From Prashanti Vahini
By Sathya Sai Baba
p.12-17. Become the messengers of
the Santhi that has no beginning or end. Hold forth for humanity the Light of
Santhi. Live the ideal life, ever contented, ever joyous, ever happy.
The
Sadhakas and Bhakthas of old reached their goal through Santhi only. Santhi
gave Ramdas, Tukaram, Kabir, Thyagaraja, Nandanar etc. the fortitude needed to
bear all the calumny, torture and travail that was their lot. If Sadhakas base
their efforts on these examples, they will be free of anger, despair or doubt.
The accounts of their struggles and successes, if contemplated upon, are more
useful to the Sadhaka than the contemplation of the powers and accomplishments
of the Lord. They will help him to try out in their own experience the methods
which these others developed. One can attain Santhi by recalling how they
overcame handicaps, bore troubles, and what paths they trod to cross over to
the other bank.
It
will be found that Santhi was the main instrument which saved them from the
coils of anger, pain, conceit, doubt and despair. Therefore, listen, O
Sudhakas! Acquire the instrument, Santhi, by the Grace of the Lord. Direct all
efforts to that end.
Whatever
trouble, however great the travail, persist and win, by means of Smarana.
Remember Bhishma! Though prostrate on a bed of arrows, he bore the pain
patiently, awaiting the dawn of the auspicious moment: he never called out to
God in his agony, asking Him to put an end to his suffering. ‘I shall bear
everything, whatever the pain, however long the agony. I shall be silent until
the moment comes. Take me when it dawns,’ he said. For Bhishma was the chief
among the Santha-Bhaktas. He lay firm and unshakeable.
Santhi
is essential for everyone; having it is having all; not having it takes away
the joy of everything. Though Santhi is the very nature of Man, anger and greed
succeed in suppressing it. When they are removed, Santhi shines, in its own
effulgence.
Man
must always have calm thoughts. Then only can his mind have equanimity. It is
just a question of the discipline of the mind, difficult in the beginning, but,
once mastered, capable of conquering all troubles and worries. An unruffled
mind is very necessary for every aspirant who is marching forward; it is one of
his beneficial qualities. Such a mind gives real strength and happiness. Strive
to gain it, though you may fail even in seven attempts. You are sure to succeed
in the eighth, if you refuse to be dispirited. The story of Bruce who drew
inspiration from a spider, and won the honours of victory at the eighth attempt
is worth remembering. What is it that gave him the victory? Santhi, the
unruffled mind. He did not yield to despair, cowardice or helplessness; he was
calm throughout, and he secured success. Even if calamity befalls, the Sadhaka
should not lose heart. The mind must ever be pure, untarnished and calm, full
of courage. No weeping for the past, no faltering in the performance of the
task at hand, that is the mark of a Sadhaka. Be prepared to have gladly any obstacle
in the path. Only such can realise the goal.
Elation
at profit, joy and cheer; dejection at loss and misery, these are the natural
characteristics common to all mortals. What, then, is the excellence of the
Sadhaka? He should not forget the principle: be vigilant and suffer the
inevitable, gladly. When difficulties and losses overwhelm you, do not lose
heart and precipitate some action; but meditate calmly on how they ever came to
be. Try to discover some simple means of overcoming them or avoiding them, in
an atmosphere of Santhi.
When
the blow is directed to the head, see that the turban alone gets it; this is
the mark of keen intelligence. Santhi is essential for this sharpness of
intellect. Haste and worry will confuse the intelligence. Santhi develops all
the beneficial characteristics of man. Even farsightedness grows through
Santhi. Through that, obstacles and dangers can be anticipated and averted.
Sadhakas have to pay attention to some subtle points here. He has some special
problems, viz. his failings, mistakes, drawbacks, etc. The Ichchasakthi, or the
Will to Feel can be so purified and strengthened that these failings will never
more be recollected. If thoughts run after the failings and begin to dwell on
how they came about, when they came about, etc., you are prone to commit a few
more. Once they have been recognised as failings, why worry about their birth
and ancestry? Allow your mind to dwell on good things, instead. Of what profit
is it to spend time on things that are no longer necessary? Do not think of
them anymore. The Sadhaka will find this attitude useful.
