Humanness Blossoms In A Compassionate Heart

17 July 1996, Prasanthi Nilayam

Published English.

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What can the evil effects of Age do to one Whose heart is full of compassion, Whose speech is suffused with truth, and Whose body is dedicated to the service of others? (Sanskrit Verse) You may worship God with various types of flowers, But He will not be pleased with such worship. If you offer Him the lotus of your heart, He will accept it with great love. Never forget this great truth. (Telugu Poem)

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Everybody knows that people of have been offering various types of flowers to the Lord to worship Him in accordance with the ancient traditions of Indian culture. However, the beauty and fragrance of these flowers is only momentary.

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Among all the flowers, (compassion for all creatures) is most important. Man alone is endowed with this virtue of compassion. This is the flower that you should offer to God.

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(God is the indweller of all beings). Names and forms may vary, but the same God is present in all. Therefore, you should have compassion toward all beings with the broad feeling that God is present in all. Then only can you understand how expansive and fragrant this compassion for all creatures is.

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You need not waste your time gathering the flowers that fade away and wither away in no time. The flower of your heart is eternal, ever fresh, and ever fragrant, for which you need not spend even a . That is the real flower. One who understands the secret of this flower is a (one of supreme wisdom).

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Practise what you study Once, Sage went to Sage and asked him to grant him true knowledge. asked , “I am prepared to impart true and eternal knowledge to you, but what are your qualifications?” replied, “I can recite completely the four V edas and six (philosophical texts). I have understood the inner meaning of every word of these. I can recognise the secret of (action) and its fruition. These are my qualifications.” replied, “, it is true that you have studied all the and , but how much have you put into practice? You would have attained true knowledge and everlasting happiness if you had put into practice what you have studied.” Even after gaining mastery over all types of learning,

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Sage was unable to experience everlasting happiness and eternal bliss. (Telugu Poem)

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In spite of acquiring all types of learning, why was unable to experience happiness? Does happiness lie in education? Does it lie in reading of books? Then where does it lie?

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People read a number of spiritual texts. All the sacred texts of all religions propound the same truth. Various religious texts like the Bible, the Quran and the teach the same noble principles. But how many are putting into practice the sacred principles taught by their sacred religious texts?

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Realise unity in diversity You should have compassion toward all beings, and this is the flower you should offer to God. This is the essence of all sacred texts. The principle of present in all is one and the same. Realising unity in diversity is knowledge, and seeing diversity in unity is ignorance.

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The same principle is propounded in : ( is subtler than the subtlest and vaster than the vastest). God is smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest. Therefore, when you understand the principle of the atom, you will understand everything.

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This is the main teaching of , the true meaning of education, the goal of all paths, and the essence of all spiritual knowledge. That is compassion, love, and kindness. Bereft of compassion, people’s hearts have become hard like a rock. Even iron can be beaten and moulded, but it is very difficult to melt the heart of a person today. It can be melted only by love. There is nothing in this world that cannot be melted by love.

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God is formless and attributeless, but He also assumes a form with attributes. There is (with form) in (formless) and in . Likewise, there is (attributes) in (attributeless) and viceversa. A block of ice has a form, but it is not different from water. There can be no ice without water. When drops of water freeze, they form ice. The difference between and is the same as the difference between ice and water.

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Your studies should bring about your refinement There is oil in seeds, but you should know the process by which you can extract oil from them. How can you get out of sugarcane unless you crush it and extract the juice? There is sweet juice in the sugarcane. But if you ask, “oh sugarcane, give me ,” will it give? You have to crush it, extract its juice, and put it on fire. Only then can it assume the form of . If you think by crushing the sugarcane you are subjecting it to a great ordeal, then you cannot have from it. Its juice will dry up if you keep it aside for a few days. Thereby, its sweet juice will become useless.

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Our body is like sugarcane. When it is subjected to difficulties, ordeals, and problems, the qualities of compassion, love, and kindness will manifest from it. This is called (refinement). Sweetness is manifested in a person who is is subjected to the process of . That is why, since ancient times, the culture of has laid great emphasis on .

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said to in the , (Oh , this mind is very unsteady, turbulent and powerful). The mind is very unsteady and can cause great dangers. When you offer such a mind to God and ask Him to make it pure, leave it to the discretion of God to do whatever He wants to do with it. Do not question Him.

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But, due to the influence of (the era we are in), man prays, “Oh God, I offer my mind to You, kindly make it pure without subjecting it to any difficulties or ordeals.” God cannot grant such a prayer.

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(hard work yields rich rewards). Happiness is born only out of difficulties. You don’t switch on a fan or buy an air conditioner unless the weather is hot and sultry. You do not want food if you have no hunger. Likewise, there can be no happiness if there are no difficulties.

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A bird cannot fly unless it has two wings. A bicycle also has two wheels. One may be able to ride a monocycle with some practice in a circus, but it is not useful in daily life. Similarly, both education and refinement are needed to lead a balanced life. Refinement means getting rid of evil qualities and developing virtues and goodness. This is the secret of (refinement). You will be free from all ordeals when you understand this secret and act accordingly. You will then be unruffled even in the face of serious problems.

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Many noble souls took birth in this world and propagated great ideals. There were many highly educated people, but their names are found only in history books. It is only noble souls like who have found a permanent place in the hearts of people.

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What is so great about finding your name in history books? You should find a place in the hearts of people. People should extol you, saying, “Oh what a great soul he is,” and put your ideals into practice. You should have (refinement) along with education.

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But people today do not even know what means. They do a lot of research, but they do not know what refinement really means.

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Brahmanandam, Parama Sukhadam, Kevalam Jnanamurtim, Dwandwateetam, Gagana Sadrisham, Tattwamasyadi Lakshyam, Ekam, Nityam, Vimalam, Achalam, Sarvadhee Sakshibhutam. God is the embodiment of divine bliss, wisdom absolute, beyond the pair of opposites, expansive and pervasive like the sky, the goal indicated by the great aphorism “You are That”, one without a second, eternal, pure, unchanging, witness of all functions of the intellect, beyond all mental conditions and the three attributes of serenity, passion, and sloth).

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Students should lead an ideal life The entire universe is the combination of the (qualities) of , , and (serenity, passion, and sloth). The human body is also comprised of these three qualities. One should try to transcend the three .

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There are four strings in a violin, with the help of which one can play four hundred types of tunes. Likewise, these three give rise to many other .

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had hundred sons, but what was his ultimate fate? Did undergo any suffering because he did not have a son? (Telugu Poem)

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King took a vow that he would not deviate from the path of truth even at the cost of his life. That is why even after thousands of years, he is remembered as . Is it the body that is all important for us?

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This body is a den of dirt, and prone to diseases; It is subject to change from time to time; It cannot cross the ocean of (worldliness); It is nothing but a structure of bones. Oh mind! Do not be under the delusion that body is permanent. Instead take refuge at the Divine Lotus Feet. (Telugu Poem)

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You should pray for the welfare of the entire world. (May all the beings of all the worlds be happy)! This is the prayer that you recite every day.

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Give up hatred. Develop love and compassion, and lead your life in a righteous manner. ( concluded His Discourse with the , “ ....”)