Shirdi Sai Baba Stories,Leelas and Teachings.: Inner Voyage to Explore Sai-Light And Love.

Dear all,
Happy Baba's day .Today I am uploading the 10th chapter from the book "Inner Voyage To Explore Sai ".Devotees are requested to follow the link given at the end of this post if they miss on any part/chapter of the book .Jai Sai Ram.

Chapter X
LOVE AND LIGHT

A great soul like Sai Baba appeared in this world in order that His life, light and love might be absorbed by all.Love and light are the two most universal and fundamental realities. God’s first command (genesis) was “Let there be light” and there was light. Buddha said that to love all beings is an expression of God. Jesus saw love as a manifestation of Divine light.

Vedanta points out that love is an image of God, the living essence of Divine nature. The true love is not limited to a bond between two individuals. Neither is it limited to a family wide. Love is beyond desires. Love is a realisation of faith, it is the bond of harmony and happiness. It is a world of blessings and bliss. The only condition of love is that it has to be unconditional. When we stop taking and start giving, we begin to enjoy the unfathomable depth and unifying force of love. When love stops to be selective, it becomes an absolute, that never stops, never ends.

According to the thinking of the Vaishnavas, God finds fulfillment in our love. God seeks love in us as love can never be had by command. When we let go our ego and take love out the narrow confines of social bondage, we move to the consciousness of Self which is the key to cosmic consciousness. Then the love between the finite and Infinite finds unity in the soul, we realize the dwelling of Paramatma in our Self and our affinity with nature.

TEACHER AND TAUGHT

The motive behind imparting of information by the teacher to the taught is purely mutual love. But fruits of love are never confined to the mere mechanical transfer of knowledge from one head to another. Love swells up from the heart of one and induces similar ebullition of love in other hearts, which it contacts and then deep calls unto and flows on to the deep and the result is blissful oneness before the actual realisation of this oneness in perfection, according to the ‘Glimpses of Sai Baba’ written by Sri Narasimha Swamiji.

Love is itself training in fact, the highest training and at the same time,
the end and goal of all training. Baba taught without any oral instruction this love and trained the devotees to develop this love to the fullest extent of their capacity and in a way peculiar to each devotee and this can be seen from the experience of Nana Saheb Chandorkar and also of Rao Saheb Galvankar.
“What delights can equal those That stir the spirit’s inmost deeps When one that loves but known not reaps A truth from that loves and knows”.

These lines from Tennyson, appear to refer to imparting of information by the teacher to the taught when the motive for imparting is mutual love.

In all His humorous outpourings, Baba’s grand and loveable nature beamed out.

Love is the ultimate shape that the motive takes. Pity also moves the mind to love. Baba repeatedly declared that He was the mother of all devotees and was bound to look after all their interests. “I am Your Father”, He also said to G.G.Narke. “You have to get your benefit and everything from Me”. Everything of course, includes wisdom and the highest spiritual centre.

It is love that renders the contact between the teacher and the taught specially effective and happy. Saipadananda Sri Radhakrsihna Swamiji has said: Love is greater than hate. It is greater than doubt, greater than fear and anger. It is better than impatience. It overcomes all morbid things, prevents depression and all the afflictions of body and mind.Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh has said “Life and love are inseparable. Where there is love, God is there. Love opens the eye of intuition.”

THE PATH OF LOVE

‘A devoted heart is enthroned at the Lord’s Feet’, says Srimad Bhagavatham. Lord Krishna says: Many are the means described for the attainment of the highest goal, but of all love is the highest, love and devotion that make one to forget everything else, love that unites the devotee with me... as all earthly pleasures fade into nothingness.

The path of love for spiritual attainment is considered supreme because it is wholly selfless and wholly erases the self for the love of supreme Self. In bhakti, the mind melts in love to God and love is the most powerful thing in this world. All yogas are included in the path of love and whoever attains this love attains God. According to the Scriptures God created this universe for love. Love confers ananda and softens the grind of mundane existence.

Divine love is flawless, it is ever charged with its own energy. Love is boundless and ever enlarging. Love is both a temple and a sacred scripture. The Bible says God so loved the world that He gave His begotten soul that whoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Sir Walter Scott says: “Heaven is Love and Love is Heaven”.

