One fine evening as he was returning home, thoughts flooded his mind..
It's true that Bala herself summons selected people to her abode at Nemili, why can't she summon everybody. He asked Sri Venkat Giridhar once whether he can share and spread the divine presence of Bala in Nemili with others. Not everybody knows about Bala peetam as they would know about other places of worship. So is it right propagate this to others? After all, Bala's intent was to rest in her Nemili abode and for the same reason she made it very clear that it may not be established like a temple.
"Sure you can" Sri Venkat had said. "But if you tell this to hundred others, she will summon only about ten, maybe".
Somehow the perception that God summoning only a handful of the entire lot troubled him. Perhaps, he reasoned to himself, not all people will harbour faith. But he was not entirely convinced. Little did he expect that the answers will come calling right away.
He came home, recited the kavacham and sat in contemplation. He looked at the small photo of Swami Sathya Sai Baba on his table. His thoughts turned to his first visit to Puttaparthi. He had stayed for two days. He had dharshan of swami atleast thrice in two days. The travel and stay were not exactly comfortable. The bus journey of several hours, the very early morning wake ups, little sleep, and hours of waiting just to get a few minutes of glimpse of Swami - he felt exhausted after he returned home. But despite that he felt a serenity and calmness of mind like never before.
"Swami has that effect on you", his cousin had later corroborated, "i feel it every time after i return from Puttaparthi after Dharshan, unfortunately it lasts only for a few days, it recedes slowly as we begin our routine life".
No matter how much belief we have, doubts does arise at times.Is what we are experiencing true? What if it's not, if not and what not ? We apply our intellect to analyze God. We want to logically comprehend. We want to understand the rationale.
But God is above all that. That's why there is a need to put our utmost faiths in worship instead of looking for rational explanations. And God does, from time to time, does things that affirm our faith. We call them miracles.
The serenity of mind he had despite after all the exertion from travel and stay was definitely a miracle.He had never felt that state of mind before. And he was personally convinced he had a career just because of Swami. When he was in his final year of college, job looked unlikely because of a big academic setback. But within a month after completing the final semester he got one, and till date he believed it was Swami's grace that helped him get started with a career.
He had heard and witnessed all those vibuthi and kumkum manifestations from Sai Baba pictures. Not only pictures, but from idols and pictures of other Gods in some of the devotees' houses. Several devotees had actually witnessed many variations of Swami's miracles and it is simply stupid to dismiss that they were all making it up.That transcends any logical explanation.
Now he started thinking again. When Swami had millions of followers, why did he choose only a few of the entire lot to make them witness his miracles. After all, aren't we all children of God? Shouldn't God shower his/her grace on everyone of us? Shouldn't the Almighty perform miracles that would make even the non-believers jump aboard the bandwagon of faith.
Wait, his inner-voice told him. Is your belief complete? Do you place your utmost faith in God?
I think yes (atleast from time to time, to be frank), he retorted to that voice. So are you saying that God will perform miracles only to those who place their utmost trust with Her/Him. And not the non-believers, those who are otherwise inherently good?
No it's not that way, his inner voice replied. God is merely using that select few as instrumental to make everybody witness Her/His acts.
There it was. The truth slapped to his face. The answers were flowing within him with so much clarity that he was now convinced it was Bala herself who was triggering these thought processes within him, as a response to the 'intellectual analysis' he was doing early that evening.
God is for all. God showers grace on everybody. Yes, even the non- believers. It's just that some are able to realize this truth and most aren't able to. Just because God performs miracles in somebody's life doesn't mean he/she is more special than the rest. God treats everybody the same.
If you experience miracles, you need to remember that God is merely making you instrumental to convince others in the path of faith. And when that happens you, God is making you responsible. You need to take it forward and spread the message of love and faith. God is within every one of us. When you dedicate your thoughts and actions to Her, they become pure. After all, isn't that what Lord Krishna said in Bhagvat Gita. Do your Karma without any expecting anything in return.
Now wait, isn't it humane to only expect something out of our actions? How can we not expect something when we do something. Afterall we do something expecting an outcome, so how is this possible?
It is very much possible, Bala seemed to be orchestrating this response in my thoughts. Doing your acts without expecting anything in return is very much possible when you surrender and dedicate your actions to God.That is what Karma is about. Do your duty out of compassion, do your duty because it is for the larger good, and most importantly do your duty by dedicating it to God.
And when God showers grace upon you, don't think it is because you are special. You are the chosen one among many. Give in to that divine experience, act on God's behalf . Spread the message, spread the love. Lead by example. Nothing convinces others than the way of leading by example. When you believe in me, when you give in to the divine experience and when you carry forward the message of faith, love and compassion, you influence others to embrace this philosophy of faith. And that will make their thoughts and actions pure.
He had read about the miracles Bala had brought upon Her devotees. He had read about it in the book he bought from the peetam "Annai Balavin Arputhangal (Mother Bala's miracles)".
And he had read about the wondrous experiences Bala had brought upon her devotee, Mrs.Uma Kumar (http://spiritualvisionwriting.blogspot.in/ , i really hope she and Bala doesn't mind me sharing this link here).
So that contemplative evening ended with the tagline 'spread the message, spread the love'.
Afterall didn't Swami Sathya Sai say "Miracles are my visiting cards".
They are a gateway to make a person embrace the path of faith and devotion. And with that Bala is sure to shower her graces upon them.
Sri Bala Charanam.
