No Title

主	页

\|-	文	章

	\|-	峇	峇	开	示

	\|-	每	月	精	选

	\|-	其	它

主页 >> 文章 >> 每月精选

2013/04

觉知（意识）

我谦卑的顶礼于我们的主的莲花足下。

亲爱的兄弟姐妹，

我们真有福气，获薄伽梵峇峇的恩典，聚集于此并讨论由祂不时提供的灵性的话题。我祈求祂的祝愿并谦卑地置于你们面前，我今天早上的几个有关‘觉知’这话题的理念。在日常生活中，我们需要对生活的各个层面有所觉知，以便在人生过程中不致于留下空白。作为老师，他必须觉知他所教授的科目的最近发展而后提升自己并补充新资料之后再教导学生。一个医生应该知道最新的药物，它们的生化情况，服食之量，副作用及治病的现代技术等等，这样，他才能成为一个有效率的开业医生。例如一个律师，他必须知道与他所接下案件相关联的所有方方面面（法律上的）及，知道在受理案件的辩护中如何去解释法律的各个部分以期打赢这场官司。不论是一件小工作或是一个大企业，每一个人都必须认识他所被委托的工作。此乃专业的觉知或专门的知识。

一家之主应该明白他对家庭的义务，承诺和责任。此乃社会的觉知（意识）。身为公民，我们应该认识我们的义务，权利和责任，管理上的角色以及对社会的回馈等。此乃政治的觉知（意识）。就是如此，自早至晚，觉知是极其必需的，致使我们的尝试，工作，技术，能力和才智得以有成效地和有意义地展现。此乃一般的觉知（意识）。

我们需要培育和发展的是灵性的觉知。何谓灵性觉知？有必要得到它吗？它怎么帮助我们？不具灵性觉知有何害处？若缺乏，如何培育？当我们思维有关‘灵性觉知’这话题时，这些问题都会出现在我们心念中。每一个求道者，灵修者，信徒，或一个一神论者都应该持有完整的，严明的和正确的灵性觉知，否则，人生势必处处暗藏失败的危机。

就这方面，让我与你分享几个要点。觉知是神性的体现，无处不加以体现而无时不加以体现。我们应该知道整个宇宙是神圣的。Sarvam vishnumayam jagath；Vasudeva sarvamithi；Isavasyam idam sarvam；等等，都是吠陀经的训示，强调整个世界是神圣的。神存在于原子之中，一如存在于所有的物质之中。祂小而无内，大而无外 – Anoraneeyan Mahatomaheeyan。这便是觉知。我们决不应该限制或局限神于一个寺庙，于一个单一的名和相的框框之内，以及，于一段特殊的期间。神是超越时间和空间的。一切相属于祂而一切名也属于祂。Sarvathah pani padam tat sarvathokshi siromukham；Sahasra seersha Purushaha sahasrakshah sahasra paad，是神圣的规律，描述祂在一切之内而一切都在祂之内。这便是灵性的觉知。Eswarah sarva bhoothanam -- 意思是神存在于一切众生之内。它要求的是敬重。它期望的是谦卑与虔诚。

