Love Is God - Live In Love

It is the power of love that is responsible for the earth to rotate without a pivot. It is the power of love that makes the stars stand across the sky without falling on the ground. It is the power of love that restrains the ocean within its limits. It is the power of love that makes the wind blow incessantly in all the worlds. That power of love is infinite, most wonderful and one without a second and permeates the entire cosmos. The entire creation is saturated with love. (Telugu Poem)

God is love. Love is the form of God. Lord Krishna declared in the Bhagavad Gita: Mamaivaarnso Jeevaloke Jeevabhuta Sanathanaha (all beings are the eternal sparks of My Divinity). Just as God, the embodiment of love, showers His love on the entire world, man too should share his love with one and all. The principle of love is beyond definition or description. As man is not able to recognize the sacredness of love, he is directing it on the worldly and ephemeral objects. God transcends all attributes. The same can be said of love too. But man associates attributes to love and wastes his life. He uses the sacred word love to describe the relationships that exist between mother and child, wife and husband, brothers, friends and relatives, etc. Prior to birth, who is mother and who is child? Similarly, prior to marriage, who is husband and who is wife? The love that exists between mother and child, wife and husband, brothers, sisters, friends, relatives, etc., is related to the physical body and is negative in nature. This is only a physical relationship and cannot be called love in the true sense. The act of giving and receiving does not arise in love. Modern devotees pray, "O God, if you fulfill my desires, I will offer you ten coconuts." They offer their mean hair and pray for mighty favors. Can this be called devotion? No, not at all. A true devotee is one who only gives and does not expect anything in return. Surrender is the true sign of devotion.

Human life is a combination of physical and spiritual aspects, one is related to the head and the other to the Heart. But man follows the head and has only the physical world in view, thereby forgets the spiritual aspect. So long as man follows his head alone, neither he nor the society, nor the country at large can attain peace and security. Peace and security will reign supreme in this world only when man gives up body attachment and follows the principle of love that originates from his Heart.

The dualities of righteousness and unrighteousness, truth and falsehood, merit and sin, heat and cold, etc., coexist in this creation. People want Adharrna (unrighteousness) to be eradicated completely from this world. They want only Dharma to exist, but it is not possible. In this world, Dharma cannot exist without Adharma and vice-versa. The world itself is a combination of Dharma and Adharma. It cannot exist if one of them is absent. Man should use his power of discrimination and lead a Dharmic life.

Man's Dharma (code of conduct) is different from the Dharma of animals. But man is unable to differentiate between the two. Man's Dharma is to adhere to the principles of truth, nonviolence and compassion. Man can never attain peace and security so long as he does not give up bestial qualities. Food, sleep, fear and procreation are common for man and animals. Then, what is man's Dharma? To think that you are a human being constitutes only half of the total truth. The other part of the truth lies in understanding that you are not an animal. You should keep reminding yourself, "I am a human being, not an animal." Do not stop at this stage. Enquire further as to which sex you belong to and which stage of life you are in, meaning, whether you are a celibate, a householder, a recluse or a renunciant and follow the appropriate Dharma accordingly. When you are a celibate, you should not follow the Dharma of a householder. There will be decline in Dharma giving rise to troubles and turmoil when man fails to adhere to Dharma appropriate to his stage in life. Man today is unable to understand the principle of Dharma corresponding to each of the four stages of life. The code of conduct is different for different stages of life. Never be under the mistaken notion that Dharma is the same for all people irrespective of the stage of life they are in. The cause of Adharma is that man is trying to follow Dharma that is not appropriate to his age or stage in life. Each should strictly adhere to the Dharma corresponding to his or her age and stage in life.

Today people have not understood the significance of different faiths and different modes of worship that are prevalent in Bharat. They feel it is the existence of different castes, communities and religions that is responsible for all the violence, unrest and conflicts in this country. Existence of different religions has nothing to do with the violence and conflicts in this country. Absence of inner purity is responsible for all this. Here is a small example: After the Second World War, countries like Germany and Japan were divided, though there were no religious or communal differences in those countries. Thus, we see that it is the mind of man, which is responsible for conflicts and agitation, not differences in religions and communities. It is a grave mistake to attribute unrest and agitation in the country to the existence of different religions. For thousands of years, people in India lived in unity and fraternity in spite of the existence of various religions and communities.

Religions are many, but goal is one,
Jewels are many, but gold is one,
Stars are many, but sky is one
Cows are many, but milk is one,
Beings are many, but breath is one,
Nations are many, but earth is one,
Flowers are many, but worship is one.

