Treasure Spiritual Knowledge in Your Heart

4 April 1993, Kodaikanal

Published English.

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One should uphold human values in the face of all challenges, defeats, and losses. Human life is full of problems and challenges. They all help indirectly to develop human qualities. If one is to lead a human life, one has to develop human qualities. In the first instance, people develop desires. Desires are common to all, whether one is young or old, man or woman, a common man or a saint. However, it is very important to have good desires, e.g. desire to reach an exalted position, desire to lead a noble life, desire to be a good student, desire to tread the divine path. It is quite natural to have desires because one has to live in the world. But there should be a limit to desires. Because desires have crossed all limits due to the effect of , people have lost their peace and are experiencing restlessness. Desires may be there, but there should be some limit to them. Unlimited desires are like chains, which bind and imprison. One loses freedom as one becomes bound by desires.

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People have no dearth of food, raiment, and shelter. Then what is the reason for their restlessness? It is only excessive desires that make them restless. Therefore, put a ceiling on desires. Less luggage, more comfort makes travel a pleasure . Life is a long journey. In this long journey of life, do not have excess luggage. This, in Vedantic parlance, is called renunciation ( ). You have been reading about renunciation for a long time. You have been listening to many discourses. But how much have you been able to practise? If you question yourself, you will find that you have not moved even a single step forward; you are where you were. In spite of listening to and reading Vedantic texts, in spite of chanting ( ) and meditation, in spite of knowledge of sacred texts, your position is the same as it was.

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Your hunger is not satiated merely by hearing the names of delicious items. You have to make an effort to eat. A beggar will never improve their condition simply by listening about the greatness of the economy. Pitch darkness can never get dispelled by listening to the power of light. Similarly, you can never become a by learning about .

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Once, thought of testing the nature of and . First, He called and said, “I have a task to perform. For that, I need a very mean-minded person who is given to untruthful and evil ways. Can you bring such a person?” Afterward, called , “! A great task is to be performed. For that, a noble person is required who is pure, kindhearted, and virtuous; can you find one?” Both of them agreed to perform the tasks assigned to them by . went in one direction and in another in search of the people asked for. After some time, came back, and said most humbly to , “Oh Lord! There is no wicked person in our kingdom. I am the only one who has some wickedness or the other. Please make use of me.” Some time after this, also came back and said to , “! A thoroughly noble person is nowhere to be seen in this kingdom. I think that I am the only such person. If You tell me the task, I will surely perform it. In the egoistic outlook of , all appeared to be wicked. In the humble nature of , all appeared to be good. Hence, whatever is the colour of the glasses that you wear, everything will appear to you of that colour. If your vision is evil, everything will appear evil to you.

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was extremely wicked and evilminded. On the other hand, was an epitome of virtue. He was the very embodiment of truth and righteousness ( and ). Therefore, everyone appeared noble and good to him.

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Many people chant ‘ , ’ constantly. But to what extent is there transformation in them? If they enquire of themselves, there is not even a fraction of change in them. What is the use?

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Sacrifice imparts immortality What do you mean by spirituality? Spirituality does not mean mere chanting ( ), meditation, devotional singing ( ). They are all good actions. But one has to sacrifice all animal qualities, which are deep rooted in the heart over many past births. Then only will chanting the divine name have due impact.

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God is more concerned with your inner feelings than your external practice. When external practice and inner feelings go together, your spiritual discipline ( ) is transformed into divine radiance. You should change both externally and internally because God is present within, without, and all over. As the say, That all-pervasive God is present within and without ( ). When you advance on the spiritual path, you should also enquire how far you have controlled your worldly attachments. As your attachment increases, your distance from the Lord increases proportionately. However, when you develop attachment toward God, your attachment to the world decreases. It is a seesaw. You are at the centre. On one side is the world; on the other, God. If you move toward God, the world will move away from you. If you move toward the world, you will become distant from God. In which direction should you move? You have worldly attachment and desire for God. But you cannot have both at the same time. The heart is a single-seated sofa, not a double-seated one. It is not a musical chair either. It should not change continuously.

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Immortality is not attained through action, progeny, or wealth; it is attained only by sacrifice ( ). Therefore, if you want to attain immortality, you must renounce worldliness. Here, in this container, is water. If you want to pour milk into it, you first have to throw the water out. Only then can you pour milk in it. If you pour milk when there is water, neither water nor milk will stay there.

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Similarly, there are so many worldly desires in your heart. First, make it empty by removing worldly desires; then fill it up with divine desires. If the heart is really empty, you can fill it with anything. If it is filled with other things, then how can you fill it with divine knowledge? First, cleanse your heart. That is purity of heart ( ). Without purity, unity is not possible. Where there is no unity, divinity will never enter. On the other hand, enmity may enter there. First of all, develop purity.

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What do you mean by purity? God is in everyone, so you should respect all. You should develop that nature. Whomsoever you salute, it reaches God ( ). Whomsoever you criticise, it reaches God ( ). So, whomsoever you meet, offer them respect, realising that God indwells them. Never criticise anybody. Criticising others amounts to criticising God.

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Wherefrom does self-realisation come? Selfrealisation comes out of the Self. Self-confidence leads to self-satisfaction, self-satisfaction leads to self-sacrifice and self-sacrifice leads to Selfrealisation. Everything is within the Self. Then what is the Self? That is the .

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Develop broad-mindedness One has to investigate and visualise one’s own true Self. One says (‘I, I (, ).’ Who am ‘I’? Where is that ‘I’? Is it in the body or in the mind or in the intellect or in the subconscious mind ( ) or in the (inner instrument)? No. This ‘I’ is present all over. Constant Integrated Awareness is ‘I’. That is Supreme Consciousness ( ). That is God. It is in the mind, it is the body, it is in the intellect, it is all over.

