Living the Teachings

"If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world." Sathya Sai Baba

Dear All,

It was March 31^st 2011. Meditation was about to begin. First was the Satsang with Mohanji. He sat down in his chair. All of us took our seats, some sat on the floor. Mohanji closed his eyes for a few minutes. Before anybody could ask any questions, he asked us a question: “What is the BEST gift you can give to your beloved Guru?” This question was followed by a pin drop silence. The question lingered in the air. Everyone started digging deep into themselves to find the right answer. It was interesting. This was quite unusual. Mohanji was visibly purposeful. He closed his eyes and awaited our answer. Answers flowed: “Pray for their health; Protect the Guru; Support the Guru; Spread his messages; Contribute towards his mission’s expenses”, etc.

After some time, Mohanji answered: “The BEST gift you can give to your beloved Guru, is to LIVE HIS TEACHINGS. When you live his teachings, you become one with your Guru, whoever your Guru is. It does not matter. But, if you respect your Guru, if you appreciate His teaching, LIVE IT. That is the least and that is the best you can do for him.” A deep silence fell upon us. Something profound was happening. This was important. Simple, but true; the core and essence of the truth.

Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba from Puttaparthy, Bangalore, India has been hospitalized for a heart and lung problem. Baba took this body in 1926, eight years after Shirdi Baba left his body. Right from the time He was born, many miracles happened which proved his difference from other children. He has been working relentlessly in multiple levels, to spread the basic rules of human existence, such as LOVE, TRUTH, PEACE, NONVIOLENCE and DHARMA. This is our tradition. Sai represents the eternal tradition based on Sanatana Dharma.

Mohanji continued: “The purpose of Bhagawan’s living was to give us the full guidelines of life. What more can we give to Bhagawan? Because He knows very well how long he should stay in His body. Will you pray to keep him in the body? What can we pray for an Avatar?

The best gift you can give to any Guru is to live his teachings. Guru does not want anything else. When you live your Guru’s teachings, Guru is happy. His life and time on Earth becomes worthwhile. What else can you give to a Guru? You may give him medicines to sustain his body, but is Bhagawan interested in that? Living in body itself is painful for Gurus and real Masters or Avatars. It is also a big restriction because you need to operate through body. Perhaps, it would have been much better for Satya Sai not to be in the body at all! But then, people would not understand him. People need to touch and feel. People need tangibility. We cannot understand the Omnipresent Parabrahma. So, Sai chose to take birth and live in a body, so that He can communicate with you. You need a tangible format so that you see the Guru, you hear him, you see him talking and walking. Or you will not know him. Omnipresent Parabramha is here, but we cannot see him. We do not feel him. We cannot see air. When air leaves this place, you understand that you are suffocated, you gasp for breath. We take the air around us for granted. We do the same with the Grace.

What is Grace? What has it got to do with life? Simple answer! What has an umbrella got to do with rain! Umbrella does not stop the rain but prevents you from getting drenched. Grace protects you, it does not stop an event. Grace flows. It is pitched against collective consciousness. Collective consciousness creates situations. E.g. it elects the ruler or the king! Grace protects you from the sun but cannot remove the sun. In the rain, some water will drop on you from the sides, but overall, with an umbrella, you are protected. You have to suffer, but you suffer less! You will get wet but not as much as if you were standing under the rain. This is the importance of grace. Similarly, when Guru leaves the place, we feel he is gone….. While Guru is in the body, we do not actually appreciate him. We take him for granted.

It is not a tragedy for Him or for the Universe when Bhagawan leaves the body; because He has done his job. It is a tragedy for human beings who could not catch the message and need the physical form.

I sincerely want to convey that Bhagawan has done a great favor to be here on the earth with us; whether he continues to stay in His body or not. His teaching is basically love and truth. If you love Bhagawan, live and love his teachings. That is the best gift you can give him. Then the purpose of His Avatar was worth it. How much ever we pray otherwise is of no use.

Do not just spread his teachings by writing messages or posting them by mail, LIVE HIS TEACHINGS. We remember his teaching by living it or practicing it. Because there should be application of teachings in the real life. Otherwise, we will just talk: ‘Oh, He was a great Master, He was an Avatar….’ What is the use? Master does not need any of this nonsense. He came here to raise the consciousness. Whatever you do, which is not in tune with that, is of no use. Bhagawan once said: “After staying in this body for 80 years, people still have not understood me! Even if I live for another 80 years, it will be of no use.” Once on Shivaratri he said, “Why are you sitting in front me like a frog, looking at me?“ This expressed his anger. It is very unlikely that he will use such words. Bhagawan is very compassionate. He talks in a very mild and soft manner. He then said: “Go home and serve selflessly in your place.”

