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YOU ARE ALL AMRUTAPUTRAS – SONS
OF IMMORTALITY
In this supremely
holy land of Bharat
Tolerance is the towering quality of our character;
Of all the religious vows, the foremost is
Adherence to Truth, which is difficult to practise;
The sweetest and most respectable feeling in this land of
Bharat
is the feeling towards mother;
Consigning to flames the moral fabric of our country
which ordains self-respect as greater than one’s own
life,
The dagger of unrestrained freedom has been given to people
Imitating the Western way of life;
Alas! What can I say about the rulers of this land of Bharat?
Just as an elephant cannot realise its own strength
So are the Bharatiyas today. (Telugu
poem)
Embodiments
of Love!
No one has been able to realise the uniqueness, greatness
and sanctity of this holy land of Bharat so far. The culture
of Bharat is nobler and holier than all other cultures in
the world. This unique culture is pervading from the microcosm
to the macrocosm equally. Unfortunately, nowadays, the Bharatiyas
have forgotten this great culture and are practising the alien
culture. The great human values of Sathya (Truth) and Dharma
(Righteousness) have declined in this holy land of Bharat.
However, fortunately, none has been able to root out these
great human values so far. There is nothing more sacred than
Truth and Righteousness. They are like the two eyes to a human
being. Unfortunately, today, people are losing the vision
in these two eyes and thereby becoming blind. Though the students
of the present times are pursuing higher education and acquiring
degrees, they are losing sight of these great human values.
Instead of fostering such a sacred and noble culture and leading
their lives in accordance with the principles laid down in
this great culture, people are wasting their time in vain
pursuits. It is only the practice of these great human values
of Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Santhi (Peace)
and Prema (Love) that had made the country of Bharat the great
spiritual leader of the entire world. It is only when we foster
these great human values, we are entitled to be called Bharatiyas
in the real sense. Losing sight of even one of these values
will not entitle us to the great name of Bharatiyas. The real
thyaga (sacrifice) is leading a life of constant practice
of these human values in our day-to-day lives. Our life must
be a continuous journey from Sathya (Truth) to Prema (Love)
in the order of Sathya, Dharma, Santhi and Prema. These values
must enter the core of our heart and flow in every cell of
our body.
The whole creation is from Truth,
In Truth all creation merges.
Is there a place in this universe where the grandeur of Truth
is not felt?
The entire universe is a manifestation of
Pure consciousness; know this reality. (Telugu
poem)
From the time a human being is born from his mother’s
womb, it is Truth and Righteousness that are sustaining and
fostering him. The women of Bharat have undergone many ordeals
in sustaining these great values amidst their household duties
and domestic chores. Yet, they have continuously taught these
values to their children. Swami knows too well how much suffering
the parents of these children undergo in bringing them up.
What the students of the present times are expected to acquire
is not education and high degrees, but the essence of Truth
and Righteousness. One has to understand the real meaning
of Sathya and Dharma. The word “Sathya” consists
of three letters “Sa”, “Tha” and “Ya”.
The letter “Sa” signifies the Sattwic quality,
“Tha”, the quality of Thyaga (sacrifice) and “Ya”
the qualities of Yama and Niyama (inner and outer sense control).
Hence, the word “Sathya” means fostering the Sattwic
quality with a spirit of sacrifice and by observing sense
control. Unfortunately, today, we are losing sight of such
great human values which formed the core of Bharatiya culture.
Man today does not know what Sathya and Dharma are. Dharma
is taken to be duty. This interpretation is not correct. This
is only an English translation, rather inadequately expressed!
The real interpretation of Dharma is Dharayati iti Dharma
(that which sustains is Dharma). It sustains the human life.
Sathya (Truth) emerges from the Hridaya Nabhi (Heart region)
of a human being. Thus, when a man led a life of Sathya and
Dharma, he will become sacred. The Pandavas and Droupadi led
such a noble life by following Sathya and Dharma. All your
present difficulties and humiliations are due to non adherence
to Dharma.
One should obey the divine command with total faith
and without any disputation for or against. Markandeya was
born out of a boon granted by Easwara to his parents. Easwara
asked his parents whether they wanted a virtuous son with
a short life-span or a son not so virtuous but who would live
long. The parents opted for a virtuous son. Accordingly, Markandeya
was born. He was one of good thought, good behaviour and good
conduct. Easwara informed his parents that he would live only
for sixteen years. Nevertheless, the parents were joyous as
they had been blessed with a virtuous son. Years rolled by
and Markandeya entered his sixteenth year. Remembering the
words of Easwara, his parents became grief-stricken. His mother
would often shed tears thinking of the impending death of
her son. Markandeya could not understand the cause of her
grief and wondered why she was shedding tears. One day, he
found his parents steeped in sorrow. On enquiry, they revealed
that his death was very near as willed by the divine and that
was the cause of their sorrow. Markandeya felt sorry that
Easwara’s will was not revealed to him till then because
of which he had wasted the precious time allotted to him.
He did not want to waste any more time. He had an early bath,
went to the temple of Easwara and started chanting the sacred
Shiva Panchakshari mantra, Namah Shivaya, with all sincerity
and devotion. He lost himself in the contemplation of Easwara.
He did not expect any reward for his prayers. He considered
it as his primary duty to contemplate on God. The following
day was supposed to be the last day of his earthly sojourn.
