THE ENNOBLING PATH OF SACRIFICE

By Prof. G. Venkataraman

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The Avatar Exemplifies Love and Sacrifice

I would now very quickly like to refer to this triangle of love, compassion and sacrifice. Imagine this triangle, and imagine some kind of a line, Creation below, and the Creator above.

Love is in that domain of Nirakaara Brahman. But when Brahman takes a Form we cannot understand that abstract Love! It flows to us via compassion. When Swami smiles with compassion, we feel it! It brings tears to my eyes! And then He gives!

We say He sacrifices, but sacrifice is not in His dictionary – it is only in man’s dictionary! And I want you to keep this in mind and go back to something that happened last year, when there were terrible floods in Orissa.

Giving Homes to Those who Lost Everything

There were some terrible floods in Orissa…people were suffering…and a few days later the All India President brought a lot of photographs and showed them to Swami and said: “Swami, our organization people did all this seva.” Swami was very moved. “You say, so many houses, hundreds and thousands of them have been washed away! Is anybody doing anything to help them?” He said: “No Swami.” Swami asked: “Are there no rich people there?” He said: “Swami there are many billionaires there.” Swami asked: “What do they do there?” He answered: “Oh, they have mines, steel factories, etc.” Swami asked: “Have they not given anything?” He replied: “Nothing Swami.” Swami said: “Alright! I will do it! Go and build 700 houses.”

More than 400 have been completed and handed over! The first batch of people came here, and they were given keys to their homes and some clothes too. There was no fanfare – no television, no news, no movie cameras, no speeches, no Ministers – nothing! Then, the next batch of 400 houses; they did not come here. Swami sent the All India President and a little function was held there - bhajans and prasadam was distributed and they were given the keys and they went home; that’s all. No fanfare.

‘Love without Duty is Divine!’ - Baba

And I will now like to make a brief reference to the issue of duty, love, sacrifice and responsibility as discussed by Krishna and Swami. Krishna says, “Arjuna, in all the three worlds that I have created, I have no duty to perform like you have and yet, here I am, in human form, doing things which may be called duty. Why do I do it? I do it in order to set an example to you. And while defining duty, Swami says one thing: “Love without duty is Divine”. I have often wondered about that. And then I realized that when we do something, we say: “It is my duty.” If I serve my parents, I say it is my duty; if I come and teach in the college as I am supposed to, then I am doing my duty.

Swami has no duty; yet He will do the same things. Because what motivates Him is not a sense of responsibility or duty but sheer love! “I love you and I do this! That’s all! That is My nature!” You call it Swami’s Infinite Compassion, no; for Swami, “It’s just My love! Love is My Form! Love is My Nature, Love is My language, Love is My breath! So whatever I do is Love; you can give it other names, that is fine.”

Now, He tells us: “I have put that love in you. And so that you don’t forget it, I keep on
calling you ‘premaswarupalara’ (embodiments of Divine Love).

What is the big deal in calling
us this when we are so heartless? He says: “No! That Divine seed is in you! That Divine gene is in you! Your biological genes may have come from your parents, but God
has also given you a gene; the gene of prema; don’t forget it.”

Proper Education is the Essential Need of the Day

Most of you here are connected with education and some of you have gone through that educational system and are working elsewhere as in the Hospital, for example. And Swami’s contribution to education is number one! Because He is shaping the minds of thousands of people and that will have an impact all over the world.

I am going to read out a very brief comment by an educator in a newspaper article many years ago:

“A society like ours, dedicated to the pursuit of happiness, which means in practice, the pursuit of pleasure, money, eroticism, success etc., with violence for kicks, is to me very repellent! It is my considered view that the way of life of the Western man today, is the most horrible and degraded that ever existed on earth.

"Education, the great mumbo-jumbo and fraud of the age, purports to equip us to live and is prescribed as a universal remedy for everything – from juvenile delinquency to premature senility. For the most part, it only serves to enlarge stupidity, inflate conceit, enhance credulity, and put those subjected to it at the mercy of brainwashers in printing presses, radio and television.”

The man who said this is Malcolm Muggeridge, who used to be a teacher of English in Kuchi before partition. He went back to England and was utterly disgusted with their educational system!