五大元素被尊为神圣的形相。Bhoodevi -- 母亲大地，Vayudeva -- 风神（伐由），Agnideva -- 火神（阿耆尼），Varunadeva -- 雨神（婆卢那）等等。有特别的礼仪取悦他们，并获得他们的赐福。植物如马尔戈萨（Margosa），印度榕树（Banyan），杜尔西（Tulsi）都被崇拜。你可以随时在印度每一家门前找到杜尔西植物。柳树是有名的圣诞树。银杏或白果（Ginkgo biloba）则与中华礼仪相关。主佛佗经历了一段长时期的坐在菩提树下（bodhivriksha或Ficus religosa）苦修并于一个月圆之日（poornima）获得正果，达到涅磐（nirvana）或超脱。所以植物和树木都被膜拜。公牛（Nandi）是主湿婆（Siva）的战车。哈努曼（Hanuman，猴）是罗摩的仆人。主基士拿饲养牛只，古人称祂为哥巴拉（Gopala，护牛者）。主象头神（Ganesha）以鼠（Mooshika）作为其交通工具；主苏伯拉曼尼亚（Subrahmanya，战神）拥有一只孔雀；杜尔伽女神（Durga，雪山神女，湿婆配偶）骑着一只狮子；著名的朝圣地，斯里卡拉哈斯提（Srikalahasthi，近Tirupathi，迪卢巴蒂）与一只大象和一只蜘蛛相关联；主毗湿奴（Vishnu）躺在一只蛇上；湿婆身穿鹿皮；主毗湿奴骑着大鹏（Garuda），诸如此类，不胜枚举。因此，动物，鸟兽都在膜拜之列。难道牠们不都是神圣的吗？难道牠们不代表神性？难道牠们不代表不同层次的意识的神性？然而，除此之外，膜拜植物，动物，风，水，火，土等等还有别的原因吗？

当一座建筑物动土时，我们执行大地祭礼（bhoomi pooja）,也就是膜拜大地的仪式。我们膜拜圣洁的河流，如恒河（Ganges），克里斯拿（Krishna）河以及卡弗里（Kaveri）河。每十二年一次，连续一段被认为是圣洁的日子里（pushkaram），信徒们到河里去泡水或洗澡。何以至此？在杜尔伽史达米（Durgashtami）节日那天（三天萨拉节庆‘Dasara’的第一天），你不是看到人们膜拜机器，汽车，交通工具等？你不是看到舞者向地鞠躬，打鼓者向鼓鞠躬吗？甚至连货车司机在出发前也向货车方向盘顶礼。在三克兰迪（Sankranti黄道吉日或丰收节）你不是看到人们膜拜犁和镰刀吗？诸如此类例子，多得不能胜数，比如机械装置，用具，乐器等在印度都被视为神圣的。

知识是女神萨罗斯娃提（Saraswathi，梵天之妻）的象征，财富是勒斯米（Lakshmi，毗湿奴之妻）的象征，而能量是杜尔伽（Durga，湿婆之妻）的象征。所有星球都受到膜拜 -- Navagraha pooja(译注：nava，九，graha，星球，pooja，祭祀）。以‘suryanamaskar’ (译注：surya，太阳，namaskar，顶礼）膜拜太阳，而以‘Adityahridayam’ (译注：aditya，日神，hridayam，心；向日神虔诚祈祷）取悦之。印度教所有神像，伊斯兰教的卡巴（Kaba，天房，石殿建筑），基督教的玛丽亚与婴儿耶稣的雕像都是石雕的。然而，在它们被安装前，有一个吠陀仪式要执行-- Prana prathishta --（译注：召唤神像之生命气息的祭礼，与开光类似）祈求神祇的赐福及珍藏其神性于雕像之中，以便之后每日膜拜。然而，在物质上，它毕竟是一块石头。难道它不是展示，一个没有活力的矿物，一个花岗石，在这圣土上也是为人所膜拜的物体吗？这一切无疑地，明显地展示，这宇宙就是神圣的彰显 -- Viswa virata swaroopa / Viswaroopa（译注：万物皆为神的化身）。当教导《梵歌》给阿周那时，主基士拿赐予阿周那祂的宇宙形相，Viswaroopadarsana(译注：万物化身的显现），在那儿，阿周那看到整个宇宙都在主毗湿奴之内。乃至于每一物，每一处，每一生命体，有活力的和无活力的，jada，chaitanya；能动的和不能动的chara，achara / chala，achala；稳定的和不稳定的，sthavara，jangama；有生命的和无生命的，chetana，achetana；以及细菌和昆虫，krimi，keetaka；鸟类和野兽，pasu，pakshi；森林和树木，vana，vriksha；大川和细流，nadi，nada；海洋和山岭，sagara，parvatha；等等都是神圣的。此乃灵性觉知。

