The bliss of Self-Realisation

22 October 1995, Prasanthi Nilayam

Published English.

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At night the moon is the source of light for us. During the day the sun sheds light and serves mankind. The three worlds are illumined by (Righteousness). A virtuous son is a beacon for the family. From ancient times, culture has been illumined, fostered and inspired by didactic sayings of this kind. It is purity of mind that helps to sublimate mankind, directs it towards God and enables it to manifest the inherent divinity in man.

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Acquire the eyes of wisdom It is not right that man, who is endowed with immense potencies, should be content with what is seen by the physical eyes. Such eyes are possessed equally by beasts and birds, as well as insects and germs. What, then is the uniqueness of the sight given to man? It must be realised that it is difficult to secure human birth. Having acquired this privilege, human beings should not be content with what is seen by the physical eyes. Man should acquire (the eyes of wisdom).

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It may be argued that even the physical eyes help to acquire knowledge. The eyes see everything but cannot see themselves. Eyes which cannot see themselves, how can they see the mind or see (the Divine Lord)? To have a vision of the Lord, the physical eyes are not competent. One must acquire the eyes of wisdom for this purpose. The eyes are there, but when they develop a disease the eyes are not aware of it. When the ears lose the power of hearing, they are not aware of the loss. The senses which cannot know their own state, how can they know God? The physical eyes can only serve to see external objects in Nature and examine their properties and explain them, but cannot recognize the Divine.

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The external world is made up of the (five great elements) ether, air, fire, water and earth. The five senses are transient, momentary and prone to disease. Senses which are liable to become victims of the disease of attachment, how can they serve to recognise the Divine? Those senses which cannot recognise their own condition are enveloped in ignorance.

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What is meant by the phrase "knowing one’s self"? Does self knowledge mean knowing one’s lineage or profession? Knowledge of the Self transcends knowledge of the body, the senses, the mind and the (the Will).

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Who is God? The scriptures, the and the , give the answer to this question that God is: . What you should seek from God, who is , is , and not trivial things relating to the world. All things are included in that (Supreme Bliss).

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Man is the embodiment of the eternal Truth. He is the embodiment of (Being-Awareness-Bliss). But he is unable to recognize his true identity because egoism and possessiveness, pomp and pride envelop man’s true form of "Being-Awareness-Bliss." The man who is able to get rid of attachment and hatred, egoism and acquisitiveness, will recognize his (divine nature). The Divine within is covered by these tendencies like ashes over a burning charcoal. When the ashes are blown away, the fire will reveal itself. is the true wealth of a human being.

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The body is a trust and not your private property People speak about (liberation). What is it from which they have to be liberated? Is it from family, wealth or position? No. Liberation from these is an easy affair. Liberation is from the sense of identification with the body. The body is only an instrument and not your true self. The body is a gift from God. It does not belong to you, but you have to protect it as an instrument given to you. Everything belongs to God. You have to treat it as a trust and not as your private property. It is therefore, your duty to make right use of the body and senses given to you.

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Understand your true Self first You came with nothing into the world and leave it with nothing. What happens to your wealth or to yourself? Of what use is all other wealth unless a man realises the bliss of oneness with the Divine ()?

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( sang a song, in which he lamented the plight of man who ceaselessly worked for feeding his stomach, forgetting God).

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All these, pursuits are utterly worthless. Scientists who are exploiting the moon are not trying to understand their own minds. Without understanding one’s own true self, all other knowledge is meaningless. The moon dispels the darkness of night. The moon shines through the reflected light of the sun. Moonlight is cool while sunlight is warm. The mind is like the moon. When the rays of the fall on the mind, it acquires coolness. When the same rays fall on (intellect), it gets hot. Today there is more concentration on development of the intellect than on broadening the mind. Man, who has come from the Divine, should aim at the perfection of the Divine. The famous Italian violin manufacturer Anthony Stradivarius, took one year to make one perfect violin because he regarded the making of the violin as an offering to God, who is perfect.

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Consider the body as the flute of God All actions should be done wholeheartedly. This was exemplified by the total devotion of the to . They were lost in ecstasy over the melodious music of ’s flute. They found in that music the essence of all the and the scriptures.

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( sang a song in which the pray to to fill their hearts with the nectarine melody of his flute).

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People talk about meditation. But how much of it is concentrated on God? Nor is formal meditation necessary when you realise that the Divine is within you. The purpose of meditation is to recognise one’s unity with God. This realisation can come only when one removes the three-layered cloak that covers the in the form of the three - , and . Trust everything as God’s work, whatever your vocation or profession. By dedicating all actions to God, you sanctify every act in daily life. That is the message of the .

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Offer love to God People are used to making edible offerings to idols or pictures, but consume them after the ritual. These are not what should be offered to God. You should offer your Love to God as the food that God loves. Regard even this love as a gift from God. You offer to God what God has given to you. This was what said in a famous song. "Oh Lord! That heart which you gave to me, I am offering to you." It is only when one is filled with this feeling that one can become a complete devotee.

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There should be no sense of separateness. This was finely expressed by when he declared that his entire poem was inspired and composed by the Divine. Thereby his achieved unique sacredness. The way described the Goddess ’s dilemma when she saw her consort, , rushing in haste to the rescue of (the lord of elephants), how she was anxious to know where the Lord was going, but felt that it would be inauspicious to ask him, is one of the memorable passages in the .

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( recited the poem with such verve that the entire audience burst into applause).

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Even Goddess may be swayed by fear on occasions, but the true devotee is always without fear. expressed this fearlessness in one of his songs. That fearlessness stems from total surrender to the Divine. But today we witness only part-time devotion. The reward is also partial.

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