If
the Sadhaka is unsuccessful in following one discipline, he has to seek and
know the cause of his defeat. This analysis is necessary. He must then see
that, in the second stage, the trait is not repeated. He should try his best to
guard himself against it. In such matters one must be quick and active, like
the squirrel. Agility and vigilance must be combined with sharpness of
intelligence, too. All this can be earned only though Santhi.
Steady
and undeviating earnestness is very important for avoiding conflicts in the
mind and for overcoming them. One has to be calm and unruffled. Courage, wise
counsel and steadiness, these will make the Will, the Ichchasakthi, strong and
sturdy. Lustre in the face, splendour in the eye, a determined look, a noble
voice, large0hearted charity of feeling, unwavering goodness, these are the
sign-posts of a developing and progressing Will-Force. A mind without
agitations, a joyous and unblemished outlook, these are the marks of a person
in whom Santhi has taken root.
The
Bhaktha can well pray for and ask from the Lord, the gift of such a Santhi, and
also Sadgunas necessary for its growth. Why, the Sadhaka has as his capital for
earning any of his goals, only this one thing, Prayer.
Some
people may have doubts related to this. Of what avail is Prayer? Will the Lord
gratify all that we ask for, in our Prayers? He can give us only what,
according to Him, we need, or what we deserve. Is it not? Will the Lord like to
give us all that we ask for in our prayers to Him? Under such circumstances,
what is the use of prayer? Of course all these doubts can be resolved.
If
the Bhaktha has dedicated his all, body, mind and existence, to the Lord, He
will Himself look after everything, for He will always be with him. Under such
conditions, there is no need for prayer. But, have you so dedicated yourself
and surrendered everything to the Lord? No. When losses occur, or calamities
come, or plans go away, the Bhaktha blames the Lord. Some, on the other hand,
pray to Him to save them. Avoiding both these, as well as the reliance on
others, if complete faith is placed on the Lord at all times, why should He
deny you His Grace? Why should He desist from helping you? Men do not rely
fully and unswervingly on the Lord; therefore, though you have to be the agent
and the instrument doing everything, keep on paying with devotion and faith.
Faith is the product of Santhi, not of haste and hurry. For the acquisition of
the Grace of the Lord and the resulting Awareness of the Reality the quality of
Santhi is the prime need. Every Sadhaka is aware how Draupadi deserved the
Grace of the Lord, through her Dharma and her Santhi. Though her husbands were
mighty heroes, and far-famed monarchs, she sought refuge in Lord Krishna,
feeling that all others are of no use. But Prahlada did not seek refuge under
similar circumstances. He had surrendered all
at birth to the Lord; he knew that the Lord was ever by his side and that he
was ever by the side of the Lord; so he had no need to call out to Him for
protection. Prahlada was unaware of anything except the Lord; he could not
distinguish between one function of the Lord and another. So, how could he pray
for protection, he who did not know that He punished? For all such
God-intoxicated and dedicated souls, prayer is unnecessary.
But,
until that stage is reached, prayer in an attitude of Santhi is essential for
Sadhakas. Prayer of this type will promote equanimity, or Samarasa...If Bhajana
is sung in a sweet voice, people will be drawn towards the Lord. Gradually, it
will develop into the Love for God, and his Grace will follow in due course.
One should patiently wait for that Grace.
p.84-85. When someone whose ways you
do not appreciate comes near you, there is no need to find fault with him;
there is no need either to laugh at him or show him your contempt. It is enough
if you continue to do your work, unaffected by his arrival.
Let
those whose behaviour you do not appreciate follow their path, leave them
alone. That is the Udaaseenabhava,
the attitude of unaffectedness. After the dawn of love to the Absolute, the
aspirant gets this bhaava towards all worldly things. To be more exact, one
should constantly be turning over in the mind, the Reality of Brahma and the
Unreality of Jagath, Brahma Sathyam: Jaganmithya. One must avoid comradeship
with the bad and too much of friendship with the good, even! Attachment of this
nature will drag one down from the centripetal path, the Nivrittimarga to the
Pravrittimarga. Give up attachment with the momentary, the things clothed with
the trappings of Name and Form. Once you have achieved this Udaaseenatha, or
attitude of unaffectedness, you will have unshakeable Santhi [peace],
self-control and purity of mind. You will have the steadiness and stability of
Aasana.
Sri
Sathya Sai Books, Andra Pradesh, India, 1962
Spring Series 3 by Miss Menace
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