Sun is the best example of unconditional love as it lights up the world without discrimination. Love and light together can dispel darkness whether external or internal. Love, like sunlight, is that energy flow whose warmth can be experienced in all illuminated freedom. The sun shines on weeds as well as on flowers. When love being selective, it becomes absolute that never stops, nor ends.

Love is the fundamental sustaining force of the universe and we are the embodiment of that energy flow. When we love we find our soul in the highest sense.

It is not selfishness to strive for the emancipation of oneself alone. It is selfishness if you consider yourself as a separate entity and work with the sole intention of amassing wealth, power, titles and such other benefits for yourself. But in a state of emancipation when the state of Self disappears there can be no selfishness and this is called “Love of Self”, according to Sri Chandrasekhendra Saraswathi, Paramacharyal and 68th Pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

Narrating the supreme value of the Guru’s love, Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh has written in a story form as follows:
“Master, however much I try to restrain it, my mind wanders towards the enjoyments of this world. Often I think of leaving you without informing you. But my love for your lotus feet prevents me from taking such an ungrateful step. My Lord, what must I do? Please guide me”. Ram thus pleaded to his Guru, Premananda. It was just a month since he had entered the Ashram of his Guru.

“Child, I too have been watching your keen, inner struggle. Deeply embedded desires are hard to conquer. Fear not. Go forth into the world. Lead the life of a householder for sometime and satisfy the intense craving of your mind. But all the time fix your mind on the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Never lose sight of your goal. Come back after ten years. Do not stay longer.

Ram took leave of his Guru. He went to his home town, married and settled down to family life. He had served his Guru with heart and soul, and had earned his Guru’s grace. Success waited upon him. Soon he was one of the most prosperous men in the town, with a loving wife and lovely children.
Ten years rolled by.

A mendicant stood on the doorstep of Ram’s bungalow. His children ran into the house in fright. Ram’s wife was showering the vilest abuses on the Sadhu. The Sadhu remained unmoved and wanted to see the master of the house. Ram recognized his Guru. In dignified manner he greeted his old master and offered him a seat.

“Well, Ram ten years are over. Have you been able to satisfy yourself yet?”

“I have enjoyed all that the world has to offer, my Gurudev. I could have myself come away to rejoin the ashram. But how can I leave these little children uncared for? Please allow me to stay for a few more years, educate them and see that they are settled in life. Then I shall surely join you.”
Ten more years rolled by.

This time it was an aged decrepit Ram that greeted the Sadhu. His wife had departed from he world. His sons were young men with families of their own.“My beloved Guru”, Ram said, “It is true I have fulfilled my duties of a household life. All my children are now grown up and are prosperous in life. Yet they are young. They are immersed in the pleasures of the world. They have no sense of responsibility. Left to themselves, they might squander away all the hard earned wealth of their father and then starve. I have to plan their family budget and guide their actions. Please allow me to remain here for a few more years till they grow up into full manhood and assume the responsibilities of the household. Then I shall certainly come away and join the ashram.” Seven years rolled by after this.

The Sadhu Premananda returned to Ram’s house to see his disciple.

A big dog was guarding the gate. He recognized it; it was Ram. He went into the house to learn that old Ram had passed away a couple of years back. Such was his attachment to the family that he took birth as a dog and guarded his house and his children. Premananda entered into the spirit of the dog.“Well now, my child, are you ready to follow me?”

“Surely, a couple of years hence, my Guru”, replied the dog-Ram. “My children are now at the peak of their good fortune and prosperity but they have several jealous enemies. In a couple of years they will be free from fear and worry. Then I shall run to your Ashram.”

Ten more years elapsed.

The Sadhu returned to Ram’s house. The dog too had died. He was through his intuitive vision that Ram has assumed the form of a venomous cobra and was guarding the iron safe in the house. Premananda made up his mind that the time had come to deliver his disciple from delusion.

“Brother”, he spoke to Ram’s grandson, “there is a venomous cobra in the cavity near the iron safe. It is a dangerous one. Kindly have it removed from there. Please do not kill it. Give it a good beating, break its back and bring it to me”.