Many people have left their homes and are staying in Puttaparthy to be around him. And interestingly enough, Baba often keeps extremely arrogant people around him all the time. They are rude and aggressive. Did I tell you this story? This is a story that I have heard. Bhagawan had a driver who served him for 20 years. This driver was a rude and angry man. When someone would come to Baba, he would shout and antagonize them. Some people got really affected by this behavior of his. They thought, “We are coming to see Bhagawan from far and wide, and this fellow throws us away. Can something be done?” They asked Baba. Baba did not say anything. Bhagawan tolerated the intolerance of his driver. After 20 years, one day Baba told him: “You have completed your job. Go home in peace, I will take care of you.” The driver left. Someone then asked Bhagawan: “Why did you keep such a rude man as a driver for so long? He does not reflect your stature at all.” Bhagawan answered: “I stayed with him for 2 days while I was in Shirdi Baba’s body. I repaid that debt.” Understand, karma works for an Avatar too. He did not erase it. He continued with the flow.

Mohanji continued: “Have you been to Puttaparthy? You could experience rude behavior from many people there. Of course, there is a dire need for good security. Everything is done on account of security. But, our ego many not enjoy us being suspected, treated like a terrorist!!! You may think – is this necessary? Is this what I have come here for? Did I come here to experience this kind of treatment? Why do we experience this at the abode of such an enlightened Master? This is especially so, with Westerners.

But there are reasons for this. One is; these people have irritable characters. They are an irritation for society, and so Bhagawan collects such people and keeps them near him and thus saves the society. Being in the vicinity of Bhagawan, these people benefit a lot. They undergo tremendous inner cleansing.  Another strong reason is, people visit Bhagawan with eagerness and inquisitiveness to see a Guru. All are coming from different walks of life, with EGO. Through these irritable people, Bhagawan bashes the ego of people coming to visit him. The volunteers around Baba never care about the social status of the visitors. They scold them and impose rules on them indiscriminately. People may think, “What is this? What kind of people are these?” But if you are sincere, you will survive all that and reach Bhagawan.

You may reach the entrance of the hall and be told that, oh, cameras/purses are not allowed. Books are not allowed inside. Ooops! You will have to go back to your room and leave them there. Within that time, you may miss Bhagawan’s darshan. One may feel that a day is lost. Next day, Bhagawan may not come. If you have come there, amongst your busy schedules, for two days, your full program may get spoiled. Expectation is cut from the root. A big churning! A big shake up. You may get disappointed. Your ego is thrown down in the trash. However, if you think “If I see Bhagawan, it is fine”; or, “If I do not see Bhagawan, it is okay for me,” – if you nullify your ego and just let go, then probably Bhagawan may come and touch you, or may even call you for an interview!

So, the biggest gift one can give to a Master, is to live his teachings. This is also the best way to understand the Master. Otherwise, a visit one pays to the Master was just a picnic. If you are not living His teaching, nothing has shifted in your consciousness.

Nothing is a tragedy. We cannot pray that Bhagawan should remain in his body because this is up to him. He has come for a purpose and He very well knows his purpose. He also knows when to leave. It is our selfishness to ask Bhagawan to stay in the body. When He has achieved his purpose, is it worthwhile to ask him “Stay in body for a few weeks more!” We do not know the larger mission. Those who want to understand Him, will understand Him by not meeting Him also. Knowledge is useless unless converted into your daily life’s experience. If life has not improved due to additional knowledge, it is just another burden in your existence. If the food that you consume gets digested, it helps your health. If it is not digested, it only upsets your stomach, your equilibrium. It is like, how much food can you digest without getting indigestion. If your stomach cannot digest food, it has no value.

The consciousness is permanent. It is not situational or conditional. Have faith and intensify FAITH. Then there is no fear. Faith will give you tenacity and toughness to go through all the situations. Express deep gratitude. Mean it, feel it. Live the teachings of your Guru, if you Love Him deeply, sincerely.” Mohanji went into silence again.

I also would like to mention with reverence that, meditation followed by this message was extremely intense and there was magnificent presence of Bhagawan Sathya Sai during the meditation, which everyone felt. The intense energy flow and the Shaktipat moved all of us. Interestingly, Mohanish who was also conducting ‘Power of Purity’ meditation in Pune at the same time, felt clear physical presence of Sathya Sai to the extent that he naturally bowed down to Him. Mohanish had no idea that Mohanji has been communing with Sathya Sai Baba all through the Thursday meditation. Such is the Leela of Sathya Sai and Mohanji.

The BTW family offers love and prayers to Bhagawan Sathya Sai by sending this message and living his teachings of love and truth.

With Loving Regards,

Deepali.