YOU ARE THE LIMITLESS ATHAMAN

The great legend, Sumudramanthana i.e.,churning of the ocean has great value in our life as it a reminder to 'Churn the ocean of your heart and win the nectar' for yourself. The heart full of sathwaguna (quality of purity and poise) is the ocean of milk. The steady contemplation of the Divine is the Mandara mountain pleaced in it as the churning rod.  Vasuki (The serpent) that was wound round the churning rod as rope is the group of senses emitting poisonous fumes during the process of churning. The rope is held by the good and the bad impulses eager for the results eager for the results which each has set its heart on. The Grace of God is the Tortoise incarnation. Once you are earnestly seeking the secret of Immortality, the God comes silently and unobserved holding the manana (reflection) process unimpaired and serving as the steady base of all spiritual practice. During churning (sadhana), Many things emerge from the mind but the wise sadhaka wait patiently for the appearance of 'Guarantor of Immortality' and sieze upon it with avidity. This the lesson of the great legend and it is also summary of Athmavidya i.e., Science of the Self.

Remembrance of the Lord's name is the method of crossing over the ocean of the worldly life for this age. The Lord is Aanandamaya (of the nature of Bliss) and he is also Aananda (divine bliss) which is to be tasted through the Name. He is Sath-Chith-Aananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss Absolute). The recitation of the Name is like the operation of boring to tap underground water. It is like the chisel-stroke that will release the image of God imprisoned in the marble. Many yogis gained navaneetham by churning the milk in their hearts with constant remembrance of God and offered the navaneetham (fresh butter) at the lotus feet of Krishna. Never doubt that 'How a small word like Rama, Sai and Krishna can take you across the boundless sea of wordly life'. The raft need not be as big as the sea.

A parched land appears to be free any crop but the seeds and roots underneath the soil change the waste into a carpet of green when the first showers fall. Similarly, A man may study all the text-books of spiritual practice, all the scriptures and he may even lecture for hours but he will slip into error when temptation confronts him. Fill your heart with sathya, dharma, shaanthi and prema (truth, right conduct, peace and divine love) so that it will then become a pilgrim fit for repeating holy name or symbols, meditation, religious vows, pilgrimage and ritualistic worship. Reforming of one's tendencies and character is an uphill task.

There are three types of minds -

1. Minds like ginned cotton - These people are ready to receive the spark of highest wisdom and to give up in one instant blaze, the weakness and prejudices of ages.

2. Minds like dry wood - These people with this kind of mind will succeed but only after some little time.

3. Minds like green logs - These people resist the onslaught of the Fire of Jnana with all their might.

Equip your mind with consciousness that you are a person of realisation and get ready to receive the spark of highest wisdom and give up all weakness and prejudices of ages. The man of realisation (jnaani) is ever ready to east off this encumbrance and escape from the prison of name and form and never loses the consciousness of the Oneness. You are no longer subjected to the limitation of birth once you know that you are the limitless aathman (self or the soul which is the infinite consciousness). This 'knowledge of self' will dawn only as a result of long process of sharpening the intellect and by purifying the emotions and the impulses.

SATHYA SAI

Omsai Srisai Jaijaisai