The young man was astonished to find that the Sadhu’s words were true. He gathered all the youngsters of the household and began to belabor the cobra. As commanded by the sadhu, they did not kill the cobra, but so injured it that it was unable to move.

The sadhu fondly caressed its head and then, throwing it around his own shoulders, quietly took leave of Ram’s grandchildren. They too were extremely happy to be thus miraculously saved from the venomous cobra by the Sadhu.

On his way the Sadhu spoke to the Cobra: “Beloved Ram! No one has so far been able to satisfy his senses and mind. Cravings are insatiable. Before one disappears a dozen others crop up. Discrimination is your only refuge. Wake up! At least in your next birth you should attain the Supreme”.

“Gurudev !” Ram cried bitterly. “How gracious you are! Even though I proved ungrateful to you, you have always graciously followed me and, never losing sight of me, have guided me back to your lotus Feet. Surely, there is none in the whole world who could be so full of divine love as Guru. There is no selfless love in the world except between a true Guru and his disciple.”

LIGHT SHINES IN HEART

Chandogya says: there is light that shines beyond all things on earth, beyond us all, beyond the highest, the very highest heavens. This is the light that shines in our heart.

Saint Kabir says: God first created light. All men were born out of it. The whole world came out of single spark.

Scriptures say: “Illuminate your intellect with the light of eternal wisdom. Enlightenment is not an intellectual state but spiritual awakening discovering themselves behind the universal creature”. God is light, lamps are outward manifestations of His different forms. Jayadeva meditated on this power in the form of Krishna, Nemadeva in the form of Vittal, Meera and Surdas invoked Lord Krishna. The Apostles of Christianity personified this supreme power in Jesus Christ. Our thought on supreme light is in the form of merciful Sai.

Sai, Thy is light of lights Make me aware of Thy presence Sai is the eye of the blind The staff of the feeble, prop of all He is the moving flame Sai, Thou Art is the Supreme Light.

The all-seeing eye of Sri Sai Baba with His powerful hand of protection and help will surely light up our path of enlightenment and infuse enough strength and illumination to take us to the goal. The light shines and reveals everything to the devotee.

SAI ATMA JYOTHI

Sai’s Atma Jyothi was kindled to light up the earthen lamps without oil and that was the supreme light that awakened the devotee’s soul.

Water fuelled the earthen lamps Lamps radiated Sai Jyothi all around Sai Atma Jyothi dispels mental darkness Darkness that ever keeps us in bondage.

When the light of Godliness, otherwise our Sai Jyothi is lit, it lights up the whole atmosphere. Baba with His parental care is making this lamp to glow in every heart. He dwells in the inaccessible light which is penetrating into devotee’s heart and seeing everything. Light is not an abstract symbol, it is a vital realisation. The entire progress of evolution of humanity is based on light.

Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji pointed out: “every spiritual aspirant in search of Truth and Bliss is seeking light. An earnest and sincere seeker at a certain stage of his life, feels that Light has dawned on him, that he has found the Truth and is in possession of Bliss. This momentous spiritual awakening is called in religious terminology ‘Enlightenment’ or ‘Bodha’.

Sri Sai Baba is the Light of all lights. Only the rays of God can purify the heart which is thirst-ful of God-Realisation. At the source of Light there is no mist but only radiance. When one ever clings to Sai, ultimately he sees the ‘Light of wisdom’ that gives him contentment and Bliss and takes him to the abode of peace and enlightenment.

“So long as the mirror of the heart is covered with dust and dirt, it cannot reflect the wisdom of light. The pure heart only becomes the receptacle of the inconceivable God through the mysterious vision (Divine Light) and exaltation of mind. Everyone should strive to get the Divine Light”, Sri Radhakrishna Swami has said.

“The Light of Wisdom enlightened by Baba gives harmony and rhythm to life. Morally it covers the Self, the harmony of the universal law of God and inward independence or freedom in having only one loyalty to the Supreme God, the Godhead and finally, mystically, it finds its own being by losing itself in the universal being fused through and through by the presence of Godhead. The soul finds in all the Godhead and in God the fulfillment of all its desires. In living for God man finds himself. In living for himself, he loses himself”, our Swamiji pointed out.

