Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

“You are the God”, is an aphorism, it perhaps makes one bewilder, and creates a sort of disbelief; though acceptable academically – has little to do with immediate reality. Yet this is the basic belief of many religions and seers that constantly persuading the human beings through verses and speeches.

Historically in the long queue of so called religious ministers, propagandists, and practitioners; who proclaimed the divinity manifested in man – Sri Sathya Sai

Baba is the latest and modern in the recent past.

At the age of 14, he had announced that he was Sai Baba of Shirdi – the mystic of the past century in his previous incarnation. He has given many proofs to satisfy his stand and exhibited some super natural powers to the villagers, to which his father himself was skeptical about. In 1940, the boy suddenly announced that, he has come to ward off the troubles of people, and going to serve the society. He left his home and moved on to a nearby garden; from there his spiritual mission began. His relentless work for the welfare of humanity lasted till his end of life. He started an organization in 1968, which has now more than a million members all over the world. Sri Sathya Sai Baba has attained the stature of a legend in his life-time. His works will continue to be remembered forever.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba (1926-2011), basically a Hindu renunciate, is a man of miracles and mysterious deeds. He has established no particular path of faith 2 or movement but he has brought together humanity under the principles of the

Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God. He exhorted every Hindu to be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim and a Christian a better Christian. The symbol of his organization has representations from major religions. He held the ideal of Love all; Serve all as a common theme. Sri Sathya Sai Baba had a Spiritual Mission to enlighten the world society by making deep understanding with their religious tenets and insight. He made series of discourses and writings throughout his career as a preacher of spiritual values. He conveyed the greatest spiritual truths in easy and practical terms. This present research focuses on

Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s speeches and writings in a critical view point on the basis of its universal appeal especially to human values.

I. Biographical Account i) Earlier life of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born on the 23 November 1926 in Puttaparthi as

Sathyanarayana Raju, to Pedda Venkappa Raju and Easwaramma, as their fourth child. He was born in the clan of the “Ratnakara Rajus”, who were well-known for preserving classical traditions through theatre and drama. Sathya, as he was called, was a precocious and charming little boy. He played and frolicked with his friends on the banks of Chitravati river and helped at home with household chores like fetching water and cooking vegetarian food for his grandfather. He attended school in the nearby town of Bukkapatnam due to unavailability of such facilities in his village and even became a Boy Scout leader. Besides, he took active part in the historical and epic dramas enacted by his artistic family, 3 composing ditties on social and moral issues and making the village lads sing them aloud.

On May 23, 1940 at the of age 14, he suddenly threw away his school books and announced to his family and friends that he was Sai Baba of Shirdi;

“his previous incarnation.” No one at Puttaparthi in rural Andhra Pradesh, the birthplace of Sathyanarayana Raju, had ever heard about the saint Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi. This first and former Sai Baba was known as Shirdi Sai Baba, a God man (1838 – 1918) in India, preached the basics of morality and spirituality through his simple yet powerful teachings of love, compassion, patience, faith, surrender, equanimity, detachment and service. He was a simple, illiterate rural ascetic, who lived for forty years in an old isolated mosque at Shirdi, wearing tattered clothes like a Muslim fakir, begging alms and performing all sorts of thrilling miracles to cure, help and bless his countless devotees and visitors. As the goal of a Sufi aspirant is to reach God-realization – to realise his own inner divinity, Shirdi Sai Baba attained his divine status and throughout his life he played the traditional role of a Master guiding others into the spiritual path. The thrust of Shirdi Sai Baba’s whole life was one-pointed, focused entirely upon

God, giving up everything for the God-realization, as his method was the ascetic

(Abdelfattah xii).

Sathyanarayana Raju gave many proofs of that he was the same person reborn. He related numerous incidents and experiences to prove that he was the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai. From early childhood it was apparent that young

Sathya was quite different from his playmates. Although his family ate meat, he 4 himself maintained to be a natural vegetarian, who abhorred the thought of killing animals. He frequently brought beggars home to be fed by his parents, though they often scolded him for what they felt was unwarranted generosity on his part. He was called “Guru” by his playmates, for he had been leading them in devotional songs before school and fascinating and amusing them by taking candy and playthings from an empty bag. Villagers witnessed the great super natural powers of the divine child Sathyanarayana. However the skeptics took these great powers as the powers of evil spirit possessing the child.

Sathyanarayana endured a period of torture as his parents took him to a well known exorcist of the countryside. The exorcist was famous and most feared, to whom the boy’s demon had become a personal challenge. He shaved the boy’s head and cut three crosses onto his skull, then poured caustic material on the wound and into his eyes until they were swollen almost shut. Finally, his parents could stand no more of this ordeal and called a stop to it, though their son had not been apparently cured. The young Sathya bore everything, including the excruciating pain of the exorcist in total calmness. Baba subsequently stated that he was demonstrating at this time that he is beyond pleasure and pain, beyond duality. As he explained later:

I wanted to make known that I am Divine, impervious to human

suffering, pain or joy. Even after seeing all that fortitude and that miracle

of a little boy passing unscathed through all that terror, you are not

convinced that I am Baba. Then, how would you have reacted if I had

just made the announcement one fine day? (Divine Grace 7) 5 One day in May 1940, Sathya’s father saw a crowd gathering around his son. He appeared to be manifesting candy and fruit out of thin air, and many people were falling to the ground, calling him an incarnation of God. Confused and frustrated at his son’s strange behavior and now by this display of sleight-of- hand or, worse, black magic, Sathya’s father picked up a stick and approached threateningly, “Who are you.. who are you?” he demanded angrily. In a calm but firm voice, the boy announced that, “I am Sai Baba.” He said that he was the reincarnation of a little known but much respected Holy man, named Sai Baba of

Shirdi, and had come to ward off all troubles and difficulties of people.

He refused to go back home and moved to the garden of an Inspector of

Excise, saying to his family members that, he did not belong to them, and he was leaving to accomplish his future work. He said that those devoted to him were calling him and he was starting the task for which he had come. Sri Sathya Sai

Baba was engaged in the task of divine mission ever since. This was the beginning of his spiritual mission, which as he explained in a historic letter to his brother in 1947, was the moral and spiritual upliftment of the masses, with a focus on nurturing and caring for the poorest of the poor in society. He was determined that no power would stop him in achieving what he had set out to do and neither would criticism deter him from this sacred task.

From then on, till April 24, 2011, Baba relentlessly and selflessly worked for the welfare of the humanity, through all means and ways available to him.

His most important task was the transformation of mankind, so that they realized their innate Divinity. Miracles and materializations, for which he was famous 6 were merely the means to this end of elevating the collective consciousness of people, after grabbing their attention away from worldly ways. Even the colossal social service projects undertaken under his vision and guidance had this aim. They not only reached out to the poor and the needy, but also called for the active participation of his devotees in practising the values he preached, through service and self-transformation.

ii) Sri Sathya Sai Baba as Divine incarnate

Sri Sathya Sai Baba, addressed by his devotees as Swami or Baba or

Bhagawan, was born in a humble family in the heartland of rural Southern India, in the village of Puttaparthi had widespread adulation and some denigration during his lifetime. He has been a living God for his innumerable devotees spread across the globe. Often portrayed as a larger-than-life figure, Sri Sathya

Sai Baba attained the stature of a legend in his life-time. Born in the country of contradictions; of mysterious and fascinating, of superstitious and enlightened, the life story of Baba parallels with the lives of other spiritual personages, who rose to fame from obscure beginnings.

The concept of Avatar is an incomprehensible concept to human mind that God descends as human being and walk on the earth. It is believed that irrespective of the mystic nature of the God-incarnate they walk, eat, and live like the ordinary human beings. To justify the necessity of his advent, Sri

Sathya Sai Baba once announced his mission as, 7 I have come to light the lamp of love in your hearts, to see that it shines

day by day with added luster. I have not come to speak on behalf of any

particular Dharma (religion), like Hinduism. I have not come on any

mission of publicity for any sect or creed or cause; nor have I come to

collect followers for any doctrine. I have no plan to attract disciples or

devotees into my fold or any fold. I have come to tell you of this

Universal unitary faith, this Atmic principle (principle of the Spirit), this

path of love. (SSS 8: 118)

A popular writer and journalist S. Gurumurthy in his article “The Divine

Grace” narrates the nature of Sri Sathya Sai Baba as follows,

To his faithful millions, he was God, to his disbelievers he was a fake; to

his detractors he was a fraud, to the cynical he was a suspect.… But most,

particularly outside his faithful lot, seem to have missed out the

dimension of the great soul hidden beyond adulations and abuses – the

unparalleled humanist.… Many men and women of high learning,

achievements and wealth in India and outside were not just attracted to

him. They revered him as the Divine incarnate (49).

It was his charisma that built a matchless organization manned by hundreds of thousands of volunteers drawn from the rich to the lowest strata of society from many nations. The number of volunteers who render services range from menial to clerical service exceed six lakhs.

As lotus blooms, the frogs and fishes of the pond do not rejoice the advent of the flower, but the bees from far of corners dance in joy and flock in 8 thousands to inhale its fragrance and taste its honey, the devotees of Sri Sathya

Sai Baba thronged from distant lands to get the glimpse of this humble man. It is particularly said that millions of people from remotest corners of the world visited him and paid tribute to him as an Avatar – the incarnation of Godhead.

Baba stated about this attraction of devotees as,

I am the embodiment of Love; Love is my instrument. There is no

creature without Love … Let me tell you, it is only those who know the

scriptures, that can understand me. I am determined to correct you only

after informing you of my credentials. That is why I announce my nature

by means of miracles - that is, acts which are beyond human capacity and

human understanding. Not that I am anxious to show-off my powers. The

object is to draw you closer to me, to cement your hearts to me. Getting to

know me is also a part of your destiny. (SSS 2: 140)

Though his followers and devotees venerate him as an incarnation of

God, which is beyond the realm of scrutiny, many believe that Baba had radiated his unconditional love, comparable only to a mother’s love. His devotees often felt the powerful current of love that radiated from him and felt carried away by a flood stream of that love. He was all things, immensity, the greatest joy a heart can hold, the joy of being loved by him and the joy of having the opportunity of loving him, loving all things through him, knowing that they were all alive because in the love of Baba comes to life the best part of themselves. Such is the attraction that his devotees and disciples derived from him. Samuel H.

Sandweiss, in his work With Love Man is God writes about the incarnation 9 aspect of Sri Sathya Sai Baba as follows, “It is too much for most of us to even consider that man is really God. However, when we contemplate Sai Baba’s profound teachings about love, we can intuit that with love, Man is God” (10).

To the innumerable devotees who believe that he is the incarnation of

God, he declares,

No one can understand my mystery. The best you can do is to get

immersed in it. It is no use arguing about pros and cons; dive and know

the depth; eat and know the taste! Then you can discuss me to your

heart’s content. Develop Sathya (Truth) and Prema (Love) and then you

need not even pray to me to grant you this or that. Everything will be

added unto you, unasked. (Sai Advent 24)

In his discourses Baba used to stress on various aspects of Love, but more that all this, it is the practical love experienced by the persons coming close to him that has touched and transformed many. During daily darshans

(appearance) in the morning and evening the devotees have experienced the direct communication with Sri Sathya Sai Baba, despite heavy rush. His devotees say, “He is the love incarnate,” others say “He is love walking on two feet.” However, his divine nature to transform the people and make them love others is most important. He says, “Love is like a lamp, one can light as many lamps as one desires without diminishing the brightness of the first lamp and again each of these lamps can light as many or even more lamps.” His love is not limited to his physical presence. His devotees experience this divine love, wherever they are. 10 ii) Sri Sai Baba as a Mystic

The inexplicable phenomenon called “Miracles” is associated with Sri

Sathya Sai Baba right from his birth. It is said the musical instruments hanging on the walls were played by unseen hands to herald the divine birth. In his childhood he materialized stationery articles for his school mates from empty bag. People believed that the miracles are his nature and flow out of him. These acts called miracles cover almost every known object, such as rings, necklaces, visiting cards, medicines, sweets and Vibhuti – the sacred ash and so on for the persons in his immediate presence. The devotees believed that these miracles brought them the needed transformation and created a strong faith in him.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba gives very little importance to miracles. He says, “for me there are no miracles, and my acts which you call miracles are as insignificant compared to my mission as is a mosquito to an elephant in size.”

Yet these miracles are important for his devotees that because of them his glory has reached to the remotest corners of the world. In one of his interviews Baba said, “The signs and wonders that I manifest are given names that do not connote the purpose of effect. They can be classified as the acts which attract on account of their inexplicability. This aspect of attraction is inherent in the Avatar. This attribute of attraction is a characteristic of Divinity” (Sai Advent 29). On another occasion he said, “these acts of grace, which you call miracles, are my visiting cards. My acts are the foundations on which I am building my work, the task for which I have come. All the miraculous acts which you observe are to be 11 interpreted so. The foundation for a dam requires a variety of materials.

Without these it will not last and hold back the waters” (Sai Advent, 36).

Baranowski writes about his miracles, “Perhaps of the entire miracle

I witnessed in my ten days in India, no miracle is as great as the miracle of one man giving so much love to so many people. His own words say it best; “Love, continue to love and all will be well”(176-178). Sri Sathya Sai Baba requested his devotees not to exaggerate the significance of miracles as his love may turn the sky into earth, or earth into sky. He insisted that the physical eyes cannot visualize the Truth. It gives only false and fogged information, as there are many who observe his actions and start declaring his nature in different ways. They are unable to gauge the sanctity, the majesty and the eternal reality of him.

Many of Sai Baba’s followers always felt that his major miracle and the greatest, is the transformation, he brings into the life of people, who come to him. The true conversion; A Hindu becomes a better Hindu, Christians, who had left going to church under the influence of modern culture, not only visit church, but actively participate in various church activities, Muslims become better

Muslims and so on. There is a change in the attitude even at the world level, people who had been struggling to get rid of habits like, drinking, smoking, drug addicting find that once they visit him, leave these habits without even trying to do so.

Baba in one of his discourses commented on the devotees’ perception to look at him as a miracle monger. Baba maintained that, 12 People may be very near (physically) to the Avatar, but they live out their

lives unaware of their fortune; they exaggerate the role of miracles, which

are as trivial, when compared to the glory and majesty… Therefore,

when you speak about these miracles, I laugh within myself out of pity

that you allow yourself so easily to lose the precious awareness of my

reality. (SSS 12: 227)

Sai Baba puts an end to the arguments on miracles, his act of inexplicable phenomenon as the signs and wonders that he manifests are given names that do not connote the purpose or effect. They can be classed as attraction to reconstruct, and reform – a process called samskar. The purpose is to make the person useful to society, to efface his ego, and to affirm in him the unity of all beings in God. The reformation, Baba believes, makes man a humble humane servant of those who need help and involve himself in Paropakar – Selfless service done with reverence leads man to realization.

iii) Sai Baba as Humanist

Sri Sai Baba is a multifaceted personality, but chiefly known for his humanitarian attitude. Many of his followers believe that he is one of the greatest humanitarians ever known in the recent times, for he practised and taught the gospel of Pure Love expressed as selfless service for over eight decades. In an occasion Sri Sai Baba declared that he has come in order to achieve the supreme task of uniting the entire mankind as one family through the bond of brotherhood, of affirming and illuminating the Atmic reality of each 13 being in order to reveal the Divine, the basis on which the entire Cosmos rests.

He further maintained that in this divine incarnation the wicked would not be destroyed; they would be corrected and reformed and educated and led back to the path from which they had strayed.

At the beginning of his mission the young Sathya Sai wrote a letter to his elder brother on 25 May 1947, which revealed his future mission:

I have a task: To foster all mankind and ensure for all people lives full of

Ananda (Bliss). I have a vow; To lead all who stray away from the

straight path, back again into goodness and save them. I am attached to

a task I love: To remove the suffering of the poor and grant them what

they lack. (Divine Grace 29)

Baba’s unconditional love and concern for humanity can be estimated by various activities his organization have undertaken. He was to be the greatest humanitarian to walk the earth; no project was impossible, no task was daunting, no cost too high for Baba when it came to benefitting the underprivileged and the helpless. Over sixty five years, Baba has done what no one can ever do in one lifetime: free hospitals, free schools and colleges, and safe drinking water for millions. He rebuilt innumerable lives shattered by calamities, and above all united people across all faiths, cultures, countries and classes with the universal bonds of love, and tolerance.

Contrary to most religious beliefs and texts on the role of service, Baba has advocated service as the highest form of worship. Service devoid of publicity and expectation of results is dearest to God and confers everlasting joy, 14 according to Baba. He has started a good number of educational institutes which are training future citizens and equally important his followers, in the field of human values. He advises students, “cultivate Love, sow the seeds of Love in all hearts, shower Love on the desert sands, let the green shoots, the lovely flowers, the luscious fruits, the sweet harvest of nectar be earned by mankind.

That is my wish, my mission, my vow” (SSS 16:76).

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medicine with many unique features is providing advanced medical care and treatment in cardiology, urology, nephrology and ophthalmology, to the poor and needy absolutely free of cost.

The trigger for this medical revolution came when Baba’s mother, Eswaramma, expressed a concern about the paucity of medical services in her village.

Remembering the words of his mother, Sri Sathya Sai first established a general hospital in 1954 in Puttaparthi for the local villagers, who did not even have the basic facilities then. This is expanded into a network of General Hospitals,

Super-specialty Hospitals, Mobile Medical Clinics, Medical Camps, Virtual

Hospitals and charitable beds in city hospitals, all at no-cost to the patients.

Besides this, a number of other Sri Sathya Sai General Hospitals are providing assistance to the sick and suffering. Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations fund medical care centres which conduct medical camps in underprivileged areas and villages.

Another finest example of his all embracing Love and compassion is the massive Drinking water supply scheme, which has been completed in a record time, to supply clean drinking water to more than 750 villages of the Anantpur 15 district of Andhra Pradesh. For over hundred years, the people of Rayalaseema region had walked long distances every day just to procure a few pots of drinking water. The highlights of Baba’s projects are swiftness and efficiency in action and timely completion of projects. He announced, the Sathya Sai Central

Trust would move fast to bring safe drinking water to as many people as possible in as many villages as possible, in the shortest possible time, no matter the cost.

Nearly 5020 km of pipelines were laid across 1500 villages to provide safe water to 10 million people. Eighteen months after Baba’s first announcement, safe drinking water flowed out of water taps in 730 villages of the parched district of

Anantapur, a district that had suffered 11 famines in the past. Sri Sathya Sai

Water Project scheme had further been followed for Medak and Mehaboobnagar districts, in November 2000, benefitting over 320 villages. In April 2002, Baba initiated the complete overhaul of the Kandaleru-Poondi canal to make drinking water available to the people of Chennai city beyond his native state of Andhra

Pradesh. Immediately after the completion of this, Baba commenced the

Godavari drinking water scheme to quench thirst of over 500 villages. The four herculean water projects were executed in a span of 12 years (1994-2006) totally benefitting over 10 million people, equivalent to the entire population of

Belgium. All the projects, after a year of management by Baba, were handed over to the state governments concerned.

The array of opportunities that Sri Sathya Sai Organisations make available to the members is remarkable. Regular ‘Narayana Seva’ (feeding the hungry), medical camps, special service at cancer and leprosy wards, caring 16 slum areas are some of the noteworthy avenues for Sri Sathya Sai Seva Dal.

Those who have witnessed the mass feeding and distribution of clothes to the poor at Prasanthi Nilayam, wonder at the quality and quantity of the service as thousands are offered food and clothes. Once during such mass feeding, a journalist who happened to be present was so moved that he approached Baba and requested his permission to publish this news in the paper. Since he was convinced that service to poor on such a large scale must be given coverage in the print media. Baba replied, “Oh! No, there is no need for that, does a mother ever announce in the village when she feeds her children?” That was the love Sri

Sathya Sai Baba has shown for one and all. Baba holds, “Once the Truth of the indwelling spirit is recognized, there dawns the awareness that the world is one family. One is then filled with Divine Love, which becomes the driving force for all of one’s actions...” (Divine Grace 29). He started an organization in 1968 which has now more than a million members all over the world. These volunteers motivated by the divine love of Sri Sathya Sai Baba are rendering selfless service across the nation to the poor and sick.

II. Thematic Background i) The Historical Perspectives of Rhetoric

Rhetoric is an art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques. Rhetoric is a powerful vehicle of exchanging of ideas. From earliest

Greece to modern age, scholars have debated on the scope of rhetoric, and given 17 rhetoric a central part in western education, filling the need to train public speakers and writers to move audiences to action with arguments. The theories of rhetoric by great thinkers from Plato, Aristotle, Homer, through the rhetoricians of middle age, to the present age create great interest and form the comprehensible background for the present analysis.

As a subject of formal study, rhetoric has played a significant role in the

Western tradition. The best known definition comes from Aristotle, who considers it a counterpart of both logic and politics, and calls it “the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion” (Aristotle 6).

Rhetoric was viewed as a civic art by several of the ancient philosophers. Aristotle and Isocrates were two of the first to see rhetoric in this light. Rhetoric typically provides for understanding, discovering, and developing arguments for particular situations. Persuasion attempts to influence a person’s belief, opinion, attitude, objective, motivation or impulse. It is aimed at changing the attitude of man, by using written or spoken words to convey information, feelings, or reasoning.

Aristotle treats rhetoric as a science, though it is not strictly one. He believes that its study is important for a number of reasons: it can assist in the defence of truth and justice; it can persuade a less intellectual audience that fails to comprehend intellectual demonstration; and it ensures that both sides are considered. Aristotle, in his Rhetoric suggests three ways of persuasion. The first kind depends on the personal character of the speaker; the second on putting the audience into a certain mental frame, and the third is based on the proof 18 provided by the theme of the speech itself. Persuasion is achieved by the speaker’s personal character, if the speech is so spoken as to make the audience think him credible, as one believes good men fully and readily than others. This kind of persuasion is achieved by what the speaker says, not by what people think of his character before he begins to speak. Secondly, persuasion may evolve through the listeners, when the speech stirs the audience’s emotion. The judgement of the audience is either friendly or reserved or hostile if the speech produces any impact on the listeners. This is evident when the speaker is stirring such emotions among audience. Thirdly, persuasion is effected through the speech itself when the persuasive arguments and points are suitable to the subject spoken. Therefore these three means are affecting the art of persuasion.

Then the speaker must be clear, and be able to reason logically, to understand characters of various forms, to understand the emotions of them, and to know their causes and the way in which they are excited. It thus appears that rhetoric is a derivate of dialectic and also of ethical studies.

He also suggests three kinds of rhetoric namely i) Political, ii) Forensic, and iii) the ceremonial oratory of display. Political speaking urges the audience to do something or not. This is done by private counselors as well as by men who address public assemblies. Forensic speaker either attacks or defends somebody or something. The third speaker displays the ceremonial oratory either praises or censures somebody or something. These three kinds of rhetoric refer to three different kinds of time. The political orator is concerned with the future, 19 while the forensic is concerned with past, and the ceremonial orator is related to deal with the present.

Then Aristotle further elaborates the three rhetoric presentations extensively. He maintains that many professions, such as teaching, also involve some form of persuasion. In order for students of any trade or profession to believe, or become convinced of, or learn the practice in question, the teacher must persuade them somehow or other through reason that the proposed information is knowledge (justified true belief). Essentially, he argues that belief may be true or false, but knowledge by definition must be true, or else it is not knowledge. Rather than questioning the metaphysical nature of this declaration, he simply states it as a fundamental aspect of knowledge, beyond argument. Correspondingly, one type of persuasion produces belief without knowledge (false belief), while another produces knowledge (true belief). Thus

Aristotle elaborates the use of rhetoric as follows:

Rhetoric is useful (1) because things that are true and things that are just

have a natural tendency to prevail over their opposites, so that if the

decisions of judges are not what they ought to be, the defeat must be due

to the speakers themselves, and they must be blamed accordingly.

Moreover, (2) before some audiences not even the possession of the exact

knowledge will make it easy for what we say to produce conviction. For

argument based on knowledge implies instruction, and there are people

whom one cannot instruct. Here, then, we must use, as our modes of

persuasion and argument, notions possessed by everybody, as we 20 observed in the Topics when dealing with the way to handle a popular

audience. Further, (3) we must be able to employ persuasion, just as strict

reasoning can be employed, on opposite sides of a question, not in order

that we may in practice employ it in both ways (for we must not make

people believe what is wrong), but in order that we may see clearly what

the facts are, and that, if another man argues unfairly, we on our part may

be able to confute him. No other of the arts draws opposite conclusions:

dialectic and rhetoric alone do this. Both these arts draw opposite

conclusions impartially. (5)

According to Aristotle it is clear that rhetoric is not bound up with single definite class of subject, but it is as universal as dialectic; it is clear also that it is useful. Further its function is not simply to succeed in persuading, rather to discover the means of coming closer to success as the circumstances of each particular case allow. In this, rhetoric resembles all other arts. Thus Aristotle extends the definition of rhetoric, calling it the ability to identify the appropriate means of persuasion in a given situation, thereby making rhetoric applicable to all fields, not just politics. When one considers that rhetoric includes the practice of persuasion or coercion, it is clear that rhetoric cannot be viewed only in academic terms. However, it is based upon logic, especially based upon the syllogism.

Looking at another key rhetorical theorist, Plato defined the scope of rhetoric according to his negative opinions of the art. He criticized the Sophists for using rhetoric as a means of deceit instead of discovering truth. In “Gorgias”, 21 one of his Socratic Dialogues, Plato defines rhetoric as the persuasion of ignorant masses within the courts and assemblies. Rhetoric, in Plato's opinion, is merely a form of flattery and functions similarly to cookery, which masks the undesirability of unhealthy food by making it taste good. Thus, Plato considered any speech of lengthy prose aimed at flattery as within the scope of rhetoric.

Plato explains the effectiveness of rhetoric in his “Gorgias” around 380 BC. In this dialogue, Socrates seeks the true definition of rhetoric, attempting to pinpoint the essence of rhetoric and unveil the flaws of the sophistic oratory popular in Athens at this time. The art of persuasion was widely considered necessary for political and legal advantage in classical Athens, and rhetoricians promoted themselves as teachers of this fundamental skill. Some, like Gorgias, were foreigners attracted to Athens because of its reputation for intellectual and cultural sophistication. In the Gorgias, Socrates argues that philosophy is an art, whereas rhetoric is merely a knack. To Socrates, most rhetoric in practice is merely flattery. In order to use rhetoric for good, rhetoric cannot exist alone; it must depend on philosophy to guide its morality. Socrates, therefore, believes that morality is not inherent in rhetoric and that without philosophy, rhetoric is simply used to persuade for personal gain. Socrates gets Gorgias to agree that the rhetorician is actually more convincing in front of an ignorant audience than an expert, because mastery of the tools of persuasion gives a man more conviction than mere facts. Socrates suggests that he is one of the few (but not only)

Athenians to practise true politics (Plato 19). Because rhetoric is a public art capable of shaping opinion, some of the ancients including Plato found fault in 22 it. They claimed that while it could be used to improve civic life, it could be used equally easily to deceive or manipulate with negative effects on the city. The masses were incapable of analyzing or deciding anything on their own and would therefore be swayed by the most persuasive speeches. Thus, civic life could be controlled by the one who could deliver the best speech.

In ancient Greece, the earliest mention of oratorical skill occurs in

Homer's Iliad, where heroes like Achilles, Hector, and Odysseus were honoured for their ability to advise and exhort their peers and followers in wise and appropriate action. The classical rhetoric trained speakers to be effective persuaders in public forums and institutions such as courtrooms and assemblies.

With the rise of the democratic polis, speaking skill was adapted to the needs of the public and political life of cities in ancient Greece, much of which revolved around the use of oratory as the medium through which political and judicial decisions were made, and through which philosophical ideas were developed and disseminated. In Classical times, many of the great thinkers and political leaders performed their works before an audience, usually in the context of a competition or contest for fame, political influence, and cultural capital.

Longinus is a Greek teacher of rhetoric or a literary critic, who may have lived in the first or third century AD, is known only for “On the Sublime.”

Longinus rebels against the popular rhetoric of the time by implicitly attacking ancient theory in its focus on a detailed criticism of words, metaphors, and figures. More explicitly, in refusing to judge tropes as entities unto themselves,

Longinus promotes the appreciation of literary devices as they relate to passages 23 as a whole. Essentially, Longinus, rare for a critic of his time, focuses more on

"greatness of style" than "technical rules. Despite his criticism of ancient texts,

Longinus remains a “master of candor and good-nature.” Moreover, the author invents striking images and metaphors, writing almost lyrically at times. In general, Longinus appreciates, and makes use of, simple diction and bold images

(Kennedy 227).

During the medieval period, political rhetoric declined as republican oratory died out and the emperors of Rome garnered increasing authority. With the rise of European monarchs in following centuries, rhetoric shifted into the courtly and religious applications. Saint Augustine (354-430) exerted strong influence on Christian rhetoric in the middle ages, advocating the use of rhetoric to lead audiences to truth and understanding, especially in the church. Although he is not commonly regarded as a rhetorician, Saint Augustine was trained in rhetoric and was at one time a professor of Latin rhetoric in Milan. After his conversion to Christianity, he became interested in using these "pagan" arts for spreading his religion. This new use of rhetoric laid the foundation of what would become homiletics, the rhetoric of the sermon. Augustine begins the book by asking why "the power of eloquence, which is so efficacious in pleading either for the erroneous cause or the right", should not be used for righteous purposes (Augustine 4: 3). The early concern of the medieval Christian church was its attitude to classical rhetoric itself. Augustine is also remembered for arguing for the preservation of pagan works and fostering a church tradition that led to conservation of numerous pre-Christian rhetorical writings. The study of 24 liberal arts, he believed, contributed to rhetorical study: "In the case of a keen and ardent nature, fine words will come more readily through reading and hearing the eloquent than by pursuing the rules of rhetoric” (Augustine 76).

Poetry and letter writing, for instance, became a central component of rhetorical study during the middle ages. Rhetoric was taught in universities as one of the three original liberal arts along with logic and grammar. After the fall of the

Republic in Rome, poetry became a tool for rhetorical training since there were fewer opportunities for political speech.

Rhetoric would not regain its classical heights until the renaissance, but new writings did advance rhetorical thought. The introduction of Arab scholarship from European relations with the Muslim empire renewed interest in

Aristotle and Classical thought in general, leading to what some historians call the twelfth century Renaissance. A number of medieval grammars and studies of poetry and rhetoric appeared. One influential figure in the rebirth of interest in classical rhetoric was Erasmus (1466-1536). His work, known as Copia:

Foundations of the Abundant Style was widely published through more than 150 editions throughout Europe and became one of the basic school texts on the subject. Its treatment of rhetoric is less comprehensive than the classic works of antiquity, but provides a traditional treatment of matter and form.

Juan Luis Vives (1492–1540) also helped shape the study of rhetoric in

England. A Spaniard, he was appointed in 1523 to the Lectureship of Rhetoric at

Oxford. His best-known work was a book on education, De Disciplinis, published in 1531, and his writings on rhetoric included Rhetoricae, Libri 25 Tres, De Consultatione, and a rhetoric on letter writing. It is likely that many well-known English writers would have been exposed to the works of Erasmus and Vives (as well as those of the Classical rhetoricians) in their schooling, which was conducted in Latin and often included some study of

Greek and placed considerable emphasis on rhetoric (Wikipedia, Rhetoric).

The mid-sixteenth century witnessed the rise of vernacular rhetoric— those written in English rather than in the Classical languages; adoption of works in English was slow, however, due to the strong orientation toward Latin and

Greek. Leonard Cox's The Art or Crafte of Rhetoryke published in 1532 is considered to be the earliest text on rhetoric in English; it was, for the most part, a translation of the work of Philipp Melanchthon. A successful early text was

Thomas Wilson's The Arte of Rhetorique (1553), which presents a traditional treatment of rhetoric.

During this same period, a movement began that would change the organization of the school curriculum in Protestant and especially Puritan circles and lead to rhetoric losing its central place. A French scholar, Pierre de la Ramee dissatisfied with what he saw as the overly broad and redundant organization, proposed a new curriculum. In his scheme of things, the five components of rhetoric no longer lived under the common heading of rhetoric. Instead, invention and disposition were determined to fall exclusively under the heading of dialectic; while style, delivery, and memory were all that remained for rhetoric. 26 By the seventeenth century, their approach became the primary method of teaching rhetoric in Protestant and especially Puritan circles. John Milton (1608–

1674) wrote a textbook in logic or dialectic in Latin based on Ramus' work.

During the seventeenth century, many of the scholars carry forward the dichotomy that had been set forth by Ramus and his followers during the preceding decades. Of greater importance is that this century saw the development of a modern and vernacular style that looked to English, rather than to Greek, Latin, or French models.

Francis Bacon (1561–1626), although not a rhetorician, contributed to the development of “scientific rhetoric.” One of the concerns of the age was to find a suitable style for the discussion of scientific topics, which needed above all a clear exposition of facts and arguments, rather than the ornate style favoured at the time. Bacon in his The Advancement of Learning criticized those who are preoccupied with style rather than “the weight of matter, worth of subject, soundness of argument, life of invention, or depth of judgment.” On matters of style, he proposed that the style conforms to the subject matter and to the audience, that simple words be employed whenever possible, and that the style should be agreeable. This concentration rejected the elaborate style characteristic of the classical oration (Marcello 212).