容我举几个与薄伽梵相关的体验吧！有一天，与一位地质学家共车时，薄伽梵叫车子稍候并捡起一块石头而问地质学家，它是什么。这是一个再简单不过的问题，他不假思索地回答，“薄伽梵！这是一块花岗石。”薄伽梵问，“它含有什么？”他说，“物质。”薄伽梵又问，“那里面有什么？”地质学家说，“如原子等的微粒子。”薄伽梵继续问，“你在原子内找到什么？”他回答，“质子，电子和中子，而它们都有自己固定的运转轨道。”薄伽梵问，“它们为什么运转？”科学家无言以对。然后祂拿起一块石头并把它转变为一个美丽而细小的基士拿像的糖果并笑着说，“就是因为这基士拿觉知（Krishna Chaitanya），这些微粒子和物质才得以出现。”这说明在如花岗石的非生命体物质之内也有神性。此乃灵性觉知。

当薄伽梵在孟买时，刚好喜斯乐普博士（Dr. Hislop）也在那儿。薄伽梵从一个大箱里拿出纱丽（saree）分发给妇女们。最后还剩下几件没发。喜斯乐普博士突然看到箱子里有水，在这之前是没有的。喜斯乐普博士惊讶地说，“水！它怎么突然出现呢？”然后薄伽梵解释说，“不！喜斯乐普！那不是水。那是纱丽的泪水，是没有分发出去的纱丽留下的。它们流泪因为它们不像那些经由神圣之手分发出去的纱丽那么的幸运。”这不是明示神性也寓于如纱丽等的无生命物质吗？此乃灵性觉知。

有两个在班加罗尔（Bangalore）平达弯（Brindavan）的体验，我至今仍记得非常清楚。一天，我们正为一个例常的集会而与薄伽梵坐在主殿之内。祂站起来说，“看！那边有一个孩子在采下盆栽植物的叶子。叫他离开，不要在这里玩。他为什么采下叶子？那植物不感到疼痛吗？如果我拧一拧你的脸颊，你会有什么感觉？”一天，《从舍尔地到峇地》（Shirdi to Parthi）这本书的著名作者喀喀德博士（Dr. Kakade）拜会薄伽梵。薄伽梵正坐在平达弯主殿的大理石阶梯上。祂手上拿着几朵菊花并且兴致勃勃地欣赏着。祂问我，“ 告诉我，这些是什么？”我回答，“斯瓦米！是花瓣。”薄伽梵说，“是吗！”他拿着那些花瓣，合掌一吹。在场的人无不感到惊讶，看到一枚钻石戒指取代了那些花瓣。薄伽梵把一个形相改变成另一个形相，一朵花变成一枚戒指。一切都是神圣的。

薄伽梵到荷斯里山庄（Horsely Hills）去小住一段时日，回来的途中，祂看着一头水牛并说，“谢谢你。”然后看着在场的人，祂说，“这水牛每天都献身于崇高的服务，为我们搬运那么多装满食水的水壶。”这是灵性。你们大部分人对赛吉达（Sai Gita）都不陌生吧！牠是布达峇地的一只母象。牠老远就感觉到薄伽梵的出现了。牠不愿意离开薄伽梵。薄伽梵触摸牠的鼻子，喂牠蘋果，自始至终，赛吉达从来就不准备离开祂。

