Sai Baba - the greatest adventure in the Kaliyuga

Sisira BARANAGE

The article is written to mark the first year of remembrance of the merging of the Vyaktha Roopa of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba with Avyaktha Roopa on April 24, 2011.

What is the philosophy Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba upholds? What is the path he advocates? Billions and billions of devotees who came to Puttaparthi for his Dharshan from all parts of the world, found it hard to believe that he is Divine, because he too behaved like a human being. The vast Sai literature available is somewhat useful to understand this sweet Lord who was in human form, but still it will also leave us confused unless we experience him.

It is not right to make attempt s to categorise him into any existing pattern.

He will fit into all of them and yet he is beyond all of them. He was a human form in which every Divine entity, Divine principle was manifested. He is the Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva the three aspects of God, the universal reality.

The most compassionate is Baba’s everlasting love towards the mankind.

Baba has once stated, My beloved ones you are My own self. “See in Me yourself for I see Myself in you all”. You are My life , My breath, My soul. This reveals his Omnipresence, Omnipotence and Omniscience. His Sarwa Dharma concept leads to harmony in all religions. According to Swami there is only one religion, the religion of Love, there is only one race, the race of humanity, there is only one language, the language of the heart and there is only one God, he is omnipresent.

This is his grand philosophy based on truth and love. His religion (binding man to God) feeds and fosters all religions and emphasizes their common greatness. According to Baba, to know God one has to open his eyes and serve brotherhood of man. When you serve others you are serving yourself. This is the basic truth that lies in all the religions.

Love is His message. He reminded us always to start the day with love, spend the day with love; end the day with love and that he said is the way to God.

His mission was inner individual reforms and reconstructions and not outer reforms and rebuilding.

Baba has said “Life is a series of acceptance and reflections of attachments and detachments of joys and losses.

“Take everything that happens to you as Gifts of Grace. On your part you must act with skill and devotion you are capable of. Do this with as much sincerity as possible.

Then leave the results to the all powerful, all knowing, all merciful God. Baba has assured “Give Me the reins; trust in Me and be directed by Me. I shall take full responsibility. Only you must accept without demur, whatever comes as Prasadam or Grace. Grief is the feet and joy the head. Both are part of the same entity.

This is the secret of being ever happy. Baba has emphasised the importance of adhering to the below mentioned human values which are greatly affecting the success and happiness of man leading to his own liberation.

Patience

Patience allows time to correctly and appropriately form thought patterns to exercise the free will in the most appropriate measure to perform the task or deed at hand.

Patience allows you the privilege of foresight and hindsight. The time to remember the past, and yet act within the parameters of the five main human values truth, right conduct, Love, peace and non violence. Patience will only serve for the good of mankind. In a critical decision making process, patience allows for clarity of thoughts leading to solutions.

Commitment

Without commitment a person cannot truly succeed in most situations. The power of commitment is required to fulfil his or her true potential. The ego of man does not release its grip of power, domination, control and materialism. The “I am in charge” syndrome.

Commitment to excellence is a conscious choice and when made in the presence of God, will serve you from the beginning to the end of your life in the most appropriate manner for you and your Karmic pattering.

Commitment to excellence becomes the overriding quality to reduce and nullify the ego of man.

Forgiveness

A person requires patience and commitment to allow himself to wallow in the waters of forgiveness. Without forgiveness you cannot accept the challenges that are going to be placed firmly in front of you. Like when the going gets tough the tough gets going, it will be difficult during the period of transition without forgiveness in your heart. Forgiveness is probably a more difficult virtue to attain, because it involves you beginning to look to your truth, the truth of who you really are.

There are three important things that a person must adhere to, 1) Ask God for forgiveness 2) Forgive yourself 3) forgive others. Pray or ask with intent to Baba, Mother Mary, Jesus, Mohamed or the Buddha whoever is your chosen God for forgiveness. Forgive yourself God will forgive you. No matter who is at fault? Forgive yourself.

Karmic actions and reactions are under the control of Divine will. God is responsible for all, even the deaths, hurts, wounds, sadness and abuse. God is the warrior who has every detail in his ledger book. Therefore Karmic patterning is just and fair.

There is only one thing left for you to know that is ask forgiveness for those who have transgressed you. Forgive them all, because you are all one.