Francis Bacon's letters to the courtiers of King James VI before the monarch succeeded Elizabeth I reveals his concept of rhetoric as a tool for political advancement. Francis Bacon wrote several letters to gain the King's confidence, in which he expressed his intent to portray the King in the most 27 positive light to his subjects once he enters England and assumes the throne. The letters are remarkable in the way they suggest that Bacon can create a persona for the King through the power of rhetoric; since Bacon includes the draft of a speech which he hoped would be used by the king in a public appearance.

Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) also wrote on rhetoric. Along with a shortened translation of Aristotle's Rhetoric, Hobbes also produced a number of other works on the subject. Sharply contrarian on many subjects, Hobbes, like Francis

Bacon, also promoted a simpler and more natural style that used figures of speech sparingly.

Perhaps the most influential development in English style came out of the work of the Royal Society founded in 1660, which in 1664 set up a committee to improve the English language. Among the committee's members were John

Evelyn, Thomas Sprat, and John Dryden. Sprat regarded that a proper style should "reject all amplifications, digressions, and swellings of style" and instead

"return back to a primitive purity and shortness" (Bibhash 136). While the work of this committee never went beyond planning, John Dryden is often credited with creating and exemplifying a new and modern English style. His central tenet was that the style should be proper "to the occasion, the subject, and the persons" (156). As such, he advocated the use of English words whenever possible instead of foreign ones, as well as vernacular, rather than Latinate, syntax. John Dryden’s own prose and poetry became exemplars of this new style. 28 In the eighteenth century, rhetoric assumed a more social role, initiating the creation of new education systems. "Elocution schools" arose predominantly in England, in which learners analyzed classic literature, most notably the works of William Shakespeare, and discussed pronunciation tactics. Arguably one of the most influential schools of rhetoric during this time was Scottish Belletristic rhetoric, exemplified by such professors of rhetoric as Hugh Blair, whose Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Letters achieved international success in various editions and translations. He advocated rhetorical study for common citizens as a resource for social success.

The study of rhetoric underwent a revival with the rise of democratic institutions during the early nineteenth centuries. Many American colleges and secondary schools used Blair's text throughout the nineteenth century to train students of rhetoric. Political rhetoric also underwent renewal in the wake of the

US and French revolutions. The rhetorical studies of ancient Greece and Rome were resurrected in the studies of the era as speakers and teachers looked to

Cicero and others to inspire defense of the new republic. Leading rhetorical theorists included John Quincy Adams of Harvard who advocated the democratic advancement of rhetorical art. Harvard's founding of the Boylston

Professorship of Rhetoric and Oratory sparked the growth of rhetorical study in colleges across the United States. Harvard's rhetoric programme drew inspiration from literary sources to guide organization and style. Debate clubs and lyceums also developed as forums in which common citizens could hear speakers and sharpen debate skills. The American lyceum in particular was seen as an 29 educational and social institution, featuring group discussions and guest lecturers. These programmes cultivated democratic values and promoted active participation in political analysis.

The modern rhetoric was born at the turn of the twentieth century; when a revival of rhetorical study manifested in the establishment of departments of rhetoric and speech at academic institutions, as well as the formation of national and international professional organizations. Theorists generally agree that a significant reason for the revival of the study of rhetoric should be given renewed importance of language and persuasion in the increasingly mediated environment of the twentieth century and through the twenty first century.

Throughout the twentieth century, rhetoric developed as a concentrated field of study with the establishment of rhetorical courses in high schools and universities. Courses such as public speaking and speech analysis apply fundamental Greek theories such as the modes of persuasion. Rhetoric has earned more and more esteemed reputation as a field of study with the emergence of Communication studies departments in university programmes and in combination with the linguistic turn. Rhetorical study has broadened in scope, and is especially utilized by the fields of marketing, politics, and literature.

Modern day works continue to support the claims of the ancients that rhetoric is an art capable of influencing civic life. In his work Political Style

Robert Hariman claims, “Furthermore, questions of freedom, equality, and justice often are raised and addressed through performances ranging from debates to demonstrations without loss of moral content” (Aristotle 127). James 30 Boyd White argues further that rhetoric is capable of not only of addressing issues of political interest but also it can influence culture as a whole. In his book, When Words Lose Their Meaning, he argues that words of persuasion and identification define community and civic life. He states that words produce "the methods by which culture is maintained, criticized, and transformed." Both

White and Hariman agree that words and rhetoric have the power to shape culture and civic life. In modern times, rhetoric has consistently remained relevant as a civic art. In speeches, as well as in non-verbal forms, rhetoric continues to be used as a tool to influence communities from local to national levels.

In the present days with the media focus on the wide variations and analyses of political rhetoric and its consequences, the rise of advertising and of mass media such as photography, telegraphy, radio, and film has brought rhetoric more prominently into people's lives. More recently the term rhetoric has been applied to media forms other than verbal language like Visual rhetoric.

ii) Rhetorical efficacy of world famous speakers

Public Speaking or oratory is an art or practice of making a speech before audience. Many social, economic, religious movements have revolutionized the world by the effective oratories of notable orators. The study at the next level examines the impact of world famous speeches and their effectiveness to turn in the desired results. The Gettysburg Address of Abraham Lincoln, the most persuasive speech of Martin Luther King; “I have a dream”, Mahatma 31 Gandhi’s speech of Quit India, Swami Vivekananda’s speech at the Parliament of Religions at Chicago are some of the remarkable speeches known for their great skills of oratory and eloquence that made the listeners enthralled, spell bound and inspired.

Speaking is often the primary medium for presenting ideas. Being able to verbally communicate effectively to other individuals or to groups is essential in all spheres of life. Oratory is the rationale practice of persuasive public speaking.

It is immediate in its audience relationships and reactions, but it may also have some unexpected repercussions. The orator may become the voice of political or social history. Speakers who have a specific purpose and are successful in attaining it are said to be effective. The speakers are called effective, if the members of the audience understand the facts. If they try to persuade members of the audience to agree to do something or to change their opinions, the speakers are considered as most effective. If speakers try to entertain the audience, they are effective when the audience show by applause or laughter that they are enjoying the speech.

There will always be a need for people who can effectively make presentations and speak to persuade others. Knowledge and skills in this area often help to advance in public speaking. A great speaker indulges in ample research to make himself well versed with the intricacies and minute detailing of the subject. Having a good knowledge of the topic the speaker gains confidence and be prepared for any unexpected queries. There are some defining moments in history to display the importance of public speaking. 32 The Gettysburg Address was a speech by U.S. President Abraham

Lincoln, one of the best-known in American history. It was delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War in 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers'

National Cemetery in Gettysburg. Abraham Lincoln's carefully crafted and chiseled address, secondary to other presentations that day, came to be regarded as one of the greatest speeches in American history. Abraham Lincoln reiterated the principles of human equality espoused by the Declaration of Independence and proclaimed the Civil War as a struggle for the preservation of the

Union with "a new birth of freedom", that would bring true equality to all of its citizens.

The Gettysburg address was the shortest speech that put him on the map as a remarkable US president. Without this speech he might have never been the iconic personality. The Battle of Gettysburg occurred over three hot summer days, July 1-3, 1863, around the small market town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

It began as a clash but by its end involved 160,000 Americans and effectively decided the fate of the Union. On 19 November 1863, President Abraham

Lincoln went to the battlefield to dedicate it as a National Cemetery. The main orator, Edward Everett of Massachusetts, delivered a two-hour formal address.

The president then had his turn. He spoke in his high, penetrating voice, and in a little over two minutes delivered this speech with interruptions for applause, surprising everyone by its brevity and leaving many quite unimpressed at first.

Over time, however, this speech with its ending - government of the People, by 33 the People, for the People - has come to symbolize the definition of democracy itself.

Abraham Lincoln called on the nation to fulfill the pledge of equality spelled out in the Declaration of Independence. Using Gettysburg as the springboard for a new birth of freedom throughout the whole country, he clearly implied that the time had come for America to continue for its unfinished work to embrace African Americans as part of the promise of the new birth of freedom; which is an extraordinary call of the President. Critics often held the opinion that the address was one of the clearest, most logical, argumentative, and convincing discourses. Every point he touched upon was elucidated by the clearness of his logic, and with his keen blade of satire he laid bare the revolting features of policy of the pseudo-Democracy. His manner is neither fanciful nor rhetorical, but logical. His thoughts are strong and are strongly joined together.

He is rationale and has the faculty of making himself clearly understood.

It has often been asserted that Mahatma Gandhi’s impact on the people was simply electrifying. These people were not just freedom fighters and politicians, writers and thinkers; there were also among them slum dwellers and villagers, farmers and laborers, semi- literates and illiterates. Although Gandhi was a terrified public speaker at the beginning, his public speaking improved to a smooth sailing for him over the years. Gandhi’s speeches were always inspiring, or even confident. Gandhi transformed himself into a meticulous orator in which every speech he delivered was enthralling and engaging. Gandhi once said, “My hesitancy in speech, which was once an annoyance, is now a 34 pleasure. Its greatest benefit has been that it has taught me the economy of words” (Gandhi, Wit 197).

One of Gandhi’s greatest speeches is “Quit India”, which portrays the true self of Mahatma Gandhi. As a soft spoken person, he is not only remembered because of his politeness when expressing his thoughts, but also his humble, authentic character when he treated everyone around him equally. He identified barriers to make change sustainable. He had passion for his work and that drove him to make India an independent and equal country. His ability to communicate a different way was what made him an extraordinary public speaker. People followed him, even when they did not see his point or grasp its significance. He reached his audience with passion and even though his was the voice of quiet certainty, it reverberated loudly in the hearts of his audiences.

Gandhi showed that one doesn’t have to be loud to be heard. One doesn’t have to be supremely funny or dynamic in the way that most describe a good speaker. Gandhi’s strength was in finding a message that was meaningful to him and sticking stubbornly to it, whoever tried to push him off balance. Gandhi found a way of speaking that worked for him and was very different as to how many other activists and politicians were communicating. His style and manner were truly fresh. Vikas Kamat writes about his nature as, “Gandhi was no emperor, not a military general, not a president nor a prime minister. He was neither pacifist nor a cult guru. Who was Gandhi? If anything, Mohandas K.

Gandhi was a constant experimenter” (1). Spirituality, religion, self-reliance, health, education, clothing, drinks, medicine, child care, status of women, no 35 field escaped his search for truth. His thoughts when appeared in the form of talk or article became official words of action with the mass of India.

This famous “Quit India” speech of Mahatma Ganthi is a great example of a clear address using excellent text to persuade and inspire the audience by a natural leader, speaker and motivator. A quote or extract from the Mahatma

Gandhi’s speech, provides an illustration of, or allusion to, the famous events the era and the work of a great speaker. This famous speech of Mahatma Gandhi is famed for its great powers of verbal communication making good use of the words and language to illustrate the subject with all critical requirements of a great speaker. Whether this address can be classified under the category of powerful, persuasive, motivational or inspirational, the excellent powers of oration make it one of the most famous speeches from a great but humble speaker.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was also a great public speaker of Gandhian time, having good public speaking skill, which he learnt with constant effort and systematic approach. No doubt Jawaharlal Nehru was amongst the greatest public speakers that the world had witnessed, but he too had developed his skills with long experience and practice. His famous “Dawn of Independence” speech is still one of the best speeches in the world. The whole nation would sweep on to the streets to listen to his speeches. Such was the power of his words, that had the power to motivate millions of people.

Following the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, in the United States Martin

Luther King addressed “I have a dream speech” which inspired a nation and 36 broke down racial barriers. Without his leadership and his inspirational speech it might have taken a few more years to bring equality among all races. Martin

Luther King Jr had the best voice and amazing emphasis. His speech was so strong, his gestures were inviting and he made a thorough selection of words. Besides he talked to the interest of the people, which were organized and clear. Critics often quote his speech for its perfection owing to varying application of techniques such as the use of cadence, context, authenticity, practice, repetition, and connection.

Martin Luther King applied the oratorical skill he had mastered as a preacher to heighten his appeal for further rights for U.S. Blacks to an intensity that galvanized millions. In his “I have a dream” speech Martin Luther King started out at a slow, and measured conversational pace, which over time, increased the pace and volume as he drew the audience in. Besides Martin

Luther King was a master of establishing the historical context for his message.

He regularly started with stories from the Old Testament and modern history to make the point that the people in his movement were part of the broad sweep of history; that instilled in them a sense of mission. Howard Gardner writes that

“all great leaders have two things in common. They have an overarching story and their life embodies that story” (76). Martin Luther King clearly met that definition of leadership. When he spoke, he told that story. Everyone in the audience knew that he was living because of that most appropriate and relevant story before and after the speech. 37 Martin Luther King was calm, confident, bold, solid and repetitive when he delivered his speech. His bold statements and rhythmic repetition were the hallmarks of his persuasive speech and this repetition reinforced his passion. The use of repetition like “I have a dream,” “We can never be satisfied.” “With this faith” created a kind of repetitive structure enabled him to clearly make his main point and at the same time make it easy for the audience to come along with him.

In his speaking, Martin Luther King allowed himself to have an almost symbiotic connection with his audience. It should be noted that he walked along the demonstrators before he was making his famous speech. By this he drew their energy from each other and he was very tuned into the level of energy with others. That connection made the event more than a speech. It made it an experience that moved people to act. By standing up in front of people and delivering a speech, he attracted the heart of people around him and implicitly broadcast the message that he was one among them. His speech was persuasive, delivered powerfully that went right into the souls of people of all colours. He was fully with the people, connecting to them with his eyes.

If there is an Indian who was the prime mover of world thinking on the rich heritage of India in the past 150 years the choice falls on Swami

Vivekananda. He is considered to be a major force in the revival of Hinduism in modern India. His visions are powerfully presented with wide and deep impact on humanity. The Swami Vivekananda by inspiration of the highest order and his intellectual acumen brought out ideas and principles to look back India for perennial spirituality. He is regarded as a key figure in the introduction of Hindu 38 philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga in Europe and America and is also credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a world religion during the end of the nineteenth century. He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech beginning with “Sisters and Brothers of America”, through which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World’s Religions at

Chicago in 1893.

Vivekananda’s speech was received wonderfully by the parliament and the President of Parliament John Henry Barrows praised Vivekananda greatly and said that he had a great influence over the entire audience. Vivekananda also received massive attention of the press which called him the “cyclonic monk from India.”

Vivekananda’s inspiring personality was well known both in India and in

America during his life time and after. The unknown monk of India suddenly leapt into fame at the Parliament of Religions, Chicago in no time through his skillful oratorical proficiency. His vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture as well as his deep spiritual insight, fervid eloquence, brilliant conversation, broad human sympathy, colourful personality, and handsome figure made an irresistible appeal to the American men and women, who came in contact with him. People, who saw or heard Vivekananda even once, cherished his memory even after lapse of time.

His passion for his motherland was immense and India was dear to his heart. He was an excellent propagator who projected the image of India globally in the most elegant manner. He discharged the role of the Global Ambassador of 39 India decades before diplomatic relations and foreign missions were thought of.

The Swami Vivekananda disseminated knowledge with effective communication skills in a territory where people had antagonistic idea about the Indian subcontinent. He spoke with spontaneous ease on every topic, be it History,

Sociology, Philosophy or Literature. He demonstrated his conceptual skill visualizing the entire world as one integrated entity fused together by the concept of universal brotherhood.

Romain Rolland, the French dramatist, novelist, essayist, and the Nobel

Laureate of 1915 describes the expressiveness of Swami Vivekananda as follows:

His words are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring

rhythms like the march of Handel choruses. I cannot touch these sayings

of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, at thirty years'

distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric

shock. And what shocks, what transports, must have been produced when

in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!” (Dey 255).

His oratorical skills and presentation of Hindu religious tenets and comparison with other religious beliefs made him a celebrity among a wide spectrum of world audience.

Throughout history it has been the public speaking that has united people and caused great changes, both positive and negative. The twentieth century has witnessed the development of two leaders of World War II, who applied oratorical techniques in vastly different ways with equal effect. It was primarily 40 through his oratory that Adolf Hitler whipped the defeat and divided Germans into a passion of conquest, while Winston Churchill used his remarkable power of speech to summon up the English people’s deepest historical reserves of strength against the onslaught of Britain.

Adolf Hitler, the autocratic of German was a great speaker, probably one of the best at the time, knew how to appeal to people. Adolf Hitler delivered his speeches with extreme passion and caused arguably one of the most horrific genocides of all time. In order to sway the German masses to follow him, Hitler had to be a master communicator. Adolf Hitler knew what the people wanted to listen from him and he mastered his art of speech. He was ruthless with his words and exerted so much emotion in his speeches that people thought he was logical and would back up anything. He actually practised his speeches and knew what gestures needed for emphasis. The observers of his speech later said that he would begin his speech quietly and then elevated his voice with a loud noise of rage and hatred. His speeches included propaganda and backed up his opinions with, what would seem like concrete facts (Laurence 88).

He could extract emotion from the audience through his tone, gestures, pace of his speeches, and so on. He practised his facial expressions in front of the mirror for a great amount of time so that he could use them at the best times throughout his speeches. It also helped the Germans, who were in a bit of power struggle with other nations. The people were worried, scared, and needed someone to look up to. Adolt Hitler used those feelings to fuel his own speeches. 41 His ideals were masked behind the things that he knew the people wanted to hear.

One must also take into consideration what was going on in Germany at the time. There was a great poverty crept nation and children used money as toys as they were no use any other way, the government of the time was seen to be weak as they gave into the treaty of Versailles after they lost World War I. Hitler came in as a man of the people and spoke for the working class, he told them what they wanted to do and did it with such conviction and strength that many followed him. His messages were filled with high propaganda, but many times people overlooked him as the great reformer they were looking for. As a result

Adolf Hitler was seen as a man of the working class, who robustly fought for their ideals, he also surrounded himself with strong followers. So taking advantage of the situation Hitler exploited the people’s power by his persuasive speech and action.

On the other hand Winston Churchill’s oratory was not universally acclaimed at the time, particularly in Parliament. Indeed it evoked suspicion among the members about the soundness of his judgment. Churchill had become

Prime Minister on 10 May 1940, against the wishes of the King and many

Conservative MPs. But then Churchill used his oratory as the main instrument to maintain his shaky position in Parliament, to solidify the support of the nation.

Over the years he developed his style of speech with his sense of language, which was very keen and precise. 42 As Prime Minister of England during World War II, Winston Churchill gave his most electrifying speeches over the radio. He spent weeks crafting them with a rhetorical precision that is virtually extinct today. His favorite tactic, which he relied on again and again, was to appeal to history. He contextualized his most important points and ideas with allusions or direct references to the past and to the future, giving his message an intoxicating and inspirational timelessness. Thus Winston Churchill appealed to the massive audience of his time.

Like the famous political and social oratories, the spiritual discourses also gain importance with respect to content, emotion and religious sentiments.

Northrop Fry in his The Great Code: The Bible and Literature focuses on language, myth, metaphor, typology, imagery, narrative, and rhetoric in religious teachings. In doing so, he demonstrates the importance of discursive structure to the communication of religious meaning. He also supplies some general concepts, as well as numerous substantive hints, about how to analyze religious discourse. Although he deals specifically with the Bible as a written text, the analytic framework is sufficiently broad to be applied to many other kinds of religious discourse as well.

In such context, religious communities are no exception from the political and non-religious communities that use verbose to instruct the followers through scriptures and discourses. Religious members use sermons, prayers, singing, reciting, and discussion to make up the very being of such communities. In recent years the flow of religious discourse has been increasing to fill the gap 43 between acquired knowledge and practice. These religious discourses help them rely on religious orientations, commitments, customs and tradition. People try to evolve the religious beliefs, convictions and sentiments according to the inputs that they are exposed to. They behold religious symbols, and these symbols give meaning to their lives, help them construct reality, and provide them with security and a sense of belonging.

In the recent years, Baba has formed such a spiritual community, which is devoid of all religious fanaticism. He insisted that a Hindu must become a better

Hindu, a Muslim to be a better Muslim and a Christian to be a better Christian.

He made a strong impact on theme of Love and service on the minds of his audience and readers through his discourses and writings. Many of his audience and readers, in the later years, turned out to be his staunch disciples and served his organization. Baba was an effective communicator from the stage and a prolific writer with his pen. He communicated thoroughly, as if he were talking directly to the individuals in the audience. It was almost like a conversation given casually, but given with high energy. He created a unique, successful communicative experience with his audience. The devotees of Sri Baba would wait silently for hours with a hope of seeing him giving lecture. And a thousand or so, who had not gained entry into the hall, stood in line with a hope to get a glimpse of his speaking style filled with essence of the art of Living.

On many an occasion he addressed the ordinary men and women of urban and rural India. But with simple diction and creative ideas he brought over a great transformation in their lives by his immaculate speech. As an experience, 44 the audience always felt, as if his addresses were meant to them personally by measuring their inner heart. People of various parts of the world thronged at his discourse-halls and listened to him with rapt attention. Day by day the audience grew in big numbers till his last days.

Baba was also known for his prolific writing. He has regularly written to the monthly magazines he has initiated in his lifetime. It was Prof. Kasturi who collated all the articles that Baba had written for the “Sanathana Sarathi”, the

Ashram Periodical, and brought out in a book form as the Vahini Series as Baba used to title all His articles as Vahinis. Vahini means flow or stream. There are

15 vahinis in all, written in Telugu by Baba and translated into English by Prof.

N. Kasturi. The Vahinis like Prema Vahini and Dhyana Vahini are little gems, classics of the spiritual life from the moment that Baba wrote them. The simplicity of expression, at the same time, contains such a depth of unique meaning. They speak of Peace, Meditation, Love and Wisdom. They seek to acquaint the reader with the Upanishads and the Geeta. In a class by itself stands

‘Sandeha Nivarini’, the Doubt Dispeller. It raises various metaphysical problems and answers them.

The anecdotes of short stories, incidents, and narratives of Sri Sathya Sai

Baba are interesting, informative and inspirational to his devotees. These are

Baba’s intercepts the speeding current of discourses, when all ears are kept alert, all hearts are on tip-toe. N. Kasturi an eminent writer describes the story telling ability of Baba as follows, 45 For, these stories that follow are flash that illumines, shower that cools,

a joke that tickles, a ‘tablet’ that alleviates, a peep into epic grandeur or

pompous absurdity, a poetic paranthesis, an exhilarating prick, a lilt that

enlightens, a sugar-coated pill of profundity, a disarming repartee,

a length of raillery on religious rigmarole! It may be a tonic tale of the

past or the report of a contemporary comedy; it may be a thrust on

theological disputation or dear little dig at some egoistic dignitary

(Kasthuri comp.1).

If one ponders over its relevance, an effective instrument in Baba’s discourses – he is telling these parables and stories, ever on the wing, hover the hearts of the listeners. That is how his charming, fragrant bouquet of these multicolored parables and anecdotes have been shared.

The life-time central message of Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s discourses and writings can be contracted as follows, “There is only one God, He is

Omnipresent; There is only one religion, the Religion of Love; there is only one caste, the Caste of Humanity; there is only one language, the Language of the

Heart” (115). His life-giving messages were served in a style that suited the modern understanding and day-to-day practice.

Thus the first chapter has elaborately discussed the mystic life, humanistic views, rhetoric functions of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and rhetorical efficacy of famous speakers of the world besides an account of a brief biographical sketch of him. His concept of Sathya and Dharma and how he has dealt with his thoughts have been analysed in the second chapter. Chapter II

SATHYA AND DHARMA

Introduction to moral values

All sectarian societies take for granted that men are equal. The society looks at men in a relative term of morality. Anyhow, this is not warranted by science; there is wide difference between physical nature and psychological nature of men. Hence one has no right to judge other by the same standard applicable to oneself. But there are some unchangeable attitudes that stand as strong impediments, and are called the values that can be administered on every society.

The values which govern a society are the moral codes emanate from humans; from human nature. Values are inculcated by man in the course of his dealing with the external world and of himself. They are inculcated as the consciousness of society that connects an individual with other individual. As mortar binds brick with another brick, it unites the individuals to make the structure of social living. Otherwise the society becomes mere moving crowd without any aim. Most of the values are stringently followed down to the age, and violation on any form results in guilt of consciousness, and leads to punishments. Fearing punishments, man obeys to the values irrespective of his likes and dislikes.

The acts like telling truth, living with single partner, obeying elders, following religious observations are some of the common values in a morally 47 bound society. In a broader spectrum, the values can be classified in two ways; the first concerning with a region or time. For example killing of a man is considered as inhuman value in a society. But the same killing is appreciated as an act of valour in another context. In the same way, “polygamy” practised as an order of one society is considered as an offence in another society. Pure vegetarianism practised in one part of world is not regarded value in other region due to its climatic conditions. Values that are changing from society to society, from region to region, and time to time are temporal and flexible, and are called social values.

On the other hand the values that are followed for the hygiene of mind are called the moral values. Truthfulness, love and non-violence are some of the moral values accepted by all the world communities. The definition for the moral values varies from person to person. Generally, “moral value has the value or worth for all, for almost all people.” Thomas Huxley, the collaborator of

Darwin theory says, “so far as evolution is concerned, in the animal world there are lot of struggles for existence, when we come to human society, it is not all struggles for existence; survival of the fittest. The moral sense demands, the making as many as possible fit to survive, that is the moral demand” (Weinstein

153). Hence, evolution and ethical values ran parallel course in the nineteenth century. But the twentieth century went a step forward and found a place for ethical sense in the evolution process that men work together to achieve collective human fulfillment. 48 This claim could mean two different things. First, it could be something that has a common appeal to everyone who finds some values in the social system. These values are consciously or unconsciously, explicitly or implicitly expressed by a great number of human beings in the vast majority of places and situations, through their behaviours. Secondly, the people in society have some reason to believe them as values. For example Mahatma Gandhi has practised the moral value of non-violence as he believed in it, and argued that people have reason to value non-violence. But still there are people who do not believe in non-violence. That is the reason why the adjective “majority” comes into place to justify the argument of values in a given context.

The various social, religious and ethical systems of the world regard human values differently according to their perception and assessment.

Considering the human nature, limitations, predicaments, and scope for divine nature, Baba narrows down five values as supreme human values for the human development, excellence and fulfillment. They are Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi,

Prema, and Ahimsa namely Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Non-

Violence respectively in English.

Sathya and Dharma (Truth and Righteousness)

This chapter “Sathya and Dharma” examines finding the necessity of human values in a Gregorian society. It explores the meaning of value in all respects of social, religious and moral spheres. Unlike machines, which are governed by physical laws of science, man is governed by his unique 49 characteristics like intelligence, moral and ethical values. Thus, man cannot be straightaway reduced to a machine. Though the human existence is primitively animal, he cannot be closer to living species on the aspect of moral commitment.

The dictum of ‘man being a social animal’ is true as long as the human relies on other individuals for food, security, and survival. The regulative principles of society known as values have to be followed by every individual member of a society. If the respect for the working principles is lost, then the society falls into anarchy. The result is, the strong takes away the lion’s share, while the weak goes to the wall. Sathya and Dharma are such working principles of society to safeguard man from falling into anarchy.

i) Sathya or Truth

Sath or Sathya is truth. There are many versions of interpretations which explain the term truth differently. Truth is most often used to mean in accordance with fact or reality. The concept of truth is discussed and is being debated in several contexts, including philosophy and religion. Immanuel Kant defines truth as agreement of cognition with its object (56). The nominal definition explains the meaning of a linguistic expression of truth. While the real definition describes the essence of certain objects and enable us to determine whether any given item falls within the understanding of the cognition. In short, truth is explained in terms of the qualification of the perception in line with cognition of the individual. 50 Scientific truth is based on research formulating, and improving theories of wisdom. It is accessible through awareness from the average consciousness.

Many philosophers conclude that truth is an attainment of wisdom to complete openness, through understanding. For example the sun rises in the east is a fact.

But this cannot be taken as truth until one understands that the sun never rises or sets; only that the earth spins itself and revolves round the sun and makes such impression. Hence the approach to truth needs complete openness through understanding.

According to George Hegel truth is analogous as to the mechanics of a material body in motion under the influence of its own inner force. “Truth is its own self-movement within itself” (Robert 114). For George Hegel, the progression of truth is resolution of past oppositions into increasingly more accurate approximations to absolute truth. The attainment to the nearness of truth must cross three stages of ‘thesis’, ‘antithesis’, and ‘synthesis.’ The ‘thesis’ consists of information of the past, which bears the sentiments of the present as

‘antithesis’ to be reconciled with the ‘synthesis’ of facts to its final state of absoluteness.

The same idea of nearness or absoluteness is reflected in the thinking of

Arthur Schopenhauer. The statement of fact, which he calls as “judgement” must have a sufficient reason or ground by which it could be called “truth.” To him,

“Truth is the reference of a judgment to something different from itself which is its sufficient reason ground” (Hamlyn 18). According to him, if the judgement is based on material truth through senses, this judgement forms reason to another 51 judgement, such is logical or formal. On the other hand, if the judgement is the pure form of intuitive, empirical knowledge then the judgement has transcendental truth.

To understand the above concept of truth one must realize the two phases of truth. The first one is “Objective Truth” which approaches to matter as facts for granted like mathematics and science through logics. If 2+2 is 4 in India, it is the same anywhere in the world. The objective truths are concerned with the facts of a person’s being, final and static; while “Subjective truths” are concerned with the facts of a person’s way of being, continuous and dynamic.

The truth of one’s existence is a living, inward, and subjective experience. Thus the systematic philosophies which attempt to know life or the truth of existence are subjective in nature, on one’s own understanding and experience. They are termed as values and fundamental essence that consists of one’s own way of life.

The Father of English Essay Bacon says that Truth sheds light like the sun. Truth is “a naked and open day –light” that illumines the object of life. It is pearl that shines in day, and not like the diamond that shines in the light of candles. The effulgent light of the truth illumines all the worldly things and gives value to life. Truth in its varied and myriad forms is the sovereign good of human nature. God created man with emotions, reason and intellect and has inspired all. His creatures are to follow the path of truth. Standing on the vantage ground of truth, man can have a full command over all earthly things of life.

But I cannot tell ;this same truth is a naked and open day -light ,that both

not shew the masks and mummeries and triumphs of the world, half so 52 stately and daintily as candle lights. Truth may perhaps come to the price

of a diamond or carbuncle, that sheweth best in varied lights. (Bacon

Essays 56)

The term Sathya (Truth) has been dealt in this analytical work as an attainment of absoluteness through the personal experience of oneself. It is always under the purview of validation by personal practice and experience.

The truth may differ from one person to other in terms of time, space and causation. The differentiation is only in the form, not in the substance. In other words, one may destroy the form and it disappears for ever; but the substance remains the same; which means the substance can never be destroyed. This results in the explanation of truth in terms of various experience and anecdote rather than abstractness and philosophy.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s view of truth is that of the experience of the real; the Atman. Baba considers, “Sath or Sathya is your nithya, falsehood is poison; truth is nectar.” By Sathya he means the “reality” which is opposite to the

“actuality.” He argues that man suffers from the body-mind complex, due to the association of the five cosmic elements: “earth, fire, water, air, and space,” governed by the nature. But there pervades a serene energy throughout these combinations. This energy is the hidden mechanism of this moving entity called

“man.” Understanding and experiencing this reality; he calls men to attain the truth.

53 Nature of Truth

This truth is experienced differently by different persons. As it is mentioned above that truth is subjective to personal experience, truth varies by different approaches to experience. On the question of “What is truth?”

Mahatma Gandhi held his view that God is Truth. To Gandhiji, God has many names and forms. He says he would agree with those who say God is Love, and

Love is God. But deep down in his heart though God may be Love, he felt God is Truth; above all. If it is possible for the human tongue to give the fullest description of God, he has come to the conclusion that for himself, God is Truth.

On Truth M.K. Gandhi says,

I came to that conclusion after a continuous and relentless search after

Truth which began nearly fifty years ago. I then found that the nearest

approach to Truth was through love. But I also found that love has many

meanings in the English language at least and that human love in the

sense of passion could become a degrading thing also… But I never

found a double meaning in connection with truth and even atheists had

not demurred to the necessity or power of truth. But in their passion for

discovering truth, the atheists have not hesitated to deny the very

existence of God—from their own point of view rightly. And it was

because of this reasoning that I saw that rather than say that God is Truth,

I should say that Truth is God. (Gandhi, Truth 76)

The conviction of Truth is God, gives Gandhiji the greatest satisfaction.

And when he wants to find “Truth as God” the only inevitable means is Love, 54 through non-violence. He believes that ultimately the means and ends are the convertible terms, hence he does not even hesitate to call God is Love.

The Buddha’s path of wisdom The Dhammapada explains truth in terms of transcendental wisdom by cessation of suffering to free oneself from stains of greed, hatred, and delusion, to rise above suffering to attain the sublimity of

Nirvana in this very life. It upholds four successive stages to the path of truth as

(1) understanding the predicaments of suffering being born, becoming old, contracted by diseases and finally the death, (2) understanding the desire for pleasure or cause for suffering, (3) relieving from suffering by following eight fold doctrines, and (4) breaking the bondage of craving, and mental fetters thereby direct experience of realization.