薄伽梵述说有一次在平达弯发生的事情。那是夜晚十时左右，当时看管主殿的是罗摩梵（Ramabrahmam），他正在楼下就寝。他听到一阵敲门声，一看，原来是赛吉达，令他感到万分惊讶。我该怎么说呢？无疑地，牠就是灵性。我想提一提另一件逸事，取自薄伽梵的传记。那时陪伴着薄伽梵的有两只小狗，一只叫杰克，另一只叫吉尔，一只躺在薄伽梵头边，另一只则在脚旁。在那些日子里，没有方便的交通工具直达布达峇地。人们必须下车步行好几英里才到百善地尼乐园。有一次，迈索尔（Mysore）的皇后前来拜访薄伽梵。车子照旧停在郊外。由于太晚了，整队人必须留宿精舍。司机要睡在停泊郊外的车子上。由于他不认得路，薄伽梵就叫小犬杰克带路。杰克走前，司机跟在后。后来司机睡在车内而杰克睡在车底。翌日早晨，司机起来，要把车子倒退。非常不幸地，轮子辗过杰克，导致杰克的脊椎骨折断。牠开始哀嚎。一路上，杰克痛苦地拖着受伤的身体，越过沙地，最终抵达百善地尼乐园。牠倒在薄伽梵的足下，缓缓地抬起头，把头放在薄伽梵的膝上然后闭目离去。吉尔因忍受不了杰克的离世，不久也跟着死了。这表示着什么呢？除了蕴寓于杰克之内的灵性外，别无它物。

我又想起发生在班加罗尔平达弯的另一个事件。一天，薄伽梵在炎热的夏季大约午后一时左右走下来打开主殿大门。通常我们都预想薄伽梵在下午四时左右才下来。我们看到了什么？大家都知道，平达弯有许多鹿、兔、孔雀和其他鸟类。当薄伽梵打开大门时，一只鹿朝向祂奔驰过来。在靠近祂时，牠倒在薄伽梵足前便闭目安息了。薄伽梵说，“我知悉！大限到了。这只鹿就是被带到这地方的第一头鹿。其他的鹿都是牠的家属。牠祈愿死于我的足前。所以我才在这不寻常的时间到来以给牠赐福并圆满牠的最后愿望。”现在我们该作怎么样的结论？舍灵性无他。

我再述说来自那加兰邦（Nagaland）的一个护士的另一个体验。她回家度假。在假期的最后一天，她回去上班之前，她请了几个亲朋好友吃晚餐。所有菜肴上了桌，准备用餐时，突然间，一只猫不知从何处出来并跳到桌子上，往盛着布丁的容器张嘴大吃。主人登时勃然大怒，拿起棍子狠狠地往猫的尾巴打去。猫跌倒在桌子上，张开前后脚的爪子，这时，只看到圣灰从爪子流出。主人一看，深感愧疚。六个月后她与一组负责百善地安全职务的志工一道赴百善地尼乐园。在最后一天薄伽梵赐予顶礼（pada namaskar，顶礼于主的足下），并分发圣灰给所有的志工。这女士也从薄伽梵手中得到一份。但薄伽梵回头一看，然后走向她又给她一份。她说，“薄伽梵！您已给了我。”薄伽梵说，“这是给你的猫的。”难道你现在不认为，那灵性存在于众生之内，不论他是一只大象、一头鹿、一条狗、一只猫，如以上实例所标示的？此乃灵性觉知。

Sruthi（天启圣典）或Veda（吠陀经）说的 Janthoonaam narajanma durlabham（人身难得），其意思是在八百四十万生物类属中，诞生为人是最为难能可贵的。为何如此？一个人类有能力反求诸内并有能力探索自性或纯灵或阿特玛（Atma），而其他有机世界的类属则被排斥在外。Aharam bhaya nidra mydhunancha samanyan pasubhir naraanaam -- 食物，恐惧，睡眠和生育，毕竟是人类和其他兽类所共有的。那么我们为什么说人身难得呢？智慧是天赋人类的一个额外的素质，不具之，人的生命就变成pasubhir samana -- 等同于兽类。薄伽梵鼓励我们每一个人去培育这灵性觉知。

