Sathya Sai Speaks

There was a question that was once asked in a spiritual discussion. It was something like this, “Swami speaks different things in His discourses. Sometimes, one thing that He speaks seems to contradict another that He had previously spoken! For instance He says, ‘Whatever you desire, ask God. If not God, whom else can you turn to?’ But on another occasion He has said, ‘Shut up and do not ask anything of God. Don’t you think He knows everything and loves you enough to provide all that you need?’ What should I accept as the take home lesson when such contradicting advice is given?”

Pondering, praying and discussing over this led me to an answer. Before sharing that, let me take a little detour.

Sri.N.Kasturi was one of the foremost devotees of Sathya Sai Baba. He is Swami’s biographer, the first editor of the magazine Sanathana Sarathi, one of the longest serving postmasters for Puttaparthi and, most importantly, the one whom Swami entrusted His valuable personal writings of the various Vahinis. Swami would personally pen articles for Sanathana Sarathi and also write the chapters of the Vahini series of books. His autobiography entitled, “Loving God” is a masterpiece that arouses in the reader love for God, joy, laughter and a sense of awe and wonder.

That elaborate introduction to Sri Kasturi was to quote a poem of His that appears in the volumes of the Sathya Sai Speaks - a collection of discourses by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba available in 42 volumes! The poem is so beautiful and wonderful and I quote :

Sathya Sai Speaks.

But, who among us do listen
and plant them in well-ploughed hearts?
And when they cleave the cold, and greenly grow
who among us shed tears of joy?
His words are for the inner ear;
they have drummed us, along the valleys of night
and led us, through smiles and sobs,
into the shore of the vastness, basking in His love,

Sathya Sai Speaks.

I do not wish to ruin the beauty of his poetry with my commentary. But I would love to share my thoughts and feelings on the question posed in the beginning.

Just consider for a moment, Swami’s situation when He rises to address a gathering. It can be likened to that of a teacher trying to teach in a class filled with students from kindergarten to doctoral research! And there are kindergarten children and research scholars (literally and figuratively) in the audience that hears to Swami. What makes sense to the ‘child’ is not enjoyed by the ‘researcher’ and what is juicy for the ‘researcher’ is gibberish for the child. And so, with His mellifluous voice, the Lord weaves stories, dicta, aphorisms and statements to produce a masterclass Master’s Class lecture that needs to satisfy all.

So, how do I know which grade I belong to? How do I recognise what part of the discourse is meant for me?

The kid in the class will never appreciate anything else but A,B,C and D. The researcher feels absolutely no inspiration in the alphabets but is thrilled by ‘complex’ concepts. The teacher is happy if at the end of the class the kid has learnt the alphabet and the researcher has grasped the concept. He does not wish that the kid follow the concept and the researcher appreciate the alphabet.

So too, when one reads or hears to Swami speaking, based on the grade one is in, the perfect statement or subject thrills the heart. The mind tries to seek solace in company while the heart seeks it in the Truth. The Truth remains the Truth even if all alone. When any statement inspires you or strikes you as profound, know that it was meant for you. That is your lesson for the session. As said in the previous hub, the mind will now jump into the fray and try reasoning. Remember it is the heart alone that can grasp the lesson from the Master.

At times, a statement that had formerly inspired you inspires you in a new way now. Something else strikes you as profound. Know that your grade has changed - you have either been promoted or demoted! ( I am sorry! The demotion part was the mind speaking. Swami has said that once someone has come to Him, his/her progress is entirely in His hands and He would definitely only promote us!)

That was the answer to the posed question that struck me and cheered me. Hope it is the same for the reader too.