Chapter 2  ·  Contents  ·   Chapter 4

3. SADHANA

Embodiments of Divine Love,

In order to attain and experience Divinity it is necessary to have Divine thoughts and Divine actions. Many people pursue various paths to spirituality and expect results, but at times they become disappointed and frustrated. What is the reason? Everyone has to examine whether he is obeying God's commands or not. People behave in a wayward manner and therefore do not gain freedom (liberation). Everyone should know all the aspects of sadhana (spiritual practice). Most aspirants today consider sadhana to be japa (repetition of a mantra), bhajan (singing hymns), meditation, etc., but these are merely worldly practices as they involve the use of the body, the mind and the intellect. We should transcend these three, for the body is temporary and the mind is wavering.

What does the word "sa" - "dhana" mean? "Sa" means identity or proximity. "Dhana" does not mean worldly wealth, power, etc., but it means Divine Wealth or Truth, and oneness with that Truth which is eternal, ancient, pure and unsullied. This wealth is called sadhana. Spiritual practices do not consist only of sitting with eyes closed and limbs controlled. We should also understand the environment in which we live and then we would gain God's Grace. We must bear all opposites such as heat and cold, rain and sun, pleasure and pain, profit and loss and sin and merit, equally. Vyasa taught the essence of the Vedas in just two sentences: Helping others is meritorious. Hurting others is sin.

The word "paraupakara" is divided into three syllables - "para," "upa" and "kara." "Para" means the Supreme or the Highest Abode; "Upa" means nearness and "kara" means to do or to go. Upakara, therefore, means that one should do good and help others in order to go near God. This is the proper spiritual path, the essence of the Upanishads. In the word "Upanishad," "upa" means near and "shad" means sit. What is the meaning of sitting near? The significance is that a disciple must sit down at the Feet of God (Guru) who is on a higher level. All the spiritual texts teach how to go near God. Just as one goes near an air conditioner to get coolness and comfort when it is hot, similarly, when one goes near God, he would develop Divine qualities. This is sadhana.

What is "papa" or sin? Harming others is sin; classifying and diversifying and forgetting the unity is a sin. Names and forms may vary, but the Spirit is only one. The words from the hymn, "Eka Prabhu, eka nam... Eswara sarva bhutanam," say that God is in every being. God and nature are in union where God is the cause and nature is the effect. There cannot be an effect without a cause. To consider unity (Atma) as diversity (nature) is a sin. The spiritual path is very easy but due to our ignorance we are confused. Accept that whatever happens is for your own good and for the good of the world. If your desire is not fulfilled, don't consider it to be bad.

You are not one, but three: The one you think you are (the body), the one others think you are (the mind or the ego), and the one you really are (the Atma). Take for example, a piece of cloth. It consists of the unity of the cotton, threads and cloth. Our many desires may be compared to threads. If you remove them one by one, the cloth would disappear. Likewise, the mind would disappear after the removal of all desires. Less luggage, more comfort, makes travel a pleasure in the journey of life. Have only the desire for God. Develop this unique novel desire and also follow the commands of God. We should develop the faith and determination to desire only God, to follow His commands and trust that whatever God says is for our own good.

Once there was a king in India whose custom was to drink sugarcane juice during a certain festival. The king desired to cut the sugarcane himself. As he had no experience in this, by mistake he cut off his finger. His minister declared, "O king, this is very good for you." The king became very angry and had the minister imprisoned. The minister declared that to be imprisoned was good for him. One day the king decided to journey into the forest, and after some time he stopped to take rest under a tree. While resting he overheard a nearby tribal king and his tribe members discussing their need for a perfect human being for a sacrifice. They soon discovered the king and expressed great happiness. They captured him, gave him a bath and made all the preparations for the sacrifice. Suddenly they spotted the place on his hand where the finger had been accidently cut off. They decided to release him as he was imperfect, and the king returned to his kingdom. He mused, "What the minister has said was true. Indeed, it was for my own good that my finger was cut off." He went to the prison cell, told the minister that what he had said was true and released him. The minister replied, "Yes, the prison was also good for me. If I had followed you into the forest, they would have sacrificed me instead." The king now believed that everything that happened was due to the Divine command. He said, "Pleasure and pain are good for me. Whatever God chooses for me is good for me." Everyone should have full knowledge of this truth. This is sadhana.