It's true that Bala herself summons selected people to her abode at Nemili, why can't she summon everybody. He asked Sri Venkat Giridhar once whether he can share and spread the divine presence of Bala in Nemili with others. Not everybody knows about Bala peetam as they would know about other places of worship. So is it right propagate this to others? After all, Bala's intent was to rest in her Nemili abode and for the same reason she made it very clear that it may not be established like a temple.
"Sure you can" Sri Venkat had said. "But if you tell this to hundred others, she will summon only about ten, maybe".
Somehow the perception that God summoning only a handful of the entire lot troubled him. Perhaps, he reasoned to himself, not all people will harbour faith. But he was not entirely convinced. Little did he expect that the answers will come calling right away.
He came home, recited the kavacham and sat in contemplation. He looked at the small photo of Swami Sathya Sai Baba on his table. His thoughts turned to his first visit to Puttaparthi. He had stayed for two days. He had dharshan of swami atleast thrice in two days. The travel and stay were not exactly comfortable. The bus journey of several hours, the very early morning wake ups, little sleep, and hours of waiting just to get a few minutes of glimpse of Swami - he felt exhausted after he returned home. But despite that he felt a serenity and calmness of mind like never before.
"Swami has that effect on you", his cousin had later corroborated, "i feel it every time after i return from Puttaparthi after Dharshan, unfortunately it lasts only for a few days, it recedes slowly as we begin our routine life".
No matter how much belief we have, doubts does arise at times.Is what we are experiencing true? What if it's not, if not and what not ? We apply our intellect to analyze God. We want to logically comprehend. We want to understand the rationale.
But God is above all that. That's why there is a need to put our utmost faiths in worship instead of looking for rational explanations. And God does, from time to time, does things that affirm our faith. We call them miracles.
The serenity of mind he had despite after all the exertion from travel and stay was definitely a miracle.He had never felt that state of mind before. And he was personally convinced he had a career just because of Swami. When he was in his final year of college, job looked unlikely because of a big academic setback. But within a month after completing the final semester he got one, and till date he believed it was Swami's grace that helped him get started with a career.
He had heard and witnessed all those vibuthi and kumkum manifestations from Sai Baba pictures. Not only pictures, but from idols and pictures of other Gods in some of the devotees' houses. Several devotees had actually witnessed many variations of Swami's miracles and it is simply stupid to dismiss that they were all making it up.That transcends any logical explanation.
Now he started thinking again. When Swami had millions of followers, why did he choose only a few of the entire lot to make them witness his miracles. After all, aren't we all children of God? Shouldn't God shower his/her grace on everyone of us? Shouldn't the Almighty perform miracles that would make even the non-believers jump aboard the bandwagon of faith.
Wait, his inner-voice told him. Is your belief complete? Do you place your utmost faith in God?
I think yes (atleast from time to time, to be frank), he retorted to that voice. So are you saying that God will perform miracles only to those who place their utmost trust with Her/Him. And not the non-believers, those who are otherwise inherently good?
No it's not that way, his inner voice replied. God is merely using that select few as instrumental to make everybody witness Her/His acts.
There it was. The truth slapped to his face. The answers were flowing within him with so much clarity that he was now convinced it was Bala herself who was triggering these thought processes within him, as a response to the 'intellectual analysis' he was doing early that evening.
God is for all. God showers grace on everybody. Yes, even the non- believers. It's just that some are able to realize this truth and most aren't able to. Just because God performs miracles in somebody's life doesn't mean he/she is more special than the rest. God treats everybody the same.
If you experience miracles, you need to remember that God is merely making you instrumental to convince others in the path of faith. And when that happens you, God is making you responsible. You need to take it forward and spread the message of love and faith. God is within every one of us. When you dedicate your thoughts and actions to Her, they become pure. After all, isn't that what Lord Krishna said in Bhagvat Gita. Do your Karma without any expecting anything in return.
Now wait, isn't it humane to only expect something out of our actions? How can we not expect something when we do something. Afterall we do something expecting an outcome, so how is this possible?
It is very much possible, Bala seemed to be orchestrating this response in my thoughts. Doing your acts without expecting anything in return is very much possible when you surrender and dedicate your actions to God.That is what Karma is about. Do your duty out of compassion, do your duty because it is for the larger good, and most importantly do your duty by dedicating it to God.
And when God showers grace upon you, don't think it is because you are special. You are the chosen one among many. Give in to that divine experience, act on God's behalf . Spread the message, spread the love. Lead by example. Nothing convinces others than the way of leading by example. When you believe in me, when you give in to the divine experience and when you carry forward the message of faith, love and compassion, you influence others to embrace this philosophy of faith. And that will make their thoughts and actions pure.
He had read about the miracles Bala had brought upon Her devotees. He had read about it in the book he bought from the peetam "Annai Balavin Arputhangal (Mother Bala's miracles)".
And he had read about the wondrous experiences Bala had brought upon her devotee, Mrs.Uma Kumar (http://spiritualvisionwriting.blogspot.in/ , i really hope she and Bala doesn't mind me sharing this link here).
So that contemplative evening ended with the tagline 'spread the message, spread the love'.
Afterall didn't Swami Sathya Sai say "Miracles are my visiting cards".
They are a gateway to make a person embrace the path of faith and devotion. And with that Bala is sure to shower her graces upon them.
Sri Bala Charanam.
Sri Bala Charanam
ReplyDeleteSri Baba Charanam
Very good article Ram