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"Suklambaradaram Vishnum Sashivarnam
Chathurbhujam Prasanna Vadanam Dhyayeth
Saravavignopa Shantaye"

One who wears a white dress; One who is omnipresent;
One who shines like the Moon; One who has four hands;
One who has a beautiful and shining face;
One who wards off all obstacles. I meditate on Him.

1

TODAY is the Birthday of Rama who is Dharma itself. He is Veda Dharma in Human Form. He is Anandaswarupa and Dharmaswarupa. On this holy day of Ramnavami you must immerse yourself in the Atma as Dharmaswarupa as the motivator of the moral life. Rama is "Atma Rama" in every being. There is no place where Rama is not. He is imminent and eternal. Rama for you should mean the Path He trod, the ideal He held aloft, and the Ordinance He laid down. They are eternal and timeless. Now you worship His Form, you repeat His name; ignoring His orders. Without practicing the discipline laid down by Rama to purify the mind, all else is mere show, empty rituals. Contemplate on this unique day to obtain Godhood. Use it not for feasting, picnics, hikes, watching films, playing games, gambling, etc. The Immortal had come in the form of Rama to show the way to Immortality.

2

THE four brothers Rama, Lakshmana, Bharatha and Satrughna represent the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas. When man neglects the Divine aspect of their natures and the awareness of the Omnipresent and Omnipotent OM, he falls prey to the impulses and instincts dominated by the ego and develop faith in material gains. He spends his life in amassing wealth, power and authority over fellow-beings and believes that holding others under his sway is a desirable achievement. If there were a vacancy in Heaven, he would surely apply for the position of God, for he believes that he has all the necessary attributes.

3

THE Ramayana has a deep undercurrent of significant meaning. Dasaratha means: he who rides in a chariot of ten, that is to say, Man. He is tied up with three Gunas or three wives, as in the Ramayana. He has four sons, the Purusharthas; Dharma (Rama), Artha (Lakshmana), Kama (Bharatha) and Moksha (Satrughna). These four aims of man have to be systematically realised, always with the last one, Moksha, clearly before the eye. Lakshmana represents the Buddhi or intellect and Sita is Truth. Hanuman is the Mind and the repository of courage, if controlled and trained. Sugriva, the master of Hanuman, is Discrimination. With these to help him, Rama seeks the Truth and succeeds. That is the lesson of the Epic to every man.

4

RAMA is Dharma personified. "Vignahavak Dharmah". Rama is the Supreme Exemplar of the Virtues that man must cultivate so that he might live as a master, husband, son, brother, friend or even foe. The other three brothers of Rama personify the other three ideals. Bharatha is the embodiment of Sathya; Satrughna of Shanti; and Lakshmana of Prema. Study the Ramayana with the aim of imbibing from it the ideals for happy living, for making this life worthwhile and you will be amply rewarded. Then you can deservedly style yourselves "Devotees" of the Lord.

5

THE Ramayana is a guidebook, a sacred text, an inspiring scripture for every man in all lands, whatever his creed or condition might be. It imparts poise, balance, equanimity, inner strength and peace. Peace is the best treasure, without it power, authority, fame and fortune are all dry and burdensome. Thyagaraja has sung that there can be no happiness without inner peace.

6

WHY is it that the world reveres Rama and revolts at Ravana? Rama is not the uncle's son or Ravana the step-mother's child! It is the kinship of the spirit, innate goodness, responding lovingly, adoringly to the goodness in Rama; and reacting revoltingly to the wickedness of Ravana. It is not enough, nor is it essential that you should repeat the name of Rama loudly; respect it in the fullness of love and admiration. If you have no spring of love in you, dig into your heart with external instruments like Puja, Stotra, etc. and it will start to flow.

7

VIBHISHANA, Ravana's own brother, chastised him for his willfulness and lust and urged him to save himself, his kingdom and his kith and kin by restoring Sita unharmed to her Lord. When Vibhishana went over to Rama, Rama knew that he had a pure heart and that he could not survive the poisonous atmosphere of Lanka. So He took him and saved him. The Lord likes to be called "Aarthathraana-paraayana" more than any other name, for He is most happy when He rescues those in agony.

8

YOU talk glibly of Ramarajya, but how can it be established if you do not emulate Rama? He was "Vignahavaan Dharmah", the very Embodiment  of Dharma. He never deviated from it. Dasaratha means one who is master of the ten Senses, the five Karmendriyas and the five Jnanendriyas; that is to say, the successful Sadhaka. Such a person can have the holy progeny of the four Purusharthas-Dharma (Rama), Artha (Lakshmana), Kama (Bharatha) and Moksha (Satrughna). Become a Dasaratha and save that holy progeny as a gift from God.

9

HANUMAN succeeded in coordinating his thought, word and act. Therefore he had the unique distinction of being great in physical strength, mental stability and virtuous character. He shines as an invaluable gem among the personalities of the Ramayana. He was also a great scholar, who had mastered, of all things, the six schools of grammar. He knew the four Vedas and the six Sastras. The Gita says that a scholar is one who sees the same Divine force motivating everyone. "Pandithaha Samadarsinha". Hanuman was a good example of this outlook.

