra It is said that Sri &udra is a great purifier which when repeatedly chanted with devotion can e6piate the worst of the sins and in the words of the head Priest& . ne can attain Bhukthi or all material benefits for en"oyment of life on earth andMukthi& which is freedom from the ills of the world.1 9ut an important aspect to note is what *r. 7ashyap& *irector of the Sri Aurobindo 7apalishastri Institute of >edic 5ulture& conveyed when he said& .'he mantras we chant are potent and full of power. 9ut it manifests only if we chant it with full of faith.1 If one &udra $that is& eleven times the eleven stanBas of Namakam chanted along with one stanBa of :hamakam every time by a single person% is chanted& it can free one from all childhood diseases. Similarly( H Rudras can destroy imminent difficulties which with one is faced. M Rudras can free one from the evil effects of certain planets occupying

The

ea# Priest *llumines the !isteners

unfavourable positions. A Rudras can dissolve one#s greatest fear. G Rudras can confer the fruit of one >a"apeya sacrifice ?which is believed to bring in bountiful crop and plentiful water@ and also attainment of peace of mind. II Rudras can bestow one with great wealth and the favour of the high and mighty. HH Rudras can fulfill all material desires and bless one to be free of enemies. No" Bust imagine the &enefits that this h'mn can confer "hen chante# o%er a thousan# times? $uring the Athi Ru#ra Maha /agnam the (udram "as chante# the prescri&e# EN,LNE times accompanie# &' the Ve#ic fire ritual or $omam. U*f This Can appen An'"here *t Can -e Onl' *n Prasanthi Nila'amU 6 (ri Ve#a Nara'an ne of the uni-ue aspects of the 2agnam in Prasanthi Nilayam in the words of Sri >eda Narayan& who generally leads the >edic chants in Prasanthi Nilayam&

8One thing, "hich touche# me most, is that it is not the man#ator' E@4 (itwi ks alone "ho chante# the Ve#as, &ut from the tin' tots of primar' school on"ar#s to the illiterate #e%otees "ho Boine# in the chanting of #amakas an#7hamakas irrespecti%e of the caste, cree# or gen#er? R(o the num&er "as actuall' much more than EN,LNEF. *n an' *agna performe# &efore, there ne%er "as a chance for people of other &eliefs to see such an occasion let alone chant the Ve#as. *n other "or#s the spirit of #amakam8#amo Mahadbhyah 4shullakebhyas havo #ama; 6 (alutation to the !or# in the might' as "ell as in the lo"l' 6 "as practicall' #emonstrate# in the presence of -haga"an, an# if this can happen an'"here it can &e onl' in Prasanthi Nila'am.; The Ve#as (pan the Nations And what was most significant is that in Prasanthi Nilayam the Lord in flesh and blood presided over the Yagna. 8Ne%er in the histor' of man)in#,U continues Sri >eda Narayan& 8"as such a /agna performe# in the imme#iate presence of the A%atar, "ho "as the *agna 4artha Rperformer of the sacrificeF an# the *agna 3hokta Rrecei%er of the o&lationsF for the "elfare of the "hole "orl#.; 89e Nee# To *gnite Fire Onl' *n The Engine; . -haga"an -a&a Now& many might wonder how could a sacrifice done in a small corner of India impact the whole world0 'his is e6actly what a devotee posed to Swami many years ago&

.Swami& you say all yagnas are conducted for !oka ka!yana?welfare of the world@& but all yagnas are conducted in India alone21 Swami gave a beautiful reply to this saying& 8All the nations in the "orl# are li)e the coaches an# *n#ia is the engine. 9e nee# to ignite fire onl' in the engine.; ;hat is the eligibility of India to be the guide for the whole world2 Someone might as+. Prof. N. S. Ramaswamy& a :ounder *irector of Indian Institute of 4anagement& 9angalore& ?one of the premier 4anagement Institutes of India@ and a recipient of Padma Bhushan ?one of India#s highest civilian awards@ who spo+e during the Yagna#s proceedings& 8Out of the NJ ci%ilisations eDisting in the "orl# prior to the Christian era, ours is the onl' one "hich is li%ing an# %i&rant. 9h': E%er'thing is conceptualiIe# as a mother 6 Mathrutva 3hava.U

1*n#ia is the engine for the "orl#1 6 -haga%an

U*n e%er' centur', in e%er' part of *n#ia, great saints an# e%ol%e# souls an# A%atars "ere &orn... .oka samastha sukhino 3havantu R!et all &eings e%er'"here &e happ'F . no other countr' sa's it. 9e are the onl' people to sa' that all religions lea# to the same Go#S "kashat patitam thoyam, yatha ga hati sagaram S 9e are the onl' ci%ilisation in the "hole "orl# to gi%e highest praise, highest pe#estal to "omenS our ci%ilisation has continue# for G>>> 'ears &ecause of sacrifice, suffering, mo#est', chastit', s'mpath', empath' an# ser%ice of the "omen of *n#ia. The "orl# is #i%i#e# into t"o 6 the ha%es an# ha%e nots. -ut *n#ia has a thir# categor' 6 those "ho ha%e &ut #on7t "ant. -u##ha, Maha%eera an# 0ana)a &elong to this eDalte# categor'.;

8The *n#ian 9a' *s The (ai 9a' ; . (ri - N Narsimha Murth' Arnold 'oynbee& a 9ritish historian said& .Tat this supremely dangerous moment of human history& there is only one way of salvation for man+ind and that is the Indian way.1 And what is the Indian way2 Sri 9 N Narasimha 4urthy& author of the fifth volume of 9abaUs biography& Sathyam Shivam Sundaram& emphatically stated& 8*t is the (ai "a', the "a' of the Ve#as, the "a' of Daiva PremaP$i%ine !o%eQ an# &eeva 4arunya PCompassion for allQ.; (ri - N Narsimha Murth' a##resses the gathering

The /outh !ea# The 9a' 'he IICday glorious ritual of the Yagnam was one potent facet of this Indian way. And by whom did the Lord choose to demonstrate this significant aspect2 'he youth. And there are good reasons for this. Sri S > !iri& former >iceC5hancellor of Swami#s <niversity& e6plains& 8(udram &' itself is a %er' #'namic, highl' energ'6infusing mantra. *t is in a class &' itself. To chant the h'mn means to charge oneself internall' "ith #'namism an# ele%ate one self to higher le%els. (o it is onl' appropriate that 'outh ha%e come together to organiIe this ela&orate e%ent. For, Bust as this mantra, 'outh represent energ' an# %igour.; In fact& it would be interesting to note that even among the priests there were many who were in their )Fs. Swami ,imself e6pressed great satisfaction about this in ,is final discourse of the celebration on the IGth of Aug and said& 8There are se%eral 'ouths in this group. The countr' nee#s such 'ouths. * feel %er' happ' in the mi#st of 'ouths. * "ill gi%e "hate%er the' "ant.;

(ri ( V Giri enlightens the au#ience

8The /outh 9ill -uil# The King#om of (ai ; . (ri V (rini%asan 8*t is the /outh of *n#ia "hich "ill &ring out her spiritual regeneration. This is "hat -haga"an has sai# on man' occasions,; affirmed Sri > Srinivasan& the All India President of Sai rganisations& on one evening during the celebrations.8The people of *n#ia loo) to the 'outh of *n#ia to ma)e *n#ia again not onl' a (am (a5ya &ut a Sai (a5ya R )ing#om of (ai F.; ,e continued& 8*n the (ai organiIation to#a', much has &een #one, &ut much more is 'et to &e #one. /ou the 'outh ha%e to ta)e the reins an# gi%e it a ne" energ' an# enthusiasm. To#a' "e ha%e &egun to use technolog' in the (e%a organiIation. 9e can prou#l' sa' that our (ai &rothers in +ttaranchal ha%e commissione# successfull' a mini h'#ro6electric proBect that is gi%ing electricit' to a %illage to run their T hhakkis7 Rsmall grin#ing unitsF. 9here the go%ernments are una&le to pro%i#e electricit', our (ai &rothers ha%e ma#e it possi&le. Our &rothers in An#hra are installing in the %illages ne" t'pes of "ater purification plants using re%erse osmosis technolog' an# mem&rane technolog'. -rothers in Ma#h'a Pra#esh ha%e commissione# thousan#s of ne" t'pes of toilets in %illages. (o "e are loo)ing to 'ou to ta)e the (ai OrganiIation further in pla'ing 'our role in (ai7s #i%ine mission. Remem&er, 'ou are the "mritha Puthras . sons of immortalit' "ho are full of confi#ence an# "ithout #ou&ts. 9ith -haga"an "e are heroes, "ithout im "e are Ieroes.U

Another eminent spea)er, (ri V (rini%asan

If the world today is a pathetic picture of restlessness& terror and insensitivity towards fellow beings of a different community& region or religion& misguided Youth are surely a ma"or part of the problem. As 7rishnan 9hagawat& a youth from 7arnata+a put it&

8At the core of all the hotspots of %iolence the common thing is #isaffecte# an# #isoriente# 'outh. 9hat is the solution for this pro&lem: *t is the transformation of hearts that can &ring a&out a change in the 'outh.; And this transformation can come about only when the youth ta+e up tas+s which will cleanse their senses& energiBe their inner self and connect them to their roots 8 their glorious ancient heritage. It is in this respect that the Athi Rudra 4aha Yagnam stands as a perfect e6ample. Shashan+& a senior student of the Institute said& 89e sa" -haga%an achie%ing multiple o&Becti%es through one e%ent . the uphol#ing of the Ve#ic "is#om, the up)eep of the Ve#ic scholars, the encouragement of the 'outh in the positi%e #irection an# the purification of the en%ironment through the positi%e %i&rations.; It was really a very heartening sight to see hundreds of youth from 7arnata+a wor+ing so systematically with so much unity and more importantly with passion to see that the yagnam proceeds without even a slightest hiccup. .It really was a great lesson for us in pro"ect management as well as dedicated service&1 many students from the Institute said.