在讲道中，祂说，“若有人问你‘你是谁？’，你怎么回答？”若你回答你是印度人，美国人，俄国人等等，这是错误的答案。为什么？它是你隶属的国家，你的诞生国，你的国籍。但你不是国家，你或许会移居他国，所以这答案不具意义。对于‘你是什么？’这问题，有人或会回答‘我是一个工程师，我是一名医生，我是一位教师等等’，这不是正确的答案。为什么？它们是你的专业或职业或你所做的工作。但你不是你的职业。不是吗？对同样的问题‘你是谁？’，有人或回应说，‘我是一个男孩，我是一个男人，我是一个祖父。’这答案也是错的。为什么？这些无非人生的各个阶段。一个小孩变成一个大人，婚后，他变成一个父亲而在七十岁时，他成为一个祖父。但在这段时期，你还是同样的一个人。所以这答案是错的。有人或说，我是个单身汉，我是一家之主，我是个出家者，我是个舍离者等等。这也不对。为什么？你经过这些人生阶段（Ashramas），但你还是同样的一个人。那么，你到底是谁？你是这身体吗？不。身体，心念和智能仅是仆人，而你是主子。那你又是谁？最终你会知道，你是神的一点火光。你是神圣的。此乃灵性觉知。这或可被说是圆常大觉（Constant Integrated Awareness）。有了这种灵性觉知，你会获得超越二元性的永恒至福。

愿我们的主，赛，赐福大家。

Sai Ram。

取自《薄伽梵斯里沙迪亚赛峇峇普及和实用的教导》第2章

AWARENESS

My humble salutations at the lotus feet of our Lord.

Dear brothers and sisters,

We are fortunate indeed to have assembled here by the divine grace of Bhagavan Baba and discuss spiritual topics as presented by Him from time to time. I humbly place before you with prayers to Him a few of my thoughts on the topic of this morning, ‘Awareness’. In our daily life we need to be aware of all aspects of life in order to be successful in our earthly sojourn. As a teacher one has to be aware of the recent developments in one’s subject and be updated in order to teach in a classroom. A doctor should be aware of all the latest medicines, their biochemical aspects, dosages, side effects, if any, modern techniques of treating a disease to be an efficient practitioner. A lawyer, for instance, has to be aware of all the aspects (legal) connected with the case he is dealing with and the interpretation of various sections of law in defence of the case taken up in order to win at the bar/court. It may be a small job or a big industry, everyone must be aware of the work entrusted to him. This is professional awareness or expertise.

A householder should be aware of his obligations, commitments and responsibilities towards the family. This is social awareness. As citizens we should be aware of our duties, rights and responsibilities, our role in the administration and our contribution to the society and so on. This is political awareness. Like this, from dawn to dusk, awareness is most essential so that our attempts, trials, work, skills, capacities, and talents can be made fruitful and purposeful. This is general awareness.

What we need to cultivate and develop is the spiritual awareness. What is spiritual awareness? Where is the need to have it? How does it help us? What is the harm without spiritual awareness? How to develop it, if found missing? These are some questions that crop up in our mind as we think of the topic, ‘Awareness’ with reference to spirituality. Every seeker, aspirant, devotee, or a theist should have complete, exact and correct spiritual awareness, failing which there is every danger of a total failure in life.

Let me share a few points in this direction with you. Awareness is the realization of the divinity everywhere and always. We should know that the whole universe is divine. Sarvam vishnumayam jagath; Vasudeva sarvamithi; Isavasyam idam sarvam; etc., are the Vedic statements that emphatically say that the whole world is divine. God is as much present in an atom, as in all matter. He is the smallest among the small and the biggest among the big – Anoraneeyan Mahatomaheeyan. This is awareness. We should never limit or restrict or confine God to a temple; to a single frame of a specific name and form, and to a particular period of time. God is beyond time and space. All forms are His, and all names are His. Sarvathah pani padam tat sarvathokshi siromukham; Sahasra seersha Purushaha sahasrakshah sahasra paad, are the divine laws that state that, He is in all and all are in Him. This is spiritual awareness. Eswarah sarva bhoothanam – meaning that God is present in all beings. It calls for reverence and respect. It expects humility and prayerfulness.

