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O July 16th, 2006

“As You Think, So You Become” Part 2



“As You Think, So You Become” Part 1


OM…OM…OM…



Sai Ram



With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,



Dear Brothers and Sisters,


Last week we started discussing the topic entitled, “As You Think, So You Become.” I am hopeful we will complete the topic this morning. I was bringing to your attention certain portions from Bhagavan’s discourses which are related to this topic. First, I explained so many of the comparisons which Baba mentions in His Divine discourses where He draws parallels between the human mind and a scorpion, with a monkey, and so on and so forth. I also brought to your attention what Baba said about the mind and the way it functions. Thereafter, I also brought to your notice how the mind functions and manifests life after life. Now let us go to the next aspect, which is another dimension of the same topic.



our experience of heaven or hell is based on our mind

Let us not consider mind in a simple way. Let us not brand mind silly; let us not condemn the mind as such. The mind, when positive, will take you to the very heaven or paradise. And the same mind, when it is negative, is nothing but a hell. So we cannot condemn the mind as such, because the mind is also the gift of God. So negativity about the mind is not spirituality. Total positivity towards the mind will take you to delusion. We should have a kind of balance of thought between these two extremes. Total indulgence, total involvement of the mind, is nothing but attachment or bandha. Total avoidance of the mind is nothing but a deep-sleep state. So I am not referring to these two states—I mean transcendence of the mind. It is neither avoidance nor indulgence; it is transcendence. Beyond the mind, beyond the mind state, is what we call moksha, or liberation, or the kingdom of heaven, or nirvana.



ATMA operates at three levels to manifest consciousness
I would like to draw your attention to a few other points that Bhagavan mentioned in this regard, which will make us absolutely reverential towards the mind. He said that Atma or consciousness has three brilliant aspects, three main aspects, through which it manifests, reflects, and functions. The Atma or pure consciousness as such is attribute-less, blemish-less, spotless, nectarine, and immortal; but the Atma, as functional consciousness, operates at three different levels.



First, it acts at the level of the mind. Therefore, the mind is nothing but the capacity, or the capability, or the ability, or the manifestation, or expression of consciousness. Without consciousness, the mind is functionless. This consciousness is the primary, primordial, original principle that makes everyone operate, that makes every instrument of the human body functional. The eye cannot see minus that Atmic power; the ear cannot hear minus that power of consciousness; the skin loses its sense of touch minus that consciousness. In other words, consciousness is the underlying power supply or electricity behind all these senses. I think I am clear. So, mind is the product of consciousness; and therefore we cannot condemn the mind and turn negative.



The second level of operation of Atma or consciousness is intellect. Mind is manas; and intellect is buddhi in Sanskrit. We dealt at length with what an intellect is: that which has discretion, that which decides, that which judges, that which discriminates, that which differentiates is the intellect. So, intellect—buddhi—is functional, because of the Atmic power, or consciousness.



The third level is will, or sankalpa. “I will do it. I will achieve it. I will accomplish it. I will attain it.” The determination, the sankalpa, that will, is also a product of consciousness. It is the Divine will that happens. And the Divine will, which is universal, operates at the individual level—what we call the will. That will, which is nothing but the Divine will, the Divine law which is universal and cosmic, exists at the individual level in what you call will power.



as is the thought, so is the action

Therefore, according to Swami, consciousness expresses in three dimensions: manas—the mind; buddhi—the intellect; sankalpa—the will, or will power. Once the consciousness expresses itself through the mind or manas, what happens? It starts sending so many thoughts, generating so many thoughts that lead to so many actions. The nature of the action is based on the thought behind it which has prompted it. Therefore, the mind generates thoughts, and the thoughts lead to actions.



Of course, we all hear of thoughtless actions which are nonsensical and political. Most of the political actions are thoughtless because politicians are brainless fellows. We know that. (Laughter) There was some conference organised by the department of Bio-science here at the University called “Brain, Mind, and Consciousness.” And I said to them, “You can talk to those fellows who have got a brain; but if they have no brain, what is option is there?” (Laughter)



So, it is the mind that generates thoughts, and thoughts take you to action. And then at the level of the intellect, what happens? There is the possibility of selflessness or the possibility of self-interest. In order to go beyond selfishness, to go beyond self-interest, the intellect is responsible. If the intellect does not express itself, if the intellect does not manifest, if the intellect, which is a product of consciousness, is not functional, then man turns out totally selfish and self-centred. If he is selfless, if he is not self-centred, it means that his intellect is so powerful, so awakened and so sharp. Why? Because the intellect is also a manifestation of consciousness.