Know that You carry their energy with you. If you cannot forgive them, then their energy will still have power over you. This energy can cause your ultimate defeat and downfall. Therefore know that all are one. You are all God. What happens to you on an energetic level happens to all. The closer the energetic contact with those that have hurt you, the quicker, the sooner, you may overflow into areas of sadness, apathy and final defeat. Defeat leads to disease finally leads to death. So for the sake of Baba forgive others from now onwards. This is forever will be the greatest challenge and the greatest relief. Freedom to fly comes from the relief of forgiveness.

Truth

Truth will move forward into a more positive picture enabling a person to attain liberation. Truth can be your biggest saviour. If you have based your whole life of being in various stages of untruth, then the magnetism of your personality aspect of self will take an enormous step backward. To have the courage to begin to represent the truth 'Who' you think you are, let alone 'Who' you really are, becomes and still is a formidable challenge for most people. As you practice the truth of who you are, be prepared for the calm seas of your life to change.

The more the truth the more turbulent the seas become and more turbulent they will definitely be. The truth of who you think you are will eventually mould in to the actuality of who you really are. When try to reactivate truth, your personality changes, your body image changes, your family and friends change. Your whole life will change.

Truth is the activator of life.

Truth allows for formidable strength.

Truth allows you to live in harmony.

Truth allows access to joy

Truth allows health.

Truth allows for peace and love.

So step forward out of your own shadow and begin right now to exact your fate by delivering truth.

Truth is the activator of true self the God.

Righteous conduct

All you have to do to enable to experience righteous conduct is patience, commitment to excellence, act of forgiveness and truthful conduct.

Then righteous conduct will flow forth. Patience allows thoughts to be directed committing to excellence. Forgiveness acts as a tool to allow you complete access to truthfulness. In return, the truthfulness then allows for righteous conduct to take place.

Love

Love is all there is and all there will ever be. Love is God. God is Love. The greatest gift of all is love. To enable your love to flow forth to the rest of mankind is your greatest gift to one and all.

There is no room for love when the ego of man is running rampant, not only within but globally as well.

The ruination and downfall of man in today’s society is predominantly because of the lack of love. Love will set you all free from bondage, violence and unhappiness leading to peace and happiness in mind.

Peace

Peace is a state of mind.

Only when the body is at peace or at rest can regeneration take place and elimination of disease begin in earnest. Peace - Healing - Health.

Peace is associated with Divine Grace. Many pray for peace in mind which can only be achieved by reducing or eliminating the ego.

Peace is one of the most valuable assets you will experience and one of the greatest 'tools' to allow for the propagation of love to flow from the heart towards the rest of humanity. With love in your heart, you will all soon gain entry to peace.

Non violence

Non violence is a pure truth which is one of man’s greatest gifts and greatest assets.

Assets are the embodiment of values that are hung together to enable one to experience and then promote the action of non violence.

Non violence is Divine in nature and closely associated with the Mother Nature. Some earthly changes have been caused by violent acts towards her pollution and total disrespect for Mother Nature and all she represents.

How can you all love each other when you are surrounded by acts of violence. If the heart is full of love, non violence becomes the automatic response to even the most serious of situations.

The action of non violence is a true humanitarian gift bestowed upon you by God.

Selfless service

Serve your fellowmen. You have all been given the free will - the choice to enable you to exact your Karmic fate. Your Karmic fate is delivered and sealed by the amount of love and the preparedness and action of seva or service.

Service or seva can extend your physical life. Seva allows your love to flow through you to another. Their heart opens to receive the love of selfless seva. This is the true understanding of universal oneness.

If your desire is to reach the final goal - the liberation or the enlightenment, reduce your Karmic debt by way of love and seva thereby eliminating the ego.

If your ultimate goal is liberation, you have to be able to maintain a sense of direction. A direction that will eventually lead you to everlasting bliss and beyond. For this, you must only live in the present. Living in the present moment is the secret of success which leads to liberation. By being in the present allows the feelings of the moment to arise from within. Feelings of love, happiness and joy.

Baba said that “God is not an outsider, staying in some heaven or holy spot, far away from you. God is in you. God is in every word of yours, every deed and thought. Do the duty He has allotted, to the best of your ability and to the satisfaction of your conscience. That is the most rewarding puja”.

Baba expected everyone to follow the above mentioned human values which will lead to peace and everlasting happiness.

This was His Divine message to all mankind.

References: Sai literature and Vishwaroopam Sai by Irene Watson