The priests "ere al"a's full of Bo'

4ore than HFF youth 8 most of them employed in multinational companies in 9angalore C wor+ing tirelessly for two wee+s for an event li+e a Yagna has done more than "ust setting an e6ample. And this is something which is going to have awesome cascading effects in the days to come. Swami already mentioned in the final day of the Yagna that ,e wants the Youth of 'amil Nadu to come together and conduct the Yagna in 5hennai in the month of Danuary. 'hat this is going to be replicated in multiple locations all over India and all around the world spearheaded by Sai Youth is anybody#s guess. EDhilarating EDperiences A young adult& Arvind& from ,yderabad& India& who attended the Yagnam said&

9orship of the formless ma#e form

8E%er' time * hear# the opening lines of the Ru#ram Om #amo 3hagavate (udraya8 * "as fille# "ith some ineDplica&le sense of a"e an# re%erence. 9hen * first sa" the lingam of spar)ling "hite mar&le that glo"e# in ethereal hue an# hear# it &eing christene# 8(aieas"ara; Pritual #eman#s that the lingam &eing "orshippe# &e gi%en a special nameQ m' min# fille# "ith the multitu#inous names of !or# (hi%a an# is lingas all o%er the sacre# lan# of -harath, from the Amarnath in the imala'as to Rames"ara at the southern tip. An# most of all, * "as fille# "ith a #eep sense of satisfaction "hen * reflecte# on the set of circumstances that ha# culminate# in me &eing in Prasanthinila'am, in the presence of !or# Ru#ra himself, as e presi#e# o%er the Athi Ru#ra Maha /agnam. *t is an opportunit' of se%eral thousan# lifetimes that all of us are &lesse# to &e here at this time . "ith the li%ing lo%ing Go#.; Such was the blissful e6perience that every youth felt. 'hat it was a purifier of massive proportions& something which propelled every individual present to "ourney towards one#s soul with greater vigour is what every participant testifies. 8* am %er' grateful to ha%e &een part of such an eDtraor#inar' e%ent,; said S. 4ass from <SA& 8* eDperience# a strong purif'ing energ'. Also, there "ere moments "hich transporte# me to a &righter, more intense, 'et su&tle place of harmon' "ithin.;

And Pedro 4ontero from Spain said after attending the ninth day of the Yagnam& 8* "ent to the /agna %er' earl' Rsleeping onl' N hours in the pre%ious nightF an# spent the entire morning an# e%ening in Kul"ant all. !ater, * eDperience# strong ph'sical energ' as "ell as a heightene# sense of alertness, something a)in to ("ami7s Constant *ntegrate# A"areness. E%en no" * feel that not onl' m' &o#', &ut min#, intellect, senses, intuition an# e%en m' soul ha%e ma#e a Cuantum leap in all their functions. *t is trul' amaIing? * #on7t )no" m'self.; So& that was a small glimpse of the mystifying and soulCenriching e6perience that thousands had all through the eleven days of the Yagna. 9ut all this e6alting spiritual e6perience is sub"ective and very personal C how did the Yagna actually contribute to world peace& one might as+2 'he answer is 8 in different ways at different levels& gross and subtle& individual and cosmic. Let us deal with the cosmic level first. o" the /agnam Furthere# 9orl# Peace 'he chaos theory of physics states that the flap of a butterfly#s wing in 9raBil could set off a tornado in 'e6as. Such is the way the whole cosmos is connected. 'he power of positive thought is something which every discipline of modern +nowledge ac+nowledges. New research suggests that once AlBheimerUs disease robs someone of the ability to e6pect that a proven pain+iller will help them& it doesnUt wor+ nearly as well. Scientists from the <niversity of 4ichigan in"ected the "aws of healthy young men with salt water to cause painful pressure& while P/' scans measured the impact in their brains. *uring one scan& when the men were told they were getting a pain reliever which was actually a placebo& their brains immediately released more endorphins C chemicals that act as natural pain+illers by bloc+ing the transmission of pain signals between nerve cells C and the men felt better. Positive thought generates positive energy and in a similar fashion positive energy creates positive thoughts. Dust thin+ how peaceful you feel when you are in the sanctum sanctorum of a venerated shrine. If the Yagnam was anything it was a 3colossus of positive energy# which could alter the collective consciousness of the world.

1A sight to ma)e e%en the Go#s Bealous1 6 The ea# Priest Leni 4atlin from <SA says& 8* fin# it more than curious that -a&a calle# for this po"erful /agna Bust "hen the "orl# "as on the &rin) of %iolent ma#ness, "hich al"a's lea#s to more of the same. As the /agna &egan, the terrorist plot to &lo" up E> transatlantic aircraft "as th"arte#, an# #uring the /agna, the +N appro%e# to the ceasefire resolution "hich &oth *srael an# !e&anon agree#. * am not a pun#it an# cannot un#erstan# or eDplain the /agna in esoteric terms, &ut it is clear to me that the floo# of #i%ine light it &rought to the planet has sa%e# human)in# from further #isasters, either manma#e R"ar an# terrorismF or natural. ("ami sa's e #oes not interfere in )arma, &ut "e )no" e sometimes mitigates it. * shu##er to thin) "hat might ha%e occurre# "ithout is #i%ine presence an# the con#ucting of this /agna.; In how many diverse and subtle ways will this critical mass of positive energy affect the world is something unfathomable for our limited minds. 9ut that it#s favourable impact is inevitable is beyond doubt. 7atharina from Austria says& 8* coul# feel that this Athi Ru#ra Maha /aBna "as not onl' meant for the "elfare of the participating in#i%i#uals in Prashanti Nila'am. (omething much, much &igger "as going on. *t "as for the "elfare an# peace of the entire umanit'.;

*s the /agnam a 9aste of Resources: A good act can only result in good results "ust li+e a mango seed can grow only into a mango tree as Swami often says. 'here are some who -uestion the various oblations made to the fire during the Yagna 8 the grains& the ghee& etc. Is it not ludicrous to submit all these edible articles to fire when thousands do not have food to eat2 'o this 9hagawan gave a beautiful reply in ,is discourse on the ILth of August. ,e said& 8To#a' a farmer so"s fi%e &ags of pa##' in a fiel#. 9hen the' sprout, he transplants them in the entire fiel# an# "aters them. Can an'one sa' that he is thro"ing %alua&le pa##' into mu# an# "ater: +ltimatel', he reaps a har%est of fift' &ags. (imilarl', the rituals &eing performe# &' the (itwiks RpriestsF confer great &enefit on humanit'A the' are ne%er a "aste. 9hate%er is offere# to Go# to#a' is li)e this pa##' an# gheeA the' all confer great &enefit to humanit' at a later #ate. 0ust as a &ag of pa##' so"n in a fiel# multiplies itself into fift' &ags, similarl' all the materials that are offere# to "gnihothra Rthe fire6go#F multipl' themsel%es se%eral timesS. 9hate%er is offere# to Go#, comes &ac) to us a thousan# fol#.; 19hate%er is offere# to Go#, comes &ac) to us a thousan# fol#1 6 -haga%an 8A Gran#, (elf6Purif'ing E%ent; . Prof. 9illiam Miller, +(A Now coming to the individual level& what the Yagna has done to every participant and through them to society in general is something most profound. ;illiam 4iller from <SA says& 8At the &eginning of this /agna, someone suggeste# to me that it coul# &ecome Cuite repetitious an# e%en &oring "ith the Ve#ic chants an# rituals &eing #one #a' after #a'. * ha# Bust the opposite eDperience 66 it &ecame more engaging an# more enriching as a cumulati%e effect, for me an# others. -efore this /agna starte#, * rea# man' of ("ami1s Cuotes from Sathya Sai Speaks a&out the purpose of /agnas in general, an# a focus on (udra an# (i%a in particular. * realiIe# that this gran#, self6 purif'ing e%ent incorporates t"o metaphors that prepare# me for ho" to participate5 that * coul# use the sacrificial ceremonies to T"ash m'self clean of m' errors in life7 an# to Toffer into Go#1s 1refining fire7. Thus, ("ami helpe# me get rea#' for ho" to acti%el' ta)e part in the ceremon', e%en though * #on1t chant Ve#ic mantras.

A uniCue %ie" 6 as the angels must ha%e seen?

Also, * )ept in min# the (ans)rit %erse "e chant e%er' #a' 66 '.oka Samastha, Sukhino 3havantu; 661 Ma' all &eings in all the "orl#s &e happ'1. (ince that is the purpose of this /agna, * felt attune# to "hate%er has &een happening, e%en "ithout mentall' un#erstan#ing e%er'thing. *n this regar#, * met a frien# coming out of the #arshan hall "ho "as ecstatic that an Timpure set of thoughts7 R vasanasF ha# arisen in him #uring the ceremon', "hich he coul# then enthusiasticall' Tput into the fire7 to finish off. * realiIe# that * coul# #o the same, an# in that "a' contri&ute in some small "a' to greater peace 66 if not in the "hole "orl#, at least in the "orl# aroun# me. An# as one of the spea)ers sai#, this /agna #oesn1t reall' en# on 4> August, 4>>L. *t "ill remain an ongoing process in m' heart. * "ill simpl' continue to focus on as)ing Go# to ma)e me pure so * can &e an instrument of peace.; *nstruments of Peace An instrument of peace 8 that is what the Yagnam made out of individuals. It infused tremendous inspiration more importantly into the minds of Youth. ne of the Youth leaders from 7arnata+a& Sri !unaran"an& an II' and II4 alumni& said& 8An' stu#ent of science "ill )no" that in an' eCuation of nature !. .( or !eft an# (i#e is eCual to R. .( or Right an# (i#e. For us, !. .(. is !o%e, umilit' an# (er%ice. An# R. .( is Ro'al igh"a' to ("ami. !et us culti%ate these three aspects. !et us &uil# the ro'al high"a' to our Mother (ai.; And many were really on the path. ,aving mended their senses with the sacred chants& they wanted to bend their bodies and end their mind. Dust consider this startling case.