SANKALPAS are traits carried over from previous lives

What is the purpose of the sankalpa? We have to clearly understand. There is no correct, exact, one-hundred-percent translation of the word sankalpa. To say it is “will” is only an excuse or an apology. The English language is inadequate to be able to convey the exact translation to this word sankalpa. I am sorry about it. There are certain words in Sanskrit, that when we translate them, we just reduce them to one-fourth of their profundity, one-tenth of their depth; sometimes the meaning is just the contrary, just the opposite. That is the reason why I stand corrected. Whenever Swami speaks and I begin to translate, I stand corrected every time. Because the words that we use do not fully convey what He really means. The English language is quite inadequate. For example: chaitanya. How do you say that? Consciousness; conscience; awareness. In one context, it is awareness. In another context, it is consciousness, and on some other occasion, it is conscience. Which is true? All the three are correct. Which do you use? Except that which you use, the remaining two are correct! (Laughter) That is the Sanskrit language.



Sankalpa, my friends–-the determination, the certain traits I was talking about to you last week, can also be called vasanas. Vasanas or samskaras; sankalpa, or let me say samskara. Samskaras, vasanas—what are they? Samskaras or vasanas are the traits brought forward from the previous life, just as we are the legal hire to the parental property. Just as in account books, the last entry is brought forward to the next page on the top, the samskaras of the previous life are brought forward to this life and kept on the top, and are responsible for all the good and bad that appear like flashes in our life.



SANKALPAS EXPLAIN OUR UNEXPECTED BEHAVIOUR

Sometimes a highly educated man behaves in a vulgar way—most unexpected of him. A person who is decently kept in life, occupying a very high position, behaves in an awkward way—most unexpected of him. Why? Samskaras. A person who has no possibility to be wise, who has no possibility to be an intellectual, who has no possibility to be a scholar, who has no literacy, suddenly comes forward with certain statements full of truth. Some illiterate people make certain statements full of truth. Some of the people from villages, as they talk, we have to accept that they are wiser than all of us put together. How would you anticipate such unexpected statements from the rural, rustic, unsophisticated, uncivilised people far from the madding crowds of sophistication, industry, electrification, and computerisation? (Laughter) How would you explain it? Because of the janma samskaras, the latent, the immanent, the hidden.



All businessmen maintain two accounts: one account for income tax purpose, the second account for their personal use. (Laughter) The second account they do not show to anybody. The first account is never true. Therefore, we can say that all civilisation, all these manners, cultures, and education is the “number one account” which is not necessarily true. But sometimes we come in true colours by making a statement which is most unbecoming of our personality and of our stature. We entertain certain thoughts about which we are ashamed. We do certain things of which we are never proud. Why? Because of previous lives. I am ashamed of my own thoughts at times. Why? Yes—previous account brought forward. This consciousness is brought forward because He is the Divine Accountant. I can manage, at the human level, all chartered accountants. I can also bribe all accountants of the Accountant General Office. But the Divine Accountant cannot be managed. Because you don’t see Him. You don’t meet Him to bribe Him. He is inside you, so you cannot bribe Him outside you; He is inside you. So the Divine Accountant is called chitragupta. Chitra—peculiar, strange, mysterious, un-understandable, unknown, funny. Gupta—confidential, top-secret. And there are confidential files maintained by the Divine Accountant whom you call chitragupta. He brings forward the accounts of the previous lives, maintained perfectly. That is what we call vasanas, or samskaras. They are also an expression of consciousness.



human beingS ARE gifted to change THEIR samskaras

These samskaras are with us. Our duty is to be free from all the ills, to be free from all the evils, of janmandra samskaras. I cannot tell a judge, “Sir, I killed so-and-so because of janma samskara. So how may I be punished for my previous lives now? I am sorry. This I have done because of the promptings of the previous lives. How can you punish me now?” That seems to be logical. But it won’t work out in the long run. Our business is to change the samskaras that are evil, and to develop the samskaras that are good.