This view of cutting asunder of inherent qualities of mind is reflected in the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In his analysis of various gunas - the moods of a seeker, he quotes the qualities of mind, the three gunas namely

Thamas, Rajas, and Sathva. The first is the thamasic quality; derives from the ignorance of reality; stays in body consciousness. The Rajas (Violence) is next higher state of mind; stays in the duality of mind and spirit, finally Sathva

(Balance) the consciousness of Sath (truth) relies on the pure spirit of Atman

(soul). Baba insists to attain the truth by constantly indulging in the consciousness of reality, which is divine by nature.

His method of attaining truth Vichara Vedika emphasizes the need for finding the roots of suffering and burning the fetters of bondage for the ultimate attainment of bliss. The first word Vichara has two meanings. The first meaning 55 is sadness (vichara). In spite of all luxuries, comforts and conveniences the deep-rooted vichara or sadness has not been removed. The reason is that, the fleeting pleasures, worldly comforts, and physical conveniences will never make anyone absolutely happy or totally happy. They are the worldly desires which are endless. Just like the fire that would never refuse any thing put into it, and burns to ashes all the material, the human mind too never stops desiring, is never satisfied, and wants more and more. Unfulfilled desires and failures deteriorate the mental peace further. Comparisons, imitations, and competitions weaken the mind. It becomes diffident and develops inferiority complex. If the mind at any time finds its fulfillment it turns crazy and all the activity will be full of vanity and publicity. So mind is drowned in vichara or sadness. Either it tries to dominate, excel or withdraw. But this word Vichara has a second meaning. It is

"enquiry.” The seeker of truth must enquire, investigate and go to the very source of happiness. According to Baba this vichara or enquiry is true spirituality. Enquiry or Vichara reveals the true nature of 'Self', ways of bliss, and finally the path to liberation.

In the analysis of mind Baba explains the working methods of mental aspect. He says that man comes into the world, burdened with Maya (illusion) and its instrument – the mind.

The Mind expresses itself through attraction and repulsion, namely Raga

and Dwesha, Affection and Hatred, towards the external world. Raga is

Rajasic in its effect; it can be used for one’s uplift, as Narada used it to fix

attention on the Lord. Dwesha is Thamasic, as Durvasa expressed it in his 56 dealings with Ambarisha and others. Without Raga and Dwesha, the mind

cannot function at all. If these two are removed, there can be no Maya,

and you get fixed in Jnana, Let Raga and Dwesha go and let Rama enter;

then there will be no Manas or Maya. The Thaithiriya Upanishad analyses

the mind and its behaviour very well. It gives directions to merge the

mind in God: the weapons with which you can foil the tactics of Raga and

Dwesha. Use them for positive purposes, as Narada and Durvasa did.

Have attachment to the Lord and aversion towards evil, pride, egoism.

Water and fire are incompatible; fire is put out by water. But, by means of

fire, you can convert water into steam and use it to haul long lines of

heavy wagons. How to overcome Raga and Dwesha? By discrimination,

by inquiry, by reasoning. Arrive at the truth by this means. (SSS 6: 16-17)

This path of discrimination is represented in the maxims of Hindu religious philosophy, which advocates “Brahmam Sathyam, Jagath mithya –

(absolute / God) Consciousness alone is true, and the world is mere hallucination” as a central theme of all Upanishads (Moral Preachings). It holds the human nature as Ahem Brahmasmi and Thathvam Asi, which mean “I am

Brahman (God of creation)” and “You are that.” The Vedas teach that the soul of man is immortal, and the body is subject to the law of growth and decay; what grows must of necessity to decay. But the indwelling spirit is related to the infinite and eternal life; it never had a beginning, and it will never have an end.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba explains the concept of immortality and nature of

Maya in a relatively comfortable term of every day observation. He says, 57 “you will have observed that when your train is stationary, another train

moving along another line gives you the feeling that it is your train that

moves. If you watch your coach, fix your attention on your train, you

know the truth. Similarly, as long as your attention is turned on “the

other”, “the outer”, your knowledge is based on illusion. Once you divert

the attention to yourself, you can discover the truth” (SSS 2: 34).

Obstacles in seeking truth

On the next stage of analysis, one has to examine the reason why the truth is difficult to attain, and why the seeker of truth loses his interest as soon as he ventures in it. This is clearly vindicated in the words of Swami Vivekananda in his speech on “Nature and Man.” He says, “The greatest truths have been forgotten because of their very simplicity. Great truths are simple because they are of universal application. Truth itself is always simple. Complexity is due to man’s ignorance” (Vivekananda 1: 35). He states that the soul is always free, but the mind identifying itself with its own ephemeral waves, loses sight of the soul and becomes lost in the maze of time, space, and causation.

Dhammapada endorses this term of non-interest of a truth-seeker is the effect of desire for pleasure. The clinging attitude of mind to its worldly pleasures, the subtlety of desire to satisfy the senses are great hindrances in the path of finding truth. “The desire for pleasure and existence which drives us through the round of rebirths, bringing in its trail sorrow, anxiety, and despair”

(Radhakrishnan ed. 212). Sri Satya Sai Baba echoes this idea of entangling with 58 desires, which is the root cause of all miseries. He holds the view that everyone is born free. Although humans are free, they lose their freedom on their own accord. They lose freedom because of their actions, speeches, ideologies, affiliations, social obligations and commitments like caste, creed, etc. These are the things that make them lose freedom. Man is essentially free. "You are not the sons of the soil, you are the sons of immortality", says Baba. The humans lose their freedom with the passage of time, because they are chained by their own desires. They are bound by certain narrow, regional, linguistic, bureaucratic considerations and varied interests. As a matter of fact, one need not struggle for freedom, as one is already free.

Another obstruction that prevents from reaching the truth is orthodoxy.

The behavior of orthodoxy is the biggest hindrance in the pursuit of truth, because it makes the inborn Samskaras (impressions on mind) stronger.

Until this conditioning prevails, it is impossible to grasp, assimilate and realize the truth. The orthodoxy is egocentric which is the biggest obstacle in the path of truth. Sri Sai Baba tries to unravel cause of Ego. One tends to become a slave to ego, greed, anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, lust, and such other undesirable vices.

Once he is free from these things, he does not have any desire. The desireless state is the state of God. Life minus desire is equal to God. When one has desires, he has to be obliged to somebody or something. If one needs a job or a promotion in his career, then he has to please another. So, desires make lose our freedom. No one is robbing others’ freedom. They are enslaved by themselves. 59 Sri Sai Baba explains the above idea with an anecdote of monkey. In order to catch monkeys, baits like peanuts are kept in an earthen pot. The monkey puts its hand in, but it cannot pull out the peanuts. So, the poor monkey, which is a typical representative of all humans, feels that someone is pulling its hand and holding it there in the pot. The monkey has to only drop the peanuts.

No one is holding or forcing it. Likewise, in Baba’s view, humans act like the typical monkeys, have also lost their freedom by holding on to the peanuts of desires. They are holding tightly to the peanuts of lust, pride and jealousy, and imagine that someone else is holding or pulling them. If it is dropped, one becomes free. Therefore, that which comes in the way of our freedom and makes us feel enslaved is nothing but attachment to desires. Attachment makes us blind.

In fact, men are born free. They lose freedom on their own account. If we had attained the full vision of Truth, M.K. Gandhi says in My Religion, “we would no longer be mere seekers, but have become one with God, for Truth is God… and if we are imperfect ourselves, religion as conceived by us must also be imperfect” (20).

Removal of Obstacles in the Path of Truth

The mind is prevented from knowing the truth by its own defects, limitations or deficiencies, by its own passions, self-centeredness and possessiveness. At the same time an urge towards perfection is the motivational power behind all human aspiration and activities. Man longs for the eternal and 60 the infinite and at the same time feels his littleness, weakness, and imperfection.

This creates a blended feeling of attraction and repulsion.

Sri Sathya Sathya Sai Baba says,

Always have the meaning and purpose of life in view. And experience

that purpose and that meaning. You are That; that is the truth. You and

the Universe are one; you and the absolute are one; you and the Eternal

are one. You are not the individual, the particular, the temporary. Feel

this, know this. Act in conformity with this. (TWT 8)

The self is of all the most real to us. The pure, blissful, self-effulgent

Atman is our true self. By identifying the self with body and mind, one has imposed on himself all the limitations and imperfections that belong solely to body and mind. Hunger, disease, growth, decay, birth, death, happiness and misery are the properties of body and mind. Baba insists that though one lives in the complexity of mind and body, he must reinstate in the purity and blissfulness of self.

But the question now is that how to reinstate the blissfulness of self. The thoughts and acts of humans are but expressions of self-consciousness. It is the greatest creative factor of life. Therefore, in Baba’s opinion, one must believe in oneself to be. This state of believing oneself as Atman, Sri Sathya Sai Baba illustrates with a beautiful anecdote of dreaming. When one sleeps, he may dream. In the dream he experiences in a different way that has nothing to do with the waking state. Being is lost in dreaming - Baba remarks that the waking state is a 'day dream', while the other is a 'night dream.' The dreaming experience is 61 the creation of the mind. In the waking state the experience is also shared by the body besides the mind. Then what happens is "dreaming is lost in being", so much so, first state is lost as one enters the second state. Baba narrates:

One day, King Janaka sitting in his court suddenly slept on the throne. He

dreamt as if he had lost his way in a dense forest, while hunting. He was

very hungry and ultimately a poor man living in a hut gave him a morsel

of food. While he was about to eat a dog suddenly came and snatched it

away. He shouted in despair and as he did so he woke up and found

himself sitting on the throne in broad daylight in an open court. King

Janaka was curious to know the implications and the inner significance of

these two states. He called the family Preceptor Vasishta and asked him,

"Guruji, is that (dream) true or is this (waking state) true?" He went on

repeating the same question; "Is that true or is this true?" The preceptor

replied, "O! King! Both are true. That is the truth in the dream. This is

also true in the waking state. But you, the observer is eternally true and

changeless." Therefore, it would have been clear by now that the states of

consciousness may change, but you, the person experiencing is one and

the same. He is the witness, non-dual and immortal. This awareness is

becoming. (Geesje 277)

From this anecdote Baba suggests that the one who thinks that is pure by nature, that wickedness and vice are foreign to him, pure he will be in no time.

He who considers himself weak, his ideas and deeds will bear the impression on mind. In short, humanity progresses along the line of self-consciousness. 62 Evolution of life means the evolution of consciousness; the higher the self- consciousness, the greater the life becomes.

To remove the obstacles, Baba finally emphasizes the need for spiritual discipline in the seeker’s life. Scholarship or skill, however they are deep and varied, invariably prompt a man to conceit and pride. In his discourse Baba says,

Egoism is the seedpot of greed, envy, anger, malice, conceit and a host of

other down-dragging tendencies. They cloud his intelligence; they divert

the attention from truth and make the false appear as real, the real

distorted as false. So, it becomes essential to cleanse the mind of these,

through regular Sadhana, to tune the little will to the Infinite will of God,

so that it becomes merged in his Glory. (TWT 81)

As a proverb goes, “keeping a room in darkness for too long will not get the light by itself. One has to bring the light in, and the darkness is dispelled in an instant.” Baba claims that the Sadhana – the spiritual discipline is the only way to reach the truth or reality.

The Practice of Truth

There are two aspects of truth – the inward practice and outward practice.

It is purely the matter of emphasis that outward practice has no meaning except it helps the inward. The outward forms have value only when they are expressions of the inner spirit in man. This highlights the need for certain outward practices in the path of truth. Mahatma Gandhi in his work Truth is God observes that what may be truth for one may be untruth for another, and hence 63 one has to make his experiment with truth as it is done with scientific experiment, which can be proven by some conditions or instructions. Just as for conducting scientific experiments there should be an indispensable scientific course of instruction or strict discipline to qualify to make experiments with truth. “Therefore the seeker of Truth as God, must go through several vows, such as vow of truth, vow of Brahmacharya (purity), vow of non-violence … and non-possession” (15).

The first expression of truth for verification in day to day life is in speech.

The one who has decided to be true - speaks what he thinks, says what he sees, confesses what he did, and promises what he is going to do. He takes vow to determine his future course of action. Baba says, “Truth is something that is not modified by time or space or gunas. It must be the same forever, unaffected and unchanged. Then alone it is Truth. It should not be proved false by some subsequent event or knowledge” (TWT 78). Fearlessness and self-confidence, strength and steadfastness, strong will and stable mind are the prerequisites for anybody to be truthful in speech. And also in the pursuit of truthfulness one is sure to develop them. Adherence to truth fosters strength; and strength of will shines in Truth.

Islam has such kind of strong belief in telling truth. It holds truth as a key for all doors of goodness that may lead to Paradise. A Muslim can be a coward or a miser but can never be a liar. Mohammed, the prophet was once asked,

“Can the believer be a coward? He said, “Yes.” He was then asked, “Can the believer be a miser?” He said, “Yes.” He was again asked, “Can the believer be a 64 liar?” He said, “No.” Such is the conviction of Islam which holds in the matter of truthfulness. The verses run, “This is the day when the truthful shall benefit from their truthfulness. For them are gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide, forever and ever, God being well-pleased with them, and they well-pleased with Him” (Codsi 119).

Truth is the seed to sprout in the value of its fruits. Truth is the seed to sprout in all coveted virtues. Also virtues are all to foster the fruit of Truth, which in turn causes the growth of virtues. It is like the cycle of seed – plant – tree – flower – fruit – seed. This idea of truth yielding to other virtues is often quoted in the speeches of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He says, “Truth is so all- embracing and integrating, that it sees no distinction… Implementing truth into action is Dharma. There is a saying that there is no dharma higher than truth.

Truth is the basis of all dharma and truth depends upon the Rutha or the sankalpa So these three – Sathya, Rutha, and Dharma are inseparably and inextricably connected” (TWT 84).

In the Hindu epic The Ramayana Lord Rama is shown as an ardent follower of truth. As a prince he was truthful to his mother’s command. He respected his father’s order and stayed at the forest for fourteen years by sacrificing the throne of Ayodhya to his younger brother Bharathan. He acted truthfully. He even deserted his dear wife Sita being truthful to the impression of the common man in the kingdom. He made up his mind beyond all the delinquency of human weaknesses. He was neither attached nor detached to the world. He poised a perfect example of balanced attachment and detachment. Sri 65 Sai Baba illustrates such behaviour in the practice of truthfulness; “Without

Raga and Dwesha, the mind cannot function at all. If these two are removed, there can be no Maya, and you get fixed in Jnana, Let Raga and Dwesha go and let Rama enter; then there will be no Manas or Maya” (SSS 4: 16).

According to Baba’s opinion, the deeds of a truthful person are true to his words and the words are true to his thoughts and the thoughts are true to truth.

Man cannot hide truth for a long period. One day truth will come out automatically. In fact the divinity in man’s heart will always be pushing him to tell truth. This is an unavoidable thing for anyone may be. As time passes on, he will certainly have to recognize the Divine Truth.

Baba says,

Physical science is objective and cannot lead to Absolute Truth, but

spiritual science or Brahma Vidya can lead to the absolute Truth. God

alone is Truth; all others are mere dust. God alone is Real and Great;

everything else is unreal and valueless. There is nothing second to God.

Love in God.’ (Woodward and Farmer 34)

Baba ventilates that Truth is God. The Upanishads declare; “God is all sweetness.” It means that God is present in subtle from everywhere, like sugar in sugarcane and ghee in milk. Though it is very hard to find a direct perception of

God, the truth of His presence can be experienced in many ways. The sweetness in sugarcane, the sourness in leman, the bitterness of the bittergourd, all testify to the presence of the Divine. Besides he says Truth too has manifested itself in the universe. Everything has originated from Truth. All wealth and all pleasures 66 come from truth. The Vedas, the Upanishads and all scriptures have their origin in Truth. Truth is the proper abode of God. Truth and God are inseparable.

In addition Baba explains vividly about truth. He says that The screen is the Truth and the images that flit across it are false. As one watches a cinema he will see the picture ,but he may forget its existence and he may think nothing else as its base. But the screen is there all the time and it is only the screen that makes him experience the picture. Baba says God is the screen and the objective world is the film.

Discover Truth about Oneself

Truth about oneself is to be learnt first. When man does not know his own truth, how can he judge others or deal with others? When man knows that he is the indestructible, eternal Divine, he is freed from fear. Truth can shine forth only from a purified mind and a clarified intellect.

Baba says,

Men are immersed in the sea of cosmic Truth consciousness-bliss, but

they have not realized it. Being-Awareness – Bliss (Sat-chit-Ananda) is

everywhere, both within us and without us, but it continually eludes and

tantalizes us. We are like men wading through a river but incapable of

quenching our thirst. We need not search for Divinity in the external

world. We have to realize it within ourselves. The divine effulgence of

Being-Awareness-Bliss is concealed by the perverted nature of the human

mind. (Woodward and Farmer 35) 67 In his discourse, Baba says that the discovery of truth is the great mission of man. Man is a mixture of illusion and God; the maya covers like a mist which hides the God; but through the good deeds from previous birth or through cleansing done by austerities in this body or through the Grace of the Lord

Himself, The Maya will melt away; for it is just a mist which flees before the sun. Then man is transformed into God and this world becomes a place of tranquility.

Have Faith in Truth

Baba says Have faith in the Truth which alone can remove delusion. One cannot be argued into faith, nor can one derive it from books. One can know and experience Truth when one cleanses one’s heart and broaden it through service and love.

Thus by one’s urge to be truthful, one may at a stage develop skepticism.

It is in a way a healthy sign on his progress towards his fulfillment of truthfulness. And at this stage he drops what is not true according to his testing analysis. As he goes on dropping what is less true, or apparently true or not true, at last he will arrive at a stage where, nothing remains to be dropped. But there is something which is beyond expression and description. And that is Truth or

Sat which is the core of all and basis of all, origin of all and goal of all. Then

“the truth liberates; truth is power; truth is freedom. It is the lamp that illumines the heart and dispels doubt and darkness” (TWT 82). The more intensely one 68 tries to be truthful to Truth, the more quickly he attains perfection, then the illusion disappears and the Truth shines resplendent. It is Sat.

ii) Dharma (Righteousness)

Dharma as Sathya is at the base of all. Dharma is the guide, support, regulatory, and innate nature. Hence Dharma should govern, be watchful of the human thinking, words, and deeds. In essence Dharma is the voice of conscience and one’s devotion to his commitment. The nature of breeze is to blow; the nature of fire is to burn; and the nature of water is to wet. In the animal world, the nature of the wild beasts is to be carnivorous, other is herbivorous. Some are ferocious and others are mild in nature. If so, what then is the nature of a human being? The answer to this question helps arrive an answer to the question, “What is Dharma?”

In the mutual co-existence of human beings, no one wants to be cheated, exploited, or killed. Each one of the members in a society, for some or other reasons depends on the rest. Hence there should not be any kind of deception, exploitation, or exasperation. Fairness from all quarters is expected and admired.

The moral conscience of each member should respect others’ feelings, self- respect, and co-existence. The individual and collective consciousness should desist from victimization, and unfairness. To love therefore is the basic nature, the dharma of man.

Dharma is the nature, the intrinsic and innate nature of every being. The word Dharma, which is really bound up with an infinite variety of meaning, is 69 generally described by one word; “Duty”, in the modern age. Duty is something which is connected with an individual. In Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s view, Dharma is eternal, the same for everyone everywhere. It expresses the significance of the inner Atman. The birth place of Dharma is the heart. What emanates from the heart as a pure idea, then translated into action will be called Dharma (TWT 88).

Dharma ordains man to observe certain rules of behaviour for social and spiritual progress. The observances of such restrictions and disciplines can be called Dharmic. The failed observance of the discipline results in the decline of

Dharma.

In other words, the purpose of dharma is not only to attain a union of the soul with the supreme reality, it also suggests a code of conduct that is intended to secure both worldly joys and supreme happiness. Hindu philosophy holds a view that “Dharma confers worldly joys and leads to supreme happiness.” It suggests methods for the attainment of the highest ideal and eternal bliss here and now on earth and not somewhere in Heaven. For example, it endorses the idea that it is one's dharma to marry, raise a family and provide for that family by righteous means. The practice of dharma gives an experience of peace, joy, strength and tranquility within one's self and makes life disciplined.

In India, the value system is classified into three aspects based on the human needs. They are generally termed as Purusharthas (The Principles of

Life). The first is Kama, the primary value, the second is Artha, the instrumental or accessory value, and the third value is Dharma, the spiritual value or the ethical value. It holds the mutuality, concern for one another that connects 70 human beings with human beings. It enables integrated mutual structure by interdependence. Dharma is the quality of righteousness. In the Purusharthas, the first value Kama satisfies the primary needs of sensory organs; while Artha, the instrumental or accessory value to acquire the material wealth to satisfy the primary value. The third value is Dharma, the spiritual value or the ethical value, which is complementary to the physical life. Purushartha as a human goal, dharma can be thought of as a way for Hindus to plan and perform their interactions with the world. With dharma in mind, the individual does what is right and avoids what is wrong. With Kama in mind, one does what is pleasurable. With Artha in mind, one does what is profitable. With Moksha in mind, one seeks liberation from the world of Samsara.

The word dharma comes from the Sanskrit root dhri, meaning to

"uphold" or to "sustain." From this perspective, the best way to think of dharma is to say, "that which upholds or sustains the positive order of things.” It has the meaning of righteousness, and holds mutuality, concern for one another. It enables integrated mutual structure by interdependence. The Indian value system gives importance to all the above three values, and upholds the final value dharma as the supreme to other values.

Dharma is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. It is difficult to provide a single concise definition for Dharma; the word has a long and varied history and set of meanings and interpretations. Dharma designates those behaviours considered necessary for the maintenance of the natural order of things. Dharma may encompass ideas 71 such as duty, vocation, religion and all behaviour considered appropriate, correct or morally upright.

Dharma as Karma or Duty

The idea of dharma as duty is found in the ancient scriptures, that there is a divinely instituted Natural Order of things, and that justice, social harmony and happiness require that people discern and live in a manner appropriate to the requirements of that order. The guidelines and rules regarding this, accumulated in a body of literature called the Dharmashastra. In these texts civil law is inextricably linked to religion.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba observes that dharma is considered as moral law emanates from the moral nature of human. At a social level, every individual has a particular dharma according to his place in life. Children have a dharma, parents have a dharma, teachers have a dharma, the police have a dharma and even the head of a nation has a dharma. According to Sri Sathya Sai Baba,

each one must evolve his own dharma based on Atmadharma - the basic

faith that springs from the Atman, the reality. Women should observe

Sridharma and men Purusha dharama, the monk Sanyasa dharma. The

outward symbols like shaven head, the ochre cloth, staff, and these are

like the barbed wire erected to protect the crop from depredation. But

what the present world experiences that there is plenty of fence without

single crop within! (SSS 4: 68) 72 The term Karma refers to the actions undertaken by the body and the mind. In order to achieve good Karma it is important to live life according to dharma, what is right. This involves doing what is right for the individual, the family, the class or caste and also for the universe itself. Dharma is like a cosmic norm and if one goes against the norm it can result in bad karma. So, dharma affects the future according to the accumulated past experiences.

Therefore, the Hindus consider appropriate attitude towards their duty and responsibility which is the very foundation of life. It means Dharma is the "law of being" without which things cannot exist.

Every person is responsible for his or her acts and thoughts, so each person's karma is entirely his or her own. The theory of karma resembles the

Newtonian principle that every action produces an equal and opposite reaction.

Every time one thinks or does something, he creates a cause, which in time will bear its corresponding effects. And this cyclical cause and effect generates the concepts of Samsara (attachment of world) and birth and reincarnation. It is the personality of a human being or the Jivatman - with its positive and negative actions - that causes karma. According to the scriptures, the discipline of unattached action – Nishkama Karma can lead to salvation of the soul. So they recommend that one should remain detached while carrying out his duties in life.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba says, “The task of everyone is to do the duty that has come upon him, with a full sense of responsibility to the utmost of his capacity. There should be complete coordination between what one feels, says and does. Then work becomes worship” (VS 13: 56). 73 In order to experience the reality of Atman certain types of actions which are related to the dharmic way of life are required. Baba says that one must make some self enquiry to validate the quality of Karma. To protect the human body man performs many karma (actions). But Dharma cannot be treated for the work done to fulfill our sensuous desires. It is only when one removes selfishness and various kinds of desires from the mind while working, can be called a dharmic action. Unselfish karma for the benefit of others fulfills the divine Dharma. Such actions, he suggests, help the individual to advance spiritually.

Through work, filled with dharma one progresses towards worship that is filled with the consciousness of divinity. Dharma extorts to plant the seeds of love and reap the harvest of wisdom. The path of dharma makes human beings realize the unity in diversity that is apparent. Hence, the unity on the basis of infinitude and justification for all living being, with no desire for any personal benefit is held the highest goal of dharma.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba prescribes a simple method to validate Dharma. That which does not inflict pain on others and on oneself – is Dharma. This follows from the recognition that same God resides in everyone and if one injures another, he will be hurting the same God that resides in him. Dharma enables a person to recognize that anything that is bad for another is also bad for him.

Therefore action is a way that one gets joy and makes others joyful. Sri Sathya

Sai Baba says, “Make the mind, the speech and body agree in harmony. Act as you speak, speak as you feel, do not play false to your conscience. That is the 74 Dharmic way of life” (SSS 8: 96). Further he says, “If we safeguard Dharma,

Dharma in its turn will safe guard us … where there is peace, there will be divinity and, where there is divinity there will be bliss; these are eternal truths; but, Indians have lost faith in them and they have started ridiculing them and refusing to practice them” (SSS 8: 105).

Dharma as Justice or Righteousness

“Dharma is like the river Saraswathi, flowing unseen beneath the deeper levels of human consciousness, feeding the roots of activity, filling the spring of thought, cleansing the slushy eddies of feeling” (SSS 7: 96) is an adage. Dharma has no prejudice or partiality; it is filled with truth and justice. So, man has to adhere to Dharma; he has to see that he never goes against it. It is wrong to deviate from it. The path of Dharma requires that man must give up hatred against others and cultivate mutual concord and amity. Through concord and amity, the world will grow, day-by-day, into a place of happiness. If these are well established, the world will be free from disquiet, indiscipline, disorder and injustice.

Dharma as righteousness acts as the regulatory moral principle of the

Universe. Sri Sathya Sai Baba explains righteousness in the following anecdote:

Truth and Dharma are the most effective armour for us. Other countries

rely on atom bombs; for us, these two shields are enough. Some of you

know, I believe, the story of King Dharmaraja, who was the oldest brother

of Pandavas. He had on either side of him the brothers Bhima and Arjuna. 75 On either side of Bhima and Arjuna there stood the other brothers

Nackula and Sahadeva. Arjuna was the embodiment of sharp intellect,

while Bhima was the symbol of physical might and heroism; The lesson

conveyed by this picture of the brothers is when Dharma or

Righteousness is supported on either side by intellect and physical valour,

success is assumed. (SSS 8: 104).

Baba holds that whatever the thing one is dealing with, one must first grasp its real meaning. And, then, he has to cultivate it, for his benefit. By this the wisdom grows and lasting joy is earned. The wise, who are impartial and unprejudiced, who are confirmed in Dharma, walk on the path of Sathya, as instructed in the Vedas. That is the path for all today. Samithi Samaani says, the

Scripture meaning all have the same claim for Jnana (knowledge) and for the means of attaining it, like education. Therefore, all must do and get done, noble and pure deeds.

Dharma brings good to all; it confers Ananda (happiness) here and hereafter. It is essential that all mankind today see the glory of this Universal

Dharma. Sri Sathya Sai Baba suggests that the Varnashrama is no mean a heresy or disgraceful, one must understand the Varnashrama system in proper light. For example the Brahmin is known by his significant traits; education, virtue, dutifulness of the most exalted and beneficial kind. He promotes these qualities and cultivates in others, is a Brahmin, whoever he is. That is the qualification for the authority exercisable by the Brahmin. Only the highly learned man and he 76 who conducts himself as befits the learning, can deserve the status. Earning these qualifications is the effort to be made by those eager to justify that position.

The governing sects of people who are called Kshatriyas have efficiency in all undertakings, heroism and courage, adventure and an eagerness to punish the wicked and protect the virtuous. Those endowed with such qualities are entitled to the status have to take up all tasks with that attitude and establish at home worthy rules for all, that are auspicious.

The next group of people is called Vaisyas, who make commerce and forge communication links that tie the nations into one commonwealth, and make wealth multiply in the world. They ensure the consensus between people.

Such consensus is unbroken and undiminished. They devote their wealth for the promotion of all worthy causes. By this means, virtue and righteousness are fostered.

The Sudras characterize that they produce and gather things of value, not deviating from the path of righteousness. They always realise the objects of human existence and strive for the benefit for them, they intelligently store and protect things produced or try to produce more and more, for the common benefit. The things thus collected have to be liberally utilized for the spread of genuine knowledge and for the sustenance and support of the virtuous.

In this way, by the co-operative effort of these four types of human sections, wealth becomes manifold; man is rendered happiness. The four Varnas feel that the social order has been designed with the over-all aim of maintaining

Lokadharma. If each Varna adheres to its duties, the welfare of the world will 77 doubtless be assured; besides each will be able to win, what is even more important, win-win approach to human living. On the other hand, if all feel that there is but one Varna, one code of duties and one set of rules for all, the welfare and security of the world will be endangered.

Baba asks questions like, if all enter the field of trade, who will purchase and consume the goods offered? If all start teaching, where are those who will learn and practise? If all command, who obeys? If all produce and grow, who will seek the products of their toil? It is to create the diversity that will contribute to unity, through the practice of Sathya and Dharma in every individual and social act, that the Lord has ordained the way of living according to the

Varnadharma.

Therefore, he expects to infuse every profession and occupation with

“Inner morality”, with constant attachment to Truth, with the unperturbed equanimity of fortitude and, then, follow the duties of the Varna with its prescribed professions. If people fail to do this, a lot of men will be in sheer misery and chronic poverty.

Further Baba explains the renouncing of evil deeds, and the giving up of desires. According to him these can be accomplished by the same instrument called Manas or Mind. The Purusharthas or the Objectives of Human Life have to be gained only through that. As a result of persistent training, it will learn to obey one’s interests. The Chiththam, on the other hand, presents before us the past and present experience and invites us to see things in perspective and judge them against that background. Equanimity has to be attained in and through this 78 process, which goes on in Chiththa. That is to say, become Eka Chiththa – the single mindedness.

He further says that one has to remember that both these - the Manas and the Chiththa - have to be kept straight on the path of Sarva-Manava-Sukha or the welfare of all mankind. Dharma will shine and illumine only in the person who serves all and confers joy on all. Such will receive not only the grace of the Lord but also the unique privilege of merging in Him. He asks to follow dharma at all times, believing that it is to be our bounden duty.

Baba has the opinion that the Dharmic or righteous person will reveal decision and enthusiastic exultation in every act of his. His adherence to Dharma must be of that order. An attitude of fear that the Lord is seeing everywhere and everything, an ever-present apprehension that one might slide into sin, a natural bent towards truth, a leaning towards right conduct. Men respect and disgrace; but, one cannot respect the other who honours falsehood, deceit and injustice. And all will hold in respect of truth, straight forwardness and justice.

The Dharma as prescribed in the Vedas is tested and capable of being tested. It is impartial and just. Faith in it grows with practice. The worship of the Gods has to follow the rules prescribed in the Vedas; by this means, people will get strengthened in Dharmic practice. This Dharma is the command of the Lord; it is the authentic voice of God and so, it can well be followed by all.

If a person is careless about the discipline of Sathya, every duty laid on him by Dharma and each action (karma) prompted by Dharma will hang heavily on him as a burden. The Lord has so shaped man that he is inclined towards God 79 and delighted at the expansion of his vision and becomes happy when he is moral and virtuous. So man must serve his best interests by adhering to his basic nature, by concentration on Brahma, by the cultivation of Sathya and the practice of Dharma. In Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s words,

Dharma is the road for individual and social progress, in this world and

through this world, to the next. It is eternal, basic and fundamental. The

principles may not be altered or adjusted to suit personal whims, or

pressing problems, that appear formidable to the eyes of some

individuals, or group of persons. It is like the mother who has to be

accepted, not like the wife whom you can choose or discard. (TWT 95)

Sri Sathya Sai Baba feels sorry for the people who have abandoned the practice of Dharma in day to day life. This is a big fall of human society. India cherishes its tradition and dharma for a long period of over 5000 years, and continues to do the same. He regrets, “Sanathana Dharma has laid down the rules and regulations for the best possible utilization of life, but for want of teaching, exposition and example, they have been sadly neglected” (SSS 4: 67).

He advises the people to see the God’s power which pervades in all our deeds and actions. Finding fault with others is a big harm one does for oneself.