In 1972, when the Anantapur College was opened, Swami set the perspective rightly and I quote: “India is being forced into the land of bhogabhoomi; a land of sky scarpers, tin food, air-conditioning and television.” I don’t know what He would say today when we have the internet, Twitter, Orkut and Facebook, cell phones, SMS and all sorts of things.

Swami went on to say, “Indians are being shaped into an imitative, insurgent and ill-disciplined mass. They are being transplanted on other soils and encouraged to grow without roots. This is an insult to the past and a sacrilege on the history of time. That is the reason I have decided that this College will now be inaugurated on Guru Poornima Day as a reminder of the highest tradition in which the highest ideals of life will instill with personal example and guidance from the Guru to pupils eager to imbibe.”

As Mr. Sanjay Sahani reminded us, that our Sathguru has been with the students all the time! And He said: “There was a time when I used to give 80% of My time to the students.” On this day, it is our duty to recall all that because a sharp U-turn is needed in the march of mankind.

The World is in Need of Love

There is everywhere a huge poverty of love! That is the simplest way of explaining most of the problems and it is an accurate explanation. The human body can suffer from vitamin deficiency, calcium deficiency, iron deficiency and so forth. If there is iron deficiency, they prescribe iron; if there is vitamin deficiency, they prescribe vitamins and so on. But if there is poverty of love, obviously, love is the remedy. And so, we have really to explore how to spread Swami’s love, which we have been receiving in abundance.

If there is no Love, it is not possible to have morality. Daiva preeti (Love for God) alone will bring papa bheeti (Fear of Sin); without daiva preeti, there cannot be papa bheeti. Now let me tell you there are forces arraigned against morality - a big powerful lobby in fact! And it is controlled by huge media power, money power, criminal power – in grand proportions. And what they have done is turned the entire dialogue towards the individual and his rights. There is no responsibility. Even Lakshmana told Rama: “It is Your right!” But Rama said “No! It is My responsibility”

The Responsibilities of the Thyagajeevis

That conversation took place long ago! Rights vs. responsibilities. Craving for rights flows from ego! When there’s passion for responsibility, it flows from the spirit of sacrifice. So now I ask the simple question. Swami has been showing the example of compassion, love and mercy for 85 years! All of us have been exposed to it in some measure or the other – some more, some less – but nobody can say he has not received it. So, do we not have the duty, the obligation, and the responsibility to take it further? That is the question we have to ask ourselves. Now, in God’s creation, everybody has a role to play and it is quite obvious that the thyagajeevis have a very special role and that is what I want to point out.

In what way do they have a special role? Now for example, if a country is attacked, everybody doesn’t take a gun and fight with their enemy - it is a soldier’s responsibility to protect. When virtue is under attack and siege, it is the thyagajeevis who have to play a special role.

In the Dwapara Yuga, there was one Krishna, and one Arjuna and he alone had the opportunity to play a pivotal role. But in this Yuga, there is only one Sai Krishna but lots of thyagajeevis and that number can multiply. And what a blessing! You are really chosen and that was clearly stated by Swami in a message long ago, which is as follows:

“You are My instruments from whom this love will radiate. The moment you let your ego descend on you, My work with you will cease. When you overcome this negative attitude - you will again become My instrument! The intensity of My Love will be felt throughout this world!

" I have prepared you for this and I have drawn you to Me. My work is ceaseless, so do your work without an aid and know that I am with you, within you as well as without you. There is no difference! Rid your mind of all petty matters, you are now Me and I am now Thee! There is no difference between you and Me!”

So, I would like to conclude by saying that we need what may be called an ICS. Before the IAS (Indian Administrative Service), there was the ICS – that was called the Indian Civil Service – but the ICS that I am talking about is the Indian Compassion Service! And with your effort, it should become Immortal Compassion Service so that it has members from all over the world. There is no need for any special Indian identity to be a member of this Compassion Service because compassion is love, and love is in all because God is in all.

Thank you for your patience; God bless you all. May your life be fruitful with thyaaga (sacrifice) and may your jeeva (life force) glow with the radiance of prema (love). Jai Sairam!

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