A simple example: Prahlada had good samskaras. Therefore, he developed those samskaras so that he became totally spiritual and Divine. A human being is gifted with a chance to change his samskaras. I cannot say, “This event is the result of my samskaras,” and go on brooding over it. Certainly not. I will mention a few examples here.



tURNing the mind from tamAsic to sattvic -- valmiki

The first example is Valmiki, the saint who composed the epic Ramayana. A saint is naturally sathwic or pious; calm, cool, selfless, sacrificing, untiring–these are pious qualities. But the same fellow, in the earlier stage, was goonda #1, robber #1, and anti-socialite #1. All the subjects we find in the modern newspapers do not match him at all because he believed in finishing off first, then negotiating later. (Laughter) “Finish him off” -- that is all. And this fellow’s earlier name was Ratnakara. Ratnakara, the goonda, the #1 thief, was full of thamasic qualities—horrible. “Bestial” is a simple word; “demonic” is insufficient. How to best describe him? He was matchless in his bad qualities because he went on killing people for no reason.



This is the kind of people who were responsible for the bomb blast in Bombay that you read about in the newspaper. People went to their offices and while they were returning on the train, there were bomb blasts and many lost their lives. Their family members must have been anxiously waiting for the return of their people. Well, they had to receive their dead bodies, and some bodies were not even identified. The perpetrators all belong to this same type of camp of Ratnakara -- bestial, demonic, inhuman, and devilish.



So such a thamasic man, instead of crying, instead of lamenting, instead of repenting, regretting, or feeling helpless, could improve his quality. A thamasic, demonic, devilish man could become a saintly man. That is the power man is gifted with. You are gifted with the quality to transform your own samskaras, your own vasanas, rather than simply saying, “I am helpless; I can’t do it!”



THE KILLER AND THE JUDGE

I am reminded of a joke: It seems a culprit was brought for remand to the court. The culprit was standing there and the judge questioned him: “You, fellow, are you the one who killed so-and-so?”



The murderer replied, “Yes, sir. “



The judge questioned, “Do you know you are going to be hanged?”



The murderer replied, “Yes, sir.” And the murderer said, “My lord, I have one thing to say.”



The judge said, “Yes, come on.”



“Who is the killer? Who is the killed? (Laughter) Killer is God and the one who is killed is God. Who is the killer and who is the killed? Why do you punish me, my lord?” the murderer asked.



The judge was sufficiently intelligent. So he replied, “Who is punishing and who is the punished? (Laughter) The one who punishes and the one who is punished are equally Divine. Therefore, get behind the bars!” (Laughter)



MAN ALONE HAS THE GIFT OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION

Therefore, my friends, this attempt to change, to refine, to be cultured, to transform, is the gift given to man. Baba goes further and gives one example: You cannot ask a lion to go to the South Indian canteen and have two idlis and a bucket of sambar. (Laughter) Impossible! A lion will never be happy with sambar and idlis; a tiger cannot be happy with North Indian sweets. Lions and tigers want human flesh. Finished! I cannot pray to a lion to be a vegetarian. (Laughter) I cannot request the tiger to be an herbivore. Impossible!



But man can be vegetarian, non-vegetarian or both—omnivorous: carnivorous and herbivorous. He can be both. He can change his habits. You may believe me or not, but one of the contributions of Sathya Sai Baba to the world community today is this: Many have taken to vegetarianism after having come to Swami’s Lotus Feet. Many have taken to vegetarianism. Many countries which were totally non-vegetarian have got some vegetarian restaurants today because there are a number of vegetarians now. Most of them are influenced by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Therefore, the third aspect of sankalpa is the ability to change ourselves.



We can also think of another example: Vishwamithra. Vishwamithra was a saint; but earlier he was a king, a man full of ambition, a man full of passion, a man full of possessiveness, a man full of attachment, a man full of ego and the spirit of domination; a man who wished to establish an empire, who believed in killing people and bloodshed alone.



But this King Vishwamithra became a saint later. The spirit of ego, the spirit of domination, supremacy, overruling – these are rajasic qualities. That rajasic quality became a sathwic quality in due course of time, and he became a saint. Who is this Vishwamithra? He is the one who gifted the Gayathri mantra to the entire world. The Gayathri mantra that we chant today is given by Vishwamithra, the saint. Yes. He himself taught this Gayathri mantra to Sri Ramachandra, and we still repeat it today. What was his history before? Top supremacy and domination; that is, everybody should be under his thumb. Such a man became a sathwic man later. So you are given this capacity, a chance, a scope, to transform your samskaras or vasanas.



