God is Love, Live in Love

(Text of the Divine Discourse delivered by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 22nd October 2001 in Sai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam as part of the Dasara Celebrations and the Third Day of the Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yagna)

Fish is born in water, sustained in it and ultimately dies in it. Though milk is superior to water, no fish can survive in it. Fish has to be in water, which is its source.

(Telugu Poem)

Due to the absence of fear of sin and love for God, humanness has declined in human beings. This is detrimental to universal peace.

(Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Love !

Though there are differences of names, forms, colours and activities among human beings in the world, yet basically all belong to the human race. One should not forget the fact that all human beings belong to one universal family. The entire human race has only one Father, that is God. All human beings belong to one caste, one race and one Father. In order to visualise the Father, one should cultivate the virtues of truth and character. God is love personified and the same love is immanent in the heart of all human beings. Just as God loves all equally, man should share his love equally with all. It is the foremost duty of man. One should not make use of the God-given love for selfish purposes, but share it with everyone. Only then can one become the recipient of God's grace.
Man derives two types of benefits from the principle of love. He can share his love with others and make them happy. God loves one who is loved by all. God confers His love and grace on those who love their fellow beings. If one wants to become the recipient of God's love, one must necessarily recognise the principle of his innate love. Just as there are seven colours in sun rays, humanness is a composite of virtues like truth, righteousness, morality, love, etc. Wherever the compass is placed, its needle always points to the north. Similarly, man's love should always be directed towards God. Such a person alone is a true human being. Man should transcend the feeling of I and mine, recognise the principle of unity in all beings and conduct himself accordingly. In order to understand the principle of love, one must recognise the divinity that is present in all.
Love is highly sacred, valuable and vast. It is present universally in the entire humanity. It is the primary duty of man to recognise the divinity present within, in the form of love. But man is making no effort in this direction. He is facing hardships because he thinks that God is different from him. God is not separate from the individual. He dwells in all beings in the form of love. One has to make every effort to experience this truth. There is no man in this world without love, but he is associating it with the worldly and ephemeral things. He fails to understand that the love in him is nothing but divine. He limits his love only to physical relationships.
The love of a mother towards her child is called Vatsalya (affection), the love that exists between husband and wife is called Moha (infatuation). The love of a person towards his friends and relatives is known as Anuraga (attachment), the love towards material objects is referred to as Ichcha (desire). Though love is classified in this manner, it is essentially divine. One should always remember this. As man has forgotten this fundamental truth, he is developing differences based on physical relationships. This is the main cause of man's suffering. So long as there is such feeling of difference in man, he cannot attain divinity. I have been repeatedly exhorting you to give up body attachment. Daivaabhi-maanam (attachment to God) decreases as Dehaabhimaanam (attachment to body) increases. Attachment to body is worldly in nature, whereas divine love is related to the heart. Every man has equal right to experience this love.
Man cannot understand God's love because he tries to compare it with his narrow and selfish love. Such comparison is incorrect because God's love is totally selfless. It is infinite, immortal and incomparable. In Vedantic parlance, Divine love is referred to as Angirasa as it circulates in the form of essence in every limb of the body. The love of man and the love of God are the same in quality as well as quantity (i.e., limitless). It is a folly to see difference between them. Man tries to estimate divine love from a worldly point of view. But there is no relationship whatsoever between worldly activities and divine love. They are entirely different from each other.
Divine love is immanent in man, but he fails to understand this. Janthoonam Narajanma Durlabham (out of all the living beings, the human birth is the rarest). God is present in the form of love in every human being. Daivam Maanusha Roopena (God takes the form of man), yet man fails to recognise divinity. Man has emerged from God. Such being the case, why does man consider himself different from the divine? God is your Father. His essence flows in you. One who understands this truth will never distance himself from God.
Love is God, live in love. God has no particular form. What form can you attribute to love? In this world, nothing can exist without a form. Here is a small example. Flower gives fragrance. You may say that flower has a form but not its fragrance. But without flower, how can there be fragrance? So, flower is the form of fragrance. Similarly, mother is the form of love because one cannot experience love without the mother. Therefore, everything has a form in this world. God is present in all. Anoraneeyan Mahatho Maheeyan (Brahman is subtler than the subtlest and vaster than the vastest). You perceive differences in quality and quantity but in reality there is no difference whatsoever. "Poornamada Poornamidam Poornat Poornamudachayte Poornasya Poornamaadaya Poornameva Avashishyate" (That is whole, this is whole. When the whole is taken out of the whole, what remains is again the whole.) Everything is essentially divine. It is because of his body attachment that man is unable to perceive divinity. No doubt attachment is necessary for worldly life, but one should not get too much attached to the world and in the process detach oneself from God. Attachment is bound to exist between mother and child, wife and husband, brothers and sisters. One must understand that attachment is one's own creation, but not innate. Love alone is innate and that is divine.
