sai_pranam

Embodiments of Love! Without Truth, the world cannot exist. The entire world rests on Truth. Everyone has to seek this Truth. It is because man has forgotten this Truth that there is no peace and security in the world. Truth is the eternal witness and it cannot be hidden by any one not can it be altered. It is independent and cannot be affected by time and space. In ancient times, the people flourished as they followed truth unflinchingly. They were prepared to sacrifice everything for the sake of truth. Harishchandhra sacrificed everything , his kingdom and family too, to uphold Truth. He is still revered as Sathya Harishchandhra.Vishwamitra, who subjected Harischandra to the most severe tests and ordeals, ultimately declared: "The whole earth can be held in the palm of one's hand. The entire ocean can be drunk at one gulp. The earth and the sky can be rolled into one. But it is impossible to make Harischandra utter a lie."

God and Truth are not distinct. God is the very form of Truth. It is the duty of humans to keep Truth as the ideal and adhere to it at any cost. Truth is the abode of God. It is the basis of all knowledge and wisdom.

The Vedhas are based on Truth. All real enjoyment of happiness, wealth and comforts is based on Truth. But, for the sake of transient worldly pleasures, sacred Divine Truth is forgotten. The ancients used to shun untruth as a poisonous snake. In the modern age, people are drawn to falsehood and not Truth. They make no effort to realise that they are themselves embodiments of Truth. The moon illumines the night. The sun illumines the whole world during the day. But, Dharma (Righteousness) illumines the three worlds. A virtuous son sanctifies his family. But not his family alone. His good character shines as an example to the world. To recognize the inherent divinity in man and lead a sanctified life is the essence of human existence.

Vedanta has declared that Prajna shines in the body, the mind and the Atma (the
individual soul). "Prajnanam Brahma" declares the Upanishad. (Supreme Consciousness is Divinity). There is no difference between Prajnana and Brahman or Truth. Prajnana is described as Constant Integrated Awareness. This Prajna is present in all human beings. How can a man who has not understood his own true human nature understand divinity? The first stage for man to realize is that he is no ordinary being. There are in man, Sathya (Truth), Jnana (Wisdom) and Anantham (the Infinite).

"Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantham Brahma" the ancient sages declared thus the attributes of Brahman. The Truth referred to here is not about worldly facts. It refers to Transcendental Truth, which remains the same at all times and in all places. The presence of these three in man has to be recognized. Only then will his life get sanctified. Then the distinction between "mine" and "thine" ceases. It becomes possible to lead a life based on truth.

Goal of human life is progress from human to Divine

When the mind is infested with bad thoughts, one indulges in bad deeds. When one follows Truth, he can become Divine. One cannot visualize Truth or God until he achieves harmony in thought, word and deed. As long as you disregard truth, you cannot have even a trace of Bliss. Time is fleeting. You have to start enquiring into the purpose of this human life now itself. It is not for leading an animal existence. The goal of human life is progress from the human to the Divine.

"Sathyam vada; Dharmam chara" (Speak the Truth, pursue Righteousness). This is the great pronouncement of the ancient Upanishads and scriptures of Bharatiyas. Truth and Righteousness are the stepping-stones to human greatness. The puranas have also declared: "Sathayameva Jayathe" (Truth alone triumphs).

Victory adores Truth, "Sathyaanaasthi Paro Dharma" (There is no greater Dharma than truth), declare the Puranas. Truth is God. It is supreme folly to forget this fact and seek to obtain the grace of God by all kinds of practices. The Bhagavatha has indicated a more arduous path. Emperor Bali told his Guru Sukracharya, "Can there be a greater sin than going back on one's plighted word?" The same truth was revealed by Bhoodevi (the Goddess of the Earth) in another context in the Bhagavatha. Bhoodevi lamented: "Oh Lord! I can bear the burden of any number of sinners. But I cannot bear to carry those who have betrayed Truth."

The glow of Truth has been proclaimed by the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas and the epics. The Upanishads have expounded the characteristics of Sathya (Truth). "Sathyaanna Pramadithavyam, Dharma Anna Pramadithavyam" (Do not disregard Truth. Do not be indifferent to Dharma). "In any circumstances do not give up Truth. Overcome all difficulties by adhering to truth" is the teaching of the Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad and other texts.

Through Truth not only can the world be subdued, but it is possible even to realize the Lord of the universe. Today in Bharat, because people have given up Truth and Righteousness, they are not able to achieve unity and all kinds of divisions and antagonisms have developed. You have to dedicate yourselves to Truth. In offering worship to Rama. and Krishna, prayers are offered to their manifestations as Truth. "Sathyam vachanaaya namah," "Sathyapriyaaya namah," "Sathyaswaroopaaya namah" (Salutations to the One whose speech is Truth, who is a lover of Truth, who is the embodiment of Truth).

In the cause of upholding truth, Sri Ramachandra had to go as an exile to the forest. Rama told the sage Jabali: "For rulers in the Ikshwaaku dynasty, the greatest calamity is going back on the plighted word." Sathyam bhruyath, Priyam Bhruyath, Na Bhruyath Sathyamapriyam (speak truth, speak pleasantly and do not speak unpalatable truth). God should be worshipped as the embodiment of Truth. This is the primary duty of every Bharatiya. Convert ordinary duties into acts of worship.