GOING beyond THE three gunas: sutha-sathwic

Let us go to the third example. There was one king in Mahava, in Bhagavatha. This was Jatavaratha. To start with, he was rajasic, full of emotions. But later he became sathwic, pious, peaceful, and then above that -- attributeless. He could go beyond the trigunas of sathwa, rajas, and thamas.



The three gunas keep one in bondage; it is only a difference in quality. Baba has said, “Thamasic is an iron chain; rajasic is a silver chain; sathwic is a gold chain. But a chain is a chain. The change is only in the metal. Therefore, the sathwic becomes sutha-sathwic, or beyond the three attributes.” That is what Baba has to say on this subject. Most interesting!



killing the mind–impossible

We often use one word, “manonasana”. What do you mean by that? Manonasana means “annihilation of the mind.” People say you have to kill your mind. I do not know what they mean. Kill your mind? Who should kill the mind? Where is the mind? Where are you? Therefore, Baba says “manonasana”.



withdrawal of mind–possible

Annihilation of the mind or killing the mind is a meaningless expression. It is a meaningless set of words. But what you can do is withdraw the mind, not annihilate the mind. Oh! I see. What is withdrawal of mind? Who should withdraw? How to withdraw?



I don’t have to explain. As a teacher, I know many students withdraw their mind when the teacher teaches in the classroom, and they go into samadhi—a good sound sleep. (Laughter) Students are the best examples because they constantly withdraw their minds. Therefore we have to teach them again and again. And their withdrawal of the mind is so total that they go into deep sleep, samadhi. We have the greatest rishis—saints—in the classroom today, and we have many saints and rishis in the Sai Kulwant Hall also! (Laughter) Because, when Swami speaks, some can get into samadhi immediately. They sleep. Arrah! When Swami speaks, how do you sleep? That is sadhana—spiritual practice. (Laughter) They are gifted. So we all know what withdrawal is. Alright!



Coming to our stage, a simple example: I go on praising myself, bragging about myself—“bragging” means self-praise. If I go on boasting and boosting myself, you will be nodding your head. But if I ask you what I said, you will say, “Yes, I followed.” But you are not really interested. We don’t want to hear anybody praising their own self (ego). Let him be the topmost man in the world. The one who indulges in self-praise is the dirtiest man. Better we be aware of this type. Self-praise is as much a sin as condemnation of others is. Condemnation of others is as much a sin as self-praise is.



When you sit in Kulwant Hall for darshan, somebody will say to you, “In 1974, what happened, do you know?” 1974 is out of context. First, whatever happened then, it happened to you, so why should I know? (Laughter) Irrelevant! Both of us have come here for Swami’s darshan today, so why do you speak about things that are out of place? What manners! Oh, I see. “What did I say?” “I don’t remember.” By withdrawal of the mind, we know it means to become indifferent, to pay a deaf ear. If you want, at 2:30, our students will come and you can ask them how to withdraw the mind! (Laughter)



In our office, we also do it. We withdraw our mind when the boss tells us something. Therefore we don’t do what is expected of us. “Sir, I have forgotten.” He remembers—“Chod dho. Leave it.” He is not so serious about it. So withdrawal of the mind is possible; but annihilation of the mind is nonsense because annihilation or killing of the mind is impossible. In the kinetic theory of energy, energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Only one form of energy can be transformed into another form of energy. Similarly, the mind, its expressions, its manifestation, and its potentiality, may be varied, but it cannot be annihilated. So, remember that Baba says manonasana is not possible, but withdrawal of the mind is possible.


merger of the mind

The greatest thing is manolaya, meaning merger of the mind. So we have three states of the mind:



1. Manonasana: total killing, which is impossible, which is nonsensical



2. Withdrawal of the mind, which is a common occurrence



3. Manolaya: merger of the mind



A simple example: A river has a name, a form, and a taste. Eventually the river flows down and merges into the ocean. Then where is the river? The river is no more. The river is only a river until it merges into the ocean. Until then, it has got a name and a form. After merging into the ocean, it loses its name and form. That is what you call manolaya—merging. It is possible. How it is possible?