SPIRITUAL LIGHT
Our Swamiji explained that wisdom is symbolized by spiritual light. When a lamp is lit darkness is dispelled and a beam of fearlessness, courage and hope lights up the atmosphere. Ignorance is banished. Knowledge is revealed. The light of Godliness has to be lit up in every heart.

“The enlightenment and equanimity of mind which Mr.Sathe, of Bombay, received from Sri Sai Baba is an eloquent example of the mystic power of being in Shirdi. By His dream vision Baba gave enlightenment to Mr.Sathe. The rays of Sai pierce through every place and light up all corners overcoming all barriers. Sai Jyothi which is everlasting in spiritual firmament is the sole energy of one’s activity and awakens wisdom”, Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji has stressed.

Lord Krishna removed the ignorance veil- the obstacles- from Arjuna and then Arjuna could realize the ultimate Reality. So the obstacles had to be removed so that the radiant light could be perceived. When the darkness of the physical world is removed then the darkness within us is thought of and the Divine light is sought to remove it. Sadguru Sai, the Supreme Bliss is the light and He alone can remove the darkness of our ignorance. Light is always associated with all good things and Divine attributes of life like ananda or happiness, dharma or righteousness, wealth, justice, memory, love, knowledge, wisdom and divinity. Light is visible manifestation of God.

Baba’s mission was to throw light on life. Like a beacon light Sai shines unto all souls. Baba is the bestower of Atma Jyothi or Swayamjyothi is one’s Divine light. One should raise oneself by the self and He is the real light in the form of consciousness. Paramatma is the light of lights who dispels the ignorance of a true seeker and Sai is our Paramatma dwelling in everyone of us. He is the supreme light in us. Call Him God or the Supreme Being, the one without a second.

The indwelling soul has its own eye of vision and wisdom. Of all Pancha Koshas a man realize Ananda maya kosa everyday when the mind is silent and at rest in deep sleep. When all other Kosas are forgotten and it is also time to realize Sai vision which is nothing but Ananda to a devotee.

The God men were the men of light and are the dispeller of ignorance and darkness. One has to give up anger, lust, and greed in order to climb the ladder of spirituality. They are the three which bind one to all miseries on earth. As the lamp does not burn without oil, even so one cannot live without a Guru. Intellect shines through and through by the grace of the Guru. He is the light that shines in you.

AT BABA’S COMMAND

All siddhis were at Baba’s command and earthen lamps burning with water as fuel is the manifestation of one such siddhi.. Sai Baba kindled one’s atmajyothi and made the Light of wisdom shine in everyone’s heart. The supreme Baba shines within when one’s ego dies. The soul continues to remain in darkness till the grace of Baba who is perpetual source of Lights, sun, moon and stars descends on this soul. Sai illuminates the soul resulting in perpetual Bliss or Paramananda.

Baba used to say, “As it were if you want to see My light, be egoless and most humble and meditate on my toe through the opening between the two branches index and middle fingers and hen you will be able to see My light. This is the easiest of means of attaining salvation”. Wisdom cannot be acquired by knowledge. Wisdom only dawns. It is derived through the grace of the Lord as the first step. Wisdom put to practice in life is the greatest sacrifice one can offer to the Lord for the deliverance of the soul.

Sai is the wick, Sai is the light Sai is the eye. Without the eye of spiritual wisdom None can see the wick of the Light ‘I am the cosmic ray, to keep you live in The warmth of Light – the Light of Divinity Meditation is the wick to the lamp of wisdom. The lamp of wisdom is nothing but the Lord.

“Oh! Sai, Dispel the darkness and ignorance that cloud our vision. Sadguru Sai, out of grace You performed the miracle of lighting up the earthen lamps filled with water. “You taught the villagers of Shirdi not to utter falsehood, erased their evil thoughts, implanted good neighborhood, service and co-operation in their minds.”

Coming up in Next post :

OM SWAMIJI – THY WILL BE DONE

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