Bhagavan said:

Today I have just made a beginning with the exposition of Vedanta. Every small mantra in Vedanta is pregnant with meaning. I shall take up every day one mantra and explain its meaning in simple and easily intelligible terms. The essence of the Vedanta can be compressed in a small message. But that small message condenses the import of 15,000 mantras. I shall reveal to you the meaning of these mantras. This cannot be done by anyone except the Divine.

Seeing this human form you may be tempted to treat it casually or view it with love as an embodiment in human form. This is not correct. I am not the body. I am not the mind. I am not the intellect (Buddhi). I am not the will (Chitha). I am not the Inner motivator (Antahkarana). I am not any specific object. This body has been assumed for your sake.

Here is a small example: Here is a tumbler. How can water be contained without a tumbler. To have the water, you need a tumbler. You have a container for oil, a wick and a lamp. But will these alone produce light? There must be someone to light the wick. Supposing you have flowers, thread and a needle, can you have a garland? Should not there be someone to make a garland out of them?

You have not known even a small fragment about my Reality. The full nature of this Reality can never be understood by anyone. I am a man amongst men. When they see me I appear as a man. Among women I am a woman. Among children I am a child. When I am alone I am God. This is the Truth about Me. The reason is I have to act towards each section at their level.

When an old man is seen playing with dolls, children would laugh at him. When a young boy is seen walking with a stick, elders will laugh at him. An old man should walk with a stick. Young children should play with dolls. So, when I am with children I make them happy by giving them playthings and sweets. To the seekers of Vedantic truths, I preach Vedanta. To householders I teach the duties of householders. I teach people what is appropriate for them.

What for do I do all this? So that they may learn from Swami (what they need to learn).

Unique Good Fortune

You must realise that all this is coming to you because of your extreme good fortune. This kind of blessing has not happened to anyone in any previous avatar.

Your good fortune will fructify immensely if you make good use of this opportunity to learn and benefit from Swami's teachings.

You will see in due course that even the blind and the ignorant will declare: Swami is God".

In the human condition, occasionally Maaya enters and subjects people to various tests. Do not submit to Maaya in any way.

Succeed in all the tests. Then you will become "tasty" for Bhagavan. Immerse yourself in the Love Principle. Its true nature is beyond description.

Vedanta is more important than the Veda. Love is more potent than meditation or recitation of the Lord's name. The Lord is not concerned about how much you gave to anyone, how many poor people you fed or how many clothes you distributed. You may render accounts of these gifts to the Income Tax authorities. What you have to offer to Swami are your feelings. Even if what you give is small, I value the feeling with which you have given it. I am not bothered about the quantum or the variety of the things you give. Consider the example of Rukmini. By a simple leaf of Tulasi offered with pure devotion she could tilt the scales against Krishna. Kuchela offered a fistful of parched rice and earned the boundless grace of Krishna. One small grain of rice offered by Draupadi to Krishna was enough to make Krishna appease the hunger of Durvasa and his band of disciples.

All incarnations have demonstrated in this way how even small offerings by devotees with a pure heart can earn great rewards.

Give up all the bad qualities in you. Banish the ego and develop the spirit of surrender. You will then experience bliss.

[Bhagavan concluded His discourse with the bhajan: "Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantham Brahma!"]