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The Veda Purusha Sapthaha Jnana Yagna is the vedic sacrifice performed during Dasara Celebrations in Prasanthi Nilayam every year. And during these seven days of the sacrifice, Swami blesses all the devotees with His divine benedictory discourses. Let’s recapitulate Swami’s divine message during one of these occasions more than a decade and half ago in 1989.
The man who is filled with love has great peace of mind, is pure at heart and is unruffled by any adverse circumstances, failures or losses. This fortitude is derived from love of the Lord, which endows him with self-confidence. Self-confidence generates an immense internal power. Everyone has to develop this power. Everyone has to develop this self-confidence so that the Atma-Ananda (bliss of the Self) may be experienced.
The Bounden Duty of Man
Love should be free from feelings of expectation of any return or reward. Love which arises out of a desire for something in return is not true love. Utterly selfless and motiveless love should be developed. This is the bounden duty of man.
You should not pray to God seeking this favour or that. The reason is no one can know what immensely precious, Divine and magnificent treasures lie in the treasure-house of Divine Grace. No one can know what God intends or desires to give to a devotee. In such a situation by asking for trivial and petty things, man is demeaning his Divine estate.
No one can understand what valuable, sacred and Divine favours God chooses to confer on a deserving devotee. Hence man should not seek from God, nor desire, nor pray for some petty trifles. More precious and desirable than anything else is God's love.
If you wish to ask for anything from God pray to Him thus' "Oh Lord! Let me have you alone." Once you have secured the Lord,you can get anything you want. That was why Mira sang: "Oh heart, drink the nectar of Divine love. " When you can have Divine love, to crave for anything else is like asking for coffee powder from the Kalpataru! (Wish-fulfilling Tree)…. |
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Consider God as Friend
God has a partiality for the human form. "Daivam maanusha rupena," it is said. (God has to be experienced in the human form). It is only when God is regarded as friend and a companion that He is pleased most. By addressing Him as: "Oh, my dearest friend! My beloved one! The darling of my heart," you can give Him the greatest joy. Instead of that, if He is described as one who is beyond praise by Brahma and other gods, who is not accessible to mind and speech, whose glories are beyond description, who prevailed over the God of Death, who was born as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva…and so on, and then He is entreated to confer His grace on you, there is an element of the ludicrous in the comparisons made. Such praise even savours of envy. When you say, "Oh Lord!you have talked to them and given them so much! Why don't you come to my help?" the comparison seems to stem from jealousy.
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It is only when God is approached as a loving friend who has the power to come to our aid that our desires will be fulfilled. We use words of praise towards an unfamiliar person to show him respect and regard as a stranger. But we welcome an old friend with easy familiarity and intimacy.
Thyagaraja performed sadhana over many years to obtain a vision of the Lord. By that sadhana he established an intimate relationship with Sri Rama. Because of this, he could greet Rama with friendly familiarity and welcome Him to his house as a companion in the song: "Raara maa intidaaka" (Rama, come to our house!). Because of his intimacy, Thyagaraja could address Rama in the second person singular.
In the context of the Navarathri celebrations, on this Purnaahuti day, we must learn to recognise the Divine in this intimate manner. Reduce your desires. Don't pray for trifles. Don't go to a shrine with the intention to seek fulfilment of some petty desires. It is an unfortunate sign of the Kali age that everyone goes to a temple or pilgrim centre only to get some trivial benefits.
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If you can win over the Lord Himself, what is it that is beyond your reach? Thyagaraja declared: "Rama! If only I have Your anugraha (grace) all grahas (planets) will be in my palm."
- Divine Discourse in the Poornachandra Auditorium, 9-10-1989.
– Heart2Heart Team
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