!o%e 6 the ro'al path"a' to Go#

It was one blissful evening during the Yagna celebrations. 'he programme was in its concluding lap and Prasadam distribution was going on. 5arrying the carton of sweets& 9hanu& a senior student of the Institute& went to the far corners of Sai 7ulwant ,all trying to reach everyone present. ,e distributed as many as he could. 'he carton was now empty and 9hanu was returning. 9ut suddenly there was tug. 'he bo6 is empty& why is someone holding on to the carton2 Agitated& 9hanu loo+ed around. It was a LF year old man pleading through his eyes for the carton bo6. It is empty& 9hanu e6plained& but the old man in silence persisted. 9hanu let it go. ,e had no time. 'here were hundreds yet to receive Prasadam. ,e pic+ed up another bo6 from the store and forgot all about the old man& until he saw him again after half an hour. Now from a distance. 4ost of the crowd having received the sweet was now dispersing. 9ut the old man with his bac+ bent was busy on the road "ust beside the hall. 'here was the carton in his hand& 9hanu noticed and he was pic+ing something. Intrigued& 9hanu went near the man. 'he old man#s carton bo6 was full with the sweet wrappers. 9hanu was moved. 'he old man must have wal+ed up and down the road at least )F times to fill the carton bo6 with empty papers& he thought to himself. ;ith shoc+ and reverence& he as+ed& 89h' are 'ou #oing this, (ir: Can * offer 'ou one more s"eet:; 'he man very reluctantly said& 8* al"a's "ante# to &e part of this great /agna, &ut * coul# not &e part of the organiIing group. The onl' "a' * thought * coul# #o some ser%ice an# &e part of this glorious /agna is &' collecting the left6o%er "rappers of #e%otees. Than) 'ou for the carton &oD.; 8This *s The 9a' 9e (er%e $e%otees *n Guru#"ara; And this is no incident in isolation. 'he Yagna wor+ed on each individual in a magnificent way and how the transformation found e6pression in each individual is something very special and actually stirring. Dust outside the Sai 7ulwant ,all on the Southern side is a small shoeCstand where generally the students and the staff leave their slippers before entering the ,all. ne evening as the Yagnam was going on& a senior student noticed that beside the shoeCstand was the rear of a red turban. ;hat#s a red turban doing here& he thought and moved closer. As he went nearer& he found there was a head below the turban and actually it was a person& a redCturbaned Si+h& who was sitting facing his bac+ to the road. 'he man intently loo+ing down was busy. ;ith a neat nap+in in his hand& he was assiduously cleaning a pair of slippers. 'he amount of care and undivided attention that the man put into want he was doing& it loo+ed as if the man was cleaning a piece of gold. Shoc+ed beyond measure& the student bowed down to the middle aged man. 89h' are 'ou #oing this, (ir;& he as+ed& with all humility and reverence. ;hat the man replied sent a chill down the boy#s spine. 'he devoted Si+h said& 8/ester#a' in is #iscourse, -a&a praise# is &o's %er' much, he sai#, TAll our chil#ren are li)e gol#, not impure gol#, &ut pure an# unallo'e# gol#?7 * am ne" to (ai -a&a an# the (ai Organisation. * #o not )no" an'&o#' here. -ut * lo%e -a&a an# "ant to ser%e -a&a. An# the &est "a' * can ser%e * thought is "iping their

slippers clean. This is one "a' "e ser%e the #e%otees "ho come to the Guru#"ara in PunBa&.; 'he student stood transfi6ed to the spot. And these two e6amples are not alone as this gentleman#s e6perience shows. 4r !opal from South Africa& told ,eart),eart that he and his wife had been drawn to do seva in the North Indian canteen for the entire duration of the Yagnam. 'hey missed most of the ceremonies& but had been able to ta+e part in the massive prasaadam preparation wor+. 'heir "ob was to wrap up the prasaadam ready to be distributed later in the day. Sometimes there was prasaadam both morning and evening& so he and his fellow seva+s often found themselves wor+ing until IF.HF at night& completing batches of up to JF&FFF per day. ,e mentioned that the spirit of camaraderie and love amongst those preparing the prasaadam was unprecedented and a clear reflection of the presence of Sai amidst them. Dust imagine what the world would be li+e if every heart shines resplendently with purity and love "ust li+e the Si+h gentleman& or the old man from 7arnata+a& or those wor+ers in the North canteen. ,as anybody any doubts about the efficacy of Yagna2 Dust li+e one cannot -uantify the power of mother#s love or the bliss of 4other Nature& the impact of the Yagna can only be felt. And "ust as every second in vital in an hour and every drop important for the ocean& every person in peace is a concrete step towards world peace. The True /agna 9ut one does not necessarily need to organiBe elaborate Yagnams for world peace. In ,is divine discourse on the second day of the Yagnam& Swami said&

If we loo+ bac+ at human history& we find that it is basically driven by two opposing factors. n the one hand& humans have tended to come together& coCoperate& and grow as well as benefit through this coCoperation. At the same time& they have also tended to see+ and stress differences between themselves& arousing in the process& the dar+er emotions. 'his in turn has led to conflict and often wars& some of which have been pretty disastrous. 'here is some +ind of an oscillation between these two fundamental tendencies latent within. As someone said& human beings seem to hover between cooperation and conflict.

*nner Rage Manifests as EDternal Conflicts

'his oscillation is not at all surprising& being a reflection of the inner conflict that rages nonCstop in every individual& between the good and the bad& both latent in us. It is this internal and onCgoing conflict that manifests in the e6ternal world as all +inds of problems& of which we seem to have far more today than we can handle.

Mo%ing -e'on# -an#6Ai# (olutions

If we really want to solve the massive problems facing humanity today& we have to go first to the very roots and NOT merely tin+er with the problems via world bodies& thin+ tan+s and such e6traneous bodies& which is what the world is largely doing today. 'his discussion is an analysis of the futility of the current soCcalled secular approaches& and the correct alternative to it all& which& obviously is the timeless wisdom 7rishna offered in the Gita and which Swami is now repeating all over again& through ,is life as well as ,is discourses. 'hese tried& tested and true tenets lay down a way of life which is above any dogma or religion or restrictive belief system.

Reith !ectures
Recently& Prof. Deffrey Sachs of 5olumbia <niversity delivered the very prestigious series of lectures called the Reith Lectures. Named after Lord Reith who was long ago associated with the 995 and responsible for giving it shape as well as its character& the Reith Lectures are famous in intellectual circles& and it is considered a great honour to be invited to deliver them. 'hey are delivered before a distinguished audience and also simultaneously broadcast by the 995. In )FFA& Prof. Sachs gave five lectures. ;hile the first one was in London& the second was in Pe+ing <niversity in 9ei"ing& the third in 5olumbia <niversity& New Yor+& the fourth bac+ in London and the last one was in /dinburgh.

'he 995 planners chose these different venues to align the theme of that particular lecture to the local ambience= for e6ample& Scotland was the venue of the last lecture because that is where Adam Smith& the father of modern economic theory& wrote his famous classic& the ,ealth of #ations. 'hese lectures delivered by Prof. Sachs warrant some prominence and discussion because through them he has captured very precisely the core of today#s problems.

Prof. (ach7s Reith !ectures

Professor Sachs says that reduced to simple terms& the three basic problems we face today are( I@ 'hreat of increased conflict and indeed large scale war )@ 'hreat of climate change& enhanced particularly by man#s rec+less consumption and pollution in recent years H@ 4assive poverty In a sense& all these three issues are interconnected. 'he issue of war and poverty are certainly not new= manCmade climate change& on the other hand& is definitely a new item on the menu. All these have been vastly influenced by two important developments that have ta+en place since the eighties of the twentieth century. 'hey are( W Information Revolution W !lobalisation

Compoun#ing

umanit'7s Pro&lems

Science and technology have always influenced human society& right from the time man learnt to use fire& invented the wheel& and made boats to sail on water. ,owever& the first real& accelerated push and massive impact was felt only after the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the early part of the nineteenth century. It too+ about a hundred and fifty years to move forward from the time the steam engine appeared to the time when "et travel became a regular affair. And then& around the early eighties& there appeared the integrated chip& a successor of the transistor that made its entry soon after ;orld ;ar II. 'he silicon chip was nothing but a lot of transistors put together on one silicon chip and interconnected to shrin+ electronic circuitry. In a few short years& the chip literally revolutionised the way we live. ;ithout the chip& we would not have laptops& the internet& digital cameras& mobile phonesT everything that seems as indispensible for modern e6istence.

The Mar%els of the Microchip

;hen it appeared& the microprocessor& which is nothing but an entire computing engine made up of millions of transistors all on a single chip& was -uite modest in its capabilities. 'oday& its power is awesome. I still recall the first digital computer I ever saw in IGMM. It was the 'I:RA5 built at the 'ata Institute of :undamental Research ?'I:R@. 'I:R was founded by late *r. ,omi 9habha& a brilliant and visionary scientist of India who launched this country into the atomic age.

