The month was DECEMBER, the year 1995. The celebrations of Bhagawan's 70th birthday had concluded, with the announcement of a multi-crore Water-Project for the State of Andhra Pradesh, (the first of many) bringing safe drinking water to 1.2 million people in 750 villages in the drought-prone district of Anantapur. The colleges closed for a break after the Birthday and Bhagawan suddenly called us for an Interview (private audience in the Interview room next to the mandir bhajan hall).
After we were all seated in the small room, (that seemed to expand and contract with the numbers He would call inside !) Swami talked about the recently concluded grand 70th Birthday celebrations. Someone asked Him why He wore a simple white robe on His Birthday:
Bhagawan then went on to speak on some fascinating topics, but before I retell the pertinent story, let me digress a bit here.
Sometimes while visiting a holy spot or a spiritual place, one encounters people or situations not quite holy or spiritual. And then you begin to wonder why exactly spend so much time, money and resources to come here in search of peace and go back disillusioned ! Better to have stayed at home and link with the Omnipresent Lord there itself! This has happened to not just visitors to Prasanthi Nilayam, but to those who live here as well. No one is immune from this predicament !!!
The Omniscient One being aware of this, sometimes parted the veil a little and revealed why this happens. This conversation between Bhagawan and a student from the University, who had gone home for the holidays, some years back illustrates this. When he returned, Swami asked him casually:
However, in His compassion Bhagawan knows that sometimes one explanation is not enough to assuage a wounded heart or dissipate a devotee's doubt. Then, He brings forth more messages for us to comprehend a little more of the truth.
When I was studying at the college at Anantapur we had heard a remark of Bhagawan where He emphasised that no-one can enter the holy precincts of Prasanthi Nilayam without His Will. In fact He said: "Even an ant cannot come here without My Will" This is true of any hoary spiritual place; without the 'Call', no-one can come, no matter how great the effort. As Bhagawan confirmed to a Western devotee,
“As I told you , no one can come to Puttaparthi, however accidental it might seem, without My calling him. I bring only those people who are ready to see Me, and nobody else, nobody, can find their way here. When I say ‘ready’ there are different levels of readiness, you understand.”
However, the matter does not end here. What happens 'after' we come here is equally and perhaps more important. The chinna katha, in fact emphasised this to us.
Bhagawan said that day, as a prelude to the story:
After we were all seated in the small room, (that seemed to expand and contract with the numbers He would call inside !) Swami talked about the recently concluded grand 70th Birthday celebrations. Someone asked Him why He wore a simple white robe on His Birthday:
SWAMI: (in sweet innocence) They said that in a red or orange robe, I would blend with the background, hence a white one
Devotee: Bhagawan, you should have worn a golden robe for this grand birthday.
SWAMI: (in a rare moment of revelation, setting aside the usual Maya that He always assumed, said emphatically in Telugu) NENE . . . . GOLD (I AM GOLD!!!) I do not care for all this -- pomp and show, functions, etc. I do it for the sake of My devotees, that's all.
A STUNNED SILENCE ensued, as everyone pondered on this statement. Being deluded by an Avatar's humanness, while in His physical proximity, we often forget the Divine Essence within the human form, till He reminds us in different ways. We forget that all these appearances and paraphernalia are merely on the surface; beneath all this is the MISSION of the Avatar to awaken us spiritually)
Sometimes while visiting a holy spot or a spiritual place, one encounters people or situations not quite holy or spiritual. And then you begin to wonder why exactly spend so much time, money and resources to come here in search of peace and go back disillusioned ! Better to have stayed at home and link with the Omnipresent Lord there itself! This has happened to not just visitors to Prasanthi Nilayam, but to those who live here as well. No one is immune from this predicament !!!
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A bird's eye view of Prasanthi Nilayam |
SWAMI: So, how was your vacation ?
Student: It was good, Swami
SWAMI: Did you visit any place?
Student: (nervous, but truthful) Swami, I visited . . . . . Ashram
SWAMI: Oh, I see. And did you like it there ?
Student: (with enthusiasm) Yes Bhagawan, very much.
SWAMI: Did you like it better than Prashanthi Nilayam?
Student: (back to nervous, but still truthful) Bhagawan, I found it very peaceful, the people were all rather calm and friendly, (and he added hesitantly) unlike here.
SWAMI: Hmmmm. Do you know why this is so? Student: No Swami SWAMI: There, (the place the boy had visited) they all meditate most of the the time. Hence, many things are suppressed within. HERE, I BRING EVERYTHING OUT.
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Nothing escapes this Master ! |
However, in His compassion Bhagawan knows that sometimes one explanation is not enough to assuage a wounded heart or dissipate a devotee's doubt. Then, He brings forth more messages for us to comprehend a little more of the truth.
When I was studying at the college at Anantapur we had heard a remark of Bhagawan where He emphasised that no-one can enter the holy precincts of Prasanthi Nilayam without His Will. In fact He said: "Even an ant cannot come here without My Will" This is true of any hoary spiritual place; without the 'Call', no-one can come, no matter how great the effort. As Bhagawan confirmed to a Western devotee,
“As I told you , no one can come to Puttaparthi, however accidental it might seem, without My calling him. I bring only those people who are ready to see Me, and nobody else, nobody, can find their way here. When I say ‘ready’ there are different levels of readiness, you understand.”
However, the matter does not end here. What happens 'after' we come here is equally and perhaps more important. The chinna katha, in fact emphasised this to us.
Bhagawan said that day, as a prelude to the story:
One has to try very hard on the spiritual path. Pleasure comes out of pain. It is a step-by-step process, like climbing a mountain. You have to cross many stones and thorns on the path and learn how to avoid/overcome them. There is no fruit without striving; hence to attain God too, you have to strive. This striving is for your own good.