He suggests people to be balance minded. He sternly warns, “Do not get elated at the riches, status, authoring, and intelligence etc., which you may have been considered that they have been given to you on trust, so that you may benefit others. They are all sights of his Grace, opportunities of service, and symbols of responsibility. Never seek to exalt over others’ faults; deal sympathetically with 80 the errors and mistakes of others seek the good in others: hear only good tidings about them; do not give ear to scandal… Let the lamp illumine every minute of your life. The splendour of the (God’s) name will drive away darkness from outside you, as well as from inside you. You will spread joy and peace among all who come near you” (SSS 5: 110).

Dharma as Charity and Sacrifice

Charity is the expression used for “spending out of what God has given to us.” This means using one’s energy, talent, resources, money, possessions, or whatever else, to help and do good to those in need. Many religions hold charity next to prayer because just as the latter is man's relation with God, or man's duty towards God, the former (charity) represents his relation with his fellow-beings, and indeed with all the creation of God. Prayer expresses love for God, submission to Him, and a desire to bring out the Divine qualities that lie hidden in every person. Charity is an expression of sympathy and benevolence towards

God's creation, putting into actual practice the lessons one learns out of prayer.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba advocates charity as one of the good qualities of

Dharma. Charity – he does not mean alms-giving, but sacrifice of oneself for the welfare of others and society. The benefit of charity creates a great strength in the giver’s mind. He says that a Dharmic person has to make great deal of sacrifice as Dharma emanates from the loving heart. He explains this with an anecdote; 81 A father sent his son to the market with a sum of money to bring home

some fruits. While bringing them home, the boy saw a few beggars on the

road and heard their wails; he realized that they needed the fruits more

urgently, so he gave the fruits to them and came home empty-handed.

When the father asked him for the fruits, the son replied, “I have brought

you invisible fruits that are sweeter and more tastier than ordinary fruits.”

Yes, the fruits of charity, rendered to the deserving, are really sweeter and

tastier. Seek all chances of doing such good acts (SSS 6: 17).

According to Baba, Dharma is closely linked with the idea of original human indebtedness or inescapable obligation. Every human being is born with three debts. The first is towards his relatives or ancestors, the second towards the sages and the third is what he owes to the Gods. By serving and sacrificing for the family, a man discharges his debts towards his relatives and ancestors. By studying, understanding and following rites – the cultural context and milieu into which he is born, he discharges his debt towards the sages, because the sages are responsible for the unbroken cultural heritage of the land. By respecting and worshipping the elemental and natural forces like the air, the rivers, the mountains, plants, animals etc, he discharges his duty to the Gods. This concept of indebtedness is the very source of dharma, which shifts the focus from gratification of desire to duty fulfillment, thus making human life meaningful and worthwhile.

Finally, Baba narrates the opposite of dharma, which is termed as "a- dharma.” What this means is obvious. If children fail to obey parents, if parents 82 do not train and discipline children, if the police misuse their power and fail to protect, if the head of state fails to act in the interest of the nation, then adharma exists, and when there is too much adharma, there will be a breakdown of the family, society or the nation. The nation, the community, the family and even individuals cannot prosper when too much adharma reigns. He often mentions the saying, "Protect dharma and dharma will protect you."

Individuals have different dharmas at different times in their lives. A child has a certain dharma that has been mentioned above, but the same person as an adult has different dharmas to focus upon. And still later in life, there are other dharmas that need to be stressed. When one is married, one should not live according to the dharma of a child. If an adult adopts the dharma of a child this is adharma. A child cannot follow the dharma of the police. If an ordinary citizen tries to follow the dharma of a head of states results in adharma.

Baba asserts that if adharma prevails God comes down in human form to re-establish dharma. He says, “The Lord is most pleased with Dharma for, in order to save Dharma and restore Dharma to its ancient purity and clarity, he condescends to assume human form and walk among mankind, as if He was one of them. Therefore, if you yearn for the Grace of God, let Dharma be the inspiration behind every thought, deed and word of yours. Let the knowledge that all are repositories of the Divine inspire you with love, tolerance, sympathy and reverence. Through work filled with Dharma you progress towards worship that is filled with the consciousness of Divinity in all and through that worship you attain wisdom when you experience the Divinity that fills all this. Work, 83 worship, wisdom are the juice-filled fruits: this is the order of spiritual progress of each individual.” (SSS 6: 276)

Thus the second chapter has exhaustively analysed the principles Sathya and Dharma of Sri Sathya Sai Baba as revealed through his speeches and writings. The third chapter is to be dealt with Shanthi and Prema in the same manner of Sathya and Dharma. Chapter III

SHANTHI AND PREMA

Shanthi, the Eternal Peace

“Blessed are the peacemakers,” says the Bible. Throughout the ages, mankind has yearned for peace – world peace, national peace, community peace, and peace of the individual soul. This attractive yet elusive goal has been relentlessly pursued on all level through peace talks, peace treaties, peace summits, and so forth. International peace can come only if there is national peace; and the national peace can come only when there is individual peace. If the world is in disorder today, it is because its inhabitants are in turmoil. World peace begins from the individual member of each society. As the well-known

Russian painter and thinker Nicholas Roerich said, “Every man, every member of the human family carries the responsibility for peace of the whole world”

(Pravrajika 18).

A society is the summation of individuals. The values of a society are determined by its individuals, and the force of inequality in society, strengthened by selfish considerations, has to be kept under control. The force that can hold society together is a moral force of accountability, and the consideration for the other person. If the individuals begin to value money, sensual enjoyment, and comfort as life achievements, the society becomes materialistic. On the other hand, if the individuals value intellectual pursuits, the society advances in the direction of scientific development. Or else, if the individuals value arts, the 85 society becomes cultured. Only if the individuals place the highest value on spiritual awakening, the society achieves peace.

Inner peace or peace of mind refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and happiness. Peace of mind, serenity, and calmness are descriptions of a disposition free from the effects of stress. In some cultures, inner peace is considered as a state of consciousness or enlightenment that may be cultivated by various forms of training, such as prayer, meditation, and physical exercise like Yoga.

Many spiritual practices refer to this peace as an experience of knowing oneself. Finding inner peace is often associated with traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism as well as many other religions and non-religious movements. Buddhists believe that peace can be attained only when all sufferings end. They regard all sufferings as branches from the cravings of extreme greed, aversion, or delusion. To eliminate such suffering and achieve personal peace, followers in the path of the Buddha adhere to a set of teachings noble truths — a central tenet in Buddhist philosophy. Dhammapada defines peace as an exalted state of consciousness, “There is no fire like lust and no crime like hatred. There is no ill like the aggregates of existence (material form, feeling, perception, mental formation, and consciousness) and no bliss higher that the peace” (Radhakrishnan 202). 86 While Christianity believes that one must develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, he is expected to be humble like child and unload his burdens at Christ, who stated: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden light" (Mathew 11: 28-30). Christianity strongly believes that the individual human peace depends on the association of God, or with God.

This brings peace in oneself; thereby he can bring peace on others. Lest he is discontented and disturbed by agitated suspicions; neither does he have rest for himself, nor does he permit others to rest. He considers what others ought to do, and neglects that which he is bound to do himself. Therefore, one must first place peace over himself, and then may justly bring the joy of peace towards his neighbour.

Similarly Islam means peace by way of submission. The submission to

Allah, which is the Arabic proper noun for "The God", is based on humility. An attitude of humility within one's own self cannot be accomplished without total rejection of violence, and a personal attitude and alignment toward peace. Islam believes that war is a crime, and that humans need to maintain peace by all means necessary. Peace, and the pursuit of peace, ranks high in the scale of

Islam values. War is held to be an abomination permissible only in defense of life. Moreover, peace with the mind of universal brotherhood is always used in greetings of Muslim practice. All the important prayers of Islam conclude with the appeal for peace on earth. 87 As a representative of Hinduism, Sri Sathya Sai Baba advocates the two values Shanthi and Prema highly as the supreme values of the world. Peace is the priceless characteristic of any society. The ultimate desire of any human being must be of attaining peace. It is a combination of positive feelings of happiness, calmness, contentment, and harmony with nature, with the absence of negative ones like pain, conflict, hostility and imbalance with nature.

Physical silence is the outward discipline. According to Sri Sathya Sai

Baba silence in a spiritual sense is Sadhana. Physical silence helps others to do their job undisturbed. But spiritual silence is helpful for one’s own upliftment.

Physical silence is enforced and insisted upon, whereas, spiritual silence is accepted and welcomed willingly by the aspirant. Physical silence may not necessarily convey the inner peace and joy one experiences. On the other hand,

“Spiritual silence, which may also be called “quietness” – is the tranquility of inner emotions, agitations, disturbances, turbulent waves of desires, prejudices etc”(Kamaraju 122). So that internal and external silences become different entities depending upon the mental makeup of the individuals.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba reflects that the jewel of everlasting peace is within each one of us, only waiting to be discovered. It is futile to try to find peace outside if it is not found inside us. In his view, man runs about madly in the pursuit of “peace of mind”, following the prescriptions, from where it is unavailable. He travels in the path of catering to senses, the path plagued by

Rupa, Nama and Guna, the pursuit in temporary and apparent. But the seeker after moksha, the liberation results in breaking of the senses, gets that peace 88 quite easily. In fact, the real nature of man is prashanthi or equanimity; The

Steadiness, unshakable, and resolute peace (SSS 2: 164).

The force that can hold society together is moral force, dharma; the consideration for the other person. This deep value in mankind, which enhanced becomes self-sacrifice, is possible only in an atmosphere of diminishing materialism and assertion of the Spirit. In Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s view, if there be righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character; if there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation; if there be order in the nation, there will be Peace in the world.

Righteousness consists in widening the horizon of compassion. This will necessarily promote the sum of human happiness (TWT 98).

In terms of peace and harmony Mahatma Gandhi seems to interrelate

Peace with Truth. He says, “The way of peace is the way of Truth. Truthfulness is even more important than peacefulness. Indeed, lying is the mother of violence. A truthful man cannot long remain violent. He will perceive in the course of his search that he has no need to be violent and he will further discover that so long as there is the slightest trace of violence in him, he will fail to find the truth he is searching” (Pravrajika 89).

i) Challenges in attaining peace

With all that is said above, Sri Baba feels that desires make man’s life miserable. Lofty and noble desires may be termed as aims, aspirations, goals and objectives. They give a sense of achievement, a spirit of gratification and 89 immense satisfaction, if such desires are fulfilled. One wins the admiration of the entire society, and people look upon him as an ideal and highly accomplished.

Undoubtedly, this is the positive side of desires. But if the desires are bad, low and mean the person will be condemned by the same society, and he will be ignored or defamed. This may appear silly and meaningless to those who say that the demands of the senses are met with if a person is rich, all in the name of enjoyment. Baba asks to realise that this is not true. If one enjoys everything with his senses, why should he become weak at the end? Why does he lose energy and feel weak? He says that old age is advanced because of these sensual pleasures making us weak. Senses enjoy at our expense and not vice-versa. This is the result of worldly desires.

It is because that the senses are always extroverted in nature; people are greedy for external contacts. They drag the chain of ignorance perpetually toward the external objects. So it is said, “a spiritual seeker, endowed with discrimination and renunciation, must place barricades before the sense enjoyments and suppress their outbursts; just as a charioteer is wielding the whip and the rein controlling the raging steeds” (Samuel 21). Uncontrolled senses cause great harm. The senses do nothing by themselves. They are not independent. Baba feels that if the mind is brought under control, the senses, too, can be controlled. Some undergo mere denial of the senses in order to control the mind. They are ignorant of the real discipline necessary, which is the destruction of desire. However vigilant the guards may be, a clever thief can still steal in 90 hundreds of amazing ways. The mind too, however skillfully one may try to control the senses, it drags them to its side and executes the desires.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba cautions to pay attention to the mind which develops such a knack with no positive results. Such a mind is a devil. It should be trained to go on the right path. To face the devil is a daily challenge throughout our lives, and one is uncertain of the time when the devil will swallow him. Sri

Sathya Sai Baba gives a brief account of the working mechanism of the mind by saying,

The mind is the mischief - maker; it jumps from doubt to doubt; it puts

obstacles on the way. It weaves a net and gets entangled in it. It is ever

discontented; it runs after a hundred things and away from another

hundred. It is like a driver who drives the car with the master in it,

wherever his fancy takes him. So take up the task of training him into an

obedient servant; it is educable, if only you know how to do it. Place

before it, things more tasty and it will hanker only for those… it will

adhere to that method of getting peace and joy. (SSS 2: 30-31)

His method to tackle such mind is to educate it in noble things, and to face the devilish desires; with the mind itself. One must face the devil of lust, anger, desire, hatred, jealousy, greed and attachment. Each one of these is positively and potentially dangerous. In Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s words, the purpose behind the prayer is to be courageous and to be filled with deep conviction to face the negative attitude. He urges to pray to Lord, that every moment of our life to be ever vigilant to face and overcome the devil. 91 Therefore, there is every need to entertain good desires so as to be happy, peaceful, healthy and good. Sri Sathya Sai Baba quotes many characters and instances from the great epics; like Ravana known for his evil desire of lust,

Duryodhana for his pride and greed, who planned all the time to grab the rightful and legal share of Pandavas, Dharma as the embodiment of righteousness, and

Sri Rama as a king virtue. One must do away with the unhealthy desires, and should be guilty of such low desires as to intend to possess other's properties and belongings. Such bad desires rob us of our Peace and sense of discrimination and discretion. Even if anything is obtained or achieved through such bad desires and evil designs, it will not stay long and bring any credit to the recipient.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba looks at the epic event of Kurukshethra war as the battle field of mind. It is the war between the brothers of Duryodhana and

Dharma; the two sides of evil and goodness. In another syllogism it’s a war between the senses and Jeeva in the battle field of mind. He suggests that one may attain peace when the outer senses are controlled by the inner self, so that an inner harmony and balance of mind is achieved. As a result the person who experiences peace would depict a healthy physical and mental stability.

In another context Sri Sathya Sai Baba emphasizes that the mind of

Kurukshethra must be made as a Dharmakshethra. In the battle field of

Kurukshethra the two brothers fought over a handful of earth; but, it must be made a field for the uplift of man through the practice of dharma. One must have the determination to break the vagaries of the mind. He says that the barriers are to be broken as if one tries breaking a coconut shell. Before exposing the shell, 92 the fibrous cover has to be removed. The fiber protects the shell and prevents the blow from affecting the shell. He says,

Moksha or liberation results from the breaking of the mind, with all its

vagaries and wishes. You have to break your mind but, how can you do it,

when the fibrous armour of sensual desires encompass it? Remove them

and dedicate the mind to god and smash it in his presence that moment

you are free. (SSS 2: 104)

He further says,

if the outer door (senses) alone is closed and the inner door (desires) is

left unbolted, calamity is certain. On the other hand, if both the exterior

and the interior doors are safely bolted, you can sleep peacefully, for no

thief, however clever, will find it easy to enter and do harm. (Samuel 23)

The seeker should therefore establish mastery over the external senses first. Then the mind must be controlled by the means of peace, equanimity, renunciation, and detachment. When that is accomplished, one can experience real bliss and visualize the Atman in its true form.

Swami Vivekananda holds a similar view, and in one of his lectures he put forward his idea,

Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity

within, by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by

work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy – by one, or more, or

all of these – and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or 93 dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary

details. (1)

The fundamental truth is that the desires will never get satisfied. They scarcely come to an end at any stage of life irrespective of scholarship, richness, accomplishment, and age. With the result, man is caught in the tangled web of life and haunt there with endless desires. He is burdened and loaded and starts feeling the heaviness at a later stage. But, he is helpless as it is too late to undo what has been already done. Sometimes the people around him add fuel to the fire, for some or other reasons he cannot get out of it. Further, mounting worry, anxiety and tension spoil the health of the person in the endless process. So much so, by the time he is nowhere near the target he desired and he is denied the fruits of his efforts. In other words one spends his time and life all in for acquiring and hoarding. Baba bitterly charges such attitude as,

The snake moves in curves, not in a straight line; man too when he is

following the senses has to move in a crooked path. He has greater poison

in him than the snake; his venom is to be found in his eyes, his tongue, his

hands, his mind, his heart, his thoughts - whereas the cobra has it only in

its fangs. (SSS 2: 112).

Sri Sathya Sai Baba mentions many situations in support to this statement. One may be rich enough to buy a Dunlop bed and a beautiful cot for rest, but one cannot buy sleep. Another can afford to go to a five star restaurant for lunch or dinner, where many delicious and costly items are served. But he cannot buy appetite. A rich man may eat costly food and a poor man may 94 appease his hunger with gruel, but the appetite is same. A cool drink to a well- to-do person and tap water to a beggar are the same to quench the thirst equally.

There may be the different kinds of drinks, but the thirst is the same. End is same, but the means are different.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba quotes the teachings of Sri Adi Sankara on the contentment aspect of the desire. Adi Sankara mentioned in his “Prasnothari” that the richest man in this world is the one who has contentment, while the poorest man is the one who has limitless desires. Mind should be so trained and tuned as to be contented with the lot given. Baba says that instead of feeling deprived of a car or a two-wheeler, one should feel happy to have been gifted with two legs to walk safely. He further adds that man should not feel sorry for not having one crore (Koti - in Telugu), on the other hand he should be happy that he has enough to sustain life (Kooti - food in Telugu). There is every need to put a ceiling on our desires. He says humorously that one should follow the maxim of railways - less luggage more comfort, make travel a pleasure. In the long journey of life, one should be comfortable and happy with fewer luggage of desires. Ultimately if one does not put a check on desires, he loses the very purpose of life and the very aim of all desires, which is nothing but happiness.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba advises his devotees to understand the nothingness of human life. He says, “All our so-called possessions we hold in stewardship from

God, and the moment will surely come when he will take them all away-either through death or by some other circumstance” (Howard 106). As a result one must, of course as a good steward, take care of all the possessions he or she has 95 been put in charge, but always keep in mind that nothing of this world really belongs to him or her. Once this attitude of unaffectedness or non-attachment is acquired; the seeker achieves unshakeable peace, self-control and purity of mind.

ii) Methods to attain peace

Ralph Waldo Emerson in “Nature”, one of his essays, points out that man has alienated himself from the spirit of nature and entangled in the “burden of guilt” developed by his own self-division of spiritual consciousness. He writes,

“Man is the dwarf of himself. Once he was permeated and dissolved by spirit.

He filled nature with his overflowing currents” (46). Sri Sathya Sai Baba reflects the same idea in another term. The highest state is to be desireless. Man and God are separated by desire. Man’s identification of oneness with Him is lost because of desires. Desires are worldly and experiences are dual.

Desirelessness is spiritual and non-dual. Desirelessness is a state of equanimity, tranquility and bliss. This is possible only if one transcends body, mind and intellect. Selflessness, unconditional love, sacrifice and compassion help us to be desireless. He says that the absolute, unwavering faith in God and total surrender lead to a state of desirelessness.

In another context Baba brings out this idea in his simple lyrics:

The mind is made up of desires

Like the threads in cloth.

Take away the threads and the cloth disappears.

So too, the mind disappears when desire is going. (Samuel, Love 214) 96 Desire is the impetus that attracts us to repel us from sense objects, thus being the energy force that sustains the delusion of duality. One must overcome the pull of the mind’s desire for outer objects to find divinity within. Desires come in many sizes and shapes. Initially, they are biologically driven such as desire to breathe, to eat, to eliminate, to move, to talk, and to procreate. And then they are more on to the psychological levels. However, the Western psychology considers that happiness is derived from the gratification of desires in a socially acceptable ways. But Sri Sathya Sai Baba teaches that the gratification of desires does not lead to ultimate happiness. He tells us to put a ceiling on desires because ultimately they lead only to the temporary pleasures; followed by pain.

On the question “what is pleasure?” Baba answers that “Pleasure is the interval between two pains, and pain is the interval between two pleasures” (217). In his opinion, the goal of life is to find the inner source of eternal happiness, which is boundless love rather than fostering desires.

Thomas A Kempis showcases the nature of human desire beautifully, he says,

Whenever a man desires anything inordinately, he is immediately

disquieted with himself. The proud and covetous are never at rest: the

poor and humble of spirit live in much peace. The man that is not yet

perfectly dead to himself, is soon tempted and overcome in small and

trifling things. He that is weak in spirit, and in a manner yet carnal and

inclined to sensual things, cannot without difficulty withdraw himself

wholly from earthly desires. And therefore he is often sad when he 97 withdraws himself from them, and is easily moved to anger if anyone

thwarts him. (29)

In one of his beautiful analogies Baba narrates the method of giving up such desires. “The eagle is pestered by crows so long as it has a fish in its beak.

They swish past so that they could steal the fish out of its mouth. They follow the bird wherever it sits for a little rest. At last, when it gives up the attachment to the fish and drops it from its beak; the crows fly behind it and leave the eagle free. So, leave off sense pleasures and the crows of pride, envy, malice and hatred will fly away, for they want only carrion” (SSS 2: 112). He suggests practising detachment from now on; practising it a little, for a day will come sooner or later when man will give up all that he holds dear to him. According to him one need not to go on adding the desires which binds him, instead one must bind himself to the great liberator, the God. He advocates his devotees that the mind must dwell on the sweetness of God’s name, and consequently the mind becomes sweeter as a reflexive effect. Prayers and repeating the name of Lord must be done as a regular discipline, with the awareness that they will yield good results. He warns that they should not degenerate into mere mechanical routine items of a crowded schedule.

For the attainment of peace, he suggests studying the sacred books and listening to religious discourses to develop self-control and peace; but, out of confusion man seems to enjoy the very act of speaking and listening, thereby indulges in mere intellectual gymnastics. The result is the waste of time in the huge gathering, and listening to unwise talks. He says man’s earnestness melts 98 away when the aim becomes out of focus from peace, and tranquility. He advises to be in silence which will bring harmony and peace in every heart. He says,

To silence the people who are talking endlessly; go near them, and

politely explain to them why silence is insisted upon; tell them that it is

the first step in Sadhana that they have to learn how to maintain

Prasanthi (silence), not only here, but wherever they are; that the tongue

has no task here, it is all for the eye and ear; people will certainly follow

your directions. Tell them that by talking loud, they are undermining their

own peace; and disturbing others. (SSS 6: 12)

Baba insists that one of the first principles of living is the practice of silence; for the voice of god can be heard in the region of heart only when the tongue is stilled and the storm is stilled and the waves are calm. He advises his audience to conserve sound, since it is the treasure of the element akasa, an emanation from God himself. Reason can prevail only when arguments are advanced without the whipping up of sound. He says, “Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker. Soft sweet speech is the expression of genuine love”

(Sandweiss, Love 198).

Sri Sathya Sai Baba believes that man is basically the personification of love, peace, joy, and truth. He is the embodiment of all these, that is to say, of divinity. He ought to behave only in accordance with his basic, traits. But, he overlays upon them the false traits of I and mine, and tarnishes his own personality. Man can have the highest joy and can share that joy with others, but, he is now having only grief and sharing that grief with others. Explaining 99 this, Baba narrates an anecdote that a King once granted a wood cutter the sandal trees in the forest as an act of hospitality that he had the chance to offer him. The fellow did not realize the value of the wood nor did he investigate the meaning and mode of the fragrance that emanated from the wood; he cut all the trees in a short time and burnt them for selling as charcoal.

Most men waste their lives like the wood cutter; they make charcoal out of sandalwood and are happy at the few chips they get in exchange. Sri Sathya Sai

Baba says, “It all depends on the mind and its proper discipline; the weapon of love will disarm every opponent. Love begets love; it will reflect back, it will have only love as reaction shout ‘love’ the echo from the other person’s heart will also be ‘love’ (SSS 8: 42).

Dependency on other is another attitude that makes one feel loss of peace.

Sri Baba recommends not relying on others; instead one must lean on his own strength and skill. He suggests,

Live on your own earnings, your own resources. Self-reliance is the best

food for growing young men. It is the best to live with honour for just a

day than with dishonour for many decades; better a short lived hamsa

than a century lived crow. The hamsa is adored by all; the crow is

detested and stones off. Do not crave for the property of others or for

things that can be got trickery or dishonourable means. Earn by the sweat

of your brow, then, you can be proud and happy, when you spend it. (SSS

8: 231) 100 Day follows night, light follows darkness, so as the happiness and sorrow; there is duality everywhere in the world of nature. One should not imagine that it will be possible for him to live happily, without any anxiety or bothering. Baba explains this concept of transient nature of world in style,

Do not build castles in the air, and hope to live in them. Life is a mosaic

of pleasure and pain; grief is an interval between two moments of joy,

peace is the interlude between two wars. You have no rose, without a

thorn; the diligent picker will avoid the pricks, and gather the flower.

There is no bee without the sting; cleverness consists in gathering the

honey. Nevertheless troubles and travail will haunt you, but you must not

allow them to deflect you from the path of duty and dedication. (SSS 7:

232)

Baba advocates to resist all temptations of falling into vice; to avoid treading wrong paths; and keeping away from evil company. This will confer on a person his self esteem; then he need not bend his head before any one as sign of insult. The society is now living apart, in compartments, on the bases of race, religion, colour, creed, convictions, and many more divisions. “It is like metal pieces heaped together, and they are still pieces; they have not become one. The world has become united only in the form of a heap; it has not been melted in the crucible of love and molded in the image of god. The hearts of all men must be purged of hate” (SSS 5: 280). Speeches and writings cannot bring about the unity of man. The real happiness is derived only when a person does good to 101 others. Swami Vivekananda quotes, “He alone lives who live for others; others are more dead than alive” (Vivekananda 231).

Baba next indicates the mental condition of the present situation of the people. It is like a typhoon causing unrest and confusion among minds. No one has mental peace; fear and anxiety stalk everywhere; panic reigns even while the conquest of space and the mapping of new planets is being hailed. Man is deprived off complete peace and stumbles on the way to find it; for, without

Santhi, life is a night mare. Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita explains to

Arjuna the condition of such mind without tranquility and the method to attain it;

Prasade sarva-dukkhanam hanit asyo’pajayate

Prasanna-cetasohy asu buddhih paryavatisthate ||65||

Nasti buddhir ayuktasya na c’a yuktasya bhavand

Na ca bhavayatah santir asantasya kuta sukham ||66||

Sri Krishna says that a man of disciplined mind, who has his senses under- control and who has neither attraction nor aversion for sense objects, attains tranquility, though he may be moving amidst objects of the senses; whereas, a man of uncontrolled senses has no spiritual comprehension. He has no capacity for meditation either. For, sense indulgence strengthens the outward-going tendencies of the mind and prevents the mind from getting in – gathered and concentrated on Atman, who is the source of all joy (Tapasyananda 82).

Baba advocates to first fixing the mind in the consciousness of self, which is immortal Atman, the indestructible, holy, pure and divine. “The consciousness of the Atman gives the unshakable courage and strength. Then, one must develop 102 mutual love and respect. Tolerate all kinds of persons and opinions; all attitudes and peculiarities” (SSS 1: 41). He reflects the meaning of the verse II-38 of

Bhagavad Gita that treating alike pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, be ready for battle. Thus one will not incur any sin. He further advocates that in the modern age, the school, home and society are all training grounds for tolerance. At school the relationship of teacher and pupils must be based on love, not out of fear. Only the atmosphere of love can guarantee happy co-operation and control. Above all, be good, honest and well-behaved that will make the university degrees more desirable and valuable.

Baba repeatedly indicates that all energy, power and intelligence are in man; he need not search for them outside. God who is manifesting as time, space and causation is in us; hence man is divine by nature. To consider him as mean or weak of sinful is a great mistake. Man must earn his birthright, namely

Shanthi. To recover his heritage of Shanthi, man tries various methods like accumulation of riches, maintenance of health, mastery of knowledge, cultivation of arts. But these are not fundamental. But ironically human being are composite of man, beast, and God in them, which make them inevitably struggle among the three states for ascendency. Baba says that they must ensure that God wins finally, suppressing the human and the lowly beast.

Finally, Baba concludes saying, “if you have Shanthi, the world will appear a quite peaceful place; if you have Ashanthi the world will be full of

Ashanthi. Peace has to be won by sadhana – the spiritual practice of meditation, not by study of books. “Even a glimpse of the reality makes man perfect. Man 103 becomes free from ego, free from pride and despondency; so that praise does not please him or abuse sadden him. He is rendered stable and secure, like a mountain peak, which no storm can shake” (SSS 5: 171).

Lasting peace cannot be experienced in the external world. In fact, it is our identity with the external world that causes inner conflict and anxiety. Peace comes through detachment and renunciation. It is not an emotion but the suspension of emotions. Peace is the interlude of temporary absence of emotion.

The only way to achieve lasting peace, however, is to detach ourselves from our emotions and transcend the ego. He concludes by saying,

Of course, there is the flow of water underneath the ground. But how can

we benefit by it unless efforts are made to dig down into that source? A

good deal of ‘Desire-for-sense-satisfaction’ has to be removed before that

inner Spring of Peace and Joy can be tapped. Your lives are essentially of

the nature of Peace (Shanti); your nature is essentially Love; your hearts

are saturated with Truth. (Sainet 74)

As far as the social peace is concerned, our efforts to attain peace should be of different fronts. Social and political measures will directly facilitate efforts for peace. Cultural and religious movements and institutions should create the climate for peace. An awareness of different cultures and religions will have to be made with an effort to find the unity behind all. Spiritual and cultural communities will thus lessen tension and bring about understanding and peace.

Higher virtues conducive to individual and collective peace will have to be practised. Unselfishness and service will have to be encouraged in all social 104 levels. The law of love, which brings the highest happiness to every individual as well as to all mankind, should be encouraged to attain world peace.

Prema, the Divine Love

Next comes Prema, the value “Love.” Love is treated equal to God; and

God is equated with love. There is none in this world without love. It is innate, immanent, latent and inborn gift of god. Love cannot be gifted by anyone. It is not manufactured, or imported or handed down through legacy and heritage or taught by a preceptor. The Tamil Saint Thiruvalluvar in his ethical treatise

Thirukkural mentions the necessity to possess love:

The loveless soul, the very joy of life may know,

When flowers, in barren soil, on sapless trees, shall blow. (78)

He means to say that the domestic state of that man whose mind is without love is like the flourishing of a withered tree upon the hard desert. The one who has no love in his or her heart for others is considered as a withered tree in a desert, which does not help anyone and renders no help to himself or herself.

One need not to work for love, because one is born with it. Love is expressed and experienced in different forms in this world. Love towards fellow beings is called friendship. Love towards superiors and elders are respect. Love of a mother is termed affection. Love for the poor and needy is known as sympathy. Love for the nation is patriotism. Love for property is possessiveness.

Therefore everything operates on the principle of love. But according to religion, 105 there is one form of love which is superior, supreme, eternal, intimate, and immortal that exists between man and god. This is called devotion.

Sathya Sai Baba attaches extraordinary importance to love. By the term

Prema, he does not mean it to say the love of worldly relationships. He explains the love in two terms: The first, in terms of universal love or all encompassing love of humans and animals, which has no discrimination between the nature of lover and the beloved; In his opinion, love should not be based on lust, passion, attachment, discrimination, and prejudice. As all human values are rooted in love, one must love all. People want to love only their parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, their own relatives and countrymen. Because the nature of such love depends on the concepts of 'me' and 'mine', it remains entangled in attachment and discrimination. He ridicules at the self-centered love; as a man offers his love only to a woman or a woman only to a man, for they believe the rest will be loved by the devils; then the love loses its complete meaning. For they have created a boundary wall around their own love-relationship. The larger their attitude, the closer they attain the universal love.

Secondly Sri Sathya Sai Baba explains Prema in terms of the love of a devotee towards God. Baba views the world as momentary, and the derivatives are transient. So following the Bakthi cult of Hindu tradition, he suggests to acquire the pure love for God, and to earn God's grace. He maintains that one should submit himself in total submission; resort to God alone as the only refuge in order to invoke the response of God. He says, “dwell always on the glory of

God; then, you will shine in that Glory. And here to Truth, that is the surest 106 means of removing fear from your heart. Prema can grow only in the heart watered by truth” (SSS 4: 7). On the contrary man loves money, position and popularity. No matter how high one's position is, but he/she has to face death, and cannot prolong life. There may be a heart or kidney transplantation, but there can never be life transplantation. In short, he reprimands the love of possessiveness, and self-centeredness; the real love is expansion, and the real path is unification of divinity.

Attachment, lust, affection, friendship, respect, concern, possessiveness, and the like are all worldly. They come and they vanish like passing clouds.

They come in the course of a life time. They increase or decrease with the passage of time depending on the position and circumstances. But devotion will never change. Baba believes that the measure of expression and experience varies. But it does not disappear totally. As ill-luck would have it, other factors may dominate for the time being and appear to eclipse it, but it cannot be removed. There are a number of instances where the non-believer or atheist turns to god for refuge. The innate spark is ignited, when inherent love gushes out like a spring or a fountain.

i) Supreme Love Defined

Following the Bhakthi cult, Sri Ramakrishna defines Prema as “the intense love for God that makes one forget the world and forget even his own body – that is, rise above physical consciousness.” This intense love is a transcendental experience of inexpressible bliss in which the ego is completely 107 lost. First, a true devotee loves the Lord for love’s sake. There is no bargaining or shop-keeping in his love. He does not even seek liberation, though, in spite of himself, he becomes liberated (Prabhavananda 17).