10

HANUMAN spoke to the brothers in sweet, gentle and pleasing words. Rama was struck by the grammatical accuracy of his sentences. They readily answered all his queries; and Hanuman was satisfied with their bona fides. He offered to take them to his Master and Monarch. The Darshan (sight) and first Mana of Rama had removed all his sins; their Sparshan (touch) burnt away all the consequences of his deeds in previous lives; and their Sambashan (conversation) filled his mind with joy. That is the experience of all who welcome the impact of Divinity.

11

HANUMAN became the messenger of Rama. There are three classes of messengers: those who do not understand the orders of the Master or do not care to understand and who operate to the detriment of the work assigned them; those who do only just as much as the order literally communicates; and those who grasp the purpose and significance of the orders and carry them out unflinchingly until the purpose is achieved. Hanuman belonged to the last category.

12

YOU find some one parade all of a sudden some -ism- as new and revolutionary socialism, for example. Socialism, which means, recognising the equality of every individual with every one else was in fact practiced in India long ago. Rama, undisputed Sovereign of a vast Empire, gave heed to the flippant scandal uttered by an irresponsible laundry-man during a quarrel with his wife, and sent his Queen, the very dear person for whom had waged a war of tremendous carnage, into exile, regardless of the fact that she was pregnant at the time. Every one's voice was given equal weight in the empire ruled over by Rama.

13

THE Vanaras, while building the bridge across the ocean, carried huge boulders on their heads repeating Rama-Nama all the while; and that made the rocks weigh less. It is even said that they wrote the name on the stones and that made them float. Each time they handled or lifted a stone, they sang Rama-Nama in unison and so they were a happy lot doing Puja, not work, which is unpleasant. Rama's Grace helped all to overcome obstacles. Take the name and make your work light: that is My advice to you.

14

I INSIST on your seeking and remaining in good company, Satsang. Being in the midst of such spiritual heroes, you can fight against evil with a greater chance of success. Once, when Garuda the sworn enemy of snakes went to Kailas, he saw the snakes that Siva wore round His neck, His arms, His waist, and His Feet. The snakes were safe now and they hissed with their puffed hoods at the celestial bird, which could not do them any harm since they were in such Divine Company. Garuda said: "Well! Glide down from the Body and I shall kill everyone of you"! That is the value of the Sath one has reached. Satsang is valuable, for it is like keeping a pot of water inside a tank of water; there will not be any loss through evaporation.

15

PRIDE is one of the worst sins in the spiritual field. If you feel conceited that you are Bhakta of Hare, He will "hare" (destroy, in Telugu) you. Remember, Sharanaagathi should be like the attitude of Lakshmana. Rama said: "Take Sita and leave her in the forest". Implicit obedience! There is no other way. That is Lakshmana. That is Sharanaagathi; the rest deserve, only of "Sarangathi", the arrow of Rama.

16

WHEN the queen Kaikeyi persuaded her husband to agree to her two requests - enthroning her son Bharatha as the Crown Prince and sending the legitimate heir, Rama, into exile for fourteen years - Lakshmana, another brother of Rama and Bharatha, did not acquiesce tamely. He argued that man must meet every little crisis with courage and self-reliance and that he should not yield craven-like to the machinations of intrigue. He boasted that his arrow could avert the crisis. But the arrow is an inferior weapon, even a negligible weapon when compared with the efficiency of Love. Rama heard him coolly and advised him to desist from that hasty Karma, "Dharma must guide Karma"; then alone can it be praise-worthy and successful.

17

THE path of spiritual discipline, which is most beneficial to man, is laid down in a simple and sweet manner in the great Scriptures of Ancient India. They explain, through example and precept, the Divine Principle inherent in the Universe and inspire mankind to gaze with awe and reverence at the handiwork of God and His inscrutable Leela (sport). They prompt man to march along the pilgrim road of sacrifice in the happy company of Sages, so that the body feels the vision of the Eternal, which can be gained and enshrined in the heart forever.

18

WHEN Sri Rama decided to end His Avatar career and walked into the flooded Sarayu River, a dog too followed the concourse. When asked why it had attached itself to the entourage, it said, "I desire to enter Heaven with you all. I was in my previous life a full-fledged Yogi; but I slipped and fell from the straight path of self-control. I became the slave of conceit. I expounded the Vedas as my fancy dictated, in strange but attractive ways. So, I have now become this animal that takes delight in barking, biting and baying. The persons who encouraged me then by praise are now the fleas and the flies that crowd on my skin and pester me. Help me, Lord, to escape from the disgrace. I have worked my Karma; I have lived out my sentence".

19

WHEN Rama is installed in the heart, every thing will be added unto you - fame, fortune, freedom, fullness. Hanuman was a mere monkey-leader until he met Rama. He was a Minister in the Court of his Master. But when Rama gave him the commission to seek Sita, that is to say, when Rama was installed in his heart as Guide and Guardian, Hanuman became immortal.

20

DASA means "ten" and Ratha means "Chariot". Hence Dasaratha (the father of Rama) in fact symbolizes "man" who operates with his ten sense organs such as the eyes, the ears, the nose etc. His three wives symbolize man's three Gunas (attributes) and his four sons, the four Purusharthas (purposes). Lakshmana also represents the Buddhi (Intellect) of Rama. Hanuman is the mind, the repository of courage, while Sugriva stands for Discrimination. With these to help him, Rama succeeds in finding Sita, the lost Truth. This is the lesson of the Ramayana to everyone.