Five elements are worshipped as divine forms. Bhoodevi – mother earth, Vayudeva – wind God, Agnideva – fire God, Varunadeva – rain God, and so on. Special rituals are performed to please them and receive their blessings. Margosa, Banyan, Tulsi plants are worshipped. You can find a Tulsi plant in front of every house in India. Willow is the famous Christmas tree. Maiden hair tree or Ginkgo biloba is associated with Chinese rituals. Lord Buddha attained nirvana or liberation after a long period of penance sitting under bodhivriksha or Ficus religosa on a full moon day or poornima. So, plants and trees are worshipped. Bull is the chariot of Lord Siva (Nandi). Hanuman (monkey) is the servant of Lord Rama. Lord Krishna reared cows and so He is called Gopala. Lord Ganesha has Mooshika (rat) as his vehicle; Lord Subrahmanya has a peacock; Goddess Durga rides on a lion; the famous pilgrim centre, Srikalahasthi (near Tirupathi) is associated with an elephant and a spider; Lord Vishnu reclines on a serpent; Siva wears a deer’s skin; Lord Vishnu rides on a Garuda (Bird) and like this many more can be mentioned. Therefore, animals, birds and beasts are worshipped. Do they not indicate that all are divine? Do they not stand for divinity? Do they not represent divinity at various levels of consciousness? But for this what else could be the reason for worshipping plants, animals, wind, water, fire, earth, so on and so forth?

We do bhoomi pooja or foundation – laying ceremony at the commencement of building construction where earth is worshipped. We worship the waters of holy rivers like the Ganges, the Krishna and the Kaveri are worshipped. Once in every twelve years spread over a period of time considered very sacred, pushkaram, devotees go to the rivers to have a holy dip or bath. Why to that extent? On Durgashtami day (the first of the three days in Dasara festival) have you not noticed people worshipping machines, cars, vehicles, etc.? Have you not noticed dancers bowing down to earth, the tablist bowing down to tabla on which he plays, and even lorry drivers offering pranams to the steering wheel before they start? During the Sankranti festival did you not see a plough and a sickle worshipped? I can cite many more examples like this to impress upon you that machinery, implements, musical instruments are also considered divine in Bharat.

Knowledge is symbolised as Goddess Saraswathi, wealth as Lakshmi, and energy as Durga. All planets are worshipped – navagraha pooja. The Sun is worshipped with suryanamaskar and propitiated with Adityahridayam. All idols of Hindu Gods, Buddha statues, and Kaba of Islamic faith, statues of Mary and Infant Jesus of Christianity are made of stone. However, before they are installed there is a Vedic ritual – Prana prathishta – invoking the blessings of the deities and to enshrine their divinity after which daily worship (pooja) is done. Yet, physically it is a stone. Does it not show that the inanimate mineral matter, a granite stone also is an object of worship in this holy land? All this evidently shows beyond any doubt that this cosmos is the divine manifestation – Viswa virata swaroopa / Viswaroopa. Lord Krishna blesses Arjuna with his cosmic form, Viswaroopadarsana, while teaching The Gita, where Arjuna finds the entire universe within Lord Vishnu. So much so, every thing, every place, every being, animate and inanimate jada, chaitanya, the movable and the immovable chara, achara / chala, achala, stable and unstable sthavara, jangama living and non-living chetana, achetana, even germs and insects Krimi, Keetaka, birds and beasts, pasu, pakshi, forests and trees vana, vriksha, rivers and rivulets nadi, nada, sea and mountain sagara, parvatha, are all Divine. This is spiritual awareness.