Different religions have come into existence to lead man to Divinity, not to create conflicts and agitation. There is nothing wrong with any religion. Mistake lies in Mathi (mind), not in Matha (religion). If mind is good, how can one find fault with religion? All people belong to one Jaathi (race), i.e., Manava Jaathi (human race). You should understand the meaning of Jaathi. It is based on form. For example, all flowers belong to one Jaathi. All trees belong to one Jaathi. Likewise, all human beings belong to one Jaathi. Mango tree and neem tree belong to the same Jaathi, but you cannot get mangoes when you sow a neem seed. No doubt, all trees belong to one Jaathi, but their fruits and their tastes vary. There are totally 450 varieties of tastes corresponding to the fruits of various trees. Such being the case, it is rather difficult to understand their underlying principle of unity. The same can be said of the human race too. Human race is one, but human beings are different, their feelings, thoughts and behavior are different. It is utter foolishness to think of annihilating the Jaathi as a whole. It may be possible to kill a few individuals, but it is not possible to annihilate the entire human race. Human race is true and eternal. It is highly sacred. It is a sign of ignorance to give room for differences and agitation without understanding the unity of the human race. The ancient culture of Bharat has laid emphasis on understanding the unity in diversity. This is possible only through love.

Love is God. God is love. Cultivating love is the true spiritual practice. If one holds on to the principle of love firmly, one becomes eligible to attain the state of non-dualism. (Telugu Poem)

The state of non-dualism is contained in the principle of love alone. But man, being carried away by body attachment and physical relationship fragments his love in various ways. This cannot be called love in the true sense of the term. As Swami repeatedly stresses on the need to cultivate love, some people may wonder as to what the form of love is. The answer is, Love is God. Prem Easwar Hai, Easwar Prem Hai (love is God, God is love). Love is the fundamental basis. Atma, Brahma, Hridaya, Uniki {existence) are synonyms of Love. Love is Atma. Love is Brahma. Everything is suffused with love. Such being the case, how can anyone describe the form of love? The same principle of love exists in one and all. Once you understand this principle of unity, there will be no scope for hatred. Today conflicts are on the rise because unity is forgotten. Ekatma Sarvabhutaantaraatma, Advaitam Brahma. Bodies are different, but the same Atma exists in all. Give up the body attachment and strengthen faith in the spirit of oneness. It is only the body attachment that is responsible for evil qualities like anger, jealousy, greed, etc. Some people go to the temple of Lord Venkateswara and pray, "Swami, if You fulfil my desires, I will perform Brahmotsavam for You." Some others pray, "Swami, if my daughter gets married, I will conduct Your Kalyanam" (marriage). Can there be a marriage for God? Does God fulfil your wish so that you may perform His marriage? With such prayers, people are trying to cheat even God. One should pray to God out of love, not expecting any favors from Him. Prayer born out of selfishness is no prayer at all. You should see Atma everywhere and think that you are in the company of God always.

Embodiments of Love!

I often address you as the 'embodiments' of love because love is your true form, which is pure, unsullied, eternal, ancient, formless and non-dual. You love your mother because you have the confidence that she is your mother.

Where there is confidence, there is Love,
Where there is Love, there is Peace,
Where there is Peace, there is Truth,
Where there is Truth, there is Bliss,
Where there is Bliss, there is God.

Peace, Truth and Bliss are not elsewhere. They are in you. You are the embodiment of peace, truth and bliss. It is foolish on your part to search for peace and bliss in the external world. Nothing exists separate from you. Everything is the reflection of the inner being. Just as you love your own reflection in the mirror, love one and all. Try to visualize your reflection in everybody. In order to propagate this truth, Lord Krishna declared: "Mamaivaarnso...". You are a part of My being. You and I are not separate. The principle of love is one and the same in both of us. All your spiritual practices will prove futile, if you do not adhere to the principle of love.

World is like a mirror. All that you feed in this mirror is only the reflection, not the reality. Your right eye appears as left eye in the mirror. Then how can you consider it as reality? When the mirror is removed, reflection also disappears and reality remains. That is called Saakshaatkaara (vision of the Self). Some people claim to have the vision of the Self in meditation, but that is only a reflection, an illusion. The vision of your reality is true Saakshaatkaara. All the worldly relationships are temporary like passing clouds. They are subjected to change in the passage of time, but the reality is absolutely changeless. That is the principle of love. Worldly love may turn into hatred with the change in time. What is liked today may not be liked tomorrow. But love has no likes and dislikes. There is no Divinity other than love. You may adore Him as Jesus, Zoroastra, Allah, Rama, Krishna, Buddha or Guru Nanak. You may call Him by any name. All these are Pettina Perlu (names given by somebody). Love alone is Puttina Perlu (natural name). The names given are bound to change, but love is changeless. You should aspire for that love. That is true Bhakti (devotion). Bhakti confers on you Yukti (discrimination), Virakti(detachment) and Mukti(liberation).

In this world, everything is suffused with Divinity. Other than Divinity nothing exists. Even this cloth (handkerchief) is Divine, this flower is Divine, everything is Divine. If there is no Divinity in this cloth, one will not desire for it. Love pervades everything. You should make every effort to understand this. Human heart is full of love. Many students write to Me, "Swami, I love You." They use the symbol of Hridaya to denote love. This means Hridaya is that which is filled with love and compassion. Hridaya is the very form of God. Easwara Sarva Bhutaanaam (God dwells in all beings). Isavaasyam Idam Jagat (God permeates the entire universe). Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma (Brahma pervades the entire universe). Share your love not only with your fellow beings, but also with birds and beasts. Stand united. Consider the entire universe as a single family.

Embodiments of Love!