21

THERE are many who spend much time in mechanically reciting the name "Rama" or systematically reading the Ramayana according to a fixed time-table, or who worship the images of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman as a daily ritual, with noisy pomp and pedantry; but like a person who puts a foot forward only to draw it back again, these persons do not progress at all as the years elapse. Without gaining purity of thought and intention, compassion and the urge to serve, these outward expressions and exhibitions are but ways of cheating yourself for having society applaud you as a great devotee. Your sight must become an insight; it must be turned within and used to purify and clarify your mind.

22

THE greatest formula that can liberate, cleanse and elevate the mind is Rama-Name, the Name of Rama. Rama is not to be identified with the hero of the Ramayana, the Divine offspring of Emperor Dasaratha. The Court-Preceptor named him Rama because it was a Name, which was already current. Vasishta, the Preceptor, said that he had chosen that Name since it meant: He who pleases. While everyone pleases the self, nothing pleases the caged individualized self more than the free universal individualized self. The self is therefore referred to as Atma-Rama, the self that confers unending joy.

23

HANUMAN was ordered to discover the whereabouts of Sita and he implicitly, without question, obeyed and succeeded. He did not calculate the dangers of the journey and hesitate; and he did not feel proud that he was chosen for the high adventure. He listened; he understood; he obeyed; and he won. The name Rama Dootha, Messenger and Servant of Rama that he earned thereby has made him immortal. You must earn the name, Sai Rama Dootha. Have fortitude and self-control; use good and sweet-words; and examine each act of yours on the touch-stone of My preference.

24

THE toughest fiber is anger. It is the stickiest dirt. When you get angry, you forget mother, father and teacher; you descend to the lowest depths. You lose all discrimination in the excitement; even Hanumantha set fire to the whole of Lanka when the Rakshasas who set fire to the tip of his tail incensed him; and he lost sight of the fact that Sita was in the Asoka Vana. It was only after he had exulted in achievement for a little while that he remembered it and then he started condemning himself for his anger.

25

RAMA is extolled as the ideal son who acted according to his father's wish regardless of his own happiness. But Bhishma is a better example in this respect. He acceded to a whim of his father and in so doing made even a greater sacrifice than Rama. Dasaratha made Rama an exile in the forest for fourteen years to satisfy the claims of Truth, while Santhanu made his son give up the throne as well as a wedded life to satisfy a sensual desire of his senile body. As a matter of fact, it is not the obedience to the father's whim that is important; it is the adherence to Sathya and Dharma, which is Rama's forte.

34

HERE are the three vows that Krishna had taken; they are mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita for all humanity to read, know and believe: "For the protection of the good and the punishment of the bad, for the establishment of the Moral I shall concretize Myself, age after age. Whoever is wholly immersed in My contemplation, with no other thought, I shall be ever with Him; and I shall bear the burden of his welfare. "Surrender unto Me, giving up all the other duties and obligations. I shall liberate you from all sin; do not grieve". The armlets are reminders of these tasks on which He is set.       

Ashtaa dasa puraneshu
Paropakara punyaya
Paapaaya para peedanam         

39

KRISHNA had taken three Vows and the Kankans were symbolic of His determination to fulfill them. They were, as mentioned by Him in the Gita: (1) "Dharmasamsthapanaya Sambhavaami Yuge Yuge". (I shall incarnate myself, in every age, to revive and resurrect Dharma) - (2)  "Yogakshemam Vaham Yaham" (I shall bear the burden of ensuring peace of prosperity for all who rely on me) - (3) "Mokshayishyami maa sucha" (I shall save all those who surrender wholeheartedly to Me and I shall liberate them from the cycle of birth and death).       

40

KRISHNA dealt with the World as with a Sitar, pulling its heartstrings to arouse the melody of comradeship, heroism, love, affection, compassion and conviction. But, of these, the two emotions of love and compassion were characteristically His and His own. His breath was Love! His behaviour was Compassion! Adore Him, placing a garland of tears around His neck; washing His feet with tears, springing from joy at the contemplation of His Love! That very worship will endow you with the wisdom that Sages seek and the Bliss that the Books extol!       

41

THIS is the genuine Bharathiya Vision to transform life into a pilgrimage towards the God resident in oneself; a steady march along the straight path to Bliss. There is no such steadiness now. Fancy and Fantasy rule the mind of man. You desire one thing in the morning; at noon you change over to something else. That desire will not persist until evening. If your desire is fulfilled, you praise God and parade your devotion. But if it does not prevail, you throw God overboard and parade your disbelief!

42

NARADA, who moves always by and with the Lord, feels that God is beyond his understanding; Balarama who came as His own brother could not fathom His personality. How then can you grasp My Mystery? How can those who strut about in well-ironed bush-coats fathom the Truth? I know some that are here, who sold their Faith to hollow men and started talking about My dress and My Hair! If you dare, seek My Truth. Come, surrender unto Me. Do not teach treason to your friends and to other seekers. Dress and manners have become polished now; but the inner man has deteriorated in virtue and faith!

43

DETACHMENT is a plant of slow growth; if you pluck the tender plant to look for the pods, you will be disappointed. So too, long and constant practice alone is rewarded by the Peace that God offers. Grace is acquired by Surrender as Krishna has declared in the Gita.

44

WHEN the Gita directs you to give up all Dharma (Set Codes of morality), it does not ask you to also give up all Karma, and when you do it for God, through God and by God, the Dharma of it does not matter; it has to be acceptable; and it is bound to benefit you. The statement is not an invitation to licentiousness or complete inactivity; it is a call for dedication and surrender to the highest in Man, namely GOD.