When Swami begins singing, where is your mind? When Swami stands in front of you, where is your mind? When Swami gives you an interview, what happens to your mind? Why did you forget to tell Him about your joint pain problem? (Laughter) Why did you forget to give the letter given by your wife to Swami? Why did you forget to pray for a visa? Why did you forget to tell Swami that you have a daughter yet to be to be married? Why? The mind is switched off. Once Swami stands there in front of you, Swami is the ocean and you are the river. You are the river until Swami gives darshan. I am so-and-so, M.Sc., Ph.D., that and this. Okay, good. And once that you is gone, He remains. Because, He is the ocean and you are the river.



So “you” the river merges into ”He” the ocean—then that is what we call manolaya, the merger which is quite possible. In singing, in bhajans, you are lost at times. Some of the bhajans that you like, or some of the meanings in the bhajans may apply to your situation at that moment (a moment when you need His help very badly, when you need His support immediately for medical reasons or professional purposes, or for a business deal where you need His intervention)—a particular bhajan song may be of some appeal to you. It makes you forget everything, and you get lost. Sometimes people start crying there in the bhajan hall. They are not mad. You are mad to think that they are mad! Let us also pray to be mad like them.



Suppose a bhajan… (Anil Kumar starts singing :)



Devaki Thanaya Dayaa Nidhe

Dayaa Nidhe Kripa Nidhe



Daya nidhe: You are the ocean of daya or compassion. Kripa nidhe: You are the ocean of mercy. This meaning will apply. This meaning is understood when we want Him at that moment, when we need Him at that moment, in that hour of the need. In the same way, “you” are no more; you are lost in that bhajan.



When you are in a happy mood, when you are in a thankful mood, when you are in a grateful mood… (Anil Kumar sings)



Gopika Mala Hari Pyari Maayi Meri Mana Vihari

Madhana Mohana Murali Ghana Krishna Jai



When that song is the same wavelength as your psychology, when that song is correctly tuned to your thought process, then you are lost; “you” are no more. You become one with the song, you are one with the bhajan; you are one with the form and the name of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. You are no longer there. This is what we call manolaya, as explained by Bhagavan.



FOUR STATES OF MIND: First, Super-mind or duality

Swami also spoke of “super-mind”. This word “super” is very often misused. This is very often misunderstood. What is super-mind? In fact, prior to Bhagavan, there was Sri Aurobindo, the great Aurobindo, who spoke of different levels of mind.



This super-mind, as Swami explains, is the dual mind. The dual mind is the state of mind where identification with the body is relatively higher. This state is the dual state, the state which is called the super-mind.



SECOND, HIGHER MIND Or Thought consciousness

The second state, as Swami calls it, is the higher mind. Please don’t say, “Never mind.” (Laughter) This is the higher mind. What is this higher mind? Higher mind is beyond the body consciousness. It is above the physical level. If it is at the physical level, it is super-mind. If it is above the body level, if it is above the physical plane, it is higher mind or what you call “thought consciousness”.



Thought consciousness raises one above the animal level. The animal level is the physical level; the human level is a higher level. Animals go according to body. But in the human, one goes by thought, which is above the physical plane. This thought consciousness is what we call the higher mind.



THIRD, illuminated mind OR Divine consciousness

The third level is the illuminated mind. The illuminated mind is when one understands that everything functions because of an undercurrent of Divine consciousness. One does not think that it is the eye that sees. A blind man may have better eyes than you and I. The blind man has eyes, but he cannot see. A deaf person has ears that may be more attractive, but he cannot hear. So the eye of the eye, the ear of the ear, or the power of vision behind the eyesight—what prompts, what causes vision is this Divine consciousness.



Sekat Shekshu Sektshu

Shrotrakshu Shrotherehu

Nethraksa Nethrahu.



The power behind a functioning object, the Divine energy or consciousness, is something like electricity there in the fan or in the bulb or in the microphone. That is what we call realisation in an illuminated mind. The illuminated mind will think of the electricity (the Divine power) and not the bulb (the name and form). The illuminated will think not of the microphone, but the electricity. The power behind everything--the power behind my vision, the power behind my talk, the power behind my audition, the power behind my sense of smell, the power behind my sense of touch--that power is the Divine power, which we call illuminated mind.



FOURTH, over-mind or the totality of Divinity

The fourth state of mind is the over-mind. What is over-mind? Over-mind is nothing but the totality of Divinity--totally Divine. A simple example: The air within me which I breathe in and out is very much the same as the air around me. The air around me is so vast and limitless. That is over-mind. The air within me which sustains my life, which maintains my life, is the illuminated mind. That which is universal is within me also. Am I clear?