Hence he remained in the temple. As he had not returned home,
His parents went to the temple and sat at the entrance. They
were shedding tears thinking of the impending end of Markandeya’s
life. As ordained by the Lord, Markandeya left his mortal
coil the moment he completed his sixteenth year. His parents
were in deep sorrow. As Markandeya left his mortal body in
the external world, his jiva (soul) reached Lord Shiva in
the divine world. The Lord was immensely pleased with the
sincere devotion of Markandeya. He said, “Markandeya!
Today marks the completion of your sixteenth year. You have
come to Me in a happy frame of mind. You have bowed down to
My Will with implicit faith and obedience. I am pleased with
your devotion.” As Easwara was speaking to Markandeya
in this manner, Mother Parvati intervened and said, “Oh
Lord! Why don’t You send him back to his parents as
he has obeyed Your command implicitly.” Easwara wanted
Parvati also to accompany Him. Together they restored life
into the body of Markandeya. The parents’ joy knew no
bounds when they noticed some movement in Markandeya’s
body. He got up and said, “My dear mother and father,
Lord Easwara and Mother Parvati have brought me back to life.”
It is only God, who can save the life of a human being.
Some doctors claim that they can give good medicines or perform
surgery to save the life of a person. They make several promises
thus, but they fail. Except God, none else can save or prolong
the life of a person. He only can interfere in the law of
Karma. With God’s grace, one can achieve anything in
this world. Dear students! You must strive to earn the grace
of God right from your childhood. When you pray for His grace
and strive for the same, you will be protected by God.
Embodiments of Love!
Today is the holy day of Shivarathri. Shiva means auspiciousness.
Where there is Shiva (auspiciousness) there cannot be Shava
(inauspiciousness). This holy day of Shivarathri must be spent
in the constant contemplation of God chanting the holy name
of Shiva right from early in the morning till you go to bed.
The Lord’s name must dance on your tongue. Divinity
is eternal. It cannot be achieved so easily. Nobody has been
able to explain Divinity so far, though some vague definitions
like eternal, changeless, etc., have been given. The proper
definition of Divinity would be Ekam,
Nityam, Vimalam, Achalam, Sarvadhee Sakshibhutam Bhavateetam
Trigunarahitam (One without a second, eternal, pure,
unchanging, witness to all functions of the intellect, beyond
one’s imagination, beyond the three Gunas (Sattwa, Rajas
and Thamas).
One of the names attributed to Lord Shiva is Mrityunjaya,
which means one who has transcended death. This is from the
worldly point of view. But if one wants to understand the
true and eternal nature of Divinity, one has to understand
the relationship between Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. Once
there was a slight difference of opinion between them about
giving an appropriate name to their child. Parvati wanted
to name the child by a particular name from among the several
names Lord Shiva has. Lord Shiva however, chose to name the
child as “Amrutaputra”
(son of immortality). In fact, every human being is an Amrutaputra.
Even the Upanishads declare him so. The Upanishads reveal
the true identity of a human being by addressing as Srunvantu
Viswe Amrutasya Putrah (Oh the children of immortality!
Listen).
Dear Devotees and Students!
You are also Amrutaputras, not
Anrutaputras (sons of immortality,
not falsehood). One who is an Amrutaputra is not affected
by change and death. You verily are the embodiments of the
changeless, eternal principle. Once Mother Parvati was putting
child Ganapati to sleep by rocking the cradle and singing
a lullaby, “Oh Amrutaputra!
Sleep my dear! Sleep. If you are awake, the whole world will
be awake.” Lakshmidevi, the consort of Lord Vishnu came
there and witnessed the scene. She felt that it was rather
a strange lullaby. She enquired about the name of the child
and Parvati told her that His name was Amrutaputra.
Lakshmidevi further enquired from where did she get that name.
Parvati replied that it was Lord Shiva who gave that name
to the child. One who had descended from Easwarattwa is Easwara
Himself.
Embodiments of Love!
You are not reading the sacred texts of yore. Unless you read
those texts also, you will not be able to understand what
is being related to you. Dear Students! You are all Amrutaputras.
People would naturally expect that you should live up to that
great appellation. In fact, the names given to children by
elders in our country have a lot of significance and meaning.
They are not given just casually or for fun. In order to understand
the underlying meaning and sanctity of these names, we must
read the sacred texts like Puranas. Unable to realise the
eternal reality of the values of Sathya and Dharma, we are
taking to wrong ways. We are simply repeating the words Sathya,
Dharma, Santhi and Prema like a parrot. But, we are not making
any effort to understand the true import and significance
of these great human values. All of you are Amrutaputras,
not Anrutaputras.
Dear students!
Try to understand the true nature and significance of the
names. It is a fact that nobody has ever seen Lord Easwara
in person. People call Him “Kailasavasi”
(the Lord who resides in Kailasa). Where is Kailasa? It is
only when you contemplate on Him in the depth of silence that
you can visualise Lord Easwara in Kailasa. Therefore, one
has to practise “Mouna” (silence). And that silence
implies total stillness of thought and word.
Embodiments of Love!
You are all Amrutaputras. Hence,
constantly remain under that awareness. Proclaim yourself
to be Amrutaputras. Whatever
name has been already given to you, prefix that name with
“Amrutaputra”. If
you consider yourself as Anrutaputra,
it is a great mistake and a misnomer. Hence, realise your
true nature and call yourself Amrutaputra.
(Bhagawan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan,
“Prema Mudita Manase Kaho…”)
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