45

OF all the Slokas in the Bhagavad Gita, Ramakrishna was especially impressed by the one that emphasized the attitude of Atmanivedana or Sharanaagathi:

Manmana Bhava Madbakto
Madyaji Maam Namaskuru
Mamevaishyasi Yuktvaitvam
Atmanam Matparayanah.

"Become one with Me; be devoted to Me; sacrifice to Me and bow down to Me. Unify yourself, thus you will surely come to Me".

46

THE Mahabharatha declares: "What is not in Bharath does not deserve reverential consideration"; and in Bharath, the message has always been: tolerance, respect for all faiths and the practice of the essential teachings of love and service with giving up of hatred, envy and pride.

47

PERFORM all acts with as much love as you would offer God. In Truth, you eat for the satisfaction of the "I" in you and dress up to please the self-same "I". The husband loves his wife for the sake of the "I". And who is this "I" that is persistently inherent in everyone? It is God Himself. "Iswara Sarva Bhootaanaam" says the Gita: the Lord resides in the heart of every being. He is the Atman in every being. He is the Atman in everyone, the Paramatma.

48

PONDER over your "sthithi" (present condition), "gathi" (direction of movement), "shakti" (capabilities), and "mathi" (inclination). Then enter upon the path of Sadhana step by step, so that you approach the goal faster every day, every hour, every minute. Arjuna became entitled to the Gita Upadesh from the Lord Himself, because he evinced the "Vishada", the "Vairagya", the "Sharanaagathi", and the “Ekagratha”, essential to assimilate The Great Message. When the yearning for liberation has become intense, beyond expression, man can set aside all social conventions, worldly norms and codes of conduct that do not subserve that high purpose.

49

KRISHNA does not speak of whoever among men who pronounce the "Pranava" at the moment of death, etc. The word He uses "whoever" is without any qualification of sex. He does not say "Whoever that is authorized" or "Whoever among the deserving". The clear intention of the Lord is to encourage women, as well as men, to take up Pranava-Upasana. You would have seen that I do not discourage anyone from the Upasana. It is the royal road to spiritual victory which all are entitled to use.

50

THE Gita says that, if you give up all Dharma and take refuge in Him, then He will save you from Sin and wipe your tears. Giving up Dharma does not mean that you can bid farewell to virtue and righteous action; it means, you have to give up egoism that you are the doer. Be confirmed in the faith that He is the "doer" of every deed. That is the genuine "giving up".

51

I AM in your heart all the time, whether you know it or not. Draupadi called out for the Lord of Dwaraka, Sri Krishna, when the wicked cousins of her husbands cruelly assaulted her, and so the Lord responded but after a little delay. He had to go to Dwaraka and come from there to Hasthinapura where she was! He told her that she could have received Him in the fraction of a second had she called out, "Oh Dweller in my heart", for He dwells there as everywhere else.

52

THE elders in Brindavan who reveled in scandalizing Krishna - successors have been born for them even now - set an ordeal for Radha to test her virtue. She was given a mud pot with a hundred holes and asked to bring water in that pot from the Yamuna to her house! She was so full of Krishna-consciousness that she never knew the condition of the pot. She immersed it in the river, as usual repeating the name of Krishna with every intake of the breath and every exhalation. Every time the name Krishna was uttered, a hole was covered, so that by the time the pot was full, it was whole. That was the measure of her Faith. Faith can affect even inanimate objects.

53

IN Realty, Truth is God; Love is God; Dharma is God. The Gopis and Gopalas saw in Krishna the Embodiment of Truth, Love and Dharma. What He said was Truth; what He was became Love, what He did was Dharma. They were so immersed in Krishna-Consciousness that they saw everywhere and in everything nothing but Krishna. Krishna for them did not exist as a separate entity in the home of Nanda; He was right in their own consciousness, at all levels of it. These Gopis and Gopalas were true Bhaktas indeed. 

54

 WHATEVER is dedicated and offered to God can never be lost. People can gain enormous benefit by offering even a little to God. "A leaf or a flower, a fruit or a little water" - that is enough, if offered with devotion. Draupadi gave Sri Krishna the fraction of a leaf sticking to the side of a vessel and God granted her endless good fortune. Kuchela gave a handful of parched rice and received from the Lord awareness of His endless Glory.

55

THE Lord had Maya as His consort, so to say, and He had a son called Manas. This Manas, to continue the parable, had two wives. Pravritti and Nivritti (Attachment and Detachment). Of course, Pravritti was His favorite wife and she had a hundred children. Nivritti was ill treated and neglected; and she had just five. That is the symbolism of the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Though all the children lived in the same kingdom, ate the same food and learnt from the same Teacher, their natures differed widely from one another. The Kauravas, children of the attachment, were greedy, cruel, self-centered, and vain. The Pandavas, five of them, each one represented a Supreme Virtue, so that they could be said to symbolize Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa. As they were so pure and born of Detachment, the Lord became their Guide.

56

THE Gita speaks of Bhakthi, Jnana, and Karma as Yogas; and by Yoga is meant what Patanjali intended it to mean: "Chiththa Vrithi Nirodha", that is to say, "the stilling of the agitations of the consciousness". Vishnu is the supreme exemplar of this calm, for He is "Saanthaakaaram bhujagasayanam", the very picture of peace and calm, though reclining on a thousand-hooded snake, the snake being the symbol of the objective world with its poisonous fangs. Being in the world but not of it, not bound by it - that is the secret.