All of you are devotees, but for want of proper advice you are confused and feel depressed. On account of this confusion and depression you develop doubts. Sai does not ask you to renounce the world. But, in what way should you live in the world? You should enjoy the world with a spiritual outlook. You should realise that you have come down from the Atma to the realm of Nature. As enjoined in the Gita, you should avoid unpleasant speech and use only words that are true, comforting and good.

Uphold promise at any cost

There is no Dharma higher than Truth. "Truth alone triumphs." The Emperor Bali asked: “Is there a greater sin than going back on your word?" Once you have given a promise, you should not go back on it in any circumstance. This was the truth demonstrated by Bali. When you take a pledge or give a promise, you uphold it even at the cost of your life. Once you give your word, you must make every effort to fulfill it. Nowadays there is little respect for the plighted word. Promises are made freely and broken freely. Pledges are made and buried from moment to moment. Such persons are no better than living corpses.

A golden opportunity to ensure your well-being

It is by the stroke of supreme good fortune that you have come to the Lord. You must not let slip this opportunity. This is your chance for you to ensure your physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Not realizing this, you are wasting a golden opportunity. It is easy to lose a precious thing. You are not aware of what is ahead of you, what the future holds for you. What pains Swami is the thought of the difficulties you will have to face in the future, of which Swami alone is aware. Keep a strict watch over what you say. If you wish to earn a name for truthfulness, you have to adhere to truth steadfastly. Among the attributes of God, Truth is foremost. God is hailed as Sathya-vaakpaalakaaya Namah (the Protector of Truth), the Propagator of Truth, the Embodiment of Truth. "Truth is God" goes the saying.

Live In Truth and Love

Offer the Flower of Prema to God
Let me tell you--the offering must be the Flower of Prema, the Flower of Sathyam.
Sathyam has two facets:
(1) Untouched by the flux of Time, Eternal, Unblemished, as Stable and Pure as Brahman Itself (vide the Upanishad Declaration: "Sathyam Jnanam Anantham Brahma'")
(2) Sathyam in practice, as elaborated in the Upanishads--Sathyam vada, (Speak Truth), that is to say, voicing the seen exactly as seen, the thought exactly as it formed, the deed exactly as done. Who was it that laid down the guidelines for this practice of Truth? They were prescribed by the great grandfather of a long series of grand-fathers, the Sage Manu, the ancestral lawgiver after whom 'man' is referred to as Manuja--(the child of Manu). Truth is man's long-treasured heritage.

Truth sustains the world and protects mankind. It is at the basis of justice and morality, peace and purity, faith and freedom. It has to be revered and activated by man at all times, under all conditions. The Gita advises us to adopt "inoffensive speech, which is truthful, pleasant and beneficial" ( 17-15). In order to solve many problems that arise when one practices the sadhana of Truth, Manu directed man not to speak out unpleasant truth or pleasant falsehood. When it becomes necessary to reveal an unpleasant truth, one has to soften and sweeten its impact by consciously charging it with Love, sympathy, and understanding. "Help ever; hurt never"-that is the maxim.

The various faculties of Science have also to be collated and co-ordinated, so that the scientific discipline might reveal the Truth. The Truth when known, has also to be used beneficially. Newton lamented that his famous Laws were liable to be used for disastrous ends.

Vow of Truth should never be broken

Lakshmana stuck to his promise to accompany Rama during the years of his exile though he had to leave his mother and wife and palace behind. Emperor Bali carried out his promise to Vamana though the Guru whom he revered predicted that he would be destroyed, if he stuck to Truth and gifted three foot-lengths of land to Vamana. So he won God's Grace, as Harischandra won it and both gathered immoral renown. Attention to selfish interests will obstruct the path of Truth. Note how those great persons honored their promises and compare it with the fate of promises today. Now, they appear as if they are inscribed on water. You must free yourselves from this hypocrisy. Your promises are sacred bonds. The Vow of Truth should never be broken. This and the adherence to selfless love have to be your ideals.

See how Nature adheres to Truth by God's command---the regularity of the seasons, the rule of law, the orderly orbital gyration. Man too has to learn this Truth and live accordingly, with the heart attuned to Truth and the Mind saturated with love. Speech must be the flow of Truth. Truth must be revered as one's very breath. The Triple purity--speech free from the pollution of falsehood, mind free from the taint of passionate desire or hatred, the body free from the poison of violence--has to be attained by all. Conflicts and factions, violence and up heaves are caused by the neglect of human values in daily life. Man becomes fit and functionally valid only when, along with scholarship and expert skills, he has imbibed these values. The person who is wedded to Truth and Love would need nothing more for peace and happiness. Truth is the essence of the Vedas.

When Creation is witnessed through these values, it becomes a holy scripture, an inspiring lesson and guide. Therefore, I exhort you: "Let Truth and Love be the goals for all your efforts .Only by following the path of Truth one can experience wisdom."