God is present in everybody in His pristine form of love. In this drama of life, God is the actor and also the director. He enacts all the roles. Understand that you are just an actor in this drama of life and God is playing your role. God protects somebody and punishes another, but in fact, He is the one who is experiencing both. God proves something as good and some other thing as bad, but in fact, He is the cause of good and bad. He is the basis of everything. He is the actor, He is the director and He is the experiencer. He sets an ideal in every aspect. First of all, you should understand this truth.
You study and write examinations. But in reality, one who passes with 'O' grade is God, one who fails in the examination is also God. Everything is God. Basing on physical form, people say someone has passed and someone has failed, but from the Atmic point of view, all are one. One who praises is God, one who censures is also God. The one who respects and the one who rejects is also God. Everything in this world is God's play. One who recognises this truth is alone a true Vyakti (individual). Yesterday I told you the meaning of the term Vyakti. One who manifests the latent divinity is a true Vyakti. There are many paths to understand the unity. Ekam Sath Viprah Bahudha Vadanthi (Truth is one, but scholars refer to it by many names). People call God by different names. All such names are their own creations. God has no specific name or form. He is love personified and beyond all attributes. He has no trace of hatred or differences. Whatever difference you find in God is the reflection of your own inner feeling. But when God assumes human form in this world, He observes certain differences in order to set an ideal to others.
To recognise that God is present in all is true humanness. The Upanishads have referred to man as Nara meaning one who is eternal and immortal. Man is a combination of the five elements. It is the divine love that expresses itself in the form of the five elements. The Gayatri Mantra begins with Bhur, Bhuvah, Suvaha. Bhur refers to materialisation (body), a combination of materials. Bhuvah refers to vibration (life-force) that makes the body function. Suvaha refers to radiation, which is the fundamental basis. All the three represent the same divinity. Similarly, though people call Him by different names, God is essentially one. One who is engaged in worldly activities is called a human being. One who is engaged in divine activities is called God. There is no one in this world who is not divine. All are the embodiments of divinity. All forms constitute the Divine Cosmic Form (Viswa Virat Swarupa). But because of your body attachment, you consider yourselves as human beings. Give up body attachment, only then can you realise your true identity.
The term Atma is common in the three words Dehatma, Jivatma and Paramatma. When Atma is associated with Deha (body), it is known as Dehatma. When It is associated with the individual soul, It is called Jivatma. When It is associated with Divinity, It is called Paramatma. The Atma is eternal and immortal. Though such divine principle is present within, man considers himself weak and mean. In fact, you are not weak or mean; you are God Himself. When you are divine yourself, why do you search for God elsewhere? Pashyannapi Cha Napashyathi Moodho (he is a fool who sees yet does not understand). Though you see God everywhere, still you feel that you have not seen Him. Is it not foolishness? Whomsoever you see is a form of the Divine. You are unable to see God around you because you consider yourself a mere human.
Once Vivekananda asked Ramakrishna Paramahamsa whether he had seen God. Ramakrishna replied that he was seeing God even at that moment. Vivekananda asked "In what form?" Ramakrishna said, "In your very form." Pointing to his disciples, he added, "This Brahmananda, that Nityananda… all are the embodiments of God. I am seeing God in all of you." Unable to comprehend the implication of Ramakrishna's words, Vivekananda asked, "Swami, we are mere mortals. How can you consider us as divine?" Then Ramakrishna said, "Oh simpleton, you look at everybody from a physical point of view, but I see everyone from the Atmic point of view. Hence, all appear to me as divine."
I often tell you, "You are not one person, but three. The one you think you are (body). The one others think you are (mind) and the one you really are (Atma). From the physical point of view, you are a human being, but from the point of view of the Atma, you are God. Once you change your view from physical to Atmic plane, you will see God in yourself. Mistake lies in your Dristi (vision), not in Srusti (creation). Whatever defect you find in the creation is the reflection, reaction and resound of your inner feelings. When you eat a mango, you will get the belch of mango and not that of cucumber. Likewise, whatever you see outside is a reflection of your inner being. So, first of all, install divine feelings in you. Only then can you perceive the reality.
What is the meaning of the term 'Maanava'? 'Ma' means ignorance, 'Na' means without, 'Va' means to conduct oneself. One who conducts himself without ignorance is a true human being. Truly speaking, you are the embodiment of wisdom. What is wisdom? Advaitha Darshanam Jnanam (perception of the One without a second is true wisdom). Such wisdom is verily divine. When you are everything and everything is in you, why do you go in search of God elsewhere? As our Sanjay Sahni pointed out in his speech, God is in you, with you and around you.
The same principle of love is present in all. This love is not related to body, mind, senses or intellect. It is related to the Atma. Love is the very form of Atma. The Veda describes the Atma as love and love alone. It does not say anything further. One who is standing in neck deep water will be able to speak something, but one who is totally drowned cannot speak. Similarly, one who has experienced the divine love partially will start describing it in various ways. Such a person has not understood divinity at all. The Atma is present everywhere. Divine love is all-pervasive. One who understands this truth and gets immersed in the divine love completely, will not be able to describe it. If you are able to talk about divine love, it only means that you are not totally immersed in it. It also means that you are only at a superficial level. How can such a person understand divinity? One should transcend superficial level and reach superior level, which means one should understand the principle of unity. Everything lies in unity. One who attains the principle of Oneness will be immersed in the ocean of love.

