SAI SUDHA – DECEMBER 1944
EDITORIAL
THE DUMB SPEAKS BY HIS GRACE
Prachara Work
EDITORIAL
PERFECTION IN MAN
RADIO SPEECH
BY
B.V.N.SWAMI.
At State Broadcasting Station at Hyderabad (Deccan) on 18-11-44.
Perfection, we are constantly told, is unattainable by man. We have some conception of it; it is true, as an ideal. But actual humanity is imperfect. What is the ideal of humanity? What is this “one increasing purpose that runs through ages?” It is perfection in respect of the entire individual, - body, mind and soul. Man is the compounded result of all these. So the perfection of all three is the ideal. The achievement of this grand object has been the aim not merely of man, but also of his creator. The theory of Evolution, so well developed by moderns was anticipated by the mystics of ancient days. In the ancient scriptures, we read the statement that God created out himself, forms, trying in form after another, developing form after form. Not satisfied with each form, he made something better and better still, till at last, the human form was selected as that which suited him and pleased him best. The greatest difference between animals and men lies however, in the development of mind the intellect, the aesthetic faculties, the moral, and finally spiritual faculties.
Man can and does proceed to observe the heaven and calculate the distances and inter relations of distant astrominal bodies. He can draw the listening soul into the bliss of absorption in the mystic mazes of music. He can strengthen the spirit to face, or dive into itself and the self of God. He faces the Supreme Self, sits in rapt adoration, and loses himself there, first at intervals and finally forever. As great as the difference between the brute and the man, is the difference between the ordinary man living the usual hum drum life of his in any country now, and the rapt soul that is in communion with the Spirit Divine, obtaining there from powers and nature far superior to the human.
Man has gone on advancing in his observation and scientific study and study of arts based thereon. From the boomerang to the rocket bomb, from the country cart to the aeroplane is undoubtedly a great step. The marvels of modern civilization are many, so many indeed that people are apt to fancy that they are nearing perfection. That however is not exhausted the possibilities of scientific discovery and the development of man even on the materialistic side.
But after all is said and done, does scientific discovery ensure perfection or any near approach to it? The scientist must live, and that, as a member of his society; and that society must live move on with other societies. Men must be assured of continuous and safe existence and that can be done only, if humanity as a whole can be assured of its continuous safe existence. Are we anywhere near the discovery of the means for such assurance?
Social science and political science have not kept pace with the advance of material science. Man has not understood himself. He has no clear notion what it is he wants, and how he is to secure the highest good he is capable of.
It looks fairly cleat that individuals can achieve this good only if we discover how society can live in peace and advance progressively on to its highest good. Have each of us understood what we really are and what is our real good? It will be a great day in the march of civilization when the generally have clear ideas on this subject.
Is the possession of goods and power to obtain goods sufficient for us? Is that to be the be all and end all of our existence? If that is not the case, should we run to the other existence and run away from all external contacts and plunge within to seek and find ourselves and the perfect bliss of God there?
Scientists are doing the work of God, in helping mankind to attain more and more knowledge of and power over physical nature. But where are the scientists of the mind and the soul who must keep him on pace with these other scientists, by exploring into the nature of man, to lead him in individually and as a group to the highest bliss he is capable of? At Present there are no such scientists of the mind. However this work has not been neglected altogether. Providence in its guidance of mankind has set over it certain authorities working invisibly and without recognition. The mass of mankind have been groping their way and progressing slowly, very very slowly, proceeding on the principle of trial and error. They commit mistakes. Sometimes the consequences of the mistakes destroy the persons committing the mistakes. Providential supervision of human affairs has sofar, enabled man to survive,- though numerous groups have perished as a result of such mistakes. Will the same providence save mankind still, to avoid mistakes which may imperil human society as a whole? Has providence sent any persons to guide us in this very subtle and difficult task, when large masses of mankind may rush into mistakes threatening the existence of themselves and the rest?
Providence has not been negligent in this matter. But the guides that exist are not easily recognized. There are in the world, persons who are taken to be idlers, cranks, or crazy men, apparently incapable of contributing anything to remove danger of distribution of the social fabric. On closer examination these are found to be saints and philosophers, the real scientists of the mind and the soul. They are secretly engaged in putting up the copingstone to the edifice that is being constructed by the scientific architects. Without the work of the former, the work of the latter will not endure and cannot produce the greatest good of all.
Human progress in societies till now has been largely based on the principles of egotism as expressed in individualism and nationalism. Self-assertion in the individual and the nation is undoubtedly essential for progress. But we have learned to restrict individual freedom by the enforcement of the principle of Altruism to the extent necessary for the proper working of a group or society known as a nation. Nationalism however is, at present, practically the last word in our political civilization. This has been leading us to terrible errors involving loss of life and property. It is obvious that the principle of Altruism, or in other words, love must be introduced or developed so as to check and counteract nationalism to the extent necessary to secure the welfare of mankind. Is there any person or means by which this principle of Altruism or love can be enrolled on national units today? Most will immediately reply there is none and that the prospect for humanity is consequently very dark. But some of the more hopeful members of society are able to see through this darkness of the present hour, a glimmer of hope. There appear to be some persons and some forces which will emphasise the principle of love and make it the leaven to leave all society.
These men are great supermen, the God-mad men, the modern Rishis. The age of Rishis, some say, is gone, as also the age of miracles. But, believe me, when I tell you, the age of miracles is coming; and the stream of Rishis is not over, but swelling. These appear bold assertions; but within the short time allowed to me, I will mention one clear and startling instance of a modern Rishi as powerful as Vasistha or Rishya-sringa, a Saint as powerful and deep in his love for mankind as Jesus. I am refereeing to Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi of whom I shall immediately proceed to give you a short account.