'he computer 'I:RA5 filled the larger part of a room about fifteen metres long and ten metres broad. It was built with vacuum tubes 8 the transistor was still largely a laboratory curiosity at that time 8 and the 'I:RA5 literally dran+ power& consuming several +ilowatts of energy. At that time& it was a wonder& but by today#s standard& its computing capacity was far less than old and outdated laptops of present times. 'he world#s most powerful computer today is billions of time as powerful as the 'I:RA5 ever was& but it does not drin+ billions of times more power nor occupy billions of times more space. Indeed& the way computing power has galloped since IGPF is absolutely mind boggling& and that is what the microprocessor revolution has achieved.

(upercomputer $esigne# &' the $i%ine

Interestingly& than%s to $od& each one of us carries within us a computer that is incredibly more versatile compared to the greatest super computer on earth. It weighs but two %ilos& occupies .ust a portion of our head and consumes not more than a few watts of power. 'hat is the glory of !od but how often do we wonder
about that2 ,ow often do we realise that the manCmade supercomputer was designed by the .computer1 that !od put in the human head2 Yet& does man ever pause to reflect on that2 Indeed& it is precisely this forgetfulness on the part of man that is responsible for the huge mess humanity now finds itself in.

(ocial Change Accelerate# &' *nformation Re%olution

'o get on with our story& Information Revolution is bringing about changes in society at about ten times the speed at which changes occurred after the Industrial Revolution& and that is what is complicating the situation hugely.

*nformation an# Glo&alisation . Partners in Chaos

Let me now turn to the other factor& namely globalisation. 4any seem to thin+ that globalisation is an utterly new phenomenon. 4y own view is that globalisation is actually old hat& but what is new and stunning is its new avatar.

istor' Replete "ith *nstances of Glo&alisation

Loo+ing bac+ in history& centuries ago& Ale6ander came all the way from !reece to India& spreading /uropean influence wherever he went. Li+ewise& the Romans spread their influence all over /urope. ;hile the !ree+s and the Romans used the sword to spread their influence and interconnect people scattered in different regions through trade and cultural e6change perhaps& religion too did its own bit to promote globalisation.

'hus& for e6ample& 9uddhism spread from India to all over the :ar /ast. It is in this sense that lin+ages between people across the globe go bac+ to a long time. 'hat said& it must be admitted& that the manner in which these lin+ages have occurred and the influence they have e6erted on Society has been different in different eras. 'hus& the colonial era brought its own version through con-uest& empires& slave trade and what not. ;hen the railways and steam ship came& they further accelerated the lin+ages between continents and people. 'hus& for e6ample& Indian labour was ta+en by the 9ritish to wor+ in Africa& ;est Indies and even :i"i= which is why there are nearly twenty two million people of Indian origin all over the world. Similarly& there are millions of blac+ people on the American continent whose ancestors all came from Africa as slaves. 'he -uestion arises if all this is true& then why the big fuss now about globalisation2 ;hat is so new about it2 ;hat is new about it is the "a' it is producing changes and the spee# with which these changes are being effected= and that is entirel' due to the Information Revolution. As one e6pert put it& Information Revolution and !lobalisation 8 in its current avatar that is 8 are two mighty forces that have rushed into each other#s arms as it were& rather li+e two great rivers rushing to merge into one mighty river. In other words& if the Information Revolution has spurred !lobalisation& the latter has& in its own way& spurred the further growth of the Information Revolution. As an e6ample& "ust reflect on the incredible changes one sees in 9angalore in the last twenty years. 4any overseas devotees who for years have been coming to Puttaparthi via 9angalore would immediately recognise what I am tal+ing about. In IGPF& 9angalore airport was almost a rural affair& with barely half a doBen flights per day operating

out of it. 'oday& there is a world class airport with regular international flights from 9angalore to the !ulf& to 9ang+o+& to :ran+furt& Paris and London. Not "ust that= I am prepared to bet that in the field of Information 'echnology& 9angalore is better +nown in the Silicon >alley than say 4ilan. ;e have in 9angalore big research centres operated by 'e6as Instruments& I94& 4icrosoft& IN'/L& 4otorola& etc. ;hat more do you want by way of evidence for the incredible changes that !lobalisation and the Information Revolution have brought about2

9hat is (piritual a&out Glo&alisation an# *nformation Re%olution:

Are we wandering too far off from Swami#s teachings and getting stuc+ in the illusory world2 9y no means0 Let#s go bac+ to Professor Sachs and his Reith 4emorial Lectures. In Prof. Sachs# view& man+ind is currently bursting at the seams as a result of rapid growth of population& and a lot of related socioCeconomic factors. In practical terms& man+ind faces three principles dangers(

*anger of e6tended and e6tensive conflicts& leading may be even to war 'he threat of man made climate change And the threat of massive poverty

Gi%e Peace a Chance

Sachs not only discusses why and how these dangers have arisen but also how we might face and eliminate them& saving both the humanity as well as the planet on which we all live. In a nutshell& Sachs says we must shed pre"udice& and learn to share& care and reach out across all barriers that now spilt us into different vestedCinterest groups based on race& religion& sect& language& etc. All solutions& whatever they be& must be rooted in peace= in other words& man+ind must give peace a serious chance= otherwise& we are all doomed 8 that in brief is what Sachs says. I +now I have oversimplified a lot and not done proper "ustice to Prof. Sachs and his masterly presentation. At the same time& I have the strong feeling that Prof. Sachs& and indeed many others li+e him who are e-ually concerned and worried about our collective fate& falter& when it comes to a REA! blueprint for solving these mighty problems. According to me& this precisely is where Swami#s universally applicable and acceptable teachings assume enormous importance= and that shall be the theme of the rest of this analysis.

*nterpla' of Opposing Forces

'he world& and indeed the <niverse& is controlled by the forces that operate within it. According to me& the problems that Prof. Sachs tal+s about& namely the crisis facing humanity and the fate that might overta+e our planet are dominated by the following forces(

1. !eoCpolitical forces 2. /cological forces 3. 'he power of money and the related mar+et forces 4. 'he force of mass frustration that mass poverty can release
,umanity and the planet are li+e a football that is +ic+ed around by these forces and the -uestion is how to save humanity as also our planet 8 that is the issue that Prof. Sachs as well as many others li+e him are trying to address these days. I should ma+e it clear that it is not only academics and liberals who are thus preoccupied. 4any

politicians too& when they get the time& worry about such matters. focus attention on the poverty in Africa.

ne must give credit to 'ony 9lair for doing a lot to

Similarly& President 9ill 5linton has& in his own way& been actively engaged in finding practical solutions to many of today#s problems. Nelson 4andela too& though pretty old& is as vigorous as ever in advocating the path of peace and reconciliation in solving the problems of conflict. I should not forget Prime 4inister 4anmohan Singh of India who& in his own gentle and soft way& has been e6pressing deep concern about the poor in India& several hundred millions of them& for whom the idea that India is shining and about to become an economic giant seems li+e a cruel "o+e.

Goo# *ntentions *gnore Root of Malaise

,owever& in almost all these cases& there appears to be something missing in what these people say& when it comes to solutions. No doubt& implicitly they all base their own brand of solutions on basic human goodness= at the same time& they do not seem to stress it enough& much less ma+e it the anchor. 'hat is where Swami#s teachings are not only different but also ac-uire special meaning and of course relevance.

O%ercoming the Great $i%i#e "ith *nner Goo#ness

If one studies the speeches of Professor Sachs carefully& one would find that he implicitly hopes that the basic human goodness that is latent in each and everyone of us& would somehow come to the fore to help individuals to overcome their personal pre"udices that tend to divide& promote differences& and even lead to conflict& terrorism& and who +nows& even war. Professor Sachs also implicitly hopes that the latent goodness in individuals would not only surface but also get strongly interconnected& so that there is a multiplier effect that renders this force of goodness to be a strong& collective& and positive factor. It is this multiplied and enhanced positive force that is e6pected to counter the four negative forces we listed earlier& and produce solutions. Prof. Sachs does not -uite put it the way I have done& but that is how I read his analysis and message. In my view& Professor Sachs is almost there but does not cover the last mile. Yet& the last mile is so very important that I would li+e to focus mainly on that= without that last mile& all is li+ely to be lost and that is the great danger we are facing today.

Recapitulating the $ilemma of umanit'

Prof. Sachs& who is typical of many who are deeply concerned by today#s crisis& is of the view that humanity is virtually bursting at the seams& and facing many grave problems. 'hese problems arenot beyond solution= at the same time& they are by no means easy to solve. Prof. Sachs is of the opinion that given coCoperation& patience and a strong commitment to a peaceful rather than a confrontational approach for solving the problems& we canget there. f course& there were many sceptics in Professor Sachs# audience who did not -uite agree with him. At the same time& none of those who e6pressed doubts concerning the SachsCformula could offer a viable alternative.

Anal'sis6Paral'sis +na&le to A##ress Root of Pro&lem

;hat it all means is that while people are good at diagnosing the e6istence of problems and also the cause for them& to a certain e6tent& that is& when it comes to solutions& they invariably falter. 'hat is because all of them& either consciously or subCconsciously& a%oi# going to the root of the problem. Professor Sachs& for e6ample says there is no alternative to coCoperation and a peaceful approach= but how to create a climate for such an approach2 'hat he does not discuss= it would appear that according to him& the sheer gravity of the situation would compel people to set aside their differences& start coCoperating and wor+ together. I venture to suggest that this is a halfChearted approach that would not deliver the goods. Instead& the real way to loo+ for solutions is via Swami#s teachings.

Gra%it' of Crisis Fails to Compel Cooperation

Implicitly& Professor Sachs is hoping that the latent goodness of humans would nudge them to cooperation and peaceful solutions. ,e does not say this e6plicitly but the way I see it& this idea is implicit in his solutions. Professor Sachs hopes that the goodness in man would come to the rescue but fails to refer to it& invo+e it and place firm faith in it.

