The Embodiment of Supreme Bliss, The Embodiment of Transcendental Happiness, The Embodiment of Transcendental Wisdom, The One beyond duality, The One in Eternal Bliss, The Embodiment of Oneness, The Supreme One, The Eternal One, The Unsullied One, the Ever-steady One, and The Eternal Witness. 2 Unless one leads a calm, pure, noble, virtuous, peaceful, and unsullied life, one can neither understand nor experience this Supreme bliss. It is beyond the physical, mundane, and transient world. He who yearns to experience Brahmananda must first develop Love for God and the longing to become one with God. This longing must be translated into practical terms by first becoming one with society. If you want to discover this treasure within you, then, as Swami said earlier, you must serve others and experience love. Intensely directing your intellect toward God amounts to flicking the switch. 3 4
Kleem, Krishnaya, Govindaya, Gopijanavallabhaya, Svaha Kleem means earth, Krishnaya means water Govindaya means fire, and the other two words mean respectively air and space. These five words thus symbolize the very personification of God. Even a chant of the names of any one of the five elements amounts to calling out to God. When the mind wavers, Faith also falters NO MATTER WHAT NAME YOU HAVE FOR HIM KEEP YOUR MIND UNWAVERING. 5 6 Swami has no thoughts relating to Himself Experience God and do not try to analyze Him God has no desires and that is why He is always happy In spirituality, one must focus on the Higher Self; all actions must spring from the desire to satisfy this Higher or real Self. This is true Self-satisfaction. Actions aiming at satisfying the Inner Self are not selfish in the worldly sense because they are far from worldly desires and petty expectations. What God does one moment may appear to contradict what He does the next moment. God s actions are inscrutable, beyond, time, space and human reason. As Swami often says, No reason, no season! It is therefore both meaningless and improper to analyze God s actions and to interpret them. If God says Yes, it shall be so. If He says No, it shall be so. That is Destiny! You must accept all this and not argue. To question God s actions would imply lack of faith. 7 8
Nityanandam, Parama Sukhadam, Kevalam Jnanamurtim, Dwandwateetam, Gagana Sadrisham,Tattwamasyadi Lakshyam, Ekam, Nityam, Vimalam,Achalam, Sarvadhee Ekam, Nityam, Vimalam,Achalam,Sarvadhee Sakshibhutam,Bhavateetam, Trigunarahitam 9 (God is the embodiment of eternal bliss, He is wisdom absolute, the One without a second, beyond the pair of opposites, expansive and pervasive like the sky, the goal indicated by the Mahavakya Tattwamasi, the eternal, pure, unchanging, the witness of all functions of the intellect, beyond all mental conditions and the three gunas of satwa, rajas and tamas) 10 The 11 words starting with Brahmananda are neither praises of God nor descriptions of God. In fact, they are Names of God. In Gayatri First there is praise; next, there is meditation; finally, prayer. But the hymn beginning with Brahmananda, goes far beyond even the famous Gayatri. The words Brahmananda, etc., have nothing to do with praise; they are the very Names of God. The Gayatri Mantra is the gift of Sage Viswamitra to humanity. It has a basis; it can be analyzed; its meaning can be comprehended. But the Divine Principle [to which the words Brahmananda, etc., refer] is beyond human reasoning, human analysis, and human understanding as well. God is beyond thoughts and is therefore always in Bliss. No matter what people tell Him, Swami always responds by saying, Santosham, santosham (meaning I am happy to hear that ). That is because Swami is Transcendental Bliss (Parama Sukhadam). 11 12
What is Bliss? Why should we strive to be blissful? What ways can we achieve bliss and why does this way seem particularly appealing? Are there things that I have practiced that help me stay in a state of bliss? In my Experience practicing these strategies did I encounter any challenges and how did I confront them? Can one be more blissful than the other? In the Gita, the Sthithaprajna is described as one who keeps awake when others sleep and for whom the daytime when others are awake serves as night. The inner meaning of this is that the Sthithaprajna (the realized person who is in a state of constant integrated awareness) contemplates on God when others are oblivious to God. Turn your thoughts towards the Supreme Lord. I have often compared the heart to a lock. If you turn the key left ward, it gets closed. Turn the key to the right and the lock opens. Turn your heart God-ward 13 14 When the devotee dives into the flood of Bliss that the one Name-Form confers, he is diving into the same Ocean of Bliss that the Full IS. The waters of the Ocean are not separated by lines drawn on them to demarcate this God's region or that God's. The heart is the seat of bliss. True bliss flows from a pure and loving heart. Try to experience such bliss. All other forms of happiness are momentary. Plunge anywhere; you are plunging into the self-same Bliss. 15 16
Little children must be taught with the help of slates and boards on which illustrations are drawn. Temples, images and pictures are the slates and boards for children in spiritual progress. But if you play with a toy elephant,you cannot derive the experience of contacting the real one. The formless can be conceived only when you have transcended form.. Brahmananda is Happiness connected with providing satisfaction to the Atma. Sri Sathya Sai Baba SSS 3:12, April 28 1963. 17 18 All devotees come for the fulfilment of worldly desires. I don t see anyone come for Atma jnana. A true devotee comes only to acquire Atma jnana. Such devotees are very rare. You experience Atmic bliss only when you attain Atma jnana. You should make efforts to understand this truth. In the science of Pranayama when the duration of inhalation of breath (Puraka), retention of breath (Kumbhaka) and exhalation (rechaka) become equal, only then you can attain the state of Dhyana (Meditation) These main aspects of inhalation,exalation and retention are directed by the will of God. When you strengthen your faith that I am God you will become God yourself and attain the eternal and changeless state. Source: Vinayaka Principle is all pervasive Sanathana Sarathi October 2009 You should not pray to God to fulfill your umpteen desires. Just pray.. 19 20
Om Sri Sai Ram Oh! God! Share Your love and bliss with me (Puraka/Inhale) Oh God! Grant me a pure and loving heart (Kumbhaka/ retain ) Oh God! Grant me the treasure of Atma Jnana (Rechaka/ Exhale) 21 22 Man today is conscious only of the Annamaya (physical) and Pranamaya (vital) principles relating to his existence. He has not developed even up to the stage of realizing the significance of the mind. The body represents Annamaya. Activity and motion of the body are to the Pranamaya. The third element is Manomaya (the mental). The fourth is Vijnanamaya (Constant Integrated Awareness). Beyond this awareness is Ananda (the state of supreme bliss). In the great journey of life, man has passed, only two stations. He has not tried to go beyond them to the mental and other stages. It is only after passing the Vijnanamaya stage that man can experience Ananda (pure bliss). 23 Love and faith begets peace and bliss Man deserves to enjoy peace and bliss, but does not make the necessary effort to get them. If he cultivates love and faith, he will acquire peace and bliss. 24