Another characteristic of divine love is that it knows no fear. Sri Satya

Sai Baba says that to worship God through fear of punishment, because of human weaknesses, is degrading religion. Every being needs Prema, inhales and exhales Prema. For Prema is the basic breath; every one is the embodiment of

Prema. Hence, Love knows no fear and so, love needs no false-hood to support it. It is only fear that makes people warp the face of truth, to make it pleasant for those whom they fear. According to Sri Sathya Sai Baba, love seeks no reward;

Love is its own reward. That is the sole gain, the joy of loving and being loved.

When directed to God, it is called Bhakthi (SSS 4: 27).

Love removes all egoism; when love is manifested in the heart of a lover the self is forgotten, it is superseded, it is transcended. Any trace of greed for gain degrades Prema into a bargain over the counter. Whatever the loved one does or gives is satisfying to the lover, is adored. A child is all love; its smile is most innocent; it has not learnt to work for gain. It has no attachment to the goods of the world. It plays with a doll for a while and throws it off the next moment. The love filled heart of the child hardens with age, because greed breeds hatred and envy (TWT 101).

It is worth mentioning here the nature of love that Mahatma Gandhi reflects referring to Bhagavad Gita. Love is certainly not blind faith. He is in love who is jealous of none, who is spring of mercy, who is without egotism, 108 who is selfless, who treats alike cold and heat, happiness and misery, who is ever forgiving, who is always contented, whose resolutions are firm, who has dedicated mind and soul to God, who causes no dread, who is not afraid of others, who is free from exultation, sorrow and fear, who is pure, who is versed in action and yet remains unaffected by it, who renounces all fruit, good or bad, who treats friend and foe alike, who is untouched by respect or disrespect, who is not puffed up by praise, who does not go under when people speak ill of him, who loves silence and solitude, who has a disciplined reason (11).

Baba reflects such idea in his own way, he says that it is enough if love is cultivated in the heart of man. It is the supreme love that knows no distinction between oneself and another; because all are but limbs of the one corpus of God

Almighty. Baba brings out the Cosmic oneness of God here. In his view, through love alone can the embodiment of love be gained. Here no scholarship is needed; in fact, scholarship is an impediment, for it caters to egoism and it breeds doubts and desires for disputation and the laurels of victory over others preening themselves as learned (Samuel 190).

ii) The Cultivation of Divine Love

Baba says that God manifests his glory as Prema in man; and that love appears in various forms: attaching itself to riches or parents or children or one’s life. According to him all these are sparks of the same flame and the love of the universal is its highest expression. This love cannot be cultivated by reading scriptures. It has to begin with a great yearning for the light, an account of 109 unbearable agony to escape from the darkness. Thomas A Kempis, the author of

The Imitation of Christ speaks the words of Jesus,

Son, trust not your affection of the moment, for it will soon be changed

into another. As long as you live, you are subject to change, even against

your own will; so that sometimes you are joyful, at other times sad; now

at peace; then troubled; at one time devout, at another arid; sometimes

fervent, at other times lazy; one day heavy, another day elated. But he

who is wise and well instructed in spirit, is above all these changes, not

minding what he feels in himself… Perform all your actions in a spirit of

dedication of God. (227-228)

All the forms of mundane love fade away, turn meaningless and vain. The love for god is natural and hence is permanent. This is the attitude of a true devotee.

He takes everything for his own good.

Baba says that Bakthi is not to be calculated on the basis of the institutions one has started or helped. The temples one has built or renovated, the donations one has given away, nor does it depend on the number of times one has written the name of the Lord or on the time and energy one has spent in the worship of the Lord. These are not vital at all, and not even secondary. Bhakthi is Prema, unsullied by any tinge of desire for the benefit that flows from it or the fruit or consequence of that love. It is love that knows no particular reason for its manifestation. It is of the nature of the love of the soul for the Oversoul; the river for the Sea; the creeper for the tree, the star for the sky, the spring for the cliff-down which it flows. Hence Baba advocates to keep the mind in the 110 consciousness of God, “Supreme Consciousness (Transcendental Being, or

Paramatma) is real. This is truth. This is love. Meditate on this as Truth and as

Love. It is possible to realise Him, in whatever for you meditate upon. Be always in the company of devotees… These characteristics will strengthen your spirit and endow you with inner peace. Your mind will then merge in the

Supreme Reality” (Baba, Teachings 46).

Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita emphasizes the need for spiritual practice in order to attain the Supreme reality. In the Bakthi Yoga (Ch. 12: 10-

12), he instructs Arjuna to practise concentrating on the Supreme, then devote himself wholeheartedly to the service of the Lord – consisting in external worship and discharge duties for God’s sake; thus working for God, man attains perfection. In the next verses he suggests Arjuna that in case of his failing in following such spiritual practices; if even this is too difficult for him to perform, then taking refuge in God and thus controlling the mind, thereby giving up the fruits of all the actions to God alone. Baba reflects the teaching of Sri Krishna in his own words,

whether it is meditation that you are encouraging, Bhajan you are

organizing, a discourse you are announcing, or clothes you are offering,

or worship that you are conducting, the object to be achieved is cleansing

the mind of tarnish of egoism, greed, hatred, malice, lust and envy. In

place of all these, fill the mind with Love (TWT 114).

Devotion is equal – mindedness of equanimity. Sri Baba emphasises that this is the true quality of devotion. He often remarks that a devotee should not be 111 perturbed by bumps and jumps in life. He should not be elated by praise or depressed by blame. A heart of a devotee is full of gratitude in times of success, profit and victory. But he views failure as a lesson or test of faith. He takes it as a corrective measure for his own good. Take everything for our own good.

Whatever happens or may happen, note that it is for good. Baba narrates a story to explain this;

A King has a minister in his court. He always says everything is for good.

One day the King fancies cutting the sugarcane himself. While doing so

he cuts his finger. Watching this, the minister in his usual way says that it

is for your own good that the finger is cut. The King is furious and orders,

that the minister be imprisoned. Even then the minister says that this

imprisonment is also for his own good. One day the King goes out alone

to the forest for hunting and loses his way. He is noticed by some tribal

people of the region, who are in search for a person to sacrifice as an

offering to their deity. They are happy with the personality of the King

and as they get ready to behead him, the head of the people on examining

the body of the king says that he cannot be sacrificed, because a

handicapped or crippled person is unfit or misfit to be sacrificed. Thus the

king saves himself. On his return he summons the minister and tells him

all that happened. Then the minister reminds the King his earlier

statement that everything happens for one's own good; Since the King

injured his finger while cutting the sugarcane; this saved his life as he was

let-off by the tribal. At this juncture the King questions the minister 112 whether his imprisonment is also for his own good. The minister replies

in the affirmative, because had he not been imprisoned, he would have

accompanied the King to the forest and as the tribal found the King

not suitable to be sacrificed, might have killed the minister

instead! (TWT 216)

Baba says that this is the attitude of a true devotee; he takes everything for his own good. The Bible holds, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." So, devotion is a willful and a happy submission to the Divine Will. It is not a compromise. It is acceptance to the Divine Will in all humility. This is surrender. Devotion leads to surrender.

Devotion culminates in surrender. The end of devotion is surrender. In one sentence it can be said that the aim, purpose and the goal of devotion is surrender. Baba classifies devotion in several aspects: namely Sravanam

(listening to the sacred texts), Keerthanam (singing His glory), Vishnu

Smaranam (chanting His name), Padasevanam (service), Dasyam (servitude),

Vandanam (salutation), Archanam (worship), Sakhyam (friendship) and Atma nivedanam (surrender). He considers that the paths may be many, but the goal is one. It is left to the devotee to adopt any one that pleases and appeals to him. He opines that one should be a full-time devotee and not a part-time devotee, and one should think of God all the times. True Devotion is that which visualizes all forms as His and all names as His. A devotee considers nature as the reflection of God. Hence it has to be revered and respected. He admires the all pervasive nature of God. He says, “Love saturates all activities with joy and peace. Love 113 ennobles the least and the lowest. Love your Self for the God that it embodies; love others, for the God that is enshrined in them, that speaks and acts through them” (TWT 109).

In the above aspect of recognizing God in all forms, Baba believes that whomsoever one respects, indeed pay his obeisance to God. It amounts to saluting Him. Similarly whomsoever one rejects or denies it amounts to denying

God. This is the level of devotion. Sri Satya Sai says that a devotee is the greatest of all among the educated, influential and physically strong people.

None can equal a devotee. Others may be reputed, scholarly, in high positions and so on. Sri Baba narrates an instance from the life of Sri Eknath – the chief architect of Swami Vivekananda Memorial in Kanyakumari – to explain the omnipresence of God. The anecdote goes like this: One day Eknath was proceeding to Kasi from Kanyakumari carrying Ganges water to perform a sacred ritual he had undertaken. He was going along with his disciples; he saw a donkey very thirsty and struggling for water. He immediately offered Ganges water, which is holy and sacred to the thirsty donkey and quenched its thirst. The disciples then asked, "Swami this holy water is being carried with a religious motive for a sacred ritual. How is that you have quenched the thirst of the donkey with this holy water?" Then Eknath replied, Look here! I see the Lord

Kasi Visweswara in the form of this thirsty donkey. So I gave him the water.

The purpose of carrying water all the way and offering it to God is fulfilled here in this very place” (TWT 115). Sri Baba explains that this is the real devotion.

One should not limit God to a particular form or deity. Let the Love flow 114 towards all; one has love, but now it is distributed selfishly and sparingly. One should at least hate not others and talk ill of them or seeking to calculate their faults. He says,

Cultivate Love; share that Love with all. How can you give one person

less and another more, when they are both the same as you? If you forget

the basic Divinity, hatred sprouts; envy raises its hood. See the Atma in

all; Love sprouts; Peace descends like dew. You are the embodiment of

love. (TWT 119)

Sri Sathya Sai Baba does not consider religious scriptures or intellectual scholarship as essential for a spiritual practitioner. He advises the devotee to develop happiness, not through difficult and doubtful means, but through the cultivation of Prema, the love which begins at homes and families and spreads to all creatures. All the Sastras unanimously declare that Love alone is the criterion and the one essential requisite for developing unwavering devotion. He recommends, “The mere reading of a book or journal will not bring discrimination. That which is seen, heard, or read about, must be put into actual practice. Without this, reading is mere waste of time” (Baba, Teachings 43).

Realisation which is not possible through logic, which is not possible through offering sacrifices and which is not possible through discussion and other disciplines, can be achieved only through Love.

Devotion is a service to God, according to Baba. He advises his disciples to serve the poor and needy. Those that serve the rich may call such their service as Lakshmi Narayana Seva (service to the rich). This is not needed, indeed they 115 may do service to the poor, which is Daridra Narayana Seva; this is most important. He quotes the words of Jesus spoken in the Bible of the same. The

Lord said, "You didn't feed me when I was hungry; you didn't give me clothing when I needed most; you didn't pay a visit when I was unwell; you didn't give me water when I was thirsty." They asked Him, "When did you come? When did we not offer?" Lord makes it clear that it is God Himself who comes with such demands and to whomsoever one gives, it goes to Him. Thus Baba considers service as devotion. It is in this connection he often reminds the devotees that

"The hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray” (SSS 3: 28).

Devotion is unconditional and total. Baba says that Prema is an act of total Surrender. It is not any partnership with God. Devotion is not a business or a commercial transaction. Any offering to God other than a pure heart is useless;

Love is transformed into poison, if hate contaminates it. Love some but

do not hate the rest, for that hate will foul the love and make it mortal. It

comes automatically to the realised soul; but, the Sadhaka has to cultivate

it by means of seva and inquiry, into the unity of the Atman. Love must

flow not from the tongue, or from the head only, but chiefly from the

heart” (TWT 107).

God responds to the call of a devotee. He is the refuge of the hopeless.

Baba quotes a few examples from the Indian epics to defend his opinion. In an open court, Draupadi was disrobed and humiliated. When she prayed to Krishna with an attitude of self-surrender for help, the Lord saved her from shame. This 116 is total surrender. So also the celestial Elephant Gajendra, prayed to God when he was caught by a crocodile in a river. Initially Gajendra prayed to God holding the tree with the trunk, for help and rescue, God responded by killing the crocodile.

Bhagavatham is another great epic from which Baba explains the nature of lover and the beloved. Gopis, the unlettered women of Brindavan are known for their devotion. They earned their livelihood as milk vendors. Their total identification with God or God consciousness is of a very high order. It is the supreme state. They wore blue sarees, blue kumkum on their forehead, carried blue pots with milk and went around the streets for selling the milk to the inhabitants. They chanted loudly the sweet name of Krishna. Later when Krishna left Brindavan, these Gopis went on asking the bushes and the flowers to let them know where Krishna had gone. It is nothing but total identification of the devotee with the Lord.

Likewise Baba portrays the lives of great devotees, who loved their Lord and survived their hardships. An ardent devotee Meera is given poison, but it has transformed into nectar. When a snake was put around the neck of Prahlada to kill him, it becomes a garland. When he was thrown from the mountain top,

Lord came to his rescue. The stories of devotees convey that there is nothing that cannot be done with devotion. Baba says, "You may treat stone as God, but never consider God as stone." In devotion one need to spiritualize everything, and elevate the mind, and never bring it down” (SSS 9: 107). 117 Baba analyses the circumstances in which Prema can exist. The coconut tree thrives best on the sea coast; the tree Supreme knowledge grows best on the soil of Prema. The region of the heart has to be transformed into a region of compassion. Man’s native characteristic is Prema: his nature is Prema, his breath is Prema. The fog of desire clouds Prema and distorts it. Like the dog which took its image in the canal as another dog and started to bark it off, man too barks at his own image that is, of fellow beings who are as much images of

Brahman as he himself is. Therefore one has to fix his attention on the identity, not the difference. That is the road to peace.

He asks his devotees to be like a bee, for it drinks the nectar of every flower; not the mosquito drinking blood and spreading disease in return. A devotee must consider all as children of the Lord, as his own brothers and sisters; he must seek always the welfare of humanity. Love and you will be loved in return. Hate will never be your lot if you promote Love and look upon all with love.

Love and reverence are two different mental attitudes. So long as the worshiper thinks of the divinity as the almighty creator, or the stern ruler, or the dispassionate onlooker of the world order, he may have fear and reverence for

God, but not Love. He may even have the tendency to bow down before him, but only from a distance. He will not feel drawn toward Him; there will not be the urge to become united with Him, or to embrace Him as his own. But, with the growth of devotion there comes a sense of intimate relationship to God. The more intensely the votary contemplates God’s love and grace, the deeper grows 118 his devotion to Him. He looks upon God as his very own; he feels that “I am thine, thou art mine.” This feeling gradually manifests itself in various devotional attitudes according to the aptitude and disposition of the aspirant.

“Every human being is a potential lover of God. All our lives we have loved nothing but God. But our love has been misdirected through all our seeking after wealth, position, pleasure, friendship, love and power there has been the search for God. It is the urge for the infinite, the eternal, the perfect that impulse our seeking, and that is why our minds refuse to satisfy with that which is limited and imperfect,” says Swami Vivekananda ( Pravrajika 177).

Prema must be many-stranded in order to be strong and tough. A single

strand is too weak. Have it many stranded, one towards the mother

another towards the father, strands towards husband, wife, friend, son,

daughter and so on. Of course Prema is all-embracing, it cannot be

confined to one item and denied to another. (TWT 125)

Similarly, the Hindu psychology of devotion classifies these attitudes under five principal headings. The first is Shantha, the serene attitude, in which

God is seen as the immutable Self, the calm witness of all mental and physical phenomena. The second is dasya, the attitude of service. This includes the attitudes of the protected toward the protector, the servant toward the master, and the child toward the parent. Third comes sakhya, friendship. In this attitude the devotee feels that he is a friend and companion of God, and his playmate. Next comes Vatsalya the attitude of a parents. The devotee looks upon god as his own child. Lastly comes madhura, the sweet attitude of the lover and the beloved. It 119 will be seen that in each succeeding attitude there is an increasing intimacy between the devotee and God.

The purpose of all religious disciplines are to develop love of God within the heart of the aspirant. It is for this that he or she says prayers, chants hymns, studies scriptures, listens to sermons, makes offerings, observes fasts and vigil, and practices meditation. This love of God is the one supreme ideal of life as taught by all the great teachers of the world. Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the modern times reiterates the same as the supreme ideal of a human life. He himself declares that he wants to be the embodiment of love; love is his instrument.

There is no creature without love; at least a lower form of love. He says, “there are no atheists, though some might dislike Him or refuse Him, as malarial patients dislike sweets or diabetic patients refuse to have anything to do with sweets. Those who preen themselves as atheists will one day, when their illness is gone, relish God and revere him” (Sandweiss 194).

Finally, Sri Sathya Sai Baba wants to bring back the past love-life of traditional India to the modern society; because the modern India needs more than what it had in the past. In one of his lectures he accounts for the extention of love in the present context. He says that the Hindustan became great on account of the flood of prema, which swept over the land for centuries. Prema must again transform all relationship social, economic, educational, professional, family, religious, legal and others. The father must love the child a little more intensely and intelligently; the mother must show love to all who come within her influence; children must love their servants. The sense of equality that every 120 one is the repository of the divine. Essence must transmute social and individual behaviour (Baba, Glory 1).

Just as each and every water course is constantly struggling to reach the ocean by strait or circuitous routes; even so each and every individual is wending his or her way Godward directly or indirectly, knowingly or unknowingly. It is the basic urge from which all his desires and strivings derive.

In fact, it is the mainspring of his thoughts, feelings, and actions, though he is hardly aware of it. Impelled by this innate tendency to meet the highest and the best, the Saints worship, the philosopher contemplates, the patriot uses his life for his country, the mother rears the children, the miser amasses wealth, the robber steals. The manifestations of the same pure force of divine love differ in various individuals because of dissimilarities in their mental and physical constitution, as the same light coming through glasses of different colours.

Therefore, even worldly desires are but love of God misdirected.

Thus Sri Sathya Sai Baba says that Shanthi and Prema are the two essential characteristics in human life. This chapter has widely and critically analysed these features in the light of Baba. The next chapter deals with Ahimsa that is non-violence attitude as envisioned and expressed by Baba through his speeches and writings. Chapter IV

AHIMSA

The revenge motif, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”, says Mahatma Gandhi. Ahimsa is a distinct body of doctrine considered as the supreme value of Indian philosophy. It emanates from the asserting essential divinity or holiness of man. Religion in practice is bound to work towards real equality in the social plane in fighting out the man-made differences. Non- violence represented in the Indian term as Ahimsa features non-hurting others by evil thought, undue haste, lying, hatred, and wishing ill physically and mentally.

It holds the lofty ideals such as, “Do not injure anyone”, “Love thy neighbour” etc.

Non-violence is an extremely important human value in the present scenario, because science is dynamic that can make a tunnel through a mountain, or blow up a school full of innocent children, or the military technology that is so potential to destruct cities. Besides, the environmental pollution is wide- spread enough to make many places unfit for habitable in the next few decades.

“Non-violence is clearly the most important human value if there is going to be peace and harmony along with prosperity and progress. None of these is sustainable without adhering to non-violence principles” (Kumar 102).

At a first glance, violence may appear to be a simple and superior technique for resolving conflicts. It seems to have achieving desired ends because it has obvious and tangible strategies and weapons. Non-violent 122 techniques are often more difficult to visualize and there is no shortage of moral and practical dilemmas that skeptics are able to raise as impediments to taking non-violence seriously. There are plenty of instances in the history of the world that non-violence has been extensively put into practice both in the spiritual and social spheres. The practice of non violence is found in the ancient scripts of

Rishis of Indian forests of old order down to Gautama Buddha, Jain

Tirthankaras, and Jesus Christ. In the recent times it is practiced by St Francis of

Assisi, Henry David Thoreau, Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, Martin Luther

King, Jr. and the many others for attaining spiritual and political goals.

There are many reasons for the employment of non-violence in the society. It is a 'weapon' available to all, it breaks the cycle of violence and counter-violence, it opens the possibility of change in the attitude of the people, and it ensures the surest way of achieving public sympathy. Further, it is more likely to produce a constructive rather than a destructive outcome. In addition, non-violence can also be the basis for a way of life. It is consistent with the belief in the underlying unity of humankind and it is the only method of action, interpersonal or political, that does not block that path to what has often been called 'self-realisation.' Crucifixion of Jesus on the cross, Thoreau’s Civil disobedience, Mahatma’s success in the Indian independence, Martin Luther

King’s ethnic struggle for the freedom of Blacks of the U.S.A. are some of the finest examples, by which the world has ever witnessed the practice of non- violence. Resistless acceptance of death on the cross, polite defiance from paying tax, civil disobedience and non-cooperation to the British Raj, nonviolent 123 resistance of Montgomery boycott; show the power of non-violence that is based on pure psychological persuasion to secure the success.

The recent world wars of the last century have devastatingly swept the globe, and made the people understand that there cannot be amicable coexistence of civilization and war in close proximity. Hence it has rediscovered the methods of solving conflicts without violence, which can be put into operation for social cause. All these practitioners believe that non-violence is not for cowards. It is not a quiet, passive acceptance of evil. One is passive and non-violent physically, but very active spiritually; always seeking ways to persuade the opponent of advantages to the way of love and peace. The non-violent resister accepts suffering without retaliating; accepts violence, but never commits it.

However, the non-violence practised down the ages by these men creates a wonder and awfulness on its application.

Among religions of the world, Buddhism and Jainism are deeply rooted in the principles of non-violence. The Acaranga Sutra, a Jainist text, describes the fundamental need for non-violence: “All beings are fond of life; they like pleasure and hate pain, shun destruction and like to live, they long to live. To all, life is dear” (Preece 213). The Great Buddha asked loving-kindness to be extended not only to men, but also to all animals. Men are frightened of punishment, and everyone dreads death. Since man is frightened of punishment and death, taking one's own self as the example, men are asked to refrain from killing others. That is why Buddha declares. 124 The sacrifice of a living being to confer happiness here or hereafter,

though accompanied by the recitation of all the appropriate ritual formula

is a selfish act, and so it deserves discouragement. To kill, so that one

may live longer and with fuller joy is a reprehensible act. (Woodward and

Farmer 54)

The Chandogya Upanishad, of the eighth or seventh century BC, one of the oldest Upanishads, has the earliest evidence for the use of the word Ahimsa.

It bars violence against all creatures and the practitioner of Ahimsa is said to escape from the cycle of reincarnation. Ahimsa is a way of living and thinking which respects the right to live freely. The Dhammapada, the Buddhist literature, exhort Ahimsa as one of the five precepts, “Him I call a Brahmin who does not hurt by body, speech, or mind, who is controlled in these three things”

(Radhakrishnan ed. 179). The doctrines proclaimed by Buddha shine before all the world and not in secret. Thus Non-violence is regarded as the highest ideal to be followed in the world of religion. Hence vow of Buddhist Pancha Sila (five precepts) envisages the non killing of living beings and denounces all forms of violence. While Mahavira has gone beyond the extremes of non-violence, because his main doctrine of non-violence considers even water has life. He presumes the sailing of ships and canoes suppressing water, as a sin. Since minor insects get killed when one breathe in and breathe out, he suggested to cover the nose and mouth with a piece of cloth. As a result of this, no follower of Jainism takes meat or fish and remains pure vegetarians. 125 Jesus denounces violence and injustice and announces the good news of non-violence. He calls to enter God's reign, which leads him to walk the narrow path of non-violence. He says, "You have learnt how it was said: 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I say to you, offer the wicked man no resistance. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also (Kohlenberger 5: 38-

41). The non-violent Jesus suffers torture and execution at the hands of the

Empire, yet remains centered in the God of love, forgiving and non-violent to the end. “You must love even your enemies”, declares Jesus. To his disciples

Jesus advises that there is nothing great about returning good for good; one must do good even to those who harm. In Jesus opinion, he is blest who is conscious of his faults; the one who sees the good in others is equally blest. So throughout his humiliation, torture and public execution, Jesus never yells, shows anger, threatens anyone, condemns anyone or says a word of violence, vengeance or retaliation.

He enters into universal compassion for the entire human race, in perfect solidarity. Jesus reaches the heights of non-violence by forgiving his executioners. He remains focused on the God of love, and appeals to God to forgive all. He says in effect,

You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate

your enemy; But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those

whose persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in

heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends 126 rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who

love you, what reward do you have? (Kohlenberger 5: 43-46).

Forgiveness had become his daily spiritual practice, a way of life for him, so that even as he was being killed, he could forgive. It had become second nature to him. Jesus on the cross says, "Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing" (Kohlenberger 23: 34). Forgiveness is at the heart of non- violence. It's an entry into the reign of peace and love. One can't enter into that realm of peace and love without forgiving everyone who has even hurt us.

In the modern times, Mahatma Gandhi is an outstanding personality who has worked out the theory of non-violence and applied it in mass movements in organized corporate fashion, and proved the validity of this value by successful campaigns in numerous difficult situations. Gandhi taught the aspect of non- violence to the people in many ways. The meaning of non-violence is that either in thought, word or deed one should not cause harm to others. Gandhi took a vow that, till the end of his life, he would follow this. He says,

I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and non-violence are as old

as the hills… The path of Truth and ahimsa is as narrow as it is straight.

To walk on it is like balancing oneself on the edge of a sword… The

slightest inattention brings one tumbling to the ground. One can realize

Truth and ahimsa only by ceaseless striving. (Richard ed. 4)

The Salt March of “Thandi” in 1930 was a vital step toward India’s independence from Britain. Gandhi, led the masses of India into a programme of massive disobedience to British law; what was most important to Gandhi, 127 however, was that Indians use neither violence nor hatred in their fight for freedom. The New York Telegram carried a report from Webb Miller, the special correspondent for the United Press. It reads,

In eighteen years of reporting in twenty-two countries, during which I

have witnessed innumerable civil disturbances, riots, street fights and

rebellions, I have never witnessed such harrowing scenes as at Dharasana.

The Western mind can grasp violence returned by violence, can

understand a fight, but is, I found, perplexed and baffled by the sight of

men advancing coldly and deliberately and submitting to beating without

attempting defense. Sometimes the scenes were so painful that I had to

turn away momentarily. (Richard 26)

The patriotic volunteers thoroughly imbibed the idea of Gandhi's nonviolence, and constantly stood at the mouths of risks submitting their dear life to the noble cause of freedom struggle. In 1947, after twenty-six years of non-violent struggle under Mahatma Gandhi's leadership, India won her political freedom from Britain. This was the first time in the history that a great empire had been persuaded by the non-violent resistance to grant freedom to one of its subject countries. The non-violent method is what eventually unified all Indians and gave them the necessary self-respect, self-reliance, courage and persistence, and also resulted in mutual respect and good feeling between Great Britain and

India at the end.

Mahatma Gandhi considered that non-violence was not simply a political tactics to face brutality and efficient tool in liberating his people from foreign 128 rule. On the other hand, the spirit of non-violence sprang from an inner realization of spiritual unity in himself. Mahatma exhorted, “Rivers of blood may have to flow before we gain our freedom, but it must be our blood” (King

29). He understood that suffering by practitioners of Ahimsa have the mysterious power of converting opponents who would otherwise refuse to listen.

Thus he reincarnated the ancient idea of Ahimsa, non-violence, as the only way of living in peace. Echoing Gandhi, Aldous Huxley asserts:

If violence is answered by violence, the result is a physical struggle. Now,

a physical struggle inevitably arouses in the minds of those directly and

even indirectly concerned in it emotions of hatred, fear, rage and

resentment. In the heat of conflict all scruples are thrown to the winds,

and all the habits of forbearance and humaneness, slowly and laboriously

formed during generations of civilised living, are forgotten. Nothing

matters any more except victory. And when at last victory comes to one

or other of the parties, this final outcome of physical struggle bears no

necessary relation to the rights and wrongs of the case: nor in most cases,

does it provide any lasting settlement to the dispute. (Huxley 159)

In The Harijan Gandhiji wrote, “As the means so the ends. There is no wall of separation between means and ends", and, "if one takes care of the means, the end will take care of itself" (Dey 82). For many followers of non- violence, it is considered as one of the rationale for it being the preferred method of political activism rests on more than a pragmatic assessment that it works better than other methods. It is good not only because it 'works' but also because 129 it is 'right.' These activists tend to see the aim of non-violence as persuasion and conversion of opponents, rather than coercion.

This way of non-violence influenced and inspired many later political campaigns, such as the civil rights movement of Martin Luther King, Jr. He has been much influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and Thoreau's

"Essay on Civil Disobedience." From his deep studies of Gandhi and his own experience, Martin Luther King Jr. developed a list of facts to help people understand non-violent resistance and join with him in his vision. He says.

“Another thing that we had to get over was the fact that the non-violent resister does not seek to humiliate or defeat the opponent but to win his friendship and understanding” (Melvin 12). In his opinion by non-violent resistance, one learns to avoid physical violence toward others and also learns to love the opponents with unconditional love (agape) – which is love given not for what one will receive in return, but for the sake of love alone. It is God flowing through the human heart. Agape is Ahimsa (Carman 110).

At the spiritual front, Swami Vivekananda points out the genesis of non- violence is from the cosmic conscience of oneness, he says, “Do not injure another, love everyone as your own self, because the whole universe is one. In injuring another, I am injuring myself, in loving another I am loving myself”

(V 3: 12). It holds out the lofty optimism in urging man that he can grow into godliness by becoming a humanist by non-violence. Thus a true religion is bound to embrace the whole cosmos within its fold. 130 Ironically, to Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the term non-violence does not bring any direct connotation to its meaning. In his opinion, Non-violence is the highest form of right living, the divine law which is the highest of all virtues. The principle of non-violence means the promotion of mutual love along with achieving and maintaining goals of peace and unity. It is the main feature which is a recognizable sign of being human. Through Ahimsa one refrains from violence released by passionate feeling of himself or herself. The non-violence is recognized by their patience. Impatience is the mother of violence. Violence is the sign of an animal nature. It is comparable to the disgraceful pride of those who swagger like bullies because they have the atom bomb which can reduce entire states and vast cities into ashes. Only those who base their action on the universal principle of God that dwells in every being and prompts every deed, thought and word, can deserve the gratitude of mankind. In short, according to

Baba,

The world is full of Himsa, and Nature does appear to be ‘red in tooth and

claw.’ But, if we bear in mind that the man is higher than the brute, then

is man superior to nature. If man has a divine mission to fulfill, a mission

that becomes him, it is that of ahimsa. (Deshpande comp. 25)

Sri Sathya Sai Baba is uninterested to call himself a visionary. He claims to be a practical idealist. In his vision, the religion of non-violence is not meant merely for Rishis and Saints; it is meant for the common people as well. He considers Non-violence as the law of human species, and violence as the law of brutes. The dignity of man requires obedience to a higher law, to strengthen the 131 spirit. Man as animal is violent, but as a Spirit is non-violent. The movement he awakes to the spirit within, he cannot remain violent. Either he progresses towards Ahimsa or rushes towards his doom. That is the reason why, Baba thinks that, the prophets have taught the lesson of truth, harmony, brotherhood, justice as the attributes of Ahimsa.

The roots of non-violence are also depending on other causes of mental aspirations. The admixture of good and evil, of human and inhuman encounters in the mind frame controls personality of human beings. Depending upon the values that are nurtured and reinforced, the characters are being built. Baba holds a view that the peace imposed by violence is not psychological peace but a suppressed conflict. It is unstable, for it contains the seeds of its own destruction.

The outer condition is not a true reflection of the inner condition. He mentions,

“When success is achieved by means of unrest and violence, it has to be preserved and prolonged only by further unrest and violence” (SSS 9: 44). But in peace secured by true non-violent resistance there is no longer any inner conflict; here the outer condition truly reflects the inner condition. In Baba’s opinion, what God loves more are the flowers blossoming on the tree of man’s own life, fed and fostered by his own skill and sincerity. They are the flowers of his virtues grown in the garden of his heart. Of these, the virtue of non-violence is the very first. This involves much more than abstention from harming living beings. One should desist from causing pain to any living being, not only by deeds, but even by words and thoughts, one should not entertain any idea of hurting another, or humiliating another. 132 Baba asks to be vigilant over the inputs of mind, which creates desires profitable and malice. He says,

Do not water and feed the tree of desire. Intolerance is the product of

anger, hate and envy. Try your best to suppress the first appearance of

anger. It does not come upon you unaware. The body becomes warm, the

lips twisted, the eyes redden - so, when you get the intimation, drink a

cup of cold water, sip it slowly, close the door and lie in bed, until the

seizure passes away, and you laugh at your own folly. This may appear

difficult, but you have to practise it. For the consequences of your

yielding to anger will be so disastrous that you will have to repent long

for them. (SSS 6: 114)

It is interesting to note what Jesus says about getting anger. Jesus says in the Bible, "You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: 'You must not kill; and anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court.' But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court"

(Kohlenberger 5: 21-22). Sri Sathya Sai Baba means it in another way that harm none even if one cannot love others, and not to hate them or feel envy. He advises to avoid misunderstanding the motives of others and scandalize them;

Pardon the other man’s fault but deal harshly with one’s own. If one cannot help another, at least let him/her avoid doing harm or causing pain. This itself is a great service to society, and an aspirant must cleanse and engage in own purification. This will bring out the strength and joy welling up within. 133 At a closer look, ahimsa becomes possible only with utter selflessness. It is evident from the civilization point of view that man is a natural product of his interaction with the environment. Hence, irrespective of his nature a man cannot escape from the mutual interactions with environment or society without expressing his happiness or anguish. As ahimsa is rooted in universal love, one must love all. Baba implies the meaning love through service with reference to the Biblical incident that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. When they asked him why he was doing so, Jesus answered that he was washing their feet as their servant, so that they might learn to serve the world in turn. Baba insists that love must be manifested as service to others and that service must take the form of food for the hungry, solace for the forlorn, and consolation for the sick and the suffering. Jesus wore himself out in such service to humanity.