(olution Must &e Roote# in the Truth a&out

uman Nature

;hat I would li+e to say is that we must &ol#l' recognise the latent goodness of humans and ma+e it the real starting point for finding solutions. Swami tells us repeatedly that we all are& without any e6ception whatsoever& spar+s of the *ivine and that !od is latent in each and every one of us. !od is Love and Love is !od& which means that pure and unselfish Love is also latent in us. :urther& since !od is infinite& Pure Love also is& both in e6tent and in its power. ,owever& this infinite reservoir with literally infinite power pac+ed in it& while latent in each individual& is not readily available. 4an must ma+e a special effort to plug into it& and if he does so& then the impossible becomes possible 8 that is the essence of my point.

$i%ine Proclamation *naugurates

ospital, Currenc' of Pure !o%e (ustains it

n the morning of November )H& IGGF& during ,is birthday discourse& Swami announced that e6actly one year from that day& a Super Speciality ,ospital would start functioning in Puttaparthi that would offer advanced medical treatment absolutely free& to everyone who comes& irrespective of caste& creed& race& religion or economic bac+ground. People wondered( .,ow is this possible2 Such a thing is not possible even in the richest country. No charitable organisation has ever done this= how can 9aba do this and that too in a village in the 'hird ;orld21 A few others said& . h& 9aba may get a hospital going but it would fold up -uic+ly= it simply is not possible to +eep it going in a village. *oes ,e +now what it ta+es to run a hospital that offers tertiary care21

Sri Sathya Sai %nstitute o# 'igher Medica! Sciences+ Prashanti Ni!ayam+ Puttaparthy Yet construction did start but it also faltered badly& moving in fits and starts. *r. Safaya was in charge of the hospital pro"ect. ,e is a man of much e6perience& having run the All Institute of 4edical Sciences in New *elhi for IP years. 'his is no ordinary hospital= it is a premier hospital with international reputation and has over a couple of doBen specialities. All our Presidents and Prime 4inisters go there for treatment& if they fall sic+. 'his same *r. Safaya& with so much topCclass e6perience& was now in charge of launching Swami#s hospital.

AnDiet' an# Panic Prece#e *nauguration

S,ami on the %nauguration day o# the Super Specia!ity 'ospita!+ Puttaparthi 'he day is November IP& IGGI= four more days to *C*ay& November ))& that is to say for the hospital to be inaugurated by the then Prime 4inister of India& the late 4r. P. >. Narasimha Rao. It was to be no ordinary inauguration= the opening would be celebrated not with speeches but a villager undergoing heart surgery0 It had never happened before& much less in a village in a 'hird ;orld country= and yet& that was what Swami had willed. 9ut what was the scene on the ground2 As late as November IP& things were far from ready= a top class hospital means so many things must be in perfect shape= and heart surgery2 'hat alone calls for so many e6tras= the theatre must not only be ready but completely sterile to international standards= besides& so many support services must be in readiness but hardly anything was.

*r. Safaya goes home late at night on November IP. ,e is daBed and feels absolutely depressed= utterly lost& he drops into his bed& sobbing= his wife is ta+en abac+ and as+s what is the matter. *r. Safaya says& .I have failed my 4aster= I cannot stay here anymore= I must -uietly pac+ up and leave. I thin+ we had better ma+e preparations.1 4rs. Safaya is made of sterner stuff and she replies& .9aba has made this Sanka!pa or resolve= ,e is !od= this ,ospital 9*!! start functioning at the appointed hour= have no doubt= catch a few hours sleep now and go bac+ to wor+ early tomorrow morning. /verything will be 7.1 *r. Safaya was so much down& he had very little energy to even protest= he "ust san+ into the bed. Ne6t morning& *r. Safaya goes for wor+& and finds there is a sea change= suddenly and most miraculously& things have started falling into place= oh yes& they were not perfect but that part needed to get the surgery done ))nd morning was perfect. 'hings moved in a blur& and presto& on the morning of November ))& the ,ospital 9A( blessed and the surgeon#s +nife #i# touch the patient#s s+in& e6actly as Swami had willed earlier& one year in advance in fact. ,ow do I +now all this2 :irstly& I was there on the morning of November )) IGGI but I must confess that at that time& I was not aware of this high drama. ,owever& later I heard all about it& and in fact& many of you might even have heard the broadcast of my conversation with *r. Safaya during which he gives a blowCbyCblow account of these historic events. Dust to complete that story& I might add that the hospital did not fold up as many predicted it would. Instead& it has not only functioned most successfully for almost twenty years but also set all +inds of world records& ma+ing medical history regularly& some of which has been chronicled in reputed International publications.

0he then Prime Minister o# %ndia+ the !ate Mr P V Narasimha &ao ,ith S,ami on the %nauguration Day o# the 'ospita!

Scene o# an operation being per#ormed at the Sri Sathya Sai Super Specia!ity 'ospita!

Some might sha+e their heads and dismiss this accomplishment saying& .All this is wonderful no doubt but you seem to forget that Swami is !od and what ,e wills is bound to happen for sure.1 Indeed& but are we not forgetting what Swami often tells us namely that we too are !od2 'he problem& as Swami reminds us again and again& is that we fail to recognise the *ivinity latent within us& and the enormous power it helps us to plug into.

Sailutions to 9orl# Crisis

;e earnestly need to reflect intensely on two things(

the problems that humanity is currently facing the way out via Swami#s teachings

/ach time anyone plays the .Swami is !od1 card and dismisses the hospital story as an isolated e6ample& they forget a pertinent fact that Swami consistently tells us about our reality& that we are also !od.

Go#7s !o%e %ersus

is Miracles

Some sceptics might counter that with a wry smile& adding& .5ome on& be serious0 5an you wave your hands and createvibhuti& for e6ample21 'hat is the usual counter ob"ection that is offered& and seems a convenient escape alley. ,owever& I as+ you( .Is !od represented by ,is miracles or ,is Love2 ,as not Swami told us so many times that ,is Love is far more important compared to the miracles that we all seem to adore and are loc+ed on to totally2 ,as not Swami assured us that the same Infinite Love is also latent within us21

Gi%ing Pure !o%e a Fair Chance

It is time for all of us to ta+e Pure Love far more seriousl'than we seem to. ;e appear to thin+ that Pure Love is something that is relevant onl' to Swami but not to us. 'his is not true. Dust consider this( Swami has performed so many incredible miracles& especially in the Paatha Mandiram ? ld 4andir@ days& that is& between IGJF and IGMF. And yet& that same Swami who too+ on a devotee#s paralytic attac+ and subse-uently cured ,imself& has recently gone through four fractures 8 not one but four& two in the same leg and two in the same hand. ,e can easily cure ,imself& but ,e does not. ;hy2 *uring the e6ecution of the Anantapur *rin+ing ;ater Pro"ect& there was a time when there was acute money shortage. *o you +now what Swami did then2 ,e mortgaged some of the property of the 5entral 'rust to raise cash. 5an !od ever run out of wealth2

(ai Mission Propelle# -' Pure !o%e, Not is Miracles He stresses that when $od comes in human form& He will act human most of the time& including by facing financial pinch& suffering fractures and what not. 1hat I am driving at is that instead of ta%ing refuge under the miracle alibi& we should rather loo% at how Swami faces worldly problems and difficulties through sheer perseverance and of course selfless love& service and purity.

Transformation of Puttaparthi -ears Testimon' to the Po"er of !o%e an# Perse%erance

Reflect on this. *o you +now how bac+ward Puttaparthi was way bac+ in IGJF when Swami left school to serve humanity2 'here was not even a road leading to Puttaparthi at that time. 'o come here& you had to first ma+e your way somehow to the village 7arnata+anagepalli across the road and then wal+ across River 5hitravathi. Loo+ around Puttaparthi today= after doing that& ta+e wal+ across the river to 7arnata+anagepalli= if you don#t li+e wal+ing& you can now drive down along a causeway. You will see what an enormous difference there is between the two places I am mentioning. Indeed since IGGF& there has been a sea change in Puttaparthi 8 so many cars& high rise buildings& electronic ban+ing& A'4s& shopping baBaars& internet cafes& etc.

+plift (temme# at (ource, Not &' Force

People in India are all the time tal+ing about rural development. ,ow did this miraculous change occur here2 *id Swami get involved in it2 *id ,e persuade the government to do something or did ,e ta+e a loan from the ;orld 9an+2 ,e did not do anything of that sort= seemingly& it sort of happened all by itself. ;hat was actually responsible was Swami#s Love that drew people from all over the world ma+ing this town the Spiritual 5apital of the world& nay the universe. 'hat in turn& produced its own spiritual chemistry which then had a dominos effect upon all other human endeavours and pursuits. 'he core force came from the source within& namely pure love. ;e cannot therefore underestimate or dismiss the power of love in its most organic& universal and unconditional form.

ope, Optimism, Confi#ence Necessar' for (afeguar#ing Collecti%e Futures

Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. I must first of all than+ the many readers who have ta+en the trouble to convey their reactions to this series= for me personally& this is most encouraging. 4any are impatient to get to !od0 9elieve me& everything I am telling you right now is all about !od and ,is mnipresence0 ,owever& there are many subtleties where *ivinity is concerned& and we must get there step by step. 4eanwhile& I do hope you are finding this "ourney and the -uest we are involved in to be e6citing.

