My Name is not Distinct from My Form

Child,

Your letter reached Me at Kodaikanal in time, but since we came down to Madras that very day, I could not reply. I reached Madras on the 25th, around midnight. I am happy that you have returned full of joy after visiting the holy places with your mathru devi (venerable mother). How can delay, disappointment or danger cross your plan when Swami is ever with you?

My name is not distinct from My form. The name recalls the form, as soon as it is pronounced or heard. When the form is seen, the name comes into the consciousness that very moment. So, when the name is ever dancing on your tongue, the form too has to be before you and beside you. What need is there to mention this as a gift from Me? I have to manifest the Form, whenever My name is remembered with faith or sung with devotion.

You might say that those ‘visions’ were boons of grace from Swami. No, I always say, “Sadhana first, sankalpa later.” That is the correct order. My sankalpa or Will confers bliss only after assessing the depth of the yearning in the devotee. The Sadhana (discipline, spiritual striving and steady practice) is the essential prerequisite. You must have evaluated the written answers of your students. You evaluate and assign them marks only after careful scrutiny of what they have written, don’t you? I too measure and weight the sincerity and steadiness of the sadhana you have imposed on yourselves and then frame my sankalpa accordingly. Of course, many are not aware that the misery in which they find themselves can be negated by sadhana.

At Kodaikanal, thousands had gathered for the evening bhajans. Most were having darshan for the first time in their life. It was their ‘right’ to get that darshan that took me to this hill station. For, as you know, I had not planned to come here. It all happened so suddenly.

Your daughter was badly upset the other night over her husband’s health. His illness had taken a turn for the worse. I was there when your daughter was writing to me a letter about his condition. She posted it next morning to the Puttaparthi address. It has not reached me yet, but the contents I knew of, even while it was being written. When Swami’s grace is available in plenty, why fear?

Baba.