57

THE riches that you should strive to amass are not fields, factories, bungalows or bank-balances but the wisdom and experience of oneness with the Grandeur of the Universe and the Force that runs it without a hitch. Arjuna is called Dhananjaya by Krishna because he had won (Jaya) such Dhanam (riches) that saves man; and that cannot be taxed, stolen or transferred. The method of winning these riches is Sadhana.

58

GIVE joy to all. Prema or Love is the means to achieve this ideal. When Love can bring even God nearer to you, how can it fail where man is involved? Krishna could not be bound by any other means. That is the reason why SAI has declared: "Start the day with Love; spend the day with Love, fill the day with Love; end the day with Love. That is the way to God".

59

KRISHNA was known to all as Almighty, All knowing, all encompassing, and All-fulfilling. Yet, the enthusiasm to do Seva promoted Him to approach Dharmaraja, the eldest of the Pandava brothers, on the eve of the magnificent Rajasuya Yaga that he had planned to perform and offered to take up Seva of any kind. He suggested that He might be given the task of cleaning the dining-hall after the guests had partaken of the feast! Krishna insisted on outer cleanliness and inner cleansing. Clean clothes and clean minds are an ideal combination.

60

DURING the battle of Kurukshetra, which climaxed the Mahabharatha story, Krishna served as the "driver" of the chariot of Arjuna throughout the day till dusk on the field and caused the adjournment of the fight. He led the horses to the river, gave them a refreshing bath and applied healing balms to the wounds suffered by them during the fierce fray. He mended the reins and the harness and rendered the chariot battle-worthy for another day. The Lord sets the example for the Devotees to follow. He teaches that Service done to any living being is offered to Him and is accepted by Him most joyfully. Service rendered to cattle, to beasts, and to men is laudable Sadhana.

61

THE World is today in deep distress because the common man and his leaders are all distracted by lower desires and lower motives, which require only the lower skills and meaner impulses of man. This is what I call "devaluation". Though man is inherently divine, he lives only at the animal level. Very few live even in the native human level.

62

KRISHNA does say: "whoever among men who pronounce the Pranava at the moment of death", etc. The word he uses is "whoever" without any qualification of sex. He does not say "whoever is authorized or whoever is among the deserving". The clear intention of the Lord is to encourage women as well as men to take up Pranava Upasana. You will see that I do not discourage any one from the Upasana. It is the royal road to spiritual victory which all are entitled to use.

63

BHISHMA, for example, has to be revered and accepted as an inspiration, even more potent than Rama so far as homage to the father is concerned. In order to cater to the carnal cravings, which he could have ordinarily condemned, he denied himself gladly, spontaneously, without demur and for the entire period of his life, both wedded life and royal status. He honoured the Vedic injunction, “Pithru Devobhava” in the fullest manner.

64

THIS created Universe has two aspects, one is impermanence (Anityam), the second one is    unhappiness (Askulham). In the Gita, Krishna has said, "Anityam Asukha Lokam Imam Prapy Bhajaseva Maam". Nothing in this World can give happiness that is true and lasting. Mistaking the World as "All" and forgetting the Atman, which alone is eternal and the only refuge, is the greatest folly of man today. Man is pinning all his hopes on slippery work and is madly running after amassing and hoarding wealth. Of course, material needs are to be taken care of but within limits and not at the cost of spiritual values. Money and mansions are not the only wealth. Hoard the wealth of the Spirit. Character is wealth; good conduct is wealth; and spiritual wisdom is wealth.

65

WORKERS and peasants - that is the slogan nowadays. These two classes were given their due share of social importance and honour during the Krishnavathar. Now, people are honoured even if they grow not food but cash crops. Foreign exchange is what we are after and so, people are encouraged to produce what others can buy not what we need; such as milk and a variety of milk products which are highly nutritious foods. Balarama, the elder brother and an Avathar in his own right, had as his weapon the plough. It declared agriculture as a consecrated occupation.

66

EGOISM is the most dangerous illusion that has to be exploded and destroyed. Bhima had it; but when he could not lift and lay aside the tail of a monkey, who was really Anjaneya himself, that bubble was exploded. Arjuna had it one day after the battle. When Krishna brought the chariot back to camp, he wanted that Krishna should get down first, like all charioteers; the Master must get down later, after the Charioteer opens the door for him. Krishna refused and insisted that Arjuna should alight before He should. At last Krishna won. Arjuna got down and as soon as Krishna left His seat and touched the ground, the chariot went up in flames. In fact, if Krishna had gotten down first, the various fire-arrows, which had the power of burning the chariot, would have hit the target; but due to the presence of Krishna, their igneous powers could not manifest themselves. After knowing this, Arjuna was humbled and his egoism had a  powerful shock. He realized that every action of Krishna was full of significance.

67

THE Gita advises "Karmasamyasa", that is to say, Karma without attachment to the fruit thereof. There are Karmas, which have to be done as duties related to the status in “Samsara”, and, if these are done in the proper spirit, they will not bind at all. Do all Karma as actors in a play, keeping your identity separate and not attaching yourself too much to your role. Remember that the whole thing is just a play and the Lord has assigned to you a part; act well your part; there all your duty ends. He has designed the play and He enjoys it.