A Fakir passed away in 1918 at Shirdi in the Ahmednagar District who was spending his days and nights in attending to the needs and promoting the welfare of the hundreds and thousands that flocked to his feet, by means most marvelous and superhuman. Hindu and Moslem, Parsee and Christian, rich and poor, male and female, children and adults, all had their share of attention at his hands; and they all declared with one voice, that he was a superman He exhibited powers not easily discovered in men. He commanded the elements, discarnate spirits, brute creation, - nay controlled the minds of thousands of men, near or remote. The thought of man could never be bidden from him; and he exercised his remarkable power only for the benefit of humanity. No wonder that the Hindus worshipped him and rebuilt the Mosque in which he was living at their own expense. The other communities did not worship him but prayed to him (mostly mentally) and innumerable persons had their prayers granted. And thereupon they the Non-Hindus called him (not God but), a God man or the friend of God. He scarified everything for the benefit of all his devotees and called them, his children. In his immediate presence, they were filled with fraternal feelings towards each other and pulled together as his children. “Love ye one another even as I love ye all” was his mandate, and Hindus built at their own expense one more Mosque for Moslems and Moslems carved and made images for the temples of the Hindus. In Baba’s own Mosque, he was the central figure worshipped by the Hindus to the to the accompaniment of loud music. The persons that beat the drum in the mosque and at his tomb were and are Moslems, and when his picture was and is taken round in procession with music, Hindus and Moslems, Christians and Parsees reverently followed and follow the procession. That mosque was called a Brahmin’s mosque and Dwarka Mayee by Baba himself. It contained not only the western niche necessary for all Mosques but also a central Dhuni or fire for Hindu Parsis to worship at, as also the sacred basil (Tulasi) for Hindu ladies to go round. During the day it was a temple. Puran, and Shastras and Vedas were read by order of Sai Baba and guru puja was celebrated there with all pomp noise of a Hindu temple or a Hindu mutt. At night the building was devoted to the solemn reading of Quran by the favourable servant of Baba, Abdulbhai; while sometimes, Shariff was loudly chanted by Fakirs occasionally visiting the place. Sai Baba explained the Gita, Upanishads, Vedas and Ithihasas and coins, pictures, padukas and images to worship. To Moslems, Christians and Parsis he did not present any objects for worship. To Moslems he gave texts of Quran for constant repetition and looked after their spiritual welfare according to their own methods. He bade each community and each individual to stick to the customary modes of worship and other religious practice. Everyone felt that here was the Samathvam referred to in the Gita “ Nirdosham-hisamam- Brahma” and the God who in the words of Alexander Pope is one:
“ Who sees with equal eye as Lord of all
A hero perish of a sparrow fall.”
Wherever Baba’s worship is prevalent there is a happy tolerance and mutual co-operation between persons of all communities and races, castes and creeds. This continues to day. Baba’s work was the same as Din-Iliahi of Akbar. But Akbar ‘s Din-Iliahi died with him and Baba’s Din-Ilahi of full force though he left his body 26 years ago; and it is increasing its scope and strength from day to day. Why is this so? Akbar died. Baba is not dead. Baba told his devotees that even without the body, he would look after the welfare of all his children, i.e. all those that put their faith in him and cling to him for protection and guidance. To day there are in the Madras Presidency he is continuing to give miraculous relief to vast numbers who turn to him in numerous places, the number of his followers is rapidly advancing from day to day not only in the southern presidency but in various other parts of India also.
No one who belongs to Baba can ever hate persons of other communities. It is with joy that I note several other saints who are Moslems by birth working on Sai Baba’s lines having a large and considerable Hindu following and benefiting them alike in temporal and spiritual matters. I have found also at Ramanashram Aravind Asram&c. Several Hindu God-men working on lines of love and tolerance who have Moslem followers. It is therefore, with some foundation that I state that I see the gleams of hope in these God-men. It is these salts of the earth that will leaven the bread of Humanity at least in India and fill the mass with sufficient toleration, brotherhood and love to ensure the satisfactory onward march of mankind towards higher and higher perfection.
THE DUMB SPEAKS BY HIS GRACE
It is no exaggeration to say that Lord Sai is God Incarnate. He has performed miracles in His lifetime and after leaving this earthly life. His devotees have had miraculous experiences in their careers and one of the many instances is the following fact actually experienced by one of his devotees.
Sow. Rajalakshmi, the nine-year-old daughter of Sri. T.R.S.Mani Iyer, Sri Rajalakshmi vilas, Kumbakonam, well known as an ardent devotee of Lord Sai, was dumb by birth, Much dejected by this, he worshipped the Lord Sai most fervently and found solace in Him. One day Lord Sai ordered Sri Iyer to come to his Samadhi at Shirdi. Much exalted. Sri Iyer with his daughter went to Shirdi on 28-3-42. They worshipped the Lord before His Samadhi; and “Lo the girl began to cry “ Sai Baba, Sai Baba.” Is it not a miracle? Does this not go to prove that He is the incarnation of God?
The girl is now studying in the school and there is now a veritable improvement in her speech. Greatly rejoicing at the mercy of Lord Sai, Iyer is daily offering pujas to Him in his house at Kumbakonam and of late he performed three Laksharchanas to Sri Sai Baba.
In May 1944, he again went to Shirdi to attend the Sri Ramanavami celebration and paid homage to Lord Sai by presented Benares Silk shawl worth about Rs.500 and also a silver lamp (Kuthivikkulu) to the height of his daughter costing nearly Rs.400. His extreme faith in Him and ardent devotion to Him manifested as above, have attracted many more devotees to His doors at Shirdi. Puja as done at Shirdi, is being performed at his residence at Kumbakonam daily. The above picture is the photo of the girl sow. Rajalakshmi who had the blessing of Sri Sai Baba.