Let me have the pleasure of citing a few experiences, associated with Bhagavan. While going in a car, one day, along with a geologist, Bhagavan stopped his car and picked up a stone and asked the geologist, what it was. Without hesitating, being the simplest question he ever faced, he replied, “it is a granite stone, Bhagavan!” Bhagavan asked, “What does it contain?” He said, “matter”. Bhagavan again asked, “What do you find there?” The geologist said, “Particles such as atoms.” Bhagavan continued to ask, “What do you find in an atom?” He replied, “Protons, electrons and neutrons that revolve in specific orbits of their own.” Bhagavan questioned, “Why do they revolve?” The scientist had no reply. Then He picked up a stone and transformed it into a beautiful small Krishna idol of candy and smilingly said, “It is this Krishna Chaitanya or awareness that is responsible for these particles and the matter to materialize.” This speaks of divinity in inanimate objects like a granite stone. This is spiritual awareness.

It was the time when Bhagavan was at Mumbai and Dr. Hislop also happened to be there. Bhagavan was distributing sarees to women taken out of a huge trunk. Towards the end a few sarees were left. Hislop observed water in the trunk all of a sudden, which was not there till then. Hislop was surprised, and said, “Water! How could it come here all of a sudden?” Then Bhagavan remarked “No! Hislop! It is not water. They are the tears of the sarees left behind in the trunk undistributed. They are crying because they are not as fortunate as to be distributed by the divine hands like the rest!” Does it not indicate divinity in a non-living thing like a saree? This is spiritual awareness.

I very well remember two experiences in Brindavan at Bangalore. One day we were sitting inside the mandir for a regular session with Bhagavan. He stood and said, “Look here! A boy over there is plucking the leaves of a potted plant. Ask him to go and not to play here. Why should he pluck the leaves? Doesn’t the plant feel painful? If I pinch your cheeks, how do you feel?” One day the famous author of the book “Shirdi to Parthi”, Dr. Kakade came to Bhagavan. Bhagavan was sitting on the marble steps of Trayee Brindavan Mandir. He was holding a few Chrysanthemum flowers. He was watching them very keenly. He asked me, “Tell me what are these?” I replied, “Swami! They are the petals of a flower.” Bhagawan said, “Is that so!” He just held those petals and closed His palm and blew air into them. All of us were shocked to find a diamond ring in the place of those flowers. Bhagavan changes one form (of divinity) into another, a flower into a ring. Everything is divine.

Bhagavan went to Horsely Hills and spent some time there and was returning. He looked at a buffalo and said, “Thank you.” Looking at those present there He said, This buffalo rendered great service daily carrying pots of drinking water for all of us.” This is divinity. Most of you must have seen ‘Sai Gita’ the female elephant in Puttaparthi. She can spot out Bhagavan from a distance. She would not leave Bhagavan. Bhagavan pats on her trunk, feeds her with apples, yet Sai Gita is never prepared to leave Him.

Bhagavan narrated what happened once in Brindavan. It was night 10-00 and Ramabrahmam, the then caretaker of the mandir was sleeping in the downstairs of the mandir. He heard a loud knock on the door. He was shocked to find Sai Gita at the door. What shall I say about this? Undoubtedly it is divinity. I shall tell you another anecdote from the biography of Bhagavan. There used to be two dogs by name Jack and Jill with Bhagavan, one lying near the head while the other at the feet. Those were the days when there were no proper transport facilities to Puttaparthi. People got down from their cars a few miles away from Parthi and had to walk along to reach Prasanthi Nilayam. The wife of Maharaja of Mysore came to pay her respects to Bhagavan. The car was parked at the outskirts as usual. As it was late in the night the party had to stay back at the Ashram. The driver wanted to go and sleep in the car where it was parked. As he did not know the route, Bhagavan called the dog Jack and wanted it to show the way to the driver. As Jack was going to the front, the driver walked behind. Finally the driver slept in the car, while Jack slept under it. Next morning the driver got up and wanted to drive back. As he drove most unfortunately the tyre rolled over the back of Jack. The backbone of Jack got fractured and it started wailing and barking. Jack ran across the sands all along the distance wailing and dragging its body. At last it reached Prasanthi Nilayam. It fell at the feet of Bhagavan and slowly lifted its head, placed it on the lap of Bhagavan and died. Jill could not bear separation from Jack and died later. What does it all denote and signify? It is nothing but the latent divinity in Jack.

