If money is lost, one need not be worried about it, for one can earn it again.
If a friend leaves, one can have another; if wife is lost one can marry again.
If one loses ones piece of land, one can purchase another piece of land.
All these can be regained, but if body is lost, one cannot get it back.
(Sanskrit Sloka)

Embodiments of Love!

If wealth is lost, nothing is lost. If health is lost, something is lost. If character is lost, everything is lost. This is the teaching of the culture of Bharat. But, for the modern man, everything is lost if wealth is lost; something is lost if health is lost and nothing is lost if character is lost. Since time immemorial, the Bharatiyas have been adhering to the principles of spirituality. Thus, they attained bliss and shared it with others in the world. The Himalayan mountains form the boundary of Bharat on the northern side. 'Hima' means pure and sacred. Mountains symbolize steadiness. Purity, sacredness and steadiness are the hallmarks of the Bharatiyas. The perennial rivers, the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswathi (underground) flow in this land. These three symbolize the threefold path of work, worship and wisdom through which man can attain Divinity. The holy texts of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata set noble ideals before mankind. What is the inner meaning of the word 'Bharat'? 'Bha' means light, effulgence and divinity. So, the Bharatiyas are those who spread light and effulgence of wisdom. The Indian scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras are shining resplendently, showing the path of divinity to man.

Divinity is latent in every individual. But, today man has forgotten his divine nature and is getting deluded by the worldly, ephemeral pleasures. Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa are verily the five life principles of man. They are like his Pancha Pranas, namely, Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana. If he loses Sathya, it amounts to losing one part of his life-breath. And when he loses all the four, viz., Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, and Prema, he loses four parts of his vital life breath. As a result he is confronted with sufferings and violence from all sides. Who is responsible for this? Man himself is to be blamed for this. Buddha said non-violence is the greatest Dharma. Love will be fostered only when non-violence is practiced. When love is fostered, there will be peace in the world. When there is peace in the world, man will naturally take to the path of Dharma. When man follows the path of Dharma, he will attain Truth. It is, therefore, the primary duty of every man to foster these life principles.

Once Buddha was travelling from village to village giving spiritual discourses. One day, he felt tired and asked one of his disciples to address the gathering. He went inside to take rest. The disciple during the course of his speech said, "In this world, there has never been a spiritual master greater than our master Buddha and there will not be another like him in future." The audience gave a thunderous applause. On hearing this, Buddha came out. One of the disciples told him the reason for the people's joyous applause. Buddha smiled and called the disciple who delivered the lecture. "What is your age?" he asked. The disciple said he was thirty-five years old. "How many kingdoms have you visited so far?" Buddha asked him again. The disciple said he had visited only two kingdoms. Then Buddha said, "You are thirty-five years old and have seen only two kingdoms. You have not understood the present completely. Then how can you say anything about the past and the future? It is meaningless to say that a master like Buddha was never born before and will never be born again. Many Avatars and sages have taken birth in this sacred land of Bharat. Many more Avatars and noble souls will be born here in future also. There are many noble souls in this world, I offer my respects to all of them. In this way, Buddha reproached his disciple. It is foolish for a man with little knowledge to behave like a learned man.

No one can estimate the sacredness and greatness of this country, Bharat. To be called an Indian is in itself a great qualification and honor. How can one describe the great good fortune of the Bharatiyas, for the Lord Himself has taken birth several times in this sacred land to show the path of divinity to mankind? Many saints, sages and men of sacrifice were born in this country. The sacredness and renown of Bharat are unmatched. That is why Buddha chose this country as his motherland.

The story of Buddha is highly noble and sacred. He sacrificed everything and went around in search of truth. He said, "Dharmam Sharanam Gachhami" (I take refuge in Dharma). One has to practice, propagate and experience Dharma. But, today Dharma has declined. People think that money is everything. Just as the earth revolves around the sun, people go around money. "Some people take to corrupt ways to earn money. They may cheat others, but can anyone hoodwink God? They will certainly reap the consequences of their misdeeds." (Telugu Poem) This was the teaching of Buddha. Character is important, not money. Bliss can be attained only through control of senses, not through penance, Japa or meditation. Neither by penance nor by going through scriptures nor by having a dip in holy rivers can one attain liberation. It is only by serving noble souls can one cross the ocean of Samsara. There is no easier path to peace and bliss other than controlling one's own senses.

Man can get limitless powers through love of God. But, today man is not making any effort to understand the principle of Love. Man's love is like an atom when compared to divine love, which is infinite, eternal and nectarine. It is foolishness and ignorance on the part of man to think that he knows everything without understanding the Principle of Love. He should see through the eyes of love, hear through the ears of love and cultivate the feelings of love.

Embodiments of Love!