Embodiments of Love ! Students !

You are all young and have various plans for your future. You may undertake any activity, but never forget that love is God. You should also remember that you all belong to the same family. You are the children of God. Once you recognise this truth and act accordingly, there will be no scope for differences or conflicts. Nations may be different, colours may vary, but understand that humanity is one. Different shapes like dog, parrot, swan, deer, etc., are made of sugar and sold in the market. These shapes are made to attract the children. The sellers sing, "Whatever you may take, the price is only two annas." Names and forms vary, but the sugar content is the same in all. One pays the price for the sugar content and not for the shapes. Likewise, human beings may vary in names, forms and colours, but the principle of Atma is the same in all of them.

"The Atma is changeless. It is eternal without birth or death. It has no beginning, middle or end. It is omnipresent as the indweller of every being."

(Telugu Poem)

God is present in the form of Atma in everyone. You have to recognise this fundamental truth. Only then can you understand the principle of unity.
People take bath in the sea, but after they return home, they again take a fresh water bath. They do not recognise the benefits that they get out of sea water bath. After you take a bath in the sea, do not again take a fresh water bath for the whole day. The salt that gets stuck to your skin will cure you of various skin diseases. God has created natural remedies for various ailments that afflict man, but man is unable to understand this truth.
You find grass lawns in many places. They are lush green, soft and comfortable to sit. You find white grass in the midst of green grass. If you eat just two blades of white grass, you will be free from diarrhoea. Even dogs know more than what man knows in this respect. When people let loose their pet dogs once in a week, they go to the lawns and eat white grass. They do so as they are aware that white grass cures their indigestion.
There is God in dog also. Whenever a dog has high temperature, it does not eat anything. Even if you offer milk, it does not drink. What is the reason? The dog knows that when it has fever, it should starve. But today even the educated do not observe the dietary regulations when they are sick. They go to a hotel and eat Dosa even when they have fever. Don't they know that they should not overload their stomach when they have fever? Even a dog is careful in this respect but not man. There is divinity in all beings. The Vedas call it Prajnanam Brahma (Consciousness is Brahman). Prajnana is what we call Constant-Integrated-Awareness.
Modern man does not think before he acts. He is always in haste. Haste makes waste, waste makes worry. So, do not be in a hurry. Hurry, worry, curry, these are the main causes for heart diseases. Never be in a hurry. Give up all worries and reduce the intake of curry (fat). Then you will be free from heart diseases. When a fat person goes to a doctor, the first thing the doctor tells him is to reduce his weight. It is said, Vaidyo Narayano Harihi (doctor is verily God). God is your doctor, God is your friend and God is your relation. You are the very forms of God. Forms are different, but God is one. Ekatma Sarvabhutantaratma (the same Atma is present in all beings). Ek Prabhu Ke Anek Nam (one God has many names). So all human beings are essentially divine. Never think that you are different from God.
Yesterday I mentioned in My Discourse, Sathyannasti Paro Dharma (there is no Dharma greater than adherence to truth). Truth is God. God is where truth is. So, one need not search for God. Where is the need to search for God who is everywhere? Consider yourself as God. Never see any difference between the Jeeva (individual soul) and Deva (God). So, never criticise or ridicule anybody. The Upanishads declare, Sarva Jeeva Namaskaram Kesavam Pratigachchhati (to whomsoever you offer salutation, it reaches God). Equally, Sarva Jeeva Tiraskaram Kesavam Pratigachchhati (whomsoever you criticise, it reaches God). The Upanishads speak of the principle of oneness. Your physical mother may be away from you, but God is always with you and in you. He follows you like your shadow wherever you go. You don't need to undertake any spiritual practice like penance or meditation.