"rtist's depi tion of os illating strings1 the heart of every string theory so far... ne month has gone by since we last got together& and it is only appropriate that I begin with small recall of where we had reached last time. It all started with our going on a grand tour of the <niverse. ;e then tried to en-uire into how the <niverse came into e6istence and that& we discovered& re-uired us to brush up a little bit about the basics of physics of the small. After that we found out that till recently& even bigCshot physicists did not +now much about microscopic world& and are only recently beginning to e6plore it with great intensity and much passion. Part of the reason why such studies are being underta+en only now is that when one starts loo+ing at the basic building bloc+s of matter& e6perimental studies become very difficult. 'hey also become very e6pensive& ma+ing it necessary for many countries to get together to perform such e6periments. ,owever& to recall briefly the essence of what we covered in the last few issues& the big shift is that physicists have now started building up a picture of matter based on tiny strings rather than particles. 'his is what String 'heory is all about. String 'heory started on a rather modest tone and at that time it was hardly noticed= -uite normal. 'hen came many "umps and e6citing developments and soon many young bright .+ids1 began to enter the String 'heory arena& because it was full of elegant mathematical challenges. 'his may sound very strange to you but maths has a great beauty and charm= it may be called the .classical music1 of science. 'he .elders1 of particle physics who in the beginning ignored all this and then became condescending& now began to turn cynical& as+ing& .So what good does all this do2 String 'heory has not helped in understanding anything specific and spectacular in physics. 9ig deal01 ;ell& that bridge could in fact be crossed in the not too distant future& and this issue is going to start on that part of the story. In brief& it is going to be about what String 'heory has to say about the ultimate fate of the <niverse. 'here are many ways in which this connection can be presented= I wish to do it basing myself on a very interesting boo+ I recently came across. 'his boo+ entitled -ndless Universe 2 3eyond the 3ig 3ang is what I am going to base my narrative on. 'here are& of course& any number of boo+s and later& I shall cite some of them. 'he boo+ I am drawing from is perhaps as good as many others= I am using this as the template because someone was +ind enough to give that to me as a gift $0% and it certainly is most absorbing.

'his boo+ has two authors& Paul Steinhardt of America and Neil 'uro+ from /ngland . In the beginning& they did not even +now each other= each entered Physics with his own personal interest but destiny brought them together against a bac+ground of a series of international events and these events illustrate beautifully how Physics evolves by people with very different talents and perspectives coming together. 9y the way& this often happens and one of the classic e6amples I can thin+ right off the bat is the incredible discovery made by :rancis 5ric+ and Dames ;atson of the structure of the *NA. I am sure you must have read the amaBing story of that discovery in ;atson#s immensely popular boo+ The Double $eli0.

Prof. Paul 0. (teinhar#t

Paul 0. (teinhar#t& the Albert /instein Professor in Science at Princeton <niversity & is on the faculty of the *epartment of Physics and the *epartment of Astrophysical Sciences& and Associate *irector of the Princeton 5enter for 'heoretical Physics. ,e received his 9.S. in Physics at 5altech in IGAJ= his 4.A. in Physics in IGAM and Ph.*. in Physics in IGAP at ,arvard <niversity . ,e was a Dunior :ellow in the ,arvard Society of :ellows from IGAPCPI and on the faculty of the *epartment of Physics and Astronomy at the <niversity of Pennsylvania from IGPICGP& where he was 4ary Amanda ;ood Professor from IGPGCGP. ,e is a :ellow in the American Physical Society and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. In )FF)& he received the P.A.4. *irac 4edal from the International 5entre for 'heoretical Physics. Steinhardt is a theorist whose research spans problems in particle physics& astrophysics& cosmology and condensed matter physics. ,e is one of the architects of the XXinflationary modelS of the universe& an important modification

of the standard big bang picture which e6plains the homogeneity and geometry of the universe and the origin of the fluctuations that seeded the formation of gala6ies and largeCscale structure. ,e introduced the concepts of S-uintessence&UU a dynamical form of dar+ energy that may account for the recently discovered cosmic acceleration. ,e has also e6plored novel models for dar+ matter. In condensed matter physics& Steinhardt and *ov Levine ?'echnion@ introduced the concept of -uasicrystals& a new phase of solid matter with disallowed crystallographic symmetries& and Steinhardt has continued to ma+e contributions to understanding their uni-ue mathematical and physical properties. Recently& he has wor+ed with ;eining 4an ? Princeton @ and Paul 5hai+in ?NY<@ to develop a photonic -uasicrystal for efficiently trapping and manipulating light in selected wavebands. ,e has written over )FF papers& has edited J boo+s& and has several <.S. patents.

Prof. Neil Geoffre' Turo)

Neil Geoffre' Turo) was born in IGMP in Dohannesburg & South Africa & the son of 4ary and 9en 'uro+ activists in the antiCapartheid movement and the African National 5ongress.. 5urrently he holds the 5hair of 4athematical Physics at 5ambridge <niversity . After graduating from 5hurchill 5ollege & 5ambridge & Neil gained his doctorate from Imperial 5ollege & London & under the supervision of Professor *avid live& one of the inventors of superstring theory. After a postdoctoral post at Santa 9arbara & he was an associate scientist at :ermilab& 5hicago. In IGG) he was awarded the Dames 5ler+ 4a6well medal of the Institute of Physics for his contributions to theoretical physics. In IGGJ he was appointed Professor of Physics at Princeton <niversity & and before moving to his current position in 5ambridge in IGGA. 'uro+ has wor+ed in a number of areas of mathematical physics and early universe physics& focusing on observational tests of fundamental physics in cosmology. In the early GFUs his group showed how the polarisation and

temperature anisotropies of the cosmic bac+ground radiation $549% would be correlated& a prediction which has been confirmed in detail by recent precision measurements by the ;4AP satellite. 'hey also developed a +ey test for the presence of a cosmological constant& also recently confirmed. 'uro+ and collaborators developed the theory of open inflation. ;ith Stepehen ,aw+ing& he later developed the soCcalled ,aw+ingC 'uro+ instanton solutions& which can describe the birth of an inflationary universe.. In )FFH& Professor 'uro+ founded the African Institute for 4athematical Sciences in 4uiBenberg& a postgraduate educational centre supporting the development of mathematics and science across the African continent. ,e was awarded the )FFP '/* PriBe for his wor+ in mathematical physics and his wor+ through the Institute in 4uiBenberg.

ur story begins in 4arch IGPF& Paul Steinhardt then being a Dunior :ellow in the Society of :ellows& ,arvard <niversity . ,e comes to +now that one *r. Alan !uth of Stanford is going to deliver a seminar on the Inflationary <niverse& and decides to attend. ,e goes because this is a wee+ly seminar where one often hears bold ideas discussed by people wor+ing in frontier areas. 'he seminars focussed on topics in particle physics& the area in which Paul was immersed in at that time= a tal+ on cosmology in the ,arvard Seminar was somewhat unusual and Paul decided to give it a try. And when he went there& he was happy to see all the local stars including many Nobel PriBe winners and his own Ph.* thesis advisor were there. So far so good.

Dr. "lan !uth 'o continue& !uth gave his tal+. It was very unusual 8 not surprising since the topic& cosmology was something only a few bothered about. Paul recalls& .I was stupefied. !uth had pieced together concepts from three disparateC disciplines of physics 8 grand unification theories $which try to unify the electromagnetic& wea+ and strong forces under one umbrella%& general relativity and thermodynamics ? the study of how systems change with temperature@ all areas that I en"oyed and +new well& and he had applied them to a sub"ect I +new nothing about& cosmology& with revolutionary effect.1 /ven as Paul was beginning to be thrilled& something happened= Paul again( .'hen came the crashT..$!uth then% e6plained why the bold and beautiful inflationary idea was doomed to dismal failure. 'he very mechanism that solved the cosmological problems made it impossible for the rapid e6plosion to end. Inflation& once begun& would continue for ever01 Reading this& you might wonder why I did not mention anything about this in the earlier issue wherein I introduced you to the idea of cosmic inflation. 'here I told you that the incredible inflation was shut off pretty -uic+ly. I was telling you there about something what emerged after the initial bug had been fi6ed. 9ac+ to Paul( .I simply could not believe that such a beautiful idea could fail so catastrophically. Immediately after the lecture& I tried to see if I could find a flaw by e6amining each step of the analysis and by chec+ing it using other methods. As I became more frustrated& I became more e6cited. I realiBed that whether inflation could be saved or not& there were more important problems to be solved. If inflation failed& it only meant that a new solution to the cosmological problems had to be found. I figured that I would divert my attention from my ongoing research for a month or two to see if I could concoct a solution= then& after this brief so"ourn into cosmology& I would return to my research on -uantum field theory. Needless to say& I was naYve= twentyCsi6 years later& I am still wor+ing on cosmology.1 ;ell& that tells you something about the compelling magnetism of this sub"ect& does it not20 Let me get on with the story& Paul#s side that is. ,e was now hoo+ed on cosmology& and struggling to fi6 the problems that e6isted then in the inflation picture. Slowly& he drifted towards ma+ing a place for -uantum fluctuations. As you might recall& in an earlier issue& I had pointed out how Linde had independently incorporated this feature and finally came to a model of his own= what we now learn is that Paul Steinhardt also was drifting in the same direction& along with a few associates of course. n the way& there were moments of doubt= as Paul recalls& .'urner $a collaborator at that time% and I realised that the -uantum fluctuations could spell triumph or tragedy for inflation.1

Dr. Stephen $awking authored the now famous book1 '" 3rief $istory of Time' 4any were on the same trac+ and& as Paul notes& by the summer of IGP)& it had become a redChot topic. Around that time& Stephen ,aw+ing in 5ambridge was organising a wor+shop& intended to bring together some of the active wor+ers& so that ideas could be e6changed and the fog cleared to some e6tent& if possible. ver to Paul now& for his recall of the wor+shop( .So& the wor+shop began with three draft papers with three different answers& and four different mathematical approaches& some spelled out and some not. *espite the chaos it caused at the outset of the meeting& having different approaches proved to be important for crac+ing the problem& because the calculation was subtle and comple6 mista+es were easy to ma+e no matter which method was used. Also& each method was appro6imate& to some degree& invo+ing various simplifications and assumptions that made the calculations tractable. It was essential to have alternative methods to see if the different appro6imations gave answers.1 4ay be I should clarify one point here. ne thing the inflation picture ha# to ma+e room for was for gala6ies to be born& in billions really0 You might as+& .what#s the problem21 ;ell& let us say the inflation fattened the 9aby <niverse enormously and then ended. :ine. ,owever& if at the end of the inflation& the resulting <niverse is very smooth, then there would be no chance for gala6ies to nucleate and grow= there must be some tiny fluctuations in density at the end of the inflation so that in some regions of space at least& there are poc+ets of higher density that form the seeds from which gala6ies could sprout and grow. At the end of the wor+shop organised by ,aw+ins& the models did allow room for seeds for gala6ies& that is to say& the <niverse which emerged after inflation did have density fluctuations that allowed gala6ies to form and grow. 9ut there was a problem and a big one too 8 the fluctuations in density that the various models offered were far too &ig for comfort. 'he prediction proved to be wrong soon after results from the satellite ;4AP started becoming available. If you recall& and I had described earlier what this satellite and the later one 5 9/ did& the satellites measured temperature fluctuations in the bac+ground cosmic radiation. ;hile the theory forecast fluctuations of several degrees& e6periments reported something a thousand times or more smaller. 5learly& that was a big set bac+.