68

IT is when you are in a desperate situation that you call upon the Lord, forgetting your pride and your egoism. The Pandavas were so full of misery in a worldly sense that they always had an attitude of prayer. If I had given you all the comforts and opportunities, you would not have come to Puttaparthi. Trouble is the bait with which the fish is pulled out of the water. Kunthi asked that Krishna should continue giving her and her sons all kinds of misery so that He may grant them His Grace continuously.

69

THE Gita prompts you to seek the answers and directs you to experience them. It helps you to control the "Chittha", the agitations of the mind; it destroys delusion. It develops true knowledge; it makes you glimpse the splendour of the Lord and confirms your faith. You say at one moment: "Baba does everything, I am but an instrument; but the next moment the same tongue says: "I did this; I did that; Swami did not do this for me". If you never step into wrong, you can be ever certain of His Grace.

70

THE Mahabharatha, for example, is basically the story of the five Vital Airs of Man (the Pancha Pranas) overcoming the hundred obstacles in the path of upward progress. The eldest of the Five Pandava brothers is Dharmaraja (Morality, Righteousness); he is ably supported by Bhima (physical strength devoted to Divine Service and charged with Devotion), Arjuna (steady pure Faith in God), and Nakula and Sahadeva, who represent Steadfastness and Equanimity. When these Five are exiled, the Hasthinapura (body) is inundated with Adharma (unrighteousness).

71

IN the Manasa-Sarovar (the deep, placid mind-lake) of every man lurks a poisonous cobra with six hoods: Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, Pride and Hate, infesting the air and destroying all who are near it. The Name of the Lord, when it dives into the depths, forces it to come up to the surface so that it may be destroyed. So, allow the Divine in you - the Krishna, Lord over the mind - trample on the hissing hood and take out the vicious viper; let it vomit the venom and become Satwic and sweet.

72

LIKE all Avatars, Krishna announced His advent to the World bit-by-bit, step-by-step, testing every time how far the Reality will be accepted by the masses. The signs and miracles were intended, then as now, to proclaim the Avatar.

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THE mystery and splendour of God can be grasped only by a pure mind and a clear vision. That is why the Lord granted a new eye to Arjuna in order that he might not be confounded by his glory. A resolution adopted by the mind is like a stone thrown into a Sarovar or lake. It produces ripples that affect the entire face and unsettles equanimity. A good resolution or "Sankalpa" sets up a series of such thoughts, each contributing its quota to the process of purification and strengthening.

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THE One is comprehensive of all this. So, it has no wants, no desires and no activity to realise anything. Sri Krishna tells Arjuna: "Name Partha asthi Karthvyam, Thrishu lokeshu Kinchava Partha". (There is nothing I have to do in any of the three Worlds). He has willed the World as his sport. He has laid down that every deed must have its consequence. He is the dispenser of the consequences but he is not involved in the deeds.

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ONE can also be rid of Maya if one can discard the three Gunas from one's make-up. The "Sathya guna" too has to be transcended; why? The Gita directs that even the eagerness to be liberated is a bond. One is fundamentally free. Bondage is only an illusion. So, the desire to close the bond is the result of ignorance. Krishna says, "Arjuna, become free from the three Gunas". In truth, the word "Guna" means "rope", for all three "Gunas" bind the "Jiva" with the rope of desire. Liberation means liberation from delusive attachment or "Moha";  "Mohakshaya", decline in the desire caused by attachment to sensory pleasure.

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CONSIDER for a moment how long worldly triumphs last. They are but the play of the scintillating name and form of the Divine, which is the core of every being. Earn the vision that sees the Divine inherent in all. We are not troubled when something is good; only when it is bad. This is because goodness is natural. In our evil aberration, we are worried and alarmed when we slide into wrong or pain or sorrow. This is because Nature plans us to be right, to be happy and ever in a state of joy. It is a pity that man has lost his understanding of this Truth.

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VYAS sympathized with man who was caught in the coils of do's and don'ts, of success and failure, of desire and despair. He demarcated many a path, which leads man along to fulfillment. The fulfillment consists in uprooting the animal that lurks in man and reaching out to the Divinity. That is his essence.

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DHYANA is not mere sitting erect and being silent nor is it the absence of any movement. It is the merging of all your thoughts and feelings to God. Without the mind becoming dissolved in God, Dhyana cannot succeed. The Gita declares genuine Dhyana as "Anayaschinthayanthomaam Ye Janah Paryapasathi" (Those persons who adore me without any other thought or feeling). Krishna has assured such persons that He would carry their burden and be by their side, guiding and guarding them. Persons adept in this Dhyana are very rare; most people go through the external exercises only. So they are unable to win Grace.

79

LIFE is a song, sing it. That is what Krishna taught through his life. Arjuna heard that song in the battlefield where tensions were at their highest and when the fate of millions was to be decided by the sword. Krishna sang the Gita for Arjuna to listen to. Gita means "Song", and he sang because he was "Ananda" wherever He might be, in Gokulam, on the banks of the Yamuna or at Kurukshetra between the warring armies.

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WHY does He attract all to His Presence? To plough the heart, prepare it for receiving the shower of Grace, to grow the seeds of Love, weed it of all evil thoughts, which smother the crops of joy and to enable it to gather the harvest of Wisdom. That wisdom finds its fulfillment in Krishna Himself, for Krishna also means the pure Essence, the Supreme Principle, the "Sath-Chith-Ananda".