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So, God is all-pervasive. Develop the feeling that God is everywhere. To have that broad feeling, get rid of your animal qualities. Only when you remove your animal qualities will divine feelings manifest in you. So, along with repetition of God’s name ( ), develop broadmindedness. Many people come here from far off places, spending a lot of money. After spending so much money and traveling long distances, what is it that they should get? They should develop Divinity within.

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This morning also said this. In the cup, there is water. If you put a teaspoon of sugar in it, the sugar will settle down at the bottom. Above there is water. The taste lies at the bottom, not on the top. If you drink the top water, it is tasteless. What is that tasteless water? The tasteless water is worldly desires. But Divinity is at the bottom. In order to mix sugar with the water on the top, what should you do? Stir it well with a spoon. In this way, the sugar at the bottom will spread all over in the water. Then, wherever you drink, it is bound to be sweet.

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Your heart is the cup. Divinity is sugar. Worldly desires are water. When you put in the spoon of intellect and stir the water, which is spiritual discipline ( ), Divinity will spread all over. So, what are you supposed to do? Divinity within you is quite natural. You are not expanding it all over. You are limiting it; you are making it narrow with the feelings of ‘I’ and ‘mine’. This is only contraction of love. But there should be expansion of love. In order to expand love, have the feeling that everyone belongs to you because there is God in everyone.

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Chant the divine name from the depth of your heart keeps the moon on the top of his head to give light to everyone. But he keeps the poison in his throat. He keeps all that is harmful in himself but distributes the good to all. That is equanimity ( ) in the nature of or . God is the indweller of all beings ( ). That is in everyone. = Be like . Distribute good to others but keep all the bad within you. Do not distribute your bad qualities. You have to subdue all your bad qualities and never pass them on to anybody. But distribute good, do good to everybody.

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You may not have time to go through the 18 (mythological texts), but you should know their essence. What is that essence? The essence of the 18 is: Help Ever, Hurt Never. It is enough if you know this. Help everybody. Never hurt anyone. If you know these two principles, you can know anything.

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God is in everyone. You have to recognise this truth and develop love for all. The spirit of love is spirituality. Split of love is duality. Boys! At this young age, develop broad feelings. Instead of telling many things to others, it is enough if you practise at least one yourself. The study of sacred texts can never transform anybody at any time. You may repeat many verses ( ) but your grief ( ) will never be eradicated. Put into practice the essence of one of the verses you read. That is enough.

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Potatoes and are served in a plate. Even if you repeat ‘potato , potato ’ a hundred times, your hunger will not be satiated. Only when you eat potato and will your hunger be appeased.

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First experience, then practise. It is no use merely chanting the Lord’s name. You go on repeating , , - Ram , Ram , Ram , Ram, Ram , Ram , Ram - , , … like a tape recorder. It is of no use. It is not enough if it comes out of the lips; it should come out of the heart. When it comes out of the heart, there will be transformation. Through transformation, you will get bliss ( ). That bliss only will lead you to self-realisation. So, selfrealisation is important.

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We should question ourselves, who am I, who am I, am I the body? No! When you say, “This is my body”, then the body is separate from you. You say, “This is my mind.” Then the mind is separate from you. You are different from the mind. “Then who am I?” you should ask. You say, “This is my body, this is my mind, this is my intellect ( ). Then ask yourself, “Who am I”? You should say, “I am I. I am not the body, I am not the mind. The mind and body are only instruments. I am the owner, I am the master. Therefore, I am .” Make use of all the instruments. Develop the feelings that you are the . Then you can experience the Self. The body is a water bubble. The mind is a mad monkey. Don’t follow the body. Don’t follow the mind. Follow the conscience. That is . That is the true self.

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What do you mean by culture? What is the difference between Indian culture and Western culture? In ’s view, there is no difference whatsoever. There is only difference in words, nomenclature. But the material is one and the same. An Englishman may say, it is ‘water’. A Hindi person calls it ‘ ’. A Telugu person calls it ‘ ’, a Tamilian calls it ‘ ’. A Sanskritist calls it ‘ ’. There is change in the word, but water is water. God is one, but names and forms differ. That is unity in diversity. Jewels are many, but gold is one. Beings are many, but breath is one. Stars are many, but sky is one. Nations are many, but earth is one. (Telugu Poem) We should firmly establish unity in diversity. There is no difference at all. There are no differences whatsoever among the congregation here. Here, there is only one big house. The entire universe is one big mansion. America is one room, Italy is another room, U.K. is another room. Different countries are like different rooms. In a big mansion, there are all sorts of rooms. A small example. Here is a big house. There is dining hall, drawing room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. There are differences here. But when do you get differences? Only when there are walls. When you remove the walls, there will be only one single hall. No rooms - there are no differences. Then where do you get differences? Because of the limitations ( ). The walls are an obstacle. When you remove the walls, everything will be one. We have to remove the walls of ego. When you remove the walls, the dining hall, the bathroom, the kitchen, everything becomes one. So, we have to get rid of ego. Develop love and love only. Love is God, Live in Love. Only through love can you resolve all differences. We have devotees coming from U.K., Russia, China, U.S.A. The relationship here is only of love. Love is one. When there is no love, you don’t need to come here spending a lot of money and bearing all inconveniences. Out of love, you are not bothered about your inconveniences. At their residences, where they have separate drawing room, separate bedroom, separate dressing room, they don’t have satisfaction. But here, where no comforts are available, all adjust. They understand. Their adjustment and understanding amount to a very great spiritual practice. Sacrificing all conveniences, they try to enjoy the bliss. It is only that bliss that unifies. As they adjust in a single room, they should develop broad feelings. Get rid of narrow thinking. Develop the spirit of love. That spirit of love is spirituality.