Today you find agitation and unrest all over the world. The reason is that man lacks magnanimity. There is no expansion of love in him, only contraction of love. Narrow-mindedness is man's own creation. God has given you large heart. You are subjected to hardships because you are trying to limit the infinite Atmic principle.

Embodiments of Love!

Today we are celebrating the festival of Guru Poomima. Who is Guru? 'Gu' stands for Gunatheeta (attributeless). 'Ru' signifies Rupavarjita (formless). There is another interpretation for the word Guru. 'Gu' signifies darkness and 'Ru' denotes that which dispels darkness. (Gukaaro Andhakaarasya, Rukarasthannirodhakaha). So, God, who is attributeless and formless, is the true Guru. In the word 'Bhagavan', the letter 'Bha' stands for effulgence. An ordinary electric bulb illumines only a limited area, but God who is all pervasive illuminates the entire creation. Divinity shines forth in everybody. So, do not hate anybody. In this world, people are driven by hatred and narrow feelings. They go even to the extent of killing each other. What a heinous crime it is! Hurting others amounts to hurting God Himself. Your hatred will certainly rebound on you. Today people derive demonic pleasure in causing harm to others without understanding the truth that one day or the other they will have to reap the consequences of their actions. Make others happy and you will certainly be happy. Today violence and murders have become the order of the day. Greatness does not lie in killing others, even an insect is capable of doing that. Greatness lies in saving lives.

Embodiments of Love!

You are bound to face the consequences of your actions. So, do good and you will certainly reap good results. Do not get disheartened if there is no immediate reward. Wait for a while, you will certainly be rewarded. Your suffering is nothing but the consequence of bad deeds in the past. Prayer alone can alleviate your suffering to some extent. Prayer is a way of expressing your gratitude to God. The Sun God is extolled as Kritaghnagnaya Namaha, (Salutation to the destroyer of the ungrateful) meaning He will withdraw Himself from the eyes of those who have no sense of gratitude.

The quality of kshama (forbearance) is most essential for one and all. Forbearance is truth, forbearance is righteousness, forbearance is nonviolence, forbearance is the teaching of the Vedas, forbearance confers happiness and heavenly bliss. (Telugu Poem)

Forgive those who have harmed you and criticized you. Have the faith that whatever happens is for your own good. If someone showers abuses on you, do not retaliate. Enquire whether he has criticized the body or the Atma. If he has criticized the body, indirectly he has done a favor to you because body is nothing but a heap of flesh, blood, bones and fecal matter. On the other hand if he has criticized the Atma, it amounts to criticizing his own self because the same Atma exists in both of you. One should cultivate this kind of forgiveness and broadmindedness.

Embodiments of Love!

Guru is one who dispels the darkness of ignorance, arising out of body attachment. Body is but an instrument. God has given you the body to take to the Path of action. Body is God's gift. Deho Devalayah Prokto jeevo Devah Sanathanaha (body is the temple and the indweller is God)! Consider all bodies as temples of God and offer your salutations. Salute even your enemies. Sarva Jeeva Namaskaaram Kesavam Pratigachchathi and likewise Sarva Jeeva Tiraskaaram Kesavam Pratigachchathi (whomsoever you salute, it reaches God and whomsoever you censure, it also reaches God).

I often address you as Bangaru (gold) because you are the embodiment of Hiranyagarbha. The principle of Hiranyagarbha is present in your heart. You may change the shape of the jewel, but gold remains changeless. The value of gold decreases as it is mixed with various metals like copper, brass, etc. Likewise man by birth is highly pure and most valuable. But on account of his association with evil desires and bad company, he loses his value.

(Run away from bad company, perform meritorious deeds day in and day out and enquire into that which is permanent and that which is ephemeral.) This is your Dharma.

Embodiments of Love!

It is said, Janthoonaam Narajanma Durlabham (birth as human being is the rarest of all beings). So sanctify your life by making proper use of your senses. Do not talk as you please. Talk softly and sweetly. Have proper control over your vision. You all know what happened to Keechaka when he looked at Draupadi with evil intentions. Bhima smashed his head into pieces. That is why Buddha has preached to cultivate Samyak Drishti (sacred vision). Buddha attained enlightenment only after he cultivated sacred vision. Consider all that you see as the form of God. Think what is good, see what is good, hear what is good, talk what is good and do what is good. Only then can you attain Divinity.

Embodiments of Love!

Embodiments of Love!

Give up ignorance, light the lamp of wisdom in you and ultimately merge in the Divine. This is Swami's message for you today. Develop love. Through love alone can you annihilate the mind and through love alone can you get cured of any disease. Only love can eradicate the evil qualities in you. So love all. Love the Hridaya, not the physical body. Love the Divinity that is installed in your heart. Body, mind, intellect and senses are merely instruments, you are the master. So, master the mind and be a mastermind. Never become a slave to your mind. Contemplate on the Divine day in and day out. That alone can bring about transformation in you. You may chant any name, contemplate on any form; but understand the truth that God is One and only one.

[Bhagavan concluded His. Discourse with the Bhajan, "Prema Mutdita Manase Kaho ,.."]