81

WHERE there is Dharma there Krishna is; so, think for yourself, each one of you, how far have you deserved the Grace of the Lord? You draw Him near; you keep Him far. You entangle yourself, bind yourself, and get caught in the trap. No one is your foe except yourself. No one else is your friend. You are your only friend. The Guru shows you the road and you have to trudge alone, without fear or hesitation.

82

THE word Dharmakshetra is the first word in the Gita. In the very first verse of the Song Celestial, the Kurukshetra (field of Action), in which the Maamakaah (my people, as the blind Dhritharashtra described them through fond attachment and egoistic delusion), people motivated by greed and passion, and the Pandavas (the other people, the good and righteous, the sons of the Fair one, the Progeny of the pure), is spoken of as already transmuted into Dharmakshetra (field of Righteousness). For victory is always for Righteousness and not for greed and passion which blind men.

83

IF you ask Me, I will say that the Gita is like a balance: scales, needle and all. The scale on the left is the 7th Sloka of the 2nd Chapter, speaking of "Karpanya Dosha". The fulcrum is the 22nd Sloka of the 9th Chapter, beginning with "Anayaschinthayamshomaam"; and the scale on the right is the Sloka in the 18th chapter, speaking of "Sarvadharmaam Parithyajya". See how apt the fulcrum Sloka is. It speaks of single-minded attention, "steady, like the needle of a well-adjusted balance". Really, the Gita begins with two scales and a fulcrum: the two armies of Righteousness and Unrighteousness with Krishna, the Teacher, in the middle.

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BHAKTI is of various types according to the Damskara of the devotee and the state of his mind and the stage of his development. There is the Shanta Bhakti of Bhishma, the Vatsalya Bhakti of Yashoda, and the Madhura Bhakti of the Gopikas. Of these the Dasya attitude is easiest and the best for the majority of aspirants at this time. It means "Sharanaagathi" and "Prapathithi" out of Shanti Bhakti.

85

THE fire of sorrow and joy burns when the fuel of Vaasanas is fed into the furnace of the mind. Take away the fuel and the fire dies out. Take away the Vaasanas, the force of the impulses, promptings and urges and you become your own master. This is done in Yoga by various physiological and psychological exercises. But Bhakti is the easier means for this end. Naamasmarana is enough: it is said that the name Sitarama sufficed in the Thretha Yuga; the name Radha-Shama sufficed in the Dwapara Yuga; and in the Kali Yuga, I tell you, all Names have that capacity.

86

PRAKRUTHI is Dhara, Earth and Creation. Think of it always. Long for it. Pine for Dhara, Dhara, Dhara and you find you are pining for Radha, Radha. So, Radha is the Becoming and Krishna is the Being; the desire of Being becomes the longing of the Becoming for the Being - this is the Radha-Krishna relationship, which has been sung by seers and poets, calumniated and caricatured by ignorant critics, appreciated and apprehended by aspirants, and analyzed and realised by sincere scholars of spiritual lore.

87

WELCOME all the blows of fate, all the misfortunes and miseries, as gold welcomes the crucible, the hammer and the anvil in order to get shaped into a jewel; or as the cane welcomes the chopper, the crusher, the boiler, the pan, the sprayer and the dryer, so that its sweetness may be preserved and used as sugar by all. The Pandavas never demurred when disasters fell thick upon them. They were happy that they helped them to remember Krishna and call upon Him. Bhishma was in tears on the arrow-bed, when he was about to pass away. Arjuna asked Him "why" and he replied, "I am shedding tears because the miseries undergone by the Pandavas pass through my mind". Then he said, this is done in order to teach the Kaliyug a lesson; never to seek power, position or pelf but to submit to the will of God in a completely resigned way, so that you may be ever happy and unmoved.

88

THE Gita speaks of Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, as Yogas. By Yoga is meant what Patanjali intended it to mean "Chiththa Krishthi Nirodha", that is to say, "the stifling of the agitations of the consciousness". Vishnu is the supreme example of this calm, for He is "Saanthakaaram bhujaga Sayanam", the very picture of peaceful calm, though reclining on a thousand-hooded snake; the snake being the symbol of the objective World with its poisonous fangs. Being in the World but not of it, not bound by it, that is the secret.

89

THE Individual is Arjuna, the Universal, which inspires him, is Krishna: Led by the Universal, the Individual has to oppose the attractions and delusion of the Manifested, the Maya, and the Prakruthi, that is, the Kaurava hordes. The battle depicted in the Epic is the inner battle, between the temporary and the eternal, the particular and the universal, the sensual and the super-sensual, the seen and the seer. The Atma is described as a streak of lightning in the blue cloud. It is a Gita (streak in Telugu). Discover the Gita, then the purpose of Gita study is fulfilled.

90

WHEN Dharmaraja, the eldest of the Five Pandavas came to know - after the death of Karna which they effected successfully - that Karna was his brother, his agony knew no bounds; he was struck disconsolate and was torn by despair. If only he had known the truth, all that grief could have been avoided. So too, until you know that all are altars where the name God is installed and all are moved and motivated by the Grace of the self-same God, you are afflicted by hate and pride; once you know it and experience it, you are full of Love and reverence to all.