If a man offers his love to one woman, or a woman to one man, for they believe the rest will be loved by the devil, then value ahimsa and service lose complete meaning. As a faithful wife willing sacrifice her all for the sake of her husband, and a faithful husband for the sake of his wife, cannot take them to the height of Universal Love. For they have created a boundary wall around their own love-relationship. The larger their attitude, the farther are they to Universal

Love and Ahimsa is practiced. Sri Sathya Sai Baba emphasizes that, “so long as the spirit is attached to the flesh, on every destruction of the body it weaves for itself another. The body will cease to be only when we give up all attachment to it.” The freedom from all attachments, exclusively from the body consciousness 134 makes a man feel free from the guilt of violence and leads to the realization of god.

The above argument “Love all” also leads to another view point in the sphere of the natural survival. The theory, popularly known as “The Survival of the fittest” holds a view that a species cannot thrive without hurting other single micro-organism. In the place where a man stands hurt millions of tiny organisms. Technological developments in the last two centuries have given us some tremendous capabilities to manipulate nature and its resources. As the scientific developments have evolved, so have the subtle and gross forms of violence. Many species have become extinct because their habitats have been turned into concrete towns. Each time one washes his clothes, reads the news paper, or visits a shopping mall contributes to this indirect form of violence, which is a gross form of violence. Violence against nature shows up as pollution of water, air and of earth. This is directly related to indiscriminate use of natural resources, which for the most part are non-renewable gifts. Every paper cup thrown away after a sip of water represents a plant destroyed and a river polluted. These are the examples of perpetual violence in the scientific era.

Clearly, some of it cannot be avoided, but consumption can be reduced to curb it. We can also show more sensitivity towards animals and nature.

Baba explains non-violence with many examples; If a dacoit cuts off one’s hand, it is himsa (violence), if a doctor amputates it, he saves your life and so it is ahimsa (non-violence). In another context Baba justifies the act of

Krishna, who wanted the peace of the world, and yet he encouraged the big 135 battle in which forty lakhs were killed. How can one name this either violence or non-violence? The question, Krishna himself gives an apt answer to Arjuna, “Let us take the case of a cancerous growth in the body, and this growth gives pain to the whole human body, although the growth itself is confined to a particular area. In the battle of Kurkshethra forty lakhs of disease-causing germs will be killed for the benefit of the world. In Baba’s view, the Lord can never design violence and blood-shed. Love is His instrument; non-violence is his message.

The Lord achieves the correction of the evil-minded through education and example. Hence the battle of Kurukshethra was a surgical operation and, therefore cannot be described as an act of violence. The surgeon saves life through beneficial use of knife. Baba also reminds of Gandhiji’s view of killing a suffering animal to explain it further; on one occasion, when Gandhi saw a calf suffering from pain; he could not bear it and advised the doctor to give an injection to end the life of the diseased calf. Thus, in order to help the suffering individual, one may sometimes tend to harm, out of love and compassion. This feeling of compassion and love for others arises by way of thinking all as one entity. Baba says, “The only way in which one can take the path of non-violence is to recognize oneness of the Atman that is present in all living beings and regard them as equal” (SSB 235).

In the battle field of Kurkshethra, when Arjuna feels of revulsion on general grounds of killing his own relatives, Lord Krishna reminds him that, in the absolute sense, there is no such act of killing, as Atman is the only reality.

This body is simply an appearance; its existence, its destruction, are alike 136 illusory. In the absolute sense, all types of killing or being killed is meaningless

(Pravrajika 96). Hence Baba explains that “the consciousness of body” is a way to the things of flesh, and one must become free from the burden of body by realizing the limitations of it, and by constantly feeding the consciousness of unlimited spirit.

Baba emphasizes the view that all the ills of this world; such as differences, contradictions, conflicts are due to the ignorance of the Indweller.

By this term he refers to the infinite consciousness of divinity within. The awareness of the Indweller is the only solution to the problems of present trouble-torn society. In his estimation, one should be endowed with divine strength. Godhead expresses itself initially as the five elements: the sky, the wind, the fire, the water and the earth. All creation is but a combination of two or more of these in varying proportions. The characteristic natures of these five elements are: sound, touch, form, taste and smell; cognized by the ear, the skin, the eye, the tongue and the nose. Now, since these are saturated with the divine, one has to use them reverentially and with humility and gratefulness. Baba asks to use them intelligently, to promote the welfare of the individual and the society; to use them with moderation and with the idea of loving service to the community, to all. So, the efficient use of them itself forms the real worship.

The body is equipped with mechanisms which ensure a steady degree of

warmth, beyond which or beneath which man cannot be healthy and

active. Nature is in essence Divinity itself. All this is Divine. All this is

God. So, tread softly, move reverentially, utilize gratefully. (Kamaraju 6) 137 Baba feels sad because the mind instead of enjoying the blissful, non- dual, eternal state of the “indweller”, is behaving as a killer of the initiatives abstaining the spirit emanates from within. The mind traversing outward is the killer of one’s own happiness and dynamism as well as the enthusiasm of any other person with whom one mingles. Therefore he cautions that one should ever be vigilant and careful of this killer mind, which is outward, dual, desire- oriented, ego-centered and materialistic. This killer mind is like a pendulum moves from one end of pride to the other of distress. If a person gets the pride of winning glory or gains reputation, triumphs of undertakings; the mind becomes egotistic in pride. He says,

You must now concentrate on the illness from which are suffering and on

its cure, foolishness, egoism and sheer ignorance and the causes of the

misery of man today. The eye, the ear and the tongue are leading man to

anxiety and malice, instead of making him the messenger of peace and

harmony intellect is the root of pride and envy (SSS 2: 89)

On the other hand in case of failure, loss, defeat or censure, the pendulum moves to the other end of indifference, dejection and depression.

According to Baba, one should first try to see goodness in others, find merit in their achievements, admire the God-given talents to them and learn to share other’s joy and happiness. One should be lavish in praise and sparing in blame of others. This is the first step towards our journey to the Atman. So long a person suffers from superiority complex; he is egoistic, self-centered and selfish. Then it becomes impossible to know and experience the inner spirit; the 138 Atman in our limited life-time, No matter whatever spiritual path one may follow, this sort of psychological weakness blinds everyone, and so he or she cannot recognize, appreciate, acknowledge outstanding talents or merits of others.

As a result, people often have lack of spirit of appreciation. They even pass discouraging comments and try to pull down a person, who is creative, innovative and constructive in his chosen field of work. In other words, such people kill others psychologically. Perhaps, a timely recognition, a pat on the back, an act of encouragement may prevent many a psychological violence and pay a good incentive. On contrary, the opposing acts amount to psychological violence; thus, a person feels frustrated, disappointed dejected and neglected.

Thus, the way a scientist, a statesman, a writer, a musician, an artist, a researcher may find himself lost.

To attain this experience of inner spirit, one must have the psychic temperament of positive attitude. Baba tells repeatedly, “seek out your own faults and others’ merits.” He reminds that “one has to be judged by the merits and not faults.” Body attachment, utter selfishness, excessive desires, exaggerated estimation of one’s own ability and capacities, desire to avoid and detest even healthy competition, meaningless rivalry etc., may be some of the reasons for the absence of spirit of appreciation. One should not hurt anyone with words, thoughts and deeds, because the infinite God is in everyone, therefore “I am in God himself.” 139 Baba quotes examples from the epic The Ramayana that no woman bears the name of Kaikeyi (step mother of Lord Rama) as her weakness to listen to her servant’s words led to the death of King Dasaratha and the exile of Rama.

Similarly, Manthara is known for speaking ill of others. Her words spoiled the mind of Kaikeyi. Therefore, no woman bears the name of Manthara. No man would like to be called Duryodhana. For he is known for his wicked thoughts, envy and evil desires. Therefore he opines the idea of shunning away from the perverted impressions of the senses by listening, seeing, and thinking, that will take away our attitude of understanding the self. He says, “Do not add fuel to the fire of the senses. Detach the mind from the temporary and attach it to the eternal” (SSS 2: 28). He calls them as blocks, the speed breakers, and hindrances for the perception of the spirit. These tendencies ruin a man psychologically and often lead to commit mistakes.

Baba exhorts that the tendencies are modifications of the mind. He argues that if a murderer is sentenced to death, the punishment is given to the body alone. But in fact it is the evil mind which is the root cause of the crime that is to be punished. Unless the mind prompts, no one will carry out any evil deed. The court and laws punish the body as an indication to punish the mind, considering a person can be arrested physically, but not mentally.

Parallel to the above idea, Baba disapproves the impression of fasting on certain auspicious and sacred occasions. A devotee feels that he has become spiritual by an act of fasting, which he calls the spiritual Sadhana (a religious rite). He disapproves to the claim and argues that if a person on a long travel 140 skips the food cannot be taken that he has made a spiritual Sadhana. Baba says, the mind should fast or starve by not entertaining any worldly thought, if it is so, then it can be called a spiritual Sadhana. He quotes the attitude of Shirdi Sai

Baba, who never encouraged anybody to fast. The significance of fasting is to be with God, the inner self. According to him, “fasting is to be exercised with respect to the senses and not the body.”

Sensation and perceptions are said to be providing the data, the basic material on which an individual builds his conceptual systems. Baba, hence, cautions the need for constant watchfulness over mind as it is the root cause of all the miseries. He worries about the safety of mind as it yields so quickly to the fruits of envy, greed, malice, and other destroying virtues. He allegorically puts this idea as,

A tree is justified by fragrant flowers bringing forth sweet fruits. If on the

other hand, its leaves get dry and its flowers fade and the fruits refuse to

grow an agriculturist will examine the roots and discover that they are

eaten up by pests or white ants. So, too, the roots of divinity must have

been destroyed or harmed if a man’s virtues do not blossom and yield

sweet fruits. Envy, Greed, Malice – these pests destroy the roots quickly.

(SSS 5: 77)

In his view, life is a campaign against foes. It is a battle with obstacles, temptations, hardships and hesitations. These foes are within man and so, the battle has to be constantly fought. Like the virus that thrives on the blood stream, 141 the vices of lust, greed, hate, malice, pride and envy disturb the mental health of man and reduce him to untimely fall. He quotes an example from Ramanayana,

Ravana had scholarship strength, wealth, power, authority, the grace of

god… but, the virtue of lust and pride which lodged in his mind brought

about his destruction. Despite all his attainments, he could not dwell in

peace and joy for a moment after. (SSS 5:180)

Mere non-killing is not enough. Perhaps ahimsa should go hand in hand with seeking of truth. Baba has the view of Ahimsa intertwined with truth which is practically impossible to disentangle and separate them from one another.

They are like the two sides of a coin; unpredictably one is obverse, and other is reverse. Nevertheless, in his opinion, ahimsa is the means; truth is the end. As the means is within our reach ahimsa becomes our supreme duty to be performed. If a seeker of truth takes care of the means, he/she is bound to reach the end sooner or later. If this vital point is grasped well, the final victory is beyond question. Whatever difficulties one is forced, he should not give up the quest for truth which alone leads to God.

However in reality, man is the destructive force to himself. He injures himself more than he injures others. T.S.Eliot in his Murder in the Cathedral explains the catastrophic condition of man vividly,

This man is obstinate, blind, intent

On self-destruction,

Passing from deception to deception,

From grandeur to grandeur to final illusion, 142 Lost in the wonder of his own greatness,

The enemy of society, enemy of himself. (600-610)

Baba concerns more on self-destruction than injury of others. Man kills his own sensitiveness of Consciousness by mere following up of senses. Technically, though mind is different from the sense organs, man practises the mind to blindly follow the senses, and eventually makes it an another tool of senses. As a result, whatever the pleasures he obtained through the senses, he begins to obtain from the mind level. Hence the mind loses its originality and distinctiveness.

Supposing if a man derives pleasure of by seeing a scenery; using his eyes, later his mind begins to visualize the same in the mental level and derives the pleasure; thereby he converts his mind into an another sensual organ. Though this expansion of mind is appreciable, there is a possibility of human fall in which the man concludes that mind and body are the only elements to be understood and experienced. In such case, if the perception of mind is healthy goodness follows; if unhealthy, evil results in. In this context Baba says,

Love; do not hate or harm. Even mosquitoes can pride themselves on the

capacity to injure and harm, and cause disease! Bugs can do likewise; so

if you feel proud of the skill to harm, you are only demeaning yourselves.

Love and serve; that is the best spiritual striving, that will reward you

most. You should not give room for impurity or pollution in the heart.

You can make your life sacred by following the golden rule: ‘help ever,

hurt never.’ (Woodward and Farmer 56) 143 In his opinion, the negative attitude kills the initiative, creativity and blurs the vision such that goodness and talents in others are not noticed and ignored.

Negative attitude in one way may be taken as a psychological anomaly. It is surely detrimental to progress, advancement in life, and deprives one's peace and happiness. In spite of all possessions and achievements, if one has a negative attitude they become futile, because he will not be able to establish good rapport with anyone. Trust and faith find no place in a person with a negative attitude.

Mental agitations, disturbances, doubt, restlessness and suspicion haunt a person with a negative attitude and sometimes the mind loses its balance, consequently the temper is lost. There is a constant misapprehension and misunderstanding of any event and person. Self-confidence is out of question. Such a man feels diffident and cannot readily embark on any new project or venture. Like this umpteen things can be said basing on our observation of a man with a negative attitude. Hence, he has to alienate his mind from the senses, and focus it on his real nature; therefore the pure mind becomes “transparent” and become one with the real self Atman.

In the Nivritti marga (inward path), mind turned inwards leads to the awareness of the Self, and all the instruments of the individual, body, mind and intellect are minimal and negligible. Very soon the seeker comes to know that the 'ultimate reality' is the 'indweller' whom he wants to experience and that all the instruments he is gifted with like body, mind, senses and intellect function only if the ‘indweller' dwells within. He says, “Ahimsa is another facet of Sathya

(Truth). When once you are aware of the kinship of all the beings, the 144 fundamental Atmic Unity and their oneness with God, you will not knowingly cause pain or distress to another” (SSS 7:46).

This experience of mind’s transparency Ralph Waldo Emerson makes a point in his work “Nature”;

We return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in

life,  no disgrace, no calamity (leaving me my eyes), which nature

cannot repair. Standing on the bare ground,  my head bathed by the

blithe air, and uplifted into infinite spaces,  all mean egotism vanishes. I

become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the

Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God. (279)

This experience of being a transparent is what Baba often insists to be free from the influence of sense organs. “Do not add fuel to the fire of the senses. Detach the mind from the temporary and attach it to the eternal” (SSS

2:28).

The experience of becoming transparent, Baba explains with an example,

if a silver tumbler is in front of us, we concentrate on the silver, and do

not see the tumbler there. If we are mindful of the wood, we do not see

the table which is made of wood. In a garland if you are particular of the

thread that runs through all the flowers, the colour and the fragrance of

the flowers fall insignificant. So also, applying the same principle here,

awareness of the Atman as the sole motivating force that propels, vibrates

and directs every activity in our life… 145 By making the inner divine spirit as the centre of all energy, a man no longer feels himself the body, mind or intellect.

Practice of Ahimsa

Baba looks at the world as a huge hospital and humanity is bedridden.

Some are suffering with pain of envy, some are bloated with pride, some are losing sleep through hate, some have become blind through miserliness, some are struck down by selfishness; everyone has some illness or other. They have gratitude to the doctors who diagnose their diseases and prescribe remedies. It is not enough, he says, if one learns the prescription by heart or read the label on the bottle three times a day or visit the hospital every day. Praising the doctor or worshipping him might be good, but the illness can be treated only by taking the drug and obeying the restrictions on food and drink and other such habits. He says,

You must now concentrate on the illness from which are suffering and on

its cure, foolishness, egoism and sheer, ignorance and the causes of the

misery of man today. The eye, the ear and the tongue are leading man to

anxiety and malice, instead of making him the messenger of peace and

harmony (SSS 2:71).

Baba then suggests the ways to practise non-violence by different methods; Abstaining from anger, optimistic attitude, tolerance, and partaking of

Satvic foods are some of the methods he proposes for the practice of non- violence. By moderating and modulating habits of eating and drinking, one can 146 lay the foundation for spiritual life. One must prefer Sathvic to Rajasic foods. By drinking intoxicating stuff, one loses control over the emotions and passions, the impulses and instincts, the speech and movements, and one even descends to the level of beasts. By eating flesh one develops violent tendencies and animal instincts. The mind becomes more stubborn when one indulges in Rajasic food.

Just as people use various routes from various villages and towns to reach a place, all have to reach the source peace, for there alone one can get the Ananda without which there is no peace (SSS 5: 21).

He says, “Talk sweet without anger. Do not boast of your scholarship or attainments. Be humble, eager to serve; conserve your speech. Practise silent that will save you from squabbles, idle thoughts and factions” (SSS 2: 39). Love is a simple word with a profound meaning. It is an attitude extended to next living being, as an act of losing oneself to others. Baba’s emphasis on love is immense as he held the ideal “Love all; Serve all.” In this context Baba quotes the action of St. John of the Bible that once he punished one of his brother disciples. Jesus appeared in his dream and questioned him for the reason why he had punished his brother disciple. He further told him that hurting by any means is equivalent to hurting Him. So Baba says that one should understand this truth that any harm caused to a fellow being is harming one’s own Divinity. Therefore one should cultivate the spirit of oneness.

He finds love is the source of non-violence; which resists from developing jealousy or hatred. In the present day, in his opinion, all grades and groups of people throughout the world resort to violence, and hatred in order to 147 satisfy their desires and demands, bringing about fear, anxiety, panic, and revolution. He emphasizes, “so gains will be greater and more lasting if the path of love, tolerance and peace is followed” (SSS 9: 43). According to Baba Love and non-violence are related. Love is more encompassing and promotes non- violence. However, even if love is not possible, one can certainly refrain from hurting others. To be friendly towards all beings is the duty of everyone, since the same God resides in all beings. Comprehending this truth, it is the duty of everyone born as a human being to do good to others on the basis of love. The more one loves others the greater the joy the experience will be. On contrast the more one develops hatred, the more miserable one’s life will be. If one abuses others, it will amount to abusing one’s own self. Sri Sai Baba suggests the immediate practice of Ahimsa in daily life in a humble way;

But you can begin with little things; you can avoid causing annoyance to

others, is it not? Even if you are unable or unwilling to do service to

others, at least, if you desist from causing harm, that is a meritorious

service indeed! For example, take the words you speak. I always say

purification of words leads on quiet talk, sweet talk and little talk; on

harmonious talk; no anger, no heat, no hate. Such talk will cause no

quarrel, no blood-pressure and no factions. It will promote mutual respect

and love. Then again, do not cynically laugh at the good that others do or

at the spiritual practices of others. Inquire, but do not insult. Respect the

sincerity of the other man; respect also elders and men with more

experiences than you. In company behave in a well-mannered way, 148 showering brotherhood and joy on all around you. (Woodward and

Farmer 56)

According to Sri Sathya Sai Baba there is nothing easier in the world than the spiritual path, which must be followed in the form of loving service. He narrates this idea with an anecdote that there was a government officer who used to sport an impressive moustache. One day when he was going to his office, he passed by a man who was lying on the road, having been injured in an accident.

He went on without rendering any help to the injured man, while a woman rushed in to his aid. In the office he reflected over his conduct and felt ashamed that he had failed to help an injured man while a woman has gone to help him.

Feeling that he had behaved in an unmanly way, he removed his moustache, which he believed that it was sign of manliness. When he went to the officers club the next day, the members noticed the strangeness in his face and asked him what accounted for it. He confessed that he had failed to act as a true human being and had forfeited the right to call himself a man. From that day, he dedicated his life to social service.

By narrating this he suggests that one may do rural service or serve the flood victims, but these cannot be termed as service in its true sense if it is done with a mechanical attitude. One should serve with the feeling that he/she is serving the God, for God is omnipresent. The best way to love God is to love all and serve all; then the appropriate reward for all actions will be granted by the

God. So, all the service activities are to be performed without expecting any reward. Duty is God. Divinity will manifest once duty is performed with 149 sincerity. It is a mistake to consider oneself as devotee if he/she undertakes service activities expecting something in return. The service has to be rendered with the feeling that God is present in all.

Ahimsa Paramo Dharma – Non-violence is the most meritorious deed. non-violence is an alternate name for Truth and Love. By following non- violence one achieves Love. Hence, “Love all”, says Baba,

Do not develop jealousy or hatred. At the present day, all grades and

groups of people all over the world resort to violence by hatred in order to

satisfy their desires and demands, bringing about fear, anxiety, panic, and

revolution. The gains through such tactics are not much; the gains will be

greater and more lasting if the path of love, tolerance and peace is

followed. (SSS 9: 43)

Further Baba advocates harmony among God’s devotees, and desist them from religious fanaticism.

Vishnu is Jaganatha at Puri; At Kasi Siva is Visweshwara; where then, is

any room for rivalry between those who worship at Kasi? Vishnu is

Gopala (protector of cows) and Siva is Pasupathi (Master of Cows) still,

the innate urge to fight comes up in the heart of man and he uses

the names of the lord as excuses for provoking the fighting he relishes.

(SSS 2: 89)

He condemns the narrowness of religious fanaticism, which emerges from the ignorance on God’s real nature. 150 To conclude, it shall be worth mentioning here the usefulness of non- violence in all circumstances. Christ says that if somebody hits on the right cheek, one need to turn his left cheek to him. Does it mean that he is afraid to do otherwise? Is cowardice the same thing as non-violence? It must be noted that

Gandhi often says that non-violence is meant for the strong and not for the weak.

Swami Lokeswarananda in his work Practical Spirituality makes a note of it and explains this complexity with an anecdote. Buddha once happened to come across Augulimala – the much feared head-hunter of the time. Augulimala wondered that Buddha was not afraid of him. Buddha pointed out that he had no reason to be afraid of him. Buddha knew that so long as he was honest and just, nothing could harm. The courage he had was the courage that came from this conviction. Further he believed that Augulimala was not brave; If Augulimala went about hurting other people, it was because he was a coward, a weak man who was afraid of other people’s strength, courage, and moral virtues. If the dacoit felt somebody were superior to him, he would be in no haste to kill others (57).

The whole thrust of Hindu teaching is towards helping a man grow in the manner best suited to his nature. Krishna knew that Arjuna, a Kshatriya

(a warrier), wanted to fight, but he was feeling nervous and was therefore trying to pose as a generous person who did not want to hurt anybody. Krishna saw this and called upon him to be himself.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba maintains the same view as Krishna; he holds, “At every level individual has a particular dharma according to their place in life. 151 Children have a dharma, parents have a dharma, teachers have a dharma, the police have a dharma and even the head of a nation has a dharma” (SSS 4: 68).

According to Baba non-violence is not merely avoiding violence. It is only another name of love, love which makes no distinction between friend and foe.

This is the highest ideal that any religion has preached. Love brings people together; hatred drives them apart. One cannot be happy, if success is achieved by means of unrest and violence, because it has to be preserved and prolonged only by further unrest and violence (SSS 9: 44). Hence according to Baba, turning other-cheek to the enemy is not out of cowardice, but out of love.

Violence or hurt caused to others can be physical, or through words that sting. It also exists as the ill-feeling towards others, because thoughts lead to actions. Nothing good can come out of these feelings. The true non-violence is not hurting with thoughts, words and deeds. This is possible when vices like anger, jealousy and egoism has been given up, and the virtues of truth, love and peace have taken root. Non-violence is deep rooted when the world is seen through the eye of unity, interdependence and connectivity; not only mankind but also the animal kingdom and nature. Baba says,

Although we lock our front doors to isolate ourselves and have separate

bank accounts, we breathe the same air, drink water that comes down

with the same rain, eat vegetables that use the same sun-light, and drive

cars using gasoline from the same oil fields. If there was true non-

violence and no selfishness, we could live in an inconceivable world, 152 where there would neither be the need for separate bank accounts, nor the

necessity to lock our front doors. (Somenath 271)

At the same time, the contemporary world offers many necessary ingredients for a violence-free, harmonious existence. Comparatively speaking, during the periods of Roman Empires, while the technology was not well developed, without the slaves those grand old monumental structures would not have been constructed. As a result an estimated one-third of the populations in that empire were slaves, and invasions were necessary to generate a steady supply of them. The Romans had no choice but to be violent and militaristic.

However, the contemporary world can achieve prosperity without that level of violence because machines can replace the labour of slaves. Besides, the modern economic policies can ensure fairer distribution of wealth. There is no doubt that the humans have come together all across the globe, and politics has become sophisticated with the introduction of democracy. Tribes and kingdoms don’t invade each other as often as they used to. Now the violence among nations appears as unfair trade policies, economic exploitation by political manipulation.

At personal levels, differences are settled in the court of law rather than through physical violence. However, violence or harming others emotionally and financially continue, they are considered as major components of competitiveness of the current age.

The ultimate collective human achievement would be the peace with each other, and with nature. Non-violence is the key to harmony among individuals, religious/ethnic groups, and nations. Non-violence is a way of life, and the goal 153 should be its perfection. As the human race evolves in the scientific era, so should non-violence be growing in sensitivity towards fellow humans and the world at large.

This chapter has therefore critically viewed at the principles of Ahimsa in the perspective of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The style of his language is going to be analysed elaborately in the next chapter. Chapter V

THE STYLE OF HIS LANGUAGE

Sri Sathya Sai Baba communicates with his devotees through discourses, letters, books and articles. He has written in simple and elegant, colloquial

English prose. His speech is always extempore, his ideas receiving expression as mellifluous poems and songs showering exquisite delight. His script is reminiscent of charming monastic artistry; the lines are straight and parallel, resembling floral garlands spread out upon a paper. Each sentence, and behind each phrase and clause lies a form like a poem that carries wisdom. Thus Baba’s message enables his followers to benefit from the wisdom that has come to confer.

Baba has brought out a few magazines and many publications in his life time. These have disseminated his ideals to the readers of the world. His writings in general have made a great impact on the readers. The authentic writing, abundant spiritual ideas and variety have amazed everyone. Besides viewing the application of language by him, the chapter also explores the experiences and the transformations of the readers’ minds of his time and even after.

Narrative Style

M.H. Abrams rightly remarks that “Style” is the manner of linguistic expression in prose or verse—it is how a speaker or writer says whatever he 155 wants to express (181). The characteristic style of a work or a writer may be analyzed in terms of diction, or characteristic choice of words; its sentence structure and syntax; the density and types of its figurative language; the patterns of its rhythm and of its component sounds; and its rhetorical aims and devices.

New Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary describes that narrative is a telling of some true or fictitious event or “ordered account of connected events”, recounted by a narrator. Narratives are to be distinguished from descriptions of qualities, states, or situations, and also from dramatic enactments of events. A narrative consists of a set of events of the story recounted in a process of narration, in which the events are selected and arranged in a particular order which is called the plot. The category of narratives includes the shortest accounts of events and the longest historical or biographical works, diaries, travelogues, etc., as well as novels, ballads, epics, short stories, and other fictional forms. In the study of fiction, it is usual to divide novels and shorter stories into first person narratives and third person narratives.

As an adjective, “narrative” is characterized by or relating to storytelling.

Narrative technique is the method of or the style of telling stories. Literally,

“narrative” is conveying some ideas, concepts, events, series of events or incidents through stories, songs, poetry, speech, fiction and non-fiction as well

(Abrams 182). When in the writing mode, its telling is relegated to a special person; it becomes a technique used by that person. This narrator’s perspective serves as a prism through which ideas are transmitted to the readers. Narrative 156 technique is vastly an aesthetic enterprise. A narrator detains the past, holds present and prepares the readers and or listeners for future.

Narrative Technique

The criticism on his narrative technique has been analysed to support the discussion. The heading “Narrative Technique” deals with the skilful methods used by Sri Sathya Sai Baba to make his works alluring and interesting the audience. Many outstanding presentations have been observed by the devotees in his life time. His discourses were well attended by a large number of audiences, and his writings were published in plenty of volumes reaching out millions of people. He regularly contributed articles to the monthly Sanathana Sarathi. As a narrator, Baba delivered his lofty ideals prolifically in simple diction; his choice of words, similes, rhythm, anecdotes, hymns, stories, and epic accounts are figurative and enterprising to the audience. His writing is equally attractive and makes lasting impressions on the mind of the readers and listeners. Most of his letters are soothing, complimenting and prophesying. His followers feel that Sri

Sathya Sai Baba had showered his grace on millions of people through his writings and lectures from the beginning of his saintly life. He has presented many discourses till his end of mortal life. His speech carried different kinds of divine, comic stories, and mystical elements in his discourses.

Generally, the Rhetoricians make discourses on a wide variety of subjects or else they cannot speak informatively and attractively to the mass. They study deeply including the natural and social sciences, fine art, religion, journalism, fiction, history, architecture, politics and the law. Many contemporary 157 approaches treat rhetoric as human communication that includes purposeful and strategic manipulation of symbols. But in the case of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, he stopped his schooling, when he was at the age of fourteen. Neither he read books nor he was taught by any teacher. He seems to be wisdom-incarnate. He is a poet, pandit, linguist, educationist, writer, artist and a mystic – the best in each field. In fact he proved to be a versatile personality. In his discourses and his writings he quotes freely from the Bible, Koran, Poems of Sufis, the dialougues of Socrates, the Sayings of Johnson, the Dicta of Herbert Spencer, Immanuel

Kant, Karl Marx, and from the myths and legends of ancient culture. He quotes

From Upanishads and reveals new significances in the utterances of the Sages.

The capability of Sri Sathya Sai Baba is being revealed through his attempts to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations.

T. Padma exposes the spiritual experiences of Baba ‘s discourses as follows:

Baba like the true Sanathana Sarathi that he has encapsulated for our

benefit, in his innumerable spiritual discourses, the essence of ancient

Indian Vedic and Upanishad lore. He wants his devotees to be torch-

bearers not for any sectarian dogmas, but, for universal humanism, the

pivotal principle behind his religion of love. (16)

While, Samuel H. Sandweiss ventilates the teaching of Baba,

Sathya Sai Baba has entered onto the world stage during this dark time to

relive and retell timeless teachings of love. Without an understanding of

our own divinity, we think that the external world brings lasting peace

and joy, and we taste it and become absorbed in the material, sensory, and 158 social worlds. We get trapped in the ever tightening coils of the external

world, unaware that all peace, power, and love and compassion comes

again to whisper the sweet secret to safety and peace. His compassion,

expressed through his tireless service to mankind, inspires us to love God

and each other, and to be good. His teachings are timeless guideposts for

the true seeker. His love captures our hearts and immerses us in the

eternal. (Holy 15)

Four phases of his speech

The printed words are abstract. It is impersonal. It is not rooted in memory, but slides away. There is a correlation between one’s words and thoughts. With his appearance, the audible voice, the persuasiveness and passion with which he spoke the words has definitely enticed the people who hear his preaching. And then there is the environment. Reading is usually done alone, while Speaking is communal; many hundreds or thousands share the immediate enthusiasm of a discourse. All of these allow the spoken word to pass from the level of simple understanding to the depths of our feelings and souls.

The First Phase

Baba’s gentle awakening of people consciousness to a state of oneness with his divinity follows a four-phased pattern. In the first phase he attracts people through his comic elements, second one with ironic elements, the third using mystical elements and in the fourth phase by using illustrations. 159 To attract the people Baba used the comic elements, which are Baba’s unique feature. Sri Sathya Sai Baba generally gives maximum importance to first-hand experiences and warns that one should accept a speaker’s words only when one is sure that the speaker is talking out of his own personal and direct experience. Mere discharge of words does not ensure the utterance of truth, while preaching Baba used to tell comical stories to substantiate his point of arguments. For instance while instructing to believe one’s own consciousness, he says,

A seeker going from one guru to another is like a rat caught in the drum.

When the drummer beats the right side of the drum the rat runs to the left

side, and when the musician beats the left side, the rat runs to the right

side, and when the musician beats the left side, the rat runs to the right

side. Instead of frittering away time in such pointless “running”, every

aspirant should listen to the voice of Sai welling up from one’s own

conscious. (Padma 9)

To convey the messages effectively Baba often used his sense of humour through his comic anecdotes and stories; which are Baba’s special features. The following is one such examples of his sense of humour on a serious theme.

