Spirituality is Not a Lone Adventure

SAI RAM. THE TRANSCRIPT OF THIS DIVINE DISCOURSE IS UNAVAILABLE AT THIS POINT.

Report from Sanathana Sarathi, March 1972 issue about the discourse:

On Mahasivaratri Day, Bhagawan was at Brindavan near Bangalore, and so thousands gathered there from all parts of India and from overseas, for Darshan. Bhagawan moved among the gathering, during the Bhajan Sessions in the morning, and distributed Prasad. In the evening, there was a public meeting, at Brindavan.

Bhagawan, in His Discourse, emphasised that self‑realisation is a social process, ope­rating in and through social urges, and pressures, and evidenced by the awareness of the Divinity that shines in all men and all beings. It is not a lone adventure, away and apart from fellow‑sufferers; it is a search for the Truth that is inherent in all, and that can explain all. It must result in a more meaningful contact with the world and its contents. "All the holy days and festivals marked out in the Calendar, at regular intervals, are de­vised to purify the emotions, sharpen the intellect, sublimate the passions, and generally to draw attention t o the need to turn inwards, and cleanse the springs of Love, so that awareness of the Divinity that is one's essential core can become clear and constant.

"The very first stop in spiritual progress is to be fixed in the knowledge that nothing in the relative world is permanent, or unchanging. The strongest castles are but airy structures built on sand. Nothing is what it seems to be, either to the senses, or even to the intelligence. That is why the Universe is said to be a Delusion, Maya, for; it is an appearance manifesting on Reality, a Reality that has to be din, covered by overcoming the fog of Ignorance.

Some advise, that man must seek the Truth; but to believe that Truth has to be sought after, is a delusion. Become aware of it, that is enough; that very moment, the delusion will disappear, just as, darkness is dispelled when a light is brought in! These holy days are days when the light is lit. Professor Gokak spoke now of the Sacred­ness of this Day - that this Day, Siva consumed the devastating poison Halahala that arose to destroy the Universe, that this Day Siva first danced the Cosmic Thandava dance, that this Day Siva first manifested Himself in the Linga Form, and so on. These are all tales to suffuse the mind with a sense, of the usefulness of the vows, connected with the Day, to induce people to observe the vows, which are the really valid things, after all. `Fasting' is not desisting from food for one day; it is desisting from `intakes' that are harmful, not only through food but through all the senses, on all days. `Vigil' is not simply keeping off sleep for one night, by hook or crook, but, lifelong vigilance against the evil forces of lust, anger and pride.

Above all, the Vow of Service, of worshipping God in and through all, is the most important, to be taken up as a life­long Sadhana on every Festival Day. That will make the Rathri or darkness into Sivam, or ecstasy - illuminated Day. Serve the living, feeling, responding idols of God that are all around you, in the shape of your fellow men, and fellow beings.

Bhagawan concluded His discourse with a few Namavalis, which He sang in His Murali Voice, for being repeated in chorus by more than ten thousand devotees who had assembled on the Sacred Day at Brindavan.