Sadhana is not only japa, rituals and bhajans etc.. The essence of all rituals is to obey God's commands. In God's treasury there are many gems and valuables. What is God's nature? It is to give more than we can understand; but if you ask your request may not be fulfilled. "O mind, without asking did Rama not fulfill Sabari's wish? Without asking did He not send the bird, Jatayu to heaven? O mind, why ask?" God gives more than you could ever ask when you follow His commands, worship Him wholeheartedly and with full surrender. That is true sadhana.

Once Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were walking towards Chitrakoot. Rama was tired so He asked Lakshmana to build a hut for the evening's sojourn. Lakshmana asked Him where he should build the hut. Lakshmana was very pained and said, "What sin have I committed that You should ask me to choose the place? I have no desire other than to follow Your command. All is Your Will." Rama bugged Lakshmana and said, "It is easy to get a wife or a mother, but to get a brother like you is not possible." Divine Love has no limits.

The world is ephemeral and full of misery, but there is Eternal Divinity within it. Today, love, worship and other acts are merely a show; true spirituality is not being practiced. If you cannot follow the command of God, your worship is of no use. One should not have a dual mind; a man with a dual mind is half blind. Do not have feelings of mine and Thine as in a business partnership; between God and the devotee there should be only a Divine relationship; always give without expectation of return. Maintaining the spiritual heart in purity is spiritual practice. The dualistic attitude is one of no wisdom. What is wisdom? Non- dualism, recognizing the One without a second, is wisdom.

Freedom! Nowadays you are enjoying freedom by doing as you like. You are having numerous unfulfilled desires and as a result, you are not able to know your own Atmic nature. Therefore, you are not receiving God's grace. The word for freedom is "Swaicha." "Swa" means Atma or "of the spirit" and "icha" means will (God's Will). So "swaicha" is not the freedom of the body, mind or intellect, but rather the freedom of the Atma. The body is like a water bubble and the mind is like a mad monkey; by following them you would go the wrong way. We don't have God's grace due to undisciplined freedom of body, mind and intellect. Once we know this, we would be able to gain God's grace. So sadhana is not only spiritual practices like meditation, but comprises many other aspects as well.

We should- know that pleasure and pain are not separate in that without pain, pleasure has no value. Pleasure is an interval between two pains. All experiences are like passing clouds. Sadhana comprises actions associated with purification. Another important aspect of sadhana is to maintain equanimity at all times.

God is totally unselfish. God gifted the body to the devotee to do pure actions. Man should practice selfless Love, as God is selfless, and not question to whom this Love should be given. Man should have firm determination in this. As God is the complete totality, to reach this God, man should surrender totally.

In Italy there was a certain man who made violins. He took an entire year to make only one violin. When asked why he took so long, he replied that he was not making it for the money. He said that since God is perfect, whatever one does should also be perfect and that he desired God's Grace. A whole-hearted devotee should offer full Love. "Om, Poornamadah Poornamidam Poornath, Poorna madhacyathe." This means that, "God is full and infinite, the nature of the devotee is fullness and infinity; all are full and infinite." Always have the feeling of fullness. Obedience to God's command leads to spiritual freedom.

In this Kali Yuga, though it is difficult to have good friends, have only good friends. So long as you have wealth, all will say, "Hello," but when you lose everything your friends will run away. The greatest friend is God alone who is above, below, around and inside you. So long as there is water in a tank, there are a thousand frogs around that tank but when the tank becomes empty, the frogs will disappear. Worldly friendship is similar. The only true friend is God who embodies true freedom; when we understand this we will achieve oar goal. For this we need to surrender and for surrender we need steady faith in God.

Life is a challenge - meet it.
Life is a game - play it.
Life is a dream - realize it.
Life is love - enjoy it.

Do not discriminate in Love. Enjoy it! For example, when you visit the market to purchase vegetables, if you start to enquire where they came from, etc., you may have doubts and imagine that they came from dirty places or dirty water and then you won't enjoy them. Why bother making too many inquiries, just enjoy them (God's Love).

Once Ramakrishna took his disciple, Pramananda, to a river and held his head under the water. When he pulled him out, he asked him, "What name of God did you think of?." Pramananda replied, "I could not think of anything except how to get out of the water" (gasping for air). Once you are drowned in Divine Love, you will only think of God. That is real concentration. Time waste is life waste, so love God more and more- every moment.

Swami ended His Discourse by singing, "Prema Mudita Manase Kaho, Rama, Rama, Ram."

April 8, 1996

Chapter 4