Once there was a hunter who had captured a baby bear and who brought it

up as his pet with great love and care. The bear too reciprocated his love

and behaved like a good friend for many years. One day, when he was

traversing the jungle with his pet, which had grown up into a Betty beast,

he felt overcome by sleep; so he laid himself down on the grass, asking 160 the bear to see that he is not disturbed. The bear kept watch very

vigilantly. It noticed a fly that flew round and round and settled on the

nose of the master. The fly went off when it waved its thick heavy hand;

but, it came again, and settled on the nose. The bear got enraged when

repeated waves of the hand did not teach the fly the lesson that his

master’s nose was not the fly’s resting place. At last, the bear could not

bear the insolence any longer! His heavy palm comes down with a thump

on the nose, with a devastating whack! The master died on the spot! That

is the consequence of keeping company with the wild and the foolish.

However affectionate they are, their ignorance will land you into disaster.

(SSS 4: 123)

Justifies Baba’s narration as follows,

Baba began, as usual, with a sweet song that gave the motif of his coming

discourse, and then spoke on an aspect of the Vedas, explaining the

deeper meanings, and their application to life, through the use of parables

and analogies. This constant use of little stories to throw light on great

truths is in the tradition of some other great world-teachers, such as the

Buddha, Jesus and Ramakrishna. (Murphet, Avadar 52-53)

There is another story to understand Baba’s skill of preaching with comic sense. While preaching on the topic of love, he used to tell the following tale that,

In a dark night when Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi were journeying

through the sky; they saw a man perched on the branch of a tree, about to 161 fall on the ground through sheer exhaustion of limbs. Parvathi pleaded on

his behalf and wanted Shiva to save him; and Shiva preferred that she

should save man instead! Mean while, the fall became imminent and so

they decided that if while falling the man shout Amma (the mother) he

would be saved by the Goddess, and if he shouted to call Appa (the

father) the Lord would help him to save that no bone is broken: But the

men fell shouting neither by calling Amma nor Appa, but he yelled Ayyo;

meaning ‘alas’, and so he has been left severely alone! (SSS 5: 157).

Thus there are many comical elements in Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s speech not only to make us laugh, but also think divine. Baba often says that his illustrations in discourses are to attract the devotees and encourage the devotees to realize his divinely advices in a humble way. Through his humour Baba delineates between what is and should be, between illusion and reality, between the actions and professions of a man. A true humorist aims at the entertainment or amusement of his readers, and Baba does so by exposing and rectifying the human follies and foibles.

On the serious note, in his opinion, man is suffering because he cannot get rid of himself from the greed of sense objects and sense pleasure, or Vishaya-

Vasana. He knows that he has to give up whatever he earns and collects, sooner or later; but, yet, his attachment waxes instead of waning. As the years go by if even man on earth could take with him on death even a handful of mud from the earth, there would have been nothing much left and mud would have been rationed at so many ounces per head! When people forget the one and run after 162 the many, dharma declines; for there can be no love, no sacrifice, no detachment in human affairs then. Therefore, according to Baba the divinity takes the human form and comes among men, to restore the sense of values; one may ask, why should the lord himself incarnate? Why can he not set about the task of restoring dharma through the many minor gods he has at his command? This question was posed before the courtier by Akbar himself, for he, laughed at the Hindu idea of the formless adopting form, and descending into the world, as an Avatar to save dharma. Tansen asked for a week’s time to furnish the answer and got it granted by his imperial majesty. A few days later, when he was in the pleasure boat of the emperor sailing across the lake with his family, Tansen cleverly threw over board a doll made to look like the emperor’s little son, crying at the same time,

“the prince has fallen into the water!” Hearing this, the Emperor jumped into the lake to rescue his son! Tansen then disclosed that it was only a doll and that the son was safe. He relieved the anger of Akbar by explaining that he had perforce to enact this drama, in order to demonstrate the truth of the Hindu belief that god takes human form, himself, to save dharma without commissioning some other entity to carry out that task – dharma is as the son, god loves it so dearly. Akbar could have ordered one among the many personnel he had on board, to jump in and rescue his son; but, his affection was so great and the urgency so acute a tragedy; the intensity of affection that the lord has for good man is so great, that he himself comes, the lord is love itself. He comes in human form so that one can talk to him, move with him, serve him; and achieve him, so that one can recognize his kinship with him (SSS 5: 188). In the words of Anil Kumar 163 Kamaraju, “Thus swami told many kinds of illustrated examples in his discourses. So they were no difficulties to understand of Baba’s mystic philosophies” (23).

Baba refers to mystics of nature in his divine discourses that made his devotees admired on his intellectual wisdom. It is one fine narration of Baba on mystics of nature:

who painted the beak of the parrot red, fixed to the green body? What a

beautiful contrast it is! Who painted beautifully the feathers of the

peacock? How it is the running brooks flow forth with sounds of music?

Why should the wind blow for all the living to breathe and be sustained?

How is it that the stars glitter at night and hide during the day? Who made

day and night in the creation? Under whose command these things happen

in unfailing precision and regularity? (Kamaraju 23-24)

To attract the people he used to say Ironical elements in discourses. In one of the discourses Baba made four statements on one occasion. He says,

When you break a coconut in the temple, you should feel that your

egoism is broken too. The coconut offering is not made, so that god may

consume the kernel. It is a symbol of the destruction of Ahamkara, which

has to be split into two at one stroke the stroke of wisdom. When do you

get that effect? When does coconut break at one stroke? When the fibrous

cover of the shell is removed, is it not? So too man must remove the

fibrous matter that encases his heart… Lust, anger, envy and the rest of

the wicked brood. Man is the repository of vast power; he is no weakling. 164 It is the vicious tendencies that make him weak, the Dur-vasanas, as they

are called. Draw inspiration from the Divine in you and you earn the

glory of being good, sincere, honest, self-sacrificing, loveable, Hear good

things, see good, do good, think good, then, all the evil tendencies will be

uprooted. (SSS 4: 19)

In India the great truths enunciated in the path of spirituality long before the Buddha, and have been taught and practised, by enlightened teachers since his time. Baba proclaims the same message today with a little technicality, which is, in essence, that one must overcome his ego-centered desires and attachments, and strive through right knowledge, right action and speech, self-inquiry and a deep inward journey – to reach the realization of our unity with that which lies beyond all things as the present world knows them. It makes no difference whether this ultimate goal is called as nirvana, dharmakaya, Brahman, or the spiritual absolute.

The Buddha’s teachings take us to the hall of truth through what Aldous

Huxley called the lower door. With a bare minimum of philosophical explanation, the Buddha gave the rules for living. By following these faithfully, aspirants will eventually reach deeper understanding. Sai Baba opines that by listening to discourses and practising spiritual disciplines one must certainly accomplish a great deal of benefit to oneself. Because Baba knows far better that the vast majority of people need something to worship, so for a time dualism is necessary to them. At, or near, the end of the long journey, they will realize that the God they loved and worshipped can be identified with the divine spark 165 in oneself; until that wisdom and power far beyond their own self-image. So

Swami adds a spoke of Bhakthi to the wheel for the arduous journey - that is faith in God. And, for those on the Sai-Bhakthi Path, the hub of the wheel is love

(Murphet, Walking 140).

The Second Phase

In the second phase devotees are spiritually cleansed by a regulated life of discipline, prayer and meditation. This is the stage refinement of a person’s mindset. Rhetoric is an art of discourse. With this Sri Sathya Sai Baba attempts to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situation. With the publication of Sanatha Sarathi, Baba has encapsulated the essence of ancient

Indian Vedic and Upanishadic lores in his innumerable spiritual writings and lectures for the benefit of his devotees. He wants his devotees to be torch-bearers not for any sectarian dogmas, but, for universal humanism, the pivotal principle behind his religion of love. Padma delineated clearly about the speech of Baba as, “Thus Baba’s speech always contains innumerable divinely meanings and it leads us to eternity. Though Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s discourses have many dialectics they have treasures in them like the ocean which has pearls in it”

(101).

Third Phase

In the third phase devotees are helped by the discourses of Sri Sathya Sai

Baba to live rather as philanthropist than self-interested and self-centered. He 166 asks his devotees to serve the fellow human beings till they forget the idea that they are actually doing service to others. Baba says that the concept of

“otherness” should be wiped out from the mind as god is the indweller in all people and so service to anyone is in reality service to god, which in practice becomes second nature to the devotees, so that they will reach the fourth phase – the realization of God. Baba’s simple ethics like “help ever, hurt never”, “work is worship”, “the hands that help are holier than the lips that pray” contain profound spiritual wisdom in them.

Baba says that the human body to one is to be of service to god. It would be a shame, if, forgetting that, one would become slave to the senses. Service to god does not mean spending time in prayers and ritualistic act of worship. It means living in the full sacrificial mind to help the others and not to think as service but think as worship. It seems to Baba, there is not much difference or dichotomy between man and God. Because, according to Baba, God is man and

Man is god; the divine spark within. All men are divine like myself, but with the spirit embodied in human flesh and bone.

Anyone who studied Swami’s discourses and life – and nobody should

judge him or his teachings unless they have – will know fully well that

the brotherhood of mankind, without any distinctions, is one of the main

principles of his teachings. Not only does he have profound, the deep

truth of this brotherhood – as theosophists do – but also he demonstrates

it in all the actions of his life. (Murphet, Walking 159) 167 Baba emphasizes the concept again “One cannot cross the ocean of this cycle of births and deaths by visiting neither many sacred places, nor can one do it by performing Japa and studying Sastras. It is only possible to do so by performing Seva or Service (Baba 75). Baba differs from others in as much as he advocates an acceptance of life and its activity, and not a rejection of it. He is a humanist and a spiritual realist. Such thought is exposed in the poem of Tagore’s

Gitanjali. Tagore condemns isolation in an ivory tower or the ascetic way of life, and makes a forceful plea for participation in the daily activity of humble humanity.

Tagore advises the priests to give up their counting of beads, their singing and chanting of mantras, and the worship of god in a secluded corner of the temple, with their eyes half-shut. God is not to be found in this way. God lives with the humble and down-trodden tillers of the field, the path-makers who work hard at breaking stones. He, who loves the company of God must come out of his temple, give up his holy robes, and work with the humble tillers of the soil in rain and sun. Tagore thus glorifies the life of the humble, and rejects the ascetic way of life. The ascetics seek for deliverance from the bondage of birth and death through renunciation of life. But, Tagore opines that such deliverance is a mere illusion. God himself binds all of us with the chain of love. He himself is not free, as He has voluntarily bound himself to the work of creation, and to the objects that he has created. So, it is not possible for man to be free from bondage. Deliverance is mere illusion; the ascetic should accept life and perform 168 the humble duties of life with his fellow-men. It is the lesson of universal brotherhood which the poet preaches.

Worship in an ivory tower or in the secluded corner of a temple is futile.

Offering of incense and flowers are likely to serve no purpose. They equally end in vain. God is to be found with the poor and the humble who earn their bread with the sweat of their brow. It does not matter if one’s clothes get torn, shabby and dirty through working in the fields or on the roads, for God loves the humble tiller despite his dirty and tattered dress. Participation in the activity of life is essential for God-realization. Rabindranath Tagore has revealed these things in his Gitanjali in a vivid manner as,

LEAVE this chanting and singing and telling of beads! Whom dost

thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all

shut? Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee!

He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where

the pathmaker is breaking stones. He is with them in sun and in

shower, and his garment is covered with dust. Put off thy holy

mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil!

Deliverance? Where is this deliverance to be found? Our master

himself has joyfully taken upon him the bounds of creation; he is

bound with us all for ever.

Come out of thy meditations and leave aside thy flowers and

incense! What harm is there if thy clothes become tattered and 169 stained? Meet him and stand by him in toil and in sweat of thy

brow. (122)

Fourth Phase

Baba’s discourses are generally concerned with the realization of God through eight disciplines. Sri Sathya Sai Baba says that men may be different in form and name and colour and their country and historical circumstances may vary. But, God has no such differences. No religion has a separate God showering grace upon those who profess to abide by that faith alone! Hence, one should not rely on and stick to any religion. Strike down the walls that separate man from man. Get rid of differences based on caste and creed. One may profess whatever faith one likes, but, one should not disparage another’s beliefs. It is a travesty of devotion. One must respect the Divine that is in every creature. God is one. Love is God. Live in love.

Writing Style and Features of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The great thinkers, philosophers, religious preceptors, theology teachers have preached and their gospels have been written and their teachings not only tugged the heart of the people, but also they changed the peoples’ minds and attitude politically, socially, economically and spiritually.

Writing is the manner in which Baba chooses to convey his philosophies to his devotees. The style of writings and lectures reveal both Baba’s personality and voice, but it also shows how he perceives his followers, and chooses 170 conceptual writing; that reveals those choices by which Baba may change the conceptual world of the overall character of the work. This is done by simple gimmicks of words; a syntactical structure, parsing prose, adding diction, and organizing figures of thought into usable frame works. He does not seem to be interested in exploring the fuller and deeper possibilities of the language. He is using in all through his writings and speeches the modest range of verbose.

Word or phrase rarely glints with compression or suggested meanings. They are self explanatory. The sentences sometime have a certain structural monotony. It is always the same subject, predicate, object, complement pattern with an occasional appendage of phrase or clause or an occasional inversion. He has employed ordinary vocabulary used by the common men so as to facilitate their understanding and digestion of his notions. He has certainly avoided the graces and power of English language. Indeed, the language of Sri Sathya Sai Baba is extremely impoverished and limited. From his use of limited vocabulary he has convinced the spiritual people with utmost confidence. In all his speeches and discourse one cannot find any deviation from his lucidity. In spite of all the short comings he made his application of language enriched with lofty and alluring ideas. With regard to his written language in its structure and address, it is a moderate writing; traditional instrument but one abstracted from the context in which it has generated the history, the social condition, the racial memory and a sudden transference from a wholly different spiritual setting.

171 Baba as playwright, poet and philosopher

Baba is not just a spiritual discourser. He is a brilliant writer as well. Even when he was a school boy, he wrote a play which was staged by his schoolmates at school. There are several other play-lets based on themes drawn from the

Indian epics. Baba is playwright as well as producer. He gets together groups of youngsters, assigns the parts and becomes their instructor as well. He even attends to the make-up of the parts. These plays are staged at the Navaratri

Festival in Prasanthi Nilayam and at the annual socials in Sathya Sai institutions.

Each discourses by Baba is preferred by a verse or stanza composed extempore.

These stanzas frequently express the core of the discourse that is to follow.

Many of them are deeply moving and melodious.

Baba has also composed hundreds of prose-poems. He uses them occasionally in his discourses with remarkable effect. These are brief and epigrammatic utterances, dazzling the listeners or ready by their metaphysical and imaginative brilliance. There are numerous songs that he sings and these have to be identified and published. His bhajans are miniature lyrics in themselves. The first of them – Manasa Bhajare – has been commented for its simplicity and deep meaning. Another charming fact about Baba is that, he is prolific and marvelous letter-writer. His colourful personality, playfulness, humour, practical and spiritual wisdom, lyricism, banter, sublimity – are all scattered in profusion over his letters.

Baba’s discourses, delivered on various occasions, have been collected so far into seven volumes, anglicized by N.Kasturi. The discourses delivered at the 172 summer courses on Indian culture and spirituality since 1972 have been published in two volumes as Summer Showers, translated by S.Bhagavantham and others. A talk or discourse is a congenial mode of expression for Bhagavan

Baba and many facets of his personality find expression in these discourses.

There are his scintillating parables and anecdotes in the manner of the Buddha, the Christ and Sri Ramakrishna. Almost every discourse sparkles with his puns like Sivam (the Divine) and Savam (the corpse); manava (man) and madhava

(God) and so on. The antitheses and parallelism in his discourses are also noteworthy.

Baba’s version of the Ramayana is still being published serially in the pages of the Sanatana Sarathi. But the Bhagavatha Vahini has been published as a book and it can be read as a whole. Some of the passages in it have been written with great lyrical intensity and this comes out even in the translation.

What Baba has omitted from the original is as revealing as the portions that he has picked out for narration. He has made it mainly the story of Sri Krishna and his comments illumine the contours of Sri Krishna’s avataric personality.

The Vahinis like Prema Vahini and Dhyana Vahini are the little gems, classics of the spiritual life from the moment that Baba wrote them. Their simplicity which, at the same time, contains such a depth of meaning is unique.

They speak of peace, meditation, love and wisdom. They seek to acquaint the reader with the Upanishads and the Gita. In a class by itself stands Sandeha

Nivarani, the Doubt Dispeller. It raises various metaphysical problems and 173 answers them. If the reader wishes to experience the toughness of Baba’s thinking, he will find it here in abundance.

After reading his writings, especially the plays, one finds that Baba is conservative, a real traditionalist, in an age in which experiments are going on with Expression of Symbolism and the Absurd. There are two reasons for this.

One is that Baba does not wish to be theatrical, though he has a very fine sense of the theatre. He would rather allow the grandeur of his theme to speak for itself. Each play becomes a morality. He prefers it that way rather than make it pass through contortions of various kinds. Another reason is the very mission for which he has come; the spiritual regeneration of the common man. His main stance is not that of a dramatist or poet but a teacher. For him, the aesthetics is only the most effective way of presenting ethics.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s poems are brimmed with practical wisdom. These are the collections from the school of life. Common sense lends them cadence, while forthrightness enhances their emotional appeal. Their steering clear of stereotyped poetic devices, their strong focus on the idea to be conveyed rather than on gift wrapping that idea in extensive analogies or studied sophistry, have stood them in goodstead in satisfying the fundamental requisite of true poetry which is to stir the heart and at the same time to heighten thought to new levels of awareness. Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s poems reflect the spiritual quest pivotal to ancient Indian Sanathana Dharma, a quest broad enough to include the aspirations of all the religions in the world. Baba has composed poem to worship God. It is often rendered in his morning prayers. Baba invokes God as, 174 Oh Lord! I am now born from the womb of sleep.

I am determined to carry out all the tasks of this day as

offering to

You, with you ever present before my mind’s eye.

Make my words, thoughts and deeds scared and pure.

Let me inflict no pain on anyone; let no one inflict pain on me.

Direct me and guide me this day. (Gadhia 1-2)

And in his evening prayer (vesper service) he has made the Lord God who is responsible for all the day’s work and actions.

Oh Lord! The tasks of this day, the burden of which

placed on you this morning, are over.

It is you who made me walk, talk, think and act.

I therefore place at your feet all my thoughts, words and deeds.

My task is done, receive me, I am coming back to you. (Gadhia 2)

The final impression left in our minds after reading his poem is the sense of awe and wonder that so much philosophical wisdom could be conveyed through such refreshingly simple turn of expressions. The ideas dealt with in the poems are so profound that they have lent to the poems the status of dhyana mantras. They are not intended to be understood intellectually. But as seeds of thoughts they have to be imbibed and nurtured in the correct moral ambience, so that in time they would take root in the psyche, blossom and bring about a sea- change in the human personality. According to R. Woodward and R. Farmer: 175 In the teachings of Sathya Sai we have before us the greatest collection of

written wisdom ever made available to the human race. It is pure,

unadulterated by the mists of time and reinterpretation of scholars. It is

complete, untouched by the decaying effects of war, religious strife,

neglect and privilege. It is immediately applicable to our age, to all

cultures and climes, to all people and religious. With this wisdom, and the

personal information it can produce when put into daily practice, we can

re-lay the foundations for a happy and moral society, we can re-discover

the walls of a higher, lasting peace within ourselves. (3)

Baba teaches his spiritual truth, morality to his devotees and the students through the letters, discourses, books and articles. He has written in simple and colloquial language. The meaning is always extempore, his ideas and his expression are conveyed through mellifluous poems and exquisite delightful songs. His script is reminiscent of charming monastic artistry; Poetry and melody shine through each sentence, and behind each phrase and clause lies a form that is clearly human, though it carries divine wisdom. Baba’s uncountable writings can be divided into (1) Magazines, (2) Books, (3) Letters, (4) Questions and Answers, (5) Explanations and (6) Poetry.

Magazines

As part from his mission of Dharmasthapana (reinstating righteousness),

Baba started in February, 1986 the publication of Sanathana Sarathi – the monthly magazine was inaugurated and designed to convey the message of Sri 176 Sathya Sai Baba to the world. Sanathana means “timeless and eternal.” The first issue of the magazine contained a message as follows:

Our Sanathana Sarathi will lead to victory the cohorts of the truth – the

Vedas, the Sastras and similar scriptures of all faiths – against the forces

of the ego such as injustice, falsehood, immortality and cruelty. This is

the reason why it has emerged. This sarathi will fight in order to establish

world prosperity. It is bound to sound the paean of triumph when

universal ananda is achieved. (Baba, Sathyam 4: 99)

Vahini Series

It was Kasturi who collated all the articles that Baba had written for the ‘Sanathana Sarathi’, the Ashram Periodical, and brought out in a book form as the Vahini Series as Baba used to title all His articles as Vahinis. Vahini means flow or stream, there are 15 vahinis in all, written in Telugu by Baba and translated into English by Kasturi. The Vahinis like Prema Vahini and Dhyana

Vahini are little gems, classics of the spiritual life from the moment that Baba wrote them. Their simplicity, which, at the same time, contains such a depth of meaning, is unique. They speak of Peace, Meditation, Love and Wisdom. They seek to acquaint the reader with the Upanishads and the Gita. In a class by itself stands Sandeha Nivarini, the Doubt Dispeller. It raises various metaphysical problems and answers them.

1. Prema Vahini - The Stream of Divine Love

2. Dhyana Vahini - The Practice of Meditation 177 3. Dharma Vahini - The Path of Virtue and Morality

4. Jnana Vahini - The Stream of Eternal Wisdom

5. Geeta Vahini - The Divine Gospel

6. Prashanthi Vahini - The Supreme Bliss of the Divine

7. Sathya Sai Vahini - Spiritual Message of Sri Sathya Sai

8. Prasnothara Vahini - Answers to Spiritual Questions

9. Sandeha Nivarini - Clearance of Spiritual Doubts

10. Leela Kaivalya Vahini - The Cosmic Play of God

11. Sutra Vahini - Analytical Aphorism on Supreme Reality

12. Vidya Vahini - Flow of Spiritual Education

13. Upanishad Vahini - Essence of Vedic Knowledge

14. Bhagavatha Vahini - The story of the Glory of the Lord

15. Ramakatha Rasa Vahini, Part – I & II - The Sweet Story of Rama’s Glory

Dharma Vahini [The Path of Virtue and Morality]

Man should dedicate oneself to dharma, and so he may live in peace and the world may enjoy peace. Dharma is the foundation for the welfare of humanity; it is the truth that will be ever for all time. Baba says,

Dharma (Right Conduct) is like the river, flowing unseen beneath the

deeper levels of human consciousness, feeding the roots of activity, filling

the springs of thought, cleansing the slushy eddies of feeling. When the

river runs dry or is clogged by greed and hate, the avatar comes to let in a

torrent of grace and restore its fresh, free flow. (VS 3: 17) 178 Man should follow the path of dharma. Faith in God, who rewards the good and punishes the bad, was a stout bulwark of dharma for ages. But secularism has undermined this faith. Baba in Dharma Vahini has installed dharma on an unshakable foundation as the unity of all life, indeed, of creation: one conquers the ego and overcomes the natural tendency to regard the body and its furniture as his true self, is surely on the path of Dharma, for one would soon discover the truth behind all the scintillating multiplicity. He mentions in

Dharma Vahini that,

whoever subdues egotism, conquers selfish desires, destroys bestial

feelings and impulses, and gives up the natural tendency to regard the

body as self that person is surely on the path of dharma; that person

knows that the goal of dharma is the merging of the wave in the sea, the

merging of the self in the over- self. (VS 3: 5)

Kasthuri, the editor of Sanathana Sarathi says about the book, in the

“preface” as, “This must be said of this book: It is authentic voice of the divine phenomenon, that is setting right the moral codes and behaviour of millions of men and women today” (VS 3: 1). While, in ‘Sandeha Nivarini’ Baba says that he was happy and always ready to answer when anyone asked him about things, which he could not understand. He says everyone has right to ask him without hesitation. Only, the enquiry must be earnest, emerging out of a genuine desire to know and to practise what is good.

It is clear that the devotees who visit Baba with questions – personal, philosophic and religious – answered in every chapter of Sandeha Nivarini, is a 179 creation of the divine pen. Baba reveals through this chapter, his infinite compassion towards the samsayatma; the person afflicted with doubts. He poses the problems and provides the answers. He writes about the book,

Bhaktha! I converse with you about every point you place before me, and

allow many to take part in this conversation. The son’s light falls upon the

mirror, the light from the walls upon the eye. Similarly, this ‘Sandeha

Nivarini’ has been planned in order that the illumination of my teaching

may illuminate the world and bring light and harmony into the heart of

mankind. (VS 9: 6)

The Source of Power

Baba does not agree with the dictum, ‘Knowledge is Power’, for knowledge may induce over estimation of oneself, competition and conflict. But he always emphasizes that ‘Character is Power’ and, elaborating upon the basis of character, he quotes the Bhagavad Gita:

“but passes unscathed through good repute and bad, welcoming both, heat

and cold. He is The man of character hates none, is kind and

compassionate, free from egotism, treats pleasure and pain with equal

unconcern, behaves ever with forbearance, is ever content, self-restrained

and steady in his conviction of the unity of the universe. He has no feeling

of harassment from the world nor does he in any way harass the world. He

has no trace of anger, fear, anxiety or exultation, nor is he bound by the

chains of infatuation or vengeance. He neither craves nor grieves, satisfied 180 with one, be it good or bad, and has no home which he is loath to leave.”

(Ch.12: 13-19).

Baba reminds that even charity is cruelty unless one heart meets another in warm fraternity. The fragrance of love and the sweetness of sincerity must sanctify every act of Seva. Baba illustrates in the book ‘Prasanthi Vahini’, how dharma can become healthier and happier through the regulation of relationships according to dharma. Masters and servants, elders and youngsters, teachers, and students – all can benefit if dharma prevails.

Baba’s book, ‘Prashanthi Vahini’ gives the key to the treasure–house of that peace, which escapes understanding and defies logic, namely prashanthi, which the Gita calls the goal of human endeavour. Shanthi means ‘peace’; pra, the prefix, means ‘larger, superior.’ Prashanthi is shanthi unaffected by desire, greed, hatred or anger. It is not curtailed by adversity or multiplied by windfalls.

Baba says that one must cultivate the three virtues of viveka (intelligence), vairagya (detachment) and vichakshana (discrimination) in order to equip ourselves with prashanthi.

Vairagya gets a new meaning in ‘Prashanthi Vahini.’ Raga means

‘attachment’ and vairagya comes when one realizes that the stone to which one was attached is really God. The ‘stoneness’ is like a veil cast by one’s ignorance upon what is really of the same substances as oneself. The vairagya that results from this illumination is lasting and most sublime.

181 Eight Disciplines

Baba has also commented favourably in this book on the eight traditional stages of spiritual education, but he has given each of them wider and deeper meaning. The first discipline is yama, which includes non-violence, honesty, celibacy and non-acceptance of gifts. Baba says, “this is the meaning usually given to this word. But I would say that yama is really the giving up of attachment to the body and sense.” The second discipline is niyama, which is described in Rajayoga text as ‘physical purity, mental exaltation, austerity, steadfast study and the attitude of surrender to god.’ But Baba explains it in the following manner: niyama is steady prema fixed on god, the supreme over soul, regardless of time, place and circumstances.

Asana, the next discipline, lays down the places, times and postures for the sadhaka engaged in meditation, to help him gain steadiness and stability.

Baba has clarified it with a simple formula: yoga sutras. Patanjali recommends sthira sukha asanam (a steady, comfortable style of sitting). About Pranayam

Baba says,

In Yoga, this step is explained as breath control. But the control of the

vital airs is possible only for those who are aware that the world is an

amalgam of truth and falsehood. The picture of the universe in the mind’s

eye will be like letters written long ago by lead pencils, now hazy,

indistant, undecipherable and giving impressions half true and half false.

Only a person aware of this peculiarity of creation can command the vital

airs to obey his will. (VS 6: 36) 182 Baba also elaborates upon and clarifies the fifth stage called pratyahara, or the withdrawal of the sense of perception from the external world in order to free the mind for uninterrupted meditation on the inner one. The awareness that the external world is born of maya and sustained by the maya, will provide the motive force to withdraw the senses. According to Baba, no other achievement can accomplish this task. So here, too, the acquisition of wisdom is a vital prerequisite.

Dhyana, the next stage, has a book for itself from the pen of Baba. Suffice it here to say that he reveals to us that dhyana is an uninterrupted dwelling of the consciousness within the consciousness itself. And the final stage of Samadhi, the savikalpa, where there is but a trace of the knower, the to-be-know and knowledge, and the Nirvikalpa, where even this trace is effaced, is like the goal where supreme peace reigns.

For the people of the world today, Prasanthi Nilayam has become a place where they can bask in the warmth of such a peace. On Christmas Day, when mankind celebrates the advent of the Son of God to establish “peace on earth and goodwill among men”, hundreds of Christians from overseas gather at Prasanthi nilayam to share with fellow – Christians from India the presence of Baba, who has come on that same divine mission and is engaged in transforming man into an instrument for fulfilling that mission. He has directed every unit of Sathya Sai

Seva organization to close each session with the prayer, loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu meaning “may happiness and prosperity reign everywhere.”

183 Prescription for Peace

Baba says that today, quacks with new-fangled ideas lay down rules for

Dhyana. Each one has his own special prescription and claims that his system can confer more benefit than that of others. But none has himself experienced its sweetness or sanctity. That is the real reason why Dhyana itself the cynical laughter of many. Baba’s intention is to instruct such people and guide them onto the right path. He goes on to reveal in these words the origin of his book,

Dhyana Vahini.

Man must give up the craving for material comfort and attachment to sense-objects. He must discard the false fears, the absurd desires, the worries and artificial that fill his mind. That is to say, he must discriminate and train himself to realize that everything is as illusory as the ghost in the well! Every one needs this self-education. The pathetic condition of every man is due to its absence. Dhyana is remedy for this state of mind. (VS 2: 17)

Baba distinguishes between concentration, contemplation and meditation.

Concentration is an unwavering determination in one’s daily life, in the realm of the senses, the feelings and the intellect. Contemplation is achieved when the senses withdraw for some time and attachment to the objective world slackens.

Baba gives the guidelines for meditation and mind control in Dhyana Vahini. He says that dhyana is as life-sustaining as dhyana (food). Baba explains the choice of place, posture, time-table and the curriculum, but lays greater stress on the compassion of the Lord who responds to the prayer embodied as dhyana. 184 Baba warns us against nine enemies that waylay the earnest sadhaka.

Three of them are physical: adulterous urges, greed to possess things or gain exclusive love and the tendency to injure living beings; three are verbal: delight in causing panic by false alarm, speaking lies and spreading scandal; and three are mental: craving for what belongs to others, envy and cynicism. Baba directs that meditation on the form be accompanied by an unbroken absorption of the sweetness of the name by which that form is identified. When the form slips from attention, the name will soon bring it back; when the name drops from awareness, the form will restore it to the mind. Thus, Baba says “the constant presence of God in the consciousness is ensured.”

He says that thoughts ever rise and subside as ripples on the surface of water. Similarly, the atman ever dwells in peace; but man fails to realize this, and remains ever absorbed in the vacillations of the mind. Nityavadhana

(constant vigilance) is needed to ignore the waves and watch the water, restlessness is but the rise and fall of the wave on the ocean that a man is.

The next Vahini published serially in the Sanathana Sarathi was the

Jnana Vahini (Stream of Wisdom). Baba says,

Impure gold is melted in the crucible and it emerges shining and bright.

The mind is rendered impure by qualities of rajas and tamas, by anger

and conceit, by the impressions of a thousand attachment and desires, can

be made bright and resplendent if it is put into the crucible of inquiry and

heated on the coals of discrimination. That brightness is the light of

realization, of the knowledge that you are the Atman. Like the earth that 185 covers everything with dust, the desires attachment, thirsts and cravings

all blacken the mind. They have to be kept away, in order that the

splendour of the self might merge in the splendour of the over-self the

Paramatman. (VS 4: 25)

The greater the awareness of Paramatman; the more is the Ananda. Baba summarizes the truth in one sentence: “awareness is life,” and then goes on to reveal, “All men are divine like myself; the only difference is that they are yet unaware of their divinity. They have come into this Karmic prison through the karmas (actions) of many lives. I have taken to this mortal form out of my own free will. They are bound to the body, while I am free of this bondage” (VS 4:

29).

Another of the Vahinis is the Upanishad Vahini, a synoptic review of the ten principles of the Upanishads, with a prologue and an epilogue on the rare text called the Brahmanubhava Upanishad. These Upanishads are esoteric and highly cryptic, but they elucidate the highest truths of Atman. For fifteen evenings Baba held a gathering of over five thousand students and scholars at

Brindavan. It was a spellbound experience for the audience owing to his elegant and eloquent analysis of the Vedic world, and of Brahman. All these lectures have been then appended in the Upanishad Vahini for readers. He carefully united the knots which pegged that portentous word to a cluster of irrelevancies and misconceptions. He traced the genealogy of the word from its roots to the tallest branch and the tiniest twig. He ransacked without compunction the nooks and corners of Vedic texts to expose the excrescences that had gathered on that 186 word as it rolled down the corridor of time. On subsequent writings, Baba has earmarked and elaborated the origin and migrations of words among people and through the texts. Baba has declared more than once, that the revival of Vedic studies and research, with the aim of reviving the practice of Vedic ideals, is one among his plans for rehabilitating man.

