Temples vs. Atom Bombs

Embodiments of the Self: My blessings. In today’s world of atom bombs, anniversary celebrations of temples are holy days and unique indeed.

The right sadhana in our Hindu religion, which has always pointed out the ephemeral nature of human life, is worship of the Lord. Self-confidence gives the much-needed strength to worship. There is nothing better than faith to give expression to Truth. In the present day, man’s intellect has strayed far from such faith, and growing unchecked, become a multi-headed monster. Thus, the propagation of traditional values become as hammer blows to today’s atheists who disregard the Eternal, Righteous, Moral traditions. For this, the first step is purity of thought. Realizing and experiencing this truth, the ancient sages gave to mankind this great manthra “Yad bhavam tad bhavati” – “As you think, so you become.” If man purifies his thoughts and dwells on pure matters, externally also, he appears pure. On the other hand, if he is attached to lowly things, he will assume an impure form. If one thinks of Lord Krishna as a cowherd boy, it is certain that one will also change into a cowherd boy. But, if you believe him to be the Supreme Self, and establish Him in the shrine of your heart, you in turn can reside in the Lord’s heart. Like the saying, “What is written in your forehead expresses itself in your words”, what you eat alone comes out when your wish to attain Him will also have to tread only the path of love. Every molecule of sugar is sweet. So, been born of the head, hand, thighs, and feet of the Lord, you are also the embodiments of that sweet love.

In order to reveal its sweetness, does not the sugarcane happily welcome punishments such as cutting, crushing and boiling? If these punishments were not there, the sweetness of the sugarcane would become dried up and useless. So also, if man is to experience his inherent sweetness, he has to welcome hardship, loss and sorrow. If he does not do so, that man is an unfortunate being who cannot experience the sweetness in himself. Be that as it may, if an ornament is to be made, even though the gold is of the highest quality, it has to undergo melting, cutting and hammer blows at the hands of the goldsmith. Does anyone shed tears because the goldsmith is torturing the gold in so many ways? Similarly, the Lord, like the goldsmith, wishing to make the valuable ornament from man, who is the embodiment of the Self, gives him several painful experiences like hardship, loss, sorrow, and so on. For this mere thing, it is difficult to understand why man is shedding tears. The one who desires an ornament should not get agitated by all these changes. Therefore, in the Gita, Lord Krishna advised a being like Arjuna who longed for liberation – “Sarva Dharman Parithyajya – Mamekam Sharanam Vraja, Ahamtwa Sarva Papebhyo Moshaishyami Ma Suchah” – “Abandoning all dharmas, take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not.” One who longs for liberation, having surrendered all pain and pleasure at the Lotus Feet of the Lord, should accept whatever is granted as Divine Grace or Prasad and be happy. For such a man, the Supreme Lord is ever near and guards him as the eyelid protects the eye.

In fact, human life is one of bliss and of revelling in the supreme. The only refuge for it is the path of devotion. The Bhagavatha emphatically says “Bhakti Priyo Madhavah” – devotion is dear to the Lord. The natural love of man, when turned godwards is said to be bhakthi. This is a royal road to the City of Liberation which is the abode of God.

Baba

Guindy temple’s 19th Anniversary Message, 3.2.1967