I am also reminded of another incident at Brindavan in Bangalore. One day Bhagavan got down in hot Summer around 1.00p.m. and opened the door of the Mandir. Usually we expect Bhagavan at 4.00 p.m. What did we notice there? Most of you know, I presume, that there were many deers, rabbits, peacocks, and birds in Brindavan. As Bhagavan opened the main door, one deer started running fast to Him. It came very near, and died at His feet. Bhagavan said, “I knew! The end was approaching. It was the first deer brought to his place. All the remaining belong to its family. It prayed to die at My feet. So I came down at an unusual time to bless it and fulfill its last wish.” What shall we conclude now? It is nothing but divinity.

I shall narrate another experience of a nurse from Nagaland. She went home to spend her vacation. On the last day of her stay when she was to be back to duty she hosted a dinner for her near and dear ones. All delicious items were kept on the table. All assembled and were about to eat. At that time from somewhere came a cat that jumped over the table and placed its mouth in the vessel containing payasam (pudding). Immediately the host got wild, picked up a stick and hit the cat on its tail. The cat fell on the table and opened the paws of its hind and forelegs, wherefrom Vibhuthi started pouring out. The host watching this felt apologetic. After six months she came to Prasanthi Nilayam along with a group of Seva dal members on Prasanthi security duty. On the last day Bhagavan gave pada namaskar and distributed virbuthi to all the Seva dal members. This lady got her share from Bhagavan. But Bhagavan looked back and again came to her and gave her virbhuthi packets for the second time. She said, “Bhagavan! You gave me already.” Bhagavan said, “This is for your cat.” Will you not say by now, that divinity is present in all, be it an elephant, a deer, a dog, a cat as indicated by the above instances? This is spiritual awareness.

Janthoonaam narajanma durlabham says the Sruthi or the Veda, which means, among eighty-four lakh species, human life is the rarest. How is it so and why is it so? A human being is capable of turning inward and is capable of enquiry of the Self or Spirit or Atma, while the other categories of this organic world are denied of this. After all, Aharam bhaya nidra mydhunancha samanyan pasubhir naraanaam – food, fear, sleep and procreation are common to mankind and also animals. Then, how do we say that the birth of a human being is rare? Wisdom is an extra quality given to humanity, failing which human life is pasubhir samana – equal to an animal. Bhagavan inspires everyone of us to develop this spiritual awareness.

In a discourse He said, “If anyone asks you ‘Who are you?’, what do you say?“ If you reply that you are an Indian, American, Russian and so on, it is a wrong answer. Why? It is the country to which you belong, your nativity, your nationality. But you are not the country, because you may shift, and as such this reply is meaningless. To this question, ‘What are you?’, some may answer ‘I am an engineer, I am a doctor, I am a teacher and so on’, this is not the correct answer. Why? They are your professions or vocations or jobs you do. But you are not your profession. Is it not? To the same question ‘Who are you?’, some may respond by saying, ‘I am a boy, I am a man, I am a grandfather.’ This answer is also wrong. Why? These are the various stages in one’s life. A boy becomes a man, after marriage he becomes a father, and at the age of seventy, he becomes a grandfather. But you are the same person during all this period. So this answer is wrong. Some may say, I am a bachelor, I am a householder, I am a recluse, I am a renunciant, and so on. This is also incorrect. Why? You pass through these Ashramas, while you remain the same. Then who are you? Are you the body? No. Body, mind and intellect are the servants. You are the master. Who are you then? Finally you will know that you are the spark of the divine. You are divine. This is spiritual awareness. This may also be described as ‘the Constant Integrated Awareness.’ With this sort of spiritual awareness you will be eternally blissful beyond duality.

May our Lord Sai bless you.

Sai Ram.

- Universal & Practical Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Chapter 2