" Neither by penance nor by pilgrimage nor by study of scriptures nor by Japa can one cross the ocean of life. One can achieve it only by serving the pious."

(Sanskrit Verse)

Whomsoever you serve, think that you are serving God. That is true penance and meditation. Do not look down upon human birth as mean. It is a sin to neglect human life. God is present in all. Do not go by name and form. See the Spirit within. From the Atmic point of view, all are one. When you consider everyone as God, you will lead a blissful life. It is because people consider individual as different from God, wicked qualities like hatred, jealousy, ego are on the rise. Once you realise that divinity is present in all, there will be no room for praise or blame. You will experience the ultimate bliss.

Brahmanandam Parama Sukhadam Kevalam Jnanamurtim
Dwandwateetam Gagana Sadrisham Tattwamasyadi Lakshyam
Ekam Nityam Vimalam Achalam Sarvadhee Sakshibhutam
Bhavateetam Trigunarahitam

(God is the embodiment of supreme bliss, He is wisdom absolute, the One without a second, beyond the pair of opposites, expansive and pervasive like the sky, the goal indicated by the Mahavakya Tattwamasi, the eternal, pure, unchanging, the witness of all functions of the intellect, beyond all mental conditions and the three Gunas of Sattwa, Rajas and Thamas).
You are really fortunate to be born as human beings. Blessed are those who sanctify their human birth. Man can understand the principle of Atma only when he forgets his body.

Embodiments of Love !

Pray for the welfare of everyone. Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu (May the entire world be happy!) God is the embodiment of happiness. Such happiness should be experienced by one and all. Love alone can confer such happiness. When man develops love, the world will be free from all types of conflicts and wars. After the Dwapara Yuga, during the last 5000 years, the world witnessed 11,000 wars. Even now, wars are being waged. The reason for this is that man is not able to understand his true nature thereby giving room to differences. He is being carried away by the feeling of mine and thine. When he is born, he does not bring even a small piece of cloth with him. When he leaves the world, he does not even give his address. Then what is there in the world that he can claim as his own? Nothing. So long as he is alive, he feels something as his. When he departs from the world, he does not know what will happen to all his possessions. Such being the case, why should he develop ego and attachment? It is sheer ignorance.
Merit and sin are the only things that accompany him after his death. You are born because of the sins committed in previous births. You should undertake meritorious deeds in this birth so that you will never be born again. You should strive hard to attain liberation. How is it possible? So long as the husk is not removed from the paddy, it will germinate wherever it is sown. Punarapi Jananam Punarapi Maranam (to be born and to die again and again). Once the husk is removed, it will not sprout. Punar Janma Navidyate (there is no more rebirth (i.e.) ultimate liberation). So long as man is covered by the husk of Maya or attachment, he is born again and again. Once the husk of attachment is removed, there is no rebirth for him. All spiritual practices are meant to remove this 'husk'. Everyone has to make efforts in this direction. To make effort is your duty, success or failure is in the hands of God. In order to attain success, you have to do your duty.
Without asking, even your mother will not feed you. Without knocking the door will not be opened. Ask and be fed. Knock and the door shall be opened. Likewise, you should pray to God to grant you liberation. Today, though God Himself is coming closer to man, the man is distancing himself from God. There is no greater misfortune or sin than this. It is the result of sins accrued over past births. Never commit such a sin. Earn merit. Be closer to God. The Upanishads exhort man thus: "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached." Man should wake up from the sleep of Ajnana (ignorance) and visualise the sun of Prajnana (consciousness). This is the teaching of every Upanishad. But few follow the instructions of the Upanishads. The truth will be realised and experienced only when the instructions are followed.
[Bhagawan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan, " Bhaja Govindam …"]

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