Prashaanthi Nilayam, 1963

Nishkaama Karma

Sairam,

Karma (accepted as one's destiny, fate or inescapable "writing" on the brow) is written by one's own hand and the whole thing can be wiped away by conquering Maayaa (worldly illusory power) which persuaded you to write all that destiny. Men are spinning cocoons for themselves out of their worldly desires and suffer as they are unable to come out of it into the world of light. You became like monkeys caught by the wandering beggar dancing at the end of the rope and begging paisa from those sitting round the ring. You must make the mind the servant of god but not the slave of the senses.

Do not condemn the beliefs and practices of the past as superstitions as they give most pleasure of Aanandha and shaanthi. They help you to pull the poisonous fangs of karma that inject greed, egoism and hate. They taught man to do karma (action) as a sacred duty and leave the result to god thus avoiding two evils- the evil of pride when the act was success and frustration when it did not succeed. This Nishkaama karma (selfless action) will save you from unending desire and inexplicable sorrow.

A bird is unafraid of sitting on a branch that waves in the wind but it has more confidence in its wings than in the branch. It knows that it can leave off the uncertain perch any time with the help of its wings. The branch is prakrithi (objective world) and the wings are the anugraha (grace) of the lord. Develop strength of wing to sit on any tree and do not rely upon the protection given by the prakrithi.

Do not leave your strength-giving and peace-creating culture and do not divert your attention to the lowly needs of the senses and the stomach. Everyone should become a fragrant flower free from insect pests of vice and wickedness and strung on the thread of devotion of god i.e., you must be free from hatred and spite, factionalism and greed. Increase your joy by sharing your learning, experience and enthusiasm with others. You will find that Ajnaanam (ignorance) is because of association of mind with vishaya (sense objects). Jnaana (wisdom) dawns by cutting it from the vision of vishaya.

Once Shivaji paid a visit to the Aashram of Samantha Raamadhaas along with him army. His soldiers invaded the sugar cane field opposite to the temple and ate off the entire crop. Beside they beat the owner with the cane itself when he tried to protest them. When Shivaji heard about this, he not only punished the soldiers for the theft but he made the land of the peasant tax-free for all time! Shivaji used his sword for the protection of Dharma.

If you feel and believe that you are a Brahmin, then follow the dharma (duty) as laid for a Brahmin. If you feel and convinced that you are the Aathman, then your dharma is the Aathma dharma (divine-oriented duty). If you feel and are certain that you are the body, then Deha dharma (body-oriented duty) is the dharma for you. Everyone should get saved from the consequences of ignorance or limited knowledge and follow Aathma dharma by imbibing higher values and considering himself as Aathma.

Remember the god like the village women who are anxious about the food in the kitchen even while carrying a number of water pots one over other on their heads and having babies on their hips. Treat lord as part of you, beside you and around you. Do not extoll him as jnaana swaruupa or Prema Swaruupa (embodiment of Supreme knowledge and love). No son approaches the father praising his scholarship, wealth, strength and virtues. Restore the sense of values and develop faith in the divinity.

--SATHY SAI

Omsai Srisai Jaijaisai