So, super mind is life in this body; higher mind is life beyond the body. Illuminated mind is the awareness of Divinity behind all senses; while over-mind is the experience of Divinity in its totality. These are the thoughts of Bhagavan, who has explained this on many occasions.



Swami said, “You cannot kill the mind.” Okay, I am not ready to kill it because I don’t know what to kill as I don’t know where the mind is. So let me forget about that. Secondly, Swami said, "It is possible to withdraw the mind.” I have been practising it and I am very successful. And thirdly, Swami said, “Try to merge the mind, manolaya.” Yes, I experience at times, during bhajans, during darshan times, during meditation, during contemplating hours, during a pensive, reflective, or meditative mood—yes, I do experience that merger or the manolaya state.



ONE cannot realise the self IF ONE STILL HAS DESIRES

Now Swami asked, ”Why all these? Why should you do that?”



Where will the merger take you? These are the steps. As long as the mind is present in its solid form -- a solid bed-rock of very hard stone -- so long as it is there, you can never be free from desire. To repeat, so long as the mind is solid, you can never be free from desire.



If somebody says, “I have got a desire, but I have gone beyond the mind”, we can tell him, ”You have neither a sound mind, nor can your desire be fulfilled.”



Desire comes from the mind only. So long as the mind is so strong and powerful, you can never get out of this realm of desire. “Okay, sir. I have desire, but why do you bother? I have my own desire, why do you bother? My desire won’t harm you. I have got my desires. I will try to satisfy them. I will try to fulfil them. Why should I not be desire-full?” (Not only desire, but desire-full -- full of desires!) Why not?



As long as you are desire-full, you can never be free from abimana or mamakara— I and mine. You can never be free from I-ness; you can never be free from the “my” feeling: my people, my group, my community, my, my, my. . .



Swami says this “my, my, my” is maya or illusion. To repeat, this “my, my, my“ is maya or illusion. Antha Mayi. Everything is maya or illusion. Therefore, the point is this: So long as the mind is in the solid state, you cannot get out of desire. So long as there is desire, you are bound to be attached. This I-ness, the feelings of “I and mine” will continue.



“Okay, sir. I am attached. Why not?” Yes, fellows like me are attached to a hot cup of coffee. Yes. Some people are attached to ice cream. Some people are attached to pizza. Some are attached their positions, to money. Yes. Why not? All right. As long as you are attached, you can never be free from ego, ahamkara. Ego will be there. Ego is not pride. Please understand: pride and ego are different. Ego is I-ness. Ego is identity. Ego is a claim and pride is an expression. Pride is a product, while ego is the origin.



So this feeling of separate identity or identification is I-ness. I am this. I am that. Yes, “I”. I am so-and-so. This is what we call ”I”. All right. If ”I” is there, what will happen? If I-ness or ahamkara is there, what will happen? You will never have the knowledge of Self or Atma Jnana. Knowledge of the Self is impossible. Awareness of the Self is impossible. How is that? Unless the curtain is lifted, the cinema will not start. Unless the curtain is lifted, the drama will not start. You cannot watch the drama. You cannot witness any film unless the curtain is lifted, until the curtain is raised. Am I clear?



Now let us go in the reverse order. To have Self-knowledge, to have the awareness of the Self, we must know what the real Self is. Many people say, “I know what Self is.” What he knows is selfishness, not Self. Self is different from selfishness. Therefore, to say, “I know the Self” also has no meaning, because you are the Self. If I say, “I know the Self”, who is this “I”? That ”I” is the Self. “I” and “Self” are not separate. Sometimes we use these words.



A PURE HEART IS the temple of GOD

There was one song. I don’t exactly remember which one, but I remember the word Atmanivasi, which means “the one who resides in the Self”, or the one who lives in the Atma or spirit or consciousness. One time, a boy was singing that song, and he came to the word Atmanivasi, and Baba said, “No, no, change it into Hrudayanivasi, the one who lives in the heart.”



Somebody asked Swami, “What is the difference?”



Swami answered, ”When you say ‘Atmanivasi’, the one who lives in Atma, it has no meaning because Atma is everywhere. Consciousness is everywhere. How can you live everywhere? So it is wrong. Hrudayanivasi: He is present in your heart. A pure heart is the temple of God.”



Iswara Purdese Arjuna Thistathe.



