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God by itself has no form
God by itself has no form. But
people mould it in the shape of a
ring or a chain, thereby giving it a form. Likewise, many forms
are
attributed to the formless Divinity. Divinity is pure, immortal,
attributeless, formless, ancient and eternal. But people worship a
form for
their own satisfaction. That is why God incarnates. He is the
creator,
sustainer and destroyer. But you think different gods exist for
creation,
sustenance and destruction. They are all like ministers of God.
Everything is under His control. So, when you offer something to
God, it
amounts to offering to all gods.
Formless God can be visualised in the form of all
beings. He is
the Reality and all the forms are His reflections. One is Paraksha
(indirect experience). In fact, there is only One, not two. But it
appears to
be two. You may find the projection of earthquakes, floods and
volcano
eruptions on the cinema screen but the screen is unaffected by all
this. You may find a river on the screen but the screen does not
get wet.
Likewise, all the multiplicity appears only to the external
vision: the
Illumination mind sees only oneness. That oneness is the Divine
power.
It is present in one and all. You search for God in various places
as
you are unable to understand this truth. To know this truth, love
all.
Then you can visualise the unity in diversity and vice-versa. God
declared Mamaivamsho Jeevaloke Jeevabhuta Sanathana (the external
Atma in all
beings is part of My Being). Do not get deluded by the differences
in
physical form. Treat everyone alike. Consider all that you see as
your
own reflection. When you cultivate this feeling of oneness, you
will
attain the level of Illumination mind. When you are at the level
of Super
mind, you think that you are different form others. This is
dualism. It
is said, "A man with dual mind is half blind." Gradually go up to
the
Higher mind where you will understand your true nature. Then you
reach
Illumination mind. Once you experience this unity in totality, you
attain Over mind. That is your goal. That is everything for you.
All the
spiritual practices are meant to attain this goal. Practices that
are done
with physical body cannot improve the state of mind. What is
essential
is the purity of mind.
The Anantapur College Girls came to Me and said,
"Swami, boys are
going to each and every house in the village distributing food
packets.
Once we finish packing the food, we have no other work. Please
give us
some work. I told them to go to the villages, clean the temples
and
whitewash them. Body itself is the temple of God. When you
whitewash the
temples outside, think that you are painting the temple of body
with
love.
God assumes human form to serve and sustain
humanity. I am your
servant not the master. Understand this truth. I come to you,
wherever
you are seated, to give Darshan, I never say that you should come
to Me.
It is said, God always stand sat the entrance of your Puja room
ready
to give whatever you ask for. God is always ready to grant the
wishes of
His devotees. God renders service to man, so that He may serve his
fellow beings.
No visit to any pilgrim centre, no penance, no
Yogic practice
will help you in crossing over the ocean of Samsara other than the
service
rendered to the noble.
(Excerpts from Swami's Discuorse: Bhagavan
Sri
Sathya Sai Baba. "Wings for the flight to the Divine - Love and
Service" 20 November 2000, Prasanthi Nilayam).
How can one contemplate on God with an invisible form?
What is
the use of such contemplation? Divinity is the very life breath
that can
be perceived and heard. How can one recognise and experience the
sound
of this Divine breath? The Upanishads have given the names of
"Brahman"
and "Atma" for this invisible Divine breath in human beings. The
body
is living, as long as the life breath emanates from the body. Mind
is
made up of sankalpa (resolution) and vikalpa (negation or
dissolution).
This is the Vishnu Principle. What is the root cause for this
Brahma
Principle? That which attracts the sound (sabda).
The allpervading sound of the sruthis is constantly in
us, with us
and is part of us. When you hear the sound of the manthras, you
feel
very happy, even though you are not able to understand their
meanings.
There may be several meanings for the words in these manthras.
But, the
very sound emerging from the chanting of these manthras will make
you
happy.
In order to understand the nature of Divinity
(Paramatma), we
must engage our mind in the contemplation of the Transcendental
Principle
(Parathathwa). Where does the mind come from? It comes from the
sankalpa (resolve) and vikalpa (negation or dissolution). They in
turn come
from the nature of sabda (sound). Sound is the real Brahma Thathwa
(the
Principle of Brahma).
(Excerpts from Swami's Discuorse: Bhagavan
Sri
Sathya Sai Baba. "Soham -The Right Sadhana" 12 Oct. 2002,
Prasanthi Nilayam).
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