Aspen *nstitute for Theoretical Ph'sics RA*TPF

"spen, 7olorado, nestled in the (o ky Mountains A digression on Aspen is very essential to highlight how much scientific research has changed from the highly individual enterprise it used to be till the end of the nineteenth century. Since then& the emergence of rapid transport& advanced communication facilities& and of course generous funding by enlightened agencies& have together promoted retreats& that earlier were the privilege of philosophers and writers. Aspen is a scenic spot nestling in the American Roc+ies in State of 5olorado . :or long& it was a muchC soughtCafter hide out for city fol+ wanting to escape the rate race. In the postCwar years& it also became a retreat for scholars who could withdraw there to reflect deeply on various scholarly matters. And& out of this practice was born the Aspen Institute for ,umanistic Studies. In IGLI& two physicists approached 'he Aspen Institute for ,umanistic Studies with an intriguing idea. 'he scientists& !eorge Stranahan of the 5arnegie Institute of 'echnology and 4ichael 5ohen of the <niversity of Pennsylvania & proposed a uni-ue sort of research center where theoretical physicists might gather in the summer. It would be an unstructured environment& free

from distractions& where physicists could wor+ unfettered by their normal responsibilities.

Dr. Mi hael 7ohen 'he idea was warmly received and soon it was agreed that as a part of the Aspen Institute& there would be a new division called the Aspen Institute for 'heoretical Physics $AI'P% would be the newest division of the Aspen Institute. 'he Aspen Institute would set aside part of its Aspen 4eadows campus for use by the physicists. In turn& the physicists would be responsible for raising funds for their own buildings and operations and would depend on their own institutions or research grants for their summer salaries and living e6penses. 9y IGL)& the AI'P was functional and by IGLP& it had become a great success& gaining worldCwide recognition. 'he Aspen 5entre for Physics is specifically designed to promote innovative research and collaboration. Aspen is a chic little town nestled high up in the Roc+y 4ountain . 'he 5entre for Physics provides a rela6ed atmosphere where people could wor+& tal+& and "ust hang out. 'here are of course formal presentations but most of the wor+ is actually done during informal sessions& long wal+s and even picnics. 'he usual ratCrace atmosphere is absent& and with people with

diverse interests and bac+grounds converging& many novel ideas are born and new collaborations are forged. At lunch time& everyone "oined in volleyball games& but even here& people on the sidelines waiting for their turn to play discussed physics. It all might sound li+e a holiday camp but but behind the apparent rela6ed atmosphere& the focus on physics is intense.

The "spen %nstitute 'oday& along with the Aspen Institute& the 4usic Associates of Aspen and the International *esign 5onference in. Aspen& it is part of the Aspen 4eadows 5ampus& which e6ists as a uni-ue and special community of artists& scholars and scientists. ,ere& the essence of the wor+ lies in thought and communication. ften& it ta+es place on the benches under the trees& in the halls between the offices& on the trails behind the campus or hi+ing in the surrounding mountains. 'here are few distractions or responsibilities& few rules or demands. Physicists wor+ at their own speeds and in their own ways( alone or together& at the des+& at the blac+board or in a chair on the lawn. :re-uently& a casual& spontaneous discussion gives rise to a new collaboration. Activities outside the 5enter are encouraged. *oBens of bicycles fill the rac+s outside the buildings.

'opographical maps cover the lobby walls suggesting hi+ing locations. 'he shady streets of Aspen Us ;est /nd invite long wal+s. 'he musicians in the nearby 4usic :estival 'ent fill the air with music. And as the founders anticipated& even while participating in these activities& the physicists continue to e6change ideas& returning refreshed& and eager to immerse themselves once again in their individual research sub"ects. Physicists who come to Aspen in the summer often bring their families. /vening picnics at the 5enter have become a tradition& encouraging ties that are personal as well as professional. In a few cases& children who came to the 5enter with their parents are now young physicists attending summer sessions in their own right. 'he international participants come from universities& private research laboratories and government laboratories and they include young scientists as well as those who are better established. ;hile participants must provide their own salaries& the 5enter does offer a SdislocationS allowance based upon need to help defray the cost of housing. All of the housing is provided through the 5enter. 'he Physics 5enter ma+es a special effort to bring distinguished physicists from abroad by paying part of the cost of their foreign travel. 'he 5enter has also hosted several "oint <.S.K<.S.S.R. cooperative programs. Physicists have found the AspenC so"ourn a real !odCsend. :or many& the demands of teaching and administration often interfered with research and scientific thought. :or these and many such others& who had an urgent need to catch up& Aspen was where they could reCcharge their batteries& because& among other things& the wonderful setting offered an e6cellent chance for -uiet reflection& and gearing up to new challenges.

In the summer of IGPH& many theorists gathered at the resort station Aspen in 5olorado to ponder about the whole issue. Paul goes there and along the side& he has another "ob 8 to conduct a Ph.* viva voce e6amination of a candidate named Neil 'uro+ of Imperial 5ollege & London & whose thesis had been sent earlier to Paul for scrutiny. And this is where Neil enters the picture and let us now turn to his part of the story. 9ut before that& a few parting words from Paul( .9ecause both Neil and his adviser& *avid live& were attending the Aspen wor+shop& Neil#s oral presentation was arranged to ta+e place at the Aspen Institute on some afternoon during our time there 8 a fanciful location for a thesis defence& to be sure. Although Neil#s thesis was mostly mathematical in nature& with only one section somewhat related to cosmology& I decided to focus on that portion during the oral presentation. I wanted to test whether he had any serious interest in this area. I was very impressed by the outcome. Although he was obviously new to cosmology& Neil displayed an unusual combination of technical prowess& creativity& and selfCconfidence. I passed him& of course. 9ut in addition to that& I made a mental note to follow this talented fellow#s career and loo+ for an opportunity to collaborate with him in the future.1 'hat had to wait for many years though.

7osmi Strings1 one theory of spaghetti+like strands that stret hed out to form our universe ;e now turn to Neil 'uro+ whose love affair with physics began in IGPF during the final year of his undergraduate studies in 5ambridge <niversity . At that time& he attended a lecture given by Stephen ,aw+ing= the title was provocative( %s the -nd in sight for Physi s9 9asically& ,aw+ing was thin+ing aloud whether a 'heory of /verything was finally in sight. Neil found that tal+ so stimulating that he decided that he would plunge into 'heoretical Physics and immediately went around loo+ing for a suitable thesis adviser. ,e found one in *avid live& a brilliant and original mathematical physicist. ;hen the time came& live set Neil 'uro+ a real tough problem to solve& very mathematical in character. At this point& let us hear Neil himself( .Near the end of the pro"ect& concerned that my research was too formal and abstract to connect with the real world& I wandered into the office of one of my professors& 'om 7ibble& to e6press my frustration. 7ibble is one of the <nited 7ingdom #s most distinguished theoretical physicists.T A few years earlier& 7ibble had realiBed that many unified theories automatically predicted that ob"ects called cosmicstrings would form in the e6treme conditions of the hot early universe. 5osmic strings are thin strands of concentrated energy that crisscross space in a spaghettiCli+e networ+ and progressively straighten themselves out as the universe e6pands.1 'here were even suggestions that there could be some connection between cosmic strings and gala6y formation. Neil again( .Intrigued by the potentially spectacular lin+ between fundamental physics and cosmology& I started wor+ing with 7ibble on cosmic strings while finishing my main Ph.* pro"ect.1 So that was how Neil 'uro+ started wor+ing on topics that bridged particle physics and cosmology& involving strings in particular. 9efore I proceed further& I cannot resist the temptation to ma+e a comment or two about the father of 'om