Baba, therefore, decided on a small book on the Upanishads, in order to rivet the attention of the efficacy of Vedanta. Vedic literature is classified as ritualistic, consecration and metaphysical (karma, upasana and jnana), and the

Upanishads are grouped under the third category. But Baba says that each principal Upanishad deals with all the three and is, therefore, instructive for all types of Sadhkas. Besides special rites described in most of them, the adoration of preceptors or deities is also recommended.

Scriptures Retold

The Bhagavad Gita is the central gem in the crest-jewel of the great

Indian epic, the Mahabharatha. Sage Vyasa wove this intricate tapestry of sublime heroism – physical, mental, moral and spiritual. He had also codified the

Vedic hymns and rituals. He prepared a magnificent garland of aphorisms summarizing the basic philosophic truths. In spite of his encyclopeadic scholar was afflicted by a deep, inner sadness. He had no sweetness or peace left in him.

Narada, the sage who propagated the validity of devotion as a means of achieving bliss, had advised Vyasa to describe the glories of god who had incarnated as Krishna. The exposition that did emerge from this advice is called 187 the Bhagavata Purana. And Baba has given it to us again in a sweet and a more concise form (VS 14: 69).

Baba’s Bhagavatha Vahini flows lucid expression, straight from the page to the heart. The book contains 338 pages, the first 270 and the last 90 of which scintillate the readers by the narration of the play of Krishna and of the dedicatory acts of those who were bestowed with His grace, while about 40 pages are devoted to the vast regions mapped by Vyasa under the compulsion of scholastic norms. As a result, Bhagavatha Vahini is not just a book; it is a tonic, a beacon light. It is designed by Baba to loosen the bondage from the trivial and to tame the wildness of our minds. Vyasa’s son, Suka, had recited the

Bhagavatha for the benefit of king Parikshith, who had been cursed to die at the end of seven days. The recitation occupied those seven days. Since the King has filled his mind with this narrative of the glory of the Lord, he died with the name of God on his lips and the form of God before his eyes. In Baba’s opinion, each one of us is under such a “sentence of death”, only one does not know when death will confront. The Bhagavatha Vahini can save all those who choose to be free from the fear of death and prepare them for passing beyond the realm of life, cheerfully and hopefully.

Baba’s Gita Vahini is the series in which Baba has attempted to retell the

Bhagavad Gita in a newer light in order to save the modern man from the myopia of egoistic materialism. He declares that he has come to unify and clarify, fructify and fortify the holy aspirations of man. There are many passages in Gita Vahini that are self-revealing Baba’s account of experience and 188 inspirations, where it becomes difficult to determine who is speaking to the reader intimately – Krishna or Sai Baba. Geetha vahini many times condemns fanatic, blinkered gurus and pompous exponents of Gita, whose oratory sounds hollow because they do not themselves practise what the Gita preaches.

Ramakatha Rasavahini is the latest edition in the Vahini series to emerge from Baba’s pen, which is a lucid narrative form of Lord Rama’s life. Baba has announced that he is the same spirit of Rama come again to carry out his mission through his innumerable followers, who are drawn by his love. While recounting the incidents in his life as Rama, Baba has included in his narrative certain details of dialogues and diversions that are not even contemplated by

Valmiki or any subsequent author. He mentions many additional events and encounters which fill the lacuna that have long disturbed admirers of the

Ramayana. The controversy over whether Rama is to be reckoned as an historic prince or as God incarnate, has been set to rest by Baba. Ramakatha Rasavahini is the very nectar of the epic.

Epistles of Sai Baba

Historically, letters have existed from the time of ancient India, ancient

Egypt and Sumer, through Rome, Greece and China, up to the present day.

Letters make up several of the books of the Bible. Archives of correspondence, whether for personal, diplomatic, or business reasons, serve as primary sources for historians. At certain times, the writing of letters has risen to be an art form and a genre of literature, for instance in Byzantine epistolography. 189 An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians are usually referred to as epistles.

In the ancient world letters were written on different materials including metal, lead, wax-coated, wooden tablets, pottery fragments, animal skin, and papyrus. The historical value of reading diaries and letters involves understanding the significance of how individual writers employed, experimented with, or altered the conventional forms alive in their time. Perhaps more than any other kind of historical text, the personal writing we are considering reveals how people both embraced and resisted the time and place in which they lived. Their personal motives for employing either form – the emotional and intellectual energy infusing the form with life each time it is written with a new subjectivity – suggest much about how people in the past made their cultures, but made them from the materials at hand.

Baba has written letters to persons anguished by doubt or defeated by disaster. These letters carry his love and mercy into their hearts and remedy the wounds that fester there. Invariably, they support and foster the springs of spiritual striving and help in the growth of love. His letters helped their heart warm and soothe their pain. No occasion is trivial, low or grand for him to write to his devotees. 190 In a letter to his devotee he writes an answer for a devotee’s question,

“You as body, mind or soul are a dream, but what you really are is existence, knowledge, bliss. You are the GOD of this universe. You are creating the whole universe and drawing it in, to gain the infinite universal individuality” (Faith and

Charles Penn 63). His intention is to make the devotee understand the miserable little prison of individuality, which must be wiped out. Bhakti in his opinion is not cry for God or any negative condition. It is seeing God in all, as one visualises. It is the heart that reaches the goal; hence the devotee must follow the heart. If pure heart seeks beyond the intellect, it gets inspired.

For Baba the mind reacts upon what it perceives. If one does good, he shall have happiness and if evil, unhappiness. Within the man is the real happiness, within him one must feel it. In Baba’s words,

feel it, feel it, it is here, the self. It is not the body, the mind, the intellect,

the brain. It is not the desire of the desiring. It is not the object of desire.

Above all these, you are. All these are smiling flower, as the twinkling

stars. What is there in the world which can make you desire anything?.

(63)

To the inmates of Sri Sathya Sai hostel, Brindavan, inclusive of teachers and boys, Baba writes on the importance of God consciousness to get over the transients of worldly life. This is the world of change with various vicissitudes of life, both pleasant and unpleasant by which all are afflicted with. It may be the hurting disease, or agonizing mental and physical problem. The body is stricken with diseases and the mind filled with worries. In this state of unhappiness, 191 turmoil and misery, there is only one way and that is to take refuge. He writes,

“SAI alone can remove these difficulties and diseases and trying us health, peace and prosperity. He who has got SAI’s name on his lips is a Jivan-mukta, because continuous remembrance of SAI eliminates ego-sense and guar’s heir the realization of his immortal change in self.” To Baba the name of God is a link between the devotee and God. It brings the devotee face to face with God and enables him to attain the knowledge of his oneness with Him.

A group of American devotees once prayed for a message to take home with them to the States. So Baba, in his own attractive calligraphy wrote,

The fruit has to be sweet, though the rind can afford to be bitter. It is the

juice and its sugar content that count; put away the rind of anger, malice,

envy and greed and assimilate the sweetness of the fruit, so that sweetness

can develop within you… Be a lotus: the lotus is born in slime and mud,

but rise up through the water and lifting its head above it, refuses to get

wet, although it springs from water. Be like the lotus or the lily –

unattached. (83)

Thus Baba’s message enables mankind invariably of the country to benefit from the grace and wisdom that has come to confer.

No occasions are too routine, too trite or too grand for him to play his role as a teacher. Writing to a couple on the occasion of their marriage, he wrote them as follows,

You are not just boy and girl coming together. You are Siva-Sakthi, as

truly as I am, the right and the left halves of the same body. May you be 192 ever in the shade of joy and contentment; may you both float as one on

the waves of eclectic love; may you sway merrily on the flower-bedecked

swing of faith held by the ropes of courage and confidence; may this boat

which you are boarding this day, be loaded with happy comradeship and

festivity, health and wholesomeness, to reach safe and smoothen at the

lotus feet of the Lord. Row it forward, both of you, with the oars of self-

surrenders and service, and let its sail be filled with the breeze of

grace. (89)

In Baba’s view, marriage is the unification of two Jivas set in the pursuit of realization. In other words, man and woman get united with the view to serve themselves, and to serve the society by which they understand their ineffaceable part with the universal consciousness, which is otherwise known as Atmic principle.

In a letter to a devotee on his sixtieth birthday, he writes to awaken the spirit of Sathya Sai Baba who resides in the devotee’s heart as his loving Mai

(mother), who is heaping Ananda in him. Baba blesses his devotee to have a long life, sound health, peace of mind, devotion to God, detachment from the transient objects of the world and success in the search for the truth of self, the reality. He further writes,

May you, your children and your grand – children be happy and

prosperous; may you spread delight all around you; may you achieve the

role of the witness content in the contemplation of the manifold leelas of

God; may you ever be in good and godly company and may your hours be 193 spent in the recapitulation of the glories of God. Here, hold fort your palm

and receive this amrith that I am offering the amrith of love, of nectar can

be sweeter and more invigorating. (106)

On another occasion, Baba has written to an old lady whose husband has died in an accident. He consoles the widow by encouraging her to perform the destined duty to sustain the greatness that her husband has earned. He asks her to follow the ideals that he has placed before her. He writes, “Your husband is here, in my presence, and he will be here forever as he had wished to be even when alive. Swami will not allow him to be separated from His presence. He is now free from all bounds and boundaries” (108). For Baba, marriage binds two persons together as husband and wife. What were they to each other minutes before? The one would not have worried for the other if the wedding had not happened. Where was the son or the brother before conception? Life is an interlude between what was and what will be. During this interlude one should not lament over what cannot be helped or set right, but should seek God and take refuge in Him.

Baba further comforts the widow,

Your husband lived such a life in the light of the truth he had glimpsed.

He did no wrong to anyone; he loved and served the suffering and the

illiterate; he salvaged many families from penury and infamy; he helped

many young people to go through college; many sick persons were saved

by his timely donations; he was ever cheerful and spread cheer wherever

he went; and, at last, God willed that he cast away the body that limited 194 him. Of what use is it now to calculate what might have happened had he

not gone to Madras that day? (109)

The woman is indeed fortunate that destiny drew her husband and gave her so many years of loving companionship with such a fine person. Because his thoughts were pure; there was no blemish of envy, hatred, or greed in him. Baba asserts that the deceased is now residing with him forever. Baba reiterates this in his writing in order to shower on the cool rain of love on the deprived widow.

He explains that the rain will scotch the flames of grief that are now raging within her. The Gita describes the Lord as the friend of all beings. These letters reveal that Baba is more reassuring than any father, more affectionate than any human authority. The blessing that Baba confers on lives dedicated to God who is enshrined within us is, invariably, everlasting life.

As and when Sri Sathya Sai Baba was away from Prasanthi Nilayam, he used to often write letters to be read aloud to the residents. Usually, they were sharp reminders of the need to respect the rules and regulations he has laid down for them. He would begin his letters as, “Blessings to all at the Mandir!”

Following is the specimen of such writing:

Tell them all to fulfill their assigned duties and responsibilities. The daily

schedule of puja, dhyana, bhajan, sankirtan and study should be followed

punctually and with faithful devotion. People should move among one

another with love and reverence. Of what benefit is sadhana, if it is done

without controlling jealousy, envy, pride, anger and malice? However

long you may live in the ashram, these vices will undermine any merit 195 you aquire. As the proof of the rain is in the dampness of the ground, so

the proof of sadhana is in the subjugation of the senses.(Venkatraman 81)

Baba asks the inmates to give-up irrelevant and impertinent talks and activities, and to cultivate self-examination and self-discovery through discipline, the inner eye. He reiterates to make the best of chance acquired as a result of good actions in many previous lives. Of course, God’s grace and love are always with them, but to earn them more and more, sadhana has to be done every day, with greater and greater enthusiasm. The residents of Puttaparthi and

Prasanthi Nilayam have to lead the way for mankind; so they have to lead pious, humble and disciplined lives.

There are also letters written specially for the students of Sri Sathya Sai colleges, which were meant to be read out aloud. Since the students have had the opportunity of a closer association with Baba, and more chances of listening to intimate exposition from him on the unity at the base of this illusory multiplicity, these letters reveal the crux of Baba’s teachings regarding the individual and the

Universal, the atman and the Param-atman.

On Janmashtami in 1974, He sent this letter to the college students at

Brindavan. He thus writes:

Dear boys! In the world of today, so full of people who are selfish,

unloving and unloved, the brand of atheism known as ‘self-love’ has

spread to the extent of almost becoming universal religion. What is the

self? It is the self that says ‘not I’, for if it says ‘I’, then it is the unreal

self. The real self is selfless, and has no thought either of or for itself. It is 196 the self that has now forgotten itself, because somehow, it can visualize

itself only in others. It is the self that seeks the truth with selfless

affection. It is the self that seeks the truth with selfless determination,

because truth is selfless wisdom. It is the self that is quite, because in

silence lies cessation from all worldliness. It is the self in wordless

meditation, because wordless meditation is the conquest of the mind

through union with the Divine. It is the self that does not judge, but

evaluates. It does not compare, seek security, or even see itself. It is the

Self that has completely absorbed itself and yet, in a strange and mystical

fashion, it is more complete and more real than it has ever been. This is

the real Self. (Venkatraman 42)

Baba keeps on telling about the importance of the real self and importance of Love. He says that God is love, and love is selflessness.

Selflessness is the abolition of all sense of the ego and separation, of all spurious identification with the isolationist life of the counterfeit thing called ‘self’; self is separation, and separation is the denial of holiness, the God. Baba asserts, The denial of God is known as atheism. As can now be understood, atheism is not the denial of this or that religion or of this or that concept of God. It is rather the denial of a life of love, which is the nature of God, and the assertion of the life of the egoistic self. In short, Baba’s real atheism is the denial of love and the assertion of selfishness.

Baba insists on the process of giving-up of selfishness. In his view, the process called ‘self-sacrifice’ in its essence, the love. For God is love and the 197 love alone can lead to Him. But hate, which is separation, can arise only when there is selfishness. Thus it comes to pass, that the most godless, loveless, atheistic act, is the act of selfishness. He writes, “Love must be completely selfless to be God-ward, be Divine. Its criterion must be, ‘the Beloved, first’; its technique must be ‘your happiness before mine.’ The way to happiness is to forget oneself and to remember God, Sai Krishna.”

When Baba was mere a lad of twenty years old, he wrote to his brother – who was very much worried at the adoration and adulation he drew in himself.

The letter runs in a matured manner and with a futuristic vision:

I have a task to foster all mankind and ensure for all of them live full of

Ananda. I have a ‘vow’ to lead all who stay away from the right path,

again into goodness and save them. I am attached to a ‘work’ that I love:

To remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack. I

have a ‘reason to be proud’, for I rescue all who worship and adore me a

right. I have my definition of the ‘Devotion’ I expect: Those devoted to

me have to treat joy and grief, gain and loss with equal fortitude. This

means that I will never give up those who attach themselves to Me.

(Murthy 34-35)

The letter clearly envisages the future mission of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and justifies the attitude of his life for profoundness, and salvation of the mass. That is how Baba clarifies the purpose of his advent way back in 1947.

These letters of Sri Sathya Sai Baba are remarkable documents by any standard. They are instilled with wisdom, which are more than the life-time- 198 wisdom of a lay person; a kind of celestial wisdom. The letters of Baba are full of self-awareness, and the intensity is felt-in by every devotee, with an expanse of mystery and love emanated from them. Every word of these epistles is bathed with the declaration of divinity and life-giving confidence of the Seer unparalleled.

Thus the fifth chapter has analysed and documented the style of Baba’s language used both in his discourses and writings. The next and the last chapter concludes the thesis with the findings of the research work. Chapter VI

SUMMING UP

A Broad View of the Study

The study has examined the speeches and writings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba from an analytical view point. It has been found out that he is a well known mystic throughout the world for his divine nature, miracles and mysterious deeds. Though, being a spiritualist of multifaceted personality, he is chiefly known for his humanitarian attitude. Many of his followers believe that he has proved that he is one of the greatest humanitarians of the recent times, for he practised and taught the gospel of love expressed through his selfless and noble services in the form of his speeches and writings. Nevertheless he is a monk of the Hindu tradition he has established no particular path of faith or movement in the sub-continent. He has striven to bring the humanity under the principles human dignity, selfless service, and divinity. He has encouraged a Hindu to be a better Hindu, a Muslim to be a better Muslim and a Christian to be a better

Christian. He had a strong faith that he could enlighten the world society by bringing in a deep understanding on the religious tenets in practice through his speeches and writings. Thus he has given a number of discourses and writings throughout his career as a preacher of spiritual values. These teachings have been periodically noted, recorded, printed in several languages and circulated to the people. He has conveyed the greatest spiritual truths in candid practical terms. 200 The first chapter of tis research has elaborately analysed and documented how far Sathya Sai Baba has employed Aristotle’s views on rhetoric. Aristotle in his Rhetoric suggests three ways of persuasion. Baba has adopted these three ways of persuasion. The first kind depends on the personal character of the speaker; the second on putting the audience into a certain mental frame, and the third is based on the proof provided by the theme of the speech itself. In these three respects Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been successful viz. his personal attitude has been very good and appreciable by all, the audiences were spell bound to listen to his magnetized, scintillating, thought provoking and informative speeches with concrete and correlative examples.

From the Speeches and Writings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the explanation of Plato i.e. the effectiveness of rhetoric in his “Gorgias” around 380 BC could be realised. Similarly in this dialogue, as Socrates seeks the true definition of rhetoric, attempting to pinpoint the essence of rhetoric and unveil the flaws of the sophistic oratory popular in Athens at this time, the style of Sri Sathya Sai

Baba can be felt.

In ancient Greece, the earliest mention of oratorical skill occurs in

Homer's Iliad, where heroes like Achilles, Hector, and Odysseus were honored for their ability to advise and exhort their peers and followers in wise and appropriate action.Sri Sathya Sai Baba has also done it. Rhetoric then shifted into the courtly and religious applications. Sri Sathya Sai Baba has written poetry and letters which became a central component of his contributions. 201 As discussed earlier in the real-time world of rhetoric, many social, economic and religious movements have revolutionized the world by the effective oratories of notable orators. The lectures of Martin Luther King, Ralph

Waldo Emerson, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda have made the people to turn back to their side and invoked the source of great inspiration. Like the great speakers of world history, Sri Sathya Sai Baba made a strong impact on his audience, whom many of them, in the later years, became his disciples. On many occasions he addressed to the common men and women of urban and rural India. But with simple diction and prolific ideas he brought over a great transformation in their life by his immaculate speech. As an experience, the audience always felt, as if his addresses were meant to them personally by knowing their inner heart. People from various parts of the world thronged at his discourse-halls and listened to him with rapt attention. Day by day the audience grew in big numbers till his last days. Thus the first chapter concludes suggesting possible scope to examine the speeches and writings of Sri

Sathya Sai Baba in the modern times.

The second chapter has examined the necessity for Human Values in a

Gregorian society. It has explored the meanings of values in all respects of social, religious and moral spheres. Unlike machines governed by the physical laws of science, man is governed by his unique characteristics like intelligence, moral and ethical standards. Thus, man cannot be straightaway reduced to a machine. The regulative principles of society known as values have to be followed by every individual member in a society. If the respect for the working 202 principle is lost, the society falls into anarchy. The result is that the strong takes away the lion’s share, while the weak goes to the wall. Considering the human nature, the limitations, the predicaments, and the scope for divine nature;

Sri Sathya Sai Baba advocates five supreme values for the human development, excellence and fulfillment such as Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteouness),

Shanthi (Peace), Prema (Love), and Ahimsa (Non-violence).

The values Sathya and Dharma have been extensively analysed in the

Second Chapter considering their importance attached to the modern context.

Immanuel Kant has defined Truth as the essence of certain object that enables to determine or qualify the perception in line with cognition of the individual.

According to Arthur Schopenhauer, if the judgment is based on material truth through senses, this judgment forms reason to another judgment, such is logical or formal. On the other hand, if the judgment is the pure form of intuitive, empirical knowledge then the judgment has transcendental truth. Many philosophers conclude that truth is an attainment of wisdom to complete openness, through understanding. Sri Sathya Sai Baba is also of the same opinion.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba has dealt with the term “Sathyam” as an attainment of absoluteness through the personal experience. It is always under the purview of validation by direct practice and experience. The truth might differ from one person to other in terms of time, space and causation.

The “Objective truths” are concerned to the facts of being final and static like mathematical facts; while “Subjective truths” are concerned to the facts of 203 being, continuous and dynamic. Baba’s version of Sathya is subjective in nature, the experience of being and becoming. The truth, according to him relies on the pure spirit of Atman. It has been attained by the constant remembrance of reality, which has been divine in nature. A man of spiritual aspiration unravels the divinity-within by the process of negation. He has examined every aspect of human existence by the method of elimination to disentangle from the impermanent, momentary and transitory. He has found the names and forms are short-lived, the body is momentary, and the actions are transitory. Every thought of impermanence has been meticulously eliminated, thus the aspirant eventually left out with the pure super consciousness of divinity without a ripple

– all pervading in his being and outside. The method of attaining truth 'Vichara

Vedika' through meditation and constant negotiation has been emphasized by

Baba for finding the roots of Sathya; thereby the seeker of truth fetters away the bondages of the world, and has ultimately attained the divine blissfulness.

Baba has then explained the reason why the truth is difficult to attain, and why the seeker of truth loses his interest as soon as he ventures in it. In his opinion the greatest truth is forgotten because of its simplicity and universality.

The man has forgotten that he is the spirit, and always free. He has continuously indulged his mind identifying himself with his own ephemeral waves, loses the sight of soul. It is like a traveler in a train being illusioned that the outside objects are fast moving. Thus the human being has lost his freedom with the passage of time, form and causation. The man has chained himself by his own 204 desires. As a matter of fact, one need not struggle for freedom, as one is already free.

Then the Chapter has dealt with the principle of ‘Dharma’ – the base of all principles. According to Sri Sai Baba, Dharma is eternal, intrinsic and innate in every being, the same for everyone everywhere. It expresses the significance of the inner Atman. “What emanates from the heart as a pure idea, then translated into action will be called Dharma” (Truth, 88). Dharma ordains man to observe certain rules of behavior for social and spiritual progress. The observances of such restrictions and disciplines can be called Dharmic.

Like the Newtonian principle that every action produces an equal and opposite reaction, the Karmic theory of Hindu Philosophy holds the view that every thought and action of a person rewards if not opposite but equal result. But according to the scriptures, the discipline of unattached action – Nishkama

Karma can lead to salvation of the soul. So it has been recommended that one should remain detached while carrying out his duties in life. Baba says, “The task of everyone is to do the duty that has come upon him, with a full sense of responsibility to the utmost of his capacity. There should be complete coordination between what one feels, says and does. Then work becomes worship” (Baba, Dharma 13).

In order to experience the reality of Atman certain types of actions which are related to the dharmic way of life are required. Baba says that one must make some self enquiry to validate the quality of Karma. It is only when one removes selfishness, he becomes perfect performer of dharmic action. Unselfish 205 karma for the benefit others fulfills the divine Dharma. Such actions he suggests that they help the individual to advance spiritually. In another context, he has prescribed a simple method to validate Dharma which does not inflict pain on others and on oneself.

In Baba’s opinion the dharmic person will reveal decision and enthusiastic exultation in every act. And he will hold respect to truth, straight forwardness and justice. Hence, in his concept Dharma is the road for individual and social progress, in this world and through this world, to the next.

It is eternal, basic, fundamental. The principles might not be altered or adjusted to suit personal whims, or pressing problems.

The third chapter has dealt with Shanthi, and Prema. The value Shanthi

(peace) is the priceless characteristic of any society. World peace has begun from the individual member of each society, and being "at peace" has been considered to be healthy. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and happiness. As a representative of Hinduism, Sri Sathya Sai Baba has suggested the value of Shanthi is much needed at the present time.

Sri Baba has reflected that the jewel of everlasting peace is within each one of us, only waiting to be discovered. It is futile to try to find peace outside if we have not found it inside. In his view, man has run about madly in the pursuit of ‘peace of mind’, following the prescriptions, from where it is unavailable. He has travelled in the path of catering to senses, the path plagued by Rupa, Nama and Guna the pursuit is temporary and apparent. But a seeker must break from impacts of senses to achieve the everlasting peace. 206 Sri Sai Baba has reflected that the highest state is to be desire less. Man and God are separated by desire. Man’s identification of oneness with Him is lost because of desires. Baba has advocated to resist all temptation of falling into vice; to avoid treading wrong paths; and keeping away from evil company.

Lasting peace could not be found in the external world. In fact, peace comes through detachment and renunciation. It is not an emotion but the suspension of emotions. The only way to achieve lasting peace, however, is to detach oneself from the emotions and transcend the ego.

Baba has also advocated to first fixing the mind in the consciousness of self, which is immortal Atman, the indestructible, holy, pure and divine. “The consciousness of the Atman gives the unshakable courage and strength. Then, one must develop mutual love and respect. Tolerate all kinds of persons and opinions; all attitudes and peculiarities” (SSS 1: 41). He has further stated that in the modern age, the school, home and society are all training grounds for tolerance.

Finally, Baba has concluded saying, “if you have Santhi, the world will appear a quite peaceful place; if you have Asanthi the world will be full of

Asanthi. Peace has to be won by sadhana – the spiritual practice of meditation, not study of books.

Next, Baba has attached extraordinary importance to Prema – the aspect of love. He reiterates the need for all encompassing love to the living beings. In his opinion, there are many kinds of love; but it should not be based on lust, passion, attachment, discrimination, and prejudice. He has ridiculed at the self- 207 centered love; as a man offers his love only to a woman or a woman only to a man, for they believe the rest would be loved by the devils; then the love has lost its complete meaning. For they have created a boundary wall around their own love-relationship. The larger their attitude, the closer they attain the universal love.

When Baba wished to say about Love and God, he says that he visualises,

“Love is God; God is love.” There is none in this world without love. It is innate, immanent, latent and inborn gift of God. Love cannot be gifted by anyone. It is not manufactured, or imported or handed down through legacy and heritage or taught by a preceptor. One need not work for it. One is born with love. But there is one form of love which is superior, supreme, eternal, intimate, and immortal that exists between man and God; this undivided love is devotion. Attachment, lust, affection, friendship, respect, concern, possessiveness, etc., are all worldly.

They come and vanish like passing clouds. They come in the course of a life time. They increase or decrease with the passage of time depending on the position and circumstances. But devotion is never changing and unconditional in total.

Baba views the world as momentary, and the derivatives are transient. So following the Bakthi cult of Indian religion, he suggests to acquire the pure love for God and to earn God's grace. He maintains that one should submit himself in total submission; resort to God alone as the only refuge in order to invoke the response of God. On the contrary man loves money, position and popularity. No matter how high one's position is, but he/she has to face death, and cannot 208 prolong life. There might be a heart or kidney transplantation, but there can never be life transplantation. In short, he has reprimanded the love of possessiveness, and self-centeredness; the real love is expansion, and the real path to unification of divinity.

The fourth chapter Ahimsa has analysed the value of non-violence. Non- violence is a distinct body of doctrine considered as the supreme value throughout Indian subcontinent. It originates from the understanding self- divinity, equality, and well being of other living creatures. The term Ahimsa features non-hurting of others by evil thought, undue haste, lying, hatred, wishing ill both physically and mentally. It upholds the lofty ideals such as, “Do not injure anyone”, “Love thy neighbor” and so on.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba has believed that the roots of non-violence depend on the causes of mental aspirations. The admixture of good and evil, of human and inhuman has encountered in the mind frame controls personality of human beings. Depending upon the values that are nurtured and reinforced, the character is being built. Baba asks his followers to be vigilant over the inputs of mind, which creates desires profitable and malice.

At a closer look, ahimsa becomes possible only with utter selflessness. It is the root of universal love. Baba emphasizes the view that all the ills of this world; such as differences, contradictions, conflicts are due to the ignorance of the Indweller. By this term he refers to the infinite consciousness of divinity within. The awareness of the Indweller is the only solution to the problems of present trouble-torn society. Next he cautions about the killer mind, which is 209 outward, dual, desire-oriented, ego-centered and materialistic. This killer mind is like a pendulum moves from one end of pride to the other of distress. If a person gets the pride of winning, glory or gains reputation, triumphs of undertakings; the mind becomes egotistic in pride. On the other hand in case of failure, loss, defeat or censure, the pendulum moves to the other end of indifference, dejection and depression. According to Baba, one must have the psychic temperament of positive attitude so as to practice Ahimsa. He repeatedly says, “seek out your own faults and others’ merits”, and “one has to be judged by the merits and not faults.” Bodily attachment, utter selfishness, excessive desire affect the mind resulting in meaningless rivalry. Hence, one should be cautious about their words, thoughts and deeds; for the infinite God is in everyone.

According to Sai Baba non-violence is not merely avoiding violence. It is only another name of love, love which makes no distinction between friend and foe. This is the highest ideal that any religion has preached. Love brings people together; hatred drives them apart. One cannot be happy, if success is achieved by means of unrest and violence, because it has to be preserved and prolonged only by further unrest and violence (SSS 9: 44). Hence according to Sri Sai

Baba, turning other-cheek to the enemy is not out of cowardice, but out of love.

The Fifth chapter has extensively dealt with the style, and language of Sri

Sathya Sai Baba. The characteristic form of a work or a writer has been analyzed in terms of his diction, choice of words, sentence structures and syntax, the density of figurative language, pattern of rhythm and other rhetorical devices.

Baba has conveyed his devotees through discourses, letters, books and articles. 210 He has used simple and elegant language, and colloquial English prose. The agenda of his lectures are always extempore and spontaneous. His expressions of idea are rhythmic showering exquisite delight.

Establishment of Facts and Findings

 As a narrator, Baba has delivered his lofty ideals prolifically in simple

diction; his choice of words, similes, rhythm, anecdotes, hymns,

stories, and epic accounts are figurative and enterprising to the

audience.

 He has used variety of narrative techniques to support his discussions.

Narratives are featured with qualities, states, situations, and dramatic

enactment and real-time experiences.

 His narrative consists of a set of events of the story recounted in a

process of narration, in which the events are selected and arranged in a

particular order.

 As a man from an artistic family which is known for its traditional

theatrical folk arts, Sri Sathya Sai uses natural and skilful methods of

narrative to make his presentation alluring and interesting.

 Many outstanding presentations have been observed by the devotees

in his life time. The concrete evidence is that his discourses are well

attended by a large number audience.

His writing has equally being attractive and made lasting impressions on the readers’ mind. Most of his letters are soothing, complimenting and 211 prophesying. His writings have been published in plenty of volumes reaching millions of people. He has brought out scores of magazines and many publications in his life time, which announced his ideals to the readers’ world.

His writing in general makes a great impact on the readers. The authentic writing with abundant spiritual ideas and variety amaze everyone. He regularly wrote articles to the monthly “Sanathana Sarathi.” The scripts are reminiscent of charming monastic artistry. Each sentence, and behind each phrase and clause lies a form like a poem that carries wisdom. Thus Baba’s message attracted his devotees as well as common readers for the wisdom he has to confer. Thus it has been found out that his writings, variety, and ideas have made a indelible marks on the readers’ minds, and is well suited to the attitude of a spiritual persuader.

Equally, his speeches are remarkable with style, compelling, and enchanting.

At closer study of his writings and discourses has revealed that humanism and spirituality are well grounded in the life and works of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Most of the critics focus on the humanistic features in his works. Critics have exposed the impact of spiritual humanism in the works. But majority of them concentrate on the individual self-realization with the mind expanding it to the level of spiritual humanism of the world at large. The study envisions the humanistic and spiritualistic elements hidden plenty in Baba’s discourses and writings. Hence throughout the study, it is maintained that the personality of Sri

Sathya Sai Baba as a human being; though his followers and devotees venerate him as a God-incarnate, which is beyond the realm of scrutiny. But to the eyes of 212 unbiased observers he certainly appears as a person of mystic nature with humane milk of love and affection.

The research has attempted to project him as a scholar, orator and above all a Humanist of divine nature. The major findings of the study enable to see Sri

Sathya Sai Baba as a keen observer of the human nature and redeemer of the human beings from the predicaments of the materialistic attitude towards money, lust, name, fame, and comforts. The study also envisages Sri Sathya Sai Baba as a great educator of human values in the present times, and phenomenal in preaching ideas, thereby bringing peace to people across the nations.

Scope for Future Research

There is a wide scope for the future researchers of Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s marvellous and remarkable contributions in the forms of his speeches and writings. More researches can be pursued in the vast ocean of his works. At the same time, the researchers have to bear in mind that they should explore Sri

Sathya Sai Baba’s views, analyse and come out with novel findings from a different perspective. There are ample avenues for this especially for the future researchers.