God installs Himself in the heart. Heart is the centre of God. I say “whole-heartedly”. I don’t say “whole-mentally” unless I am mental! (Laughter) Mind is extra. It is the heart that takes you there.



withdraw the mind to realise the self

Therefore, in order to have Self-knowledge, there should be no ego. Ego is the curtain. To drop this curtain, you should be free from attachment to the mind. To be free from attachment to the mind, you should be desireless. To be desireless, the mind should be withdrawn. This is what we call a reversible reaction, as taught to chemistry students. The chemistry student will learn: a -> b; b-> a. Similarly, the mind, once it is withdrawn, automatically takes you to awareness of the Self or Self-knowledge. If mind is there, then there is no Self knowledge at all. This is explained by Bhagavan Baba Himself.



follow the intellect, nOT THE MIND

Now Swami comes to another point. What He has mentioned is in so many poems, but I don’t want to repeat them in Telugu as that language is not known to many people here. So it will be a futile attempt to read it out in Telugu, except for the vanity of exhibiting my scholarship, and it is too late in my life to cultivate that habit now!



But I will give you the meaning of the poem: The man who goes by the mind, who runs after the mind, will be worse than an animal. The man who goes by the directions of the intellect is closer to the Divine.



Mansaatharavu Manovundu

Pasukante Hinayamani Paatananumu.

Buddhaatharau Budda Jananaundu

Paasupathika Maaranunu Palkey Parthi Sayi.



Those who know Telugu will understand the beauty of the poem. Pasupathike Maranu means that he becomes God Himself. But if he follows the mind, he is pasu, an animal. If he follows his intellect, he is pasupathi or God Himself. So follow the intellect, not the mind.



the quaLITY OF YOUR THOUGHTS DETERMINES THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE

Then Swami also mentions another point:



Sadhu Sankalapamala Sertha Sadhuvaganu.



With all good thoughts, you are a pious man.



Dushta Sankalapamala Sertha Dushtututaganu.



With all wicked thoughts, you are a wicked man.



Sagala Sankalapa Sununoda Santhivuda.



If you are thoughtless, if you have withdrawn your mind,

you are saint, you are totally Divine.



This is what Bhagavan has said. Furthermore, Swami said that if your thoughts are so pure, you are bound to be successful in life. If your thoughts are impure—well, you will be a failure in your life.



THINKING IS WHAT SEPARATES MAN FROM GOD

It has happened many times that when Swami was speaking, I have been dumbfounded, and all I could say was, “Aha! Aha!”



One time Swami asked, “What happened to you? You are here to translate My talk. Why ‘Aha’? (Laughter) What happened to you?” He asked.



Then I said, “I am not a machine. I am not an electronic gadget. I am not a simple microphone. I love Your message. Some points in Your message go so deeply that I am dumbfounded, and I remain speechless!”



“Heh! Next, next! Fast, fast! (Laughter) Tell what you have to. You can speak of your madness later! (Laughter) First do this.” That is what He said.



Thala Pulandu Veru Deivam Anabu Kaladani.



In thought you think God is elsewhere. In thought God is separate from you. In thought God is away from you. It is thought which separates you from God. It is thought that thinks God is away, God is different and God is apart from you.



Thalachi Naradu Thannu Thanne Marasu.



Thinking that God is elsewhere, man forgets himself, and man gets lost in the jungle of life. Man is drowned in the ocean of family. Man has become forgetful, man is intoxicated, and man is in full of disillusionment. Why? It is thought that separates him from God.



Thalachi Thannu Thanne Marasu.



He forgets Him. Why? He thinks God is away from him, that He is separate from him.



Thalapulani Veda Thane Deivambagu.



Vah! Vah!



Thalapulani Veda Thane Deivambagu.



Once you drop your thoughts, once thought is gone, once mind is withdrawn, once mind is in total merger with the Divine, then Thaane Deivambugu, you are Divine. You are God. So this kind of distancing, this sort of dualism or dichotomy, this separateness, is only because of mind.



Therefore, my friends, we come to the end of the topic: “As You Think, So You Become – Part 2.” Next week we will take up another topic, and also answer some questions which I received. Thank you very much for your gracious presence and for your rapt attention. May God bless you.



(Anil Kumar finished his satsang by singing “Sai Narayana Narayana.”)







OM…OM…OM…



Asato Maa Sad Gamaya

Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya

Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya



Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu



Om Shanti Shanti Shanti







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Prof. Anil Kumar visit to Brazil - photos