7ibble. 'he reason is simply this= 'om#s father& *r. ;.:. 7ibble was a Professor of 4athematics in the college where I had studied& the 4adras 5hristian 5ollege in 4adras 8 that was in the late forties and early fifties. I never attended any classes ta+en by *r. 7ibble but he was very well +nown as an e6tremely absentCminded professor. And sure enough& there were many 7ibble "o+es& all harmless of course& po+ing mild fun at this very fine and +indly gentleman. ne of these is the following( 'here used to be right in front of the college building a big sunCdial 8 a cloc+ where you read the time via the shadow cast by the sun on the specially made dial. 'he story goes that one evening& *r. 7ibble returning from a long wal+ wanted to +now what time it was. It was dar+ and he had no watch. 9ut he had a torch and he then went to the sundial and shone the torch on it to find out the time0 9it unfair but then& as always& I suppose boys would be boys. 9y the way& I wonder whether son 'om ever spent time in the campus with his father. Probably he went to school in /ngland but I am sure he must have come now and then to India to be with his parents. Anyway& getting on with our main story& we now cut to Aspen where Neil went with his adviser and there faced the viva by Paul& his future collaborator. 9ac+ to Neil( .After my thesis defence in Aspen & there was champagne all around. As all of us celebrated& we speculated about where the new field of particle cosmology might lead. 'he growing problems in the theories of inflation and grand unification $of all the fundamental forces in physics% were worrisome& but the mood was nevertheless sanguine. 4any anticipated that the setbac+s would be minor and that particle physicists& cosmologists& and astronomers would henceforth wor+ together in a powerful& combined discipline that would advance our +nowledge of& simultaneously& the very large and the very small.1 'hings did not -uite turn out that way. Not only did the anticipated collaboration between Paul and Neil not form immediately& but& even more generally& particle physicists and cosmologists went their own ways. ;e cut now to IGGL when Neil& after a spell in America & was now bac+ in 5ambridge . 'he big interest was on what +ind of temperature fluctuations were re-uired in the early universe to trigger gala6y formation. ver now to Neil to hear what happened then(

Dr. )alery (ubakov .It was with a very open mind that I decided to propose a scientific program at the Isaac Newton Institute for 4athematical Sciences in 5ambridge devoted to cuttingCedge issues in cosmology. TT 'o develop the proposal I needed some coCorganiBers& and it did not ta+e me long to decide who the ideal choices would be.1 It would be Paul Steinhardt in America and >alery Ruba+ov& of the Institute for Nuclear Research in 4oscow . Neil again( .'o my delight& both Paul and >alery accepted immediately. ;e decided to +ic+ off the program with two conferences( one on the latest developments on the observational side and one on new theoretical ideas.... In the final month as the $second% meeting approached& more and more people signed up to attend. 'he meeting was a huge success TTTTT 'he Isaac Newton Institute meeting was above all& a vital stimulus to our own research. It

convinced us that& finally& string theory and superCgravity has something really interesting and new to say about the cosmos. After more than a decade& Paul and I had finally converged on a pro"ect we wanted to pursue together.1 ;hat was that2 ;ell& the short answer to that is( !iving the 9ig 9ang a new and origina twist0 'hat is e6citing& is it not2 ;hat e6actly was that new twist2 Ah& for that you would have to wait till the ne6t issue0 4eanwhile& I wish to ma+e "ust two comments here. 'he first is that what we get as science news in boo+s& magaBines& radio and '> is li+e a finished movie= we get to see and hear only about the endCresult. In the present instalment& I have made a deliberate attempt to give you a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes& how scientists too stumble& grope for& fail and try once more& and so on in their -uest to unravel the mysteries of Nature. Also& how they are obsessed with the -uest. 'hat is why a famous Indian scientist Sir 5. >. Raman $about whom Swami often spea+s to students% once said& .Science is a very "ealous mistress&1 meaning she does not allow her devotees much time to get involved in other things. ;hen two scientists who are intensely engaged in research meet& they start tal+ing shop before even saying hello. And if they happen to be competitors& they carefully guard all information about what they are doing& even as the other person is desperately engaged in a fishing e6pedition0 All this is fascinating colour and bac+ground no doubt but one reason why I am ma+ing a special point about including this .local flavour1 if I might call it that is to stress that when the chips are down& all soCcalled great people& be they artists& musicians& writers& sportspersons& scientists& and so on& are as much susceptible to human wea+nesses such as rivalry& "ealousy& and so on. 'hat said& it is an empirical fact that a large percentage of scientists who are properly trained& do try to be as ob"ective as possible while ma+ing their "udgement 8 that is their nature= this is "ust li+e doctors by and large being instinctively compassionate. Now what is the point I am trying to ma+e with all this blah2 In fact& is there any2 You bet there is0 And that is the following( Science today has become too powerful= which means its management and steering must be overseen by society as a whole so that science and technology are not hi"ac+ed by unscrupulous interests whose only goal is to ma+e a fast buc+. If you thin+ about it for a while& you would -uic+ly realise how important this responsibility is. ,ow is society to ma+e sure that it acts as a good watchCdog2 9y itself being solidly committed to morals& to Sathya and Dharma. And when would that happen2 ;hen each and every individual human being himself or herself as the case may be& becomes a devotee of Sathya and Dharma. So& if we call ourselves devotees of Swami& we had better start with a simple selfCchec+( .I call myself a devotee of Swami but am I also a real devotee of Sathya& Dharma& Prema& Shanti and Ahimsa21 Let our 5onscience spea+ and give the answer= don#t let ego reply0 So long& and ta+e care0 4ay all be well with you in the meanwhile00 Dai Sai Ram.

If there ever was a moment in history which was not the time for doubt& hesitation& cynicism or a sense of despair& it is now& especially for those of us who live in the awareness of Swami#s presence and mission on earth. 'he rest of

humanity& scholars and politicians included& can succumb to doubts and despair if it wants to& but we should not sin+ with them. If we firmly believe that Swami is with us& can we ever fail2 Let us all banish that doubt& and ta+e a bold step forward for our beloved Sai& our beautiful Swami.

Is it not time we start really doing something for Him instead of .ust offering trin%ets= 1hy fear we would not succeed when He is here and has also given us the assurance that He would be with us all the way= All that is re(uired is for us to dare& and ta%e one step forward in the right direction. The world is an8iously waiting and we should not fail it7 $od is here to nudge us and indeed He is doing it constantly. It is time for us to respond and ta%e a bold step forward7
Dai Sai Ram.

89e #o not fin# the performance of sacre# rituals li)e 'aBnas an# 'agas an'"here else in the "orl#. People thin) that onl' offering o&lations in fire is /agna, &ut the true /agna is offering oneself to Go#, to please Go# an# to &ecome "orth' of is lo%e.; In fact& what the Athi Rudra 4aha Yagnam really did is it light this fire of inner Yagna in the hearts of thousands who witnessed the grand spectacle. 8E%en more enthralling than simultaneous Ve#ic chanting,; *r. Sadanand from <SA says& 8"ere the "or#s #eli%ere# &' the One from "hom the Ve#as, an# in#ee#, the uni%erse itself originate#. *t remin#e# me that it is more imperati%e no" than e%er &efore for all in#i%i#uals to hee# the "or#s of -haga"an an# cherish the lo%ing touch of the $i%ine A%atar in our li%es.; ("ami tells us "hat the true 'agnam is Spea+ing to a group of students on one occasion& 9hagawan ,imself as+ed& 89hat is the meaning of /agna:; And then went ,imself went on to e6plain& 8An' action that 'ou perform, if 'ou offer the fruit thereof to the !or#, it &ecomes a /agna. *n other "or#s, a true /agna in%ol%es unit' of min#, action an# "or#s.; 89e Nee# To Re#e#icate Our !i%es; . (ri Vina' Kumar It is to remind one and all of this inner Yagnam is what the real purpose of Athi Rudra 4aha Yagnam is. 8*t is time to &e rea#' at -haga"an7s call, an# to me it is not onl' a Cuestion of &eing an eDample &ut also to &e rea#' to sacrifice an# use all m' strength to meet challenges of a transformation in m' life,; said 5ecilia Parisi :rascati from Italy. Sri >inay 7umar& the youth leader emphasiBed this very significant aspect of the Yagna on the final day of the celebrations when he said& 8Efforts to"ar#s "orl# peace are happening "hether this /agna happens or not. This "as #one onl' to put us on the right path. Onl' to gi%e us the thought process that "e nee# to #e#icate our li%es to"ar#s this en#. An# this surel' is onl' a &eginning. The real "or) starts

Re"ar#ing a "orth' ser%ant

"hen e%er' single soul sitting o%er here an# the rest of humanit' sits up an# thin)s "hat one nee#s to #o to ta)e all the aims that ("ami has set out for us an# con%ert them into realit'.; 5aptain ng from Singapore who was there for the penultimate and last day of the Yagna says& 80ust last month, on the Jth of 0ul', one of the main intentions of the chanting &' the group Ti&etan mon)s in Prasanthi Nila'am in is #i%ine presence "as for the peace of the "orl# an# to#a', our Most !o%ing -haga"an ha# uppe# the scale an# gran#eur of is $i%ine 9ill "ith this Maha /agna an# the forth coming one in Chennai. e so %er' much "ants to confer upon us the peace an# &liss that is our %er' nature. !et7s us all open our hearts so that Go# ma' #o is "or) so that there "ill &e peace in the "orl#.;

8$e%elop $e%otion, Gol#en One?; . -haga"an -a&a ;hether we understand world peace or not& whether we understand Swami#s grand mission or not& one thing we can do which will ta+e care of our personal welfare as well as the welfare of the world and which Swami emphasiBed over and over again during ,is discourses all the eleven days is C love for !od. Swami said on the very first discourse itself& 8$e%elop #e%otion, bangaru Rgol#en onesF? /ou must &e immerse# in #e%otion, not #eep ocean. *t is onl' such #e%otion that "ill ta)e 'ou to the $i%ine.;

1/ou must &e immerse# in #e%otion1 6 -haga"an 8This 'agna, for me, "as a manifestation of lo%e; said ,arry !eurts& >isiting :aculty from the Netherlands. All we have to do is to light this fire of !od#s love in our hearts. 'his is our true Yagna. nce guarded and protected with enthusiasm and concentration& this is what will purify us& energise us& enlighten us and one day help us merge into that pure ocean of consciousness that divinity is all about. *ear Reader& how did you li+e this cover story2 ;as it informative and inspiring2 ;ould suggestions do you have for our future cover stories2 Please let us +now at h)hVradiosai.org. Please mention your name and country when you write to us. 'han+ you for your time. . eart4 eart team