You may celebrate any number of festivals and undertake various types of spiritual exercises, but all this will go waste if there are no divine feelings in your heart. Do not look at things, which are unsacred. Let your vision be suffused with divine feelings. You will understand and experience the sacred principles: Sarvam Khaividam Brahma (Brahman is immanent in everything), Viswam Vishnumayam (Vishnu pervades the entire universe), Easwara Sarvabhoothanam (God is the indweller of all beings) only when you cultivate noble qualities. In order to cultivate divine feelings and noble qualities, you have to control your senses. Your life will be ruined if you do not control your senses.

A river should flow within its banks; otherwise it will flood the villages causing untold sufferings. Similarly, human life, which can be compared to a river, should also have two eight-lettered dictums as its banks - Sraddhavan Labhate Jnanam (only a person with steadfast faith can attain wisdom) and Samsayatma Vinashyati (a doubting man perishes). Only then the river of life will merge in the ocean of grace. If your river of life does not flow within its two banks, not only will your life be wasted, but you will also be causing harm to others. One who has doubts about God cannot have divine grace. One who has no sincerity of purpose cannot come up in life. A man with sincerity will make the best use of even the smallest opportunity given to him. For example, he can turn even a small bit of live ember into a big fire. On the other hand, a man who lacks sincerity cannot make fire even if large quantifies of live embers are given to him. He will turn all the live embers into charcoal with his lackadaisical attitude. You should have utmost sincerity in matters pertaining to divinity.

Today man has failed to understand the sacredness and purpose of human birth. Having taken human birth, you should try to experience bliss. You have the desire to attain bliss, but you are not making the necessary effort. You cannot collect even a drop of water if you keep the vessel upside down, although there may be a heavy downpour. Some water will be collected in it if the mouth of the vessel is turned upwards. So, if you want to attain divinity, you have to practice Dharma. That is the meaning of Dharmam Sharanam Gachhami. But, this must also lead to the welfare of all (Sangham Sharanam Gachhami). This is the inner meaning of the teachings of Buddha.

Once Buddha entered a village along with his disciples. A lady approached him and requested him to have food in her house. Buddha blessed her and accepted her invitation. Seeing this many villagers, including the village headman, warned Buddha, saying, "O Buddha, you are one of wisdom and have renounced everything. She is not a woman of good character. It is not proper for you to have food in her house." Buddha smiled and asked the village headman to come forward. Buddha, holding the right hand of the headman, asked him to clap. The headman said, it was not possible for him to clap as one of his hands was in Buddha's hold. Then Buddha said, "True, it is possible to clap only when two hands come together. Likewise, this lady cannot turn bad by herself unless there are men of bad character in this village. The men of this village are the root cause of her bad character." On hearing this, the villagers realized their folly, fell at Buddha's feet and sought his forgiveness. Through his teachings, Buddha instilled sacredness and wisdom in people. Buddha' s teachings are highly sacred with profound inner meaning.

Embodiments of Love!

You may call Him by any name, be it Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Rama, Krishna; God is one. Ek Prabhu Ke Anek Nam (one God has many names), if you understand this truth, you will realize that all are divine. Sarva Jiva Namaskaram Kesavam Prathigatchhathi (saluting the individual amounts to saluting God). Your life will be sanctified only when you cultivate such broad feelings. Develop broadmindedness. Never give any scope for any doubt on divinity. All such doubts are but imaginations. Never succumb to them. Follow only divine feelings.

That should be the goal of your life.

Embodiments of Love!

Many devotees from Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and many other countries have gathered here today with great devotion and dedication. Truly speaking their hearts are highly sacred. Though they do not have many comforts and conveniences here, they have considered it as Sadhana, treated everything with a sense of equal-mindedness and are experiencing bliss. Their devotion is true devotion. In the path of spirituality, one should have the determination to face any constraint that one may come across. That determination is the true Thapas (penance). Bereft of determination, it becomes Thamas (sloth). You are determined to achieve something, do not give up until you achieve what you want. You have desired for something, do not give up until your desire is fulfilled. You have asked for something, do not give up until you get what you have asked for. You must pray to God forgetting yourself and make Him accede to your request. It is not the quality of a true devotee to give up half way. (Telugu Poem)

Cultivate the spirit of sacrifice and be prepared to face any difficulties. Na Sukhath Labhyathe Sukham (happiness cannot be attained through happiness). Ancient sages and seers had to undergo a lot of difficulties. They had to live in the forest eating leaves and tubers. They could have the vision of God only after all this suffering. They declared to the world: Vedahametham Purusham Mahantham Aditya Varnam Thamasah Parasthath (O people, we have seen God who is beyond the darkness of ignorance, shining resplendently like a thousand suns.) They also declared, "He is all-pervasive. We have seen Him not outside, but within ourselves. You can also see Him if you turn your vision inward"

[Bhagavan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajans, "Hari Bhajan Bina Sukha Santhi Nahi, Prema Mudhita Manase Kaho, and Pibare Rama Rasam..."]