91

WHEN Krishna leapt down from His Chariot with the wheel-weapon in His hand to slay Bhishma, Arjuna jumped down with Him and holding both His Feet he prayed, "Oh Lord, you have given word that you will not wield any weapon. Let it not be said that you broke your word to save me from Bhishma, I am prepared to die". That was the measure of his Bhakti. Bhishma too had equal Bhakti. He did not step forward to fight the new challenge nor did he question the Lord. He stood silent drinking in the charm of the Lord and filling himself with the vision of the magnificence of the Lord. That was the measure of the dedication to His will.

92

KRISHNA is slandered by ignorant, prejudice critics as "jaara" and "chora" and extolled by  seekers and sages with the same appellations, "jaara” and "chora". He stole the hearts and the owners were glad of it. He shed light, awakened people and made those, whose hearts he stole, richer and happier. He destroyed all craving for sensual pleasure and sensual knowledge and filled the entire being with thoughts of the Divine. How then can He be referred to as "jaara" and "chora"? When the blind leads the blind in this way, both have to fall into the pit.

93

IN the Mahabharatha, the most noteworthy theme is Dharmasthapana. When the Pandavas were called into the forest, it was as if the Five Pranas of Dharma, the sustaining forces of Dharma, were exiled. Dharmaraja is the Prana of the Right Conduct, Bhima, of the protective Might of Dharma; Arjuna, of the Faith and Devotion needed as its Foundation, Nakula and Sahadeva, of the shraddha essential for the Practice of Dharma. When the Pandavas went to the forest, Hasthinapura was reduced to Astinapura, a city of bones, without flesh and blood.

94

KRISHNA was the Purushothama, Arjuna the Narrothama; It was a friendship between The Embodiment of the Highest and the Embodiment of the Best. Krishna was the Avataric Person. Arjuna was the anandic person; it was a coming together of the Avathramurthi and the Anandamurthi. Arjuna was often addressed by Krishna as Kurunandana. This name has a deep significance. "Kuru" means "act, activity, Karma"; Nandana means "happy, delighted". Kurunandana therefore means "he who is delighted while engaged in activity". Throughout the eighteen chapters of the Githa, Arjuna is alert and active, participating vigilantly in every turn of argument.

95

PRACTICE the constant presence of God and, learn to offer all your activities at the Feet of the Lord as an act of worship. Then they will be free from fault. Krishna advised Arjuna to enter the fight and, at the same time, told him not to have "hatred" towards "enemies". These may appear to be two irreconcilable attitudes, for war is rage (passion, attachment) and renunciation of hatred is Vairagya (absence of raga). Arjuna asked Krishna how he was to reconcile these two attitudes. Krishna said, "Maamnusmara yudhyacha" (keep Me ever in thy mind, and fight. Do not cultivate the egotistic feeling that it is you who is fighting. I am using you as My instrument).

96

THE Pandava brothers were highly fortunate. The eldest, Dharmaraja, rose to be the emperor. The second was the Indomitable Bhima, armed with the terrible mace. The third was Arjuna, son of the Lord of the Gods, Indra. The lord poured His Grace on Arjuna and deigned to serve him in battle as his charioteer! In spite of all these advantages, they were subjected to the severest tragedies in life. What is the lesson that their lives teach? No one can predict what calamity will overtake one and at what time. Every thing depends on the will of Providence; it all happens according to the Divine Plan.

97

THE question on the battlefield was not who was the Kin of whom, but who was right and who was wrong; fight for justice, fight for truth, fight for these as akshatriyu is in duty bound, and leave the result to the Dispenser of all. Krishna told Arjuna: "I am surprised that you should weep, for you are Gudakesa, the conqueror of sleep and ignorance. You do not kill, so don't be so conceited; nor do they die. They have many more things to do; and so they are real deathless". "The sentence of death has been already pronounced on their bodies by Me, and you have but to carry out My Orders", Krishna said.

98

KRISHNA felt that it was time to reveal His Truth and so He just showed all creation in His Mouth when His mother asked Him to show her His tongue, when she suspected He had eaten sand. He made even the longest rope too short to bind Him. It became the talk of the place and every one felt he had all the fourteen Worlds in Him! Avathars choose the time and the mode of announcement of their Advent and Their Glory. Even in this Avathara such miracles had to be done when I decided that the time was opportune for taking the people into My Secret.

99

WHEN the righteous Pandavas were harassed by wicked Kauravas, the beauteous Krishna appeared and saved them. The lord can never design violence and blood shed. Love is His instrument, non-violence His Message. He achieves the correction of the evil-minded through education and example. But it may be asked, why did Kurukshetra happen? It was a surgical operation and therefore cannot be described as an act of violence. The Surgeon saves life through the beneficial use of  His Knife.

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CONSIDER the Name Krishna which the Avathar bore; what a significant Name? Krishna is derived from the root "krish" which means (1) to attract (2) to plough and cultivate and (3) the Divine Principle beyond time, space and causation. Krishna, like all Avathars, attracts not only seekers, Saints and Sages but the simple, the innocent and the good. He draws also the curious, the critics, the Skeptics and those who suffer from atheism. He draws them towards Himself by the irresistible charm of His Person, by His invincible Look, His Voice, His Flute, His counsel and His undaunted Heroism! He is ever in a State of Bliss, spreading Harmony, Melody and beauty around Him; He sings everywhere in the peaceful Pasture lands of Brindavan and in the blood soaked battle field of Kurukshetra.