Once
King Janak held a huge religious function. The horns of many cows were
coated with gold, and he announced that only an enlightened sage could
claim these cows. Maharishi Yagyavalkya told his disciples to collect
the cows. Other learned sages who were present stood up and said. "Wait!
First answer our questions. We want to be convinced that you are indeed
enlightened." The Maharishi was answering all their questions. Finally,
Gargi, one of the sages, approached him and said, "If you can answer my
questions, there is no doubt that you are enlightened." Her
last question was, "Space contains all the stars, solar systems and
all, but in what is space held? What surrounds space?" So Maharishi
Yagyavalkya answered, "Space is contained in the Word of God." This is a
very profound idea. Earth is solid, and what surrounds the continents?
They are surrounded by water, a liquid, which is of a finer substance
than earth. And what surrounds both earth and water? The atmosphere
surrounds them, and it extends to a distance of 220 miles high. Whatever
we say travels through this atmosphere. If there were no air, you could
not utter a single sound, and your words could not be heard. Sound
travels through air. What is beyond the atmosphere? Space, or ether,
Space is the absence of air. Space recedes into nothingness, it fades
into formlessness, so it is extremely subtle. That means that we are
held by something which is as subtle as can be. As Maharishi Yagyavalkya
said to Gargi, the most subtle thing, which is even subtler than
subtle, is the Holy Word. Even the most subtle things ultimately exist
in it. The
subtle atmosphere surrounds us. Water stays in places like rivers and
lakes, but once it is converted into water vapour, it spreads
everywhere. The more subtle something is, the further it permeates. That
is why one saint said, "God pervades every particle, but only those who
have eyes to see can see Him."www.manavdharam.org
All
the scriptures talk about an experience. For example, we say that it is
cold today, but can you show me what cold is? You'll say you can't do
that because feeling cold is a personal experience. When cold air comes
in contact with our skin, and we shiver, we say that we are feeling
cold. We can't see cold, but we can feel it, we can experience it. In
the same way, God, the Supreme Power, is extremely subtle and
inexpressible, but we can experience Him. He is not like a big rock or
any other solid thing which can be put in front of us. If He was like
that then He would not be omnipresent. Something which is all-pervading
also has to be subtle.www.manavdharam.org
If
God were a matter of words, of language, if He could be written only in
English, or French, or Hindi, or Sanskrit, He could not be omnipresent,
because no single language is spoken everywhere. English is spoken in
some countries, French in others. Spanish is spoken in Spain and Latin America, Hindi is spoken in India, and Nepali is spoken in Nepal.
If God's Name could be expressed in a language, it would become
restricted. It would become finite. So to stay infinite it must stay
aloof from language. It is the power which enables us to speak. An
unborn child doesn't speak any language. But the Holy Name, the power of
God, which is indestructible, keeps that baby alive. When this
omnipresent phenomenon manifests itself within us, we can experience it.www.manavdharam.org
Deep
within us is the shrine of God, because it is there that the Holy Name
reveals itself, and we can perceive it. The most mysterious, the most
subtle element resides in your breath and manifests itself there. If you
want to see it, you have to turn your attention to the place where it
manifests itself, and from where it spreads throughout the body so that
our faculties can function. Therefore, the Upanishads say, "It is the
seeing power of the eye, yet the eye cannot see it. It is the hearing
power of the ear, yet the ear cannot hear it. It is the activating power
of the hands, yet the hands cannot grasp it. It is the vocal power by
which the mouth and tongue speak, yet the tongue cannot express it."
That is why Lord Rama described it as `secret'.
www.manavdharam.org
People
think that we are alive because we breathe, that air keeps us alive.
However, when someone falls ill, and he cannot breathe, oxygen has to be
forced into him with a mask and a machine. So if a machine can make a
man breathe, why does he die? Can a machine make a corpse alive again?
No, because the life-force is not active in that body any more; it is
not manifesting itself. Air going in and out does not constitute a
living power. There is a power beyond air, which actually controls the
movement of air. Man does not live by air only. If air were all that
were necessary, then doctors could easily reanimate a corpse. However,
intake of air depends on a higher power, which keeps a person alive.
This power is not dependent on doctors or scientists.www.manavdharam.org
Guru
Nanak said, "My satguru has applied the ointment of Knowledge to my
eyes and dispelled my ignorance. By God's grace I met a saint and became
enlightened." Only by God's grace can a person come into holy company.
The spiritual master enlightens us. This is why we need great souls. We
read the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bible, and other scriptures which
all glorify this divine energy, this divine entity, but still we can't
realize it. But a realized soul can show us what It is. Knowledge is
transmitted from soul to soul. There is no other way. There are many
cookery books available, but until you light the stove these books can't
help you. In the same way, spiritual Knowledge is acquired from a
living soul, from a living entity. The living torch of Knowledge is
passed from soul to soul.www.manavdharam.org
Vivekananda,
who was formerly known as Narendra, was a great intellectual. He had
read all the scriptures, but he couldn't realize practically that thing
which they all spoke about. Then he met Shri Ramakrishna, who though
illiterate, taught him the Knowledge which can't be found in books and
which changed him into the great saint Vivekananda. Lord Rama gave this
same Knowledge to Hanuman. Lord Krishna gave it to Arjuna. Arjuna knew
all the scriptures and even quoted them to Lord Krishna. However, Krishna revealed to him the Knowledge which resolved all his doubts and delusions and helped him to see things as they really are.
www.manavdharam.org
Sometimes
when we are travelling, our car breaks down. We don't waste time
sending for a mechanic who lives far away; we ask passing motorists to
help us. When someone stops and asks what happened, we tell them that
the car has broken down, and they lift up the hood and use their common
sense to fix it. If someone were to shoot you and the doctor said to
operate, would you ask him to first tell you his religion and where he
is from? You won't ask all that. You will simply say, "Okay, take out
the bullet. I am in agony." That is why one saint said, "Don't ask a
saint about his caste or creed. Anyone who meditates on God becomes
His." It is all a matter of meditation. If God does not discriminate
between souls, why should those people who call themselves His devotees?www.manavdharam.org
In
other words, spiritual knowledge is not a matter of words, it is not
intellectual knowledge. It is something spiritual, and to get it we have
to take refuge in an enlightened guru. All the scriptures inspire and
encourage us to find the enlightened master if we want to realize the
true knowledge. Once you meet a realized soul you have a golden
opportunity to accumulate such spiritual capital, and if you misuse this
chance, what will happen? It will slip from your grasp. If you reach
the gateway to God and then turn back, how unfortunate you are! You have
let a golden chance slip through your fingers. And who knows if you
will get the same chance again? Trying to evolve yourself spiritually is
no easy job. How can you be sure that you can escape having to suffer
the consequences of your actions. According to the scriptures there are
8.4 million species of life, and who knows what will become of you? Then
how will you practice devotion? How will you elevate yourself? If you
can't make good use of this life, it's useless to talk about your next
life. In other words, you have an opportunity now.
www.manavdharam.org
